Song: Don't be late – Kofi Mole (Nah the way this song dey bee me erh)

*Unedited* (Taking one day off updating helped a lot. I slept the whole day 😊)

I wasn't really surprised when I woke up snuggled against Kofi's chest. We both were sleeping on our sides and facing each other. My face rested on his upper chest and his chin rested on top of my head.

I wasn't surprised because it was cold. It was probably our bodies' way of seeking warmth. What did surprise me though was his arm; it was flung across my waist, pulling me closer to him. Our legs were entangled, like we were trying to knot them together in our sleep.

Knowing that he was probably too deep asleep to be disturbed, I simply dragged myself away from him, removing his arm and putting it on his own body. Before I left, I looked at his sleeping face which was illuminated by the moonlight invading the room through the drawn back curtains.

"I won't miss you," I told him, even though I knew he wouldn't hear me. I contemplated writing that on a note, but I didn't want to waste time looking for pen and paper. I needed to move quickly.

I peered at his clock on his bedside table and saw that it was just a few minutes past twelve. I'd woken up too late. The sun would be out at about five o'clock; late, if I was lucky.

I went over to the small clothes room and grabbed as many underwear as I could lay my hands on. I took a backpack from a drawer and stuffed them inside.

I grabbed some pairs of jeans, – I was fine with tight stuff but not stuff that exposed too much skin – a blouse that exposed my back, another blouse that showed a little cleavage... and that was it. That was all I could wear here.

Before I left Kofi's room, I looked back at him. Surely, he was asleep like a baby.

I went to Michael's room next. I would feel better wearing his looser boxers now because I had panties, so I took a handful of them. I stole hoodies and shirts and even tank tops too because his stuff looked good on me.

I grabbed his soaps and deodorants and the spare toothbrush I'd been using. I took Etornam's pack of tampons and the sanitary pads too.

Now that I had enough clothes and cleaning agents, I needed food. I wasn't going to escape just to die before I could get to the village. I realised that I needed money, and the clothes Kofi got me were designer. They were expensive.

I went back into his room, not even trying to be quiet. He was in another world, to my knowledge.

I grabbed more clothes, but the problem was that the backpack became full. I shrugged and forced some of the ridiculous heels inside too. The bag could barely close now.

I left the room and went downstairs. One thing I noticed about my time here and the time I spent locked up outside was that there was barely any surveillance. It's like they didn't even expect us to try and leave.

All the security guards went into their rooms in the mansions and only came out when the sun rises. Right now, as I made my way to the kitchen, there was no one in sight. I smiled happily at the thought of all the food I could leave with.

I dropped my backpack on the ground, next to the kitchen counter. The bag was too full to put anything inside so I had to shake everything out and repack.

I put the ridiculous shoes inside first, then folded the clothes into the smallest shapes they could be. Next, I shoved the sanitary agents into the small corners the clothes left behind. There was a lot of space left when I was done.

I grabbed frozen pizza from the fridge and put it in the microwave. It took me a while but I managed to figure out how to use it. Then, I took a couple of soft drinks and snacks like nuts and biscuits. I put them in a rubber bag and tied them so that they'd take up less space.

I took the leftover spaghetti from dinner and put it in another microwave. It was done in no time so I packed it into the bag along with the rubber filled with the drinks and snacks. The pizza was delaying me, so I changed my mind and took some baked chicken from the fridge.

It was done microwaving in about ten minutes. I was so glad when I found out that they were all big pieces of chicken thighs. They filled two whole medium sized polythene bags and took up more space. It was okay because I didn't have anything else to pack.

I hoped the soap wouldn't put its nasty odour on my food.

There was a bottle of wine on the counter, and I stupidly considered taking it to, but I quickly came to my senses and decided against it.

I turned off the microwave heating the pizza and checked on it, finding rather annoyingly that it wasn't even the slightest bit heated. I really wanted to eat pizza. I sighed, giving up on it and was about to pick my backpack when Wolfgang walked into the kitchen.

I froze, mid-bend. What was he doing awake at twelve am?

"I thought I heard something," he said, turning on the lights.

I quickly straightened myself before he sighted the backpack. "What are you doing awake at this time?" I asked.

He looked at me. "I should be asking you that."

I subtly used my foot to push the bag from beside the counter to behind it, so that he wouldn't see. I pointed to the pizza which was sitting quite uselessly beside the microwave. "I was hungry."

"Me too. I'm famished." He chuckled. "Can I have some of your pizza?" He went and put it in the microwave again and turned it on. The slow hum of the machine filled the room.

"Sure," I replied, wondering how I could get past him. Should I have drugged him too? If I told him what I was doing, would he let me escape? "Wolfgang?"

"Yeah?" He piped. He pulled back one of the kitchen stools and sat down.

"Can you come here?" I asked.

He smiled uncertainly. "What?"

"Come here," I said, "please."

He looked behind him, then pointed to his chest. "Me?"

"No. Your shadow please. Leave yourself behind."

He chuckled. He pushed the kitchen stool back and came closer to me behind the counter. Just as he was about to reach me, my blood chilled when his foot got caught on the strap of the bag.

Before he could look down, I rushed towards him and cupped his face.

He looked at me uncertainly and frowned. "Elorm, what's going on?"

"You have feelings for me, don't you?" I wondered what I was doing.

"Does that matter? You like Kofi."

"What?" I stepped back in pure disgust. "No, I don't."

"Why do you sleep in his room then? And you went to him to have your elbow taken care of when I said I'd do it." He took my arm and elevated my elbow to prove his point.

"I don't have a room of my own, and you were eating, that's why I went to him." I frowned, snatching my arm back. "I don't even owe you any explanations, I wonder why I'm telling you this."

He smiled. "You don't like him?"

"No, of course not. He's a horrible person."

"I–" He stopped, looking down. I realised too late that he was trying to get closer to me, then he remembered that his foot was caught in something. He frowned deeply, staring at the backpack. "What's this?"

He was about to look at me, when the wine bottle on the counter came smashing down on his head. He doubled over in pain as I held the neck of the now extremely dangerous broken wine bottle.

The wine splashed all over him, staining his clothes in red. He was clutching his head, but he hadn't passed out. I didn't consider stabbing him with the wine bottle – I didn't want to kill him – so I lifted my knee and kicked him where the sun doesn't shine.

This time, he fell, one hand clutching his groin and the other nursing his head. I ran to the space where they kept the pots and pans and took a frying pan. I saw this in 'Tangled'. I pulled him up by his neck to a sitting position and gave him another hard blow to the head.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell back, unconscious.

I gasped, noisily throwing the pan to the ground in shock. What if...

I quickly crouched beside him and touched his chest. It was there, his heartbeat. Still steady, but slowing down. I sighed with relief and grabbed the backpack.

I looked at him, hoping that I hadn't caused any irreversible damage to him or myself. If Kofi found him like this, knowing that I did this and I don't manage to escape, my life was going to be a living hell. Maybe I wouldn't even have a life anymore.

I shook at the thought, sending a prayer up to heaven to ask for forgiveness, then I took off. I draped the bag over both shoulders because it was heavy enough on one and I went to the living room, where the door to exit the mansion was located.

I peered inside to make sure no one was there. Even though it was dark, there was enough moonlight streaming into the room to illuminate the beauty of the place. I ventured into the hall and scrutinised the outside through the windows.

Like I expected, there were no security guards. They'd all retired to their rooms.

Next, I stared at the automatic gates. Was I supposed to press something to open them? There was no human sized gate, just that one. Maybe that was why they didn't even bother patrolling. The gate couldn't be easily opened.

I shook my head, deciding to face that obstacle head on. I pushed open the front door and was immediately overwhelmed by the cold. Since when was it ever this chilly in Ghana? Was this just a bad sign?

Dismissing my thoughts, I went forward, making sure I camouflaged myself with every obstacle in the way. For all I knew, they had cameras and someone was watching up there. I wasn't very good at stealth, but I can proudly say I managed to stay hidden.

It was when I got to the gate that I had to show myself. There was a panel on the wall and I had a feeling that it was connected to the gate somehow. There was a button on it, and I simply pushed it.

As expected, the gate began to open, and it was noiseless too! The day couldn't seem to get better, but I had an ominous feeling that something wasn't right. It was too easy, it had to be a trap. Or perhaps I was just being paranoid and it was too easy because no one expects the prostitutes to try and escape the mansion.

That was my last thought before I felt something very sharp – like a needle – stab my neck. I could only gasp as I felt whatever liquid that was in the dart seep into my skin at lighting speed. I managed to grab it and yank it out of me, but the drug had already began to take effect.

I felt my neck go numb, then my arms, then my legs. I felt like someone had filled me with a thousand kilograms of cement as I dropped to the ground like a ragdoll. I blinked once, the world blurring around me as my eyes closed of their own accord. It took a second longer before I could hear and feel nothing at all.

* * *

When I came to, I noticed that I was weak and sluggish. I could barely even open my eyes. It felt like they'd injected a horse tranquiliser into me. Knowing that the polo club was one of their businesses, I might've been right.

Though in all honesty, it must've been a human knockout drug because when I lay there for a while, I felt a bit of my strength slowly returning to me. Then, my throat – which had been uncomfortably closed-up – opened, and it felt too sore to even swallow with.

I considered saying 'water' hoping that if anyone was nearby, they'd give it to me, then I remembered what I did and who might be nearby. If it was him, I didn't want to alert him that I'd woken up.

Then again, if it was him, why was I in a comfortable bed and more importantly, why was I still alive? I peeped through narrowed eyes, trying to figure out whose subtle breathing was filling the room. My eyesight was blurry at first, but when it cleared, Kofi's sleeping figure was the first thing I saw.

As soon as I saw him, fear made my blood chill and my heart pump harder. I quickly shut my eyes, trying to calm myself down. He was asleep on a chair beside the bed I was on and we were in his room.

Why was he letting me sleep in his room? Had he not seen Wolfgang?

I wanted to believe that my pills were still working on him, but that wouldn't explain how he wasn't on the bed beside me. I knew I had to get out before he realised that I was awake. If I hadn't hurt Wolfgang, I would've gone to him for protection, but there was no one now.

I pulled the covers back and swung my legs to the side of the bed, sitting up. I turned back to take one last look at him, exhaled and stood up. I swayed, unsteady on my feet for a little bit, before I began to go towards the door, tip-toeing.

Taking as much caution as I could, I opened the door and stepped out slowly. It was quite comical to see two security guards looking at me like a piece of chicken as I closed the door behind me. I didn't know why I was still closing the door and being sneaky while they'd already seen me.

Whatever respect they treated me with before, it was gone now as one of them grabbed me by the waist and threw me over his shoulder, which was uncomfortably digging into my stomach. They threw the door open and it banged against the wall, successfully waking Kofi up.

The man who was carrying me threw me at Kofi's feet unceremoniously, making me bite my lip as my bandaged shoulder scraped the ground.

Kofi immediately crouched and grabbed me by the hair, pulling my head back so that I was looking at him. "You..." he trailed off, since the words he was looking for to describe me hadn't been produced yet.

I stared back defiantly, biting hard on the insides of my cheek just so that I wouldn't scream in pain. It felt like he was ripping out my tiny hairs from my head. He probably was. "Me."

He laughed angrily. "You have the audacity to talk back? The only reason you're not in hell right now is because of my brothers. I don't understand what they see in you, you ungrateful murderous bitch!"

Brothers. Nathan was here and Wolfgang was awake then. I couldn't deny the pang of relief I felt knowing that I hadn't put him in a coma or worse. "Is Wolfgang okay?"

The rage that flashed in his eyes made my stomach knot in fright. "Don't you dare mention his name." He warned, his voice dropping octaves. "He's not fine, if you must know. He has a concussion, and as we speak, he's having shards of glass removed from his head."

I swallowed, feeling the guilt course through me. "But he's fine, right? Nothing irreversible?"

"You had better thank God that isn't the case. If it were, not even God can save you from me."

"C-can I –"

"No! Don't even dare ask!"

I frowned. "I-I didn't mean to hurt him. He was... he was just there, he wouldn't have let me le–"

"You stupid idiot. Did you think it'd be that easy? Come here." He dragged me up by the hair and shoved me against the window. Tears pricked my eyes. He pointed at something outside but I couldn't see what it was. "Motion sensors. Motion sensors, you idiot. This is why everyone retires at night."

I couldn't see what he was talking about, but I knew what they were and what they do from the movies I watched and the books I've read. "B-but those nights you l-left me –"

"I turned them off! I turned them off because I didn't want you to get shot! The motion sensors work with those," he pointed at something again but tears blurred my vision because he was pulling my hair too hard, "they record the size and the heat of the moving body to determine whether it's human or not. If it is, they fire a dart filled with knockout drugs. That's what happened to you."

I had no idea that the technology here was so advanced. If I did, I would've planned my escape more diligently.

"You did something to me too, didn't you? It's been a long time since I've slept as deeply as I did last night, and even this morning, I feel like I still need to sleep."

"Well then, shouldn't you be glad?" I spat. I regretted what I had to do to Rhys, but not him. Kofi deserved much worse than he was dealt with. I wish he came into the kitchen last night. Then again, he wouldn't have waited long enough to converse with me.

My words annoyed him further as he smashed me against the window. I turned my cheek to the glass because it felt like he wanted to crush my nose. His body was pressing against me from behind too like a brick wall.

I'd never felt so weak and vulnerable as I did at that moment. It was such a terrible feeling.

"Mark my words, I will kill you if you ever lay hands on either of my brothers again. Do you hear me?" He whispered into my ear.

Even though I was deathly scared, my tongue was still as sharp as ever. "When you're breathing down on me like that, it's kind of inevitable that I'd hear you, don't you think? Did you have fish for breakfast though?"

His hand snaked up and curled around my neck. "You're tempting me Elorm. You're tempting me."

"Do your worst." I spat, closing my eyes. If he killed me there, at least I wouldn't die like I coward. I would never plead for my life; not to this brute.

Surprisingly, he gave me space by stepping back a bit. I took in a breath I didn't know I was dying without. "I will." Then he pulled me back and shoved me to the ground. "Trust me, I will."

It felt like all the blood was rushing back into my head. My scalp felt sore to the touch; I couldn't even imagine combing my hair. I was crying now so I didn't dare look at him. I didn't want him to see the tears. "What now?" I asked.

"What did you give me last night? Ah, I see. That's why you were acting so strange yesterday. You got close to me and drugged my food. I have to admit, you're smart. I won't underestimate you anymore. By some stroke of good luck, I turned the system back on last night. You would've gotten away with this if you'd tried just a day earlier." He mocked me.

I bit my bottom lip until my teeth broke into the skin and it began to bleed. I hated him so much. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I want you to know how close you got to escaping. It'll be more painful." I flinched when he crouched in front of me and grabbed my chin, raising my head. I quickly shut my eyes, but that made the tears pour down faster. "What did you give me last night?" He asked again. If he saw my tears, he gave no indication.

"Why don't you find out yourself?"

"I will only ask again once," he gripped my chin, making my eyes fly open. The look in his eyes petrified me, "what did you give me last night?"

I gulped. "J-just sleeping pills."

He nodded with a small smirk. "How many?"

"T-three." I hated the way I couldn't stop myself from stammering. I hated the way each syllable he said instilled more fear in me.

"You're going to take triple that amount." He said.

"W-what?" I stammered.

He stood up and went and opened the door. "Bring me a glass of water and a bottle of the strongest sleeping pills you can find."

I needed to get out of here. He was going to kill me. He didn't care what his brothers wanted. He was going to kill me and tell them that it was an accident. I was sure of it.

I stood up slowly, but he turned around as soon as he heard the slight movement. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I don't know what was injected into me this morning, but coupled with that, nine sleeping pills are going to kill me."

"Do you know how dangerous it is to take three sleeping pills in one night? Did you care what might have happened to me? Why should I care what happens to you?"

"Your brothers will hate you if you kill me."

He chuckled. "They will not talk to me for a few weeks, but if you think you can destroy what my brothers and I have, you're delusional. They're just kind, they would do the same thing for anyone. Besides, who said anything about killing? I'm just giving you a taste of your own medicine." He smirked. "Pun intended."

"You can't make me take them." I said.

The door opened and a maid walked in with a tray. She had a bottle of pills and a glass of water.

"Set them here," Kofi pointed at his personal dining table, "thank you."

I rolled my eyes. So, he had manners.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Take them." He said.

I went to the dining table and gazed at the water. Then, I pulled a chair back and sat down. My throat was a desert, so I drank some of the water, wiped my mouth and face, and set the glass back down. I looked at him and smirked. "No."

"You know what?" He smiled. "You were right. Deep down, I like you. No one I've met has ever given me the opportunity to show them how animalistic and devilish I can be. No one until you."

I didn't see it coming. He simply tipped the chair over. Of course, I fell, then he put his legs on either side of me and sat down on me. He was much more heavy than I thought and even though I thrashed, since he had all his weight on my hips, I couldn't move around well enough to kick him off.

He twisted and took the bottle and the glass. He set the glass beside me but far enough so that I couldn't tip it over. He uncapped the bottle and took out exactly nine pills.

I was scared. I don't know how I should say it for anyone to understand the kind of fear that was pumping through my body at that moment.

He used his fingers to close my nostrils. I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't breathe.

I'd suffocate. I'd suffocate, then I'd die. I'd die.

I opened my mouth.

Even though it was just a small opening, he shoved all nine pills inside my mouth. I tried to spit them out, but before I knew what was happening, he took the glass and was pouring all the water into my mouth.

I began to choke. My arms flailed wildly as I attempted to dig my nails into him.

I was choking.

"Just swallow. Swallow," he said. He covered my mouth with his free hand while his other hand kept my nostrils shut.

I swallowed.

"Good girl."

* * *

So, my Kofi and Elorm shippers, how are you? Have you visited your psychiatrists in a while?

I just loooooooooove how this chapter turned out. The characters have taken over and my intended plot has been long forgotten 😕 Let's wait and see what happens next.

I hope this wasn't unrealistic.

Don't forget to vote! 🌟