The Substitute Babe

The supermarket was about to close and Nathan Bennet thought he would die from tiredness.

It was 11:47 pm.

Nathan had always worked hard. He was a Communications student in his final year. Not rich, not poor. He lived alone in a small room and his rent was almost due. He studied in the morning and worked the night shift at 24/7 FreshMart to pay his school fees and rent.

Today was the worst. He had an exam at 8 am and a shift from 4 pm to 11:50 pm. His legs were aching. His eyes were aching. He just wanted to lock the door, go home, and sleep on his small mattress.

"Ten minutes," he muttered, arranging the bread on the shelf. "Just ten minutes, Nathan."

The bell on the door rang. Someone entered.

Nathan didn't even look. He was used to this. Last minute customers.

"Sir, we are closed. Please come tomorrow morning," he said, his voice tired.

No answer.

The air inside the supermarket became cold. So cold that Nathan got goosebumps.

He looked up.

Three men. All in black shirts, black pants, black shoes, black face masks. Their shoulders were wide. Their aura was scary and intimidating. They were not customers.

Nathan's heart started beating fast. Very fast.

"Sir... we are closed," he said again, stepping back. "I... I don't have money. The register is locked."

One of the men brought out his phone. He showed a photo to the other man. Then he looked at Nathan. Looked at the photo. Looked at Nathan again.

His eyes widened.

"Boss was right," the man whispered. "It's him. It's Jayden. Same face."

"What? Who is Jayden?" Nathan said, his voice shaking now. "You have the wrong person. My name is Nathan Bennet, I am a student, I am not Jayden!"

The second man already brought his phone to his ear.

"Boss, we found him. At FreshMart. The one you have been looking for. Your babe is back," Leo said in a low voice.

Nathan's whole world was crumbling at his feet.

"Please," he said, "I am not your babe, you have mistaken me, I swear I have never seen you before."

"Shut up, pretty boy," the first man said. "It will be better if you don't shout."

Before Nathan could run to the back door, the third man was behind him. A white handkerchief covered his nose and mouth. It smelled strong. Chemical smell.

Nathan struggled. He hit the man's hand. He tried to scream but his voice was gone.

His eyes were closing. The last thing he saw was the photo on the phone. A boy who looked exactly like him. Same soft face, same lips, same eyes. But with longer hair and a small tattoo on his neck. Smiling beside a tall man whose face was blurred but whose customized Rolex was shining.

Then everywhere became black.

When Nathan woke up, he thought he was dead.

The bed was too soft. Too big. The sheets smelled like expensive perfume and cigarettes. The room was too big, bigger than his whole room. Black curtains, black walls, gold lights.

It was not his room. It was not the supermarket.

Courage rushed through him. He jumped down from the bed. His head was still dizzy.

"Hello?!" he shouted. "Where am I?! Who brought me here?! This is kidnapping! Help!"

Nobody answered. The door was locked.

He ran to the window. The mansion was in the hills. Far, far from downtown. He could see Los Angeles lights from up there. He was trapped in a big mansion in Hollywood Hills.

The door opened with a loud bang.

Nathan turned.

A man entered. Tall with sharp features. So tall, maybe 6'4. He wore a custom-made black shirt, black pants, black shiny shoes. His hair was black, his eyes were black, his aura was so cold and intimidating that Nathan couldn't breathe.

Daniel Kravalo. The most scary mafia man in Los Angeles. Everyone in school said his name with fear. They said he beats his boyfriends. They said he killed a man for touching his babe's hand.

And now he was standing in front of Nathan.

Daniel's eyes were dark. Obsessed. He was breathing hard, like he had run up the stairs.

For a second, his cold face broke. His eyes became soft.

"Baby," he whispered. "You came back."

Nathan was shaking.

"I... I am not your baby," Nathan said, tears already coming out. "Sir, please, my name is Nathan Bennet, I am 22, I am a Communications student, I work at FreshMart, I am not Jayden, you have mistaken me!"

Daniel walked closer. Each step was slow, scary. Nathan stepped back until his back hit the wall.

Daniel grabbed his jaw. Hard. Not too hard to hurt, but hard enough that Nathan couldn't move.

"You think you can leave me for six months, baby?" Daniel's voice was low, cold, dangerous. "You left a note on my bed and thought I would let you go? You think you can run away from your husband and work in a supermarket?"

"I am not your husband! I don't know you!" Nathan shouted, his whole world crumbling again. "I have never met you before! My name is Nathan Bennet! Check my ID! Check my student ID!"

Leo entered the room. The man from the supermarket. He held Nathan's bag. The small backpack Nathan always carries.

"Boss," Leo said quietly, opening the bag. He brought out Nathan's wallet, his school ID, his supermarket tag. "Nathan Bennet. 22. UCLA Communications. He lives on West Adams. It's not him."

The mansion went silent. The only sound was Nathan's fast breathing.

Daniel froze. His hand was still on Nathan's jaw.

He looked at the ID. Looked at Nathan's face. Looked at the photo on his phone again. Same face. Same pretty soft face. But different. This boy's eyes were more stubborn. More scared, but brave. Jayden's eyes were always soft and anxious. This boy's eyes were fighting him.

Same face, but not his babe.

Leo was scared for the boy. He knew Daniel's temper.

"Boss, we kidnapped the wrong person. This is not Jayden. Should we return him?" Leo said.

Daniel didn't move for ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty.

Then he smiled.

It was a cold smile. Scary smile. The smile that made grown men in LA kneel.

Nathan felt his blood freeze.

"Not him?" Daniel said softly, his thumb caressing Nathan's shaking lips. "Good."

Nathan's eyes widened. "What... what do you mean good? Let me go! I will not tell police! Please!"

"Not him? Good," Daniel repeated, his eyes dark and obsessed now looking at Nathan's lips, his neck, his soft hair. "Jayden was too scared. He ran away because he couldn't handle my world. He was too soft. But you..."

He leaned closer, his lips almost touching Nathan's ear. Nathan could smell his expensive perfume.

"You shouted at me. You hit my men. You have courage, pretty boy. You are prettier than him. You are braver than him."

Leo closed his eyes. He knew what was coming.

Daniel let go of his jaw, but held his waist, pulling Nathan's whole body to his own chest. Nathan was so small compared to him.

"From today, you will be my substitute babe," Daniel whispered, cold and clear, every word entering Nathan's soul. "You will live in this mansion. You will wear his clothes. You will sleep in his room, on his bed. You will be my husband until I get tired of your face. If you try to run, I will break your beautiful legs and lock you in this room forever."

Nathan's legs gave up. He fell, but Daniel held him.

"No..." he whispered, tears falling. "You can't... you can't do this... I want to go home..."

"You are home, baby," Daniel said, carrying him to the big bed like he weighed nothing. "Mama Rosa will bring you food. Leo will watch you. Be a good babe for me."

He dropped Nathan on the bed and stood up, fixing his customized Rolex.

"Boss, his friend might look for him," Leo said.

"Let him look. No one will find him here," Daniel said without looking back. He walked to the door.

Nathan sat on the bed, shaking, holding his knees, his pretty face full of tears.

Daniel stopped at the door. He looked back one more time, his cold eyes now soft only for a second.

"What's your name again, pretty boy?"

"N... Nathan Bennet," Nathan cried.

Daniel smiled.

"Good. From today, you are Nathan Kravalo. My substitute babe."

He closed the door. Locked it.

Nathan screamed.