HER ACTING SKILLS

Sofia woke up with a headache but she soon recovered from it after remembering what has happened and what she needed to do. She looked to the side and found a police officer watching her. He was standing at the window with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked young and handsome, not like the other police officers she met in the past.

"How are you feeling?" He asked without moving an inch from where he was.

Sofia touched her neck but she couldn't find the necklace that she wore. "Officer, where's my necklace? It's very important to me."

"Is it this?" He pulled out one item from a ziplocked bag and handed it to her. "I'm Police Officer Hughes by the way. I was one of the team who chased those people at the illegal drag racing event. I'm here to –"

"Did you catch those people?! Did you catch those who chased after me?! Someone wanted to kill me!" Sofia started her acting skills which cause quite a fright on the man in front of her. "Officer, you have to help me. People were after me." Her tears rolled down her cheeks and one thing that Officer Hughes couldn't stand was the tears of a woman.

He sighed helplessly and sat on a chair beside her bed. "Don't worry, we will make sure to catch them. Do you mind me asking questions regarding your involvement?"

"No. Not at all. If it's for my good, I'd be very happy to help." Sofia wiped her tears but she forced some to stay hanging on her lashes, making her look pitiful.

Officer Hughes pulled out a recorder and made perfunctory remarks before started questioning her. "How did you get there?"

"I don't know. I was shopping with my friends and then someone hit me at the back of my head when I was heading to my car at the parking lot. When I woke up, it was so noisy and someone told me to race if I want to live. I know how to race but I always race on a legal and formal race track. I have never raced on a cliff or on a steep ravine. They were threatening to shoot me if I don't race with the others. When you chase after us, I realized it was my opportunity to get away from them so, I tried to pull over but they shoot my car. I thought I'd fall down on a cliff to my death."

"So basically, you were kidnapped and some people wanted you to race for them or you will be killed?"

"Yes."

"Have you seen their faces?"

"No. They were wearing some sort of a mask and they also asked me to wear one."

Officer Hughes felt an oncoming headache to the case he got involved. His father kept telling him not to get involved to those underground dealings but he knew that he couldn't. When he chose to be an officer, one of his foot was already inside the coffin. He can no longer take a step back.

"Don't worry, we will do our best to get those people arrested. Regarding the car, do you own it?" he might not be quite knowledgeable when it comes to racing but he knew that only few people owned a Hennessey Venom F5, plus she's a woman and a racer, too. He can only guess her identity but he wanted to confirm it.

Sofia looked at the officer in front of her and slowly nodded her head. "Do you know Black Arrow? That's my name in the field of racing but you can't let anyone know about it."

"Can I see your license?"

Sofia looked around and found her small bag and wallet on the top of the bedside drawer. She opened up her wallet and showed him her license as he was asking for.

When Officer Hughes saw the name on the card, he stiffened in disbelief. Sofia Myrtle Basilischikov. Who didn't know of her last name? They're one of the most powerful people in the whole world. They're line of business covers, shipping, hotel and restaurants, private universities, and many more. He just didn't know that there's more hidden business than what was seen in the face of the earth.

"You're from the Basilischikov family?"

"Yes. I'm the only daughter."

Officer Hughes sighed. "No wonder many people wanted your life. In the future, don't go out alone. You're wealthy, why didn't you ask your family to send you bodyguards?"

"I learned martial arts. I thought I could protect myself."

"Don't underestimate a man's strength."

Sofia nodded her head with a faint smile. "Officer, can I borrow your phone? My family must be worried now. I need to call my brother."

Officer Hughes handed his phone to her without any doubt. She dialed Nico's number and the man answered her angrily. "What time is it now? Until when are you going to stay outside? You have to come back home!"

"Bro, help me. I'm in a hospital right now." She cried her heart out, sobbing as if she was really wronged. "Come and get me. Hn. I'm fine. An officer is watching me over. Yes. Come soon. I will send you the address." Sofia wiped her tears before giving back the phone. "Can you give my brother the address to this hospital?"

"Hn. Just take a rest. The doctor said that you're fine and can be discharged any moment after you're awake."

"Officer Hughes, what's your complete name?"

"You don't need to know my complete name."

"But you know my complete name. Isn't it unfair?"

"It's part of my job as an officer."

"But I need to thank you properly in some other day once I'm all recovered. Isn't it right for me to know the name of my savior?"

He knew that she would pester him if he won't give her his name. At the same time, even if he wouldn't tell her, given the power of her family, she'd still be able to know his name. Such a headache.

"William Hughes."

"Huh?"

"William Hughes is my complete name."