The next morning,
Ashlyn woke up before her alarm clock rang. She glanced at the bedside clock, and it was 7 a.m.She went to the washroom and did her morning chores. She had a long, relaxing shower and wore black skin-tight jeans with a peach-colored loose sweater. She was wearing her sneakers when James came to her room."Hey, Asho. Today, you wake up early. You're even ready," he said, amused."Hmm," Ashlyn responded."What happened? Anything special? Because it's history, you couldn't wake up on your own. So, tell me, what is special today." James ruffled her hair."Nothing, Jami. I want to go early today. I have important work to do. ""I must say the work is crucial because it dares to wake you up. So, tell me, what is the matter?" James insisted.
"Nothing, I just have to do my assignment. Yesterday, I did something wrong, so I'm going early to do it, and then I have to submit it. " Ashlyn lied because she didn't want to tell her brother the reason in which Kyle was involved.
"OH, assignment. I thought there would be someone else who got your attention and time. " James winked at her.
"Jami, you are too much. There is nothing like that. No one got my attention or time. It's just an assignment. " Ashlyn said in a confident tone. She thought that seeking forgiveness from Kyle for yesterday's misunderstanding was like a task or assignment, so she didn't lie.
"Okay, if there is nothing else and you're ready. So, come downstairs and have breakfast. " James kissed her forehead.
"Jami, you're the best. I don't know what I have done great to have a brother like you. " A lone tear slipped from her eyes.
James instantly sat beside her and cupped her face in his hands."Hey, what happened? Why are you crying? I'm here with you. " James wiped her tears with his thumb.
Ashlyn nodded her head and hugged James. He caressed her back.
"What happened? Someone said something. Did Amanda say anything or Caroline? "
Ashlyn shook her head no, still hugging her brother.
"Then what happened? For god's sake, tell me. You're making me more worried. " James asked, breaking a hug. He again cupped her face.
"Nothing, I'm just missing Momma." She started crying.
"Oh, Asho, Don't cry. I'm here for you always. William is also here. I know we can't replace Momma, but you can rely on us. I'm always here for you. " James again engulfed her in a warm embrace.
Ashlyn cried her heart out. She didn't know why. She was feeling empty today. Why did she want to cry her heart out? She didn't know whom she missed, what she wanted, or how she was feeling.
After crying her heart out, she composed herself.
"Are you okay? If you don't, then don't go to university today. " James said, wiping her tears.
"No, Jami, I'm fine now. I have important work to do. So, I can't take off. " Ashlyn snuffled her nose."Okay fine. Now go and get fresh. At night we will go to the club for refreshments. Only you and me." Jami said, tickling her. Due to tickling, she laughed, and then both ended up laughing.
After Jami exited the room, she washed her face and applied some makeup. She combed her open hair and went downstairs, taking her belongings.
"Hello, everyone," Ashlyn said, sitting on a chair beside James.
All of them replied to her greeting, and then William said;
"James told us." Today you wake up by yourself. It's good and now make it your habit. "
"I'll try, William, bro," Ashlyn replied, stuffing the sandwich in her mouth.
"Good girl," William commented, and James ruffled her hair again. While Ashlyn glared at her, and then both chuckled.
The scene gave off a happy vibe of a great family. While in the family of five people, the other two were jealous and were waiting for a moment to destroy the peace and happiness of the two brothers with their cute little angel.
After breakfast, Ash hopped in her Mercedes and accelerated towards the university. Within fifteen minutes, she reached there. But on her way there, Ash was only thinking about Kyle. After her kiss with Kyle, she felt something towards him. But she was not able to name her feelings. Yesterday, she felt two types of emotions for him. One was at that moment when she read the letter. At that time, she felt disgusted with herself and him. She felt like Kyle had bruised her soul with his words. She didn't know how she felt about him. But his words, which were dripping with lust, only made her hate him and disgust him.
And she faced the second type of emotion. When she came to know, Kyle hadn't written that letter. She felt relieved. She felt like her heart and soul had come to life again. She felt guilty for saying those cheap words to him. She wanted him to forgive her, but he left from there. The whole night, she thought about him, and Kyle's handsome face, her words, and his eyes changing their intensity were all repeating in her mind. She didn't get a peaceful sleep, and that's why she woke up early. She decided to make him forgive her. Even so, she has to ask his forgiveness in front of the whole university. She'll do it. She told herself to struggle with other feelings about him after he forgave her.
With this determination, she reached university. She took her book bag and got out of her car. She locked her Mercedes and moved towards the entrance. She took a step or two when she saw a group of people wearing masks coming towards her. Ash glanced at her surroundings and found no one in the parking lot. She ran towards the entrance for her dear life, but it was all in vain because they caught her.
"Hey, leave me. Who are you? " Ash yelled at them.
She was going to scream and ask for help. But when she did that, she felt a piece of cloth on her nose and mouth. Unknowingly, she inhaled it, and the next moment, She felt herself lifting, and the men were moving towards the car. They placed her in the backseat, and she lost consciousness.
Five hours later,
Ashlyn opened her eyes and found herself resting on a huge king-size bed. She immediately pulled the duvet and looked down at her body. Seeing her clothes on her body, Ash felt relieved.
She stood up from the bed and moved towards the door. She turned the doorknob, but the door was locked. She shouted for help. But no one responded. Then she kicked the door out of frustration.
Ash moved towards the window to flee from there. But to her surprise, outside the window was a maze of greenery and trees. It looked like a house in a forest or something like that.
She wanted to run from there instead of a maze, but the main problem was the sealed window. She panicked at the mere thought of being trapped here. She again ran towards the door and started hitting it with her palms and fists.
Then she kicked it with her foot. She shouted and yelled for help, but no one came. She did all of these things for almost an hour. Then she felt tired and moved towards the bed and sat on it. She made herself into a ball and started crying.
She cried and mumbled some words in between her sobs.
"Ja-Jami, where are you? Come and save me. I don't know why they kidnapped me." She was sobbing when she heard a knob turning and a voice, and the door opened. She looked towards the door. There, a man was present with a tray of food.
"Eat this." He placed the tray on the bed.
Ash took this chance and ran towards the door. But then the man gripped her wrist and threw her on the bed.
"Don't you dare run away from here? You can't go anywhere. The master is not here yet, so behave properly. " The man threatens her with his threatening voice.
"Why did you take me here? What do you want from me? Please leave me. My brothers would be worried. Please let me go. I won't tell anyone that you kidnapped me." Ashlyn cried, begging him.
The man laughed evilly and said,
"What do you think? No, I'm afraid of someone. But as for why we took you here and what we wanted, The Master will tell you personally. So, relax now when he is not here." By saying this, he was going to move out, when Ashlyn again ran towards the door. However, the man gripped her hand and slapped her cheek. She fell to the floor with a thud.
"I told you not to try to run, Bitch."That would be good for you. Just wait for the master and be a good girl." By saying this, the man walked off and locked the door again.
Ashlyn again started crying and mumbling incoherent words, asking for help from God and hoping that his brother would save her. She thought a lot about what she did and why their master kidnapped her. She assumed a lot of things.
But no one came to help. Even the master didn't come. But at night, the same person came with another food tray and walked off.
But Ash didn't eat anything. She did only one thing, and that was cry.
The next morning,
Ash woke up. She glanced outside the window. The sun was not in the sky, but the environment was foggy due to the winter season. She moved towards the attached washroom and did her chores. She had a warm, hot shower and wore the same clothes because she didn't have anything else.
Ash sat on the bed and was lost in her thoughts when the door opened. The same man came with a food tray.
"I don't want to eat. You can take it back. " Ash yelled at him.
"Are you sure? You don't want to eat because, since yesterday morning, you didn't eat anything. " The man showed sympathy.
"I said get lost with this damn food," Ash yelled at her lungs. The man glared at her but then left without saying anything. He walked off.
She remained in that sitting position for almost two hours, then she lay on the bed and started sobbing. She was feeling devastated and depleted. She missed her mother and her brothers dearly. In the evening, the same man came with food. But she declined it again, and the man went out. Her stomach was growling, but she didn't want to eat anything from these kidnappers.
She was lying there sobbing when the door opened with a thud. She gasped and sat immediately, but what she saw made her blood boil.
"Why are you here? You kidnapped me. Can I know why? " Ashlyn said, in a confused yet solemn voice.
"Why? You were not expecting me. " The man said, with a signature smirk.
"You...I didn't expect you. But why are you here." Ashlyn exclaimed, knitting her brow.
"My man told me you ate nothing from yesterday? Why? You should have eaten to replenish your energy because of what I'm going to do to you. For that, you require a lot of energy." The person replied by taking predatory steps towards her.
"What do you mean? Why are you coming so close?" Ashlyn stuttered.
The man kept his steps towards the bed, and finally, he sat on the bed. Then he leaned towards her. Ashlyn took a step back.
"What are you doing, K-Kyle? Stay away from me. " Ashlyn stuttered again and moved back. Until her back was attached to the headrest.
"Kyle, stop," Ashlyn said, but the next moment she was beneath Kyle. He pulled her by her leg and hovered over her.
Ash's heart was beating crazily.
"Kyle,"
She was going to say when Kyle put his finger on her lips."Shush, don't say anything. What you have to say, you already have said. Now it's my time for payback. " Kyle smirked evilly.
A shiver ran down the spine of Ash. She felt fear.
His eyes held different types of emotions."What you said in that letter I want to devour you. I want you under me, screaming my name. So, your wish is my command. " By saying this, he tied her hands above her head with the headrest. She gasped at his tying her hands."Untie me. What are you doing? I'm sorry. I know yesterday I was at fault. But that was because my friends pulled a prank. I didn't know that you didn't write that letter, sor.. " She was saying this when Kyle gagged her, stuffing a piece of cloth in her mouth.
"You won't say anything now. Your time is up. Now I'll tell you the real meaning of the insult. You insulted me in front of the whole university for something I didn't do. I saved myself and my reputation. But you destroyed everything. I didn't have a single rumour about me in my entire life of 23 years. But you destroyed it with a single slap. Now it's time for some payback, my baby. " Kyle spat at her, gripping her jaw tightly.