Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter Izo

-Maya's POV-

My head felt like a hollow shell, devoid of any thoughts or memories. The very concept of death, something I'd always pushed to the back of my mind, was now a terrifying reality I couldn't escape.

Would it be like this?

My soul leaving my body, a helpless observer as my physical form grew cold and lifeless?

The inside of my skull was a vast emptiness, yet a searing pain pulsed through my body, so intense it threatened to consume me whole.

Was this it?

Was this what death felt like?

Had I finally received the answer to a question I hadn't dared to ask myself before?

Then, a noxious stench, sharp and acrid, invaded my senses, snapping me back to a semblance of awareness. It filled the void in my mind, forcing reality back into focus. The hospital. The drive to the airport. The sickening crunch of metal as our car collided with another. The concrete wall looming impossibly close... and then, darkness.

My eyes flew open, a scream tearing from my throat. "Ivy! Nate!

Panic surged through me as I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn't obey. I was strapped tightly to a rickety wooden chair, my arms and legs secured with rough rope that bit into my skin. Fear, cold and primal, clawed at my throat.

Where was I?

What was happening?

I renewed my struggles, desperate to break free. But with each strained movement, a wave of weakness washed over me. My breath hitched in my throat, and I screamed again, my voice hoarse and raw. "Ivy! Nate! Someone please! Who's there? Where are my children? Let me go!"

My surroundings slowly came into focus, the source of the putrid smell becoming horrifyingly clear. I was in a cramped, dimly lit room, the air thick with the stench of sewage and decay. Rough, damp stone formed the walls, and the floor was slick with a layer of grime. A single, flickering bulb cast an eerie orange glow, illuminating the scene like a forgotten nightmare.

like ghostly drapes from the low ceiling, and fat, moisture-laden spiders scuttled across them, their movements jerky and unsettling. Exposed pipes snaked along the walls, dripping with condensation that pattered

others bearing the weight of heavy shackles. The room was an absolute nightmare, a place reeking

clawed at my throat, constricting my airways. My mind raced, desperate for answers. Where was I? Who had taken me? Most importantly, where were the twins? The thought

reached out with my mind. But the familiar presence was numb. She was there, trapped within my own head, unable to respond, just like she

screamed again, my voice echoing off the stone walls, a pathetic sound swallowed

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Chapter 128

was no answer, no sound except for the dripping

making me jump. "Will you please shut up? You're giving me a

+5

saw Adrian standing in the shadows,

Where are my children? I swear on

with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Stop the shouting. You're getting

me go, Adrian! Whatever twisted game this is to get back at Alex, leave me and

finally gets a mention. How's my dear old friend doing these days? Public enemy number one,

to life in my mind. "It was you! You

Seems you lean more towards the 'stupid' side

flatter yourself, Amaya. You're not that important for me to blackmail.

mind raced, desperately searching for an escape plan, anything to get out of

believe you still love him. After everything he did to you,

you here, Amaya. I'm just here to enjoy the show," he added with a theatrical flourish, "Besides I always give credit where credit is due." "What the hell are you talking about?" I snapped, my voice raw with a mixture of terror and

lips stretched into a smile that sent shivers down my spine. It wasn't a friendly smile, it was a smile filled with a chilling amusement, a promise of something dark and twisted. He held my gaze for a moment, a long, unsettling moment that stretched on and on

then, I came across this story, this

manic light. I stared back at him, a cold dread creeping into

Adrian!" I screamed again, my voice hoarse. "I