Chapter 289 Kidnapping
Bella curled up in Anna's warm embrace, her body trembling uncontrollably as silent tears streamed down her face.
All Bella wanted at that moment was to lie there quietly, to think of nothing, to do nothing.
Looking back, everything seemed to have a pattern. When she and Anna went to visit Beck at the nursing home, they unexpectedly ran into Caleb.
At first, she thought it was just a chance encounter, but now it was clear that Caleb had deliberately gone to see Beck.
Shortly after that meeting, Beck mysteriously disappeared from the nursing home.
According to the staff, Beck's tall and handsome son was none other than Caleb himself.
If Bella had known all this earlier, if she could have foreseen these events, would the outcome have been different?
Bella was filled with endless despair. She had relied on Sterling for over a decade, only to suddenly discover he was her enemy.
The blow was too much for her to bear.
Anna understood Bella's feelings at that moment; she knew she had to be stronger than Bella to help her through this ordeal.
"Bella, don't be like this. It's going to be okay," Anna whispered comfortingly.
"Now that you know the truth, it's not too late. Since you realize you don't owe Sterling anything, you can leave him and live the life you truly want. It's better to cut your losses now. Things might not be great, but they're not hopeless. Please, stop crying. Seeing you like this breaks my heart."
Bella sniffled, trying to calm herself down. "Anna, I want a drink. Will you drink with me?"
Maybe if she got drunk, she could forget everything, Bella thought. She just wanted to numb herself with alcohol.
"Okay, I'll drink with you." Anna stood up and started looking around the house for some alcohol.
Then, with a frustrated look, she scratched her head. "Well, it looks like we're out of booze. You know my mom's a bit of a drinker too, so we usually don't have much stocked up. She's probably out playing cards again tonight and won't be back. Wait here, I'll go buy some. Let me just change first."
Bella grabbed her own jacket and handed it to Anna. "Wear mine. Hurry back."
"Okay, Bella, wait for me. I'll be quick." Anna put on Bella's jacket and went to change her shoes.
Bella lay on the couch, her eyes empty and hollow. "Anna, I didn't plan on going back, so I brought my suitcase. But I left Sunny at home. What if Sterling takes it out on Sunny?"
Anna reassured her, "Don't worry. If he's cruel enough to hurt a cat, then he really is a monster."
With that, Anna grabbed her keys and phone, ready to head out.
She found the convenience store downstairs closed early, so she had to go to a slightly farther supermarket.
Sterling's men were watching Anna's place from outside. In the dim light, they mistook Anna for Bella because she was wearing Bella's clothes.
It wasn't until she got closer that they realized their mistake and continued their watch.
Anna finally found a small supermarket and picked out a few bottles of Bella's favorite beer.
After paying, she walked out with a plastic bag full of beer.
As she stepped onto the street, a van suddenly sped towards her, blocking her path.
Before she could react, two burly men jumped out. They worked seamlessly, quickly covering her mouth and nose with a cloth soaked in some substance.
Under the influence of the drug, Anna felt dizzy and lost consciousness.
The men lifted her into the van, and the plastic bag of beer slipped from her hand, the cans breaking and spilling cold beer on her ankle.
That was her last sensation before blacking out.
When Anna groggily opened her eyes, she found herself in a completely unfamiliar place.
It seemed like an old, rundown house. The floor was damp and cold, and the place was filthy. Several men were sitting nearby, drinking beer and talking crudely.
As she moved slightly, one of the men noticed her. "She's awake. Quick, call and ask what to do next. I can't hold back much longer."
Anna's heart raced with fear. There were at least five men, and she was tied up, her hands and feet bound. The drug had left her weak, with almost no hope of escape.
What was happening? Was she kidnapped? Why? What did they want with her?
Questions swirled in her mind.
One of the men took out a phone and dialed a number, putting it on speaker so everyone could hear.
When the call connected, a woman's voice came through. "Did you get her?"
The man glanced at Anna and grinned wickedly. "Yeah, we got her. She's wearing the same clothes as in the photo you gave us. No mistake."
Anna's body trembled. That voice was unmistakably Debra's!
And Debra wasn't after her; she was after Bella. Anna had been mistaken for Bella because she was wearing her clothes!
Debra's voice was no longer sweet and charming but filled with malice. "Good. Now don't hold back. Do whatever you want with her, just don't kill her. Take your time, send me the address. I want to see it myself. And don't forget to record it. I want everyone to see how low Bella really is!"
As the call ended, the men surrounded Anna. Her inner defenses crumbled, her eyes filled with terror and rage. "What do you want? Get away from me! This is Debra's doing, isn't it?"
"I'm not the one you're looking for! You won't get her! I'm not her! Get away! I'll call the cops, and none of you will get away with this!"
Fear, dread, and trembling. Anna had never been more terrified.
Hearing her threat to call the police, one of the men stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face. "Call the cops? You're dreaming. You won't get the chance. Shut up, or you'll regret it!"
When Debra hurried to the scene, the nightmare was just beginning.
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