Chapter 285: Chapter 285

This all happened in just one day! No, scratch that, just a few hours, and Avril was so overwhelmed that she didn’t know what to do next.

’How can one day get fucked up ?’ She fumed and then winced as that action of just using her facial muscles in itself caused her head to hurt. The painkiller she had taken earlier looked to be waning off already, which caused her to become irritable.

If this had happened in the past, she would have displaced her anger on the workers around her, but at that moment, Avril had literally no one. She dared not show her face around because, within just an hour from the pharmacy, her ’wanted’ poster had been plastered all over the digital media and even on some walls. This made her feel so betrayed!

’How could dad do that to me? I am his daughter! The one whose dad sacrificed himself to save him. How could that old man do this to me just because of a witch? Was he also into that Shelby person? Is that why Alex took Shelby’s side?’ Avril felt so cornered that she contemplated turning herself in but went against that idea.

She shouted to herself as her voice echoed in the empty night. Avril looked around warily, and all her bravado went out the window. Thanks to Alex, she had lived a sheltered and lavish lifestyle, and she had never been to that part of the town.

Along the way, Avril had stolen clothes and scarves to cover herself tightly. No matter how dilapidated the place she was in, this was all she could risk. The fewer people around, the lower her chances of being discovered.

Even as she limped around, she could not help but think back to the day,

"I can’t believe that Dad let the police take me away after putting my pride aside and begging till my voice became raw?!! But I can’t go to jail! No! Never in this life! Never!"

She shook her head vigorously and then winced yet again.

"The nerve of that man to put his filthy hands on me?" She said, thinking of Murray,

"It was all because of that damn Shelby and her witchy looks! I will get my payback! I must survive this first!"

Avril looked at the dimmed streets around her and then shivered slightly. She popped another painkiller in and made her way towards a shadowy bridge beneath a sloping hill on one side of the road. It also had a road leading to it, except that this was a dirt road and not tarred.

She quickened her pace as her stomach growled in protest.

Avril sighed in relief as the darkness enveloped her, believing it shielded her from all danger.

She sagged onto the cold dump ground and then buried her head in her lap.

’What do I do now?’ The feeling of desperation had come too fast for her. She had money but could not use it as it was in the banks. She had no cash on her, her friends had deserted her. Avril was literally stuck between a rock and a hard place!

She pulled the not-so-thick shawl around her to keep out the cold, but it did not do much to help. The nights were getting chillier as the year was drawing to its end.

Just when she thought that all was lost, a car pulled up to her in the dead of the night as she lay shivering underneath a bridge.

"Hey, pretty girl...why are you here all alone?"

Her heart lurched, and she scrambled up, trying to hide her face, ’Am I going to be taken in after all of this?’

"Relax, Big Brother is only here to help you. Why are you here alone?" The man stressed the last part as he looked around, confirming that she was indeed alone.

"Who said that I was...."

"Tsk! Tsk! There’s no need to lie to me. I’ve been following you for the better part of the day."

Avril sucked in her breath as fear engulfed her.

"Relax! I will not turn you in. I am only here to help."

"W-hat do you w-ant?" Despite Avril’s best efforts, her teeth cluttered, giving away how she felt; cold with a tinge of fear.

Avril leaned on the chilly walls for support as she slowly stood up, her joints protesting even more from the cold that had settled in.

The man’s words accurately told her that he really knew who she was. Despite her cold demeanour, she was really fragile on the inside. She was cold, tired, scared, and had so many other things that Avril could not think clearly.

"Big brother has a nice house, and I can give you a warm place to stay and food to eat. Besides, that head injury needs to be treated."

Avril’s head was a mess, but that did not mean she was stupid. She was tempted but knew she needed to understand the offer.

"W-hat .... I mean .... How do I have to pay? I do-n’t have any money now...."

Then Avril stopped thinking long and hard while she weighed her options, "Once I get back on my feet, I can pay! I promise!"

The man who called himself ’Big brother’ got down from the car and stood right in front of Avril.

"You don’t have to worry about that little sister. There are different ways to pay back but Big Brother wants to help."

"You really are beautiful, little sister. Even that broken tooth adds to your charm!"

"What?" Avril touched her lips, and her gaze grew cold at the thought of how she had lost that tooth.

"We can work on it if you’d like,"

"What are you talking about? Work of what? Besides, who really are you? Who sent you?" She had grown warier and started to ask all these.

"Didn’t I already introduce myself? They call me ’Big Brother.’" Avril’s heart sank, knowing that she would not be getting any more from him but then,

"I’ve seen you on TV, and I must say that picture does not do you justice!"

Avril’s heart panicked, and she instinctively tried to step back, but being against the wall, she couldn’t move any further.

"You’ve been a bad girl! But no worries, we like bad girls, and Big Brother is no snitch!"

Avril lowered her eyes and weighed her options as he repeated his words, but this time, he brought a steaming cup of coffee out. She was not sure from where it had come from but Avril was famished! She snatched it and gulped it up and then yelped as the hot liquid went down her throat, bringing tears to her eyes. Big brother smiled.

"We can provide you with all food and a place to sleep for a reasonable fee...."

Avril shook her head as she emptied the cup, just as the man added,

"You still have this. "His eyes raked over hers, and down her body, making her shrink back, trembling....

She declined, but the man was quite persuasive, and after what seemed like a long time later, she found herself in his warm car to wherever that would take her.

Avril had not even lasted a day on her own and gave in to the stranger’s help, but surprisingly, Big Brother was as nice as he had portrayed. What Avril did not know was that it would last only for a few days before reality came crashing down.

He brought in a doctor to examine her injuries, and she was even given a whole room to herself and food to eat that night. Avril had never been so happy, and she was grateful for the stranger’s gestures.

On the third day, Avril got some sombre news,

"Well, it’s time to pay what is due."

’So soon? Where am I going to get the money?’ She thought.

"But, Big brother, I already told you that I will pay you back with interest as soon as I can access my funds?"

"Tsk, Tsk, Little sister is too naïve. How long will that be with the police looking for you? Big brother has a business to run and cannot give out free stuff." He said to her gently, but Avril felt a shiver run down her spine.

"You still have that sumptuous body, and that will be enough for Big Brother."

"Do not act naïve, little sister. You knew this before you got into the car with me that day. You accepted my help which comes with a cost. Now, do not make me lose my patience!" He raised his voice at the end, lowering it again as if he did not want to scare her.

"Now, what do you say?"

Avril chewed her lips and tried to make herself look pitiful, but the Big Brother person just stared pointedly at her, as if his patience was drying up.

"Remember, I never forced you to come here, but staying is a different issue!"

An idea popped into Avril’s head, "I am a genius winemaker for the Thornston industries and can make you rich in tha-"

"Winemaker? Hahahahahahaaaaaa..." Echoes of laughter filled the space, catching Avril by surprise as she hadn’t noticed more people had arrived. The men looked so intimidating, and they made her skin crawl. They were the kind of people that one did not want to mess with. That made Avril’s façade fade, but she still did not question the decision that had brought her there.

"We do not need a winemaker...." Big Brother sneered, ".... but then, you can stay in the trade and become a wine drinker!"

"Hahahahahahahhahaha"

"...Or a table for drinking the wine! Hahahahahahahahaaaaa!!!!"

One of the men taunted, making them whistle in response. Avril’s skin tingled uneasily.

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