Chapter 4
Telling Tiffany I lost my wallet and was going to the police station wasn’t entirely an excuse. My documents were important.
Stepping into the police station, that persistent, chilling sensation finally receded slightly. The officer on duty, Detective Miller, was patient.
He took my statement and said he would keep an eye out for my wallet. But for a wallet lost on the street, the chances of recovery were slim to none.
“Don’t worry too much, young lady. But it’s best if you report your bank cards stolen first. We can help you with a new ID,” Detective Miller said.
But my real purpose went beyond that.
I told the police everything about Tiffany’s situation, from that ridiculously suspicious marriage video to the so-called enclave leaders and polyandry.
As I spoke, I handed Detective Miller screenshots of Tiffany’s Ins posts.
At first, Detective Miller thought it was just another common catfishing scam. But as he listened, his expression grew increasingly serious. By the time I finished, he immediately connected it to several recent disappearances of young women.
“The pattern is too similar. They all use online romance or high-paying jobs as bait, and the victims disappear completely within days of arriving at a border city.
We suspect there’s a well-organized cross-border crime syndicate at play,” he said.
Hearing that, my heart sank.
In my previous life, I was merely a victim. This time, only now did I truly glimpse how deep this rabbit hole went.
“Ms. Reid, the information you’ve provided is incredibly important. Your cousin is in danger right now; she might even be an accomplice to these people.”
“We need your cooperation. This is a chance to take them all down.”
“Take this micro-tracker. If they forcibly take you away and imprison you, find a way to leave the tracker behind. We’ll use its location to launch a rescue operation.”
Detective Miller looked at me, his expression grave. “This process will be extremely dangerous. Are you willing?”
“I am,” I replied without a moment’s hesitation.
This wasn’t for Tiffany. It was for myself, who had died so tragically in my past life, and for all the innocent girls like Tiffany who had been lured into hell.
By the time I left the police station, it was completely dark.
Walking home, that chilling gaze reappeared. My heart pounded, and my palms were slick with cold sweat.
As I approached a street corner, I hardened my resolve.
I suddenly sprinted a few steps, then ducked and hid in the nearby bushes. I held my breath, staring intently at the corner.
Rapid footsteps grew louder, approaching from afar.
Closer and closer!
It was him!
My heart was practically leaping out of my throat.
Just as the person was about to appear, a little boy on a scooter shot out from around the corner, shouting, “Avengers assemble!”
The rapid footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
I paused, confused. Had I… been too nervous?
I waited a little longer in the corner, but no one else passed by, and the chilling sensation on my back vanished. I let out a breath of relief, chuckled self-deprecatingly, and hurried home.
Maybe I was just overthinking things.
However, the very next morning, reality slapped me hard in the face.
I was about to leave for work. The moment I pulled the door open a crack, several unfamiliar faces blocked my way.
They were all burly, their eyes hostile, reeking of stale cigarettes, alcohol, and menace.
My heart jumped, and I instinctively tried to close the door.
“Bang!”
A foot firmly wedged in the doorframe. Before I could even scream, a knife pressed against my waist.
I was paralyzed with fear by the sudden turn of events, forced back into my apartment.
“What do you want?” I heard my voice tremble.
The leader of the men grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. “What do we want?”
“Of course, we’re taking you to Miss Tiffany’s wedding.”
His words instantly sent a chill through me.
It was Tiffany! She had actually hired people to kidnap me! My mind went blank.
Before I could react, a towel reeking of acrid chemicals was clapped over my mouth and nose.
In the last second before darkness claimed me, I thought I saw a glint of reflected light behind the man.
When I woke again, I found my eyes blindfolded. My mouth was tightly sealed with tape, allowing only muffled sounds to escape.
My hands and feet were bound with rough rope, and any slight movement caused my wrists to burn with pain.