I couldn’t even tell you what day it was right now. I’ve been stuck in this small room with no windows, only seeing light when that man comes in. I’ve been tied to a chair with no food or water since I got to wherever I am.
“Can you tell me where we are, please?” I say as he enters through the door.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart, you should be going home soon.” He smiles as he comes to caress my face.
I try to graze away from his touch, but he just laughs as he reaches for my face, knowing I can’t move away any further.
“You’re sick,” I say and spit at him.
He turns around, wiping the spit off of his face, and he manically begins to laugh.
“I don’t care who you belong to, do that again and I’ll kill you,” he threatens.
“Do it! Kill me! I’d rather be anywhere but here!” I shout, antagonizing him.
I prayed that he did. I didn’t want to be stuck in that room any longer with him. He was already starving me. He was trying to kill me either way. He walked out of the room, and I tried to struggle my way out of the rope that kept my hands tied. Being starved for however long I’ve been in this room definitely made it practically impossible to escape. I sat looking around the room. No wall in the room was fully visible. The only light in the room was the one above me. I let my mind ramble on and on until I heard footsteps coming. I was so hungry my eyes could barely focus. He looked nothing like the man who took me, though. He had beautiful caramel skin and tattoos that I couldn’t focus on.
“Hi love,” he said, and I knew it was Alejandro.
“Why’d it take you so long?” I asked him.
“I’m sorry,” he said and scooped me up.
We exited the room where I heard a lot of commotion. I didn’t care to pay attention to it. I was leaving! I was finally gonna go home. I was free. The last thing I remember is getting into a car. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. I looked around and found Nia and Mateo asleep in chairs to my left. I began to remove the IV and the vital reader, and I stood. I walked toward the door, and it opened for me. Alejandro stood there with two bagels with strawberry cream cheese.
“You’re up, thank god,” he said, pulling me into a hug. “Why are you out of bed?”
“I—sorry,” I gave up before even trying.
I turned around and got back in the hospital bed. He laughed as he closed the door behind him, awakening both Mateo and Nia.
“You’re awake!” Nia quickly stands and throws herself on top of me.
“Good seeing you back, Jade,” Mateo said, hugging me as well.
“Can you guys tell me how long he had me for?” I questioned, looking around the room.
“2 weeks and a half,” Alejandro says, and my jaw drops.
“Jesus,” is all I can say.
“Me and Nia are gonna go get breakfast, you want anything?” He asks me.
“No, thank you, though,” I smile and wave as they make their way out of the room.
“Listen, Alejandro,” I begin to say, adjusting myself in the hospital bed.
“Please, don’t quit. I know this is all kinds of twisted, but you can’t quit. I need you, Jadyn,” he said, a tone of sincerity in his voice.
“All kinds of twisted? I almost died! I was kept in a dark room, where I wasn’t fed, and I didn’t bathe. You may be used to this, but I’m not. I’m a normal person for Christ’s sake!” I shouted as I stood.
“I understand, and I’ve put up more security for all of my staff’s safety, please don’t quit,” he begs.
“Your staff? Alex, I’ve slept in your bed before. You literally called me your wife not even 2 hours before I was kidnapped. Which I, by the way, didn’t get an explanation for,” I try saying without yelling.
“Then let me explain everything to you, please just sit down and relax,” he asked.
I did as he asked, finally getting the explanation I’ve been wondering for the last two weeks of captivity.
“Go ahead,” I take a deep breath as I sit on the bed.
“If I’m going to officially take over the company, both the legal and illegal. I need someone as my wife, just on paper, so I said that to set in motion the fact that I’m going to be taking over soon to the Sinclairs,” he explained.
I’m still extremely confused on what the hell that has to do with me. So now I’m obligated to do it?
“So what now? I have to marry you?” I questioned.
“Well…” he said, giving me my answer.
“What the hell, I can’t marry you!” I shout, my stress level rising.
“I own you, Jade, you have no choice,” he said, making me laugh manically.
He sat serious as he watched my movements.
“Get out, Alejandro,” I say, trying to calm my breathing.
“No,” he said.
“Get out!” I say, standing, trying to push him out.
He didn’t even move from the chair. I wasn’t strong enough to even get him out of the stupid chair. I continued to push him as the tears began to overflow out of anger. He just sat there. He let me take out all of my anger on him. Once I had finally given up, my hands still pushed up on him, I put my head on them. He wrapped his arm around me and just let me cry until I fell asleep once more.
I woke up once more in the same hospital bed in the pitch dark. I looked around the room, lingering on a singular corner. As I continued to observe it, someone peeked from the darkness, and it was the man who took me. I began to yell as loud as I could, shaking in fear when my eyes burst open, finding Alejandro shaking me awake.
“You’re okay, it’s just me. You’re safe,” he soothingly said as he caressed my hair.
I sighed out as I took a good look around the room to make sure I was safe.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be safe around you, but that’s okay,” I say as I snuggle back into his chest and go back to sleep.
The next time my eyes opened, Alejandro was gone, and my things were being packed up.
“I get to go home?” I ask excitedly when Nia shakes her head yes with a big smile on her face.
I got out of bed, helping them pack up my things. I wanted to run but I had nowhere to go. It’s not like my parents are any better. I just knew I needed time away. I barely started living my life; I can’t possibly be giving it up for a man who’s unlikely to actually care about me.
“Jade, I can’t say I understand what you and Alex are going through, but he actually does love you. I’ve never seen his eyes light up for anyone the way they light up for you; he literally drops everything to just talk to you, even just to watch as you walk by,” Mateo said.
It’s like he could hear my thoughts.
“Don’t make me laugh, Mateo. That man can barely understand the definition of love,” I say as I chuckle.
“He may not know what it is, but that’s why he doesn’t know what to say to you. He’s never had that before, not by his parents, not his siblings, not even a girlfriend. He’s been alone practically his entire life,” Mateo stands up for his best friend. “Just give him a chance.”
“I can’t, Mateo, you just don’t understand,” I tell him as I sigh, trying not to cry once more.
“Okay,” he says in a defeated tone.
After finally getting home, I showered, feeling relieved to be home. Wallowing in bed about to fall asleep, the doorbell rings.
“Please go away!” I yell as I throw the blanket over my head and sigh.
The doorbell rings again, and I go open the door. I find two men and a frail woman now looking at me in awe.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” I ask as I look the men up and down.
“Are you Jadyn Spades?” The woman questions, stepping before the men.
“I am. May I ask who you are?” I question.
“Family, come with me,” the lady placed her hand out, and I took it.
She had a face that seemed extremely familiar. It felt like a fever dream seeing her, a good one. Taking her hand felt so right. We entered a car and it drove until I fell asleep. The next time I woke up, I was on a bed. Not my bed but a bed. My dream was all about my childhood and how I used to spend most of my days at her house.
“Aunt Tori,” I said as I ran down the stairs looking for her.
“Good evening, Jade,” she smiled as she saw me.
“How did you know where I was?” I questioned as I sat down next to her on the couch.
“I’ve always known, sweet pea.” Her smile never leaving her face.
“So why didn’t you come sooner?” I asked her trying to comprehend what she was saying.
“You didn’t need me any sooner than now,” she said, looking at me.
“I guess you can say that,” I say and we get quiet.
“So what’s up with you and this Phantom guy, he sounds like a real tool,” my aunt says, making me laugh.
“I couldn’t even tell you. He swears he wants nothing to do with me, but when it comes to me, he’d apparently kill someone!” I begin to shout, looking at the news on the television, finding the man who took me dead, in a river with no fingers.
“He killed that man for you?” my aunt questioned.
“Maybe? I’ve kind of been trying to avoid him,” I admit to her.
“Trust me, sweet pea, I can tell,” she said, taking a sip of her tea.
“I don’t think I can work for him much longer; we’ve gotten too involved with one another to maintain a professional relationship,” I say, and she looks over, dumbfounded.
“If he’s killed a man for you, he isn’t letting you go anywhere, sweet pea,” she takes a sip of tea. “Especially not after he’s asked you to marry him.”
“H- how do you know about that?” I stutter, and she smiles widely.
“He came and asked for my hand. He looked so nervous, it was adorable,” she answered in awe.
“He came here?” I rhetorically asked myself.
I began to put pieces together. He doesn’t need me, so why is he trying to marry me? So confused right now. Is he marrying me for business or for pleasure? At this point, he needs to just tell me how he feels. This is so annoying.
“I have to talk to him,” I say, standing up.
“Duh, sweet pea,” her tone deadpanned. She didn’t even take her eyes off the TV.
I picked up my phone and began to look for his number, but I stopped. I was entranced in my own thoughts of wanting to stay away from him and needing to get away.
So I decided not to call. I told Nia I was away and that I would happily continue to pay her my half of the rent whilst away “on vacation.” Maybe he didn’t come looking for me because he didn’t need me. And for all I know, that’s a good thing. I just hope when he does come looking, he won’t be upset.