Chapter Three

Janelle

Just then, the door kicked open. I turned to look, and behold right outside the door was Damian Cooper, a line of men stood behind him. His presence alone silenced the room. 

“No one dares to touch what belongs to me.” 

“Janelle is mine.”

As Ashley saw Damian, she stammered, “legendary Damian Cooper?!” 

Then she fainted.

“Ashley! Ashley!” I called, but there was no response.

Then I spotted her eyes twitching.

“My friend just fainted, we need to take her to the hospital,” I yelled, trying to reach out for help.

Damian said, cold as ice and sharp, “she fainted…she’ll definitely wake up. Relax”

“Don’t tell me to relax!” I yelled at him, and got up to hit him but one of his bodyguards pinned me down.

The pig-masked man didn’t seem scared.

“Damian? Don’t you think you’re here early?” he said and he poured wine into a glass and then walked over to Damian who was already standing in front of me.

“You know the rules…you dare not touch what belongs to me,” Damian said but the rabbit—masked man interrupted, “oh please! You made the rules doesn’t mean I follow them. I have the right to disobey whoever.”

The rabbit-masked man lowered to my level and touched my face as he searched my eyes.

“Besides…She’s a beautiful one. Why don’t I buy her from you? At a good price,” rabbit masked said, as he got up.

I chuckled, annoyed.

Damian looked at him, then turned his gaze to me. His eyes were calculating. What was he thinking?

“Okay,” Damian agreed.

The other masked men laughed. 

I furrowed. “What?! Are you insane?” I yelled.

“Woah. I didn’t expect you to agree so fast,” rabbit-masked man said.

Damian smirked, then he adjusted his tie with deliberate calm.

The pig-masked man grabbed me and was about to take me away, then suddenly, a  bullet tore through the air, grazing the pig-masked man's hand.

Blood splashed on my face.

“Ah.” I screamed.

I turned and saw Damian’s bodyguard, lowering his gun.

“Alex! Get Janelle out of here,” Damian commanded.

Alex, his bodyguard, grabbed me.

“I’m not leaving my friend here,” I yelled as I struggled.

Alex carried Ashley on his shoulder and held my hand, then took me out .

Before we reached for the door, Damian said, “I never said I agreed to your deal! And I made it clear, Janelle belongs to me.”

“Didn’t you get the message?” Damian yelled. His voice echoed through the room.

As we left the room, Alex took us through the emergency stairway leading to the back door where a black car was waiting for us. As he placed Ashley inside the car. I jammed my finger into his eye and kicked him. 

He grabbed me, I struggled and fell on Ashley making her wake up. She noticed me struggling, then she removed her heels and knocked out Alex with the heels as he was already caught off guard.

He groaned as he held his bleeding head.

“The keys Janelle,” Ashley said.

My eyes narrowed down to his belt where he hung the key, I grabbed it, jumped into the car and drove off.

I didn’t know where I was going. All I knew was to run as fast as I could from Damian.

I drove for what felt like forever.

“Where are we going?” She questioned.

 Just as I was about to reply, the car engine died.

“What’s going on?” I muttered as I parked the car and got down. Ashley did too.

She panicked. “Why isn’t the car moving? Is something wrong?” She questioned.

I forced a smile, “I’ll figure something out.”

My phone alarm rang making us jump despite the tension.

I picked it up and slid the cancel button , only to see 1:04am. It was pretty late.

She leaned in.

“Start speaking, what was that about? Damian Cooper claimed that you were his,” Ashley protested.

I tried to deny it, “no. You heard it wrong.”

Her face twitched. She clearly didn’t believe me.

“There’s something you’re not telling me,” she said.

Then her stomach groaned.

Our gaze went straight to the house down the street with street lights.

“Let’s talk after you fill your stomach,” I said. 

She sighed and walked away.

She didn’t look at me nor say a word. She just kept her head and eyes fixed to the apartment.

As we got there, we saw an old couple seated outside. The old woman was making the food, while her husband assisted.

“Who are you?” She questioned.

“Hello ma’am, I’m Janelle and this my best friend—Ashley,” I introduced.

“We were going on a small trip but our car had an issue, and my friend here was starving. I don’t know if there’s any way you can help.” I begged.

She studied my expression, then said, “why not? Come in.” 

Ashley was excited. She walked in, her footsteps ten times faster than mine. The old man gave Ashley bread and then walked over to give me one as I sat down.

He smiled.

“Thank you sir, but I’m not hungry, ” I said, then my stomach groaned. The couple just smiled, and I collected the bread and took a bite.

My phone screen lit up as a message popped. It was from my mom.

|~ Jane, I know you’re angry. Being his bride for a year is a dangerous task, but we don’t have a choice. It’s the only way to protect you. 

Selling me off to a dangerous tycoon family is the only way to protect me ? 

Another message popped up, still from my mom.

|~ he offered to pay for your masters and even Iris military f*e. Damian might be ruthless but he’s trying to help. It’s just a year, please.

He offered to pay for my little sister’s f*e?

He definitely wants more. More than being a slave.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re caught up in the middle of something that could change your life and ruin you at the same time.” She asked and I was mute.

How could she see right through me?

Marrying Damian would definitely change my life, but he’s dangerous. Clearly from the earlier incident, more are coming.

Who were they? How did they know my name?

She served the dish, and before I could call Ashley, she was already asleep.

“Ou. Your friend is asleep.” The man said and he brought the food to me.

A faint smile tugged at my lips.

Even I needed such beauty sleep. After eating, I carried her with the help of the grandpa— into the room the woman had prepared for us.

The woman stared at me before walking away.

I laid my head on the pillow as I replayed everything that had happened today. From discovering that I was to be ruthless billionaire Damian Cooper's wife to almost getting sold to some group of masked men I knew nothing about. 

I definitely have something to tell my grandchildren now, that’s if I ever get to see them. Cause at this point, I might die in the hands of armed men before getting to the devil himself.

The distant song of a mockingbird pulled me from sleep. As I lifted my lids, I saw a tall masculine fellow sitting right in front of me.

It was…Damian.