Mistaken by the Billionaire Marquess

CHAPTER 11: Drugged

– LIA –

BEFORE leaving Althea’s house, she told me number of reminders. It includes calling her whenever I notice something weird or if something happened again. I gave her the exact address of the restaurant and the name of the person I’m meeting. She also reminded me that she will call my number every 30 minutes to check.

At first, she really wanted to go with me. I agreed, however, her boss called her that she is needed for an emergency meeting in their company. She almost told her boss to fuck off but I told her that it’s okay. I assured her that I will text her when I arrived at the restaurant and will update her every now and then.

“Remember what I told you, okay?” Althea said as we looked for a jeepney. “Open your phone at all times. If there’s something suspicious, contact me immediately.”

I nodded. “Yes, yes. Don’t worry too much,” I smiles at her. “I won’t forget your reminders.”

“Good,” she responded while raising her hand to stop the jeepney.

“I’ll go to the restaurant right after our meeting, okay?” she said while we walked to towards the entrance of the jeepney.

“Sure. I’ll wait for you,” I replied. “Bye! See you later!”

She waved good bye to me. Even if the jeepney is already far from her house, I can still see her looking at my direction.

I just cut my gaze to her when the jeepney turned right and my sight can’t reach her anymore.

“Bayad po,” (Here’s my fare.) I said while handing my jeepney fare to the passengers in front of me so that it will reach the driver. “Sa City Center lang po.” (My stop’s on the City Center.)

I grabbed my phone from my sling bag and texted Chynna that I’m already on the way.

Me: Hi, Chynn! I’m already on the way. How about you?

I grabbed my earphones and inserted it to the phone. The travel time to the city center will take almost 30 minutes, that is, if the traffic is not heavy. It will usually take 45 minutes to an hour if there’s a heavy traffic.

I scrolled on my Spotify to look for a playlist that I’m in the mood to play. While scrolling, my phone beeped and I saw that it was because Chynna replied.

Chynna: Hi! I’m on my way, too. Text me if you’ve arrived.

I looked at the clock. It is still early. It’s just quarter to 6 PM. I didn’t expect that Chynna will be already on her. Maybe she’s from a far, too.

Fortunately, the travel time was short. I was able to reach the city center before 6:15 PM. I actually planned to take a tricycle to the restaurant but since I arrived early, I decided to just walk.

It was not surprising that the sun is still up at this hour. It’s summer time afterall. Although the moon isn’t still visible, I can see a lot of people having their dinner on different restaurants and stalls in the city center.

It took me 15 minutes to reach the restaurant. Actually, I should’ve arrived earlier if I didn’t stop on a stall where several people are singing on a videoke. I almost forgot that I still have a dinner to attend. I was enjoying their songs so much.

A security guard opened the door for me. When I entered, I noticed that there are only a few people inside the restaurant. And when I say few, I mean, very few.

There are only two customers, a woman in her mid-50s and a man on his late 50s or early 60s. I think their married to each since they occupied the same table.

When I entered, I saw the woman looked at my direction but she immediately looked back to her husband. She said something I didn’t catch up before his husband looked at me. It didn’t took long, though. They went back talking to each other, ignoring my presence.

One of the female servers approached me.

“Good evening, ma’am! Welcome to Brown’s restaurant. How may we help you?” she greeted.

I turned my head to her. “Hi! I’m waiting for a friend. Can I just order once she arrived?”

“Sure, ma’am. Please choose a table and call a waiter or waitress if you’re ready to have your order.”

I occupied a table just beside the window, near the door. Althea told me to do it so that if ever something happens, I’m just near the exit. I just hope that the windows are not tinted, and that the people from the outside can see me.

I texted Chynna, telling her that I’m already at the restaurant.

Me: Hi, Chynn! I’m already the restaurant you told me.

I waited for her reply, but nothing came.

While waiting for her to arrive, one of the servers approached me.

He was smiling from ear to ear, but for some reason, a part of me says that it’s fake. We’ll most of the servers and restaurant crews have a fake smile, although it looked genuine for others. If I’m working in such busy and toxic environment, I will fake a smile too, or maybe I will not smile at all.

He placed a tray of bread and a pitcher on the table.

“Good evening, ma’am. Here’s a free meal while waiting for your friend,” the server told me after he placed the food on the table.

I was surpised, actually. I didn’t expect them to give something like this. The last time I received free food is from a carinderia near our police station. It was a sunny side-up egg stuffed between two breads. It was given to me while I was eating the meal I bought.

They’re generous when it comes to giving free foods to their customers. Or maybe, it’s because I’m a new customer and that they want to leave a good impression.

Too bad I don’t really want to eat here. The prices of their meals are expensive as hell.

“Thank you,” I smiled back at him. When he left the table, I grabbed one of the doughnut bread and eat it.

My whole body was awaken when I tasted the doughnut. It was so good! I can’t believe I haven’t tasted it until now!

Maybe I could consider eating here.

I was enjoying eating the breads. I also drank the pineapple juice from the pitcher, which was actually too sweet for me. But I like it anyway.

I grabbed my phone to check if Chynna has already replied. It was already 7:02 in the evening but she’s still isn’t here.

My phone won’t open. I’m sure that it was fully charged before I left Althea’s house. I tried clicking the power button several times but it’s still not opening. I even tried to charge it using my powerbank, but it also doesn’t work. Is my phone already destroyed?

I was opening my phone when someone sat on the chair in front of me.

When I turned my head to that person, my widened and my whole body turned cold.

“Your friend won’t make it here. I went on her behalf,” Kelleon said as he raise his hand to call the waiter.

I was dumb founded. I was stunned. Of all people, he is the last one that I would want to see.

He was saying something to the waiter, but my ears became deaf and my body won’t move even if I want to escape. After talking to the waiter, he looked at my direction.

“How about you? What’s your order?” he asked me while his fingers are busy tapping on the table. “Don’t worry, I’ll pay for it.”

I want to scream. I want to stand up and run from here. I want to punch him the face. I want to call Althea or my senior. I want to ask for help. I want to do a lot of things to save myself, but I was just right there, stunned and quiet.

“Cat got your tongue, darling?” he chuckled before turning his head to the waiter. “She’ll have the same order as mine.”

I heard the waiter left us. Kelleon looked back the me. He leaned nearer to my direction and smirked.

“You didn’t expect this, don’t you?” he asked, as if he was teasing me that he was able to find me.

“Where’s Chynna?” That’s the first thing I said when I was able to compose myself a little bit.

His mouth opened a little, as if he was somehow he shocked from what I said.

“You’re worried about her?” he spat out an insulting laugh, like my question is an insane one.

One waitress went to our table and poured a wine to his glass.

I glared at him. “I’m asking you. Where’s Chynna?”

He sipped a drink from his glass and gave me a boring sigh.

“At my basement,” he answered briefly while carressing the rim of the glass.

My eyes widened. As a criminal profiler, I have handled a lot of cases where suspects put their victims in a basement. I’m not dumb. I know what he wants to imply to me when he said that.

“What did you do to her?” I asked even if I already have an idead on what he did.

Did he tortured her so that Chynna will speak? If that’s the case, I can’t blame Chynna if she told him where I am.

I suddenly felt guilty. Chynna will not experience that if not because of me.

Instead of answering my question, he just chuckled at me. My eyebrows furrowed.

The meals arrived. He was just watching the waiter as he served our meal. I’m starting to lose my patience because he is not answering my question!

“What did you do to Chynna?” I asked him again, with much firmer voice this time.

Like earlier, he just chuckled and didn’t give me an answer. He started cutting the steak he ordered, minding his own business like I didn’t asked him a question.

“What did you do to her?!” I exclaimed as I hit the table with my two palms.

Because of the intensity of my force, the plates and other things on the table were shaken. Others even jumped a little bit because of that force. One of those is his wine glass. It fell on the floor and broke. That made a loud breaking sound. I even felt that some debris flew to my feet.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

He stopped eating. He placed his fork and knife on his plate before looking at me.

“What I did to her is none of your business,” he replied. He grabbed his fork once again and continued eating like nothing happened.

He gave me a useless answer. None of my business? Really?

I was really furious. I know that he did something to her. He just doesn’t want to admit it, or maybe he’s enjoying seeing me mad at him.

I grabbed the knife. I stood up and ready to stab him when I felt that the surroundings moved around. My eyesight became blurry and I felt sleepy. The knife slipped on my hand and it fell on the floor.

I touched the edge of the table for support. I tried grabbing my phone to ask Althea for help when Kelleon spoke.

“There’s no use calling someone,” he said. “Your phone won’t work anyway. I have a phone jammer with me.”

So that’s why. That’s the reason why my phone suddenly stopped working when he entered. Wow, he really planned all of this. He really wouldn’t let me escape from him.

Hearing that, I tried reaching for the door. It was just behind me. I’m sure that I can leave this place and ask for help on the people outside.

However, when I was trying to reach the door, a huge body blocked my way. I tried punching it, but my force were all gone. My ears started ringing so loud that it hurts. I tried blocking my ears, thinking that it will stop. However, the pain worsens as I try to cover my ears more.

My knees lose their strength. I felt myself falling down. I was ready to feel the cold, hard, concrete floor. However, I felt that something warm caught me. And then I head Kelleon’s voice.

“You’ve drank a lot of those drugs. Well, pineapple is your favorite afterall.”

When I lose my hearing, everything went black.