Chapter 922 Madhouse
An Hour Earlier
Mia emerged from her room, her mother's worried expression meeting her at the threshold. The tension in the air was palpable as they made their way to the living room.
Standing there, in a crisp suit and an air of smug authority, was Henry.
Henry's eyes scanned her, a cruel smile curling on his lips. "Vanessa, my dear," he began, his tone dripping with false affection. "I've come to take you back. It's time to end this charade."
Her mother stepped forward, her voice trembling with restrained anger. "You have no right to be here, Henry. Vanessa doesn't want to see you."
Henry's eyes narrowed, a flash of irritation crossing his face. "Stay out of this. This is between Vanessa and me."
Mia took a deep breath, steadying herself. "What do you want, Henry?"
"I want my wife back," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "You've had your little rebellion, but it's time to return home where you belong."
Mia stood tall, refusing to let him see her fear. "I'm not going anywhere with you, Henry."
Henry's smile faltered a flicker of anger in his eyes. "You don't have a choice, Vanessa. You're coming with me now, or I'll make things very difficult for your family."
Mia glanced at her mother, who was visibly shaking but stood her ground. "And what do you plan to do, Henry? You've already withdrawn your support from the company. There's nothing else you can threaten us with."
Henry's smile returned, colder and more calculating. "You underestimate me, Mia. I have ways of making you comply. If you want to see your father again, I suggest you come with me," he threatened and Mia's heart skipped a beat.
"What did you do to my husband?" Mia's mother asked before Mia could say a word.
"I haven't done anything to him yet, but I will if you anger me any more than you have already done," he said to her before turning to Mia again.
"So, what is it going to be? Will you come with me or do I have to force you?" Henry asked coldly.
Mia glanced at her mother, and her mother shook her head, "Don't go with him, Nessa. Let him do his worst to us. We are not going to stand back and let him hurt you again. I won't," her mother said passionately, pulling Mia to stand behind her.
Mia's heart raced, but she remembered Harry's words: Don't panic. Go along with his plan.
"Don't worry, mom. I have to go with him," Mia said but her mother shook her head.
"No. Don't. You shouldn't worry..."
"I will go with him, Mom. I want to. Don't worry about me," Mia said, squeezing her mother's hand, while Henry smiled triumphantly.
"Good choice," he said as he stepped aside and gestured for her to go through the door.
"Don't worry," Henry replied with a chilling calmness. "You will hear all about it from your prison. Get down." He ordered as he got out of the car with the car keys.
Mia closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down and remember that Harry and Tom had her back, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake off the fear.
Before Mia could calm herself, Henry opened her door, grabbed her arm, and dragged her out of the car. She struggled, her feet digging into the ground, but his grip was ironclad.
He yanked her by her hair, forcing her to stumble and nearly fall, her scalp burning from the pain as he dragged her inside.
The asylum's interior was even worse than its exterior. The air was thick with the scent of mildew and neglect. Dim lights flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows on the crumbling walls. The sound of their footsteps echoed ominously through the empty halls.
Henry pushed her through a series of corridors, each more decayed than the last until they reached the final room down the hall.
Unlike the rest of the building, the room seemed to have been renovated recently. Inside, two men and a lady stood waiting.
The moment Henry pushed Mia into the room, he frowned when he saw the unfamiliar faces, "Who are you? Where's Ramsey?" Henry barked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
They exchanged glances, and then the leader of the group stepped forward. "Ramsey got held up. He sent us instead."
Henry's eyes darted around the room, his instincts on high alert. "I've never seen any of you? Why didn't Ramsey call to let me know he was sending new people?" he demanded, his voice low and threatening.
Before the man could respond, a man emerged from behind Henry. In a swift, practiced motion, he jabbed a needle into his neck.
Henry's eyes widened in shock as he tried to turn around, but his body betrayed him. The sedative took effect almost instantly, and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Mia stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. The leader of the group stepped forward, his expression softening slightly as he looked at her.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.
Mia nodded numbly, unable to process what had just happened. "Who are you?" she finally managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.
"We're friends," the man replied. "We're here to help you."
Mia felt a rush of relief, her knees threatening to give way. "Thank you," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
The man nodded and gestured to the others. "I will get her out of here and get rid of his car. Tie him up," he added, pointing to Henry's limp form.
As they led her out of the asylum, Mia felt a mix of gratitude and hope. Once again, Tom and Harry had proved that she could put her complete trust in them.
She had no idea what was going to happen next, or what they planned to do to Henry, but she didn't care. He had walked right into his own trap so whatever happened to him was what he deserved.
All she cared about now was the fact that she was safe now. That was all that mattered. She could finally escape Henry's grasp for good.
Hello, dearest readers!
After thinking about it for some time, I’ve decided that Jamal and Dawn’s story will be Volume 2 instead of starting a new book for them.