OFFER

💀CHAPTER 31

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ-ᴏɴᴇ
~~❍~~

I walked to my dad's place and stopped in front of him.

"Are you here to scold me again? I know what I'm doing, and you don't need to tell me that I'm wrong. What I'm doing makes me happy," he said.

"You hurt Brianna, and you know how important she is to me. She and Noah are my closest friends. If you do something bad again, I will leave and let you manage this place alone," I said firmly.

"So, are you trying to say you'll stay with me?" he asked, his tone challenging.

"I'll stay if you stop hurting them. If you stop hurting my friends," I said. "Okay, I will stop. But make sure you really stay with me," he said. "I will keep my word," I promised.

***
(Gian P.O.V)

I was conflicted about whether what I was doing was right. Elijah is my friend, and it's hard to believe he is the right hand of the boss, his father. I hope he's telling the truth and that giving him a second chance is the right choice. I trust he will help us escape safely and without putting us in danger again. I hope he keeps his word, because if he doesn't, I won't hesitate to reveal his true identity. I wonder if I'm the only one who knows his secret, but for now, I have to hope that trusting him will lead to our escape.

***

(Elijah PERSON)

I told Gian that we would attempt to escape at midnight when everyone was in deep sleep. The plan was risky, but it was our best chance. James, William, Brianna, Gian's two friends, and Natalie were all curious about our destination. I explained that we were just exploring since I had found a new, unknown route. This route involved a hidden wall that could be pushed to reveal a hallway leading out of the facility. However, the journey was long; we would have to pass through three rooms before reaching the exit door.

"Hey, this place is amazing! How did you find this secret door?" Natalie asked.

"As I mentioned, I like to roam around. While exploring, I found a wall that was different from the others. At first, I was hesitant, but trust me, this place is really intriguing, and there's no one around," I replied. "Wow, you're a genius!" James said, clearly impressed.

"Hey, there's a door. Should we go through it?" William pointed out.

I led the group and opened the door. "Let's go inside," I said. Gian entered first, followed by William, then Natalie, Brianna, James, Gian's two friends, and finally me. I took the lead through the hallway, with Gian keeping an eye on our backs to ensure no one was following us. "This place is incredible! I can't believe there's a hidden door and such a great room that looks like a hotel," James marveled.

"It is impressive, but we need to stay quiet to ensure no one discovers us," I reminded them. "But you said there's no one here," James said, puzzled. "Yes, but just in case someone does come by, we should remain silent to ensure our safety," I clarified.

We safely exited the first room and returned to the hallway. "This place is so unusual. There's only one way, and we have to pass through a room before getting back to the hallway," one of Gian's friends noted. "You're right. It is quite different," William agreed.

We approached the next door and entered it as well. "Wow! Now I'm completely sure this place is amazing," James said, his mouth open in awe as he looked around.

"Let's be quiet," I said again. "Sorry," James apologized. In the middle of the room, we heard a loud bang from behind us. Everyone turned around, but there was no one in sight. "Shh... Let's hide," Gian instructed, and we all quickly took cover in different spots.

Gian and one of his friends hid behind a brown cabinet. William and Brianna crouched behind a sofa, while I hid behind a small table. Gian's other friend concealed himself behind a TV, and Natalie and James hid beneath a table. We waited in silence, listening for any signs of someone approaching. After a while, I decided it was safe to move. I left my hiding spot, and Gian followed me. "Let's stay here for a while," I suggested. "This place might be dangerous," James said, his concern evident.

"It could just be something that fell on the ground, causing the noise," Gian reassured him. "Maybe we should head back to the first room," one of Gian's friends proposed.

"No, don't worry. As long as we stay quiet, we should be safe here," Gian said, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Hey, I'm thirsty. I'll go get some water and return," James said, starting to move. I stopped him immediately. "I'll get the water for you. Stay here, and everyone remain quiet. Hide if you hear anything. I'll be back soon," I said, signaling Gian to keep an eye on everyone before I left the room.

I moved quickly through the main hallway to avoid keeping my friends waiting too long. My mission to save them was crucial. As I navigated the hallway, I spotted a guard. We locked eyes briefly, but I maintained a neutral expression to avoid suspicion.