4 CHAPTER 4

"Who was she?" I asked as soon as the leader left. Brown stayed behind to feed me. As much as I would like to avoid talking with anyone here, I needed the reasons behind my kidnapping and how my father is related to the girl.

"Our Boss." He replied shortly and quietly waited for me to finish my tuna sandwich. I was free to eat with my own hands. Whenever they free me to eat, I would intentionally waste time with my sluggish movements so I could stay in my freedom for some moments.

She looked too young to become someone's boss: nearly my age, let alone a gang leader, but that's none of my concern.

"I noticed. Her name?" I asked the obvious.

"Olivia Patrick." His answer was rather quicker. The name did not ring a bell in my head, nor did her face. At last, I concluded that I have never slept with this girl.

Maybe she's a business rival of Father?

People can do anything for money these days.

My mind quickly scanned through my memories of the names of my father's allies and foes, but none of them matched the last name as Patrick. Maybe I do not know all of them.

"Hey! I need to pee." I felt like a three-year-old child, asking my father to help me pee. They never left me alone when I am not tied.

He led me to the same rectangular windowless room where I shit and pee every day. It was the darkest and the hideous room in the whole warehouse, I guessed.

I wondered what happened to this place?

Something always clogs the little toilet in the middle of the room, with a tap and sink on the side, with no mirror around. Earlier, the first time I used it, I threw up all over the place and on my clothes as the disgust filled my stomach, I never got used to it, but I feel myself getting comfortable with it.

I tried removing blood stains from my shirt and jacket, but they were already dried, so now I had to roam around in my black pants only. Brown waited outside as I tried to wash away the dirt from my upper body, but no matter how hard I rub, the dirt I collected from this place will never go away.

I noticed the bruises on my abs and shoulder, and I examined my purple wrists. I want to complain about my injuries, I want to hug my father, and I want my elder brother to beat the shit out of these people for me like he used to do when we were younger. I wondered if they miss me.

I will go home.

I even miss my servants back at home who treated me like their king. These insensible bastards are treating me worse than a dog. They provided me with minimal food and water but enough to survive.

"Are you done yet?" I heard Brown shouting, and I internally shouted back.

I was again in the same chair as before and again bound by the same restraint. I never tried to run, knowing it was a suicide mission after the beating that they gave me. I predicted they did not fear my father, and it was the biggest threat to me.

My father, Eros Hart, is one of the richest men in the city and has connections all across the world. Our business, Hart Industries, has many hands waiting for one touch. But all these years, no one has ever been able to touch us.

My thoughts kept coming back to my father and his worried face. He would age faster if he is stressed, and watching your parents growing old is the most painful for every child.

"Can you please tell me what Olivia really wants from my father and me?" I presented the question as politely as I could.

"I... really don't know, man. I just act as they order me to." He responded pitifully.

"They? You mean Olivia, right?"

"It is not just Olivia. They're others." My internal organs jumped at his unintentional statement, and my facial expressions displayed terrified.

He realized his mistake and deliberately left me alone before I could even comprehend his words.

Others? How many?

I could not fight them alone. I am not strong enough nor bright enough to use my brains out of this place. I am trying to stay low; so they do not injure me like before. I can not endure more beating than this.

I never even questioned the beating I received the other day.

In a situation like this, like any prudent man who would always think about safety first and so did I. Scarcely I get any sleep, just to keep my ears and eyes open. It was uncomfortable to sleep in a chair with your arms and legs tied.

I feared for my life here, and at the same time, I feared nothing. Maybe because my mind is trying to escape the reality of my situation, but how could I ignore my pain, my inability, and my fear of dying here.

If this was my dream, I wish to wake up soon and turn back to my ordinary life, where I party all day and night. If I ever get out of this place, I will forget this moment as some bad dreams.

At the thought of dreams, I dared to dream at the moment to escape from this pain and place in my sleep and really go to the wonderland where my father and brother, along with my friends, would be waiting for me.

Magically, I felt my eyelids getting heavy, and in a few seconds, I yawned and let myself consumed by the deep slumber.

The commotion in the room awoke me, and I noticed more than five men pacing and standing like preparing for something or maybe someone in the room. I alerted myself.

The blinding lights from above my head hurt my eyes, and for a moment, I forgot they restrained me from moving away from the chair. I did not feel the nakedness of my own body, and I looked down to see that I was fully clothed.

They drugged my food.

Brown was standing right in front of me in a bodyguard stance by the door with other men getting ready.

What is happening?

Was it the time?

Everybody stopped when they heard a soft knock on the door and got their position, and I felt like playing a victim in an action movie where the villain makes a dramatic entry. It was not climactic at all. It was terrifying.

I held my breath for the upcoming calamity, and what surprised me the most was my fear for the moment. The moment I will see my culprit, what happens to me then?

I did not notice my rapid heartbeat, and I started seeing things in slow motion, and finally, the door opened. My thinking process increased drastically to the point that I instantly recognized the man behind my kidnapping.

"Giovanni Romano."

_________________________

Cedric knows his kidnapper.

Who's Giovanni?