He said, “Miss, please do me a favor and stop this nonsense. It’s late. You’re not tired, but I’m no spring chicken. Let’s just go home and call it a night, yeah?”
Kayla let out a chuckle, more from disbelief than amusement.
We give you a paycheck, feed you well, and treat you decently. Yet I should listen to your order?‘ she thought with a cold smirk.
Time was running out, and Kayla had no patience left for Ariel’s stubbornness. She simply said, “Fine, if you’re not taking me, just pull over. I’ll go on my own.”
But Ariel stayed calm, hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, completely ignoring her demand. He replied, “Miss, quit fooling around. I’m serious tonight. I’m not letting you get out of the car. I’m doing what’s best for you.”
He grinned to himself, ‘Let’s see if the little brat still acts tough now. Think I can’t deal with you, huh?‘
The clock kept ticking, and it was clear Ariel wouldn’t budge. Whatever tolerance Kayla had left snapped clean.
In one swift move, she shot forward, her arm locking around Ariel’s neck in a tight chokehold. In her other hand, she pressed a metal pen against the side of his greasy neck, digging the tip into the skin.
Kayla threatened. “I said unlock the door. Don’t make me repeat it.”
The cold sting jolted Ariel’s nerves, and he suddenly lost control of the wheel. The car veered sharply, tires skidding against the road.
“M–Miss, what the hell are you doing? Let go,” he shouted, his voice cracking with panic.
‘Has she lost her damn mind? She actually attacked me?‘ Ariel cursed silently.
“Stop the car. Open the door. Or I won’t hold back,” Kayla said flatly, her grip tightening.
The pen pushed deeper, breaking Ariel’s skin. Blood beaded along the metal.
Ariel cried out in pain. The second the sharp edge bit deeper, he realized she wasn’t bluffing. He slammed the brakes, his hand scrambling to hit the door unlock.
“Alright, it’s open. Can you let go of me now?” he said.
Kayla stayed alert, her eyes flicking to the street outside. But she didn’t miss the flash of viciousness in Ariel’s eyes–barely there, but enough to make her jaw tighten.
With a snort in her mind, she slowly loosened her grip, letting him go. But just as Ariel started to move, she stabbed the pen straight into his shoulder without hesitation. Ariel let out a piercing scream, the kind that rattled her eardrums.
Unshaken, Kayla pulled the pen out, wiped the blood on his jacket, and looked him square in the eye. Her voice was steady and low. “Ariel, know your place. Don’t forget who you are.”
With that, she got out of the car and flagged down the first taxi she saw. As it pulled up, she got in and muttered, “Mom, please wait for me. Please, just wait…”
Outside, the city lights shimmered in the dark like distant stars.
Inside the taxi, Kayla sat still, trying to look composed, but her chest Telt like it was about to burst. Her heartbeat pounded in
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Chapter 28
her ears as she kept whispering to herself, trying to calm the storm raging in her gut.
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The taxi cut through the streets quickly and brought her to the intersection burned into her memory–a place stained with fear and pain from her past life.
Her breath caught as the car rolled to a stop. She jumped out and ran. The wind howled in her ears, tossing her hair wildly, but no gust could blow away the panic gripping her chest.
She raced into the crowd, scanning every face for Bailee. There were people everywhere–talking, walking, laughing–but there was no sign of an accident, no chaos, nothing out of place.
Still, Kayla’s nerves refused to settle. Her eyes darted from face to face, desperately searching.
Then, under the dim glow of a far–off streetlamp, she caught sight of a familiar silhouette.
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