Chapter 22 - Emily
I woke with a jolt, pain shooting through my skull. The room was spinning, but I forced my eyes open. My wrists were raw from the ropes binding them, and the ache in my face told me they’d been generous with their hits. My cheek felt swollen, and the sting reminded me of how much they'd already tried to break me.
The last thing I remembered before passing out was them demanding information about Quantum Tech—the projects we’d worked on, the clients we’d dealt with, who had access to the most sensitive data. But I didn’t say a word.
I couldn’t.
No matter how many times they slapped me, how many threats they made, how close they came to breaking me, I refused. My silence was all I had left, and I would protect it with everything in me.
Now, here I was, disoriented and trembling, the cold floor beneath me seeping into my skin like ice. I couldn’t focus, everything felt foggy. I heard footsteps, and muffled voices nearby.
The door opened, and the man with the mask walked in, shoving a sack over my head before pulling me to my feet. I couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe properly as I was pushed down the hallway, stumbling, my legs too weak to hold me steady, but I bit my lip to keep from making a sound.
We stopped, and I heard a door creak open. The sack was yanked off, and the ropes were cut. I squinted against the harsh light, disoriented. Before I could even adjust, they pushed me into a room, and the door slammed shut behind me.
I banged my fists against the cold steel of the door, my heart hammering in my chest. “Let me out! LET ME OUT!” I screamed, desperate, panicked. The silence that followed felt like it was suffocating me.
Then, I heard it.
“Aunty Emily—” It was a voice I knew well, and my heart skipped a beat.
Lucy.
I turned toward the sound of her voice, and my heart nearly stopped in relief. My legs trembled as I rushed toward her, each step unsteady but desperate. And there she was—running toward me, her small frame crashing into my arms. I wrapped her close, holding her tightly as though letting go would somehow tear her away from me.
I pulled back just slightly, checking her over. Her face was clear—no bruises, no scratches. No sign of what I’d been through.
“Are you okay?” I whispered, my voice breaking despite my best efforts.
“I want to go home,” she sobbed, her tiny body shaking in my arms.
“I know, sweetheart. I’m sure Daddy is on his way, okay?”
God, I hope he’s on his way. My heart hammered in my chest, fear clawing at the back of my mind.
She nodded quickly, but the doubt in her eyes cut me deeper than any physical pain. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breath, but the lump in my throat felt like a stone. “We’re going to be okay, alright? We have to be brave together, okay?”
But as I said the words, I couldn’t shake the fear creeping through me, like ice running through my veins. Will I ever see Dominic again? Will I ever see Kristi?
I held Lucy even tighter, trying to ignore the trembling in my arms.
The door suddenly creaked open, sending another wave of dread crashing into me. I pushed Lucy behind me, my heart hammering in my chest, and held my breath as the figure stepped into the room. Amber. She slammed the door shut behind her, a 10-inch knife gleaming in her hand.
Her eyes were wide, almost feral, unblinking, as if she were savoring the moment, feeding off my fear.
“Emily,” she cooed, her voice a chilling sing-song. “You’ve ruined everything, you know that?”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand tall despite the overwhelming fear threatening to consume me. I had to keep her talking. Keep her distracted. I couldn’t let her get any closer. Not with that knife.
“What did I ruin?” I croaked, my voice betraying the brave face I was desperately trying to hold on to.
Amber’s lips twisted into a grin, cold and twisted. “You overheard Victor and I earlier. You know about the Syndicate, the emails. It’s a good thing one of the guards saw you sneaking out of the estate. I couldn’t let you run back to Dominic and ruin all the hard work I put in, could I?”
“If you’re the one behind the emails... then you’re also the one behind the accident outside the ice cream parlor?”
“Ding! Ding! Ding! She’s not as dumb as she looks,” Amber sneered, her eyes gleaming with wicked satisfaction. “You know, everyone knows Dominic married you out of revenge. He hates you, Emily. Even after the accident, I told him my next attempt on you I wouldn’t miss. But he refused to give in to my demands.”
She leaned in closer, her voice dripping with malice. “And the last email? The one where I threatened him, demanding a billion dollars or I’d kill you? I told him to transfer it to an offshore account. But guess what? He’s still dragging his feet—hasn’t sent a dime. It’s almost like he doesn’t care about keeping you safe, huh? He married you for revenge, Emily. You’re nothing more than a pawn.”
I found myself struggling to breathe, her words rattling in my mind like an insistent drumbeat.
Dominic really just married you for revenge. You’re nothing more than a pawn to him.
Why wouldn’t a billionaire want to pay to keep his wife safe?
He had the money. He could have transferred it. Why hadn’t he? Was he really that heartless? Or was it that I was just someone to keep his bed warm at night?
But there was one thing that kept nagging at me, one question I couldn’t shake, no matter how much I tried to push it away.
Would he come looking for me at all, if it hadn’t been for Lucy being here with me?
The thought struck like a dagger in my chest.
Amber’s expression darkened, and she took a step closer, her grip tightening on the knife. She bent down slightly, her eyes narrowing at Lucy. I took a step back, as Lucy whimpered behind me.
Amber’s laugh was low, cold and triumphant. “And now that I’ve got you, Lucy, well... trust me, darling, your daddy? He’ll do anything to save his precious little girl. And if that means draining every last penny out of him, I’ll make sure I get what I deserve.”
My heart pounded so loudly that I was sure she could hear it. What Dominic thinks or doesn’t think doesn’t matter. I had to think. I had to figure out a way to get us out of here, before this lunatic did something to harm me, or worse, Lucy.
“I don’t get it, Amber," I gasped, my voice trembling. “Why are you after Dominic’s money when Dad is also rich?”
Amber’s eyes narrowed her smile, a twisted mixture of bitterness and satisfaction. She stepped closer, like a marionette whose strings were pulled too tight, ready to snap and I took another step back.
“Oh, you think this is just about money?” She laughed, the sound hollow, almost manic. “No, no, no... this isn’t about money. It’s about power. I wanted Dominic, but a man like Dominic Quantum would’ve seen right through me. So, I turned to his best friend, Victor. This way, I’d have access to his wealth, and once Dominic’s out of the picture, his money would be mine, too. It’s all about strategy—killing two birds with one stone.”
I blinked, struggling to process what she’d just said. “So you married Dad because of his wealth? What about love?” I shot back, my voice trembling with disbelief.
Amber chuckled softly, as if lost in some painful memory. “You young people and your obsession with love,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain. “Love is for fools! I tried it once, and it left me broke, humiliated and drowning in debt, after he left me for a richer woman. After I pulled him off the street and cleaned him up. That’s the thanks I got. So now? I’ll marry for money, over and over again.”
“Amber, if it’s money you want, I’m sure if you let us go, Dominic will reward you. Please, you don’t need to do this.”
Amber tapped her chin thoughtfully, a sly grin forming. “You know, I think you’re right. If I let you go, he probably will reward me.”
The knife hand dropped to her side as she walked to the door and opened it. I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
Then, without warning, Amber slammed the door shut with force, and her face twisted into a grotesque smile.
“Or... I could just get rid of you,” she sneered. “Since Dominic didn’t want to pay for you in the first place, why stop there? Instead of just Dominic, I can take all of his brother’s money, too. I mean, neither of them have wives or children… well, except for the one who’s dating Kristi now…”
My heart stuttered.
“But they’ll do anything to get their precious Lucy back.”
What the fuck?
Amber was beyond reasoning, her eyes blazing with cruel intent. My gaze darted frantically around the room. A chair. A shard of glass. Even the ropes they cut off earlier, anything could be a weapon. My heart pounded as I realized: if I didn’t act fast, Lucy and I wouldn’t make it out…alive.
Amber took a menacing step forward, her lips curling into a sinister smile. “Emily, it’s time to give Lucy to me.”
Lucy’s cries broke the air, sharp and heartbreaking.
I shielded her with my body, planting my feet firmly on the cold floor. “You’ll have to go through me before you get to her.”
Amber’s grin twisted into a snarl. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Then through you, I will!”
She lunged, her knife glinting under the harsh light. Without thinking, I shoved Lucy to the side, her small frame skidding toward the corner as she screamed, “Aunty Emily!”
Amber collided with me, her wiry frame slamming into mine with surprising force. But this time, my size was an advantage. Grabbing her wrist, I wrestled to keep the knife at bay. Her wild shrieks echoed off the walls, the blade glinting inches from my face. My muscles burned, every fiber screaming in protest, but I held on.
Amber snarled, her weight shifting as she forced the knife closer. The sharp edge grazed my arm, and a searing pain shot through me. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked, the motion sending her stumbling backward.
“Lucy! Get behind me now!” I shouted, my voice cracking with urgency.
Lucy obeyed, her small form darting to the corner.
“Keep moving, Lucy!” I demanded, my eyes never leaving Amber as she steadied herself, knife still in hand.
I couldn’t risk looking back, couldn’t afford a second of distraction as Amber charged toward me again, eyes blazing with fury.
“Lucy!” I called, desperation creeping into my voice. “Aunty needs to know you’re safe! Sing to me, baby—sing Daddy’s song. The bedtime one. Please!”
For a moment, there was silence, broken only by Amber’s heavy breathing and the sound of her footsteps pounding against the floor. Then, through the sobs, Lucy’s trembling voice rose:
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine—”
Her singing was shaky, interspersed with sniffles, but it was enough. I knew exactly where she was, her fragile voice a lifeline in the storm.
Amber lunged again, the knife aimed for my chest. I sidestepped at the last second, gripping her wrist and twisting hard. She screamed in rage as the knife clattered to the floor, her momentum sending her crashing into the wall.
"You make me happy when skies are gray—”
Lucy’s tiny voice wavered, but she kept going, each word sparking a fresh surge of determination in me.
“Good girl,” I whispered under my breath, squaring up as Amber turned back to face me, her eyes dark with unrelenting fury.
Amber’s scream tore through the air as she charged, the knife flashing in her hand. I braced myself, but her momentum was too much. The blade sliced across my shoulder, fire blooming under my skin as I hit the floor hard, the impact knocking the breath from my lungs.
Before I could recover, she spun toward Lucy.
“No!” My voice was raw, a guttural cry fueled by sheer instinct.
Ignoring the pain, I launched myself at her, tackling her to the ground. We hit the floor with a thud, her body thrashing beneath mine like a wild animal. She kicked, clawed, screamed, the knife flailing dangerously close to my face. I wrestled for control, my arms trembling as I pinned hers down.
“Lucy,” I cried, my voice strained, “Keep singing, baby.”
Amber’s strength was terrifying. My limbs were heavy, my vision blurring at the edges as exhaustion set in. She bucked beneath me, the knife slipping from her grasp but still within reach. Every muscle in my body screamed, my will the only thing keeping me from collapsing entirely.
I closed my eyes for a split second, a silent prayer on my lips.
Please. Someone. Anyone.