My Possessive Admirer

20. Devil

Bella's POV

I realized that I said it out loud after Becky repeated Ben's name being confused. I understood there was no point in hiding him anymore, especially from Becky. I presumed the fact that she wasn't actually involved with the evil plans that were implemented against me. It was probably someone else but who was it? My mind seemed to be in a haze. It felt like everything was right in front of me but I refused to see it.

"Who is Ben?" Becky inquired again.

"Mr Crazy Stalker…" I answered her like a reflex.

"Mr Poet?" She seemed surprised, "I didn't know Bella, you got to know his name!"

"All these things happened so fast Becky and we weren't even speaking with each other so I didn't have the chance to tell you what was happening…"

"It's fine Bella I can understand. So tell me what happened! What were you guys doing behind my back!" She asked, taking my hands into hers, too curious to know.

"Becky actually… It was Ben who…."

I paused before revealing the fact that it was Ben who sent me the videotape against her. I was worried about how she would react.

"Ben what?" She asked again.

"Becky, it was Ben who showed me the videotape of you and the other girls talking," I said everything in one breath. But it was surprising that she didn't react much.

"He did?" She mumbled.

"Yeah but I think he got it all wrong Becky. He's not a bad guy. He saved me so many times. Even the day I was kidnapped…" I don't know why I was defending Ben, a person who didn't even trust me to show me his face. Is he the one who wants to hurt me? Did he act like a hero in front of me only to hurt me in the end? Save the damsel in distress and take advantage of her body?

But if that was his purpose then he will wound me more than he thinks he can. I will never forgive you, Ben, never...

Becky smiled looking at me, heeding to my utmost attempts so Ben doesn't look like a terrible person.

"Do you love him Bella?" I was a bit startled at her sudden question. I didn't expect her to ask me something like that so quickly. I was at a loss what to say to her.

Do I love Ben?

Of course, I do!

But how much...I have no clue… He's like a drug, the core of ecstasy for me. I didn't know that love can be an addiction before I met him. I yearned to be with him, to hear his voice. I craved for him with every inch of my body.

His love made me so bold that I was ready to do anything but didn't wanna lose him!

For some unknown reason, he made me feel like I gained back something from my past that was lost in the tide of time.

"Becky I love him, with everything I have. I'm serious about him," I confessed looking at her smiling face. It seemed like she was anticipating an answer like that.

"I could see your love for him, Bella. Nevertheless, I wanted to hear you say it. I wish you nothing but happiness!" We hugged each other again. I was really happy Becky accepted us. Their differences didn't come between our friendship.

We decided to meet again the next day in my favourite coffee shop. It's been a long time since we hung out together.

But the second day, Becky never came that evening. I waited for an hour and tried to call her but the new number she gave me was constantly showing switched off. I sent her a few messages saying that I was going back home. But I never got any reply. I got worried. I decided to call their landline. Yet again no response.

I concluded on going to their house in person the next day. I needed to see what was going on there actually.

Becky's mom started crying seeing me there.

"Bella! Becky is gone, she has disappeared too. My children they're all gone. The Devil's shadow is upon our family. He took all my children away from me. I curse him. I curse his existence," She started sobbing, swearing at the devil.

Becky grew up without her father. He died when they were very young. The only family she had left was her mom and Josh. But Becky never came back home after she left that evening to meet me. She didn't come to the cafe either, so where did she go?

It was already dark on my way back. I staggered home, alarmed by the incidents that were occurring around me. Whose conspiracy is this? What does he want? Why is he hurting me and my friends? What's his motive? Is Ben connected to all these but he loves me right…

My mind was going numb, legs were giving up on me. I couldn't think anymore. I managed to reach my home somehow and decided to call mom so that she comes back quickly.

But I froze when I saw something on the doorsteps. Someone left a black envelope with a purple rose.

"Ben came here!" I was terrified. I picked up the envelope as fast as I could and ran inside.

"No way. He knew my address all along! So it was him who followed me to my house that day!"

I looked through the peephole to see if anyone was following me.

I opened the envelope with my shaky hands. There was a CD inside it with a message saying,

Watch it alone…

I quickly ran upstairs and got my laptop. I clicked the play button appalled by the suspicion of what was recorded in it.

The video started with a black screen. I could only hear white noise while abruptly the noise changed into someone's crying.

"Please, please! Stop!" I heard a girl's quavering voice pleading for someone to stop!

The black image shifted to a scene but it was still not clear. I could see a blurry video of a girl sitting on a chair with a table in front of her but her face was difficult to recognise. She was stuttering continuously as if she was too afraid to speak.

"Becky… I want you to say it again. But this time more clearly, please." I was stunned to hear the other person's voice in the video. It didn't even take me a second to recognise it.

I gasped in terror, "Ben?" I covered my mouth with my hand as I uttered his sinful name.

"Becky, are you there? Can you hear me?" He spoke again, focusing the camera near her… I could see everything clearly now. Becky was sitting frightened in front of a wooden table, hands tied to the back of the chair, a faint yellow light hanging down from the top was the only source of light in that dark room. My eyes halted on the pieces of equipment lying on the table - bloody piler, extraction forceps, scissors and other sharp objects I have never seen before. Why will he do this to her!!!

"Becky!" He mentioned her name again. I could hear how his calm and cool tone altered into a demonic growl. His terrifying voice sent a shiver down my spine.

"Bella I'm sorry!" Becky whimpered, shocked at his sudden change of mood, "I lied to you Bella! I lied... I'm the one who sent Josh after you that day only to scare you but he wanted to take it too far. I only wanted to ruin your reputation and humiliate you because you accused me in front of everyone that day. I wished you to feel ashamed just like I did. I'm sorry Bella. It was wrong of me. I understand now. Please! Please forgive me!" She cried out in fear.

"And?" He asked, excitedly like it was something intriguing.

"I...I...was…" Becky started stuttering again.

"Say it!" He howled.

"I'm the one who asked Candice and Caleb's friend to teach you a lesson," She admitted crying, looking into the camera, "I'm guilty but I didn't wanna lose a friend like you Bella. I didn't dare to admit it before you. I wanted to make our friendship right! I care for you Bella! I realise my mistakes!" She begged, "Forgive me!"

I realised that I was crying as well.

"Why Becky? Why did you lie to me? I would still forgive you if you told me the truth," I whispered to myself, "Oh Becky! Look at you!" It was hard for me to see her condition. I couldn't understand what I was feeling,

Resentment? Misery? Grief or Anger?

Nevertheless, the feelings...I didn't want to see her in the position she was. I wanted this nightmare to end.

"Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!" Ben laughed saying the verse of a nursery rhyme as if Becky cracked a joke. His voice echoed in the dark hall room.

I saw him walking towards her from behind the camera but his head wasn't in the video's frame. The recorder was deliberately placed like that so that his face remains hidden. His black full sleeve t-shirt and dark blue jeans were barely showing any skin. He wore his black gloves swiftly as he walked.

"You know Becky, if I was your teacher, how would I punish you for telling lies?"

He leaned on the left corner of the table facing her, keeping the display in the center open so I could see. Becky started panicking as he picked up the piler with his right hand from the table.

"You need to say the rhyme again Becky!" "No, please!" She implored.

Her eyes flickered from his hand to his face as he spoke calmly.

"Come on now! You know I don't like to wait, Becky!"

"Nooo…"

"Wicked girls are needed to be punished!" He snapped, pulling her tongue out forcefully and splitting it in half with the piler.

"NOOO…!" I cried out in horror.

"AHHH…!" Blood came gushing out of Becky's mouth, her terrifying screams echoed in the hall room shivering me to the core.

"No no no!" I cried as the video ended before I could find out where she was.

I sat there in silence, adapting what I just saw with my own eyes. Suddenly, I heard an unknown ringing tone from my bedroom upstairs. My heart beating so fast that even I could hear it. I gathered myself and grabbed my dad's hockey stick that he kept downstairs to practice with it this weekend. I gradually started climbing up the stairs, trying my best not to make any sound. Someone was probably waiting in my room or the culprit must have forgotten to silent his phone. Either way, I didn't have any plan to fall prey to him. The ringtone was constantly ringing without stopping. It sounded as if the devil himself was blowing all the horns of hell for me. Inviting me to join the death parade of the tainted souls.

I stepped unhurriedly and opened my room's door with a bang to catch him.

"What the!" I was surprised to see there was nobody in my room but the ringtone was still ringing. I rummaged through my whole space and found out the tone was coming from an unknown phone, kept beside my bed on the tea table.

I grabbed the cell phone and looked at the number to see where the call was coming from. But the moment I glanced at the screen, I felt like my soul was taken away from my body for a split second. It was a private number. Yet my heart knew the demon very well who was calling from the other end…

I picked up the call and placed it near my ears… I heard the devil's calm and mesmerising voice-

"Bella… My Love…."