Priska glanced around repeatedly, her situation was anything but safe. She couldn't stay hidden forever, yet she had no clear plan to escape Redz Plaza Mall without attracting attention.
Ever heard the saying that sometimes you need to step back two or three paces to leap forward? Perhaps that was exactly what Priska was doing now. She knew escaping from those five insane men wouldn't be easy.
That was why she had chosen to sleep with Aldo, hoping it would end her feelings for Aldo. She needed an opening to flee. She was already too deep in this twisted game—if she fought back the wrong way, she'd only meet her downfall at Indra's hands.
Priska was under immense pressure. Sex and love were obviously two different things for a man like Aldo. He could have just pretended to be gentle last night to get what he wanted, while his heart clearly belonged to someone else.
But Priska never expected her feelings to be reciprocated. She had let him touch her because she wanted to end her love for Aldo, even though it was anything but easy. That bittersweet, painful first-night experience was something she would never forget for the rest of her life.
The cruelest man she had loved for a year. Love that she had kept buried deep inside. For a moment, she had thought Aldo might love her back, but in the end, all she got was a lasting trauma. Aldo had taken her most precious thing with empty sweet words.
He probably didn’t even care about her future. To him, it was just fun—just like it was for the other four men. To them, Priska was nothing more than a toy. They were wealthy and powerful, while she had nothing to hold them accountable.
Priska wandered through the clothing section, making sure she was far away from Aldo. She had been circling around for half an hour, hiding, her chest pounding, hands trembling, barely able to stand. If she weren’t in danger, she might have already fainted somewhere out of sheer terror at the thought of being caught.
While in the crowd, she spotted several familiar-looking men rushing around as if searching for someone. Priska stealthily hid behind a tall pillar, her heart pounding wildly. When she saw the shadow of a man in a dress shirt, she realized—those were Indra’s men.
Whatever business Indra ran, it was shady. Maybe he was some kind of mafia with nightclubs and entertainment businesses—or maybe even drugs? Priska wasn’t sure, but she could tell from the way Indra carried himself that he had no fear of the law.
She needed to think fast. If she left the store now, she’d only put herself in more danger and be chased down instantly. Her eyes landed on the fitting rooms, where customers tried on clothes before purchasing them. Without hesitation, she slipped into one of the stalls just as two of Indra’s men drew closer.
"Who are you?" a man’s voice exclaimed. Someone was already inside the fitting room.
"Shhh… please, I’m begging you," Priska whispered, her eyes welling up with desperation, making the man hesitate.
"Alright," he responded calmly.
Bang! Bang!
The doors of the neighboring fitting rooms were forcefully opened, then footsteps approached theirs. Priska feared the man would call out and expose her.
"Is someone inside?" A man asked harshly.
"Yeah! What’s your problem?" the man beside Priska retorted.
The fitting room was so small that she could clearly see his face—tall, with Japanese and Western features. The watch on his wrist looked insanely expensive, and the clothes he carried were simple yet bore price tags that could make Priska shrink in disbelief.
"Apologies, we’re looking for someone," the goon said before their footsteps faded into the distance.
Priska felt slightly relieved, but she was still trapped, unsure how to leave without being noticed. Aldo had probably already given them a clue about what she was wearing, making it easier for them to track her down.
The mixed-blood man waved his hand in front of Priska’s face, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Hey, are you alright? They’re after you, aren’t they?"
"I… I’m fine," she stammered nervously. She feared they’d drag her away violently if she was caught.
"I have an idea. Wear these. I’ll wait outside. Don’t forget to remove the tags so I can pay for them later," he said, not giving Priska a chance to argue.
Priska was too overwhelmed to come up with another plan. The stranger’s suggestion wasn’t bad either. He stepped out after handing her the clothes he had originally planned to try on himself.
For a few moments, Priska struggled to process the chaos of the situation. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself. Then, she quickly removed her blazer and, within minutes, had changed into an oversized black T-shirt layered with a plaid shirt, along with baggy black pants that were obviously too big for her. But it was perfect—she looked nothing like the girl Indra’s men were after.
"Hah… I’m betting all my luck on this. God, please protect me. Amen." She clasped her hands together in prayer, her heart still hammering like a target being hunted down by an assassin.
"Are you done?" the man knocked softly from outside.
Priska opened her eyes and unlocked the fitting room door. "Come in," she said.
He handed her a shopping bag and a cap, placing the cap on her head without asking. "Wear this too. Where are the tags?" he asked.
Priska fished out the three tags from her plaid shirt pocket, still stunned by his kindness. Yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had seen this man somewhere before.
"Thanks," he said as he took the tags, the total price easily matching a city’s minimum wage. Just for three clothing items? Priska couldn’t believe it.
"I should be the one thanking you," she said, touched.
"Ah, don’t mention it. Just consider yourself lucky today. Now get going before they come back," he urged.
"B-but—" Priska hesitated.
"No buts. Just go."
"Thank you, really," she said sincerely before slipping away.
She walked briskly, keeping her head low under the cap, her long hair cascading down the sides of her face. There was no sign of Indra’s men nearby. Making her way to the escalator, she headed down to the lower level, searching for the nearest exit.