Chapter Sixteen (Flashback).

I stirred awake an hour later, greeted by the sound of my alarm.

Lily had instructed me to be ready by 6 a.m. and to dress in an exquisite formal style.

After a refreshing shower, I applied a bit of makeup.

I slipped into a tailored, coordinated formal outfit, featuring sleek trousers and a crisp, fitted blouse. The standout piece was the long, elegant jacket that perfectly complemented the ensemble, with its smooth lines and classic cut enhancing my refined features. High heels completed the look, adding a dash of glamour and sophistication.

*Today's office agenda promises to be quite exciting, so I might as well present my best self.*

*Knock*

"Master's leaving!" Lily's voice rang out from the outside.

*W-what, why would he be departing this early?*

"I'm on my way!" I quickly snatched my phone and dashed out of the room.

As soon as I stepped out, I caught sight of the car already making its way to the gate.

*Oh well, he was the one who departed without me. Now I can return to my slumber.*

I turned around and began making my way back into the house. Just then, Adriel popped his head out of the car window and yelled, "Come on!"

"What? I thought you guys didn't need me! How am I supposed to get there if you won't stop the car?!" I shouted back.

"Run," he replied simply.

"What?! I can't run!" I stood frozen in place.

"Hurry," he urged.

"You should really run; trust me, you don't want to see what Vincent would do if you don't follow," Lily added, her tone serious.

"They could just stop the car and wait for me. This feels like torture," I said, hesitating.

I glanced at the car and then back at the house. "When did it come to this?" I wondered aloud.

Finally, I started jogging towards the car, but halfway there, I realized I wouldn't make it at this pace.

"Come on, pick up the speed, or we'll leave without you!" Adriel shouted.

Clearly finding my situation funny.

I picked up my pace and began sprinting full speed, the car started to move faster.

"What on earth! I'm through with this; Vincent can do whatever he wants with me." I halted my escape, attempting to regain my breath.

I saw the car backing up toward me.

"Assholes!"

The vehicle came to a halt beside me, and the door swung open.

I stumbled inside and shot a look at Adriel, who was struggling to suppress a chuckle from the front seat.

Vincent was in the back with me, sporting a smug grin.

They had decided to make me their early morning inspiration.

"Sorry," Adriel said.

"Seriously, enlighten me-what did I do to deserve this punishment so early in the day?" I questioned.

"You were tardy yet again," Vincent interjected for Adriel.

"Only by a minute this time," I replied, crossing my arms and staring out the window.

The surroundings were still shrouded in darkness, leaving me with little to see aside from the glow of streetlights.

I could sense Vincent's intense gaze drilling into me, which made me uneasy.

In a bid for distraction, I quickly put on my ear pods.

At that moment, I felt something pressing onto my thighs

When I glanced down, I realized it was Vincent's large hand.

Looking up, I noticed Adriel intently adjusting his glasses in the rearview mirror.

Heat flushed my cheeks instantly.

I attempted to free myself from his grasp, but it was futile.

*Pow!!!*

The car began to swerve as Adriel fought to regain control.

Vincent's demeanor shifted immediately.

"Don't stop the car! Keep driving," he ordered Adriel.

Adriel managed to steer us across the bridge before halting.

We spotted two cars filled with men approaching.

In that moment, Adriel opened a case and pulled out two guns, giving one to Vincent while keeping one for himself.

He shot Vincent a pointed look before handing him another weapon.

"Can you handle a gun?" Vincent turned to me and asked.

"A little," I muttered in response.

"Do you still have the knife I gave you?" he inquired.

*Oh boy, so that's the reason he gave it to me.*

"No," I answered.

"Here, take this and shoot anyone who attempts to get in the car. Lay low," he instructed as he handed me the firearm.

He and Adriel quickly exited the vehicle.

Moments later, the crack of gunfire erupted in the air.

The road was desolate, with hardly anyone around, making it an ideal spot for an ambush.

I remained in the car, examining the weapon; this wasn't my first encounter with such circumstances *gunfire and death*.

It isn't something to panic over when facing life or death.

*Death can sometimes feel like a welcome release.*

I heard uneven footsteps nearing the car and moved away, aiming the gun toward the source of the noise.

The door swung open, revealing a bald man who had been shot in his right leg.

"So this is what you've been hiding, Don V," he remarked, alluding to Vincent, who was nowhere to be found.

He grinned and brandished a knife.

"Don't worry, darling, I won't harm you," he said as he attempted to reach for me.

I recoiled and trained the gun directly at his chest.

He attempted to lung into the car, and as I closed my eyes-

*Bang!*

A wave of nostalgia washed over me.

**************************

(Flashback)

The air in the room was thick with the scent of alcohol and smoke.

"Babe? Are you home?!" I called out as I hopped over a mountain of clothes.

*Giggles echoed from the living room.*

"Ba...." I froze in astonishment.

"What's happening, Clinton? Who is she?" I questioned him.

"She's what you could never be!" he retorted, his thick English accent resonating throughout the space.

The blonde dashed out of the house immediately.

"What do you mean by that? I support you while you lounge around doing nothing, and suddenly a stranger is superior to me?!" I exclaimed.

"You never let me touch you-she does!" He edged closer, puffing out his bare chest.

"Do you really think that's why? It's because I'm uncertain you'd make a good father!" I yelled back at him.

"Watch your mouth, bitch!" He pushed me against the wall, his grip tightening around my neck.

"You're completely worthless to me. We're done!" I struggled to breathe.

"Oh no, we're not!" He releases his grip on my neck and steps into the next room, leaving me stumbling on the floor.

"What did you say?!" He aims a gun at my head.

"I said we're damn done!" I shout back.

"I'm going to kill you, you bitch!" he yells.

"Go ahead! Do it! Kill me!" I force the gun that was sliding off back to my head.

He strikes me on the head with a bat, continuing to attack me mercilessly.

He drops the bat and collapses to the ground, sobbing.

"Take the gun, just end it." He grips my trembling hands and pushes the gun in.

"I said kill me, you idiot-"

*Bang!*

His lifeless body falls to the floor, soaked in blood.

(End of Flashback.)

**********************

Vincent appears, looking at me with a trace of astonishment on his face.

I let the gun slip from my hands as they begin to shake.

A car suddenly halts in front of the one I occupied.

A man steps out, joining Adriel in the gunfire.

"Come out." Vincent extends his hand toward me.

He guides me toward the car the other guy exited, positioning himself in front of me as a protective barrier, even though there's no imminent danger.

"I'll catch up with you soon," he tells me before heading off to join the others.

Adriel hops into the car and takes off in a hurry, leaving me in the back seat.

*Sigh. What a chaotic start to the day. At least my outfit remains unscathed, unlike Adriel's.*