Nobody suspected Arthur of being a stalker or kidnapper because of his shy and friendly personality. From an onlooker’s perspective, he seemed very likable with his easygoing smile, the dimple that always attracted women, and the grey eyes that drew people in, making them want to trust him. He was what everyone assumed a nice, respectable man would look like. There were only a few short-term living accommodations in the area, so the group easily narrowed Arthur’s hiding place down to one building. And because of the data they uncovered about him, nobody flinched when they found him hiding in a hotel that was not so reputable. The hotel was known as a themed hotel, where each room had its individual style and decoration. This establishment was frequented by individuals who hired their partners for the night and had fetishes that normal women, their wives, or girlfriends would frown upon. So they hired experts in their fields to give them their pleasure. The townspeople did not like h

The group rode the elevator in silence as Raffy carried Regina close to his body protectively. Seeing her legs exposed, the men got all their button-down shirts and wrapped Regina from neck to toe to prevent revealing any part of her body. They wanted to escape that sordid room immediately, so they arranged to meet the first responders downstairs. It was so quiet that they got startled when Richie’s phone rang. It was the chief of police calling Richie to let him know Regina might be on benzodiazepine, a drug commonly known as the date-rape drug “roofie.” Given her unconscious state, it was the first thing her brothers speculated she was on, but they did not want to jump to conclusions, as misdiagnosing an unconscious patient could lead to their death. Doctors usually prescribed the drug to people with sleep disorders, but it was not produced in the country, as people could easily abuse it and handle it illegally. It acts as a sedative, knocking out people within fifteen to twenty

Based on the level of drugs in Regina’s blood tests and the amount of time she had been with Arthur, they injected her with so much benzodiazepine that was harmful to any human being. A few more doses could have led to her death.As the days went by, Regina began to exhibit withdrawal symptoms. Her temperature fluctuated so much that the nurses did not know if she needed ice packs to keep the heat down or more blankets to keep her warm.Tremors wracked her body so often that someone needed to watch her monitors every time it made a beeping sound. In her sickened state, Regina often called out for Owen, but he never came.Although he pledged to be there for Regina, Owen had to break his promise yet again. It was because at another part of the hospital, in the room they called the Intensive Care Unit, Owen was fighting to stay alive after his doctor administered surgery to stop his brain from hemorrhaging.Leaving the hospital earlier than was necessary after Arthur bashed him in the h

As soon as Regina’s family heard she woke up, they came flocking to her private room at the hospital, bearing all sorts of gifts. They brought her favorite flowers, her favorite pastries, and lots of food to feed her visitors. She was tired as the last of them got shooed out of the room when Raffy needed to do another check-up. She appreciated their well-meaning gestures, but it was the main reason she lived alone. It was to escape the coddling from her mother. Regina was waiting for her mother and father to scold her every time they were left alone, but her parents uttered nothing about her disappearance and her condition. Her mother would constantly tear up, but would always pretend nothing happened as she straightened Regina’s bedding and touched her daughter’s hair lovingly. After Stephen scolded her siblings for leaving the hospital without telling anybody where they were, they all agreed not to mention anything about the incident to Regina. They were to act as if she had gott

“I know who you are.” Owen had visited the prisoner known as Jacob Shipman. He wanted to uncover the truth about why he would harm Regina. They speculated Jacob took revenge on Regina when she rejected him, but Owen felt there was something else behind Jacob’s seduction. Bulletproof glass separated the two individuals, but Owen could feel Jacob’s hatred behind the glass. Nobody was allowed to visit Jacob, but Owen got special authorization from the chief of police.“You know nothing, Owen Bennet. You think you’re smart, but you’re just as stupid as everyone else,” Jacob taunted.“Your name is not Arthur Johnson, but Jacob Shipman. You stole the identity of a dead man.”Jacob ignored his statement. “I know everybody thinks she’s the most perfect individual. Ginny is genuinely nice and cares for others, but she rejected me and chose you. I knew it would eventually happen. I told him he was grasping at straws. He could never be with Regina, but he was insistent. He kept saying Regina wa