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.
“Inside,” he replied coldly. “But keep wasting time, and you’ll regret it.”
his
expression
The threat in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. I swallowed hard and started walking toward the doors, my knees nearly buckling with every step.
The warehouse smelled of rust and 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 word.
“Are they hurt?” I asked, my voice shaky.
No answer.
My hands balled into fists as I bit down hard on my bottom lip, fighting the tears that threatened to spill over. I couldn’t lose it now. I had to stay strong…for Ethan and Emma.
The man led me deeper into the warehouse, the sound of our footsteps echoing off the metal walls. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst.
We stopped in the center of the large, empty space. The room was dimly lit by a single overhead light that flickered every few seconds.
“Wait here,” he said, stepping back.
I turned to face him, my voice trembling as I spoke. “Please, just let me see them. I’ll do whatever you want.”
The man didn’t respond. He simply stood there, his arms crossed, the mask hiding any trace of emotion.
The silence was suffocating. My chest heaved as I struggled to keep my breathing steady, my eyes darting around the room, searching for any sign of my children.
The seconds dragged on like hours, and I felt a tear slip down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly, not wanting to show weakness, even though I was breaking inside.
Behind me, the masked man shifted his weight, and I could feel his presence like a shadow looming over me.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Whoever was behind this, whatever they wanted, I would face it. For my kids, I would do anything.
I just hoped I wasn’t already too late.
Suddenly, sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the empty space, breaking the suffocating silence. My head snapped toward the direction of the noise, my heart hammering so loudly it drowned out everything else.
I clenched my fists, swallowing hard, my pulse racing as I watched a shadow stretch across the floor. The man in the mask stood perfectly still behind me, his arms crossed like he was waiting for something…or someone.
The footsteps grew louder, deliberate and unhurried, each one sending a jolt of anxiety through me. My breathing quickened, my chest rising and falling as I fought the urge to scream.
A figure emerged from the darkness, stepping into the fluctuating light. My stomach dropped.
2/5
Chapter 169
“Daniel?” I whispered, the slight tremble in my voice giving out how shaken I was. And it had disbelief laced with the raw panic gripping me.
He smiled, 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 skin crawl.
“Christiana,” Daniel said smoothly, 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 casual meeting. “We finally meet again.”
My breath caught in my 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 here?”
His smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Those cold, calculating eyes stayed locked on me, studying my every
reaction.
“You didn’t think I’d let you off that easily, did you?” he said, his tone as smooth as silk but dripping with malice.
My world spun, the realization slamming into me like a freight train. Daniel was behind this. All of it.
“Where are my children?” I demanded, my voice cracking as tears spilled down my face. “What have you done with them?”
Daniel’s expression didn’t falter. He tilted his head slightly, as if amused by my outburst. “Relax,” he said, his voice maddeningly calm. “Your kids are fine. For now.”
His words sent a wave 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 eyes away from Daniel.
“I swear to God, if you’ve hurt them…” I started, but Daniel cut me off with a sharp laugh.
his
“Hurt them?” he repeated mockingly. “Christiana, do you really think I’d stoop so low? They’re your kids. Your precious little bundles of joy. Why would I harm them when I can use them to get exactly what I
ant?”
My cher tightened and the rom spun. I wanted to scream, to charge at him, to make h
couldn’t move. His presence, his words, froze me in place.
“You’re a monster,” I spat, my voice trembling with fury and fear.
him tell me where they were, but I
Daniel 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 what happens next.”
His words sent a chill down my spine. Whatever he wanted, whatever his twisted game was, I knew one thing for certain: I wasn’t leaving without my kids.
Daniel took a step closer, his eyes narrowing as he studied me. Let’s not waste time, Christiana,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “You and I… we have unfinished business”
I stared at him, my body trembling as dread clawed its way up my throat, For the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure I’d make it out of this alive.
My hands clenched into fists at my sides, trembling with fear and fury. “What is this about, Daniel? Why are you doing this?”
He straightened, taking a slow step toward me. His expression shifted, his smirk fading into something more serious, almost vulnerable. “Do you know what it’s like to give someone your heart, only for them to shatter it into pieces?”
I blinked, stunned by the sudden change in his tone. “What are you talking about?” I whispered, my voice shaky.
He sighed, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before meeting mine again. “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 Alex.”
3/5
III
I swallowed hard, tears spilling freely now as I stared at him. “Daniel… I didn’t know. I…I never meant to hurt you.”
“Didn’t mean to hurt me?” His voice rose, his face twisting with anger. “You didn’t even notice, Christiana! I was there, right in front of you, willing to give you everything. And you couldn’t see past him…past that bastard who treated you like garbage five years ago!”
He took another step closer, his presence suffocating. “Do you know what I did after you broke me? I risked my life. A countless number of times. Russian roulette,” he said, his voice low and venomous. “One bullet, one spin, millions of dollars on the line. And I survived every damn round.”
My breath hitched, and I stared at him in disbelief. “Daniel…”
“In just three weeks,” he continued, his tone turning cold, “I turned those winnings into something big. Nexus Innovations. I built an empire overnight. I became wealthy. Influential. Powerful.”
I shook my head, my tears falling faster. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I tried to come back for you but you kept pushing me way” he snapped, his eyes blazing with anger and hurt. “And now you see, my love for you… it’s changed. It’s no longer the pure, naive thing it once was. No, Christiana. It’s something darker now. Something… dangerous. An obsession.”
My legs felt like they were going to give out beneath me, but I forced myself to stand tall, my back pressed against the cold, rusted wall. “You don’t love me, Daniel,” I said, my voice shaking but defiant. “This isn’t love…it’s control. It’s cruelty!”
Daniel tilted his head, amusement flickering across his face. “Control?” he asked, laughing softly. “Maybe it is. Maybe that’s what it has to be. Because if I can’t have you willingly, Christiana, I’ll have you by any means necessary?”
I shook my head, my tears falling freely now. “You’re insane,” I whispered. “Please, just let my kids go. They have nothing to do with this.”
“Oh, but they do,” he said, his tone soft but chilling. “They’re your weakness. Your tether to the world. And right now, they’re the only leverage I have to make you understand.” He leaned in closer, his face mere inches from mine. “You’re mine now, Christiana. That’s the only way your kids survive.”
His words struck me like a physical blow, and I felt my knees start to buckle. I reached out, gripping the edge of a nearby table to steady myself. “Daniel, you don’t have to do this,” I pleaded, my voice breaking. “If you ever cared about me…truly cared…you wouldn’t hurt my children. Please, I’ll do anything.”
A spark of triumph lit up his eyes, and his smirk returned. “Anything, you say?” he mused, his tone dripping with mockery. “You’d give up everything for them, wouldn’t you? That’s what makes you so predictable, Christiana. That’s why I always knew I’d win.”
I swallowed hard, my throat dry and aching. “Just let me see them,” I begged. “I need to know they’re okay.”
He straightened, his gaze turning cold again. “They’re asleep,” he said simply, waving his hand dismissively. “Safe and sound, tucked away in a room nearby. You’ll see them when I decide it’s time. Until then…” His dark eyes locked cato mine. “You focus on me.”
Tears blurred my vision as I stared at him, my chest heaving with silent sobs. “You’re a monster,” I whispered.
Daniel’s expression didn’t waver; he almost looked amused. “A monster?” he repeated. “Maybe. But I’m the monster who loves you, Christiana. And that’s more than Alex could ever claim”
My breaili hitched at his words, and I felt a wave of despair crash over me. “What do you want from me?” I asked hoarsely, my heart was slamming against my ribcage.
He smiled a cruel, calculated expression that made my blood run cold. “I want you,” he said simply. “All of you. Your love, your loyalty, your presence by my side. And in return, your kids will grow up safe and happy, with their mother alive to care for them. It’s a simple trade, Christiana. You, or their lives.”
4/5
111
Chapter 169
I couldn’t speak. My throat felt like it was closing up, and my heart was racing so fast I thought it might burst. The room felt like it was spinning, the cold air biting at my skin. This couldn’t be happening. It felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up
from.
“You have until morning to decide,” Daniel said, his tone now brisk and businesslike. “But don’t take too long. Patience isn’t one of my virtues.”
He turned on his heel, walking toward the shadows at the far end of the room. My legs finally gave out, and I sank to the floor, trembling and sobbing silently. The masked man behind me didn’t move, his silent presence a constant reminder of the danger I was in.
As Daniel reached the door, he paused and looked back over his shoulder. His eyes gleamed with something twisted, something unrecognizable. “Sweet dreams, Christiana,” he said softly. “I’ll see you soon.”
The door slammed shut behind him, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence, the weight of his ultimatum pressing down on me like a vice. My kids were somewhere in this warehouse, innocent and oblivious to the nightmare their mother was trapped in. And I had no choice but to do whatever it took to protect them…even if it meant sacrificing myself.
