ANMELDENChapter 60Selina POVI was walked into a new building. This one seemed different from the last one I was held in. There were no signs of traffic or hums of industrial machines.My wrists were hurting; I couldn’t move them at all. Alto deliberately made the knots tight. I guess he was still pissed that he couldn’t get under my skin. He wanted to see me break but I was determined I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction.The air seemed different here, it was lighter and purer, we probably close to the country side or somewhere outside the city. The lingering smell of disinfectant told me the place was recently cleaned. The sound of water dripping echoed as we made our way into the building. I stared at Renata besides me. She avoided my gaze; I wondered what they promised her. Was it money or something else? Did they blackmail or threaten her family? Did Priya know about her assistant’s double life? We stopped at a large door. It looked almost impregnable, it was opened and I wa
CHAPTER 59ROSALIE POVThe tea had gone cold. I hadn't touched it. I hadn't moved from the chair behind the mahogany desk in nearly an hour. I sat there and just stared into space.Everything had changed.Selina was missing. Damien was somewhere in the city, hunting. Neither fact gave me a single moment of peace and I was too old to pretend otherwise.I checked my phone.Nothing.I set it down and felt, for the first time in years, realized the implication of my age. I was here with my phone, totally useless to the people I hold dear.The knock at the study door pulled me back."Enter."My butler's face was carefully composed, the way it got when he wasn't sure how news would land. "Ma'am. There's a gentleman here asking to see you.""I'm not receiving visitors.""He said you'd want to."I looked up slowly. "His name?""Elias Vance."I was on my feet before he finished speaking. The butler blinked barely, but I caught it. Most people needed appointments, approvals, three phone calls a
Chapter 58Damien POV There was still smoke lingering in the air. There was boots stomping the earth as my men canvassed the area. There were screams and various calls out to teammates when they found or captured enemy soldiers. My eyes were on the road where the car that held Selina disappeared. Amora still clung to me, crying and thrashing around. I could feel the slight pain on my arms where her fingers dug into my flesh. She squeezed my arm harder. “Damien they took her. I can’t… oh my God…What’s happening?” I stood up and helped her up. I looked her over checking for injuries or broken bones. Satisfied she was alright, I firmly but gently detached her hands from my body.Amora was never one to quit easily, instead she doubled down. “My baby…our baby could have died.”I stared at her blankly. I had no response to that. But then again, I was sure that it was a hoax but if it wasn’t, the baby wasn’t mine. I was sure of it but I needed to verify it.Visibility started to improve a
Chapter 57Selina POVThe smoke from the warehouse still clung to my body. My arm hurt where he grabbed me and my shoulder ached from being thrown into the vehicle. I could still hear Amora screaming. I looked back at and saw Damien. He wasn’t running after me or fighting for me but knelt beside Amora.That was it then. Whether he chose Amora or not, it didn’t matter. I wasn’t out of the woods yet. Something in me shifted. I didn’t know what it was but I was done with waiting for anybody to come save me. I was done depending on anybody. It was clear to me that I had no one but myself. And I was the only who was going to get myself out of it. I clenched my hands and exhaled thrice. The panic in me was replaced by the cold logic. I looked around as I began to file away information in my head. I noticed a light scar on Alto’s hand whenever the sleeves of shirt shifted. It was thin and looked old. Probably a knife or some kind of blade. His voice was low and raspy. He had a Northern ac
Chapter 56Selina povThe man came into view and her grip on my hand got tighter. There was a smile on his lips that barely reached his eyes. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Selina. He bowed with a flourish that almost made me forget the precarious situation I was in. I instantly realized any man who this cool and made a show of manners were usually ruthless. I steeled myself and played along, “I wish the circumstances were much better.”My response drew an amused smile from his lips. I decided to press my advantage. “ You do have me at a slight disadvantage.” There was a slightly puzzled face on his face as he tried to read the meaning behind my words. I stalled deliberately, watching his face as it processed so many variables at once. I sighed finally. “I meant your name. You know mine; I don’t know yours.”There was a flash of realization in his eyes before he smiled, this time his eyes crinkled. “Alto, at your service.” He looked at me again, probably gauging hi
Chapter 55SelinaI knew the face the moment the door opened. One second, that was all it took. Then every loose piece from the past months: the forged donor records, the targeted questions and the journalist fell into a single, clean line.It had been her the whole time. She couldn't look at me. That was the first thing I noticed. She was ashamed that I expected the words to literally jump out of her face. I filed that away immediately because shame meant something useful. It meant she was just another pawn on this chessboard. There was a particular way people carried themselves when they believe in what they're doing. This wasn't it."Did you know about the baby?"The question stopped her cold. Her eyes went to my stomach, just for a second, the kind of thing a person can't control and then away. The wall became very interesting to them.They said nothing. They didn't need to.I had been studying the room. The single bulb, the lock on the door. T
Chapter 39SELINA POVI was seated in my cubicle working as the office cackled with life around me. The phones rang off their hook, colleagues on the phones trying to convince the wealthy to contribute to a cause they care nothing about and the occasional swearing at the ancient coffee ma
CHAPTER 38Damien POV. I was seated in the office poring over some documents that needed handling days ago. The office was quiet and for the time in days I wasn’t distracted. The door open and Marcus came in with a tablet in his hand. I had come to loathe that tablet on his person anytime he walk
CHAPTER 37AMORA POVI drove into the Whitmore Residence and noticed a different car in the driveway. Was that Mrs. Whitmore car? Seems like it. The staff went about their duties but I noticed the subtle stares they gave me before they turned their focus back to their work.I scanne
Chapter 36Selina POV I was on the bed having a nap when a flurry of activities woke me up. Sitting up and rubbing my eyes to clear my fuzzy vision, I listened intently to ascertain what was going on downstairs. My forehead wrinkled as I concentrated harder, I couldn’t make sense of anything yet,







