Taken and Caged

Lucy POV:

I woke up early to prepare my husband's breakfast. Cassandra was assigned to everything that came to our son Austin. I agreed to this arrangement since her daughter passed away five years ago. 

I steamed tuna and paired it with macaroni soup—his favorite. It was seven in the morning, and I climbed upstairs to check if Kent was already up. 

I entered the room and my face brightened to see my husband lying on the mattress still sleeping soundly and peacefully. It has been five years since our lives turned upside down with all the drama and heartache we've been through together. I walked closer and sat beside him. I took a deep breath and caressed his face when he quickly pulled me against him. I fell on his hard chest, and I blushed when he showered me with soft kisses on my face. 

"Hmmm, why are you up so early, honey? How can you leave your handsome husband alone in our room?" he teased me and climbed above me. 

We were like young teenagers who loved teasing each other. I bit my lower lip to tease him too. 

"Why are you mad? Was last night not too good for you?" I said, then he nodded his head and smashed his lips to mine. 

I just closed my eyes to imagine how Kent became a good kisser. He nibbled my lips like ice cream, and his tongue travelled inside and took mine to suck it like a lollipop. 

"Hmmm," I moaned when he started to suck my tongue. The pleasure this brought me was beyond words and I was going crazy. 

He stopped and stared at me for a while. He smiled and looked so happy. 

"What?" I asked him while I felt a sudden growth between his thighs. 

"I just can't believe that you're now my wife and Austin are with us. I promise to never leave you or hurt you again, Lucy!" he told me, and I was glad to hear it. I giggled and pulled his head closer to kiss him again. 

Our kisses were full of love and passion. My back bent forward when his lips wandered down my chest. I moaned in pleasure when his lips nibbled on my nipples. I felt electricity run through my veins and spark my wetness.

Kent slowly spread my legs and slid his hardness in between my thighs to my core. At first, his movement was gentle, but then he started to grind deeper and faster. 

"Do you like it, honey?" he asked me while pounding me. 

I just nodded softly, enjoying the moment. 

"Faster! Austin might come in and see us!” I told him while staring at our door. 

We were almost on the brink of our orgasms when I heard Cassandra calling us. We quickly got up and I walked out first. Kent looked pissed when I left him. 

***

I went downstairs and saw Austin in the kitchen eating his breakfast, but he was not alone. 

“E-Eloisa? Gale? Is that you?” I asked them while making my way towards them. 

They stood up to greet me.

"Hi, Lucy, it's been so long—five years! We're so glad to see you and Austin!” Eloisa said while smiling at my son and me. 

Although many terrible things happened between us, I had already forgiven Eloisa and Gale with all my heart. I don't seek revenge anymore and I was so happy that they were now free and happy too. 

I was shocked when she hugged me. 

“I'm so sorry about the past, but I hope we can start over and become good friends, Lucy,” she said, and I accepted it wholeheartedly. 

My eyes shifted to Gale, and we smiled at each other. 

I didn't notice that Kent was there standing behind me. I heard him clear his throat.

"I didn't know we had visitors! How are you, my brother? I'm happy to see both of you got out of prison," he mumbled and walked to Gale to embrace him. 

I was happy that Kent finally forgave his brother for what he did in the past. We decided to move on and focus on our family's future. 

I saw Gale hug him back and they started to get emotional. Eloisa and I winked at each other. 

"Thank you for welcoming us here, Kent," he said, and he took a white envelope from his pocket. 

I didn't know what it was. 

"We came here to deliver our wedding invitation! I know it's shocking, but we wanted to make our secret affair from the past official!” Gale informed us while staring at Eloisa with a wide smile on his face. 

Eloisa smiled back and giggled. 

“Yeah, during our time inside prison, our feelings grew stronger, and we decided to be reborn as good people, not as murderers!” She shrugged her shoulders. 

“Wow, we're happy for both of you. Don't worry, we will be there. Let's sit first and have breakfast together!” I invited them and we were happy. 

Dad wasn't with us because he was visiting his doctor for his legs. I was grateful that my family and friends were reunited. I hoped that there would be no more drama this year because 2019 wasn't the best year for us. 

While we were eating at the dining table, Eloisa asked me about Cassandra. 

"I heard you hired her to be Austin's nanny. How is she here? Is she taking care of Austin?” she asked me, but before I could utter a word, Cassandra appeared behind us. 

“Yes, Austin is like a son to me! Right, Lucy?” she said, and I told Eloisa how lucky we were to have her in our lives. 

"Yeah. That's why we're giving our full trust to her. Come, let's eat!” I invited her to join us, but she declined.

“I'm good. I just ate my breakfast before feeding Austin," she replied. 

She told me that she would check our botanical garden. Kent built it himself and surprised me as a gift for my thirtieth birthday. He knew how I adored flowers and nature and I was so delighted to accept it. 

"Okay, just water them for me, Cas!” I ordered her and she nodded. 

I saw Eloisa raising her eyebrows at Cassandra. 

“I don't like her. She looks weird to me. I don't know but I just feel strange about her," she informed me, but I just laughed at Eloisa, and Gale and Kent heard her. 

They reacted too. 

“Why bother her, babe? Just focus on our wedding, okay!” Gale said but Eloisa just rolled her eyes at us. 

She sighed. "Okay," she answered lightly, and we finished our breakfast together, but Austin excused himself to follow his Yaya Cassandra. 

***

Eloisa POV

Lucy's friend, Cassandra, seemed familiar to me. I couldn't recall where I saw her, but I think I saw her somewhere when Dad and I travelled together a lot. 

She doesn’t seem okay to me. The way she stared at me seemed weird and creepy. I don't care if she is Lucy's friend and Austin's nanny because to me, she is still a stranger and a murderer. 

I don't like her, and I don't always trust strangers. 

Cassandra was running in the darkness. She was calling for help because she saw a man wearing a black raincoat with a Freddy mask on his face. His right hand was holding a sharp knife, ready to slash her throat once he caught her. 

"Help! Help! Someone wants to kill me!” Her throat cracks and is almost dry from running a never-ending marathon from the killer. 

She looked back but the unknown man wasn't there anymore. Droplets of sweat rolled down her face and her tension subsided. She felt relieved and slowed down her speed. 

“Where is he?” she asked while checking behind her. 

The empty road was quiet and only the barking of dogs could be heard in the empty lot she was in right now. Her eyes roamed around, and she saw no traces of her abductor, but she's wrong. 

Something sharp hit her neck. Blood poured endlessly. Her eyes widened when he took off his mask and she knew him. Yes, he's someone I know. 

"Ahh!” Cassandra screamed when she felt someone shaking her shoulders. 

“Cassandra, wake up! You're having a nightmare!” She slowly opened her eyes and she saw Lucy. 

She quickly got up and felt the dryness in her throat. She was still shaking because her dream seemed so real. She quickly wrapped her arms around her friend's body. 

"I'm scared, Lucy. He's here! He's going to kill me!” Cassandra looked paranoid. Her eyes wouldn't stop blinking as if she’d seen a ghost. 

“Hey, no one will hurt you. I'm here beside me. He's not real, okay! It's just a bad dream. Calm down." Lucy was trying her best to comfort her friend. 

It has been three days since Cassandra started dreaming of a guy wearing a black raincoat. She couldn't explain why she kept dreaming about the same man every night. 

Her eyes were glaring while Lucy caressed her back. 

"You're the killer in my dream," Cassandra said to herself. 

Lucy left when Cassandra finally came back to her senses. Cassandra ambled to the kitchen to drink a glass of water. She was trying to erase all the memories she had from when her parents were alive. They were only part of her past and she promised herself that they wouldn't haunt her forever. 

***

Cassandra POV:

When my daughter died, my whole world fell into pieces. She would be five years older than Austin if she was still alive. I still longed for Kylie because she never experienced having a mother since I went to prison when Kylie was only five years old. 

I thought I could be reunited with my daughter after I was discharged from prison, but she got sick, and I came too late. She died without my presence. The most painful part was that she kept calling my name while catching her breath. I was there for only ten seconds when she said goodbye to the world. 

"Why does it still hurt? I should be smiling because I have Austin with me, but why does this feeling of emptiness still haunt me?” I said to myself while drying the tears from my face with the tissue I had in my hands. 

I went back to my room. I was like this when I was alone in the mansion. Lucy and Kent took Austin to the museum. They were invited to attend the auction for Eloisa's painting collections. 

I decided to wear something beautiful today. Let me see, what if I was a doctor? I could save everyone's lives, especially those in need. 

I had my secret cabinet inside my room. Lucy wasn't aware of it since I covered it with curtains. 

I had different costumes because I wanted to be a cosplayer when I was in high school. 

I took out a white blouse and a skirt for my doctor's outfit. I put them on and checked myself in the mirror. The outfit looked perfect on me. I smiled wide. 

“Kylie, do I look great? Mommy is going to treat your malady!” I said to my daughter. 

I knew Kylie would be okay soon and we would be together. I just needed some time to prepare our home and her things before I decided to take her with me. 

I turned around to see the full view of my outfit when someone rang the bell. I immediately took off my doctor's uniform and ran downstairs. I thought it was them, but my excitement faded when it was just Eloisa. 

"What is she doing here?” I whispered to myself. 

I didn't like her attitude. She was so spoiled and antagonistic. I set a fake smile on my face. 

“Hi, no one is here. Do you have an appointment with them?” I asked her while trying to be modest in front of her. She raised her brows and set a half-smile on her face. 

"I came here for you. I want to ask you something," she uttered, and I look puzzled. 

She came because of me? Did I do something wrong to her?

"Can I come in first? I think I have the right since I am part of the family," she said and rolled her eyes at me. 

I wanted to slap her, but I held my breath and calmed myself. That wasn't me anymore. I had control over my emotions, especially when I was mad. 

"Yeah, I know that. Come and I'll make you some tea," I said and let her in. 

I was about to go to the kitchen when she called me by another name. 

“Carolina, right? I know it's you. Even if you change your name a million times, the murder you—" Eloisa stopped when I hit her across the face with my palm.

"I'm not a murderer! I am not Carolina! I am not a—"

I was surprised when I realized Eloisa was shaking my shoulders. 

“Hey, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. You’re so pale all of a sudden!” she said. 

What just happened? Was I delusional again? 

"Did you say anything? Did something happen?” I wanted to clarify whether I was just daydreaming again, or if Eloisa had actually called me Carolina. 

Eloisa looked puzzled. 

“I told you I would wait for your tea, but you froze like a statue without responding to me," she replied, and I felt relieved. I went to the kitchen to prepare Eloisa’s tea.  

As I was stirring the tea, the tea started to turn red like blood. I screamed and I saw Eloisa rushing towards me. 

"Cassandra, what's happening to you? You don’t seem all right," she sympathized with me, and I hated that. I pushed her away from me. 

“I'm okay. Can you just stay there and wait? I must be tired. Can you please excuse me?” I told her, and I went back to my room to rest. 

Eloisa told me that she just came to tell Lucy that she was inviting them to a family dinner tonight, and then left.

I couldn't explain this feeling inside me, but this was not normal. I was trying to live as Cassandra and no one else. 

I had Austin and Lucy’s loving family. What else could I ask for?