Chapter 19- The Setup
279 Words
The building Sandra sent looked normal enough.
Luxury apartments. Quiet neighborhood. Modern entrance.
Still…
something felt wrong.
Clara stood outside the building staring uncertainly at her phone.
Sandra had texted:
Apartment 407. Door’s unlocked.
The hallway upstairs was strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
Clara knocked lightly before stepping inside.
“Hello?”
No answer.
The apartment lights were dim.
Unease crawled through her instantly.
Then suddenly—
the apartment door slammed shut behind her.
Clara spun around sharply.
A large man stood near the entrance smiling coldly.
Her blood ran ice cold.
“Who are you?”
The man ignored the question completely.
Another figure stepped from the hallway.
Then another.
Fear exploded inside Clara instantly.
This wasn’t an apartment viewing.
It was a trap.
Clara backed away quickly. “You need to let me leave.”
The first man laughed darkly. “Pretty girls always panic too late.”
Terror shot through her chest.
She turned toward the door—
only for one of them to grab her wrist violently.
“Let go of me!”
The man shoved her backward hard enough to make her stumble.
Panic consumed her instantly.
Clara grabbed the nearest object and threw it at him desperately.
The lamp shattered against the wall.
“Crazy little thing,” another man muttered.
Clara’s breathing turned uneven.
She needed to get out.
Now.
One of the men grabbed her arm again while another moved closer.
Clara fought wildly, kicking and struggling while fear crashed through her body.
Then suddenly—
the apartment door burst open violently.
Everyone froze.
Jace Beaumont walked inside looking absolutely furious.
And somehow…
that was even scarier than the men surrounding her.
- Writer
