Chapter 123

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In a desolate warehouse on the outskirts of town, a man, syringe in hand, looked at Lauren and asked hesitantly, "Are you sure about this?"

Lauren gritted her teeth and confirmed, “Yes.”

He then inserted the needle into Lauren's vein. Soon after, he transformed into someone who looked like he was going to drop dead at any moment. Even doctors would be fooled by his appearance.

Lauren looked at her reflection in the mirror and decided she still wasn't pitiful enough. He pointed to a muscular man and ordered, “You, come here. I want you to slap me. Strong".

It wasn't every day someone asked for a beating, but he wasn't going to question the person who signed his checks.

The man raised his hand and repeatedly slapped Lauren's face until it was red and swollen.

The pain was so intense that it made his gums bleed, but a look in the mirror told him it had been worth it.

Everything had to be impeccable. One small mistake and Mitchel could see through his act.

Seeing how badly her face had been hit, Lauren became angry. He confronted the man and responded with a slap and a kick: "Did you like it, you bastard?"

The man grabbed his face and fell to the ground. Although he felt aggrieved, he did not dare to defend himself, especially since he had not yet been paid.

Lauren settled into a rickety chair, crossed her legs, and laid down the law.

«Leave the country as soon as you receive the money. Understood?

"I have already prepared fake IDs and passports for you."

The men nodded obediently.

Ten million dollars in total for the three of them. Each one would walk away with more than three million. It wasn't a bad day at work.

A manic gleam shone in Lauren's eyes as she reveled in her act. He had just called Tessa with an untraceable number. Although she hadn't specifically mentioned Raegan, she could tell from Tessa's tone that her plan was going smoothly.

It felt so good to kill two birds with one stone.

Lauren felt like she had endured enough degradation and humiliation to last a lifetime, but it would all be worth it when she saw herself walking down the aisle with Mitchel.

Icy water splashed on Raegan's head.

Raegan blinked despite the discomfort and struggled to focus. The headache made it even more difficult. It was some time before he could finally make out the face in front of him.

It was Tessa. It had been quite some time since he last saw Tessa.

Panicking, Raegan tried to get up, but her limbs were tied to the chair. I wasn't going anywhere. He looked at Tessa and snapped, “Kidnapping is a crime. Have you gone crazy?

Without saying a word, Tessa walked up to Raegan and slapped him a series of times. The corner of Raegan's mouth parted and blood trickled down to her neck.

Tessa, whose eyes were brimming with madness, smiled and scoffed, “Consider it your appetizer. The main course is yet to come.

Raegan's heart raced, but she forced herself to maintain her composure.

«I have never hurt you, Tessa. Is it worth ruining your own future just to get back at me?

“Are you implying not?” Tessa, irritated by Raegan's words, lifted her shirt to reveal a tapestry of scars along her back.

"Look at this! Thanks to you and Mitchel, my reputation and my body are ruined! My life is in tatters. What else do I have to lose?

Raegan caught a crucial detail in Tessa's rant and quickly interjected: “That's not true. I have nothing to do with your injuries.

"That? Interesting!" Tessa burst out laughing, clearly not believing anything Raegan said. She gestured to the two men behind her, and they got the message without her having to say anything.

As they approached Raegan with predatory gazes, it was obvious that they were eager to test her.

Just as they were about to put a hand on her shoulder, Raegan yelled, "Back off!"

Frightened, they remained motionless.

Raegan examined the men's clothing. They were dirty, disheveled, splashed with oil. They probably weren't professional criminals, but rather small-time thugs recruited by Tessa.

That made things simpler for him.

«Do you even know what you are getting into? Kidnapping and sexual assault are serious crimes. How much does Tessa pay you? I'll double it if you let me go.

The two men exchanged glances and hesitated. Tessa's offer hadn't been all that generous. Each one received only fifty grand.

Although it was the largest sum they had ever seen, it was not that much.

They had no intention of crossing any serious lines, so Raegan's offer gave them pause.

“You bitch!” Tessa lunged forward and kicked the chair Raegan was tied to, tipping it over.

Raegan fell to the ground with a thud. Luckily, since she was strapped to the chair, her abdomen didn't take the brunt of the fall.

However, he felt a strong blow on his shoulder, accompanied by a chilling sound that seemed like the crunching of his bones. She was convinced she had broken her bones.

Intense pain coursed through his body and his face turned a ghostly white.

Fighting the urge to faint, Raegan balled her hands into fists.

Tessa took another opportunity to inflict pain and stomped on Raegan's feet. The agony caused by the crushing force made Raegan's already pale face even paler.

Tessa had intended to kick Raegan's abdomen, but suddenly realized that doing so could cause a miscarriage. And if that happened, things could get ugly. The thugs might lose their nerve and abandon the mission. So he opted for Raegan's feet.

Tessa enjoyed thinking that Raegan would suffer the same as her.

«How nerveless to try to turn my people against me. Your words may be silver, but they won't save you today! I can't wait to see you become a whore.

Blood spattered Raegan's mouth and his forehead was slippery with cold sweat. His head was spinning, but he understood what Tessa meant.

«I will give you a chance. Call Mitchel. Tell him that you have been kidnapped and that he has to bring money to get you back. If it really appears, you are free to leave. What are you saying?"

Clinging to straws, Raegan nodded repeatedly.

“It will definitely pay, there is no doubt.”

"We'll see about that," Tessa replied with a cynical laugh. He grabbed a pointed wooden stick and pointed it at Raegan's abdomen.

«Make sure he brings the money. If you even hint that I'm involved, this stick will go through you. Is it clear?

“Understood,” Raegan assured her, doing her best to keep Tessa from losing her temper.

If it was just about money, maybe things weren't as bad as they seemed.

He dialed Mitchel's number. It took him a while to answer.

"Hello, who is this?" he asked in a deep, resonant voice.

In that moment, grief, fear, and panic threatened to overwhelm Raegan.

“Mitchel, help me,” she sobbed, her voice shaking.

"What's going on, Raegan?"

There was genuine concern in Mitchel's voice, and it almost broke Raegan right then and there.

But it was not the time to cry. His whole body hurt, especially his abdomen.

She had a premonitory feeling, as if something was going to happen to her baby.

Raegan had to act quickly for her sake and the baby's.

«They have kidnapped me. They ask for money. You can bring the ransom right now…”

“Raegan,” Mitchel cut in, his voice tinged with irritation.

«Enough of childish games. "I got tired of playing along."

His words seemed like a free fall into an abyss from which there was no return.

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