Lin's P.O.V
I blinked awake, my eyes adjusting to the brightness of the room. I stretched my arms yawing. " Still here" I muttered, not like I was expecting that I'd wake up in a different place, or my room. I slowly came down from the bed.
"Day five of being kidnapped." I thought to myself as I walked towards the small door leading to the bathroom. Taking out the toothbrush I have been using since I came here, from its holder, I dabbed the toothpaste on it and proceeded with my brushing stage.
I came out shortly, I wasn't really in the mood to bathe right after. Idle, I started to walk around the room, I found myself walking towards the only comfortable spot in the room, towards the Swedish wallpaper, slowly placing my hands on the wall, tracing each design with my fingers. I realized that this was handmade, well-crafted designs, placed on the walls. Such creativity amazed me. Whoever did this was really gifted. "This was the kind of arts BruceLtd badly wanted in their organization". I thought to myself, but it seems the thought of the Bruce Exhibits, brought tears to my eyes.
My life was just getting started, I had a lot of dreams and visions. Until my dad and his businesses got involved again. Why does it always have to be like this? No matter how hard I tried to run away. Guan's empire always finds a way of getting into my personal affairs. Now am here. In an unknown place, unknown land, haven't seen the sunlight for days. Getting punished for something I know nothing about. I slid down the wall, curling my legs and hugging myself, I started to sob.
*****
A frantic, loud knock woke me up. "Mrs Lin I need you to open the door, or I'll be forced to come in" Yeah that was Miguel, seems he had been knocking for a while now, and when there was no response... The door was opened forcibly. "Miss Lin," he said as soon as he came in, looking around. Yeah, he won't see me, I was sitting on the floor. And I didn't respond. I couldn't bring myself to reply. I had cried myself to sleep and I guess it was already time for breakfast. Because that would be the only reason, Miguel would come towards my space.
I guess he seemed to notice me because he let out a small sigh. " I'll be back in the next 30 minutes" that's all he said and he left the room, slowly locking the door behind him.
I guess that's a cue for me to be ready in the next 30 minutes.
Mr. Guan P.O.V
I was at my private penthouse in Naples, for the weekend. Just some time for solace and peace in my yet calm but chaotic world. I still had people combing all corners of Italy and Japan for my daughter.
Although we haven't gotten any positive response, we all hoped for the best. I spoke to Claire, earlier before I took my break, and she said she would be back in two days. The boys are doing just fine, I haven't really had a meeting again, but I gave them a clear note, to let me know when there's a lead on Lin's case.
Only the heavens know what my baby girl is going through presently. We haven't received any calls, from her abductors requesting for ransom or anything, the vibration of my cell phone on the table for my attention. Who would want to disturb me while am on my days off, and the person was calling my private number also.
"Perhaps Claire is back."
I thought to myself as I picked up the phone. It turns out it was a private number as well, which seems odd, but I picked it up anyway. For a while both I and the caller were silent, and that sent chills down my spine.
"Was there a sniper around?" I thought, frantically looking around and stepping away from where I stood almost immediately.
"Calm down Guan, Nobody wants to kill you". That only increased my fear, I immediately pressed a button, on my seat and all my security guards were around me in seconds.
"Who are you and what do you want!"
I yelled into the phone, trying to suppress my fears. I know I have a lot of enemies, even with my trusted bodyguards around. I could still feel the hairs on my skin standing upright.
The caller gave a short familiar chuckle.
"Oh Guan if I wanted you dead, you'd be gone long ago."
He said in his yet low and menacing short laugh, with a hint of superiority. It's not a laugh you'd want to hear directed at you—it's more like a quiet, sinister amusement that sends shivers down your spine. "What brings my sworn enemy to my phone?"
I asked regaining my confidence back.
"You have what I want, I have what you want." He said pausing so I could process the information well.
" When you're ready to get what you want, you can always give me a call." He said hanging up.
I was really trying hard to compose myself, "Excuse me." I ordered all of them out. I slumped back into the coach when they all left.
"Why is this happening?". The Chaplins — Once friends, now Foes. In the time of our fathers. The Guans seek protection, from the Chaplins, as they had more power than us at that moment. And somehow my grandfather breached an agreement to save his family, he sold out the Chaplins to the government. It was a huge and fierce battle... Somehow the Chaplins managed to wriggle themselves out of the mess, my grandfather put them in. But not before the Dominion Charter got into the hands of the Guans and since then we've been with the license, we had the upper hand in everything.
And luckily we didn't get involved in anything illegal. Unlike them. There's a huge gap between the two families. The Guans would do anything to protect their families, we love, and we love hard, we had nothing to do with illegal things. While the Chaplins are the exact opposite.
I took out my phone to call Claire. And her number wasn't going through. She's probably very busy at the moment. I didn't want to tell my sons immediately. Lin's mother should be the first to know the whereabouts of her daughter.
Claire's P.O.V
I spent the night at Lin's apartment actually, I wanted to stay at a hotel since there were guards deployed by her dad to watch her house.
But James helped me take care of them. Although I won't be spending another night in her house, I didn't come to Japan for a vacation or something. I came for real business. Lin's house might look quite small, but the inside of it is really vast. I'd try to find traces or leads on anything that would give me clues but all efforts of mine, couldn't yield anything positive.
I slept on the couch, so I could be alert if anything was to happen. While James slept outside the house.
"You sure you don't want me staying in the sitting room with you."
I recall him being all unserious last night. I used to have a thing with James while growing up, but then my father had other plans for me. I think James still believed there was still a spark between us. Even though I had made things clear, countless times.
I decided to head towards Lin's kitchen, trying to see if I could make a meal instead of going to a restaurant and risking my cover.
Her kitchen was all white and neat, featuring sleek, white cabinets with minimalistic handles, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a subway tile backsplash. Honestly, everything about my baby girl,screams asthetic.
"Just like me," I thought smiling. I opened the refrigerator when I noticed a shadow lingering right outside her kitchen window. Acting like I didn't see anything.
I quietly walked out of the kitchen headed straight to my backpack brought out my gun, and texted James immediately.
I moved swiftly and quietly outside towards the side of her apartment. James was there already, and well seemed the figure had disappeared leaving a note on the floor
"The Chaplins have her." in red spray paint.