The Prize of Freedom

Chapter 12: Unmasked Truths

Luke lay motionless on the cold concrete, barely breathing after the relentless beating. His face was swollen, blood dripping from his mouth. He had taken the brunt of the punishment for refusing to talk. Isla and Aiden, both bloodied and bruised, were chained to opposite sides of the cargo container, their bodies aching with every breath. They could hardly move, both weakened from the constant abuse.

Aiden's face had turned purple from the repeated jabs, his vision blurred as blood trickled down his forehead. Every part of his body screamed in pain, but his mind was filled with a boiling rage and helplessness. Isla, on the other hand, was hanging on by a thread. Her body slumped in exhaustion, but her mind was still racing—searching for any way out of this nightmare.

The president's right-hand man paced before them, his boots echoing off the container walls. His voice was filled with smug satisfaction. "You brought this upon yourselves," he sneered, glaring at Aiden. "Disobeying your father...what a foolish mistake. All of this could have been avoided if you had just followed the plan, like a good son."

Aiden's lips curled into a snarl. "My father...is a monster," he spat through bloodied lips. His voice was barely a whisper, but his defiance still simmered underneath. "And so are you."

The right-hand man chuckled, shaking his head. "You don't know half of what your father is capable of, Aiden. He has plans for this country, and you're just another pawn in his game."

He turned his attention to Isla, his eyes narrowing. "And you," he said, his voice cold. "You were supposed to protect him. Instead, you fell in love with him. How foolish."

Isla's eyes flashed with anger, but she remained silent. She could feel Aiden's gaze on her, searching her face for some kind of explanation, but there was no time for that now. They were both running out of time, and she knew it.

Suddenly, the right-hand man stepped forward, raising his fist to strike Isla in the abdomen. Her instincts kicked in, and for the first time, her calm façade cracked. "No!" she cried, her voice raw with fear and desperation. "Please... don't hurt my... my unborn child!"

Her words hung in the air like a bomb, shocking everyone in the room. Aiden's heart stopped. His eyes widened in disbelief. "What?" he whispered, his voice breaking. His heart pounded, confusion and anger swirling inside him.

The right-hand man lowered his fist, momentarily taken aback by her words. "Unborn child?" he muttered, eyes narrowing. "You're pregnant?"

Aiden's world collapsed in that moment. His vision blurred, not from the beatings, but from the emotional weight crushing down on him. "Isla...?" His voice cracked, filled with pain, confusion, and desperation. "You're... pregnant?"

Isla's chest heaved with heavy breaths. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face. "Yes," she whispered. "I found out... after I left the island."

Aiden's anger ignited into a blazing fire. His body, already broken, surged with adrenaline. He struggled against his restraints, pulling with all his remaining strength. "Get away from her!" he screamed, his voice hoarse and filled with agony. Tears welled up in his eyes as he thrashed, trying to free himself to reach Isla. "Don't touch her! Don't hurt her!"

The right-hand man turned to Aiden, watching him struggle, and smiled cruelly. "This is what happens when you disobey, Aiden. All of this—your pain, her suffering—is your punishment for betraying your father."

Aiden's chest heaved with sobs, his heart breaking as he looked at Isla. "Please... just let her go," he begged, his voice raw. "She... she's carrying our child... Please, I'll do anything... just let her and the baby go."

Isla's heart ached as she watched Aiden crumble in front of her. She had been through hell in her life, but seeing Aiden like this was a different kind of torture. She had never wanted him to know this way, never wanted him to see her so vulnerable. But now, there was no escaping the truth. She was carrying his child, and they were both caught in the deadly game her boss, and Aiden's father, had set in motion.