Olivia pov…..
With a jolt, I opened my eyes, instantly regretting it as a sharp pain shot through my head. My hand instinctively went to my temple, trying to soothe the throbbing. Had I banged my head against something? Or had I been attacked while I was sleeping?
As the fog in my mind lifted, I took in the room around me. But as my eyes focused, I began to wonder what the hell I was doing here. Then it all came rushing back – the events of the day before, and the reason I'd found myself in this strange room.
My thoughts began to race as I recalled the last thing I'd heard before blacking out – the guard in the dark room had mentioned a "new home". Was this what he meant? Or was I simply grasping at straws? The room was so small, and the door was locked from the outside. I could only conclude that I must have been drugged, and then brought here. The wine, that was it. That's what must have knocked me out.
"Where am I?" I screamed, panic gripping me as I realized that I was trapped. "Is anyone there? Can anyone help me?!" I yelled, hoping that someone would hear me and come to my aid. But the only response was the eerie silence that surrounded me. I cursed under my breath, feeling more and more helpless by the minute.
"Will you shut up already, you crazy lunatic?" I heard a familiar voice say, and I froze. It was the guard, the same one who had locked me in here. A sense of dread washed over me as I realized I was at his mercy.
"Please, you have to let me go! I promise I won't tell anyone, I won't say a word to anyone, not even my husband. Just let me go, please!" I pleaded, my voice cracking with desperation. But his face remained cold and unmoved. In fact, a cruel smirk crossed his lips, and I knew my pleas had fallen on deaf ears.
"Oh, my dear," he said, his voice sickly sweet. "You are such a beautiful creature, but I must do what I must to survive. And that means I have to put an end to you, right here and now." He reached into his pocket, his eyes never leaving mine. My heart stopped,"Oh, my dear," he said, his voice sickly sweet.
"You are such a beautiful creature, but I must do what I must to survive. And that means I have to put an end to you, right here and now." He reached into his pocket, his eyes never leaving mine. My heart stopped, my blood ran cold, and I knew I was in serious trouble.
"No, please!" I cried, my voice trembling with fear. "Please, you can't hurt me. I haven't done anything wrong!" But my pleas fell on deaf ears. He advanced on me, a twisted smile on his face.
"What makes you think I wouldn't hurt you?" he snarled, his anger growing with every word. "Do you think you can pay my bills? Do you think you can send my children to school?" He was right, of course. I was penniless and helpless. I couldn't help him in any way, no matter how much I wanted to.
"You see," he continued, "you are of no use to me. You are a pretty thing, but without a penny to your name, you are worthless. A beauty without brains, taking up space in this world. And I have a job to do, a job that requires me to remove you from the picture." His voice was cold and callous, but it was his words that sent a shiver down my spine.
"What do you mean by 'carry out your assignment'?" I asked, my voice sharp and insistent. "What are you planning to do?" He smiled, his expression cruel and calculating.
"You're so naïve," he said, a cruel laugh escaping his lips. "Can't you see what's going on here? I'm not going to let you leave this room alive. It would ruin everything." My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt my knees start to shake. I knew he meant what he said. I was in real danger.
"What do you mean, 'how does my living or not stop a plan'?" I sputtered. "You have no idea what you're talking about! How can you be so clueless?" He laughed again, his laughter harsh and mocking. "You really are stupid, aren't you? If you leave this room, you'll tell everyone what's going on here. You'll ruin everything."
"Oh, you're so naïve!" he sneered. "Let me enlighten you. The person you call my boss is impersonating you, taking your place as your husband's wife. And you're no longer needed. You see, if you leave here, you will tell people what's going on, and then I will be in danger. So it's better to just end it here and now." A malicious grin spread across his face, and I felt a chill run down my spine.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My head was spinning as I tried to process what he was saying. So, the woman who looked just like me was impersonating me, and taking my place in my husband's life. And if I didn't play along, I would be killed. It was too much to take in. I couldn't wrap my head around it.
"You can't be serious!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling with anger and disbelief. "You can't kill me just to further your own agenda! That's insane!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could he be so callous, so cold-blooded?
"Stupid woman," he scoffed, clapping his hands. I jumped as two burly men burst into the room. They looked like bodyguards, and I knew I was in big trouble. My heart was pounding as they stood there, blocking the door, their faces expressionless. I was trapped.
"Tie her up and take her to the cliff," he barked, before turning on his heel and walking out of the room. I felt a surge of panic as I was left alone with the two guards. What was going to happen to me? Would they really throw me off a cliff? I couldn't let that happen. I had to find a way out of this.
"Please, don't hurt me!" I begged, my voice shaking with fear. "I promise I won't ruin your plan. I'll do whatever you want." But they ignored me, going about their business as if I wasn't even there. I watched in horror as they bound me with ropes, a knot tightening around my wrists and ankles. Then, they covered my mouth with a gag and hit my head against the wall. The world went black.
...….
The incessant rattling of metal jarred me awake. I squinted, trying to adjust to the dim light as I looked around me. I was in some sort of moving vehicle, a truck maybe, judging by the way it jostled and shook as it rolled over the uneven ground. I could feel the rope still binding my wrists and ankles, and the gag over my mouth. I was terrified. Where were they taking me?
Slowly, I lifted my head and tried to rub my eyes, but I couldn't move my hands. That's when I realized once more that I was still bound. Everything came rushing back to me – the guard's last words, the men who had tied me up, the blow to my head that sent me into darkness. I felt a surge of panic as I realized I was in serious trouble.
Suddenly, there was a loud thud and a searing pain in my head. I cried out in agony, the pain excruciating. My head felt like it was on fire. I tried to cry for help, but then I remembered that I was gagged. I took in my surroundings, trying to assess my situation. I was in the back of a truck, and I could hear men's voices in the distance. And then I smelled cigarette smoke.
The guard's words echoed in my mind, "We're going to throw you off a cliff, so you can't ruin the plan." Was that what was happening? Were they really taking me to a cliff to kill me? I felt a wave of terror wash over me. I had to find a way out. But how?
"We're here," one of the men announced, as the truck came to a stop. "Let's get her out so we can throw her off the cliff," I heard another one say, and my heart sank. I was sure I was about to die.
The next thing I knew, the door of the truck flew open, and blinding light poured in. I felt strong hands grab me, and I was dragged out into the light. My eyes adjusted to see three men standing around me, their faces masked and their eyes hard. They carried me towards the edge of a cliff, and I struggled in vain, my muffled screams going unheard. "This is the end for you," one of them said, and then I was tossed off the cliff. I closed my eyes and waited for death to claim me.