4. New Home

The wind whipped against my face as I ran into the cold. I shivered, but not once did I slow down. I don’t know where I was running with my belongings, but it was somewhere that is new to me. 

After walking for an hour, my legs started to ache so I sat on a bench on a sidewalk, bringing my knees up into my chest. Scarlet's face paled as soon as she saw me leaving and begged me to stay. But I didn't listen and walked out of the apartment with a stone face.

Pride is something I inherited from my father. And my pride wouldn't let me stay any longer, knowing that my only friend had trust issues with me. As soon as I stepped out of her apartment, I was overcome with feelings of helplessness and fear, but as I previously stated, my pride drove me to walk in the streets with my belongings at this hour of the night.

Scarlet is so enamored with her boyfriend that she believes everyone else is wrong. She's a very vulnerable girl, and everyone uses this to their advantage in order to manipulate her. I don't blame her because I know Andrew was controlling her mind and she was powerless to stop him. I was furious with her because she mistrusted me. Her best friend. It was difficult to maintain the same relationship we had before she moved to New York, but we still called each other at least once a week. She'll be too preoccupied with cheerleading practice, or I'll be too preoccupied with my studies. Maybe that's why she acted so rashly today.

“Why? “Why does everything bad happen to me?” I asked myself, my eyes welling up with tears. I wished it had all been a nightmare. But I knew it wasn't the case. This was my choice, and I had to suffer as a result.

WHY?” I screamed and sobbed even harder. The more I cried, the more difficult it was for me to breathe. It dawned on me that I was going to die. I was shattered, completely broken. I didn't have anywhere to go, nowhere to stay, and no other contacts. I'm feeling helpless. Even the university dorms are full, and I can't afford an apartment on my own right now. Maybe I'll be able to share an apartment with a roommate. That's all there is to it. I'll look for it tomorrow, but where will I stay tonight?

CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

I heard the crackling of sticks nearby and the sound of approaching footsteps. I turned my face to the right to see a man walking towards me. He seemed scary with an uneven shaven face and his clothes dirty. He was even walking unsteadily, which can only mean one of two things: he's drunk, high on drugs, or both. He came to a halt when he was a foot away from me. I took a look around and noticed that the street was deserted. How could I have been so careless? I've heard that girls are being kidnapped at night and sold to a mafia group. What if he is a member of that Mafia? My heart started to pound loudly and different scenarios crossed through my mind. 

“Who are you?” I questioned him nervously.

“Just a pedestrian, kid,” said the man with an evil smirk. His gaze was predatory and I shivered with fear.

"What is a pretty girl like you doing here”? He asked and I shuddered as his eyes raked over my body, undressing me with his lustful gaze.

“I think I should go now”, I stood up quickly, taking a few steps to the side, clutching my bag tightly, in front of my chest.

”I don't think that's a good idea,” he said, blocking my path. In a panic, I looked around once more. It was completely silent. I palmed myself mentally. How could I have been so naive!

I quickly turned around and dashed away. But then I felt a hand grab my arm, and I let out a piercing scream, immediately dropping my luggage. He covered my mouth with his filthy hand and slammed me into a nearby wall with enough force to leave a bruise on my skin. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I thrashed in his arms. Suddenly, I was transported back in time, with images from that day flashing through my mind. Fear had a firm grip on me, making me weak and numb.

“Please don’t hurt me” I begged, tears falling down my eyes endlessly. I struggled to free my hand which was tied behind the chair I was forced to sit on and my feet tied together with duct tape. My whole body was throbbing in pain and my head felt heavy. 

He looks smug, pressing his hands harder on my thighs as he sits on his haunches and leans closer to my face. I remember him as the one who was holding me down when that green-eyed man killed my parents.

“Co-operate with me then if you don’t want to get hurt,” he says and fear crawls within me when I realize what he wants.

“No-no, please,” I begged, shaking my head. But he slapped me and told me to stop talking. Before picking me up and tossing me to the floor, he removes the tape from my hand and legs. I jerk backward, attempting to get away from him. He steps on my legs, causing me to scream in pain.

“Shut up bitch” he yelled and removed his shirt, tossing it to the floor. He bends down and starts to unzip my dress, holding me down with his body. 

I whimpered helplessly as I closed my eyes. His wandering hands felt like a hot piece of coal on my skin as he pushed the hem of my dress up to my stomach. As whimpers escaped my lips, I bit the insides of my cheeks hard, drawing blood. But before he could do anything else to me, he was restrained by someone. Profanities and curses were heard, but I wasted no time fleeing the dreadful place.

I sobbed helplessly and prayed to all the Gods above to perform a miracle and save me. Perhaps, it's time for me to go and join my parents.

“Oh don’t be shy, love”, he said, taking a strand of my hair and twirling it around his dirty fingers. I tried to push him away. But this made him press his body against mine. He smells like a rotten egg and I tried not to smell as much as I could. I thrashed in his arms as he started kissing my neck. His cracked lips against my skin brought a disgusting shiver throughout my body and I tried my best to push him away with only one thought running through my mind. 

I wish I could be stronger than this, to fight all these evil men, but I'm paralyzed.

As if heaven had heard my prayers, I heard a loud screeching of tires on the road and a blaring horn sound, which caused the disgusting man to stop what he was doing. He turned his head lazily in the direction of the car that had stopped directly in front of us. The car's headlights blinded my eyes, causing my head to ache. I saw a silhouette of a woman getting out of the car through my hazy vision.

“Hey you, step away from her”, a familiar feminine voice yelled angrily.

“G-Grecia” I stumbled as soon as I recognized her, relief coursing through my veins. Thank you very much, Lord!

“Who do you think you are?’” the man asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I need you to leave her right now," Grecia said, her eyes narrowed to slits and fists clenched at her sides.

“What if my answer is NO?” he sneered at her. Oh, how I wish I could knee him in the crotch, but my legs are trapped between this man, preventing me from using any weapon.

“Then I'll have to use my power. Should I send my son, Logan Watson, to deal with you?” she inquired, a small smirk on her lips. This is the first time I've seen her in this capacity - powerful and demanding.

The man froze. “Watson...your son” he stuttered, his hands shivering. The man quickly jumped away from me, as if my presence burned him.

“Indeed, my son. Should I contact him? If he finds out you touched his girl, you won't see the light of day again, but you already knew that, right?" She said it with an evil grin. What? Whose girl? Who exactly is this Logan?

“N-no madam, please don't tell him. I am sorry” he said and ran away with his tail between his legs. Logan must be a terrifying cop.

“Grecia” I ran towards her and hugged her tightly and sobbed in her arms.

“Shh... it’s okay, honey," she said wrapping her arms around my body in a comfortable manner. I sniffled and held my tears in, taking deep breaths to stop the shudders running through my body.  My crying ceased in the next few minutes. I shivered awkwardly as the wind picked up. 

“Come, let’s get out of here”, she said, noticing my discomfort.

“Where’s your address? I will drop you there”, she said.

“Um… Could you please drop me off near a motel or something?” Uncomfortably, I inquired.

“Motel?" Her confused gaze left mine and onto my bag lying on the ground. Her eyes slightly widened in realization.

"Uh...Um...I don't have a place to stay for the night," I admitted, blinking back tears.

"There's no way I'm letting a girl like you stay alone in a hotel. You're new around here. Expect the unexpected here,” Grecia frowns as she shakes her head. I pursed my lips, knowing she was correct, but I didn't have any other choice. “But you can stay at my house,” she said, nodding as if in agreement with herself. “The house is large enough for you, and you will be safe there, I promise.”

“No Grecia, please-

“There will be no excuses. You'll accompany me.”

 *************

"Wow," I exclaimed as I gazed in awe at the magnificent home in front of me. It's not a house, it's a freaking mansion. It has a long circular driveway lined with palm trees and hedges that are neatly trimmed. A marble fountain sits in the center of the circular driveway. An angel perched on top, holding a crystal bowl, gazed up at the sky. Water spurted from the bowl, falling gently into the pool beneath it, causing ripples to form and wave out until they vanished. I'm sure the water is crystal blue. As it's nighttime, the water appears yellow due to the warm light from the mansion. The mansion itself appears modern with a touch of medieval. I couldn't take my eyes off the structure because it was so large and beautiful.

The driver gets out of the car as soon as it comes to a stop to open the door for Grecia. I follow Grecia out, holding my duffle bag close to my chest, and thank the driver.

“Thank you very much, Thomas; I'll see you tomorrow. “Goodnight,” Grecia says with a grateful smile to the driver.

“Goodnight, Mrs. Watson,” the driver says as he walks to the car and drives it to a modern garage with a roller shutter.

Grecia led me inside through the massive door, where I found myself in the presence of an impressive grand foyer. The foyer features a high ceiling and a massive crystal chandelier that hangs in the center of the room. A grand staircase leads to the center of the room, and either side of the staircase leads to other areas of the house. Everything in here is cream, with accents of brown and gold.

"This is incredible," I exclaimed in awe. Grecia emerged from a room, holding a glass of juice. I was so preoccupied with looking around that I didn't notice she was leaving my side.

"Thank you," I said, taking the glass from her outstretched hand. As the sweetness hit my taste buds, I sighed contently. The warm liquid soothed my dry throat, and I gulped it down in three gulps.

"I'll show you around your room. This way,” she said, motioning me to the stairwell with a simple arm motion. I followed her up the marble steps, eventually turning right and walking down a carpeted corridor with several doors. We entered a room, and she twisted the doorknob, allowing the door to open and reveal the most beautiful room I had ever seen in my life. The large glass window was draped in velvet, and the most beautiful queen-sized bed was pushed up against the grey wall. It was enormous, with a slew of pillows that complemented the white, purple, and gold duvet. The floor was also carpeted.

“This is where you'll be staying,” Grecia says as I walk in, completely enthralled.

“It's lovely,” I exhale.

“Thank you so much for your time. It's much appreciated. But I won't bother you for long. I'll be leaving tomorrow.”

“Nonsense. You are welcome to stay as long as you want. I enjoy being in your company. It can get lonely here at times, so I don't mind having a visitor.” she said as she patted my back and I smiled at her.

I told her about the fight Scarlet and I had and why I had left the house on the way back. She comforted me and invited me to stay with her for as long as I wanted, which was very kind of her.

"Do you stay here by yourself?" I inquired of her.

"No. I'm staying with my son. We also had a housekeeper named Charles, but due to health issues, he had to return to his hometown for a few days." I nodded, a soft smile on my face, as she said. I recall her mentioning her son once or twice, and she appears to be very proud of him.

"Does your son work as a cop?" Curious, I inquired.

"No. Why did you inquire?" She said, and I looked at her, perplexed.

"But that - that man ran away as soon as you said your son's name," I said, and Grecia laughed softly, allowing wrinkles to form around her eyes.

"To be honest, I didn't think that man was aware of Logan. I was only attempting.” She laughed.

“He is the President and CEO of Watson Enterprise. However, because he has many other side businesses, he is well-known for his... ruthless behavior." Grecia said, slightly frowning, and I nodded. Grecia shook her head and chuckled softly as I yawned.

“I suppose you're tired. Rest up, sweetie. I'll be in the next room if you need anything. Good night, Karolia,” she says as she exits the room.

“Goodnight, Grecia, and once again, thank you.”

*********

It was pitch black when I opened my eyes again due to a nightmare. My racing heart was soothed by the sound of silence. I turned to the right and looked at the small digital clock on the nightstand. 1:45 a.m.

I sighed and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. I lay in bed for what seemed like hours before getting up, thirsty. My throat had dried up after a long period of crying as I cried myself to sleep. I couldn't help but feel down and emotional.  The ground felt cold beneath my feet as I trudged towards the door to open it. The dim lights illuminated the dark corridors. I stumbled down the stairs, clutching the railing. I walked around the silent house, looking for the kitchen. If I'm going to stay here, I should probably request a house tour first thing in the morning. The place was huge and confusing, but I eventually found it after about 10 minutes. I groped at the wall, looking for the light switch. But I can't seem to find it. Where the hell is this dang switch?

As my throat yelled for some liquid, I shrugged and made my way to the refrigerator. I opened it and took a cold water bottle out. I poured the water into a glass I found in one of the cupboards and began drinking, moaning at the refreshing taste. It's like being in heaven when you taste the water.

As I walked out of the kitchen, I heard the front door open. As negative thoughts began to cloud my mind, my heart began to race. Because of the heinous events that had occurred in my life previously, even the slightest sound causes me to jump in terror. I grabbed the first thing I saw, a flower vase, thinking it was a thief. As I dragged my feet across the rug on the ground, I held the vase in a shield pose in front of me. I walked into the living room, making as little noise as possible. And there was a man in a hoodie, his back to me, closing the door with a key. This robber appears to be well prepared and fully equipped.

I took deep breaths in an attempt to calm my racing heart. I need to stop him before he kills me and Grecia and steals. I approached him slowly, my heart pounding. As my arms moved higher and higher, my body felt numb. Just as I was about to smack his head with the vase, the roles were switched. He pushed me up against a wall, his hand on my neck, and the vase in his hand. I blinked again, trying to relive the moment slowly. How in the world did he become aware of my presence behind him? I took care not to make any noise as I walked. I locked my gaze on the man's blue eyes, which shone brightly in the dim light.

“What is your name? What the hell are you doing here?” he inquired, his voice raspy and sexy. His cool mint breath brushed against my cheeks. This is not the time to tell you how good he smells! His grip on my neck tightened slightly, but not to the point of suffocation. Just enough to keep me in place.

“I-I should have asked you the same thing. What are you doing in my house?” Lies. I'm aware that this isn't my home, but he doesn't need to be aware of that. I mentally congratulate myself on maintaining a steady tone of voice.

He huffed in disbelief, "Your house?"

Yes, my house,” I confirmed. He tightened his grip on my shoulder, making me wince slightly.

“Don't lie to me,” he growled, making me flinch.

"Hey, leave me alone. It hurts. What do you want?” I screamed, trying to break free from his clutches. God, his grip is powerful. Is he made of steel or what?

He turned on the lights. Bright lights filled the room, and I closed my eyes in response. Before looking at the man, I blinked my eyes several times to adjust to the light. I froze as soon as I saw his face.

“You?” we all asked at the same time.

“Wait, what are you doing in my house?” He yelled at me, making me jump at the sound of his voice. His residence?

“Logan?” We turned around to see Grecia, dressed in a silky nightgown standing near the stairs, looking perplexed.

“Mom, what is she doing here?” he demanded angrily.

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A/N - Every THURSDAY, SUNDAY, and TUESDAY, there will be an update. We will not allow anyone to plagiarise our story plot. It is ILLEGAL.

And is anyone up for a double update today??

-Middlebencherzz