Love You, My Kidnapper

Chapter 10: The Plan

Chapter 10 The Plan

Now that I look at it, my life was too dull. Too lifeless. I lay on my bed gazing up at my pink ceiling. The once cheerful ceiling now seemed devoid of colour and taste.

The knock on the door signalled the time for dinner. Another meal that would end in bitter silence. It’s been a month since the incident. I couldn’t stop worrying about Bryon. Apparently he was locked in the basement of our mansion, but of course those were only rumours. My father wouldn’t be crazy enough to keep someone that had kidnapped me in a place where he could easily capture me again. Although I did hope. I found myself mindlessly wandering down to the door of the basement, only to be shooed back by the guards that surrounded it. It was normal for there to be so many guards surrounding the basement. Now that I knew the truth about my father, I wondered what sort of demonic activities he did in those cellars he had claimed for his “work”.

Making my way down the stairs, I slowly dragged my feet across the cold Heart Pine floor. As I neared, I heard chattering coming from behind the door, which immediately ceased as I came into the dining hall. I stared at the scene before me. Glared would be a better word. The once empty dining room table was now full of people. They had all looked up at my entrance. Sixteen pair of eyes bore into me as I walked over to my parents.

“What is this?” I whispered.

“Nothing. This is a dinner party. I’m simply looking out for your future. I mean you are nearing eighteen, and I thought that it would be best if you found a suitable male companion.”

“Father, the only suitable male companion is the person you have locked up in the basement.” I hadn’t meant for the last part to slip, but since it had, I tried to judge my father’s reaction. My father, being the man that he was, let no emotions flicker across his face.

“I don’t know who you’re referring to. Please sit down, our guests has been waiting for quite some time.” With that dismissal, our butler Harry guided me to my seat, which was across from a young man who looked around my age.

“How do you do Miss Santos,” his raspy whisper was painful, but familiar, I shook my head, I must be delusional. His voice, it wasn’t like the smooth melodic one that Bryon had once used to lull me to sleep. Or the one that he had used to wake me up everyday. My eyes started tingling, just like it often had when I thought about Bryon, however I was getting better at holding back my tears.

“Miss Santos?” The young man still had his hands extended across the table. After having neglected his hands I quickly extended my own and shook it.

“I’m well, thanks for asking Mr…?” I trailed off so that he could complete the sentence for me. I felt kind of bad; he had known my name, yet I was unaware of his. My father should have told me in advance. Sure I would have thrown a tantrum over it, but at least I wouldn’t be sitting here trying to guess my proposed match’s name.

“Mr. Amador, I’m surprised you didn’t recognize me.” He stared at me expectantly. Trying to push past the wall that I had set up ever since I got back, I scanned my memories. Suddenly, I remembered. How could I forget the face of Zaydn.

Smiling, in what I felt like a long time, I held onto his hands. I inspected the rest of our company and saw Wilhelm and two others whom I had seen around Bryon’s household. Except instead of the normal attire that I was use to, they were all in fancy suits and dresses.

“May I present my family? My grandfather, Mr. Radke, my mother, Mrs. Amador and my cousin, Miss Hale.” I nodded my greeting as I gave Mr. Amador a secret smile.

Soon after, we were served a five-course meal, starting with a nice French Onion soup. I couldn’t wait for the dinner to be over so I could talk with Zaydn. The chatters continued around me and I was forced to make pleasantries with the people around me. Dinner couldn’t have been more agonizingly slow. As soon as our plates were cleared, we were ushered into the living room. Having not been able to talk over dinner, I dragged Zaydn into a corner. We were “chaperoned”, and by that I meant Wilhelm stood guard as we discussed the whereabouts of Bryon.