Chapter 307
Ann’s POV An Apartment
A week had passed since they brought me here to this apartment.
Now I was able to talk to them without being petrified and recognized them as well.
I had been seeing nightmares since I came here, and they wouldn’t stop.
I knew I was safe and everyone, Jonathan included, kept on telling me not to blame myself.
But the nightmare wouldn’t leave me.
The moment I would close my eyes, I would see Veronica being dragged away by the men.
I should be relieved to be safe, but guilt was overpowering me.
“Doctor, I’m ready to tell,” I said as the boys had been avoiding me for the past few days.
Jonathan, John and Smith sat across from me as I exhaled.
“Veronica had completed her work, so we were on our way back home p>
“I noticed a black sedan following us p>
“I tried to lose it, but soon soon a swarm of cars surrounded us p>
“Before we could figure out what’s going on, they blocked the car p>
“I had to hit on the brakes to stop the car, or we would have flown off the bridge p>
“I tried to reach Veronica, but someone had handcuffed me before I could know p>
“Jonathan, I’m sorry, they were too powerful for me p>
“One of the men, he covered Veronica’s mouth with a handkerchief p>
“Must have been chloroform, she began to weaken after that p>
“The last I saw her was when they forced her into a car p>
“I saw she tried to break free, but she couldn’t p>
“At first I thought she went elsewhere and I was elsewhere p>
“Even now when I close my eyes, I can see the terror in her eyes p>
Tears rolled down Jonathan’s cheeks.
When I was taken to the abandoned building, I noticed there were containers upon containers layered like rooms.
“The containers are used for goods, but some are made into rooms p>
“I knew Veronica was in one of them, but which one, I can’t say p>
“The reason I was held captive, was because I would go back and tell Veronica was caught, and I tried to escape p>
“But they caught me, saying, ’I knew the truth so I can’t leave p>
“Why were you so petrified,” the doctor finally asked me the dreaded question.
“After the time I tried to escape from there, they took me to a container and would give me electric shocks p>
“Or they would make me sit in a pool of water with electric wires dangling over me p>
“I’d get shocked whenever the wire touched the water p>
“At first, I pleaded I won’t run, to stop them p>
“But one of them said, ’I can’t tell you about Veronica p>
“If not daily, the other day, they would take me p>
“I presume they wanted fear to overtake her heart,” the doctor said.
“If she’d be too frightened to speak, they wouldn’t have to worry about her at all p>
I could see the boys reaction as they realized the torture wasn’t a random torture.
They feared I would tell the truth.
And I also realized I had to recover as I knew Veronica was still waiting for us to save her.
“Is Jonathan trailed off.
“Veronica alive?” I finished his question.
“I can’t say in which state she may be, but yes, she is alive p>
Jonathan had been listening to every word I spoke.
I kept on apologizing the moment I could.
“Ann, don’t blame yourself,” Jonathan said.
“It’s the men who captured you both p>
“They are the ones responsible p>
I wanted to believe him, but I couldn’t stop from blaming myself.
Had I been a little stronger, I could have saved her.
But now I was here safe, and Veronica was still held captive there.
“Let’s make three teams,” Jonathan said.
“We’ll send them one by one, and have them check each container that has the lock p>
“Once we know, we can check and save Veronica without them knowing p>
I wanted to have the same confidence Jonathan had in saving Veronica, but my guilt just wouldn’t leave my heart.
I gave them every detail and clue I could so they could know which container she may be kept in.
“Oh,” I said, recalling. “I heard one of the men say, ’Veronica has to be kept hidden until they get the order p>
“Can I come with you p>
“Ann, coming back is more than enough,” Jonathan said.
“You just get well p>
“Once she comes back, you’ll have to get back to protecting her p>
I forced a smile as I was happy to feel supported, but at the same time, guilt wouldn’t leave me.
“Jonathan,” I said.
“I don’t know why, but one thing I’m certain of is p>
I trailed off a bit.
“They were afraid I’d tell the Veronica at home is a fake one, and that would ruin their plan p>
“So, they made sure I wouldn’t leave p>
“I’m not sure, but it’s not as simple as a ransom kidnap p>
“The duplicate Veronica is the leader p>
I noticed both Jonathan and Smith exchanged a glance.
I felt as if they had a lead.
Did they know who the fake Veronica is?
That’s when I realized how important kidnapping me was for them.
Just then she barged inside, something Veronica would never do.
“How dare you lie here comfortably after all I went through?” She began to accuse me of her kidnapping.
“Jonathan,” she said, grabbing his arm.
“She should be fired as she failed to protect me p>
I stared at her, stunned by her level of cruelty, but then I knew she wasn’t Veronica, but Jonathan?
I noticed his expression hardened on seeing her.
“How did you know she’s here? And how are you talking to her p>
I felt as if she realized her mistake.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean what I said, I was just angry at her p>
“I don’t remember her, but since you appointed her, you must have seen something in her p>
“As for how, sorry, but I followed you p>
Again a thing Veronica would never do.
“Didn’t you forget Ann?” Jonathan asked her again.
“Then how can you accuse her, when you shouldn’t know who she is p>
She paused before answering. It seemed as if the question had unsettled her.
“You remember what happened to you, yet you don’t remember how she did her best to save you p>
“She did?” she said in a very innocent voice.
“I forgot? How could I forget such an important thing p>
“Ann, please forgive me p>