“Yeah, whatever like I care” Dave rolled his eyes as he ate the sandwich Michelle made for them both.
“Well, I know you do because deep inside that cold demeanor you put on there is a kind man who cares a lot” she told him and he scuffed then looked at the counter girl attending to the doctors and nurses who came for their lunch breaks.
“Do you think he has boarded his plane yet?” he asked.
She took out her phone to check the time and dialed his number to check. It rang for a while before it was ended so she tried again and still same.
“If he isn’t picking it means that he already bo-”
“There’s an emergency, bring the stretchers to take the victims in” they heard some doctors say as heavy footsteps were heard outside and they could see nurses and doctors running about.
Frowning and looking at each other, they jolt up from their seat and rushed outside to know what the emergency was. When they came out of the hospital restaurant, they saw some nurses rolling some bodies that were covered in white sheet signifying that the patient was dead while some brought in others that had burns in some part of their bodies and the rest all over their bodies.
A negative feeling suddenly went through Michelle body and she stopped one of them carrying the dead ones to ask the cause of so much causalities.
“Wh-what happened to them?” she asked with a frown and the man whose name tag read Sam replied.
“There was a blast at the local airport and these are some of the patients that were brought in” he said and went past her.
Michelle couldn’t explain the chilling feeling that went through her body when Sam told her that.
The airport. The airport. The airport.
Those words rang in her head and she tried to wrap her mind around the situation on ground. It possibly couldn’t be where Cade was in, it could be a part of the airport and… and not where her boyfriend told her that he will wait before heading for the departure lounge.
It couldn’t.
She rested her back against the wall as she watched the nurses take in all the injured and dead victim of the supposed blast and she heard nothing aside from this loud banging in her head, she still felt cold so she wrapped her arms around herself to give herself warmth.
Then it finally sunk in and a desperate pain, waiting to explore her entire being, drop from her heart to the pit of her stomach before it made its way to every nook and crane of her body and she burst out crying.
Her back slid against the wall as she sobbed uncontrollably not minding if anyone could see how ugly her tear-stained face was. She was hurt, she was broken by this news. How did the day’s event suddenly turn in a matter of a few minutes? It was strange but she felt like she was at fault.
She would have gotten Daniella when she knew about what she did to Pricilla and her baby, she would have known how she would have made Daniella pay and no one will have to lose their life then she can tell Cade what she did and how she tackled it. He would be happy, she would be happy, no one dies.
Selfish, she might sound that way but she didn’t know what to do at this moment. Thoughts of ‘what ifs’ went through her mind but there was nothing to be done as it had happened already. She had the ill feeling that something would happen and even told him her fears.
Maybe if he had suggested that he just get a message across to his family and thy had answered in time, then none of this would have happened.
Michelle sat there sobbing and didn’t know when Dave was sitting beside her and had taken her shaking hand in his and brought her in for a hug as he tried to give her as much support as she needed now.
“We aren’t sure if he is dead yet or was among the victim of the blast,” he tried to console and she looked up at him still crying “There are still some that were severely injured, he could be part of them and we can keep calling and hoping that he is alright” he told her but none of his words seem to sink in.
All that was on her mind was Cade and his welfare, she felt too shaken to stand up of move a muscle so he carried her to his office for her to rest then went ahead to attend to the patients.
“Cade” she whispered and took out her phone from her pocket then went to his contact and stared till her tears clouded her vision “Please be okay” she whispered and hugged her phone as she rocked herself.
…
He woke up to his phone ringing so loud so he let out a groan of annoyance and pain from the headache that just struck him, he arrived at his and his brother’s hideout a few days ago and hasn’t been able to eat anything rather than think, drink a few bottles and cry.
There were no words to describe how he felt, he couldn’t believe that she could do something like this to him, that could be why she didn’t want to tell him yet, she went behind him and had an affair then made him think that it was his and to say that he had been looking forward to meeting a child that wasn’t his.
It was really painful that Pricilla died from the complications she faced when she just came into the world, he really hoped it was some kind of dream he should wake up from so he had decided the previous day to call Daniella one more time and if she picks, he would demand an explanation to this madness because he deserved one.
Indeed, she picked but what she said to him was so hurtful that he nearly hated himself for loving a woman so much and with all his heart.
How can someone be that heartless to do such a thing, she didn’t even give him an explanation, rather she cursed at him and said damaging words to the poor grieving man and he cried as she spoke, he cried as she said all those hateful words and he began to see loving as a crime… a terrible one that gets you in mess you can’t come out of.
He groaned again and reached to take his phone to see who was calling him, funny that he was expecting it to be Daniella, telling him about how sorry she was and that she didn’t mean anything she said the previous day but unfortunately to his expectation it was Aiden’s name that showed as the caller.
Letting out another groan of pain, he sat up and cleaned his eyes before picking up the call.
“I already told you that I didn’t want to be disturbed” he said.
“Dimitri… you need to head back home, this moment” he said and he groaned then stood up and went to properly close the curtains since the ray of sun entering the room is doing his headache no good.
“I can’t… I still need to be away and by myself” he answered and looked up at the ceiling as fresh tears threatened to fall.
“I understand what you are going through Dimitri, even I wouldn’t want to disturb you but it is very important that you came here… I would save the details for when you are ready to come home but it might be… hard when you come back” Aiden tried to say and he hissed.
“Let it wait then, I still need ti-”
“Its about Cade” he cuts him off.
“Does he know?” he asked.
“Yes”
He took in a deep breath and let it out, “He will know where I am, is he back home yet?”
Aiden stayed quiet for a while and he could only hear him sighing and when he comes to think about it, Aiden didn’t sound like his usual self, he sounded… disturbed and he knows that only serious matters make Aiden bothered, other than that nothing at all or when he is super hungry. Only those times.
“Is everything okay?” he asked but got no response from him then he started to get worried.
Did something happen back home? Is everything okay? Is everyone okay? Are his parents okay? Is Cade okay? Did someone pull a stunt on them? Are things fine?
These thoughts ran through his head over and over again and he forgot about what made him sad and just want to be sure his family are okay.
“Aiden, is everyone okay? What’s going on? Where’s Cade? Put him on the phone, I want to speak with him” he said wanting to confirm.
“Dimitri, I am so sorry but… Cade is dead” he whispered.
…
“You will have to bring him back to his parents then” Dave said to her as she looked at the wall behind, barely listening to what he had been telling her since he came to her house.
“We contacted his family and they would be brining in a jet to pick up his remains for proper burial” he said but got no response from her again. “Michelle” he touched her hand lightly and she looked at him with eyes that held unshed tears.
He could see how bad she was trying to hold herself and not break but there was no amount of talking he did that was able to soothe the pain she was feeling.
Dave cares so much about her and feared that Cade might be like the other guy whose claws she was able to get out of years back, he feared that he might hurt her and leave her broken but never did he imagine her going through this pain. It hurts him that she was hurting this bad.
He had lost his mum when he was a really little boy, a year old… never actually had much memories of her but when he grew and was told about his mum, he felt sad but didn’t know how it felt to lose someone who you made memories with, memories that would be a painful reminder that you will never be able to see or talk to that person again.
“Michelle everything would be okay… I understand how you feel, this is really… I understand, okay? Just know that I am here for you when you need to vent, cry or whatever” he held her hand and squeeze it lightly “Your friend is right here for you, no matter what” he assured and she nods.
“When will they be coming to pick his remains?”
“Later this week,” she nods in response and they stayed quiet for a moment “Are you prepared to meet them yet?” he broke the silence.
“I… I have always imagined meeting with his family and felt so nervous every time he mentions introducing me to his family” she closed her eyes and caught her bottom lip in between her teeth to bit back the sob that wanted out “he was to introduce me to them” she managed then opened her eyes to look at him.
“Not this way” she shook her head as she swallowed all the waves of sobs and tried to be strong. “I… just don’t know…” she sniffled “I don’t know what his family is going through now” she told him “I don’t think I am ready Dave”
“You will be good… all of you, you will be good, this is painful but you will get past this with time. You all will”
“Okay, thank you” she thanked and they shared a hug.
A call came in and she pulled away from the hug to check who the caller was but saw an unknown number show on her phone screen. Frowning, she cleaned her face then got up and picked it up.
“Its true?” came a woman’s voice and she instantly recognized it as Lexi’s voice.
“I am so sorry Lexi” she closed her eyes and let out a breath of air. “I… I have no words”
“I think I underestimated him” she cried “I didn’t know he could go this far and so such evil against his family” she said.
“His family are coming to get his remains later in the week, I will be meeting with them” she informed.
“I would have informed them so that they take him back, this wouldn’t have happened… its my fault”
“There is no need for taking blames for whatever happened, Lexi, you had nothing to do with this… no one knew this would happen and even if we will pin this on his uncle, we need proof that he has everything to do with it” Michelle told her “He had not done anything to threaten Cade when he was here so we have nothing solid on him right now” she explained.
“He will pay for this”
“Don’t do anything rash Lexi, we will make sure that the police investigate the situation properly so that we can get to the root of the matter and fish out whoever did this to us all, please don’t do anything harsh” she pleads.
“Tell Patricia that I am sorry, I failed to protect my son… all these years was a waste” Michelle was about to oppose when she disconnected the call.
“Everything okay?” Dave asked and she turned to look at him then nod her head before looking down at her phone
…
“So, you mean to tell me that none of you incompetent idiots could bring my package to me? I thought you said he was still okay, what happened?” he demanded harshly.
“I saw him laying unconscious on the stairs that leads to the back of the restaurant then I went to pick up the car and call for backup, I came back and he wasn’t there” Julius answered and looked at the guys under him then shook his head before bowing his head again.
“Oh, you want me to believe that someone magically took him away from there without you knowing?” he asked and Julius nods his head. “Fools” he cursed at them then hissed.
“Our intel from the hospital said that he wasn’t among the victims who died neither was he among the injured so it is certain that someone picked him up” Julius said to him and he looked angrily at him and was so tempted to shoot him right there but because he is one of his best men, he kept his cool.
“We also made sure that our intel matched his DNA with another body that would be taken home to the Lorenzo’s so they know he is dead” he continued.
“At least you were able to do something meaningful” he hissed again and sighed as he paced in front of his men.
He noticed how calm Julius was when he was speaking about this, knowing how hesitant he was to go ahead with kidnapping Cade when they pulled out the stunts days ago. He suspects that he might know where Cade is but he decides to brush it off for now then he faced him, now looking composed.
“Its no problem, he should be around somewhere and I want you idiots to find him, I don’t care how you do it, you must bring him to me else all these I have planned for a really long time will be a waste” he turned his back to them and walked away from them then signaled that they were dismissed.
“I did not wait this long to fail at this… taking out my half-brother was not enough, I need his son to achieve my aim” he walked to the window in his office and looked at the warm evening sky “Wherever you are Cade, I will find you and bend you as my tool to get what I want” he laughed.
“I am Darius Salazar and I get whatever I wish to” he said and went to sit behind his table.
…
“Do you think he will know?” one of the guys asked when the rest had left Darius office.
“Shhh…” Julius shushes him and took him to another room to prevent anyone from hearing them speak.
He checked outside properly before shutting the door and making them walk further from the door.
“I doubt Gills, he might pardon me for this since I never made any mistakes with all his mission in the past so” he shrugged.
“I am scared of what he would do if he found out” Gills sounded panicked.
“Stop panicking and man up, we don’t need to act like chicken, we need to stand up for what we did and make sure no one knows about it… it will be our little secret and no one will have to know about anything” he whispered “Now, I don’t want you panicking, act like all is well and we will join the team in searching for Cade, hopefully they don’t locate him” he muttered the last part to himself and began walking to the door.
“What if they do?” Gills asked from behind and he stopped then looked over his shoulder.
“They wouldn’t, just keep your head high and you will be good” he answered and walked out of the room.