Luka quickly stepped in to restrain Hayden immediately while one of Ethan’s men stepped in between Hayden and his boss before anything physically abusing could happened between the two men. Ethan continued blinking a few more times as he stared at Hayden’s distressed and angry face.


    "Where is who?" Ethan asked with a confused expression on his face.


    "Don’t pretend that you know nothing about this, Ethan. Where…is…she?" Hayden asked in a low growl as he red sharply at Ethan.


    "This ce isn’t a lost and found. Consider your position carefully, Hayden Torex. Go back home to your daddy and I will not take offense this time," Ethan spat.


    "Ethan…" Hayden growled as he red at Ethan.


    "What?" Ethan asked as his eyes narrowed.


    There was a suffocating silence as the two men stared in each other eyes as if they thought that they could find whatever answers to their questions there.


    "Malissa…is missing…" Hayden confessed softly after breaking their eye contact.


    Ethan’sposed face morphed into an expression of shock and disbelief at the same time.


    "What did you just say?" Ethan whispered in shock.


    Hayden’s eyes narrowed. It didn’t seem like Ethan was acting. It’s not possible…


    "Malissa is missing. She disappeared and I don’t know where she is…" Hayden repeated.


    "You mean…you lost her?" Ethan said as he approached Hayden.


    His green eyes locked with icy blue ones as he stared at his old friend inplete disbelief.


    "How the fuck did you lose her?! Where is she?! Where is Malissa?! Where is she?!" Ethan screamed directly in Hayden’s face as his hands grabbed the front of Hayden’s suit.


    The two men stared at each other in shock when they were both faced with the unexpected. Unless Ethan was delivering an award-winning performance, it didn’t seem like he had any clue that Malissa had gone missing. On the other hand, Ethan couldn’t believe that Hayden managed to let Malissa disappear.


    "You didn’t take her?" Hayden asked as if he couldn’t bring himself to believe it.


    Ethan pushed Hayden away in his anger before he continued to scream at his friend.


    "You think I took her? Me? Are you crazy? You LOST her. How can you manage to lose her?! She’s just a girl!" Ethan screamed even louder than before as his green eyes became bloodshot from his immense anger.


    "If it isn’t you then who else could it be?!" Hayden yelled back.


    "You crazy…" Ethan hissed through clenched teeth.


    Before anyone could stop him, Ethan drew his fist back and punched Hayden squarely in the face. Luka and Ethan’s men looked on in shock and confusion at the sudden use of violence.


    "Young men these days…" Luka muttered as he shook his head.


    "Find her. Everyone! Find her! Find Malissa Maxford now! Gather all list of gangs with potential conflict with Torex and Silva. Look into all gangs that are struggling financially.


    This can be another kidnapping for ransom. Go! Now!" Ethan yelled loudly as he pointed his finger at his men.


    "Yes, Sir," the men said before heading out of the room.


    "You! Get a grip on yourself and help find her…" Ethan said after turning to face Hayden.


    "Ransom…it can’t be…" Hayden whispered in shock.


    "Calm down, both of you…" Luka said as stepped in between the two men and ced his hand on Hayden’s shoulder.


    "I know that you don’t want to think of this scenario, but I think it’s the most likely scenario, if you ask me. Many small and medium-sized gangs are struggling financially and most of them were driven out of business by Torex…" Ethan said after having calmed down somewhat.


    Hayden stood in the middle of the room with his fists balled tightly to his side. If Ethan had nothing to do with this and this turned out to be ransom, then history had decided to repeat itself.


    "We were supposed to get married today…" he muttered as if talking to himself.


    "Well, you can’t get married without your bride, so I suggest we quickly find her and bring her back," Ethan said before pulling up his phone to give further instructions to his men.


    …


    After what felt like a few years of climbing up a steep mountain without the use of my arms, I finally made it to the door. Whoever captured me didn’t think that I could save myself and hadn’t even bothered to tie me up to a pir. The good part was that I could somewhat move around but my bound hands and feet made that extremely difficult.


    "Hello! Is anyone out there?! Help me please!" I screamed loudly to whoever was outside.


    I wasn’t a fool, and I wasn’t unreasonably optimistic, so I didn’t expect any help to arrive simply because I screamed to ask for it. However, I wanted to know if there were people outside guarding me. Would they respond?


    The silence that replied to me was scary. Was there really no one on the other side of the door?


    "Hello! Can you hear me? Is someone out there? Why am I tied up in here?!" I yelled even louder as I started beating on the door with my clenched hands.


    After a while of screaming and listening to my own voice echoing throughout the warehouse, I decided topletely give up. This is probably one of the scenarios that Hayden desperately wanted to avoid when he decided to lock me up in his mansion. Despite my bold actions, I was scared out of my little mind on the inside.


    The tape that bound my hands and legs together was no joke and the person who bound me wasn’t Hayden either.


    I sunk down onto the floor as I leaned my back against the wall next to the door while I wondered about what would happen to me. Hayden wille and save me, right?


    Hayden and I were going to get married today so why did this have to happen of all days?! This is just so unfair. I worked so hard for this day and just when I’m about to walk down the aisle and marry the love of my life, I get drugged and kidnap by my wedding organizer.


    Like, seriously? These things really do happen…I guess…


    --To be continued…