Kayla’s POVI paced back and forth on the sandy beach, my feet digging into the grains with each anxious step. The sun was beginning to set now. I tried to call Sophia again, clutching the phone tightly in my hand as I failed another time. It just kept going straight to voicemail. “Come on, Sophia, pick up,” I muttered under my breath desperately.Lila was in the middle of her shoot, laughing and posing for the cameras, but I couldn’t focus. The breeze carried her laughter to me, a massive contrast to the riot in my mind. I took a deep breath and dialed Elijah’s number again. This time, to my relief, he picked up.“Elijah?” I said in a quivering voice.“Kayla,” he replied, his voice just as distressed. “There's been a fire at the courthouse.”“What?!!”“It was most likely a distraction to help Julia escape,” Elijah explained.I felt my heart drop. “Julia? Oh, my gosh! Henry must have planned this, along with Sophia’s kidnapping! He must be back, Elijah!”“Don’t worry. Some men I hire
Daniel’s POVAs soon as I put the phone down after talking to Kayla, fury surged through me like a tidal wave. I slammed the receiver onto the desk, the sound echoing in the quiet of my office. “Damn it,” I muttered, pacing back and forth, my hands clenched into tight fists. "I shouldn’t have let her get close to him again. I should have known better.”I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at it in frustration. Sophia was out of luck, just because she had allowed herself to fall for Elijah again. If she had chosen to be with me, then she wouldn’t have been targeted anymore. Now she’s in trouble again because of Elijah! I thought with anxiety and frustration. “Elijah is no good for her,” I hissed under my breath, kicking the wastebasket across the room. Papers flew everywhere, but I didn't care. All I could think about was Sophia. My chest tightened at the thought of her in pain, and I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. I should have been more alert about these things, maybe even
Daniel’s POVMy mind raced, trying to think of my next move. “Henry, listen to me. This doesn’t have to end badly for either of us. Let Sophia go, and we can work something out.”“I don’t negotiate with liars,” Henry spat. “Bring me Julia, or say goodbye to Sophia.”I could see Harris giving me a thumbs-up, signaling that he had a trace on the call. Relief and dread mingled in my chest. I needed to keep Henry talking a bit longer.“Alright, Henry,” I said, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. “Give me a little time. Julia is being held by some powerful people, and I’ll need to negotiate her release. Can you give me twenty-four hours?”Henry was silent for a moment, then he growled, “Twenty-four hours, Daniel. Not a minute more. Or you’ll regret it.”The line went dead, and I handed the phone back to Harris. He nodded, his face grave. “We’ve got a location. It’s some abandoned house in a remote forested area.”I scrambled to find out who had Julia. Harris and I visited some of his contacts, s
Elijah’s POVMy mind was a chaotic storm of worry and fear. Sophia was out there somewhere, kidnapped, and no one knew where she was. The investigators had found the abandoned house where she had been held, but by the time they arrived, it was empty. No signs of Henry or Vito, or any of their men. The police were now on high alert too, also searching for Julia after her escape from the courtroom.Desperation consumed me. I can’t just sit around and do nothing!I ended up heading to the office where Trevis was waiting for me, eager to get some news about Sophia. “Elijah,” he said, his voice tense. “I've been talking to some of the staff, but no one saw Sophia after she left the building. Someone saw her getting into a cab, and it had been proven that this was the same one reported stolen by a cab driver. Oh, god! I should have just gone with her to the Hall of Justice. I can’t believe I just talked to her, and then she was kidnapped afterwards! She came here looking for you, so I tol
Sophia’s POVThe airport’s fluorescent lights flickered overhead, illuminating the terminal with a harsh brightness.My heart pounded in my chest, each beat feeling like a drum roll leading to my impending doom. Henry’s grip on my arm was ironclad, and every time I tried to shift away, he tightened his hold, his fingers digging into my flesh through the thick layers of my disguise.“Keep moving,” Henry growled, his voice a menacing whisper against my ear. The rough texture of his breath sent shivers down my spine. I glanced at him, my eyes hidden behind the dark lenses of my sunglasses, but I could feel his piercing gaze burning through them.He had gone to great lengths to ensure we were unrecognizable. His face was obscured by a floppy hat and a fake beard, and I was equally concealed, wrapped in a scarf and sporting black-dyed hair. He shoved a pair of fake passports in front of me. “Look at these,” he demanded. “This is our new identity. We’re a couple flying to France.” The pas
Henry’s POVJulia's presence beside me was like a balm to my weary soul. Her side profile was illuminated by the dim overhead light, and I couldn't help but gaze at her, memorizing every delicate feature. Her hand, warm and soft, lay in mine, and I rubbed it absentmindedly, savoring the contact. The urge to kiss her was overwhelming, but I knew it wasn't the right time. Not yet. But very soon, we will be together forever, Julia. My one and only love. We were on the plane heading to France, still in our disguises and clearly unrecognizable. It had been a cinch using our fake passports to board. In front of us, Daniel and Sophia sat together, but they weren’t talking. Good, then they can’t plan anything at the moment. Less problems for us. I looked around, and the men sitting around us all belonged to Vito Romano and me, making sure that everything would go according to plan. We needed to get to the safe house as soon as possible, the secret base that I had bought a long time ago a
Sophia’s POVAs we approached the chateau, I couldn’t help but marvel at its grandeur. The massive stone structure was nestled in a valley surrounded by lush hills, its tall windows glinting in the waning light. This place was the epitome of elegance and luxury, far removed from the dire circumstances Daniel and I now found ourselves in.We pulled up to the entrance, and Henry and Julia stepped out of the car with a haughty, satisfied air. I followed reluctantly alongside Daniel, my heart thumping hard as I felt the cold pistol touching my back. Henry’s men had us surrounded all the time. There were a lot of them, and there was no way we could escape this. Inside, the chateau was even more impressive. High ceilings embellished with chandeliers, sweeping staircases, and richly furnished rooms greeted us at every turn. The floors were made of polished marble, and the walls were decorated with intricate tapestries and paintings.Julia’s eyes twinkled with delight as she looked around. “
Elijah’s POVI disembarked from the plane, my heart pounding with urgency and frustration. The Paris airport pulsed with its usual activity, but for me, it felt like a chaotic maze. I was determined to find Sophia, no matter the cost. When I noticed a group of security officers and police officials, I quickly headed over there and introduced myself. “Mr. Sinclair?” the officer asked, his accent thick with French inflections.“Yes, that’s me,” I replied sharply. “I need to speak with the head investigator in charge of the search.”The officer nodded and led me to a small office just off the main terminal. Inside, a tall man with a well-tailored suit and a sharp gaze sat behind a desk cluttered with maps and reports.“Mr. Sinclair, I’m Inspector Laurent,” he said, extending a hand. His tone was calm, but his eyes betrayed a hint of frustration.“Inspector Laurent, I need to know what you’ve found,” I said, barely managing to keep my composure. “Have you seen any sign of Henry, Julia,