Chapter 4
She wasn't even aware that they were back home.Her eyes had been turning in circles... And her headache had increased."Chelsea." Her cracky voice called out, as she stood up from the small bench in their small room.She walked into the bedroom and found her little sister curled up in bed... Fast asleep.They didn't even eat the food that she had brought from work. How did they even get back?How come she didn't remember anything at all? Was she drugged? She wondered."Ralda. Ralda." She heard the little one whimper in bed. "Ohh... Sorry darling, I'm right here.""It's just a nightmare," Ralda said, comforting her sister... As she lay down with her on the bed.She kissed her forehead and hugged her tight...and soon fell asleep.****** Aaaaaaq... The morning alarm rang loudly in the small room.Jerking Ralda up quickly. She woke up instantly and sat on the bed."Huh?" Little Chelsea woke up too and frowned."Go back to sleep Hunny, I'll go prepare breakfast so you can come and eat." She said, and Chelsea nodded, sleeping back.Damn! Ralda hissed. Five Million Dollars! This was her day one.How would she get that kind of money? Her eyes were puffy may be due to how she slept or because she didn't sleep well at all.Who would sleep well? Knowing you have that huge amount of money to pay.She stood up and walked to the kitchen. Her legs were weak too, giving way as if she would faint too.Her small Motorola phone rang and she ran towards the old phone that has only 1% battery on it.It could never charge other than that. "Hello." She mumbled."Good morning Aunt Maria." She greeted. "How are you doing Ralda?""What happened to you? I came home in the evening.. and couldn't find both you and Chelsea.""What happened?" The elderly woman asked worriedly.Ralda sighed, rubbing her forehead. This was the only family she had.Although..others acted as if they were invincible."I'm okay Aunt Maria, Don't worry about that." "We had small issues," Ralda said again."Is it about that debtors?" Aunt Maria asked again."Yes...but I'll think of a way," Ralda replied."How much is it?" Aunt Maria asked, her voice cracking."Uhmm... It's the Five Million Dollars Contract, the one we read on father's desk and thought that it was a joke." Ralda answered."Five Million Dollars!! How the hell did Peter use that kind of money!!" She yelled."He gambled it away... While we were here suffering to death.""Dad gambled away Five Million Dollars," Ralda said, her eyes already burning with tears."I...I have some small savings of about a Thousand Dollars.""Come to my house and get it. Okay?.""No... No. Don't worry about that Aunt Maria, it's okay you don't have to do this, I'll find a way to pay off.." Ralda said, pleadingly.She couldn't let her Aunt do that. The woman was also poor and with Four kids."Bye Aunt...I have to prepare and go to work." Ralda mumbled and cut the call.She heaved a deep breath and smiled. She would get wrinkles if she didn't smile. Right?She washed her plates and warmed the food. Thank God, the leftover did not sour. She thought as she turned the food."Good morning Esmeralda." She heard her little sister greet her."Hi Hunny, are you awake, or do you still want to sleep more?" She asked.The little girl nodded a No. "I don't want to sleep anymore." She pouted, making Ralda laugh."Okay then. go brush your teeth, then we can both eat breakfast." She winked, and Chelsea flashed her teeth.She ran quickly to brush her teeth. Chuckling... Ralda put down the pot of fire and ran too... So she would brush hers as well.***"You don't have to try too much Stacy, that guy is a rock."" He doesn't care about ladies.""I'm sure he's gay." A tall blonde said, twitching her lips.Two ladies were found in a room... As they both prepare to head for the club.***"Good morning Mrs. Hailey." Ralda greeted, as she got down from her bicycle. "What is it this time?" The grumpy woman asked, with a scowl on her face."Isn't it a good thing to greet your Boss, when you arrive at work?" Ralda winked, smiling."You always do this... when you want to ask for something Ralda.""Stop it 'cause I'm not giving out any money at all." Mrs. Hailey said, going out of the shop."I'll be out for some seconds, make sure you sweep the insides of the shop very well. There is a dog poop by the corner." The woman said and left the shop.No...No, this wasn't happening please, Ralda said thought. This wasn't how she planned it.If Mrs. Haily didn't help her then she was doomed. She was Doomed!!!.T. B. CChapter 5 "Hello, Grandma?" His face scrunched up. Why was she calling? He wondered."You know what it is today, Right?" His Grandma said, in her low voice."I don't care what day it is Grandma, it doesn't change the fact that he died due to his stupidity." His voice came out harshly."Stop it, Brian, stop yelling, your father loved you." The older woman was close to crying."Stop crying for someone that's not worth it, Grandma. Cause I won't be coming for that thing or whatsoever." He said and hung up.Shit! He had planned on not getting angry today.He slumped down on a chair. "What?" He yelled, picking up his phone that was ringing loudly in his ears.He didn't even look at the screen. "Take it easy there, Wolf. It's me, Matt." Matt said."What is it, Matt?" Brian asked, taking a glass of Bacardi rum In his hands."You've forgotten or you don't wanna come," Matt said, more like a question."About what?" He asked. "Stop it, bro, about Sylvester's Party," Matt replied."Hm."
Chapter 6"A Maxwell??" Somehow the name sounded familiar. "They were a lot of Maxwell. Right?"Ralda thought as she arranged the table. "God!" She had never attended VIPs before.Why now? She thought.She looked up and saw Sophie giving her a thumbs up. "You rock girl." Sophie squealed.She chuckled.. shaking her head. If only she didn't know about that Five Million Dollars.Are head would be calm and she would be thinking straight. With that huge amount to pay off... She was sure she would get sleepless nights." It's your turn Pretty. Get in before he roars your name." She heard Esme say.Tch!! Life was always ready to throw rocks at her.Couldn't it at least throw fewer rocks.. and more pillows??***At a certain Royal Crown Hotel.A large, Grand ballroom had been cautiously set up for what seemed to be a very classy event.Golden Chandeliers dangled from the glittering ceiling.An environment for the rich.. and high-class people.A BMW drove into the parking lot..and
Chapter 7Esmeralda stood by the VIP room, she had never felt this anxious in her whole life.Her eyes trialed to the door and oh God! She almost jumped up when a customer walked in and smiled at her."Hey, Carlos." She waved at him and his smile broadened."Hi, Ralda."The name Maxwell sounded familiar but then she was going to make it work.A week ago, Lucy had reserved the table for one of their VIP and he had given her a huge sum of money for her job well done.If she could only meet that person again, she'd be free from her debt-full self."Good day Mr. Maxwell, your table has been reserved." She smiled at the man that was walking toward the VIP section."I am Troy Negatti and Mr. Maxwell is on his way." The guy smiled at her and she nodded foolishly.Damn! this was not going to work.The doorbell rang and when her eyes met the person that had walked in, She jerked.. moving back."Mr. Maxwell." It was a statement, not even a question and when his eyes traveled up...he smiled."Hm
Chapter 8When she woke up, she was in a dark room with only a little light coming through the half-opened window.She looked around and sighed.She was doomed!Her head seemed to click and she looked around.What about her sister? What about Chelsea?Her legs seemed to be chained and when she tried to move, it hurt her the more.This was not normal, her life was never going to be normal.She knew how things like this ended.She would be claimed by that man to be his mistress? Slave and then after some times, he'd dispose her or kill her after all, May had said that he had beaten up the guy named Kevin.The door opened and she frowned when an older woman walked in with a tray of food."Hi dear." She smiled but Ralda didn't smile back.Trust no one, she was expected to trust no one but herself.Right there, who ever would help her or whatsoever...she was not expected to trust.She rubbed her forehead and hissed."What are you doing?" Ralda asked."Isn't it obvious? I'm arranging your f
Chapter 9Her eyes blurred with tears and it made her vision heavy.She didn't want to stop crying, this was indeed the height of it.She had never thought something like this would ever happen to them.There was indeed no way out and she didn't like it."I'm so sorry, I didn't know about the money. I would have long been preparing for it." She begged but he paid no attention to her.He was more concerned about sitting than talking.Truth was...he was getting more impatient as he watched her."Do you want to get hit?" He asked and she quickly shook her head before sitting on the couch opposite him.He smiled, taking his seat too and folded his legs."You didn't pay back.""The time was too short. there's no way a person like me would be such amount of money in two days. we're poor." what was he thinking?How the hell was she supposed to pay such money in two days? That was not even acceptable."Hmm. I've seen many a man and women bring my money whether their poor or not. Begging, sel
Chapter 10Ralda sighed as she looked out of her room.She was given another room in the Mansion and it was just in front of her Master's.At least that was what she was asked to call him.Biting her lips, she opened the other side of her window and lifted the curtains.She pressed the blinks to the east side and sat on the window rails.It was evening and the sky was already getting misty as it was wintertime.She sighed as she looked down the window and her eyes widened when she saw someone on his knees.Her eyes widened when she looked down again, this time bracing herself with the table that was close to the window to see more of what was happening down there.Bang! The sound of a gunshot resounded in the air and she gasped, moving back to cover her mouth with her hands cause she was sure the sound she had made was loud enough for those down there to hear.Looking down again to see what had befallen the other man, her eyes widened seeing that the man that was once kneeling was dow
Chapter 11Ralda's eyes widened.She didn't yell out loud, so how did he know that she said that.She frowned and bit her lips, moving backwards till her back hit the wall.She was still wondering why and how someone this handsome would forget humanity and become heartless, so heartless that he'd blow somebody's skull out and still feel nothing.She could see a little stain of blood on the white shirt he wore under his coat.But damn his body for being so... so."Who came In here?""No one.""Liar." He sneered and she shivered.If all men were like God, they world wouldn't be such a hard place to live in."What's your name?" He asked, his eyes brooding down on hers.She looked so small to him. Compared to a tall broad man like him, she looked so small and weak!Weak! The word fell off his lips like something he hated so much.Something that disgusted him!"What?" She asked, blinking her eyes.Tears formed In her eyes, but they didn't fall.She was at edge of crying if he didn't pull ba
Chapter 12She sat down on her bed, waiting.She was so sure he would come by himself if she were to take a little more time.The door flung open and he walked in.Anger was so visible on his face, he looked like an angry god whose purpose was to kill and he was coming to kill her.She swallowed and stood up from the bed.It was 11:34 and he had asked them to get her but she had been so stubborn."What the hell are you still doing here?" He gritted his teeth, staring at the pajama she wore.It was so big on her, and her face..she looked like an unholy nun."I couldn't wear any of these. They are too short and too revealing." She mumbled and he chuckled. A chuckle so low you wouldn't think he did at all."And? You couldn't wear them because?" He asked again, glaring at her."My father taught me to only wear decent dresses and...""Shut up!" He boomed.He didn't care about her petty talks or neither did he care about her being decent.He wanted his woman to be fucking hot, and hell! He
SIX MONTHS LATEREsmeralda"I don't know what I want." I mumbled, biting hard on the Doritos Jerry had gotten me."Please just eat the Doritos and stop bothering the hell out of me." Jerry said, and scoffed.. slumping down on the couch.Tears filled my eyes as if I'd been stabbed with thousands ofn needles.How could he yell at me?"Brian!" I yelled at the top of my voice and he instantly ran down the stairs."What's wrong?" He frowned, nearing the table where I sat."Jerry yelled at me. Called me fat and plumpy, he insulted me." I cried, staring at Jerry who didn't even bother to look at us."Jerry." Brian called darkly."Don't tell me you believe whatever she says." Jerry chuckled and hissed loudly."What did you say to her?""Nothing." He mumbled and walked out of the living room.I giggled and stood up immediately."Baby." Brian gave me a weird look."I just did all that to piss him off." I sighed. "He keeps telling me to go cook with this..." I patted my belly. "Wi
Chapter 65EsmeraldaWhen we got closer to the location, Brian and they rest stopped a block away from the location.They got out of the car and Dave took me there... making it seem normal."Don't fret." Matt said, through the small listening device in my ear.When I and Dave got to the location, I stepped down and dialed the line she had used in calling me."I'll call you when I need you, Dave." I said, waving my hand and he nodded, zooming."Hello, Mom?" "You still call me Mom." She said."Well, I can't blame God for giving me a mother like you...And remember." I mumbled. "This is only for Chelsea." I said, looking around."Where are you?""I'm looking at you, a man will come up to you right now...follow him." She said."Follow who? I'll leave right now..if you don't fucking come down here." I scoffed. "After all these years, you wanna send an assistant to come bring me up?" I chuckled. "Seems like your writing business is really paying off, for you to even have a writer." I mumble
Chapter 64EsmeraldaI froze.The fuck did he just say?"My mother?" I asked to be sure Brian wasn't playing with me. "She called me? How the hell did she get my line?" I asked."That's what I'm suppose to be asking baby, how the hell did she get your line?" He walked back to his seat."And how would I know about that?" I glared at him.And then they began to speak in Italian again.Brian said less, his eyes on me the whole time he spoke..he didn't bat a lash as he watched me with his beautiful eyes."We believe that your mother may have gotten involved with the mafia and she's just a tool to get to you and then to me." Brian said, flipping the cover of the iPad that he placed on the table.Wait...what?Was Brian on crack or eggnog? The guy had been acting so weird...and I was thinking it was not only because I had slept in the tub."That's impossible." I chuckled. "My mother left my Dad and joined a writing team in Texas. Never heard from her ever since but she always sent letters t
Chapter 63EsmeraldaBrian didn't say a thing, his eyes fixed on me as his left thumb kept brushing my hair.Should I have said that?I swallowed.What if he didn't feel the same way?He had told me several times about how he cared about me.I laughed."Are you hungry?" I asked, but he said nothing."Are you?" I slowly crawled out of his arms."I'm not." He mumbled."Oh..okay. I am." I said, picking up the phone.When I was done requesting for what we wanted, I headed to the bathroom...the duvet wrapped around me.When I got into the bathroom, I shut the door close and sat on the floor, not after arranging the duvet on the counter so it wouldn't touch the watery ground.I turned on the shower and settled myself in the tub.Had I been too fast in telling him about my feelings?We were happy.Wasn't it because of love? 'No. He cared for you. Caring for someone doesn't mean love.' My subconsciousness woke up Instantly."No." I shook my head, feeling the water Cascade down my little body
Chapter 62EsmeraldaWe stood outside the balcony for hours,till the party ended, till it was midnight and till everywhere went calm and silent. Brian's hand never left my back as he pulled me closer to himself."Did you let Chelsea know that I wasn't kidnapped?" I asked."I see that you've been so happy to come here. Look how you've been smiling." He kissed my nose."I've been missing you as well and yes." I nodded. "I enjoyed staying here, you know. Nice food and quiet..""You can always stay here, you know." He cut me off, before I could even finish. "I'm sure Father would love you to stay here and help him water his garden every now and then...the old man is now weak and that's now a problem for him." Brian said."You're taking about your Father, Brian. I'm going to spank some sense into you if you don't learn how to talk...""You'll spank me?" He raised a brow. "I see that you've grown some wings just a night here." He chuckled and then added. "He's not my Father but Uncle.""Bu
Chapter 61EsmeraldaThe bright morning sun shone brightly in the room as I opened my eyes.I was missing home so badly. I was missing those arms around my body when I wake up, only to be present a creature God had taken time to create.A knock on my bedroom door made me sit up."Who is there?'"It's me, ma'am." The maid I had met yesterday said.Her name sounded weird,so I didn't recall it all."Oh.." I yawned and stood up from the bed.Today was the party right?"Come in dear." I said, pushing the duvet off me and I placed my feet on the cold ground."Ma'am." She gave a slight bow."Please... Ralda would do." I said and her eyes widened before she dropped it back to the ground."I can't Ma'am. There is a punishment that follows that." She said."Ohh." I nodded."Okay. You can call me anything that won't get you into trouble, outside but when we're in here...call me Ralda." I said.She frowned, contemplating about it before a smile brightened her face."Okay, Miss Ralda." She said."
Chapter 60BrianThe unsettling feeling crept to my guts as I watched Ralda ran out of the mall."She's going to be fine." Matt said, and shrugged as he picked Chelsea up and placed her on the counter.I glared at Matt away walking away and out of the mall to our car.When I got to the car, there was no sign of Ralda... neither was she nearby.My eyes trailed down the floor, and there was her floppy slippers and my wallet.Fuck!I took out my pocketed phone and dialed Jerry's number."I need you to track Ralda right now. She was taken." I ordered, and disconnected the call.Ever since I was little, I was trained to be a beast. A beast created and nurtured by his own family.Although my Mama was a sane woman, always did the right thing... she couldn't save me from My father.I didn't blame her when she had began to distance herself from me, cause I'd only bring her pain...when Papa would figure out she was feeding me when he asked her not to.He would beat her with a belt, gag her and
Chapter 59EsmeraldaThe car sped out of the highway to another lane.I could feel my heart thrashing in my small body.My legs and my hands were both tied together.I groaned, sitting up at the back of the car.A man was in front of me, a black mask covering his face."Sleep." Was all he said, and looked away."Please.." I whispered. "My husband can pay you whatever you want, doing this isn't what you really want and...""Another word from you Regina and I'll gag you." He said curtly.I swallowed. My knee was aching me so badly with the way I was sitting, and my back? Words couldn't even describe how much it hurts, probably because of the metal behind me.Didn't they know that I am a woman?"We're here." The emotional man said, as he leaned down to untie my hands."Don't try anything stupid sweetie, if you try to run... I'll put a bullet into your head." He said. "We wouldn't want our dearest husband to find us with a bullet between our eyes, no?"I nodded, as he untied the strong ro
Chapter 58EsmeraldaI breathed in Russia's fresh early morning air and rubbed my feet in the sand.We were leaving Russia tommorow and I was relishing the time we spent here. It was amazing, it was nice.Although Russia had many Ill memories for Brian, but I knew he was overcoming them little by little."What?" I arched a brow as he kept watching me, stick my feet into the mud."You're Twenty Three years old now, right?" He asked and I nodded."Yes, what's the point?" I asked, clearly knowing where this was headed."No, it's okay." He waved his hand in the air. "I didn't say anything." He said.I rolled my eyes.He was calling me childish."I am your child." I said."I'm Twenty Eight, I don't think it's possible to have a child of Twenty Three baby." He said curtly, taking a chair on the lawn."Flamiyo bitches.... flamiyo." I whined and gasped as if realization dawned on me right there. "I didn't know you were this old and senile." I said.His eyes flew open and met mine before a sm