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Chapter Sixty
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2021-04-04 11:02:17It was Christmas morning when Jade emerged from the bedroom, sleepy-eyed and feet dragging like a child waiting to see what Santa had left her under the tree. "Miguel?" she called out, wondering what all the ruckus was about. Voices had woken her up, and even though they had only been loud whispers, sound traveled easily through the apartment. She tightened the belt on her robe before rounding the corner and then stopped, her jaw slack in astonishment. There was a Christmas tree, not a real one and not very big, but it had white twinkling lights and an assortment of beautiful ribbons, balls, and beads. All the staff members were there as well, standing around the four-foot-high tree, trying to help arrange the decorations that had been messed up during its relocation to their apartment. Miguel was crouched down on the floor, his back turned to her, placing something underneath it.
Jade let out a low laugh, recognizing it. "Did you steal this from the lobby downstairs?" ShRelated chapters
Rendezvous Chapter Sixty-One
Jade steadied a foot on the side of the boat, clutched the wooden post with one hand, and then maneuvered herself onto the dock with the help of Miguel. Her hair, which she had fought to keep pulled back against the strong wind, was disheveled and tangled from the boat ride. She spat out a strand that had been caught in her mouth and walked to the edge of the pier, studying the scenery. A little way up the shoreline, on the top of a hill covered in the undergrowth of botanical plants and an orchard of fruit trees, there was a white-washed stucco house with a rustic-red, terracotta rooftop. Along the face of the house, she could see a blackened hollow where the front door should've been and several sets of opened shutters that allowed panels of sheer white curtains to escape out into the breeze.Miguel guardedly looked behind him, noticing that she had suddenly stopped and was now squatting on the edge of the pier. He patiently watched as she gripped a sneaker
Last Updated : 2021-04-04Rendezvous Chapter Sixty-Two
Jade crouched on the end of a craggy boulder that was partially buried under the large dune, welcoming the warm and rough texture as she pulled her knees into her chest, resting her chin across her folded arms. Looking out over the water, the sun had begun receding into the horizon, casting a vermilion glow over the rolling swells of the ocean. The calming rhythm of the water that lapped against the shoreline filled her senses, easing the stress-induced tautness of her shoulders.Glancing back at the face of the house, a kaleidoscopic of warm hues saturated the landscape. It looked unbelievable, like one of those places that most people would only ever see while thumbing through a travel brochure. It felt too overwhelming to be at the house right now, to be anywhere near Miguel. Jade had to excuse herself during their earlier conversation, aware that it would be impolite to confront him in front of the D'aguilars. The last thin
Last Updated : 2021-04-04Rendezvous Chapter Sixty-Three
Jade bounced on the balls of her feet as she headed down the stairs, her ponytail swaying with each footfall. "You remembered to bring the sunblock, right?" She questioned Cassandra, who was only steps behind her. The girl quickly rummaged through the bag, second-guessing herself. "Yes, I have it right here," the girl mumbled.The fabric of her dress fluttered in the wind as she stepped into the morning sunlight, pushing a pair of sunglasses over her eyes. It was officially her last day on the island, and she intended to enjoy every second of it.Their getaway hadn't gotten off to a great start. That first night, after they'd gone downstairs for dinner, the power had suddenly gone out, leaving them sitting in the dark. At first, Jade was convinced it was because of the storm. It turned out that the house ran off a diesel generator, and after investigating, it was determined they had run out of fuel. Jacob suspected someone had siphoned it all, "Probably one of
Last Updated : 2021-04-05Rendezvous Chapter Sixty-Four
They pulled up to the estate late the next afternoon. Looking out into the vortex of a wintry flurry, Jade tried to hold onto the memories of the island, feeling the warmth of it in her heart all the more. Waving goodbye to the D'aguliars that morning as the boat pulled away from the pier had filled her with a void. There was so much she would miss about her time spent there. The long flight back to Philadelphia only gave her time to reflect over the past week and ponder the upcoming days. It was a relief when Miguel insisted they travel to Philadelphia first, stating that he needed to arrange a meeting with Mark Schuler, a man he worked with. He didn't tell her what for but seemed irritated by something he'd noticed while looking over the paperwork that Amelia had delivered to him.Now that she was back in Pennsylvania, the first thing she wanted to do was call her best friend. She'd made a promise to keep in touch and had every intention to
Last Updated : 2021-04-07Rendezvous Chapter Sixty-Five
Jade pushed the glass door open, walking out into the bitter air. She turned to Marissa, wrapping her arms around her in a long embrace. "It was so good to see you again," she reluctantly pulled away, saddened that their lunch date was already over. She understood that Marissa had to get back to work, though. "I know you're busy, but one of these weekends, you'll have to come to the house. Just let me know a day you have off, and we'll schedule it." "Of course, let me know when you get back from visiting his parents, and we'll figure it out. Oh, and you'll keep me updated about the baby shower?" Jade nodded in agreement. She hadn't even thought of having a baby shower but had agreed to let her best friend throw her one.They said their goodbyes and then parted ways, Marissa heading to her car that she had parked at the front of the building. Jade stepped onto the asphalt, bundling her coat around herself as she traveled through the row of vehicles, headi
Last Updated : 2021-04-08Rendezvous Chapter Sixty-Six
Jade found it hard to eat, her appetite being spoiled by the fact that she was being stalked. The first time, she thought maybe someone slashed her tires because she had parked too close to the line. This time? There was no way it was a coincidence that it happened twice in one day. While she picked at her food, Miguel took the liberty of calling Ethan and demanded that he get his ass over to the apartment. So much for giving staff the night off. In a sense, she felt better knowing that he would be there with them; if anything about what Cassandra had told her about his background was true.Jade tucked her knees into her chest, staring at her phone as Ethan brought up the security footage on the television screen. She was trying to appear uninterested in what they were doing, keeping her head down and not saying anything. She watched the screen with
Last Updated : 2021-04-09Rendezvous Chapter Sixty-Seven
Jade tossed and turned all night, lying next to Miguel. Something about the entire situation was eating away at her. The first time someone had popped her tires, she'd assumed it was an aggressive driver who wasn't pleased with the way she had parked. But, two times in one day, and at Miguel's apartment no less? That couldn't be a coincidence. She was being targeted, but by who? Her first thought was that it was Nadia because the woman was absolutely crazy, but the person in the video was too short to be her. The only other explanation would be Jessica. The girl in the video resembled her height, weight, and hair color. But what reason did she have to vandalize Jade's car? Was this a part of her game to get her attention or scare her? If so, it seemed to be working.Jade let out a sigh and rolled out of bed. She grabbed Miguel's robe from the back of the door and quietly made her way to the hallway. It would do no good to lie there in the dark; she wasn't going to fall as
Last Updated : 2021-04-10Rendezvous Chapter Sixty-Eight
Jade pulled the slick black Mercedes up to the Lehigh Country Club, hoping Jonathon would be there. If not, she would at least get to say hello to her friends. She opened the car door and glanced around. His car would be parked in the back, in one of the valet spots.The first time she'd ever come here, she thought it was extraordinary. The high pillars of the pale cement building reminded her of the White House. The branches from giant oak trees had reached out and formed a shaded canopy over the parking lot. It had appeared so elegant, and she felt like an impostor as security opened the doors for them. She recalled being so nervous that day that she had clutched onto Jonathon's forearm so tightly he had to tell her more than once to relax her grip.Now it didn't seem as remarkable to her. It looked old and weathered, and if she looked closely enough, she could see the thin cracks zig-zagging up through the cement of the building. The plush trees were now barre
Last Updated : 2021-04-11
Latest chapter
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-Nine
Grace is the divine power that inspires virtue in humans and gives us the strength to endure difficult times. Grace Elizabeth Santos was born on June 29th at 3:17 pm. The first time Jade laid eyes on her, she believed her daughter was absolutely perfect in every sense. She never truly understood what love was until she laid her eyes on her daughter and cradled her tiny, pink body in her arms for the first time. It was the most magical moment she'd ever felt. Grace came out screaming, wide-eyed, and confused by the strange cold world, but the moment she heard the sound of her mother's voice, she froze and just blinked, listening for her. "I could lay here forever studying her features and adoring every little movement and noise she makes," Jade whispered as she softly hummed to Grace who was sleeping in her arms.&n
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-Eight
"Time keeps slipping away from me," Jade thought to herself, sipping on a cup of morning tea as she gazed out the window. Her drink had already gone cold. Was her memory failing her? How many days had passed? Sunrise, sunset, sunrise, sunset, she tried to count them all, but it was difficult—fuzzy like static on the television. At this point, nothing made sense. One moment it was two in the morning, and she was lying in bed next to Miguel, and the next, she was here, sitting in this chair, having a cup of tea. She didn't know what was real or which memories she could believe.She was losing her mind, just as her mother had.Miguel had to have known that there was something wrong with her, although she attempted to conceal it. There had been no way to explain to him how she ended up in the ocean, drenched from head to toe and nearly frozen to death. She couldn't explain it. She couldn't
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-Seven
The following day, Jade had been medically cleared to leave the hospital. After signing a mountain of paperwork and receiving follow-up care instructions, she began getting dressed. The clothes alone brought a comfort she had greatly missed. Miguel had run out earlier that morning to grab her something to change into for the flight home. She couldn't exactly leave there in nothing but a thin hospital gown, and the clothes she had been wearing were now somewhere in an evidence bag. "One pair of black leggings, slippers, and an oversized t-shirt," Miguel beamed as he placed the shopping bag on the hospital bed, proud of himself. Even if there wasn't currently an assistant around to fulfill the task, he was determined to get them both out of that hospital room. After she was officially discharged, a nurse wheeled her down the elevator to
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-Six
Their reunion had been long-awaited, but as Miguel sat diagonally from her in an armchair in the corner of the room, sorting through the emails on his cellphone, she couldn't help but feel like there was a rift between them. She turned the television on to watch the five o'clock news. Lieutenant Davidson had mentioned that he would be giving a statement to the press that evening, and he'd even stopped by to ask her if there was anything she would or wouldn't prefer him to mention. She'd decided to give him her own brief statement to read.The top of the screen read 'LIVE' in big, bold red letters. "Are they really outside right now?" Jade questioned, seeing the camera was angled at the front doors of the hospital. Her room was positioned somewhere in the north wing. She wondered how many people had driven all the way to Pittsburg just to film this.She turned the volume up as
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-Five
Lieutenant Lyle Davidson leaned forward in his chair, rubbing over the scruff around his chin. He was heading into his second double shift, and the week had only started. He flipped the page, scanning over the investigative report one last time. It was unfathomable that this woman was good for it. Her demeanor definitely had him fooled. When one of his detectives had first sent over the file to him, he thought, for sure, the boyfriend had something to do with it. Shit, wasn't it always the boyfriend in cases like these? At the time, it had seemed cut and dry. Some arrogant rich guy gets a chick pregnant, and then she suddenly turns up missing? Babies born out of wedlock could bleed a man dry, and money was one hell of a motive. Hell, it wouldn't be the first time he'd had a case like this come across his desk.A smile crossed his face as he snapped the folder shut. Between the physical and forensic evidence collected at the crime scene and Jade Meadows' affidavit, he had
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-Four
The sounds of the hospital were unmistakable, and Jade recognized them before she even came to. Machines continuously beeped around her, footsteps paraded in front of the doorway, and an elastic band that was tightly wrapped around her abdomen monitored the baby's heartbeat— swish, swish, swish.She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, glancing around the small room. The walls were painted a flat pale blue, and the miniblinds on the windows let in a beautiful stream of afternoon sunlight. The tables and windowsill were lined with dozens of flowers, cards, balloons, and teddy bears. They'd been pouring in, all sent to her from strangers.The doctors had transferred her from triage to a private suite earlier in the day. From the moment she'd uttered the word 'kidnapped,' it was like she'd set off an alarm throughout the building. It felt like a million p
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-Three
Jade was startled awake by a thud. Lying on the tiny bathroom rug, she didn't dare move. She was frozen in fear, not exactly sure what or who was out there. She hadn't meant to fall asleep, but it had been the first time in months she'd been without the lock around her ankle. It was so relieving to know that she free from her chains, even if she was stuck in the bathroom. She wondered if Marianna was there. The woman didn't usually come back for several weeks at a time, but Jade thought that perhaps she'd called Eduardo, and when he didn't answer, she'd rushed back.She listened carefully to the surrounding silence, only hearing the vibration of her trembling breath. The house was silent; there was nothing. No footsteps or voices. Just her and the ghost of Eduardo. "Hello?" She finally called out. If it were Marianna, perhaps she would open the door, and then Jade could overpower her.
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-Two
Jade already knew that he'd allow her upstairs after Nadia had left. They always fell back into their old routine, and as predicted, after breakfast, he unchained her. It made her feel twenty pounds lighter. She'd nearly forgotten about the scissors wedged against her breast and had to stop herself from reaching up and touching them to make sure they were still there. She glanced back at the mattress as they walked towards the stairs, him in front of her. The scissors hadn't fallen out. She thought about pulling the scissors out right then and there and stabbing him but then decided against it. Knowing her luck, he'd probably fall backward on top of her and she'd die under his weight.That's not why she couldn't do it, though; it was because fear had a way of paralyzing you. She'd been here for months and never screamed out to his family for help, never attempted to escape. Why? Because females tended to l
Rendezvous Chapter Eighty-One
Sometimes it was nice to be able to hear what's going on upstairs, and then there were days where Jade would rather shove sharpened pencils through her eardrums than listen to one more second of Nadia's neurotic voice. The lunatic had woken up bright and early that morning and had been raging ever since. Their voices carried through the walls depending on where they were standing, giving Jade little bits of their conversation. She surmised that Nadia doesn't like his cat. "Well, at least it's not me that she's going all schizo on."Their conversation waded in and out like a tide, "I'm not getting rid of her!" Eduardo declared as the keys jangled in the door. "Ahh! Breakfast, at last." Things never seemed to operate smoothly while Nadia was here. Jade liked that he had a routine. It made captivity easier, not having to question what was going to come next constantly.
