By mutual agreement, Rica and Greg ended up having dinner in the same place. Rica had been thrilled at the idea of leaving this building. If Greg had taken her somewhere outside, it would have been easier for her to escape.
Rica was given a simple floral dress and an hour to get ready. Now, she stood before the mirror, staring at her reflection. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her skin had grown dull after days without proper baths or skincare.
“Now I’m out, but still caged. What’s wrong with this guy? If he likes me—why the hell kidnap me instead of just introducing himself properly?” Rica muttered as she combed through her tangled hair.
At least she had managed to wash her hair, dry it, put on cleaner clothes, and appear more presentable. Yet, Rica still felt like a homeless person. This wasn’t her home, and she didn’t know if Greg would ever let her go.
“Are you ready?” Greg’s voice called from outside.
“Almost,” Rica replied, attempting to sound cooperative.
She left the bathroom and approached the table already laden with food. Dinner and a movie—here, of all places. Rica sat down uneasily, occasionally glancing at Greg, who was busy eating.
She had always thought crazy men only existed in movies, but here one was, right in front of her. Somehow, he felt different now compared to when he wore that mask. Rica didn’t dare ask too many questions—it wasn’t the right time. So, she decided to just eat, pretending this was a normal dinner.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
Greg sighed irritably and got up. Rica discreetly watched him out of the corner of her eye, trying to gauge whether he would be gone for long. As soon as he stepped out of sight, Rica strained to listen to what was happening. When Greg hadn’t returned after five minutes, she decided to search the place.
“Where’s my phone?” Rica frantically darted around the room, searching for her belongings.
But her efforts were in vain. She couldn’t find her phone anywhere, so she headed to the door. Maybe she could make a break for it. Why didn’t this luxurious apartment have a landline? Rica’s only hope was the door.
“What the—? Why won’t it open?” Rica yanked at the handle furiously.
She was stunned to find a keypad near the door on the inside. She had never seen a double-security system like this before. Greg must truly be a paranoid lunatic to set up such a contraption.
“What’s the code? Why the heck did he make the door lock both ways?” she grumbled, trying random combinations.
Ten minutes of effort yielded no results. Exhausted, Rica collapsed to the floor, massaging her temples as her head pounded with frustration. Then, an absurd idea popped into her mind.
“No way… It can’t be that simple,” Rica muttered to herself.
She got up and keyed in a series of numbers—her own birth date. Heart pounding with dread, she closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and prayed silently.
“Please, let this work.”
To her astonishment, the door clicked open. Wasting no time, Rica dashed out. Wearing nothing but thin house slippers, she ran as fast as she could, ignoring the pain in her feet. She had to get out of this building before Greg came back.
“Oh! The elevator!”
Hope surged as she pressed the button for the ground floor. With all the chaos of the past few days, Rica couldn’t think clearly. Tears streamed down her face as she wiped them away. This ordeal was too much for someone who had always been treated like a princess by her family.
When she finally reached the lobby, Rica cautiously peered around before stepping out of the elevator. Once she felt it was safe, she hurried, keeping her head down, her hair hiding her face. Her heart pounded wildly as she managed to leave the building. Now what? She had no phone and no money. Public transportation wasn’t an option.
“What do I do now?” Rica muttered, standing by the side of the road. “Maybe I could hail a cab and promise to pay when we get to my house?”
In her panic, Rica decided that was her best option. She was sure her mom was home and worried sick about her. Summoning her courage, Rica tried to flag down a taxi. But finding an empty one was proving difficult—every cab that passed was already occupied.
“Come on, stop for me! I can’t stay out here too long!” Rica coughed as vehicle fumes filled the air.
Finally, her persistence paid off. A cab slowed down and pulled up beside her. Without a second thought, Rica jumped in, buckled her seatbelt, and gave the driver her home address. She missed her mom and was desperate to get home that night.
“Sure thing, Miss,” the driver said.
Rica’s hands trembled when she recognized the voice. She screamed in horror as her eyes met Greg’s in the rearview mirror. He had disguised himself as the taxi driver. Rica’s heart sank—what would happen to her now? Greg seemed delighted at having fooled her.
“Let me out!” Rica shouted angrily.
Greg laughed mockingly. “Oh, Rica, Rica. You’re so naive. And those cops? Dumb as rocks for arresting the wrong guy over those little gifts I sent. Think I’ll end up in jail, Rica?”
“You lunatic! I’ll tell my mom everything!”
“Go ahead,” Greg replied nonchalantly, accelerating the car.
Panicked and trapped, Rica unbuckled her seatbelt and lunged forward, grabbing Greg by the neck. She didn’t care if they crashed. At least if they ended up in a hospital, she wouldn’t have to keep running from him.
“Stop the car! Fine—let’s die together, then!”
“Let go of me!”
For nearly fifteen minutes, Rica struggled to wrest control of the wheel. The car swerved and eventually crashed into a barrier in a remote area. Rica, though injured, forced herself to move. Greg lay unconscious, blood dripping from his forehead. Rica didn’t care. She staggered out of the car, spotting her phone on the dashboard.
“My phone…” she murmured, weakly reaching for it.
“I have to get out of here,” she told herself.
Rica fell to the ground after opening the door but dragged herself to the side of the road. Completely drained, she lay on the dusty pavement, tears of frustration and sorrow streaming down her face. Mustering the last of her strength, she powered on her phone. Seconds felt like hours as she waited, occasionally glancing at Greg, who remained unconscious.
Without checking the screen, she dialed the last number in her call log. As the call connected, Rica’s vision blurred. Then, everything went black.She could hear a voice faintly calling her name.
“Rica? Is that you? Where are you?” Bisma’s voice echoed.