It's been three days since I arrived at the safe house in the jungle of Brazil.Brazil.We flew from Long Beach to here in a jet plane. Initially, the kids woke up confused but later enjoyed riding on a private jet. I asked Don if he owned the jet he said it belonged to his billionaire friend who was on his team and invested his money in creating weapons for the military.I asked Lena if she would allow Chris to take a family vacation with us. She agreed, saying she has other business besides Singapore that would take more than a month, and then asked me where. I lied and told her about a vacation in the Bahamas.Bahamas.I wish that were true then. I wouldn't be stressing out about staying in the middle of the Amazon jungle with deadly man-eating animals and deadly mosquitoes. Glad this house has a net that blankets the whole house to keep those pests away.I look through the no glass window watching the kids near the water."Leo! Chris! Time to get inside."It's been three days sinc
I pat my cheeks after a refreshing cleanse on my face. I rub the moisturizer and pause when I hear a noise hoping it is Don opening the door. I sign. Don left a few days ago to meet with his special ops friends. They have something important business about Eddie. Before coming here, the kids and I had to change our names to hide. The boys still asked us about this so-called vacation, and Don and I were running out of excuses. Don wasn't supposed to leave us, but something came up. At least the house has heavy security to keep us and others out. But I want Don here. I need to tell him. I feel so much pressure for not telling Don about his child. I hear the noise again and wonder if Don or one of the boys has snuck their way to the kitchen again for a midnight snack. I grab my robe and head out of the room. I lead down the dark path of the hallway and turn on the light in the kitchen. "Leo?" I call out. "Chris? Are you boys here again?" There was no answer. I walked around the i
Droplets of water echos through the walls and bounces to my ear as I stir from this lingering slumber that bastard had injected me with.Stinging pain ringing in my head as I groan and want to rub my face and open my eyes to see my vision blur, but I can't move my arms. Fully aware, I noticed that chains bound my wrist. I try yanking them, but it's impossible to break free with my strength. If I were Wonder Woman, breaking would take less than a second. But since I'm no superhero, I can't push my luck.Looking around, there seemed to be no windows and barely any light. The hitman took me somewhere; nobody knows where I'm at.I yank the chains repeatedly, then look for a possible way out, but this place is so deemed I can hardly look anywhere."Where am I?" I whisper, and before I can find the answer, a door opens, and a wall of bright light burns my eyes as I look away."You're awake."My eyes shot up but kept hidden from the light as my memory collected the voice taunting me since I
Every time the door opens, Eddie and the hitman, as I learn his name is Solomon, would come and interrogate me, and I always give him the same answer. With that answer, I get tortured for the wrong answer.Luckily, it didn't harm the baby. Behind Eddie's back, Solomon would give me something to eat, like fruit, a sandwich, or another candy bar to keep my strength up, but a snack wasn't enough. Sometimes he would leave a water bottle, and I would preserve it. He also gave me a battery camping lamp to make this damp slightly brighter.But it sucks I have to pee every hour. Eddie had one of his goons place a bucket in the corner.There are no windows, so I wonder if it's day or night. I guess the stories about Effie and Lily being kidnapped also happen to me.Why do the pretty ones always get kidnapped?I caress my stomach and hurry back to lean against the wall. I close my eyes and hum a lullaby tone like when Leo was in my belly.My energy decreases every minute, and I'm worried about
I keep looking behind me past Solomon, who is guarding my exit. The tunnel felt like an endless road to nowhere. I wasn't sure Eddie knows where he is going.Solomon caught me staring and shook his head like always. I made a long face and faced forward and sighed. He claims Don will come to rescue me but when? I've been waiting for more than hours to go and get me from this bastard.I'm having doubts about believing Solomon that Don will rescue me and take me home to be with my family, son, friends, and him.Where are you, Don?I place my hand over my stomach and pray. Pray hard to God that my unborn child will not be in danger whatever happens to me."We are here." I hear Eddie say in awe.Bright illuminating light blind my eyes as the tunnel reach the end. Before I could get my vision, I slowly opened them as they grew twice as wide as my average size.What I'm looking at is unbelievable. It's not possible. I don't even know how to explain such an exceptional architecture."Look how
"Hello?" I make out a cough as my eyes wander around in complete darkness. "Eddie? Solomon? Anyone?"My voice echoes as I reach to feel anything that tells me where the hidden door is, but all I can think of is a stone-cold wall."Solomon?" I called out again, and after I did, my footstep on a stone that suddenly lit torches all around me and a hallway.I call out Solomon's name because calling Eddie is a no-no.I took a step forward again until my foot hit something.I look down and see a skeleton on the ground. I scream at the top of my lungs, backing away as I trip and fall on my ass to something complex. I turn my head and see more skeletons on the ground piled. I panic and move away quickly, taking a breather and calming my beating heart."This place is more of a graveyard than a burial for a princess." I pat my chest where my heart lies as I calm.Remembering my hands are tied, I look around for anything sharp. Found a dagger with a chipped tip. I started to see the binding as m
I scratch another tally on the ground using a rock as the tool. I count the number of an hour to indicate the time being stuck here.Figures Eddie or Solomon still needs to figure out the secret door entry of this place.Besides tally markings, I count the small fishes in the water, pluck flowers to make a flower crown, and reread the story of Princess Amihan. After reading, there is a rough charcoal sketch of the princess on the book's last page. I couldn't believe she looked like me. The eyes, the shape of my face, the chubby cheeks, it's like looking at my long-lost twin sister from old age. How come NayNay never told me about the princess and her story? Did she not want me to learn about the princess's wealth and that crazy people would use me to get the treasure? Sure, it sounds like what is happening now with Eddie. Not waiting for my baby daddy to come and rescue us, and by us, I mean the unborn baby and me. I got up, brushed the dust off my pants, and looked around for an
"Don?" I whisper his name, relief that he is here, yet his expression seems as if he is unhappy about something. "Well, Mr. Wolfe," Eddie cut me off before I could charge Don. "Is the plane ready?" "Yes, sir." What? I shift my eyes back and forth at the man I love and the one I loathed. Do they know each other? But how? "Don, where are Leo and Christ?" Where are the boys?" "They are safe." His tone of voice makes it sound like he has done something wrong. I shift my eyes back at Eddie, then return to Don. "Don, do you know Eddie?" He didn't answer, which means of his silent reply he knew. "Of course, Claire, darling, you know Donovan Wolfe," Eddie answers and gestures to Don. "This man I hired to help me look for the treasure. Who would've thought of all people who know him." I glare at him as he laughs, continuing to run his mouth. "Besides being an ex-military, he works for me as a mercenary. He did various jobs to keep his family whatever they needed." Eddie stops and lo