The dining hall was silent, the atmosphere thick with dread. The entire chef's body 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.
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.
"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.
"I saw the anonymous post!" Rose exclaimed.
Naomi raised an eyebrow. "What anonymous post?"
Her heart raced as she listened to Rose's voice, tinged with urgency.
"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 if she had gone, 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's body shivered. She couldn't believe what Rose was saying. "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. "I'm not at the reverend school; I'm getting married."
Rose's shocked silence echoed in Naomi's ears before she 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 stifling room. "I have an escape plan."
"Now video call me! Turn this into a video call!" Rose insisted, her voice insistent.
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?"
"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.
"Oh my goodness! Now, what's the plan? Where are you right now?"
"I'm at Reed Mansion.'
"Oh my God, Naomi! Are you telling me this is Zylan Reed's mansion?" Naomi nodded.
"Oh my goodness! Zylan Reed, the multimillionaire?" Rose gasped, her eyes wide with shock.
Naomi nodded again, and Rose finally spoke up, "So what's the plan?"
"The plan is for you to come by 10—10 at night."
Rose nodded, her determination palpable.
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," Naomi said, her heart pounding with excitement .
Rose had no idea how many times she had said "Oh my God." She was too stunned; it was the only phrase that came to mind.
"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 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.
"Miss Naomi, are you okay? Please, could you come eat?" Rhea's soft voice cut through Naomi's anxiety.
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.
"If you're thinking about Mr Zylan, he left for work earlier," Rhea said, trying to be helpful.
Naomi's body stilled. Of course, what had she been expecting? Did she think he would follow her back? She nodded and walked to the dining room, eating silently as her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of hope.
"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.
Naomi smiled inwardly, feeling a flicker of hope. 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.
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.
As night deepened, her phone buzzed with a call from Rose.
"Naomi, I'm here!" Rose's voice crackled with excitement.