My Ruthless Kidnapper

Chapter One: 24hours Later

TEN HOURS BEFORE THE PARTY

It was only ten in the morning when I finally emerged from my room, wrapping up a long phone call with my mom. The aroma of pasta already lingered in the air, making my stomach rumble in anticipation.

"Dad, what's going on?"

"Simon suggested I take the day off." He glanced at me briefly, a soft smile tugging at his lips before returning his focus to the vegetables on the wooden cutting board.

I furrowed my brows, confused. "What? Are you not feeling well?" 
As far as I knew, my dad didn't take days off, especially not to chop broccoli in the kitchen.

"My dear, can't a father take a day off just to spend it with his daughter?"

"Not typically you." I leaned against the kitchen island with a playful shrug.

"Hey, remember you're grounded?" he pointed out, pulling on a pair of black oven mitts. "I didn't want you to feel lonely while your friends are out doing whatever teenagers do these days." He added, opening the oven to reveal two perfectly seared steaks resting in a grill pan.

"It's called a party, Dad." I corrected, crossing my arms on the countertop.

"And it's completely unreasonable," he replied, his face adopting a serious expression.

"It's fun," I said with a smile, hoping to win him over.

"Fun can be risky." His retort came quick, his tone unwavering.

I shook my head, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Since when did fun become risky?"

"It always starts with euphoria," he mused, "and ends with, 'how I wish...'" His voice carried an air of finality, like it was some universal truth.

I smirked. "I doubt that."

"You'll thank me one day, when you're older." He towered over me and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "Now go pick a movie for us. I'm almost done with the cooking."

"Isn't it a bit early for lunch? It's still morning," I remarked.

"We can always order takeout later if you get hungry," he teased, nudging my shoulder, coaxing a giggle from me.

"Dad, what about the new bakery downtown?" I suggested eagerly.

He scrunched his face as if in deep thought. "Maybe..."

"Dad," I whined, dragging out the word.

"Alright, alright, the new bakery downtown," he relented.

"That's why I love you!" I squealed, my happiness bubbling over.

"For food, huh? Really, Cheryl?"

Already blushing, I corrected myself. "No, I love you for everything."

"You'd better, because I love you for everything," he said, his wide smile making me feel safe and cherished

PRESENT DAY

I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed them with the back of my hand, but all I could see was darkness. For a split second, I thought I'd gone blind, confusion settling in since I felt no pain in my eyes.

The atmosphere around me was nothing like a party scene. Apart from the loud, steady thud of my heart pounding in my chest and my labored breathing, everything else was unnervingly silent.

I was trembling, shivering like an old woman lost in the woods in the dead of winter. My lips quivered as fear took over every inch of me. I knew I was far from my best friend and school, far from my father and home. And when the memory finally clicked into place, I knew I had been kidnapped.