Damien’s POV
10am.
She still wasn’t here. Was she sick? If she was, she’d have called..this wasn’t like her at all. Just ghosting work without a word wasn’t something Cassie did.
I called the driver, and he told me she’d left the house that morning. I’d tried her phone since — nothing, straight to voicemail every time.
I was worried, but I had a full day ahead, and I couldn’t focus on any of it. Not with her unreachable and not showing up.
I had to figure out what was going on. I called the driver again and told him to take me to her place.
A few minutes later, we pulled up outside her building it was filled with security officers.
I got out and went straight to one of them.
"What’s going on here?"
"Who are you?"
"A friend of the woman living here," I said, keeping my tone even, believable.
"Kate.. one of the girls went missing yesterday. The other one, Cassie, reported it and then went missing. We haven’t seen either of them since."
"What?"
Panic hit immediately. Was she Kidnapped? In some kind of trouble? I had no idea, and not knowing was worse than any answer.
"You have no leads at all? Nothing?"
"We’re still searching, sir. I’m sorry."
I got back in the car. "Take me home. Now."
My whole body shook the entire ride, praying she was okay, wherever she was.
I’ll find you. No matter what it takes, I will find you.
"Sir," the driver said, glancing at me in the mirror. "For what it’s worth, when I went to pick her up from work this morning, the security guard at her building mentioned she never actually came home last night."
"What?"
"I dropped her off myself yesterday afternoon. Seems like she went somewhere else after that."
"Turn the car around."
"Sir?"
"I said turn around. We’re going back. That guard might know something useful."
"Drive fast. Whatever’s going on, we don’t have time to waste."
Minutes later we were back, and I found the guard posted outside the gate.
"You’re in charge of security for this building?"
"Yes, sir."
"My friend lives here, Cassie. You know her?"
"Yes, sir. Madam’s friend."
"My driver told me her friend went missing before she did. Have you noticed anything strange lately?"
He hesitated, then it came out. "There was an incident, sir. Madam’s boyfriend showed up not long ago causing a scene. She’d broken things off with him and told me never to let him back on the property, or I’d lose my job."
I stared at him. This could be it.
"I’m telling you this because no one else seems to be making a reasonable effort looking for them. But when I was pulling him off the property, he said something to Cassie. Threatened her."
"Wait — what exactly did he say?"
"I don’t remember all of it, but it was something about ’dealing with her.’"
"Do you know who he is?"
"Not fully, sir. His name’s Alex. I know he works at a club."
A club. The same one I’d met her at, most likely.
"That’s more than enough. Thank you."
Cassie. Please be safe. I’m coming.
Cassie’s POV
I opened my eyes slowly, vision blurred, head pounding with a headache I couldn’t place. I couldn’t remember anything.
I was tied to a chair, completely immobile, tape sealed tight over my mouth. I tried to scream anyway. Nothing came out.
My eyes gradually focused, and I made out a figure walking toward me. Male. Nothing friendly about the way he moved.
Alex.
I struggled harder against the ropes as he closed the distance and then, without warning, his hand cracked across my face.
"Did you really think you could struggle your way out of this?"
"You’re dead, Cassie."
Tears streamed down my face as I tried to speak through the tape. Help. Someone, help me. As if anyone could hear.
"Save your energy. Nobody’s coming for you." He laughed, low and cruel, exactly like the devil he was.
"Why couldn’t you just leave Kate and me alone? We were perfect. You had to ruin it."
I kept trying to speak, muffled and useless beneath the tape.
"What was that?" He mocked, then ripped the tape off my mouth.
"Ahh—" I gasped. "Somebody, please, help me!"
"Shut up. No one can hear you out here."
"What did I ever do to you? Huh?"
"Really? You tried to sabotage everything between me and Kate. Turned her against me because you were jealous she gave me her time instead of you."
"Because you’re not good for her. You’re a psychopath."
He laughed again, and this time it terrified me even more.
"Psychopath?" He tilted his head. "You knew that, and you still came here alone to face me?"
"Let me show you exactly what a psychopath can do."
"Help! Somebody’" I screamed, though my voice barely carried, weak and cracked.
"I said no shouting." He struck me again, harder this time.
"Was that you? The men at the club? Did you send them after me?"
"You knew?" His eyes lit up. "The bitch actually figured it out. Good. I wanted you to hear it from me directly."
He paused, almost savoring it.
"It all makes sense now," he continued. "You told Kate. That’s why she left me." He said it like it delighted him, not upset him at all.
"I actually thought she’d stopped loving me. But it was you the whole time."
"It’s always been you."
"I’m sorry," I sobbed. "If you let me go, I swear I’ll never say another word against you to her."
He just stood there, staring, until a groan sounded from across the room, Kate, starting to come to.
He rushed toward her with more tape in hand.
"Kate! Kate!" I shouted.
"Shut up, you’ll wake her fully."
She was already awake, struggling to scream, unable to get any sound out.
"Baby, I’m sorry — I’m just handling this little obstacle. After this, it’s you and me. Forever. I promise."
He dragged me out of the room, away from her, somewhere private where nothing would stop him. Kate’s muffled cries grew louder behind us.
"I’ll be right back, baby. I promise I won’t be long." He kissed her forehead on his way out.
I screamed and fought the entire way, knowing full well it wouldn’t matter.
After what felt like forever, dragging and resisting the whole time, we reached the rooftop. He pushed me right up to the edge.
"I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long. And here it finally is."
"Say your last prayer." He laughed at me, cold and satisfied.
"Oh God." I whispered.