Within seconds after Jessica was pulled into the black SUV, the vehicle roared to life, tires squealing against the asphalt, and shot forward like a bullet into the night. The city lights blurred past her windows as her pulse raced. Her hands clawed at the seat, trying to steady herself, but the speed and sudden motion only made her stomach lurch. Every second felt like a lifetime, and yet the vehicle seemed to be taking the most desolate roads, turning sharply down alleys and empty streets that left her with no chance of escape.The SUV finally slowed as it approached a house. Its structure was old yet imposing, shadowed under the dim glow of flickering streetlights. The vehicle stopped abruptly in front of it, and before Jessica could react, two masked men yanked open her door and dragged her out. She struggled, but their grip was ironclad, forcing her to stumble forward along the gravel driveway.Jessica’s eyes darted around, trying to find something familiar, anything that co

Rica’s hands trembled with rage as she picked up her phone and dialled Brandon again.“You bastard, hear me,” she said, her voice sharp and unwavering, “if you don’t produce Jessica within the next twenty-four hours, I swear you’ll regret it. I’ll ensure the authorities arrest you, and you won’t see the light of day again.”Brandon’s heart sank at the intensity in her voice. He had anticipated Rica’s anger, but hearing it spoken so directly, so threateningly, made the situation more urgent than he had imagined. “Mrs Marion … calm down. She'll be found. She'll come back safe,” he said, trying to steady his tone.“Find her! You criminal!” Rica snapped. Then, without another word, she ended the call, leaving Brandon staring at the phone in troubled silence.Where in the world was Jessica? Brandon’s mind raced as he ran through every possibility. He knew Nathaniel was dangerous, calculating, and would stop at nothing to control Jessica. But he couldn’t allow fear to paralyze him. He ha

Nathaniel’s polished shoes clicked menacingly across the marble floor as he advanced toward Jessica, his every step deliberate, calculated, and ominous. The sound reverberated off the towering ceilings and ornate walls, echoing through the vast room like the ticking of a relentless clock. His face, twisted into a mask of anger and obsession, was almost frighteningly still, yet his eyes burned with an intensity that made Jessica’s stomach churn. The man she had once thought she knew now seemed like a predator, a force of nature entirely consumed by his own fixations.Jessica’s eyes widened, taking in the space around her, seeking any sliver of escape. She pressed herself against the ornate bed, feeling the carved posts dig into her back as she trembled uncontrollably. Her fists clenched helplessly, nails biting into her palms. “Stay away from me!” she screamed, her voice raw, high, desperate—shattering the tense silence of the room. Each word carried her panic, her fear, her inabi

The moment Nathaniel’s men saw how Brandon had brought their boss to his knees, pain twisting Nathaniel’s face and helplessness dripping from every strained breath he took, fury erupted in them like wildfire. They exchanged quick glances, rage burning in their eyes. Their leader was on the floor, pinned and humiliated. And the man responsible—Brandon—stood tall, steady, and entirely unbothered by Nathaniel’s threats.One of the guards snarled, “Get him!”Without hesitation, they launched themselves forward.But Brandon had expected this.The first man swung a heavy fist toward Brandon’s jaw. Brandon ducked, fluid and precise, and rammed his elbow into the man’s ribs. A sharp crack echoed through the room—the guard collapsed, hands clutching his side as he gasped for breath.Two others lunged together, trying to pin Brandon from both sides. Brandon sidestepped the first, grabbed the second by the collar, and delivered a swift knee to the face. Blood splattered, and the man stumbled ba

Rica paced the length of her living room with agitation bubbling in every step. The thick carpet muffled her footfalls, but nothing could muffle the storm brewing inside her chest. Jessica stood in front of her, breathless from explaining the events of the previous night—what Nathaniel had done, how terrified she had been, how Brandon had helped her escape—but Rica’s expression remained unmoved, unreadable, and cold.“Rica, I’m telling you the truth,” Jessica said, her voice trembling. “Nathaniel isn’t who you think he is. He—he tried to force himself on me, and Brandon saved me. Please believe me. He didn’t release me because you threatened him. He released me because he saw what Nathaniel did!”But Rica only scoffed and waved her hand dismissively, as though tossing Jessica’s words aside like scraps.“Enough,” she snapped. “I don’t want to hear that nonsense again. You’re only trying to shift blame because you were caught. You think I don’t know Brandon? He’s a coward. The moment I