Emma groaned and slowly, her eyes blinked open, and she found herself lying on the hard, cold floor. The walls around her were rusty and dirty, and the ceiling was made of old wooden planks. The place looked like an abandoned warehouse.Her heart pounded. Where was she?She tried to sit up, and forced her eyes to look around. Then she turned to her right, and her tired eyes landed on someone. Her heart jumped.“Gavin?” she whispered in shock.Yes, it was Gavin, sitting beside her, resting his back on the wall with a gun in his hand, with a goofy smile on his face.At first, she sighed in relief. Gavin was here. A familiar face. But then her eyes narrowed in confusion. What was Gavin doing here with a gun? Something wasn’t right.Gavin caught her confused stare and chuckled lightly. His fingers spun the gun around lazily.“Well, you’re finally awake,” he said in a cheerful tone. “Brian did a very good job getting you out of that hospital.”Emma’s breath caught in her throat. Her confus
Emma stirred slowly, her eyelids slowly opened for a brief moment before falling shut again. Her head felt heavy, her body weak. For the past few hours, or maybe longer, she had been slipping in and out of consciousness. She didn’t know what kind of toxic drug the kidnapper had used on her, but it was strong—strong enough to knock her out and keep her like this. Her limbs felt numb, but now, little by little, she could feel a faint trace of strength returning to her. Her eyes blinked again, trying to adjust. She felt something odd, something rough pressing against her. The air smelled of dust and earth, mixed with the musty scent of old metal. Her body shifted slightly, and she realized she was moving. The surface under her wasn’t flat—it vibrated gently beneath her, matching the hum of a car engine. Her heart sank as she understood what was happening. She was inside the trunk of a moving car. Panic rushed through her veins, but she forced herself to stay calm. She tried wiggling
Allison slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the man standing in front of her.Her bound hands and legs were aching, but when her gaze settled on the man, her shock slowly melted away. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and soon, that shock changed into pure annoyance."Christian," Allison called out in a sharp tone, rolling her eyes, "Why have you brought me here? This is the second time you’re trying something this stupid."Christian stood tall in front of her, dressed in a black shirt and jeans. He let out a low, dark chuckle, his voice echoing in the empty room."Ah, Allison," he said, shaking his head slowly, "You always fall for it, every single time. Your greed blinds you. You just can’t resist when you see or hear something shiny."Allison scoffed, her head leaning back against the chair. Her hands were tied tightly behind her back, but her attitude didn’t fade."Right," she said sarcastically, "This nonsense game of yours has to end now. You better let me go now; and if yo
Allison stood inside the grand banquet hall, her lips curved in a polite smile. She wasn’t here for fun. No, Allison attended these charity events for a reason—to remind everyone in the high-class society of her name and presence. She loved it when people whispered her name, whether in admiration or envy. To her, attention was power.The charity event was hosted by one of the most influential families in the city… the Atkins family. Everywhere she looked, Allison saw luxury—diamond necklaces, sculptures, and art works. She blended in perfectly, her hair styled flawlessly, her gown hugging her figure like it was made just for her. She carried herself with grace, as if she was born to be here.The host soon called everyone’s attention as they revealed one of the highlights of the night—an artistic painting titled “The Golden Horizon”. It was a breathtaking painting of a rare sunset, capturing the glow of golden rays meeting the calm sea. The brush strokes were soft yet powerful, almos
David was busy fixing his tie and preparing to go to the office when his phone started ringing. He glanced at the screen and saw Carl’s name flashing. His brow furrowed in confusion. Why was Carl calling him early in the morning? Feeling a bit uneasy, he picked up the call.“Hello?” David answered.“Boss…” Carl’s voice sounded hesitant and guilty, and David’s chest tightened. “It’s Ms. Emma… she’s missing.”David’s fingers froze around his tie. His heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean missing?” he asked sharply, his voice already rising with panic.“We… we can’t find her. She… she’s not in the hospital anymore. We think she has been kidnapped,” Carl reported.David felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs. This didn’t make sense at all. How could Emma suddenly be kidnapped?“I’m coming right now!” David snapped and ended the call. He quickly tried to call Emma's phone, but it was switched off.He didn’t bother fixing his tie anymore. He grabbed his jacket and rushed tow
Emma’s eyelids opened weakly as she slowly woke up. Her head felt heavy. She tried to move but quickly realized her hands and feet were tied together. Her whole body was covered with some old rags, and metal tools were pressing against her skin, making her uncomfortable. The space around her was dark, tight, and it rocked from time to time, like something was moving her.Groaning softly, Emma blinked and tried to focus. Her head hurt badly, but little by little, she began to remember what had happened. There was a struggle… she had fought with a masked man… and then everything had gone dark. A cold chill ran through her body as she realized the truth—she had been kidnapped.Emma’s eyes darted around the small space. She could feel some brushes, bottles, and other tools around her. Her heart pounded in her chest. This wasn’t just any box—she guessed she was hidden inside a jumbo cleaning cart, the type hospital cleaners pushed around while working.Suddenly, the cart stopped moving, an