Chloe lay on the floor for a moment after Ethan's car disappeared down the street, the sound of the engine fading into the distance like a cruel echo. Pain throbbed through her ankle where he had shoved her, but it was nothing compared to the fear twisting in her chest.
"Lillian…" she whispered hoarsely.
She pushed herself upright, going back to her apartment, gripping the edge of the couch for support. Her ankle protested sharply, forcing a gasp from her lips. But she ignored it.
Lillian had just been kidnapped.
Her hands trembled as she grabbed her phone from the coffee table. For a second, her thumb hovered over the emergency number.
Call the police.
But another thought cut through her panic.
The police would take time.
Time Lillian might not have.
There was only one person Chloe could think of who would act immediately. Someone who wouldn't hesitate.
She scrolled through her contacts and pressed the call button.
Across the city, in the towering glass building of Sovereign, Sebastian Wolfe sat behind his desk.
The office was quiet, but his mind was anything but.
For the past week, he had tried to bury himself in work, signing documents, reviewing contracts, attending endless meetings. Yet none of it helped.
The office felt… wrong.
Empty.
His eyes drifted to the small space on the desk where Lillian used to place his morning coffee.
He could almost see her standing there again, holding the cup out to him with that polite, slightly nervous smile.
"Your coffee, Mr. Wolfe."
Sebastian clenched his jaw.
She wasn't here anymore.
Because she had quit.
Because he had pushed her away.
His fingers tightened around the pen in his hand until the plastic creaked.
Why does it bother you so much? he asked himself.
He knew the answer, even if he refused to say it aloud.
His phone suddenly vibrated on the desk.
He glanced at the screen.
Chloe Jones.
Sebastian frowned and answered.
"Hello?"
Chloe's voice came through breathless and panicked.
"Mr. Wolfe, Lillian is in trouble."
Every muscle in his body went rigid.
"What do you mean?" he asked sharply.
"Ethan came to the apartment," Chloe rushed out. "He brought flowers, pretending he wanted to talk, but when Lillian told him to leave he grabbed her and dragged her outside. I tried to stop him but he pushed me and—my ankle—."
"Miss Jones," Sebastian interrupted, his voice low and deadly calm. "Where did he take her?"
"I—I think he's taking her to his apartment. Their old one."
There was a pause.
"Send me the address."
Chloe immediately texted it to him.
Sebastian hung up without another word.
For a moment he remained seated, staring at the phone in his hand.
Images flashed through his mind.
Lillian sitting beside his hospital bed, patiently feeding him soup when he was too stubborn to eat.
Lillian organizing files late at night, exhaustion in her eyes but still determined to finish the work.
Lillian's resignation letter, telling him she quit.
The hurt in her words.
His chest tightened.
She left because of me.
And now she was in danger.
A cold fury settled deep inside him.
Sebastian stood abruptly, grabbing his coat and keys.
Employees in the hallway turned as he strode past them.
"Mr. Wolfe—." one assistant began.
But he didn't stop.
Within minutes he was in his car, the engine roaring to life as he pulled out of the parking lot.
Traffic blurred past him as he drove through the city.
His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly.
If anything happens to her…
His jaw clenched.
Ethan, you'd better pray she's unharmed.
Meanwhile, Lillian sat on the edge of the bed in Ethan's apartment, her wrists bound tightly with rope.
Her arm throbbed where he had grabbed her earlier. A dark bruise was already forming.
The apartment looked exactly the same as when she had lived there.
Same furniture.
Same curtains.
Same suffocating atmosphere.
"I brought you back home," Ethan said casually, leaning against the dresser.
"This isn't my home," Lillian replied coldly.
Ethan sighed dramatically.
"You're being difficult again."
"You kidnapped me," she snapped.
He stepped closer.
"You're overreacting."
Lillian stared at him in disbelief.
"You dragged me out of Chloe's apartment and forced me into your car!"
"I did what I had to do," Ethan replied.
"No," she said firmly. "You did what you wanted to do."
His expression darkened.
"You're mine, Lillian."
"No," she said quietly. "I'm not."
Before Ethan could respond, a loud crash echoed from the living room.
Both of them froze.
"What was that?" Lillian whispered.
Ethan frowned and walked toward the door.
At that exact moment—
The bedroom door burst open.
Sebastian stood in the doorway.
His chest rose and fell heavily from the rush up the stairs, his blue eyes scanning the room.
They landed on Lillian.
Tied to the bed.
Fear flickered across his face before it hardened into fury.
"Mr. Wolfe…?" Lillian whispered.
He crossed the room in seconds and began untying the ropes around her wrists.
"I'm here," he said quietly.
Relief flooded her chest so quickly it almost made her dizzy.
"You came…"
His fingers worked quickly.
"Of course I did."
Suddenly—
A heavy object slammed into the back of Sebastian's head.
The impact made him stumble forward.
Blood trickled down from a cut near his temple.
"Mr. Wolfe!" Lillian gasped.
Ethan stood behind him holding a metal lamp.
"You should've stayed out of this," Ethan growled.
Sebastian slowly straightened.
He turned around.
His eyes were cold and furious.
"You tied her up," he said quietly.
Ethan scoffed. "She belongs with me."
Sebastian's fists clenched.
The fight started instantly.
Ethan swung the lamp again, but Sebastian caught his wrist and twisted it sharply. The lamp clattered to the floor.
Ethan tried to punch him, but Sebastian blocked the blow and shoved him backward into the wall.
The two men crashed into the furniture, knocking over a chair.
Ethan lunged again, desperate and reckless.
Sebastian took the hit to his shoulder but retaliated with a powerful punch that sent Ethan stumbling.
Blood from Sebastian's head dripped down his cheek, but he barely seemed to notice.
All he could see was Lillian tied to the bed behind him.
His anger grew hotter.
Ethan charged again.
Sebastian grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
"Stay away from her," he growled.
Ethan tried to swing again.
Sebastian struck him hard across the jaw.
Ethan collapsed to the floor.
But Sebastian wasn't finished.
He grabbed Ethan and hauled him up again, slamming him back against the wall.
"You think you can hurt her?" Sebastian said, his voice dangerously low.
He raised his fist again.
"Sebastian!"
Lillian's voice cut through the room.
"Stop!"
Sebastian froze.
His chest heaved as he looked at her.
Her eyes were wide with fear—not of Ethan.
Of him.
Slowly, Sebastian released Ethan.
Ethan slumped unconscious to the floor.
Sebastian turned back to the bed and finished untying the ropes.
The moment her wrists were free, Lillian threw her arms around him.
Her whole body trembled.
Sebastian held her carefully.
"It's okay," he murmured. "You're safe now."
She buried her face against his chest.
"You're here."
His arms tightened slightly around her.
"Yes."
For the first time since Ethan dragged her into the car, Lillian finally felt safe.