CHAPTER 35: ROSE

"Ryan, please pick up your phone. I need to tell you something. Please." I said over the voicemail as I sped towards the banquet location Ryan's at.

After finishing the letter and finding out the truth about Jack's death, I called Finn to find out where Ryan was.

Turns out he's attending an event where the murderer of my best friend also is.

Fear grew inside me and I asked Finn for the location and without explaining anything, I hung up and rushed my car to the banquet.

While driving there, I tried calling Ryan but he didn't answer so I left him a voicemail which I'm pretty sure he won't answer.

"Please, be okay." I kept repeating all the way to the banquet.

As soon as I reached the banquet. I grabbed the letter, got out of my car and rushed towards the entrance.

The security guard blocked the entrance "ma'am, your invite."

Shit.

"I don't have an invite- my husband's inside. Ryan Hartford?" I said, trying to convince him.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't let you in if you don't have the invite." He said, signaling me to walk away

"No, please. I need to talk to him. It's urgent-"

"Ma'am, please step aside."

I bit my lower lip, I turned to leave but then heard a lady say "let her in, she's Mr Hartford's wife."

The voice was unfamiliar which made me turn my head to find a red head, wearing a black dress standing behind the security guard with her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry." The guard said as he stepped aside.

I walked in "I'm sorry for that, Mrs Hartford."

"It's okay." I said, staring at her. I've never seen her.

"Oh, I'm Isabelle. Mr Hartford's assistant." She said and pulled out her hand

"Oh." I shook her hand "it's nice to meet you."

She smiled "likewise."

"Oh- do you know where Ryan is?"

"I'm sorry, I lost him when he went to talk to someone."

Shit.

"Oh, okay. Thank you though."

She nodded "of course."

I gave her a small smile before I started rushing in the crowd trying to find Ryan. I called his name but over the music and the rush, no one could hear me.

Finally, I spotted a tall, brown haired figure. He was standing by the bar, wearing his tuxedo as he boringly listened to the man talking in front of him.

"Ryan!-" before I could reach him, I bumped into someone, dropping the letter from my hand. "Sh-"

"Rose?"

I looked up at the familiar voice and my heart started beating faster.

"John.."

He grinned "hi. What are you doing here, beautiful?"

"I-im here to see Ryan."

"Oh.." he looked down and frowned "you dropped something."

Shit.

"Oh yeah-" before I could reach for it, John moved fast and picked it up "thank you, I can have it now-" he grabbed my wrist as I reached for the letter.

"My name's written on it."

Fear built inside me. I looked over his shoulder and Ryan still hadn't turned so that he could spot me.

"Ah. The old man couldn't keep it to himself." John's chuckle made my eyes snap to him to find him smirking as he read the letter.

His eyes snapped to mine as he placed the letter inside his jacket and stepped closer to where there was only an inch left between us.

A small gasp left my mouth as I felt a cold metal pointed at my stomach. I looked down to find John holding a gun to my stomach but no one could see it because his jacket was hiding it.

"Scared?"

His voice made me flinch and I squeezed my eyes shut as he leaned over to whisper in my ear "you're going to stay quiet and walk out with me, understand?"

He pulled back and I looked up to look over his shoulder and Ryan still hadn't turned.

𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦.

"He can't help you here. No one can." John said.

I looked at him with tears and furiousness in my eyes, only for him to smirk.

He traced the gun on my stomach and I swallowed "walk with me."

He slowly turned me, pointing the gun at my back as he walked me out of the banquet while I felt helpless.

the security guard at the entrance blocked our way "Mr John. Where are you taking Mrs Hartford?"

"oh, don't worry. She's a friend of mine. We're going out to have some drinks."

The security guard looked at me "is it true?"

"yes, yes. She even asked Mr Hartford, right?" John pressed the gun further into my back.

I swallowed and nodded, putting a reassuring smile "yes, Ryan knows."

The security guard looked at John once before letting us pass and I regretted not asking for his help.

𝘏𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥'𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶

He will shoot me either way.

As soon as we reached his car. I was hit with an extreme headache then everything went black.