GETTING THE HEART OF THE CEO

The cars drove for more than two hours, reaching a cabin nestled in a wooded area, guarded by several armed men. Kathen pulled his daughter out of the car, while Courney tenderly held the sleeping baby with a pacifier in her mouth, blissfully unaware of everything.

Kathen signaled one of the men, instructing, "Bring down the woman from the other car and lock her up in one of the rooms." He nudged his daughter to walk inside the house.

The journey felt endless for Lindsey. She had no idea where they were taking her, staying silent, realizing that protesting would be futile. The car finally stopped, and she observed the surroundings-a rustic house far from civilization. A man grabbed her arm and led her inside. She didn't resist; this man was just following orders, dragging her along.

He opened a door and pushed her into the room. It was a wooden space with only a bed. She sat at the edge of the bed, hugging herself for strength, nerves on edge. With trembling hands, she murmured, "God, give me strength! Guide Kyle to find me soon."

Meanwhile, Kathen led his daughter to a small lounge on the left side of the cabin, where a man in his fifties, slightly overweight, sat on the sofa with a sinister smile, smoking a cigarette.

"Fabricio!" Kathen exclaimed with a sinister grin. "Here is your grandson, as promised, and my other Lindsey awaits you in one of the rooms."

Fabricio's eyes lit up at the sight of Courney's visible belly. His heart rejoiced in anticipation of moments of joy in a life filled with evil and death.

"Hello, Courney. I'm the grandfather of the baby you carry. Is it a boy or a girl? How many months are you?"

Courney felt her world shatter in a second. Now she was face to face with the father of the monster haunting her nightmares. This man who wanted to take her baby away. Her face turned pale, and her hands started to tremble. She whispered to herself, "Stay strong, Courney. You can't faint now. Do it for Oriana," cradling the little one in her arms, feeling her slipping away.

"Are you mute?" he shouted with a rough and resonant voice. "Speak up!"

"Daughter! Answer Fabricio," Kathen whispered, moving her daughter's arm to prompt a reaction.

"Five months, and I still don't know the baby's gender," she forced the words out.

"Do you remind me of Cesar's belly? Surely, it's a boy!" the man exclaimed enthusiastically. "A doctor will come soon to examine you and confirm my suspicions. If it's true, he will be named after his father, Cesar Augusto Reyes," he proudly declared.

Courney started to feel dizzy. She focused her gaze on the sofa and approached it with Oriana to sit down, unable to control the panic that overwhelmed her.

"Who is this girl?" the man asked, curious.

Kathen, triumphant and proud of her gift, replied with malice, "This girl is the daughter of the man who killed your son with the police. I brought her as a gift to demonstrate my loyalty to you." Fabricio's eyes turned dark as he reminisced about his son with melancholy. He took a few steps toward Courney, intending to snatch the baby.

"If you lay a finger on the girl, I swear you won't see your grandson born," Courney snapped like a furious cat. In her mind, she repeated, 'You owe your life to Óscar; this time, you must do things right and protect his daughter with your life.' The man burst into laughter, echoing through the room. "You've got guts to challenge me. I like that. I'll keep the girl in my possession, and then I'll decide what to do with her," he fixed his sharp eyes on Courney. "You! If you dare to harm my grandson, I swear I'll make your last days a living hell."

Kathen, startled, widened her eyes. Deep down, she did have feelings for her daughter. She approached the man, took his hand, and whispered softly, "Fabricio, pay no mind to that girl. She's scared. Let's go, and I'll show you the other little gift I promised you."

"Weren't there two women you had to bring? I only saw one passing by," the man murmured, his face serious and eyebrows furrowed.

"The plan didn't go as expected. Some people showed up, robbed our men, and I fled with my daughters and your gift. Come on! Let's go so you can enjoy Lindsey, the fox," she pulled the man towards one of the rooms. At the police station, Damián's team reviewed the surveillance cameras on the central highway, searching for two black vans. One of his men spotted the target and called his boss to show what he found.

Damián took a few steps to his subordinate's desk and stood behind him to watch the playback. "This camera shows two vans heading to the outskirts of the city, matching the time of the kidnapping," the man reported. "Thanks, get ready to move out," Damián instructed.

He headed to his office, sat at his desk, and called his friend to update him on the investigation. Óscar listened in silence and ended the call, glancing at those present.

"We have a lead; two vans were heading towards the outskirts of the city," he said.

Grandpa Hugo was attentive to everything. Upon hearing the information, he made a call. "What information do you have about any property of Fabricio's on the outskirts of the city?"

"As far as I know, he doesn't have any," the person on the other end replied, pondering. "Wait, I once heard him mention that his mom had a small cabin on the outskirts of the city, towards Avalon, but I don't know the coordinates." "Thanks, you'll have your reward soon."

The old man hung up and made another call. Within five minutes, he received the exact address of the cabin.

Kyle was expectant, watching every move his grandfather made.

The old man looked at the five men who couldn't take their eyes off him. "This is where I help you. They're in Avalon, towards the wooded area. I've sent the coordinates to Óscar to organize the men and inform his friend so they can catch up there," he looked at his grandson. "Kyle, bring my granddaughter back alive."

"Of course, Grandpa," tears rolled down his cheeks. "I don't know what I'll do the day you're not with me."

"Cut the drama! Go get your women and that little one."

Kyle, Maximiliano, Óscar, Mario, Freed, and Dexter went out to organize the men to embark on the rescue. Isa wanted to go, but Dexter didn't let her get into the car. He made her promise to keep Antonella informed and assured her that he would update her at all times.

The men got into armored cars and sped away, but they were still far from their destination.