CHAPTER 5.

CHAPTER 5

 AnniBerry slowly opened her eyes. The bright light stung her vision, forcing her to blink several times before she could see clearly. She looked around the room and immediately realized she didn't recognize it.

 Startled, she jumped out of bed.

 Her eyes swept across the spacious bedroom. A flower vase sat on a small table by the bedside. There was a large door opposite the bed. She hurried over and flung it open, only to discover it led to a luxurious bathroom. She slammed it shut.

 A large wardrobe caught her attention. She quickly opened it and found a neatly hung blue dress inside.

 Her heart skipped a beat.

 Then it hit her.

 She looked down at herself and realized she was wearing an oversized T-shirt that obviously belonged to a man. With trembling hands, she lifted the hem slightly and discovered she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

 "What is going on?" she muttered, panic evident in her voice.

 Memories of the previous night came flooding back. She remembered everything.

 Fear gripped her.

 Without another thought, she rushed to the bedroom door and dashed out.

 "What?"

 She found herself standing in a spacious living room. A large television hung on the wall, a dining table stood elegantly in one corner, and two luxurious sofas faced each other. Everything was neat and tastefully arranged. The white walls were decorated with beautiful framed pictures.

 She glanced around, briefly admiring the simple yet elegant living room before confusion took over again.

 Where was she?

 She was about to open another door, thinking it led outside, when a deep masculine voice stopped her.

 "I see you're awake."

 She spun around and saw Marchen.

 He was dressed in a pair of black trousers and a fitted shirt that highlighted his broad chest and muscular physique. His hair was neatly combed, and his well-trimmed beard perfectly framed his handsome face.

 "What am I doing here?" she asked, panic rising in her voice. "How did I get here? Last night... last night I almost got killed! How... how did I end up here?"

 "Please, calm down, AnniBerry," Marchen said gently.

 He walked toward her, placed both hands on her shoulders, and looked into her eyes.

 "You're safe now."

 AnniBerry stepped away from him and sat on one of the sofas. Countless thoughts flooded her mind. None of it made sense.

 She clearly remembered being ambushed by two masked men.

 She also remembered someone killing them.

 But who?

 And why?

 She couldn't think straight.

 "Marchen," she said quietly, "do you know anything about what happened at my house last night?"

 As the question left her lips, another memory flashed through her mind.

 She remembered she had been naked.

 Embarrassment washed over her.

 "Um... whose clothes am I wearing?" she asked nervously. "Are they yours? Did... did you put them on me?"

 "No," Marchen lied smoothly. "The police must have dressed you after they rescued you last night."

 AnniBerry felt slightly relieved, but she wasn't completely convinced.

 Then how did I end up here? she wondered.

 Marchen quietly studied her. Her hair was messy, and his oversized T-shirt swallowed her petite frame, hiding every curve beneath the loose fabric.

 Yet despite her appearance now, he couldn't erase the memory of everything he had seen the previous night. 

  The Previous Night

 Marchen kept glancing at his phone, hoping for a call or at least a message from AnniBerry. He looked restless and unsettled.

 Linx, who was working on his computer, noticed Marchen's uneasiness.

 "Is there a problem?" he asked calmly.

 "I hope they haven't found out about her," Marchen said, worry evident in his voice.

 "Oh, come on, Mar. She was only revealed yesterday. How could they have found out so soon?" Linx said reassuringly.

 A faint smirk crossed Marchen's lips. He walked toward Linx, placed both hands on the table, bent forward, and stared directly into his eyes.

 "You've worked for these people for years, yet you still underestimate them?" Marchen said. "Mr. Mars did an excellent job hiding her all these years, and I will find him no matter where he hides. But for now... I have a bad feeling."

 Realization hit Linx. He couldn't believe he had underestimated his bosses. They could find anyone within minutes, no matter where they were in the world, as long as the person was alive.

 He wiped his face with his hand, exhaled sharply, and returned to his work.

 Lost in thought, Marchen finally snapped back to reality. He stood upright for a moment.

 "Call me if anything comes up," he said before turning and walking away.

  An hour later, Marchen went to Linx, unable to hide his impatience.

 "Linx, something isn't right. I can feel it. I've spent too many years doing this job, and I know when something is about to go wrong," Marchen said, his voice calm but edged with fear.

 Linx looked at him reassuringly. "You worry too much, Mar. If anything was happening, the Boss would have called you."

 Marchen let out a bitter laugh.

 "The Boss isn't stupid. If I had told him everything that happened yesterday, he would have called me by now."

 He grabbed his car keys.

 "Linx, follow me," he ordered.

 Marchen drove straight to AnniBerry's house. He parked on the opposite side of the road to avoid attracting attention, then kept watch from a distance.

 Two hours passed as Marchen and Linx silently watched the house. Linx began to show signs of exhaustion.

 "I told you she hadn't been discovered," Linx said.

 "Let's watch a little longer," Marchen replied, his eyes fixed on AnniBerry's house.

 As darkness settled, he finally saw AnniBerry enter through her gate. He couldn't believe she had been away from home all day, but he kept that observation to himself.

 Less than twenty minutes after she went inside, a black van pulled up in front of the house. Two masked figures stepped out, carefully surveyed the area, then quietly scaled the fence into AnniBerry's compound.

 Marchen immediately signaled to Linx without making a sound. Both men drew their guns and followed.

 Marchen climbed over the fence and quickly took cover at the corner of the house. A loud scream suddenly pierced the night.

 AnniBerry.

 He glanced through the window and saw one masked man aiming a gun at her while the other clamped a hand tightly over her mouth.

 Without hesitation, Marchen aimed through the window and fired. The first masked man dropped to the floor instantly.

 He rushed to the door before the second attacker could spot him. Moving silently behind the remaining intruder, he raised his gun and fired. The second man collapsed, dead.

 Marchen hurried to AnniBerry's side to make sure she was unharmed.

 Just then, she lost consciousness.

 She laid before him, completely naked.

 For a brief moment, Marchen froze, stunned by the unexpected sight.