He went down on his knees as darkness clouded his vision; the pain made him scrunch his face as he tried to raise his head. Two figures were looming over him, wearing a mask. His eyes were closing, and their voice dulled into the background, reduced to distant echoes. The clanging of the baseball bat as it hit the floor met his ears. That was the weapon used to assault him. One of the figures grabbed him and tried to pull him away from his car and towards another vehicle parked just behind them. His attempt to struggle was futile, as it only earned him a hard blow to the chest, causing him to grunt in pain. The door to the minivan slid open, and they tried to shove him inside. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins when the reality of being kidnapped dawned on him. With one burst of energy, he broke free from the strong grip of the man holding him, driving his foot into the torso of the other person, destabilizing them. He swung his arm, landing a punch on his attacker. His resi
The sound of the slap resonated, echoing across the room. “You will watch your mouth young man!” the officer said in a sharp tone. Matthew stood there, his hand on his jaw, his tongue pushed against the inner part of his cheeks as it made a click sound. He raised his arms up to retaliate but all the other policemen in the office jumped on their feet, ready to gang up on Matthew. A wry smile formed on the man's lips. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, assaulting an officer is a serious crime and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to go to jail.” He had a cocky grin on his face and Matthew wanted to wipe it off with a hard slap, but then he held back, not wanting to cause trouble for Amelia or the rest of the family. From the corner of his eyes he saw Amelia walking into the station with a gray shawl hung around her shoulders and Charles standing right behind her. Her face was tight and her eyes fixed on the officer before Matthew.With quick steps, she made her way towards them. The offic
She began to hyperventilate as her eyes widened. Charles, who was sitting in the front seat, turned around to face her. “Are you alright madam?”Being one of her most trusted staff, she didn't hesitate to turn the phone screen towards him so he could have a look. Even the driver tried to peep through the review, but he couldn't make it too obvious that he was to have a look for himself. A small gasp escaped Charles lips. “Do you think it is them?”For a second, she stared out into space, imagining the worst. “Honestly, I don't know. It's hard to say, but we can't take any chances.” Her voice was low and filled with determination. By the time they got home and pulled up in front of the mansion, Matthew got down from his car. Quickly noticed the worried expression on his grandmother's face and asked. “Are you okay Grandma? Are you still thinking about what happened earlier?”“No it's okay, I'm fine. I just need you to be more careful from now henceforth, I think somebody is after us
Still on the other side, he spoke. “Martha, what are you doing in there? How did you get locked in?”Despite how hard he tried to listen, or he could pick up was the sound of her whimpering as she cried. “Hello? Martha? Are you still there?” He questioned, a small frown forming on his face. The muffled sound of her crying only continued. He backed away from the door and looked around him, there had to be a way to get her out of there. “Okay Martha, I want you to calm down. I will go get Charles and he will find the key to get you out.”“No! Don't tell any of them that we talked, they will only punish me,” she whispered with quivering lips. At this point Matthew was beyond confused, he no longer understood what was going on. “What did I tell you about snooping around and not minding your business?” The family of his uncle Raymond boomed. He looked up. “Of course you would have a hand in this, who are you holding hostage in there?” Matthew asked. “It's none of your business boy,
Charles brought the keys to the padlock and opened the door. Everyone held their breath as the door creaked, the hinges croaking as they revealed the room inside. It was a large room with a high ceiling. In its center stood a king-sized bed with various pillows sprawled over it. She was by the edge of the room, eyes widened and alert. She tried to make herself seem more minor, her body trembling with fear. Her eyes darted between all the people standing in the room. “Go away! Go away!” she yelled, backing up against the wall, trying to shrink. Matthew stepped forward, extending his hands. “It’s okay. Calm down. It’s me. I’m the one who was trying to help you outside,” he said in a soothing voice. Raymond scoffed, “You see what I’m saying, she’s crazy!” He remarked. “That is no way to refer to your wife,” Amelia cautioned him. Martha was still agitated but seemed to calm down when Matthew approached her. He lowered himself to be at eye level with her. “It’s okay. We’re not trying
Her stomach dropped, and she inched backward. The door gently clicked open, revealing Raymond's towering form occupying the doorframe. Her breathing became uneasy, and she tore her gaze away from him and cast it on the ground. His lips twitched into a small smile. “My darling wife, I hope your recovery will be quicker now,” he said, retrieving a plastic bottle from his pocket. It contained some capsules. As he advanced towards her, he grabbed the jug on the nightstand, bringing it closer to her mouth. “You can’t forget to take your drugs. You don’t want to have a relapse now, do you?” He cocked his head to the side, grabbing her chin gently but firmly. She reluctantly opened her mouth and forced the pill in, washing it down with the water from the jug.She swallowed and pulled her mouth away from the rim of the glass jug with a sharp breath. “Good girl,” he said in a low tone, setting the jug down. Her hands were tight, and her body language screamed in repulsion. He got up and pat
Elena straightened her back, meeting his glare with an equally defiant one. “What are you angry about? Is it because your plan to humiliate me in front of the board failed?” Raymond didn’t bother to respond; he just walked away. Naturally, Matthew grew inquisitive, and as they returned to their offices, he asked Elena about what Raymond had said. “What was my uncle talking about earlier when he said don’t forget why you’re CEO?” His voice was laced with curiosity. Just when it seemed he was uncovering the dynamics of the Houston family, there always seemed to be a new layer to uncover. “I’m not sure I should tell you this, but let’s discuss it in my office,” she responded. While inside her office, he shut the door behind him to ensure nobody could overhear their conversation. She moved over to her chair and plopped down, throwing her back against the backrest. Silence stretched out between them, and the expression on her face was that of someone reminiscing. “I have been working f
His hands were wrapped around the steering wheel as he sped down the road, his eyes fixed ahead. As he drove, he kept wondering what the matter was. Finally, the view of the mansion was within the frame of the windscreen. He pulled up in the compound's parking lot and then alighted from his car. Charles, standing by the door, welcomed him with a slight bow. “What’s going on?” he asked the butler, looking at him and then into the foyer. “I believe you should go in and find out for yourself, young master.” He walked into the hallway, gentle steps guiding him toward the dining table. It was evident that he was a bit late, as everyone was already seated. Their heads turned to face him. At the edge of the dining table, Martha was seated beside Raymond, looking petrified as usual. There was particular alertness in her eyes and in the way that she carried herself that made it clear she was suffering from severe anxiety. Amelia harrumphed, “Welcome, Matthew. Have a seat.” Her voice was sh