Kidnapped

Identified- 40

First of all, I'm so sorry for the (year?) long absence. I was struggling with my mental health and drained from work... and just didn't know how to sit down and write something coherent. I really feel guilty and ashamed of how inconsistent I am with updating... and it only made it harder to write because I got stressed over how I am disappointing y'all. Please forgive me. 

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Chris POV

Emma sat frozen, staring at Evan as he informed her that she was identified at the club. She ran her trembling fingers through her short hair. Watching her shake with fear made my chest hurt. Whether it is fear of being charged with murder or being hurt by Evan, it's hard to tell. Maybe both.  

"W-What?" Emma asked in a whisper. 

"Did you say anything to the bouncer or bodyguard?" Evan asked her. 

Emma looked down at her feet as she searched her mind; whether it is for the memory or a lie, I wasn't sure. 

"What bodyguard? I didn't speak to any bodyguards!" She exclaimed with genuine confusion.

"She doesn't sound like she's lying," Mason said, staring intently at a terrified Emma.  I couldn't help but nod in agreement. Emma recounted the events of the party, and everything seemed to check out. 

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Emma POV

I was lying through my teeth. 

Looking back, the bouncer at the club took his sweet time looking at me before looking down at the invite list and allowing me inside. He must have recognized me! Or was it Tiffany, the stripper lady, who shot Iker?  

I was shaking with happiness. This media attention brought back attention to my disappearance, which could help the investigators find us. Find me!  

Looking back into Evan's cold eyes, I feigned innocence as I carefully pieced together my response. "The only time I interacted with anyone other than Iker, was while I fought alongside that woman who ended up shooting him." That's not a complete lie. Giving my name to a bouncer could hardly be called an interaction. Right? I didn't do anything worthy of Evan's wrath!  

Evan let out a long sigh before looking up at the ceiling with irritation. For the first time in a long while, Evan looked at a loss. I didn't know whether that was a good or a bad thing.

"What about Iker's murder? Are they implicating me?" I couldn't keep from asking. I was too curious, and this seemed like a perfect chance. If Evan was talking about the news with me, then maybe he'll drop more crumbs of information. 

Evan's eyes met mine. He looked tired. Bitch, I was the one who was thrown to the lion's den and almost died! Not you! 

"Lucky or unlucky for you, that stripper has been arrested and is in questioning. Whether she talks about you is all up to her."

"Yeah, but since she shot him, I'm not gonna be in trouble even if she mentions me?" My statement came out as a question as certainty and fear started flooding in. 

"Sweetheart, they're looking for the murder weapon, which you so helpfully took." He chuckled. "Even if you're not the one who pulled the trigger, you're still an accomplice." 

"B-but he was gonna ra-... He was touching me and tried to kill me!" My eyes stung, and I started shaking with fear. Evan, to his credit, didn't show any satisfaction in any of this. 

With a sigh, Evan nodded. "Yes. He did. That's why the police are no doubt getting the legal paperwork to have the camera footage handed over to them. Which could be good or bad... depending on how you look at it. 

"How would it be bad?" I sat up, scooting forward in my seat, glad he is obliging me with answers. 

"They might start collecting all sorts of samples. Maybe the poisoned drink would pop up. Then again, Iker is trash, and the police are probably happy to have him dead." He shrugged as if we were discussing taxes or house pricing on the market. 

"Oh god... I spilled the drink on his shirt..." 

"Yes. Definitely gonna pop up in the lab tests." Evan nodded. He spoke with such a neutral tone, and it did nothing to help my swelling panic. 

I covered my eyes with the heels of my eyes. A headache started to form. "This is too much. What am I gonna do?!" 

I felt a soft tap on my shoulder only to find Evan had taken a seat next to me on the couch. Surprised, I was about to get up and sit further away from him, but one look from him had me frozen in place. 

"How ironic would it be if you escaped us only to be thrown in prison," Evan said dryly.

"They'd trace the poison to you guys! They'd charge you with forcing me to-" I began to counter, but Evan interrupted me. 

"Coercion? but no one had a gun pointed at your head on that video footage." He smiled. I didn't know what to say to that, so I settled on keeping my mouth shut and tried to digest all the information Evan had just dropped. 

"Aren't you worried too?" I asked him.

"This ain't my first rodeo, sweetheart." He chuckled. "I always take care of loose ends." 

I gulped. Am I the loose end?  

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I know it's a short chapter, but it's better than nothing. Again sorry for the long wait. And thank you for sticking it out. I really appreciate all the encouraging messages. Love you all! 

Please vote <3

Art by Ko Byung Jun