Chapter 98: Operation.

Chapter 98: Operation.
Dua weakly opened her eyes, finding herself in a cold room illuminated by flickering fluorescent lights above. She held her throbbing head, trying to steady herself against the dizziness that threatened to engulf her. Blinking slowly, she took a moment to adjust her blurred vision. “What the hell was in that handkerchief?” she whispered drowsily.
“Good, my love, you’re awake,” she heard a familiar masculine voice from the corner of the room.
“My love?” Dua’s brow furrowed, confusion washing over her. The voice echoed in her memory, and she felt a chill run down her spine.
“Are you denying it?” The man finally showed himself, stepping into the dim light. 
“Alex?!” Dua gasped, her heart racing. It was him—Diane’s boyfriend, but she was not Diane.
“Why do you look like you’re not happy to see me, babe?” he sneered, squatting down to her level, his eyes glinting with an unsettling mixture of affection and menace.
“Of course I’m not happy to see you! I told you before, I’m not who you think I am. I’m Dua, not Diane,” she asserted, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her insides.
“What exactly are you benefiting from that bastard that you’re even lying about your identity for him?” he demanded, his expression shifting from playful to predatory.
Dua took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “There’s no need to worry. You’ve got it all wrong. I’m not Diane, and I want to help you find her.”
His eyes narrowed, his demeanor darkening. “You think you can sweet-talk me? I want you, not the lies you’re weaving.” He leaned closer, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “You belong to me now.”
“No! I was never yours, and I’ll never be yours!” Dua pushed back firmly, but Alex merely chuckled, enjoying her defiance.
“Ah, that stubbornness. I’ve always adored that about you. But now? Now, it seems like you’re back to your old ways,” he taunted, his grip tightening around her face.
She pressed her lips together tightly, refusing to give in as he leaned closer trying to kiss her. “I can’t wait to fully have you back,” he smirked.
“You can’t have me; I’m really not Diane,” Dua insisted, her voice trembling with desperation.
“Where is Diane then, if you’re not her?” he asked, his brow furrowing with confusion and suspicion.
“I honestly don’t know. I swear, you don’t want to find her more than I do. Her disappearance has brought nothing but havoc into my life,” Dua replied, the weight of her words heavy in the air.
Seeing a flicker of doubt in his eyes, she offered a proposition. “How about you let me go, and in return, I’ll help you find your Diane?” she suggested, her heart racing.
Alex’s expression darkened, his once playful demeanor morphing into something sinister. He leaned in closer, the warmth of his breath sending shivers down Dua’s spine. “You really think I’m going to believe all the trash you’re peddling?” His voice dripped with dangerous calm.
“What do you want from me, Alex?” Dua replied, struggling to keep her composure. “I’m not Diane, and I don’t know where she is.”
He smirked, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his touch unsettling. “Oh, I want you.” The flickering lights above them cast eerie shadows that danced across his face, revealing the madness lurking in his eyes. “I want you… minus that bastard,” he added, his gaze dropping to Dua’s baby bump.
“So, we’ll be getting rid of it,” he sneered, a dark amusement flickering across his features.
Dua’s heart raced as dread washed over her. “You wouldn’t dare,” she stuttered, her voice wavering.
“Oh, but I would,” he replied, his grin widening as he leaned in further. “You see, I’ve always believed that drastic situations call for drastic measures. If you keep denying me what I want, then perhaps a little operation is in order—a little procedure to remove that bastard… just to ensure you’re really mine, my Diane.”
Panic surged through Dua like wildfire. “No, Alex! Don’t! You can’t do that!” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Please don’t hurt my babies,” Dua whispered, her voice trembling with earnest desperation.
“Babies,” Alex mocked, a cruel laugh escaping his lips. “Such a waste.”
Dua squeezed her eyes shut, her heart racing as she fervently prayed for a swift rescue before tragedy could unfold. She opened her tear-filled eyes again, making another plea to Alex, but it was like speaking to a wall. He nonchalantly pulled out his phone and dialed a number. “Roll in, guys.”
Within moments, the door burst open, and armed men flooded the room, forming a grim circle around her. Dua’s heart plummeted as a chilling thought settled in her mind, one she desperately tried to resist. 
“It’s time, my love,” Alex said, his smirk growing wider as four men approached. They swiftly overpowered her, pinning her onto the bed, securing her hands and legs to the frame. Her screams and cries shattered the silence, echoing through the room, but to the men, they were nothing more than twisted music as they erupted in laughter. The man in the white coat emerged from the shadows, carrying a sinister box. He placed it on a nearby table and withdrew a scalpel, sending a fresh wave of terror crashing over Dua.
“NO!” she screamed, her voice hoarse as the gleaming metal drew closer to her stomach. Just as the scalpel brushed her skin, the door swung open, freezing everyone in place.
Steven stood at the threshold, rage radiating from him, while Victoria’s eyes widened in horror as she took in Dua’s helpless state. 
“What are you waiting for? Proceed!” Alex barked, his panic evident.
In that brief moment of chaos, hope flickered in Dua’s heart. Steven surged forward, primal instinct overtaking him, his need to save Dua overriding all fear. The armed men turned their attention to him, weapons raised, but Victoria slid in behind him, her heart pounding as if syncing with the urgency of the moment.
Without hesitation, Steven wrenched a metal chair from the ground and hurled it at the nearest attacker. It connected with a thunderous crash, sending the man spiraling to the side. Seizing the opportunity, Victoria didn’t flinch. She dove to Dua’s side, but two men intercepted her. In an instant, she unleashed a flying kick that connected with one, sending him crashing to the ground. With a swift reflex, she dodged an incoming punch from the other and retaliated with a powerful strike that left him reeling. Without breaking stride, she hurried to Dua’s side and deftly began working on the knots binding her wrists.
Alex’s fury flared. “Get him!” he bellowed, his finger pointing vehemently at Steven. As the two henchmen lunged forward, weapons drawn, Steven stood his ground. The sound of Dua's frantic breaths reached him, and the fear in her eyes fanned the flames of determination within him.
With a fluidity born of countless trainings and countless fights, he sidestepped the first punch aimed at him, countering with a strike that sent the second man staggering backward. Steven became a whirlwind of movement, a blur of fists and feet, fighting off the henchmen with everything he had. But deep down, he felt a suffocating emptiness—he was unable to summon his supernatural abilities, his last line of defense now stripped away.
Meanwhile, Victoria worked with relentless focus, her fingers finally loosening the rope around Dua's wrists. Just as Dua’s hands were freed, panic flickered in her eyes. She quickly moved to untie her legs, glancing anxiously at the chaos unfolding around her.
Realizing the tide of the battle was shifting, the man in the white coat attempted to flee. 
“Not so fast!” Victoria called out fiercely, snatching up the scalpel he had dropped. With a flick of her wrist, she hurled it with precision, the blade embedding itself in his thigh. He let out a pained grunt as he crumpled to the floor.
In the midst of the fray, Alex seized a gun, aiming it menacingly at Dua in a desperate attempt to regain control. But Victoria stepped forward, positioning herself protectively in front of Dua. “Shoot if you dare,” she taunted, a smirk playing on her lips, confidence radiating from her stance.
Alex’s attention momentarily shifted to Victoria, and in that fleeting moment, Steven seized his opportunity. He smashed an iron rod on Alex's head. Before Alex could react, pain erupted across his face as Steven unleashed a relentless barrage of punches, each strike landing with a sickening thud.
“Knucklehead, that’s enough!” Dua shouted, her voice slicing through the chaos. She could no longer bear to watch the brutal scene unfold before her eyes.
At the sound of Dua’s voice, Steven hesitated, his fist poised mid-air. He looked down at Alex, who was crumpled on the floor, his face a canvas of bruises and blood. With a heavy sigh, Steven dropped his hand, allowing Alex to hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Steven turned to her, his expression shifting from rage to worry in an instant. "Are you alright?" he asked, frantic concern etching his features.
“No,” Dua replied, shaking her head slowly. The weight of the moment settled over her, and she felt the gravity of what had transpired.
Without hesitation, Steven gathered her into his arms, his protective instinct kicking in as he turned to leave. But as they stepped away from the carnage, Victoria remained behind, a cold smirk playing on her lips. The chaos they had just escaped was only the beginning, and her finger itched to pull the trigger, determined to finish what had been started—one final shot to end it all.