8

Ada walked into the mansion with a lost expression, she headed upstairs to Alex’s room and busted in without knocking just like they used to do, but she paused at the door when she saw him trying to put a bandage over his shoulder.

“God! How did you get hurt?” Her eyebrows creased and she walked over to him in a hurry.

“Gasp! Did Issac do that?—“ she pulled away from the bandage from his hand and spoke, “get up! We need to get you to the hospital,” she pulled him up.

“There is no need for that, I already brought the injections,” Peace walked in with a paper bag and placed it in the bed beside Alex.

“Get up!” She asked him.

“I don’t want your help,” he looked away.

Peace stared at him for a second and then filled out the injection from the bag and filed it with the fluid.

“Stop it!” Alex’s face went pale.

“It won’t hurt,” Peace held his arm in her hand and slowly brought the needle closer to him at which he flinched. And looked up at Peace who had a little frown on her face. Alex stared at her blankly until Peace pulled away.

“It’s done,” Peace announces it to him on which he looks at his arm in disbelief.

“Did you? I mean I felt nothing at all,” He was dumbfounded.

Peace smirked, “It’s because I have magical hands,” she whispered and showed her Snow White teeth.

“Don’t smile at me,” Alex gulped down his saliva and looked away.

“Okay, Ada help him out, I have work to do so I will leave,” Peace turned around and looked away.

“Ice block!” Alex muttered,  Peace heard him and he flips lifted into a faint smile.

“Isaac? Isaac? Where are you?” Peace called him out but she didn’t get a response which was odd because that never happened before. Peace walked around the mansion and finally, she heard low howling sounds from inside the hall at the end of the hallway. She unlocked the door and saw Isaac run out of the door, 

“You were there! Did Alex lock you up in there?” She didn’t see that a person was tied up in the room too until Isaac pulled her inside.,

“What in the— who is she?” She was surprised to see a girl tied up in the middle of the room.

She hurried closer to her, “who did this to you?” She was frowning, at first Charlotte decided to act hostile towards the girl that had walked in but as she drew nearer, Charlotte wasn’t able to get her eyes off the beauty with knitted eyebrows. Her voice was attractive and so was her way of taking.

“A guy did this,” She replied.

Peace looked up at her swiftly and studied her features and they resembled the girl in the photograph.

“Are you Charlotte?” Peace reluctantly asked.

“Yes!! Do you know me? Can you help me get out of here?” She asked desperately.

Peace breathed out heavily and spoke.

“As much as I would like to set you free, I can’t do that—“ she stared at her with apologetic gaze,

“But what have I done! Why are you people doing this to me?” Charlotte was scared and her eyes showed signs of tears forming.

“You have done nothing wrong—I just can’t let you go, not until they are done with what they want,” Peace’s hands were tied, she couldn’t see a girl in such a condition nor she could let her go because if she did it would cause a huge problem for her friends,

“You have to stay here for a while, but I promise I won’t let any harm reach you,” she spoke with an assuring gaze.

“But when will you let me out of here? I don’t have much time!!” She trembled as tears rushed down her face.

“I— I, can I help you in a way that doesn’t include setting you free?” Peace had no other way to calm her down than this.

“My father’s company! I came back to save it from my greedy uncles that are taking advantage of it! But I am stuck here! Please let me go! Or my father’s hard work will be ruined,” the tears kept on rolling down, Peace looked at her with envy, 

“You are a brave child!—“

“What are you doing with my prey!!” Alex and Ada walked in.

“Alex, what is this?” Peace asked with an annoyed voice, “ when did I allow you to use my house for stuff like this?” She was frowning.

“Where else do you want me to take her?” Alex glanced at the crying Charlotte, “why is she crying? Did you make her cry?” He glared at Peace with a suspicious gaze.

“Little missy! Don’t be scared of her face,” he added.

“Don‘t talk to me scoundrel, I will deal with you once I am out of here,” she tried to pull her hands out of the tight knot. Her eyebrows creased as she felt a stinging pain.

“Charlotte! Listen to me, I will open up the ropes on one condition...don’t run away,” Peace spoke with a calm voice,

“But I have to meet my fiancé, or else I will not be able to save my company!! I have to go!”

Ada’s looked at her with surprise.

“So you were going to marry him for that reason!” She was amazed as for how accurate Isaac was with his deduction,

“What do you mean it was?” Charlotte glanced at Ada.

“I met him today as Charlotte, and he told me that he would help me save your company if I keep on acting like his fiancée,” Ada blurred out everything, Alex slapped his forehead and breathed out heavily. “ Why not announce it on a speaker?” Alex spoke sarcastically.

“What did you tell him? Did you agree or not?” she asked desperately.

“He gave me time to think, so I wanted to  ask Alex about that,”

“Hah! Is he kidding? Why should we do something that has no good for us!! What good does your acting like his fiancée benefit us?” Alex muttered. 

“So you mean we should abort the plan?” Ada asked.

“Hm…” Alex thought deeply and then glanced at Charlotte, “ but what are we going to do about her?” He scratched his chin.

“Stop scaring her!” Peace spoke in anger and freed her hands.

“No! Let’s continue with the plan, I think we can melt his heart and change his mind slowly,” Alex proposed an idea.

“Are you sure? But what about her?” Ada pointed at Charlotte.

“Hmm—About her! Should we just-“ Alex purposefully tried to scare Charlotte, she was a girl that was easily intimidated.

“Missy! Why don’t you just stay hidden, our Charlotte will deal with your company for you,” Alex pointed at Ada.

“Why should I trust you? You kidnapped me!” She spoke with a serious expression. 

“Okay! Don’t trust me, we will disagree on Isaac’s conditions and we will keep you here until your precious company is ruined!! How does that sound?” Alex made weird faces. “Think again you are all alone with no friend or helper by your side, you cannot do this all by yourself,” Alex spoke in a manipulative manner.

“No! Don’t do that! I agree with your conditions only if you promise to return my company to me in the perfect condition,”

“You have my words,” Alex extended his hand towards her for a handshake but she hid behind Peace and avoided him.