Chapter 165 The Woman

Chapter 165 The Woman
Diya's POV

The room was dark.

Not completely dark. A small bulb hung from the ceiling, flickering every few seconds and throwing a weak, yellowish light across the walls.

Goddess. I hated that light. It was too weak to make me feel safe and too bright to let me forget where I was. Every time it flickered, the shadows around the room seemed to move.

I kept watching them, watching the corners, watching the door and waiting for it to open.

I didn't know how long we'd been here. An hour? Two? Longer? Time had stopped making sense the moment they dragged us into this place. My back ached from the hard floor beneath me, and every part of my body felt sore, but I barely noticed the pain anymore.

All I could think about was Matt.

He was trembling. Really really badly.

His little body was pressed against mine, his face buried against my chest as though hiding there could somehow make everything disappear.

“Mommy…”

His voice was barely a whisper. I tightened my arms around him.

“I’m here, baby.”

“I’m scared.”

Something inside my chest cracked.

He was trying so hard not to cry. I could hear it in his voice. The little tremor he was fighting to hide. Matt had always been brave. Even when he was sick, even when he was hurting, he would try to pretend he was fine. But now he was clinging to me like I was the only safe thing left in the world.

And the truth was…I didn't feel safe either. I was terrified, but I couldn't let him know that. I couldn't let my son look at his mother and see the same fear he was feeling. So I forced my arms tighter around him and swallowed the lump in my throat.

“I know, baby.”

I pressed my lips against his hair.

“I know you're scared.”

My voice almost broke.

“But Mommy is here.”

I closed my eyes for a moment and pressed my lips against his hair.

“Mummy is here.”

I wanted to tell him not to be scared. I wanted to promise him that his father was coming. That Pete would find us and that everything would be okay. But the words wouldn't come, because I was scared and terrified.

I turned my head and the pain returned.

Those bastards .

I could still feel the sting of the slap across my face. The force of it had sent my head sideways. For a second, I hadn't even understood what had happened, then I tasted blood. I remembered the metallic taste filling my mouth and I remembered the burning in my cheek.

But most of all, I remembered Matt.

His eyes.

The way they had widened when he saw the blood on my lips. The way his little fingers had tightened around my clothes.

“Mommy…”

He had been so scared. And those men had seen it. They had seen exactly what they were doing to him, and they hadn't cared.

They had actually smiled. Then they pointed the gun at him and told him to speak to Pete.

My stomach twisted.

What kind of monsters used a child like that? What kind of person could look at an innocent little boy, see him shaking with fear, and still decide that wasn't enough?

My arms tightened around Matt.

“Heartless bastards.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Matt lifted his head.

“Mommy?”

I immediately softened.

“Nothing, baby.”

I brushed his hair away from his forehead.

“I'm right here.”

He nodded and buried his face against me again.

I stared into the darkness.

How could anyone do this? How could anyone look at an innocent child and deliberately use his fear against him?

My chest tightened.

Matt shifted against me, and his fingers tightened around the fabric of my shirt. The small movement pulled another memory to the surface.

The hospital.

The moment everything had gone wrong.

I could still remember exactly how normal everything had felt just minutes before. That was what frightened me most. There had been no warning and no feeling that something terrible was coming…Just a phone call.

My phone had rung.

It was my employee, Steve.

I hadn't thought anything of it. He was one of the few people in my company I trusted completely. Steve had worked with me long enough that I never questioned his intentions. If anything, hearing his voice made me relax. That was why I didn't hesitate when he asked me to send someone downstairs.

Why would I? He was my employee. Someone I trusted. And apparently, that trust had been exactly what they needed.

“Ma'am, I'm outside the hospital.”

“Outside?”

“Yes. I brought some things for Matt. Some food, clothes and a few other things. The office sent it.”

I smiled.

“You could have just given them to security.”

“I tried, but they won't let the bus through.”

I frowned.

“Why?”

“They said the vehicle isn't authorized to enter.”

I glanced toward the hospital entrance.

“Give me a minute.”

“Ma'am, is there anyone with you who can come down? Maybe they can explain to security that I'm here for you.”

Before I could answer, Shantel spoke.

“I'll go.”

Prisca immediately volunteered too.

“I'll come.”

My mother picked up her bag.

“I'll come with you so I can speak to security. Why won't they let you receive visitors who are bringing gifts for my grandson?”

I smiled at them.

“Okay. Just be quick.”

Shantel waved her hand dismissively.

“We'll be right back.”

I watched them disappear through the doors and for some reason, I remember smiling. A stupid, ordinary smile.

I remember thinking that they would be back in a few minutes. I remember thinking about how happy Matt would be when he saw everything they'd brought him.

I had no idea those would be the last few normal minutes of my life.

I turned back toward Matt. Mike was still standing near the door. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes weren't. They moved around the room the way they always did, checking everything.

I remember looking at him and thinking: We're safe.

Goddess. I couldn't have been more wrong.

That was the cruelest part.

For those few minutes, I genuinely believed nothing could happen to us, but I was so wrong.

Then the door opened and two men walked in. Both were wearing doctor's coats.

I barely looked at them.

They looked like hospital staff.

Then one of them stepped toward us.

“Doctor?”

Mike frowned.

“Who are you?”

Something about the way he said it made me look up.

The man didn't answer. Instead, his hand disappeared beneath his coat. For one stupid second, I thought he was reaching for a medical instrument.

Then I saw the blade and then, everything happened at once.

Mike's eyes widened.

“Diya….”

The knife drove into his stomach.

My scream tore out of me.

“Mike!”

He stumbled backward, one hand immediately going to the wound as blood slipped between his fingers.

“No.”

I couldn't move. I couldn't even breathe.

“Mike!”

The second man lunged and another flash of steel and another strike. Mike tried to defend himself, but there were two of them.

He wasn't prepared for this. He hadn't even known he was in danger.

“Stop!”

I screamed.

“Please! Stop!”

They didn't.

Another stab.

Mike cried out.

The sound ripped through me and I watched in horror as blood soaked through his clothes.

Goddess…The look on his face was something I would never forget. His eyes found mine, and I saw something there that terrified me more than the blood.

Fear.

Mike was afraid. Not for himself, but for us.

His lips moved.

“Run…”

But where? How?

I couldn't even make my body move.

Then one of the men raised a gun, and pointed it directly at Matt.

Everything inside me stopped.

“No.”

I moved instinctively, pulling Matt closer.

The gun followed him.

“Don't….”

My voice came out as barely a whisper.

The man smiled, but it wasn't a kind smile. It was the smile of someone who knew he had already won.

“Dress the boy.”

I stared at him, then at the gun and then at Matt.

“What?”

“Dress him.”

His gun remained pointed at my son.

“And don't make a sound.”

I looked at Matt. He was crying and his tiny body was shaking.

My mind screamed at me to fight, to scream, to run, to do something….Anything. But one glance at that weapon was enough to kill every thought, because this wasn't about me anymore.

If I made the wrong move, Matt would pay for it.

And I couldn't risk that.

So I swallowed my fear and I nodded.

“Okay.”

The word tasted like defeat, but I didn't care. If obeying them was what kept my son alive, then I would obey every fucking order they gave me.

My hands shook so badly that I struggled with Matt's clothes.

“Mommy…”

“It's okay.”

My voice cracked.

“Mommy is here.”

I dressed him and held his hand and we walked through the hospital.

I kept waiting for someone to notice. A nurse, a doctor, a security guard…Anyone.

I wanted someone to look at me. I wanted someone to see the fear in my eyes and understand that something was wrong.

But everyone kept moving, talking, walking and living their normal lives. And I was walking through the middle of them with a gun behind my son.

I wanted to scream.

But every time I looked at Matt, I remembered the weapon. So I kept walking step after step. Silently and terrified, praying someone would stop us.

But nobody did.

A car was already waiting outside and the moment we got inside, they pulled a blindfold over my eyes and the car moved fast.

The blindfold made everything worse. I couldn't see or even tell where we were going. So I just listened to the sound of the tires, the engine and the occasional turn.

I started counting. One turn, then two, then three. Then I lost count.

Panic made it impossible to think.

I tried again.

Ten seconds of driving, another turn, a stretch of smooth road and then a bump. And then, nothing made sense.

I pressed Matt closer to me.

“It's okay.”

My voice shook.

“Daddy will find us.”

I didn't know where we were. I didn't know who had taken us and I didn't know what they wanted. But I knew Pete….He would come. He had to.

Eventually, the car stopped and they dragged us inside….And now we were here. Wherever here was.

I looked down at Matt. He had grown quiet.
Exhaustion had finally overtaken his fear, and his eyes were beginning to close.

I stroked his hair.

“Sleep, baby.”

He shifted closer.

“Daddy is coming?”

My throat tightened.

“Yes.”

The answer came before I could even think.

“Daddy will come.”

Because he would.

I knew Pete. He wouldn't stop, not until he found us.

But a terrible thought entered my mind.

What if they hurt him too?

I immediately pushed it away.
No. I couldn't think like that.
I had to believe Pete would find us.

And Mike…

My chest tightened.

Mike.

The image of him lying on that hospital floor came rushing back. His blood, his face and his eyes finding mine before another knife came down.

He had been protecting us….Protecting me and Matt. And I had been forced to leave him there.

What if he was dead?

My stomach turned.

“No.”

I shook my head.

I couldn't think that. I couldn't.

Mike was strong. He had to be alive. He had to.

“Please, Goddess.”

I pressed my forehead against Matt's hair.

“Please let him be alive.”

A tear slipped down my cheek. Then I whispered the words I needed more than anything.

“Please help Pete find us.”

I bowed my head.

“Please, Goddess. Let him come.”

For several seconds, there was nothing.
Then….

Voices.

My eyes snapped open and I froze.

Someone was outside.

I couldn't make out the words at first.

I barely breathed.

Matt stirred against me, and I immediately placed a finger against my lips.

“Shhh.”

The voices became clearer. It was a man's voice.

“We've informed the boss about the progress.”

I frowned.

The second man chuckled softly.

“She is very pleased with us.”

My entire body went still.

She?

I slowly lifted my head.

The first man spoke again.

“She asked us to wait for further instructions.”

My heart began pounding.

A woman?

There was a woman behind this.

I stared at the door.

My mind started racing.

Who? Who could possibly have planned all of this?

Someone had known about Matt and me. Someone had known exactly how to get everyone away from the hospital room. Someone had known Pete would leave when the council summoned him. Someone had known how to use Steve's name. And now I knew there was a woman behind it.

A woman who had planned this. A woman who wanted me and my son.

My stomach twisted.

I pulled Matt closer.

Suddenly, the darkness didn't feel empty anymore. It felt like someone was watching us from the other side of that door.

I stared at it.

Who the hell was she?