9
“The VP suddenly stopped responding a
couple of days ago. Then, one day, he sent a
message saying he had to go out of the
く
country on business. I couldn’t find any plane
tickets. I usually book everything, so I knew
something was wrong. I asked the police to
check his location, but it turned out that he
never left. Now we’re freaking out, afraid
something happened to him.”
When the assistant told me all this, I calmed
down and started thinking clearly.
Luke wouldn’t vanish for no reason. He’d
probably been kidnapped.
That theory was quickly confirmed.
The assistant got a ransom demand.
Jake’s family found out, too, and Jake’s dad
took charge, which sent a clear message that
Luke was one of them. The family would pay
the ransom, as long as he was released and
not hurt.
Just as I was losing it, someone sent me an
anonymous tip.
[Luke is being held at the old Westside
docks.]
It could be a trap, but I had to take the risk.
The docks.
When I got there, the warehouse was empty.
Just as I was about to write it off, Mandy
showed up.
く
She was a wreck.
“Brooke. You’re here.”
She’d sent the message.
She pulled a knife on me, but the cops rushed
out and tackled her.
I’d called the police before coming.
They’d told me not to be an idiot, but I’d
insisted. I couldn’t lose him.
We’d worked out a plan on the way.
The cops would hide, and I’d be the bait.
I was surprised to see Mandy, but now, I
く
needed to get the information out. My
presence was unbearable for her.
“Mandy, did Jake kidnap Luke? Tell me what
you know.”
Mandy was wild–eyed. “I’m not telling you
anything. I won’t be happy if you are!”
She was a nutcase.
But the police got what they needed.
She’d recorded the whole thing, Jake hiring
someone to kidnap Luke.
She also had a recording of Jake beating her.
It turned out she hadn’t been carrying Jake’s
baby. After Jake’s return to his family was
<
Mandy. If Luke died, he’d be next in line to
inherit.
So he’d planned the kidnapping, and Mandy
had secretly recorded it all to use against
him.
Soon, the police found Luke’s location.
Hearing that his plan was blown, Jake flipped
out. When the police arrived, the basement
where Luke was being held was already on
fire.
The flames were huge.
I was terrified.
く
I didn’t think. I just charged into the inferno.
I’d fallen for Luke hard.
After I heard that someone had run away, I
decided that it was Luke, and that made me
cry a lot. I ran after them! What was the point
of even doing that??
Seeing me run inside, the cops dragged me
back out.
I was sobbing.
Someone handed me a tissue.
I didn’t take it and just kept crying.
“Did you miss me?”
く
A familiar voice.
I froze.
It was Luke.
“Cry so ugly, but I love it.”
He was still crying so loudly.
Looking into his eyes, I cried harder. “You’re
not dead! Why didn’t you say something? I
was so scared!”
Before the police arrived, Luke had already
been rescued by bodyguards the assistant
had brought. They’d barely made it out before
the basement exploded, causing all the chaos.
That’s why I hadn’t seen him
<
That’s why I hadn’t seen him.
I hugged him tight.
He chuckled and patted my head. “Be my girlfriend?”
“Yes.”
A week later.
The video Mandy had recorded was enough
to nail Jake.
She was too crazy to testify, but the video did
the trick.
<
Jake got seven years.
If Jake’s mom hadn’t pulled strings and if
Jake’s family had not wanted their dirty linen.
out to dry, he wouldn’t have been sentenced
to that term.
Afterward, the family tried to woo Luke back,
saying he was perfect to be the heir.
Luke turned them down.
To get away from it all, he took me far away.
Years later, we settled in a small European
country.
We were happy.
Aside from
Aside from occasionally hearing about what
was happening back home from my friend.
After getting out of prison, Jake tried to get
back in his family, but no one paid attention.
His mom snuck him some money, but he
squandered it and borrowed from loan sharks.
His family didn’t want to pay his debts,
because they’d found some genius to take
the lead, and he was no longer important to
them.
My family went bankrupt, and my brother
became a wage slave. My parents were still
looking for me. Hearing that I was with Luke,
they wanted me to help them out.
Mandy was still locked up in a mental
institution.
L
They all seemed to be suffering.
Eventually, I stopped asking about them, and
my friend got the hint.
I was content.
Not consumed by hate.
I had a husband who loved me and adorable
kids.
Like I said.
This time, I was living the dream.
I woke up.
It was a great day to be alive.
Perfect.
