Oscar stared in shock at Jake's mop of dark hair bent over the table as he cried out his guilt.'You killed him?' His voice was bathed in disbelief. 'Why? How?' 'What's worse than knowing your son hated your very existence?' Jake was so absorbed in self-loath that he did not read the implications of what Oscar was asking.'So you poisoned him because you hated him?' Oscar was asking direct questions to reach a clear conclusion.'Was my hatred towards him not poisonous enough to kill him? I wished him death so many times and now he's dead. I may not have been responsible for his physical death, I however killed his dreams, his hope, and his happiness.' Jake lamented.Oscar breathed a sigh of relief. He had gotten a clear answer to the doubt Jake had stirred in him. Jake didn't kill his father but he blames himself for his death."Could it be because of his self-loath, Jake accepted being responsible for Mr Dominic's death as atonement?" Oscar's mind was plagued with this unsettling th
FOUR YEARS LATEROscar's phone beeped. He dipped his hand into his pocket to retrieve it. He spoke to Jake after checking his phone. 'They've been spotted in an airport in Australia. The information I just received says they should arrive later than supposed, their flight has been delayed.' Oscar announced. Jake was standing by the floor-to-ceiling window of his skyscraper office, his gaze focused on the overview of the city from his vantage point, but his mind paid no attention to the view. His mind was working, thinking, and brewing his next line of action.Jake only got out of prison a few months ago. Damian hadn't made it easy for him to get out with the reason of his mistreatment while in prison. The man was determined to see Jake's life ebb away. He pulled whatever string he could to ensure this and it favored him that he was a lawyer with many lawyer friends who were willing to throw him a good deed for a little something. Jake had to wait until six years to be released on pa
'I can't wait to see Jayden. I bet she has a boyfriend now.' Elena was squealing over the phone.Sheena laughed. 'A boyfriend? She's just five!' 'I was four when I had my first boyfriend-' Elena tutted '-What do you take us for? We are so beautiful and they just can't resist us as soon as we are born.'Sheena laughed harder at her sister's joke. She could imagine Elena flipping her fingers over the air dramatically.'I've missed you so much!' Sheena said amidst her laughing.Elena smiled heartily. 'I've missed you too sis. It's a shame I'd have to wait until tomorrow before I can see you. Damn that delayed flight!' Elena cursed.'Tomorrow is only a few hours-' Sheena chuckled '- You've waited four long years and can't wait a few more hours?' Sheena was teasing.'I see you sharpened your tongue some over there. I'll clip them when you reach here.-' Elena could hear Sheena's light laugh over her statement, she smiled and continued '-Don't you know those few hours would seem like foreve
'Damian please, not in front of the child. Please.' Sheena pleaded earnestly, her eyes darting between Damian's bloodshot eyes and a frightened Jayden clutching a doll by the corner.Towering over her, Damian had her by her side, trapping her between his strong hands, his lips raised in an angry sneer. It's been exactly two weeks since they returned to the Rollins house. And as a curse with the house, the two weeks had been a dark ride.For Damian, everything he did seemed to plummet down to disaster. Nothing was going well for him. He seemed to have lost the company. Although he had not mentioned anything yet, Sheena suspected that he no longer had the company within his grasp.Sheena believed karma was catching up with him and she couldn't help but love and enjoy the show. For Sheena, she had to be on the receiving end of all of Damian's venting. To add to it, she still had no news of Jake which was the most unsettling feeling she was dealing with. She had secretly gone out of th
Sheena tried to stay as calm as she could manage. She kept fumbling with the hem of the oversized hoodie she wore. The hood sat over her head, dark glasses covered her eyes. It was her attempt at a disguise. The angst coursing through her was overwhelming.After much begging and pleading, Mary had reluctantly agreed to take Sheena to meet with Jake on the condition that Mary would have to speak with Jake first, and if Jake was unwilling to speak with her, then they would have to abandon the plan. It seemed like an easy condition.Sheena was certain Jake wouldn't hesitate to see her. Sheena had figured Jake had gone into hiding and was working underground to reclaim all that Damian had stolen from him. Damian was a mutual enemy and she didn't mind joining forces with her lover to bring the enemy to his knees.She couldn't keep calm. She felt like a teenager meeting with her lover for the first time after a long time. She didn't know what to expect. She pictured him sexier and more hand
Elena stood by the entrance of the club contemplating if she should enter. The loud music blaring from the speakers that she used to love, now scared her. She braced herself and stepped in. It didn't take long for her to be spotted.'You came!' Stella squealed joyfully. She extended a hand and pulled Elena towards their table.Stella was Elena's friend from her college days. They had remained friends even after college and lived like teenagers just partying, boozing and boys. That was when life seemed to be fair to Elena and her family. When she lived carefree, her father's business was doing well, her sister didn't need to marry an older man and she wasn't nursing a broken heart.Stella had traveled abroad just about the time the turbulence in Elena's family began. Stella had just returned from her long trip and insisted that Elena come to see her at the club. It has been a long time since she saw her friend and it excited Elena to reunite with Stella. Her excitement though was short
'What did you just say?' Elena's statement halted Jake in his tracks. His eyes were intent on her.'You heard me.' Elena responded. 'Jayden is your child with Sheena.''She is not my child' Jake said with so much denial and disbelief in his voice. He believed Elena was only trying to get his attention.'Elena, how can you stoop so low to resort to lying? How can you play with such a sensitive matter? Why are you trying so hard to prove your sister a saint? Sheena married Damian after sending Jake to prison. She gave birth to their daughter after her marriage to Damian and you say Jake fathered the child? Who would be stupid enough to believe that?' Oscar berated Elena.'Oh please shut up your foolish mouth Oscar! When would you ever allow your brain to do some actual work?' Elena insulted. She returned her gaze to Jake after silencing Oscar.'Do you really think Sheena could betray you?' Elena entreated Jake to reason.Jake raised his eyes to meet with Elena's. His heart weighed her w
Jake sat in the back seat of his car mulling over the events of the night. 'Drive faster.' He ordered his driver as he rested his head on the headrest, his face turned up staring at the roof of the car. He was thinking.'I can't. Damian keeps Sheena locked up like a prisoner. …It's difficult for me, even as her sister, to see her. We always have to sneak around to meet. …Sheena was waiting, waiting until you'll come to save her.'Elena's words played repeatedly in Jake's head like a mantra. Sheena had been suffering too, just like he suffered in jail. He shut his eyes tightly to drown out the pain, regret, and remorse he felt. He felt deeply foolish and sorry. He had wronged his woman. He had added salt to her painful wounds and he needed to tend to the wounds he had inflicted on Sheena fast.Regardless of the fact that Sheena didn't know that he thought so lowly of her, he still tortured himself for entertaining such thoughts about her. Jake wanted to meet Sheena so he could right