Chapter 4
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Chapter 4 Chapter Four
Chapter 4 Chapter Four
SYDNEY’S POV
As soon as I returned to the airport, I could already see Grace waving eagerly at me from the other
side. Enthusiastic smiles and grins curled up my l*ps the closer I got to her. My short trip hade
to an end, and might I say that those were the happiest three months of my life in a very long time.
I wheeled my suitcase faster behind me and rushed, also waving back at Grace and rushing to
meet her where she was standing. I hadn’t noticed for a second at first, but someone familiar
walked quickly past me. I couldn’t help stopping to turn; I could swear I knew that back. No one
could tell me otherwise, it had to
be Mark. It was him.
I was right, I confirmed with myself when I actually stopped and turned back to look at the person. It
was Mark, I couldn’t have missed it, walking with those. fast strides of his as usual. He probably
didn’t see me? Or if he maybe didn’t rec- ognize me again? I’d been gone for just three months, but
if that was enough. time for him not to know who I was again, from just a nce, then it meant that
I’d done a fantastic job with erasing that woman he used to know from my life.
Sure. I wouldn’t look like his ex–wife with the way I looked now.
My outfit was different from what I used to wear (that style he was familiar with), changed my hair,
they weren’t in those ugly buns and up–styles anymore.
My hair was down in long luscious waves. My face shone elegantly bright with
both good skin care; also had some makeup on. A right red b*dy–con dress that
hugged my curves in all the right ces. In all, I was looking like a better and beautiful version of
that self I left behind as “Mrs. Torres“. I chuckled, proudly and pushed my sunsses down from my
hair, down to my face, before swing-
ing my head back to the direction I was heading at and pulling my suitcase be-
hind me again. By this time Grace was already walking towards me, so I had to
let go of the suitcase and wrap my hands happily around her.
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“Jeez, girl. I missed you so freaking much!” She squeaked as she squeezed
1. me.
“Me too!” I cooed, sighing when. We disengaged and I brushed off some strands from my face. “I
almost didn’t want to return,” I added.
“You must be joking,” Grace jokingly frowned, “so you meant to not return to- day?”
“The in truth,” I shrugged with a giggle.
“Then I probably would’ve had toe drag you back here myself,” Grace said, smiling. She
leaned down to pull my suitcase for me. “Come on, let’s go.”
We both walked to Grace’s car where it was parked. It was a different car from what she’d dropped
me off with thest time; a ck jeep.
“You got another car?” I asked on our way to it.
“Yeah,” she answered dly like she’d been waiting for me to pop the question.
“Glorious isn’t it?” She added.
“It sure is glorious,” Imented. “Should probably get a new one too,” I added.
“F*ck you mean probably? You’re definitely getting a new one.”
I nced at her andughed a little incredulously, “Gosh you’re so dramatic.”
“We should go tomorrow. It’s almost the weekend anyway.”
I merely nodded to her suggestion and waited for her to click on the car re- mote before settling into
the car. Then she came in next after she’d put my suit-
case at the back.
We’d driven quite some distance from the entrance of the airport when I finally broke the news to
Grace, although the most casual way, “I saw you–know–who on my way here.”
She spared me a nce from the steering, “Huh? Who?”
“Mark.”
“Really, when was that?” She didn’t sound too surprised. Maybe it was because
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she was trying to swerve into the highway.
“We practically brushed past each other while I was busy waving at you?”
The tires finally settled perfectly on the road, now practically gliding. I could see the funny
expression on her face.
“So he didn’t recognize you?” She chuckled, “Man, why am I so happy to hear that?” Her voice rose
again until she beganughing so heartily I had no choice
but to join in.
“You needed to see how much I swelled when I noticed too. I must have been
looking too good to be true.”
After the long drive of talks andughs, we finally drove up the winding road to our shared vi.
Grace pulled up to the entrance, she turned to me.
“I’ll just drop you off here, darling,” she said.
“Going somewhere?” I asked her and she nodded.
“Yeah, just remembered I was invited to this party. Not the most enthusiastic
about it, but I just have to attend it for a few minutes at least.”
“Oh,” I nodded, unclicking the seatbelts.
6 every cir
“Then I’d be back to hear you tell detail about your trip!” She
piped at me when I got out of the car.
“You bet!” I smiled, shutting the door after me and pulling out my suitcase, be-
fore I watched her turn the car back in the direction we’d juste from.
With a sigh, I gazed up at the imposing structure of our home. It was a stun- ning residence halfway
up a mountain overlooking the sea; a yground for the wealthy elite of the city. It was so good to
be back home. I’d missed everything so much. Even the fresh and exotic smell in the air was the
best touch of spice
Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
to everything.
I climbed the stairs to our house. The cool evening air brushed against my skin as I reached for the
doorknob, pushing the front door open with a soft click be- fore stepping inside.
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But before I could fully immerse myself in the familiarity of everything I’d re- turned to, a shot of fear
danced its way sharply through my veins. I felt it before I saw it; that cold, hard object pressed
against my waist from behind.
I froze in fear, feeling the harsh thumping of my heartbeat everywhere in my b*dy. I knew instantly
what that thing at my side was, though I couldn’t see it. It
was more like a gut feeling.
“Don’t make a sound,” he whispered in a low and threatening voice, the man with the gun behind
me.
Every fiber of my being screamed at me to run, to scream for help, but I knew
that was a foolish move to make. His presence was engulfing behind me and
his breath was hot against my n*eck.
Then the scent of fresh blood reached my nostrils, also mixing with the fear
that had already taken hold. I realized then that the man behind me was injured.
That metallic tang of blood was in the air.
I instinctively raised my hands in surrender as a silent plea for mercy. I knew. that any sudden
movements could provoke him further, so I stood there with
my eyes closed, trying to steady my breathing.
I didn’t dare look at his face. Seeing the face of a criminal often meant being si- lenced,
permanently. I had heard enough stories at least to know that much.
I felt his shadow loom over me. The dark presence of him sent more shivers
down my spine.
“Open up,” he snarled.
I was too scared to even understand what he meant, so I kept my eyes closed.
“I said open your eyes,” he snapped in annoyance and I jolted, now opening my eyes to see his
figure outlined in front of me against the dim light filtering through the window.
The first thing I saw was his ch*st and the trail of blood marred the fabric of his shirt. Then my eyes
traveled upward to look at his face for the first time.
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Surprisingly, the man was handsome, with chiseled features and dark, piercing eyes. There was an
air of authority about him, a confidence that spoke of some- one ustomed to being in control. He
looked like someone who could easily
pass for a member of a mafia.
He thrust a wad of fabric into my hands, and as I unfurled it, I saw that it was a bandage. I didn’t
need to be told what he wanted me to do next. I gathered my re-
solve with trembling hands. He pulled off his jacket and then his shirt. Now I saw the wound on his
torso. It was a gunshot wound, the skin around it was
raw and inmed.
It looked like he had already removed the bullet himself, but the bleeding had
not stopped.
“S–Sit,” I stammered.
Heplied and sat down heavily on a nearby chair.
I took a deep breath, “Do… do I get the first aid kit?” I asked.
“Just do it,” he grunted at the bandage with pain.
I sat by him and began to dress his wound. If only someone saw how terribly
my hands were trembling as I worked. He grunted in difort and grimaced as I moved, but he
did not protest, until Ipletely tied the bandages as tight- ly as I dared.
The loud chime of the doorbell split through the silence. I nced at the man’s face. He didn’t do
much but quickly moved to hide. I took this as a cue to an- swer the door, although I was sure he
was probably still nearby and ready to
st my head off if I did anything stupid.
I opened the door cautiously. Mark was standing there. He must have recog- nized me at the airport
after all followed me here.
Mark grabbed my hand.
“Come home with me!” he urged.
I shook off his hand.
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Chapter 4 Chapter Four
“Didn’t you receive the divorce agreement?” I asked pointedly.
C
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