CHAPTER HUNDRED-THIRTY-NINE *Now it's time to put all this to an abrupt stop*Hannah gulped, her breath hitched in her throat.Don't panic! Don't waver!You got this! Or at least pretend that you do.Okay, here it goes ..."Yes, I was about to say something actually. If you could at least hear me out first..." Hannah spoke as calmly as a muse, holding her hands up in the air defensively.Anastasia snickered loud enough for her ears, her eyes glinting in sheer mischievous delight. She had that," Oh you fucked up this time, Hen" look on her face as the corners of her lips lifted in an amusing smile which was enough to discourage her to abort her mission right there and now and cower in shame.But heck no! It's too late to back down now. She had been putting up with their senseless games for far too long and now ...Now it's time to put all this to an abrupt stop.Amber glowered silently but remained silent. She seemed extremely curious as to what Hannah had to say.Good! Now she was g
CHAPTER HUNDRED-FORTY *Mum, Dad! I am so sorry!!!!!*With a tweak of Amber's Fingers, Anastasia lurched forward and hoisted the alarmed Hannah and carried her to another chair she didn't notice at the corner of the room earlier.She protested, but Anastasia paid no attention to her.She tossed her to the chair, the bones in her arse must have rattled as a result because the excruciating pain that followed was enough to make her senses go numb.She grunted in pain, her head growing dizzy.Before she realized what was happening, Arizona snatched both of her hands and legs and bound them up with seal tape. "Please stop! What are you trying to do to me?!" Hannah shrieked in fear and panic, her eyes dilated in shock."you blab too much Hannah! Shut your gob already!" Amber howled, her eyes burning with wrath. Then, a smirk spreading across her face, she added,"And besides what happened to the confidence you were boasting of earlier huh? Ran out of battery already ?" she ribbed.Hannah
CHAPTER HUNDRED-FORTY-ONE*Please Amber, please stop!*Amber's lips curled up in an amusing smile as she watched with admiration how rattled and frightened Hannah was.Hannah wriggled aggressively, moaning in pain."you seem to be enjoying it very much, Hannah. Perhaps I should aim for other delicate parts of your body hmmm?" Amber ribbed, with a smirk plastered on her face.Hannah shook her head frantically, groaning. Her cries of disapproval were trapped in the seal placed over her mouth.I don't want to! untie me this instant!She screamed in her mind, as the words refused to come out.Damn you, Amber! You would pay dearly for this! I hate you! Always and forever!"Why don't we make this more enjoyable huh? Wouldn't you agree guys?""of course! ", Anastasia said breezily and then a mischievous grin flirting on her lips she added, " in fact, I have a better idea.""pray, tell." prompted Amber with a wide grin on her face as impatience crinkled her brows.Anastasia chuckled cruel
CHAPTER HUNDRED-FORTY-TWO *Please God, let it be an intruder!*"I said you should keep it shut, damn it!" Amber whispered fiercely, with a hint of warning in her voice. Her eyes gleamed with anger for the interruption to her "special torture ceremony" of Anthrax.Hannah adamantly continued struggling and muffled screams hoping that the supposed intruder would come to her rescue.But how the hell is she certain someone is coming to rescue her?Besides they have but ascertain where the burning sensation is emanating from. It may not even be the person that caused it.She could very much still be in danger!Arizona crept silently toward the entrance she came from initially. She pinned herself to the wall to conceal herself from the presupposed intruder if there were any.Please God, let it be an intruder! Hannah prayed silently.A clanging sound escaped from the outside, startling everyone in the room.Amber jerked up and hid the Anthrax object under her skirt. Her eyes and ears wer
CHAPTER HUNDRED -FORTY-THREE *So many loopholes to fill up. So many puzzles to answer*"And if it turns out that someone truly is here, then it's your fault and you will take the punishment without protests," Amber growled silently."But why? Has it ever occurred to you that someone might have lost their way and in that situation, I take the blame for something that was utterly unpredictable? " Hannah countered.Before she realized what she had done, the words had already slipped out!She gasped softly and clamped a hand over her mouth with widened eyes.Oh shit!She thought the words will remain in her head like they used to.But this time, she accidentally let them slip out.Or perhaps her brain is already having a mind of its own and needed to decongest all the emotions welling up inside of her that she had been bottling up for a long time.Her nostrils flared red, as her heart fluttered at an alarming rate.Anastasia and Arizona were gawking at her in surprise. Meanwhile, Amber
CHAPTER HUNDRED-FORTY-FOUR*She couldn't believe her eyes!*"Damn it! How long will Asia take to scout the area?!" Amber wailed, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.Embarrassed by how worked up and rattled she seemed she did a few paces and cleared her throat.Tweaking her fingers she motioned for Arizona to wipe the sweat off her face which she hurriedly did as she retrieved a neatly folded Dior handkerchief from her waist bag tied encircling her lean waist. The super-rich kid! That mere Dior handkerchief must have been worth a fortune.The lap dog, Arizona, is always obedient to its master even unto death.Poor girl.A smug smile crept up on Hannah's face but was hidden behind the seal tape.She couldn't believe her eyes!Amber is so nervous and rattled by the sound. Whoever trailed her did a great Job!!! You have my heartfelt thanks!If it's the cops, then they will surely be interrogated alongside her which would allow her to voice out the full truth thus clearing her nam
CHAPTER HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE*The battle is far from being over!*What?! What did Amber just say? Dispose of me? As in kill me and dissect my body parts and burn them in the furnace-like in the book titled "Native son" by Richard Wright which was based on a true life story. She shuddered in fear.What if that's what is about to happen to her?God please no!Someone, please help her!!Anybody !!!"How are we gonna do that?" Anastasia asked, visibly perplexed."We will think of something, anything. We just have to ensure that the cops or whoever the heck is out there, do not know that we are holding someone hostage." Amber said evenly."Okay, but how are we going to do that? She's obviously still bound up. Or should I untie her?"" So she would scream on top of her frigging voice and probably escape thus, putting our plans in jeopardy and subsequently exposing us, Certainly not!" Amber wheezed, her nostrils flaring.Anastasia was startled by her reaction and apologized profusely."I'm s
CHAPTER HUNDRED-FORTY-SIX*She can't afford to die out here!*They hoisted her roughly, each of them on either side, and they staggered to the stairs where the attic is located.Approaching the attic, The air suddenly turned stuffy and hot and reeks of rotten smell.What the hell stinks in here?! She would have asked and yelled but her mouth has been gagged and sealed. Damn it! She can't survive in here for even thirty minutes straight!Good lord!The banging at the door downstairs became more subtle as the eerie silence of the enclosed, air-tight attic sucked out the sound from the major room downstairs.Even if she happened to scream at the top of her voice, no one could hear her.That's strange or could it be that the walls of the attic are soundproof?Oh no!A cold shiver ran down her spine.It is giving real serial killer documentary vibes now and it sucks like hell!She can't afford to die out here!Not even in this crappy attic!Someone get her out here already, please!Anybody
*To forever and beyond…*The day of the trial had arrived, and it felt as though the world held its breath. The courtroom was filled with journalists, spectators, and photographers positioned on all corners of the courtroom doors waiting. They were all here for the same purpose: the moment the world would witness as justice decided the fate of Mr. Jordan. In other words, the downfall of the Jordans.The courtroom was so unnervingly quiet that you could hear a pin drop as every creak of a bench and every rustle of paper lingered in the tense air.Janice Jordan sat at the front with Finn beside her. Her uncle came with some family members and they sat behind the pew. Janice’s hands trembled in her lap, fingers clasped so tightly together that her knuckles turned white. She glanced at Finn beside her, his jaw set, gaze fixed on the judge as if nothing else existed. This was heavy for him especially but at last he would witness the final judgment and hopefully get the justice his late f
*He had to bear the consequences of his actions.*Janice sat in an uneasy silence, staring out the window as the news sank in, each word settling into her mind like stones dropped into water.She could hardly believe her ears. Her father has been arrested?! This was the first time such news would reach her ears. The mighty Jordan was arrested?!"Janice? This isn't the time to space out!" Finn's voice yanked her out of her reverie. She blinked repeatedly as her brain was still processing this whole unexpected turn out of events. She gulped. "What's going to happen to him, I-I don't even know what to say. He's the only family I've got, Finn," her words barely squeak out of her lips."Unfortunately, it may be nothing good, Janice. This is the moment of truth, and justice must not only be done but it must be seen to be done." A cold shiver pricked against her skin like goosebumps. As much as she tried to ignore it, it was the hard truth. Her father had done horrible things in the pa
*Was this the end of the line for the mighty Jordan family?* "Janice, I'm so sorry you had to go through this alone, " Finn said, pulling her towards him for a long hug as he stroked her hair. Janice broke into tears, sobbing as her body shook with the weight of losing a child, a part of her that she wasn't fortunate to bring into the world. She sniffed and muffled against his chest, "I didn't mean to hide this from you, Finn. This is shocking news to me as well." "It's alright, sweetheart." He said gently as he continued to stroke her hair. Then he broke the embrace and cradled her wet face in his hand, forcing her to look at him. "Look at me, Janice," he wiped her tears with his thumb. His heart tightened seeing her like this. "I promise I will wipe the tears off your face. We can always make another one." She momentarily stopped crying and looked at him wide-eyed. "You didn't even ask if that child is yours, Finn." He chuckled and shook his head. "I didn't
Chapter Three Hundred and Thirty*The unexpected and Sad Revelation*Finn's (once Drake but will be called his real name henceforth)hammered as he paced the narrow room with the burner phone clutched tightly in his right hand and his left hand frantically raking through his sandy brown hair.Every creak of the floor, every rustle outside the window, seemed like it could be Fergus’s men clawing closer.They were running out of time.With the government closing in and Fergus’s rage nearly tangible, Finn knew their only chance was to reach out to someone who could help them disappear. His father’s old friend, Yamato—a man, both feared and revered, a former militant from Japan who had once pledged his loyalty to the family.Yamato listened in silence, his deep breaths echoing through the line. Then, without a word of question or reprimand, he simply said, “Be ready. I will take care of the arrangements.”A wave of relief coursed through Finn's body at once. His father had been right af
Chapter Three Hundred Twenty-Nine*My real name is Finn Orwells and not Drake Hughen.*He knew of one place Fergus wouldn't dare to look.The drive to his special hideout was unbearable, long, and tedious. It was a rocky path in the thick of the forest but close to a river bank. He usually came here when he needed some privacy from the Jordans and planned his next revenge move. But right now, the reverse was the case. How ironic did things turn out to be? He was literally bringing his arch enemy's daughter to his secret hideout, away from the hawk eyes of his evil brother-the person he was supposed to be working alongside.Well, things had changed. Maybe he had changed, too.But right now... he had a purpose.He glanced at the passenger's seat, where Janice was sitting quietly. Apparently, she was still shaken by everything that had unfolded. Poor woman... He had to protect her even from his own family.I'm so sorry, Mother....but I think I broke the rule.He gulped. I had fallen
*At any rate, he must save Janice.*The heel of his boots pounding in her stomach sent her to the floor, retching and wheezing with her heart in her throat, threatening to explode. A crushing pain seared through her chest. She sprawled on the ground, with her eyes shut tight, gasping for air desperately. The blindfold was restricting her vision, so she couldn't see who it was, but she could feel the extreme coldness exuding from his presence. "Let's try again, shall we, darling. And this time I won't go easy on you. I suggest you answer my questions if you want to leave here in one piece and see your asshole of a father!" the menacing raspy voice roared across the empty room. The man cocked his head to the two huge guys in black and at once they heaved her roughly to the chair and tied her hands and legs to the chair. The sound of the cocked gun jolted a shiver down her spine. He took long strides towards her and trailed the gun around her exposed chest, her buttons had come undon
*He must save Janice no matter what!*"What do you mean you haven't seen her?!" Mr Jordan bellowed through the phone, his hands trembling badly."You need to calm down, Mr Jordan. Remember, this is bad for your health. I will be at the shortly. " Matt spoke as calmly as possible through the phone."Calm down? What if something happened to her, Matt?! You were supposed to take care of her and now..." He paused, taking a sharp breath as he rubbed his temples frantically to ease the tension building up inside of me.Where on earth was his precious daughter? What could have happened to her?"Please, exercise some patience, Mr Jordan, while I wait for the construction team to help me remove my door. As I explained to you, Janice just stormed out of the house and locked me inside because she took the remote with her. She must have been in a hurry or something. I think maybe she's at her best friend's house, Hannah."Mr Jordan's eyes lit up.That may be true....who else will Janice be wi
She was super excited and relieved to see Drake coming to her rescue. Tears of relief etched at the corner of her eyes. He came for her! He must have sensed that I was in danger! But how did he know where to find me....? She pondered silently as she arched a brow at him curiously. "Drake! How did you know that I'm here?" She quizzed.He shrugged, winking at her."I just know, Janice. Now come one before Matt comes out!" He urged, waving her over.Her heart jumped at the mention of Matt. That monster! She never wants to be around him ever again! For now, she has been rescued, and she can safely go home and put this whole marriage behind her.Luckily, she has the videotape as evidence to nail Matt on the cross and call off the engagement. She rushed to the car and opened the passenger's door in the front seat and settled on it, jamming the shut quickly.For now, she will have to ask questions later."You good, Janice? I hope he didn't hurt you in there?" Drake asked, although his
*...if it wasn't Drake, then I would rather not love at all.* Damn it! Matt found out already? How did he even know about this? I thought he wasn't aware of it. What do you mean, Janice? Of course, Matt had been watching you non-stop! Only a fool wouldn't be aware of the deep connection that exists between you and Drake. At this point, I wouldn't even be surprised if the maids knew as well. The voice in her head taunted her. She bit her bottom lip frantically, trying to rein in the turbulent thoughts writhing inside of her head. She had to act cool and unbothered. Pretend as if you didn't know what he was saying, Janice. Act cool and get the hell out of here! The voice rang inside my head again like a Belfry. She sucked in several deep breaths and looked up at Matt intently, a smirk curling up her lips. "I have no idea what's you babbling about, Matt," she snapped, feigning ignorance. Matt scoffed, shaking his head. "Stop lying, Janice. It's too obvious! I'm not a