Chapter 18: Escaping

In the darkness, on the highest floor of an elegant white building, a petite figure was struggling and climbing along the balcony, appearing distressed and desperate.

The most excruciating pain seemed to make Alley Houston more alert than ever before. Her small hands, covered in blood, clung tightly to a rough cloth as she exerted all her strength to descend below. Alley Houston cheered herself on, knowing that there were only two more floors to go before reaching the ground.

Suddenly, the rough cloth in her hand slipped, and Alley Houston let out a terrified scream before falling into the bushes behind the mansion.

"What was that noise?"

Lying in the bushes, Alley Houston felt the pain coursing through her body as if every bone was shattered. Her smooth, white skin was covered in scratches and oozing blood. She knew that the security guards of the mansion would surely use their flashlights to search the area. They were both numerous and aggressive, and she had to leave before being discovered.

With that thought, Alley Houston suppressed her pain, awkwardly crawled up, and sneaked into the small hole she had secretly dug beforehand.

At that moment, in front of the mansion, a sleek black sports car was parked beside the road. Inside the car was Karimba Cellon, his gaze fixed on the brightly lit room, knowing it was Alley Houston's.

Deep in the night, in the luxurious mansion, a drama of intertwined fates was silently unfolding.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from behind the car, stumbling and running, taking a few steps before stumbling again, but still determinedly rushing forward. Karimba Cellon gently pushed up his glasses, suddenly realizing that the familiar figure was none other than Alley Houston. Seeing her condition, he panicked and pushed open the car door, rushing towards her.

"Alley, what happened to you?"

Karimba Cellon embraced Alley Houston tightly. Even in the darkness, he could see her dress stained and torn, her body covered in scratches and bruises, her face pale.

Alley Houston lost consciousness as soon as she saw Karimba Cellon's face. He quickly looked around and then lifted her into the car, driving back to his home.

Doctor Will promptly arrived at Karimba Cellon's mansion. He stood worriedly by Alley Houston's bedside. In the warm light, Karimba Cellon could clearly see her tragic appearance, with bruised cheeks bearing finger marks and her body covered in wounds, enough to tell that she had been abused.

Looking at Alley Houston's battered body, Karimba Cellon felt a deep sense of sorrow. He realized that Mr. and Ms. Houston's treatment of her went beyond strictness; they were abusing her. The more he thought about it, the more guilty and remorseful he felt. If he had held her back that day and not let his own fears dictate his decision to divorce her, she wouldn't have suffered so much.

"Alley, I'm so sorry," he whispered remorsefully.

Karimba Cellon sat beside Alley Houston's bed, holding her frail hand in his own while his other hand gently brushed through her sweat-drenched hair. Looking at Alley Houston in her current state, he couldn't help but remember the woman she used to be—always clean, neat, and afraid of pain.

The next morning, Alley Houston woke up. She vaguely realized that she was in her own room, within Karimba Cellon's mansion. She slowly sat up, and the wounds on her body seemed to have improved significantly.

"Are you awake?" came Karimba Cellon's voice from outside the door as he brought a tray of food into the room. Alley Houston glanced at him, her gaze devoid of any affection for the person in front of her, only a sense of distance that pained Karimba Cellon.

"You saved me, didn't you? Thank you," she said politely. Karimba Cellon sighed and took a seat beside her. He wanted to ask her about what had happened, but he sensed that Alley Houston wasn't ready to share everything with him yet.

"Just take some time to recover fully. Whenever you're ready, you can tell me everything," Karimba Cellon gently advised Alley Houston. In truth, he feared that she would leave, that she would distance herself from him.

"Thank you, but I don't want to stay here," Alley Houston replied coldly, still refusing to look at Karimba Cellon.

Despite her cold response, Karimba Cellon couldn't bear the thought of her leaving, of her being away from him.

Karimba Cellon felt an immense sense of loss. Before, Alley Houston had always been gentle with him, except for those moments when she would inexplicably lose control. He took a deep breath, suppressing his complex emotions, and spoke to Alley Houston:

"Please have the soup and take your medicine for a speedy recovery."

"Thank you, but you can leave now. I appreciate your help, but I don't want to see your face," Alley Houston retorted, not bothering to mince her words, hurting Karimba Cellon. He shook his head with a bitter smile, blaming himself for not recognizing his own feelings and causing them both to fall into an unresolved conflict.

Meanwhile, in the Houston mansion, Mr. Houston angrily slammed the book he was holding on the table and yelled:

"A bunch of useless people! How could you let her escape? You idiots couldn't even catch a single girl!"

He pointed his finger at Mrs. Houston's face, his voice filled with anger:

"I've told you so many times. Don't use too much force; she'll only resist more!"

Mrs. Houston clenched her teeth and remained silent, avoiding Mr. Houston's gaze, but her eyes revealed a seething anger.

The next day, when Karimba Cellon returned to the mansion, he suddenly realized that Alley Houston had left at some point. He hurriedly went to find Ryan Dean, only to see him happily watering the plants.

"When did Alley leave?" Karimba Cellon anxiously asked.

"A few hours ago," Ryan Dean casually replied. "She left right after you did."

"Oh my god! Why didn't you stop her?" Karimba Cellon couldn't contain his frustration and burst out, wanting Alley Houston to stay by his side as long as possible. He never expected Ryan Dean to let her go so easily.

Ryan Dean paused his actions, closed the water valve, and looked at Karimba Cellon. "If you couldn't keep her heart, what's the use of keeping her here for a few more days?"

Ryan Dean's response left Karimba Cellon stunned. He was right; he had lost Alley's heart, and keeping her by his side would only make their situation more difficult. After thinking for a while, Karimba Cellon decided to continue protecting her in his own way. He called Sam Goodwin, instructing her to closely monitor Alley Houston, and at the same time, he sent Doctor Will to Taylor Kindsley's house to take care of Alley's injuries.

Sam Goodwin followed Karimba Cellon's instructions, but to her surprise, she found out that Alley Houston wasn't at Taylor Kindsley's house at all. This made Karimba Cellon even more anxious and worried to the point of going crazy. Upon reflection, it seemed that Alley Houston had risked her life to escape from the Houston mansion that night. Now they must have figured out Taylor Kindsley's hiding place, and Alley couldn't seek refuge with her older sister.

Thinking about Alley Houston's current situation, Karimba Cellon felt a deep sense of concern and self-blame. She was injured all over and had nowhere to turn to. The thought alone was enough to tighten his chest. Reminded of the times he intentionally hurt Alley Houston before, Karimba Cellon felt the urge to slap himself a few times. But this wasn't the time for self-pitying thoughts. He had to find the girl he loved, protect her, and take care of her.