Chapter Eight

My eyes slowly opened to the dim lights above that felt like a thousand knives stabbing me in the back. Fragments of the dinner party raced through my mind, the smell of smoke, the sound of shattering glass and the feeling of falling made me want to puke all over the dusty floor.

I noticed a figure slumped against the floor, a few feets beside me. 

Her eyes flickered open, as she immediately locked gaze with me.

“Monica” her name came out as a soft whisper from my lips.

“Maya” she retorted with a scowl on her lips.

“You!” I said, my voice much more thicker, accusation on the tip of my tongue. “I should have known”

“I don't know what you're talking about, Maya” she defended, but her eyes held a different answer. It was written all over her, she knew I knew she was behind the attack.

I struggled to sit up, the rope tied on my wrist piercing my skin painfully. 

“How low will you go to destroy my marriage?” I snapped at her.

“You say ‘my marriage’ like it's not just some scam contract”

“Think of it as you may but at least I'm still the tied lawfully to the man you're willing to kill for”

“Shut up!” she snapped. If glares could kill I would be six feet under the ground. I laughed at her expression knowning I had hit her where it hurt.

“You were the one who told them where to find me” I accused her again. She narrowed her eyes at me knowing I was right. I couldn't believe how someone would do something so evil to a fellow human. “But wait…if you're the one who planned this, why are you also here, tied painfully like me” I asked, genuinely confused.

“I…I honestly don't know. It must have been a mistake. The kidnappers must have mistaken me to be your friend or sister. I just have to explain to them” she said her voice shaking slightly.

“I don't see any resemblance between us” I smirked, relaxing at the slight fear in her eyes

“Don't get too cocky. They only want you. You're the living corpse here. Soon they'll be bursting into this door setting me free after they come to terms that I was the one who helped and you…you'll be dealt with. Maybe even slaughtered while I watch in victory” she let out a sigh, a grin placed firmly on her face.

I couldn't help the cold chill that went down my back at her words. I was a living corpse. Me of all people knew how true those were. 

My head dropped down to my belly, my hand rubbing them shakily. My baby.

Monica noticing this, decided to continue. “Maybe this would tell you how useless you are to Elijah. You like to boast of your marriage with him but I don't see him fighting the bad guys, trying to get to you. You're nothing to him, Maya” Monica said, her voice filled with disdain.

“You're a witch. I'm pregnant for heaven's sake! Would you really be happy seeing an innocent child die with its mother!” I screamed, the frustration in my voice burning my throat.

“You whore! You stole my man with that bastard child of yours!” She scoffed, her glare more intense. “I should…I should be the one in that dinner party being celebrated for marrying the love of my life, clad in that expensive ass dinner gown. Not you! So don't you fucking try to guilt trip me into pitying you. I'm doing that child a favor not letting it end up in a family with no love!”

“Of course your delusional ass would…”. Suddenly the door opened, stopping me from completing my statement. 

A huge man walked in, half of his face covered in a black mask that looked liked it belonged to a marvel museum.

“What's all the ruckus about?” He spat loudly, making Monica and I squirm in fear. 

“Ah! Thank God you're here” Monica quickly said, her voice mixed with fear and…relief. “I know your men must have made a mistake. I'm actually the one who helped to find her. I was the one who contacted you. I shouldn't be here with her. Please let me go” 

Suddenly the man smiled, revealing a set of tobacco stained teeth. “Yes, yes, yes…I recognise you. Veronica is it? We…”

“It's Monica” she corrected with a sickening smile.

He looked at her, his face void of any emotion. “Don't ever interrupt me. Yes I know you're the one who helped us with our little friend and for that me and the guys are grateful. Gracias, Bella”

I continued to watch their interaction silently.

“I'm relieved to hear that. Can you just untie me now? There's something I need to get back to instantly…someone” she muttered the last part, smiling deviously at me.

Bitch.

“What do you mean?” The huge man stared at her in a stoic manner.

“ Untie me. I need to go. I've brought her to you now, you don't need me anymore. Untie me now, let me go” she frowned as she began to wiggle around the rope.

“I can't do that, Amore” the man chuckled, a cold mirthless sound.

“Why?! I helped you!”

“Dear, dear, I know exactly what you did and that's why I can't let you go. You see…you know too much now. You know our plan…you've seen our face, Veronica” he said in a mock soothing voice.

Monica's eyes widened in horror. Even I was shocked at the unexpected turn in events. She was clearly their accomplice, without her they might never had caught me. 

“Please let me go. I promise I will not say anything. Damn I hate her too much to ever help finding her dead body. Just let me go” she began to cry, her brown eyes glistened with tears. She didn't even bother to correct the name this time.

“It's too late for that. You should have thought of that when you helped us”. The man's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with cruelty.

“You fucking bastard!” Monica suddenly jumped at him, but before she could make any contact with him, his large hand flew out, landing a blow at her face. The hit was so strong, her small body flew across the room, landing on the floor in a very painful thud.

I let out a loud screech.