TRAPPED WITH HER WISH (A Christmas Romance)

Chapter 33

OLIVIA'S POV

I sighed when he finally picked up. "Hi, are you okay?" That was the first thing I asked. For some weird reason, I could sense that something wasn't right.

There was silence on the end for a few seconds before he cleared his throat and spoke up. "Maya has been kidnapped."

I almost dropped my phone. "What? How? Have you called the police? Have they called asking for a ran..."

"Baby, it's complicated. I'm at the hospital right now. I mean I'll have come over to talk about it but I can't leave the hospital right now." I heard him say. He sounded so tired and weak like he was about to lose it.

"Send me your location. I'm coming right away." I said and hung up, dialing Ken's number. "Get ready right now, we're going somewhere."

***

It was almost 7 PM when Ken pulled up in front of the hospital. I rushed to the ER, sighing in relief when I saw Ace. I rushed towards him and let myself relax a little when he immediately pulled me into a hug. "What happened? Where is Maya? Why are we at the hospital?"

He pulled back and sighed. "Juliette happened."

I blinked severally. I had heard that name before. Juliette, the ex-wife. "Your ex-wife?"

"I'm so sorry. I should have told you but I just didn't know how to." He started.

I didn't know if I wanted to hear this story. "You've been seeing her?"

He shook his head in denial. "God no!" He denied and some sort of relief washed over me. "She came back and it's a very complicated story. Her husband had been abusing her and she's lost her mind. She wants me and the kids back. I told her it was over and we wanted nothing more to do with her. I don't know what came over her but today she went to my house, knocked my mom out, and kidnapped Maya. She's insane and she has my three-year-old daughter in her possession. My mom had to get stitches, that's why we're here."

I gulped, trying to process the information.

"I'm so sorry baby, this isn't how I intended to tell you. I thought I could fix the issue, but it got out of hand."

Was I hurt? Yes. A lot! I am supposed to be dating him and he keeps something of this magnitude to himself? Do I understand him? Also yes, because some things are just so hard to say. "We need to find Maya. That's what matters right now. We're gonna deal with the whole Juliette issue after. Has the police been involved? "

"Yes. But I can't only rely on them. I'll have to try finding Maya myself. I wouldn't be able to sleep if she's not at home"

I nodded in understanding. "When and where do we start?"

He blinked severally. "I don't understand. You want to help me?"

I shrugged. "I'm your girlfriend and Maya is important to me too. Of course, I'm gonna do my best to help. Or you don't think I can help because I'm a rich spoiled girl?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

He pulled me in for an unexpected kiss. "You're the best. Amazing." He said when he pulled back.

"I'm still mad at you. We just need to find Maya before we resolve the issue." I reminded him. "I'm also going to call my private investigator. He's the best at things like this."

He nodded with a smile. "Thanks a lot. I need all the help I can get."

I nodded in agreement. "So...when do we start?"

"We'll have to take you home so you can wear something more comfortable while I think of the places Juliette could be at." He said, looking down at my 6-inch stilettos. What? I'm so used to them that I almost don't feel it.

*****

WRITER'S POV

"Have you lost your mind? Why the hell did you bring Maya to my house?" Natalia asked in terror. She couldn't believe it. "Look Juliette, the only reason I agreed to let you crash at my place is that you're Ace's ex-wife and you welcomed me into your home all those years ago. But kidnapping Maya? It's just wrong and I wouldn't be a part of it."

Juliette scratched her head in a psychotic manner. "Just give me a few days to come up with an idea." She said as she paced around the kitchen. She had locked up Maya in the guest room.

"Are you crazy? Ace is probably losing his mind right now. You have to return Maya."

The word 'crazy' kept ringing in Juliette's head and she had to place her hands over her ears to stop it. "No, never. Maya is my child and I'm keeping her. I just have to make some food right now so she eats and I'll properly introduce myself to her."

Natalia shook her head in denial. "I wouldn't be an accomplice. Turns out helping you was a totally bad idea. Poor Maya is in there crying, scared to the core. I'm calling Ace." Natalia said and turned to leave.

That was a very wrong move. Juliette was sick and things like that triggered her. "No, please don't call Ace. Don't call him."

Natalia shrugged and kept moving. "He's my boss and I can't watch him suffer when I know..." She wasn't able to complete her statement as she felt a very sharp pain in her shoulder and when she looked at it, she saw her kitchen knife sticking to her body. Juliette had stabbed her. The pain was excruciating.

"I told you not to get me angry but you just wouldn't listen. Now see what you've caused." Juliette said as she used all her might to drag Natalia into the visitor's bathroom. She got a rope and tied her hands and legs, and also used some tape for her mouth. "I hope you do not bleed to death though, cause I still need you to do a few things for me." She said to an almost unconscious Natalia before shutting the door and returning to the kitchen. That was one less problem for her. She cleaned up the blood and continued making some soup for Maya.

When she was done, she walked up to the guest room where Maya was locked up and got in. The poor baby had cried her eyes out. "Aww, my Maya, don't you cry no more, mummy's here now. And look, I bought some food."

"I wanna go home. You're not my mummy. I do not know you." Maya said as she cried.

Juliette felt so bad. "Please don't say that baby. I'm your mummy. I birthed you. I gave you the name 'Maya'. I loved you so much but I had to leave because I thought I was going to be happier with that bastard. But he was a fucker and so I had to leave and come back. I want you back." She said, using foul words in front of the kid. "Now you be a good girl and eat up your food so you don't fall sick."

Maya shook her head. "I just want to go home. I do not know you. You're not my mummy. I have no mummy."

Juliette started scratching her head like a lunatic. "I'm gonna kill your goddamn father. He didn't tell you about me, yet he's bringing that bitch over to my house."

Little Maya was so lost. "I want my daddy. Take me back home."

Juliette shook her head in denial. "No, you're mine now. You stay with me." Maya's cries intensified and it only made Juliette furious. "Stop crying. Stop crying or you will draw attention." She said but Maya kept crying so she had to shut her up by tying a scarf around her mouth and tying her hands and feet as well.

After a few minutes, Juliette's emotions started playing with her. "I don't want to hurt you, Maya, you're my little girl. Now stop crying and I'll feed you and you can have some sleep, okay?" She said and took off the scarf she used to tie the child's mouth. "Now open up." She said.

Maya was a crying mess. "I don't want your food. I just want to go home."

Juliette was going to lose it if Maya didn't cooperate so instead of arguing, she forcefully shoved food into the child's mouth. "If you spit it out, I'm gonna hurt you, and trust me, you do not want that."

The little girl was scared to death and only kept crying while Juliette kept feeding her.