CHAPTER 48
Piper seethed with fury as she replayed the events in her mind. She couldn't believe she had failed to take down Arianna and that Sheena had been taken to jail.
The anger boiled inside her until she exploded, trashing her room in a fit of rage.
But even after destroying everything in sight, Piper's anger still lingered.
Desperate for an outlet, she made her way to the Dark Room and drowned her sorrows in alcohol, hoping to numb the pain and frustration consuming her.
An hour later Piper stumbled unsteadily as she stepped outside, her patience worn thin by Derrick's (her driver) tardiness.
Where the hell was he?
With a mix of frustration and fury, she dialed his number, her voice erupting in a volatile outburst.
Piper staggered as she made her way outside, her eyes scanning the area.
"Derrick... "
"Derrick, where the fu*k are you?" she slurred, irritation creeping into her voice.
Her patience quickly wore thin when Derrick failed to show up. Seething with frustration and anger, she dialed his number, her voice rising in a volatile outburst.
"Where in the world are you? Why am I waiting? Have you lost interest in working altogether? If this isn't what you want, then find another job—"
Mid-sentence, Piper's tirade was interrupted by a sudden whistling sound emanating from beside her.
Piper raised her head to find several men, seemingly from a gang, converging around her, forming an ominous circle. Their predatory stares bore into her, accompanied by taunting remarks.
"Hey there, sweetheart, what's got you all fired up?" one of them jeered.
"Why don't you let us take care of that anger for you? We're more than happy to keep you company."
Piper, who had always been shielded and protected by her connection with Xander, felt a sudden wave of vulnerability in this moment, a hint of fear seeping into her heart.
Despite her discomfort, she managed to put on a brave front and delivered a firm warning.
"Have you any idea who I am?" she proclaimed, her tone filled with confidence.
"I am Xander King's fiancé! It would be in your best interest to stay away. Touch me, and you'll have to deal with Xander's fury."
The rowdy troublemakers shared amused looks before bursting into scornful laughter.
"Xander King? We wouldn't flinch, not even if the King of England himself stood in front of us!"
Ignoring Piper's cautionary words, one of them boldly stepped forward and grabbed hold of her.
Piper's scream was muffled as a strong man covered her mouth, silencing her objections. With ease and speed, they swiftly whisked her away into the darkness of the alley behind the tavern.
The alley was dimly lit and deserted. The men cornered Piper, eyeing her maliciously as they conferred among themselves.
"Look at her delicate skin. She's going to be a lot of fun. Who wants to go first?" one of them sneered.
After a brief pause, he broke into a sinister laugh and suggested,
"Or better yet... why don't we all join in?"
Piper panicked, instinctively covering herself. Abandoning any pretense of bravery, she pleaded desperately,
“P-Please, if it’s a woman you want... I can pay you. Just name your price! With the money, you can have any woman you desire. Just let me go, please!”
Despite her desperate pleas, Piper's words fell on deaf ears. One of the men gripped her face, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"A rich lady, huh? Too bad for you, you're exactly our type. Just relax and enjoy the fun!"
"Ahh! Get your hands off me! You filthy peasants! You're not worthy of touching me!" Piper screamed, her revulsion palpable.
She dreamed of marrying Xander, believing only someone of his stature could ever be her equal. The mere thought of these thugs laying hands on her filled her with such disgust that she felt an overwhelming urge to vomit.
As Piper's screams grew louder, the men's actions only became more ruthless. With callous disregard for her pleas, one of the hooligans forcefully tore her top, exposing her shoulder.
Another encroached, his touch violating her waist, while a third swiftly whipped out his phone, capturing her distress on camera.
Goosebumps erupted across Piper's skin as terror coursed through her veins, her body trembling from both fear and the chill of the night air. Amidst her cries, she cowered, her voice shaking with desperation as she pleaded,
"I know I've made mistakes. Please, just let me go. I'm sorry. Someone, please help—"
At the mouth of the alley, Arianna stood, her figure silhouetted against the lamppost, her gaze icy as she observed Piper's cries.
Arianna acknowledged the sheer agony such a situation inflicted upon a girl. Yet, despite the empathy stirring within her, she also couldn't forget the mercilessness Piper had shown her when she plotted against her.
Arianna believed it was just right for Piper to face the results of what she did.
However, even though she wanted payback, Arianna's guilt was strong. Those men were just actors, not real criminals.
After making sure Piper was disciplined enough, Arianna picked up her phone and called one of the men.
When he picked up, Arianna spoke in a composed but assertive tone, saying,
"You can stop—".
Before Arianna could complete her sentence, the sound of footsteps drew near, accompanied by the urgent voice of Derrick, the driver.
"Mr. King, Ms. Schmidt is over there! Please, we have to help her!"
Mr. King?
Xander was here?
Arianna's heart raced as she instinctively raised her head to glance in the direction of the commotion.
Not far off, Xander, accompanied by Zack, John, Derrick, and several bouncers from the Dark Room, strode purposefully towards the alley.
Arianna's lips curved into a smile, though its true intent remained shrouded in ambiguity—was it laced with sarcasm, or was she mocking herself?
Nevertheless, one thing was clear: it was a testament to true love. In the face of danger, Xander appeared without hesitation, to save the love of his life.
As if sensing her presence, Xander halted mid-stride, his head swiveling to the side before his gaze locked onto Arianna's.
Their eyes met in an unexpected moment of coincidence.
