Spend The Night?

The car was brought to a halt in front of an old abandoned factory.

Daphne turns to face her children “Stay calm okay? Mommy will protect you guys no matter what!” She said to the kids and they replied with head nods.

One of the men got the door for her and when she was out, he closed the door on the children.

“What do you think you are doing? I want the kids with me! Let go of me” she said struggling to go back to the car but she was stopped and forced to enter the factory.

She was immediately strapped to a chair and they all excused the moment a man was wheeled inside.

She recognized them as those she encountered in the day... especially the fact that the masked man must have recognized her also.

Kai left his boss with the woman and smirked at her as if telling her indirectly to prepare to die.

Daphne watched as the masked man stands up from the wheelchair. He’s looking so dangerous yet handsome under the dim light of the factory.

“Daphne Hendrix is your boyfriend Daniel Williams?!” He asked her.

“Ex-boyfriend! He was a jerk that cheated on me and caused all these misunderstands! Do you want to finish the job given to you five years ago? Are you going to kill me now?” She cried out in fear.

He raised a finger to his lips to shut her up “I said I hate girls that cry” he said with the calmest voice that still manages to sound threatening and at the same time sexy.

Daphne cursed silently at herself for finding this man attractive, a man that could kill her any moment now.

“So you indeed planned that with Daniel,” he said.

“What are you talking about? Don’t you accuse me! I don’t know of any plan. You all ruined my life and now it turns out you’re not just a pimp! You’re a gangster too?” She challenged him.

Just then his phone rang and he picked it up on the second ring “Boss, she’s innocent we just found out her best friend is engaged to your stepbrother” a voice rang out from the other end.

After hearing that, he hung up the call.

He brings out a pearl necklace from his pocket waving it at her face.

“So you remember me after all! Now, are those my kids?! Why did you take long before coming back to blackmail me?” Black said to her.

Daphne didn’t expect him to arrive at that any time before but now she’s trapped.

She thinks Black to be a bad man and there’s no way in hell she would risk telling him that she was pregnant from that night.

“No! They are not your kids or mine! They are my late sister’s children so let us go right now please! ” she pleaded.

“What? In your information, you seem to be the only child of your late parents” he said to her.

“What do you know?” She said in an outburst then continued “She... she was a stepsister and wasn’t recorded in the family register, please don’t make me remember sad things tonight. I am innocent and the babies are too, let us go I beg of you” Daphne pleaded.

“Then why do you keep following me around? You show up anywhere I am... was the two times a coincidence?” He questioned further but he maintained a distance from her.

“I promise, it was pure coincidence! If you see me before you the third time, you can kill me” she cried.

“Steer off my path if you truly don’t want to die,” he said and turn around to leave when Daphne asked for her mother’s pearl necklace.

“Oh! Have you forgotten you have paid me for my work? You shoved it into my face saying I was inexperienced! Come to think of it, you did lots of bad things to me that day” he said with a throaty laugh.

Daphne bit her lower lip in regret “It’s all gone in the past now, please forgive me I was just so scared when you pointed that gun at me” she said.

“You know my secret too, that I can walk just fine. You should be dead” he said with eyes roofed with anger.

Daphne could cope with the straight face but the emotion-stricken face of this masked man is killing her already. “ I don’t even know your face! I won’t tell anyone I promise” she continues to cry.

“One last chance... if I ever set my eyes on you again, I will kill you,” he said.

He placed a call and Kai soon came back in to untie Daphne.

“Take her back to the house you carried her from” he ordered.

Daphne was so excited to see her kids safe and sound. Her thoughts all through the ride were about how to find a new place and lay low forever.

On getting home, Aunt Leah stare out of the window when she heard cars approaching the house.

“I told you she will be back, that car is so expensive and only rich people can afford that model,” she said with a smile.

“You are worse than me Leah, but she was taken away with her kids. What if something happened to them?” He challenged.

“Watch husband,” Leah said with a smile but when she opened the door, her eyes have turned red and she was crying heavily.

“We were so worried, we even called the police but we were cut off. I’m glad you are back my dear” she wailed.

“Aunt calm down, we are okay,” she said.

“You must be so tired. Come inside and rest” she said and ushered the kids inside.

“Who are those people my dear? What have you done to them?” Mr.Jeffery asked.

“It was a misunderstanding uncle, he was looking for someone else,” she said.

“And who was the ‘HE’” he asked further.

Daphne cleared her throat unwilling to answer and she took her kids away.

“I’m so tired aunt, I still have to go hunt for jobs tomorrow, “ she said leaving.

“Alright my dear, sleep well,” she said.

Once she was out of sight, the couples faced each other.

“Have you sent her picture to your friend's company?” Jerry asked.

“Of course, no company will accept her in this city. She will be left with no choice but to do whatever we tell her” She said.

“Tell the old lady to hide all the foodstuffs in the house and limit the food being cooked every day,” he said with a known grin.

“Yes, husband” she answered.

The next morning, Daphne noticed the food has been reduced and the side dishes her kids loved had been removed from the menu but she didn’t dare to talk since she was not giving money to buy anything in the house.

This continued for a week and she still couldn’t find a job. Meanwhile, Aunt Leah would act all caring and supportive by giving her money for transport and to buy her kids stuff.

Daphne felt indebted and thought Aunt Leah to be a good person.

One day, she came back early from her job hunting and was lost in thoughts while watching her kids run around the house. Aunt Leah approached her and fed her with kind words.

“You are still too young to suffer my dear, your grandma wouldn’t want this for you,” she said.

“I’m tired of everything aunt. My kids should be in school already but I don’t even have the money to feed them” she cried.

Aunt Leah pulled her in for a hug and pats her back.

“There is a way out of all these though, I promise to take care of your adorable kids,” she said.

Daphne disengaged from the hug to face her “What do you mean aunt?

Aunt Leah proposed she gets married to the disabled man of the Williams household as it was said that any candidate that the old lady favors would be chosen. And the family she comes from would be greatly rewarded.

Daphne disagreed with her aunt and insisted on not leaving her kids for anyone.

“I love my children and I want them around me always!” She said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Daphne! Do you love your kids? Then you should think like a mother and not the young lady you are.” She glared at her.

Since that day, Daphne tries harder to find a job but she could not find one still unknown to her that it was all her aunt's work.

One day, She got back from town and saw Darcie all curled up and shivering.

She carried her in her arms crying.

Aunt Leah came out when she hears her cry “ She is burning in fever, we need to get her to the hospital,” she said.

The whole family went to the hospital and it turns out that Darcie was going to be sick if they don’t get her treated soon.

Daphne cried at the thought of not finding money and watching her adorable innocent kids suffer because of her.

Aunt Leah came to sit with her and mumbled loud enough so she could hear.

“If only you could think it over, the daughter-in-law of the Williams can do anything they want with no stress. The family heir is disabled anyway so there won’t be a problem ever” she said sitting just a few steps away from Daphne but she heard her. She hurriedly moved closer to her and went on her knees.

“I’m ready aunt, but please take care of my children please” she pleaded.

Aunt Leah smiled heartily and helped her up from her kneeling position.

“You can trust me, they only want a bride to avoid rumors, you won’t have issues,” she said to her.

Immediately, Jerry paid the hospital bill and took Darcie home the next morning.

“I will come home with the most beautiful dresses, one when going to meet the old lady Williams and the second one to meet the rich son himself” Aunt Leah promised.

Daphne could not watch her children suffer anymore and she was ready to take the risk. 

 

******

“I spent all the money needed to feed the family for a whole week on you Daphne, don't let us down,” Jerry said to Daphne.

She replied with a head nod and forced smile. Indignantly, she received the dress to go change for the night.

Noah pulls at the hem of her untucked shirt and stares into his mother’s face lovingly. She bent to his level and called the rest into her arms. She kissed them one after the other with tears in her eyes.

“Be good to Aunt Leah and be obedient okay?” She said.

The kids did a group hug with Daphne and she sniffles her tears back.

“My strong babies, mommy will be back soon” Daphne assured them before going into the room to change.

A few minutes later, she came out properly dressed and she emits a refined quality of gracefulness. 

“Wow! You’re such an angel Sweetheart “ Aunt Leah commented.

“We are good to go” Mr.Jeffery’s eyes twinkled with greed.

“I have asked Mimi to put the kids to bed” Aunt Leah said to worried Daphne as she looks onto the stairs.

Screeches! The car pulled up in front of the Williams Villa and after a thorough assessment, they were allowed to go inside for the old lady of the house.

She’s been looking for a decent bride for her grandson over the years but it didn’t always end well. Black always rejects them on the spot and the longest any candidate has lasted was a week in the Williams mansion. Some ran away the next day claiming Black to be evil and cold-hearted to bear or live with. 

The old lady’s health was getting worse but she would not give up. She told Black she would rather die trying than not doing anything at all! All she wants is a new life for her grandson.

And because of the issue at hand, she’s been staying with Black but at another place in the big Villa.

Perfection is one thing every true Williams loves and so does the old lady— she’s perfectly dressed even late of the night to receive the Jefferys. They had sent a notification of their interest in the bridal selection and after many weeks of waiting, they finally chose a date to introduce Daphne.

Daphne greeted the lady of the house so calmly and reserved. 

She pours the tea nicely and talks nice too. Old Lady Williams asked some complicated questions about marriage and even though she had never been married, she answered logically careful not to say too much.

“I like her already!” The old lady said with a smile.

Mrs.Jeffery exchanged a satisfied look with her husband.

“So when are they to meet?” Leah asked.

 

Old Lady William sighed and drops her cup gently on the tray. 

“He always rejects them on the spot without getting to know them, If only there’s another way to change his mind,” Old Lady William said with concern.

“Why don’t we try it the other way round? She can spend the night here if you so wish ma’am” Mr.Jeffery said.

Daphne’s eyes widened in surprise trying to make her opinion known but they ignored her on purpose.

“Are you selling me out or what?” She thought in her mind as hatred sparkled in her eyes.

She came to realize now that they have been tricking her all along.