The Scars

It was dark, nothing my eyes could detect. The blindfold blocked my sight. The footsteps occupied the nothingness. I might be snagged in a room somewhere, far from the city or the worse, in a barn. The sound of the shoes was no longer heard. They probably went away.    

My hands were tied behind the chair. This moment reminded me of the incident at night when Angeline hired people to kidnap and imprison me in a shed I never knew where it was. This time, they did not wrap my mouth. I was not frightened, whoever brought me here, I believed they connected to Kevin. That man was the last person I confronted.    

Letting myself get involved in his matter irritated him. Nevertheless, having a thought that he might be the suspect behind my snatch was not true. He hated me yet he did not have a reason to detain me. My brain and heart kept speculating of the possibility why they arrested me here.    

The door all of sudden was broken down. Someone stormed inside. His hand untied the string uniting my hands and took off the blindfold. The light irradiated my face. It was Kevin, in a hoodie jacket as though he were in disguise. Was he the culprit or the hero? The answer I got after he idly took off his hoodie.    

"Good evening, Ilana. It's such a pleasure to meet you here. It was great that only we both are inside this place right now." His disgusting smirk implied something unpleasant. He was the culprit of why I was here. Slowly he was striding toward me with his arrogant gesture. I rose from my seat.    

"What is it you want?" I had to be mindful with word choice out of my lips. "Are you intimidating me to give up?" He was getting closer. "Stay where you are!" I shouted out. He ceased elegantly.    

"Do you think I am interested in you? Do you think I mean it when I say I want you to be my wife? Hahaha... I just use you as bait to get what I want." I didn't have time to think of his intention behind all of this. "Take him in!" The door opened and two muscular men dragged Reno in.    

"Reno..."    

"Unfortunately, it is not the time for a reunion!"    

"Why are you doing this?" I yelled. Kevin yanked my hand that I could not run to Reno.    

"Don't touch her!" Reno was trying to free himself. It was futile to resist those strong bodyguards.    

"Don't worry, my lovely brother. She won't hurt as long as you fulfill my request." Kevin shoved me to sit on the chair. "Don't touch my mother! You must understand what I mean. It is about the murder of your mother. My mother is innocent. She has nothing to do with your mother's death. Either you choose your mother or your fiancée, the choice is in your hand."    

"Please, don't listen to him," I begged. Kevin's fist gripped my shoulder so tight that I felt the pain spread over my body.    

"I will. Let her go."    

"That's a good choice. But, to prove that, call your uncle now. Ask him to revoke his report regarding your mother's murder case. Make sure the case is closed." Kevin instructed one of his men to pass a mobile phone to Reno. "Do it now!" Reno did what he was instructed to. In a few minutes, he had finished talking to his uncle. His shoulders shrugged, giving in the situation. I felt guilty. If I did not come to Kevin's office, this kind of thing would not happen. "You have done the right thing, brother."    

Kevin grasped my hand harshly and pushed me toward Reno. I almost fell headfirst if Reno did not swiftly hold my hand firmly. His face showed that he panicked.    

"Are you okay?" That was his first question.    

"No, I am not. Why are you doing this? You have to bring her mother to the court. She has killed your mother," I persuaded. He shook his head.    

"Well, it is not a place for you both to do a public display of affection," Kevin interrupted. "You have to keep in mind that I can do more than you see today. I can hurt or even finish her life if you are trying to disobey our agreement today." Kevin warned Reno before he took his steps out of the room.    

***    

It had been a week since Kevin locked me up. My wedding was just around the corner. The preparation had reached almost ninety percent. I took care of the rest as Reno had to meet a client in another city. It took about three days for Reno to stay there.    

Vera was always with me. That girl had been a mother now after she married a widower with one child, a beautiful little girl, Sarah. Sarah was a nice kid. Vera was only a stepmother for her, yet she treated her like her own daughter. Vera told me that she met her husband in a seminar. Sarah was a data scientist. She worked for a German Company.    

"What do you think of this design?" Vera pointed at a picture of interior design. She was busy recommending me the design for the ballroom where I would organize the wedding reception.    

"You always have good taste. I know you."    

"It means you'll take this one?"    

"Of course. I count on you when it comes to talking about design."    

"You both look so happy!"    

"Angeline," we murmured almost together. That girl was mindfully walking inside like a model. Her yellow sleeveless dress and long legs made her a model. Her blonde hair fell on her back. The red striking lips made her smooth white face look stunning.    

"How are you, Ilana. Well, I hope I am not bothering you." I was wondering why she came here at this moment.    

"I'm good," I muttered. Many years flew by; I would not let her intimidate me. So, I faced her confidently. "It seems that there is something urgent that you see me at this hour."    

"You are right. And I hope this won't shock you."    

"Why should it be?" She fished a paper out of her bag, a pregnancy check-up report. "Why do you give me this?"    

"Are you sure you are going to marry the man who has slept with another woman?"    

"Alice has revealed that nothing occurred between her and Reno that night."    

"It's not Alice, it's me."    

"What do you mean?"    

"I'm pregnant. It is...," she stroked her belly, "Reno's baby."