Chapter 054

~~~Aiden~~~ I slowly opened my eyes to the darkness of the room, the bleakness mirroring my mood. Two days had passed since our abduction, and our captors remained tight-lipped about our fate. Hunger pangs gnawed at my stomach, a constant reminder of our dire situation. As I sat there, my mind wandered to Hailey, my mom, and my baby. Were they searching for me? Did my dad even care? The uncertainty was suffocating, but I refused to give up. I needed to conserve my strength if I wanted to escape alive. Sandra's weak voice cut through the silence, "Aiden?" I'd almost forgotten she was in the same room. Her incessant crying had been the only sound for the past two days. I felt a pang of pity for her. She'd been so desperate to talk, and now she was entangled in this mess because of me. Guilt crept in, but I pushed it aside. "What?" I asked weakly, my hands still bound to the chair. Sandra's voice trembled, "I... I just wanted to apologize." I raised an eyebrow, my tone devoid of emotion, "For what exactly?" Sandra's words spilled out, "For everything." I scoffed, my mind drifting back to the day we broke up. "You know, 'everything' isn't really specific, Sandra." The darkness seemed to closing in around us, and I wondered if we'd ever escape. >>>>>Flashback>>>>>> I walked into the office, expecting a typical day. Instead, I found Sandra lounging on the couch, asking to borrow my secretary Ava for the day. My skepticism was palpable, but her persistent pleas eventually won me over. Hours later, my phone buzzed with an unknown number. The video that played made my blood boil – Sandra, entwined with her director. I couldn't believe she'd betray me like this, especially with our child growing inside her. Rage fueled my drive to the address listed below the video. My doubts were crushed as I witnessed the truth firsthand. Sandra flinched at the sight of me, but I halted her approach with a raised hand. "Sandra, really?" I spat, my voice trembling with anguish. "Aiden?" She called 'I don't know what came over me," she pleaded, but her words were hollow. "How could you cheat on me, and with our child inside you?" I barked, fighting back tears. Sandra's silence spoke volumes – the baby was gone. I bit my lip, agony washing over me. "You know what? This is it. Cheating was enough, but aborting my child? That's the final straw." I turned and walked away, pulling Ava alongside me. As we drove, Ava attempted to console me. "Sir, not to intrude, but you do know that she loves her job more than she loves you, right?" Her words stung, but I remained silent. I dropped Ava off and couldn't bear to go home. Instead, I stopped at a nearby hotel bar for a drink. That's where I met Hailey, and the rest, as they say, is history. Memories of that night with Hailey came flooding back As I watched the footage again during the drive. >>>>>>>flashback ends>>>>>> "So, tell me Sandra, what exactly are you sorry for?" I asked, the pain of that fateful day still fresh in my mind. Sandra's gaze fell, and she remained silent for a moment before turning to me, her eyes blazing with tears. "So, you're not going to forgive me?" she asked, her voice trembling. I remained silent, my anger and hurt still simmering. "Really, Aiden? Aren't you tired of treating me this way?" Sandra's voice grew louder, her words laced with desperation. "You know I also had a right over that baby too. It was my career and my life at stake too. You really didn't think about that part?" Her words cut deep, but I stood firm. "You should've waited and explained things to me, Sandra, instead of going behind my back to remove my baby." Sandra's face contorted in anguish. "But I've been pleading and begging you for months now, Aiden. Why is it so hard for you to forgive me?" I shook my head, the wound still raw. "Would your apologies bring back my baby, huh, Sandra? The doctor said you had little to no chance of giving birth, and you were so okay with it, even nonchalant at the time." Sandra's expression twisted, and she spat out the truth. "That's because I didn't want to have a child with you at the time, Aiden!!" Her words hit me like a lightning bolt, and I flinched in shock. "Oh, really? Is that so? So, who did you want to have a child with, huh? Please tell me, Sandra, who?!" I yelled back, the pain and anger resurfacing. But Sandra remained silent, her eyes flashing with defiance. Just then, one of the guards burst into the room, yelling at us to shut up. But in a split second, Sandra sprang into action, using her chair as a weapon. It turned out she had freed herself, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. As the guard lay motionless, Sandra went to check if there were any more guards outside. She returned, her eyes locked on the window. With a deep sigh, she prepared to jump, leaving me bound to my chair. "So, you're really going to leave me here, huh?" I asked, a mix of desperation and anger creeping into my voice. Sandra's expression twisted into a snarl. "What do you think I'm doing? I just saved myself; you do the same. Or better still, call your darling Hailey to come rescue you." My eyes narrowed. "Sandra, you can't do this." She halted her approach to the window, a smirk spreading across her face. She locked the door from the inside, her eyes glinting with a sinister light. "You know, Aiden, I've always loved you. I've always wanted you," she said, her voice dripping with emotion. "But just because of one little mistake, one Aiden, you pushed me away and went right to the next, didn't you?" Her gaze bored into mine, searching for something. I felt a shiver run down my spine. "I know your marriage with Hailey is fake, Aiden. I know you're both faking it. That's why I came back – to give us a second shot, to ask for your forgiveness. I didn't come just because my career was tanking; I came because of you." Her words cut deep, but I remained silent. "But you didn't see that, all you saw was that stupid girl Hailey. And now we're both abducted, and I was able to free myself, and you're asking me to free you too?" I took a deep breath, trying to reason with her. "Sandra, please, if you won't untie me, at least give me what you used to free yourself." She dangled her sharp-edged bracelet in front of me. "Beg me." My eyes locked onto hers, a spark of anger igniting within me. "Really, Sandra, you really want to go down this road?" Her smile grew wider. "Actually, yes, Aiden. Yes, I'm willing to go down this road, so you'll get a taste of how it feels for your pleas to keep falling on deaf ears." "Owww," the guard groaned, threatening to wake up. We both stared at him, panic setting in. "Sandra, please, we're both going to die here if that guy wakes up," I urged, desperation creeping into my voice. Sandra's gaze never wavered. "We? There's no we, darling. I can still leave you here right now if you want me to." My heart sank. "But you wouldn't want that, would you?" she taunted, a sly smile spreading across her face. I remained silent, my mind racing with options. Sandra's expression changed, a hint of curiosity sparking in her eyes. "You know what, on second thought, I'm going to untie you." I exhaled a sigh of relief as she began to free me. "But there's one condition," she said, her voice dripping with malice, cutting short my joy. "What is it?" I asked warily. Sandra's eyes glinted with triumph. "You'll have to take me back." My eyes widened in shock. "What!!" I exclaimed. Sandra's smile grew wider. "You have a child with Hailey, I know," I retorted, trying to reason with her. Sandra's expression turned icy. "We both know that child isn't yours, Aiden. So, make your choice: is it your freedom or Hailey? You have limited time, you know." My world was crumbling around me. Sandra's words hung in the air like a challenge, forcing me to make an impossible choice.