Hearts And Heirs(A Billionaire Romance Novel)

PART 18

Iris's pov:-

A sliver of awareness pierced the inky oblivion, dragging me back to the surface of consciousness. It began as a faint tingling in my extremities, then escalated to the harsh reality of wood pressing against my thighs.

The final blow was the coarse bites of ropes around my wrists, followed by throbbing ache in my head and a warm, sticky trickle between my eyes. My head throbbed, a dull, insistent pain that demanded immediate attention.

Where the hell am I?

My memory is hazy, but I think I was on my way to meet Adrain when a car began following me. They rammed into my vehicle with such force that I collided with a tree and lost consciousness.

The realisation dawned on me like a cold dread. Bound by ropes and with the sting of injuries, I knew the unthinkable had happened.
Oh my god
I'd been kidnapped.

With a surge of determination, I forced my eyes open. A wave of dizziness threatened to pull me under, but I fought it back, slowly taking on my surroundings.

I found myself in a ramshackle cabin, a rough construction of wood and corrugated metal. The windows area coated in a thick layer of grime, casting a dim, grimy light across the dusty floor. The only furniture consisted of the chair I was bound to and a lopsided table.

The table held a disturbingly mundane collection of items: a length of rope and a takeout container of food. The incongruity of the takeout box only intensified the raising bile in my throat.

"You are awake"
A flicker of recognition sparked in my muddled mind as a familiar voice pierced through the fog. But as I focused on the speaker, a surge of nausea twisted my gut.

"Surprised", William said with a grin.

William Hunt, the owner of kings Group and the man I blackmailed,  has taken a drastic turn. I never anticipated him resorting to kidnapping. This brutal tactics makes it clear he's desperate, and while I understand why he might take such measures, it doesn't excuse his actions.

"You must have figured out why you are here", William smirked.

"Asshole, untie me now or I'll kill you", I shouted. I have an urge to kill him now.

"Well, you're the one who's close to death, so keep your mouth shut", William Snapped. "Now, answer me, why the hell did you tell my wife the truth and call off our deal? You blackmailed me and then you flipped". Hai voice, laced with raw anger, sentence shivers down my spine.

He kidnapped me because his plans were ruined, but I haven't approached his wife, cherry, to reveal the truth. I withdraw my share because I refused to be controlled by Dad, choosing to do what's right. Despite my discontent with the blackmail, Dad forced me into it.

His wife cherry found out that he was hiding something and learned about the blackmail. I'm not sure who told her or how she found out. She approached me and asked for the truth, saying her life would be ruined otherwise, so I told her the truth. She deserved to know that her husband was cheating on her. I did what was right. After being a puppet of my dad for so long, I finally took a stand, and I will continue to do so in the future.

"I didn't deceive anyone; I did what was right. When cherry approached me to find out the truth, I honestly told her everything. I'm not sure how she discovered it", I said in a firm tone. I have no regrets about my action.

"You fucking Bitch, you know what the hell have you done", William shouted like a fucking lunatic. "Here's how it will go; you'll tell Cherry that you lied to her because if she leaves me, I will lose everything, as most of my company's shares are secured by my father-in-law, and you will also secure the shares you withdraw. Do you fucking understand?" William Snapped.

"No, I'll not do anything like that William", I protested. Fuck him. I have done what was right, and I will stand by it.

"You will not huh", William said with a psychotic smile.

He drew his gun and placed it against my temple pain and terror dissolved into numbness. I closed my eyes, not wanting this cabin to be the last thing I saw before I died.

"Are you going to do what I said or not?" William asked pressing the Gun hard against my temple.

As a wave of memories crashed over me, I squeezed my eyes shut- Mom, Dad, Helen, their faces swirling with bittersweet pang of goodbyes.

Then, a single image pierced through the montage:

Whiskey eyes, leather, spice and smoke.
Adrain

A choked sob escaped my lips.

A deafening crack shattered the silence, a gunshot that sent a jolt through my body.

I flinched, bracing for the searing pain, but it never arrived.

In its place, the jarring slam of a door echoed through the cabin, followed by a cacophony of shouts and a forceful gust of wind. My eyes snapped open and I found myself staring, transfixed, at a half-dozen armed figures flooding the room.

The world spun as I fell, the ground rushing up to meet me. A rough hand snatched me from the air, arresting my fall. I slammed into a wall of whiskey eyes and the intoxicating scent of leather and spice enveloped me, a comforting coccon against the harsh world.

"Iris", Relief softened the razor edges of his fury contented.

A smile graced my face as the world faded to Black.
       
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