Sebastian

"You got kidnapped?" Her eyes grew enormous in horror. "How?"

"I joined an overnight camping trip with some friends I hardly knew. You know, I was trying to be independent and rebellious at the same time. I got fed up with all the nannies and bodyguards that surrounded me, following me everywhere. I felt like I didn't have freedom like the other kids."

"Well, you were born mega rich. Your parents were only concerned for your safety."

"Yeah, they did. But being young, I didn't realize that. I got embarrassed and often my peers made a joke about it. I want to be this cool guy in school, you know, but I can't achieve that with all the bodyguards and nannies lurking in the background."

"I understand how you feel," she touched my arm, caressing gently. "So, how did it happen?"

"I rarely brought my dog, Monty, but I just felt like he needed a break too from being at home always. He was my buddy, you know. He even slept in my bed. So, early morning, our second day in the camp, I took him for a walk while everyone was still sleeping. I knew my bodyguards would follow me, so I played a trick. It was always like that with us, like playing hide and seek. Giving them a hard time became my business."

"I can imagine you at sixteen, being a pain in the ass."

"I was being shallow and rebellious."

"Is that how you lost Monty as well?"

I nodded and continued my story.

"So, I ran to the forest with Monty, with no clue where I was going. My mission was to hide from the bodyguards. I was always confident that they would find me or else Dad would fire them." I pressed my lips tightly together and sighed. "I was feeling victorious. I could smell freedom, when suddenly, three men stopped me on my track."

"Oh, no." Sweet leaned her head on my shoulder.

The memory was still so vivid. Ten years ago.

"Just take him! Leave that fucking animal!" The leader, a man wearing a balaclava holding a gun. He shouted at the two men, both wearing Halloween masks, and were holding my arms.

One man holding me kicked Monty in the stomach, and my buddy whimpered in pain.

"Monty, listen. Leave," I ordered my dog to leave, for his safety. But he came to my side and wouldn't leave me.

The same man kicked the dog again.

"No! Stop kicking him! Let him leave," I struggled, trying to fight the man, but their leader pointed his gun at my head.

"Behave, son. Or I'm going to blow your head," the leader said, then ordered the two men to take me to the van.

The men dragged me to the side of the road where a van was waiting. When the two men pushed me inside the van, I fought hard and escaped.

"Stop, kid, or I'm going to shoot you." I heard the leader say. But I didn't listen. I ran as fast as I could while the two men were chasing me.

Then suddenly, I heard a gunshot. I thought I got shot.

I stopped running and turned to see, standing in front of me, was my ever loyal bodyguard, Oscar. He got shot in his chest. I realized he took the bullet aimed at me.

"Oscar!" I shouted at him. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks.

He looked at me, his eyes welled with tears. "Go," he said, then he fell down on the ground.

I had no power to run anymore. The kidnappers took me inside the van. They left Monty in the forest, barking and crying. And that was the last time I saw him.

"It was like a dream that happened so fast. They put me in a van, blindfolded, with my wrists in a tight knot behind my back. I struggled to escape. My wrists were sore from rubbing each other until I could feel them bleed. I kept on shouting for help, but they just beat me until I passed out."

I showed Sweet the scars on my wrist, and she lifted my wrists and kissed the thick raised scars. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked at me.

"It makes me so sad knowing those evil men tortured you physically, mentally, and emotionally." She hugged me, her hand caressing my back. "How long were you captive?"

"Twenty-four hours. I couldn't remember much of what had happened because they blindfolded me. I could only smell the stinky odor of urine, feces, and dead rats. My head hurt from their beating, so I slept a lot. The next thing I knew, I was in my room, lying on the bed with an IV line. I would have thought that it was all a dream. But the bruises on my wrists and losing my loyal bodyguard, Oscar, and my dog, Monty, reminded me that the kidnapping really happened."

"Oh, Sebastian. That was a horrible experience."

"It really was. But that's life." I shrugged my shoulders. "It's something that people don't know. It had been a family secret, you know. My family never discussed it ever, like it was just a nightmare that is not worth mentioning."

"Maybe they don't want you to remember that it happened because you'll get hurt."

"Or maybe they thought I had dissociative amnesia, which I never had," I chuckled lightly. "I heard the doctor who took care of me kept on saying that, so I googled it and studied the symptoms."

"How do you feel about it now? Do you get sad and lonely?"

"Yeah, I do, whenever I think of it. Oscar would still be alive if I knew how to defend myself. There were only three men. I could have knocked them down easily if I knew how to fight and use a gun."

"Is that the reason you train yourself in combat sports and handling guns?"

I nodded, "for my peace of mind. I was tired of being scared all the time. I want to be ready if an incident like that happens to me again or to my loved ones."

"What about Monty?"

"We did our best to find him, but to no avail. We thought that someone must have got him, or God forbid, eaten by some animal in the forest."

"I hope not. I'm sure he's with a happy family right now, being loved and cherished." She touched my face, her thumb caressing my jaw. "What about you? How did you cope with that horrible experience?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Well, it's pretty obvious. My very active life is all over the internet."

"You mean being very adventurous and rebellious?"

"Exactly. I thought I'd go insane. My bruises healed, but my mind and heart bore the scars. My coping mechanism was to be happy always and have a good time. I went out with friends, drinking, hooking up with girls, did extreme sports, and did anything to take my mind off from the kidnapping incident."

"So that's how you dealt with it." She nodded. "Did it help?"

"Well, it did because it brought my confidence back and will to live. It surrounded me with friends, though they're not all real, but at least I was not alone." I pressed my lips together tightly, and continued, "I trained myself to strengthen my body, did meditation for my mental health, martial arts and boxing. It helped me a lot, especially when I joined my family's company."

"I'm glad that you're doing okay now."

I hugged her tightly, feeling her body against mine as we settled comfortably on the bench. I kissed her lingeringly, and she responded adoringly.

"Oh shit," the rain poured in, and we ran to the nearest shed. We laughed and continued to kiss until our chauffeur fetched us.

Sweet

My heart ached knowing what Sebastian went through. Now I understand him better. Everyone envied what they saw in Sebastian. Being young, devastatingly handsome, extremely rich and powerful. He looked really tough, but he had a softer side and pain that he didn't want the world to see.

The kidnapping incident caused his loneliness for losing those important to him. Probably the same reason he was afraid to commit himself to a woman, and believe in relationship, love and marriage.

I was happy that he trusted me with his deepest secret, and I loved him more for that. I felt special that he believed in me, and I would never betray his trust.

We arrived at the hotel and made love again. I loved we were more comfortable with each other. We were more open to pleasing each other by telling what we want and what gave us pleasure. Sebastian and I were very compatible sexually. Sometimes, we wanted our lovemaking to be rough, like a storm, or gentle as a calm, flowing river.

At midnight, it was time to leave. On the plane, we went to bed and made love for the last time, concluding our journey to Paris. We were ready to sleep when he mentioned his mother.

"I told Mom about our dating deal and your dad's partnership deal with Sam Andrews that I pulled out."

"Oh," it surprised me. I sat up. "What was her reaction?"

"Extremely mad. I was afraid she'd disown me." He chuckled, and I joined him laughing. "But I'm glad I still have a mother now. I told her I owe you the Japanese deal."

"You shouldn't have. You did it Sebastian by convincing Mr. Takahashi about your presentation. I just did the research."

"I wouldn't have made it without your help." He insisted. "Anyway, Mom wants to meet you."

My heart pounded so fast at the thought of meeting Elena Stavrakos. I recalled what happened at our last meeting. She warned me to stay away from Sebastian. I wonder if her opinion of me changed after Sebastian told her the truth. What if it isn't? Despite her warning, I continued dating her son.

"When?"

"Hmm, anytime when you're in the city. We'll set a date."

I heaved a long sigh. The last thing I wanted was another confrontation with her.

"Are you okay? You kept on sighing."

"I'm okay," I smiled at him.

He kissed me passionately, then he hugged me, spooning me as we slept. I heard his breathing became even, and I knew he was fast asleep already.

But my eyes were still wide open. I couldn't sleep. There were a lot of things running through my brain.

First, Sebastian's kidnapping. I couldn't imagine what he went through. He suffered under those evil men's hands at a young age. I wondered what happened to them. I hope they paid for what they did. My heart really bled for him.

Then my mind shifted to meeting Sebastian's mother. Oh God. My heart suddenly felt so heavy with nervousness. My hands and feet turned cold.

If Sebastian is rebellious, then his mother is the original one.