Chapter 229
TIMOTHY POV
+5
Timothy’s heart drummed an anxious beat against his chest as he sat in the cramped police
department waiting area, nked by Aria and Lucas. The stark white walls, coupled with the distant
murmur of conversations and cking of keyboards, did nothing to ease the tension gripping them.
Each passing second felt like an eternity as they awaited their turn for interrogation.
Aria fidgeted nervously, her fingers tracing invisible patterns on her jeans. “I can’t believe this is
happening. Evie… she’s out there somewhere, and we’re stuck here.”
Lucas, his normally jovial demeanor reced by a tense expression, ced a reassuring hand on
Aria’s shoulder. “We’ll get through this, Aria. Timothy knows what he’s doing. We’ll find Evie.”
But Timothy couldn’t shake the unease settling in his gut. His mind raced through the events that
led them to this point. The frantic search for Evie had brought them to the police station, hoping to
provide any information that might lead to her whereabouts.
Finally, an officer called out Timothy’s name. He rose, exchanging a worried nce with Aria and
Lucas before following the officer down a narrow hallway into an interrogation room.
Seated across from two detectives, Timothy’s mind raced. He had to stayposed, had to convey
the urgency of finding Evie.
“Mr. Hayes, we understand you’re a close friend of Ms. Sinir’s. Can you tell us about any
possible suspects or individuals who might have a motive to harm her?” one of the detectives
asked, eyeing him intently.
Timothy hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words. “There’s someone… her step–
brother, Bruce. He’s caused a lot of problems in the past, and he’s been involved in kidnapping Evie
before. It’s possible he might be behind her disappearance.”
The detectives exchanged a look, quickly jotting down notes. “Tell us more about this previous
kidnapping incident,” the other detective prompted.
So Timothy recounted the harrowing tale of Evie’s past abduction, the fear she had endured, and
how she had managed to escape his clutches. The officers listened attentively.
As Timothy spoke, the officers‘ expressions shifted, a realization dawning upon them. They
exchanged whispers, their voices hushed yet urgent.
After what felt like an eternity, the detectives brought up old case files, delving into Evie’s past
encounters with thew. “Bruce,” one of the detectives muttered, flipping through the pages. “I
thought that name sounded familiar.”
Timothy’s blood ran cold. “I didn’t think I’d ever hear it again. Not that I’m proud of it, but I did end up
hitting him with my car.”
The one detective sighed. “He escaped the hospital a few months ago. Before we could investigate
him, of course.”
The severity of the situation sank in. If it were possible, Timothy would think that Bruce was
indestructible. Of course, he could have used all those months to prep for his revenge.
Evie had mentioned the fear she felt whenever Bruce’s name was brought up, and now, faced with
the possibility of him being involved in her disappearance, dread settled heavily upon him.
As the officers continued their inquiries, Timothy couldn’t help but feel a rising sense of urgency.
Evie was in danger, possibly at the hands of a man she feared.
After what felt like an eternity of questioning, Timothy was escorted back to the waiting area where
Aria and Lucas anxiously awaited news.
“Any updates?” Aria’s voice trembled with worry as she looked up at Timothy, her eyes wide with
‘anticipation.
Timothy shook his head, his voiceced with concern. “They’re looking into everything. But Bruce…
he’s definitely involved in this.”
N?velDrama.Org (C) content.
Lucas clenched his fists, his jaw tight with determination. “We won’t rest until we find her.”
Once the interviews concluded, the officers encouraged Timothy, Aria, and Lucas to return home,
2/4
+6
promising to follow up with any leads they might uncover. Their assurances offered littlefort to
Timothy, whose worry for Evie consumed his every thought.
Returning to his apartment, a hollow sense of helplessness settled within him. The air felt
suffocating, the silence deafening as he trudged through the door. He longed for any news, any
glimmer of hope that would lead him to Evie’s whereabouts.
His phone chimed, jolting him from the suffocating stillness. With trembling hands, he retrieved the
device, his heart racing as he saw an unfamiliar link in a text message. Dread pooled in the pit of
his stomach as he hesitated, unsure of what the link might reveal.
With a deep breath, he clicked on the link, the screen illuminating with a video. The world seemed
to freeze around him as the video yed, revealing a nightmare he never fathomed witnessing.
Evie–bound and terror–stricken–appeared on the screen. Her eyes pleaded for salvation, her voice
choked with fear. Her terrified face was being illuminated by a harsh, blinding light.
Timothy’s breath caught in his throat, his heart hammering against his ribcage. Timothy’s hands
trembled as he typed out a response, his mind racing with conflicting emotions.
With trembling fingers, he sent a message asking, “Who are you? Is this Bruce?”
His fingers trembled as they hovered over the keyboard. After a minute, the screen remained
devoid of any reply.
Refusing to give up, he scrutinized the video, desperately searching for any clue, any hint that might
lead to Evie’s location. His eyes darted around the background, scanning for details that could
provide a lifeline. But the surroundings were nondescript, devoid of any discernible features.
A chill ran down his spine as he navigated the site hosting the horrifying video. The tform
prompted users to ce bets, thements section a nauseating cesspool of sadistic responses.
Timothy’s stomach churned at the callousness of those willing to gamble on another human’s
suffering.
Desperate, Timothyposed a message in the chat, threatening to involve the authorities if the
website wasn’t shut down immediately. His fingers hovered over the screen, poised to send the
warning, when the video feed suddenly shifted.
3/4
+5
A masked figure appeared on the screen, eyes almost glowing beneath the light. Timothy’s breath
hitched in his throat, his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. The masked individual wagged
at finger mockingly.
A voice echoed from behind the camera, sending shivers down Timothy’s spine. “Is that him?”
Recognition mmed into Timothy like a sledgehammer. He reyed the voice in his mind, trying to
ce its familiarity. It only pointed to one person, and this disturbed him even more.
4/4