/Zane's POV/
My mansion being attacked was something I didn't see coming—not because of any high trust I had in my security. I knew they weren't the best, but that was always the plan since I actually contracted two different security companies: a medium-level one meant to act as the weak link, and a military-level company to serve as backup.
It was a plan I devised the moment I brought Maddy to live with me. Underestimating my security would make it easier to approach her, after all—she was the bait, that was her role, and I liked that she embraced it.
But why am I so pissed that the security I knew was shit in the first place didn't do their damn job properly? Why the fuck did I hesitate with the plan, even after Maddy reminded me?
The moment Maddy saved me from being hit by the gas that was shot in, I immediately sent an SOS message to the second security company who were supposed to swoop in and flush out the people after Allison. But unlike the original purpose I had for making that extensive plan, I just wanted to stop Maddy from getting hurt.
I couldn't bring myself to think of anything else—I just wanted to protect her. Even when she reminded me of the plan after jumping from the second floor, hoping to help soften her landing, I suddenly felt reluctant to stick to it.
I didn't want to see her get caught. I feel pathetic knowing she did a better job protecting me than I did protecting her, even though I promised I wouldn't allow her to get hurt.
"Mr Antler." The captain of the special team I'd recruited—and who was also in charge of my home surveillance in case things went wrong—walked into my hotel room with a grim look on his face.
Despite his polite call, I stayed silent as I twirled my glass of bourbon, waiting for him to speak.
"We're still secretly tailing the van that collected Miss Allison. Once they make their stop, my men and I will storm the place," Harry continued. But I remained silent. We clearly had the situation under control, so what was this gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach?
I wanted to dismiss it as pure rage over the situation, but that wasn't it. I was mad for sure—mad at myself for putting Maddy in this sort of danger, mad at the weak-ass security I hired, as well as the surveillance team that were supposed to get the situation under control quickly. But I made this happen.
"In case of abduction, we'll let them take her and see where it leads, because catching a few underlings is like catching the tail—it's easy to cut off. What I want is the body, which makes it easier to catch the head—or the head itself." I remember telling Harry that when my eyes were still fully clouded with revenge.
I still want revenge for what happened to Allison, but I'm starting to waver at the idea of using her twin to get what I want.
Harry, upon noticing my foul mood from my persistent silence, started, "Sir, if I may," and I finally turned my head from the sofa where I sat with my leg crossed while my half-empty bottle of bourbon sat on the glass table right beside me.
"I know you're worried about Miss Allison. I promise you, we'll get her back."
I sighed, gently placing down my glass before standing, slipping my hands into my pockets as I slid on my business face.
"What I want isn't just about getting her back, Harry," I said, my voice hard and cold. "What I want is for you to get her back without letting so much as a strand of her hair get hurt in the process."
"You might not be in charge of house security, but you were in charge of surveillance and making sure those bastards were caught," I said, gritting my teeth as my anger seeped through my words.
"I won't pretend to know how you're feeling right now, sir, but I do seem to recall you telling us we weren't allowed to have the house bugged because of privacy reasons. Surveilling the mansion from the outpost ten minutes' drive away didn't exactly give us an upper hand in the situation since we were completely blind to what was happening inside the house. I'm afraid you can't blame us for that," Harry replied, maintaining a polite business expression that made me scoff.
I wanted to be pissed at him, but it was a bit hard taking my anger out on the retired military man when every single word of his hit too close to home. While I'd let his team in on what I wanted, there were still parts of the plan I kept tight-lipped about. Despite the confidentiality agreement that bound them, I didn't trust them enough to let them know Maddy's real identity.
I didn't want them seeing what went on inside the house, so I made sure the interior was free of surveillance. It was also my way of giving Maddy the freedom she deserved—and now I'm wondering if that had been the right decision.
One of Harry's men popped up at my door before I could counter Harry's accusation. "Cap, we need to move. The van stopped," he announced, and I felt my breath hitch.
"I should get going. Gina will fill you in on our movement. She's part of my team but mostly deals with the tech," Harry informed me before Gina—a petite redhead with glasses—appeared at my door with a tablet. With that, Harry and the rest of his team left.
My anxiousness kept spiking as doubts plagued my mind. What if I fail to save Madison and she ends up like her sister?
Cold sweat bubbled up on my forehead as fear and guilt ate away at my conscience.
"They'll be arriving at the meet-up location in five minutes," Gina said, as if seeing through my fears and deciding to give me a real-time update.
"Take a seat," I urged her gently towards the empty sofa in front of me. After what happened back at my home, I decided to drop by Damian's hotel. Although it's in the process of being acquired by Elias, I doubted Damian would hand over his golden goose that easily.
Which I found out after running into him. Apparently, he was meeting up with Elias that day about his sudden proposal.
Elias managed a chain of hotels, and Damian's hotel was one of his many competitors. Not sure what he was thinking trying to buy off his competitor's business, but I had a feeling he was up to no good.
I did convince Damian not to give in to the sly bastard. I don't know what he's up to, but my gut keeps telling me he's out to get me. To think this is what our twenty long years of friendship amounts to—it makes me laugh. Or maybe he was never even my friend, just another one of those fake-ass bastards pretending to care.
Typical of my uncle and his family. The first five years after my parents died, I believed they were on my side—but it didn't take long to notice their greed.
"Sir," Gina finally drew my attention back. "We've reached the building, but something's strange. The entire place is in chaos. We're currently sending a drone in to survey the situation. We'll have visuals in twenty seconds; once we confirm the hostiles' numbers, we move."
The updates only worsened my anxiety. Harry and his team eventually stormed the place, but Maddy wasn't there.
I wasn't shocked when they brought back an injured Elias, though. I had a feeling he was behind the abduction, but I thought he'd be smarter than making such bold moves when he was still a suspect for Allison's stabbing.
Standing in front of the massive glass wall of the hotel penthouse I'd booked, Harry dragged Elias in and forced him to his feet. But his pathetic, bloody sight didn't excite me in the least. In fact, I was much more mesmerised by the view of the setting sun over the city—after all, I hadn't gotten what I wanted yet.
"Hi, Zane. It's been a while." Despite being on his knees with blood dripping from his nose, the smug look plastered across his face remained. Following the aggravating sound of his voice was the loud shattering of glass.
It wasn't my intention to clench it so hard, but I ended up instinctively tightening my grip. I sighed softly as I walked over to the desk to get my handkerchief, ignoring the shattered pieces of the glass that had fallen from my hand—well, except for one.
"I'll make this short. Where's Allison?" I demanded, wrapping one end of the longer shard of glass in the cloth.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" he scoffed. Honestly, I hated the calm look on his face. My gears immediately started turning, wondering what I could do to have that smug look contorted in pain.
"Or maybe I should start with another question—why'd you want to kill her?" I asked, my jaw clenching, the line holding my sanity in place stretched thin, ready to snap—but my brain begged me to hold it together, at least until I found Maddy.
I wouldn't want the idiot dead before he had the chance to fess up.
"You're so full of shit! Why the fuck would I want to kill her? We were in love!" I shut my eyes as Elias's spittle splattered across my face as he snapped. "We were supposed to elope together! You were threatening her to get married even when she didn't want to!"
"That's some beautiful, crazy-ass story you've got there." I grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head back. "What pot are you smoking? D'you think because I'm not pummelling you right now means you get to run your mouth? Watch yourself, Elias. My patience has limits," I warned. "Now tell me—where the fuck is my fiancée?"
"Wait… you don't have her?" Elias said with a cunning smile before breaking into hysterical laughter.
"I think Miss Allison already escaped before we got there," Harry chimed in. "The entire place was frantic when we stormed in," he added—but his news, which was supposed to bring relief, only heightened my worries.
---