Chapter 3:- His Bride

It had been more than a month since that incident happened, but I couldn’t find a clue why Luther killed Mr. Carpenter. He was innocent. After that day I searched for everything about Luther and ended up shocked.

Mr. Luther Spraggins was the owner of one of the leading companies across the world. This company was a leader in consulting digital services, software development, and digital marketing. But those were the things only for the show. What they do, supplying illegal weapons, drugs, and gambling. Even Luther had owned several pubs and clubs across the country. Despite that, he was not a mafia or gang leader.

Ugh! Strange, isn’t it?

I didn’t know whether I could bring Daisy justice. But I wanted Luther to be punished. How cruelly he had killed her husband? She still couldn’t believe that her husband had died. She was still in shock. Whenever I thought about her and those children, my heart ached.

Shaking away her thoughts, I searched for further information about Luther. My eyes widened in surprise when a tall and muscular man’s picture appeared on my laptop screen. He had dark eyes, dark hair, chiseled cheekbones, and a five-o’clock shadow. Beautiful, my inner voice blurted. He had the kind of face that stopped women in their tracks. All they have to do was just take one look at him. But who knows what kind of man he is from inside!

I tapped another page. This time, he had a gorgeous woman in his arms. I read the headline, ‘The owner of Spraggins announced his engagement to Princess Winnifred on Christmas Eve.’ The redhead girl in the picture was his fiancée. Poor princess! She deserves a prince, not a monster!

I read out a brief description of his fiancée. Winnifred Laura Devito was nineteen-year-old and the spoiled princess of Ardenion. It was a small European state that was between France and Switzerland. When she turned seventeen, she was sent to California for further studies, but who knows that she would end up with Spraggins Luther!

A thirty-two-year-old man was going to marry a nineteen-year-old girl! Oh my gosh! And what shocked me was the day of their wedding.

I just didn’t want to read anything about him anymore. He was cruel! I shut down the laptop, and leaned against the couch, thinking about the orphanage. Since Mr. Carpenter died I had to take care of children but how? Jesus! I wanted to give them a better life.

Suddenly, my phone chimed, making me look at it. I grabbed my phone and glanced at the screen; it was my brother. I instantly picked up and said, “Hey, what’s up?”

“Noelle…!!” Ned breathed hard as if he was running. “Where are you?”

I frowned.

“Of course, home. Why are you asking me this question?” I said, worried, “Is everything alright?”

He kept quiet for a moment. “Noelle, pack your things. We’re leaving the country.”

And he exploded the bomb!

“What?” I blurted in disbelief. “Are you okay, Ned? You’re acting so weird. Why are you speaking like this?”

“Listen, Noelle, we don’t have enough time to just pack your things. I’ll be there in an hour. I’ll tell you everything. Just do what you’re being told,” he said impatiently.

“Ned, are you crazy? Why are you talking like this?”

“Noelle, My life is in danger, we have to leave this country as soon as possible!”

And I froze.

“What?” I exclaimed a moment later, panicked, “Ned..” before I could speak further he had already hung up.

What did he say? Danger? His life is in danger?

I immediately called him back, but he didn’t receive it.

Oh, Ned!

We have to leave the country because his life was in danger.

I grabbed my head between my hands and sat down, worried and confused.

What will happen to my children if I leave the country?

What will happen to Daisy?

What will happen to the Orphanage? Who will run it?

If Marina, unfortunately, gets in my way, what will I answer her?

Oh my god!

After fighting with my inner human for thirty minutes, I pushed myself towards the wardrobe and took out my bag, and began packing. First, I stuffed a pair of clothes, then my Dad’s gifts which were books, jewelry, and toys. And last, my mother’s wooden box that I hadn’t opened yet. She had given it to me before her death and had told me to open it only with my husband.

I shook away her thought and fastened the bag before walking out of the room. I didn’t know what to say if Marina would come my way. I descended the stairs with my bag, looking around. Neither was she in the living room nor the kitchen. I moved silently, gripping my bag so tightly that it was turning my knuckle white. I jogged to the living room and hurried through the door.

I let out a sigh of relief, but my heart was still beating. I glanced at my phone screen, checking the time. It was almost an hour. I didn’t know why I packed my bag because I would never leave the country. I knew Ned was my only family, but I couldn’t leave my other family.

After a few minutes, a black SUV entered through the gates and halted right before me. The car’s door flung open and my brother got out.

I looked at him. His blonde hair was messy due to frequently running a hand through it and his green eyes seemed tired as if he hadn’t slept last night. I walked up to him, and he instantly pulled me into a warm hug. Despite the tense atmosphere, a smile curved my lips.

“How’re you?” I whispered.

“Not good!” He sighed. After a moment of pause, he said, “I want you to meet someone.”

I pulled myself back, meeting his eyes. “Who?”

“My girlfriend,” he said, and turned his head to the car.

The next moment, the car door opened, and a girl got out. A very beautiful girl, with crystal blue eyes, red hair, and rosy skin. She looked like a porcelain doll. She was taller and thinner than me. I took in her white gown and hanging veil over her shoulder and an alarm rang in my mind.

I blinked once, twice, and thrice as I watched that girl, stunned.

“Princess Winnifred Laura Devito!” I blurted in disbelief.

And slowly everything was getting clear in my mind.

She approached me and held out her hand for a handshake. “I’m not surprised that you recognized me.”

I refused to take her hand for a handshake and snapped my head to my brother. “What is this, Ned?” I demanded. “What is this?!”

He frowned. His eyes glanced between me and Winnifred. “She is my girlfriend, Noe,” he whispered. “I know you must….”

“She is Luther’s fiancée and today is their wedding!” I cut him off, growling.

Surprise registered on his face. “Do you know about this?”

About this what? About their wedding?

“I know everything about him!” I cried out. “Today is their wedding? She is supposed to be at her wedding venue! What is she doing here?”

“She doesn’t love him, she doesn’t want to be with him. Luther was forcing her to marry him. It was not her choice. She loves me. We love each other, Noe,” Ned spoke and glanced at her. “And...” He swallowed, meeting my gaze. “She is pregnant with my child. Luther will kill her if he finds out that she is pregnant.”

I froze, the pulse throbbing in my neck as I listened to him.

“H...He will kill you, Ned..” I stuttered, too weak to speak properly. I had witnessed the brutality of Luther Spraggins. That day he didn’t think twice to kill that innocent man. What would he be doing to my brother? My brother had his fiancée. His fucking fiancée! I glanced at Winnifred, who was already watching me. Her eyes flickered with concern and worry. Did she truly love my brother? Is she worthy of my brother’s sacrifice?

“We’re leaving the country,” Ned interrupted my thoughts.

Swallowing hard, I said, “and then….?”

His eyes fell into sadness because he did not know what they wanted to do next? They knew nothing about their future. They messed up everything!

“Only the things I know I love Winnie and I can do anything for her,” Ned said.

“Even if you have to sacrifice your life?” I whispered.

“There are no sacrifices in love, Noe. Love is just love.”

I blinked and tears fell down my cheeks. “I can’t lose you, Ned.”

“You won’t lose me, Noe, and I won’t lose you. I promise you.”

I shook my head. More tears gathered in my eyes. I drew in a deep breath, thinking for a few minutes. He was a fool that he was messing with Luther. But it was also a question about his happiness. My brother’s happiness in her. I glanced at Winnifred before letting it out. “Let’s go then.”

A small smile formed on my brother’s lips. “Thank you, Noe.”

“I can do anything for you.” I smiled.

He gave me a brief hug. “I promise no one will hurt.”

I said nothing, and we got in the car. Ned loaded my bag into the trunk before sliding behind the wheel next to his girlfriend. He started the engine and drove off, leaving behind the house where I spent almost two years. I glanced at Marina’s house one last time. The only things I earned from this place were nightmares, her slaps, hits, and taunts. Is this the end of our bad days or we’re moving to another gutter?

“Where are we going?” I asked after a long hour of silence.

“Port,” Ned answered while driving. “We’ll be out of this place through the ship as Luther’s men are spreading across the city and looking for us.”

I swallowed hard and didn’t ask further because the more I knew, the more panicked I would get.

“Ned!” Winnifred cried out and startled us. “They are just behind us!”

I snapped my eyes to the mirror and found two black cars following us.

“Ned, drive fast!” Winnifred yelled.

I sucked in a breath when their cars came closer to us. Ned sped up the car, driving fast. We drove along the road, passing through several houses, buildings, stores, and a street lined with cars.

“We have to change the direction,” my brother said, his eyes fixed through the road. Ned turned the car to the left and charged onto another road. After a few miles of driving, we entered the road which was deserted. The tall trees on either side of us and not a single sign of humans.

“What place is this?” I asked.

“Mid Lake,” Winnie answered. “Don’t worry. After a few miles, we will be on the highway again. It was just a trick.”

But just then, I noticed two black cars. I glanced again to confirm my doubts and yeah; they were right behind us. “They are behind us!”

Winnie and Ned both shot their eyes in the rearview mirror. “Fuck!” Ned slammed his hands against the steering wheel, frustrated.

“I think it’s time to work on Plan B,” Winnie told him.

“Did you manage the car?” My brother asked her, and she gave him a nod.

“What’s Plan B?” I asked, curious.

“We’re going to change our car.”

“And you’ll get rid of them?” I said with a hint of sarcasm.

“Yes,” Winnie answered.

They are complete idiots! My brother was only twenty-one years old. What did he know about the world? I was more experienced than him. He loved her. Of course, he could, but his safety was my responsibility. And I was ready to take any risks.

Again we got on the highway where several vehicles had been running. I glanced at cars that were a few yards away from us. Ned sped up, driving like a hundred miles in an hour. After a few minutes, black cars disappeared again.

The cars were appearing, then disappearing, then appearing, and then disappearing. I knew what was going on and what they were doing and in whose direction were they following. Luther Spraggins wanted to trap us.

Ned halted the car next to a yellow sports one and unfastened the seat belts and got off.

“They were nowhere to be seen,” Winnie said, looking past us.

“Because they are playing games,” I said, glancing at the road over my shoulder. There was no hint of them. “And we have to play one.”

“What does that mean?” Ned asked.

“Change the car all you want but it would not stop Luther from hunting.”

“Noe, make it clear,” Ned said, annoyed.

“Luther’s men have been following us from the very beginning. I spotted them several times, but I ignored them, thinking that they would be usual. Six cars have followed us.” I looked at their surprised faces. “Changing cars wouldn’t work. We have to make them fool.”

“How?” Ned asked immediately.

“Driving the same car again.”

“No! It would not work out, Noe.”

“I’m driving the car.”

And his eyes widened as he watched me, shocked.

“I’m driving this car and you two are going to the port.”

“No!” He snapped, his jaw clenched harder as he watched me angrily. “Are you fucking crazy? I’ll never leave you alone! I’ll never leave you for dead.”

“If you won’t then we’ll be dead.”

Ned shook his head. “Hell no! I can’t risk your life!”

“Ned, I’ll be okay. I’ll be there on time. Trust me.”

“No!” Ned said stubbornly.

“Don’t be stubborn, Ned. This plan will certainly work out.” I glanced at Winnie. “She is pregnant. She has to be safe. And the only person who keeps her safe is you. You two drive to the port and I’ll be there on time.”

No response!

“Ned, she is right,” Winnie finally broke the silence.

After a moment of struggle, Ned agreed with me. He kissed my head and said, “promise me, you’ll be safe.”

I smiled. “I’ll be safe.”

They jumped into the car and drove off.

I sucked in a breath, stifling a sob.

I opened the door and slid behind the wheel, starting the engine. I stepped on the gas and kicked the gears before driving the empty road. I didn’t know how long I could prevent Luther’s men from approaching them, but I would do whatever I could.

While driving, I often glanced in the rearview mirror as I checked them, but they couldn’t be seen. Swallowing hard, I kept driving and waiting for their next step. I didn’t know what they were planning, but I knew it was something big.

I drove down the bridge and was about to pass it but just then a car crashed into my own. A cry escaped my mouth when my body jerked violently.

Breathing heavily, I turned the wheel, taking the car back, but just then headlights shone from the right and blew my car violently. My car slewed around and crashed into the railing and slid over the edge of the bridge. I cried out in horror, peeking at the river below the bridge. Now my half-car was in the air and half on the bridge as it wobbled back and forth. I swallowed hard as my throat turned dry.

Death is freedom, while life is slavery. I’m tired of my pitiful life. Every night has been hunting me and every morning brings me another suffering. I’m tired of Marina, Edgar, and my brother. Everything will be over if I drown in this river. I’ll get my freedom and I’ll get rid of slavery. I don’t want to do what my life wants me to do; I want to do what my life has been for, but it seems like I have missed the chance.

I closed my eyes, breathing hard. God will forgive. But Ned? I don’t know if he will ever forgive me. Inhaling one last time, I slammed the gears, and the car tumbled and was ready to fall into the water, but suddenly, the car’s door flung open and an arm wrapped around my waist yanked me out of it at the very last moment.

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