Mike Richard’s office reeked of dread.

The air conditioning hummed faintly in the background, a cold contrast to the heat rising under his skin. He stood motionless before the large glass window that overlooked the city skyline, his eyes unseeing. His phone clattered onto his desk moments ago after the ransom call ended. Now, silence hung like a shroud, pierced only by the pounding of his heart.

He clenched his jaw, his hands balled into fists. Every second ticked closer to a potential death. Isabella was still alive—barely. But Ryan had made it crystal clear: if Mike didn’t meet his demands, he’d send her back in pieces. Worse, he’d made...