C24 Her Anchor

“How the fuck did this happen?” Dante asked the moment Angelo entered his office.

“She escaped with Miss Antonia’s car after disguising herself in Miss Antonia's clothes and a matching wig. The men didn't notice the difference, boss. They are awaiting your punishment.”

“So, she can drive and shoot too. What else?”

“I just got a call from our men now after settling Miss Antonia in the guest room. They found her car, boss.”

“Is she…”

“No, boss. It seems she is long gone. We found the clothes she had changed into in the car.”

The first thought that came to Dante's mind was that she had been taken. Then he remembered that no one even knew her with him.

“Should we search for her, boss?” Angelo asked.

Everything in Dante was on board with that idea. “No, get Antonia's car back.” He said tersely before he strode to his desk.

If she wanted to leave so badly, then she should go right ahead.

“Good riddance,” he thought, as he sat.

His eyes went to the manilla envelope on his table.

He gave Angelo a questioning look and the latter moved closer to the desk.

“That's Aguilar's report on the full checkup you asked for, boss. I dropped it off before meeting Carlos.”

Angelo made a move to open the envelope, but Dante shook his head.

“I don't need to see her result. She can go to hell for all I care.”

“Yes, boss,” Angelo said.

After he had dismissed Angelo, Dante reached for the ledgers awaiting his signature on his desk.

She was not worthy of his thoughts and he wouldn't oblige her.

He had barely scratched out his signature before he reached for the manilla envelope.

His eyes darkened with self-anger as they tracked through the first report. Nothing significant that explained why she was fainting every time.

Then he turned the second report over.

Adam’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he read the report.

The envelope crumpled in his other hand.

**********

Moments Earlier

Annabelle still couldn’t believe her luck.

She had really underestimated that lady.

When she first saw her, she had thought she was one of those snobbish high-society ladies.

The ones who turned up their perfect noses at the likes of her.

How wrong she had been!

The plan had come together fast, almost too fast, and the fact that she was even driving felt more like a dream. But here she was, free from that murderer, her heart racing with adrenaline and disbelief.

It seemed like she had been driving forever as she wondered when she would catch a glimpse of the city. Antonia had told her that Dante’s fortress was set back from the main part of the city, but she had not expected that it would be this far.

She was on the lookout for the park Antonia told her about, even as her heart drummed in her ears and she drove like her life depended on it.

Annabelle gripped the steering wheel, her hands trembling as she tried to focus on the road ahead. The headlights of the car barely cut through the darkness, but she didn’t dare look back. Her breath came fast, every muscle in her body tight as she tried to keep the car steady.

“Okay, just… just keep going,” she whispered to herself, forcing her hands to stop shaking. “You’ve got this. You’ve got this, Annabelle.”

But her inexperience showed. After all, Jose had only secretly taught her how to drive with the orchard’s delivery truck. As she pressed on the gas, the car lurched forward a little too fast, and she felt it start to veer off. She yanked the wheel, heart racing, but she overdid it, sending the car dangerously close to the edge of the curb.

“No, no, no…”

Her hands scrambled to steer straight, but the side mirror clipped a low-hanging tree branch with a loud crack, and the whole car jolted. She flinched, fighting to keep control, feeling the scrape echo in her ears.

“Get it together, Annabelle,” she muttered, swallowing hard. “You’re not going to mess this up. Not now.”

The road stretched out in front of her, but her pulse still hammered as if she was back there, hearing Dante’s men’s voices in the hallways. She hadn’t stopped replaying those last seconds before she escaped, Antonia’s rushed instructions echoing in her mind.

“Keep calm,” she whispered, even though her voice wavered. “Antonia said to drive a couple of miles, ditch the car in the park, walk… walk fast. That’s it.” She pressed her foot more gently on the gas, forcing herself to breathe, but the chill of fear was unshakable.

Every shadow looked like it was about to swallow her whole, but she clung to the thought of her sister, her only anchor. She couldn’t mess this up, not when she was so close.

“Focus,” she whispered, gripping the wheel tighter. “Just find a safe place to stop… then walk… you can do this.”

But a part of her still doubted.

She’d barely managed to get past his men at the gate, and every time she blinked, she could see Dante’s cold stare, the last look he’d given her when she woke up from her last fainting spell. A part of her still felt that he’d catch her, somehow.

Just as her thoughts spiralled, the headlights picked up a slight turn ahead. She overcorrected again, narrowly missing a street sign as the car scraped the guardrail at the edge of the road.

Despite her fear that she might kill herself before she could save her sister, she didn’t dare to stop.

“Get a grip, Annabelle. Just breathe,” she said, her voice a hoarse whisper.

She almost hooted with joy as she finally saw the park's signboard.

She managed the turn and, thankfully, there was no one around to challenge her as she parked. Her hands still trembled as she fumbled to switch off the engine.

“Clothes… just change quickly,” she whispered, remembering Antonia’s instructions.

She threw herself into the backseat, digging out the bag that held the simple jeans and a dark hoodie.

Then she removed the wig, and yanked off Antonia’s dress, pulling the hoodie over her head and tugging it low. Her hands shook as she quickly shoved her elegant dress under the seat, her nerves refusing to settle.

She stepped out of the car, locked the door, and tossed the key as far as her arm would go. She quickly turned away and kept going.

She was jogging back to the road when a car passed, headlights piercing the darkness. Annabelle ducked behind a tree, heart pounding. She held her breath as the vehicle slowed as if scanning the area. Then it sped up and vanished down the road.

She exhaled, a rush of relief flooding her as she continued moving.

She wondered briefly if that was Dante’s car. Antonia had mentioned the dinner and that he wouldn’t be back soon.

Keeping her steps quick, Annabelle moved down the road until the car was barely visible behind her.

The sounds of the city soon penetrated her thumping heartbeat.

She slowed her pace, finally feeling the adrenaline start to fade. And that’s when the weight of her situation hit her. She stopped suddenly as realisation dawned on her.

Sudden tears filled her eyes and she angrily swiped them away.

“Think, Annabelle,” she muttered, forcing herself to stay calm. The panic clawed at her chest, but she wouldn’t let it take over.

“Oh, God… I don’t even know where to start,” she muttered, staring at the city lights as if that would give her answers. She clutched her arms, fighting a rising sense of panic.

Jane Phildee.

The name felt like a distant hope, and yet, she had nothing. No address, contacts, or idea where this woman could be hiding her sister.