LOGINBianca slept for three hours. When she woke up, Anna was still sitting beside her on the couch."You stayed," Bianca said groggily."I told you I was not going anywhere." Anna smiled. "How do you feel?""Better. Still tired but better." Bianca sat up slowly. "What time is it?""Almost noon. You needed the rest." Anna stood and stretched. "Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat.""Maybe in a bit." Bianca looked around the mansion. "This place feels different now. Knowing I do not have to stay here anymore."Anna felt a pang in her chest. "Right. You are free to go home now. The debt is cleared. James is in custody. You do not have any obligation to be here.""I know." Bianca looked at Anna. "It feels strange though. Being able to just leave whenever I want.""You can leave whenever you want. Today. Right now if you prefer." Anna tried to keep her voice neutral. "I can drive you home myself if you would like. Take you to your father's place or wherever you want to go."Bianca w
"Wait," Anna said before they could leave the warehouse. She turned to Bianca and pulled her into a tight hug. "Are you sure you are okay? Did they hurt you? Did they give you enough food and water? Did they—""Anna, I am fine. Really." Bianca hugged her back just as tightly. "I was scared but they did not hurt me badly.""But you said they drugged you. And tied you down. And James grabbed your throat." Anna pulled back to look at Bianca's face. Check for injuries. "Let me see. Are there bruises? Did he leave marks?""Just some marks on my wrists from the restraints. Nothing serious." Bianca showed Anna her wrists. There were red marks but nothing that looked permanent. "I promise I am okay.""What about your throat? James grabbed you there. Does it hurt to swallow?" Anna touched Bianca's neck gently. "Should we have a doctor look at you right now?""Anna, breathe. I am standing here talking to you. I am fine." Bianca put her hands on Anna's shoulders. "You saved me. You got me out. T
"You think you can threaten me in my own location?" James tried to sound confident but Anna could see fear creeping into his eyes."I am not threatening. I am promising." Anna kept the gun aimed at him. "Release Bianca now."James lunged at her instead. Tried to tackle her and grab the gun.But Anna was ready. She sidestepped and brought the gun down hard on the back of his head. James stumbled.Then Anna really went after him.She hit him with the gun again. Harder this time. James went down to his knees."You tried to kill her!" Anna kicked him in the ribs. "You broke your promise!"James tried to grab her leg but Anna stomped on his hand. He cried out in pain.The two guards started moving toward her but Anna pointed the gun at them. "Stay back or you join him on the ground!"They froze.Anna turned back to James who was trying to get up. She kicked him again. He fell flat on his face."You said you would release her! You gave me your word!" Anna was breathing hard. Rage fueling ev
"One more thing before we finalize this," James said. "I want you to understand something. You owe me a lot, Anna. You destroyed my career. You got me arrested. You humiliated me in front of everyone.""I was doing my job. I was undercover investigating—""I do not care what your justification is. You owe me. And I am not going to play petty with you like I used to." James's voice was hard. "This is serious. This is final. Tomorrow when you arrive, there are no more games. No more manipulation. Just consequences.""I understand. I will follow your instructions exactly." Anna kept her voice steady. "Just keep Bianca safe until I get there.""She will be safe. You have my word." James paused. "Now get ready. Tomorrow morning changes everything."He ended the call.Anna sat in the dark safe house waiting. The hours passed slowly. She did not sleep. Could not sleep. Just sat there thinking about Bianca. About what was coming.At exactly five AM, her phone buzzed with an incoming text.An
"Now that we have established the basic terms, let me be very specific about how this is going to work," James said. His voice was cold and methodical. "You will meet me at a location of my choosing. I will send you the address one hour before the exchange.""I already agreed to that," Anna said. "What else?""You must come completely alone. No security team following you. No federal agents positioning themselves nearby. No backup whatsoever." James spoke slowly. "And understand this, Anna. I will be watching you from the moment you leave that safe house. I will have eyes on you the entire drive to the meeting location."Anna felt a chill. "You know where I am right now?""I know more than you think. I have people watching. Tracking your movements." James sounded smug. "So do not even think about coordinating with Nicolas or anyone else. The moment I see surveillance or backup, Bianca dies.""I am coming alone. I already told you that.""Good. Because I am not bluffing about this. If
"I spoke to James," Anna said into the phone. "He heard my offer but he needs time to think about it."Nicolas was quiet for a moment. "How did he sound? Suspicious? Interested?""Both. He does not trust that this is real. Thinks it might be a trap." Anna paced the small living room. "But I could tell he wants to believe it. Wants to think he has that kind of leverage over me.""Good. That means he is considering it seriously." Nicolas paused. "Did he give any indication of when he would call back?""No specific timeline. Just said he would contact me when he was ready to discuss terms." Anna sat down on the couch. "Could be hours. Could be tomorrow.""And you spoke to Bianca? Confirmed she is alive?""Yes. She is terrified but alive. They have her restrained. Drugged her at some point." Anna felt anger rising. "James better not hurt her before we make this exchange.""He will not. She is his only leverage." Nicolas sounded confident. "Now we wait for him to call back. In the meantime
Bianca could not sit still. She tried going to her room but the walls felt like they were closing in. Tried lying on her bed but could not stop her mind from racing through terrible scenarios.Something was wrong. Very wrong. The way Anna had left, the cold fury in her eyes, the gun she had taken w
Bianca described everything she could remember. The height, the build, the way Max carried himself. The expensive suit he wore, the confidence in his voice. She mentioned the scar again, how it was thin and white, clearly old but still visible. As Bianca talked, Anna's face grew darker. Her jaw cl
Bianca sat in silence for a long moment, staring at their joined hands. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked up at Anna. "Fine. If staying here is the only option, if I am stuck in this situation no matter what I do, then I will cooperate. I will do whatever you want." Anna's eyes narrowed
Anna sat in the back of the car, her phone pressed to her ear. Thomas drove in silence, knowing better than to ask questions when Anna was in this kind of mood."Marcus," Anna said when he answered. "Where are you?"There was a pause on the other end. "Miss Adams? I am at The Golden Rose. Is everyt







