Chapter 3 DANIELLES BURDEN

While Maria slept, Danielle sat up and recalled all that has happened in the past year, the war between there father's led to Maria's mother's death, Danielle had shot her purposefully, successfully, he never thought he would fall in love with her daughter, his love for her was unplanned, unmatched, what if her father decides to tell her?, he was not even sure if her knew the truth, if he did he would not be so silent.

Danielle cried in his heart, he was extremely scared of what the future held.

"What are you thinking about?.". Maria asked him, wiping her eyes with her palm.

"Nothing dear, go back to sleep." He said and kissed her forehead lightly.

The next morning, Danielle hastened to the office to see his new staff, and ally Desmond. "How are you doing?."

Desmond shook his head, the black bags under his showed he could not sleep.

"We will find her, I promise." They went to the security room, and took a look, they traced and found her, but could not detect her location.

"She is the one!, that's my daughter." He said excitedly.

His daughter was tied up, her mouth taped, she wriggled her hand trying to set herself free from the ropes, but all her efforts proved abortive.

Gabrielle stood before her, caressing her with his gun, Desmond hit his hand on the table.

"Calm down!, anger won't solve this, we need to figure out a plan, a way to know where they are."

"My daughter is so young, she is 17, what will my girlfriend think of me, an incompetent father, not able to protect his child."

Danielle, observed the environment that was vividly displayed on his screen. He saw something familiar.

"I think I know where they are."

He got and ran out of the security room, leaving his suit behind, Desmond chased after him, together they jumped into Desmond's car.

"Don't you think we should call the police." Desmond suggested.

"Oh we will,we just need to get there first."

Gabrielle taunted Desmond's daughter.

"The daughter of a dog, your father is nothing, and you are also nothing!.". Desmond's daughter, spat on his face, Gabrielle, hit her head with his gun causing her to bleed and curse him.

"You will rot in prison."

Gabrielle mocked her entire family, he told her the history of her birth.

"Your mother was my mistress, who knows you might be my daughter, but I have no interest in you, else, you would have undergone a Dna Test."

She cried.

"You are a liar, that's all you do, you lie, cheat, and steal, you can never be my father."

Gabrielle sniffed her hair, his lips going closer to her ear.

"And what if I wasnt?, what if Desmond is your father, of what use is he to you."

Desmonds daughter cried, Gabrielle tortured her emotions, he refused to back down.

"You know, if you were my daughter, you would not have to suffer, I mean look at Maria, she has everything she wants and more, perhaps we should take the test, right now."

Desmonds panic was well written on his face, but Danielle's stance was confident, they drove and arrived at Danielle's suspected location.

"This place is too quiet."

Danielle nodded.

Meanwhile, Maria felt worried about Danielle, he did not give her his usual morning kiss, she pretended to be asleep, for a long time before opening her eyes to see that he was long gone, she decided to go his office, his seat was empty, and his desk this disorganized, everything looked as it should, she went down stairs and asked his guard.

"I am looking for Master Danielle.".

The officer gave her a questioning look.

"I know who you are, you don't need to pretend in front of me by calling him your master, i fear that his obsession towards you will wreck this company, but with regards to your question, he left in a hurry with Desmond, I dont know why he keeps company with rotten fruits."

Maria felt her heart skip a beat, Desmond was one of her father's dogs, as he would often refer to them.

As soon as she heard Desmond's name, she knew her father had done something, she hastened back to Danielle's office and sat on his chair, hugging the suit he left behind. She decided to organize his messy desk, one glimpse on the camera screen, and she saw her father carrying Desmond's daughter on his shoulder, could this be where Danielle is, if so, he is walking into a trap.

She called him but his phone was switched off, she became more worried, she knew this building too well, no one goes in and comes out without being bruised, or losing a part of there body. She ran, forgetting to stop a cab, she ran bare foot, leaving her shoes in his office, a nail pierced through her bare feet, causing her to fall, she fell, but got back up, limping.

A taxi driver saw her and stopped, he blew his horn repeatedly, trying to get her attention.

"Miss, where are you going, hop in and I'll take you there for free."

She smiled and limped into the cab, she got to the building, once she got down from the cab, someone's hand pulled her into her dark corner, his hand covered her mouth to stop her from screaming. It was Danielle.

"How did you find us?." He asked.

"I went to clean up your messy office when I saw everything, don't go in there, if you do, you will not make it."

Danielle hugged her tightly, Desmond rolled his eyes.

"This is not the time for this both of you, we need to find my daughter, Sophie, goodness knows, she must have cursed me a million times."

Maria looked up and saw where her father's goons were laying in ambush.

"You see what I mean?, he is always two steps ahead of you, he is a criminal, look over there."

Danielle turned and saw what Maria spoke about, the black mark of there faces, there sharp knives, there eyes focused on the entrance, as though they were expecting a prey.

It seemed the safest place to be was where they hid at the moment, a single step could attract unwanted attention.