***Hailey was awoken the next morning by the blaring sound of her phone's ring tone. The voice from the other end was harsh. Kara sounded very agitated. She reminded her about some arrangements. She told her that they had a deadline to meet. Hailey still couldn't pinpoint what Kara's call was about. But Kara threatened her to barge into the house. She said she would come and drag her out. She would wage a war and Hailey was going to get into trouble."Rob." Hailey hurried behind Rob when he came out of the closet. "Are you off to work? Could you take me to the diner? I want to go and meet Kara.""You want to go to the diner?" Rob asked. He looked slightly confused. "Yeah, I have to go." Hailey nodded eagerly. And she didn't have time to explain to him about Kara's plan to raid the house.It was already morning. Kara must be on her way now. The sun was about to come out. "Hailey." Rob took her hand. "You haven't even taken breakfast yet, why do you want to be at the diner? Are y
"If you want to get better, go to your parents and collect money from them." The woman continued. "Because I'm seizing these drugs. I won't let you waste my son's money when there's no chance that you'll get well.""Also." She walked closer to Hailey and scrutinized her from head to toe. "I'm still waiting for you to tell me that secret you're hiding. If you let me find out by myself, believe me, you're going to regret it."And she turned around and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut.Hailey stood in one spot, baffled and yet confused. Why was Rob's mother treating her like this? Did she hate her this much?And why would she seize her drugs? Rob said that she must take her drugs no matter what.The woman also mentioned her parents. Where were her parents? Hailey stood in the middle of the room for a while before picking up her bag from where the woman had left it on the floor.Rob's mother had also taken the wad of money, so Hailey was only left with an empty bag.No, pr
She hoped not. Hailey had no idea about what to cook.Who was that lady that gave her this job?Did she really eat the food prepared by her? Wasn't she mistaken?"Of course, we have to start practicing, Hailey." Kara sprang to her feet and held Hailey up. "That's why I put the closed sign outside. We won't receive any customers today, we'll only focus on improving our skills.""Okay."Hailey looked around the empty place. So that was why there weren't people here."How about we try out a new cuisine, Hailey?" Kara was literally jumping as she pulled Hailey into the kitchen. "Don't worry, we'll also try out the old ones. But who knows, we might invent a new meal.""Good idea." Hailey nodded. Although oblivious to everything that was going on, since Hailey stepped foot here, she felt at ease.Since she received that scolding from Rob's Mum this morning, her mind hadn't been at ease. She felt as if she'd done something wrong to deserve it. They entered the kitchen and her eyes wandered
By the time she got tired and decided to take a rest, Hailey's stomach grumbled and she held it. And now, she remembered that she hadn't eaten breakfast. "Hailey, taste this." Kara brought a plate of the dish she prepared and placed it in front of Hailey. "What do you think, is it delicious?"Hailey tasted the food, and as the soft meal melted against her tongue, her taste buds awakened and her hunger expanded. In a matter of minutes, she wiped the plate clean. She didn't remember that she was only supposed to taste it. She didn't even remember Kara's question."Hailey!" Kara exclaimed. "I only asked you to taste it and you ate it all. What the hell is wrong with you?" Kara put on an offended look and Hailey gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I won't repeat that.""Urgh, I don't care." Kara removed Hailey's pot from the fire. She checked the meal she was preparing and after making sure it was done, she served it to herself and ate it all. "Now we're even, Hailey."Hailey didn'
Apart from that, Hailey was also able to recall a lot of dishes she'd been cooking here at the diner. That was strange. Was her memory improving? She also had a feeling that her memory had shown this kind of improvement before. Would she be lucky this time not to keep on forgetting things? Would it also be possible that she might start recalling things from the past soon? That would be great. If she could remember things early, she could prove to Rob's mother that she wasn't suffering from an eternal illness. She would also remember what she'd done to his mother in the past. And she would be able to apologize. Because they left the diner early, the sun was only orange in the sky when they left the place. And while Kara happily skipped to the pink car in the parking lot, Hailey waited in front of the diner after giving Rob a call. Rob told her that he would come there immediately to pick her up. He also told her not to wander off.So Hailey stood obediently in one spot and faced t
...Hailey wished the peaceful ride could go on. She wished that they would remain on the road for a few long while.But the chaos was inevitable. The moment they arrived home, Hailey was plunged into war. Rob's mother was waiting outside with both hands on her waist and an angry expression. Her father was standing beside him and his sister was also with them.Hailey knew she was in trouble.The couple's glare was directed at her and not Rob or both of them. There was no doubt she might have done something wrong already. But what was it?"Rob." She looked sideways at Rob and she could hear the fear in her own voice. "Is anything wrong? Why are they standing outside in the rain?""Nothing is wrong," Rob replied and rubbed her shoulder. "Maybe they need something, let's go and see."But Hailey didn't want to go, she was apprehensive. Rob's parents didn't need anything. Maybe what they needed was her head."You are finally back!" Rob's mother was the first that spoke. She was yelling
"Mum." Rob held the woman gently. "I'm not trying to say that." Then he paused and glanced in Hailey's direction. "Actually, there's something I have to tell you." As he said that, he gave the woman a helpless look. "Something you want to tell me?" The woman raised a skeptical brow. "Yeah," Rob answered. "It's cold here. How about we discuss inside?"Hailey stared between Rob and his mother. She couldn't understand what was going on. What did he want to discuss with his mother? And wasn't he going to deny that she didn't do any of those horrible things his mother accused her of, or accept it? "I hope it's not anything to defend this girl." His mother pointed at Hailey. "And you'd better make it fast, Son. Because I can't wait to punish her. I gave her a chance to tell me the secret she's been hiding, but she didn't. She will know not to disrespect me again.""It's alright," Rob coaxed. "I'll only take some minutes."His sister was the first one that turned around and went back into
"Hailey." Rob sighed and made her look up. "Don't worry, Mum and Dad won't stay here for long. They're going to depart soon.""Oh." Hailey nodded and buried herself deeper into the blanket. And she had the urge to ask him what he discussed with his mother. Why was the house suddenly quiet? Why wasn't the woman coming for her head? But Hailey waited first. She waited to see if he would bring it up."Rob," she called out his name. "Could you ask your Mum to stop saying mean words?" She said softly. Even though Hailey tried to reason with the woman, she could feel inside her heart that she didn't have any bad intentions toward anyone. Rob was sitting beside her on the bed. And he narrowed his eyes at her request. "I only want her to stop labeling me as a bad person," Hailey explained. She always felt some discomfort whenever his mother said those words. "Hailey." Rob shifted and he held her hand through the blanket. "I told you they will be gone soon," he said softly. "Don't worry
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