Romance with the Cursed Siren

CHAPTER 53. Lured to Enemy

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Gabriel asked when he brought Crystal back to the shack where she lived before, as he planned to report to the office and get some documents they needed for their marriage.

They are currently snuggling with each other on the bed while waiting for the sun to rise.

"Of course, don't worry about me. I’ll be safe here. Besides, you're going back before sunset, right?" 

"Yes, love." 

Crystal slowly moves and gets up from bed, putting on a mini sundress. Gabriel stirred as well and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling the lady to sit on his lap.

"I can't wait to call you my wife." He whispered, but the lady seemed to be bothered about something. She has no response and only plays the ring on her finger. 

"What's the matter?" Gabriel inquired, pushing some strands of her hair on the back of her ear.

"Nothing. I trust you." She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. 

"Let's go. Let's wait for the sun outside." Crystal added as she stood up, pulling Gabriel.

They intertwined their hands as they stepped out from the small chamber, going straight to the water, dipping half of their body as they waited to complete Crystal's switch.

"I love you. See you later, my siren." Gabriel kisses her on the forehead before he lets her swim away deep in the water.

*****

Crystal waits for Gabriel's arrival, as it's been three hours since she got her feet back, but there's no sign of him anywhere. She keeps on pacing back and forth in front of the cabin while her hands are trembling, feeling worried about the man.

Later on, she heard some footsteps coming in her direction. It startled her, and excitement quickly spread, thinking that it was already the man, but she was mistaken. 

"Pearl?" 

"Hi," Pearl responded in a low voice while Crystal ran to her and embraced the lady tightly.

"You're wai-waiting for Gabriel?" She asked with her stammering voice.

"Uh, yes? Are you okay? Oh! By the way, look," she excitedly showed her finger with the ring.

"Gabriel gave me this. It's beautiful, isn't it?" She added.

"Yeah, it is." She responded with a forced smile.

"By the way, Crystal. Gabriel met with me this afternoon and asked me to give you these," showing the pearl bracelet that she made for him and a piece of paper with an address written on it.

Crystal frowned, receiving the items.

"He asked me to tell you to go to the address written on the paper, and he will meet you there." 

"But why didn't he tell me in person instead?" Crystal inquired, staring at the bracelet.

"Maybe he tried but hasn’t seen you since for sure you are swimming underwater." Pearl reasons.

"Yeah, you're right. I just can't get enough of the sea after Gabriel locked me up inside the four corners of his pool." Shrugging her shoulders as Crystal seems to be convinced to go.

Later on, Pearl embraces the lady tightly as she whimpers softly, which makes Crystal confused.

“Pearl, are you sure that everything’s fine?” but instead of answering her question, Pearl pulled away from the embrace and walked out quickly, leaving the lady with worries about her behavior.

After Pearl has left, Crystal does not waste any seconds and immediately rides a cab, going to the address written on the paper while she is wearing the pearl bracelet on her wrist.

The driver brought her to an old apartment building.

"Why didn't Gabriel pick me up instead?" She dramatically complains as she steps inside the premises.

She looked around, trying to examine the place, when suddenly, she heard a sound of heels tapping on the stares as she descended from the upper floor while two men kept on following her from behind.

"Wha-what, why are you here?" Rachel's sudden appearance bewildered Crystal.

"What’s with that question, my dear cousin? Aren't you happy to see me?" She bitterly welcomes her. 

"Where is Gabriel?" Crystal bravely inquired.

But instead of answering her, Rachel continued pacing down the stairs and abruptly gave Crystal a hard, stinging slap on her face. Crystal almost tumbles on the floor because of the impact, but the two men catch her body from behind. 

"How dare you take my fiance away from me, huh!?" Rachel hissed, staring at the poor lady who was trying to get her arms away from their grip.

“We have warned you already. But you didn’t listen! I can’t believe how stubborn you are. You even flirt with my fiance, you w***e!” Rachel hissed as she yanked her hair with so much anger while Crystal winced with the pain.

“Why can’t you be like your diver friend, huh? She knows how to comply with the threats while you are so hard-headed!”

“You use Pearl to lure me here?” Crystal cannot believe what she just heard and now understands why her friend is acting weird.

“I don’t understand. Why are you doing this to me? Rachel, we are family.” She added, but Rachel only huffed in disgust while crossing her arm in front of her.

“Bring her to the room. Tie her up securely so she could not get away,” Rachel demanded, which the men obediently heeded.

“Rachel, why do you keep on pushing yourself to Gabriel? He doesn't love you. Why can’t you just accept that?” Crystal courageously speak,

“And what do you think!?” Rachel furiously grabs her jaw with her fingers, digging her sharp nails.

“That he seriously has feelings for someone like you who does not even exist in this world? Who grew up on an island and didn’t even go to a decent education? You are only a pathetic island girl who tries to fit into our world. Get lost!” she added and harshly pushed Crystal to the cold ground.

“Take her! And wrap her mouth as well. Her voice is very annoying!” Rachel demanded.

“Rachel, please. Don’t do this to me. I’m begging you.” Crystal implored as she cried.

“Yes, Ma’am.” They heed her and wrapped a scarf around Crystal’s mouth 

They carried Crystal and brought her into an empty room and carelessly pushed her on the bed, causing the lady to bump her head on the headboard. She winced in pain.

"Don't worry, dear cousin, because you will have a reunion with your parents soon. I'm sure you'll love it." Rachel continues, making the helpless lady mad.

Crystal keeps on screaming, but they cover her mouth with fabric that causes her voice to get blocked. She wagged her body, trying to get out of their hold, but her fragile body did not match their strong ones. Finally, they tied her both hands on the headboard and left her struggling alone in the darkroom.

*****

Meanwhile, Gabriel is busy packing the things they needed for another escape. He settled everything and was ready to go when suddenly he received a phone call from an unknown caller. He took a glance at his wristwatch, and it is already past eight o’clock in the evening.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Mr. Anderson?” A lady’s voice came out from the other line.

“Yes? Speaking. Who is this?”

“Sir, I’m sorry. But they threatened to hurt my family if I refused to grant their demand.” the lady on the other line is whimpering.

“Wait, I don’t understand. What do you mean and who are you?” but the lady refused to introduce herself.

“In an old apartment, in the middle of Oak Street. Cry-Crystal is there.” She confessed and ended the call.

“Wait, what!?” Gabriel’s heart skips a beat after hearing the lady’s words. He redialed the number, but it is already unreachable. He immediately stirred and raced towards his car. 

He checks the shack where Crystal is supposed to wait for him, but the tiny quarter is empty. He quickly got out and ran to his car, ready to rampage the city to look for the Oak Street that the lady was talking about. However, as he steered the wheels at a rapid speed, an officer caught him.

"No, no!" He muttered with so much irritation when he halted the car to the side of the road.

The officer got closer to his direction and knocked on the window. 

"Good evening, officer." He greeted the man in uniform.

"Mr. Anderson, I see you're in a rush." 

"Uh, yeah. I have to pick up my fiancee from a party," he reasoned.

"No problem, sir. We will just have to look at your driver's license, please. And by the way, congratulations on your upcoming wedding." The officer said.

Gabriel smiled as he thought of Crystal, even though the officer was referring to Rachel. Suddenly, he blew a deep air as he fumbled in his pockets for his wallet. However, anxiousness rose in his entire system when he noticed he didn't have his wallet with him where he put his driver's license. 

"Anything wrong, sir?" The officer inquired, noticing his uneasiness.

"Uh, well… I think I lost my license. Maybe I have to go back to where I came from and look for it. It must be somewhere back there." He tried to reason, but the officer just gave him a wicked smirk.

"Alright, what about this? Here’s my calling card." He handed him a small piece of card, but the officer only stared at it. 

"My line would always be open if you need anything. I just really have to go. Please?" Gabriel pleaded.

"I apologize, Mr. Anderson. I think we do not understand each other here. You just violated a traffic rule, and we have to look at your driver's license, but I guess you are also driving with no license. Meaning, it's bad news, sir. We have to impound your vehicle in the meantime."

"No! Don't you understand that I'm in a hurry!? I have a license. I just forgot it somewhere!" Gabriel argues, but the officer did not let him get away.