Kidnapped

I splashed water on my face at the bathroom sink, but no amount of it could wash away the searing pain in my chest. Jason had always been my rock—before and after my parents' death. He had promised me a life filled with happiness and love, but...

Another wave of tears cascaded down my cheeks, each drop a reminder of my shattered trust.

I never imagined he could be so deceitful. He had chosen Jennifer—the town's infamous gold-digger, flitting from one wealthy man to another—over me. My reflection in the mirror stared back, pitiful and broken, my eyes red and swollen, my lips trembling.

Letting the betrayal consume me, I cried harder, my fists pounding against the wall in anguish, each thud echoing my despair.

"Mind if I come in?"

"Huh?" I spun around, startled by the unfamiliar voice. Standing at the doorway was the most handsome man I had ever seen. His piercing blue eyes sparkled like rare diamonds, and his chiseled jawline was perfection itself. He stood tall, his muscular frame making me feel small and insignificant in comparison. He wore a tailored black suit that hugged his broad shoulders and tapered down to his slim waist, the crisp white shirt beneath contrasting sharply with the dark fabric. A sleek black tie completed the ensemble, and polished dress shoes gleamed under the dim light, giving him an air of sophistication and confidence.

"If you keep crying like that, you'll run out of tears," he joked, a charming smile breaking across his face, revealing a warmth that momentarily pierced through my sorrow.

To my surprise, a soft chuckle escaped my lips. Amidst all my pain, this stranger had managed to make me laugh, if only for a moment.

"Darling, you're a belle—beautiful like the twinkling stars. But these tears? They're ruining your dress and makeup. Don't cry over a breakup. He wasn't the right one for you." He reached into his pocket, producing a pristine white linen handkerchief, and offered it to me with a gentle flourish. "Here, dry those tears before you start looking ugly."

His soothing words worked like magic. Entranced by this angelic stranger, I hesitantly accepted the handkerchief, my fingers brushing against his as I muttered a soft "thank you." I wiped my face, feeling the warmth of his gaze on me, his grin unwavering.

Something about his smile melted the icy ache in my chest, and I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. But confusion began to creep in—why wasn't he leaving? Why was he still standing there, his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my heart race?

I began to feel lightheaded, my vision blurring as panic set in. "The...cloth...you...what's happening?" I stammered, my voice barely a whisper.

The last thing I saw was his smirk before darkness enveloped me, and I collapsed onto the cold bathroom floor.

---

**Morning**

I woke up with a pounding headache, a chilling cold seeping into my bones. My body felt stiff, and as I tried to move, I realized I was tied up. The room was pitch dark, and I couldn't see a thing.

Panic clawed at my chest, my heart racing. How had I ended up sleeping on the floor? What was happening?

"Hey, girl, no need to make a fuss. There's no going back once you end up here," a voice said in the darkness, smooth yet unsettling.

I froze. I wasn't alone.

Another girl was sobbing quietly, while a third whispered a prayer. My body went numb as the realization hit me—I had been kidnapped.

*I've been kidnapped... I've been kidnapped!*

"No... no, no, NO!" I screamed, struggling against the ropes binding me. Tears streamed down my face as flashes of last night played in my mind—Ash, Alex, Jason... everyone who had been with me just hours ago. How had my life taken such a drastic turn?

"Please, let me go! I don't belong here! Don't hold me captive—please!" I cried, my voice breaking, desperation lacing every word.

"I'm sorry," the voice replied, calm and detached. "But once you're here, there's no going back. Just like you, every girl here was kidnapped. None of us knows where they take the girls. They just... disappear. Your best bet is to stay calm and keep quiet, or you'll be next."

The voice softened. "I'm Robbie. And you are?"

"Araya," I choked out, trembling with fear, my heart racing in my chest.

Robbie patted my back with her elbow, a small attempt at comfort. "It's okay, Araya. All hope isn't lost. Stay strong—you might see your family again someday."

Suddenly, the basement door creaked open. Heavy footsteps echoed in the room as a tall man—easily over six feet and built like a tank—entered. He carried a tractor-like device and sacks. Another man in a white coat followed closely behind him.

My heart sank, dread pooling in my stomach. Fear paralyzed me as the men approached, their presence suffocating. The room filled with cries as they began tearing at the girls' skin, inserting tiny sacks into their bodies.

I braced myself, trembling, but the torture didn't come.

The larger man whispered something to the one in the white coat, who turned and walked toward me. I shrank back, cowering in fear, but he picked me up effortlessly, throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

"Let me go!" I pleaded, kicking and struggling, my heart racing with panic.

He responded with a hard slap across my face, silencing me instantly.

"Don't fight if you want to stay alive," he growled, tying a blindfold over my eyes, the fabric cutting off my vision and plunging me into darkness.

I gave in, my body limp with despair. Fate had sealed my path, and there was nothing I could do to escape.