Chapter 111 She Can Stay at My Place First
Her eyes flickered, the tension in them breaking for a heartbeat. "…Are you saying you're police?" the blonde girl asked, her voice thin and uncertain.
"No," Amelia replied, her expression steady. "But the bad men are tied up. We'll call the police, and they'll help you get home."
Dorian was only now catching her breath from the sudden attack. The strike had been planned, quick and vicious—she hadn't even had time to react, let alone dodge. If Amelia hadn't moved, that sharpened spoon would have gone straight through her throat.
And Amelia's face… Dorian's chest tightened with guilt. She'd taken a cut to the cheek for her.
"What happened?" Zander's voice cut in as he and Asher hurried into the room, drawn by the sound of the struggle.
They stopped when they saw the blood trailing down Amelia's cheek. Zander's dark eyes narrowed, a dangerous shadow passing over them.
"I… I'm sorry," the blonde girl whispered, clutching the spoon. "I thought you were with him. I didn't mean…" She bit her lip, shame flooding her face.
"It's fine," Amelia said, brushing it off. "Did you sharpen this yourself?"
"Yes…" The girl's voice trembled as she nodded. "The first day they locked me in here, I hid the spoon. I've been sharpening it ever since."
She glanced toward the door, her green eyes haunted. "I've been keeping track of time by counting how many times they bring food. Today is the fifth day."
"They put something in the soup—sleeping pills, I think. I only drink a little each time. The rest, I pour away."
Even in this lightless basement, she'd found a way to track the days, hide a weapon, and avoid the drugs. Sharp mind. Strong will.
"Where are you from? How did you end up here?" Asher asked.
Her gaze went blank. "I… I don't remember."
She pressed her lips together. "I remember a car hitting me. My head hurt so much… then I blacked out. When I woke up, I was here. I don't know my name. I don't know where I'm from. My mind is just… empty."
"I don't know what they wanted with me, but I knew they were bad. I've been trying to think of a way out every day."
She'd lost her memory. None of them had expected that.
"It's okay," Dorian told her gently. "Your family must have reported you missing. The police will help you get home."
But the moment the words left her mouth, the girl's expression changed. Panic flooded her eyes.
"No… no, I can't!" Her voice cracked, tears welling. "I don't remember who I am, but there's a voice in my head telling me—begging me—not to go home."
She looked at them almost desperately. "Please… don't give me to the police. Just let me leave on my own."
The four of them exchanged glances.
They stepped back into the hall, closing the door behind them.
She'd likely lost her memory in the accident. Whether it was temporary or permanent, they couldn't know. But if her instincts screamed not to go home… it meant she might have run away for a reason. And not a small one.
The way she recoiled at the idea of returning suggested her home wasn't safe. Abuse. Worse.
If that was the case, sending her back would be like dragging her from one hell straight into another.
"So… what now?" Asher asked, scratching his head.
"She doesn't want the police involved," Dorian said. "If we leave her here, she'll find a way to run. But she's small, alone, and without her memory… she won't last out there."
Zander's brow furrowed. The safest option was to keep her with them—take her to a hospital, see if her memory returned. Then she could decide for herself whether to go home.
But Dorian was from Border Ridge City. She had no place in River City. Zander and Asher were both men—bringing along a vulnerable girl would raise questions.
"I have an apartment in River City," Amelia said suddenly. "She can stay there for now."
They all turned to her.
"We'll wait until she remembers, or until we know what's waiting for her at home, before we decide. For now, the safest place is with me."
It was the best choice.
"Are you sure?" Dorian asked. For her, this mission was already dangerous enough. The girl was a complication they hadn't been assigned.
Amelia nodded.
They went back inside. When Amelia told the girl she could come with her, relief softened her features. "Thank you," she said quietly.
Then, almost shyly, "I don't have any money. I'll be a burden until my memory comes back…"
"Money doesn't matter," Amelia cut her off. "Your safety does."
Gratitude shone in the girl's eyes. At least Alvin's crew had kept her untouched—probably to fetch a higher price. A small mercy.
They left Alvin's list of contacts and his black market phone on the table. Zander used a disposable SIM to call the police, reporting the illegal confinement of young girls and linking it to River City's recent trafficking cases.
The rest was for the police—arrest Alvin's crew, track the missing girls.
The four of them, plus the rescued girl, slipped out the back door of the villa. A car was already waiting—Zander's doing.
They drove straight to Amelia's address. A small, detached apartment not far from the Martinez mansion.
Amelia unlocked the door, letting the girl inside to rest, then stepped back out to meet Asher and the others.
With no one else around, Asher finally spoke, ready to explain the night's events.