Runaway

Delilah ran to the bathroom and washed her face in a hurry. She hadn't had time to take a shower because James Harristian wasn't someone who liked to wait. After cleaning herself up a bit, Delilah was ushered into James' room by Earth.

James was standing in front of a large window by a fireplace. Earth left Delilah with James as she walked into the room with timid steps. Delilah now stopped at the coffee table and continued to twist her fingers as she waited for James to speak.

After letting out a single sigh, James turned to face Delilah, who half guts to look at him.

"Do you have a way to pay off your debt?" James asked bluntly. Delilah was silent, then nodded. James didn't ask anymore. He raised his eyebrows.

"I will be your maid," Delilah responded. She was trying once again. Initially, Delilah's face slowly faded with a slight smile, and she lowered her shoulders even more. James looked at her sharply and coldly.

"You still haven't given up, have you? I told you I don't need more maids. Do you think I'm dumb?" Delilah shook her head. James strolled and scouted over her. Meanwhile, Delilah's feet seem to have a mind of their own. They automatically backed off.

"Stop… why you keep retreating!"

"Th-that's... You're the first to step forward," replied Delilah in a small shriek. James then tucked his hands in onto his side pants pockets.

"Your father and I have a deal. And it's not written on the paper. But he promised me something. If you don't have the money, you can pay in other forms," said James, still with the same cold expression. Delilah's look changed slowly.

"What way?" James' lips corner smirked sarcastically.

"Is it true that you are still a virgin?" James asked unabashedly. Delilah frowned at first, not understanding what he meant about it. Delilah nodded slowly, still trying to absorb his words.

"Then you can pay the debt by sleeping with me and being..." James' eyes scanned Delilah's body from top to bottom.

"My doll," continued James without pity.

Delilah gasped, and her eyes began to water. She did not think that her father sold her to pay off his debt.

"I'm not a whore, Mr. J," Delilah replied in a low tone and blurry eyes. James was stunned to see those blue eyes flashing sadness. But he wasn't a loving person, so James strained to care.

"I've never slept with a prostitute. The woman I slept with was only a virgin or a good one. I'm not going to sleep with a woman who changes partners unless I've made a mistake once. But that's not included." James explained haughtily. Delilah pursed her lips and held the emotion beneath her heart. James had compared her to prostitutes who sold their bodies for money.

"I will never sell my virginity!" said Delilah, half growling.

"Do I need to sell your organs to pay off your debt!" James growled quickly, threatening Delilah. Delilah was silent and swallowed her saliva. She took a few deep breaths to stay alive.

"I said I am not a man of mercy. I have no qualms about mutilating you and selling you on the black market. I reckon your body won't cost more than 70 thousand euros if I do it. You can't even cover the interest on your debt at all!" James taunted even more. Delilah could only stay silent and hold back her tears.

"I want to go to work. So I'm giving you some time to decide what it's like to pay off your debt. There are only two choices. To be my doll or sell your body parts on the black market. I don't care which one you choose." James then walked past Delilah and out of the room.

Delilah's tears instantly dropped, but she tried hard to hold back her sobs. In the end, she even became a puppet to satisfy a man's lust. Delilah didn't want her life to end like that. Oliver's words, her brother, suddenly came to her mind.

"Don't let that guy touch you, even if it's just the tips of your hair. Fight him. He's not a good person."

"What should I do against him, Oliver?" Delilah muttered while crying.

Meanwhile, James walked out of the mansion and got into his car. Today Grey will be his driver while Earth sits next to him.

"We will depart for Jakarta in three days, sir," said Earth giving his report. James just stared coldly outside the car.

"Did you guys find out where that bastard Mark Starley is?" James asked without looking at Grey nor Earth in front of him.

"Yes, sir. He returned to Pennsylvania. And I have ordered our men to bring him back here." Grey added his report.

"No need. I'm going to the US in a while. We'll take care of it there. Just keep spying on him. He will suffer the consequences of deceiving me," James stated in a low and casual tone.

"Just make sure my Candy doesn't come out of the mansion," continued James.

"Candy?" asked Earth to make sure he even turned back to look at James.

"I mean Delilah!" cut James so consciously.

"Yes, sir!" James hid a hint of embarrassment from his face. Earth glanced at Grey, who also did the same.

Inside the mansion, a maid named Lordes serves all of Delilah's needs. She was the waitress who cleared Delilah's cutlery last night.

"Is there anything else you need, Miss?" asked Lordes as soon as she finished serving Delilah breakfast. Delilah was perplexed, but then she shook her head. Her face was gloomy again as she stared at the food in front of her.

Delilah felt like a cow ready to be slaughtered. She was being fed for the next day to be killed. As she remembered that, Delilah again covered her face and cried. Lordes, who saw her, then approached and asked.

"I have to get out of here. I can't stay here!" Delilah pleaded to Lordes as if asking for her help. Lordes smiled sadly, but she couldn't help Delilah either.

"You'd better eat so that your body will be fresh again. If you need me, I'm in the kitchen," replied Lordes, not extending the conversation about Delilah's desire to leave the mansion.

Lordes finally left Delilah alone at the dinner table. Sobbing, Delilah cupped her hands and prayed. Not grateful for what God has given her but begging for a way out to escape from the mansion.

Delilah only chewed a few and tried to find a way out afterward. She took a shower and cleaned up, and then tried to go out for a walk in the park. But actually, Delilah's plan was for her to escape.

Dozens of men in suits guarded all corners of the mansion, and their eyes were watching Delilah. Delilah patiently waited. She pretended to be sitting in the garden holding the flowers. It turns out that near the side garden, a small door is almost invisible during the day if she ignores it.

Delilah got a few gaps and opportunities when a guard walked around then walked away from the garden. That's when Delilah slipped among some of the plants and exited through the small door. The door connects with a path that is quite far from the main road.

Delilah ran as fast as she could so she wouldn't be caught. Arriving at the road, she smiled as she stopped a taxi. Meanwhile, Earth reported that Delilah had run away to James. James instantly closed his laptop and walked out of the office while buttoning his suit.

"Where is she now?"

"She went back to her apartment. She plans to run away," Earth replied.

"What a ridiculous!" James cursed as he got into his car.

Delilah arrived at her apartment and then rushed into the room to take all her belongings. She planned to get as far away as possible from James Harristian.

Just unloading her suitcase, a few knocks sounded from the door. Instantly Delilah was scared and hesitated to open it. But the knocking wouldn't stop. Delilah settled down and then peeked out from behind the curtain. She eventually opened it.

"Stefano!" Delilah shrieked, then spontaneously hugged him. Stefano didn't return Delilah's. Instead, he shoved her away and went inside her apartment.

"I want you to pay my money!" Stefano blurted curtly.

"What money?"

"It is from the losses you've caused so far. Mr. Felipe's men are after me because you went with that man, and you didn't pay his debt!" Stefano replied, getting angrier. Stefano's brow then frowned. He saw something else in Delilah.

"Wait a minute, where did you get an expensive dress like that!" Delilah looked at herself and answered honestly.

"It's not mine. Mr. J gave it to me."

"Mr. J?"

"James Belgenza." Stefano immediately looked away.

"Now I understand… you are one of his mistresses, right?" pointed Stefano at Delilah. Delilah spontaneously shook her head.

"That is not true!"

"Then why would he give you expensive things if it wasn't because you had an affair with him!" Stefano accused, raising his voice even more.

"No, Stefano. I never betrayed you!" Delilah tried to persuade Stefano, but the man was yelling at her. He even pushed Delilah and kept accusing her of doing bad things behind his back. Suddenly the front door kicked, and James came in with some of his bodyguards.

Stefano, who initially argued with Delilah, was silent because James had come. Seeing another man in Delilah's apartment, James got jealous spontaneously. He grabbed Stefano's collar and punched his stomach.

"Who do you think you are to touch her!" James snapped at Stefano, who curled up on the floor in pain. James' gaze then turned to Delilah.

"You dared to run away… then you dare to face my punishment."