The Pretend Heiress And The Billionaire

Sienna's POV

The pounding of my feet against the pavement echoed in the quiet deserted street, my heart racing as if it were about to escape my chest.

They were getting closer-too close-and I had very little strength left.

I had left my car somewhere along the road. Now, I was depending on my feet and brain to get me to safety.

My breaths came out in gasps as I pushed forward, praying for a miracle. Perking my ears, I struggled to listen for any sounds to determine the distance between them and me, but silence greeted me.

Still, I knew better. These men were behind me. Maybe I had managed to put some distance between us, but they were there nevertheless, and my mind encouraged me to run.

Then, as if by fate, I saw it-the tall iron gates of Adrian's mansion, locked away in this isolated area. I felt my erratically beating heart returning to normal, as I saw safety's arms opened wide to welcome me.

I knew this place quite well, having lived here for more than five months.

And although the memory of my last encounter here with him was very painful, I had no choice.

He was my only chance.

I dashed towards the gates, gripping the cold metal as if I could tear it down and move past it. It was locked, not that I expected anything less.

"Please, open up!" I shouted, my voice trembling. "I need help!"

The guards glanced at me, their expressions blank. I slammed my hands against the metal, feeling the stinging pain rush up to my shoulders.

"The boss isn't in," one of them said, uninterested. He turned his back as if I was invisible.

"Please let me in. I'll explain later. You don't understand!" My voice cracked, as tears threatened to spill from my eyes.

"They're coming! I'm in danger!"

The guard barely looked at me, shaking his head. I felt my knees weaken.

Turning to hide somewhere, anywhere, I froze at the sound of an engine. A sleek familiar black car rolled up the driveway, the headlights nearly blinding me. Adrian.

Without hesitating, I let my legs carry and place me in front of the car, my feet trembling and hands outstretched.

Adrian slammed on the brakes a few inches from my position.

He stepped out, fury written all over his handsome face. For a brief second, Adrian's eyes met mine, and I thought I saw a flicker of concern.

But then, his expression hardened, his gaze turning cold. "What the hell are you doing?" he snapped, looking at me as if I were some stray dog. Ouch!

I swallowed hard, my voice dying in my throat. "Adrian, please, just listen. I am be–"

"Spare me the crap woman!" He bellowed, cutting me off.

"Not again. You fooled me once, Sienna, but never again. Stay away from me."

My stomach clenched. My body reacting without control, I felt my knees touch the concrete. "No, please, you don't understand. I'm not here to-"

"Baby, who is this?" A serene voice demanded. Looking up, I saw a stunning young woman, stepping out of the passenger side. She looked me up and down, a mixture of disgust and annoyance covering her face.

Adrian barely glanced at me. "Just some beggar from the street." Ouch!

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

I felt the weight of his words pressing down my heart. He was right, I had been a beggar before all this.

Feeling the need to make him understand, I crept towards him, not caring that the hard concrete was tearing through my skin.

Gripping the material of his suit, I tried to make him listen. "Adrian, please, they're coming-"

For a moment, Adrian hesitated, his eyes softening just slightly as if considering my words. But then, his expression shifted, his features hardening once again. He cut me off, this time by shrugging off my hands from his clothes. His expression turned colder. "Oh, has he dumped you already? Are you here for my money too?"

He leisurely reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash, shoving it into my trembling hands.

"Here, help yourself with that."

Standing still, I stared down at the numerous bills as tears blurred my vision. My chest tightened painfully, but I bit back the sob threatening to spill out.

"Adrian, please hear me out." I whispered, the knot in my chest tightening as apprehension crept up my sleeve.

He didn't even look at me. Instead, he turned to his guards, his voice threatening. "Gary, don't let this girl into my house. If you do, you're fired."

The guards nodded. Adrian turned around, flashing me one last look of disdain before getting back into the car.

The engine roared to life, and without another word or glance, he drove off, leaving me standing alone, the now crumpled bills slowly falling out of my hands.

The moment his car disappeared around the corner, my knees gave way, and I crumpled to the ground, joining his money.

My head throbbed. My breathing uneven, as I felt my heart tearing into a million tiny pieces.

Realizing that I didn't have time to fall apart, I wiped the tears from my face.

I couldn't afford to be stupid as the men were still coming.

I hurried to my feet, the little scrapes on my knees from kneeling on the concrete stinging.

Wiping my tears, I turned back toward the gate. "Please!" I banged on it desperately, ignoring the burning in my palms. "Let me in! I'm begging you!"

One of the guards emerged again, his face stoic. "Leave. Now."

My heart twisted in panic. My mind took me to see images of the torture I could go through if I got caught. Shaking my head, in a bid to drive the ugly thoughts away, I looked around frantically.

I had to hide, but where? Adrian lived in the middle of nowhere. My mind was racing, the throbbing in my head increasing.

Then I heard it–a loud rumble of a speeding car as it drove down towards me.

The van.

It was here.

Breaking out into a sprint, I barely took ten steps before the doors swung open and two large men jumped out, their faces expressing ugly grins.

My heart stopped. Screaming at the top of my voice, I prayed for someone to save me.

But no one did.

The heavy footsteps behind me grew louder, closer. I could hear their ragged breaths, their presence behind me very noticeable.

Then it happened. A hand grabbed my arm, a painful grip that had me gritting my teeth. I let out another scream, trying to break free. The man's sharp nails digging into my delicate skin, drew blood.

"Let me go!" I screamed, my voice cracking. Kicking and screaming and even biting did little to help, only loosening their grip for a slight second. But it wasn't enough. They were too strong.

The last thing I saw before the van's door slammed shut was Adrian's guards, running towards us, guns out and some speaking into their earpieces.

Then, everything went black.