Emma's POV As we stepped into the mage's house, I was immediately enveloped in a thick, acrid smell of black dust. Steam wafted from various tubes and contraptions scattered around the room, creating an eerie atmosphere. Gabe's grip on my hand tightened, his overprotective nature surfacing once again. I wanted to roll my eyes, but the mage's presence commanded my attention."Welcome to my territory," the mage said, her words dripping with a lovely, exotic accent. Each syllable was enunciated with precision, making her speech sound almost musical. "What can I do for you?"Her gaze locked onto mine, piercing and intense. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I explained our situation, trying to keep my voice steady. "My children are missing. I need your help to track them down."The mage's expression remained unreadable, but her eyes sparkled with interest. She nodded slowly, her dark hair bobbing with the motion. "I sense a great disturbance in the energy surrounding your children. It
Emma's POVAs we stepped into the warehouse, a chill ran down my spine. I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that had been building up inside me. I knew the mage's words were always laced with truth, but what if... just what if he was wrong this time? What if we were walking into a trap, or worse, what if we were too late?The thought of the triplets, innocent and helpless, sent a wave of fear crashing over me. What if we didn't make it in time? What if they were already... gone? The mere thought made my heart skip a beat. I couldn't bear the idea of living with the guilt of not being able to save them.I felt a gentle squeeze on my hand, and I turned to see Gabe offering me a reassuring smile. His eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a small sense of calm wash over me. But it was short-lived, as the creaking of the old warehouse door and the faint rustling of unknown noises sent my anxiety soaring again."Let me go get Alex from the other side," Gabe said, his voice low and steady,
Gabe's POV I rushed through the warehouse, my heart racing with adrenaline. We had found Emma's kids, but now we had to find the person who had taken them. I could feel my anger burning inside me, fueling my determination to bring this person to justice."April, keep watch!" I called out, as I turned a corner. She nodded, her eyes scanning the area, her gun at the ready.Augustine was searching every nook and cranny, his face set in a fierce expression. "I've got something!" he called out, as he disappeared into a side room.I followed him, my gun drawn. We had to be careful, we didn't know what we were up against.As we searched, I couldn't help but think of Emma and her kids. They had been through so much, and now we had to make sure they were safe."Found something!" Augustine called out again, as he emerged from the room. He held up a small piece of fabric. "This was caught in a nail. It looks like our guy was in a hurry."I took the fabric, examining it. It was a piece of a blac
Emma's POV I stared at the tied figure on the wooden chair, my eyes fixed on the person who had betrayed me in the worst possible way. Disappointment was etched on my face, my expression a mixture of shock and disgust. Every atom of love and trust I had once felt for this person had been replaced with disappointment, anger, and a deep sense of hurt.As I looked at them, I couldn't help but think about how they had deceived me, how they had manipulated me and used me for their own twisted purposes. My mind was racing with questions, with thoughts of how and why they had done what they did.But most of all, I felt a deep sense of sadness. Sadness that someone I had cared about could do something so heinous, so cruel. Sadness that my trust had been broken, and that my children had been put in harm's way.I took a step forward, my eyes locked on the figure in the chair. "Why?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "How could you do this to me, to my children?” I felt like I had been pun
Emma's POVIn blind fury, I remembered everything I went through. The masked men who came to attack me, the terror I felt as I fought for my life. The endless days and nights I spent searching for my kids, my heart heavy with worry and fear. The sleepless nights, the tears, the desperation.It all came flooding back, and with it, a wave of anger and hatred towards Angelo. I remembered the feeling of helplessness, of being at the mercy of my attackers. I remembered the pain, the fear, the uncertainty.And now, I realized that Angelo was behind it all. He was the mastermind, the one who had orchestrated my suffering. The one who had taken my children, who had threatened to hurt them.My vision blurred, my mind consumed by rage and fury. I took a step forward, my hands clenched into fists. "You," I spat, my voice low and venomous. "You did this to me. You took my children, you hurt me, you destroyed my life."Angelo smiled, but I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. He knew he had unleashe
Emma's POV I sat down in the chair next to Gabe, my mind racing with thoughts of what to do next. We had taken care of Angelo, but we still had to get our kids back.Gabe put his hand on my knee, his eyes filled with concern. "We need to think this through," he said. "We can't just rush in without a plan."I nodded, taking a deep breath. I knew he was right. We had to be smart about this."Okay," I said. "Let's think. What do we know?"Gabe pulled out a piece of paper and started scribbling notes. "We know they want us to come to the old warehouse on 5th and Main. We know they have the kids."I nodded, my mind racing. "And we know they're willing to kill. We can't trust them."Gabe's eyes met mine. "We need to come up with a plan that assumes they'll try to double-cross us."I nodded, a plan starting to form in my mind. "I think I have an idea," I said.Gabe raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"I smiled, a sense of determination growing inside me. "Let's give them what they want," I said
Emma's POVI stepped into the dimly lit warehouse, my heart racing with every creak of the old wooden floorboards beneath my feet. Gabe's grip on my arm tightened, his eyes scanning the shadows as if he sensed the danger lurking within. I tried to shake off the feeling of unease, but it only seemed to intensify with each step."Where are they?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding in my chest.Gabe's response was a gentle tug on my arm, leading me deeper into the warehouse. The air inside was thick with dust and the stench of decay. I could feel eyes upon us, boring into my skin like cold, calculating fingers.Suddenly, Gabe stopped dead in his tracks, his head cocked to one side as if listening to a sound I couldn't hear. My mind began to spiral with worst-case scenarios. What if this was a trap? What if we were walking into a nightmare from which we'd never awaken?"Gab—"His warning glance silenced me. My heart skipped a beat as I strained to hear what had caught
Emma's POVI took a deep breath and nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. "Okay, I'll do what you want. Just please, let the children go."The gaunt man smiled, seeming to savor the moment. "Very well, Emma. You've made the right decision."He walked over to the Triplets, Carly and Lucas, who were still tied up and gagged. He removed their gags and began to untie them, but only partially. They were still trapped, locked in a small cage-like structure in the corner of the warehouse.Gabe's eyes narrowed, his face twisted in anger. "This wasn't the agreement," he growled. "You said you'd let them go, not lock them up like animals."The kidnapper chuckled. "Oh, but this is exactly what we agreed on, Gabe. You see, Emma agreed to cooperate, and this is the result. The children are safe, for now."I felt a surge of fear at his words. What did he mean by "for now"?Gabe struggled against his restraints, his face red with rage. "You lied to us," he spat. "You'll pay for this."The kidnappe