Chapter 4 Welcome Back

Everything that happened before my eyes moved so fast. Suddenly, Max had changed clothes-he was now wearing the same uniform as the man who worked for Claire. As I continued staring at him in disbelief, he raised his hand and untied his hair. Now, he looked exactly like the unconscious long-haired man lying on the floor.

How had I not realized Max had long hair all this time? Tied up like that, no one would ever suspect he wasn't the real guy working for Claire.

"Follow me. If anyone asks, just say your job is done and Claire told you to go home," he instructed. Though I was still unsure about trusting him, I nodded in agreement. This man seemed to know the routine of the women at the House of the Sun, all of whom returned to their apartments after finishing their work.

Max ruffled his hair so that some strands covered his face. He then picked up the cap from the unconscious man's pants and put it on.

"Don't look so terrified. You're only one step away from getting out of here," Max said. How could I not be tense? I didn't know what awaited me once I left this brothel. Would Max truly save me-or would he lead me into something worse?

I couldn't hesitate for long, or Max might leave me here. And that would mean more trouble for me when the long-haired guy woke up. I quickly stood and moved toward Max.

"Walk ahead of me toward the exit. Try to look as calm as possible. Right now, you're the only one who can save yourself," he instructed. Suspicious as he seemed, Max was my only way out.

As he asked, I walked out of the room slowly, keeping my expression calm as if nothing had happened. Max trailed behind, head bowed.

"All done?" Mia asked as I passed her on the stairs leading down to the first floor. Honestly, I was so nervous I struggled to answer.

"Yes... yes, it's done, Mia," I replied.

"Then go home and get some rest. Feels amazing, right?" she teased, winking. Damn it! I had no idea what she even meant. Though my legs trembled with fear that Max's disguise would be exposed, I kept my head high to avoid suspicion.

My hand was already on the doorknob, and my foot was just about to step outside when I heard someone call my name. I froze.

"Vale, where's your customer now?" It was Mia again-she had followed me to the front door.

"Oh... he's still in the room. He's probably tired. Said not to disturb him until he wakes up on his own," I lied.

"Wow... your first day at the House of the Sun and you've already worn him out," Mia joked. I just smiled, trying to hide the tension on my face.

"I'll be going now," I said as I opened the door.

"Alright, be sure to come back tomorrow," Mia replied. At that moment, Max had already stepped outside and closed the door behind us.

"Now follow me," Max whispered. I hurried to keep up with his fast strides. Only when we were far enough from the House of the Sun did I finally feel I could breathe again. But where was this man taking me? Would we just keep walking like this? If Claire realized I had escaped, it wouldn't be hard for her to send someone after us.

"Wait here. I'm going to get my car," he said. I quickly scanned the area for Max's car, but there was nothing-just a rocky road surrounded by bushes. I waited anxiously, afraid Max might leave me here alone. But if he planned to abandon me, why would he help me escape in the first place?

The sound of a car engine drew closer. I turned and saw a black jeep emerging from the bushes nearby. Why had Max hidden his car there? Had he planned this escape all along?

"Get in!" he shouted from the car. I hesitated for a moment before stepping in, but I quickly shoved my doubts aside. Nothing mattered now except getting away from Claire's grasp.

Wearing a very short skirt made it hard to climb into Max's jeep. Noticing my struggle, Max extended a hand and quickly pulled me up into the car.

I was panting as I got in. I was just about to thank him, but Max suddenly started the engine so abruptly that my head nearly hit the windshield. I wanted to yell at him, but his expression was unreadable-completely unaffected by my frustration.

The jeep sped down the road, tossing me side to side. I knew he was trying to outrun Claire's men once they realized I had escaped. I just hoped they wouldn't find out too soon.

I didn't know where Max was taking me. I couldn't believe my own bravery-escaping without packing anything. No clothes, no money-just the clothes on my back. Then I thought of Sandra. She would be worried, wondering where I had gone. I had never told anyone about my plan to run away.

"We've got a long journey ahead. You can change if you're uncomfortable in what you're wearing now," Max suddenly said.

"But I didn't bring any clothes," I replied. Max didn't say anything in return. After a moment, he pulled into a gas station.

"Wear these. They might be a bit big, but they're better than what you have on now," he said, grabbing some clothes from the back seat and handing them to me.

"Change quickly. We don't have much time," he added. I nodded silently and headed to the restroom.

Just as he said, I changed quickly. I put on a black hoodie and a pair of pants that I had to roll up a few times because they were too long. Still, they were far more comfortable than what Claire had made me wear.

When I returned to the car, Max had also changed out of the disguise. His long hair was now neatly tied back.

"W-Where are we going?" I asked, hesitantly. It was the question I had been wanting to ask, but Max's blank expression had always made me hold back.

"To a faraway place," he replied. I frowned, still not understanding.

"And after this, what are you going to do with me?" I asked, growing bolder.

"Definitely not the same thing Claire did to you," he said. I held my breath. None of his answers gave me the comfort I was hoping for.

In the end, I chose to remain silent. Max started driving again. The question burned inside me-who was this man beside me, really? Why was he helping me escape from the brothel?

"The journey is still long. We'll only stop to rest in the car. So let me know if you need anything," Max said.

"Alright," I replied shortly. Since Max was my only hope at the moment, I would listen to whatever he had to say.

Max's jeep sped up again, driving along a seemingly endless straight road. On both sides, there were only bushes and shrubs, with occasional glimpses of settlements and wide grasslands. It felt like I had left Claire's brothel-and all the memories tied to it-far behind.

The sun slowly set, leaving behind a reddish glow. Max drove with unwavering focus, as if indifferent to the coming night. After escaping from Claire's brothel, I felt like there was nothing left to fear. Whoever Max was and whatever he intended to do to me-I no longer cared.

"We'll rest here," Max said suddenly. The car gradually came to a stop in front of an old house by the roadside. But with all the overgrown bushes and wild plants, the house wasn't easily visible.

"Here?" I asked, unsure, my eyes fixed on the eerie-looking old house.

"In the car," he clarified.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. I hadn't eaten anything since I left the House of the Sun. Only a bottle of mineral water Max had given me had entered my stomach. I nodded hesitantly, because I was indeed starving. But where could Max possibly find food on this deserted road?

"This whole wheat bread might not cure your hunger, but it's better than nothing," he said, handing me a large pack of whole wheat bread.

"We can't just stop anywhere. Claire's people could be scattered all around," he added. I nodded as I opened the package and began to eat.

"Ah, sorry. You must be hungry too. Here, have some," I said, realizing I wasn't the only one starving. Max had been driving for hours and must be hungry as well.

"No, I'm not hungry," he declined. I glanced at Max, who had now closed his eyes. The long journey must have made him tired. I looked outside the car-it was pitch black with no lights in sight. Even if I dared to leave this vehicle, I wouldn't know where to go-no money, no belongings. Perhaps I really had to trust this man beside me, if he truly intended to help.

After finishing more than half of the bread Max gave me, my eyelids grew heavy. I didn't know what tomorrow would bring. What mattered was that I felt relieved-for I had finally escaped Claire, after years of being trapped with no idea how to break free.

***

My eyes slowly opened as I felt myself swaying in the breeze brushing my face. When I opened them fully, I realized Max's car was already moving through the cool morning air.

I didn't know when Max had woken up and started driving-probably before sunrise. A piece of cloth wrapped around me made me turn toward him. He must've placed it on me.

"We'll be there soon," Max said when he noticed I was awake.

"Is there anything I can do there? I can't just stay without doing anything," I asked. I thought I heard him chuckle faintly, even though I was being completely serious.

"We'll see," he replied. I should've known better than to ask-his answers only confused me more.

"You don't seem like someone who's traveled far," he commented. My gaze, which had been on the scenery outside the window, shifted toward him.

"My life was just around Claire's apartment building," I answered honestly. And now, I wasn't sure whether I was lucky or not. Max, with all his mystery, wasn't someone I could call my savior-yet.

"You're going to see a lot more from now on," he said.

"Why did you want to take me away from Claire's brothel?" I asked. Max turned toward me with those sharp eyes of his.

"Isn't that what you wanted?" he replied with a question of his own.

"Is there no answer that would give me peace of mind?" I asked, feeling frustrated with his response.

"You'll know my reason later," he said at last. Strangely, the idea of hearing that reason later sent chills down my spine.

"Alright, I won't ask again," I finally said.

My body felt weak, and I was extremely hungry. How much longer would this journey take?

"What if Claire's men are chasing us right now?" I asked.

"Could be. But they'll have a hard time figuring out where we're going," Max replied.

"Don't worry. You're safe from Claire now," he added. Though he said it in a flat tone, I felt touched-for the first time, someone seemed to care about me.

Slowly, Max's car began passing through a dense rural village. The morning activities of the locals made him slow down.

"Want some fried bread for breakfast?" he offered as we passed a busy street that looked like a traditional market. At the mention of food, I immediately nodded. Without leaving the car, Max bought a bag of freshly fried bread, still steaming hot.

"Thank you," I said sincerely when Max handed me the bag. He only took one piece for himself and ate it while continuing to drive.

The fried bread, drizzled with honey, tasted delicious-or maybe it was just that I was very hungry. I quickly devoured the entire bag and forgot that Max had only eaten one piece.

After passing through the crowd, Max's car entered a wide stretch of grassland. I was about to doze off again when the vehicle turned onto a small road-just wide enough for one car. The path was well-kept, lined with lush trees and beautiful flowers. I turned to Max, intending to ask where we were. But remembering his usually confusing answers, I decided against it.

A moment later, Max stopped the car in front of a small blue house. Whose house was this? Was it Max's?

Max opened his door, and I did the same. My eyes blinked in curiosity. Was I going to work here?

"Welcome back, Miss Valentine," Max said.(*)