Darius.
That was the only name that came to my mind.
I don't have anyone else. Even though Darius pretended to love me, he could at least help me.
My hands trembled as I reached into my pockets, looking for my cell phone. My fingers were wet and slippery as I dialed the number. I put the phone to my ear, hoping to hear his calm voice soon.
But there was no answer.
I pressed again. Still no answer.
"Darius... pick up!" I whispered frantically, my eyes glancing back. The man was still chasing me, getting closer.
I typed a message with trembling hands:
[Darius, help me. There's someone chasing me. I'm scared.]
There was no reply.
I typed again quickly:
[I'm in danger! Answer my phone, please!]
Still silent.
Shit! I bit my lip, running faster.
However, the man was faster.
I screamed as a hand grabbed my shoulder and pulled me backwards. I fell to the wet ground, the cell phone I was holding tightly cracked slightly.
"How dare you run away!" the man whispered, gripping my chin roughly.
I struggled, kicking him, but my body was too weak compared to his strength.
"Too bad," he held up something that glinted in the rain—knife light. "Your pretty face will change a bit now."
I struggled, trying to pull away, but the knife slid quickly.
Heat flashed across my cheek.
I screeched. Blood flowed, mixing with the rainwater. The pain was piercing, but I couldn't stop. I kicked with all my strength, right between his legs.
The man growled, his grip weakening. I used the opportunity to get on all fours and run, not caring that my feet were almost dragging on the asphalt.
I headed back home with legs that didn't stop running even though they were shaking.
"I need Darius, I'm so scared!"
My own shouting encouraged me to get home quickly. I saw Darius' car parked, he was home. Good. I really need his hug even if it's fake, at least it protects me from the evil of strangers.
I made it into the house. My pain-filled steps slowed at the threshold of my open bedroom door. I heard a voice that was familiar to me. Completely familiar. Evelyn. Two years I didn't find her anywhere, now I saw her.
Darius and Evelyn. In my room.
My heart seemed to stop for a moment.
My eyes watered as Evelyn's voice sounded flirtatious, "Are you sure she'll comply for the surgery tomorrow?"
Darius chuckled, his hand caressing Evelyn's cheek. "After what happened today? She must have no other choice."
I held my breath, my body freezing.
"Are you sure your men are doing it right?" Evelyn asked again, her hands creeping up Darius's chest. "What if Audrey comes and sees us fooling around in your room?"
"It's not supposed to happen," Darius replied casually. "Then we'll see that her face is pretty badly scarred. If she sees herself in the mirror tomorrow morning, she'll cry and beg me to fix it."
My heart sank. This was worse than anything I had ever imagined. My hand covered my own mouth, stifling the sob that almost escaped.
Evelyn chuckled. "You're absolutely brilliant." She turned sullen, "but I don't understand why you're still being nice to her. Have you started falling for Audrey already?"
Darius looked at Evelyn with the gaze I had come to expect from him. Full of passion. "Started falling love? All I see is you, even though you belong to someone else. I just don't want Audrey to run away forever, I'll be lonely without your shadow."
I wanted to turn around, wanted to escape this nightmare. But before I could move, I saw Evelyn pull Darius' face and kiss him.
"But now you can have me," she whispered. "I'm here. You can enjoy the real Evelyn."
I should have left. But instead I was stuck in place, watching Evelyn push Darius onto the bed.
"I know I already have Nathaniel and you have Audrey. But are you going to reject our intimacy?"
"There's no way I'm turning you down," Darius shook his head firmly with eyes misty with passion. "You're the center of my world after you willingly got shot to save my kidnapping four years ago."
I don't understand what happened between them four years ago, but here I stand as a victim of Evelyn and the selfish Darius. And to my recollection, Evelyn had never been shot in her life.
"You know," Darius murmured, his voice low and full of passion, "no matter how many surgeries Audrey undergoes, she'll never be as beautiful as you."
I closed my eyes tightly, but those words were already etched into my brain.
I knew what they would do next. My breath hitched as the sound of sighing from inside the room became clearer. Evelyn said Darius' name in a way that destroyed what was left of my sanity.
Unable to take it anymore, I turned around and walked as fast as I could to the restroom at the end of the hall. Once inside, I locked the door and staggered back, my body shaking uncontrollably.
Darius hadn't just destroyed my face. He destroyed my soul.
I couldn't forever be a puppet for the two of them. Darius, whom I once loved so much, had to be left behind. I have a plan, but on the other hand I realize I'm not completely strong.
My trembling hands picked up the slightly cracked cell phone. I thought for a long time, until finally without hesitation I pressed a number that I hadn't called in a long time. "Alaric, my brother, I'm in danger and need your help.”
A few seconds of silence on the other side of the phone. Then, his voice came on. "Audrey... I can hardly believe you would call me. Okay, tell me about your problem and let's make a plan."
