Kidnapped - A Beautiful Blessing

et to fully re-enter. Her eyelids fluttered, impossibly heavy, resisting her attempts to pry them open. When she finally succeeded, the blurred outline of an unfamili

haziness, but the opulence surrounding her was und

onnected, as if waking from a deep, drug-induced slumber. Even her thoughts struggled t

ng heat... The searing touch of

eath h

then

called

adrenaline forced her to push through the lingering exhaustion. Her muscles resiste

e he

her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher. The golden glow from a nearby lamp traced

beneath her, grounding herself against t

hoarse, her throat raw as if

ith infuriating ease, he answered, "Somewhere in..." He paused, deliberate and c

tlessly, yet the smirk that accompanied i

h mind struggling to proce

ris

ould she have traveled to an entirely different country without even realizing i

unded agains

f pain through her skull. A dizzying wave washed over her, making her grip the blanket be

ed him, he didn't show it. Instead, he regarded her

ice deep and laced with an authority that lef

e that, he d

more than an unruly chi

rs, to make him acknowledge the sheer audacity of what he had done. But her body betrayed her. The linge

r was Darius stepping out of the room, leaving

etween reality and a hazy dream. The weight of sleep clung to her like a thick fog, making it difficult to distinguish fleeting

ink. Then

adually lifted, and the world

was breat

t daunting. Every detail, from the towering windows draped in heavy embroidered curtains t

w and measured as s

ts that whispered against her skin, a plush mattress that seemed to swallow her whole,

s grazing the duvet as her ga

with deep blue velvet cushions sat near a fireplace, unlit yet commanding attention. Even the bedside table besi

realization settlin

s ri

is time, sinking into the ve

into the furniture, the understated elegance that came with old money. She had seen rooms like this before-on the gl

re she

no time to a

her, overriding the momenta

her skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of the blankets. When she pressed her feet to the floor, th

, her limbs still sluggish, b

ward it. She didn't know what she expected-an exit, maybe-but as she twisted the handle and pushed it open

thro

ust any b

tretched across the counters and floors, the veining in the stone glistening under the soft glow of recesse

aucets gleaming under the artificial glow. A massive glass-enclosed show

for a moment before

et, she twisted the h

hin

ows fu

k of response. It took a few more seconds, a few more attempts, before cool

s, bringing it to her face. The coldness was a relief, sharp and

a brief moment, letting

t in her ches

ssing in from all sides, the edges of her memori

to get ou

invigorating. It was unlike anything she had ever felt-clean, tinged with the distant

ri

eign

ng skyscrapers stood proudly against the sky, their glass facades catching the sunlight, shimmering like fragments of a dream. Below, the streets pulsed w

helming. And

ng the world beyond her hometown, but not l

the iron railing, a fleeting sense

ve your att

nd commanding, sliced

ran down

ftly, her heart

a fitted black shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, he looked effortlessly imposing. His sharp features

und the railing before sh

her voice light. She gestured vaguely toward the luxurious apartment behind him, the elega

ck to the skyline bef

hing like this too. But.

placing a tray on the small table by the balcony-a delicate po

ure was relaxed, legs slightly parted as if

llowing suit, settling in

ted the crust from his bread with a kni

to break the silence. "Achieving so much at such a yo

innoce

a whisper, but they sent a r

. "I didn't catch th

t her, his dark

er min

n her chest, but she force

softer this time. "Actually, I wanted to say this earli

or *standing up for me when no one else did.* There was somethi

head slightly, his

other way

rowed. "What

ad, he picked up his cup o

t your bre

omething that made her stomach twist in unc

ould utter a word, he reached for a piece of bread

a fr

Her breath hitched, and for a fleeting second,

ned fixed on h

took the bread between her teeth, her fingers brushing a

een them-comforta

he simple taste, her mind swi

quiet companions

ided to break

hould go first," she began, brushing a stray hair be

ai, Ind

e met in Mumbai." She let out a small, awkward laug

acknowledge

about you? You didn'

corner of his lips tilting

us Lemo

ried weight,

ce you're from Paris, what

ork.

leaving no room fo

ully remove the crust from his bread,

like crus

a flicker of amusement

..." He trailed off, w

thought for him. "Some similar li

ifted in his

ile more often

surfacing. "Why? Do you find me beautifu

ds left her lips,

s smirk

hick, charged with somethin

tbeat qu

, forcing a laugh, but it sound

emained

atmosphere

ime. The rest of her meal was eaten in silence, h

his chair and stood. He dusted off his h

ed anything, there's a ce

ked. *So t

one?" she aske

n't an

the door with a quiet dominance that

ckward glance, he shut

choed in t

owly, staring at

I say th