Emma’s pulse quickened as she watched the driver step out of the car. A chill ran down her spine, her instincts screaming danger, but her body refused to respond. She felt glued to her seat, her breath hitching in her throat. The air in the car, once warm and comforting, now seemed oppressive. Her voice wavered as she tried to keep calm, but the growing dread was impossible to hide."What’s going on, Maria?" Emma’s words were barely above a whisper. Maria, sitting beside her, turned slowly with a cruel smile. There was something unsettling in her expression, her lips curling as if she’d been waiting for this moment all along. Her eyes glinted with a malice Emma had never seen before. "Oh, Emma," Maria began, her tone dripping with condescension, "always so naive." She leaned in closer, her voice now a venomous whisper. "This was never about Grandpa Ben."Emma’s stomach churned. She suddenly felt dizzy, her heart hammering against her chest. “Not about Grandpa Ben?” What did that mea
“Call him!” the man’s voice boomed, shoving the phone into Emma’s trembling hands. Her body ached from the beating, blood staining her shirt and face. She could barely move without wincing, each breath painful as she tried to sit up.Emma’s vision blurred with tears, her swollen lip quivering as she weakly dialed Victor’s number. Her hand shook, and her heart felt like it was breaking with every ring. “Please, Victor, pick up…” she begged silently, her voice stuck in her throat. The phone rang once... twice... three times, nothing. No answer. The line went dead.The man standing over her growled in frustration. "Again. Call him again!"Emma sobbed, her fingers numb as she redialed. Her entire body throbbed from the assault, and she could barely keep her head up, let alone speak. She glanced at Maria, who stood by the van, arms crossed, watching with cold satisfaction.“What did I ever do to you?” Emma’s voice cracked, her throat raw from crying. She could barely get the words out, he
“Get up,” one of the men barked. He was tall, built like a wall, his eyes dark and emotionless. Emma struggled but couldn’t make her body move. Her voice came out in a whisper, barely holding back the panic. “Where are you taking me?”“Nowhere you need to know,” the man growled, pulling her roughly to her feet. His grip was like iron, and she gasped in pain, but she refused to show any weakness. Her mind raced. I need to stay calm. I need to think.He shoved her forward, his breath hot on her neck. “Welcome to your new home, princess. Don’t get too comfortable.”Her knees buckled, but she forced herself to stay upright. “What do you want from me?”The man snorted, throwing a look over to his partner, a lanky figure leaning against the doorframe, watching her with a bored expression. “What do you think? Victor’s gonna come running the second he knows we’ve got you. And when he does...” He trailed off, his smile twisting into something sinister.Emma’s heart pounded harder. They’re us
Victor paced the length of his study, his heart racing with every passing second. Emma wasn’t answering her phone. She had promised she’d check in once she arrived back from her meeting, but it had been hours, and there was nothing but silence on her end.He pulled out his phone again, dialing her number, trying to calm the storm rising in his chest. “Pick up, Emma... please, pick up.”The ringing stopped. But instead of Emma’s familiar voice, a man’s rough voice came through the line.“She’s not here,” the voice drawled, cold and full of menace.Victor’s blood turned to ice. “Who the hell is this?” His grip tightened on the phone, anger boiling in his chest.“Doesn’t matter who I am,” the man said, a smirk lacing his tone. “What matters is who “we” have.”Victor’s heart skipped a beat. He had a feeling he knew exactly where this was going, but he needed confirmation. “Where is Emma? If you’ve hurt her”“Hurt her?” The man chuckled darkly. “Not yet. But that could change, depending on
I'm here for youVictor’s grip tightened around the kidnapper’s throat, rage coursing through him as he fought to keep his composure. “Where is she?” he demanded again, his voice low and lethal.The man’s eyes widened in fear, but he chuckled darkly, clearly enjoying the game. “You think you can intimidate me? You’re too late, Victor. You’ve already lost.”Just as Victor was about to unleash his fury, he noticed a flicker of movement from the corner of his eye. Emma stirred slightly in her chair, and panic surged through him. He couldn’t waste another moment.“Enough of this,” Victor growled, his tone brokering no argument. He shoved the kidnapper back, releasing him just enough to get a clearer view of Emma. “You’re going to tell me where she is or”“Or what?” The kidnapper sneered, but his bravado was faltering. Victor’s eyes blazed with intensity, a primal determination igniting within him.“I’ll make sure you regret ever crossing me,” Victor replied, his voice steady. “Now, are yo
“Where are we going?” Emma asked, her voice barely above a whisper.“We're heading to the hospital,” Victor replied, his grip on her hand reassuring. “You need to be treated for those bruises.”As they entered the hospital, Victor felt the adrenaline still coursing through his veins, but his focus was solely on Emma. “Stay with me, Emma. You’re going to be alright,” he murmured, cradling her against his chest as he rushed through the sliding glass doors.The emergency room was a whirlwind of activity. Doctors and nurses rushed by, their faces a blur of urgency. Victor felt a tight knot in his stomach as he laid Emma gently on the stretcher. “You’re safe now,” he whispered, stroking her hair as the medical team surrounded her.“Victor,” she whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with trust. “Don’t leave me.”“I won’t,” he promised, his heart aching at the sight of her bruised and battered body. “I’m right here.”As the doctors began their work, Victor stepped back, giving them
“Victor, you’re not seriously leaving me right now, are you?” Emma’s voice was tight, a mixture of pain and disbelief. Her hand gripped his as she lay on the hospital bed.Victor’s jaw tightened. “Emma, I have to go. It’s urgent. The board is pushing”“I don’t care about your board!” she snapped, her eyes blazing with a fire that sent a jolt through him. “I need you here, with me. Now, not later.”He took a deep breath, struggling to balance the storm brewing inside him. “Emma, I swear to you, I’ll be back. You’re my priority, but I have to handle this.”“You always have something to handle,” Emma shot back, her voice rising. “It’s always the company, or the Phantom, or some other mess. When do I come first, Victor? When do we come first?”Victor’s gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. Her words cut deep, but he couldn’t let her see the turmoil raging within him. “This isn’t about you not being first. You know that.”“Then prove it,” she said, her voice low and
Victor’s grip on Emma’s hand tightened as he knelt beside her hospital bed, his eyes locked onto hers, searching for some way to ease her fear. The room felt heavy with tension, Maria’s threat looming over them like a dark cloud, but all Victor could focus on was the pain and desperation in Emma’s voice."Victor," she whispered, her voice trembling as her fingers curled tightly around his. "I can't keep living like this, wondering when she'll strike next. I can't lose you, or worse, my daughter. Please, you have to promise me"Victor shook his head sharply, cutting her off. "No. You’re not going to lose me. Or her. I won’t let it happen, Emma.""How can you be so sure?" Her voice cracked, the vulnerability in her tone pulling at his chest. "She’s already in the hospital, threatening my daughter, our future. How do we stop her?"Victor moved closer, cupping her cheek with his free hand. "I don’t have all the answers right now, but what I do know" he leaned in, his voice dropping to a l