I woke up feeling queasy and sore all over. As I tried to get up, I realized I was bound to a wooden chair, my hands tied to the armrests and my legs secured together.
A dim lamp on the table cast a weak glow around the room, but it wasn't enough to illuminate it fully.
The musty smell was off-putting, and then I caught a glimpse of something reflecting the muted light—a small camera mounted on the wall. That meant someone was keeping an eye on me.
I had hoped to play dead when someone entered, but now I knew they had already spotted me. It felt like I should brace myself for the end at any moment.
Strangely, there was a sense of relief; this life has been miserable for as long as I can remember, with hardly anything to hold on to except for my mom. The thought of her being heartbroken stung—I hoped she'd find a way to cope.
If this is it, I just pray it's quick. I heard footsteps approaching the door; this was it!
Vincent stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, and I caught sight of the small iPad he was holding.
"Where's the gun?"
"You woke up sooner than I expected, little de," he said, pulling out a chair across the table and settling into it.
"Yeah, just get me out of here already," I replied, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.
"Not just yet," he laughed darkly before starting to swipe through the iPad.
He eventually placed it on the table and slid it towards me.
*OMG! He's also holding Lisa and Samantha captive.*
They looked severely beaten; Lisa's eyes were both swollen, and Samantha had a broken nose.
"You're a monster! What do you want from me? I haven't done anything to deserve this treatment. If it was just me, we could work through whatever the issue is. But why involve my friends? They don't know you, and they certainly haven't wronged you!" I shouted at him, struggling to loosen the ropes binding my wrists.
He slumped into his chair, a wide grin spreading across his face. "The issue isn't with those little ones; it's you. You won't act until measures like this are enforced."
"Don't talk to me like that! What do you want from me? Since the day I met you, my life has been a mess, so I can only guess it's something significant." This time, I mustered the courage to meet his gaze, my anger simmering. He had crossed the line with my friends!
He took out his phone and called someone. Almost instantly, a man dressed in a black suit entered with an envelope.
He handed it to Vincent, then untied the ropes binding my hands to the chair before exiting.
Vincent opened the envelope and slid the document across the table towards me.
"Sign it," his cold, dark voice echoed in the room.
I picked up the paper and quickly glanced over it. "There's no way I'm signing this. I'm not mad!"
He grabbed his phone again and made a call, putting it on speaker.
"Do it," he instructed the person on the line.
I glanced at the iPad on the table and noticed someone entering the room where Samantha was.
Before I could fully grasp what he intended, Samantha's scream erupted from the phone.
I looked back at the iPad and saw that he had shattered one of her fingers and was now targeting another, only to be met with another piercing scream.
"Stop fooling around and go for the neck!" Vincent ordered the man.
"Leave me alone! I haven't done anything to deserve this!" she sobbed, her voice choked with fear.
The man cruelly positioned his hands on Samantha's head.
Tears streamed down my face. I never imagined it would come to this.
"Please, stop! I'll sign it! But I want a condition—you must provide my friends with medical care as soon as my signature is on that paper." At that moment, I realized just how rattled I was.
Sweat trickled down my face, my hands shook, and my heart raced.
"Alright," he said, gesturing for me to take the pen and sign, all while the torturer remained at his post. I swiftly penned my signature on the document. Afterward, he dismissed the torturer. I inhaled deeply as they began tending to their wounds and bruises.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll be relocating to my place. I'll outline your additional responsibilities as time progresses," he stated, arms crossed over his chest.
I merely nodded in acknowledgment.
So this is my fate. Fate certainly has it out for me.
Mom would be devastated if she were to discover this — which she absolutely won't.
At that moment, a man entered the room and bowed slightly.
"He'll drop you off and provide the address for your new workplace. Make sure to be there bright and early tomorrow," he indicated towards the man who had initially tried to subdue me.
With that, he exited the room.
*Wow! I suppose I'd better acclimate to this.*
The man quickly knelt down and freed my legs from the ropes.
Straightening up, he flashed me a smile.
He resembled the geeky version of Vincent.
"Please, come with me," he said as he gestured towards the exit.
I hurried after him; the place felt like a dungeon for criminals.
*I never want to step foot in this place again.*
He led me to a garage at the rear of the building, then opened the door for me, grinning broadly.
*What a creep.*
*He's being way too nice; I can't trust him!*
"By the way, I'm Adriel," he said as I got into the car.
"..."
*You need to say something!*
"Nice to meet you, Adriel. I'm..."
"Blossom, right? I've already heard," he interrupted my introduction.
"Okay, then." I returned his smile.
**************************************
I was nearly home, feeling relieved to have escaped unharmed, but the looming contract clouded my thoughts.
"Here! I apologize for any trouble." He handed me my bag of donuts and coffee.
*Oh my gosh! He actually kept it. He's a true gentleman, unlike his boss.*
"Thank you so much! I truly believed it was lost," I said, smiling gratefully at him.
Glancing out the window, I spotted the familiar large dark gates.
He parked the car and quickly jumped out to try to open the door for me. But I was quicker; I don't really like the idea of someone getting the door for me—it feels too cliché, and besides, I have hands.
"I'll be back tomorrow morning to grab your things," he said cheerfully.
"Okay, see you later!" I replied, giving him a nod goodbye.
I watched as he got back in the car and drove away.
Once inside, I took a shower and settled onto the couch.
*I can't just lounge around—I need to start packing.*
I picked up the paper bag and took out its contents.
Fortunately, everything was well-preserved.
As I nibbled on donuts and sipped my cold coffee, I said blissfully, "Adriel is definitely a sweetheart."
"I wonder how Samantha and Lisa are coping. I really want to see them."
*Ohh this all my fault.*
*Hold on! What if the food's poisoned?*