-=Gabby's Point of View=-

I was cooking while humming a song when I heard cursing coming from the second floor of the house.

"I suppose my guest is already awake," I thought to myself.

When I thought of Jayden, the jerk who hurt my sister, I couldn't stop a smirk from forming on my lips.

I'm guessing it's about time for him to find out that I'd tricked him, that he was tricked by someone like me, and that it would hurt his enormous ego to find out that I'd tricked him.

I have just finished preparing our already late lunch, as it is already one in the afternoon.

I did not anticipate that the drug would be so effective that he would sleep for more than eight hours.

I took my time walking up to the second floor, where I could still hear the nonstop cursing from my "visitor".

When I heard the things that Jayden was saying, I couldn't help but be scandalized. For crying out loud, I'm still innocent, and when I say that, I mean that I'm inexperienced or even better, that I'm a virgin.

I heard the word "shit" when I was a foot away from the closed door.

I hadn't closed the door all the way, but it was close enough that I could kick it open all the way. Inside was a very angry Jayden Andrada, and if looks could kill, I'd be dead by now.

"It's time for lunch!" I happily announced.

I'm trying to give off the impression that I'm not affected by his stare, but the truth is that I was already shaking due to the rage that was clearly visible in his eyes.

I really wanted to go back to the kitchen and hide there, but I had to keep my composure and remember that I was doing this for my sister. However, he does appear to be quite frightening.

I understand why he is upset with me, I mean, who wouldn't be angry if they woke up with handcuffs on both wrists and their feet tied to the opposite side of the bed, making it difficult for them to move?

"What is it that you want from me?" He calmly asked me, but I could tell that he was about to blow his top. 

I could see the rage and fury in his eyes as he looked intently at me, and it caused both of my knees to shake.

"It can wait; I'm sure you're already famished, just as I am!" I spoke in a tone that I believe irritated him.

"Great! How considerate of you, but in case you haven't noticed, I'm tied to this fucking bed!" He yelled and pulled his hands violently, as if trying to escape.

Thankfully, the bed is crafted from sturdy Burmese rosewood that can withstand Jayden's pathetic strength, so his effort was futile.

"Don't fret; as a gracious host, I will feed you myself; aren't I wonderful?" I asked, smiling sweetly, still trying to avoid meeting his eyes.

"Who is your accomplice?" I made the mistake of looking him in the eyes because of his statement, and immediately felt my legs weaken when I saw his stern stare.

"Wait...what are you trying to say?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly.

"I highly doubt that you did all of this by yourself, so tell me, what syndicate are you a part of," he asked in a threatening manner.

"What are you talking about... wait, are you really thinking that I kidnapped you so that I could get a ransom?" I asked with a tone of disbelief; however, when I gave it some thought, it wasn't surprising that he would think that way given the circumstances that he was in.

"Just tell me how much you want so I could leave. I have a flight going to Macau for a very important business meeting tomorrow and I can't afford to miss it," he said this while maintaining a businesslike attitude, as if he were speaking to one of his employees.

After hearing what he said, I had a sudden and complete loss of fear, which was replaced right away by anger.

"First of all, I am not a member of a syndicate, nor have I ever been a member of one, and second of all, I have never wanted any of your money!" I screamed, but rather than appearing startled by my unexpected outburst, he appeared amused by it. Then, all of a sudden, he smiled at me, which left me speechless because of how seductively his smile is.

"Therefore, if you're not after my money, are you after my body? Do you simply want me to make love to you?" He asked in his most seductive tone.

I could feel my body heating up simply by listening to him, and I hated that he could evoke such passion in me simply through his words. Furthermore, I'm still a virgin, so what is this man doing to my body?

Because I didn't answer, he went ahead and continued talking in his seductive voice, saying things that would make even a saint blush.

"Take off my handcuffs, and I will make sure you will experience what I promised you. You will not regret it. I am an expert when it comes to pleasuring women. I will begin with your luscious lips, and I will suck your tongue like a hungry..." I finally cut him off before he could convince me to do what he wanted me to do.

"Stop it! I would never have sex with you, even if you're the last man on earth!"  I just wanted to yell at him for making me feel this way.

He told me, "I don't believe you, because I could see that just merely my words could affect you; look in the mirror and you will know what I mean, or you can just look at those," indicating my bosoms.

"Let me get this straight, Mr. Andrada, you got it all wrong, I am not after your money, nor would I ever be after your body; you're here because of what you did to my sister," I told him, my chest heaving from the annoyance this man was causing me.

"What the heck do you mean I did to your sister?" He asked, obviously confused.

"Maybe a Mel Crisostomo can jog your memory?"As I asked, I braced myself for a guilty expression, but instead, he seemed more confused when I mentioned my sister's name.

He gives off the impression that he is seriously considering it and trying to recall the name, but I have a sneaking suspicion that he is just faking it. Either that, or he has so many victims that he has lost count of the number of women he has toyed with, including my sister.

"No!" He finally answered.

"What about a Melchora Crisostomo?" My thought was that Mel might introduce herself to this man by her real name, so I asked.

"What the eff is going on?! The only Melchora that I am familiar with is the hero, and keep in mind that we have never actually met," his tone is extremely sarcastic and mocking.

It was the shamelessness of the man in front of me, who appeared innocent despite the fact that he had hurt my sister, that caused my blood pressure to begin to rise, and I could feel it rising to dangerous levels.

"The problem with you rich people is that you enjoy abusing others, but when it comes to being accountable for your own actions, you act all innocent and clueless. Stop acting innocent because we both know what you did to my sister, and don't you dare deny that you're her boyfriend!" My chest was heaving after yelling at him.

"How many times must I repeat this to penetrate your thick skull? I don't know your sister, and I don't know anyone by that name, so please release me before I lose a very important business deal, or you won't like the result of your stupid mistake" he said in a threatening tone.

I was astonished when I sensed that he was telling the truth, but because I am aware of how adept he is at manipulating and deceiving others, I remind myself not to fall for his trick, or I won't be able to help my sister.

Once you've met with my sister, I'll let you go, but you'll pay for what you did to her, and I'll make sure your lies are exposed." 

I was getting more and more frustrated with him, so I ended up leaving.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" When he saw me leaving with the food I had prepared for him, he immediately asked.

"I don't think you're hungry, so I will just put it back in the kitchen," I said.

I paid no attention to his cussing and shouting as I made my way back to the kitchen.

As soon as I got back to the kitchen, I yelled angrily, "The nerve of him to lie in my face that he didn't know my sister!"

"However, what if..." It did cross my mind that perhaps he was telling the truth, but then again, I had Mel repeat the name of his boyfriend, and that is how I found out about Jayden Andrada. Therefore, I immediately dismiss that thought.

I reached for my phone, which was sitting on the table, and dialed Mel's number again, but the same thing happened; I was unable to get through to her.

"Please, Mel..." I silently muttered when my call still didn't go through after several tries.

-=Jayden's Point of View=-

I didn't know what I'd gotten myself into. If it weren't for my friend's advice for me to relax since it was still two days away before my flight going to Macau, then I wouldn't be in this mess.

I couldn't stop myself from feeling aggrieved when I thought that I was tricked by a girl. Who would have thought that she could pull this kind of stunt? I mean, for crying out loud, I'm Jayden Andrada!

People are afraid of me, not just because of the power I possess; they are afraid of me because of my personality, and I still cannot accept that I was duped by someone like her!

Honestly, I was surprised when a waiter approached me and handed me a glass of liquor, and I was about to tell him to back off since I didn't need someone to buy me a drink, but I stopped when he pointed to the person who bought me the drink.

I felt like I was being hypnotized when I finally saw the alluring woman, sitting by herself.

The word pretty is such a lame adjective to describe her, the word gorgeous would be more fitting for a woman like herself, so it was no wonder that I found myself walking to her table, and introducing myself as I thanked her for the drink.

I thought everything was going smoothly since we already had an agreement to go somewhere more private, and to be honest, for some reason, I couldn't wait to taste her, which resulted in me kissing her on her cherry-red lips, and I was surprised by the sensation I felt when I tasted her lips.

I could tell that she was also being affected by the kiss, but she pushed me and told me that we had a lot of time, but before leaving she said that she was thirsty, so she went back to the bar, or so I thought.

I wanted to stop her, but she seemed to be persistent, so I finally let her go, but it seemed I could not take my eyes off her, so I followed her movement until I was no longer able to see her.

She returned holding two bottled water. She handed me one, and since I wanted to return to where we left, I drank it without giving it much thought, which was a really big mistake and the reason why I was in this situation.

"Melchora Crisostomo," I tried to remember if I knew someone with that name, but I've been thinking about that name ever since my abductor left, but I still couldn't remember anyone with that name.

"What if she's Amanda?" I suddenly thought.

I met Amanda in a bar more than a month ago, and if my memory serves me right, I believe she is a model, so it crossed my mind that maybe Amanda was my abductor's sister.

I admit we had a sexual relationship, but that's it. We had sex, we enjoyed each other's company, but that's all there is to it. So when I told her that we should stop seeing each other, she agreed to it, and she doesn't seem upset about it. Knowing how liberated she is, it wouldn't be a problem for her to find another bed partner, so why is her sister now blaming me for hurting her?

It just doesn't make sense!

I suddenly felt my stomach rumbling, and then I realized that I hadn't had a proper meal since last night, and it was as if my abductor was messing with me when she didn't even check on me after our shouting match earlier, leaving me hungry for the rest of the night.

Something that I haven't experienced before, and to be honest, it's not a good feeling, so I made a mental note not to skip any of my meals in the future.

I was awoken the following morning by the sudden opening of the door, and when I discovered the time, I realized that I really needed to leave this place. My flight to Macau was scheduled for this afternoon, while my business meeting would be at night, and I couldn't afford to miss this meeting.

"Good morning, did you have a good night's sleep?" She asked, acting like she was talking to a guest and not a prisoner.

I know I should be mad at her, but seeing the smile on her face helps me to calm down for some reason, and when I gazed at her lips, I immediately remembered the kiss we shared in the parking lot, remembering the feeling of her soft, luscious lips.

"Shit!" I thought to myself when I realized my ramrod was already reacting, so I tried to clear my mind and stayed focused on what I had to say.

I told her, "We need to talk," but she just shook her head.

"We can talk later, but first you have to eat, I know you're already starving," she said, which reminded me of my empty stomach.

I fought the urge to tell her that it was her fault in the first place that I was starving.

My stomach rumbled again when I had a snip at the food she prepared. It smelled delicious, but somehow foreign to my nostrils.

Considering my position, it wasn't easy to see what food she had made, but I managed to sneak a peek. I was surprised to see some strange food.

"What are these?" I asked.

Ever since I was a kid, my usual breakfast usually consists of pancakes, sausage, eggs, and slices of bacon, and this is the first time I saw something like this.

It's like a dried small fish.

"Are you serious? Haven't you tried danggit from Cebu?" She was surprised.

"Is that what it is? I've heard about it, but I haven't tried it yet, because I think it doesn't taste good," I answered defensively.

I'm the type of person who would not eat something weird or exotic that may have traumatized my taste buds.

"How will you know if it's delicious or not, if you haven't tried it yet," she said, laughing, which sounded so pleasant to my ears.

She positioned herself near my head, and just to be sure that I wouldn't gag when I started eating, he inclined my head.

The first thing I noticed was her bare face. She wasn't wearing any make-up, so I could see her fresh and refreshing look, far from the sophisticated look she had that night, and I preferred her like this.

"What are you thinking, Jayden? You need to remember, this woman kidnapped you," I reminded myself.

I was deep in my thoughts when she suddenly stood up, and before I could ask, she walked out of the room I was in, making me think if I did anything wrong again.

I was still thinking if I did or said something offensive when she finally returned, and to my surprise, she went ahead and removed the ties from both my feet, and after that, she released my right hand from the handcuff.

"You missed the other one," I said when she forgot to take off the handcuff on my left hand.

"I didn't have any intention of removing that," she said, looking straight into my eyes.

"What do you mean? I thought you were already letting me go?" I asked, confused.

"I removed your handcuff, so you could feed yourself," she answered, and before I could rebut she immediately exited the room.

"Come back! You need to let me go, or else I'm going to miss my flight!" I yelled in panic, but it was as if I was yelling for nothing since she didn't return.

I tried to free my left hand, but when I tried to pull it, it still didn't budge.

I sighed in frustration when I sat on the bed when, after minutes of trying, I still didn't manage to free my left hand.

"At least this is more comfortable," I thought to myself.

I looked at the food she prepared for me and saw the dried fish on the plate, I was hesitant to taste it at first, but I was really hungry, so I forced myself to eat whatever food she brought.

"Wow," I couldn't stop myself from muttering when I finally tasted what she called danggit, because it was actually delicious, especially if you're going to dip it in vinegar with crushed garlic.

I ate with so much gusto, and before I realized I finished everything, I made a mental note to include this meal in my morning diet.

Hours had passed, and I was still hoping for her to return, but she didn't return until night, which means that I already missed my flight and probably lost my billion-dollar business deal.

"I brought you your dinner," she said without looking at me.

She looked apprehensive as if she was expecting me to do something to her, but it was not something she expected.

"Do you know what you just did?" I asked in a calm voice, but anyone who knows me knows that I am most dangerous when I act calm.

"What do you mean?" She asked, her voice quivering.

"You just made me lose a billion-dollar account, and I promise you that you will pay for this," I said.

She finally looked at me, so our eyes finally met, and I could see the guilt and fear in her eyes, which made me sneer, but even though she looked scared, she didn't avoid my gaze and tried to stand her ground.

"You're the one who's going to pay for what you did to Mel," she said stubbornly, and after saying those words, she decided to leave with my dinner.

A long sigh passed my lips when I remembered the loss of my business deal.

I worked hard to have that business meeting, and just because of that woman, I lost the account that I worked for almost a year now.

My threat earlier was not just an empty threat, because once I escaped here, I would make sure she would pay for the damage she caused me, something that she wouldn't forget for the rest of her life.

-=Gabby's Point of View=-

I think my heart was about to burst out of my chest when I finally left Jayden in his room.

I don't have any doubt that he would do what he said about making me pay for what I lost him.

To be honest, I didn't think about the possible consequences of my actions. All I wanted to do was to help my sister, but I forgot that all actions have their own consequences.

I may be thrown in jail for kidnapping Jayden, or worse, he would probably hire someone to kill me, or maybe he would do it himself. Whatever his decision was, it only means one thing.

"I'm doomed!"

I can't blame him because I would be furious if I had lost a potentially billion-dollar business deal.

I hate to admit it, but honestly, I was feeling a little guilty but mostly scared, but I have to be strong, for him to pay for what he did to my sister.

What the hell do I care if he's rich and powerful? He made the biggest mistake of hurting my sister.

Just like the previous days, I tried to contact Mel, but I still couldn't get through to her number, I tried calling her friends, but none of them seemed to know where Mel was.

I'm worried sick, thinking that something terrible might have happened to her. It also crossed my mind that maybe Jayden did something to Mel, which is why he was so confident in denying my sister because he knew that I wouldn't be able to find her.

I shivered when I thought about it, thinking that maybe I would be next, but I immediately disregarded it because I think Jayden is not capable of hurting my sister, or even me physically.

I'm not sure why I felt so sure about it, but I can feel it in my bones, Jayden might get even, but he would not harm us physically at least.

I decided to step out of the house in the meantime, just to calm my mind, I was still worried about what Jayden would do to me once I finally released him.

Of course, I was planning to release him. It's not like I could keep him prisoner forever, right?

The serenity of the place is a big help for me to calm down. Once I finally retired from work, I wanted to live in this kind of environment, away from the busy, noisy life of the city.

I really enjoyed living in the province, I remembered the time when mom brought us to this place.

I was enjoying my stay here, but unfortunately, Mel didn't want to stay long. She preferred city life.

When I think about my mom, I can't stop the tears from falling from my eyes. It's been four years since she left us because of cancer.

It's been four years, but the pain still remained in my heart. It hurts that she's gone from our lives, but when I thought about the pain she had to go through, it made me realize that she's in a better place now.

This is also the reason why I grew closer to Mel, because she's the only family I have, and it hurts me to see her heartbroken just because of a pathetic loser.

I continued walking until I reached a familiar tree, I smiled when I saw the tree that my cousins and I used to climb.

It had grown since the last time I saw it, and just for the heck of it, I decided to climb the tree just like the old times.

Compared to the last time, it wasn't easy to climb this tree, probably because I was not that flexible compared to when I was still a kid, but after a few tries, I managed to lift myself, until I reached a sturdy branch.

I found some berry-like fruits in the tree that I enjoyed eating when I was a child, so I decided to pick some so I could eat them later.

It was already getting dark when I decided to return to the house. I had my bag full of the berry-like fruit I gathered.

I felt like a loony when I thought about what I did. I mean, no normal woman at my age would dare climb a tree just to pick up fruits, but then again, I am not your average girl.

I put the fruits I gathered in the fridge so they would taste better frozen. I will just save them for later.

After washing my hands, I grabbed my phone, which I left on the tabletop, checking if there were any missed calls or messages from Mel, but still nothing.

I decided to just wait for her call since, sooner or later, she would try to reach me, but I was hoping it would be sooner.

I only asked for five days of leave from the bank I was working with, so I'm praying she will call as soon as possible, so I don't have to extend my leave, because it's going to be a leave without pay, and with the money I wasted on this plan, I badly needed my salary.

I decided to prepare our dinner, but instead of getting inside the room with him, I decided to just put his food on the floor, which is within his reach, and then left right away.

I ignored Jayden's yelling as I made my way back to the kitchen to eat my dinner in silence.

After I was done with my meal, I decided to retire for the night. I prayed really hard that tomorrow would be the time that Mel would finally call me back.

I tried not to think about my "visitor" as I drifted to an uneasy sleep. That night I dreamt about the revenge that Jayden had in store for me.

I felt tired when I woke up the next morning. The dream I had seemed so real, and it was giving me goosebumps just thinking about it.

Just like the previous days, I woke up early. Before preparing for our breakfast, I decided to take a shower first.

There's a small bathroom at the back of the house, and I chose to use that.

I felt at ease knowing that this place was safe since it was so isolated and hard to find.

The electricity we were using was solar energy, while the water actually came from the spring in the mountain.

I took a quick shower before heading back to the house, only wearing a towel around my body.

"Hey, wench!" It was the first noise I heard that morning, which meant that my visitor was already awake.

I hesitated if I should finish cooking first or go to Jayden, but my curiosity got the best of me as I made my way to the second floor.

"Is there anything I can do for you, your highness?" I asked in a very courteous manner, and to make it more dramatic, I even curtsied, just like in the old medieval movies.

I was expecting him to say that he wanted me to let him go, and I already prepared my rebuttal to that, but was stunned by his request.

"I need a bath," he answered in a cold tone.

"You... need a bath? Is that what you... need?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Yes, if you haven't noticed, I'm wearing the same clothes I've worn since you abducted me," he answered sarcastically.

Well, to be honest, even though he hasn't had a bath for a couple of days, he still doesn't stink, and as a matter of fact, the messy hair only adds to his handsomeness.

But still, not taking a bath for a couple of days is rather irritating and uncomfortable.

"Are you going to continue to space out or are you going to let me take a bath?!" He asked sarcastically.

Instead of answering his question, I decided to leave the room and went to fetch a pail of water, and after finding a small towel, I went back to the room and presented it to Jayden.

"What's this?" He asked, looking confused.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot remove your handcuff. What if you tried to escape? I think this is the next best thing I could think of," I explained.

"This won't do, Andrea... wait, is your name really Andrea?" He asked.

"My name is... Andrea, will do," I answered.

I decided not to tell him my real name, and to stick with the name Andrea. It's safer this way, and it will make it difficult for him to find me in case these are all over.

I chose to ignore his complaint about the arrangement I had given him and went back to the kitchen to continue cooking.

Thirty minutes had passed when I finished preparing for our breakfast, and thinking that he was already done cleaning himself, I decided to barge into the room without informing Jayden.

My mouth was agape when I saw Jayden not wearing any shirt, and I was right when I thought his body is ripped because of his frequent visits to the gym.

"He's hot!" I told myself, and as hard as it was, I forced myself to look away from his perfect, ripped body.

"How should I wear this shirt?" I heard him ask, and finally, I realized the reason why he was still shirtless. 

Since his left hand is still handcuffed to the railing of the bed, it would be impossible for him to completely wear the shirt I have given him.

"Put this handcuff on your right wrist," I told him.

He didn't ask and did what I instructed him to do, and after he secured the handcuff on the railing, I decided to take off the handcuff on his left wrist.

"See? Problem solved!" I said.

He didn't say anything as he looked at me with an annoyed expression on his face.

I felt my face heating up when I remembered the scene I saw earlier, and I didn't think I could easily forget it.

"What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" I heard Jayden ask, which made my face even redder.

Instead of answering his question, I chose to prepare the breakfast meal he requested, which is the dried fish I prepared for him before.

Since he tasted the unique taste of the danggit, he didn't stop asking for it.

"So, can you tell me where your sister is so you can expose my lies already?" He asked, mockingly.

I chose to tell him the truth since I think he deserves to know the truth about me.

"She's been missing for more than a week now, ever since she told me about what happened between you two," I said, sighing.

I could tell that he wanted to argue, but he opted not to do it as he continued enjoying his meal.

"So you mean to say, I'm stuck here until you find your sister?" He asked in disbelief.

I chose to keep my mouth shut, and ignore his question. If I wasn't able to find Mel, then I would have to let Jayden go, I still have to return to work anyway.

He didn't say anything anymore, but I could see on his face that he was thinking deeply. I didn't want to know what it was. Maybe he was thinking about how he would make me pay.

The hours passed so quickly, and before I knew it, it was already nighttime.

We were just finished with our dinner, and then I remembered the berry-like fruit I picked yesterday, so I thought of sharing it with Jayden.

"You like to try this?" I asked, showing him the fruits I picked yesterday.

"What's that?"

"I didn't know what it was called, but it's really good," I said, trying to convince him, and just to prove that it's edible, I ate two.

When he saw that nothing happened to me, he decided to give it a try, and the moment he bit at it, a look of surprise was written on his face.

"Wait, I think I know what this is," he said, thinking hard, and I continued eating it with gusto while he tried to remember the name of this fruit.

"Right! It's a Kerson fruit," he finally said.

"A what?"

"A Kerson fruit, or Aratiles in Filipino," he explained.

"Ok," I said, as it doesn't really interest me. All I knew was that these were delicious.

We continued enjoying the Kerson fruit I picked, and once we ate them all, we decided to retire for the night.

I managed to sleep with a wide smile on my face, I didn't think that I would actually enjoy Jayden's company, which shouldn't be the case since he still needs to pay for what he did to Mel.