Chapter 168 Violent Assault
William was still at the office, shaking his knee anxiously to fathom what Liyah might do now. Pinching the brow, he felt his head throbbing, trying to secure whatever he could.
‘Did I make the right choice or not? It could have been easier if I had just… apologized like always,’ He thought worriedly.
While he was thinking of a way to get out of this predicament, his phone buzzed. It was a picture from the parking garage attendant.
His black Mercedes was slumped to one side, the sidewalls of both driver-side tires shredded with surgical precision. Not a random act of vandalism, but a signature left by Liyah’s reach.
“Tsk,” His jaw clenched, throwing his phone on the table to consult the security for letting this happen.
After a series of scolding and firing, the moment he stepped back into his office, before he could even process the rage, another notification popped up.
His home security app was screaming: Motion Detected: Front Porch.
Back at the house, the sun had set, leaving the hallway bathed in a purple light. Arabella was in the kitchen, worried for her husband. She noticed his distress and was thinking of a way she could reduce it.
‘What can I do to reduce his ache-’ Her sincere thoughts were left mind-way when the first blow hit the door.
BOOM.
The frame shuddered but thankfully the hinges were too secure. William had this floor completely secure yet it stiffed the woman.
Arabella froze, a glass sliding from her hand and shattering against the tile, jumping back in fear. Swallowing hard, her eyes narrowed as the door banged again.
BOOM. BOOM.
It wasn’t a knock. It was a violent assault, as if someone were using a sledgehammer to break it down. She got back, leaning against the counter in terror. Then came the metallic scraping, someone was raking a blade across the wood of the door.
“Open up, girl!” A muffled voice barked from the other side, distorted and cold.
Her breaths hastened, her survival instinct kicked in. Scraping the cleaver knife from the drawer, she pushed the cabinet against the door and called the security of the apartment first.
She could feel her heart pounding madly, adrenaline rushing in her veins. Her hands were ferociously shaking but she forced herself to stay strong.
After every call the cops, the security and blocking the door. She saw ten calls from William and finally pickled it up.
"Wi- William," she whispered the moment he picked up, her voice shaking, tears streaming down her face, terror filling her whole being.
“Why didn’t you pick the call, Bella!? Where are you!? There are movements at the front.”
"They’re here. Someone is trying to break in. The door... I don't think it’s going to hold." She sniffled, glancing at the door, picking the cleaver and crawling to her room.
“I have called the security and the cops. Are- Are you okay?”
“Those motherfuckers punctured my car so I won’t be able to reach you. But, don’t worry, I am on my way. I- I am coming.”
Arabella let out muffled sobs but a scream involuntarily escaped when the door almost broke, “William, hurry!”
"Go to the bedroom. Lock the door. Move the dresser. I’m five minutes away. Do not hang up." William panicked too.
The image of the slightest danger upon Arabella stunned him. He could feel the heftiness, the suffocation. If anything happened to her, he won’t be able to maintain his sanity.
Arabella followed, blocking the door with a dresser. Her mind was spinning. She could nausea building but controlling it at the moment, she focused entirely on survival.
“I have moved the dresser.” She informed William.
“Good. Grab my gun.”
“You have a gun!?” She gasped.
“Yes, I do. It’s in my wardrobe. The bottom drawer in a box. Unlock the safety mode and load it. Do not hesitate.” He instructed while praying such circumstances won’t arrive.
“I am scared, William.” She whispered, tears spilling uncontrollable as she searched and found the gun. Fright consuming, cursing the point their lives were being twisted into.
“Don’t be. I am here. I won’t let anyone take my world away from me.” He whispered a soft assurance while he could feel his own heart raging unstoppably.
Sniffling, following William’s guide, Arabella stood against the window, pointing the gun at the door. Her heart on the verge of bursting, the quivering was wild but she knew she must remain stern for survival.
The front door burst.
At that moment. The sound of tires screeching on the driveway, the siren of the cops was no less than a relief. Through the window, Arabella saw the sweep of headlights. William and the cops had arrived at the same time.
William didn't just arrive, he erupted. He didn't wait for the engine to stop before he was out of the car, scrambling towards his home with the cops.
Being the only person who had the access to the lift to his private floor.
“Freeze!” The cops caught the guys before they could escape. Raising their hands, they surrendered immediately. The cops caught them.
He didn't watch them and stormed inside.
"Bella!"
She was already running toward him. She collided with his chest, her fingers clutching his coat; he was the only shore to her drowning heart.
William wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair, his hands were cold. Utterly frightened to imagine losing her.
"I'm sorry," he choked out, tears spilling through as he clung onto her with a never-letting-go demeanor.
"I am so sorry… I shouldn't have brought this to your door." He whimpered, gripping her tightly as she sobbed in his chest.
“I was so scared!”
“Shh. shh. It’s alright. I am here, I won’t let this happen again, I promise.” He gulped, sniffling to not sob and cupped her face, wiping the tears.
Her face was pale, and her eyes were wide with the lingering shock of the violence, but she didn't let go of him. She looked at the shattered door, the shattered glass in the kitchen, cops pinning them down on the ground.
“Was it…” She gulped, not wanting to believe an Auntie could fall ‘this’ low, “Her?”
“I am afraid, yes.” William made a guilty face, kissing the top of her head while keeping her secure in his chest.
“But vex not. This won’t go undone.”
In the past, William would have tried to negotiate after this.
He would have used his words. But Liyah had stripped him of his patience, and the fear of losing Arabella’s had stripped him of his mercy.