Trapped In Paradise

Sera’s POV

I looked closely at the missing heirs list and compared it to my Guest list. My heart was beating loud as I crossed one name after the other. It was all coming together, I crossed the last name and I looked at the list I made intently. All of them were at my party, and all of their names seemed familiar. Rummaging through my drawers, I sought out a particular file, my hands trembling with fear and anticipation as I held it. Flipping it open, I compared its contents to the list of missing heirs, and the pieces of the puzzle fell into place with clarity.

They were the same. My 18 roses, the guests of honor at my party, were none other than the missing heirs whose disappearances had captured the attention of the world.

My mouth was left agape, who would do such a thing?

I heard a commotion downstairs, I was worried. Our home was always peaceful. With measured steps, I descended the stairs, my heart heavy with apprehension. Long hallways stretched before me, each step echoing with the weight of the problems that gripped our household. I slowly reached the receiving area. There were heaps of people, shouting, crying, glaring at my parents like they murdered their loved ones.

“My son is a respectable bachelor; no harm has ever come his way. Not even once! Not until your daughter’s birthday Arthuro!” A man in his mid-50s shouted at my father. One man was about to charge my father but was stopped by our guards. “Bring us back our mijo, Arthuro. We have done nothing wrong!” A woman weeping pleaded to my father. Her tears were a subtle reminder of the anguish that gripped every heart in the room. But my father only shook his head.

“I am deeply sorry comrades, but I assure you, we do not know the whereabouts of your sons. We bear no responsibility for this unfortunate event. Surely, someone wants us to fight each other.” My father's voice rang out with calm authority, cutting through the tension like a sharp knife. I remained listening at the far corner of our receiving area not wanting to cause any more ruckus once they saw me. I am partially faulted too.

“If not you then who should we blame Arthuro? The pattern of the case leads us to you and you alone!” The general shouted, his voice reeking of accusation. I was shocked to see the chief of generals here. It turns out that one of his sons was a part of my entourage.

“And you must know where they are, among all of us here you have the most connections. Until our sons are found, you bear a share of the responsibility for their safety. You must help us.” One woman cried. She was devastated and desperate to find his son. I can see that in her eyes. And when I saw her glance at me, all the blood on my face left my body pale. Her eyes filled with rage and accusation bore through my soul.

“You! You’re Seraphina, right? Where’s my son? Where?” She shouted at me. I stepped back when I saw her charging at me. She held me by my shoulder as she shouted at my face, her grip tightening on my shoulder with each passing minute. Fear crept into my system as she continuously shook my being. “I-I don’t know where your son is.” I said, my voice shaking uncontrollably as my tears started to form in my eyes. She cried as she shouted again. "Where?" she demanded, her voice rising to a crescendo of despair.

“Unhand my daughter Helena, don’t you dare hurt my child!” I heard my father shout but the woman only wept in front of me. Her tears fell on my hands as she slowly let go of me. She fell on the floor while whispering “Where” again and again until she collapsed. The shock was evident on my face as I looked at the woman lying on the floor unconscious. I didn’t know what to do, or what to say, my mind went haywire after that, and all I saw was black.

………………..

1 week has passed and the missing heirs are still not found, or that’s what I thought. I heard my mother’s gasp as I entered my father’s office. “They finally found them.” She said, her voice tinged with a mixture of relief and dread. But when I entered the room and glanced at the News report it was all a bunch of corpses. The reporter glanced at the camera and his quivering with emotion as he delivered the details.

"The 18 missing heirs have been missing for 2 weeks," he began, his words almost inaudible. "The search and rescue team worked tirelessly until an anonymous tip led the police to an address in the Burnham forest."

My heart sank as I listened. The reporter's words painted a grisly picture—a creek stained with blood, the decapitated heads of the missing heirs floating eerily upon its surface.

"And there they found a gruesome sight," the reporter continued, his voice trembling with horror. "The bodies of the 18 heirs, chopped and sewn together like a bloody jigsaw puzzle." A wave of nausea washed over me as I struggled to comprehend the terrible crime that had been committed. The forensic evidence revealed a twisted form of torture, each limb mismatched with its torso, a grotesque display of cruelty beyond comprehension.

As the reporter's voice faded into the background, I couldn't help but wonder—what kind of monster could perpetrate such a heinous act?

My eyes stared intently at the picture of the bloody creek, the scene etched into my mind. I stopped myself from the sudden burst of immense emotion. I closed my eyes as I controlled myself. I looked at my parent’s gloomy faces. This will surely be a problem for them.

My father glanced at me, he stood up and approached me. My father's gentle touch brought me back to reality, his eyes searching mine for understanding. “Sera, I think it would be better for you to leave the country.” He said. My forehead formed a knot. But I understood what he meant, because of this scandal. I should lie low for a while. “Okay, Dad,” I said. He told me to pack my bags since I’d be staying abroad for an indefinite time.

"Be careful while you're away, sweetheart," my mom's voice quivered with emotion, tears glistening in her eyes. She hugged me tightly, her reluctance to see me leave evident in every gesture. But in the face of my father's decision, her hands were tied.

“I’ll be sure to call you Mom.” I said and smiled as I hugged her tight. We had a few minutes of goodbyes before I entered the van. It’s a 1 hour ride from the manor to the airport. 30 minutes into the ride the vehicle suddenly stopped. “What happened?” I asked my driver. He only shook his head and left the van. I was about to get off to protest when he suddenly came back. Something felt off, but I set that thought aside. It didn’t matter as long as we got to the airport on time.

I fell asleep after a few minutes. When I woke up I looked outside to see that we were still on the road. I glanced at my watch to see that 2 hours had passed. I panicked, my flight was about to leave and we still hadn’t arrived yet. I scooted over to my driver and held his shoulder.

"Why haven't we arrived yet? We've been driving for over two hours," I demanded, my voice trembling with urgency. But to my dismay, he offered no response, his silence adding to the growing sense of unease that swirled within me. I was starting to get worried, it was almost 5 o’clock and I didn’t even know where we were. “Hey! Where the hell are we?” I asked as I tapped his shoulder. I only noticed now that he was wearing a cap that covered almost half of his face. The van suddenly stopped which made me sit back in my seat. I got out of the van realizing that my driver never wears caps. With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I realized that something was wrong.

I scanned my surroundings, my heart pounding in my chest as I realized we were at a port, a contrast to the airport I had expected. Confusion clouded my thoughts as the man who had driven me here stepped out of the van.

“Who are you? Why have you brought me here?” He took off his cap to show me his face. I was shocked to see him. The man I kissed the night of my 18th birthday, the man who disappeared. “What do you need from me?” Questions tumbled through my mind, each one more urgent than the last, but before I could voice my confusion, he drew near, his touch gentle against my cheek.

“I need you, my Queen.” He said and without hesitation, he leaned in and kissed me. My mind raced with questions, confusion swirling like a whirlwind within me. Who is this man? And why was he calling me his Queen?

But then when his lips left me, I felt a soft cloth on my face. I felt my consciousness slowly leave my body. My drowsy state could only pick up one phrase. "You're mine, Auriel." He whispered.

I woke up feeling lightheaded, my body was a little sore indicating that I'd been asleep in this position for quite a few hours. With a groan, I pushed myself into a sitting position, as I looked at the room I was in. I wasn't familiar with this place at all. And then the memories from yesterday came flooding in.

He kidnapped me! What does he want from me? I don't even know him!

I panicked as I ran out of the room. It was a bright house, white and blue paint ransacked the place and it was cozy. It's not as big as a normal mansion but it can be classified as a big house. It had an island vibe that scared me. What if I am?

I found the door leading outside. I ran as fast as I could. But when I got there, I couldn't believe my eyes. Damn it! A white sand beach stretched out before me, with turquoise waters gently lapping the shore and palm trees swaying in the breeze. It was a beautiful sight, but all I could think about was that I was trapped.

I frantically looked around trying to find any signs of other human beings. But nothing, there was no one but me. Panic started to sink in and I ran toward the beach as I desperately scanned the horizon for any sign of rescue. But again, there was none. Tears brimmed my eyes as realization started to hit me, the cold breeze of the ocean felt like a mocking whisper as I stared at its vastness.

At the peak of my hopeless devastation, I heard his footsteps behind me. I felt him near me and it only made me want to cry. I turned around only to face my offender, his worried eyes did not melt my heart. How could he look so concerned when he was the one who did this to me?

"Don't be afraid," he said softly, reaching out to touch my arm. "I brought you here to protect you, not to harm you." I pulled away, distrust and fear ran through me. "I don't know who you are or what you want," I snapped at him. "But I won't let you control me. I'll find a way out of here." I angrily whispered before running away from him, the sound of the waves crashing in my ears as I disappeared into the unknown.

“Sera!” I heard him shout which only made me run faster, adrenalin boosting my bravery to enter a forest. As I darted into the dense forest, the greeneries thickened around me, enveloping me in a fearful cloak of shadows and eerie whispers. My heart hammered in my chest, each beat reminded me of the danger I was in. But fear only fueled my determination to escape, to break free from this stranger's grasp and reclaim my freedom.

Branches slightly ripped my clothes, and twigs kept scaring me as they snapped under my determined steps as I delved deeper into the forest. I pushed myself to run faster, driven by my instinct to survive. But as I ran faster, I observed the sky get darker, rain soon started to fall and my skin started to sting which made me stop. I looked at my arms and saw tiny scratches from the branches that ripped my clothes. I cursed under my breath as I endured the pain. I ran again, and for a few hours, I was running until I felt like I was running in circles.

I’m lost damn it! I looked around to find shelter as I felt the rain grow stronger. But as I burst into an open space, I froze at the sight of a towering figure before me. My breath hitched as my consciousness slipped away once more, catching only the faint whisper of his final words.

"I found you, Aurel."

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