DANIELLE'S P.O.VUpbeat hip-hop blared from the sound system which was connected to a smart tv that hung on the wall in the center of my bedroom. Layla and Sofia choreographed the moves displayed on the tv screen, moving their bodies in tune with the beat of the music, while Sofia and Alisia flipped through magazines, in search of the best hairstyles everyone would wear tomorrow.It was the night of my bachelorette party. The night before the deal between both Adrian's family and mine will be sealed in holy matrimony. The thought of running away had crossed my mind severally during the day but dad's voice from the night of the dinner when he told me of his illness, rang in my head everytime I pondered on the thought, successfully keeping me from going through with the plan.It scared me that my first and last shot at marriage was a sham. I had always dreamt of a fairytale marriage for myself. A marriage that would be a result of a fairytale friendship that boomed into something deeper
DANIELLE'S P.O.VI stared at myself in the mirror of my vanity. The makeup artists and hair stylists had done a spectacular job; I looked breath taking.I opted for natural makeup because I didn't want to look extravagant. The hair stylists curled my naturally curly hair and held it together in a bun with hair pins with some of the curls framing my face. Pearl earrings dangled from my ears and a delicate pearl bracelet sat on my left wrist.The day I have been dreading for the past few weeks was finally here. The D-day.I should not have counted my eggs before they hatched by thinking my nerves would be calmed by the heart to heart I had with Alisia the night before. Letting myself relax in the belief that today would go smoothly was a big mistake on my part.My hands shook in fear, and my left leg trembled from nervousness. I looked like I was having a spasm with the way my body was shuddering.I sat, staring at myself in the mirror as a rush of emotions swirled in my mind. I was sca
DANIELLE'S P.O.V"Welcome New York's latest couple, the newly wedded Mr and Mrs Adrian Valentino." the master of ceremony's voice reverberated.The applause and hooting that followed was deafening. The groomsmen, which consisted of Umar, Adrian's best friend; Michael Smith, Mason Walls, and George Burrell, his friends from college; and the bridesmaids which consisted of Layla, Janelle, Sofia, and Alisia; danced into the room while I looked around the reception hall as Adrian led me to the head table which we were designated to seat at, trying to see if I recognized some of the faces present.I saw some familiar faces from the times when I would visit Dad at work while I was a college student. They waved and smiled at me as I passed and I smiled back.Adrian held on to my hand as I sat and dropped it immediately my behind was firmly planted on the chair. He sat beside me awkwardly and looked around the hall. I had a feeling that he was avoiding me. He had been behaving awkwardly since
DANIELLE'S P.O.VThe music sounded distant, my head felt heavy, my heart started to beat faster than normal, my throat felt dry, and I felt like air had been knocked out of my lungs. I gulped down the rest of my champagne and dropped the empty flute on the table, thinking that the way I was feeling was probably what a panic attack usually feels like.Several thoughts started to swim in my head, provoked by his unexpected presence at the reception.How did he get information about the reception venue?Where did he get those details?Why is he here, smiling at me like we never had that heated conversation the night before?"May I have this dance?" Chase repeated.I fidgeted in my seat while desperately wishing a waiter would pass by so I could request for another refill of my champagne flute."Come on, Dannie. Dance with me" he said.I stared at him, finding it hard to believe he was not up to something. I started to wonder what was going through his mind."I won't bite, I promise" he j
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.My first morning as Mrs Danielle Valentino was a sad and boring one. I might be the first in the history of newly wedded ladies to wake up on a couch, still in her wedding dress, with no idea where in the world her husband was.I rubbed my neck which had become stiff from sleeping on the uncomfortable couch and looked around the sitting room. The sitting area was a big space with white colored walls on which smart tv and speakers hung from. A few black cushioned couches were placed around a long glass center table. The A.C in one corner of the room hummed gently.I stretched and twisted my arms back and forth to relieve the tension in them. I stood up from the couch and trudged around the penthouse, trying to locate a room with my belongings. Once I found a room that contained my familiar pink suitcases, I sighed in relief.I managed to take off my wedding dress after much difficulty and I threw it on the queen sized bed. I opened up a suitcase in search of a fresh s
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.I woke up with a start.The disturbing sound of footsteps made my sixth sense kick in. I slowly climbed out of my bed, opting not to put on my bathroom slippers to make tiptoeing easier and noiseless.I wondered who in the world could be in the house by this time of the night. I had been sleeping alone in the penthouse for the past two weeks because my new groom, Adrian, had been a no show since the night of our wedding. I had no idea where he was, what he was doing, and how he was doing; and I honestly couldn't care less.Alisia usually made my days in the house more cheerful and fun filled; she was especially helpful and assisted me with solutions to my hunger problems by bringing various dishes cooked by the Valentino family chef, on the orders of Alvida, my mother in law.Sadly, my evenings became dreary once she had to leave me on my own. Sometimes, to alleviate the boredom e, I would take my car out for a spin, an activity that gave me immense joy and satisfact
DANIELLE'S P.O.V."What are you going to do today?" Layla asked."The usual. Laze about the house until evening, fight with my husband when he gets back from work, and then go to bed " I replied."That sounds hectically boring" Janelle said.I shrugged. I changed my position on the bed by laying on my stomach then I propped my phone on a pillow to allow my friends a better view of my face."How has life as a married woman been like?" Layla asked."It has been wonderful. Just splendid. My husband and I love one another so very much." I said sarcastically."I can hear the sarcasm dripping from your words. What's up?" Janelle asked."It's been hellish, guys. Being married to this snotty human being has been hell on earth.""How come? He seemed into you at the engagement party. Even at the wedding, he looked like he was the happiest man in the world." Sofia inputed."Maybe it's all in your head. I surely don't feel like the happiest bride in the world.""Seriously, I thought he was really
DANIELLE'S P.O.V"What are you doing here?" I asked.Don't get me wrong, I did not mean to sound rude and inhospitable; my father would bulk in disappointment if he ever heard me speak the way I did; but I could not help the edginess of my tone.I was not familiar with this lady and our first encounter was not one I would call pleasant, so seeing her standing smugly there, at my doorstep, was irking."Is that any way to greet a guest?" she asked.I was very baffled by her audacity. Who did she think she was, speaking to me the way she did; like we were friends who had become estranged because of a fight. I had no idea who she was, my first time meeting her being on the day of the wedding. Seeing her standing there, entitlement oozing from her pores, head to toe, irritated me."Then again..." she continued, a sly smirk on her face, "...you don't seem like one who is well mannered." she insulted.I did not feel hurt by the shallow insult. Throwing jabs at my supposed lack of home traini
DANIELLE'S P.O.VI stirred from my slumber, my eyes blinking open reluctantly. The room was bathed in the soft glow of dawn and a lingering sense of unease clung to me.As consciousness found its way back to me, I felt the sting in my eyes which were heavy from a restless night. My eyes stung as I tried to focus on the familiar surroundings. A few remnants of the nightmares that had plagued my sleep replayed in my mind, their vivid images taunting me.A groan escaped my lips as I tried to sit up, the dryness and ache in my throat were evidence of the tumultuous night I had. The taste of fear lingered in my mouth, leaving me parched and exhausted.When I finally sat up, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I could still hear the faint echoes of my own screams and I took a quick glance around, half expecting to find shadows lurking in the corners of the room. The sheets clung to my skin- further evidence of my night which had been filled with restlessness.The room, usually a peaceful haven
ADRIAN'S P.O.V.It had been a month since the storm called Chase Sinclair, had hit our lives, leaving destruction and doubts in his wake. The air hung heavy, in my office, with the weight of unspoken words as Omar Zayn, my lifelong confidante and best friend, sat across from me. His eyes, filled with understanding, met mine, as if searching for the turmoil that had etched its mark onto my soul over the past month. The weight of the past month lingered heavily on my shoulders, and I couldn't shake the guilt that gripped my conscience."Omar, I messed up big time," I sighed, rubbing my temples.Omar leaned in, concern etched on his face."What happened with you two, Adrian? Last time I knew, you guys were solid. Tell me everything. Maybe there's a way to fix this." Omar said, his expression empathic.In a flash, I recalled the doubts that had plagued me and the message that had led to my questioning Danielle's fidelity" I doubted Dannie's loyalty, questioned her commitment, and worst o
ADRIAN'S P.O.VThe walls of my office seemed to close in on me as I sat there, utterly drained from the dual onslaught of my demanding position and the storm raging inside of me. The dim lights seemed to intensify the shadows that had taken a place in my life recently and the air felt heavy as the weight of my tumultuous life burdened me.The office room felt like a prison of polished wood and cold steel and the distant hum of the city just outside of the office walls did nothing to ease the feeling of being trapped. The room that was usually a place of productivity and creativity, had. now become a battlefield between my professional obligations to the company and my personal emotions.Rubbing my temples gently, I tried to erase the persistent ache that clawed at my skull, but I couldn't seem to find relief from it. Weariness weighed heavily on my shoulders, and burden on my heart as I could not seem to get away from the shattered pieces of my broken life.The weight of my responsibi
DANIELLE'S P.O.VI woke up with a splitting headache. The piercing pain that seared through my head dragged me out of the depths of unconsciousness. As my eyes fluttered open, I groaned, clutching my throbbing temple. The room spun and my vision blurred as I blinked."Where in the world am I?" I muttered while trying to make sense of my surroundings.As I tried to sit up, the sharp pain in my head intensified, sending shockwaves through my body. It felt like a sledgehammer had collided with my skull and I could hear the faint echoes of my own pained groans. With my muddled senses, I struggled to make sense of my situation. I continued to blink rapidly to clear off the dizzy spell until the dimly lit room slowly came into focus.Suddenly, I felt restraints on my wrists and ankles."What the hell...?" I muttered pulling at the ropes that bound me and restricted my movement. On seeing that they would not budge, undiluted panic started to creep into my body and coursed through my veins an
DANIELLE'S P.O.VThe weeks following my traumatic ordeal at the hands of Chase were a blur of hospital rooms and tests. I had also been offered therapy sessions, but I rejected them as the very last thing I wanted to do was revisit the torture I had gone through. However, I could not seem to run away from those days of captivity as even after I had long been discharged from the hospital, my mind was still trapped in the nightmares that had plagued me ever since that fateful day- the day Chase Sinclair had kidnapped me.It felt like I was trapped in a unending nightmare, unable to escape the memories of what had happened to me- memories of how my baby had almost been taken away from me. I was back in the safety of the mansion Adrian and I had gotten but the house which used to bring me so much peace now seemed as oppressive as it was comforting.I sat on the plush couch in the living room of our grand mansion, surrounded by my friends and family. Adrian was on a business trip and they
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The hospital corridors stretched before me, a maze of sterile white walls, distant echoes of life, and busked whispers. Their white walls were an unsettling reminder of the captivity I had endured for far too long at the hands of Chase Sinclair. Determination surged through my veins as I made my way towards the women's restroom, a small glimmer of hope guiding me towards the next step in my escape. I walked with purpose and my steps were fueled by a desperate determination to reclaim my life from the clutches of the darkness that Chase had surrounded me with. My footsteps faltered as both anticipation and apprehension coursed through my veins and each footfall echoed in my ears as I made my way to the restroom. Every step that I took felt heavy with anticipation and my heart pounding in my chest as I neared the restroom. It was a moment that held the key to my freedom; the key to reuniting with my family and escaping the clutches of Chase once and for all.As I pushe
ADRIAN'S P.O.V.I sat at my office desk which was surrounded by a sea of important documents related to the impending project that the company was about to start. I was engrossed in the stack of documents that were spread out before me as the impending project demanded my utmost attention.A knock on the door resonated in the room, interrupting my work. The door to my office creaked open, and Karen, my secretary, poked her head inside."Mr Valentino, it's already closing hours," she announced, her voice gentle. "I'm heading home for the night. Do you need anything else before I leave?"Her words jolted me back to reality. Closing hours? I glanced at my watch, realizing that I had lost track of time. I couldn't believe how late it had gotten as time seemed to have slipped away while I busied myself with analyzing every detail of the upcoming project meticulously."Oh thank you, Karen. I had no idea it was that late. Go ahead, call it a day. I'll be fine here for a while longer. You can
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.Chase’s eyes bore into mine, and I could see the rage simmering beneath them. His gaze moved around the room, scanning for any signs of betrayal and then, suddenly, his eyes locked onto my shaking figure. A cruel smile pulled at his lips as he lunged towards me and on reaching me, he grabbed my hand with his grip tightening around my wrist. Panic engulfed me as he wrenched the phone from its hiding place under the pillow and he held it up, triumph gleaming in his eyes.“You really thought you could get away, didn’t you?” he sneered, his voice dripping with maliceI stood there, transfixed to the spot by the fear that caused my heart to pound in my chest, my hands trembling. The stolen phone rested securely in Chase’s grip; a small but strong weapon that I had used against the man who had held me captive for far too long. Chase loomed over me, his eyes burning with a mix of anger and desperation."You think you're so clever, don't you?" His voice was a venomous hiss,
DANIELLE’S P.O.V.The days, weeks, or perhaps months, following my abduction felt like an eternity; I had lost track of time as those moments that I spent while being trapped in this desolate room passed in a hazy blur of fear and despair. Each passing moment was filled with fear, uncertainty, and a desperate longing for my freedom, every second spent in Chase’s clutches was a reminder of the very fragile line that separated both my life and death, every waking moment that I spent in that godforsaken room was tainted by the knowledge that I was at the mercy of a man I once called a friend; a man whom I had thought to forgive and let go of the hurtful things that he had done to me in the past; a man that had now turned into an obsessed captor; a man that had snatched me away from my peaceful existence.The room was always dark and even with the air conditioner, who’s hum served as the only other source of sound in the dreary space, it always felt suffocating as the only other means of