MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

Savannah wrapped a strip from the corner of her light-colored dress and jotted a few words on it with the sharp point of the brick:

"SOS! We've been kidnapped! Freighter TQ809, LA--Mexico. Please contact... "

Then she wrote down Dylan's phone number.

She seldom called him, but she didn't know why his number impressed her memory.

Most of the containers in the cabin were marked TQ809, which must be the official number of this freighter.

When she finished, she crumpled up the strip and stuffed it into her pocket.

After a while, the freighter called at a small port.

The middle-aged woman came in with two big and tall men. "…keep your eyes on them! Never leave their side! They're not allowed to say a word to anyone or go to the toilet! In short, keep close to them both, and go back as soon as possible. You have no more than twenty minutes! If they don't obey --" she gave a "kill them" gesture as she said this to the two men.

Savannah broke out a cold sweat, knowing what the woman meant. If she and Donna tried to run away or yell for help, they might be killed immediately.

She looked at the two men again. They were strong and tough, and it was almost impossible to get away from them.

The smooth way was better than the rough.

Savannah and Donna, followed by the two men, got off one after another. Then they were brought to a small clinic near the port.

This was the border of the country, a remote region, and probably a small town.

It was a simple and crude clinic in which there was only one doctor and one nurse.

One man asked the doctor to check Donna while another man followed Savannah closely.

Donna was really frightened these days, and her health condition was not good.

After checking Donna, the doctor said, "in this case, she'd better have an intravenous drip first."

They had only twenty minutes. How could Donna get the drip? The longer they stayed, the more dangerous it became.

"Is her life in danger? She won't die, will she?" One of the men immediately refused.

"No,…" the doctor shook his head.

"That will do! She doesn't need a drip!" The man immediately said.

As long as the woman wouldn't die, she could receive guests when they arrived at the destination.

Savannah knew she would have no more chance if they were brought to the ship again. "Even if she doesn't need a drip, you can at least give her some medicine before we leave. What if my sister bleeds again?" said Savannah quickly.

The two men frowned. This little woman really bothered. They wanted to force them back immediately but were afraid of causing the doctor's suspicion. "Prescribe some medicine! Hurry up!" They ordered the doctor impatiently.

When the nurse went back with some medicine, Savannah stepped in front of the two men to take them, and she secretly put that SOS strip in the middle of those medical supplies on the tray. "Thank you."

"Is that all? Let's go!" The two men hurriedly led Savannah and Donna away from the clinic and returned to the freighter.

The door was slammed shut after Savannah and Donna were pushed into the cabin!

They staggered back and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Savannah, have you...?" Donna looked expectantly at Savannah.

Savannah gestured OK and whispered, "I put the strip in the nurse's tray."

"Do you think the nurse would see that? Would she throw it away without seeing it? Or maybe she would take it as a prank?" Donna looked hopeful but worried.

Savannah had had a careworn look on her face, too.

Sending out a call for help was only the first step.

Now they just had to trust luck.

But she didn't say anything unpleasant. "We'll be fine," Savannah said, a few words of comfort.

Donna felt much better when Savannah was so calm. "Savannah, you're much braver than me. I'm much older than you, but I feel ashamed of myself for being so useless..."

Savannah forced a smile. Is she brave?

Perhaps, deep in her heart, she felt that someone was bound to save her.

Savannah took a deep breath and looked at the sealed cabin window. Though there was no gleam come from the window, it was full of hope.

Dylan, are you looking for me? Have you found out where I am?

I'm waiting for you.

It was getting late. The freighter left the town and sailed seaward.

Donna was so tired and nervous that she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Still awake, Savannah held her cold knees against the container, a thousand thoughts flashing through her mind...

She heard two boatmen talking when she got on the ship again just now. They said that the freighter would arrive in Mexico tomorrow night at the latest.

Once in Mexico, she and Donna would be immediately brought to the red-light district.

That was to say, whether they could be rescued depended on whether the nurse at the small clinic would inform Dylan in time.

Tonight would be the important night.

If no one rescued them tomorrow, they would be in danger...

Dad, you have to bless me…Let the doctor and the nurse at the clinic find my SOS information, bless me through this…

Savannah put the palms together and began to pray silently. But then the light in her eyes was gone.

Her father passed away, and her mother disappeared long ago. If she was really sold to a foreign country, probably no one would miss her.

She would disappear and left nothing in nobody's mind.

She didn't expect her uncle's family to notice that she'd gone.

How about Dylan? Would he miss her?

She would probably never see Dylan again...

Thinking of this, the sickening fear came to her.

I'll never see him again...

Why did this thought eat her heart out?

No, it must be an illusion.

She felt pain only because she expected him to save her.

Tears that she had kept for two days finally rolled down her cheek.

No longer sleepy, she picked up the brick she had been using to write the message asking for help.

D-Y-L-A-N, five letters appeared askew on the floor.

It was as if courage could be gained by looking at his name.

She tried to dry her tears and slightly raised her lips.

***

The stars were cold and chilled over the ocean.

It was midnight. Most of the people were sleeping soundly in the city.

But the port of the city was lit up as bright as day, noisy and fiery.

Police cars gathered alongside the port, and some marine police came too. They were busy checking those large cargo ships which had returned not long before.

After Dylan's order in the morning, most of the cargo ships that had set sail the night before had been called back one after the other. Then the police began to search for the hostages on board.

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Dearest Lovies,

Do vote until we reach our goal, mass release awaits on Friday!

Love lots,

Anna Shannel Lin