The dining hall was silent, the atmosphere thick with dread. The entire staff's bodies shivered as they looked around, knowing that they were all doomed. They were all fired; their fates were sealed.
Naomi stormed into her room, the weight of the day pressing down on her. She desperately needed to escape this cruel place. Maybe going to the reverend school would have been better; at least it would bring her closer to God—not this life filled with suffocating expectations and unbearable pain. At least there, she'd have some semblance of purpose, some sense of relief from the crushing weight of her parents' expectations.
She immediately grabbed her phone and locked the door behind her. With a trembling hand, she called Rose.
One ring. Two rings. Finally, Rose picked up.
"Hello? Naomi? How are you doing?" Rose's voice was frantic. "What's going on?"
"Rose, why are you—what happened?" Naomi struggled to catch up with her best friend's rapid-fire questions. Her breath was shallow, her chest tight. She had to steady herself before speaking.
"Are you okay? I didn't see you—"
"Rose, please, can you calm down? What's going on?" Naomi interrupted, her heart racing in her chest, the sound pounding in her ears. She could feel herself unraveling, but she forced herself to take control.
"I saw the anonymous post!" Rose exclaimed.
Naomi raised an eyebrow. "What anonymous post?"
Her heart raced again, but this time, it was for an entirely different reason. The urgency in Rose's voice sent a shiver down her spine.
"It's about your parents. Your mom is in the hospital; she collapsed. And your dad is in the psychiatric hospital too."
Naomi's world crumbled around her. Despite how horrible her parents had been to her, they were still family. She couldn't deny the pain in her chest or the guilt creeping in. What if she had really gone to the reverend school? Maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this. Right now, her family was making headlines.
"Right now, your family members are the recent news on Hellogram," Rose continued, her voice breaking through Naomi's swirling thoughts. Naomi could hardly believe what she was hearing. The weight of the words felt like a heavy stone crushing her chest.
Naomi's body shivered. She couldn't believe what Rose was saying. It was too much. "Naomi, please, where are you? I came to your house but couldn't find you. None of the servants could tell me where you went. I tried calling, but you didn't answer. Please, where are you?"
Naomi took a deep breath, grounding herself. She couldn't let herself collapse again—not now, not when things were already spiraling. "I'm not at the reverend school; I'm getting married."
Rose's shocked silence echoed in Naomi's ears. Naomi could hear the distant sound of her best friend's breath before she finally shouted, "What? Don't tell me this is your parents' doing again!"
Naomi nodded, her voice trembling. "Yes, it is. And I want to escape."
"That's my girl!" Rose replied, her tone shifting to one of encouragement. "Finally, you can speak for yourself. Where are you? I'll come and get you right now!"
Naomi hesitated for a moment, glancing around her lavish yet suffocating room. She had to escape—had to get out of here. "I have an escape plan."
"Now video call me! Turn this into a video call!" Rose insisted, her voice growing more insistent. She was always the one to take charge when things got messy, and right now, Naomi felt a wave of gratitude toward her best friend.
Naomi quickly declined the call and switched to video.
"Oh my God, Naomi! Where is this place? It looks like a freaking castle! Where are you?" Rose's eyes went wide with disbelief, her voice cracked with shock. Naomi could almost see her jaw drop through the phone.
"Is this your room? Don't tell me this is your room!" Rose exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief as she took in the opulence surrounding Naomi. The fine silk curtains, the crystal chandeliers, the marble floors—it was all so grand, and yet, Naomi felt like she was suffocating under its weight.
"Oh my goodness! Now, what's the plan? Where are you right now?" Rose asked, her voice shaking with a mix of excitement and concern.
"I'm at Reed Mansion."
"Oh my God, Naomi! Are you telling me this is Zylan Reed's mansion?" Naomi nodded, feeling her breath hitch as she confirmed it.
"Oh my goodness! Zylan Reed, the multimillionaire?" Rose gasped, her eyes wide with shock. She had heard of Zylan Reed, of course—who hadn't? The man was everywhere. But hearing Naomi say it like this was something entirely different.
Naomi nodded again, and Rose finally spoke up, her voice more controlled, but still filled with urgency. "So what's the plan?"
"The plan is for you to come by 10—10 at night."
Rose nodded quickly, her determination palpable. "I'll be there. I'm coming for you, Naomi."
Naomi continued. "I'll send you the picture of the escape plan from my notes."
"Good, now send it right away. I'll calculate everything," Rose said, her voice sharp with focus, even as her excitement buzzed through the words.
Naomi smiled faintly, her heart racing. She had no idea how many times Rose had said "Oh my God." She was too stunned; it was the only phrase that came to mind. Rose was one of the few people Naomi trusted with everything—and right now, it felt like she needed her more than ever.
"How many hours does it take to reach here?" Rose asked, urgency creeping into her voice.
"Come by 9; you'll reach by 10."
"Great! Now send it!" Rose urged, her enthusiasm infectious. Naomi felt a spark of hope, a flicker of possibility in her chest that had been extinguished for so long. Maybe, just maybe, she could escape.
Naomi nodded and switched off the call. Just as she began to formulate her plan, she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to find Rhea standing there, a concerned look etched on her face. Naomi's stomach churned at the sight of her.
"Miss Naomi, are you okay? Please, could you come eat?" Rhea's soft voice cut through Naomi's anxiety, pulling her back to the present.
Naomi shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'm not hungry."
Just then, her stomach growled, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. How humiliating, especially at that moment. Of course her body had to betray her, reminding her that she was still human, still in need of basic things like food, even as everything else around her fell apart.
"If you're thinking about Mr. Zylan, he left for work earlier," Rhea said, trying to be helpful, as though her words could ease the storm inside Naomi's chest.
Naomi's body stilled. Of course, what had she been expecting? Did she think he would follow her back? Did she think he cared about her in that way? Her chest tightened, and her mind raced with conflicting thoughts.
She nodded silently and walked to the dining room, eating in silence as her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of hope. It was a strange kind of luxury that she couldn't quite enjoy. How could she, when everything around her was suffocating her?
"Rhea, when will Zylan be coming back?" she asked quietly, hoping for some good news.
"He said he'll be back in three days," Rhea replied, her voice gentle, almost soothing.
Naomi smiled inwardly, feeling a flicker of hope. Three days. That was something. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to make her escape. Things were about to change. But then she realized that the three days aligned with the day of her wedding. Oh, what a shame.
Naomi had never felt this happy before—finally free, with her best friend Rose by her side. They were going to visit various amusement parks, just as they had always wished. She needed to experience life outside her parents' cage, outside this mansion that felt like a second prison, aside from the house where they had kept her trapped for fear that her reputation would be tarnished.
As the day wore on, Naomi noticed a small back gate at the rear of the mansion, where the servants usually passed when going out. She observed that they often left the key under the carpet. Her plan was coming together perfectly. It was almost too easy.
As night fell, Rhea spoke up, her voice filled with warmth. "Hope you sleep well. Enjoy your night," she said, bowing respectfully before leaving. It was time for Naomi to begin her escape.
She walked to her room, opened the cupboard, and quickly grabbed a black maxi skirt and a fitted top. After taking a quick bath, she packed her hair into a tight bun, though a few strands fell loose. It wasn't a problem; she was ready for her new life. Her heart pounded with excitement and fear in equal measure.
As night deepened, her phone buzzed with a call from Rose.
"Naomi, I'm here!" Rose's voice crackled with excitement, her words tumbling out quickly as if she couldn't wait a second longer.
Naomi took a deep breath, and as she prepared to finally leave the life that had held her captive for so long, she replied with conviction, "I'm ready."