She was scared. If there was any word bigger than fear, that's what she felt at the moment, She looked back at the guards, then at Otto, and in that moment it truly sank in, this wasn’t a dream. None of it was a dream. Every strange feeling she’d had since waking up was real. She had been kidnapped, and the man who had done it was standing not too far away.

Perhaps it was the way she had always forced herself to believe the best in situations that had made her think it was all just a bad dream. She had been careful all her life, made sure to stay away from and avoid anything that would put or lead to trouble but shed somehow managed to get herself in one.

this was reality, and she wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She felt devastated. She had seen and heard about kidnappings, but never imagined she would be a victim. And to make it worse, the kidnapper didn’t seem to care — he just sat comfortably in his car, acting as though nothing had ever happened between them.

Liz straightened herself and reminded her mind that she was here for a date. She looked up at Giles, only to see him already on his feet. What was he doing?

“Hey, what’s the problem? Where are you going?” she asked, concerned.

“Seriously? You’re asking me what the problem is? When I agreed to this date, Lena didn’t tell me it would have anything to do with Otto Hewlett,” he said. “I sure don't have the strength or money to fight with such a man.”

“But there’s absolutely nothing going on between Otto and me. I promise . I don’t even know who he is. Come on, Giles, you have to believe me,” she said earnestly.

“Believe you? Look, I don’t want to put my life in danger, okay? You say you don’t have anything to do with Otto Hewlett, yet he sends his men to come get you? You’ll have to come up with another lie. I’m out of here. Have a blissful day.”

And that was it. He left. Just like that.

How was she going to explain this to Lena that Giles had walked out the moment he saw Otto? Today, she had finally decided to have this date, she's finally wanted something more and it had ended in disaster because of a stranger she knew nothing about. Was she cure3d or something? And Where the hell had he even come from? Was he stalking her? If he was, couldn’t he have at least waited until she finished her time with Giles? But no, he had to appear out of nowhere and ruin a date that was finally becoming enjoyable. What a piece of shit he was.

Life felt messed up for her in that moment. Why did this demon have to come now, when she was beginning to have a good time? Or was she hexed to live In misery her whole life?

She glanced outside again and saw him smiling broadly, as if he had just won the Golden Cup at the World Cup. She felt the urge to walk up and punch him right in the face but who was she to march up to a wealthy business tycoon like Otto Hewlett and do that? Just one word and her head would be served on a platter of gold.

A touch on her arm snapped her out of her thoughts, and she jerked back in fear.

“Ma’am, boss is still waiting,” one of the suited men said.

“I’ve seen him. I’m not blind,” she replied sharply.

She glanced outside once more and he was still staring.

“Can’t he just look away for a second?” she muttered to no one in particular.

“Erm… ma’am, he’s still outside,” the guard said.

“Don’t touch me. I said I’ve seen him!” she snapped, irritation boiling over. Otto’s unwavering stare, the men in suits hovering over her, their constant ‘ma’am’ and ‘madam’ — everything was grating on her nerves.

She rose sluggishly from her chair, pain in her eyes, and walked to the car. The guards opened the door, and she stepped inside.

She couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze. Deep down, she had plenty she wanted to say, but fear kept her from speaking. Who wouldn’t be intimidated looking into those cold, devilish eyes?

Finally, she decided to summon her courage. She turned and looked Otto Hewlett straight in the face. The only words she could manage were, “We had better meet in court.”

Otto said nothing, simply drove her to his house.

The moment they arrived, Liz began to rant.

“You demon! How dare you lay a hand on me? I hate you. I hate you so much. Do you go around looking for women to kidnap? Huh? Tell me!”

“Oh, you’re quiet now? I said talk to me, Mr. Otto Hewlett!”

While Liz’s words revolved around the kidnapping, Otto’s mind was somewhere else entirely. He assumed she was talking about the child the one he was sure existed.

“You jerk, why did you—”

“Where’s my child?” Otto interrupted.

“What? What are you talking about?” Liz asked, stunned.

“Where is the baby? The one you had after the IVF?” His tone was impatient.

“I never had any baby, okay? I never had any baby,” she said firmly.

Her denial made him pause for a moment, but he quickly brushed off any doubt. No, he wasn’t mistaken. He had paid for the best investigators, and they had never been wrong.

He looked at Liz, then started laughing.

She stared at him, baffled. Nothing she had said was remotely funny, so what was he laughing at?

“What’s funny? Why are you laughing?” she asked.

“You say you don’t have a baby, right?”

“Yes! I’ve been trying to explain that to you!”

“Very well then,” Otto said, eyes locked on hers.

What would it take to bring the truth out of her?