Chapter 246
Emberfall.
For days, Alexander Ramirez had barely slept. Meetings ran back to back, all
centered around the acquisition deal, and he was running on less than four hours of sleep each night.
Right after a noon meeting, Alexander stepped into the hallway. Aaron Lee rushed over, his face tense and urgent.
“Mr. Ramirez, Ms. Watson is missing. While you were in the meeting, Mr. Ward called. His team lost her p>
Alexander’s expression turned grim. He checked his watch. “How many more meetings do I have today p>
“We’re in the final phase of the acquisition. There are a few left, but you don’t need to be at all of them,” Aaron replied.
“Alright.” Alexander was already heading for the elevator. “Call the airline. Get the jet ready to leave as soon as possible p>
“Yes, Mr. Ramirez p>
Natalie drifted back to consciousness, her mind foggy, head pounding, and vision out of focus.
As things sharpened, dread hit her. She was trapped in a pitch-black, sealed room that reeked of mold and decay. She had no idea how long she’d been out, or if it was day or night outside.
The last thing she remembered was being in the restroom at the coffee shop. A stranger had drugged her.
She tried to sit up, but her wrists and ankles were tied tight. A helpless whimper escaped her lips.
Suddenly, the sound of wheels scraping against the floor echoed through the darkness, getting closer. A wheelchair rolled into the weak light, the noise jarring in the silence.
Natalie looked up. The face coming into focus was one she knew.
Benjamin White sat in the wheelchair, dressed in clothes that hung off him, his smile twisted and cruel, eyes lit with a wild, vengeful satisfaction.
“You’re finally awake.” His voice was cold and raw, scraping through the thick air. “Do you remember what you and Alexander Ramirez did to me? Today, you’re going to pay for it p>
Natalie’s mind snapped back to that
night. She’d been cornered by a creep, and Benjamin had pretended to be her savior but ended up attacking her himself. She’d been drugged then, too, barely able to stay conscious. Alexanderh had shown up just in time. Natalie never“ knew exactly what happened after, just that Benjamin had landed in the hospital and his name was dragged through the mud.
“Do you know what you did to me? I can’t walk anymore. My life is over. I can’t even show my face in public.” Benjamin’s voice was shaking with rage, his eyes burning with hate.
Natalie glared at him, trying to keep her fear at bay, though her body was trembling. “Benjamin, kidnapping me is a crime. Do you really want to find out what prison is like p>
He laughed, harsh and bitter. “A crime? What more can they do to me? I’ve already lost everything. You and Alexander destroyed me, so I’m going to make sure you know how that feels p>
He signaled, and two thugs stepped out of the shadows. One of them was the man who drugged her. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ~net
He reached for her clothes, trying to
rip them away. Natalie thrashed, shouting, “No, please, don’t!
Benjamin, everything that happened to you, you brought on yourself! This is your fault p>
Her screams bounced off the walls as the other man pinned her down, keeping her from moving.
Benjamin watched it all, his smile
dark and satisfied. “Go ahead,
scream. The louder, the better. I
know you’re Alexander Ramirezionet
ex-wife and he’s not even in
vels
Cabinda right now. Who’s going to save you p>
“Enjoy it while you can, Natalie Watson p>