CHAPTER 09

LEON

The following morning, I woke up around five in the morning to prepare myself for work. I needed to leave the apartment early so that I wouldn't be late for work.

The traffic jam isn't a joke early in the morning, and there are so many passengers trying to catch a bus.

Aliyah was still sleeping. I pity this woman. Her face is now swelling, and there's a bruise on her right arm as well which I didn't see last night.

Women shouldn't be treated like this. My father always told me not to lay a hand on a woman except those who wanted to hurt me.

Aliyah is a woman with a kind heart. She only wanted a comfortable life but her ex-boyfriend Trevor and her boss Logan of her is abusing her because they find her weak, and they could let her dance on their palm.

I sigh, I have the itch to touch her face but hold myself. I don't want her to find me creepy watching her while she sleeps. I promise you, Aliyah, I'll bring you back to Korea when the time comes, and I'll protect you while I am beside you.

I sigh again, I stood up and took clothes to change and went out of our room and took a bath.

After bathing, I boiled water and made coffee for myself and peanut butter bread. I eat my breakfast before I check on Aliyah and find her still sleeping. Luckily, she already told me my way to work and what bus I should ride.

I picked up my bag that contained my extra shirt, a bottle of water, my wallet, and my phone, then left a note to Aliyah so that she'll know I already left for work before I stepped out of our room. It's already six in the morning and I need to be at work at eight.

I locked the door when I stepped out and jog downstairs. When I reached downstairs, I looked around the building looking for those familiar faces and I'm glad when I didn't spot them. I walked for a few minutes to the highway and joined the people waiting for the bus to ride.

It took almost fifteen minutes before I was able to ride the bus. It is always full and there are no seats available.

I arrived at work five minutes before my work started and I'm glad about it.

"Good morning Paul."

"I'm glad you made it without getting lost in your way. How's Aliyah?"

"Bad, she's bruised"

"I want to help her but I know Logan. That man has many connections around as well as her ex-boyfriend Trevor. They can make my business shut down if they want to, and my family only depends on my Gym."

"Don't worry. I'm sure she understands."

"You just take care, they might come after you knowing you are close with Aliyah."

"I know, don't worry I can protect myself."

"Okay, you change. Your admirers are waiting for you. I noticed we got more women today. I'm sure it's because of you." He smiled and patted my back. I just smiled in return and went to my locker and put on my uniform, and joined Jacob and Jomar who kept teasing me about the women who were flirting with me but I just ignored them because my mind was on Aliyah. I'm worried that those men are going to break into our apartment and forcefully drag her out.

After work, I hurried out of the building. I decline Jacob and Jomar's offer to get a drink. I'm worried about Aliyah and I want to be home as soon as possible.

I stood at the bus stop waiting for a bus to come when I spotted a familiar face looking at me. I pretend I didn't see him. He's one of Trevor's friends. I climbed the bus as soon as it arrived and the man also hopped in with two other men with him.

I occupied the seat near the door and they occupied the seats behind me. I watched them once in a while in the mirror just above the diver and I caught them watching me once in a while and whispering with each other.

It took more than an hour before I reached my stop and I quickly stepped off the bus. I'm sure they will attack as soon as we are off the bus. I only took three steps when someone grabbed my arms. But I quickly twisted it and kicked the other on his stomach and pushed the man I am holding to the third man.

The people around scattered, and I grabbed the chance that they were still on the ground to run to the apartment. I don't want to get into a fight and have the police will catch me.

I made it to the building without seeing them following me and I sigh in relief. I climbed up the stairs and pushed the door of our apartment without knocking, and I gasped seeing three men inside Aliyah was sitting on the chair with her arms and legs tied.

"Leon, run!! Aliyah screamed. But the man near me threw a punch at me but I quickly blocked it. I twisted his arm and quickly hit him on his nape using the sole of my hand. I rushed to the one who pulled a gun and kicked it from his hand and quickly drove my forefinger to the truth he was coughing before he dropped on the floor unconscious. I made sure I didn't put too much force so that I wouldn't kill him.

"Behind you!! I quickly tilted my body to the side and caught the hand of the man that was holding a knife. I twisted his hand and I hit his nape leaving her unconscious.

When I looked at Aliyah she was sobbing so much with her tears streaming down her face.

"Who are these men?" I asked as I removed the rope on her legs and arms."

"I don't know who sent them. They just came in and tied me up. Luckily you came, if you didn't they would have kidnapped me." She cried and threw herself at me as soon as she was free.

"Leon, I'm scared."

"Come on. We need to leave this place while they are unconscious."

"But where are we going?" She sobbed.

"Anywhere but here. I'm sure whoever sent them won't stop until they get you. Now grab the thing you needed, and I pack my things too. Her tears streamed down her face but she rushed to our room I followed her and we hurriedly packed our bags. Holding each other hands we stepped out of our apartment and tipped toes down the stairs.

"You hide here first. I'll check if there are suspicious men around. Hide on the post." She nodded and I hid at the nearest post. I moved to the exit and then looked outside. I'm relieved when I didn't see any new faces, the people outside were the people I usually saw every night. I waved for Aliyah to come over and she quickly rushed to me.

I grabbed her hand as soon as she was beside me and we stepped out of the building.

"My car."

"We don't need your car. Those people recognized your car, it's better to leave it behind." She bit her lips but nodded. We jogged to the bus stop and luckily a bus came it wasn't too crowded but we still ended up standing because there were no seats available.

"Leon, where are we going? I don't have any relatives here and I don't want to go to my classmate's house as well. I don't want to put them in danger.

"Do you know any cheap place we can rent for a few days? If you want, you can come with me to Korea. I think I'll just go back home. Do you have enough money to arrange your paper?"

"But if I go with you, I don't have a place to stay there, and when I go there I won't leave my Aunt and cousin here."

"If you have enough money for the three of you, they can come too. Don't worry when we reach there. You and your aunt and her son can stay with me."

"Really?"

"Yes." She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my chest sobbing.

"Don't cry. Later the other passenger will think I'm bullying you." Distanced herself from me, wiping her tears.

"Any place you know we can stay?"

"Let's hop out on the next stop. There's a boarding house near the bus stop. Are you okay with just a room and we share a toilet with other boarders?"

"I'm okay."

"But we need to pretend to be in a relationship because males and females have separate rooms there, and it's a waste of money if we take two rooms.

'Okay, let's pretend we are husband and wife then." I chuckled when she huffed but didn't say that she was against it.

We stepped out of the bus when it stopped, and I quickly held her hand as we walked into the dark Alley.

"Are you sure this place is safe?" I asked as we stopped in front of a single-story house after fifteen minutes of walking. The houses are close to each other with only a low wall separating them, and there's a squatter around.

"This is the cheapest place I know, and it's late. I'm just hoping they have an available room for us." She bit her lips and pressed the doorbell. At least this house has a wall around it.

The front door opened and an old lady stepped out and walked towards us.

The woman talked to Aliyah using the Filipino language and I just watched and listened to them, and I'm relieved when Aliyah smiled and the lady motioned us to follow.

"We are lucky because there's only one room left," Aliyah whispered as we followed the lady.

When we stepped inside the front door, there were eight people in the living room watching Television. The old lady I think introduced us to them because she mentioned our name and they waved at us.

There are two men and six women and their eyes followed us as the old lady guided us to our room, murmuring something I couldn't understand.

"Okay, this is your room." She opened the door and stepped inside and we followed. There's a queen size bed inside a cabinet, a ceiling fan, and nothing else but at least it's clean.

"Can we pay for five days for now because we are not sure until when we stay here? We are just walking our papers because we are going abroad."

"Okay, we serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner but you need to pay for it. If you want, just inform me earlier if you want me to cook your meal so that I'll know.

"Okay, Aunty." Aliyah took out her money and paid for our rent. "Is there any place near here where we can eat? We haven't eaten our dinner yet."

"We have a leftover if it is okay for you. It's free. It's late. It's dangerous outside."

"It's fine aunty. Thank you so much."

"Okay, put your thing inside and come back outside. I'll prepare your food, and after that, I'll show you where the toilet is.

"Thank you, aunty," I spoke for the first time since we stepped inside smiling at her.

"Your husband is so handsome. Guard him properly or someone will steal him from you."

"Don't worry aunty, I'm a one-woman man." I wrapped my arms around Aliyah's shoulder and pulled her into my embrace which earned a glare from her but she didn't pull away.

"You can call me Aunty Theresa. You are a cute couple. I'm sure when you have babies they are both beautiful and handsome." I chuckled when Aliyah blushed and buried her face in my chest.

"Okay, now put your thing inside and come out after. I'll prepare your food now." Aunty Theresa gave us a teasing smile before she stepped out of the room.

"Don't overdo it." Aliyah pulled away from my arms glaring at me and placed her bag inside the cabinet. I just chuckled and dropped my bag on the floor and followed her outside.

I'm glad that the people in the living room earlier are gone. We went to the dining area and inside there were two six seaters round tables, an oven, and two doors fridge.

"Come and eat so that you can rest. It's already late."

"I'm so aunty for coming this late. We got caught in the traffic"

"It's okay, now. You want me to cook breakfast for both of you tomorrow?"

"Yes, please aunty. Thank you." Aliyah replied.

"Okay, now eat."