Chapter 210
"I'm not counting on you."
"Who else can you count on?" After a short pause, he muttered, "Your husband?"
I denied, "I don't have a husband."
"Isn't Shawn Xenos your husband?"
I clarified, "We are not married yet."
The man's delicate features were so indescribably lovely in the night that I became breathless staring at him. I
quickly looked away as he said temptingly, "Does that mean I stand a chance?"
"But you don't even like me. What nonsense!"
He pressed on, "If I like you, do I stand a chance?"
"I mean, if you don't like me in the first place, there is no need for the rhetorical conversation. Even if you like me, I
won't reciprocate." It was a headache to converse with him.
He said sarcastically, "Look at that smugness."
Not noticing that we were getting too intimate, and perhaps because of the numbing stiff from the cold, I allowed
him to carry me on his back. My apple even escaped my grip and rolled onto the floor!
He picked it up and handed it to me. "Munch on it if you're hungry."
I was not hungry, just exhausted, but my body felt like it would give away soon.
Although Bertie appeared frail, he had a muscular build. Even when resting on his back, I could feel his muscles
underneath his clothes. At that, I could not help but praise him, "Looks like you work out a lot."
He replied with swag, "Of course! I was weak when I was young, but I did have some strength. Now, I train a lot."
"Mmhm." I took a bite of the apple. He suddenly asked me, "Are you and Shawn like super in love?"
Speaking of my relationship with Shawn… I love him, and he loves me. There is nothing more joyful than passionate
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"I love him very much even though I am scared of him sometimes. He treats me well and has never broken my
heart."
"Sounds like a good man."
"Yes, he's perfect," I replied.
He directed a pointed question at me. "Do you know him well, then?"
I understood that he was referring to Shawn's past and present. Sure, I once knew that Shawn was the CEO of
Xenos Solutions. Yet, at this moment, I did not know much about him. It seemed like I had never gained a deeper
understanding of him as a person. Disheartened, I confessed, "Not really."
"My mom said that Shawn Xenos is a patient man. He can survive unimaginably harsh conditions yet stay true and
real when he's in power."
I felt proud hearing Bertie praising my man, and I concurred, "That sounds like him."
"Hah. When we're saved, you'd better not tell him that I was the abductor. If not, my mom is going to punish me!"
"But you did abduct me." I was brutally honest.
He halted and challenged me. "Do you want to walk instead?"
I quickly wrapped my arms tighter around his neck and changed tune. "I won't tell him. I won't mention your name
either."
"You're quite sensible." He laughed.
Within one day, I saw for myself the different aspects of Bertie's personality. At times, he was like a youthful teen
and would grumble when I scolded him. At times, he acted like a mature grown-up, braving the weather to lead me
out of this wintery land.
A few hours later, he laid me on the ground and complained, "You're freaking heavy!"
I insisted. "I'm no more than a hundred pounds." Even so, he must have been tired after carrying me for hours, so I
stood up and said, "I can walk for a while."
He nodded and urged me, "We need to hurry. It's been four to five hours since we left. They must've noticed our
escape at this point. If we don't get to the city, both of us will be caught."
His tone had an urgency that motivated me to walk as he ran up to me and smiled. "Hurry up! Don't dilly-dally."
In the end, I almost jogged my way to the destination, but I ran out of stamina after half an hour before proceeding
for another half.
For the rest of the journey, Bertie carried me on his back. Around midnight, we finally saw the brilliant lights of the
city from afar.
I hopped off his back and ran toward the light before I heard him advising, "Careful."
"I need to find a phone to make a call." God knows how May is doing!
We entered the brightly lit city, where there were people selling trinkets and food, and the shops beside the streets
were open for business.
Pleasantly surprised, I turned to Bertie. "Why are they still open at this time?"
He smiled and narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps they are open just for you."
Little did I know that Bertie had paid the staff in the villa and the city dwellers handsomely to put on this show.
It was all for a simple reason—he wanted to get to know me but in a special manner.
Still, it was true that the Russian at the villa had a vendetta against Shawn and Rudy, and Bertie simply capitalized
on that.
…
Once I found a Russian who spoke a language I was familiar with, I borrowed a phone and made a call to Shawn. He
would not answer calls from unknown numbers, so I sent him a voice message instead. "I'm safe." I also shared my
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmlocation with him.
I returned the phone to the kind Russian before Bertie pointed at an inn nearby. "You should stay there tonight. I
need to go, or I'd be in trouble if I run into Shawn."
Worried, I asked, "How are you going to leave?"
At that moment, the lights shone brightly, gleaming the street from the darkness. Bertie smiled silently and soon
vanished into the crowd. Considering that he had helped me a lot on the long journey, I ran up to thank him but lost
him in the sea of people.
Taking off the hood, I talked to myself, "Although it was you who dragged me here, and perhaps you have gotten
Shawn into trouble, I still want to thank you for saving me."
After all, he had no reason to go above and beyond for me.
I went down the same route back to the inn but realized that I did not have a passport or ID. Not only that, I had
entered Russia illegally!
Concerned that I might land myself in legal hot water, I would rather wander in the streets than try anything funny.
When hungry, I pawned my bangles for two pieces of bread.
After eating, I squatted at the side of the street before the numbness entered my legs, so I stood up and walked
around. An hour later, I borrowed a phone to call Shawn, and he miraculously picked up!
I calmed my nerves and called his name.
He replied in a low tone, "Yes, I'm here."
It was good to hear his assuring voice.
I asked him with concern, "Sunny, you okay?"
"Yes. I'm entering the city soon."
He must be referring to the city that I was currently in. I thanked the Russian stranger who lent me the phone and
hurriedly went back in the direction that I came from. I ran out of breath after a few minutes and panted while
standing still.
All of a sudden, I heard a man's deep and firm voice from behind. "Babe, where are you go