CHAPTER 45: NO WAY OUT!

After she finished crying, Naomi thought it was time to escape the house! Edison is probably in the garden talking to her parents, discussing the wedding.

She quickly rose from the bed, grabbed her phone and wallet, and exited her room in a hurry.

She needs to leave now before they can marry her to Edison!

She was rushing down the staircase, her heart beating frantically in her rib cage. She reached the ground floor and ran to the main door. The moment she reached the gate, a guard stood there, blocking her way.

"Ma’am, where are you going?" he asked, eyeing her closely.

"I want to buy toiletries from the store. I will not use my car. I will just get a taxi," she replied casually. "Open the door please," she ordered.

"I’m sorry, ma’am, your father told me not to let you out of the house no matter what happens because you are grounded. You can only leave the house if your father gives you permission. I won’t open the gate no matter what you say, so please go back to the house." The guard ordered politely.

Panic flashed in Naomi’s eyes. "Please open the gate!" she ordered loudly with a hint of begging in her voice.

"I’m sorry, ma’am, you can’t leave the house without your father’s permission," the guard repeated.

"I’ll give you money, just let me out of the house!" Naomi offered desperately.

The guard shook his head. "No ma’am, I won’t accept your money. I only accept orders from your father," he responded with a firm shake of his head.

No this can’t be! Why can I no longer leave our house?

Naomi kept pacing back and forth in front of the guard.

"What’s happening here?" Luna Alicia asked the guard.

"Luna, I’m sorry about this... but Ma’am Naomi wants to leave the house saying she needs to buy toiletries from the store nearby. I told her that she couldn’t leave the house because she was grounded and she could only leave if her father allowed it. But she still insists on leaving and won’t listen to me," the guard explained.

Naomi grabbed her stepmother’s arms. "Mom, please help me! I need to leave now. Dad wants me to marry Edison. I don’t want to marry him!" she says hysterically, breaking down in tears.

Luna Alicia rubbed her stepdaughter’s back. "Calm down, dear. You have to understand that you can’t leave the house because you are grounded. Your father did it for your safety. He was afraid that the kidnappers would come back again and take you away. I hope you understand that he was only doing it for your own safety," she explained in a gentle tone.

"But how about my wedding to Edison? I don’t want to marry him!" Naomi protested, nostrils flaring.

"But you were planning to marry each other before you disappeared. Now it’s finally happening, are you not happy about it?" Luna Alicia asked in bafflement.

"No! Everything in my life changed after the kidnapping. I’m no longer the same person I used to be. I’m not interested in marrying Edison, I don’t love him anymore!" Naomi replied in a revolting fashion, every fiber of her being refusing to marry her former lover, especially her heart, beating for Alpha Maxwell only.

"Calm down. Let me take you to your room. Let’s continue our conversation there. OK?" Luna Alicia leads her distraught looking stepdaughter back to the house.

They climbed the staircase. Naomi was still sobbing hard, upset that she was not allowed to leave the house.

The moment they enter the bedroom, Luna Alicia leads Naomi to the bed.

"You should not defy your father’s order, he was angry that you told Edison you are not willing to marry him. You didn’t follow his order by telling Edison that you already had a son with the guy you met during your captivity. He was mad that you did not follow the story he wanted you to tell your boyfriend." Luna Alicia sighed heavily, wanting to help her stepdaughter but she can’t betray her husband. Her loyalty will always be to her husband. She has to obey him at all times.

The sounds of Naomi’s painful weeping filled the room.

Luna Alicia remains by Naomi’s side, rubbing her back gently, comforting her through her darkest moments.

Naomi raised her tear-stricken face and asked her stepmother, "Mom, tell me, when are they planning to hold the wedding? Tell me the date please?" she asked, begging to know the date so she can find a way to leave the house before the wedding takes place.

"It’s not an ordinary wedding where people go to see you walk down the aisle. The wedding will take place here and probably they are planning to just bring the minister here or bring you guys to the officiating minister’s office. After the ceremony is over you will sign the marriage contract nullifying your union. Then that’s it, you are officially becoming husband and wife," Luna Alicia elaborated further.

A frown appeared on Naomi’s forehead. "But how about the date of the wedding? When will it happen? I need the exact date and time. Please tell me," she begged in desperation.

Luna Alicia sighed heavily, sadness clouded her eyes. "That’s the problem, dear. When I asked them the exact date of the wedding they did not answer me and excluded me from the conversation. Your father sent me away and that was the moment I saw you at the gate. I also want to know the wedding date so I can make the necessary preparations but they don’t want to tell me. That means they don’t trust me with that important information. They want to hide it from me and from you because they want the wedding to take place on their own terms. That’s all I know."

"But this is unfair! They can’t force me to marry anyone against my will!" Naomi protested in utter despair.

Her stepdaughter’s sad flight deeply bothered Luna Alicia, but what could she do?

Naomi grabbed her stepmother’s hand and said, "Mom, please help me. I need to leave the house. I can no longer stay here. This place is no longer safe for me. Please help me!" she begged anxiously, tears filled her eyes.

Luna Alicia shakes her head. "Your father will get angry if I get in the way of his plans. You know him too well, he always gets what he wants. I’m sorry, my daughter. I can’t help you leave this house. But there is one thing I can tell you that might help you, do you want to listen to it?"

"Yes. Please tell me. I badly needed your help. I’ll take it whatever it is." Naomi nodded her head, eager to hear anything that could help solve her problem.

Luna Alicia took a deep breath. "Obviously, since you already told Edison that you didn’t want to marry him, they already anticipated your next move which is leaving the house and not cooperating with the wedding. I’m sorry, you really can’t escape today. The best time to escape is after the wedding because they have already lowered their guards down since they have already achieved their goals. Do you understand what I’m saying?"

Naomi looked at her stepmother with disappointment flashed in her eyes. "But I don’t want to marry Edison. Your suggestion is not going to help me," she said, upset about her stepmother’s suggestion. For a moment she thought she would be willing to help her leave the house.

Luna Alicia sighed. She realized she couldn’t help her stepdaughter anymore. "I’m sorry, dear. I can’t think of anything else to help you this time. Please leave your siblings out of this. Don’t ask for their help. I don’t want them to be dragged into this problem. Okay?"

Naomi nodded her head. "OK. I won’t, I promise."

"Thank you, dear. I know you are unhappy with my suggestion, but think about it. They will only leave you alone if you are already married to Edison. They think you have no choice anymore, so you will just accept your fate and become a dutiful wife. Sooner or later they will start allowing you to leave the house. That is your time to escape. But as of this moment, I’m sure they won’t allow me to take you with me to the store to buy groceries. That’s why it’s very hard for you to leave at this very moment. I’m sorry but I can’t help you," Luna Alicia said apologetically, handing her some tissue.

"Thanks." Naomi used the tissue to wipe tears from her face.

Luna Alicia glanced at the door. "Dear, I’m going now. Your father might be looking for me already. Think wisely before doing anything foolish today. OK?"

Naomi nodded her head. "I understand, Mom. I get your point. Thank you for helping me see things clearly."

"You’re welcome, dear." Luna Alicia patted her head affectionately and left the room.

Naomi rose to her feet and began pacing back and forth in the middle of the room. She felt like her heart was going to explode in desperation. She was trapped in a nightmare that she couldn’t escape from. This time in her own house.

Her current situation is like another version of the windowless room, but this time it’s ten times worse!

Argh. She needs to find a way to escape before it’s too late!

She doesn’t like her stepmother’s suggestion. She would not marry Edison! Never!

She grabbed her phone to send a message to Alpha Maxwell, asking for his help, but she quickly changed her mind before she could even type a single word. He has a lot on his plate already. She doesn’t like adding another heavy burden to his shoulder.

She fell silent for a moment, mulling over her situation.

Whom to call for help?

What about Zero? Can he help her?

Maybe he could!