The shrill bell rang out three times. The clatter of footsteps sounded very noisy. The originally quiet school lobby became crowded as soon as the dismissal bell rang. Flocks of students came out with their bags slung over their shoulders.
Unlike the surrounding students who were busy jostling, the five people who were walking leisurely did not get bumped at all. They were like the center of a whirlpool. No one dared to touch the center of the section.
Rheana looked at Callista who was being protected by Aric from behind. Her brow furrowed at the blank look in Callista's eyes. Her left hand reached out to pat Callista's shoulder lightly.
"Go back to the mansion immediately, don't go anywhere else," she advised.
Callista looked up to see Rheana. If only Rheana's words could be fulfilled.
Callista shook her head. "No, I'm not going back to the mansion, Rheana. For a month or two I'll be staying at my distant friend's residence."
Rheana and the others looked at Callista suspiciously. That time Aunt Neki told them that Callista did not have many friends who were sincere with her. It could be counted on the fingers of one hand.
"Distant friends?" repeated Chennie.
Callista gave a small nod. "Yeah, my distant friend. She came to this town just to meet me. I should welcome her," Callista lied.
"We'll also go to her mansion sometime just to get acquainted. Illis's friends are also our friends, right?" said Chennie with a big smile.
Callista's eyes rounded fully, she spontaneously shook her head.
"N-no way."
Their suspicions grew as Callista spontaneously refused. And the words of their hearts were represented by Brian.
"Why can't we, Illis? We just want to get acquainted, we're not going to make a mess of the mansion." Brian stopped what he was saying for a moment. "Or is there some other reason?"
Callista's fingers, which were touching the crutches, moved restlessly. She racked her brain with all her might to find a reason. A frown was visible on her forehead. To cover it up, Callista deliberately lowered her head.
"Come on brain, you have to cooperate with me!" Callista thought.
Both eyebrows raised upwards when she had the right excuse at lightning speed. "Ah, she's a shy person. She doesn't want to communicate much with new people. She rarely hangs out with people. She'll feel uncomfortable."
"Well, we can-" Brian's words were cut short as Callista suddenly walked away from them quickly.
One of Callista's hands waved upwards. "See you guys! My distant friend's car is picking me up," she said as she walked towards the same black van that had driven her to school this morning.
Aric, who had been silent all this time and chose to watch and listen to his friends' conversations, frowned suspiciously.
"Illis's movements are very suspicious," Aric thought.
Callista unconsciously closed the car door with a bang. She was taken aback by it. Her breathing sounded very long. Her hand moved to touch her beating chest. The atmosphere was very tense. She was relieved to get out of the way of her friends' probing questions.
"Move, sir!" she ordered the driver.
Obeying the orders of his new employer, the driver immediately drove the luxurious black van. Inevitably, many students looked closely at the car he was riding in. However, their curiosity was immediately resolved when they saw someone being picked up by the car.
***
The black van stopped right in front of the main door of the mansion. Callista, who had been staring out of the car window, still hadn't stopped being mesmerized. It could be said that this mansion was not only magnificent but also beautiful.
The mansion with the dominant white color was surrounded by beautiful gardens and rocks arranged in such a way. Not to forget, the small pond filled with ornamental fish was a feast for the eyes.
Callista's reverie was immediately broken as soon as the door beside her was opened by a bodyguard. What good is a beautiful mansion if the owner has the opposite nature of it?
She grabbed her pair of crutches. The moment her feet hit the ground, the two bodyguards and two maids outside the main door bowed their heads. Callista immediately chuckled to herself. It turned out that a prey was also treated so honorably.
"The contents of your suitcase have been neatly arranged by the maids in the walk-in closet," said one of the four-headed maids.
Without answering her, Callista walked straight up the steps. Deftly, the other maids assisted her. Walking slowly into the mansion with the main door that had been opened wide by the maids.
Although Callista had a flat face, she was strengthening her resolve. As her footsteps went deeper into the mansion, the less likely it was that she would be able to get out of the psychopath's clutches.
Callista stopped her steps right in front of the elevator. One of the young maids faithfully behind her pressed the elevator button until it opened. Callista, who lowered her head for a moment, straightened her eyes again. There was no other way to escape right now. She had to have a plan in place.
After her new employer stepped into the elevator, she went inside. She pressed the elevator button to go to the third floor. As the master had said, they were to serve the master's girl with the utmost respect.
The elevator doors opened to reveal four maids who had lined up in a row near the elevator, forming a path for Callista to pass through. Paying no heed to the salute, Callista simply walked away.
"Where's my room?" she asked as she continued walking.
The young maid who had been following her answered with her head bowed. "There is only one room on this floor, Miss. And your room is Mr. Kenward's."
Callista stopped her steps as soon as she heard that, and so did the maid behind her. Her fingers grasped the crutches firmly.
"Has that man gone mad? Of all the rooms in this mansion, why would he put me in his room? What a stingy man," she protested silently.
Not wanting to argue with a maid who had nothing to do with it, Callista was about to continue her walk. However, that was stopped when the maid handed Callista a letter.
She looked at the letter intently. What was this? Why didn't she deliver it in person? A letter? She was disgusting even more.
One of her hands reached out to take the letter. She opened the letter that only consisted of a single piece of paper. Her pupils moved with every word she read.
You will stay in my room. You can't avoid it because you are mine. Always remember the consequences that will befall your father.
She crumpled the letter into a lump. "You bastard! You always threaten me by using my loved ones!" she screeched in a low tone. No matter how angry she was at the moment, she couldn't afford to vent her anger here.
Callista immediately made the letter haphazard. She resumed her steps towards the door of the room that had been opened wide. Without caring about anything else, Callista closed the door with her back. Not giving the maids a chance to ask her what she needed at the moment.
Callista walked towards the bed. Her hand gently caressed the texture of the sheets that were different from hers in the mansion. Everything would be different from now on.
She glanced at the watch that was beautifully coiled on her hand. It turned out that two hours had passed. The distance of this mansion from the school was farther compared to the distance of her mansion. She would have to get used to waking up earlier if she wanted to get to school on time.
But, would she be able to? She didn't even know if she still had the chance to come to school. Death could pick her up at any time while she was in the predator's lair.
Callista covered her face with both hands. Anger and anxiety gathered in her chest. But she could not let it out. The pent-up feelings filled part of her patience capacity.
"I'm so scared here, Mom," she whispered in a trembling tone. Tears fell one by one through the slits of her fingers. Today was the beginning of a change in her life.