Sleep was a stranger that night. I turned and tossed, heart heavy and mind cluttered with dread. The weight of the ransom demand, the lives at stake—it was too much to bear.
At first light, I drove straight to Martha's place. Nich was already in the front yard, pacing. His face looked drawn and weary.
"Any luck?" I asked, my voice low and tight.
He shook his head. "I managed to raise 100 million."
"100 million?" I repeated, stunned. It wasn't even close.
The ransom was 470 million.
Almost half a billion.
How were we ever going to pull that off?
Inside the house, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Martha signaled for me to come closer. She handed me an envelope.
"Your father left this with me," she said softly. "He told me to give it to you... when the time came."
My hands trembled as I opened it. Inside was a silver-plated card. Boldly engraved across it: Raphael Armand.
Raphael Armand—a name heavy with fear and speculation. He was more myth than man in certain circles. It was rumoured that he suffers from bipolar disorder, he was said to be unpredictable—charming one moment, brutal the next. A ruthless business tycoon, his wealth was an inheritance layered over centuries of power, blood, and secrets.
He wasn't just rich—he was untouchable. Intertwined with the government and masked as a legitimate funding organization, yet whispered to have ties that ran deeper than any legal boundary dared to go. Every major news outlet, blog, and gossip site had a story about him.
Calling Raphael wasn't just asking for help—it was making a deal with the devil.
My heart skipped.
Nich peeked over my shoulder and his face changed immediately. "No. No way. You can't be serious."
"We don't have a choice," I said, almost in a whisper.
"You want to call him?" Nich snapped. "You know what that means. That man is dangerous- he is a mad dog. "
"I know," I murmured. "But what's the alternative, Nich? Tell me."
He ran a hand through his hair, then resumed pacing like a storm building in a cage. After what felt like hours, he finally stopped.
"Fine," he muttered. "Call him."
My fingers were shaking as I dialed the number.
"Hello," a calm, low voice answered.
"Hello," I said. "This is Linda… Otelio Dante's daughter."
A pause. "Linda. What do you need from me?"
"I... I need your help," I said, my voice small.
"Is it about the kidnapping?"
I froze. "How do you know about that?"
"There's nothing that happens in this city that I'm not aware of," he replied coldly.
Silence buzzled between us.
"How much?" he asked.
"470 million."
"And you are calling me for it? Your father already owes me his life" he scoffed.
"Yes, I'm aware"
He exhaled slowly. "And what are you willing to give in return?"
I went silent. My throat tightened.
"My life, anything I can...I will pay it back somehow"
" Linda"his voice now slower and colder "This is not a favour but a debt, one I always collect. If you don't pay it back, hell will find you first."
I swallowed hard. "Okay, I understand "
"If you don't underestand niw you will-soon"
" You will have it in an hour". He said.
The line went dead.
I stared at the phone in my hand, the screen dimming. What had I just done?
---
We arranged the delivery for in-person exchange.
"Hello, we're on our way," Nich said into the phone.
"Good," the voice replied on the other end.
The address they gave us led to a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. It was eerily quiet—desolate. The kind of place where no one hears you scream. My stomach churned.
Nich squeezed my hand. "Everything will be alright, okay? I have a plan."
"A plan?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "What do you mean, Nich? Please don't tell me you involved the police."
"I had to, Linda. I don't trust these people," he said firmly.
He patted my hair and kissed my forehead. His touch was gentle, calming. I felt a pang of guilt. Nich had been my rock through all of this.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. We scanned the surroundings, waiting.
A tall figure approached, face hidden beneath a hood.
Nich and I stepped out of the car. Without a word, Nich started unloading the bags of money and handed them over. The man picked them up, disappearing without a glance.
I stayed in the car, legs bouncing anxiously. My heart was pounding so hard, I thought it might burst.
My phone rang.
"Hel—" I started, but a furious voice cut me off.
"How dare you go against us?" a furious voice thundered from the other end. "You brought the cops? After we told you not to?"
"No, no, please—" I choked out, my chest tightening in panic.
Gunshots.
My heart dropped. "What was that?!"
Another gunshot cracked through the air.
I threw the door open and started running toward the warehouse.
Sirens.
Police vehicles pulled up with screeching tires. Officers spilled out, weapons raised.
I tried to push through them, but strong arms pulled me back.
"No! Let me go!" I screamed.
"Nich! Rosa!" I yelled, straining against the officer's grip.
I couldn't lose my whole family.
"Ma'am, please calm down—we'll handle the situation," a young officer said urgently. Others rushed toward the building, trying to secure the perimeter.
And then—
BOOM!
An explosion ripped through the air.
A fireball swallowed the warehouse. Thick black smoke curled into the sky. The screams—those piercing screams—echoed in my head.
"Rosa!" I gasped.
"Stay here!" the young officer barked, sprinting toward the inferno.
I didn't listen.
I took a step—
BOOM!
Another explosion. The ground shook beneath my feet. The heat seared my skin, and my ears rang.
Flames roared higher, and the entire structure began to collapse. I screamed.
"NICH!"
I dropped to my knees, the world spinning around me.
Gone.
Everything… gone in flames.
Tears spilled down my face as I sobbed uncontrollably. My body trembled with grief.
They all never treated me well. They had made me feel like an outsider in my own home.
But they were still my family.
And Nich...
Nich was my hope. My light. The man who loved me.
Now he was gone too.
My entire world crumbled, burning before my eyes.
Officers tried to restrain me, but I fought against their arms.
"My wedding... it was just next weekend. Now everything I had hoped for is gone up in flames," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
And then I screamed—
"NOOOOOOO!!!"