"At this point, I'll be grateful for your pieces."
*****
Jessica Franklin is at her wit ends, literally. With two sisters depending on her and a mountain of debts on her neck, she needs a way out before she breaks down...
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Playlist. Play with Fire by Sam Tinnesz ft Yacht Money. Enjoy reading!
Working hard in my office, my brow furrowed in concentration, as I try to locate Zachary's whereabouts. Just as I'm about to immerse myself in the sea of information, a gentle chime pierces the silence, signaling the arrival of a new message. I glance at my phone, watching it vibrate on the table. Picking it up, I open the message and discover it's a text from Jessica, my wife. My heart skips a beat, a mixture of anticipation and worry flooding through my veins.
Upon opening the message, I read it quickly and a frown creeps onto my lips. The message reads, "Heading out to get meds for Emma." However, it sounds strange. Why would she suddenly decide to get medicine for Emma? She has never mentioned this before. With pursed lips, I try to call her, but her phone is unreachable. A nagging suspicion begins to take root in the back of my mind. Something is definitely not right.
I stand from my seat, but my phone rings again. This time, it's Emma calling. I quickly answer, pressing the phone to my ear.
"Do you know where Jessica is? I've searched the entire house, but I can't find her anywhere," she says, sounding very concerned.
"No, I have no idea. Is something wrong?" I ask, my voice laden with worry.
"She left a note saying she had to urgently go somewhere and would be back soon, but she didn't specify where."
I tense up, my eyes narrowing. That's a completely different message from the one she sent me. Emma's words continue, pulling me back into the conversation. "I tried calling her, but she's not answering. Sophie is clueless about her whereabouts as well." Her voice drops as she mutters the next sentence. "I have a bad feeling about this. Have you noticed how strange she's been acting lately?"
I have, though I never anticipated she would take such action. I grip the phone tightly, my mind racing. "Hold on," I instruct Emma, activating the tracker I had given her earlier, hoping she still has it with her. The tracker connects, revealing her current path. My heart tightens as I observe the tracker's signal, indicating that Jessica is following a completely different route. A route that's completely different from the one leading to the hospital for Emma's medicine. Could she be going to...!?
There's no time to dwell on this thought as I swiftly leave the office. "Emma, listen carefully. Stay where you are, do NOT leave the house. Contact the police if you notice anything suspicious. I need to leave right now." Panic wells up within me, but I can't let it take over.
"What? Why!? What's going on?" Emma asks, her voice trembling. I take a deep breath, doing my best to stay calm. "I'll find your sister for you, I promise. I just need you to be safe. Do you understand?"
"Yes..." She whispers, her voice barely audible. "Please do. She's the only one I've got."
"I promise," I tell her, ending the call. Pocketing my phone, I move with urgency, fear and determination intertwining as I navigate the hallways. My thoughts are consumed by the need to find Jessica before she does something. I immediately get to the garage, half-noting the storm approaching, with grey clouds overhead and the loud rumbling of thunder hitting my ears. Slipping into the car, I call the special defense team that I have put together for this reason.
The man in charge picks up on the first ring. "Send a team to track Jessica's location," I order, my hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. "I suspect that she's going to meet Zachary," I add, my voice clipped.
"Yes, sir," he replies and ends the call. Letting out a shuddering breath, I drive out onto the road, watching as the raindrops pelt against the windowpane. Their chaotic patter echoes the turmoil in my mind.
As I drive through the storm, rain pounding against the windshield, I watch as the rain blurs the entire surroundings, making it difficult to see anything. Fear and determination intertwine within me. Every flash of lightning illuminates the road ahead, adding to the ominous setting. The tracker's signal blinks on the screen beside me, guiding me toward her. I tighten my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles white, slowly speeding up the car.
Unable to help my spiraling thoughts, I grit my teeth, desperation and anger mixing to become one. What if she's in danger? What if he's already got her? Why would Jessica do something like this? My jaw sets into a hard line, and I ignore the racing in my heart, focusing on the task at hand. Jessica needs me, and the tracker is going to lead me to her.
"Please, let me find her," I mutter to myself as I drive out of the city in the pouring rain, still following the signal on Jessica's tracker. As I see myself nearing her, my anger intensifies. If I ever lay my hands on Zachary, I am going to kill that bastard.
After a while of driving through the rain, I notice the tracker coming to an abrupt halt and losing signal. My heart skips a beat, and I freeze, raising a brow. What the hell?
Taking a deep breath, I tighten my hands on the car and speed up the car, continuing to the spot where the tracker stopped blinking, glancing around in hopes of seeing Jessica along the road. After a few minutes of torturous driving, I spot a car at the side of the road, possibly involved in a crash. My heart drops as I recognize it to be one of my cars. Slowing mine to a stop, I look around but can't find or see anything through the deluge.
Turning off my car, I step into the pouring rain, walking towards the car as the raindrops sting my skin. The front of the car is disfigured alright, and the driver's seat is ajar, its door hanging open at an awkward angle, as if it was violently wrenched open. The dashboard is splintered, airbags deployed, and shards of glass from the shattered windshield are scattered across the seats. But the most chilling sight is the splatters of blood that mar the upholstery, stark against the gray fabric. Yet the most terrifying thing for me is seeing the bracelet I gave her earlier lying on the chair, but no Jessica in sight.
Under the grey sky, a blinding bolt of lightning sears through the darkness, briefly making the bleak much brighter before plunging it back into darkness. Thunder follows soon after, the crackling sound hurting my ears as the rain intensifies, but I'm too incensed as I kick the dirt in frustration, letting out a growl. I pick up the bracelet, the silver chain cold against my skin, holding it inside my hands as I look around, tears blinding my vision.
Zachary has her. The bastard fucking has her!
**** 🙃🙃🙃 Thoughts on this chapter! Let me know and Thanks for reading! See you in the next one!
