The Billionaire's Restraint

Chapter 2:

The car was still running, as she had left the engine on when she stepped out. She had to be quick and not alert them, so she swiftly climbed into the front seat, locked the doors, and drove away.

This could be her only chance at survival.

Liliana took a deep breath and nuzzled the thin man off her.

Liam was resting with his eyes closed, contemplating their next move. They had been on the run for over 1000 kilometers, and this place was near to the city of Tomasso. The future was uncertain. Perhaps he shouldn’t have indulged Erik and Etham. But those two had fought and fled with him for thirty days and nights without a break. How could he deny them one moment of indulgence?

He was momentarily distracted, his tense nerves relaxing a bit, so much so that he didn’t hear the faint click of the car door locking. The headlights, which had been turned off to avoid attention, suddenly came on. He looked up in surprise, seeing the SUV speeding towards him.

The bright lights temporarily blinded him, but he could still see with one eye the driver — the girl who had been crying and pleading moments ago, now with half her face covered in blood, the other half ghostly pale, her eyes burning with hatred, no longer filled with tears but with a fierce light.

“Liam!” Erik shouted in panic, without hesitation, rushing forward to push Liam, who hadn’t yet stood up, out of the way. Liam instinctively rolled to the side of the road, the car’s wheel grazing his shoulder, while Erik was thrown over 10 meters away, landing heavily.

The car didn’t stop. It directly crushed Erik’s legs and then sped away.

Liliana gripped the steering wheel tightly, pressed hard on the accelerator, and drove wildly on the country road until she reached the city lights, where she finally braked. Her whole body was shaking uncontrollably. She couldn’t even hold her phone, let alone dial Norman’s number.

“A...!” She roared like a wild beast, biting her wrist hard until the pain stopped the shaking, allowing her to dial Norman’s number.

She cried soundlessly, saying, “Call the police, Norman, call the police. Something happened to me.”

Late at night, she drove to meet him, planning to surprise him... but...

Norman arrived faster than the police. He pulled Liliana out of her car, wrapped her in his coat, and carefully helped her into his car. Liliana was still in shock, so Norman could only hold her tightly, whispering in her ear, “It’s okay, Liliana, it’s okay, I’m here, the police are coming, and I’ll take you to the hospital once they arrive.”

The police arrived quickly, their flashing lights continuously flickering. They removed Etham’s body from Liliana’s car, placing it in a body bag. A female officer approached to assess Liliana’s condition and intended to ask more about the incident.

“My girlfriend is seriously injured; she needs to go to the hospital for treatment,” Norman reminded, barely containing his anger.

The female officer nodded slightly and immediately ordered someone to take Liliana to the hospital. Officer Smith also agreed to let Norman accompany her.

Liliana gradually calmed down, her voice hoarse, repeatedly urging Norman, “Don’t call my parents, don’t let them know.”

Norman’s eyes were even redder than Liliana’s. He clasped her hand, his voice warm and reassuring. “Don’t worry, I won’t let them know. Liliana, don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

It seemed like Liliana’s soul had been shattered in the life-and-death struggle, leaving only her body to follow everyone’s instructions. Medical examinations, injury assessments, treatments, and even an interrogation by the female officer. Only when facing Norman did her eyes regain a bit of vitality, whispering to him, “Norman, was I having a nightmare?”

“It was just a nightmare, and it will disappear soon.” Norman held her tightly, speaking with determination.

He never lied to her. Indeed, things got better day by day. Each time he visited, he brought good news. On the fifteenth day, he returned to tell her, “The ‘Liam’ who escaped has been caught. Those three were heinous criminals, and even tearing them apart wouldn’t be enough. Liliana, you’re safe now.”

She opened her eyes wide, then burst into tears, the invisible fear that had weighed on her heart finally finding an outlet, “I’m scared, Norman, I’m terrified. I’m afraid they’ll come back for revenge. You didn’t see his eyes; he will definitely kill me.”

Norman held her tightly, calmly explaining, “No, he won’t be able to get out to harm you. He’s been sentenced to death. The lawyer said he definitely won’t escape the death penalty.”

Norman paused for a moment before continuing, “Don’t be afraid, Liliana. I will always take care of you. Once this is all over, we will get married, buy a big house, have two kids, and get a dog and a cat. Our home will be lively.”

Liliana’s eyes stared into space, stunned by the vision he painted.

“Don’t be scared, Liliana. Time will erase everything, and the nightmare will pass,” Norman whispered.

---

Four years later, in the city of Tomasso.

Tomasso, known for its picturesque scenery, is a place famous for its beauty. Liliana’s parents hadn’t planned on leaving their hometown, but they loved the landscape here. Since Liliana and her husband lived here, they sold their house and move to Tomasso. They bought an apartment opposite Liliana’s, just a short walk away. Norman teased her, “Now that we’re so close to your parents’ house, it’s convenient. I just hope you don’t get annoyed and start complaining to me after a few days.”

Liliana glared at him, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, leisurely flipping through a magazine, and deliberately whined, “Honey, I’ve spent all my salary this month. I don’t have money to buy a beauty card.”

“Darling, all my salary is in your hands. Do you really need to ask?”

“At least I should ask, right?” She smiled, stretched her leg, and poked Norman with her toe. “Hey Norman, when should we go to the hospital for a check-up? They say men should get checked too, so both of us being healthy is good for the baby.”

The couple had been married for two years and were preparing to have a child.

“Is there something wrong with my body?” Norman grabbed her restless foot, gently massaging it, and leaned closer, his voice teasing, “Don’t you know by now?”

Liliana laughed, gently pushing him away. “If you don’t want to go to the hospital, then I won’t go either.”

Norman always listened to his wife. Two days later, they went to the hospital for a check-up. Both were in good health, and the doctor advised Liliana to take additional vitamins while preparing for pregnancy. By the time they left the hospital, it was midday, so they had a simple meal outside. Norman drove straight to the office, and Liliana, after strolling through a shopping mall, leisurely drove back to the school.

The school where she taught wasn’t large, having just been upgraded to a university. As usual, Liliana parked under the shade of a tree behind the Academy building. As she got out, she noticed a black SUV pulling in and parking next to her car.

This car was unfamiliar, not like those belonging to the teachers. Liliana couldn’t help but slow her pace and study.

The door opened, and a man wearing dark glasses stepped out. He wore jeans and a shirt, his tall and slender figure clear. Despite his slender build, Liliana, who spent a lot of time in the gym, recognized it as the physique of someone who looks slim in clothes but muscular without them.

But that didn’t interest her. She loved Norman and turned a blind eye to all the other men. To her, they were mostly just vague faces, their looks irrelevant.

The man, holding onto the car door, looked at her and slowly asked, “Excuse me, miss, is the Foreign Language Academy office in this building?”

His voice was quite distinctive, deep and pleasant, with a hint of coldness, soothing to others. But for some reason, it startled Liliana. The nightmare buried deep in her memory suddenly resurfaced.

Under the moonlight, the sharp blade of the man moved across her face like an eye, his expression void of life, and he said, “Clean it up a bit, don’t leave any harm behind.”

That voice she could never forget.

Liliana felt as if she had seen a ghost. The words ‘help me’ were stuck in her throat, unable to come out. She stared at the man in front of her in terror, backing away. In her panic, her heel caught in a c***k, and she fell to the ground.

The man removed his glasses, approached her, and asked, “Miss, are you okay?”

She kept scooting backward, shouting in fear, “Don’t come near me! There are a lot of people here; they will come immediately.”

The man stopped, smiling helplessly, and explained, “Miss, I don’t know what caused your reaction, but I mean no harm. If I scared you, I apologize, and I will leave.”