THE BILLONAIRE’s FORGOTTEN BRIDE

THE FAILED ESCAPE

Sam, do you mind preparing tea and soup for me?”

I stood tall, arms folded.

I am the wife of this house, and I better start acting like it.

These evil staff members won’t be the judge of me. No matter what.

Sam looked taken aback by the order. Oh, I loved that look on her face. She quickly bowed her head and got to work.

Everyone in the kitchen paused, shocked.

A minute later, I saw Jenna walked in.

Confused on seeing me in the kitchen .

“What do you need, Jade? Why are you here?”She walked over to me.

I turned toward her. She gave me a slight bow.

“Just here to tell my staff what I need,” I replied with a calm smile.

My audacity, right?

Even I didn’t know where all of this was coming from.

Jenna smiled faintly and nodded her head in approval.

Tch.

“Can I see you for a moment, Jenna?” I asked, lowering my voice.

We stepped aside.

I was going to ask her about the time every worker retires for the night without her being suspicious of me.

“What time does everyone retire for the night?”

That was the real reason I had come here. I needed information anything that could help.

She studied my face carefully before replying.

“Eight p.m.”She replied

“Even the bodyguards outside?”

Her eyes narrowed just slightly. “Just two of them stay on night shift.”

I nodded slowly, pretending to let the information slide past me like it didn’t matter.

She turned and walked away.

Yes. That was what I needed. I just had to plan everything right. This could work.

I left the kitchen and made my way back to my room. It was just five p.m.

A few more hours, and my escape plan would be in motion.

Back in the room, I began packing the basics. Just the necessities nothing that wouldn’t weigh me down.

Once I leave here, I’m making sure he never finds me again.

I don’t mind burying the past if it means starting a new chapter in my life.

I checked the old clock. The time was dragging.

Anxiety built in my chest as I paced the room, waiting.

A soft knock broke the silence. Sam walked in with a tray.

Her head was slightly bowed. She didn’t meet my eyes.

I quickly moved to cover the bag on my bed so she wouldn’t see it.

“Is there anything more you need?” she asked as she placed the tray on the table.

“No. Thank you, Sam,” I replied softly.

Sam nodded and turned to leave.

I picked up the tea, brought it to my lips, and drank.

Then I paused. I sniffed it once more, unsure.

Was it just me, or did it have a strange aftertaste?

No risks tonight. Not when everything depended on a clear mind.

I had packed light just a change of clothes, a little money, and the keycard I’d taken from the laundry room earlier.

It wasn’t much, but enough to get me out of here. To start somewhere. Anywhere.

My hands were shaking. Not from fear this time, but anticipation.I kept praying everything went well

I checked the time again. Almost 8 p.m.

God, time had never moved so slowly.

I walked towards my door.

The mansion was quiet. Everyone had probably retired already just like Jenna said.

Two guards outside. That’s all I had to get past.

And viola I am out of this prison.

I slipped the bag over my shoulder and walked to the door.

My heart thudded against my chest. Every creak of the floorboards sounded louder in the silence.

I opened the door quietly and peered out.

Nothing.

Step by step, I crept down the hallway, trying not to make a sound.

Each corner I turned, each shadow I passed, I expected someone to jump out.

But nothing.

Then I reached the main floor and headed toward the back entrance less obvious than the front.

Almost there.

But just as I reached for the door, a voice cut through the dark behind me.

“Going somewhere?”

I froze.

It was his voice.

The voice I was running away from.

Slowly, I turned around.

Mr. Black stood there, arms crossed, eyes locked on the bag slung over my shoulder.

Panic shot through me, and I took a step back.

“I….I was just…”

My legs wobbled,My mouth dry.

His eyes dropped to the bag hanging from my shoulder.

I couldn’t speak. I didn’t even bother lying.

“I’m leaving,” Finally putting words together.

He took a step forward. “With that bag in your hand? At this hour?”

“I don’t belong here,” I said, my voice sharper than I expected.

As I spoke,I felt dizzy,my head spun.

It wasn’t normal.

My Eyes became weaker.

My legs felt weaker,too weak to carry my body.

What?

What is going on?

I blinked.

The walls tilted.

“Sam”..

The damn tea .

My hands reached out for something anything but I couldn’t feel the ground under me. The lights above blurred, melted into one another like a painting left out in the rain.

My chest tightened. My body felt… heavy.

“No…” I mumbled, confused.

Trying to fight the drowsiness I felt.

Mr. Black moved forward, catching me just before I hit the floor.

“Hey Jade?” His voice sounded distant now, like it was coming from underwater.

I tried to look up at him, to speak, to fight but my lips barely moved.

“I don’t understand…” I whispered. “What’s… happening?”

My vision dimmed. The room spun.

And then nothing.