Chapter 108

"Hello! Is anybody there? mom! dad?", I called as I tugged my hands which were tied to the chair I was sitting on.

I knew it!!! I knew I shouldn't trust my family when they so easily agreed to James's presence. I should have trusted my gut.

"This is not funny anymore. Come on, guys. This is getting old. Untie me", I shouted my frustration as I pulled my hands with all force. It did nothing except made the rope marks on my skin more prominent.

"Scott, I swear I'm going to kill you", I said as I felt the burn on my skin. Do they have to tie this rope this tightly? What am I going to do, break out of it as if I'm the black widow?
"Mom!! Dad! Nana!! I swear I'm going to lodge a complaint if you guys don't untie me right now!".

You must be thinking about what family ties their only daughter in the basement? Well, my family. My crazy over-the-top family. Trust me, it happened before. This time they must have changed the location. They are improving with each abduction. Soon, they will be advertising-"Abductors for hire.

We do all kinds of abduction, just send us the photo and location. 100% success rate. Full-proof plan and execution or else cash back guarantee. The fee is non-negotiable.
P.S- extra pay for fuel."

I used the same tactic that made them untie last time. "I need to pee...I need to pee", I started wiggling in my chair.

No noise. Nothing. Strange! If this is not my family then who? I couldn't remember how long ago I was taken.

I'm currently blindfolded and tied to a chair in some sort of dark and dingy place based on this murky scent that's making me sneeze. If I don't know any better, I would say, the place is made for this kind of thing.

"Hello! Whoever you guys are, you picked the wrong girl. Is this some kind of shooting? Am I playing the part of the victim? I don't think anyone approached me for this role. FYI, I suck at acting. But if you are willing to pay a good amount, I might play dead. What do you guys say?"

I waited for any response. Or the "cut" that comes when a scene was shot. Nothing. Panic slowly started seeping inside me. This is not good. No, this is not at all good. Whoever has abducted me didn't make any mistake. They really want to abduct me. Me! A baker! What do they want from a baker? Obviously, they don't want cupcakes.

"Hello! I can hear your breathing. So, please respond. Why am I taken? I'm just a baker. If you want cupcakes you must stand in a queue like everyone else. This is a tad bit extreme, don't you think?", I asked, playing it cool, though my insides are shaking.

Sweat started trickling from my temple. Trepidation tingled my spine. What will they do with me? All kinds of horrible stuff started to play in my mind-eye. Rape...torture...death. Who will know where to find me? Will they reach in time for me to escape? How sadistic is the person in front of me? I couldn't tell whether he was a man or a woman. Does it matter? Yes...yes, it does.

"Listen, whoever you are, I don't have much money. In fact, if I tally the cost you spent on my abduction with my bank balance, yours will be bigger, hands down. So, please you are wasting your time", I tried to placate the person, suppressing my increasing fear from my voice as all thoughts of joviality were gone from my mind.

"How about-"

I was cut off by an angry voice that said, "Oh, shut up, you bitch! I'm tired of listening to your nonsense. How could James’s fall in love with you! What does he see in you? You are nothing but a fat, insecure, blabbering mess! How could anyone love you?"

Hearing the female voice, I stopped my plead. How dare she? Who the hell does she think she is to question our love? Anger burned in my veins, dusting the cobwebs of the remnants of fear in my mind. I fisted my hands so tight that the skin broke from the sharpness of my nails.

"Listen here, you bitch! James is mine. He loves me. So, shove your insecurities somewhere else and LET ME GO", I shouted the last part channeling my inner badass as I searched the direction the voice came from.

Not two seconds later, I felt a sharp pain on the side of my head, making the dark scarier as I slowly lost consciousness. So much for inner badass. Inner badass, I fire you!
The next time I woke up, nothing much had changed other than the loud rumbling in my stomach.

"Your services suck. I'm rating 0 stars when I leave from here," I said as hunger gnawed inside me. Fear is also not far behind as it sends cold shivers down my spine. They hit me. Hard. Which states the fact that these people meant business!

"You must have got the wrong woman. I swear other than my dad's rusty gun, you won't get anything for kidnapping me," I tried to reason with them.

And then a woman came directly into my line of vision.

"Utter nonsense and these times my people will make sure you remain unconscious forever," Jacqueline said as she casually said with her hands on her hips.

My mouth went dry. Shit!! This is the woman who caused an accident, who landed a man in a coma. If I didn't know before, then this attempt solidifies it. This woman is dangerous and I'm holding the number one position on her enemy list.

Scared I might be, but I will land in hell before I will beg this woman.

"What? No pleading? No begging to spare you? You disappoint me. I thought of playing with you some more. But since James must have revealed everything to you from what I can see, we need to take the path of torture. Too bad I was enjoying playing my mind games with you"
That is the moment me Bella-Rose James looked straight in The Eye and said, "fuck you"
Her countenance changed dramatically at my swearing.

"You will regret saying it," she said and turned to her minions.

"Make her see the stars. I want to hear her screams. Make it painful"

She casually sauntered towards a chair and sat on it, one leg over the other.

I bit my lip with each cut I received on my skin. They punched my ribs, my face. Nothing is safe. But I didn't utter a sound.

I never believed I had it in me to endure torture, to stand my ground, but I did. And I'm so damn proud of it until Jacqueline got restless and waved her hand and blurted,

"Enough playing. She is not giving me what I want. End her," with a finality.

My heart literally threatened to stop at that moment.

"What!" I croaked; my voice was hoarse from suppressing my screams.

Jacqueline however, didn't behave as if she heard me. My panic mounted within me as the guy shrugged as if he was asked to butcher an animal.

He then turned and faced me, his eyes dead, holding no emotion.


Suddenly, my life flashed before my eyes. The moments I lived with James, my family, my friends, everything was crystal clear before me. My ears buzzed; my palms dampened as I closed my eyes.

James' smiling face moved before me.

"I love you, James," I whispered the last words that can be heard by only me.

Peace descended on me as I braced myself for the blow that will end my life.

A second passed and then another. I slowly opened my eyes. Sound returned to me at the same time.

Chaos. Everywhere I looked chaos. Police officers captured the struggling Jacqueline and her henchman.

I frowned not knowing how this happened when James came barged in amidst the shouting of other police officers, "sir, you can't come in. This is a crime scene. Please leave the premises"
James didn't listen to anyone. His eyes honed on me, his fists clenched and he stopped near the chair.

He carefully tilted my chin taking note of the bruises and cuts I sported.

Suddenly, he crumbled to the floor as if his legs defied their function.

On his knees, his eyes misty, James said, "I'm sorry Bella moi. I promised nothing harm will befall you yet here you are"

I wet my dry lips and croaked, "it's... it's not your fault"

James's hands literally shook as he untied the rope. He then gently lifted me careful of my wounds.

After that, everything happened so fast. My body chooses that moment to lose consciousness. When my eyes opened this time with less pain, I heaved a relief. I'm done opening my eyes to more pain.

A deep well made me turn my face left to the view of my family. Mom is in the arms of dad and nana in the arms of Mathew.

Scott is not far behind Sarah. And everyone's eyes held tears.

"That bad Huh?" I winced as soon as I said that as my lips pulled open the cut on my lip. James stood near my arm, stoic and aloof. I feared he would leave me.

My worry must have been conveyed by my eyes as he shed his forbidding nature and gently clutched my hand as if it's a butterfly.

"Shh... don't stress yourself. Everything is going to be fine"
"You are not leaving me, are you?"

"Not in this lifetime Bella moi"

I heaved a sigh of relief. Dad who heard everything said, "it's because of him we were able to locate you so fast Bella. I, we owe him your life"

"If not for me it wouldn't have happened," James informed through a clenched jaw.

"Don't be too hard on yourself son. It's not your fault," dad patted his back.

My eyebrows met my hairline and I winced instantly regretting it as the pain made itself known.
"Son?"

"Dad is not letting James leave after this. Apparently, he is his new buddy," Scott piped in. Whatever it might be, it worked in my favor. I faced pain, torture, heartbreak, tears whatnot. However, it is all worth it. Finally, I have my happily ever after with my prince (chew on it, girls).

--------------------- The End----------------------------

Author's Note:

Thank you dear readers for giving my book a chance. Special thanks to nikscorner. Without your support, I couldn't have completed this book.