17

"You really got her, bro."

"Are you sure no one noticed you?"

"I am, of course. So I'll take the lead?"

Three men's voices reverberated throughout the area. My back hurts from being laid in the cement, with rope around my hands and feet and a handkerchief in my mouth.

My legs were touched and squeezed up to the center of my thighs by the man who kidnapped me. I used all of my strength to kick him in the manhood, and he immediately fell to the floor, easing the pain. I'm still lucky I'm wearing stilettos today.

The other two tried to catch me, but I was able to roll away from them. I raised my hand to cut the rope as the guy in the gray shirt formed his hands to stab with a pocket knife.

I kick him in the stomach and use my feet to cut the rope. To hold the knife, I place a handkerchief over my mouth. Before the third guy approached, I removed my stilettos from my feet.

I ducked just as he was about to grab my head, and his face landed on the back wall. I slit his feet so he wouldn't be able to run as quickly. I'm running away from them when I realize they're following me.

Because I'm unfamiliar with the area, I don't know where I can go running. My hair was grabbed by a man in a black shirt, but I used the knife to cut his arm.

"Ahhh!" I screamed when a gunshot rang out from behind me. Someone snatched the knife from my grip and tossed it away, while another grabbed my arms and pinned them to the ground.

"You're looking for a thrill before the hot night, aren't you?" While removing his belt and pants, the man in black said.

"Please let me go," I begged, but they just laughed at me. When he started kissing my neck and putting his hands inside my t-shirt, I kept wagging my feet.

"Haru enjoys your body, so we should enjoy it as well to be fair," the man on my left joked.

"Help! Please help me!"

"No one can hear you scream no matter how loud you scream,your moan is just all we want," the man on my right said as he squeezed my breast.

I felt as if there was nothing I could do to save myself. They began ripping my shirt and bra and freely playing with my breasts. All I can do is cry and hope that this is all a nightmare.

They came to a halt when they heard multiple gunshots from a distance.

"Selena!" my tears fell as I heard Haru's voice approaching us.

"Haru," I said quietly.

"Shit! I thought no one noticed you?!"

"I'm certain. We're screwed."

"So, what are we going to do now? I'm not going to jail!"

"We must fight and try to escape at that point. Let's go!"

But, just as they were about to leave, the man in black stabbed me near my abdomen. I'm pretty sure it should have been on my heart, but his friend dragged him because he was utterly terrified. 

They dumped me on the floor; I'd like to clean up, but I'm exhausted. I closed my eyes again when I heard gunshots.

"Oh my goodness, Selena!" When Ms. Perfiana approached me, she sobbed. My eyes were closed, but I was aware of what was going on around me.

My ears were filled with a siren, and I could hear shoes approaching my location. They treated my wound with first aid, gave me oxygen, and wrapped my body in a blanket. While the paramedics load me into the ambulance, Ms. Perfiana holds my hand.

"I know you're awake, Selena. Hold on a second, we're almost there, don't fall asleep "While the ambulance was still on the road, she said it several times.

When I tried to open my eyes, my eyelids were so heavy that I felt sleepy. When my hands became colder, Ms. Perfiana became concerned.

"Hold on a second, Selena. We're nearly there," she cried into my hands as she said this. I'm trying to stay awake, but I really want to sleep.

"She passed out from exhaustion and fear. Her body had lost a lot of blood, but she is now on the mend. We'll just have to see if she opens her eyes."

A voice immediately engulfed my ear. Because I'm not still fully recovered yet, I don't recognize the voices of the people to my left and a machine to my right. My entire body hurts, particularly my stomach.

I tried to open my eyes a little, but the bright light aggravated my headache and made me dizzy. Fudge!

"Selena! Oh, my goodness, you've woken up!" There are people who ran up to me, but I can't see their faces clearly when Kaley exclaimed.

I'm not sure what the doctor is saying. My eyes began to feel sleepy again, and my surroundings darkened.

"In the event of an emergency, you should always keep my phone in my pocket so that you can call for assistance right away. You shouldn't walk alone in the office or at work. Look what happened, you almost died!" Haxilla scolded me while she's walking back and forth at my front. 

I'm just listening to her while Britanny and I are eating oranges. They claimed that I've been sleeping for almost three days and that they can't sleep properly because they're afraid I'll sleep forever.

No way! I'm not going to die until I exact my vengeance on Jaxon, that jerk!

"Are you paying attention to me?!?" she exclaimed, her brows furrowed. She had the appearance of an angry bird character who was always enraged.

"In the event of an emergency, I should always keep my phone in my pocket so that I can call for assistance right away. I shouldn't walk alone in the office or at work," I said exactly what she said.

"Anyway," Britanny started, "the three men who are suspected of your attempted rape and murder were already in jail," she added while peeling the oranges.

"Is it really that quick?" I enquired. It's unusual for NYC cops to put a criminal in jail so quickly. They must go through a "lengthy process" before incarcerating a criminal.

"Yes, the company has strong evidence against them that the court has recognized," she explained as she chewed her orange.

"What evidence you're talking about? "

"A CCTV footage where it can be seen that you kidnapped and brought you to the Silvenia Company's empty hall."

"Wait, who told you about what happened to me?"

"Haru came to our house to check on us. When he arrived, he was dripping with blood," Haxilla replied.

"So you've already spoken?" I inquired, but she simply shook her head and laid down her back on the sofa.

"We were just discussing suspects and you. That's all there is to it."

I simply give her a nod. I was about to ask a question when a girl entered our room unexpectedly. She's the girl who lend me a t-shirt when the day of the crime happened.

"Oh, hello!" I greeted her, but we were all taken aback when she collapsed to her knees and sobbed. Britanny attempted to stand her up, but she insisted on remaining in her current position.

"I sincerely apologize for the trouble. Please accept my apologies for what my ex-boyfriend did to you," I just looked at her with a very confused look, she said while sobbing.

"What do you mean?"

She raised her head and walked to me on her knees, taking my hands in hers. She sobbed in front of me, as if pleading for my sympathy and forgiveness.

"My ex-boyfriend was the man in black that day. I'm pleading with you to take him out to the jail; I desperately need him for our baby."

For a brief moment, I froze and continued to process her words in my mind. Her eyes are swollen, and it's clear from her face that she's under a lot of stress right now.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to do so. He was on the verge of taking my life with his own hands," Even though my hands were shaking, I said calmly.

"You're going to have a criminal father for your child?" Haxilla abruptly spoke up. The girl rose to her feet and wiped her tears away.

"I don't want my child to grow up in an incomplete family. I don't want her to have a life similar to mine when she's already here."

"When we take your ex-boyfriend out of jail to take his responsibility to you, you're just making your child's life more miserable than yours," Britanny explained. The girl sat on her side on the sofa, crying.

"He tried to rape a friend he couldn't see and had been with for almost a day, what more to you and, worst of all, your child if she's a girl. Consider it carefully; you will come to regret it when the time comes," Haxilla chimed in.

I'm just watching them and pondering my next move. I want to provide a complete family for her child, but the consequences of this are so tragic.

I began, "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to take out your ex-lover to jail." They were all staring at me, and the girl was clearly disappointed and in pain. "My friends were correct; you should have thought twice about this decision because the consequences are so terrible."

Britanny rubbed her back to soothe and comfort her as she lowered her head.

"He must pay for his wrongdoing and restore dignity to your future family. Don't smear your child's name with anything negative because you never know what will happen to her in the future with his criminal father," I went on to say more.

I don't want to come across as rude or insensitive, but I want her to open her eyes and mind for her child's sake.

"Yes, you are right. Maybe I'm just remembering my fear and feelings when I found out I was pregnant. Thank you very much, and please accept my apologies once more."

She stood up and walked away from the fruits she had placed on the table. Brittany accompanied her to the hospital's entrance.

Haxilla appears to be spaced out as she looks down the floor. To get her attention, I throw her another orange.

"Are you waiting for Haru to apologize to you?" I inquired, and she sighed and nodded.

"But I'm confident he'll never do such a thing. I'm completely recovered from the trauma, but his "sorry" will help me live a life free of the past," she said as she peeling the orange.

"We had a discussion about it last night. He admitted that he felt bad at the time, but that he couldn't do anything about it. He wanted to apologize to you, but he needed to get himself in order first," I said and eat my orange. 

"How do you feel about Haru?" She asked a question that caused my mind to pause for a second.

"I have no idea. We're kind of a couple, but we're not currently in a relationship. I mean, we're both happy for each other, and he said he'll court me once everything is fixed."

"Are you fond of him?"

I looked at her as I considered my response. Is he captivating to me? Or was it just a fling?

"Maybe? To answer your question, things are extremely complicated," I told her not to ask any more questions.

"Do you think you'll be able to attend Kaley's wedding next week?" She changed the subject.

"Of course, yes. I have to be there," I stated.

Britanny burst through the door, accompanied by Raven. He looked at me as he hugged Haxilla.

"How are you?" he asked, sitting beside Haxilla on the sofa.

"I'm fine, but I'm a little dizzy."

"Anyway, Kassandra was in the parking lot when I noticed her. It appears that she will pay a visit to Haru," That was the first thing he said to me, and it immediately made me nervous.

"Why? What went wrong with him?" I immediately inquired of him.

"No one told you? Haru is beaten by a group of guys shortly after saving you that day. He's currently comatose in the intensive care unit."

What did you do, Haru? Argh, you should think of your safety first. You're really stubborn.