TRACKING HER( SHE IRRITATES ME)

Chapter 4

Anderson pov

The sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft golden hue across the room as I stumbled out of bed. My thoughts raced, the looming business deal hanging over me like a storm cloud, the weight pressing heavily on my chest. It was nine o'clock. Time was slipping away. The ticking clock seemed to taunt me with every slow movement I made. I wiped my face with my hand, shaking off the lingering sleepiness, and headed to the wardrobe. A chill from the open window sent a shiver down my spine.

I grabbed the black blazer, its smooth fabric a reminder of the authority it represented. The sharp contours of the jacket felt like armor, ready to protect me from the outside world, and I slipped my arms into the sleeves. The soft silk lining against my skin offered a fleeting sense of comfort. But comfort was a luxury I couldn’t afford right now.

I needed to confront Aurora before I left. I could already sense her presence, her delicate fingers weaving through my thoughts like an unwelcome whisper. She had been a distraction for far too long, her endless questions and suspicious gaze weighing on me. She couldn’t possibly comprehend the gravity of what lay ahead.

I crossed the room, retrieving the tie from the drawer, each action purposeful and precise. The silk glided through my fingers, an extension of my resolve. As I tied it, my thoughts briefly drifted to Aurora.

I approached the door and flung it open with a force that made the hinges creak, revealing her. Aurora. Delicate, stunning, completely oblivious to the turmoil brewing around us. Her auburn hair framed her face in soft waves, and she looked up at me with those wide, trusting eyes. Yet, I noticed a flicker of uncertainty within them. She sensed something was wrong; the atmosphere was thick with tension.

“Aurora,” I said, my tone icy and measured, laced with an undercurrent of danger. "You have to come with me. Right now."

She tilted her head, confusion knitting her brows, but I could see the fear starting to surface beneath her calm facade.

“What’s happening?” she asked, her voice trembling, almost desperate.

I remained silent.

Instead, I took hold of her arm, my grip strong and resolute. She recoiled slightly but didn’t resist. I pulled her toward the door without uttering another word.

My warehouse lay on the city's edge, a quiet stronghold concealed by concrete barriers. As we drove, the car vibrated with the unspoken tension between us. She had ceased her inquiries, but I could feel her gaze on me, attempting to decipher my thoughts, to grasp the situation.

But she wouldn’t.

I parked in front of the warehouse, the concrete floor shining unnaturally under the flickering fluorescent lights. There was no sense of warmth here, only the sterile, clinical atmosphere of the task ahead.

I opened the door and guided her inside, her steps uncertain but keeping pace with mine. The sound of our footsteps reverberated in the vast emptiness, a constant reminder of the solitude we were about to face.

The chair awaited us. It was simple and sturdy, with leather straps secured around the arms.

“Aurora,” I said quietly, though my tone lacked any softness. “Take a seat.”

She paused, but as I moved closer, her breath caught. She recognized the determination in my gaze, and for the first time, it clicked. Gradually, she sat down. Her eyes remained locked on mine, fear evident in the way her breathing quickened.

I positioned myself behind her, my fingers brushing against the cold metal of the straps. The sharp sound of leather tightening filled the room. I secured her hands to the chair's arms, each movement deliberate and calculated.

“Aurora,” I said again, my voice low and menacing, “you’ll remain here until I return. Don’t move. Don’t attempt anything.”

Her eyes widened, but she remained silent. The fear and shock from my tone rendered her speechless.

I stepped back, taking in the sight of her bound to the chair.

My heart had settled into a steady rhythm. The excitement had transformed into something more intense and chilling. I approached the door, not sparing her another look, my steps deliberate.

Time was slipping away. The business deal wouldn’t wait.

************

The thrill of the deal still pulsed through me, but the feeling was fleeting. I leaned back in my chair, spinning it absentmindedly as I gazed at the blank wall, the echoes of my success lingering in my mind. The tension was finally starting to lift, but then it hit me—the beep of my phone. A notification. My heart momentarily faltered.

CCTV Notification.

The message struck me like a bolt of lightning. The warehouse. I snatched up my phone, swiping the screen with urgency. The live feed flickered to life.

I spotted her first—Aurora, still bound to the chair. Her fragile form sagged, eyes wide with a mix of terror and disbelief. I watched as she fidgeted in her restraints, her hands straining against the bindings. Then, something drew my attention. A figure was approaching her from behind, slipping into view like a wraith.

Dressed in dark attire, their face hidden by a mask, they moved with calculated precision, hands steady as they reached for the leather straps binding her wrists. A chill coursed through me. Who was this?

Aurora hardly reacted as the figure freed her, her face a mix of confusion and relief. She seemed unaware of the peril, oblivious to the fact that she was slipping from my grasp. I could see her scanning her surroundings, perhaps questioning whether I would return or if someone else would come to her aid.

Before I could fully grasp what had just happened, the screen flickered as she stood up. She vanished.

No.

I slammed my hand against the desk, fury boiling within me, raw and explosive. How could they have pulled this off so effortlessly?

Thoughts raced through my mind—this was not how it was supposed to go. I had taken every measure, every precaution. Yet in an instant, she slipped away from me.

“Damn it!” I shouted, rising so abruptly that my chair crashed to the floor. My breaths came in quick gasps as I sprinted toward the door. Each step down the hallway echoed louder, the weight of the situation crashing down with every stride.

I dashed down the stairs. The air felt suffocating, as if the walls were closing in, but I couldn’t afford to think—only to act. My thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind, and then—

“Mr. Anderson!”

It was Ellie, my secretary, her voice filled with concern, trying to halt my progress.

“You need to—”

But I was already past her. I pushed her aside without hesitation, my frustration boiling over. She hit the ground with a soft thud, but I didn’t look back. This was far more important than her. I had no time for explanations or questions.

I was halfway to the exit when I felt the cold weight of the tracker in my pocket—the one that had been hidden in her car. If I could just locate her, I’d know where she had gone. I burst through the door and headed for the garage, my fingers flying over my phone in anger.

As I opened the tracker app, I froze. The location of her car—nothing. No signal. My grip tightened on the phone, knuckles turning white as I tried again and again.

Nothing.

Rage surged within me, clawing its way up from deep inside. I turned to face the vast emptiness of the warehouse, my mind unraveling. She had outsmarted me. Aurora had taken something irreplaceable from me.

I spun around to my men, pacing the room, struggling to contain the rising panic like a storm about to unleash. "Find her!" I shouted, my voice strained. “Find her, NOW!”

One of my guys hesitated, his hands shaking, fear evident in his eyes. "But, boss—"

"Don’t question me! Move!" I snapped, cutting him off. My teeth clenched as my anger peaked. The room erupted into chaos. The air was thick with shouting, feet pounding on the concrete, and the sound of scattered papers and broken furniture as my crew sprang into action.

"Search every single inch of this place! I don’t care if you have to tear it down brick by brick!"

I turned, glaring at the men who had dared to hesitate. The intensity of my stare pierced through the room. “You better bring her back, or I’ll make sure none of you see the light of day again.”

Their faces contorted in fear, the tension palpable. They scattered, rushing in every direction, while I struggled to calm the storm inside me. But the more I tried to steady my thoughts, the more they threatened to unravel.

The tracker had been my last hope. Now, without it, I was blind. I knew nothing.

And she was out there, slipping further away with each passing second.

I clenched my fists. The game had just changed, and I wasn’t about to lose. Not now. Not ever.

I stormed through the corridors, scanning every face and figure that crossed my path. Desperation clawed at me, but I kept it in check—barely. I couldn’t afford to break down now, not when I was so close. Yet, the more I thought about it, the more my anger bubbled up, threatening to explode.

Then, I spotted him. Another one of my men, trying to sneak down the hallway, acting like he wasn’t already in the line of fire. His eyes met mine for a fleeting moment before he quickly looked away, quickening his pace.

Perfect.

I lunged at him, grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking him toward me with brutal force. His body slammed against the wall, the impact shaking the entire building, and he wheezed as the breath left him.

"Where were you when it really counted?" I growled, my voice heavy with anger. My pulse throbbed in my ears, blood surging to my head like a raging fire.

"You’re asking the wrong things, boss," he stammered, his voice shaky and rushed. I could see his mind racing, overwhelmed by fear. He understood the stakes. He knew what would happen if he didn’t pull himself together.

I moved in closer, my breath a harsh growl as I locked eyes with him. "The wrong questions?" I hissed, tightening my grip as I pushed him harder against the wall. "I need one answer from you, and it better be the right one: Where is Aurora?"

His expression contorted, uncertainty flashing across his face like a brewing storm. He hesitated, words failing him. His fear was tangible, and the delay only fueled my anger further.

I slammed him against the wall again, feeling him buckle under the force. "Find her! I don’t care how you do it. I don’t care if you have to set the whole city ablaze. You will find her now."

He nodded, eyes wide with terror. "I—I’ll find her, boss, I promise! Just let me go.”

I fixed him with a fierce stare, observing his labored breaths and the fear etched across his pale face. My body trembled with the overwhelming rage threatening to consume me, yet I understood—I had to maintain control. I needed to stay focused. I couldn’t let this slip away.

"Get out of here," I commanded, my voice low and menacing, like a predator ready to strike. "And if you don’t return with her, don’t bother coming back at all."

He nodded frantically, his legs shaking as he stumbled away, eager to escape. I watched him leave, my fist still raised, the fury coursing through me like wildfire.

I pivoted sharply, pacing the hallway, my chest rising and falling as I struggled to regain my composure. She was out there, slipping away, and all I could do was wait for someone to resolve this.

"Where are you?" I whispered, the words barely audible, yet laced with anger that twisted them into something more sinister.

I tightened my fists until my nails pierced my palms. My mind raced with possibilities. Whoever orchestrated this was clever, but they wouldn’t outsmart me.

"Find her!" I shouted to my men, who were already dispersed, scouring the area. My voice shattered the silence like a clap of thunder. "And if anyone obstructs you, take them down. I want her back, NOW."

The men rushed off, their anxiety breaking through their stoic facades as they scattered, uncertain of where to begin. But there was no time for hesitation. Not anymore.