Chapter Eight: The Escape

The sun glowed in its marvelous light, casting one’s shadow. It illuminated everywhere making it lustrous and pleasing to the eye and it shined so  brightly making one squint.

“Haa, this feels nice.” Ellen raised her hands up in the air as she smiled in satisfaction.

That dickhead thought he could actually control her, hmph… he is dreaming.

She walked aimlessly on the street. She felt free. She touched her rumbling stomach indicating she is hungry.

She hadn't eaten anything since she woke up, and she needed something, anything so she could gain more strength to leave that bastard clutches. She felt her body and noticed she didn’t have her purse with her. 

“I will survive on my own.” She pouted her lips and calculated fast in her head.

“If I should contact dad, Ivan might trace me. No, I’ll rather work than live with that bastard.”

She curled her fingers into fists and made a fighting sign, her eyes brimming with determination. She walked into a mini restaurant and glanced at the notice sign.

“Workers needed?” She rubbed her eyes to be sure of what was written on the notice sign.

Everything seems to be working for her since she left that bastard, it seems that she is destined not to be with him. She thought as she read the notice sign again. After being sure, she walked into the restaurant excited.

As she entered the restaurant, she noticed people’s gaze on her and looked down at her body.

“I am still wearing this.” She shook the hospital gown on her body. 

She walked to the manager of the restaurant with a saddened face and explained her predicament. The manager took pity on her and even gave her money to buy some clothes so she could change out of the hospital gown.

The manger looked behind Ellen as she rushed off to buy clothes at the store nearby not noticing the triumphant smile on her face.

“Such a beautiful girl, who knows she’s forced to marry a man she didn’t love? And the man ended up beating her until she landed in the hospital.” She sighed as she vowed to protect her.

Ellen returned wearing a black trouser that accentuated her curves and a grey top. She paired her outfit with a black cap to avoid unnecessary attention. She noticed people’s gaze on her and lowered her cap on her head, showing her red plump lips and her sharp jaw.

She noticed the manager as she walked inside the restaurant and walked to her.

“Thank you ma’am.”

She clutched her top by the side, looking nervous and stutterd. “H…he might come looking for me, can y..you.” She stopped, unable to finish her words.

The manager understood immediately and held her hands.

“You don’t need to worry, I’ll protect you.”

Her stomach rumbled right after the manager's words, making her embarrassed. She looked down awkwardly. The manager smiled as she saw her embarrassed face and ushered her to take a seat so food could be served to her.

After being served, she looked at the food on her table, picked a piece and ate it. She widened her eyes as if she had found a new treasure and gobbled the food almost immediately. 

She looked at the empty plate not believing she finished the plateful food. She leaned on the chair, rubbed her stomach feeling full. She suddenly remembered her main purpose for being here and stood up instantly causing people to stare at her. She bowed her head, apologizing to them and hurried off to find the manager.

“You want to work here?” The manager questioned.

“Yes ma’am.” Ellen answered 

“Ma’am.” She continued. “I actually don’t have a place to stay.”

“Don’t worry, the restaurant provides accommodation to its workers.” The manager smiled kindly at Ellen.

“You can start right away then.”

Royal First Hospital.

Ivan got to the hospital, went to the private room where Ellen was admitted. He stared at the empty bed, his face looking grim.

“What happened here?” His oceanic eyes pierced the people in the ward.

“Master, Miss complained not liking the hospital’s food so, I went back to the mansion to bring some food for her and I came back to meet an empty bed.” Sarah whispered with her head down, not daring to look up.

Ivan understood as he looked at the food flask sitting on the table.

“Ellen ran away, she would be able to fool Sarah but not me. She is a dead meat once I find her.” Ivan thought as he folded his fingers into fists.

He turned to the guards and commanded them. “Search the hospital vicinity, she wouldn’t have gone far.”

The guards took to their heels as they ran out of the hospital searching for Ellen.

Liam walked to the ward and patted Ivan’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, she will be found.”

Ivan seemed not to recognize his words as he thought of Ellen.

“She dares to run away from me? It seems I have been lenient towards her. She will pay heavily for this.”

Hours passed before the guards came back with news of Ellen. They went back to Century Center reporting to Ivan of Ellen’s whereabouts, they left him completely in deep thought.

“I will let her be for a few days and catch her off guard. She seems to like this cat and mouse game. Let the game begin.” He smirked as he raised the goblet to his mouth, savouring the taste of the wine. This action caused his skull ring to glow under the moon.

***

It’s been two days Ellen escaped from Ivan’s clutch and she has not been found.

She felt smugged as she thought. 

“He can’t even find me, I have been away for two days now.”

However, she didn’t know about the storm that was brewing. She kept on working in the restaurant as she enjoyed her free time. She pushed Ivan to the back of her mind.

At the front of the mini restaurant, a boy’s cry was heard.

“Wow, this black car looks cool.” He turned to his mother, “Mom, I want to get this car.” 

The mother bent down to his level and grabbed his cheek gently. “You can only do that when you are an adult. Right now, focus on reading.”

The boy nodded to his mother’s words as his eyes darted towards the rows of cars behind the cool car. The mother looked behind as she noticed her son’s flabbergasted expression.

“Who’s this person? He must be someone powerful.” She wondered as she dragged her son.

“Let’s get out of here.”

Ellen saw the crowd at the restaurant had gone by the window side. Their faces pressed against the window as they watched the rows of cars that lined up in front of the restaurant. She thought it was something fun, so she decided to partake in sight seeing. She also saw the rows of cars and wondered who the person might be. Her gaze rested on a black SUV car, she staggered back as her face became pale.