Jessica came into the dining room with Hailey and Khole. The aroma of freshly cooked pasta wafted as they entered making their mouth watering but they didn't want to show it and kept on discussing among themselves which got Jayden angry. "Why can't they keep shut? Can't they see someone is before them?" He said inwardly, staring at each of them one after the other but none of them noticed the look on his face.Jessica carried a large, steaming hot serving pasta, adorned with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a few fresh basil leaves. The eight men seated around the table looked up from their conversations, the moment she placed it on the table with their their faces lighting up with anticipation."Sorry for the delay." She said and they only nodded their heads in unison like they wear being controlled or were suddenly dumb.As Jessica began to serve the pasta, the men watched with interest. She expertly twirled the pasta onto each plate, adding a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a driz
Jayden turned his head slowly and kept his eyes fixed on Vic who became uncomfortable and quickly leaned his back on the chair, avoiding to take another glance at him. He immediately regretted ever asking him any questions. "Back to our previous discussion." Jayden said, looking at them and the all seated uprightly to listen to him. After about an hour, they were finally done and all stood up to leave as Jayden escorted them outside. Jayden got back into the house and began heading to his room, he looked around trying to see if he would find Jessica but there was no sight of her around. "Is she in the kitchen?" He asked inwardly, sliding his right hand into his pocket, pondering on if he should go and check up on her in the kitchen. "No no! I can't go in there." He whispered to himself while climbing up the stairs. Just then he heard footsteps approaching, he looked up and his eyes jammed with Jessica who wasn't looking okay. He couldn't figure out the look on her face yet, he was
Jayden stared at Jessica, he was speechless and did know what to say. He wanted to just walk towards the door, open it and let her out but he couldn't bring himself to. He could agree with the fact that he hadn't been treating her right recently because he was angry with himself, but today's incident wasn't included."Really? Is that what you think?" He asked in a very soft tone."Yes, wasn't it so obvious?' She replied, turning her head slowly to look at him and their eyes met. "Do you mind opening the door now, I need to leave.* "What if I don't?' He asked , looking directly into her eyes."What do you mean, a deal is a deal. You said if I tell you what was wrong, you would open the door and let me leave." Jessica said out loud, with her eyes widened."How do you get to pretend so well? Would you deny the fact that you want to stay here with me?" He said, moving closer to her as she immediately movies backwards, looking away from him."You wish. Maybe before, but not anymore." She
Jessica couldn't fanthom whatever Jayden was trying to do and how he was going to make things up ad she pondered on if she should trust him this time or just expect the worst instead in order not to get any further heart break."I just hope you aren't planning anything funny this time Jayden." she said as they descended down the stairs."Anything funny?" Jayden asked, turning his head slowly to look at her with a look of confusion written on his face, while noticing she was still struggling to free herself from his grab but he wasn't letting go of her anytime soon. "Yeah, you heard and when I say funny, I don't literally mean funny, you should understand better." she said, but this time got no response from him.Jessica noticed they were heading towards the outside door which got her even moe scared. "What could be going on in Jayden's mind?" She thought as they slowly approched his car."Open the gates." He shouted at rhe gateman, who obeyed instantly.Jayden opened the car door,ins
To her utmost surprise, Jayden had just parked in a very big mall which was one of the biggest mall in the whole city and rumours has it that only high-class people come here to shop. While she was younger, she had always seen this mall and always told herself she would go there to shop one day, but never she realize that she was going to eventually go even with everything that had happened to her. "Jessica, Jessica, Jessica, you can come down now." Jayden said.."Yeah, what? Huh?" She responded, realizing she was so lost in her thoughts and didn't even know when Jayden was calling her."I said you can come down now, except you want me to carry you, I wouldn't mind doing that." He replied."What, no way I want that." She said, stretching her legs outside but suddenly stopped. "Wait, I can't go in there like this, people would stare and me and some might even take pictures." She said with a worrisome look on her face, looking around and noticing that some people outside had their eyes
Jessica was so angry, she wanted Lois to go through every pain she went through and even more. She wanted her to suffer so much that she would wish she was dead instead. However, she couldn't allow it, she won't be comfortable seeing someone suffering and going through pain. She knew Lois was only begging her like this because of Jayden and his threats which he fulfills without hesitation or remorse."You are scared for your life, not like you are actually sorry, lying bitch " Jessica said to her, kicking away her hands which was grabbing her legs firmly. "Let go of me, you disgust me please." "So what do you want now? I'm ready to do whatever you say, your wish is my command ma'am."Jayden said, moving closer to Lois who was on the floor, pleading intensely.."Kill her." Jessica said and looked away. ."There you go." Jayden responded, slowly sliding in is hands into his back pocket bringing out a pistol "No please Jessica, you can't allow me die like this, I know you still have con
"I didn't mean to hm." "No, it's fine. You said your mind anyways at least now I know what you think of me." Jayden said as he opened the boot a d began putting the shopping bags into it. "Jayden, I just." "One I'm done we are getting back inside. Your hair needs to be touched and maybe a little make up of you want, then we can go out for dinner." He interrupted her, focusing on what he was doing. He realized she was about to talk again and immediately said, "No Jessica, I don't want to hear anything you have to say.""But you can't be angry with me. We are going out for dinner and you are mad at me." She said in a calm voice, moving closer to him"I'm not.""It doesn't seem like it."Just then the sound of tires screeching loudly was heard and both Jessica and Jayden turned their head backwards to look. Suddenly, without warning, the vehicle slammed on its brakes, coming to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road. Before Jayden could take a closer look at the car, a man sitting b
Joe rose up, walking away from Jessica. Fighting his thoughts, he didn't want to suspect that she had something to do with this, else why would she be against killing the people responsible for this crime. "They almost killed my boss, in fact their plan was to kill him but thankfully he isn't dead and battling with his life, why should we not killer the people responsible?" He thought inwardly, looking at Jessica who was now sitting restlessly on the floor, while murmuring to herself. An hour later, a nurse finally came out from the theatre. Jessica rose up to her feet and ran swiftly to the nurse, holding her hands firmly. "Where is he? How is he doing now?" She shouted, like she would attack the nurse if she heard something otherwise from what she was expecting."Calm down ma'am, the doctor would be outside soon to explain." The nurse said, trying to move away, but Jessica wouldn't let her go."What do you mean by the doctor would be out soon huh, why can't you just tell me?" She y
One evening, after Ethan had been tucked into bed, his soft snores drifting through the house, Jayden and Jessica sat on the terrace overlooking their garden. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the manicured lawns and blooming flowers. A comfortable silence settled between them, a silence filled with love and contentment.Jayden took Jessica’s hand in his, his fingers intertwining with hers. He looked at her, his eyes filled with love and a hint of something else, contemplating.“Jessica,” he began, his voice low and thoughtful. “There’s something I’ve been thinking about.”Jessica squeezed his hand gently. “What is it, Jayden?”He took a deep breath. “Ethan, he’s going to grow up so fast. He deserves a normal life, Jessica. A life without...without the shadows.”Jessica knew what he was talking about. The “shadows” – the life Jayden had led, the life of power, danger, and violence that had been his reality for so long. She had always worried about it, worried
The morning sun streamed through the windows, casting long shadows across the room. Jayden sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on his phone. He had barely slept, his mind consumed by the message, the silence, the impending deadline. He glanced at the clock. It was almost noon. He had given them until noon."Any news?" Jessica asked, her voice filled with hope and anxiety. She sat beside him, her hand resting on his arm.Jayden shook his head. "Nothing," he said, his voice grim. "Not a word."He could see the disappointment in her eyes, the flicker of hope dimming. He hated this. He hated putting her through this, raising her hopes only to have them potentially dashed."What are you going to do?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.Jayden looked at her, his heart aching. "I'm going to do what I said I would do," he replied, his voice firm. "I'm going to find them."Just then, his phone buzzed. He snatched it up, his heart pounding in his chest. It was a message from the unkno
Jayden stared at his phone, his eyes fixed on the screen, willing it to display a reply. Who is this? What are you talking about? he had texted back, his fingers trembling as he typed. But the phone remained stubbornly silent. He checked it again and again, as if the act of looking could somehow conjure a response. Nothing.He sank back into the armchair, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. Jessica’s child… alive? The thought echoed in his mind, a flicker of hope igniting in the darkness. He had mourned the loss of that child, carried the weight of that grief for months. Now, this… this cryptic message. It was too much to process. He didn't know what to believe.He thought of Jessica, asleep upstairs, still recovering from her ordeal. Should he tell her? Could he dare to give her this hope, only to have it snatched away? He couldn't bear to inflict any more pain on her. But could he keep this from her? This… possibility?He got up and walked over to the window, staring ou
Jayden gently scooped Jessica into his arms, carrying her bridal-style as if she weighed nothing at all. He wanted to reassure her, to make her feel safe and cherished. He carried her through the silent mansion, up the grand staircase, and down the long hallway to his room. "No way is she staying in her room" He thought. She needs to be close, where I can keep an eye on her.He laid her gently on the king sized bed, the soft Egyptian cotton sheets a stark contrast to the rougher textures she’d endured recently. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, his gaze filled with tenderness. “I’ll be right outside,” he murmured, kissing her forehead. “Just call if you need anything.”"All right" Jessica responded with a soft smile on her face.He closed the door softly behind him, leaving her in the capable hands of the maids whom he had intentions to fire soon. He couldn't trust any of them but he was certain they would take good care of her, since Lilian who gives them orders is now
"Why would you say that? I don't hate you, and I've forgotten whatever you did. Stop blaming yourself; it's all my fault, Jessica," he said, tightening the hug."You will hate me, Jayden. You will soon hate me," Jessica said, tears running down her eyes.Jayden pulled back slightly, cupping her face in his hands. He looked at her, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions – concern, anger, and a deep, underlying sadness. "Jessica, what is it? What's wrong? You can tell me anything." He already knew. He’d seen the video. George’s cruel, gloating message. The confirmation of his worst fears. But he needed to hear it from her. He needed her to trust him enough to tell him.She hesitated, her gaze darting away from his. "It's… it's about George," she finally whispered, her voice trembling.Jayden's jaw tightened. He knew what she was going to say, but he forced himself to remain calm. "What about George?"Jessica took a shaky breath, her hands twisting in her lap. "He… he's been… for
Jayden's helped Jessica to her feet, his grip firm but gentle. "Come on," he urged, pulling her towards the exit. He didn't want to carry her in bridal style, incase they were attacked, he would be able to react swiftly. They moved quickly with Joe and Ben flanking them, guns raised, ready for any threat. The sounds of battle raged around them, but Jayden's focus was to get Jessica out, then erase every trace of this nightmare.They reached Jayden's car, a sleek black SUV parked a short distance from the building. He ushered Jessica inside, then turned to Joe and Ben. "Get the others out," he ordered. "Make sure no one is left behind."As Joe and Ben disappeared to round up the rest of their team, Jayden slid into the driver's seat. He glanced at Jessica, who was staring at the building with a mixture of awe and terror. He knew she was trying to understand him, trying to reconcile the man she knew with the ruthless operator he had become. He waited for a few more minutes and he saw J
The narrow staircase descended into darkness, the only light source Jayden’s tactical flashlight, cutting a swathe through the oppressive gloom. The air grew colder, heavier, thick with the smell of damp earth and something else… something metallic and faintly sickening. He gripped his gun tighter, his knuckles white. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the echo of his own footsteps on the stone steps.He reached the bottom, the stairs opening into a low-ceilinged chamber. The flashlight beam danced across rough-hewn walls, revealing a space that was more dungeon than basement. Chains hung from the ceiling, their cold iron glinting in the light. In the center of the room, a single bare bulb cast a sickly yellow glow, illuminating a scene that made Jayden’s blood run cold.Jessica was tied to a chair, her wrists bound tightly with rope. Her face was pale, streaked with tears and dirt. A gag covered her mouth, muffling her sobs. Standing before her, his back to Jayden, was George.
The gates, more like flimsy decorations than actual security, crumpled like paper under the weight of Jayden’s SUV. He didn’t even bother stopping; he just plowed right through, the twisted metal screaming a prelude to the carnage that was about to unfold. He jumped out, gun already in hand, the adrenaline pumping through him like a shot of pure fire. He wasn’t thinking straight, not really. Just pure, unadulterated rage.“Let’s go!” he yelled at his men, who were already spilling out of the other vehicles, weapons raised. The air crackled with tension, the quiet of the forest about to be shattered.George’s guards were scrambling, clearly caught off guard. They were expecting a quiet getaway, not a full-scale assault. They were outmatched, outgunned, and they knew it. Jayden moved like a man possessed, taking down two guards before they even had a chance to aim. He wasn’t playing around. This wasn’t a game.The clearing became a whirlwind of gunfire, shouts, and the sickening thud of
Jayden was seated in his room, going through the documents sent to him by Joe concerning Eva recent movement, purchases, pictures of her at different locations and all. Suddenly a video flickered to life on his phone screen. He’d received a cryptic message with a link, his heart already a lead weight in his chest. He’d known, somehow, that it was about Jessica. He’d been searching for her relentlessly, following every lead, every whisper, but it had all been dead ends. He pressed play, his breath catching in his throat. The first few seconds were a blur, just a dimly lit room. Then he saw Jessica, her eyes wide with terror, tears streaming down her face. Suddenly, George appeared. Jayden’s blood ran cold. He felt a rage so intense, so primal, it was like a physical force. He gripped the edge of the desk so hard his knuckles turned white.He watched, his stomach twisting into knots, as George violated her. He wanted to scream, to reach through the screen and rip George apart, but he w