A deep voice boomed, 'Miss, there's no need to run anymore!'
Exhausted from running, Chioma screeched to a halt, whirling around to face the men closing in on her. The glint of a pistol in one of their hands sent a jolt of terror through her, threatening to make her legs buckle. But in a surge of adrenaline, somehow, she found herself darting away from them once more. Just as she was about to vanish into an alley, a hand clamped down on her shoulder, yanking her backward.
'Miss, you're quite the runner, even without long straight legs. You could win Olympic medals,' the man drawled, his voice devoid of emotion. 'However, we let you run a bit to tire you out, so you would accept our beating willingly.' He scanned his surroundings. 'Luckily for us, this place isn't on any GPS, so no one will come to your rescue.'
'What have I done?' Chioma gasped, her voice trembling. Fear threatened to consume her, but she forced it back. She knew she couldn't let fear consume her in this dangerous situation.
The man's gaze flickered to the bags Chioma clutched. A sneer twisted his lips. 'Seems like you value food more than your own life. You protected those bags as if they held treasures. But it doesn't matter to me. I'm here to teach you a lesson because you've committed many crimes. So, brace yourself for this lesson and go home to sin no more.' His cold expression sent shivers down Chioma's spine, tears welling up in her eyes.
'Who hired you for this?' Chioma choked out, trying to mask her terror, desperate for any scrap of information.
'First of all, you're already in our hands, and there's no way you can escape,' he said with a proud smile. 'We're just doing our job. But if you can manage to pay us an extra ten million naira, we'll consider letting you go.'
The astronomical sum left Chioma speechless. Who could be wealthy enough to afford such a price tag for her torture? Could it be a fan? However, their relationship hadn't been made public, so it seemed unlikely that a fan would go to such lengths. She dismissed the possibility of a fan being behind this. No fan would be so generous, especially knowing it wouldn't benefit them. Who could harbour such malicious intent towards her? The only person who could come up with such a large amount was Jessica, but she was in Lagos State. Who could be out to ruin her life? Perhaps a secret admirer of Michael or someone who simply hated her for no reason.
'I can tell by your cheap clothes, even though you must have bought that midnight snack from a luxury store, that you don't have any money,' he sneered. 'I'm sorry, but we have no choice but to do this to you. Maybe next time, stay out of people's lives to avoid problems.'
As soon as the man finished speaking, he signalled to the men behind him. They lunged at Chioma, sending her bags flying. A scream ripped from her throat as she fought back, her meager strength a joke against their brutality. She couldn't believe how unfortunate her day had turned out. If only she had gone on that date with Felix, maybe she wouldn't be facing this nightmare. The blows rained down, her vision blurring with tears and pain. The world spun, and she felt a dizzying sensation. Suddenly, her vision went black, and she clung onto a nearby pole to remain standing.
Tears streamed down Chioma's face as the realisation of her predicament settled in. No movie-style rescue, no Michael swooping in from Lagos to save her. Despair gnawed at her, but a flicker of defiance remained. Completely surrounded, Chioma knew she had to summon her last bit of strength to try to save herself, fearing that the men might kill her on the spot or take her to a secluded location to leave her broken body.
'Miss, why don't you save yourself, you little slut?' one of the men taunted.
Chioma did her best to defend herself, but she knew her feeble strength was no match for the ten men who were paid to carry out such tasks. There was a significant disparity between a woman and a group of men, especially in a situation like this.
'How dare you seduce Michael and make his fiancée look bad?' one of them roared, kicking her viciously. 'You know you're nothing but a lowly peasant, unworthy of being with someone as supreme as Michael! You have no right to break up two people in love. And in case you're wondering why you're receiving this punishment, it's because you're nothing more than a disgusting piece of trash. You don't deserve to be with Michael. Jessica is the only woman worthy of him.'
Chioma was kicked repeatedly, her stomach a churning mass of agony. Tears streamed down her face as she curled up in pain, clutching her stomach. A silent plea muttered in her heart, 'Michael... please, save me... if you don't save me, I will surely die...'
'Miss Chioma,' a commanding voice boomed, 'before I send you off to hell, I'll give you a piece of advice... Lucifer has numerous female demons who are in love or in a relationship with him. Most of them come from impressive backgrounds. Even if you feel jealous and want to own Lucifer, never dare to seduce him. You can only admire him in silence. Because once those little demons find you with Lucifer, they will vent all their anger on you when Lucifer goes out on a mission...' The man raised a pistol, pointing it directly at Chioma. Her heart hammered against her ribs.
Chioma didn't know what to do. She was in a life-and-death moment, expecting the man to pull the trigger. However, Just as the tension reached its peak, another voice cut through the air, a single word ringing out, 'Stop!'
The men whirled around, shock flashing across their faces. Upon seeing who it was, they scattered like cockroaches—a flurry of movement and fear. Chioma, bracing for the end, cracked open her eyes in astonishment upon hearing Felix's voice.
Felix's heart ached at the sight of Chioma, his handsome face hardening with a surge of fury. Without a word, his gaze darted to Peter, a sharp glint in his eyes that spoke volumes. 'Find those men,' he commanded, his voice low but laced with steel. 'Now.'
'Yes, Sir,' Peter nodded and immediately set off to locate the culprits. Peter had never seen Felix display such concern before. It was evident to him that Felix cared deeply for Chioma.
Felix, his face etched with concern, scooped Chioma into a protective embrace, disregarding the astonished onlookers who had gathered. Many had witnessed the events leading up to his arrival but hadn't dared to intervene. Now, with the assailants fled, curious faces peered from shops, cars, and even upstairs windows. Their focus? The usually cold and distant Felix, displaying unexpected protectiveness and concern as he cradled the injured Chioma.
A frustrated whisper escaped his lips, 'If only you had waited for me, you wouldn't be in this condition. Why did you run away?'
Those who knew Felix were used to his aloof demeanour and his disinterest in any woman. Yet, here he was, his entire demeanour transformed, radiating concern and affection as he cradled the injured Chioma. The onlookers exchanged bewildered glances, their curiosity piqued by this unexpected display of tenderness.