Swallowing deeply, Dara stared at the eyes of the intruder. Though the person's face was covered with a black handkerchief, she could still see the fierce look in his eyes.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled her hands behind her back before fleeing the mansion where she works. She knows well the intruder would follow her. All they needed was her, and it pained her, knowing they must have found her hideout. She has been staying away from cameras, but she guesses one of ol’ Barton's sons may have uploaded the picture of their parents' anniversary, which they did three days ago on social media. Not stopping, Dara moved her body swiftly and raced towards the open gate, and with a right turn, her feet touched the wet forest ground.
Moving in further into the forest, she stopped and moved her feet slightly like a dancer, with her eyes closed. She calmed her racing heart and listened to the change in the air that surrounded the forest. She had trained day and night for this day, and she was glad they didn't meet her unaware like they did 8 years ago.
With a deep smile, she opened her eyes sharply when she heard the silent echo of the person's feet. With a deep sigh, she stretched her hands and raised her cheekbone.
"Elijah must be really happy sending one of his minions. Welcome onboard." Dara said with a smirk.
The intruder charged fiercely at her, and before he could strike, Dara moved her feet to the side and lifted her right hand up before striking the person from the back.
Blows were shared from different angles by the intruder, and Dara did well blocking in it. Doing this, she was sure the person would be frustrated soon, and then she'd hit him then. Elijah must have thought she was still the fragile little being he knew for him to send just one person to bring her back, not happening!
With a last blow, the intruder limbs grew tired, and he groaned. But before he could realize what was going on, Dara lifted her legs up and hit the back of the intruder with force, a scream echoed and before he could recover, she hit him again until he went limp.
Her lips curled slightly, and she took off the apron she had worn in the kitchen earlier, tearing it into fine long lines with her teeth. She tied the ropes together and found a tree to tie the intruder in before opening the person's face and searching the person's clothing.
With a deep sigh, Dara left the intruder tied up and went back to the Barton's mansion where she works as a kitchen assistant to prepare herself to leave and fight Elijah before he sent more people to her.
Staring at the intruder again, tears filled her eyes as her mind took her on rewind to the happening eight years ago.
Flash Back.
"Wait for Mommy, Dara. She'll be out soon." She heard her father say with a smile.
Her dad was a renowned businessman and her mom a model, but after her birth, her mother became a full housewife, and they all lived in happiness.
Every weekend night, her dad always takes them out to different places to eat and her Mom was never on time but her dad never complains which she knows has to do with her Mom's look when she comes down the stairs.The way his mouth drops open wide whenever he sees her mom is something she'd never forget.
Before she could whine as always, she heard her dad gasp, and when she looked towards the stairs, she couldn't help but smile when she saw her mom descend.
"Now, that's what I am talking about. You look breathtaking, mi Amor." Her dad said gleefully, and Dara couldn't help but smile.
Her parents' love life has always intrigued her, and she just couldn't understand how badly they care for each other. She had thought she'd understand when she grew older, but that was a fallacy. Fifteen years and some weeks of being alive and still she couldn't wrap her head around everything.
She went closer to her Mom and hugged her before her dad did, which earned a chuckle from her mom and a deep sigh and pout from her dad, but before they could move, something strange happened.
Darkness suddenly filled the lighted room with just a little light illuminating the sitting room, and before she could utter a word, her dad closed her mouth, shushing her up.
There was silence in the air before a clap echoed.
"What a nice family time, brother." She heard a familiar voice say.
"Why are you in my home, Elijah?" Her dad had asked with a deep frown.
"Oh, you know. I decided to join in the family getaway, but... I am afraid none of you will be returning." Elijah spoke.
"What do you want, Elijah?." Her Dad questioned.
"Your life, and that of your wife and little Dara. With this, I can take over the company our father left us and some other business too." With a hand signal from her uncle, two bulky men came out and moved toward the kitchen. The smell of gas filled the air, and before they realized what was going on, her uncle was gone, and the house was on fire.
"Dara, you have to flee. Your mother and I will join you and please stay calm and remember this number I am about to call." Her dad said, and Dara couldn't help but nod with tears in her eyes as her father called the number.
Her mother rushed her into her room and told Dara to climb out through the window, and that was the last time she saw her parents.
At 15 years old, she knew her uncle would hunt her down, so with a shaky hand, she called one of her friends who knew a guy who had a fake passport.
With the money kept in her Jean pocket, she had paid the guy who gave her a new identity. She also formatted her phone, threw away the sim card before selling it to get some cash, and then she was gone to start a new beginning.
She could remember the day she took the flight that brought her here and the ache in her heart, knowing she may not be strong enough to fight her uncle.
It took her a week and some days before she found herself a job as a kitchen assistant in Barton's mansion. However, she has always snuck out into the forest close to the house to train herself in case her uncle finds her again.
With a deep sigh, Dara walked to the mansion and quickly packed her things before leaving.
She took a taxi and dialed the number she had familiarized herself with. It was the same number her Dad had asked her to call eight years ago. However, she had called the person 2 years after she had settled in where she worked, and she found out he was a martial artist. He had helped with her training through the phone even though she hadn't met him.
Though he wanted to attack her uncle after she told him about everything, she had asked him not to, that she would only attack him if he attacked her first. And, seeing what happened some minutes ago, she sighed deeply as a deep baritone voice came through the phone's speaker.
”Hello…?” The person said, and she replied.
"It is time to fight back." She said with a determined heart.