Chapter 42: CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

I sit impatiently in Thomas's office, waiting for him to come and explain how the man survived. Unable to keep still on the chair, I stand up and walk around his office. I try to distract myself by scanning the books on his shelves. I recall the time I used to clean Thomas's office. I remember everything that happened here. My hand moves to my throat as I remember how Thomas forced me to give him a blowjob and almost destroyed my throat. I can't believe that happened months ago. I never thought a day would come when I would be in his office, and it won't be because I came to clean it. I truly believed Thomas would never believe I didn't want to betray him. I wipe away a teardrop that escapes my eyes as I recall all the horrible things I faced months ago. I might have forgiven Thomas, but it will take a while to forget everything that happened. What happened can never change, so I have decided to put it behind me. That's for the best. I quickly wipe my eyes clean once I hear the door open. I don't want Thomas to know I cried. It will make him feel bad, and I don't want that.

'Did you sleep well, Mi amore?" Thomas wraps his arms around my waist and turns me to face him.

'I did, but I woke up alone in bed."

'Sorry, I had to leave early" He kisses my forehead and unwraps his arms around me. He grabs my hand and walks us to the couch in his office.

'I know, it's fine."

'Why did you come to look for me earlier?"

'Before I tell you why, care to explain to me how I just saw the man you beat to death in California."

'I changed my mind about killing him"

'What made you change your mind?"

'You"

'Me"

'Yes, you. I knew how guilty you would feel if he died, so I didn't let him. I asked Leo to get him treated the day after you asked about him."

'Wow, I am surprised. I truly gave up hope on him surviving."

'He is fortunate. I am not usually forgiving when it comes to what he did, but I knew how much his death would hunt you, so I gave him another chance. Let's hope he doesn't blow it this time."

'Thank you" I can't believe it; even then, he did that for me. I am truly grateful he didn't kill him because of me.

'Anything for you, Mi amore, so tell me why you came to look for me."

I ask him if he has found any leads to where Franky is. He tells me that his IT analyst is close to figuring out where Rafael and James are keeping her. This makes me happy. I am hoping we find her soon. I don't want to imagine her sufferings these past few months.

I leave Thomas's office once we are done talking. I walk to the other mansion on the estate and spend the day with Kat, her daughters, and daughter-in-law. I also spend the day playing with Elda. I even think I spent most of my time with her. She makes me remember my lost babies, but I am not sad as I used to be when I think about them. They will forever hold a place in my heart, but I have decided to accept their deaths.

***

Weeks have passed, and no leads on where they are holding Franky. I am worried about how she is doing or coping under the hands of James. Thomas wasn't lying last time when he said Richard was close to finding her. Unfortunately, Rafael and James found out and changed the location of where they were holding her.

I spend most of my time with Thomas, helping him at the office. He tries his best to keep me busy with a lot of work so I don't worry about my sister, but it barely works. James is a monster and every second she spends with him puts her life at significant risk.

I am walking up the stairs after helping Linda cook dinner. Thomas has a meeting with Stefano tonight, so he isn't home. I haven't eaten as I am waiting for him to get home so we can eat together. I am so used to eating every meal with him that I still wait even if I am hungry. I halt in my steps when someone calls my name. I turn around to see Kimberly at the end of the stairs. I thought Thomas said he would deal with her. What is she doing here? I think about ignoring her but decide not to. I turn around and walk back down to meet her. I hold my phone tightly as it's my only weapon against her.

'No need to hold your phone so tight; I come in peace" I raise my brow at her, not buying her words. 'Seriously, I didn't come to fight you."

'Why are you here?"

'To make peace,"

'Really" I don't believe her.

'Yes, I want to apologize for everything I have done to you." she takes a deep breath and clears her throat before continuing to speak. 'I am sorry," she avoids eye contact with me. I looked at her wide-eyed, that she apologized. I don't think I heard her well. I think I am imagining this. I was shocked to the bone that she apologized to me. I can't believe it.

'I know it might be too late, but I still wish for your forgiveness. I am sorry for everything I have done to you."

'I don't know what to say" I might be forgiving, but this came out of nowhere. I am short of words to respond.

'You don't have to say anything; just think about accepting my apology."

'Okay, I will" I turn back to the stairs to walk up, but Kimberley stops me again.

'I was thinking we could go out tonight and get to know each other. I was hoping you would see a side of me you haven't, which is the good side. I am hoping it will make me worthy of your forgiveness."

'Really," she keeps surprising me with her words today.

'Yes, please."

'I don't know. You just apologize; I am still trying to come to terms with what you did, so I don't think I can go out with you. It will be a very awkward outing, don't you think"

'I know it might be a little awkward, but you will be surprised with how quickly we will bond once we spend time together."

'Hmm" I know it's good to be the bigger person, but I feel like she is pushing a little too hard. She suddenly apologizes, and now she wants us to spend time together. I don't know why but I feel there is something fishy about this, or am I overthinking it? Thomas said he would make sure she never attacked me again. Could he have made her see that hating me was wrong? It's farfetched but not impossible.

'Please, Melina, I am trying to make amends," she pleads. I take a minute to think about it.

'Alright, no problem, let me change and meet you outside" she seems to be really trying to win my forgiveness, so it's only fitting that I make it easy for her.

'Thank you, I will meet you outside" she walks away from me toward the front door.

I changed out of my clothes into fresh ones since the ones I was wearing smelled like food as I had just made dinner. I walk downstairs and join Kimberley, who is waiting for me in her car. I dressed casually but nicely. I am wearing blue denim jeans with a long sleeve polka dot chiffon mesh crop top. I paired it with a pair of crystal heart earrings Thomas got for me recently and silver toe ring flat sandals. On our way out of the estate, I text Thomas to tell him what happened and that I am with Kimberley in case he gets back home before me and starts wondering where I am.

While Kimberley drives, I notice we have been on the road for some time, so I ask her how much longer before we get there.

'A few more minutes," she replies

'Where are we going?" I forgot to ask before we left the house. I assumed it was a restaurant, but I am starting to think otherwise.

'You will see" she steals a glance away from the road and smile at me. I pretend that wasn't weird at all and smile back. I am not used to her smiling.

'I hope there is food there because I am hungry."

'Don't worry, it has everything you need."

'Wow, I can't wait to see this place."

'Me too"

Kimberley drives for a few more minutes before finally stopping. I lock my phone screen and step out of the car, expecting us to be in front of a restaurant or house, but what I see before me confuses me. We are in front of an abandoned building. I was using my phone, so I wasn't looking out the window as she drove.

'What are we doing here?" I ask Kimberley as she walks towards me from the driver's side.

'I bought you to where you belong, you bitch" the usual hatred she always had for me until a few hours ago begins to swim in her eyes. I can't believe I believed her when she apologized. She didn't want my forgiveness. She just wanted to befriend me so she could get me out of the house. I wonder what she wants to do to me.

'Do you plan to kill me?"

'I wish, but someone won't let me."

'Who"

'Me, my love," A voice says from behind me. My blood goes cold as I recognize his voice. I turn around and face the person who just spoke.

'James," I rasp out. I feel my heart rate increase as he walks closer to me. I try my best to not look scared as he approaches me. I can't show him that I am afraid. People like him live off that. That's one of the things Thomas taught me these past few weeks.

'I missed you. Did you miss me?" James takes a strand of my hair and plays with it. His horrible scent that I always smell before pain gets inflicted on me drifts through my nose. Sweat begins to form on my forehead as my throat suddenly feels dry. I take a deep breath to calm myself. I am not the same woman he knew weeks ago. I am stronger and wiser. I can't let fear blind me and miss my chance at escaping. I take two more deep breaths before lifting my eyes to meet James.

'I didn't," I say confidently, without any crack in my voice like I expected. Shock flashes through his eyes as he realizes I am not afraid of him. I look around and realize Kimberley left with the car. I catch James through my peripheral vision about to grab my hand, so I quickly move away before he can. I take off and begin to run toward the surrounding woods. There is no way I am letting myself get kidnapped again. I must do everything in my power to get away.

I don't dare turn and check how close James is to catching up to me even though I can hear him screaming for me to stop. I know the second I turn back, he will gain an advantage and get me. I thank Thomas for all the morning runs he forced me to come along as I sprinted through the woods. I bet I would have been exhausted if not for them, and James would have caught up to me by now.

As I continue running in the woods, I see a ranch ahead. I hope they are people inside, and they will be willing to help. I force my body to keep going, but the second I am about to run into the main road so I can cross over to the ranch, I hear gunshots. I immediately stop running and freeze in my spot. I curse myself for stopping because someone uses their body to tackle me to the floor.

'Quite the runner are we now," James smirks as he straddles me. I don't say anything and just stare at him. I try to catch my breath and calm my racing heart from all the running I just did. I wonder what he is going to do to me. I know he isn't going to kill me. Whatever he plans to do to me, I am ready. I am not the same woman from before I survived last time without any skills, and I will be damned not to with skills now.