Kayden
"Ouch!" I winced slightly, stepping back.
Soren’s eyes went wide, his jaw dropping in instant panic. "Oh my god! Kayden, I am so sorry!" He immediately dropped his hands, carefully hovering them an inch away from my stomach with sheer horror on his face. "I am so stupid! I totally forgot you were carrying! Did I hurt the baby? Are you okay? Do we need a hospital?!"
I couldn’t help but laugh at his total panic, shaking my head as I pulled him into a proper, gentle hug. "Soren, relax. It was just a light bump. We’re both completely fine."
Soren let out a dramatic gasp of relief, pressing a hand over his chest. "Thank goodness. If Rhys found out I bruised his heir, he’d track me down and throw me into the ocean."
"He probably would," I agreed with a chuckle, pulling away. "How have you been, Soren? It feels like it’s been ages."
"I’ve been great! But come on, let’s sit down," Soren said, taking my arm and carefully escorting me toward the table as if I were made of fragile glass. "I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to see you."
He pulled out a padded chair for me, making sure I was settled comfortably before sliding into his own seat opposite me.
Once I removed my black mask and hood, Soren leaned across the table, taking in my appearance with a bright smile. "Look at you! You are literally glowing, Kayden. How are you feeling about the wedding? Are the nerves kicking in yet?"
"I’m actually really happy," I smiled warmly, resting my hands over my bump. "Everything feels... right. Like all the chaotic pieces of our lives finally settled into place."
Soren glanced subtly over my shoulder toward the entrance of the restaurant, where my tall bodyguard was standing quietly near the door, keeping an eye on the room.
"I see Rhys didn’t let you come entirely alone," Soren teased softly, nudging a glass of water toward me.
"You have no idea," I laughed, shaking my head. "He practically begged to come with me. I had to fight him off just to leave the penthouse. He thinks I can’t walk two steps without supervision."
"Well, that’s why I picked this specific spot," Soren replied with a sly grin. "It’s private, exclusive, and quiet. Plus, you made it through the front doors in your black mask without a single paparazzi catching on, so credit to you."
A waiter stepped up to our table, presenting the menus. After skimming through the options, I opted for a rich, comforting plate of creamy truffle pasta with grilled chicken and a chilled glass of fresh berry juice, while Soren ordered a seared salmon steak with roasted vegetables.
While we waited for our food, I leaned forward, curious. "So, how is Rio doing? Is he already in town?"
"Oh, absolutely," Soren grinned, nodding eagerly. "He arrived yesterday evening. He was so exhausted from the flight that he crashed at the hotel, but he’s super hyped for the wedding. He kept talking about how he can’t wait to see you and Rhys finally tie the knot. He’ll be at the rehearsal dinner tonight."
"That’s awesome," I said, feeling a surge of genuine warmth. "I really missed you guys."
Our meals arrived shortly after, and for the next thirty minutes, the atmosphere was relaxed and full of easy laughter.
We ate, swapped stories about our recent trips, and reminisced about old competition days before the conversation shifted back to the wedding details.
It was the exact kind of peaceful, grounding afternoon I had been craving before the madness of forty-eight hours from now took over.
Once we finished eating and the waiter cleared our table, Soren checked his watch and then looked across at me with a sudden, mysterious glint in his eyes.
"So, Kayden," Soren began, leaning in slightly with a mischievous smile. "I actually have a surprise for you."
I raised an eyebrow, amused. "A surprise? What kind of surprise?"
"A pre-wedding gift," Soren said smoothly, pushing his chair back and standing up. He reached down, grabbing my hand to pull me up gently. "It’s out back in the private courtyard behind the restaurant. I had it delivered earlier just for today."
"Soren, you didn’t have to get me anything," I said, though I smiled as I let him guide me past the main dining floor.
My bodyguard instinctively stepped forward to follow us, but Soren turned around, waving a dismissive hand with a laugh. "Hey, big guy, it’s just in the private back hallway leading to the patio. Give us two minutes for a private moment!"
My bodyguard hesitated, keeping a close distance near the service corridor entrance while keeping his eyes on us.
Soren led me down the dimly lit rear hallway toward the heavy exit door that opened to the back alley and courtyard. "Trust me, you’re going to love this," he said cheerfully.
"Alright, alright, what is—"
Before I could even finish my sentence, the quiet hallway suddenly turned into a scene of utter chaos.
The heavy back exit door slammed open with a loud thud. Before I could react or even turn my head, a thick, coarse fabric was violently yanked over my head, plunging my vision into absolute darkness.
"Hey! What the hell?!" I shouted, my voice muffled beneath the heavy cloth.
Strong, rough hands suddenly grabbed my arms from behind, pinning them tightly behind my back.
My pulse spiked into hyperdrive, adrenaline surging through my veins as I began kicking out wildly in pure panic.
"Soren! Soren, what is this?!" I screamed, struggling against the harsh grip pinning me down. "Get off me! Get your hands off me!"
My bodyguard’s deep, furious roar echoed from further down the hallway, followed by the sound of rapid, heavy footsteps and a violent physical scuffle breaking out behind us.
"Hold him down! Cover his mouth!" a familiar voice sounded beside my ear.
Leo? It couldn’t be because he had told me that he had a patient today and would come late for the rehearsal dinner.
Why was he here? how could he be here?
A heavy, sweet scented cloth was shoved forcefully over the fabric covering my nose and mouth.
I thrashed violently, trying to protect my bump while fighting with every ounce of strength left in my body, but the suffocating sweetness hit my lungs instantly.
"Rhys!" I choked out, my voice cracking in terror as my vision swam and my knees gave out beneath me. "Rhys—!"
The dark hallway spun, and everything went completely black.
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