Chapter hundred and forty four

Dallas

I had no idea how long it has been since we were here. It could have been days or weeks or even mere hours. Time surely moves slowly when you're been beaten up by your vengeful stepfather and equally deranged biological one.

Every part of me ached painfully. I didn't know know what hurt the most. My body or my heart. My head throbbed as memories of the warehouse on fire flashed across my mind. Oliver had been inside it.

“Hey, wanna hear something funny?” Tabitha groaned from beside me, breaking my trail of thoughts. Her voice was barely audible due to her swollen lip.

“Yes.” I said.

My voice had become hoarse from screaming. Ron had played the video of Oliver in the burning warehouse over and over again and forced us to watch.

Tabitha had sobbed uncontrollably beside me while also pleading with Ron. I'd resulted to screaming and cursing instead. I even offered myself in Oliver's stead. He didn't listen to either of us.

A piece of my sanity had slipped away as I replayed the moment Oliver collapsed in my head over and over again. I'd screamed at him to get up but he never did till the clip ended and the fire engulfed the building. I didn't want to think about what that meant.

Lucien had came in and punched both of us in the face. His punch was weak so I decided to taunt him and told him I'd received worse.

After not knowing what Oliver's fate was, I was feeling murderous and really didn't care at that moment if he killed me. So he'd punched me hard that my lips burst.

“Once upon a time. There were two girls who hated each other's guts until they got kidnapped by an evil villian…” Tabitha started.

I burst out laughing, cutting off the rest of her words. She joined me and we both laughed maniacally. We laughed because there was nothing else to do. We laughed because our only other option was crying, and at this point, I was so fucking sick of tears. I laughed so hard till tears actually came out of my eyes.

“W..h.y are you laughi..ng?” Tabitha asked while still howling like a wolf. Her laughter was interrupted by coughs.

“Because you're so fucking funny, Tabby.” I said, still laughing.

“Tabby? Seriously? You couldn't come up with a better nickname?” She finally stopped laughing to catch her breath.

She wiggled her bound hands, probably trying to ease the ache in it. My own hands had became numb from being in the same position for so long.

“It's cool, kinda. Don't you think?” I asked.

“For an eighty year old woman. It sure is.” she huffed. Or at least tried to. She ended up coughing instead.

“When we get out of here, I'm certainly calling you that.” I said.

This earned another fit laughter from her. I joined in too. Because we both knew the harsh truth, we were never getting out of this place alive.

Somehow between the minute I woke up here and when ee watched that clip of Oliver, we'd both come to that realization. I didn't know what state Oliver was in right now, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be able to meet Ron's ultimatum.

A part of me didn't want him to be able to. At least if I'm dead Ron wouldn't have anything to use against him anymore. I was so tired of being used as bait. I wanted it to just fucking end.

That thought didn't make my impending thought sound so bad.

“You know, you might have been a total bitch, but you damn sure make a great co prisoner.” I said to Tabitha when we finally got a grip of ourselves.

“Aww, that’s the nicest thing you've ever said to me.” She said.

We descended into another round of laughter. This one lasted longer than the rest. It birthed from the realization of our fate and the friendship we had somehow formed while in captivity.

I really wasn't joking when I said she wasn't s bad person. I regretted not giving her a chance when I first started working for Oliver. But she didn't give me a chance then either.

“Why did you hate me so much when we first met? It's not like you know me before.” I asked because we needed to keep talking.

Neither of us should be alone with our thoughts in this place. I specifically didn't want to think about what happened to Oliver. Not yet. Besides, I was also curious for the answer.

I suspected Tabitha didn't want to disappear into her head either. So she started talking,

“It's not that I hate you.” She sighed.

“Well, your actions said the exact opposite.” I muttered.

She glared at me, as much as she could with a swollen eye.
“I just thought things were easier for you.” She said.

“Easier for me? I was his cleaner while you were his assistant.” I almost screamed.

She sighed again.
“I know it sounds crazy but when you started working at the mansion, you were so wild and didn't give two shit about anyone's opinion of you, you basically caused trouble everywhere, and yet you still kept your job.”

I snorted at that. It was weird hearing her describe me without the bite in her tone.

“I had to act a certain way, have so many qualities, and walk on egg shells around him so I don't get fired. I guess I was so envious of your freedom and it made me mad. Despite your infuriating personality, you were so likeable too. I didn't want to like you so I became mean.” she said.

“Aww, that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me.” I said, repeating her earlier words.

She tipped her head back and laughed hard.

“And here I was thinking it was because you had a crush on him.” I chuckled.

“No. I mean, yes. Seriously, who doesn't? He was the most eligible bachelor and I thought I was the one that would break his icy behavior. Then you came and captured his heart.” She rolled her good eye and chuckled.

“What can I say? I have a very likeable personality after all.” I joked.

“Don't make me take it back.” She groaned.

We laughed a little at that.

“Since we'll probably die anyway I guess I could say I was a little envious of you too.” I sighed.

“Me? Really?” She said with such surprise that I wondered if anyone had ever said anything nice to her before. She truly was incredible. If you look past the cocky attitude.

“Yes, you were educated, smart, and you seem to have your life figured out, while I only had a high school certificate and a failed career. I guess I envied you a bit for that.” I said.

I'd never expected to voice those words out but it was the moment of truth after all.

“If it's any consolation, those things aren't exactly great. I love my job, but I definitely don't have my life figured out. I don't know what the heck I'm doing. And I have no one to guide me. No one at all.” She said the last words with sadness.

I didn't realize it until now. I had Oliver searching for me, but was anyone searching for her?

“If you get out of here, what's the first thing you'll do?” I asked.

“You mean after a bath?”

I nodded.

“Have a bowl of chicken soup.”

I burst out laughing.

“Really?” I asked.

She nodded and we both laughed again. We didn't stop laughing even when we heard footsteps approaching. Whoever was coming might be here to end our lives. And I'll be damned if I go down crying.

“It's good to see you're enjoying each other's company.” Ron said as he walked in, a smile plastered on his face.

I recognized the woman who walked in with him as Amanda. I later found out she was the nanny we kidnapped Oliver years ago. I hated her. And she punches hard too.

“I have you to thank for that, dear dad. You brought me company so I wouldn't die alone.” I said, sarcasm dripping in my tone.

“That's nice.” Ron pulled his phone from his pocket.

“Dear daughter, time to pose for a picture.” He said.

My brows furrowed in confusion.
“What do you mean?”

“It would seem your boyfriend has gotten it into his head that he could still save you before your time runs out. I want to send him a cute picture of you as motivation.”

That was the last thing I heard before a heavy punch landed on my face.