C12 Capture

Lily

I remained frozen in place as my mind reeled.

I could have sworn I'd heard my name. It wasn't something I could miss.

Were they talking about me? Or had I mistaken it for something else?

Looking at the door, my curiosity piqued.

It was wrong to eavesdrop, and yet.

Looking around to find nobody in sight, I quietly shuffled closer to the door, pressing my ear against the door.

Their voices were still muffled under the door, but I could pick up their words easier.

“You…hiding…from him.”

I furrowed my brows as I strained to hear more. Some parts were still difficult to hear, but no doubt that was Mr Collins' voice.

Alexander's voice made me perk up, clearer "I understand your concerns Nathan, but we must tread carefully. We can't afford a direct confrontation at this stage."

“And as for the other matter,” he said, emphasising the word.

“There's no need to worry about it. Nobody knows. For now, things will remain as they are."

‘Know what?’

My curiosity grew at the vague words. Why were they being so mysterious?

Mr. Collins' voice rang again, sounding slightly strained "I get it, I do, but it's not just about that. Either way this is our territory."

"And it's a matter of survival Nathan.” Alexander's voice cut him off.

“We'll find a way to deal with this situation, but it can't be too obvious. We can't expose ourselves unnecessarily.” he sai

Mr. Collins' voice was lower and I had to strain to hear it.

“You've been stalling for too long. He isn't just going to let this go. You and I know this." He said.

There came a moment of silence before Alexander's voice spoke again.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Right now, let's focus on what matters."

Their voices lowered further, and I strained to catch every word, but it was futile. They had moved beyond my range of hearing, leaving me wondering.

‘Territory? Exposed? Survival?' Those were peculiar words to use when referring to the business. What were they talking about the business?

Perhaps it was a rival or something. But even then, that didn't make much sense to me.

Luminous Works was one of the top rated hotels, there were little to no competitors in that aspect. So why did it sound so serious?

I was brought back to reality with the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Panic surged through me as I fumbled with the doorknob, opening it hastily. Immediately I collided with a solid chest.

Stumbling back, I looked up to meet Alexander's Stony gaze.

My heart pounded like a drum as I stumbled back.

"Sorry," I let out, heat growing on my cheeks.

‘He smelled good.’

I flushed the moment that thought came to me. I instantly berated myself. What was wrong with me?

All thoughts blanked away as his gaze didn't waver.

“Why are you here?” he asked- more like demanded.

Taken aback by his harshness, my mind went blank for a few more seconds before I remembered.

‘The documents. Right.'

"I was just, um, bringing these..." I fumbled for a moment, hands trembling as I handed out the documents.

“These require your urgent attention Sir.” I said.

Alexander took the documents from me but his gaze never left. His eyes seemed to study me.

Did he suspect that I listened in? I swallowed thickly.

It took effort, but I straightened into a more neutral expression, facing him directly in spite of my pounding heart. I silently prayed he didn't catch on.

Finally, after seconds that seemed to stretch for an eternity, he looked away, passing me without a word.

I let out a breath I didn't even realise I was holding, relaxing for a moment. The sound of a throat clearing made me perk up again as I remembered where I was.

I whipped my head to meet Mr Collins, who eyed me silently.

To my surprise, he was slightly smiling, looking kind despite the scar on his face.

“It's nice to see you again Miss Grace." he said, seemingly unfazed by the awkward encounter.

It was a complete contrast from Alex's cold attitude. I managed a small, nervous smile.

“Thank you Mr Collins. Good day to you." I said, lightly nodding.

“Sorry I had to steal the boss from you for a while. Were you waiting for us to finish?” he said.

‘Was that a trick question?’ I silently wondered.

“I just arrived here sir.” I fought back the guilt of my bold faced lie, silently praying he didn't catch on.

Thankfully, seconds passed and he didn't look angry. He smiled wider, seemingly accepting it.

“I see,” he nodded before, “Well, don't let me keep you. Have a good day.”

I sharply nodded.

With that, I turned and made a hasty exit.

As I hurriedly retreated from Mr. Collins' office, my mind was a whirlwind of questions.

What were they discussing? Why did my name come up in their conversation? Was it just a coincidence, or had I misunderstood what they were saying?

The more I thought about it, the more my confusion deepened.

I walked briskly through the hallway, trying to shake off the unease that had settled in my chest.

Maybe I was overthinking things. Perhaps I'd heard them incorrectly. It wouldn't be the first time I'd jumped to conclusions, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

They were likely talking about something business related that I had no business listening to.

Concluding that train of thought, I pushed it away to focus on the presence.

….

Hours later, back in my apartment, I was making dinner when my phone rang. I answered it immediately, smiling at my mother's face.

"Hello, sweetheart," she greeted, smiling through the video call.

"Hey, Mom," I greeted.

She was set on calling me at least once everyday to check on me, openly telling me that the day after my announcement.

I couldn't complain about it nor did I plan to. Not when I was nothing but grateful that she actively supported me despite the shock of it all.

We chatted about the usual things at first—how she was doing, the latest gossip from the neighbourhood. But inevitably, the conversation turned to the baby.

"So, how's the sickness?" my mom asked, her tone expectant.

“Manageable, especially with that tip you gave me” I shrugged, bringing the cooked meat to a boil. Despite the sickness my craving for meat never stopped. I was sure it would hurt my savings soon enough.

My mother chuckled softly, "That's all I needed to hear. Remember, crisps and lemons are your best friend."

I chuckled lightly, ready to tease her when suddenly, a strange sensation crept up on me.

I froze as chills washed over me, goosebumps following.

Immediately, I turned back, looking around my apartment for something. But nothing was out of place. There was nobody else in sight.

Why then, did it feel like I was being watched?

“Lily?”

I whipped my head to face my mom via the screen. I swallowed thickly, meeting her concerned face.

“Sorry. I thought I heard something.” I told her, mustering a small smile.

‘It's all in your head.’ I told myself. I'd heard that anxiety could occur during pregnancy, although it was quite early. But maybe that was it.

Despite my thoughts, the unease didn't dissipate.

I wrapped up the call with my mom, eating my dinner before heading to bed.

Laying in the bed, the strange feeling lingered, but I forced it away. Eventually, fatigue won over, and I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

_

I woke up to my room surrounded by darkness. It was still night.

Rarely did I ever wake up this early, especially now with the pregnancy adding to my fatigue. So why was I awake?

The silence felt…different for some reason.

Mind foggy with sleep, I closed my eyes again, ready to forget all about it. A loud thump jolted me.

I opened my eyes, fully awake and alert. Sitting up, I looked at my closed bedroom door hearing more thumps.

There was no mistake. They were footsteps ringing outside my bedroom.

Someone was in my apartment.

Panic coursed through my veins, but I couldn't move. My mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

I hadn't left any doors open. How had this person gotten in? Was it a burglar?

The thought of someone going through my belongings, my most personal possessions, filled me with a sick dread. I had never faced something like this before.

I reached for my phone, but it wasn't there. Looking around, I couldn't find it anywhere until the realisation washed over me like ice.

I'd left it in the living room. Out of all the days…

That only meant one thing. I was trapped, cornered in my own room with no escape.

Using my only protection, I bolted from the bed, walking as quietly as possible to cross the room, locking the bedroom door.

Finally I leaned against it, trembling.

My heart pounded in my chest. I clung to the hope that they would leave soon.

The footsteps stopped. My breath caught in my throat, and I strained to hear any sound from the other side of the door.

My heart stopped the moment a hand broke through my bedroom door. I stumbled back, my voice caught in my throat.

To my horror, my door was violently yanked off its hinges. I didn't get the chance to register the shadows of their presence when they were upon me.

Suddenly my arms and legs were ensnared in a vice-like grip.

Before I could let out a sound, a large hand clapped over my mouth, muffling any noises.

I writhed and thrashed, fighting with every ounce of my being, but my efforts amounted to nothing.

Suddenly, a stinging chemical scent filled my nose. Before I could comprehend, everything went dark.