Chapter 84- Faith was kidnapped

Chapter 84- Faith was kidnapped
Faith’s POV

After what happened at the eatery earlier, I couldn’t calm myself down anymore. I felt like something bad was about to happen—I didn’t know why. Maybe it was just because of my pregnancy?

It was already night, but my stomach was growling. I suddenly remembered the pancit I had set aside in the fridge. I’d been craving it for days, so there was no way I was letting it go to waste.

After reheating the pancit, I placed it on a plate and sat at the table. I even added sukang pinakurat. Ah! It was delicious—the sourness and spiciness of the vinegar blending perfectly with the saltiness of the noodles. No wonder I never got tired of it.

“What are you eating again, Faith? It’s so sour! I can smell it from far away,” Ate Elvie commented as she entered the kitchen. Her face scrunched up even more when she saw my pancit.

“That again? I thought your cravings phase was already over,” she added.

“Hehe! It’s just so good, Ate Elvie. You should try it,” I offered. But she grimaced as if the smell alone was upsetting her stomach.

“I’ll eat with you, but I’m using calamansi—not that vinegar of yours,” she said before scooping food for herself.

A moment later, Jairee entered the kitchen, clutching his small blanket.

“Mommy, I want apple po. What are you eating, momm?” he asked, lifting himself up to peek at my food.

“Pancit with vinegar, anak. Wanna try?” I offered while continuing to eat.

“Again?” he asked in amazement, wrinkling his nose. “No thanks, Mommy. I just want apple po.”

“Okay, sit here. I’ll get your apple,” I said, about to stand, when Ate Elvie spoke.

“I’ll get it, Faith. Just keep eating,” she said, standing up.

I didn’t argue. “Thank you, Ate.”

She went to the fridge and opened it. I could even feel the cold air coming from it.

“Oh no, Jairee… looks like you’re out of apples,” Ate Elvie said. “How about grapes instead?”

Jairee shook his head and hugged his blanket. “No po. Milk na lang po, Granny.”

“Alright, milk it is,” Ate Elvie replied, taking out the fresh milk and handing it to him. He smiled and drank happily.

Tomorrow morning, I’d wait again for the tricycle vendors. They passed by every day—it had become part of my routine, especially since we lived far from town. Without them, it would be hard to get everything we needed at home, and especially for the eatery.

Sometimes they came one after another: fruit vendors, vegetable sellers, and if you were lucky, freshly caught fish. On slaughter days, the pork vendor would go around asking what cuts each household wanted. Prices were a bit cheaper than the market—such a big help, especially for us running a small eatery.

Honestly, even though our place was small, I could feel the life of the community here. And in my situation—pregnant and always craving—the simple passing of these vendors was a huge comfort.

The next day, I really had no plans to go to the eatery. I wasn’t feeling well—my head felt heavy, and my body was tired even though I hadn’t done anything yet. I could still get up, I just couldn’t overexert myself. Good thing Ate Elvie and our two helpers were there to take care of things.

There was a large house being built not too far away. The workers had been eating at our place for weeks now. It would be a waste not to open the eatery—it was good income, and it felt wrong to let them go hungry. They didn’t bring packed meals; even their snacks depended on us.

The owner of that house must be very wealthy. There were so many workers, and the construction seemed rushed.

I stepped out of the gate to wait for the fruit vendor’s tricycle and to get a bit of sunlight. A short walk would be good for me.

Suddenly, Kim appeared. She looked like she was in a hurry, already in her uniform, clearly on her way to work.

“Faith, can I use the bathroom real quick? I won’t make it to the hospital in time,” she said, slightly out of breath.

“Sure, go ahead,” I replied, opening the gate for her.

“T-thank you,” she said.

I frowned slightly. It was just a simple word, but why did she seem to stutter? And more than that, she couldn’t look me straight in the eye—almost as if she was avoiding my gaze. I didn’t dwell on it too much, though. Maybe she was just really uncomfortable and trying to hold it in.

I continued walking outside the yard, trying to calm myself despite the strange, unexplainable anxiety tightening my chest.

When the tricycle I was waiting for finally arrived, it stopped right in front of me. The engine was still smoking slightly, and the mixed smell of fruits and gasoline filled the air.

“Good morning, ma’am! My apples are fresh today,” the vendor greeted me with a wide smile.

“Good morning, kuya. How much are the apples?” I asked, peeking at his trays.

“These ones are three for fifty. These are three for a hundred,” he said, pointing to the regular ones and the bigger, shinier, deep-red apples.

“Alright, six from the three-for-a-hundred,” I said. As he wrapped them, I imagined how happy Jairee would be when he saw them—big, sweet-looking, as if they came straight from a cold country.

“How much are the pears?” I asked when I noticed the nearly perfect, round pears, their skins still moist. They looked delicious with vinegar and salt. Lately, everything I wanted had vinegar. Sometimes I joked to myself that when my babies were born, they might come out pale from all the sour food I’d been eating.

I chuckled softly at my own thought.

After buying what I needed, I didn’t head home right away. Carrying the plastic bag, I walked a bit more and stopped by a small roadside store to rest. It wasn’t far from home—Jairee was alone, and Kim was probably already gone.

I stood in front of the small store, holding the bag of fruits. The surroundings were quiet, except for the faint hum of passing vehicles. I took a deep breath and gently caressed my swollen belly. Four months… I felt the soft movements of the twins, as if reminding me not to push myself too hard.

When I turned around, I noticed a black van parked not too far away. Its headlights were on even though it was still bright. My heart started pounding. I couldn’t explain it—but something was wrong.

I walked faster, heading back home.

When I reached the gate, two men suddenly emerged from behind the van, as if they had materialized out of thin air. Both were dressed in black, wearing caps, their steps heavy—like men used to this kind of work.

“Miss Faith, come with us,” one of them said coldly, blocking my path.

“W-who are you?” My knees trembled. I held my belly, trying to stay calm. Is this Austin’s doing?

Another man moved behind me. “Just stay quiet so no one gets hurt. Especially the babies in your womb.”

It felt like all the air around me vanished.

“Please…” I whispered as I stepped back, only to hit the gate. “Don’t hurt me. Just tell me what you want. I—I can’t fight you…”

“Exactly.” The man in front pulled out a small white cloth from his pocket. “So just come quietly.”

“NO! Please, the babies!” I tried to scream, but one of them quickly covered my mouth. He pressed so hard it felt like my jaw would shatter. I could barely breathe. My vision started to spin, growing blurry as they pressed the cold cloth against my nose. The smell was strong—chemical, burning.

I struggled, but I was weak. Fear tightened my womb.

“HURRY! Get her in!” the man behind shouted. I had no choice as they lifted me. I could only whisper a prayer that they wouldn’t hurt us.

“Shhh… we’ve been looking for you for a long time, Mrs. Garcia,” one of them whispered into my ear, full of menace.

Austin’s men…?

I still managed to see Kim rush out of the gate, carrying Jairee, who was crying uncontrollably.

“Mommy! Bad kayo! Let go of my mommy!” he screamed, his baby voice breaking in sobs.

“Please… Jairee… my babies…” I whispered, my voice barely a sound.

And then everything went dark.