Kidnapped
BEN POV
Maybe I had reached my breaking point this time around.
The news about my adoption seemed to be making matters worse, and for a split second, I almost thought I had lost my damn mind.
My grandfather’s words still cut deep, and they kept repeating over and over in my head until I had reached the peak of insanity.
I sighed deeply and pulled out my phone.
I wanted answers from my so-called mother, but I didn’t mean to be ungrateful; after all, they raised me and gave me this life. Nevertheless, it felt like I was never their daughter but just a charity case.
Fuck it.
I was going to do it.
I was done playing safe.
I dialed her number, and she picked up on the third ring.
“Benedykta?”
I smiled to myself.
How could she pretend for so long?
She was acting like a saint, blackmailing me to help my dad pay back the debt if I married Nolan, but little did I know that every single action was for their personal gain.
I was nothing but a mere puppet in their game.
“You’re a fucking liar.”
Maybe I should have taken some time to consider my choice of words, but I was too pissed off to even care at this point.
I heard her gasping from the other end of the line.
“Benedykta, watch your tone and language with me.”
I scoffed in annoyance.
“Cut the crap. When were you going to tell the fucking truth?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Of course, I knew it.
She was going to deny everything.
“You know what? My bad; I guess I should be more specific… When were you going to tell me that you aren’t my biological mother?”
She remained silent from the other end of the line, but I could hear her breathing.
“Well, say something?!” I demanded angrily.
I swallowed hard, on the brink of tears.
“Benny… how did you find out the truth?” she choked out.
I smiled.
“Grandpa told me everything… and I know that you were just using me to pay back Dad’s gambling debt. That’s why you wanted me to marry Nolan in the first place.”
I heard her crying in the background, and I had no ounce of emotion for the woman who called herself my mother.
“Come on, don’t act like you actually feel sorry for me, and I bet this is the part where you tell me the sad sob story, so go on with it because I am waiting, mother dearest.”
Her sobs only grew louder.
“No, honey, this is not how I wanted you to find out things… I adopted you because your father and I fell in love with you at first sight and we couldn’t wait to take you home with us.”
I shook my head negatively.
Tears streamed down my cheeks.
“No, that’s not the reason you adopted me… I was a charity case and the daughter of an alcoholic, so you rich folks took pity on me because you had lost your own child that night. For once in your life, please be honest with me,” I begged tearfully.
“The least you can tell me is the truth… and that’s all I am asking for.”
She sniffled softly.
“You’re right; your father and I had lost a child that night… We were going to have a boy, and you would have had a brother, Benny, but I guess fate had other plans.”
“So what are you trying to say?” I asked curiously.
“Your father and I always planned on adopting after having our first child, and adoption is something that your grandfather never approved of, but that night something had changed in him… He came with a baby girl in his arms, and you were very fussy that night.”
I wiped my tears away.
“I had just lost my son, and your grandfather placed you in my arms, and when I looked at you, everything changed… It felt like I hadn’t lost my baby because I had you, Ben.”
“So do you regret it?”
She was silent for a while.
“Regret what?”
I sniffled softly.
“Adopting me.”
“Benny, honey, of course not… I love you, and you’ll always be my daughter, but I’m not happy with your life choices at the moment… and it still doesn’t sit well with me knowing that you were going to frame an innocent man for a baby he didn’t father.”
I chuckled.
“My daughter is not a manipulative monster, and I know that your father and I raised you better.”
I placed my hand over my flat stomach.
“Does Ambrose even know?”
I shook my head as a lone tear rolled down my cheek.
“He doesn’t need to know anything besides I only called to say goodbye.”
“Benny, where are you going?” she asked in a worried tone.
I smiled.
“Thank you for loving me, even though you had a funny way of showing it, mother, but I will always be forever grateful for everything you’ve done for me.”
I could hear her looking for car keys, but it was already too late; besides, I had made up my mind.
I swallowed hard.
“I love you, Mom… and tell Dad that I wish things had worked out between us.”
I cut the call and went to the bedroom to grab my suitcase.
There was no turning back after this.
His name appeared on the screen after I hung up on my mother.
Why didn’t I delete his number?
Ambrose kept calling me nonstop.
I turned my phone off, fighting the urge to call back Ambrose and tell him what was in my heart.
I locked the apartment.
I had sold it, and the money was going to be wired to me in a few days.
I hailed a cab heading to my final destination.
The airport.
I looked around the buildings one last time.
This was for the best, and I was making the right decision.
An hour later, I arrived at the airport and paid the driver.
I took a deep breath and came out of the car, grabbing my suitcase and heading towards the entrance.
My flight was in an hour, and I felt relieved to be finally getting out of here.
I didn’t even say goodbye to Clay, and I knew him very well; he’s going to be pissed off.
I sat down and made myself comfortable.
It was awfully cold inside.
I took a book to pass the time and began to read "Haunting Adeline"; it’s one of my favorite books, and I’ve read it more than ten times.
“Excuse me?”
I was so engrossed in the book that I didn’t hear the woman standing in front of me.
Our eyes locked in a frenzy, and she had a baby in her arms.
She gave me a small smile.
“I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, but if it’s no trouble, I wanted to ask if you could watch my daughter while I use the restroom real quick…”
I was about to protest, but she quickly pointed at the stroller across from me.
“I’ll only be gone for a few minutes… please, it’s quite urgent.”
I nodded quietly, and she placed the baby in my arms.
She thanked me and rushed to the restroom.
My gaze lingered on the sleeping baby in my arms, and I completely felt smitten.
Clay was determined that it was going to be a girl.
I hadn’t even picked out a name for her.
Her father is Italian, so I should definitely consider that when I choose the name.
I glanced at my wristwatch, and it had been five minutes since that lady left.
I placed the baby in the stroller and decided to follow her.
Before I could open the bathroom door, she stepped out looking like she had just seen a ghost.
“Are you okay? You look very pale.”
She nodded eagerly.
“I’m sorry for taking so long, but thank you for watching Emily. I hope she didn’t cause any trouble.”
I gave her a smile.
“Not at all.”
We exchanged our goodbyes and walked into the bathroom to pee.
After I was done, I went to the sink to wash my hands.
“Fancy seeing you, darling.”
That voice.
A chill ran up my spine as I looked in the mirror and saw a masked figure behind me, and before I could scream, he grabbed me from behind and placed a cloth on my nose.
I tried to fight back as the darkness slowly consumed me, and my body went limp.
Fuck not again.