The Billionaire's Dangerous Obsession - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Nivera ran, her breath ragged and her legs barely holding her up, but she didn’t dare glance back at the man she had just injected.
The drugs’ effect in her body was getting more and more lethal, but she pushed harder, her instincts screaming at her to put as much distance as possible between her, the club, and everyone in it.
The drugs coursing through her system made the world spin violently, blurring the edges of her vision.
Her pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out the pulsing music that faded as she moved further.
She had to get out!
Her fingers trailed along the walls for balance as her legs wobbled beneath her.
Nathaniel would be waiting in the main club, watching for her return like the predator he was.
What kind of club was this? She gritted her teeth, frustration mixed with fear.
She froze when someone suddenly appeared in front of her. From the clothes, she realized the woman was an employee.
“Please, I’ve been drugged; I need another exit, one that doesn’t lead back to the club.”
“Oh my, come with me,” the employee said as she held Nivera and helped her walk.
They then began to make their way to the exit, with Nivera praying that the employee wouldn’t take her back to the men she was running from.
Finally, a heavy door marked with an “Exit” sign appeared at the end of a narrow hallway.
Relief washed over her as the employee pushed it open, and she stumbled into the cool night air.
“Come, let’s get you in a taxi away from this,” the employee said, and Nivera couldn’t be more grateful to her.
The alley behind the club was quiet except for the distant hum of traffic.
The sharp contrast to the chaos inside the club made her pause, her chest rising and falling as she fought to steady her breathing.
“Thank you,” she said to the employee when they got to the street.
“You’re welcome. This club is a dangerous one, as predators come here. A word of advice, don’t come back here,” the employee advised, and Nivera nodded, not even needing to be told as she had made that resolution herself.
“I won’t. Go back inside; I’ll be fine,” she said, and the employee nodded before leaving.
Nivera didn’t have time to linger, as her eyes scanned the street just the same time a taxi rolled into view.
She stepped into the light, waving frantically.
The cab screeched to a halt, and she yanked the door open, collapsing into the back seat. “Drive,” she gasped, her voice trembling. “Just drive!”
The driver turned in his seat, his brow furrowed in concern. “Miss, are you…”
“Go, please!” she interrupted, her tone sharp despite her fear.
The driver shrugged and pulled away from the curb, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.
Nivera sank into the seat, her body trembling as the events of the night replayed in her mind. Nathaniel’s leering grin. The stranger’s dark, piercing eyes. The gunshot.
Her stomach churned as the image of the man slumping to the floor played on a loop in her mind.
It was the first time she was witnessing someone being murdered, and she pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to suppress the bile rising in her throat.
The stranger had killed that man in cold blood, his movements calm and deliberate, and it was obvious from his demeanour that it wasn’t the first time he was doing so.
The conclusion made her shudder as she asked herself the question: if their confrontation in the club hadn’t been so public, would he have killed her too?
The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting to see his face glaring back at her through the rear window.
Nivera shook her head to stop herself from hyperventilating.
She couldn’t go back to her apartment. Nathaniel’s men would already be looking for her, and there was no telling if the stranger would do the same.
The drug she injected him with was supposed to last hours, but she didn’t want to take the risk.
Her voice wavered as she leaned forward, addressing the driver. “Take me to the nearest motel.”
“Sure thing, but it’s going to cost you.” The man nodded, changing lanes.
A few minutes later, the cab pulled up to a small, dingy motel on the edge of the city. The neon sign flickered, casting eerie shadows across the cracked pavement.
Nivera paid the fare with shaking hands, muttering a quick “thank you” before stepping out.
It took her several minutes to drag herself inside the motel, as she was beginning to lose sensation in her body.
Nathaniel was a bastard!
If the drugs had knocked her out and were instead slowly incapacitating her, it meant he wanted her to be aware of what he was doing to her but not be able to fight back.
The clerk barely glanced at her as she checked in, handing her a key to one of the upstairs rooms. She climbed the stairs, her legs heavy with exhaustion.
Once inside, she locked the door and slid the chain into place, her hands trembling as she secured the deadbolt.
The room smelled faintly of mildew, and the furniture was worn and mismatched. But it was safe.
She immediately collapsed onto the bed, her body sinking into it.
Her thoughts spiralled as she replayed the events of the night once again. This had been her last chance, her one shot at salvaging her career and proving her worth.
Now, it was over!
Tears welled in her eyes, and she let them fall, her body trembling.
Her name was Nivera Elton, and she was the youngest daughter of the Elton family. The Eltons were one of the richest and most powerful families in the world.
They had ruled the finance and investment world for years. That sounded nice to everyone, but not her. It was a tradition in their family for every child to be groomed to join the family business.
This was what was a huge problem for her, as unlike her siblings, who were polished and obedient, she had always been the black sheep.
Where they excelled in boardrooms and followed her father’s orders without question, she had always craved freedom. She wanted a life of creativity and passion, qualities her father dismissed as frivolous.
When she finally mustered the courage to tell him she wanted to pursue modelling, he had been more than furious.
However, he had given her two years to prove herself, to rise to the top without using the Elton name. If she succeeded, he would leave her alone and allow her to continue her career.
But if she failed, not only would she lose her inheritance, but he would marry her off to someone of his choice, and knowing her father, she knew she wouldn’t like his choice.
The moment she made a debut in the industry, her career took off with various companies approaching her, and she had done it without the help of her family’s name.
People only knew her as Nivera, and it was easy to keep her family name a secret as the Elton family were one who took their privacy seriously, and so she didn’t grow up in the spotlight.
Everything was going well until Nathaniel struck.
There were still months before the deadline was up, but it was over.
She had no choice now. She would have to go back home, face her father’s disapproval, and marry whatever man he deemed suitable.
The weight of her failure pressed down on her chest until she cried herself to sleep, which wasn’t hard considering the fact that the drug finally knocked her out.
Sunlight streamed through the thin curtains, and it hit Nivera’s face, which forced her eyes to flutter open.
For a moment, she lay there, disoriented but calm, the events of the previous night a hazy blur.
Letting out a yawn, she sat up and stretched, closing her eyes as she tried to shake off the lingering exhaustion.
“Good afternoon,” a low, chilling voice drawled, and she felt her heart stop.
Her eyes flew open, and she froze, her breath caught in her throat as she turned to the direction where the voice had come from.
The devil sat in the chair by the window, his dark eyes fixed on her with a predatory glint.
His posture was relaxed, one arm draped over the back of the chair as though he owned the room.