18: Taken
The moment Noah spotted Georgia, his face darkened. He grabbed her roughly by the neck and dragged her to a quiet corner. Without warning, he tightened his grip, choking her for a few moments before letting go. Georgia gasped for air but surprised him by laughing through her coughs.
“How dare you play games with me, Georgia?” Noah growled, his voice edged with frustration.
Georgia held up her hands, trying to calm. him. “Relax, Noah. I have a plan. I‘ 11 explain everything later.”
Noah’s jaw clenched as he glared at her.
“You’ve got one last chance, Georgia. If you mess with me again, I swear I‘ 11 choke you to death.” His tone left no room for doubt. He turned sharply and stormed off, leaving her standing there.
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1/8
994
18: Taken
Later that day, Noah was caught off guard when he saw Eden at work. She was seated at her desk, flipping through papers like it was any normal day.
“What are you doing here?” Noah asked, walking up to her. “You need to be resting. You just got out of the hospital.”
Eden shrugged without looking at him.
“The house was too quiet. Too boring. I needed to get out and clear my head.”
Noah sighed, shaking his head. “You‘ re impossible, you know that? Fine. If you‘ re going to be here, let‘ s at least grab lunch together. You could use a break.”
Eden hesitated but then nodded. “Alright, sure.”
At lunchtime, they both headed to the cafeteria. They sat across from each other, eating quietly, the tension easing a little. Noah even managed to crack a small smile at something Eden said. For a moment, things almost felt normal–until Keith
100% 12-13
2/8
18: Taken
barged in.
He looked furious, storming straight toward them, and Georgia trailed closely behind. Keith’s voice was sharp and accusing as he pointed at Eden.
“What the hell is a married woman doing here, sitting with another man?” His words dripped with anger. “Didn‘ tI make myself clear? I put a restraining order on you two–you‘ re not supposed to be seen together!”
Noah leaned back in his chair, unbothered. He smirked, his voice full of sarcasm.
“Oh, look who’s talking. You‘ re the only one allowed to put restraining orders. on people? What about you, Keith? Here you are, dragging Georgia everywhere you go. You two are practically attached at the hip. And yet, you‘ re here yelling about Eden and me? Pathetic.”
Keith’s face reddened, and before anyone could stop him, he threw a punch. It landed hard on Noah‘ s jaw, sending him
100% 12-13
3/8
18: Taken
stumbling backward. Eden gasped, jumping to her feet as Noah wiped a bit of blood from his mouth.
Keith’s voice rang out, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. “From this moment on, you‘ re banned from stepping foot in this building. My company will no longer work with yours. Do you hear me, Noah?”
Noah chuckled bitterly as he stood up, his jaw already bruising. “Oh, I saw that coming,” he said, brushing off his suit jacket. Then he turned to Eden, his expression softening. “Take care of yourself.” With that, he walked away, leaving silence in his wake.
Eden turned to Keith, fury boiling inside her “You can’t do this!” She yelled.
Keith didn’t flinch. He stood tall, unmoving, his gaze cold and final.
She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Keith had ended the partnership
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4/8
18: Taken
between their company and Noah’s company. It hit her hard–too hard to stomach anything. Her appetite was gone, and the cafeteria around her seemed suffocating. She left without a word, her mind racing, her thoughts too jumbled to focus on anything else.
Back at the office, she tried to get some work done, but it was useless. The weight of everything was too much. After a while, she decided it was best to leave early and get some rest. Her head was pounding, making it impossible to concentrate. She knew driving was a bad idea, so she called for a taxi.
The ride started off normally, but soon, she realized the driver was taking a different route. Her stomach dropped as the realization set in–this was exactly how it had felt the last time. That sense of dread she couldn’t shake.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked, her voice laced with tension.
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5/8
18: Taken
The driver didn’t respond.
Panic started to creep up her spine. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but she had a sinking feeling. The car swerved, taking another unexpected turn, and her vision blurred. She tried to steady herself, but it was too late.
Her head spun, and her body felt heavy. The realization hit her just as her consciousness started to slip away: she‘ d inhaled something. Toxins.
The world went black.
When she was awake, she found herself in a room that was far too fancy for comfort. It was lavishly decorated, all in shades of soft pink. It didn’t feel like the cold, clinical place she had been before–this was different, almost soothing in a way, but still unsettling.
Before she could gather her thoughts, the door opened. A woman dressed in a maid’s uniform entered, holding a tray of
100% 12:14
6/8
18: Taken
food. She smiled politely at her.
“The boss would like you to eat,” the woman said, her voice smooth and professional.
Before she could ask a single question–like who the “boss” was–the woman was gone, leaving the tray behind.
She eyed the food warily. She couldn’t bring herself to touch it. What if it was laced with poison? No, she couldn’t take that risk. Her mind raced with possibilities, but she couldn’t focus long enough to think clearly. She needed to be alert, needed to stay sharp.
She sat on the edge of the bed, waiting. She didn’t know what for, but something told her the answers would come soon. She couldn’t let her guard down.
Then, she heard it–a soft creak from the door. Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly stood, tense, waiting for the door to open fully.
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7/8
18: Taken
And when it did, she froze.
The last person she expected to see walked in.
He stood there casually, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “How are you doing? You don’t want to eat?” he asked, his tone light, almost mocking.
She stared at him, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and rage. Her chest tightened, and before she could stop
herself, the words tumbled out, louder than she intended.
“What am I doing here? Did you kidnap me?!” she exclaimed, the mix of confusion and anger overwhelming her.
