THE SECRET HEIRESS

DIRECTIONLESS

[Matches are made in heaven. I met mine when I was being chased by death itself. I never knew that death could be such a good match-maker!]

LEO

Our fates had brought us together but in the most inappropriate way. We were strangers, however, what we had in common was the motive to beat death that night.

..

'I truly have nowhere to go. Please take me to any place that's safer than this highway.' She replied after much thinking. I was still driving along the highway with no fixed destination. Basically, she had hired me to work for her the moment she offered me that money. My job now was to follow her plan. I had to follow a master who didn't know her own destination.

'Do you trust a stranger, Miss Rony? What if I take you to Mr. Frost?' My breathing became erratic and my hands were shaking beyond control. It was not because I actually planned on something on that line. I was too stressed over the thought of getting caught by Mark. But she was way younger than the 27-year-old me, leaving the responsibility of saving both of us to myself. Even if she's smart, I could understand that she was equally worried about her life. Otherwise, who trusts a complete stranger like that?

She had nowhere to hide. But she wanted to escape that dangerous person, whereas I needed that money she had offered. In fact, just a small portion of 1 million, say a few hundred dollars, would solve my problem. I wouldn't take all of the sum, provided we could make it alive. And there was no hard and fast rule that she would keep her promise. People are dishonest, but I would help her regardless.

'Mr. driver, I believe I have made the right choice. You seem trustworthy.' ' Again, it's totally up to you, whether you want to save me and earn money or whether you want to earn more money over my dead body.' She knew what she was talking about all along. She mentioned cash once again. I would rather save her life than be earning some cash after her death. I vowed to never be a monster like my father. And I wasn't going to be one anytime soon.

So, I did what I did. But I couldn't believe what I had done until I closed the door behind me.

.......

According to Rony, even the authorities couldn't help her. Mr. Frost had everyone in his pockets, she said. And I believed her. I must have been a fool to do that, but I had crossed paths with Mr. Frost once. His actions spoke louder than what Rony had to say. Elites have their way of getting out of trouble. But my problem was bigger, chiefly because an elite person was associated with the woman seated in my taxi. Driving on the highway with her in my vehicle was problematic. Being discovered by those men meant my end. There could be a possibility of them sparing her life, but my end was guaranteed.

My heart pounded so loudly that I could barely even hear the sound of her heels when she walked across the wooden floor.

"We are safe for the night, Miss Rony." I whispered, but enough for her to hear me. I knew for the fact that her problem was my problem as I had sold myself to handle her problem. She would pay me for keeping death away from her.

'Mr. Driver, where have you brought me?' She asked me with a raised eyebrow. She was a barbie doll in our dilapidated house. In her presence, the house looked so out of place.

'Is this your house?' I had no answer to her question. It was a place where I had been living for about 15 years but it wasn't my house. I couldn't claim it as mine. It was my grandmother's house, away from the shadow of my father's darkness. 'You don't have to answer that.' She, as if in understanding, eased the heaviness of my heart.

...

The wealthy woman didn't bother to stay in an old wooden house with a stranger. After all, even a stable is worth spending the night than getting killed at such a young age.

'This is my grandmother's room. You can sleep here tonight.' I said, once we got settled. I intended to take her away the next day once the sun rose.

"Do you live...ummm... alone?" "I mean...I am sorry...but I don't see anybody else here." She said, unbuckling the straps of her heels. Her eyes looked drowsy but she was fighting her urge to fall asleep. Her anxiousness was understandable. She didn't know me enough to let her guard down.

'Oh! My granny is at the hospital.' I didn't want to give more information about myself. Some things are better kept hidden than out in the open.

"Oh, I see." She sighed but her eyes were making rounds of our two-room house hoping she'd find some other person.

'Miss Rony, rest assured. I won't let anything happen to you when I am here.' I made a statement which I barely even thought I was capable of keeping when armed men were marching through the town searching for her.

.....

Later that night, I could feel somebody's eyes on me but was too sleep deprived to verify the sound of my mind. I was startled to find Rony, sleeping on the floor of the kitchen right next to my bed.

'Miss!' 'Miss Rony?' I called to make sure she was alive. She jumped up to her feet the next instant.

"Oh...hey, hey Mr. Driver!" She tried to greet me even when her eyes were half closed.

'I didn't realise you were sleeping on the floor. You should have woken me up.' I started to lighten her embarrassment and was lucky enough to notice the pinkish hue disappear from her cheeks.

'Did something scare you?' I had to know her answer even when my throat dried up at the thought of those who were after her.

'Did something happen, Miss Rony?' I could feel my heart beating out loud at the thought of being watched or being found.