Chapter 11
cremated per standard procedure…“]
Those words hit Isaiah like poisoned ice picks stabbing straight into his ears.
He couldn’t hold himself up anymore. His legs gave out and he crashed hard to the ground, his phone sliding from his p
palm and cracking against the concrete
His chest felt like someone had ripped his heart out and thrown it into a high–speed blender.]
The agony spread through his blood vessels to every limb, every hone feeling like it was being cut with a dull knife over and over until he curled up on the ground, letting out broken whimpers
Tears–he didn’t know when they’d started–burned hot as they hit his shirt, spreading dark stains across the fabric.
He’d specifically worn this light gray shirt today.
Genesis had once said this color made him look gentler
In his passenger seat sat her favorite mango mousse cake and a bouquet of white roses he’d just picked up from the florist. He’d even rehearsed what he’d say when he saw her, how he’d coax a smile out of her.
But now someone was telling him Genesis was dead
“Impossible…” He bit down so hard he tasted blood. “This can’t be real!||
This had to be Genesis’s bullshit game!
She’d cook up this fucking lie just to get away from him
When he caught her, he’d chain her ankles to the bed, tape that pretty mouth shut, and keep her in a cage where she could never leave his sight again!]
Isaiah scrambled up from the ground, eyes bloodshot as he drove to the racing club
Genesis treasured that custom race car more than anything–even if she was running, she’d never abandon it.
Besides, he’d secretly installed GPS trackers on every car’s undercarriage. All he had to do was check and he’d know exactly where she was.
“Has Genesis been here the past couple days?”
He burst into the club, asking urgently.
The coaches exchanged glances before the head coach hesitantly spoke up: “No, she hasn’t been here in almost two weeks. The invitational race starts next month and we can’t even get hold of her.”
Isaiah didn’t respond, heading straight for the office
On the computer screen, every car’s location showed safely parked in the club garage.
He angrily threw the mouse against the desk, then ran out like he’d lost his mind to search every possible hiding spot in the garage]
Behind tool boxes, inside spare tires, even the maintenance pit by the track, nothing.
The coaches watched in confusion, about to ask what was wrong when he slammed his car door and disappeared
Chapter 11
Isaiah didn’t go to work that day
He had every friend he could call searching for Genesis while he drove through every
y street in the city.]
Five star hotels, chain motels, even the little cabin in the suburbs where they used to sneak away together… he checked everywhere he could think of, but found nothing
The news from his friends made it worse:]
“Isaiah, there’s nothing. Her last recorded activity was when she flew back from overseas after that race got postponed.”
Isaiah’s initial certainty crumbled like a wall in the rain, until only crushing despair remained.[]
Finally, he drove to Genesis’s old apartment.]
He hadn’t expected much, but when he parked and saw light coming from the windows, his heart started pounding
He ran up the stairs, clutching the spare key he’d made long ago.
The whole way up, he’d imagined countless ways to punish her, then dismissed them all []
As long as she came back to him, he wouldn’t chain her up anymore… He’d get the best doctors in the world for her leg, hell, he’d even give her back that locket she loved so much
He slid the key into the lock, turned it, and quietly pushed the door open. Setting the key on the entryway table, his voice was gentle
“Gen. I’m giving you one more chance. Don’t make me angry.”
“Just come out on your own,” he paused, “and I’ll give you whatever you want.“||
In the empty living room, only his voice echoed back ||
A long, long time passed with no response[]
The smile slowly faded from Isaiah’s face. His lips presser into a thin line, his jaw clenched so tight it made grinding sounds.[]
“Genesis!” His voice shot up suddenly. “Stop fucking around! The house burned down? Fine, I don’t give a shit! Just come back to me and I can give you everything you want! Freedom? Locket? Whatever!”
Rage was growing inside him, his eyes gradually turning bloodshot.
But that tightly shut bedroom door remained perfectly still
He couldn’t take it anymore and raised his foot to kick the door down. Just then, a sliver of light appeared in the crack, and the door opened just a little.
A small figure cowered behind it.
Isaiah’s heart jumped. He reached out to grab whoever it was, but the moment he saw the face clearly, he froze.
“Who are you?” His voice was horribly hoarse. “Where’s Genesis?“||
The girl behind the door had tears in her eyes laut straightened her spine, trying to look brave: “I don’t know who you’re talking about. This is my house–you’re trespassing. I already called the cops, so you better get out!–]]
Isaiah’s whole body went rigid. “What do you mean your house? This is Genesis’s place!“]
The girl quickly ran back into the ro
he room, then came DUL seconds later with a stack of papers.]
“I bought this house two weeks ago–I have the contract!” She held out the papers, then seemed to remember something. “Oh right, I think the previous owner’s name was Genesis or something.”
His hands shook as he flipped through page after page until he saw that familiar signature. Then he went completely still
Impossible!
This house was where her parents had lived before they died–she’d never sell it.[]
Isalah kept telling himself it was impossible.
But the paperwork was right there in front of him–undeniable proof
He still didn’t believe it. He threw down the contract and rushed into the room
He flung pillows and blankets everywhere, tore through the closet and bathroom.[]
But there wasn’t a single trace that Genesis had been hiding there
Isniah completely lost it, frantically shaking the girl’s shoulders
“You’re in on this shit with her! I know you are! Where the fuck is Genesis? Where are you hiding her!”
His teeth and lips were trembling, getting more scared with every word, all his certainty crumbling
“Please, I’m begging you, give Genesis back to me. I swear I’ll never treat her like that again–it was all my fault, all of it. Please just let her come out, okay?“]
His throat was choking up, his words turning into pleas.
But from his rambling, the girl pieced together what had really happened. Her eyes turned cold
Isaiah was about to say more when the door was kicked in
The next second, he was pinned to the ground[]
Isaiah didn’t resist at all, just kept muttering over and over in a daze:[]
“Give her back to me give her back.”
