Chapter 6

 The silence after Zac’s departure was deafening. I felt like a trapped little bird in his home. My palms were sweaty, my hands still stung from the slap and my heart was too heavy.

  Mondays used to be my favorite day with Nathan, not because of work but because of our little ritual. At exactly 11:30 we’ll sneak out of our offices during our break and head to a coffee shop down the street. 

We always order the same thing, and we’ll tease each other for not trying other things. 

   He was always there, waiting for me. I wondered if he was there right now. Did he think I betrayed him? Did he think I ran away with Zac?

Zac's words echoed in my mind:

“The love of your life but he abandoned you.”

Nathan should have heard me out, he should have believed me. 

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping everything would go away. Now wasn't the time to cry, it wasn’t going to fix anything and I always ended up with headaches.

When I opened my eyes, the man who had abducted me was standing awkwardly by the stairs as if he was waiting for instructions. 

  The man cleared his throat. “Miss Ackerman, would you like to see where you’ll be staying?”

I didn’t want to see anything. I wanted to go back to the home I shared with Nathan. I wanted my father and my life back.

But none of that was possible, so I nodded and let him lead me up the staircase. 

Everything felt expensive, I was scared that I would break something I couldn’t afford. 

On the second floor, he stopped at a door on the right and opened it gently. 

  “This will be your room.”

I stepped inside. 

The room was beautiful, too beautiful. It was triple the size of my bedroom. A king-size bed. A reading nook. A balcony overlooking a large pool. A huge TV. A walk-in closet. A bathroom that looked like it belonged in Architectural Digest.

It was too much, I felt out of place.

 I turned to the man.

  “How long have you worked for him?”

   “Almost seven years.”

    “Does he kidnap people often?”

His lips curved into the faintest smile. “No ma’am.”

   “Lucky me,” I muttered.

 “The chef will bring you some food soon. If you need anything at all, please dial the number on the bedside table, and I’ll be here immediately.”

  What was this? It felt like a scene from a fairytale movie. Before I could say anything, he bowed and he left.

I sat on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Sixteen-year-old me would have been so excited to finally get an invitation to Zac's house. Now, at 27, I know that Zac wasn't good for me, not in the past, not even now.

My mother taught me to go for the kind man, the man that brought me peace. Nathan was that kind of man and Zac was the opposite. He caused so much chaos in my life.

He knew how to spark something electric under my skin.

   “I hate this,” I whispered.

 By noon, the chef brought in a tray of food that looked like something out of a five-star restaurant. How did he expect me to finish it all?

I stared at the tray with a frown. On a good day, I would have had bits of every item in front of me because it smelled and looked good, but how can I eat with a heavy heart?

I haven’t spoken to my parents in days. I’ve never gone a day without speaking to them, mama reminding me to eat and papa assuring me he was getting better.

Hours passed, and the food stayed untouched. I didn’t move from the bed except to blink and breathe.

The soft clock of the door alerted me that someone had walked in. Zac.

He didn’t knock or ask if he could enter.

    “You haven’t eaten,” he frowned.

I didn’t respond. I didn’t want to look at him or be anywhere close to him.

 He slipped his hands into his pockets, completely unbothered.

  “You need to eat something.”

  “I don’t need anything from you.”

  “That’s not the point,” he replied calmly. “You haven’t eaten all day. Don’t you have ulcer?”

My head snapped up and I faced him. 

  “How did you know that?” I raised a brow.

  “You used to clutch your stomach after long practices. Everyone knew.”

  I didn't think he'd remember something so small. I didn’t think he ever looked at me in high school long enough to see something was wrong with me.

  “Thank you for your concern, Mr Zac. I don’t have ulcer anymore.”

  “Good for you. It’s just not convenient for you to pass out in my house.”

His tone was flat, almost like he was bored by the few sentences we exchanged. 

   “Maybe you shouldn’t have kidnapped me in the first place!”

   

You see? He knew how to infuriate me. It made me look like I was being overly dramatic while he just stood there, composed as ever.

   “Suit yourself, Jane. Eat. Don’t eat.” He turned towards the door.

“Mr Vincent would be by your door if you need anything.”

Then he stepped out the door and closed it. 

I stared at the door, my body buzzing with frustration. He did this to me, and he was going to do worse if I stayed with him. I had to find a way to leave and let everyone know the truth.