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I scoffed, refusing to say anything more as my heart hardened while staring at the devil my father gambled with.
He turned to Fred and nodded.
Fred immediately turned and walked out the door, waiting beside a black jeep parked outside as he held the door open for me.
I slowly looked back at Kyle, but he had already walked toward his bar, lightly picking up the glass cup he had left there.
I swallowed hard as anger and something unfamiliar tightened inside my chest.
I turned toward the open car door and slid in.
Fred shut the door and drove off.
Midway, something suddenly clicked in my mind.
“I need to get some things at the shop… beach wears.”
Fred didn’t move his head. He kept driving as though nobody had spoken behind him.
“Fred!”
I screamed his name harder this time, and he finally turned slightly.
“My boss instructed me not to take you anywhere except the beach. I don’t wish to disobey him on my first day at work.”
“How much did he pay you?” I asked quickly.
Fred ignored the question completely, driving as though his entire life depended on reaching that destination.
Soon, the car slid into the beach parking lot.
Fred stepped out quickly, rushed around the car, and pulled the door open for me.
I looked around before quietly stepping down.
He stood watching me closely as I paused.
I turned toward the building that led to the changing rooms, and he immediately followed behind me.
“Hey!”
I spun around sharply, making him stop.
“You want to follow me into the bathroom too? I need to change, Fred.”
He didn’t move. His face only showed slight panic.
I turned and continued walking anyway.
Inside the changing room, some girls were chatting while others sat pressing their phones.
I glanced back toward the door before quietly approaching a girl seated alone.
“Please… my name is Serene, and I’m in some kind of dangerous situation.”
The girl’s expression hardened for a moment before she slowly nodded.
“I don’t know if I could use your phone for a few seconds…”
Without a word, she handed it to me while staring deeply at me.
I quickly dialed my father’s number, the one I already knew offhand.
The phone rang.
Nobody picked.
I called again.
Still nothing.
Then Alexandra crossed my mind immediately.
Of course, I knew her number too.
I dialed it, and luckily she answered.
“Alex… it’s Serene…” My voice trembled immediately she picked.
“Serene? What—whose number is this?” she stammered.
“Alex, this is not the right time for that. Where is Father? And what’s going on? Why am I with Uncle Kyle?”
Alex paused for a moment.
“Alex?” I continued when I heard nothing, my heart pounding heavily.
“I’m at Wood Beach. Could you come? Please… just come to the beach close to the bar. I’ll be outside waiting for you. Please come before one hour is over…”
Alex went silent again before finally speaking.
“Okay, Serene. I’ll be there.”
The line cut immediately.
I gently handed the phone back to the girl and turned toward the door.
Outside, Fred noticed me immediately and narrowed his eyes, probably trying to understand why I hadn’t changed.
I ignored him and walked straight toward the bar while he followed closely behind.
I found an empty chair and sat down.
Fred remained standing near the entrance of the bar, his face growing harder by the second.
I kept my gaze fixed toward the entrance, my heart pounding heavily in anticipation.
Nearly thirty minutes passed, yet there was still no sign of Alex.
Fred kept glancing at his leather watch while my chest tightened with anxiety.
“It’s been one hour. I think we need to leave now.”
Fred’s voice startled me from my thoughts.
“I… I can’t leave yet. I want to wait a little longer.”
Fred’s expression tightened again.
“We need to leave now, as directed by Boss. I can’t wait any longer here.”
I scoffed.
“You’re just a bingo acting like one. Where are your human emotions?”
Fred didn’t react.
His face remained emotionless.
“Miss, we need to leave now.”
He kept repeating it, but I refused to stand.
Then suddenly—
I spotted Alex rushing toward the beach in panic.
My chest instantly lightened as I stood up.
But before I could move, a strong arm wrapped around my waist and lifted me effortlessly off the ground.
I gasped and turned sharply.
Kyle.
His grip tightened around my waist as he carried me toward his own car and slammed me inside before driving off, leaving Fred behind.
“Let me go, Uncle Kyle! You can’t keep doing this!”
Kyle’s face remained hardened as he drove without even looking at me.
Soon, the car stopped in front of his house.
He quickly dragged me out, lifting me into his arms again before walking straight into the room.
He threw me onto the bed, and I slammed heavily against the soft sheets.
He stepped closer.
His eyes moved to my laps as my dress rode up slightly, exposing part of my thighs.
My heart pounded violently as I quickly dragged the dress down.
He moved even closer.
And this time, his eyes fixed slowly on my lips.
My chest tightened instantly…
- Writer
