The Billionaire Who Saved Me

“Miss Elice has left the apartment, sir.”

In the car parked not far from the apartment where Elice had stayed last night, Garrett was accompanied by Amber and the driver named Dariel Martin. It was unclear how long they had been there; it seemed like countless hours. During that time, Amber waited patiently for a report from her informants, while Garrett tried to remain calm and take the opportunity to work briefly on his laptop, which was open on his lap.

Garrett sighed deeply. Without taking his eyes off several colorful graphs on the laptop screen, he said, “Follow her.”

Amber looked back, seemingly incredulous at what her boss had just said.

“Quickly,” Garrett said again. “Before she gets too far.”

Amber had no choice. She motioned to Dariel, and not long after, the car was speeding through the streets. Now it was getting harder and harder for Garrett to concentrate on his work.

“Is she going straight home?” Garrett could not contain his curiosity and the question slipped from his lips.

“Um… I’m not sure, sir.”

Garrett’s brow furrowed slightly. This time, unconsciously, his face lifted. His focus was no longer on the laptop’s flat screen, but on the streets ahead of them, as if he could penetrate the scenery a few feet away.

“What do you mean?”

Amber took a breath before answering, “It looks like she’s going to the Metro first, sir. The cab she took isn’t heading her way.”

“She’s going to pick up her car first.”

“Looks like it.”

“That’s fine. Just keep following her. I need to make sure she gets home safely.”

There was nothing more Amber could say. She could only obey and carry out the man’s orders. She followed the taxi with Elice, which indeed led her to the Metro. Just as Garrett had suspected, Elice retrieved her car, which had been parked there for more than twenty-four hours.

Reminding Dariel to keep a safe distance, Amber didn’t take her eyes off Elice’s car. However, the expected safe distance changed in an instant. Just as the streets became crowded and vehicles filled the traffic, the safe distance turned into an invisible one.

*

“Now let go of my hand. Let me go, just like you did a year ago.”

Elice tried to pull her hand away from Ariel’s grip, but she could not. Ariel didn’t give her a chance to escape; instead, he tightened his grip.

Ariel jerked Elice’s hand, forcing its owner to move unwillingly toward him. Ariel hissed in her face.

“I will never let you go again, Elice,” Ariel said firmly. “Not as long as I live. You’re mine.”

“Let go!”

Elice tried to control herself under the pressure she was under. She wanted to resist, but what little rationality she had left prevented her from doing so. That day, she had just begun to breathe a little easier as the news about her slowly faded, replaced by the sudden outbreak of a scandal involving a top celebrity in the prostitution ring. And now, Elice didn’t want all that to be replaced by the kind of uproar that could happen in her parents’ neighborhood.

“I’m not going to let you go, Elice.”

However, the choice Elice made clearly gave Ariel an opportunity, until he thought to continue to corner Elice in his desire.

“She said let go, Ariel!”

A voice momentarily interrupted the chaos between Elice and Ariel. The voice sounded heavy and deep, conveying a warning.

Two pairs of eyes immediately turned to the source of the voice, only to find Garrett walking towards them.

“Garrett.”

Ignoring Elice calling his name, Garrett immediately grabbed Elice’s hand, releasing it from Ariel’s grip and pulling her to seek refuge behind his large frame.

“I thought you heard what Elice said, Ariel.”

Ariel glared sharply at Garrett, and Garrett responded with a similar look. At the same time, Elice found herself pulled into a hug. She turned to Amber, who pulled her away from the two men who had been at odds from the beginning.

“Don’t interfere, Garrett. This is none of your business.”

“I’m sure you understand that better than anyone,” Garrett replied. “Well, Elice is my business.”

Ariel glared at Garrett and Garrett returned the glare. Meanwhile, Elice felt a protective arm around her as Amber, with a worried look on her face, pulled her away from the two men who had been fighting.

“Don’t worry, Amber. I’ll handle this.”

Ariel stepped forward, both hands on Garrett’s shirt collar, clearly challenging him.

“Watch your words, Garrett. Elice will always be mine, no matter what. Don’t ever think you have a right to her.”

Garrett didn’t remain silent. His hand grabbed Ariel’s wrist and countered by twisting it in the opposite direction. Ariel’s grip loosened and Garrett pushed him away.

“You should watch your words and deeds, Ariel. Don’t make a disgrace of yourself. You should have thought twice before meeting Elice after what you did to her.”

Unable to say anything, Ariel could only express his anger at Garrett through his sharp, unblinking gaze.

“If you think this is the end of the line, you’re clearly mistaken, Garrett.”

Ariel’s gaze shifted briefly to Elice before he finally delivered his warning to Garrett.

“You will regret it. I assure you, you will regret it.”

With that, Ariel decided to leave. He walked to his car, and in a moment, the four-wheeled vehicle left the scene, leaving a brief silence that enveloped Garrett, Elice, and Amber.

At that moment, Amber secretly breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for at least two things-there was no physical altercation, and Garrett’s decision to follow Elice turned out to be the right one.

Amber could feel Elice tremble as she hugged her. The tangible form of fear that Elice did her best to hide. For Amber, it was truly remarkable – to remain brave even in the hardest of times.

“Are you okay?” Garrett’s voice addressed Elice. His hands took over Elice’s body from Amber’s. He looked at Elice, but she shook her head.

“I’m fine,” Elice whispered quietly. “Thank you, Garrett.”

Relief melted the tension from Garrett’s face.

“Thank God for that. I’m relieved to hear that.”

Glancing around, Garrett realized that it was getting late. In his heart, he was not only thankful that Elice was okay, but also relieved that there were no spontaneous spectators at this moment. At least the ensuing chaos didn’t attract the attention of the neighbors, who were probably already asleep.

“Well,” Garrett said afterwards, not noticing that his hand was still holding Elice. “You better go inside quickly. Rest.”

Elice seemed to want to say something, but she decided to follow Garrett’s words. She turned briefly to Amber, signaling her farewell only with her eyes. Then she pulled away from Garrett.

Garrett glanced around to make sure that Elice had entered the house and disappeared behind the door before finally leaving the scene. Amber followed him, feeling very tired that day.

*

The relief Wilda and Rita felt when they saw Elice return was immeasurable. The two middle-aged women were almost hysterical when they saw Elice coming. She looked disheveled, but fortunately nothing was missing.

“Oh, my God. Elice, you’re finally home.”

Wilda hugged Elice tightly and shed tears of relief. So did Aunt Rita, who felt a similar wave of emotion.

“Forgive me, Ma,” Elice whispered. “Forgive me.”

Elice couldn’t contain her guilt. Her body suddenly felt limp, and her knees seemed to buckle under the sudden weightlessness. Falling to the floor and landing on both knees, Elice knelt at Wilda’s feet. She embraced the aging legs and poured out all the tears of regret she had held back for hours.

“Forgive me, Ma. Forgive me.”

Elice’s cries broke out. She could no longer hold them back, especially when she saw how tired Wilda’s face was as she welcomed her home. The middle-aged woman couldn’t sleep, couldn’t rest, couldn’t face the days of her only daughter getting into trouble out there. And this time, it wasn’t just two families who knew; all of Oceana was talking.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“I always disappoint. I always bring shame to our family. I really am a useless child.”

Wilda tried to hold back her sobs, but she couldn’t hold back her tears. They flowed freely down her lined cheeks.

“Elice.”

Wilda’s hands tried to lift Elice, to lift her daughter’s body. But Elice remained motionless, kneeling tightly beneath her.

Rita, witnessing the scene, could only close her mouth. She tried not to let out her sobs, unable to contain the emotions that were surging through her.

“I shouldn’t have done this, Ma,” Elice sobbed helplessly. “I shouldn’t have any more relations with any man. But I was foolish. I made the same mistake again. Forgive me.”

“Elice.”

With her eyes closed tightly, Elice thought it would be better if there was no tomorrow for her. She hoped it would all end that very night. In the midst of anger, sadness, and regret, Elice knew what caused her the most pain. For the umpteenth time, she made Wilda feel the pain of a parent.

Deep in Elice’s heart, it was regret that made her feel like a complete failure. Regret that made her realize something – that she truly was a useless woman in this life.

“I failed as a child. And I’ve even failed as a mother.”

It was a fact. There was nothing for Elice to hold on to as her destiny as a woman plunged her into an endless pit of suffering.

“Elice, that’s enough, dear.”

But compared to all the grief and regret, Wilda’s acceptance caused Elice even more pain. It was truly a slap in the face that made her feel even more sinful.

“Be angry with me, Ma. Hate me. And punish me.”

Because that might be more relieving for Elice than Wilda accepting her. Without reproach. Without scolding. Without any questions.

Wilda surrendered. In the end, she became like Elice – she fell to the cold floor. Embracing Elice and holding her with a longing that was unbelievably real.

Not seeing her daughter during the turmoil made Wilda truly uneasy. And now, with Elice coming home, all that weight seemed to lift from her shoulders. For there was nothing more important to her than having Elice with her.

“No, Elice, no.”

Wilda’s embrace tore at Elice’s heart even more. It opened the wounds within, submerging her in a pool of regret that tightened her chest.

“I’m sorry, Ma. I always make you sad. I always make you suffer with all the mistakes I make.”

Wilda didn’t say it, but Elice knew the extent of her mother’s disappointment. After all, what parent wouldn’t be disappointed when she saw the articles circulating about her daughter’s shameful actions? And yet that was exactly what Elice felt. No matter how disappointed Wilda was, her condition remained the most important thing. And it was agonizing.

“Forgive me, Ma.”

In the end, that was all Elice could say. Even though she knew it wouldn’t change anything, at least she would say it over and over again.

“Forgive me.”

*