Chapter 25
Winston pushed open the door to his rented apartment and was met with a chill of emptiness.
It hit him that a lot of
of stuff was missing–mostly Chelsea’s. She really had packed up and left.
The reality sank in, leaving him momentarily stunned. On the coffee table, he spotted his bank card along with a note beneath it.
Thanks for taking care of me during this time. Take the money on this card, and we can handle the paperwork some other time.]
His deep, dark eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on the bank card. Without wasting a moment, he grabbed his phone and dialed Chelsea’s number.
There was a long pause before it went to voicemail. After three failed attempts, he decided to call Fabian. He had a feeling that something was
was off
“Find out where Chelsea lives, now!” he barked.
Fabian was halfway through a meal but was right on it. After a while, he called back, saying. I found Ms. Wise’s neighborhood. I’ll text you the address. Do you want me to
The call ended before he could finish. Fabian was left scratching his head.
Just yesterday, Mr. Moody had ignored Ms. Wise, and now he was suddenly racing to her place. Good luck guessing what was going on in his mind.
he thought
Winston received the address and was about to drive off when his phone rang again. “Winston, it’s me.” Ivory’s voice came through, sounding shaky.
“Winston, I’m on the west side. I’ve just been in a car accident. Can you come? Ivory sounded like she was on the verge of tears.
Winston’s expression turned serious. He snapped the phone shut and took a deep breath, ready to spring into action.
Bang! The steel pipe hit the door with a thud, and Chelsea’s face turned pale with fear. “I don’t know you guys. Who are you?”
The man in charge let out a snort when he realized Chelsea was alone. “You’re the tenant, right? This landlord owes us money. You either pay up or come with us?
Chelsea didn’t have any money at the moment. These people weren’t easy to deal with, and she felt vulnerable being alone. She didn’t dare to act carelessly.
“I didn’t know the landlord was in debt. I just moved in- Before Chelsea could finish, these people exchanged glances and barged in.
Chelsea sprinted towards the bedroom, only to be grabbed by her hair and flung down hard onto the couch. “Where do you think you’re going? Give me the money!”
Chelsea looked flustered and handed over her cell phone. “Guys, I don’t have a lot of money, and this is all I have left.”
*3,000 dollars? Are you kidding me?” The man slammed a steel pipe into the coffee table, sending splinters flying.
Chelsea, on the brink of an outburst, reached out and ruffled her long hair, smiled, and softened her voice. “Guys, why don’t you have a cup of coffee first, and I’ll call my family and see if they can whip around some money, okay?“
Chelsea was attractive, with her eyes sparkling.
That’s more like it Go ahead and make us some coffee,” said the man.
She seized the chance to get up and head to the kitchen. She made a pot of coffee and carried it back to the living room with all eyes on her
She picked up the hot coffee and splashed it on the man in charge. Then, she grabbed a knife from the coffee table and slashed the man’s neck
Chelsea knew she was outnumbered, so she took advantage of the gap and walked quickly down the stairs.
Those men chased after her, swearing all the way.
Chelsea was soon outrun. When she was caught, the leading man slapped her across the face and said, “How dare you
ou pull a fast one o
one on us! Try it
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Chapter 25
again, and 111 kill you!”
Chelsea was so red that she leaned against the wall and watched as those men approached.
The leading man’s neck was now simply bandaged. He reached out to grab Chelsea’s chin. “We only wanted money at first, but unce you want to play, we’ll play
Chelsea still
had
the knife in her hand and was looking to counterattack while she was at it.
But the man had clearly learned his lesson. He snatched the knife and leaned in to kiss Chelsea’s check
Chelsea squeezed her eyes shut, and she was visibly tense. “Get away from me!”
ing the ground
Crash! The sound of a car suddenly stopping was followed by a couple of muffled grunts and the thud of something heavy hitting the ground.
Chelsea blinked her eyes open and saw Winston standing in front of her. He must have just gotten there. The bright headlight behind him highlighted his tall frame, giving him an almost eerie presence.
When Winston’s cold eyes men hers, she felt a rush of emotion, She buried her face against his chest and said, “Winston, thank god you’re here!! don’t know what to do!”
She had always lived by the rules, and the only crazy thing she’d ever done was marry him. Anyone would feel a jolt of fear in a moment like this.
But the moment he arrived, all her composure fell apart. She forgot about his earlier advice to keep her distance. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Winston looked down, and for a few seconds, her tears soaked into his shirt. Behind him, the men who had caused all this chaos lay on the ground.
unable to move.
He scooped her up and asked, “Which floor do you
“The fifth floor,” she replied, trying to hold back a sob as she leaned into him, her face will showing signs of panic from everything that just happened
“What about those guys?” she asked, her voice shaky.
I called the police,” he said, trying to reassure her.
Winston carried Chelsea up the stairs, and when he reached the fifth floor, he was greeted by a messy living room. The couch was still stained with blood, and everything felt a little off–kilter.
He set Chelsea down, and that was when he noticed her face–swollen and puffy.
He opened the fridge, only to find it empty of ice packs, and there was no medical kit in the living room. It reminded him they were not in their apartment
He frowned and stood up. “Did they hit you?”
Chelsea’s eyes filled with tears. “The landlord was in debt, and I had no idea. They just showed up here.”
Winston couldn’t believe how gullible Chelsea was–a place in such a nice neighborhood couldn’t be going for so cheap.
A cold chill ran through him. “You need to move back”
Chelsea went still, tears falling. “But you told me to keep my distance”
Winston felt a twinge of regret. Despite everything, he and Chelsea had gotten along pretty well. If it weren’t for that night, he wouldn’t have any problem to just live with her like this.
“If you want to stay here, go ahead” he said, trying to keep his cool. But Chelsea didn’t dare stick around
She grabbed his hand urgently. “I need my rent money back. I can’t just throw it away like that.”
Frustration flashed in Winston’s eyes. “Just pack your things.”
With a sigh, Chelsea murmured her agreement and headed back to her room to gather her things while Winston leaned against the balcony, lost in thought about what to do next.
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Chapter 25
Fabian showed up with the police. A couple of punks were carted away, and soon, he got the word. “Mr. Moody, after questioning, the landlord owed a ton of money and bolted. These guys are here to collect.
“Can you track down the landlord?” Winston asked.
“Not right now”
Winston hung up the phone while Chelsea packed her things. “I’m ready to go,” she said.
He walked over, pulled his bank card from his pocket, and handed it to her. “Like I said before, we’re in this together. You don’t have to pay me,” he uid
Chelsea took the card, feeling the awkward sting of being cheap, and held back from making any move.
Winston came down with his suitcase, and Chelsea followed him. Once they were in the car, she buckled her seatbelt and leaned back in the passenger seat, letting the quiet night settle around them.
Back to their apartment, Chelsea was ready to head to her room.
“Hold on,” Winston said.
