By the lift, lying on the floor was the bloody body of Angela, merely covered with Brianna's outfit. She had passed out, yet no one had the guts to interfere.
Brianna was shaking with fear. She had hardly run a few steps when a guy pounced on her and grabbed her leg. Brianna fell and exclaimed out of pain. The guy dragged her backward, her skin scratching the floor. The last thing she saw before she fainted was that the door of the lift opened and out came a handsome young man in a white shirt followed by a few bodyguards.
She lifted her hand up a bit, intending to call for help. She didn't even manage to utter a sound and passed out.
She dreamed about dancing by a little stream in the sun and woke up to a beautiful piano song. She opened her eyes and looked around. The room was adorned with paintings of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, simple, clean, and mystical.
The sun was setting and shone its last light of the day through the big French window onto the floor. A man in a casual white shirt was playing the piano, watching the sunset. Brianna couldn't help gazing at him.
His hair was shoulder-length, looking casually lazy. He was tall and slim, and there was a gentle feeling about him, something attractively feminine.
He seemed to notice that he was being watched. He stood up and walked over to Brianna. He put his hand on her forehead gently and smiled, "The fever's gone now. Would you like some water?"
Brianna was feeling terribly thirsty. She nodded. He got her a glass of water, put his arm around her waist to help her sit up a bit, and put the glass next to her lips. Brianna drained the glass. He poured another glass, and Brianna drank half of it. She felt much better now. "Thank you. Who are you, may I ask? And where am I?"
He put a pillow behind her to make it more comfortable for her. Then, gently, he said, "This is my home. I'm Christian Butler. You can call me Chris. You have slept for three days. Are you still in pain?"
Brianna moved her legs and arms and felt her stomach and chest. She felt fine. Recalling what had happened that night, she thought she would be in pain for at least a week. He must have helped me a lot. Brianna thought gratefully, but at the same time, she was cautious. But why did he help me? What does he want? Who is he really? I mean, no one dared to help me that night, but he did.
"Thank you so much. I feel much better. Will you be in trouble for saving me?" Brianna said.
"No worries. Those guys are just some nobody. How would you like me to punish them? They don't deserve any mercy for trying to harm a woman like you," Chris said with a reassuring smile.
"To punish them? What if they get revenge?" Brianna was shocked.
Chris smiled, yet there was an icy look in his eyes. "They are locked in the basement. What do you want to do with them? Don't worry about revenge. As I said, they are nobody."
Brianna opened her eyes wide and stared at Chris. "You've locked them up?! In the basement?! What if the police found out?" He must be someone with great power then if he isn't even worried about the police.
"Are you scared?" Chris chuckled. "I won't say I'm kind, but I hate to see assholes taking advantage of others." He added.
"You helped me, so to me, you are kind. You are my savior. Without you, I dunno what would be going to happen to me," Brianna said genuinely.
"Savior!" Chris chuckled again. "Don't think too highly of me. I'd prefer to be a devil."
Brianna then saw the coldness in his eyes despite his gentle and charming look. He's even better looking than Scott. Brianna thought. He speaks gently, and his smile, sweet, yet his eyes speak coldly.
Brianna hesitated for a while before she asked, "Could you please tell me how my friend, Angela if you know? She was terribly hurt. I remember last saw her lying on the floor by the lift."
"She's in the hospital now and being looked after. She's out of danger, but it will take some time for her to recover fully."
"Thanks for helping my friend. I will pay you back." She gave him a reassuring smile to ease his worry.
"You don't need to. I help her, and she can pay me back if she wants."
Chris snapped his fingers. Someone opened the door, and the three guys were kneeling on the floor with four bodyguards standing behind them. Their faces were bruised and bloody, their clothes stained with blood and torn.
"We apologize. Please let us go." They pleaded pitifully, their voice trembling.
Brianna looked at the three frightened men and recalled how aggressive and violent they were at the club. She then realized that the charming young man standing next to her wasn't just anybody. He's probably someone like Scott, very powerful. She thought.
Chris looked at Brianna and asked, "It's up to you. Kill them or let them go?"
Startled, Brianna looked up at Chris. Kill them?! For a second, she seemed to see the devil in him.
"It looks like they have had a good beating. I guess they have received their punishment. Let's let them go."
"You've forgotten the pain." Chris smiled with a playful wink.
"Oh. Give them a few slaps then?"
"Not hard enough to make them remember." Chris smiled again. He looked as gentle as always, yet what he was saying wasn't at all. "Take them to the basement and break their arms."
Terrified, the three guys begged desperately, "No. Don't break our arms, please. Please forgive us. Let us go, please."
Chris waved his hand to gesture to the bodyguards, and the three guys were taken away. Soon, they heard their terrible screaming.