So is this how I will die? I never imagined leaving this world this way but I was 100% certain I was about to die as the vehicle wasn't slowing down and it came so close to me, it's deadly large tyres staring at me in the face and out of fear I closed my eyes anticipating that painful moment the vehicle tyres would run pass my head and crush my skull and brain into bits of blood and brain cells…
I felt a force on me that made my heart cut..but it wasn't on my head that I had expected, rather it was on my body and the force wasn't painful. It felt like I was being picked up from the ground but in a very fast and swift motion. Everything happened in an instant, not even up to a second.
I opened up my eyes and was left shocked to see I was in the arms of a man and when I looked at his face I saw it was Marcel.
What's going on? Nothing made sense and when I took a look at my surroundings I saw we were at a safe distance away from the road and I could see the back of the truck that was supposed to crush me into pieces moving away.
What just happened??
I was just staring at him trying to understand what just transpired. One moment ago I was about to be crushed by a speeding truck and the next I was in his arms. How is that possible? And what is more shocking is that he was nowhere near the scene. How did he get to me before the truck ran over me?
So many questions ran into my mind but I don't really have an answer to any of them.
"What do you think you are doing?" He frowned as he dropped me down from his arms, his face reflecting his anger.
"I..I" I really couldn't speak. I was still in shock.
I almost died. I saw my very own life flash before my eyes and then miraculously I was saved and now instead of feeling grateful of being alive I am left with a million questions of how am I still alive. It's crazy really..
Marcel was still standing there frowning at me, perhaps waiting for me to answer his question; however, all I could think of was for him to answer the questions in my head.
"How? How were you able to get to me in time before I was run over by the truck?" I asked searching into his eyes for answers but he was calm like the windless sea.
"I was right behind you," he answered simply but I knew that was a lie. There was no one behind me. Definitely not him.
"No..no you weren't" I said.
"Then how did I get to you on time if I was not behind you?" He said raising his brow, making me sound stupid like I don't know what I was saying..
I myself, I started to doubt my own memory. Maybe he was behind me because he was making sense. How could he have gotten to me on time if he wasn't behind me? But I am sure I saw no one near me.
This was really confusing and I was starting to have a headache trying to solve the complex mystery.
"I..I don't know," I stuttered.
"I do not have time for your childish game. We are returning back home now," he said with finality then turned around, walking away into the building.
I was left alone but instead of trying to escape I followed him from behind.
Trying to escape had almost cost me my life. I won't be trying it the second time. Maybe I wasn't destined to escape today. I will try to escape another day, definitely not today…
"We are leaving," I overheard him say to Eden who was busy dancing with his girlfriend Jane.
"Why?" Eden asked.
"I will tell you later," Marcel simply replied and Eden nodded.
"Come on let's go," Eden said to his girlfriend who looked disappointed.
My head was still busy processing the whole thing that happened earlier on as I watched Marcel and Eden engage in a discussion with the bride, Kate and her husband Jackson for a few minutes before they embraced and started coming to meet me.
I had my eyes on Marcel and he still had that disapproving look on his face when he looked at my direction. Something is telling me he hasn't forgiven me for trying to escape and he will punish me for it but I don't know what sort of punishment he had planned for me.
Without saying a word he walked past me.
"Come on let's go," Jane said to me and I went with her and the rest...
While in the limo heading home.
"Do you know why Marcel asked us to leave the party so early?" Jane asked with a hint of sadness and confusion in her voice.
"I.." I thought about telling her the truth that it was because of me but I decided not to at the end.
"I do not know," I lied and the questions from Jame stopped with my answer but I could see Marcel staring at me from where he sat.
My voice was very low. He couldn't possibly have heard me from where he sat, could he?
His eyes were cold like I was the person he hated most in this world and it was quite scary but If he hated me this much then why did he save my life? He should have allowed the truck to squash me into a million pieces.
The journey back to his mansion was long and quiet and so as to avoid his intimidating, soul torturing gaze I turned my face to the window, observing the environment outside of the vehicle.
The sun was already beginning to set and the rain had stopped falling. Unlike in the morning where the roads and streets were scanty now it is busy and bubbling with people walking freely on the side of the roads and streets and my eyes were busy studying all of their faces as a way to distract me from my thoughts but it wasn't enough.
The scene of the truck moving towards me in full force keeps playing in my mind over and over again and I just knew that I should have died. There was no way I could have survived that, there was no way anyone could save me from that truck at that speed and that close distance it was to me but here I am alive....
When they arrived at the mansion, Marcel and Eden engaged in a heated discussion inside Marcel's chamber.
"You were supposed to be keeping an eye on her," Marcel said calmly but there was a trace of anger in his tone.
"I was," Eden replied, his voice lacking boldness.
"Then how did she end up in the middle of the road?" Marcel's face squeezed into a frown.
"I...I don't know but. I swear I was keeping my eyes on her. I guess I must have taken my eyes off her for a few seconds," Eden said and he couldn't understand why Marcel was so mad as clearly Ella's plan of escaping failed.
Eden didn't know that a truck almost ran over Ella and that Marcel saved her; that's because Marcel chose not to tell him about it.
"Just for a few seconds?" Marcel's frown became tighter.
"I told you to keep your eyes on her, at all times. She was your responsibility and you let me down," Marcel looked furious and that kinda scared and also confused Eden.
"Listen man, I am sorry. I know you asked me to watch over her and I fucked up but you can't put all the blame on me. What about your men? They were supposed to have seen her escaping plus I don't know why you are overly worked up about this. It's not like she escaped or something," Eden said, but Marcel's expression became darkened.
"Do not give me excuses and own up to your faults. If it was another person who did this I would have them whipped" he said, then took some steps and sat down.
"You are right. I fucked up. I am sorry. I take all the blame and full responsibility for this but can you tell me this? Why is she here? Ella. Why did you purchase her from that thug, Elijah? I know you have said it's your money so you can do whatever you want with it and I agree with you but why keep her? I am asking because I don't see any purpose she is serving for you so far so why don't you want to set her free?" Eden said and Marcel went silent for a few seconds before standing up.
He walked forward and stood right in front of Eden
"Do you really want to know my reason why I purchased her from her abductors?" He asked, staring deep into his eyes, that Eden became intimidated.
Eden had known Marcel since he was 5 years old and Marcel 8 years old. They both grew up in the same orphanage home together alongside Kate who was 6 years at that time. The three of them became friends, even family, as Marcel acted like their senior brother from the very day they arrived at the orphanage home. He protected and looked out for them like they were his family so the three developed a strong bond. However even though they share a brotherly bond there were days Eden was terrified of Marcel.
The things Eden had seen Marcel do sometimes scared him because they were feats that seemed impossible for a normal human being to be able to do.
Like one time when Eden was 10 years old and Kate was 11 years. They were playing outside the orphanage home when they were harassed by a group of grown up boys and Marcel, who was 13 years old at that time, beat up the gang of four boys so badly. The boys were bigger and older than Marcel but he handled them like they were toys.
17, 18 and 19 years old boys getting manhandled by a 13 year old all at once? It sounds impossible but that was what exactly happened that day.
Eden can never forget what happened that day and it wasn't only that day there were several other occasions where Marcel did things that showed his superhuman strength and agility that made Eden question his eyes. If he saw right? However he continued to stick with Marcel as Marcel had never harmed him or Kate before and always protected them whenever they were in trouble and something in Marcel's eyes told Eden that Marcel himself was also taken aback by his own strength and abilities so he never really discussed about the strange things Marcel could do and why he could do them. Eden just accepted that Marcel was just different, special and didn't bother to find out why..
"Yes. Yes I would like to know," Eden answered and an almost sinister smile touched Marcel's lips.
Turning around Marcel took a few steps backwards before he started speaking.
"The reason why I am keeping her here is to teach her a cruel and unforgiven lesson. That she is nothing, meaningless and worthless," Marcel said and Eden could see the hate in Marcel's eyes even though he appeared calm.
He has never seen Marcel this way and he wondered what Ella could have done to him that would have made Marcel so upset he would scheme up with a devious plan to punish her.
"But..why?" He asked to get answers to his questions.
"Why not? She had the audacity to insult me? She rubbished and ridiculed me by classifying me with that thug Elijah and his worthless men. She called me useless and undesirable. Stating she prefers to choose death instead of being with me," he said then a wicked smile formed on his face.
"But you know what? When I am done with what I have in-store for her she would be the one begging and pleading shamelessly for me to be inside her. For her to be my slut. She would confess how worthless and pathetic her life is as she would crave for my touch uncontrollably but then I will deny her that, reminding her, her very own statement then. I will tell her I would rather lay with the wild dogs than touch her body because it's the most disgusting sight in the world not worthy enough even to the wild dogs and hyenas before casting her out into the darkness, out of my mansion where she would live the rest of her life feeling worthless and empty and undesirable," Marcel ended.
Eden was left shocked at Marcel's plan for Ella that he became almost terrified that Marcel could think of such a cruel and evil punishment. Yes, Marcel can be vicious and ruthless but never cruel and diabolical. This was the first time Eden would be seeing this side of Marcel and it scared him more than the show of superhuman strengths and skills he had seen him showcase before in the past...