Free Web NovelChapter 125: I am Andrew Thorne
Catalina sat by the pool at Mateo’s house. The evening air was warm and still. Nearby, the jacuzzi bubbled, sending a thin trail of steam into the night air.
She took a slow sip from a glass of sparkling mimosa, watching the bubbles dance in the light. She leaned back on her lounge chair and held her phone to her ear. She was talking to her mother.
"Whoever kidnapped her saved me the trouble of doing it myself," Catalina said. A cruel, happy smile touched her lips.
There was a pause as her mother spoke.
"Oh yes," Catalina replied, swirling the drink in her glass. "But I will hold on a while with my plans. There is no rush now."
She laughed happily.
"Thank you, mother," Catalina said. "I will come by in the morning. We can celebrate then."
She hung up and stared at the pool.
Just then, Mateo walked out from the house. He was completely naked and had a cocky grin on his face.
"God damn it, Mateo," Catalina snapped, rolling her eyes.
"What? I want to play," Mateo said, his voice loud and playful. "You think you are the only one allowed to have fun?"
He didn’t wait for an answer. He walked straight into the steaming water of the jacuzzi.
A moment later, another girl and a man followed him out. They were also naked. They didn’t seem shy at all as they walked across the stone patio and slipped into the water with Mateo.
The steam from the jacuzzi rose into the dark night air, mixing with the sound of their splashing and laughter.
"Yo," a voice sang from the door, "I’m back."
"Mike," Mateo said, "Did you bring my drink?"
The guy named Mike chuckled. He walked over and tossed him a bottle. free𝑤ebnovel.com
He walked over to Catalina placing a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t even look at him, and immediately brushed his hand off, like he was a piece of dirt.
"Eww."
"Don’t be like that babe."
"Fuck off."
Mike just laughed and started to pull off his shirt. Then joined the others in the Jacuzzi.
But miles away, in the Vaughn mansion, the mood was far from celebratory.
Clarisse was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The room was dark. Susan entered the room and put on the lights. She moved quietly balancing a tray in her hands.
"You need to eat," she said. Then placed the tray on the side table.
"I am not hungry!" Clarisse said, not moving an inch.
"You still need to eat, at least for the baby. Try to forget what happened. What’s done is done. You have to think about the future now."
Clarisse sighed, finally shifting her weight on the bed. Her mind was still spinning from the humiliation at the party.
"I was thinking perhaps, you should go abroad for a while. You can come back once things settle down. My sister has a house in Spain. She only stays there during the holidays. You can go there."
Clarisse turned to her. The idea of escaping sounded perfect.
"The gossip will die down in a few months," Susan continued. "By the time you come back, with the baby, the video will be old news."
"Spain," Clarisse whispered. The thought of a beach and a private villa made her feel better again. "Maybe you’re right."
"Alex is in Spain most of the time with his father, so you will have company," Susan added with a small smile.
Clarisse’s eyes lit up. Now that sounded fun.
"Where is Mark?" she asked.
"I don’t know," Susan replied, looking toward the window. "Since he heard about Lyvana being kidnapped, he left the house."
Clarisse sat up fast. Her eyes widened. "Lyvana has been kidnapped?"
"Yes," Susan nodded. "Right after they left the party. There is a serious manhunt going on out there. It’s all over the news. You’d think it’s the president’s daughter that went missing."
Clarisse stayed silent for a second, then she started laughing. Her own problems were momentarily forgotten. Even the pain of her reputation being ruined didn’t seem so bad anymore.
"Serves her right," Clarisse spat. A cruel light shined in her eyes. "I am so sure she was the one who swapped the video. Ain’t karma a bitch? I hope they claw out her eyes."
She reached for a piece of fruit from the tray and took a bite, feeling satisfied for the first time all day.
But at that same moment, miles away in a cold, silent room, the nightmare was becoming very real.
Lyvana felt a stabbing pain in her tummy. She gasped and doubled over, her free hand clutching her stomach.
Was it the baby? A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. It couldn’t be what she ate, because she had thrown the food behind the bed, and left the empty plate on the table.
The pain came again, sharper this time.
Just then, the door opened slightly. A man she didn’t recognize entered the room. He wore a white shirt and dark trousers.
A horrible sinking feeling washed over her. It wasn’t just fear; it was a deep, bone-chilling dread she couldn’t explain. Her skin crawled as if her body recognized a danger her mind hadn’t met yet.
"Ahh, you are awake." Andrew Thorne said.
Lyvana stared at him, her heart hammering against her ribs. She didn’t know who he was, yet she wanted to scream. To demand answers. But she said nothing. She couldn’t. The sheer horror of his presence, seemed to steal the air from her lungs.
"Do you remember me?" he asked.
"I don’t know who you are. Why am I here?"
"Because I kidnapped you."
The bluntness of his words made her skin crawl. "Why did you kidnap me?"
He walked over to her and pulled up a chair. He sat down, making himself comfortable.
"I kidnapped you because, I believe it’s time we met. I am Andrew Thorne and I believe we were destined to meet."
Andrew Thorne. The name echoed in her head like a warning bell. Her mind screamed at her to move, to fight, to get away. She had never seen his face before, except seeing his name on the wedding invitation. But every instinct she had was screaming at her to run as fast as she could.
She felt like a deer caught in the gaze of a predator.
