The Grand Mistress

Gabriella prayed that El Tigre would just let her off but instead of agreeing to her request, Primo just turned his back and announced, "Either you'll follow me to the car and allow me to bring you home, or I'll take you to my house,"

"What?" Gabriella could not believe his resolution. Was he threatening her? How dare this man! However even when she wanted to protest, knowing that he was El Tigre rendered her helpless to his demands and so she just stood there watching him walk away, undecided what to do. "You aren't serious right?"

"You heard me Dulzura," Primo's hard tone filled the place and made it colder than it ever was. "Do not make me repeat myself,"

Gabriella could just do nothing then but just followed Primo. Annoyance of his insistence and obvious pestering started to build in her heart. What does he think of himself? The King of Devon City? Why does he go around controlling her when clearly, she was not his subject. However, even when she was annoyed with him, she could not easily retaliate as he was the beckoned El Tigre and just like any sound person in Devon city was, surely she dared not to upset him. God knows what happened to all those who are against the Umbresio family. They just disappear with no trace whatsoever.

The Monteria heiress silently followed El Tigre to his car and he opened the door for her like a real gentleman even when Gabriella knew he wasn't. She just rolled an eye at his gallantries in secret and sat in the back of his car. 

"Where to?" He asked as he joined her at the back.

"Allegria...Allegria penthouses," Gabriella announced, almost not wanting to say it. However she knew for a fact that since Primo already knew her real name, she can't hide from him anymore. She just fervently hoped that he'll stop pestering her soon.

Her address didn't escape Primo's curiosity. He knew for a fact that Allegria penthouses were one of the most exclusive residences in the city and not every rich man around can afford it. 

"It's not mine," She announced when she caught his expression. 

"Who are you living with?" He didn't withhold his curiosity. 

"A friend,"

"Why are you living with a friend?" Primo sounded like a real lawyer this time, instigating a witness in a courtroom and Gabriella could only sigh at that.

"None of your business," She attempted to end their conversation with that because really, he was making her very uncomfortable with his presence and him asking her questions wasn't helping in calming her tensed nerves. 

Primo could easily know the answer to all his questions by just one call but he wanted to start up a good conversation with her but Gabriella wasn't cooperating. Seeing her uncomfort and distrust, Primo knew their relationship needed much of a work. He didn't mind taking an effort though, especially that an angel like her was the price at the end. 

To avoid Primo's questions, Gabriella pretended to focus her eyes on the road outside. She could see from the reflection on the window on her side that Primo was all looking at her but she forced herself not to mind it. She kept her focus on the road and only did she notice that it was slightly raining and the streets had gone all wet. As if feeling the cold outside, she hugged herself unconsciously.

Primo saw this and although he liked the view of her exposed skin, he still chose to keep her warm. So, he pulled off his suit and wrapped it all in her shoulder. Gabriella jolted a bit at the contact of his hand to her exposed shoulder, totally not expecting such a move but since she was indeed cold, she just accepted it.

"Thank you," She said and held his suit as she pulled the hem to cover almost all of her. Gabriella was petite and her height was only regular while Primo was a big man and so the size of his suit was soo enough for Gabriella to cover all her exposed top.

Soon the Allegria penthouses became visible to Gabriella's sight and she sighed with so much relief knowing she could finally escape the man. When the car halted, Primo opened the door for her and before he could say a word, Gabriella took her chance hastily.

"Thank you and goodnight!" She said and in one swift motion, took off the suit, handed it to Primo and bolted through the Allegria penthouses entrance. It was so fast Primo didn't expect it and the girl didn't care to look back to see how El Tigre's expression went. It was enough that she had escaped him and she decided right away she wouldn't go out for the rest of the month to avoid the man. Although he was very powerful, he was a lawyer and so Gabriella knew he would uphold privacy. With that, she knew he wouldn't dare to disturb her in Lucy's penthouse without just cause. In case he would dare, she'll just hide inside and beg her best friends not to sell her off.

The thought of Sisi and Lucy got Gabriella thinking. As she entered the elevator, she started getting nervous and went on biting her nails. She wanted to stay positive and hoped the two had no idea yet what transpired tonight and hopefully no one saw them getting intimate in the garden, or else, ah! She doesn't want to think about what her fate will be. Besides, she believed in their friendship and hoped the two would not kill her for what she had done. 

Soon Gabriella reached Lucy's penthouse and slowly opened the door with her own key. She slid her head inside the door first to check whether someone was waiting for her and found that it was all dark inside. Thinking that Lucy might have been asleep already, she sighed with big relief. She then pushed the door full open, got inside and closed it again.

"Good thing Lucy is already sleeping," She was comforted by the fact that she need not to worry about the her tonight. She was too exhausted already and she definitely needed a good bath and was glad she could just do so without facing her best friend's wrath. So with confidence, Gabriella turned the lights on expecting no blood and drama tonight.

"O my god what a night!" She stretched and kicked her heels off as soon as she turned the switch but as she turned to her back from the switch, she saw Lucy standing behind the kitchen counter holding a knife.

"Hi Gabbie," The singer greeted with a tone that resembled a psychopath, the one she always sees in films. "Come here, I had prepared some dinner for you," She invited and without warning, chopped the steak hard in front of her like she was butchering a hard meat.

Gabriella jolted at the sound of it and immediately flushed a very scared face. "Lucy….."

"Hmmmm...come," Lucy waved at her, inviting her to come closer while her other hand raised the butcher knife in the air. She looked like a mad woman, especially that she was all dressed like it. Did she really have to dress up like one? Like those scary step mothers in horror films that were all planning to chop off her step children? 

"Come and taste the dinner I prepared for you," Lucy went on with the drama. "Sit here and tell me, as you eat, on how did you succeeded on seducing him,"

"Seduced who? I don't know what you are talking about," She denied even when no name was mentioned yet. "Lucy I just came from a family gathering,"

"Someone told me you left with someone,"

"Ah Lucy, that's just a friend. Someone I met—WAHHHHHH!"

Before Gabriella could finish her words, she saw Lucy made a hard grip on the knife and ran toward her and so with all the strength she had left, Gabriella ran for her life! 

She exited out the door screaming and ran barefoot in the hallway with nothing but herself. As soon as she reached the elevator, she mercilessly pressed it until it opened and prayed hard Lucy would not be able to catch her! Damn! Who would have thought Lucy was more scary than El Tigre?

If she knew it, she should have just agreed to stay with him tonight! Fuck that man! How could she ruin her life in just one night!

Gabriella kept running until she found herself in the streets. She was very aware that Lucy was just playing pranks on her but she took it too hard and ran in panic. At the end she found herself very exhausted and she held onto the metal pole in one of the street lights.

"Damn Lucy, that was so scary!" She cursed, almost laughing at their foolishness. She caught her breath at the same spot for a while before she decided to go back to the penthouses before the singer would run amuk to find her. She was about to head back to the building when suddenly it rained hard and she was left with no option but just to find shelter in the streets while waiting for the rain to stop.

"Ah what a night!" Gabriella sighed suking at the heavens for being so mean. Suddenly she realized she was barefoot and had no phone to call her friends for rescue. She must have dropped her phone and bag earlier when Lucy scared her. "God I look so pitiful in here,"

She dropped her head and looked at her bare feet that suddenly went sore.  "This all El Tigre's fault,"

"How is this my fault?" She heard someone and when she looked up, she felt an instant panic again.