(Lydia)Utter silence followed my words as everyone blinked at me. And then as if synchronized, everyone started screaming, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” at the top of their lungs.The noise around me was deafening, the chant reverberated in the room like the pounding of a drum. The cacophony of noises made my head swim until I didn’t know what to do. My throat tightened, a lump forming so large I could barely swallow. I shook my head, unable to speak, unwilling to do what they were asking. No. I couldn’t do this. Not with him.Nathan’s eyes were on me too, gleaming with something cold, calculated, hidden beneath a mask of charm. He didn’t say anything, just leaned back slightly, watching as his friends screamed louder, egging me on like I was a piece of entertainment.I swung my head around, to see whether there was at least one person who would be at my side, but no one stood out.I shook my head again, more firmly this time. "No," I managed to croak out, but my voice was drowned out by the n
(Thomas)I spent the next fifteen minutes weaving through the crowd, calling out Lydia’s name again and again, but it was useless. The music was too loud, the lights too disorienting, and the people were far too absorbed in their own drunken fun to notice me.I scanned every face, and pushed through every group of partiers, but Lydia was nowhere to be found. My heart was racing, the anxiety clawing at me like a feral animal. I couldn’t shake the sickening feeling that something was wrong.I finally made my way to the far end of the mansion, where the music wasn’t as overpowering. The sound was muffled here, and the air felt different. It was calmer for sure but also much more eerie.I stumbled upon a small room, the kind of hidden spot where people went to escape the chaos for a while. The door was half-closed, and as I peered inside, I saw a group of people sitting in a loose circle, playing some sort of game.Laughter spilled from the room, but it was subdued compared to the riotous
(Lydia)Warning: The following chapter contains a depiction of attempted sexual assault, which may be distressing for some readers. Please go right to the next chapter if this topic can upset you.Everything was hazy, like I was underwater and the world around me was a blurry and distant echo. The sounds filtering into my ears felt like they were coming from another dimension, muffled and distorted as if someone had turned the volume down on reality.I could see colors in bright and swirling shades that didn’t make sense, dancing in front of my eyes, refusing to stay still. I tried to focus, tried to make sense of what was happening, but everything felt so far away.I tried to speak, but my tongue felt strange like it was too big for my mouth, thick and useless. I tried to call out for help, tried to form words, but all that came out was a small, pitiful sound. Panic surged through me, but even that felt dull like it was swimming through molasses before it could fully reach my mind.W
(Thomas)I ran up the stairs, my breath ragged and my heart pounding in my chest. Every second felt like it was slipping away from me like I was too late. I couldn’t shake the image of Lydia, vulnerable, alone, possibly in Nathan’s grip. The thought made my stomach turn. I couldn’t let that happen. I wouldn’t.The upper floor of the mansion stretched out in front of me with wide hallways on both sides and the doors lined up like an endless maze.I paused for a split second, feeling a strange tug in my gut, something primal telling me to go left. I didn’t question it. I followed the instinct, veering left and charging down the hallway, throwing open doors as I went.Most of the rooms were empty, though some were locked. I pressed my ear to each locked door, straining to hear any sound or any kind of movement. But there was nothing except for silence. Some of the rooms I opened had small groups of people inside, sitting around in threes or fours, laughing or talking in hushed voices.Th
(Thomas)As I looked down at Lydia’s unconscious form, my chest tightened. I couldn’t leave her like this, not even for a second. Her skin was pale, her breathing shallow, and my heart raced with fear that something worse might happen.I didn’t have my phone to call for help, and every second spent waiting felt like too much. So I did the only thing I could.I scooped her up in my arms, bridal style, as gently as I could and cradled her head against my chest. Her body felt light, almost weightless, but that didn’t ease the sickening knot in my stomach.I couldn’t just leave Nathan’s jacket either. It might have something important, some clue, anything that could be used against him.He was a ghost now, disappeared down those stairs, but I wasn’t going to let him vanish without consequences. I grabbed the jacket, tucking it under my arm as best I could, even though I loathed touching anything that belonged to him.With Lydia in my arms, I headed toward the stairs that Nathan had taken.
(Ruby)The sound of giggles echoed in the living room as I watched Mabel and Miles play on the floor. Their little hands were busy with the blocks I’d given them just minutes ago.They were so full of energy, full of life, that you’d never guess everything they’d been through. I smiled softly, but beneath it, there was a heavy weight in my chest.Lydia had left them behind while she went to L.A., and it wasn’t rare of her to leave them with me, but it was definitely the first time where she was out of the country and I had to look after them.She rarely left them with anyone until Thomas had come along and she trusted him because he was their father.Lydia had always been fiercely protective of her kids but it increased after the kidnapping. The thought of what could have happened to them and what did happen to them... I shook my head, not wanting to dwell on it.I could only imagine how hard it had been for her to walk out the door when leaving for the airport, but I had reassured he
(Margaret)The door felt heavier than usual as I raised my hand to knock on it. Thomas’ office, though rarely used by him anymore, still carried his presence.Once, he had spent nearly all his time here while working, thinking, shutting out the world. But Lydia coming back into his life had changed things.Now, when Thomas wasn’t at his actual office, he was with the children or Lydia. A small mercy, I supposed. At least she had given him that – time with his children, a family, a semblance of normalcy.The children being here at the mansion, running through the halls, filling the air with laughter made things feel less empty. I’d seen the way Thomas smiled when they were near him, the way his eyes softened when he held them. It had been so long since I’d seen him that way, and I couldn’t deny that it did some good to see him happy. Small mercies, indeed.I knocked again, this time hearing a hurried, “Yes?”I opened the door to find Jack in the room, rummaging through the desk like a
(Jack)I rushed into my apartment, the door slamming shut behind me. My mind was racing, and I could feel the familiar knot of tension building in my chest. I’d forgotten my speech for tonight’s golden jubilee event. Of all the things I could’ve forgotten, it had to be that.I rubbed my forehead, frustrated with myself. It wasn’t just any speech; this was the one I’d reworked after Thomas told me he wouldn’t be there tonight. And now I had less than an hour before I had to be at the venue, meeting Ruby, making sure everything was perfect.“You sure you left it here?” came a voice from behind me. It was my assistant, who had picked me up from the mansion and driven me here in a mad rush. He’d been patient through my frantic search but was probably wondering why I didn’t just print another copy.It would have been embarrassing to tell him that I had written it down on a notepad, too tired to get out of bed and take my computer after a long day at work. After the news of Thomas’ departur