YVONNE "Okay," Vlad muttered after the blank silence that passed between us. "Bye," I ended the call and pocketed my phone before turning back to Jade who's now staring at her reflection in the mirror. "You look like shit," I blurt out before I could stop myself. I chewed on my bottom lip. Me and my big mouth! "Yeah, right," she chuckled, which surprised me. I thought she would slam my head on the counter after saying that. She must be really drunk. "Here," I handed her the wet wipes. "Take this." "What am I going to do with that?" she cocked up an eyebrow while eyeing the pack as if it was the filthiest thing she had ever seen. She has a lot in common with Vlad more than I thought. There's no doubt he was the one who raised her. "Eat it," I snapped impatiently when she just kept staring at it. I didn't know she could be stupid when drunk. I snatched a folded wipe from the pack and handed it to her. "Wipe your face," I ordered. Should I record this on video? I bet this is
VLADIMIRI was startled when Yvonne suddenly stood up. She told me she needed to go to the ladies' room."Are you okay? Want me to come with you?" I asked, but she refused.That's when I realized that she was going with Jade. I watched her stalk Jade, who obviously looked drunk with the way she walked.I kept glancing in the direction she went in and my wristwatch as minutes passed. What's taking them so long?"Hey man, drink up," Eric said when he noticed that I was distracted."Yeah," I nodded. I grabbed my glass and drank my shot straight before getting my phone to call her."What's taking you so long?" I asked when she finally picked up."Do you need help? I can go there." I offered when she said that Jade was drunk. She must be throwing up or something."No, I don't think she'd like that. I'll just call you if I can't handle it," she hurriedly said."Okay," I answered reluctantly. I didn't want to stop talking to her but she had already ended the call. I reluctantly put the phone
YVONNE I woke up to the feeling of my body lightly swaying as if somebody was cradling me to sleep. My lids felt heavy. and my head is pounding so badly.What happened? Did I fall asleep in the hammock? Because I swear I can feel my body rocking from side to side. It was so dark that I couldn't understand what was going on.I was forced to keep my eyes open, trying to train them to see in the dark but failed. My clothes are the only clear thing I see because they are white."What's going on?" I murmured. I felt my body sprawled on the cold floor. When I tried to sit, I realized that my hands were tightly tied behind my back. Oh god. Fear swiftly crept through my whole body. "What happened?" I muttered, my forehead creased in confusion. I looked around, trying my best to adjust my vision in the dark. Using my elbows, I tried to prop my upper body so that I could sit while still thinking about how I ended up in this dark, creepy place. Slowly, things started to dawn on me until I r
YVONNE "Tell him we're in the sea!" I ordered. She looked at me incredulously. "What?" she asked with disbelief. "Sea?!" "Yes! I'm sure we're on a yacht or another water vehicle of sorts. Can't you feel the motion?" I desperately asked. "Okay, okay! I just want to get out of here!" she retorted before turning back to the phone. "Yvonne assumes we're on a yacht," I heard her tell Vlad. She stopped to listen to whatever he was saying. "Yes! Please hurry!" she cried. "Vlad, I'm scared!" My nostrils flared while looking at her. Why does she have to be with me? But oh well, I won't be able to talk to Vladimir if she isn't here. More importantly, being with her upped the chances of being saved. Now I wouldn't have to worry that Vlad might not pay the ransom or worse, just let me die at the hands of my abductor. Especially now that it's only a matter of time before I get exposed for my real identity. I don't know if he knew about the article I found on the internet. I wasn't able
YVONNE"Hey!" Jade yelled. "Where are you taking her?"My goodness! Why does she have to intervene? It's not like she could do anything against these men!For fuck's sake, we were in the same boat! Literally and figuratively! Does she want to get hurt too? I thought as they dragged me out the door struggling."Yvonne!" she screamed desperately.I kept thrashing, trying to get myself free from their grasp even though I knew it was futile. I was dragged across a narrow hallway until we stopped in front of a door. The other man knocked twice before pushing it open. They rashly threw me in. My legs fumbled, causing me to fall. I winced in pain but I made sure not to make any sound."Get up!" somebody grabbed my hair to pull me up. My teeth sank on my bottom lip in an attempt to stop myself from screaming.It was so painful! I thought my scalp would be peeled off from my head! Damn it!I looked up and saw a man standing in front of a bed. I gasped as my head started to run wild.My eyes w
WARNING. GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AHEAD.YVONNEHe raised his hand to cup one bosom inside it. I shut my lids tightly. I don't want to see what he's going to do to me. He gently cupped my breast, his thumb circling my nipple. I thrashed and tried to move away from him despite being restrained."Stop moving!" he snapped. His hold on my chest tightened."No! You stop this!" I growled. I am so mad. How dare he touch me like that? I want to kill him right now!My jaw clenched when he crouched down and buried his nose against my neck. I wanted to kick him away from me but I couldn't move my legs. Damn it."Aaah!" I screamed so loudly when I felt him moving down, trailing kisses on my skin."Stop!" I growled. He laughed as he took a step back away from me. I sighed in relief until I saw him grip his whip again.Oh no...I watched him raise his hand and snapped it in the air. The leather strap landed on my side, the tip curled and hit my back. I bit my lip to stop myself from making any sound that mi
VLADIMIR"Shit! You're bleeding!" Mike hissed when the crossfire finally ceased. "We have to take you to the hospital!""Do you think I have time for that?" I growled. "We need to find her!""Our men are already looking for them. We should at least try to stop the bleeding!" he insisted while glancing at my stomach.The middle part of my shirt is now soaked in blood."You won't find her in that state," he snapped. "You might die first."Fuck!"I can't let them get away!" I yelled. We can't let precious time pass. Who knows what they plan to do to her?! And Jade!"Fuck! Did they get Jade too?""It seems so," Mike answered. "They couldn't find her anywhere.""Fuck!" I kicked the sand in frustration. "Who else knows we're here?""What's happened here?" Smith came up to me."Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" I retorted."What are you insinuating?" he narrowed his eyes at me. "We have nothing to do with this!""You better make sure of that!" I spat while reloading my gun.My head is sp
VLADIMIRI clenched my teeth after talking to Jade. I wished I could have spoken to Yvonne as well, but Jade seemed frantic. I kept telling her to give the damned phone to my wife but she just kept crying for help!It's understandable. I know she's scared, but...Fuck."Yvonne thinks they were in a yacht," I told them. "Mike, call our techs. See if they could track her phone.""Got it, boss," he nodded."We have speedboats," Smith said. "We could use them.""It might be too late. They could have gotten far by now," I hissed through gritted teeth. "I need a chopper!""It's impossible to wait for our chopper, Boss," Mike said grimly.I know."We don't have one, but I know someone who does," Eric said."Then what are we waiting for?" I snapped. "Let's go! I can pay! I don't care how much it takes!""We should let the others use speedboats, though. The chopper could only carry a few people," he said."Fine," I huffed. "Mike, you know what to do."I wasn't in the right headspace to give or
VLADIMIR"What the fuck do you mean?" I grumbled in a low but threatening voice.Blaze looked pale. For the first time, I've seen fear in his eyes."Raoul escaped," he repeated.Fuck. I clenched my fists, trying so hard to keep my shit together, but it was too late. I lost it. Before I could control myself, my fist had already landed on Blaze's jaw."How the hell did this happen?!" I growled, my voice echoing around us.The man was fucking chained to the walls! There's no way he could escape without anyone helping him!"Who helped him?" I hissed through gritted teeth."We're already checking the CCTV foota-"I grabbed him by the collar, cutting off whatever bullshit he would spew."Vladimir, calm down," he muttered."Are you the one sabotaging me, huh?!" I asked him accusingly."What?!" he frowned. He tried to push my hands away from him but I didn't let him go."Vlad, you know I can't do that!" he snapped while looking straight into my eyes. "I was gone! Didn't you ask me to trace wh
YVONNEMy body temperature seemed to drop by numerous degrees. I suddenly find it hard to breathe.Why? Why now? I mean, I knew it was coming when I saw that blind item on the internet, but..."I'm so sorry..." Dave muttered. Silence filled the room as my mind spiraled down into a deep abyss of destruction. What a perfect timing! I just got kidnapped and tortured for goodness' sake!As if that wasn't enough, I have to wake up to this?! I wanted to scream to ease the tension inside my chest.Is it the reason why Vlad hasn't come to visit me? Has he seen it already?Of course, he did!"I want to go home," I said with conviction when I finally found my tongue. Dave looked at me with confusion."But..," he tried to disagree."Please," I cut him off. "I just want to get out of here." I was on the verge of lashing out. My breaths were shallow and rapid.I feel like a ticking bomb that might explode any minute now. I heard him sigh."I'll see what I can do," he said before going out of the
YVONNE"We need to run some tests, as per Mr. Lewis' order. He wanted a general check-up to be done to make sure that you're okay. First, we need to get your blood sample...." the doctor explained while a nurse checked my vitals. Her voice sounded distant to my ears.A bitter taste filled my mouth as exhaustion started to defeat my whole body."I need to check your wounds," I heard her say, to which I only groaned in response.The nurse helped me take off my clothes. Cold seeped through my skin. I turned to look away, avoiding to see the pity in their eyes as my wounds came into view."Nurse..." I heard the doctor call, but I didn't bother to look at what they were doing.They made me sit on the bed as they simultaneously cleaned my wounds. I bit my lip to stop myself from whimpering in pain. Some of the cuts made by the thin leather whip were so deep that they needed to be stitched.After making sure that my back had no injuries, they made me lay down on the bed. A lone tear rolled f
VLADIMIRI gently tucked her in. I wanted to stay beside her but I had to make some calls. I need to get to the bottom of this. I called Blaze to tell him what to do."Make sure the hospital is heavily guarded. I want men stationed outside her hospital room and around the vicinity," I told him.I will drop her off at the hospital as soon as we land. At first, I thought of just sending our doctor to the penthouse. That would be safer, but she needs to be checked thoroughly. I want to be sure she's alright."Okay, I will make some arrangements," he replied.An ambulance was waiting for us at the airport when we landed."What's happening?" Yvonne confusedly asked when she saw paramedics approaching."You need to be checked," I told her."Why? I'm okay now," she frowned. "I just wanted to go home and rest.""I know," I sighed. "Trust me, that's what I want too. But we need to make sure you're okay. You don't need to stay here for long, after the tests, you can go home."I can still see def
YVONNEI grabbed onto him, not wanting to let him go. I want to be in his arms."No, please..." I begged him to stay.My whole body is aching for his touch. For the safety that his warm embrace offered, but this may not be the right time to be clingy. He still had to deal with that man. I should try to understand.I bit my lip when he turned his back on me. It pained me to watch him walk away.I held the sheet wrapped around me like it was my lifeline. I was still naked underneath, but it was thick enough to protect me against the cold.I was right, we were on a ship in the middle of the dark sea. I couldn't be more thankful that Vlad found me when he did. It could have been worse.But wait...My eyes roamed around to look for Jade but I couldn't see her anywhere. Oh my god. Did they torture her too?"Where's Jade?" I croaked, asking no one in particular. "She was there with me!" I panicked but the men around quickly calmed me down."Don't worry. They already found her," one of the me
VLADIMIRLife seemed to flash right in front of my eyes.I will fucking kill him!"Vlad," Yvonne called my name desperately.My heart was breaking as I heard her sob. The skin on her chest, stomach, and thighs was full of cut wounds that looked familiar to me. He whipped her.How dare he do this?!Fortunately, I don't see any major injuries or bleeding on her."Let her go," I was surprised by the calmness in my voice. It was in great contrast to how I truly felt. I wanted to lunge at him immediately and strangle him with my bare hands until his eyes popped out of his head.But I have to keep my cool to avoid rash decisions that might endanger Yvonne even more. My eyes zoned in on the sharp edge of the knife held against her kneck.Fuck. One wrong move and it could cost me her life."I'm the one you want, right?" I muttered tauntingly while staring at him.He chuckled while staring back at me but didn't say anything."Who are you?" I hissed. "What do you want from me?"He chuckled. I'm
VLADIMIRI clenched my teeth after talking to Jade. I wished I could have spoken to Yvonne as well, but Jade seemed frantic. I kept telling her to give the damned phone to my wife but she just kept crying for help!It's understandable. I know she's scared, but...Fuck."Yvonne thinks they were in a yacht," I told them. "Mike, call our techs. See if they could track her phone.""Got it, boss," he nodded."We have speedboats," Smith said. "We could use them.""It might be too late. They could have gotten far by now," I hissed through gritted teeth. "I need a chopper!""It's impossible to wait for our chopper, Boss," Mike said grimly.I know."We don't have one, but I know someone who does," Eric said."Then what are we waiting for?" I snapped. "Let's go! I can pay! I don't care how much it takes!""We should let the others use speedboats, though. The chopper could only carry a few people," he said."Fine," I huffed. "Mike, you know what to do."I wasn't in the right headspace to give or
VLADIMIR"Shit! You're bleeding!" Mike hissed when the crossfire finally ceased. "We have to take you to the hospital!""Do you think I have time for that?" I growled. "We need to find her!""Our men are already looking for them. We should at least try to stop the bleeding!" he insisted while glancing at my stomach.The middle part of my shirt is now soaked in blood."You won't find her in that state," he snapped. "You might die first."Fuck!"I can't let them get away!" I yelled. We can't let precious time pass. Who knows what they plan to do to her?! And Jade!"Fuck! Did they get Jade too?""It seems so," Mike answered. "They couldn't find her anywhere.""Fuck!" I kicked the sand in frustration. "Who else knows we're here?""What's happened here?" Smith came up to me."Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" I retorted."What are you insinuating?" he narrowed his eyes at me. "We have nothing to do with this!""You better make sure of that!" I spat while reloading my gun.My head is sp
WARNING. GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AHEAD.YVONNEHe raised his hand to cup one bosom inside it. I shut my lids tightly. I don't want to see what he's going to do to me. He gently cupped my breast, his thumb circling my nipple. I thrashed and tried to move away from him despite being restrained."Stop moving!" he snapped. His hold on my chest tightened."No! You stop this!" I growled. I am so mad. How dare he touch me like that? I want to kill him right now!My jaw clenched when he crouched down and buried his nose against my neck. I wanted to kick him away from me but I couldn't move my legs. Damn it."Aaah!" I screamed so loudly when I felt him moving down, trailing kisses on my skin."Stop!" I growled. He laughed as he took a step back away from me. I sighed in relief until I saw him grip his whip again.Oh no...I watched him raise his hand and snapped it in the air. The leather strap landed on my side, the tip curled and hit my back. I bit my lip to stop myself from making any sound that mi