"Thank you, Mary." A few steps down the stairs, they saw Mark impatiently pacing at the bottom. Catching a glimpse of her heading down, Mark ascended meeting her halfway. Nodding at Mary, he took the bag in Melissa's hand and flew down the steps with the car keys in his hand. She didn't understand why he was in such a hurry to get to the province, but she couldn't question him. Taking huge strides, he got to the garage, and started the car, forcing Melissa to run after him. "What go..." As soon as she put her seat belt on, he took off causing her to swallow her words.Riding in a sports car for the first time with a driver who seemed like he had nothing to live for, Melissa held on to her seat for dear life. Not saying a word to her, Mark drove faster than he usually did, occasionally checking his wristwatch.Giving him a side glance, Melissa opened her mouth to complain about the way he was driving, but then shut it remembering how upset he was. Though she didn't understand his
Lying on his stomach, Tommy's eyes fluttered open as the pungent smell hit his nostrils and the ringing tone sounded waking him up. Not moving or making a sound, he scanned the place only to realize he was in a strange room with two men a few feet from him. "Yes boss, we have the boy but there is a problem." Lying there on the thin mattress, Tommy heard one of the men talk on the phone causing a shiver to run through his body. He didn't know how he got into the tiny room or who the strange men were making him more scared and worried those men might have hurt his grandmother. Trying to keep his eyes open, all he could remember was the time he left his grandmother to go buy ice cream. "The police are everywhere looking for this brat. I'm afraid we can't leave for the city today boss." Piping at the two men, he didn't really get what the person on the other side of the phone said. Seeing the man vigorously nod his head while standing alert when the person on the other side of the phon
"Tommy!" Melissa jolted up opening her eyes wide. Still, by the phone waiting for a call probably from the kidnappers or anyone who may have seen Tommy, she fell asleep. With her hand on her stomach, she stared at the phone as images of Tommy being plucked from her arms played in her mind."Melissa, what's wrong? You were shouting Tommy's name." "Aunt, did they get any news yet? Where is Lisa? Is this phone even working? Why are they not calling?" She was exhausted and afraid. Her son was all she had."Calm down honey." Betty rubbed her back soothing her. "Someone called and told the police that they saw a white van. Now the police are reviewing all the traffic surveillance cameras to see which way they went or if they left the town. They will surely find them. I also asked Lisa to go get some rest when you fell asleep.""Aunt, I can't lose Tommy. I can't lose my son." "You won't lose him honey, we will find him." Betty soothed her afraid of what would happen to her. "It's been hou
His fists clenched deep in his trouser pockets, Mark stood at the door watching Melissa feeling helpless. Seeing her in so much pain hurt him in a way he never expected. At some point he wished he never brought her to the city. Bringing her to live with him had exposed her putting their son in danger and he would never forgive himself if something ever happened to him. Despite being very powerful in the business world and having lots of money, he could do nothing to get his son back. The son he had not met yet and he might never see. Morosely contemplating of never meeting his son, his heart broke more. If he never finds his son he didn't know if he would ever look Melissa in the eyes. He had promised her they would find him but now all hope was lost."Sir! Sir!" His assistant called waking him from his deep thoughts. "Sir, our men are looking at all the exit points. We won't stop until we find him." Noting how crushed he was, James informed him keeping a safe distance. They had
As the sun rose, Melissa still holding on to the handkerchief, sat on the couch in the living room blankly looking out the window with no strength to go on. They said past twenty four hours there was no hope of finding the child, and now her son was gone. How was she supposed to live without him? She wondered briefly closing her eyes. "Melissa, you have to eat." Sitting beside her, Mark spoke with a steaming bowl in his hands. "I'm not hungry, just take it away." She responded not looking at the person beside her. Many had tried, even her weak aunt, but she didn't eat or drink anything. Looking at the stubborn woman, Mark felt more helpless. Taking her now cold hand in his, he forced her to look at him. "I know you are worried about our son, I'm worried too Melissa, but we have to stay strong. You have to eat so you can be strong enough to take care of Tommy when we find him." He touched her cheek wiping the silent tears. "Will we find him?" She asked between sobs as he hugge
Hearing Tommy identify Mark as his father, they both looked at him in surprise. "You are my dad right, I saw your picture in a magazine that my classmate brought to school. They all said we look so much alike.""Yes son, I'm your dad." Mark said smiling at him as he sat beside him. "Do you have a lot of money as they say?" He asked touching Mark's wristwatch. "I guess I do." Smiling, he held Tommy's hand feeling so proud to have an intelligent child like he was. Being close to the three year old boy was like a dream. He never thought of having a child and there he was, a grown boy he couldn't stop looking at. "That's awesome, now mum won't have to work so hard for long hours to provide for me." Tommy stated excitedly forgetting his injury. "Will you marry my mum?" "Ha ha ha, yes I will marry your mum and she won't have to work so hard again." Looking at the two planning her future, Melissa felt proud and betrayed by her son at the same time. "Wow young man, you can't plan t
On her way to work, Melissa got a call. Holding the phone in her hand, she looked at the face wondering when he added his number and picture in her phone. "Hello." As she answered her lips curved up involuntarily as his deep voice came from the other side. "Did you get home safe?" Listening to his concerned voice, she imagined him sitting behind his desk gazing out the window looking all handsome as always. "Yes, we got home safe but I'm heading to the office." Answering Mark, she shook her head pushing away the distractive thoughts. Though he asked her to take some time off and take care of their son, she disagreed needing to get back to work to complete her project. She had spent a week from work and he had been so supportive sticking with her every step but now she had to get her head back in the game. They had to complete all the furnishings on time since the deadline was near, and it being her first project, she wanted to see it through. Needing to show her colleagues that
"What do I do?" Melissa stood at the closed doors worried she would get caught.Leaving Steven's home, Diana got one of their driver to drop Melissa off instructing him to take her straight to her house. "Miss, your address." "Just drop me off at the bus station." "No, I can't do that. Please give me your address." With the driver's insistence, Melissa had no choice but to give him one of her coworker's addresses. She had been in the apartment once when Nancy had invited her and Jenifer to check out her new place. It being an executive area, to access any of the apartments you had to use a key or call the person you were visiting to open the gate. Though Nancy would never mind playing along, the night had fallen and Melissa didn't want to walk into her apartment unannounced. With the driver seated in the car watching, waiting for her to get in, she rummaged through her bag wondering what to do. She had waved him off hoping he would leave, but he sat there with a keen eye on
At Edward's mansion, the whole family sat together for the first time since the explosion. The blast that claimed three of Mr Edward's employees. Mr Edward accompanied by David made a press briefing assuring the country that his family was safe and the explosion was caused by a gas leak. Now with the renovations complete, the mansion stood greater than it was before. Mr Edward, Ms Lucy, and Mr Johnson sat in the garden talking mostly about their childhood and how their lives had changed since they fell apart. Thanks to Diana's confession, they now knew her grandfather was the one who planted the gold jewellery in Edward's jacket, sending him to prison. Moses' father was an employee at Johnson's farm but got fired when his drinking and negligence caused the farm a handful of cattle. When Edward's father replaced him, Moses father committed suicide, and since then, Moses blamed Edward for his ruined childhood. When Edward started the organization, Moses' empire collapsed. He
“Richard, you’ve come." Cassandra rushed from the first floor carrying a doll in her hand and a lady dressed in white running after her. "Aunt Cassandra!" Mark stared at her as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Cassandra!" Her sister peeled her from Mark. “You see, I told you Richard will come for me and our baby." She smiled, holding onto Mark’s arm, stopping him from leaving. “Yes Cassandra, let him have some rest first." Sasha’s mother took Cassandra’s hand forcing her to let go of Mark. “So sorry for that." Sasha’s mother apologized holding Cassandra back. “They diagnosed her with dementia. Most of the time she makes things up and confuses people." She explained to Mark who froze staring at Cassandra. After learning of Cassandra's evil scheme that kept his family apart, Richard sent her away. They didn't have her imprisoned but Richard declined all communication with her. “Oh! I'm so sorry." Mark took a step back when she tried to hold his arm again. Staring at what
At the states, Sasha sat opposite her mother and grandfather, biting her fingernails. She couldn’t dare look her grandfather in the eyes. “Please forgive me. I never meant for all this to happen. Mum!” When her mother overheard her phone conversation with Diana, she forced her to confess to her involvement in Melissa’s kidnapping. “I can’t believe you are capable of this Sasha. Do you see how your obsession with Mark has hurt people?” Her mother asked with tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry!” She sniffed trying to hold her mother’s hand. “This is my fault. I pushed my daughter and granddaughter too hard. I turned them into heartless monsters. Being a Johnson was my dream and now my children suffer because of my greed.” Sasha’s grandfather said ashamed of what he had made them do. “No father, you only did it thinking of their well being. Don’t blame yourself father, they chose to force what was not working.” His eldest daughter tried to console him. “But I put the idea in them. How
"They are moving, I have to get to Melissa." Mark glanced at the tracker in his hand. "We are almost there." Robert fastened his seat belt. "Once they pass the bridge it will be too late. Call Andrew and the police chief, they have to close the road." Mark instructed him. "I can't lose you again Melissa." He said to himself looking at the wedding ring on his left hand clutching the steering wheel. "Careful bro. We can't save her if we are dead." Seated beside Mark, Robert cautioned as he accelerated the speed. "We are running out of time, Robert. I promised to protect her." "And you will get her back." On the other side, David and his security team raided the house. They shot dead most of Diana's men, injuring several of them. "Where did they take my sister?" He beat up one of the guards but no matter how hard he hit him, he didn't say a thing. "Stop, you're going to kill him." The lady who helped Melissa shouted. "These people know nothing, even if you kill them they won
"Ma'am, we have a problem." One of Diana's men got into the office out of breath. "Our men on the perimeter just informed me, there are several vehicles with armed men ending this way." "What? Are they police?" Diana asked as she gathered her things, stuffing them in a travel bag. "No, they look like the men from Edward's security." He explained. "Damn it. How did they find us?" She ran a hand through her hair. "What do we do now ma'am?" "Get my car ready. We have to get to the plane." She ordered walking out. "You think you can outsmart me?" Diana banged the door open and woke Melissa up. "What happened? Ouch, you're hurting me.""Get up." Diana pulled Melissa up by the hair then frisked her body for a phone. "You brought them here." "What's going on? I have nothing on me, Diana." Melissa cried out as Diana pulled her hair. "What is this?" Diana asked, looking at the tiny red light on Melissa's necklace. "What?" "F*ck, this led them straight to us." Diana plucked off the n
Two days earlier. In Mr Edward’s office, Mark almost went mad calling everyone on his contact list. As he looked for ways to get Melissa back, David and Mr Edward organized a search team with the police and his security team when Luke Edward barged in. "You have to get out." "Luke!" Mr Edward roared as the door bust open. “There is a bomb in the office dad. We have to leave now.” The three men stared at him as he checked the bookshelf and the cabinets.Trying to get information on the new gang in town, Luke sent one of his trusted men to investigate. The man was later captured and tortured. While locked up, he overheard the plan to bomb Edward's mansion and as they took him out to finish him off, he escaped. Then went straight to Luke's office. When Luke got the information, he instructed his men to take him to their private doctor as he ran to the mansion. Though he never saw eye to eye with his father on most things, he still loved him and was willing to risk his life for h
When Melissa opened her eyes, she glanced from the blue bed sheets to the gray painting on the wall. With her hands and feet tied, she looked around the unfamiliar room. A few minutes later, the door opened inviting in a young lady carrying food and water on a tray, followed closely by one of Diana’s armed men. “Take some medicine for your head.” The lady instructed, handing her the glass of water and a white pill. “Please untie my hands.” Melissa requested which the man obliged to. Then cuffed her left hand on the bed. “Make sure you eat. I’ll come for the plate later.” The lady instructed, after making sure she had swallowed the pill. “Where is Diana? I want to see her. I demand to know if anyone survived the explosion. Hey, where is Diana?” She asked, but no one talked back to her. They left the room, locking the door. Curled on the bed, Melissa stared at the food for a while. Watching the explosion felt like her world had ended. She didn’t want to imagine life without Mar
Driving from Edward’s mansion with her brother, Melissa got a message from Sasha. She asked to meet at a hotel a few miles out of town for some interior deco inputs on an office she was opening in the States where she planned to relocate to. “I’m afraid I can’t come with you to the company. Sasha wants us to meet for lunch. She needs my help with something.” She informed David after reading the message. “Are you sure it’s okay to meet with her alone? I can take you there.” David said, feeling restless about the meeting. “She is not that bad of a person when you get to know her and I have to be friendly with her for Mark. The two families are very close. Whether I like it or not, she will always be around whenever we go for any of Johnson’s family functions.” She said, trying to ease his worries. “The driver will take you. Be very careful. If you suspect anything, get out and make sure to call me once your meeting is done.” He instructed, still feeling reluctant to let her go a
Seated in the office at the steels company, Melissa smiled remembering the wonderful places they visited over the weekend. The family of three took road trips most of the free weekend's, which was both exciting and educational for Tommy as they visited different parts of the world. Mark was extremely affectionate, always pampering her and providing everything they needed more than they asked for. Which often reminded her of her father. The man who worked hard to provide for his little girl. After the ceremony they had moved into the Johnson's mansion but since his mother was back at the farm and her aunt had moved to live with the Edward's as she prepared to move to her husband's home, they went back to the villa house. After years of mourning, Betty reunited with her son and husband. Cassandra didn't accept Richard going back to Betty. In a fit of range she attacked Betty and threatened to slits her throat if she didn't turn down Richard, luckily Richard and the family interve