Chapter 169
Christiana’s POV.
The sound of gravel crunching beneath someone’s boots sent a jolt of fear through me. My chest tightened as I clutched my coat, trying to keep the shivers from taking over. The wind felt colder now, biting against my skin. A shadow moved from the trees, and a figure stepped into the faint light coming from my car’s headlights.
He was wearing a mask. Black, featureless, and terrifying.
“Are you alone?” the man asked, his voice muffled and low.
“Yes,” I choked out, my voice trembling. My hands were clammy and my legs felt like they would give out at any second. “I’m alone. Please… I just want my kids.”
The man didn’t respond. He stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate, like he was in no rush. My breathing quickened as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of black fabric.
“Turn around,” he ordered.
I froze, my feet rooted to the spot.
“Turn around,” he repeated, this time sharper.
My hands shook as I obeyed, turning my back to him. The next thing I knew, the fabric was wrapped around my eyes, plunging me into darkness. My heart raced as I felt his gloved hands tie the blindfold tightly behind my head.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“You’ll see,” he said, his tone flat and emotionless.
I wanted to scream, to demand answers, but the thought of my kids kept me silent.
“Walk,” he instructed, placing a firm hand on my shoulder.
I stumbled forward, the ground uneven beneath my feet. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something metallic I couldn’t place. The man guided me to what felt like a car, opening the door and gently pushing me inside.
“Sit,” he said.
I slid into the seat, my hands gripping the edge as I tried to steady my breathing. The door slammed shut behind me, and a moment later, the car started.
The drive felt endless. I had no idea where we were going, and the blindfold only made it worse. My mind raced with every horrible possibility. Were Ethan and Emma okay? Were they here? Were they….
No. I couldn’t let myself think like that.
I clenched my fists, trying to focus on the hum of the engine and the occasional turns the car made. My stomach churned with every bump in the road, and the tension in my chest grew Heavier with each passing second.
Finally, after what felt like an hour, the car came to a stop.
The door opened, and I felt a hand grip my arm, pulling me our My legs wobbled as I stood the cold air hitting me agan.
Take her inside a voice said, but it wasn’t the same man.
The blindfold was yanked off, and I blinked against the sudden light in front of me was a massive warehouse, its mela
doors looming like a giant mouth waiting to swallow me whole. The man in the mask stood beside me, unreadable beneath the dark cover.
“Move,” he said, nodding toward the entrance.
I hesitated, my feet refusing to move.
“Where are my kids?” I demanded, my voice breaking.
replied coldly. “But keep wasting time, and you’ll
his
expression
his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I swallowed hard and started walking
oil, the kind of smell that clung to the back of your throat. The man walked behind me, his presence looming, and I could feel his eyes on me even though he didn’t say a
I
No answer.
fighting the tears that threatened to spill
our footsteps echoing off the metal walls. My heart was pounding so
stopped in the center of the large, empty space. The room was dimly lit by a single overhead light that
here,” he said, stepping
trembling as I spoke. “Please, just let me see them. I’ll do whatever
his arms crossed, the mask hiding any trace of
suffocating. My chest heaved as I struggled to keep my breathing steady, my eyes darting around
I wiped it away quickly, not wanting to show weakness, even though I was
and I could feel his
this, whatever they wanted, I would
just hoped I wasn’t already too
heavy footsteps echoed in the empty space, breaking the suffocating silence. My head snapped toward the direction of the noise, my heart
The man in the mask stood perfectly still behind me, his arms
each one sending a jolt of anxiety through me. My breathing quickened, my chest rising and falling as I fought
emerged from the darkness, stepping into
2/5
Chapter 169
my voice giving out how shaken
that infuriatingly smug curve of his lips I had come to recognize all too well. He was dressed sharply, as always, his suit designed to perfection, but there was a darkness in his eyes that made my
his voice calm but with a chilling edge. He stopped a few feet away, tucking his hands casually into his pockets as though this were some
breath caught in my throat, and my knees threatened to give out beneath me. Rage and terror surged through my
his eyes. Those cold, calculating eyes stayed locked on me, studying my
reaction.
did you?” he said, his
spun, the realization slamming into me like a freight train. Daniel
I demanded, my voice cracking as tears spilled down my face. “What have you
expression didn’t falter. He tilted his head slightly, as if amused by my outburst. “Relax,” he said,
slightly. The man in the mask shifted behind me, presence looming, but I couldn’t
God, if you’ve hurt them…” I started,
his
kids. Your precious little bundles of joy. Why would I harm them when I can use
ant?”
wanted to scream, to
his words, froze me
a monster,” I spat, my voice trembling with fury and
me where they were,
shrugged, unfazed by my insult. “Call me what you want. The fact remains….you’re here. And now, we can have a nice little chat about
spine. Whatever he wanted, whatever his twisted game was, I knew one thing for certain: I wasn’t leaving
Let’s not waste time, Christiana,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
throat, For the first time in my life, I
hands clenched into fists at my sides, trembling with fear and fury. “What
His expression shifted, his smirk fading into something more serious, almost vulnerable. “Do you know
in his tone. “What are
for a moment before meeting mine again. “I loved you, Christiana. With everything inside of me, I loved
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