Chapter 40
Before I could start my car, my phone rang. It was Macy.
I glanced at the time—ten o’clock. As soon as I answered, her excited voice came through. “Babe, guess where I am right now!”
Hearing the excitement in her tone, I thought for a moment before answering, “Q City!”
“Damn!” she huffed. “Ms. Stovall, you’re such a bore!”
Her reaction confirmed that I had guessed correctly. Smiling into the phone, I teased, “It’s not like you don’t know me by now. So, how’s it going? Have you found a suitable place?”
The underground parking lot of Fuller Corporation was vast and eerily empty at this hour. My voice echoed faintly, sending an unsettling shiver down my spine.
“Mhm. Q City is a great place to settle down. It’s peaceful, and the slower pace of life here feels nice. I’ve stayed a few days, and I really like it. The weather is pleasant, too. I think it’s perfect for a fresh start.”
Macy rambled on, so I put her on speaker and started the engine. The deserted parking lot felt unsettling, and I wanted to leave as soon as possible.
“You should stay in Q City a little longer,” I advised while reversing. “Get used to the place and maybe check out some properties for me. Ashton assigned me a new project. It’s a tough one, so I probably won’t be able to travel anytime soon.”
She let out a frustrated groan. “You’ve already decided to leave, so why on earth did you take on another project? If you’re going to leave, then just do it. Stop hesitating and dragging things out.”
Of course, I knew I needed to leave for good, but humans are creatures of hesitation. Some things are easier said than done.
Bang!
Just as I finished reversing, my car hit something. My heart leaped to my throat.
“Macy, I think I hit something. I’ll call you back.” Without waiting for her reply, I hung up and quickly got out of the car.
Occasionally, stray cats wandered into the underground parking lot. I prayed it wasn’t anything serious.
Circling my car, my worst fears were confirmed—a small kitten lay motionless in my blind spot. It looked badly injured. I hurried toward it, bending down to check.
But before I could react, a strong hand clamped over my mouth and nose from behind. A pungent chemical scent invaded my senses.
Chloroform.
Dizziness engulfed me, and darkness swallowed my consciousness.
When I came to, I was enveloped in pitch-black darkness.
Silence.
It was so quiet that I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.
Panic rose in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm. If my captors had wanted to kill me, they would have done it already. That meant they had another purpose. Given my status as Mrs. Fuller, they either wanted ransom or planned to use me against Ashton.
Either way, my life wasn’t in immediate danger.
Taking slow, measured breaths, I steadied my nerves. After what felt like an eternity, the silence shattered with a loud metallic clang, followed by the harsh glare of light flooding the room.
A gruff voice spoke. “She’s awake.”
My eyes stung from the sudden brightness. Blinking rapidly, I tried to adjust to the light and take in my surroundings. I was inside a shipping container. A man stood about three meters away, his features obscured by the backlight.
He was slightly plump, his voice gravelly. A middle-aged man. I caught a faint whiff of cologne—an expensive one. Not some street thug. A businessman or a corporate figure, perhaps.
“She’s awake. Blindfold her and take her there.”
A thin, masked man approached. I was still too weak to fight back. My vision blurred as they tied a blindfold over my eyes and dragged me forward. I stumbled along helplessly, feeling the cold bite of metal beneath my feet before being shoved into another room.
The blindfold was removed, and I squinted against the dim lighting.
Gathering what little strength I had, I rasped out, “Who are you? Why did you bring me here?”
The thin man remained silent, but the middle-aged man chuckled. “Relax, Ms. Stovall. We brought you here to watch a show. Once it’s over, we’ll send you back.”
With that, the door slammed shut.
I sat on a worn-out bed, my hands and feet bound. I struggled, but the restraints were too tight.
Then, voices filled the dimly lit room.
A conversation.
“Ashton, you told me before that you’d divorce her and marry me. Don’t make me wait too long, okay?”
Rebecca’s voice.
My stomach twisted.
“Rebecca, stop making a fuss,” Ashton’s voice followed, sounding different than usual. He sounded… intoxicated.
Why am I hearing this? Who’s doing this?
“Ashton, do you love her? Is that why you won’t divorce her?” Rebecca’s voice turned frantic, almost desperate.
Rustling sounds. The unmistakable sound of fabric shifting.
“Ashton,” she whispered, her voice sultry. “You’re mine.”
Then his voice, low and tight. “Rebecca, don’t fool around. I’m already married to her.”
My breath hitched. My blood turned ice-cold.
What… is this?