MasukSebastian had not slept. The morning came and went without meaning anything, the hours blending into each other until time itself felt irrelevant. The office had turned into a war room overnight, screens running endlessly, calls coming in and out, men moving with urgency but no results to show for it. There was still no lead, Sebastian stood at the center of it all, his presence heavier than before, quieter, but far more dangerous. The calm he had maintained the night before was gone, replaced by something sharper, something that had been building with every passing hour. Nathan approached carefully, tablet in hand, already knowing what the answer would be. “Nothing new,” he said. Sebastian didn’t respond immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the screen in front of him, the same footage replaying, the same dead end staring back at him like a challenge. “Say it again,” he said. Nathan held his breath for a second. “There’s still no lead.” Sebastian finally turned, his eyes l
Sebastian did not waste time, by the time he got back to his office, the air around him had already changed. There was no hesitation in his steps, no distraction in his gaze, just a quiet intensity that made everyone in his path move out of the way without being told. Nathan was already waiting, “I’ve started pulling deeper records,” he said immediately, matching Sebastian’s pace as he walked in. “Traffic cams, private buildings, anything within range.” Sebastian dropped his keys on the table without looking at him, “Put someone on Tessa.” He nodded once,“Already done", which earned him a brief glance. “For how long?” “Since you left her place.” Sebastian’s jaw tightened slightly, but he said nothing, “Report.” Nathan stepped closer, tablet in hand. “She hasn’t done anything out of the ordinary. No calls, no sudden movements, no unusual contacts. She is still at home and hasn’t stepped out since. Sebastian leaned back slightly, his mind running through everything again, ever
Zara woke into stillness, not the kind that brought peace, but the kind that pressed down on her chest and refused to lift. Her body felt heavy, every movement delayed by a dull ache that reminded her she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. For a moment she stayed like that, eyes closed, listening but there was nothing, no voices, no movement just silence that stretched too far. Her eyes opened slowly, there was a was shadow of light, faint and unstable, casting weak shadows across the room. It flickered once, then steadied, just enough for her to make out shapes, bare walls, no windows, no door in her direct line of sight. Her hands were still tied, her legs too. Zara shifted slightly, testing the restraints with careful movements, but the rope dug into her skin immediately, firm and unforgiving. She stopped, drawing in a slow breath as panic threatened to rise again. Not now, she knows she couldn’t afford that, she forced herself to focus, her eyes adjusting more as she scanned
Sebastian did not remember the drive. One moment he was on the call with Chloe, the next he was already outside Zara’s apartment, the engine still running, the door left open behind him like it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except one thing. She was gone, he walked in without knocking. Chloe turned immediately, her face already stained with tears, panic written all over her. “Sebastian” “What exactly did you see.” His voice cut through her words, calm but sharp enough to silence everything else. There was no comfort in it, no softness. Chloe swallowed, trying to steady herself. “I came back and she wasn’t here. I thought she stepped out, but her phone was here. Then I saw the window, It was open, Zara never opens that window.” Sebastian’s gaze had already moved past her. To the kitchen island. He walked toward them slowly, his mind working faster than his steps. Two letters, his fingers brushed against one, but he didn’t pick it up. His jaw tightened, “Who else knew she wa
Chloe noticed it the moment she stepped in. It was way too quite. She closed the door behind her, dropping her bag casually, her eyes scanning the living room. Everything looked the same, nothing was out of place. The letters were still on the kitchen island but Zara wasn’t. Chloe frowned slightly, kicking off her shoes as she moved further inside. “Zara?” she called out, her tone light, expecting a response from the bedroom or the kitchen instead nothing came. She didn’t think much of it, maybe she stepped out or maybe she needed air. Shrugging it off, Chloe walked to her room, grabbing a towel as she headed for the bathroom. Time passed unnoticed, seconds turned to minutes. By the time Chloe stepped out, wrapped in a towel, the apartment had fallen back into that same unsettling silence. Then a phone started ringing, Chloe frowned, stepping out of her room, following the sound until she found it.It was Zara's phone, laying leisurely in the living room. Chloe hesitated for a s
Zara dropped the letter the moment she heard a knock. It started off light and polite then it became harder and deliberate. Zara stood still in the middle of the room, her fingers tightening unconsciously around the edge of the letter she had just read. Her heartbeat picked up, loud enough to fill the silence that had taken over the apartment. Chloe wouldn’t knock like that not when she had her keys. Another knock followed, sharper than the last. Zara moved slowly, her steps were measured as she made her way toward the living room, her breath uneven despite her effort to control it. She reached the window blind and lifted it just slightly. A man stood outside, his cap pulled low. His features were hidden. Her stomach dropped for a second, she considered stepping back. Ignoring it, pretending she wasn’t home but something in her refused. She was tired of this, tired of the fear, of the feeling that something or someone was always one step ahead of her before she could change her mi







