29. Tilly

29

TILLY

T he van comes to a halt, and I hear the doors opening and shutting up front. Still paralyzed in my own body, I’m dragged out, my limbs heavy and numb from the drugs.

I stumble, but the men gripping my arms don’t let me fall. My heart hammers as they lead me into an abandoned warehouse. I shiver in the cold space. The only sound is our footsteps echoing off the concrete walls.

My eyes struggle to focus as I’m pushed into a chair and tied down. I can’t move, can’t escape. The men step back, and an older woman appears. She’s beautiful, with icy eyes and a cruel smile. My mouth feels dry, and my voice slurs as I utter the words. “Who are you?”

“Shh, you don’t need to know that, sweetie,” she purrs, circling me like a predator. “Let’s just say I’m an old friend of Phoenix’s.”

Panic washes over me. “Phoenix...where is he? What do you want with me?” My voice rises, infused with fear and desperation.

She chuckles. “Phoenix has no idea where you are. This is between you and me, Tilly. A little payback for running.” Her eyes glitter with madness, and I realize with a jolt that she’s jealous of me.

“Please let me go,” I beg. “I won’t tell Phoenix about this. We can forget this ever happened.”

Her laughter rings out, bouncing off the warehouse walls. “Forget? Oh, Tilly, you’re adorable. This is just the beginning. Phoenix ran from me, and now I’ll take something from him as payback. And the best part? He’ll never even know it was me.”

Understanding dawns, and my blood runs cold. “You’re going to kill me?” My voice rises to a high-pitched note, cracking with fear.

“Oh, eventually, probably. But first, I think I’ll have a little fun,” she says. “You see, I have plans for you, Tilly. Plans that will make Phoenix suffer in ways he’s never imagined.”

Tears sting my eyes as the reality of my situation sinks in. “Please, I don’t want to be part of your revenge. Just let me go,” I beg.

“It’s too late for that. You’re already a part of it, like it or not. And Phoenix...well, he’ll learn that nothing is truly his. Not even you.”

Her words hit me like a physical blow, and I sagged in my restraints, knowing that my kidnapping was only the beginning of this dangerous game .

I blink away tears, my throat tight with fear. “Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you?”

The woman steps closer. “You’re his, aren’t you? He chose you over me, kept you hidden like some precious treasure.”Her voice drips with bitterness, and I cringe at the pain etched on her face.

She seems far too old for Phoenix. She must be in her fifties. I wonder if he dated her.

“I don’t understand. If you want revenge, why take it out on me? I didn’t do anything.” My voice rises, tinged with desperation. “Please, I’ve already been through so much. I can’t handle more captivity. Just let me go. I won’t tell Phoenix, I swear.”

She leans in, her breath ghosting over my face. “You’re the perfect weapon to hurt him. And trust me, he deserves it. He played with my heart and then cast me aside. And now, he’s obsessed with you, and I intend to use that to destroy him.”

I search her eyes, seeing the raw pain and jealousy reflected there. “But why involve me? I didn’t choose Phoenix. It’s not my fault he moved on.”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re the one he wants. The one he’s desperate to protect. And I’m going to make him feel the agony of loss.” Her hands clench into fists, the veins in her neck standing out.

I close my eyes, willing myself not to break down. She has a romantic attachment to Phoenix, and I’ve just become a pawn in a game between two ex-lovers. A game I’m not sure I’m going to survive.

Terror claws at my insides like a feral beast. My gaze darts around the empty warehouse, searching for anything that could aid my escape. But there’s nothing—just cold concrete walls and dusty windows too high to reach.

The woman’s footsteps echo as she circles me like a shark swimming around its prey. “Don’t look so scared, sweetie. This is going to be fun...for me, at least.”

I swallow hard, my mouth dry with fear. “What are you going to do to me?”

She smiles. “Let’s just say you’ll help me send a message to Phoenix. A message that will break him.”

Panic rises in my chest. “Please, I don’t want any part of this. Just let me go.”

Her laugh is like nails on a chalkboard. “Sorry, can’t do that. You’re the key to my revenge.” She leans in close. “And trust me, by the time I’m done with you, Phoenix will wish he never laid eyes on you.”

I flinch away, my heart pounding.

What did I ever do to deserve this?

All I wanted was a normal life, to focus on my studies and chase my dreams. But Phoenix’s obsession dragged me into this twisted nightmare.

The woman steps back, appraising me with cold eyes. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you yet. First, I need to have a little fun.”She wields a wicked-looking knife, running her thumb along the razor-sharp edge.

My breath catches in my throat as she approaches. I thrash against my restraints, but they don’t budge. There’s no escape, no way to call for help. I’m utterly at her mercy.

“No, please!” I cry out, hot tears spilling down my cheeks. “I’ll do anything; just don’t hurt me! ”

But my pleas fall on deaf ears. The knife flashes in the dim light as she brings it closer.

The gleaming blade of the knife slashes through the air, and I cringe, squeezing my eyes shut. I feel the cold edge of the steel against my skin, and I bite back a scream. I can’t fight back, can’t do anything but wait for the searing pain.

The blade traces a line down my arm, and the warmth of my blood trickling down my skin follows.

“Shh, don’t be such a baby,” she coos, her voice dripping with contempt. “This is just the beginning. I haven’t even started yet.”

I open my eyes, and the sight of my blood sends a wave of nausea through me. “Please, stop,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt me anymore.”

She chuckles, a low, menacing sound. “Whatever I want? Well, that’s an interesting offer. Let’s see how far you will go to save yourself.”

The blade presses against my skin again, and I bite my lip to stifle a whimper. This time, the cut is deeper, and I can’t hold back the cry of pain that escapes my lips. I can feel the warm blood trickling down my arm, pooling in the crook of my elbow.

“That’s it, scream for me,” she purrs. “Let me hear how much this hurts.”

The knife slashes again, and I cry out, unable to suppress the sound. Each cut feels like an eternity of agony, and I can feel the blood soaking into my clothes, warm and sticky .

“Please, I’m begging you,” I sob. “Just kill me and get it over with.”

She laughs, and the sound sends shivers down my spine. “Oh, you’re not getting off that easy. I haven’t even started with the real torture.”

The knife flashes again, and I scream.

The woman leans in close, her breath hot against my ear. “You know, Phoenix took my heart and ripped it to shreds. So, it’s only fair to do the same to you.”

Understanding hits me like a ton of bricks, and I shake my head desperately. “No, please.”

But she just smiles a cruel, cold smile. “Oh, it will be so very painful. Just like how it felt when he left me.”

Tears stream down my cheeks as I realize the full extent of her plan. She’s going to make me suffer, make me feel the agony of a broken heart. And I’m completely powerless to stop it.