Heart pounding against his ribcage, Ray instinctively tugged at the ropes binding him. They wouldn’t yield. The silky material felt soft against his skin, yet it held him captive with an unyielding grip, almost taunting him with its deceptive gentleness.
His muscles strained against the restraints, and the friction only served to heighten his frustration. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to stay calm, but anxiety crept up his spine like a cold hand, tightening its grip around his throat.
"Soone..." His voice erged as a hoarse whisper, the sound foreign to his ears. He cleared his throat, desperation lending urgency to his tone. "Is soone there?"
Silence.
The absence of any reply felt suffocating, pressing down on him like a heavy blanket. Panic flared in his chest as questions spiraled in his mind. Where am I? Who has taken ? And why the hell am I here?
Ray inhaled deeply, attempting to gather his thoughts. Panic wouldn’t help him now; he needed to think clearly. Closing his eyes beneath the blindfold, he concentrated, desperately trying to reach out with his mind.
Es? Es!
But the silence continued, thick and impenetrable. No response ca, no familiar warmth flooded his consciousness, no connection to her reassuring presence. It felt as if a vast chasm had opened up between them, severing the telepathic bond they’d cultivated over years, leaving him isolated in a terrifying void.
His heart sank, a deep sense of dread washing over him. This had never happened before. They had always been connected, two minds intertwined, able to reach each other in monts of crisis. But now... nothing.
He pressed his lips together, suppressing the rising tide of fear that threatened to overwhelm him. I have to stay rational. I can’t lose my mind now. Forcing himself to breathe slowly, Ray retraced his steps in his mory, searching for the mont that had led him here.
He rembered the last few minutes of his life before everything went dark. The phone call about the flat tire had seed innocent enough. Yes, he had been on his way to et Es when the unexpected news arrived. Sitting in the backseat of the car, he had been restless, tapping his fingers against the leather upholstery, impatiently checking the ti.
Then Joe, his secretary, had approached him. The smile on Joe’s face had felt slightly off, almost too wide, stretching across his features like a mask.
"president called," Joe had said casually, his tone deceptively calm. Ray had felt a rush of relief, eager to hear from Es. But as he reached for his phone, everything changed in an instant.
Joe had pulled out a small canister, spraying sothing into Ray’s face. The world had spun out of control, darkness enveloping him, and he could still recall the chilling grin on Joe’s lips—a twisted expression that hinted at malicious intent—as the darkness claid him.
Ray’s blood ran cold. Joe wasn’t just a secretary; he was a traitor, soone who had carefully orchestrated this mont, planned every detail with chilling precision.
But why? What could Joe possibly want from him?
Ray’s anger simred within him, a hot knot of self-recrimination. How could he have been so foolish? Es had warned them ti and again to only bring people they knew and trusted. Yet, in his blind confidence, he had brought Joe along—soone he didn’t even recognize. Hadn’t he noticed that she was a stranger in their midst, soone who had never been in their office or at any company event?
As the realization sank in, a wave of guilt crashed over him. If only he had paused to think for a mont, he might have noticed the absence of their usual bodyguards and the unusual shift in the vehicle’s arrangents. His carelessness had set off a chain of events that could have been easily avoided.
Lost in his turbulent thoughts, Ray barely registered the soft but deliberate sound of footsteps approaching. They echoed against the marble floor, a rhythmic click that told him he was no longer alone. His heart raced as he strained to identify the visitor, recognizing the distinct sound of a woman’s heels.
The door creaked open, and a figure stepped into the room, the light spilling in to reveal her silhouette. She moved with purpose, crossing the threshold and closing the door behind her with a soft click. As she approached, the tension in the air thickened, and Ray felt his stomach tighten with anticipation and dread.
Soon, the woman stood directly in front of Ray, and the blindfold wrapped tightly around his eyes left him disoriented. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind and piece together who she might be. Then, like a sudden revelation, he caught a familiar scent—the heady fragrance of jasmine. It was unmistakable, a scent that lingered in his childhood mories, often associated with his father’s affection for flowers.
His heart raced as realization struck him; this was the scent of his second aunt. The recognition sent a chill coursing through his body, and he felt a rush of conflicting emotions. She was here, in this dimly lit room, and it seed she knew exactly who he was.
"Hello, Ray. Long ti no see," she greeted, a smile curling on her lips that was both welcoming and unsettling.
Her voice sent tremors of fear coursing through him, and he instinctively recoiled, backing away from her presence. "Aunt, what are you doing?" he shouted, his voice strained with panic. "How dare you kidnap ? Let go right now!"
He struggled against the ropes binding his wrists, desperation clawing at him. His mind raced, attempting to process the situation. This was not just a family reunion; this was a nightmare. As he backed further away, the tension in the room grew palpable, his heart pounding in rhythm with his rising fear.
"Ray, you need to listen to ," she said, her tone shifting slightly. The warmth in her voice was undercut by a seriousness that made him uneasy. "There’s more at stake here than you understand."
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