Challenging a Cold Heart

Chapter 23: Quid pro quo

Vincent's POV

"Get up!" Someone hit me on the face with their boot and I woke up with a start. I felt dizzy from hunger and thirst that I felt the world sway around me when I opened my eyes.

"Vincent!" Someone slapped my face again.

"Bring water!" The person said and in a while someone threw water in my face. I hungrily lapped at drops of water on my face.

"Give him some water." The person ordered and someone pressed a cup of water against my lips.

I drank greedily thinking that it tasted heavenly. My head still throbbed from hunger but my eyes were a bit focused now from having some water. My stomach protested loudly after getting its first taste of anything in a long time. I didn't know how long it had been. My eyes focused on Andrew who was squatting beside me to peer into my face. He had two guards beside him.

"Well, you've done well without water for three days. Do you want to starve again or would you cooperate?" He asked me.

I frowned at that and tried to recall my escape plans but I felt too exhausted to think.

"Go and get a shower. We are leaving to get Max from his boarding school now." Andrew announced as he pulled me up on legs that felt like jelly. He shoved me towards his guards.

"Remove the shackles and make sure he dresses well." Andrew said and started to leave. I pushed away from the guards.

"I can shower and dress by myself." I told them and one of them rolled his eyes as I tried to find my balance.

"Sure. Let's go then princess." He said. I watched the guards remove my handcuffs and the cuffs on my legs. They pulled away the chains and I felt like I had been freed from a tonne of weight. I wondered if I could try to escape now but then thought better of it. The two guards looked strong and I didn't know a way to fight through them. Not to mention I was still feeling weak. I walked slowly out of the basement to a guest room on the ground floor where I was asked to take a shower.

The guards remained in the shower, watching me while I took the shower. So, I made it very quick and grabbed my towel as soon as I was done. The shower invigorated me to some extent. Once I stepped out of the shower, I was given a sweater and jeans to wear. While changing, I wondered again at my escape plan. I thought I would have to propose to Andrew to take me to Max's school. Given the level of security in the school, I thought going there was my escape plan. But somehow, Andrew had initiated going there on his own and that worried me. Once I was done with the clothes, the guards escorted me out to Andrew.

I gave an odd look at Andrew. He seemed a bit..different. He had cut his hair and he was even wearing contact lenses and a fake beard. He even looked taller and I think he had padded his body to appear ripped like the person he was impersonating. I stared at him. Why was he pretending to be Alexander? I wondered. Andrew gave me a once over and sneered at me.

"You look like an ugly sheep. I don't know what people see in you." He huffed and then frowned.

"We are going to get your son now. Don't you dare do any tricks while inside the school! I have made a parent card for you. You show the card when the guards ask you. Am I clear?" He asked me as he gave me a card that looked exactly like the one the school issued to me. It was the way the school verified the identity of the parents.

"How did you get this?" I asked him curiously.

"I have my ways." He said vaguely and I frowned at him.

"You just have to keep your mouth shut and answer questions only when required." Andrew said. My stomach growled in response to that.

Andrew glared at my stomach. "You will get food only after we get out of the school with your son." He told me. I didn't say anything to that as I stared at his get up.