Echoes of the Past

Chapter 11

"This can't be real," I muttered, turning to Ava, who stood there crying. She looked so pale.

 "There's no one here, Cole," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Our luggage is here... this is where they want us to stay."

I walked over to the nearest door and pushed it open, revealing a spacious bedroom. It was modern, with clean lines and two huge glass doors that opened onto a small terrace overlooking the beach. I stepped outside, a light breeze washing over me as I gazed at the shoreline.

Ava joined me on the terrace, her eyes scanning the horizon. "Where do you think we are?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"I'm not sure," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "It feels like a private island. It's not very big, and there doesn't seem to be anyone else here. I'll explore a bit more to see what's around. But... why would someone do this to us?"

"There's only one person who could be behind this," Ava said quietly, her eyes distant.

"Who?" I asked, frowning.

"Emily," she replied. "She's always wanted me out of James's life. She wants him back."

I stared at her, shocked. "What? Do you really think Emily could have orchestrated all this? Hired men to kidnap us and bring us here? Does she even have the means to do that? Ava, we were brought here by a helicopter. I think I remember hearing one."

"She might," Ava said, her voice hollow. "She's very rich. Her father is wealthy too."

"I don't know, Ava," I said, shaking my head. "It could be someone else. Does James have any enemies? Maybe they want a ransom."

Ava shook her head. "I don't think so. Whoever did this wanted the two of us together. They even brought our luggage."

"I don't think I was part of their original plan," I argued. "My car was there, my luggage was in it. They just took me because I happened to be there."

Ava was silent for a moment, then looked at me with a strange expression. "What?" I asked, a sense of unease creeping over me.

"You wouldn't... You wouldn't do this just to take me away from James, would you?"

My eyes widened in shock. "Ava, how can you even think I'd be capable of something like that? Separate you from your kids? I love the boys, Ava. I wish they were here with us. I would never let anyone harm you." I reached out, gently touching the scratch on her face. "When I saw one of those men hit you, I felt my blood boiling. I wanted to kill him. You don't know what you're saying!"

Hurt by her accusation, I turned and walked back into the house. Ava hurried after me. "I'm sorry, Cole. Please forgive me. Yes, I know how much you love the boys. I'm so sorry."

"I forgive you," I said, though the words came out more sharply than I intended. "But please, don't ever doubt my loyalty."

Trying to shake off the tension, I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge and cupboards. They were fully stocked with food. "At least we won't starve," I said, attempting a smile. "We have enough food for a few weeks. But that won't be enough if we're here longer than that."

"Do you think they'll leave us here for more than a few weeks?" Ava asked, her voice tinged with sadness.

"I don't know, Ava. It depends on why we're here. If it's about money, maybe it won't take long. I saw a small tool shed from the terrace earlier. I want to check it out."

Ava followed me outside to the tool shed. It was larger than I'd expected, stocked with various tools, two tanks of gas for the stove, and fishing rods.