*Viewers Discretion is adviced*
♡ Nia's POV ♡
"I said sedate her, what are you waiting for?" one of the butcher men barked at the lady, the urgency in his tone underscoring the gravity of the situation..Her voice trembled, displaying a fear that went beyond their gruesome profession.
"I'm sorry, I can't," she replied, her voice trembling, hands shaking as she held the injection. A sense of apprehension hung in the air, the tension mounting with every passing second.
"What do you mean you can't?" he demanded, frustration and impatience etched on his face.
"She's having her period," she uttered, her words sending a wave of shock through the room. I looked down to see blood dripping, a sudden realization of my condition hitting me like a ton of bricks.I glanced down, realizing I hadn't even been aware until that very moment, and my stomach began to ache with a relentless intensity. In the midst of the terrifying scene, the chaos of that room, the sudden turn took everyone by surprise, even me.
"Take her away from here and inform the boss!" the butcher barked at her, frustration etched on his face. In response, she signaled to one of the men who had followed her, instructing him to relay the unsettling news to Mencia.
Leading me to the restroom, she handed over my clothes. "Get dressed and cleaned up," she said with an odd mixture of sympathy and urgency, as if she recognized the gravity of the situation.
"Thank you," I whispered to her, offering a faint expression of gratitude as she responded with a fake smile.
As I entered the cramped restroom, a sense of urgency gripped me, and my eyes caught sight of a small window—an opportunity for escape.
The internal conflict raged within me—I could break free but at the cost of leaving Diego behind. The idea flickered in my mind, but leaving Diego behind was not an option. I needed help and had to devise a plan quickly.
"Be fast in there!" she yelled, her impatience evident through the door.
Locking the restroom door, I heard her furious banging. "Who told you you could lock the door? Please open it!"she demanded.
"I'm so sorry for this," I muttered to her, feeling a mix of fear and determination. I climbed through the small window, successfully escaping, and sprinted away from the laboratory.
Running as fast as my legs could carry me, the weight of the situation pressed upon me.. But my freedom was short-lived. One of Mencia's men—the same guy I'd seen earlier pursued me, swiftly closing the gap and capturing my hands.
"How dare you escape! You're so dead," he threatened, his tone menacing.
He reached for his phone, intending to inform Mencia and the others of my attempted escape. "Please don't take me back there, please," I pleaded desperately, my voice trembling.
"Who's the dead meat now?" he taunted, reveling in my vulnerability. Just then, a gunshot rang out, piercing the air. The man crumpled to the ground, a lifeless heap. Turning, I was met with the unexpected sight of Juan, flanked by his men, his steely gaze fixed on me.
I rushed towards Juan, enveloping him in a tight embrace while tears streamed down my face. "Mencia, she was going to kill me, butcher me," I sobbed uncontrollably.
"I'm so sorry, Nia. I couldn't protect you. It's my fault," Juan confessed, his remorse palpable.
"Yes, it's all your fault," I retorted, a surge of anger coursing through me. The realization that he played a part in the chaos overwhelmed me, but my emotional strength waned, leaving me unable to express my anger fully.
Juan gestured to one of his men, "Take her home." I pleaded with him to go back into the dangerous place, my desperation evident. "I have to go in there with you. Diego is in there; he's going to die."
"Diego?" Juan questioned, concern clouding his face.
"No, he's not," he reassured me. "He's safe with Isabel and Omar in a secret apartment."
"But, but she told me," I stammered, my confusion evident.
"Mencia manipulated you; that's what she does," Juan explained. "She's so dead," he declared, preparing to go back in with his men. Panicking, I pulled him back. "Please take me home. Don't go in; there are many in there. You could die," I pleaded desperately.
"Let's go home," Juan said, gripping my hands tightly. Gunshots echoed through the air, and there, outside the laboratory, Mencia and her accomplices watched. Juan swiftly got into the car to drive, while one of Mencia's men restrained the lab lady who pleaded for mercy.
In a chilling turn of events, one of Mencia's men aimed a gun in our direction. I braced myself for the worst, but to my surprise , Mencia signaled him to stop. Instead, the gun was redirected towards the lab lady, ending her life abruptly as she crumpled to the ground.
Fuelled by a mix of fear and anger, I shot Mencia a defiant middle finger. "Fuck you," I uttered as Juan accelerated away from the harrowing scene.
After a few minutes, we pulled over in front of a dimly lit motel. A gentle tap brought me back from the clutches of sleep. As I groggily exited the car, Juan's men followed suit.
"We'll be staying here for the night. The secret apartment is an hour away. We'll go back there tomorrow morning," Juan declared. His men nodded in understanding as we entered the motel to secure a room for the night.
Entering the room, Juan quickly noticed something amiss. "You're bleeding, Nia," he exclaimed, a blend of worry and fear etched across his face. His concern was evident as he gazed at me intently.
I managed a weak smile. "I'm okay, just having my period," I assured him, though the pain was evident in my voice.
"Do you need anything?" he asked, his concern palpable.
"I need medication and pads, but we're in the middle of nowhere, and it's late," I said, a tinge of frustration in my voice.
"There's a store nearby. I'll go get it for you," he offered, ready to leave the room.
"No, Juan, please don't leave me. We'll get it tomorrow," I pleaded desperately, not wanting him to go.
"Don't open the door for anyone except me," he instructed firmly before heading out, leaving me alone in the room.