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Todos os capítulos de THE HOSTAGE'S DILEMMA : Capítulo 81 - Capítulo 90

142 Capítulos

Velvet Seats and Loaded Smiles

NATALIEThe noise of the city greets me and suddenly I’m missing the quietness of Texas. People are everywhere here, barely any breathing space.My mind drifts to Reese. I wonder if he will be up for one of our mini smoking sessions. He has a good stash. I shake the thoughts from my head. I can’t deal with him right now. Not today. Today, I push the thought away, a sour taste on my tongue. I need distance and time to think even if it’s just for a moment. Instead, my feet carry me in the opposite direction, away from the docks, towards the neon glow of a supermarket. One thing I do need, consistently, is a fresh pack of cigarettes. I reach the checkout, a pack of my favorite brand clutched in my hand. The cashier, a tired-looking young woman, scans the pack, her eyes glazed over. I pay, the crinkle of the bills a small, satisfying sound. The plastic bag feels light in my hand as I push through the automatic doors, stepping back out into the cool evening air. The city noises assault me

The Seat She Saved For Me

MIAI push myself on the swing but I can’t seem to find joy in the activity. Mabel beside me just sits still and kicks stones. We've been here for what feels like forever, and the rhythmic creak of the chains is the only sound heard in the park. It’s been a week—a week since Mom’s funeral, a week since our lives shifted permanently. I haven’t cried yet, and I can see that Mabel hasn’t either. It feels as though an invisible barrier has formed inside me, holding back waves of emotion that I know will eventually break free. But for now, we sit together in our silence, feeling the weight of our loss.Mabel softly pushes off the ground, her tiny feet barely reaching the dusty earth. Her swing arcs gently. "Mia?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think Mom’s watching us now?"I look up, squinting into the right expanse of the afternoon sky. The blue is almost blinding, impossibly clear. My throat tightens, a familiar ache. “Yes,” I manage, the word a little hoarse. “She p

The Silence that Protected me

MIAThe living room is a mess. An absolute mess. Cardboard boxes, stacked like houses of forgotten memories, surround me. Drew, stretched out on the rug, rummages through a box of old photos, a mischievous grin already playing on his lips. Joe and Mabel are out fishing, leaving us to look through my old stuff.“Oh my God, Mia,” Drew laughs, holding a faded picture. It’s me, maybe six years old, with the shortest bob cut ever and a huge frown. “What is that? Are you trying to pull off a serial killer vibe?”I roll my eyes, a well-practiced gesture. “And to think that I personally chose the hairstyle and regretted it seconds later.” I give him a playful shove with my foot. He grins, tossing the picture back into the box.I open another, the cardboard flaps protesting with a dry rustle. Inside, nestled beneath a layer of tissue paper, are stacks of familiar blue envelopes. My breath catches. These are Mom’s letters. Not the formal kind, but the random, spontaneous notes she’d write—somet

The Moment I Fell Apart

MIAThe pieces click into place, a devastating, beautiful mosaic forming in my mind. The sudden, public breaking of the engagement. The way Aaron had looked at me, a desperate, hidden plea in his eyes that I hadn’t understood. He hadn’t been absent. He had been there all along, fighting for me in the only way he could, battling a force far darker than I could have imagined. He leaked the embezzlement info. He called off the marriage. All for me.A shaky breath escapes me. I have to find him. I clutch my phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I pull it from my pocket. Aaron’s name, already burned into my memory, practically leaps out at me from my contacts list.I have to call him. I have to call Aaron.I walk towards the front door, the floorboards creaking beneath my feet. My thumb hovers over his name, then presses down, initiating the call. I lift the phone to my ear, listening to the first hesitant ring, then the second.And then, I hear it. Not through the phone’s receiver, but

"Just When The Light Returned"

MIAThe last of my tears dried on my cheeks. My chest still heaves with the aftershocks of a breakdown, the kind that leaves you feeling hollowed out and empty. Aaron sits on the wooden porch stairs, his arms still wrapped around me, holding me close as I lean against his chest. He whispers in my ears. I barely hear what he’s saying but his voice soothes me.I tilt my head back, my gaze meeting his. His eyes, usually so intense and watchful, are softened with a mix of concern and tenderness. “Aaron,” I whisper, my voice hoarse from crying, “I’m so sorry. I… I yelled at you. When you were just trying to protect me.” The memory of my shouts and anger from a few hours ago burns my mind and I groan in embarrassment.He shushes me gently, a soft sound that vibrates against my ear. His fingers brush away a stray tear that had escaped. “Don’t apologize, Kitten,” he rumbles, his voice low and soothing. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. This is all my fault. I’m the one who dragged you into t

The Stranger Who Looks Like Me

MIAAs the plane lands, my eyes drift to Drew. He would usually cover the silence with one story or the other, but today, his gaze is just fixed on the clouds outside, a thoughtful, almost solemn expression on his face. He’s been like this since we left my house, a little quieter than usual, even for him. It’s unnerving, this subdued version of Drew, and it makes the pit of my stomach clench with an unspoken apprehension. A black sedan with tinted windows awaits us right outside the airport. Drew handles our luggage. I slide into the backseat, feeling the plush leather conform around me as Drew joins me. The engine purrs to life, and we’re off, the city skyline quickly growing larger on the horizon.I watch the familiar avenues and towering buildings pass by, part of me wants to watch the car head towards Aaron’s old mansion, the one I’ve stayed in for almost a year. But instead, the car takes an unexpected turn, heading into a different part of town, one I don’t recognize. My brow f

The Weight Of The Crown

AARONSweat drips from my brow as I push myself, my legs a blur on the treadmill. My breath comes in ragged gasps, but I ignore the burn in my lungs, focusing on the rhythmic pounding of my feet, the only sound amplified by the noise-cancelling AirPods in my ears. The screen on the treadmill flickers, showing my heart rate spiking. My phone, propped on the console, vibrates insistently. Drew. I tap the answer button without breaking stride, the familiar image of his face appearing on the small screen."Aaron," Drew’s voice, calm and steady, cuts through the low thrum of the gym. "Just dropped Mia off at her new apartment. Everything’s settled. The keys are with her now. I also assigned security around the building so she’s safe."A wave of relief washes over me, loosening the tight knot in my chest I hadn't realized was there. Mia. Safe. Settled. "Good," I say, my voice a low rumble, slightly strained from exertion. "Thanks, Drew. You did well.""It’s no big deal." His voice is low

Blood isn't Always Loyal

MIAMy entire body remains frozen as I stare at the photograph in my hands. It’s uncanny. The eyes, the set of the jaw, the curve of the lips – it’s me. My breath catches in my throat. I’ve never seen this man before in my life, yet a primal recognition sparks deep within my bones. He looks like an older version of me.My fingers, strangely numb, move to the next picture in the plain brown envelope. This one sends a jolt through me, sharper, more painful. It’s my mother. But not the mother I know, not the woman always weighed down by an invisible burden, her smile often sad. In this photograph, she is practically glowing, her head thrown back, a laugh bubbling up from deep inside her. Her eyes sparkle with joy I’ve only ever glimpsed in the rarest, most unguarded moments. And beside her, arm casually draped around her shoulders, is the same man. His smile in this one is softer, directed solely at her.My throat tightens. I’ve known my mother for over twenty years, and I have never in

His Name Was Enough

NATALIEI check the address one more time and confirm that I’m at the right place. I step out of the taxi and pay.I camt help but admire the sleek, modern architecture that pierces the evening sky. Aaron Lombardi real alt knows how tot take care of his woman.I ride the elevator up, the short journey silent, the polished doors reflecting my slightly anxious smile. I smooth down my shirt, take a deep breath, and mentally plaster on the "I'm so incredibly happy for you!" expression I’ve been perfecting in the mirror all day. Reaching her door, I notice the subtle hum of the building's ventilation system, the distant murmur of city life. The door itself is a heavy, dark wood, embossed with a modern, minimalist number plate. It looks expensive, secure. I press the doorbell, a soft chime echoing within. I wait, anticipating the burst of energy, the wide, welcoming grin characteristic of Mia. A minute passes. Then two. My brow furrows slightly. That’s not like her.Just as I’m about to rin

Inheritance of Ash

NATALIEThe name hangs in the air like an invisible weight pressing down on me. Liam Conall. My breath catches. “Nat? Are you okay?” Mia asks. Her brow furrows, her eyes, so full of concern, search mine even though hers were filled with tears.I force myself to nod. My throat is suddenly dry. I manage a shrug, an attempt at nonchalance that feels as flimsy as tissue paper. “Yeah, fine. Just… thinking.”How can I tell her? How do I utter the words that would make us both question everything? The man she just discovered is her real father, the man whose biological connection she’s grappling with, is the same monster who ripped my world apart. He’s the reason I stood over my parents’ graves, a child lost and alone. He’s the gaping hole in my heart, the reason I vowed never to make real connections with people.The air in Mia’s apartment, seconds ago so warm and inviting, now feels suffocating, thick with unspoken truths. It’s pressing in on me, stealing every last molecule of oxygen. I

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