Matt Clark had always been a dark presence in Genoa City—an old nightmare that never truly died. Operating under the false identity of Mitch Beall, he had spent months lurking in the shadows, observing and preparing. What no one realized was how deeply his hatred of Victor Newman had twisted him. It wasn’t just resentment anymore—it had turned into a belief system, a warped mission. Victor, in Matt’s eyes, had destroyed too many lives without ever paying a real price. And the only way to punish him was to strike at his greatest weakness: his family.

That thought grew into a gruesome plan. Kidnap Nikki Newman. Then take Victoria. Drag the two most important women in Victor’s life into his own personal hell. What began as a single vengeful idea spiraled into something far more monstrous. To Matt, the Newman women weren’t just people—they were living symbols of Victor’s empire, the empire he wanted to burn to the ground.

He waited patiently for the perfect moment. After Noah and Sienna were rescued, the Newman household had finally relaxed for the first time in weeks. Exhaustion and relief hung in the air—and that was when Matt made his move.

In broad daylight, behind the ranch, he cornered both Nikki and Victoria before they even sensed danger. His eyes were cold, detached, like someone who had stepped too far beyond sanity to turn back. With a gun in hand, he shoved them into the back of a dark, beat-up sedan he had prepared for the abduction. Nikki trembled uncontrollably, while Victoria tried desperately to keep her mother calm, even as fear clawed up her spine.

Matt fed on that fear. It fueled him as he sped onto the highway, driving erratically while muttering to himself like someone locked in battle with demons no one else could see. Whenever another car passed, the women tried to scream for help, but Matt’s threats forced them back into terrified silence. They had no idea where they were being taken—or whether they would survive the journey.

Back at the ranch, chaos erupted. Victor had just finished reassuring the family that Noah and Sienna were safe when the call came in: both Nikki and Victoria had vanished without a trace. Something inside Victor shattered. He’d faced rivals, enemies, criminals, and cutthroat businessmen—but Matt Clark was different. Matt wasn’t driven by profit or ambition. He was driven by obsession and hatred, and Victor knew the danger of a man like that better than anyone.

Panic swept through the Newman family. Nick blame himself. Adam nearly cracked under the pressure. Abby and Sharon scrambled for answers. Security teams mobilized instantly. Helicopters took to the sky. But every passing hour felt like one step closer to disaster. Whispers spread throughout Genoa City—some thought Matt wanted money; others believed he wanted to expose Victor. But the most chilling speculation was the one everyone feared might be true: Matt wanted Victor to feel agony. The same grief and rage he believed Victor had once inflicted on him.

Inside the moving car, Nikki tried to speak to Matt—her voice tremoring—but he barely seemed aware she existed. Victoria watched him closely, searching the vehicle for anything that could be used as a weapon or an escape tool. Every time she shifted even slightly, Matt caught the movement in the mirror and snapped angrily, slamming his hand against the dashboard.

Still, Victoria refused to give up. As the car hit a rough patch of road, she noticed a jagged piece of metal sticking out near the window frame. It might be sharp enough to cut through the plastic ties binding her wrists—if she could reach it without Matt noticing. She waited for the moment his attention drifted into one of his furious rants, then began slowly grinding the zip tie against the sharp metal. The movement tore her skin, but she didn’t react. She kept going. Silence. Patience. Survival.

Halfway through the restraint, disaster nearly struck. The car jerked to a stop at an intersection, and Matt’s eyes shot to the mirror. Nikki reacted instantly, whispering a trembling plea to distract him. It worked. Matt turned back to the road, growling curses at Victor under his breath. Victoria resumed cutting. Moments later, the zip tie snapped.

She hid her now-free hands, waiting.

Then a stroke of luck. A pen rolled near her foot when the car swerved. She covertly dragged it toward her and grabbed it. When Matt suddenly spotted a police helicopter far away in the sky, he panicked, jerking the car down a dirt road. Dust exploded behind them. For the first time, both Matt’s hands were fully on the wheel.

Victoria seized the moment.

She lunged forward and drove the pen into his shoulder.

Matt screamed. The car spun wildly, skidding off the dirt road and crashing into a shallow ditch. The impact rattled the world into silence.

Dazed but alive, Nikki and Victoria crawled through the shattered rear window, cutting themselves on glass but refusing to stop. Behind them, Matt was still screaming, scrambling for his gun—but the women were already running toward the treeline.

For the first time since the nightmare began, hope broke through.

Matt wasn’t done—but neither were they.