Chapter 3 3

Zara's eyes locked onto Vince's across the crowded charity gala, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. It was as if he could see right through her, to the secrets she kept hidden beneath her polished smile.

"Well, hello there. You look stunning," Vince said, his eyes roaming over her body as he approached her.

Zara's heart skipped a beat as she smiled, trying to play it cool. "Thank you. You look quite dashing yourself."

"Vince Green," he said, holding out his hand.

"Zara Thompson," she replied, shaking his hand. His grip was firm, but his eyes seemed to hold a hint of vulnerability.

"What brings you to this charity gala?" Vince asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Zara thought quickly, coming up with a lie. "I'm a philanthropist. I support various charities and causes."

Vince nodded, impressed. "That's good. I'm a handsome businessman myself."

Zara chuckled. "I can see that."

Who would have thought this charming guy was a drug addict? What a shame," she thought to herself.

Vince smiled. "Well, I've made my fortune in real estate, but I'm always looking for new opportunities. What about you, Zara?"

Zara hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "I'm involved in various charity work. Just trying to help the society you know."

Vince raised an eyebrow. "That's quite interesting. I'd love to hear more about your charity work."

Zara's heart sank. She hadn't expected him to be so interested. "It's...it's just something I'm passionate about," she said.

The night wore on, and Zara was getting tired of the conversations and wished it could end.

As Vince asked her for a dance, Zara's heart skipped a beat. She knew she had to keep up the act for Patricia wasn't going to take any disappointment.

As they danced, Vince's hands roamed over her body, making Zara's skin crawl. She tried to move subtly away from him, but he only pulled her closer.

"You're so beautiful, Zara. I could stare at you all night," he whispered into her ear.

Zara smiled, trying to hide her disgust. "I'm flattered, Vince. What a perv, she said quietly."

As the dance came to an end, Zara excused herself to use the restroom.

She stood in front of the mirror, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. She splashed some water on her face, trying to shake off the feeling of unease.

As she returned to the hall, Vince excused himself, saying he had some business to attend to. But before he left, he asked Zara for her number.

"I'd love to take you out for lunch tomorrow," he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Zara agreed, " It would be my pleasure."

As she watched Vince walk away, Zara let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness." She was approached by another man who tried to gain her attention, but she called him off.

The next day, Zara and Vince met at a quaint little bistro in the city. As they sipped their wine and laughed together, Zara felt a pang of unease. She was getting too close to Vince, and it was only a matter of time before she had to make her move.

Patricia's words echoed in her mind: "Get his money, Zara. That's all that matters."

Zara took a deep breath and steered the conversation with Vince. "So tell me about Vince Green"

"Ah, I'm a rich, sexy man," Vince said, his eyes gleaming with excitement."

They laughed and Zara felt disgusted by how proud he was. She thought it was good Patricia was stealing his money.

"Interesting. Tell me more," she said, her voice laced with fake sweetness.

Vince smiled, and Zara knew she had him wrapped around her finger.

Over the next few days, Zara and Vince's relationship heated up. They went on romantic dinners, took long walks on the beach, and even spent a night or two together with her avoiding getting intimate with him.

But Zara knew she couldn't keep up the act forever. She had to make her move soon.

One night, as they sat in Vince's hotel room, Zara made her move. She told him a lie, a story about a charity event that needed funding.

Vince listened intently, his eyes never leaving hers. When she finished, he smiled and pulled out his phone.

"Ah Zara, Zara. I'm doing this because I like you. I'll send the money right away," he said, his fingers flying across the screen.

Zara's heart raced as she waited for the confirmation. But as she looked at Vince, she saw something that made her blood run cold.

He was holding a small bag of white powder, and a look of euphoria was spreading across his face.

"Vince, what's that?" Zara asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Vince looked up at her, his eyes glazed over.

"Just a little something to take the edge off," he said, his voice slurred.

Zara's heart sank. She knew she had to get out of there, fast.

But Vince was too quick. He grabbed her wrist, his grip like a vice.

"Where do you think you're going?" He said angrily but suddenly he whispered, "Stay with me, Zara. Let's get to cloud 9 together," his breath hot against her ear.

Zara tried to pull away, but Vince was too strong.

"Let me go," Zara shouted.

But Vince just laughed, his eyes gleaming with a perverse light.

"You're not going anywhere, Zara," he said, his voice dripping with menace.

Just as she thought all was lost, a man burst into the room, knocking Vince to the ground. She recognized him, he was Patricia's.

"Time to go, miss," the man said, grabbing Zara's arm and pulling her out of the room.

As they stumbled out into the night air, Zara heard the man's voice, calm and steady.

"The police will be here soon. Let's go."

Zara's heart was still racing, but she felt a sense of relief wash over her.

As they drove off, she wondered what would have happened to her if he hadn't shown up just in time.

She looked at his face as he drove. He was so focused and she said to him thank you.

The man only gave a curt nod.

As they drove, Zara checked her phone, waiting for a confirmation message. Finally, it arrived – the money had been transferred.

Zara leaned back into the seat, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her.

"I was lucky today," she whispered to herself, a small smile on her face. "Let's hope it stays that way."

Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, a loud crash jolted her upright. The car swerved violently to the side, throwing Zara against the door.

"What's happening?" she shouted, her heart racing.

The man's face was tense, his eyes fixed on the incident before him. "We've got a problem," he muttered.

Zara turned to look out the windshield, and her eyes widened as she saw a figure stepping out from the wreckage of a motorbike. The rider's helmet was still on but cracked, and their jacket was torn.

Zara rushed out of the car and approached the motorbike rider, concern etched on her face. "Hello, are you okay?" she asked, gently helping him up.

The rider stumbled, nearly falling over, and Zara screamed, startled. "Are you okay?" she asked again, trying to keep her voice steady.

The rider slowly turned to face her, his helmet still intact. In a gruff, menacing tone, he growled, "Leave me alone."

Zara looked taken aback by the rider's harsh tone. "You just had an accident," she said, concern etched on her face. "You need to get to the hospital"

The rider's response was immediate and venomous. "I'm fine, Zara," he spat, his voice dripping with anger. "Just get going."

"Fine," she said aloud, throwing her hands up in exasperation. She turned and made her way back to the car but she stopped in her tracks as something hit her. "Wait, how did he know my name?" But as she turned around, he was gone...