Chapter 192
Elara’s Pov
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Elara’s hand tightened on the phone so hard she thought the screen might crack.
“Where are my children?”
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Julius laughed, that same easy laugh she remembered from Santorini. “Elara, what are you talking about? I just saw you a few hours ago. You seemed upset so I left but I didn’t think you’d call this late.”
“Cut the bullshit, Julius. I know it was you on the phone. I know you have Alexander and Catherine. Just tell me where they are.”
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“I genuinely have no idea what you’re talking about. Are you feeling okay? Have you gotten any sleep? Maybe the stress is-”
“Stop!” Elara’s voice cracked. “Stop pretending. I heard your voice on the ransom call. Even distorted I recognized it.”
“Ransom call? Elara, I think you need to sit down and breathe. You’re not making any sense.”
Marcus moved closer, his hand on Elara’s shoulder. She could feel everyone in the room watching, waiting to hear what Julius would say next.
“You came to my building tonight,” Elara said, forcing her voice to stay steady. “You asked about my children. You knew their names even though I never told you. You knew they had beds plural like you’d been in our home.”
“We talked in Santorini about your pregnancy. I remember you mentioning twins. As for their names, I must have seen them somewhere. Social media maybe.”
“I don’t have social media. My children aren’t anywhere online.”
“Then perhaps Aurora mentioned them. My sister does love to gossip about Marcus and his new life.”
Elara felt tears of frustration burning in her eyes. “Why are you doing this? What do you want from us?”
“I’m not doing anything except trying to understand why you’re calling me at four in the morning accusing me of crimes I didn’t commit. If your children are missing that’s terrible and I’m sorry, but I had nothing to do with it.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m really not. Elara, I came to your building tonight because I was worried about you. I saw the news about the kidnapping and wanted to offer help. That’s all. If my concern was unwelcome I apologize, but accusing me of kidnapping is-”
Marcus grabbed the phone from Elara’s hand. “Listen to me very carefully, Julius. I don’t know what game you’re playing but it ends now. You have my children and I want them back.”
Chapter 192
95 vouchere
“Mr. Thorne. I understand you’re under tremendous stress but I assure you I have no involvement in your family’s tragedy.”
“Then explain how you knew my children’s names. Explain the timing of your visit. Explain why you’re so calm right now when someone’s accusing you of kidnapping.”
“I’m calm because I’m innocent. And frankly, this conversation is bordering on slander. I came to offer help and now I’m being accused of serious crimes with zero evidence.”
Marcus’s jaw clenched. “We have plenty of evidence. Security footage, voice analysis, witness testimony. You’re going down for this.”
“If you have evidence then take it to the police. I’ll happily cooperate with any investigation because I have nothing to hide.”
“You son of a-”
Elara took the phone back. Her hands had stopped shaking. Something about Julius’s tone, the practiced innocence, the way he was enjoying this conversation, had sharpened her focus.
“Julius,” she said quietly. “I’m begging you. Please don’t hurt them. They’re six months old. They’re babies. Whatever you want, whatever this is about, they don’t deserve to be part of it.”
“Elara, I’m telling you for the last time. I don’t have your children.”
“Then why did you come to my building tonight? The real reason.”
Julius was silent for a moment. When he spoke again his voice had changed, dropped the pretense of concern. “I already told you. I wanted to see how you were handling things.”
“Handling what things?”
“The kidnapping. The fear. The helplessness of not knowing where your babies are or if they’re safe. I wanted to see it up close.”
Elara felt ice flood her veins. “So you admit it. You were there to watch me suffer.”
“I admit I was curious about your state of mind. That doesn’t mean I’m responsible for causing it.”
“You know where they are. I can hear it in your voice.”
“What you hear is exhaustion. It’s four AM and I’m being interrogated about crimes I didn’t commit. I think we should end this conversation before it goes somewhere neither of us want.”
Marcus leaned close to the phone. “If anything happens to my children, if they have so much as a scratch when we find them, I will destroy you. Do you understand me? I will take everything you have and burn it to the ground.”
“Threatening me won’t help you find your kids, Mr. Thorne. If I were you I’d spend less time harassing innocent people and more time working with the police to locate actual leads.”
17:12 Mon, May 11 M
Chapter 192
Elara picked it up with trembling hands and opened the message. It was from Julius’s number.
You want proof I have them? Check your email.
ล
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Dante was already pulling up Elara’s email on his laptop. A new message from an unknown sender had just arrived with an attachment.
“Should I open it?” Dante asked.
“Yes,” Elara whispered.
The image loaded.
It was a photo of Alexander and Catherine sleeping in matching cribs. The lighting was dim but Elara could see they were wearing the same outfits they’d had on at the vow renewal. Catherine had her pink blanket. Alexander was clutching the stuffed elephant Richard had given him.
They looked peaceful. Unharmed. But they were somewhere Elara didn’t recognize, in a room with bare walls and industrial lighting.
At the bottom of the photo, someone had written in digital text: Twenty million. Twelve hours. Wait for instructions.
Elara’s legs gave out and she sank onto the couch. Her babies were alive. They were okay. Julius had them and he was keeping them safe enough to photograph.
Her phone rang again. Julius calling back.
She answered immediately. “I saw the photo.”
“Good. Now you know I’m serious. Twenty million in cash. No police. Instructions coming soon.”
“How do I know you’ll give them back after I pay?”
Julius laughed. “You don’t. But it’s not like you have a choice.”
“Let me talk to them. Let me hear their voices so I know they’re really okay.”
“They’re six months old, Elara. What exactly do you think they’re going to say?”
“I don’t care. I need to hear them. Please.”
There was a long pause. Then Elara heard it.
Alexander crying. That specific pitch that meant he was hungry or uncomfortable but not in pain. And underneath it, Catherine’s softer whimper, the sound she made when her brother’s crying woke her up.
“Satisfied?” Julius asked.
“Don’t hurt them. Whatever happens, whatever I do or don’t do, please don’t hurt my babies.”
17:12 Mon, May 11 M…
Chapter 192
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55 Vouriers
“That depends entirely on you. Follow instructions, give me the money, and you’ll get them back unharmed Deviate from the plan in any way and…” Julius let the threat hang in the air. “Well, I think we both know what happens.”
“I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt them.”
“I know you will,” Julius said. “You’re a good mother. That’s what makes this so easy.”
The line went dead again.
e
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