He's The Unaffordable
Chapter 43 - The Kidnapper

“You know this man, baby?” ask Aunt Claudia. The three of us looked at the phone screen together. From the frowns on Aunt Lindsey and Aunt Claudia's forehead, it seemed like they didn't know this man at all.

“Finley Taylor's. He became the chief director of his family's company when he was thirty-five years old. She's Abby's college friend, falling in love with her, but our daughter prefers Matias. He is the reason Abby does not want to settle in America and prefers to live in Indonesia.”

“So, he's the one? Abby never wanted to tell me who was the one who was chasing after her love after being rejected.” Aunt Claudia looked at the phone screen in surprise.

“You're sure this guy came to you?” ask Uncle Mason. I'm nodding. “And he mentioned about losing his daughter while on vacation to Parapat?” I nodded back. Uncle Mason turned his head towards Om Hendra and they were both stunned.

“What's up, baby?” tanya Aunt Claudia did not understand the meaning of the gazes of the two of them.

“Finley Taylor who kidnapped Mila from the crash site.” Aunt Zahara rounded her eyes. Hearing that, we all expressed similar expressions. “Nobody knows or guesses where Clarissa might have been taken after the accident. Then appeared an unmarried man, claimed to have a wife and lost a dozen children years ago, then it could be he is the one who became the brains of all these events.”

“Your guess makes sense. Finley Taylor has a past with Abby, and she's suddenly drawn to Mila when she's around us. But if Mila is Clarissa, why are her DNA test results negative?” ask Aunt Lindsey confused.

“I will destroy our subscription hospital if they have dared to manipulate the results of the test,” said Om Edu furious. “Moreover this is not a cheap test. How dare they waste my money by giving me fake test results.”

“I'll help you if they give you trouble, Edu,” timpal Om Hendra. “Hadi, please, take Mila to her place of residence. Mila, you need to pack some of your clothes and college books. You'll stay here until the test results come out. It's not safe for you to live alone. You better be with us than at Lindsey's. The two of them will not let you rest and continue interrogating you until the test results come out.”

“Hendra!” protest Aunt Claudia and Aunt Lindsey simultaneously. We laughed when we heard it.

“Please, don't refuse, Mila. If the man gets to see you straight away, then something is not right here. Better we prevent than regret later,” said Auntie Zahara added.

“If you are reluctant with us, then your room will be next to Kak Hadi. So, if there is anything, you can immediately ask Brother for help. Me and Adi will be very happy to receive you at our home,” Dira said cheerfully. Adi nodded his head.

“Good. Thank ye. Sorry, I will trouble this family,” I said with disdain.

“You don't think about this. Let us adults take care of everything. Focus on your studies only. Let us know immediately if any other irregularities occur. I do not want you, our children, to be victims of the conflict between us adults,” Om Hendra said again. I nodded slowly.

“Can I help Mila pack her things?” tanya Dira was enthusiastic.

“I'm also coming!” charlotte won't lose.

“No. Work that can be completed within an hour will be five hours if you two also come,” forbid Aunt Claudia. Dira and Charlotte simultaneously pouted hearing him.

One by one, the men walked to their car, while Hadi took me to his car without letting me say goodbye to them all. Maybe he's in a hurry. Especially tomorrow we are going to college, so we cannot waste time.

Since he had only been quiet throughout the journey, then I did not try to open the subject either. The silence in the car was comfortable. Although my heart felt like it wanted to come out of my chest once it knew who the man was.

Finley Taylor's. I've never heard that name before. His face was foreign to me. I've read a lot of articles about two to three year olds' memories of childhood trauma.  The result is almost nil. That's why I understand why I can't remember the accident, the kidnapping, or the day I lost my parents in Parapat.

But the fear I felt when I saw his eyes, especially when he followed me to the elevator, was very real. Is it possible unconsciously, my head and my body remember him and the fear he caused me first?

I've never had an accident, but I've never been afraid to be in a car, bus or other vehicle. Even when the vehicle was moving at high speed, I didn't feel my heart pounding so fast. Everything feels normal to me.

We got out of the car, then walked towards the main entrance. I greeted the officer on guard and did not forget to introduce Hadi to him. There were only the two of us in the elevator, so we didn't have to stop on several floors and could go straight to the floor where my apartment was.

Hadi watched the surroundings as I stuffed some clothes into the suitcase and books into the backpack. I forbid him to help me pack, because I didn't want him to touch my underwear. Our relationship wasn't that close, so I wasn't comfortable if she crossed my privacy line.

“I'm done.” I pulled my suitcase and put my backpack on my shoulder.

“What are these all the items you need to bring?” Hadi took over the suitcase and backpack from my hand. I look around me. I think I've brought everything I need in the near future. “If there are still other items you need, we can take them tomorrow after college.”

“Ng, when is the fastest test result we can know?” I forgot to ask Aunt Claudia. After knowing the results, I will come back here again to pick up the rest of my stuff.

“Friday morning,” reply Hadi quickly.

“We came back here to pick up the rest of my stuff on Friday only.” I walked over to the door and opened it so Hadi could get out first.

“It looks like you are confident that you are Clarissa.” After he had been acting so seriously, I was happy to see him return to being relaxed.

“I've been more convinced since the man appeared out of nowhere and claimed that I resembled his late wife, then brought her long-lost daughter's passport.” We walked together to the elevator.

“You sure you've never met that guy before? Did after seeing her face again, you not remember anything? The shadow blurred, maybe?”

“Seeing his face again? I've never met him before, Hadi.” I scanned the card in my hand to open the elevator door.

“You said yourself that he had a passport with your little photo. Where does he get your photos that close when you've never met?”

I was stunned for a moment to hear that question. He's right too. The photo on the passport is a picture of me at close range. Or it could be from a distance, but still it is a passport photo. Does that mean that me and that man have met before? Was he really the one who kidnapped me?

Hadi held my arm and took me with him to enter the elevator. I must be daydreaming again. After scanning the cards and pressing the button towards the ground floor, I stood upright waiting until the door opened again.

“I think you are a smart girl who always knows the reason for everything that happens to you. It turns out that there are also times where you don't think as fast as you normally would,” he said in a mocking tone. “That man is your kidnapper, Mila. That is no longer in doubt. If he didn't kidnap you from the scene of the accident, it could be his guy who did just that.”

“Now everything is getting clearer. Why our parents are so difficult to find your whereabouts all this time is because there are others who have deliberately kept you away from us. Wicked him, he has thrown you away without anyone's supervision.” Hadi shook his head slowly.

“It is only fitting that the two people who claimed my parents did not care about me. I just play alone at home, I can't play with the other kids. Maybe they don't want anyone to know about me then ask if I'm really their son. Because physically, we are very different. Then one day they died. I don't know what caused it and I don't want to know. Only one I know, they are the bad guys,” I growled.

“My father will definitely get the answer. If Finley Taylor had anything to do with all this, he wouldn't have survived.” The elevator door opened, we walked out of the small room.

“You guys are so good to me. I feel unworthy of all this attention.” To be honest, I was terrified after I found out the truth about that man. So, I'm so grateful they're going to put me in their house. Living alone is scary right now.

“Nona Mila,” greet the security guard as I approach the door. “So I forgot to deliver. A man looks for you and leaves a phone number to call. He said he wanted to talk about something very important.”

I received the piece of paper he gave me. There's just a line of phone numbers without names. I can guess who owns this number. I've never felt this scared before. What does this guy want from me? How did he know I lived in this place?