Author's POV]
The next morning, the atmosphere in the mansion was surreal. Against Keifer's better judgment—and after a heated 2,000% logic-based argument—Jay had convinced him to let her take Bridget out. Jay's reasoning was simple: Bridget needed air, and Jay wanted to show her that a "Normal" life was possible outside of corporate schemes.
Keifer only agreed on one condition: a four-car security detail and a 1,000% GPS lock on Jay's phone.
The Supermarket: The Breach
[Jay's POV]
The supermarket was bustling, a stark contrast to the hollow silence of the mansion. Bridget walked beside me like a ghost, looking overwhelmed by the simple sight of families picking out cereal.
"It's okay, Bridget," I whispered, reaching for a carton of milk. "Just breathe. One step at a time."
"I don't know how you do it, Jay," Bridget muttered, her eyes darting around. "How you act like the world isn't trying to break you."
I turned to respond, but suddenly, the "Atmosphere" shifted. A group of men in grey hoodies moved with mechanical precision, cutting off the aisle. My security team was neutralized in seconds—silent, professional, and terrifyingly fast.
A man stepped out from behind a display. Yuri. The Russian rival Keifer had outmaneuvered a year ago. He wasn't interested in a merger; he was interested in a trade.
"The Empress," Yuri said, his voice a cold, sharp blade. "Keifer took my ports. I take his heart."
"Jay!" Bridget screamed.
I tried to reach for my panic button, but a heavy hand clamped over my mouth. The last thing I saw was Bridget standing frozen in the aisle, her face pale with terror, as I was dragged through the emergency exit.
The Return: The Broken Messenger
[Keifer's POV]
I was in the study, staring at the GPS tracker on my monitor. The signal had gone static.
"Keigan, why is Jay's ping flatlining?" I roared, my hand already reaching for my jacket.
"I don't know, Keif! The signal is being jammed by a high-frequency—"
The front doors of the mansion burst open. Bridget stumbled in, her dress torn, her face covered in tears and sweat. She didn't look like an enemy anymore. She looked like a survivor.
I was down the stairs in three strides, pinning her against the wall by her shoulders. "WHERE IS SHE?!"
"They... they took her," Bridget sobbed, her voice a frantic mess. "The supermarket... men in grey... Yuri. He said he was taking your heart, Keifer. I tried to stop them, but they threw me aside."
The System Crash
[Author's POV]
The room went cold. Pappa Keizer and Mamma Serina came running into the foyer, their faces turning white as they heard the name. Keiran started to cry, sensing the catastrophic shift in the energy.
Keifer's face didn't just go cold—it went dead. The "CEO" was gone. The "Hubby" was gone. What remained was the Predator.
"Bridget," Keifer whispered, his voice so low it made the windows rattle. "Did they hurt her?"
"No... they just... they put her in a black van," Bridget gasped, clutching Keifer's arm. "Keifer, I'm so sorry. I should have done more."
Keifer pushed off the wall, turning to Keigan. "Keigan. Activate the Scorched Earth Protocol. I want every satellite in this hemisphere focused on Yuri's known locations. I want every bank account he owns frozen by the time I reach the garage."
"Keif, what are you going to do?" Pappa Keizer asked, his hand on his son's shoulder.
"I'm going to remind Yuri why you don't touch a Watson's Constant," Keifer said, his blue eyes glowing with a terrifying, lethal light. "Bridget—you stay with my mother. If you lied about a single detail, pray I don't come back."