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
shiver down my spine. I swallowed hard and started walking toward the doors,
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
I asked,
No answer.
balled into fists as I bit down hard on my bottom lip, fighting the tears that
footsteps echoing off
center of the large, empty space. The room was dimly lit
here,” he said, stepping
spoke. “Please, just let me see them. I’ll do whatever you
respond. He simply stood there, his arms crossed, the mask
chest heaved as I struggled to keep my breathing steady, my eyes darting around the room, searching
seconds dragged on like hours, and I felt a tear slip down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly,
I could feel his presence
nails digging into my palms. Whoever was behind this, whatever they wanted, I would face it. For my kids, I
hoped I wasn’t already too
in the empty space, breaking the suffocating silence. My head snapped toward the direction of
The man in the mask stood perfectly still behind me, his arms crossed like he
anxiety through me. My breathing quickened, my chest
emerged from the darkness, stepping into the fluctuating light.
2/5
Chapter 169
shaken I was. And it had disbelief laced with the raw panic gripping
I had come to recognize all too well. He was dressed sharply, as
edge. He stopped a few feet away, tucking his hands casually into his pockets as though this were
throat, and my knees threatened to give out beneath me. Rage and terror surged through my veins, but all I could manage was a shaky, “What are you doing
eyes. Those cold, calculating eyes stayed locked on me,
reaction.
you off that easily, did you?” he said, his tone as
slamming into me like a freight train. Daniel
are my children?” I demanded, my voice cracking as tears spilled down my face. “What have you
didn’t falter. He tilted his head slightly, as if amused by my outburst. “Relax,” he said, his voice maddeningly calm. “Your
of nausea through me, and I felt my legs buckle slightly. The man in the mask shifted behind me, presence looming, but I couldn’t tear my
them…” I started,
his
he repeated mockingly. “Christiana, do you really think I’d stoop so low? They’re your kids. Your precious little
ant?”
cher tightened and the rom spun. I wanted
his
monster,” I spat, my voice trembling with
me where they were,
“Call me what you want. The fact remains….you’re here. And now, we can
twisted game was, I knew
Let’s not waste time, Christiana,” he said, his voice
For the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure I’d
at my sides, trembling with fear and fury. “What is this about,
expression shifted, his smirk fading into something more serious, almost vulnerable. “Do you know what it’s like to give someone your heart,
by the sudden change in his tone. “What are you talking about?”
“I loved you, Christiana. With everything inside of me, I loved you,” he said, his voice soft but laced with bitterness. “But you…” He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “You chose Alex. You always chose
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