Chapter 50
The leader glared at them and said slowly, “Miss Abby said she needs to be alive. But she didn’t say we couldn’t have some fun. What a pretty babe…”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Pearl never imagined Abby would go this far. She stared at the men coldly and chuckled. “Do you even know who I am?”
One of them replied mockingly, “Yeah, you’re our darling, and we’ll give you a great time later..”
But another man, who seemed to know more, said, “You’re Pearl Leighton, the Waldorfs‘ future bride. And a singer too…. Tsk.”
Pearl’s voice turned sharp. “And you think the Waldorfs won’t come after you for messing with me?”
The man just shook his head and smiled helplessly. “They’ll break off the engagement when your reputation is ruined. You’re not family yet. Stop overthinking and just relax and enjoy-”
Pearl raised her brows and smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “But do you know why I haven’t married into the Waldorf family yet?”
Knowing that Pearl could not escape, he said curiously, “Tell me about it.”
Pearl let out a deep sigh. “It’s because I have AIDS. I didn’t pass their health checks, that’s why they’re keeping me at a distance. Since I’m dying, of course the Waldorfs don’t want any of their sons to marry me.”
Looking down, Pearl kept a sorrowful expression, as if she was really suffering.
The man looked doubtful. “Really? AIDS?” What a bummer if they couldn’t enjoy themselves with such a beauty!
“If you don’t care, then go ahead. It might be fun to have someone die with me,” Pearl sneered, killing their lust.
This made them uneasy. One whispered, “What if she’s really… Maybe we shouldn’t?”
The leader was smart. He narrowed his eyes and watched Pearl thoughtfully. “We’ll spare her for now. We’ve got all the time in the world, after all.”
He knew that they couldn’t mess up. If they didn’t follow through on their orders, there would be consequences.
The Flores family was too powerful to cross, and even though Pearl was famous, she had no real power. They figured she would be easy to handle.
The group decided to lock Pearl in the run–down house, with a strict rule that she wasn’t to be untied unless the leader said so. Pearl, although silent, was trying to come up with countermeasures. They had taken her phone, but she had a backup plan. She discreetly pressed on her ring, which had a built–in GPS. Once pressed, Wayne would be alerted to her location. Given the remote location, she hoped Wayne would realize she was in trouble and come to help.
Time dragged on as Pearl waited in silence. At night, one of the men came in and gave her a piece of bread,
Frowning, Pearl asked, “Can you untie me? I really need to use the restroom.” She made a pained expression, pretending she had been holding it in for a while.
The man hesitated. “No, I can’t let you run away.”
Pearl widened her eyes. “But I’m just one woman, and you’re here watching. Plus, do you really want this room to smell? You don’t want that, right, handsome boy?”
She could tell the man wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. When she added a compliment, calling him “handsome,” he seemed to melt a bit..
“Fine,” he said, “but come right back. If you try to escape, the punishment will be worse.”
Pearl flashed her best charming smile in response, bewitching him.
She had barely stepped out of the room when another man stopped her. It was the leader, and he was furious to see her untied. He demanded, “Who did this?”
The man stepped forward with his tail between his legs. “It was me-”
His boss slapped him. “B*stard! How could you believe everything she said? What if she runs away?”
After that, Pearl was tied up more tightly, and someone else was keeping an eye on her.
Pearl knew she couldn’t escape by herself. She needed someone to rescue her.
Meanwhile, Richard noticed Pearl wasn’t home. Alarmed, he called Wayne, “It’s quite late, and Pearl hasn’t returned home. Is she with you?” His tone was cold.
Anxious, Wayne explained, “She sent me the address of an abandoned house in the south of the city. I think she’s in trouble.”
Richard’s gaze was cold when he heard that. “I’ll go there now. You call the police. We’ll meet up there.”
“Okay, I’ll text you the full address.”
Richard drove fast. When he arrived, he saw the brightly lit abandoned house with two men guarding the door. He sneaked around and saw Pearl tied up inside through a window.
Confirming she was alone in the roo
he opened the window and went in, landing softly beside Pearl.
“Richard?” Pearl exclaimed in a hushed tone. She wondered why he knew her location and came to her rescue.
Richard didn’t have time to explain. Besides, she was tied up very tightly, leaving him no choice but to attempt to cut the rope using a sharp stone he found on the floor.
A few minutes later, he managed to free her, and she rushed to the window with Richard. However, just as they were about to run away, the door creaked open suddenly.
“She’s escaping! Catch her!”
The men chased her relentlessly, and unexpectedly, Pearl sprained her leg.
Breaking out in a cold sweat, she frowned. “Go ahead, Richard, or they’ll catch up to us.
But Richard ignored her and carried her. “Keep quiet if it hurts.”
Pearl felt a surge of anxiety as the shouts behind her grew louder. “Go now. At least one of us escapes.
Richard looked down with a serious and gentle expression. “I’ll never leave you behind, Pearl.”
