Chapter 2

ELIZABETH’S POV

"I said, who the hell are you?" he repeated, taking a step closer to me. I turned around to unlock the door, but then I heard the men's voices right outside. Oh my goodness, what do I do now?

I turned around to see the shirtless man standing in front of me, making me flinch as I hit my body against the door. "Why are you in my room?" he asked in a gentle voice, his hand reaching for my face to caress it.

"Uhm...I," I stuttered, trying to speak, but he stopped me with his finger on my lips. "Shh, I don't want to hear you speak," he said rudely, his hot breath hitting my face. I could smell the strong alcohol on his breath; he must be heavily drunk. I need to get out of here.

I turned my face away, pushing him off me, and he fell to the ground. "Don't touch me!" I yelled, making him chuckle.

"Feisty, I see," he said, rising from the ground, his words sending a wave of panic through me. I swiftly turned to unlock the door, flinging it wide open before making a dash for freedom. But my escape was short-lived, as I was confronted by the group of men standing in front of me.

"There you are," one of them sneered, his companions chuckling in unison. My heart sank. "What do you want from me?" I stuttered, taking a step back as they began to close in.

"Don't be scared, we just want to have fun with you," they said, their voices dripping with malice. I continued to back away, my eyes fixed on the men, until I collided with a warm, solid chest. I spun around to face the shirtless guy, his messy blonde hair framing his face, revealing only a glimpse of his piercing blue eyes.

I hadn't noticed how captivating he was in the dimly lit room. But now, in the brighter light, his rugged features were unmistakable.

"Hey, who are you?" one of the men yelled, breaking the spell. I turned to face them, and the shirtless guy chuckled, his arm slipping around my shoulder.

"Who am I?" he repeated, his voice low and mysterious. "I am someone you don’t want to mess with." His words hung in the air, and the men's smirks faltered, replaced by fear.

What was happening?

Suddenly, gunshots rang out, making me flinch. But the guy still held me tight.

"What's happening?" I asked, panic rising in my voice.

"Let's get out of here!" one of the men yelled, turning to flee. "These people are insane!"

The men's sudden fear confused me. I struggled to break free from the guy's grip. "What's going on? Let go of me!" I yelled.

He released me, and I stumbled forward. I turned to face him, but his expression was unreadable. Our eyes locked for a few tense seconds before I turned and ran, not looking back.

I merged with the frantic crowd, dodging people as gunshots continued to erupt. Screams filled the air, and bodies dropped to the ground. This can't be happening, I thought. I won't die here without avenging myself against those who wronged me.

I kept running for my life, pushing through the chaos. Finally, I broke free from the crowd and emerged outside, gasping in relief.

"Where should I go now?" I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes as memories flooded back.

Before I could gather my thoughts, more gunshots echoed through the air, accompanied by screams. Panic set in once more.

As I frantically scanned my surroundings, I realized I was confused about where to run. Gunshots were coming from different angles, making it impossible to determine the safest direction. That's when I spotted a jeep with its boot slightly ajar. Without hesitation, I darted towards it and slipped inside, leaving the boot open just a crack.

I decided to hide there for a few minutes, waiting for the gunshots to subside. As the silence stretched out, I cautiously prepared to emerge from my hiding spot. But just as I was about to climb out, I heard footsteps approaching, and a pair of legs came into view. Before I could react, the person slammed the boot shut, trapping me inside.

The sound of car doors slamming and the engine roaring to life filled my ears. "My goodness!" I panicked, realizing I was being taken away against my will. The car began to move, and I was tossed around the boot as we sped along, bouncing over uneven terrain. It felt like an eternity before the car finally came to a stop.

Exhausted and shaken, I slowly pushed the boot door open, surprised to find it unlocked. As I stepped out of the jeep, my eyes widened in stunned silence. Before me stood a majestic mansion, its grandeur and beauty leaving me breathless. The sheer scale of the estate suggested that it belonged to someone extremely wealthy.

"I need to leave before anyone finds me trespassing," I whispered to myself, turning around to make a swift exit. But as I scanned my surroundings, my heart sank. There was no sign of a road, only dense bushes and trees stretching out in every direction. I was utterly alone, with no clear escape route in sight.

"Where am I?" I whispered, scanning my surroundings in vain for any sign of a road. But I was surrounded by nothing but dense bushes and trees, with the mansion standing eerily alone in the midst of the forest. Fear crept up my spine as I realized I was completely isolated.

I took a deep breath and decided that my best option was to enter the mansion and explain my situation to the owner. "That's the only way right now," I muttered to myself, steeling myself as I approached the mansion.

As I stepped inside, I was struck by the stunning beauty of the interior. The mansion's opulent decor and soft lighting made it feel like a luxurious oasis in the middle of the wilderness. "Wow," I breathed, my eyes wide with wonder.

But my awe was short-lived. I heard a faint clicking sound, and before I could turn around, I felt the cold metal of a gun pressed against my head. My eyes widened in terror as I raised my hands in surrender.

"Hands up!" a low, menacing voice growled. I slowly turned around, my heart racing, to face the shirtless man from earlier. His eyes seemed to bore into my soul, dark and devoid of emotion.

"Who sent you?" he demanded, his voice dripping with malice as he shifted the gun, keeping it trained on me. "Tell me who sent you before I blow your brains out!" he yelled, making me gulp. I was in grave danger.