Chapter 2 On the Run

"That idiot is not here." Maryanne had the familiar voice swear once again. That was Mellie, her best friend.

"I do not know where she else she could have gone to. Give me time to think." Mellie continued. The people she was talking to ignored her as Maryanne could hear doors to various rooms in the house opening and closing.

When one of them was about to open the study room door, she heard Mellie yell, "Let's get out of here." Shortly, Maryanne heard several footsteps descending down the staircase and sighed heavily. She was not even aware she was holding her breathe.

In total Maryanne had counted a search party of around 8 people with the exclusion of her "BEST FRIEND." That was really close she thought while getting up from under the desk.

Suddenly, Maryanne heard Mellie yell once more, "Wait! We need to get some money, I know where Maryanne keeps some money for emergencies."

Knowing Mellie must be forced to come behind the desk to access money from her drawer, Maryanne hurriedly moved to hide behind a stack of books. These were shelved in the bookshelf nearest the door.

Maryanne imagined that if worse came to worst, she would try and run out of the house. How she could manage that was a mystery to her that she had no time to attempt solving considering her ever growing amount of fear.

However, she could not dwell on that as the room was suddenly filled with light making Maryanne's eyes squint in an effort to adjust to the blinding light.

Mellie first grabbed the two one hundred dollar bills and stashed them in her bra. Thereafter, she emptied the drawers and was happy when she found money in the last drawer.

Her ear splitting grin would have had you guessing she had won a beauty contest and the prize was to spend a night with Prince Charles, Edward Mu from My Wife is an Aloof Beauty, Charles Lu from The Substitute Bride, Carlos Huo, Wesley Li or even Sheffield Tang (jack of all trades) from Take My Breathe Away.

The only downside, there was no one to envy Mellie's reward. She stuffed a few more bills into her bra on either side. The rest of the cash Mellie kept in a duffel bag she had carried with her. Maryanne imagined that was the only cash she would share with the crew. Having gotten what she looking for, Mellie left the study room without even bothering to return back the drawers she had completely pulled out.

As evident, it seems luck was on Maryanne's side since she had not even remembered the money in the drawer. She had only taken money she had kept in the inbuilt safe.

This forgetfulness could mainly be attributable to the fact that, in her mind, the money was already spent. Specifically, about 50,000 dollars meant to pay their domestic staff, shop for groceries and the rest be used in refurbishing and decorating the house was in the last drawer. Well now in Mellie's pockets.

Once everything was quiet, Maryanne tiptoed out of the house through the kitchen door. She now knew she had to be extra careful. This is taking into account her attacker was someone Maryanne had known for the longest time possible.

Maryanne imagined they may even decide to get someone to watch the house to catch her unaware. That is if she decided to "show up" not knowing Maryanne was there the entire time Mellie and crew had visited the house.

Once out of the compound, Maryanne walked a few metres from the house, hailed a cab and left.

Maryanne could not believe that the woman she had loved and treated like the sister she never had for so many years could do this to her. To her innocent mother. In fact, it would take a lot of work to convince both her heart and brain that her dear friend Mellie could hurt her and her family that much.

The cab dropped her at a motel by the name Secretive, waaay out of town. Maryanne did not want to risk being seen by anyone who might identify her and inform her offenders.

It was while in her room in the motel that Maryanne realised how hungry she was. Knowing macaroni or rice would not quench her hunger, Maryanne chose to have ugali, fish and some greens.

While eating, Maryanne decided to process what had transpired. Because she was still afraid, she decided to take more or precaution. She went back to the reception and asked to be transferred to another room under an alias.

For the trouble, she generously tipped the receptionist. Before leaving, Maryanne also instructed the receptionist to say she stayed for a few hours then left in case anybody came asking. She then gingerly went back to her room.

Just as Maryanne had anticipated, in the process of going out for a jog the following morning before 7 am, she heard Mellie at the reception making inquiries about her. She froze on the stairs.

" Maryanne is not here. It seems the stupid cab driver lied to us. Does he even know what he was talking about? It seems he only wanted to scam us the $5000 we had promised as reward money. Finish him off." Mellie said.

"Yes Ryan. We will get married soon, first let's find the idiot and take everything she has." Mellie continued.

Good Heavens! Her fiancé (Ryan) too. To think that she was on her way to buy a burner cell and call him.

Betrayed by two people she trusted the most, Maryanne was rendered both speechless and immobile. In fact, even her thoughts left her and she stood there staring blindly ahead.

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