Chapter 23
My instincts told me to scream, it took almost a minute for my brain to comply and before I could scream, a hand clamped against my mouth holding me from screaming.
I tried to get away from the person holding me down but it was of no use, my body was held still. Oh no. What have I gotten myself into?!
Why does it have to be him? Tears suddenly streamed out my eyes thinking of things that could possibly happen to me. Last time I saw him, I was suppose to get married to him.
It was never my will, they were going to force me! All because of the witch I call my aunt. I hope he’s gotten married, I hope..
“You didn’t think you could get away from me that easily, did you?” He sneered right in my face, his breath stank of alcohol.
“Well, you can’t! Nobody can’t!” He slurred again giving me a death glare. If looks could kill…
A whimper escaped me. Lots of question going through my head, I wanted to plead, maybe he’d let me go if I did? Keep dreaming, Tessa.
I gave him a pleading eye which says ‘please let me go.’ He only glared harder.
‘Someone, please save me..’ I internally cried.
“No one is going to save you this time! No one!” He spat. It was like he’d read my mind. He gave me a sick smile which quickly reformed into a smirk.
“It’s like you’ve grown, the last time I saw you, you were all skinny but I still felt attracted to you.. And now, you’re all fresh! You’ve grown hips… You’re more curvy.. Big boo-” I cut him off trying to say something.
But couldn’t, I felt disgusted being spoken to like that. He continued anyways. “Big boobs. Short story, you’re more attractive now, so it’s a win-win for me!” I have no idea what he’s talking about.
I never thought my boobs were big, it’s normal, I don’t know what he’s talking about, really. “Quickly, take her outside, to the car, through the back door.” He ordered.
I dug my legs to the ground so they won’t be able to make me walk, but it didn’t walk, as I was being thrown unto a man’s shoulder.
The hand on my mouth left, I screamed hoping someone would hear me, before I knew it we were outside. I thrashed.
“Stay still and be quiet!” The guy hissed. I cried. What if I never see my daughter again? Someone please save me.
Third Person’s POV
It was time to cut the engagement cake and everybody surrounded the couple, a small fancy knife was handed to them.
Austin looked at the knife then back to the crowd as if he was looking for someone. Well, he was.
“Baby.” Loren called, he looked back at Loren. She nodded to him so they could cut the cake. In a split second the cake was cut. The crowd clapped.
Loren was going to feed him some cake but he stopped her and excused himself. He felt something was wrong. He searched for Tessa in the crowd with his eyes, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Where could she have gone? He asked himself. Something gave him a feeling that she wasn’t alright. He spotted Tessa’s daughter, and her friend Gwyneth sitting on a chair.
Gwyneth has a worried look on her face looking at a direction. He walked towards them. “Do you know where Tessa is?” He asked Gwyneth. She shook her head no then frantically said.
“She left more than 30 minutes ago. I’m trying not to freak out so I won’t scare Anne. She left to go get something to eat and the -” before she could finish, Austin left and went to the place he saw Tessa earlier.
To his clue, she wasn’t there and the back door was slightly opened. He rushed outside. Looking both sides, he spotted some men in black suit.
A lady on one of the guys shoulders, thrashing. Tessa.. He quickly ran towards where they were. It’s a good thing he knows how to run.
“Stop!” He yelled at the guys immediately he was only a few steps away from them.
Tessa’s POV
I thrashed crying for them to let me go, but they didn’t pay any attention to me, it was like I wasn’t there. We were next to a pool when I heard a voice yell. “Stop!”
There was so much authority in the voice and it sounds really familiar. They stopped. I couldn’t see what was going on until I was let down. “What are you doing engagement boy? Shouldn’t you be next to your fiancee?” The guy behind all this sneered. I’ve forgotten his name.. Did I ever know his name?
Austin’s nostrils flared and in a split second in threw a blow at the man’s face. He hissed stumbling back. There were suddenly blood in his mouth.
“Hold her!” He still manage to say. And I was held again. If he releases me, I might fall into the pool, which was really huge and dark.
Please don’t let me fall… Please don’t let me fall!
“Let go of her.”
“Don’t!” The bad man spat bringing out a gun, the other men followed suit. Jesus.
It seems like the one holding me wanted to bring out a gun too, which resulted him leaving me. I fell right into the pool. I gasped for air.
I was drowning.
“You move and I’d shoot this gun through you.” I heard a voice, the voice behind all this. But I couldn’t make out what was happening. I was dying.
*** Third Person’s POV ***
“You think you can?”
“Yes! I can! And I would cause you’re a threat here.” The bad man threatened. They’ve been like that since the past three minutes. Austin was angry at the men he hired to be bodyguards. It’s been three minutes since he sent a signal to them, with the wristwatch.
He’ll fire all of them. 2mins later, they arrived and guns were point out towards the bad men. “Put your guns down or..” It was hopeless for the bad men. They’d be easily defeated. They had a less powerful gun with each of them.
They dropped their guns. Austin glared at the men, he wanted to scream at them for coming late. But it obviously wasn’t the time.
He looked into the pool. Oh shit. He thought. He took off his suit and dashed into the river. It was a miracle he located her quickly as the pool was really huge.
He took her out the pool, she was unconscious. Is she dead? His subconsciousness whimpered. She can’t be.
Suddenly everyone in the party was outside, a few metres away from him and her. He resuscitated her.
After a few minutes she let out a cough. He sighed in relief. The crowd watched with relief. Well, not everyone, Loren was glaring down at her with pure hatred in her eyes.
Jake walked towards them, bending down, he took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, she was visibly shaking.
Austin stood up. A part of him wanted Jake away from Tessa but he stopped himself from saying anything. He walked off with a visible scowl on his face. Loren followed behind him.
Tessa’s POV
“Can you walk?” Jake asked. It took me a minute before i could reply, my mind was pretty occupied.
He saved me..
He wouldn’t if he really hates me right? I watched him walk away till he was completely out of sight. What is this feeling I feel inside?
It’s been long I felt like this, I wonder if he feels like this too. Yes, he does, but with Loren. Ouch. “Yes.” I replied to Jake. He helped me up.
It was a slow walk, we got into the building, it was much warmer in here. He took me to a door, in a long passage.
Opening it, I noticed it’s a room, a huge one in fact. A king’s side bed in the middle of the room. “You should get some sleep.” He said. Something in his tune was off.
“Jake..”
“Just go to sleep, you look exhausted, we’d talk tomorrow,” he said. I nodded my head, I didn’t want to say anything further as he doesn’t seem like he wants to talk.
“I’d go get Anne.” He said. He got out. I walked over to a chair and sat down.
What happened?
A few minutes later, I heard footsteps in front of the door and then the door opened revealing Gwyneth with Anne in her arms.. There was no Jake.
She entered the room and dropped Anne who came running towards where I sat. She jumped on me.
“No Anne, mommy really needs to rest.” Gwyneth said quickly. She was right. It felt like I was going to die if I don’t lie down immediately.
I gave Anne a hug anyways, she wrapped her little arms around my neck squeezing me, please don’t go any further. “I was so scared something might have happened, I’m so sorry I cou -” I cut her off.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
“It’s okay Gwyneth.”
“You really should relax, get to bed. I’d put Anne to bed then leave.” She said with a smile.
~
I couldn’t get up. My body was so exhausted, it refused to comply to the commandments my brain was giving.
I managed to get up after an hour later. I realised I was in a unfamiliar room. How did I get here? Just then, memory from last night started flowing through my brain. Oh. Again, loads of question began flowing through my brain.
What if Austin hadn’t save me?
I looked around. On the other side of the bed was a sleeping Anne. I looked at the table next to the bed. There was a paper.
‘I’m really sorry for last night. I don’t know what got into me, I guess I was (I still am) mad myself for not being able to protect you.
There’s a gown hanged in the wardrobe you could wear. I’d see you later :)’- Jake.
I smiled at the letter. I bet he didn’t know what to say, he’s never been the type to explain his feelings in a letter.
I got up from the bed. I could use the bathroom, right? I really want to use it, this room is so luxurious, I can picture how the bathroom would be.
This might be the last time I get to use a room as luxury as this. I walked around the bed to where Anne lay. The bed was pretty huge.
I shook her. Waking up Anne is usually difficult.
~
I walked out of the room with my packed bag and Anne. We were halfway down the Hall when someone grabbed my arm.
I don’t know why, but I quickly snatched my hand back. Woah. That wasn’t me, it was all my brain. Loren stepped in front of me.
I stepped back. “I know you-” she cuts herself off when an elderly woman walked towards us. “Mother.” Loren greeted politely. To say I was taken aback was an understatement.
Seriously, I never thought Loren and polite go quite well together. It could be an act. Well if it is, she definitely deserve an Oscar for just this act.
“What’s going- oh! You’re the lady who fell into the pool, right? Oh you poor beautiful soul!” The elderly lady said and did I say she has some features like Austin?
“I’m so glad my son was able to save you last night! When I heard someone fell into the pool, I didn’t.. was so scared! Thank goodness you’re alive and you have a child!” She kept on ranting.
“How are you, sweetheart?” She asked Anne.
“I’m fine.”
“Oh, what a cutie! I bet she’s going to grow up and turn into a beauty queen just like her mother! Have you eaten? I had the cook prepare something, come.” She said gesturing for me to follow her.
I was quite uncomfortable with the glare Loren kept giving me. How does she not get dizzy from all that? I ignored her and followed behind the woman who is Austin’s mom.
.
.
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