She had been gone for a whole day and night. If the ship had docked overnight, it must have already departed by now. Out at sea, there was no signal.
Ivy, holding onto a sliver of hope, decided to call him. To her surprise, the call went through.
“Hello?” Frank’s familiar voice came through. At that moment, Ivy almost burst into tears. Though they had only spent a month together, he had left an indelible mark on her heart.
“It’s me,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. Frank immediately recognized her voice and grew anxious.
“Ivy, is that you?” Since she left, Frank had felt like his soul had traveled with her. He had dreamed of hearing from her, just to know she was safe. He never expected her to call so soon.
“Yes, Frank. Can you come get me?” she pleaded. At that moment, she couldn’t think of anyone else to call.
“What happened? Tell me slowly,” Frank urged, his concern evident.
“After arriving in Lorvale, I planned to hire a car to return, but I accidentally got into an illegal one. I almost got sold by human traffickers. Luckily, I realized their intentions and managed to escape last night. But now I’m hurt.”
“How could this happen! Ivy, where are you? Are you safe?”
“For now, I’m safe. An elderly woman in the mountains took me in, but I’m too scared to go outside alone.”
“Give me the address and keep your phone on. I’ll come find you right away,” Frank said, his urgency palpable.
He knew all too well how serious human trafficking could be, especially for young women traveling alone. He was just grateful the ship had stayed an extra day; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to take Ivy’s call.
“I’ll ask the old woman,” Ivy said. The phone she held was an old-fashioned model, incapable of sending a location.
The elderly woman kindly gave Ivy a detailed address, even down to the name of the mountain at its base. After all, how could anyone not worry for a young girl in such a situation?
“Ivy, I’m on my way. Don’t be afraid,” Frank reassured her before hanging up.
After the call ended, Ivy’s fear eased slightly. Frank wasn’t some wealthy CEO, but he gave her a sense of security she had never felt before.
When she had dated Mio Walsh, she had always worried he might leave her. He was perfect, while she saw herself as ordinary. Her insecurities consumed her, and in the end, she lost him.
Thinking of Mio Walsh, Ivy suddenly felt like calling him. She wanted to know how he would react to the same situation.
The phone rang a few times before it was picked up. “Hello?”
“Mio, it’s me.”
“Miss Montgomery, haven’t I made myself clear? We’re over. Stop bothering me. I’m busy and don’t have time for your nonsense.”
“Mio, I was almost trafficked-”
Before she could finish, the line went dead.
Ivy stared at the phone, a bitter smile forming on her lips. She thought back to New Year’s Eve, when they had listened to the chimes in the square together. He had even bought her a balloon, saying that no matter where she went, he would always find her.
But now, Mio, you’re the one who let me go.
A tear traced its way down Ivy’s cheek. The tenderness he once showed her had turned to cruelty.
“Why are you crying? Are you thinking about your family?” the elderly woman asked kindly. “Don’t worry. You’re safe here.”
Before Ivy could respond, two men’s voices rang out from outside.
“Anyone home?”
“We’re coming in!”
Ivy froze. She would never forget those voices. Her face turned pale with fear.
“Ma’am, it’s them-the traffickers! Please, help me!” Ivy begged desperately.
“Don’t worry. Hide inside while I deal with them,” the elderly woman said calmly, showing no intention of giving Ivy up.
Ivy didn’t hesitate. She lay flat on the floor and slid under the bed.
Just as she hid, the door swung open, and the two men barged in as if they owned the place.
From under the bed, Ivy saw their shoes caked in mud. They had clearly been searching for her all night. She covered her mouth tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably.
If they caught her this time, Ivy knew the consequences would be worse than death.
“Who are you? Why are you in my house?” the elderly woman demanded angrily.
“Oh, so someone does live here. We were wondering. Old lady, have you seen a young woman around here? About twenty, wearing black clothes,” one of the men asked rudely.
“I live alone. What young woman? I’m half-blind anyway. I haven’t seen anyone.”
“You sure? You’re not lying to us, are you?”
Ivy’s heart pounded so loudly she feared they might hear it. She struggled to breathe, terrified they would discover her.
“Why would I lie? I don’t even know you. Now get out of my house. I have nothing of value here, let alone a young woman,” the elderly woman snapped.
The men glanced around the shabby house. It was as poor as she claimed.
“Let’s go. This place is a dump,” one of them said, spitting on the floor.
“Damn it, where could that woman have gone? We’ve been searching all night, and she just disappeared!”
“She must be nearby. Let’s keep looking,” the other replied as they left.
Ivy felt as if the blood in her veins had frozen. She lay motionless under the bed, not daring to move even after they left.
The elderly woman, worried they might return, didn’t call Ivy out immediately. Instead, she calmly went to the yard to feed the chickens, keeping an eye on the men until they were out of sight.
“They haven’t gone far,” she said when she returned. “Stay inside for now.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ivy replied obediently. She knew that if the traffickers came back, the elderly woman wouldn’t be able to stop them, and it might even put her in danger.
Covered in dust, Ivy crawled out from under the bed. Her hair and clothes were streaked with grime.
“I’ll heat some water for you. Go wash up,” the elderly woman offered kindly.