Searching for Love, Found Wealth

(Kiera’s POV)

As I got a little conscious of my environment, headache pangs came hitting on me right, left and center. I forced my body upwards.

I opened my eyes to a blinding light. This was different from where I earlier was.

I could remember the scary sunglass man tossing me at the back seat of a van and slapping my butt. He was such pervert. He closed the door before I could kick him.

He had called someone who told him to leave as the ‘master’ was coming. I wondered who that was along the way to this house.

There was a standing torch in front of me and I bet it must be fully charged as it’s very bright. I adjusted my eyes to see the figure behind me.

I prayed it wasn’t Tessa. It looked masculine. The thought that it could be the sunglass man watching me as I sleep made me mad.

A smell hit my nose, almost making me gag. I looked down in disgust trying to hide my nose. I saw my skin was red and bloated.

Blood dripping from some parts. Now I knew why I was tired.

The metallic smell of blood still lingered in my nose so I knew I wasn’t the one who had been tortured and probably killed that day.

Wherever I was relocated to had to be the where the last businesses were done. And it occurred to me that I may not ‘master’.

The figure at the shadows moved towards me then went back to its place.

“Are you awake now?” It was Carlos. Why does he always ask stupid questions. How oblivious could he be? It was annoying.

And speaking of obliviousness, it reminded me of J-twins’ obliviousness. I wondered how my friends where taking my disappearance. Surely they’d care.

It was the pros of finding love and friendship. People to care for you. I hoped mom wasn’t mad by now. And Gladys and how I missed baby John.

“Won’t you answer me?” Carlos voice was calm and tenser. For no reason.

“Will you please let me go?” I responded with a likewise calm tone.

He scoffed and left the dark shadow of the light. He had changed to a dark leather jacket, thick jeans and red sneakers. With his big chains, he looked like some hip hop artist.NôvelDrama.Org: text © owner.

“You’ve come this far. Few things can save you now?” he brushed my hair behind my ears.

I surely wanted to do those as some strands were, uncomfortably, lying across my face. But I was handcuffed, still.

“I am Carlos Ramirez. The Mafia Sector of the Martinez. We are a public secret to those that know” he was cocking a gun for some reasons.

He dropped it on table and brought out a chair from the darkness.

“What do you mean public secret?” that wasn’t what should ask. But I felt like I should stall till some Prince Charming to come save me.

“Martinez was the Mafia group name. A combination of Martinez and Ramirez” he explained.

“A ‘Martin’ from Martinez and ‘-ez’ from Ramirez to create MartinEz” he sighed when I gave him a confused look.

So that’s what it was. One look and you’d think it was still the Martinez.

“So you sent me the kidnap letter not Martinez?” I frowned.

“Well, yes. I was told you were desperate to get your inheritance. Since we shared the same desperation I decided me meet” he folded his arms.

And this was his idea of meeting. Why didn’t he visit home? I was so right then.

There’s no way I was being kidnapped for taking a harmless contract, it was something bigger. That I got myself into.

Carlos watched my blank expression for a while.

He maybe didn’t know I had the skill of being scared, confused and regretful at the same time being blank faced.

“You do look cute though. You sure you won’t be my contract wife?” he stooped besides me to do something.

My breathing quickened when he called me cute. And almost hitched when he stooped besides me.

I thought he wanted to kiss me, as weird as that would be, or something else. But he just unlocked my handcuff.

I wanted to make a run for the door even though I couldn’t see where it was.

Carlos looked stronger than me and didn’t have bleeding body parts so I my effort would be useless.

“Kiera, marry me and you’d live” he dropped a bombshell. So in order not to die, I needed to marry the Chief Mafia of my family.

“You also get to gain from the inheritance” he added, pulling off a paper from his pocket. It was the marriage alliance contract.

He picked up his gun and began fondling it, I understood the message immediately.

I scribbled a fake signature, that had my name, into it and faked a smile.

“Hmm, that’s fast, wife” it sounded nauseating hearing him call me wife. After one signing. A paper could never bind me to a man.

He brought out my phone for his pocket. It was unlocked somehow. How dare he break into my privacy?

“What’s yours is mine, dear” he cooed.

“What’s yours is mine as well” I replied bravely. He smirked but stayed silent. From the reflection on his face, I noticed he went to my gallery.

Jeez all the Kpop and Korean drama artists I had there. He could get jealous and then, why should he?

He showed me something on the screen. My eyes were a little blurry so I couldn’t see it.

“Should k delete them? I can’t have a wife obsessing after men like a dog” he sighed.

What delete my pictures! Those pictures were a year plus work. Where’d I find another.

I began moving my hand trying go break free, “Don’t delete them. Leave them there for me”.

I guess he did as his smirk grew wider. I’d so whoop his butt. I felt someone stab me.

“Oh, who’s Charles. He gave you lots of calls. Boyfriend?” he showed me Charles seventy missed calls.

He was that worried. And I haven’t even settled with him yet. I couldn’t die now.

I saw that the time in my phone was 6:13, it was already this late.

It was still had to believe all this abandoned in one day I doubted the police may be looking for me. Since a kidnap is only official after 24 hours.

“Why don’t you call him and ask if you’re so jealous?” I nagged.

It’d be my luck if he fell for it, and he did as the Wholesome Mafia Boss was putting a call over to Charles. I really hoped Charles would make good use of it.