Chapter 79: How Much That Person Paid You
She remembered the time when Charlotte had chased after her for three whole months before she finally accepted her as a friend.
Thea couldn’t believe that a wealthy person like Charlotte would be so adamant about making her a friend without any ulterior motive.
But after getting to know Charlotte, Thea learned that she was genuinely sincere about their friendship, and that realization had touched her heart.
Her outfit exuded a laid-back elegance as she paired a comfortable, lightweight white button-down shirt with a pair of dark jeans. The shirt’s relaxed fit and subtle texture added a soft touch to her overall look, while the fitted jeans highlighted her toned legs.
A pair of black heeled ankle boots added a hint of sophistication, elevating the casual outfit to a chic, evening-ready look. Her hair was styled in loose, effortless waves, framing her face and completing the relaxed yet polished look.
As she made her way down the staircase, she could hear the sound of Grandma Grace’s laughter. "She arrived early," Thea thought to herself, chuckling.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Charlotte turned to her and asked, "What are you wearing?"
Thea replied, "A shirt and jeans."
Charlotte’s face fell, and she snapped, "I told you to wear something sexy."
Thea looked over at Grandma Grace, who was watching the exchange with amusement.
"Grandma is here, mind your words..." Thea whispered urgently to Charlotte, her eyes darting towards the living room where her grandmother was sitting.
"I mean, sexy... not sex..." Charlotte started to clarify, but Thea quickly put a hand over her mouth to silence her.
"Shh, not so loud!" She whispered, her eyes wide with warning. "Grandma doesn’t need to hear that!"Charlotte nodded sheepishly and mouthed "Sorry" as thea removed her hand.
"You two should get going quickly..."Grandma Grace urged them, nodding towards the door.
"Grandma, you are looking sexy too..." Charlotte said with a sly smile, trying to tease Thea further.
"Charlotte, when will you stop?" Thea retorted, rolling her eyes good-naturedly.
"Youngsters these days..." Grandma Grace sighed, shaking her head with a smile.
"Bye, Grandma... see you soon!" Charlotte said, blowing a quick kiss before turning to leave.Tgea bid goodbye to Grandma Grace before following Charlotte out the door.
Charlotte wore a stylish and comfortable outfit to the restaurant, consisting of a soft, white peasant blouse with intricate lace details and a pair of dark wash, straight-leg jeans. The blouse was loose-fitting and flowy, with a V-neckline and bell sleeves that added a touch of bohemian chic to her look.
Her hair was styled in a relaxed, effortless updo, and her makeup was natural and soft, with a focus on enhancing her features. She completed the look with a pair of brown ankle boots and a simple, leather belt that added a touch of warmth and coziness to her overall look, making her perfect for a casual dinner at the restaurant.
Thea earlier chose a restaurant, "Lumiere".
"Ah, after a long time we are going outside together." Charlotte spoke up as they were going by her car.
"A long time? Before you went to Canada ,we dined together..." Thea helped her to recall.
"So what... many days have passed after that..." Charlotte rolled her eyes at her.
The car pulled up in front of the restaurant, and the two friends emerged onto the sidewalk. They were met with a friendly smile by the hostess, who welcomed them before leading them to their table.
As they followed the hostess through the intimate dining area, Charlotte’s eyes surveyed the room, taking in the comfortable setting and the other patrons. Her gaze focused on a figure sitting in the corner, deep in discussion with a man. The figure’s back was turned, making it impossible to see his face. "Thea, check it out...is not that pain in the ass,Everly?" Charlotte asked, poking her friend with her elbow. Thea followed Charlotte’s gaze, her eyes squinting slightly as she tried to get a better look. "Looks like it to me." she murmured.
They went to the table and ordered their dishes. As they finished, Thea paid for the treat."Finally, you kept your promise." Charlotte chuckled.
"Let’s go... I will drop you home."
"No need for that... you go. I will take a taxi," Thea replied.
"It is getting late." Charlotte said, concerned.
"Charlotte, I know you have good intentions,I should depend on myself.Right?" Thea explained.
"What you said makes sense. Okay, after reaching home, call me." Charlotte agreed.
"Hmm... Now go. My cab will come shortly," Thea urged.
"Okay. See you on Monday in the university.." Charlotte waved before going to her car.Thea waved back before the car departed.
She was waiting for the cab when she heard a groan behind her. "Ah..Aah.." someone uttered. She turned to find someone squatting down on the floor. As she approached, she saw that it was Everly.
"What happened to you? Do you to go to the hospital." Thea said, squatting down beside her.
Everly looked up at her and said, "Oh, it’s you... I don’t want to go to the hospital. Can you go down that road? You’ll find a medicine shop. Please bring me some painkillers."
Thea got up from her squatting position. "You wait here, I’m going." she said before making her way to the medicine shop.As she walked away, Everly, who was still squatting down in pain,had a sudden change in her expression.
Thea headed in the direction Everly had indicated, she realized but couldn’t find any medicine shop. Disappointed, she decided to go back. Just then, a man appeared in front of her, and she felt a sudden sense of unease, a bad premonition washing over her.
"Look what we have here boys..A young chick." The man laughed loudly, his voice dripping with malice. He approached Thea, who staggered backward, trying to create some distance between them.
"Don’t try to harm me, or else..." she shouted, trying to sound braver than she felt."Or else what?" The man chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"I will shout and call the police," Thea threatened, trying to keep her voice steady.
The man laughed maniacally. "Look carefully around you... do you see any people? No right? No one is here to help you here.." He sneered, his words sending a chill down Thea’s spine.
Seeing he was approaching, Thea became pale, gritted her teeth, and kicked him in the groin. The man screamed and crouched with his hands on the crotch. The onlookers did not expect that she would react so fiercely and involuntarily clenched their legs.
She smiled coldly and said, "You deserve that."As she was leaving, the man roared, "Get her ..men! You’re dead." Four strong men soon surrounded her.
"What do you want?Leave.." she asked, trying to appear calm despite feeling nervous.
"There are CCTV cameras everywhere." she added, hoping to deter them.
The man slowly stood up, his forehead dripping with cold sweat. Gritting his teeth, he chuckled menacingly and said in a low voice, "Just wait and see. Take her away!"
She felt a surge of fear and quietly reached for something in her pocket. Using her fingerprint to unlock her phone, she blindly tapped where she remembered her contacts to be and dialed a random number.
Two tall men held her hands down and pulled her towards the dilapidated warehouse. Scared, she still managed to yell at them, "Get away from me!"
Suddenly, she felt a slight buzz from her pocket and knew that the call was connected.
She wanted to warn them as well as inform the person that she had called.
The man warned her in a low voice, "You better play along. No one would save you no matter how loud you are."
Her heart sank. She could tell that.
"What is it that you want?"
"Not much, just doing our job since someone paid for it."The man rubbed his crotch as the pain continued to bother him. " Since you don’t want to be a good girl, I have to make it hurt. Get her to the house. I’m sure there’s something we can do."
Suddenly she started to struggle and cried, "Who paid you? However much that person paid you, I will double that."
She was dragged into the warehouse forcefully and then taken into the room on the second floor, which was lined with mirrors. The man shoved her into a corner and took no time to take off his clothes, revealing the muscles that made him proud.
