Caged Love

Our stories started on two completely opposite tracks. He was living his life, while I was dying day by day.

I never thought that my life would change its course the way it did when I first met him- the one and only Ryker Xander.

He hadn’t even known that a woman named Cynthia Devereux existed. Why would he? He was a billionaire, and I was merely a pathetic housewife. It wasn’t until the day we met that he learned of my existence. None of us knew how abruptly our lives would change afterwards.

My home was a simple two-bedroom house, and his was a penthouse. He was surrounded by his family, while I was alone with the one I was forced to consider my family.

I never wanted to live with him, but I guess he had me Caged in ways I never could have expected. It all started when I was in the hospital, giving birth to my first baby, while he was preparing for a meeting with the Collins family.

--Penthouse--

--Mia Xander--

“Where the hell is he, Connor?”

Connor scoffed because he never liked being disturbed while smoking a cigarette. He turned to look at me.. his eyes narrowing.. as I stood there, pointing a gun at him, filled with aggression.

“I said, where the hell is he?” I asked again.

“Where’s who?”

“You know who I’m talking about. Don’t play games with me. You know I’ll shoot you!”

Connor stared at me without showing a single emotion on his face. That was the only thing that attracted me to him. He  knew how to stay calm in moments like this.

“Let me guess... You lost at the auction again? Please, tell me if I’m wrong,” he taunted, winking and toying with my presence.

“I don’t have time for this bullshit, Connor. Tell me where he is before I pull this baby’s bullet into your favourite weapon.”

“Are you really going to shoot me?” he mocked, flicking his cigarette away as I sighed heavily. I gazed at him intensely, maintaining my aggression, but I knew he wouldn’t give me the information I needed through interrogation or threats.

So, I put my gun down and walked towards him. I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him into a deep, long, passionate kiss he would never have imagined I’d give. As I locked my lips to his, I moved one hand down his chest, across his stomach, and even lower.

“Al...Alright, you win,” he mumbled through the kiss, surrendering. “I’ll tell you where he is.”

I tilted my head back just enough to keep access to his lips while staring into his eyes.

“I missed you too, baby,” he confessed, rolling his eyes as he let out a deep breath.

“Where?”

“He’s with Kol in the living room,” 

I smirked and bit his bottom lip, teasing him... reminding him exactly who I was and how dangerous I could be.

“I’ll see you later,” I said flirtatiously, as I made my way to the living room and reloaded my gun.

“You’re going to be the death of me, Mia Xander,” I heard him shout, before his voice faded beneath the sound of my determined footsteps.

--Ryker Xander--

“I don’t understand why we have to meet with them again. They don’t give a shit about what we’ve built, Ryker,” Kol growled, slamming his fist on the table.

“The Collins are more than that, Kol. You don’t know everything about them. They hold a dominant position. Doesn’t matter now anyway... good business is good business.”

“It’s always business with you, Ryker. Not us.” Kol grunted again, exhaling loudly. “Fine! But don’t blame me  if I point a gun at their heads if they pull another stunt like last time. And you can’t stop me this time.” I scoffed.

Even if Kol had a hint of maturity, he was still the youngest in our family.

“We’ll see,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral. I didn’t want to argue. Given his age, he was bound to act this way - sometimes mature, sometimes too immature. So, not reacting was the best option I had right now.

“Ryker!!”

I heard the click of a gun behind me. I knew the voice. I was expecting her, anyway.

“Oh, what did you do now?” Kol asked, throwing his hands in the air and stepping back dramatically.

“What I always do,” I said with a slight smile.

“Why do you always mess with Mia, Ryker? She’s fucking dangerous.”

“Not to me, she isn’t.”

“Did you interfere with her...?”

“Bidding. Auction. Of course. What else would I get into... her love life?”

“Do you have a death wish, Ryker? You know how much Mia’s been trying to be the highest bidder." Grunting, Kol repulsively rolled his eyes, while backing off. He and all the others knew how much Mia has been possesing over being the highest bidder of all time, and break the record. But let’s just say, it’s not easy dealing with a Xander.

"You know what? Don’t tell me. You may want to die, but I perfectly love my freaking life.”

“Have fun dealing with the demon.” Kol walked out as I turned to see my sister’s face... Oh, the rage, irritation, and an erupting Volcano I was seeing right now almost amused me.

“Mia.”

“Why the hell did you do it, Ryker? You freaking son of a-”

“Technically, he was your father, too. So be careful what you say next.”

“Don’t tell me what to say. How dare you do that to me?”

“What did I do?”

“You damn well know what! For once in your life, leave me be. I’m not a stupid 4-year-old girl anymore! I was trying to make the highest bid on that Solitaire. All you had to do was let me have it. But no... You had to interfere! After I placed my price, what did I hear? Some guy tells me that Ryker Xander bid more than a hundred million dollars. Seriously?”

“So, did you lose the bidding?” I asked, smirking. Mia scoffed, lowering her gun and crossing her arms.

“Hah! Lose? I’m Mia Xander. I don’t lose at anything.”

“Problem solved, then,” I said, walking away.

“Don’t you fucking turn your back on me, Ryker Xander! We’re not finished.”

****

That was a part of his life... complaining about who bid the highest on a diamond or a sapphire.

But mine?

It had nothing to do with him.

At least, at the start.

--Cynthia Deveraux--

I woke up in terrible pain from labour. Everything was blurry, and my head throbbed badly, with relentless pain. It felt like waking from a coma.

I looked around. The ICU room was empty. With no one beside me, panic set in.

“Wher-Where’s my—Nu-Nurse?” My voice broke. “Where’s my baby? Where’s Hope? NURSE!”

“You’re finally awake.” He stood at the door, looking at me... emotionless. He didn’t care. He never loved me, yet he’d chosen to marry me.

“Where’s Hope, Charles? Where the hell is my baby?” Charles closed the door behind him and slowly approached. He stood beside me, looking into my eyes.

“She... she didn’t make it, Cynthia. I’m sorry.”

There.. right there - my world began to shatter.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Our baby girl didn’t make it.”

“No... No. She was fine. We were healthy. I was careful. How could she not.. You’re lying! Please, stop joking and tell me where my baby is!” Tears welled up. Hope was my first child. I planned so much with her. I knew she’d be a keeper the moment I held her for the  first time. 

“You’re lying!” 

Charles’s face turned red as he clenched his fist.

“Listen, Cynthia. I don’t like this either, okay? She was my blood too. It’s not like I fucking killed her! My god, you and your pathetic needs!  Just fucking rest and don’t say another word, got it? I hate hospitals anyway.”

“Ma’am?” 

Another voice entered-A nurse with files. Charles quickly composed himself. 

"I-I can come back l-"

“No, it's fine. She was just about to call you anyway. Be fast, so we can go back home,” he said to the nurse and stormed out... just like that. Just like nothing had happened.

Once he was gone, I curled into a ball, hiding my face in my knees, still unable to believe what I’d just been told. I had lost the greatest gem I could ever have had. I waited for her for nine months. Kept her safe. Lived for her. And now… she was gone.

The nurse sat beside me, gently rubbing my shoulder- a stranger’s touch offering more comfort than my husband ever had.

“Your baby was alive, ma’am,” she said softly. 

I turned to her, shocked. She looked deep into my eyes and spoke from her heart.

“You deserve to know where she is.”

“What exactly are you talking about?” I grunted, stunned by the news, as the nurse dropped her gaze to the floor. She took a few seconds, clearly saddened by finally facing me and speaking the truth.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, “but I think you deserve to know. After all, you were the one who gave birth to her. You’re her mother. I... I’m sorry. All I can say is... she did take her first breaths. She was alive for a while, but…”

“How could she have been alive? Charles just said—”

“I know what he said, ma’am.” She took a deep breath, reached for my palm, and squeezed it tighter.“You may not remember this, but... during labour, you lost a lot of blood. The baby’s head was upside down, and it was getting difficult for you to deliver her.”

“Somehow, we managed. And afterwards, when Hope was here, right in front of us, you fainted. The doctors focused on you while we took care of the baby.”

“She took those first inhales. She was alive for a few minutes bef