Chapter 7 Meeting Julian

Eva took the envelope from her mom. She hesitated for some minutes. Her fear was stronger than ever and her heart beat willy-nilly.

She breathed in shallow, quick gasps as she flipped the cover. It was an old picture of a woman.

She looked at her mom as she slowly pulled the picture out of the envelope. A glazed look of despair began to spread over her face. Tears slowly found their way down her cheeks.

Eva did not see anything that could stop her wedding. However, after looking at the picture, she realized her chances of wedding James were very slim. The picture showed Julian knew something about one of her maids who died six years ago.

She walked slowly towards her bed and sat down. Eva noticed there was a short note at the back of the picture. She read it out.

"Now you know what you did, please come along with the picture and don't breathe a word to anyone."

Eva stood up from the bed and grabbed her car keys.

"Where are you off to?" Molly asked with a shaky voice.

"I'm off to his house," Eva responded.

"Sit down! Would you?" Molly sat up and yelled at her. Eva was very surprised. Her mother had never raised her voice at her. Even the day she committed the heinous crime, her father yelled at her and grounded her for one month. Molly never raised her voice.

"Your nonchalant attitude is beginning to irritate me! He has been inviting you to come and see him, yet you did not deem it fit to let me know!"

"Mom, please get your voice down; I didn't know it was something serious."

"You didn't, but James knew!"

"He did not, mom!"

"You said it. You said it was just an invitation, but James thinks there is more to it. For god's sake Eva, you are an alumnus of Harvard University! I don't expect you to be dumb!" Molly continued yelling at her daughter.

"Alumna, mom."

"Whatever! Julian or whatever his name is obviously knows what you did to Sophia. This problem would have been over if you had told me.

Now, you have just six days until your wedding. Do you think we will solve this problem before your wedding?" Molly asked, but got no response from her daughter.

Eva stood up and walked towards her window again. She needed to get the ice that was fast spreading through her stomach out.

The wind blew gently and the trees began to sway gracefully, assuring her that all was going to be alright. Strength began to return to her face. She felt a serene peace within. Amid a problem, Eva found herself smiling with tears in her eyes.

Her mother knew how she felt each time she stared at the trees, so she stopped yelling.

Molly stood up from the chair and picked up her phone.

"Unlock the phone," she said to her daughter.

Eva took the phone from her and unlocked it nonchalantly. She did not bother to ask what she wanted to do with it.

Molly searched her phonebook and dialed her father's number. She could not believe she just forgot her husband's digits. Tears continued racing down her cheeks and she kept wiping it with the back of her palm.

"Hi, lollipop," Richard said when he picked up the phone.

"Richard, it's me, please we have a problem. You need to come now!" Molly said. Richard kept quiet as though he did not hear her clearly.

"Richard, are you there?"

"What is the problem?" He asked.

"Sophia Jones!" Molly said with a lower voice, that sounded quite mysterious.

"I'm coming there right away," Richard said.

Molly hung the call and tossed the phone aside as though it was a cheap phone.

She picked up the envelope again and began to stare at the picture. She fixed her gaze on it.

The wind increased and Eva found her despair lessening. She wished she had such a wonderful view in her new residence.

Richard Miles was chauffeured in after about thirty minutes. He alighted hurriedly, with his phone in his hands trying to know where his wife was.

Eva's phone began to ring continuously. Molly picked up the call and told Richard where they were.

He walked into the bedroom, everywhere was as silent as a graveyard. Molly sat dejectedly on a sofa while Eva stood like a statue looking at the trees.

Richard sat on the bed and looked at his wife and daughter. No one seemed to notice his presence.

"Lollipop," he called. Eva responded with tears. Richard took her hands and led her to one of the sofas. He took a seat beside her after wiping her tears with his handkerchief.

Molly handed the envelope to him. He opened it and pulled the picture out. Richard tossed it aside after staring at it for some seconds.

"Molly, are you guys mourning Sophia Jones again?" Richard asked.

"Turn the back of the picture."

Richard picked the picture up again and turned the back. He read what was written on it and still did not understand anything.

"Someone knows what she did to her," Molly said with a flat tone.

"What!" Richard said, giving her a sidelong glance of utter disbelief. Molly nodded her head.

"Who is he or she?" He asked.

"Julian Hampton, the celebrated footballer," Molly said.

Richard picked the picture and the envelope up, searching for the name of the sender to be sure they were telling him the truth. There was no name on it.

"How did you know Julian sent this to her?" Richard asked.

"He has been sending letters to her and she hid it from us," Molly responded.

"Why, Lollipop?" Richard asked.

"I never knew it was something serious," Eva responded.

"What does he want? Did he tell you?" Richard further asked.

"No"

"We need to find out what he wants. Molly, you are going with her," Richard said. "As for Maria, I will go after her when this is over. I paid her a hundred thousand dollars to keep her wide mouth shut!"

"You think Maria told him?" Molly asked.

"Who else knew what happened that day?" Richard sighed and stood up from the bed. He took Eva's hand and they began to walk down the stairs.

"You know his address right?" Richard asked. Eva gave him an abrupt nod.

"Okay, you will be chauffeured. Please don't sell your body to him. Remember, your wedding comes up in six days," Richard said. Eva looked at him and nodded.

James, who just pulled over at the enormous garage, met them at the grand foyer. He smiled and prostrated for Richard.

"Hi, James," Richard patted his back without a grin. It was quite unusual. He responded to his greetings with a grin.

James frowned his face a bit when he looked at Eva's face, there was no smile on her face too. He became worried and impatient.

He took her right hand and slowly snatched her away from her father's grip. Richard let go of her and continued walking towards the garage. Molly walked beside him.

"Eva, what is it?" James asked, standing before her and looking into her eyes. Eva quickly lowered her gaze. James cupped her chin and lifted her face.

"Julian sent another envelope and my father wants me to go and see him."

"No, Eva, you can't see him, please.

"I'm going with my mom, so don't be afraid."

"No, Eva, I'm not comfortable with you meeting him and I don't know why. Please, we can go and see him after our wedding. It's just six days! This is one of the challenges that comes with wedding preparations, but honey, we must overcome," James said.

"The matter is more serious than I thought; I must go."

"I'm going with you," James said with a lower tone. He stepped out of her way and led her to the garage where her parents stood and were waiting for her.

The chauffeur was ready to take them out. Eva opened the rear door where her mother sat, while James hopped in the front seat.

"Em...James, we will be right back," Molly said and dragged her daughter out of the car.

"Eva, what is wrong with you?"

"Mom, he insisted and you know James doesn't give up so easily. He is coming with us."

"Did you tell him why we are going there?" Molly asked.

"No, mom," Eva responded.

"Good, don't tell anyone; not even Nora."

"Julian also wrote it at the back of the picture," Eva said.

Eva and her mother walked back to the car and the chauffeur drove off immediately.