Love x betrayal

Chapter 18 : locked up

Sadie woke up the next morning, determined to see her grandma. The unsettling events of the previous day still lingered in her mind, but she needed the comfort of her grandma's presence. She swung her legs off the bed and headed for the door, only to find it locked. Panic set in as she tugged and banged on the door, her heart racing.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" she called out, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and frustration.

After what felt like an eternity, the door finally creaked open, revealing a maid with a nervous expression.

"Why is the door locked?" Sadie demanded, her voice edged with anger.

The maid hesitated, then quietly said, "I’m sorry, Miss Sadie, but I have orders from Mr. Jake. You’re not allowed to leave the house."

Sadie's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? You can’t be serious! Where is Jake? I want to talk to him now!"

The maid bowed her head slightly. "Mr. Jake left early this morning for a business trip. He won’t be back for a few days."

Fury surged through Sadie as the reality of the situation sank in. She was trapped, virtually imprisoned in Jake's mansion. Without another word, she grabbed her phone and sent Jake a message, her hands shaking with rage.

*Why the hell did you lock me in here?*

She stared at the screen, waiting for his reply. Moments later, her phone buzzed with a message. Her anger flared even hotter when she saw Jake’s response: a simple laughing emoji followed by, *Enjoy.*

Sadie clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over. She knew she had to get out. Panic threatened to consume her, but she forced herself to think clearly. Serena came to mind first, but Sadie quickly dismissed the thought. *She’s not worth it,* she told herself bitterly.

Then, she remembered someone else—Benita. Back in school, Benita had been one of the few people Sadie could trust. Though she couldn’t rely on anyone completely, Sadie knew she needed help. Without hesitation, she texted Benita, her fingers flying across the screen. She shared most of her ordeal, carefully leaving out sensitive details and twisting others into half-truths. She hesitated before mentioning Serena, removing any trace of her mother’s involvement but conveying enough to show how betrayed she felt.

*Benita,* Sadie typed, *I’m in trouble. I’m locked up in Jake’s house, and I need your help. Serena did something horrible to me, but I need you to go to my grandma and tell her everything. I need answers, and I need them now.*

There was a long pause before Benita replied. When Sadie’s phone finally buzzed, her heart pounded in her chest.

*OMG, Sadie, are you serious?* Benita texted back, her shock evident. *What do you need me to do?*

Sadie quickly responded. *Go to my grandma. Tell her I’m trapped here. Tell her I need help. Please, Benita, it’s urgent.*

Benita’s reply was immediate. *I’m on my way. Hang in there, Sadie.*

Relief washed over Sadie as she put down her phone. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, but there was a glimmer of hope. Hours passed, and Sadie’s anxiety grew with each ticking minute. As the day turned to night, she sat on her bed, staring at the door. Still, no one came.

Finally, her resolve crumbled, and she sank into her bed, hugging her pillow tightly. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she whispered to herself, “No one really cares for me.” The loneliness pressed down on her as she cried quietly, feeling utterly abandoned.

The next morning, a maid entered her room, carrying a tray of food. Sadie ignored the breakfast, her mind still reeling from the previous day. The maid hesitated before speaking.

“Miss Sadie, I need to tell you something,” she began, her voice low and tentative. “Your grandma did visit yesterday... but Mr. Jake gave strict orders that no one was to be let in. She was dismissed, and I was instructed not to tell you about it until today.”

Sadie’s heart pounded with fury. She cursed Jake silently, her anger bubbling to the surface. But beneath the anger was a cold realization—Jake was more powerful than she had imagined, and she was utterly under his control. There was nothing she could do until he returned.

Swallowing her pride, she picked up her phone and sent a brief message to Benita: *Thanks for your help.* It was all she could manage.

Sadie knew she was stuck, but she also knew she had to stay strong. Somehow, she would find a way out of this nightmare. But for now, all she could do was wait and it felt like enternity as she just prayed for her life to go back to normal