Chapter Twenty

The doorknob turned slowly as Chloe sucked in her breath in nervous anticipation. She gazed longingly at the hidden cell phone beneath the leaves of the green plant one last time and prayed fervently that the battery would hold out. Soon Brady and I will know the reasons behind this mess. Brady's my "black" knight in shining armor. He'll be able to help me then, just like he always does, she thought as her eyes focused solely on the ominously opening door.

A ragged gasp of shock exploded softly from Chloe's throat when the door opened completely, revealing the mastermind behind her capture in all of his evil glory. "You!" she gasped harshly, pointing her finger at him in mute accusation. Chloe's features turned furiously stony as she turned her chilling gaze onto the man framed menacingly in the doorway.

"Who were you expecting?" Stefano asked his daughter cheerfully as he closed the door behind him with a loud snap. He leaned against the door and viewed the welcome sight before him. He had been planning this moment for a long time, ever since he had been languishing in a prison cell in Europe. Chloe Lane was his first revenge against the women who had the audacity to take him on. A gleam of pure satisfaction entered his eyes as he waited for the inevitable explosion.

Chloe forgot about the hidden cell phone as she launched all of her fury and anger at the monster standing in front of her. She stood tall and straight as she demanded her release from the bastard who was her father. "You bastard! You had no right to kidnap me, to take me from my wedding. I demand that you let me go. Now."

Stefano's eyes twinkled merrily as Chloe reacted exactly as he had predicted she would. He ignored her unflattering view of him, at least for the moment. There would be time to deal with that later. "Always so foolishly courageous, my dear. One of these days you will learn to curb that quick tongue of yours."

"I don't think so," Chloe insisted strongly as she felt her livid fury bubble within her. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced with unconcealed hatred at the man before her. "You're nothing to me, DiMera. I'm not scared of you."

Stefano held up his hand, effectively cutting off Chloe's continuing tirade against him. She continued to glare daggers at him as he broke in, "You should be, Chloe, very scared. Terrified, even. I have a score to settle with you, my dear. One that needs immediate attention."

Chloe held onto her courage and interrupted her father, looking at him haughtily and with obvious pleasure, "Oh? I take it you didn't like prison? And here I thought that it would suit you perfectly. After all, you were in excellent company. All those other thieves and murderers. Your perfect complement."

DiMera recognized Chloe's show of bravado for what it was, a disguise for the fear she was feeling now. His eyes narrowed at her as his voice expressed his displeasure with her, "As I was starting to say, you are very strong, very brave. But also very foolish if you cannot recognize the perilous position you are now in, a position created by my hand. I have ultimate control over you, which is exactly what I want."

Chloe valiantly fought down the accumulating terror that DiMera stirred effectively within her with his chilling words. She shivered involuntarily and turned her back on him while she attempted to regain her composure. Chloe breathed in deeply and then decided to try and control her rioting emotions right now. He's right, she realized hopelessly. I don't stand a chance against him if I can't control my feelings.

DiMera moved closer to his youngest daughter, studying her back intently. He could see the effort Chloe was exerting to control her emotions. He was very pleased that Chloe was taking his warning to heart. He placed his hand solidly on her shoulder.

Chloe recoiled at her father's unwelcome touch, rejecting it thoroughly as she slid out from under his hand. "Don't touch me! I never want to feel your corrupt, evil hands on me!" she ordered him hoarsely, forgetting her recent decision to regain a tight leash on her emotions. She slanted a look at her father, watching in fascination as anger lit up his face briefly before he extinguished it.

"Foolish, so damn foolish," he muttered to himself as he shook his head in severe disapproval at his daughter. "Some people never seem to take helpful advice when it is handed to them. Oh, well," he shrugged fatalistically, "I did not believe that my plan would be all that easy."

Chloe's curiosity overrode her desire to attack her father with the only weapon she had right now: words. However, she needed to know exactly why he had taken her away from Brady and her family and friends in Salem. "Plan?" she inquired innocently, hoping that her inquiry would prompt him to expand upon it.

Stefano recognized her ploy quickly and couldn't resist a low roar of satisfied laughter. Chloe simply flinched at the unappetizing sound. After his laughter faded away, Stefano responded to Chloe's implied demand, "Maybe I'll tell you about it. Later, of course. For now, I merely wanted to see how you were faring, my dear."

Chloe felt disappointment spear through her as she realized that he was toying with her and enjoying this cat-and-mouse game immensely. Building up her hopes and then dashing them. He played it well, she reluctantly thought. "Fine," she finally spit out at him in renewed anger. "You really want to know how I am? I'll be delighted to tell you," she sneered at him, her hatred for this man clearly revealed in her raising voice. "My father, who I happen to despise, by the way, has kidnapped me. He has forced me to unwillingly leave my family, my friends, and my fiancé! You are evil, DiMera, pure and simple. I regret having you for a father."

This time, Stefano could not conceal his fury at his daughter's blatant disrespect. He stalked up to her, all recent satisfaction at her capture dissolved, and grabbed her forcefully by the forearms. He held on tightly to Chloe as he attempted to look angrily into her eyes. She would not cooperate and focused her gaze on the carpeted floor. "You are mine," he hissed sharply at her, losing control slightly. "Get it through that stubborn head of yours. You will never leave this place without my prior approval, Chloe. Never. I am in complete control of your life. I own you now."

Chloe refused to meet his glance as she began to struggle against Stefano's unbreakable grip. He was a lot stronger than he looked, she thought inconsequentially. Chloe managed a harsh laugh at his demands as she denied them heatedly, still refusing to meet his gaze as she looked with extreme concentration at the carpet below her feet. "You could never own me," she denied heatedly. "I know exactly what kind of monster you are. I will leave this place, sooner or later. Brady will find me."

Stefano's grip increased on her to the point of pain as he suddenly chuckled at Chloe's statement. "No one will ever find you, Chloe, unless I want them to. Not John Black, not the ISA, and not even your precious Brady Black. No trace of you is left, I made sure of it. There's just the memory of your face for the wonderful people of Salem to go on. And that's not going to get them very far in their search for you." His face became a mask of sadistic pleasure because he knew that he had his daughter right where he wanted her. She was alone and totally helpless against him.

Chloe used all of her remaining strength to combat her sudden fear as Stefano insisted that she would not be found. Her heart screamed for Brady as her eyes traveled to the plant where her cell phone was hidden. I hope the battery wore out a long time ago, she thought wildly, praying that Brady was not listening to this conversation. It would only cause him more pain and worry. "Why would you do this to me?" she couldn't resist asking him, even though she had insisted to herself that she would not plead with him for any reason.

Stefano released one of his hands from Chloe's forearm and used it to force her chin up. Their gazes finally collided. Stefano smirked when he correctly read the hostility, hatred, and barely hidden fear in Chloe's eyes. "The answer is simple, my dear. You are my daughter and I want you with me. Also, there is the fact that you were marrying Brady Black today." His smile gleamed with sadistic pleasure as he continued, "I could never allow a daughter of mine to marry a Black! That is an event I will prevent at any cost."

Chloe felt icy shivers run through her after her father explained another part of the reason behind her abduction. She knew there was more, that he had other things planned for her. Those "other plans" completely terrified her. "Damn you!" she hurled at him furiously as she finally succeeded in breaking all contact with him, visual and physical.

Stefano let his daughter go. He knew that she would fight his plan every step of the way. Which was fine, because he expected her disobedience. That was why he had devised a way to counteract her willfulness. By the time he was done with her, she would act like a true DiMera. He strode deliberately to the door, his thoughts warming him as he opened the door and prepared to exit her chamber. He turned back to look at his rebellious daughter once more before he left. "Don't worry too much, Chloe, darling. Your fate was sealed the minute you became a passenger on my jet. You should admit defeat right now and save yourself the agonizing worry that I know will be plaguing you. You will not be able to prevent what I have planned for you." His sinister laughed followed him as he closed the door sharply behind him, locking the door the second the door closed.

Chloe picked up the nearest object, another potted plant, and threw it furiously at the door, finding small satisfaction in the crash of ceramic against the solid wood door. She covered her mouth in an expression of absolute horror as her façade of strength dissolved into a wealth of grief. "Damn him to hell!" she swore under her breath as great tears of sorrow streamed unchecked down her face.

It took Chloe a moment to remember her cell phone and who was on the other end of the connection. "Brady!" she exclaimed suddenly and then she fled to the potted plant where she had hidden her cell phone. She picked it up hurriedly and inspected it. "Fuck!" she swore as she announced to herself, "the battery's dead." She held the phone to chest and slowly slid down the wall in back of her, mourning the loss of her contact with Brady. Fear and hopelessness battled within her. "How much did you hear, Brady?" she asked softly, hoping that the cell phone had died quickly into her ugly conversation with Stefano DiMera.