Sold To The Devil's Heir

chapter 4

Damien

The moment my car stopped outside the Hale mansion, I knew something was wrong. The front gates hung open, expensive cars were abandoned in the driveway, and shattered glass glittered across the marble steps. Red and blue emergency lights reflected off the rain-soaked ground, making the entire estate look like a battlefield. I stepped out of the car without waiting for anyone to open the door.

"Boss," Matteo said as he hurried toward me. "Our men secured the mansion, but Miss Hale is nowhere inside."

I clenched my jaw. I had left her for only a few hours, and now she had disappeared. That wasn't a coincidence. Someone had been waiting for the perfect moment to take her.

"Search every room again," I said. "No one leaves this estate until I know exactly what happened."

"Yes, boss," Matteo said before disappearing into the mansion with several guards.

I walked through the broken front doors, my shoes crunching over shattered glass. The smell of smoke still lingered in the air, mixed with the metallic scent of blood. Expensive paintings had been torn from the walls, furniture was overturned, and bullet holes scarred the grand staircase.

Richard Hale sat on the floor with dried blood running down the side of his forehead. His expensive suit was torn, and for the first time since I'd met him, he looked more frightened than arrogant.

"You have to find her," he said as he struggled to his feet.

"Please... find my daughter." I stared at him without speaking.

"A few hours ago, you were willing to hand her over like she meant nothing," I said.

"Now you're begging me to save her."

His shoulders slumped.

"I made a terrible mistake," he said quietly.

"No," I replied, my voice was cold and distant.

"You made a choice."

He lowered his head, unable to meet my eyes.

Before either of us spoke again, Matteo returned carrying a transparent evidence bag.

"We found this in Miss Hale's bedroom," he said.

I took the bag from him. Inside was an old silver necklace with a crescent moon pendant and a faded photograph. The moment I saw the necklace, memories I had buried years ago came rushing back.

Elena.

She used to wear that necklace every single day. I turned the photograph over.

Five handwritten words stared back at me.

Protect her. Trust no one. A muscle in my jaw twitched.

"So she kept it," I whispered. Richard looked at me with confusion.

"You knew Elena?" he asked. I ignored his question.

Some promises weren't meant to be explained.

"Boss," Matteo said, breaking the silence.

"Our men recovered part of the security footage."

"Show me."

He handed me a tablet. The footage was damaged, but it showed enough.

Masked men stormed the mansion while the guards fought back. Then I saw Zara climbing over the balcony railing before dropping into the garden below.

Despite everything she'd been through tonight...

She chose to fight instead of surrender.

A small smile almost appeared on my face.

"She's smarter than I expected," I said.

Matteo nodded.

"But the video cuts off a minute later," he said.

"We don't know where she went after that."

Before I could answer, one of my guards rushed inside.

"Sir," he said, slightly out of breath. "We found fresh footprints leading into the forest."

"Were they hers?" I asked.

"Yes, sir."

"And?"

"There are several other footprints following her."

Every instinct inside me screamed that we were already running out of time.

I turned toward the back entrance without another word.

The rain hit my face the moment I stepped outside. Mud covered the ground, making the footprints easy to follow. Every few meters I spotted broken branches, pieces of torn fabric, and signs that someone had been running as fast as they could. Zara had been terrified. But she hadn't stopped.

"Boss," Matteo called from behind me.

I looked over my shoulder.

"We found this near the trees," he said.

He handed me a small silver bracelet.

I recognized it instantly. Zara had been wearing it earlier that evening.

I closed my hand around the bracelet.

"I'm coming," I whispered, though no one heard me except the rain.

We followed the trail deeper into the forest until voices drifted through the darkness.

I raised my fist, signaling everyone to stop.

The sound became clearer.

A man laughed. Another voice answered.

Then... A woman's voice. Zara. Relief hit me so suddenly that I almost exhaled.

She was alive.

I stepped between the trees just in time to see one of the masked men grabbing her wrist and dragging her toward a black SUV.

She struggled with everything she had.

"I'd rather die than go with you," she shouted and the man laughed.

"You don't get a choice," the moment he said that Something inside me snapped. I stepped out of the shadows.

"Take one more step with her," I said calmly,

"and you'll never breathe again."

Every head turned toward me. The forest fell completely silent. Even the rain seemed to stop. The man tightened his grip on Zara's wrist.

"And who the hell are you?" he asked. I met his eyes without blinking.

"I'm the man you should have been afraid of."