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Maddie woke up the next morning with a decision, to apologise to Jake for what she had said the previous night, about their kiss being a mistake. For someone as arrogant as he was, he had slipped up and kissed her and she had gone and called it a mistake, that must have hurt his pride, bad. He liked her and he had shown it. She liked him too. She might as well just come right out and say it. Maddie got ready and left her room in no time, she knew Jake would be leaving for work around 5am in the morning so she had deliberately woken up quite early. It was still past 4am so she was sure she would catch him. Reaching his door, she readied herself, and then placed her hand on his door to knock. The door opened even before she could knock, propelling her body forward as she hadn't been expecting the door to open. Jake stepped out all dressed for work as Maddie steadied herself. Their gazes locked and Maddie found herself dumbfounded, her mouth opened, and then closed but no words came
When Jake's car drove into the Conat's mansion, Maddie and the butler were waiting for him outside the mansion. It was already noon. The sun was up and shining brightly but the air was quite chilly, windy even, so the impact of the sun wasn't greatly felt. As soon as Jake's car pulled over in front of the mansion, Maddie rushed towards him. Jake's hardened expression was the first thing Maddie noticed when he stepped out of the car. There was a certain turbulence playing in his eyes. Maddie averted her gaze from Jake who moved forward to meet the butler and started to speak to him in a hushed tone. Peeping inside through the windows of the car and not finding Andrew, Maddie rushed towards Jake and asked, "Where is he?" A heavy sigh was the reply he gave her as he turned away from the butler to her, and the worry, which hadn't completely left her, returned in full force. "Jake! Where is Andrew?" she asked him. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach. That something was seri
When he had come to, he had found himself, tied up in this chair, blindfolded with his mouth gagged. There had been more than two men with him in the room earlier. He had heard their voices. He had heard one of them on the phone with his dad. "Tick tock! Tick tock! Your time is running out Mr Conat…" Those were the words he had heard the man saying to his father on the phone. He had been unable to hear what his father had been saying on the other line but he could guess that his father was definitely coming for him. Warning them not to hurt him. His father had informed him about this. About how him being a public figure might endanger him someday. He had warned him to always behave and stop sneaking out of the house like he would usually do every now and then. But Andrew had never once imagined that this could happen to him. He had thought his father was being overly excessive, always keeping bodyguards around him. Never letting him leave the house at will. Having him homeschooled.
Even Andrew pulled away from Maddie slightly, turning his tear-stained face to his father, waiting for him to say something. To shout at him. Ground him. Anything but the silence. He hadn't said a single word to him since he woke up. He had only gazed at him with no clear expression on his face. Yes he had his hand placed on his shoulder and relief was playing in his eyes but Andrew could tell that his father was pretty mad at him. Even he was mad at himself. "Dad," Andrew mumbled in a quiet voice when his dad still didn't say something even after an entire minute had passed. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Buddy, I am just glad nothing happened to you," Jake started and from the way his eyebrows twitched, Maddie could tell that Andrew was in for some real reprimanding. Her eyes pleaded that Jake take it easy with the lad as she locked her gaze with him. She knew that the kid was already feeling down. Blaming himself even. Jake knew that too. But he had to caution him still. It was
Jake finished with the paperwork for Andrew's discharge and started to make his way back to the VIP ward Andrew was in. Being a VIP member of the hospital, he was allowed to use the VIP elevator and this greatly helped reduced his exposure to the other people in the hospital, being the public figure he was. On getting to Andrew's ward and not finding him, he knew that they were still at Sheila's ward so he just sat down on the chair by the bed and took out his phone to call Micheal. He had left the company in a hurry and had left some important matters to his assistants to attend to. "Fill me in," was what he muttered the moment Micheal picked up. "All the meetings for today have been concluded. The prospects all agreed and signed the collaboration contract. The deal is sealed," Micheal spoke from the other line, a hint of enthusiasm seeping through his voice. Jake let out a satisfied hum. "Good. Have the Human Resources get started on training and recruiting housekeepers for the
It was quite an intense sight for Maddie to watch; Andrew in a fit, whining to his father while pulling onto his leg as hard as he possibly could. Jake not budging. She couldn't help but interfere. "Jake..." Jake's face snapped towards her. His cold eyes almost compelled the words she wanted to say back into her throat. "It was kind of our fault Sheila got hurt in the first place, if you really think about it," she pointed out, straightening her back with her eyes brimming with determination to convince him. Andrew immediately let his hands drop from his father's leg, and then moved to the side to watch them, hope playing in his eyes. Jake scoffed. "Well, that's why her parents got a huge amount of money from us as compensation, don't you think?" he retorted. "Not everything is about money!" Maddie half-screamed. "Her parents didn't seem to agree so though," Jake muttered. Maddie's gaze on Jake turned into a glare. "We are not talking about her parents here! We are talking a
Maddie didn't even try to fight him. She couldn't resist him. Not when she hadn't been able to stop thinking about the kiss they had shared just the night before. The memory had even invaded her dreams. Kept her up. It was crazy, how the kiss from the previous day had got her yearning for more. She had always found it repulsive, kissing a man. After the first terrible experience she had with the horrible bastard that had raped her, she had never thought she would kiss another man ever again. She had never even let another man get close. It was why Lucas had an excuse to cheat on her. Although she couldn't quite say that what she had felt for Lucas had been love, she had liked him, more than most men she had come across in her life. Still, she hadn't liked him enough to let him even as much as touch her. But there was just something about Jake that stirred something inside of her. That got her aching for his mere presence. And that was why even right now as he locked his lips with he
Crouched on the floor of the female restroom, Maddie tried to steady her breathing. Her head was a chaotic mess as images of Jake kissing her earlier kept colliding with images of her getting raped 7 years ago, leaving her so overwhelmed to the point that both her eyes welled up with tears that soon began to gush out her eyes and roll down her cheeks.She didn't know how long she stayed in that crouched position, sobbing but when she had calmed down, she took out her phone and dialed a number she never thought she would dial ever again."Maddie," a feminine voice came through from the other line, immediately there was a beeping sound to indicate that the call had been picked up."Karen," Maddie paused as a shaky breath escaped her throat."Karen I… I need your help," she completed, another shaky breath exuding her lips."Tell me what's happening," Karen urged from the other line."I am struggling, the nightmares never left and now I think I may be falling in love with a man and it has
The sun was slowly dipping below the horizon, casting a rather warm and golden hue over the serene seascape. The air was cool and soothing. The gentle sound of waves crashing against each other gave off a a soothing backdrop to the scene. Along the sandy shore, an aisle was crafted, adorned with seashells and colourful flowers. Audrey had been the one in charge of all the wedding decorations and she had done one hell of a job! The salty breeze carried with it a sense of anticipation, mingling with the laughter and chatter of everyone gathered, half of which the wedding couple didn't even know. Being the global favourite couple, people had come for their wedding from all around the globe. The place was packed full. It was a good thing that the private beach was immensely spacious. Underneath beautifully constructed bamboo arches, adorned with billowing fabrics and fresh blooming flowers, the guests were sitting in groups. A romantic melody soon started to play and the procession
The long awaited day of the trial of the state versus Linsley Conat finally came. As the masses were now actively involved in this case, Linsley Conat had been unable to bribe her way out of prison. The few people she knew in power in the judiciary system refused to help her. Her last resort, which had been to fake mental illness, had fallen apart because her son had made sure to cut her off completely from those that might be able to help her fake the reports and all the other necessary documents. Backed in a corner, helpless, all she had been able to do was wait dejectedly in her cell for the day of her trial…"All rise!"Everyone in the courtroom rose immediately as the command from the judicial assistant rang out. The judge stepped in and it was after he took his seat that he muttered a lazy, "Sit!" and everyone else in the courtroom took their respective seats.From across the courtroom, Linsley's almost lifeless eyes caught sight of her son and she gave him the most deathly st
It was all over the news the next morning being a Saturday, every news channel was airing it. Newspapers, magazines both online and in hard copy print all carried the news of the arrest of Linsley Conat. The news however didn't say under what grounds she was arrested but in the news published by Starlight Media agency, they announced that the son of Linsley Conat, Jake Conat had agreed to an exclusive interview to discuss the subject of his mother's arrest and give them all the scoop there was. The interview was scheduled for the next day being Sunday. The internet was in a frenzy. Jake got a call from the company warning him not to come because the paparazzi were everywhere. Even the security stationed far ahead at the entrance of the street leading to the mansion had called to inform him that the paparazzi were gathered there as well. Thankfully, the paparazzi couldn't get into the street because of the tight security at the entrance so they couldn't get anywhere close to the ma
It was a lot. Everything that had happened in the past couple days. It was too much revelation. She was angry, bitter, sad, frustrated, and hurt but most of all, what she felt the most was fear. The fear of losing the love she shared with Jake. The fear of losing the happiness he had brought into her life. The fear of losing the peace he had brought her. The fear of losing the complete perfect family she had envisioned. The fear of losing her brother even. It was because of this fear that she hadn't come to a decision all the while or even address the situation. Now she was ready. She knew what she had to do. Karen had ended their session with the words, "Maddie dear, don't forget that the past is past. It actually has no control whatsoever on your present or future, not unless you allow it. Your happiness does not lie in the past but in your now." Karen's words had been the final push she had needed to come to a decision… "Welcome mummy," Andrew who was in the living room rushed
Maddie had been sitting right across Karen for roughly fifteen minutes already, yet she hadn't said a word other than the greeting she had muttered to the lady when she had first stepped in. The warm smile playing on the therapist's face didn't falter, she continued waiting patiently for Maddie to speak. Drawing a sharp breath, Maddie finally opened her mouth to speak. "I umm, it's umm, complicated. I don't even know where to start." Karen's smile widened. "You can start anywhere you like Maddie. " The way Karen's office was designed, it was a modern office setting with an office table and a chair, and then across the table on the other end were two other chairs, arranged to slantingly face each other. There were a stretch of cupboards right behind the office table and chairs, at the far end of the wall, it contained drawers containing files of patients. Ahead of the office table before one got to the door or if one came from the door, were two adjacent reclining sofas. This w
"Idiot!" Linsley cursed under her breath the moment Stephanie was gone, kicking at her feet in fury, and just then her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and then picked the call rather hurriedly. "So, have you found that fool Harry?" she asked the person on the other line. "No we haven't. He seems to have disappeared," came the reply from the person on the other line. "Then find his f**king family fool and use them to lure him out!" She practically yelled into the phone. "Well, umm, his father and younger sister have disappeared as well. I think your son is protecting them by keeping them hidden somewhere." "Arrrgh!" Linsley screamed, tossing her phone across the wall in anger. "Incompetent fools!" she cursed, and then started to parade about the room. Her son was protecting Harry! Was he f**king insane? He had threatened to send her to jail but it had just been an empty threat, right? Well, she was beginning to think of the threat as more than just an empty threat.
Jake couldn't believe she was really in his arms. Sleeping so soundly with her face pressed against his chest. He had been on his way out to get himself a fresh cup of coffee when the knock on his door had sounded. He had immediately known it was her. So, he had quickly answered the door and alas! It had been indeed her!Even though she had not exactly voiced out her reason for being there, he had seen it playing so evidently in her eyes. But then, there had been conflicting emotions playing in her eyes too and she had almost scurried away. Thank goodness he hadn't let her! He hadn't known where the courage had come from to ask her to stay and let him cuddle her. He had almost thought she wouldn't stay or let him even as much as touch her but she had agreed. She had stayed and now she was in his arms.However, Jake didn't know whether to be pleased or not. It was almost like she was giving herself one last time to be with him, and then afterwards she would leave him for good. It wa
"You umm, you have something on your mouth," Jake's voice sounded seconds later when Maddie didn't look away like he had expected her to when their gazes first locked. His shaky voice gave away his nervousness. He wasn't lying though, she did have food particles smeared on one corner of her lips.On hearing his words, Maddie reached for a serviette piece on the table to wipe her mouth all over as Jake hadn't specifically pointed out the part of her mouth that was smeared with food particles. And she wasn't ready to ask him for specifics. As she performed this action, Jake found his eyes lowering to her lips, swallowing as he remembered how it tasted. She finished cleaning her mouth, her eyes returning to him and catching the desire playing in his eyes. Her gaze on him turned into a glare and he quickly looked away from her feeling slightly embarrassed. "Mummy, can you please pass me the ketchup?" Andrew's voice was Jake's saving grace as Maddie averted her gaze from him to her s
Jake did well to stay out of Maddie's way for the rest of the evening. Even skipping dinner. He was already content enough that she had returned to the mansion although he knew that her reason for returning was most probably because of her son. It had been evident in her face earlier when she saw him after getting out of the car. The way she had turned away from him so swiftly. He was pretty sure that if she could, she would have dug a hole and hidden herself in it right there and then. It was how much she despised him now. Well, she did have every right to. Closing his laptop, Jake rose from his chair and started to make his way out of the office study. He proceeded towards the kitchen in the second floor, opening the refrigerator to take out a foil covered plate. The plate contained the quesadilla pizza his son had given him earlier saying that Maddie and him had baked it and kept some for him. He knew that them keeping some for him was all his son and not at all Maddie's decis