Days passed, and not only was Sara healing emotionally, but she had also begun to express her deep love for Nick more openly. She adored their babies—especially Anthony, who was just like Nick in every way.
Nick, in turn, felt a special bond with Ana, their baby girl. Her being a girl made her resemble Sara, and that softened him completely. Mr. Archer was an overjoyed grandfather, completely smitten with his grandchildren. This gave Nick some breathing room to focus on dismantling the cursed agency that continued to threaten their family.
Sara knew Nick would do anything to protect them—but he was putting himself in constant danger, and that terrified her. Now that she had finally found him, she couldn't bear the thought of losing him.
The agency had already destroyed her once. She wouldn't allow them to keep tearing her life apart, nor would she let them threaten her baby girl, her precious Ana.
That afternoon, Sara was leaving the house, heading to the place where she had planned to meet Nick, when her phone rang. Smiling, she answered, expecting to hear her beloved's voice.
—"Hi, my love. I'm on my way."
—"Perfect. Because if you don't follow our instructions, Nick dies. You'll receive his head in a box by mail."
The metallic voice on the other end chilled her blood. Sara knew immediately: it was the agency.
They had Nick.
She closed her eyes in pain.
—"What do you want?"
—"Ah, you're finally understanding. After your betrayal, you will never escape your punishment."
—"I said—what do you want?"
—"You, Sara. Only you."
—"Why me?"
—"Because you're the imperfect girl. And now you will become the perfect slave."
—"Will you leave my babies alone?"
—"Of course."
—"Will you release Nick? Will you never bother him again?"
—"He'll be released immediately. Come to the place where it all began, Sara."
They hung up.
Tears streamed down Sara's face. She didn't want to go back to that hell. She couldn't stand the thought of being separated from Nick and their babies. But what choice did she have?
As she headed to the place where she had first been abducted, Sara's thoughts were filled with Nick.
I love you, Nick. That will never change. And it's precisely because I love you so deeply… that I couldn't live with myself if I had a chance to save you and didn't take it.
When she arrived, she began to tremble. Memories flooded her mind—horrors she had only just begun to forget.
A black car stopped near her. Several strong men got out and approached. They tied her hands behind her back and taped her mouth shut. Moments later, they shoved her into the car, removed her shoes, and tied her feet as well.
Sara's breathing was shaky. She was back in hell.
The car began to move. A man sitting beside the driver turned and looked at her with a mocking smile.
—"You refused to be the perfect girl. Bad decision. Now you'll become the perfect slave. But don't worry, your aristocratic husband is safe, and your children will grow up free and untouched."
He turned away, took out his phone, and made a call.
—"Done. We have the traitor."
Sara cried silently.
She knew what was coming. And she knew she would never see her beloved family again.
Far away, in a different part of the city, Nick was being released by his captors. He was in a car, still restrained.
—"Thank your lovely young wife. You're free because Sara turned herself in. You'll never see her again, of course."
—"Don't think you've won, you bastards! I'll save my wife! I'll save Sara! And I'll destroy every last one of you!"
—"How amusing. For all your aristocratic status, you'll never find her. And needless to say—you'll never touch us."
—"As for the traitors you killed… the agency thanks you. They deserved punishment. We don't tolerate disloyalty."
Then, without warning, they shoved him out of the moving car.
Nick hit the pavement hard, his hands still tied behind his back, ankles bound. He gasped for air.
—"Help… please… someone… Sara… my love… I… I'll save you…"
Darkness overtook him.
And Nick lost consciousness.