Chapter 532: Nothing Like Him

Cylus was waiting for director Mire to return when he heard President Lee's voice. He believed that Lisa was arguing with her boyfriend, so he went to let the fighting couple know that they were in a place of business. The way President Lee had shouted for Lisa to 'shut up' made Cylus sick, and he once again regretted talking to Mina and Olivia the way he had.

"Who is shouting in here?" Cylus was focused on preserving his business, but when he saw Mina being held against a wall, he lost it. Cylus rushed into the room ready to attack President Lee regardless of the consequences, but CEO Zane stopped him.

"Cylus wait, that isn't Mina." Cylus was in no mood for games. He pulled away from the man and charged again, but Zane grabbed him from behind. "Calm down. Look closely." Cylus spared a single second for the nonsense he was being asked to do and was shocked.

"Who are you?" he asked. The woman went to repeat her name, but the grip on her neck tightened. "Wait," Cylus shouted. "Sadie?" President Lee released the woman, almost in fear. The woman looked nothing like him, but years had gone by and Cylus wondered if maybe her features had changed.

"Sadie was my older sister." Ian grabbed the woman by her collar, less aggressive than he had been, but tight enough to intimidate.

"If you don't tell us who you are, I will-"

"Where is Mina?" Zane interjected. He did not care for threats; his friend was missing.

----

Mina was pinned beneath Ren and the floor. Her whole body was trembling, and she was having trouble breathing, but she forced herself to stay awake, not wanting to faint in a locked room with the man. Mina knew he had intentions, she could hear them in his words and in his 'loving' tone.

"You killed my sister."

"I DID NOT!" he shouted, making Mina let out a loud whimper.

"Shh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Soren kissed the side of Mina's face and she shifted, trying to push him off. "Mina, I've gotten help. I know how to treat you now." Soren slowly lifted himself, and when Mina tried to scramble away, he grabbed her ankle. "Please don't. You won't survive a fall from this high." Mina hugged her legs in response.

While Mina sat, her mind went into overdrive. She had told President Lee about Ren, he then found the man, and she had stupidly walked into his trap. What were the odds that their meetings with Miss Lisa overlapped? Mina's mind continued to spiral into conspiracies and the more she thought about it, the more she believed her own thoughts.

'He did this on purpose,' Mina thought. 'He wants to embarrass me, he wants to embarrass Cylus, he wants to make Miss Lisa feel secure.' Soren was staring at Mina, all too familiar with what he was seeing in her, and he wondered if his family had locked her in an institution as well.

"You don't like being behind locked doors." Mina did not respond. She started muttering to herself rocking back and forth, and Soren cursed himself for reminding her. "It may take time, but it will get better. If you want, I will remove every door in my apartment for you." Soren reached out to rub the side of Mina's head and the woman screamed.

"Don't touch me!" Soren froze, he had never seen Mina angry; ever, and rage filled him. Someone had broken something precious to him and they had ruined her. He tried to pull her in close, but Mina kicked out against him, making him use more force than he intended, which ripped her blouse. "No! Stop!" she shouted in panic.

"I'm not going to hurt you; I just want to hug you." Soren was still pulling Mina closer when the door flew open. He did not even notice the man charging him, because his eyes went straight to his Mina, who was being held by her arm and hair. A body crashed into his and a scuffle ensued.

Mina used the opportunity to stand, chuckling in disbelief as she surveyed the people who had barged in as if they were there to 'save' her. Her eyes fell on a woman, who looked too much like her, and she gagged. She had heard Soren shouting 'let Mina go' but she had only just realized he was not talking about her. Even worse was that the woman was dressed in an oversize school uniform, the same one that she used to wear.

"Mina," President Lee called out. His hands were extended toward her, and she responded by screaming as loudly as she could. Not words, just a loud shrill because it was the only thing she could get out. She stared at the shocked faces of the people, who stood frozen, staring at her as she laughed cynically.

"You two are perfect for each other." Mina pointed to President Lee and Miss Lisa. "You two have outdone yourselves." She started a slow clap before she pushed her way out of the office. President Lee tried to grab her, but she violently shrugged away. "Don't touch me and don't come any closer," she shouted at the man who stopped trying to approach.

Mina walked backward as she spoke, and when she felt she had placed enough distance between herself and President Lee, she dashed out the fire exit, and used the panic lock to stop the man from following her. She fled down the stairs, falling multiple times in her haste, but she did not stop until she made it to the main lobby. She ran out of the building, on the verge of another panic attack because she had seen President Lee come out of an adjacent stairwell, and she knew he had seen her.

Mina ran as fast as she could, dipping into the closest dumpster alley, but she ended up being caught. She struggled against President Lee, who was begging her to calm down, but she could not. She needed to get out, she needed to be free, she had to get away, even if she had to die to do it. She pushed away from the man, who let her go with his hands held up as if he meant no harm.

"President Lee, what do you want from me? Why did you bring that man? Has not enough happened to me? I said I was sorry, what more do you want? Just tell me." Mina did not even care that people walking by were looking at her. She had to get how she felt out.

"Mina, that man is sick. I wouldn't have-"

"Sick? He is sick?" Ian's face contorted, because he knew Mina was indirectly comparing him to the man he knew she was terrified of.

"Mina, I am nothing like him."

"No president Lee, you are not. You are much worse. Ren may have scared me, but he never did what you did to me."

"Mina."

"Don't say my name like that. Do not call out to me as if you are sorry. I know you are not. You tortured me physically and mentally. You Ra-" Ian dashed forward and blocked Mina's mouth, making the woman shiver in fear.

"Mina, I am not that kind of man. We were both drugged and I know that I hurt you, but not like that. Please believe me." He removed his hand, knowing that the woman had something to say and regardless of if he wanted to hear it or not, he would let her.

"I will never be that stupid again," Mina replied. President Lee was still holding onto her, almost as if he were giving her a comforting hug, but it only served to frighten her further. Her mind was screaming at her to get away, to run, but she was tired of running. Mina looked up at his face and just as she expected his gaze darkened as he cursed loudly and pushed her away violently.