21: Suspect

A day had passed, and Xander was in his living room looking at his laptop doing some work. However, concentrating was difficult since he locked Madelyn in the basement alone in the dark. Some of him hated using such a method, but he would do anything to make it possible if he wanted her to be forever on his side.

Other thoughts trailed through his mind, and that was Octavio. Soon after he realizes that Madelyn is missing, the police and detectives will come to his door. However, Xander had a few tricks on his sleeves. He was very powerful and had many connections that even Octavio could not reach.

A smirk came along his face. He looked at the time, and it was 3 p.m.; he had a couple of hours until he saw Madelyn. She is a strong woman and can be very outspoken. She doesn’t care about his wealth and money, which is one of the many reasons why he loves her. However, he thought Madelyn did not know what was best for her; he did, and her place was to be with him. He could provide her with a life that many women would want.

Madelyn wouldn’t have to work, wouldn’t have to worry about paying bills, or worry about retirement. He had more money that could last for generations. Ultimately, she chose her selfish needs, not caring how her choices affected his feelings for her. As he closed the laptop, the doorbell rang. He sat still for a bit, knowing who it might be. Xander stood and composed himself and went to the door, looking at the peephole, and sure enough, he was right. There were two police officers and a detective.

Xander opened the door, looking surprised. “Good afternoon, officers. How may I assist you today?”

“Xander, I am Detective Sanders, and these are Officer Williams and Dawson. We are here because a young woman named Madelyn was kidnapped yesterday. You know of her?”

The CEO looked at Detective Sanders, who was close to his height and was good-looking for his age. Sanders looked to be in his early fifties. He had some wrinkles but not many, which made him youthful-looking. He wore a tucked-in white shirt with a black undershirt underneath black slacks and shoes. The Detective had black hair with gray hair on the sides, which was slightly slicked back. His eyes were light brown, which made him look a bit innocent, but his eyes could also ruse on who he was. The Detective had a slight chubby stomach, but the shirt and pants hid it.

The businessman knew that the Detective was someone not to be trifled with and had to be careful about how he acted and said. “What!? Madelyn!? She was kidnapped!? By who!? Why!?” Xander exclaimed as he got close to the Detective.

“Calm yourself. A driver was with her and gave us a sense of what happened. Also, we spoke with Octavio Vanderbilt, and he mentioned you.”

Xander raised his eyebrows. “Me? Why?”

“He stated that you might know something.”

“Are you serious!? I barely found out about Madelyn’s kidnapping, and now this!? I cared for her, but she had more interest in Octavio than I. I let her go to follow her feelings. That is how much I love and care for her. I would never do anything to harm her! Now listen to me! I would do anything to help you to find her! I can hire a search party to hire more detectives! Whatever you need to find, Madelyn! Just tell me what you would like me to do!”

Tears began to form. “Please, tell me to find her! If you want to question me, I will tell you whatever.”

“We do have questions to ask. May we come in?”

Xander opened the door and motioned them in. “Yes, please come in.”

The Detective and two officers were in the living room. Detective Sanders sat across from Xander. Tea was served, and the two men were face to face while the officers watched. For Sanders, as he looked at the CEO, he could not deny that Xander was good-looking and looked innocent in the eyes of many. However, he felt something amiss with Xander. Yet, he had to keep an open mind and be careful what he asked and said.

He remembered when Octavio Vanderbilt called him and the police to make a case into a possible kidnapping of Madelyn. The Detective knew that Octavio came from a wealthy and influential family and was surprised that he would call him.

Octavio told him that he and Madelyn were going out, but she wasn’t there when he got to her apartment. He tried calling and going to her usual places, but there was no answer or appearance. Detective Sanders learned that Xander Maximillian had an unhealthy obsession with the young woman. It would have made sense when he saw the news about Xander and Madelyn; it was a ruse.

Once he and the officers were informed, Sanders did more research about Xander before interviewing him. Although there were many articles about the CEO’s good deeds about donating much to charity, some were not so positive, especially in his dating life.

Xander was a rich and powerful CEO with solid connections. However, Sanders would not let the wealth of others get in the way of his job. Octavio warned him that Xander was the master of manipulation. Sander knew that this would be the most complex case of his career. “Thank you for inviting us in; you had the right to refuse to be spoken with.”

“It is no trouble at all, Detective. I am in utter disbelief that Madelyn is missing. I feel that the world is ending. Xander expressed sadness in his expression. Tears formed in his eyes, but he wiped them off.

“I see that Madelyn has quite the impact on you. Tell me about her. How did you know her?”

Xander let out a sigh. “Madelyn is such a remarkable woman. She was smart, a good conversationalist, kind and beautiful. I live a life of luxury and privilege. I will not deny it, for it is a fact. I have met many women who only wanted me for what I had and not for who I am on the inside.”

“Was Madelyn like that?”

The CEO gave out a small smile. “No, she was never like that. Madelyn did not know who I was when we first met, but she still did not change her perception of me when she found out the truth. I felt relieved and happy for the first time in my life.”

Sanders nodded. “Were you two in a relationship?”

“Yes, for a bit, but sadly we…broke up…”

The Detective wrote notes. “Why?”

Xander was silent for a while but began to answer. “Madelyn wanted to teach abroad, so she had to leave me. I did not want her to go, for I was madly in love with her and would do anything to make her stay. She put her foot down, and Madelyn told me our relationship would not work. She broke up with me.”

The Detective stopped writing as he looked at Xander. “How did it make you feel when she broke it off? I imagine that it made you…upset.”

The CEO crossed his arms and nodded; he knew what the Detective was trying to do. However, Xander refused to fall into his foolish tricks. “Yes, I was heartbroken, and it hurt me, but when I saw how happy the opportunity made her, I realized that I was a bit selfish and that we all have our goals in life. All I wanted in this life was for her to be happy.”

“I see, you are very…understanding and affectionate. So the last time you saw her was when…”

“When we broke up.”

“I see, but what I find odd is that I have seen the news that you two were still dating. Why are you and the news saying two different things?”

Xander felt anger that the Detective was so vigilant. “You know how the media is, Detective. They would do anything for a story, even if it means making a lie.”

The Detective nodded. “I agree, but if what they said is a lie, wouldn’t you sue them for defamation?”

“Well, it brings me more attention and more business. I know it is cruel, but you know how the public can be to buy products from my business.” The CEO stood up. “I am sorry to cut things short, but I am busy with paperwork and need to continue. I hope you don’t mind.”

Sanders stood up. “Thank you for your time. I know this is a hard time for you.” He took out a card. “Here is my number if you have any other information.”

The two men shook hands; the officers left Xander’s home.

“So what do you think, Sanders?” asked Dawson.

Sanders stopped. “He seemed sincere, but I felt something that was not right. I realized that he is even more dangerous than I have thought.”

22: Eyes

Xander watched as the detectives left from his window. He made sure that they were nowhere in sight. When the detectives left, Xander got his phone and marked a number.

“Xander, you son of a-!”

“Hello, Octavio. I am rather hurt you would call the FBI and police on me. Why would you do such a thing?”

Octavio was in shock on the other line, but the shock turned into anger. He knew that Xander was toying with him. However, he didn’t want to say anything too out of line. “You son of a bitch! You have the galls even to call me!”

“Of course, I am calling you. Why would I not? I feel as if you are accusing me of something. Whatever is the matter?”

“Don’t play stupid, Xander. You know why I called the authorities. I know that you know of Madelyn’s disappearance! I also know you hired men to kidnap her and have Madelyn hidden somewhere!”

Xander could not help but smirk as he held his phone by his ear. He felt some enthrallment to make Octavio suffer. The CEO blamed Octavio for ruining his relationship with Madelyn. “I, too, was shocked when the detective told me the news! The woman I love has been taken! Have some respect, Octavio! You don’t know how much I am suffering!”

For Octavio, he felt that he was going to go berserk. He could not believe that Xander was acting all innocent. However, he knew that Xander was enjoying the fact he was mocking him, making him feel a sense of hopelessness. Octavio knew that Xander was involved in the kidnapping of Madelyn. The young man realized that if he did not calm himself, he might lose the opportunity to find Madelyn. There was also the fear that Xander might hurt her, so Octavio could not let his anger get the best of him.

Octavio sighed. “You are a good actor. I momentarily let my anger consume my judgment, but I will not fall for your child-like games. I know you have her, Xander. You are nothing more than a man-child who can’t handle rejection and will do everything to obtain what he wants.” Octavio gave out a humorless chuckle. “You couldn’t handle Madelyn’s rejection, so you had to go through a coward’s manner and took her against her will. I can see why she rejected you in the beginning. ”

Xander squeezed his phone while biting his lip. “Say what you want, but no matter what, I will not submit. I want you to know that.”

Before Octavio could respond, Xander hung up and threw his phone on his table. He decided to do some paperwork as the time progressed.

When it was 6 p.m., he decided to order some Japanese food. “Now I think it is time.” He left his office, went downstairs, walked towards a bolted door, and locked it shut. He got out a key and began to unlock the door. The cold air was let out as the door was completely opened. The room that was filled with cold darkness had some light. Before him, Xander saw Madelyn in a fetal position. She slowly lifted her head. Xander gave out an evil smirk as he liked what he saw in her eyes.

Fear.

For Madelyn, she felt relief to see the light again. While she was locked in darkness, she couldn’t see a single speck of light. She was scared that she would bang on the door, hoping it would open, but it was futile.

While locked, the young woman felt it was an eternity in the dark. She was scared that she was going to go insane. The dark made her feel so alone. The darkness had brought out her fears, weakness, and despair. When she decided to close her eyes, she dreamed and prayed that everything was a dream.

However, the hope vanished when the door finally opened and she saw Xander. Madelyn wondered if Octavio knew that she had been kidnapped.

Were the police called?

She had so many questions but no answers.

Now, Xander stood before her with an evil smirk on his face. The young woman sat up and moved away from him. “Y-You…!”

“Hello, my dear. I did miss your company, but I am sure you were enjoying your time in the darkness.”

Madelyn felt a tingle go down her spine. How he looked and spoke to her made her think she was talking to the devil himself. Madelyn looked away, not being able to look at him.

“Have you behaved? Have you learned your lesson?” He walked forward and knelt before me when she did not answer him. I felt his fingers get a hold of my cheeks, making me look at him. “I don’t like being ignored, my love. Have you learned your lesson? If not, I will look you here for a week in the dark. Would you like that instead?”

“N-No! Please!” Madelyn cried out. The thought of being in the dark terrified her to the core. “I-I’ll be good, I promise! I don’t want to be here anymore!”

Xander chuckled. “Good, I am glad you learned. I will take you to our room, but I will not unbind you yet. You will have to earn it. I will give you some food.” Suddenly, he picked her up, bridal style, and took her out of the basement.

Madelyn was relieved to be out of the dark room, but now her biggest fear was what Xander had planned for her. She was then taken into Xander’s room, making her shiver. She put her arms around herself. The young woman finally saw his true, sick colors. So many thoughts were in her mind. What would have happened if she didn’t break up with him initially?

Would he have been different?

She shook her head. Madelyn concluded that even if she did not break up with him, Xander still had dark secrets within himself. He was so lovely; he did and planned everything for her. While with him, she felt that Xander would do everything for her. It was as if he wanted to control everything about her.

However, Madelyn wished that she had never met him, that she had never spoken to him, that she never gave him a chance, that he even existed. Now, she was trapped with a man with a sick mind. Now, all she had to do was survive his insane world. Her thoughts were interrupted when the door opened, and Xander entered with a food tray. “I’m not a good cook, but I ordered food.”

She did not respond or look at him. The sight of him disgusted her. Xander put the tray down in front of her and began to play with her hair. “You need to eat something, or you will starve.”

Madelyn didn’t respond; Xander let out a sigh. “Please don’t piss me off.”

Little by little, Madelyn looked at the food, got the tray, and began to eat. Xander watched her eat the food; he smiled. “See, there you go. I knew you were hungry, my love. You shouldn’t be so hard-headed.” Xander kissed her on her head.

Madelyn wanted to escape him but knew she had to be careful about her actions or what she said to him. It would trigger him. Xander was about to leave when she finished, but Madelyn spoke out.

“Why?”

Xander stilled and looked at her. “What?”

“Why? Why…me?”

He put the tray on top of a cabinet and went to her. “What are you trying to ask?”

Madelyn glanced at him. “Why me? Why…did you choose me?”

Xander raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“Curious…”

He smiled. “It’s because you are perfect. When we met, you were filled with intelligence, beauty, and kindness and did not know who I was or what I did. You never wanted anything from me but to speak and look at me like a regular person. It was something that made me fall for you.”

“You could have had anyone. There are other women out there like me.” She noticed Xander’s mood change.

He got a hold of her in a tight grip. “What are you trying to say….my love?” he asked in an almost threatening tone.

Madelyn cleared her throat. “What I am trying to say is that…I have nothing to offer, and since you have so much. I don’t know why you would still want me. Someone who is nothing.”

His grip lessened; Xander hugged her. “Don’t think less of yourself, love. You are perfect for me. The other women are nothing compared to you. They don’t have the qualities that you do. Don’t think so lowly of yourself.” He then got a hold of her face and kissed her lips. “You are mine, and you will forever be.” He smiled. “I would kill you if you were not mine.”

Xander then left the room, leaving a stunned and frightened Madelyn.

23: Detective Sanders

The Detective finally arrived home and ate dinner with his wife. They both ate dinner and had a pleasant conversation, but the older man knew it was better not to talk much about his job. He could go on talking about his many cases, but he knew that his wife would be tired of hearing depressing things. Once dinner was done, Detective Sanders finished taking a shower, and once completed, he dried and then dressed. He let out a sigh as he had a long and stressful day. Sanders had many cases, but he could not stop thinking about the disappearance of Madelyn. He also could not forget when he interviewed Xander.

The Detective has many manipulative people throughout his career, but Xander differed from the many criminals he faced.

Xander was no ordinary man. He was wealthy and had power beyond belief. He came from a well-known family and had connections within the political world. Xander was not going to be easy to break. Sanders knew he was facing an enemy he could not win alone. He got to his room, where his wife was already asleep. The older man sighed as he looked at his wife, called on the bed, and lay beside her.

Then, the memory of Xander speaking about Madelyn. The Detective knew the man was guilty; he could already tell, but that alone was not enough. Xander spoke about Madelyn in a way that made Sanders already suspicious—the tone of his voice, the words he used, and his body language. Xander held a dangerous obsession with the young woman. Sanders feared that if Madelyn were within Xander’s grasp if she did anything to make the man snap, it would be the end of her.

Xander’s obsession was the type that the perpetrator would have no problems killing their target to make it seem that their victim would be theirs forever. It was a sick thought, but sadly, many people have intense obsession and possessiveness. For Xander, he is a man that has been born into power and always had it on his hands. Sanders had a hunch that Xander would not like to be refused.

At that moment, he looked at his wife. Sanders swore to her that Madelyn’s case would be the last one he would ever work on, that he had only until the end of the year to try to solve it, and if he couldn’t, he would retire from his profession and be with her. Being a detective was complex, for one must sacrifice time with one’s family and personal life. His wife often threatened to divorce him, but ultimately, she would relent. They both loved one another; it would break them both to be away from one another. That is why he promised her that this would be his last case. The older man tried going to sleep, but it was pointless, so he went to his study to read his paperwork of Madelyn. He took some notes, and something made him think.

Octavio.

Octavio also knew that Xander was responsible for Madelyn’s kidnapping. An idea came into his mind. Sanders hated to admit it, but he could not fight Xander alone, especially with so much power. Sanders knew he would be breaking many rules by involving someone not qualified to work on the case, but now he had no other option.

Tomorrow, he will call and hopefully meet with Octavio. Sanders needed someone from Xander’s standing to save Madelyn.

24: Teamwork

Morning finally arrived, and Octavio was in his study in his own home. He could not eat or sleep well ever since Madelyn went missing. Octavio knew beyond a doubt that Xander had taken her, but there wasn’t enough proof. Also, he knew he was not powerful enough to take down Xander alone. He did need help, but other people in business and well-known families feared going against him since Xander was prominent in upper-class society. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his phone vibrating, and it was from a caller he recognized. “Hello?”

“Ah, Octavio, this is Detective Sanders.”

“Yes, I was expecting your call but didn’t expect it to be early. Although, I’m not complaining about it. I take it that you went to interview Xander?”

“That I did, and Xander claims that he is shocked at Madelyn’s disappearance and does not know her whereabouts.”

Octavio bit his lower lip. He knew that Xander would act the way he would. Xander was always a narcissist and full of himself since he was always used to getting everything he wanted, no matter what he had to do and what it cost. “Well, that was to be expected. Did you believe him?”

It was silent on the other end, but Sanders spoke.“I knew that he was lying. He was good at trying to act innocent, but I could hint at the sense of arrogance in his voice. I knew he had the young woman, but we don’t have a full warrant to look over his house. Unfortunately, I haven’t noticed or heard anything from her. Yet, I think she is being kept somewhere secret.”

Octavio sighed as he hoped he would have a sign that Madelyn was in Xander’s home, but he knew the businessman had built something to keep her quiet. “Do you believe me?”

“Without a doubt. However, it will not be easy to bring him down. Also, I could try to get a warrant, but I fear that Xander will try to use corruption and his influence over the case.”Sanders was silent for a bit.

“What are you trying to say, Detective?”

“Well…this will be my last case since I will retire, and this will be the most difficult and dangerous case I will try to end. I am also calling you because I need your help.”

This surprised Octavio, but at the same time, he wasn’t. Xander would do anything to protect his reputation and to keep Madelyn. “Are you saying we shouldn’t follow the law for this case?”

“To be blunt, yes.”

Octavio couldn’t help but chuckle. “You are quite blunt. Other than that, I will agree to help you. Xander abused his power for too long, and him kidnapping Madelyn is the last straw.”

“Alright, I’m happy that we agree upon this. First things first, we need to gather some other evidence besides him kidnapping Madelyn. We need to look into his history. Luckily, I have a friend who knows how to go deep in the web and is highly skilled. He could help us. Alpleaseu to look at other records for suspicious activity in the business world. We need all the evidence and help we can get.”

“We could put a little pressure on him where he can feel the heat, and I have a little plan that can do just that.”

“I trust your judgment. Once my friend agrees to it, our plan will start.”

25: Romance

The day became night; Xander told Madelyn he had something planned, so he bought her new clothes, jewelry, makeup, and perfume. He wanted her to get herself ready for tonight. Madelyn looked at herself in the mirror when she wore one of the dresses he bought her, including makeup and jewelry. She ensured she would not anger Xander, especially after he told her he would not hesitate to kill her if she ever left him. It made her shiver in fear. Xander had truly gone insane with obsession. She sat in front of the mirror, and thoughts went through her mind.

What if he wanted to kill her?

What if he was going to take her far away?

“No, I can’t think that way. I have to think positive if I am to survive. I know Octavio will rescue me. He wouldn’t leave me with that monster!”All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door. Xander entered as he wore a black suit with a white buttoned shirt. The first few buttons were undone. He also wore black slacks and black dressy shoes. His hair was nicely slicked back, and Madelyn could smell his cologne.

The young woman couldn’t deny that he looked very handsome. Xander smiled. “You look beautiful as always.”

“Th-Thank you. You look…great yourself.”

He chuckled. “Thank you for the compliment. Now I have a surprise for you. Put this on.” He then handed her a blindfold.

This made her fearful. “I uh…well..”

“Put it on.”

Madelyn slowly got a hold of it and then put it over her eyes. “Good, now I will lead the way, and no peeking. Xander took hold of her arms and led her out of the room. “Watch your step.”

She did what she was told and did not fight back. Madelyn knew she could try to escape but wasn’t as fast as Xander, and if he caught her, there would be hell to play, so it was better to be safe than sorry. The young woman heard a door open; she felt a cool breeze, and that was when she knew they were outside. “Stop.”

Xander then undid the blindfold; Madelyn gasped. They both were by the gardens, and there was a small table with lit candles, plates of food, and glasses of wine. Around the table, there were rose petals. He smiled. “I hope you like it. I wanted to make something romantic for you.” He motioned her to take a seat, which she did; he also took a seat.

She looked at her food; it held salmon with white rice and asparagus, and a piece of lemon was on the side. She got her fork, got a bit of salmon, and took a bite.

“Good. It is fresh and from the best restaurants.”

“It-It is good.”

The two began to eat silently. Xander would look at Madelyn’s quiet form. “So, were you surprised.”

“Y-Yes. I-I never thought you would do something so…beautiful and special for me.”

Xander chuckled. “I can be a romantic when I want to be. I miss moments like these and want you to be happy. I know I acted like a jerk, but I want things to go back as they used to before you decided to leave me. I know you didn’t know any better, but I want us to have a new start.” Madelyn held onto her fork tightly. She desperately wanted to yell at him but contained herself. The two made small talk until they finished their dinner. “Well, that was delicious.”

“Yes, it was. I appreciate such a wonderful dinner, Xander.”

He smiled and got up. Xander then walked to her and motioned out his hand to her. Madelyn got a hold of it. She was led to the middle of the garden, where a small stereo was turned on. Classical music was heard. “May I have this dance?”

Madelyn merely nodded with a fake smile. The two got into positions and began to dance to the music. Xander pulled her closer to him, making their bodies feel each other’s warmth.

They danced slowly in the middle of the gardens. Madelyn fought so hard not to flinch. To survive, she would have to make him believe she was beginning to change into the woman he wanted. “It feels so…nice. Thank you for such a wonderful night.”

Xander smiled. “I am happy that you liked it. I tried hard.”

“I thought things like these…would only happen in movies, but you are filled with romance.”

He gave her a twirl. “Things like this can happen if one makes it happen. However, our night isn’t over yet. There is something else that I have planned.”

The music finished playing; the two looked at one another. “Come on.” Xander put a hand over her waist and led her to another small building resembling a regular house. It was a building that she had never seen before. Madelyn didn’t know why, but she felt dread in her gut. As they got closer, she noticed rose petals going towards the building.

Xander opened the door, and the interior was filled with many candles. In the center was a round bed with silky red covers and flower petals. They entered, and Xander closed the door behind them. Madelyn’s eyes widened as she looked at him, slowly removing his suit. “I wanted to make this night special, and I intend to make it special. I want to make love to you.”

26: Sheets

Madelyn felt that her soul had left her body.

The bed, the candles, the rose petals, Xander. It was becoming too much for her. Her body began to tremble, and she put her arms around herself. “I-I-I c-can’t…” she said in a faint and weak whisper. A click was heard behind her. Xander locked the door shut, but he also locked it.

She was trapped. Madelyn saw him taking off his suit and Xander unbuttoning his shirt’s first couple of buttons. He smiled. “You can’t, or you don’t want to?”

Madelyn tried to find the right words, but her throat became dry, and nothing came out. She could only shake her head. Slowly, Xander undid the buttons of his shirt one by one. He lifted the front of his undone shirt and showed her his muscular build. “Remember what I told you. It would be best if you didn’t anger me. I have done all these wonderful things just for you. All you have done is hurt me; all I wanted was you and make you happy. The least you could do is let me make love to you.”

Then, he slowly began to walk towards her, and Madelyn slowly backed away. “I-I’m not ready! M-Maybe another time. I-” She couldn’t finish as Xander grabbed her hair. She yelped at the sudden pain and action. She was then pulled towards him. Xander used his other hand and held onto her waist. “We will make love one way or the other. I have been patient with you, my love. However, I will not wait any longer.” All of a sudden, he pulled her head towards him.

He forcibly put his lips onto hers, kissing her harshly. His tongue got inside her mouth without any trouble. The shock overhwelmed Madeyln. Her eyes became wide, and tears began to form. Xander was kissing her. The kiss alone scared her. She felt his want, desire, and desperation; no love existed. It felt as if he was marking her as his.

As his property.

She got out of the shock and began to struggle. Madelyn tried to push him away from her, but his grip was too firm for her.

The young woman felt the instinct to get away from him. At the moment, she didn’t care if she pissed him off. Madelyn struggled even more and began to hit him on the chest and his face, trying to weaken his grip on her. Slowly, Xander got away from the kiss as he was being hit. He looked at her.

His look alone terrified her to the core. He smiled at her. It was a genuine smile, but there was something worse than his smile; it was his eyes. There was no emotion; his eyes looked dead. Without any warning, he began to push her towards the bed. Madelyn screamed and began to slap him across the face. “No! Stop it! Stop it!”

He would not listen to her, and he then harshly pushed her to the bed. Madelyn landed on it and tried to go to the end of the bed, but there was a wall on the other end. Xander began to take off his entire shirt, exposing the upper part of his body. Madelyn couldn’t deny that he was nicely built, but when she saw him undoing his belt buckle, fear overcame her, and she ran towards the other side of the bed.

Xander ran towards her and got a hold of a part of her dress, but Madelyn’s desperation was so intense that she pulled away from him, which ripped a large chunk of her dress. She knew that the door was locked and bolted. Madelyn saw a window that seemed big enough for her to escape. She ran towards it and got a hold of the handle. To her relief, the window was unlocked. The young woman opened it and was about to climb out, but then she felt a hand on the back of her neck, gripping her violently.

She screamed. Madelyn tried to land a hit on him, but Xander also got a hold of her arm and put it on her back. He led her back to the bed, where he threw her and immediately got on top of her. Without warning, he slapped her across the face and back-slapped her again. The slap was so hard that it almost made Madelyn lose consciousness. However, it made her dizzy.

Xander gave her one of the deadliest glares. He undid his belt and zipper and pulled down his pants and boxers. His cock sprung out, and Xander took off the rest of his pants. He then saw some blood dripping from her nose. However, Xander was angered to care. He grabbed the top portion of her dress and ripped it, exposing her bra.

Madelyn was starting to get out from her dizziness and felt the cool air on her skin. Then, Xander got a hold of her bra and ripped it, making her breasts bounce out. Her eyes became a bit wide as she saw his cock becoming erect. He gave it a few strokes. “Don’t fight, or I won’t hesitate to punish you, and I will make it hurt.” He then lifted her legs and put them on his shoulders. He began to lick her entrance.

“Ah…please…no…” she whispered. She felt his tongue licking her deeper into her entrance. She began to feel hot in her private. Tears formed.

There was no escape, and Xander hit her. In the end, she knew it would be pointless. Xander felt her getting wet and knew that Madelyn was ready. He put her legs down and then spread them. He held his cock and positioned himself by her damp entrance. “Please…no…” she whispered.

“Shh…just enjoy it,” he said hoarsely. Xander slowly put his cock inside her. He felt her walls clench onto him. He groaned and felt something blocking his tip. “You’re a virgin. The pain will be brief, but it will disappear.”

Madelyn was about to speak, but Xander forced his cock into her. The sudden action made her feel a sting, a pain inside her. Her barrier was broken. “Ahh!! Stop! Get it out! Get it out! It hurts!” She tried to move away, but he held onto both her hands on top of her head. Tears fell more and more.

Xander took her virginity away from her. She cried. The pain began to subside, and Xander began to move inside her. He arched his head back as he felt her walls tighten on his cock. He moved inside her, feeling pleasure. Xander’s movements were at first slow but slowly became rapid. His grip on her hands lessened. He held onto her waist, pulling her closer to him and having better access inside her.

Madelyn lay there motionless. She felt that she had no soul, no strength, no will.

She was being raped. She felt as if she was nothing.

Madelyn looked away as Xander’s face was filled with pleasure. His breaths filled the room, as well as the creaks of the bed. Her breasts bounced with every thrust he made.

After what seemed like forever, Xander’s thrusts were becoming more erratic, and he let out a long and loud groan and came inside her. He began to breathe heavily and was on top of Madelyn. Both were covered in their sweat.

Xander slowly got his cock out of her and lay beside her, pulling her to him. “You were great, my love. You did anger me, but you did well for your first time.” He smiled and kissed her forehead.

Madelyn didn’t say or do anything; she felt dead. She felt all her hope vanish. She felt as if she was nothing.

Madelyn felt destroyed.

27: Little Pressure

It had been a month since Madelyn’s kidnapping, and Xander felt he was living the dream. Madelyn had been silent and did what she was told. She stayed in the house without question or resistance. Ever since that night, Madelyn was quiet and didn’t put up much of a fight. He snickered to himself as everything was going the way he wanted.

Xander knew that he had destroyed her spirit and body, and that was what he wanted. Usually, women still have pride over their bodies; it destroys their entire being if one destroys it. Madelyn was innocent, and he knew that breaking her would be easy since he used her body for his satisfaction. On the other hand, he felt he made love to her, even though he thought she didn’t see his view. Yet, in the end, it didn’t matter to him. Madelyn was now his, and nothing else mattered to him.

In one of his secret emails, he emailed his lawyer to prepare specific papers. His lawyer knew that he had Madelyn. His lawyer couldn’t say anything against him since Xander paid him well. Both have done many corrupt things in the business world. If Xander went down, he could take his lawyer with him since he was an accomplice. Xander knew many of the man’s secrets that could destroy his career and family. Either way, Xander knew that his lawyer wouldn’t dare say anything. Even if the people knew he had Madelyn, he could say that Madelyn went to him out of her free will.

Xander had everything and had much power to get what he wanted. If he wanted the media to lie, he would make it happen. People would do anything and everything for money and power. It was effortless.

At the moment, he was in his office. He dropped off Madelyn’s lunch in her room, and like always, she was silent and didn’t look at him. It didn’t matter to him. Eventually, he felt that Madelyn would come to her senses; if she didn’t, he would use other means to make her. He knew that she would not let him touch her again. Xander was a patient man. He had to make Madelyn lose all hope that she could be free from him.

His lawyer said he would have the paperwork ready for him tomorrow morning. He smirked. Xander felt victorious that Madelyn would soon be his, for good. He decided to look into the news to see any updates on Google. Usually, many people don’t care about missing people, especially adults. The media would put children more into consideration. As he looked on, he stopped midway when he saw Madelyn’s name.

Not only that, he saw Octavio in the news link. He clicked on in and clicked play on the video. In the video, he saw Octavio interviewed by the news about Madelyn’s case. He informed the news reporter that he knew she was in danger and that a madman had kidnapped her. Octavio also stated that she feared for her safety, and no one believed her. When asked why he didn’t help, he said he was about to, but Madelyn disappeared. When asked who he suspects, Octavio looked dead at the camera and said Xander’s name.

This made Xander sit still. He couldn’t believe what he was watching and hearing. He didn’t think Octavio would have the galls to publicly accuse him, especially without evidence. When the businessman looked at the image, he also saw the Detective standing within the group of investigators. Xander wondered if the Detective and Octavio were working together in secret; he got out of the site and shook his head. “Octavio thinks he can put pressure on me. Well, he is dead wrong. Two can play this game, and I will come out victorious.”

Xander then called his lawyer about the paperwork and how to respond to the media. He wanted his lawyer to get the paperwork done faster so he could end the so-called pressure. The CEO refused to have his plans ruined by someone he considered a nobody; he would end victorious.

28: Papers

Madelyn was in her room, her prison. Xander allowed her to go to the gardens surrounded by concrete walls. It was one prison after another, but she didn’t want the privilege to get fresh air taken away from her. The young woman didn’t want to stay in her room for long periods of time because the memory of her rape would cross her mind. Xander didn’t try to touch her again after that, and she was grateful for that, but knew that it would be a matter of time before he would try again. Standing by the locked window, she couldn’t open it unless Xander was with her.

She put her hand on the window and felt the slight coolness from the outside. Madelyn bit her lip and felt tears forming in her eyes. How much she wanted to break the window and go to the outside once again. Her thoughts were interrupted when the door opened. The young woman didn’t turn to look at Xander.

“Hello, love; I see you are enjoying the view.”

“Yeah,” she responded. Madelyn wanted to punch and hurt him like he did to her, but she wasn’t strong enough. She hated feeling weak.

“I’m taking you to my office, love. There is something important that we both must do.”

“Wh-What do you mean?” This made her look at him. When she saw the look on his face, she could tell there was a hint of seriousness and some excitement.

“You’ll see, it’s a surprise. Don’t worry, it’s something simple.” Madelyn didn’t want to go to him, but she didn’t want to cause trouble for herself, so she slowly went to him. He gently took her hand, put it on his arm, and led her out of the room and then to his office. Once inside, she saw a middle-aged man standing on the side of Xander’s desk. She was motioned to sit on the chair at the other end of the desk. Xander also took his seat. The man beside him stood still and did not say a word. He looked uneasy.

“I know you are wondering who this is. This is my lawyer; I asked him to be here for an important reason.” He nodded to his lawyer, who then gave Madelyn some papers. Madelyn got a hold of them, and when she saw the first page, she couldn’t believe what she had read.

“Wh-What in the hell is this?”

“As you read, my love. They are marriage papers that you will sign. I already signed. Now it’s your turn to do the same.”

Madelyn couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Y-You can’t be serious!”

“I am, my dear. Dead serious. My lawyer will not leave until you sign those papers.” The young woman read the first couple of pages. Xander and his lawyer seemed to make these documents very firm to her. She saw that she would never be allowed to divorce him and he and that she would never be allowed to be married to another, even when he passes, and so forth.

She was shaking. “How can I sign this!? You are expecting me to sign this so soon!? What I refuse!?”

“That wouldn’t be wise, my love. There will be consequences of your refusal.”

“What more can you take away from me!? You took away my freedom, my self-respect, my dreams! Everything! I have nothing else to lose!” She shivered when he saw a smirk on his face. “You forget the bastard of Octavio. He is another pest that I can easily get rid of.”

Madelyn gasped. She almost forgot about him. “Octavio is powerful. If you mess with him, he-”

“True, he is from a powerful family, but power can always have its weakness. He is easily disposable with all the connections I have. If you refuse to sign those papers, I couldn’t imagine the consequences that he will be in because of your little defiance. I am willing to kill him and anyone in my way, but are you willing to let him die?”

The young felt her head spinning in circles. Everything was going too fast. If she signed the papers, her life would be over and in his hands. If she doesn’t, then Octavio will end up hurt or killed.

So many thoughts were going through her head. Pain. The pain was everywhere. She dropped the papers and stood up.

She felt everything was going dark. “Madelyn!?”

His voice sounded so far. Everything was dark, and the last thing she saw was the man who ruined her life running to her.

29: Expecting

Detective Sanders arrived outside the gate surrounding Octavio’s home, and he couldn’t deny that he was impressed with it. On the other hand, Sanders felt that he shouldn’t be too surprised, knowing that Octavio came from a prestigious family. At that moment, he was outside the gate, and they were opened. When Sanders drove inside and parked his car, Octavio was outside waiting for him.

The two men were face to face and shook hands. “It’s good to meet in private. Being in that conference was overwhelming, wasn’t it?” asked Sanders.

Octavio nodded. “Yes, I’m not fond of speaking in front of large crowds, but it needed to be done to put suspicions on Xander. Please do come in. May I offer any refreshments?”

The two men entered the house, and Sanders put his coat by the hanger. “Soda, if you have any.”

Octavio raised an eyebrow and let out a chuckle. “I’m not going to lie; you’re the first guest to ask for a soda. I guess one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.” The two men entered, and he led Sanders to the living room as he motioned the elder to sit, which he did. Meanwhile, he went to the kitchen, took a soda, and gave it to the elder.

“Thank you, young man. I usually don’t drink much soda since my wife is adamant about my health. Times like these are my escape to at least cheat my diet.” Both men laughed, and Octavio finally sat down.

“I am glad you contacted me, Detective. I knew I couldn’t ask for much help from anyone in my social circle since many fear Xander. Do you think us coming forward with the accusation was wise?”

The Detective sipped his drink while looking at the young man. He knew that Octavio was nervous, and he couldn’t blame him. However, the older man felt that it had to be done. “I don’t blame them. From my research and interview, Xander is quite a narcissist and class manipulator. It also doesn’t help that he is rich and good-looking. As for talking to the public, we must play his game. It will put him under a bit of pressure; it will make the public question whether Xander is speaking the truth.”

“I can’t help but think Xander will have something on his sleeve.”

“It will be difficult; I would rather not lie to you. However, as I mentioned in our previous calls, there are other ways around it. We must find the right moments to trap him and do the first step.”

“Which is?”

Sanders smiled. “You…”

Meanwhile, Xander couldn’t stop pacing. When Madelyn fainted, he called his private doctor to his home. The doctor was shocked to find Madelyn, but she was threatened to keep her mouth shut if she wanted to live. However, if she kept her mouth shut, he would let her live and pay her handsomely. The female doctor was scared and swore not to say anything. Xander informed her of what happened to Madelyn, and the doctor got to work.

Xander watched as the doctor took her pressure, blood, and any other sample they could to see if something was wrong with her. He couldn’t understand how she could faint like that. The businessman also couldn’t understand why Madelyn wasn’t happy to marry him since he was wealthy and could give her everything she could ever want. Many women would kill to be in her situation. However, there was also the possibility that she had an illness she didn’t know about or didn’t tell him about. Xander couldn’t help but be worried. All he wanted was for her to be healthy. The doctor was done checking her; she and Xander walked down to the living room. “Well, doctor, will she be alright?”

The doctor tried to keep a straight face, fearing anything she said could affect her. “Y-Yes, she will be fine. I noticed that her blood pressure is high, probably due to stress. However, there is something else I found.”

“Yes?”

“I wanted to congratulate you both. She is pregnant.”

Xander stilled and felt that his world had slowed down. Madelyn, pregnant? “Very well. Thank you. You will be paid by tomorrow morning; you can leave now.” The doctor nodded and immediately left the house, leaving Xander alone, who slowly sat on the sofa. A smile slowly came across his lips at the news. Madelyn was pregnant with their child.

30: Awake

Madelyn began to open her eyes slowly; she felt a weight on her head and throughout her body. Her head was killing her the most, and she was trying to remember what had happened.

Papers. She remembered papers.“They were marriage papers! Xander wanted me to marry him!” Madelyn felt her heart beating rapidly, and she closed her eyes again, trying to calm herself. When she opened her eyes, the blur in her eyes was slowly disappearing. The young woman was in Xander’s room; she slowly looked around.

He was nowhere in sight.

Madelyn let out a sigh of relief and slowly sat up. The feeling of a weight on her body was still apparent. It was bizarre; she had never felt like this before.“Maybe it is because of the stress,”she thought. When she fully sat up, nausea hit her; there was a slight pain in her stomach, and she felt the need to throw up. Madelyn slowly walked to the nearby bathroom and lay by the toilet, waiting to see if she would hurl.

“Madelyn?”

The young woman cringed and didn’t want to look at him. She could hear and feel Xander getting behind her. Madelyn held onto the toilet, and then she vomited in the toilet. While vomiting, Xander began to massage her back.“What is he trying to gain?” Madelyn put her head on the toilet seat, regaining her breathing. Suddenly, Xander wanted to lift her, but she moved away. “I’d rather do it on my own.” The young woman slowly stood up; she hated how weak she felt. Her legs were wobbling, and as she took her first step, she was about to trip, but Xander carried her back to the bed.

How much she wanted to scream and hit him, but her body was still too weak. Madelyn laid back on the bed, and Xander sat on the corner, but Madelyn couldn’t help but notice that something was off about him. He was smiling; the smile reminded her of when they first met. A shiver went down her spine. “How are you feeling? Are you better?” he asked.

“Still sick…”

Xander nodded as he still had a smile on his lips. “It’s to be expected. I called the doctor while you were unconscious to see what happened.” Madelyn had wanted to tell him it was because of him and all he had done to her. “The doctor told me the wonderful news.” He stood and walked toward her. Madelyn tried moving away, but her back hit the wall; she closed her eyes, preparing for the worst. However, she felt his hand over her stomach; Madelyn opened her eyes. “You’re pregnant! We’re going to be parents!”

Pregnant.

Pregnant.

Madelyn felt as if her soul had left her body; her heart dropped. “I’m pregnant. Pregnant!” Her body began to tremble, and she slapped Xander’s hand away! “No! No! I can’t be pregnant with your child! Get out! Please get out!” She felt his eyes on her, but she didn’t want to see him or for him to be near her!

Her reaction was not what Xander wanted; he wanted her to feel happy that they would have a child together. He would have the family he always wanted, but he felt Madelyn ruined the moment. However, the CEO didn’t want to cause her too much stress, so he decided to leave her in peace. When the doors closed, Madelyn put her hands over her face; tears formed and dripped from her eyes. It was all too much; all the pain and suffering she felt and went through came out.

Now, she was pregnant with the monster’s child—a child she didn’t want, a child that was made from violence. However, what tore her heart was feeling and thinking in such a way for an unborn child who was not at fault.

“Octavio, please help…” she wept.

I don’t know.