Chapter 9: Trapped

When I regained consciousness, the world around me was a blur of muted sounds and flickering lights. My head throbbed as if it had been split open, and I blinked, trying to clear the fog that dulled my senses. Panic surged through me as I realized I was lying on the cold floor of a dimly lit room. My hands were bound again, rough rope cutting into my wrists, the sensation too familiar and unwelcome.

I struggled to sit up, my breath coming in sharp, shallow gasps as the room tilted dangerously. My vision swam, but the memories of what had happened started to trickle back—William had told me to stay put, the sound of footsteps, then the masked men bursting in. After that… nothing.

Fear surged through me as I glanced around the unfamiliar space. It wasn't the room William had brought me to earlier. This place was darker, colder, the air thick with the stench of dampness and something far worse. I had no idea where I was or how much time had passed since I blacked out.

I listened carefully, trying to make out any voices or movements beyond the room. Nothing but silence. My pulse hammered in my ears, the fear of being completely alone overwhelming me. *Where's William?* The thought of him in danger sent a fresh wave of dread through me. He had been right there when everything went dark—had they gotten to him, too?

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and I froze, my muscles stiffening. A figure stepped in, the light from the hallway behind them casting a shadow over their face. I strained to see through the haze of dim light, but recognition hit me like a slap. 

Jace.

His smirk was the same twisted version of the man I once knew, the same man who had threatened me, kidnapped me, and claimed that everything my father built should belong to him. Except now, he had the upper hand. He moved toward me with deliberate slowness, like a predator savoring his prey.

"I was wondering when you'd wake up," he said, his voice laced with a mixture of amusement and menace. "You've been out for a while."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry, but the fire in my chest refused to be extinguished. "What do you want from me, Jace? You already tried to take everything. What more could you possibly want?"

His expression darkened as he crouched down, his face inches from mine. "You still don't get it, do you, Alice?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "This isn't just about the money or the company anymore. This is about payback. You, your father, and that bastard William… you all took everything from me. Now it's my turn."

My heart pounded as his words sank in. This wasn't just about the company. Jace's obsession with control, with power, was spiraling into something much darker. He wasn't going to stop until he had torn my world apart.

I glared at him, trying to mask the fear coursing through me. "You're delusional if you think you'll win. William will find me. He'll stop you."

Jace's lips twisted into a sneer. "William? Oh, don't worry about him. He's already... dealt with."

My breath caught, the world tilting dangerously again. "What... what did you do to him?"

He laughed, the sound cold and heartless. "Let's just say he won't be getting in the way anymore. I made sure of that."

A sickening dread settled in the pit of my stomach, my mind racing through all the possibilities. Had Jace killed him? Hurt him? William had always seemed invincible—strong, calculating, always one step ahead—but Jace had surprised us both. *No. William can't be dead.*

The door creaked open again, and this time, another figure entered the room. My heart leapt as I recognized him instantly—William. But relief quickly turned to horror.

He was being dragged in, unconscious, blood trickling from a wound on his head. The sight of him, limp and vulnerable, sent a shock of panic through me. The man pulling him, one of Jace's thugs, tossed him roughly to the floor beside me. I cried out, scrambling toward him despite my bound hands.

"William!" I gasped, my fingers brushing his face, cold and clammy to the touch. He didn't stir, didn't respond, and terror gripped me tighter.

Jace grinned as he watched me, savoring my helplessness. "See? Even the great William can fall. It didn't take much to bring him down."

My mind raced, trying to stay calm as I checked William for signs of life. He was breathing, but it was shallow, too shallow. Blood pooled near his head, staining the floor, and I could see the bruise forming along his jaw where he must have been hit.

"Why are you doing this?" I demanded, my voice cracking. "This won't end well for you, Jace. People will find out. You can't get away with this."

Jace crossed his arms, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You're wrong, Alice. I've already gotten away with it. No one's coming to save you this time. The only thing left for you to do now... is to give in. Give me what I want, and maybe, just maybe, I'll let you walk away from this."

I shook my head, fury rising inside me. "You won't touch Ava."

His expression hardened, the smile disappearing. "Ava will be mine. She's my daughter. And you, Alice, you're in no position to stop me."

Before I could respond, William stirred, his fingers twitching slightly. I glanced down at him, relief flooding through me, but it was quickly replaced by fear as Jace stepped closer, towering over us.

"This could have been so much easier, you know," Jace said, his voice cold. "If you'd just stayed away, none of this would have happened. But now..."

He pulled a small, gleaming object from his jacket—a gun. The sight of it sent a jolt of terror through me. 

"Now, we're going to settle this. Once and for all."

My heart pounded in my chest, the air thick with impending doom. William groaned softly beside me, his eyes fluttering open, but I knew he was in no shape to fight.

Jace raised the gun, pointing it directly at William's head. "Say goodbye, Alice."

"No!" I screamed, my body moving instinctively. Without thinking, I threw myself in front of William, shielding him with my own body. I closed my eyes, bracing for the worst.

But instead of the deafening sound of gunfire, there was a loud crash behind us. The door burst open once again, and a group of armed men flooded into the room, their weapons raised.

"Drop the gun!" a voice commanded.

Jace froze, his eyes wide with shock as he was quickly surrounded. His thugs were disarmed and taken down in a matter of seconds, leaving him completely outnumbered.

William stirred beside me, his eyes blinking in confusion as he took in the scene. Relief washed over me as I realized who had come to our rescue.

Ethan.

He strode into the room, his expression grim but resolute, his gun trained on Jace. "I warned you, Jace," Ethan said, his voice icy. "But you didn't listen."

Jace, realizing his situation was hopeless, slowly lowered his weapon, his face contorted with rage. "This isn't over," he spat, glaring at me. "You haven't won."

Ethan motioned to his men, who quickly restrained Jace and dragged him away. I collapsed back against William, my body trembling with relief and exhaustion.

Ethan knelt down beside us, his eyes scanning William's injuries before turning to me. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, my voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you."

But as the adrenaline faded, a single thought took over my mind.

*This isn't over.*