CHAPTER HUNDRED -TWENTY-ONE*Her first true friend perhaps?*"Bonk his nose?!" Hannah burst out laughing. "oh my God, Jane. You never change. Just like old times."Janice smiled widely as memories of their time in Brighton College sprung up in my mind.Brighton College was pregnant with a lot of memories for Janice and Hannah. In fact, that was where they first met.Brighton College is one of the most expensive and highest-ranked International schools in the United Kingdom. Initially, her father wanted to enrol her in Winchester College but they changed their minds later on.She was barely twelve when she commenced. The twelve-year-old Janice appeared calm and timid on the outside and a little whiff of a condescending aura surrounded her.Everyone knew who she was on her first day after the teacher assigned her to her class and introduced her, a loud gasp and thunderous applause rocked the classroom.And Hannah was in that same class. She was a geek wearing big weird glasses with eye
CHAPTER HUNDRED-TWENTY-TWO*No one messes with them and goes scot-free*"Likewise." Janice smiled back at her.Hannah returned it rather awkwardly, tucking a wayward strand of her frizzy hair behind her ear.Silence stretched between them like a hot blanket wrapped around them. Hannah's heart was fluttering with anxiety.What could she say? She doesn't want to say anything weird to scare her off.She wants a true friend and something in her is nudging her towards this girl.Her lips formed a flattened line as she clamped them briefly together.Janice quirked an eyebrow at her curiously.Hannah quickly cleared her throat weakly and forced a smile."Um... Janice, I admire your courage and how you were brave enough to face those girls. They have been a total pain in the arse." Janice stifled a laugh and nodded."It was nothing. I didn't do anything or said anything." Janice shrugged."You think that was nothing? That was the best comeback ever! You didn't notice how rattled they were? I
CHAPTER HUNDRED-TWENTY-THREE*This girl desperately needs help!*"W-what are bayou T-talking about?!" Hannah sputtered as she waved her hands frantically in the air, feigning ignorance.But she was way easy to read. Janice chuckled and shook her head again"You what I'm talking about, Hannah. I understand we just met but you don't have to through that. Speak up when you need help." Janice gripped her shoulder gently, her brows furrowing with concern and pity.Hannah swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded slowly in resignation."Thank you, Janice. But I am fine..."Janice released her hand from her shoulder and puffed out a deep breath in mild irritation.Why is she being silent? Could she possibly have been threatened perhaps?Why is she keeping mute and not seeking help? For what purpose?But it's none of her business anyways.They just met and she doesn't want to come off as being annoyingly persistent. But she could swear that she spotted the fear lurking in her eyes.She is scar
CHAPTER HUNDRED-TWENTY-FOUR*The big trio equals her worst nightmare*The entire class gasped in disbelief as they glared at her. Well, minus Janice whose face she couldn't make out from here. Maybe she's also glaring in disbelief who knows? And probably rethink her decision to remain friends with her.What is she gonna do?!Not Anastasia ruining her reputation for her already with her narcissistic attitude. Always internationally doing things to mess with her and put her to shame. Always.The big trio equals her worst nightmare.Will she ever be able to escape from this unending cycle of bully and misery?At any rate, she had better focus on getting herself out of this mess.She gulped.Mr Abel was gaping at her in confusion.His rigid gaze glided from Anastasia to her."Is that true, Miss Spikes?" He probed.Of course not! Her throat worked on a swallow. Ensuring her ragged breathing was taking a regulated tempo, she finally answered."N-not exactly sir!" She blurted out, her nose
CHAPTER HUNDRED-TWENTY-FIVE*Every day is a nightmare at Brighton College.*"Nothing much is going on. You're just in an anxious state. You need to calm down. Do you sleep well? Are you having a sleepless night. ?" Mrs Hope asked as she retrieved the medical thermometer from her underarm and went to the back deck and rinsed her hands under the running water.She dabbed a clean towel over her damp hands and slumped in the seat across the table with a deep sigh.Hannah gulped.Sleepless anxious nights had been her close companion lately. All thanks to the monstrous trio that kept making her life a living hell. Plus, she had no friends. She would often stay awake battling with her troubled thoughts all by herself and then put on the fake mask of a happy kid living her best life in school to her parents.For how long will she keep up with this facade?It's only a matter of time...and at all costs, the mask must not be removed let alone crack a smidge So no one must know. Not even her teac
CHAPTER HUNDRED -TWENTY-SIX*That place reeks of suffering and menace*The last person that she had expected to meet up with was her dreadful nightmare, the Big trio!!!!They were already waiting for her at the far end of the hallway that led to the backyard of the school.Anastasia was amongst them and she didn't seem pleased at all.While the other two, Amber and Arizona were smirking at her with an amusing smile curling up their lips, Anastasia was snarling at her like a cornered tiger.A tiny smug smile lifted the corners of her lips slowly as Hannah triumphantly recalled she was the cause.Yeah, feel a little pain, a little kick in your ego. Even just a little bit is okay.Feel insulted and humiliated even a weeny bit.As a return ticket for all the hell, you let loose on me. It's even far worse what they did to me but seeing how worked up and flustered Anastasia was, brought a smile to her face.Eventually, they will pay heavily in due time. Just you wait!Besides, she doesn't e
CHAPTER HUNDRED TWENTY-SEVEN*The last thing she wants is to add fuel to the burning fire*She watched how Allan deteriorated from a healthy robust happy boy to a lanky skinny dishevelled miserable boy.The big trio did it but the school authority concluded in its investigations that there was no correlation or link that points to them. Therefore, declared them innocent.Everyone knows that the big trio did it.But no one dares say so. Everyone was scared of those girls.They were like the Alpha and Omega of Brighton College.There are speculations that there is a possibility that the school headmaster is on the payroll of amber parents. This may be true considering how quickly the case was closed down and suddenly disappeared into the thin air.Allan couldn't seek justice and was ultimately kicked out of school. To the fulfilment and happiness of the monstrous big trio.And now Amber is threatening her the way she threatened Allan.She had better act smart and witty.How could she r
CHAPTER HUNDRED -TWENTY-EIGHT*Would telling someone actually save her though?*Her heart slammed against her ribcage violently as she fought silently to keep her breathing manageably normal to hold the conversation and avoid rousing any suspicion from Mrs Hope.Mrs Hope swept a calculating gaze over her silently.Shit! What gives now?She balled her hands into a fist to hide the swollen finger which resulted in far much worse pain than before.She grunted softly and puffed out deep breaths."I assumed you should be at Mr Abel's office currently. Why aren't you there yet?" She quizzedOf course! She was already headed there when these monstrous domineering Big trio decided to get in the way. As always.But if she had said that to Mrs Hope in presence of her bone of contention, the big trio, she would be toast!Instead, she bit her bottom lip furiously and forced a lump down her throat.She inhaled sharply as she strived to fix the words in her head.Damn! What would she say that would
*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