Chapter 88

Christiana’s POV.

The ropes cut into my wrists, sending a dull ache through my body as I shifted uncomfortably in the chair. Every breath felt like a chore, each one dragging me deeper into this pit of exhaustion. My arms were numb, my legs stiff from being bound to this godforsaken chair for hours_no, days. I had lost count. Tyo? Maybe three. It was all a blur now.

The cold warehouse floor was littered with broken debris, the cracked windows letting in shafts of pale light. The only sound was the occasional shuffle of feet or a distant drip of water. The dence was suffocating. But what hurt the most..what tore me apart was not the physical discomfort. It was the distance. The aching, unbearable distance between me and my children

Emma and Ethan. My babies. I hadn’t seen them in two days. I hadn’t kissed them goodnight, hadn’t heard their laughter. hadn’t held them in my arms. I didn’t even know if they were okay. If they were scared, confused, wondering why their

mother wasn’t home.

I swallowed hard. forcing back the tears. I couldn’t let myself break. Not now. Not here.

One of the masked men stood in aside, watching me. I could feel his eyes on me, cold and calculating, even through the mask. The others moved around the warehouse, keeping their distance, but they didn’t need to hover. I wasn’t going anywhere. I couldn’t even if I tried.

“What do you want from me?” I rasped, my voice hoarse from days of yelling, pleading, reasoning. “You can’t gain anything by killing me.”

The man stepped forward, his boots echoing on the concrete. “We are waiting for an order to carry out what we were hired for,” he said, his voice low and almost casual, as if we were discussing something trivial. “But that doesn’t mean you’re leaving here anytime soon.”

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my composure. “You’re making a mistake. If you think anyone is going negotiate with you, you’re wrong. My life isn’t worth anything to you.”

He chuckled, and it sent a chill down my spine. “Oh, but it is, Mrs. Alistair.”

to pay yo

you off or

The mention of my former name hit like a punch to the gut. I hadn’t been Christiana Alistair for years. Not since the divorce. Not since everything fell apart.

“What are you talking about?” I demanded, though my voice wavered slightly.

Another one of the masked men joined him, crossing his arms as he looked down at me. “You’ve got people trying to find you. Big players. And we’re enjoying watching them scramble.”

1 blinked, caught off guard. “People? What people?”

“Your ex–husband, for one,” the second man said, his voice tinged with amusement. “He’s pulling out all the stops. Seems like he still cares a lot more than you thought.”

Alex

I felt my chest tighten at the mention of his name. Alex was looking for me? Alex was trying to find me? After everything. after all the bitterness, the anger, the mess we made of each other, he was still out there, searching for me?

“I don’t believe you,” I muttered, shaking my head. “Alex wouldn’t…he’s not…”

man interrupted, his tone smug. “And it’s not

Daniel

Chapter 88

that was even possible. Daniel had gotten involved. I could only imagine the chaos he was causing the storm he’d stir trying to

mask. “You’ve got quite the team looking for you, Mrs. Alistair Davis. But here’s the thing…” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “We’re smarter. They won’t find

They were out there, searching, fighting, probably tearing the

I said through gritted teeth, forcing my voice to steady.

me. “You think so? You think your ex–husband, the big,

and I hated how much they did. Alex wasn’t my hero. He never had been. But the idea that he was out there, desperate to find me, despite everything we’d been through… it was enough to give me a

me,” I

pawn, Mrs. Alistair. And pawns don’t get saved. They

walked away, leaving me in the cold, empty warehouse, my mind racing I couldn’t let this break me. I couldn’t fall apart here, not

settle over me like a heavy blanket Alex. Daniel. They were looking for me. My kids needed

I

them or to myself. “Please, just let me see my children again.” There was no answer, only the deafening silence of the warehouse. And I

the ropes, and I had long since stopped trying to wriggle free. My throat was dry, and I was dangerously close to losing hope. The kidnappers hadn’t

at me, as if trying to decide something, but he didn’t speak. I wanted to scream ar him, to

Then something strange happened.

flew up to his mask, and I could see him swatting at something underneath it. He cursed under his breath, pulling at the edges of the mask until, in one swift motion, he yanked it off. He

as I saw his face. It was like a punch to

I knew him

whispered, my mind racing back. Nine

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there was something different now. He looked at me, really looked at me, and recognition flickered in his

able to get

me, his brows furrowing.

accident. I could see the confusion in his face as I spoke, but I pressed on, the memory flooding back in

see it now, the wheels

his

I continued, my voice gaining strength. “I managed to get into her phone, and

“You.. you

heart pounding as the memory crystallized. I had been there, waiting anxiously in the ER as the doctors. rushed his mother into surgery. The doctor had come out later, shaking his head, telling me that if I hadn’t brought

more to himself now. “You’re the woman who

in. He went silent for a moment, his eyes wide with

his knees in front of me. His men looked at him in shock, but I was too stunned to even

I didn’t know, I didn’t.” He swallowed hard, shaking his head as looked up at me, his face contorted with guilt. “If I had known

he

captive for days, was on his knees, apologizing to me. It felt surreal, like I was watching it

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