AUTHOR'S POV

Galaxy Hotel,
06:01 pm

" Room service". Grace's head snapped towards the door as someone knocked. The voice was familiar. She peeked from the peephole, it was the same tall waiter she met last night with a food trolley she ordered.

What if he'll ask 'why she lied about her room's floor?' she bit her finger at the thought. 'Will he even recognise her in the first place?'. Taking a risk she twisted the knob.

" Good evening ma'am". He greeted. She nodded opening the door wide for him to push the food trolley inside.

Her shoulders relaxed a little seeing the waiter calmly arranging the food on her room's side table.

" Do you perhaps have any ideas about any nearby cyber center here?". Grace asked.

That waiter faced her and flashed a smile. " There's one, opposite side of the road ". Grace thanked him as he answered and grabbed the handle of the empty food trolley. " Hope you'll enjoy the meal, Ma'am ". Saying that the waiter took his leave.

Grace closed the door resting her back on it. Her eyes landed on the meal. Her stomach growled. She knows she needs to eat now.

She unwantedly ate. Caden's words about taking medicines on time plopped up in her mind.

She gazed at the medicines she brought last night were still there on a dressing table. She lowered her gaze and touched her belly gently. She can't eat any medicine without a doctor's prescription now.

She doesn't know what to do with her pregnancy. Right now she needs to run and hide from everyone she knows.

She threw herself back on the bed. The sun rays were softly kissing her skin as the sun was descending.

She stared blankly at the beautiful golden hour which she used to admire the most. It didn't catch her heart anymore. She just wanted it to descend as fast as it could so that she could go out.

She looks unrecognizable now but still, she was insecure.

As she should be because the waiter saw a newspaper and recognized her. He went inside the kitchen and dialed the number printed on the newspaper. After a few beeps, a lady picked up the call. "Hello, King's assistant speaking. What can I help you?".

" I think I know where Grace Jones's at".

Hunter's penthouse,
06:32 pm

" ZOE?". Dash called entering the living room where Zoe was eating alone. " TELL ME IT WASN'T YOU". Dash yelled and pushed the dining table aside.

Zoe stood up from her chair and immediately moved back as the table shattered with loud noises pulling the guards' attention. They were about to rush inside but seeing Dash's palm towards them which gestured them to go back made them obey.

Dash walked towards Zoe stepping who was looking down at the mess with pure horror.

" I F*CKING ASKED YOU SOMETHING". Dash grabbed both of her arms tightly and shook her harshly.

Unable to even gulp, she gazed up to see her husband burning in rage. Tears started streaming down her eyes, her body was visibly shaking under his gaze. She knows what it is about.

"F*CKING SAY SOMETHING". He widened his eyes and pulled her closer to him a little so that only a few inches of space was left between them. " Zoe, I won't repeat ". He gritted his teeth.

" I'm sorry ". She said above a whisper.

" What sorry? ". He asked tightening his grip more making her yelp.

" I-I can't tell you the truth". She cried.

" Lie to me then. Just tell me once you that you weren't a part of it. So I could save you. I want to save you". Dash sounded a little frightened this time. His grip around her arms loosen and he gently cupped her face. " Lie to me just like you did that night". He said wiping her tears. He knows she won't speak a word if his tone won't get any softer.

" He said... h-he'll kill you". She cried clinching Dash's shirt in her fists.

" Who?". Dash asked concern fully. His eyes roamed all over her face. " Zoe, what are you saying?". He asked but only got to hear her sobs. " Zoe, look at me. Look at me, baby". He said softly making her lift her face a little. " See, I want to trust you. Did you meet someone? Zoe, if you won't tell me how would I know? Just tell me the name or anything you know about him". He tried to sound calm but his anger didn't help.

" I don't know who it was? H-he was here when we came back from the shopping mall a few days ago. H-he threatened me that if I won't send those files to him... He'll kill you". She wobbly answered.

He moved back disappointed. " You f*cked up everything". Dash cursed under his breath running his fingers through his hair.

" Dash please try to understand. I did all these for you". She tried to grab his arm but he yanked her hand.

" I understood Zoe, but you don't know who those files belong to. If he'll comes to know what you have done, he'll kill you and everyone you have ever met within a beat. I can't save you now. He won't spare, he doesn't know how to". Dash's voice came out lower and lower with each word he spoke.

" Who?". She asked making Dash realised he said something he shouldn't have. " Dash, who are you talking about- it's your boss, right? I know you do something illegal. Otherwise non of this would have happened. Answer me Dash, who are they? What are you into? Who do you work for? Why do you have those weapons? How do you make so much money? ". She asked all her non-answered questions.

" You know what?". He leaned to her face. " You don't deserve to know now". He seethed glaring at her.

" Okay. Send me the address. I'll check by myself ". Both of their head turned towards Hunter's voice. He was descending the stairs while talking to someone on his phone, wearing a navy blue suit.

He eyed the mess on the floor before lifting his gaze. Dash immediately stood in front of Zoe which didn't went unnoticed by Hunter. " Be ready. I may send you an address where you'll have to come with my men in an hour. Someone saw her". He informed as well as ordered without asking anything about the mess or the fight.

" I'll come with you now". Dash said but Hunter shook his head.

Hunter glanced at Zoe for a second before again turning his gaze at Dash." Sort your matters first. I'll call you if it's really her". He added before leaving the penthouse.

Dash breathed out.

" Is he your boss?". Zoe asked sensing the dark vibes.

" Pack your luggage. You are going back to Russia". Dash said half facing her making her acquiesce silently.

Galaxy Hotel,
06:49 pm

Grace got up, wore a hoodie with shorts, hide her forehead with newly cut bangs, and wore a cap, and a pair of black boots.

She glanced in the mirror and finally encouraged herself to step outside her room. Using an elevator she existed the hotel. That waiter ushered her right. The cyber center was in front of her only a busy highway was between them.

Crossing the road she approached there, holding the handle of the door which says push she took a deep breath before getting inside.

Many computers were there and a bunch of school students in their uniforms was playing games and making weird noises.

She swiped the black card that Scott hand her into the swipe machine and took a seat in a corner in front of a computer.

She didn't need to search for her posters it was already on the main page of google. She clicked to see what the matter is and came to know about the deal Hunter made in return for her.

As she scrolled she saw many people complaining about unjust cases of their missing daughters and friends. One of them was Draven.

She searched and searched but didn't see a hint about Hunter besides his last name King.

She palmed her forehead with her left hand and rested her elbow on the computer table looking at the screen. The right hand's index finger was still rolling the scroll wheel of the mouse.

Her elbow fell suddenly as she found a middle-aged man standing with a poster, that her daughter is missing. A picture of a girl along with 'justice for my daughter' was written on it. She clicked on it to see more as that man looked familiar.

Her lips parted when she read the content under that picture. "Grace Jones". It was her. It was her teenage picture.

She immediately wore a headphone connected to the computer and searched about the case. She hardly found a low-quality video of her father and clicked the play button.

His father had a low gaze and wet eyelashes. A reporter asked him about the matter and he was too guilty to say that he used to abuse his daughter and one night left her in a wh*re house.

Grace palmed her mouth. The only hope she had to go back to her family shattered along with her heart.

She loathed every man she has ever met. She was about to remove her headphones but stopped as her father spoke further.

He said that he left her in the wh*re house because he used to blame her for his dear wife's death. But he realised that it wasn't her daughter's fault. He added that it was heavily raining but he went back to take her back home the very next day but found that she got sold last night to King.

He regretted nothing more than anything in his life. He tried to find her even though he lowkey know there's no escape from King.

Grace stared at the paused video on the computer facing her past once again. There's some blurry memory of her father that she regained. Memories of dark rooms and broken bones. Memories of the vulnerable state she was in, her weak screams, hopelessly covering her mouth to not make any noise while getting beaten by a belt.

But not those beautiful memories with Hunter when she was treated like a queen, when she got everything only by thinking about it, the paradise she used to live in like a princess. The royalty, the respect, the lordly she lives for the past few years. The ruling name and the life like a queen Hunter gave her. She forgot everything. Unluckily.

Closing all the tabs on the computer she left the cyber center. Knowing she doesn't have a family. She belongs to a mafia king and there's no one to save her  The past few months were nothing but a delusion. She's alone with a little growing soul in her belly.

Her eyes filled with tears finding herself so vulnerable.

" Room number?".

Her feet froze hearing the same deep voice again but this time it echoed sending goosebumps all over her body.

She looked up to see Hunter standing near the counter.  The tall waiter was talking to him.

She unknowingly started stepping backward but suddenly bumped into a waiter who was pushing a food trolley.

A loud sound of the dishes falling to the ground was heard pulling everyone's attention including Hunter's.

• They call him dangerous.

Chapter published on: 19 July 2022

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