Nathan returned from his business trip after three days. His throat felt sore, and his head throbbed, blurring his vision. He asked the office driver to take him back home, leaving his car at the central office.The house was quiet when he unlocked the door. Aunt Jody was probably out shopping, he thought. Nathan chose to enter his room, too tired to bother changing his clothes, and fell onto the bed, instantly drifting off to sleep.Haisley had just come back from campus when she noticed the front door slightly ajar, with Nathan's keys still hanging from the lock. It was unmistakably Nathan's, yet she didn't see his car in the garage. With a soft shake of her head, Haisley pulled the keys and locked the door from inside, as she usually did. All of them—she, Nathan, Gilbert, and Aunt Jody—had copies of the keys, making it convenient for everyone to come and go.Speaking of Aunt Jody, the middle-aged woman had called her earlier, asking for permission to return home because one of her
Nathan opened his eyes; his headache had started to fade, although his body still felt uncomfortable. His throat still hurt when he swallowed, although not as intensely as before. Perhaps it was thanks to Dr. Willy's medicine, or it could be because of the porridge and soup that Haisley made.Thinking about her name, Nathan smiled to himself. He remembered the girl's face blushing when she helped him change his clothes and wiped his body with a warm towel. It was abundantly clear that she had never been that close to a man before. Nathan tried to slowly get up from his bed. He didn't want to wake her up; she was sleeping on the floor, propped up by her arms with her head resting on the side of the bed. Regardless of how sharp her words were and how cynical her gaze was, her attention to him was greater than anything else.Nathan couldn't help but wonder: what did this girl really want to prove to him? And more than that, he was curious about her feelings for him. Did she still have fe
Haisley felt her bed shake."Earthquake?" she asked, startled. Her eyes widened in panic. But as she tried to get up, intending to save herself, she felt her body being held by something hard but warm. Yes, Nathan's arms were wrapped around her tightly, almost crushing her. His body heat penetrated the thin clothes Haisley was wearing.It wasn't an earthquake; it was the vibrations caused by Nathan shivering in his sleep.Both their bodies were still covered by the thick blanket, almost up to their chins. And what surprised Haisley afterward was realizing that Nathan had now undressed, and his hair looked damp. But clearly, the dampness was not due to sweat. "Did Nathan take a shower while I was asleep?" she wondered silently.Very slowly, Haisley moved Nathan's arm away from her abdomen and got up from the bed. Her knees felt weak. After the pleasant dream she had just experienced, for some reason, her body felt tired, and she also felt sore in a few places.Haisley slapped her cheek
"But what you see is different from what you feel in person," Nathan said, not wanting to back down."Of course, Nath. I know that too. It's all just acting, except maybe if the video's title is a tutorial," she said and placed the plate on the dining table. Nathan grabbed Haisley's arm before she could go to the kitchen."Don't pretend that you're trying out what you've seen, Haisley," he growled. His grip on her arm tightened, making Haisley wince in pain. She harshly attempted to free herself from Nathan's grip."I've told you multiple times, Nathaniel, it's none of your business," she said, her tone as cold as ice. "I have my own rights to do whatever I want, and I've said that to you repeatedly." Her words were a reminder.Nathan stood tall in front of her, his head bowed to meet Haisley's eyes, which only reached his chest. His sharp gaze made Haisley afraid, but she tried to conceal her fear."I know you're experienced. Very experienced," she said softly. She looked back at Nat
Haisley glanced at her watch. It was already 15 minutes past the scheduled time Gilbert had promised her. Today, Gilbert had promised to introduce her to some of his friends from Indonesia. They were planning to organize their weekend getaway together. And now, Haisley was waiting for him to pick her up, but he hadn't shown up yet.Should she go to the meeting place by herself? After all, Haisley knew where Gilbert had arranged to meet his friends. But she was a bit hesitant. She was sociable, but when it came to dealing with men, she kept a bit of distance.She would wait for another ten minutes, she decided inwardly. Haisley chose to watch a movie on her phone while waiting.A tap on her shoulder made her look up. A chubby man was looking her way, nodding his head in the direction where a yellow sports car was parked not far from her. Gilbert waved at her with a broad smile on his face. After thanking the chubby man who had approached her, Haisley finally ran over and got into the p
Haisley sprinted from her classroom, glancing at her watch. She was over ten minutes past the time she had promised. All of this was because Mr. Flitwick had detained their class with a task that wasn't important, while Haisley was already pressed for time because today she and Gilbert, along with their friends, were going on vacation as they had planned. She opened her locker in haste, swapping her book-filled bag for a tote bag containing her skincare routine essentials that she would carry during the trip. She didn't worry about her outfit since her backpack would undoubtedly be carried by Gilbert.Haisley grabbed her phone and tried to contact Gilbert while running back to the parking lot, where Gilbert and their friends had promised to wait for her with the rented minibus. But after trying three times, her calls failed each time, as it seemed he was busy making calls to someone else.Upon reaching the parking lot, Haisley looked around anxiously. There was no minibus waiting for
Haisley was surprised to wake up in bed. The last thing she remembered was sleeping with Gilbert the night before. Perhaps Gilbert had kindly moved his body to another room. That's what Haisley thought. She stretched and groaned before getting up from her comfortable bed. Once again, she was startled by the presence of a man she had never imagined standing there, looking at her with his arms folded across his chest."N-Nathan? When did you arrive?" she asked, her forehead wrinkled. Haisley groaned inwardly. How could she look so disheveled while he appeared so perfect in his short-sleeved shirt and khaki chinos, his hair still wet from the shower."Shouldn't you be getting ready? We're supposed to have breakfast soon, right?" he replied.Haisley furrowed her brow again, not because of Nathan's words, but more to remember where she had put her bag. She quickly got up and went to where she had left her bag last night. Then she brought the bag back into the room, placing it on the bed an
Gilbert's group of friends arrived, each carrying drinks and food in their hands. They placed them on a table not far from their reach. "This is truly a fantastic vacation, G," exclaimed one of Gilbert's female friends, if I'm not mistaken, named Reia."Say thanks to my brother, guys," that was Gilbert's only response. "We'll be staying here tonight. There are four rooms, and you can divide them among yourselves," Nathan said, expressing gratitude on behalf of Gilbert's friends. A chorus of amazement followed. "Don't worry. We won't run out of food until we head back tomorrow," Nathan replied again.Lunch came suddenly. They were served steak and salad. Imagine eating the best beef in the middle of the ocean beneath the roar of waves and strong winds. And don't forget the occasional waves that made the yacht sway. How do you feel? Haisley chose the word 'nauseous' to describe it all.Her stomach churned. Her body had been continuously drenched in cold sweat since earlier. Even the sir
A few years later, shouts were heard in the backyard of Chayton's residence. A heavily pregnant woman sat on a chair, watching her children jumping on the four-meter-diameter round trampoline, laughing. Occasionally, she yelled, asking her kids to be careful and not to fall. She felt the side of her seat compress and saw her mother-in-law sitting there, placing warm milk in front of her. "G said he's going to fly straight to America," the woman whispered. Haisley turned to her mother-in-law and smiled. Since her brother-in-law made the startling announcement about his choice to convert, she knew her mother-in-law was disappointed. Although in the end, her mother-in-law accepted her son's decision. "Gilbert is an adult; he knows what he's chosen," said his father-in-law in support of his youngest son who chose to convert. "You must be confident in your choice, G. You're not doing it just for a woman, right?" the father asked. Gilbert looked at his family and shook his head. "G has
Haisley fell silent again. She and Nathan had discussed this before the kidnapping happened, but they hadn't informed their families yet. "Nathan asked me to live in England and continue my studies," Haisley said, making Abigail furrow her brow. "Nathan will support me because, clearly, my scholarship can't be used anymore since I've left campus. At first, I said I didn't want to, what's the point of studying if, in the end, I stay at home taking care of the kids. But Nathan said that 'no one regrets having learned', so yeah, I'm starting over." Haisley explained, looking at Abigail with curiosity. "You still don't want to continue your studies? Your brain is clearly smarter than mine, Abby." Abigail shrugged. "I also have plans to go there. I'm just not sure which major to take. I haven't found a passion that drives me to choose a specific field. Maybe later, I'll consult with Itan." Haisley chuckled at her friend's words. "Why are you laughing?" Abigail asked curtly. "I don't know
The next day, Nathan and Haisley's families were planning to return to the hospital. Still, Gilbert objected because Nathan wanted to go home since he opened his eyes in the early morning. Nathan told Gilbert that he didn't want to make Haisley wait for him at the hospital for too long and preferred to rest at home. Gilbert eventually conveyed his brother's request to the morning visiting doctor. Fortunately, the doctor agreed, and in the morning, after completing the paperwork, Nathan, Gilbert, and Haisley returned to Flavia's villa. They received a warm welcome at the villa owned by Haisley's friend. Her family was just as enthusiastic as they were the night before when they gathered at the hospital. If the previous night they allowed Nathan and Haisley to rest, this time they didn't. Everyone was clearly very curious about what Nathan experienced during the abduction. With Haisley sitting by his side and their hands intertwined, Nathan recounted the entire ordeal to his family.
"Both of you, come with me," he said with a nod of his head, walking towards another black Jeep Gladiator, as dark as the other two jeeps that had roared away, leaving their tire tracks in the sand. Clasping each other, with Nathan limping, they entered the leader's car. "You were never part of this capture," the man said with his deep voice, immediately nodded by Haisley and Nathan. "You never met us," he continued, receiving another nod from Haisley and Nathan. After that, no one spoke. Haisley and Nathan's hands were intertwined, their bodies swaying with the car's movements on the uneven roads. Haisley looked out the window. Although she didn't pay much attention to the road when they departed, she knew that the path they were on now was different. And actually, the dock they had just left wasn't the same as when Haisley departed. Was this a secret route? A path known only to a few? Were the people who just saved her elite forces? Were they government troops? Or special forces
"They will take you to the dock, which will then take you to where Loretta is. The man who will pick you up later is not my henchman. So, you have to be cautious," Antony warned. "The two men with you now will give you some items." The man next to him then took out a small box from his shirt pocket, opened it, and took out a small round object about the size of a headset's knob, no bigger than a thumb. "This is a GPS and a mic. Place this object where it can't be seen," the henchman said with a mischievous smile. "Maybe in your clothes." He chuckled, making the driver laugh heartily. "And this, although small, is very sharp." The man handed Haisley a metal object. "If you press this," he pressed his thumb on a point, and then a sharp-edged knife quickly appeared. "This knife can accidentally hurt you, so be careful and use it wisely." He said as he placed the object next to the previous black item. "Uncle's people will monitor you. With the GPS, we'll know where that man is taking y
"Wh-who are you?!" Loretta asked in the midst of her pain. "Ramon! Ramon! Where are you, you bastard!" she shouted loudly. Loretta looked at the darkened cabin where Ramon should have been behind the ship's wheel. She trusted the man who had tormented Nathan all day to be the captain of the ship they were on. "We've neutralized Brother Ramon from the beginning!" said the uniformed man, walking closer to Loretta, who had turned pale and looked in pain, taking handcuffs out of his pocket. The other two men working for Loretta had already been instructed to kneel, and the two other men in black uniforms handcuffed their hands behind their backs. "How did you get here?" Loretta asked, trying to buy time as the police put handcuffs on her. Unlike her two henchmen, Loretta's handcuffs were placed in front, allowing her to still hold her bleeding leg. "You'll know the chronology later," the policeman said, pulling Loretta's arm to make her stand. Unbeknownst to Loretta, the ship they had
They walked with firm steps that made the ship's floor creak under the weight of their large bodies. One of the big men grabbed Nathan's arm from behind and made him stand up, causing Nathan to groan in pain. Haisley tried to hold onto Nathan, but her arm was also held by another man whose body was just as large as the one holding Nathan. Nathan appeared to walk with a limp, occasionally hissing in pain. Something was wrong with his leg, and Haisley could sense it even though she didn't know why. "What have you done to Nathan?!" Haisley shouted at Loretta, who stood between her and Nathan. The woman turned, tilting her head and then looking in Nathan's direction. "Nothing," she replied flatly, shaking her head. Then her mouth opened wide, and she looked at Haisley with a guilty expression. "Maybe I've made a few of his ribs move. A little crack in the rib bones, and his leg won't kill him, right?" she asked cheerfully, continuing her steps. Nathan was now at the front of the deck,
Five minutes, could Haisley sneak out of Flavia's villa? What should she say if someone catches her? Haisley shook her head. Quickly, she walked out of the room. Sneaking as she put on her sneakers and headed towards the front gate because the villa didn't have a back gate. A guard seemed to be at his post. Haisley tried to come up with a plan so that the tall, sturdy man wouldn't suspect her. She walked closer and saw the uniformed man immediately stand and inquire about Haisley's needs. "The guest inside is asking for you to come in, he said there are instructions to be given." Haisley said to the man, who she knew was only slightly older than her husband. The man nodded without much suspicion and then left his post. Thus, Haisley could leave the villa without being suspected. She stepped out and chose to hide in a dark area while waiting for the car mentioned by the caller to arrive. The two men who had earlier claimed to be police officers and took Nathan away now stopped the
"We have successfully located his whereabouts." The local man pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed the screen to everyone in the room. "Ramon's gang has a hidden base on a small island. There's a concealed building behind the forest that they've been using as their headquarters. We need to cross the strait to get there, and it will take hours," the informant continued. "We have agreed to raid the base when we are sure that everyone is there. Forces have been mobilized. The police, along with the navy and ground forces, are working together for this massive capture. Pray that your brother Nathan is in good condition." The man said, nodded at by several heads in the room. They intended to share this information with Haisley so that she could be more at ease, knowing at least they had information about Nathan's whereabouts. Gilbert went to the room where he knew Haisley was with her two friends. However, after knocking on the door several times and receiving no response, he c