CHAPTER 46

Anna walked faster, almost tripping on the sidewalk as she stumbled around the street. Every second, her pace increased and the burden of thoughts urged her to run away from the cruel reality. But at that moment, there was something more important she had to do. I need to get to Raven and tell him everything.

Everything Austin told her. Raven had no idea that the person he worshipped everyday was the person who destroyed his entire life. Richard was the master mind of everything, even Areum's death, or precisely speaking, murder.

Austin's words were still floating around in her head as she headed forward with no intentions of turning back.

"I loved Areum since a long time but I could never tell her that. I kept a close check on her, everywhere she went. I was there the day she was discussing about their agreement with Richard. He signed a contract with Areum, including an NDA. The day after Areum died, I sneaked into her apartment and stole the agreement papers. I was not able to save her, Anna, but at least I can help to bring her justice. You should take this papers to Raven and tell him everything, before it's too late."

Anna clutched the sling bav tight, where the papers were. It wass too much take in, in one day but she had to take the  to Raven. Anyhow.

She took out her phone. He least she could do at the moment was to call Raven but her phone still showed just a dark screen. Shit.

A really really bad feeling rose anew within her. like something was wrong. And at that moment, everything seemed wrong.

Everything that Raven went through, wrong. Areum was killed, wrong. And Raven blamed himself for whatever happened, definitely wrong.

The bile was rising in her throat as she stepped in front of the mansion. Almost instantly, her brows ceased when she saw the guards missing from their positions at the gates. Stepping into the premises, she walked further towards the door which was oddly, wide open. Something is definitely wrong.

Anna gulped as various unpleasant scenarios started flashing in het mind of what could have possibly happened.

Shaking het head, she tried to brush off the feeling and stepped into the mansion through the open doors.

As soon as she was in, Anna gasped when she saw the glass table at the center in pieces, and beside that was a lady laying unconscious. Miss. Jones!

Anna's breath hitched in her throat and she tried to run up to her but a hand on her wrist, ceased her movements. Heart thumping in her throat and breathing short and ragged, she turned around to find the cruel dark eyes staring down at me with a wicked grin plastered across his face.

"Anna dear. I wasn't expecting you here, not now at least." Anna swallowed as Richard's grip tightened around het wrist.

"Anyways, what happens is for the best, isn't it? I seem to have a good luck today,"

Anna couldn't react as she blankly stared at him. He let go off her wrist and turned around, hands stuffed in his trouser pockets, standing tall in front of her.

"I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you. Would you like to hand it over to me? By yourself?" Anna gripped the sling bag which was around her shoulder.

He knows. He knows that I found out.

Anna furiously blinked, trying to find her equilibrium. What now? She had to just hand it iver to him, so that he didn't harm anyone, Raven. No, she couldn't let him have it. How did he even know?

Over the dead silence and no response, Richard turned around, eyes blazing and expressions alarming as he stretched his hand up. "I want the papers, Anna. I know you have it."

"No," she reflexively stepped back from him and soon heard his chuckling voice echoing around the room.

"What are you even going to do with it?" He grinned.

"I guess you'll know when it gets to Raven." Anna shot back and his grin died down. He didn't look calm and collected anymore.

"And what makes you think you'll get to him?" He raised a brow, a challenging look fleeting across his eyes.

That was her cue. Anna turned around ready to run away. But he grabbed the sling of the bag around her and yanked her back to him. "I don't think so darling."

Anna stepped away from him, clutching the other end of the bag. Richard dug into his pocket produced a shining, silver folded knife before snapping it open.

She looked at him wide eyes and struggling to snatch the bag from him when in a flash, he swung the knife at her. It stricked across her shoulder and sliced through her skin.

Anna cried in pain and the bag slipped away from her grasp as Richard snatched it away. Anna held onto her shoulder, as blood trickled down her arms and  the wound burned her flesh.

"Could have been easier, couldn't it?" Richard mocked as he stuffed his hands inside the bag and fished the papers out. His eyes scanned across the papers before a scoff slipped his mouth and the next moment he was shredding the papers into pieces.

"No!" Anna tried to stop him, reaching forward and that's when his hand came down across her face into a loud slap. Anna fell back across the floor, and winced, hand coming up to cup her cheek. It was burning, and she could taste the blood at the corner of her mouth.

"I'm sick of your nosey ass trying to dig into my matters. I knew I'd have to deal with you when I found out you had been going around with Mark. Searching for what? Evidence?"

He crouched down and painfully grabbed a fistful of her hair, "What else did you find out, huh?"

He brought the tip of the knife at her collarbone as the cold metal rested there. "Tell me."  The knife onto her skin until it pierced in and Ann cried out. "Tell me what you-"

"No. I wouldn't tell you. Even if you kill me today." He narrowed his eyes at her before he dragged the knife along her collarbone, cutting open the flesh. Anna cried out again as he let go off her hair and stood up, scoffing.

"Smart mouth. I wonder what it'd have to say when you see your lover boy up there." His eyes roamed upstairs and she followed his gaze, vision partially blurred due to the tears.

"Don't you want to meet you boyfriend? He is right upstairs, on the terrace. Comm'on." He simply said before putting the blood stained knife in his pocket and walked towards the stairs.

Raven is here? Anna had no time to think ovet the question as Richard moved, stepping over her ankle on purpose. Anna whimpered and fell back as he dug his grinded his heels over her legs and the stepped away.

"Comm'on, you don't wanna be late, do you?" He mocked before climbing away over the stairs.

Tears continuesly streamed down her face and blood seeped into her black top. The wounds burned and her ankle turned red, imprinting the pattern off his she heel.

Raven... Raven...

Anna tried to stand up. She had to get to Raven. If what he said was true and Raven was up stairs, then he was probably in a condition worse than herself. She stood up to my feet, stumbling and tripping but somehow made it to the stairs and dragged her feet over the steps. She didn't know how long it would be until her legs gave up.

Somehow, she didn't know how, but she made it up to the terrace. Blood continuesly oozed out of her shoulders and she could feel her flesh exposed to air. She held onto the door to the rooftop when she heard a familiar voice.

"Oh, the guest is here." Christine announced just when she stumbled in through the door and her heart ached at the sight in front of her.

Raven was on his knees, his hands tied up over him across an iron pole that extended out from the wall. His head was ducked down, and his usual white shirt stained in blood. Anna stumbled in, tripping on her way and almost fell face forward.

She just wanted to get to him. If it was to end this way, she wanted it to be beside him. In his arms.