Ruolan's POV
{Tang Manor, 9:30 PM.}
It was dark.
Too dark.
I couldn't see a thing, nor did I know where they were dragging me.
Their grip around my arm was rough and painful. They clearly had no idea how to handle a lady. After more than ten minutes of walking, we reached a cold room. The black bag over my head was yanked off, and the sudden flash of light in the living room nearly blinded me.
I let out a groan as my eyes slowly fluttered open.
I knew it.
I was back here- in this hellish place.
And in front of him.
"You tried to escape again..." His cold voice made me flinch. I shuddered, my knees on the floor and my hands tied behind me.
"What choice do I have?" I smirked, trying to be brave. "You're going to do something illegal and I'd rather not involve myself in it."
The man, seated with his legs crossed, took a huge drag from the cigar held between his fingers.
Words can't explain how much I hate this man.
"You really don't have a choice, Ruolan." He sneered. "Look around and notice what is missing"
I slowly glanced around, my eyes scanning the room.
'What exactly is--'
My eyes widened.
She wasn't here.
My daughter, Ziyu.
She was with me when I attempted to escape thirty minutes ago. But now... she was gone.
Fury flared in my chest. I glared at my father, teeth clenched, and tried to stand, but the guards shoved me back down.
"Where is she? Where is my daughter?" I yelled.
"She's safe, probably asleep. It's past bedtime for kids already," he replied nonchalantly.
"If anything happens to my daughter, I swear, I'll kill you"
After a moment of silence, he leaned in and grabbed my chin.
"If you want to see your daughter again, you'll have to do as I say" he took a dramatic pause and then grinned. "Or else, I'll send her to the enemy's territory as a hostage"
I didn't say a word. I would do anything to protect my daughter. If he said he'd take her away, he meant it.
This family was dangerous. I couldn't let Ziyu grow up in this place. That's why I tried to escape. But the devil who called himself my father always dragged me back into hell.
'Only if I'd rejected him then, I wouldn't be in this mess'
I thought bitterly.
My father snapped me out of my daze, slamming a bunch of documents in front of me.
"You'll be going to country B. You have a simple mission..."
"Mission?" I interrupted.
"Yes, a mission. You have a year to complete it. Try to infiltrate the company listed in that document and get them to work for me"
"You should've done that yourself" I smirked.
"I would have if it were that easy. That's why I'm sending you. If you don't want to go, then say goodbye to your daughter."
I didn't hesitate. I could risk my life... but not hers. I wouldn't let her become a hostage.
"When do I leave?" I asked, the frown on my face deepening.
This was just the beginning. I would complete the mission and return for my revenge. He would pay for everything.
.
And just like that, I left for Country B.
The mission sounded simple, just like my father claimed. But infiltrating the most powerful private military company in the country and convincing one of them to trade illegal arms with my father was anything but easy.
I flipped through the pages of the document as I read on the plane. My daughter, asleep in my lap, stirred and rubbed her eyes with the back of her palm.
"Mama, where are we going?" She asked in a soft voice.
"We'll be heading somewhere else. Don't worry; I'll make sure no one harms you," I smiled, stroking her light brown hair before turning my gaze back to the documents.
"Huh? What is this?" I mumbled, staring at a particular page. Bold red letters jumped out like a warning:
'As you're on the mission, avoid the famous and ruthless Marshal, Long Renzhou. Once he catches you, you'll fail the mission, because he'll kill you on the spot'
There wasn't a single picture of him on the internet. No one knew what he looked like, but his name was well known.
'Long Renzhou? There's no way I'm going to meet him anyway. I'll finish this mission as soon as I can,'
I assured myself.
.
.
{Country B, 2 PM}
"Miss, the car will be here any minute. Please wait at the transit lounge" The head of the bodyguard team informed me.
I gave a slight nod, not bothering to respond. Dressed in tight black pants and a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, I felt utterly uncomfortable with the men in black following me everywhere. I was attracting too much attention. All eyes were on me- as if I were some kind of Mafia Princess.
Mafia princess? I'm more like a prisoner.
"Baby, don't let go of my hand, okay?" I looked down at my sleepy daughter.
"Yes, Mama," Ziyu said, yawning.
.
After nearly thirty minutes, the car finally arrived. The bodyguards came over to inform me and apologised for the delay.
I ignored them, took off my reading glasses and shoved the documents back into my bag. I needed to finish reading them.
"Let's go, ba...by?" I turned and froze. Ziyu was gone. "Huh? Where is she?"
I jumped up from the bench, scanning the area frantically.
"My daughter is missing! Find her!"
The guards began searching too. She had been right next to me.
How did she vanish suddenly?
"Check the CCTV" the team leader barked. Moments later, they returned with footage showing how Ziyu was kidnapped by two men.
"I'll kill them" I growled, pulling out my laptop and hammering away at the keyboard.
There was a tracker in her necklace. I hurriedly tracked them and found the location. The signal was still moving.
They were in a car.
"Let's hurry and bring back my daughter", I ordered, and we left the airport.
.
.
Meanwhile, Ziyu sat in the backseat of the kidnapper's car, hands tied and mouth gagged. The men chatted excitedly about their ransom plans.
"How about ten million?"
"Ten? Let's ask for a hundred. She looks like she comes from a wealthy family. They'll pay anything,"
Ziyu sat silently. She didn't even look scared or cry. Just a look of indifference on her face.
'Ah. I'm starving! When is mommy coming?'
She thought.
The men suddenly realized they were being followed. They sped up, trying to shake us off.
After turning sharply into a dark alley, they managed to ditch the car that was tailing them.
The kidnappers ran off... with Ziyu.
.
I slammed my clenched fist onto the hood of the abandoned car, eyes dark with fury. They were clever, but I was smarter.
"They are on foot; it'll be easier to catch them", I muttered.
The guards split into four groups.
Three followed behind me as we moved deeper into the alley.
"Miss, you should let us find your daughter"
"It's fine. I'm finding her myself. Your job is to eliminate those bastards for touching her" I snapped, picking up the pace.
As we moved further in, my phone started to beep... louder, faster.
She was close.
"She's here..." I whispered, standing before a wooden door at the alley's dead end.
"Please, stay back, Miss", One of the guards said, then delivered a hard. The door splintered and fell.
Inside stood a man.
He was holding Ziyu in his arms.
"You... You're the bastard who kidnapped my daughter" I growled, fists clenched in rage.