Chapter 112

Chapter 112
“The swapping”

"Please stop the car, Dave." I felt like puking from my wrath at Mea. It hit me hard when I heard Mea talking about my son and challenging me to get him.
And Dave pulled over to the side of the woodland, and there was a brief moment of silence.
Cathy, don't be swayed by your emotions. And don't let Madam Mea's words affect you. She was merely bluffing. "
"I don't think so," I said to Dave. "Perhaps we should go to the mansion right now."
Dave's gaze was fixed on me. He was concerned about my reaction to what Mea had told me, "Cathy, don't be in a hurry to get your son. We still have time to plan a safe strategy to bring your son home."
"We don't have much time, Dave, and I'm afraid something will happen if I don't make a move. My son was now in Mea's hands, without his father's protection. And the only way to keep him safe is for me to fearlessly trek up to the mansion and retrieve my baby. So let's head to the house.
Dave had a perplexed reaction.
"Dave, there is no other time to do this.” I begged and said, "I get the impression that Mea's voice is passionate and aggressive."
"And how would you do that if you knew you would die upon entering the mansion?"
"Dave, I've got an idea."
"And what is your concept, Cathy?"
"I'll make a deal with Mea," I stated firmly.
I wasn't sure if what happened in my mind would be as successful as I had hoped. But Mea's call didn't allow me time to think about other ways to find my son.
"And what would that bargaining agreement be?" Dave inquired, frowning.
And I explained, "In exchange for my son's freedom, I'll surrender to her."
Dave's eyes expanded, and he was deeply considering my choice. He can't believe what I've just said to him. Surrendering to my foe was a mistake.
I had to persuade Dave for an hour before he agreed to my idea. He was compelled to acquiesce. "How would you go about bargaining?"
"I need your assistance, Dave."
"What do you want me to do?" he asked, stunned.
"In exchange for my capitulation to her, you will take my son from Mea and transport him to a location I will tell you later."
Dave was silent once more, staring at the distant mountain. The hesitancy in his face was my worry, but my persistence won him over.
"All right, I'll do it."
I replaced my worry with joy since I knew I could trust him, just like before, and we plotted how to do it.
The first step will be to contact Mea and arrange a meeting in return for my son. But I should be wary of her probable methods of obtaining both of us. "
"She must have just one of us," I reasoned, referring to either myself or my son.
"That's hard to do, but I know I can't turn around what you wanted to do," he said. "So, let's do it."
I smiled with a light heart and started to draft our first move. "I'll contact her."
"When are you going to do that?"
"Let's do it tonight," I said.
I've had nothing to lose since the beginning. Being a victim of the game doesn't mean you stop trying to figure out how to undo everything. I then dialed Mea's number once more.
"Show yourself to me, Catherine!" said the woman on the other end.
"Every wish has a consequence, and if you want me, you have to give me something in return."
"Tell me what it is, and you'll have it."
I paused, pondering how I should come across to her. I'm not used to haggling for something or someone. But this time, no matter what happened, I had to act immediately.
"Give over my son, and you'll have me."
For a few moments, she was deafeningly quiet.
"Do you hear me?" I said adding, “Surrender my son and I will surrender myself to you, Madam Mea."
She said harshly, "And what will happen if I am not going to give up the boy to you?"
"The world was too wide to listen to my story, Mea. And the news magazine was hungry for this kind of story. My revelation to them of how you had plotted to kill me after I gave birth to my son was enough for you to go to jail. "
The other line was silent once more. Mea was definitely considering how to spin my alleged near-death experience. Her wickedness and killer instinct had come to an end.
And I said, "You were born a killer, Madam Mea."
She screamed again, "You're a liar!"
And then I retorted, "And there's one more thing," continuing my threat monologue to her, and said, "I have proof that you wanted Annie to die, or that you killed her by shoving her out the window."
"Stop talking!" Mea yelled at a higher pitch, terrified by what I had said. "That was bogus, and no one would believe you!" she exclaimed. "I'd never killed anyone before, not even a chicken."
But I countered all her rage on the phone by saying, "As I already stated, I have proof and witnesses against you, Madam Mea, and I am aware of your plans to murder Rafael." She screamed, "It's not true!"
I responded by yelling back, "That is the real thing about you, Madam Mea!"
Our arguments over the phone got deeper and deeper into rage and anger that I had never felt before.
"You can't hide from the law," Madame Mea, "I said." You have to pay me for the miserable life you were forcing on me. And you used innocent people like Roger to kill me. "
Mea's voice became more furious as I spoke Roger's name, which was my proof that I was the actual Catherine.
"You were never satisfied with what you had; we had previously agreed on the adoption of my son, but you still let Roger kill me!"
"When are you going to collect your son?" Her voice was filled with malice and desperation to capture me. Her main goal was to catch me and make me shut up. She was about to give in, so I had to draw out my last alas.
"We'll meet tonight!" I exclaimed, "Don't call; I'll call you, and bring my son," as I hung up the phone.
Dave looked at me perplexed. He wasn't able to utter a word about what I just did.
I couldn’t believe what I had said, either. But I felt a little relieved to get my son.
"So, what will happen tonight?"
"I have to prepare myself. We still have a little time to plan everything."
"Let's go back to your aunt's house," I asked. "We have to plot everything, from getting my son and keeping him away from Mea."
We drove in silence, and my mind was calculating what would be the possible scenario a few hours later.
I lingered in the shower for hours, washing away all my stress. The chilly water had helped me relax. This is the end of hiding and pretending.
Rafael had left, leaving me to fight for my rights alone. Tonight, I might be dead before daylight, but with my son safe, it doesn't matter.
I know Rafael Junior would only suffer from Mea's harshness, so I'd rather take him out while I'm still living.
Dave and I were silently gazing at the dark mountain far away at around six o'clock in the evening.
"Is that your final decision?" he inquired.
"Yes."
"Just be cautious and don't just give up and perish without a struggle." He then looked at me and said, "But I can still help you by contacting my cop friend about what will happen tonight."
"No," I replied solemnly.
He then was silent, as if he was sad for me to die.
And I said, softly, "Don't be sad, Dave. I will find ways to survive. "
"What about your son? Where am I going to put him to be safe? "
I said, "In our place, to my grandfather's place, in my home.”
Dave looked at me.
And I added, "My grandfather is the only person who could help you keep my son away from Mea."
"But how would I tell him about you? How would I convince him that Rafael Junior is your son? " Dave wondered.
I groaned. "Just tell him the whole story, from the day I started working for the Morrows until, Mea, make me a baby maker of their boy."
Dave sighed and added, "All right, if that's what you want, I'll do it."
After a few moments, I was looking in the mirror. I was attempting to resemble my former self, Catherine.
Dave rapped on the door. "It's almost time to go."
Before following Dave, I took one final look at myself in the mirror as Monica exited.
As we drove back to the town, I called Mea's number, "Meet me at the bay walk." I made an instruction, "And bring my son with you." Dave will take my son, and you will see me in flesh. "
"As you desire, my dear," Mea responded, her voice serene.
"Don't do something stupid, Madam Mea, or everyone will find out about your secrets."
She laughed strangely, as if she was attempting to hide her dread.
I knew I couldn't trust her. But there was nothing I could do to bring my son back. We have to face each other as well as Carlo.