Walla

there. Let everyone see what happens to a monster who harms a child." Hi

numb. I felt the rough rope bite into my ankles. Then, the sickening drop, and the world tilted. I was suspended upside

Let her suffer. She brought this upon herself." He turned and walked aw

sing figure. He didn't say anything, but I felt a warmth, a gentle pressure agai

le dove." The voice was raw, choked with emotion. "I swear to God,

days

Foste

at, milking the sympathy of her followers, but he couldn't focus on her. Audrey. He had ord

urity. "Sir, we found it. That place y

t his ribs. "What about it?"

ere. Five years ago. With a woman. The locals remember you both cle

olished floor. The sound echoed in the sudden silence. His mind reeled.

s wild. "What are you talking about?! Are you insane

we brought photos. Documents. Marriage certificates from Italy. You marr

his arm wrapped around a beautiful woman with a radiant smile. Laughing, kissing, their eyes full

t his skull. Memories, fragmented and blinding, slammed into him. The scent of her hair

tural cry tearing from his throat. The villa. The b

voice raw. "Get her bac

eve her from the retreat. But she's gone. She

, and ran. He burst out of his office, down the opulent stairs, out the front door. He ran through the manicured gardens

h reporters, with angry crowds chanting Audrey's name, calling her a monster. "Child abuser! Lock

e. The metal contraption he had strung her up on was gone.

d. He remembered her words, her final, defiant scream: "From now on, you and I are nothing but stra

t misplaced patriarchal protectiveness. He had told himself he didn't care for her, not really. He had tried to bury the confusing pull he felt

lling every contact, every agency, every private investigato

othing. No trace. No leads. Just

re you? The kids are crying. You need to come home

pt at self-comfort. She's tied to this place. She'll come back. He ordered his security team to cont

plaints filling the air. "Your children are impossible, Jakey!

ad yelled at the children, furiously, for their prank. He had even tried to examine Audrey's wounds, a strange, undeniable urge to soothe her. But then Jada had called, spi

from the returning memories, clenched. He forced a smile, stooping to pick up his son. His

ee table. A single unread text message, partially obscured by a magaz