My driver and I could see her sprinting barefoot on a sidewalk while we followed her. Heck, the other three cars with the rest of her security detail could all see my fiancé dashing through crowds of people to keep up with a racing car.
She didn't care about the people who seemed to be minding their business and just walking or maybe gathered in a group on the sidewalk. She didn't care about anyone. A few people saw her in time and got out of her way fast enough, but most people were too in their heads to take notice of their surroundings. So, she ended up pushing people out of her way to try and keep up with the car she was chasing.
No one was spared - men, women, children; if they were in her way, they were getting pushed.
She thinks Jona has just been kidnapped. Which means those men took my orders too literally when I told them to just observe, step in when needed and not engage with her or show her any signs that I have people watching her.
They were watching her and Jona have their weekly Saturday lunch when they noticed him starting to sway from side to side before going unconscious. They stepped in immediately to take him to hospital, but failed to tell her they didn't pose any danger to him or to her. All they were focused on was getting him help without wasting time.
I happened to be closeby when they called and told me they think Jona has been poisoned. I was in a baby clothing store trying really hard to buy a pair of baby shoes to try and appease her, but I couldn't do it.
That baby may be the reason I lose her. I couldn't bring myself to buy anything for it.
And now, we were behind several cars watching her dash away. The road was already getting too congested. At this rate, we might lose track of her because she clearly thinks she's fast enough to catch a speeding car.
"Stop the car right now!" I ordered the driver.
I tried calling her to explain the situation to her, but she wasn't picking up her phone. She called Joshua, told him to track her and Jona's phones and then we think she ended the call accidentally while running. She didn't give the man a chance to tell her that there was no need for any of that because the people who took Jona are the security detail I assigned over her and they're taking Jona to the hospital.
So now I have to run after her.
My jacket was already off when I ran out of the car and went after her.
How on earth is a pregnant woman this damn fast?
I know she's a fast runner and I know her baby bump isn't showing yet, but surely her pregnancy should be slowing her down?
I sprinted after her and just like her, I was also pushing people out of the way. People were startled, screaming and in hysteria because two seemingly crazy people were hurling through them.
It didn't take me long to catch up to her.
She may be fast, but I've always been faster than her. I just didn't know I'd also be faster than her while wearing formal pants and shoes.
I wrapped an arm around her waist as soon as I got right behind her and immediately got elbowed in the stomach and was almost elbowed in the mouth before I grabbed her arm and put it behind her back.
She was screaming and roaring while I held her.
"You'll f*****g pay for this!" She screamed and tried to hit me with the back of her head.
"It's me." I said quickly. "Calm down. It's just me. We need to go."
One of my cars was already stopped nearby and a driver was holding the door open for us.
I didn't need to tell her to get inside. People were already gathering around us and a lot of them had their phones and cameras out.
I'll have to do a lot of damage control to control this story.
"Bravo, Golf, Yankee, three, eight, nine, one." She kept repeating while trying to steady her breath inside the car. "Bravo, Golf, Yankee, three, eight, nine, one. Bravo, Golf, Yankee, three, eight, nine, one."
She memorised the number plates of the car she was chasing.
Of course she did.
She took out her phone out of her back pocket and started demanding that the driver follow the directions on her phone because she was tracking Jona's phone.
The driver didn't argue. We were following that car to the hospital in any case. But he also looked scared because an out of breath, sweaty and furious Charlotte was barking orders at him.
"Listen to me." I held her head with both hands. "The people who took Jona are with me.They were guarding you." I tried to find the right words to tell her I was having people watch her. "They noticed that he was about to go unconscious. We think he was poisoned."
"Okay." She understood immediately. "Did your people take any pictures or videos? Do they know who did this?"
I nodded my head. "You'll look at the pictures they took any minute now and then maybe we can figure out who did this to him because they didn't spot anything suspicious. Otherwise, they would have stopped both of you from eating your food."
"Okay." She took deep breaths.
We would no doubt have a conversation about me having her watched and followed, but she didn't seem to care about that right now.
She pressed record on her phone and I already knew what she was doing. She was trying to remember as many things as possible about their lunch while her memory was still fresh.
I still wanted to scream at her for telling people she thought were kidnappers to take her. My men told me that was one of the first things she told them. "Take me!" She screamed at a group of very intimidating men. "I'm Charlotte Ericsson. Take me."
I wanted to punch a wall for her even thinking of putting herself in danger like that. However, I'd have to scream at her another time so we can focus on what's happening right now.
"How many people did you talk to once you arrived at the restaurant?" I asked her the first of many questions.
"Two people." She answered. "We spoke to the hostess who showed us to our table. Her name tag said Miranda, she's no older than twenty five, Indian with long black silky hair. She wore a black formal dress with black high heels. She looked like she weighs approximately a hundred and twenty pounds and had a British accent."
"Miranda led us to our table." She continued quickly. "A few seconds after being seated, a waiter whose name tag said Kyle gave us menus. Kyle is a caucasian male, no older than thirty years old. He has dark brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a formal long sleeve white shirt, long black pants and black sneakers and -"
She stopped and looked at me.
"He only served our table." She grabbed my arm. "I remember thinking it was strange because the other waiters were serving multiple tables and they were all wearing black formal shoes. He was the only one wearing black sneakers. I assumed he was at the end of his shift so he changed into comfortable shoes he'd be using to walk back home and just wanted to do one more table before leaving for the day."
She bit her lip, closed her eyes and kept trying to remember.
"Kyle also didn't come to check how our food was after we started eating." She spoke even faster. "Jona and I both thought it was strange because that restaurant is really high end. Nigel wouldn't recommend a restaurant where a waiter doesn't come to make sure the customers are satisfied with the food. We didn't see him again after he served us our food."
I started sending the recording to Joshua. He was still at the restaurant with more of my men, going through the restaurant's security cameras, collecting the food Charlotte and Jona ate and trying to find out what exactly happened.
If whoever poisoned Jona is still anywhere near the restaurant, they'll find him.
I was getting ready to ask her more questions, but she suddenly slumped back in her seat and started groaning with a scowl on her face.
"Are you okay?" I ran my fingers through her hair.
"I'm... tired." She slurred her speech. "I ate less. I think ... I think ... it took longer .... to work on me..." She tried reaching for my hand, but failed miserably. "The baby ..." She cried. "Save our baby."
Then she went unconscious.
***
It took us minutes to get to the hospital.
She was being carried away in a stretcher and I was holding onto her lifeless hand.
It was taking all my strength to stay calm and I really felt like I would explode any second.
How the f**k did they miss this?
Ten men were watching her. How did they not notice a waiter who looked out of place? How did they let him get that close to her?
My head was spinning.
"I think she was poisoned." I barked at the doctors and nurses. "I have someone who's on his way with the food she ate. Just save her and the man who arrived here a few minutes ago! Jona Nolan. That's his name."
They rushed her to the emergency room, leaving me with my thoughts, my fear and my anger. I pushed it to all to the back of my mind and just tried to focus on what's next - killing the person who did this.
*******************************************
Lisa's POV
I heard an all too familiar knock on my door and before I could answer, his head with thick, silky black hair popped from behind large wooden door.
"Did you hear the good news about Sandra?" He boasted and I started applauding slowly.
There's absolutely nothing James can't do.
I met this man by pure coincidence, but it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. He used to work as a financial advisor. He was at one of my charities and while I pretended to smile at all the donors, he whispered from behind me and said "your family is getting a bit sloppy, don't you think?"
I was startled by him and told him I had no idea what he was talking about.
But then he started explaining to me how it was clear to anyone who actually uses their brain that multiple financial crimes were being committed in every facet of my family's business. At the end of our conversation, he chuckled and reassured me he wouldn't be reporting me. He said there would be no the fun in that, and James loves his fun.
I thought he was in the process of blackmailing me, but instead, he came to see me the very next day and said I should fire my right-hand person because they were clearly doing a terrible job.
I took a chance and did as he said. We've been joined at the hip ever since. He has done gruesome things all in the name of fun. It's been four years and neither of us have looked back. He understands me without trying and has saved my butt too many times to count.
He waltzed inside my studyroom and bowed ever so elegantly while I applauded.
"Thank you. Thank you." He waved to an imaginary crowd. "I'd say it takes a team, but it only takes on person and that person is James Patel." I was about to go shake his hand when Justin barged inside my studyroom looking like an absolute mess.
He was crying. His hair was dishevelled. He wasn't even wearing a shirt. He was just wearing a white vest and it was all wrinkled up. It reminded me a lot of what he looked like when Sandra left the country a few years ago.
He would have been completely lost if it weren't for me. He broke down and needed me to put him back together.
And it seems the time has come yet again for me to put my husband back together.
He pushed James out of the way violently, but the small framed man didn't mind it one bit. He was amused at best and tried to stifle a laugh while my husband charged at me.
"You killed her, didn't you?" He slammed me against a wall. "You just couldn't let me have her, could you? You don't want to see me happy. You want me miserable and caged up in this marriage like some flightless bird."
He punched the wall three or four times while roaring in pain. Only a few inches closer and he would have punched me in the face.
"I loved her!" He whispered cried. "I've only ever loved HER. I don't love you, Lisa!" He screamed. "Why can't you get that through your thick skull? What more do I need to do to show you, I'll NEVER love you."
I looked at the man standing behind the wounded lion. He had the most jovial smile on his face. My partner in crime is unphased by most things. This is hilarious to him.
"What are you talking about?" I feigned hurt and concern. "Has something happened to Sandra? What the hell are you talking about, Justin? What happened?" I let tears prickle my eyes.
He let go of me with utter fear and shock on his face.
"You're crazy." He started looking around the room like a mad person. "I married a crazy person."
I tried reaching for his hand, but he slapped my hand away.
"You're a murderer!" He screamed. "And you think I'll let you get away with it for the sake of my career or for the sake of those kids you claim are mine, but I won't! Sandra was my best friend, my confidant, my everything and you took her away from me! She wasn't just a girl, Lisa. She was my soulmate and you killed her and made it look like some freak car accident."
He ran his nervous and trembling fingers through his hair and almost pulled out clumps of his lovely blonde hair.
"You'll pay for this!" He muttered to himself. "I won't let you get away with this. I'm going to get justice for Sandra. "
I was on my knees, crying and pleading with my deranged husband and begging him to believe me.
"Justin, I swear!" I cried even more. "If something happened to Sandra, please know I had nothing to do with it. I am the mother of your children. I am your wife. All I've ever done is love you, take care of you and our kids. Why would you accuse me of such a terrible thing?"
His face turned as red as a tomato. He was so close to hitting me, but that would just tighten my hold on him. I'd threaten to report him for domestic violence and it would ruin him. He won't be able to leave me with a threat like that looming over his head.
Instead of hitting me like he clearly wanted to, he punched the nearest side table as hard as he could.
"I'm divorcing you!" He roared. "I'm done with you, your family, your money! I'm done!" He stopped right before reaching for the door handle and turned to face me again.
"I should have never married someone I don't love." His words pierced through my heart. "I should have never married someone who was so obsessed with me that she was okay with unrequited love. You need to let me go, Lisa." He almost begged. "I'll never forgive you for this."
He closed the door behind him and left a chuckling James and crying wife in the studyroom.
He's not going anywhere. He thought he could leave me, but that man isn't going anywhere.
"Should I kill him too?" James winked.
"No." I stood up and dusted my knees. "He'll be back. He needs me. He'll realise that soon enough; maybe after he buries Sandra."
He shrugged.
"I hear you took care of Charlotte and Jona without telling me." He looked genuinely offended. "You used some kind of poison?"
I shook my head.
That was all Lauren. She got fed up. She wanted to take care of Ericsson's baby and her friend all in one go. It's been an entire day and those two still haven't woken up. I guess Ericsson isn't as careful around her food and drinks as she used to be.
"That was my sister." I poured the man the most expensive whisky in my collection. "You'll have to ask her how she caught Ericsson off guard like that or how she got a fake waiter in an establishment like that. I take it this will affect her hearing?"
He took his glass of whisky and drank it slowly to savour it.
I wanted to have a drink with him because when things get hard, James really does pull through. Sandra and Justin were taking all my attention. I couldn't focus on anything else but them. Now that that problem is solved, I see that I really have dropped the ball. Ericsson shouldn't have gotten this far. My sister shouldn't have been left alone to deal with her and Jona all by herself.
"Each side still has to give their closing argument." He inhaled the scent of his drink deeply. "No one on that team is as good as Jona. They won't do as good a job."
"We need to get that hearing scratched and started from the beginning." I took a sip of my kale juice. "Find some kind of procedural or substantive irregularity and force the whole thing to start afresh with Greyson Corporation being represented by anyone other than Jona. A man who survives four attempted assassinations and goes on like nothing happened is too brave for my liking."
He shook his head. "We can't raise an irregularity now." He argued. "The arbitrators will ask why we waited this long to bring it up. The best course of action is to ride this out, let them try to go to court and then buy off a judge or jury."
"And how much will that cost us?" I asked him in an exhasbarated sigh. "Remember my entire family is about to get taken to court for fraud, embezzlement, corruption and at least a hundred other crimes. A lot of people will need to be paid off to make this go away. We can't let them take her to court. We have to have the whole thing scratched. That's the only way."
He shrugged and poured more whisky for himself.
"Did you at least find our mole?" I asked him and he perked up.
"Not yet, but I do have some leads. You'll have their head or heads soon enough."
I laughed and went to go clink his glass.
All in all, it was turning out to be a good day. We spent the day bouncing ideas off one another and enjoying each other's company. However, when a cold chill ran through my spine and I heard familiar heavy footsteps slowly ascending the stairs, I knew our fun was about to come to an abrupt end.
When the large doors swung open and an angry man stood before us, both our smiles faded from our faces.
Aksara