Chapter 1
"Elsa, where are you?" Elsa’s brothers voice boomed through the speaker.
"I will be home soon. The movie was longer than I expected." She knew she was in trouble but she wanted to see the entire movie. She had waited so long for it to leave in the middle just because of her other problems.
"Just hope dad doesn't know that you are still outside of the house otherwise it will be your last movie."
"You can't micromanage everything. Sometimes something will take longer and I can't hide things like this from dad just because he doesn't trust me." She felt like Rupanzel. Instead of a tower, she was trapped in a fancy house with overbearing Father and brother.
"He trusts you not others. Get back to home fast." Before she could mourn for her lack of independence, he cut the call.
She sighed and looked up to see the sky but the enormous luxury hotel completely covered the view. "You can't even enjoy nature anymore."
She was about to leave but something caught my eyes. She felt like she was watching a live movie. Among the golden glow of the chandeliers, its glass walls reflecting the wealth and power, something unusual happened.
A girl was being dragged through the lobby by a man in a tailored suit. His grip was tight around her wrist, and despite her struggling, he yanked her forward, indifferent to her protests. Her eyes made direct contact with her, silently pleading to save her.
Elsa froze for a while not understanding what to do. She needed to go home as soon as possible but something bad would happen to that girl if she didn't do anything. She would never forgive herself if she leave without trying to save that girl.
Without hesitation, Elsa strode inside, the heels of her boots clicking against the marble floors. She reached the floor where she saw the girl. She had been there multiple times with her family for various gatherings. That girl was probably attending a party there. Two guards in black suits blocked her path.
"Guests only, ma’am," one of them said, his tone professional but firm.
Damn it!
She didn't think about the security these parties have yet that girl was fighting for life. If she asked them for help, they would not believe her. She needed to think something. Fast!
"Miss Cameron. Nice to see you here." Elsa turned and saw a familiar face. Mr. Diaz and his wife just arrived for the party.
"Hello, Mr. Diaz and Mrs Diaz. It's great to see you both."
"You came separately? Your father is also supposed to attend the party."
Dad was also there? Shit!
"I am not here for the party. Dad asked me to come and get something from him."
They talked while entering into the party. The security didn't stop her after knowing her father asked her to come. She quickly excused myself and dashed towards the section where she saw that girl. That man probably took her to the private rooms. Elsa could hear a commotion behind her. They probably figured out she was there for something else.
She was already in trouble but she needed to save the girl first.
They weren't at the rest rooms for guests that means they were at the restricted rooms but how did he manage to drag her past the security? There was no way she could get past it.
"Ma'am, this area is for Mr. Romanov's special guests. You can not go there."
"I am searching for a girl. She came here with a man and she looked like she's in trouble."
"There is no one in trouble ma'am. Please return to the party."
"You know, if anything wrong happens here after I personally came to stop it, you are going to answer to Romanov."
"Ma'am, as I said-"
"I am ordering you as his fiancé to check every room and find the girl."
"You are..." They looked unsure and confused but they started to move. She was praying for them to buy her lie and they did.
They knocked all rooms and offered apologies. They only had one room left and her heart was beating out of the cage. If the girl wasn't in that room then there were no place left to look for the girl.
The door finally opened after relentless knocks and she saw that man. "It's him."
The man tried to close the door but the security managed to enter the room. The air was thick with cigar smoke and the scent of aged whiskey. It was quieter, except for small sounds made by the girl who had a cloth tied around her mouth.
She was small, delicate, with dark curls falling over her tear-streaked face. She was on bed tied down and waiting for the doom.
"You said there was no one in danger." Elsa said to the security and rushed to free her.
"He said that she fainted." One guard shouted as he held the man from moving.
"I was just having a little fun. No need to overreact." That man grumbled.
"Funny," She said coldly. "I don’t see her laughing."
"Are you okay?" The girl nodded shakily, but Elsa could tell she was still trembling.
"You’re safe now," she murmured. "Come on, let’s get you out of here."
"Do you want to tell me what happened?" she asked gently.
The girl hesitated before speaking. "He... he wouldn’t take no for an answer," she whispered. "I told him I wasn’t interested, but he kept following me. Then he got aggressive, and dragged me. He even hit me."
As soon as we got out of the room, there were few people whom the girl clearly recognized. "Oh my God, what happened to you? I am so sorry, darling." A middle aged woman hugged her.
"Thank you so much for saving her. You have no idea what you did."
"Her brother gonna kill us all." One of them murmured and I frowned. They were probably in charge of that girl's protection. She seemed to belong from a powerful family.
Elsa’s phone rang and it was her brother. She forgot about her problems while saving that girl. "Since she is safe, I need to go now."
"But ma'am-"
"Bye" she ran out of there like my whole being was on fire. Sure her father already heard about her being in that party and already decided that she would be grounded for life.
Her hands curled into fists. The privilege of wealth made men think that they could do anything with women. Probably that's why her father never want to let her out of sight even when she was 23 years old. She lived like a teenager even when everyone of her age was living their adult life.
She was about to leave the hotel when something shook her whole body. Whatever she was seeing, her mind couldn't make sense. It felt like her whole existence was a lie. She had to hold the wall to balance herself.
My phone rang again and she absent-mindedly picked it up. "Why aren't you home yet? If dad-"
"Dad? What is he going to do?"
"What? What's happening?" Her brother, Liam sounded confused.
"Don't worry. He is busy now. He won't know also, I am an adult. Stop treating me like a child."
"Elsa, what is wrong with you? Are you even listening to yourself?"
"I am. Now it's time for you to listen as well."
