"Abducted"

Back to the present

August 2nd, 2025

At Ruth's villa - 2:13 AM

Ian jolted awake with a hoarse gasp, his chest heaving, lungs starving for air. Panic instantly seized his body as he realized he couldn't move.

His mouth was tightly gagged, and coarse ropes bit into his wrists and ankles, securing him to the queen-sized bed beneath him. Sweat soaked his clothes, and his heart pounded like war drums in his chest.

His entire body trembled with a mix of confusion, fear, and a gut-wrenching sense of dread.

The room was dimly lit with soft red hues, casting eerie shadows on the ornate walls. Velvet curtains were drawn tight over the windows, blocking out any hope of the outside world.

It was quiet, too quiet, except for the sound of distant waves crashing against the shore. Ian scanned the room as much as his restricted movement allowed.

His eyes widened in horror.

Jayden.

Jayden sat unconscious and bloodied in a wooden chair in the far corner of the room. His face was bruised, blood dripping from a deep gash above his left brow. His head lolled to one side.

He, too, was tightly bound by thick ropes and gagged. Ian tried to scream, tried to wake him up, his muffled cries drowned out by the cruel silence.

Then, the door creaked.

Slow. Deliberate.

It swung open, and in she walked.

Ruth.

She stepped into the room like a goddess of ruin, draped only in a transparent pink bathrobe that shimmered with each sway of her hips. Her long black hair spilled over her shoulders like ink, her face wearing a smile too wide, too twisted. It was the smile of someone who had lost all grip on sanity, replaced only with obsession.

Her eyes locked on Ian.

"You're awake," she purred, her voice soft, melodic, and deeply unsettling. "Did you have a nice nap, baby?"

Ian's body tensed. His eyes filled with tears, not out of physical pain, but mental exhaustion. He was so fucking tired. So done. His body screamed for rest, his mind begging for peace, but Ruth - Ruth was chaos personified.

She stepped closer, and Ian instinctively tried to crawl backward despite being bound. She giggled, enjoying his futile attempt.

"Oh no, don't do that," she cooed, kneeling next to the bed, trailing her fingers along the outline of his cheek. Her touch was ice. "You should be happy. We're finally alone. No other woman, no job, no lies. Just you and me. Like we were always meant to be."

Ian's eyes darted toward Jayden. Ruth noticed.

Her smile faded.

She turned her head slowly, her eyes narrowing at Jayden's slumped form. "Oh. Him?" she said, her voice dipping into something cold and soulless. "He's dead, baby. There's nothing you can do about it."

Ian screamed behind the gag.

Dead?

His breath hitched. Panic closed in like a vice. His heart was beating so hard, he thought it might explode. Ruth's voice buzzed in his ears like a wasp.

"You should've never rejected me," she whispered. "You broke me, Ian. You tore me apart. But I'll forgive you. I'll love you so hard, so deep, you'll forget every other woman. Even her."

Ellie.

Ian's mind screamed her name. Where was she? Had she escaped? Was she alive?

Ruth chuckled, as if reading his thoughts.

"Unfortunately for me, your bitch escaped," she hissed, venom in her voice.

Then she smiled again. "But don't worry, I'll find her. Later. Tonight is about us." She added.

She stood back up and let the pink robe slip off her shoulders.

Ian turned his head away, trying not to cry, trying not to vomit.

"I will show you how much I love you, Ian," Ruth whispered, climbing on the bed.

Then..

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Ruth froze.

A furious snarl etched itself on her face.

"WHAT?!" she screamed.

The muffled voice behind the door replied: "Kawasaki-sama, your father-in-law is here."

Silence. Heavy. Oppressive.

Ian blinked, confused. Father-in-law?

Ruth's breath hitched. She stood up, her beautiful but terrifying figure silhouetted in the red light.

Her face twisted into rage and conflict.

Then she looked at Ian, still tied, gagged, trembling.

She smiled. "We'll continue this later, baby. I promise."

She picked up her robe and walked to the door.

Ian watched her leave.

As the door clicked shut, the room was silent again.

Ian turned toward Jayden. A part of him still hoped.

He tried to inch closer, tears falling freely.

But Jayden didn't move.

Not even once.

He just sat there.

Limp.

Cold.

Blood dried on his face like war paint.

Ian closed his eyes and screamed into the gag.

And the sound of distant thunder filled the room.