Even my son, my ten-month labor of love, chimed in without hesitation:
“Dad! We have to take Bella with us! She’ll be terrified if we leave her here alone!”
The system’s cold, robotic voice rang in my head like a death knell:
“Mission failed. If your body dies, you will return to the original world.”
Good. That’s exactly what I wanted—a one-way ticket out of this disaster.
But just as I was ready to embrace the end, the two of them lost their minds, clutching at straws and me like it was the apocalypse:
“I messed up, okay?! Don’t do this! Please, don’t leave us!”
In a heartbeat, he untied her ropes, his eyes full of worry. Jonah, standing beside him, was just like his father, fussing over Bella’s bruised wrists, gently blowing on her red skin as if his breath could heal it.
“Bella, this will make it feel better, I promise,” Jonah murmured, his voice so tender it made my stomach churn.
The two of them were wrapped up in their own little world, so caught up in her that they didn’t even notice I was still tied up, left behind in the hands of the kidnapper.
The man holding me couldn’t help but laugh.
“Your husband? He’s lost in the arms of another woman. Think he’s coming back for you? Should I just end this here?”
I watched as Adrian and Jonah walked away, Bella safe in their arms, and then, the system informed me of my mission’s failure. A sharp jolt of electricity surged through me, knocking me out cold.
As my vision blurred, I felt the kidnapper’s grip tighten, catching me before I crumpled to the floor.
“Come on, don’t pass out on me now,” he grumbled. “All I did was speak my mind. Guess I better get you to a hospital, don’t need any trouble if something happens to you.”
