In the corner, unnoticed by most, Salome’s eyes gleamed with triumph. She stepped forward, her white wedding dress glowing against the dimmed lights. With a quiet thrill, she opened the velvet box stained with my blood. “Liam, let’s not waste Anya’s kindness. Will you help me put on this engagement ring?”
Liam snapped back to reality, lifting his gaze to the woman standing before him–the one he had spent half his life begging for.
Without a word, he shoved her away, storming out.”
“Liam, where are you going?” Salome’s voice cracked, frantic.}
“Cancel the wedding,” Liam’s voice was cold as ice. “I’m going to find her.” And with that, he ran, his heart set on a course that no one could predict.
“Liam! How dare you leave! I’ll marry someone else right now!” Salome’s voice was shrill as she chased after him, but she stumbled after only a few steps, crashing to the ground.
The bodyguard quickly intervened, stepping in front of Liam, his years of service giving him the calm and experience to handle the situation. “Mr. Grasso, don’t act on impulse. I’ve already sent some men after Anya. Why don’t you continue with the wedding?“}
“Miss Salome Amadeo is the daughter of the Amadeo family. If you leave her now, it will be hard to explain to them. Besides… she’s impulsive. If she really marries someone else, you may regret it.”
“She’s nothing but a plaything to you, but there’s no reason to offend Miss Salome over her,” the bodyguard added, his voice steady and firm though the weight of the situation lingered in the air.
I knew the bodyguard was right. My life, so insignificant in Liam’s eyes, meant nothing.}
Without warning, Liam punched him. “I said! Take me to find her!“}
The bodyguard froze. He had known Liam for years and had never seen him lose control like this. “Alright, we’ll go now. Don’t worry too much. We noticed someone trailing us on the road and had already contacted the local police and the embassy.“}
“Assistant Amadeo threw the bloody ring to me. I ran with it and my men covered me. The police arrived shortly after and they’ve already begun the search.”
“Anya’s a smart girl. She’s so beautiful that not even an animal would dare harm her. The robbers were after money or lust, but they didn’t need to take her life.”
The bodyguard’s words were meant to calm Liam, but the more he spoke, the faster Liam drove.
By the time they reached the scene, all that remained was the sight of my blood–stained clothes.
He saw everything through the car’s dashcam.
He watched as the robbers forced our car to a halt. He saw me hide the diamond ring in my underwear. Still, those robbers, seemingly possessing some otherworldly power, insisted on stripping me, no matter how I begged.§
I cried and pleaded for mercy, but my grip on the ring never wavered. Then, growing impatient, the robbers cut off two of my fingers.
They fell to the ground, bloodied and lifeless. Yet, I fought like a wild animal, breaking free and shoving the diamond ring into the bodyguard’s hands. “Take it!” I shouted, urging them to leave quickly.
“Liam is a perfectionist. How could his…ing go on without the ring?”
“Send it to him. I wish him a happy marria
again.”
on my behalf and I will tell him goodbye. I’ve repaid my kindness and we don’t need to meet
Liam’s eyes suddenly reddened. He covered them with his hand and for a long while, he said nothing.
Then, chaos erupted when the police arrived. Since we’d reported the incident earlier, they wasted no time in getting to the scene.}
Liam set the tablet down, his voice rough and strained as he spoke. “When you find her, what will her condition be?”
No one dared answer him. A woman taken by a group robbers, she was like a lamb walking into the jaws of a hungry tiger.
Liam trembled, lighting a cigarette and inhaling as though trying to swallow all his anguish with each puff. “Go to the embassy. I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to marry her.”
