I remembered riding the taxi that night, the cold seat sticking to my soaked clothes. I didn’t even have the energy to cry anymore. I just wanted to get to the hospital, check my stomach, and try to feel like a human being again.
But halfway through the ride, the driver glanced back at me with a strange smile, and before I could ask anything, I heard a hiss.
A sharp, chemical smell flooded my nose.
I coughed. “What are you-”
And then everything went dark.
When I woke up, my head was spinning and my body felt like it was made of lead. My wrists were bruised and tied behind me. My legs ached. My back was cold against concrete.
Where am I? The room was dim and smelled like rust and old oil Somewhere abandoned. Somewhere no one would find me.
Footsteps echoed.
“W–What’s happening?” I croaked, my throat dry, voice barely audible.
–
a warehouse.
One of the men walked up to me, face partially masked. “Shut up. You’re awake. Good. Call Scott.”
“Why?” I rasped, trembling.
“Because your dear husband owes us money. He used us, promised deals, deals he never fulfilled. He’s a liar. Now he has to pay.”
“I–I don’t understand,” I whispered. “I didn’t do anything. I’m not part of this-”
“Yeah?” The man snarled. “Then why did he send his own wife instead of meeting us? Huh?”
I froze. Wife. I wasn’t even legally married to him.
“But I’m not “I stopped myself. They wouldn’t believe me anyway.
“No, I won’t believe you now,” the other guy muttered. “We got the wrong girl three years ago that is why you live but we won’t let you now…”
I blinked. So it was Scott’s fault. Everything. Jasmine being pushed. Me being kidnapped. All tied to the lies he fed these people. And now I was the collateral damage.
“Call him,” they barked. “Now.”
My fingers were shaking as I dialed.
He answered on the second ring.
“Scott,” I cried. “Help me please. I’ve been kidnapped, I’m hurt-”
“Oh my god,” he sighed. “Seriously? Nadine? This again?”
“What–what are you talking about?” I whispered, heart piummeting.
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“I’m taking care of Jasmine right now,” he snapped. “Don’t start with your attention–seeking stuff. Just get back here. She needs food. You should be helping instead of playing games.”
Then the line cut.
I stared at my phone in disbelief.
The men heard it. “Tch. Worthless,” one said, before slapping me across the face. “It seems it was truly Jasmine, so what are you?”
1 felt my lip split.
Me? I guess… nothing.
Still, they didn’t let me go. They started torturing me and I heard they would kill me so that Scott would know his place. I could only cry for help… but none came.
The next thing I remembered was being dumped in front of the hospital like trash.
When I woke again, I was in a bed. The air smelled sterile. The fluorescent lights stung my
eyes.
“Don’t move too much,” a nurse said gently. “You lost a lot of blood.”
I blinked slowly, my voice hoarse. “What… happened?”
“You were found unconscious and bruised. Someone called it in anonymously. But…” she hesitated.
“But what?” I asked.
“I’m sorry to inform you… you lost the baby.”
“…What?”
I stared at her, unmoving.
“You were three months pregnant.”
I swallowed hard. “I didn’t even know,” I whispered. “I didn’t know because I’m… I’m always irregular.”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “Do you want me to call someone for you?”
“My phone,” I muttered.
She handed it over.
It was still working. I stared at the screen. Still no messages. No calls.
I tried calling Scott again. Voicemail.
I stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours.
Then, hungry and weak, I pushed myself up and wandered the halls in my hospital gown. I passed a nurses‘ station, then a quiet corridor.
Then I heard a voice I hadn’t heard in three years.
Jasmine.
…
Jasmine.
“…didn’t I tell you to kill her? Why is she still alive?” she hissed.
My heart dropped.
“I’m awake now. So she should be dead. Why is she even in this hospital?” she snapped.
“She was saved,” the man replied. “Some guys showed up. We didn’t expect it. We had to run.”
I stumbled back a step.
Saved? Someone saved me?
But who?
“Do it properly next time,” Jasmine ordered coldly. “And never show your face to me again unless I call you and never tell anyone about this! Got it?”
Footsteps. I backed up quickly, hiding behind a corner as the man exited. I was shaking.
Then-
“There you are!”
I spun around.
Scott.
Beaming.
“Great, you’re here already!” he said, like we were just bumping into each other in a mall. “Jasmine’s so excited to see you. She wants her usual milk tea from that café Could you go get it for her?”
I blinked at him.
Did he not see my bandages?
Did he not care?
“No,” I said quietly.
“What?” His smile faded. “What do you mean no?”
“I don’t want to.”
His brow furrowed. “Are you disobeying me now? What’s this all about?”
