Chapter 29 Missing
Just like every normal day I was awake again, with Carson by my side.
“You slept well,” he said.
“I did,” I smiled back. “I feel safe with you."I said.
He brushed my hair gently with his fingers. “Always,” he whispered.
We had breakfast together—just toast and tea. It was quiet, calm. We didn’t talk about the flash drive, the names, or the past. For a short moment, it was like all the danger had disappeared.
But that peace didn’t last.
Later that day, I said I wanted to go for a quick walk, just to clear my head. Carson offered to come, but I told him I’d be fine.
“I’ll only be gone for twenty minutes,” I said.
He hesitated. “Are you sure?”he asked.
I nodded. “I just need some air. I’ll be back before you miss me.”I said chuckling.
He chuckled. “Too late. I already miss you.”he said.
I gave him a soft kiss and left. That was the last time he saw me.
Thirty minutes passed, then an hour also and Carson didn't see me.
Carson started to worry, he called my phone and sent me text but all to no avail.
He went outside and looked around but nothing. He tried calling again and still no answer.
Then he checked the street cameras using his private network access. He saw me walking and he saw a black van driving slowly behind me. Then the camera glitched for a second and when it came back... I was gone.
“No,” Carson whispered. “No, no, no...”he said again.
He called the police. Then he called security teams and also called everyone who owed him favors. He even called Bridget, who was still trying to earn his trust back.
“Annabel is missing,” he said, his voice low and cold.
Bridget gasped. “What?! What do you mean?”she asked.
“I think someone took her,” he said.
“Do you think it’s Clark? Or that woman... Fiona?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Carson replied. “But whoever it is... they’ve made the worst mistake of their lives.”he said angrily.
Hours had passed and then night fell, and there was still no word, no sign, nothing.
Carson sat in our bedroom, staring at his phone.
He hadn’t eaten, nor had he slept.
Fred walked in slowly, holding a file.
“We found something,” Fred said. “One of the security cameras near the old mill caught the van again,”he said.
Carson stood up so fast, the chair fell backward. “Where is it now?”he asked.
“It was last seen near the docks,” Fred replied. “But sir… there’s more,”he said.
"Speak,"Carson said.
“There was a message. Left at your gate.”he said and handed it over.
Carson opened the envelope.
There was a photo of me… unconscious… tied to a chair… with bruises on my face.
And below it, a note:
“You should have stayed out of it.”
Carson rose and yelled with anger.
“They hurt her,” he said slowly. “They hurt her,”he said again.
Fred’s face was pale. “What do we do, sir?”he asked.
“We’ll find her. And we’ll burn everything in our way."Carson said.
Meanwhile… somewhere dark and cold, I opened my eyes slowly.
My head was pounding, my arms were tied behind the chair and my legs were heavy.
Then I heard a voice.
“Well, well. Sleeping beauty is awake.”the voice said.
It was a man’s voice.
I looked up, and a man stepped forward. He's tall and wearing black gloves.
“Who are you?” I whispered.
“You don’t need my name,” he said. “But you need to know one thing. Your little game is over,”he said.
“I didn’t play any game,” I whispered.
He smirked. “That flash drive? That little visit to your daddy? You think we didn’t know?”he said.
I shook my head. “Please… let me go...”i begged.
He leaned in closer. “Clark says hello,”he said.
My eyes widened.
“Clark!!”I said quietly.
So it was true. Henry Clark was behind it.
“You won’t get away with this,” I said weakly.
The man laughed. “Oh, sweetheart. I already have,”he said.
He walked away.
And I sat there, bruised, broken… but not defeated.
Because I knew Carson would come for me.
I just had to survive until he did.
(Back at home…)
Carson was ready. He wore an all black cloth.
“I’m going to the docks,” he said.
Fred nodded. “I’ll get the team,”he said.
“No,” Carson said. “This is personal. I will go alone,”he added.
Fred tried to stop him. “Sir—”
But Carson was already gone.
He didn’t care about the risk.
He didn’t care about anything.
Except me.
And in that cold, dark place…
I closed my eyes again and whispered the only name I trusted.
“Carson…”
I kept telling myself that he’s coming. He’s looking for me. He will find me.
I heard footsteps again. Someone coming back.
I held my breath.
But it was not the man in black this time.
It was a woman.
She had short red hair and wore heels that clicked loudly as she walked around me.
“You’re prettier than I expected,” she said, folding her arms.
I didn’t answer.
She smiled like someone who enjoyed pain.
“My name is Fiona,” she said slowly, watching my face.
That name. I remembered it. My father had warned me.
“Fiona Wallace,” I whispered.
“Good. So you’ve been paying attention,” she said with a wicked smile.
I stared at her. “Why are you doing this?"I asked.
“Because people like you… girls who dig too deep… end up in trouble,”she said.
She stood up again. “Clark wants you gone. Laura wants you erased. And me? I just like seeing people like you break.”she said laughing out loudly.
I stayed silent.
She leaned in. “You’re just one little girl. Carson can’t save you.” she added.
I looked her in the eye. “He’s coming."I said boldly.
She rolled her eyes. “We’ll see.”
Then she turned and walked away, heels clicking again until the heavy door slammed shut.
(At the dock)
Carson’s car came to a stop, he stepped out slowly, holding a small black bag in one hand.
He looked around, checking every corner. Then, suddenly, a voice came from the shadows.
“Looking for someone?” the voice said.
A man stepped out with ame black gloves. Same voice from the video.
“Where is she?” Carson asked, calm but deadly.
The man smiled. “She’s safe. For now.”he said.
“Wrong answer,” Carson said.
Before the man could react, Carson struck him hard across the face with the bag. The man stumbled backward, groaning.
Carson grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall.
“Where is she?!”he asked again.
“Okay! Okay!” the man shouted. “She’s in the warehouse! The one with the broken roof!”
Carson let go, dropped him to the floor, and ran.
Inside the warehouse, I was barely holding on. But then… I heard footsteps and running, louder and closer.
And then I heard my name.
“Annabel!”
“Carson?” I whispered.
The door burst open.
He ran to me, his face full of panic.