SOPHIA'S POV*
I wimped and muffled as my mouth was sealed with duct tape. I already had trickles of sweat all over my face and neck, I had only been this frightened and terrified once, six years ago.
He cowardly came over to where I was tied to a chair, placed one of his fingers on his lips, gesturing to me to keep quiet. He then pulled off the duct tape and I inhaled deeply.
"What do you want? What do you want from me?" I gasped for air and asked.
"I am supposed to keep you here, I don't know anything else," he said and went to take his seat right in front of me.
"Why keep me here? Who is keeping me here? I need to get home please" I asked and pleaded, every breath heavy.
He came back to me and sealed off my mouth with duct tape again, then went back to his seat and kept mute, his hands shaky.
I just wanted all of this nightmare to end, I had no idea who would want me kidnapped and kept here for whatever reason.
*********************************
Bran and Pierre finally arrived at the location where it showed that Sophia's phone was. Bran immediately got out of the car and stood in front of what seemed like an abandoned warehouse.
Pierre got out of the car too and wondered why Sophia's phone could be located here of all places. Bran switched on the flashlight of his phone and found his way into the warehouse while Pierre followed him from behind.
The man in black still sat there but the moment he heard sounds from the entrance, he suddenly stood from the chair. He was quite skeptical about going further to check what could be making those sounds or just staying back and letting whatever it was pass by.
Before he could finish deliberating, Bran and Pierre appeared, Bran flashed his flashlight against his face and caused him to fall back as he tried to cover his eyes.
The flashlight flashed against Sophia's tired eyes as she quickly sprung back to consciousness and saw the man in black withdrawing from two figures whom she didn't see clearly.
Her instincts immediately kicked in and she started murmuring and making noises by moving herself and the chair.
Bran noticed this and flashed his flashlight towards Sophia's direction and on seeing Sophia, he hurried off past the man in black who didn't know what else to do, to where Sophia was tied to a chair.
"I don't know who she is! I was just following orders!" He yelled out and raised his hands up as a gesture to surrender.
He was clearly forced and threatened under some circumstances to kidnap Sophia and keep her in the warehouse for a couple of days.
Pierre immediately approached him and pinned him down.
Bran finally got to Sophia's side as he knelt in front of her, his face covered with worry and endearment as he reached out, removed the duct tape slowly and untied her hands.
"Sophia" he softly let out the words and hugged her tightly out of relief.
Sophia's heart which was beating fast, slowly returned to the normal pace when she realized it was Bran who had come to save her.
She burst into uncontrollable tears the moment Bran removed the duct and hugged her.
He briefly released Sophia from his embrace, stood and then lifted her into his arms and she fainted in his arms, oblivious to what was going on around her.
"Find a way and take him to the police" Bran ordered as he carried Sophia out of the warehouse in his arms.
"Yes sir"
Pierre said this, pulled up the man in black by his collar from the floor and pushed him forward to the car he used to kidnap Sophia.
Bran finally got to his car, opened the front seat while still carrying Sophia, sat her on the seat and buckled her up.
He walked fast to the driver's seat, got in and drove out of the premises straight to a hospital.
Pierre tied up the man in black and pushed him into the backseat of the car, sat in front and drove straight to the police station to report the case.
*SOPHIA'S POV*
I felt a slight vibrating sensation in my head as I tried to open my eyes slowly and made contact with a pure white ceiling, the drip line hanging right by my head.
I let out a short sharp gasp as I squinted my eyes and realized it was due to the few stitches on my head. Looking to the right side of the bed, I saw a basket of fruit and a note on the left side of the bed.
I stretched forth my hand, picked up the note and read it. It was a note left by Bran.
"I went to see the doctor, I'll be right back" the note read.
Pulling my strength, I tried to sit up on the bed and just at that moment, the ward door opened and Bran walked in. Upon realizing that I was awake, he hurried to my side.
"You are awake….are you okay? How do you feel?" He bombarded me with multiple questions at once.
"I'm fine...what—what happened to me?" I inhaled a little and let out in a low voice.
Bran stood now, his left hand in his pocket and the right one he used to gently wipe his face.
"I don't know who or why but you were kidnapped Sophia, but not to worry, the abductor is currently at the police station….we should be able to figure out who was behind this," he said and gently rested his right hand on my shoulder.
My tightened chest suddenly felt loose and relaxed, I was saved after all.
"I don't even know how he ended up being the designated driver I requested" I pondered, my eyes moving side to side trying to figure out how.
"You don't have to worry about anything as of now, let the cops handle the case okay? All you have to do now is to rest and recuperate" Bran said with ease as I looked at him.
"Let me make a phone call, I'll be outside if you need anything," he said.
He turned and was about to leave the ward.
"Bran" I muttered and held onto his pinkie finger subconsciously.
He turned around, quite surprised that I had called him out and held onto his finger, his yearning eyes pierced mine.
"Thank you," I said in a low tone and immediately looked away to avoid being mesmerized by his yearning eyes.
He let out a soft smile and gently squeezed my hand as a sign of acceptance of my gratitude.
He did this and then walked out of the ward while I stared at the door even after he had gone out.
******************************
*BRAN'S POV*
I stepped out of the ward where Sophia was and immediately made a call to Pierre.
"How is it going over there?" I asked, my mind all over the place but my eyes still fixated on the door to Sophia's ward.
"The cops have been questioning him but he keeps saying the same thing, he claims he was threatened and forced to kidnap Mrs Garner, sir"
"Then he should be able to provide the name of whoever threatened him into kidnapping my wife," I said this and hung up the call.
Pierre succeeded in filing the case and the man in black was jailed for a time being. The head cop handed over Sophia's phone which was found in the trunk of the car to Pierre and he took his leave with it.
I took the elevator to the ground floor and waited at the reception for Pierre.
After a short while, Pierre arrived at the hospital with Sophia's phone and a report about the case file.
"Here you go sir," he said and handed over the phone and the filing document to me.
"I don't think this was just a random kidnapping" I muttered beneath my hand that was placed over my mouth.
"How do you mean sir?" he asked, his eyes widened with curiosity.
"How would a random designated driver know she visited her family house and would be waiting at the stop after the intersection?" I asked with hopes of an answer or explanation from Pierre.
"He wouldn't have known except he was intercepted right before he was about to go pick her up" his eyes answered with glee.
"Someone must have been watching and tailing her, enough to know she would order for a ride and also which intersection to intercept the driver," I said, my eyes convinced and steady.
"I want you to find the best security detail company and hire two security details for Sophia without delay," I said and stood from where I sat.
"Yes sir"
It suddenly crossed my mind that Sophia was all alone and might end up looking for me, so I decided to go back up to the third floor while Pierre went about with the security details.