Chapter 44: Chapter 44

~RICHIE’S POV

"You said you received the video this morning, right?" Leo ask me. Leo is an investigation agent which I hired earlier. I had a chat with a friend of mine that works in the FBI department and he told me about Leo, he says Leo is one of the best agents. Of course, I didn’t tell my friend the truth about me needing an investigation officer but I told Leo the truth; I had to.

"Yes, I did," I respond

"Okay." He types something on his laptop before he says "Can I see it?" He holds his hand out for my cell phone.

"Sure." I give him the phone and as he looks for the unknown number, he typed it on his laptop.

While I am working with Leo, I asked the chief of police to begin his investigation while I do mine here. I need to find Rachel as soon as possible. Every single second I spend without her makes my heart rip apart feeling like I have no purpose anymore. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain Aiden has caused her and it’s all because of me.

"I hope you won’t mind if I watch the video, I have to scrutinize the background," Leo says

As much as I hate that video, I have to let him watch it. With a sigh, I respond "Sure, you can watch it." I stand up from the couch and stood by the window. If I remain sitting beside him, I might unconsciously glance at the video and I don’t want that. I’m already panicked and worried, I don’t want to lose my mind by watching the video again.

Leo plays the video and my heart suddenly starts to thud in my chest, the sound of the video fills my ear. I hate that noise, the sound of people screaming always gives me panic attacks but knowing that the scream is Rachel’s is indeed a whole new level of torture. I try to calm myself down but the clips of the video keep flashing in my eyes. My hand balls into a fist and I just couldn’t handle myself anymore.

"Stop the video!" I demand. It’s unbearable to listen to screams, it reminds me of something I’ve buried long ago.

"What?" Leo asks, confused

"Just stop the video. You’ve watched enough already."

He looks at me, a little bit confused before he speaks "Okay."

I release a breath "Thank you." I go back and sit next to him. "So, what did get from watching the video?" I ask

"Well, I heard some distinct noises in the background and if I’m not mistaken, that incident occurred in a warehouse."

"Okay," I say waiting for him to continue

"I also think that the environment she’s been kept in has no windows nor furniture because not only does it seem to be dark but her screams- I mean her voices echos throughout the room."

"Will you be able to find her?" I ask my main cause of concern.

"Yes I will and I know you want to finish the investigation by the end of the day, but I need more time."

"I don't have much time. Find out everything today, and find out where Rachel is!" I demand and then release a deep sigh. I don’t think I should be shouting at him right now.

"Look, Leo. I will pay as much money as you want, a thousand dollars per hour, two thousand dollars per hour, anything. I just want you to help me out. Aiden is a beast and he can do anything to hurt Rachel. I’m begging you to help me find her, please." I plead

"Mr. Maranzano, I'm doing my best and I'll try harder, but I can't guarantee you, I'll figure everything out today." He says

I am about to speak when my phone starts to ring. With a groan, I pick up the phone and see an obscure number video calling me; it's not the same number that messages me earlier. Although I have a feeling, it's Aiden.

"Can you trace the location of this number?" I ask Leo

"Yes, but you have to be on call with him for at least one minute so I can get full details of his location."

"Okay." I nod. I release a sigh before I answer the call. I don’t say a word as I try to figure out what’s going on, all I can see through the screen is a dark wall with no one around it. I can hear a thud in the background but can't tell exactly where it's coming from. I frown trying to understand why Aiden video call me when he couldn't show me anything.

Suddenly, a chair falls with incredible constrain. It appears like somebody pushed it. My furrowed brow releases as my heart feels like it’s traumatized. "Rachel" I gasp. She is tied up in the chair and she looks miserable. Her clothes are torn and the rest is stained with blood. She has scars all over her body and her eyes are swollen. She looks nothing like herself. What has this man done to her?

"Rach, are you okay? Talk to me?" Panic engulfed me as I watched her eyes begin to close. "Rach, talk to me, say something, please."

Her eyes closed and tears begin to steam down her face. In a flash, I realized it isn’t tears, but drops of blood - her blood.

"Oh, my God!" A gasp escaped my mouth. What has this man done to her? Tears well up in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. "Just hold on tight, Rach. I’m coming to get you."

"I don’t think so." I hear a profound voice say in the background. I don’t have to be told for me to know who it is; it’s that bastard Aiden.

I think someone is holding a camera because Aiden can now be seen just by shifting the camera. A glance at his face made me realize how much I hated him. This man will suffer from all the terrible wounds he inflicted on Rachel.

"You!" My face contorted with rage as my hand balled into a fist. "I will kill you if you touch her."

He starts to laugh "If I touch her." He repeats what I said as he continues to laugh. "I touch her everywhere." He tells me

Anger laces through me as Rachel starts to shout when Aiden yanks her hair and makes her sit upright "Stop touching her. Do not touch her again." I shout at him.

"I tell you what to stop doing. You" He points at me as he looks between Rachel and me. "Tell those men to stop investigating. I want no involvement in our matters." His English is as bad as his face.

"Involvement." I say questionably "You started this, you involved Rachel in our matters, she had nothing to do with this so let her go."

He laughs "You are so stupid. She is your fiancé and anyone related to you is my enemy." He yanks her hair harder and her head went backward making her scalp sting.

"Tell that boy sitting on your couch and the police to stop all investigation." He commands.

How does he know about Leo? Since I only showed my face to the camera, how can he know Leo is sitting on the couch? Is someone spying on me for him?

"How do you know someone is sitting on my couch?" I ask.

"I have eyes everywhere now do as I say. Call them and tell them to stop!" He says

He does have someone spying on me but who? I think about it for a moment, I can’t trust anyone around here. All of them aren’t trustworthy. My thoughts come to a halt when Rachel’s screams fill my ear. I look and see Aiden’s face extremely close to her. He looks at her and then at me. Her eyes tearing up with tears.

"Do not cry, Richie will do as I say." He licks her tears as he says that.

That act of his got me angrier. I can not comprehend my emotions anymore. Rachel screams louder when she felt his tongue against her face. I hate to see her in pain but I can’t stop the investigation. If I do, it will take me forever to get to her, and if I lie and pretend that the investigation is being stopped. He will know and will hurt Rachel in ways I cannot imagine.

Her screams echoed in my ear as I attempt to control it but couldn't. I can’t hear her screaming, I can’t watch her suffer. "Stop!" I shout

"Fucking stop hurting her. I will tell the police to stop the investigation, just please stop hurting her, please." I beg him.

He smirks against her face "I told you he will do it." He turns his gaze back to me and commands "Do it!"

"Fine." I release a heavy breath. I just have to stop this investigation. I turn my gaze to Leo and say "Leo, leave."

"But-"

"Just go and please stop the investigation." I tell him

"Very good, Richie. Now before he goes tell him to stop the track and delete every single detail he has of me."

How did he know that Leo is tracking him?

"Stop looking at me like that, just do as I say," Aiden says to me.

I release a breath "You heard him now do it." I say to Leo. I don’t want to do this but I have no choice, if I want to save Rachel I have to do what Aiden says.

"Okay." Leo does exactly what Aiden says before he walks out of the room.

"Good. He’s a good boy now call the police and tell them to stop." Aiden says to me.

I call the chief of police and tell him to stop the investigation, he asked me why but I didn’t explain anything to him. He asked me so many questions but I don’t respond to any as I ended the call. Aiden listened to our conversation. I don't even know why he asked me to do this in front of him. 'Cause he's got eyes everywhere, so even if I do it behind his back, he will still know.

"I have done what you asked me to do now please let her go." This is the first time I’m begging someone continuously.

"No, I cannot."

My brows furrow "But why? What else do you want? I will give you everything you want."

"I want my family back. Alice and Jake. Bring them to me and you will get your girl back."

"That's not possible." I say to him. I can’t forsake someone else for Rachel. God knows how much Alice suffered when she was with him, I can’t let her go through that again.

"I thought you said you will do anything I say. You want your girl back, don’t you?" He asks

"I do but I can’t do that. I can’t do what you asked me to do."

"Okay." He says to me. Turning his gaze to the other side of the room he says "Get me the knife."

"Knife." I silently gasp. What the hell is he planning on doing with a knife?

Before I could utter a word, Aiden was given a knife and with a smirk, he ask me "Will you do it or not?"

I don’t respond to his question and I look at Alice, she is standing a few feet away from me. I can’t do that, it’s risky. If I take Alice and Jake to him, he will ruin their lives but at the same time, if I don’t, he will kill Rachel. This is a crossroad, I can’t go through this road.

My thoughts come to an end when Aiden uses the knife to lightly run it down Rachel’s face. He doesn’t cut her but he left trails behind.

My thoughts turn to what I should do as I begin to formulate a plan, my heart starts to hammer in my chest, every pump accentuated and sped up. I can’t think of this. Risking a life to save another isn’t something I can do.

"You know what Richie, I give you an hour to think. You better think wisely while I enjoy my time with your girl." Aiden says with an evil smirk on his face. I am about to speak but before I could, he ends the video call.

"Fuck!" I screech as I throw the phone on the floor. My heart continues to thud in my chest, as Rachel’s screams pound in my ears. I can’t do this, I can’t choose between them.

My breath starts to feel like it's being clamped down by a vice. One minute I am all hot and sweaty, and the other feels like I would freeze to death. I could feel the tears rolling down my cheek, my mind unable to grasp what was happening around me. I don’t know what to do, the thought of what he’s going to do to Rachel kills me and at the same time, I can’t imagine Alice and Jake’s life with him.