James' eyes flickered open, his head pounding with anguish. The world around him was a blur, swirling in uncertainty as he attempted to orient himself. His body hurt, the cold seeping into his bones from the harsh, merciless floor beneath him. He murmured gently, his mind sluggish as if it were trudging through thick fog, and as he blinked, the dim light of his surroundings became more visible.
Where was he?
The room was barely lighted, and the walls were lined with chilly, grey stone, sending shivers down his spine. The hard surface of the floor beneath him bit into his skin, and as he looked about, his heart sunk. The chamber felt cramped, claustrophobic, with the ceiling towering low over him and the air heavy with a wet, musty odor.
His pulse accelerated as his gaze settled on the iron bars that bordered one wall. It took him a moment to grasp what he was seeing, but the revelation struck hard.
He was inside a prison cell.
He forced himself up onto his elbows, his body protesting with each effort. His head was hammering, with a continuous ache behind his eyes, but he forced himself to stand, grabbing the wall for stability. His legs were weak and trembled slightly, but he managed to remain standing. The cell was tight, with only a small cot squeezed into one corner and a rusting basin in the other.
Sophia. Where was Sophia?
Panic gripped his chest as he looked around the room, his heart pounding against his ribs. He remembered that she had been with him before. But she was nowhere to be seen. He staggered to the door, which was just a wall of strong iron bars, and hammered on it with his fists.
"Let me out!" he exclaimed, his voice rough and hoarse. "I demand to know what's going on!"
The sound of his fists resonated across the small space, but there was no reaction. There are no footsteps in the distance, and no voice acknowledges his calls. The quiet was deafening, suffocating, and tightened around him like a vice. James continued to pound on the door until his hands hurt, his irritation growing with each second of stillness.
"Dammit, let me out!" He shouted again, his voice cracking.
Nothing.
Desperation gnawed at him as he leaned back against the wall, breathing in weak breaths. His mind was whirling, a maelstrom of bewilderment and anxiety. What was this place? How had he arrived here? And why in the world did they take him?
He was ready to give up hope when he heard a faint noise behind him and stopped. The hairs on the back of his neck sprang up, and he spun around, his heart racing in his throat.
Sophia stood in the shadows, partially obscured by the weak lighting, her eyes locked on him with an expression of intense remorse. Her stance was stiff, and her arms were wrapped around herself like she was carrying a heavy load.
"I'm sorry, James," she muttered, barely audible. "I didn't know they would take you too."
For a while, James could only look at her, his heart thumping in his ears. He had trusted her and thought she was on his side, but now doubt crept into his head like a dark fog. What exactly did she mean by 'they'? Who was she speaking about?
His eyes narrowed, a tinge of rage emerging behind his uncertainty. "Who are you talking about, Sophia?" he questioned, his voice sharp and frustrated. "Who took us?"
Sophia paused, her gaze falling to the ground as if she couldn't stand to look him in the eye. She took a big breath, and for the first time, James noticed her hands tremble. Whatever she was about to say, she had been holding back for far too long.
"Your family," she finally remarked, her tone tense. "They're not who you think they are."
James felt like he'd been hit in the stomach. The words hung in the air between them, full of significance, but he couldn't understand what she was saying. His family, particularly his father, had always been a source of strength, a wealthy and powerful guy who had built an empire from nothing. How could she say they weren't who he thought they were?
"What do you mean?" he inquired, his voice quivering despite himself. He took a stride towards her, fists clinched at his sides. "What are you talking about?"
Sophia raised her eyes to meet his, and the look in them sent shivers down his spine. There was sadness, undoubtedly, but also something deeper, darker.
"Your father wasn't a billionaire," she explained quietly, just above a whisper. "He was a mere pawn in a much larger game."
James' mind raced as he tried to grasp what she was telling him. A pawn? His father? The man who instilled terror and respect in everyone who crossed his path? The man who has amassed a fortune across continents? It did not make sense. None of it made sense.
"You're lying," he exclaimed, his voice tightening. He did not want to believe her. He could not believe her.
Sophia stepped forward, her eyes begging with him to comprehend. "James, I am not lying. Everything you thought you knew about your family was a façade. Your father was not the man you believed he was. "He was not even related to you."
The floor appeared to tilt beneath James, and his world spun out of control. Not related? What did she say? His entire life had been founded on his family's legacy, with his father's influence affecting every aspect of his existence. And now, in the space of a few moments, that foundation had been taken away, leaving him standing on nothing.
"No," James said softly, his voice quivering. "No, that can't be true."
Sophia stretched out, but James backed away, too overwhelmed to accept her comfort. Every part of him shouted that this couldn't be happening, that he was having a nightmare and would wake up at any moment. Sophia's eyes, however, warned him otherwise.
Before James could digest what Sophia had told him, she dropped another surprise.
"You're in danger, James," she said, her voice tense. "You have something that belongs to them, and they'll stop at nothing to get it back."
James' eyes widened, and his heart pounded against his chest. "What do you mean?" he inquired, his voice scarcely audible. "What do I have?"
Sophia opened her mouth to respond, but before she could finish, the door to the cell swung open with a loud clang, and a number of intimidating creatures walked in. Their features were shadowy, their motions swift and determined, and they approached James with a frightening air of authority.
"Time's up," one of them muttered, his voice low and intimidating.
James barely had time to react as rough hands grabbed him and yanked him away from Sophia. He battled against their grip, his heart racing in his ears, but they were too strong and determined. He darted a desperate glance back at Sophia, but she was already disappearing into the shadows, her face filled with remorse and terror.
"Wait!" James yelled, his voice raspy, as they dragged him to the door. Sophia, tell me the truth! "What do they want from me?"
But she said nothing and only watched as he was dragged away, her eyes filled with something that seemed too much like sorrow.
The men dragged James along the dark halls of the prison, their footfall echoing off the cold stone walls. Every twist and turn felt like it was taking him deeper into a place he didn't want to be, a place full of nightmares and secrets he wasn't ready to confront. His pulse raced with panic, and his breath came in short gasps as he realized he had no idea what was going to happen to him.
Then, just as they turned a corner, James noticed a man standing in shadows. His heart stopped when he recognized the man's silhouette, broad shoulders, and attitude.
That was him. The man he had been looking for all his life.
His real father.
James' breath caught in his throat as their gazes collided. He had spent years fantasizing about this day, when he would finally meet the man who had abandoned him, the one who knew the answers to all his problems. But now, standing face to face with him, James felt nothing but frigid horror.
Because as his father came into the light, a horrible smile grew across his face, chilling James to the core.