Shadowed desires- Adrian thorn

Chapter 14: Web of Deception

The room was cold, dimly lit by a single flickering bulb. The walls were damp, the air heavy with the scent of mildew and something darker—fear. Eva sat bound to a chair, her wrists chafed raw by the ropes. Every sound seemed to echo in the small, oppressive space, amplifying the weight of her situation. She had been trapped here for what felt like hours, but it could have been days. The relentless rain outside pounded against the metal roof, adding to the atmosphere of tension and dread.

Victor King leaned against the doorframe, watching her with a mixture of amusement and calculation. His dark eyes bore into hers, his face a mask of cold confidence. Beside him, Anna Thorn stood silently, her expression unreadable, though her eyes flicked between her brother and their captive.

Victor's voice finally broke the silence. "You know, Eva, Adrian is not my only target. He is just a piece in a much larger game. There are far more powerful forces at play than you can imagine, forces that have been waiting for the right moment to strike."

Eva's eyes narrowed, refusing to show fear. "So, I'm just a pawn in this? You think he'll come for me? You're deluded. I was never more than an obstacle to Adrian. He warned me to stay away from his world. He doesn't care about me."

Victor chuckled softly, a dark sound that sent chills down her spine. He pushed away from the doorframe and moved closer, his presence filling the room like a predator circling its prey. "Is that what you think? That you mean nothing to him? You're either lying to yourself or you're too naive to see the truth."

Eva's gaze hardened. "He told me himself. I'm just another problem he needs to eliminate. He gave me warnings to stay away, to leave his world. Why would he come after me? He's smart enough to know this is a trap."

Victor's smile didn't waver. He crouched down in front of her, his eyes piercing through her defenses. "You think I haven't been watching? I saw the way he looked at you in your apartment. I saw how he couldn't tear his eyes away from you. His obsession with you is his weakness. He may be ruthless, but he's not as invulnerable as you think. You, Eva, are his Achilles' heel."

Eva's breath hitched slightly. She fought to keep her expression neutral, but Victor's words gnawed at her resolve. Could it be true? Could Adrian really care for her beyond his need for control and dominance?

Victor continued, his voice dripping with malice. "Adrian Thorn has built an empire on fear and manipulation. But he's not untouchable. He's been a thorn in the side of some very powerful people—people who have been looking for a way to bring him down for years. They needed a weak point, and he never had one... until now."

"Who are these people?" Eva demanded, her voice steady despite her racing heart. "Who are these forces that want him destroyed?"

Victor's smile widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Let's just say they are the kind of people you don't want to cross. They deal in shadows, in things far darker than you could ever imagine. Human trafficking, arms dealing, drugs... they control it all. And they don't take kindly to anyone disrupting their business."

Eva's stomach churned. She had always suspected Adrian was involved in the underworld, but this... this was something else entirely. "And you're working with them?" she asked, her voice filled with disdain.

"Working with them? No," Victor replied, shaking his head. "I'm playing my own game. I want Adrian's empire to crumble, but I'm not doing this for them. I have my reasons."

"Revenge," Anna chimed in, her voice cold. "He wants revenge because he believes Adrian is responsible for the death of our family."

Victor's gaze hardened, his smile disappearing. "I don't just believe it. I know it."

Eva seized on the opening. "And what if you're wrong? What if he isn't responsible?"

Victor's expression turned icy. "I've been watching Adrian for years. I know what he's capable of. But I'll tell you something that might surprise you, Eva—Adrian Thorn isn't responsible for your sister's disappearance."

Eva's heart skipped a beat, a cold wave of fear washing over her. "What are you talking about? Then who is?"

"There are gangs, far more ruthless than Adrian, involved in human trafficking. They're not just selling the girls they kidnap—they rape them, break them, and then sell them like cattle. And if a girl isn't profitable enough, they carve her up and sell her organs to the highest bidder. Your sister... she was lucky, if you can call it that."

Eva's breath caught in her throat, horror and nausea twisting her insides. The room seemed to spin around her. "Why? Why was she spared?"

Victor leaned closer, his expression almost sympathetic, but his eyes were cruel. "One of Adrian Thorn's most trusted men was dating her. The rivals thought she might know something, that she could be a threat. So they kept her alive, for now. But it's only a matter of time before she becomes... inconvenient."

Eva's mind raced, the reality of her sister's situation hitting her like a freight train. She felt a mix of fear and fury boiling within her. "And you're telling me this now? What do you want from me?"

Victor's smile returned, sharp and predatory. "I want you to understand the stakes. You're not just a pawn, Eva. You're a catalyst. Adrian will come for you because he won't be able to resist. And when he does, we'll be ready."

"But what happens to me?" Eva asked, her voice now a whisper, a tremor of fear she couldn't suppress.

Victor's gaze darkened. "That depends on Adrian. If he cooperates, maybe you live. If not... well, let's just say there are worse fates than death."

Meanwhile, Adrian's Search Intensifies:

Back in the heart of the city, Adrian was losing his mind. The rain battered the windows of his penthouse, a relentless assault that matched the turmoil within him. His men were scouring every corner, every contact, every dark alley and hidden corner of the city. But they were finding nothing.

Adrian's patience was gone. He barked orders into the phone, his voice a mix of rage and desperation. "Find her, Marcus. I don't care what it takes or who you have to kill. Just find her!"

His reflection in the window was a twisted version of himself—eyes wild, face contorted with a mix of fear and fury. He had never been this vulnerable, this out of control. And he knew it was because of her. Because of Eva.

But he couldn't think about that now. All he knew was that he needed to get her back, no matter what it cost.