Last chapters for the year...lolssđ Thank you readers for sticking to my book. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Please keep supporting, reading, sharing, gifting and reviewing. Thank youâ¤ď¸đš
"What the hell is she saying, Peter?" The President who was currently pacing his office, looking sleep-deprived and angry, faced uncle Pete."Calm down and listen to what she has to say. There's sense in it." Uncle Pete was trying to calm him. "What sense is in there, Peter?! She's asking me to make a fool of myself out there!" He looked like he was about to pummel someone. "If denouncing your support for Jared and pulling him out of the race is what makes you a fool, then be a fool to save your daughter!" I retorted, getting worked up by his own anger. I was trying to save his daughter's life but he was proving stubborn all for some keeping a clean record and an unblemished career. "It's your fault she's kidnapped! I told you this was a dangerous game but you thought blackmailing me with a secret daughter from my past will solve everything. Now look at where it has landed me! Damn it! I can not believe I let myself be toyed by you! A woman!" He all but spat at me. I leaned closer
"Well, that went well. I guess." I strapped in just as uncle Pete started the vehicle, driving out of the compound. "I guess so too." Jared stared from the rearview mirror, our eyes met. The drive back home was mostly silent. My mind were filled with thoughts of Nina, Celine and when Denise would become conscious and tell her side of the story.Feeling exhausted, I closed my eyes and worried more. "Hey." A soft voice sounded close yet far. "Hailey." The voice called again, a gentle, patient tap followed. My lips parted slightly open in an unconscious response when I felt a pair of lips mesh with mine. A small moan escaped me. All of this was a dream. The face I saw kissing me was Jared. I wound my arms round his neck to bring him closer to me. The kiss progressed more passionately and it became a delightful merging of mouths, tongues yearning to each other. "I love you, Hailey." That had my eyes fluttering open. I released a shocked gasp and unwound my arms, licking my lips.
PRISCILLA "Leave me alone, you wife beater!" I struggled with him to let go of my shirt he'd held on to. I heard a rip and seethed. This was one of my very expensive shirts. "Not until you tell me where the stuff in my safe is." He seethed as well. "What safe? What stuff? Did you tell me of any safe in this house?""You and I are the only occupants of this house, Priscilla. Don't fucking lie to me! Your behavior recently have been rousing suspicions.""And yours haven't?" I shot back."Give me the things you took from that safe or I'll make you regret knowing me, Priscilla." He threatened."I already regret knowing you, Philip!" I retorted. "I regret ever walking down the aisle and tying the nuptial knot with you! You're meaner than a snake and more vicious than a bear!" I lashed out. "One would look at your calm exterior and be deceived, I know I was until you began to show you true, evil colors! The devil resides in you, Philip!" The back of his hand swiped across my cheek, har
MIAI watched her come out of the mall, my car parked a distance from hers. My blood boiled and hatred flamed. She was the cause. It was all her fault and I was here to stop that nonsense. I stepped out of my vehicle, my sunglasses in place, I approached her, hurrying as she walked to her car with shopping bags in her hands. What was Jared's old secretary doing with her? Anyways, she was not my concern. "Hey you." I didn't bother to hide my disdain when I neared her.Removing her own sunglasses, she coolly assessed me. "Didn't expect to find you here, Mia. It's been awhile.""Where's my husband?" I got to the heat of the matter. A chuckle escaped her. "Does it look like I have him in my purse or in the back of my car?"A growl rumbled low. "You bitch! I see what you're trying to do here. You couldn't have him six years ago, now, you're playing every dirty game in your book to keep my husband from me.""Pick a side, Mia. Stop gallivanting like a helpless feline cub who can not dec
MIA"Husband-to-be? What are...""Come here." His lips smiled, his tone calm but there was an underlying order coating those two words. "Now."Subtly clearing my throat, I took small steps towards him knowing my mom and his mom were watching. He grabbed me by my waist and lowered his head, I dodged his kiss. "What are you doing? Our moms are watching and I'm married to your brother. Stop this.""Exactly, baby. I want them to watch and know I'm the right brother for you. And henceforth, you're no longer married to my brother. I went into the room you used to share with him, I saw the divorce papers, he signed but you're yet to. You'll sign it." His tone gave the hint of a command.Our voices were hushed whispers so only us could hear. "No, I'll not. Stop this, Jerome.""Say you don't want me. Look into my eyes and say it, I'll leave you alone. Maybe." It was almost as if his eyes were taunting me knowing I couldn't.I licked my lips. "See, I want you. I love you but it's your brother
BRONX"What are you still doing sitting there, Bronx?!" The sharp, trembling voice of my wife shook me out of my depressing thoughts. "Why aren't you on air yet?!"She was like a woman on a mission, storming into my small, private office without knocking. Not that any of my family members ever needed the permission to have access to me unless I was with very important guests or in a crucial political meeting. "What?" I almost knocked my glass of bourbon off the table in a slightly tipsy daze. "I said why are you not on air right now pulling Jared from the race and saving my daughter's life?!" She seethed, reaching my table and placing both hands on it. "Francesca where did you hear that?" I had to ask. I didn't tell anyone about my meeting with Peter, Hailey and Jared. "Don't reply me with questions, Bronx. Where is my daughter?! Why are you intent on making my poor girl suffer in the hands of those...those monsters?!" She cried, anger and despair clouding her big, blue puffy eyes
"He's still not picking his phone. Why is he not picking his phone?!" I paced about the living, almost out of my wits. The television was on. I'd turned it on with the hope of hearing the President making his denouncement speech regarding Jared. The voices of random people talking on TV buzzed around the room, but I didn't pay attention.They weren't what I was interested in."Hey. Hey. Hey. Come here." Jared stopped my agitated pacing and drew me into his embrace. "Calm down, worrying yourself will not help.""That girl is counting on me to save her. I have to save her. Oh God! She gave me a clue, I have unraveled it and now, I have... I have to save her." My heart was beating faster than usual. Time was running out. Just few hours ago, the kidnapper had called just as I was leaving the room assigned to Denise until she recovered and reminded me, in no mirthful or light tone if I may add, about the deal. I had no idea why the President was doing this to his own daughter. Now, he w
"Please be safe." Uncle Pete hugged me tight. I felt the fear radiating off of him. I hugged back, keeping back my own fear from surfacing. "I will.""God be with you." Miss Nancy enveloped me in a warm hug as well. "I hope." Was my low response.It was Celine's turn. One would think I was embarking on a journey of no return with the many hugs and dreary faces. Well, with dangerous and desperately power-hungry men like Philip Pillax, it might as well be. "I haven't known you for long but you're a good person. Please come back." Her hug was shorter but nonetheless warm."I will." I checked the time once again. It was ten past four in the morning. Location had been sent a minute past four. I couldn't sleep. No one could. We had all kept vigil.Jared came out just then, he hadn't been with us ever since. I had gone to find him and talk to him, but he wasn't speaking to me so I left him alone. Uncle Pete too. I wasn't even expecting him to come out. I spotted him coming down the sta
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