ENTANGLED BY BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS

Chapter 4: Beyond The Shadows

[PEARL]

I was trapped in a void, unable to escape. But then, slowly, my senses started to return. I heard a faint voice, calling my name.

"Pearl, Pearl, wake up!" It was Julie's voice. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy, as if they were glued shut. I forced them open, and Julie's worried face came into focus. We were sitting on the balcony, just like we had been earlier.

I hastily looked around, I realized it was all a dream. The balcony was empty, except for Julie and me. There was no sign of Damian, no sign of danger. I felt a wave of relief wash over me, followed by a sense of confusion. Why had my mind created such a vivid, terrifying dream?

"Pearl, are you okay? You were shaking and muttering in your sleep. I was worried sick."

I nodded, still trying to clear my head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad dream. Let's go in."

Flashback, 7 years ago

“Who is he? Tell me!”

“Damian, snap out of it. He's my coursemate, okay?”

“Your coursemate, you say? Why was his hand on your back the moment I came?”

“What? I tripped, okay. He held me up. You came in just when that happened.”

“Are you cheating on me?” His eyes filled with rage.

“Damian, get a grip. I'm not!”

**Slap**

I couldn't believe my eyes when I felt a sharp pain on my cheek. That was the first time Damian had ever raised his hands on me. I stood there speechless as I placed my hand on my left burning cheek, my eyes watery, my vision blurry.

“Pearl, p..please forgive me. I'm sorry. I acted on impulse. It won't happen again,” he said as he pulled me into a hug. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I stood there, speechless.

That day should have been the day I cut off the relationship. But I didn't. I fell for his games. He became so sweet, I didn't know he had a sinister motive. I was too naive to see it all.

The next time he did it again was when he found out I had an all-girls night out and a friend of his saw a boy dancing with me.

My dad isn't the type to always be home because of his job. That was the night Damian paid me a visit in an ungodly hour, pulled out his belt, and I got the beating of my life. I talked to my dad about it, and we reported it to the police, but Damian got released the following day.

I kept my distance from Damian, but he kept showing up. The day I confronted him to leave me alone was the day I saw the beast Damian was.

“It's over! Leave me alone. I don't want this relationship anymore,” I said.

“You're going nowhere. We're glued together. If you ever say that again or avoid me, I'd find you, and I'd carve my name all over your skin. By the time anyone sees you, they'd know you're mine,” he threatened.

I have never in my life been so scared. I reported to the police, but they weren't helping matters. I began suspecting Damian had connections that allowed him to get away with his actions.

I became separated from all my male friends and colleagues. The fear of what Damian could do to them or me scared me to death.

I became Damian's pet; whatever he asks of me, I do, for the fear of my life. Damian was good at masking his beastly facade. He showed the world what he wanted them to see. But only I knew him for who he truly is.

I held on, hoping things would improve, until one fateful evening, I reached a breaking point and knew I had to escape. I defended myself and fled, determined to protect myself and start anew.

That night, I called my dad who was at work and I told him I wanted to run. He demanded that I stay home until he got back, and we talked things through. I didn't want to risk Damian coming to the house to hurt me. I unlocked my father's safe, took all the money in it, and then booked a ticket at the nearest train station headed to San Francisco.

It took me a week to make up my mind to finally settle in New York City. I called my father the first day I got to New York.

“Pearl, if you don't come back to Seattle this instant, know that you cease being my daughter,” my dad said, then ended the call on me.

I called him back several times, but he didn't care to pick up. I was able to successfully apply for a transfer to one of the colleges in Rochester. It was difficult to keep up with the tuition. Knowing that anything I do is for my future, I didn't get discouraged. I kept working and schooling at the same time. It was really difficult for me.

Three years later, I graduated from college. I got my first job in a small firm where I worked for a year. The pay was pretty low, but I couldn't complain. Until one fateful day, I was scrolling through the internet and saw a job vacancy for the CEO's personal assistant.

The pay and the incentives were pretty attractive. The first day I came for the interview, it couldn't be my turn because of the large number of applicants.

It was on the third day I got an opportunity for an interview. I never expected I'd be chosen over the hundreds of applicants. I'd say Life decided to make me smile by giving me this job, as Zach Davis’ personal assistant.

No matter how much I'm in love with my boss, knowing my past, and what I've been through, I can't jeopardize my job over my feelings or infatuation.

I promised myself never to cross the line with Zach so I don't risk getting fired.

A year after working for Zach Davis, I got a call from Julie about her arranged marriage. Her father was in debt, and the only way he could pay back was to give his daughter, Julie, in exchange to clear it.

I know how hard I tried to convince Julie to come to New York and start a new life, but she wasn't willing to take the risk.

Julie was the one who called me months later to tell me the news of Damian's arrest. He was arrested as an accomplice for murder. I followed up on the case with eagerness to know what came out of it, thanks to Julie.

I don't know why he received such lenient treatment. For such a crime that deserves severe punishment, he was only sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment with a bail of 1 million dollars.

I'm sure he'll rot in jail because it's highly unlikely that someone would pay such a huge amount of money to bail him out.

I felt a form of peace knowing he wouldn't come after me to hurt me. But sometimes I fear the unknown. I tried visiting home several times, but the trauma I experienced from Seattle couldn't bring me to my father's doorstep.