Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 1892

The shop's proprietor was in the midst of a battle against flies. Estelle replenished her bag with bread and energy bars, topping off her supplies with a bottle of soda.

As she browsed the aisles, a group of men approached a table where a solo young lady sat. They encircled her, their words a jumble of another language and gibberish.

"Hi, beautygirl."

"Hey there, where you off to?"

"Looking for a place to stay?"

"Can I love you?"

Their eyes were fixed on the girl, their sneers dripping with malice. Startled, the girl stood up, clutching her purse, and hurried toward the exit.

The men were quick to follow, once again enclosing her, escalating from catcalls to unwanted touches.

Waving her purse frantically, the girl shouted,

"I don't know you, back off."

"My boyfriend will be here any minute."

"I'm going to call the cops."

During the scuffle, one of the men groped her, eliciting a piercing scream as she shoved through them and bolted outside.

They chased her like cats with a mouse, their menacing laughter sending shivers down her spine.

Desperate, she ran toward a parked Rolls-Royce Cullinan, pounding on the windows, "Help me, please. Somebody, please help."

Inside the car, a man lay reclined, legs propped on the steering wheel, sunglasses masking his eyes. Awakened by the rapping on the glass, he opened his striking brown eyes only to regard the panicked girl with indifference.

Realizing she wouldn't find her savior in the man with the car, the girl dashed back toward the store, seeking refuge with the indifferent store owner. Such incidents were all too common in a place like Citadel, and the owner had no interest in getting involved. He scoffed at the girl's naivety for wandering into such a place alone.

A sardonic smile curled his lips.

Behind the restrooms, with the girl pinned against a wall, Estelle approached the thug in a green baseball jersey. "Hi." she greeted him.

As he turned, Estelle's soda bottle shattered over his head, the sound of glass breaking loud in the silence.

"Ah." he groaned, clutching his head.

Estelle wasted no time, stuffing the jagged rim of the bottle into his mouth and kicking him away. A well-aimed punch to the next man's face left him unconscious with a broken cheekbone.

Five minutes later, Estelle addressed the stunned girl, "Get dressed."

The girl's eyes were wide with shock, tears streaming down her face. Her voice trembled with gratitude, "Thank you so much."

Estelle nodded slightly and walked away, leaving the girl to collect herself in the aftermath.