The days had stretched on like a nightmare, and Shane's desperation began to take shape. His frustration with Joi's resistance festered into something ugly, though he still couldn't bring himself to physically harm her. She was just another pawn, one he needed to play right.
But Adrian's relentlessness in the search left Shane with little time. He knew how ruthless Adrian was in business—relentless, cunning, brutal. Imagining how cruel he would be over something personal made Shane shudder. He couldn't let it come to that.
Shane made a calculated move. He left Joi without food and water for two days. By the time he entered her room again, she looked fragile and broken. Her lips were cracked, her face pale, and her body trembled from weakness. She didn't lift her head when he walked in; it was as though she had given up, but the quiet tears running down her cheeks said otherwise.
Shane lingered by the doorway, watching her for a long moment, but the sight of her suffering twisted something in him. He couldn't do it. He turned abruptly and stormed out.
"Get in there and rough her up," Shane ordered one of his subordinates outside the cabin. "Don't break her. Just… make it look believable."
The man nodded, a cruel grin tugging at his mouth as he stepped into the room.
Joi sat frozen as the door creaked open again. The man who entered was someone she didn't recognize—taller, bulkier than Shane, with calloused hands that promised cruelty.
"W-what are you doing?" Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper.
The man didn't answer. He grabbed her roughly by the arm and yanked her to her feet.
"Hold still," he muttered, pulling a blade from his belt.
Joi's heart thundered in her chest. "No, please—"
She screamed when the first cut sliced across her arm, a shallow but stinging line. Tears poured from her eyes as she struggled, her voice breaking into sobs. "Please stop… I—I haven't done anything!"
The man didn't stop until he had marked her arms and legs with several light but painful cuts. When he was done, he shoved her to the floor, his footsteps retreating as Joi curled up on the cold ground, shaking and crying softly into her hands.
The room felt darker than before.
Shane stood a safe distance from the cabin, his phone in hand as he watched the video his subordinate had recorded. Joi looked so small, so broken, her face streaked with tears and blood. Shane's jaw tightened, his stomach twisting with guilt. He didn't want to hurt her. He only needed Adrian to believe it.
He sent his subordinate to send Adrian the video anonymously, stepping out of the forest and driving far enough to get a signal.
---
"The study was cloaked in shadows, the only light coming from the faint glow of Adrian's phone screen. He sat rigid at his desk, his sharp features unreadable, though his eyes burned with restrained fury.
The video played on repeat in his mind long after it ended. Joi's face—so fragile, so broken—haunted him. Her bruised skin, the blood dripping from fresh cuts, and her tearful, trembling expression seared into his consciousness.
"Stop looking for me, or we'll both lose her," Shane's voice echoed in his ears. The threat was clear. The timer had started.
Adrian exhaled shakily, his knuckles white as he clenched the phone. The device cracked under the pressure, but it wasn't enough to vent the storm brewing inside him. For the first time in years, Adrian felt helpless—cornered in a way he hadn't been since his youth.
And yet, the rage simmering beneath his icy exterior was all-consuming.
---
Two days later, the grand wedding hall buzzed with excitement. The ceremony had been arranged in record time, its grandeur overshadowing its rushed nature. Golden chandeliers sparkled above rows of impeccably dressed guests, each vying for a closer glimpse of Adrian Reginald long-awaited union.
Sophia stood in front of a mirror in her dressing room, her lips curving into a satisfied smile. The ivory silk of her gown hugged her figure perfectly, the train cascading like a waterfall behind her. She looked every bit the triumphant bride.
Finally, after years of waiting, Adrian was hers. Joi was out of the picture, and Anna, despite her usual scheming, was powerless to interfere. Sophia glanced at her reflection, basking in the victory.
Anna, meanwhile, sat in a dark corner of the hall, her fists clenched tightly in her lap. Tears streaked her carefully powdered cheeks, her lips trembling with frustration. She had cried herself hoarse when the wedding was announced. Adrian's sudden compliance with Sophia's demands had caught her off guard, and there was nothing she could do but watch.
"If I try to expose Sophia now, she'll destroy me and my family." Anna thought bitterly. This wasn't supposed to happen.
The orchestra began to play, its harmonious notes signaling the start of the ceremony.
Adrian stood at the altar, his towering frame exuding his usual air of control. But his gaze, cold and sharp, betrayed none of the inner turmoil tearing at him.
Sophia entered the hall on her father's arm, her every step a calculated display of grace. The room hushed in awe as she made her way down the aisle, her radiant smile casting her as the perfect bride.
Her eyes locked with Adrian's, and a shiver of excitement ran down her spine. She'd waited years for this moment, endured endless heartbreak, but it was finally happening. Adrian Lancaster was hers.
Adrian's expression remained impassive as Sophia took her place beside him.
The priest began. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Adrian Reginald and Sophia Carlson…"
The words blurred together, the gravity of the situation pulling tighter around Adrian's chest. He glanced subtly at Alexander, who lingered near the back of the hall, nodding almost imperceptibly.
Everything was in motion.
The priest's voice grew louder, his tone signaling the critical moment. "Do you, Adrian Lancaster, take Sophia Greer to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
The world seemed to hold its breath.
Sophia looked up at Adrian with wide, expectant eyes, her fingers tightening around the bouquet in her hands.
Adrian turned to her, his gaze steady, and for a brief moment, the room was utterly silent.
"I don't."
Gasps erupted like a thunderclap, followed by hushed whispers. The room shifted with shock and confusion, but Adrian's cold, unwavering tone cut through it all.
"I do not take you, Sophia."
Sophia's mouth fell open, her composure shattering as her bouquet slipped from her trembling hands. "What—what are you saying?" she stammered. "Adrian, this isn't funny—this can't—"
Her voice broke as she reached for him, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Adrian, no. Please… I love you! I've always loved you!"
Adrian stepped back, the chill in his eyes freezing her mid-step. "You love me?" His voice was measured, deliberate. "Then you should've told me the truth."
Sophia's tears came faster now. "What truth? Adrian, I don't understand—"
"You know exactly what I mean." His voice hardened. "Isabella isn't my child. I waited for you to come clean, to admit it, and I might've forgiven you. But you chose to lie."
Sophia dropped to her knees, her sobs echoing in the stunned silence. "Adrian, I—I can explain—"
"There's nothing to explain," Adrian interrupted, pulling a small card from his jacket pocket. He extended it to her with cold precision. "This is for the years you wasted. For the time I'll never get back."
Sophia clutched the card with trembling hands, her entire body shaking.
Adrian turned, his gaze finding Alexander. A subtle nod passed between them—a confirmation that their plan was working.
---
Flashback
After seeing the video of Joi, Adrian had smashed the phone in a fit of rage. Alexander had quietly entered the room, his face grim.
"We've traced the video," Alexander said. "All the calls Shane made pinged off towers near a thick forest. We believe Joi is being held there."
Adrian's chest tightened, but he forced himself to think. "What's the plan?"
"We need to act carefully," Alexander said. "If you rush in, Shane will harm Joi. We need to distract him long enough to move in and get her out."
"How?" Adrian demanded.
Alexander hesitated before answering. "Marry Sophia. Make Shane believe you've surrendered."
The words burned Adrian's pride, but the image of Joi's bruised face outweighed everything else. Without hesitation, he nodded. "Do it."
---
As Adrian walked out of the cathedral, leaving Sophia weeping on the floor, his mind was already elsewhere.
Hold on, Joi. I'm coming for you.