Housewife

‘Any leads on who might have been involved in taking her?’ Ace inquired, about a temporary replacement for Zoltan until I can get someone trustworthy enough to take his place. For now, I reached out to Ace asking for his assistance to help me find my wife and immediately he booked a flight to France the next day.

‘Not a single shred of evidence. The vultures that snatched her just vanished into thin air,’ I hissed, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. Meanwhile, Abel furrowed his brows and typed away with annoyance etched across his face.

The accident that caused Irena’s disappearance was captured on surveil ance footage where a mysterious van was involved. The perpetrators concealed their identities behind black masks with no registration plate in sight.

Abel and Prince are hard at work, scouring through street and security cameras to track down the perpetrators. But it feels like a nail-biting waiting game that we may not win.

‘Thus far, we’ve tracked the van’s course as it cruised along the freeway, but we lost it when it vanished into the shadows after passing under a bridge,’

Prince reveals with a strained tone. Tension builds within me, manifesting as a fierce migraine and an unyielding sense of agitation. My desperate desire to rescue Irena boils within me, clawing at my skin like fire.

Suddenly, Abel’s words cut through the apprehension like a razor, a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. ‘Hold on, we found it again,’ he announces, his eyes narrowing with focus as he delves into the city’s labyrinth of street cameras.

As Abel was mid-sentence, a disturbance from my pocket interrupted, drawing the attention of the room towards me. The buzz was incessant, generating an uneasy air that permeated the space around us. I cautiously reached for my phone and observed an unknown on the display, prompting me to answer with trepidation.

‘It’s been a while Saint,’ warped voice rasped, concealing its identity with a chilling effect. ‘Who the fuck is this, where is my wife? I swear to-‘ I spat vehemently with a clenching of my fists but then interrupted.

A chuckle escapes the person’s lips.

‘Your promises are as empty as a desert, Saint. Don’t forget, I have her in my clutches. Any attempt to vex me will result in her paying the price,’ the fiend spits venomously over the receiver. My grip on the phone stiffens until it almost crumples beneath my fingertips.

‘She’s got spirit though,’ he adds with a chuckle, but the humor only fuels my wrath. My blood simmers like molten magma. ‘Listen closely, Saint.’

‘Meet me at the abandoned Grand Moulins factory, precisely at this hour tomorrow. I urge you to come alone so that we may converse. Bring 500 million dollars. Who knows, you may even lay eyes upon her once more,’

the voice on the other end of the line declared before abruptly ending the conversation.

As the phone call concluded, my eyes shut tight and my composure crumbled. Like the final grain of sand in an hourglass, my grip on the situation had slipped away and all that remained was uncertainty.

My entire being succumbs to an abyss of menacing blackness, a suffocating void that engulfs me wholly. There is nothing – not a glimmer, not a spark, just pitch-black emptiness.

Then with a sudden burst of red, my senses ignite with a frenzied intensity.

I leap into action, propelled by a fury I cannot control. My chair hurtles across the room, a deafening clash echoing as it collides with the shelves, books cascading to the ground in a flutter of pages. A second chair flies into the bar, the smash of glass shards mingling with my desperate cries.

An ominous cry rips from my soul, the intensity of it causing me to convulse and tremble uncontrol ably; its mournful linger tapering off into a deafening silence. Another burst of emotion ignites within, a thunderous howl that shreds my vocal cords, and I unleash my fury on the surrounding objects. My eyes cannot bear witness to the destruction my hands are causing, but my heart palpates fiercely within my chest, urging me on. A flat-screen TV is the first to shatter under the weight of my rage, and I grab the first thing in my reach, a delicate vase sitting peacefully on a nearby table, and hurl it towards the window. A crash echoes throughout the room as the glass shudders and cracks under immense pressure. Like an astronaut in outer space, I am suddenly deaf to everything around me. The absence of sound amplifies the depths of my despair as my hands blindly grope for more things to destroy. My fingers clutch and tear through anything within reach, violently sending these items into a state of oblivion as they shatter upon impact with the floor.

It’s all my fault.

All my fucking fault!

Echoes of raucous shouting fill my ears as my body is suddenly seized by multiple hands, and unceremoniously slammed onto the unforgiving table. Trapped and struggling, I raise my voice in a desperate shriek, but the darkness enveloping me hinders my attempts to fend them off.

My struggle soon comes to a halt as my hands are twisted into uncomfortable angles, and my head is pressed onto the rigid wood. As the world around me fades into an eerie silence, I realize that I am no longer in control.

But I’m not about to surrender to their will.

Gathering my strength, I strike back with a swift kick to one of their balls.

In a fluid movement, I rise to my feet, seize one of them by the collar, and press the barrel of a cold metal gun against their skull.

‘Fuck Saint. Jesus calm down!’ I hear Ace call out.

As I gaze into the emerald eyes of my brother, my nostrils flare with anger and my chest convulses with emotion. My eyes blur with tears, their glimmer a reflection of my inner turmoil.

‘Saint, calm down,’ my brother murmurs, endeavoring to soothe me. But his words fall flat in the face of my overwhelming guilt.

I am no longer the person I once was.

I cannot calm the storm raging within me.

She’s gone because of me. Fear and pain are her only companions, all because of me!

With careful precision, Abel plucked the gun from my grasp and gently nudged me aside. As I hung my head low, he concealed the weapon behind his back and rested a comforting hand on my shoulder.

A flurry of emotions coursed through me, and I struggled to keep them contained. The words that emerged from my mouth came out cracked and ragged. I clamped my eyes shut and fought back the urge to shed tears. With a lump lodged in my throat and my chest tightening, I found it impossible to draw a steady breath.

In the face of my distress, Abel stepped forward to offer guidance. ‘Saint, pull yourself together,’ he pressed. ‘You can’t afford to act rashly–if you’re blinded by your emotions; it makes your thoughts destructive, they’ll only lead you down a dangerous path.’

I felt my heart skip a beat at his words, and I tried to interject. ‘I–‘

‘Listen to me,’ Abel interrupted. ‘We’ll get her back, but we need to be smart about it. They’re not going to make it easy for us, so we’ve got to devise a plan to outsmart these bastards.’

Clenching my hands I nod.

I will not rest until the fuckers heads are in my hands.

As I glanced at my clock, the piercing sound of the chimes echoed through the air. 11:45 pm, the exact moment that asshole had called me the night before. My heart raced with trepidation, wondering what sort of disturbance he would inflict upon me this time.

The frigid winter weather outside only added to the ominous atmosphere of the night. The moon, shrouded in the gloomy clouds, added a foreboding feel to the already eerie setting. I felt a sense of unease permeate my being as if something terrible was about to happen. Sitting across from the window, I stared out into the darkness, lost in thought.

Suddenly, Abel’s voice crackled in my earpiece, breaking my concentration.

‘Saint, all snipers have taken their positions. We’re ready for anything.’

The reassurance of my team’s preparation was the only thing keeping me anchored in the midst of the brewing storm.

‘Copy that,’ I answer.

As I grasp the handle, my hand quivers with anticipation as I unlock the briefcase containing the 500 million dollars. With eyes glued to the towering stack of green, my heart races with each bill I count. For a chance to have her back, I’d give everything I own without a second thought.

As I snap the briefcase shut, I exit my vehicle and confront the ominous building. The cold piercing air sends a chill down my spine, but my determination persists. As I approach, the outline of a figure and a crimson car catches my eye. Hastening my pace, I halt abruptly as I approach the vehicle, feeling the weight of the money heavy in my hand.

The person in front of the car is a stranger to me, with broad shoulders, tanned skin, and muscles that could make anyone feel small. However, his attempt to intimidate me is in vain.

As I see him, I feel a burning fury inside me. ‘I’m here, where the hell are you?’ I ask calmly, though my voice is laced with venom.

The door of the car opens and shiny black shoes hit the ground, followed by the sight of his tall physique. When I look into his brown eyes, I cannot hide my bitterness.

‘It’s you,’ I say, clenching my jaw. Grzegorz smirks and adjusts his suit.

‘Ah, well, well, well, Saint. Good to see you too.’

I willed every muscle in my body to remain calm and collected as I approached Grzegorz. ‘So, how are the shattered bones holding up?’ I quipped, trying to hide the panic in my voice. He shrugged nonchalantly, studying his left arm with a critical eye. Despite the bruises marring his features, it was clear that his wounds were on the mend.

‘Must say, you’ve really done a number on me, Saint,’ he drawled, his demeanor surprisingly cool. With a snap of his fingers, a hushed whisper to his accomplice, and a momentary pause, a white van materialized before us.

My stomach lurched as the doors swung open and two burly men shoved a woman out, her head shrouded in a bag. She stumbled to the ground, her half-naked form exposed for all to see. And then, in a flash of recognition, I realized who she was.

Every inch of her caramel-colored skin was tainted with cuts and bruises, a sight so painful my heart ached to even glance at her.

‘Get rid of that filthy covering,’ commanded Grzegorz, his voice dripping with malice. With swift action, the two men unveiled the bag from her head.

Blinking back tears, Irena’s eyes struggled to adjust to the lights of the cars.

I felt a fiery anger seething within me, coursing through my veins like hot lava. My entire body shook with rage, my jaw clenched tightly, my eyes growing darker by the second, and my head pounding harder than ever before.

‘Remember our little chat over the phone about what I’d do if you made me angry?’ Grzegorz sneered his words like venom. ‘Irena here has been my punching bag ever since.’

With an ominous stride, I advance closer, my briefcase slipping from my grasp. ‘I swear on my life, Grzegorz, lay a finger on her-‘

The air crackles with tension as henchmen appear from every corner, brandishing guns aimed straight at me. But it’s Anatol who steals my focus –

emerging from the van, weapon in hand. However, it’s not directed at me; it’s trained on Irena’s temple, her terrified expression all too apparent.

‘Saint,’ Grzegorz sneers, the sound of my name on his lips sending shivers down my spine.

‘I’ll say it again, just for emphasis,’ he drawls, a smirk playing on his lips as he sniffs the air. ‘Cross me, and Irena pays the price. Lay a finger on any of my loyal men? Irena gets hurt. Think about taking a shot from your snippy sniper. Well, guess what? I’ll personally make sure Irena takes the bullet instead.’ The joy in his tone is matched only by the darkness glinting in his eyes.

‘But here’s the kicker – if any of your snipers even so much as aim my way, my men and I will unleash a fury that’ll see Irena’s life snuffed out on my behalf. And it’ll all be because of you.’ He adds with a venomous smile.

In one swift movement, Anatol seizes Irena by the hair and wrenches it back, causing a heart-wrenching scream to erupt from her lips. ‘Now, the money,’ he demands, all pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears.

My jaw was clenched and my heart was pounding when I uttered those words, ‘If I bring the money, Irena will be safe,’ to Grzegorz.

But instead of a serious response, Grzegorz laughed, his tone laced with amusement. ‘Hold your horses, buddy. Let’s be clear here – I never promised to leave Irena alone just because you gave me the money. I only said I’d bring her to you if you paid up,’ Grzegorz clarified with a sly grin.

His expression turned menacing as he leaned in closer. ‘So, my money.’

With a fierce glare, I dropped down and snatched the briefcase from the ground. As I rose to my feet, I thrust the case in his direction, only to have it flung back toward me in disdain.

‘Do you think I’m some kind of idiot?’

Yes.

‘I want you to open it and show me. Wouldn’t want to risk my face being blown up.

With a pounding heart, I pried open the briefcase and unveiled the hefty stack of cash. The corners of his mouth upturned into a wry smile before he signaled to one of his henchmen to take the briefcase from me with a resounding click.

‘As smooth as butter,’ he drawled with a sly smirk. ‘Nice doing business with you, Saint.’

My blood boiled at his arrogance. ‘You’re not leaving with Irena,’ I exclaimed, my voice ringing out in the hushed ally.

Grzegorz raised a brow, amusement sparkling in his eyes. ‘Oh, Saint, you speak of deals when you never kept yours. Do you remember our little agreement? Get Irena pregnant and give us the baby? It seems like all your promises were just a load of hot air.’

Irena’s exclamation pierces the air like a sharp blade as tears begin to form in her once-hopeful, now lifeless brown eyes. I finally raise my gaze to hers, and the betrayal I see there sends a sharp pang of pain through me. I’m so sorry doe.

My throat tightens unable to speak to her in her current state, feeling a wave of guilt wash over me like a suffocating tidal wave.

As I try to explain, I see the pain in her eyes deepen. “Don’t take it to heart kid.” Grzegorz asserts, bracing myself for her reaction. ‘We were selling you off to get you pregnant with Viktor at first, but things didn’t go as planned.

Fate had other ideas, and we ended up making a deal with Saint instead.’

“I know everything.” Irena declared through gritted teeth as she looked at me with pain in her eyes.

My chest tightens with emotion as I continue, a sickly feeling growing in my stomach. “Good because, Irena after Viktor passed away, God rest his soul. Saint, the one we thought we could trust signed an agreement to fulfill the agreement, but he went and broke the deal. All because he claims to ‘love’

and ‘respect’ you. It’s pathetic, really.’

Irena’s eyes widen, and I can see the glimmer of an emotion I recognize all too well. It’s the same emotion she had when we made love in the cabin: a mix of wonder, trust, and desire. And I know at that moment that I’ve lost her.

A glimmer of hope illuminates her pallid features as she whispers, ‘You do see me as worthy.’ My heart ignites with warmth at her uncertain yet hopeful expression.

Anatol’s disappointment seeps through his voice as he laments, ‘It’s a shame really, considering his impeccable standing in society.’

‘So I’m taking matters into my own hands and remarrying her to an underground lord who I found in South America. Obviously, I will not be giving away his identity knowing you will kill him in less than 24 hours.’

Grzegorz explains. ‘I’ll send the divorce papers. Fill them and we will be going our way and you can carry on with whatever floats your boat.’ he casually proclaims.

‘Oh, but wait,’ Grzegorz chuckles before whipping out his gun and firing mercilessly at Irena’s leg and arm.

The sound of the gunshot cracks through the air like thunder, and my heart seizes within me. The sight of her writhing in pain on the ground brings me to my knees, tears cascading down my own face in empathy. As she screams out in anguish, it’s as if every fiber of my being is screaming with her.

My eyes lock onto Grzegorz’s, a fiery rage burning within me. The world around me fades into nothingness as my vision turns pitch black, consumed entirely by unbridled fury.

My mind was a raging inferno of all the punishments I’d inflict on Grzegorz. Irena’s cries were stifled as one of Grzegorz’s troops hoisted her up, threw a bag over her head, and shuffled her back into the van.

‘I’m going to crash your head onto the ground, causing it to splinter into shards. Then, with my own hands, I’ll extract your eyeballs from their sockets and offer them to you as a ghastly appetizer. After all that I’ll use a machete with a black handle to slice your fucking guts out!’ I yell as a promise.

‘Empty promises, empty promises.’ He utters.

My eyes are pools of shimmering tears, and my body shakes with boiling anger. I glare at Grzegorz, who looks back at me with sadistic pleasure, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

‘Two bullets for Irena,’ he says, his voice dripping with malice. ‘For the fractures in my bones and the death of my brother. And don’t even think of following us, or I’ll do the same thing you did to me, breaking Irena’s bones.’

With one final, cold glance my way, Grzegorz turns on his heel and strides to his car. The others slink away into the darkness, some disappearing into the back of a waiting van.

The engines roar to life, and the two vehicles speed away, leaving me alone in the silent night.