Mandy's kidnap

The chair spun around, revealing Kelly, a young woman sitting comfortably with a dark grin and sunglasses, dressed in a sleek, sleeveless blue gown.

Kendrick's expression changed from confusion to surprise as he asked, "You? What are you doing here?"

"Is that how you respond to your girlfriend?" Kelly asked, as she removed her sunglasses.

But Kendrick, visibly annoyed, raised an eyebrow and shot back, "What the hell are you doing here Kelly?"

"Oh," Kelly said.

"Look, Kelly, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but I ain't got time for it. I'm outta here," Kendrick said, turning to leave.

But Kelly suddenly called out, "Hold up, love!"

Kendrick slowly turned back around, gritting his teeth. He didn't appreciate the names Kelly had been calling him, but he knew he had to keep his cool.

"If you take one more step away from me, I'll have that silly Mandy girl taken care of."

Kendrick's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute... you know about us?"

Kelly smirked as she stood up. "I'm not that dumb to realize things."

"I don't care how you figured us out, but I'm glad you did," Kendrick replied, "saves me the trouble of having to break it down for you."

But then his expression turned serious, and he frowned, "Hold up, what were you saying earlier? You said something about Mandy that's got me curious."

Kelly folded her arms and slowly stepped around the table, her eyes fixed on Kendrick.

"Let's get straight to it. I want you to dump that girl and get back with me...or else."

Kendrick's brow furrowed, and he took a step back, his eyes filled with concern.

"Kelly, what's going on? You're not thinking straight, are you?"

But Kelly's expression turned glacial. "I've lost it, Kendrick. I've totally lost it. Ever since you broke up with me and started dating that ugly roommate of mine, I've unraveled."

"What? Didn't we agree on this when we started dating?" Kendrick asked, confused.

"I explicitly warned you that if I ever wanted out, you'd respect my decision and give me space. You agreed to that, so what's the problem now? You're not making any sense."

"Break up with her, Kendrick. It's simple," Kelly's voice rose.

"Break up with Mandy, and I'll make sure she's safe. Refuse, and...well, let's just say I have ways to make her disappear."

Kendrick shook his head, incredulous. "Huh? I can't believe what I'm hearing Kelly. I don't have feelings for you, and I can't keep pretending to date you. This is insane."

Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Fine, then say goodbye to Mandy. My people will take care of her."

Kendrick scoffed. "How do you plan to do that when you don't even know where she is?"

Kelly smiled. "You don't know me very well, Kendrick."

Kendrick frowned. "What do you mean?"

Kelly's smile grew wider as she taunted, "My guys have probably already snatched her, and I'll have them do unspeakable things to her if you don't comply."

Kendrick raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You expect me to buy that?"

Kelly's smile grew even wider. "Rose and Crown Restaurant, outside the university in Locktown, table number 15. Am I right?"

Kendrick's eyes went wide with shock. "What the hell? How did you—"

"I've had my eyes on you for a while now," Kelly interrupted.

"I'm not stupid, Kendrick."

Kendrick's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with how Kelly could possibly know every detail about his date with Mandy.

He gazed at her skeptically, wondering if she was just messing with him, but her accuracy was uncanny.

"You can't be serious, Kelly," he said, trying to sound calm, but Kelly's response was a low, menacing laugh that sent chills down his spine before she replied.

"I'm dead serious, love. I mean every single word I said."

"You can go check where you left her for yourself, I'm pretty sure she's been taken. My guys won't mess around, Kendrick."

Kendrick's face turned red with rage as he grabbed Kelly's shoulders, his fingers digging into her soft skin.

"I swear, if anything happens to Mandy, you'll pay dearly," he growled, his eyes blazing with fury.

But Kelly's smile only grew wider, seemingly unfazed by Kendrick's anger.

"I love it when you touch me," she said, her gaze fixed on Kendrick's lips.

Kendrick's expression twisted in disgust, and he quickly released his grip on Kelly, shoving her away from him.

She staggered backwards, her eyes widening in surprise, but then a sly, evil grin spread across her face.

She knew Kendrick would soon come crawling back, begging for her attention, and she relished the thought of having him under her control.

Kendrick gave Kelly a piercing gaze, then turned to leave, but her parting words halted him in his tracks:

"When you see she's gone, you'll come crawling back to me, and finally make up your mind."

He spun back around, his eyes narrowing at Kelly. "We'll see about that."

With that, he flung the door open, exited, and slammed it shut behind him, the loud bang echoing down the hallway.

He rushed towards the elevator, his focus laser-sharp on finding Mandy.

The curious glances from passersby didn't even register; his mind was solely consumed by the need to find Mandy.

******************************

            Amanda's POV

                     (•‿•)

I remain seated in the chair, waiting for Chisom to arrive after our phone call.

I feel relieved now that I've had a candid conversation with Daniel about my relationship with Kendrick.

While he sounded disappointed by the news, he generously agreed to maintain our friendship, and I'm delighted that he didn't distance himself from me.

My next step is to break the news to Kelly, which I'm dreading. She'd be really upset with me.

"Excuse me, ma'am," a voice breaks in, catching me off guard.

I lift my gaze to meet a waitress's eyes. "Yes?"

"Someone would like to meet you outside."

Oh, that must be Chisom!

But that was quick! I didn't expect her to arrive so soon. And why isn't she coming in?

Nevertheless, I'm excited to greet her.

"Okay, thanks," I reply to the waitress, and she nods with a friendly smile before heading off.

I stand up, slip on my bag, and make my way towards the exit door.

As I approach the entrance, I notice the subtle change in the weather - the slight darkness and cooler air - signaling the transition from day to evening.

I step out and scan the area for Chisom, but she's nowhere to be seen. The entrance hall is nearly empty, with only a few people strolling about. I wonder where she could be.

I venture out of the entrance hall to check if she's waiting behind the gate, but as soon as I emerge, my heart races with concern. She's nowhere to be found.

I swiftly reach for my phone in my bag, fingers fumbling to dial Chisom's number, but before I can even unlock the screen, a vice-like grip wraps around me from behind, snatching me backward.

My phone flies from my hand, and I watch in horror as it clatters to the ground, the screen shattering on impact.

"Hmmm!" I try to cry out, but a rough hand clamps over my mouth, muffling my voice.

The palm is sweaty and smells of stale cigarettes, making my stomach churn.

I attempt to pry their hand off my mouth, but my efforts feel futile as I'm continuously pulled backwards with alarming force.

"Hmmhmmmm," I try to shout, but my voice is muffled.

"Be quick, hand it over," a female voice growls.

My heart skips a beat at that voice, freezing me automatically.

"Oya, shoot am that thing." [Be quick, give her the shot.]

That voice.

"Be fast, before someone comes."

The familiarity.

"Give it to me," they demand.

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks - it's them!

Panic sets in, and I struggle to free myself, but it's too late.

A sharp pain pierces my neck, and as I try to break free, my eyelids grow heavy, and I feel myself being pulled into darkness.

My eyes shut unwillingly, and the last thing I hear is a menacing whisper: "We'll teach you a lesson, a lesson you'll never forget."

******************************

           Third Person POV

                       ◉‿◉

Kendrick screeched to a halt outside the restaurant gate and leapt out of his car, just as the vehicle carrying Mandy and her kidnappers sped away.

Without hesitation, he sprinted into the restaurant, unaware that he was trampling Mandy's phone beneath his feet.

As he burst through the door, his eyes frantically scanned the room, locking onto the table where he and Mandy had sat.

But his heart skipped a beat as he realized she was no longer there, and the table was now empty.

The sudden absence sent a shiver down his spine. Had Kelly's words been genuine? He wondered, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios.

He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Mandy's number, but the call went straight to voicemail: "Number switched off." Kendrick's unease grew.

He hastily approached a waitress and asked, "Excuse me, please, do you know where the lady from that table went?" He asked, his arm outstretched towards the table.

The waitress looked at him with a hint of confusion and frowned slightly before glancing at the table he was pointing at, and then back at him.

"I'm not sure, sir, but I saw her leaving just a few seconds ago," she replied.

Kendrick's eyes widened as he repeated the phrase to himself, his arm falling to his side.

Without hesitation, he rushed out of the restaurant, bursting through the gate, and frantically scanned the surrounding area. But Mandy was nowhere to be seen.

Determined to gather more information, Kendrick turned back and re-entered the restaurant, this time his feet unknowingly crossing over Mandy's phone.

He approached the waitress, whose gaze had remained fixed on the exit door he had rushed through. Her intuition told her something was amiss.

"Is there anything else you might know? Did someone come to pick her up, maybe a young woman a little older than her?" Kendrick asked.

"I don't know, sir," the waitress responded.

"But if you need more info, you should talk to my coworker."

She nodded towards someone else. "I saw her chatting with her a bit ago."

Kendrick's eyes zeroed in on the woman the waitress had nodded towards, and he was about to take a hasty step in her direction when the waitress suddenly stopped him.

"Hold up, sir."

Kendrick turned back to her with a frown. "What's up?"

"I'll go get her for you," the waitress said with a reassuring smile.

"I don't want any conversations interrupting our customers' peace."

Kendrick let out a sigh, his impatience evident. "Fine, go get her. I'll wait right here."

The waitress nodded. "Okay, sir. Just give me a minute, and I'll go fetch her for you."

With that, she departed, leaving Kendrick feeling anxious and worried.

As he waited, Kendrick repeatedly dialed Mandy's number, but it remained stubbornly switched off, which only escalated his anxiety.

Just as he was about to redial, an incoming call interrupted him.

Kendrick's face darkened as Kelly's name flashed on the screen.

He clenched his jaw tightly, his voice low as he answered, "Kelly, this isn't a joke. Where have you taken Mandy? Tell me now."

But Kelly's response was a mocking chuckle. "Oh, so now you believe me?"

"This isn't a joke, Kelly! If Mandy's so much as hurt, you'll pay dearly. You'll be begging for mercy!"

"Oh, Kendrick, why don't you come on over and let's talk this through?"

Kendrick took a deep breath, struggling to rein in his rage, feeling it consume him like a wildfire.

"Kelly, please listen," Kendrick called calmly.

"Don't do this, Kelly, please don't hurt Mandy."

"Hmph, I won't... if you do as you're told," Kelly sneered.

"If not, that ugly girl will suffer the consequences."

Kendrick's eyes flashed with anger at Kelly's derogatory comment, but he bit back a retort, knowing it would only escalate the situation.

"I can't do that, Kelly. Can't you understand?"

Kelly's tone turned cold. "Looks like you don't really care about her," she said.

"When you change your mind, meet me at the front door of your room. I'll be waiting. And don't even think about calling the police. One phone call could mean the end of her life."

With that, Kelly abruptly ended the call, leaving Kendrick seething.

His grip on his phone tightened, his anger boiling over, but he suppressed the urge to slam it to the floor.

Instead, he took a deep breath and tried to calm down, his mind racing with thoughts of Mandy's safety.

Lost in thought, Kendrick was oblivious to the waitress approaching with a colleague.

"Here she is, sir," the waitress said, but Kendrick was too preoccupied to respond, his mind still consumed by the ominous conversation with Kelly and the perilous fate of Mandy.

"Excuse me, sir, I've brought her already," the waitress repeated herself, but still, there was no response.

The waitress exchanged a concerned glance with her colleague, then gently reached out to tap Kendrick's shoulder.

Her hand made contact with a hesitant touch, but when Kendrick turned to face her, his expression twisted in rage, and she flinched in fear.

"W-what is it?" Kendrick growled.

The waitress took a step back, her eyes wide with concern, as Kendrick's intense gaze seemed to bore into her.

"Uhm, my co-worker, the one I told you about, she's the one," the lady said, nodding towards the other waitress.

Kendrick's gaze shifted towards her, his eyes unyielding and intense.

The other waitress, seemingly intimidated by his stare, began speaking without being prompted.

"Sir, I was approached by three women who asked me to call the lady at table 15. I simply made the call as requested, that's all I know."

Kendrick's eyes narrowed, his surprise evident that Mandy possibly knew them, given her habit of only engaging with people who approached her first.

"Three girls?" he repeated.

"What did they look like?"

The waitress hesitated before responding, "To be honest, sir, they looked rough and intimidating. I had second thoughts about calling her for them, but I figured it wasn't my place to interfere."

"Really?!" Kendrick yelled, his anger echoing through the room and drawing every eye to him.

"You're telling me they looked rough and intimidating, and you had second thoughts? So why in the hell were you stupid enough to call her for them?!" he thundered.

The waitress took a step back, her eyes wide with defensiveness. "I'm sorry, sir, but how is this my fault?"

"It's your fault cause you were being so darn careless! How could you do that?"

The waitress shook her head. "But it wasn't my business, sir. I don't even know her."

"Oh, really?! You're gonna play dumb now?"

Kendrick took a step closer to her. "Listen, if anything happens to her, I swear I'll sue you for carelessness. You're gonna regret not taking this seriously."

"Excuse me, sir, but if you don't calm down, I'll have no choice but to ask you to leave," the other waitress intervened.

Kendrick shot her a glare that made her look away quickly, her heart racing in her chest.

Then he turned back to the waitress in front of him, who was still staring at his chest, her eyes wide with fear.

"If anything happens to her, I'll make you pay!" Kendrick thundered, his warning hanging in the air as he stormed out of the restaurant.

All eyes followed him, accompanied by a chorus of murmurs and whispers.

The restaurant owner quickly rushed over to the waitresses, concerned.

"What happened here?" she asked.

The waitress who had spoken to Kendrick first took a deep breath before explaining, "She was told to call a lady, and the girls who asked her to make the call...they looked like trouble. Probably goons."

The restaurant owner's eyes widened in shock, and she turned to the other waitress, who was staring at the ground with a guilty expression.

"How could you be so careless?" the owner demanded.

"If anything happens to my restaurant, you're fired. Forget about getting paid."

With that, she stormed off, leaving both waitresses standing there, feeling anxious and worried.

...

As Kendrick reached the gate, he noticed something that made him pause and frown.

He bent down to pick it up, examining the broken phone with a racing mind.

The screen was shattered into pieces, rendering it useless. Yet, something about it looked familiar.

He turned the phone over in his hand, trying to place it. Where had he seen it before?

He brought it closer to his nose, hoping for a hint of scent familiarity, but all he could smell was the plastic pouch.

But then a sudden thought struck him - could this be Mandy's phone?

The realization sent his eyes flying wide open, and he felt a jolt of surprise.

He shook his head, trying to dismiss the idea, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that the phone belonged to Mandy.

With a sense of urgency, Kendrick hurried into his car with the broken phone and dialed Emmanuel's number.

"Yo, what's good?" Emmanuel answered.

"I need you to get over here, ASAP," Kendrick said.

"What's wrong, man? You sound upset."

"Amanda's been kidnapped," Kendrick replied.

"What?! That's crazy!" Emmanuel exclaimed.

"But when? How? Why?"

Kendrick tucked Mandy's broken phone into a small compartment in his car and started the engine before responding.

"Look, I need you here, ASAP, Emmanuel. Royal and Crowns restaurant. I need you to find out where Mandy was taken while I go see Kelly."

"Kelly? Why do you want to see Kelly? You're already done with her, ain't you?"

"Kelly's behind this," Kendrick stated flatly, and Emmanuel's response was a disbelieving "Huh?!"

"I knew that girl was crazy from the start, but how'd you find out? Don't you think we should hit up the cops?"

"Look, I don't got time for all your questions, just get to the restaurant ASAP and track down Mandy any way you can - CCTV, whatever. Just don't bring in the cops for now, alright? Just come through."

"Got it, bro, I'll be there in a jiffy."

With that, Kendrick ended the call and hit the gas, accelerating rapidly as he raced to meet Kelly in his apartment.

His mind and heart were in overdrive, consumed by fear and worried thoughts. He had to save Mandy - the mere thought of anything happening to her, even a scratch, was unbearable.

This urgent desire propelled him to press down harder on the accelerator, his speed increasing as he zoomed through the streets.

....

Finally, Kendrick's tires screeched as he pulled into his apartment complex, and he wasted no time leaping out of the car and sprinting into the building.

He jabbed the elevator button impatiently and stepped inside.

As the doors closed, he began to pace nervously, his feet tapping out a restless rhythm on the floor.

He couldn't wait to get to his destination, and the slow creep of the elevator's progress was frustrating him.

When they finally slid open, he burst out and ran down the hallway to his room, his heart racing with anticipation.

And when he reached his room door, he was met with Kelly, who was casually leaning against the door, a smug smirk spreading across her face.

"Good boy," she said, but Kendrick was unfazed.

"Tell me where she is, Kelly. Start talking," he demanded.

Kelly's smirk only grew wider as she responded, "How about we talk inside, huh?"

Her flippant attitude only infuriated Kendrick further, his eyes narrowing in frustration.

"Go on, Kendrick, open up, or else one phone call and she's dead," Kelly taunted.

Kendrick's gaze locked onto hers, his eyes narrowing into slits as he took a step closer to her.

Kelly's smile grew wider, her eyes fluttering between his lips and eyes with an unsettling intensity.

But just as she seemed to be savoring the moment, Kendrick suddenly pushed her away from his door, his expression unyielding.

Kelly's face fell, but she swiftly regained her composure, her chuckle low.

"Oh, I'll get you soon enough, Kendrick," she whispered to herself.

Kendrick, meanwhile, inserted his key and pushed open the door.

He stepped inside, slamming the door shut behind him, just as Kelly was about to follow.

Her gasp of surprise was audible on the other side, followed by a muttered curse that Kendrick barely registered.

Undeterred, Kelly pushed her way in, her eyes locking onto Kendrick's stern gaze.

His arms were folded, his expression the same, as he waited for her to start talking.

But Kelly's smile only grew wider as she turned around, slammed the door shut, and bolted it with a resolute click.

"What the hell are you doing, Kelly?" Kendrick demanded.

Kelly turned around to face him, her smile transforming into a seductive grin.

"I'm getting you, Kendrick," she purred.

"At all costs."

Then she slid off her bag and dropped it to the floor with a careless gesture, her eyes fixed intensely on Kendrick.

"Let's talk about Mandy now," she said, sauntering towards him.

"I want you to break up with her if you want her to live."

"I didn't find her at the restaurant, that don't mean I'm buying what you're selling," Kendrick shot back.

"Oh," Kelly said, stopping a few steps away from him. "You need proof, huh?"

"You bet I do," Kendrick replied.

Kelly smirked mischievously. "Okay then, I'll show it to you," she said, sauntering back to her bag on the floor.

She pulled out her phone, and after tapping on the screen for a moment, she glanced up at Kendrick, a sly grin spreading across her face.

But Kendrick remained still, his expression unchanged, his focus solely on Mandy.

Kelly's grin widened as she stretched out her arm, holding the phone out like a tantalizing offering.

The video playing on the screen caught Kendrick's attention, and his eyes snapped open, his arms unfolding as he strode forward.

His gaze was riveted on the phone, his eyes glued to the disturbing scene unfolding before him.

It was a video of Mandy, lying unconscious on a bed, her shirtless torso exposed, with only her bra barely covering her.

Then kendrick reached out to touch the phone, but Kelly swiftly moved it out of his reach.

"How could you—"

"Worse will happen if you don't listen to me," she warned.

"And if you think you can act smart, I've got a voice recorder somewhere on me that's currently playing. My girls are listening to every word we say."

With a smirk, Kelly displayed the video on her phone once more.

"Hey, girls? I need you to poke her," she spoke aloud.

Instantly, a boyish-looking woman appeared on the screen, and Kendrick's eyes narrowed as he recognized the face.

The woman poked Mandy's exposed stomach, and a mocking laugh echoed through the phone's speaker.

"Hey, don't touch her!" Kendrick yelled, as he tried to grab the phone from Kelly.

But she swiftly pulled it out of his reach and switched it off.

"So, you see, Kendrick, you'd better listen to me if you don't want her to die," Kelly said.

Kendrick stood frozen, his mind racing, unsure of his next move.

The thought of anything horrible happening to Mandy made his blood boil, and he clenched his fists in anger.

Kelly noticed his reaction and smiled widely, seeming to revel in his distress.

Then, she began pacing in circles around him, her hands behind her back. "So, Kendrick, would you let that precious Mandy girl suffer a brutal fate, or would you break up with her?"

Kendrick's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but Kelly's words still managed to pierce through his mental turmoil.

He remained silent for a moment, then suddenly blurted out, "Fine!"

Kelly halted her pacing and stood before him, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Have you made a decision, Kendrick?" She asked.

Kendrick's gaze met hers, his eyes locking onto hers for a brief moment before he responded, "I'll break up with her. Just let her go."

Kelly's raised brow. "Oh, really?" she asked.

She sensed the insincerity in Kendrick's words, but she smiled knowingly, confident that she had another way to bind him to her will.

"Why don't we seal our little agreement with a special bond?" she suggested.

Kendrick's frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Sex," she bluntly stated, and Kendrick's face contorted in disgust, his scowl evident.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Oh, I have," Kelly replied.

"Let's seal our relationship with sex."

"Kelly, you must be joking! I've already agreed to be your boyfriend. Why do you want us to have sex?"

Kelly's expression turned cold. "Because I don't trust you," she said.

"If you don't agree to this, then forget ever seeing Mandy again."

With a smile, Kelly called out to the girls on the phone, "You guys!"

"Awfa?" [Yes?] one of the girls responded, and Kendrick's eyes widened in alarm.

"Go a-"

"Fine, I'll do it!" Kendrick Interrupted.

Kelly's smile grew wider. "Never mind," she said to the girls on the phone.

"What did you say? I didn't quite catch that?" Kelly asked Kendrick.

Kendrick took a deep breath before responding, his eyes locked on Kelly's.

"I agree to have sex with you," he said, his voice barely audible.

Kelly's smirked, her gaze lingering on Kendrick's uneasy expression for a moment before responding.

"I want it raw, right here and now," she demanded.

Kendrick's eyes widened in shock. "What the heck?!" he exclaimed.

"I'm not getting you pregnant!"