David's POV The last two days had been a whirlwind of chaos and fear. As a deputy of the FBI under custody for working without authorization, I was in a hell of a situation. My title meant nothing here; I was just another suspect, questioned relentlessly about my actions. But all I could think about was the danger Emma was in and how we could outsmart Michael. The door to the interrogation room creaked open, and Daniel was ushered inside. He looked worse than the last time I saw him—disheveled, eyes red and wild with panic. "David," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "Emma's missing." I motioned for him to sit down. "Start from the beginning. What happened?" He took a deep breath, his words tumbling out in a rush. "After we spoke last, I got the authorization to access the hospital's financial records. I was on my way to review them when Emma left me a voicemail. She said Laura found evidence linking Michael to the stolen anesthetics and Scarlet's murder. But before she cou
Emma's POVIt’s been days since Michael last visited. The isolation, coupled with the relentless silence, gnaws at my sanity. Food is scarce; the kitchen’s supplies have dwindled to almost nothing, but I don’t have the appetite to eat anyway. Depression has wrapped its cold fingers around me again, squeezing the life out of my will to survive. At least the tap water still works, so I won’t die of thirst. That’s a small blessing, I suppose.I can move freely within the house, but it feels more like a gilded cage than any kind of refuge. The mansion is vast, with three stories and an expansive garden where two bodyguards keep vigil. Every attempt to escape has ended in failure. The last time, I tried to jump the barriers, but one of the guards caught me. Following Michael’s orders, they beat me savagely. My injuries from the car accident had been healing, but this assault left me feverish and weak.Now, I’m shivering uncontrollably. The fever is taking its toll. Desperation pushes me to
Daniel’s POVAs I approached the holding facility where David was being held, I couldn't help but marvel at the sheer audacity and resourcefulness of the man. Thanks to his connections and a few well-placed favors, the police didn’t put up much of a fight when I requested to see him. It was almost like walking into a familiar friend's house rather than a heavily secured facility.I walked into the dimly lit room where David was seated, looking far more composed than I had expected. The moment he saw me, a smirk spread across his face."Well, if it isn’t the ghost of Christmas past," David teased, leaning back in his chair. "You look like you haven’t bathed in days, and I’m pretty sure a family of birds could nest in that beard of yours."I chuckled despite myself, scratching my scruffy chin. "What can I say? I never liked shaving anyway. Emma wouldn’t let me kiss her unless I was clean-shaven, so it was more of a necessity than a choice. Now that she’s missing, there’s no point. And a
Emma’s POV It’s been a week since Michael’s last visit. My fever has finally gone down, thanks to the medication he provided, but now I face a new challenge: there’s no food left in the house. When I first arrived, it seemed like the house was cleaned regularly, but now it was neglected. The only person who came by was a middle-aged lady who exclusively cleaned the forbidden room that once belonged to Scarlet. She had her own key and never showed any interest in the rest of the house. I encountered her one day, trying to strike up a conversation to figure out whether she had noticed the pink book has gone missing. “Could you clean my room too? It’s gotten dusty after weeks of neglect.” She shook her head regretfully. “I can’t help you with that unless Michael orders me to do so.” Her tone was polite, without any irritation. This gave me a small sense of relief; she hadn’t noticed the missing diary from Scarlet’s room. Taking a deep breath, I hurried back to my room, retrieved t
Daniel’s POV I arrived at the detention center with my findings, a mix of anticipation and dread in my heart. The guard nodded me through, courtesy of David’s meticulous preparations. I was amazed at how he had managed to keep this access open. “Daniel,” David said, a smirk playing on his lips as I walked in. “You look even worse than the last time, like you’ve been through a war zone.” “Shaving is bad for my skin ok? Just cut the crap…” I admitted, scratching at my scruffy chin. “I’ll shave after I get Emma back!” David chuckled, shaking his head. “Still a hopeless case.” I handed him the files. “This is what I’ve got so far. Michael’s access was used, but he wasn’t even in the hospital during the thefts.” David flipped through the documents, his eyes narrowing. “Interesting...” “I also checked the surveillance footage,” I continued. “The person in the pharmacy isn’t Michael. The build and height don’t match.” David looked up, his eyes gleaming with insight. “Let me se
**Michael’s POV** The message sent to Daniel gave me a twisted satisfaction, but it also filled me with dread. I had underestimated him. His tenacity, his ability to uncover the truth, was threatening everything I had worked so hard to maintain. My grip on Emma, on my plans, was slipping. I need to act fast. I pace the floor of my office at the hospital, my mind racing. The sterile smell of disinfectant is nauseating, reminding me of the stolen anesthetics that now threaten to expose me. Daniel’s investigation was closing in on me, and I couldn’t afford any mistakes. The hospital, my shared home with Jessica, and the mansion where Emma is imprisoned—all of it was at risk. First, I need to secure the mansion. Emma’s presence there is a ticking time bomb. She’s the key to everything, and if Daniel finds her, it’s over. I grab my phone and call the guard stationed at the mansion. “Double the security,” I bark into the phone. “No one comes or goes without my explicit permission.
Emma’s POV It's been a week since Michael's last visit. My fever has finally gone down, but I’m left in a desolate state. I can count my bones from being so famished, but as long as I'm not thirsty, I don't care. Hunger is a strange comfort, a reminder that I'm still alive. I kind of like the feeling, like back when I was 20 and suffered from depression after that humiliating experience with the Irish guy. I refused to eat for months, lost my ability to menstruate, and ended up looking anorexic. Back then, the feeling was a way to express my suffering, a silent scream to those around me that I wasn't okay. Only Daniel understood me then. This time, though, the satisfaction is different. Now, hunger makes me feel alive, like I’m not ready to give up. Lily is waiting for me. Daniel is looking for me. My parents would be devastated if their only child were taken away from them. I have to fight. I open the diary from its hidden spot. Recently, Scarlet has become more than just a name i
Daniel’s POVThe message on my phone from the unknown number still haunts me. “Daniel, if you want to see Emma alive, stop what you’re doing.” Michael knows. He’s onto us, and now Emma’s life hangs in the balance.I take a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands as I call David. "We have a problem," I say as soon as he answers. "What's going on?" David asks, his voice tense."Michael knows about our investigation. He just threatened Emma’s life if we don’t back off."David is silent for a moment. "We need a new plan. Immediately. We can’t let him intimidate us. Emma's safety is our top priority.""Agreed," I respond, my mind already racing through possibilities. "We need to be smarter, more careful. I think Michael is moving Emma around to avoid detection. We have to anticipate his moves.""Let's start by mapping out all possible locations Michael could use," David suggests. "We’ll need to get creative. He won’t use obvious places."We spend the next hour strategizing, compili