Page 23 of All The Pretty Little Lies

The next few minutes are a blur of tension and fear. Zaire pushes the car to its limits, taking corners at speeds that would make a professional driver nervous. I keep my eyes fixed on the road ahead, searching desperately for any sign of Vesper's car.

And then we see it.

The world seems to slow down as we round a corner and come face to face with the wreckage. The sleek black town car that was supposed to be transporting Vesper is upside down in the middle of the road, flames licking at its undercarriage. Smoke billows into the air, thick and acrid, stinging my eyes and catching in my throat.

"No," I whisper, the word barely audible over the roar of our engine and the crackling of flames. "No, no, no!"

Zaire slams on the brakes, bringing us to a screeching halt just yards from the burning wreck. Before the car has even fully stopped, I'm out the door, sprinting towards the inferno.

"Vesper!" I scream, my voice raw with desperation. "VESPER!"

The heat sears my skin as I reach the overturned car, the metal groaning and popping. Smoke chokes my lungs, but I push forward, desperate to reach Vesper. Zaire is right behind me, his face a mask of determination and fear. I rush towards the open passenger side door.

"Vesper!" I call out, my voice hoarse and desperate. "Vesper, can you hear me?"

But there's no response. No movement. No sign of life. Shattered glass crunches beneath our knees, and the smell of burning leather and plastic is overwhelming.

"She's not here," Zaire says, his voice tight with disbelief. "Oscar, she's not fucking here!"

I refuse to believe it, continuing to search even as the flames creep closer. "No, no, she has to be here. She has to be!"

But as the seconds tick by and the heat becomes unbearable, the horrible truth sinks in. The back seat is truly empty. Vesper is gone.

Zaire grabs my arm, pulling me back from the wreckage. "We have to go, Oz! This thing's going to blow!"

Numbly, I allow him to drag me away from the burning car. We stagger back, coughing and gasping for fresh air. My mind is reeling, unable to process what's happening. Where is she? How could she just vanish?

The screech of tires announces Talon's arrival. He leaps from his SUV, eyes wide as he takes in the scene before him. "What the fuck happened?" he shouts over the roar of the flames.

"She's not in the car," I manage to choke out, my voice raw and broken. "Vesper's gone."

We’ve lost. After the promise I made to keep her safe, I’ve fucking lost her.

VESPER

The first thingI notice is the throbbing pain in my head, a relentless pounding that seems to reverberate through my entire body. It's as if a thousand drums are beating all at once. I try to pry open my eyes but find them covered by something thick and dark—a blindfold. Panic tugs at my heartstrings as flashes of broken glass and screeching tires flood my mind.

My attempts to move are met with resistance; my limbs feel heavy and unresponsive. A cold, biting rope digs into my wrists, keeping me restrained. As I take in my surroundings, I realize Iam lying on a bed. The sheets beneath me carry an unfamiliar scent, a mix of musty fabric and antiseptic.

With each passing moment, more sensations become apparent. My ribs ache with every breath, and a dull throb pulses through my left leg. Dried blood crusts against the side of my face, causing discomfort as it pulls against my skin.

Desperate for escape, I fight against my bonds with all my might, ignoring the searing pain that shoots through my body. The sound of creaking wood fills the air as I twist and pull on the bed frame, hoping to break free.

But then, a gravelly voice breaks through the silence, startling me. It's close, perhaps just a few feet away. "I wouldn't bother if I were you," the voice says. "Resisting won't help your situation, Ms. Rossi. You might as well get comfortable."

I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest. The voice is unfamiliar, masculine, with a hint of amusement that sends chills down my spine.

"You're going to be with us for a while," he continues, the sound of a chair scraping against the floor indicating he's standing up. "I’d apologize that the accommodations aren’t what you’re accustomed to, but, you’ll get used to it.”

My mind races, desperately trying to piece together the fragments of my memory. Oscar and Zaire—had they betrayed me? Was this their plan all along?

The room falls silent, save for the sound of heavy footsteps circling the bed. I can feel the presence of multiple people. The air feels thick with tension, making it difficult to breathe.

"Oscar?" I whisper, my voice hoarse and barely audible. "Zaire? Is that you?"

A burst of laughter erupts from multiple directions, startling me. It's a cruel, mocking sound that sends shivers down my spine.

"Oh, that's rich," another voice chimes in, different from the first. This one is higher-pitched, with a hint of a foreign accent I can't quite place. "She thinks we're her little friends."

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