Chapter 1 The Staged Kidnap
CHAPTER ONE
ELIZA'S POV
If you ever decide to enact revenge on your mother's killer, you don't go in with guns blazing.
You don't make your rage obvious.
You infiltrate their home under the guise of offering a service.
And then hire people you trust to stage a kidnapping of their only child.
You save the child's life and win them over.
You let them think of you as their daughter's little savior.
You convince them of your harmlessness.
And most importantly, you make sure to never fall for the same man who had killed your mother and rendered your father a widower.
Tilly Crost's birthday party was just as luxurious as the media predicted it was going to be. There were over thirty waitresses and a mountain-sized cake that the fifty strictly invited guests were not going to finish.
As I continued to move round with the tray of champagne flutes, I paid close attention to the earpiece strapped to my ear, the one that my long dirty-blonde hair covered.
“Nora, are you there?* I murmured, without quite allowing my lips to move. It was an action I had practiced for weeks in front of my mirror.
“Yes.” Came Nora's shrill voice. “I'm right beside Tilly. Bernard is talking to one of the waitresses, the one with her tits almost out of her flimsy shirt.”
“So, now is the best time for the real action?”
“Yes.” Nora whispered. “Now is the best time. Call your people in.”
I sprang into action. There was no time to waste.
I pinged Nico and Poppy instantly. Even though they were just across from me, serving little pastries to the snobbish little kids around, they acted like they knew me not at all.
“Sup, boss.” Nico's voice drew into my ear. He didn't look at me as he spoke, and his lips barely moved.
“It's time. You must move now!” My voice did not shake, even though my body trembled. I had just ordered Nico to kidnap the daughter of the most ruthless billionaires in Ireland.
If caught, we were going to spend the rest of our sorry lives in jail.
I wasn't supposed to think about getting caught. We had practiced towards this moment again and again. Failing was no option right now.
“Good. I thought you'd never call us in.” Nico began to move as he spoke, Poppy right behind him.
I waited for them to gain several feet before following closely behind.
Everything was unfolding as planned. Nora, my bestfriend and informant, was with Vinton Crost's three year old daughter who was dressed in the cutest little ball gown.
Nico swept through the elegant living room, going straight for Crost's little girl. In one swift motion, he violently pushed Nora who toppled down the chair with a scream and grabbed Tilly, making a beeline towards the door.
Chaos erupted. The adults began to flee for safety and the young children began to cry.
Gosh. This was really happening.
Poppy and I made eye contact, and she gave a subtle nod of her head.
“Drop that child right now!” I screamed loud enough to get the attention of the fewer adults who were brave enough to watch.
I needed them to witness my heroic moment. Without waiting for a reply, I sprinted towards Nico, slamming my body into his. We both fell to the ground with a loud crash.
Poppy jumped onto my back and delivered a loud blow to my jaw. I screamed in pain and jabbed her in the ribs.
“Damn, Liza. It wasn't supposed to be that painful.” She whisper-yelled.
“Sorry, Poppy.” I whispered back. “But I'm sure you've broken my jaw.” I turned to find Nico already running down the lawn and towards the high-end gates.
At least five men swathed in security uniforms ran after him.
“Go, go, go!” Poppy urged. “You must be the one to save the little kid, else we're all fucked.”
I got up and began to run, the years of my constant morning runs giving me an advantage over the men who were after Nico.
Minutes later, I'd pushed past them and was gaining ground with Nico. As soon as I was close enough, I pushed at his shoulder, and he turned and faked a punch to my gut.
I let out a theatrical scream and swung at him hard enough for him to drop the kid. We rolled dramatically on the ground and threw fake punches.
“Fuck, Liza. I'm going to bruise.” He whispered before he pushed off me and ran towards the exit that Nora had told him about.
I turned to the little girl Nico had left behind. She had her father's black eyes. I had seen enough pictures of Vinton to know who his daughter was.
“Are you alright, little girl?”
She shook her head violently and began to cry. “I want my daddy.”
I wanted her daddy too, but not in the same way. I wanted her daddy crippled and begging for death. I wanted her daddy's wealth. And more than anything, I wanted her daddy to pay for killing my mom.
“Daddy will be here soon, alright?”
Seconds later, I was swamped with men in black. I could even hear the loud wail of the siren from the distance.
I looked around, heart beating wildly in my chest, as I tried to find the face of the man I had stalked for months. But he wasn't in the sea of men who crowded around Tilly.
I frowned. Had he not attended the party? Nora had mentioned that his empire kept him busy... Was he too busy to attend his own daughter's birthday party?
“Tilly! I'm so glad you're okay.” Nora cried as she ran towards us, taking hold of the crying little girl and holding her firmly against her chest.
Everyone was talking at once, while the rich adults looked at the unfolding scene with wide eyes, Crost's security patted down the little girl to make sure she was okay.
I stayed put, watching and waiting. Soon enough, one of the men in black looked towards me and then came to me.
“Ma'am, can you tell us what happened?”
“I don't know…” I said, making my voice shaky. “I was hired to serve here. And while I moved around with the drinks, I saw this man grab the kid. Obviously, I knew he wasn't supposed to be doing that, and I ran after him.”
The security man looked at me and nodded. “You did the right thing running after the kidnapper. Vinton Crost must know that you have helped save his daughter from an attempted kidnap.”
“No, it's no trouble. I'm sure anyone would have done that.” I lied through my teeth, even though my body was already thrumming with anticipation. Everything was going as planned.
“Now is not the time to be modest. Come with me. You must be properly thanked.” The man said.
“Okay, if you insist.” I shrugged and began to follow the tall dark man. I smirked to myself as we made our way back to the mansion. Everything had gone as planned.
Nico and Poppy had staged the perfect attempt at kidnapping. They'd escaped successfully. With the gloves they'd worn, the authorities weren't going to find their fingerprints on anything, not even on the little girl.
The nosemask they'd worn to serve concealed their identity perfectly. And what was best? They'd escaped without getting caught.
The police had been ordered to search for them, but they were never going to find them. My friends were long gone.
Now, it was left for me to keep to my own side of the bargain. To earn Vinton Crost's trust and destroy him from the inside out.
I was his daughter's savior today. Tomorrow, I was going to be his utter ruin.
