A Tale Beyond Destiny

Chapter 25: kidn*pped (Caliana)

“I hate to say this but I really need to go right now,” Caleb told me as soon as I opened the door of his room, as per his request earlier, because he left me all alone in the dining area as he received a message from one of his employees that they needed his immediate response over the problem that they faced on one of the projects that their company holds. He let out a sigh as he tried to make his clothes neat. “I never thought this kind of thing would happen right now,” he muttered under his breath, and I instantly knew that he was getting irritated.

I slowly went to his side and put my hand behind his back to calm him down, even though I knew that it only lessened the irritation that he felt. Our eyes met when he looked in the mirror in front of me and I knew that I had not imagined the way his gaze softened as the frown on his face suddenly disappeared. It was as if my presence alone was enough for him to calm down, and my heart fluttered because of that.

I gave him an encouraging smile, though I did not know if it was enough for him to go on for the whole day at his work when, in fact, he told me that he wanted to take a break for work, even if it was just a day or two, and his secretary already agreed as well as his other colleagues, but then again, this problem suddenly came up and he did not have any chance to take that short break that he badly wanted to have.

“I knew you could do it.” I gave him a smile once again as I kept my gaze fixed on his eyes alone. “You can finish this work like you always have done,” I told him, even though I clearly did not have any idea of whatever he was doing at his work. “Then, you can take that break that you deserved to have.” I grinned at him when I saw that he turned his face at me as he looked at me with that same soft expression on his face.

He caressed my cheek and I did not bother to stop myself from leaning on his touch, because really, I wanted to feel it as much as I could, for as long as I could. I never closed my eyes though, because I wanted to get lost in the gaze that he was giving me and I wanted to see the love in his eyes whenever our eyes met.

He smiled at me, a genuine one that is, and that was enough for me to know that he would be able to resolve this issue in no time as he would be able to take that break he wanted to have. “I promise that once this problem is solved, we will do everything that you wanted to do.”

I smiled at him because I knew that he would really do that. I knew that he would never break that promise of his. I knew that he would keep it and take note of that so that he would be assured that he would not be able to forget about it.

There was one thing I wanted to tell him though... “But you always do that for me,” I mumbled as I interlaced my fingers on his and gave him a thoughtful smile.

It was the truth. I knew that he always did the things that I wanted to do. Those things that I never had a chance to try in all my life inside of that palace. I knew that he was always patient as he waited for my opinion about the things that we would do. He always wanted to make sure that I was comfortable enough for those things, and I really wanted to try it out before the two of us really did it.

“It is your rest day, you know?” I looked at him and I saw that he was just listening to me, though I already knew that he already had an idea about what I wanted to point out, but, nonetheless, I still continued what I wanted to say to him. “I want you to do the thing you like.” His gaze soften as soon as he heard that from me. “Of course, I will be by your side and I am sure that I will enjoy it for as long as you did.”

I wanted to see how happy he would be after that. I wanted to see that satisfied expression on his face, not because I tried something I really liked to try, but because he had done something that he loved to do. I wanted him to relax as much as he could, because I knew that his work and even his personal life had been stressing him out, lately.

He looked at me for a brief second, before, suddenly, he caressed my cheek, softly, as if he was afraid that he would hurt me if he would grip it tighter. He gave me a smile, a fond smile that he always reserved for me, and that was enough for me to know that he would instantly agree with what I just suggested to him.

“If that is what you want,” he said, which made me grin at him. “Then, I guess that I should list down all the things that I wanted to do,” he joked, which made me laugh, but I also nodded my head at him because if that is what he really wanted to do, then I would just follow his league.

“If that is what you want,” I mimicked his answer to me, earlier, and that made him let out a short chuckle that made my heart flutter all over again. “You should also think about it, thoroughly, because I am really serious about it,” I added, and he just laughed at me once again before he straighten his posture.

“Yes, ma’am!” he told me, pun intended, which made me laugh at him as I lightly hit his shoulder.

After that, he finally looked at the time on his wristwatch and I saw how his mood turned into irritation, though, this time, I did not know what to do any longer, so I just decided to keep my mouth shut as I waited for him to talk to me once again. I even heard him let out a sigh that made me feel worried for him, though I never showed it because I knew that I would just delay him even more.

“I really need to go now,” he said and I tried to muster up a huge grin at him, even though I clearly wanted him by my side today; but then again, I also knew that it would be selfish of me if I ever tried to stop him from doing his work.

“Alright,” I answered him as I followed him when I saw that he had finally decided to get out of his room and really go to his office. “Be careful out there.” We just stopped walking when we reached the front door of his home.

He just nodded his head at me as he said, “I promise that as soon as I resolve this problem, I will immediately come home to you so that we can really do everything that I wanted to do, just like what you have said to me earlier.”

“I will remember that.” I grinned at him once again, and he just laughed as he patted my head, once, before, finally, he bid farewell and he was already off to go to his office.

I just stood there, at the entrance of his home, until I saw him enter the elevator and waved at me once again, which I returned the gesture, before, finally, the door of the elevator closed and that was also the moment that I decided to also close the door of his home as I thought of what I should do for the day.

“Maybe I should just clean the whole house?” I asked myself with my arms crossed under my chest, but then again, I shook my head as I removed the thought of cleaning this huge house all by myself.

After all, the last time that I did that, cleaning some part of the house because I had grown so bored, Caleb started to scold me because he said that he had hired someone else to do it, and I did not bother to come up with something to say to him as I did not like the idea of us, fighting over something so trivial. I just let it go and decided to give up the thought of cleaning, and instead, I just forced myself to find something else to do.

Though right now, I did not really have anything better to do than cleaning the house, but then again, I did not want him to be so upset, so I just decided to let that activity go, just like I always did. Instead of doing what I had in my mind, I just went inside the kitchen as I decided that I should try my skills at cooking.

Caleb, the most patient man that I met in my life, taught me so many things that I clearly remember, because I really enjoyed the way he taught me how to cook. It was as if we were just playing, but I also knew that I learned something from it. Even though it was just simple and not so complex as the food that he always cooked for me, I was still proud to say that I could master it, and maybe, if he would be able to come out of his work earlier than intended, then I might make him try what I was about to cook.

I felt a sudden excitement because of what I had in my mind, and I immediately prepared myself for what I was about to do. I hummed while I tied the apron on my waist, then I went to check out the cookbook that Caleb once showed me while he was teaching me to cook something simple. He said that I could always take a look at that book whenever I wanted to cook something, and I guess that this was the perfect time for me to see something I could do in that book.

I hummed as I looked at that book from page to page, until a particular food caught my attention. It requires a small number of ingredients, which I think Caleb had in his fridge and food storage, and it was also easy to make, which was why I think that I would be able to do it without so much hassle.

“Shrimp stir fry,” that was the food that I wanted to try and cook.

I smiled to myself as I stood straight and went to the fridge to check if I really had the ingredients that I needed, and I almost jumped out of joy because I saw that Caleb indeed had all the ingredients.

Although he still did not teach me how to cook this kind of food, I think that I would be able to pull it off. I think that I would be able to just follow the steps that were also attached in that cook book, as well as the proper measurements of the ingredients that I needed.

I was nodding my head, still wearing that excited smile on my face, as I started to prepare everything that I needed, though I stopped when I heard hurried footsteps inside of this house. I even stopped to check if I was just hearing things or not, but my eyes widened when I confirmed that it indeed came from the inside of the house.

The heart in my chest hammered because of the sudden fear that I felt. I knew that it was not Caleb, because he was already in his office at that kind of hour. I also knew that he would not just come back without even informing me, and I was sure that he had not forgotten something inside of his own home because I knew that he checked his own bag, thrice.

This was the first time that someone else got inside of the house, uninvited. I knew that it was not really that usual for him to have a visitor, or anyone who would just get inside of the house without even bothering to knock. I can also clearly remember that he told me that he did not like the idea of having someone, especially if they mean business, inside of his house because he told me that his personal life was different from his business life.

The dread inside of me got even worse when I heard that they were checking out every single door that they would come across, and I could also tell that even those doors that were locked were being opened by them. It was enough for me to know that they really forced their way in. I knew that it was not just a simple person, but a person who wanted to do something evil inside of this house.

I am dumb. I could instantly tell that something was wrong, but then again, I did not know what to do. Should I run? Should I stay in my spot? Though, either way, there was nothing that I could do, because I knew that the moment that I would run my way out, they would just be alarmed and they might do something about me. And if ever I stayed on my spot, I knew that there was not much time for me to escape from their watchful gaze.

The thought of contacting Caleb was also out of option here because I left my phone inside of my room, and yes, I knew that it was dumb of me to do it, but who could blame me? I never experienced this kind of thing inside of this house, even inside of this building, and I was rest assured that nothing could go wrong, because I can remember that Caleb, and some of the people inside of this building that I met by chance, told me that the security in this building was top tier and no one would be able to do anything, but then again, I guess that they were wrong as they said that.

After all, I was right there, in the middle of the kitchen, hearing those intruders find something that I did not have any idea about what it was, and I knew that they really needed something inside because they were staying for far too long. It was as if the thing that they wanted to find was still out of their sight.

Though I did not think that it was a ‘thing’ that they really wanted to find, because I heard them say, “Find that woman! We needed to take her somewhere else!” It made my eyes widen, really, because I instantly knew that it was me who they were referring to.

“Quick! We might not have a chance anymore if Caleb returned to this house!” I heard another voice say, and somehow, I knew that it was the voice of a man who was in his fifties, but I guess that he was younger than that, because who would intrude at a house, kidnap somebody inside of the said house, in an old age? I had never heard of that, and if ever, this would be the first time that I would experience that kind of thing.

I never had a chance to think of other ways for me to escape or shout for help, because, after a few minutes of checking out every single door on the way here, they finally reached the kitchen where I was standing, frozen in shock and fear, as I did not really know what to do any longer.

I got rooted in my place as my eyes widened in shock when I saw that the man, or rather should I say, the man who got inside of the house was familiar to me. I recognized them. They are those people who kept on watching us when Caleb and I went outside the last time. They were those people who had those nasty smirks on their faces, though I did not bother to tell that to Caleb because I thought that I was just imagining.

And I am assured now that I was not really imagining those things before. I confirmed that they had indeed planned something for us, or maybe, for me, and it was too late for me to realize that. It was too late for me to tell this to somebody else, and I did not like the idea of what could possibly happen next.

“It’s you.” I backed away from them, from him, that very same smile who had that evil smirk before and he had that very same smirk as of that moment. They came near me, and that was enough for me to tremble, but I tried to stand on my ground. “What do you want from me?”

I never met them in all my life. I could confirm that they did not know anything about me, so I suspect that they had another reason other than that. I think that it was because of Caleb, or maybe, something like that.

That old man, that one I suspected was in his fifties, came near me, still wearing that nasty smirk on his face, and his next words brought dread inside of me. “It is you we wanted to have, woman.” Then, suddenly, the other men rushed near me and made smell something that made me feel drowsy.

Then, after that, I did not know what happened next as everything went black.