chapter 77

Kurtis POV

It’s been twenty-four hours, and still no sign of her. I’m losing it. Every lead feels like a dead end, and the clock is ticking faster than I can move. I should have been there, should have protected her. The weight of it all presses against my chest like a vise, suffocating me, and my mind keeps circling back to the last time I saw her smile.

It was that morning, the day of our wedding. She’d smiled at me from across the room, her eyes glowing with love, her lips curling in that gentle, perfect way they always did. And now, she’s out there, somewhere, scared, alone. I can’t stop picturing her, trapped, helpless, wondering why I haven’t come for her yet. Every second that passes feels like another nail in my chest.

I won’t let her down again.

We’ve combed through security footage, spoken to everyone who could have possibly seen something, but still, nothing. It’s like she vanished into thin air, and the fear gnaws at me, eating away at any shred of composure I have left.