PART 5

CRASH!

BANG!

Elgar's powerful hands destroyed everything in the grand house. His face turned crimson, he and along with everyone in the house, couldn't find Carista anywhere. Elgar's rage grew when he saw his bedroom window forcibly broken, and the possibility that Carista had escaped and eluded his supervision.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but we went to Miss Carista's campus, and we couldn't find the girl," one of the guards reported.

BANG!

The table was struck very hard, and Elgar approached Hana, roughly pushing the middle-aged woman. "I hired you to carry out all my orders! But you couldn't keep that little tramp Carista in check!" Elgar yelled in anger.

"I apologize, sir. I admit I was careless," Hana replied, trying to remain composed despite her fear.

The man's attention shifted to the guards. "Have you looked for her among her friends at the campus?"

"Of course, sir. But we couldn't find Taylor Fox either," the guard replied.

"Taylor Fox, who is that person?"

The guard handed over a piece of paper containing the personal information of the man who was a close friend of Carista. Elgar frowned, feeling like he had heard the name before, but he didn't recognize Taylor's face in the photo.

"We also went to the address listed to find Taylor, but it turns out that he had left the house a long time ago and it's now sold to new owners. No one knows where Taylor is now, as only Miss Carista was close to him."

Elgar growled, crushed the paper, and went to his office. He took Carista's phone, which he had kept on his desk, and searched for Taylor Fox's phone number.

The man's powerful hands started to search for more information about Taylor using the phone number. From this, Elgar could find out that the number was last active at 5 AM, right after he had repeatedly called Carista.

"SHIT!" Elgar cursed, hitting his bookshelf several times until his hand bled. He hated knowing that Carista had a male friend, and he hated it even more if this man was the one who took Carista away with him.

***

Taylor gently stroked Carista's head. The girl had only fallen asleep after being treated at the hospital for some time.

"Taylor, thank you," Carista said.

"Carista, you don't need to say that. I have to help you no matter what. I'm sorry I couldn't find out about your mother's whereabouts. Like you, I regret knowing about her passing," Taylor said.

Carista felt numb, her eyes were swollen from continuous crying, and she was exhausted with her own thoughts. She had seen her mother's death certificate and the last photograph before her cremation. However, Carista had no further clues to determine who the man claiming to be Angela's family, ordering the cremation, and taking her ashes home was. Carista had a strong hunch that Gabriel was actually Elgar.

"Taylor, take me away from here," Carista said.

Taylor looked puzzled. "What's wrong, Carista? Is there another problem?"

Carista shook her head; she couldn't possibly reveal all her wrongdoing to Taylor, her good friend. In reality, Carista had behaved like a reckless woman for a day, all in the hope of paying off her father's debt and covering her mother's medical bills.

"I want to disappear, I want to be in a place where no one knows me," Carista expressed.

"Are you sure?" Taylor asked. "What about your studies, your dreams, and your other friends?"

"I don't care. I don't want to be here. Please, take me as far away as possible."

Taylor was unsure of what to do, but he knew the destination Carista desired. "Do you want to come with me? I have a family property in Aberfey City, which is very far from here, right? You can stay there until you feel better."

Carista immediately nodded; she didn't want to regret staying in this place for too long. She was well aware of Elgar Gabriel's character. Although he was relatively young, he had connections and power that shouldn't be underestimated. He could do anything, and everyone had to submit to him.

"Alright, rest now. I'll prepare everything we need for our departure tomorrow," Taylor said.

Carista probably wouldn't bring anything as all her belongings were at her house. She couldn't return there because Elgar's guards were likely waiting for her.

Carista didn't want to commit suicide; she wouldn't waste her life to become a pawn in the hands of the monster called Elgar Gabriel.

"Mom, Dad... I will avenge you on that man."

***

Carista placed the items Taylor had prepared into the car's trunk. While he locked the door, they were ready to depart.

"Are you sure you're really leaving, Carista?" Taylor asked.

The girl nodded. "Yes, I have to go; I don't want to stay here."

Taylor didn't speak further; he opened the car door and let Carista get in, then took the driver's seat, started the car's engine, and drove away from the house's driveway.

"Carista, do you know that I once thought about bringing my wife to live together in Aberfey? But it seems like my dream hasn't come true yet. Instead, I'm bringing my own friend to stay there," Taylor said.

Carista chuckled softly. "Forgive me, Taylor, the future wife. I had to steal your position first. Allow me to grow to seek vengeance against those who have done wrong to my mother."

"Vengeance?" Taylor was puzzled. "Why are you holding a grudge, Carista? Do you want to get back at the man named Gabriel?"

"Of course, he killed my parents. He's nothing, but he controls my mother's body and ashes. I hate him, Taylor," Carista said.

Taylor was taken aback. "You're the sweetest girl I've ever known. I never thought you would go this far."

"Why not? I don't want to be a woman who's constantly trampled on by men."

Taylor agreed with that statement. "In that case, I'll be part of the team. I'll be a useful spy for you, or maybe I should learn various weapons so I can stand behind you as a guard?"

Carista laughed; she was glad to have a friend like Taylor. This man always had a way of lifting her spirits. "Taylor, my dreams are big. I want to get back at the man named Gabriel and torment his life."

***

Elgar sat on the messy room's sofa; he had consumed various alcoholic beverages the night before. Two women lay on the bed, just waking up and writhing their bodies, teasing Elgar to come closer.

"Carista..." Elgar murmured, imagining the two women as the girl whose body he had enjoyed yesterday.

"Come here, Elgar. I can't resist biting you again," one of the women taunted.

Elgar couldn't resist anymore; Carista's image was superimposed on these two women. The morning began with a similar bedroom battle to the one the night before, with two insatiable women who were never satisfied despite multiple rounds.

"Satisfy me, Carista," Elgar said.

The two women were like deaf people; they didn't care even though Elgar repeatedly mentioned Carista's name with every moan. They were just money-hungry harlots whose job was to satisfy their customers.

The door was knocked on just as the new round was about to begin. Elgar got up from the bed, put on his pants, and opened the door to find Hana standing there.

"What's the matter?" Elgar asked coldly.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I saw this phone ringing on your office desk, so I brought it to you," Hana said, handing Carista's phone to him.

Elgar accepted the item and checked what had caused the phone to ring. He hoped someone would provide him with information about Carista, but that's not what he found. Instead, he saw a selfie of Carista smiling at the camera.

"I'm happy now, Elgar. I hope you won't look for me again."