Next One Is a Babe

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When they were done with the meal, it was almost time for Cindy to get to work. She cleared the containers and tied up the trash bag before making her way downstairs.

She had only just walked over to the communal dumpster when she saw the figure hidden among the decorative greenery. As it turned out, the security guards did not manage to get rid of him at all, nor did they prevent him from trespassing the neighborhood.

The man seemed to recognize Cindy, for he rushed out immediately and demanded, "You left on your own? Where are the both of them? Why are they hiding up in the apartment like cowards? Do they not have the guts to come out of hiding?"

Cindy was not the least bit frightened of him. It was broad daylight, and the man wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, so she didn't think he was capable of causing any real trouble.

She frowned as she stood in place. "What do you want? I'm warning you—if you keep bothering us like this, we'll have to call the police on you. Things will be much harder for you once the police take you away."

The man must either be really stupid or really angry because her warning fell upon deaf ears. He glowered at her with wide eyes and snapped, "Ask them to come down here at once! What's the deal with them hiding up there? I'm just asking for fifty million, but that is negotiable. How much are they willing to give?"

She was rendered speechless at this point. He must be a single-cell organism, and I don't think evolution has hit him yet. He was completely oblivious to his own predicament, but she didn't have the time or the patience to spell it out for him. As things were, she was going to be late for work.

She turned and headed for the shortcut as she said, "You'd better leave now if you know what's good for you. Your ruckus earlier is making headlines as we speak, and if somebody in the neighborhood sees you, they'll call security for sure."

It went without saying that the man refused to let her leave. He strode up to her and grabbed her by the arm while seething, "Get both mother and son to come down and talk to me face to face! He's a grown man, but he's hiding up there with his mommy to avoid responsibilities! What the hell is that about?"

Cindy sighed in exasperation, and a somber look passed over her face. She raised her voice as she demanded, "What are you doing? Let me go! If you carry on like this, I'll certainly cry for help. Let go of me!"

However, the man was completely beside himself with rage and he did not pay attention to what she was saying. He tightened his grip on her and barked, "Give them a call right now and ask them to come down here!"

She didn't waste time and hollered, "Help! Somebody, help! A pervert is attacking me in broad daylight!"

While there weren't a lot of residents in the neighborhood during the day, there were still a couple of middle-aged and senior citizens walking around. Upon hearing her screams, some of them were beginning to make their way over to her.

The man who lived in the unit next to them happened to walk out at that moment. He wasn't particularly young, but he wasn't old either. When he saw Cindy struggling and crying out for help, he hurried over. "Hey, what the hell is wrong with you? What are you doing? Let the lady go! What are you holding onto her for?"

The man who was holding Cindy captive swatted an arm at the younger man irritably. "This doesn't concern you at all! Go back to where you came from and stop butting into my business, you nosy prick!"

This did not sit right with the younger man, so he walked up to confront him as he said, "You're a grown man picking on a young lady! What the hell do you think you're doing?"