Chapter 13: SHATTERED TRUST

Chapter 13: SHATTERED TRUST
A voice drifted down from the upper room. At first, it startled me—sharp, commanding—but then I noticed something strange. The voice was female.

My heart pounded violently against my chest, each thud echoing through me like a drumbeat of dread. All along, I had believed this kidnapping had something to do with a man, a faceless, ruthless figure. Never once did I think the boss could be a woman.

Moments later, the boss descended the stairs and entered the dimly lit room where I was held captive. Her face was concealed beneath a scarf, her presence cold and unsettling. She moved closer until I could feel her breath on my ear.

“I told you I can see you, right?” she whispered, her voice as icy as death itself.

The chill in her tone left me trembling.

I wanted to reply, to demand answers, but my mouth was tightly bound. My teeth ground against each other as I fought to remember the significance of her words. Then, like a spark in the dark, the memory came—the same message I had heard after Jack was beaten in front of me.

Fear wrapped itself around me.

I tried pleading with my eyes, silently begging them to free my mouth, but their hearts were as cold and hard as iron.

They dragged me to another room on the top floor. My wrists remained tied, my mouth gagged. The air felt suffocating as I realized I was now surrounded by four men.

Terror consumed me. My thoughts spiraled. Are they going to rape me?

That wasn’t their plan at first.

They ordered me to call Jack. I shook my head, refusing. The leader’s expression darkened, his lips curling into a cruel grin.

“If she won’t cooperate,” he sneered, “then give her something she will never forget.”

My stomach dropped.

The men wasted no time. They tore off their clothes with frenzied urgency, not even waiting for the boss to leave. She shouted at them angrily for moving too quickly, but they ignored her.

Hot tears rolled down my cheeks. I cried desperately, but no one came.

The largest man stepped forward, towering over me. His rough hands yanked at my clothes, his body pressing dangerously close. My chest heaved with panic. Just as he was about to force himself on me, he stopped.

For a moment, his expression shifted. His eyes flickered with something—conflict, regret, maybe even a shred of compassion. His grip loosened, and then, to my shock, he pulled away completely.

I stared at him in disbelief. Even in such a dark place, a fragment of humanity had surfaced in him.

The others were stunned by his hesitation but still eager to continue. I thrashed against my restraints, desperate to fight them off, but their determination felt unstoppable.

And then—BANG! BANG!—two gunshots split the air.

The men froze. They thought it was outside, nothing to worry about. But I knew—help was near. My heart swelled with desperate hope. I kept silent, praising God in my heart.

Moments later, armed men stormed into the room. In a flash, two of the kidnappers dropped lifeless to the ground, leaving only two standing.

Then I saw him—Jack.

He burst inside, his eyes burning with fury, his men flanking him with weapons raised. Relief flooded through me like a wave.

He rushed to my side, his hands working frantically to free me. As soon as I was untied, he covered my body with a cloth, shielding me from further humiliation. With firm hands, he pulled me to my feet and led me out toward his car parked outside.

He left me there for safety, insisting on returning to ensure control of the situation.

But hidden in the shadows outside, near the entrance, was the boss—the woman.

I wanted to scream, to warn him, but fear silenced me. If I made a sound, she would discover I had escaped.

Jack walked back into the building, his back to the entrance.

CRACK!

A single gunshot rang out. The boss fired, and the bullet struck Jack’s head.

He fell instantly.

My heart shattered.

His men rushed forward, unleashing gunfire toward the attacker, but she was swift. She darted into her car and sped off into the night.

They lifted Jack into the vehicle, urgency written across their faces. Every second mattered. With me inside, we sped toward the hospital.

On the way, we encountered a police van. With no time to waste, we handed over the captured kidnappers to them. Justice could wait. Jack’s life came first.

At the hospital, doctors swarmed him. His condition was grave. The bullet had caused serious damage, and though they searched, they could not find it. His brain was at risk, and the words “we might lose him” haunted me.

Shaken, I wandered into another section of the hospital, and there—my breath caught.

Darius.

He was there too, admitted as a patient. My pulse raced faster when I saw my sister entering from the opposite door, heading straight to his ward.

Panic gripped me. I couldn’t face her now. Quickly, I slipped away into another corridor, hiding myself.

After hours of worry, exhaustion consumed me. That was when a female doctor approached.

“Hi, my name is Dylan,” she said gently. “Would you mind if we ran some check-ups on you?”

“Yes, of course,” I replied, forcing a smile as though I were fine.

They admitted me and ran tests without explaining why. When Dylan returned, her face carried a weight that made my stomach twist.

She hesitated, then spoke. “Please stay calm. The test shows that you are HIV positive.”

The words struck me like lightning. For a moment, the world spun. Tears blurred my vision, and I collapsed inside.

They began treatment immediately, urging me not to give up. But my soul felt crushed. I cried bitterly, my sobs echoing through the small room.

“Please,” Dylan said softly, “you must stay strong. This can be managed. You just need to take your drugs faithfully.”

Then came the questions.

“When was the last time you had sex?”

“I… I don’t remember the exact date,” I whispered shakily. “But it was this month.”

“Good,” she said. “That means treatment can be effective. But you must avoid sex during this period.”

Her words rang in my ears, but my mind spun with dread. Who gave me this infection?

Was it Darius? Jack? Or one of those men?

Moments later, Jack’s men came to check on me. I cried to them as though they were my own brothers, my heart breaking under the weight of hidden truths. They had no idea—their own boss might be responsible for my status. After comforting me, they left.

I immediately requested Dylan again. When she returned, I broke down completely.

“Ma, please…” I sobbed. “The man we brought in—the one with the bullet wound—he’s among the men I slept with. He might be the one who gave me this HIV. Please, you have to help me.”

Dylan’s eyes softened with sympathy. She nodded firmly.

“Okay. I know what to do.”

With that, she turned and walked out, leaving me with my tears, my fear, and the unbearable weight of shattered trust.