Chapter 102 Kidnapped

Chapter 102 Kidnapped
Alyssa’s POV

Air rushed violently into my lungs.

It felt like I had been drowning for hours and was only just breaking the surface.

My chest rose sharply as I gasped, my eyes flying open, only to be greeted by a ceiling that was far too elegant for the chaos pounding through my head. For a moment, nothing was comprehensible. 

The room was… beautiful. Soft cream walls, gold-trimmed edges, a chandelier illuminating across polished surfaces with warm lights, and silk drapes framing tall windows.

Maybe I was dreaming…

My breathing came out uneven as I tried to push myself up only to realize I couldn’t.

My hands were tightly bound behind me with a rope.

A muffled sound escaped me as I tried to speak, only to feel the stretch of tape across my mouth. Panic surged instantly in my chest.

What was happening? What was my last memory?

My thoughts stumbled over each other, disjointed, confused—Then it hit me.

The road.

Kayden’s car. I was heading to my mum.

The men.

My stomach dropped so hard it felt like I might throw up.

This wasn’t a dream.

Cold fear flooded through me, settling deep into my bones as my body began to tremble uncontrollably. I twisted my wrists, trying to loosen the rope, but it didn’t budge. The more I struggled, the tighter it seemed to cut into my skin.

My breathing quickened, shallow and frantic, my eyes darting around the room like I might find an escape hidden somewhere between the polished furniture and expensive décor.

Who brought me here?

Why?

The questions barely had time to settle before a floral scent enveloped the air around. It drifted toward me slowly, followed by the distinct sound of heels clicking against the floor.

My entire body went rigid.

Someone was coming.

The door opened and she stepped in.

My breath caught in my throat as my eyes locked onto her.

She was… stunning.

There was no other word for it. The kind of beauty that had been maintained with good money. Her red dress hugged her figure flawlessly, her hair styled to perfection, makeup sharp enough to cut. She carried herself with a confidence that made the room feel smaller.

Then-

My brows furrowed slightly as my mind scrambled to place her face. She looked familiar. The closer she got, the more I was sure I had seen her face before.

Each step she took made my pulse spike higher, the sound of her heels echoing in my ears like a countdown.

Then suddenly- it clicked.

The lunch at the Jackman house. She is…Louisa’s mother.

My heart dropped.

“Hi, Alyssa,” she said softly as she stopped in front of the bed I was in.

My body started trembling harder.

Why would Louisa’s mother kidnap me?

A cold, terrifying thought slid into place before I could stop it.

Was it because she knew I was with Kayden and now,  they’ve decided to eliminate me so that Louisa could have him? Cold Fear rushed down my nerves.

Her hand came forward, peeling the tape from my mouth in one swift motion.

Pain shot across my skin, but I barely felt it.

“Please—please don’t kill me,” the words rushed out of me before I could stop them, tumbling over each other in desperation. “It’s not my fault…Kayden and I…we just…we didn’t mean to…I never meant for him and Louisa to break up…”

She blinked at me slowly.

Then she raised a perfectly shaped brow, confusion flickering across her face before she let out a soft, amused snort.

“So my two daughters are in love with one man,” she murmured, almost to herself. “What a wonder.”

Everything inside me stilled.

My breathing almost stopped.

“What…?” My voice came out broken, barely audible.

She pulled a ceramic chair closer and sat in front of me, crossing her legs elegantly as if this were a casual conversation and not a kidnapping.

Then her hand reached out.

She touched my face.

My skin crawled.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you all these years, little one. I truly am.”

I flinched away from her touch, my heart pounding violently now.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” I said, my voice shaking. “Stop—stop messing with me.”

She sighed.

“You have to listen to me, Alyssa,” she said. “And maybe… you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me.”

Her gaze flickered briefly around the room.

“You don’t have to worry,” she added calmly. “This place is secure. No one knows you’re here. We have time to talk.”

My stomach twisted harder.

“Years ago,” she continued, her voice taking on a reflective tone, “after I got married, I couldn’t conceive. My husband wanted a son. Desperately I mean.”

Where was she heading to?

“So we opted for surrogacy,” she said. “And Miranda carried the pregnancy.”

My heart skipped.

Miranda.

My… mother.

“She carried twins,” the woman went on. “But when they were born… they were both girls.”

My emotions cracked.

“I wasn’t unhappy about it because I was aware of how badly my husband wanted a boy child. But we had two girls instead. And so… I made a decision.”

Her gaze locked onto mine. “You can’t blame a woman blindly in love. I was going to do anything to please him. I wanted to stay married to him and didn’t want any woman to replace me.”

I could hear her through my heavy breathing. But I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear the rest.

“I gave one of the twins to Miranda. And I kept the other.”

My head shook before I even realized it.

“No,” I whispered. “No, that’s not—”

“It’s the truth,” she said, her tone sharpening slightly. “You and Louisa are twins.”

“No.” I choked out.

“No. No, that’s not possible.”

Tears blurred my vision as my mind scrambled to reject it—to push it away—

I felt weak. Very weak.

There had been signs. Louisa and I shared the same birthday.

The picture that fell from my mother’s bag. That was Louisa. Not me.

The resemblance people always pointed out even though Louisa had undergone facial surgery. That was why I didn’t realize she was the kid in that picture.

“Oh my God…” my voice broke as realization began to settle in.

The tears fell heavily down my face. How could I accept this heavy reality?

“You’re lying,” I said, shaking my head. “You’re not my mother. You can’t be.”

She watched me calmly.

“The sooner you accept it, the easier this will be,” she said. 

God…

That was why she and my mum had that strong tension when they saw eachother at the Jackman’s house.

The plate had fell from my mum’s hand. It wasn’t coincidence. She was shocked to meet her again. They were both acting awkward throughout the lunch and I had suspected there was something going on.

The recording was real afterall. 

My anger flared through the grief I was feeling.

“Then why this?” I snapped, my voice cracking. “Why kidnap me when you could have reached out to discuss…fairly?”

Her expression hardened.

“Because Miranda would never let me near you,” she replied. “This was the only way I could achieve…this.”

I let out a bitter, disbelieving laugh.

“And it’s the dumbest way,” I shot back. “If you think I’m going to accept you like this, then you’re insane. There were better ways to do this. Better ways to talk to me.”

She smiled.

But it didn’t reach her eyes.

“I never said I was a good person,” she admitted. “I’ve paid for my mistakes.”

I stared at her.

She didn’t look sorry.

Not even a little.

A cold dread settled deep in my chest.

“What happens now?” I asked, forcing the words out.

Her smile widened. All her actions appeared ruled. Too controlled.

“Now, I take you away from here. You’ll have a better life. A beautiful life. The one you were always meant to have.”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

“You’re delusional,” I said flatly. “You think I’ll just… leave everything- my life, and go with you? What happened to pleasing your husband by not letting him know you had two girls?” It still felt too surreal to me. Too shocking. Me and Louisa were twins?

“Another woman later bore him a son anyway.” She snickered, pain reflecting underneath her eyes.

“Don’t you want a better life?” she pressed. “The wealth that comes with accepting me as your mother? Premium comfort?”

For a moment, pure emotion slipped through her composed expression. Like she really longed to have the child she hadn’t been with all her life. But I was beyond angry. 

“You’re insane,” I repeated.

“Yeah, my mum is definitely not okay in the head.” A third voice joined us.

My head snapped toward the door so fast it hurt. 

My chest pulsated sharply as I spotted Louisa standing at the entrance, her eyes locked onto her mother’s shocked own.

“Now, you will let her go, Mum.”