Chapter 2 0002

Helen searched everywhere for Alina, calling out her name, but there was no sign of her. Fear tightened in her chest as panic consumed her. Without wasting another second, she rushed back to the car, her hands trembling as she ordered the driver to head straight to Alina's house.

The drive felt like an eternity. Helen's heart pounded rapidly, her breaths coming out shaky and uneven. What if something bad had happened to Alina? The thought gnawed at her, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push away the terrifying images flooding her mind. What made it worse was knowing that Alina didn't know her way around-how could she have wandered off alone?

Finally, after what felt like hours, they finally arrived. Helen didn't wait for the driver to stop fully before throwing the door open and sprinting inside.

"Helen, what happened? Where's Alina?" Mrs. Cole demanded, rushing forward as Helen burst into the living room, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What's wrong, Helen? Why are you crying?" Mr. Cole's voice came from the stairs as he quickly descended, his face etched with worry.

"It's... Alina... I- I can't-" Helen stammered, choking on her words, her sobs making it hard to breathe.

"Calm down, Helen," Mr. Cole urged, though his own voice trembled, his breaths growing uneven. "Take a deep breath and tell us-where's Alina?"

Helen's knees nearly gave out as she finally screamed, her voice cracking under the weight of fear.

"I don't know... but I think Alina has been kidnapped!"

...........

Alina slowly opened her eyes as a ray of sunlight peeked through the slightly opened window. She blinked several times, her mind foggy, until reality hit her like a punch to the gut. She remembered sitting at the beach, waiting for Helen to return with cotton candy. Then suddenly, someone had covered her nose with a cloth drenched in something strong, stealing her consciousness away. Now, she was here in a place unknown.

Her heart raced as her eyes darted around the dimly lit room, searching for an escape. The air felt heavy, thick with dread.

Then, footsteps echoed in the distance. Slow. Steady. Getting closer.

Moments later, a man appeared, towering over her. His cold, predatory eyes locked on her like a cat about to pounce on its prey. A chill shot through her entire body, every hair standing on end.

"Well, well," the man said in a deep, chilling voice. "Looks like I've got myself a pretty little thing."

Alina stared at him in terror, her breath uneven. Why am I here? What does he want? She had only a few months left to live; all she wanted was to spend them happily with her family not like this. Not tied to a chair, not in pain.

"Please," she stammered, her voice trembling, "what do you want from me?"

Instead of answering, the man let out a cruel, mocking laugh. "How could someone with such a pretty face be so foolish?" he sneered. "What do you think kidnappers want when they take someone? I want money, a large sum of it. I'll call your parents and demand the ransom. They have five hours to pay... or else I'll make sure you regret being born before I end your life." His eyes glinted with malice as he added darkly, "And I won't be the only one having fun before that happens."

Alina felt her heart plummet. Death itself didn't scare her anymore, she knew it was coming soon. But this? This horrific end wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to pass peacefully, surrounded by love, not in pain and fear. Tears blurred her vision as she glanced around desperately for a way out, but there was none. Even if there had been, her wrists were tied tight against the chair, leaving her helpless.

The man smirked and walked over to a table where a phone lay. "Call your parents' number," he ordered coldly.

Alina stayed silent, staring at him with pleading eyes, hoping that somehow, deep down, he might let her go. But his gaze was merciless, his heart seemingly made of stone.

"Oh, you don't want to talk?" His voice turned darker, dangerous. "Fine. I'll start making you scream for a different reason." He set the phone down and began moving toward her.

"No! I'll call it!" Alina cried out frantically. She quickly recited the number, trembling all over, as the man dialed.

Seconds later, the line connected.

"Hello?" Mr. Cole's voice came from the other end.

"Who am I?" The kidnapper's tone was calm, chilling. "I'm the one who has your daughter."

Mr. Cole froze, his stomach dropping. Only he, his wife, and Helen knew Alina had gone missing, they haven't inform the police. Sweat formed on his forehead as panic overtook him.

"What do you want from my daughter?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"Nothing much," the man replied casually. "Just a little money. Ten billion dollars. You have five hours to get it ready, or you won't like what I'll do to your daughter."

"What?!" Mr. Cole almost shouted. "Ten billion? Where do you expect me to find that kind of money? Even as a successful businessman, that's impossible! Please, I beg you, don't hurt her. We'll give you what we can, but lower the amount!"

Before he could say more, Mrs. Cole snatched the phone, tears streaming down her face. "Please," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Don't harm our daughter. We'll do everything we can to get you the money. Just don't hurt her."

The man laughed darkly. "That's the spirit. Daddy you need to find a way to save your daughter." He was about to hang up when Mrs. Cole quickly added, "Please, let us speak to her! We need to know she's alive!"

The man hesitated, then slowly walked over to Alina, holding the phone near her lips.

"M-Mum..." Alina whimpered, her voice shaky and weak.

Mrs. Cole sobbed loudly, clutching the phone like it was her lifeline. Why can't my baby have just a little peace? she thought bitterly. She's already fighting for her life every day, and now this?

"Alina, sweetheart," Mrs. Cole said through her sobs, "nothing will happen to you. I promise we're coming to get you from that monster."

Before Alina could speak again, the man yanked the phone away. "Enough with the family reunion," he said coldly. "Five hours. Get me my money. And don't even think about involving the police unless you want your daughter's corpse delivered to your doorstep."

With that, he ended the call.

*******

In a deserted house near the ocean, Mr. Cole held his trembling wife close with one arm while clutching a heavy suitcase in the other. The air inside the abandoned building was thick with dust and tension, every creak of the wooden floorboards amplifying their fear.

As they stepped inside, they spotted a man sitting lazily on a dirty, torn sofa, his face hidden behind a black mask. His posture was relaxed, but there was something dangerous in the way his gaze followed them.

He rose slowly and approached them, his voice cold and commanding. "Where's my money?"

Mr. Cole tightened his grip on the suitcase and took a deep breath before extending it toward the masked man. "It's here. Now, where is my daughter?"

"Chill, old man," the kidnapper drawled, smirking beneath the mask. "Your precious little girl is safe."

He clapped his hands once, and a few seconds later, a huge man emerged from the shadows, leading a blindfolded Alina by the arm.

"Alina!" Mrs. Cole gasped, rushing forward with tears streaming down her face. She threw her arms around her daughter the moment the blindfold was removed, holding her as though she'd never let go again. "Baby, are you okay?" she asked, frantically checking her over.

"Yes, Mom... I'm fine," Alina whispered, clinging to her mother as if afraid she'd disappear again.

Mr. Cole quickly joined them, wrapping his arms around both of them.

Without sparing another glance at the kidnappers, Mr. Cole guided his wife and daughter out of the house.

A MONTH LATER.......

"Honey, I'm tired of everything," Mr. Cole said, rubbing his temples in frustration. "I've tried my best to convince 'the Devil' to invest in our company, but he won't budge. And if he doesn't invest..." He sighed heavily, his voice cracking. "I'm afraid we might lose everything-even this house."

Just as Mrs. Cole opened her mouth to reply, a soft voice came from behind them.

"Why would we lose the house?"

Both Mr. and Mrs. Cole turned around to see Alina walking toward them, her brows furrowed in concern.

"Hmmm... nothing much," Mr. Cole said quickly, forcing a smile. "We were just... discussing something."

"Dad," Alina said firmly, crossing her arms. "I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm twenty. You can't fool me."

Mr. Cole exchanged a helpless glance with his wife, unsure what to say. He didn't want his daughter to worry, not after everything she'd already been through.

"Alina, it's just..." Mrs. Cole began but trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

"Mom, please," Alina pleaded, her voice trembling slightly. "Just tell me what's going on."

Mrs. Cole took a deep breath and finally met her daughter's eyes. "Alright," she said softly. "I'll tell you."

She hesitated before speaking again, pain evident in her tone. "When you were kidnapped, the kidnapper demanded ten billion dollars. Your father didn't have that kind of money, so he had no choice but to borrow it from the bank... using the company as collateral."

Alina's heart tightened as she listened, her lips parting in shock.

Mrs. Cole continued, "Now, the bank is pressing us hard to repay the money with fifty percent interest. If we fail, they'll seize the company... and even this house."

Alina stood frozen for a moment, her mind blank. Then tears welled up in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably. Because of me... they're losing everything. She felt cursed, like bad luck followed her everywhere she went.

"Darling, stop crying," Mr. Cole said, pulling her into a gentle hug. "Everything will be alright. I just need 'the Devil' to invest in the company, but so far he's refusing. I'll find another way, I promise."

Alina sniffled and wiped her tears, then looked up at her father, confused. "The Devil? Who is that? Is he... is he really the devil from hell?"

Mr. Cole scratched the back of his head nervously, avoiding her gaze at first. But Alina's determined stare left him no choice but to answer.

"The 'Devil'," he said slowly, "is a man feared by everyone. They say he came straight from the darkest parts of hell, a man with a face as beautiful as Adonis, yet more dangerous than any enemy. His voice is deep and enticing, like an angel's whisper... but his smile can freeze your heart and make you feel like you're standing at death's door."

Alina swallowed hard, curiosity and dread mixing in her chest. "What's his name?" she asked softly.

Mr. Cole looked straight into his daughter's eyes, his voice low and heavy.

"Liam Harrington."

........

A man stood beneath the blood-red glow of the setting sun, his hands drenched in crimson, his once-pristine shirt dripping with the blood of his latest victim. The lifeless body at his feet lay twisted on the ground, eyes frozen in eternal terror.

His pitch-black hair clung to his face, partly shadowing eyes so sharp and hypnotic they seemed to pierce through souls. Alluring yet deadly, they were the kind of eyes no one dared hold for more than a heartbeat lest they be consumed by the darkness within them.

Caleb, Liam Harrington's ever-loyal assistant, stood a few steps away, his face impassive though his heart pounded. He had seen his master like this countless times, yet the sight always sent chills crawling down his spine. Clearing his throat carefully, he spoke.

"Master... regarding the Cole family matter," Caleb began, his voice respectful. "They've requested a meeting with you tomorrow afternoon. They'll be bringing their daughter with them. Should I... refuse their request?"

Liam remained silent for a long moment, still gazing at the dying sun as if drawing strength from its fading light. Then, slowly, a cold smile curved his lips.

"Refuse them?" he said, his voice low, velvety, yet laced with danger. "No... why would I refuse?" He finally turned, his gaze locking on Caleb like a predator sizing up prey. "If they're desperate enough to offer me their daughter to save their empire... who am I to deny such a delightful sacrifice?"

His tone dripped with mockery, his eyes glinting with merciless amusement.

Caleb swallowed hard, a flicker of unease flashing across his features. He had witnessed what happened to those who tried bargaining with the Devil before, it never ended well. Still, he bowed his head in obedience.

"As you wish, Master."

Liam's smile deepened, darker this time, as he glanced back at the corpse beside him. The setting sun bathed him in a hellish glow, making him look less like a man and more like the demon the world believed him to be.

"Tomorrow," Liam murmured, his voice a chilling whisper, "will be... interesting."