CHAPTER 17

After what happened to Catherine and Matthew that night, she became more awkward toward him. She wanted to become invisible every time he was there. It never crossed her mind that she could do such an embarrassing thing in her life. She can't even look at his eyes anymore. Every time he was near her, all she did was avoid his eyes and pretended that she was busy doing something. Catherine wonders how he can act cool and normal as if those heated kisses didn't happen to them, while she can't even take it off inside her mind for even a second.

Catherine cursed under her breath while looking outside the window. She and Matthew are now heading toward the mall to shop for the thing she needs for school. He asked him through text if he can only send her other bodyguard to drop her to the mall instead of him because she still feels uncomfortable around him, but he was the one who arrived and drove her toward the mall. Catherine wanted to scream at him, but she was afraid that he'll only confront her about what happened that night, and she was sure, she was going to die of embarrassment if that happened. So instead of screaming at him, she just shut up her mouth to avoid that thing from happening.

Catherine heaved a sigh and just pretended that Matthew was not around, 12 centimeters away beside her. But every time her eyes passed through the rearview mirror, she got a glimpse of his face, and what happened between them, will replay inside her mind.

She groaned and facepalm her face, which turned into a deep shade of red, and, she bites her lower lips when she remembers how sweet and soft his lips are when it touches her lips "Oh my god, I'm daydreaming with the guy beside me." Catherine thought, hitting her head.

Matthew looks back at her wondering what she was doing. Catherine gasped when she saw him looking at her. She quickly straightened up in her seat and looked away blushing pretending that she was enjoying the scenery outside the window. Matthew frowned but returned his gaze to the road. Catherine inhales and exhales, to calm herself, avoiding looking at Matthew to forget the dirty thought inside her mind.

After one hour of driving, they arrived in front of the mall. Catherine quickly gets out of the car, as if her butt is on fire, and lets out a sigh of relief. Finally, she's away from the temptation, that will bring her into another embarrassing moment, but Matthew also stepped out of the car following after her.

"Just wait for me at the parking lot, I'll call you when I'm done." She said hoping that he'll not argue anymore.

"I'll go with you, "Matthew answered.

"I want to shop alone, can you let me, just this once," Catherine said annoyed.

Matthew heaved a sigh... "Okay! one hour, if you don't come out after that I'll go in." He said and went inside the car to park it.

Catherine sighed. "One hour, maybe it's enough to calm my raging hormones." she thought, shaking her head, disappointed in herself for being like this toward him, even though he was cold toward her. She trudges inside the mall. "One hour, what the hell, what can I buy with that time?" Catherine thought, cursing under her breath when she remembered the reason why she was in the mall in the first place. She hissed and hurriedly went to the school supplies section and quickly picked everything she needed. In a hurry, she bumped into someone causing all the things she was carrying to fly into the air and she fell onto the ground.

"Sorry!! A male voice said. She looked up and he saw a guy in front of her. He crouched down and started picking up her things.

"It's okay, It's my fault for not looking my way," she answered and helped him to pick her things up. The guy smiled at her sweetly and handed her things.

"Thank you," Catherine said, smiling at him.

"You are welcome, by the way, I'm Zumi." He said, smiling, extending his hand for a handshake.

"I'm Catherine ." She said smiling and shook his hand. "You're not Korean?

"Yeah, I'm Japanese, I just arrived here a few days ago." He answered smiling.

"Nice to meet you, Zumi, but I have to go, I'm running out of time," Catherine said and politely excused herself. She quickly went to the counter and paid for the things she shops.

"She's heading out, wait for her at the exit, don't let her slip away."

Catherine was hurriedly walking toward the exit, while she dialed Matthew's number. "I'm coming out." She said as soon as Matthew answered his phone then hung up.

She stepped out of the mall and stood beside the driveway and waited for Matthew. Not far away, she saw Matthew's car approaching her, but a black van stopped in front of her and pulled her inside, covering her mouth. Catherine's eyes widened in shock, she struggled from the guy's tight hold but to no avail. She looks back at Matthew's car with fear in her eyes, but she was shoved inside it and the van drove off.

"Ahhh... let me go!!!! She screamed, flailing her hands while looking back at Matthew's car. He saw him step out of his car and run toward them but the van was already moving away.

"Matt !!!! Matt !!!! Help me!!! She screamed and tried to open the car, but one of the guys slapped her. Catherine cried, holding her face, scared.

***

Matthew was already approaching Catherine when a black van cut in his way and stopped in front of her. His eyes widened when he saw two men come out and pulled her inside.

Matthew cursed and quickly got out of his car and ran toward them, but the van already started moving. Matthew feels fear for the first time after twenty years of not feeling it.

He hurriedly runs back to his car and calls his men who were just around.

"Follow that van and make sure you won't lose it, or I'll kill all of you!!!!! '' he screamed and hung up.

"He hurriedly followed the direction where the van was heading, while hitting his steering wheel.

"I shouldn't let her go alone," he murmured under his breath. He spotted the van three cars away from him. He stepped on his gas pedal speeding his car toward it but the van turned right before he could get near them. He cursed and turned right but a ten-wheeler truck crossed his way.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck.... he cursed hitting his steering wheel with his palm. his heart is pounding inside his chest, which makes his breath uneven. As soon as the truck passed, he quickly stepped on the accelerator, he looked ahead of him but he couldn't find the van anymore.

"Shit! where did it go?' He cursed while looking around but found nothing. His hand started to tremble in fear for Catherine. Different scenarios were running through his mind.

"What if, they'll kill her." He cringed at that thought shaking his head. " They don't think of doing that because I'll hunt them down no matter what happens and kill them most painfully." Matthew thought.

He keeps driving around with his heart beating rapidly inside his chest while looking around hoping to find the van. He was now driving for two hours but he found nothing. And as time passed, his fears continued to creep up his chest, and he doesn't like this kind of feeling at all, because he felt helpless. He becomes more anxious as the time continues to tick. Thinking if Catherine is still alive at this time.

He snapped out of his thoughts when his phone rang. He quickly picked it up and pressed the answer button.

"Hello!! "Boss we found them." one of his men said at the other line. Matthew's heart skipped a bit when he heard it.

"Where?" he asked between gritted teeth. "They're inside the old warehouse, near the port." He answered.

"How about Catherine ?" He asked nervously. "They brought her inside blindfolded, with her arm tied behind her." The man answered. Matthew clenched his jaw.

"Make sure that she's still alive when I get there, got it?" He warned.

"Yes... Yes... boss, he answered nervously, "There are all ten men in here, we're outnumbered, boss. "Shut up!!! use your brain." Matthew growled.

"Yes... Yes... boss.... he stuttered. Matthew turned off his phone and drove to the place that his man said, not minding all the traffic regulations. He arrived at the place in record time. He hides his car behind the other cars, and one of his men approaches him.

"Boss, we already disarmed the two-guard at the front door, we're just waiting for you to arrive, and I called back up already, any minute from now they will arrive," he said. Matthew nodded his head and trudged toward the entrance of the building. Their backup arrived before they reached the entrance.

Matthew stops on his track and looks at his men full of fury. 'Kill them all, don't leave anyone breathing." He ordered. His men nodded their heads without uttering a word.

***

Catherine was brought to the old warehouse, both hands tied behind her, with her eyes blindfolded. The man dragged her inside to a place she didn't know. She just cried and struggled from the man's tight grip, but to no avail, and sometimes only earned a slap from them.

She was pushed hard to the ground, and she scraped her knees and elbow, causing them to bleed. Catherine sobbed more in pain and trembled in fear, she curled her body and buried her face between her knees crying.

She yelped when someone pulled her hair up to make her stand up.

'Who....who are?' she cried. Someone removed her blindfold and she was blinded by a bright light that greeted her eyes. She quickly closed her eyes and slowly opened them, she blinked many times to adjust her eyes to the brightness, and when her vision finally cleared, her eyes widened when she saw a guy grinning in front of her.

"Hi! the guy said and pulled her hair behind, making her look at him straight into his eyes. Catherine choked in her tears but glared at him. "Who are you?' Why are you doing this to me?' she asked, struggling from his hold, hitting him on his chest.

He slapped her again, and her lips bled because of the impact. "Stop fighting or you only get hurt more," he warned glaring at her.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?" Catherine asked, tears streaming down her face.

Oh, you forgot already, I'm Zumi." He said with an evil smile on his lips.

"I don't care what your name is. Why are you doing this to me, what have I done to you?" Catherine asked, crying.

"You did nothing to me, but your father did," Zumi said with gritted teeth.

"My father???? What did my father do to you?" she asked.

Zumi chuckled sadly, "He just killed my father, and you'll be the one to pay for it." he said angrily.

"What???? it's not true, my father is not a murderer!!! Catherine screamed.

"I don't want to waste my time convincing you how evil your father is, I want him to feel how to lose someone you care for." he angrily said. Catherine looked at him in horror and tried to step back, but Zumi grabbed her hair and dragged her toward the table in the middle of the room.

"Please let me go, I don't know what you're talking about," Catherine pleaded.

"Why should I, Did your father feel pity toward my father when he killed him? No!!!!! He didn't, he killed him without mercy, and that's what I'm going to do with you," he said and pushed Catherine above the table. Catherine rolled to the other side of the table and tried to run away, but one of Zumi's men grabbed her and pushed her again above the table. She cried sitting above the table trembling in fear.

"Matt, where are you?" she thought, sobbing.

"Tie her," Zumi ordered. Two men came forward and grabbed both her arms and forced her to lie above the table and tied her.

"Let go of me you bastard," she screamed kicking her legs, but the two men also grabbed it and tied it apart. She wiggled but it only hurt her wrist and leg.

"Please let me go." she pleaded, but Zumi ignored her.

"Leave us, and wait for my order outside the room." He ordered. All his men left, leaving them behind.

Zumi came closer to her, and caressed her face, "It's a waste," he said, running his finger down her neck. Catherine cringed in disgust. "Remove your filthy hands off me," she screamed.

Zumi chuckled and took a blade from his pocket. Catherine looks at him in fear. "what...what are you doing?" she stuttered, but Zumi just grinned at her and inched the blade closer to her face. Catherine quivered when the cold blade touched her face. She felt stiff, not able to move.

Zumi moves the blade down to her neck to her collar bone, down to her shirt, and quickly ripped it into two showing her bra. Catherine gasped, and more tears streamed from her eyes.

Zumi grinned, " Beautiful." He said, running his tongue on his dry lips.

"Please stop, "Catherine begged.

" I haven't started yet. " He said with an evil grin on his lip.

He raises the blade again and slowly inches it closer again to her. Catherine closed her eyes and felt helpless. She felt the cold blade touch her tummy and she knew what was going to happen next. Zumi also ripped her skirt leaving her with her undergarment. Catherine cried more. She couldn't do anything but watch the guy feasting on her naked body.

She tried to wiggle free when she felt Zumi's hand on her stomach, "Please.!! she whispered, But Zumi just smiled at her. He leaned closer to her trying to kiss her lips but Catherine moved her head to the other side. He tried to kiss her again but Catherine did the same. Zumi got pissed and he grabbed her chin to make her stay still then kissed her slipping his tongue inside her mouth, Catherine's tears streamed down her face, and with all her might she bit his tongue.

"You bitch!!!! Zumi growled and slapped her. Catherine cried but threw a death glare at him. Zumi angrily pulled her ripped shirt and threw it on the floor then her skirt, and after that, he also removed her undergarment leaving him naked.

Catherine helplessly cried above the table, and couldn't do anything but wait for what was going to happen next to her. Zumi let out an evil laugh while looking at Catherine above the table naked. "Very beautiful." He murmured and brought his palm to her thigh. Catherine cringes in disgust, but can't do anything but cry.

Zumi leaned closer to her and kissed her cheek down to her neck, biting her once in a while.

"Matt, Matt where are you, Matt please help me. she thought, sobbing. She can feel Zumi's hands running all over her body and she felt disgusted with herself.

"Please stop, I'm begging you." she sobbed, wiggling her hand and feet that were already bleeding, but Zumi was lost in his own lust.

Help me!!!!!!! Please help me!!!!!!! Catherine screamed as loud as she could but only earned a slap from Zumi.

"No one can hear you bitch, so shut up." He growled and continued what he was doing.

***

While Matthew and His men stormed inside the building knocking all the men that they passed by, avoiding creating any noise. They checked all the rooms but they couldn't find her. Matthew was getting frustrated already and wanted to kill the men that gave him the wrong information, but he abruptly stopped raising his hand making his men behind him stop also.

"Help me....." Please help!!!!! Matthew clenched his jaw when he heard Catherine's voice. He quickly runs to the place where the voice came from, He spotted three men at the door, and he quickly shoots them many times making sure that they were all dead. He quickly kicked the door, and his eyes widened when he saw the scene in front of him.

He quickly pulled the guy above Catherine and slammed him to the wall, "You bastard!!!! '' he screamed and pulled Zumi up again and slammed him hard again onto the wall. Zumi was shocked by what happened, which caught him off guard. He was thrown out to the wall and his body fell on the floor. He groaned in pain and tried to stand up but a bullet pierced his knee.

He cried in pain, and before he could look at the person who shot him, another bullet hit his other knee. He writhed in pain until a guy crouched down in front of him, and the tip of the gun was between his eyes, and before he could recognize the guy, the trigger was pulled, which brought him into darkness.

Matthew ran back to Catherine, and he saw his men gawking at her naked body, Matthew angrily fired his gun. "Get out!!!! he screamed. All his men scampered out nervously and slammed the door closed behind them.

He removed his jacket and covered it to her body and quickly removed her tie. Catherine was so shocked to process what had just happened, she just looked at Matthew who was losing her tie as if she was just dreaming that he came to rescue her, her tears were streaming from her eyes, with her whole body trembling in fear.

"Matt, was it really you?' she whispered.

Hmm!!! Matthew answered, still losing her tie. Catherine let out a heartbreaking sob and quickly hugged Matthew when her tie finally was removed from her arm.

"Thank you, thank you." She whispered, hugging him tightly as if her life depended on him.

``I'm scared, I'm so scared," she whispered and buried her face in his chest.