Chapter 20: Chapter Twenty

Mrs Allyson sat on her wheelchair watching as her son pace around their living room.

She was tired of telling him to calm down and be patient. She was fed up giving him hope. It's been a month that Toun had been kidnapped and there have been no significant news from the police. All the y kept giving them were empty promises.

She was already fed up of everything and was already losing hope. Her granddaughter could not go to school. She hasn't been herself in school and the teachers had advised them to let her be at home for the time being. Her nightmare were getting worst and the girl was growing thinner by the day. She was no longer the cheerful daughter she have. All she does is cry, stare at her mother things all day.

She have to force her every day to eat. And it was becoming frustrating.

And her father, who is her son wasn't helping either. Nathaniel had become a skeleton of himself. His eyes were filled with sadness. He have bags under them because of his lack of sleep. He spent hours calling the police or expecting calls from them. Or he stay in his matrimonial room, touching his wife belongings. He refused to eat or talk to anyone. He had even stop going to work.

She had grown tired of assuring him and trying to calm him down. She was even afraid she might lose both her son and granddaughter at the rate at which things are.

And just as the moment, where she sat helplessly watching her son pace round the room. She had just forced his daughter to eat something and makes her sleep. When dhe came to check on him, she saw him ending a call with someone and he had been pacing around ever since.

"Nathaniel, what is it again? Who called you?" She asked.

He didn't answer her but kept pacing.

Nathaniel had received a call from the police and they told him that Mr Joseph Adebiyi had nothing to do with the kidnapping of his daughter. They convinced him that the man said he was innocent and they have no clue on where their daughter was since she had left home and get married to a man they don't know. They denied knowing him and they want him to find their daughter at all cost.

The police have finally come to a conclusion that he wasn't a suspect and that they need to look somewhere else.

Although he didn't believe them but he didn't argue with them. He was tired if doing so and moreover, they was nothing they could do if Mr Adebiyi was involved. He was a powerful man and his money was everything. They won't dare question him.

And because of it, have been thinking about what to do. How to get the truth from them.

******

Nathaniel paid the Adebiyis' a visit two days after he received a call from the police. They hadn't call him after that day. He had tried calling them to tell them what he have in mind, but they refused to reply him. So he came to a conclusion on visiting the Adebiyis' and confront them head on.

The gateman had refused to let him and after much plead from him, he went inside the mansion to tell his boss.

To his greatest surprise, Mr Adebiyi was home with his family. He had hope to see Toun mother and talk with her privately before going to meet her husband at his workplace. He wanted to begged her and try convincing her. And hoping she would have a second thought.

But his plan was ruined. Her husband was home and they had come out together.

He watched as Mr Adebiyi gestured for the security guards to let him free. And they did. He walked up to the couples with their second daughter behind them as they all stared dagger at him.

"I am not so surprise to see you after the call from the police. But I must admit you came earlier than expected." Mr Joseph said to Nathaniel when he was close to him. He stared down at him with disgust.

"I'm begging you, where is Toun?" He said pleadingly.

It was the last thing he want to do. He wants to yell at them, hit them. He want them to feel exactly the pain he was feeling but he couldn't. He was powerless and all he can do is beg.

"Please. I'm begging you. Just let my wife go."

The old man laughed mockingly. "And who is your wife? My daughter? Of course not. I don't have people like you as family. Your generation can never be associated with mine. I'm sorry you come to the wrong place."

"I know you know about her disappearance." Nathaniel said with his eyes already tearing up. "I'm begging you. Please. Please. I love her and I can't do without her. Please just let her go."

"What gave you the right to accuse of what happened to Toun?" Eunice said in her high-pitched voice. "Who the hell do you think you are? How daew you even come here? After all yiu did. You poison my sister heart. You made her lied and disobey her parents and you called that love. That isn't love. My sister will never love someone as you in her right sense. But anyway you already have her, don't you? Have fun with her."

Nathaniel fist his hand beside him as the tears fall down his eyes.

"I'm still going to beg you again." He said and he went on his knees. Mr Adebiyi was shocked and he smirked while his daughter scoffed at how pathetic he was. "Please. My daughter is her mother. I need my wife. Please, just let us be. Please. I promise I won't hurt her. Please. I'm begging you."

The man just laughed.

"So you can beg?" He asked mockingly with a smirk.

"I'm begging." Nathaniel pleaded. He placed his shaking hands together, begging him and his family. "Please. I'm sorry for whatever I might have done. Just let her go." He turned to Mrs Mopelola who had been starjn6at him quietly ever since. He pulled on her gown gently begging. "Please help me to beg him. Please ma. Please I love Toun. My intentions are poor."

"If you really love her, let her go. You can't give her what she needs. If you love her, let her do what her parents want. Accept that we can't accept her for you. Just give up. Stop hurting yourself and my daughter. Let her go."

"Please." He cried. "I love Toun. I can't live without her. Please. She is my wife. I can't give her up."

"Determine much, aren't you? What a pathetic thing? Crying in the name kf love. Guy you're miserable. You're pathetic. You're nothing. You're worthless. You're nobody. Just accept it. She can't be yours. Go fibd a woman in your category. There is none of your mate here. So just disappear. " Eunice said exasperatedly.

Hee mother pulled back from his grip kn her cloth, where he kept begging. She brushed her clothes, looking down at him with irritation.

between clench teeth.

"And what make you think so? So you are telling me i kidnapped my own daughter."

He is tired of the back and forth the man is playing with him. "Please I'm begging, let her go." He begged even if it was the last thing he wanted to do.

"So you can beg." He said with a smirk.

"I'm begging." Nathaniel plead.

Mr Joseph smiled and he moved closer to him. He chuckled at the crying Nathaniel.

"Look at the man that want to marry my daughter. This..." He used his walking stick to hit him on his arms. "This loser. This animal." He spoke with disbelief. "To my own daughter." He stared at him, hitting him again and again. "I know you are a loser. I told you I will never accept you for my daughter no matter what you do. You are nobody and my family don't associate with nobody. People like you aee meant to be eating our remains. She is nit your and you should learn to accept that. Remember I told you that I habe the power. I jabe the money. And people like you are nothing in my world. You're just a piece of shit. Worthless." The man stooped to his level amd he looked him in the eyes. "Listen carefully, I already have my daughter back and she is never coming back to you. Nothing you ever do will change that. I warned you but yiu didn't listen. So accept it."

"You can't do that. You can't do that to her. Please. She will never forgive you for it."

"Of course, she will. I am her father. She knows that I want the best for her. She will always love me and forget you. Let me admit, it might take a little while but she will eventually forget you. When she realized everything and her mistakes. She will get to know how toxic you are and how pathetic you are. That is it. So now who is the loser? Who is the loser Nathaniel Adeolu?" The man asked with a smirk.

Nathaniel looked at Eunice, Toun sister. She was just rolling his eyes at him, looking at him like some disgusting thing she can't imagine someone should relate with. He moved his eyes to Mrs Mopelola. The woman was just staring at him. Her face was impassive. She looked away when he stared at her with his pleading eyes. Then he bowed his head in defeat. He knew he had lose. It was hopeless and pointless. He had lose this war. And he won't be able to win it ever.

He felt horrible, pathetic as he the tear fall down his eyes, kneeling before the Adebiyis'.

"And young man." Mr Joseph called. He couldn't even raise his head to look at him. "Don't try doing anything stupid. Accept your miserable life." His voice was cold and stern. "Don't bother going to the police, it's useless. They have no power in front of me. So don't waste your energy amd time. If you love your daughter and your cripple mother, don't mess with me." He warned.

Nathaniel clenched his hands tightly on his knees as the man threatened him with his mother and daughter.

It was the most inhumane thing he will ever hear from him. He can't believe he will threaten him with his own granddaughter. But what does he expect?

He can't let them hurt his daughter and his mother. He won't be so stupid to do that. He just have to accept it. He have to.

He have to accept that he might never see his wife, the mother of his child.... That he might never see her again. Because there was nothing he could do to them. There was nothing that could change their mind. He wasn't rich and he was a nobody. He just have to accept he might never see Toun again.... which hurts like hell. But he can't let the man hurt the rest of his family. Not while he is alive.

Toun would want him to live and fight for their daughter. And he would never allow any harm come to his mother because of his own decision.

Slowly, he stood up, wiping his face with the back of his hand. He looked from each other and his eyes landed on the man.

"Remember this sir, You will kneel to beg me one day. You will look me in the eyes and you will regret everything you do and say to me. I'm going show you what it is to beg and feel regretful. I'm going to prove to you that you were wrong. That I can become someone. Just watch out." He said as tears roll down his cheeks. He looked at them one last time and the house behind them. He wiped the tears that won't stop flowing in his eyes away.

Then he walked past the gateman who was looking at him with empathy. And he finally left the compound, broken than he had ever been since Toun was missing. Because this time, he knew who had taken her away from him and he can't do anything. And worst of it all, he won't be able to see her again.

*******

Mrs Allyson did not know the outcome of her son visit to the Adebiyi's. Reluctantly, he had told her that he was going to see the Adebiyi's. But since he returned, he had locked himself up in his room.

He didn't even go to work since he was to resume his work after the one month break the company had given to him because of his wife.

It was hard to take everything in. His daughter was getting worst by the day most especially because he father won't even talk to her. She had been crying herself to sleep and sbe don't know what to do to help the girl anymore.

She don't understand what was going on but she knows her family is now different and maybe it will never go back to how it always had been.

Toun disappearance was a big hit to the family. She also miss the young woman. She had been like a daughter to her. The daughter she never had. She was a pillar to her son. She watched how happy he made him. She knew how complete he was because of her. He was different with her. He look at her differently. He kept fighting because of her.

But now she is gone. That only hope of her son was gone.

Mrs Allyson knocked on Nathaniel room door. She waited for reply but there was no answer. She insisted on staying until he open the door. She was tired of what her som was doing to himself. It's been a week he returned and he had eat or drink. He had locked himself in the room since he came back.

She had tried convincing him, taking food and water to his door front but he never came out of the room to take his food or reply her in any way.

She had called Annabelle music teacher and the woman had came to take Annabelle to her house for a while. And she had decided to use that time to call her son out of his misery. She can't lose any child too.

After half an hour  of knocking, she finally heard slow footsteps coming towards the door from inside. The door clicked but didn't open. She turned the knob and the door open inward.

She sighed, gratefully. She moved her chair into the room. And she looked at her son's direction.

Nathaniel had return to the side of the bed on the floor where he sat staring at the building visible through the window. But it was obvious that his mind was not in any of the building or the few people passing along the street.

"Nathan." She called but he said nothing and didn't turn around to look at her. "Nathan, i don't know what happened where you went but you've got to stay strong." His mother adviced.

He was thinner and he looks so distant. His eyes were sad. It has lose those glamour in it. And she was afraid if she will ever see them again.

"Nathan, I don't know what happened where you went but you've got to stay strong." His mother advice.

He scoffed and turned to look at her. The woman was shocked at how thin he had grown. His eyes were reddish and swollen. There was big bags under his eyes. His lips were pale and very dry. He looked generally fragile with his sad eyes.

"How is everything going to be fine when she is not here? How? How?" He asked as his eyes glaze with fresh tears.

She moved closer to him. And she spoke in soft reassuring voice. "It can happen. Don't lose hope. We will find her."

He chuckled. "How I wish?" The woman gave him time to say what he have in mind. He looked back out through the window. "How I wish it was just kidnapping. He hates me so much. He even have to abduct his own daughter. He have to forcefully take her away from me because I am pathetic."

"You're not pathetic. Don't let them poison your mind."

"If I am not, Toun will be here. If I was somebody, my wife will still be here. But she isn't. She isn't coming back. Toun is never coming back. And yiu know what hurt tge kost mom? That I know who is responsible but I can't do anything." He said wiping. He cried on his hand and the woman just watched her son with a broken heart.

She wiped away the tears that fell down her eyes too. The Adebiyi's had finally decided to prove how powerful they were. They had taken advantage of their poor state to hurt her son. And like he said, they was nothing they can do.

"Dotun, I know you love Toun very much. I saw it all. I can testify yo it. It is pitiful that they didn't give you a chance. But as it as happens..." She paused. "I think it is time you move on."

"Move on? I can never do that. I can't." He spoke broken-heartedly.

His mother heaved a sigh. "Listen Nathaniel, you have to move on and I am not telling you to find a new wife but you have to learn to live without her. Her famk6had decides that they can't accept you too together. And you know how powerful they are and how weak are against them. You will keep hurting yourself if you keep holding on. I'm not telling you not to love Toun. You have every right to. And tbey can't take that away from you. Never. And I am sure that wherever Toun is, she will feel the same. I know she loves you wholeheartedly. She was different from them. And she will want you to live happily. Don't forget Toun. I'm asking that of you. She have a daughter with you that will grow up without her."

"You will have something to tell her about her mother. Let her know yiu lve and cherished her. Don't forget her son. But you have to learn to move on. You have to prove to thoee people that you are better than how they see you. You have to show them that no situation in life is permanent. And you can't do that sitting here, moping all day. It's not going to help the situation. You have a six year old that I have lost her mother. She is all you have now. It is the bitter truth son. Toun is gone and hee family will make sure it remains that way. Tbey will do everything in their power to do so. So please, mobe on for the sake of your daughter. She need her father. She can't lose another parent. What she needs now is someone to comfort her, someone to love her, someone to make up for her mother's disappearance. You have to do this for her. I am certain that that is what Toun is going to want you to do. Please for the sake of your daughter, come out of this shell." She begged him.

"She might come back mom. Toun is going to find a way back."

"Ans even if she does, what's going to happen? You will run from her parents. You will run away from your life? You will ket her abandon her dreams and work when yiu know hiw much she loves that? You will slend the rest of your life hiding from her parents with an innocent child? What will you if she is back? And what if she never comes back? What do you plan to do? End your life and leave your child behind? You are a living witness on how it feels to lose one of your parent. You know how it is to lose a parent. You want her to lose both? Ehn? The child is suffering from PTSD at a young age because of what happened. And you won't be there for her? You're going to abandon her? She need a father. She need her father. Now more than ever. Especially niw that you know that Toun isn't coming back. She need you Nathaniel. Your daughter need you. Toun had left you a gift, a part of herself. So cherish and take care of it. Let Annabella be a reminder of Toun to you. And makes her happy by taking care of both your daughter. Please. If you won't be strong for anything or anyone, you have to do it for your daughter. Toun won't be happy to know you are going to abandon your daughter because of her." She advised him.

"Please move on with your life. It pains me a lot that I might not see her again and that she left a little girl behind. It's hurt to know that Anna might grew up without a mother. It's so terrible she have to through all this at a young age. I love Toun like she is my own daughter. The past few years have been wonderful and less painful with her. You are not the only one who is going to miss her, I will too. So will your daughter. You have to help fill if nit all the void that Toun disappearance caused. Because you know from the very beginning that anything could happen when decided to marry her. And I alsk told you. So forget about it and move on. God knows the best. If you are really meant for Toun, she will be yours again. She will find a way go you and yiu will both be happy. But for now, think about your daughter and what Toun will want you to do." His mother advised.

"It's hard. It's hard. I love her. Why? Why? Its so hard and painful mom." He sob.

She knew exactly how he felt and he was looking miserable. She wish she could do something better to ease his pain but there was nothing. He had to accept and move on.

"I know. I know because i have lose the man of my life. The man I love and my own child too on the same day. So i know how you feel. I'm sorry Nathan." She said almost in tears herself. She pull him closer placing his head on her thigh and he weep on her legs.

So sad, isn't it?

Nathaniel has always been pitiful. I cried writing his scene. But I like it that way. Life is not fair to anyone. Everything isn't sunshine. Some might be wondering why Toun won't come back or if she will ever comes back?

Well, keep reading and you will find out.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO TAP THAT STAR BUTTON BELOW, IT MEANS A LOT. AND LEAVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK SO FAR. .

THANKS.

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