LOGINAlex's POV My head was spinning. Not in the way people exaggerated frustration, but in a way that made the world feel unsteady beneath my feet. I hated losing control.It felt as if even the sky above me had lost its balance. Charles had beaten me again.And the worst part was not even him. It was me. I had let him.If I had waited just a little longer, I would have found her. I could have walked into that house and seen her with my own eyes, even though I was breaking in. In the end, I would have found Rosa and the end would justify the means. And I would not be standing there now with nothing but an empty house and regret.The officers were still talking to me, their voices calm and professional. And all I could think of was the fact that they were too calm for a situation like this.They told me they would open an investigation on Charles. They said they would circulate his details, and ask the public for any information that could lead to him. They spoke about procedure, about st
Rosa's POV I kept my face calm throughout the ride, but inside, nothing was calm. My mind was spiralling with everything I had discovered today. I tried to talk to him despite that. Even asked l questions like everything was fine. I nodded at the right moments. I even forced a small laugh once or twice, but none of it reached my mind. My thoughts refused to settle. They kept circling the same truth over and over again.Charles was hiding something. And whatever it was, it was something about me. The phone sat inside my bag. It was switched off for now. I waited for the right moment when I would switch it on again. I told myself I would wait until he dropped me at the hotel and left. I would have the whole night to go through everything properly and I was certain that I would find something there.We stepped into the reception of a large , exquisite hotel, and I stood aside as Charles spoke to the receptionist, requesting a full suite. That pulled my attention immediately.“A suite?”
Alex's POV I drove straight to the police station the moment I left the compound, holding on to the only thing I had left, which was a gut feeling that refused to let me rest.Charles had her, I knew it. It was as certain as the sun. I did not have proof, and that was the problem.When I got inside, I explained everything as clearly as I could. I told them Rosa was missing after an accident. I told them Charles had suddenly disappeared from New York and relocated to Jersey City. And I had just seen him, that I knew he was hiding something, and he had her.They listened while I spoke.“Do you have any proof that she’s in that house?” one of them asked.I hesitated. “No,” I admitted. “But I know he has her. Charles has always wanted my woman.”But that was not enough.They told me they could not act on instinct. They needed evidence, something concrete that would justify a search warrant. Without it, they could not just walk into a man’s home and accuse him of kidnapping.I stood there
Charles' POV If I had kept my eyes on the road instead of drowning in my anger, I would have noticed Alex trailing behind me.But I did not even realize until it was too late. By the time I realized anything was wrong, I had already driven into the compound and handed him exactly what he wanted.My location.That alone was dangerous. But it was not the worst part. The worst part was standing in front of Rosa now, watching her look at me with expectations to answer the questions she had asked, knowing she had heard everything.But I was not prepared to answer them. For a brief moment, my mind went completely blank. Then it began to spin, scrambling for a believable answer. Because that was the problem with Rosa. Even without her memories, she still thought too clearly.She did not just accept everything I told her the last one week we stayed together. She questioned it until it was believable enough.“I didn’t want to tell you,” I began, forcing my voice to stay steady and convincing.
Rosa's POV I stared at the phone for what felt like forever, my reflection staring back at me from the dark screen as though it was waiting for me to remember something I simply could not reach.The image on the wallpaper had already settled one truth in my mind.This phone belonged to me. And there was no doubt about it.But knowing that did not make unlocking it any easier.My fingers hovered uncertainly as I studied the screen, my brows pulled together in frustration. I knew what a phone was. I knew what it was supposed to do. Yet the steps to make it work felt just out of reach, like a word sitting at the tip of my tongue that refused to be spoken.Then I noticed a small sensor by the side. Something about it pulled at my curiosity. I did not know how I knew, but I felt it was important to unlock the phone.I lifted my hand and pressed my finger against it. The phone unlocked instantly.A small gasp escaped from my throat.Relief and excitement rushed through me so fast that it a
Rosa's POV I needed answers, and I needed them without raising suspicion. As the woman stepped into the other room to plug in my phone, I sat still on the couch, my fingers wrapped around the empty glass of water, my mind working faster on how best to approach the conversation I wanted to have with her.I could not afford to sound strange or make her uncomfortable. If she sensed anything was off, she would call me crazy and kick me out, and I would lose the only hope I had.When she returned, I had already placed the glass aside and arranged my look into something calm.“How are you holding up?” she asked as she settled on a couch across from me.“I’m fine,” I replied with a small smile.She exhaled, leaning back like she was tired and wanted to rest. “Motherhood is not as glamorous as people make it seem,” she said, shaking her head lightly, and chuckling all the same. “We did not even plan for the second baby. Managing a toddler and a newborn at the same time has been a lot. I bar
Rosa’s POVMy knees buckled. “Say the truth, Rosa. The truth shall set you free. If you lie, I’ll kill you right here.”The sight of the gun made my vision blur. I shook uncontrollably and tears streamed down my face. “He…he…” I pointed weakly at the chair. “I was right beside him. I thought he w
Rosa’s POVMilo stepped closer. He looked bigger than the last time I had seen him. He now had a beard which made him look older…and rougher. His hands were buried deep in his pockets and my heart jumped when I noticed. I thought he was holding a gun.I had seen him handle a gun before and he had p
Rosa’s POVI was in the office, still hung up on the call I had made last night. Everything about that call screamed suspicion. The woman on the line had known my name and she recognized my voice because I hadn’t used my phone. And she had been unnecessarily rude and defensive. My guts hadn’t bee
Rosa’s POVI went to the kitchen after work, deciding I wanted to make dinner. I knew I owed Alex an apology especially with the way he had responded in the office. I wished he said something because his silence was loud in my head.It was my fault. So I cooked. Maybe over dinner we would finally







