Chapter 13

• The clock on the wall ticked softly, marking the passing hours in the stillness of the house. In the dim light filtering through the window, Aria lay on the bed, her body trembling with frustration. The handcuffs clinked against the bedpost as she shook the mattress, trying to make enough noise to alert her captors. Her mouth was taped shut, preventing her from screaming, but she was desperate.
• In the living room, Zander lay sprawled on the sofa, his eyes closed, lost in a deep sleep. The whiskey from earlier had lulled him into a heavy slumber, his breathing slow and steady. Deniel, oblivious to the commotion, was snoring softly on the other side of the room, completely unaware of the chaos unfolding just a few feet away.
• Suddenly, a muffled sound broke through the silence, reaching Zander's ears. He stirred, his eyes fluttering open as he squinted into the darkness. The faint sound of the bed creaking and the clinking of metal pulled him from his dreams. He glanced over at Deniel, who was sleeping soundly, completely undisturbed by the noise.