Chapter 1

"This is my first story, please give it a chance. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Happy reading!"

"Okay, don't worry," I said while closing the cafe door.

Leaving the cafe where I worked, I headed toward the bus stop at the end of the street. I was studying and working at the same time. My class was about to start soon, and since the professor was very strict, I had left early to avoid being late. The bus arrived just as I reached the stop; luck seemed to be on my side today. Finding an empty seat, I sat down, put on my headphones, and played one of my favorite songs. Once seated, the depth of my exhaustion finally hit me.

As the bus stopped, I emerged from my musical daze to check my surroundings. Luckily, my stop was the next one. A wave of panic washed over me, fearing I had missed it, but I took a deep breath to steady myself. I didn't want to be late; missing the three-hour block lecture would be a nightmare. Packing my headphones and phone into my bag, I stood up and moved toward the exit. The bus was packed compared to when I first boarded. I pressed the stop button and waited.

Once at the stop, I practically threw myself out of the stuffy, overcrowded bus. I shook my head; it was only a few stops, but if I had stayed on any longer, the lack of air would have been suffocating. I started walking toward the school.

As I neared the entrance, a large black minibus stopped beside me. I hadn't paid it any mind, assuming it belonged to one of the many students at this private university. Suddenly, a few men jumped out of the dark, tinted vehicle. Before I could process what was happening, they grabbed me and threw me inside. It happened in broad daylight, in front of everyone.

A scream ripped from my throat, but one of the men sitting across from me immediately clamped his hand over my mouth. A sharp slap to the face made me cringe in place. Before the sting even faded, they had gagged me. Who were these people? Why were they kidnapping me? A horrifying thought sent shivers down my spine. My entire body was consumed by panic, yet my hands—still free—fought back. There were men on both sides and two across from me. I kicked and shoved, thrashing in the cramped space, trying to escape. It was futile. They quickly overpowered me, binding my hands and feet. I didn't stop struggling, terrified by the thought of what might come next, until a sharp, sudden pain at the nape of my neck plunged everything into darkness.

I don't know how much time passed. When I finally came to, we were still in the car. I tried to move my bound limbs. Through the blindfold, I strained to see my surroundings. The space was dimly lit, and one of the people beside me was snoring. Where was I? Why had they kidnapped me? I didn't come from a wealthy family; there was no ransom to be had. I had nothing—no money, no property. Why was this happening? How many hours had gone by? I had to stay calm; angering them would only make things worse. My hands were sweating, and I couldn't stop my body from trembling. If they intended to assault me, why were we still in the car? It was spacious enough for them to have finished their business and dumped me somewhere by now.

I mumbled as much as the gag allowed. One of the men, apparently awake, spoke up.

"What do you want?"

His voice was neutral—no anger, nothing. That was a good sign, right? I mumbled again. Feeling someone leaning in, I panicked and pressed myself back against the seat. He reached out and lowered the gag to my chin. I took a deep breath and managed to whisper, "Water."

My throat was parched. Even though he didn't reply, the sound of a water bottle clicked in the air.

He pulled the cloth down further. "Drink." The voice was calm and clear. I drank as if I had never tasted water before. He waited a moment, seemingly satisfied with how much I’d had, and pulled the bottle away.

As he pulled the gag back up, I asked, "Where are you taking me?"

Silence. Nothing. The car sank back into an ominous quiet.

I had no idea how much time had passed since we started. I thought about Mine and how she would react when I didn't show up. She must be worried. Had she called the police? If she had, my ID was with me; I could be saved at the first checkpoint. Surely, she had tried calling me. I was certain my phone was in my bag, yet I hadn't heard a single ring for hours. I hoped she would do something soon. Unable to see or speak, the rhythm of the car lulled me toward sleep. Despite my fear, the warmth and silence of the vehicle were overwhelming.

***

POV

A violent jolt threw me from my seat. I realized I had drifted off. How many hours had I been asleep? We were still moving. The ride was rougher now, as if we were on a country road. My entire body shook with terror. No matter how much I tried to force myself to stay calm, I couldn't stop the trembling. I couldn't suppress the dark thoughts flooding my mind.

When we finally stopped, I strained to look around, as if the blindfold would somehow let me see. Everything was pitch black. I didn't know these men, or why they had brought me here. I was forced to just go along with it. One of them untied the blindfold. As I struggled to adjust to the light, they released my hands and mouth. Despite the panic, I couldn't resist stretching; my limbs were stiff from being bound for hours.

I lifted my head to look at them. They were indistinguishable—dark hair, dark eyes, wearing suits as if they were uniforms. Their expressions were as cold as ice. They looked like the lackeys of a mafia boss, which only confirmed they were just following orders. I wanted to etch their faces into my memory, because once I made it out of here alive, I would have a score to settle.

The car door opened. The men beside and across from me stepped out. It was shadowy outside; I couldn't tell if it was dawn or dusk. Then, the man in front grabbed my arm to pull me out. There was no point in struggling. I was a captive in a place I didn't know, held by strangers much stronger than me. I would wait for the right moment to escape, and then I would run without looking back.

My feet touched the dirt. Even though it was early summer, the ground radiated heat as if it had been baking all day. Looking around, I saw a narrow alley—barely wide enough for a car. This wasn't a neighborhood I recognized; the walls were high, and the doors were massive. Given the long drive and the architecture, we must have been deep in the east. One of the men knocked twice on a large, dusty wooden door.

It creaked open. They shoved me forward. Walking inside, I became convinced we were in the East, as I recognized the style from television—a massive mansion with multiple stories and tiered balconies surrounding a courtyard. The garden was filled with men in suits. My eyes darted around, trying to make sense of it all. What did these people want with me?

The courtyard was huge. Directly opposite, a few curious women peeked out. To the right, stairs led upward. On the first-floor balcony, there were two men—one middle-aged and one older. On the second floor, two young women watched me with curious eyes. On the top floor, an older woman stood watching. There were so many people, but what was my place here? I still couldn't find a logical explanation.

"This is the one," one of the men in the garden said.

I shifted my gaze from the old woman to the first-floor balcony. The elderly man stepped closer to the railing, surveying me from head to toe. His disdain was palpable. The other man looked too, but his expression wasn't cold—it was filled with curiosity. Could it be that even he didn't know why I was here? As my eyes flickered between them, the elderly man turned away, his voice booming and firm.

"Take her to the room downstairs."

At his command, they grabbed my arms and began dragging me toward a door on the left side of the garden. My former calm evaporated. I screamed, thrashing with all my might to stop them.

"Who are you people?" I shrieked, my voice cracking. "Why did you bring me here? I don't know you! What do you want from me?"

They didn't listen. They didn't care. I was on the verge of a breakdown. The man threw me into the room and slammed the door shut, locking it behind me.

"Don't be late this evening, dear. We'll be doing the supply list for this month," Mine said.