Ixora and Jake entered the car, closing the door behind them.For a full minute, neither of them spoke, and the silence hung heavy. Jake gazed at Ixora, feeling a pang of sympathy for her.He could tell when someone was trying hard to maintain a facade of strength, and he knew the words Cherry had thrown at her must have cut deep."Well, let's focus on the bright side – you did get to see her again. Even though it wasn't the perfect reunion, it was a reunion nonetheless," Ixora said, her voice overly cheerful, her lower lip trembling.Jake pulled her into a gentle hug, and she clung to him, her bravado fading as she sobbed. One sob followed another, and then another."I knew she wouldn't take this well; she's my twin after all. I knew she wouldn't like this at all. I thought she'd be angry... I never expected her to be hurt," Ixora cried, tears staining Jake's shirt as she continued to sob.Jake allowed her to cry it out, holding her through the long, emotional release. He couldn't he
Jake recoiled as if he had taken the punch himself."You couldn't!? Do you have any idea what we've been through!? Did you even consider the pain your supposed death inflicted on us? On Mother!?" Jake was shouting, and it was as if he hadn't realized it.That stoked Jerald's anger. "You think I don't know that!? You think I didn't spend days in captivity thinking about how you, Mother, and Father were coping? Do you know how hard it was for me not to reach out, even after I got out? Do you have any clue what I endured in there...? What I'm still enduring? Damn you, Jake, you think staying away has been a picnic!? You think it's been a joyride?" Jerald found himself shouting too, unable to rein in his emotions."I was tortured for six months, Jakey, six agonizing months," Jerald whispered hoarsely, hurling the words at him, using the nickname he'd called Jake when they were kids."Tortured?" Jake stood there, his chest heaving.He had thought the pain of Cherry being with other men was
The Brown twins stood locked in a tight embrace. Time blurred, and they didn't care. Eventually, they pulled apart, their eyes still fixed on each other."I can't believe it's really you, Jake. I've missed having you around," Jerald sighed.Jake shrugged, his eyes roaming over his twin. "You could've found me. It's surreal seeing you here now, right in front of me.""It's a long story. I'll fill you in later," Jerald smiled. He glanced past Jake and spotted Ixora, her cheeks stained with dried tears, avoiding his gaze. He approached her. "You're the reason he's here, aren't you, Ixora?" He didn't need an answer; her nod sufficed. "I couldn't stand watching all of you suffer when I could help," she said, her voice trembling.Jake stepped closer to his brother. "Don't blame her, Jay. Hurting her won't just affect her; it'll hurt me too. She's been through enough today." His defense surprised Ixora. "It's okay, Jake. I knew the risks when I planned this," she said softly, meeting Jerald'
Cherry was getting ready to go out on a late evening to buy new slippers. Her current pair seemed to have developed a habit of mysteriously getting cut.She finished dressing and was applying a bit of powder and cologne when she heard the front door open, followed by voices. Lots of voices. She recognized Jake's voice instantly, and her heart skipped a beat. Then, Jerald's voice and, of course, her twin...accompanied by Berezira. They had arrived in full force.She sighed and tried to ignore them.Cherry slipped her legs into her only surviving slippers and made her way downstairs. She found them making themselves comfortable in the living room.When their eyes met, Cherry glared at all of them. However, when her gaze met Berezira's, she couldn't maintain her stern expression, and she smiled at the girl. Berezira returned the smile.Then, Cherry walked out the door, making a conscious effort not to steal a glance at Jake.💜🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹💜"Um... You can stop staring at h
71: THE WRONG QUARRYCherry trudged wearily down the dim, isolated road, weighed down by a heavy burden on her mind. In one hand, she clutched the items she had recently purchased, while the other unconsciously played with her hair. Despite her reluctance to admit it, she felt remorse for how she had treated Jake.Gradually regaining her composure and bringing her tumultuous emotions under control, she realized that Jake wasn't to blame for her inner turmoil. She knew it wasn't his fault, and he had acknowledged his innocence in the matter. Lost in thought, she suddenly noticed a shadow looming over her, making her startle."Jake?" she queried, looking up, but the shadow revealed an unfamiliar figure.The darkness concealed his face, but she could discern that he was a young man, likely not older than twenty-five, with a slender build and unruly hair. The unmistakable scent of alcohol hung in the air, suggesting he was probably a passing traveler, albeit inebriated.A chill ran down h
Khalil Mostafa Ali Reza stormed into the dimly lit room, his black eyes ablaze with anger, the scent of sex heavy in the air but far from alluring to his senses this time. "Get out! All of you! Now!" His voice reverberated through the room, sharp and commanding, slicing through the murmurs of the retreating girls.The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on his determined face, highlighting the frustration etched in his features.Amardad, his second in command, scrambled off the bed, attempting to cover his arousal with a duvet. "Is everything alright, my lord?" His voice trembled with concern, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights..Mostafa glared at him, his patience wearing thin like a threadbare rope. "I am running out of patience, Amardad. I need my prisoners found, and the fools you sent out there are utterly useless."Amardad nodded, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "It's been a month and two weeks, my lord. Those two haven't been found.""The drug shipment
Ixora had finished her shower and returned to Berezira's room, finding the girl still sleeping peacefully in bed. Ixora dried her hair and donned her nightwear, preparing to slip into bed next to the slumbering girl.As she was about to climb into bed, the door opened, and Jerald entered the room. Ixora silently stepped down from the bed to avoid waking Berezira, meeting Jerald halfway across the room. His eyes scrutinized her, and the memories of what had happened the night before flooded back, causing her face to flush instantly."I want to ask you a question, Ixora, and I'd appreciate it if you answered me truthfully," Jerald said, his tone serious.Ixora's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing with possibilities. What could he want to know? Could he have discovered her feelings for him, or was he going to confront her about calling Jake?"W-What is it?" she stammered.Jerald held her shoulder and slowly backed her against the wall, positioning his body to eliminate any space betwe
Three days later, Jake had spent ample time with his twin. He had gotten to know Berezira, the girl who had escaped captivity with his twin. He found that she was highly intelligent but rather reserved. Berezira didn't speak unless spoken to and appeared to be easily overwhelmed. Jake had realized that she needed the influence of their mother and, possibly, therapy, but he hadn't brought up the topic with Jerald or reminded him of their discussion at Cherry's house that night. He wanted to give his twin enough time to make decisions about informing their mother of his survival and involving him in his revenge plans.Meanwhile, the relationship between Ixora and Cherry had become increasingly strained. It seemed that with each passing day, they grew further apart, and to Cherry, it seemed like she didn't care about it at all. She and Jake occasionally saw each other and spent time together. Two days ago, he had asked about their parents, and just as she had done during their vacation,
Quietly, Ixora left Cherry's room and made her way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. She prepared eggs, bacon, cheeseburgers, and pizza. Lately, Cherry had developed a liking for pizza, which is why Ixora included it in their morning meal.An hour later, breakfast was ready. Ixora returned to Cherry's room to wake her up. "Come and have something to eat, Cher. I made breakfast.""My queasy stomach can't handle much in the mornings, Ix," Cherry replied drowsily, but she got up and followed her twin to the living room."Well, let's not forget that we're going to New York today," Ixora reminded her as they approached the dining table.The reminder sparked Cherry's memory, and her drowsiness quickly faded. She smiled brightly, saying, "Oh yeah, let's go check on our girl."They sat down and enjoyed their breakfast in silence. Afterward, they joined hands to pack their clothes and accessories into a large box.They began with Ixora, selecting her clothes, shoes, and other items, and pla
💝💝BROOKHAVEN, NEW YORK.💝💝Camila watched her daughter clean up the dining table right after dinner. A smile had been on her face since she heard about the arrival of her twin friends, and she was humming softly under her breath.Camila marveled at the change in this young girl and was very happy with herself for helping bring about that change. Her daughter was now so different from the girl she had seen for the first time two months ago.When her sons called and told her about their request for two females to come stay with her and Berezira, she was instantly curious about who those women might be to her sons, so she agreed immediately.When Berezira heard the news, her happiness knew no bounds, and that made Camila's curiosity soar to a different level. So, she got her daughter to tell her everything about the twins, which Berezira did wholeheartedly.Camila had come to know a lot about Cherry and Ixora, and although Brezira had innocently shared everything, Camila had already d
💝TOWER CASTLES IN HELMAND, AFGHANISTAN.💝💝Khalil Mostafa Ali Reza stood with his back facing the entrance of his throne room. He had just emerged from hiding yesterday and returned to his castle.He had spent the past two months deep underground. But finally, his long-awaited drug had arrived, albeit in small quantity.Viagnat. Only five small bottles of the liquid had been produced... five small bottles that cost a fortune, and he possessed all five. They would have to suffice for now because he couldn't wait for more.For the past two months, the US Army had been hunting him. He knew they were actively seeking him and would stop at nothing to capture him. However, he had kept a low profile, waiting for Viagnat. That drug was more powerful than a thousand armies.The US Army had turned this into a game, and he desired to change the rules. He knew that his captive and his twin had returned to the Army, but he still had men following their trail after they vanished from California.
Cherry emerged from the bathroom a while later, looking exhausted. She always felt drained after vomiting, and that was how she felt at the moment.But even though she felt sick, she couldn't be pregnant. She had been so careful. It just couldn't be true. No way."Where is that gray-haired quack of a doctor?" she muttered, looking around."He left a while ago. Oh, Cher, you're pregnant," Ixora said, her voice filled with shock as her eyes fixed on her twin's belly.Cherry instinctively covered her flat belly and made her way to the bed. "That old quack. I'm not pregnant, Ixora. It's impossible."Ixora wasn't really listening to her. "You are pregnant! But how could this happen? You were always the one with the condoms. You were always so careful, Cher."Cherry sighed and sank down on the bed. "Yeah, that's what I can't wrap my head around."She forced herself to think. Was she really pregnant? But how could she be when she always used condoms?No man had ever touched her without a con
Although the Brown twins didn't stay long in the Army, their reputation for strength and physical prowess during training made them well-known. As a result, they were promptly promoted to the Python Team upon leaving the military camp. The General calmly listened to Jerald's story before addressing the twins."Things haven't been the same since Operation Un-Done. It was the only mission the Python Team had ever failed since its formation, and it held significant importance. Various military agencies, such as the KGI, FBI, and Terror Corps, heard about Operation Un-Done. Some sympathized with us, understanding that not all missions can be successful. However, a few mocked us, claiming that we thought we were invincible only to fail and lose a comrade during the most crucial mission, when the US Army was expected to be the best in the world."The General paused, then continued with determination. "Although we failed the mission, I'm glad we didn't lose a member. We're thrilled to have y
💝💝TOWER CASTLES IN HELMAND, AFGHANISTAN.💝💝Khalil Mostafa Ali Reza sat with three of his most trusted drug dealers, resembling a round table where four drug dealers gathered to drink, eat, and converse in their language.They were about to arrange a drug shipment in a few days, but they hadn't disclosed the exact location for the deal. Since their near-ambush by the US Army eight months ago, they had become extra cautious."So, which part of Japan are we shipping the cocaine to?" one of the drug dealers asked in their language."To Nagasaki," Mostafa confirmed, "But that's not what I want to discuss.""What do you want to talk about?" another one inquired."Viagnat," he replied bluntly. "I want that drug Viagnat, and I want it quickly. What are your suppliers saying about the production and shipment of that drug?"They took turns answering..."My supplier said it will be ready in five months.""Mine said it will take seven.""Two months," one of them reported."My supplier estimat
After a long while, they were all seated at the dining table, eating. Jerald savored the food... Damn, he had missed his mother's cooking.Though they had grown up with a cook, their mother always made an effort to cook for them whenever she had the time."So, why did you come back from work, Father?" He asked when he finally realized his father had come home early. That was highly unusual.Williams smiled. "I forgot an important paperwork. Or rather, a paper that was supposed to be important an hour ago. It's no longer important now.""Is it a contract? What kind of deal was it?" he asked curiously."You see, I was planning to officially announce George as my successor in the company. That was the paperwork," he stated.Jake laughed. "Well, it seems like luck is on your side, Jay. You wouldn't look good in a lab coat at all," he teased."Very funny," Jerald said with a smile. "I would never want to be a doctor. That's your field, Jakey.""Stop calling me that, Jay-Jay," Jake shot bac
"Camy?" William called softly, his eyes fixed on the figure that closely resembled his deceased son.Camila understood the shock that coursed through her husband's body. It had been ten minutes since she laid eyes on her son, and it still felt like a dream. But she knew with certainty that it wasn't a dream. Their son Jerald was alive and back home.She walked over to her husband and placed her hand on his shoulder. "He's real, Will. Our son is alive, and he's back home," Camila whispered, her voice filled with intense emotions.That reassurance was all William needed, and he pulled his son into a hug. It wasn't a bear hug, but a genuine embrace between two men who had thought they would never see each other again.The papers were scattered on the ground, but William couldn't care less about them. He stepped aside, allowing one of his security guards to gather the papers."Jerald...! It's really you, my boy!" William exclaimed. Unbelievably, tears welled up in his eyes. His son was al
Camila, in her early fifties, was aware that many women her age experienced deteriorating eyesight, often resulting in the need for glasses or contact lenses.However, she had never required visual aids before because her eyesight had always been excellent. Or at least, it used to be. Now, she couldn't be so certain.The figure emerging from the car bore a striking resemblance to her deceased son, Jerald. Camila's mouth dropped open as she stared wide-eyed. "Oh my God..." she exclaimed, turning to her son, Jake, and gripping his arms. "I hate to admit it, but I think I finally need glasses...""No, mother, you don't need glasses. It's really Jay..." Jake reassured her gently.Camila vigorously shook her head. "No... It can't be... Jerald, my son, is dead. Why are you playing this cruel game with me? Giving me false hope... It's not good for me, Jakey."Tears welled up in her wide eyes as she beheld a sight she thought she would never see again until her own passing.Jerald observed hi