Arabel's POV
A broken sob escapes me just as I flutter my eyes open to see myself lying on a strange bed.
I jerk up immediately, trying to remember the last thing I did and where the hell I am.
The fight with Richard—was it a dream?
Slowly, the memories rush in.
He paid Leo to follow me and Leo recorded me admitting that I was Arabel Cooper and that I was divorced.
Then he lied to me, saying that he hadn't recovered his memory when he already had.
I was filled with rage, so I slapped him, turned back on my heels, and left with Daisy in my car.
I didn't drive to the airport. I was too broken to go ahead with my plans to return home. I didn't even get to grab my luggage tucked in Richard's booth.
I didn't have a destination in mind. I just kept driving with rage.
Then what happened?
I look away, just as I remember Daisy.
When I crawl out of the strange bed, I don't see her.
Where the hell is my baby? What happened?
I collapse onto the bed as I reminisce about my near-accident. A car was approaching me, and I managed to swerve my car just in time, allowing it to pass by, before someone emerged from the car and I saw Alex.
A gasp leaves my mouth, making me clasp my hand around my mouth.
Did Alex kidnap me?
Hurriedly, I rush to the door and begin to bang on it. “Alex!”
Where is my child? Please don't hurt her.
“Alex!” I continue screaming until I hear the sound of footsteps. I stop to listen and the door is suddenly pulled open from behind to reveal Eve, clad in a short dress, with a smirk on her face.
“Eve?” I call out in surprise.
“Surprise?” She grins widely, making me scoot backwards. “How are you, baby girl?”
“Where is my child?” I yell, determined to fight her if she doesn't provide for my girl.
“She is good. Someone who should be her father is taking good care of her,” she responds, reaching out to touch my shoulder.
I move back, letting her hand drop.
When my gaze shifts to the open door, she chuckles. “There are ten men waiting outside for either an intruder or you trying to escape. The order for them is to shoot!”
Panic streams down my spine.
Alex was the one I saw, next Eve. Why is Eve here instead? Is he aware she kidnapped me? Are they still working together?
“Let me go. I have no business…”
“Of course you do. Richard is mine to have. I warned you several times, but you wouldn't listen. Now it is time for me to get vengeance. Not only did you steal my man the first time, but you are doing it again.” She snaps, spitting in my face.
I drag a hand over my face to wipe her spit, rage flaring up inside of me.
I try to keep my cool.
Richard isn't even worth fighting for. He is nothing but a pathetic liar.
“You can have him,” I mutter in defeat.
“Too late,” she jeers in a mocking tone. “If I don't get rid of you, he will not take me back. So the plan is simple.”
With a finger poking at my chest, she pushes me backward, and I move back willingly, desperate to see Daisy and make sure she is fine.
“The plan is to keep you here. If he agrees to marry me, you can leave, but if he doesn't, you're dead! Let's wait and see what your sweetheart will decide. Whether you or me again.” She gives me a wink, and I shake my head, a smile crawling to my face.
Suddenly, a slap darts across my cheek.
“Don't you dare smirk!” She snaps at me. “Do you think he won't fall for me again? You lie. This time, I will fully commit until he falls deeply in love with me, regardless of whether you are alive or not. If he doesn't do my bidding, then you die!”
Her threats don't get to me. I am just upset that she slapped me, and I can't do a thing.
I'm not sacrificing anything for Richard anymore. Neither my life nor my child's. He can go to hell for all I care.
“You want Richard? You can have him, you don't need to go around hitting me when he is not even worth it…” With another slap, she cuts me short.
And I strike her back too.
With shock flaring up in her eyes, she grabs my hair, and I push her backwards, attempting to make for the door and find my child.
Realizing what I am doing, she pushes me back, dragging my hair until it feels like she is going to pull them all out.
“Stop!” A deep voice reverberated through the room orders, making her stop her assault on me.
I stand upright to see the face of the man I called a friend for years, staring at me without an iota of emotion.
He is watching me as though I were a stranger.
Alex knew she was planning to kidnap me, and he assisted her in doing so. Remembering how I assured Richard that Alex would never harm me, I feel furious that he is doing this.
“I told you not to touch her, didn't I?” He barks at Eve before turning his face to me.
“Where is Daisy?” I demand from him immediately, trying not to shed a tear and not have them think of me as a weak, pathetic fool.
“I asked you to meet with me, but you didn't…”
“Where is my child, you dimwit?” I thunder, charging towards him with extreme anger. He grabs me from hitting him before throwing me across the room.
I land on my side on the floor, a groan escaping my lips.
“Get out!” He yells at Eve, who throws a wink my way before rushing out. He slams the door shut before trotting towards me. “You bitch.”
“Alex…”
“Shut the f**k up!” He shouts and lifts me up. “You betrayed me. You fucking left me for that fool. I warned you, didn't I? You had the guts to publicly flaunt him in my face. How could you? I loved you…”
“Let me go, Alex. Richard and I are no more…”
“Shut the f**k up!”
“Shut up too and listen to me.” I am already whimpering, determined to survive this and never come back to New York again.
Eve can have Richard for all I care, but I would never be with Alex. Not a woman beater like him.
"Do you think I care whether you're with him or not?" You've lost your chance. It's either you marry me willingly or by force!”
Despite my tears, soft chuckles erupt from my mouth, making him raise a brow. "How can I marry you when you're already married to that bitch? That won't be possible, dear friend. That silly certificate binds you and Eve together, but you don't know it.”
He slaps me, and I fall to the ground.
Pain slithers through me.
He stalks to the door and bangs his fist on it in anger, before storming back to me.
“Arabel,” he calls softly, and he helps me up. I am too weak to even cry. I just want to take all the slaps and pain and sleep it off.
Perhaps, when I do, I will wake up in my room in London.
I can't believe Alex is doing this. I can't believe Alex is a woman beater. I can't believe I was friends with this man for years without knowing his true colors. I can't believe he wants to force me to marry him.
I stare blankly at him, numb with emotion. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you. I was too enraged…” he pauses. “I'm sorry, Bella. I truly am. Will you forgive me?”
I don't reply.
I can't move my head.
My heart ricochets with a twinge of pain as I feel the heat of humiliation creeping under my skin.
“Will you f**king answer me, woman?” He shouts, his breath fanning my face and jerking me back to life.
I tremble like a leaf in the autumn.
Shame soaks through me, and my body floods with pain.
A hand clamped down on my throat, causing me to jerk up and struggle with Alex. His hand continued to wrap tightly around my throat, making me hack a cough.
"If you don't do as I say, I will fucking get rid of you. Perhaps that will heal my bruised ego, knowing you are no longer living but in hell.”
This is already hell.
“Will you marry me, woman?!” He snaps again, raising me up, my legs dangling in the air.
I hit his hand, hoping he would pull away and not end up killing me right this minute, just because I don't want to be married to him.
Does it even matter?
I despise Richard for what he did to me. And I can't die because of him, leaving my poor child behind.
Getting married to him will mean a lifetime of hell, but I am willing to take it. For my child.
As the air leaves my lungs and my eyes start to close spontaneously, I manage to utter, "I will. I will.”
He lets go of me, and I fall with a thud, unconscious.