《In Love With Two Brothers》 Chap 1 - Half Breed CHAPTER 1 (HALF BREED) Staring at the long queue ahead of her, Ariel picked up her plastic bucket and went directly to the tap. She was about putting it beneath the tap, when someone hits it, making it fall to the ground. ¡°What was that for?¡± she whined, glaring daggers at Kabria, the girl who kicked her bucket. ¡°You are an idiot Ariel¡± Kabria smirked ¡°Can¡¯t you see the queue; many of us have been standing here waiting for our turns to fetch this water. But you came out of nowhere, to fetch. Get back in line half breed.¡± She mocked, making everyone to laugh. Ariel sighed sadly ¡°The girl that fetched earlier told me to fetch immediately after her, we had an agreement¡± she pouted ¡°What fucking agreement, this is a public borehole and I¡¯m in charge here, so you do as I say¡± Kabria barks. Having a sad look on, Ariel pleaded ¡°Please Kabria, I really need to fetch now, my mum is sick and I need water to prepare her herbs¡± She stated ¡°If you really wanna get water for that f**king mother of yours, then you will need to get back in the line or you get none, read my lips¡± she smirked. Ariel had no choice but to pick up her already dirty bucket, she dusted it with her bare hands and stared at the queue, filled with people waiting anxiously for their turns to fetch water. ¡°I should have stayed in the line, now it¡¯s longer than earlier¡± she thought ruefully Believing that Kabria will never go back on her words, she strides to the extreme of the line, cursing Kabria inwardly for making her go through the queue problem. Kabria on the other hand, is the daughter of a well known notorious street lord, whom the government placed in charge of the public boreholes. She is just like her father and takes his place when he is unavailable. No one will ever wanna step on their toes, except they wanna sign a death wish. Ariel sometimes wonders why the government gave him the freewill to monitor the public boreholes, why didn¡¯t they allow someone reasonable take good care of it. Perhaps because he is feared by many, she concluded. And Kabria being the apple of her father¡¯s eyes is even worse than he is. Kabria taps a girl standing close to her and whispered into her ears. They both laughed and the girl casted disgusting glares at Ariel, who gulps down nothing. Kabria left afterward and the girl took her lead. *********** If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. On getting home, Ariel dropped her bucket of water and sighed tiredly. She remembered what transpired between her and Kabria earlier, and frowned. She would have arrived home earlier if Kabria hadn¡¯t prevented her. She touched her temple and glanced at the compound, it looks neat; perhaps mum swept it, she thought. ¡°Damn, why will mum risk her strength to sweep in her condition, she suppose to rest and let me do it¡± She mumbled She was about turning the knob of the door open, when she heard voices. She recognizes that of her mum immediately, but the other doesn¡¯t sound familiar. She tried eavesdropping on their conversation but couldn¡¯t fathom what they were talking about. ¡°I will take my leave now¡± the voice muttered as she tried to hide, but it was too late, the door opened revealing a pretty, curvy shape woman, about forty years of age, with her mother behind. ¡°Ariel!! You are back, thank goodness you came in time¡± her mum stated ¡°Ye¡­.ssss, just arrive, good day ma¡¯am¡± she greeted the woman in front of her, who was marveled at her beauty ¡°Good day damsel, how are you?¡± she smiled, and tried touching her hair, but she shifted backward ¡°I¡¯m fine ma¡± she smiled wearily, the woman chuckled ¡°I mean no harm dear; l just wanna feel your lovely hair. You have one beautiful daughter here, Gina, she is such a damsel¡± The woman said, referring to Ariel¡¯s mum, who smiled, and nodded positively. Ariel gave her mum a questioning look but decided to save it for later. They saw the woman off and went back into the house with her mum grinning from ears to ears ¡°Mum????¡± Ariel called, her mum faced her ¡°Yes baby¡± she smiled ¡°Mum¡­I thought you were sick..i mean..you just got well suddenly and you are smiling like you won a lottery, what is it mum, and who was that woman?¡± ¡°Oh you mean Miss Peggy¡± Gina grinned ¡°Miss???¡± ¡°Yes..she is not married, but she has a daughter just your age, and guess what¡± ¡°What¡± Ariel asked surprised at her mum sudden change of behavior, she is acting like a sixteen year old who is being asked out on a date. For damn sake, she couldn¡¯t get on her feet this morning, she thought ¡°My prayers have been answered¡± Gina shouted in glee ¡°Mum, I¡¯m confused here, please can you go straight to the point¡± Ariel whined, and took a sitting position on their already worn out bed "Ok ok fine¡± Gina clears her throat and sits next to her ¡°Remember the woman I told you about, the day I went to the grocery shop¡± she muttered ¡°Yes??? Is she the one?¡± Ariel asked ¡°Yes she is, and we have been getting along ever since then¡± ¡°I came in contact with her again at my work place¡­..¡± ¡°The tea shop?¡± ¡°Yes baby. We became friends, shared contact and that was when we started chatting whenever we get to see each other¡± ¡°But you never told me you had a friend..strange¡± Ariel pouted, her mum chuckled ¡°Well she is my friend now. She told me about her daughter and she is also a model¡± Gina grinned, Ariel gave her a puzzled look ¡°So????¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you always longed to be a model, darling?¡± Ariel scoffs ¡°That was then mum, I have another dream now¡­I can¡¯t fulfill such dreams in poverty¡± she frowned ¡°Hey brighten up, let me finish my talk before deciding on taking up an expression. She is not just into modeling, but she also trains pretty young girls like you into becoming one. And guess what, she do take them to the white man country for their first photo shoot¡± ¡°So¡­are you¡­tryna say that I should go with her to the states?¡± ¡°Yes..to the states¡­¡± Gina grinned ¡°And I should become a model?¡± Her mum nodded ¡°What??? Mum..i wasn¡¯t expecting this..why? I can¡¯t leave you here and go to another man¡¯s country with a stranger¡­how is that possible?¡± Ariel yelled ¡°It¡¯s not another man¡¯s country, it¡¯s also your country¡± Gina resorted ¡°Fine..I know that..but I can¡¯t leave you here..who will take care of you and whereas, fine I love modeling, but that was then. There was no money to sponsor me when I had the chance, now I¡¯m choosing music..I don¡¯t want it mum¡± she spurted out, going to the other side of the room "Ariel!!!!!¡± Gina yelled, with a shaky but loud voice. Ariel turned swiftly to face her with a gasp Chap 2 - The Offer CHAPTER 2 (THE OFFER) ¡°I¡¯m not doing this because I want you to become a model, fine, it¡¯s part of it..but I want the best for you. You can get the chance to see your father over there in America. Your father is f**king rich, but here we are dying of hunger, I don¡¯t want you to live the life I lived. Just take good look at me. I am sick but couldn¡¯t get the best treatment for myself¡­no money to go to the hospital, only this f**king herbs are what I¡¯m using. I might die any moment from now¡± she cried out ¡°Mum no one is dying..stop saying that¡± Ariel snapped ¡°Then do what I want Ariel¡­save your ass from this suffering. Go with Miss Peggy to the states and find a suitable job for yourself. Find your father also. I can¡¯t be with you here forever¡­..¡± ¡°But mum, I thought we talked about¡­..¡± ¡°Fine¡­.if you don¡¯t wanna go¡­it¡¯s just fine¡­fine¡± Gina threw her hands into the air, and went to stand beside the window, staring out as tears rolled down her eyes. Ariel stared at her mum as she sobs, she felt bad for raising her voice at her, which has not happened in a long time. Her mum got a point, she wanted them to be free from this sticking poverty life, but going to the states is out of it. What if she get rejected there also, how is she gonna cope, she thought ¡°Hmmm¡± she sighed, staring at her mum, who backs her, still sobbing ¡°Mum will surely get over this¡± she thought **********The Next Day**¡° Grrrrggg¡± Ariel¡¯s wooden alarm clock rang making her jerk up from her sleep. She hissed loudly throwing the clock across the room as she struggles to get up from her old shabby bed, which made a crackling sound as she did so. Yawning loudly, she checked the time on the wall clock and gasps ¡°Jeez¡­it¡¯s 8 o¡¯clock, I¡¯m late for work, Mrs. Thompson is gonna kill me¡± ¡°That stupid alarm clock didn¡¯t ring at the exact time I set it to, I have to get a new one¡± she thought as her mind flashed back to the dream she was having earlier. She dreamt of being punished severely at her workplace ¡°I pray that dream doesn¡¯t come through¡± she mumbled and hurriedly freshened up. She was about preparing breakfast when she noticed a letter on the kitchen cabinet, it states: ¡°I made pasta with sauce for breakfast and yours is on the table.I¡¯m off to work, make sure you take good care of yourselfAnd don¡¯t engage in dangerXoxoYour mum¡± She sighed and dropped the letter, glancing at the food on the table ¡°But why will mum go to work, she is not yet strong and she¡­.oh¡± she paused, remembering the fact that her mum¡¯s two weeks leave is over. She felt irritated staring at the food in front of her, but had no choice but to eat it. Pasta and sauce has been their breakfast for a long time now. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Only the rich gets to eat what they want¡± she thought and devours it in a twinkle of an eye************¡°What time is it, Ariel¡± Mrs. Thompson, her boss barked angrily as she glared at Ariel who was shaking in panic. Mrs. Thompson is a well known woman who owns a big shop where flowers are sold. She distributes them to costumers and Ariel is one of her workers. She always pretends to be nice to the world, but a demon to her workers. ¡°It¡¯s ¡­it¡¯s 8:30 am, ma¡¯am¡± Ariel shuddered ¡°8:30¡­a¡­.m..? When is resumption time¡± She snarled ¡°8: 00 am¡± ¡°Can you see that you are 30mins late, lots of punishments are waiting for you¡± she snapped, turning to leave ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, I overslept¡± Ariel pleaded ¡°Oh!!! Really? Well, just have it at the back of your mind that you are not getting any payment today, except you agree to work double time¡­now pick up these flowers and deliver it to Mr. Hudson, idiot¡± she spat and walk away, even before Ariel could utter a word. ¡°Hmphh¡± She sighed sadly ¡°What sort of life is this¡­now I would have to work twice the time I do work before getting paid, f**k that dream I had¡± She cursed, climbed her old, worn out bicycle, ready for her first delivery for the day. *********Finding Mr. Hudson¡¯s house was a bit stressful but she managed to pull through and deliver the items. Riding back to the shop, she sighted a group of people, mostly teenagers, watching the video of a young white boy, who was singing beautifully, from a billboard along the side of the road, which is just few meter from her workplace. She is a fan of many artist and wish to sing like them, but this boy¡¯s singing, captivated her heart. He seems to be new in the music industry, or perhaps she hasn¡¯t watched any of his videos before. But the way he handles the Microphone is intruding, not to talk of his mesmerizing beauty. Kabria and her friend, stood among the crowd. One look at her shows that she is already in love with the new musician. Her eyes glints and she blushes each time he smiles while singing. She feels like the smile is meant for her, as different weird imaginations filled her mind about getting to meet him and kissing his juicy lips. Every other girl there has the same thought, except for Ariel, who is only in love with the way he sings. Although she feels a tingle each time she stares at his face, and also wished to meet him in physical, singing with him on stage. But he is white, fine, she is also partly white, and who will wanna fall in love with a half-breed? ¡°Can I even get to meet a rich dude like him, being a poor girl? No I can¡¯t, fate doesn¡¯t always work in favour of the poor¡± she thought She was about taking another glance at the projector when a voice screamed her name; it was her boss. ¡°Ariel!!!! Get your God damn ass over here¡± she screamed ¡°Oh my gosh¡± Ariel gasped; she has totally forgotten that she was going back to the shop, and her boss has been staring at her all along, being that the shop is just close to where the billboard is. She hurriedly rode down there and parked the bike. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry Mrs. Thom¡­¡± ¡°Sorry for yourself, just know that you are doomed, you will work triple times for being late again¡±************Arriving home, she met the door unlocked ¡°Is mum home?¡± she thought¡°Maybe she arrived early from work¡± she shrugged and went in Her mum stood beside the window, still in her work cloth¡°Mum?? You are back¡± she said, as Gina face her ¡°How was work baby¡­you didn¡¯t close early today?¡± she asked, looking sad ¡°Yes¡­Mrs. Thompson made me work triple times today, and gave me a half payment¡± Ariel muttered sadly, taking off her shoes ¡°But why¡­I asked you not to get into any trouble with her¡± Gina snapped¡°I didn¡¯t, she was just being harsh on me. It¡¯s because I arrived work late¡± ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have gone late, what happened to the alarm clock¡± ¡°It¡¯s worn out¡­I¡¯m sorry¡± she mumbled, Gina sighed and toughed her temples, facing the window again, as silence took in, before Ariel spoke up ¡°And you? What happened, you came back early¡­but you look sad¡± she bit her lips Picking up an handkerchief from the bed, Gina made a muffling sound and blows her nose into it¡°Mum?? What¡¯s wrong, you are crying¡± Ariel said, going close to her as she holds her hand ¡°I ¡­i¡­lost my job¡± she cried, sobbing loudly ¡°W¡­what!!! I mean, how?¡± Chap 3 - Mission 1 CHAPTER 3 (MISSION 1) ¡°Someone already occupied my position, my boss employed someone else¡±¡°But why, you were sick, you didn¡¯t skip work intentionally and whereas, you took a leave¡­¡± ¡°But stayed beyond the expected time, I was supposed to resume last week¡±¡°You weren¡¯t strong enough, your boss knew that¡± Ariel flared in anger ¡°That¡¯s life for you, baby¡± ¡°Hmm¡­so what are we gonna do now, our combined salary for a month is barely enough for our feeding¡± Ariel pouted, cleaning the tears off her mum¡¯s eyes ¡°I will try to get a new job, perhaps work as a cleaner in the library¡± she coughs, cleaning her stains of tears on her cheek ¡°Getting a job is rare these days; especially at the library¡± Ariel cooed, her mum shrugged¡°Well, one just has to try¡± Gina breathed out ¡°Mum??¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°About what Miss Peggy offered?¡± Ariel said, arranging the bed cover ¡°So? What about it?¡± ¡°I thought about it¡­and I guess it¡¯s a good idea. I have made up my mind; I will go with her to the states and take up my dream work. I also wish to see my dad; we might get to meet each other¡± Gina smiled out tears as she watched her daughter speak, she ran and hugs her, kissing her hair ¡°Thank you so much, muahh, muaahh¡± she kissed her cheek multiple times ¡°Uhnn, stop that mum, I¡¯m no longer a kid¡± Ariel laughed as her mum chuckled. ¡°You are still my baby, no matter what¡± She tickled Ariel ¡°Haahaaa, mum stop it, ahh¡­stop!!!¡± They both giggled, laughing heartedly as they tickle each other ********** The Shaw¡¯s Mansion** Mr. Shaw, his wife and their son, Aiden, sat at the dinning as they eat their morning meal.¡°Aiden¡­where is your brother, why isn¡¯t he here for breakfast¡± Mr. Shaw asked, as Aiden frown ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± he mumbled ¡°What do you mean by you don¡¯t know¡± His mum asked ¡°We no longer stay in the same room; I mean Axel is behaving strangely these days. He snubs me and spends most of the time in his room. He is going crazy because of one freaky breakup¡± Aiden spat ¡°What break up¡± Mr. Shaw asked with furrowed brows. Having this questioning look, as Aiden glance at his mum ¡°Flora broke up with him¡± Mrs. Shaw muttered, as she sips from her cup of tea ¡°But it¡¯s not the end of the world; there are many other girls out there. Why should he kill himself with depression over one lady?¡± Mr. Shaw spat ¡°You won¡¯t understand dad, Axel really loves Flora; he is crazy about her¡± ¡°He should get over her then, if she loves him back, she wouldn¡¯t have left him. Go call him; I need him down here, right now¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I¡¯m here¡± A voice said behind them, it was Axel He wore a sad expression, backing a black backpack, cringed to his back, and a travelling box in his hand. ¡°Axel..What¡¯s wrong, what¡¯s all this, don¡¯t tell me you are leaving¡± Mrs. Shaw muttered, going towards the stairs where he stood ¡°Son, what is going on¡± Mr. Shaw yelled ¡°I¡¯m leaving..I need to leave here..I need clear my mind¡± Axel said ¡°Whereas I¡¯m not a kid, I can take care of myself¡­I need to forget about all this¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean that you should leave, fine, I know how hurt you are because of her, but¡­come on Aiden, speak to your twin brother¡± Mrs. Shaw said, worriedly. Aiden simply shrugged ¡°That¡¯s his decision, what do you want me to say¡­but Axel, you need to rethink this, what will your fans say if you do not show up at the show coming up tomorrow, what do you want your manager to tell them¡± ¡°My manager will take care of everything..don¡¯t worry about my fans¡± ¡°Axel!!!!!¡±His dad called, furiously ¡°Dad¡± he mumbled in reply ¡°If you step out of this compound, then say goodbye to this family¡± he spat ¡°Honey?? Dad!!¡± Mrs. Shaw and Aiden called at the same time, with a surprise look ¡°Dad you can¡¯t do that, Axel please think of me as your brother, I need you here, everyone needs you, you can¡¯t just leave¡± Aiden muttered, going to take off the box from Axel, but he held it firmlyAxel walked directly to his dad and faced him ¡°Dad, I know you want the best for me, but I also want you to know that I am suffering from heart break and depression. You can¡¯t just be ruling my life the way you want it, fine, we both have been obeying and respecting your words right from time, but you can¡¯t be telling me what to do forever. I¡¯m a grown up, I and Aiden, we should know how to live our lives in peace without your interference..I don¡¯t like this dad, stop controlling me in your own way, this is my life not yours¡­learn to respect our decision too¡± He yelled angrily, his dad landed a heavy slap across his face, making him to shriek ¡°Listen to me boy, I am your father and you will do as I say, I rest my case¡± He snapped, and walked out of the dinning with his wife trailing behind him, pleading with him to reconsider his words ¡°Honey please, he is just a kid¡­.try to get his point¡­honey¡­honey..please wait up¡­¡± Aiden stared at his brother and sighed, he picked up his car key from the table ¡°What¡¯s your destination¡± He asked ¡°Paris¡± Axel mumbled softly ¡°Paris? Cool city, pray you get back to your normal self before coming back, I missed the real you, Axel. You have changed so much within a short period of time. Just forget about Flora and moved on¡­I support your decision; taking a break somewhere far, will relieve you of all the pain¡± Aiden cooed They hugged each other, as Axel muttered a thank you. Aiden patted his hair, and broke the hug¡°Come on, let me drop you at the airport, you won¡¯t wanna miss your flight ********** ¡ïMr. Jenkin¡¯s Office¡ï ¡°Dad!!!!! Dad!!!!¡± Sophia yelled, barging into her Dad¡¯s office disrupting the board meeting he was having with some directors¡°Who is this girl¡­¡± The board chairman asked, irritated at her lack of manners ¡°Sophia, oh my God¡­I¡¯m really sorry for the interruption, just give me few minutes to speak with her, she is my daughter¡± Sophia¡¯s dad pleaded ¡°You have five minutes Mr. Jenkins or this meeting will be cancelled, and you know what that means¡± the board chairman muttered, as Mr. Jenkins hurriedly drags Sophia out of the office ¡°What is it, why didn¡¯t you wait for me to be through with the meeting first before coming in¡± He asked heartedly ¡°Dad¡­.it¡¯s him, he is not picking my calls; I¡¯m damn frustrated¡± Sophia cried out ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°Axel, dad¡­.he isn¡¯t paying any attention to me. I love him so much dad¡± ¡°Then go tell him about your feelings, I had his girlfriend broke up with him, and he is really depressed right now. Fine, that¡¯s all you have always wished for; now it has happened¡­go do the right thing¡± He spat ¡°I am trying to reach him but he is not picking my calls, he is totally ignoring me¡± ¡°Then what do you want me to do¡± ¡°You are his dad¡¯s friend right? You can use your influence to tell his Dad about me, he might not want to disobey his father, he will have no choice but to date me¡± she explained, cleaning the tears off her eyes ¡°Hmm...Baby, I know how you feel now, but Axel is still in pain and he needs time to recover¡­¡± Mr. Jenkins explained, but Sophia doesn¡¯t seem to agree with him ¡°Dad, if you don¡¯t do this for me, then I will kill myself, remember that I¡¯m your only daughter¡± She threatened On hearing such threat, her dad succumbs to her wish ¡°Hmm¡­ok fine baby¡­I will see what I can do okay¡­please don¡¯t try to hurt yourself¡­I need to go back in there for the meeting to continue, I will see you later okay¡­muahhh¡± he pecked her cheek and squandered off With shoulders high up, Sophia walked out of her dad¡¯s company with smiles plastered across her face; believing that she has completed her first plan ¡°Hmm, mission one completed, Axel will be mine, no matter what¡± she smirked Chap 4 - The Escape Plan CHAPTER 4 (The Escape Plan) Three Days Later**Getting to the airport wasn¡¯t a big deal; Miss Peggy made sure Ariel¡¯s papers were complete and everything was set for the journey. Gina also tagged along to see her daughter off, she was not alone; other girls were also there. Perhaps Miss Peggy also offered them such opportunity, as they seem delighted leaving for the white man¡¯s country. Ariel only watched the girls brag about how they will explore the whole country when they arrive there, they were all black unlike her being a half-breed, and they are about ten in number. Her mind was occupied with the fact that her mum will be left alone in the world of the black, and how is she gonna cope without her, she thought. Gina seems to read the thought of her daughter, as she tapped her and smiled ¡°I know you will miss me, same as I will miss you. But we need to do this, breaking apart seem weird and hard for us, being that we grew up to know each other, not just as mother and daughter but also as friends. I know that this is one of the hardest decisions you have ever taken in your life, but just try to be strong and cheer up, don¡¯t let the other girls think you are feeling bad about the journey, and also try to mingle with them. Make friends Ariel, it will help you lift the burden in your heart¡± her mum assured, caressing her cheek. Ariel gulped down nothing, as her eyes came in contact with Juan, Miss Peggy¡¯s daughter. She looks just like her mother, pretty and smart, but something seems off, she is not the chatty type like her mother, she is always attached to her phone, but always stole glances at Ariel when she gets the chance. Ariel noticed this weird attraction but shrugged it off; but about the conversation she had with her mum, Juan definitely heard it all. Mother and daughter kissed each other goodbye in tears as they parted their ways. On getting to the States, Miss Peggy checked them all into a hotel, as they couldn¡¯t get to her house that night. Two girls were assigned a room each, as Ariel was paired with Juan. They both freshened up and retire to bed. They didn¡¯t utter a word to each other, and Ariel being the type who hardly makes friends finds it hard starting a conversation with her. Juan kept stealing secret glances at her, as they set the bed to sleep. Ariel was baffled at as how she kept on staring, she was about shrugging it off when Juan spoke up, but her word cut her off balance. ¡°You look beautiful¡± She smiled, Ariel gazed at her ¡°Uhmm, thanks¡± She replied, not knowing what else to say. Right from her childhood, her mum has been her only close friend; everyone in the slum where she leaves treated her like an outcast. They never wanted to mingle themselves with her despite being a pretty teenager, but Juan here is acting opposite, and she finds it weird having a friend for the first time ¡°You look innocent, unlike the others¡± she frowned Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be here¡± she said ¡°W¡­what? What do you mean¡± Ariel asked, with furrowed brows ¡°Hmmm¡­.don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what you are here for¡± she asked ¡°Well¡­.your mum promised to train me in the modeling world¡­I mean¡­ermm I always wish to be a model, just that things changed, but I have no choice than to pick it up back¡± ¡°Modeling? So what¡¯s you new dream¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting confused here, why did you say that I shouldn¡¯t be here?¡± Ariel asked, perplexed ¡°If you talk about modeling, you are right¡­my mum, as you call her is a model, but that job is just a shield used in covering her hidden agendas¡± ¡°What hidden agendas¡­and why are you telling me all this¡± Ariel asked, confused at her sudden change of mood ¡°I have watched young girls go down the same lane you are about to follow, but I couldn¡¯t do anything about it, and I feel bad about it¡­.you will not just become a model¡­you will also be a sex slave to some certain high class individuals in the society. This is not Africa, Ariel; you will have no right of your own, no right to your own your body. If you go down this path, your body will belong to Miss Peggy and those fools she will sell you to¡± She whispered as a freaky chill ran down Ariel¡¯s spine. This is not what she wished to hear, on the first day arriving here. She felt like she was dreaming, hearing all this ¡°So you mean¡­that ¡­I will¡­.i don¡¯t get you..Juan..stop this freaky jokes¡± Ariel shuttered¡°I¡¯m not joking¡­fine I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m telling you all this, but I just feel this attraction towards you. I feel like if I do not tell you, I won¡¯t be able to forgive myself. You are already sold to someone, and this person might be a male or female.¡± ¡°Female¡± Ariel, her face showing irritation ¡°Yea¡­humhh¡­let¡¯s just forget about it¡± she mumbled, going to the window side ¡°No..we can¡¯t end it there¡­I don¡¯t get all this..I didn¡¯t plan for all this¡­please tell your mum to take me back; I need to go away from here¡­I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Ariel quivers ¡°She is not my mum!!!¡± Juan barked angrily, shaking furiously as a tear escaped her eyes ¡°I feel like ending my life too¡­I don¡¯t want to go through this again¡± ¡°She is someone who picked me from the slum, but instead of making me enjoy wealth in the right way, she made me go through pain¡­despite adopting me to be her daughter. But I¡¯m gonna end all this tonight, I¡¯m leaving this Hotel, I¡¯m escaping her grip, if you wish to come with me, then you are free¡± She said, and went to her box..she brought out a long strong rope and tied it to the window, letting in fall to the ground ¡°I¡¯m a bit scared of height, how are we gonna get down¡­won¡¯t we be caught¡± Ariel asked, ruffling her hair ¡°Leave that to me, just hold on tightly to the wall, and you will not fall¡­¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know anyone in this city, how are we gonna find our way¡± ¡°Leave that to me, I know someone who can help us..all we need to do is to escape from here, before Miss Peggy find out that we are missing..They hurried out of the hotel, and bribed one of the Security men to let them out. Juan convinced Ariel to wear one of her slutty clothes as a disguise. They might think they are going for a club party, so she tried all that she could to get their approval of letting them out, because miss Peggy strictly gave others to the men not to let any of the girls she bring in, go out, without her permission. She has been lodging in that hotel for some time now, and the receptionist and security personnel know her well. Only Juan knows about those orders, being that she has been there countless times with Miss Peggy. They managed to get into the street but got into a situation. Some careless criminals came running their way with armed weapon in their hands, being chased by the police men. As the duo exchanged fire, the two girls tried running away from the scene but got separated as they both ran into different directions to avoid being hit by a stray bullet. Getting to a more peaceful environment, Ariel didn¡¯t watch her way as an oncoming vehicle almost knock her down. Out of fear she fainted, before it got close to her, as she sprawl unconscious on the ground. ¡°Jesus!!!!! Oh my God, damn you hit her, you f**king knock her down¡± Ryan, Aiden¡¯s friend said, as he got down from the car, same as Aiden. Chap 5 - She is Cute CHAPTER 5 (SHE IS CUTE) They were coming back from the supposed show meant for Axel, and were in a hurry to get home ¡°No, I did not hit her¡± Aiden defended himself ¡°But she looks lifeless, I guess she fainted, what are we gonna do¡­perhaps we take her to the hospital¡± Ryan muttered ¡°No¡± ¡°No????¡± Ryan yelped ¡°Let¡¯s take her to my house, she might wake up tomorrow and find her way¡± ¡°Oh really¡­gosh..She is such a damsel..so pretty¡­what will a pretty girl be doing out here in this quiet place¡± he asked no one in particular. Aiden sighed frustratingly ¡°Ryan..Will you stop admiring her beauty and help me lift her into the car, gosh..you are so annoying¡± Aiden snapped ¡°Fine¡­ok..let¡¯s take her in¡­ *********** Smiling mischievously, Ariel walked down the corridor of a glamorous mansion. Her hair was perfectly designed and her cloth, filled with colourful embroideries, making her looks like a princess. She walked further to the balcony, in order to behold the beautiful sight of the city, crammed with lovely people. She feels happy, free from sadness, free from pain and dejection, free from poverty and rejection. She heard silent footsteps behind her and tried looking at the approaching figure; but he was swift. He pushed her face to the front, making her hit the balcony and gag her mouth, preventing her from screaming. ¡°Hargh¡± she gasps, and fluttered her eyes open. It was just a dream. Still in shock, she stared at the room she was in; this doesn¡¯t look like her home in Africa, she thought. Immediately, memories of what happened lately came rushing into her mind; from how she left home for the states, to the hotel and the escape plan. ¡°Gosh¡± she muttered, sitting up on the fluffy magnificent bed ¡°Juan..oh my God¡­where is Juan¡± she asked worriedly. ¡°I need to get out of here¡± she said inwardly, as she tried getting down from the bed, but stopped on hearing a voice. Someone is in the room, but where? She thought as her eyes wandered round the room. It went for the balcony and sighted someone, a guy, making a call. She couldn¡¯t see his face, but he has a good physique. ¡°Ok¡­.I need to go now, bye¡± he muttered, going into the room. He smiled seeing her awake; the smile alone could get a girl wet. He is perfectly created; having lovely eyes, soft and spotless skin, perfect abs; curly hair with pink lips, even a blind man could testify of his beauty. ¡°Hey¡­you are awake, how do you feel now¡± He asked, she gazed at him not knowing what to say. He tried coming closer to the bed, which made her flinch, having this scared look You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Oh¡­sorry..don¡¯t be scared okay¡­I¡¯m not gonna hurt you, I¡¯m Aiden, what¡¯s your name¡± he smiled ¡°I¡­.emm¡­my name is Ariel¡± she mumbled, staring shyly at him ¡°Wow¡­Ariel, pretty name¡­so, Ariel, how do you feel now; are you hurt anywhere?¡± he asked with a concern look ¡°No I¡¯m not¡­where am I? How did I get here¡± she stated, staring at his curved lips ¡°Don¡¯t you remember anything..I mean about last night¡± he asked, she frown wondering what he is talking about ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I actually knock you down with my car yesterday, or perhaps, should I say you suddenly fainted in front of my oncoming car, I did not really hit you, but I think I scared you though, I¡¯m sorry about that anyway¡± He shrugged ¡°I brought you down here to my house later on, I couldn¡¯t leave you there¡± he muttered, sitting on a chair close by, she nodded taking her lips into her mouth ¡°Hmmm, fine but I need to get out of here..my friend is in danger, I need to go¡± She rushed her words and got down from the bed in haste, she winced and touched her ankle. ¡°Hey..are you ok¡± he asked, coming close to her as she leaped back on the bed. She actually twisted her ankle while running last night, but didn¡¯t feel the pain at that moment; now it hurts like hell ¡°My ankle¡­it hurts¡± she cried out, as he helped her sit on the bed ¡°Just relax okay; I will get a doctor for you now. I will send a maid to check on you and give you the necessary things you need¡­just feel free okay, you are in a save hand, don¡¯t try to leave this room¡± He assured She nodded, while he smiled and went out ¡°Gosh what sort of pain is this..ahhnn..but that guy looks familiar, I can¡¯t just remember where I saw him¡± she thought ¡°Huhhnn, have you ever met a white man before, idiot!!¡± her subconscious noted ¡°Yea, sure..but I do watch their films and¡­hmmm, well you are right..I hope Juan is safe, I can¡¯t afford to lose her now that we just became friends¡± she frowned ¡°Huhh, friends¡­well she is safe, remember that she told you about knowing someone here in the country¡­she should be worried about you, and not the other way round¡± her subconscious stated ¡°Hmmm¡­yea..now about the dream I had..what sort of dream was that¡­¡± she muttered, going into deep thought. ********* Getting out of her room, Aiden went directly to the maid quarters and assigned a maid to Ariel ¡°Hey you..¡± he called, as the maid hurriedly went towards him, bowing a little ¡°There is a particular girl in the guest room, I want you to get her some food..help her with her bath..and¡­ just take good care of her. You can take one of my sister¡¯s cloth for her to change into, any one that can it into her for now..I don¡¯t want any complain¡± ¡°Ok sir¡± she replied ¡°Good..i¡¯m going to the mall now¡± ¡°Ok sir, on it sir¡± she muttered and went on the errand He immediately called his personal doctor and explained things to him, and he promised to be there in a giffi. Ryan¡¯s call also came in, after he finished speaking with the doctor. ¡°Huhn..this crazy guy is calling¡± he scoffed and picked the call ¡°Hey Pal what¡¯s up¡± he smirked ¡°I¡¯m cool, so what¡¯s up¡­.is she awake¡± Ryan asked from the other line ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Huhn, stop replying me with a question, you know who I¡¯m talking about¡­¡± he snapped ¡°Oh..the girl..why do you wanna know? The Ryan I know won¡¯t call me in the morning to ask of a girl, what¡¯s wrong with you? I hope you are not having eyes on her¡± Aiden scoffed ¡°Come on guy, it¡¯s just a harmless question..we were both present at the incident, so there is nothing bad in me asking about her, what are we friends for¡­¡± he muttered, Aiden chuckled ¡°Ok¡­fine, she is awake..although she has a little injury on her ankle, but my doctor will take care of that¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s good news¡­so is she pretty, I mean, she is pretty, but I believe she will be more pretty now that she is awake¡± Ryan smiled, Aiden groaned ¡°Huhn, why the pretty statement all the time, don¡¯t tell me you are crushing on her already¡± He warned ¡°What if I am¡± Ryan smirked ¡°Well I¡¯m gonna kill you, get your eyes off her, I need to go now¡± ¡°Wait wait¡­.wait, what¡¯s her name, is she a slut or she is innocent¡­¡± She looks innocent to me, she is not your type okay¡­just get lost¡± Aiden yelled ¡°But you have not told me her name¡­¡± Ryan whined, but got no reply ¡°Hello¡­hello Aiden are you there¡± he muttered and checked his phone, but the call has ended already ¡°Hushh¡± he cursed ¡°Bad guy¡± Aiden hissed and went into his car, after collecting the keys from one of the guards. They wanted to go with him, but he declined. He thought of what Ryan said and smiled; Ariel is indeed pretty, but he won¡¯t try to rush things with her. He need to really find out who she is, and where she comes from before taking a step, he thought, with his heart leaping for joy. Chap 6 - She Eloped; Find Her CHAPTER 6 (SHE ELOPED; FIND HER) It¡¯s been hours now since Aiden left; and Ariel have been feeling bored. The doctor came earlier to attend to her injury; he gave her some pills which he said will reduce the pain; and it indeed work. She couldn¡¯t still walk well but she could still leap around the room. Aiden told her not to leave the room, and without the help of Elsa, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything. Elsa is the maid assigned to her, and she did a good job in helping her take her bath, change her cloth and gave her good food to eat. She was shy at first allowing someone to bath her, but she had no choice; apart from the pain in her ankle, she also had pains all over her body, perhaps from the race she ran or stress from the flight, she thought. But Elsa is indeed a nice person; she never complained but does everything perfectly. Despite knowing her for the first time, she never acts like they are strangers. She has been keeping her company until she was called by the Head maid. She asked Ariel to ring a certain bell there in the room if she needed anything. Now that she left, she is back to being bored; she struggled to reach for balcony in the room, for some fresh air. She caught a glimpse of the compound. It¡¯s huge and beautiful, with colourful flowers and magnificent status used to design it. She sighted some men in black standing at certain positions, who are they? She thought¡­ ¡°Maybe they are guards¡± her subconscious stated They were much and it made her wonder who the guy that brought her really is. Is he a celebrity or what, the mansion alone shows that he is indeed wealthy. ¡°Hmmm, thank God that I fell into the hands of a rich person, I won¡¯t have to think of what to eat or what to wear again¡± she smiled ¡°Really, what if they are a mafia gang, look at those guards, they look deadly. What are you been gonna tell him about yourself if he eventually ask, you might be doomed you know¡± Her subconscious mind stated as she gasps in fear. Immediately, a knock came on the door, she was too scared to go open it, she doesn¡¯t even know who is knocking, is it Elsa or Aiden, she thought. After several knock, she found her voice ¡°Ermmm, come in¡± She ordered, and he popped his head in, before coming in fully ¡°Hey¡­good evening¡± he greeted, she could only nod ¡°So, how is your ankle now¡­the doctor came right?¡± she nodded again, he chuckled at her behavior. Perhaps she is still scared, he thought. She stared at his hand holding some bags ¡°Oh..here¡­I got you some clothes and other things..I want you to feel comfortable before you get back on your feet. I will ask the maid to help you arrange them, feel free to tell me, if you need anything okay¡± he muttered and turned to leave ¡°Aiden?¡± she called in her softest voice, while he turned to look at her. She wondered why she called him in the first place, she should have let him go, she thought. ¡°Yes??¡± he cooed ¡°Erm¡­thank you..thanks for everything..i¡¯m really grateful¡± she shyly said, Aiden smiled and nodded¡°You are welcome¡± he mumbled and left¡­ ¡°Gosh¡­¡± she breathed out, seems like she has been holding her breath all along ¡°I should have just tell him that I needed fresh air, and get out of this room. Stupid me!!¡± she cursed and check out what he bought ¡°Oh my God, these clothes are beautiful, they also look expensive¡± She brought out some under wears and shriek in amazement ¡°Clothes¡­shoes¡­.make up?? Hmm, weird¡­and¡­pants!!!!!! Huhn¡­this guy is¡­huunn..well he is nice though¡± she cooed, blushing hard. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ******* ¡ïA Suite¡ï ¡°Are you sure about this, Jackson¡± Juan asked worriedly as she watched him pack few clothes into the box. Jackson is her newly found boyfriend; although they have known each other for a while now. He once booked for a night with her and they ended up falling for each other. After their second night together, they planned to elope; but made the escape plan a steady step. Miss Peggy knows nothing about their plan; neither did she know Jackson as someone who has fallen in love with Juan. She only knew him to be a client who came seeking for a prostitute to have a night with. "Yes¡­don¡¯t be scared okay, you will be safe with me¡± he assured, folding more clothes. Her face fell, sadly as she remembered last night encounter ¡°I feel like a bad friend, I shouldn¡¯t have left her, I should have gone back to search for her. Only God knows what might have happened to her last night. She doesn¡¯t know her way around here, what if the bullet got to her..what if she is dead¡± she sobbed as tears rolled down her cheek ¡°Hey¡­stop this¡­¡± He muttered softly, leaving the clothes as he moves closer to her, he caressed her cheek and kissed her. Within the few time he has spent with her, he has found out her weakness and solution to stop her from crying, and that is a kiss. He nibbled on her lips for a while, before breaking off the kiss. He smiled and stared into her hazel eyes. ¡°You are not a bad friend, perhaps fate wanted it to be that way, and whereas, I only got two tickets, I never knew you will come along with someone. She might not have been able to come with us, if you had brought her. Let fate decide for her and us for ourselves. She will be fine..trust me¡± he assured; she nodded and cleaned off her tears wearing a soft but sad smile. He squeezed her hands, pecked her lips and went back for the luggage. ¡°We need to leave now, I won¡¯t want us to miss our flight¡± he muttered¡°Where are we moving to? She asked ¡°Paris¡±¡°Wow!!! I love that city¡± her eyes glinted with joy¡°Yea..sure you would¡­.come on lets go¡­.everything is set ******** ¡ïBack at the Hotel¡ï Miss Peggy hurried to Juan and Ariel¡¯s hotel room, when the other girls gave her the report that they are missing. She couldn¡¯t believe it until she went to check for herself. They found their luggage intact, and the room seems to be well kept. But how did they get out, because she remembered locking each of their rooms herself. She only assigned her partner who came to see her, to unlock the doors by handling the keys over to her that morning. Shock beyond words, she thought hard on what could have happened to the girls. ¡°Did they just vanish or what¡­check the room properly, check under the bed¡± she ordered the security men, which she had called to solve the problem ¡°This room is empty ma¡¯am, no one here¡± they said to her ¡°Nooo!!!!! They escaped, but how¡± she yelled, as her eyes wandered round the room and stopped at the window. She hurriedly went to check it and sees a rope tied to it. It looks strong and long to the ground. Her mind got set on fire, she flared staring at the other girls with hatred and bitterness; what came over Juan, why did she leave, she thought. She remembered picking her up from the slum and giving her a better life which other girls will long for, not only that; she adopted as her daughter, although not legally; being that Juan¡¯s parent are nowhere to be found, Juan believes they are dead. Now, is this the way she pays her back, by running away with one of her pets? But what baffles her most is the escape plan, how did they manage to get a rope as long as that, which could reach the ground floor of a three story building; were they not scared of height? And how did she know about the room she will be sleeping in that night? ¡°Why did Juan leave, was I harsh to her?¡±She thought All this thought kept rushing into her mind, as it became dawn on her that Juan has been to that hotel several times. No wonder she insisted on going along with a big bag, instead of the usual moderate bag she do carry. Juan is smart and she was too busy to check the bag she carried, the rope might have been in it, and Juan might have measured the length. The escape plan might have been in her mind all along for a long time. She might have been making such arrangement bit by bit. ¡°We need to bring the police into this; they might help us find them. I¡¯m sure they left last night, they won¡¯t have gone far. They will still be in the country, even if they are not in this city¡± Scarlet, her partner and friend, said ¡°No..we can¡¯t tell the police about this, they might find out about our secret job. Juan is very smart; she might have secret evidence about us, without our knowledge. Bringing the police into this will only send us to jail¡± Miss Peggy gritted ¡°So what are we gonna do, leave them to run away¡­jeez, Mr. Brady has paid you already, to have a night with that Ariel girl you were talking about. He won¡¯t be happy if you couldn¡¯t deliver her in time, and you know that he is a bad ass, I don¡¯t want you to get on his toes. ¡°I won¡¯t¡± she barked, Scarlet rolled her eyes, and folded her arms ¡°I know how to find them without involving the police..get me my phone, I need to call the Kick ass¡± ¡°Kick Ass? That deadly gang?¡± Scarlet scoffs ¡°Yea..they are good in tracking people..all they would need is their photo and nothing more¡± she smirked deadly, while Scarlet heaved a sigh of relief Chap 7 - Who is He? (WHO IS HE?) THE NEXT DAY** Ariel woke up the next day, feeling a bit of relief; the doctor did a good job. Her stomach rumbled immediately, making her jerk off the bed to ring the bell. She remembered having dinner yesterday, but what will make her damn hungry this morning, she thought. ¡°Perhaps because of the drug you took¡± her subconscious stated She waited for a while and rang the bell again, but Elsa wasn¡¯t coming, where could she be? She thought. Walking briskly into the bathroom, she freshened up and changed into one of the clothes Aiden bought for her. It suits her perfectly and she wondered how he managed to get her size. Her ankle seems a bit fine, she doesn¡¯t seem to be limping like before, and she could walk a bit with her foot on the ground. Having dressed up to look presentable, she headed out of the room, with the mission to go into the kitchen and ask for something to eat, perhaps from one of the maids; she might as well see Elsa, she thought. Finding her way out of the hallway was a bit of a problem; she ended up opening certain rooms before getting to the exact stairs that led to the living room. ¡°Huh¡­at last..I can¡¯t believe a house will be as big as this, I almost missed my way¡± she mumbled and moved further. She heard some voices coming from below the stairs and paused to listen. They seemed to be all guys sitting down below..what is she gonna do, she thought¡­ ¡°Go down there to meet them or just go back into the room?¡± She thought ¡°Hunnhh¡­. I¡¯m damn hungry, I need food¡± she whined and climb down the stairs. Everyone present in the living room stopped talking abruptly, as their attention was now on her. She almost missed a step, getting nervous all of a sudden. She doesn¡¯t know this people, who are they? She thought. A girl was also among them, and her glares seemed deadly¡­. Getting to the ground floor, she brightened up her face with a smile ¡°Hi¡­¡± she waved ¡°Hey¡­pretty, how are you¡± one of the guys replied, There were two guys and a girl ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine¡± she breathed out, twisting her fingers. ¡°Ok..I¡¯m Ryan, Aiden¡¯s friend and this is Zach, erm¡± ¡°I never asked you to introduce me, I got my mouth mehnnn¡­¡± Zach stated Ryan rolled his eyes ¡°Whatever¡­I thought you were the quiet type, so I decided to help you out¡± he smirked ¡°I don¡¯t need your help..anyway...I¡¯m Zach, nice to meet you¡± he smiled at Ariel who returned the smile ¡°Nice to meet you¡­¡­¡± her stomach growled again and it was audible this time, everyone heard it and Ryan chuckled, she flushed immediately in embarrassment ¡°Ermm¡­.I need to go to the kitchen..see you later¡± she muttered and went in a different direction ¡°Huhh¡± Sophia scoffed ¡°That¡¯s not the way to the kitchen¡­stop being a buffalo¡± she cursed as the guys stared angrily at her. ¡°What?¡± she asked, raising her hands into the air ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have called her that¡­she is new here, just show her the way¡± Zach muttered. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Why is she being harsh on me..I¡¯m just meeting her for the first time¡± Ariel thought, also sending daggers at Sophia. ¡°Hey pretty eyes, come, I will show you the way¡± Ryan winked, Sophia scoffed and hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, she is just jealous of your beauty..¡± Ryan whispered into her ears as he led the way...She blushed a little, hearing the word ¡¯beauty¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yea¡­.¡± ************* Sophia groaned in anger and flung her bag immediately she stepped into her room. She has been angry all through her visit to Shaw¡¯s mansion. The guys deceived her into believing that Axel would be coming back that day, but it was all a prank. Instead, they filled her ears with the praise of that stupid girl¡¯s beauty. She was boiling hard, hearing them praise someone else who wasn¡¯t her, she wanted all eyes to be fixed on her as the prettiest girl they had ever come across, but the girl was taking her place. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I went there to waste my time. Ryan is getting on my nerves, how dare he play a prank on me?¡± she asked no one in particular and scoffed. ¡°Gosh..Axel¡­when will you come back...I miss you. Just come back and I will be ready to close the hole in your heart. I will make you feel like a man again, and save you from the depressed life Flora has given to you¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± she sighed, sitting on her bed. ¡°I hope that Ariel girl doesn¡¯t get on my toes in any way, I felt irritated meeting her for the first time, and the guys made it worse and increased my hatred for her. I¡¯m sure she is a spy; she is just pretending to be innocent. I pray Axel comes fast to kick her off that house, her presence is stinking annoying..hunhh¡± she mocked, picking up her phone. She dialed her friend¡¯s number, who picked up, at the second ring. ¡°Hey pretty babe¡± Nina¡¯s voice came up ¡°Hi..¡± Sophia mumbled ¡°Sophia.?? What¡¯s wrong, you sound dull¡± ¡°Just bored..are you free, let¡¯s hang out¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯m actually with Emma, we can go have some fun together¡± ¡°Ok fine¡­I will be at your house in a jiffy¡­¡­dress in your best outfit¡± Sophia cooed ¡°Sure thing babe¡­¡± she squealed, Emma¡¯s voice could also be heard in the background ¡°Bye¡± ¡°Byeeeeee¡± ¡°Hmm¡± she sighed and ended the call ¡°Hope this helps me clear off my mind¡± ********* THE SHAW¡¯S MANSION** Later that evening, Ariel decided to pester Elsa into telling her more about the mansion and the people within. This is her second day in the house and that is because her leg is not fully recovered; she still feels little pain, but it seems a lot better than before. She only knows Aiden, as the guy who rescued her, Elsa, as her assigned maid, the supposed friend of her savior, and the crazy bitch who seems to hate her, even though they haven¡¯t met before, the horrid-looking guys in black which her subconscious stated to be bodyguards and¡­that¡¯s all. But the fact that she is still a stranger remains the same, though they seem nice to her, except the bitch, but she can¡¯t just stay here for the rest of her life. ¡°And where are you gonna stay, remember that you ran away from Miss Peggy, and she might be looking for you by now¡± Her subconscious warned ¡°Geez¡­I¡¯m stuck here, I don¡¯t know what to do..I¡¯m damn confused..¡± she heard a knock on the door and ordered the fellow in; it was Elsa. ¡°Hi ma¡¯am, you called for me¡± She greeted ¡°Hi Elsa, please can you stop calling me ma¡¯am, I¡¯m fed up already¡­my name is Ariel¡± She whined, Elsa, chuckled ¡°Well, we are all used to calling the bosses and their friends ma¡¯am or sir, let¡¯s say it¡¯s the law of this mansion for every maid, servant, and guard to respect our bosses¡¯ visitors¡± She let out a smile, while Ariel shrugged. ¡°Ok fine¡­you can call me ma¡¯am in front of everyone, but just call me by my name when we are alone¡­.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­.you called for me¡± Elsa shrugs, moving a bit closer into the room. ¡°Yes¡­..i¡¯m ¡­.hmmm¡± Ariel sighed ¡°Fine, can I confine in you¡­I mean I need to know about this place¡± She muttered holding her hands as she led her to the bed. Elsa seemed to be a bit confused, but she had to hear her out first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t get you¡± Elsa twisted her face, confused as she sat beside Ariel. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s state it this way¡­., I¡¯m not Aiden¡¯s friend, I am just someone he rescued on the road¡­there was a situation, and I fainted¡­so he rescued me¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Elsa muttered, waiting for her to continue. ¡°So¡­I really wanna know more about him...I believe I¡¯m still a stranger here, but I just wanna know more about who I¡¯m living with¡± she pouted. ¡°Well¡­¡­.hmmmm..I¡¯m a bit taken aback now..but I will tell you because I like you. Actually, this mansion doesn¡¯t belong to Aiden, though he has his house too, but I don¡¯t know much about it. His dad Mr. Shaw owns this place, and you can call him a multi-billionaire, he owns one of the popular Movie schools and Movie Companies in Cape Town, and his wife is such a darling¡± ¡°You mean Aiden¡¯s mother¡± ¡°Yes, just that Mr. Shaw is a bit harsh, but he is also nice. His wife owns a hospital, she is a doctor¡± ¡°What about those men in black¡± ¡°They are bodyguards. Aiden is a celebrity, he acts in movies¡± ¡°Wow¡­that¡¯s cool..I wish to watch one of his movies someday¡± ¡°Sure you will¡± ¡°Does he have any siblings?¡± ¡°Yea, he had a sis¡­¡±A knock came on the door, interrupting Elsa. She stood up immediately, fixing her dress, as Ariel muttered a ¡®come in¡¯ Chap 8 - She Cheated This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Chap - 9 He Hits Her You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Chap 10 - Taking Her Innocence This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Chap 11 - Meeting The Bitch The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Chap 12 - The Get-together THE GET-TOGETHER Ariel¡¯s POV School was a bit hectic today, and I couldn¡¯t help but sleep off when I got home. The loud sound of the thunderstorm jerked me off my sleep; it was raining already. Yawning loudly, I dragged my lazy self down the bed, as my stomach made a rumbling sound. I was too tired to eat lunch when I arrived, now I will have to fill this stomach. I went into the kitchen to get something to eat but found Josephine doing the dishes, and that reminded me of what I had in mind to ask her. ¡°Hey¡­..good evening¡± I greeted with a smile. She turned swiftly to face me, smiling back. ¡°Good evening ma¡¯am¡­¡­¡± ¡°Come on Josephine¡­.just call me Ariel¡­I¡¯m tired of this ma¡¯am stuff¡± I groan, taking a can of drink from the fridge. She smiled, taking off the gloves on her hand and drying it with a napkin. ¡°Well¡­..I don¡¯t wanna lose my job¡­.¡± She snickered ¡°But you calling me Ariel can¡¯t make you lose your job¡­and whereas we are age mate. You can just call me by my name when we are alone, and go for your formal way when the boss is around¡± I cooed, she shrugged. ¡°If you say so¡­.you didn¡¯t take your lunch when you arrived from school¡± ¡°Yea¡­.I was damn tired¡­now I¡¯m starving¡± ¡°Well dinner is ready¡­you can eat now¡­or do you wanna wait for the boss to come first¡± She asked, I frowned trying to comprehend her words. ¡°Boss??? Oh! Aiden?¡± ¡°Yea¡­¡­.¡± She sluggishly replied ¡°No¡­I can¡¯t wait¡­but will he be back this evening, I heard he has a tight schedule today, and whereas there is a hurricane out there¡± ¡°Yeah I know¡­he might come back because of you..you know what I mean¡± She rolled her eyes, going further to set the dining table. ¡°No I don¡¯t know what you mean¡­.what are you insinuating¡± I asked, shocked at her words ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say the boss likes you¡­can¡¯t you see it? Ariel, you are a lucky girl, every girl has eyes on him, but he only flirts with them, and I have never seen him so close to a girl that he will even allow her to stay in his house¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t get you, Josephine...what are you kicking at¡± I asked taking a seat, as she set the table. She sighed softly, looking into my eyes. ¡°Aiden likes you, he might wanna go down with you¡± she muttered softly ¡°Oh...¡± I mumbled, not knowing what to reply to her. The few weeks I have spent here made me know more about Josephine, she is more talkative, so one won¡¯t expect less ¡°Thanks for the food¡­you can go now¡± I uttered, she bowed and left. I kept on reminiscing about what she said, as goosebumps struck my skin. She mentioned something about him being a flirt, is he also flirting with me, but she said I¡¯m lucky. But who the hell is Aiden, is he some celebrity that girls kill themselves to get closer to, and who was the guy at the Mall, is he related to Aiden? I thought. The bang of the door made me jerk from my thought, a figure walked into the building, wearing a big pullover and a face cap, which prevented me from seeing his face. A guard stepped in as he handed the pull-over to him, before walking fully in. He took off the face cap and I gasped unconsciously on seeing his face. Josephine was right, Aiden came. My heart began to beat rapidly as our eyes locked, but he looked away almost immediately, going to sit on the couch. I hurriedly finished the remaining food and headed toward the kitchen, but bumped into Grannie Naomi. ¡°Oh careful darling¡­.huhnhun¡± She chuckled, patting my back. Well, that¡¯s one thing I like about Grannie, she acts just like a mother to me. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t stress yourself, let me help you¡± She offered, trying to collect the plates from me. ¡°No Grannie, I can do it myself¡± I argued, but she insisted ¡°It¡¯s my job¡­let me do it¡± Immediately Josephine came out for the kitchen, and she smirked at me ¡°What???¡± I asked ¡°He is back¡­..isn¡¯t he¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡­¡± I muttered, having this ¡®and so what¡¯ look ¡°You are nervous ain¡¯t you¡­.come on don¡¯t be¡­.I was only joking with you the other time, haha, my prank worked well¡± she snickered ¡°Are you kidding me¡­enough of the prank Sephine¡­..it¡¯s not April¡± I frown, but come to think it, I¡¯m feeling nervous right now, and I don¡¯t usually feel that way around Aiden. But the strange feelings I¡¯m having right now is infuriating, I don¡¯t get it. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. If Aiden is the one in the living room, he won¡¯t just sit down there knowing fully that I¡¯m around; he should have come around to ask me about my first day in school. Josephine was about to leave when I dragged her back. ¡°What is it¡± she snorted ¡°I need to ask you something¡± ¡°What??¡± ¡°Is that Aiden sitting in the living room¡± She frowned, looking weirdly at me. ¡°Who else¡­oh my God¡­¡­¡± she gasped ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­.Axel is back¡­.¡± She smiled broadly ¡°Hold on¡­I need to speak with him¡± she muttered, trying to leave, but I dragged her back ¡°Who is Axel¡­..¡± ¡°Aiden¡¯s twin brother¡­¡­¡± she scoffed, and that¡¯s it, she left to meet him while I stood some miles away, watching her as she tried arranging her hair, perhaps to look more beautiful. No doubt, Josephine is beautiful, but she can be a bitch at times. They made whispering sounds, and Josephine was forced to leave, with a sad look on. She came walking towards my direction, hissing silently. ¡°That guy is so rude¡± she muttered. ¡°Hmmm, I can¡¯t believe these guys are twins, identical twins for that matter¡­.but how did Josephine get to differentiate them easily? I thought. Then it dawned on me, Axel dyed his hair pink¡­.geez, why didn¡¯t I notice it earlier¡­perhaps that¡¯s the way they could easily be recognized. I tried tiptoeing to my room, walking briskly, but his voice caught me unaware. ¡°I need a cup of coffee¡± he muttered, staring directly at his phone. I turned to see if he was directing his request to a maid, but I found none, perhaps he was talking to me, I thought. ¡°Ermm¡­.I will just tell the maid to make you one¡± I mumbled, he scoffed ¡°I never asked you to get it for me yourself¡­..just be fast about it¡± He groan, still not looking at me. Why is he so rude? I told Josephine about his request; she was about to go to him when we noticed some strange movement at the door. The hurricane has died down already, making the night as silent as the graveyard. It opened suddenly as Ryan stepped in, followed by Zach, Aiden¡¯s friend. ¡°Oh¡­..my¡­.Gawd¡­jeez, I can¡¯t believe this¡± Ryan muttered, having this shocked look on ¡°Are you seeing what I¡¯m seeing?¡± Zach asked ¡°Wow¡­.the almighty Zel is back¡­like seriously, bro what¡¯s up¡± Ryan smirked, going to sit close to him on the couch, while Zach took the other, opposite them. Axel didn¡¯t spare them a glance he was so focused, typing into his phone. Huh¡­.rude brat, I scoffed. They were yet to notice my presence, not until Josephine, handed him the cup of coffee. I mistakenly hit the chair in the dining room while trying to sneak into my room. ¡°Ariel¡­.is that you¡± Ryan called smiling. ¡°Why are you trying to sneak in¡­come on here¡­.you shouldn¡¯t go in now¡± Zach muttered. It¡¯s been weeks since I saw them, and it made me wonder why Aiden is not back yet. ¡°Where is Aiden,¡± I asked ¡°Oh¡­your lover boy¡­.he is outside helping Sophia with her shoes¡­..¡± ¡°Those annoying shoes¡­¡­¡± Ryan snickered, as they burst into laughter. I shuddered a bit on hearing her name, Sophia¡­ huh..what does she want here¡­ I should have thought of this earlier, why are they all here? Axel also tensed up a bit, when her name was mentioned, or was it my imagination? Aiden later came in with Sophia, followed by two more girls. The guy I saw with Axel at the Mall also came in; with a beautiful girl who clung to him like he was gonna run away, well perhaps his girlfriend. Everyone was busy exchanging pleasantries, well except Axel when Aiden came to hug me. ¡°Hey¡­how was school¡± He asked, arranging my hair. I noticed Axel¡¯s eyes on us, but he shifted them back to his phone, just as my eyes locked with his. ¡°Ermmm¡­..school was fine¡­.I think¡­but¡± I cut my words, as Sophia smirked at me ¡°But what???? Did anyone get on your nerves¡± He asked with concern ¡°Hmmmm¡­nope¡­.I was about to say that I made a friend, and she is nice¡± I smiled, but it was fake though ¡°Wow¡­that¡¯s cool¡­don¡¯t worry, you will get used to the school system soon. ~ Everyone settled down in the dining room, as all sorts of assorted food were served. I could only eat a little. Aiden never told me that he would be having dinner with his friends, and I think Axel is as confused as I am too. He doesn¡¯t look comfortable, even as others try to make the evening a lively one. ¡°I know that you all might be wondering why I called for this dinner, well, it¡¯s been a while since we have a get-together as friends, that¡¯s why I invited you all here. And coincidently, Axel happened to be here, I mean, I wasn¡¯t expecting him to come to my house after secretly finding out that he was in town. Well even if he snubs others, he will not do that to his brother.¡± Aiden stated, as everyone laughed, Axel only smiled briefly ¡°Hey¡­.stop that¡­.my baby isn¡¯t a snub¡± Sophia smiled, rubbing his hand. I felt a sudden rage of anger rushing into me, as I viewed her hand on his hand, but a smile appeared on my face when he pushed it off, she frown slightly. Other talks came up as Dylan introduced his new girlfriend to us, Paisley, an Irish by blood I think. She is so beautiful and friendly to chat with, except for the fact that she will never let go of her boyfriend, she keeps clinging to him. The friendly get-together ended up with everyone getting drunk, well except for me and the twins, Aiden won¡¯t wanna get a hangover, he will be having another movie shoot the next day, Axel is just actually allergic to alcohol, and as for me, I won¡¯t dare take a sip of it, I might just fall sick. I couldn¡¯t behold the sight of Emma and Zach making out on the couch; well it started with a truth or dare game. Dylan introduced it, and anyone who fails to perform the dare, gets to drink two cups of Vodka, let¡¯s just say the duo couldn¡¯t keep up a good stance and they ended up getting supper drunk and were forced to start smooching each other. I smuggled my sleepy self out of their midst and managed to have a good sleep in my room, but it was suddenly disrupted by a nightmare. Unable to sleep, I walked down to the kitchen to grab a cup of water; the whole house was damn quiet as everyone has retired to bed. I was about to gulp down the whole content when a shadow appeared behind me. ¡°Hargh¡± I screamed aloud; the cup came crashing on the floor. The figure came into view, it was Axel, I think. ¡°Oh my God, you scared me¡­..why will you just walk up to my back that way..do you wanna give me a heart attack, for Christ sake it¡¯s late¡± I snapped, he only glared at me and went for a drink in the fridge without replying to my rant. ¡°Gosh¡­you are so rude¡­your brother is more friendly, I wonder why you both have the same face without having the same character¡­huh¡± I huffed, he turned to face me this time, and I swear, I could feel some heat rushing up my system; What is this guy doing to me¡± I thought ¡°When you are done talking, you can go back to bed, and sleep¡± he scoffed, going out of the kitchen. I hissed silently and went back to bed, but the thought of what Josephine said earlier came rushing back into my mind. Does Aiden really like me, but why would he like someone like me? Doesn¡¯t he have a girlfriend, what if he asks me out, am I really ready to date a celebrity? ¡°Sure you would¡± my subconscious replied, I scoffed. ¡°Whatever, I think Josephine is crazy, I will just stick to my normal routine of going to school, coming back home, and perhaps fulfilling my real mission of coming here, and that is to find my dad. Chap 13 - The Bullying This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Chap 14 - Seductions Dont Work On Me Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Chap 15 - He Kissed Her This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Chap 16 - Mission 2 Failed This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Chap 17 - Unveiling The Prank You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Chap 18 - The Club Party Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Chap 19 - She Got Missing This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Chap 20 - A Lasting Memory This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Chap 21 - She is Safe Stolen story; please report. Chap 22 - Trespassing This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Chap 23 - Well Both Go Down Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Chap 24 - Leaving His House (LEAVING HIS HOUSE) Ariel¡¯s POV Folding my legs to myself, I sat on the bed in my room and the sunlight lit it up from the window. Last night''s event clouded my mind, and I began to wonder how I managed to sleep, despite the war going on in my mind due to what I did last night. This is not the Ariel I used to be; I wasn¡¯t the hard type, and neither am I too stubborn. But lately, I haven¡¯t been getting along with Axel even though I get along well with others. Sometimes I feel like he had really offended me even when he did nothing wrong. What I did last night was totally wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have been too curious, and even after I broke the glass frame, I should have felt a little remorse. Yea..I did say sorry, but that wasn¡¯t enough, because I went against his wish. Now, I couldn¡¯t even face him; even after practicing my apology, I still didn¡¯t think he would allow me in. I actually had breakfast in my room; well, I couldn¡¯t go downstairs to the dining. I just couldn¡¯t face him now, and I believe he had his, too, in his room. He might still be very angry at me, and facing him now will only make it worse. I suddenly feel sad for saying those harsh words to him; how I wish I could change the hands of time and make everything, including my life, right. But a little correction won¡¯t hurt; everyone makes mistakes in life. Still, in deep thought, I noticed the gate of the compound open widely as a car zooms in. My clear window made it possible for me to see whatever was going on in the compound, being that my room was actually facing the gate. I gasped softly, sighting the car that zoomed in; it was Aiden¡¯s. Is he actually here to pick me? Has Axel told him what I did?¡± All this thought clouded my mind as I paced around the room. Not less than two minutes, I heard his voice in the building as he climbed the stairs. I thought he was heading for my room, but he wasn¡¯t. Perhaps he wants to see Axel first before coming for me, I think. After waiting for like forever, a knock came on my door as I muttered a ¡®come in¡¯ It cracked slowly, revealing a handsome dude in all black with a gold chain around his neck. I almost gasped, drooling a bit before getting a hold of myself. He smiled, closing the door silently as he delved his right hand into his pocket, sighing briefly ¡°Ermm¡­hi¡± I fidgeted, playing with my fingers. No doubt, I was indeed nervous; what had they discussed? I thought. But his facial expression relieved me a bit of my nervousness He brought out his hand and stretched it forward, requesting a hug, with a lingering smile on his face. I hurriedly went for it; I think I need it most now. He hugged me firmly with his well-built muscles as I enjoyed the warmth of his body and smelled his sweet cologne. But my mind was really thinking of Axel..what will I do about him now ¡°I miss you, sweetheart,¡± Aiden muttered softly, kissing and stroking my hair. I disengaged the hug and stared at him. Did he just call me sweetheart? I asked ¡°Yes idiot¡± my subconscious replied We remained that way, not until I broke eye contact; I didn¡¯t want the room to get intense, making him end up kissing me. Well, even though I enjoyed the first kiss we had, I won¡¯t still give in to him, being that we are not in any form of a close relationship. ¡°Erm¡­Aiden¡­I think¡­i..erm¡­I really hurt your brother. My stay here hasn¡¯t been good all through as we never get along well. I¡¯m a bad girl right?¡± I pouted He chuckled a bit, stroking my hair. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad, I¡¯m sure Axel might have forgiven you, so don¡¯t think much about it¡± He assured, I nodded not really satisfied with his reply ¡°Erm¡­.can I at least apologize before we leave¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.don¡¯t worry about that¡­we have spoken already..so he is cool, trust me, he holds no grudge against you. Come on, let¡¯s go¡± He held my hand, trying to pull me out of the room ¡°Uhn¡­wait..I need to pick my clothes..erm..and erm¡­¡± ¡°Come on Ari¡­you have enough clothes already at home¡­¡± ¡°Please¡­..I really need to pick some things,¡± I resort, running back into the room. A few minutes later, I was done; as we made our way to his car parked outside, I stared at the house for the last time. ¡°Hmm..will I ever come back here..¡±I thought ¡°Well maybe not, but anytime I have the opportunity to apologize to him, I will¡± Not long after, Aiden ignited the car engine as we hit the road. ~~~~~ The Shaw¡¯s Mansion Flinging off clothes from her wardrobe, Elsa packed them gently in a small portable box, as drops of tears rolled down her cheek. She sobbed and groaned in pain, remembering the event of last night of how she was brutally raped by Mr. Shaw who forced her to go doggy. Her legs wobbled in pain as she cursed him lowly within her heart, blaming her mother for not taking her along when going to the other world. This is the height of it; no one knows about all she had been going through in the house right from when her mother died, but this isn¡¯t what she bargained for. This isn¡¯t what she wanted for her life; if not it has just been too miserable from the start. More tears gush down her cheek as she wishes her mother had never left her alone to suffer more at his hands. ¡°Why did you leave me, mother¡­why¡­ Huhn¡­your precious daughter.. when?¡± She sobbed heartedly, picking up other clothes as she arranged them in the box. She heaved a sigh, cleaning the tears in her eyes which made her vision blurry, as she continued with her packing. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. A sudden knock came on the door, making her frozen at the spot. She hurriedly hid the box, arranging her dress as she muttered a ¡®come in¡¯. The door cracked open, as a red-haired lady stepped in. She had a smile on her face, which suddenly turned into a frown as she saw Elsa¡¯s expression. She was putting on a short flimsy maid dress, just like Elsa¡¯s ¡°Elsa¡­¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked, drawing closer to Elsa, who stiffened a bit, knowing that if Diana came closer, she would see her box and have a clue of what was going on. She made steps toward preventing her from coming closer ¡°Hey¡­I¡¯m fine¡­ermm¡­.is ma¡¯am calling for me?¡± Elsa asked as Diana stared at her puzzled at her behavior. She seemed nervous, she thought ¡°Nope¡­.just came to check up on you¡± ¡°Oh¡­ok..thanks¡­i¡­ermm..¡± ¡°Elsa¡­.come on, speak to me¡­you have been behaving strange¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡± Diana asked sincerely. Elsa sighed a bit, going to sit on the bed, as Diana joined her, holding onto her shoulder. The threatening tears in Elsa¡¯s eyes poured out, as she couldn¡¯t hold it in any further. ¡°Oh..no¡­.come on¡­.stop crying¡­shhh¡­.it¡¯s ok,¡± Diana patted her back as she cried on her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start from, Diana¡­I¡¯m confused here¡­I can¡¯t say this¡­it hurts so much¡­I¡¯m really pained¡± Elsa cried ¡°Hey¡­look at me..¡± Diana held up her chin, looking into her eyes ¡°You trust me, right¡­.it¡¯s better you let it out and free your heart of the burden. A problem shared is a problem half solved, okay¡± Elsa nodded, sniffing ¡°Yeah¡­but the thing is that I can¡¯t share this problem¡­it¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.it¡¯s alright¡­I understand¡­But I don¡¯t like seeing you this way. Everyone knows Elsa to be a hardworking and lovely girl..but these days, you have been moody. And being your very good friend, I need to see to your well-being¡± ¡°Yeah¡­thanks Diana¡± Diana smiled as her eyes scrutinized the room; she caught a glimpse of the box and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She asked, with arched brows ¡°What?¡± Elsa resorted, nervously. Diana stood up, went towards where she hid the box, and pulled it out, a few clothes dropped out, and Elsa gasped ¡°Elsa¡­.a¡­are you leaving¡± She asked, her eyes boring holes into Elsa¡¯s, who nodded slowly ¡°The pain is too much¡± She whispered in agony. Diana dropped the box, rushing to hold her hands. ¡°Please Elsa¡­what is going on¡­please don¡¯t leave, you are my only friend here¡­..but why will you¡­.¡± ¡°Shhh¡­..¡± Elsa whispered. ¡°It¡¯s for my own good; I don¡¯t wanna die yet¡­it¡¯s hard to say, and I¡¯m really sorry Diana, but I need to go away from here. Things haven¡¯t really been going well for me, and the boss caused all this¡­I¡¯m sorry¡± ¡°Tell me¡­what has the boss done¡­I mean¡­Elsa¡­come on¡­where will you go to if you leave here¡­you and I know that you are an orphan and have no one. It might be dangerous out there¡± Diana muttered, shedding tears too ¡°Diana¡­.I will be fine, okay¡­and you will be fine too, trust me¡­out there might be dangerous, but within is more dangerous for me as of now. But if I will advise you, just stay away from Mr. Shaw,¡± She cooed, wiping off her tears and pulling her into a hug. They cried on each other¡¯s shoulders for a while before comforting themselves. Diana couldn¡¯t really understand Elsa¡¯s motive for leaving, but she knew something bad might have happened. She assisted her in setting up her pack. Elsa handed a letter to her which she asked to give to Mrs. Shaw, as they planned on how she will exit the building. ~~~~~ Dragging along her heavy box, Elsa walked along a dusty road that led to a slum area. A nostalgic feeling overwhelmed her as she remembered her former life before Mrs. Shaw picked her and her mum up. Walking down the lonely road, she noticed a few people were around, but in a twinkle of an eye, she suddenly became alone. Where did those people go to? She asked herself, holding the little bag across her shoulder firmly to avoid it from slipping off. The small bag contains her life savings, well she should have decided to keep it in the bank, but it isn¡¯t easy to find a bank where one can quickly withdraw in a slum area like this. This is the worst area to live in; the poorest rat in the city will be the richest over here. But, she seems wrong, though, because most criminals take this village to be their hideouts, and furious touts could be seen hanging around in the hidden areas, performing hideous acts on innocent villagers. She sighed for the umpteenth time, tired of the unending journey. Though she had nowhere in mind to lodge, she hoped to meet someone who would perhaps direct her to a small lodge or hotel where she could spend the night. She yawned repeatedly, and her stomach rumbled furiously. She was about to take a rest under a nearby tree close to the road when she noticed some guys at the end of a certain building. They were about four, and she couldn¡¯t really glimpse at what they were doing, but the joy of finding a person overwhelmed her curiosity as she made her way towards them, hoping to get information about the village. They noticed her presence and turned sharply towards her as she walked closer. At this time, after walking some meters toward them, she noticed their outfit, expressions, and the substances in their hands. One was holding a wrap of weed, to be precise, while others were busy drinking hot liquor. They gritted at her, sniffing her from afar as their red eyes gave her a bad impression ¡°Who are you?¡± One of the guys asked he was putting on a red cap, with a silver earring stuck on the loop of his ear ¡°I think we got a fish here¡­come on check her out¡­..¡± Another said as they tried making their way towards her. A load of fear fell on her, disorganizing her body system as a loud shrieking scream escaped her mouth. She tried running away, but one was already at her front, taking off the small bag from her as he landed a heavy slap across her face making her shriek. She fell to the ground sobbing loudly as the other guys came closer; they opened the bag and their eyes bulged out ¡°Geez¡­.this is money, never knew this villagers were rich¡± A guy with a smelly mouth muttered ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like a villager¡­look at her bags¡± A heavily built one muttered The one who slapped her seemed to be their leader, he went and stood before her, squatting to her level ¡°Hey chick¡­.don¡¯t cry, okay¡­we just wanna have a taste of his perfect body of yours,¡± he smirked, trying to pull off her trousers. But her struggle prevented him from doing so. She slapped him across the face, trying to free herself from his grip, but he was just so strong. She busted into another round of tears, cursing herself for taking this route. She should have stayed in the mansion; Diana was right¡­.now these guys will all rape her, she thought, wondering why her life will be so miserable. ¡°Stop struggling bitch and stay still¡­¡± he muttered in a husky voice, tearing off her shirt in the process. But before he could complete his words, a heavy kick landed on his face, making him stagger as he rolled off her. Elsa managed to get up, shifting backward, as she stared at her savior, who gave the hoodlum another kick just as he was about to get up, making him stumble to the ground; perhaps the kick had a strong effect on him. She glanced at the floor and saw the other guys who were mocking her earlier on the ground, groaning loudly. But when did all this happen? She thought. Perhaps she was too busy fighting the man who tried raping her to notice the fact that someone else her taken charge of beating up those guys. Her savior picked up the leader of the gang, sending hot blows into his chest, but he dodged it, sending a kick at her, which she swiftly avoided. One of the guys sprawled on the floor stood up to attack her, but she felt his presence, sending him a punch before he could lift his hand, he staggered, falling on another wounded guy on the floor. The leader of the gang stood up again and, with force, surged at the strange savior girl, sending a blow to her jawline; she grabbed his hand, twisting it backward as it made a cracking sound; he grunted in pain, landing on one of his knees. The fight went on, with the young lady beating the hell out of them; they, however, surrendered, knowing that they were not a match for her: four guys against a lady. She collected Elsa¡¯s bag from them giving them a strict warning to stay clear as they hurried off without sparing her another glance. Elsa breathed a sigh of relief, feeling at ease as she spoke out ¡°Thank you so much, you saved me¡­..I¡¯m just so¡­..¡± ¡°Elsa¡± the strange girl muttered to Elsa¡¯s surprise She stared at the stranger in shock, wondering how she got to know her name. Who is she, did she know me from somewhere, but how?¡± this thought kept running in her mind, not sure of the answer to give, not until the lady took off her sunglasses. Her mouth fell apart in shock as she gaped at her, she later found her voice, shuttering a bit, she muttered ¡°Br- Brit-Brittany???¡± Elsa called The strange girl smirked Chap 25 - Finding Brittany (FINDING BRITTANY) Laying his head on a fluffy pillow on the bed, Axel exhaled softly, holding a piece of the broken frame in his hand. He frowned a bit, remembering the fact that Ariel broke it. He values it a lot, though, not the frame, but the picture on it which he used to remember someone who he loves so much. The picture on the frame was the last photo she took before leaving, and ever since then, her whereabouts hasn''t been known to anyone. He tried to look for her, his brother too, but all to no avail. It was useless looking for her because many believed that she is dead or perhaps long gone in a far place beyond human reach. But he still feels it in his heart that she is alive somewhere, perhaps having fun or being miserable just like him over here. He prayed in his heart to find her one day before he leaves this earth Getting up from the bed, he took off his shirt, revealing his stunning abs as he ruffled his hair in frustration. Aiden¡¯s words of the other day came ringing in his ear; everything felt not right to him, even though it had to do with Ariel. Remembering the day she broke the frame and how frightened she was brought a frail smile to his face. It suddenly became a frown as Aiden¡¯s word swift back to his mind ¡°F*ck¡± he muttered, going to take a glass as he poured himself a drink from the bar stand in his room; with the other¡¯s day¡¯s scene replaying itself in his head Flash Back~ Aiden entered Axel¡¯s room without knocking and met him standing by the window looking out with a cup of coffee in his hand, no doubt, he loves taking that drink. He didn¡¯t bother to look at whosoever entered his room, perhaps he already saw him while coming in through the gate, Aiden thought, walking closer to stand before him. He saw some pieces of glass on the table close by, and mentally noted it to be the frame Ariel broke. He could vividly remember calling Axel the previous day telling him about his plan of coming to pick Ariel, but the dude sounded hurt, which gave him a clue of something bad. Axel was forced to tell him about what happened after much pestering from Aiden. Knowing how much Axel valued that frame, Aiden knew that it was best to get Ariel out of there before she did what would enrage Axel to lash his anger at her. After a few silence, with none of them speaking at first, Aiden cleared his throat, collecting the cup from Axel, who furrowed his brow at him. He took a sip, moaning a bit to the taste. ¡°This taste good, tell me¡­who made it¡± he asked, Axel scoffed, delving his two hands into his pockets ¡°Come on, dude, that¡¯s not the best way to say a good morning,¡± Axel muttered with a smirk, knowing well that he would provoke Aiden with that. ¡°The last time I checked I am the elder twin here, so who is to greet first¡± Aiden asked ¡°That¡¯s for you to choose, I don¡¯t mind you greeting first¡± Axel snickered, giving him a funny look ¡°F*ck your asshole mehnnn¡­..you are not ok¡± Aiden snapped jokingly, as he attempted slapping Axel¡¯s head, who dodged it swiftly, as they laughed out loud. ¡°So¡­why are you here¡­..¡± Axel asked, exhaling. Aiden scoffed ¡°Can¡¯t I come see my little bro again, come on..how bad do you think of me?¡± ¡°Very bad¡­.more than that of Esau¡± ¡°F*ck you¡± ¡°I love you¡­¡­¡± Axel spurted. Aiden smiled ¡°I love you too¡± he muttered ruffling his hair ¡°Hey stop that¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a kid, do you know who I am¡± Aiden rolled his eyes ¡°And who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zel¡­¡­and you know what that name does to lots of girls, and even guys who wanna go down with him¡± ¡°Huff¡­..whatever¡­the almighty Zel is still my kid brother¡± Aiden snapped ¡°So easy for you to say, you have not yet told me what you are here for¡± Aiden heaved a sigh and switched to a serious mood; he had succeeded in making Axel smile, so it was time he told him what he had to say. ¡°I came here to pick her¡­.look dude, I¡¯m really sorry for what she did, and all she had been doing. I know how much that frame means to you, but- we just have to forgive and forget, okay?¡± he patted his back. Axel shrugged ¡°I wasn¡¯t really angry at the fact that she broke the frame¡­well it meant a lot to me, being that Brit had been missing for a long time now and I love her so much, but that is not even the reason I was hurt, you know¡± He muttered softly ¡°So¡ªif I may ask¡­what did she do, or say..I mean¡­you know¡± Aiden asked. He glanced at him briefly, before returning his view back to the window. ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s already in the past¡­I hold no grudge against her.¡± He smiled, and Aiden exhaled softly, more like he was holding his breath at first. He pats his shoulder softly ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brit will come back to us someday¡­trust me¡± he assured. Axel nodded ¡°I love her¡± Aiden blurted out, as Axel gave him a questioning look ¡°Who?¡± He asked ¡°Ariel¡­.I just discovered it some days ago; I started having some strange feelings towards her, and I just think she is the right girl for me¡± , he smiled, resting his butt on a close by the bed. Axel watched him keenly as he talked on about her, flattering her in all aspect. No doubt, he could firmly admit her beauty and curves; she has it all¡­.but that¡¯s not what is making him frown at this moment. The fact that Flora left him hanging is what is still troubling his heart, but here is his brother, happy about finding someone, while he is left dejected. ¡°Axel¡­Axel¡± Aiden called, sensing the fact that Axel wasn¡¯t listening This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Oh yea?¡± ¡°You zoned out, what¡¯s wrong¡± ¡°Oh¡­nothing¡­just thinking about something¡­so you really like her, right?¡± Axel muttered, trying to change the topic. Aiden noticed this, but just doesn¡¯t wanna force it. He smiled and continued ¡°Yea¡­..and I¡¯m thinking of asking her out¡± Axel nodded, less interested about the whole story, he just wanna go out and clear his mind. What Aiden is speaking of is reminding him about Flora and he doesn¡¯t wanna think about her any longer ¡°And I think you should move on bro¡­..just forget about Flora this once¡­okay¡± Aiden advice ¡°Yea¡­.thanks¡­.¡± he muttered, as Aiden patted his back and exited the room ~~ A call came into his phone drifting him out of his thought as he put it on a loud speaker after picking it up. ¡°Hey Zel¡­..where the hell are you¡± Dylan voice came up. They are supposed to have a little outing together today, as best friends do. But he strongly believes that he will tag his girlfriend along, which will make him really uncomfortable without one ¡°Stop screaming, dung. Do you wanna burst my eardrums?¡± ¡°Just tell me where you are now, let me come get your f*cking ass outta there, for damn sake¡­the fun is about to begin¡± ¡°I will be there in five minutes¡­¡± he hung up before Dylan could speak up. He suddenly remembered Ariel and how her presence in the house made him feel good, having someone around, at least, to argue with, even if they don¡¯t get along well. Now that she is gone, he suddenly feels lonely; a frown appeared on his face when he remembered Aiden talking about proposing to her. He shouldn¡¯t feel bad about it, but he just couldn¡¯t get the fact that what Aiden is about to do is right, he still think it¡¯s not right. He sighed frustratingly, as he headed out of the room, after properly dressing up. ~~~~~ Aiden¡¯s Suite Ariel picked on her food while she ate alongside Aiden; they were just served breakfast, and he had been watching her from the start; she wasn¡¯t really concentrating on the food she was eating. ¡°Huhnn¡­.¡± He cleared his throat ¡°What¡¯s wrong Ariel¡­..why ain¡¯t you eating, don¡¯t you like the food¡± He asked ¡°Oh¡­.no¡­I do.. I¡¯m actually eating¡± She said, taking a full spoon into her mouth ¡°No¡­you actually zoned out, you were picking on your food. Tell me, what¡¯s wrong, I can ask them to serve you another¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Ariel sighed, defeated; Aiden has been super nice to her ever since she left Axel¡®s house; well, he is usually nice, but this time, he treats her more like a queen; he has even assigned a special maid to her. She felt special each time he ask her questions like this, but now what was really bothering her was about Axel, who was the lady in the frame that seemed so special to him. The picture of the lady kept coming to her mind each time, and most times, she finds herself wanting to remember the face. She felt like she had had an encounter with a such person a long time ago, but how? She couldn¡¯t explain. She had never really had a friend in her lifetime, but that person seemed really close to her; why was she feeling this way, she thought, and smiled at Aiden, who had been watching her all through. ¡°I¡­erm¡­it¡¯s about the frame I broke..¡± ¡°Uhnn¡­come on..it¡¯s all in the past¡± he cuts in ¡°Yea¡­.I¡¯m not bothered about the frame¡­it¡¯s about the lady in the picture, I mean..erm¡­who is she?¡± I whispered. He frowned at first, then gave a weary smile ¡°Hmm¡­she is my sister¡­.our sister¡± He mumbled, fixing his gaze on her as she stared in return with mouth agape. ¡°But¡­where is she now¡­..¡± Ariel asked. He sighed rubbing his temple gently ¡°She left¡­.¡± He muttered as silence took in for a while before his voice came up again ¡°She wanted to kill herself; we saw the letter she wrote before leaving that day. She wrote it in tears, vowing never to come back, until everything is set right. We don¡¯t know what she is talking about even up till now, what she wanted to be set right is still not clear to every one of us. But after the letter was found, we tried searching for her for a very long time, but couldn¡¯t. It felt like she left this earth already. Her whereabouts couldn¡¯t be traced; Mum was down for a long time, and Axel, who was her closest companion couldn¡¯t get her off his mind. He loves Brit so much, being our only sister, and talks about her every day; sometimes, he claimed to have nightmares about her too. That year was a painful moment for every one of us, she was a sweet little girl who had lots of dreams; but she never told any of us what was bothering her, until the day she vanished without a trace¡± He ended his story with a sad note ¡°Oh¡­I¡¯m sorry about that¡­now I¡¯m really feeling guilty for breaking the frame, which should have been the only thing he uses to remember her¡± Ariel muttered. He smiled ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now, though we still miss our little sister, we can¡¯t continue to mourn over her for so long, even if we don¡¯t know if she really killed herself as stated in the letter. All these happened 5 years ago¡­it¡¯s a long time already. Come on, I will want you to eat up now¡­.I don¡¯t want you to get thin¡± He chuckled. She smiled softly, taking a spoonful of the cereals into her mouth. ~~~~~ *Dung Town* ~~ ¡°Hey sleepy head¡­.good thing you are awake now¡­. huff, you slept like a pig,¡± She huffed, tucking her fallen hair behind as she stared down at Elsa, who seemed puzzled at the position she saw herself. She suited her eyes at the young lady in front of her, trying to remember how they got to meet and in what situation. ¡°Hargghh¡± She grunted, as her back aches ¡°Where am I¡­.¡± She asked softly, still a bit dizzy. Brittany stared at her with pity which didn¡¯t last long, as it was replaced with a hard frown ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t remember anything¡­.huh¡± She rolled her eyes ¡°Well¡­.I don¡¯t think I can remember what happened next after the fight you had with the guys who tried to rape me..¡± ¡°Oh¡­ok..this was what happened, you passed out¡­.¡± ¡°I did what¡­¡± Elsa yelled a bit ¡°Can you just let me finish, and lower your voice, this isn¡¯t a helicopter¡± She glared at her, as Elsa gulped down nothing ¡°Okay¡­.please continue¡± Elsa managed to say after a few minutes of silence ~Flash Back ¡°Brit-Brittany¡­¡­¡± Elsa muttered as she smirked at her ¡°Missed me,¡± Brittany asked, grinning widely. Before Elsa could reply, a sudden vicious feeling overwhelmed her, making her eyelid heavy as she slumped to the ground, but she was caught by Brittany. Her face turned pale as her lips ran out of their normal reddish color. Her temperature level increased, making her burn up to a higher degree. ¡°What the F- Elsa¡­Elsa..hey wake up¡­shit!!¡± She cursed She dragged her unconscious body to a secure area before drafting the plan of bringing her over to her apartment, which she eventually did ~~~ ¡°So now I have explained how you got here¡­now you know¡± She scoffed ¡°Thanks¡­..thanks for saving my life,¡± Elsa acknowledged; Brittany nodded, handling her a cup of tea. Later in the day, the duo settled down to talk as Brittany was bent on knowing why she left the mansion, and the same thought was running through Elsa¡¯s mind. What made Brittany leave the mansion some years ago, and why is she still alive after she was confirmed missing and probably dead due to the content of her letter? ¡°So¡­ why did you leave the mansion? As a matter of fact, I know that you don¡¯t have any relationship here in Dung Town, and that is even if you had a relationship; tell me¡­what¡¯s going on?¡± Brittany asked, rather maturely. She doesn¡¯t seem to be the little fourteen-year-old girl she knew years ago before she left. She now looks like a lady, with all her curves, and not just that, her beauty seems to glow more. But the fact that she now talks like some sort of tout is what puzzled Elsa. She cleared her throat and fixed her gaze on Brittany who wasn¡¯t looking away. ¡°Erm¡­Brit dear¡­.I don¡¯t think I feel too good talking about this. This isn¡¯t the best time to state this, please¡­.just¡­.¡± Elsa muttered but stopped after Brittany cut in ¡°Have you ever wondered why I left the mansion?¡± She asked, with fury clearly erupting in her face ¡°Yeah¡­..but we couldn¡¯t get a clue¡­we all searched for you, Brittany; your mum was downcast, even your brothers¡­we hated ourselves for not finding you. But I¡¯m still amazed here, if anyone should tell me that I will meet you again, I might have doubt that fellow¡± Elsa replied ¡°I regretted leaving the way I did¡­.I was just too young to face all that I passed through in the hands of that Monster¡­.¡± She gritted, leaving Elsa more perplexed ¡°I wished I hadn¡¯t left that way¡­but there was no going back¡­I couldn¡¯t reunite with you all¡­it was too late¡± She scoffed, getting up from the little bench she sat on, as she scurried towards the window, backing Elsa. Her hands stuck in her skinny black Jean, as her hair dropped to her shoulders. Elsa stood up gently, groaning a bit due to the pain in her back; perhaps the loads she carried while escaping erupted the pain. She moved towards her at a slow pace, stopping some meters at her back. ¡°So why did you leave?¡± Elsa asked her ¡°Tell me yours¡­first¡­¡± She blurted. Elsa sighed, contemplating whether to spit the truth to her or not..but she had no choice. Brittany is bent on knowing her reasons for leaving, and she just can¡¯t find herself lying to her. Her eyes already betrayed her as tears began rolling down her cheek¡­ ¡°Its¡­..it¡¯s ¡­your father¡­.¡± ¡°He is not my father¡­. I have no father,¡± Brittany barked, facing Elsa in rage as she backed out in fear. Brittany''s eyes were already filled with fury as a glinting watery crystal rolled down her cheek. She was also crying; pain and hurt, clearly written on her face. Chap 26 - The Red Fox Clan The Red Fox Clan *Hybrid University* A warm surge of freedom lighted my spirit as I stepped into the compound of the great Hybrid University. It¡¯s been more than two weeks since I came into this compound, and being here presently just made me want to explore more; the whole environment seem a bit different from the last time, perhaps my absence made it that way. ¡°I waved at Victor, yea¡­my Ex bodyguard, well he is now my driver. Aiden made it clear to him as his punishment for not being able to see to my well-being, which wasn¡¯t really his fault anyway. He was given the post of a driver due to his excellent driving skills; that made him still keep his job in Aiden¡¯s mansion, or else he would have been fired for that single mistake. But I have a new body guard now, his name is Daniel. No doubt, he is cool for the job, but isn¡¯t always with me in school. His job is to watch me from afar, and make sure I¡¯m always safe, without anyone knowing about him being my bodyguard; more like a secret agent. He also hangs around in the school environment, like a student, but his secret agenda is between just me and him, no one else knows about it. Victor waved back and left afterward, I tried scrutinizing the students¡¯ faces, if I could see Daniel, perhaps, but I couldn¡¯t. That guy is good in hiding his identity, he seem really smart for just a body guard. Sighing dejectedly, I tried taking a step forward when a car zoomed towards me, it parked just some meters away, and Mia jumped out without waiting for it to park properly. ¡°Geeezz¡­.you are gonna injure yourself¡± I laughed out loud, spreading my hands wide to receive the hug ¡°Oh my God¡­.is this you?¡± She asked, disengaging the hug, as she stared at me in glee. I rolled my eyes ¡°Yes¡­..so¡­.¡± ¡°You are looking different babe¡­.gosh¡­you have a lot to tell me. I wasn¡¯t myself all this while that you have been absent from school and trust me, life was boring as hell. Valeria and Betty left some days after the incident, and life at home was more than boring¡± She rushed her words without a breathing space, making me to laugh more, especially at her expression. ¡°Yea..Yea¡­I gat lots of gist, but for now we have a class to catch up, let¡¯s do that first¡± I muttered, as we walk down to the lecture room. ~~~~~ After lectures, we headed to the cafeteria where our lunches were served. Mia brought up a topic which we partially discussed on, laughing our ass out when it comes to a funny part; some students were staring at us for acting weirdly but that¡¯s their business anyway, we are only having fun, being that we have been apart for a while now. She paused, grinning as she wriggled her brows at me; well no doubt, she wants me to start my journey story. ¡°Gosh¡­..where will I start from¡± I thought inwardly. There is no possible way I will tell her about who rescued me without including Axel and Aiden, now I will have to tell her the truth, no matter what. Well, I already had a discussion with Aiden some days ago, he believes only Mia should know about my staying with him, and that¡¯s if I wants her to know. Whereas, he also wished to see her too, if I could remember clearly, he said something about wanting to meet Mia someday when I told him that I made a friend on my first day at school. So telling Mia won¡¯t be a problem ¡°Erm¡­¡­actually..¡± I was about saying, when her phone buzzed almost the same time as mine. She hurriedly took it out of her pocket, swiping the screen as a notification popped up. I didn¡¯t bother to check mine, perhaps some random messages from those annoying networks I thought. ¡°Oh my God¡­¡­¡± She screamed loud enough for the next block to hear, getting up on her feet ¡°Yes¡­.yes¡­ahhhhhh¡± ¡°What is it¡­.¡± I inquired getting puzzled at her sudden reaction to perhaps a message. I noticed other student bringing out their phones, as some were really excited, checking the content displayed on it. I hesitated a bit, before bringing out mine. Perhaps, it¡¯s something important, I thought. ¡°Ariellll!!!! Check your phone¡­.I have passed the online audition¡± Mia yelled in glee, making me briskly check mine ¡°What the F¡­¡± I muttered reading the message which just popped up from my G-mail. It states I read the message all over again, to confirm if I wasn¡¯t reading the wrong thing, this is actually unbelievable. I believe the same message was sent to Mia and others making them go wild, geezz¡­this is amazing, I heard Mia say after reading mine. The cafeteria was soon filled with murmurs from different angles as they all argued on why the message was sent late. Well that¡¯s actually their problem; all I know is that my dreams are beginning to come true. ¡°We made it Ariel, we damn made it¡± She beamed, but suddenly frown ¡°Yes¡­we did¡­but why the bad face¡­.¡± I asked, laughing at her sudden, expression but stopped when I noticed that she seem serious. ¡°Hmmmm¡­what if I do not pass the second stage¡­and even if I do, the last stage is usually really tough..sometimes they might be asked to sing while playing an instrument, and that I¡¯m really bad at that..gosh¡­.. ¡±Hey¡­we still have enough time okay. I¡¯m also not really good when it comes to the instrument, but we are learning that already under Mr. Scott¡¯s teachings, right? And I¡¯m very sure that we will scale through, trust me¡± I assured, while she pouted Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Hmm¡­so easy for you to say, anyways let¡¯s not spoil the fun, we actually made it through the first round, I¡¯m sure we will make it through others¡± She giggled digging into her food. I wasted no time but did the same ~~~~~ *Dung Town* Elsa¡¯s POV Today is making it the third day since Brittany left the house for some operations or so, well that was what she had told me when I asked her why she suddenly wanna leave. But the strange fact is that, I can¡¯t really tell the type of job she does, and it make me scared whenever I think about it. Brittany is no longer the girl I used to know, after our conversation the other day, when she suddenly denied her father; she didn¡¯t tell me anything about it and what cause that reaction. But the Brittany I used to know will always tell me when Aiden hurts her by running away with her snack, or when Axel refuse to play with her, asking me to help her settle the fight between them. Even whenever her father scares her, she comes to me for comfort, or when her mum scold her, she comes to cry in my arms, but things are different now, I thought, heaving a sigh. ¡°You all were kids then, what do you expect¡± A voice said, I turn swiftly to look at who spoke, but got to know that it was my subconscious mind. ¡°Yea¡­I know..but even so, she still won¡¯t be like this, something is wrong. I think Brittany has been hurt too bad to go back to her normal self, she didn¡¯t even allow me to complete my story about her father. Perhaps she already have a clue of what he was doing to me, I pray I don¡¯t step on that Mansion again until that man rots in jail. ~~~~~ *Texas City* . Few Days Back . Brittany step down from her black car after turning of the engine; she gave the keys to one of the guards standing by, who greeted her with respect. Other guards also did the same, when she passed their front, hailing her with a smile. She nodded to their praise, as that¡¯s the way they always do, she is already used to the facts that almost everyone in the clan respects her; not just because of her good fighting skills, or swift use of guns, but because she is close to the boss. Who is the boss, you will find out later. ¡°Hey Brit¡­.¡± Someone called from afar, running to catch up with her as she squinted to have a better view, as a smile spread across her face. It¡¯s Brad, her partner in crime ¡°Hey Nigga¡­¡¯ She hits him on his shoulder. ¡°Ouch¡­that was hard¡± Brad muttered, feigning pain. She chuckled loudly, as he held her hand. Well, he is the only one apart from the boss who can hold her that close. Despite the fact that she is just nineteen, she doesn¡¯t give in to anyone that easily, she hates people ruling over her and most importantly, she hates guys touching her against her wish. But in the case of Brad, she loves it, whenever he holds her, and as for the Boss, she will just let him do it, to avoid her head from rolling down its neck. ¡°I missed you, you know. You stayed too long¡± Brad whispered to her hearing, making her blush a bit ¡°Yea¡­I had to do other things you know, I couldn¡¯t complete the mission, I believe we were given a wrong information, I had to wait, extra days but¡­..nothing came up¡± she shrugged,, he nodded squeezing her hand softly. ¡°Wait here¡­.¡± He stopped her, as she faced him. He tucked her fallen hair to the back of her ear, caressing her cheek. ¡°Hey¡­Brad¡­.you won¡¯t wanna get on boss bad side, would you?¡± Brit asked softly, taking down his hand. He rolled his eyes a bit, heaving a sigh ¡°You look more beautiful these days, what are you eating¡± He teased ¡°Stop teasing me, I¡­.¡± She stopped speaking when someone else walked up to her; Clara, her sworn enemy ¡°What is it this time¡± She asked Clara, who hissed, folding her arms ¡°Boss seeks your presence now¡± Clara scoffs ¡°Ok¡­I will be there..¡± Brit muttered, diverting her attention back to Brad ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me well, are you deaf..i said boss seeks your presence, now¡± She yelled angrily ¡°And I said that I will be there..why getting worked up¡± Brit cursed ¡°How dare you speak to me that way..bitch¡± ¡°You are the bitch, Clara¡­.¡± ¡°Hey¡­hey girls¡­please¡­.Clara¡­,come on¡­stop this¡± Brad chipped in, trying to stop the argument which might eventually lead to a fight. Clara hissed loudly, she stormed out of their presence, shaking her butt vigorously. Brad smirked, as Brit scoffed ¡°She is just so annoying, always getting on my nerves, I¡¯m still gonna teach her a lesson one day¡± Brittany boasted ¡°Sure¡­I trust you with every word that comes out of your mouth, but please go and see the boss first, before he starts his. See you later¡± He winked at her and left She breathe in and out, before heading towards the boss¡¯ suite ~~~~~ Clara stomped into her room, banging the door angrily which made her roommate jerk from the bed ¡°Geez¡­Clara¡­do you wanna break the door¡± Celine barked with rage, but her anger died down when she saw how furious Clara is ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she is back¡± She muttered, knowing that only Brittany makes Clara look this way ¡°What do you expect, but the fact that she is bent on insulting me all the time is what is pissing me off. I hate that girl with passion; I wish I could just take her back to where they brought her from. She is a pest in my life, a nuisance in this clan. She got everyone¡¯s attention including the boss, making me become a Nobody; just because she has a silly beauty¡± Clara yelled ¡°Hey girl¡­I think you need to take a chill pill, come on, everyone knows that you are the best in everything, even the boss do admit that. Brit is still a learner, she is no match for you, so don¡¯t be bothered about respect or whatever she gets, it¡¯s just for the main time, okay..¡± Celine muttered, getting down from the bed to take her bowl of cereal ¡°That¡¯s not even the case, the boss doesn¡¯t show me love the way he used to do, before that bitch came. Now, she got all his attention, thinking it will last¡­huhnn¡± She scoffed, placing her hands akimbo ¡°Hmm¡­.Clara¡­the boss still calls you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah¡± She muttered sulkily ¡°So why get worried, as long as he still makes love to you, then that¡¯s a good start. I believe he doesn¡¯t wanna neglect you because you satisfy him more than Brittany, else he wouldn¡¯t have called at all if she gives him all that he, needs. Look here babe, you don¡¯t need to make your hatred for Brittany known to everyone, just keep it cool and we will find a way to clear her off, the way..trust me¡± Celine assured, Clara sighed, slumping on the bed. She collected the bowl of cereal from Celine and dug into it. ¡°That¡¯s mine, you could have just made yours¡± Celine frown ¡°Just go, make another¡± Clara mumbled, her mouth full of cereal ¡°Whatever¡± Celine rolled her eyes, as she tried dragging the bowl from her. ~~~~~ Brittany walked into the suite as the odour of cigarette ushered her in. She sighted him, standing by the window, shirtless with his left hand stuck in his pocket. A cigarette lies in between his right fingers, as he takes heavy drags of it, puffing out balls of smokes from his mouth and nostril into the air. But the odour didn¡¯t change the scent in the room, it still smells nice like the way it used to, without the bad odour emitting from the smoke, it will have smelt better. She walked briskly into the room, knowing full well that he noticed her presence, but didn¡¯t turn to have a look. If it was before, she would have coughed hard while inhaling the smoke, but she is already used to inhaling smokes from cigarettes. One thing she doesn¡¯t do in the, clan like the others is to smoke, she hates it with passion, and the odour sometimes intoxicate her. Even getting drunk isn¡¯t in her dairy, she prefer taking just few cups of hot liquor, and that is whenever a party is held, and she wanna be among; she wouldn¡¯t do that if she was alone. She stepped further into the room, and muttered a greeting, which he acknowledged with a slight nod, still backing her. She waited for him to speak first before relaying the account of her mission ¡°You arrived some minutes ago, why did you not come here immediately?¡± He asked huskily ¡°Erm¡­I actually ran into Brad and we had a little conversation. Clara met me on the way and told me about your summon; I¡¯m really sorry for my mistake, Boss¡± She muttered, but he said nothing as he continued to smoke on. One thing about Macho is that he is a man of few words, and doesn¡¯t take shit or mistakes. He is actually spooky hot when it comes to facial look, and this has been making many girls in the clan trip for him, wishing he could take them to his bed. But deep down, he is a demon, which shows no mercy. Everyone is scared of him, including his second in command. He seem a bit younger than his age, as many says that he is already in his late twenties or perhaps early thirties, but he doesn¡¯t look it; no one knows his exact age. His aura has always scare most people whenever they are around him, and making a slight mistake means rolling your head off your neck. He seems to be the only one, whom Brittany is really scared of in the clan. His words alone send shivers down her spine, making her succumb to any of his wish, even if she doesn¡¯t want to. ¡°You didn¡¯t complete your mission, did you,?¡± he asked again ¡°Yes Boss, I believe we were given wrong information. The Kick-ass gangs weren¡¯t at the exact point, we were deceived, I think they have something up their sleeves. We need to make further plans on how to get to them and tackle them suddenly.¡± She explained ¡°And why didn''t you come back immediately you found out about it¡± She thought for a while before replying. After finding Elsa that day, she couldn¡¯t just leave her and come back here, she had to stay for sometime before leaving. She wouldn¡¯t want the boss to know about her, so she will just have to lie ¡°I¡­erm¡­was still having the hope of getting them; that was why I had to wait for a few days more.¡± She replied. This time, he turned to face her; if it was another girl, she would have gasp at the boss¡¯ handsomeness, but she was use to seeing his face every time, and she longed never to see it again. She felt disgusted by his presence. But will that day ever come, she thought. Dropping the cigar in a ceramic plate as he walked closer to where she stood. She didn¡¯t move a bit, fully prepared for whatever he wished to do. He stared into her eyes for a while, caressing her cheek ¡°I miss your presence¡± He muttered softly to her ear, kissing the lobe of her ear. She moaned silently as he traced his lips to hers, taking control of it, he kissed her deeply. She reciprocated, raising her hand to the nape of his neck as she caresses it. He traced his hand to her cleavage and tried taking of the jacket she wore, but it seem stuck preventing him from going further. Out of frustration, he broke the kiss, making her wonder why he stopped; not like she wanted him to continue anyway, but he isn¡¯t someone who gets tired easily when it comes to making out. ¡°Huff, just take this thing off¡± He muttered, as Brittany got the message. She wasted no time in taking off everything, finally stark nude. He grabbed her forcefully, pushing her on the bed, as he devours every part of her. She felt a tickle of tear coming down her cheek, but cleaned it off quickly, to avoid him from seeing it.