76: FRIGHTFULLY GRUESOMEARIEL’S POVI walked slowly, still looking for Riley. My heart raced as the deafening sound of gunshots reverberated through the mansion. Panic gripped her as I had a conscience of the danger that lurked just below. But I was determined to find Riley, no matter what.I cautiously stepped through the corridor, my footsteps muffled by the plush carpet beneath my feet. The air was thick with tension, and I was filled with terror. But I needed to gather the courage. I was not going to let anything bad happen to that young girl.The gunshots grew increasingly louder, their sharp cracks piercing through the air. Accompanied by the desperate screams coming from downstairs, my fear intensified. Each gunshot seemed to echo through my bones, causing my heart to race and my hands to shake uncontrollably.I couldn’t bear to imagine what was happening below, but I knew I had to stay calm and find Riley so I could get her to safety before it was too late. The chaos and terror surrounding me was suffocating, and I could only pray for a way to escape this nightmare.I halted for a minute, closing my eyes in fear. The terror emanating from downstairs was overwhelming. My heart raced and my hands shook as I tried to steady myself. But I knew I couldn’t let fear consume me. I needed to be strong in this moment, for myself and for Riley, whenever shr was at the moment. Gathering my courage, I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes, ready to face whatever horrors awaited me downstairs.LUKE’S POVI was at the office, diligently working my way through a stack of documents, when suddenly my phone began to ring. At first, I tried to ignore it and focus on the task at hand, but the persistent ringing became too distracting.I reached over and grabbed my phone, glancing at the caller ID. It was an unknown number, and my mind told me it was that guy who kept on requesting for money.I wanted to ignore the call, but it was too distracting.I was frustrated and annoyed that he wouldn’t give me the time I had asked for. All he seemed to care about was money, and I couldn’t understand why. It made me question if he even had any useful information to offer in the first place. I just wanted some space to think things through, but he wouldn’t listen to me. It was clear that his only motivation was financial gain, and I couldn’t help but get infuriated about this.I had to answer the call. However, to my surprise, it was a completely different person speaking. I couldn’t help but feel a bit taken aback, wondering who could be calling me and why it wasn’t the person I was expecting. My curiosity and confusion grew as I listened to the voice on the other end, trying to make sense of the unexpected call.“Sir, there’s chaos going on in the house,” the person said, and it did sound like one of themaids.“Chaos? What chaos?” I aksed in curiosity.“Some men came and strated shooting, and…”I heard a loud gunshot from the phone, and the call abruptly ended, leaving me in a state of shock. I quickly stood up, my heart blazing as I tried to process what had just happened. Fear and confusion consumed me as I began to recall the words she uttered before the call ended.Chaos at my house? And then that? Something terrible was definitely taking place in thatmansion.Without hesitation, I knew I had to go and see what was happening. I rushed out of my office that very moment. ARIEL’S POVI continued to walk, my pace slowed as I noticed that the sounds of bullets had suddenly ceased. The once chaotic and haunting noises had now been replaced by an eerie silence.I cautiously looked around, trying to make sense of what had just happened.Had the danger passed or was it just a temporary lull in the chaos? I couldn’t be sure, but I knew I had to keep moving and find safety as soon as possible.Every step I took felt heavy and uncertain, but I pushed forward, still looking if I could see Riley anywhere. When I said I wanted to get married to Luke, I didn’t request for something terrific like this.I cautiously walked down the hallway towards Riley’s bedroom, hoping to find her there. However, my search proved fruitless as I discovered her room to be empty. Suddenly, a loud scream echoed from the floor below, causing my heart to skip a beat. I decided to make my way downstairs to see what was going on.I walked down the dark living room, an I saw a group of men huddled together, all holding guns and wearing menacing masks. My heart pounded in fear as I noticed they had Riley kneeling in front of them.Her face was filled with fear and tears were streaming down her cheeks. I could feel my palms getting clammy and my breath caught in my throat as I watched the scene unfold before me. I knew I had to act fast, but my body felt frozen in place.The scene was horrific and shocking. Plus, to add to the already terrifying atmosphere, there were dead bodies scattered all over the living room. I couldn’t help but notice that all the maids who usually kept the place spotless were now lying lifeless on the ground.It was a realization that these men standing before me, were extremely ruthless and heartless. The once luxurious and elegant living room was now a gruesome crime scene. My heart ached. for these maids.“And who’s this?” One of the men turned to me. The others all set their eyes on me, including Riley.I did nothing but look at them, my body froze and I couldn’t bring myself to move. Seeing Riley in such a vulnerable state brought a deep sorrow to my heart. I couldn’t stand to see someone her in so much pain.It was as though my own heart was breaking alongside hers. I wanted to reach out and comfort her, to ease her suffering, but I felt powerless in that moment. All I could do was stand there and silently offer my support and empathy.“I don’t know, but this chick is hot,” one of the men walked to me. “Can’t wait to get a taste.”n–he wanted to touch me, but I slapped him.He slowly looked at me, and I slapped him again. If anything was going to happen, let it happen.“You crazy bitch!” He snarled and gave me a hard slap that caused me to fall down.Fear and panic surged through my body as he climbed on top of me, his weight pressing me down into the ground. I could feel his hands gripping mine, holding them in place as he tried to force himself on me.I fought with all my strength, desperately trying to break free from his grasp. The thought of what he wanted to do to me filled me with terror, and I knew I had to do everything in my power to stop him.But despite my struggles, he continued to overpower me. He was determined to carry out this disgusting feat. I could only hope that someone would hear my cries for help and come to myrescue.And indeed, someone did show up. It was Luke.