CHAPTER LXXVII
~~~
Playing lover with her captor; her abuser, while he had a fiancee who loved him as much as she did, if not more. She was a disgrace; something shameless that deserved nothing less than to be looked down upon. No longer could she even use the excuse of being controlled by fear because she didn’t fear Chase any longer.
He wouldn’t hurt her. Not like before, anyways.
She had even fallen in love with him, and there was no going back because she wasn’t sure she could survive without him.
She couldn’t live without him any longer.
Charlie stared at Sophia with those sharp features. Her company was nice, but she was so bored to death sitting in the mansion.
Sophia bit her lip, a plan formulating in her head. The city was within reach, and she had been outside enough times to know buses passed outside the estate.
Immediately, she stood up and rushed into her walk-in closet. She changed into a white button-up and wide leg denim jeans.
Chase, with other necessities for the cat, also purchased a pet carrier in the form of a cyan coloured backpack. Sophia shrugged on the carrier with Charlie inside. Rummaging through the drawers and vanity, she found some spare pesos laying around and took it.
She went out of the room and headed for the stairs, tiptoeing her way out. Instead of taking the front door where she would be spotted, she snuck out through the back door and circled the mansion. Without Chase’s permission, the guards wouldn’t let her out.
So, grabbing two empty bin boxes, she darted across the back lawn and used the bushes as cover for her antics. Throwing one box over the wall, she used the other one to hurl herself over and down the other side. Thankfully, the boxes were just high enough.
Charlie hissed in annoyance at the bumpy ride.
“Sorry,” She muttered and glanced side by side to be sure the coast was clear.
She ran out of the empty streets of the estate, smiling at her ability to sneak out. Just as she rounded the corner out of the estate, she spotted a red bus coming down the street. She reached the stop just in time for it to slow down for her.
Stepping inside the bus and paying the fare, Sophia sat down on the raggedy seats with a victorious smile. She cooed at Charlie, who meowed back.
“Isn’t your mama awesome?”
Nearly an hour later, they were I’m the middle of the city, wandering aimlessly. In the end, Sophia followed some tourists overhearing them chatting about a nearby mall. She maintained a safe distance so as not to look like she was stalking them.
Once the mall came into view, Sophia’s eyes lit up, and she picked up the pace. The massive brick building was spawning with people eating McDonald’s and carrying familiar shopping bags. People were dressed in jeans and T-shirts, no designer brands nor the latest chic upper-class attire.
This was for normal people.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
Sophia stepped towards the entrance, grinning with anticipation, trying to remember the last time she was at a mall or when she had last seen a McDonald’s.
The sounds of sirens reached her ears, catching her attention, and she craned her neck. She witnessed four SUVS, followed by police cars, pulled up to the curb side. Squinting her eyes for a closer look, her breath lodged in her throat.
Chase and Alessandro with horde of officers were marching towards the entrance; towards her.
Sweet Jesus.
Uneasy, Sophia’s gaze darted between the mall and Chase, trying to decide which way to go. In the end, whatever she chose, there was ever only one outcome. She would be dragged back home and be forced to face Chase’s fury.
“I can explain,” She cried once he reached her.
Chase gripped her wrist in an iron grip. His face twisted in annoyance and murder. It screamed at her to shut up and comply.
But she’d gotten that far; what was the point of going home?
“Wait!” She pleaded, dragging her heels onto the concrete floor. “We’re here now. Let’s go inside,”
Chase turned around, his face morphing into an angry snarl. Grabbing the back of her head with his free hand, he pushed her face closer to his. Her heart leapt in surprise. Her mouth had gone dry and her pulse quickened, beating erratically.
Why was he so angry? They were happy together in the morning.
“One more word from you and I’ll shove my cock down your throat,” He threatened lowly, malice flashing in his dark eyes.
Sophia huffed, not caring about his threats. She stood her ground.
“I’m bored!” She snapped in exasperated. “I sat in the mansion all day with nothing to do!”
A crowd had gathered, and the officers were doing their best to usher them away. Sophia spotted Alessandro leaning against one of the SUVS, watching them fight. He was smoking a cigarette, taking a drag and puffing it out.
He shook his head in disapproval, but then his brows furrowed, eyes zooming into the red laser pointer directly at Sophia’s chest.
“Sniper!” He shouted, diving behind the SUV.
Chase turned to face Sophia, his eyes going to the red mark on her chest. Instantly, he pulled her to his body, curling his arms around her protectively; blocking her from the sniper’s view. He caged her between the floor and his body, ensuring she was completely covered.
Meanwhile, at Alessandro’s yelling, Chase’s men moved in unit, dashing out of the SUVS dressed in all black combat uniforms, each with earpieces in one ear.
The soldiers with high precision rifles were searching the skyscrapers with their high-magnification optics.
Screams of distress rang in Sophia’s ears, and people were running around like sitting ducks.
Chase grunted, catching her attention, and she gazed up at him through her lashes. Sweat was gathering on his forehead, face pale like he was running a high fever.
Was he sick?
Sophia’s hands reached up to cup his cheeks. “Are you -”
Her remaining words stuck in her throat as she stared at the wet pool forming on the shoulder side of his shirt, getting bigger and bigger.
She looked down at her own shirt and found it stained with blood; Chase’s blood.