Annie's eyes bulged as she looked into the face of the man who had scared her more than anyone possibly could. The man that tried to destroy her life. The man that attempted to take her daughter from her. As she pieced it together, it all made sense. When Annie woke up in the back of the mysterious car and the kidnapper was driving with his black ski mask on, he had an unconscious Emma in his lap. Annie lunged forward and grabbed her daughter, yelling at him to stay away from her. The kidnapper, caught by surprise, had pulled over and turned around to face Annie, who tried the doors. They were locked.
"Nothing more like that, okay hon?" he had said with a glare in a voice that was all too familiar. He grabbed Annie by the jaw and looked into her eyes. "You better play nice," he warned. "And do as I tell you."
At that, he smiled devilishly and jumped in the back seat on top of Annie. Emma, still drugged, fell off the seat as Terry's body met Annie's.
"Get off me!" Annie had screamed, tears running down her face.
"Shut up," he warned, slapping her across the face. He paused for a moment, then reached into the front seat for something and before Annie knew it, there was a cloth over her mouth and she drifted into unconsciousness.
That was all him. The man in the mask. It was Terry. Annie could barely wrap her head around it. Her breathing became staggered and rapid. Emma looked at Annie.
"Mommy, is that daddy…?" Emma whispered. Terry, hearing her, took a couple steps forward.
"That's right, Emma," he said. "I'm your daddy. I missed you so much."
"He's not your daddy, Emma!" Annie said urgently, pulling her daughter closer to her before she could run to the man who Annie once called her husband. "Stay away from him…he's a bad man. Emma, Ryan is your daddy, not this man." Annie turned to Terry, holding her confused daughter tightly in her arms. "You're supposed to be dead."
"Well, what kind of greeting is that? What about an 'I missed you'? What about 'oh, thank God you're alive, Terry'?" He took another step closer to them, now only inches away. Annie stood up, protecting Emma behind her and meeting Terry's eyes.
"How?" Annie asked. Terry let out a laugh.
"You know…I knew you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Between my brother and I, that is." He took another step closer. "Twins, remember?"
"Oh my God…" Annie whispered, her jaw dropped. "That was…that was your brother? Your brother died, and all this time you were…" Her voice trailed off. Terry glided a cold finger down Annie's cheek.
"You were always so smart," he said with a scary smile. Annie jerked her head away. Terry grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to face him. He shook her at every syllable of his words. "You're not getting out of here. You don't deserve it!" He glared at her for a moment, then reached behind her and grabbed Emma's arm. Annie and Emma both let out a scream.
"NO! Let go of her!" Annie shrieked, trying to push past Terry's strong hands.
"Mommy!" Emma cried. She struggled, making it hard for Terry to restrain her. He scooped her into his arms.
"Alright then," he reasoned. "Let's allow your mommy to choose. Who's first?"
"For what?" Annie sneered under her breath.
"I think you know what," Terry said with a smile. Annie's jaw dropped.
"No. No, you're not. You're not touching my daughter!" She took another lunge to grab Emma, but Terry stopped her with a sickening laugh.
"I guess that means you're first. But guess what, Emma?" He looked at the little girl, his eyes wide. "You get to watch."
"Uncle Adam," Scott called as he entered the mansion. "Uncle Adam!" Adam Chandler and his daughter Colby came running downstairs.
"What is it? Is it about Annie?" Adam asked urgently. "Please tell me they found her and Emma." Scott shook his head regrettably.
"It's not that," he said. "I just got back from the police station. They found the car. Annie's car was parked in the parking lot at Emma's school."
"So she somehow got a hold of another car," Colby said without thinking, getting an instant glare from both Adam and Scott.
"You can hold your tongue, Colby," Adam scolded her. "Whatever your feelings for Annie are, this proves that someone took her. She's your stepmother, goddammit!"
Adam paused, his nephew and daughter both surprised at his outburst. His eyes watered a bit.
"I'm sorry, dad," Colby said softly. She went upstairs. Adam stepped forward to face Scott.
"Please don't tell me you feel the same way she does," he said. Scott shook his head.
"No…if I know Annie, she's changed. She was messed up back then. And she loves you, Uncle Adam. Even if she did want to run away with Emma, she would never leave you. And I don't think she would run away with Emma. Why leave all she has here?"
Adam paused, pondering this thought, then smiled with a nod of thanks. "It must be ransom, then," he determined. Scott nodded in agreement.
"That's what Jesse is thinking, too."
"I will pay any sum," Adam mumbled. "Anything. I'll give away this entire house, my entire enterprise…anything to get her and her daughter back."
