Chapter 199 - The Mastermind

I was running through the hallway and wasn't looking back. I wanted to cry when I left Caden, but I needed to make sure that Jayden was okay.

I kept on running, trying to avoid those men who were fighting on both sides. I would hide every time I saw someone from the Mafia and from our side. I couldn't risk being seen by anyone, since there were spies among us.

My heart was pounding so loud and my feet were numb from running. I was still wearing two inches heel sandals and my dress was long with a trail at the back so it was hard for me to move.

I heard some footsteps at the end of the corridor and hid myself in a small room that looked like a storage room. I took a deep breath as I panted from exhaustion. I could feel my own sweat running through my skin.

I felt a sudden pain in my ankle so I decided to take off my shoes and just walk barefooted. I saw a scissor in a small storage box and used it to cut my dress. I couldn't make it so short to avoid unnecessary attraction from the Mafia men.

I leaned my face on the door to listen if they were still there.

When I was sure that it was quiet, I slowly opened the door and continued to wander down the hallway. Then I suddenly heard screams of women, begging for their lives.

"Please spare us. Please! Please!" They pleaded.

I wanted to see Jayden but I can't just turn my back to my people. I looked around, trying to find where the voices were coming from.

For some reason, it became quiet, I could only hear those women's cries. I was now on the west side of the palace where the walls were painted in white. There were paintings and portraits of Flousia's history on the right side and a full open window on the other side. I carefully and quietly walked down the hallway.

If I go right by the end of the red carpeted floor, it will lead me to Grandpa's room. They may be servants of the former king and were just caught doing their duties.

"Where is she?" One of the men asked.

I frowned. It's either me or Emily they were looking for.

"We didn't see her. We're not lying. The last time we saw her was yesterday. We're not assigned to assist in the throne room so we really don't know where Princess Margaret is." One of the women answered.

So it was me. Maybe Alejandro ordered his men to look for me while Jayden and him were fighting. It was a trick to buy them some time to get me.

I was leaning on the wall, feeling so nervous and weak. I could feel my knees were shaking from fear. I have the right to run and just leave the servants with those men, but I couldn't turn a blind eye and pretend I didn't see anything. 

I held on to the side of my dress, touching the gun holstered on my thigh. I slowly turned to the side to see how many men were there. I took a peek and saw that there were two men and five women.

It was a relief that the men's backs were turned away from me. The women were on the floor hugging each other and I could see that they were crying and trembling in fear as they begged for their lives.

As I closed my eyes, I bit my lips and breathed deeply. I was praying and hoping that no one gets hurt by those women. I heard another scream again and when I looked again, one of the men was pointing a gun at one of the women.

"Since you don't know where she is, there's no use of keeping you alive." They said.

The women cried louder. When I saw the man ready to shoot, I acted quickly, grabbed the gun on my thigh and without a word shot the two men on the head.

The servants were shocked and cried their heart out. I holstered the gun back to my thigh and rushed towards them to check if they were hurt.

"Is anyone hurt?" I asked.

They looked at me, surprised that I am the one who saved them.

"Princess! Princess!" They called.

"You're all fine. Now go to that room on the left, it's a storage room. Hide there for now. I don't think they will look in there. Just be quiet." I ordered.

They nodded and started to stand up. I was about to walk away when one of the servants grabbed my hand.

"Princess, you shouldn't be here. Come with us and let's hide." She said.

She was older than the other girls and I knew she was one of Grandpa's servants.

"I'm fine. I need to find my husband. Go!" I answered.

"Princess, I heard something from those men. They were talking about a man, the real boss and mastermind of all this. It wasn't Alejandro Rossi. He was just a puppet boss." 

I was shocked by what she said. Confused all of a sudden, my heart beat rose from fear. My mind was a mess, thinking who was the real person behind all this. My real father was not the enemy, I know that for sure now.

Then who is it? Who was the man powerful and brave enough to challenge the royal family? What's his motive?

"Did you hear who it was?" I asked.

She shook her head and bowed.

"I'm sorry Princess. I was caught listening to their conversation." She answered.

I tapped her on the shoulder and smiled, reassuring her that everything's okay.

"Don't worry. What you told me was a big help already. Now go and hide."

The servants ran towards the storage room while I continued to walk and look for Jayden.. I was walking faster than before, thinking that someone on our side might be the real enemy then all of us were in grave danger.