Chapter 6

Heart racing as she stepped out of the cab and onto the deserted street. The old warehouse stood ugly before her, its cracked walls seemed eerie

She took a deep breath and began to walk towards the entrance, the knife clutched tightly in her hand. As she approached, she noticed that the door was slightly ajar.

"Hello?" She called out, her voice shaking slightly. "Is anyone there?"

There was no response. Laylah pushed open the door and stepped inside, her eyes adjusting slowly to the dim light.

The warehouse was vast and empty, the only sound the creaking of old wooden beams. She moved cautiously, her senses on high alert.

Suddenly, she heard a faint noise coming from the far corner of the warehouse. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized Natalie's voice, weak and frightened.

Laylah began to run towards the sound, the knife held tightly in her hand. She was ready to face whatever lay ahead, determined to save her friend and bring an end to her father's twisted games.

As she went further, the warehouse seemed to grow darker and more menacing. Shadows danced across the walls, making it seem as though she was being watched by unseen eyes.

But Anny didn't let fear take hold of her. She kept her focus on Natalie's voice, following the sound until she saw a faint light in the distance.

She approached it slowly and saw that Natalie was being held in a small, makeshift cell. The walls were made of rusty metal, and the door was padlocked.

Her father stood outside the cell, a sneer on his face. "Welcome, Anny," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "I've been waiting for you."

Laylah's eyes locked onto her father's, her heart filled with a mix of fear and anger. She knew that she had to stay calm if she was going to save her.

"What do you want?" Laylah demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.

Her father chuckled. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I want," he said, his eyes glinting with cruelty. "I want you to suffer. And I want you to know that you'll never be able to escape me."

Her grip on the knife tightened. She knew that she had to act fast if she was going to save Natalie and herself.

Filled with , Laylah charged at Don Marco, the knife flashing in the dim light.

Just as she was about to attack her father, the sound of footsteps echoed through the warehouse. He smiled, and suddenly, a group of guards emerged from the shadows.

"Ah, perfect timing," Marco said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was just about to have a little chat with our guest who has grown too emotional and attached."

The guards moved swiftly, surrounding Laylah and seizing her arms. She struggled against them, but they were too strong.

"Let me go!" She shouted, trying to break free.

He chuckled. "I don't think so, Annabella," he said, his eyes glinting with triumph. "You see, I've been planning this little reunion for a long time. And now, you're going to have to play by my rules."

The guards dragged her away, throwing her into a dark, damp cell. She landed hard on the cold floor, the knife slipping from her grasp.

As the door slammed shut behind her, she realized that she was trapped. Her father had won, and she was at his mercy.

But she refused to give up. She knew that she had to find a way to escape, no matter what it took. She began to feel her way around the cell, searching for any weakness or opportunity to break free but fell unconscious as a guard she recognized as "Bullet " step on her hands with his boots.

Laylah's eyes fluttered open, her mind foggy and disoriented. She was lying on a cold, metal table, her wrists and ankles bound by thick straps.

Suddenly, a wave of water crashed over her face, flooding her nostrils and mouth. Laylah gagged, her body convulsing in a desperate bid for air.

The waterboarding continued, relentless and merciless. Her tormentor, Don Marco henchman, loomed over her, his face twisted into a cruel grin.

"Agree to marry the young mister, and this will all stop," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

Her mind recoiled in horror. Marry Ray? The man her father had chosen for her? The man who had tormented her for years?

But the waterboarding continued, wearing her down, breaking her spirit. Her thoughts grew cloudy, her resolve crumbling beneath the relentless torture.

Finally, in a desperate bid to end the agony, she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," she croaked. "I'll marry him."

The waterboarding stopped, and she lay there, gasping for air, her body fully in pain.

"You have a great endurance to pain... Seems our training in the past paid off. " He grinned.

He was one of her cruel trainers in the past.

As she lay on the table, her body weak and battered, she summoned every last ounce of strength to speak.

"I'll marry him," she whispered, "but only if you let Natalie go."

The henchman raised an eyebrow, seemingly taken aback by Laylah's condition. He nodded curtly.

"Deal," he growled, stepping away from the table.

Her eyes never left his face as he pulled out a phone and dialed a number. After a brief conversation, he nodded and turned back to her.

"Natalie is being released," he said gruffly. "But remember, Laylah, you belong to us now. You'll do exactly as you're told, or Natalie will suffer the consequences."

Laylah's heart sank at the threat, but she knew she had no choice. She had to protect Natalie, no matter what it cost her. With a heavy heart, she nodded her agreement.

Her wrists and ankles were bound by heavy chains, the cold metal biting into her skin. She was dragged out of the warehouse, thrown into the back of a truck, and surrounded by her father's guards.

The truck's engine roared to life, and she felt a jolt as it began to move. She was thrown against the side of the truck, her chains clanking against the metal floor.

One of the guards, a burly man with a cruel grin, leaned over her. "You're going to make a beautiful bride," he sneered, his breath hot against her face.

She turned away, her stomach churning with nausea. She knew she had to escape, but for now, she was trapped.

As the truck rumbled on, her mind raced with thoughts of Natalie's safety and her own desperate situation. She knew she had to think clearly and come up with a plan if she was going to survive.

As the truck continued on its journey, Laylah's thoughts turned to Ray, the man she was being forced to marry. She had always dreaded the thought of being tied to him, and now it seemed like a nightmare come true.

The truck suddenly screeched to a halt, throwing her against the side. The guards jumped out, pulling her with them.

Laylah blinked in the bright sunlight, taking in her surroundings. They were at the large, cream colored mansion, surrounded by lush gardens and a high wall.

The guards dragged her towards the entrance, where a tall, imposing figure waited. It was Ray, his eyes gleaming with triumph as he gazed at Anny.

"Welcome, my dear," he said, his voice soft . "I've been waiting for you sweetheart."

Her mother, elegantly dressed in a designer dress, rushed forward, tears streaming down her face. "Anny, my darling!" she exclaimed, opening her arms wide.

But she recoiled, struggling out of her mother's embrace. "Don't touch me!" she screamed, her eyes blazing with anger and hurt.

Rose's face fell, but she tried again, reaching out to stroke her hair. "Annabella, I'm so sorry. I had no choice. Your father—"

Laylah jerked away, her chains clanking. "You always have a choice, Mother," she said bitterly. "And you always choose him, no matter what he does to me."

Her mother's eyes welled up with tears again, but she turned away, her heart hardened against the woman who had failed to protect her.