As she hurried back to the kitchen to fetch the nachos, she could feel the other patrons' eyes on her, their whispers and laughter cutting through her like a knife. She fought to keep her composure, determined to get through her shift despite the humiliation and abuse. She had no other choice but to endure it for now, hoping that one day she could escape this nightmare and rebuild her life.She returned with a fresh plate of nachos and set it down carefully in front of the men. "Here you go, gentlemen. Fresh and hot."The burly man smirked but didn't say anything. Irene turned to leave when another man at the table called out, "Hey, you got our drinks wrong. I asked for a beer, not this cheap stuff."Irene frowned, remembering clearly that he had ordered what she brought. "I'm sorry, sir. I'll get you a beer right away.”As she reached for the glass, the man slapped her hand away, causing it to spill. "You can't do anything right, can you?" he snarled, standing up and slapping her acr
Soon after the day was over, Benjamin and Cordelia returned to their hotel room."Whoo, that was a very long stressful day. Thank you for all the activities today. I really enjoyed it," Cordelia said to Benjamin with a smile.Benjamin smiled back at her. "You're welcome. It's late already, and I'm pretty tired. I'll go wash up and then come sleep."Cordelia nodded. "I'll also take my bath too when you're done.”"No problem, go first before I come then. I'll wait for you," Benjamin said."Alright, thanks." Cordelia nodded and walked into the shower.Immediately after she walked away, Benjamin's phone started ringing. He pulled it out and answered instantly."Rakshasha, is there any problem?" he asked."Yes, master. We have Lars Johansen now. We've caught and brought him to the base," Rakshasha reported."Good, good. That was fast," Benjamin responded. "I'll come there tonight. My woman is here, so when she's actually asleep, I'll be there," Benjamin said in a low voice."Alright then,
Benjamin looked up from his phone and smiled back at her. "Great. I’ll be quick."Cordelia nodded and walked over to the bed, sitting down and beginning to dry her hair with another towel. Benjamin got up, grabbed his nightwear, and headed towards the bathroom.As he passed her, he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "I'll be out in a bit," he said softly before disappearing into the bathroom.Soon, Benjamin emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in comfortable nightwear. He smiled at Cordelia as he walked over to the bed, where she was already lying down, looking relaxed and content."All set?" Cordelia asked with a sleepy smile."All set," Benjamin replied, sliding into bed beside her. He pulled the covers up and turned off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into a soft, soothing darkness.Cordelia snuggled close to him, resting her head on his chest. "Thank you for today," she murmured, her voice heavy with sleep. "It was wonderful.""You're wel
Benjamin looked at Lars and sat down on the sofa. "Push him forward closer to me so I can speak to him well," he said to Rakshasha.Rakshasha nodded and did as Benjamin ordered. Lars was now directly in front of Benjamin, still tied."Untie him," Benjamin commanded.Rakshasha nodded and untied Lars.Lars glared at Benjamin, rubbing his now free hands. "I've released you. You said we should untie you so we see what you'll do to us. Now, Mr. Johansen, show me what you can do.”Lars remained seated, momentarily stunned and uncertain."Why did you people kid—"Slap! Benjamin raised his hand and delivered a hard slap to Lars' cheek, stunning everyone present."I said show me what you'll do. I didn't ask you to question me."Lars, shocked and in pain, touched his stinging cheek. "Do you know who I am? How dare you slap me?"Benjamin chuckled and looked at Cipherella. "Tell him about himself.”Cipherella nodded. "You’re Lars Johansen. You own a showroom. You're 42 years old. You attended Ny
The animators quickly set to work, their fingers flying over keyboards and graphic tablets. The room buzzed with a quiet intensity as they skillfully manipulated the digital tools to bring the image to life. Lars watched with a mixture of confusion and anxiety, his eyes darting between the animators and Benjamin.Within 10 minutes, the screen lit up with the projection. The truck image, now larger and clearer, loomed before them. Every detail, from the licence plate to the distinct scratches on the side, matched perfectly with the photograph.Lars' eyes widened in shock and recognition. The image on the screen was unmistakably the truck from his showroom years ago. He swallowed hard, the realization hitting him like a punch to the gut. He was clearly frightened, understanding that this was no ordinary confrontation.Benjamin leaned back in his chair, a small smile playing on his lips. "Do you recognize it now, Mr. Johansen?" he askedLars nodded, his face pale. "Yes, I recognize it. I
After ending the call, Lars looked at Benjamin and said, "We can go for it now if you want. The hard drives will be ready."Benjamin considered the suggestion for a moment, then turned to Rakshasha. "Take care of it. Make sure everything is collected and brought back safely."Rakshasha nodded firmly. "Understood, Master." He swiftly gathered a few of his men and prepared to head out, ensuring that the retrieval would be handled efficiently and without any issues.After an hour, Rakshasha returned with two of his men, who walked in carrying a box full of hard drives. "Here it is, master," Rakshasha announced.Benjamin opened the box and observed the mix of old and new hard drives. "This is really going to take time. It's already late."Cipherella quickly stepped forward. "Master, I'll help. I'll connect the drives and check them throughout the night. Lars will be here to assist me."Lars protested, "Hey, I've given you people what you want. At least allow me to go. I need to return to
Cordelia's smile faded completely, replaced by confusion and sadness. "What do you mean? You're leaving me? To go where exactly?""It's something I have to take care of," Benjamin said gently. "You need to return to the mansion, and I'll be away for a few days. When I'm done, I'll come back."Cordelia's eyes filled with tears. "Why can't I come with you? Why do you have to do this alone? Is it dangerous? What if something happens to you? I don't want to be apart from you, Benjamin. How can you ask me to just go back to the mansion and wait?”Benjamin sighed, feeling the weight of her emotions. "I promise I'll be safe. This is something I need to handle on my own. I need you to trust me and stay safe at the mansion. I love you too much to put you in any danger."Cordelia shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to be away from you. Please, let me stay with you."Benjamin held her tightly, trying to comfort her. "I know it's hard, but I need you to trust me on this.
Inside, Marshall stood in his suit with tie, his bag ready as he prepared to leave for work. Rose was in the hall, the TV on, though her focus was on her phone, while her mother Rhoda sat watching the TV.Screech! The door opened, revealing Cordelia’s face. Instantly, all gazes turned to her in shock."Cousin," Rose said with a smile, standing up and walking towards Cordelia. She gave her a hug and whispered, "I'm happy you're fine."Cordelia forced a nod. "Thank you," she said before looking at her uncle and his wife.Marshall, who had a frown seeing Cordelia, was visibly angry. "Where are you coming from, Cordelia? And where's that idiot named Benjamin?""Do I need to report my whereabouts to anyone?" Cordelia shot back."Bullshit, Cordelia." Marshall stomped his foot and yelled. "Do you know the problems you have caused me?""Problems?" Cordelia, still frowning, asked. "What problems could I possibly give you?" She was also annoyed."Still pretending not to know what I'm talking ab