Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: The Wrong Car

The afternoon was very quiet. After the scary attack in the morning, Marco stayed at the villa for a little while. He wanted to make sure the police took the bad man away. While Eimi put a bandage on his bleeding hand, Marco did not speak. He just looked at her with very serious eyes. It felt like he wanted to say something, but he didn't.Soon, Marco had to leave for work. "Stay inside," he told her. "I have to go to the city to talk to the lawyers."Eimi sat in her room for a long time. She looked at the diamond ring on her finger. She thought about the hug they shared after the fight. Does he really care about me? she wondered. Or is he just protecting his investment?Suddenly, her phone made a sound. It was a text from Marco.Marco: There is a big party tonight. It is for our wedding. I am at the office, so I cannot pick you up. I have booked a private cab for you. It will be at the gate at 7:00 PM. Wear the black dress. Don't be late.Eimi sighed. She was tired, but she knew she had to go. This was part of their deal.Preparing for the PartyEimi spent an hour getting ready. She put on a beautiful long black dress. She fixed her hair and put on some makeup. She wanted to look like a strong, happy wife.At 6:55 PM, she walked down the stairs. The villa was dark and silent. She walked out to the big front gate. The sun was gone, and there was a lot of fog coming from the lake. It was hard to see.A black car was waiting near the gate. The windows were very dark. Eimi looked at her watch. It was exactly 7:00 PM.She walked to the car and tapped on the window. "Is this the car for Mrs. Moretti?" she asked.The driver was wearing a hat pulled down low. He also had a mask on his face. He didn't speak. He just nodded and opened the back door."Thank you," Eimi said. She stepped inside and sat on the soft leather seat.The car started to move. Eimi leaned back and closed her eyes. She was tired of acting, but she knew the party would be full of important people. She did not notice that the car was not going toward the main city. Instead, it was turning onto a small, bumpy road that went deep into the dark woods.A Scary DiscoveryAfter ten minutes, Eimi opened her eyes. She looked out the window. She did not see any street lights or buildings. All she saw were tall, dark trees."Excuse me," Eimi said to the driver. "I think you are going the wrong way. The party is in the city, right?"The driver did not answer. He drove even faster. The car jumped over rocks and holes in the road.Eimi felt a cold fear in her stomach. She tried to open the door, but it was locked. She tried to open the window, but it did not move."Stop the car!" Eimi screamed. "Who are you? Where are you taking me?"The driver suddenly slammed on the brakes. The car stopped in a dark place where there were no houses. Slowly, the driver took off his hat and his mask. He turned around to look at her.Eimi's heart almost stopped.It was him. It was the man from the morning. Antonio. He had a big bruise on his face from where Marco had hit him. His eyes looked crazy and mean."Did you think the police could keep me?" Antonio said with a nasty laugh. "I have friends who helped me get out. And now, you are going to help me get my money.""Marco will find you," Eimi whispered. She was shaking with fear."Marco will pay me," Antonio said. He held up a phone. "He will pay millions to get his 'princess' back. And if he doesn't... well, the lake is very deep."The Ransom CallAntonio grabbed Eimi's phone and threw it out of the window into the mud. Then, he used his own phone to call Marco. He turned on the speaker so Eimi could hear.It rang three times."Eimi?" Marco's voice sounded worried. "Where are you? The cab I sent is at the villa, but the driver says you are not there. I have been calling you for ten minutes!"Eimi tried to yell for help, but Antonio put his dirty hand over her mouth."Hello, Marco," Antonio said into the phone. "Your wife is with me now. She didn't like your cab, so she took mine."There was a long silence on the phone. When Marco spoke again, his voice sounded like ice. It was scary and very deep."Antonio," Marco said. "If you touch her, I will find you. And I promise you will never see the sun again.""Stop talking and listen," Antonio shouted. "I want ten million euros. Now. If I don't get the money in one hour, your wife goes into the lake. I will send you the details soon. Don't call the police, or she dies."Antonio hung up the phone. He looked at Eimi and grinned. "Let's see how much you are worth to him, little princess. Is a fake marriage worth ten million?"Eimi sat in the dark car. She was crying silently. She thought about the contract. She thought about the secret art room. She wondered if Marco really liked her, or if he would just let her go. She had never been so scared in her whole life.