Chapter 31
Winifred pressed herself against the right–hand door, her arm wrapped tightly around it, even though she knew it was locked.
Winifred tried not to assume the worst, but outside the window, the road was nearly deserted, with only the occasional car passing by.
They were still out in the northern district of Sonisburg, surrounded by all kinds of factories. It was a quiet, remote stretch of the city.
Winifred felt that her chest tightened, but she forced herself to sound calm. “It’s only 8:30 p.m. It’s not that late.”
“Your man actually lets a pretty girl like you work? If you were my wife, I’d never let you out at night,” the driver said. His gaze stayed locked on Winifred’s smooth, slender neck, and he licked his lips.
Winifred met his eyes in the rearview mirror. He seemed harmless at first glance, but the way he was staring made her skin crawl. Her heart raced with anxiety.
Her hand searched her bag for pepper spray while the other reached for her phone.
She glanced out at the empty, dark road and dialed James. She wanted him to know where she was, especially since she’d just left his factory.
But the call didn’t go through. She thought James must have been busy. Panic started creeping in. Her mind filled with images of women getting abducted by unlicensed cab drivers. Her fingers shook as she held the phone.
Winifred cursed her luck. She hesitated for a few seconds, and cold sweat formed on her
forehead.
She wanted to call the police right away, but the driver hadn’t actually done anything.
He’d just been chatting with her. There was nothing she could report. She worried that if she made a move like that, she’d only make him angry and things would get worse.
Winifred didn’t really have any male friends, either at work or in her personal life. Her design team was all women.
She quickly sent her location to Nina on WhatsApp, explaining what was going on.
Nina replied almost instantly, telling her not to worry and that she’d ask her boyfriend to come and get her.
Chapter 31
Winifred managed to calm down a bit, but when she looked up, she locked eyes with the driver’s creepy stare in the rearview mirror. Her hand trembled as she hovered over a contact number for a few seconds before she pressed the call button.
It was Humbert’s number, which was saved in her phone as Dr. Pierce. But the call didn’t go through.
Winifred thought she must have lost her mind even considering calling him. After three rings with no answer, she quickly hung up.
Her phone battery was at 57%, which gave her a little comfort.
Right then, the driver grinned. “Calling your hubby, huh? He didn’t even pick up for his own wife. Guess he must be really busy.”
Winifred noticed the car slowing down. They were out in the middle of nowhere, the road pitch–black and empty, with hardly any security cameras around. She bit her lip, her whole body shaking as the car crawled along.
At that moment, her phone suddenly rang. It was Humbert calling.
She picked up right away, her voice shaking as she said, “Hello?”
Winifred put the call on speaker, keeping the volume just loud enough for the driver to hear, but not so much that it seemed obvious. Inside, she prayed Humbert wouldn’t expose her.
“Yeah, I’m driving.” Humbert’s voice came through, cool and distant.
“Hello, darling,” Winifred said, her voice trembling, and her palms were sweaty.
There was a short pause on the other end, but it felt like forever, tugging at Winifred’s heart. Her fingers were weak from panic, but she clung to the phone and forced herself to say, “Darling, are you still not home yet?”
There was another two seconds of silence, each one making her nerves tighter.
Finally, Humbert said in a deep voice, “Yeah, almost there.”
He hadn’t blown her cover. Winifred let out a sigh of relief. “Darling, I’ve been working late at the factory on Bluemist Road in the northern district of Sonisburg. I just got a cab, and it’ll still take about 40 minutes to get home.
“Can you come pick me up? Maybe we can grab something at the Seafood Diner near our place. I haven’t eaten yet.”
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Chapter 31
“I just got out of the hospital, and I’m driving right now. I missed your call carlier, so don’t be mad,” Humbert said..
“Okay, just drive safe,” Winifred said softly.
“Alright,” Humbert replied. “I’ll wait for you at the entrance to the apartment building”
His deep voice, with a teasing tone at the end, calmed Winifred’s nerves like a cool breeze, chasing away her fear.
After hanging up, Winifred lowered her gaze and stared at her sweaty palms, her fingers still shaking. She didn’t dare look up at the driver, but she could feel his searching eyes on her.
She had no idea if her act had worked or if she’d make it through the next forty minutes safely. The fear in her chest kept her on high alert, her eyes glued to the road outside.
If the car veered off the usual route, she’d tense up like a spring.
The driver kept throwing out sleazy comments. “Hey, girl, your skin is so smooth. Bet your hubby feels lucky to have you.
“It’s warm in here, huh? Why not take off your jacket? Your man’s a doctor, right? Bet he makes good money. Gotta be loaded to have a gorgeous wife like you.”
About twenty minutes later, Winifred’s phone rang again. Humbert’s name flashed on the screen. She picked up right away. “Hello,” she said.
“I’m waiting at the entrance,” Humbert said.
Even though it was a short sentence, Winifred felt a wave of relief. She quickly told him where she was. “I’m near Highhill Road. I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”
She hadn’t expected Humbert to call back, but after that call, she felt a lot calmer.
The car had already entered the northern district of Sonisburg, and when she saw the familiar streets, she let out a deep sigh of relief.
*****
Finally, the car pulled up at the entrance to the apartment building. Winifred threw the door open and rushed out, as if she were escaping from something awful.
She kept her head down, not daring to look back, and she hurried across the street toward the
entrance.
Suddenly, Winifred bumped into a solid chest, the sharp scent of men’s cologne hitting her. Still shaken, she hadn’t expected anyone to be in her way. Off–balance, she stumbled back a
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Chapter 31
couple of steps, nearly falling.
She looked up and saw a tall, lean man with a cold, sharp expression. It was Humbert. He reached out, his large hand grabbing her wrist and pulling her forward, and he didn’t move an inch.
With one strong pull, Winifred was pulled into him. Her soft body collided with his chest, and a faint, comforting scent seemed to swirl between them. She ended up in his arms.
His palm, broad and firm, settled on her waist, pulling her closer against him.
Winifred felt an overwhelming sense of safety. It was hard to tell whether it was the warmth of his chest, the familiar scent, or the steady pressure of his hand on her waist that made her feel
- SO.
She didn’t know why Humbert had agreed to pick her up at the entrance of her neighborhood, but that meant she had made it through the night in one piece. Her chest ached with relief and emotion, and somehow she wanted to cry.
Winifred blinked rapidly, trying hard to keep the tears from spilling out of her eyes.
Humbert glanced coldly at the white BYD parked not far away. Since Winifred had crossed the street and made it to the entrance, the car hadn’t moved at all. It was clear the driver was waiting for the right moment to make his move.
If he didn’t see any adult men around, he’d probably follow Winifred all the way into her building.
Winifred and Rosalind were at home, along with Margaret. The three women wouldn’t be able to stand up to a grown man like the driver.
The driver didn’t expect her husband to be waiting at the entrance. He glanced at the rearview mirror, stepped on the gas, and drove off.
Then Winifred gently pulled away from Humbert’s arms.
A single streetlight flickered at the entrance to the apartment building.
Humbert looked at Winifred’s pale face, her eyes red and lashes wet. When he held her earlier, her back had been so stiff, like a bowstring ready to snap.
“Wh–Why were you around here?” Winifred’s voice trembled, her teeth chattering.
“I just dropped a colleague off nearby,” Humbert replied.
“Thanks,” Winifred said quietly.
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Chapter 31
“Don’t mention it,” Humbert said, letting go of her waist.
E
Only then did Winifred realize she’d been pressed against him the whole time. Her face flushed red as she stepped back quickly. The night breeze caught her trench coat, showing off her long, slender legs in jeans.
Humbert felt his throat dry up. His eyes lingered on her legs for a moment before he looked
away.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
