Dear ex-Wife please be mine again

Chapter 168

Christiana’s POV.

I paced the length of the hotel suite, clutching my phone so tightly I thought it might crack. My chest felt heavy, like something was pressing down on me, making it hard to breathe. My tears wouldn’t stop falling, dripping onto the phone as I dialed number after number. Every call seemed to end the same way…no answers, no leads, no hope.

“Please, God,” I whispered shakily, rubbing my forehead with my free hand. “Please, just let them be safe.

I dialed the police station again, my fingers trembling. The officer on the other end sounded tired, uninterested, like this was just another case in their endless pile of work.

“We’re doing all we can, ma’am,” he said, his tone too calm for my liking.

“That’s not good enough!” I snapped, my voice breaking. “You need to do more! My children are out there….God knows where….and you’re telling me to wait until morning to question Bianca? Are you serious?!”

“We understand your frustration, ma’am, but we can’t act without…”

I hung up before he could finish. I couldn’t take the calm, almost robotic way he spoke. My kids were missing, and I felt like I was the only one losing my mind over it.

My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the edge of the bed, burying my face in my hands. My sobs were silent, but they wracked my entire body. It was too much. The thought of Ethan and Emma somewhere alone, scared, or worse… dead. I couldn’t even finish the thought without feeling like I was going to break apart completely.

The phone buzzed in my hand, and I nearly dropped it. Seeing Alex’s name on the screen brought a wave of relief, but it was quickly swallowed by the weight of everything else. I swiped to answer.

“Alex,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Christiana, have you heard anything?” His voice was strained, almost unrecognizable.

“No,” I choked out. “Nothing. The police… they’re useless. They’re saying they’ll bring Bianca in tomorrow. Tomorrow, Alex! Tomorrow might be too late!”

“I know,” he said, his voice quieter now, like he was trying to keep me calm. “I’ve called in every favor I can think of. People are looking for them, Christiana. We’ll find them.”

His words should have reassured me, but they didn’t. I could hear the worry in his voice, the same fear I was drowning in. “What if-” I couldn’t finish the sentence. My voice cracked, and the tears came harder.

“They’re going to be okay,” Alex interrupted firmly. “We’re going to find them, I swear to you.”

I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see me. “You don’t know that, Alex. You don’t. What if they’re hurt? What if they’re crying right now, calling for me, and I’m not there? I’m their mother! I should have been there! This is my fault!”

“Don’t do that,” he said, his voice hardening. “This isn’t your fault, Christiana. None of this is. Focus on the kids, not blaming yourself.”

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, sniffling. “I can’t even think straight, Alex. I haven’t eaten, I haven’t-”

“Stop,” he said quickly. “Don’t do that to yourself, You need to stay strong for them, okay? They need their mom to hold it together right now.”

I didn’t reply. My throat was too tight, my chest too heavy.

“Christiana, I mean it. Promise me you’ll eat something. Even if it’s just water. You can’t fall apart.”

“I’ll try,” I mumbled, knowing full well I wouldn’t.

“I’ll call you back,” he said after a pause. “Stay by your phone.”

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When the call ended, I tossed the phone onto the bed, staring blankly at the wall. The suite was too big, too quiet, too empty. I thought I’d feel safe here, but all it did was remind me how alone I was.

I picked up my phone again and scrolled through my contacts, trying to think of someone else I could call. Someone who might have answers.

A knock at the door made me jump, my heart racing. I rushed to open it, only to find one of the hotel staff standing there with a tray.

“Room service, ma’am,” she said with a polite smile.

“I didn’t order anything,” I said quickly, my voice sharper than I intended.

“It’s complimentary,” she explained. “A light meal and some tea. The gentleman you’re staying with requested it for you.”

Alex.

I nodded and took the tray, closing the door without another word. The smell of the food hit me, and my stomach churned. I hadn’t eaten all day, but the idea of putting anything in my mouth made me feel sick.

I set the tray on the table and sat down, staring at it. The tea was steaming, the food arranged neatly on the plate, but it all looked like nothing to me.

Tears filled my eyes again, and I clenched my fists, willing myself to stop.

“Mommy’s coming for you,” I whispered to no one. “I promise, Ethan. Emma. Mommy’s coming.”

The phone rang again, and I snatched it up, hoping for news. It was Alex.

“Alex?”

“Still nothing,” he said, frustration clear in his voice. “But I’m not giving up. Neither are you.”

“Okay,” I whispered, my voice shaky.

“We’re going to find them, Christiana. Do you hear me?”

“Yes,” I lied, wiping at the fresh tears on my cheeks.

When the call ended, I set the phone down and leaned back in the chair, staring at the untouched food in front of me. My hands were trembling again, and I clenched them into fists to stop it.

The night stretched on, and the suite felt colder, darker. Every second felt like an hour, every silence like a scream. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t wait.

My babies were out there somewhere, and I was stuck here, useless.

The phone buzzed on the table, the vibration rattling the tray of untouched food. My stomach twisted as I grabbed it, hoping for news from Alex or the police. But the screen didn’t show a name or number…just “Private Number.”

My heart sank.

I hesitated for a moment, then opened the message.

13:49 Mon, Dec 16 G.

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‘I have your kids. If you want to see them again, come by yourself. Tell anyone, including their father, and you’ll never see them again.

My breath caught, and the phone almost slipped out of my hand A cold wave of panic shot through me, my entire body trembling. I read the message again, hoping I’d misunderstood, but the words burned into my mind.

I typed back quickly, my fingers shaking so badly I could barely hit the right keys.

‘Please don’t hurt them. I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt them?

The response came almost immediately.

‘Answer the call.’

And then, before I could even process it, my phone started ringing again. The private number. My chest tightened as I hit the green button and held the phone to my ear.

“Hello?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You better hurry up and come tonight,” a deep, gravelly voice said. It sounded like an old man, but something about it felt off. It was too distorted, too unnatural. “We have some scores to settle, you and me.”

“Please, just let my kids go,” I begged, tears streaming down my face. My voice cracked as I spoke, desperation spilling out of me. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just tell me where to go.”

“You’re not in a position to make demands,” the voice snapped, cold and unforgiving. “You’ll come alone. No police, no father. Just you. If I see anyone else, you’ll never see them again.”

“I won’t tell anyone, I swear!” I cried, clutching the phone so tightly it hurt. “Please, don’t hurt them!”

“Drive to the old highway,” the voice said, ignoring my pleas. “Take it all the way to the end. Stop at the first clearing you see Leave your car there, and you’ll be picked up.”

“What if—”

“Do not test me,” the voice growled. “You want your kids, don’t you?”

“Yes!” I shouted, my tears falling harder now. “Yes, I’ll come! Just don’t hurt them. Please.”

There was silence on the other end, then a low, humorless chuckle. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“Tick tock, Mommy. Don’t keep me waiting.

The line went dead, and I dropped the phone onto the table, staring at it like it might explode. My hands were shaking, my entire body trembling as dread spread through me like wildfire.

My babies. Ethan. Emma.

I couldn’t think about anything else. I couldn’t let fear paralyze me. Whoever this was, whatever they wanted, I had to face it. For my kids.

I wiped my face quickly, sniffing as I forced myself to my feet. My legs felt like jelly, but I couldn’t afford to fall apart now. I grabbed my coat, my car keys, and my phone.

As I looked in the mirror, I caught sight of my reflection….my tear–streaked face, red–rimmed eyes, and trembling lips. I looked nothing like the strong mother my kids needed right now but I couldn’t let that stop me.

“You can do this,” I whispered to myself, gripping the edge of the counter to steady myself. “You have to do this.”

5

C

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I stuffed my phone into my bag and hurried out of the suite, my heart pounding so hard it hurt.

The elevator ride down felt like an eternity, and by the time I reached the parking lot, my hands were slick with sweat. Sliding into the driver’s seat, I started the engine and gripped the steering wheel, trying to calm the storm raging inside me.

As I drove onto the dark, deserted highway, every sound seemed amplified, the hum of the engine, the crunch of gravel under the tires, even the faint rustle of the trees in the wind. The road stretched endlessly ahead, the dim headlights barely piercing the thick shadows.

My mind raced with every horrible possibility. Were they crying Were they scared? Were they hurt? Or worse…

I shook my head violently, forcing those thoughts away. I couldn’t go there. I had to believe they were okay. I had to.

The directions were clear, but the further I drove, the heavier the fear pressed on my chest. My hands gripped the wheel so tightly they ached, and my breathing came in short, shallow gasps.

Finally, I spotted a clearing on the side of the road. It was just as the voice had described. My heart sank even lower as I slowed the car to a stop, the tires crunching against the gravel.

I turned off the engine, sitting in silence for a moment as the reality of what I was doing sank in. My hands trembled as I reached for the door handle, my mind screaming at me to run, to turn back, to call for help.

But I couldn’t.

My kids needed me.

I stepped out into the cold night, the wind biting at my skin. The silence was deafening, broken only by the distant rustle of leaves and the pounding of my heart in my ears.

I stood by the car, clutching my phone in one hand, waiting. Every second felt like an hour, and the longer I stood there, the more the fear twisted in my gut.

“I’m here,” I whispered to the darkness, tears spilling down my cheeks. “I’m here. Please, just give me back my babies.”