One hour later.
It was the time of the day when it's busy inside the industrial store when Peter received a text message from his stepmother Valeria informing him that Helen's stepmother and her daughter Stephanie will come to town to bring Helen back to their mansion and the arranged marriage between them was canceled. Helen was due to marry one of the heirs of the Genesis Business Empire owned by the Johnson family.
Peter's hands trembled badly upon reading the text message on his phone, his blood turned cold.
He exited the store right away and went to his house. He went to his room pacing back and forth inside while his hands tightened into fists, he was stunned and at the same time enraged!
These women are crazy!
They dumped Helen at his property unceremoniously and then now that he had already fallen in love with her deeply, they will take her away from him? How dare they!?
He fished out the phone from the pocket of his pants and rapidly typed a message for Helen informing her about her mother and sister coming to town to taker her away because she was due to marry one of the heirs of the Genesis Business Empire owned by the Johnson Family, he urged her to leave the restaurant premises and find a hotel nearby and hide. He will come to her after her mother and sister finally leave town.
After sending the message, he took a deep breath and shook his head. No! he can't allow them to take his beloved woman away! He won't allow them!
He went back to the store. He informed his assistant to take over his job while he will wait for the visitors to arrive at his place.
Sighing, he exited the store and waited patiently outside, his heart was beating faster in his rib cage, worrying what's going to happen later?
He went back to the house and lowered himself to the couch, he might as well relax and watched TV while waiting for the storm to come at his doorsteps.
He watched a random TV show while waiting for Helen's reply.
Meanwhile, inside the restaurant.
Helen just came out from the toilet and was about to go back to the restaurant when she received Peter's long text message telling her about her mother and sister coming to town to bring her back to the mansion. Her eyes widened after learning that they had arranged another marriage for her-? Huh? What the heck? What's going on?
She's not a damn toy that they can easily manipulate on a whim.
For God's sake, she is a human being with feelings and emotions!
She was visibly shaken when she went to her room and pondered about her situation. Peter urged her to hide in some hotel nearby and he will come for her after her mother and sister will finally leave town.
Just when she already settled happily in her new life and new environment they will take her away again to be married to a stranger? How absurd her life can be! First, everything is okay and then suddenly her life turned upside down again.
Her life suddenly took a nosedive in just a blink of an eye!
She cried for a few minutes inside her room, then she realized that she can't stay longer inside her room or else they can easily find her in the restaurant.
She took her backpack from the cabinet and put all the important stuff inside.
Then she heard a knock on the door.
"Helen, are you there? Let's go back now to the restaurant!" Jessa said.
She opened the door. "Jessa, please accompany me to the store manager's office. I want to take a day off today. I will leave the restaurant right away..." she said, drying the tears from her face with her handkerchief.
Jessa raised a brow. "Huh? Why? What happened? Why are you crying?" she asked, confused.
"It's a long story. My mother and sister are coming to town to take me away and marry me to a stranger. I don't want to marry anyone, The only guy I'm going to marry is Peter, I don't want any other guy!" she replied.
"Oh, I see...okay...I will accompany you to the store manager's office so that you can tell him your problem," Jessa responded. "Okay, thanks. Let's go now!" she said urgently.
The two women left the room and went back to the restaurant going to the store manager's office.
They knocked on the door.
William opened the door and was surprised to see the two ladies outside the door. He looked at Helen wearing a backpack on her back, it looks like she was going somewhere. "Why are you here outside my office ladies? It's still working hours," he reminded them.
"Sir, Helen has something to tell you... I'll go back to the restaurant," Jessa said and left.
William looked at Helen's worried face. "Do you want to tell me something? Get inside my office, let's talk," he said and invited her inside, opening the door wide for her to enter.
Helen went inside. William closed the door.
He went back to his desk, he looked at her. "Sit down and tell me what is wrong with you today? You looked like you just finished crying," he observed.
"Sir, I need to leave the restaurant just for today. I need to find a place to hide temporarily!" she said in a panicky voice.
William's brows furrowed. "But why? What's going on?" he asked curiously.
"It's a long story, Sir. My mother is coming to town to bring me back to our place and marry me to a stranger. I need to hide for a while," she explained.
William stared at Helen's face for a long time digesting her words slowly. A devilish gleam appeared in his eyes.
Wow! He never expected such an opportunity to come today!
"Do you want to hide? But where?" he asked her.
"I dunno, I need to check-in in some hotel nearby and wait for my boyfriend to get me," Helen replied.
"Ah, no need. I have a room here inside my office, you can hide in there until closing time, then I will bring you to a hotel nearby, this way no one will see you," he suggested.
"Ah, no need, Sir. I don't want to disturb you while you are working," she politely refused his offer.
"No, it's okay. The room and the office is separate, you won't be disturbing me at all!" To emphasize his words, he rose to his feet and opened the door in the corner. "This is my room, it's just small but good enough for you to hide," he said.
Helen looked at the room and pondered for a moment. If she will go outside now, there is a big chance that she might meet her mother and sister outside!
Sighing, she had to accept the store manager's offer even for a few hours, then after closing time, she will leave the room and find another place to hide. "Okay, Sir. I'll accept your offer this time," she finally relented.
William's face lit up. "Good! Wait a minute... I'm going to take out something first," he said and entered the room, then closed the door, he opened the drawer of the cabinet and grabbed the bottle, and put it inside the pocket of his pants while Helen waits outside.
Done inside the room, he exited the door then looked at Helen. "You may enter the room now. While I'll go outside and warn the employees not to say anything if somebody asked about your whereabouts," he said.
"Thank you so much for your help, Sir!" Helen said, feeling grateful. She entered the room and closed the door behind her.
William laughed silently while he stared at the closed door, licking his lips like a hungry lion about to eat its prey. He planned to groom Helen a little bit so that there will be less resistance from her later when he pounced on her, but it seemed the opportunity can't wait! It's helping him to bring his plan to fruition! He doesn't let such a golden opportunity like this pass without taking full advantage of it!
His face erupted into a devilish smile.
'I finally got you inside the cage!' he murmured.
He walked towards the door and left the office, he's going to inform everyone to keep their mouth shut regarding Helen's whereabouts.