Chapter 3

I ran my thumb over the calluses on the pads of my fingers, my thoughts drifting to the memory of Sonia playing the piano. For a second, I wondered what the point of it all was.

The resentment and hatred building up in me suddenly waned, replaced by resignation.

After I was discharged from the hospital, Gabriel made up an excuse that he had to go away on business. He didn't come back in the month-long cool-off period that followed the divorce proceedings.

However, I didn't expect to run into Sonia.

I wanted the baby I'd lost to rest in peace, so I dropped by the church to ask the priest to hold a requiem service. I was by no means religious, but I wanted my child to go to heaven all the same.

As I pushed the door open and entered the church, Sonia was playing the piano for the children's choir. The last chord sounded terribly off-key.

Before I could stop myself, I approached Sonia and reached toward the keys to play the right notes. "That part should sound like this."

This was the first time I was meeting Sonia in person. It was a lot more peaceful than I'd imagined.

Sonia's eyes lit up. "You play the piano too? I've been practicing that part for ages, but I could never seem to get it right."

A faint, wry smile curled my lips, but Sonia spoke to me as if we were already friends. When she learned that I'd come to pray for the baby I'd lost, she got on her knees before the altar and began to pray devoutly, "Lord, ever merciful and full of grace, bring this pure soul into heaven and comfort its mother."

I froze. She reminded me so much of myself that I was stumped. I even felt a little sorry for her, and if I wasn't seized with the urge to save my old self so I could tell her to leave Gabriel, for nothing good could come from getting close to him.

My gaze fell on Sonia's baby bump, and in the end, I chose to keep my mouth shut.

If Sonia found out about me and Gabriel, she would be devastated and break up with him. If that happened, Gabriel would lose his mind and hunt me down for revenge.

The bloodshed and gory scenes from my previous life played through my mind like an old, familiar film.

I told Sonia that I was going for a confession and ducked into the confession booth. I pulled up the security footage from Morgan's room in the sanatorium, and it wasn't until I saw that he was unharmed and fast asleep that I heaved a sigh of relief.

After our parents died, Morgan was the only family I had left. This time, I would not drag him into the messy world I shared with Gabriel.

Having regained my composure, I emerged from the confession booth, only to have the black barrel of a handgun pressed to my forehead.

I tensed, then dared a look in Sonia's direction. The woman had already collapsed on the floor.

I cursed inwardly just as the grip of the handgun struck me and knocked me out.

…

When I came to, I found myself bound together with Sonia in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse.

Sonia's voice cracked as she sobbed, "I told you, I already paid my dues! What more do you want? Gabriel already warned—"

A loud slap cut her off.

The leader of the gang, who boasted a scar on his face, grabbed a fistful of Sonia's hair. "Yes, you paid your dues, but three of my boss' ribs are broken, courtesy of your boyfriend! Imagine what will happen to our street cred in the underworld if we don't do something about it!

"You said he cares about you, right? Well, then, I'll take my time to torture you and carve you up!"

From what I heard, these ruffians worked for low-level forces in the underworld and mostly dealt in illicit loans. No wonder they hadn't recognized me.

I slowly steadied my breathing and flicked the folding blade on my ring, then began to cut through the binding ropes. It wasn't the first time I'd been kidnapped, and my experiences proved valuable.

When the man with the scarred face noticed that I was awake, he immediately rummaged through my Hermès purse.

"Sorry, Ms. Emerson, but it looks like you're down on your luck. Have your family wire three million dollars to us if you want to live."

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this, ma'am. But don't worry, my boyfriend's a pro at this sort of thing. He'll come and save us." Sonia reassured me tearfully, her eyes gleaming with admiration for Gabriel, as if he were our savior.

My hands stilled, but I made no reply.

Suddenly, the man with the scarred face swore loudly in fury. He raised the hand clutching the phone and snapped viciously, "He doesn't believe me. Looks like I'll have to send him a small gift."

He waved his knife before me and Sonia, then said to his men. "Come here and cut that baby out of her stomach so we can send it to that bastard!"

My eyes widened. If Sonia were to die here today, Gabriel would rip me into shreds out of sheer vengeance!

Sonia was so terrified that she burst into tears, shrinking away from the approaching men. "Please, don't do this to me! Don't hurt my baby!"