CRACKED LIFE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
Sha Ron
Chapter 39
Stella and Gena looked around to see Ivy standing on the doorway looking at them with prying eyes. “This is not the time for regret. If Celina hadn’t come here, she would still die in the streets. If you didn’t bring Sophia here, she might have died in that hotel room that night. Have you guys thought about that?” Ivy frowned at them.
“Maybe… just maybe if there was nothing like enmity in this world, it would be such a sweet place and no one would have to ever have any cause for revenge, death too would be rare” Stella said sadly.
“Yeah, but things don’t work like they do in movies. We want something and life throws the opposite at us. Besides, if it was so easy and sweet, this life would be boring. Let’s just accept things the way they are and only hope for the best” Ivy advised.
“We’ve heard you, thanks, can you go now?” Gena hissed.
“What’s this about? I mean I know I haven’t said anything wrong! Tell us how it went between you and the guys you sent after Alex and Justin, Mrs. Smith is determined to find the culprit and you two know we are guilty,” Ivy theorized.
“Mind how you talk to me, you know that you are not allowed into the boss’s office without permission, we have the power to save or kll you, better respect yourself!” Gena bossed.
“Sorry, I’m just stating a fact here. Anyway, I trust you two can sort us out. I’m outta here, don’t want someone looking at me as if I kicked her pregnancy out” Ivy shrugged and stalled out.
“You should take it easy on her, she is right and you know that. Let’s go into my room and talk about this. We need a way out soon before Mrs. Smith smells more fish in the pot, it’s obvious her finger is pointed at us,” Stella indicated.
Stella opened the door and waited for Gena who was hesitating to go out first to leave before she followed.
“It’s time to show everyone the stuff I am made of, no one dares me and lives to tell the story!” Gena muttered as she left the office.
CRACKED LIFE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
***
Alex removed his nose mask and released a deep breath. He breathed in some fresh air before turning to look at Justin who had been lagging behind.
The guy looked worn out, Alex can’t blame him. This is the seventh hospital they have checked, plus six morgues to see if there’s any accident victim or Jane Doe put into any of the places, but the doctors and mortuary attendants all said the same thing.
Justin let out a long, weary sigh. “Alex, I don’t know what to do. I hate myself for what happened to her, I could have stopped her. She went because of the poisoning incident and it’s all because of me that it happened!”
“You are not giving up on her, are you?” Alex felt weary too, but he won’t let it show. He isn’t used to showing his weakness when someone solely depends on him.
“Never! I think we should ask people around, show them her pictures and see if anyone recognizes her around here. If anyone saw her somehow, that would be a great start…” Justin blew out another breath.
Alex nodded. “Yeah, we should do that. I’m glad you understand that this is not time to blame yourself and lament, it is time to get stronger for her, and be her hero”
“Honestly, Alex, I wish I could remember my past. I have this strong feeling that I knew her before. She knows too, but she won’t talk to me about it”
“Sometimes, it’s best to let the sleeping dog lay. I believe she has a good reason for not disclosing the truth to you. I believe you two had a past, otherwise, you wouldn’t have remembered only her name and she wouldn’t simply love you like she does,”
“She loves me? How did you know? Is that even possible?”
“It’s obvious, maybe your past with her wasn’t all that sweet. People tend to talk about happy memories” Alex played smart.
“I love her too. I think I have always loved her. I strongly believe she is still alive and I must find her, even if it’s the last thing I do,”
“We must never stop! We need a hotel room, the journey is not a day’s journey” Alex pointed out.
Justin nodded as they left the hospital. They asked a few people as they found their way to a hotel where they asked for a reservation.
“By chance, have you seen the girl in this picture?” Justin asked the receptionist who was fetching them a key to their room, he showed her a picture of Sophia from Alex’s phone.
“I don’t think I have seen the face before, did anything happen to her?” The receptionist shook her head and squinted her eyes as she examined the picture on the phone.
“I’m afraid we are still looking for her, we don’t know if she’s still alive or dead. She went missing a night ago” Alex replied sharply.
“She’s so beautiful. I hope you find her. Is she your sister or…”
“Nevermind, we will find our way up!” Justin snatched the phone and the key from the annoying lady and stumbled off.
Alex winked at the lady to keep her in check. “Don’t mind my brother. He can be rude at times, but you will love him when he smiles. Thanks for your time!” He knew his jest sucks, but he had to do it anyway.
“You’re welcome” the lady smiled and gazed at Alex even after he was no longer in sight.
Alex patted Justin on his shoulder to calm him down when they got into the room. “Don’t overreact, we are bound to get more of that… It is not her fault. I know how you feel about all these, don’t think too much about it, we will find her”
“I hope so, I can’t live without her. I’m sorry about earlier, I was pissed off for nothing. We must continue looking for her” Justin paced around the room.
Alex placed his bag on the bed, opened the zipper and brought out a picture of Sophia he had kept under his pillow to admire every night before he fell asleep.
“If anything bad happens to her, I will never forgive myself. I could have protected her, but I only thought about my safety. And I blame myself because I am the reason why Gena never liked her.” He admitted, looking at the picture.
“I wish I could turn back the hands of time, I will never let her move an inch from my side. I’m useless!” Justin muttered and moved towards the door.
Alex put the picture into his pocket and followed him.
When they were about to leave the hotel, two men waiting at the reception area walked up to them. “We heard you are looking for a girl. The receptionist told us, and we thought to see the picture and know if we can help you guys,” one of the men said.
“Oh, yeah. Sure… here” Alex didn’t hesitate to show them Sophia’s picture.
“Don’t you know this girl?!” The man exclaimed to his partner and kept pointing at Sophia’s face in the picture.
“I think I recognize her, she was recently a popular pornstar! She has been hiding ever since she was exposed. I know where she must be right now!” The second person replied.
Justin’s hands curled into fists, he could have punched the ugly faces of the men if Alex hadn’t grabbed his hand. He hates it when people make ugly comments about Sophia.
Alex noticed the terror in Justin, if he gave him a chance, he would roar like a lion and pounce on the men. He didn’t like the way they slashed Sophia with their tongues, but he had to hold it in because they said they knew where she might be.
“Are you sure about seeing her?”
“Why would I lie about a serious matter like this? Follow us, we will show you and you shall see for yourself” The first man answered.
“How can we trust these men?” Justin whispered close to Alex’s ear.
“We don’t have a choice here, we have to do all we can. They look harmless, no one will enjoy wasting their time to show you where you might find a person if it is not a prank” Alex assured him.
“Alright, let’s go,” Justin accepted and they all left the hotel.
CRACKED LIFE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
***
Fred stepped down from the cab and gazed at the garden in front of his mother’s house. He knew without doubt that Angelina would be there taking care of the plants and flowers.
Diana and Jerry were bent over something, he couldn’t see it from where he stood. He hesitated before taking a step towards the house.
Diana looked up first and saw him. “Daddy is back!” She screamed and jumped into his arms. Her head hit his jaw, he didn’t mind even when it hurt.
He watched Angelina twirl around, signs of pregnancy were written all over her because her stomach has become a bit swollen than it was when he last saw her. She dropped the watering can and spade she was working with and stared at him, perplexed.
Jerry ran to hug him too. “Dad, Mom used to cry every night, and Granny said it’s a sign that I will have a kid brother soon. Is that true?” The little boy asked.
“She’s right. Why don’t you go to your room while I talk with Mom, I will join you guys shortly.” Fred brought them down and they ran into the house.
He went closer to her. “How are you doing?” He asked, she looked away and sniffed her tears back. “Angel, I’m sorry”
“Where are we moving to this time?” She couldn’t hold her tears anymore, “I’m glad you are home, safe and sound! What else should I ask for?” She turned to leave.
Fred held her back and gathered her into his arms. “Don’t do that, I hate to see you like this, please,”
CRACKED LIFE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
Angelina cried like a baby in her husband’s arms. “I was afraid, I thought I had lost you. I didn’t know what I would tell the kids!” She wailed.
“You will never lose me, I promised you that, remember?” He carried her and took her into his old room. He didn’t think he would ever come to spend much time in his parents house to warrant him going into his room when he was a boy.
“I called you countless times, I waited for you in front of the house. I thought of taking a night flight to come see for myself what was wrong. This time, I swear, I was hit really hard by your absence.” Angelina confessed still in his arms.
“I’m here now, I will be here for a very long time. I missed you.” He kssed her.
“You haven’t seen your mother. She went to Mrs. Noksu’s house, maybe I should go call her”
Mrs. Noksu is a Korean lady who has no child for her late American husband. The man left his house and hasn’t been found or seen for close to twenty years. Everyone in the neighborhood knows the story. The woman is Mrs. Raymond’s best friend; she never fails to pay her a visit.
“When she comes back, I will see her, I’m not going anywhere, at least for the next twenty four hours if I may put it that way” he forced a smile to his face.
“I’m as heavy as a millstone. Put me down,” Angelina tried to wriggle off his arms.
“You are still as light as a feather in my arms, and I’m not complaining!” He insisted on carrying her.
“I really missed you, sweetie!” She finally smiled.
“Really? Can you show me how much you missed me?” He teased her.
“Naughty!”
CRACKED LIFE : CHAPTER 31 – 40
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