The heavy echo of his footsteps mingled with the silence, adding to the oppressive atmosphere in the warehouse and instilling an eerie sense of dread.
Carlos straightened his neck and swallowed hard, his voice shaking. “Don’t get any closer!” I am warning you. Perhaps others are afraid of you, but I am not. Jayden, this is a lawful society. If you dare to lay a hand on me, I’ll call the cops!”
Just saying “police” seemed to boost Carlos’s courage; he squared his shoulders and cast a protective glance at Jane. “Let her go. If you have a problem, bring it up with me.”
Jane gave him a grateful, almost hopeful smile.
Jayden paused a few steps away from Carlos and signalled to his guards, who quickly brought over a leather sofa and set it behind him.
Jayden sat down, leaned back, and crossed his legs, a dark glint in his eyes: “You have two minutes. “Do not waste my time.”
Carlos instinctively leaned back, his gaze fixed on Jayden, who appeared more imposing than ever in the harsh light, emanating a powerful aura. At that moment, Carlos felt smaller than he had ever felt, as if he were nothing more than dirt beneath Jayden’s feet.
“Carlos!” Jane’s voice jolted him back into reality.
Still, he turned away defiantly. “I don’t know anything!”
Noticing Jayden’s cold stare, Jane shrank further into the shadows, too afraid to speak. Jayden extended his hand, and one of the guards handed him a file.
He glanced through it, then smirked as he held up a photo. “Our company’s got a new project. I think this location would make a perfect factory. I want the acquisition papers on my desk by tomorrow.”
Carlos looked at him, confused. Wasn’t this supposed to be an interrogation? Why was he talking about an acquisition?
Carlos began to struggle after taking one look at the file: “Jayden, you’re crossing a queue!” Don’t touch my family’s property.”
“Why shouldn’t I?”” Jayden shot back, stepping closer; he grabbed Carlos’ arm and twisted it violently, causing Carlos to cry out as his arm collapsed at his side.
“Choose your words carefully.”
“You…!
“Fine! Let go! I’ll talk!” Carlos exclaimed, cold sweat running down his forehead as he leaned against the iron pillar. “The truth is, Victoria gave birth to two children. Jane took the girl the moment she was born. And as for Wyatt, she’s the one responsible for his death.”
“You’re lying!” Jane screamed, but a bodyguard pressed a hand over her mouth to silence her.
The scream brought Jayden back to reality. His face darkened with each passing second as he absorbed the revelation. With a single look, he directed the bodyguard to bring Jane forward.
Jayden grabbed her chin, his voice low and dangerous, each word drawn out carefully: “So Victoria is Nora’s real mother? Nora was Wyatt’s twin sister? And you’re the one who killed Wyatt?”
With each question, his voice became quieter, but his fury only grew stronger.
Jane dropped to her knees, clutching Jayden’s leg and sobbing, “Jayden, please, I only did it because I love you! I was terrified of losing you. Every time you looked at Victoria, I thought you’d leave me. Please, Jayden, forgive me. I was so scared.”
She repeated his name in the hopes of softening his heart.
But all Jayden could think about were Nora and Wyatt. They were his daughter and son. Anger and heartbreak boiled over, and he yanked his leg away, kicking her hard. She struck the wall with a loud thud.
Jayden growled, barely controlling his rage, “Lock her up. No one sees her without my permission.”
Jayden knelt before Victoria’s grave, tracing his fingers across the photograph of her smiling face.
“I’m sorry, Victoria. I blamed you for everything. It’s my fault our children are gone. Please forgive me.”
Cold tears rolled down his cheeks, salty and bitter as they touched his lips.
Boom.
Thunder and lightning clashed above, and the sky opened, allowing heavy rain to fall around him.
Jayden shrugged off his coat, laying it on top of the gravestone and wrapping his arms around it as if to hold her close. “I’m so sorry, Nora, Wyatt. Without you, there’s nothing left for me. Victoria, take me with you.”
Jayden sat in the centre of Villa Fluvia’s living room, watching the video replay on the massive screen in front of him. Memories of the past swirled through his mind like a storm.
“Mr. Lewis, I’m taking Nora with me.”
“Mr. Lewis, the DNA results show that the deceased has no biological relation to you.”
“Mr. Lewis, the DNA results reveal a biological relation between the deceased and Axel Perez. The police have confirmed the deceased is Miss Victoria Perez.”
“Victoria had twins, a boy and a girl. Jane took the girl right after she was born.”
His mind raced as he paused the video, freezing on an image of Victoria staring directly into the camera.
Nora was meant to be his and Victoria’s daughter. Why didn’t the DNA results match?
There can only be one explanation. That child was not Nora.
Yes, that was it.
It was the only way to understand the DNA mismatch. If the child wasn’t Nora, the woman couldn’t have been Victoria. They were both alive. They needed to be.
The thought took hold, spreading and bursting like fireworks in his head.
Jayden took out his phone and made the call. “Expand the search area. If you can’t find them within two kilometres, then go to five. Go to ten! Just find them.”
