New Life: A Second Chance

Beatrice opened her eyes sleepily as she heard the alarm clock ring. With a groan, she switched it off and forced herself to get up.

Today was grocery shopping day.

If she didn't get there early, the best choice cut of meat would be finished. Plus, it would be full of people. 

She hated crowds.

But she really was sleepy and tired. 

Having imposed the ban on the twins certainly freed up her mind but it made her rather restless. Hence, the overtime. Whilst it was true that there was a lot of work at the office, it didn't mean that it couldn't wait until the next day. 

There was nothing really urgent but Beatrice just found that when the twins weren't around, she felt something was missing. Perhaps she was getting too used to having them around?

She sighed.

Well, at least she would be able to tell them tomorrow.

Just thinking she was going to see them tomorrow made her happy, and it confirmed what she already knew in her heart but refused to acknowledge it openly. She was both excited, and scared, about what this would entail.

Also, she knew how serious they were. Dating with a view of marriage.

Once she confirmed her feelings to them, would it mean straight to marriage?

Beatrice shook her head. 

That was certainly jumping the gun now, right?

But she wouldn't put it past the twins - or Grandpa Anton.

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Beatrice pushed the shopping trolley cart while going through her list. Since she would be meeting the twins on Sunday, she wanted to invite them over to the apartment for a home-cooked lunch.

It would be better to have it at her home rather than outside, so that they could discuss their relationship better.

Thus, she didn't go to her normal grocery store that was just below the apartment, but to another bigger place a few blocks away. Some of the items she needed wouldn't be stocked in the small grocery store, so she had to make that extra trip.

Just the thought of having the twins over at her apartment made her a little nervous, actually. Her father had always warned her against having any man step into her apartment. 

There is always that danger upon doing so. A man, in a single girl's apartment, when there was no one around. It was a recipe for being eaten. However, Beatrice was sure the twins would behave.

She still had her whip and cane … not to mention the latest 'toys' Grandpa Anton had delivered the other day.

Beatrice's eye twitched when she remembered the day she had received them.

Grandpa Anton had called her up when the parcel was delivered, and he was excitedly telling her all about the gifts that he sent to help her keep the boys disciplined. He insisted for her to have the call on video so that he could see her accept the delivery and open it up in front of him.

So, to appease the old man, Beatrice did just that.

How she had kept her face straight was beyond her.

When she had opened the box, she found two sets of handcuffs and two sets of leg cuffs that were covered in pink fur.

Grandpa Anton was gleefully telling her it was so, in order for it not to be too painful for the twins. The twins may struggle, so this was best for them, Grandpa Anton said. It was pink because Beatrice as a girl, Grandpa Anton said.

Beatrice shook her head and wondered just what Chen was filling the poor innocent man's head with.

There were even ropes and an additional gift from Chen.

A set of chains.

Which, it turns out, according to Grandpa Anton, could link the handcuffs to the legcuffs. Lo and behold, Beatrice found the loop that could be used to do so. 

She somehow managed to huge smile at Grandpa Anton and thanked him for his generosity. The items were placed in a box and shoved under her bed.

What would be next on Chen's list of gifts, Beatrice wondered. The bed?!

Beatrice shook her head, thinking she really had to clean her mind a bit.

As she was engrossed in her shopping, she didn't notice a man that was slowly following her around. A bored man, to be honest.

[A/N: for the sake of the story, let's call him BG1, for 'bodyguard 1'. He doesn't deserve my limited brain cells to name]

He found this job to be extremely boring and tiring. Following this woman around was like watching paint dry. She didn't do anything exciting at all. The typical 9-5 office worker, going to work, coming home. Shopping for food. She hardly even shopped for clothes!

He shook his head, wondering about the taste the Dante twins had. 

And why would such a woman be in danger was beyond him.

Still, an order was an order.

At least, he could be in the open. It was far better to follow her to make sure she was safe, rather than be his partner, who was stuck outside watching her car. 

The said partner, BG2, however, wasn't quite watching the car at that moment. He had dropped his cigarette and he was rummaging around in between the seats to find it. Of course, it had to be at that moment when he was distracted that someone slipped into Beatrice's car.

The smooth motion of the shadowy figure (yes, even in broad daylight) of picking the lock and entering the back seat was done so quickly that by the time BG2 looked back up, with that cigarette in his mouth, there was nothing to see anymore.

Once Beatrice was done with the shopping, she went out and started transferring the items into the trunk of her car. BG1 quickly passed her and entered the car, and waited with BG2 until Beatrice drove off. 

However, instead of turning towards the direction of her apartment, she headed to the highway.

"Maybe she needs to buy something else," BG said, not worried.

BG1 agreed, but said, "She can't go too far though. She did get some fresh produce."

"It's fine, as long as she's back within two hours," BG2 replied, "Longer than that, the food will be laden with bacteria."

BG1 looked at BG2 in surprise, "You know all that?"

"The missus makes me do the shopping on the way home and will *always* tell me the timing," BG2 replied.

However, the longer they followed Beatrice, the more the situation seemed dodgy. What was she up to?

Soon, there were more cars between them but they weren't worried still. 

Until they couldn't see her car anymore. Or rather, the car that they thought was hers, wasn't.

BG1 turned to look at BG2, "We're f.u.c.k.e.d."

"You don't say?" BG2 replied through clenched teeth, "Report the situation."

"Right now?" BG1 asked nervously, "Don't you want to … like, search first? She couldn't have gone far. Or we can even wait for her at her apartment. She has to go back, right?"

"We lost sight of her, so every second count! So make that call!!" BG2 shouted in exasperation and anger.

BG1 nodded, making the call even though he felt BG1 was over-reacting.

BG2 hoped that nothing had happened and that the lady had somehow gone sightseeing or something. Although it didn't make sense for her to do so, or that it was logical that she was in danger, his gut feeling was telling him to make the report.

Reporting now would mean that they'd get beaten up for failing in their duty. If they didn't report and something did happen … getting beaten up was the least of what would be done.

Beatrice's hand was shaking slightly on the steering wheel, beads of sweat upon her forehead as she tried to remain as calm as possible.

Not easy when there is a knife sticking in your ribs. 

Not hard enough to pierce through the skin, but the assailant had already torn through the sides of her shirt. She could feel the cold blade pressing along her skin, and the assailant would occasionally run the blade alongside just to make her obey his orders.

Beatrice regretted not looking at the backseat of the car.

It was something she usually did when she parked her car in the bas.e.m.e.nt car park, but she had been careless this time. She had neglected to do so as she had been complacent, thinking it was safe since it was in broad daylight and in an open space car park!

She had tried to get the person to let her go and offered everything in her bag but he wasn't interested. He just gave her directions and she obeyed.

Finally, they reached their destination.

"Kill the engine and throw the key behind," the guy ordered. 

Beatrice did so and he didn't say another word. They waited in absolute silence.