{CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN}

                                   ~~~~~~~~

Jackson had one thing to do—kill the nanny and save Hanna.

The sun shone on Jackson's skin, masking the heavy burden he had to carry out on this bright day as he approached Hanna's door.

'It's gonna be easy,' he thought. He had his plan set. All he needed was a way to get back into Hanna's home. 'A lie is necessary.'

"What are you doing here?" Hanna spat, her eyes narrowing at the sight of Jackson.

"Hanna, please, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide the fact that I was the boy who saved you. I thought it was better to leave the past behind."

"Oh really? All this time, I've been searching for that boy, eager to thank him, not figuring out he's been standing right in front of me all along."

"I'm so sorry, Hanna. Just let me in, please," he begged, desperation in his voice.

"No, no, Jackson! I'm done with all the lies!" she shot back, her voice trembling with anger. "Only God knows what else you're hiding from me. Who are you really? Why did you marry the girl you saved?"

Just as he was about to continue pleading, he caught sight of the nanny entering the sitting room, holding Phil in her arms. His eyes widened in shock. 'How did she free herself?' he thought. From the look of things, it seemed Hanna was completely unaware of the situation. It puzzled him that she hadn't revealed what he had done. 'But why?' he wondered again. 'Why hide his crimes?'  The questions swirled relentlessly in his mind.

Why would she protect him? To think he had been there to have her killed, yet she chose to save him instead. But he couldn't care less. The only person who mattered to him was Hanna. He would do anything to protect her—even if it meant killing anyone in his way. But with the nanny now free from the room where he had kept her, his plan felt utterly futile. There was no way to carry it out anymore. He felt deranged, overwhelmed by the chaos swirling in his head.

What would he tell his uncle? Would Hanna die because of his foolish actions? If only—if only he had followed his heart and chosen Hanna over his uncle. Then he wouldn't be trapped in this nightmare. It was hard to believe that the uncle he thought cared for him had betrayed him with someone he considered a brother. The weight of that betrayal pressed heavily on his chest.

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"We kidnap the girl tonight. He didn't do as he was told," Jackson's uncle said to Victor, outlining their next plan of action.

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Hanna's heart raced as she approached the dimly lit alley where Victor had asked to meet. The shadows danced around her, creating an eerie atmosphere that made her skin crawl. She hesitated for a moment, recalling that she had only met Victor a few times and was bothered as to why he would want to meet up with her.

But she was determined to find out more. He claimed to have information about Jackson, and she needed to uncover what else he was hiding. The best way to get that kind of information was from those closest to him.

As she stepped further into the alley, Victor emerged from the darkness, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "You came," he said, his words laced with a chilling ominous voice. Before she could react, he lunged forward, pressing a drugged handkerchief against her mouth. Panic surged through her as she struggled against his grip, the world around her blurring into darkness. In the chaos, she felt something slip from her wrist.

The bracelet, the one Jackson had given her, fell to the ground with a soft thud. Time seemed to slow as she watched it tumble, its surface catching the faint light before hitting the pavement. Just as Victor tightened his hold, he stepped back, his foot landing squarely on the bracelet. A sharp crack echoed through the alley, mingling with Hanna's fading consciousness. At that moment, the symbol of her love shattered, just as her hopes of escape slipped away.

Hanna jolted awake as a splash of cold water drenched her face, the shock pulling her from the depths of unconsciousness. She blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of her surroundings, but all she could see was darkness. The damp fabric of her clothes clung to her skin, a chilling reminder of her predicament. A presence loomed in front of her, heavy and oppressive.

"Victor? Is that you, Victor?" she called out, her voice trembling with fear. Silence hung in the air, thick and suffocating, until it was broken by a low, sinister laughter. It echoed around her, but something about it felt wrong. It was deeper, more gravelly—an aged voice that sent shivers down her spine.

"What do you want from me? Why me? Why!!" she cried, desperation creeping into her tone. The silence returned, but it was soon shattered by her screams. "Help! Somebody help me!!"

The laughter continued, mocking her pleas.

"You're only wasting the little energy you have in you," the voice finally spoke, dripping with malice. "There's no need for crying for help because no one will come for you. Can you see this place? We're in the middle of a very thick forest, so no one can hear or come to your rescue."

As his words sank in, Hanna felt her heart race, panic clawing at her throat. Just then, the sound of a lighter clicking pierced the air, and the faint scent of smoke filled her lungs. She realized he was lighting a cigarette, the smoke curling around her like a sinister shroud. At that moment, the gravity of her situation weighed heavily on her, and she braced herself for whatever horrors lay ahead.

Suddenly, she heard fast and steady footsteps reverberating in the darkness. Straining her eyes, she tried desperately to discern who these men were, but the room was just too dark. Yet, deep down, she knew Victor was one of them, and a chilling thought crossed her mind: Was Jackson in on this too?

As the footsteps drew nearer, whispers floated through the air. The aged man passed instructions to the person who walked in. She couldn't make out the words, but one phrase pierced through the murmur: "I'll get the guns from Reaper. Make sure to keep an eye on her."

With that, the man stepped out, leaving her alone now with the figure that had initially walked in.

Fear gripped her heart, tightening its hold as the reality of her situation sank in. The thought of dying for reasons she couldn't even comprehend swirled in her mind.

She called, "Is that you, Victor?"

"Speak up," the man responded.

At that moment, she knew her hunch was right; the person who walked in was indeed Victor. She needed answers about why she was here, but she didn't want to dig too deep and risk offending him, which might lead to silence.

"I've got questions, Victor," she began.

Victor hesitated, pondering her request before responding sternly, "Three questions. You've got just three questions."

She nodded, swallowing hard. "Why me?"

With a sidelong smile, he replied, "Because he only flinches and gets the work done when it's regarding you."

In that instant, she realized she was wrong; Jackson wasn't in on it. They were definitely using her to threaten him. But deep down, she didn't care. He was a liar and deserved whatever was coming his way, or so she thought.

"Next," Victor said, his tone clipped.

"Why did you betray him?" she pressed her heart racing. "And who was the man that was with me before you came in?"

"Hold on," Victor interrupted, his voice rising with anger. "The instruction was one question at a time. You pick one or discontinue."

"Alright, I'm sorry. Who was the man then?"

Victor moved closer, standing beside her. "He's Jackson's uncle and my dad."

"Uncle? I thought Jackson didn't have any relatives."

"Yeah, how can he be your dad when you and Jackson are childhood friends?"

"Is that another question? Hope you know this is your last..."

She cut him off, urgency creeping into her voice. "No, don't answer that. I have another request. Can I get a glass of water? I'm really thirsty."

Hanna knew she wasn't thirsty. She had seen so many movies where kidnapped victims asked for a glass of water, shattered it on the floor and used the jagged pieces to escape. Those scenes were etched in her mind. She hoped, somehow, it would work for her just like it did for the characters on screen.