Instantly, Xavier lost the little self control he’d been clinging to.


    The night was a blissful one filled with rekindled love for the couple, but in the other room a few meters away from them, Thalia couldn’t fall asleep.


    She pulled the covers to her face but sleep had made it known not toe tonight.


    Besides, how could she sleep when she knew that her father was nning on marrying her off to some man she didn’t know and didn’t even yet?


    She searched for her phone on the bed and tried to call someone.


    If she needed to leave Radiantia due to her father’s madness, then she needed to be ready.


    The next morning, after having breakfast with Anastasia and Xavier, Thalia prepared to head to the orphanage.


    Xavier had assigned one bodyguard to tail behind her and not make his presence noticed just in case Mr. Harrison would visit the orphanage.


    Thalia remained vignte even as she was at the orphanage, taking care of the kids.


    Thanks to Anastasia’s support, the orphanage was running better than it did about three years ago. She’d hired more staff and with extra money, she had the ce renovated, expanding the space as they take in more children.


    "Are you alright?" Thalia suddenly heard. She looked down to find a little boy who shouldn’t be older than eight with dark curly hair and blue eyes staring at her. "You look worried."


    Thalia sighed with a smile as she bent to his level and ruffled his hair. "It’s nothing, I’m alright. Why don’t you go join them and y, hmm?" She gestured the little boy towards the yground and he hurried after his friends.


    As soon as he was gone, the forced smile on Thalia’s lips dropped. So far, her father hadn’t contacted her, and hopefully, things would stay that way, but she knew she was asking for the impossible.


    A few hourster, it was time for her to head back to Anastasia’s home.


    Thinking that she was going to go through the day without meeting her father and having a word with him, she found him standing by his side, hands folded with two men by his side.


    Instantly, Thalia halted.


    "Get in the car, I’m taking you home," he said firmly.


    "I’m not getting into any car," she refused instantly, slowly walking back towards the gate of the orphanage.


    Mr. Harrison, who was about to get into the car, instantly paused. He turned to look at her, and instantly, she noticed the glint of something evil pass his eyes.


    "What did you say?" He asked, as if daring her to repeat her words. "Don’t tell me you don’t trust me."


    Thalia didn’t respond however.


    She nced around, waiting for the shadow bodyguard that Xavier had given to her that day to interject, but she didn’t spot him.


    Mr. Harrison nced around with her, a chuckle escaping through his lips.


    "You don’t need to look for that wannabe bodyguard of yours. My men already took care of him."


    Thalia frowned deeply at this, but instead of demanding what he meant, her instincts told her to her which she did.


    She ran towards the gate of the orphanage, hoping to reach it before the bodyguards caught up to her.


    Unfortunately for her, they did right before she was about to take five steps.


    "Get her in the car." She heard her father’smand. She tried to yell, but her mouth was already covered with a cloth. Before she could muster any energy to wiggle out of their grip, she felt her body losing all its strength, making it even more easier for them to drag her away.


    Back at home,


    Anastasia checked the time on the clock and then her phone, her eyebrows furrowing as if the times shown weren’t the same but they clearly were.


    "She’s not back yet," she said. "What if something happened to her?" She asked, worryced in her tone as she faced Xavier who was also trying to contact the bodyguard he’d asked to protect her. But the call kept going to voicemail. "Xavier..."


    Xavier immediately pulled Anastasia towards her and ced a kiss on her forehead to calm her down.


    "You don’t need to worry, my love. We’ll find her." He assured her.


    He pulled out hisputer and after a few minutes of typing, the screen disyed the street of where the orphanage was.


    Both of them stared at the screen with the utmost focus, taking in every detail until they saw a car pull over opposite of the orphanage. They watched for only one minute more and instantly knew what could have happened to Thalia.


    Anastasia’s fists clenched tightly to her sides, her eyes ring daggers of Mr. Harrison disyed on the screen after he kidnapped Thalia.