“Ryan, bring me to see—”
“Eveline.” Sean suddenly entered the room.
Niamh looked up and was surprised to see Eloise following behind him.
“Mom?!” She watched as Eloise looked up and smiled at Ryan.
“Don’t worry, Eveline. Your mom came back last night after Mr. Jones’ men went to look for her. You fell asleep early yesterday, so I didn’t wake you up,” Sean explained to Niamh.
It turned out Eloise had already returned last night and Ryan was merely making fun of her moments ago.
Ryan met Niamh’s gaze and smiled. “You guys should talk. There are a few things I need to do.”
Sean nodded and watched Ryan leave with a smile on his face. He seemed to like Ryan a lot.
Niamh did not know how to tell Sean that Ryan was a horrifying two-faced man.
With Ryan gone, Niamh let out a sigh of relief and took Eloise’s hand. The weight in her chest was lifted.
“Thank goodness you’re alright, Mom. It’s my fault for not looking after you when I was with Kendrick.” Niamh blamed herself.
Eloise frowned in confusion. “Who’s Kendrick? Is it that young man you kissed?”
“…” Niamh flushed in embarrassment.
She was about to change the subject when she saw Sean glancing outside before carefully shutting the door.
“Dad?” Niamh found his actions weird. “What’s wrong?”
Sean turned and walked back to Niamh, his expression turning heavy. “Tell Dad the truth, Eveline. Did something happen between you and Ryan? I could feel that something was wrong yesterday at the hospital and after hearing your conversation just now when I was at the door. I can’t help but think that something’s wrong.”
Niamh did not expect her father to be so observant. She did not want to lie to him, so she told everything from the beginning.
Sean’s complexion paled at the story. “I never expected this at all! How could Ryan be such a person? No way, we can’t just stay here and wait for him to act first. He might use me and your mother’s safety to control you.”
Sean was worried and concerned for Niamh. “How about this? I’ll say that I want to bring your mom to see the doctor later, Eveline, and you’ll come with us. It’ll be easier to run once we get outside.”
While the plan was sound, Niamh could not help but feel worried. “Isn’t this too risky, Dad?”
“Staying here would be even riskier.” Sean glanced at Eloise. “We can’t lock your mother in the house forever because of her condition either. The three of us need to make it out of here safely if we want to go back to how we used to live.”
It made sense, so Niamh agreed.
Once they left Niamh’s room, Sean then went to look for Ryan and told him that he wanted to bring Eloise to a psychologist. Ryan was doubtful and thought about it for a few seconds before he agreed. “I’ll have someone come with you, then.”
“Eveline alone is enough.” Sean suggested. “You know how Ellie’s only like this because of Eveline. I’m sure Eveline’s presence would help Ellie a lot.”
Ryan glanced at Niamh. “Let’s all go, then.” He walked toward Niamh with a shadow of a smile. “I’ll come with you.”
“…”
Niamh and Sean shared a look at Ryan’s unexpected reply but did not decline.
Yet with Ryan coming out with them, their plan had failed.
Ryan had Sean and Eloise take a car while he drove another one with Eveline.
Knowing that her plan to escape was nulled, Niamh stared blankly out the window and watched the raindrops patter against it.
“Are you disappointed that I’m coming along?” Ryan suddenly asked, cutting the silence in the car.
Niamh did not reply.
“My apologies for destroying your family’s plan to escape.”
“…”
Niamh’s heartstrings tugged as she stared at Ryan in disbelief, the man had an eerie smile on his face. Ryan suddenly brought the car to an emergency brake and Niamh heard a loud crash from the front.
She looked up to find Sean and Eloise’s car amongst a severe car accident.
“Mom! Dad!”
She quickly went to open the car door, but Ryan grabbed her wrist as a chuckle drifted into her ears.
“Don’t be in such a rush. Come look at this first.”
Ryan pulled Niamh back, though she was not interested in what Ryan wanted to show her. All she wanted to know was if Sean and Eloise were alright.
However, Ryan did not seem to have any intention of letting her go. He linked his phone with the display on the car and a scene began to play out before her eyes…
The three of them were seen on the display, discussing their plans to escape not too long ago in her room. The video was clear and so were their voices.
Niamh felt the bottom of her feet go cold as the chilly sensation spread through her entire body.
She turned to look at the confident man and questioned in disbelief, “You put cameras in my room?”
Ryan smirked nonchalantly and met Niamh’s terrified gaze. “Evidence shows that you didn’t learn from your mistakes.”
Niamh did not expect Ryan to be privy to her every move, even those that took place in her room!
A chill shook through her. She raised her arm to hit Ryan, only for him to grab her wrist easily.
Ryan’s eyes glowed with mirth, mirth that looked especially bone-chilling.
“You may be smart, Eveline, but I’m not stupid either. I’m telling you right now that this is what will happen if you continue to test my boundaries.”
He glanced at the car accident Sean and Eloise were involved in as he spoke.
“This is my punishment for you.”
Niamh’s heart sunk as she stared at the blinking lights of the car in front of her. Pulling her arm out of Ryan’s hold, she opened the car door frantically.
Under the rain, she ran toward the car that had been knocked askew.
Through the window, Niamh found that both Sean and Eloise were unconscious in the back seat.
Eloise was leaning against Sean without moving and Sean’s forehead was bleeding after knocking on what might have been the window.
Niamh raised her hand to hit the window strongly. She tried to open the doors, but the car was locked.
“Mom! Dad!”
Bang, bang, bang!
Niamh continued to hammer the window, but no one seemed to respond.
She reached for her pocket to take her phone out and call for an ambulance only to remember that she had smashed her phone last night.
Niamh’s heart raced impatiently as the rain began to drench her clothes. Her vision began to blur as well.
They were not on the main street, so there were no cars around. Two men in suits stood in front, but they were both Ryan’s bodyguards. She had no one to ask for help.
“Mom! Dad!” Niamh called out again while hammering the car window, but it was to no avail.
Eloise and Sean were the only family she had left in this world. She had already lost them once before and did not want to lose them again.
“Are you afraid now? Will you still try and challenge my limits?” Ryan walked over to Niamh slowly as he held a black umbrella over his head.
Her weak and pale appearance fed the exhilaration in Ryan’s eyes.
Niamh raised her panicked and fearful gaze to look at the high-spirited man in front of her. Tears that welled in her eyes began to trickle down.
She ran toward Ryan and grabbed both of the man’s sleeves. “Torture me if you have to, Ryan. Just please stop making my parents pay! I’m begging you, please!”
“You’re finally begging me now?” Ryan asked joyfully. “I’ve reminded you more than once not to test my limits, haven’t I? I’m not Kendrick Waldburg and I won’t let you do as you wish. Listen to me and I’ll promise to keep your parents safe.”
Niamh nodded as tears clouded her vision. “Okay! I understand, I really do. Just call the ambulance, Ryan, please! I’m begging you, please!”
Niamh pleaded, moments away from kneeling.
Ryan smiled as he enjoyed the look of tears streaming down Niamh’s face and reached out to caress her brows that were drenched by the rain. The look in his eyes warmed and took a loving turn.
“Listen to me, Eveline, and I can promise to fulfill your every wish.”
Niamh nodded rapidly through her tears. “I’ll listen! I’ll listen to everything you say, Ryan! I really will! I won’t say the wrong things anymore and I won’t meet Kendrick again. I also won’t try to escape anymore, I promise!”
Ryan curled his lips in satisfaction and took out his phone to call an ambulance.
Just then, the car door suddenly flung open and Sean got out of the car with difficulty.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.