“Hello?” She sapped her head up, her eyes shooting open. Another male doctor stood in front of them.“You're King Johannson's family, right?”She stood up immediately with her mother, their hands still locked.“Yes.” They answered simultaneously.They were his family alright, Jamal didn’t even come close.The doctor lips pressed into a thin line. Her heart thudded.“I’m sorry. He's dead.”*Words could not describe the wave of emotions that hit her, the minute the doctor uttered those words. She didn’t shout or scream or wail or abuse the doctor, she went numb. The emotions were too much that her heart shut them all down. She couldn’t feel.She didn’t notice the doctor's eyes widen even if she was staring at him or hear the next words that came out of his mouth.King, King Johannson, her King was… dead? It just didn’t seem possible. He couldn’t die, he couldn’t leave her, not now, not so early and especially not by the hands of Jamal.“Joan!”He still had a lot to do in t
Were the men working for him? And why wasn’t he in the hospital?“Thank you doctor” Mrs. Michaels said, “We’ll take it from here. If there is ant other bill to be settled, please let us know.”The doctor smiled, a handsome one.“The unknown paid for all the bills, present and future, you don’t need to worry.”They thanked the doctor again before she finally pushed the door open and they stepped in.The doctor turned and walked away, a smirk on his face.*Jack paced around the living room of Andrew’s house restlessly. His hands went into his hair at intervals and the look on his face depicted fear and worry. He was in trouble, deep trouble. If only Victor had not been abducted, if only code red had not invaded, things would be relatively normal.Andrew had assigned him to watch King after Victor's kidnap, he had done the job seriously and consistently after all he was also involved but then he had slipped… one mistake, one moment of forgetfulness, one moment of selfishness and
“Don’t kill them. We can work something out.”The man chuckled, still with his back turned, “My terms are higher this time.”“I would have accepted if you were the one in charge, you work for someone.”“True.”“So you're basically useless.”“Have a good dark night while the boy does, Mr. Victor with no surname.”*“I'll wait outside.”A nod was Joan’s reply to her mother’s words. The door clicked shut a few moments after. She was still standing. There was a chair there by his bedside but she stood, her eyes fixed on King.It all seemed so unreal, he seemed unreal. She had just talked with him earlier that day, her King, always on his feet, full of life, was now subdued to lie on a hospital bed, helpless and vulnerable.She wiped the lone tear that slipped down her cheek. A continuous beeping was the only sound heard in the quiet room. Machines were connected to him, an oxygen mask on his face that was decorated with plasters and stitches. His head was wrapped in a bandage, th
I will hunt down Jamal and punish him for his crimes, he will rot in jail very far from you. You won’t have to worry about him when you wake, I will take care of him.”She leaned down slowly and pressed a light feathery kiss to his shoulder, staring at him for a few seconds before pulling up straight.“When you wake up, King, you’ll be free to do whatever you want, you’ll be as free as a bird to fly wherever you want. You don’t have to worry about the promises you made to me, I absolve you of them…” she took a shaky breath, “I will let you go. Just fly, fly King, wherever you want.”*Joan stepped out of Zenith hospital, her mother by her side. They were being watched, she knew, she could feel it. Ever since the incident at the park, she had become more alert and conscious of her environment and most times she got the feeling of being watched. It wasn’t Paranoia. She took great pain to keep her fear at bay so she could think clearly, it wasn’t Paranoia.She wondered how King was a
And you will be with me all through, in fact, you'll help me, you'll destroy your beloved best friend with your own hands and finally, you'll be my daughter again and I would make sure no other rascal steals you away from me. You’re my daughter, you bear my name, you belong to me and me alone. I hope you understand, now be a good daughter and follow me home.”*The door to his prison slammed open for the fourth time since he was captured. He expected the usual masked armed men followed by the tall structure of a leader but this time it was only the tall structure of the leader that came in, just him, no bodyguards. He smiled, despite his irritated mood and hunger, it was a good sign.“Here to strike a good deal?” he asked in his usual snarky tone.The leader shut the door before turning to him“Victor with no surname.” Came the leader's cold voice.“You know my name, I don’t know yours.”“As it should be.”The leader walked to a corner of the room and the next, Victor saw him pulling
Be a lamb when subdued but a wolf at the slightest hint of freedom.They went on and on, up staircases, in what felt like a giant mansion by the numerous footsteps he heard thumping around and the length of time they spent in the elevator before stepping out.A door was opened and he was pushed inside, to his knees. The action belittled him and the viper in him threatened to bite but he calmed it down. Be a lamb…“Oh no!” a female high-pitched voice shouted.*”Yes, Charlene, what is it this time?” he recognized the voice of the man as the one who had called him ‘the captive'.“Young master said not to manhandle him! That was his strict orders! You have to unchain him now! Right now!”“Too late.” A new voice with a heavy British accent, that of a young boy, spoke up and the next second, Victor heard, with his sharp ears trained to recognize different sounds, the swift wheeze of a blade and then the sound of something hard hitting the floor followed.Silence.Then frightened scuffling
She had been afraid she would no longer think of him as someone she loved but as a stranger or even someone she hated, she was afraid she would damage him; and she had buried the thought deep deep down where she could not get to it. Now her mother threatened her with those same fears and it scared her, broke her because she knew just how easy Mrs. Michaels could manipulate her, Joan Michaels.*She tried hard not to cry. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that her life would become the way it was, that she would be afraid of her own mother. She felt alone, she was alone... So was King... In his coma.He wasn't safe in the hospital. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that her mother was harmless... the uneasy feeling didn't leave her. She treasured King more at that moment... And there was the unknown... What exactly did they want?She itched her hair, fighting back tears. She really was alone, she had no one to turn to for help, no one at ... She paused, rememb
I’m sorry, Miss Joan but your friend has broken the law and is now a suspect of Kidnapping. Kidnapping is a serious offense and a state crime in this case and so King Johannson is a criminal and will be closely guarded at the hospital until he wakes up and is fit to be prosecuted as he is now state property…”The phone slipped from Joan’s hand and fell to the floor with a loud crack.*WHEN IT ALL BEGAN.Perhaps losing someone to death wasn't the worst feeling, at least in the sense that the person was totally gone from the surface of the earth and there was nothing to be done than hope the soul ends up in heaven, that good place that guaranteed the happiness that beloved soul couldn't get on Earth. The worst feeling was losing the person, not totally, to a helpless state where pain and sorrow still flourished and having to watch and endure, holding unto fragments of hope that could either be shattered or uplifted; you were in the middle and there was no getting out.And then knowin
She stood stiff and rigid, even her breathing was controlled. His hand ran through her straightened hair."I'm sorry, Bernadette, I'm sorry. I'm here, you can lean on me. I'm sorry."She tried to pull away but he held her back so she stayed cold. Vincent and Frederico watched with narrowed eyes.*"The PDA can be saved for later. We have a brother in surgery." A cold voice cut through the moment. She jumped away from Merlione, looking guilty and nervous as a drenched fish."Vincent," She called in greeting, trying to match his cold look. He eyed her up, also Merlione who came to stand protectively by her side.She wondered why she felt so nervous and guilty. Perhaps because she knew she needed the approval of King's family.Frederico stepped forward, looking unbothered. "We heard the news. What happened?""He called me," she answered smartly, "he called me just before he lost consciousness.""How did you know where he stays?""He told me." She was less nervous now but there was someth
She laid her head on his shoulder and let him tell her about work and his life for the past nine years while sharing one large can of soda then they ran around and played like little children, using the swings and involving in a sand castle competition with the other children.It was exactly what they needed in their too-careful world.*Frederico puffed on a cigarette, lost in thought. He was surrounded by loud music and intoxicated people but none of the senseless activities going on around him registered in his head. Only one thought did.He had to get rid of King Johannson.Either he did that or he risked being killed. Who else would have the audacity to kill Luca? And motive? There was also Vincent. He sure as hell was a suspect but all fingers pointed to King. It wasn't a coincidence that Luca was murdered during the same period the girl King loved was getting hooked.He took another long drag and stubbed out the rest. It was Luca first, soon it would be him. It was Luca's fault
The problem was that he just couldn't accept the reality that she wasn't his any longer. It felt unreal.He clicked the call icon. Still, he wouldn't leave her. If he ever left her, it would be because she asked him to.Switched off. He dialed her line again. Switched off. Third time. Switched off. He ran a hand down his face.*Isla knocked on Vincent's front door."Tommy, Tommy" She cooed when Thomas answered the door."Thomas, how many times have I warned you to stop answering the door!?" Charlene shouted from somewhere inside."Calm down, Char," She chuckled, entering the lavender-scented home."Nice morning, Aunt Isla," Thomas greeted respectfully, seemingly oblivious to his mum's worries. She laughed, ruffling his hair then stuffed a hundred-dollar bill in his hand. He beamed."Buy as many chocolates as you want, ok?" She whispered, ruffling his hair one last time before going into the kitchen where Charlene was."Oh, my love," She cooed, seeing the five-month-old baby in a movi
She threw her phone aside with a satisfied smirk, "he asked for it. Imagine telling me to apologize after openly stating he didn't take it to heart. A hypocrite, that's what he is."Joan didn't know whether to laugh or cry."Yes, he said he doesn't mind but it is only normal for you to apologize when you do something wrong to show you are truly sorry.""Well, that should be my choice, not his." She stubbornly refused.Joan raised her hands and dropped them in resignation."Good riddance," Isla whispered.*"You were out all day."Were the first words she heard upon entering the house at about 7 pm."Yes. I'm home early. Is there a problem?" He was at the foot of the stairs. He looked sad and beaten but he was one hell of a good actor."Sorry," She changed tactics, putting on a smile, forcing ill feelings out of her heart, "good evening. How was your day?""It was trashy and boring without you," He replied in a monotone, "I went out to see my family when you left for Church and I got
"Thank God, he's gone." Isla sighed with contagious relief."Nah," Joan shook her head, "you get his phone number and talk to him."Isla's eyes widened, "How am I supposed to do that? He's obviously in a rush. Why else will he get takeout?""I'll get it for you.""How?"*Just nice, she was called three days later."It has been confirmed," James spoke, the smiling man she met at the restaurant gone, "Fr. Greg wasn't the chief celebrant at your wedding."She wasn't surprised. "Then who was?"They were all present as three days before, including James' secretary and the Priest who had never uttered a word other than a quiet greeting.He showed her a photo."After going through the footage of that day, the day before, and the day after, we suspect this man as the culprit. He has never been seen in the Church before that day. He was seen entering the Sacristy just seconds after Fr. Greg did but he was never seen coming out. Upon closer inspection..." He showed her another photo. It was a
She thought of going to see King but the memory of Vincent's cold face crossed out the thought. She visited Isla instead.*"Surprise, surprise." Isla's eyes were wide as she ushered her into her modest penthouse in the early afternoon of a Monday. The house was pretty small but comfy. A set of mismatched couches in the middle, an eating area to the right, a TV at the center, a few flowers in antique vases kept at strategic corners, and a treadmill close to a door she assumed led to the room."I checked you at work but I was told you wouldn't be at work for the rest of the week. Is there a problem?"Isla laughed, passing her a glass of water after she sat on one of the couches, "Must there be a problem?""No, but one doesn't just take a leave from work, do they?"Isla wrinkled her nose. She looked pretty. Her long red hair was now shoulder length and she looked very relaxed at home in pajama shorts and a too baggy T-shirt."Ok," She plopped down beside her and tucked her legs in, "I
"There's something else. Your father...""Sold me off? I know that. I received documents today that stated I'm no longer enslaved to them and neither are you and I under any threat. I'm simply just married to him with the condition that I can never divorce him.""Like you would ever." He scoffed.She smiled. Patience, King, patience; I'm coming for you.*She posed and smiled the brightest as the media drowned them with camera flashes and endless questions. Her arm in Merlione's, he led her carefully through the sea of paparazzi and important figures to the hall where the business dinner was being held. It was a week since their wedding.The expensively decorated eating area was to the right while the guests milled about on the left, greeting each other and making business friendships. The first eyes she made contact with were that of King's. He was invited, along with Frederico.He was chatting with an older man. A stinkingly rich one, she realized, seeing his face. She couldn't reme
"Ok, but I'll like to remind you that until this case is resolved, you are still, as it is, married to Merlione Fritzgerald and it is holy that you remain faithful to your vows."She smiled, "Yes, Father."He rose. She did too."You don't mind if I pray for you?"*She returned to her current temporal house, as she chose to call it, after spending some time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. She put on her nicest dress, applied makeup which she seldomly did, wore her best heels, and styled her hair until she looked the part of a queen.She sat in the living room and waited for Merlione to return. Once he walked through the front door, she stood and made to walk past him. He grabbed unto her arm."Where are you going dressed like this?"★Merlione's mouth dropped open at the sight of Bernadette. She looked... beautiful was an understatement. He wasn't sure he had ever seen her dress so much. He snapped back to his senses as she walked past, her rosy perfume tickling his nostrils. He grab
She always swallowed everything in and cried till her body was drained of fluid then she got up and pretended everything was fine.She looked up to Heaven and vowed. Even if it was the last thing she did, she'll fight for her and King's freedom.Making that decision, she got off the floor with a smile. The Fritzgeralds family had it coming.*"I told you; I told you! I warned you not to add that in the agreement yet you did. Look at the outcome now!" Merlione hollered, in front of his aunt and uncle."Stop being such a kid," Josephine snapped, "do you really think she'll never divorce you? Don't believe her religious crap.""Well, yes, I believe her. That's why they fought so hard so we'll never get married.""But you're married now," His uncle, Steve, reminded him.He fought the smile that forced its way up his face. He sighed, taking a seat on a side stool."I hate that I had to use such methods to get her. It's annoying seeing the hatred in her eyes whenever she looks at me which i