Chapter 36

Cara’s POV

I feel slightly better after the phone call with Ruby and the kids, but I’m still feeling a bit uneasy as I return to the table where my blind date is sitting.

This definitely doesn't feel like a good sign...

I once discussed with my assistant how to handle a situation if a date turned out to be dangerous. Discreetly, I send her a message on my phone to avoid anything worse from happening.

But I really hope this is all just my imagination.

He has a very displeased look on his face. “How was your phone call?”

I smile politely, “Everything is fine. Thank you so much for excusing me.”

I try to make my face look as apologetic as possible, but he still looks very angry. I am sorry for wasting his time.

“But, I’m sorry, but I’ve got a terrible headache coming on. It’s getting worse. Please excuse me, but I need to leave,” I say to him.

“Damn she-wolves! always the same!…” he says quietly as I rise from my seat.

“I’m sorry,” I say again, and I do mean it.

My date’s face twists with even more anger. I can hear the grinding of his teeth—"gnash, gnash, crunch".

But there’s nothing more I can do. I tried my best, but this man can't be my children's future father. I’m sure of that much.

"You’ll regret for this..." he says through gritted teeth, his voice seething with anger.

"Maybe. But not as much as I’d regret staying."I pick up my bag, shrug, and turn to leave the café.

I walk out into the night and turn to traverse the parking lot. I’m looking down into my purse, searching for my car keys. I think I hear footsteps behind me, this puts me on high alert.

“Thud,”, "Thud,", "Thud,"......

The footsteps grow closer and closer. Thud, thud...

I tense up, slowly lowering the hand that was searching for my keys. I bend my arm, ready to throw an elbow strike the moment danger gets too close!

"I've got you now!"

But suddenly, my date's terrifying voice whispers in my ear!

A strong, firm hand grips my shoulder. I feel my body being twisted around, forced into a turn to face the person behind me.

I have no choice but to face his terrifying face—It’s my blind date!

"I told you, you'd regret this!" He lets out a wild, eerie laugh.

He’s angry. His eyes look black as night and menacing as hell. His face is twisted into an ugly grimace, teeth bared at me.

“But you will give me a chance now! I’ll make sure of that!” He yells, before pulling me towards a dark corner of the parking lot.

“What are you doing?! Get off me!”

I scream, trying to fight back.

But he’s too strong.

I struggle desperately, only to realize with despair that sometimes a woman’s strength simply can't match a man's.

“Once I have sex with you, then you’ll love me! You’ll see! No one can resist me!” He says roughly, pulling me closer to the shadows.

This can’t be happening. He’s going to assault me!

But my assistant... she hasn’t arrived yet…!

I feel the terror race through my veins. I reach a hand down into my purse, trying to get my phone to call for help.

My attacker sees my movement, he snatches the purse from my hands in one swift motion.

My phone goes flying and shatters on the ground. Glass shards are scattered all around it.

“Think you can outsmart me, do you?! You’re not getting away from me, bitch! You’re mine now!!”

He sounds crazy! His voice is shrill and terrifying. There’s a deadly look in his eyes.

“I’m going to make you mine, you’ll see!! Once I’ve had you, you’ll be mine forever!” He shrieks.

I can feel the bruises that must be starting to form on my wrists from his hands. My skin throbs, and I swallow a sob.

“HELP!!! PLEASE!! SOME---”

My voice is cut off as my date’s hand covers my mouth. He pushes my body down, hard against the ground with a SLAM.

The skin on my face stings and burns, and I realize I must’ve scraped it against the pavement. I feel something wet on my cheek and realize with terror that it must be blood.

My blood.

My blind date’s laughter rings in my ears, mean and chilling. He walks up to where I lay on the ground, and one of his hands reaches to grab his waist buckle.

He’s still laughing coldly and he slowly, ever so slowly, unbuttons his pants. I realize with a terrible drop in my stomach that he’s enjoying my fear.

...How am I going to get out of this?!

"Back off, asshole!"

I rear my legs back, preparing to kick my attacker as hard as I possibly can, when suddenly, shockingly, miraculously, he stills.

My Blind Date, his face falls, and he loses all expression. His body stumbles, then lands on the ground next to mine.

“Thud!”

A heavy sound of a body hitting the ground.

...Someone saved me.

There’s a dark shadow behind him. I’m blinded by the light of the lamppost that’s just beyond the shadowy figure, so I can’t see. I can’t tell who this stranger is, but I can tell that he is very tall.

My blind date jumps back up swiftly, much quicker than I expected for how hard he hit the ground.

He screams, “You BITCH! You never said you had a boyfriend!!!”

He growls loudly, the sound full of frustration, before he turns on his heel and runs away. I watch him rub his head as his body gets smaller and smaller in the distance.My head is throbbing from my fall. The headache I pretended to have earlier is now a reality.

I feel a wave of nausea, and I take deep breaths to keep myself from retching. My vision goes blurry as I try to look up at the dark shadowy figure who saved me, but I can’t see straight enough.

My head feels light. I feel like I’m going to pass out. There’s no way I can stand up on my own. The person who saved me catches me.

His scent is strangely familiar.

"…Don’t be afraid, you’re safe now," the shadowy figure says in a familiar voice.

It’s a deeply reassuring phrase.

I’m suddenly awash with exhaustion, like all the adrenaline is finally fleeing my body all at once.

I’m so tired… I just need to close my eyes… just for a moment…

My eyelids snap shut just before I hear it.

“MAMA!!! Is that you?!”

“MAMA!!! I'coming to save you!”

...WHAT?!

I know this little voice!!

It’s Mia!

I suddenly snap my eyes wide open, more alert than ever. The little girl rush into my arms, crying.

“MAMA!...Mia was so worried about you.” Mia clings to my finger, crying.

What is she doing here?! She should be at home, safe in their beds!

How did she get here?!...Is it the person who saved me that brought her here?!

...He wants to kidnap my children?!

"It’s okay, it’s okay. Mommy is safe now… don’t cry, my babies." I bite down hard on my lip, forcing myself to stay alert. I hold my child tightly in my arms.

Then, I cautiously look up at the shadowy figure. "Thank you for your help. May I ask your name...?"

“Cara!!!—Are you ok?!”

My assistant comes running from a distance, her anxious voice echoing through the parking lot.

Then, all the lights in the parking lot flicker on.

I finally see the face of the shadowy figure.

His jet-black hair, piercing blue eyes, towering frame, and strikingly handsome face.

And that familiar expression—brows slightly furrowed, a cold, indifferent gaze etched onto his face. He looks surprisingly startled as well.

"Wait...Cara?"

I widen my eyes.

"A, Alaric...?!"

It’s the very last person I expect to see right now.

The shadowy figure who saved me from my date, from my attacker....It’s Alaric!