His Vengeance

Chapter 2

Nicole

Gazing out of the airplane window, a surge of excitement coursed through me as I caught my first glimpse of Chicago.

Home.

It had been far too long since I last set foot in this city. After spending four years in the UK, my life meticulously monitored during that time, I was finally returning to a place where I could truly be myself and pursue my dreams.

Allow me to give you a brief overview of my life.

Just a few weeks ago, I proudly graduated from college, celebrating my 22nd birthday shortly after. As an only child, I faced the loss of my mother at the tender age of six. Please, spare me the pity, for we all know that life can throw painful curveballs.

It was just my father and me. After I completed college, he decided to send me to the UK, encouraging me to start afresh and attend any college of my choice there.

Now, you might be wondering why he chose that particular destination. Let me shed some light on the matter. Being the only child, I must admit that I took advantage of that fact on occasion.

How, you ask? Well, let's just say that I wasn't the easiest teenager to handle. High school was a challenging period, akin to my version of hell.

In essence, I was a rebellious teen during those tumultuous years. We all have our moments, don't we?

Consequently, I spent the next four years of my life in the UK, residing in a penthouse of my own, courtesy of my father, who happened to be one of the most influential figures in Chicago's business world. However, I was not alone in this venture. I shared the penthouse with Matt, my father's loyal right-hand man, and trusted friend, as well as Sheila, my housekeeper who provided much-needed maternal guidance.

At first, the transition was challenging, but I swiftly adapted to my new life. Another reason for my relocation was the existence of business rivals who were willing to do anything to undermine my father's empire, including targeting me.

To this day, I fail to comprehend their motives. My father's company is renowned for its excellence in real estate. Is that all they desired?

Moving forward, I managed to make a few friends during my time in the UK and even engaged in some brief flings with typical college guys. Surprisingly, life there turned out to be not as terrible as I had initially imagined.

Yet, I longed for my true self. I yearned for the familiar streets of Chicago. I craved the comfort of home, most of all, the presence of my father.

Our arguments about my return home lasted a week, spiraling from bad to worse.

Dad worried about my reintegration into Chicago, consumed with his ongoing business endeavors, fearing he would not have enough time to spend with me. Those were his words, not mine.

On the contrary, I reassured him that everything would be fine. Returning home did not mean I intended to spend every waking moment by his side. I, too, needed to live my own life, you know?

As a recent college graduate, the logical step for me would be to secure a job. Fortunately, I did not need to fret, as my father could easily arrange for me to intern at his company. However, I was in no rush to jump into work immediately.

I had missed out on so much enjoyment during my previous life, and now that I was back, I intended to relish a few weeks of personal freedom before focusing on a career.

That, in a nutshell, sums up the recent events in my life. The pilot's voice crackled over the intercom, instructing us to fasten our seatbelts in preparation for landing.

An exhilarating rush surged through me as I peered out the window, observing the plane making its descent.

After the announcement that we had indeed arrived in Chicago and were free to disembark, I leaped up from my seat, grabbed my handbag, and headed toward the exit.

Stepping outside the aircraft, I was greeted by warm sunlight and a refreshing breeze that filled my lungs.

Home, sweet home.

Naturally, I had to endure the standard airport security procedures before finally retrieving my midnight blue suitcase from the designated area.

As I exited the arrival zone and scanned the check-in area, a peculiar sensation washed over me. Brushing it aside, I pushed my sunglasses up to rest atop my head and searched for the person holding a sign with my name on it amidst the crowd.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I spotted a gentleman rushing to join the gathering, clutching a card bearing my name.

Making my way towards him, he promptly took charge of my suitcase without any need for confirmation.

That's weird.

I followed him out of the airport and trailed along to the parking lot, where a cluster of black minivans was parked in a corner. I cast a glance around, half-expecting a luxurious BMW to arrive instead of these rather typical-looking vans, reminiscent of scenes from kidnapping movies.

"Um, are you sure this is my ride?" I inquired of the gentleman leading the way. He glanced over his shoulder but offered no response.

"Excuse me! I'm speaking to you!" I halted my steps, but he continued onward, dragging my suitcase behind him.

"You know what? This is ridiculous. I'm going to call my father right now and sort this out myself." I reached into my handbag to retrieve my phone when, unexpectedly, the minivan doors slid open, and several masked individuals wielding guns emerged, pointing their weapons at me.

What the...?!

Startled, I instinctively took a step back, my hand still inside my handbag. I surveyed the people encircling me, a captive under the threat of these firearms.

"Remove your hand from the bag and drop it to the ground," the first person before me commanded, stepping closer.

"What the hell is going on here? If you think this is some kind of sick joke, I'll make sure every one of you loses your jobs today!" I retorted, my voice filled with righteous anger.

"Drop. The. Bag!" he growled in a menacingly low tone.

"Whoever came up with this ridiculous idea of a grand homecoming, you're all screwed!"

"Just drop it!" Reluctantly, I released my handbag, watching as it fell to the ground, its contents spilling out. The man kicked it towards himself, handing it off to someone behind him.

"Now, get in." Before I could protest, he forcefully grabbed my hand and pushed me into the minivan, sliding the door shut in my face.

Only then did reality hit me as I glanced at the men seated in front of me.

"Who are you? Why..." I began to speak, but my sentence was abruptly cut off when he slammed the butt of his gun against my face.

"You talk too much, bitch!" a deep, gruff voice bellowed.

Cradling my bleeding nose, I winced in pain, my fingers stained with blood, the metallic taste lingering in my mouth.

"What..." I tried to speak again, but before I could process what was happening, I felt a sharp prick on my neck.

Black spots danced before my eyes, and darkness swallowed me whole. Little did I realize that this would be the last day of my life as I knew it, the day I would cease being ordinary or even return to my former self.

********
You've finally met Nicole so let me know in the comments what you think about her.

And thank you for the 300k reads. I appreciate you all so much!

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~Lucy