1 The escape plan

"Get your hands off me," Karley could only whisper what she so desperately wanted to scream out although it would have made no difference in the soundproof room of the five-star hotel penthouse.

She continued to struggle despite the sluggishness of whatever drug the man had fed her with. She never wanted anything of this sort, how could they make her get married to an abuser like this?

Since she rejected the offer so peacefully, he must have thought it was time for him to show his true colors after three months of fruitlessly trying to woo her.

The horror of what was going to happen to her sank in and she used as much energy as she could muster. The smell of alcohol that filled her nose from his breath made her desire an escape more and she did not give up.

The more she struggled the more she felt the dizziness that led to her blacking out reduce until she was able to get a grip on his hand trying to get under her blouse and pulled it off.

"So, what do you want?" the man asked impatiently.

She thought she succeeded but that just showed her how helpless she was and she might never be able to get away from the man. He made her feel like a weak rabbit about to get slaughtered or maybe even worse.

"You have no reason to struggle because I bet you are more aware of your weak body than anyone else so what is the use of struggling?" he asked in amusement as he leaned away from her to watch her.

She thought of a way out of it which was the first time she has ever had to come up with an escape plan in the two decades she was lucky enough to live in this world.

He was right about her weak body but that did not mean her brain was weak. It was a very lucky evening for her in this man's hands to be clearheaded enough to think of a way out and she was going to use that chance to the best of her abilities.

"I . . ." she began as she sat up. "I . . . I . . ." she closed her eyes as a strong sense of disgust prevented her from going along with the plan, she came up with but when she could not come up with any other in the few seconds, she had, she reached for him and gripped his shirt tightly.

"You must want it to be done as much as I do, right?" he asked her as he looked down at her.

She almost could not hold back a smile before she threw up all he fed her in the fancy dinner he took her out for on his expensive tailored shirt. He had boasted about the price of the shirt he wore to eat with her moments ago.

He must have told her to gain her attention but that was useless as the shirt was bought for half the price her designer took for the blouse he was trying to rip off.

She had expected any type of reaction from him and it came, hard on her cheeks enough for her to see a starry night sky when his palm hit her cheeks. She fell back against the bed and remained still.

She could hear him cursing angrily as he got down from the bed over the ringing in her ears from the slap. He just needed to get away from her enough for her to open her eyes without getting caught.

She opened her eyes to the suite he brought her to, she would have considered a honeymoon in this room if he was good enough to be her husband but since he was not . . . she looked around for the door of the room and that was hard to see from the king-sized bed.

She scrambled up from the bed and when her feet touched the warm marble floor, she swallowed and took fast but quiet steps away from the bed towards the lounge and when she saw the door, she did not hesitate to run towards it, there was no way he could hear her over the water in the shower.

She turned the knob and the heavens had to be in her favor because the room was not locked but when she opened the door and the gazes of his guards moved to her, she knew she must have rejoiced too early.

She did not stop there, her body might be weak but she could run well, thanks to her five years of experience as a dancer, and those bulky six feet tall men could not stand a chance against her, she could only pray that his secretary was far enough for her to get to the elevator.

When she got to it, she got teary-eyed at the thought that they had put enough attention on the top floor to give the customers the best experience by making the elevator available.

She gave back what she took away about the heavens being in her favor. There were many ways and places she could be aside from the elevator and all of them had that BASTARD in the picture.

She took a deep breath and looked at her reflection on the wall of the elevator. One praise herself for being quick enough to get an escape plan. Another for being careful enough not to soil her dress.

She did not look very good as the blouse was ripped around the neckline but it was not low enough to expose her chest any more than she is allowed to as a princess. She adjusted her shirt and looked down at her bare feet.

She groaned.

When the elevator stopped on the ground floor, she hesitated to step out of it reminded of her status and the number of people who will see her this way and be quick enough to know what happened and even create a nice article with their very imaginative brains.

She wanted to cry but it was best she looked confident enough and as that would make her get less attention. She adjusted her champagne-blonde hair. She pressed her lips together before walking out of the elevator.

She walked past the front desk towards the door revolving door. She glanced back glad that she was not caught.

So much for being confident and hidden. This was a hotel but how could they let just anyone release his dogs around without a watch? Just ahead, she could see another batch of guards coming towards her.

"Are you okay, Miss?" the doorman walked over to her and asked worriedly.

She was not with her phone. She had been proud of all she did except being foolish enough not to think it was only important she finds her phone first.

"Could I use your phone?" she turned to the doorman and asked pleadingly while encouraging herself that he was just as trustworthy as he looked.