Alex watched Sophia pick up different flowers, turning them in her hands. They were at the flower shop for the wedding. In just seven days, they would be standing at the altar, saying "I do." The thought made Alex's stomach hurt.
"What do you think of these white roses?" Sophia asked, holding up a bunch.
"They're nice," Alex said, trying to sound interested.
A week had passed since that scary day at the wedding shop when Sophia told him about the threats. Every day since then, Alex felt like he was being watched. Dark cars followed him. Strange men in suits stood outside his apartment building. Even now, a man with sunglasses sat in a car across the street from the flower shop.
"Alex? Are you listening?" Sophia waved her hand in front of his face.
"Sorry," he said. "Just thinking."
Sophia gave him a small smile. She was pretty and smart. In another life, maybe they could have been happy together. But his heart belonged to Ethan. It always had.
"Have you heard from Ethan?" Sophia asked, as if reading his mind.
Alex shook his head. After that weird text about meeting at their "special place," he hadn't heard from Ethan. Alex never went to meet him. He didn't know what their special place was supposed to be.
"I'm worried about him," Alex said.
Sophia dropped her voice. "Do you think they got to him too?"
"I don't know. But he was acting strange that morning at my place."
A worker came over to help them, and they went back to looking at flowers. Alex couldn't focus. His mind kept spinning with questions. What did Ethan know about his father? Who were "they" really? And why was this fake wedding so important to them?
After they picked the flowers, Alex and Sophia walked to a small coffee shop. The man in sunglasses followed from a distance.
"I can't take this anymore," Alex said, once they were settled with their drinks. "We need to find out what's really going on."
"But our parents—"
"I know. But think about it. Why would anyone care so much about us getting married? It doesn't make sense."
Sophia stirred her coffee, thinking. "Maybe it's not about the wedding. Maybe it's about something else."
"Like what?"
"I don't know. But our parents are business partners. Maybe they did something wrong? Something illegal?"
Alex hadn't thought of that. His father and Sophia's father owned a big tech company together. They made protection systems for government buildings.
"We need to talk to them," Alex said.
"We can't. Those guys are watching us. If we try to call our parents or go to the police, they'll know."
Alex's phone buzzed. He pulled it out, hoping it was Ethan. Instead, it was a text from a number he didn't know: "Wedding site tonight. 8 PM. Come alone. Tell no one."
Alex showed Sophia the text.
"It could be a trap," she whispered.
"Or it could be someone trying to help us." Alex looked out the window. The man in sunglasses was still there. "I have to go."
"At least let me come with you."
"No. If it is a trick, I don't want you getting hurt too."
Sophia reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "Be careful, Alex. I've come to care about you, you know."
Alex felt a pang of shame. "I care about you too."
That night, Alex sneaked out of his apartment building through the back exit. He took three different cabs to make sure no one was following him. When he finally reached the wedding site, it was dark and empty. The main doors were locked, but a side door was slightly open.
Heart racing, Alex slipped inside. The big room where their wedding would take place was filled with chairs and tables, all covered in white sheets. In the dim light, they looked like ghosts.
"Hello?" Alex called out softly. "Is anyone here?"
A noise came from behind him. Alex spun around, ready to run. But it was Ethan, stepping out from behind a column.
"Ethan!" Alex ran to him and hugged him tight. "Are you okay? I was so worried."
Ethan hugged him back, but his body felt stiff. When they pulled apart, Alex could see a bruise on Ethan's face.
"What happened to you?" Alex reached up to touch the mark, but Ethan stepped back.
"I'm sorry, Alex. I'm so sorry." Ethan's voice was shaky.
"For what?"
"For this."
The lights suddenly came on, bright and blinding. Alex shielded his eyes. When he could see again, he gasped. They weren't alone. Five guys in suits stood around them, blocking all the exits.
"What's going on?" Alex looked at Ethan, confused.
"I had to bring you here," Ethan said, not meeting Alex's eyes. "They have my sister."
One of the men stepped forward. He was tall with cold eyes and a thin smile.
"Good evening, Mr. Rivera. Thank you for joining us."
"Who are you?" Alex demanded. "What do you want?"
"My name isn't important. What matters is what you and your family have." The man pulled out his phone and showed Alex a picture. It was a small USB drive. "Do you recognize this?"
Alex shook his head. "No. Should I?"
"Your father gave it to you for safety. We need it."
"My father didn't give me anything. I haven't seen him in weeks."
The man's smile disappeared. "Don't lie to me, Mr. Rivera. We know he passed it to you before we took him and your mother. It contains files we need."
Alex's mind raced. His father hadn't given him any USB drive. But then he remembered. Two months ago, his father had come to his flat for dinner. Before leaving, he had given Alex an old watch. "Keep this safe," he had said. "It was your grandfather's."
Could there be something hidden in the watch?
"I don't have what you're looking for," Alex said.
The man sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that." He nodded to one of his men, who pulled out a gun and pointed it at Ethan.
"Wait!" Alex shouted. "Don't hurt him!"
"Then give us what we want."
"I told you, I don't have it!"
The man stared at Alex for a long moment. "Very well. We'll do this the hard way." He turned to his men. "Take them both."
Two guys grabbed Alex's arms. He tried, but they were too strong.
"You won't get away with this," Alex said. "People will look for us."
"No one will look for you, Mr. Rivera. As far as the world knows, you're busy preparing for your wedding." The man checked his watch. "Speaking of which, you now have six days to find that USB drive. If you don't, the wedding will be called off... forever."
They dragged Alex and Ethan outside to a waiting van. As they were pushed inside, Alex saw Sophia hiding behind a car in the parking lot, her eyes wide with fear. He gave a small shake of his head, warning her to stay hidden.
The van doors slammed shut, and they drove away into the night. In the darkness, Ethan reached for Alex's hand.
"I'm sorry," he whispered again. "I didn't know what else to do. They have my sister, Hannah."
Alex squeezed Ethan's hand. "It's okay. We'll figure this out."
But as the van sped through the empty streets, Alex wondered if they would ever escape. He thought about the watch his father had given him. It was sitting in his dresser drawer at home. Could that be what these guys were looking for?
And if it was, how would he get to it now?