3: Kidnap
Keith and Georgia were now in the hospital room. Georgia was sitting up in bed, her crutches leaning against the wall beside her. Keith stood near her, his arms crossed,
concern etched on his face.
“Are you okay now?” Keith asked softly, his voice filled with guilt.
“I’m fine,” Georgia replied with a small smile, though she winced as she shifted in bed.
Keith sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m so sorry, Georgia. Forgive me for what happened. I don‘ t know what‘ s gotten into Eden. She’s not like that.”
Georgia tilted her head, her brow furrowing. “Keith, it wasn‘ t Eden‘ s fault.”
But Keith shook his head, clearly not convinced. “You don‘ t have to cover for her, Georgia. She shouldn’t have done.
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this to you. Now, look, you‘ re lying in at hospital bed because of her.”
Georgia sighed, leaning back. “It was a mistake, Keith. My crutches fell, and Eden was just trying to help me pick them up. That’s when I fell. It wasn’t her fault.”
Keith blinked, as he realized that he was wrong about Eden. He thought back to the parking lot, to Eden‘ s face when he accused her, when he shoved her out of the way. The memory of her falling and hitting. her head made his stomach churn with
regret.
“I blamed her,” Keith murmured, more to himself than Georgia. “I pushed her… I didn’t even think about how much I might‘ ve hurt her.
“You should apologize,” Georgia said firmly, looking at him. “Go now. Talk to your wife. Fix this.”
Keith hesitated, her emphasis on “WIFE” hanging in the air. He gave her a small nod.
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this to you. Now, look, you‘ re lying in a hospital bed because of her.”
Georgia sighed, leaning back. “It was a mistake, Keith. My crutches fell, and Eden was just trying to help me pick them up. That’s when I fell. It wasn’t her fault.”
Keith blinked, as he realized that he was wrong about Eden. He thought back to the parking lot, to Eden‘ s face when he accused her, when he shoved her out of the way. The memory of her falling and hitting her head made his stomach churn with
regret.
“I blamed her,” Keith murmured, more. to himself than Georgia. “I pushed her… I
didn’t even think about how much I
might‘ ve hurt her.”
“You should apologize,” Georgia said. firmly, looking at him. “Go now. Talk to your wife. Fix this.”
33
Keith hesitated, her emphasis on “WIFE” hanging in the air. He gave her a small nod.
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“I’ll stay with you a little longer. After all, you‘ re getting discharged this evening.”
Later that day, after taking Georgia to her apartment, Keith returned home. The house was quiet, almost too quiet. He called out, “Eden?” but there was no
response.
He frowned. She wasn‘ t home? That didn’t make sense–he had given her leave to rest. Where could she be?
Keith headed upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. When he reached their bedroom, he opened the door and stopped in surprise. Eden was there, sitting on the edge of the bed, her face unreadable.
“You‘ re here,” he said, stepping inside. “Didn’t you hear me calling you? Or did you decide to ignore me?”
Eden didn’t respond immediately. She looked at him briefly, then glanced away.
Keith took a deep breath, deciding not to
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get upset. He had come here to apologize, after all. “Eden, about what happened. earlier-”
But she cut him off before he could finish.
“Take this.”
She handed him an envelope, her expression calm but distant.
Keith frowned, taking it. “What’s this?”
“Open it, you’ll see a resignation letter. And beneath it, a divorce paper.” She said simply.
Keith stared at Eden, shocked by her words. His disbelief deepened as he unfolded the papers in his hand and read them. It wasn‘ t a joke. The resignation. letter was real, and the divorce papers were properly prepared.
“You want a divorce?” he asked, his voice low and tense. “Is this because of how I
behaved earlier? Look, I know I wasn‘ t thinking, and I messed up. I’m sorry, Eden.
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But Eden shook her head, her eyes cold. and unwavering. “It’s not just about that, Keith. What’s the point of staying in a loveless marriage? There’s nothing left. between us.”
Keith frowned, his tone sharpening. “Are you joking right now? Don‘ t be ridiculous, Eden.”
“I’m not being ridiculous,” Eden replied firmly. “We both know this is what you want. Nobody even knows we‘ re married except for our families. Isn’t that proof enough?”
“How do you know what I want?” Keith snapped back. “How do you know this is what we need?”
Eden took a deep breath, her voice trembling with frustration. “What’s the point of staying in a marriage where there’s no love? This is your chance to be with Georgia. Isn’t that what you want?”
Keith scoffed, crossing his arms. “So this
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is what all of this is about? Georgia? If only you could see how jealous you look right. now, Eden.”
Eden‘ s face hardened. “This has nothing to do with jealousy,” she said. “Just sign the divorce papers, Keith. And accept my resignation.”
But instead of responding, Keith tore the papers in half, his movements quick and deliberate. “I’m not signing anything,” he declared.
Eden’s eyes filled with tears. “You‘ re being cruel, Keith. Let me go. Please.”
Keith stepped closer, his voice steady but unyielding. “You don‘ t get to decide the fate of this marriage on your own. I’m the monly one who can do that, and I’m not Tending it.”
Overcome with emotion, Eden turned and ran past him, ignoring his calls as she bolted down the stairs and out the door.
Keith followed her, but she was too fast,
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disappearing into the street before he
could catch up.
Eden arrived at her best friend Becca‘ s place, her tears flowing uncontrollably. Becca opened the door, immediately concerned.
“What happened?” Becca asked, pulling Eden inside.
Eden sobbed as she explained everything- Keith’s actions, the fight, and her
decision to leave him.
Becca clenched her fists, her face red with anger. “That man is unbelievable! How
could he treat you like this? You deserve so much better, Eden.”
Eden wiped her tears and said, “There‘ s more. I found out I was pregnant three days ago.”
Becca‘ s eyes widened. “You‘ re pregnant? And you want a divorce? Eden, what are you thinking? Being a single mother is no joke! Do you really want to go
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bthrough this alone?”
Eden hesitated, the weight of Becca‘ s en words sinking in.
1com
imed
“Honestly,” Becca continued, “I‘ m
lad Keith didn’t sign those papers. Maybe this is a sign you should think aashhings through.‘
After some time and comfort from Becca,
ined Eden felt calmer. She thanked her friend ,and and left, hailing a taxi to go home.
But as the taxi drove, Eden noticed the heroute wasn‘ t familiar. Alarmed, she elieneaned forward. “Where are you going? s? This isn’t the way to my house.”
The driver didn‘ t respond. Instead, he sait reached for something, and before Eden regatould react, he sprayed a mist into the air.
Eden‘ s vision blurred, her limbs growing Yeavy. Panic surged through her, but the dvdarkness came quickly, pulling her under.
When Eden opened her eyes, she didn‘ t
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recognize where she was. The room looked nice, but it felt strange. She quickly touched her stomach, her heart pounding. The baby was still there. She could feel it moving inside her. The panic that had started to rise slowly began to settle, but not completely.
She sat up from the bed, her legs unsteady, and rushed to the door. She pounded on it, trying to get out. “Let me out!” she shouted, her voice breaking.
Then she heard a voice behind her, one she recognized. “If I were you, I wouldn’t waste your time on that door.”
Eden turned around in shock. “Georgia?”
There, sitting calmly on the bed, was her cousin, Georgia. “What are you doing here?” Eden asked, confused and angry.
Georgia didn’t seem worried. “We‘ ve been kidnapped. I hope Keith comes to
rescue us.”
Eden’s chest tightened when she heard
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Keith’s name. She remembered their fight, the papers she‘ d handed him, and how he had refused to sign them. He had just left her, walked away for his ex. Why would he come for her now?
Before she could say anything else, two big men barged into the room. They were rough and cold. They didn’t look at them with any care.
“Get up,” one of them ordered.
Eden and Georgia exchanged a quick look. Neither of them had a choice but to obey. The men roughly blindfolded them and dragged them out of the room. The air felt colder as they were pulled through the hallways. Eden was scared, but she had to stay calm. Her baby was the most. important thing right now.
They were shoved into a cold, dark warehouse. Eden‘ s heart raced, and she
could feel the cold chains around her
wrists. She tried to speak, but the men didn’t listen.
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“What do you want with us?” she asked, her voice shaking.
One of the men only glared at her. “Shut up,” he snapped, and the other didn’t even look her way.
Eden bit her lip, doing her best not to cry. She couldn’t show fear. Not with her baby in danger.
Georgia, who was always more outspoken, yelled at the men. “Don‘ t speak to her like that!”
Just then, Eden heard fast footsteps approaching. She turned and saw Keith running toward them, his face full of tension. He stopped in front of the men and demanded, “Let them go. Now.”
The men laughed darkly. One of them, who seemed to be the leader, shook his head. “You think this is simple?” he said.
Keith’s eyes narrowed. “What do you want with them? I’m here. Let them go. You don’t need them.”
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The leader looked at him and said, “I‘ ve done my research, Keith. One of these women is your wife. The one you don’t love. And the other is your first love, Georgia. The one you still care about.”
Keith’s face twisted in confusion. “What
are you talking about?” he snapped, looking between the two women.
The leader smiled, coldly. “Here’s the deal. You can save one of them. The other one… will die.”
