Chapter 5. His Choice
Vanessa suddenly blinked awake, her body jolting with panic as she realized her hands and feet were tied to a chair.
She looked around in panic and realized she was in a dark abandoned building.
She remembered someone covering her nose and mouth before everything went dark. Had she been kidnapped? By who? Did they want to kill her? Hurt her and her baby?
A sudden cold wave of fear washed over her at the thought of someone hurting her child. “Where am I? Help! Please Somebody help me!”
“Oh hello Vanessa, so you’re finally awake.” A familiar voice suddenly startled her.
Vanessa immediately recognized that voice. It was Isla.
She whipped her head in anger ready to challenge her but the sight she saw, shocked her.
Isla was a little farther from her, but her legs and feet also tied to another chair. They had both been kidnapped!
A chill ran down her spine. What was going on?
“What’s happening? Who did this?!” Vanessa yelled but Isla sighed.
“You really need to calm down Isla. Yelling won’t change anything… trust me, I’ve been through this,” a familiar voice replied, laced with resignation.
Isla’s words didn’t make her feel better but she tried to calm down. “What is happening? Why are we both here?” Vanessa’s voice trembled, her heart racing with dread.
Only the thought of her pregnancy being affected made her dizzy with fear. If something happened to her, would she lose her child?
“Good question,” a man’s voice suddenly reverberated through the warehouse.
Vanessa’s heart sank as eight huge menacing figures stepped into view, their intentions to cause harm was very clear.
One thug, clearly the leader, sauntered forward. He was pretty scary looking, with a mouth full of yellowed teeth that revealed a life of vices. The stench of alcohol wafted off him, thick and repulsive.
“Don’t worry, Vanessa. Alec will come for us,” Isla said with confidence in her voice.
Vanessa clung to the hope that her husband would come. But then, the sight of Isla, equally trapped, dimmed that flicker ofhope.
‘Alec will only care about Isla,’ she thought bitterly. ‘I’m nothing to him compared to her.’
Moments later, Alec burst into the warehouse, his expression turning dark as he took in the scene.
“Let them go!” he commanded, fists clenched at his sides. “You have a problem with only me. Leave the women out of it.”
The leader smirked, twirling a knife in his hand. “Well, well. It seems we were right to things these two are quite important to you.”
“Let them go, now!” Alec repeated, his voice colder, more threatening.
“Not a chance. You fucked us up in the past and now we are hear for revenge, and since these pretty women matter to you, they’re now part of the equation,” the thug taunted. “We will give you a choice, You can only save one. The other stays with us.”
“Are you serious?” Alec’s voice was a low growl, barely containing his fury.
“Deadly serious Mr Alec, You can save one or you leave empty-handed,” the thug laughed maliciously. “Oh, how I’d love to see who you choose. I was going to have some fun with them, but this? This is even better.”
Alec’s jaw clenched tighter, his expression unyielding as he glanced between the two women.
“Alec, please choose Vanessa. She’s your wife! Don’t worry about me…” Isla pleaded, her eyes filled with desperation despite her pale face and weakened state.
The guilt of how much he owed Isla weighed heavily on Alec, and his hands trembled with the effort to control his rage.
“Go on, Alec. Time’s running out.”
Vanessa’s heart raced, each second stretching painfully as Alec’s gaze darted back and forth between them. When he finally looked at her, it was only for a fleeting moment before his eyes hardened.
“I choose Isla,” he stated flatly.
A sickening emptiness filled Vanessa’s chest, her world shattering into pieces. She had expected this, but a part of her had dared to hope. She was his wife, his rightful partner—wasn’t she?
Tears streamed down her face as the realization hit her harder than any physical blow. ‘Was I truly nothing to you, Alec?’
“Alec, you really are as cold as they say,” the thug jeered, reveling in his victory. “You’re just fine with leaving the other woman here?”
“Let Isla go,” Alec demanded, his tone icy.
The thug laughed darkly, cutting Isla’s ropes. Alec rushed to her, enveloping her in his arms, treating her like fragile glass. “No Alec, I’m of no use to you. Just save Vanessa,” Isla whispered weakly.
“Stay close to me. I’ll get you out,” he promised, his voice low and fierce as he carried her away.
Vanessa sat there frozen, her heart shattering into a million shards. All she could think about was how Alec had doomed she and her innocent child to death just because she had foolishly fallen in love with him.
If only she could rewind time and avoid ever giving her heart to someone so ruthless she would do so in a heartbeat.
“Since Alec made his choice, I guess your life isn’t worth keeping,” the thug sneered, grabbing a gun as he approached her.
“Fuck you! Go ahead and shoot me. What are you waiting for?” Vanessa shot back, no longer caring what happened to her anymore, she was tired of being that sad little helpless girl waiting for someone to save her.
“I thought you’d beg for mercy… but I won’t let you go anyway,” he laughed, signaling his lackeys to place bombs around the area.
“Boss, are you sure about this?” one of them hesitated.
“She asked for it,” the thug replied, amusement glinting in his eyes.
Vanessa’s heart sank further. Alec had left her and their child to be blown up.
Until the bitter end, she was never Alec’s priority. Why had she allowed herself to be treated like this? These were her final moments, and only pain and regret flooded her mind.
“Any last words?” the thug taunted, his grin wide and cruel.
Vanessa’s eyes fluttered shut, resigned to her fate… “Do it, I’m no longer afraid.”
Suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted, shaking the ground beneath her.
Alec who had just dropped Isla outside was now sprinting back toward the warehouse with the police to save his wife when the loud sound of an explosion filled the air.
Alec panicked and tried to run into the crumbling building, but he was immediately thrown back by the force of the blast. Shock painted his face as he watched the tall building crashing down and killing his wife.
“Vanessa! NO!!!” He screamed and all the police men had to physically hold him back from running into the falling building.
There was no use, it was too late now, his beloved wife was dead and gone.