Dirty And Dangerous Obsession

MONALISA P. O. VThis text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. Different emotions rushed over me, weakening my muscles and causing my shoulders to slump.

I watched her hurriedly walk past me into her room and then run out with a handful of clothes, forcefully shoving them into her luggage.

“Why, Candy?” I strode towards her in astonishment, trying to comprehend what was going on. I sighed softly. “I mean, you have a well-paying job. Even though you always lock your son inside this house, you always come back to find him in good condition.” I placed my hand on her shoulder.

She gazed at me for a while. “This is totally different, Joanna. You won’t understand.” She walked past me again, shoving her hair behind her ear, while I trailed behind her with furrowed eyebrows. “Idris! We need to leave immediately.” She called her son.

“Then make me understand, Candy.” I ran in front of her, gazing into her eyes while she tried to avoid my gaze. She crossed her arms under her breasts and faced the window, turning her back on me again.

I tried to figure out her reasons, but abruptly my mind went back to the incident that happened between her and that guy called Michael.

No doubt, this has to do with him. After all, she left the garden looking so mad for not killing him. I battled within myself whether I should ask her all my questions, yearning to have them answered.

I want to know everything. Because for her to react that way just because the name Dominic was mentioned wasn’t a mere coincidence. There is something deeper to it, like how she knew Michael.

I sighed softly, thinking of a harmless way to ask her.

“You have a lot of questions going through your mind, right? Bring it on,” she veered around and said.

“I don’t think it will sit well with you because it’s kind of personal.”

She walked past me and sat on her couch, intertwining her fingers together and releasing a hard breath. “His name is Dominic Senero,” she began.

I didn’t miss noticing the flicker of pain that flashed through her eyes. I strode towards her and sat opposite her, listening attentively.

“Twenty years ago, my poor father borrowed money from him to pay off our house rent and for food. He promised to pay it back two months later.” Her lips stretched into a sad smile as tears freely ran down her cheeks.

“Just like the speed of light, two months finally came, and my father was unable to pay back his debt. And he exchanged me for his debt when I was eight years old.” She wiped her tears away and bit her lower lip softly.

Unknowingly, I felt something wet run down my cheeks, and I quickly bowed my head and burst into tears.

“Joanne, even as little as I was back then, my little heart was ravaged and shattered. I cried and cried and cried until there were no tears left. I screamed and wailed until my voice was lost, calling out to my mother for help, yet she only watched them drag me away against my wishes, without attempting to stop them.” Her hands were shaking, and she clenched them into fists.

She went silent for a few minutes and wiped off her tears with the back of her palm. She released a soft breath. “They took me to Dominic’s home. No doubt, at first he treated me nicely and assured me I could talk to my parents anytime I pleased. But my little mind wasn’t convinced by his words.” She stood up this time and walked towards her window, staring into the night sky.

“No doubt, Dominic took care of me. He provided for me and treated me like his own child. But everything slowly began to change when I turned sixteen years old.”

Her words sent shivers down my spine. I had always known Dominic as a monster in human form, not knowing he was worse than that. I thought I was the only one with a ruined life, and now Candy?

“That night, Dominic barged into my room with the coldest expression I had ever seen. I playfully ran to him and gave him my usual hug, asking him how his day went. But he pushed me away so hard as if I were a disease. He asked me to stand naked in front of him, just because he wanted to see his property.” She turned around, and I noticed her eyes were already red and puffy.

“I protested and tried to leave the room, but my parents were presented in front of me with a gun pointed at their heads. I still refused to do his bidding. Dominic shot my mother, yet I stood firm. My father cried and pleaded for me to obey Dominic’s order, yet right in front of him, I refused. He shot my dad instantly.” She burst into tears, letting them flow freely. Her heart rose and fell rapidly as she choked on her tears.

“Dominic raped me brutally, and that continued for a whole six years, which became his daily routine. He made me abort my baby seven times.”

“What?!” My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped. That’s pure wickedness.

“Yes, Joanne. His constant rape got me pregnant repeatedly, and he forcefully made me abort them all. Not only that, he always punched and beat me up as if I were a sack! He locked me up in his cell without food or water for days. Dominic was bent on ruining my life, which he succeeded in. But I endured everything.

“So as usual, he got me pregnant again, but this time, I never said a word to him about it. Because I knew he would force me to abort it, and I was afraid it might take my life this time.” She took a deep breath and walked back to her couch and sat down.

“At that moment, I knew I was going to fight for my child. I knew this was never the kind of father figure I had pictured for my child, and at that point, I knew I had to escape. If not for me, then for the life of my unborn baby.”

I stood up and sat beside her, smoothing her back, which prompted her to break into fresh tears again.

“I broke into his safe and stole a huge sum of money and successfully escaped, but unfortunately, I was shot in my shoulder by Phil.” She slowly pulled her gown off her shoulder, revealing the dark scar. “Phil was one of Dominic’s closest men who caught me when I ran away. But I thank God I managed to escape. I passed out a few miles away from his building but was saved by an old woman who treated my wound and showered me with kindness.”

“She was really a Godsend,” I mumbled, nodding my head.

“You can say that again, Joanne.” She released a sad smile. “After spending six months in her home, I decided to leave because I hate being a burden to someone. She wished me well and blessed my unborn child, and I left. I quickly eloped to Italy to start a new life.”

“Wow, Candy! I really admire your courage and determination.”

“When life thrust me into a life I never dreamt of, I diverted it to work to my advantage. Finally, when my due date came, I gave birth to Idris right under this roof, with the help of my neighbor.”

“That crossed my mind the very first day I saw Idris. He took after his father, Dominic. I mean, his luminous blue eyes, thick black…” I trailed off when I realized I had blurted out too much.

She turned around with furrowed eyebrows, her face screwed up. “How do you know he took after Dominic?” Her voice came out calm but curious. “Do you know Dominic?”

“Ehm… ehm… ehm…” I stupidly sputtered, massaging the back of my head nervously, trying to come up with something tangible, but it seemed like my brain had suddenly gone blank. I quickly avoided her gaze.

“I asked a question.” She turned to face me fully, staring at me suspiciously.

“I assumed that since he never took after your facial features, then he took after his dad.” I fabricated smoothly, gazing back at her with a smile.

She nodded her head, but I still felt she wasn’t satisfied with my reply. She shrugged it off. “But you know, the last time you left your phone at home, ‘Don boss’ called. He mentioned a name called Phil. But after that, I was curious because his voice sounded exactly like someone I knew. Like Dominic’s…”

“Come on, Candy, that might be a mere coincidence. They might happen to have the same voice, but trust me, I don’t know anyone called Dominic.” I tried so hard to maintain my smile, which she immediately reciprocated.

We went silent for a few minutes before she broke the silence.

“I’m scared, Joanne.” She admitted. “What if Michael informed Dominic about my whereabouts?” She shrieked and gripped my hands tightly, tears clouding her eyes. “What if-”

“Nothing will happen to you both. But if you still feel insecure, you can come with me to Derek’s house. I think it will be safer there.” I suggested.

She sighed softly. “What’s your relationship with Mob Derek now?” She dropped the bombshell.

_Now I’m caught in a web. _