The room she was supposed to share with Amanda was tastefully furnished, complete with a baby's crib and it's own bathroom. "Well at least I won't be sharing the bathroom with members of this -household-." She put Amanda down gently into the crib laying her down on stomach. When she made as if to wake up she patted her back softly to make her fall back asleep.
She thought of Cole , she couldn't even understand what had attracted him to her in the first place . He wasn't the man as she thought he was. The man she met at the bar a year and some months ago had being kind and caring
not this revenge crazy man . She felt sorry for herself for believing he was anything else but most of all she felt sorry for her daughter who was innocent and been used by her own father in his misguided attempt at revenge against her grandfather. Her daughter didn't deserve this . It might as well be a good thing he didn't know he was her father and she wouldn't tell him. For now she was just going to lay low and then at the slightest opportunity she got , she would make her escape.
Someone knocks on the door. " Whoever it is please just go away." The person on the other side of the door disregarded her and pushed open the door anyway . "I said go away didn't you hear me." "I did hear you and i decided to ignore you since this is my house and you're my hostage . So i don't think you are in any position to make demands." He said casually leaning on the door frame.
"What do you want , have you come to gloat?"
"Gloat, not at all I've not even started my vengeance on your father. There will be enough time to gloat later when i have achieved my purpose." He said with a deceptive smile on his face , "I've only come to to tell you to settle down cause by next tomorrow am carrying out phase two of my plan so rest up." He said with finality closing the door on his way out. 'What did he mean by phase two of his plan, ' she thought as she paced around the room anxiously like a caged animal. She hated this feeling of helplessness, of not knowing what was to come or what to do except wait. It wasn't until an hour later before she was able to settle down and take a short nap out of weariness and to clear her head.
She woke with a start, Amanda was crying very loudly, she didn't know how long she had being crying. She rushed to her crib and picked her up bouncing and speaking to her gently to stop her crying . "Am sorry honey, mommy is such a sleepyhead hmm , she didn't hear you crying, did you cry for long." She touched her diaper it was full , " so that's what making you cranky, let's get you changed . "
She said playfully, twirling Amanda in the air . Amanda gave a joyful squeak enjoying herself immensely.
She looked around for baby things but couldn't find. Just then Megan came into the room . "Where's your boss ?" Clarisse asked Megan as soon as she came in. "He's not in ," she responded.
"So what are you doing here."
"I came to check on Amanda . You must be looking for the baby things , it's on the second rack of the drawer by the left."she pointed out the drawer she was talking about.
" Thank you am sure we can manage, you do not need to concern yourself with Amanda's well-being any more." Clarisse retorted her tone dripping with sarcasm like honey .
" I trusted you but you betrayed my trust , i don't want you any where near my baby . " You have no right to judge me Clarisse, you have no right to stand there and look down your nose at me acting all high and mighty because your father is a murderer who kills people just to have his way. He killed my brother who was just an ordinary worker in one of your father's companies in Abuja , he killed him because he found out your father is one of the biggest drug syndicate in Nigeria. Along with his shipments of electronics , drugs like cocaine, marijuana where smuggled into the country . When he found out , he tried to expose your father's criminal activities, but he found out before my brother could find any conclusive evidence against him.
He sent assassins to kill him and make it look like my brother committed suicide out of guilt for embezzling company funds and then he erased all traces that linked him to the case ." Megan recounted sadly , a far away look in her eyes as a tear slid down but she quickly wiped it away.
" So many people have tried to bring your father to justice but it's impossible since he's powerful with so many connections in high places and always cover up his tracks." Clarisse just stood there mute disbelief written all over her face.
"I can't believe how much lies you people are willing to tell just to justify your kidnapping me. I know my father and he could never do such things, he got his money fair and square. If you know what's best for all of you go tell your boss to let me go ." Megan shook her head no " you are just being blind to the truth , thinking that if you continue to deny the fact that your father is a horrible person it would change the truth, let me tell you something it wouldn't. And about letting you go , not going to happen." She said with finality and stormed out.
* * * * *
"Hello am i on to miss Chidera, Clarisse's secretary." "Yes this is she , who am i speaking to." The secretary asked . "Am Clarisse father Mr Chika." He answered. "Good morning sir how may i be of help to you." "I just wanted to know if she's at work today ." "No sir she hasn't been to work since yesterday afternoon when she got an urgent call to come home, something to do with her caretaker." Chidera Clarisse friend and secretary replied. " Did she leave any message as to why she wouldn't come to work today?" "No sir ." He was silent for sometime. " Is something wrong sir ?
" I don't know I've been calling her phone since yesterday, she's not answering my calls so i decided to call her office." "She's not here as well but when she returns I'll inform you." " Thanks I'll appreciate that ." He switched off his phone . "Am sure it's nothing, " but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong with his daughter and granddaughter.
Clarisse and Amanda meant everything to him . After his wife death that had left him devastated, Clarisse was the only reason he hadn't drowned himself in alcohol to forget his pain .
He knew he wasn't a good person, he had done lots of shady things. As a millionaire business tycoon he had done everything to reach the top and he planned to remain there even if it meant killing people who posed as a threat to his business and family.
But even if he was a bad person he tried to shield his daughter from harm, to protect her and his granddaughter from the harsh world.
After all everything he had done was for her sake. Right from when she was born he had worked hard to provide for her and make her not lack anything.
After he passed away he would leave everything to his daughter, grand children and the lucky man that would marry his Clarisse.