Vanessa woke before the alarm.
Not because she had slept well.
But because her instincts had already noticed something.
Silence.
The kind of silence that didn't belong in a house full of armed guards.
She lay still for several seconds, staring at the ceiling, letting her senses adjust.
Then she heard it.
A faint sound.
Metal brushing against stone.
From outside the window.
Vanessa slowly sat up.
The room was dark except for the soft glow of city lights through the curtains.
Her eyes moved toward the clock on the nightstand.
2:13 AM.
Right on schedule.
She reached for the pistol beside the bed—but stopped halfway.
No.
That would ruin the plan.
Instead, she left the gun where it was.
Vanessa walked quietly toward the window and pulled the curtain aside just a little.
The garden below looked peaceful.
But she immediately spotted the shadows moving near the east wall.
Three figures.
Climbing.
Professional.
Vanessa smiled faintly.
"Showtime."
A soft vibration came from her phone.
One message.
Gale: They're inside.
Vanessa typed back quickly.
Vanessa: I noticed.
She placed the phone down and moved toward the door.
Then paused.
No.
If she left now, the kidnappers might miss her.
And the trap would fail.
So instead—
She turned off the bedroom light and sat casually on the edge of the bed.
Waiting.
Two minutes passed.
Then three.
Then—
Footsteps.
Soft.
Careful.
Approaching her door.
Vanessa leaned back slightly, pretending to be half asleep.
The handle slowly turned.
The door opened.
Three masked men slipped into the room.
Black clothes.
Night-vision goggles.
Silenced weapons.
Professionals.
Vanessa watched them through half-closed eyes.
The first man approached the bed cautiously.
He studied her for a moment.
Then nodded to the others.
"Target confirmed."
Vanessa almost laughed.
The second man moved behind her and pressed something against her neck.
A cold needle.
Sedative.
Vanessa allowed her body to relax.
Within seconds she collapsed sideways onto the mattress.
The kidnappers moved quickly.
One of them lifted her arms while another secured plastic restraints around her wrists.
"Package secured," one of them whispered.
They lifted her carefully.
Vanessa kept her breathing slow and steady.
Her mind was perfectly clear.
The sedative was real—but she had barely received any of it.
Just enough to make her appear unconscious.
Exactly as planned.
They carried her out of the room.
Vanessa caught a brief glimpse of the hallway through her eyelashes.
Empty.
No guards.
No alarms.
Perfect.
The kidnappers moved quickly down the staircase.
One of them whispered into a radio.
"Extraction complete."
Vanessa heard a faint response through the earpiece.
"Bring her to point B."
Point B.
Interesting.
They carried her through the garden.
Vanessa could feel the cold night air brushing against her face.
The estate gates remained closed.
Instead, the kidnappers moved toward the east wall.
A rope ladder hung from the stone.
They climbed quickly.
Within seconds they were outside the estate.
A van waited nearby.
The doors opened.
Vanessa was placed carefully inside.
The engine started.
The vehicle pulled away.
Inside the van, one of the kidnappers removed his mask.
Vanessa memorized his face instantly.
Short beard.
Scar above the eyebrow.
Professional.
He checked her pulse.
"She's out."
Another man laughed quietly.
"That was easier than expected."
Vanessa almost smiled.
Of course it was.
The van drove for nearly twenty minutes.
Vanessa kept track of every turn.
Left.
Right.
Highway.
Industrial district.
Eventually the vehicle slowed.
The doors opened again.
Cold air rushed inside.
"Bring her out."
They carried her into a building.
Footsteps echoed across a large room.
Concrete floor.
Warehouse.
Vanessa recognized the smell immediately.
Oil.
Dust.
Metal.
Then—
A familiar voice spoke.
"Well done."
Romano.
Vanessa felt a surge of satisfaction.
So he had taken the bait.
Her captors placed her on a chair.
Hands still bound.
Feet tied.
Someone splashed cold water across her face.
Vanessa slowly opened her eyes.
Romano stood a few feet away.
He smiled.
"Good evening, detective."
Vanessa blinked slowly, pretending confusion.
"You…"
Romano chuckled.
"Yes."
Vanessa looked around the room.
Armed guards everywhere.
Sebastian Vale stood near the back, watching quietly.
Vanessa sighed.
"Well."
Romano tilted his head.
"Well what?"
"This is disappointing."
Romano frowned.
"You were kidnapped."
"Yes."
"And you're disappointed?"
Vanessa leaned back in the chair.
"I expected something more dramatic."
Romano stared at her.
Then he laughed.
"I like her confidence."
Sebastian spoke calmly from the shadows.
"Confidence disappears quickly."
Vanessa's eyes moved toward him.
Ah.
The Circle.
She smiled slightly.
"So you're the famous Sebastian Vale."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You know me."
"I research my enemies."
Romano stepped closer.
"You should worry about your husband instead."
Vanessa tilted her head.
"Why?"
Romano smiled cruelly.
"Because Gale De Luca is about to walk straight into our trap."
Vanessa couldn't help it.
She laughed.
Romano frowned.
"What's funny?"
Vanessa met his gaze calmly.
"You think this is your trap."
Romano's expression darkened.
"It is."
Vanessa leaned forward slightly.
"No."
Her voice was quiet.
Confident.
"This…"
She glanced around the warehouse.
"…is ours."
And somewhere in the darkness outside the building—
Gale De Luca was already coming.
Exactly as planned.