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
"Emma, look at me. I need you to trust me. I’m going to keep you and your daughter safe."Victor’s voice was steady, but there was a hint of desperation in his eyes. He knew the stakes. Maria was ruthless, and her threats weren’t to be taken lightly. Yet, he had to reassure Emma, to make her believe that he could handle this, even though deep down, he wasn’t entirely sure himself."How can you be so sure, Victor? Maria is already threatening us. How do we stop her? How do we protect our future?"Emma’s voice trembled with fear. Maria had been relentless in her pursuit of vengeance, and every day, the threats felt more real. She wasn’t just worried about herself anymore; her daughter was at risk, and that terrified her more than anything. The uncertainty of their future gnawed at her, and Victor's constant absences didn’t help ease her worries. "I don’t have all the answers yet, but I’ll do whatever it takes. Maria doesn’t get to win."He hated that he couldn’t give her the certainty
Shattered TrustThe morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the room. I turned over to find Victor still asleep beside me, his strong features relaxed, a peaceful look that made my heart swell. Last night had been a whirlwind of emotions, a mix of fear and desire. For a moment, we had forgotten about our worries and focused solely on each other. I smiled, remembering how we had finally shared a moment of honesty, a moment that brought us closer than ever.“Good morning,” I whispered, brushing my fingers lightly against his cheek. He stirred, blinking sleepily before a smile broke across his face. “Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured, pulling me closer. I nestled against his chest, the warmth of his body wrapping around me like a comforting blanket. “I missed you last night,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.“I missed you too,” he replied, his tone turning serious. “I don’t want to leave your side again.”We shared a moment of silence, j
The Enemy WithinThe air was thick with tension as Victor and I sat across from each other at the small table in my living room. The morning sun streamed through the window, but it did little to lift the heaviness that loomed over us. Maria was a constant threat, and we had to act fast before she struck again.“We can’t wait for this to blow over,” Victor said, his voice low and intense. “We need to find out what she’s planning and put an end to it.”I nodded, my heart racing at the thought of facing her again. “But how? She’s always a step ahead of us.”Victor leaned forward, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. “We dig into her operations. Find out who she’s working with, who her informants are. There has to be something we can use against her.”“Okay,” I agreed, my pulse quickening. “But we have to be careful. If she catches wind of what we’re doing…”“She won’t,” he interrupted, his confidence reassuring. “We’ll be smart about this.”“Where do we start?” I asked, feeling a mix of