Chapter 3: The Abduction

Mia's POV

The party was loud, extravagant, and suffocating—just as I’d expected. Purple and silver decorations sparkled under the soft glow of the chandelier, and every corner of the room was filled with laughter, clinking glasses, and chatter about alliances and power plays. My eighteenth birthday was supposed to be a celebration, but I felt like a showpiece, trapped in a world I didn’t ask to be a part of.

It was easier to fake a smile than explain how much I wanted to leave despite it being my eighteenth birthday party. Jess was rambling about some minor drama, but I could barely focus on her words. The weight of the crowd pressed down on me, and I needed air.

“Excuse me,” I muttered, cutting Jess off mid-sentence. Without waiting for her reply, I slipped through the sea of people, heading for the balcony.

The night air hit me like a cool balm. I leaned against the railing, staring out at the city lights that glittered like stars in the distance. For a moment, it felt like I could breathe again.

I’d snagged a bottle of champagne and a margarita from the bar on my way out. Mixing them was probably a bad idea, but who cared? I'm eighteen, I'm legally allowed to drink. I poured the two into my glass, took a sip, and then downed it all in one go.

Victor always said I used my silence to mask my anxiety, but he was wrong. I wasn’t anxious—I was irritated. People were exhausting, and pretending to like them was even worse. Every conversation felt like a test of my patience, and the temptation to say something rude always hovered on the edge of my tongue. I'm not rude or mean I think it seems only stupid people come my way. 

I didn’t realize I wasn’t alone until I heard a voice behind me.

“Enjoying the view, I presume?”

I turned, glass in hand, to find a man standing a few feet away. Light brown eyes glinted in the dim light, and his posture was relaxed, almost too casual.

“You seem wasted,” he said, his tone neutral but laced with amusement. “Having a bad night?”

“No,” I replied flatly, turning back to the city. My head was spinning slightly, but I wasn’t about to show weakness.

“Hmm.” He stepped closer, his movements deliberate. “Mind if I join you?”

“Sure,” I muttered, shrugging. I poured another glass of my questionable cocktail and held it out to him.

He declined with a smirk. “I’ll pass.”

“Your loss.” I raised the glass in mock salute before downing it.

We stood in silence, the tension between us palpable. I didn’t trust him—something about the way he watched me sent warning bells ringing in my head. But the alcohol dulled my instincts, and I couldn’t summon the energy to care.

After a while, he broke the silence. “How about a walk in the garden? Might clear your head.”

I should have said no. Every rational part of me screamed not to trust him, but his hand was already on my waist, guiding me away from the balcony. My protests were sluggish, my limbs heavy as the alcohol settled in.

We made our way down to the garden, his grip on me firm but not forceful. The cool grass crunched under our feet, and for a moment, I thought he was just being polite. But then, I noticed the shadows moving around us.

Men. At least four of them, blending into the darkness with practiced ease.

“Hum, wha…” I mumbled, my voice slurred.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, his voice soothing. “Just relax.”

Panic surged through me, but my body refused to cooperate. My legs gave out, and before I could hit the ground, he caught me, lifting me effortlessly into his arms.

I tried to fight, but it was useless. He must have sighted me long before and added something odourless and tasteless to my drinks probably guessing the drinks I was aiming for all along, just patently waiting for the effects to kick in. My vision blurred, the world tilting as darkness crept in.I barely registered the sound of a car engine or the faint murmur of voices as we sped away from the villa.

When I woke up, my head throbbed, and my mouth was dry. I blinked against the dim light, my surroundings unfamiliar. The walls were bare, the air cold, and there were no windows.

I forced myself to sit up, the events of the night crashing into me like a wave. The attractive looking man. The balcony. The garden.

I’d been kidnapped.

A sharp pang of fear shot through me, but I bit it back, forcing myself to stay calm. Panicking wouldn’t help. I needed to figure out where I was and how to get out.

Back at the villa, I imagined the chaos my disappearance had caused. Claudia would be frantic, pacing the room and blaming herself for everything. Ray, on the other hand, would be livid, barking orders and demanding answers.

“Where is Mia?” Claudia would ask, her voice trembling.

“Search every inch of the mansion,” Ray would command, his tone cold and dangerous. “Check the cameras. Nobody leaves until my daughter is found.”

It wouldn’t take them long to figure out who was behind it. 

And now, I was his leverage.

A cracked smile formed on my lips as I thought about it, my head still spilling from the drugged alcohol and I felt a little pissed that i didn't get to finish the whole bottle of champagne and margarita. “So annoying." I hissed as a sharp pain hit the back of my head still from the drugged alcohol. 

Slowly I could feel my consciousness slipping away, my eyelids felling heavier with every passing second. I could hear footsteps echoing and voices were getting louder as I gradually started to loose consciousness, my vision going back into the darkness as the footsteps and voices became louder. “Beautiful." I thi

nk, was the last thing I heard before driving into the world of darkness.