Chapter 199

Her voice cracked at the end—barely audible but real.

Berat stared at her for a few seconds longer before pushing open the door.

As he stepped out into the cold night air, the clouds above finally broke, releasing a soft drizzle.

He looked down at the map in his hand.

“Hang in there, Ayleen,” he whispered. “We’re coming.”

***

The cold concrete scraped against Ayleen’s skin as she was dragged through the dimly lit hallways. Her wrists ached from the harsh grip of the sleazy man pulling her along. She kicked and thrashed, but her weakened state made her efforts futile.

“Let me go!” she cried, her voice hoarse from days of screaming. The man just tightened his hold.

Stairs loomed ahead, steep and cracked. With each jerk forward, panic surged in her chest—not just for herself, but for the life growing inside her. She instinctively wrapped an arm around her belly, cradling it as best as she could.

“Move!” the man barked, yanking her f