02: HELD CAPTIVE

As soon as I stepped my feet inside this hell, and after I kneed the beast’s crotch, his men dragged me upstairs and locked me in a room. All the windows are locked and cannot be opened on the inside. The telephone line was cut, and there’s nothing in the room I can use to call my dad and even my Nanny.

I am dead worried about them because I do not trust the beast’s words, so I was just left with no choice but to agree to this set-up because I am so sure that he will really shoot anyone he wants just to threaten me and make me follow his order.

I am not worried about myself. My father raised me to be brave; that’s why I know that I can endure anything that the beast will do to scare me. The beast won’t kill me because I am his ace. He knows that I am my father’s weakness, and he will use me to lure him out, but of course, I will never let him have his way.

I roamed my eyes around the room where they locked me and tried to find something. Be it a connecting room, some hidden window where I can fit in to escape, or something that will help me use it to contact anyone that might help me. I need to get out of here as soon as possible so I will be able to unveil the truth and slap it in his face! Staying here will make it hard for me to move, but if I have no choice, I will find and make a way to know everything.

And who is that beast again? I heard him introduce himself as Kristoffer dela Merced, but I never heard of his name in my entire life. No matter who he is, or how powerful he might be, I will never get afraid of him. The truth will be unveiled, and he will be the one who’ll get shy to show his face to us because of his wrong accusations and wrong doings.

I opened the cabinets in this room but found nothing. Even the bathroom’s window is locked. The telephone line was cut and even though I tried to plug it in again, there’s no connection. The door was locked on the outside, and I am sure that his men were guarding it.

I looked outside the window and saw that there were armed men who were roaming around this property. This place looks so far from the vicinity because I cannot see any nearby establishments from this area. High trees, bigger lots, and meadows are beyond this place. This looks like a private area inside a province that is only accessible to him.

The city from afar was not familiar to me, and I do not have any idea where they brought me. Based on the clock that I saw, it’s already 3 o’clock in the morning. I went home by 8 PM and I think, it’s 8:30 PM when I saw them in our mansion. Based on my calculations, we traveled for almost 6 hours, so this place is definitely far from where I live.

I didn’t have anything to use to escape or any devices to call someone outside this hell; that’s why I was left with no choice but to go to bed. It has been a long day for me. I worked the whole day in my studio and when I thought I could now rest at home, this happened.

I stared at the ceiling of this room and just realized that they locked me in a good room that doesn’t look like, but feels like a cell. This made me wonder if I should be thankful because they locked me in a room with a good bed or would be frightened because they might do something that would harm me the next day.

I shook my head and groaned in irritation before wrapping the blanket around my body. I had a long day, but I don’t think I could sleep well. My body and mind felt tired, but thinking about my Dad, Nanny Lily, and the other people at home made me feel anxious.

Thoughts are running on my mind. My father’s reason why he did that wasn’t clear, and it made me fall into deep thinking.

The beast didn’t explain what that necklace was, but based on how he reacted, it was too precious to him that losing it may have led him to kill the thief. I don’t know his real relationship with my dad, but what made me sure is he might have done something wrong to my father that made Dad decide to steal it, and a deep reason also pushed him to do that. I know Dad better than anyone; that’s why I am so sure that his reason might be valid… or it might not be… I don’t know! I’m very clueless!

My mind is in chaos, but because my body reached its maximum tiredness level, I didn’t notice that I was slowly falling into a deep slumber.

I WAS AWAKEN when I heard the door open and close. What went into my mind first is it was my Nanny Lily who enters my room to wake me up because my alarm went off, but when everything that happened last night came back in my mind, I quickly got up, looked at the door, and was surprised to see a tray of food on the table near it; that’s why I quickly got up and went there.

I tried to open the door but like what I was expecting, it’s already locked. A deep sigh is all that I can do. I get the food on the table and bring it to bed. They will not open the door and listen to me no matter how hard I try to open it, so I should just better save my energy because I cannot predict what will happen this day.

Before eating the breakfast that they gave me, I checked it first to make sure that it was safe to eat. The moment that the food went into my mouth, my stomach grumbled in hunger. I forgot that I wasn’t able to eat last night because of what happened. Although I am used to skipping meals, last night became too long for me so I ended up dead hungry.

If I’ll end up dead after eating this food, I won’t let Kristoffer dela Merced have a peaceful life. I will hunt him to death and make sure to drag him into the afterlife too.

I finished what they served me and washed the plates on the bathroom’s sink before putting it back on the table beside the door. Since I do not have anything to do, I sat on the bed again and thought of anything that might help me escape this situation.

I wanted to get out of here as soon as I could because being a captive here wouldn’t make it easy for me to unveil everything. I tried to think of anything that I could do, but hours passed by, the sun had already set, and I wasn’t able to think of any plan to do.

My father needs me. I know that he needed someone to prove his innocence and I wouldn’t be able to make any steps, or do anything if I am locked in here all day long. Escaping is the best way, but I do not know how I would be able to do that given the fact that this house is heavily guarded. I also don’t know where the hell I am.

I inhaled deeply and tried to compose myself, before standing up. A plan came up in my mind and I think I have at least a 60% chance of succeeding.

As I was staring outside the window earlier, I realized that the meadow and forest-like place beside this mansion might help my plan. If I can distract the beast’s men and quickly run outside this place, I can hide inside the forest and find a way to get out; and if I have already found the city, I can ask for help there to call someone that might fetch me.

I will not lose something if I try, and trying my best to make this plan succeed is the only thing I need to do.

I inhaled deeply again and walked towards the table where expensive vases and other figurines were located.

By breaking this, the beast’s men will absolutely go inside this room, and I will try my best to escape them. I do not want to harm anyone, but if that’s a way to escape, then I’ll just confess my sin to the church and beg for forgiveness.

I grabbed the vase that I saw and made sure that I brought it near the door, before forcefully throwing it that made a loud sound.

“Open this door and talk to me, or will I break everything inside this room?” I shouted and made sure that the guards outside could hear me.

I grabbed the next vase and threw it on the ground. Thankfully, the floor is fully tiled which made it easier for me to break everything. I do not know how much these vases cost, but should I mind this? This isn’t mine to worry about the price.

As I grabbed another figurine on the side, the door to this room swung open and four armed men went inside.

“Mr. dela Merced will never let this pass! What do you want?!” One of them shouted at me. I threw the figurine I was holding near their place, and was about to throw another one at them, when I stopped midway.

My eyes widen in shock as I see the beast enter the room. I didn’t think that he was here. He never showed his face to me the whole day; that’s why I planned to escape. I might have a 60% chance of escaping if he isn’t here, but after seeing him? I should think of a better excuse to justify the mess that I started. Him and his short temper will only lit the fire more.

The beast quickly walked towards me and grabbed my arm forcefully, and that made the figurine I was holding fall on the ground and break.

“What is it that you want?! You really don’t know how to act properly and according to your place, don’t you?!” he shouted in my face. I made my expression stronger, like I didn’t plan to escape, before facing him.

“I do not have any decent clothes in the closet. Give me some. I cannot survive the day without taking a bath. You’ll also be the one who’ll get irritated once I start to smell awfully,” I raised an eyebrow at him. Really, Adelaide? What an awful freaking excuse!

I wanted to hit my own head because I do not know what went in my mind and said that. I'm lost of reasons! I needed to make and say something that would justify what I do now, and this is the first thing that I thought of. I know, it sounds crazy and dumb, but what I said was also something that I wanted to ask.

Truthfully speaking, all of the clothes in the closet looked so uncomfortable to wear. It will show too much of my skin, and even if I'm just here in the room the whole day, I cannot force myself to wear something like that. It’s better to be safe than sorry. I do not know anyone from the beast’s men and what they are capable of. I do not want to judge them, but it’s better to ask for something like this and be on the safe side.

“Did you hit your head hard, that’s why you’re not in your proper mind?! Who do you think you are to ask for something? May I remind you that you are a prisoner here, and not a guest!” He shouted again like I was not inches away from him. I pulled my arm from his grip, but it had no use. He’s strong, and it was like I am a feather to him. He is gripping my arm like he wanted to break my bones!

“I have all the right to demand because you dragged me into this situation and didn’t do a proper investigation first! You put me in this place and didn’t try to look on the other side of the story to have your answer! You made me your prisoner by thinking that my father is the one who should be blamed for everything! Well, let me guess, you are not that bright enough to investigate and just pointed out my father because you cannot think deeper!” I shouted back at him.

I do not want to lose the last thread of my patience. My father always tells me and reminds me to always understand someone’s situation no matter what they did, and will do to you, but seeing what this beast is? I cannot hold that anymore.

“You have no right to talk to me like you know me and my plans!” He shouted back. I was stunned when he strongly let go of my arm and pushed me, that’s why it made me fall on the ground where the shattered and sharp glasses of the vase were located. I inhaled sharply as I felt that the broken glasses pierced my arm and hand, and as I saw it bleed.

I looked up to the beast who looked so lost and shocked for a second, but was able to put his mad face back.

“Keep in mind that you are a prisoner here. Just be thankful that I provided you a good room to stay and was giving you food to eat. You deserve to be locked in an underground cell and sleep on cold ground. Never ask for something that you do not deserve,” he spoke, before turning his back on me and leaving the room. His men also left me on the ground, bleeding and trying my best not to burst in anger and in tears.