Reclaimed By My Ex-husband-Chapter 62: The ransom call

The man’s smug expression vanished in an instant, his face tightening with irritation. "You think I’m bluffing?" he snapped, his voice rising in anger. "Your wife is with me. She has been kidnapped, and anything could happen to her at any second. Bring the money, or you’ll regret it."

Nathaniel’s tone remained calm. "Why should I believe you? If she is really with you, then let me talk to her."

As soon as he said those words, he cast a sideways glance at Roberto, asking him silently if the call was being traced. Roberto gave him a subtle nod—keep him talking.

The man on the other end scoffed, annoyed. "Fine," he hissed. "You want proof? Talk to her." He turned on the speakerphone and shoved it close to Zara’s battered face.

"Speak," he ordered coldly, giving her a threatening look. "Tell your husband to come and save you."

Zara opened her mouth, but the pain in her jaw was unbearable. A sharp, searing ache forced her to clamp it shut again. Her lips trembled as she tried again, but no words came out. Only a soft, broken whimper escaped.

The man’s eyes darkened as he glowered at her, mouthing the word "Speak" with menace. But Zara, in too much pain, could only manage a faint sound of distress.

"What’s wrong?" Nathaniel’s voice rang through the speaker. "Where is she? Let me hear her. Or... is she not there with you?"

The man’s jaw clenched as he threw Zara a furious glare, motioning again for her to speak. But her silence stretched on.

"I knew you were lying," Nathaniel said flatly. "You are just trying to scam money out of me, aren’t you?"

Zara’s chest tightened as Nathaniel’s voice echoed through the phone. Her heart sank like a stone. It was happening all over again, just like in her past life.

He didn’t believe she was in danger.

Back then, when she had been in real danger, he had brushed it aside, unconcerned about whether she lived or died. Nothing had changed. To him, it sounded like a prank call, some petty trick.

A sharp ache stabbed through her, deeper than the bruises on her face. He didn’t care.

The fragile hope she had held on to, the hope that maybe this time, he would come for her, shattered. Every kind word he had spoken recently, every soft glance, every promise to give this marriage a chance... it had all been a lie. He wanted to keep her around for Zane, not because he had begun to see her, to value her.

Her throat closed up as she tried to hold back the sob rising inside her.

"You idiot," the man snapped, seething with frustration. He switched off the speaker and pressed the phone hard against his ear. "Do you know who you are talking to? I can end her life in an instant."

At that moment, Roberto raised his hand, flashing a thumbs-up. They had the location.

Nathaniel gave a short nod, his eyes turning cold. "Touch her, and you won’t live to see tomorrow’s sunrise," he growled. "I swear on my life, I’ll hunt you down and finish you."

The man didn’t flinch. "Then bring the money," he hissed. "If you want her alive, you know what to do."

But Nathaniel had already made his decision, and it had nothing to do with paying the ransom.

The call ended with a cold click, and within seconds, a series of photographs followed, then a video. Nathaniel’s breath caught in his throat the moment the first image loaded.

Zara’s face filled the screen—swollen cheeks, dark bruises, and dried blood caked at the corners of her lips. She looked utterly broken. Nathaniel’s hands began to shake as he scrolled through the images, each one worse than the last.

Then came the video, which showed how brutally she was slapped repeatedly.

Nathaniel flinched instinctively. His heart clenched as he watched Zara reel from the blows, her head snapping to the side with each hit. Her body jerked helplessly, bound and defenseless.

Rage exploded in Nathaniel’s chest.

He shot up from his seat, gripping the phone so tightly it seemed he might crush it in his palm.

"Roberto, let’s go. We are getting her back."

Without waiting for a response, he stormed out.

Meanwhile, in the shadows of a derelict factory on the edge of the city, chaos brewed.

The man turned to Zara with wild fury burning in his eyes. He charged at her, his hand around her throat, squeezing brutally.

"Why didn’t you say anything?" he bellowed, his face inches from hers. "Your husband was on the phone. Why were you silent? Are you dumb?"

Zara gasped, choking as her bound hands twitched helplessly. Pain pulsed through her battered face.

"Wait," a firm voice broke through. Isaac stepped forward, gripping the man’s arm and yanking him back. "You are going to kill her."

The man glared at him.

"We need her alive," Isaac said, not quite meeting Zara’s eyes. "At least for now."

"She is testing my patience," the man snarled. "Even like this, she doesn’t beg. She doesn’t cry. She just looks at me like she is still in control."

"I’ll talk to her," Isaac said, stepping between them.

The man gave a last, heated glare at Zara before storming off in frustration.

Isaac’s gaze met Zara’s, and what he saw in her eyes made his face tighten. She was sneering at him, her expression filled with raw contempt and disgust. The sight of it cut deeper than any words, and in an instant, his eyes darkened.

"Don’t look at me like that," he snapped. "This could have all been avoided if you had just given me the damn money. I only asked for five million, not something impossible for you to arrange. But now look where we are. They have increased the demand to twenty million. And you? Look at your condition. Is this what you wanted?"

Zara’s fingers clenched the armrests of the chair. Gritting her teeth, she pushed the words out through her bruised jaw, "You are pathetic. A failure."

Isaac stiffened.

"The company is crumbling because you were never good enough to run it. You couldn’t raise your son to be decent. You spoiled him, blinded yourself to his mistakes. And now, to cover up the mess he made, to save the business you already ruined, you kidnapped your own daughter and handed me over to that bastard."

The words clawed their way out of her throat, her voice shaking with hatred. "You are not a father. You are a monster. And I hate you. I hate that I share your blood."

"Shut up," Isaac roared, and his hand flew across her face.

"Ah—" Zara cried out, pain blooming across her already battered cheek. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, but her glare didn’t falter.

Isaac stood over her, chest heaving. "You call me a monster? You think I wanted this? You left me with no choice. I couldn’t give up Jaxon. He is my only son. Those men were ready to kill him, ready to take everything. I had to act."

He jabbed a finger toward her. "You could have stopped all of it by helping us. But no, you stayed stubborn."

He snorted bitterly. "If I hadn’t stepped in, he would’ve killed you already. You think I’m cruel? I saved you."

Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m