FEW MONTHS AGOA few months ago, a familiar feminine figure in a vibrant yellow sweatshirt and a black tennis skirt drove into the misty woods. She followed a narrow, winding road that seemed to go on forever, each turn seemed to take her deeper into the forest, and she was grunted in frustration. Finally, she arrived at her destination and parked in front of a secluded bamboo house. The car’s engine cut off, leaving an eerie silence that matched the dense fog surrounding the place.She climbed out of the car and took a deep breath, glancing around to ensure she was alone. Pulling out her phone, she studied two pictures. The first was of a bamboo house that looked almost identical to the one before her. The second was of an older woman, probably in her late fifties, with brown eyes and a weary expression. The resemblance between the house in the photo and the one she was standing in front of was uncanny. Satisfied that she was in the right place, she nodded to herself.Opening the car
PRESENT.They drove in silence for what felt like hours, the landscape changing from dense forest to open roads. Carlos stared out the window, lost in his thoughts. His uncle's words echoed in his head, providing little comfort but a glimmer of hope that they would soon understand what was happening.Eventually, they pulled into a secluded driveway leading to a small, nondescript house. Their uncle parked the car and turned to face them. "Alright, we're here. Let's get inside quickly."The boy helped Lily out of the car, holding her hand tightly as they followed their uncle into the house. Inside, it was modestly furnished but looked and felt safe and secure, whoever took their grandmother wouldn't find here, he was sure. Their uncle led them to the living room, where he gestured for them to sit down.Carlos looked at his uncle, his eyes almost pleading. "Please, tell us what happened."Their uncle sighed heavily, running a hand through his grey hair, he called a maid first and instru
The next night, the warehouse was filled with the echoing sounds of footsteps and murmurs. The woman, still tied to the chair, had spent the day in a haze of pain and exhaustion. Her body was covered in bruises and cuts, and the pain she felt was clearly nothing to write home about, she was just a human who has not healing abilities of some sort. She barely had the strength to even keep her eyes open.As darkness fell, the men returned again, their faces looking more determined as if they already made up their minds ito kill her I'd didn't confess. The leader approached her first, his eyes looking very cold, the cut that ran from his lips to jaw did help ease matter."Are you ready to talk now?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm.She met his gaze, her voice hoarse but defiant. "Don't you all get tired. For fuck's sake I'm not saying shit, you should take it or leave it"He sighed, shaking his head. "You know, I really hoped it wouldn't come to this, again."He nodded to one of the
NEXT MORNING..The pain was unbearable, a constant, throbbing pain that killed her. Her body ached from the countless bruises and cuts, her hands throbbed from the torn nails, and her lungs burned from the waterboarding. Each breath was a real struggle, she could barely swallow her own spit.She was barely conscious when she heard footsteps approaching again. This time, there were more of them, and the sound filled her with dread. She assumed someone else had come along. Was this it? Was this how she was going to die, just because of money? Who were these people even? The questions swirled in her mind, making her almost question her existence. How had it come to this? She thought of Carlos and Lily, and a pang of sorrow shot through her heart. Would she ever see them again?The door creaked open, and though her vision was blurred and her eyes hurt too much to see clearly, she sensed the presence of someone else. Fear gripped her, more intense than any physical pain she had endured. Sh
Lucas stood up, pondering her words. He exchanged a glance with the leader of the men, who gave a slight nod."You did the right thing by telling us, Maria," Lucas said. "We'll make sure your grandchildren are safe. But you need to understand that if I find out you lied, your grandkids wouldn't be safe in my hands either"She nodded vehemently, tears streaming down her face. "I swear, everything I just told you is the truth. Please, just protect them. They’re all I have left."He gave her a small, almost pitying smile, that to a normal eye would look a bit forced. "Very well then. We'll do our best. Remember, Maria, trust is a fragile thing. Don't give us a reason to break it.""I promise, I'm not lying"As they left her alone in the warehouse, her heart sank into a deep pit of despair, her mind racing with thoughts of her grandchildren. Outside, Lucas walked briskly to his car, which was parked just outside the warehouse. He climbed into the driver's seat, leaving the door open for a
Ana woke up early the next morning, the soft morning light filtering through her bedroom window, she was driven home last night after dinner by Jules under Victor's order since he refused to let her hail a taxi. She stretched, shaking off the remnants of sleep. Today was the day she would prepare for the annual packs' meeting, an event that required her to be both presentable and versatile. The meeting was a significant occasion, filled with formal discussions and various activities, and she needed to look her best, but to beat the gossips and also build her confidence.As she dressed after freshening up, her thoughts turned to her wardrobe. Many of her clothes seemed dull and uninspired, and so was the ones she bought earlier for the meeting. She decided it was time to update her collection. Grabbing her phone, she made a quick list of the essentials she needed: a few new dresses, some casual outfits, and accessories to match. She also noted that she might need a couple of versatile
In the dimly lit warehouse, the men lounged around, a sense of nonchalance hanging in the air. The men were taking a break from their gruesome duties, their faces reflecting a mix of boredom and tiredness and maybe a bit sleepines. The smell of sweat, smoke, and faint hints of blood filled the room."Hey, you got another one of those?" one of the men asked, nodding toward a cigarette as he sprawled on a worn-out couch."Sure," another replied, tossing him a pack. "We're gonna need something stronger if we have to go back to work soon.""Tell me about it," the first man muttered, lighting his cigarette and taking a deep drag. He exhaled slowly, the smoke curling up towards the ceiling. "I’m tired of babysitting that old woman. shouldn't we just clear her. I wonder why she's here.""Seriously man, but orders are orders," the second man shrugged, leaning back and closing his eyes. "Besides, we’ve got that other guy to keep things interesting."In the corner of the warehouse, their other
The next morning, Ana lounged in the living room, munching on popcorn while Zara massaged her feet. She watched as Catherine, always the attention-seeker, prepared an extravagant breakfast. As usual, Catherine had invited almost the entire Pierce family for a feast without bothering to inform anyone beforehand. It was such a Catherine thing to do—spontaneous, inconsiderate, and utterly exhausting for everyone else involved.The kitchen was a chaotic mess of clattering pots and pans, the smell of cooking food thick in the air. Selene and the other maids bustled around, trying to keep up with her relentless pace. Ana watched them with detached amusement, knowing full well that any call for help from Catherine would be met with thinly veiled disdain.Catherine, in her own world, directed the maids with sharp commands, her voice carrying over the noise. Ana knew better than to engage. She had learned long ago that nothing she did would ever be good enough for Catherine, and she had stoppe