Chapter 4
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I yanked my arm away from her. “I said I’m not going. Who permitted you to share my name and photo with someone else?“}}
With so many people watching, Sophie’s face turned bright red from embarrassment.
Her voice rose, her anger bubbling over. “Who do you think you are, a celebrity? Your information isn’t worth anything! If it weren’t for me, you’d never even have the chance to be around aristocrats in your whole life!”
I glared at Sophie, my fury rising. “This is my private information. It’s illegal for you to share it without my permission!”
Rachel, who had once again latched onto yet another foreign guy, immediately stepped in to defend Sophie. “Sophie’s boyfriend isn’t some stranger. Don’t be so out of place. He’s just being nice, coming to pick us up.“>
“Nice?” I let out a cold laugh, struggling to keep my composure. “Who knows where she met these shady characters? What if they’re human traffickers?”
Whitney flashed me a feigned smile and rolled her eyes. “Megan, do you have something against rich people? Just because Sophie’s boyfriend is wealthy, you’re making all these wild assumptions about him!“>
Their smug expressions made my blood boil, but something else was nagging at me.”
This wasn’t about safety at all. They were just worried they might lose one of their prizes.§
The argument had drawn attention, and the two foreign men were now grimacing. They muttered something to Sophie before ushering all three of them into the car.
I wasn’t about to stay and see what would unfold. I caught a cab and went directly home. However, once I stepped into the hotel lobby, an overwhelming sense of anxiety washed over me.
Sophie, Rachel, and Whitney were checking in at my family’s hotel.
I swiftly ducked behind a corner, anticipating their move toward the elevator. Once they were out of sight, I exhaled in relief and headed straight for the basement.
These people were nothing but bad luck, so I needed to get away from them. I decided to spend a few days in the downstairs gaming room, simply waiting for them to leave.
The basement was an inactive space, silent and largely vacant during that hour. I took out my phone to inform my family about the situation, but before I could type anything, I sensed a heavy pressure on my shoulder.
My heart skipped a beat.
I turned instinctively and froze.
Sophie’s European boyfriend, Adrián Varga, was standing behind me, his hand firmly gripping my shoulder. His towering frame loomed over me, and his presence felt almost suffocating.§
“Megan, are you afraid of me?” he asked, his voice smooth and low. He stepped closer as though he intended to embrace me. Which room are you in? I’ll have it charged to my account.“}
The faint scent of his cologne mixed with the strange, unsettling smell of his skin, and it made my head spin.
I pushed him away, swallowing the disgust that bubbled up in my throat. “No need. I’m just here for a summer internship.”
Adrián flashed me a knowing smile, his gaze lingering on my skirt for a second too long before he spoke again, his tone far too casual. “Are you short on cash? You could come with us to Europe, and I’ll pay you a salary as an escort.“>
I barely had a moment to think, but I knew I had to shut him down fast.
I rolled up my sleeves, trying to seem vulnerable. “I have a skin condition. My family can’t afford treatment, so I’m working here to save up
for it.“@
Adrián’s expression shifted as he noticed the dense red spots on my body. He quickly pulled his hand away from my shoulder, a flicker of disgust crossing his face.
“Well, I won’t bother you then,” he muttered, stepping back.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Thank God! That was close!“}
The last thing I wanted was to end up stuck in an uncomfortable situation with him.
Thankfully, I had eaten ice cream on my way–something I usually avoided, but I’d been craving it. I have a peanut allergy, and of course, the ice cream contained peanut butter.}
Moreover, I was more concerned about Sophie and her crew causing trouble at my family’s hotel, so I quickly adjusted the camera in the hallway to face their room, keeping an eye on them.
I stayed awake, glued to the screen, until exhaustion finally took over, and I fell into a heavy sleep.
…D
It hadn’t even been half an hour when my phone suddenly rang.
I picked it up, and I heard Rachel at the other end of the line.
“Megan, help me!” Her voice was frantic, but it was cut off abruptly.
Then, I heard two muffled thuds on the phone, followed by Sophie’s drunken voice. “It’s fine. Rachel drank too much. Don’t worry about it.”
Before I could say anything, the call ended.
I was suddenly gripped by apprehension.[]
Something wasn’t right.
