Kendrick was like an out-of-control beast. He moved too fast and every one of his attacks landed where he aimed it. Kara's screams were what brought Hailey out of her shock. And she stood helpless in the midst of all that. How had things come to this? No, she couldn't just stand and watch. If she didn't do anything, a life would definitely be lost. And Kendrick looked so ready to kill. She'd never witnessed this side of him. "Kendrick, please stop! You can't do this!" Hailey wailed and sobbed. She went after him but ended up being pushed back. "Kendrick, stop it!!!" He didn't seem to hear her. He didn't even flinch when she beat at his back. And Hailey was once again helpless. She couldn't watch the scene. It was too horrible. When she was pushed back again, Kara came in time to stop her. "Kara, please help! Stop him!" Kara was shaking and she quickly shook her head. "Don't go near him, Hailey. You'll get hurt."Hailey sobbed helplessly. Even Kara wasn't willing to help her.
She should have just ignored her guilt instincts and stayed mute at home. Whatever happened to Rob, she would hold herself accountable. It was all her fault and she was never going to forgive herself. Hailey's sobs didn't stop and all her energy plummeted. Even Kara who was back to hiding in a corner could only watch her helplessly. She didn't dare to step forward again. She looked so scared of Kendrick. And Kendrick just watched her. His eyes were dark, the anger was still evident in them. He'd never stared at her this way. There wasn't any pity in them. And he watched her as if she was a stranger. As if she was a piece of a puzzle he was trying so hard to decipher. And after a while, he carefully scooped her in his arms. Hailey couldn't even struggle, her strength had long left her. And her sobs had turned into hiccups. The only thing she could do was bury her face in his chest and keep on sobbing. What did he think of her now? And what was he thinking at the moment?Her hangin
Anger fueled his veins and his foot hit the accelerator again. And Hailey kept her mouth shut, only her tiny sobs filled the car. Her damned crocodile tears. When they arrived at the mansion, Kendrick sprang out of the car and pushed the door with a bang. He needed a lot of air. He didn't need to get worked up because of this. He'd gotten everything under control and he'd make sure the bodyguards did their jobs perfectly. "Kendrick." Hailey jumped out of the car and hurried after him. Kendrick strode inside the mansion without sparing her a glance. His fists still shook and he wanted to punch something. No, someone. "Kendrick, please wait up, listen." She wailed after him while his feet took him to the stairs. He should wait up. She didn't know what she was asking for. She'd have it coming if he waited up and got a glimpse of her face. "Master! What is happening?" The Butler appeared out of nowhere, looking flabbergasted. Kendrick walked past him. That wasn't a question worth
Who knew how many times they'd met behind his back? Who knew what kind of activity was going on in that diner? Had she been using that place as a cover? Did they meet there frequently? Rick was one of his trusted men. He was among his elite guards. How could he be swayed by a woman? How could he be distracted that much? How many times had they successfully distracted him even? "You can't withdraw your promise." Hailey shook her head. "Kendrick, you can't—"Kendrick yanked her hands off his shirt, cutting her off. Standing here listening to her was a waste of time. He shoved her aside then entered the study room and slammed the door in her face, bolting it. And he found himself pacing. He paced for a long while in the study room, kicking everything in his way. Hailey remained at the door, knocking and calling out. Several minutes passed by and she was still there. She didn't cease calling out his name. She didn't cease sobbing and begging. The Butler came and coaxed her to go aw
And eating the food felt like swallowing stones. Hailey had lost her appetite and the little she was able to push down in her stomach ended up in the bathroom sink. She washed up and changed into whatever she could find in the closet. And as she walked down the hallway with the tray containing her half-finished breakfast in her hands, she halted in front of the study room and pushed it open. It was empty.Her hand dropped from the doorknob and she walked down the stairs. "Madam, you didn't finish your breakfast." A maid approached her and took the tray from her hand. "Didn't you like it? Would you like me to cook you another one?"Hailey shook her head slowly and strolled past the maid, her eyes fixed on the large door. Poor Rob. Where the hell did those people take him? And was he being tortured at the moment? She stopped walking at the door and used both hands to pull it open. But she hadn't even stepped one foot out when two bodyguards blocked her path immediately. This scene
Hailey understood all that. Her sister didn't have to voice it out. And the more Chloe spoke, the more the guilt encompassed her heart. "Sister, you have to do that immediately." Chloe didn't give her room to speak. "Rob's life is in your hands. Think about his love for you these many years. Think about his sacrifices.""I know, Chloe, I know." Hailey broke down. She thought her tears have long dried up but a dam of fresh ones flooded out. "I'll be damned to let Kendrick harm Rob. I won't let him do that." And after hanging up, Hailey found herself ambling out of the bedroom. It was nighttime already, Kendrick should return in a few minutes. And she wasn't confident that he would come to the bedroom even if he did, so she waited for him in the hallway, in front of the study room. She waited and paced around for a while. Then footsteps came from the stairs. At first, Hailey had thought it was Kendrick until one of the maids appeared in her sight. "Madam, dinner is ready, the Butle
Was this it? Was he never going to let Rob go no matter what she did? No matter what she said? Was she this helpless? Standing in front of him now, he seemed like a completely different person. He wasn't the Kendrick that she knew. The Kendrick that would keep a smile on his face even when he argued with her. And even though those smiles had been sinister ones, Hailey would rather prefer them more than the look he was giving her now. This dark look. He'd never stared at her this way before. "As long as you keep your mouth shut and stop this nonsense." Kendrick wasn't done with his words yet. "I can pretend that you never tried to cheat on me. And I'll overlook all your mistakes."His words were like needles pricking through her heart. And Hailey's eyes stung with fresh hot tears. "Kendrick, I told you I would never cheat on you," Hailey whispered. "I never had that intention, I swear I'd never—""Just shut up." Kendrick cut her off and she could feel him unbolting the door behind
And Chloe was banned from coming here. Then was it Kara? Hailey shook her head. Kendrick must be mad at Kara for colluding with her. She wouldn't be surprised if he banned her also from coming to this place. Or maybe even destroy their friendship. "Alright, I'll be down in a minute." Hailey couldn't just wait and wonder who it was. She should find out by herself. The maid nodded and walked away. While Hailey returned to the bedroom to put on her slippers. She couldn't believe she had been walking barefoot in the room. But sometimes, she would find herself forgetting even something as mundane as knowing where her phone was. She forgot a lot of things recently, and it scared her. As she walked down the stairs, her stomach moved rapidly and she had to curdle it with one hand to curb the movements. The house was very quiet. So quiet. She had also noticed that the servants didn't roam in the house the way they did before. They would only come in when it was time for cleaning or to prep
Sharelene stood in a corner, watching everything unfold. The family was in a frenzy. She could only see fear in their eyes and hear the fright in their voices.As the staff wheeled Hailey out of the emergency room, a deafening silence fell upon the hallway. And Ken...He hadn't been himself since they came here. He hadn't been himself since a few days back when he learned Hailey was kidnapped. Neither would he speak to anyone, nor listen to those that tried to talk reason into him and advise him to take it rationally. Since a few days back, he was the complete opposite of the man she had met many years ago and had a second chance of getting close to again. The man that would always keep calm no matter the circumstances...He was nowhere to be found. Ken was completely different from that man she knew. In her mind, she'd almost gotten what she wanted... Or more specifically, what her family wanted. But now, staring down at the ring on her finger, it was as if the engagement neve
```````And every day, Kendrick lived in guilt. For the next several months, every minute of his life was consumed by guilt. It took him weeks to gain her mother's favor, and even months to regain her grandfather's. He would come back every day, hoping that her eyes would at least flutter. Her bump kept increasing at an alarming rate. His every day was filled with fear and trepidation. And one day, her eyes did flutter. He was supposed to feel joy, but not at a chance that more trouble loomed ahead. Her pregnancy was due and not a week after that, the babies arrived. His real fear resurfaced at that moment. The fear that they would never be able to hold their bundles of joy together. The fear that he would never get the chance to tell her that he loved her. However, she proved the doctors wrong, chasing away his fears. Now, staring down at the babies, her utmost gifts to him, Kendrick had never felt so much contented in his life. He'd never been able to wipe off his smile sin
***Kendrick paced in front of the Emergency Room. His heart was in his stomach and his hand never left his hair. It was as if she'd been inside there for hours now despite being wheeled in just now.No amount of self-reassurance could calm him. No one attempted to offer him reassuring words even. They've all been in the same dilemma.Her mother wouldn't stop crying and he couldn't find the heart to offer her those words he'd yearned so much to hear. Hadn't it all been his fault? Hailey was pregnant. How was that possible? When they arrived here, it was the first thing the nurses said after taking her vitals. But Kendrick still found it hard to digest.And the fact that the child would definitely turn out to be his only made him more confused. It made him angrier with himself. "Ken, what is going on here?" Rushed footsteps sounded in the hallway and he glanced sideways to find his parents as well as Sharelene. "What are you doing in this place? Is someone wounded?" Asked his f
~~~'Hailey.'Kendrick's hands trembled and his grip on the gun threatened to loosen. Staring up at the balcony where she was being held captive, he fought not to let the rage take over. The rage that became multifold the moment he sighted them dragging her here. Her body was limped. She looked worse than how she'd looked in the video. And an almost similar-looking lady, whose face was cascaded with tears, was being held at gunpoint beside her. Was that her mother? "Don't worry, Mr. Reid." Standing with them were the three shareholders. "She isn't dead yet. But she'll soon be, if you don't follow our commands."Mr. Weimar and the rest. Kendrick's assumption hadn't been wrong. They had a hand in this. "Already, you've broken one of our rules," scoffed one of them. "We thought we told you to come alone. Coming here with your friend is like seeking more trouble. Will Mr. Carter be competent enough to fend for himself?""Shit! Buddy, these stupid old fools are underestimating me," De
***"Hailey, listen to me!" Rob grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look up. "This is important, you have to take it."Nothing was more important to Hailey right now than getting away from him. Not only did she fear these drugs he had brought her, but she also feared the way his demeanor had changed ever since he returned with them.Of course, even if Rob was really trying to save her, there was no way she was going to cooperate with him.Yesterday, he'd secretly taken her blood, waking her up. And he returned this morning, looking agitated and somehow angry at her. "Hailey!" Rob's hold became tighter. "You must take these drugs immediately. I can't get you out here if you don't. Please, Hailey." He softened his voice. "Just take the damned drugs, you'll feel better. We both will feel better.""What exactly is wrong with you?" Her mother's voice faded in the background. "Leave her alone, she doesn't want to take them. Please I'm begging you, don't torment her any further."While he
Maniac.Hailey lifted her hand weakly to send a slap across his face, but her hand went limp and fell mid-way."M–Murderer." She pushed his chest. "Just go, leave me alone.""Hailey." Footsteps approached the room and Rob said frantically, "Please hold on." He touched her forehead. "You're sick. I'll get someone to treat you. I'll get you out, I promise."Then he sprang to his feet and left, closing the door behind him. Hailey was left wondering how such lunatics could be left wandering among normal people. She sniffed and waddled back into her mother's embrace. How blind had she been to associate with these kinds of people in the past?And how could she put a stop to these endless noises and intense headaches? She didn't want to remember? She didn't want to recall whatever they had shared in the past. ***'Ken, you have to save me. These strange men have captured me and they won't release me until you come. If you don't come alone, Ken, they're going to kill me and my Mum.'Kendric
...The hours dragged on, and from the tiny cracks in the wall, it seemed night had come. Still in her mother's embrace, Hailey shut her eyes to keep up with that pain.Both hands were wrapped around her stomach and she'd shiver now and then. As much as she'd like sleep to overtake her, it didn't. The exhaustion weighing her down didn't let her achieve that. The exhaustion caused by the aches all over her body. Her head pounded constantly, the voices also became louder each time she was left to her thoughts. Those hallucinations were neverending, and very soon she was afraid that they'd burst out, damaging more parts of her brain.The darkness slowly disappeared and the creaking sound of the door made her aware that morning had come. Another day of torture and pain."Hey, wake up!"Before cold water or anything worse could be splashed on her, Hailey leaned away from her mother's embrace who was also awake."Take your food!" The man burly man threw a food box and a water bottle at them
***"Ken, you have to save me. These strange men have captured me and they won't release me until you come. If you don't come alone, Ken, they're going to kill me and my Mum. They have laid traps for you, Ken—"Hailey was cut shut by a hard slap across her face. Bound to a chair with ropes, cold water was splashed on her face. She licked the side of her lips, tasting the metallic liquid; the only thing that kept her from fainting."Damnit! Woman. I told you to leave the trap part out! Are you deaf or what!?" The man holding a camera in front of her shouted. "Now, let's take another video. You will say everything you were asked to.""Stop wasting your time, Man," the portly man said and walked forward. "I don't think this lady is willing to cooperate.""I told you she's a stubborn one," Chloe scoffed from a corner."Now listen to me, Young lady." The portly man approached her and lifted her chin. "If you keep acting this way, we can't fulfill our promise to you. Give us your cooperation
***"Buddy, this is serious. How could she just disappear into thin air? Is there a chance that they're hidden somewhere in this city?"This city? Probably not. Kendrick had turned the whole city upside down. He'd deployed every force he could think of. They'd searched everywhere; every warehouse, every dilapidated building. There was no sign of them. It had been three days and there wasn't any traces of them. He'd driven to the cemetery that day, hoping more than anything that she hadn't spent the night there. And his prayers turned out to work. Only that, what actually happened was worse than spending a night in the cemetery. The sight of her phone by the cemetery gates was all he needed to know that something bad had happened. She was abducted. And there was still no traces of the suspects. Her sister and that guy. "Damnit! This is all screwed up." Devon paced for a while before sitting on the couch. "You didn't tell me you've taken her back. You never should have allowed her