166 What Cassie Did
Arianna didnât know how she made it back to her prison but she rushed into the toilet and emptied every single thing she ate.
God, she had to stop throwing up her food considering they were hard to come by without her husbandâs order.
The name, âhusbandâ filled Arianna with dread and made her skin crawl upon remembering the conversation they had outside.
Consummating their marriage on their wedding night? Arianna felt bugs all over her body. Even trying to conjure Big Joeâs hands on her body filled her with so much revulsion that she threw up a second time.
Was he kidding her? She would rather kill him and end her life afterward than let him lay a hand on her. That greedy, lascivious son of a biscuit!
Arianna didnât have an ounce of feelings for Big Joe nor did she even see him as a brother. She must have been a fool to even think he had a bit of goodness in him and would treat her with respect. He and Kenith were just the same kind of person. They were all the same!
By the time Arianna was able to rinse out the vomit in her mouth and splash her face with water, she found another note waiting on her bed.
Eagerly picking it, Arianna read out, [Stay still. Do not make any move]
Was Elijah kidding her? She shouldnât do anything and leave her fate to him? And whatâs with the game of hide and seek? If he could sneak in a note here, why canât he burst her out?!
.....
Arianna was frustrated, she just wanted all of this to be over already. If she had known it would turn out this bad, she wouldnât have gotten involved with Elijah. No, she wouldnât have answered Ruthâs call for assistance? All of this started with her!
If she hadnât accepted to help her, she wouldnât have seen Elijah that night and Marcel wouldnât be after her for his identity. But then, all of this started with her uncleâs family selling her off to Big Joe.
Arianna groaned, there were just so many events leading to this point. It was almost as if fate already designed her future to turn out this way. What did she do so wrong?
A knock came on the door, startling Arianna who immediately tore the note into pieces and flushed it down the toilet just as the second knock came.
The door was locked from outside which meant that whoever was about to come in wasnât Big Joeâs lackeys but a guest. Who was it this time? Her cake decorator? The catering service? She was honestly tired of all this. The last thing Arianna needed was getting reminded of her impending dark future â if Elijah doesnât get her out of here.
So she didnât answer and simply climbed into bed, her silence should convey her message. And that worked because the knocking on the door stopped or so she thought because the next minute, the door swung open.
With an annoyed huff, Arianna pulled the sheet on her away, âWhat part of my silence do you not....â
âUnderstand?â said one of the three women standing at the entrance of her door.
âOh my God,â Her jaw almost dropped to the ground. How was this possible?
Standing in front of Arianna were the three female companions from before â Chelsea, Ashley, and Rose. However, her joy of seeing them didnât last because she remembered how she used and abandoned them on the night of her escape. Who knew what Big Joe did to them?
Her throat felt clogged and Arianna just stood at the spot staring awkwardly as they stared back. She didnât know what to say to them â or she could start by apologizing.
However, before the words could leave her mouth, Chelsea already strode over to Arianna and pulled her onto a tight hug that knocked the breath out of her lungs.
âOh honey,â that was all the young woman said but Arianna could feel the compassion in her tone, and her heart melted at once. Chelsea understood what she was feeling.
At that moment, she wasnât alone anymore and they showed proof of that when the three of them covered her small frame in a group hug. Tears slipped down Ariannaâs cheeks, touched by their level of concern. She left them that night yet they still cared for her.
âIâm so sorry... I-I didnât mean to -â
âItâs alright, baby girl,â Rose said, kissing away the tears on her cheeks, âAnyone of us in your shoes would have done the same, except we learned the hard way it was stupid running from Big Joe,â
Arianna knew there was a story behind that statement yet she didnât pry into it knowing the girls would tell her if they wanted to.
âHow did you girls find out Iâm here? Big Joe did a good job of hiding me this time?â Arianna asked moments later after theyâd settled down.
Arianna was lying in the middle of the bed with Rose and Ashley on either side of her while Chelsea sat up against the headboard.
âWell, we have our ways,â
And by ways, Arianna knew it was from one of the men here. It was not hidden what the girls did for a living nor was she judging them for a lifestyle they had no choice over. Sometimes circumstances mold you into someone you didnât want to be.
âAnd they let you in like that?â Arianna found it hard to believe that Big Joe granted them freedom.
âWell,â Chelsea said this time, âWe pulled some strings. Moreover, it was not hard to do that when we told them weâre part of your bridesmaid,â
âOh God, you didnât!â Arianna chuckled at their boldness. How could they make her dreary wedding interesting?
âTell me you donât mind us being your bridesmaid,â Ashley pleaded.
âOf course, I donât mind,â
âYeah!!â The trio of them rejoiced like kids whose mom just fed them candy. The mood in the room was lightened and she didnât even realize when a smile crossed her lips.
âIâm going to be your chief bridesmaid!â Rose was the first to say.
âNo, me!â Chelsea said.
âNo, only moi!â Ashley demanded the role.
âSorry, guys, but that role is taken already,â
The way their head whipped around to her simultaneously almost gave Arianna a heart attack. They looked serious.
âWho did you give the role to?!â
âWho stole my position?!â
âWho took my place?!â
âCassie?â Arianna wanted to hide from the intensity of their glare.
âWhich of the Cassie... oh..â Realization dawned on her however Roseâs face turned into one of disgust and Arianna noticed that.
âWhy? What is it?â Arianna could sense there was a story behind that.
Ashley rolled her eyes, âYou probably didnât know what Cassie did after you escaped, else you wouldnât have done that?â
No, she didnât.
And Arianna was curious as hell to know.