Ember's POV

It was only when one was in the face of death that one truly realised how scary it really was. Growing up with no biological family, I had sometimes wished I would just drop dead and put an end to all this anguish. But almost dying from strangulation, I felt true fear, and I realised I didn't want to die just yet.

I was very sure that if not for Mr A, I would have lost my life a few minutes ago to Kelvin's anger. He came in at a timely moment and saved me indirectly. I couldn't help but question the small thought that maybe he was sent by some supreme being to help me. He also beat Kelvin up, and I couldn't hide the relief in my heart. Call me heartless or whatever.

But that feeling disappeared a few minutes later when I heard I was to be taken captive as collateral. I can't seem to catch a break at this point.

“You can't take her, please. Ember is my life. I promise to get you the money in a few days, please, just don't take her” Kelvin begged seriously, bringing me out of my thoughts.

This darned psychopath!

“Please, I have nothing to do with him anymore, you can't take me. I was just about to leave, please. I am innocent in all this” I begged for myself.

“How can you say this, Ember? I took that loan from them because of you, I wanted to give you a comfortable life. You know we are getting married soon, are you going to deny me just like that?” Kelvin turned to me and asked in a heartbroken voice.

I shivered from the wave of anger that swarmed me. Kelvin was a lunatic, and his pity show was obviously to discredit my words and make me look like a gold digger.

“Shut up, you sick bastard!” I screamed at him with all the strength I had, “I am never going to marry you, I would rather die than…”

“Alright, this is getting boring. I don't care for a lover's squabble, I just want my money. Take her, let's go” Mr A interrupted me with a bored look on his gorgeous face and instructed his men.

One held down Kelvin and the other two came at me. With an already beaten-up body, I was as weak as paper; I couldn't even scream with my strained neck. I was easily taken away to the jeep parked outside.

What was even scarier was that these men didn't even try to hide the fact that they were kidnapping a person. People saw me being taken away on the streets and just stared cautiously from a distance. They were obviously scared to come any closer, which begs the question again… who were these men?

Just as we reached the jeep and I was about to be shoved inside, two unfamiliar men approached us, dragging alongside them a bloodied man who looked almost dead.

“We found him in the area, boss. He was trying to get away, and he shot Denise in the leg,” one of the two reported.

Mr A hissed, looking pissed.

“I gave you so many chances, Roy, but you are obviously trying to make me look stupid. You betrayed me and even dared to shoot one of my men, your grace has ended" He began.

"But I'm happily going to use you as a scapegoat to remind everyone who runs this town” he completed and immediately brought out a gun from his pocket and pulled the trigger at the man's head. My eyes widened in shock at the ghastly scene, the man's lifeless body slumped to the ground and his head remains were scattered on the ground.

My stomach churned violently with intense disgust and I fell to my knees to release its contents. God sent? I actually thought this Mr A person was God sent? He was the devil himself.

I was still facedown, puking my guts out, when I felt someone hit me hard on the back of my head, and I blacked out in a few seconds.

***

I tried to turn in my sleep but the sharp pain I felt in my sides woke me up instantly. I looked around the unfamiliar room in confusion, where was I? My last memories before I passed out came flooding in and my heart rose in panic.

There was an IV drip injected into my hand, and I reached out to take it off so I could get out of wherever this was, when a man walked into the room.

It was Mr A.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you” he said as he puffed out smoke from his cigarette and sat down on a chair opposite the bed.

“Where am I?” I held on to the drip and asked.

“You are at my mansion, Princess. Given your condition, I had to call a doctor to patch you up. I mean, you need to be in good condition for sale after all,” he smirked and inhaled another cigarette.

His words triggered a part of me, and I hissed before pulling the drip out of my vein. I ignored the sting and the blood trickling down my hand and jumped out of the bed to make a run for the door.

I was halfway to the door when an intense vertigo attacked me and my knees gave way. I thought I was going to hit the ground, but a strong pair of arms wrapped around me. I looked up to see him staring at me with amusement in his eyes.

“I told you…” He trailed off, his smoky breath fanning my face.

His forest green eyes captivated me, and our position didn't help either, but flashes of him shooting that man resurfaced, and I used all my strength to push him off me in fear.

“Get away from me, you murderer!” I blurted out as I stepped back slowly and cautiously.

He eyed me for a few seconds and frowned. His jaw ticked and he said, “You can't leave until your boyfriend gives me my money”

“He is NOT my boyfriend anymore, I cannot be a girlfriend to someone who tried to kill me. Please just let me go, I promise to go far away from him and you, I won't tell anyone what I saw you do” I begged as I kept stepping back till my back hit the wall.

He chuckled and began to walk closer to me with a predatory look in his eyes, he placed his hands on the wall to cage me in and with our bodies inches apart, my heart wouldn't stop thumping wildly in my chest. I was terrified and felt hot at the same time, it was a mix of jumbled emotions.

He brought his mouth to my ear and replied in a whisper, “You think I'm scared of you ratting me out? Then you must not know who I am. My name is Aaron, the owner of this town… and I fear no one”.