Chapter 93: Under the bus
Vanessa
Slamming the door behind me, I instantly headed straight down the stairs and towards the main entrance of the mansion, my footsteps quick and heavy against the polished floors.
Typing away on my phone, I informed the security agents that I wanted to leave since they were the ones that would arrange for the cars and bodyguards.
Still very much annoyed, I also went ahead and sent a message to Adam for us to meet, my fingers moving faster than usual, even as he sent me an address in turn.
It was a park.
Public.
Crowded enough.
Clearly, he didn’t trust me—which was good, since I didn’t trust him either. I just needed to use him to escape.
My conversation with Carmen played over and over again in my mind, each word replaying vividly enough to infuriate me even more.
Making it clear that I was a prisoner.
And with the money I received, I had no choice but to do as they said.
’Typical mafia behavior,’ I gritted my teeth together as I stepped closer to the entrance, just in time to see two cars drive over instead of one.
My brows furrowed instantly.
Spotting more than five bodyguards again—far more than the usual one.
Stepping out through the entrance, I fixed my gaze on the one I was most familiar with, the one who always seemed to take charge. He straightened slightly as I approached, already prepared to speak.
"Miss Carmen insisted that you have more security follow you at all times. You aren’t to stay out too late either. She insisted I tell you that it’s for your own safety," the guard said.
It was all I could do not to lash out at him.
It wasn’t his fault.
Nodding my head stiffly, I entered the car and settled into the backseat, the door shutting with a muted thud behind me. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small recorder I had kept hidden there, my fingers brushing over its surface.
At first, I had been hesitant to use it.
But now, I didn’t care.
"Fuck their money! I’d rather give them their money back and earn money by myself," I muttered under my breath, my voice low but firm.
Because of them, I couldn’t even see my mother.
Cancer was a fickle thing.
She was getting better—but there was every possibility that it could come right back.
’I should be beside her!’
I fixed my gaze on the window, watching the clear afternoon skies stretch endlessly above as the car began to move, the scenery blurring past.
My fist balled up on my lap, nails digging into my palm as I made up my mind right there and then.
Carmen was not my family.
My mother was.
And staying away from her while putting myself in danger was the last thing I wanted.
Accidents on the streets were one thing.
Being shot while you were shopping was another.
After giving the driver the address, it took less than an hour before we got to the park I was supposed to meet him.
The moment the car came to a stop, I stepped out, looking around.
Almost instantly, I felt it.
The stares.
Aggravated, I glanced back as the guards got out behind me, all dressed in black suits, their presence loud enough to draw even more attention.
I tied my black hair into a bun, adjusting the strands quickly. My blue shirt and black pants were simple—normal.
But nothing about me looked normal with them around.
Pulling out my phone, I typed a quick message to Adam, informing him I was around and asking for exact directions.
No response.
’Typical,’ I muttered under my breath.
Looking around, I began heading toward a quieter side of the park, my steps slowing slightly as I spotted a free bench under the shade of a large tree.
It looked calm.
Spacious.
The shade inviting.
But of course, the moment I moved, the six men behind me followed instantly, their footsteps synchronized enough to make it feel like I was being trailed by a colony of soldier ants.
"You guys can’t be covert?" I hissed under my breath, glancing at the one I was most familiar with.
"Spread around or something!" I added, irritation slipping through.
He didn’t argue.
Instead, he made a small gesture with his fingers, and slowly, the others began to spread out, positioning themselves at a distance.
It wasn’t perfect.
But it was better.
I exhaled quietly and continued toward the bench before sitting down, the wood cool beneath me.
The breeze brushed lightly against my skin.
I took a long breath in, letting it fill my lungs as I tried to calm myself down.
Closing my eyes, I leaned back slightly, gripping my fists as tightly as I could before slowly splaying my fingers open, releasing the tension.
Then I opened my eyes.
I had barely settled when I saw someone jogging past me with a dog on a leash.
At first, I didn’t pay much attention.
Then I looked again.
Adam.
I recognized him instantly, even with the casual jog and relaxed posture. He didn’t look at me, didn’t acknowledge me.
But the dog did.
With a sudden burst of energy, it dashed toward me with a cheerful bark, circling around my legs as I let out a small chuckle—
Only to stiffen.
My gaze dropped.
Bits of dog food were scattered around the bench.
The dog began eating eagerly.
My expression hardened slightly as realization set in.
Adam stepped closer, a faint smile on his face, a cap pulled low enough to hide most of his light blond hair.
"Looks like my dog likes you," he said casually.
All I could think was how he could have known I would sit on that exact bench—unless he had sprinkled dog food on all of them.
A quick glance around told me enough.
A few other benches nearby were just as empty.
He had prepared.
Of course he had.
Adam stopped in front of me, his smile still there—but his tone was cold.
"What was so urgent you had to call me here with so many guards around?" he asked. "The eyes on you... even normal people are staring."
His gaze flickered briefly toward the scattered guards before returning to me.
It was clear.
He didn’t like being summoned like this.
And he expected a good reason.
"Of course, I wouldn’t call you without a good reason," I said immediately, my voice steady as I met his gaze.
I didn’t hesitate.
"I need to leave—and you promised that you could help me."
His expression shifted slightly, his face tightening into a scowl.
"Yes, but I told you I needed evi—"
"I have some on Carmen!" I cut in sharply, not letting him finish.
"You can blackmail her instead."
The words came out without hesitation.
I was fully willing to throw her under the bus if it meant saving myself.
