Chapter 11

"You?" Ximena called in shock, eyes bulging wide open.

She couldn't even wrap her head so fast around it as she was badly confused. First, how did he find her? And secondly, why the hell was he there?

Ni, ordering the manager to go on his knees, moved closer to Xmena afterwards.

"Where is my ring?" He asked in a low growl, making sure his eyes were pinned directly on hers.

Ximena tried as much as possible to act confused. "Y....Your ring?" Her forehead was beginning to break a sweat.

"What're you talking about?"She chuckled nervously.

Unexpectedly, Nir gripped her by the collars and dragged her roughly to himself; Ximena let out a wince, being taken aback by the rough pull.

"I'm already hating myself for having to come down here, young lady"He gritted. "And I'd want nothing more than to see myself leaving. Now, for the last time, WHERE IS MY RING?" He spelt out the last words.

Ximena was struggling to catch her breath while thinking of how dead she was. Of course, she was dead!

"Wait...." She choked on her words, tapping his shoulders to let her go, but he didn't.

"It's with.... him" She managed to say, still tapping his shoulders and slowly, Nir held her collars.

The manager had resumed shaking on his knees, while staring at Ximena with those hateful eyes like she had done something really terrible to him.

"It's here with me - in my pocket!" He yelled out just before Nir would say a word.

He had seen so much of the strange man and wouldn't want to have any more of him.

"She....she showed up here from nowhere,told me she didn't have money on her but had something I would equally value. And....and she gave the ring to me. Please, I had no idea it was stolen". Nir said nothing, and the man seeing the silent desperation in Nir's eyes, quickly pulled out the ring from his pocket.

An unexplained calmness swept through his heart upon setting his eyes on the ring. That instance, he felt the joy of recovering something extremely important - something he was so sure he couldn't do without.

He snatched it from the man and twirled it in the palm to be sure it was it.

Ximena, on the other hand, had just recovered from the throat tightness but could still feel her heart beating really heavily. How could one man be so strong to nearly slit her throat open just by gripping it?

She looked at him as he held the ring so preciously in his hand. No; she couldn't let him go with it - else, she was done for.

"Please...." She gulped hard. "I'm.... I'm sorry for taking your ring, okay?. I didn't... exactly take it. I mean, I just found it on the bench when you left and decided to keep it safe for you. Uh..." She itched her hair, ignoring the fact that he was still backing her and staring at the ring.

"You don't really need the ring,do you? Please, I badly need some money", she added, and that was the moment Nir turned to glare at her.

Those pretty eyes of his were looking so frightening.

"You should be thankful I'm leaving you alive" He grunted, glared at the man still on his knees, and began walking away.

"No...wait. Please, you have to listen to me. Don't be so cold-hearted. I'm sure you have more of those gold. Why not give one to me?" She whined from behind, but Nir didn't even look at her as he grudgingly left.

.

Ximena was already panting heavily due to how much she stressed herself. Then, it dawned on her that she was likely to become homeless.

"You bastard!!" The manager groaned as he stood on his feet, trying to ignore the pains that came from his knees.

His eyes were so hateful and fierce, they scared Ximena to the teeth.

"I can't believe you could had the guts to bring a stolen piece of gold to me to put me in trouble. You want to take my life, heh? You want me to die before my time??"

"No.... it's not what you think" Ximena stuttered, taking some backward steps as the angry man matched towards her.

"What do you mean it's not what I think??? That man had a knife to my throat!!" He roared out and paused, realizing the knife was actually nowhere to be found.

It was just dawning on him - when did it fall off without him knowing?

He waved the thought off his head, deciding to focus on the pesky lady.

"I feel like tearing you apart right this instance! I feel like squeezing you right into the ground!" He paused and took in a very deep breath.

"But, I won't do that. I'll just let you go". And with that said, he walked pass her and marched into the room where he started packing her things.

What??

"Wait...! We can still find a way around this! I have money, I just don't have your currency..." Ximena pleaded behind him,but they fell on deaf ears as the man roughly packed up her scanty things, and stormed out of the room.

"What are you doing??? You have to listen to me!" Ximena cried out as she ran after him; and getting outside to the entrance of the hotel, he threw them embarrassingly on the ground.

"Take those filthy things of yours and go! Who knows if you actually stole them" He cursed angrily.

"This is so mean of you! Why not give me a chance to explain?? How can you be so cruel?" She asked bitterly at the brink of tears. She didn't even mind the strange woman walking out of the hotel with an empty basket and staring at them.

"A thief like you deserves no second chances. You should be thankful I'm not charging you for the free meal you ate. Get lost!" He glared at her and walked back to the hotel.

Ximena noticed the woman had stopped walking, obviously enjoying the free movie in front of her.

She sniffed and crouched to the floor, picking up her things and reflecting her mind on the multiple embarrassment she's had to receive all because of Alpha Nir. That bastard! She really couldn't wait to extract her revenge on him!

*

Done picking up the bags, she stood up and to her surprise, found the elderly woman standing so closely to her. Huh? Why was she that close? Ximena thought.

"Dear, you're crying" The woman spoke softly, and running her finger through her face, Ximena confirmed she indeed had some tears rolling through it. Oh .. she didn't even notice.

"What's your name? And how did you get into trouble with the manager?"She asked afterwards, earning a suspicious stare from Ximena. Why would she ask for a name?

"It's a long story; don't worry about it" She sniffed and tried walking away.

"You look like you need a place to stay" The woman's words halted her and quickly, she turned to look at her. "I think I could be of help, only if you tell me how you became homeless".

The offer rang some delightful bells into Ximena's ears. She could really be of help?

She returned her steps to the woman while thinking of what to say. Was she to trust her? What help could she really offer?

Well.... from the look of things, she was broke and really needed all the help she could get.

"My name is ... Ximena" She began. "And I.... I just came into Obeddon not long ago".

"Really? You're a visitor? From where?" The woman asked excitedly.

Ximena went numb immediately. She couldn't tell her she was from the States as that might sound really suspicious. She needed to act like one from a different community. But, which other community does she know?

Suddenly, the words of the pina fored guy from the ship came dancing into her head:

"Well, this is Kunturia".

Kunturiah - she thought. Yes!

"I'm from ... Kunturiah" she answered to the woman, deciding to make use of the name.

"Oh. Kunturiah?" The woman repeated. "That's not too far from here. So, what are you doing in Obeddon?"

"Nothing, I...." Ximena paused and sighed. "I just want to be here for some time. But, I don't have enough money on me to sustain my stay".

"Oh, dear. I understand" The woman looked pathetically at her.

"Well, you see, I'm a launderer and come here often to wash some customer's clothes. I actually have.... just three children, and I think our home might have some extra space to accommodate you. What do you think?"

The offer was tempting enough for Ximena. But three children??

Hm. Perhaps, she'd just manage with her for a few days until she gets her own money to leave.

"Okay, ma'am. Thank you so much" She lowered her head.

"It's okay dear, You should come with me" The woman chuckled and together, they left the place.

*

*

Like, comment

Love you all