Chapter 5

Everywhere was extremely busy in the home of the Jacobs, they were preparing for the welcome party being held in the honor of their daughter, Jane who was coming back from the states because of her sister's funeral which would be taking place in two days.

Catherine Jacobs was in her room selecting expensive attire and jewelry to wear for the ceremony. Her designer stood beside her showing her varieties of expensive quality clothes.

"How much is this?" She asked and took up an orange colored dress to show the petite lady putting on glasses.

"That's $80,000 dollars ma'am," she replied softly and touched the dress.

"Isn't the price too high for it?" Catherine asked with a displeased face.

"That's the price, you can take this green color for a lesser amount… but it ain't the same quality as the orange," the petite lady explained and adjusted her glasses.

"How dare you ask me to settle for a lesser amount, how much is the orange dress that I can't pay for," Catherine thundered with rage. She hates anything with less and less attached to it, she always wants to be seen looking expensive.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I forgot you hate low prices so much," the petite lady replied and put the green colored dress away.

"Pack the Orange and the red for me, I'm buying the both of them," Catherine said and pointed at the orange dress including another red colored dress.

" The red colored dress is $100,000 dollars ma'am, not $80,000 dollars like the Orange," the petite lady explained.

"Pack both of them, before the end of today you would receive your payment as usual," Catherine said and stood up.

"Okay ma'am," the petite lady joyfully replied and started packing the clothes.

"Please be quick, I'm having a massage session soon. My massage therapist will be here soon," Catherine said.

"I'm already done ma'am, I have put them away in the closet. I will be taking my leave now. Have a nice day," the petite lady wished.

"Please ask the next person waiting for me to come in," Catherine said.

"Okay ma'am," the petite lady said before walking out of the door and slammed it shut.

A car came and Catherine picked it up, an excited voice came up.

"Hello Mom!" The sweet voice called.

"Hello pumpkin! Have you arrived safely?" Catherine asked in a sweet voice.

"Yes Mom, we are on our way. I mean me and the family driver, he found me really quick," Jane replied.

"You look a lot like me, so it wouldn't be hard to recognize a pretty charming face like yours," Catherine said which left Jane blushing.

"Stop teasing me, Mom. I'm no longer a child, I'm now an adult," Jane replied, still blushing.

"Until I get older and leave the world, you will forever remain my baby," Catherine replied.

"Whatever! I can't wait to see you, it's been two whole years now. I don't even know what our house in this country looks like. I left while we were still in our hometown," Jane said, thinking about how this new country her family relocated to a year ago would look like.

"Until you come, it's going to be a full surprise," Catherine said.

"Okay Mom, I love you… bye," Jane said and the line went dead.

"My beloved daughter, the only daughter I cherish so much, my favorite. Your father would be so pleased to see you again. I wish the two of you would relate so well without his intervention. I wish you will be able to recognize him as your father sooner and know that that imbecile you have always seen as your father really isn't," Catherine said to herself before a knock came.

"Come in," she said aloud and sat on the couch in her room.

*

James informed Dan of Jane's arrival from the airport for her sister's funeral that would be taking place in two days.

Dan decides to grace the welcome ceremony being held for Jane to see how his hard earned money was being spent.

He got dressed in a well tailored suit and left two buttons untouched to show his well built muscular chest.

He wore a mask and combed some of his blonde hair which re-dyed jet black to fall over his masked face. He took his car keys and headed out, ready to grace the welcome party ceremony.

*

"He would show up, that's why I asked you to declare it as a masked ceremony. He is already hiding his face so this would make him come to see how you have been living large with the money you made away," Edwardo informed Catherine over the phone.

"Are you sure?" Catherine asked, not convinced. She looked around the part of the house she was, making sure no one was in sight.

"I am, I will come with some of the boys and we will make sure he gets fished out," Edwardo promised.

"Okay, baby, thanks for your support," Catherine said with love.

"I will do anything to put a smile on those sexy lips which I can't wait to plant my lips on again," Edwardo replied which made Catherine's cheeks turn pink.

"Be patient, you would Tonight," Catherine promised. Immediately she heard footsteps coming and she ended the call.

"Mo….m!" A pretty lady yelled and rushed towards Catherine.

"Jane," Catherine called and spread her arms wide enough to embrace Jane. Tears gathered up in her eyes as Jane embraced her, she let them flow freely.

"How did you find me?" Catherinee asked with surprise when they broke off the hug.

"One of the servants brought me here," Jane replied.

"Which of the servants?" Catherine asked, sensing her conversation with Edwardo was being listened to by the servant that brought Jane here, that could only happen if the servant saw her coming here.

"He identified him as J…" a call came and didn't let Jane finish. She picked it up and signaled Catherine to follow her so they would head back to the living room to join the rest of the household waiting for her.

*

The ceremony had already begun when Dan arrived, he made sure to pack his car far away from the Jacobs home. He found people scattered, everyone chatting amongst themselves. He quietly walked to an almost filled table and fixed himself among the people sitting there.

He knew Catherine and Edwardo would be expecting his visit, so he didn't want to sit on an empty table in order for him to be suspected. He saw James and signaled him to come over, he did with a tray of wine and passed a note to him.

He sipped the wine and stylishly opened the note, it read.

"I overheard Catherine's conversation with Edwardo, they knew you would come here, be very careful. There boys are mixed up among the people here, don't make any suspicious move."

After reading it, Dan was a bit anxious, he slowly looked around, he could see many strange looking guys walking around with their faces covered in a mask.

He sighted A very pretty masked lady who looks exactly like Catherine in physique but appears much younger heading towards the garden. He quickly stood up and stylishly sneaked out to join her.

He found her sitting absent minded in the garden alone, he plucked a red rose and sat beside her before offering it to her.

"Hey," he called with a husky voice, she looked at him and was transfixed for a moment before she looked away.

"Hey," she replied and shly adjusted her hair.

"I guess you are the celebrant," Dan said and adjusted his suit jacket.

"Yes, I guess you are one of the invitees," Jane replied and adjusted a bit. The close distance was making her uncomfortable.

"It's Nice to meet you, what's your name?" Dan asked, pretending not to know her name.

"Jane," what's yours?" Jane asked shly but didn't get a response. She looked beside her and didn't see Dan again, he had disappeared mysteriously. Almost immediately, he saw four men coming to the garden with her mother, they walked up to her looking around.

"Where is the young man you were with?" Catherine asked Jane, looking around.

"He was here but suddenly vanished," Jane explained.

"Okay," Catherine said. She faced the men and said.

"He should still be around the vicinity, find him."

"Yes ma'am," they chorused and scattered all over the place.

"Why are you looking for him?" Jane asked with curiosity. Catherine looked at her before replying.

"He is the one that murdered…"

"Hello, our Model," a sweet voice interrupted Catherine and a handsome looking man without Mask strode towards them.

"Edwardo," Jane called and rushed towards him. She embraced him in a hug happily. He reciprocated and smiled at Catherine who gave him a wink.

She knows him as their long time family friend who ended up proposing to Isabel, her elder sister. He was always very friendly, and spoils her alot with loads of gifts. Sometimes he takes them out for shopping and picnics and always supports them. It was through his help and influence she got accepted by the agency she works under as one of the models they picked to train up to international level, So Jane knows she owes him a lot.

"I wish you knew that you are hugging your real father right now," Catherine said in her mind sadly.

The men are now searching all over the vicinity for Dan, he hid beside a tree thinking of how to escape on sighting them. One came close and he hit him on the head with a tree log which made him fall on the ground. The noise made by his fall attracted others and they came rushing towards the place where he fell.

On sighting them, Dan took off running with all his might, they saw him and started chasing after him. One of the men stopped and brought out a gun, he targeted Dan's head and pulled the trigger. In less than a minute, someone dropped on the ground lifeless.