Love Unspoken

Valerie's pleas fell on deaf ears as Wayne abruptly ended the call. Freya, bearing witness to her sister's anguish, tightened her hold on the baby, eliciting a sharp cry that pierced the silence of the yard.

Freya, in an attempt to soothe the infant, retreated indoors, leaving Valerie alone, her sobs echoing in the empty space. Their exchange did not escape unnoticed; servants whispered in hushed tones from the shadows. As Valerie's tears flowed freely, her phone vibrated with a chilling message from an unknown sender: [If you wish to save your son and daughter, come alone to this location. Remember, you are under surveillance. Any clever attempts will be met with dire consequences.] Trembling, Valerie struggled to think clearly amidst her rising panic. With no other options, she resigned herself to follow the ominous instructions.

She climbed into her car and set off towards the designated location: Rivercourt Estate. Inside the estate, Quinn and Alexander were seated at the dining table, the sound of clattering echoing from upstairs-Kyle Astor's men were installing security bars. The once charming villa was gradually transforming into a fortified prison.

"The weather's pleasant today. Where would you like to go? I'll accompany you," Alexander casually proposed from across the table.

window. The sky was overcast, a storm threatening to break at any moment. Pleasant weather? She

a movie. It had been ages since she and Alexander had last watched a movie together. It felt like it had been five years, or perhaps even

children in the theater. Alexander hesitated as if a

buying tickets. He ended up joining the queue. Quinn quietly observed him from a distance, his tall figure draped in a dark trench coat,

returned with movie tickets and a Coke for Quinn.

He seemed a bit off today. But she couldn't quite pinpoint what was amiss. They had over an hour to spare

nausea but quietly accepted them nonetheless. It wasn't until they were inside the theater that Quinn realized he had bought tickets for an animated film. A bitter feeling washed over her. Why would he still assume she enjoyed animated movies? She found herself surrounded by children, and for a fleeting moment, it felt like a distant past had resurfaced. But now, she no longer shared their joy; all she felt was an overwhelming