The open road stretched before him, a blur as he raced towards Bella, his heart heavy with worry but filled with hope.
As he approached the square, he spotted Tristan standing by the curb. Theodore barely slowed down as Tristan hopped into the passenger seat. They sped off towards the countryside. Theodore’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched.
"The location was last pinged at an old house near the outskirts," Tristan said, breaking the silence. "I’ve sent the coordinates to your phone."
Theodore nodded, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "I’ll get her back. No matter what it takes."
As he sped through the winding roads, Theodore’s phone rang. His heart leaped with hope as he saw Bella’s name flashing on the screen.
Pulling the car to the side, he answered the call, his voice filled with relief. "Bella! You finally called me," he exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face. "I was worried sick. I..."
But before he could finish, a cold, unfamiliar voice cut through his optimism. "Wait, wait...you can have your reunion with her after you fulfill my demands."
The voice was a stark contrast to the sweet melody he had expected to hear. A shiver ran down Theodore’s spine as the realization dawned upon him – Bella was in danger.
Bella’s heart pounded as she heard Theodore’s voice. She could see the smirk on Lionel’s face, knowing he thought he had won.
Theodore’s smile vanished, replaced by a cold, hard glare. "Who is this?" he demanded, his grip tightening on the phone.
"Irrelevant question," Lionel scoffed, "Now, listen carefully. I have Bella, and if you want her back safe and sound, you’ll do exactly as I say."
Theodore’s heart pounded, anger and fear surging through him. "What do you want?" he growled.
"Fifty million in cash," Lionel said, his tone nonchalant. "Bring it to the old warehouse by the docks. You have two hours. Come here alone and don’t think of alerting the cops. If you try to act smart, she will be gone."
Theodore’s mind raced. Fifty million in cash? It was an absurd sum. "Fifty million cash!" he barked, incredulity lacing his voice. "Are you for real? How am I going to arrange it at this hour? Give me more time. I’ll arrange the money."
Lionel’s patience was wearing thin. "Time is the luxury I don’t have, mister. If you care about her, bring the money before sunrise. Or else..." A sickening thud echoed through the phone, followed by Bella’s muffled cry of pain.
She stumbled on the ground, the corners of her mouth tearing open.
Theodore’s heart shattered into a million pieces. "Bella!" he cried out in terror.
Lionel’s voice was cold and calculated. "I’ll make sure she can’t see the sunrise next morning," he threatened.
Rage consumed Theodore. "Hey!" he roared. "Don’t touch her. If you hurt her, I’ll find you, and I’ll make you pay."
Lionel laughed. "Big words, young man. Just get the money. We’ll be in touch." He ended the call and turned to Bella. "Now we wait."
Bella’s heart ached with fear and worry. She had no choice but to hope Theodore would find a way to save her and Mrs. Green without falling into Lionel’s trap.
Theodore slammed the phone against the car dashboard, his eyes filled with a cold, determined rage. "You dared to hurt her. I’ll make sure you won’t see tomorrow’s sunrise," he vowed.
Fifty million was an enormous sum, and the timeframe was impossibly short. But he couldn’t let anything happen to Bella. Whether he could arrange the money or not, he would rescue Bella, his mind spinning with a mix of rage and determination.
Tristan looked at him, concern etched on his face. "What did he say?"
"He has Bella," Theodore replied, his voice low and deadly. "And he wants fifty million in cash before the dawn."
Tristan’s eyes widened. "That’s... insane. How are we going to arrange the money?"
"We don’t have a choice," Theodore cut him off. "I’ll get Bella back." He started the car again, his jaw set with resolve.
"What is the plan?" Tristan asked.
"First, we need to arrange some money." Theodore’s mind was a whirlwind of plans and contingencies. He wouldn’t rest until Bella was safe, no matter the cost.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Glaring daggers at Lionel, Bella’s countenance morphed into a mask of rage. Simmering hatred surfaced within her. "You are making a big mistake," she hissed. "You don’t know who you have provoked."
She had not forgotten how Theodore had beaten that man in the sports club. She pitied Lionel as she imagined how Theodore would punish him. Could Lionel take the blow of his punch?
"He won’t forgive you," she barked.
"Shut up, you bitch!" Lionel yelled, slapping her again. "You are just like your mother... a whore..." Another slap landed on her before Bella could recover from the pain. "For some money, you can do anything, even sell yourself."
"So what?" Bella roared, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Yes, I sold myself to him... But do you know why?" Her lower lip trembled as she choked back her tears. "If you had taken care of me and my mother, we wouldn’t have suffered like this. But you never cared about us. I hate you, Lionel..."
"How dare you raise your voice at me? I’ll kill you right away." He punched her, kicked her, and banged her head on the floor. "Your mother is a bitch, and you are just like her." He continued beating her until she was unconscious.
The dim light flickered, casting eerie shadows across the room. Bella’s body lay limp on the cold, dirty floor, her breaths shallow and ragged. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, mixing with the dirt and grime.
The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the next move, the next moment of violence or salvation.
Lionel stood over her, breathing heavily, his face twisted in rage and satisfaction. He wiped the sweat from his brow, looking down at her with a sneer. "That’s what you get for talking back to me," he muttered, stepping back and leaving the room.
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