INICIAR SESIÓNVictoria stared at her freed hands for another moment, still finding it difficult to believe she had actually managed to get out of the ropes.For the first time since Serena’s men had dragged her into the room, she felt as though she had a chance of doing something about her situation. Her wrists were sore, and her shoulders ached from the effort of keeping her arms behind her back, but she could finally move them freely.She rubbed her wrists before turning her attention to the ropes around her ankles.Getting them off should be easier now that she could use her hands.Victoria reached down and began working at the knot, pulling at the tight strands until she found the part that had been secured. Her fingers were stiff from being restrained for so long, and she had to pause several times when the rope refused to loosen. She tried a different angle, carefully working her fingers beneath the knot until it finally began to give.A few moments later, she slipped her feet free.Vic
Ryder was led upstairs to a private lounge. As he walked alongside the men in black, he wondered, ‘How did she get access to this place?’Plus, the place was practically empty, with the exception of the men who were obviously working for Serena.The lounge was spacious, with several leather chairs arranged around a low table and a bar occupying one corner. The curtains had been drawn over the windows, keeping the afternoon sunlight from entering the room. Everything appeared to be in order, but Ryder couldn’t help noticing how unusual it was to find the place so empty.He knew the hotel well enough to understand that the lounge was usually accessible to guests who wanted somewhere private to relax or hold informal meetings. Yet, there wasn’t a single guest in sight, and the only people present seemed to be waiting for him.Serena had clearly made arrangements before his arrival.Ryder followed the men through the lounge until he spotted her sitting on a couch near the far end of
Victoria remained close to the window, trying to make sense of what she had just seen.There was no doubt about it. She recognized the hotel entrance, the familiar driveway, and even the arrangement of the cars parked outside. She had been there before, and she remembered the place far too well to mistake it for another building.It was the hotel where she had met Ryder for the first time.She could still remember how nervous she had been that day, how she had walked into the building with the intention of pitching her business to Julius Lee, only to find herself standing in front of a man who would eventually become her husband. At the time, she had been desperate for an opportunity to save EVANGELINE, and Ryder had offered her a deal she could hardly believe.Now she was desperate to escape. Victoria looked outside again, hoping to spot something that might help her determine which part of the building she was in. Unfortunately, the narrow window offered only a limited view.
Ryder drove faster than he normally would, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as Serena's message remained open on the passenger seat beside him.He had read the address several times since leaving Tecna, hoping he might find something useful in it, but there was nothing beyond the location she had sent. No explanation, no further instructions, and certainly no assurance that Victoria was unharmed.He had tried calling Serena again, but she hadn't answered.The thought of Victoria being somewhere with that woman, tied up and possibly injured, made it difficult for him to concentrate on anything else. He knew Serena well enough to understand that she was capable of doing something reckless when she didn't get what she wanted. Her obsession with him had gone on for years, and every attempt he had made to put an end to it had only seemed to make her more determined.But Victoria had done nothing to deserve this.She had been dragged into a situation that had nothing to do with her, al
Victoria held her breath, waiting for one of Serena’s men to come barging in and catch her in the act of finding a way to escape.She remained still for several seconds, listening carefully for footsteps outside the door. Her arms were still tied behind her back, and the ropes around her ankles made even the smallest movement difficult. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself again, especially after the noise she had made while trying to climb onto the platform earlier.Nothing happened.No footsteps approached the door, and nobody came to investigate the crash.Victoria released the breath she had been holding, allowing herself a moment to recover before continuing her attempt. Perhaps Serena’s men had heard the noise but decided it was nothing worth checking. Or perhaps they were too busy doing whatever Serena had ordered them to do.Whatever the reason, she wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.She had no idea how long she had before someone returned, and
Serena lowered her phone and looked at the message she had just sent Ryder, a satisfied smirk spreading across her face. She could already imagine his reaction when he read the location. Ryder Lake, the man who had rejected her countless times and humiliated her by choosing another woman, would finally have to come to her on her terms.She glanced down at Victoria, who was still on the floor with her hands tied behind her back. The bruises on her face had become more visible, and a few strands of hair had fallen across her forehead. Despite everything Serena had done to her, Victoria continued to look at her with open defiance, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing her cry.“Take her to the back,” Serena instructed, turning toward the two men standing near the door. “I don’t want her sitting here when Ryder arrives.”The men approached Victoria and grabbed her by the arms, pulling her up from the floor. She winced as they dragged her forward, her tied hands making i







