Chapter 106

Chapter 104
Mrs. Julia's brow furrowed with worry as she glanced at the clock on the wall for what felt like the hundredth time. The ticking hands seemed to mock her, each passing minute amplifying her concern. Anna was supposed to be back hours ago, but she still hadn't returned. The silence in the house was oppressive, punctuated only by the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards.

"Vera, have you heard from Anna?" Mrs. Julia asked, trying to keep her voice calm despite the growing unease in her chest. She stood up from the couch and began to pace around the room, her eyes scanning the space as if expecting Anna to suddenly materialize.

Vera shook her head, her expression equally worried. "No, ma'am. I've tried calling her several times, but her number is not reachable. It just rings and then goes to voicemail." Vera's voice was laced with concern, and she bit her lip, a habit she had when she was anxious.

Mrs. Julia's worry deepened, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. She tried calling Anna herself, her fingers moving swiftly over the keypad as she dialed Anna's number. But the result was the same – her phone was unreachable. The automated voice on the other end seemed cold and impersonal, offering no comfort or reassurance.

"Vera, I'm getting worried," Mrs. Julia said, her voice trembling slightly. "Anna's never been this late without letting us know. Something might be wrong." She stopped pacing and turned to Vera, her eyes searching for answers.

Vera's expression mirrored Mrs. Julia's concern. "I'll try to reach out to her friends, see if they've heard from her," she suggested, already pulling out her phone to start making calls.

Mrs. Julia nodded, her mind racing with possibilities. Where could Anna be? And why wasn't she answering her phone? The uncertainty was suffocating, and she felt a growing sense of desperation. She needed to find Anna, to make sure she was safe. The thought of anything happening to her daughter was unbearable.

Mrs. Julia's eyes met Vera's, and they seemed to share a moment of understanding. The concern etched on their faces was palpable, and the air was thick with tension. "Vera, call Marcus," Mrs. Julia said, her voice firm and decisive. "He might know something about Anna's whereabouts. He's been in close contact with her lately, and perhaps he's heard from her."

Vera nodded, her hands moving swiftly as she dialed Marcus's number. The phone rang several times before Marcus's deep, reassuring voice answered.

"Vera, what's wrong?" Marcus asked, his tone laced with concern. "You sound worried."

"Sir, it's about Anna," Vera replied, her voice steady despite the anxiety creeping into her tone. "She's missing. She was supposed to be back hours ago, but she hasn't returned. We've tried calling her, but her phone is unreachable. We're getting worried."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Mrs. Julia wondered if the connection had dropped. But then Marcus spoke up, his voice firm and commanding.

"I'm on my way," he said. "I'll find out what's going on. Try to stay calm, and I'll be there soon.

Mrs. Julia felt a sense of relief wash over her at Marcus's words. With him on the case, she knew they would leave no stone unturned in finding Anna. The weight of responsibility seemed to shift slightly, and she felt a glimmer of hope. But the question still lingered – where was Anna, and what had happened to her? The uncertainty was suffocating, and Mrs. Julia couldn't shake off the feeling that time was running out.

As Vera hung up the phone, Mrs. Julia's eyes locked onto hers, searching for reassurance. "What did he say?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vera's expression was somber. "He's on his way, ma'am. He'll do everything he can to find Anna."

Mrs. Julia nodded, her mind racing with possibilities. She began to pace around the room again, her footsteps quiet on the soft carpet. Vera watched her, her eyes filled with empathy.

AN ABANDONED WAREHOUSE

Anna's eyes locked onto Lucas's, her voice laced with a mix of anger and confusion. "Why are you doing this, Lucas? What did I ever do to you?" she demanded, her tone firm but laced with a hint of desperation.

Lucas's expression twisted into a cruel smile, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. "You were supposed to be out of my life, Anna," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "I thought I had finally gotten rid of you. But then I discovered you're still alive." His words were laced with venom, and Anna could feel the weight of his hatred.

Anna's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with questions. "And that changes everything?" she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

Lucas nodded, his smile growing wider. "Yes, it does. You see, if you're alive, you'll come back for revenge. You'll try to take back your father's property and company. And I won't let that happen," he said, his voice cold and calculating. "I've worked too hard to have that company, and I won't let you ruin it for me."

Anna's eyes widened in understanding, the pieces falling into place. "You're disgusting you son of a bitch, you're trying to reap where you didn't even soe" she accused, her voice filled with conviction. "You've been lying to everyone, haven't you? You've been using my father's company for your own gain."

Lucas's smile faltered for a moment, before he regained his composure. "I had to, Anna," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "I told all the shareholders that you were dead. I had to cover my tracks. And now, I have to eliminate you once and for all. You're a threat to everything I've built, and I won't let you take it away from me."

Anna's heart sank, her mind racing with fear. She knew she was in grave danger, and she had to think fast if she wanted to survive. But she refused to give up. She would fight to the end to reclaim her rightful place and expose Lucas's deceit. She begins to question herself, how would she be able to outsmart him and escape?

Anna's eyes locked onto Lucas's, and she tried to distract him by asking a question, attempting to shift the focus away from her precarious situation. "So, how did you meet Jenny?" she asked, her voice casual, trying to sound nonchalant despite the tension in the air.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. He wasn't a fool, and he knew Anna was trying to deceive him, to divert his attention from the fact that she was trying to escape. But something about her question piqued his interest, and he decided to play along, curious to see how far Anna would take this charade.

"Jenny and I met through mutual friends," Lucas said, his voice smooth, his eyes never leaving Anna's face. "We started dating, and I have to say, she's quite... passionate about certain things without her i wouldn't even know your still alive." His tone was laced with amusement then he pulled jenny and they shared a passionate kiss, and Anna could sense the underlying mockery in his voice as she stared at them disgustingly.

Anna's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with possibilities. She knew Jenny had always been jealous of her, but she had no idea Jenny's feelings ran this deep. "Like what?" she asked, trying to keep the conversation going, to keep Lucas distracted.

Lucas's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with malice. "Like how much she hates you," he replied, his voice dripping with venom. "She can't stand the thought of you, Anna. And I have to admit, I was curious about why." His words were laced with a sinister intent, and Anna felt a shiver run down her spine.

Anna's eyes flashed with anger, but she kept her cool, trying not to reveal her true emotions. "And what did she say?" she asked, her voice steady, despite the turmoil inside her.

Lucas chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. "When Jenny always talk about how much she hates you, I was curious to know you the person was. Then i asked her to show me your picture. I couldn't believe the similarity in your names. I was shocked when I saw your picture, Anna. You two could be... well, i first thought i might be your twin or a doppleger, but similarities were enough to spark some suspicion." His eyes seemed to gleam with excitement, and Anna knew she was in grave danger.

Anna's eyes widened, her mind racing with the implications. The hate she had for jenny suddenly tripled. If not for jenny lucas wouldn't even know about her existence. She turned and stared at jenny with hate. If looks could kill jenny would have decay six feet below.