THE BARREN EX-WIFE WHO CAME BACK のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 61 - チャプター 70

VANESSA'S POVThe police officer adjusted his notepad and looked at us with professional sympathy that did nothing to ease the terror clawing at my chest."We've issued the Amber Alert," he said. "We have units canvassing the neighborhood, checking traffic cameras, interviewing potential witnesses. The FBI has been notified and they're assembling a task force as we speak.""But the kidnappers said if we involved police—" I started, my voice breaking."They always say that, Mrs. Lancaster," the officer interrupted gently. "But the reality is, you need law enforcement to have any chance of recovering your children safely. We know how to handle these situations.""The ransom," Sebastian said, his voice tight. "They want one hundred million dollars. In twenty-four hours."One hundred million.Not fifty. Not seventy-five.One hundred million dollars or they would kill both children."We'll coordinate with the FBI on the ransom drop," the officer said. "In the meantime, do not attempt to ma

SEBASTIAN'S POVI drove through the dark streets toward home, my hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles had gone white.All I could think about was Vanessa.Alone in that enormous house with no one to comfort her. Nicholas was halfway across the world, completely unaware that Elijah had been kidnapped. Vanessa had lied to him—protected him from the truth—and now she was facing this nightmare by herself.She was going to walk into Griffith Park tomorrow morning at six AM with one hundred million dollars in cash and no backup, no protection, nothing but her desperate hope that the kidnappers would actually return the children.She could be killed.She could be taken.She could disappear and I'd never see her again.The thought made something twist painfully in my chest.I wanted to turn the car around. Wanted to go back to her house and refuse to leave. Wanted to tell her I'd be damned if I let her face this alone.But I couldn't.Because Vanessa didn't want me there.

SEBASTIAN'S POVI heard the screaming before I saw them."HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"I'd been watching from the ridge. I'd followed Vanessa even though the kidnappers had said she needed to come alone. I'd told myself I was being smart, being cautious, and that I could intervene if things went wrong.But things had gone wrong in a way I never anticipated.I'd watched through the binoculars as the children were released. I'd seen Vanessa embrace them, and seen the relief on her face.And then I'd seen one of the kidnappers answer his phone.I'd seen him look around, scanning the area.And I'd known in that moment that they'd spotted me watching them. I'd seen them grab Vanessa, seen her struggle and fail.And by the time I'd scrambled down the hillside, fighting through trees, rocks and brush, they were gone.The van was gone.Vanessa was gone.They'd kidnapped her.But the children—"HELP!"I burst onto the trail and saw them. Elijah and Maya, both crying, both terrified, and standing alon

VANESSA'S POVI woke up to the sound of voices and the throbbing pain in my head.My vision was blurry, my skull pounding where they'd hit me. I tried to move my hands and felt the cold bite of metal against my wrists.Chains.I was chained to a bed.Panic flooded through me, and I jerked upright, my eyes flying open to take in my surroundings.I was in a bedroom—small, dingy, with peeling wallpaper and a single barred window that showed only darkness outside. The bed I was on was old and sagging, the mattress stained and smelling of mildew.And my wrists were shackled to the metal bed frame with thick chains, giving me maybe two feet of movement."She's awake."I whipped my head toward the door and saw him—one of the kidnappers from the park.But he wasn't wearing a mask anymore.I could see his face. Mid-thirties, unshaven, cold eyes that looked me over in a way that made my skin crawl."Well, well," he said, stepping into the room. "Sleeping beauty finally wakes up."Another man ap

VANESSA'S POV"Number six!"The woman in front of me—brunette, maybe thirty, wearing a silver dress even shorter than mine—was pushed toward the stage.I could hear her heels clicking on the floor as she was led through the curtain.And then the auctioneer's voice boomed through the speakers."Gentlemen, our next item is a lovely brunette. Thirty-two years old, former marketing executive. She's been trained and is ready to serve."Item.He'd called her an item.Like she was furniture.I heard murmurs from the crowd, voices discussing her like she wasn't a human being standing right in front of them."Let's start the bidding at fifty thousand dollars," the auctioneer announced.Silence."Come now, gentlemen. Fifty thousand for this beautiful woman?"More silence.My stomach twisted. No one wanted her."Forty thousand?" the auctioneer tried, his voice losing some of its enthusiasm.Nothing."She's a hard worker, gentlemen. Well-trained. Eager to please."Still nothing.I could hear the