Death Or Money

"Huh?" Lex suddenly felt confused by what Rio had asked him to do.

"You heard me correctly. You just need to go back to your home safely. Once you do that, I will take you back here and you can work for me." Rio finished.

"I can use any method to go back?" 

"Yes, you can. You just have to reach your home alive." Rio finished. "Save my number and share your location with me." 

Rio then gave her number to Lex. The latter shared his live location with her before setting out of the mansion with an uneasy expression.

'Why do I feel like this is a bad practical joke which is being played on me?'

Lex headed towards the door of the mansion. If he wanted to have a better life, all he needed to do was reach his home safely.

'It has been a long time since I have seen another human. I wonder how he will react after he gets the offer from him+.' Rio thought as Lex moved out of the mansion's doors.

Silently, she moved towards the doors of the mansion and peered outside. Lex was currently walking towards the huge gates that separated her from the outside society.

For a long time, Rio hadn't seen the gates being used by anyone to come towards her house. She had been in isolation with no visitors.

Day by day, she was losing her will to survive but despite that, she kept on living on the tiny hope of something changing in her life.

'Maybe I should extinguish that hope now. He will accept the offer and go out just like the others.' Rio sighed.

She stepped out of the mansion and closed the doors behind her. Her gaze settled on Lex who was on his phone outside the mansion.

'In the end, I am still a human.' Rio smiled bitterly. 'I can't let go of hope completely.'

***

'Elfie, do you think taking a cab is the best way to get back home?' Lex questioned.

[ If you reach back safely, I am sure Rio will pay the taxi's price. Just book one. ]

After getting Elfie's reply, Lex walked a couple of meters away from the house. He still remembered the reaction of the old cab driver from earlier.

Moving away from Rio's house seemed like a safe decision.

'I can't seem to be able to figure out what the catch here is.' Lex thought while waiting for his cab.

[ Neither can I. Unless you are about to be targeted on your way home, I don't think you will die. ] 

'You just raised a flag, didn't you?' 

Before Elfie could reply, Lex's taxi arrived. The latter boarded it and relaxed on the back seat.

"What are you doing in this area, lad?" The driver asked, shooting a glance at the mansions around them.

"I was out exploring the city and came here. This is quite the attraction in the city, isn't it?" Lex replied with a smile.

The taxi driver was named Redrum, a very strange name according to Lex. Redrum didn't have any features that stood out yet Lex felt uneasy in his presence.

"I see. So you wanted to see whether Miss Rio was still alive or not. Did you get your answer?" Redrum asked.

"Unfortunately, I couldn't." Lex sighed.

[ You are quite the liar. ] Elfie praised. 

'Sometimes you need to lie to save yourself or others. Also, why does it sound like that he believed that Rio is dead.'

[ It didn't look like anyone had entered the mansion since a long time. Maybe she used to be a well known celebrity? ]

'Her looks sure can make her a celebrity. But why is she living in isolation then?'

[ What if we just met a ghost? ] Elfie asked in a grave tone.

'This is quite confusing. We might be overthinking this.'

Five minutes passed by like this. Redrum was currently taking Lex through a somewhat empty road.

"Kid, may I ask you something?" Redrum suddenly asked.

"Sure."

"If I gave you a hundred thousand coins not to return to that mansion or talk about it to anyone else, would you accept my offer?"

"Are you speaking that hypothetically or are you directly giving me that offer?" Lex immediately asked.

"I am offering you that right now. I am one of Mister Allen's men. As you know, it is rumored that Miss Rio has died. Mister Allen would like things to stay that way and that's why he asked me to offer you this." Redrum replied.

Lex did not know who this 'Mister Allen' was. But if he was willing to pay that much money to keep Lex's mouth shut, something was suspicious.

The taxi's speed suddenly accelerated as Redrum took an unknown turn.

"What is the alternative if I refuse your offer?" Lex asked in a low voice.

"I murder you." Redrum smiled. 

[ Well, his name spelled backwards is 'murder'. I guess we now know why Rio gave you this challenge. ] Elfie muttered.

Lex's mind was currently working overtime to calculate the possibilities. The first option was the most sensible one considering how he would be able to lift himself out of debt and even live a good life.

There was also the chance that he could live a better life if he did that.

However…

'Elfie, if this Allen guy really wants to keep things a secret, there is no logic in letting me go easily. Who knows what I might say once I am out of the taxi. Wouldn't that cause him trouble?'

[ That is true. If Redrum could just kill you, Allen won't have to use any money and the secret will remain safe. There is a hidden agenda here. ]

Lex took a deep breath before looking into the rear-view mirror. His face was expressionless yet his amethyst eyes looked fully alert.

"I have made my decision." Lex declared.

"Good. Tell me your account and I will ask Mister Allen to transfer the money to you." Redrum smiled.

"I never said I am choosing the money." Lex shook his head.

"So you are willing to die, that too for no reason?" Redrum seemed surprised. 

"Who said I was dying either?" Now it was Lex's turn to smile. "I choose to escape!"