~ Jane’s POV

“Please, stop…” I whispered, trying to free my arm from my brother’s grip. I looked around, hoping for someone, anyone, to intervene, and praying I’d maybe walk away with no broken bones at least.

“If you weren’t as stupid as you are, I would’ve thought of stopping.” Luca gritted his teeth, his hand tightening around my arm. I winced, noticing a purple-ish mark form around the edges of his grip. Tears rolled down my face as I watched my family gather around us, not one person standing up for me.

“Please, Luca, it was just for water…please…I didn’t spill it on purpose, I’m sorry.” I pleaded with my eyes, glancing at my sisters, my oldest brother, and even my father, but all they shared was a blank stare.

“Just water? What if it were wine, Janitor!?” I shivered at the nickname he spoke out loud. This is what they called me at home, but they never, for once, said it in public. “Or worse, what if it was hot tea?! I could’ve been burned, stupid bitch.” Luca was furious; I could see it in his eyes. This was the same look he had when he got angry and left me with multiple fractures.

I whimpered, again and again, my other hand curled over his arm, “Please, Luca, I’m begging you, please stop. I’m sorry.”

Luca’s eyes glinted as he pulled my arm up, forcing me to stand straight, and I did, wishing he’d let go if I just did what he asked. He raised his other hand, and I knew this was it, this was when he’d fracture my facial joints…again.

I closed my eyes, ready for the impact that never came. My body stiffened, still bracing for the sting on my face, and when it didn’t arrive for another good minutes, I slowly opened my eyes. Confused and relieved at the same time, I saw them, my family, the Millers, turn and look at a guy standing in front of us.

I tilted my head to get a better look at him, and my breath hitched. He was standing in an all-black suit, his hands in his pockets, and watching the scene with a bored expression. With the way he scanned each member of my family, I knew who he was: Blake Knight.

Blake Knight was the man every single person in the underworld feared. He was only 12 when he took over his father’s empire after his death, and since then, not one person had dared to cross his path. Rumors had it that he was the one who murdered his own father. Knowing the kind of person he was, I knew he didn’t come here to save; I knew he wasn’t here to play the part of a knight, even though that’s what his name stands for.

“My apologies, Mr. Knight. We were just disciplining a young family member. We’ll be out of your hair soon.” My father stood in front of us all, his tall back covering me, but he was no match for Blake Knight, and he knew that as well.

Blake turned his attention to my father, scanning him from head to toe. I squirmed in my place, feeling Luca’s grip loosen a bit, giving me the relief I needed, but pain shot up as well.

“Do you know where you are standing, Mr. Dominic Miller?”

My eyes widened at Blake’s inquiry. In our world, no one called a person with power by their full name, specifically not an elder, and there he was, addressing him as if he was nothing. Finally, Luca let go of me, his attention entirely on Blake, glaring at him, but he couldn’t do anything even if he wanted to.

My father took a deep breath and bowed his head a little, “On your property, Mr. Knight.”

“Precisely.” With a small pause, Blake Knight continued, his voice getting louder. “I hope it doesn’t happen again.” My father nodded in response and stood straight.

Hair on the back of my neck stood up when his eyes landed on me for merely a second before he turned and walked away with such ease I could not even muster when I’m resting. Watching him leave confirmed one thing…I’d be having a long night of beating.

The rest of the gathering went smoothly. No one came close to me, not once, as long as we were on Blake Knight’s property.

Then came the nightmare. I was pushed out of the car as soon as we reached the mansion. With the courtesy of my sister, Alina, she guided me to my room, not dragged. That’s one thing I was grateful for. My sisters, Alina and Nora, were cowards; they didn’t dare speak up for me, but they also never laid a finger on me. I knew what was coming, and I also knew what worked well in my interest…not speaking.

As soon as we stepped into my room, a sting cut through my cheek, and I looked up with blurry eyes. My father was standing in front of me, rage clear in his eyes as he made tight fists by his side, his blood clearly boiling. “You’re an embarrassment. I should’ve let you die!” He rushed out of my room, leaving me at the mercy of my siblings, who never showed any.

When they were done, I was left with multiple beatings on my back, my legs, my arms, my face, my stomach, and every other place they could land their hand or leg on. I was lying on the floor, blood staining the luxury plush mink carpet as I waited for death to take over.

But then…something clicked in my head. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t who I was supposed to be. I couldn’t wish for death.

Newly found devotion and courage found their way into my heart, and I stood up, taking painkillers and getting out my bag. I started gathering everything essential I wanted and stuffed it in my bag, only to stop dead in my tracks when I heard a voice echo from behind me.

“What are you doing?”

~ Jane’s POV

I turned and almost cried in relief when I found Lily standing in the doorway, concern etched on her face. She took one look at my purple face filled with bruises and understood what I was doing. With a sigh, she closed the door behind and forced me to sit on my bed before taking over and packing the essentials I needed.

I watched her, tears brimming in my eyes, grateful I had at least one single person by my side to keep an eye on me, comfort me, and even hold me as I cried.

“Is this all you need?” Lily asked, and I nodded, staring at my best friend, wondering why and how the hell she became an assassin. Whoever met couldn’t, for even a second, guess the profession she was in…she was a born healer.

Everyone was used to seeing Lily in and out of the mansion every now and then, so no one questioned her, but I knew it wouldn’t be the case if she walked out with a suitcase, with me trailing behind her. She went to the bathroom and brought out the first aid kit, mending my face however she could in a short amount of time we had before everyone else went onto their nightly routines.

“Jane, my sweetheart, are you sure you want to do this? I can get you out of this hellhole, but I can’t say the same if they catch you and drag you back.” She was right, I had to think of the consequences. But what else would they do except beat me up? I see and go through it every day; it’s not like they’d kill me. A shiver ran down my spine when a memory from the past came back of my brothers beating me so badly that I’d almost taken my last breath, and for the first time, my father had beaten them back for taking things too far.

I swallowed and finally raised my head to look at Lily, determination clear in my eyes, “I can’t do this anymore, Lily…I want out.”

Lily nodded without asking any other questions. That’s what I liked the most about her: she never questioned my decisions and only left when she made sure I wasn’t having any weird thoughts.

After a while, when the silence of the night took over the mansion, we made our moves. Lily and I had exchanged clothes, and I wore a cap to hide my face. Lily would sneak out of the mansion—the one skill I have to master if I want to stay alive—and I would walk out unscathed, pretending to be Lily. Thanking God for the luck I had in not encountering my family members, I rushed into Lily’s car and met her a few miles from the mansion, and we exchanged seats.

A breath I didn’t know I was holding crashed out of me as I finally embraced the cold wing. A small smile spread through my face when I realized I had made it out, and I could choose the life I wanted now.

~ After a Few Weeks

“Yo, Gen!” Someone called out from the counter, and I turned around, finding another waiter at the back, waving me over. I walked to her and raised my brows. “Can you get this over there?” She asked, and I nodded, taking the tray from her hand and moving over to the table she wanted me to be.

With the help of Lily, I had changed my name to Gen. She even helped me fake an entire academic and personal background. She got me a job at a mediocre restaurant that had been in the place for a very long time, and I was glad when they hired me on the spot without being too suspicious of the fading bruises on my face.

Setting the tray on the table of the customers, I walked back to the counter and stood beside Amy, the other waitress I’ve befriended over my time here. I’d only been working here for a week and Amy acted as if she’d known me her entire life.

“So, you never tell me anything about yourself? Do you have a boyfriend?” I stared at her wide-eyed, a shiver running through my body simply at the thought of a boyfriend. My last boyfriend was a jerk and ran like a puppy with its tail between its legs when he found out who I was. After that, I had taken an oath to just stay single and possibly take matters into my own hands when it came to pleasure…though I was still a virgin.

“I don’t like that concept. I like being single.” I shrugged as if it were the most common thing to say, and Amy stared at me as if she’d heard the most absurd thing ever.

“Then I guess we just need to find you the Mr. Right Man.” Amy was a hopeless romantic, and who could blame her? With looks as pretty as hers, guys would be salivating after her. I cringed at the vulgar imagination that just ran through my mind.

“No need!” I raised my hand in front of her. “I’m perfectly capable of being the Mr. Right Man for myself.” Amy scoffed at that, rolling her eyes and went to clear the table of her customer while I stood there, wondering how the hell my family hadn’t noticed I wasn’t at the mansion.

I had talked to Lily, and she said everyone acted as if nothing happened, but then she also said it could be an act, and in the background, they could be rampaging through the city to find me. But then again, it was Lily who hid me, so I knew I had at least a good few months before they even got near my vicinity. Thanking my own computer skills, I was even able to set up a social media presence after altering my features a bit because I knew Nora, if not Alina, would be surfing through the internet to lay hands on me.

“Ooooh, hottie incoming~” Amy slurred as she walked back to the counter, cutting me off my trails and my breath hitched when I realized the person walking through the entrance of the restaurant.

‘Oh, God, no…’ I whispered to myself, watching as the man in complete black attire moved through the entrance, an old lady walking behind him, and they seated themselves in the far corner. I swallowed, lunch threatening to reappear while I tried to calm myself down.

“Do you know who that is…?” Amy asked, rhetorically, already know what THAT was and I nodded, lost in a trance.

“Blake Knight”

~ Jane’s POV

I turned around quickly, my back facing the two people I’d expected at the very least to come across. I was about to walk back into the kitchen when Amy grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks. “Gen, can you take them? I have to leave…it’s urgent.” Amy pocketed her phone, pleading with me with her eyes, and I hesitantly nodded, wondering what to do. My mind was spiralling with so many thoughts. They were elite ones, why would they dine at a restaurant that’s clearly not up to their standard, not that it’s a basic one, though.

“Thank you, Gen, I owe you one.” Amy sprinted toward the staff room, and I fidgeted with my fingers.

Then, it hit me. I quickly surfed through the drawers and pulled out a mask, wearing it, thankful for COVID’s history that I didn’t have to explain it. Taking a deep breath and adjusting my bags over my eyes, I went to the table, the pen trembling in my hand.

“Good evening, sir, madam. What can I get for you today?”

“The menu—” Mr. Knight stopped when his gaze fell on me as if he was scanning me. I swallowed, praying to God he wouldn’t recognize me, but who was I kidding? The guy had been the Don of the mafia since he was 12, of course, he’d recogn—

“Good evening, sweetie,” the old lady spoke up, cutting my train of thought, and I turned my attention to her, refusing to meet eyes with the man who might expose my identity. “I’m a regular here, honey. Can we just get the usual?” The lady smiled, and I wondered if I should tell her I was new. I simply nodded and walked back to the counter, still feeling the man’s eyes on me. Shrugging the heavy weight on my back and shoulders, I rushed to the manager and explained the situation to him.

Luckily, he knew the lady and had told me their usual. I was so going to church this weekend. Thankfully, Mr. Knight, even if he recognized me, decided to stay silent and didn’t say or utter a single thing.

After they were done, I was about to walk toward them with the bill when the manager stopped me, slightly grabbing my arm. “Don’t. That lady there funds this place, we don’t charge her a single cent.”

Nodding, I stayed back, my eyes sharp on them while I kept my head down to keep from being noticed. I was about to sigh in relief when I saw them getting up to leave, but stopped when I saw the lady walking toward me with Mr. Knight trailing behind her, his hands in his pockets.

Taking a deep breath, I faced her so I wouldn’t look suspicious. “Was everything to your tastes, ma’am?” The usual tagline slipped through my tongue while the lady nodded with a smile so warm on her face, I wished I had that in my life. But I was careful not to ignore the death stare I was getting from the Don behind her.

“Everything was great, sweetheart. I’m pleased you were waiting on our table tonight.” She said, suddenly grabbing my hand and tapping on it, thanking me.

Stunned, I shook my head, trying to keep my nerves at bay when the actual Don was creeping me out. “It was my pleasure, ma’am. I’m glad you had a nice time.”

With that, she left, but the one thing I noticed was enough to send a cold shiver up my spine. After turning around, Mr. Knight tilted his head slightly and glanced at me before leaving. I knew I was in trouble now.

Excusing myself, I rushed to the restroom and took my phone out, typing a message to Lily, explaining my entire situation to her and asking her to keep an eye on my family to see if they make a move so I can run from here.

~ The Next Day

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding when I read Lily’s message on my phone.

Lily: All Clear. No one from the Knight family made contact with yours. Rest now xoxo

With a smile so huge on my face, I made my way back to the restaurant and continued my shift, plus the nagging from Amy.

“Come onnn, tell me did he talk about something, huuhh?? Who was he here with? What did he talk about? Come on, don’t keep me miserable~” Amy continued to whine in the background while I prepared the restaurant for opening.

“I told you, I don’t know anything, and no, he didn’t talk to me.” I chuckled, and she finally let the topic go, making me sigh in relief.

I was carrying out my tasks when my phone rang in my pocket, and I took it out, smiling when I saw it was Lily.

Lily: Need to talk. Call me soon.

Frowning, I called her right that second only to find her phone turned off. That was weird. Lily was the kind of person to put her phone on DND, but she never turned her phone off. Something was wrong, and my stomach was doing multiple backflips at this time.

What if my family found out everything? What if Blake Knight told them? Or worse, what if he was going to handle my situation by himself? No, he’s ruthless, I’ve heard that…it can’t be true.

I was about to call Lily again when her name appeared on the screen, indicating an incoming call.

“Lily! What’s happened? Is everything alright? Are you okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine. I’m sorry for scaring you.”

“It’s okay. What happened?”

“I think Blake Knight knows who you are”

The ground shook underneath my feet. What? He knew? No…no, this can’t be. If he knows, he’ll take a second to inform my family. That can’t be it. “Lily…are you sure?”

“A hundred percent. He knows, but there’s good news as well.”

For some reason, that didn’t make me feel as good as I hoped it would. “What?”

“I have a hunch he won’t tell anyone. I mean, the last time, he only interfered because your family was on his property, that’s all.”

She was right. He made it clear at the gathering that we were standing on his property, and he didn’t like a scene being created, and that, too, a scene of a woman getting beaten up. But what’d he care about? He was famous for his ways with…women.

“Still, Lily, it’s a dagger dangling over my head.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll think of something. Until then, just keep your head low.”

I hung up after that, already feeling the opposite of what I was feeling a few minutes ago. Breakfast threatened to reappear, but I shook my head, trying to clear my head. With a deep sigh, I walked back into the restaurant and continued with the rest of my tasks.

~ At Night

“Hey, Gen, do you wanna come to a club party with me?” Amy asked, sitting on the bench of the staff room, swinging her short legs. I cast her a glance and shook my head, refusing the offer, knowing damn well how much I had to keep hidden for the sake of my freedom.

“Come on, it’ll be just one time. I promise it’ll be fun.”

Although I had never been to a club before. Maybe this will be a new kind of experience now. Hesitating for a while, I nodded my head with a pit the size of a mushroom in my stomach. “But I’ll leave whenever I want, okay?”

Amy nodded, already giggling like a child. She sent me the location of the club, and I went back to my apartment to change before I took a cab. When I reached the club, I already felt out of place as I continued to push down the above-knee-length dress I was wearing. Amy had seen this dress before when she visited my apartment and insisted I wear it for the so-called party. It was a sleeveless V-neck dress with the length I was already dreading wearing.

I moved around the gush of crowd, trying to find Amy and her purple hair, but it was too dark, and everyone was pushing against every other person. I finally found the purple-haired person at the bar and was about to walk over when I felt a hand grab my arm and pull me toward a solid body. I looked up and found a man with the features of a creep and dark circles under his eyes. He was clearly not stable.

I winced when I felt him tighten his grip on my arm and tried to push him off me. He was smirking at me, and within a second, he had dragged me through a dark exit and into an alleyway so empty no one would hear even if I screamed bloody Mary.

“Look, I’ll give you money, just let me go, okay?” I asked him, and when he moved closer, all the memories of my family thrust deep inside me. Instincts finally kicked in, and I kneed him in the groin, making a run for the door and pushing my way through the crowd. My hand was wrapped around my arm where he had grabbed me, knowing it’d form a bruise soon.

I was already at the entrance when I stumbled into another god-forsaken solid body. “I swear to god—” My breath hitched when my eyes met the same forest-green colored pupils staring at me. I took a step back, refusing to come eye-to-eye with the same man I was supposed to stay hidden from.

“Mr. Knight…”