Twenty Nine Years Ago 5

Three Days Later

Claire lay on the cold floor of the abandoned house, her body weak and trembling.

Three days had passed since Mathew had taken her here, and each passing hour felt like an eternity.

Her wrists and ankles were raw from the ropes, and her stomach growled with hunger. Mathew brought food daily, but she hadn't touched it. Fear and despair had stripped her of her appetite, leaving her too weak to move.

Mathew stood over her now, his eyes dark and clouded with frustration. "Why are you making this so difficult, Claire?" he asked, his voice tinged with both anger and desperation. "We could be happy. We could have fun together. But you're making it so hard for both of us. Why?"

Claire's heart thumped weakly in her chest as she tried to speak, but the gag prevented her from making any coherent sound. She hated the feeling of helplessness. The tears that had dried on her face from hours of crying began to well up again.