Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"Help…" Scarlett spoke with her last strength. 

She still wasn't sure that woman is here to save her. After jumping over the guy who was lying sideways on the floor, that woman walked and sat on the small table where he had kept the drug. 

"Wait, my passionflower," she said fumbling placing her hand in her leather jacket pocket. "Sleep it off," she took out a lollipop from her pocket and started to suck on it.

Scarlett couldn't keep her eyes open. That guy is not dead yet and she is still drugged. And the way this woman addresses her is… very familiar.

But she was in no mood to think of that woman.

"Cia…" she used her saved breath to gush out the name of her daughter. "Help her!"

The woman in front of her was not fazed. She flicked the bunch of hair falling on her shoulder and kept on sucking her lollipop. "What?" she said shrugging as Scarlett's eyes were trained on her.

"Cia, my baby…" Scarlett wanted to rest but she felt a sharp pain in her chest that she couldn't bear. Her daughter is still missing and all she could think of is the fate that was bestowed on that little bud that is yet to bloom. If that guy was going to kill her to frame Jerry, then what did he do to Cia? 

"She's just a baby…" in her dry eyes tears formed making them sting. And in the distress she is in, even the tears didn't roll down making it all the more insufferable. "My poor-"

"She's safe," the woman got up and she pulled up the lollypop in her mouth out with a pop and she rolled her head. She then walked closer to Scarlett.

"I thought you were leading a quiet life after quitting being a model. But you couldn't help getting in trouble again…?" she helped fix the hair hanging on Scarlett's face and let out a chuckle.

"Did Robert put you through this? You should leave him!"

Scarlett was about to look at the woman talking to her as if she is familiar to her, but then that woman kissed her forehead. As the fragrance of the woman entered her nostrils, she closed her eyes and her head tilted.

In her dreams, Scarlett saw this girl she once knew. Carrying the very low noise of the hustle and bustle of the fashion capital of the city, the sunlight spilled inside a big glass apartment and beside her, on the bed was the woman with the flame-red hair and her skin that was smooth as butter was covered with tattoos all over. 

Yuri…Yuri what? Ah…I never bothered to learn her last name. 

  Yuri was the bodyguard arranged for her by her agency after she expressed her wishes to leave the modeling world. But one thing led to another and she ended up… seducing her bodyguard to find a way to escape.

'I love you,' Yuri kissed her that morning. 'I never thought I could fall in love but… I did with you, almost dream-like… It shouldn't end this way, but…' 

Scarlett still remembered the scent of Yuri's hand as she rolled a bunch of her hair and kissed it. The distinct tattoo of a Postman Butterfly with its black and bright red ink contrasted her pale skin. But unlike the fragrance of that butterfly which is said to be poisonous, Yuri smelled very nice. It was the same fragrance as today– a mild, refreshing fragrance that won't linger for long. 

Yuri was like that – a butterfly who won't linger on a flower for long like. But she would remember all the flowers as she would say. A not-to-be-meddled-with poisonous butterfly with a good memory.

"I was paid by someone to … I sold you," Yuri got down from the bed that day with a smile. Scarlett remembered feeling paralyzed and then her world darkened as Yuri covered her face. 

And then…

Scarlett opened her eyes. "Yuri…" she gathered her strength. If Yuri didn't "sell" her that day, she never would have been free.

That's right! Yuri had sold her to Robert Milroy, a.k.a. Her husband.

"I never thanked you for-"

"Don't," Yuri pressed her lips on Scarlett's. 

Scarlett let out a chuckle. "What? You're going to lie to me that you're still in love with me or something?" she tried to make light of that intense situation.

She wanted to use Yuri to escape but Yuri took the chance to get money from Bobby to get her out. Scarlett didn't think there should be any lingering feeling between them. She is married and she cannot have these dangerous people running around thinking that she is in love with her.

Ah… curse my beauty! I can't be left alone…

But she pressed her lips seeing Yuri turning away from her and her shoulders were stiff.  Scarlett closed her eyes panicking if Yuri might leave her with that psycho who had fainted. 

"How did you get here? Who hired you?" Scarlett tried to divert Yuri's attention.

Yuri didn't answer her but the silence in that place didn't stay long as the man lying woke up.

"Sh*t!!Sh*t!!" he cussed as he rubbed his head. Picking up the knife, he turned and walked towards Yuri who was playing with her fingernails.

"Yuri!" Scarlett shouted and Yuri shifted to her right at the last moment making that guy stumble.

"Ahhhh!" he shouted and tried to stab Yuri. He tried and tried, and then he tried some more. But like a fluttering butterfly, Yuri escaped his blade. All this time, even his shadow didn't fall on her. "Stay, b*tch!" he shouted but Yuri was not fazed.  The guy got tired of chasing Yuri, but she didn't even break a sweat. And as he ran behind her, Scarlett could see him grunting and making animalistic noises as if he was provoked.

"Sh*t!" that guy threw away his disposable mask and lunged at Scarlett, filled with rage as he didn't get anywhere near getting Yuri. He wanted to get the upper hand as his pride has been hurt by this woman who is getting away from him. His chest was heaving up and down and tightly fisting the knife, he got close to Scarlett. 

Scarlett closed her eyes expecting a piercing pain on her neck as that was where the guy was focused on. But that pain never came and what she heard were heavy footsteps and an abysmal shout.

"Kitty!"

That shout was followed by two gunshots. 

Bobby is here!

Scarlett opened her eyes and she couldn't stop her grin. 

He is here! I am going to be fine!

She the guy turned back and he keeled over. Scarlett saw two bullet wounds on his back. One must have punctured his lung and the other his abdomen. Both were not fatal.

"Bobby…" she looked at the dark silhouette of her beloved husband. There was light to his back from the open door and the inside of the building was dark and she couldn't see his face but she was filled with relief. 

"I am here, Kitty… don't worry. You're okay!" 

The next moment, she could hear his deep voice in her ears and he tore away the tapes around her wrists.

"Bobby! Cia! Cia!"

"Shhh," Bobby kissed her head. "She's safe. I'll take you there… Tell me where you are hurt," he kissed her again. His shaking hands held her cheek and he kissed her cheek.  "Ah, Kitty… You-" his throat closed. 

"Hospital… I am drugged…" She slumped on his chest. "her-heroine… I'm pregnant – nine weeks…" She gave the pointers and lost consciousness.

  "Pregnant?" Bobby shouted. And in that dire situation he is in right now, he didn't know what he should do about this news. He laughed. "Pregnant?" he hugged her close and kissed her head. "So… Pregnant…You're pregnant…"

"Eww!" Yuri walked closer as she heard the police sirens closing in. 

Bobby was a little alert but he recognized her. "It's you…again…" 

Bobby didn't want to engage with her much and picked up Scarlett. He kicked the guy curled on the floor grunting with his boots. 

"I don't want to kill you, Harold… I know some people who would welcome you with open arms inside. I always wondered how I would settle my IOU. Now that I've found them a b*tch, we'd get even," he walked away stomping on his head.

"Psychopaths… the whole family…" he gritted his teeth. He would love to stay here and torture Emma's brother to his heart's content, but he's losing valuable time for his wife's treatment. 

He's already caused this hurt to his wife because of his intent on revenge. He is not going to think about anything else now.

"Stop!" Yuri called out.