The Billionaire's Redemption

I had just raised my flute to my lips when I saw him—a tall figure in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. He was standing at the center of the hall surrounded by a throng of gesticulating men and women. I was still staring when he suddenly looked up and his piercing blue eyes locked into mine from across the room. I stopped breathing. I could feel my heart plummet, and I felt a jolt of electricity shoot through my veins. Still, I didn’t look away. It was simply impossible to. My neck felt like a heavy pendulum. The man looked heavenly: he was tall, and I could tell he was taller than I was even with my heels. He looked quite fit too, his broad shoulders filled out his tux perfectly. His hair fell around his eyes, and those eyes… They seemed to hold many secrets and deep stories, all of which I wanted to drink in. I lowered my champagne flute, slowly. Damn! I hadn’t admired a man in years, not since my last breakup, and this one was a beaut! I took my eyes off him grudgingly and downed my drink, then I moved off to get a refill. As I walked, I glanced slightly behind me, half-hoping to see the man I was ogling coming after me like a cute puppy. Well, I was wrong. I could see the top of his head from where he stood in the middle of the room, though. But he wasn’t even looking at me now. I sighed with a small smile and re-filled my glass. I was content with being a distant admirer. Men were incredulous creatures. Besides, there was no way a man like that would find a woman like me attractive. I was about to take a sip from my filled flute when the unexpected happened. No, Mr. Adonis did not come running after little Cinderella, something even more unexpected happened: Darkness. All the golden chandeliers suddenly flickered off, plunging the room into thick darkness. “What?!” I gasped, along with a hundred guests. I turned around but the darkness was so thick I could barely see the person next to me. I found myself clutching my fake pearls. ‘What is happening?’ I wondered. There were several murmurs of confusion as people fumbled for their phones to use as makeshift flashlights. I felt for the inner pockets of my red dress where my cell was hidden, but my hands touched something else instead: a hand. “What’ the…!” I jumped and tried to whip around, but the firm hand snaked around my waist and held me in place. “Do you want to stay alive?” a chilling voice whispered in my ear. “What?!” I was shaking now. What the hell is going on?! “That is not an answer,” the voice whispered again. I hesitated, then nodded shakily. “Good. Follow me.” I felt a hand close around my wrist. I wanted to resist but I was too scared to. I felt myself being pulled away, deeper into the filled hall. I bumped into people but my assailant didn’t stop or let me go. It was only when I felt us exit the dark hall into a darker corridor that I heard the first gunshot. “What's happening?” I asked, my voice trembling with fear as we hurried down the staircase towards the safety of the street below. But whoever did not reply, his grip on my hand only tightened when we heard another shot, and yet another, as we emerged into the cool night air. Outside, the street lights fell on us and I could finally see the mop of his hair. ‘Wait, is this…?’ My heart threatened to fall to my feet as my assailant whipped around and I found myself staring into the face of Mr. Adonis. “You???” I gasped. “Wait…wh-who are you?” Mr. Adonis did not laugh but his eyes seemed to. They widened and looked quite amused. “What is going on?! You have to tell me…” But the words barely rolled off my tongue when a glass broke behind us, at the same time I heard a loud gunshot. Adonis grabbed my hand and I did not resist. We ran quickly down the street and I suddenly wished I had taken off my heels. My ankle hurt badly but I was too scared to stop or say a word. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind us and whipped around. My eyes widened. “Wait, is he chasing us?!” But something else happened that made my heart almost detach from my chest. This new figure in black overalls raised a gun. “He has a gun!” I yelled and Adonis swiveled around immediately. It was here I learnt something important about the charming man I was admiring minutes ago in the soft glow of the Prestigious G and C Hall – Mr. Adonis had a gun too. The heavy blast of the gunshot shook me to my nerves and I screamed in terror. I could feel my scream all the way to the tips of my toes. The man in black overalls stumbled and somersaulted twice then lay in a heap, blood trickling from his head. I went white with fear. “You killed him,” I gasped. “Did I?” that deep voice asked. I whipped around in fear and terror. “You killed him!” I yelled this time. “You actually killed him!!!” Just then, a large jeep whipped around a corner, jumped into the curb and stopped right in front of us. It was just like a scene from a movie. Adonis turned away from me and pulled open the door then he turned to me again. “Get in,” he instructed. I blinked in surprise. “Get in? You want me to get in with you?! You just killed him!” I gesticulated to the dead body. “You are a bloody murderer and…” A bullet blasted a signboard just a meter above my head and it shattered into wooden pieces. I screamed again. “Get in!” This time I didn’t need any further conviction. I jumped in and Adonis slammed the door after us. The Jeep pulled away in a screech and I fell on my back. I had to struggle up when I felt a hand hold me down. “You might want to stay that way.” I did not argue this time and it was a good thing I didn’t because I heard the sound of two bullets hitting the windshield. “Oh Lord...” I had not prayed in years but now was a good time more than any. “They are chasing us, boss,” a voice said from the driver’s seat and it was only then I remembered we were not alone. “Just drive,” I heard Adonis say. Another gunshot hit the door I was leaning on and I shrieked. “Maybe lie on the floor?” Adonis suggested nonchalantly and I jumped to obey immediately. I could feel my inner bowels threatening to come loose but I could care less. All I wanted was to get out of this alive. My mind traveled to the other guests at the gala and wondered what had happened to them. “What is happening?” I asked for the hundredth time. “Is it a robbery?” I heard a small laugh from the driver’s seat and I looked up at Adonis. He was barely smiling; he was on the phone instead. Another shot slammed into the door beside him but he barely moved. I bent my head again and repeated all the prayers and novenas I had heard since birth. By the time my last novena was complete, the car had rolled into a stop. “We are here.” I blinked. “Here?” I raised my head slowly, half-expecting a bullet to take off my neck. Then I stood up gingerly, my eyes sweepi ng the environment. We were at a Hotel. I swiveled to Adonis. “The intercontinental hotel?” I asked. “Yeah.” He nodded. “Dinner?”