Chapter Ninety -six Annabelle_ “Your men made me misplace my bag, now I don't have access to my phone.” I had woken up the following morning and I was still angry about all that had happened. I was sure Travis was somewhere thinking about how to rescue me, not knowing there was nothing to bother about at all. “I need to make a phone call. I might have to use your phone.” I stood in front of Henry who sat down and watched me while I prepared to leave. He stretched his hand to the side table and reached the phone. “You can have it.” He stretched his phone to me after unlocking his password. I took it from him and walked out of the room while dialing the number. I didn't want him to hear the conversations I was going to have. “Hello, good morning. This is…” “Annabelle? Annabelle, Is that you?” Travis asked curiously. I called Travis. I knew that was unexpected but I just felt he must have been so bothered about me since last night. “I'm fine. I'm sorry for the mix-up…” He di
Chapter Ninety -seven Travis_ I dropped the call with Annabelle and walked to the gate that was still locked and banged it. “Samantha! Open up!” I yelled and I was very furious. I wouldn't want Annabelle to come here and realize what had happened all through the night. It was already past ten in the morning so I could not understand what was delaying her from opening the door. “If you do not open this door now, I will call people to break in.” “You will do no such thing!” She opened the door and said firmly. She didn't look remorseful nor was she scared about what I was going to do about what she had done. “You know you had no right to lock my staff outside in the cold right? Why do you behave the way you do? Honestly, I do not understand you.” I was so angry, that I walked towards her and pushed her aside so I could gain access inside. “Watch it! You should have said I should excuse you.” I turned and looked at her angrily. “Excuse you? From me?” I hissed. “Norah! Johnson!”
Chapter Ninety -eight Travis_ “Who is this?” “I have been trying to get across to you. What is wrong with your phone? I'm on my way to pick Johnson. I need you to help me pack his things. I'm sorry, I'm not sure he will be able to attend the surprise party you are planning to throw for Samantha tonight” It was Annabelle. “Where are you at the moment?” I knew trouble was knocking on my door. I did not know what to do or say to her that could buy me more time. With the way she spoke, I knew she was nearby. “It's better I told her the truth,” I thought, knowing how angry she was going to get. “Look, I'm so sorry. Something happened.” I did not know if it was right to explain in detail what had happened or what approach I should give my explanation. “I hope nothing is wrong with my boy?” She seemed to be eager to know that before knowing anything else. “Johnson is in the hospital. But he will be fine. The doctors are doing their best to make sure he is back to himself in no time.
Chapter Ninety -nine Annabelle _ I gazed at him as he said those words, “he's my son too”. “Do you know what it takes to be a father to a son? No, you don't. Even the little opportunity I gave to you to act like a father to my son, look at where it brought me. You are not his father.” He pulled me to the other side of the hospital. I knew that was because he didn't want Norah to hear what we were talking about. “Annabelle, why are you doing this to me? You've deprived me of the opportunity to be a father to him? Why are you doing all this? Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?” I did not understand what he was saying so I tried to dismiss him, “Look, I'm not here for you or your delusions.” I was about to walk away when he said, “It was hard to get blood that matched his gene and I was forced to test mine and his blood was a match with mine. The nurses made it known to me that he is my son.” “Oh, they lie!” I refused to hear whatever he wanted to say or whatever he said
Chapter One hundred. Annabelle _ “Yes, I will!” Henry stood up and faced Travis as though he had prepared for a fight with him. I knew things were not looking like they were going to turn out well so I stood up to stop them from fighting. “Enough! Enough the both of you! Travis, I need you to leave now.” “Me? Why? I brought him here and I'm not going to leave. It's Henry who has no business being here. I am more qualified to be here. He should leave.” Travis insisted and I knew what he was drawing at. “I decide on who stays and who leaves. So leave, Travis. You've done enough. You have.” I hoped that he would not bring up the matter of him being Johnson's father. “Now that I know he's my son. I will be staying to ensure his safety.” Travis insisted. That was a blow to Henry's face. He was perplexed. “What?” He looked at me as though I had betrayed him or something. “Why didn't you tell me all along that Travis was the father of your son?” “I don't know what he is talking abo
Chapter One Hundred and One Travis_ “Oh please! Let her be.” Henry turned to me in anger. “I wasn't talking to you, was I?” I hated having Henry around. Why did he even come here? I wanted to react the way I wanted to but I had to behave myself because Norah was with me. Annabelle went away with Henry and I just couldn't do anything about that than to let them go. “Dad, I'm hungry.” Norah had even tried with how long she had sat still amid all the chaos that went on. “We will go home soon, okay? I would get something for you to eat on our way home.” She nodded her head. I wasn't motivated to stay back since Annabelle did not want me there in the first place. “You know what, let's go.” I held Norah's hand and we made our way out of the hospital. “Oh, you're leaving already?” Annabelle scoffed. “I thought you were going to stay?” I didn't realize Annabelle and Henry were the ones sitting on the walkway to the car park. “I need to take Norah home and sort some things. I wil
Travis pov “Travis! Travis! Can't you hear that I'm talking to you? Oh, you want to be rude to me in front of your friend and Norah right” Samantha stood up and yelled at me while I walked away with Alex.Alex walked closer to me, “I think you should just respond to her. You want to avoid anything that can stress you at this time.” He whispered.I ignored his words. I wasn't going to buy into whatever she was trying to sell, nor would I let her have her way the way she has been having it for a long time. I had had enough.I got to my study and let myself in. Alex followed after me and then said, “I don't think ignoring her when she's talking to you is the right thing to do now.” He shut the door behind him and said briefly. “You know, things can…”“Look, I have had enough. I did what I could do best. Can't you see how much she has caused me? Did you know the gravity of what she had done? If I opened my mouth to say anything to her, what would proceed from me would be terrible.” I was
Travis pov “How dare you, Alex! You do not know your place at all. What do you mean by I need more medical checkups? So you think I'm mad right?” Samantha had only heard the last words Alex said and she raged at him. I wondered what she was doing by the door of my study.“Oh please! I've had enough of this. Let the young man be.” I tried to move Samantha aside so that Alex could leave. “No, Travis. You will not talk to me in such a manner.” She refused to move away from the door and stood firmly. I was upset. “Samantha! Leave the way, this moment!” I yelled. Alex was saying some words to me but I could barely eat. “Would Samantha faint if she behaved like someone sane?” I thought, inwardly.“You know what. It's fine. I wasn't insinuating that, I'm sorry If it sounded rude to you.” Alex apologized to her and I wasn't happy about that. He needed not to do so. Samantha gazed at him and hissed. Then she walked out of the room. I shook my head as Alex looked at me. We walked out of t
Epilogue Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Six Annabelle_ Months after the nightmare I had with Henry. I woke up in my new home with the perfect peace of mind I had always wanted. My life was in a better shape and even though It wasn't perfect, I was living the future I had always dreamed and hoped for. I stood in front of the large windows in the parlor, looked out of it and took a very deep breath. “Come back here! If I catch you, I will eat all your candy.” “You won't catch me then!” Johnson was running after Norah. It was not going to be my first time experiencing such as they have both been best of friends since we all moved in together. “I've told you two. No running around.” I said and shook my head. Travis was the one handling the major companies owned by my dad. He and my dad had become very close following the incident with Henry. Travis held his suitcase, walked down the stairs of our new home and said, “Anna, do you know where my car keys are? I couldn't find them
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Five Annabelle_ The tunnel led to one of the trees in the compound. I walked out of it and snuck to the back of the several police vans that were parked in the compound. I was on the lookout for Alex because I wasn't sure of who to trust. I saw Henry and hid behind the car. I couldn't afford him to see me and then come up with another lie that he wasn't the one behind my kidnap. Someone touched me from behind and I lost my breath for a while. I turned back slowly towards the person and found that it was Alex. I took a deep breath of relief and hugged him. “What happened?” He asked, concerned. I was still trying to get my breath, when he yelled, “Medics, medics.” And the whole attention drifted towards us. Immediately, I could see them putting handcuffs on his hands and leading him into the car like the criminal that he was. “Travis, Travis is badly injured. He has lost a lot of blood.” Those were the first words I said to Henry so they could go a
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Four Annabelle _Henry went out of the basement he kept us in. He went out through a different door this time. I saw him but I was not fully conscious.I didn't know what to do to get us out of his place but I knew that if we did not try to get help from the cops or whoever was around, things would get worse for us all and Travis could die.“Travis,” I called out to Travis who lay in his blood on the floor with his eyes swollen. I wasn't even sure if he was still alive. “Travis, can you hear me? Travis!” I yelled. I couldn't afford his death.“Yes, I can hear you.” He said in a very low voice. I knew he was losing a lot of blood and he was in severe pain.“Can you loosen me? I know it's hard for you to get up but if you can try, it would help us out. We can't stay here. Now is our time to get out of this house because I can hear people walking back and forth in his house. I'm sure they are looking for us.” I said to him to encourage him to get up. Travi
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-ThreeAnnabelle_All I saw was the blood of Travis spilling on the floor like someone had made an incision on a bottle.I picked a cloth that I saw in the room and used it to tie around his arm. I was very displeased with Henry as he stood and watched me take care of Travis' hands unremorsefully.“What has gotten into you? Why are you doing all this?” I asked with so much pain in my heart. I couldn't understand how Henry became the way he was all of a sudden.“Get back to your seat and tie yourself at this moment, Annabelle.” He yelled at me. “You should not have pushed me to the wall all these years. You are the reason why I'm like this. Yes, it's all your fault.”Travis tried to help himself up from the chair I sat him on so that I could help him with his hand and reduce his bleeding. The cloth I had used to tie his hand was filled in no time and I could see that Travis was losing a lot of blood at that time.“Let's take him to the hospital. You know he
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Two Travis_I broke into the house through Henry's kitchen window after I was sure he had gone out of the kitchen.I walked to the slap where knives were kept and I picked one very sharp one.“This should do a good job,” I said and hid the knife behind my back.“What you don't understand is, I'd catch a grenade for ya!” I could hear Travis as he sang in his voice to the song he played out. I used that opportunity to search around the room for any sign of Annabelle and Johnson.“Annabelle! Annabelle!” I whispered as I entered every part of the room downstairs.Then while walking on the corridor, I walked on a part of the floor that felt like something was beneath it.I went back to look at the stairs to be sure I could still hear Travis playing his song, which he was before I went down to check what it was.“This very strange man. Heaven knows where he kept Annabelle.” I tried to open the thing but I couldn't get how it was being handled. It had a complex
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty OneTravis_I received a call from an unknown number. It was very late at night. I had thought it was probably Annabelle because I had been expecting her to call me but I did not receive any calls from her.When I saw that it was unknown, I did not take the call because I was still hurting from the fact that Henry was playing the hero when he did not help to find Johnson at all from the onset. “He's my son. She's supposed to allow me to come along irrespective of what Henry was going to say or do. Don't I deserve to see him too?” I said to myself inwardly.Norah had slept off on my leg. We sat together in the parlor watching a movie.My phone kept ringing and ringing so I became forced to pick up the call. I did not say anything after picking up the call.“Can you hear me?” The person whispered and it made me curious. I placed Norah's head properly on the chair and stood up to receive the call in a place where she would not be disturbed.“Who is this?” I
Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Annabelle_ I was scared that Henry might hurt me so I began to yell at him before he got closer to me, “Henry, what is wrong with you? Do not try anything funny. I'm warning you. You know how this will end. It will surely end badly for both of us. Just let me leave peacefully.” “You are not leaving through that door. Not today and not until you sign the wedding document.” He said and got closer to me. He pulled me with force to himself and began to kiss my body against my will. “Get off me! Get off!” He disgusted me but he held me so strong. It was very hard for me to move my body away from him. It was as though he wasn't the same Henry I had known. “Stop it, now!” I continued to shout at him but he would not let me go. I stretched my hand to reach the vase that was used to decorate his parlor. I was able to reach it and I slammed it on his head with all the force I had. I didn't know what to do next and he did not give me any option. All that was
Chapter One Hundred and Fifty NineAnnabelle_Brooklyn and I got to Henry's place very late at night. We had to drive for a long time for us to get to Henry's place. “Why does it look as if Henry is not around?” We were able to get into the house because the gate was not locked. “It's very strange that Henry's gate is open. He never opens his gate.” I said to Brooklyn who was driving the car.“Just be patient. It's late already and he was expecting you. So why wouldn't he leave his gate open?” I knew Brooklyn was tired of hearing all my complaints.“I don't feel good about this honestly. Something is wrong somewhere.” I said to Brooklyn, “Don't drive to the front of the building itself. Park around here.” Henry's compound had some gardens and big trees that one would go through before one would get to his house. I just wasn't comfortable with the way I felt.She sighed but did as I said.“I'd go in by myself alone. You should stay in the car in case anything bad happens.”Brooklyn ga
Chapter One Hundred and Fifty EightAnnabelle_Travis drove us into a very nice apartment that he said belonged to Samantha. It was a more beautiful apartment than the one that he lived in. “This apartment is nice. You guys could have lived here instead of where you're presently living though.” Brooklyn said. I was surprised she said that out loud so I turned to look at her.Travis smiled and said, “Well, Samantha loves her things to be perfectly the way she likes them. She fixed it several times, that's why it looks as good as this.” We got out of the vehicle and we could tell that Johnson was not in that building because everything there was so calm but we walked into it irrespective of how the environment felt, leaving Brooklyn and Norah alone in the car.Travis unlocked the door and led me into the room. “I don't think anyone is here at the moment but we can search the apartment to see if there might be any lead in the house,” Travis said to me as he walked into the living room