Try Me

Fourteen

The Awakening

Yong's tight grip on her arm held as she felt her shoulders drop, hopeless tears falling down her face as she felt the remaining glimmer of hope within her fade away.

"Please, please can't you just let me go?" She begged, looking up at him with dark, beautiful and pitiful eyes. They were  swollen with tears, her voice choked with sobs as she pleaded with Yong to release her. Her face was littered with cuts and bruises from the crash, a large open wound running across the side of her head. Her body trembled with fear and despair as she looked up at him, searching for any shred of mercy in his expression. But all she saw was cold indifference.

Her hair was disheveled, her clothes torn and stained with dirt and blood from the struggle and the car accident. She looked like a helpless, wounded animal, trapped in the jaws of a predator. Yong was that predator, towering over her with a menacing glare that made her feel small and powerless.

"Ezra, Ezra, Ezra," Yong shook his head, his tone laced with disdain. "How many times do I have to tell you that you can't just walk away from this?"

He pulled her closer to him, their faces dangerously close, his eyes never leaving her face. Ezra's heart pounded in her chest as she watched him, her mind racing with fear and desperation. She hated him, she hated him with every atom of her being. He seemed to enjoy playing with her, his prey, tormenting her with his words and his gaze. He leaned in close, his breath hot on her cheek as he whispered, "You know the rules, Ezra. You break them, you pay the price."

Ezra flinched, trying to pull away from him, but his grip was too strong. She felt trapped, cornered, and utterly hopeless. She wondered if anyone would come to save her, if anyone she knew had even realised the danger she was in.

With this failed escape attempt, she knew that she had sealed her fate, that she had no way out of this nightmare. But still, she begged, pleaded, and prayed for mercy, hoping against all odds that Yong would finally show her some kindness.

But he remained apathetic, his eyes faltering only for a brief moment before hardening again, but it went unnoticed by her. In that moment Ezra knew that she was on her own, that no one was coming to save her, and that she had to fight for her survival. Their moment was interrupted by the sound of someone coughing, intentionally trying to get their attention.

"Can I help you?" Yong seethed, staring up at the many men that had leapt out of the black vans that had blocked Ezra's escape.

"Julian sent us."The man that had coughed said, he nodded his head towards Ezra. "She heard about the commotion around your estate and asked us to help out her friend." Yong's eye twitched at the word friend. Was this a warning or threat? Did she know who Ezra was?

"Well, the issue has been resolved as you can see. Send her my gratitude and fuck off." He seethed and the man laughed, turning around to the other men to lower their weapons.

"Mason Yong," He began, the two men exchange discerning looks, "Who is she?"

"She's none of your business. She's of no concern to you or Julian. Now, get your men and leave, I won't take ask again and tell Julian I'm taking offence by your actions."

"Who is she?" The man repeated, taking a step forward ignoring Yong's warning.

Ezra's eyes were clouded with tears as she struggled to catch her breath. She was too taken emotionally and physically by her failure to escape, especially with freedom so close in reach, to realize what was happening around her. All she could think about was getting away from Yong and his men. She felt trapped and helpless, and her heart was pounding so hard that she thought it might burst out of her chest.