Burning Passion

CHAPTER 140: SAVING NIKKI (Thirteen) and the Past 

"SPECIAL CHAPTER EDITION: ENCOUNTERS" 

(This chapter contains an act of violence.)

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Highland Garden is an exclusive graveyard for rich people in that district. 

The moment she got off the bus, she fetches a taxi and bought a flower along the way to offer it in Jonathan's grave. 

She realized the Hale family owns a private mausoleum in that garden. She entered inside and read the name one by one until she found Jonathan's urn in the corner. Nikki places the flower and prepares to recite her goodbye when someone grabs her by the shoulder.

"Who are you!?" asked the man. His eyes widened when he recognized her. 

And as for Nikki, she also recognizes him. He is Jonathan's older brother, Brandon. 

"How dare you show up in my brother's grave after you kill him!" Brandon pushes her against the wall. 

If it wasn't for the backpack, her body would directly contact the cold wall. Staring at the guy, her body shudders with fright. Creep began crawling in her skin when Brandon's stare sharpen and threatening. She bit her lower lip, thinking how to get out from there. She swallowed the lump in her throat and speak up. 

"I— I didn't kill him. It never crossed in my mind. He was my friend!" Stuttering, she tried to shout her reasons as her voice rattled in panic.

"Shut up! You pushed him! You killed him! Because of you, my brother died!" 

"We were just talking!" she tried to reason out further. She glances at the door. If she runs, she has to shove Brandon forcefully in the side. 

Nikki was waiting for a chance to run outside. Her heart beats loud when Brandon strides closer. 

"You should pay for his life!" 

Brandon yanks at Nikki, but she is already prepared to dodge his arm— with all of her strengths; she pushes the guy, and she runs to the door. But Brandon reached for her backpack and threw her in the corner.

Nikki collapses on the floor and hits her head on the wall's side. She reaches for her throbbing head. She gasped for air and resisted the pain. She tried to get up, but Brandon knelt and grab her leg, he pinned her on the floor.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" she exclaimed.

Nikki tried to strangle from the guy, pushing his chest, but he was strong. Her eyes began flooded with tears as she pleaded. "Please! I didn't kill him…"

"Really?" Brandon narrowed his gaze, peering down at her beneath him. His eyes traveled down her body and paused at her chest. "Oh, look what we got here?" He grinned. 

Nikki cried when he clasped one of her breasts. "No!"

The girl is kicking her foot, rolls down her skirt to her waist that shows her legs. A flash of ill thoughts playing in his head.

"No!" Nikki keeps shouting. She was in a panic when Brandon grabbed her breast, and he lowered his head. "Don't do this! Let me go, please!" tears rushing down her eyes; her vision fog as she could feel Brandon's hand traveled down her legs.

"I think I understand why my brother loses his head into you," he whispered. 

"What?" she's horrified hearing this as the warnings flashing inside her head. She has to escape from him. He's gone insane.

"You're a beauty, fresh, and young."

Her soul leaves her body, listening to his manic praises. "Help! Help me!" she shouted. She's praying for someone out there to hear her weak voice.

Seeing the girl screaming, he covers her mouth. "Shut up!"

She struggled to breathe. She tried to kick him, but it's beyond her reach to hit his lower loins. Brandon freed her mouth but to pin her legs, and he crouches on her.

"Let me go—" she coughs.

He strangled her neck, and she's chasing for air.

"Brandon! What are you doing?!" A man arrived and caught this situation. It shocked the man when he recognized who it was. He knew her.

"What the hell are you doing, Brandon!?" 

"Don't interrupt me, Uncle Kevin!" he yells at the man. Brandon finally let go of Nikki's neck.

Nikki is coughing, gasping for air. As for Kevin, he frowned from his nephew's statement. He shook his head and said, "Are you insane? Do you want to do this inside our family's Mausoleum? On the day of Jonathan's death anniversary?" 

Irritatedly, he yelled. "I don't care! I will bury her dead body underground after!" He remains in rage while gaping at Nikki. 

Creep crawling in every nerve of her body, Nikki pushes the guy and she crawls toward the corner.

"Enough! You should not harm her. She did nothing in Jonathan's death." 

"No! She killed my brother! If Jonathan didn't always hang out with her, he won't die! She must pay!"

Listening to their conversation, it sent a thousand creeps throughout her entire body. Nikki wanted to escape from this place. When she gets an opportunity, she runs outside.

Brandon attempts to stop her, but Kevin blocks the way.

"She should not get away!"

Kevin loses his patience and yells. "Enough! You were on drugs, again! You haven't been respecting your brother's death anniversary and coming like this?!"

Nikki did not stop but kept running to leave that place. Without looking back, she followed the trail leading toward the gate of this exclusive cemetery. Her body remained shuddering from shock.

Jonathan's older brother appears serious to kill her, for real. He was blaming her for the death of his brother. Maybe this is the reason her father doesn't like her to visit alone. Jonathan's brother holds a grudge against her for the death of Jonathan. 

Nikki made hasty steps almost running. However, she realized this place is far from the main road. The highlands were no houses or any establishment around the area.

Later, Nikki heard a car following behind. Her body jolted when it beeps. The car slowed down, the passenger seat's window rolled down. It was Kevin Hale. She meets him many times before dropping off Jonathan by his black pickup truck.

"Nikki, come on."

Nikki ignored him but hastened her steps. She was afraid to look at his direction, which he understood. She was still frightened when Brandon attacked her.

"Nikki, I will drop you below. It was a long way for you to walk until you reached the main road. Please, I apologize for my nephew's behavior. I know Jonathan would not like either of what his brother did a while ago." 

Hearing Jonathan's name, Nikki halted.

She wipes her face violently, attempting to dry her eyes; she keeps snorting. Her body doesn't shiver that much anymore, but fear still lingering within her. 

Kevin steps out of his car and walks toward Nikki. He opened the car door of the passenger seat and offered it to Nikki. 

"Come on. I will drop you at a bus stop or where are you headed?" 

Nikki ponders for a moment. She remains to stare at Kevin, weighing if he was to trust. And taking the car is the fastest way for her. Finally, she nodded at Kevin Hale and uttered, "Train Station." 

"Okay. I will take you there." Kevin attempts to hold Nikki. But she stepped backward. He raises both of his hands like surrenders, and he steps back, letting her climb on his pickup truck on her own. 

Kevin seated back in front of the steering wheel, he glanced at Nikki's direction. It worried him that this girl would go to the police and report his nephew. He had to calm her down and tried to settle the matter. Slowly, he drove off his truck.

"Um, Nikki, right? Look, I'm very, very sorry about what my nephew did to you. As you could see, Brandon still cannot get over the death of his brother. It was painful for us. But I don't blame you. So nothing to think about, it's not your fault, okay?" 

He was like talking to himself as the girl did not respond to him. "Please, can you just forget what happened?"

Kevin waited for Nikki to respond, and he got a nod. At least, this means she would keep quiet. If she tried to sue Hale, maybe he has to settle it with money. He already ponders about it and prepares, in case this girl would file a complaint.

They were halfway to the main road when Kevin's phone rang. He answered the call and talked to the person on the other line. 

"Hello, Master Shang? Okay? And where we should look for them? Why so sudden? Is it? Do you know their exact location?" 

There is a long silence, and Kevin just listens to the other line. Not long after, Kevin Hale ends the call. He glanced at Nikki once again and said, "I have important things to attend to, Nikki. I can not drop you at the train station. Would you be okay if I drop you on the main road by a Bus Stop?" 

Nikki nodded but did not say a word. Kevin heaves sighed. 

"I'm really sorry about what happened today." He said one more time. "All right, we're here."

Kevin is about to get out when Nikki steps out already. "Goodbye, Nikki!" 

Nikki glanced at him blankly and nodded before she left and walked to the side of the road. She seems not in herself, but he had an important business to deal with. Kevin stretches his arm and shuts the passenger door. He glanced at the rearview before he drove the car away from that place.

Nikki tried to process her head. What just happened? She could still feel the chill in her body. Tears threatened to run down her cheeks, she bit her lower lip not to cry again, but she cried after her efforts to hold her tears.

Someone grabs Nikki's shoulder, instantly, a fright displayed all over her face. The guy holding both of her shoulders was in bewilderment. 

(To be continued....)