CHAPTER FIVE

Sophia regained consciousness and discovered that she was tied to a chair. From her surroundings, it appeared that she was inside a deserted warehouse.

She remembered being struck with a hard object before everything went black. Did someone kidnap her?

Fear immediately crept inside her. She shouted, “Where am I? Somebody help me! Please!”

“Sophia, calm down. Screaming won't help you... believe me, I've already tried,” a familiar voice reached her ears.

She turned to her right and saw Miss Williams tied to a chair just like her. Her eyes widened in alarm.

“What is happening? Why would someone kidnap both of us?” Sophia asked, her heart pounding frantically.

Deep down, she was terrified about the safety of the baby growing inside her. If anything happened to her, she could lose her unborn child.

“That's an excellent question,” a man's voice rang out in the warehouse.

Sophia turned toward the sound of the voice and her heart quickened when she saw four menacing men approaching them.

One of them, apparently their leader, stepped forward. He was bald, with yellow-stained teeth, and the strong stench of alcohol coming from his body was impossible to miss.

“Don't be afraid, Sophia. Daniel will come for us,” Ivy assured her confidently.

Yes, Daniel, my husband, Sophia thought, a flicker of hope filled her eyes.

However, when she looked at Ivy, who was also kidnapped, her hope faded again.

Sophia pressed her lips together as she remembered how quickly Daniel had rushed out after learning that Ivy was missing. A bitter thought crossed her mind. He'll probably only come to rescue Ivy. Compared to her, I mean nothing to him.

Daniel arrived at the warehouse shortly afterward. He stepped inside but froze when he spotted the two women bound before him.

His hands curled into fists as he glowered at the kidnappers. “Release them! Whatever problem you have is with me. Leave these women out of it.”

“You got here pretty quickly. I see these two women mean a great deal to you,” the leader remarked, casually twirling the knife in his hand.

“Untie them immediately,” Daniel demanded again.

“That's not happening. If they're so precious to you, then they're part of this now,” the thug replied. “I'll give you an opportunity to rescue one of them. The other one will stay here with us.

“Are you out of your mind?” Daniel snarled.

“You can save one, or you can lose them both,” the man declared. He chuckled before adding, “Daniel Kingsley, I'm curious to see which woman you'll pick. I was planning to enjoy myself a little, but now I want to find out which of these two you love more.”

Daniel's fingers tightened into fists. His jaw stiffened as he looked from one frightened woman to the other.

“Daniel, save Sophia. She's your wife! Don't worry about me...” Ivy pleaded, lifting her sorrowful eyes toward him.

She looked frail and exhausted, but she was still thinking about Sophia's safety and putting her before herself.

Guilt weighed heavily on Daniel's heart. His clenched fists tightened, threatening to dig blood from his palms.

“Make your decision, Daniel. You're free to take one woman. Don't waste any more time.”

Daniel let out an irritated hiss, his eyes shifting between the two women. Sophia's heart throbbed wildly when she saw his gazes.

However, Daniel only spared her a brief glance before turning to the kidnapper. “Let Ivy go.”

Sophia felt as though her heart had dropped into her stomach.

“Are you certain? That's the woman you've chosen?” the thug asked, grinning broadly as he savored the moment.

Daniel's jaw tightened further. His expression remained cold and unreadable as he repeated, “Yes. I chose Ivy.”

Sophia felt her entire world collapse around her. She had expected this outcome, yet a small part of her still hoped Daniel would choose her. After all, she was his lawful wife.

Watching him select another woman and abandon her to remain in the kidnappers' hands hurt far more than she had ever imagined.

Daniel... Did I truly mean so little to you? she wondered as tears streamed down her face.

“Daniel, you're just as heartless as people say,” the thug remarked with a sinister smile. “Are you really prepared to leave the other woman here with us?”

“Release Ivy,” Daniel ordered icily.

The man gave a low chuckle before loosening the ropes from Ivy's body. Daniel immediately took Ivy into his arms, holding her to his chest as though she were a fragile doll that might shatter at the slightest touch.

“Daniel, you should have chosen Sophia instead. I'm disabled, and I'll spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. I can't do anything for you,” Ivy whispered weakly.

“Don't worry. I'll get you out of here,” Daniel assured her before carrying her out of the warehouse.

Sophia was too devastated to speak. Her heart had shattered into countless pieces. The only thing she could think about now was her innocent baby, who might die because she had foolishly fallen in love with Daniel.

If she could go back in time, she would never have given her heart to such a merciless man.

“Since Daniel has made his decision, I see no reason to let you walk out of here alive,” the thug announced, playing with his knife as he stared at Sophia.

“Then do it. What are you waiting for?” Sophia snapped, glaring defiantly at him.

“I expected you to beg me to spare your life... but I was never going to let you go anyway,” the man laughed.

He ordered his men to spread fuel throughout the warehouse.

“But, boss, are you sure we should do this?” one of his men questioned.

“She's the one who wants her dead,” the leader answered.

Sophia heard his words, but she was too emotionally shattered to wonder what he meant. Her heart was bleeding. Even at the very end, she had never been Daniel's first choice.

Why did she allow her life to turn out this way? Why did she tolerate Daniel's cruel treatment for so long? Knowing that she might be facing her final moments, she was overwhelmed by regret.

“Miss, do you have any final words?” the thug asked, laughing widely.

Sophia slowly closed her eyes, preparing herself for the inevitable...

BOOM!

A deafening explosion rocked the ground.

Daniel, who had been running back toward the warehouse, was hurled backward by the tremendous force of the blast.

He stared at the building in utter horror as flames engulfed it, eating up the entire warehouse into a raging inferno.

Sophia, his wife, was inside the warehouse.

“Sophia!”

“NO!” Daniel's agonized scream tore through the air.