Fate in Captivity

Chapter 13- The Interrogation

(Aubrey)

I woke up early as I decided to do some jogging, these past few days, I felt like my body was being tedious and slow, I got some stress and I need something to release it. I also realized that my life have been so busy lately, from the day of Zyrie's debut, until that dinner I had with Julius' family, it makes my life difficult for pretending. I walked towards the bathroom and have a pleasant shower, I wear a t-shirt and sweatpants, I just grabbed my phone and a cardholder which now I am ready to go. I got a windbreaker and finally left my apartment, I arrived outside and the sky was still dark but you can see some hint of dawn. I put my earphones on and started running, I decided to take the path towards the nearest park of this place. The place was beside the famous Han River and perfect for person who wanted to have some peaceful morning while running to nowhere. I arrived at the park and I saw people, it was not packed as today is not weekends but still many than you could expected. 

"Hey! I did not expect you to be here." I heard someone talked to me so I removed on of my earphones. I looked at the person but I cannot see its face as it was covered with hoodie. 

"Excuse me, do you know me?" I asked to him and he put down the hood. 

"Of course, my soon to be wife." he suddenly said and showed me his grinned. I just rolled my eyes and put on my earphones again while running. I can sense that he was running beside me and coming up with my pace. I looked at him and he was only smiling without saying anything to me, I just ignored him and continue making some laps around the whole park. 

After fifteen minutes I think, I can barely feel my feet so I decided to have some rest just for a breather. I sat down to one of the park benches and still chasing my breath in. I saw someone offered me a bottled water and when I looked up, I really expected that it will be him but it's not. 

"I don't accept drinks from a stranger." I seriously answered while still panting. 

"I am Ken, now can you accept it?" he arrogantly asked and I just rolled my eyes. 

"Still not? How can I let you accept my kindness?" he mumbled to himself. 

"Get lost, before I call the police." I firmly said to him and he was just chuckling and sat beside me. 

"I won't do any bad to you, I just saw you being tired so I thought I should give you a drink." he explained to me. 

"That's it, that's where crime initially happens. Trying to deceive someone out of kindness." I said  to her but I realized that it sounds too unpleasant even if for me. He only looks at me without saying anything else. 

"Sorry, I should go." I plainly said and walked away. I felt someone grabbed my wrist and when I looked back, it is him again. 

"What do you want?" I asked to him. 

"Remember this face, my name is Ken." he said before he finally let go of me. Still being unsure why he did said that, I started running again. 

I was just running for about some minutes and someone again grabbed my wrist which makes me stopped running again. 

"What do you want again?!" I exclaimed and I stopped when I saw who grabbed me, it was now Julius. 

"Again? I was calling you but looks like you don't hear me." he said to me and I just let out a deep sigh. 

"Sorry, I thought it was the guy--"

"What guy? Are you alright?" he suddenly asked and when I looked at him, he looks like he was ready to fight someone. 

"Yeah! Don't worry about it." I quickly said to him in case that guy would show up again. 

"You sure?" he asked and I just nodded to him. 

"Here, I was buying some drinks for us and when I finished you are now gone." he said and handed me a bottled water. I gladly accepted it and drank from it, I sat at the bench again as I am still tired from that run. I really just wanted to get away from that guy. How could he just offer some drink to a stranger? And above that to a woman like me? Of course, he would be seen as suspicious one. If that guy was just kind and it was because of his concern, he should take it easy and behave like a normal one. 

*Phone rings*

I looked at Julius and he was also looking at me, he looked at me like it was not his phone that was crying for out loud and asking us to answer it. I looked at mine and realized that I was indeed mine ringing. 

"Hello?" I said upon answering the call. 

"Aubrey! Where are you?" Camilla asked me, I looked at the clock and it was already six thirty in the morning. 

"Park, having some exercise." I answered. 

"Go home, we have a situation." she seriously said to me and stood up immediately upon ending the call. 

"Wait, where are you going?" He asked to me and I looked back on him. 

"Home, I have something to do." I plainly answered and run towards my apartment. 

Upon arriving, I quickly head towards my place and turn the doorknob. I realized that it was already opened, I just walked in and I saw three figures sitting on my couch. I slowly walked towards them and I just realized that my friends were already here and crossing their arms while looking at me. 

"What situation do we have here?" I asked to them as soon as our eyes met each others' gazes. 

"We heard you met your soon to be husband?" Zy asked and I stopped walking. Geez, I haven't said anything to them since that night. 

"Yeah--"

"And we heard that we knew him." Cheen added and I was just trying to be alive until they finished their interrogation. 

"Please say anything to us!" Camilla suddenly yelled which makes me surprised. 

"Why are you yelling? We don't plan that?" I heard Zy said to Camilla.

"Just to add some intense, I should say." Camilla answered back to Zy. 

"Guys, I can hear you." I said to them and they fixed their composure. 

"So? Just tell us everything." Cheen said and I just let out a deep sigh. 

"Alright! Yeah, I met him the other day with his family and mine at a dinner." I started and they are just staring at me like I should say more. 

"And as you all know, it was a familiar man to all of us." I said and they exhaled at the same time like they were holding their breath until I say those words as confirmation. 

"So, who is it?" Zy asked and I stare at them, I cannot have myself mention his name in front of my friends. Still unsure and frightened on what their reaction would be, I just decided to say it in a second. 

"It's Julius!" I exclaimed and I zipped my mouth, waiting for their reactions. 

"Who?" Cheen asked again and I let out a huge exhale.

"It was Julius." I repeated. 

"Julius? As in Dair?" Cheen asked and I just nodded. 

"That guy who humiliated you in front of the whole student body?" Zy asked and I just nodded again. 

"That guy who rejected you?" Camilla asked and I just nodded again for the third time. 

"You are so unlucky with men, Aubrey." Cheen said to me and I just sighed. 

"I know and until now he was still a jerk." I answered to them and I quickly covered my mouth. Why did I told them about it?" 

"What do you mean by that?" Camilla asked.

"Aubrey, you've got to tell us everything." Cheen said and I guess I really don't have choice now. 

"Okay okay! We talked and he told me about that day." I started and they just remained silent. 

"And he said, he lied that day. He discovered that he would be in an arranged marriage and he can't accept my confession." I continued. 

"So? What did he say?" Zy asked. 

"He was asking for another chance." I answered and that was the time they showed their reactions over it. 

"Whoa! That was a real jerk! Other men would have stop the marriage because of their guilt and he wanted what? A second chance? It's not like that would change the past!" Zy continuously exclaimed and acted like she was very irritated by it. 

"I know right! He was so shameless, just because he knows that you confessed and you like him?" Cheen said after. 

"It was in the past, now now." I corrected her words. 

"But still! He would expect that you still like him!" Cheen answered to me. 

"So, what did you say?" the two looked at Camilla who asked that and eventually looked at me. 

"Of course I said no. I forgave him but I can't give him a second chance." I quickly answered as that may cover up the frustrations they have.

"Good! That's my girl!" Zy cheered for me and I just smiled at her. 

"And what he say?" My smile vanished as Camilla asked again. 

"You sure is a journalist, you keep on asking questions that was hot and center of the topic." I firstly said to her, maybe I could use this to change the subject. 

"I know but what did he say?" Camilla asked again being determined to know the answer. Looks like I cannot change the topic. I just let out a deep sigh and smiled at them. 

"He wanted to court me." I directly said to them. 

"He's a devil." Zy exclaimed. 

"Maybe I should kill him." Cheen said. 

"Whoa! Girls, calm down. I ignored him, okay?" I said to them just to stop them from retaliating. 

"But he still won't be stop with words." Camilla's attitude changed and it's definitely not a good thing and sign to see. 

"Hey! Calm down, please. Even if you would be angry at him, we are arranged, remember?" I said to them and they stopped for a while. Thank God, I stopped their protests.

"Can you not tell your parents about it and stop the marriage?" Zy asked to me and looking very concern. 

"Nah, you know that I cannot. It was not a some personal arrangement, it was for the business." I answered to them and showed a weak smile.

"Then, should I introduce your to my cousins? Araquiel, remember him? He still likes you!" Cheen suddenly made a some offer, like she was selling her cousins to a public market. 

"Stop it, you don't have to do that." I answered to her while chuckling. 

"Then, we have no choice we have to make him stop it." Camilla suddenly proposed and the two agreed and looked at each other very determined. 

"Guys!" I yelled to them and the three were surprised that they only could stare at me. 

"I am okay, I was now a grown up lady, owner of a huge company. I can take care of myself. If something would happen I would definitely tell it to all of you, immediately." I said to them and smiled. 

I don't want them to be worries about me, they already got me protected to all kinds of rich people since we were kids and now I was very used to them. I know where their attitude would come from, and it definitely has something to do with their wealth- the more wealthy the family be, the more you cannot stop anything as what they had said. That is my situation to Julius, to his family. They were very wealthy that it could save our company years and even after our death, it was a life plan, an insurance that could still live longer than we could imagine in the world of high societal status. 

It was not our goal at the beginning, we just wanted to have food to our plates and to sustain our needs with my full education. But now it went all over, beyond what we expected and beyond what we could take from, greed followed us naturally, especially my parents. Now that they could mingle to every person one this planet with being discriminated and treated unfairly because of our status, they now wanted to remain at the top. 

If you ask them what crimes they committed, they would not admit it- it was some like a useless interrogation, because being rich, can acquit you anytime you wanted. 

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