"Any news yet?" William asked Kaden as he slipped into the chair beside Annie's bed.

Kaden who had been holding his sister's hand and apologizing,quietly,to Annie for failing her,lifted his head and shook his head before staring at his sister.

It's been a week now and there was no sign or news about Cassie's whereabout. Skylar was also absent ever since they left the hospital together. He had gone to her house three times and each time,he didn't meet her at home. Even her number kept going to voicemail.

Kaden couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong somewhere. But he didn't know what was wrong. Everything looked suspicious.

Skylar appeared the same day that Cassie disappeared.

Strange,isn't it?

"Doctor Greene said that she's improving day by day,but he does not know when she'd come to." Kaden kissed the back of Annie's hand.

William touched her other arm too. "I meant Cassie not Annie."

Kaden's jaw tensed up with Anger. "I don't want to hear about her. At least not until someone calls me that she has been found."

"Kaden, don't you think that we are jumping into conclusion?"

"We're not." Kaden dropped his sister's hand and got up. "I don't know about you but I am sure that she's the culprit."

"You don't---"

"Drop it Will." Kaden yelled.

They both froze when Annie's monitor began to beep like crazy. Kaden ran to her side when he saw her chest rising and falling as if she was out of breath.

"Will,Will get the doctor!"

William tore out of the room and went in search of Doctor Greene. Few minutes later,he returned with Doctor Greene and two nurses. William and Kaden were ushered outside by one nurse,while Dr. Greene and the other nurse,fussed over Annie.

Kaden paced the hallway while praying that something must not happen to his sister. If something happens to her, he would move heaven and earth to find Cassie.

Even if that's the last thing he would do.

~•~•~•

Cassie cried until she had no tears left. Albert and Sarah had come in to see her three times that week and they taunted her to no end.

They brought newspaper and magazines with them just to mock her with what the whole of Philadelphia thought of her now. All that didn't hurt her as much as Kaden's words.

He didn't trust her at all.

He even issued out a search warrant for her. And he was the man she thought herself to be in love with. So much for being in love with him.

But then who would blame him? She would have thought the same thing too if she were to be in his shoes. Anyone would react that way,but didn't he even think that she might have been kidnapped?

Cassie wished that she could see him right now and tell him that his Ex fiance was behind her his sister's state and her own kidnapping. Cassie wondered about how her mother and Ella would feel when they learn of the fact that she had been kidnapped. Would Beatrice cry for her?

Somehow Cassie doubted it. But nevertheless, she missed her mother greatly. She wished that she could see her now and tell her that she loved her even if she was not her biological parent. But it was already too late for that.

The door opened and Skylar walked in carrying a tray filled with an iron flask, three slice of toast bread and a teacup. Skylar was the one who brought food to her twice in a day, while Sarah was in charge of when she wants to use the bathroom, just because she didn't trust Cassie not to escape. As if she would.

"Breakfast is ready." Skylar smiled at her as she pulled a chair to Cassie's front and set the tray on it.

Cassie only nodded,since her mouth was still gagged and her hands were still tied. A plan began to formulate in Cassie's mind.

"Let me help you with that." Skylar removed the gag. "There,feel better now?"

"Yes." Cassie smiled at her. "I need to use the bathroom,can you help me?"

Skylar frowned. "Sarah's in charge of that and she'd not even around."

"I need to use the bathroom urgently." Cassie pleaded. "Or do you want me to pee here?  Albert would be furious with you if I were to tell him that you refused to take me to the bathroom."

Skylar huffed. "Fine."

Cassie smiled internally as Skylar stepped behind her to loosen the binds on her hands. Immediately her hands were freed,Cassie grabbed the flask,turned and hit Skylar's head with it. Skylar's eyes widened before going down like a lead pole.

Cassie winced. She hit Skylar so hard that she was afraid that she had killed the poor girl. She squatted down beside Skylar and touched a hand to her neck to check for a pulse,satisfied that she found it. She searched her body for keys and found it in the back pocket of her jean gown.

Cassie got up and ran out of the room. Thankfully there was only one passage, which made her escape easier. She ran down the hall,when she got to the end,she saw a ladder. She climbed it and opened the door. Light hit her face so she had to close her eyes,then opened it again,when she was sure that it wouldn't hurt again.

She found herself at the back of a beautiful huge house and by the look of it,she knew that it belonged to Albert. The man must be rich to own a house like this. Cassie wondered why he wants to hurt Kaden and his family.

She climbed out,before carefully replacing the lid. She winced when she stepped on a thorny grass. Sarah took her shoes,leaving her barefooted.

Cassie saw a shadow around the corner of the house,she didn't wait to see who. Her bleeding feet forgotten,she turned and ran for her dear life. Twigs and leafs slapped her as she entered the forest behind the house,but she didn't stop to inspect.

She ran for all she's worth. Trees tugged at her jacket,but she ignored it. She jumped over a large bark and her legs slipped on a patch of leafs, she went down. She rolled into a nest of thorns. Tears filled her eyes as she untangled herself from the nest,her jacket didn't survive and her body had several cuts and bruise.

Her body felt as if it was on fire. She pushed herself to her feet,without pausing to inspect the damage,she resumed her run. Cassie didn't know how long she ran, just when she was beginning to think that she would never ever see the end of this forest, the forest opened up to a highway.

The highway looked deserted. There was no car insight,which was really strange. Where did they take her to,the end of earth?

Cassie doubled over as she fought to catch her breath.

I'm free. God I'm free. She thought. All I need to do now is find Kaden and tell him the truth.

Cassie smiled. She straightened and looked up telling herself that all she needed to do now, find a car. She scanned the highway,wondering about what was going on. She saw a car coming from the distance,and her heart began to dance with joy.

She would soon be free.

She moved forward to stand beside the road. She stretched her hand to the road,turned her thumb downwards and waited for the car to get closer. As the car drew closer,she realised that she knew it. Tears of joy filled her eyes.

Kaden's car.

The car drew closer and closer. Just when Cassie thought he would stop,the car whizzed past her. Her heart fell and her hope died.

"Kaden!" She shouted and started to run after the car but never made it.

Someone grabbed her from behind and a handkerchief closed over her nose. She fought to stay awake but it was no use.

The last thing she saw before loosing consciousness was Kaden's car pulling to the road side.

~^~^~^~^~^

Kaden left the hospital with Anger. Dr. Greene told them that their noise had gotten to Annie,which was why she hyperventilated.

His desire to find Cassie doubled ten times fold. He got into his car and pulled out of the parking lot. He felt like pushing out the whole anger and adrenaline. So he drove to the old highway that connected the uptown and downtown together. He gunned down the old highway, his heart feeling hurt all over again.

His mind was in turmoil. He didn't even feel this way when Skylar broke off their engagement, he couldn't pinpoint why he was hurting so much about Cassie's betrayal.

He was so absorbed in his thought that he missed the lady standing by the road side. He slowed down when he heard his name,it was Cassie's voice. His heart started a rhythmic beat. He checked the review mirror and saw her.

"Cassie!"

He pulled over to the roadside, pushed his car door open and  jumped out. Kaden frowned when he didn't see anyone just where he saw her earlier.

"Cassie!" He called out. "Cassie!"

The chirping birds answered him. Kaden kicked the tire of his car angrily. If he was not careful, he would be the one seeing a shrink very soon.

Deciding that coming here was a stupid mistake,he got into his car and turned back the way he came. He would not rest until he finds Cassie.

********

Something cold splashed over her body. Cassie sat up,or tried to, sputtering out the water that entered her mouth. She tried to move,but found out that she could only move her head.

Where am I?

The last thing she remembered was standing beside the highway,while Kaden drove past her as if she wasn't there. A whimper escaped her lips. Kaden hated her now, he didn't want to see her anymore.

"I told you that everything you do has it's own consequence, didn't I?"

Cassie turned her head. Her eyes met Albert's cold blue ones. He looked really mad. Cassie shivered at what punishment he would melt out to her now.

"Answer me."

"Y-yes."

"You are going to experience two punishments,now." Albert removed his shirt to expose his perfect body. "And both of them would be very painful. It'll teach you not to try to never ever escape again."

Cassie tried to squirm away when Albert approached her,but couldn't. She stared at her body only to find out that she was tied down,spread-eagled, on a flat surface.

Dread began to fill her. Would he rape her or what?

"Look over there." Albert whispered into her ear.

Cassie looked up and saw him pointing to her left. She followed his hand and found herself looking at the same TV,they used to torment her everyday. It was then she realised that she was in her old prison room. That didn't even faze her,but when he switched the TV on,her blood ran cold.

Beatrice was kneeling on the floor,her hands tied behind her and she was smiling at the camera. Sarah stood behind her,pointing a gun at her head,a smirk playing on her lips.

Cassie gasped. "Mom."

"Cassie," Beatrice said. "If you are watching this now,I want to assure you of one thing, and that is,I love you. You may not be my biological daughter, but in my heart you are my daughter. I love you. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm sorry for all those times I hurt you,just know that I died happily and I am proud that you are my daughter. I love you."

"Please,Don't kill her." Cassie turned to Albert, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I warned you Cassie. But it's too late."

Cassie's eyes darted back to the screen the same time Sarah pulled the trigger. Beatrice blood splashed on the camera.

"Noooooooooo." Cassie screamed,her mind going numb with shock. "No. Mom,I love you. Mom."

"Poor baby." Albert clucked his tongue. "We're not done yet."

Cassie watch him move to where her legs were spread. She instantly knew what he would do to her. She began to sob.

Albert retrieved the thick stick he kept on the floor beside the TV. "This is your second punishment."

"Please. I won't run away again." She sobbed.

Albert raised the stick high over his shoulder. "I know. But I want to make sure you won't."

Cassie screams filled the room,when the stick came down on her right leg. Once. Twice. Thrice. Until she lost count.

By the time Albert stopped beating her,she was wallowing in pain and tears. Her leg hurt like hell and her mind and heart felt blank. She became sucked into a world where only pain existed. She heard movement around the room. She felt herself being lifted off the table,but her mind barely registered that fact.

"Don't worry sweetie." Albert whispered in her ear. "Your precious Kaden would be joining you by tomorrow."