Capítulo 15: Escape
Before Mr. Walter could speak, Zen approached Zuri and told her to return to Liam immediately. Zuri nodded reluctantly, still wanting to speak with her father.
I still want to talk to my father," Zuri said, not wanting to leave. But Zen shook his head, not allowing her to disobey.
Come on, we'll talk later," Mr. Walter urged his daughter to follow Zen back to Liam.
You owe me another story, Dad. Don't drive me crazy with all these confusing riddles," Zuri muttered before walking away, leaving her father behind.
Hopefully Liam would keep his promise. Keep Zuri safe. And release her when he had the Company's claim documents."
Zuri heard her father's lingering thoughts as he walked away, a short sentence she couldn't understand, full of maddening mystery.
Zuri returned to the fake Liam and offered a polite smile to her colleagues who wanted to meet Liam's wife. Soon the program began, the shareholders' meeting, and it turned out that Liam owned the most shares. Liam introduced Zuri as his wife. Zuri felt very uncomfortable, but she had to get used to it.
While Liam was busy with important conversations, Zuri left him to stand in the corner of the room and sip her drink.
"I wasn't expecting this, but this is Miss Zuri Harrison, who is married to Mr. Liam." A woman's voice from the side made Zuri turn her head to find a woman Zuri guessed to be her mother's age. She looked beautiful with natural makeup, just like her.
Zuri smiled politely at the unfamiliar woman.
"I admit that Liam has a lot of money. But how does it feel to be you and have to look at that ugly face when you open your eyes?" The woman said with a laugh. A mocking laugh.
Zuri paused and tried to keep a smile on her face, feeling a mixture of annoyance and confusion at the woman's comment. Her smile hid her discomfort.
"Honestly, you must be a strong woman to marry a man who is... different, all for the sake of your father's ambitions," the woman added, her mocking smile unwavering.
Zuri took a breath and tried to stay calm. "In the business world, we all know that appearances can be deceiving. I'm sure you see my point," she replied with a cold smile, returning the woman's taunts with an intimidating calm.
The woman smiled faintly, not expecting Zuri to respond so coldly. Before their conversation could continue, the fake Liam came over and placed his hand awkwardly but firmly on Zuri's shoulder, signaling to the woman that enough was enough.
"I'm just getting to know your wife. Will it last or will it fade away?" the woman said mysteriously, then excused herself with a fake friendly smile. Zuri got stuck on sentences she didn't understand.
After the woman left, Zuri looked at the fake Liam with a restrained expression. "Which Liam is the real one? I'm confused myself. Is this part of your plan? To make me the object of ridicule? Zuri asked in a soft but angry voice.
Liam didn't answer, just gestured for her to stay close. They continued the event with formality, acting as a perfect couple, complementing each other. Although Zuri's heart was full of questions and disappointment, she couldn't do much in front of everyone.
As the event continued, Zuri felt more and more trapped in this dizzying game. While everyone seemed to be enjoying the party atmosphere, her thoughts kept returning to her father. What exactly was going on between her father and Liam? What was the big secret she was missing?
After the event was over, Liam told Zuri to go home with Zen because he had business to take care of. He then left, leaving Zuri, who didn't care. Zuri looks for her father. But her father left the event earlier. Zuri looks disappointed. She wanted to hear her father's explanation of her question before Zen stopped her.
"Miss, we must return home immediately." Zen warned Zuri to return home immediately and not to keep running around looking for her father.
"I didn't want to go home. It feels like going back to a cage or prison. Can I take a walk first?" Zuri asked, receiving a firm shake of Zen's head.
"We have to go home or there will be trouble," Zen replied, not willing to negotiate.
Zuri glared at Zen in annoyance.
"You really are like your obnoxious master." She stomped her foot and walked ahead of Zen towards the car, then suddenly stopped, making Zen stop as well.
Zuri turned to Zen and smiled.
"I have a sudden urge to go to the bathroom," she told Liam's personal bodyguard.
"I'll take you, miss," Zen replied as he gestured for Zuri to follow him.
Zen waited for Zuri some distance from the entrance to the ladies' room.
After ten minutes, someone emerged from the bathroom, but it was not Zuri, but a woman with a big brimmed hat covering her face.
Fifteen minutes passed and Zuri still had not emerged. Suspicious, Zen finally entered the restroom, ignoring the complaints of the women there. But he didn't find his employer's wife. His relief returned, however, when he saw someone wearing Zuri's clothes emerge from the toilet. His relief quickly turned to shock when he realized it wasn't Zuri, just her clothes.
Zen immediately approached the woman with a sharp stare.
Meanwhile, the woman in the big brimmed hat who had left earlier was Zuri, now sitting in a taxi that would take her to who knows where. She smiled triumphantly, having managed to outsmart Zen and escape the "prison" Liam had created.
Fortunately, the woman in the restroom had agreed to swap clothes with him. She was the first to make small talk with Zuri, hoping that Liam could help her husband's company. Of course, Zuri agreed to the woman's request and traded her clothes for freedom. Zuri even traded her necklace for the cash the woman was carrying. Luck was indeed on her side in escaping Liam.
"Zuri wants to meet Simon. She already has Simon's address. But she won't go there right away because Liam will probably send Zen to look for her. It looks like Zuri will be out of town for a few days.
Meanwhile, Zen felt foolish when she realized that Zuri had escaped from her custody. He immediately called Liam to report Zuri's escape. On the other end of the line, Liam's voice sounded angry, though he remained calm.
"Find her. No matter what happens, Zuri cannot be out of our reach," he ordered coldly. "You know what to do."
Zen nodded, ended the call, and quickly gathered information on Zuri's possible whereabouts, guessing that she might go to the address he had.
On the other hand, Zuri stopped in a small town away from the hustle and bustle. She decided to stay at a simple inn that would not arouse suspicion.
"Father, Mother... I miss you. I'm afraid to be alone here. But in this new world, I can see Axel again," Zuri murmured before closing her eyes to sleep. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she fell asleep.
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