Minutes Before The Miracle

CHAPTER - 42

Thought of the chapter:-
Life is a series of unexplained events, unplanned laughter, unexpected tears, occasional sorrows and overwhelming joy.
- Susan Gale

STEVEN

It's time to bid adieu to Italy and get back to business.

Our luggage is getting hauled into the trunk of the car while we finish a quick breakfast of Ravioli 'cause Emma swore that it's the best that she ever had and granny was more than happy to make her another batch of the stuffed pasta. As for me, I couldn't agree more with Emma regarding the delicious pasta.

I hug granny near the entrance door of the villa and she pats my back saying,"Keep her," to which I give a full blown smile and kiss her cheeks. Then, I let Emma say her goodbyes. She hugs granny and I am pretty sure from the blush she's sporting that the latter gave her some amazing words of wisdom. I quickly reply back to a few mails as I wait for Emma. I make sure she's comfortable and then settle down behind the wheel. We bid a final goodbye and the next thing we know, we are back on the meandering road.

Emma sighs and falls back in her seat,"I will miss this place."

I smile wistfully because I will miss this place too. Sure. But what I will miss even more is the huge jar full of absolutely special memories that we made in the course of a week.

I am a man who always thinks of the future. Plans and analyses everyday before it even shows. Because there's barely anything to cherish. Until now. In a life where I hardly even want to remember my past, this week is something I would want to look back. I would love to treasure and hold dear.

All because of this sunshine girl!

As if on cue, she swerves her head and gives me an adorable smile - that sets my goddamn heart on fire - like she just read every thought that ran in my head in the last couple minutes. And honestly, I don't care. Infact, I let her because there's nothing holding us back. We are tied by an invisible string. So, I return her smile with an equally happy one.

After about an hour on the road, we stop near a cafe to grab coffee. I don't know why but a sense of evil foreboding washes over me but I choose to ignore it and roll with the day.

"Do you want to come?" I ask.

"No. Just get me a latte. I will be here," she replies, tapping continuously on her phone.

Nodding, I get out and place our orders. Just then, I receive a message.

'You didn't do as asked. Now, unexpected people will pay for your stubbornness. Stay ready!'

These kind of threat messages have been bugging me for a month, ever since the deal for the construction of my new hotel has been signed. However, it's all bark and no bite. So, I choose to not give up my peace of mind on these texts. Although this time, somehow the warning feels a tad more real. But I pay no heed to it and grab my order and walk out.

Opening the door of my side, I bend over to pass Emma her coffee.

"Here's your... Emma?"

Shit!

Where's Emma?

My heart starts throbbing like crazy and I begin searching her around. I call her but it goes straight to voicemail. Damn it!

I quickly contact Stephan and order him to put our search team on work, after sharing our location. I also instruct him to contact the cops, if things go out of hand.

This is not even New York where a lot of things are in my control. I should have brought her with me to the cafe.

Somehow, the old sense of fear dashes back and I feel the strong claws of helplessness gripping me like a vice. The buried but familiar sense of dread returns back with full force and I feel gobsmacked.

I force myself to calm down and take a deep breath.

She will be safe. She has to.

I hunch on my car with one hand, close my eyes and coerce myself to think clearly.

The threat messages. Goddamn it!

I hurriedly contact Stephan to remind him about the threat messages but being the man he is, he had already started working on it and is tracking Emma's location. He sends it to me and I get inside my car to follow her.

It's not even ten minutes but it seems like a decade has passed within the flurry of activities and feelings.

After about twenty minutes, I reach a bleak place with seemingly abandoned industrial buildings all around. I just can't wait for the cops or my men to come. I have got to go inside and find Emma.

Even though I am not a believer, I mutter a quick prayer and get inside the building that the tracker was pointing at. I check for the pocket knife that I picked from the car and if by any chance I tend to lose it, then I have to solely rely on my kickboxing skills.

Everything in this place reminds me of the horrible events that I lived in the past - paint cracking from the walls, a terrible damp smell, dust sitting on every object...

FOCUS!

Like a miracle, I spot Emma's scarf on on a side and rush towards it. A horrifying feeling chokes me when I notice blood stains on it. Also... it's torn. Is she...

NO!

It can't be. Don't think about it.

I climb up the staircase - at the foot of which I found the scarf - leading to the second floor where I hear the faded sounds of conversation. I reach for my knife and walk stealthily towards the right side from where I hear the noises.

Suddenly all the voices come to a pause as if on a click of a button. Did they realise that someone has entered their territory? Well, it shouldn't exactly be a surprise when there was zero security on their part.

I hear a rumble and then a giant rusty door opens and I quickly get inside in search of Emma. At this point, my flexes have overpowered logic.

Inside, I witness two things. Both of which shock me to the core. A shock so deep that I have to put a ton of effort to keep standing.

First, I see Emma tied to a chair, a semi-automatic gun pointing her temple.

And then I come face-to-face with her captor, who gives me a sly smirk.

"Welcome."

-x-