44. Trapped In The Woods

"Ma'am, have you cleaned it?" Lucrecia asked, her voice soft, unsure.

"Yes, I don't see it anymore," Cara said, smoothing the collar of Lucrecia's blouse before stepping back and gracefully sinking into the sofa.

As Cara settled in, the sound of approaching heels drew her attention. Ashley had entered the room, her eyes darting between Cara and Lucrecia. A flicker of jealousy flashed in Ashley's thoughts, and Cara caught it instantly.

"Good morning, everyone. What's going on here?" Ashley asked, her tone casual but her gaze lingering on Cara.

"I was just helping Lucrecia clean a stain off her blouse," Cara said, lifting her coffee cup to her lips as Lucrecia excused herself and left the room.

Ashley walked over and sat down beside Cara, immediately reaching for one of the muffins on the plate in front of her.

"Why take mine when you can ask Lucrecia to get you some?" Cara asked, raising an amused brow.

"Because I feel like it," Ashley replied, taking a bite.

Cara smiled, but the moment was interrupted by Rudy, who had been silently observing the exchange. "So, you two are truly no longer fighting? I never thought I'd see the day."

"Yes, Daddy, we're friends now," Ashley said, giving Cara a playful nudge. "The new Cara has grown on me."

"Well, that's good news. But what about Kyle?" Rudy asked, his tone suddenly more serious.

"What about him?" Cara responded, setting her coffee cup down.

"I haven't seen him since you came back to life. That's very odd," Rudy said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"I broke up with him yesterday," Cara said bluntly.

Both Ashley and Rudy looked at her in surprise.

Rudy recovered first. "I guess you really have changed. And you did the right thing. Ashley, this is the perfect time for you to get back together with him."

"Dad, I don't think that's a good idea. I'll come off as desperate," Ashley said, rolling her eyes.

"You're overthinking this," Rudy insisted. "Just call him. That's the first step."

Ashley shot Cara a pleading look, one that practically screamed, *Help me, please.*

Cara took the last sip of her coffee and stood up. "Ashley, can I carpool with you to work?"

Ashley jumped at the lifeline. "Of course! Let's get going."

The two women excused themselves, bidding Rudy goodbye as they left the room.

Outside, Ashley led Cara to her car, a sleek blue Mercedes-Benz convertible gleaming in the morning light. Cara paused, admiring the vehicle as they approached.

"You like it?" Ashley asked, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"Yes, I do. It's gorgeous," Cara said, running a hand along the polished surface. "But not as gorgeous as its owner."

Ashley's smirk widened before she glanced around nervously. "Stop, we can't have anyone see us being all lovey-dovey."

Cara chuckled, her eyes scanning their surroundings. "It's just us, but I get it. We can't afford any slip-ups."

They climbed into the car, Cara settling into the passenger seat as Ashley started the engine.

"I'm glad you broke up with Kyle," Ashley said as they pulled out of the driveway. "But now my father won't stop pushing me toward him."

"Sorry about that," Cara said, leaning back in her seat. "But I believe you'll figure it out."

Ashley glanced at her and smiled. "I will… at least until I finally come out of the closet."

The breeze ruffled Ashley's hair as they drove toward the gate, the convertible's open roof allowing the crisp morning air to wash over them. As they passed Max, who stood by the gate, Cara made deliberate eye contact. He quickly looked away, his unease obvious. Cara waved at him, her expression unreadable.

"So," Ashley said, breaking the silence. "First stop, the diner, and then corporate headquarters?"

"Yes, let's do that," Cara replied.

Ashley nodded, pressing her foot on the accelerator as the car sped away down the road.

—---

—---

At noon, as the crowd at the diner began to thin out, Cara and Farrah left and set out to visit Farrah's grandmother.

Instead of waiting at the bus stop, Cara opted to order a ride online, which arrived promptly to take them to their destination. On the way, Cara hesitated, breaking the silence. "Wait, we didn't ask for permission to leave work for this. Do you think Jackie's going to be mad?"

Farrah shrugged, her tone casual. "Well, yeah, she might. She could even dock our pay—if I hadn't asked for permission yesterday."

Cara exhaled in relief. "Oh, I'm glad you thought ahead."

Farrah smirked. "You're lucky I always think of everything and plan ahead."

Cara rolled her eyes, smirking. "Do you want a medal for this?"

"Yeah, if you've got one, hand it over right now," Farrah replied with mock seriousness. The two broke into laughter, the tension dissipating for a moment.

After about ten minutes, the car pulled up to their destination—a desolate stretch of road that seemed to lead nowhere. Cara paid the driver, and the two stepped out. As the car drove off, Cara noticed the eerie stillness. Only two cars had passed on the road since they arrived, and the silence was unnerving.

Farrah gestured ahead. "My grandma's place isn't far from here. Come on."

They started down a narrow, unpaved road flanked by dense bushes on both sides. As they ventured deeper into the woods, Cara couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. She began to pick up on faint, rapid movements—like footsteps that weren't theirs.

The further they walked, the stronger the sensation became. Suddenly, Cara spun around, convinced someone was behind her, but the road was empty.

Cara stopped abruptly, grabbing Farrah's arm. "Am I losing it, or is someone following us?"

Farrah glanced around, her expression skeptical. "I don't see anyone. Maybe it's just animals?"

"I don't think so," Cara said, her voice lowering. "Something feels off about this place. And why haven't we reached your grandma's yet? We've been walking forever."

Farrah pulled out her phone, checking the time. "Cara, it's only been five minutes. Relax. We're almost there."

Reluctantly, Cara nodded, and they continued down the path. Still, the unsettling sensation lingered. The faint sound of movement in the underbrush grew more distinct, though whenever Cara glanced back, there was nothing to see.

As they approached a large tree, a sudden trap sprung from the ground. A thick net shot up, ensnaring their legs and yanking them off their feet. Before Cara could react, she and Farrah found themselves suspended upside down, swinging helplessly from a tree branch.

From the surrounding bushes, a group of barely dressed figures emerged, their faces painted and their eyes wild. They moved in silently, surrounding the two women like predators circling prey.

Dangling from the net, Cara looked over at Farrah and deadpanned, "I fucking told you something was off about this place."