Chapter 3 In And Out Of Home
After two hours long drive Alaia was still upset. She barged into her home.
Actually, this house wasn't hers at all. It was her uncle's house. Her home, and her family, got ruined ten years ago when she was only twelve and still in a middle school. Her life got broken into a million pieces then.
And no one could mend it for her ever since.
But at least she survived.
Fortunately, her mother's cousin, Tim Smith, adopted her. Alaia thought of Tim as her second father. That's how he treated her, as his own daughter. On the other hand, Mary, Tim's wife, loathed her. Mary looked at Alaia only as a burden.
Alaia took off her shoes, stepping into her soft, purple pig slippers. Though it felt like walking on clouds, it didn't soothe her nerves. She felt vexed about everything and angry at herself.
If only she had been more careful! Maybe she wouldn't be caught then.
Alaia passed through the hallway, already hearing Mary grumbling from the kitchen.
"God Damn it! How we will survive this month! Fuck it!" Like always, Mary swore a lot. Alaia wished she could somehow bypass Mary right now, but she couldn't.
Because if Alaia wanted to get to her room, she had to walk through the kitchen.
Alaia prepared herself for more curses, knowing how Mary was.
"Where the hell have you been? You, ungrateful brat!" Mary pointed at Alaia.
"Outside. Doing my job. Photographing some celebrities." Alaia shortly replied, continuing to walk. She wanted to shower and turn into the bed. Washing off that asshole's dirty touch was all she thought about after he drove away with Vivi Brown in his car.
"Will your photos make money? Or was it for nothing?" Mary asked.
"It was for nothing this time," Alaia decided to tell the truth. Whatever she would say, the result would be the same. So there was no point sugarcoating it. When Mary heard Alaia's reply, she couldn't stop complaining as usual.
"Fuck everything! Who would pay for all the bills? And the food?"
"I'll help," Alaia stated, knowing it wouldn't stop Mary from ranting. It would take hours before she would finally shut up.
"If it were only Tim and me! When will she move out finally? Too many mouths to feed here!" Alaia could still hear Mary even after entering her small room.
She threw herself on her tiny bed, trying to recollect herself. She lay down for a while, pondering.
Mary wanted her out of this house. Of course, Alaia would prefer to live on her own too. But she couldn't afford it yet. Her savings weren't enough to pay rent. And Tim's company wasn't doing well. Plus, he had two children studying abroad. Plus Plus, Alaia's mother's medical bills were due this week. It wasn't a small amount either.
A few days ago, Tim tried to assure her he would manage to come up with the money. But Mary overheard him, cursing them both. Alaia didn't want to stand between Tim and his wife.
She was sure that the photos of Vivi Brown and that unknown man having sex would help pull Tim's company out of the dead. Those photos could have changed everything! But that asshole!
That asshole ruined it all.
"I hate him!" Alaia hissed through her teeth. Not only the money needed for her mother's treatment slip away from her hands, but that asshole took her only camera. And other photos with it.
She had to get it back before losing more of her income.
Alaia still didn't tell Tim about that anonymous man taking her camera. Not only did he steal the camera from her, but also her kiss. Her first-ever kiss! The kissing scene replayed in Alaia's mind, disgusting her.
Alaia shook her head, desperate to take a shower.
Fifteen minutes later, Alaia exited the bathroom, feeling finally refreshed and clean. She dressed and walked out of the house. It was time to visit her mother in the hospital. Alaia hated going there, seeing her mother lead a vegetable life.
But she still had been doing it almost every day for the past ten years.
Like every time before, Alaia silently entered the hospital room and sat down on her mother's hospital bed. While watching her mother lying there, the memories started coming.
Alaia recalled her mother when she was a healthy, upbeat, and joyful young woman. She remembered how her father had been looking at her mother. It was a look of pure love. And they loved her, their only child. That small family of three was such a happy family.
Then, one day, they were no more. It all crumbled down.
Alaia wiped out the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
"Bye, mom. See you tomorrow," she kissed her mother goodbye, promising her to visit again tomorrow. It didn't matter that her mother never heard her. A promise was a promise.
When Alaia walked out of the hospital, it was dusk. She glanced at her phone, seeing it was almost 6.30 pm. After having an inner battle with herself about whether she should or shouldn't go to the address that asshole gave her, Alaia decided to be brave.
"I need that camera!" She cheered herself and called the cab.
Twenty minutes later, the driver stopped in front of the gated community. Then the cab left. Alaia approached the estate. It was both guarded and had electronic security.
"Good evening! Alaia Jones. They expect me at 21 McCain," Alaia introduced herself, hoping a guard would let her inside. She knew that only top rich men had the privilege of living in this place.
"Sorry! I don't see your name. Only verified residents and guests can enter." But the guard refused her after checking the guest list, adding she should call the person who invited her.
I don't even know his name, Alaia realized. Let alone his number.
What should I do? Alaia started pacing back and forth. Then she saw a red roofless BMW. Better said, she heard it.
Alaia turned, seeing it speeding behind her, but then it backed out in the next second. The man analyzed her with a teasing expression on his face.
She is here. The rabbit is in my trap. Zane smirked satisfiedly, studying Alaia like a predator. His eyes roamed up and down her body, drinking up her curves. And her face. He liked her face.
She is pretty! Prettier than last night, Zane was wishing to kiss her cherry lips again.
Alaia was tiny but curvy, looking like a pocket Venus. She barely reached his chest.
That simple outfit couldn't hide her curves. She didn’t wear a skirt this time. Instead, she wore blue jeans, sneakers, and a plain white blouse.
Her curly chestnut hair was a mess.
And her green eyes looked back at him angrily. It amused Zane.
"Well! I'm here! To get my camera." Alaia boldly said, tapping her left foot against the pavement impatiently.
Zane's lips stretched more, an evil smirk growing on his face. Everything was going just as he expected. He knew the girl was desperate to get that camera.
With that, Zane pushed his car door open, arrogantly stepping out.
“Skirts offer more convenience than jeans while fucking. Do you know, rabbit?” Zane teased, walking toward Alaia with his eyes scanning her body non-stop.
Alaia frowned at the cheeky man, didn’t like how he addressed her. Sensing the danger, she stepped back cautiously.
“Stay there! Don’t come any closer!” She tried to turn around and run away, but she couldn't escape his hands. Before she could protest, Zane already lifted her on his shoulder like she was a feather. And then he threw her inside his roadster car, following after her swiftly and slamming the door shut after him.
“Bastard! Put me down!” Alaia struggled. She kicked her legs at him and punched his chest and arms with her small as a child's hands.
"What are you doing? Jerk! You can't kidnap me! Let me out of here!" She shouted at him. Zane laughed before his face turned grim. Her beating didn't hurt him, but enough was enough.
"Shut up! Stop fighting!" He shouted back.
"You said you'll give me my camera back! Where is it?" Alaia insisted, trying to hit him again with her fist. This time, he stopped her, catching her wrist.
"Behave, and you'll get it!" Zane warned her. "I'm taking you where the camera is." He added. Alaia had no option but to do as he told her. He was too strong, and she needed her camera.
Alaia calmed herself inside the car, lifting her head and crossing her arms over her chest. And she kept quiet.
I'll take it back and get the hell out of there! That's why I'm here in the first place. She reminded herself of the reasons for coming here.
Seeing Alaia finally set in her place, Zane satisfyingly drove them away.
Alaia saw the huge mansion when he stopped the car. It had at least twenty bedrooms. And spacious green lawn as the front yard with beds of many colorful flowers all around it.
"Walk!" Zane ordered, not offering to open the car door for her. Alaia followed him inside. But when they entered, she had no time to look around and admire the luxury as Zane lifted her on his shoulder again.
"Asshole! Put me down!" She screamed, beating his back as he carried her. The maids wandered around the house, ignoring the scene.
Does this happen so often? Why do they act like nothing? Alaia couldn’t help but wonder. She cursed the devil all the way up the stairs and through the hallways.
All until he opened one of the bedroom doors and threw her down to the bed.
Alaia raised her head, expanding her eyes in fear.