chapter 6

Chapter 6

…STEELA…

Benji holds me by my shoulders

“tell me Steela, is that girl mine, all you have to do is say it” he says holding my gaze

“I already told you she isn’t, do you want me to lie to you just so you can bring her back to me?” I ask, Benji’s eyes widen making me more convinced he really does know where my little girl is,

“what are you talking about?” he tries to deny it

“I know you know where Zoey is… stop it already Benji, my mind is exhausted, just tell me where she is” Benji looks away, I can see the guilt on his face

“why the hell would I kidnap your daughter?” he askes letting go of my shoulders,

“when I was disowned five years ago by my parents, I met someone and moved in with him, he is Zoey’s father” I explain lying through my teeth

“I don’t see a ring on your finger” he says holding my left hand

“we never got married” I lie. I know it seems absurd that I would have stayed with a man that long and have his child without marrying him but I don’t care, I can say anything right now just to convince him Zoey is not his child

“I have known you all of your life Steela, you are not the type of woman to get pregnant for a man without getting married to him” he says, I let out a sign

“am begging you Benji, just bring back my little girl to me” I plead

“just go home Steela, I told you I have no idea where your daughter is, now if you excuse me, I have to find my daughter”, Benji calls one of his men and tells him to take me to his place, I don’t object and get into the car with the man.

In the next hour, I am in one of the spare bedrooms at Benji’s place, I get my phone from my pocket and call Mario.

“Steela, where are you?, Daisy is insisting on seeing her Dad” he says, I can hear from his voice that he is panicked,

“hold her for a little while Mario, I know Benji has my daughter, I wont bring back Daisy to him until he brings my daughter to me” I say determined… Mario is one of my closet friends in my previous circle, when I knew Benji wouldn’t admit he had my daughter, I decided to make him experience and feel exactly like I was feeling by faking a kidnap on Daisy, I called the only person I knew would help me even though I had not spoken to him for five years. Mario isn’t one to hold grudges, the fact that I cut him with the rest of my friends five years ago didn’t bother him, he was just glad to hear from me again

“give me until tomorrow morning before you bring back Daisy please” I plead, Mario lets out a sign,

“fine, Benji will have my head if he finds out I have his daughter” he says, I can understand why he is scared, what I am making him do is crazy

“I will take the blame, Benji will never know you have anything to do with this” I assure him

“alright, I will talk to you later” he says and hangs up the call. After my call with Mario, I lay in bed looking at Zoey’s photos, I feel my heart get heavy and I begin to cry, I had never stayed this long away from my little girl, I could only imagine how much she misses me. I let out a sign and switch on the tv just to pass time. Am surprised the first thing I see is Benji talking about his daughter And asking who ever kidnapped her to call him and he would give them any amount of money, I roll my eyes and switch off the tv again,

Benji is acting like his daughter just died, I don’t believe he just appeared on tv for her and yet didnt mention anything about my Zoey, I decide I will tell him I know where Daisy is and bring her to him if he returns Zoey.

After two hours, Benji comes back, he looks more restless than the last time I saw him,

“any word from the police about either of the girls?” I ask when he enters the room am in, he dejectedly shakes his head with a sign

“am losing my mind” he says

“I know’ I reply and stare at him hoping he would just come clean.

“why are you looking at me like that?” he says getting uncomfortable with my stare

“I know where Daisy is” I tell him, he walks over to me until he is standing an itch away from me,

“what?” he asks confused

“I don’t want to play any games with you anymore, bring back my daughter and Daisy will return to you safely” I say. Benji is quite for a while, when he looks at me again, I can see anger on his face

“ why the fuck would you do this?” he questions

“the same reason you took away my daughter” I say

“don’t be silly Steela” he says

“why did you take her, is it because you want to punish me for some reason?” I ask cause at this point, I don’t know why he is doing this

“you were lying” he says making me confused

“lying about what?” I ask

“you never met someone five years ago or live with him, there is no boyfriend waiting for you at your home, all you have is a restaurant which your best friend is currently running for you” I can feel anger building up inside of me

“you had me investigated?” I question furiously

“if you could lie about that, then I don’t see a reason why you wouldn’t lie about Zoey not being my kid” he says, I go out of control and am about to hit him across the face but he holds my hand middle air and unexpectedly pulls me to his chest

“what are you…” before I can complete my sentence, he crushes his lips on mine…