CHAPTER 54: Help, please!

CHAPTER 54: Help, please!
Chapter 54: Help, Please!
Sofia's pov

As I watched as Diego pulled Collins out of the room, closing the door behind him, my mind began to race with lots of thoughts.I was trapped, and I definitely had to make a move — do something about my safety or risk being involved in even more trouble ahead. Realizing there was no other escape route for me, I rushed to the door, hitting it with my fists and banging with all my might.

“Help, somebody help!!” I yelled, banging loudly as I continued to scream. “Anyone there? Let me out, please. Someone, anyone!!”

I felt panic grip me, as I got no response to my cries for help. The surroundings remained quiet, and I raised my fists again to bang on the door but held back, suddenly hearing sounds of raised voices from outside. I pressed my ear to the door as I listened and I made out sounds of a scuffle, then shuffling sounds, and then the loud painful grunt of a man as someone threw a punch.

“You have no business in this, so stay away and keep your mouth shut!” Diego yelled angrily and I felt my heart churn. I pressed my ear harder to the door, trying to make out their conversation clearly.

“For what?!” Collins yelled back, challenging Diego. “You keep acting like you own Sofia and are in control of where she goes and what she does, when you're clearly not!”

I flinched as I heard the sound of another punch, and then a thud. My heart began to beat faster, and I continued to listen quietly.

“I'm tired of being controlled, do you hear me?” Collins yelled angrily, shouting at the top of his voice. “I'm tired of being ordered around, first by Lucas, and now by you. I facilitated your easy exit out of the den with Sofia, and so I won't have you treat me like some servant around here.”

“I'm in charge here, Collins, and you've got to follow my lead,” Diego countered, his voice filled with rage. “We can't have two captains in one ship. I lead, you follow. It's that simple.”

“Bullshit, Diego!” Collins retorted. “Did you hear me? I said that's pure bullshit”

I felt exhausted as their argument began to stretch, and suddenly I heard approaching footsteps as their fight ended abruptly, and I quickly scrambled back to a corner, sitting quietly on the ground. I wiped my eyes with the back of my palms, trying to look calm despite the loud pounding of my heart against my chest.

The door suddenly creaked open, and Diego walked in quietly, looking exhausted and weary, as against the look of confidence he had earlier. He stared at me for a long time, before he began to speak.

“I'm really sorry for the delay, Sofia,” he said, clearing his throat. “But we couldn't just afford to take any risks, especially with the fact that we've got eyes everywhere. We've been informed by someone in the penthouse that Lucas is seriously searching for us and has found the car we abandoned while we were trying to escape.”

I felt weak in my knees, and suddenly I knew I had made the second wrongest decision of my life. “Please, Diego, just let me go back. Please, it's better off than having them catch up with us on this escape journey. Just let me go, please,” I pleaded feebly.

“That's not possible,” Diego said, cutting me short. “Lucas never forgives betrayal, and I'll be dead meat if Lucas ever finds out that I helped you into this.”

“I know how ruthless Lucas can be, and I promise to have you covered up, and I'll take responsibility for everything. Just let me go back.” I cried, tears welling up in my eyes.

“I can't, Sofia,” He said, and I broke down in tears, crying uncontrollably. “Hey, listen to me, Sofia. Brandon has been trying to reach you, and he desperately wants to talk to you.”

My heart leaped at the mention of Brandon, and I quickly wiped my tears. “How? When? Let me speak to him, please,” I said, pleading profusely.

“Hang on,” Diego said, dialing Brandon on the phone. The call began to beep and Brandon picked at the first ring.

“Hello, Sofia?” came Brandon's voice as it floated over the phone. I felt my heart skip a beat as I heard his voice.

“Hello, Brandon? Is it really you?” I said, sniffing, trying to steady my voice. “Where have you been?”

“It's me,” he said, his voice low and calm. “How are you, Sofia? Are you okay?”

I broke down in fresh tears as I listened to his voice. “I'm not okay, Brandon. I'm still at this strange place where Diego kept me, and he's refused to take me to your uncle's place?”

There was a short pause, and I momentarily took the phone off my ear, peering into the skin to confirm he was still on the line. “Brandon? Are you still there?”

“I am here, and I can hear you,” Brandon replied, his voice icily cold. “Now listen to me, Sofia. Don't be scared, and I want you to listen to Diego and trust him with everything you've got.”

I pulled away from the phone, staring at it in disbelief as I got reminded of the words my father had told me before his strange disappearance, handing me over to Lucas.

“What are you saying, Brandon? Where are you? What's happening?” I asked, puzzled. I glanced at Diego suspiciously who kept a plain face as he stared back at me.

“The plan's changed, Sofia,” Brandon said, bringing his voice low to an almost whisper. “You're no longer heading to the villa.”

My jaw dropped in surprise as I heard Brandon's words, and I made to reply when the call beeped, signifying that it had gone dead. I looked up at Diego who kept his gaze fixed on me, shrugging as I handed the phone back to him.