Chapter: Chapter 56 - Selena I am over halfway through my pregnancy, and it terrifies me to think of having my baby here. I hate being held prisoner. I did not want the same fate for my baby. I was being raped daily by Torres. I had tried so hard to just block out every thrust and every ounce of pain that he would inflict on me. He enjoyed giving me pain and I have the marks to prove it. As I lay in bed, my belly aching from his rough treatment, I hear a faint whisper. "Selena, it's Anna." I sat up, my eyes searching the darkness. "What is it?" "I found out something," she whispered urgently. "They're having an auction really soon here at the house." My heart sank. I knew what that meant. I had seen the way Torres looked at me, the way he talked about me to his men. I was going to be sold. "When?" I asked, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. "In two days," Anna said, her own voice shaking. "What can we do?" I whispered, my heart racing. Two days. That was all the time we had before I would be han
Last Updated: 2025-01-18
Chapter: Chapter 55 - Joseph Thankfully, all of the Capos had remained loyal to me. There was no evidence of them conspiring with Salvatore. The meeting was tense, with everyone aware of the gravity of the situation. We discussed our options, the tension in the room thick as we weighed the risks and potential rewards of each plan. We needed to find Selena and crush Torres without igniting an all-out war with the Columbian Cartel. "We have a lead on a warehouse they use for storage," Antonio spoke up, his eyes never leaving mine. "It's a good place to start." I nodded, the room spinning slightly. The painkillers were wearing off, and the pain in my side was a reminder of the bullet that had nearly killed me. "Call a meeting with some of the other families," I said through gritted teeth. "We need to move quickly and quietly." Antonio nodded, already on his phone, arranging the meetings. I knew that Selena was strong, but each day that passed was another day of hell for her. The thought of Torres's touching
Last Updated: 2025-01-17
Chapter: Chapter 54 - Selena I never thought I could feel like a slave, but that is what I have become. Torres enjoys humiliating me every chance he gets. I walk around naked more than I have on clothes. Torres has been true to his word so far. No one has laid a hand on me, except for him. His touch is cold and calculated, as if he's trying to claim me in a way that goes beyond the physical. The other men in the house are allowed to look but not touch. It's like I'm a piece of meat in a butcher's window, displayed for all to see but only the highest bidder can take home. But even as I follow his rules, I'm planning. I have to find a way out of here. For the baby. Every night, after Torres has visited, I lie in the darkness, my thoughts racing. The room is cold, and I pull the covers tighter around my body, feeling the soft swell of my stomach. The baby kicks, a reminder of the life that grows inside me, a life that deserves a chance at happiness, not a future in this hellish world. I want better for he
Last Updated: 2025-01-17
Chapter: Chapter 53 - Joseph I feel like a weight is holding me down. I am trying so hard to open my eyes. All I can hear is this loud beeping. "Mr. Rossi, wake up," a voice says, and suddenly, there's a hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently. My eyes crack open, and I'm greeted by a blur of white lights and concerned faces. The pain is a dull throb now, the fever's grip on me loosened. I blink, trying to focus, and see Antonio leaning over me, his expression a mix of relief and exhaustion. "Welcome back, Boss." Antonio's voice was a welcome sound, the first sign that I wasn't hallucinating. I managed to croak out a response, "Selena... where is she?" "We don't know," Antonio said, his expression grim. "But we're looking. We've got everyone on it." I nodded, feeling the heaviness in my chest lift slightly. The doctor hovered at the foot of the bed, his face a mask of professionalism. "You need to rest," he said firmly. "You've had a close call with sepsis. You're not out of the woods yet." "How lon
Last Updated: 2025-01-17
Chapter: Chapter 52 - SelenaI lay on the bed, my body trembling with the aftershocks of what had just happened. The dress felt like a prison, sticking to my damp skin. I needed to get out of these clothes, out of this room, out of this nightmare. With shaking hands, I untied the dress and let it fall to the floor. The fabric pooled around my feet, a sad reminder of the violation I had just endured. I stepped into the shower, the water scalding my skin as I tried to wash away the doctor's touch. I scrubbed until my skin was red and raw, the tears mixing with the water as they streamed down my face. When the hot water turned cold, I stepped out, wrapping a towel around my shivering body. I felt exposed, like every inch of me had been laid bare. I needed to find a way out of here, to escape this hellhole. Our baby deserved a future, and I would not let anyone take that away from us. I sat on the bed, my eyes scanning the room for any hint of a way out. The walls were bare, the window too high to reach,
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: Chapter 50 - Selena**Parts of this chapter may contain triggers for some readers of reference to a sexual assault. Discretion is advised** I have been tossing and turning for hours. I have been praying that Torres was lying about Joseph being dead. We are supposed to be together to raise this baby. How could our lives be turned so upside down? I heard the lock click on the door and a young girl walked in with a tray of food in her hands. She looked no more than sixteen, with wide eyes that had seen too much and a tremble in her step that betrayed her fear. She paused just for a second before she set the food on the table. "They told me to give you this." I sit up slowly and take the tray from her. "Thank you. What’s your name?" "Anna. Please don't tell anyone I talked to you." "Of course, Anna. Is there anything you can tell me that might help me get out of here?" Anna's eyes widened, and she took a step back. "I-I don't know anything. I'm just here to work." The door clicked shut
Last Updated: 2025-01-15
Chapter: Chapter 83 - HoldenThe shower washed away the grime of the day, but not the worry. As the water cascaded over me, my thoughts were a whirlwind. Who would want to hurt Mayson? And why? It's a question that's been eating away at me since the night it happened. I knew I had to find answers, not just for her sake, but for my own peace of mind. When I came downstairs, the smell of garlic and onions filled the air.Mayson was at the stove, stirring something in a pan, her bare back glowing from the warmth of the stove. She looked so focused, so alive in that moment, that it was hard to believe she had just survived a traumatic event. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," she said without turning around. Her voice was a little shaky, but there was a determination in it that I hadn't heard in days. I nodded, taking a seat at the kitchen table, my eyes never leaving her. She had always been strong, but this was a different kind of strength, one born out of fire and defiance. She was reclaiming her life, pie
Last Updated: 2024-12-23
Chapter: Chapter 82 - SethThe office felt normal again. Our team was three strong again. I could tell Mayson was worn out by the end of the day but she’s tough. Holden will not let her out of his sight. I can’t blame him, someone tried to kill her and there aren’t any leads as to who it was. Amelia was the first to leave the office that night. She’s been acting weird lately, even by her standards. Staying out all hours of the night. When I would wait up for her, she would get defensive as to where she was. "Is everything okay?" I had asked her one evening, unable to shake the feeling that something was off. Amelia had looked up from her desk, her eyes narrowing. "Why wouldn't it be?" she replied, her tone sharper than usual. "Just asking," I said, trying to play it cool. But I couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something. Her evasiveness was more than just her usual prickly demeanor. It was something deeper, something that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The office grew quiet as
Last Updated: 2024-12-23
Chapter: Chapter 81 - HoldenI know that I am being overprotective of Mayson. But I can't help it. The thought of her getting hurt again is like a knife in my gut. As we walk into the house, I can see the tiredness etched into her features. The shadows under her eyes are more noticeable against her pale skin. She's trying to put on a brave face, but I can see the fear lingering in the back of her eyes. "Do you need help with anything?" I ask as we enter the living room. Mayson shakes her head, her eyes scanning the space with a hint of unease. "No, I'm okay," she says, though the tremor in her voice suggests otherwise. “i am just going to start dinner.” I watch as she heads to the kitchen, her steps tentative. The house feels too quiet, too still. Like it's holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. I know I can't hover over her forever, but I can't shake the feeling that she's in danger. "Holden," she calls out, her voice echoing through the house. "Could you grab me the cutting board from th
Last Updated: 2024-12-21
Chapter: Chapter 80 -The Whole TeamIt felt so good for all three of us to be back together. Seth proceeded to fill me in on the projects we had been working on, his words coming in a fast and efficient stream. My mind struggled to keep up, trying to piece together the puzzle of the past few weeks. "And the big news," he paused for dramatic effect, "we are on schedule for completion of the project." I nodded, trying to absorb the information. My office felt smaller than ever, the walls closing in as the reality of the workload hit me. "That's great," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Seth studied me for a moment before his smile faltered. "Are you sure you're okay?" I took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm fine," I assured him, though my voice wavered slightly. "Let's just get to work." Seth nodded and handed me a stack of files. As I flipped through the first few pages, the words swam before my eyes, and I realized how much I had missed the structure and purpose that work gave me. The office was a haven
Last Updated: 2024-12-20
Chapter: Chapter 79 - MaysonI am so ready to get back to work. Holden and I never argue but we have had some knock down drag out fights. He wants me to stay at home until they find out who attacked me. If I stay at home, this person wins by controlling my life. I want to prove them wrong that no matter what they tried to do to me they were not going to win. "Holden, I'm going to work," I said firmly, as I pulled on my favorite pair of boots and grabbed my keys. His eyes followed me with concern, the tension in the room palpable. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" "Yes," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "I can't let someone dictate my life like this. I have to get back to normal." Holden sighed heavily, his jaw tightening. He knew arguing with me when I was like this was futile. "Fine, but you are not to go anywhere alone.” I nodded, a flicker of relief crossing my face. "Thank you." Holden took a step towards me, his hand brushing mine as he gently took the keys from my hand. "I
Last Updated: 2024-12-20
Chapter: Chapter 78 - SethI have had so much on my mind lately. Now that Mayson was out of the hospital and on the mend we could get the project back on track. Whenever I have talked to Holden, he said she was so ready to get back to work. The project has been on hold ever since Mayson’s attack. The investigation into Holden caused a couple of sponsors to pull their funding. Luckily the amount pulled wasn’t going to impact the overall budget. We are behind the eight ball on the time frame. It will take a miracle for the project to be completed on the original timeline. As soon as Holden gets back into the office, we both need to be making calls to contractors to get them back into town. We could not afford to pay contractors that were not working for over a month. Thankfully, this project isn’t the only thing that the firm has going on. There are a couple of projects in Clinton that have come in that have kept me busy. It has kept Amelia busy too, which keeps her calm. Ever since Mayson was attacked she’s act
Last Updated: 2024-12-18
Chapter: Chapter 74 - The Safe HouseThe further along Claire is in her pregnancy the more e concerned I become. No matter how much digging Robert and I have been doing, we cannot find out where Jonathan is holding Evie. We decided to not get the police involved. It may not be the best decision but some of the things were are having to do or will have to do may not be on the right side of the law. The further along Claire is in her pregnancy the more concerned I become. No matter how much digging Robert and I have been doing, we cannot find out where Jonathan is holding Evie. We decided to not get the police involved. It may not be the best decision but some of the things were are having to do or will have to do may not be on the right side of the law. "I can't sit here and do nothing," I say, pacing the room. "We need to find her." Rawls's eyes are filled with understanding, but his voice is firm. "We will, but we have to be smart about it," he says, his hand landing gently on my shoulder, trying to still my frantic
Last Updated: 2025-01-06
Chapter: Chapter 73 - FionaI should have gotten Jonathan psychiatric help a long time ago. Even as a child he had issues getting along with other children. The years I was with Rawls and Evie, Jonathan had been raised with his father’s (Marco) family, the Castellanos. Marco had always talked about the strange incidents that occurred when they he was young, but he had always downplayed the seriousness of Jonathan’s behavior. Now, it all made sense. My child had turned into a monster, and we were all just pawns in his twisted game of power and control. I had to see Evie. I had to explain, to apologize for the years of pain I had caused. But would Evie even believe me? Would she recognize me as her mother or the woman who had abandoned her all those years ago? Fear and guilt had been my constant companions since I had gone into hiding, but now, with Evie's safety hanging in the balance, I was going to have to face my past. I had to see her, had to try to make this right. I approached the house where I kne
Last Updated: 2025-01-04
Chapter: Chapter 72 - ClaireI know Rawls and Dad are keeping things from me. I can see it in their eyes every time they think I'm not looking. They hover over me like overprotective hawks, their whispers and furtive glances speaking volumes. But I'm not a child anymore. I know something's wrong, something much more than just Evie's disappearance. I sit in my room, my thoughts racing, trying to piece together the puzzle that is my life. The walls are closing in, the silence suffocating. I need to know the truth. I need to know what's happening to Evie and why my fiancé and my father are acting so strangely. Summoning my courage, I tiptoe down the hallway. The house feels eerie, as if it's holding its breath, waiting for the next shoe to drop. I hover outside the door to Rawls’ office, listening to the muffled whispers of Rawls and my dad. "We need to tell her," my dad says, his voice strained. "She has a right to know." Rawls's voice is low and firm. "Not yet. She's not ready for this." I bite my lip, my he
Last Updated: 2025-01-01
Chapter: Chapter 71 - The last piece of the puzzleClaire said that Thelma is good at digging up information. Hopefully she has something that can help us find Evie and rid our lives of this psychopath. Robert and I were anxious to see what Thelma had found, but I know it will help Claire if they can see each other. "Thelma," Robert said, his voice tight with urgency. "What do you have for us?" Thelma took a deep breath, her eyes flicking to me before returning to Robert. "I've been looking into Jonathan Cramer/John Castellanos's history," she began, her voice steady despite the gravity of what she was about to say. "And it turns out he has connections to Evie's mother, Fiona." "Robert and I leaned in, our eyes locked on Thelma's face as she opened the folder. She pulled out a series of photographs, each one more disturbing than the last. "These are of Jonathan with his mother," she said. "Does this woman look familiar?” Robert took the photos, his eyes scanning over them before handing them to me. The woman in the images
Last Updated: 2024-12-30
Chapter: Chapter 70 - Rawls and RobertRobert and I sat in my office, poring over the case files and notes we had gathered on Jonathan Cramer. The silence in the house was suffocating, compared to the chaos that had erupted earlier. The detectives were on thin ice with me. I could not believe they questioned Claire about the paternity of the baby. "How did he do it?" Robert muttered, his eyes scanning the page in front of him. "He had to have had help," I said, slamming a fist on the table. "There's no way he could have gotten through that security unnoticed." Robert nodded, his jaw set. "I've called in a favor with an old contact at the precinct," he said, his eyes never leaving the paperwork scattered in front of him. "We're getting the full report on the facility's staff—everyone who had access to Evie's location and schedule." We worked tirelessly into the night, piecing together a timeline of events, looking for any inconsistencies or signs of tampering. The more we dug, the more it became clear that this was
Last Updated: 2024-12-29
Chapter: Chapter 69 - Jonathan and EvieI can’t believe how easy it was to get at Evie. The security at the mental facility was no better than the security at a nursery school. I had disguised myself well enough that Evie did not recognize me. She thinks her dad sent me to pick her up for her safety. She will be anything but safe with me. I may have a little fun with her before my plan is put into place. But first things first, I need to get her to my place. She’s so naive and trusting, it’s almost too easy. I have a van waiting outside, no plates, no paperwork, no way to trace it back to me. The perfect getaway vehicle. As we walk out of the facility, my heart races. The plan is coming together perfectly. The security camera's blind spot is right where I need it to be. I glance around, making sure no one is watching. "It's okay, Evie," I say, my voice low and reassuring. "We're going to get you somewhere safe." Her eyes are wide with fear, but she nods, trusting me implicitly. She's just as innocent now as she was
Last Updated: 2024-12-28
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