Chapter 94 IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY
POV: ELISABETH
Voices in the background caught my attention. I woke up disoriented with a severe headache and something warm running down my forehead. When I tried to raise my hands to the spot, I realized they were tied, just like my feet.
“What?” I groaned, still dizzy, squirming to try to understand the situation. In the background, the silhouette of a blonde woman approached, the sound of her heels echoing in the room.
“Look who's awake!” Squatting into my field of vision, Heloise stared at me with an amused smile. “You’re such a sleeper, Mrs. Lover.”
“I've already said I'm not anyone's lover.” I murmured, still in pain. “Where am I? Why am I tied up?”
“Oh, dear, you don’t remember? You had a tragic accident rushing out of the publisher.” She replied with a broad smile.
“The Accident” images clashed in my mind, bringing me to full consciousness. “My God, where's Greg? Is he okay?”
“Greg? Well, I'm afraid to say he's kind of” Heloise made a gesture of a knife slicing her neck and stuck out her tongue. “He's kind of dead at the moment.”
“What?” I was alarmed, squirming more in the chair. “How did that happen?”
“I had my men shoot him, that useless fool should have died in the war years ago.” Laughing, Heloise grabbed my chin, lifting my head forcefully. “You have a deep cut on your forehead, you'll have scars.”
“So much concern for me, Mrs. Forbs.” I glared sharply. “Why did you have Greg killed, and what do you want with me?”
“Wow, the kitty is showing her claws.” She smiled ironically. “Greg has been a thorn in my side for years. If it weren't for him, maybe Patrick and I would still be together.”
“Impossible!” I spat the words. “Haven’t you realized, Heloise? Your actions made you lose your husband, not anyone else.”
“Oh, Morgan was always very sensitive and attached to that whiny brat. I gave him, please, and how did he thank me?” Clenching her fists, Heloise moved closer, squeezing my cheeks with her long nails. “By leaving me for a boring secretary!”
“You're sick, Heloise!” I murmured with difficulty due to her grip as she filled her hand and delivered a strong slap to my face.
“Sorry, dear, what did you say?” Laughing, she whistled. “It’s no wonder a woman like you suffered at the hands of your ex-husband, your face begs to be punched.”
“You two are perfect for each other; you should let go of your obsession with Patrick and be with Pavel; you both deserve each other!” I shouted furiously.
“And who said we haven't been meeting?” She covered her mouth, pretending to let a secret slip. “Oops!”
“What? How so?” I widened my eyes in surprise. “You know Pavel?”
“Oh, dear, who do you think reported your location to Andreev?” Playing with her hair, Heloise approached, leaning forward and gripping the arms of the chair. “I discovered parts of your hidden past by digging around. Pavel had no choice but to get in touch. That’s when I found out about your escape. Shame on you, Elisabeth, you shouldn't run away from your commitment as a wife. You're just like Patrick, a coward!”
“Heloise. What did you do?” A tear rolled down the corner of my eye, strong tremors coursing through me like waves of spasms.
“I invited him to bring down Patrick Morgan and his slutty mistress,” Heloise replied excitedly. “I don’t understand why you ran from a man like Pavel. He’s great in bed, besides having a mind. Wow, what a wonderful man!” She spoke, touching herself in a disgusting and amusing manner.
“But at the publisher, you asked his name.” I said it in a whisper, shocked by her revelations.
“I was acting!” She said it excitedly, pushing my forehead with her pointed nail on the wound, pressing deeper, causing me to moan in pain. “I’m a great actress.”
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with, Heloise. Pavel Andreev is an extremely dangerous man and won't hesitate to eliminate you to have me back!” I tugged at the rope again, feeling it cut into my wounded wrists. “There’s still time to get out of this mess.”
“Run away? No, dear, I think you don’t understand. I brought you here to see Patrick destroy himself to get you back, and when that happened, Heloise got very close to my ear, whispering, “Pavel will already have you in his hands. We’ll make him witness another death because of his actions.”
“How can you do this to the man you say you love?” I looked at her, surprised by such cruelty.
“Love can often be painful, you idiot. He’s going to pay for everything he’s done to me all these years!” Delivering another slap to my face, Heloise's face lit up with each wound she inflicted on me, hurting the corner of my lips, which bled. “I don’t forgive you for stealing my man!”
I spat blood on her face, dirtying her face, hair, and part of her dress.
“It must be torture to know I sleep with him every night and that Patrick desires me, not you!” I smiled smugly. “What’s left for you? A disturbed mind, alone, where no one believes your words anymore. Where is Celdric? Does he know what you've been up to?”
“That useless brat is easily manipulated. I don’t need to worry about him!” Grabbing my hair forcefully, Heloise yanked it hard, pulling my face up towards her, taking a utility knife from her pocket, and smiling. “Will Patrick still want you if your face is disfigured?”
I managed to untie my wrists from the rope, just as Greg had taught me. I pushed Heloise away, freeing my feet from the loose knot they had made, grateful she wasn't a professional at this. When I stood up, Heloise lunged at me, trying to stab my eye with the utility knife. I grabbed her hands, kneeling her in the ribs and punching her in the nose, tackling her to the ground and pushing her hands with the knife towards her own face, when a loud shot echoed through the room.
“Ladies, is this how you behave?” That damned accent—I looked up to see Pavel Andreev lowering the gun, smiling broadly. “Hello, my light, it's been a while!”