Hanging by the thread

Alexandria's POV

Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, rustling the dry leaves that clung stubbornly to their branches. Moonlight streamed through the penthouse windows, casting shadows across the sleek wooden floor. While everywhere was calm and serene. Tossing in my sleep, my brows furrowed as I was pulled into a dream—no, a memory furrowed in the grip of a dream that pulled me back to a time I would never have forgotten, a memory so vivid it felt like it was happening all over again.

I was tired from the constant business trips and craving nothing but rest. But that night, rest never came. My flight had barely touched the ground when I descended to find Ian pacing around like a lost shepherd.

For a moment, I stood frozen, gripping my suitcase so hard my knuckles turned white. Gone? That was impossible. How could she be gone?

"She had ten elite guards watching her," I said, my mind spinning. "How?" Ian hesitated.

 "It wasn't an ordinary attack.'' I didn't have time for riddles. 

"Where was she last seen?" I asked, shoveling my suitcase at my panicked assistant. My fingers flew over my phone, dialing the emergency line before Ian could respond.

"The Coyle estate." I stiffened

Ian's gaze wavered "Alex, I think you should know something." He hesitated for a second. "Samantha is behind it all." His words sent ice through my veins.

Samantha? The one she loved most? Her younger sister? I couldn't have seen this coming. A cold laugh escaped my lips, but there was no humor in it. I had seen betrayal in many forms, but this? My heart pounded in my ears. One moment, the next, she looked like someone who had just walked out of a horror movie.

"Find her," I ordered, forcing my voice to remain steady. "Dead or alive, I want her found." 

But Ian didn't move."There's more," he said, and this time, his voice trembled. "She wasn't just taken. They were hired to kill her."And just like that, the air turned ice cold. I clenched my fist. They dared. A storm brewed inside me, but I swallowed it down. My breathing was steady, but inside, I was anything but calm. My mind swarmed with questions, none of which had answers.

"Find her and..." The words lodged in my throat. My vision blurred. The world spun.

Standing on the penthouse balcony, I stared out at the city, the skyline glittering under the night sky. But there was no peace within me. Not when her life hung by a thread, and I couldn't do anything about it. I called everyone I could. 

My phone finally beeped, Ian's name flashing on the screen."Yes, hello?" I picked up instantly. "We found her. But, Alex, you need to see this." His voice sent a chill down my spine. She was either gone or close to it. But not under my watch. She can't die. Not like this. Not for them.

"Spill it." I barely breathed. "She's hanging by the thread... Samantha came to bid her farewell." Of course, the brat came to supervise her work. How thoughtful.

Ian hesitated. "Should we.." I laughed.

"No. What's the hurry? Ash should be there to watch her crumble." My voice was a whisper of venom. "Take her to the clinic. I'm on my way." I drove like a demon through the night, the city lights blurring past. The forest roads were darker, the air thick with silence, as if the world itself was holding its breath. She can't die. Not now. Not yet.

"Ashley, you can't leave me. I refuse to let you go." The words laced within me like a relic. The underground clinic came into view. I parked and stormed inside. The nurses were waiting. I burst through the doors and stopped cold. 

Ashley lay on the operating table, tubes and wires tangled around her fragile body. Her once-bright skin was ghostly pale. Her lips, once always curled in that mischievous smirk, were bloodless and still. The machines beeped in warning. Her vitals were fading. And then…flatline, Her hand slipped from mine. The room stilled. She was gone. I knew it. No.No, no, no. I grated my teeth. "Restart it." The nurses hesitated. "Doctor. Hale, she's…"

"I said restart it!" I shoved past them, pressing my hands against her chest. I was a doctor. I knew the truth. The wounds were fatal. But I didn't care. She wasn't leaving me. I pumped her chest. Again. Again. Again. Death could take anyone but her. I didn't stop. I dared not. Because my life—my entire world—lay cold and still before me. The nurses tried to pull me away, but I fought them off. I wasn't letting go. I wasn't them, and I refused to let go. 

"Breathe, damn you," I growled, my voice cracking. I didn't stop. Not when my arms burned. Not when the nurses begged me to let go. And then… A beep.Another. A gasp.

Her honey-brown eyes fluttered open. For a moment, she stared at me, dazed, lost. And then, realization dawned in those exhausted eyes. I exhaled, a breath of relief and madness. She had come back, but at what cost? I leaned in, my voice sharp as a blade. "You will be trained. Molded. Shaped into something worthy of the price I just paid to save your life." She stared at me, weak, lost

"You think you've seen cruelty? You know nothing of true suffering.'' I let out everything—all my anger, my pain, my love—at once. I leaned closer, my voice low, unyielding. "You think this is over?" My lips curled into something cruel. I let out a slow breath, my emotions bleeding through. The rage. The agony. The love."You belong to me now." Her breathing hitched.

"Listen carefully." My voice was low, unrelenting: "I am Alexandria Hale—your benefactor, your owner, and your worst nightmare. Ashley barely breathed. "In the Hale household, you are no longer who you used to be. Your past life? Your name? None of it matters. I leaned in closer, whispering my final sentence like a promise."

"You are now my wife." Ashley stiffened, her brows furrowing in disbelief.

"Welcome to hell, Mrs. Ashley Hale." ….

I woke up with a gasp. Sweat drenched my skin, my heart pounding against my rib cage, longing, and sorrow consuming me. I squeezed the duvet tightly, and the night terrors never faded. Neither did the pain. The pain of almost losing her, the hurt of watching her die before my very eyes. I took deep breaths, my eyes determined by a silent vow.

They would pay. That I swore.