DANIELLE'S P.O.V.I woke up with a start.My chest heaved, rising and falling rhythmically; my breath came out of my nostrils and lips in breathless huffs; my throat constricted, squeezing and pressing together painfully, and I felt the sweat that coated my forehead and brows. I quickly ran the back of my palm across my forehead and brows, wiping away the cold sweat that covered them in small balls.I had awoken from a dream, I knew that, but what I did not know was what it was about exactly. I knew that it was some sort of nightmare because I felt fear coursing through my veins, causing my heart to beat faster, and the blood in my body to rush, but I could not for the life of me recall what it was I had dreamt about.I heaved a deep sigh before looking around at the unfamiliar cream walls of the room, my brain struggling to process where exactly I was. It took me a few seconds to recall that I was in my assigned room in the Valentinos' mansion. I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut t
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.For the first time, since I started attending the Leonard N.Stern School of Business, two things, that were usually not an occurrence, happened that Monday morning.One, I wasn't behind the wheels of the car driving me to school, andTwo, it was dead quiet in the car. Even the sound of the engine, which was usually soothing for me to hear, was blocked out my the closed windows while the only sound in the car was the one produced by the air conditioner vents.This quietness allowed me to think- an action that I wanted to do away with for the moment. Thinking would allow my mind to explore thoughts and happenings that I wanted so badly to avoid as I could not afford for my imaginations to soar towards places that would furthermore instill, in me, the fear of being wanted dead.I sighed, placing my forehead on the closed window glass which had been made cool by the fully blasting air conditioner, and watched in silence as the trees passed by in a blur. It took us nearly
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.The hustle and bustle of the school cafeteria, though temporarily, served as a source of distraction, for me, from my warring thoughts- situation that I was very grateful for as the ideas that were filtering in my mind were confusing and scary, putting me in a quandary."We all agreed on having the cheeseburger, fries, and soda for lunch. Are you okay with that?" Melody asked."Yes, I'm fine with whatever. As long as it fills my stomach and rejuvenates my fatigued spirit." I replied, shrugging my shoulders."Good! They should be here with the food any minute from now." she said, turning her head to face the fastly growing queue.They? I was sure that Azra had gone to get the food on her own, so who was this second person who made up 'they'?I meant to voice out my thoughts, but I was beaten to it by Madelyn who had on the same confused expression as myself."I thought Azra went on her own?" she asked Melody, her forehead creasing with a confused frown."She didn't. S
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.My ears rang and my heart beat faster at the uncomfortable topic of conversation that Azra had brought up at the lunch table.I knew that Adrian and I's identity had been kept anonymous by the reporter who had covered the story and that there was no need to worry about our names being brought up while my friends discussed the topic, but I could not help the flurry of panic that had started to grow in my stomach and chest. For some reason, unknown to even myself, I was distressed about the path in which the conversation was sure to take.I wished I could do something, anything, to change their line of interest, but the topic of an elite's penthouse being burnt down was just the type of gist that my friends would like to talk about, and I feared that trying to change the topic would only lead them to be suspicious of me. Therefore, although my utmost desire was that they talk about anything else but the one tragedy that had befallen my family and I- that one thing I wa
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.Azra and I opted for the later option; we both erupted into a loud laughter that reverberated in the room. We continued to laugh our hearts out until the doctor fixed us with a look of disapproval that caused our laughter to subside into awkward chuckles."She's a germophobe, you said?" the doctor asked Mason, giving him her undivided attention."Yes, she is." he replied, nodding his head at the same time."Did she come in contact with a form if impurity or something unclean? Is that why she fainted?" she asked."Yes, ma'am." Mason replied."What kind of dirt or germs did she come in contact with exactly?" the woman asked.Mason looked at Azra and I, his eyes glinting with a question. They seemed to ask, "How in the world do I tell her what actually happened?".Azra seemed to understand the question in his eyes as she answered the doctor's question in place of him."A piece of a half chewed French fry flew from someone else's mouth into hers." she said.The doctor lo
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.After Melody was released from the school clinic; she, Mason, Madelyn, Azra, and I, made our way across the other end of campus, where the clinic was situated, all the way to the other end of campus, where our designated lecture hall stood. I would have loved to have been making my way to the cafeteria, but we had all elapsed the time allocated for the lunch period while we were waiting for Melody to regain to regain her consciousness. Unfortunately for me, I could not get to prove or disprove the claims my friends had made; the allegations they had made about the school cafeteria's signature cheeseburger being the one thing that i needed to alleviate my stress and worry, thereby leaving me in the same state of tension and unease that I had been ever since I woke up that morning.The rest of the day went by in a blur of chatty professors, classes made uninteresting by my hunger, and my unceasingly rumbling stomach- that too being as a result of my unsated hunger. Onc
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.I listened as my a ringing sound signaled that the person on the other end of the call had not yet picked the call. The ringing sound continued three more times before the beep signalling the receipt of the call sounded."Hey Dannie." Azra's chirpy voice floated through the speakers."Hey Azra." I greeted back."I'm almost at the restaurant, are you there yet?" she asked."About that..." I trailed, thinking of the best possible way to drop the bomb on her."What? What's up? Did you get lost?" she asked, worry lacing her tone."No, no. I didn't get lost." I denied, shaking my head in the passenger seat of my car."Then what's wrong?" she asked.I sighed in fatigue. I had no idea how to tell her that I would be changing the plans that I had consensually made with the she and the rest of my friends. I decided that keeping her on suspense for much longer would only elongate the inevitable, so with another release of breath, I broke the news to her."I'm sorry, but I have
DANIELLE'S P.O.V.I sat on one of the living room's couches, staring, very gobsmacked, at the man who sat across from me; I was not by myself in staring at the man in surprise as everyone else in the room, including his own partner, was gawking at him with the same expression that I had on my face. It was as if they were all thinking the same thing that I was- maybe they were also asking themselves the question that was playing in my own mind as I continued to look at the police officer who was sited in front of me.You might be wondering what that question was?'Who the hell was this guy?'That was the question that played in my head, over and over again, and I did not doubt, by the look on everyone's faces, that they were asking themselves the same question.Detective Trevor Wilson, as Alvida and the man himself had introduced earlier on my arrival to the living room, started right back at me with impassive and accusing eyes."What were you doing on that day, Mrs Valentino?" he aske
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