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…”
“Oh, he is,” the first man interrupted, his tone smug. “And it’s not just him. Some other guy too. A Mr. Brooks, I believe?”
Daniel
Chapter 88
My heart sank further, if that was even possible. Daniel had gotten involved. I could only imagine the chaos he was causing the storm he’d stir trying to find me. I’d dragged him into this nightmare too.
The second man crouched down beside me, his eyes boring into mine through the 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 you.”
I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, the blood rushing through me in a dizzying whirl. Alex. Daniel. They were out there, searching, fighting, probably tearing the city apart trying to find me. And these bastards…these heartless monsters…they were taunting me with it.
“They will find me.” I said through gritted teeth, forcing my voice to steady. “They will.”
The man tilted his head, studying me. “You think so? You think your ex–husband, the big, powerful Alex Alistair, is going to swoop in and save you?”
His words stung, 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 sliver of hope. A tiny, fragile sliver, but hope nonetheless,
“They’ll find me,” I repeated, holding his gaze.
The man stood up, shaking his head. “You’re just another pawn, Mrs. Alistair. And pawns don’t get saved. They get sacrificed.”
He 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 with so much at stake.
I closed my eyes, letting the weight of the situation settle over me like a heavy blanket Alex. Daniel. They were looking for me. My kids needed me. I had to stay strong.
But God, I was so tired.
“Please…” I whispered, though I didn’t know if I was talking to 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 was left alone, trapped in this nightmare, praying that somehow, some way, Alex or Daniel would find me before it was too late.
The air in the warehouse was thick, suffocating. My wrists throbbed against 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 spoken to me in hours. The silence felt like it was pressing down on me, making it harder to breathe.
The leader of the group, the same masked man who had taunted me earlier, paced in front of me, his boots clacking against the concrete floor. He kept glancing over at me, as if trying to decide something, but he didn’t speak. I wanted to scream ar him, to demand answers, but I was too exhausted. All I could do was watch and wait.
Then something strange happened.
He paused mid–step, shaking his head suddenly as if something had irritated him. His hand 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 winced, slapping at his cheek. “Damn it. Something bit me.”
I blinked, stunned, my eyes widening as I saw his face. It was like a punch to the gut.
I knew him
“Wait.” I whispered, my mind racing back. Nine years ago. The accident. The hospital.
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He turned to me, his expression hard, but there was something different now. He looked at me, really looked at me, and recognition flickered in his eyes.
“You…” I breathed, barely able to get the words out. I remember you.”
He stared at me, his brows furrowing. “What?”
“Nine years ago. Your mother… she got into an accident. I could see the confusion in his face as I spoke, but I pressed on, the memory flooding back in vivid detail. I was the one who found her. I brought her to the hospital.”
His eyes narrowed, but I could see it now, the wheels turning in his head.
“No…” He shook his head, almost in disbelief.
“She was bleeding. She was unconscious, I continued, my voice gaining strength. “I managed to get into her phone, and I called the first contact I found. That was you. You were the one who came to the hospital.”
His face went pale. “You.. you saved my mother?”
I nodded, my 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 her in when I did he would have died.
“You called me that night,” he whispered, more to himself now. “You’re the woman who saved her
I could see it now, the realization sinking in. He went silent for a moment, his eyes wide with disbelief.
And then, before I could even process what was happening, he dropped to his knees in front of me. His men looked at him in shock, but I was too stunned to even react.
Tm sorry,” he choked out, his voice thick with emotion 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 it was you… I never would have…”
he
I stared at him, barely able to comprehend what was happening The leader of the masked kidnappers, the man who had held me captive for days, was on his knees, apologizing to me. It felt surreal, like I was watching it happen to someone else. I’m so sorry,” he repeated, his voice trembling now. “Please, forgive me. I had no idea.”
I blinked, trying to find my voice. “You… you kidnapped me.”
“I know,” he whispered, his eyes filled with remorse. “But I swear, if I had known.” He turned sharply to his men, his voice now filled with authority. “Untie her. Now.”
They besitated, looking at each other, unsure.
“Do it!” he barked, his voice sharp and commanding. “Untie her right now.”
The men scrambled to obey, cutting the ropes that had bound me to the chair. My arms fell limp at my sides, the numbness giving way to pins and needles. I rubbed my wrists, still in shock as the ropes fell to the floor. I couldn’t believe it
I could barely process what was happening. The man who had held me prisoner, who had watched me suffer, was now at my feet, pleading for forgiveness.
“Why?” I finally managed to ask, my voice barely a whisper. “Why did you do this?”
is he stood up, his face pale. “I didn’t want to. I was hired to do it.”
He swallowed hard, not meeting my eyes as he
“Hired?” I asked, my mind spinning. “By who?”
- Chapter 88
He hesitated for a long moment, as if debating whether or not to tell me. Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It was Bianca,” he said quietly,
I felt like 1
ground had been ripped out from under me. Bianch? My ex–husband’s ex–girlfriend?
“She paid us to do this. She wanted you out of the picture.”
I could feel the blood drain from my face. Manca. Of course, I should have known. She had always been vindictive, always hurking in the background, a shadow over my past with Alex
“I’ll take you back,” he said quickly, desperation in his voice. “Please, let me make this right. I’ll get you out of here, back to civilization. Whatever you need, just please, forgive me.”
1 I stared at him, still trying to wrap my mind around everything. My body ached, my mind was foggy, but one thing was clear this wasn’t over
“Get me out of here.” I said quietly, my voice firms. “And then we’ll talk.”
He nodded, his relict evident as he moved to lead me out of the warehouse. But even as he opened the door, I knew this was just the beginning. Bianca had made her move, and I wasn’t about to let her get away with it. Not this time.
But for now, I had to get back to my children. They were all that mattered
