Chapter 1
When I was kidnapped, Antony Zade was lounging on a beach with his new girlfriend, casually telling the kidnappers over the phone, “You can keep her tied up. No rush from my side.”
“Let her learn her lesson and stop bothering me. It’s for the best.”
To save my life, I swallowed my pride and begged the lead kidnapper, “I’ll do whatever you want, just please
don’t kill me.”
Eventually, Antony decided it was time to “rescue me. The head kidnapper chuckled, looking down at my exhausted form in his arms, “She’s worn out, not sure she has the strength to go with you”
The sound of crashing waves echoed through the dilapidated warehouse via a speaker. Antony’s voice followed, unhurried and slightly slurred, a result of his late night drinking, “Jenny Jones, you’re getting more creative in your ways to cling to me.”
“You tried to get my mom to pressure me into marrying you yesterday”
“And today, you stage a kidnapping?”
“If you’re gonna die, just do it. Don’t interrupt my sunrise with my sweetheart.”
“Antony!” Tears of fear streamed down my cheeks, soaking into the ropes binding my hands and feet.
I shook my head, desperately trying to explain, “I’m not acting, this isn’t some self–made dramat
“I have no idea why your mom went public about our engagement.”
“Please, just believe me this once, come save me, will you?”
“Oh, save you? Sure.” Antony scoffed, uninterested, “Five million, right? I’ll pay.”
At this, the head kidnapper immediately spoke up, “Five hours later, at Donka Bay, cash for…”
“You can keep her tied up. No rush from my side.”
Antony’s voice dripped with disdain and amusement, “Let her learn her lesson and stop bothering me. Consider the money a fee for the trouble of teaching her a lesson.”
“Are you serious?” The three kidnappers exchanged glances, dubious.
Antony laughed coldly, with an edge of malice, “As long as you lay a hand on her, I’ll pay.”
Tears streamed down my face as despair washed over me. So this is how much you despise me, Antony.
“Antony,” I begged, tears choking my words, “I’m really kidnapped.“.
“I don’t need a lesson, just come save me, and I promise I’ll never bother you.”
“Mr. Zade, the sun’s up!” A bright, cheerful voice suddenly interrupted over the phone.
A girl’s delighted shout echoed, “So beautiful! Mmm-*
The sound of lips meeting, a kiss so deep it was audible even over the phone.
Despair gripped me, extinguishing my hope for rescue. I sat numbly on the floor, staring at the ring Antony had once given me, and laughed bitterly.
Promises made in youth, they don’t always hold.
Antony, who at sixteen swore to marry and protect me forever, how did you change so much as we grew older?
“Sorry, Antony, my mistake.”
“For bothering you all these years, I apologize.”
“It won’t happen again.”
1/2
04:45
Never again.
The phone line went silent for a moment before abruptly disconnecting. The busy tone echoed through the warehouse.
The three kidnappers exchanged looks, the youngest scratching his head in confusion, “Was Antony serious about rescuing her or not?”
“I heard ‘lay a hand on her,’ and it sounded more like a threat to us.”
Tim, the leader, scowled, “Who cares what he means? We’re here for the money!”
“This lady is their officially acknowledged fiancée from the news yesterday.”
“As long as we have videos of her, Antony will have to pay up!”
With that, Tim pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and clamped it over my nose. A strange scent flooded my senses, making my head spin.
My shirt was torn with a harsh rip, and Tim’s voice was full of malicious intent, “No more talking.”
“But Tim,” the youngest hesitated, “We were only supposed to keep her for two days. Now Antony isn’t in a rush to rescue her. I’m worried if the boss finds out…”
Tim threw aside his cigarette, swearing, “So what if he finds out? You really think he’ll let us walk away clean, give up the business? The Bishop’s been in the game too long to just go legit and starve! Use your brain! Even if we get caught, we can just hand her over to him. His ways of ‘teaching‘ are much better than ours!”
“Oh, really?”
The warehouse door creaked open, revealing a tall man in a black coat, flanked by several imposing bodyguards.
His cool gaze swept over them, his voice dripping with disdain, “How about I show you my methods of ‘teaching‘ right now?”
The three kidnappers shivered, dropping to their knees before him in unison, “M–Mr. Bishop.”
Tim, pale as a sheet, pointed at me hurriedly, “We found a girl for you, she’s a real catch! Look! She’s already drugged, ready for you.”
The man’s brows furrowed as his eyes flicked to me, a dark glint passing through them.
He had a face that could have graced any magazine cover, yet it only filled me with dread, making every hair on my body stand on end.
Despite the heat creeping through my body, I couldn’t help but shiver, curling into myself in a futile attempt to
escape.
