06
1129 Words
Chapter 6
News of Rory and Anthony's wedding spread across the country like wildfire. It was revealed that Rory had been kidnapped and missing for three days, sparking a whirlwind of speculation, including rumors that a syndicate was behind her abduction.
Many claimed that Rory was traumatized and unable to speak. She underwent a physical examination, but nothing unusual was found.
"Mom, why don’t you believe me? They just let me go," Rory pleaded. Samira, showing concern, asked if the kidnappers had threatened her.
Rory felt a warmth in her heart seeing her family so involved in the search for her, but despite their concern, she couldn't provide any details about her captors. First, she didn’t know who they were, and second, her instincts told her that rushing into sharing details could lead to danger, especially since she feared for her family's safety.
While it seemed like Samira was favored, Rory couldn’t say their parents had been entirely bad. Life in the countryside with her grandparents had been pleasant, and she had never been neglected. She had her own room in the mansion, and if Samira hadn’t been sickly, she felt their parents would have given them equal attention.
"Have you sorted everything out?" Samira asked, holding her phone as she stood in front of a fountain, watching the colorful koi fish swim freely.
"Yes, ma'am. Everything is ready. We're just waiting for your signal," came the voice on the other end.
"Make sure your work is clean because you'll the one dead to me if it fails," Samira warned before ending the call, a sweet smile on her face. "I’ll make sure my sister will never forget this birthday."
"Like she'll never forget it for the rest of her life," Samira said, her smile wide.
Samira Alto, the adopted daughter of the Altos, was the daughter of a friend of the Alto head, who had saved her years ago. The Altos owed a significant debt to her father, which led them to adopt her.
At first, she thought her life would be perfect after that. Who wouldn’t want to be the child of one of the wealthiest families in the country? But she soon learned she wasn't the only child.
The biological daughter of the Altos existed, the one who was supposed to be the sole heir. Samira faced a lot of prejudice due to her status as an adopted daughter and Rory’s existence, which fueled her determination to bring Rory down.
"I will take everything, including the position of the eldest daughter of the Altos."
On Rory's birthday, they planned to reschedule the wedding date between Rory and Anthony. The Balthazars were making sure that the bride would be safe and that there would be no issues at the wedding.
Many guests attended the party, and as usual, Anthony was by Rory's side that evening, greeting visitors together.
"They're so sweet. They really suit each other."
Anthony draped his coat over Rory's shoulders. She couldn’t help but smile slightly at his gesture, pretending to appreciate it, even though she didn’t. The long-sleeved gown was heavy, and the added weight of the coat made it feel even heavier.
"Is Grandma coming today?" Samira asked, glancing toward the entrance.
Anthony's expression soured slightly. "Are you waiting for Grandma or that i***t Santino?" he retorted. Rory ignored their argument, acting as if she were invisible, while they openly demonstrated their closeness and concern for each other.
"Here comes the old lady of the Balthazars," one of the guests announced.
Anthony and Samira turned to look at the entrance.
"Oh my, who’s that guy with the old madam?"
"That must be the direct descendant of the Balthazars who’s just come back from abroad," whispered another guest. Rory didn’t bother to look; she felt uncomfortable.
She grabbed a glass and excused herself from Anthony.
"Grandma is here. We need to greet them," Anthony said, taking Rory by the arm. Samira followed closely behind as they walked toward the Balthazars.
The old madam had her back to them, and as Anthony called out to her, she turned with a bright smile to greet Rory.
"Grandma," Rory exclaimed, momentarily releasing Anthony's hand.
As Rory stepped forward, she was startled when someone stepped on her gown.
"Rory!" Anthony shouted. Just before Rory fell, a hand caught her arm and pulled her back.
Rory's drink spilled, and she stood frozen, leaning against the man who had caught her, one of his arms wrapped around her waist.
A chill ran down Rory's spine; the image of her kidnapper flashed through her mind.
"W-what..."
Before she could finish her question, the man leaned in closer, whispering in her ear, "Nice to see you again, sister-in-law."
It was as if cold water had been poured over her. A hand gripped Rory’s arm, pulling her into Anthony’s embrace, who shot a glare at the man who had caught her.
"I appreciate you saving my fiancée, but you don’t need to hug her and get so close," Anthony said, annoyance creeping into his voice. The man lowered his arm slightly and laughed.
"I was just greeting my future sister-in-law. Besides, I just got back from abroad, and this kind of approach is perfectly normal," he replied, glancing at Rory with a wary expression.
"How was I supposed to know you're so conservative?" he added, laughing again. Anthony turned to Rory, asking if she was okay.
"I'm fine," Rory replied, suppressing her amazement at how Santino had just casually brushed against Anthony in a way that made his feel uneasy.
"Anyway," the man continued, moving closer to Santino and Rory. Rory gasped as he reached for the coat draped over her shoulders.
"You spilled wine on my outfit. Give it to me," Santino said.
Anthony protested, stating that the coat belonged to him.
"What’s the big deal? We’re family. As a family, you should learn to share," Santino retorted. The old madam interjected.
"Santi, I’ll have the butler bring you a new suit. You don’t need to take Anthony’s belongings," she said, smiling gently at Santino.
"But Grandma, I like this one," Santino replied, turning to Anthony. Anthony complained, but as usual, his grandmother remained on Santino’s side.
Rory glanced at Anthony, who was now visibly furious. She couldn't believe that Anthony’s cousin was the one who had kidnapped her, the second young master of the Balthazars.
She learned that he was the son of the Balthazar head master and that no one recognized him because he had been raised abroad. This was his first public appearance, and he had decided to settle down just a few days ago.
Rory tightened her grip on her dress and questioned herself, what was this man doing at the party and the man's real identity.
- Writer
