DANIELLE'S P.O.V.It was cold, and it was dark- very dark. It felt like I was in a room with no windows, no light bulbs, no lamps, not a single form of lightning, and the cold made me recall the feeling of being in a swimmers pool for hours, the shuddering that the body makes when it has been exposed to the outdoor air while still in the cold water of the swimming pool. It was nothing I had never recalled happening to me before, but at the same time, it was vaguely familiar.It was just this overwhelming sense of deja vu that seemed to crowd me.I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn't open. One, Two, Three times, I tried, but they still would not budge. At my unsuccessful attempts at prying my eyes open, I felt a wave of panic wash over me. I could feel my body shudder from the fright, and I continued to try; I tried as hard as I could to open my eyes but not matter how much effort I out into it, they just would not budge.I willed all my strength, my being into prying open those o
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.Adrian!My stomach wrenched in pain at the flurry of butterflies that appeared and flew around my belly at the mention of that name. My hands quivered nervously, and my heart palpitated at the mere thought of hearing his voice after several days of being estranged from him.Ever since he had broken the news of his travel that evening, I had neither set my eyes on him nor heard his voice. The thought of finally hearing his voice after a long week sent my heart thumping.Alisia held her phone up, Adrian's phone number, saved as 'Big Brother', flashed on the device's screen. I gave her a quick nod before she then picked up the call."Hello, Big Brother." she greeted, a smile on her face.She looked up at me for a few seconds, listening intently to whatever Adrian was saying on the other end of the line while Layla and I stared at her curiously."She's awake." Alisia said to him, obviously referring to me.Adrian must have been informed of the accident at home- probably
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.I ended the call.I said what I had to and pressed the red button, displayed alongside a green button on the phone's screen, to end the video call, but not before revelling in the shocked expression that had been painted so clearly on Adrian's face. I guessed he had not expected for me to call him out with just two words.For the upteenth time, at that moment, I felt the nearly overwhelming urge to plant a stinging slap across my own face, although I also wished I could plant a much more damaging slap across one of Adrian's cheek- maybe even both of them.How could I have made the mistake of getting carried away?When my heart had started to flutter, and butterflies had started to fly in my belly, and my cheeks had started to grow hot and red; when all of these things had started to happen, why hadn't I cautioned myself?Why hadn't I berated and cautioned my heart when it started to feel things that it had no business feeling?Why hadn't I given myself a severe pep t
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.I was nervous.That much was obvious with way my hands shook, and my legs quivered. My face was not exempted, as it was hot and reddened from the uneasiness that stemmed from deep down in my mind."You look like you've seen a ghost." Alisia said, "Or you're about to see one.""I wish I were merely on my way to see one." I said, causing her to erupt into a fit of laughter."Don't tell me that you are scared." she teased, a jestful twinkle in her eyes."Me? Scared? No, not at all. I'm not scared- I am terrified." I said, wringing my hands in my lap."Oh My God!" she exclaimed, erupting into another fit of laughter."My predicament must be funny to you, but trust me. It is not in the least bit a comic experience for me at the moment." I said."You're really scared of my father?" Alisia asked, unbelief lacing her tone."Point of correction, Alisia. I am terrified of your father. If there were another word that described fear beyond being terrified, that word would be bes
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The mansion was even more beautiful than it was the first time I had visited it for dinner. It felt more welcoming and homely than when I had first been there, and from the moment that Alisia led me through the front doors and into the house, I could say I had fallen in love with the Valentino home.The walls on the house were high, very high, but they were not as intimidating inside the house as they were outside. Alisia led me through a long hallway, teeming with household staff, into a large living area. The walls in the living room were painted a glorious cream color while the furniture and devices were in elegant shades of royal green, giving the room a sophisticated look.Alisia pulled me past this living area, allowing me only a few seconds to take it all in, and led me through another hallway, this one shorter than the first one. I wondered why the architect had put in so many hallways and why the family had gone with the design; not that the house's design w
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The mansion was even more beautiful than it was the first time I had visited it for dinner. It felt more welcoming and homely than when I had first been there, and from the moment that Alisia led me through the front doors and into the house, I could say I had fallen in love with the Valentino home.The walls on the house were high, very high, but they were not as intimidating inside the house as they were outside. Alisia led me through a long hallway, teeming with household staff, into a large living area. The walls in the living room were painted a glorious cream color while the furniture and devices were in elegant shades of royal green, giving the room a sophisticated look.Alisia pulled me past this living area, allowing me only a few seconds to take it all in, and led me through another hallway, this one shorter than the first one. I wondered why the architect had put in so many hallways and why the family had gone with the design; not that the house's design w
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.After the tour with Alisia, I had come to a conclusion that the Valentino Mansion was indeed just as impressive outside as it was inside. This opinion of mine was solidified at the presence of not only Alvida's impressive garden, but also the mini playground that Alisia dragged me along with her to visit."This is the second most beautiful place in the entire compound." she had said before pulling me with her into the open space which was confined by a small black gate.On our entry into the compound, I realized that it was a children's playground. Although it was like most playgrounds in town as it had the basic things found on any other children playground, it looked unlike any other playground."This looks like an extension of Alvida's garden." I gushed, looking and admiring the colorful flowers that littered the field and beautified the place."It sort of used to be her practice grounds." Alisia said, "She first started planting her flowers here on this strip of
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.Following Alisia through the back door, I entered the kitchen and was met with an astonishing sight. Unlike a few hours ago when it was just Alisia and I in the room while she was giving me a tour of the big kitchen space, the room was now filled up with several household helps.They scurried in and out of the kitchen, bearing trays of food.A man stood at the kitchen counter, giving orders to the helpers. He was a huge person with broad shoulders and biceps that strained through the material of his chef clothing. I guessed that he must be Etienne, the Valentino family chef that Alisia had always mentioned."Bon soir, Etienne. How are you doing this afternoon?" Alisia greeted."Very good, Ma'am Alisia." he replied before barking an order to another help as she scurried out of the room with a tray."Etienne, we have a special guest amongst us in the house." Alisia said to him, drawing his attention to where we were standing."Oh really?" he asked, curiosity twinging
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