Chapter 9 : Kidnapp

Before Bianca could fully process what was happening, the man was suddenly too close....far too close.

His hand moved where it shouldn’t have while his lips were brushing her cheeks. Bianca shifted, trying to pull away, but he only tightened his hold. “Don’t be scared, baby,” he murmured. “I won’t be hard on you.”

Bianca struggled with him., “Please,” she said firmly, forcing the words out despite her fear. “This isn’t why I’m here.”

The man chuckled softly, whether out of shame or embarrassment. He stepped back for a second, then looked at her with something cold in his eyes. “And what do you think you came here for?” he asked. “To just walk for me?”

“If you’ll excuse me,” Bianca said, already sickened by his presence.

She tried to step past him but he moved deliberately, blocking her path.

A slow smile curled on his lips “I like stubborn women. They make things more… interesting.” he said moving closer.. Suddenly, he shoved Bianca back onto the sofa chair. She gasped softly, her back hitting the cushion as the air rushed from her lungs.

“My name is Elton Vale,” he added casually, stepping closer. “All you need to do is cooperate, and I’ll make you one of the best.”

“Don’t you dare,” she warned, pointing at him with trembling hands.

He stumbled forward and fell over her, trapping her in the middle. He leaned in even closer, planting kisses on Bianca’s neck. Then, out of nowhere, she summoned a strength she didn’t think she still had. Bianca shoved him hard. Elton stumbled backwards, losing his balance and crashing to the floor.

Bianca saw the opportunity to escape, and quickly without looking back and shivering,she ran out of the room, down the steps, and out of the whole building…

Still shaking, Bianca walked for miles until she made it back to the bar where she had found some comfort over the past few weeks. She was ready to tell Mrs Sisismi everything that had happened, but it looked like the woman had already gotten the full gist of it.

She stood outside, waiting for Bianca, more than Bianca herself was waiting to explain.

“How could you be this stubborn and slow?” the woman snapped, both hands on her waist, standing on business. “I thought you said you wanted to make it out.”

“He… he wanted to...” Bianca stammered, the words struggling to come out, but the woman cut in sharply.

“Oh, stop with that innocence. How do you intend to make it if you don’t show skin? How do you think I built this bar and managed it for over eighteen years? Damn it, you’ve made me lose my biggest client.”

Bianca finally understood. She stood there completely helpless as the woman threatened to have her arrested if she ever set foot there again.

Walking away with tears and no hope, Bianca once again accepted her fate and returned to sleeping on the streets. Things became even more unbearable over the next two weeks, until she finally decided to sell the only necklace her mother had ever given her. It had a little gold just enough value to help her survive for a few more days.

The first dealer barely looked at the necklace before naming a price, just under fifteen dollars for the gold. Bianca laughed softly, without humor, and shook her head.. If that was all it was worth to him, she would rather keep it...

She stepped out of the shop feeling tired and discouraged. She knew the gold was worth more than that... Even a hundred dollars would have been reasonable. But exhaustion weighed on her bones, and hunger clawed at her stomach.

She tried another shop down the street.

This dealer was busy mending a ring when she stepped up to the counter.

He raised his head slowly. The moment his eyes landed on the necklace in her palm and something shifted. He took it from her, said nothing, and examined it with his tools, turning it over, peering through his magnifying lens..

''How much for this,'' he asked

Bianca hesitated. She didn’t even know what to say. She didn’t need much, she just needed something. Any amount that could get her through…

She mentioned a modest amount.

It was low. Much lower than the necklace was worth, and the man didn't bargain. He moved quickly, pulling the money from the drawer as if afraid she might change her mind.

Bianca noticed his rush, the strange look in his eyes, but she was too tired to question it. Too broken to think deeper. She took the cash, counted it once, then closed her fingers around it.

The dealer watched her leave, a satisfied smile creeping onto his face, he had just won a Jackpot.

Just as Bianca stepped out of the shop, she collided with someone entering. She muttered an apology and hurried on without looking back…

Inside, the new man walked straight to the counter.

The dealer, suddenly nervous, tried to slide the necklace out of sight.

But the man’s eyes had already locked onto it.

In one swift motion, he grabbed the dealer by the shirt, yanked him forward, and pulled the necklace from his hand. He held it up, staring at it with disbelief, then anger.

“How did you get this?” he demanded.

The dealer began to shake. “I…I don’t know. I just got it.”

The man’s voice dropped. “You know why I’ve been coming here for years. Don’t lie to me. How did you get this?”

The dealer swallowed hard. “A lady,” he blurted out. “She just sold it. She was here minutes ago.”

The man released the dealer and turned sharply toward the door, his eyes scanning the street in the direction Bianca had gone.

Outside, Bianca stood just by the roadside, staring at the money in her hand in disbelief. For the first time in weeks, her chest felt lighter. This would keep her going for three months at least. A roof over her head., food and some safety.

She was still lost in her thoughts, planning how carefully she would spend it, when everything happened at once.

A sudden grip seized her from behind.

Before she could scream, a hand clamped over her nose, cutting off her breath. Bianca struggled weakly, her body jerking.

But her strength failed her. The money slipped from her fingers and scattered onto the ground as her body went limp, collapsing into the arms that held her.

His phone rang.

The man answered quickly, his voice low and urgent.

“Madam,” he said, glancing around to be sure no one was watching, “I’ve finally found her, the one you’ve been searching for all these twelve years.”