Frozen Desire

The next morning was a stark contrast to the quiet calm of the previous night. Cassian entered his father's office, his mind still weighed down by the events of the past few hours. He had half expected a meeting that would go as smoothly as any other—a business discussion, a couple of decisions, and a return to the usual routine. But when he walked into the conference room, the room was unusually tense.

His phone was placed on the table, face down, and as soon as he entered, one of his father's men, a tall, imposing figure, gave a curt nod and took the phone from him.

"Just a precaution," the man said, his tone flat and professional, as though it were normal procedure. But Cassian had no illusion about what was happening. His father was trying to keep him distracted—his father was keeping him in line.

Cassian sat down at the table, his gaze flicking between the documents in front of him and the men gathered around him. His father hadn't arrived yet, but the silence was thick, and the air hummed with tension. He could feel it deep in his bones. Something was wrong.

As the meeting began, Cassian's mind drifted. He tried to ignore the gnawing feeling at the back of his mind. Was Sera all right? The thought of her being alone after their conversation the night before filled him with a restlessness he couldn't shake. But his phone was still out of reach, and every time he looked at the men around him, he could feel their eyes on him, sensing his distraction.

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Meanwhile, far from the conference room, Sera was finishing her morning routine, unaware of the dark forces closing in around her.

The world outside her apartment was eerily quiet. But that peace was shattered as she stepped out onto the street. She had no idea that, moments earlier, one of Victor Vale's men had been tracking her movements, preparing for what was about to unfold.

She was only a few blocks from her apartment when the van appeared out of nowhere. Two men stepped out, blocking her path before she could react. Sera's heart pounded in her chest as she tried to move quickly, but she was surrounded.

"Just relax," one of the men said, his voice cold and detached as he grabbed her arm. "Mr. Vale wants to have a conversation with you."

The words barely registered in her mind before she was roughly pushed into the back of the van. Her phone, still in her pocket, buzzed—but she couldn't reach it in time before the doors slammed shut.

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Back in the conference room, Cassian's phone was returned to him after the meeting concluded. He could feel his pulse racing as he quickly unlocked it, expecting to see a message from Seraphina.

Instead, his heart sank as he read the unread messages. The last one, from hours ago, still lingered on the screen:

"Someone's watching me. I'm scared. Please be here soon."

Cassian's fingers trembled as he hit the dial button, but the line went dead. His throat tightened, and a rush of panic flooded him. What had happened? Why hadn't she answered? What the hell had his father done?

He immediately stood up from the table, his mind spinning. This was no longer just about business. This was about protecting the woman who had unwittingly become his weakness. And if he didn't find her soon, it might be too late.

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Victor sat back in his chair, a satisfied smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he received the report on Seraphina's abduction. The girl was out of the picture for now.

Now, Cassian would have no choice but to obey.