Busted

When Gina woke up the next morning. It was already bright outside, and the morning sun streamed through the transparent curtains.

Sounds of cars honking and the bustling activities outside could be heard from the tall apartment building.

She jerked up on the bed and quickly rubbed the sleep off her eyes.

Her eyes wandered around the empty apartment and she had deduced that her friend had gone to work. However, she found a small note on the bedside table.

[Wait for me, don’t go anywhere, okay?... You must tell me everything about your mysterious husband. Breakfast's on the stove, warm it up, and eat to your heart fill. Xoxo]

Gina gulped as she read the paper. What was she supposed to tell the girl when she comes back? And would she even wait for her to return?

Of course not, Dinah would pester to death. And she couldn’t believe that she’d allowed sleep to overtake her.

She put the paper away, then quickly got down from the bed and entered the bathroom.

After she was done taking her bath, she rummaged through the bag Dinah had brought her yesterday and picked out one of her clothes.

She wore the silky white dress imprinted with flora patterns. She looked at herself in the full-length mirror and sighed.

Even though the design was simple, it was her best creation, and Gina was drawn back to all those happy times in college, doing what she loved most.

She broke out of the feeling of euphoria and quickly ate the breakfast without minding warming the food. Thankfully, she found a little cash in her belongings.

She tucked it inside her purse, wore her shoes, and dragged the bag out of the apartment.

While half-running down the stairs her heels clanked against the floor. Gina kept praying that she would reach the mansion on time, and also hoping that Adrian hadn’t returned.

After leaving the apartment building, She hailed a taxi. However, the taxi driver immediately shook his head and drove off, when he heard the address she was going to.

Gina stood dumbfounded and her thoughts wandered back to the military guy's words.

‘No, lemme try again. Maybe he doesn’t know the address' she reassured herself inside and stopped another taxi again.

After getting the same reaction from five more taxi drivers, Gina felt like breaking into tears. She had even begged the last man, promising to pay any amount, but what he had said, took her by surprise.

‘Taxies are not allowed in that area, it is strictly owned by the military and no one would want to trifle with the authority.’

The kind man had patiently explained to her, before also driving away.

Thinking back to the man's words, Gina grimaced inside, wondering what kind of man she had married. Seems like he also had a connection with the military. It was no wonder those guys at the hospital had given her quizzical looks when she mentioned that she would take a taxi.

‘Argh!’ But she needed to get back there.

Exhausted from standing too long, Gina strolled to a nearby bench and slumped down with a huge sigh.

Now, what to do? How could she go back? Who was she going to ask for help?

‘Should I call Fred' The idea suddenly popped up in her mind, but she quickly dispersed it.

Asking Fred to take her there was like spilling her secret to the whole family. She couldn’t risk the word getting to her grandfather. And besides, she doubts Fred would be happy with her decision.

Still deep in her thoughts, Gina did not realize that a car had stopped in front of her.

In the busy street, the black car stood out, and a lot of people walking on the roadside couldn’t help but glance at it twice.

The car's glass was tinted and only the people inside the car could see those from outside, but not the other way round.

The car stood there, neither making a sound nor showing any sign of moving.

Gina was looking down, totally dejected. At first, she had ignored the car after sensing its presence. But people passing by started whispering about a luxurious car and she also found it weird that the car had not moved. Besides, it was blocking her view of the street ahead.

A foreboding feeling rose up in her chest, as her instincts had started shouting danger. Her mind could only wander to one person at the sight of the car.

Gina could feel her heart beating with apprehension. Her gaze shifted to the small crowd who had stopped and staring between her and the car.

What was wrong with them? She gulped. However, it was obvious that the car was waiting for her, as it had parked directly in front of her.

‘B–But Adrian is not in the country, it couldn’t possibly be him.’ She tried to reassure herself as she stood up with trembling legs. ‘yes, it might be a distant relative or even a friend who had recognized her from a distance,’ she added inside.

But no matter how she tried to convince herself, deep inside, Gina knew she was doomed.

‘No, it isn’t Adrian, It can’t be Adrian,’ she chanted, while walking hesitantly toward the car. Under the eager crowd gazes, Gina doesn’t have a choice.

‘But what if it's kidnappers' the thought instantly made her halt in her tracks as she was about to reach for the door.

But she was not popular, even as an heiress, and no sane person would care to kidnap her, in the current condition of her family.

‘What am I doing?’ She got back to her senses. What if she was just overthinking and the car wasn’t actually there for her in the first place?

It might probably be waiting for someone, and by chance, had parked in front of her.

Gina patted her chest and glanced at the crowd which had started dispersing. It can’t possibly be Adrian or kidnappers.