CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Jerome paced back and forth, his mind racing with worry. The wedding had been halted, and the police were involved, but so far, there were no leads on Ava's whereabouts. The fact that she was pregnant made the situation even more dire.

Just as Jerome was starting to lose hope, his phone rang. He snatched it up, his heart racing with anticipation.

"Hello?" he said, his voice tight with emotion.

"Hello," a familiar voice said on the other end of the line. "Have you forgotten me? I'm Julian, the one who's always giving you deals."

Jerome's grip on the phone tightened. "you bastard," he growled. "Where's Ava?"

Julian chuckled, the sound sending a chill down Jerome's spine. "Oh, she's safe... for now," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "But I'm afraid she's going to cost you."

Jerome's eyes narrowed. "What do you want, Julian?" he demanded.

"Well, I think a fair trade would be... $10 million," Julian said, his voice casual, as if he were discussing the weather. "If you can give me that, I'll make sure she is returned to you, safe and sound."

Jerome's face twisted with rage. "You'll never get away with this, Julian," he snarled. "I'll make sure you pay for this."

Julian laughed again. "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots," he said, his voice mocking. "But I think you'll find that I'm not someone to be underestimated."

With that, the line went dead. Jerome was left standing there, his phone still clutched in his hand, his mind reeling with thoughts of Ava and the impossible demand Julian had made.

The room around him erupted into chaos as everyone demanded to know what Julian had said. Jerome took a deep breath, trying to process everything.

"It's okay, I'll get her back," he said, trying to reassure everyone. "I just need to... take care of a few things."

Ava's parents looked at him with worried eyes, but Jerome just shook his head. "I'll handle it," he said, his jaw set in determination.

Meanwhile, Kira was recovering in the hospital, her head throbbing with pain. She was conscious now, but still shaken by the events of the day.

She remembered what had happened "oh ava" she said her voice trembling with worry.

The nurses around tried to calm her down

Jerome's determination only grew. He would do whatever it took to get Ava back, no matter the cost. But as he stood there, his eyes fixed on the phone, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was in over his head.

****************************

ava's eyes blazed with fury as she struggled against the ropes that bound her wrists and ankles. "Let me go!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from shouting. "You'll never get away with this, Julian!"

Julian, however, remained unmoved. He stood with his back to her, his eyes fixed on some point outside the dingy, cramped room. ava's words seemed to bounce right off him, and he didn't even flinch as she continued to rant and rave.

Undeterred, ava redoubled her efforts. She shook and pulled at the ropes, trying to loosen them, but they were tied too tightly. She was trapped, and she knew it.

Julian's patience finally wore thin. He turned to face ava, his eyes flashing with anger. "Shut up," he snarled, striding over to her. "You're not going anywhere."

ava's eyes widened as Julian raised his hand. She tried to dodge, but it was too late. His palm connected with her neck, and she felt a wave of pain wash over her. Her vision began to blur, and she felt herself slipping away.

The last thing ava remembered was Julian's face, twisted in a snarl of rage. Then, everything went black.

Julian stood over ava's limp form, his chest heaving with exertion. He glared down at her, his eyes blazing with fury. How dare she try to escape? Didn't she know who he was?

Slowly, Julian's anger began to dissipate. He took a deep breath, feeling his heart rate slow. He couldn't afford to lose control now. Not when he was so close to getting what he wanted.

With a final glance at Hava's unconscious form, Julian turned and switched off the light. The room plunged into darkness, and he locked the door behind him. He slipped out into the night, disappearing into the shadows like a ghost.

The darkness closed in around ava, and she lay there, lost in a sea of unconsciousness. She was trapped, alone and helpless, with no way to escape. And Julian was still out there, waiting for his chance to strike...

**************************

Jerome sat in his office, surrounded by his team of advisors and the police. Ryan, his trusted friend, was there, along with Police Chief Michaels. They were all discussing the plan to rescue Ava.

Jerome had arranged for the $10 million that Julian had demanded. It was a small price to pay for his wife's safety. He had made millions of dollars through his company, and this was just a drop in the ocean.

"So, here's the plan," Police Chief Michaels explained. "We'll have our team in place, surrounding the area where you'll be meeting Julian. As soon as you hand over the money, we'll move in and arrest him."

Jerome nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. It was a good plan, and he was confident that it would work.

"I like it," Jerome said, standing up. "Let's do it."

Ryan nodded in agreement. "We'll have your back, Jerome. We'll get Ava back, and we'll make sure Julian pays for what he's done."

The police chief nodded, his face set in a determined expression. "We'll have everything in place. Just make the exchange, and we'll take care of the rest."

Jerome took a deep breath, feeling a sense of determination wash over him. He was going to get Ava back, no matter what it took.

Jerome's phone rang, shrill and insistent, cutting through the tension in the room. He looked at the police chief and Ryan, his eyes locking onto theirs for a brief moment before he picked up the phone.

"Hello?" he said, his voice firm and commanding.

Julian's voice came on the line, smooth and menacing. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, No police. If I even suspect that you've involved the authorities, consider your wife dead."

Jerome's eyes narrowed, his grip on the phone tightening. "You'll never get away with this, Julian," he growled.

But Julian just laughed, the sound sending a chill down Jerome's spine. "We'll see about that," he said, and then the line went dead.

Jerome slammed the phone down on the desk, his face twisted in a snarl of frustration. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on some point on the ceiling.

The police chief and Ryan exchanged a worried glance. "What did he say?" the chief asked, his voice low and urgent.

Jerome's eyes snapped back into focus. "He said no police," he repeated, his voice grim. "If i involve the authorities, he'll kill Ava."

Ryan's face set in a determined expression. "We can't back down now, Jerome. We have to get Ava back."

But Jerome was already shaking his head. "I won't risk it," he said, his voice firm. "I'll do whatever it takes to get Ava back."

The police chief's face turned red with anger. "Jerome, you can't just-"

But Jerome cut him off, his voice cold and hard. "I'll do what I have to do. And if that means going alone, then so be it."