Diego Is Mine!
Lucia sat at the back of the car as Diego's rejection lingered in her mind, "I will somehow drag him down by threatening him with those pictures" she thought letting out a smile.
Then suddenly the car rounded a bend, the tires screeched in protest, and Lucia's heart skipped a beat. The sound was followed by an earsplitting "Pop!" as one of the tires got flat.
Lucia's eyes widened in terror as she gazed out the window, her mind racing to comprehend what was happening.
"What the hell is wrong, control the damn car" Lucia shouted
"I think the tyre's are deflated" the driver explained.
"You fool, how could not have put them in order, now we're stuck in this crazy place all alone" Lucia barked.
The road was so quiet that even a mere drop of a pin could be heard, filled with fear Lucia grabbed her phone attempting to call her dad, when a sudden car approached them.
The driver swallowed hard. " ma'am, it's not safe. We should just send for another car or wait for the highway patrol—"
"Shut up!" she snapped, rolling her eyes. "You've been saying that for the last twenty minutes. Just go!"
Before the driver could respond, two masked men came out from the car approaching fast from behind. The driver felt instinctively tensed, a knot of fear tightening in his stomach. "I don't like this," he muttered under his breath.
"Finally! Someone to help us," she exclaimed, a hint of hope on her voice.
"Get in the car, miss Lucia," the driver warned sensing something was about to go wrong
Both men finally reached her and In an instant, they lunged toward Lucia with an alarming speed, grabbing her before she could realize.
"miss Lucia!" the driver shouted, panic surging through his veins. He aim forward attempting to stop the men, But just as he reached them, one of the assailants produced a gun.
"No!" He barely processed the warning before the gun fired, echoing in the stillness of the night. The shot rang out, hitting him squarely in the leg. He collapsed with a cry, pain flaring as he hit the asphalt.
"Get in the car now!" the other man growled at Lucia, who was too stunned to resist. She stood frozen, caught in disbelief, as they dragged her toward the SUV.
"Let her go!" the driver tried to get back to his feet, his hands clawing tight but the pain was overwhelming.
One of the masked men turned as he shoved Lucia inside the vehicle, a cruel smile twitching beneath his mask. "You should have kept your mouth shut," he sneered before stepping back and slamming the door.
Before he could make any more sense of what was happening, Lucia felt a sharp prick in her arm—another of the men had injected her. The world around her spun violently, and her eyelids grew heavy. "What... what did you do?" she managed to whisper as darkness closed in.
"Sleep tight, princess," the man mocked as the headlights illuminated Jackson's desperate figure sprawled on the ground, helpless and furious.
The SUV roared to life, tires screeching as it sped away.
———
Time blurred as Lucia drifted through a haze of unconsciousness. When she finally stirred, she found herself lying on a cold, metallic surface. The air was dank, filled with the scent of dampness and rust. Panic flooded her senses as she shot upright, looking around frantically. She was in what seemed to be an abandoned warehouse, the walls lined with shadows that danced ominously in the dim light.
"Where am I?" she whispered to herself, heart racing.
Fighting against the effects of the sedative, Lucia focused on her surroundings. Her wrists were tightly bound with rough ropes, and she could feel the sting of panic threatening to overcome her. She looked around,stock of the room: empty crates, old machinery, and the distant sound of dripping water added to the eeriness.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the darkness. Lucia's breath caught in her throat as two figures entered the small circle of light. They were the two men from before, and now that she was awake, their malice seemed stronger.
"Welcome back to the land of the living," one of them jeered, removing his mask to reveal a hardened face marked with scars. "You're in for quite an adventure."
The other man leaned closer, examining her with interest. "You're in a bit of a situation here, sweetheart. But don't worry; we'll take good care of you. At least until we get what we want."
Lucia's mind raced. They seemed to relish her fear, and she knew she had to keep her wits about her. "What do you want?" she asked, forcing her voice to remain steady despite the tremor in her hands.
"Hmmm, that's a good question" the scarred man replied darkly. "You have connections that could be quite beneficial to us, you just have to wait till my boss returns .
She knew what he meant. Her family was involved in high-stakes business dealings, and she had access to numerous contacts who could potentially save her. But she also knew the risks; her family's enemies were numerous and ruthless.
"Let me go, and I can help you," Lucia offered, her mind working quickly to formulate a plan. "You'll get what you want."
The men exchanged glances, visibly intrigued. "Nice try, but we're not convinced yet. We need to see how far you're willing to go," the other man replied as he approached her.
Lucia could feel her heartbeat echoing in her ears as her mind raced. She had to think fast. In that moment of clarity, she remembered the emergency button on her bracelet, a device given to her by her family for protection. If she could just reach it, maybe she could alert someone.
"Please, just give me a minute," she begged, a false note of desperation lacing her voice. "I could tell you everything—just let me get my phone."
The men deliberated for a moment, seemingly torn between suspicion and greed. Finally, the scarred man sighed, rolling his eyes. "You're lucky. We'll throw you a bone…for now."
With that, they untied her hands, but kept her bound at the ankles. They threw her a battered phone, its screen cracked but functioning. "Make it quick," the second man warned, stepping back but keeping a watchful eye.
As Lucia feigned fumbling with the device, she was all too aware of her surroundings. Time ticked away, every second reminded her of the situation.The walls felt like they were closing in on her. But somewhere within the fabric of despair, a thread of hope began to weave itself through her fear.
Fingers trembling, attempting to press it, one of the men quickly snapped it from her, "This is a tracking device, were you trying to use this" the man roared landing a punch on her face.
"Ahhhhhh" Lucia cried as blood gushed out from her mouth.
"Were you trying to mess things up" another blurted grabbing her hair as he pulled it hard.
"Please, I'm sorry, tell me what you need, and I'll give you" she pleaded feeling scared for her life.
"You almost messed up, and you need to be punished" another chimed in with blazing eyes.
"Now before we begin we've got some questions for you, and you need to be honest"
Lucia swallowed hard, her vision blurred . "You won't get anything from me," she spat, forcing her voice strong. "You better let me go, or—"
"Or what?" the other man sneered, stepping closer. "You think we care about your threats? Let me show you how we handle disrespect around here."
Before Lucia could react, he lunged forward, grabbing her hair again and yanking her head back, exposing her throat. She yelped, a cry of pain echoing in the empty room.
"Stop!" she screamed, her voice ringing out like a desperate plea.
The first man stepped forward, a gleaming blade appearing in his hand. "You see, Lucia, we're not here to play nice,let's just say the alternative would be very unpleasant."
She felt fear gripping her as the man grabbed the hilt tighter.
"I've told you, I don't know anything!" Her voice broke, but she held her ground, refusing to give in to the fear that threatened to swallow her whole.
The men exchanged glances, the glimmers of amusement flashing in their eyes. "Oh, I think you do," the man said, drawing closer. He pressed the blade against her skin, a trickle of fear flowing down her spine.
Her resolve began to crack under the weight of terror. The blade brushed her neck—a whisper against her flesh—and she couldn't help but scream. "No! Please!"
As her cries filled the room, the men continued their torment, using threats and taunts to sap her strength. The pain of their actions twisted her insides. Every jab, every shove, tested her will.
Then, without warning, one of the men pulled out his phone, holding it up for her to see. "Let's make a call to your dear Dad, shall we?"
"No! Don't—" But it was too late. The man pressed a button, and a few moments later, the phone rang, the sound slicing through her panic with an eerie sharpness.
"Hello?" came the gruff voice of Congressman Kenneth. "Lucia? Is that you?"
The masked man smirked, placing the phone on speaker so that Lucia's frantic cries were broadcast to the other end. "Daddy, help! They're going to—" She was cut off by the man pressing his hand over her mouth, silencing her.
"Listen closely, Congressman," the man spat, his voice laced with malice. "Your daughter is in our hands now. If you want to see her again, you might want to cooperate. All we need is a little cooperation… and maybe some money for our trouble."
Kenneth's voice trembled with a mix of anger and desperation. "What do you want? I can arrange anything, just please don't hurt her!"
Lucia's heart ached at the sound of her father's distress. "You sick bastards!" she screamed against the man's hand. "You'll pay for this! I swear I will kill you all if anything happens to my daughter!" Kenneth roared, his authority diminished but still firm.
"Love your passion, Congressman, but tread carefully. Don't even think about calling the cops, or she will be dead" another warned
With that, he abruptly hung up, throwing the phone to the ground, where it shattered into pieces. "Now that we've made our introductions, let's get back to business"
Lucia shook her head furiously, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't let fear take over; she had to stay strong for her family and for herself. "You will never get away with this," she vowed, narrowing her eyes, despite the tears coursing down her face.
Her engagement is in just two weeks, and here she was stucked with this men with no hope.
Then, she noticed a figure walking toward her, obscured by the shadows as it approached. The woman moved with a chilling confidence, her silhouette growing sharper with every step. Lucia's pulse quickened as she strained to recognize the face emerging from the darkness.
As the woman drew nearer, Lucia squinted, her breath hitching in her throat. "You… I know you!" she exclaimed, terror and recognition swirling within her.
A mix of emotions crossed the woman's face—smug satisfaction, a trace of something darker. Lucia had seen this woman before but She couldn't place how she knew her, but something deep within told her this woman was a threat.
"i think I've seen you somewhere" Lucia managed to say, pointing a trembling finger. "What do you want? Why are you doing this?"
The woman's lips curled into a sly smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Oh, darling, you have no idea how much fun we're going to have together," she said, her voice dripping with malice.
Lucia's heart raced. "You're working with them!" The realization hit her like a fist to the gut. "You're part of the—"
"Wait, the woman Diego is seeing" Lucia exclaimed,her eyes opened realizing the figure standing before her.
But before she could finish, Diana lunged forward. In one swift motion, she delivered a heavy punch directly to Lucia's face. The force of the blow knocked the breath from Lucia's lungs, sending her sprawling back against the cold concrete floor. Stars danced across her vision, and before she could process anything else, darkness enveloped her once more.
---
After some moments she regained her consciousness to again,But the throbbing pain in her jaw brought her back to the horrifying reality. She blinked rapidly, trying to steady her mind. It was then she noticed Diana, pacing slowly, her back turned. Lucia drew in a shaky breath, recognizing the urgency of her situation.
"Why are you doing this?" Lucia croaked, her voice a fragile whisper.
The woman paused, slowly turning around with that same wicked smile. "You'll understand soon enough. You're sitting in a delicate web, my dear, and every strand is about to be pulled. Your father? He's too powerful for his own good. But power comes at a price."
"You stole my man away from me, you crazy bitch" Diana roared.
Lucia's felt like a pawn in a twisted game—"You're nothing but a coward!" she spat, her spirit defiantly trying to resurface. "You think hitting me will make me break?, Diego was never your's to begin, just you wait and watch me get married to him"
Diana laughed hard "Oh, I don't need to break you; I just need you to cooperate. You see, I work for people who can make things very unpleasant for you… and for your family."
Lucia's chest tightened. The scope of her situation deepened; it wasn't just her at stake. Her father, her entire family, was in danger. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice steadying with forced resolve.
"Forget about Diego,tell your parents you don't want want to get married Lucia, don't think about going back on your words cause I'll always come for you"
Desperation clawed at Lucia's throat. The last thing she wanted was to betray her father, but the agony of her positioning weighed heavily on her.
The woman narrowed her eyes. "You will. And if you don't, I'll make sure your father hears you scream every day until he caves."
Lucia wanted to scream back, to throw every insult she could muster, but the reality of the threat loomed larger than her defiance. How long could she hold out? She was just one woman against the tide of merciless conspirators.
With that thought lingering, she felt another rush of anger surge through her. It fueled her determination to survive, to protect her family at all costs. Despite the pain coursing through her body and the fear tugging at her mind, she resolved to find a way to escape and to warn her father.
"Let me go, and I'll give you what you want," Lucia bargained, though the words felt foreign on her tongue.
"Just in case you forget,I will send this through the media" Diana said showing her a video of Lucia in bed with a man half dressed.
"Just imagine #The congress daughter having some little fun" Diana mocked
"How the hell did you get that video, you psycho" Lucia shouted in disbelief
The woman regarded her with a calculating gaze. "Interesting proposition. But I think we'll have some fun first. After all, the game has just begun."
"Don't think about mentioning me to your father or else, your's and his career will be doomed" Diana threatened.
"Fine, I'll leave Diego, just don't upload that video, please I beg you" Lucia begged.
"I will,if only you're willing to cooperate" Diana responded with a smirk appearing.
"Diego is mine, and I won't lose him to a whore like you"
"Guys give her some little torture" Diana finally uttered walking away as she could hear the Lucia screaming in pain,a triumphant smile was plastered on her face.