Chapter 55
“Huh?” Arianna was startled by his statement and that was when she looked down to discover that her hands were shaking because he placed his hands gently over it.
“Oh. thank you,” Arianna let out a deep breath. You couldn’t blame her for being nervous though, many things could go wrong today. She was using a fake passport and the man beside her was wearing a mask for freaking sake. Gosh, when did she become like this?
“I’m always here with you. That’s all you have to know. Moreover, the first rule of being a villain is to act like you’re invincible,” Elijah said to her.
“Okay. Wait – what?!” Arianna was shocked. When did she become a villain? However Elijah didn’t let her think because he grabbed her face and kissed her briefly.
“I think this has just become my favorite mask,” He said with a smile.
“And I think we have finally arrived,” Arianna announced just as the driver of the limousine stepped down to open the door for her, Elijah stepping out by himself.
How Elijah was able to pull this all up while at home with her? Arianna couldn’t tell. However, she was sure of one thing, Elijah had the resources.
“Here,” He helped her put on the glasses before producing a summer hat out of nowhere which he placed on her head.
.....
“Hmmm, a magician as well. You’re a man of many talents, Elijah,” Arianna teased him, hooking her arm around his as they walked into the airport.
Arianna knew the reason for the glasses and hat, it was to keep her identity a secret from others who might be snooping around. Elijah said it himself, being here was a risk itself.
Since they had done an online check-in, Arianna and Elijah headed straight to the first-class security checkpoint where they were attended to immediately.
The both of them were in the departure lounge when Arianna felt the need to use the restroom.
“I would be back soon,” Arianna assured him and left.
Even after she left, Elijah didn’t take his eyes off, scanning for any suspicious movement and when he felt it was comfortable enough, he relaxed a bit.
It was in the process of turning back, that he mistakenly hit the purse that he got Arianna where she put her boarding stuff and other stuff that could fit in.
It seems that Arianna did not properly zip it close before she left because the contents spilled to the ground when it fell.
With a groan, Elijah bent and started retrieving the contents only for his gaze to fall on a wallet. His brows furrowed at once because he had seen that wallet a few times and each time she had it very close to her. But then, it was strange for Arianna to have a wallet inside a purse, right? Or maybe he was overly curious?
Elijah, without wasting time opened the wallet and was surprised at the amount of bills in there. Since they went through first-class, the security would not have questioned the wallet having surmised she was rich.
In her passport, Arianna went with the identity of a wealthy wife. His wife. However, Elijah knew better, Arianna didn’t have that much money.
Even if she does have such money, why would she carelessly store it in a wallet that could be easily stolen? Moreover, Arianna wouldn’t have the time to get such money since the last person she was in contact was Big Joe’s people at the club. They wouldn’t give that to her else she puts it to good use. Unless she stole it....
At once, Elijah began to search the wallet thoroughly as a sudden fear took over him. His instinct was never wrong – It was the same feeling that had kept him alive till now.
And finally, that was when he saw it, a picture slid out of one of the layers of the wallet while he was still searching. It was the picture of a woman and his blood chilled at once.
While on a mission, Elijah made it compulsory to know everything about his targets, and though, that wasn’t a picture of his target, it was the mother. Having stolen from Marcel himself, Elijah knew there was one thing he cherished above every other thing. His mother’s memories.
“Oh shit!” Elijah cursed under his breath, knowing there was no other way around this. Arianna has gotten herself into deep shit and it was too late.
Meanwhile...
Arianna washed her hands before drying it with the tissue by her side. Done, she tossed the crumbled tissue into the wastebin.
“Nice throw,” She grinned at her accuracy. Then stared at her reflection in her mirror, rubbing her hair that became disheveled when she removed her hat.
When she was done, Arianna hummed a tune on her way out and hardly opened the door only to stumble into a group of men at the entrance.
One of them stepped forward and the earlier smile vanished slowly,
“Arianna Walker?” he questioned her.
“Yes?” the confirmation slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it. Arianna had forgotten she was using a fake name. She was startled out of her mind.
But that was just the beginning of her fears because the man flashed his badge across her face announcing,
“I am arresting you on suspicion of stealing and forgery. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have the right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions. You have the right to have a lawyer with you during questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. If you decide to answer questions now without a lawyer present, you have the right to stop answering at any time, ”
Even when the officer went on and on about her Miranda right, Arianna didn’t react. It was as if she was frozen, her feet rooted to the ground. She didn’t react when the handcuffs was slammed down on her wrist, it was as if the noises faded away in her mind.
It wasn’t until they began to drag her away that the situation dawned on her and one person came to her mind.
“Elijah?!” Arianna’s eyes widened and she turned to check for him since the toilet was located at the end of the lounge.
But the officers wouldn’t let her be, taking her move that she was still resisting arrest even though her hands were cuffed.
“I just need a minute to check something!” Arianna pleaded with them. She just needed to see if he was still there and maybe warn him.
But then who was she kidding, Elijah was the smartest person she had ever seen. He must have seen them coming and left already?
However, Arianna’s thought still hurt at that discovery, does it mean Elijah abandoned her? Or maybe it was too late to warn or even save her? Arianna wished it happened that way.
“Please, just a minute, no, a second. I just need to check on something and you can come with me – well, it’s not like I can do anything without you guys by my side,” Arianna appealed.
“Fine, just a second,” the officer said, yet leaned closer to warn her, “And if you try to do anything stupid, my bullet would go through your head,”
Arianna shivered, yet nodded obediently. She was scared out of her mind. God, everything was moving too fast for her to handle.
The officers were by her side, walking her back to the departure lounge. There arose a murmuring and a lot of eyes on her yet Arianna didn’t give a damn and walked with her head held straight even though all she wanted to do was to cry at a corner.
Arianna didn’t need to walk over to their seat to know that Elijah was gone. There was not even a trace of him except the purse, the only thing proving that she and Elijah had been here moments ago.
“What is that?” the officer asked having noticed her intense stare.
“My purse,” Arianna answered truthfully.
“Take it,” The officer said and one of them took the purse before opening it and began to go through it.
Arianna was vexed at the invasion of her privacy, “No, don’t! That’s my....” She trailed off when the other officer pulled out the wallet and asked a strange guy she hadn’t noticed until now.
“Is this it?”
“Yes,” The man answered, receiving the wallet and giving Arianna a dirty stare.
At once, Arianna’s blood ran cold as she realized what was going on, “Marcel,” She breathed.
Fear filled Arianna and she leaped off but the officer was quick to grab her as if he knew her plan.
“Elijah!” Arianna screamed his name even as she was being held down. They were going to kill her. She was sure of it. The damn police were working with them!
They were stronger but Arianna struggled fiercely till they tossed her into the van they came with after leaving the airport.
Ariana put on quite a fight but those evil men were many and one of them forced a drugged rag against her nose. Even as she lost consciousness, the last words that departed Arianna’s mouth were,
“Run, Elijah.”