Ch. 21..25: Fatal Kiss Of The Vampire Chapter 21-25
Chapter 21: A Filial Daughter
What…
A woman’s dead body is crawling from its grave at midnight… a soldier holding a flag in the background while two armies fight… a mistress who destroys families.
There was only one impressive role when Kylie played a servant who suggested bad ideas to the queen in a historical TV drama.
Did this seemingly outgoing actress actually have mental problems? All of those roles amounted to no more than a couple of hours of screen time. The reporter was a little embarrassed to ask: “Why didn’t you choose a normal screen script?”
“Because normal screen scripts wouldn’t cast abnormal people like me,” she responded. This seemingly joke and the relaxing line ended the interview.
The reporters’ attention turned to Cliff Benjamin, and the line of questioning was finally back to normal. Julian Johnson, who had been standing to the side the whole time, nodded in satisfaction after he had witnessed Kylie’s performance.
“Though she’s stubborn, this girl is a diamond in the rough. She can truly become somebody, after some training and a little polishing.”
But the producer didn’t agree with Julian Johnson. “Don’t go near the water, till you’ve learned how to swim. You or I can’t tame that girl,” he warned.
“What do you mean? Didn’t Lord Ethan recommend her?” Julian Johnson was full of confusion.
“Can’t tell, can’t tell…” The producer smiled mysteriously and turned to leave.
At the same time, in a different, and part of a completely quiet film crew, Khloe bit her lip until the skin split. She just couldn’t maintain her pure and innocent image any longer! Damn it! They had been about to uncover Kylie’s knockoff dress, but Cliff, the Best Actor, had gone to her defense! It had been the first time that Khloe had met Cliff, as well. Why the hell was he on Kylie’s side!
“Khloe, this Kylie Finch is your junior, but in this instance, she has stolen your thunder.” Tim Kerry smiled in a meaningful way.
Khloe suddenly switched to her considerate face. “You’ve seen for yourself that Kylie is brilliantly good at acting, and I’m sure she won’t disappoint us.” Khloe had complimented Kylie right in Tim’s face!
The several reporters who were still hanging around genuinely thought that Khloe was truly happy for her colleague, and earnestly giving Kylie her best wishes.
But Lucas Jackson knew she was actually setting a trap for Kylie, and exalting her before the movie began shooting was part of the plan. If the movie weren’t successful at the box office, the newcomer would have to shoulder all the blame.
Then, even Best Actor Cliff’s fans would criticize her for involving their idol in a bad picture.
The Q&A session was finally over. Kylie was hardly back at the resting area when she was pulled aside by Lucas Jackson.
“Kylie Finch, where the hell did you get this insane clothing! Change right now… Look at you, you know our company is having an opening ceremony here, but still, you performed your little tricks on stage. Do you think I’m blind?!”
Kylie raised her hand and touched her nose, replying in a relaxed tone: “You didn’t prepare any clothing for me for this occasion, so why do you suddenly care about my dress? Besides, I didn’t have enough time anyway, so I bought a working dress from a waitress in the dining car. Isn’t it beautiful?”
A waitress in a dining car couldn’t afford such a beautiful cheongsam! Lucas Jackson knew she intended to annoy him. But with some reporters still hanging around, Lucas had to curb his anger.
“Come over when the meal begins; I need you to accompany two bosses,” Lucas said.
Kylie couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Me? I’m an actress, not a bargirl. You already have the top actress from Garcia Entertainment. Let her accompany the bosses.”
Lucas Jackson and Khloe Finch were birds of a feather. Undoubtedly, Lucas was so angry that his hands were shaking. “Kylie Finch! Don’t think too highly of yourself, even now that you’re a leading actress! Let me tell you that I can exalt you, and I can also destroy you! You wait and see!”
Kylie rolled her eyes and left. Lucas watched her walk away, but even with her back turned, she had the power to frighten him.
He knew in his heart that Kylie was an unbridled wild horse, which was hard to tame. Lucas had trained many actors, and he could always tell which ones were talented. Kylie Finch was the truly talented kind, who was born for the screen.
If she only gained more favor, Khloe would be unable to compete with her. But Lucas had taken Khloe’s money, and now had to solve her problems. He had to stop Kylie from developing and showing off her talent.
Both dinners following the opening ceremonies were in the same hotel. At the Tea House dinner table, the scriptwriter, whose eyes were filled with appreciation, invited Kylie to sit by her side.
“Kylie, it’s said that both you and Khloe come from Garcia Entertainment, and work with the same agent! Even your last names are the same!”
Kylie gave her a slight smile but didn’t explain. The same last name? The only difference between them was their mother! But still, their fates were completely different. One was a top actress, and the other was still an extra.
While they were chatting away, there was a lot of commotion outside the door. The big boss of Garcia Entertainment appeared, along with two other fat assed men. Those two men were the important clients that Lucas Jackson had mentioned.
Ever since Laurence Finch had gained control of Garcia Entertainment, its annual profit had been on the decline. So, he was on the lookout for several new investors and got the actresses to act as bargirls to win the men over.
The director immediately asked the hotel to prepare another private room for Laurence Finch. Khloe and several other actresses followed them.
In the private room, Khloe sat beside Laurence, while two other actresses sat beside the fat men.
“Order anything you like…” Laurence patted Khloe’s shoulder, acting like a considerate father. “My daughter still needs your promotion,” Laurence continued, facing the two men.
“President Laurence, you’re modest. Your outstanding daughter must be the greatest actress in the industry. It’s we who want to cooperate with you.” Boss #1 was leering at Khloe, while his hands began to grope the actress at his side.
The actress looked reluctant but forced a smile when she saw Khloe’s threatening look. Meanwhile, Laurence pretended that nothing was happening.
“My daughter works constantly. If I didn’t come to visit her, she wouldn’t realize how late it was.”
“Haha, your baby daughter works hard to live up to your expectations.” Then, the man turned towards Khloe. “But you should go back home no matter how busy your work is. You know that men of our age are all afraid of loneliness…”
Khloe leaned against her father, acting like a spoiled little girl: “Dad, you keep bad-mouthing me, and nobody will hire me anymore… So, if I can’t earn enough money, don’t blame me for not taking care of you when you’re old…”
Everyone in the room laughed.
Kylie Finch left the table to find the ladies’ room and overheard them talk as she walked by the private room. She thought that she’d trained her heart to feel nothing, but she felt breathless and depressed after hearing this laughter, from a “considerate father and a filial daughter.”
Meanwhile, the door to the private room suddenly opened. Laurence Finch walked out. His caring eyes turned cruel as he looked from Khloe to Kylie.
Then, his face filled with disgust when he spotted the one-of-a-kind cheongsam. It seemed that the fact that Kylie wore this dress was a shame not only to the designer but to him as well.
Chapter 22: The Professional
Kylie sensed his sharp look on the back of her neck and immediately craved a smoke to unwind. But when she was shuffling through her bag for a lighter, she remembered Ethan’s warning.
She stayed still for a moment, then put the cigarette away. It was terrible; tonight was the first time she badly wanted a cigarette.
The sky was dark, and the mountain wind blew coldly against her face. She sensed that a storm was coming soon.
The footsteps were fast approaching. Kylie took a deep breath, then turned around with an official smile. “Been a while, President Laurence.”
Laurence Finch gazed at her with cold eyes, looking with hate at her outfit. Kylie burst into laughter. “President Laurence, you look at me in such a way that could easily cause misunderstanding.”
He was the big boss of Garcia Entertainment, while she was a mere newcomer. It was pretty easy for a cheap reporter to come up with a story.
“Bastard, are you qualified to say that?” Laurence’s voice suddenly turned chilly. Kylie shrugged. “If I’m not qualified, then who is?”
Laurence raised his hand, but, recalling Kylie’s struggle from the last time, he reluctantly put it down. A look of disgust flashed in his eyes. “Quit this role! You’ve shamed us!”
Kylie’s smile disappeared. “I’ve shamed you? First, I didn’t just pretend to be a bargirl; second, I didn’t buy this role with money; and third, I didn’t sell my body. What have I done that is so shameful?”
“Khloe accomplished something, and you merely tagged along. Look at yourself in the mirror. Do you really think you can compare it with Khloe? You’re just a bum on the streets, dreaming of getting into entertainment, but you’re nobody!”
Kylie’s eyes were changed by the time Laurence finished speaking. She was just a bum, but he’d been the one who’d forced her into that lifestyle! She couldn’t compare with Khloe, because she was his first daughter, from an unloving marriage, while Khloe was his baby and the apple of his eye.
“What if I don’t?” Kylie looked at Laurence with indifference.
“If you quit the role, as I’ve asked,” Laurence continued, “I’ll let it all go. Or… I’ll throw Emily Garcia’s ashes into the river, even if that means abandoning my shares! Then, you’ll have nothing to do with the Finch family.”
“Huh, do I have anything to do with the Finch family right now? Don’t forget the reason you’re in charge of Garcia Entertainment!” Kylie was angry.
“You bastard!” Laurence’s lips were shaking with anger. This was the last thing he wanted to hear, so of course, Kylie would bring it up.
At that time, Khloe came looking for her father. “Dad, you’re talking with my older sister!”
Laurence’s face immediately calmed down when he saw Khloe. But his voice was still cold: “I’ve told you not to call her ‘sister’ in public!”
Laurence’s phone began to ring, but he didn’t respond. He turned to Kylie again. “This is not up to you! I’ll talk with the people at Tea House in person. You can go now.” His meaning was quite clear: he would never allow Kylie to take the role.
Kylie was still content in her heart but appeared worried. “What? But the opening ceremony had already happened… And, I’ve read the script and think it’s excellent.”
“No matter how excellent the script is, it’ll be ruined in her hand!” Laurence spoke, addressing Khloe. “Look at her being a loser; how can she play such a positive role?”
“But dad, Kylie really cares about the movie…”
“She cares about your fiancé too. Are you going to let her have him?” Laurence blurted out, though he immediately felt that he had spoken inappropriately.
He continued by addressing Kylie: “If it’s not yours, you’ll never own anything by trying to snatch it!”
“Dad, Kylie, would be heartbroken if you ended her career in this way!” Khloe wore a sad face.
“She? Does she even still have a heart? I bet it’s made of stone!” Laurence threw Kylie a fierce look while beginning to walk away. He turned to Khloe: “I would rather have a hundred daughters like you, than one like her!” Then, he turned around and left, without glancing back at Kylie.
Making sure there was nobody else in the hallway, Khloe’s expression suddenly switched from sympathetic to sneering. “Kylie Finch, you couldn’t be the lead actress, and that’s not my fault. I was going to wish you the best, but…”
Kylie couldn’t help but laugh, but her smile was full of sadness.
The dignity she had tried so hard to win was now unexpectedly crushed into dust, and the one who had killed her spirit was her biological father.
She had prepared so long for this, but it had all been in vain!
The latter part of the meal was torture, but it only got worse near the end, when she noticed a particular man-Aiden Parker!
He strode into the room, a windbreaker slung over his arm, worriedly glancing about the room. Someone instantly went into the private room to get Khloe, while everyone else in the room admiringly surrounded Aiden.
“Master Parker Jr., are you here to see Khloe, The Professional?” The assistant respectfully referred to Khloe as “The Professional.”
“Khloe The Professional was showing us the diamond ring earlier today. Is her fiancé truly you?”
Kylie was a little drunk. Her hazy eyes fell in the handsome man who was walking towards Khloe with all the happiness on his face. Back then, this man who was held in everyone’s high esteem had been her boyfriend…
Now, he was her younger sister’s fiancé!
“Aiden, honey! Why are you here? Haven’t I already told you that the conditions in the mountains are really bad? You’re not used to it.” Khloe happily walked up to Aiden and gently held his hands.
“It’s precise because of these bad conditions that I’ve come to you.” Aiden Parker handed Khloe the windbreaker. “There’s a crazy wind out there, and soon there’ll be heavy rain as well. You didn’t bring anything, and I don’t want you to catch a cold.”
Khloe wore a shy expression. “Everyone else can handle it, and so could I. Don’t take me as a spoiled girl.” Kylie leaned against a wooden handrail, feeling that the bad day wasn’t over yet.
That night, Kylie had witnessed Khloe showing off in a thousand ways her superior life, including everything she had publicly snatched from Kylie.
Khloe and Aiden continued to be mushy-gushy, until Khloe held him close, and said: “Dad and his two friends are in the private room. Do you want to come, say hi?”
“I’ve already called him; he knows I’m coming,” replied Aiden. He embraced Khloe and walked towards the private room. “I should propose a toast, to be polite.”
As the two walked down the hallway, Khloe pretended to notice Kylie for the first time. “Oh, my dear sister, what are you doing here? Are you drunk, and out for some fresh air?”
She knew how to pretend, but so did Kylie! The latter simply pretended not to hear a word. That’s when Aiden noticed the woman leaning against the handrail. The moment he saw Kylie, his eyes fell.
Kylie Finch… Why was she here! He had never seen such a gorgeous version of her, with her charming curves and elegant posture. Her nearly clear face was even more glorious than all those faces wearing lots of makeup. The cheongsam, with its blue-and-white porcelain pattern, accentuated Kylie’s smooth and shiny skin tone. Aiden’s heart was unexpectedly touched.
Noticing that Aiden was a little distracted, Khloe’s eyes became dark. She pulled and shook at his arm. “Aiden, honey, let’s go inside.”
Aiden regained control and nodded in embarrassment. But his face became more unpleasant the second he walked into the private room.
Chapter 23: Let Me Avenge You
Boss #2 was complaining to Laurence Finch: “The young people today are so impetuous, not giving what you pay for…”
The seat beside him was empty. The actress who had been groped to the point of humiliation had run out, crying. But Aiden Parker, who had just seen Kylie Finch standing outside the door, believed that Boss #2 was talking about Kylie.
Back then, Kylie had pursued Aiden with everything in her. If it hadn’t been for Khloe, he would have never doubted that Kylie was his one true love.
Once, Matthew Parker had asked Aiden to accompany him on a business trip. He had been drinking with a client, until late in the night. When he had drunkenly made it back to his hotel, Kylie had been squatting right in front of his room.
When Kylie had discovered that he was too drunk, she’d run out to buy sobering drugs and had almost been hit by a car. When she’d made it back, she’d ignored her own injuries to care for him.
It had been because of that night, that he’d impulsively agreed to be Kylie’s boyfriend. He could still clearly remember the stunned look on Kylie’s face when he had promised this.
And for the rest of the day, her smiling face had been filled with happiness. He was 100% sure that Kylie had been deeply in love with him. So, when he had announced that he was going to marry Khloe, Aiden had mentally prepared to be unrelentingly pursued by a jealous Kylie.
But, unexpectedly, Kylie hadn’t shown a hint of reluctance.
Even though Kylie was titled “a hot girl” by the public, Aiden knew that she was actually quite conservative, and would never sleep with a man before marriage. But now, she was serving a client, immediately after they had broken up?
“Aiden, honey? What are you thinking about?” Khloe noticed that he was distracted and shook his arm. “I’m a little tired. Let’s go back.”
“Fine.” Aiden stood up to say goodbye to Laurence Finch. “Father-in-law, I’m bringing Khloe back.”
“Be careful along the way,” Laurence said and turned back to discuss some investment business further with the bosses.
Aiden wrapped his arm around Khloe’s waist but searched for Kylie the whole way back.
“Aiden, honey, who are you looking for?”
“Nobody. Are two movies shooting today.”
“Yep. I don’t know how my elder sister managed to win the lead in the other movie.” Khloe gently leaned against Aiden’s arm. “Anyway, we should go congratulate her. I think people must surround her.”
Aiden remained silent because he noticed Kylie at the end of the hallway. She seemed drunk, and he started to worry about whether she would get home safely.
***
Kylie had thrown up the contents of her stomach in the ladies’ room. When she emerged, a lot of people had left. Her eyesight was still hazy, and she didn’t know who to call with the phone that she was holding in her hand.
But at that moment, her phone suddenly rang. The person’s voice sounded a little depressed. “Kylie, are you still in the hotel?”
“Yes.” Her tongue was thick and sluggish. The voice on the other end was quiet for a moment, then spoke: “Don’t move. I’ll be there soon.”
“Sure.” She didn’t know why Aiden would come to her, but she had been filled with happiness when he’d called. She had loved that man for so many years and would have died for him.
Kylie hung up and smiled, looking at her phone. She began to play games to kill time.
About twenty minutes later, she saw car lights beaming from afar. Kylie lifted her head when she saw a black Audi driving towards her. An expensive car in an isolated mountain zone was definitely Aiden’s. But she didn’t immediately stand up.
The car stopped beside her, and the window opened a crack. “Master Parker Jr. asked me to pick you up.” It was completely dark inside the car, and she couldn’t make out the driver. But his accent told her he wasn’t a native.
Kylie smiled a little. “Where is he?”
“Master Parker Jr. said there were too many reporters, and that it’s not convenient for him to show up. So, he’ll wait at the front fork.” Kylie thought that made sense. Aiden was a smart man who wouldn’t let himself get into trouble. So, she stood up shakily and got in the car.
“He sends a car, but isn’t afraid of Khloe’s jealousy?” Kylie asked.
The driver was silent for a while, but eventually said, with embarrassment: “Miss Finch was in the shower when Master Parker slipped out.”
Kylie was still in a daze, leaning against the car window in near-sleep. She didn’t think any more about it and didn’t at all notice the driver’s evil smile in the rearview mirror.
The minute Kylie left, a man walked out of the hotel. A cigarette dangled from his mouth, as Nate Bass squinted at the disappearing Audi. His demoniacal smile was a little scary at night.
He tossed his cigarette butt onto the ground and began to dial a number. Then, he spoke into his phone: “A black Audi, license plate 32589, stop it.”
“Is someone doing drugs there?” The person on the other end sounded confused.
“If sex is a drug…” Nate said.
“What woman would be so fearless as to dump you. Let me avenge you!”
“Kylie Finch!”
“Who?” The voice on the other end was startled and sounded concerned. “Lord Nate, I was just kidding… But, are you interested in Lord Ethan’s woman?”
“If you let that car flee away, you can beg forgiveness from Lord Ethan yourself!” Nate directly hung up the phone before the other person could respond.
It was drizzling on the mountain road, outside the black Audi. The coldness was approaching, and Kylie was almost clear-minded. She looked outside. “Where is Aiden Parker?”
“Right in front. We’re almost there.”
Indeed, the car stopped five minutes later, at a corner. The driver got out first. Kylie looked around. It was completely dark, with no Aiden insight.
“Where is he…?” Kylie hadn’t finished her sentence when her door opened. A tall, bulky man brought the cold air in with him. A moist wind tightly covered her mouth before she could recognize whether this man was Aiden or not.
Right at that moment, it suddenly dawned on Kylie what the driver had informed her: that Aiden had slipped out while Khloe was in the shower. It only took Khloe half an hour, at most, to take a shower, so to go back and forth from the hotel to where they were staying would take over an hour. How could Aiden slip out?!
Kylie tried to calm herself down and carefully examined the man who was now sitting in front of her. Even though he was a mere shape in the dark, this man was fatter than Aiden.
She whimpered, wanting to say something. The man moved his big palm towards her neck, and seized her trachea, with little force.
“Look, if you’re here for money, then you’ve found the wrong person. Aiden Parker is the one you want. I’m just an unknown actress with no money at all.” Kylie pretended to be calm.
Chapter 24: She’s In Danger
“Kylie Finch, we met not long ago, and you’ve already forgotten about me,” he said in a low, hoarse voice, smiling. “What, are you still thinking of Aiden Parker, even after he’s dumped you?”
Kylie was stunned for a second. Even though her throat was being squeezed, she managed to say: “You know I was dumped, so you can’t get a cent out of him by threatening me.”
“A little bitch!” The man suddenly raised his voice and grabbed her hair to slam her against the car door. “You’re not giving up on him, are you? You still want to seduce him, don’t you?”
Kylie’s head was humming after being hit. Her eyesight became hazy. At that moment, Kylie’s phone began to ring, and the car was lit up.
She didn’t take a look at the caller but used the phone to light up the man. The sudden, glaring light made him turn away.
Kylie pulled the car door open in an attempt to escape but was dragged back inside the car by a force that seized her hair. “How dare you try to fight me!” The driver yelled with an evil expression. Without allowing her to say another word, he seized her hair again and hit her head against the car door.
“You little bitch, don’t you dare escape!” He was unusually forceful, and seemed to want to eat her alive. “You’re a born bitch, seducing every man! You dare to try and snatch another’s a man and let Khloe cry at night! I’ll fuck you as revenge for all the other women out there!”
Kylie still hadn’t been sure who he was, but that sentence made her fully aware of the identity of this out-of-control man! He was Khloe’s cousin, Ken White! Kylie remained calm and tried to sound the same: “Cousin White, let’s talk. You must have misunderstood something…” No matter the reason for Cousin White’s appearance, now was not the right time to annoy him.
Protecting herself against further injury was the most important thing. “Misunderstood? I didn’t misunderstand that you love Aiden Parker. But what a shame Master Parker Jr. is in love with Khloe, and your whole ‘marry into a rich and powerful family’ dream is over! But don’t worry, you still have your cousin. I’ll take good care to satisfy your hunger for the rest of your life!” Kylie was almost disgusted to death by him.
Although she had long known that Ken White was sexually attracted to her, she had never guessed that he would abduct her! Kylie fought back: “You’re just an underling. How could you offer me an adequate life!” “Gee! You’re a bitch, daring to despise me!” Ken White’s smile became even scarier. “I know who you’ve been hooking up with! That fat assed man you were drinking with! You’re literally shameless, flirting with him then, and now pretending you’re innocent in my face! Shame on you!”
Kylie’s neck was seized again, and she almost lost consciousness. She weakly muttered: “I didn’t… didn’t flirt with anyone…” Ken White was silent for a second and coldly looked at Kylie.
He abruptly asked: “Have you ever slept with Master Parker Jr.?”
“I… I haven’t…” Kylie felt his hand smack her face.
“You haven’t, or you haven’t had the chance?” Ken White’s expression suddenly turned crazier, and his smile grew to a frightening size.
“To tell you the truth, I’m the one who sent you that message, the night Aiden Parker and Khloe were sleeping together in the hotel… How did you feel about that? Were you happy to watch it? I merely wanted you to give up hope!” Kylie unconsciously clenched her fists, and uttered with extreme difficulty: “You asshole!” When she had discovered Aiden’s familiar face, moving quickly over another woman’s body, covered in a thin layer of sweat, she couldn’t imagine feeling more heartbroken.
Boom! Her head was slammed into the door once again.
“I can be a bigger asshole! Do you want to test me?” His voice was out of tune and got louder with excitement. Kylie’s body was picked up and pressed against the car seat. She kicked out with force, but the man simply dodged her foot. The hand that had been seizing her neck grabbed at her cheongsam. The frightening face approached hers, and she could feel his warm, clammy breath. Kylie was breathless and was losing the ability to yell. “What are you doing!”
“What am I doing? You lack love from a man, so let me love you right now…” Ken tore apart the bottom of the cheongsam. “Kylie Finch, when I make you scream, you won’t be able to refuse me anymore…”
The car felt far too small, and she was squished by this crazy man with a disgusting face. Kylie totally lost all reason, when his stubbled jaw rubbed against her face. She fought back and fought back so fiercely that it worried him.
Kylie didn’t know what she had grabbed, but she hit Ken hard on the head. Her violent nature was fully released. Ken’s forehead was bleeding. Kylie pushed the car door with force and jumped outside before Ken could get the blood out of his eyes. How could he let the prey he had almost tasted escape?! Ken immediately got out of the car to begin the chase. But at that moment, a glaring car light shone against them.
Half an hour later, the red and blue police lights were flashing on the quiet mountain road. A policeman was questioning Ken White, who was squatting on the ground, with a huge lump on his brow. Ten minutes earlier, the man who had received Nate Bass’ call hadn’t yet been able to locate the black Audi, so he had searched along the road, only to discover Kylie, running up the street and unexpectedly turning a corner.
Kylie had lost her shoes along the way. She ran quickly, with bare feet, and rushed towards him when she saw the car lights. If the man hadn’t been skilled at driving, he would probably have run her over.
Chapter 25: She’s Shocked
The man rescued Kylie by letting her into his car. He instantly called the police. The cops in Baleney took this case very seriously, since a movie star was involved, and arrived at the scene as quickly as possible. “Finished?” the policeman coldly asked.
“Finished,” Ken White responded, lowering his head, his body shaking. “How did you get injured?” The policeman pushed at the lump on Ken’s forehead.
“Ouch!” Ken yelled. He glanced at the car where Kylie was sitting, then returned his gaze. He remained silent and stared at the ground.
“I’m asking you something!” The policeman repeats his question.
“I knocked it myself,” Ken responded in a low voice.
“Hey!” A voice sounded from behind. The policewoman who was standing beside the car ran forward in a panic.
“I couldn’t get a testimony. The woman was uncooperative.”
“How? She…” It was on the tip of the policeman’s tongue. She let the policeman find out for himself. Ken’s eyes followed the two police as they moved towards the car door. A piece of clothing flew outside when the policewoman pulled at the car door. It was a blue police top.
“I put this on her body to cover her up…” The policewoman picked it up resignedly. Because the cheongsam Kylie was wearing had torn apart, the policewoman had wanted to help, but Kylie ignored the effort, no matter how often she tried.
The policeman reached to pull the car door, assuming it was locked from the inside. But it was locked from the outside as well, so he could do nothing but knock on the window.
“Hello…”
“Harlot! You’re a damn harlot!” Ken, who was still squatting nearby, yelled at her. The policeman stared at him in anger.
“Shut up! It’s none of your business!” The policeman knew that Ken was the reason they had been called in the middle of the night. If it hadn’t been for you, he thought, would this woman have been so scared? And this woman has defended her rapist… Was that how rich people played the game? The policeman took a deep breath and knocked again at the car window.
“Miss, don’t be afraid. We’re the police, and we won’t hurt you… Tell us the truth, what happened?”
“…”
“My colleague wants to get your testimony. Please open the door,”
“…”
“Miss, we can’t do our job if you keep silent. Please be cooperative.”
“…”
Still, no response from her so the policeman turned to the man who had discovered Kylie on the road. He had been standing nearby the whole time, without saying a word.
“Where’s the car key,” the policeman asked.
“In the car,” the man replied. When nobody knew what else to do, another car appeared on the road and braked sharply. A man stepped out of the car.
“Let me handle it!” The police had contacted Aiden the minute they had arrived at the scene since the car driven by Ken White was his. Besides, Aiden stood Khloe, who looked fragile in her nightwear and windbreaker. Khloe rushed towards Ken as soon as she got out of the car.
“You…” “Freeze!” The policeman suddenly yelled at Khloe. “Don’t touch the criminal!” Khloe stopped in her tracks but continued to stare at Ken. He returned Khloe’s look and slightly shook his head. He didn’t say anything. Khloe looked relieved and stood mildly by Aiden’s side. Aiden walked to the outside of the car window. He could clearly see Kylie, who looked both stunningly gorgeous and insane, curled up against the car seat.
She kept her head low; her hair hung down in a mess, and her alert eyes moved back and forth in panic. Aiden had known Kylie in almost every situation, but he’d never seen this part of Kylie’s: the helplessly panicked girl. Who just went silent. His heart began to ache. Aiden pressed his lips and raised his hand to knock at the car window.
“Kylie, it’s me, Aiden Parker. Look at me,” The car’s insulation wasn’t great, so everything happening outside could be heard from the inside. Still, Kylie remained numb, with her head down. Still no movement.
“Kylie, I’m sorry. Tonight was all my fault, letting you in danger… I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Aiden kept apologizing with sincerity. He had really wanted to pick her up, but Khloe had complained about a headache as soon as they had arrived at the hotel, and wouldn’t let him go.
Khloe, who was standing right beside him, began to feel annoyed that he would say those things. Still, she had to maintain her mild and gentle image in front of him. So, she pulled at Aiden’s sleeve, and quietly spoke: “I’m sorry, it was all my fault. If I hadn’t gotten cold, you could have picked my sister up…”
“Khloe, it was not your fault at all. You’re just so fragile.” Aiden immediately embraced her in an attempt to comfort her.
“Ahem.” The policewoman who was standing nearby couldn’t stand it any longer. Comforting one girlfriend, followed by another… Was this necessary? Wasn’t he afraid of coming across as a playboy? Aiden was reminded of Kylie’s situation by the policewoman and continued to knock at the window. But even his throat turned dry, the more he tried to persuade her. Still, Kylie showed no sign of anything. Twenty minutes later, the mountain road was lit up once more.
The junior police woman was shocked to see so many stars and expensive cars. A luxury car was rarely seen in this small town. The black luxury car steadily came to a halt near the scene of the accident. The driver’s door opened, and out stepped a tall, handsome man, whole delicate features appeared frozen. He came forward coldly. Seeing that people surrounded the scene and noticing a terrified Kylie caught inside the car, the man’s dark eyes became upset, and his thin lips compressed into a cold, tough line.
“Uncle Ethan…” Aiden mumbled. Ethan Parker was here! Had he been in town with Kylie, or had he driven so fast upon hearing about the accident?