JACKSON'S POVI could say that I barged into Hannah's house because I was knocking and I felt the door shift inside, I simply pushed it open wide and got inside before she came out to meet me.I saw the surprise in her eyes before it disappeared. I know that she would know Vera's whereabouts and that's why she flinched when she saw me."Jack…" she trailed off."I figured she would tell you. Where did she go?" I asked, managing a weary smile.I placed my hand on the counter in her kitchen, ignoring her obvious invitation to come into the living room and sit down. I leaned over the counter and shrugged when furrowed her brows inquisitively."New Orleans. I really wanted to tell you, but I gave her my word. Jack, I think Vera is confused and afraid. The best thing for you to do is give her some time to really discover what she wants and come back to get it," Hannah empathized."I didn't know that everything would get to this point. I don't even know if I can make that promise to you righ
VERA'S POVI thanked my neighbor in New Orleans for finding a place for me on request. She offered a drink at her house, but I turned her down with the excuse of unpacking while I didn't even take any of my belongings.I lay down on my bed and looked around me in a lost gaze when she finally left me alone. This house holds nothing meaningful for me, just loneliness and emptiness. Did I make a mistake by coming here? I thought I had lost my child before, but this time, I felt pain in my bone marrow. I truly lost a baby this time and it's his fault! It's Jack's fault!!If he had talked to his ex-wife and made her leave, what happened shouldn't have happened and I would still have my baby waiting for the due date of delivery.It's disheartening to leave without saying goodbye to him and Tim, but I wouldn't have been able to leave if I had waited to say goodbye to them.The only thing I care about now is taking my child back from Prince Kenneth and going far away from everyone with my so
JACKSON'S POVI know that it's a useless thing to do, but I went to the plantation to make an inquiry regarding Monica and Timothy.Monica never liked coming to the plantation, so nothing would have made her come there. I sat down on top of a fallen tree and watched the laborers do their job. I have asked everyone of them if they saw her or my son, but they all said the same thing that no one else apart from the people I am seeing came to the farm.I remembered coming here with Vera and Tim and how I had been thinking of bringing her here with two more sons in the future. The future has been cut short and I don't see any reason why I should keep living. Why is it always like this for me? Whenever I thought I was going to be happy, something creeps up my sleeve and bites my neck and I would find it hard to laugh again.Look at these people working in this hot sun and laughing loudly, cracking dirty jokes and playing, at the same time working hard to meet the deadline and get their f
WRITER'S POVJack knew there was a time in his life when he faced loneliness. That time he was sleeping peacefully at the hospital while fighting for his life.There was also the time he woke up and there was no one beside him, expecting him to wake up and never fall asleep again if possible.He thought that was the kind of loneliness that was heart ripping until the past few days. Time they say waits for nobody, but Jack noticed that time was going slower than before.It seemed to be intentionally irritating him and mocking him for letting his life shatter again because of one single mistake that he could have avoided if he hadn't been too considerate.Going to work, trying to read, jogging and visiting the plantation were all measures to get over Vera. There was a vast emptiness in his heart that he felt it would burst one day and he would go back to sleep.He has never spent a New Year's night alone. No matter what happened, someone would come or call, and there's Tim who has alway
JACKSON'S POVI was awakened by a terrible dream that sent me panting and sweating profusely even though it was cold in my bedroom.I swiftly switched the bedside light on and sat up to look around my bedroom. When I heard my phone beep, I knew that it's morning already because I set a six o'clock alarm.I quickly went to open the blinds so that daylight would take away the vast dark and loneliness in the room, the one in my heart can only be taken away by Vera's presence.I stood by the window and looked down at the garden where we had made love for hours. It felt just like yesterday. It will last forever."Vera…" I whispered her name. She's in danger. I know, I understand the dream that I had. I saw her in my dream, happy at first and cheerful as ever. Then there was this masked person that appeared from behind and bit her before she could escape. I was supposed to run towards her and save her, but it felt as if my legs were rooted to the ground and I watched her scream for help
VERA'S POVI was dreaming about myself being chained up and thrown into a very deep hole when I sprang up, panting and sweating.I looked around and saw that I wasn't in my house. I'm in a familiar bed and the awful aura of the place I was has never left me ever since my last experience with the boss of the house and that made me become afraid.I rushed to the door and pushed it open. I still didn't feel a sense of freedom at all when I saw that nothing had changed about Kenneth's house.The memories of what happened last night came, but I don't remember what happened next after the person bent closer to me or how I ended up inside Ken's house.I concluded that they must've found me this morning and had given me first aid which seemed too generous for a man like Ken who doesn't care about anyone else's welfare.I knew better than to make the guards look at me with their horrible and scrutinizing eyes. I sneaked back inside, but left the door slightly open so I could see whoever decide
JACKSON'S POVI was going to ignore the news. I would have done that without minding the way people looked at me as I walked to the elevator.My workers and clients weren't left out. Some of them actually forget what they are supposed to be doing and only gape at me all day.The new year ended and things died down and life started moving at a slow and steady pace as if nothing was ever celebrated in just a matter of ten days.So the company is flooded with my workers, clients, and people looking for jobs. Of course it's the eleventh day of January and many applications have been submitted.I wasn't bothered by all of the changes at all. I was more concerned about the fact that I haven't heard from Vera and the cops have no good news about Monica and Timothy. I always stay idle, but my head is full because it's always occupied with so many thoughts. I would wonder if they are doing well and blame myself for everything that had happened.Many times, I jumped whenever my phone rang, expe
VERA'S POVI believed that Jack would comply with Kenneth to see that I am safe and sound, but I didn't know that he would actually appear in front of me.When I heard voices from the room I was locked in, I stood up and went to see what was going on outside through the keyhole.It took me a great deal to realize that Jack was the one pushing through over sixty armed men and yelling at them. My heart raced. What exactly was he thinking when he made the decision to come to the house of the prince of Wales, unarmed, reckless and untamed? For Pete's sake, it doesn't even look like he came with someone! Does he have plans to live again? Does he think that he could buy his life if he loses it or what? I did not realize I was crying until Monica opened the back door and came in to talk to me."What did you do to Jack? He's…" her voice trailed off as she shook her head in disbelief."He shouldn't have come here! He shouldn't comply so easily with Ken! He should be looking for us and not y
VERA'S POV If desperation was a person, it would be me as I came down from Jack's car, holding out my hands in front of me and careful not to miss a step and trip over. The fact that he had insisted on blindfolding and bringing me to God knows wherever he was taking me–claiming it was a surprise–sounded so cliche, but I couldn't stop my heart from fluttering in anticipation.It has been three months since our surreal kiss in the garden. The feeling that Monica was still alive–a. k. a. Monica had probably deceived us, or the man was trying to raise a false alarm, play with our emotions, and make money off Jack. Whatever it was–hung heavily over us. Malone's unacceptability still lingered; it hurt more to watch him become more of Kenneth than who I hoped he could become. Our fear of my capability to carry a child for nine months and birth without complications also made us restless. I sometimes find myself wallowing in self-doubt and trying to pretend I could do it since I had done i
JACKSON'S POV It was already late afternoon as I waited in my car at the park. I watched the figure walking toward my direction from the side mirror. The way he dressed and walked spoke volumes of someone who does dirty jobs for people for the money, the kind of man hired to go on deadly missions and trusted to do clean jobs without any trace back to his client.I have had my share of such men, but I work closely with only one private security company and have only used the company's cyber security and men. Though I do question their loyalty sometimes, that's what fuels my need to trust such people by risking it all or going through government agencies. And every businessman who has dangerous rivals knows which system always fails.I pressed a button beside the wheel to unlock the car doors for him to ease in. He looked around sharply before he folded himself into the passenger seat and lifted his black cap. He's dressed up in black from his cap to his shoes. With his long dark hair
WRITER'S POV Vera couldn't tell who trembled more, Hannah or herself, as she guided her into the house, and they sat on a leather-made bench in the kitchen. She had never seen her friend's house in disarray, no matter how determined her kids were at breaking, disarranging, and making a mess of things.Somehow, Hannah managed to be a good mother as she was a good wife who loved keeping everything tidy and in order. If the kids made a mess ten times, she cleaned it up twenty times without complaining about the stress but rather scolded them to be careful and not hurt themselves. What had gone wrong?When her sobs subsided, Vera heaved a sigh, and they both at the same time released each other. Their foreheads still pressed together, they looked at their hands and laughed at the realization that they were both shaking immensely. Vera's heart relaxed as their moods became lighter, her friend was still there, right behind her pain.Fifteen minutes later, they both sank into the couch in t
VERA'S POV I decided to drop by Hannah's house before heading to the hospital, but after I tried her phone too many times and she didn't answer, I had to go to the hospital first.She had never sounded so frantic before, and it chilled me to the bone that I couldn't contain the nauseous feeling as a form of reaction to my bewilderment.It was the first time Hannah and Oscar got in a fight. My favorite inspirational lovey-dovey couple fighting? It couldn't have been serious, but then, she wouldn't joke about such a thing!I called Dr Halmes office next and was certain that he was waiting for me before I made up my mind. I told Max to stay back and look after the boys, Timothy and Malone since Jack drove himself out and I didn't need a driver. My children meant more to me than my protection which Jack would have insisted upon, probably turned whiney, to make sure I allowed the driver to take me to wherever I wished to go.
JACKSON’S POVI rose to retrieve my phone from my pocket, partially relieved as I suddenly felt gawky in front of a lad. He is finding it hard to adapt and I wished that he would understand how much he was hurting his mother by acting in that manner. As I swiped my thumb across my phone's screen and saw the text that came in, I turned to look at Vera. There was no point reminding her that I still had to leave the house and not follow our plan for the day, so I told her that we would talk when I came back. Even though I had made up my mind to walk through the door and not stay for breakfast, her sickly face made my legs stay rooted to the floor.“You don't look well.” I reluctantly brushed strands of her hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear.“I'm going to be fine.” She turned away from me and went to the kitchen counter where canned juices waited.To say that she was going to be fine meant that she wasn't well, so I walked up to her and was about to get her to see the reason
VERA'S POV If I know Jack as much as I think I do the palms of my hands, then I know that he would be distracted and his train of thoughts would be shifted toward finding out if truly there is a Monica out there or not. How could he let himself be easily swayed by a mere random text from a stranger who, I might say, is supposedly looking for ways to fill his pocket after everything we have been through? How did I let myself think that it was over? Just when I thought that we had reached the pinnacle of happiness, a single text message from a strange number that kept calling his phone while we were screaming for release turned our world upside down again! Shattering every hope that I built in my dreams while in his arms! So much for a happy ending! “Yes, this is unbelievable! You're so unbelievable, Jack!” I climbed out of bed and hurriedly threw my robe on. The absurdity of the whole thing gave me a headache. Last night, my heart had flopped in pleasure, and this morning, in pa
WRITER'S POV Vera spent many nights brooding over her son. She didn't know how to make up for all the years wasted, but she wanted him to feel how much she loved him.He had accepted her and hugged her first but it was hard for him to start calling her Mummy.She felt the butterflies in her tummy come alive the first time he called her mummy following Timothy.She shared his room with him, and the first night he said he wanted to share Timothy's room instead was the night she finally went to spend the night with Jack, who seemed to have been suddenly forgotten by her."We'll have to rearrange the room for the boys if he's willing to share with Timothy." Jack offered happily after she told him."Thanks for everything, Jack. You made everything possible." She melted into his protective arms."I promise you that this profound happiness will never depart from your dazzling face again." He vowed, making her look into his eyes so he would see what he felt as he slid a ring into her finger
VERA'S POVJack agreed to stay in the hospital and complete his treatment until the doctor confirmed that he was healthy enough and good to go home.Natalie Bells was under detention in the police cell. Harry reported that she cried always and begged for forgiveness and freedom because she doesn't want to end up behind bars.Kenneth was awaiting trial and he's detained until the first hearing in court which I believe will send him to prison and he won't see the light of day ever again in his miserable life.The cops promised us that everything is under control and I shouldn't be afraid of moving and going about doing anything that I needed to do and my business.Jack wouldn't hear of me going back to stay in his mansion with Timothy. Even when his mother and sister offered to stay with us, he insisted that some policemen be sent to guard the building and also take us wherever we wanted to go.I understood his fears and I also felt safer being guarded even though it didn't seem neces
JACKSON'S POVThe first person I asked the nurse in my room about when I woke up and she helped me swallow some pàin kîllérs was Vera. When she told me that she hasn't checked up on me ever since the incident that happened at the parking lot, I instantly thought that she's very angry with me and won't ever want to see me again.When my mind got to how fast she reacts and acts up against me whenever I'm harsh towards her, especially her rash decisions and quick to get far away from me, I told the nurse that I wanted to see her."Your stubbornness is the next level. I already told you that she went to see Mr. Nathan and I know that she will come to you if she learns that you are awake." She shook her head."Are you taking these things off or should I help you do your job now? I'm not going to try to run this time, I just want to talk to her before she…" I stopped and blew out a breath."Okay, fine! Thank God the cops are right out there because I won't hesitate to have you tied to this