Chapter 4

Jade’s POV

Everything happened so fast. I didn’t mean to shoot him, but I had already pulled the trigger, and his right hand was still on mine when he tried to hit me. Eduardo had mistakenly shot himself!

No..no..no I stepped back as I watched Eduardo fall to the ground, clutching his stomach covered in blood. The gun was a silent pistol, and clearly no one in the villa heard the shot; if not, his guards would have rushed in here.

I dropped the gun, searching for my dress. I slipped it on before moving towards Eduardo, who had already passed out. “Please wake up,” I shook him slightly, even when I knew what it was.

The only solution now was to escape. Without thinking twice, I ran out of the room with my dress, which was stained with Eduardo’s blood after I touched him. The villa was eerily empty and quite without any single guards in sight.

Panic surged through me as I thought of my friend Eloise; this was our chance to escape. As I hurried towards the room where we had been kept, my breath caught in my throat.

There in the dimly lit hallway, I caught a glimpse of strange men dressed in black, their faces obscured by masks. I felt a knot in my stomach as I realised these men were not ordinary.

Their movements were too coordinated, and with all the guards missing, it was clear they were here on a mission. I quickly dove behind one of the pillars, holding my breath as I watched them pass.

I knew I couldn’t reach Eloise without being caught. The fear of being discovered pushed me to make a quick decision. I ran outside to the car park, my heart pounding in my chest. Luckily, I found one of the cars open.

Without thinking twice, I slipped inside, hiding in the back seat. I stayed still, praying that no one would notice me as I waited for the right moment to escape. I knew Eloise and I had to get away this night, or I’d be blamed for Eduardo's death in the morning.

Being the last one seen leaving his room and with cameras all around, the evidence could easily point to me. The pressure was on to flee before dawn broke, or I’d be in serious trouble.

My heart raced as I heard the sound of heavy boots thudding against the floor, echoing through the silence. It had to be the men I saw earlier. Then, I heard engines roaring and speeding away.

What had they done? How did they get into such a secure place? I thought to myself, Someone inside must have helped them. Minutes passed, and the noise faded, giving me a glimmer of hope.

Maybe I could sneak out to find Eloise. But just as I thought about moving, the sound of boots returned, this time from one person, and they were getting closer and closer to me.

I held my breath, my fear growing as I pressed myself deeper into the shadows of the car, praying not to be found. I trembled, my eyes tightly shut, when the car door swung open and slammed shut.

My heart raced, feeling like it might burst from my chest. Have I been caught? Then, the car started to move, and panic washed over me. It had to be one of the bad guys, and they were taking me away.

I held my breath, trying to stay as quiet as possible, hoping he wouldn’t notice me hiding in the back. The car shot down the highway, racing so fast that it felt like it could crash at any moment.

My stomach churned as I wondered why the driver was going so wild in the middle of the night. Was he chasing someone? Suddenly, the car shook violently, bumping along like it was on gravel.

The rough ride made me feel dizzy, and I gripped the seat tightly, trying to steady myself. Each jolt sent waves of nausea through me. I closed my eyes, wishing for it to stop.

The car suddenly stopped, and I heard the door slam shut. Suddenly bright lights flooded my face, making me squint. Slowly, my tired eyes opened, blinking rapidly to adjust.

“Get out,” a deep voice commanded, sending a chill down my spine. I froze, my breath catching in my throat. The first thing I saw when I came out was a gun aimed right at me, and it brought back a vivid memory of when I had pointed a gun at Eduardo.

I noticed the cold stare of the man with the gun and realised he wasn't one of the bad guys. His outfit was totally different—just pyjamas.

Did I really go through all this trouble only to end up with a man in pyjamas holding a gun? Confusion mixed with frustration bubbled inside me. It felt surreal, like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

“Why are you covered in blood?” he asked, pointing the gun at my revealing dress. “Uhmmm,” I stammered, looking down at my dress. I swallowed hard as fear gripped me because I was lost for words.

Suddenly, the man burst into loud laughter, like he found something funny. It reminded me of how Eduardo had laughed when things were serious, and it never ended well.

“You know, you look so cute with that scared face,” he said, running his hands through his hair. “I can see how scared you are and how you’re trembling.”

“You know, you made things so easy for me,” he said, stepping closer. I backed up until my back hit the car. “Something I’ve been trying to do for years, and you made it happen in one day.”

I was shocked. What was he talking about? “Well, thank you for killing the famous Eduardo Santini,” he said, a sly grin spreading across his face. My heart felt like it stopped. 

I didn’t know what to do or say, so I just stood there, tears rolling down my cheeks. “I’m not a murderer,” I whispered through my sobs.

“I see you don’t talk much. Well, we need to head back to the villa because someone needs to account for his death,” he said, grabbing me and shoving me into the passenger’s seat.

“I didn’t kill him, please!” I pleaded, begging him not to take me back, but he only smiled. Before long, we reached Eduardo’s villa. I felt too weak to protest or cry anymore; I just stayed silent throughout the ride.

“Do not say a word as we go in. Remove that thing and put this on.” He handed me a shirt, which I took, obeying his instructions.

As we drove in, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Slaves, maids, and guards stood frozen, their eyes filled with fear. They all knew what had happened.

“I’m so sorry about your... father,” Lorenzo stammered, inching closer to the man in pajamas as he got out of the car. I watched him, confusion swirling in my mind as he suddenly acted frustrated. Something felt off.

“I saw the assassins and tried to chase them, but I lost them,” the man said, tears streaking down his face. I was getting more confused, because he hadn’t chased anyone. 

“And why is this girl with you, Jackson? Did she have a hand in this?” Lorenzo asked, his voice sharp. I trembled, knowing this was the end for me. I had been caught and would face the consequences.

But then I heard the most shocking words slicing through my fear. “No, Lorenzo, she didn’t kill my dad. I saw her trying to escape when I was chasing the assassins,” Jackson said, his voice firm.

“I would make her know why the rules said no escape. Lock her up in my room; she’d be punished severely,” Jackson commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

And in that moment, it all clicked. This man in pajamas was Eduardo Santini’s son, the one who planned to kill his own father.