The Devil's Justice - Book 1 ( ? )

ANASTASIA:

Ronin's reasoning made sense, yet my instincts screamed that something was wrong. His words carried a weight I couldn't ignore. Even though he had recently joined our staff and had been personally vetted by Ava herself, I couldn't fully trust her judgment. But I had no choice but to suppress my inner doubts and go along with Ronin's suggestion.

As he disappeared from my sight, I sat inside the car, my mind racing to make sense of the situation. The weak network signal meant I couldn't make any calls, but I managed to send a text to David, hoping it would eventually go through.

"I'm stuck again on the same road as before, while following the killer. The car broke down while she escaped. Because of the weak signal, I couldn't call you. Don't worry about me, I am safe. Ronin is with me."

Though the message might reach him late, I felt it was worth a try.

Ronin, the new driver, thankfully, was the silent type. He didn't pester me with questions about why we were running behind a crazy killer, why not ask the police or whatsoever. I was well aware that my father wouldn't be pleased if he found out. Ava would only fan the flames. Nonetheless, I needed the fresh air, something to clear my mind.

There was no denying my father's love for me. But there was another facet to this truth. He seemed to prefer the company of 'The Alpha Group' over anything else. Ava had been successful in ingratiating herself into my father's world through the company. All he seemed to care about now was maintaining a pristine reputation within the business elite, and Ava made sure of that. His recent success in China Trade has elevated him to a global level. His shares were at an all-time high, thanks to Ava for the mind. 

Nevertheless, I couldn't shake off the weight of my father's announcement about his other child with Ava. It hung in the air, a looming presence I couldn't quite define.

Now that he'll have a new family, would he forget about me?

He hadn't been like this before. There was a time when he promised we would always stay together, a time when his words were a shield against any worries.

Amidst these developments, I felt like I had lost my father. I missed the man who had once vowed to protect our family, the man who had prioritized us above all else. But now, with Ava, his company, and everything else, that promise had faded into the background, drowned out by the noise of his changing world.

What had changed?

Ten minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Ronin. The car's front trunk was open, obstructing my view of what he was doing.

"Are you there?" I called out awkwardly, but there was no response.

Growing increasingly anxious, I looked around at the empty road once more. I decided to take a look and find out what was taking so long. The door sounded a click, as I opened the door peeking out from it.

As I approached the front of the car, walking towards the open trunk door, I surprisingly found it empty.

Where is Ronin?

My brows frowned. My heart raced as I scanned my surroundings, searching desperately for Ronin, but there was no trace of him. As if he has vanished in thin air. A deep sense of foreboding washed over me, and my throat felt dry with anxiety.

Something was wrong.

"Ronin?" I called out, my voice trembling with fear. The warning David had given me about the mysterious deaths and kidnappings in this area echoed in my mind. Had something terrible happened to Ronin? Was he injured or worse? Panic began to well up within me.