Chapter 4

I let the night breeze brush my pale skin as I peered out the window of the black SUV.

The breeze was chilly against my skin but nothing could be more chilly than the thought of starting a home with Ace.

Becoming his wife.

Ace Reynolds took a different car. A Rolls-Royce Sweptail drove closely behind us.

I supposed I should be relieved that we weren't sharing the same breathing space at the moment and I was but, whenever I peered back and caught a glimpse of the Rolls-Royce behind us, I felt my stomach twist in anxiety.

It even felt worse.

It felt like I was being watched. I was under the watch of the most ruthless man.

He wasn’t with me in the car but his presence wasn't missed either. I felt it. Closely. Like he never left.

Ace Reynolds had grabbed my wrist forcefully and pulled me out of the party before I had time to protest - which I wasn't even planning to do.

However, when I saw my mother watch me as I got pulled out by Ace Reynolds, a proud smile on her lips, my heart bounced.

Once. Twice. A thousand times. And since then, it never stopped bouncing. It thumped desperately, threatening to rip out.

My mother who was my only source of escape had no problem tossing me into the hands of my enemy himself.

What more was left?

Isobel is never coming back, Mom is not in the slightest bit interested in saving me, and Dad, well…

Dad valued the reputation of his stupid wine company more than he does me.

A tear slipped down my face.

This was never meant to be a momentary thing. This marriage. This identity.

I wasn't meant to bear a different identity for a moment, I was meant to bear it for an eternity or more. Because, surely, marriage with Ace would feel more than an eternity.

Marriage with Ace.

More tears slipped down my face. Shortly, sobs followed.

The driver—my driver, didn't even budge in his seat. No extension of a handkerchief or solace. He just minded his business, deaf to my sobs, pretending I was invisible.

It was like he had seen something like this before, more than once. Which is the most terrifying part.

If someone who has been working for Ace wasn't bothered about a woman crying because she got married to him, it definitely was going to be a far worse experience than I imagined.

My sobs got louder. I sniffed and coughed the sobs out, letting tears slip out of my eyes uncontrollably.

The SUV sweeps past Beostre Library and the sobs subsided as I looked past the library.

Elijah

It was our fifth anniversary and we were supposed to meet at the library after the wedding and retire to his house later, for a movie night.

Damn! I had forgotten. The sudden change of events had taken a toll on me that I had forgotten I was supposed to be celebrating a fifth anniversary with my boyfriend.

I peeked back at the Library whose view was slowly fading away then, my gaze fell back on the Rolls-Royce still following closely behind.

What if I run away? Elijah once mentioned a family villa back in Redcar.

Redascar was one of the rural areas in Lesly, Chelsea. It was known for its poor internet connection so, it would be hard for Ace to track me if he wanted to.

If I explained things to Elijah, we could leave together tonight and I would have to remain there until Isobel was found.

Once Isobel is found, I can return to my life.

Sounds like a perfect plan but, how do I meet up with Elijah?

Asking Ace was out of the question because it might expose my scheme to escape.

So, no! Never!

Then, how?

I noticed the car was diving towards Berver Tunnel. The tunnel headed towards Brookline - a city twelve hours drive away from home. Away from people I know.

The minute we dive into that tunnel, I would have to say goodbye to my family and friends, as well as my plan to abscond.

Now was the perfect time.

“Hello. Can you stop for a bit?”

We were almost at Sip And Dip cafè, a place my friend, Valerie, did a night shift on Saturdays like this.

This was more than a perfect time for my escape.

She could help me send a quick text to Elijah then, as soon as he got there, we would both take off before Ace and his men discovered I lied about needing to use the restroom.

“I want to use the restroom, please.”

The driver, dark and sturdy, peered at me through the rearview mirror, his dark expression colored with doubt, just as I had expected.

I had to make it look more real.

“I consumed too much alcohol. I have to pee, please.”

I sounded urgent and desperate. Except the desperation was not out of act as was the urgency, it was a real one. It was a desperation to escape.

He suddenly punched a number on the Android Auto attached to the Car’s dashboard.

I peeked behind me. Is he calling Ace?

On the third ring, the other receiver picked.

It was indeed Ace.

“She said she needs to use the restroom.”

He informed Ace, continuing towards Berver Tunnel. I tapped my foot in anxiety.

If they should reach Berver Tunnel, I would have to forfeit the opportunity to escape.

Ace breathed into the speaker.

“Take her, you have five minutes.”

Perfect. Step one of my plan was activated. Now, onto step two.

The driver pulled to a stop, got down from the driver’s seat, and rounded the SUV to open the door for me.

When I got out, I was staring right back at Sip And Dip.

Would it be too early to celebrate my plan for being a huge success?

Everything was working perfectly as I had planned.

The only difficult part was convincing Ace that I needed to use the restroom. But, it wasn't as difficult as I had expected.

This was working too well.

“There is a restroom here. I would be quick.”

I made sure my voice left no room for deliberation. No room for the driver to decide if he should let me go or not.

And, I sounded as urgent as possible.

Immediately he gave an approving nod, and I bolted inside, feeling the air condition of the cafè against my skin.

Before I turned around the corner that led to the staff lunch room where I could find Valerie, I caught a glimpse of Ace getting down from his Rolls-Royce and watching me intensively.

My heart skips.

This guy looks at me as if he wants to devour me.

There was always this lust in his gaze which is even more terrifying.

Why does he regard me with such a lustful gaze?

Does he think he would get a chance where I let him touch me sexually?

Or, he could. If he used force, that is. It was an imaginable scenario which was the more reason I needed to escape.

Valerie wasn't at the counter neither was she in the staff lunch room.

Where the hell was she?

I desperately peered around, searching for a glimpse of her when I bumped into another staff member at the entrance of the staff lunch room.

Luke.

Luke was my high school mate and he had once asked me out before the whole school when I rejected him, informing him that I had a boyfriend. I had no idea he worked here too.

“Hi.”

I greeted awkwardly.

“Hey. Are you okay?”

No, I'm not.

“Have you seen Valerie?”

I threw my gaze around, pausing and freezing right on the spot when I saw Ace walk into the cafè.

His cold gaze sweeps around the busy cafè and when they got nearer to where I stood, I quickly hid behind Luke.

Damn! Fuck! Hell!