10

MARIELA

I heard the sound of voices speaking near me, they were the voices of a woman, I could recognize Natasha, her shrill voice was not lost anywhere. I felt a little pain in the back of my neck, my mouth felt dry, my hands ached and I couldn't move my feet. I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was the ceiling of a room.

"What will we do with her? I don't want to keep her here all the time, it's not a kidnapping, Damián, I want to get rid of her.” I heard Natasha say. They were at the entrance, she was talking to another man.

“I'm not a murderer, we can take advantage of her now that she’s here.”

"I won't make this any longer. The girl disappears, period, then I will comfort Alexander a second time and this time there will be no problem.”

“But, Natasha, we need the money...”

"You need it, I don't. Besides, what you'd get for her is nothing compared to what I can have if I ever marry with his.”

"Shhh she woke up...”

I am in a strange room, it is seen that a girl lives here. It's big, spacious, pink walls and white furniture.

“Where I am?” I wanted to know, speaking. Outside it was seen that it was night.

"Shh shut up, stupid. Put the handkerchief in her mouth, I can't stand her voice.”

The boy listened to his friend and came over to put the scarf on but he wasn't going to leave me so easily.

“No! Get your hands off me! Help! HELP!”

“No one will listen to you here, girl.”

“Why are you doing this?” I asked Natasha.

"Because I feel like it," she replied, taking his cell phone and sitting on the sofa to see social networks. “Besides, I need to marry Alexander.”

“I... stay with him, set me free.” I replied. Maybe this is a good idea to escape, on second thought yes. I would get away from Alexander once and for all and be free at last. Isn't that what I wanted before? I thought of Alexander and a lump settled in my throat. Did I want to quit? Why did I feel like I didn't? It can't be, I don't want to have any feelings towards him.

“What? Why would you do that? Silly,” Natasha scolded, rolling her eyes. She started taking selfies.

"Because I don't want it.”

That seemed to interest her because she looked at me.

"Then why are you with him?"

“To repay a debt to my father, Alexander forced me here. I don't want to marry him, on the contrary, I want to run away”fear I lied. Maybe that's how she set me free, plus it's obvious that the girl wasn't intelligent at all and her friend didn't help her much.

“I don't believe you, you're just saying that so we'll let you escape.”

"It's the truth," I rolled my eyes, "why would I lie to you? You can ask him if you want, what's more, he wanted to take you to our honeymoon because he knew that nothing would happen between us.”

“Really?” she heard herself excited “that sounds very interesting to me.”

What do you think, Natasha?

“I'm thinking, Damián, don't interrupt me...” seven seconds later “... no, I decide to find out first and if I find out that it's true, then I'll leave you hanging there.”

"Find out then," I whispered, "can you untie me? I swear I won't run away.”

They looked at each other.

"Okay, untie it."

I breathed in relief.

Damien untied my feet first, then my hands.

"You'll still be locked up here, I don't want any surprises," she says, standing up, "have sweet dreams, Mariela."

Damien and Natasha left the room, leaving me alone. I got out of bed and walked to the window, it was sealed. I was hoping to go out there, I looked through the drawers, there were only Natasha's clothes... is this Natasha's room? So it means we're at Natasha's house, which can't be far from Alexander's house. Thinking about seeing him again gave me hope, who was going to say that I would miss that madman? Women definitely like men who treat us badly.

"Don't think about that, Mariela," I said to myself, looking in a mirror, "I don't want you to fall in love with that man, okay? Let it be very clear to you.” I patted my cheek.

"I always thought you were weird but I didn't think that much," Natasha murmured. I didn't even realize what time she came in. She was carrying a tray of food.Anyway, here, dead mosquito, eat. Tomorrow will be a long day.”

She went away.

I wouldn't eat because I didn't know if the food was poisonous or something. I miss Cookie, I wonder if Alexander will be feeding him or if he will let him sleep with him or if he will continue in the house because knowing Alexander it is very likely that he has thrown him out on the street. How long will I be here? Surely Alexander thinks that I escaped me. I sat on the floor and made a little ball, I wanted to see him and deep down go back. But this was a good chance to get away altogether, forget about my parents, and start over somewhere else. But another part of me knew that it would be very selfish of me, it will only be a year and I would go back to my normal life.

One year nothing more.

However, I have to keep up the lie that I want to run away from Natasha and her friend in order to do it and get back to Alexander because otherwise I run the risk of these two killing me.

I stood up and went to the window, where the moon could be seen in the distance, there was a large garden, a swimming pool and several parked cars. I had no choice but to lie down to sleep and wait for daylight.

•

The next morning I was woken up by a noise.

"Wake up, silly.” It was Natasha. “We're going somewhere.”

“Where are you taking me? Will they set me free?”

She laughed.

“You wish. No, I'll meet with Alexander and I'll try to find out if that thing about the contract is true and if it isn't, poor you because it will go badly for you.”

"I already told you it's true." I rolled my eyes.

“Then we will see. Tie her up” she ordered her friend Damián. The boy tied my feet and hands and also put the handkerchief over my mouth, they took me loaded into the car and there they mounted me. They obviously went ahead.

“Let's go to the restaurant that is in Chinatown, I made an appointment there.”

“Sure.”

He started driving, I could see perfectly that we went out to a very good class neighborhood, there were only luxury houses and huge mansions. But I didn't know this neighborhood. The boy drove down the highway until he reached Chinatown.

“Park here in front, do nothing and keep an eye on her.” she ordered.

“Don't be late.”

“Don't be a crybaby, Damian.” Natasha left and crossed the street waddling her hips, entered a restaurant. Minutes later I felt my heart beating a thousand an hour because Alexander's car was parked there. I wanted to run out of the car and go with him. Alexander came out, he was wearing an impeccable suit as always, he was wearing black sunglasses.

I tried to push the door but it was locked.

"Don't try to run away, the doors are locked," Damián told me.

“Hmmm,” I mumbled, because I couldn't speak, “Hmmm.”

Alexander entered the restaurant and now there was only waiting. I feel hopeless Right now, maybe Alexander won't tell Natasha the truth and lie to her like everyone else, telling them that we are very much in love and that's why we're getting married. If he does that then I'm lost because I won't be able to escape and I don't know what Natasha is capable of doing. I need to get out of here.

"Hmmm," I kept muttering, "HMMM," harder now and I felt my throat ache.

“What do you want?” Damian asked.

"Hmm," I insisted.

"Silent, you distract me."

I waved to him with my hand.

“I don't understand you.”

“Hmm.”

“I'm going to lower your handkerchief but if you scream I'll hit you.”

I nodded.

He lowered my handkerchief slowly.

"I have to go to the bathroom." I lied.

“What? Now?”

I nodded.

"I swear I can't stand it." I insisted, pretending to do it in my pants.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Take me to a bathroom!" I whimpered.

“Let me think.”

I was scared when he pulled a gun out of the glove compartment.

"If you make one wrong move I won't hesitate to shoot you," he threatens.

“Of course, I just want to go to the bathroom.” I clarified.

“Good.” He took a razor and untied my hands and feet. He got out of the car, opened my door and yanked me out. His gun was covered by a jacket but the gun was pointed at my stomach. It was hard to run away like that.

“Where is there a bathroom?” I wanted to know.

"Let's go here," he pointed to me, crossing the street right next to the restaurant where Natasha and Alexander were. "Excuse me, miss," he called the receptionist. "My wife urgently needs to use the bathroom, she's pregnant and she can't hold it for long.”

The girl looked at me.

“Sure, at the bottom right.”

"Thank you, that's kind of you." Damian led me down the back hallway until we could find the bathroom. He opened the door and walked in with me.

"You're not going to be here with me, are you?"

“Of course.”

"Of course not, it's very embarrassing and you don't want to smell it."

Damien hesitated.

“I'll be outside.” He said, leaving the bathroom and leaving me alone at last.