Chapter 317 Danger VI: Clever Escape
Cassius took few seconds to understand what Cecilia was saying.
"You mean, you're going to Lindwood to gather evidence?"
"Yes," Cecilia nodded. "You guys go directly to Alaric. I'll stay here and find the evidence. Once I have it, I'll contact the police in Serenovia City for support. Just keep yourselves safe. Trust me, I can come to rescue you!"
Cassius hesitated for several seconds.
He thought for a moment and said, "Okay, you and Augustus stay in Lindwood. I'll go find Alaric."
"No, I'm staying alone."
"No way!" Cassius said bluntly.
"Cassius, listen to me. No one knows we're going to look for evidence, so they won't be on guard against me. Just like when we took Jason, they weren't prepared. So, I'm safe. But it's different for you guys. You're going to confront the boss, which is inherently dangerous. And can you control Jason while driving? You need someone with you."
"Alaric won't let me leave you behind alone," Cassius said firmly.
"I'm not asking you to leave me behind. I have my own plans. Cassius, I'm with Alaric not to gain any advantage from him but to mutually benefit each other. You have to believe that I have the ability to protect myself and help you!"
Cassius was still hesitant.
Cecilia didn't say more. She turned to Augustus and said, "Stop the car."
Augustus was clearly looking to Cassius for cues.
Cassius still didn't react.
"Cassius, you don't want me to be so useless as Alaric's wife, do you?" Cecilia asked seriously.
She knew Cassius admired Alaric.
If not for admiration, he wouldn't follow all of Alaric's arrangements so obediently.
Cassius wouldn't want Chloe to just be a hindrance.
He preferred Chloe to join hands with Alaric.
Cassius said, "Fine, you stay and find the evidence while requesting support. But Cecilia, you must protect yourself. Your life is more important than anything."
"I know."
Augustus stopped the car, and Cecilia got out.
Cassius glanced at Cecilia and then told Augustus to drive away.
To him, Alaric was more important than anything or anyone else.
So, whatever he did, Alaric's life always came first!
He could only hope that Cecilia wasn't as weak as they thought she was.
After the car drove away, Cecilia headed back to their hotel. Since they hadn't checked out, she could still get in without a hitch.
As she walked in, she pondered her next move, 'How am I going to find evidence?
'Has the factory been completely burned down?
'Has Alaric managed to get any evidence?
'If he did, where has he left it?'
Cecilia was overwhelmed with thoughts and anxiety. Her insomnia was making her more on edge than ever.
She was startled when she heard footsteps outside her room. A sinking feeling of dread washed over her.
Without hesitation, she opened the window and climbed out onto the ledge, gripping it tightly to keep herself steady. The hotel was only three stories high, and she told herself that even if she fell, she probably wouldn't die. This was the only reassurance she could muster as she struggled to hold on.
Then she heard the door being kicked open with a loud crash.
Cecilia held her breath.
Inside the room, she could clearly hear footsteps moving around, more than one pair shuffling back and forth. It seemed like they were searching for someone. After about five minutes, she heard an unfamiliar voice say, "No checkout, but the luggage is gone, and the room is empty. They must have left."
Cecilia couldn't hear the response from the other side, but she sensed the intruders were leaving. The sounds faded away, leaving her in eerie silence.
Desperately, Cecilia tried to pull herself up, but her arms were too weak to support her.
She thought, 'So, is jumping my only option?'
She glanced down from the ledge. The third floor was still a significant drop. A fall might be fatal if not done correctly.
She felt like she was at her limit, barely hanging on.
Suddenly, she saw a window open in a room two floors down.
Without thinking, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Help! Help!"
The couple in the room below was startled by the sudden cry for help. After a moment of shock, they peered out to see Cecilia dangling from the window ledge.
"How did you end up hanging out there?" the woman asked, her voice filled with concern.
"It's a long story," Cecilia replied urgently. "Could you please come up and help me? I think I left my room door unlocked, and I'm about to lose my grip."
"Hang in there," the woman said, quickly turning to her husband. "Hurry up and get upstairs to help her."
Moments later, the couple appeared at the window, working together to pull Cecilia to safety.
Cecilia was drenched in sweat, relieved that luck had been on her side tonight.
"What on earth were you doing, climbing out the window like that?" the middle-aged woman asked, still shaken.
"I had a fight with my husband," Cecilia fabricated, "He was threatening me, so I ran out and climbed out the window to escape. I didn't expect him to find me here. Anyway, thank you so much for helping."
"Should we call the police?" the woman asked, her concern evident.
"No, no need," Cecilia said quickly. "I'm leaving Lindwood anyway. He won't be able to find me in Serenovia City."
She thought to herself that calling the police would only make things worse.
"Alright then," the woman said, not pressing further. "Glad you're okay. We'll head back to our room now."
"Thanks again. I really appreciate it," Cecilia said, grateful.
"It was nothing. Don't mention it," the woman replied with a reassuring smile.
As the couple left, Cecilia wasted no time. She knew that once she was being watched, finding evidence would be even more difficult. She needed to act fast.
She made her way directly to the fireworks factory in Lindwood. Since it was a bit of a distance, she took a taxi.
The driver seemed alarmed when he heard her destination. "A woman like you heading to the fireworks factory at this hour? Didn't you hear about the big explosion there?"
"My husband worked at the factory," Cecilia said, her voice steady but filled with a touch of sadness. "There was an explosion, and I need to see where he worked one last time."
"There's no point in going there now. He's gone," the driver said, shaking his head in resignation.
"No, I have to go," Cecilia insisted.
The driver, still skeptical, shrugged and drove on, assuming Cecilia was having trouble accepting reality.
Cecilia sat in silence, her thoughts drifting to Alaric. She thought to herself, 'I wonder if Alaric's ears are burning right now. After all, one moment I'm bad-mouthing him, and the next I'm saying he's dead...'
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