Billionaire, Let's Divorce (Mark and Sydney)

Chapter 0268

ANASTASIA

No.

My lips trembled as I took slow shaky steps back until my back softly hit the wall of the elevator. The cold. metal against my spine sent a shiver through my body, amplifying my growing sense of unease.

For a while, I just stared ahead, seeing nothing. The darkness seemed to press in from all sides, threatening to suffocate me. My chest was starting to constrict when I remembered my trainings on dealing with panic attacks and claustrophobia. I took a deep breath, trying to center myself.

First, light up the area.

I hastily reached into my bag for my phone, my fingers fumbling in the darkness. It took eons of my chaotic search to find the damn thing, and when I did, I almost burst into tears because it would not turn on. My heart raced as I frantically pressed the power button, silently pleading for it to work.

Aiden hit the door, the sudden sound making me jump. "Hello? Is anyone there?" His voice echoed in the small space, a mixture of concern and frustration evident in his tone.

I tried to power my phone again, my hands shaking. Relief flooded my body when it turned on and the faint brightness of my phone's screen lit up the area dimly. For a moment, hope surged within me. But my relief was short-lived when the empty battery icon came on, followed by the buzz sound before the screen went off, plunging us back into darkness.

I balled my trembling fingers into a fist and slowly slid down the wall, the rough texture of it catching on my clothes. Then I hugged my knees to my chest and tried to make myself as small as possible in the oppressive darkness.

"It's okay, you're fine. It's just the dark, nothing serious, I kept muttering under my breath as I rocked myself back and forth, even though that wasn't enough to quell the rising tide of panic.

My conscious mind that was not preparing to go into panic mode was aware of Aiden's relentless attempt to get help and immediately get us out of here, he kept jabbing at the emergency button and muttering curses under his breath as the rhythmic sound of his finger hitting the button became a sort of twisted metronome.

A strangled cry escaped my throat and I squeezed my eyes shut as the inevitable started to happen; breathing had become a chore as I felt the small elevator space start to close in on me. I felt suffocated. It felt like in seconds, it would crush me and... I shook my head, clearing the distorted images in my head. No, I will get out of this and return to Amie.

Ttirelessly muttered all my memorized affirmations but nothing seemed to be working. My chest rose and fell in fast bursts as a scream started to bubble up my throat.

Suddenly, just before I could start to yell hysterically, a light came on in the elevator, brightening the small space.

I looked up to see Alden holding his phone's flashlight as he pointed it to the buttons.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, calming myself. "It will be fine, Ana. You'd soon be out of here," I mouthed to myself.

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+25 BONUS

Chapter 0260

"They'll come get us soon."

I heard him say and I just nodded, staring ahead. Apart from the fact that the gesture was helping in keeping my wits together, it was also a way to stray off any conversation with him.

The warmth of his body further calmed me as he dropped beside me, mere inches between us. I knew I should move away but I couldn't. I didn't want to. Maybe if we weren't in such a small dark space, I would have put enough distance between us but now? I think I'd have to manage like this.

The silence between us was calming.

Aiden ruined the calm. "So," he drawled for a while then I felt the heat of his stare on my temple, "What have you been up to?"

I frowned, barely paying attention. I was surprised I wasn't a panicky mess already. "And what do you

mean by that?"

His shoulders briefly rubbed against mine as he lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I just want to know, okay?" He said softly, "I want to know how you have been? How has work been for you?" "Well, work has been good," I said. Until you appeared out of nowhere and almost gave all of us a heart.

attack.

"If you're facing any issues, I want you to know that you can always come to me, okay?"

"Thank you, I appreciate that but I can always take my complaints to the HR. That's what they're there.

for."

He sighed, "I know that, Anastasia...."

Don't say my name!

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