AUTHOR''S POV


    "No!"


    Aiden and Dennis bit out at the same time.


    Anastasia looked between the both of them, getting even more infuriated. "What do you mean no?"


    "Ana, you ca-"


    "I am no-"


    Each of them began again, speaking over each other.


    "I want to hear nothing!" She stopped them with her two palms raised on either side of her. "I''ll go by myself, simple!" She finished and grabbed the bag.


    It had been over an hour after they received the video. They''ve sessfully raised the money, but they still had no one to take the money to the designated location, because Aiden and Dennis wouldn''t be on the same page.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The two men tried to talk her out of it.


    Aiden understood Dennis'' point of view. It wasn''t like he had plenty of moneyying around to just give to kidnappers, he just wanted his daughter back. After she was safely in their arms, then they could involve all types of authorities and security. But definitely not at the expense of Amie''s safety. "Come on, Ana, we''ve got this. Just remain here with Justin," he said as his gaze cut to Justin squirming in his court as he curiously watched them.


    "No!" Ana wasn''t having it. "You''ve wasted enough time."


    Anastasia had tried to be patient, but they''ve both been arguing for the past thirty minutes.


    "Ana, please, we don''t know what these people have nned, please, you can''t go. Let me go," Dennis pleaded.


    Even as both men pleaded, they knew she wouldn''t yield. And so as she ignored both of them and made her way outside, the wheels in their heads turned.


    Ana opened the car door, then she turned to the two men.


    "If you two really care for Amie, stay back and let me do this," she told them before she got into the car.


    "Amie, mommy''sing," she muttered to herself as she drove off.


    Aiden and Dennis stood there and watched Ana drive out of the driveway. Without a word, Dennis turned around and headed back inside the house.


    Aiden, however, hurried to his car. As he opened his car and climbed in, he felt Dennis gaze on him. He took the opposite route that Anastasia had just taken but once he was out of Dennis'' sight, he took a detour and followed Anastasia.


    Aiden knew very well that Ana needed protection. She couldn''t go alone.


    Anastasia, so focused on locating the address, failed to notice the car that had trailed behind her for the past thirty minutes. Finally, she drove into the bad deserted road where her GPS pointed.


    When Aiden saw Ana get off the highway and make a turn into what looked like an alley, he knew he would be discovered if he followed her, so he parked his car and continued his journey on foot.


    Anastasia''s heart was in her throat as she parked her car at the ruined and deserted construction site. She grabbed the bag and walked to the front of the upleted building, her eyes going from each open window to the next, hoping she''d spot Amie or one of her abductors, but she had no such luck.


    "Hello?" She called out after a while.


    Unfortunately, the idiots hadn''t provided a phone number. Just an address to meet up, drop the money and get Amie.


    But there was no one there. Ana''s grip on the bag tightened, her palms be sweaty as she tried to calm her unsteady heart.


    "Hello? Anyone here?"


    Aiden, on the other hand, had taken another route. While he followed Ana, he saw another alleyway. He walked through and burst out at the back of a huge upleted building.


    As he nced around, he heard a cry, but after a few seconds, he could hear the almost incoherent, "help, please, help," in between sobs.


    "Amie?" He called quietly. He took steps toward the building. "Amie, are you there?"


    The cry suddenly stopped. Then, "Daddy?" Then she burst into tears again. "Daddy, help!"


    "Amie!" Aiden called back and


    hurried into the building. There, in therge room, was Amie. She was tied to one of the many weak unsteady poles that was used to hold up the building.


    "Daddy!"


    Aiden ran up to her as she frantically tried to untie the right rope around her wrist, bruising her skin in the process.


    "Amie," Aiden called gently as he walked up to her.


    Amie looked up, eyes swollen from crying so much and simultaneously glossy with unshed tears.


    "Please, save me," she cried, d to see someone else apart from those scary men.


    Just a few feet from reaching her, two hefty men appeared out of nowhere and stepped in Aiden''s path.


    "Where''s the money?" One of them demanded gruffly.


    Aiden put his hands up. "It''s out front where you asked it to be dropped."


    They exchanged nces, then one of them said. "We can''t release her until we see the money."


    All the while, Amie''s wails reached Aiden.


    "And I said the money is out front!" He gritted out, his hands balling into fists by his sides.


    "We have to see the money first," they deadpanned.


    Aiden tried to make them see that he was being honest, but they wouldn''t budge. Before he could stop himself, he rammed his fist into one of them and a fight began.


    Despite that they were two against him, Amie''s cries gave Aiden the strength to overpower them, severely inflicting injuries on them.


    As theyy, wasted, on the floor, Aiden hurried towards Amie. He wiped her tears and muttered, "It''s okay, sweetie, Daddy is here to save you," as he began to untie her hands.


    "Thank you for saving me," Amie


    sniffed. "Where''s daddy?" She asked,


    her gaze going over Aiden''s


    shoulders to the entrance as she


    wondered where the daddy that he had mentioned was.


    Aiden felt something constrict in his chest. He was going to tell her that her dad was on his way, but he


    found himself saying gently, "I''m et


    your reat daddy, Amie." He looked into Amie''s confused eyes as they roamed his face. He nodded, "Yes, sweetheart. I''m your daddy."


    Amie''s frown made his heart ache, but the knowledge that she was now aware of who he really was in her life soothed the ache.


    Amie blinked at him as he carried her in his arms, and quickly walked them out of the building.


    My real daddy? Amie thought. What does he mean by that? She was about to voice her thoughts when she saw one of the men, stillying on the floor, holding out a gun. Her eyes widened. "Daddy! Behind you!" She yelled.


    Frantically, Aiden turned around, reflexively wrapping his arms around Amie, shielding her. A gun was fired, but before he could duck, Amie let out an agonizing cry.