A Nun's Journey to Redemption

The days stretched endlessly for Maria, each passing moment sinking her deeper into despair. Five days had gone by since she had dropped her last message for help out of the barred window. Her first attempt had been met with silence, and the second hadn't fared any better. The hope that had briefly ignited in her was now flickering, on the verge of being extinguished.

As the fifth day ended, Maria sat in the dim light of her prison, staring at the note she was about to write. This time, she decided to include her name.

"They need to know who I am," she whispered to herself, her voice shaking.

She tore a piece of fabric from the blanket and tied the note to it. Carefully climbing onto the chair, she pushed the makeshift message through the bars and let it drop to the street below.

---

Days later, Jack, one of Vincent's security guards, was walking his usual patrol near the nightclub. He noticed a small piece of cloth fluttering near the edge of the road. Curiosity piqued, he picked it up and unfolded the note. His heart sank as he read:

"HELP ME. I'm trapped in Vincent's private room. My name is Maria. Please help me before it's too late."

Jack's face tightened with concern. He had worked for Vincent long enough to know the kind of man he was—cruel, controlling, and dangerous. But Jack wasn't like the others. He had always been a humble and empathetic man, working this job only to support his family.

As he pocketed the note, Jack made a decision. "I can't let this go," he muttered under his breath.

---

Over the next week, Jack quietly began looking for an opportunity to help Maria. He observed Vincent's movements and studied the security around the private room. One night, luck was on his side. Vincent had left for his home earlier than usual, and Jack had managed to get his hands on a spare key to the room.

At midnight, when the nightclub was quiet and most of the other guards were either asleep or distracted, Jack slipped into the corridor leading to Maria's room. His heart was pounding as he turned the key in the lock.

As the door creaked open, Jack saw Maria lying on the bed, her face pale and her body still. She was sleeping, but there was a hopelessness etched into her features. Jack stepped closer and gently touched her shoulder.

"Maria," he whispered urgently. "Wake up. It's me, Jack. I'm here to help you."

Maria didn't respond. Jack shook her shoulder a bit harder, and that's when he saw it. The crimson streaks on her wrists, the blood soaking into the sheets. Horror washed over him as he realized what she had done.

"No, no, no!" Jack gasped, his voice shaking. He quickly pressed his fingers to her neck, searching for a pulse. It was faint but still there.

Jack's mind raced. He couldn't let Vincent know he had been trying to help Maria—at least not yet. Thinking quickly, he grabbed the tray of food sitting on the table and deliberately dropped it on the floor around the bed, creating a mess.

He took out his phone and dialed Vincent, his hands trembling.

"Boss," Jack said, trying to keep his voice steady, "you need to come to the nightclub right now. Maria's in bad shape. She...she tried to hurt herself."

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Vincent barked, "What the hell happened? I told you all to keep an eye on her!"

"I don't know, boss," Jack lied, his voice cracking for effect. "I just came to bring her food, and I found her like this. She's losing a lot of blood. Please hurry!"

Vincent cursed loudly. "I'm on my way. Don't let her die, Jack. If she dies, it's on you."

---

Within twenty minutes, the sound of screeching tires echoed outside the nightclub as Vincent's car came to a halt. He stormed into the building, his face a mixture of rage and panic. Jack was waiting for him near the entrance.

"Where is she?" Vincent demanded, his voice sharp.

"This way," Jack said, leading him to the room.

When Vincent saw Maria lying on the blood-soaked bed, his expression faltered. For a brief moment, there was something almost human in his eyes—fear, perhaps, or regret. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

"Help me get her to the car," Vincent ordered.

Together, they carefully lifted Maria from the bed. Her body was limp, her breathing shallow. Vincent carried her in his arms, his jaw clenched. Jack followed, silently praying that Maria would survive.

---

The drive to the hospital was tense. Vincent drove like a madman, his hands gripping the wheel tightly. Jack sat in the backseat, holding Maria upright and pressing a cloth against her wrists to slow the bleeding.

"Why the hell would she do this?" Vincent muttered angrily.

"She's been locked up for weeks," Jack said carefully. "Maybe she couldn't take it anymore."

Vincent's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, his expression dark. "Don't lecture me, Jack. Just make sure she doesn't die. That's all I care about."

---

At the hospital, Maria was rushed into the emergency room. Vincent paced the waiting area like a caged animal, while Jack sat quietly in a corner, his face pale and his hands trembling.

After what felt like an eternity, a doctor emerged from the ER.

"She's stable for now," the doctor said. "But she's lost a lot of blood and will need time to recover. Who is responsible for her?"

"I am," Vincent said immediately, stepping forward.

The doctor's eyes narrowed. "You should know that patients in situations like hers often need more than physical care. They need support, understanding, and—"

"I'll handle it," Vincent interrupted, his tone dismissive. "Just make sure she's alive."

The doctor sighed and walked away, muttering something under his breath.

As Vincent turned to leave, Jack called out to him. "Boss," he said cautiously, "what's the plan now?"

Vincent glared at him. "The plan is to make sure this doesn't happen again. She's my investment, Jack. And I don't let my investments go to waste."

Jack's stomach churned at Vincent's words, but he nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself. As he watched Vincent walk away, Jack silently vowed to find another way to help Maria escape this nightmare.

For now, Maria was alive—but the battle for her freedom was far from over.