Kidnapped

Daphne watch carefully when a man alighted from the driver's seat and gave her a pitiful look.

The average-looking man went to bring out a wheelchair.

Daphne bends to pick the last paper from her file nonchalantly and when she lifted her face, she saw a man seated in the wheelchair with a mask on his face.

Her heart raced to the powerful aura the man was imposing on her and everyone around her.

Daphne’s eyes were searching and unstable when she noticed people taking pictures and murmuring.

“Is he a celebrity or what? Anyway, it doesn't erase his ugly behavior” she thought boldly to herself but then

She was getting uneasy and scared, she just needed to cross the road and would be in the big company she was going to.

From the mask, Daphne knew the man looks infuriated and scary. “Did he come down for me? Oh no! I can’t be late!” she thought inside and clasp her files tightly awaiting whatever the man have to say as the silence alone was eating her up.

“Carry this careless woman away from the road” his voice came calm and devoid of secret emotions.

Daphne’s face widened in surprise and she gave him a dirty look.

“I will so report you to the authorities! Yesterday you stained my dress with your useless driving and today you almost got me killed!” she yelled out.

The masked man looks disgusted the more and with a dismal wave of his hand, he ordered for Daphne to be removed to a corner.

Even with people watching and ready to take pictures.

“Mr.Black, people are watching and the old lady won't like more ugly rumors about you,” Kai said trying to persuade him.

The moment he said those words, he regretted it instantly as the cold-faced man gave him a murderous glare.

“You’re lucky the president doesn’t have time to waste today,” The driver said.

Immediately, Daphne was annoyed because the driver didn’t say anything nice. It was her fault for being careless but the light was still green when she stepped on the road.

“What an ugly way to start the day. I should be asking for an apology instead but I don’t have your time also” She said with so much gusto.

“Wait... what?” The man tried to talk again when he was cut off by the elegant man sitting in a wheelchair.

“Kai.” He called gently and Kai bowed to apologize to the man.

“Be glad people are around and watching, you won't get away next time” the man warned.

“I have more important things to do than waste my precious time on people like you!” She added and stomps off hurriedly.

The crowd watching the whole scene gasped and exclaimed a wow, with a series of comments.

“Who's that woman? Is she new in town?”

“I'm so going to post this! I can tell he's embarrassed already” another comment came.

“He so met his natch hehe”

The man clenched his fist in anger “Get me the number of the CEO of that building she entered.” he said.

Daphne pushed open the door of the big building where a receptionist could be seen.

“Good morning, my name is Daphne Hendrix. I saw the online ads and I’ll like to get the position of Secretary here” she said with a smile.

“Yes please, come this way” The female receptionist ushered her to a room and asked her to wait for a few minutes.

Daphne’s heart bubbles with joy at the thought of finding a job so easy.

She starts to calculate how she was going to live, take care of her four kids and how much to hire a nanny.

She was doing this when the receptionist came back but with no smile.

“I’m so sorry Miss, I just received a call that there’s no vacancy for now,” she said to her.

Daphne was sad but she was quick to compose herself. She smiled as she exit the door.

The receptionist returned to her post with a guilty look and she dialed a number “Done sir” 

Walking around town for hours and Daphne was tired, she was running low on money for the bus. She knew she would have to return home for the day or walk down to her Aunt’s place.

She visited 5 companies and she was turned down by them all. At that point, she regretted leaving her job for no reason five years ago.

She decided to rest somewhere and she sat on a bench, took off her shoes, and sighs tiredly. She was on the verge of giving up when she saw a big projection of a company’s name on the largest building she’s seen so far for the day. “Deece corporation” she reads out.

She flipped her shoes back on and tuck them properly as she walks.

Inside, she was welcomed by a friendly Middle aged woman who attended to her. She was directed to the 5th floor. “ The President is around today to attend to new workers so don't feel at the edge and answer properly, okay?” she explained to her with a friendly smile.

“Thank you, ma’am, “ she said all smiles before leaving.

She got to the elevator and waited for it to turn green. The elevator bell rings and everyone inside came out of it all lost in business talks. It gladdens her heart to see signs of hard work everywhere.

She stepped into the elevator and was about to press a number when a man stopped it with his leg between the doors.

“Just a minute,” he said without sparing Daphne a glance and he went to a corner just to arrive pushing a wheelchair inside.

That was when she recognized the two men. She scoffed and rolled her eyes as she covers part of her face with her files.

“It is bad luck to see them twice” she muttered.

The elevator door closed and there was silence all through.

Somehow, she finds the mask disturbing cause of her experience with the masked man years back but he was wearing a different mask.

She searched the man before her from head to toe, and seeing all the expensive things on him, she concluded that he can’t be the pimp.

She dabs her cheek gently at the thought of meeting someone like that again. A man who pointed a gun at her after having such a night together.

Memories of her ex-boyfriend and best friend flashed in her brain again and being so engrossed, she yelled with a clenched fist. “I will destroy you assholes!” 

The average-looking man was forced to look at her and he recognized her immediately.

He gave her a demeaning look not wanting to argue with her again but this time, the masked man looked at her straight in the eyes.

Even though he was in a mask, Daphne could make out the bottomless pit of fire in his eyes. The irritated scowl aligned on his thick brows. The mask covers his eyes and nose only.

Daphne swallowed hard on her saliva when her eyes lands on the man’s lips which drew back in a snarl.

His golden hair awakened something in her and her legs turn to jelly when she recognized the man to be the pimp she slept with years ago. 

How could she have realized this late?! The hair, his cold stare, and sexy lips— she hurriedly looked away.

“Now that we are very close and alone, why do I find you strikingly familiar?!” he asked with a calm but deep voice.

Daphne was scared and uncomfortable, she prayed the elevator would jump floors and arrive at her destination already.” Why is he in a wheelchair though? Did Karma catch up on him? Why is he dressed so expensively?”

Without giving a reply, she spun on her heels the moment the elevator door came open.

The masked man seems to be going in the same direction and she could sense the dread behind her. It was as if she's got eyes at the back of her head. 

A Series of thoughts run through her mind “What is he doing here? Is he a friend of the CEO? Why is he heading to the same path I am going?”

Suddenly, she halted and ran off to go press the elevator button again.

While waiting, she could feel his piercing stare behind her back and she was sure her head to explode any minute from now!

She ended up taking the stairs.

When the masked man arrived in his office, he stood up from the wheelchair so freely like he was never there. He strides to his desk to bring out a pearl necklace.

“Find out everything about that tricky woman! Everything about her is matching” he said to his right-hand man.

A few hours later, the man arrived with information.

“Her name is Daphne Hendrix sir, we used the resume she submitted at the reception. It appears she's new to the city and she's staying at a relative house with four kids” he explained.

“Four?” he asked.

“Either dead or alive, I want her and the kids by night” he ordered.

~~~

Daphne was so exhausted from walking that she arrived at the house barefooted, her heels in her hands. She was out of money and she had to take the bus instead of the taxi.

On getting to the front porch, she nearly teared up when she heard giggles and laughs from her four kids. She wonders if she would be able to raise them well when her situation is like this. She blamed herself for being unlucky.

When she pushed open the door, the quadruplets race against each other to get to her. One pulling at her skirt and the other dragging the heels in her hands. While two took her fingers each with a smile.

“Welcome home mommy” they chant in unison.

“So how was it, my dear? You look so exhausted” Aunt Leah said.

“It wasn't good today but I'm sure I would be called soon,”  she said.

Just then, Mr.Jeffery came downstairs from his room with a newspaper and frowned upon Daphne.

“Jerry uncle! you are home already?” she asked.

“Yes because our company is on the verge of going down!” he yelled in frustration but Leah flashed him a careful look.

“I'm sorry Daphne, I'm going through a hard time at the moment” He apologized.

She pull her kids closer to her like they would get affected by Mr. Jeffery's cold attitude and she asked what the problem might be about.

Mr.Jeffery took a seat beside her and took his time to explain the whole situation to her.

“ There is just one person that can help us but I don't have a daughter sadly,” he said with a pretentious cry.

“Don't feel down...” Before she could complete her statement, a knock came on the door interrupting them.

Aunt Leah went to get the door and three armed men barged inside.

“Do we have a Daphne Hendrix here?” one of them asked.

Aunt Leah challenged them at first but when she saw a very expensive car outside behind the men, she kept her mouth shut.

She glanced at Daphne without saying a word but her action speaks a lot already.

The men went to grab Daphne and said to her “The President will like to see you”

“What? I know no president! Who are you, people? Uncle help me out and call the police” She cried out and her kids starts to cry again.

“Ma’am, please help mommy out the bad men are taking her” Gracie cried.

“How dare you lay hands on our mommy?!”Noah threatened with his babyish voice.

Darcie and Carl blocked the way with their tiny bodies.

“Awww so cute, but you all are coming with us as well,” The man said with a sinister smile.

Mr.Jeffery was dialing a number already but the phone was snatched away from his ears.

“Call anyone and you won't just lose your company, you will lose your house as well” they threatened.

“Let go of my kids you gangsters! Is this an excuse to kill me? Leave the kids out of this!” she screamed at the top of her voice.