LOGINANDREA Opening my eyes groggily, my head hurt so much it felt like someone was pounding on it from the inside. A dull, throbbing pain spread through my skull as I slowly opened my eyes. Everything was dark at first, blurry and spinning. I tried to move, but something stopped me. My wrists ached. When I tugged, I heard the scrape of rope against my skin. That was when I realised...my hands and legs were tied. A wave of panic shot through me. My breathing grew uneven as I forced myself to stay calm. I blinked a few more times until the darkness around me started to take shape. It was a small room. The air smelled damp and dusty, like an old basement or warehouse. A single light flickered weakly in one corner, barely enough to see. Then I saw Kate. She was lying a few feet away from me, her head resting on the cold floor. Her hands and legs were tied too, her face pale but peaceful, like she was still unconscious. “Kate,” I whispered hoarsely, my throat dry. “Kate, wake up.” No
ANDREA The street was quiet except for the faint hum of a streetlight flickering above. The warehouse stood at the end of the narrow lane, old and half hidden behind a tall fence. Its walls were worn, patches of rust showing through the metal gates. A few windows were still lit from the inside, their yellow glow spilling faintly into the dark. I kept my footsteps light as I moved closer, my heart pounding in my ears. Every sound felt louder than it should have been...the crunch of gravel under my shoes, the distant bark of a dog, the wind brushing past a loose metal sheet. When I reached a corner, I paused and took out my phone. The GPS dot on Lexi’s phone was still moving. I typed quickly. Me: I’m here. Looks like an old storage building near the docks. Tell Alex now. Just as I was about to hit send, a sharp chill ran down my spine. It felt like someone was standing right behind me. I froze. The tiny hairs on my neck stood up, and my breath caught in my throat. Slowly, I star
ANDREA Lexi turned to me, her face drained of color. “Andy…what do we do?” My hands were shaking as I stood up from the chair. “We have to go to the police,” I said quickly, already heading toward the door. Lexi nodded, her voice trembling. “Yes, let’s go now.” We rushed out of the restaurant, barely hearing the people calling after us. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt. We jumped into the car, and Lexi started the engine right away. But before she could even pull out of the parking lot, my phone buzzed. A message. I glanced at the screen, and my blood ran cold. Unknown Number: If you want your friend to stay alive, don’t go to the police. Go to the address below. And come alone. There was an address written beneath the text. My throat went dry as I read it again and again, hoping I had seen it wrong. Lexi noticed my face and frowned. “Andy, what’s wrong?” I turned the screen toward her. Her eyes widened as she read it. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “You’re not goi
ANDREA I lay there afterward, still catching my breath, my heart racing for a hundred different reasons. The room was quiet except for the sound of our breathing. Alex brushed his thumb gently across my cheek, his eyes soft. “You know you drive me crazy, right?” I smiled faintly, feeling my face heat up. “You’re one to talk.” He chuckled quietly and pulled me closer until my head rested against his chest. His heartbeat was steady, comforting. For a long moment, we didn’t say anything. The silence between us wasn’t awkward...it was peaceful. “I meant what I said earlier,” he murmured after a while. “You’re mine, sunshine. And I’ll protect you no matter what it takes.” His words made my chest tighten again, both from affection and fear. I wanted to believe that nothing could hurt us here. I nodded and let him hold me a little tighter, this was enough. *** A week later, I sat at a restaurant table across from Lexi and Kate. The sunlight poured through the tall windows,
ANDREA The ride back to the villa was quiet, except for the sound of the engine and the faint hum of music coming from the radio. I kept my eyes on the road ahead, pretending to be more interested in the passing lights than the man sitting beside me. When we finally pulled into the driveway, I let out a small sigh of relief. The familiar view of the villa made me feel calm. As soon as he parked, I unbuckled my seatbelt and reached for the handle, but before I could step out, Alex’s voice stopped me. “Andrea.” I turned to look at him. His tone was calm but serious, the kind that always made me nervous. “What?” I asked quietly. He turned slightly in his seat, his dark eyes meeting mine. “You do remember we’re engaged, right?” I frowned, confused by where he was going with that. “Of course I do. Why?” “Then you should already know we’re supposed to be living together,” he said simply, his gaze steady on me. My mouth opened, then closed again. “Wait…are you saying I ca
ANDREA It had been a week since that night with Lexi, and things had slowly starte to feel normal again. Work was busy as always, but I finally managed to take a few days off to spend time with Dad. He had invited me over, saying he missed having me around the house. I couldn’t say no...it had been a while since we’d just sat together like this, without tension or awkward silence in between. We were in the living room, talking about random things, work, Andrew, even a little bit about my stepmother’s charity events. Dad seemed more relaxed than I’d seen him in a long time, and that alone made me happy. “You’ve been doing so well lately,” he said proudly, smiling at me. “Your mom would’ve been so proud of you, Andrea.” Hearing him say that made my chest tighten a little. I smiled softly. “Thanks, Dad.” He reached over and gave my hand a light squeeze before leaning back in his chair. “You’re so much like her sometimes...the way you talk, the way you think. She’d always go o







