Chapter 7 - The Hostage
The next morning, the news was dominated by the mysterious fire at Pier 44. Senator Sterling’s political rivals were already asking questions about his connection to the warehouse.
Inside the Sterling penthouse, Victoria was pacing like a caged animal. "He burned the pier! Do you know how much money we lost?"
Richard was sitting at his desk, his face pale and haggard. "He outmaneuvered the DA. His books are spotless. Someone fixed them."
"The maid," Victoria realized, her eyes wide with toxic realization. "She has a business degree. She was bragging about it to the other staff once. She fixed his books."
Richard slammed his fist on the desk. "If Rossi thinks he can destroy my empire for some common trash, I'll take her from him."
Back at the Rossi manor, Sophia finally slept. She woke up in the late afternoon, her burn aching but healing. She walked out of the west wing to grab a coffee from the main kitchen.
The estate felt unusually quiet. The guards who usually patrolled the inner hallways were missing.
Before Sophia could call out for Dante, a hand clamped over her mouth. The smell of chloroform burned her nostrils. She struggled violently, kicking and scratching, but a heavy arm wrapped around her waist, dragging her backward into the shadows of the servant's corridor.
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"Stop fighting, bitch," a rough voice hissed in her ear.
Her vision blurred, the edges of the room turning black. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was the side door propped open, and the sleek black bumper of a Sterling family SUV waiting outside.
