Is this destiny?

~ A warehouse in Los Angeles ~

JoAnna became aware that she is lying down, her legs were tied up. She tried moving her arms, but that only confirmed that her wrists were tied up as well, in front of her.

'This can't be good', she thought and decided that it's best to stay still.

JoAnna told herself that she needs to analyze her situation. It took her few seconds to remember that she was at the Mediterranean villa when Enrique came and with a promise of a secret passage, he did something to make her lose consciousness. Yes. It must be him.

She heard voices. Male voices. Two of them… no, three men were talking. Unknown voices. JoAnna could not tell what they are talking, her head was buzzing, but it was not English. She could not help but groan from the pain in the back of her head.

'Did they hear me?', she panicked for a moment.

Three men continued talking. They were busy talking and didn't hear her.

'Why is my head aching so much? I don't remember last time I had a headache.' Her head hurt so badly that she had difficulty opening her eyes. She forced herself to open her eyes and to see where she is.

'Ugh! Dirty!' JoAnna realized that she is on the floor, on top of some old and smelly blanket. It seems that those men didn't want to put her directly on the hard floor and they folded some old blanket few times before they placed her on it. Does that mean they care about her comfort? 'Hmph! They could at least get a clean blanket!' JoAnna complained internally. Blanket was full of animal hair, as if some stray cats or dogs slept on it, and it smelled like that.

She slowly looked around trying not to move too much. It's not a big room. There is a window, but it didn't give much light, as if it's a room within some larger building. Dusty, not used for a while, or at least not cleaned. She is in one corner, on the side wall there is a metal cabinet, and the door. Toward opposite corner about seven or eight feet away from her is a table with four chairs. Three men are seated there, looking at something on the table and discussing it lively. 'Spanish?' Yes, it sounded Spanish. JoAnna didn't use Spanish in a long time, but she used to be able to hold a conversation. Based on what they talked about, it seems that men were watching on some device a soccer game. They were really into it.

JoAnna slowly got herself into a seated position and leaned her back on the wall. Headache was bothering her. She wondered if Enrique hit her or drugged her to make her lose consciousness. Other than a headache, she was fine. Next to the leg of one of men, on the floor, JoAnna saw her bag.

Based on everything she observed, JoAnna's conclusion was that she was kidnapped.

Why? Who knows? Why would Enrique want to kidnap her? If that is his real name… She checked herself. She is fine, so they didn't take her away because of her. And here in Los Angeles she does not have any reputation other than being a medical resident, and Mrs. White. There is also the fact that she is the owner of Golden Ocean Resort, but that is only about one week old, so she does not think that is the case. Eliminating option that she is kidnaped because she is medical resident, there was only one option left.

Does Enrique not know that she is Mrs. White? He does… maybe that is why he got her. JoAnna was upset. He knows her as Mrs. White, and he kidnaped her. That can mean only one thing: he is using her to get to Jeff. JoAnna was not sure how to feel about it. Mad, that she is used as Jeff's weakness? Or is she sad that she is this useless and it's actually working.

JoAnna remembered the ring. She can use it to send message to Jeff. But what does that mean? That only confirms that she is useless and relying on him to save her. She does not want to be damsel in distress. If she is going to be Mrs. White, she needs to be his strength, and not his weakness.

While she was in her thoughts, three men stopped talking.

She lifted her gaze and met theirs. They noticed that she is awake.

JoAnna looked at them and concluded that none of them is Enrique. Based on their clothes, they were not so well to do, and they carried no malice in their expression. They were probably just paid to watch over her.

"Hi…", JoAnna flashed a timid smile and then grimaced while holding her head.

Three men didn't respond.

"Excuse me… can I have my bag? My head is killing me, and I have painkillers there.", JoAnna gave them the most pitiful look she could come up with.

Seeing that they are not responding, she tried a different approach.

"Hola!", JoAnna did her best to repeat her question in Spanish, and she probably said something wrong which had a different meaning because all three men burst into laugh.

JoAnna looked at them innocently and blinked few times. Her lips pouted and chin trembled… she looked like she is about to cry any moment.

"Your Spanish is horrible, woman!", one of three men responded in broken English. "You want your bag? How do we know it's not a trick?"

JoAnna's pout increased. "How can I trick three strong men? I am tied up. Check the bag and if you see anything that looks dangerous, take it away. I only need my medicine."

"Next thing you will ask us is to untie you, right?", he looked at her suspiciously.

JoAnna realized that the man is about to give in.

She shook her head, despite her headache. "No, no. My hands are in front. I can take medicine like this. You don't need to untie me."

Three men discussed something in murmurs between each other and she saw that the man closest to her bag reached for it and placed it on the table. They inspected contents of her bag and she saw them take out her phone, her recording pen and something else she was not able to see what it is.

They murmured something more before they turned toward her.

JoAnna looked at them with a faint grimace while holding her forehead in her palm.

Men concluded that she is pitiful. She is a weak woman, tied up. She is not a threat, and they are paid only to sit there and make sure she does not leave. Some medicine can't hurt. One man stood up and placed the bag in front of her.

"We are watching you.", man warned her in broken English.

"Thank you.", she weakly said and lowered her head while slowly reaching for her bag.

They didn't notice flash of malice in her eyes as she reached for the hidden compartment in her bag.