Chapter 40: Lost

Chapter 40: Lost

“Lucy…” Jai called out, but she had already reached for the door and jumped out of the car.

He kept shouting out her name, and Lucy could feel his voice fading away. But her legs couldn’t seem to stop, not when she didn’t want them to. And she kept running in a random direction while letting those tears fall freely.

Her head buzzed with so many thoughts, she didn’t even know where she was, until she found herself inside the huge building.

Had she entered the company? Lucy looked up and gasped. How did she even pass the securities?

Footsteps came from behind and her eyes darted rapidly around the empty hallway. There were so many doors including the elevators and luckily at the farther end, the sign of a washroom caught her attention.

Lucy took off again and barged inside the bathroom. Her chest heaved up and down as she leaned against the door and her thoughts still buzzed with Thea’s cruel words.

More tears trickled down her cheeks and her hand dug into her dress. Even thoughts she had tried so hard to bury were once again resurfacing and she shook her head so hard, if only she could push them away.

Jai— right. She had left Jai outsider. She finally came back to her senses and her eyes widened. Jai would take her straight to the airport, her free salvation from this misery. When she left this city, even the heavy burdens would be left behind.

Hopefully, he was still waiting for her. She had to go back.

Lucy dragged her legs toward the faucet and turned on the water. When she looked up at the mirror, a huge gasp escaped her lips and she held a hand to her chest.

“Oh, no.” Her makeup was almost ruined. And the black mascara the artist had used to outline her eyes was all over her eyebags.

She quickly turned off the faucet and pulled out a tissue which she used to dab the corners of her eyes.

After she was done, her face looked a little better, the disguise was still intact. But her eyes looked swollen and her nose was sore and red.

“Urgh!” She shouldn’t have allowed herself to be overcome by emotions. However, Thea’s words were like thorn branches ripping through her heart, she couldn’t wait to leave this place and this city once and for all.

When she left the bathroom, the hallway was fortunately empty again. Her eyes wandered around once more and she felt lost. How did she even get here? Which way did she take? And where was the entrance?

There was no sign of an entrance in the hallway, except for the many elevator doors. Did she come through the elevator?

No, that was impossible. Her frenzied state couldn’t have possibly made her enter an elevator and even punching the buttons without her knowing.

She kept on walking forward, hoping there was even a secret door. Then heavy footsteps started coming in a random direction.

Lucy did not have time to react. Because just at the farther end of the hallway, from a narrow opening which could hardly be called an entrance, three huge security men, heavily harmed and all looking fierce, appeared all of a sudden. And Lucy did not need to be told they were looking for her, from the murderous gaze each was giving her.

“There she is!” One of them shouted and pointed in her direction.

Lucy’s heart flew to her chest and she staggered back. ‘Oh, no. What to do.’

Her eyes darted around frantically as the securities closed in on her at a very fast pace. Her heartbeat picked up at a rapid pace and stood frozen, unable to move.

With their murderous gazes, those men would surely beat her to a pulp if she didn’t get out of here this instant.

She tried to move but it was as if their gazes were pinning her into place.

But then, the elevator door which was just beside her ding opened and the sound broke her out of her trance.

In a flash, she shoved past the lady that had just come out of the elevator, and started pressing random numbers on the buttons.

“Don’t let her get away, grab her!!!” One of the men shouted.

And before they could get to her, the elevator doors closed shut on their faces.

Lucy staggered with a sigh of relief and pressed both hands on her chest. Those men looked so scary right now, she thought she was in a scene from a horror movies. They almost looked like one of her brothers’ men from the basement.

The first time she saw him, she had fainted out of fear. Her brother had laughed at her all day. But one thing was for sure, since that day, she never set foot in the basement again.

Her knees buckled at the remembrance of their faces. And it didn’t take long for the elevator to come to a stop.

When the doors opened and she scurried out, Lucy found herself in another hallway. However, unlike the previous one, this hallway was swarmed with workers, all clad in their smart business suits and walking around their business.

She quickly collected herself while trying to curb the anxiety rising in her.

Slowly, everyone started giving her attention and the huge frowns of their faces made her aware of how very distinctly she stood out.

With her baby blonde hair and the makeup and everything, Lucy felt like a little salmon among thousand sharks.

“Little girl, are you lost?” A lady stopped in front of her and asked.

“Where are your parents?” Another lady asked.

Lucy stared wide-eyed as the workers started gathering around her. They were giving her those weird looks that made her more aware she didn’t belong here. And what was with asking about her parents whereabouts?

She knew she had a petite figure, but still, had the new appearance transformed her so much that she now looked like a little girl? Was that why evil Thea had thought she was an high schooler?