INES'S P.O.V.
****
"You know for someone who was kidnapped, you look fat like you went to the Maldives" I hear someone suddenly say with a familiar voice, I open my eyes and see myself in an entirely different room
"Viv, is that you?" I asked looking up and seeing Vivian
"Sure," she says, and I get up and hug her
"Wait, am I really in heaven this time, and all I went through was a dream?"
"Girl stop," Vivian says tapping my shoulder "Why would I be in heaven?"
"Right, you're a terrible person"
"No, I'm not in hell either, I mean you were the one fooling around, why do I have to be dead too?"
"I get your point, so how did I end up here?"
"The number you had been calling me with called and told me to pick you up at this hotel, and here you were looking like you took a vacation, but I know better"
"Let's get out of this place first, do you have any clothes for me?" I asked
"No, I just rushed here"
"So, I'd have to go in the lobby with my pajamas?" I asked with an 'unbelievable' look
"We could jump out the window" she suggested
"In my pajamas, any other high-key way you have in mind?"
"I'm out of options," she says smiling, we stroll out of the hotel and once we get in the car, I start telling her of everything that happened, from the Shawn incident to the hospital, to Samantha and the pole, his room and the fact that perhaps I was moved because the yogurt I drank last night was drugged
"What's with people drugging you?" Vivian says "Shawn hasn't been in a lazy body for a couple of days"
"Has my dad called?"
"Yes, he's been calling, but I assured him you were okay"
"And he just believed?"
"Yes apparently," Viv said, and I found it a little unbelievable, I mean I am his beloved daughter "You gained weight, but not that much"
"I'll just shove it back where it came from, just give it time"
"Sure"
"Take me to my place"
"Okay"
*****
Reaching home, my car was let in as I was easily identified, I went to my father's study and as always, opened the door without knocking
"Where have you been young woman" I heard him say immediately as the door clicked shut, I walked up to him and hugged him, then sat opposite him, the paperwork on his table was a ton, and I knew he was busy and slept a lot less than before, this is why I was hell-bent on peace of mind
"Well... I don't know where to start"
"Well, you better start from the truth," he said, and I would've thrown that piece of advice in the trash if and only I could cook up a lie "I heard you were working at a strip club from the men from Lionel"
"Yes, I was..."
"Good cause you aren't going back there"
"But dad..."
"So, where were you in 2 months"
"Well, so one of my clients there was Shawn"
"Why"
"Well, it just happened like that," I said, and he looked up at me "I didn't know Shawn before then I promise" I lied, and he hummed "But I overheard Shawn saying that we were going to get married," I said
"What else happened?"
"So, he drugged me, but I escaped and entered another room, I coincidentally witnessed a murder and got shot in the thigh," I said reducing my voice slowly and slowly
"Ines!" my dad suddenly called sternly
"But the man treated me, and I've been recouping since," I say to ease his fears
"Ines, then you could've at least called and lied that you were okay, isn't it?" When he said that I wondered why I hadn't thought of that "but I hadn't heard from you at all, do you want to kill me before my enemies?"
"you're so lucky you were spared, go to your room, and I don't want to see your brake light in that club again"
"Sure Dad, let me make a cup of tea for you anyway," I said and got up, I did that quickly because he looked stressed and the least, I could do was what I did "I love you, Daddy," I said and left to my room
Lying on my bed, I remembered my last night at the private hospital and the comfort I felt in the master room, it felt like a good night, and also I longed to see that man again, I had a little grudge and that he shot me, and I hoped to the stars that he would be a good man to me that is if I ever saw him again.
My thoughts suddenly drift to the marriage talk with Shawn, rationally speaking, that would be the easiest way to resolve the long conflict between the two clans, but I know my father would never allow that for my life.
For one I was so precious to him, two he utterly detested the snow tiger clan and would rather elope with me than hand me over as collateral for a better life, knowing Mr. Lionel wouldn't even assure the safety of my life considering he had the upper hand after all Shawn had already said he would torture me every day, and I would be damned to consider that wastrel as a husband I would come home from work to meet every night, a matter of fact; would I be allowed to work or be free? or till I'm killed and my corpse scattered for dogs nobody would know, I thought and shivered
"So how did it go?" Viv said coming into my room
"My dad said I'm going to kill him before his enemies"
"Well, if that's the case, he should be in peace"
"Right? Considering it would never happen"
"So, the club?"
"Well, Dainty will be there not Ines," I say to her and smirk, "now my schoolwork work waiting for me," I say and groan
"I'm already stressed on behalf of you"
"Anyway, I'll resume the club once I get my academics rolling, in the meantime, let's head over to the club this evening, I want to look for Mr. Sharpshooter"
"My V.I.P. hasn't even come around since then"
"I mean, why serve a V.I.P. when your friend is kidnapped?" I questioned her with a judgmental face
"I mean you said you were alright; I might as well get laid by my boyfriend," she said
"You wish you had a boyfriend"
"I'm serious, he did call me his girlfriend"
"And you trust men, in this year and time"
"He gave me his business card"
"Why don't you call him and put the phone on speaker"
"Girl, I have nothing to say to that man"
"You mean your man" I teased
"Girl bye," she said wrapping herself in my duvet.
I immediately reached for her purse and got her phone, I unlocked it; her pattern was a kind of complicated but simple y, "What did you save his number as?"
"Damien beautiful "
"What a Porsche name, he better be fine, but then not any finer than my crush"
"And who might that be," Vivian asked
"The man who shot me, he is one good-looking fellow"
"I'm curious how does it feel to be shot while on drugs?" Vivian asked
"Honestly Vivian, my life flashed before my eyes, and that pain ran through my whole hip and legs" I remembered it clearly "I don't know if I fainted from the pain or the drugs, but right now I'm grateful that I fainted"
"And with all that, you still want to see the man that shot you, did the screws in your brain get any looser because before now the screws in your brain were already loose"
What can I say? good-looking men would be the death of me "I mean... well" I said nothing, I did not have a comeback for that
"I wonder about the look on his face before he shot you," Vivian asked and I cocked my head to remember
"Blank and fierce... no annoyed and fierce, enough about me; I'm calling," I said and dialed the call button on her phone, then put it on speaker
"Oh my, hell no Ines!" Viv said stretching to get her phone, but I dodged, the phone kept ringing, and she overpowered me and got the phone, that made me keep a mental reminder that I should never get physical because she would beat the crap out of me, but it was too late because I heard
"Many stars?" we all paused, and I giggled "Answer" I whispered to her
"I'll kill you" she whispered, and I gave her a goofy smile "Uh... uhm... Yeah, this is Vivian," she said
"I know Viv," he said
"How though," she asked puzzled, and I looked at her, like why was she asking him stupid questions "I mean, I did not give you my number" she completed
"I have my ways" he replied shortly, and I kept the Mm... impressed face "How efficient" I whispered to Viv, and she rolled her eyes
"Okay, so why didn't you call?" Viv asked "Wait, this is... Damien, right?" she asked emphasizing the 'is'
"And you wouldn't know the voice of your man?" he said, and she smiled
"Oh, we are still playing pretend," she said smiling and he laughed, I did not want to steal my friend's man but why was his voice so magnetic, his laugh echoed, and I blushed, Viv looking at my face removed her phone from the speaker, and I tapped her leg
"Please hold a little" she suddenly says and mutes her phone
"Why would you do that?" I asked her with a half-smile
"Why are you smiling so big?" she said smiling big too
"I'm smiling big? Have you seen your smile? like I didn't have to force you to call him, Viv. You better put some respect on my name, I promise I won't take your man but let me in this one conversation girl"
"Like you could take my man," she said being saucy and I gave her the what? Look but she unmuted the call and put it on speaker
"I'm back," she says
"How about I take you for dinner" he says
"Why would you?"
"to get to know my girlfriend better"
"how crazy of you not to know your girlfriend"
"Girl, are you coming or not?"
"That's rude"
"I'll take someone else"
"I'll kill her"
"Oh my, I like!" he says and laughs
"I like me too" Viv answers and I smile
"So therefore, I shall be at your doorstep this evening, just give me the address"
"I thought you'd already know"
"Dear Stars, are you accusing me of being a creep" he asked like he was hurt, and Viv paused like she had nothing interesting to say, so I said
"if the shoe fits" and Viv laughed, also telling me to shut up out loud,
"I assume that's your sister you were looking for," he said
"Yes, it's her, glad you still remembered"
"Why won't I, I mean my girlfriend was in distress," he says dramatically
"It's my queen to you, sir!"
"oh, that's fine my Qu... I'm sorry I couldn't complete that"
"Oh, so that's how you're gonna be hmm?"
"I fucked up Miss Royal, so what's the punishment?" he asked in a low voice and I lowkey liked his voice
"I think it's time for me to get out of this conversation," I said out loud, and we all laughed
"let's just meet at Lazy Body, I'd like to introduce you to Ines" Viv said and he hummed, then she cut the call
"That was rude," I said
"Well, the queen Viv. Is done talking"
"Don't tell me you're practicing a whole new personality"
"You're not even going to believe it when I tell you I'm the best actor there is"
"Yeah right".