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
What if Kara had been able to placate Kendrick to come back home? The enormity of the problem would have been less. What if she was able to hold Rick for long or even get to hide his phone somewhere he couldn't find it? Then Rick wouldn't have been able to inform Kendrick that there was a problem. And Kendrick wouldn't have come to the diner. What if when Kendrick came, she had returned alone without Rob? What if Rob had only dropped her at the parking lot? Then no one would know they were together. Kara didn't appear to have told Kendrick about her going out with Rob. She didn't mention that. "It's not your fault, Kara." Hailey took Kara's hands and squeezed them reassuringly. Maybe to also bring herself to the reality. Maybe it was already written in her fate to end up miserable and cause the end of someone that had only ever wished good for her. "It's alright, stop crying, Hailey." Kara hugged her and patted her back. And Hailey's hand wandered to her cheeks. Her tears seemed
"Ever since I got pregnant with this baby, my life has been in a cage. I can't take this pain anymore, Kara. I don't believe I can't have other babies in the future, somewhere else.""Hailey, please stop!" Kara used her palm to cover her mouth and prevent her from speaking further. "If you keep saying things like this, you'll only hurt your baby's feelings. You can't have thoughts of abandoning your baby." Hailey smiled sadly. Whether she had the thoughts or not, was that of any use? She was already caged to Kendrick, forever. She didn't believe Kendrick would ever let her go. And guilt filled her heart when she felt the tiny movements against her palm. But she couldn't think of anything else. This pregnancy had done her more harm than good. "Hailey." Kara sighed and retracted her hand. "Remember your baby is more important than anything else. Don't live in this state of mind for the sake of your baby. Just forget everything and live on. I don't think your husband is heartless en
"M–Mr. Reid, can I come in?" Kara asked meekly. Kendrick narrowed his eyes. What took her long? He'd thought Hailey would try to prevent her from following him. Well, he would dare her to do that and see. And he'd always had a gut feeling. He had a gut feeling that there was more to what her friend had let on that day. At that time, he couldn't wrap his fingers around what they could be hiding from him. However, now everything had come to light. She'd always had another man in her heart. "Come in." Kendrick loosened his fists and sat on his chair. And Kara hesitated at the door even after obviously hearing his reply. She took some seconds before stepping in. "I'll come in now, Mr. Reid." She swallowed what seemed to be her saliva and cautiously walked forward and sat on the chair opposite him. "Y–You wanted to see me, Mr. Reid?" She fiddled with her fingers and asked. "W–What did a lowly citizen like me did to deserve such an honor to be in your presence?"Without answering her
"It is about Hailey, Mr. Reid." She let out a sigh and continued. "I know I don't have any right to tell you how to run your household, but Hailey is sick. I hope you could let go of everything and treat her better."She was sick? Kendrick leaned away from the chair. "And... I don't think Hailey meant all she said." Kara went on. "Hailey is a good person, she will never hurt others' feelings intentionally. She only said those words because she is sad and depressed. I know you heard our conversation."Kendrick didn't refute that. He'd heard every bit of their conversation. And he didn't believe she didn't mean her words. Would she ever lie to her friend? Weren't women fond of sharing secrets among themselves?"Mr. Reid." Kara gave him an anxious look. His sudden change in expression must have caused that. "All I'm asking is for you to be patient with her. Please overlook everything and care for her well. She isn't supposed to be experiencing these at this stage of her pregnancy. Your
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