Pretty Little Kitty

Clara POV

When Lucia finally heard my own side of the story she was very disappointed in me, she couldn't reconcile that all those signs had been showing themselves to me that Alaric was nothing but a fraud, but I still didn't accept it because I was so blinded by love.

But among all I had told her, the part where I had to pay five hundred thousand or give myself to the crime boss had really got her.

"What are you going to do now? Do you want to give yourself out to the crime boss?" she asked, her face filled with concern.

I had also told her the offer that the crime boss had given to me, but she didn't accept that. She had seen it as slavery, and she won't allow me to embark on such a trade that requested my very own self.

As she asked those questions, I didn't know what I was to tell her, neither did I have a choice to make at this point in time. I was confused.

"There's no way I would give myself to him." I shook my head dismissively as I said those words, and Lucia agreed with me.

"I won't either," she said. "We would have to strategize a plan."

"What are you suggesting?" I asked, looking more confused than ever. Lucia could be the only one making the choice for me.

I had always explained to her how brutal the crime boss was, and even without seeing him, she knew this could be a person that shouldn't be joked with.

"You would have to leave this city, maybe to a remote area that he won't find you," Lucia suggested.

"Leave this city..." I echoed the words with doubt. I had also thought of this, but not only did I not even know where I was to go, but I also didn't know where to get money to keep myself up.

Lucia nodded her head as she replied, "Yes, you would have to leave this city. I have someone you could squat with for a while, while I try to figure out something for you."

I almost didn't believe what she had said. Doing all that for me was unbelievable; no one could take such a risk.

"You are just like a sister to me and your safety really matters," she added, and I almost cried out from emotions.

And I swore that I will make sure I repay this good deed she was rendering to me. Over the five years, it wasn't that I wasn't reaching out to Lucia, that we couldn't see nor communicate with each other, but it's just that I had lost her contact and any other possible way of communicating with her.

Lucia patted my shoulders before softly saying, "Don't worry, you will be fine. I can't let anybody downgrade you. It isn't easy to come out with first class in college and with enough potential to be a billionaire, only for you to end up as a stripper. Isn't that unfair? And not even in a thousand lifetimes would I allow that to happen."

I was lost for words when she said that. Back then in school, I was known to be one of the most intelligent, and I was even the very reason Lucia could pass some of her courses, because I was always there to help her in every way.

And to be sincere, I was also disappointed in myself for ever allowing my life to be this twisted.

"By tomorrow, I will arrange all possible means to get you out of this city," Lucia said, and I nodded. I also wished that it could go just as planned.

The next day, Lucia made all possible calls she could be able to make, and she finally reached out to one of her friends that lives in a remote town where I could stay for the time being, before everything cooled down for me to return to the city. She had even arranged work for me to do there.

Lucia could have also called the police, but she knew better than me that it won't be of any good if she called the police.

Unlike before where if I missed my work as a stripper for a day I would get calls from Derick, it became so surprising that I didn't get any calls. He usually calls before coming, but this tends to be different today, and this became very concerning to me—not that I want to go back there, but it's just because I'm scared of what could happen if I get the boss angry.

Lucia helped arrange some things for me that I was going to use to travel to the town she had arranged for me. She told me who I was going to meet; she even gave me the person's number.

And above all, I begged her that I was going to go with Otis if the person could agree, and she agreed without arguing.

I became so happy. At least living a life without fear is much better than living in a cage. I didn't care for the wealth he had offered me; I prefer my freedom more than anything, and no one on earth will ever stop me from achieving it.

The transport system I was to use is the train and my ticket is set at four in the afternoon. Since it was still morning, I became worried, but Lucia scolded me for being afraid.

Another thing was that I didn't even know which work Lucia does because I didn't ask. And another thing was that I can't really tell what had brought her back to the city, because five years back she flew to another country, stating that her father wanted to introduce her to a business she would take over from him. Though Lucia came from a very wealthy family, things had been so easy for her since day one. Unlike me, who had been a leech—though a leech with intelligence and value to render.

I went to get a shower and get myself ready to leave, and Lucia was with Otis. After taking my shower and putting on my dress, I returned to the living room, only to see a man seated on the sofa, gently rubbing Otis's hair.

My jaw dropped.

I couldn't blink.

And the person seated was no other than the boss himself.

"Hi Clara, you look pretty good in pink. Are you traveling somewhere?" His voice became untraceable in my ears, as though I had lost all sense of thinking.