It started raining not long after and Hailey still had more searching to do. Then something snapped in her head as if a fragment of her memory, or some sort of imagination. She could see herself standing in Rob's study room. Then, she was suddenly sitting on his chair and facing his computer. And moments later, Rob walked inside. His voice was what made her look up.Hailey returned to her senses and shook her head. Was that part of the hallucinations or actually her memory?However, she couldn't waste time. Hailey headed in the direction of his study room, she couldn't remember if she'd ever been here unless that sudden imagination was actually a part of her memory. She held the doorknob and pushed at the door. It didn't budge. It was locked. Hailey cursed inside and rested her back against the door. While would Rob lock his study room? Unless there was something he was hiding in there. Then it was going to be a hassle for her to gain access to the study room. That would only h
After getting ready for bed, Hailey buried herself inside the sheets and closed her eyes. It didn't take long before the sounds of footsteps reached her ears. She could hear him walking toward her side of the bed, then the sound of him opening the drawer reached her ears. And he fumbled with the bag as if checking out the tablets. Then he touched her hair and rearranged the sheets on her before moving to his side and laying down.Hailey's senses were on high alert. She placed a hand on her chest to control her ragged heartbeat, and she took in slow breaths to make it seem convincing that she was sleeping. Some minutes passed by, then the bedsheets moved. Hailey could feel him standing up. Then his footsteps faded to the door. The door made a soft sound, and she could no longer feel his presence. Hailey moved the bedsheets carefully and she opened her eyes. Rob was no longer on the bed. She sighed in relief then sat up, ignoring the slight ache in her stomach. After making sure
~~~The next morning, Hailey found it hard to leave the bed. She started with a terrible ache in her stomach. The sudden ache came to her as a shock. She could remember experiencing some slight aches in her stomach, but not this much. Did it have something to do with her wound?Hailey caressed the scar on her stomach and waited for a while for the pain to subside. Rob was laying beside her on the bed, still sleeping. And she carefully left the bed then entered the bathroom and washed up. She came out of the bathroom and saw Rob sitting on the bed. "My Love." He stood up and approached her. "Are you alright, you don't look fine."Hailey held the bathrobe around her, tighter. "I'm fine," she replied. And before he could speak further, she walked away and entered the closet. Hailey chose a cloth that had pockets attached to it. And she put her phone inside the pocket. She walked out and headed downstairs. Kara asked her to be careful, but she had the urge to leave the house immedi
Hailey opened her mouth but no words came out. Maybe it was because she had already lost the ability to, or maybe because of the fear in her heart. Why would Chloe poison her? Did she hate her this much?"Sister, don't stare at me that way," Chloe sighed and mumbled. "In fact, I only did this to free you of this suffering. Your mother abandoned you since you were only an infant. Mum and Dad don't care about you. And your husband divorced you the moment you gave birth and your baby passed away."Was that why Kendrick divorced her? Hailey sobbed and wriggled her hand again but Chloe held it tighter. "Sister." Her hand left Hailey's hair and she used her thumb to wipe her tears. "You're also aware that Grandpa will disown you once he learns of the divorce. After that, you will be left with no one, and you will be left with nothing." She paused for a few seconds. "I also know that you've already seen me with Rob. So you see, even if Rob decides to keep you forever, that image won't l
And Hailey didn't need to strain her ears to hear what they were saying. She didn't need to walk closer but she found herself doing exactly that. It was as if their words were pulling her forward. As if even if she ran, it was only going to be useless. "Are you out of your mind, Chloe!? How can she suffer from a fever for five days straight? The doctor confirmed that she was poisoned! Just admit it!""How can you think that I would poison my own sister?""Chloe, you can do worse than that.""Then what do you want me to admit!" Chloe yelled. "Do you want me to admit it so you can chase me out of your life? Is that your plan? Do you want to keep her with you forever!?""Just admit that you poisoned her!""You promised me, Rob!" Chloe cried. "You promised me you'd only take vengeance on her for betraying you with another man. I worked hard to help you ruin her marriage! You said you were going to marry me after our job is done.""Don't change the topic—""I'm not changing the topic! I'm
"Give me back my baby! You idiot!" Hailey didn't know where the sudden energy came from, and she sent several more slaps across his face. She fisted her hands and beat hard at his chest, but she knew that no matter how much she punched him, nothing would be compared with the ache in her heart. "You monster! I hate you! If I don't kill you back, I don't deserve to live in this world!"He was the most evil being in existence. How could he kill her baby and still look at her as if she was the rarest gem on earth? And how could she have been In a relationship with someone like him in the past? "I hate you, Rob. I hate you both!" Her eyes darted to Chloe who had appeared in the hallway. "Both of you, give me back my baby. Give me back my husband! I hate you both! You're going to rot in hell! You don't deserve to live a good life!""Hailey." Rob held her hands and held her in place. "Stop doing that, you're going to hurt yourself."Chloe simply hissed and disappeared into her room befor
She must get out of this place that reeked of evil, and she had to reorganize herself and pull her strength together. She had to seek justice for her baby. "Hailey." Rob was standing by the door with his hands folded across his chest. "Stop doing that. You will endanger yourself."Hailey glared at him. She sprang up from the bed and dashed toward him. But no amount of beating made his expression change. He only watched her helplessly then held her hands."Stop with your tantrums, Hailey." Rob sighed and said softly. "You have to realize that it is never going to change anything. We are now married and you are my wife—""Liar!" Hailey used her legs to kick him. "Who is your wife, you maniac? Just leave me alone. I will make sure you never—""You're not going to do anything." Rob forced her into his embrace. "Just focus on recovering from the poison, okay? After that, you'll keep on taking your drugs and you will forget this pain.""Forget!" Hailey cried. "Are you not shameless enoug
"Your baby was in the way, Hailey. I had to do what was necessary." Rob didn't release her hand. "Because of it, you wanted to sacrifice our love, what we had. If I didn't get rid of it, you were never going to acknowledge the bond we shared in the past. I knew I had to take action immediately, I couldn't stay back and watch you being taken away from me—""Shut up! Just shut up already!" Hailey was fed up with his stupid confessions. Their love. Had she ever loved him, even?What kind of mistake had she committed in the past to associate with someone like him? "If you don't give me back my phone's contacts, I'll—""There's nothing you'll do." Rob stared at her helplessly. "You're weak, Love. Enough with the arguments." He suddenly picked her up the floor and flung her over his shoulder. "I promise you I won't see your sister again. If you wish, I'll never see other women in my entire life. My only wish is that you're happy, Hailey."He walked back into the bedroom and put her on the
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