Happiness had once felt like a distant dream. Now, it was his reality-thanks to Linsey.
“Had Grandma not insisted, I might never have met Linsey,” Collin said.
Before, he would have scoffed at the idea of fate. But now, he believed in it. And he hoped it would continue to bless both Linsey and his life with joy and peace.
Following Dustin and Anthea’s advice was crucial-he knew he had to be completely transparent with Linsey. He wondered how she would react when she learned the truth.
Whatever her response, Collin was determined to face it bravely.
Just thinking of Linsey made him smile again, his expression softening into genuine happiness.
On the other side of town, Linsey had just finished a phone call. She inhaled deeply, steadying her nerves before packing her bag.
As she exited her office, she crossed paths with a few colleagues returning from their break.
“Hey, Linsey, leaving so early today?” one teased, noticing her brisk pace.
A blush crept into Linsey’s cheeks as she remembered Collin’s words.
“Yeah, aren’t you guys heading home yet?”
One colleague sighed. “We’ve still got today’s designs to finish. We just took a quick dinner break and walk, now it’s back to work.”
Another caught her flustered expression and grinned.
“Looks like someone’s in a hurry to get home to her husband, huh?”
Their laughter filled the hallway.
Linsey smiled, nodding softly. “Yeah.”
“Then go on! We’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Alright, see you. Don’t stay too late,” Linsey called back.
As she walked past, one colleague added, “Oh, Linsey-just a heads-up. The streetlights in the park are out tonight. It’s really dark, so be careful, okay?”
“Got it, thanks. I’ll just take a cab home instead of the bus,” she replied.
When Linsey stepped outside, she noticed the park cloaked in darkness. Some people were navigating with the help of their phone flashlights.
Approaching the park’s exit, she pulled out her phone to book a ride. But for some reason, the signal was unusually weak that evening. The app took forever to open.
The usual noise around her faded, and a sudden chill ran up her spine.
Her heart began to race. She turned around quickly-nothing.
She furrowed her brow, trying to shake off the unease, convincing herself she was just being paranoid.
But as she turned back, Linsey gasped.
Someone was standing right in front of her.
She froze, instinctively stepping back in alarm.
Before she could react, the figure lunged forward.
In the darkness, a cloth was pressed against her mouth and nose, cutting off her breath and silencing her scream.
“Help…” she tried to cry out, but the sound was muffled.
Her vision blurred.
And then-everything went black.
The sudden splash of icy water shattered the silence, jolting Linsey awake with its chilling shock.
Disoriented, she couldn’t tell how much time had slipped away, but the sharp sting of cold dragged her from the depths of unconsciousness.
As she shook her head to dispel the grogginess, her blurry vision slowly began to focus.
Only then did she realize the harsh reality of her situation: she was bound to a rickety wooden chair, coarse ropes biting into her skin. The room was dimly lit, the walls crumbling, and the air heavy with the musty scent of damp rot, making each breath a struggle.
Panic clawed at her chest, growing tighter with each shallow breath, but before it could take full hold, a voice cut through the eerie silence.
“Linsey, you’re finally awake.”
Her heart skipped a beat as she turned her head, her expression a mix of disbelief and fear.
Felix stood there, walking toward her with a devilish smirk. His eyes roamed over her drenched figure with unsettling intensity, sending shivers down her spine.
“Felix! It’s you!”
Linsey’s voice cracked, her mind racing with confusion and betrayal.
How could Felix, of all people, be her kidnapper? Did he not understand the gravity of his actions?
As her bound hands clenched into tight fists behind her, she glared at him, anger burning through her fear.
“Felix, have you lost your mind? Why did you kidnap me?”
Even as she confronted him, Linsey covertly worked the ropes against the jagged edge of the chair, her fingers nimble in their silent quest for freedom.
Earlier that day, before leaving the office, she had told Collin she’d be heading straight home. By now, he would surely sense that something was wrong.
Time was of the essence, and her mind raced to devise an escape.
Felix, meanwhile, remained eerily composed. A smug grin spread across his face as he stepped closer, his presence menacing.
He reached out, his fingers clamping around Linsey’s chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. His grip was harsh, his eyes burning with twisted desire.
“Why else would I resort to this, Linsey?” His voice was a low growl, dripping with resentment. “You married Collin Riley. After five years, you just walked away from me. How could you expect me to just stand by and watch the woman I love choose someone else?”
With a sharp twist, Linsey wrenched her face from his grip, her eyes blazing with defiance.
Still, she remained mindful not to let her fury push him into doing something rash.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.