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Chapter Two

Kisara loved her job as a Personal Shopper. Not only did it pay well, but her hours were quite flexible as she spent her time creating individual looks for each of her clientele. And despite being employed by the department store, she was her own boss organising her schedule in accordance to her clients needs. This gave her plenty of wiggle room to ensure that her time mostly synced with her workaholic boyfriend's whom she'd met a little over two years ago. Even now the memory of him nervously asking her out still brought a smile to her face.

Never had she expected to be invited to dinner as she advised the high profiled CEO on his choice of Issey Miyake attire. It had been just too unreal. They were of completely different worlds; him of wealth and power, and her… well, she came from a background that could only be described as 'working class'. Not that she was ever ashamed of her roots or the fact she'd worked damn hard for what little she had, but because he could have had the pick of ANY girl he wanted and he'd chosen HER. Why?

She'd once questioned him on the very matter and was told that it was 'Destiny' accompanied by an extremely smug,- and slightly alcohol intoxicated,- grin. Whether or not he'd been serious or playfully mocking her with such a response, she didn't query. There was no reason to. In her heart she loved him and although he hadn't said it aloud she knew he loved her in return. Something about the way his face lit up as though she was the sun at the centre of his universe made her heart soar each time they were together. It was a feeling she never wanted to let go and prayed that it wouldn't ever abandon her as long as they were together. Would that be forever? She sure hoped so.

"Do you fancy something Spanish?" Seto asked as his voice sounded out from the cellphone pressed up to Kisara's ear. "Sant Pau or Cicada's perhaps?"

"No, I'm not in the mood for either of those." She responded to his restaurant suggestions for later that evening. "How about that Peruvian place that we haven't tried yet?"

"I still don't see what's wrong with a good steakhouse. Why do you two always pick somewhere fancy?" Mokuba's voice came down the line which indicated that the speakerphone was obviously in use as she conversed with her boyfriend in their Kaiba Corp office. No doubt Seto was probably busy working as they spoke and his brother occupied in some other manner, most likely spinning around on his chair if she had to guess.

"Bepocah's it is then." Seto confirmed without so much as a verbal response to his brother's comment, though Kisara could clearly envision him having rolled his eyes. "I'll pick you up at six."

"Okay, I'll see you then." Kisara confirmed before quickly adding, "Oh, and just one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"I love you Seto." Ever since her boss had lost their fiancee to cancer several months back, Kisara made sure to tell her boyfriend she loved him at every opportunity she got. Life could be cruel and unpredictable. If something bad were to happen to her, she wanted him to know how she felt so that there wouldn't ever be any doubt regarding the feelings she'd had for him.

"Ditto." He replied before ending the call. It hurt a little not to hear him say the same thing back, but she wouldn't admit it, nor would she force him to say it. He'd do so in his own time, she'd just have to remain patient.

The streets she was walking down were becoming more and more crowded as a parade or protest of some kind caused several road closures to Kisara's usual route. Fed up of the bumping and shoving of the inconsiderate people that went by, she aimed to find an alternative route into the city centre.

As Kisara went to select the map on her phone her work inbox opened. For a moment she abandoned the current task at hand as a client was in dire need of her expertise. Still with people knocking her as they past, she began to compose a reply e-mail...

... That was as much as Kisara could remember. Laying in the terrifying darkness of her blindfolded vision, she desperately tried to recall what had led to this point but failed to uncover all details of what had happened. The only thing she was certain of was that she'd been on her way to work when she had been kidnapped. In broad daylight. How could people not have noticed and intervened? Was anyone aware she was even missing?

The strangers from a few moments ago mentioned taking photos and emailing Seto. Would he come to her rescue? Of course he would, she knew he'd stop at nothing to find her. The question now was, could he find her? And would she still be alive when he did?

Hot tears began to ooze from her eyes only to collect behind the duct tape covering her vision. The gag in her mouth muffled the sobs trying to escape from within and mucus slowly began to drip from her nose. It was hard not to think of the worst happening to her given the situation that she was in.

Once Kisara's distraught had been briefly dispelled she focused on attempting to get free and away from her captors. I have to at least try to get myself out of here. She told herself as she struggled with the tape wrapped around her wrists and hands... But it was no good. It had been wound too tight and repeatedly for her to even loosen it.

Next she raised her hands close to her face and tried to remove the gag. No good either, it was tied too tight to shift.

She then tried to peel the strip from across her eyes. It was hard work since her digits were all uncomfortably crushed together and beginning to go numb from the lack of blood circulating in them, but if she continued to persevere then she'd gradually wear away the adhesiveness and have her sight returned.

"Hey, don't do that!" The higher pitched sounding male shouted.

Kisara swiftly turned her head in the direction of the voice and caught a brief glimpse of her kidnappers via the small gap she had made before it flapped closed. The male she assumed to have just spoken was short, wore glasses and had a bowl haircut.

"Shit! Do you think she saw us?" The other male she'd seen was slightly taller than the first and wore a beanie hat on top of his long shaggy hair.

"I hope not." Glasses replied with a slight tone of panic.

There was the sound of duct tape being pulled from the roll. Another layer was then forcefully added to Kisara's face, resealing the first strip back in place to cover her eyes completely.

"You two shouldn't be in here without me present!" The annoyed female,- whom she hadn't seen,- presumably just entered the room.

"Relax, we're just going to cuff her to the bed frame as the boss instructed." Beanie Hat snapped back. "It's not like we're going to rape her or anything… at least not yet."

His voice sent a chill down Kisara's spine and she unintentionally let out a muffled cry of terror from the thought of him trying to have his way with her.

"Look what you've done!" The woman sounded even more annoyed with the male. "Your disgusting taunt is causing her unnecessary trauma! Just cuff her and get out!"

A moment later Kisara felt herself grabbed by two pairs of hands as the tape binding her wrists was cut. Before she had the chance to thrash at the men, her arms were simultaneously pulled above her head and fixed in place on the metal frame so that they were spread wide at either side of her. Why? Why are they doing this to me?

"Can't we just cop a quick feel?"

"OUT!" The woman roared at hearing Glasses' sickening request.

After a grumbling protest from the two men, the room door slammed shut. Kisara's heart anxiously pounded in her chest as she lay there defenceless and completely at the mercy of her captors. Was she alone once more, or had the woman remained behind?

Her question was soon answered as a soft female voice spoke to her. "I know you're scared, but trust me when I say that no harm will come to you. All we want is the ransom money. Once it's paid, you'll be free to go. That's a promise."

The gag was now removed to allow Kisara the chance to talk. "Who are you and why are you doing this?" She demanded in the most threatening tone that she could muster.

"You may call me M. The others you don't need to know. Their contact with you will be minimal and they will never be left alone with you. As for why this is happening… I'm afraid that I'm not permitted to say."

"Not permitted or not willing to say?"

There was silence for a moment before M next spoke. "You sound just like him."

"Like who?"

"Like Seto of course. Demanding and challenging what's said to try and create the illusion of confidence in a situation were you have none... You're definitely his woman."

Kisara froze for a moment. There weren't that many people allowed the privilege of calling her boyfriend solely by his first name, and even fewer that knew of the reasons why he behaved like he did. Her brows narrowed with suspicion. "WHO are you?"

"I told you, I'm M. That's all you need to know."