JARED What was the stares for? My staff had been staring at me from the moment I stepped in through the glass door of my company. Now that I had stepped out of my private elevator, they were still looking at me. Why? Was it because of my new custom-made suit? I was accustomed to the lusty looks my female staff threw my way almost everyday. Even Sam Denory who was gay never failed to swallow me with his eyes. I usually ignored all of the stares but today was different. It was lusty nor appreciative, rather it was judgemental. Heads raised when I got close to my office, the looks were beginning to grate my nerves. Celine's work space was empty. "Why are you guys looking at me?" My tone had them lowering their heads back to focus on their respective jobs. "Where's Celine?" I asked. "She's in the bathroom, sir." Someone answered. "Tell her to come see me as soon as she's back." I instructed, then walked into my office, closing the door. I had a new business deal to sort thr
I was not listening. No, I could not listen. Everything was a blur, words flew over and at me, I heard voices but nothing was sticking in head. My brain cells were a scramble in that moment. Tears fell incessantly, my heart pounded so hard that I thought it would pull out from my chest. My knees buckled, every part of me trembled. I wanted to cry out, to rid myself of this shocking, brutal pain but I couldn't.Only tears fell. I saw the tall figure of someone hastening towards uncle Pete and me. Uncle Pete was still talking to the doctor.I was not interested in whatever she had to say. Nothing she could say that would stop this pain and fill my heart back with hope."What's going on, uncle Pete?" This person reached our side.I had no idea if he got his answer or not but he stooped to look at me. I turned my head to meet his gaze, to see his expression.My tears would not let me take a proper, clarifying look.His lips moved, he was saying something to me. But I was too far away t
PETER"I don't even know where to start from, uncle." He spoke with such downcast expression, there was anger too. "What did I ever do to Jerome? Why is he hellbent on ruining me?!" He punched the dashboard of the car we were in. We had initially decided on a restaurant but the looks he was getting were embarrassing and judgemental, we finally opted for his car.Hailey had left with the one we had come to the hospital together in. Hailey. I just hoped she was okay. She had spoken out of anger and pain, she was not one to harm a kid. Maybe.I hoped she was not too far deep into her agony and grief to know she was not that kind of a person. "Plus my daughter is dead. A child I never got the opportunity to be her father. Now, mom is in the hospital. Fuck! What's all this?!" He groaned, frustration ladened his eyes. It was still morning, though it was late morning by now, but Jared already looked as exhausted and defeated as I did. My greatest concerns were his political career and Ha
PRISCILLA"Come see this Phil. Oh my goodness!" I could not believe what my eyes were watching in that moment.I had woken up early and decided to put on the TV, I wasn't much of a news/politics person. I usually preferred watching Hollywood movies. But the mention of that familiar name — Jared Johnson — had caught my attention and had my index pausing on one of the buttons of the remote. With interest, I had wanted to know what they were talking about my son-in-law but never did I expect to hear this...or even see him in such a disgraceful position in a hotel with a naked young girl beneath him. What was this?! Was he not thinking of his career? Of my daughter? How dare he?"Phil!" I called loudly from the small living room upstairs, my voice carrying through the early hours of the morning while I suddenly remembered my daughter. My poor babygirl. She would be devastated, that was certain."What is it?" Phil's sleepy voice sounded annoyed as he came out of our matrimonial room, hi
"Pay attention to your son, Miss Codza. He needs you." My son's nanny's pleading voice sounded somewhat far from me.Audible but a bit distant. The cries of Zion calling mommy also sounded the same. All I was seeing and hearing clearly in that moment was Zaya's laugh. She was my first fruit. I'd pushed her out few minutes earlier. Her cries had filled the room. Then came Zion. He hadn't made much fuss like Zaya. Zion had gone mute the moment uncle Pete held him and spoke. Zaya had stopped crying when she came in contact with me. My heart constricted but I was fighting the tears. My baby girl's first laugh. Her first walk. Her first word had been 'dada'. She had called uncle Pete first because while I had been thinking of killing myself, he had taken over them both. Her first tooth. First seat up. First crawl. First walk. I remembered all of them like it was yesterday. Then she'd proceeded to grow into an outgoing, smart, sassy child, playing the role of a big sister more than m
"What?!" I snapped, struggling to free myself from the bind. I ignored uncle Pete's disproving stare. Jared, on the other hand, looked like he had just been dealt a serious blow. It was a mixture of shock and disbelief. "What are you saying? What is she saying, uncle Pete?"The older man heaved a sigh, pinched the area between his brows and plopped into a chair. "I did not want you to find out that way but here we go..."I ignored them both, focusing on getting out of this ridiculously hard knot he had my wrists tied in. "Here what goes, uncle? What is she talking about?!" Jared's tone was slightly increased in an apprehensive way. "Sit and don't raise your tone at me. I'm exhausted already as it is." Uncle Pete admonished slightly."How did you even tie this...fuck!" I was beginning to grow frustrated. I melted to the floor, flinging my body in a desperate attempt to get rid of this bind. My whole body was shaking. I just needed to avenge Zaya's death and mourn her. Nausea rais
PETERI was exhausted and tired. It had been a very long, tiring, painful day. I wish I could just have my bath and sleep but I couldn't.This was not the time to slumber. There were enemies everywhere and evil plots surrounded us, especially Jared and Hailey. I pitied Hailey. The pain she must be going through now, even Jared. His career and marriage had just been shattered because I knew he would not continue that marriage with Mia and the President would not want to adopt Jared politically anymore due to this scandal.That reminded me, the President had called me twice when we were still at the hospital, but I hadn't picked. I didn't tell Jared because I didn't want add to his panic.He was with Hailey now in her room. She had managed to eat something and was now asleep. Jared refused to leave her side. I peeled off my shirt and pants, ready to go into the bathroom, have my bath and get plotting.My phone pinged with notification. I checked it to see a message from a saved contac
CHRISTIAN"Hello, man.""Where are you?" I steered the wheel, driving into the place of rendezvous. My phone was on the speaker, Jerome's voice loud and clear. "Priscilla called." I informed him."Really? And I was beginning to get impatient." He stated. "Well, let's just hope she's willing to cooperate this time.""What if you send me your location and I send my men to bring her here?" He suggested."No, we can't do that. It's a bad idea. This woman is... she's the soft type and fiercely loyal. She'll break but we just need to give her time. She called me, didn't she? And from her tone, I could tell all is not well." I told him, parking in the car section.I turned off the engine and remained in the car, continuing my call with him. "So you're saying let's give her time, huh?" "Yes, Jerome."I would not say Priscilla was a total hard nut to crack because she was a softie. Emotional and a bit naive. But there was the loyalty and strength hidden beneath. She wasn't one who would
It was a struggle to open my eyes but when I finally did, the light overhead almost blinded me. I shut my lids back with a wince.Seconds later, I slowly reopened them but was mindful of the bright white light hanging on the ceiling.Trying to move was another chore, I couldn't. Every part of me felt broken, bruised and battered. Then I remembered that in fact, I was beaten, bruised and battered by two masked guys whom faces I never saw. Struggling to push myself to a sitting position, a small cry left my lips. My legs were swollen, had dark red spots and felt too heavy to move. Tears of self-pity blurred my vision the same time I saw someone walk in. "You're awake."I didn't need to see the face clearly to know the voice belonged to... "Christian?" I blinked my eyes, tears hanging onto my lashes wasted no time running down my cheeks. I lifted a hand to swipe at them, another painful cry. My face hurt badly too. Oh God! Was I disfigured? They had targeted my face and legs, those ma
UNCLE PETER"Hailey is no longer taking her calls." My fiancee ran into the room, the look of apprehension blanketing her features painted an unsettling picture in my head but I stopped myself from going there. "It's no cause for alarm, babe." Just as I was speaking, there was Celine behind, sporting the same look."I didn't know you were back." My brows furrowed trying not to go where their head probably was in the moment about Hailey. "Not quite long ago." She replied."Aunt Celine, hi." Zion whom I was playing with before they came in stopped the play-fight amongst his soldiers and waved at her. She rewarded him with a big smile and a wave back. "I missed you, baby Zion."She called him baby Zion and he loved it.He giggled pleasantly and went back to playing. I read their expressions, they silently requested that I come with them. They wanted to tell me something but didn't want Zion to overhear. I hoped all was well. "Hey buddy." I crouched to his sitting level."Yes daddy?"
DENISE"You sure do know how to pick a woman's dress." I admired my body in the mirror, casting my gaze to his with a satisfied wink. His face gave away no emotions, he merely stood from the sofa he was seating. Impatience radiating off of him. "Can we get to the part where we rehearse?""Calm down, cowboy." I cat-walked towards him. "Have no one ever told you not to rush a lady?""Denise, Hailey is beginning to suspect something is up. I have run out of lies and I hate lying to her. So let's just get this over with." Impatience was really singing a tune now. "Where's the phone, recorder and cash you promised to get me?" I held out my hand to him. He pointed to a designer bag on the console table. "In there."My eyes widened in excitement. "You got me a bag! A designer at that!" I ran towards black expensive leather. "You really do know how to shop for a lady.""Yeah, when your ex-wife has expensive tastes for extravagant things, as a man, you'll need to catch up. Alright, here's w
"Hello babe." I drove to the side of the road and parked there the moment his voice came on the speaker. "Hi, Jared. Where are you?" I inquired."I-I'm...I went for a meeting." He replied, I noted something in his voice but couldn't specifically say what it was."Are you okay? What kind of meeting? You don't have a secret company you're running, are you?" "I'll tell you as soon as I'm back." Came his reply."I've missed you. You've been absent from home these past two days. By the time I woke up, you weren't by my side." "I'm sorry baby. I'll get back home soonest. I'm trying to figure out how to keep my life running with the election just five days away and Jerome still in charge, I can not remain idle." "I understand. Will you be long?" I missed him, even Zion as well. Our son had been asking about him, wanting to know of his whereabouts. "Zion misses you too. Says you no longer play with him.""Tell him to forgive me, I'll be back soon and we can play all he wants." I heard a
JARED I know what I was about to do would cause trouble, but I had to do it. Moreover, if she never found out, there would not be a problem. I drummed my fingers on the desk, waiting patiently in the visitor's room. I wasn't the only visitor here, there were others, some were waiting as I was."Well, well, if it isn't the man of my dreams." She was brought before me, taking a seat opposite mine. "Let's go." I began to rise from the seat. "Go where? And just like that?" She raised a brow."Just yesterday, you didn't want to go to prison, today, you're reluctant to leave?""I believe the right word is hesitant. How do I know you're not taking me out of here to go kill me?" She retorted."Kill you? What for? Of what use will your death be to me, Denise?" I sat back down, meeting her gaze. She shrugged, her eyes not leaving mine. "You tell me, Jared.""See, I wouldn't be here if it's not important." I began."Ah-ha! So I'm guessing Hailey doesn't know you're here." It was more of a s
PHILIP"I'm going to kill her! That bitch!" Rage had me in a choking hold."She might be innocent, you know?" Derek said, climbing in after me.We were on our way to the airport, about to leave the country. It was midnight and Derek had pulled some strings, landed us a private plane. For a man who came from nothing, he had connections.Well, he did have money now."She's not innocent...well, she used to be. But that is not the woman I married. I don't understand her anymore. Damnit!" The more I thought about that letter and the fact that my wife had sent it to threaten me, knowing she had gone through my privacy was enough make me resolve to kill her."Whatever man. Let's just leave the country first, revenge will come. Your company is in good hands, that's all." He assured me with a companionable slap on my back. "What are we still waiting for? Let's get going." We were yet to board and the pilot was ready and waiting."I'm waiting for someone." His gaze was searching.Even though i
"This will solve nothing, you know that." She complained bitterly as the policeman cuffed both her wrists. "It'll put you in jail for killing my father." I spat at her.We had just returned from the President's place, I'd called the police to come arrest Denise and take her away. "And then what, Hailey?" She reached the base of the stairs where I was, standing in my face. Her hair and eyes wild. "Then what?!"The policeman was pulling her away from me but she stood her ground, unmoving, still in my face. I took a step closer and our noses were almost touching. "And then I'll find your step father and make him pay for what he's done.""You don't know him like I do, Hailey. Derek Kellers is smarter than you think. You need me to find him. I can help you find him." The policeman was pulling her back, struggling to have her head towards the door. "Let's join hands and defeat him, Hailey. I can find him. I know him.""I don't need your help." Her stubbornness and insistence roused more
"So her father is...was the owner of Codza Company?" The President eyed me in surprise."Yes, Bronx. She came from money. She's not poor as many tend to think." Uncle Pete replied. We had gone to visit the President after uncle Pete had spoken to him. He had asked us to come to his office, Jared wasn't invited but he followed regardless. He was still upset with me but at least, he wasn't totally ignoring me and the fact that I had helped saved Nina. No one talked about or knew anything about her kidnap or release, it was kept under wraps, from the prying eyes and ears of the public, which was a smart idea on my part."Oh. That's a surprise though." He regarded me with a simple look before facing uncle Pete once again. "What's your plan? I've called the Chief of Police and they are yet to get back to me with any useful information.""So it was basically useless coming here." I rose from the chair, fighting back my tears and anger, with the intent to leave. "Hey, watch your mouth, y
"oh God no! No. No." With trembling hands, I picked up my phone and dialed the line again. It made a disconnected beeping sound. I tried again, same thing. "This is all your fucking fault!" I yelled at her. I heard footsteps. There was uncle Pete. "Hey, what's going on?""She..." Words failed me as I thought of dad on his deathbed asking me to take care for the company and turn it into a great legacy. Dad had told me the story how he started that company. And I'd given it away to the wrong person for love. A stupid, blind, one-sided love! "Derek was already there, at the company. He was already siphoning the cash when we called." Denise provided, although she was talking in a voice that didn't sound like hers. "Damn!" Uncle Pete sighed. "Come here, Hailey." He pulled me up from the floor I'd subconsciously reached on my knees. "So long as you still have the company, we can make it grow. Your father's legacy will continue.""How?" I cried. "The bastard wants to blow up the place