From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 266

Chapter 266: Tension in Steel Walls

Abby sat curled up in the corner of the cold shipping container, her back pressed against the wall and her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. The thin mattress beneath her, while rough and stiff, at least wasn’t dirty. For some reason, that felt like a small mercy.

But no amount of relative comfort could settle her mind. Her thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind, spinning, crashing into one another, no clear path, no answers, only fear and confusion.

Max... are you dealing with dangerous people again? she thought, staring blankly at the metal floor in front of her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks before she even realized she was crying again. With a trembling hand, she wiped them away with her sleeve, trying to pull herself together. But even as she did, her mind drifted to something else, something that began to piece things together.

It had been over an hour since she was thrown into this container, and in that time, the terrifying truth had become clearer.

I’m being used... used as leverage to get to Max.

The thought hit hard. Her stomach turned.

Is this why he started acting so distant? Is this why he told me we couldn’t be together? she wondered. Was it a lie to protect me? Was he afraid something like this would happen if I got too close?

Her heart clenched with guilt and helplessness. If there was a group powerful and bold enough to kidnap her in her own home, how far would they be willing to go?

What about Jay? she suddenly thought. The hit and run... what if that wasn’t an accident? What if it was because she was involved with Max too?

Abby’s chest felt tight. She couldn’t breathe properly.

It’s no wonder he pushed me away...

A single thought echoed louder than the rest.

This is my fault.

I didn’t listen. I kept pushing. I wanted to be with him even when he warned me not to. And now look where I am... and worse, Max is going to get dragged into this all over again because of me.

Time moved slowly, painfully. With nothing to distract her, no sound but the occasional footsteps beyond the metal walls, Abby was left alone, drowning in her thoughts.

Eventually, she lifted her head and noticed movement outside the small grated vents in the container’s door. A few figures passed by, four men dressed in military uniforms. She didn’t recognize their faces, but she noticed something that made her skin crawl.

They walked past her container at least four times, each time slowing just enough to peer in at her through the small window.

And unlike the look Na had given her earlier, cold, calculating, but controlled, these glances made her blood run cold.

Their stares weren’t curious. They were invasive, hungry. The kind that made her feel exposed despite being clothed. Vulnerable despite the guards posted outside.

Eventually, the group stopped walking. They gathered near the container, right in front of the two guards stationed at her door.

"Hey," one of the men said with a smug grin. "It’s been a while since we’ve had a prisoner."

He leaned in closer, his voice low but not low enough to miss.

"You mind letting us in for a bit? Just a quick one..."

Abby’s heart dropped.

Her fingers curled tightly into the mattress, nails digging into the fabric as panic surged through her veins.

The air inside the container suddenly felt suffocating.

"It won’t be long, and she won’t give us any trouble... right?"

The words hung in the air, thick and heavy. The four men grinned, their eyes gleaming with something dark. Abby couldn’t fully understand what they meant, but deep down, she feared she already knew.

The two guards stationed outside the container turned and looked over their shoulders. But they didn’t speak. They didn’t move to stop them.

Why would they? Abby wasn’t one of them. She wasn’t in the gang. She wasn’t family. To them, she was just a problem dumped into a box.

Slowly, the guards stepped aside.

The door opened, and the four men entered the container like wolves closing in on cornered prey.

"NOOO!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing violently in the cramped space. It was a raw, piercing sound, desperate and terrified.

Chrono’s gaze sharpened. "Push a man to the edge... and you might just create someone dangerous."

"Not everyone reacts the way you expect," he continued. "I want Max to understand what we’re capable of, not to turn him into an enemy. There’s a difference."

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