Chapter 142
~ Octavia ~
I groaned, a deep, bone-weary sound that echoed in my own ears. My body felt heavy, every muscle protesting as I slowly fluttered my eyes open. The world ca into focus in fragnts—dim light, concrete walls, the sharp bite of plastic restraints cutting into my wrists and ankles. I was strapped to a hard wooden chair, hands twisted painfully behind my back and secured with thick cable ties. The sa cruel bindings held my legs in place. A strip of grey duct tape sealed my mouth, muffling any attempt at sound.
Panic surged through like ice water. I tried to struggle, twisting my body in a desperate bid for freedom, but the more I fought, the weaker I beca. My limbs felt like lead, drained of strength. I couldn’t believe it. The stranger I had t in the hospital park—the one who promised to help regain my mories—had turned out to be dangerous. I rembered the sharp prick on my arm, the sudden dizziness, the way the world had blurred and tilted. I had been drugged. Kidnapped. But why?
Even in my weakened state, I continued to strain against the ties, the plastic digging deeper into my skin. A low, mocking voice cut through the darkness from sowhere ahead of .
"Struggling is pointless, Octavia."
The voice was calm, almost amused, coming from the shadows of what looked like an abandoned room. Only a single bare bulb hung from the ceiling, casting a harsh, sickly glow that left most of the space in deep shadow. I felt rough hands from behind rip the duct tape from my mouth in one swift motion. The sting brought tears to my eyes, but I gasped for air, my lips tingling.
I stared into the darkness where the voice had co from, recognizing it imdiately as the sa man who had approached at the hospital.
"What do you want from ?" I demanded, my voice hoarse and trembling.
"You play an important role in my plan, Octavia," he replied smoothly, still hidden in the shadows.
"Why?" I asked, fear and confusion warring inside .
"Soon, you will see."
"Let go right this instant!" I yelled, my voice cracking. "You’re keeping hostage!"
"Letting you go would jeopardize my plan," he said, finally stepping into the circle of light. It was him—the sa man who had lured out and drugged . His face was cold, calculating, with a cruel twist to his mouth that made my stomach drop.
"Why did you lie to ?" I asked, my voice shaking. "You said you could help regain my mory."
"Because you were gullible," he answered with a shrug. "And it was the easiest thing to say to lure you out and kidnap you."
"Please... let go," I begged, tears welling up. "I’ll do anything."
"Stop begging. It won’t solve anything," he said, stepping closer. He pulled a small penknife from his pocket and pressed the cold, sharp blade against the side of my neck. I could feel its edge, razor-thin and threatening. I heaved in terror, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps.
"Sobody help !" I scread as loudly as I could.
"As far as I know," the man leaned down, his breath hot against my ear, "nobody is going to hear your cries or your pleas."
Tears spilled down my cheeks. "Please don’t kill . What do you want? Money? Jewelry? Gold? My husband can get it all for you—just don’t kill , please!"
"Your husband, right," he chuckled darkly. "I spoke to him earlier. He sounded so scared... ’Please don’t hurt her, tell what I need to do.’ What an asshole."
"So you called him," I said, a tiny sliver of hope cutting through the fear. Franklin knew I was missing. My mother must know by now too. She would be worried sick.
"I did," he confird.
"What do you really want from us?!" I yelled, desperation making my voice louder.
"Say that again and I’ll smack you right across your face," he warned, his tone turning deadly calm. I fell silent, terror gripping .
"Everyone has a hidden vendetta against the Flemington family," he continued, circling slowly. "They believe they can snap their fingers and get whatever they want. Well, it’s ti that ends. Because once your husband cos to get you back, our plan will begin."
"Our plan?" I whispered, horror dawning on . "That ans you aren’t the only one behind my kidnapping."
"Didn’t you hear what I said, Octavia? Everyone has a hidden vendetta against the Flemingtons. I’m not the only one who wants to destroy that family."
"Who else wants to destroy the Flemingtons?" I asked, my voice barely audible.
"With ti, you will know," he said, the nace in his tone sending fresh goosebumps across my skin.
He stepped even closer, the penknife still glinting near my throat. "Ever thought about who caused what you’re going through right now?"
"You an... being in this state?" I asked, trembling.
"Yes."
"Want to know a secret?" he asked, leaning in so close I could sll the faint scent of cigarettes on his breath.
Sothing deep in my gut scread that whatever he was about to say would shatter . Still, I nodded weakly.
"I was the one who sent soone to push you down the stairs at JeffTech."
The words hit like a physical blow. Goosebumps erupted across my entire body as I stared at him in pure horror. Tears stread down my face. Then a sharp, shrieking pain exploded in my head, so intense I gasped and winced, doubling over as much as the restraints allowed.
In that mont, the floodgates broke.
mories crashed over in a violent wave.
I rembered running down the stairs at JeffTech, in a hurry to present my project after soone had spilled coffee all over it. That soone had been Bella Washington. Then the sudden, brutal shove from behind—hands on my back, the world tilting, the sickening impact as I fell.
More mories poured in, relentless and painful.
eting Franklin at the bar, the passionate one-night stand that started everything. The contract marriage. The lavish wedding. The crushing hurt when I discovered Franklin had slept with Bella. The night he left alone at the resort. The beach where we made love and confessed our true feelings. The betrayal when I got those nude photos of Franklin.
Every mory brought a fresh wave of agony. I groaned loudly, my head throbbing as if it might split open.
"I rember... everything," I gasped, looking up at the man through tear-blurred eyes. "So it was you."
"Surprise," he said with a cold smile.
"I never...knew you would do this to ," I whispered, struggling to speak through the pain.
"And I never knew Franklin’s late parents would destroy my family," he replied, his voice dripping with venom. "It’s my ti to be vengeful."
Before I could process his words, soone stepped behind . I felt another sharp prick in my arm. The drug hit fast. My vision blurred again, the room spinning.
As darkness closed in, the last thing I heard was his voice, low and satisfied.
"Sleep tight, Octavia."
And then everything went black—every pain, every betrayal, every hurt locked inside once more, but no longer hidden.
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