Chapter 84 The Enemy Comes to the Door
I shook my head, indicating I didn't know either.
In my past life, my short existence was spent mostly in labs reeking of disinfectant. After Sabrina recovered and left the hospital, I'd only stayed at the Rosewood family home briefly before being kicked out to wander the streets.
When I died, I'd never even left this city.
In the moment my mind wandered, I caught Anna already struggling to sit up from the corner of my eye. We leaned against each other, whispering.
"Any idea who the kidnappers are? Money or something else?"
Anna's voice was calm as she analyzed our current situation piece by piece.
"I looked around just now—didn't see anyone. Don't know if they're hiding somewhere. Have you offended anyone? The Johnson family has plenty of enemies too. Maybe I dragged you into this."
She spoke to herself. I took in every word, considering my response carefully.
"Right now, staying alive is our priority. We can worry about everything else later. Whoever the kidnappers are, they grabbed us for a reason. Let's conserve our energy and wait for them to come to us."
Anna nodded in agreement. We fell silent, each lost in thought.
Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, Anna said, "Catherine, you think this could be Sabrina's doing?"
Sabrina?
My brow furrowed. True—if these were the Johnson family's enemies, there'd be no reason to grab me too. No matter how powerful the Johnson family was, they'd never rescue someone with no connection to them. Kidnapping me served no purpose.
But they'd grabbed both of us. Either they didn't know who they actually needed, or... the person behind this was our mutual enemy.
Anna and I currently had one and only one mutual enemy—Sabrina.
"She's definitely capable of something like this," I said gravely, my expression darkening. If it was Sabrina, she absolutely wouldn't just be after money.
Perhaps sensing my worry, Anna nudged my arm comfortingly. "Don't stress. We'll find a way."
I pressed my lips together without answering. No matter how much we tried to stay calm, we had no power to fight back. Right now, we were lambs waiting for slaughter.
Until evening fell, no one appeared. Night descended once more. Cold wind howled. Suddenly, rustling sounds came from all around.
Five people wearing grotesque masks emerged.
Anna instinctively moved in front of me. "Who are you? What do you want?"
I froze, not understanding why she'd protect me. But something stirred in my heart nonetheless. Someone like Anna didn't deserve to be used by Liam.
Though being protected, I didn't show fear, raising my head to look at them. The leader pulled out his phone, seemingly confirming something.
Seconds later, his vicious eyes locked onto me. "It's her. Take her."
"Wait!" One of them moved to grab me, but Anna suddenly spoke up. "Let's talk this through. My sister's young and foolish—did she offend you somehow?"
My pupils contracted violently. My eyes suddenly reddened.
Anna smoothly played the appeaser, looking ready to offer her own body if that's what they wanted. I stood there thunderstruck. Certain thoughts flashed rapidly through my mind, ultimately condensing into a single murmur.
"Anna..."
She shot me a glare, warning me to shut up. My fragile heart took quite a blow in that brief moment.
Seemed like those stories I'd heard weren't fiction after all. Anna had escaped from a hellish life—she must have paid unimaginable costs. Yet this broken woman still unhesitatingly shielded me when danger struck.
The kidnapper shoved her aside dismissively. "Get lost. I want her, not you. Shut up if you want to live!"
I was lifted like a chick. Anna tried to speak again, but I quickly shook my head. Before being completely taken away, I smiled at her gratefully, silently mouthing: Thank you.
I quietly waited for them to make their move. But the lead kidnapper only stood before me. "Hand over what Daisy gave you, and maybe I'll be merciful enough to spare your life."
The taut string in my mind snapped. Countless thoughts flooded my brain all at once.
Daisy had only been abroad for less than half a year, yet her enemies had already tracked me down! Life had been so peaceful I'd almost forgotten about this sword hanging over my head.
Outwardly, I looked completely bewildered. "Who's Daisy?"
The next instant, a vicious slap landed hard across my face. My head jerked to the side uncontrollably, my mouth filling with the metallic taste of blood.
The man's rough fingers gripped my throat tightly, his eyes bulging. "Don't play dumb with me! Half a year ago, you sent that bitch abroad. Thought putting Nicholas down as the sponsor would keep us from finding you? We know exactly what that slut's worth—no way she'd hook Nicholas. But you? Doing good deeds without leaving your name, huh!"
His voice dripped with cold mockery. My heart jumped.
Oxygen deprivation slowed my thinking and reactions considerably. Still, I refused to admit it. "I... I don't... don't know any Daisy!"
"Still pretending!"
The kidnapper squeezed harder. My face turned purple-red. Survival instinct made me desperately try to pry his hand away. Completely useless.
On the verge of death, only three words filled my mind: Not willing.
I hadn't uncovered the truth about my parents' accident yet. Hadn't gotten revenge on Sabrina and the four Rosewood brothers. And Nicholas...
Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes involuntarily.
"So fragile, yet you dare help people randomly?"
Seeing I was really about to give out, the kidnapper loosened his grip. I was tossed aside like a rag. The pain of rocks digging into my flesh paled compared to my desperate need for oxygen.
I kept gasping, coughing. My chest still felt unbearably tight.
The kidnapper crouched down and gripped my throat again, though without force this time.
"Catherine, my patience is limited. I'll give you one last chance."
I kept shaking my head. "I did help Daisy, but she didn't give me anything. We barely knew each other—if she had something important, why would she give it to me?"
I tried to get away with this clumsy lie.
The kidnapper snorted coldly. His hand moved from my neck to my shoulder blade. Without mercy, he squeezed hard. A crack sounded. I couldn't help crying out in pain.
The kidnapper crushed my shoulder blade and stood, ordering two others, "Beat her. Until she tells the truth."
They cracked their knuckles, advancing step by step. Ignoring the pain in my shoulder, I struggled to crawl backward.
"Save yourself the suffering and hand it over!"