Chapter 4
1050 Words
Running Into the Storm
Rain hammered heavily against the windows of the Hill mansion while thunder shook the dark evening sky above Victoria Island.
Inside the kitchen, Andrea stood silently chopping vegetables for dinner.
Her body ached from exhaustion.
For weeks now, her life had become an endless routine of cleaning, cooking, insults, and humiliation. Sometimes she barely recognized herself anymore.
“Move faster!”
Ella’s voice echoed from the dining room.
Andrea closed her eyes briefly before continuing her work.
The knife trembled slightly in her tired hands.
She had not eaten properly all day.
Earlier that morning, Rebel forced her to clean the entire mansion alone after firing two housemaids.
“You should learn how to be useful for once,” Rebel had said coldly.
Andrea quietly placed the chopped vegetables into the pot.
At that moment, Rebel entered the kitchen wearing an expensive red gown while talking on the phone.
“Yes, tomorrow’s gala will be important,” she said proudly. “Ella may even attract one of the wealthy investors.”
Andrea remained silent.
Rebel ended the call before turning toward her slowly.
“You still haven’t ironed Ella’s dress?”
Andrea looked up weakly.
“I was cooking.”
“And?”
Andrea swallowed painfully.
“I’ll do it now.”
Rebel folded her arms.
“You always have excuses.”
Andrea lowered her head.
“I’m sorry.”
The apology only irritated Rebel more.
“Sorry?” she snapped. “Your sorry cannot bring money into this house.”
Andrea’s fingers tightened around the kitchen towel.
The anger and sadness inside her chest continued building every single day.
Rebel stepped closer.
“Honestly, I don’t understand why your father wasted so much love on you.”
Andrea froze.
“Stop talking about my father like that.”
The kitchen suddenly became silent.
Rebel’s eyes darkened dangerously.
“What did you say?”
Andrea’s breathing became shaky, but this time she refused to back down.
“My father loved me,” she repeated softly.
A loud slap suddenly landed across her face.
Andrea stumbled backward in shock.
The burning pain spread across her cheek instantly.
Ella walked into the kitchen at that exact moment and laughed.
“Finally,” she mocked. “Someone needed to shut her up.”
Andrea slowly touched her face, tears filling her eyes.
Rebel pointed angrily toward her.
“You ungrateful girl! Everything you eat in this house belongs to me now!”
Andrea’s chest tightened painfully.
“I never asked for anything!”
“Oh really?” Rebel laughed bitterly. “You live under my roof, wear clothes bought with my money, and still dare to disrespect me?”
Andrea could no longer hold herself together.
“You stole everything from me!” she cried.
The room fell silent.
Ella looked shocked briefly before glaring at her.
“How dare you!”
Andrea’s eyes filled with tears.
“That house… those properties… they belonged to my parents!”
Rebel stepped forward furiously.
“You foolish girl!”
Another slap landed across Andrea’s face.
This time she almost fell completely.
“Your parents are dead!” Rebel screamed. “And nobody is coming to save you!”
Andrea stared at her with heartbreak written all over her face.
Something inside her finally broke.
Without another word, she removed her apron and dropped it onto the floor.
Rebel frowned.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Andrea grabbed her small handbag from the counter.
“I can’t stay here anymore.”
Ella laughed loudly.
“And where exactly will you go?”
Andrea remained silent.
Because honestly—
She didn’t know.
But staying inside that house felt worse than death.
Rebel crossed her arms mockingly.
“You’ll come crawling back.”
Andrea wiped her tears quickly.
“No,” she whispered weakly.
Then she turned and walked away.
The heavy rain outside soaked her immediately the moment she stepped beyond the mansion gates.
But she kept walking.
Streetlights reflected across the wet roads while thunder echoed loudly overhead.
Cars sped past carelessly.
Andrea hugged herself tightly against the cold.
Her vision blurred from tears and rainwater mixed together.
She had nowhere to go.
No family.
No money.
No home.
Only pain.
Her phone battery had died hours ago, leaving her completely isolated.
Andrea continued walking through the empty streets of Victoria Island while the storm worsened around her.
Suddenly—
Bright headlights appeared behind her.
A black luxury car moved slowly nearby.
Andrea ignored it at first.
But the vehicle continued following her.
Fear slowly crept into her chest.
She quickened her pace.
The car followed.
Andrea’s heartbeat accelerated instantly.
Why was the car following her?
Thunder roared loudly above as panic began rising inside her chest.
She turned into another street quickly.
The black car followed again.
Andrea’s breathing became uneven.
Fear consumed her completely now.
Then suddenly—
The car stopped directly beside her.
The tinted back window slowly rolled down.
Andrea stepped backward nervously.
Inside the darkness of the car, a man sat silently.
Even with the dim lighting, Andrea could see how dangerously handsome he looked.
Sharp jawline.
Cold eyes.
Dark hair slightly falling over his forehead.
Power radiated from him naturally.
The stranger stared at her intensely for several seconds without speaking.
Andrea’s heartbeat pounded harder.
Then the car door suddenly opened.
“Get in,” the man said coldly.
Andrea froze immediately.
“What?”
“I said get in.”
Fear flashed across her face.
“I don’t know you.”
The stranger’s expression tightened painfully like he was struggling with something internally.
“Please,” he said again, this time more quietly.
Andrea noticed another man sitting in the front seat watching carefully.
The storm continued pouring heavily around them.
Andrea took another nervous step backward.
The stranger suddenly leaned forward slightly.
For the first time, Andrea noticed sweat covering his forehead.
His breathing looked unstable.
And strangely—
His eyes looked desperate.
“Help me,” he whispered.
Andrea stared at him in confusion.
Something about the pain in his voice made her hesitate.
The rain continued falling heavily around them.
And unknowingly—
Andrea Hill was standing at the edge of the moment that would completely change her life forever.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD