Unmask

Chapter 2 Unexpected

She stared in bewilderment at the man who kidnapped her or the mastermind behind her and Amanda's kidnapping.

"What is happening, what is going on ?" She thought. For she was staring at her child's father whom she thought was dead. He spoke for the first time since entering the room. "Hello Clarisse remember me. " She recognized his voice as the man who spoke to her on the phone and of course she remembered him, she had spent months looking for him. After their one night stand together she had found out that she was pregnant with his child. She told her father about the pregnancy and the circumstances that led to her being pregnant. At first he had being furious at her, refusing to acknowledge the pregnancy but when she begged him to help her find the father of her child he later agreed . With the little information she gathered at the hotel where they spent the night together, she was able to get his name and some of his bank details since he didn't pay for the room with cash and with that they began looking for him. Her father only agreed to look for him so as to make the man responsible for his daughter's situation take responsibility for it. While she on her part thought that when she finally found him and told him she was pregnant with his child, he would get down on one knee and declare his undying love for her. Her naive she was . They searched for him for months without any success until one day her father came home to tell her that the man she was looking for

'Cole Ikenna ' was dead , that he died in a car accident with his family . She had felt bereft, crying herself to depression for days but picked herself back up for her child's sake.

But here he was looking hale and hearty and very much alive. "Clarisse you must be very surprised to see right ?The look on your face says so well am not at all surprised to see you . You see I've been planning this get together for a year after your father killed my family in a staged car accident and destroyed our company that my parents worked so hard to build." He paused to let what he said sink in and he plunged on , "I find out that the woman I once had a one night affair with is the daughter of the man who took my family away from me permanently, who destroyed everything and everyone i ever cared about. And I thought 'his daughter' is his only direct living family that he cares so much for , use her to make him suffer _make him feel the pain of loosing his loved ones as i did . Then more luck for me that his precious daughter has a child. It made my plan more easier, kidnap the granddaughter to get the daughter use the daughter to get the father." He said smirking annoyingly. "So Clarisse how do you like my plan , brilliant right?" He asked smiling at her in a condescending manner.

Clarisse just stood there dumbstruck unable to utter a word. He was crazy, a psychopath and to think she fancied herself in love with him and it was obvious that he didn't know he was the father of her baby. "Good let him remain in the dark ". She thought to herself she just needed to get out of this place . This man she had fantasized about 'assuming he were alive , he would have married her and together they would have raised their daughter in love and happiness and so many other things they could have done together as a family.

But here he was spewing nonsense about her father who couldn't hurt anyone even if his life depended on it

Her kind, caring father. He stood there accusing her father of being a murderer, she wouldn't stand here another minute and hear him defame her father. She finally found her voice . "Mr Ikenna or whatever you call your self I don't know what you plan to gain from this... this lies about my father . I don't believe a single word you said against my father. But one thing i know is that am going to get out of here and when I do, i assure you, you're going to wish you never met me." She threatened. He just stood there glaring at her, he wasn't even smiling anymore. For some reason Clarisse preferred the jovial side of him which was less menacing to this scary , moody version of him.

She wondered what went on inside his head as he stood there staring her down. Suddenly he was near in three long strides and grabbed her forcefully by the wrist. She was trying so hard not to wince. "Incase you haven't noticed this place is securely guarded and there's no way you are getting out unless i allow it which is highly improbable." He said in a very menacing tone, she knew he meant business but she wouldn't _couldn't give up until she left this place with her child safely. Right now all she wanted was to see her baby girl. "Where's my daughter?" She asked, he signaled one of the men in the room to call Megan her so called child's caretaker. When she came she was carrying her child who was sleeping peacefully like an angel, at the sight of her baby her heart expanded with motherly love. She took her baby in her arms coddling her softly all the while giving Megan dirty looks. " Why are you doing this Megan? I took you as family and this is how you repay me by conspiring with this man to kidnap i and my daughter. Clarisse asked Megan heatedly.

"First of all Clarisse i was never your family and let's face it, your father brought this on you with his evil deeds . And talking about pay back it's my turn . After your father killed my brother I swore to make him pay and i don't know what the boss plans to do with you but left to me i would kill you once and for all let your father know what it feels like having a loved one forcefully taken from him . " She was baffled that Megan hated her to that extent but she retorted. "Megan my father was kind to you, bought you gifts anytime he came to visit me and Amanda and this is what you say about him. I don't care what you all say about my dad but i would never believe you or anyone else no matter what you say against him. "

" Defend him all you want, after all you're blind to his faults because he's a good father to you and yes he did buy me gifts which was for according to him ' taking good care of his granddaughter '. And because he doesn't know who i really am because i if he did i assure you he wouldn't buy those gifts and moreover no amount of gift can compensate for his killing my brother. " Cole just stood there watching the exchange between the two women. "As much as i enjoy watching this exchange between the both of you enough now, Megan show Clarisse to the room she would be sharing with her child ." "Yes boss."

As they turned to go something caught his eye , " wait !" He stalked over to Clarisse , turned her none too gently and dipped his hand into her trousers pocket and found her phone recording all they have being saying. His suspicion had been right about her. She was going to be a tough case. Out of anger he smashed her phone to pieces. She gasped aloud from shock , he turned to her , his face taut with suppressed anger , he grabbed her shoulder. " I told you you won't be able to escape from here and i meant every word of it . It would be best for you if to not misbehave." She shrugged away from his hold with great effort, in anger she replied " you didn't expect me to give in easily did you ?" Somehow he didn't expect her to be cowering in fear . He let an exasperated sigh , "if you don't want to get hurt or any harm to come to your baby you better do as you are told . Now go to your room and no more funny things from you . Have i made myself clear. " The threat to harm her baby did the trick. She nodded her head in acceptance and followed Megan to the room but Cole knew her being agreeable was only for the moment.