01: BE MY PRISONER

Blank canvas. Colorful paints. Artistic mind.

Art is what made life more colorful. Through this, people can freely express the thoughts in their mind, the hidden messages they want to covey, and the things they wanted to show.

A method of expression. That is arts for me.

I always know and believe that art is what I was born for, even though my father always thought that I would be his successor in our business, but I am glad that he still supported me from the beginning, and up to now that I have already established my career.

I dip my paint brush on my acrylic palette and stroke it on my canvas. I am in the middle of doing a masterpiece that will be brought to Venice, Italy and be presented in one of the art galleries there, that’s why I am pouring all my effort and love in arts to this.

I was in the middle of filling my background when my phone rang. As I look to it, my lips automatically curved into a smile as I saw that dad is the caller. I put down everything that I am holding before grabbing my phone and answering the call.

“Dad, I miss you! How are you and when are you going home?” I greeted him as soon as the line got connected.

“Dad misses you so much, Ady, and I’m doing well,” he answered, which made me smile wider.

“Ady, listen, you need to get out of our house as soon as you can, and go to our vacation house in Batangas. You need to stay there. Bring your Nanny Lily with you and wait for me there,” Dad said that erased my smile. My brows furrowed as I did not get the point of his command. It wasn’t even summer to go there, and he also knows that I have a project to finish since he’s the first one whom I shared the news with as soon as my secretary confirmed the project for me.

“Dad, why? You know that I am very busy these days and I cannot just go somewhere that quick,” I answered him. Long silence enveloped our call. I even checked if the call was still connected, and when I heard him sighed, I felt that something was wrong.

“Dad, why do we need to go there?” I asked again.

“N-nothing, sweetie. I just thought we could have a short vacation because I’m going home soon. Don’t mind what I said. I just missed you. Take care of yourself and never entertain strangers, okay? I love you, Ady.” I sighed and shook my head. I thought something was really happening because he sounded like we’d be in trouble, but well, I cannot blame him for missing me that much.

“I love you too, Dad. Don’t forget my new set of brushes and paints when you go home,” I replied to him. He answered my request with a yes and a chuckle before ending the call.

I put my phone back on the table before putting my attention back on what I am doing. I need to focus on this one so I will not take too much of my time to finish this.

Hours of focusing on my piece, and it’s already time to go home. I was thankful that I didn’t encounter any traffic because I knew that Nanny Lily was already waiting for me. My phone went off because I forgot to charge it earlier, but I know that she already left a message for me.

I was about to turn my car going inside our property when I loudly gasped and my eyes widened in shock as I saw three unfamiliar cars were in the driveway, and men in suits that look like an exclusive group of security are scattered everywhere.

I cannot enter our place because they will absolutely catch me, so what I did was to drive going to the back gate and parked my car meters away from our house.

I was thankful that the gate wasn’t locked; that’s why I quickly got inside. My heart is beating quickly, and my forehead and hands are already sweating because I am feeling nervous and afraid. Something is happening and Dad knows about it, so he is telling me to not go home.

I don’t know what I should use to protect myself; that’s why as soon as I pass through our garden, I grab the gardening scissor and sneak inside the house.

As I went inside our mansion, fear ate me as I saw a man pointing a gun at my Nanny Lily’s head, who’s currently in tears and was pleading for her life. I was about to run fast-paced towards them when I got the man’s attention that made my eyes widen in shock, and hands shaking in fear; but I tried my best to conceal that emotion. He is now pointing his gun at me. I know that sneaking inside our mansion with only a gardening scissor versus their gun is a brave act, but I wouldn’t let him shoot a person who’s not doing anything wrong!

Even though a gun was pointed at me, I walked towards Nanny Lily and helped her stand up before hiding her behind me. A man in a suit who’s around this place steals my weapon. That’s why I only have myself and my bravery.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?! Do you know that this is an act that might bring you behind the bars?! Go now or I’ll call the police!” I shouted to the man who’s looking at me like he will kill me anytime he wants. He is still pointing his gun at me as his jaw clenches in anger. He looks like he’s going to spit blood because of the fire I am seeing in his eyes. I do not know him and his reason why he is here. He’s definitely the leader based on how he looks.

“Even the law fears me,” he answered and stepped forward, which made me gulp. I know that my hands are already shaking by now because of fear; but I cannot just let this man see it and take advantage of it. I need to know the reason why he’s here and doing this.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” I asked and stepped forward.

Instead of answering me, the man quickly reached for my arm and pulled me closer to him, which made me gasp. He is staring at my eyes with his brows furrowed and eyes are still burning in anger. Nanny Lily called my name but wasn’t able to reach me when she was held by this man’s men.

“I bet you are Anton’s daughter. Where is your good for nothing father?! Where are you hiding that thief?!” he spat and made sure that his gun’s muzzle was directly hitting my head. Nanny Lily and the other maids kept on pleading and crying to ask mercy from the ruthless man to stop what he’s doing, but I know that he is this close-minded to listen to them.

I faced this man with the same intensity of his stare and raised my chin high.

“Dad is in America having his two-week business meeting, and what are you talking about? When did my father become a thief?!” I shouted back at his face that made him raise an eyebrow at me. He harshly threw my arm and pushed me that made me fall to the ground. I looked at him deadly because of what he did, but he just smirked at me. This man doesn’t know how to treat a woman properly!

“Aren’t you aware? I thought you were his ally because you would benefit the most here,” he said, which made me mimic his action from earlier. I quickly stood up and faced him.

“You are talking nonsense! Just leave this mansion and I will let this pass,” I commanded, but it didn’t even affect him; instead, he brought his phone out of his pocket. He throws his phone at me, which makes me confused, but still catches it.

“Watch that video and then tell me that your father isn’t a goddamn thief.” My mind and curiousness are arguing, but in the end, I really wanted to know what he’s talking about. Even though my hands were already trembling, I held his phone tightly and played the CCTV footage on his phone. My whole body went numb, and I couldn’t process anything after I saw the clip.

I quickly threw the phone away and I fell on the floor as I felt that my knees lost its strength to stand straight.

What was that?

The CCTV clip contains a video of my father, passing through a heavily secured place, and stealing a necklace that looks so ancient, yet, cost millions. He even looks at the CCTV before leaving, that’s why I can confirm that it was really him.

Is this the reason why he kept on pushing me not to go home because he would do something like this and expect the outcome? But why would he steal that? We have millions in our bank account and our business is in good status. Why would he steal a fucking necklace even knowing that it will put not just his life, but also my life at stake?

“Now, do you believe me?” The man asked me, which made me look at him.

“I still don’t believe you,” I answered him and did my best to stand up. Between him and me, I know my father more than he knows him. That’s why I know that something is happening, and he has his deep reasons for why he did it.

My father wouldn’t do that just because he wants to. I know that he has a reason, and that is what I need to find out… but how can I escape this man?

“Are you that blind and dumb not to see what he did?!” he shouted at me and pulled my arms again. He’s holding it tightly and it hurts. I felt my bone would break anytime now because of how he holds my arm, but I didn’t protest.

“I know him better than you! There is a reason behind what he did,” I calmly said to him that angers him more.

“A good reason, huh?! Then what is it? What is your father’s good reason for stealing that necklace that is precious to me?! I trusted him and even made him a partner in business, but what did I get in return? Betrayal!” he shouted.

“Just tell me where your father is so I can kill him with my own hands—”

“No! Please don’t kill my Dad!” I cut him off with my pleads as soon as I heard of his plan for my father. I felt that my tears would soon fall because this is the first time that I felt so scared. Too scared to lose the person who worked hard for me. The one who supported me all throughout and was willing to risk everything for me! I cannot afford that to happen! I need to prove his innocence no matter what! I cannot lose another reason why I am living!

“You want me to not touch your father?” he asked, and I nodded. He let go of my arm and pointed at the floor using his gun.

“Then beg for his life that’s in line! Beg, and I might be able to consider his punishment!” He pointed his finger at my forehead and smirked.

I tightly closed my eyes and slowly kneeled on the floor to beg. I don’t care if this will make this man think that he stepped too much on my ego because I will do everything just to save my father. It’s his life that we’re talking about. I will never let something bad happen to him because he is the only one that I have.

Losing a mother is already painful, and I wouldn’t be able to stand by up and continue living if I lost him too, because of this fucking reason.

“P-please don’t kill my father! He’s the only one left to me. Let me prove his innocence and I will bring your necklace back to you, please… Just don’t kill him!” I held his leg tightly. My tears are already at bay, but I am just preventing it from falling. I will never shed a tear in front of this beast. I will never let this man see the visibility of me breaking apart, and I will never let him use it as an advantage. Being brave is what my father also taught me, and this situation requires me to use that.

“How could you bring back that necklace when you said that you don’t even know where he is?! Don’t play games with me!” He forcefully removed my arms from his leg which made me quickly stand up as I faced him.

“I don’t know where he is, but I will bring the necklace back to you and dig into his reasons why he did that. My father is innocent. I know him better than you do. That’s why I know that he did not just do it because he wanted that. He will never put his life at stake just to get that fucking necklace,” I said and made my expression hard. But what this man did was only to laugh on what I said like it was one of the most hideous jokes in town.

He laughed, but after that, he pointed a gun past me that made my eyes widen. I quickly looked at my back and saw that he was pointing his gun towards my Nanny Lily.

“You don’t want me to kill your father, so how about killing your Nanny and sending her head to your father as a gift?” He said those words like it were just some common phrases he utters, and it sent chills to my bones.

I quickly moved to hide Nanny Lily behind me and let this man’s gun point at my head instead.

“Don’t you dare hurt other people! If you want to kill someone, then just kill me!” I shouted at him and even held his gun tightly. He just smirked at me and pushed my head using his gun that made me let it go of my grip from it.

“Why would I kill you if I could just use you?” What he said made my brows furrowed.

“What?” I don’t get what he is pointing out. He walks in circles around me while he is playing with his gun in his hand like it was a toy. Like it won’t take a life in just one wrong use.

“Come with me and be my captive in exchange for your father and nanny’s life. This is your only choice to save them. Be my prisoner.” He said those words like he was just offering something that would benefit me even if the truth is, the cards are all on his table.

“Are you insane?!” I asked him and stepped back. He looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

“Why? Do you think I’ll just let your father escape like that?! You messed with Kristoffer dela Merced! You messed with me, so deal with the consequence!” he shouted and shoot the floor which made me close my eyes tightly. He next pointed his gun at me like he would poke the trigger anytime that made me gasp.

I know that this man can really kill me in an instant, and I cannot just let him do that! What I am saying earlier is in contrast to what I really want! Dad needs my help, and I am the only one who can unveil the truth, that’s why no matter what, I need to live.

“O-okay! Y-you win! I’ll come with you…” I answered, agreeing with what he said earlier. If coming with him will give an assurance that my father and my nanny’s life will be safe, I will do it.

Dad is not that dumb to show himself because this Kristoffer dela Merced has me. He knows me more than this man, and I know that he trusts me. I will unveil the truth and make this beast pay for what he’s doing and for what he will do in the future. I need to move fast so I can take the lead towards the truth.

“Very well,” he answered, and commanded his men to get me. They pulled me out of the house, and I just looked at my Nanny Lily who’s crying, and smiled at her assuring that I will be okay because I will never let this beast wrap me in his fingers.

As soon as they tied my hands and put a blindfold on me, they pushed me inside the car, and what I felt next was that we were moving. I don’t know where they are going to bring me, but I’ll make sure that even though they’ll bring me to hell, I will never show them that I am afraid. I will never let them win.

Seconds, minutes, and hours pass by. The car stopped and that’s when someone pulled my arms again. I just remained silent the whole time. When they remove my blindfold, I blink multiple times to make my vision clear. My vision isn’t that clear since I was young, that’s why it made me hard for me to cope up with the light after a series of darkness.

What I saw first was the beast who’s standing in front of me, standing like he’s a God, but has the attitude and heart of a demon. He stands in front of me like he is the most powerful person in the world, that even the law fears him.

“Tell me where your father is and what his next move is,” he commanded, which made me raise an eyebrow. When one of his men removed the rope from my wrists, I crossed my arms in front of my chest.

“I do not know anything about it. What he told me is he will have a meeting outside the country,” I answered in all honesty, but he just clenched his jaw.

“Really, huh?” he mocked. I stepped forward to him and closed our distance. He was just eyeing my whole move, and I just stared back at him blankly. It was hard to look at his face because he’s way taller than me, but I didn’t let it hinder my move.

As soon as I was only inches away from me, I quickly moved and made sure to kneed his crotch strongly, which made him grunt in pain and kneel on the floor because of the pain. I stepped back and smirked at him, even though his men were already holding my arm tightly.

“If you do not believe my words, then it’s not my problem anymore. You deserve that!” I shouted at him.