Second Chance

A woman taken

Mornings weren’t really my thing, but it seemed like everyone else felt the same way.

I found myself perched on the edge of a fountain, adjusting my nightgown jacket with a mix of defiance and amusement as I caught judgmental glances from the well-dressed office folks strutting by in their constricting ties.

Before long, I noticed someone sitting across from me, though his gaze was fixed on the fountain rather than me. A cigarette dangled loosely from his lips, as if it were just biding its time for its next puff.

I didn’t mind smokers much; as long as they weren’t bothering anyone, they could do their thing and unwind.

But then, he exhaled—a cloud of smoke wafted right into my face. I took a deep breath, trying to stay composed while I waited for either an apology or a dollar bill to fly my way, but neither happened. With a sigh, I turned my attention back to the people passing by, pondering my next move in life.

Just then, another puff of smoke floated my way, and I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I whipped around to face him and was about to let loose with a "Sir, are you stu—" when my voice caught in my throat.

I locked eyes with him, feeling like I might be losing my grip on reality. If I were really here, then this man was…

The man was Louis Lidgleton.

He flashed a grin, removing the cigarette from his lips. “Didn’t see you there, Mrs Miller,” I observed him, smirking, then putting the cigarette back in his mouth while I resolved to keep my cool and act like I didn’t recognise him.

“Listen, if that smoke of yours comes anywhere near me again, I’ll ensure this will be the last time you even think about lighting up,” I said, each word coming out with heavy breaths.

Louis glanced at his watch. “I didn’t come here for small talk; I’m here to discuss your options.”

I crossed my arms defiantly and raised an eyebrow. “What options?”

“I hope you’re aware your late husband left you with quite a bit of debt, and right now, you’re the only form of currency,” Louis said with a smirk, placing his hand back on the fountain.

I kept trying to clear my ears, but the message persisted. Oscar hadn’t suggested marrying Louis; he had dumped it on me.

"Here are your two choices: either marry me or pay back the debt your husband has," he said. As I stood up from the fountain, readjusting my nightgown, I asked, "How much does he owe?"

Louis laughed and typed some figures into his calculator, then showed me the screen: 3.5 billion. I used my gown to cover my shocked expression, my mouth hanging open as I felt a twitch of disbelief starting to set in.

Louis got up and walked toward his car, waving his keys at me with a smirk. "Think it over, princess… just two options," he said, climbing into the car and slipping the key into the ignition without offering any further explanation.

I rushed over and grabbed his hand, the window was down. “Can’t you give me a little more insight? Is it your favourite hobby to drop these bombshells on me and then leave like it’s nothing?” I exclaimed, pounding on the car repeatedly.

A woman suddenly emerged from behind me, placing her arm on my shoulder. She had curly black hair styled with bangs that obscured her eyes. “Chill out, girl,” she said with a playful tone, “We’re here to offer solutions, not problems. Right, Louis?”

Louis turned to us and said, “You both should hop in the car.” The woman took my arm and opened the back door. “Come on, princess,” she said with a smile.

I pushed her hands away and took a step back. “Who are you?” I asked, my curiosity piqued. She sighed dramatically, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “Asking too many questions isn’t wise, sweetheart; they say curiosity killed the cat,” she replied, maintaining a teasing grin as she kept the door open, extending her hand toward me.

I stepped back again, crossing my arms. “What makes you think I'm going to join two objects for a road trip?” I shot back. Her expression shifted as her eyes darkened, and I could see the tension rise as she lunged closer, seemingly ready to bite back.

"That's enough, Zena." Louis stepped out of the car, and at that instant, Zena halted, resting her hands on her hips. I couldn’t help but chuckle, fiddling with the rope on my gown as I replayed the terrifying moments I just experienced.

Zena, seemingly annoyed, shot a displeased look at Louis. "We can’t just stand around all day! I have things that need my attention!" She tapped her watch, clearly frustrated with the time that had passed.

"Then go take care of them," Louis replied, unfazed, and turned his attention back to me, brushing off Zena's angry gestures. "Mrs Miller, if you want to know more, get in the car."

"And why should I trust you?" I shot back, watching as he stepped closer and leaned in to whisper something in my ear. I was poised for his words, but then I felt a sudden prick at my neck—something like a needle.

Lidgleton Mansion- 8:30AM

“We really should have brought her to my place; there are so many people crammed in here,” Zena complained as she helped Louis set Kourtney down in the chair.

“I’m just not up for seeing your husband right now,” he replied, adjusting Kourtney’s legs on the chair. Zena gave his foot a playful stomp before heading over to the sofa and flopping down with a loud thud.

“Don’t get too cosy,” he warned as he sat next to her. “This isn’t your home.” Zena let out a laugh and settled her head back against the sofa. “What you say doesn’t really matter; I’m the one in charge here.”

It felt absolutely awful.

I was totally disoriented—no clue where I was or what had happened. It was as if I had become one of those characters in a movie who suddenly lose their memory after a trip to the hospital.

I gripped the arm of the chair, trying to get up, but there was this overpowering urge pulling me back into that miserable sleep.

Slowly, I started to take in my surroundings: a massive living room adorned in gold and white, with a chandelier soaring up higher than I could reach. I grabbed the armrest once more and finally managed to sit up, resting my hands on my forehead and thanking the universe that I didn’t have a headache.

As I stretched out my hand, bits and pieces of what had happened before began to return to me. It dawned on me that those two were the ones who brought me here.

Turning to my left, I was met with a sight that threw my mind into a whirlwind.

Zena and Louis were....