Chapter 325: REAL NAME
Erika glared at Viper, completely confused by the words that he’d just uttered.
"I know this might sound crazy but I like you, Erika," he changed the love to like when he noticed her body stiffen. He wouldn’t want to scare her more than she already was.
"And that’s why you’ve kidnapped me?" Erika questioned him. When Viper didn’t respond to her question, she ordered, "Take me back home this instant."
"I can’t do that," Viper objected. "We are going to live here for a while, with your sons," he added, smiling at her this time as if he could ease her worried self at that moment.
"Where’s Ethan?" Erika questioned, hoping that he was doing alright. For him to have her there, she’d already concluded that he must have done something evil.
"He’s at the hospital. It’s been two days now but I’ve not heard any news that he has woken up yet. It’s a good thing though. Now I don’t have to worry about getting followed by the police or anything like that until he wakes up," Viper replied, the smile still on his face.
Erika froze. "I-it’s been two days?" She asked. Looking down at her babies, she added, "Take me back to my family, viper." This time, her voice was soft as she pleaded.
Viper stared down at her eyes which swelled with tears and felt an ache in his chest. He was well aware that what he was doing was wrong, but he couldn’t help himself.
’This won’t last forever Erika, I promise. I will take you back to Ethan myself but not yet. I still need you now,’ he promised her.
"You know I can’t do that," said Viper. "Because this..." he gestured to the living room. "This is where we will be living for the meantime."
"What do you mean by meantime?" Erika questioned him, her eyes red from both sadness and anger that she didn’t know what to do at that moment anymore. This wasn’t like when she was kidnapped by Adrain. She was alone at that time and she could do almost anything at that time but if she planned to escape, she had to put in mind that she had two sons to think about first.
Viper took a step close to Erika and instinctively, she took a large one backward, widening the space between them.
"You will see," Viper replied and his smile faltered. Looking inside the strollers, he commented, "You have beautiful sons, Erika."
Erika stared at Viper, confused about what she should say next. It’s not every day that a kidnapper compliments the children of his victim.
"I once had sons like these too. There were also twins," Viper continued, waiting for Erika to ask him more questions but she didn’t. He turned to look at her and her gaze was already on him. It was so plain that he couldn’t read it but her red eyes that still held anger for him were very much in obvious.
Sighing, Viper blinked back the tears that were about to fall from his eyes and looked away.
"The dinner will be ready soon. You can have a seat while nanny Beatrice serves it," Viper said while walking away.
It was at the mention of dinner did Erika realize that it was almost dark outside. Looking at the dining table that was packed with plates and chairs, Erika stared down at her babies.
It’s been two whole days and she wasn’t sure if they have had any milk to drink yet. She was very weak at that moment and it was up to her, she wouldn’t want to dare have a bite from anything that would be served on the table but she needed to feed the babies when they woke up.
In the middle of her thoughts, Erika saw a woman walk out with some dishes from what she assumed was the kitchen.
The woman looked old, like someone in her late 60’s. Her hair was completely white and she tied it to a bun. Her face was completely wrinkled but when she turned to smile at Erika, it was as if her face just shined like the sun. Her smile was welcoming but also suspicious in Erika’s eyes.
"Come eat dear, you haven’t eaten in two days," Nanny Beatrice beckoned to Erika after she set the dishes on the table.
Erika glanced around the living room to be sure that she was the one that the old lady was talking to.
When she confirmed that it was her, Erika took slow steps toward the dining table while pushing the strollers of the baby along with her. She would love to have her babies as close to her as possible, especially since she couldn’t trust anyone there.
Nanny Beatrice smiled at Erika when she saw her take a seat while her hand was still on the strollers, keeping them close.
"Don’t worry, nothing will happen to your babies,"
nanny Beatrice assured while she dished out some food for Erika.
"I was brought here without my permission. It’s only natural if I’m not able to trust anyone here," Erika remarked, staring at the woman who still had the same smile on her face.
"I understand you, dear. I never knew that Robert would go to such lengths for the woman that he loves. I hope that he makes it easy with you," said the old lady, taking a seat across the table to make sure that Erika ate something.
When Erika hadn’t touched her plate yet, nanny Beatrice looked up at her and asked with a worried look, "Don’t you like the food? Do you want me to get you something else?"
Erika looked at Beatrice. "Robert?" She asked. "Viper’s real name is Robert Jones?" She added.
"Yes," Beatrice replied without hesitating. "He only chose the name ’viper’ after what happened to him in the past. The young man has been through a lot," she whispered the last word.
Frowning, Erika asked, "What do you mean?"
