—- Chapter 11 The private room was dimly lit. Tasha Benson sat stiffly on Daniel’s lap, tense and barely breathing. She’d heard the stories about him. Apparently , he’d once been head over heels for the Fisher family’s golden girl, Cheryl. Until, for some reason, he fell for her younger sister, Elizabeth. After that, Cheryl was kicked out of the picture.
From howit all sounded, Tasha figured Elizabeth must’ve been the seductive, dangerous type, the kind of woman who could mess with a man’s head. How else could someone like Daniel -cold, powerful, untouchable-throw everything away for her and end up broken like this? Daniel had no idea what Tasha was thinking. He reached out and lifted her chin, studying her face like she was some ornament. Then, out of nowhere, Tasha worked up the nerve to Jean in and wrap her arms around his neck.
Daniel paused, but didn’t stop her. He was no saint. —- Since Elizabeth left, he’d been trying to piece her back together through other people’s faces. But this time, Tasha made a mistake, one that crossed the line. She leaned into his ear and purred, “Hey, my brother-in-law…” The moment the word left her lips, Daniel’s drunken eyes snapped into focus. His entire expression turned cold. In one swift motion, he shoved Tasha off his lap.
She yelped as she hit the floor, scrambling backward in shock. “What did you just call me?” Daniel towered over her, his voice low and sharp as ice. He was drunk, but not out of his mind. He knew none of these women were Elizabeth, and they never would be. “T-I didn’t mean…” Tasha stammered, panic flooding her face as she crawled out of the room. Whatever interest Daniel had left evaporated in an instant. He loosened his tie and stepped out for some air.
As he passed another private room, something in his peripheral vision caught his eye. A young woman was sitting inside. She was wearing a Kaverton University uniform. Her figure, hairstyle , and everything about —- her looked just like Elizabeth’s. Right now, she was nestled beside another man, listening attentively as he sang to her. Daniel’s pupils contracted. A flicker of disbelief , and then raw hope, flashed through his eyes. He didn’t hesitate.
He shoved open the door and stormed into the room, striding straight toward the couple. Without a word, he pushed the man aside and yanked the young woman into his arms, holding her tight. “Elizabeth !” His voice trembled , his grip like steel.” I’ve been looking for you everywhere, and you’re here, clinging to some other guy? Do you want me to lose my mind?” The young woman froze, her eyes wide with shock. She struggled hard, her voice trembling with panic. ” I’m not Elizabeth!
Let me go!”” But Daniel didn’t hear her. The guy, seeing his girlfriend manhandled like that, scrambled to his feet, grabbed a bottle from the table, and smashed it over Daniel’s head. Glass flew everywhere. Chaos exploded in the room as people screamed.
—- By the time the bar owner rushed in, Daniel was already sobering up. He sat hunched on the couch, a bandage wrapped around his head like a wounded animal, lost and bleeding. In his hand was a half-finished scarf, the one Elizabeth had been knitting for him. After she left the country , her roommate handed it over to him. Since then, he’d carried it with him everywhere. Some said he had lost his mind, while others claimed he was just putting on a show.
Daniel never denied it, because even he didn’t know what he’d become. He’d only met Elizabeth because of a plan-a scheme. For two years, he toyed with her feelings , all in the name of revenge for Cheryl. He backed her into a corner until there was nowhere left to run. The night before she left, he told the kidnappers they could do whatever they wanted with her. What must she have felt in that moment?
Daniel suddenly threw his head back, pressing a hand hard against his brow, trying to block out the crushing wave of guilt washing over him. —- Time passed in silence. Then, out of nowhere, a wild thought burst into his mind. He grabbed his phone, dialed a number, and barked into the receiver, “You’ve got three days. I don’t care how-pose as a comms specialist, hack whatever you need, I want access to every communication network in every war zone. I don’t care where Elizabeth is hiding-find her no matter what.”
