Ophelia's POV,
"No, I don't care what excuse you're giving me. That shipment was due three days ago."
People slow down as they pass. Some whisper. Others stare with the familiar mix of awe and pity reserved for the person unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of my temper. The delivery man at the other end of the line starts rambling about something or the other.
I stop walking, my eyes flaring.
"Fix it," I say coldly. "Or resign."
I end the call and exhale once, sharp, then tap my earpiece. "Ivy, cancel everything for today. Meetings, calls, dinners. All of it."
A pause. "All of it?" Ivy asked, careful.
"Yes," I say. "I want silence."
I descend the steps outside the building, heels clicking against stone, and wave off Vester before he can follow. "I'll walk," I say. "Alone."
He hesitates before nodding. I know he'd let me walk a few feet before following me but at least he'd be out of sight. I'm angry because the delivery was supposed to arrive at my doorstep three days ago and now, the investors would start worrying. I'm angry because the noise in my head has refused to reduce.
The city swallows me easily.
The call from Eden comes just as I cross the street. I smile despite myself. "You're calling during work hours," I tease.
Eden laughs sarcastically, then her voice drops. "Lydia says you have to come down for dinner. Or else."
I laugh, warm and real. "Tell her I'm busy conquering the world."
"You'd be conquering hell if you don't show up." Eden replies and I scoff.
"That's ridiculous. How sure are you I will be in h—" My voice cuts short when my world tilts suddenly. A hand clamps over my face and rough fabric presses hard against her nose and mouth. I struggle instantly but the grip only tightens.
Too strong.
I drop my phone to the ground and cut the call with my bare feet. My fingers fumble for my wrist and I press once. The bracelet vibrates faintly against my skin.
Good.
The street blur. Sounds dull and my knees hit the ground. As darkness rushed in, I heard a man's voice, low and satisfied.
"We got Dante Vaughn's wife."
My thought was… Who the hell would confuse me with that devil's wife?
~ ~
I wake up to darkness. The heavy kind that pressed against my eyes and told me I'm not where I should be.
My wrists burn so I look down and realize I'm tied to a chair, thick rope biting into my skin. My ankles are bound too. The room smells damp and old, like rust and concrete.
Somewhere, water drips in a slow, patient rhythm.
I inhale and exhale. Calming myself.
Panic is a luxury I don't allow myself.
"Untie me." My voice comes out sharp, and commanding. The kind people obey.
The door creaks open.
Three men step inside. None of them look surprised to see me awake. One of them even grins like he's been waiting for it.
"I said untie me," I repeat, louder now. "You have no idea who you've taken."
They laugh and my eyes narrow. They wouldn't be laughing in ten minutes, I assure myself.
"You still talk like you own the world," one of them says. "Cute."
"If my family finds out about this," I snap, "you won't live long enough to regret it."
That makes them laugh harder.
"Oh, we know your family," another says, pulling out his phone. He tilts the screen toward me and my face twists into disgust.
It's a video of me, unconscious and tied up.
"We already sent it," he shrugs lightly. "Ransom and all."
I scoff. Except Lydia has been kidnapped too, there's no way they are actually waiting for a ransom. The third man steps closer, crouching in front of me. He studies my face like he's looking for something familiar beneath my perfect make-up.
"It took us two years to find you," he says. "You changed a lot."
His eyes narrow. "But we'd never forget you."
I raise a brow. Two years? How exactly have they been looking for me for two years? I haven't even fully come out as the CEO of Moretti Enterprises.
"But we've never met, have we?" I get up in his face and he frowns, then stands up fully.
"You humour us but I'd expect nothing less from Dante Vaughn's wife."
Dante Vaughn.
Of course I know who he is. He's the devil CEO. The one business channels whisper about. The face of a rival empire I've crossed on paper but never in person. We haven't met in two years. And even then… barely. Whatever this is, it's not something I remember holding onto.
So I steady my breathing and do what I do best. I lie.
"How do you know that?" I ask them softly. "That's supposed to be a secret."
The men exchange looks. One of them grins, pleased I've confirmed it.
"Boss was there," he says. "VIP room. Strip club. Two years back."
My stomach tightens, but I keep my face smooth.
"He declared it," another adds. "Loud. Clear. Told everyone you were his wife."
"You're mistaken." I laugh, awkwardly. "We aren't exactly "married" if you know what I mean"
They shake their heads.
"With the Vaughn Empire's wife in our hands," the first man says, "we can ask for any ransom we want."
Ah, the richest family. So that's it. A ghost of a night I barely remember has followed me into hell.
Before I can say another word, a sound rips through the warehouse. Shouting and gunfire. Metal screaming as something crashes through a door.
Chaos erupts.
The men run and I tip the chair sideways just as the ropes are cut roughly from my wrists. Familiar hands grab me.
"Ma'am," Vesper says urgently, "we're getting you out."
The next minutes blur into movement. Bodies on the ground. Shouts and orders. The kidnappers end up facedown, wrists zip-tied, groaning.
Cool air hits my face as we step outside and as Vesper leads me to my car, a black limo pulls up slowly, out of place in the mess of sirens and concrete.
I stop.
"Vesper," I say quietly, "I thought you said you came alone."
He stiffens. "I did."
My phone rings. Calista.
I answer immediately.
"Oh, Ophelia," she says breathlessly, "I heard from Eden. I just wanted to ask how you're feeling being kidnapped for the first time. I'm assuming you're alive since you answered."
I huff a short laugh. "Barely."
She's still talking when the limo door opens and I look up.
A man steps out, tall, composed, dressed in black like the night itself tailored him personally. His presence changes the air and I recognize him instantly.
Both from memory and reputation.
The devil CEO.
The man I apparently married once by accident.
And as his gaze lifts and locks onto mine, I know one thing with brutal certainty.
Dante Vaughn has once again managed to weasel his way into my life.