Patrick rounded a corner and spotted Lisa sitting on the swing in the garden, her shoulders trembling with silent sobs. The sight struck Patrick like a thunderclap, and he quickened his pace, crossing the soft, lush grass until he reached her.“Madam, are you alright?” he asked softly, his voice laced with concern. Lisa looked up, her face streaked with tears, her eyes reflecting a depth of pain that made Patrick’s heart ache. “No, Patrick, I’m not alright,” she said, her voice breaking. “What am I going to do now that Andrew is gone?”“Shh,” he soothed, gently placing a hand on her back as he sat beside her on the swing. “It’s going to be fine. I promise I’ll find him.”“Find him?” she echoed, disbelief coloring her tone. “How can you possibly do that?”The question hung heavy in the air, and Patrick felt a surge of panic at the reality of her words. He hadn’t thought it through. “I—I’ll figure something out. I just need to think clearly.” “Think clearly? He’s been kidnapped, Patri
Patrick was glad that he had at least gotten a lead to where he could begin his search. The car that he had seen through the CCTV was all that he needed to confirm that Andrew indeed had been taken from his home. But he wondered who would have the nerve to break into his home and kidnap Andrew without the notice of any security. As Patrick continued to go through the remaining footage, his flicker of hope was starting to waver. The only thing that he saw was the strange car parked in front of the house and nothing else. He tried checking the camera's footage that was installed inside the house, but there was nothing—everything was gone, totally disappeared. "Something doesn't seem right here!" Patrick said aloud, resting his other hand on his chin as he went through the remaining files. "What doesn't?!" Lisa asked with anxiety in his voice. Patrick turned around to look at Lisa—it was as if he had suddenly forgotten about her presence. He shouldn't have said what he said aloud, i
Patrick’s heart pounded as he hurried through the quiet streets. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky with deep purples and oranges, but Patrick had no time to admire the beauty of the evening. He had a mission, and every second counted.Reaching his small house situated on the edge of the estate, Patrick quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside. The familiar scent of old books and leather greeted him, but tonight, his sanctuary felt different—more like a war room than a home. He closed the door behind him, double-checking the lock before making his way to his study. He sank into his chair, placing Andrew’s phone on the desk in front of him.He switched on the small desk lamp and took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. He had a hunch that there was something important on Andrew’s phone—something that could help him make sense of all this chaos.He grabbed the phone and went through Andrew's filtered messages. There they were—messages Andrew had deemed as unimportant or
Alec's boots crunched against the gravel as he approached the dimly lit warehouse. The metallic clink of a chain gate echoed in the silence as he pushed it open, and he paused, squinting against the darkness inside. The warehouse was a sprawling, dilapidated structure, barely illuminated by a single flickering light overhead. He scanned the shadows until he spotted Diego lounging against a rusted crate, cigarette in hand, the faint ember glowing with each drag.Diego looked up, raising a brow as Alec approached. "You're late," he muttered, blowing a stream of smoke into the air.Alec ignored the comment, stopping a few feet away, his posture rigid, fists clenched at his sides. His voice was low but brimming with menace. "Where’s Andrew?"Diego chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You came all the way here for that?" He flicked the cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his boot. "I don’t know where he is."Alec’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. He took a step closer, towering ov
"Hey, pssst, Andrew, wake up, I brought some food for you." Andrew opened his eyes grudgingly and looked toward the gate. He let out a heavy sigh when he realised that it was Emilia. "Emilia, what are you doing here?" Andrew asked indifferently as he sat up and rested his back on the cold wars, the sensation of his warmth body against the ice cold wall sent a chilling sensation to course through his body. "Didn't you hear me. I said I brought you food." She repeated, sticking the tupperware that contained food through the gate. "Emilia, I don't think you should come here anymore." Andrew said, looking away from her. "What are you talking about?" A frown settled on Emilia's face. "You know that you're risking your life by bringing food for me—" "Oh come off that." Emilia discharged what he had just said with a wave of hand, stopping him from concluding his sentence. "It's the truth and you know that. Your—boyfriend hates my gut and he's definitely going to hurt you if he catche
The narrow hallway leading to the dungeon was dimly lit, with the faint sound of dripping water echoing off the stone walls. Emilia moved carefully, making her way toward Andrew’s cell. Her heart pounded in her chest, and each step felt heavier than the last. She knew the risk she was taking—Diego would never forgive her if he found out—but she couldn’t bear to see Andrew suffer any longer.The tray in her hands was warm with freshly cooked food, the steam rising slightly in the cold air. She approached the iron gate to Andrew’s cell and quietly set the tray down. Her fingers were trembling as she reached for the keys she had stolen earlier. With a quiet click, the gate opened, and she slipped inside, kneeling beside Andrew’s unconscious form."Andrew," she whispered, shaking him gently. He stirred slightly, groaning as he slowly opened his eyes, weak from days of starvation.But before she could say anything further, a voice echoed from behind her, sharp and cold. "Emilia."She froze
The words hit Emilia like a slap in the face. She recoiled, her eyes widening in shock. How did he know that? How had he found out about and how long had he known that? All these questions swirled unanswered in her head. Eden had broken the rest of the barrier that Emilia used in shielding her integrity. Eden chuckled darkly, enjoying her reaction. "You heard me," he said, his voice smooth. " We can do it out back, behind the building. No one has to know. And in exchange, I won’t say a word to Diego."Emilia felt like the air had been sucked out of her lungs. "Please I beg of you," Emilia went down on her knees. "Anything else and I promise that I'm going to fulfill every of your demands, but please not this." Eden shrugged, his smirk never fading. "It’s not much to ask, considering what I’m saving you from. Or would you rather Diego finds out what you’ve been up to?"Emilia’s mind raced, her stomach twisting in disgust. "I’m his girlfriend," she said, her voice weak. "How could yo
Diego sat inside what he had named his makeshift office, leaning back in a wooden chair, his boots resting on the edge of a nearby table. The air was thick with the smell of cigar smoke, a faint haze hanging in the air. His eyes were sharp, dark, and calculating as he stared into the shadows, deep in thought. Across from him sat Mateo, one of his most trusted aides, who seemed more nervous than usual. He had seen Diego in many moods, but tonight there was something different, something darker."You know," Diego said, his voice low and contemplative, "I’ve been watching Emilia closely."Mateo’s brow furrowed, unsure of where this conversation was going. "Emilia, boss?" he asked carefully. "What about her?"Diego’s gaze remained distant, as though he were seeing something beyond the room. He stroked his beard, his fingers brushing through the coarse hair slowly. "She’s been going down to the dungeon to feed Andrew."Mateo’s eyes widened in shock. "What? Emilia? Feeding the captive? Why