Chapter 13

But she saw nothing. Just a bright white light inside that door.

Isabella finished eating and went back to her room.

Outside her window — the ocean. Big. Blue.

Her room was upstairs, but she could see everything from down there. It wasn't a pool. too big to be a pool. It was a real beach.

No phone. The room was boring. There was a TV in the corner, but she was not in the mood to watch.

She just went straight to the bed.

The sheets were cold.

She closed her eyes.

——>>>—Jazza clang —->>>

On the other side of the city

Loud music. A shooting room.

Jazza was there, the boss himself.

A gun in his hand. BANG! BANG! He was shooting at the target board.

His men stood around, scared to talk.

He dropped his gun "You guys cannot give me a good plan to get him!" he shouted, turning around. "Just one guy!

He threw an empty bottle across the room.

"It's the same thing his father did! Same thing, locking my family! Always!"

His men stood with their heads down. No one spoke.

Jazzy was pacing. Up and down. His shirt was open, The room was messy — bottles on the floor, guns on the table, a shooting target at the far end with holes all over it.

He picked up his gun again from the table.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

shooting the target. Not because he was training. Because he was frustrated.

"Adrian thinks he can send me fingers? Huh?" He turned to his men, breathing hard. "He thinks he is king?"

He pointed the gun at them — not to shoot, just to scare them.

"Next time, I won't get fingers in a box. I want Adrian’s head in a box. Do you hear me?

His men nodded quickly. "Yes, boss."

Jazza threw the gun back on the table and sat down. He held his head in his hands.

He was not just angry. He was scared. Because Adrian never sends warnings twice.

——->>NEXT MORNING—>>

The morning sun was already bright through the windows, giving the whole room a bright glow.

She turned over, rubbed her eyes, and walked to the bathroom.

Few minutes later

Knock knock.

"Hello, ma'am?" A maid's voice from outside.

"I can hear you," Isabel said.

"Your breakfast is ready."

"Okay, I'm coming."

She didn't have other clothes, so she just wore the same big shirt from yesterday. She came downstairs.

The table was set. But Adrian was not there.

She looked around. Empty chair and no sign of him.

She sat down to eat. Then the maid came again with something in her hands.

"Ma, he said I should give you this."

It was a black dress. A lady's black dress, folded neatly in a box.

Isabel stared at it. "Why does he have a lady's dress in this house?"

She didn't think much about it. She just left the box on the table and continued eating.

Then Pond came in — one of the drivers.

"Good morning, ma. It's time for your shopping."

Isabel blinked. "Oh. Sorry, I forgot.

Give me ten minutes. Let me get ready," she said and went back upstairs.

Dressing up she saw something close to the bed, on the small table — a phone. Not a smartphone. One of those old phones connected to the wall. A landline she could use to make a call.

Her heart jumped. Oh my God.

She walked slowly to it and picked it up. She was about to try it, about to dial —

Knock knock knock. Louder this time.

"Ma? Are you still there? We have to go. Boss gave us a time limit."

Her hand froze on the phone.

She stared at it for one more second, then dropped it gently back.

"Okay, I’m coming," she said loud enough for him to hear.

She walked outside. The driver was already there. He opened the car door for her.

And they drove off.

Inside the car, her mind was just... stupid.

So many stupid thoughts running at once.

How about I just open this door, jump out of the car and run into the bush?

Then another voice in her head: No, that is suicide. You will not survive it.

She looked at the driver in front. And then another voice in her head

Or maybe I could strangle him. Just look for something to wrap around his throat, then he will die and I can take the car and run.

Then immediately: But I don't know how to drive that fast. And I don't want to kill someone. See? Nonsense.

All these thoughts just jumping up and down while she was sitting quietly at the back seat.

Finally, the car stopped.

It was not a mall. It was a classic, big, very cute boutique. Glass everywhere.

The driver came down and opened the door for her.

She got down and walked in.

A well dressed lady rushed to welcome her immediately.

"Oh! Welcome, ma. Please come in, " the lady said, extra polite, extra smiley. "We have new arrivals just for you."

Isabella didn't answer. She just followed her.

Inside, everything was beautiful. Dresses lined up by color, cute stuff, shoes shining. The air conditioner was too cold.

Two attendants started showing her dresses. "ma, look at this one, it will look so good on you..."

She was just touching the fabrics, not really listening, just walking

Until she turned sharply -

BAM!

She bumped straight into someone. Hard.

The bags in the other woman's hand fell.