Chapter 79: Bitter Taste

Vanessa.

“Our lives are in danger, Tee. I don't know what to do. I don't want my baby to be caught in the crossfire because of his stubborn father. I was told by one of his prisoners about an attack that would happen soon."

“And why were you talking to his prisoners?"

“I needed answers, Tee. I needed to be sure I can trust him. But it left me even more confused. I am going to take whatever deal with the FBI guy and leave him. He killed his father."

“No, he didn't!"

“And he has the lady we saw at the orphanage. Stella Hernandez. I saw her, beaten up and locked in a cage that is too small for her."

“Christ! What the fuck did we get into? Are you sure?"

“I am. I saw her myself. Now, I am sure that Carter was sent after you but he decided to be gentle and try dating you instead so that I don't suspect that we are in danger. He told me at the beginning of it all that he needed a girl who would not give him any trouble. In truth, he wanted someone without his level of power that he can manipulate." My head keeps coming up with the craziest conspiracy theories.

“I need you to breathe."

“I have been breathing. I am about to suffocate here. I need to get out."

“And you will. But whenever you're ready, you need to alert me and I will find a way to get to you so we can leave together. And if I can't, promise me that you will go far away."

“But who will take care of mom and Dylan? Should I find a way to get them out too?"

“You have to worry more about yourself and your baby. Your mom still lives with the Ian's and Stephan would protect her. I have seen how he looks at you. He might be a monster but he will never hurt you like that."

“I cannot trust either of them. It's a family business." I hear footsteps approaching “Tianna, I'll text you later. Someone is coming." I hang up as the door opens and the maid beings in my dinner. I thank her as she sets it down in front of me. I ask if Dimitri is back and she tells me he is not.

I receive a text on the burner phone from Diana. I got everything from Tianna. I am sorry that you both have to go through this and I need you to tell me when you are ready to leave. I will do everything to be there with you. I still cannot trust that this guy is helping you from the bottom of his gracious heart and we'll fight him to death if he tries to act smart. Love you.

I smile as I read the text. I always knew I could count on them.

For the next two days, I remain in my room. I try everything to avoid Dimitri but somehow, he is everywhere. Today, he is forcing me to sit with him and have dinner. The entire place has been decorated. There are candles everywhere and roses. The air is warm and the place smells of food and chocolate. Maybe I can go through this dinner without wanting to pull my eyes out. He opted for a different dining room with a smaller table and we're sited opposite each other but not far away.

“It is beautiful. And the food smells good."

“You deserve more. I am sorry that things have been sour for the past few weeks. I promise you that things will go back to normal soon."

“Has anything ever been normal between us," I say it under my breath but I am sure he heard it with the way his jaw ticks but he says nothing. We eat quietly and I get up as soon as I'm done.

“You're leaving. You're not gonna say anything to me?" Does he expect me to fall to his feet and worship him for the romantic gesture? Please.

“ Dinner was tasty but it was awkward having to sit here and pretend that our world is not falling apart and you are not at fault for it and a simple, romantic setup and some dinner is not going to solve anything. Thanks for the gesture though. I'm gonna take my bath and go to bed. Goodnight!" I walk out without waiting for what he wants to say but I guess the night is not over as his footsteps follow mine in the same direction.

“Vanessa!" I pick up the pace. I'm sure that I look like a penguin with the way I'm pregnant and walking fast. “Vanessa, stop!" I don't. Not until I reach the room and lock the door. I know he let me because he wants to give me some space. After all, there is no way on Earth, in this lifetime that I could outrun him. He knocks on the door “I just need you to trust me. When the time is right, I will make sure to tell you everything that you need to know. I just need you to take my word for the meantime." He remains behind the door for a while until his phone rings. He tells whoever it is that he will be with them soon and he curses out. With the way he hits the wall beside my door, I know something is wrong and I hear his footsteps fade as he walks away from my door. I hurry to the balcony just in time for me to see him get into his car and leave quickly. A few more guards follow him. He looks up at me and his eyes look like they are longing to tell me something. He gets into the car and leaves with the others behind him.

As soon as I get to my burner phone there is a message from Tianna. Carter just left me in a hurry after making me promise to get home safely and quickly. I think something is wrong.

I send her one back Dimitri just left too and he was also in a hurry. This might be our opening.

I immediately hear gunshots and I scream at the top of my lungs as my window crashes. We are under attack. The gunshots don't stop. I pick up my phone to call Dimitri but his number is disconnected. I immediately abandon it and go for my burner phone and I rush into my closet. All I can think of is my baby. I call Warren immediately and he answers “Are you okay, Vanessa?"

“Gunshots. Too many gunshots. I am in my closet but they are not stopping." Someone bangs on my door for me to open it and I scream again. “You have to come get me. My baby..."

“I am on my way." The door is forced open with force and I hear voices. I don't dare breathe.

“Where is she?!" I hear footsteps approaching. I pray for the person bit to find me. I am scared for my baby. I wrap a protective arm around my belly but that is all I have. Dimitri promised he would protect me, why is he not here right now? The footsteps get louder. I think I am going to faint when the hangers move and I come in contact with a body. I scream again but a hand covers my mouth. “Shhh! It's just me." I open my eyes and it's one of his guards. Charles. One of the two I saw in that basement with him. “You are gonna be alright. I just need you to come with me so that we can get out of here."

“There are people outside. I heard gunshots. Tell me I am not crazy."

“The house is under attack and we need to get out fast." I take his outstretched hand and follow him. He leads me outside the room. There are some men in black and their faces are covered. He shoots them before they do anything. Another man with a gun comes and he shoots him. I don't have it in me to watch all this blood without feeling dizzy but I hold myself up. There is an explosion on one side of the house that causes it to shake.

“Dimitri. Where is Dimitri?" I look around and he is still nowhere “He has been alerted and is on his way but he ordered me to get you to safety." We get to the side of the building “Wait here. You can hide behind the flowers. I need to go get supplies I will be right back." He runs off before I can protest. I can hear many people pass by, shouting and still firing guns. I think about every moment that has led up to now. The deal initially made, our wedding, honeymoon, and every fight we have had. I think I am going to die. A hand pulls me back up and it is Charles again. Thank God he is safe.

As we pass and make our way out, there are bodies everywhere and blood. I can oy cry for them because there is nothing to do to help them. I would never want to have this. To have these many people laying down their lives for me. It is unfair that they have to. I wouldn't want this kind of blood on my son's hands. The more dead bodies I see, the more convicted I am about leaving this place. I only pray that Warren can make it here quickly enough to get me out.

We finally make it out to the gates and there are gunned men with black masks on, standing in front of a black van. There are about four of them. I can feel my blood pressure spike as we near them but why are we going closer to them? “Charles, there are masked people there. Should we not take the other way out or something?" Panic shoots through me as his hold on my arm tightens. I start to cry again as I realize what is happening “Please, don't take me to them...I will do anything but please don't..." I try pulling myself back but he is too strong for that and effortlessly takes me to the people. “Help! No, no, no! Please help!"

“Shut the fuck up!" He backhands me sending me to the floor. God! My baby.“Your husband thought he was invincible. No one would ever touch him. It is time for him to start to pay for everything he has done. We won't stop until he has lost everything."

“I did nothing to you! Please have mercy." That is all I can say before I am forced into the dark van. The van moves very fast away from my home. We are barely two minutes into the drive before it comes to an abrupt stop nearly jerking me out of my seat.

“What the hell was that?!! You three should go check it out!" I am left with Charles and another masked person after the others leave.

“Charles, please, it's not too late. Help me out of here. You don't have to do this." I plead again but his expression is still Stony and his eyes look dead.

“Your husband and his family have done worse to others. It is only right that the same is done to him." There are gunshots outside again. “Wait here! If anything happens, kill her." The other man orders him and he nods. Immediately he goes out, there is another gunshot.

“Get out!" He is pointing the gun at me and I comply. I don't have it in me to say anything because I know that my life is hanging by a thread. He could shoot me at the back of my head and that will be all. The other masked people are lying lifeless on the floor and there is blood everywhere. Even the last one barely took three steps outside the van. He follows me with the gun still pointed at me.

Two loud gunshots follow and someone drops to the floor. I am too scared to turn around and check so I pinch myself to make sure that I am still alive and woke. Someone touches me from behind and I nearly go into shock. “It is only me, Vanessa." It's Warren. Oh, Lord! Thank you. I hug him without thinking. “Wow! I should probably save more damsels in distress every day so that I can get lots of these hugs."

“Thank you so much!"

He leads me to a car and turns back to me “You have to make a final decision. Your husband will be here soon. Do you want me to turn around and take you back home to wait for him or do you still want to leave?"

After what happened today, it is clear what I need to do. I survived today because Warren showed up at the right time. What would happen the next time Dimitri has somewhere to be and all others including Warren have other commitments? I cannot keep risking my and my baby's lives. I am going to leave before he gets here and ruin every opportunity to go.

“I want to leave now." I get into the car so that I don't change my mind. He texts someone before driving off.

“You are making the right choice. You have to think about your baby first. You are in no condition to fight for your family now."

“I hope I am. I hope I am." I look outside the window for the rest of the drive. We pull up to a flight tarmac and there is a private plane waiting. I look at him questioningly.

“As promised, this is off the records. I got a favor from a friend. No one is gonna know that you left or when you did. You have a new identity." He passes me a new ID card and passport.

“Kayla Alistair. Thank you so much." It hurts so much that I won't get to see anyone before I leave.

“Are you gonna stand there till your husband catches on or are you gonna hurry into the plane?!" I turn to the plane and my ears are not deceiving me. It's Tianna and she's waiting at the tip of the stairs. I turn back to Warren.

“I told them what was going on after you called me and they said they wanted to be with you, so there they are."

“Thank you so much. I don't know what..." I stop talking as a black car approaches with speed. I recognize the car and my dear comes back. Warren turns around so that I am hidden behind him but that is not enough. I was half expecting an angry Dimitri but I am a tiny bit relieved to see Hayden step out of the car. Warren draws out a gun as Hayden does the same.

“Relax Vanessa. I won't let him hurt you." I know Hayden will never hurt me. At least not in the way Warren expects.

“Step away from her or I will blow off your head." Hayden warns.

“Hayden stop, please! He's not going to hurt me. How did..."

“How did I find you? Leaving has been the only thing you talk about these days, so I put a tracker in that favorite bracelet of yours so that I can find you. You need to come back home before Dimitri realizes you are gone and loses it."

“I can't. I cannot trust that I'll be safe there."

“And you trust him? Don't be foolish. You barely know him. Stop this madness and let's go home."

“He is the only one that has managed to tell her anything about what is happening. And how sure are you that there won't be another attack? Meanwhile, you should trace your steps backward and tell us where you were when the house was being attacked." Tianna spits from behind me.

“My God! If Carter finds you here best know that..."

“He will do nothing cos he won't find me anywhere."

“Don't do this, Vee. Think about your mom and your brother." He does not lower his gun still.

“I have to think about my baby first. Don't you get it? The person he put to guard me tried to kill me himself. I need to distance myself until I know I can protect myself.."

“You heard her, Hayden. Put down your weapon." Diana says and I notice a change in Hayden's demeanor. His eyes soften and he lowers his gun slowly. I walk over to him and whisper “Please you need to let us go now. Don't let him find us."

I can see the battle in his eyes “You sure you can trust him?" He eyes Warren with disgust “I don't but I have to take a leap of faith for my baby. I don't want him to end up in the same trouble as his father or inheriting decade-long enemies. Enemies he did nothing to but will be threatened by his mere existence. I have to do this."

“Then I'm coming with you." He announces loudly and walks closer to Warren who stares at him in disbelief.

“No, you are not. I had to call in favors and prepare long and hard enough for their departure."

“Then do the same for me. You already talked me out of taking you back but you cannot talk me out of this. It's either I come with them or they don't go at all."

“No way, man! You have to..."

“And while you are on it, you need to explain your obsession with Dimitri and his family." He walks straight into the plane as he owns it. “Truth is, I don't trust you one bit but I'll be the one to plant a bullet in your skull if you try to get funny."

We all take our seats as we prepare for the plane to take off and I pray that nothing else will interfere. It's already enough that there is an extra uninvited guest. I don't want more and I don't want him. I look back at Hayden who has his eyes closed. Is this because he considers me a sister?

“You could have just lied to him, you know. But thanks for being here."

“I can never lie to him and he would kill me if he found out I let you get away from him." He says without opening his eyes.

I look outside the window and watch the clouds. To be free is what I have always wanted. Freedom from having to serve people, freedom from the bounds of my illness, freedom to be able to love my husband, and then, freedom from that same husband. Now I am leaving as I have gotten the freedom that I crave. Why does it leave me with a bitter taste in my mouth and a sour feeling in my chest?