CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FIFTY*I wish I could turn back the hands of time to recreate those memories again*"We got this okay? No one is going to force any relationship on you, not on my watch and not when I'm still alive and kicking either!" Hannah said firmly, a stern expression stamped over her face as her grip on her hand tightened in resolve. Janice felt relieved. she offered her a wide smile as she felt the tension seep out of her body.In times like this, she always counts on her best friend. She feels this sense of assurance and peace whenever she is around Hannah. They have both come a long way and whatever happens, they have promised to always remain together no matter what! "I know you would, love and I am so relieved that I can talk to you about just anything." She said coolly as she caressed her best friend's hand gently. Then, out of nowhere, the feeling of guilt came nibbling at her. She is keeping a secret from Hannah about the near-Rape incident in South Africa. Sh
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-ONE *"Will I ever be happy and fulfilled someday?"*"He is such a nice man, Mr Rand. Quite hospitable." Hannah commented after he had left out of earshot. "I can't wait to try out the pork meat soup!" She giggled as she rubbed her hands against each other in a frantic motion. Janice chuckled. "Same here. Even though I had tasted it, it had been ten years." She paused as the reminiscent emotions came brewing inside her with a rapid motion. She has missed everything about that one big happy family back then; lots of smiles, lots of laughter, lots of joy and happiness, lots of togetherness, and so on. After the death of her mother, seems to be pulling apart. Her father seems to be breaking inside, he's just doing his best to gather the broken pieces and keep it all in. Perhaps Dad and I coming back here to recreate those moments from a long time ago might help soothe those wounds... She contemplated silently as she glanced over to the table for three.
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO *It would be a total nightmare!*"Thanks for dropping me off. I had a fantastic time. I wish we could stay there forever." Hannah giggled. Her voice was a little slurry. They had a few cups of whisky to wash the bowl of soup down. It had been a long day indeed. By the time she approached the city, it was already 9:57 pm.Janice smiled and pecked her best friend's blush cheeks. "You should go. It's running late." She giggled and said something incoherent. Janice wasn't sure if it was okay to leave her out here like this. "I will only leave until you get into the house. Off you go honey." Janice waved her off. Hannah giggled sheepishly as she wobbled across the lawn. She paused and waved aggressively at Janice. "I'm fine geez!!!"Janice smiled at her ruefully and shook her head. "Whatever just get into the house already. Geez, you are so light-headed, Hannah!" Hannah rolled her eyes and laughed. "Bye! I love ya!" she called out. Janice squ
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE*He is her weakness. Her only weakness....*She could make out the cabin house now and she breathed out in relief when she noticed the lights were still on from the inside which means Drake was still awake. Thank God! She would now be able to be saved from that Jerk, Matt Castle. She parked at a close distance from his cabin house and switched off the car. She took her mobile and was about to get off the car when her phone buzzed. Another text message but from who? Probably Abigail or Dad for sure. She peeked at the notification bar on the locked screen but to her shock, it was neither. The message was from an unknown number. Who could this be? With arched brows, she swiped her thumbprint at the back of her phone to unlock it instantly. She impatiently tapped at the message to open and it read: *" Janice, why do you keep hiding from me? I know you blocked my line. I've been at the house for hours waiting for you. I mean you no harm. I just wan
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FIFTY -FOUR*There is still hope*"Yeah..." He cooed huskily as he sauntered past her, brushing her arm, to where the pile of freshly washed clothes was laid and took a big t-shirt and slid into it in one swift movement, his muscular shoulders rippled and flexed in motion, sending shivers shooting up and down her spine. She gulped, silently urging her body to control itself and not be drawn to his sexual prowess. But it was a herculean task as every fiber of her being longed for him. Damn it! Even in dire times like this she yearned to be by his side, to make love to him like the whole didn't matter like Matt wasn't lurking in her house at the present moment. With a grunt, he turned to her and sat on the messy bed. "So....? Why are you here? Did something happen?" He asked coolly, his brows marred with concern. She gulped again and inhaled slowly in a bid to steady her breath. No, she is not going to let him know that the sole reason she was here was bec
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-FIVE*Oh! She loves this side of him*"Nothing much. C'mon now, don't bore yourself with that. Matt is someone not worth talking about." She hissed, waving it off. *Much less to you* she finished off the sentence internally. Drake clucked his tongue in disapproval. "Did this Matt dude hurt you or something? Perhaps your ex-boyfriend?" Of course, Drake wasn't gonna buy her cheap response. Her hair practically stood on end in disgust at the mere thought of being in a relationship with Matt. Oh hell no!! "Fucking no! That's bollocks! There's no way on earth I was either his girlfriend or going to be one. Not in this life or the next. Ever!" she squealed in rage. Drake's brows shot up. But why does Janice hates him so much? "So you simply hate him for no reason at all? That's absurd. You can't just wake up one morning and decides to desist the existence of someone for no obvious reason. Just doesn't make sense." He held out his hand expansively to
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-SIX*This had better be a bloody joke!*She slowly but steadily approached the big house and puffed out a sign of deep relief when she didn't see the parked Gray Mercedes-Benz. Just as Abigail had texted, he already left! Thank goodness!!! Geez! It's already past eleven and he is just leaving their house neither had she retired for the day because of matt! This is all that asshole's fault! She parked at the exact spot the Mercedes-Benz was. She got down and locked the car with the automatic lock key she pressed. She scurried towards the main door and pressed the doorbell. Abigail was already expecting her because she was at the door already and held it open for her. "Welcome, Ma'am. Let me help you with your bag." She stretched her hand humbly to reach for the bag but Janice didn't oblige her. With a shake of the head, Janice firmly. "No, it is fine."She didn't see Dad in the living room. "Thank you so much Abigail for your help." Abigail
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-SEVEN*What a mess she is becoming...*"You are just being paranoid love. Think about it. What did Matt do to you? Nothing I assume? So why are you so hell-bent on avoiding his entire existence?" She bit her bottom lip furiously, attempting to swallow the rage brewing inside of her. "So you would rather force him to be with me for the sake of your best friend, George Castle?" She spat. "What about how I feel? Have you thought about that for once?" He paused as he studied her reaction carefully. "You are looking at it from the wrong perspective honey. I care so much about you and how you feel. Of course, I'm doing this with your best interests at heart." She tsked in disappointment. "I don't know if I should believe that Father. I don't like Matt Castle and I never did. Can't you see that?" she queried frantically. " I want absolutely nothing to do with Matt Castle and nothing is going to change my mind!" A determined glint flashed in her eyes. Her
*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