Lately, Sheila had been more compliant, improving her relationship with Joshua. He was even thinking of introducing her to his parents soon.
Sheila was sure that handling Bianca would be easy once she became part of the Reed family.
Besides, Sheila had a secret advantage.
Sheila texted Haris, “How long do I need to wait?”
Haris replied quickly, “It seems Bianca and her boyfriend aren’t getting along. He hasn’t been around much. I’ll be able to act soon. Have a million bucks ready and wait for my good news.”
Sheila read the message, turned off her phone, and relaxed on the couch.
Stacey came downstairs and noticed Sheila’s wide smile.
“What made you so happy?” Stacey asked, taking a step closer.
Sheila winked playfully. “Mom, just wait and see. I’ve got a nice surprise coming for you in a few days.”
Yesterday, when Stacey learned Joshua planned to introduce Sheila to his parents, she was overjoyed.
Stacey felt optimistic about the future. When Sheila hinted at a surprise, Stacey thought it might involve Joshua, perhaps even marriage into the Reed family soon.
Stacey hugged Sheila tightly, her face beaming with happiness. “Sheila, you make me so proud. I can’t wait to hear your good news.”
Sheila leaned against Stacey, smiling with satisfaction. She eagerly anticipated seeing Bianca’s downfall.
Over the next few days, Bianca was buried in paperwork to launch her own business. At the same time, she urgently searched for an office space to rent.
On that particular day, Bianca worked tirelessly until ten in the evening, then tiredly headed back to Diana’s house.
Since Diana’s home wasn’t far and just a short walk through a small alley, Bianca decided to walk.
As she entered the alley, her phone buzzed.
It was Dave calling.
They hadn’t talked in a while. Bianca had been so busy that she almost forgot she was upset with him. But seeing his name on the screen brought back those emotions.
She took a deep breath and answered, “What do you want?”
“Bianca, we need to have a conversation,” he said.
Feeling frustrated, Bianca tightened her grip on the phone. “I’ve been focused on my career lately, so I’m not in the mood to talk to you right now. You’ll have to wait until I’m free.”
“Bianca, are you still mad at me? What can I do to make things right? I’ve been feeling really down since I couldn’t make you happy last time.”
But she cut him off loudly, saying, “That’s all in the past. I let go of that anger a while ago. Right now, I’m just exhausted. I need to get some sleep.”
“It’s late. Why are you still out? Where are you?” Dave’s voice held concern.
“I…” Bianca started to respond, but she suddenly tensed, sensing someone behind her. Just as she turned to look, a large hand covered her mouth from behind.
Before she could scream, Bianca blacked out…
“Bianca, can you hear me? Hello?”
Her phone lay on the ground, faintly lit by a nearby streetlight. Dave’s voice continued to call out, but Bianca was no longer there to hear it.
Bianca couldn’t discern how long she had been unconscious. When she woke up, she felt a profound chill. The cold seemed to surround her from all sides.
Instinctively, she curled up.
She wondered where she was.
When Bianca opened her eyes, she found herself in a small, unfamiliar room. Her head slightly throbbed as she turned and looked to the side, where she saw a figure that made her shiver.
‘It was Haris!’
How could he be here? Bianca attempted to move, but she realized she was lying on a sofa, tightly bound with ropes that restricted her movement.
She managed to whisper hoarsely, “Haris, why are we here? Where are we?”
Haris, who had been busy with something on the dining table, turned around holding a glass of wine when he heard her voice.
“Hey,” he greeted with a sly grin. “We’re on a self-driving yacht. Guess I forgot to mention that part. It’s just you and me out here in the open sea.”
Out at sea?!
Bianca’s eyes widened in shock. “Haris, why did you bring me here? Let me go. If it’s money you want, we can discuss it.”
She assumed Haris was resorting to drastic measures to extort money from her.
But Haris ignored her plea. Instead, he looked her over. She was dressed in a tight outfit that highlighted her figure.
Her bright eyes and full lips had a captivating allure.
If Stacey hadn’t intervened earlier, he believed he would have already had Bianca under his control.
Now, his suppressed, primal desire was ready to burst forth, his blood pumping with intensity.
Haris finished his drink and approached Bianca with a sly grin.
Desperately trying to escape, Bianca squirmed and struggled, but the tight ropes kept her immobilized. She fixed a piercing stare on the man before her, demanding, “Haris, what do you think you’re doing?”
“What do you think?” Haris’s smirk grew wider, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “A man and a woman alone together-what else could happen?”
Bianca’s voice trembled with disbelief and fear as she pleaded, “Please don’t! Name any amount you want. Just let me go, and I’ll transfer the money to you.”
Haris’s expression darkened, his demeanor turning ominously threatening. He closed the distance between them slowly. Bianca’s fear intensified as a cruel smile spread across his face.
“Now you’re offering money? It’s too late for that. I’m not interested in your money. I want you!”
With sudden aggression, Haris lunged at Bianca, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her down onto the sofa. He leaned in close, emitting a chilling laugh. “I’m going to… destroy you.”
Abruptly, Haris produced a small knife, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. He lightly pressed it against Bianca’s cheek, the blade barely touching her skin. “Should I start with this side of your face? Or maybe the other?”
Bianca trembled uncontrollably, overwhelmed by an intense fear she had never experienced before.
She was certain the man in front of her had completely lost his mind!
Despite her terror, she struggled to stay composed. “Haris, do you realize the seriousness of what you’re doing? This is assault, a criminal act. Do you really want to be branded a criminal and end up in jail? If you continue like this, you’ll ruin your own future. How about this instead? Let me go, and we can talk this through. There are other ways to resolve this without resorting to extreme measures.”
Haris narrowed his eyes, expecting her to break down in panic, but instead, she remained calm, trying to reason with him.