Chapter 108: A Second Phone

Kayden’s POV

After almost two hours, I finally arrived in front of the address I was given.

A large white mansion stood before me, towering under the night sky. The moment the cab stopped, I was already pushing the door open.

I was greeted by the sight of an ambulance.

My heart stuttered as my eyes locked on the stretcher being wheeled out through the gates. A woman lay on it—covered in blood. Her body was still, too still, and for a second, my brain refused to process what I was seeing.

Mrs. Bennett. Louisa’s mother.

The color drained from my face so fast I feel lightheaded.

Everything around me blurred for a second, but I force my legs to move, pushing forward toward the little crowd gathered outside the mansion. Unknown faces, police officers in uniforms, and right in the middle of it all, I saw Mr. Bennett.

And… my father. I hadn’t seen him since Elena and I disowned him and walked out of his office.

I ignored him completely.

I moved straight to Mr. Bennett.

“What happened?” My breath was uneven.

He turned to me, and I had never seen a man look so broken.

“Someone tried to kill my wife…” His voice trembled, and for a second, it almost breaks. “And they kidnapped Louisa.”

Everything inside me drops.

“What?” My chest tightened painfully. My breathing fractured, coming in short, uneven bursts. “Why would anyone—why would anyone do that?” The migraine I was feeling earlier just worsened.

Mr. Bennett shook his head, his eyes distant like he was trying to wake up from a nightmare. “I don’t know. I don’t care why. I just want my daughter back.” His voice cracked completely now. “My wife could barely talk. She didn’t say who took her.”

My jaw tightened as I forced myself to think, to stay focused.

“Then we should search the place where she was found,” I say quickly, my mind racing. “There might be something—anything the kidnapper dropped. Something we can trace.”

Mr. Bennett exhaled shakily and lifted something in his hand.

“It’s only this… Louisa’s phone. They found it on the floor outside.”

He held it up to me.

The screen is cracked. My stomach twisted.

Fear rushed through me like cold water as my mind spiraled. What could have happened here? What was done to her?

Before I could say anything else, my father stepped forward beside me.

“I’m sure Louisa will be found,” he said, like this was just another situation to be handled. “The kidnapper might have been stalking either her or her mother before carrying out his plan. It’s likely ransom he wants. He will call.”

I didn’t respond. His gaze flicked to me. I didn’t look. I was only here for Louisa’s parents.

Something about all of this felt wrong.

“Sir!” a police officer called out from inside the house.

We all turned.

“They found another phone in one of the rooms. It was under a pillow.”

Another phone? Probably her mother’s own.

My brows furrowed slightly as the officer stepped closer, holding it out.

Wait…

My body froze for a moment.

“No—no, that’s not possible.” I whispered almost to myself.

My feet moved before my brain could catch up properly. I stepped forward and snatched it from the officer’s hand, my fingers tightening around it as if it might disappear.

My hands were shaking now.

I pressed the power button.

The screen light up.

And there she was.

Alyssa. Smiling at me from the wallpaper like nothing in the world was wrong.

My chest caved in. It’s her phone. It’s really her phone.

My legs almost gave out beneath me as my heart began to pound violently against my ribs. The noise around me faded into nothing but a dull hum.

Why was her phone here?

What was she doing here?

No.

No.

Something is terribly wrong.

“What’s wrong?” Mr. Bennett’s voice cuts through my thoughts.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look up, even though my mind was still spinning.

“Did your wife say if anyone else was here?” I asked, my voice tight. “Was it only Louisa?”

His eyes narrowed at me, “She could barely talk when she said our daughter had be taken.”

My grip tightened around the phone.

I half-turned, watching as the police begin discussing among themselves. One of them spoke up, his tone frustrated.

“There’s no CCTV in the building. That makes this harder to look into.”

Mr. Bennett ran a hand through his hair, clearly overwhelmed. “I don’t even understand why my wife came here. I don’t know this place. I don’t know who owns it.”

I heard everything.

But none of it settled in my mind.

Because all I could think about was Alyssa.

I stepped aside, pulling out my phone with trembling hands and dialing Miranda’s number.

She picked up quickly.

“Kayden? Have you—”

“Has Alyssa arrived?” I cut in, my voice urgent, almost desperate.

There’s a pause.

“No… she hasn’t. I was just about to ask if you’ve seen her.”

My heart dropped.

I ended the call without another word.

My chest was rising and falling too fast now, panic creeping in through every crack of my control.

Alyssa and Louisa’s phone were here.

Louisa was taken. Did Alyssa runaway?

This couldn’t be a coincidence.

I turned back toward the officers, my jaw clenched tight.

“You need to find whoever did this,” I said, already feeling frustrated with how we were standing here doing nothing to make progress. “Do whatever it takes.”

My eyes darken. “Or I will take matters into my own hands.”

My father nodded as he looked at me. “I’m sorry your fiance has to be going through this.” He thought this was about Louisa. It was at first, but not until I realized Alyssa might be involved.

“Excuse me…”

A voice said behind me and I turned.

A young boy stood there, looking no older than fifteen. His clothes were dusty, his expression one of fear as he glanced over us.

“You are a very silly boy for wanting to ask for money amidst this…” My father was saying, but the boy interrupted him.

“I don’t want money. I… I think I can help,” he said and I stiffened.

“If you’re trying to exploit this situation—” one of the police warned sharply, “you will be jailed, regardless of your age.”

The boy shook his head quickly.

“I’m not lying. I was around here… cutting plants in the next building,” he said, pointing vaguely toward the side of the mansion beside the one we were standing in front of. “I heard screams, so I ran to see…what was going on.”

My heart pounded.

“And?” I pressed, stepping closer.

He swallowed.

“I saw a man,” he continued, his voice quieter now. “He was dragging two girls forward with a gun pointed behind their heads.”

My breath almost stopped.

“…Two?” I repeated after him.

He nodded.

“He put them in the trunk of his car.”

Louisa and Alyssa no doubt. Hope surged forward so fast it almost hurts.

They were both alive. Words failed me as I briefly thought about what they could be going through in the hands of a Psychopath.

“I think he’s telling the truth.” A police officer said- beside me as Mr Bennett stepped forward.

“Do you recognize the man if you see him?” He was barely putting his words together.

The boy nodded, then he took a rusty phone out of his pocket. My eyes followed all of his movements.

Then he held the phone out. “I took pictures…of them, and his car’s plate number.”