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Faith tried not to wander too far, but she couldn't fight the negative thoughts swimming through her mind about Sterling and Stacy. She should be joyous that he found another woman, he would let go of his obsession with her, wasn't that what she always wanted?
Faith sighed quietly wondering if fate was also laughing at her predicament, she was in love with a person who was infatuated with her, but she couldn't be with him because she knew how scheming and dangerous he was, she planned to take over his wealth so she could defend herself and Maya against him but she also didn't want him to be involved with another woman, to forget about her and their daughter which was exactly what she desired in the first place?
A loud frustrated groan escaped her mouth, why couldn't life be kinder to her? Buried in her thoughts, Faith didn't hear the movements behind her until it was almost too late.
She turned around, but as fast as lightning a hand pressed against her mouth, swallowing her screams.
She was faced by a pair of eyes she recognized, a black mask covering the lower half of his face, and a face cap shielding his hair from view.
Faith bit his palm as hard as she could, she tasted metal, he yelped aloud but still didn't let go. He was dragging her along with him towards somewhere.
Faith continued to kick and bite him, the sounds she made were muffled. Her actions probably made him desperate, there was something cold and sharp piercing against her ribcage.
"Silence, and stop fighting!" His breathless voice sounded in her ears.
Faith stiffened, his hands were slightly trembling, as though he didn't want to hurt her, could she bet on it?
This was broad daylight, someone might notice something weird sooner or later.
"Move it!" The dagger pierced deeper, it was painful now.
Faith decided to not bet on whether he would harm her or not.
"Quietly follow me inside now. This doesn't have to be long."
What did he mean?
Faith was suddenly shoved into an old worn-out vehicle. The mixture of stale beer and cigarette hit her nostrils and bile rose in her throat.
He slammed the door shut from the outside, she didn't manage to get to the driver's side of the car when he suddenly entered.
"Dan, what is this?" She shouted, her mouth was free now, she could scream.
"Faith, I just want to talk, it won't take long."
Faith paused, and even though he sounded so polite, she couldn't trust him, it wasn't safe.
"Let me out! " The car started and she could only yell at him to stop, which he didn't.
He drove recklessly, seeming very nervous. It was several minutes when the car suddenly screeched to a halt.
"Fuck!" Dan cursed.
"I knew this motherfucker wasn't reliable." His fist slammed into the steering.
It was either he had run out of gas or the car had broken down.
It was all to Faith's advantage.
"Dan, let me out!"
Sighing, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, when he removed his mask and cap, Faith couldn't have been more shocked. He was so unkempt, his beard and hair was overgrown. The dark circles under his eyes made him appear very much older, if she hadn't known him well before, she might not have recognized him.
"You know, I never used to smoke." He whispered, inhaling deeply, staring at her.
"I had to risk it today after your husband tightened security, it was almost impossible to get close to you at all." He continued.
Faith glared at him, not bothering to correct him that Sterling was her ex.
"I heard you were serving time. Did you escape? And why did you come after me now?"
"I was wrongfully convicted! For more than a year, I was serving in prison for a murder I never committed. Someone framed me and I never found out who did, and why? I lost everything!" His eyes flamed with so much resentment and anger that sent a chill through Faith.
He was innocent?
Then__ who framed him?
She didn't want to think about it! Once again, she wanted to be wrong.
"There was a prison fire, and several inmates died, luckily, I escaped. The police think that I'm dead, but I have to continue hiding, I can't even get a goddamned job! I have nothing left to lose, thankfully I came across you some weeks ago, you seem to be doing quite well."
Faith swallowed hard. She could only blame herself for Dan ending up like this, after all everything Sterling had done was because of her. She had brought this tragedy to him.
"So you kidnapped me because you wanted my help?"
"There was no other way, I had to result to this. I need money, Faith."
Faith sighed in relief, she could give him whatever money she had, it wasn't much to compensate for what he had gone through.
"A million grand."
"W_what?" Faith choked, she couldn't have heard him right. If she had such money, she probably wouldn't have lost custody to Sterling.
"Aren't you married to that billionaire now? A million grand should be nothing to you."
Faith couldn't help the laughter that escaped her mouth, he had to be joking. She wanted to offer help to him, she just didn't have such an amount.
"I was married to him! We are divorced, it wasn't made public just like our marriage, so you couldn't have known that I'm no longer Mrs. Sterling. And whether you believe it or not, I divorced him with completely nothing, so don't think that his property was shared with me."
That had been mainly because Faith hadn't wanted anything from him. Her only thoughts had been to escape without being found.
"Don't lie to me, you still live with him, I just need enough money to start my life, to go somewhere and live peacefully. You owe me that since you left me and married him because he's obviously richer. I warned you then that he's very manipulative and evil, but you don't care about that, do you? I should have known that women always stay where the cash is."
Faith clenched her fists in anger, how could she forget what an asshole Dan was?
In reality, it was Sterling who owed him, not her. She pitied his situation but he didn't have to be rude to her.
"I want to help you, but you're being unreasonable! Open the car and let me go!" She hissed.
"I can't do that darling, you're my last hope. Perhaps you might actually fetch more money if I hold you captive? How much will your husband pay for you, huh?"
Faith scoffed if Sterling could send Dan to prison simply because he was her ex-boyfriend.
"He is going to kill you! Your best option is to let me go!"
"Then you have to get me my money! you have just three days, if you don't, I'll patiently wait, there will come a time when you think you're safe and happy, it might be one week, a month, or even a year. You have a baby, right? A girl? I'm sure she's beautiful just like you and you wouldn't want anything to happen to her."
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