Chapter 45

The door to the room was opened and Hattie looked up as a result of the little light that penetrated into the room. She saw Andrew but she couldn't make out what he was holding

"Happy birthday to you

 Happy birthday to you

 Happy birthday

 Happy birthday 

Happy birthday to youuuuuu" he sang and she finally noticed that it was a cake he was holding. She knew that her birthday was fast approaching but she didn't realise that it was already here. December 3rd, The winter month. There was no way she could know about her birthday when she didn't have any time nor date to look at to decipher when her birthday was. Even if she knew that her birthday was coming, she wouldn't still look forward to it. Spending her birthday at this demons house was not a birthday anyone would wish about. 

Andrew stopped in front her. His face beamed with excitement, she wasn't fooled by that. Him smiling, did not hide the fact that he was a monster. 

Andrew cupped her chin and raised it to look at him. He turned her head in different angle as though he was accessing her. He grinned more in excitement and Hattie looked at him with disdain. She wanted to spit on it but she thought against as the outcome would be drastic. She was tired of being beaten up or tortured. She was tough but there was a limit to her toughness

"There goes the birthday girl" Andrew remarked softly and sweetly. He placed the cake on her laps and Hattie had the urge to push it down and destroy it

"You don't have a right to be nice to me" she glared at him

"Why not, darling" he gently stroke the skin around her chin, causing to snap her head backwards to break the contact 

"Always so stubborn" he remarked at her gesture amidst laughter

"I don't need your cake" She brought her eyes down to the cake on her lap, signalling him to get it off her.

"I can't do that, birthday girls need birthday cake" he pouted then erupted with laughter in a mockery  tone

"I don't need you to celebrate my birthday for me" she shot, blinking rapidly to prevent the tears that were threatening to fall. She was no longer the girl she used to be. She would always cry at free will. She felt too hopeless about the whole situation and she wondered if Javier really forgot about her to the extent of not caring that she was missing. She was right about him.  He was selfish and heartless. He always thought about what he could do and not the outcome. The thought of being with Andrew forever. Made her heart sunk. She couldn't be with a monster in human clothing. It was sure that he would kill her along the way and the police would never find her. Fear and hatred crept into her empty heart. That was the only emotion that she was feeling at the moment. She had lost the feeling of love.

"Look how pathetic you look, save your self the troubles and let me help you"

"I don't need your help"

"If you continue acting like this, I might as well have to kill you"

"Then just do it already" she shouted at the top of her voice causing her voice to crack a little. 

"Hmm" he smirked 

"I am really surprised at how loud your scream got" he paused and looked at her 

"Why don't you scream like that when I hurt you" he gritted, looking at her intently

"I don't want to give you that satisfaction of seeing me in pain"

"It's fine anyway" he snapped in his usual bubbly nature, giving off a slight smile

"Your tears is enough" he said but this time in a deep, rusty, venomous voice

"I would have said I hate you but am sure you already know by now, how much I hate you" she smirked at him to give off a look that hid her fear

"Say no more, darling"

"Don't call me that" she growled.

"Always so authoritative" he smiled cupping her chin in his hands again which made her stomach churn in disgust

"You might as well start getting used to me. Because you and me. We are going to be together for a long time" he said laying emphasis on the long in order to make her mad

"You are a heavy joker so I can take anything you say, seriously" she shot back and she watched as anger flashed in his eyes. She knew that she had succeeded in making him as mad as she was

"I would watch your mouth if I were you" he said plainly

"Pathetic" she said amidst laughter.

"Hattie" he said bluntly walking round her chair

"Oh Hattie" he called out again, now in front of her

"If I were you, I would keep this silly mouth of yours shut" he caressed her buttom lip

"Because this birthday might end up being to your last" he said, bringing his face closer to her's. Hattie struggled and wiggled her body in a bid to get out of the chair. Was he trying to kiss her?. Her stomach churned at the thought. She kept retreating until she had reached her limit. He kept on coming closer until he was just few inches away from her  she could feel his hot breath on her face and beads of sweat gathered on her forehead.

"Javier wouldn't love that" he whispered, finally retreating away from her and Hattie could finally breath

"You can't run away from me forever" he said addressing her earlier reaction towards his alleged intimacy

"I can and I will. I will run as far away from you for as long as I can"

"We are getting married Hattie" he said and her heart sunk, hattie didn't think that he was really serious about that whole marriage thing but turns out that he was

"I would never marry a monster like you" she shot, blinking rapidly to clear out her already glassy eyes

"You have no choice. If we get married, no one will have you, but me"

"You can't have me. I won't let that happen"

"Oh dear" he laughed 

"You really think you have a say, don't you darling?" He paused for a while

"You know, it's crazy how you think you even had control of your life without even being here. You have always leaved in fear and torment. And that is your personality. There is no way you can possibly decide what you want. You are simply, hmmmmmm" he stroke his chin

"Let's go with, indecisive"

"You don't know me" she scrowled at him

"Trust me, I know you more than you do, yourself"

"Liar!" She shouted in his face

"You just want to instill fear in me, that's what you lashedta are known for. Javier, you, your mother and the whole bloody Cartel bastard" she shot and Andrew erupted in laughter

"You still got that same tone you came in with.  I though I had finally been able to tame your goddess" he said addressing her mouth

"Oh and one more thing, do you really think Javier was responsible for the notes that you were receiving? Because I thought about it lately, you never belived Javier when he said he didn't send any note"

"You were spying on us?"

"Don't sweat it, it was a one time thing. I was able to because Javier was too tensed up so he wasn't able to sense my spirit"

"Does it ever end?"

"I know right" he chucked playfully

"Now back to the point. I can't have someone take the credit for what I did. It's upsetting and less fun. I was the one that sent the notes, ranging from the first one you received that morning, down to the one you received at your office" he said and Hattie became confused all over again, what was he talking about this time. Was his mental health at its peak?.

"You killed Westin?"

"As much as I would have loved that, no I did not. Your boyfriend did" he laid emphasis on the boyfriend and Hattie boiled in anger

"But the notes all had the same handwriting"

"I have  a gift of forging writing, Am good at it. I planned it all. I forged his handwritten because if I wanted to get you away from him, I would have proof to back up my allegations of him being the culprit. And you were so dumb to fall for it"

"So you forged the handwriting to tally with Javier's and waited all this while to execute your plan. Why didn't you strike when I hadn't even met Javier?"

"That would have been nice but less fun. I like a little bit of drama" he grinned 

"Let me guess also, you were the fellow that followed me from my office that day?"

"How smart are you, darling. We are going to have alot of fun when we eventually get married"

"Am never marrying you, you bastard!" She screamed at the top of her voice. What caused her to wonder was why and how people were not able to hear her constant screams

"We talked about tone, didn't we?. Should I perhaps correct your voice . Trust me that would be fun. I would rather you not make a sound for the rest of your stay with me rather than you screaming gibberish all over the place." He paused 

"Now let's get the party started" he picked up the cake that was in the floor and placed it on the floor. Her laps ached. She never realised how heavy it was and plus she had to subject her legs to a particular position in order to prevent the cake from falling. Andrew pushed a table that was in the far end of the room and Hattie was really surprised because she had never seen the table there before.  One couldn't blame her. Judging from how dark the room was, it was almost impossible to make out things in there.

Andrew placed the purely white cake on the table. and he smiled at her. She wondered why someone would even choose such a plain colour for a cake but then she thought again, Andrew was not a normal person.

"A birthday could never be complete without a birthday cake" he walked towards her.

"Such a beautiful cake. But the colour appears too neutral don't you think?" he said approaching her slightly.

"I wonder what would make it look more beautiful" he stopped in front of her

"How about" he slurred, bringing his face closer to her's.  He reached for  his pockets, bringing out a small dagger and Hattie gulped. He placed the knife on her chin, caressing it against her skin slowly. She shook in fear, feeling the cold blade against her skin

"Let's paint it red" he whispered

***

Daphne groaned in fustration as she heard her phone ring for the 2nd time. She hasn't been able to sleep well since Hattie's kidnap and now that she had finally found sleep, She wasn't enjoying any bit of it. She ran her hands across the bed and grabbed her phone. She squinted her eyes to  check the caller. It was Aida, Hattie's colleague. She properly saw the news of Hattie being missing. She answered the call the call of place it on loud speaker.

"Hello" the voice from the other end said

"Yes" Daphne slurred

"Daphne I saw the news. What happened?" her voice appeared more shaky than usual

" Hattie is missing, She was kidnapped"

"Oh my God" She broke down and Daphne was sure that she was in tears

"Since when?"

"It was made an official kidnap case 2 days ago but she has been missing long before that. Nobody called for a ransom so the police have no lead"

"She wasn't at work but I though she chose not to come. I was so shocked to here the news" Aida said sniffing continuously 

"Its okay, we will find her" Daphne said but she wasn't sure anymore. She was even more scared than Aida could ever be. There was no lead in the investigation and the outcome wasn't promising. The police described it as though she just vanished from the face of the earth.

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