Are you scared to go out with me now?
"Won’t you invite us in, Paulina?" Austin asked with a sly smile.
The fear and hesitation on her face confirmed his suspicions. When she didn’t answer, he pushed his way inside, causing her to stumble back. Ronan followed close behind and quietly locked the door.
"W-What... how do you know this place?" she stammered, staring at the stranger blocking her only way out.
"The same way you found out I was in hospital," Austin said. "Funny thing, Dad told me you called him that day, not the other way round."
Paulina’s face instantly turned pale.
"Y-Yes... I... I came back that day... and I just wanted to check on Ruby Aunty," she mumbled, barely breathing right.
"Oh, I forgot to mention, Mum’s awake now. She was asking about you," he said, throwing himself onto the couch and resting his arms across the backrest.
As expected, Paulina froze and stared at him.
"Paulina, aren’t you happy to hear about Mum?" he asked, watching her closely.
"I-I... I am h-happy," she forced a smile, but her shaking hands betrayed her.
"I know. That’s why I wanted to talk to you about something important."
All the while, her eyes flicked towards Ronan, still guarding the door.
"You wanted to be with me, didn’t you?" Austin’s voice made her snap her head in his direction.
"You don’t look happy to see your Abi," he added coldly, watching her panic grow.
"A-Abi..." she swallowed hard.
"I want to take you somewhere. You’ll love it." Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed her arms roughly and pulled her forward.
"Where are you taking me?" she cried out.
Austin knew if he questioned her directly, she would lie and never reveal where Dora was. So, following Ronan’s advice, they planned to take her to the forest and pressure her there. If Paulina was truly the one behind it all, her people would likely be guarding the place, and attacking them could put Dora in danger. They had to be smart... but firm.
"Why? Are you scared to go out with me now?" he said, glaring at her.
"N-No," she lied, shaking her head and trying to pull away.
"I don’t know him. Why should I go with him?" she protested.
"It’s alright. He doesn’t know you well either," Austin replied mockingly and dragged her out of the building.
Ronan got behind the wheel while Paulina was shoved into the jeep. To her horror, Austin made her sit between the two of them.
"Abi, why are you treating me like this? You know I was assaulted. After that, you’re—"
"Stop your bloody games, Paulina. It’s over," he snapped.
That was when she realised she was truly trapped.
"Let me go!" she shouted, trying to escape the jeep, but Austin held her wrist tightly. Ronan started the engine and drove towards the forest.
"I don’t know what’s wrong with you, but you can’t do this," she said, pretending she was clueless.
Neither man replied. When the forest finally came into view, she began thrashing wildly. What she feared was coming true. Yes, she cared for Austin, but not more than her life.
Seeing her panic, Austin asked calmly, "Do you like the place?"
"Why have you brought me here?" she asked back.
"You already know the answer, Paulina," he said sharply.
She was about to deny it, but Austin cut in, "You can lie all you want, but with Ronan here gathering proof about your part in Mum’s accident… what do you think will happen to you?"
That one line knocked the breath out of her. Not knowing it was a bluff, she cried out, "It wasn’t me! It wasn’t my idea!"
"I told him I didn’t want to do it, but he forced me. He said if I…"
"Who’s he?" Austin asked, interrupting her.
He and Ronan exchanged a look. So she wasn’t acting alone. Until now, they thought Paulina was the mastermind. But this changed everything.
"Please, believe me," she begged. "He’s dangerous. He’ll kill me."
Her words turned to fearful mumbling.
Austin had enough. He pulled out a knife and pressed it to her throat. "Before he does, I can slit your throat and dump your body. No one will know. You’ll just become another name in a police file."
"Choose wisely, Paulina. I’m this close to killing you. But help me, and I’ll let you live."
He meant every word, though he knew she was still useful to find Dora. Seeing the wild look in his eyes, she realised she had no good option, just the lesser evil.
"You promise to let me go after this?" she asked quietly, gulping at the feel of cold metal against her skin.
"Yes. I wish I’d seen your true colours earlier. Now lead the way like a good girl," he said, tightening his grip on her wrist.
She winced but didn’t dare to make a sound. Without resistance, she led them down the path.
To their surprise, they reached what looked like a dead end, the same one they saw yesterday. But this time, Paulina showed them a hidden passage. They drove for another ten minutes until Ronan asked,
"How much farther?"
"Just a few more minutes. We should get out here," Austin said before adding, "Tie her hands and gag her. We don’t want to give them a heads-up."
"I showed you the way. Now let me go," Paulina cried, struggling as Austin tied her hands and covered her mouth. Ronan grabbed his pistol and a second knife. He was a trained soldier with real combat experience.
Austin still didn’t trust Paulina. He was sure she might lead them into a trap before escaping, so they dragged her along. Hiding behind a tree, Ronan guided Austin further into the forest. After walking for a few minutes, they finally saw it, a large Victorian-style mansion in the distance.
"No one would believe a mansion like that could be hidden in a forest," Ronan whispered.
"It looks expensive… and old," Austin added.
As they got closer, Paulina began to struggle more. She was terrified, not of Austin, who had threatened to kill her, but of the person inside the mansion. Compared to that person, Austin’s threats felt like a joke.
When they neared the mansion, Paulina began to thrash and cry uncontrollably. Austin’s breath caught in his throat when he looked up and saw Dora standing at a floor-length window. Even from afar, he could tell she looked anxious. She was gently rubbing her belly as if trying to comfort her unborn baby. He watched her flinch suddenly and turn toward someone behind her. A second later, the blinds shut, covering the window.
"How many people are inside?" Ronan asked Paulina. She looked at him in fear and shook her head, unsure.
The mansion felt hauntingly quiet. Even the sanest person might lose their mind in such a place. Ronan noticed something strange, there were no guards. It was as if the owner believed no one would dare come close. Maybe that was partly true. But still, it showed the owner's dangerous overconfidence.
The grass around the mansion was overgrown, and the air smelled musty. It didn’t seem like anyone should be living there. Austin still held onto Paulina as Ronan signaled for him to move forward. Ronan raised his pistol, watching carefully for any signs of danger. He still couldn’t understand why there were no guards, especially when Dora was clearly inside.
They both stood beside the main door, their backs pressed to the wall. Ronan nodded, then carefully placed his hand on the doorknob. It twisted open easily, too easily. Something felt off.
Austin felt it too. He grabbed Paulina by the throat to keep her quiet.
"Something’s not right," Ronan whispered.
"When we go in, dodge and find cover. We don’t know how many people are inside or if they’re armed. Protect yourself first."
He slowly opened the door just enough to peek in, then slipped inside. Austin followed with Paulina.
Inside, the mansion looked nothing like it did from outside. They hid behind the large pillars near the entrance. The foyer was stunning, a grand golden chandelier hung from a high, round ceiling. Below it sat a round table on top of a Persian rug. The floors were polished marble, and the room was filled with elegant furniture.
On either side of the foyer were ornate staircases, covered in green velvet runners, leading up to the first floor. Beautiful paintings in brass frames lined the walls. Across from where they hid was a grand double door, carved with fine details.
Ronan scanned the space. When he saw no threat, he signaled Austin to move toward the door.
They pushed it open. Inside, the room was calmer, painted in cream with large French windows on one wall. Royal blue curtains framed the windows, and between them was a fireplace. A soft cream couch sat across from it, with floral armchairs beside each window.
But the furniture didn’t matter. What grabbed their attention was the man standing there.
He was about 5’11”, his back to them, his hands casually in his pockets as he stared out the window.
"Took you long enough," the man said, his voice calm but full of power. Austin froze, he knew that voice. His grip on Paulina loosened.
Paulina took her chance. She pushed Austin aside and ran toward the man, falling to her knees before him.
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