Clara had no idea that two men on opposite sides of the city were staring at photographs of her, each wondering what the mysterious person behind her disappearance wanted from them.In a half-finished building on the outskirts of the city, Elliot stood beside a dusty window, watching his men move around the abandoned floor.The building had remained incomplete for years, its exposed concrete walls covered in stains and cracks, while discarded construction materials lay beneath a thick layer of dust.It was the kind of place people passed without a second glance, never imagining that someone could be held there against their will.Behind him, Clara sat tied to a chair with her hands restrained behind her back and a cloth covering her mouth.Her shoulders ached from remaining in the same position for hours, and every attempt to loosen the ropes had only made them dig more painfully into her wrists. Despite the discomfort, she refused to give her captors the satisfaction of seeing her su

For a moment, Elliot simply stared at her, apparently struggling to believe that she had dared to insult him so openly. Even his men looked surprised by the force of her response.He had expected fear, tears, and desperate promises. He had imagined that once Clara understood how completely he controlled her circumstances, she would finally recognize that rejecting him had been a mistake.Instead, she had insulted him to his face.His expression slowly darkened. “What did you just call me?”Clara lifted her chin as far as his earlier grip would allow. “You heard me.”Elliot frowned. “You think you're in a position to insult me?”Clara spat, “I think you're proving exactly why I never wanted you.”Elliot's face twisted with fury.Clara knew she was taking a risk. She could see the danger in the way his jaw tightened, and the last trace of amusement disappeared from his eyes. Yet she could not bring herself to pretend that she regretted rejecting him.She had not chosen Alexander because

He stopped in front of her and studied her expression."But then I realized that simply beating him wouldn't be enough. He might recover from a beating, tell himself that he lost one fight, and go back to living his miserable little life. No, I want something he won't be able to forget."Clara's eyes narrowed as she listened.Elliot crouched slightly so that his face was level with hers, his smile growing more unpleasant with every passing second."You talk too much. Do you know what I'm going to do? Right in front of you, I'll make a deal with him. And guess what? I'll marry you in front of him. I'll make sure he's tied down like a goat and forced to watch."Clara's eyes widened in horror.She immediately began struggling against her restraints, twisting her wrists and pulling at the bindings as she tried to free herself.The chair scraped across the concrete floor, producing a harsh sound that echoed through the unfinished room. The cloth over her mouth muffled her angry cries, but

Clara felt a chill pass through her despite the anger burning inside her. His words confirmed that her suspicions were not entirely unfounded. Elliot had been watching her long before this kidnapping, waiting for an opportunity to get his hands on her.Yet that still did not prove he had arranged the earlier abduction.She forced herself to meet his eyes. "If Alexander spared you the last time you kidnapped me, I'm telling you now that this time he won't let you see the sun!"Her warning rang through the unfinished building, and for a moment even Spike seemed to pause.Clara did not care that she was tied to a chair or that Elliot had surrounded himself with men who would follow his orders.She knew what Alexander was capable of when someone he cared about was threatened, and she had no intention of allowing Elliot to believe that his plan would succeed simply because he had managed to capture her.Elliot's expression darkened.He stared at her for several seconds before turning towar

The words escaped him with more frustration than he intended. He dragged a hand through his hair and resumed pacing, his jaw tightening as he tried to control the anger gathering inside him.The Crime Boss remained silent.He understood that Alexander was not looking for empty reassurance. Telling him that the investigation was progressing or promising that Clara would be found soon would accomplish nothing when they had no evidence to support those words.His young master needed information, and until someone produced it, every minute would continue to weigh on him.The Crime Boss lowered his gaze to his phone, checking for updates from the men stationed around the city. He had already ordered them to examine possible routes, question anyone who might have seen the vehicle, and search locations where a captive could be concealed without attracting attention.So far, the results had been disappointing.Alexander suddenly stopped walking and looked toward him. "Have any of the men re