Chapter three

Sophia stepped out of the cab, drawing in a deep, heartfelt breath as if it were her first. Her heart fluttered with excitement at the thought of her newfound freedom. Glancing briefly at her wristwatch, she noted the time, it was 5:30 p.m. She was counting down the hours until tomorrow, when she could officially submit the divorce papers and finally break free from the clutches of the Smith family.  

She approached Ava's house and rang the doorbell. The sharp pop of a champagne cork made her jump.  

"To the newest divorcee in town!" Ava’s jubilant voice rang out from behind her. Sophia turned just in time to be sprayed with a shower of white wine.  

Sophia giggled softly, brushing droplets from her hair. "Congratulations on your freedom, girl," Ava said, pulling her into a warm hug.  

"Freedom," Sophia sighed, her heart swelling at the word. It was exactly what she had been longing for.  

"Thank you," she replied, looking around curiously. Ava wasn’t coming from inside the house. "Wait, were you hiding in the bushes or something?" Sophia asked, narrowing her eyes.  

Ava chuckled. "Of course not! I just stepped out to grab some wine, I got back right before you arrived," she explained, her faint smile almost mischievous.  

"Stop asking questions and let’s go inside to celebrate. I made your favorite," Ava said, swinging an arm over Sophia’s shoulder and guiding her into the house.  

Inside, Sophia was greeted by a beautifully decorated home. The dining table was laden with a lavish spread of dishes, each more tempting than the last.  

"Oh, Ava!" Sophia cried, her heart brimming with gratitude. "You did all this for me?"  

"Of course," Ava replied, taking Sophia’s hands and meeting her gaze. "You have no idea how long and hard I prayed for you to leave John." Her smile was honest, but something flickered behind her eyes, something Sophia couldn’t quite place.  

"

"You’re too sweet," Sophia murmured, pulling her best friend into a tight hug. Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, "You’ve always wanted the best for me. I should have listened to you when you told me not to marry him."  

"You don't need to worry about that now, it's over"  Ava said  she pulled away, her  warm expression twisting into something cold and sinister. Her lips curled into a devilish smirk. "Now I can have him all to myself," Ava's voice dripped with malice.  

Sophia’s brow furrowed in confusion. "What?" she began, but the words barely escaped her lips before something hard struck the back of her head. A sharp pain exploded in her skull, spreading like wildfire. Her vision blurred, and the world tilted violently as she stumbled forward, collapsing to the floor.  

Shapes swirled before her eyes. Through the haze, she saw three figures looming above her; John, Ava, and an unfamiliar man.  

"Is she dead?" Ava’s voice trembled slightly, betraying a crack in her confidence.  

"She can’t die here!" Ava panicked, her eyes wide with fear. "Take her out of here!"  

"She’s not dead yet," the man next to John replied coldly, his voice devoid of any emotion.  

John let out an exasperated sigh, knelling beside Sophia’s limp body and ruffling through her belongings until he found the divorce papers. Straightening, he walked back toward Ava, a smug grin spreading across his face as he slid his arm around her waist.  

"You don’t need to worry about her anymore, sweetheart," John said smoothly. He pressed a slow, deliberate kiss to Ava’s lips before pulling away.

"Let’s enjoy our dinner. JJ will take care of it," he added, his tone dismissive as he guided Ava toward the dining table.  

As they reached the table, John turned to the tall, muscular man still standing over Sophia’s motionless body. "Make sure you dispose of her where no one will ever find her," he commanded.

And the man nodded lifting Sophia up from the floor, as sophia’s consciousness faded she held onto the last thing she saw which was john and Ava seated together, laughing, and toasting to their victory, before burning the divorce papers with a candle. 

........

""I think we’re too late, boss," Alex said the moment their plane touched down in Manhattan. It was already five minutes past six.  

Victor shot him a sharp, annoyed glare before glancing at his watch. "What about the men I told you to send after them? What did they say? Where are they now?" he demanded, walking quickly off the plane and toward the sleek black Venza waiting outside.  

"Junior Jackson has her now" Alex replied, keeping pace with Victor. "They tracked her to a warehouse just outside town."  

Victor nodded, his jaw tightening his heart raced faster. He climbed into the car, his eyes fixed on the window. His fist clenching restlessly on his knee. "She better still be alive," he muttered, his voice barely loud enough for Alex to hear.  

The car pulled up to a warehouse on the outskirts of town, an empty, isolated building surrounded by nothing but barren land. 

As soon as the car halted Victor stepped out, cocking his gun and his eyes locked on the entrance.  

"Boss! Wait" Alex called out, quickly stepping in front of him.  

"Get out of my way," Victor growled.  

Alex hesitated but shifted slightly before raising his hands "I think we should make a plan first, boss" he advised.  

But Victor shook his head, his eyes flashing  with fury "The plan is simple," he snapped. "If you hear a gunshot, you come in." Without waiting for a reply, he raised his gun and walked toward the entrance. 

Alex stood frozen for a moment, watching his boss charge into the unknown. He exhaled a frustrated sigh, shaking his head. In all the years he’d worked with Victor, he had never seen him act this recklessly. Victor was calculated, always one step ahead. But now? Now, he was diving in headfirst for a woman.  

"I wonder why this woman is so important to him?" Alex muttered under his breath before Pressing his earpiece, he gave the order. "You heard the boss. Surround the building. If we hear a gunshot, we move in."  

Victor stepped into the building, the silence swallowing him whole. His sharp gaze swept across the empty warehouse, every nerve in his body taut with urgency.  

"Where is everyone?" He wondered. 

The big space echoed with the sound of his footsteps as he moved deeper inside. His eyes locked onto a single door at the far end, slightly ajar, a faint light spilling out from the gap.  

His chest tightened. "Was he too late?" He wondered as he bolted toward the door, his pulse hammering in his ears. Without hesitation, he kicked it open, the force sending it crashing against the wall.  

Inside, his heart sank at the sight of  Jackson Junior standing over Sophia, a wicked grin plastered on his face. His hands gripped a saw, its teeth gleaming under the harsh light as it hovered inches above Sophia’s trembling form.  

"Leave her alone"  victor yelled just as the saw was about to touch Sophia's neck