(Aurora)
I laid restless all night, tossing around the bed. It had been an hour since Adrian left and I began to get worried. No texts, no calls. I decided not to call either.
My stomach growled, but I had promised myself not to eat until he returns home with Stacey. My life would be incomplete without them.
I jumped out from the bed when my phone vibrated on the bedside table. I picked it up with faith, hoping it was a message from Adrian.
I unlocked my phone to check out the new notification. It was a video clip from him– A view once?!
Strange.
Anyways, I clicked on the video to play.
"Fuck! Kendall–"
"I can't get enough of you, baby," the lady moaned against his lips, pressing her body against his. His fingers dug into her hair as he kissed her harder, passionately.
Wasn't he supposed to bring Stacey back home?
"Shameless cheat!" I cursed at the video, tears rolling down my cheeks as I fell back to the bed.
That was the lady in question.
She was the Kendall.
God, I wish he kept the video to himself. I would have chosen to remain in the dark; in his world of lies and deceit.
Now, I was faced with the ugly reality– The man I could lay down my life for was having an extramarital affair.
This could only mean everything was a set-up.
Gush, I was so in love to not believe my instinct at first. It didn't lie, after all.
Stacey was my Achilles' heel and I… I fell for it. I had never felt this betrayed in my entire life. My heart was wrecked.
I felt like I had no reason to stay under his roof again. If he could lie to me in my face, then what was the point?
Even if I had no destination, I still had to leave. I wanted to move out to a new environment where nothing would remind me of him.
Regan was out of reach. If I had a driver's license, I'd have taken one of his cars, but I didn't. I decided to take a cab instead.
I grabbed my purse and a scarf, then locked the door from the inside and sneaked out through the window.
The height was scary, so I shut my eyes and jumped down. My left arm brushed against the rough, concrete ground, sustaining bruises.
Writhing in pain, I passed through the main gate. I stood at the roadside for more than thirty minutes, trying to pull over a taxi, but none stopped.
My legs became wobbly. When I was about changing my decision to stay back, a bright headlight flashed into my eyes and the car stopped in front of me. Finally, a taxi driver.
I got into the cab. It felt safe as I was the only passenger.
"Thank you so much. You're a life saver," I confessed.
"Where are you heading to, ma'am?" the driver asked.
I hadn't thought of a location until now. "Drop me off at…"
…
My eyes were glued to my phone screen to see if Adrian was going to give a call.
But why would he?
He didn't love me, so he wouldn't care how much he hurt me…
My thoughts broke off when the brakes screeched and the engine went off.
I popped out my head in-between the front seats. "Hey! Why did you stop the car?" I asked, glaring at the man.
"I didn't. The car ran out of diesel, that's why," he explained in an unconcerned tone.
"So, what do you expect me to do? I don't even know where to go from here!" I cried as I sat back.
The driver shot me a flinty stare and turned to his front without saying a word.
I paid him and came down from the vehicle. I was at a standstill in the middle of the road, helpless. The wild night breeze caused the trees to sway, rustling leaves.
The moment I made my first move away from that spot, to my surprise, the engine coughed, then the driver reversed the wheels.
I ran after the car, but he drove off, surpassing the high speed limit.
H-he lied, just like everyone else did.
What the fuck is wrong with people, nowadays?
There was something more to it and I couldn't figure it out. All I perceived was impending danger around the corner. The thought of that sent chills to my bones.
No cars passed. No houses around. The street was deserted and lonely. Everything began to seem creepy.
The wind stung my skin and I realized I had forgotten my scarf in the taxi. Gush.
This day was my unluckiest in the history of my life, except the day I became an orphan.
I turned to the opposite direction and hastened my steps. Maybe I could find my way back home. It was my safe haven/ the only safe place I could think about.
I regretted leaving at the first place.
Why didn't I endure with Adrian?
What if the entire household was searching for me?
Now, I could feel someone stalking me, but when I turned back, there was no one. I wished I could stop imagining things.
The breeze swept my hair across my face, causing my steps to slow down. My hairpin was always handy, so I stopped to get it from my purse.
Oh no. The dim streetlights went off.
This wasn't the time to get distracted. I turned on my flashlight and ran as fast as my legs could carry.
I began hearing voices and the footsteps behind me were damn close. Someone was actually following me. I was freaking out.
"Adrian?" I called out, uncertain. Still, I didn't stop running.
Just then, I heard a burst of laughter.
"She thinks he's going to save her."
"Poor girl."
The men laughed in deep horror. There were more than three who ran after me.
I was running out of breath. My legs weakened and I fell to the ground, breathless. I couldn't run any further.
At this point, I knew what would befall me.
"We got the girl," one of the men said, kneeling before me.
"She's beautiful, but we haven't seen the inside yet," another said, cupping my breasts.
Disgusting!
God, please come to my aid.
"There's no time for this. First, get her into the car," the one who looked like their leader ordered.
A black jeep stopped in front of us, aside the van that was packed there already. I assumed they had called more men because I was too stubborn.
I regained a little strength and hit one of the men's groin with my elbow. The other men were alerted and gripped me. I bit their hands with my teeth, but they didn't loosen up.
"Get your hands off her!" a familiar voice commanded in a deep, serious tone.
My eyes met with a pair of cold blue eyes. It was Adrian. I had never seen this side of his.
"Come and get your lovely wife if you can," the leader dared.
"You want to challenge me, huh?" Adrian asked, gnashing his teeth.
"Mum, I'm scared." That was the cry of my daughter. She was here too, but locked in his car.
"Adrian, please stay away. Go home with Stacey. These men are dangerous," I begged.
I was trapped, so I couldn't fight for myself.
"They have to kill me first before they can touch you," he said, ignoring my pleas and went on to fight with the men.
Exchange of punches, kicks. Then the earsplitting sound of a gunshot.
Boom!
Adrian fell to the ground, groaning in pain. "Argh! Blondie, I– I'm sorry. I couldn't save you, tonight." Tears rolled down his cheeks.
I couldn't bear seeing him in pain because of me.
"You won't risk your life or take a bullet for someone you don't love, will you?" I asked, sobbing.
He scrubbed his body on the ground until he reached my feet. "N-no. So, I… I love you."
One of the men that caged me marched his face on the tarred road with his heavy boot.
"Adrian, are you okay?" I cried, fighting for my freedom to help him to his feet.
There was blood on his face when he looked up at me for the last time, smiling. "I love you so much, blondie," he kissed my feet.
My eyes became heavy. I let the tears roll down. I couldn't even hide my emotions anymore.
"Bring the child into the van." That was the last order from the leader before I was forced to inhale a chloroformed hankie.
My eyelids shut into darkness.