I'm out of town for a few days, so I can only upload one chapter per day. But starting Sunday, I'll be back on my usual schedule. Thank you for reading.
★★★★★ As Phil and Damon screeched to a halt outside the hospital, the tension between them was palpable. They barely managed to slam the car doors shut before charging toward the main entrance, their urgency clear in the hard set of their jaws. Inside, the atmosphere was thick with the sterile smell of disinfectant and the low hum of fluorescent lights. When they reached the reception desk, surprisingly it was a man sitting there instead of the woman who had guided Jasmine earlier. Phil leaned forward, his voice laced with an edge of impatience. "What is Ronald Cooper's ward number? And can you tell me if his daughter is with him?" The man, seemingly unfazed by the rush, glanced up briefly before turning his attention to the computer. His fingers danced across the keyboard with a disconcerting calmness. "Just a moment," he replied. After a few clicks, he finally spoke, his tone monotonous and detached. "Mr. Cooper was admitted five days ago, brought in by his daughter and mother. Th
★★★★★“Sir, I swear, I’m not lying,” the man gasped, his voice strained as Damon’s grip lifted him off the ground, his feet barely touching the floor. “I don’t know where she is. We saw her come into this room, but… but she never came out. I don’t understand it either, I—” The man’s words faltered as Damon’s hold tightened, his fear now mingling with confusion.Damon’s eyes blazed with fury, his voice low and venomous as he spat out his words. “She’s not a ghost. Someone took her, and you’re telling me you have no idea? In a hospital you work at? You think I’m going to believe that? You know this place inside out, and you know the people who run it. So start talking, or I’ll make you wish you had.”The man’s breath came in shallow, panicked gasps as he struggled to speak. “There’s… there’s a basement,” he choked out, his voice barely audible. “It’s… it’s hidden, behind that wall. It leads to a tunnel that goes straight to the road behind the hospital. The road… it goes to the docks by
★★★★★Jasmine’s voice cracked as she unleashed the fury that had been festering inside her for far too long. "He did everything for you and your mother," she spat, her words slicing through the tension in the room like a blade. "He betrayed my mother, turned his back on everything for you people, and what did he get in return? A broken neck and internal bleeding! He was dying already. You didn’t have to go and kill him like that. It wasn’t enough that he was already suffering?"Kesha leaned back, her eyes narrowing as a cold smile curled her lips, the kind that never quite reached her eyes. "Why are you so concerned with a dead man, Jasmine? Shouldn’t you be more worried about yourself, about what’s coming next?" Her voice was smooth, almost mocking, as if she took pleasure in Jasmine’s rage. "You think you can make us feel guilty with your accusations? Nah! What you should be doing is begging for mercy, because what’s about to happen to you... well, let's just say, you won’t be able
★★★★★ Payne’s brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to locate her mother’s phone, but the screen only displayed its last known location—the hospital. Her stomach twisted in knots; she knew her mother wasn’t there. Dante had made that clear when he mentioned something had gone terribly wrong. Ceece paced back and forth, her frustration mounting with every second that ticked by. "Nadia, we need to stop sitting around and start looking for her! I’m so angry at myself," she muttered, her voice filled with self-reproach. "I should’ve listened to Payne earlier. We should’ve acted sooner, but now we’re stuck, and who knows what’s happening to her?" Nadia sighed, rubbing her temples as she tried to quell the throbbing pain in her head. "Ceece, this isn’t the time for self-blame," she said, her tone firm but not unkind. "We can’t afford to lose focus. We need to figure out where she is and how to get to her as quickly as possible. Blaming yourself or anyone else isn’t going to help. Ma
★★★★Layla's breath hitched as she stepped back, half-hidden behind her mother, a soft, terrified whisper escaping her lips. "Damon Colley..." Kesha’s heart pounded in her chest, the sight of armed men in her home sending a surge of icy fear through her veins. She tried to keep her voice steady, to muster any semblance of authority, but the fear was palpable in her tone. "Who are you people? And why have you barged into my home with guns drawn?"Damon’s eyes were cold, filled with a fury that cut through the air like a knife. "Where is she?" His voice was low, almost a growl, but it carried the weight of a deadly promise.Kesha's hands trembled slightly, but she squared her shoulders, trying to hold onto her composure. "Who are you talking about? We don't know anything!" Her voice wavered as she tried to appear strong, though the fear that gripped her heart was almost overwhelming.Damon’s expression darkened, his patience wearing thin. "If you waste another second lying to me about
★★★★★Damon remained silent, his expression as cold and unyielding as ever. He didn’t so much as glance at the growing inferno or the chaos erupting around him as his men continued to stoke the flames. The fire was spreading rapidly, devouring everything in its path, and the servants, realizing the danger, began to flee in a desperate bid to save their lives.Kesha watched in horror as the fire consumed her home, the heat pressing against her like a physical force. Panic clawed at her insides as she realized that Damon had no intention of stopping, no matter how much destruction was wrought. Her voice broke through the crackling flames, trembling with desperation and fear. "Your fiancée—Cindy—she’s taken Jasmine somewhere! They’re planning to sell her, to ship her out of the country. They might already be at Sixth Vetch Dock. There’s a ship there—it’s set to leave soon, and Jasmine will be on it!"Her words tumbled out in a frantic rush, her fear driving her to reveal everything she k
★★★★ When Jasmine awoke, disoriented and groggy, she realized she was strapped to a stretcher, her body jostling as someone wheeled her through a dimly lit corridor. Panic clawed at her as fragmented memories flooded back—the last thing she remembered was trying to negotiate with the boss, only for him to inject her with something that pulled her into darkness once again. "Where are you taking me?" Jasmine’s voice trembled as she struggled against the restraints, her heart racing with a frantic need to escape. Her hands and feet were bound tightly to the stretcher, rendering any attempt at freedom futile. "Shut up, or I’ll gladly toss you into the water!" the man pushing her barked, his tone cold and devoid of sympathy. It was then that Jasmine caught sight of the looming shadows outside—a dark, hulking ship anchored near the dock. The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. They were taking her onto that ship, and the alarm bells in her head began to ring with a deafening urge
★★★★★Jasmine could see nothing but the relentless fury in Cindy’s eyes, a burning desire for revenge that threatened to consume them both. Struggling against her restraints, she could feel the panic rising, but she refused to let it show. "He’ll hunt you down, Cindy," Jasmine spat, her voice steady despite the growing dread in her chest. "You’ll find this world too small to hide, and trust me, your twisted intentions are worthless. You’re clinging to nothing but your own delusions."Cindy’s face twisted in fury at Jasmine’s defiance. "You insolent—" she began, but the words choked in her throat. Her hand darted to the ground, fingers curling around a sharp piece of metal. Her breath quickened, driven by a blind rage. She raised the weapon, her eyes locked on Jasmine’s face, the hatred there almost tangible.But before she could lunge, a firm hand seized her wrist from behind. "You’re reckless," Haedon’s voice cut through the tension, cold and commanding. "Acting on impulse will only