Chapter 065

Sandra I stood frozen, my wrists aching from the ropes that had bound me. But then, I heard the words that made my heart skip a beat. "Untie her," Grandmaster said, his voice firm but laced with an undercurrent of menace. I spun my head around, shock etched on my face. Those weren't the words I expected to hear from him, especially not after everything he'd put me through. The voice in my head whispered a stark reminder: "You should be grateful he said that. You know what would have become of you if he'd decided otherwise." I took a deep breath, trying to process the sudden turn of events. As the ropes were removed, I rubbed my sore wrists, trying to massage some life back into them. "Thank you, Grandmaster," I began, trying to sound sincere. "I won't take your kindness for granted, not this—" But before I could finish, Grandmaster cut me off, his words dripping with venom. "You should only be thanking your stars that you're still of value to me. Else, you'd have joined your mom for a little reunion... wherever she is." I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes as tears threatened to spill. "I'm so sorry..." I tried to apologize, but Grandmaster wasn't having it. "Save the apology," he sneered, his smirk twisting his face. "You'll need to give it to someone else, not me." I etched my face in confusion, trying to make sense of Grandmaster's words. But before I could ask any questions, a figure emerged from the darkness. I squinted, trying to get a better look, but my vision was blurry from the dim light. However, I could hear the conversation clearly. " She's right there, and she'll be all yours if you fulfill your end of the bargain," Grandmaster said, his voice dripping with malice. "I could just take her down right here and right now. Why the delay?" a lady's voice responded, her tone cold and calculating. "I said, deal," Grandmaster spat, his voice venomous. "Fine, you'll get it by tomorrow. But there must not be a breach of contract," the lady's voice echoed before she disappeared into thin air. I stood there, frozen in confusion, wondering who this mysterious lady was and what kind of deal Grandmaster had made with her. I stood frozen, my heart racing in panic, as the grandmaster's gaze turned to me. "Take her," he ordered, his voice cold and detached. Before I could even process what was happening, two muscular arms grabbed me from behind and threw me into an empty room. The door slammed shut behind me, and I heard the sound of locks clicking into place. "Get some rest," one of the guards called out. "Tomorrow is going to be a really rough day." I stared at the room in front of me, my mind reeling with questions. Where was I? What did they want from me? The room was sparse, with only a tiny bed and a small window high up on the wall. I heaved a deep sigh and made my way to the bed, trying to get some rest despite the turmoil brewing inside me. The next day, I was jolted awake by the sound of keys clinking outside my door. The two guards from yesterday entered, their faces expressionless. They lifted me onto their shoulders, tying my eyes with a cloth. I struggled and protested, but they were too strong. Minutes later, I found myself at an airport, with a plane waiting on the runway. Mrs. Brooklyn emerged from the plane, a short pistol in her hand and a menacing smirk on her face. My mind racing, I wondered what she was doing here. What was the gun for? "Hello, daughter," she said, her voice cold and detached. "Say hello to your wretched mother for me," she added, pointing the gun at me. I stared at her, rage boiling inside me. It all made sense now – why she'd turned cold towards me after Aiden and I broke up. She knew who I was, and she'd been waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, the guard who'd answered the call from the grandmaster pushed me down, making her miss. The gun hit the other guard, giving him a scratch on the arm. I lay there, my heart pounding, as I realized I'd just narrowly escaped death. But I knew I couldn't stay down for long. Gunfire erupted in a swift motion as Mrs. Brooklyn's guards clashed with the grandmaster's men. But it was clear that the latter were better trained and equipped. They moved with precision, taking down Mrs. Brooklyn's guards one by one. I watched in awe, wondering if I'd underestimated the grandmaster's power. His men were like robots, executing their orders without hesitation. In a matter of minutes, Mrs. Brooklyn was caught and dragged back to the car, my nephew still clutched in her arms. Her escape plan had failed miserably. The grandmaster's men tossed her into the car, and we sped back to his chamber. A call was placed to Aiden, informing him of his mother's whereabouts. This time, I was freed from my restraints, and a gun was thrust into my hands. I was given a clear instruction: tie up the traitor. I didn't hesitate. I knew exactly what to do, and I knew exactly whose team I was on. Mrs. Brooklyn's eyes locked onto mine, filled with a mix of fear and pleading. But I was unfazed. She'd tried to kill me just hours ago, without a second thought. I glared at her, my finger tightening around the trigger. "You should have thought twice before pulling the trigger," I spat, my voice venomous. The grandmaster's men closed in, surrounding us. I knew I had the upper hand. Mrs. Brooklyn's fate was sealed. As Aiden arrived with Hailey, I frowned, my eyes narrowing at the sight of her. Aiden rushed to his mother's side, tears streaming down her face. But as he tried to untie her, one of the grandmaster's men struck him. The grandmaster emerged from the shadows, Aiden's son in his arms. His next words sent a chill down my spine. "Hello, Hailey. Was this how you planned on separating me from my grandchild?" His tone was cold, menacing. Hailey's eyes widened in shock. "Dad?" she called out, confusion etched on her face. I stared back and forth at the duo, my mind reeling with the implications. The grandmaster was Hailey's father? I tried to ask why he'd kept this secret from me, but a stern warning from one of his men silenced me. The grandmaster took Hailey into his inner chambers, leaving me alone with Aiden and his mother. I knew I was alone, and I couldn't trust anyone in that room. Not even the grandmaster. If I wanted to escape alive, I needed a plan B. As I had a "family reunion" with Aiden, I could see the shock and confusion etched on his face. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, the information he had been filled with was too much to process in one night, he struggled to understand his mother's involvement. But our main focus was escaping alive. I knew afterwards he had a lot of questions, but those weren't the goal right now so I watched him as he bracedup forwhat wasahead. I proposed an alliance with Aiden, offering to help him and his mother if they helped me. Aiden was skeptical, but he agreed, and together we took down the remaining guard. I handed Aiden a gun, my eyes locked on his. "Whatever is going on in there, Hailey isn't going to come back as the woman you know. We need to have each other's backs." Aiden hesitated, but I could see the determination in his eyes. We stood together, awaiting Hailey's return. Minutes later, Hailey emerged with the grandmaster, guns in hand. Aiden tried to reason with her, but I knew it was futile. My gaze was fixed on the grandmaster, and I could see the calculation in his eyes. Working with him these last years had made me know better than to trust his silence when there was a rift between two persons. In a swift movement, he cocked his gun, ready to shoot. I knew who his target was - Aiden. Without thinking, I pulled Aiden aside and stepped in front of him. For a moment, our eyes locked, and I felt a spark of emotion. I didn't know why I'd saved him, but for some reason, my heart still beat for him.