The race
The door swung open, and Zac, Andrew's most trusted bodyguard, came in. He was breathing heavily, as if he had run miles without stopping. He dropped to one knee before Andrew, who lazily pulled away from the woman draped over him, her lipstick all over his face in the shape of their recent kiss.
"Speak," Andrew ordered, eyes narrowing.
Zac gulped. "Sir, we’ve found her."
Andrew pushed the woman away, sitting up straight. "Where, Zac?"
"At the bridge. "She’s… she’s in her wedding gown," Zac hesitated, looking to the floor as if the words would burn him.
Andrew's eyes flashed, and he clenched his jaw. "Gather everyone, we’re bringing her back. Now."
"Yes, sir," Zac replied, and left to gather others.
Andrew stood abruptly, reaching for his keys when a voice stopped him.
"So, you’re just going to leave?" It was Emily, her voice trembling with disbelief.
Andrew looked back, "Emily, don’t start."
"Don’t start?" She stepped in front of him, blocking his way. "You don’t even care!" You kissed me, you whispered promises, and now, you’re rushing out the door the second she’s found. Is she more important than I am?" Tears welled in her eyes.
Andrew sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Of course, you are important, and I love you. But Emily, you know this isn’t about love. It’s about money. My money and I won't allow that b***h to go scout free."
"You caused it. You brought another woman into our lives. We were happy together, and we loved each other. "Now she is gone, how do you get your money back?" Emily said.
Andrew pulled away, his voice hard. "I don’t have time for this." And without glancing at her, he stormed out, leaving Emily.
...
SUMMER
I had just passed the bridge. I took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from my brow, trying to savor this small moment of freedom.
"Water," I said, approaching a vendor who looked at me like he had just seen a ghost. I gulped the bottle down and paid.
As I tossed the bottle aside, I heard a loud horn behind me.
Turning, my heart sank. It was Andrew. He wasn't alone; my parents were there too, in a separate car, their faces twisted with shame and fury.
"It’s over," I muttered to myself, a bitter smile creeping onto my lips. They approached one by one, Andrew first, his hands tucked casually in his pockets.
"You thought you could escape?" His voice was dangerously low.
"Why, darling?" my mother whimpered, reaching for me. "Why would you embarrass us like this?"
I drew in a shaky breath. "I’m not marrying him. I won’t do it."
"Don't be ridiculous, he is our lifesaver!" my mother snapped.
"No!" I yelled, slowly pulling the hem of my wedding gown up, ready to flee.
"Get her," Andrew ordered, and his guards walked towards me.
Barefoot, I bolted, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. I raced through the crowded street, weaving between bystanders who stared at the runaway bride with wide eyes. My lungs burned, and my legs screamed, but I couldn’t stop, not now, not ever.
Suddenly, a black limousine screeched to a halt in front of me. The doors flew open, and two men in white suits stepped out.
Then, he stepped out, a man in a tailored black suit, his face partially hidden behind a mask, his aura demanding attention. The way his guards bowed made my skin prickle. He seems important. Powerful.
Without thinking twice, I ran to him, but his guards stopped me.
"Please just take a moment with your boss," I pleaded, struggling with his guards.
The man raised his hands, and his guards stopped.
I ran to him and fell to my knees.
"Please save me," I pleaded.
His bodyguards gasped. They were shocked and alerted.
"Boss, she could be dangerous; she is on the run by the look of her dress; what if she is a spy?" One of his bodyguards said.
"I'm not a spy; please, I need your boss's help." I pleaded, dropping to my knees before him.
"What do I look like? A philanthropist? "Little girl, I'm not interested in your problems," he said and turned to leave.
"Wait." I held him but he pushed my hands away.
"Marry me." I blurted out.
The man's bodyguards gasped at my boldness and audacity.
"She is a crazy boss," one of them said.
The masked man lifted me with his hand.
Jeez! I'm so tiny to him, I thought.
The masked man remained silent, studying me. His eyes, though hidden behind the mask, felt like they saw everything. Finally, he spoke, "Why?" He asked in a low, husky, and dangerous voice.
"I will pay you." I swallowed hard. I felt stupid for saying that, but I tried not to show how intimidated I was by his presence.
This man was huge, tall, muscular built...
He laughed so hard and dropped me.
"What money can you offer me that I don't have? ""Looks like little Cinderella was left alone by her prince," he added.
I smiled nervously. "The opposite happened. "Please, I desperately need your help," I said.
"They're trying to force me into a life I don’t want. My parents signed me off on a contract marriage, and my groom cheated on me an hour before our wedding. "When I confronted him, he hit me." I cried, trying to move them with my story.
The man stared at me like I was a joke.
"Like I said earlier, I am not interested in your problems."
"Please, I will do anything." I grabbed his legs and held them tightly.
"Let go." He said, barely beyond a whisper.
{The masked man, Lorenzo, had no intention of involving himself in the affairs of strangers. Yet something about her struck him. She has a striking resemblance to the girl he had long been searching for. Curious, he pulled out his phone and compared her face to the photo he carried.
The nose, eyes. It was her!}
"I will do anything. "Anything you want." I insisted, holding onto his leg.
"You don't have anything to offer me," he said.
{Seizing the opportunity to keep her close, Lorenzo decided to help her.}
"Anything?" he asked, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk.
"Yes." I nodded, tears streaming down my face. "Anything."
He thought about something for a while, and then he spoke again, softer this time, but somehow more terrifying. "Then be my slave."
I froze, the word hitting me like a punch to the gut. "Wh-what?"
My heart dropped. I frowned my face, not expecting that.
"What? "Can't do it?" he scoffed.
I said nothing, thinking about it. Should I just go back to Andrew or be this man's slave?
What did he mean by slave? Servant?
"I see you are not interested in the deal, Adios". The masked man turned to leave.
Before I could say anything, Andrew’s voice cut through the air. "Get away from her!" He and his guards were closing in.
The masked man snapped his fingers, and his guards drew out their guns, pointing them at Andrew and his entourage. "You have five seconds," he warned me.
The air thickened, the seconds ticking by, as Andrew’s furious gaze met mine, and the masked man’s shadow loomed over me.
"One."
I took a shaky breath.
"Two."
My heart pounded.
"Three."
And then I made my choice.
"Take me," I shouted, my voice trembling.
He smiled, but there was no kindness in it. "Welcome to your new life," he said, reaching down to pull me up.
"Welcome to HELL!"
Andrew came towards us, and that’s when the gunshot rang out, echoing through the street.
