Campter 29 (1)
Chapter 29 (1)
Abigail
My chest heaved with panic as 1 struggled against the firm grasp of the person who had grabbed me. My body thrashed, still locked in survival mode, as the arms holding ane tightened just enough to keep me from slipping to the floor. I clawed and kicked, my breaths ragged and sharp
“Abigail, stop,” a voice commanded, firm but quiet.
I froze. That voice. It couldn’t be.
Alexander.
“It’s me. Calm down. You’re safe now.”
The words registered slowly in my mind, as if they were coming through a fog. My heart pounded so loudly in my ears that it nearly drowned them out. His voice sent a jolt of disbelief through me. How could it be him? Alexander was in a wheelchair. There was no way he could be here.
1 looked up, trying to see his face, but the darkness around me made that impossible. My frantic breathing slowed slightly, though the confusion stayed. It didn’t make sense. There was no way he could be here.
The rough fabric of a jacket was draped over my shoulders, covering the tattered remains of my blouse. It was warm, carrying the faint scent of expensive cologne, and for a moment, I clung to it as if it were a lifeline. Around me, the chaos continued, the gunfire echoing like thunder. I couldn’t see anything in the suffocating darkness, and the metallic smell of blood filled the air.
I was paralyzed, too afraid to move. If not for the hands holding me, I would have collapsed to the floor and stayed there.
Finally, the gunfire stopped, and an uncomfortable silence settled over the room. My heart was beating like a drum as I tried to understand what had just happened. When I gingerly reached out, the person who had held me was gone. I was alone again. My knees buckled, and I fell to the floor.
I couldn’t explain what had happened even to myself. Had I been hallucinating? Had I become so scared that my brain had desperately made up the experience of Alexander magically coming to my rescue in this horrible situation?
But then I felt the jacket on my shoulders, and I knew it wasn’t a hallucination. Alexander had truly been there. He had saved me. I clutched the jacket around me like a shield, my hands shaking worse than Jello.
The lights flickered back on, painfully bright as I looked around. There were bodies in the room. Still unmoving bodies, with blood trailing away from them. I quickly shut my eyes.
“Abigail!”
The sound of my narne brought my head up, and I saw Conrad rushing toward me, his face pale and etched with worry. Before I could even process what was happening, he reached me and pulled me into his arms. In that
de ду moment, every bit of strength I had been clinging to crumbled. My chest heaved as tears began to pour cheeks. Conrad’s arms pulling me into a tight embrace, and I let myself collapse against him.
The dam broke, and the terror I had kept bottled up, the icy fear that had gripped me from the moment those men took me, finally broke through. I collapsed against him, clutching his shirt as sobs racked my body. His hands ran over my back and shoulders as he whispered soothing words I couldn’t even begin to process. The fear and horror I had been holding back spilled out in waves.
“Shh, you’re safe now,” he whispered, rocking me gently.
Chapter 29 (1)
Somewhere behind me, I heard Susanna’s solibing start afsh. Her cries were loud and desperate, and for a moment, I felt Conrad stiffen. He hesitated, his body shifting slightly as if to turn toward her.
I tensed, expecting him to let go, to run to her like he always did. But he didn’t.
hed nothing I let
His arms tightened around me instead, and he bent down, sweeping me into his arms as if I out a small gasp as he lifted me, but I didn’t protest. I barely registered that he was carrying me in a bridal style. My body felt too drained.
“Susanna,” he said as we passed her, his voice low and controlled, “the doctor will be here soon to check on you.”
1 hid my face against his shirt, my tears still coming. He carried me to his car and helped me into the passenger seat. It was quiet, save for the sound of my muffled sobs. I tried to get myself in check, but I couldn’t stop.
What if Conrad had not been there? What if Alexander hadn’t come at the time he did? Susanna had thrown me to the wolves, and they would have eaten me clean and licked my bones. I would have never been the same.
Conrad didn’t say much, only occasional murmurs of reassurance. His hand rested on my shoulder, rubbing comforting circles as I tried to get control of myself. “Take your time,” he said softly.
I nodded, clutching the tissue he had handed me. My tears finally began to slow, my breathing evening out into shaky gasps. I wiped at my eyes, still unable to fully meet his gaze. When the tears finally subsided, leaving me with puffy eyes and an aching throat, he handed me another bit of handkerchief. I wiped my face, not trusting myself to speak just yet.
Feeling better?” he asked gently, his voice filled with concern.
I nodded again, though I didn’t feel entirely truthful. Better wasn’t the right word–not when my body was still trembling, not when my mind was racing to make sense of everything that had just happened. The fear lingered like a shadow.
Conrad exhaled deeply, leaning back in his seat. His fingers tapped anxiously against the steering wheel before he finally spoke again.
“Abigail…” He paused, as if searching for the right words. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Chapter 20 (2)
Chapter 29 (2)
Abipall
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I turned to him, surprised by the seriousness in his tone. I expression was tight, almost pained. My hands. tightened on the piece of tissue as 1 braced myself for whatever was coming
“When I heard you were in danger…” He trailed off, his voice thick with emotion. He looked away for a moment, his jaw clenched. “I can’t even describe what it felt Hike. I thought-“His voice broke, and he shook his head. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
“Conrad…” I started, my voice trembling, but he held up a Band.
“Please,” he said, his tone pleading. “Just let me finish.!
I closed my mouth, nodding slightly.
He took a deep breath before continuing. “I know I–I’ve been such a fool. I know I’ve hurt you, Abigail. And I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry. But please… just don’t leave me. Not like this. I was trying to protect you–protect everyone.”
My chest tightened at his words. Part of me wanted to believe him, to cling to the hope that he meant it this But the other part of me–the part that had been let down time and time again–stayed silent, wary.
I frowned, confusion joining the lingering fear in my chest Protect me? From what?”
Conrad sighed, as if steeling himself. “I haven’t been hones with you. Not about everything.”
My stomach sank.
time.
He took a deep breath before continuing. “Susanna… she’s not just the person responsible for saving my life. That was only part of the truth.” He hesitated, his hands gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. “She came to me for help after she discovered that Alexander was involved in… illegal dealings. Dangerous ones. She was terrified.”
I stared at him, the words not fully registering, “What are you talking about?”
“She found evidence that he was planning something–something that could hurt her and the family. She begged me to help her, Abigail. She said she didn’t know where else to turn”
The weight of his words made my head spin. How could the Alexander I knew have a hand in anything illegal? This was beyond anything I could have imagined.
“And you believed her?” I asked, my voice shaking.
“I did,” Conrad admitted. “And I was right to. She told me that he found out she knew. That he might… silence her.” He swallowed hard, his voice lowering, “I had to keep her close, to investigate without drawing attention. I couldn’t let him hurt her–or anyone else.”
I blinked at him, stunned. “So, you’ve been protecting her this whole time? That’s why you kept her so clo “Yes,” he said firmly. “I didn’t want to take any chances. I had to keep her safe while I looked into it. But I swear to you, Abigail, my only goal was to protect my family. All of you.”
“Protect us?” I repeated bitterly. “You let her come between us, Conrad. You let her ruin everything.”
His face crumpled, the guilt in his eyes almost unbearable to look at. “I know,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I know I’ve made mistakes. But I never stopped caring about you. About us. You were always my priority, Abigail. I know it didn’t seem like it, but I was trying to protect you, too. I didn’t want you to get dragged
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Chapter 29 (2)
into this.”
“But I was dragged into it,” I said bitterly, the memory of the kidnapping fresh in my mind.
Conrad’s face twisted with guilt. “I know. That’s on me. I should have told you sooner. I should have trusted you I’ve been keeping tabs on Alexander for months. That’s how I found out about the kidnapping so quickly.”
Just the word ‘kidnapping aloud‘ made my eyes sting. Conrad leaned towards me and cradled my cheek gently.” The moment I heard, I came for you. I swear, Abigail, I would have torn the world apart to bring you back.”
Tears welled up in my eyes again, but this time they were just from fear or anger. I didn’t know what to say, how to feel.
“And the kidnapping…” Conrad hesitated, as if bracing himself for my reaction. “It wasn’t random. It was orchestrated.”
I already knew the answer, but I still had to ask. “By who?”
He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and regret. “By Alexander himself.”
