Michelle woke up blindfolded.
Her mouth was gagged, her hands and feet were tied.
She was on a chair.
"Somebody help me!! Is anybody there?" She was scared, her voice cracking due to tears.
She heard footsteps walking towards her.
"Who are you?! Untie me!" The person stood in front of her and landed a slap across her face. Michelle groaned.
"How dare you hit me? Who are you?!" She repeated.
"Michelle Jackson," She recognized Nadia's voice. Nadia took the blindfold and gag off.
"Happy to see me?" She smirked. Michelle's jaw tightened.
"Nadia! Why are you keeping me here? Where's Damien? What did your thugs do to him?" She yelled.
Nadia chuckled.
"Damien is alright, I guess. But he must hate you now. You're fucking Mr. Kevin. Hilarious, right? And unbelievable." She stared at Michelle with venom.
"I did not do it! They lied to him! How dare you? How could you?" Michelle cried.
"Yes, they lied to him. To make you look bad. The same way you're currently making me look bad to Damien. If I can't have that guy, you won't have him either. And its certain – I'll have him."
"He may hate me now, but he'll never develop any feelings for you. I don't even care if he thinks I'm a whore. I want to see him. I want to make him understand that...its all a lie."
"He won't believe you!" Nadia snarled. She grabbed Michelle's jaw in her tiny fist.
"Both you and Damien are wrapped in my fingers. Try anything stupid, Damien will die." Nadia threatened.
~~~~~~
Nadia and a friend came in from the club the next day.
"Oh boy, I'm so tired!" They fell on the couch.
"It was fun, though. I can't believe you fell asleep on the street bench and we couldn't find each other." The two laughed heartily.
"I'll be right back. Let me grab some popcorns." Nadia headed to the kitchen.
Nadia's friend Billie took a deep breath, glared at the TV screen with bored eyes, and made her way upstairs to a restroom.
She heard cries.
They were the only ones home, right?" The door was locked and the key was under the footmat.
The sound was coming from the particular room.
Billie was confused and when she was hearing groans from inside, she took the key and unlocked the door.
"Help me...save me..." Michelle had fallen off the bed and she was still tied up.
Billie ran towards her, squatted and tried to untie her.
"Oh gosh, how...how did you get in here? Did Nadia tie you?" Michelle shook her head in a little nod and Billie was struck with disbelief.
"Why...how...I mean, since when have you been here?" The ropes were finally off but Nadia was standing at the door, red with anger.
"Billie! Why did you come to this room?"
Billie stood and Michelle hid behind her, terrified.
"How could you keep someone here for so long? When did you become an abductor?" Billie scolded.
"How is that any of your business?" Nadia snapped. She charged towards them furiously but Billie twisted her arm and pinned her to the wall.
"Run!!" She ordered Michelle. She ran out of the room as fast as she could, missed a step and rolled down the stairs.
Her leg and arm were bruised. When she saw Nadia chasing after her like a wild dog and Billie trying to catch her, she increased her pace and she got out of the house quickly.
Nadia also tripped and fell to the ground.
"Arggghhhh!!!!!" She roared.
Billie was relieved that Michelle had escaped. Nadia rose up and wanted to slap Billie but she grabbed her arm in the air.
Nadia freed herself from her grip, fuming with anger.
"Get the fuck out of my house!"
"I'd be happy to end a friendship with a kidnapper. I'm telling on you, I swear. No wonder your mom's so tired of you." Billie walked out, her face laced with disappointment.
Michelle was panting heavily, tired from running and sat on a bench.She was barefoot and bruised.
A woman in a jacket sat next to her.
Her network connection was poor and she needed to make an urgent call.
"Um...ma'am...hi.." Michelle spoke. The woman turned to look at her.
"Hi, what's wrong? You don't look too good."
"Ma'am, I was kidnapped and if...if she finds me, she might kill me. She might even be thinking of killing my boyfriend right now. She has threatened me and she might do it.." Michelle blurted her words fast.
"Oh no. Do you have a phone? Call your family." Michelle shook her head.
"My phone...I didn't take my phone last night when I was kidnapped. Please lend me yours. I have to call my brother." She was panting amidst her words.
"Okay..." The woman hesitated.
"But I also have to call someone and its important...its okay. You can call your family." She handed her phone to Michelle.
Her hands were literally trembling.
She was calling Miguel. She knew his contact by heart.
"65..." She forgot the last two digits.
Dang.
What was it?
She closed her eyes and tried to remember it.
"17!" It came back into memory and she dialed the contact.
"M..Miguel." The tears she had been fighting were rolling down her cheeks.
"Michelle! Is that you? I've been trying to reach you." Miguel sounded worried.
"I - I was kidnapped when I was trying to save Damien from some thugs. They were sent by Nadia and she was the one who asked them to take me away and...she was threatening me that she'd kill Damien..I don't even know where Damien is..please...call the police or something. That girl is going bonkers." She sobbed. The woman wrapped her arms around her.
"Oh gosh. Hang in there, Michelle. I'll save you. Wait...where are you?" Michelle looked around.
"I...I don't know..."
"Tell him you're near Mayweather Grocery Store." The woman whispered.
"Yeah..Mayweather Grocery Store. Come and get me, please!" She exclaimed.
"I'm really scared."
"Calm down, Michelle. I'll be there soon." He hung up. Michelle returned the phone to the stranger.
"Michelle Jackson. Are you Mr. Jackson's daughter?" She nodded.
"Oh no. How did you get yourself in a mess with a lunatic who is after you and your boyfriend?"
"I don't understand...I'm confused...My boyfriend helped me get into Lumi's Kitchen as a chef, I couldn't get employed immediately because the manager Mr. Kevin was asking me to have sex with him before I resume work..I didn't agree to that and now it seems that he has joined hands with Nadia who has always hated me and they want me dead suddenly."
"Did you do anything else to infuriate the manager?" The woman questioned.
"N-no. I told my friend Gabriela about it and she reported the issue to Mrs. Lumi who assured her that Mr. Kevin would be fired. Probably she told Mr. Kevin about Gabriela's report and he thinks...he thinks it was Damien's and my fault. But I swear, I didn't ask Gabriela to tell Mrs. Lumi anything. I didn't want him to lose his job."
"Gabriela Flores?" Michelle nodded again.
The woman sighed.
"Its alright. Please don't cry anymore. Your brother will come get you."
"I – I thought you wanted to call someone important."
"You matter the most right now. Your life is in danger."
An hour later, Miguel's car pulled to a halt in front of them. The police alighted hastily with Miguel.
He ran towards his sister and Michelle flew into his arms.
"I'm so glad you came...I..I was so terrified.." She wept.
"You're trembling so much...let's get you in." He broke the hug and wanted to take her into the car.
"No! Let's save Damien. I don't know where he is and I can't go home without him."
"There's one more person," Miguel told the police.
"He's my best friend, and he must be in danger right now."
"Who is the kidnapper?" A policeman questioned Michelle.
"Her name is Nadia." Michelle replied.
"Can you take us back to the location?"
"Yes, it was her house."
"Let's go."
"Thank you so much ma'am. I owe you one." Miguel was grateful and the woman smiled a little.
"Find her boyfriend."
"We will." They got into the car and drove off.
"Where's Nadia?" Billie was questioned.
"I don't know...she was after Michelle but I don't know where she went. I tried to stop her but failed."
"Do you know anything about Damien White's kidnap?" Another policeman asked.
"No. I didn't see him. But by what Nadia told me, Damien must be at her uncle's place."
"Who is her uncle?"
"Mr. Kevin. They are super close, from what I've seen."
"Okay. Do you know where he lives?"
"Polly Unit. Far from the island."
~~~~~~
It was nighttime when they got to Polly Unit.
Michelle had fallen asleep in Miguel's arms.
Her eyes were swollen due to crying profusely. She was limp in his arms.
"We're here." He said to her softly and her eyes flew open.
"D-Damien...Is he okay? Is Damien alright?" She spoke groggily. They alighted and Michelle had to walk by being supported. Her feet burned with ache. It was dark and there were no streetlights.
One of the policemen pointed a flashlight to the building.
A loud gunshot was heard from the house and Michelle fell to the ground, screaming wildly.
"Damien!!!!" Her shriek was ear splitting and Miguel tried to help her up. He covered her mouth with her palm.
Kevin and Nadia heard their noise and switched off all the lights.
"Follow me, Mr. Jackson." The policeman whispered and they followed. Michelle felt like something had died in her.
They had shot him and she knew it.
He was dead.
The last thing she wanted to see was his body.
Why didn't he bid her a proper goodbye?
He had died – all because of her.
And she'd never be able to forgive herself.
She was starting to have the life she'd always wished for with her man and now he was gone.
"Surrender now, before we break in. You are under arrest. Drop your weapons and make your way outside." The policemen ordered.
There was silence before the door creaked open.
Nadia stepped outside, staring at Michelle with hatred and venom.
Michelle's eyes were red, she wanted to burst. Miguel was holding her tight, preventing her from falling because she felt lifeless.
Nadia was handcuffed, followed by her uncle who wanted to protest.
They led them into the van.
"Take Miss. Michelle home. We'll call an ambulance and make sure he gets to the hospital."
Miguel shook his head.
"Is he still alive?" Michelle questioned, her voice laced with melancholy.
"There's no bloodshed in the building according to the police."
"Who was shot then?" Miguel chuckled wistfully.
"Damien must have passed out of shock, sis. He's a scaredy cat. But you know what, he loves you and he's very strong. He can't die."
"Really?" He nodded.
~~~~~~
Michelle sat alone in the waiting room, her mind drifting away from the figure that sat on the hospital chair.
Miguel walked out of the ward and she rose up.
"Is he...okay?" She was prepared for the worst.
He shook his head, his sad expression making Michelle shiver.
"Damien is – crazy. He only fainted. He's awake and really wants to see you."
"F-fainted?" Michelle was breathless.
"He has been transferred to that ward from the emergency room."
"Who got shot then?"
"He explained that Kevin shot at the ceiling when they saw the flashlight pointing at them. He got scared and lost consciousness." She closed her eyes and let the tears flow.
She was so relieved.
"His wounds have been dressed. Go to him." Michelle didn't even know how fast she had ran.
She burst into his ward and stopped in her tracks for a second.
Damien was standing near his bed in a hospital gown trying on the ward's comfort slippers.
His head, cheek, arms and legs were bandaged. She sprang towards him and flew into his arms.
He smiled a little.
He knew she was crying silently but uncontrollably.
"My little chick, you're shivering." She chuckled with glistening eyes.
They broke the hug and sat on the hospital bed.
"I was so scared, Damien. Are you okay? Oh shit, those people hit you really hard. They'll all go to hell. Nadia has been arrested and...Kevin. But...why did you hug me back? I thought you'd be angry with me...and you'd want to break up. I don't care anyways! I just wanted to see you're very much alive.." She sighed sadly.
"Break up? Says who? Why would I break up with you?"
"Because of what they said..."
"I don't believe them. I wouldn't get mad to the point of breaking up. But I'm still mad."
"I know. I'm sorry for not telling you about Mr. Kevin. Miguel must have explained a lot of things to you and Gabriela was also wrong for daring to report him. I'm relieved its all over now."
"Promise you'll never hide anything from me again." He pinched her cheeks and she giggled.
"I won't. I will never hide anything from you."
"By the way, your swearing is cute. I'm ecstatic I made you do that."
"I swore??" Her eyes widened in mock surprise.
"Yeah."
"Those people will so regret hurting you, Damien. The police are still on the search for some of the thugs and we've been assured that they'll be found. If you died...I don't know what I'd do."
"You'd probably come to my burial site with your new boyfriend and apologize to me that you're walking away." Michelle placed a finger on his lips.
"Don't you dare. I can't bear losing you. I love you to the moon and back and if you leave me, I'll go back to being melancholic and pathetic." She talked so fast nervously. Damien's heart skipped.
Michelle shut her eyes, flustered.
"Wait...what did you just say?" He couldn't believe it.
"I said if you leave me, I'll go back to being melancholic and pathetic."
"No - before that." There was a triumphant smirk on his face.
"I love you."