116 The Deepening Stares

"Jim, give me a prescription for a sleeping pill."

Kuya Nap told Jim after he saw him still sitting down on the couch with his head being hung backwards and hands clapsed behind his head.

"You can't sleep? " Jim asked him without looking at him.

"No, it's for you. You need to sleep long so that you can have a clearer mind tomorrow."

Jim hesitated but after few seconds, he stood up and opened his bag and pulled out from it a prescription pad and a ballpen.

He wrote, " Alprazolam 500 mcg..."

Then he handed it to Kuya Nap.

His mind then recalled his latest conversation with his dad. His voice was still reverberating in his ears.

"Jim, listen. I had someone brought her into my house, and yes, it was my plan to detain her there until your marriage is annuled. I even provided all that she may need. I never had plans to harm her. "

Jim's blood rushed again to his temple and the intensity of his anger returned. "No plans to harm her and yet leave her alone to die in fear in the middle of the forest? "

He also heard himself threatening him. "You want me to tell the whole world about your dark secret?" He knew that his father cared so much about his reputation and he didn't want it to be tarnished.

His father's next statement in his mind made him rushed to his feet and stood up astounded. In his anger last night, he did not quite understood what he said. It was only now did he clearly get the message.

.

"About that, I can explain but it doesn't matter now. Someone took her away... "

Someone took her away? That's why she was not there anymore? He hurriedly opened his voice recorder and, indeed, he heard it right. Somebody else took her away..

He was shaking again in his fear. It was better for her to be in the arms of his dad because he knew exactly his demands. But for another person whom he did not know who and what was his motive, it was even more scarier and the problem got even more complicated.

Who else could do it to her and why? Dr. Grace? He could roll her out of his suspicions seeing that she already had Dr. John. Only if she wanted to it out of revenge.

He then came up with Mr. & Mrs. Ybañez. Who else could have interests to abduct Jia aside from his father? Of course, they could not exempted. They were the first party to the said agreement.

"Dr. Jim? "

"Dr. Grace, may I have the number of your parents, please? "

Dr. Grace stared at her phone. It was the first time that Jim called her up first. What had he eaten up to make this call?

"What's the matter, Dr. Jim? "She asked, suspecting that there was something unlikely happening.

"Nothing, Dr. Grace. I would just like to ask about equipments." He lied.

"I see. For a while, I'll send it as SMS. "

After receiving the contact number, Jim called up Mrs. Ybañez.

"Mrs. Ybañez, this is Jim Wayne. May I please talk to you and Mr. Ybañez personally?"

Mrs. Ybañez hesitated. It was a strange call from him. Jim had no reason to talk to them except about the marriage agreement.

"Sure, Dr. Jim. We would be in Cebu at eight in the morning. See you an hour after at White Rose Restaurant."

After talking to her, kuya Nap arrived. He saw him shaking and troubled. "What happened? " Kuya Nap asked with a nervous look.

"Someone else took her away in that house. " Jim said.

Kuya Nap sensed that it was another bigger problem but probably it was too much more than what Jim could handle for the moment.

"Take this right away. Worry about this tomorrow. You need strength to fight." Kuya Nap opened the tablet and put it in Jim's mouth.

Jim cooperated and after drinking a glass of water, he went up to his room. After tucking himself into the bed, he looked at his phone to check for possible messages from her abductor. . Somebody, indeed, sent him a private message.

"Doc, I hope you still remember me. I was your patient before who underwent an open - heart surgery. I have just arrived from Georgia and stayed in my house here in Cebu but my family is in Davao City. I went to Catherine Fields to look for you but I was told that you went home to Cebu. It was such a coincidence that I was also scheduled to go home. Unfortunately, I suddenly felt terrible. Please, come to my house. I am alone and doesn't know anyone to call for help."

Jim simply ignored it. He did not have the strength anymore.

___

After staring at her for a long time, she finally turned her head to look at him. "Miss Anna? "

Anthon got the courage to break down the silence.

"Yes. Please, help me find a townhouse with a high security system. Process it under your name and I will pay you everything."

Anthon stared at her again with furrowed brows. Seeing him that way, she gestured for him to sit down beside her. "Why not do it yourself and why not under your name? "

"I'm into hiding due to domestic violence. So, I need someone to do it for me. Please, do me a favor. Make it fast. "

"How about the car? "

"That, also. I want the dark - tinted one. The model and unit? It's up to you. "

"Okay." Anthon surprised himself why he easily agreed. He did not know her but there was really something about her that he could not explain. He could not say no.

"Send me your account number and tell me how much do I need to pay. "

"Okay."

"Thank you so much. "

Anthon's constant staring could already bore a hole in her face. Thanks to the stylist Arvin hired. And thanks to her talent in changing her voice that even Anthon was not able to recognize.

"Why did you choose me? " Anthon asked, his doubt was now showing in his expression.

"I searched it in the internet. Jian's Construction. "

"I see. "

"Anthon, I need to go up. Thanks for trusting me. "

He nodded but everytime she spoke, Anthon's stares became deeper. She had to go or else, she wouldn't be able to hold herself. She's never good in acting.

At the White Rose Restaurant.

"Dr. Jim, honestly, we felt it strange that you would want to talk to us."

Madamme Ybañez confessed her view.

They were seated in a round table with Jim sitting across the couple.

"Yes, Madamme. It's because, on our last day in El Nido, my wife was abducted by my own father and dumped her in a house somewhere in the middle of the forest. His condition was to let me file an annulment and marry your daughter for the price of making Catherine Fields Hospitals as the host of that research launching." Jim said in a straightforward way. He had no time to beat around the bush.

The couples' eyes widened in horror.

"I called him up last night and I accepted the offer....not for anything else but for the freedom of my wife. I'd rather endure the pain of seeing her free and safe in the hands of someone else than keeping her for myself and submitting her to the cruelty of my father."

The couple did not say a single word. Guilt haunted them in broad daylight. Never did they expect that with their negotiation with Mr. Wayne, someone had to do a great and painful sacrifice. However, it was already late to retract. They had already given their words.

Madamme got teary - eyed.

" However, he informed me that someone else took her away."

Jim suddenly glared at both of them to their bewilderment. And then they understood why.

"Madamme, I could not think of someone else who hated her enough to be able to do this, other than you. I know she is such a hindrance to the plan. But Madamme, Mr. Ybañez, I beg you. Please set her free and do not harm her. I will marry your daughter. That's a promise. Arrange the engagement as soon as possible."

Jim could not hold himself anymore and he began to sob while slowly dropping himself on his knees..