She was drugged.

Theodore arrived to inspect the land. The wind ruffled his hair as he stood beside his car, surveying the sprawling landscape.

The vibrant hues of yellow, red, white, and purple wildflowers stretched across the field, creating a breathtaking panorama. The distant mountain range added a majestic backdrop, giving the entire place an ethereal quality. The cool, refreshing air filled his lungs, and a sense of serenity enveloped him.

It was the perfect location for the hospital he envisioned, a place that would bring healing and peace to those in need. A satisfied smile played on his lips.

Sensing his shift in mood, Skyler ventured, "What do you think, sir?"

Before Theodore could respond, a sharp chime pierced the air. Glancing at his phone, he saw Tristan's name flash on the screen. With a swift swipe, he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Sir," came Tristan's voice, laced with worry. "There's been no answer from Ms. Isabella. I called her as well, but it went straight to voicemail."

Theodore's nostrils flared. A flicker of anger ignited deep within him, momentarily eclipsing the serenity of the scene. "Tell her you will throw the pendant away if she doesn't meet you tomorrow."

With a muttered curse, he ended the call. His thoughts momentarily drifted from the picturesque scene to the unresolved matter of Isabella. The serene landscape around him did little to soothe the irritation bubbling inside him.

However, he gathered his thoughts, trying to push down the irritation. This project was too important to be overshadowed by personal frustrations.

"Skyler…" He called out to instruct something, but a heart-wrenching cry cut him short.

"Ah…"

Both Theodore and Skyler whipped around, their gazes surveying the surroundings.

"What is going on?" Skyler inquired, stunned and alarmed.

Theodore's brow furrowed. "Someone is in trouble," he muttered, his eyes already landing on a distant lone building.

"Help, help…" the cry echoed again, laced with desperation.

"Bella?" Theodore blurted out, a jolt of surprise coursing through him. How could Bella possibly be here, in this remote location?

"What? Bella? How could she be here?" Skyler echoed, skepticism coloring her voice.

"Somebody… please help!"

"I have a feeling that she is in danger," Theodore declared, urgency hardening his features. Without wasting another breath, he sprinted off in the direction of the cries, his chest constricting with the terrifying possibility that Bella was truly in trouble.

"Wait! It can be dangerous." Before Skyler could stop him, Theodore had already dashed away. "Shit…" Muttering, he dialed a number. "Come down here quickly," he barked a command. "We have a problem here."

"Wait! It can be dangerous!" Skyler yelled after him, but his pleas were lost in the wind. To his dismay, his boss had already bolted toward the building.

"Shit," Skyler muttered under his breath, scrambling to take control of the situation. Punching in a number on his phone, he barked into the receiver, "Come down here quickly. We have a problem here."

Slamming the phone shut, he tore after his reckless boss. "Wait for the guards to arrive!" he yelled, hoping to reason with him. But Theodore was a blur of determined movement, already nearing the building.

Skyler's face drained of color. Rumors of a notorious local gang involved in all sorts of criminal activity swirled in his mind. What if it was the den of that gang? What if they were holed up in that very building? The structure itself exuded an air of eeriness.

"Don't go there," Skyler shouted. "Bella can't be here."

But Theodore was already through the door, his voice echoing off the building's walls, "Bella!" he bellowed, his concern morphing into a desperate search.

Inside, the air was heavy with the stench of cigarettes and alcohol, mingling with the sounds of a scuffle. Theodore's eyes darted around, his heart pounding.

"Bella!" he shouted again, his voice echoing off the walls. The urgency in his tone was palpable, driven by a mix of fear and determination.

Skyler, still a few steps behind, felt his blood run cold. He hesitated for a moment. He was not skilled in combat or a boxer like his boss. He couldn't fight those goons. Weighing his options, he chose to wait for the guards before entering the building.

Just as Theodore moved further into the house, a tall, hulky man emerged and blocked his path. "Hey, stop right there," he yelled and charged at him.

Adrenaline surged. Theodore countered swiftly, an uppercut connecting with the man's jaw and sending him staggering back. Before the goon could recover, a punishing punch landed in his gut, whooshing the air out of his lungs. With a final, bone-crunching blow to the face, Theodore sent the man sprawling, unconscious.

Another attacker lunged in a blur of motion and threw a punch at him. He spun, delivering a powerful backward kick that sent the man sprawling onto the groaning floorboards.

A muffled cry, laced with terror, pierced the chaos. It came from the room across the hall. Without hesitation, Theodore surged forward, a blur of focused determination.

Just as he reached the doorway, another figure launched himself, a glint of the knife flashing under the light.

Theodore reacted instinctively, blocking the knife thrust with his forearm. In a swift motion, he grabbed his wrist and twisted it.

A grunting struggle ensued, but Theodore's grip was iron. Finally, the knife slipped out of the man's grasp. The next second, Theodore leaped and struck him on the head with an elbow, sending the man crumpling to the ground. Kicking the man away, he rushed into the room.

The sight made his blood boil.

Bella lay on the bed, pale and disoriented, a predator looming over her, trying to remove her clothes. One man was filming the whole thing with a detached coldness. Two more figures, alerted by the commotion, charged at Theodore.

But he wasn't alone anymore. Skyler, flanked by the guards, materialized at the doorway. The tide of the battle had turned. With a roar, the guards intercepted the goons, engaging them in a fierce struggle.

Theodore wasted no time. He grabbed the man closest to Bella and threw him across the room with a strength fueled by pure rage. The man hit the wall and slumped to the floor, motionless.

The man with the camera tried to flee, but Theodore caught him with a swift, brutal kick to the back, sending him crashing into the wall. The camera clattered to the ground, broken.

The guards subdued the remaining men, their protests silenced by swift, efficient blows.

Theodore rushed to Bella. "Bella!" he rasped. But she remained unresponsive, her eyelids fluttering uselessly. Finally, she blinked them open, but her gaze was vacant, unfocused.

Gently, he draped his suit jacket over her trembling form, his mind a whirlwind of confusion. How had she ended up in this dangerous situation? What on earth was she doing here?

"Bella, can you hear me?" He tapped on her cheeks.

Bella's vision was blurry but she recognized his face. She whispered, "Theo…dore…"

"We've got you," he assured her. "You're safe now."

Skyler rushed over his face etched with urgency. "We need to get out of here, now. Some of them managed to escape. There's a chance they'll come back, seeking revenge."

Theodore's jaw clenched, a primal fury coursing through him. Who were these people who dared to hurt his wife?

"I want every detail you can find on them," he commanded. "Uncover every connection between them and Bella."

"Sure." Skyler nodded curtly.

Without further ado, Theodore scooped Bella into his arms, her weight a fragile thing against his chest. He turned towards the exit, his gaze flickering back to Skyler for a final moment. "I'm taking her to the farmhouse. Stay here and get to the bottom of this."

With that, he strode out of the house, his long strides carrying him towards the safety of his car. The car roared to life, and Theodore sped away from the desolate place.

The farmhouse was not very far from that location, and he believed taking her there would be better than traveling all the way back to the city. He was afraid Bella's condition would worsen along the way.

Her brow creased tightly, her hand shooting up to rub her throat. "Hot," she whispered.

"Hold on, Bella," he murmured. "You'll be alright."

Every fiber of his being was focused on getting her to the farmhouse as swiftly as possible. He glanced at her pale face, a mix of worry and anger twisting his features. He vowed silently to bring those responsible to justice.

Midway through the journey, he reached for his phone, dialing a familiar number. "Listen to me," he began. "There's an emergency. I need you. Come to the farmhouse immediately." He gave a concise rundown of the events. "I think she was drugged," he concluded, his gaze fleeting toward her.