Chapter Eight

"Hello, beauty." A voice called out from behind.

Esther froze.

It was past 9pm. She became scared and started shaking.

She turned immediately to see who it was. There were four huge men smiling in a dangerous way. The moment she noticed them, she took a step back, turned on her heels and ran. They followed her until she was caught.

She screamed for help but no one could hear her — it was a lonely street.

"Let go of me!" 

The leader of the gang immediately pressed a handkerchief to her nose, which made her suffocate and pass out immediately.

They finally arrived at an old house where they tied her to a chair and left her there until the mysterious person arrived.

The leader of the gang took his phone and dialed a number.

"We've got her." 

"Okay," the mysterious person said.

The phone hung up.

The mastermind of the whole plan arrived, and it was no other person but…

Chloe.

"Boss," they said.

"Remove the gag and sprinkle some water on her face to wake her up," she instructed.

They did as they were told. Esther woke up, trying to regain control of herself, looking around at where she was. She immediately saw someone who looked exactly like Chloe but wasn't sure. She blinked and cleaned her eyes to be certain. Lo and behold, it was Chloe.

"Ma," she said.

"You bitch," Chloe said aggressively. "Surprised? Huh?" 

Esther was still confused about everything — why she had been kidnapped and what any of it meant.

"What have I done?"

 "I haven't wronged you in any way. I don't even know you. Why the torture?" Esther said, crying.

"Hmm…I feel like crying," Chloe mocked her and they all laughed.

"A lot, darling. A lot…you stole something from me that I have always wanted and intended to keep for myself at all cost," Chloe said, snapping her fingers.

"I don't understand," Esther said. "I barely know who you are, so why would I want to steal from you?"

"You're right, darling. You don't know me."

"Let me introduce myself. I am Chloe Wolf, daughter of the most feared and respected beast in the whole of New York," she said, dripping with pride from head to toe.

"And you have what practically belongs to me! Bitch," she said arrogantly.

"What?!" Esther said furiously. "I am tired. I want to go home, please let me go," Esther said sadly.

"You're such a scumbag, pathetic fool," Chloe said. "I'll let you go, but on one condition," she said.

"What's that? Please tell me," Esther asked.

"Please tell me…I will do whatever you want," Chloe said, laughing mockingly, mimicking what Esther had said.

"Okay, fine…you'll do as I say, right?" She pointed a gun at her face.

"Yes…" Esther said, shaking.

"Stay away from Smith Vale," Chloe said in a cold and furious tone.

Esther looked up at her, shocked. She was still processing everything but couldn't make sense of any of it.

"How? I have nothing to do with Smith Vale. Besides, he's my boss."  

"Really?" Chloe asked. "Swear that you don't feel anything for him," she said angrily.

"Talk, bitch," Chloe said.

"I don't," Esther said without thinking twice, afraid of what would happen if she admitted she had feelings for her boss.

"I don't," she said again.

"Okay then," Chloe said. "Fine." She raised the gun toward the ceiling and fired.

Immediately, Esther became more frightened. "I'm telling the truth," she said, crying. "I beg you, let me go."

Chloe whispered something into the gang leader's ear and then walked away.

"Let me go!!" Esther screamed out loud, crying continuously.

One of the men from behind struck her on the head with a stick and she collapsed.

The next day at work, it was the usual routine for Esther to clean up — but there was no trace of her in the building. Linda called her phone. No response.

"Good morning," Linda greeted her coworker. "Have you seen Esther?" she asked.

"No, not at all," A lady replied.

Footsteps came from the doorway. It was him.

"Good morning, Sir," Linda greeted. Everyone greeted in unison.

"Good morning, Linda," he said, walking straight to his office. He opened the door and the next thing he heard was, "Sir, Esther is not at work."

He paused for a moment and said to himself, what could have happened? He turned to Linda and said, "Have you called her?"

"Yes, Sir, I have, but her phone is still unreachable," Linda said.

"Do you know where she lives?" Smith asked.

"Yes, Sir, I do," Linda answered.

"People don't just vanish in the twenty-first century," he said.

He made a call. Immediately a voice responded, "Noted, Sir."

"Go back to your work. I'll handle this." 

"Okay, Sir," Linda said and left.

Smith Vale stared at his phone.

"Nothing?" His voice came out dangerously soft.

John, head of ValeX Tech's private security, shifted uncomfortably on the other side of the desk. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else. "Sir, we found a phone outside the door. I'm not sure it's Esther's — I think it belongs to her mother," he said.

"Is it on?" Smith asked.

"Yes, Sir. We found a tracker on it and I think it could lead us to wherever they are," John said.

"Put every available resource on it," Smith ordered, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. "I don't care what it costs. Search everywhere for her."

John gave a sharp nod and left the office quickly, clearly relieved to escape the suffocating tension.

Smith couldn't get it out of his head. He called again — no response.

The silence on the executive floor grated against his nerves. He walked out, passing his desk, and strode down the hall. The junior secretaries pressed themselves against the walls as he passed, eyes wide.

He headed toward the exit door and left.