Chapter 3 : Escape

*Charlotte*

My heart thumped loudly in my chest as I was sprawled out and pinned to the bed, my uniform in tatters and exposing more skin than I ever wanted to show anyone. Hot tears poured out of my eyes and down my face, tasting a mixture of tears and blood in my mouth as I screamed for help one last time.

I was a mess.

But despite all of that, the moment the door burst open and all eyes turned to the person who stepped over the broken door now lying in pieces on the floor, I could only think, ‘Please help me.’ to whoever had dared.

The mysterious young man from downstairs stepped inside, a cold grim look on his face as he glanced around the room very carefully and then said, “Let the girl go.”

His voice was like dripping ice but in a command so natural that immediately the thugs dropped me. I sniffed, wriggling my wrists that were bruised and throbbing, and taking the chance for what it was, I scrambled out of the bed and out from under the creditor, collapsing to the floor on my trembling legs.

The creditor scowled at me but didn’t try to touch me anymore as I curled myself up into a ball in the corner, silently sobbing as I huddled my knees to my chest and prayed that this man would stop all of this.

The Mysterious stranger’s eyes were cold as he walked into the room like it was his own house, not giving any kind of acknowledgment that he had broken in with such a fuss or even realized the situation he’d walked into.

“Dear guest,” The creditor said, teeth grinding as he faced him, trying to stand to his full height which was a full two feet below the stranger. “I’m afraid you have the wrong room. Please return down to the bar. We have some unfinished business here.”

The stranger snorted, a mocking note to it that had the creditor clenching his fists, eyes narrowed. The mysterious stranger, whose name I still didn’t know, glanced down at the creditor with impassive eyes, like he was watching someone who truly mattered less than a pebble on the street.

“The girl is coming with me,” He declared boldly, not giving anyone a chance to respond, and as fast as I could blink, he was half across the room, standing in front of me and both of the thugs landed on the floor with a thump.

The creditor was pouring sweat, frozen in place as he wordlessly opened his mouth and shut it like a fish trying to breathe air.

Wide-eyed, I glanced at the motionless bodies, wondering if he’d truly killed them in the half second he took to be in front of me, but I could see the shallow rise of their chests. I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked up at the stranger.

He kneeled before me, grabbing my wrist forcefully and I flinched on instinct, causing him to frown as he simply looked over my wrist, flipping it around a few times. He scowled, like seeing something deeply unpleasant, and a deep shame washed over me.

I knew how unsightly the scars and bruises were, and I huddled deeper into myself, clinging to the tattered remains of my uniform. But the stranger only sighed, shrugging off his jacket in one smooth movement and then dropping it on top of me.

My entire vision was blackened by the jacket before I popped my head up, clutching it tightly. It smelt like pine and freshly cut wood, a scent I found particularly relaxing. Before I could thank the man for both intervening and giving me something to cover up with, he simply stared at me with a cold look.

“Go outside and wait for me,” He said indifferently. “This will only take a minute.”

“Excuse me? Who the fuck do you think you are coming in here? This area is off-limits to guests!” The Creditor whirled on him, breaking out of the stupor. “Do you even know who I am-”

Before he could finish his sentence, the stranger moved, kicking him straight in the chest. The rest of his speech was cut off by his gasps, lungs struggling to inhale even as all the air was knocked out of him. The Creditor fell onto his ass, coughing and gasping with a now fearful look on his face.

The Stranger stood over him with a calm but displeased expression. And as much as I enjoyed seeing my abuser be the one trembling in fear, helpless before the stronger figure, this kind man had helped me twice now.

I struggled to my feet, still wobbly from all of the fear I had faced in the past few minutes, and I gently took a step forward, catching the attention of the man. I swallowed, not afraid of his cold, indifferent expression anymore but still, I felt obligated to let this man know what helping me truly entailed.

Even if it meant I would be thrust right back into this hell.

“He’s… He’s the owner of the bar but also owns a lot of the underground criminal network around here,” I explained softly, his expression remaining unchanged even as I told him, “So… as much as I appreciate you coming to my help. The creditor… possesses a lot of power here. It’s likely if you help me anymore, he’ll come to take revenge on you. I… I don’t want you to get in trouble for me.”

I felt humiliated, standing there warning my savior not to help me anymore when I had been the one calling for help. When all I wanted was to stand under the protection of any tiny leaf I saw in the middle of the brutal hurricane I was trapped inside.

But as big as a leaf as he seemed, a leaf was still a leaf. It was nothing compared to the power of the untamed disaster. And the mysterious young man was not a common visitor here. If he didn’t know what he was getting into, then I felt obligated to tell him.

Regardless of what would happen to me afterward.

I swallowed, my whole body still trembling as I clutched his jacket over me tightly, praying that he didn’t leave me here like this but also not wanting to see him get hurt because of me.

“So, stranger, I’m-” I couldn’t finish the sentence, tears pouring from my eyes as I swallowed down a sob and the stranger only took a step closer to me with an odd look in his eyes.

“Alexander,” He said simply.

“What?” My vision was blurry and I couldn’t quite see what his expression was but he gently reached out a hand towards me and I flinched on instinct but didn’t move backward as he slowly and hesitantly patted me on top of the head in an awkward way.

It was clear he had never done something like that before, but it was warm nonetheless, reminding me deeply of the times my father had done so when I was just a child.

“My name is Alexander,” The man, no, Alexander said stiffly. “And I don’t care about any possible retaliation. No one is more trouble than I am.”

It took a minute for his words to sink in, and I watched in a daze, uncomprehendingly, as he turned back to the creditor, who was now trying to crawl out of the room on his hands and knees. He screamed as Alexander planted his foot directly on his back, pinning him to the ground with a loud crunch.

“You’ll regret this!” The creditor wailed, struggling to move, “Once I find out who you are, I will destroy you! Charlotte is mine! I own her! No one holds more authority in this city than I! I am the Boss here!”

“I don’t care,” Alexander said cruelly, pressing down even harder until my abuser was gasping for breath, limbs flailing like a fish on land and both Alexander scrunched his nose in disgust, backing away from the creditor now, clearly smelling something I didn’t.

But it hit me within the next second as a large stain began to grow from his pants, the smell of urine hitting us both. I covered my face in disgust, backing away from the man I had once thought looked so untouchable.

Who’d now pissed his pants once he was left as helpless as his victims?

“Pathetic,” Alexander snorted, crossing his arms as he turned away from the now sniveling humiliated curled-up rat of a man on the floor. Alexander turned to the desk in the room, searching for something, and then grabbed hold of the drawer.

Without even a single bead of sweat, Alexander broke the lock as he forcefully pulled the drawer out of the desk, dumping it onto the desk with no care as he turned to me and said, “Find your contract.”

I wasted no time hopping on this opportunity, beginning to think that maybe Alexander was a bigger deal than I first thought he was. The creditor used steel thief-proof locks on his drawer, and I had no doubt that it would take an incredible amount of strength to break it.

But I didn’t question him at all as I searched through the massive files in the drawers, finally finding my last name. My Dad’s name was crossed off on the first page and replaced with mine written underneath.

I scowled as I saw the continuous price increases it marked from all of the beatings I’d taken. The creditor hadn’t been kidding when he said he had kept increasing my interest- I now owed over a million and a half in debt to him.

I swallowed, wanting to rip it up right there and then, but I still didn’t know what my savior wanted of me, so I handed it over to him with a glum look. Had he perhaps wanted to steal my debt so he could have me work for him?

The anxiety was killing me but contrary to my thoughts, Alexander took one look at the piece of paper and then ripped it in half. I stared wide-eyed as he ripped it again and again until it was in so many tiny pieces, that not even a single word could be read still.

“Let’s go,” Alexander said calmly, dropping the pieces onto the floor as he stepped over the creditor who had passed out at this point. He didn’t wait to see if I was following, but I rushed after him anyway, not wanting to stay here another second.

Whatever he wanted of me had to be better than this hell.

“Um, Alexander,” His name sounded weird in my voice but I pushed through, “Who exactly are you? Do we know each other? Why did you help me?”

“Quiet,” Alexander sent me an indifferent look, not answering any of my questions at all as he led me out of the bar, some of the patrons stared at my exposed and bloody look but I held tightly to the fabric on the back of his shirt, making sure not to be left behind as I followed him out.

I didn’t say a word more as he led me to a fancy brand-new car. I tentatively slid into the passenger seat, unsure of where to put my hands.

I sat very stiffly in the no doubt expensive car, scared that pushing him for more answers would result in him kicking me out of the car and onto the street. But as we pulled out onto the road, I remembered that I hadn’t eaten anything in two days.

My stomach began to come to life, squeezing painfully at the starvation it had endured and I pressed my hands across my lower belly, glancing at Alexander from the corner of my eye and hoping he didn’t hear.

He didn’t seem like a bad person but he was irritable, I’d noticed.

I thought the hunger pangs would pass like it always did, but my stomach had other ideas as it let out a loud rumble and I blanched, eyeing him worriedly. His unpleasant look softened a bit and I was wondering what that meant when he pulled off the main street and a wonderful fragrance hit my nose and taste buds at the same time.

I salivated, both surprised and full of gratitude as Alexander pulled into a nearby restaurant. Was he going to feed me?