NoahI felt a pounding headache and a giddy sensation. My mind was clouded and sluggish. It must have been caused by inhaling some kind of drug or gas. I remembered the taxi ride and the driver’s menacing laugh. I shivered. Was I kidnapped? Where did he take me? Who would do this to me? And why?My eyelids felt like they were weighed down. But I forced them open, blinking against the oppressive darkness. The room around me was barely illuminated by a thin ray of sunlight squeezing through a tiny, grimy skylight. Dust and the smell of mildew assaulted my senses.Panic set in as I realized I couldn't move my hands or legs. They were tightly bound. The rough rope bit into my skin every time I struggled. I looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The dirty room was filled with construction waste. Old wooden beams, broken tiles and other debris surrounded me. It was a mess, as if abandoned halfway through a project. The air was stale and suffocating."Help! Somebody help m
NoahOh no! Fate seemed to be conspiring against me. I was so close. How could I fail at the last minute! I prayed. I hoped someone could help me. But I knew there was no one but me. I had to do this alone.My heart pounded as I scrambled to push myself through the small window. I was so close to escaping! I couldn’t give up now. The sound of the man’s angry voice outside the door made my hands tremble."Sorry, I just kicked something. I'll be done soon," I called out, trying to keep my voice steady. I hoped I sounded natural."You've got one minute left. Don't play games!" he threatened.I took a deep breath, relieved he hadn’t come in yet. I continued to squeeze through the window, the frame groaning under my weight. My foot slipped and sent a small cascade of rubble falling. The sound alerted the man. Just as I managed to squeeze halfway through, the door burst open.“Stop right there, you!” he yelled, rushing towards me.The adrenaline gave me the strength to pull myself up and ou
Raymond"Who paid you?!" I demanded, glaring at the man who was held tightly by bodyguards. His eyes darted around. He was searching for a way out. With the bar behind him, two bodyguards by his sides and Owen and I in front, he had nowhere to go. We had him cornered."I… I don't know what you're talking about. You must have the wrong person. I was at work all day. I’m just having a drink at the bar," he stammered, trying to feign ignorance. Owen stepped forward. “Don’t play dumb. You’d better start talking, or else...” He gestured to the bodyguard. A powerful punch to the man’s stomach doubled him over, eliciting a scream of pain."If you don't tell us the truth, you'll face the consequences," I warned. The bodyguard grabbed a handful of his hair and forced him to look at me. My voice was cold and my patience was wearing thin. I had to save Noah. Every minute counted.“Well?” Owen asked with a threatening look in his eyes.The bodyguards were ready to strike again. They clenched the
NoahThe pounding in my head was relentless when I finally opened my eyes. I tried to remember what had happened. I was tricked by a woman, and then the kidnapper knocked me out. Now, I was back in the dark, musty room. I was tied up even tighter than before. The ropes bit into my skin. They were making any movement impossible. My clothes were completely ripped and disheveled.Did that guy do anything? No, I don't feel any pain except for my head… Thank goodness. Raymond. The thought of my love brought a brief moment of hope. Was he out there looking for me? He must be. He would pour every bit of money and power he had into finding me. “Please, Raymond. Help me…” I whispered into the dark.And Neil, my sweet boy. Was he crying, wondering where his mommy had gone? I missed him so much.Time dragged on. Exhaustion began to weigh me down. I hadn’t eaten all day. The lack of food and water was making me weak. I drifted in and out of consciousness. My mind was spinning with fear and worr
RaymondOwen’s words made my heart sink. If Josie had indeed kidnapped Noah, she would be in grave danger. Josie was an insane woman, driven by her terrible jealousy. No one knew what crazy things she might do to exact her revenge on Noah.I couldn’t wait. I had to take action immediately. The only thing that mattered was Noah’s safety. I grabbed my phone and dialed my father’s number. He had powerful contacts all over Edendale. “Father, I need your help,” I said, my voice urgent. My father’s best friend was a high-ranking police officer. When we found Noah, I would need the support of armed police. Owen also took swift action. He hired a team of expert hackers at a high price to track down Noah and Josie’s location.I was pacing up and down as the team of hackers was looking for clues. I couldn't imagine what Josie and her kidnappers were doing to Noah right now. The fact that she hired men to rape her before, that night at the hotel, raised the hairs on my neck. I couldn't let tha
NoahPanic surged through me as I saw several men approaching. Their faces were twisted with disgusting expressions. I was surrounded. I had to get out of here! But how?My feet were bound. My hands were tied. I couldn’t protect myself. There was nothing I could do. No, this can’t be happening!They approached me without mercy. The kidnapper was the first to reach me. “Hello little lady. Finally, time to have a little fun together. You seemed eager earlier. Are you still eager now?” he said with a grin, looking me up and down. The others joined him. They all started touching me at once. Some held me tight. Others were fondling me roughly in all the wrong places.“No!” I struggled against their grasp. I couldn’t bear thei
RaymondI couldn’t believe what I saw. Noah was lying on the ground. Her face was pale and lifeless. A puddle of blood surrounded her. She had a huge wound at the back of her head.Desperation gripped me as I knelt beside her. My heart ached with the realization of how helpless she must have felt facing this danger alone.How could I have found her so late? At that moment, I hated myself with an intensity I had never felt before. I had failed to protect her.Carefully, I lifted her into my arms, afraid that even the slightest touch might aggravate her pain. She felt so fragile. Her body was limp and unresponsive. I carried her to the car. Every step felt like an eternity."Owen, drive!" I shouted, m
OwenWhen I finally found out the truth, I couldn't help but feel heavy guilt weighing on my shoulders. It was Noah who saved me all along. The more I found out about her, the more I realized how blind I had been.I lost an incredible woman. I had been too easily fooled by Josie's manipulations. It was a bitter pill to swallow.I tried to contact Noah endlessly, to no avail. She had a new life now. Far away from her old one. I was desperate to feel close to her. But I couldn’t do it in the present. Perhaps, I’d find some answers in the past.I spent countless hours retracing Noah’s steps. I visited the orphanage where she grew up - the building and children looked just as neglected as 30 years ago. I spoke to people who knew her. Slowly,