UNDER HIS INFLUENCE : CHAPTER 101 – 110
CHAPTER 104 – 107
LITTLE BIRD
“My father fell sick last night. Rosa called to say he had a fever. I had to rush back home. I’m sorry for not telling you. I thought you might need some rest after your return,” Jolene’s voice sounded over the phone, and Tatiana smiled.
“It’s alright. I… I was just worried you left so late. How is your father’s health now?” Tatiana asked.
“Here, talk to him,” Jolene said, and Rowan’s voice replaced hers.
“Hello, Tatiana. I’m sorry I stole Jo away. I had called her to find out where she keeps the first aid, and she came running here. Such a fragile heart she has,” Rowan’s voice sounded weak. He cleared his throat.
“It’s fine. I hope the fever isn’t serious?”
“No, it isn’t. After some rest and medication, I’m as good as new,” Rowan chuckled weakly.
“How’s Rosa?” Tatiana asked.
“She’s out,” Jolene answered instead. “She went to get some appliances. The kitchen sink had a problem, and she said she could fix it… I’ll head back to the mansion tomorrow. I’ll see you soon, Tatie,” Jolene’s soft voice came through the speaker.
“Alright, I’ll be waiting,” Tatiana said with a weak smile.
“Bye, and give my regards to the little lion,” Jolene said excitedly over the phone and hung up.
Tatiana sighed in relief. She couldn’t let her father’s words get into her head. They hadn’t announced their return, so who had?
Her gaze shifted to Cassius, who was staring out the window.
“It’s not her,” Tatiana sighed again. “She left because of her father. She can’t be the one.”
Cassius turned his gaze to her. His eyes flashed with something she couldn’t read.
A small smile crept onto his face. “Alright, let’s go down to meet the others.”
Tatiana dramatically let herself slump onto the bed. “I want to sleep some more.”
Before she knew it, Cassius was carrying her. She gasped at his sudden action.
“Hey!” she tried to move.
“Stay still and don’t argue, or I’ll take you back to bed and teach you how to,” he warned, and Tatiana knew exactly what he meant. Her face reddened.
“Good,” he muttered, taking her downstairs. They found Dylan asleep on Aurora’s lap. It seemed Aurora had been reading until he fell asleep. The boy was now very used to his grandmother. The scene was beautiful.
Aurora turned her gaze to them, and Tatiana bit her lip harder. She was a bit glad Dylan hadn’t seen them like this.
“Hi, Mother,” Tatiana greeted awkwardly.
“Hm… My son didn’t go easy on you, huh?” Aurora smirked, and Tatiana felt like burying her face in Cassius’s chest.
“Don’t start, Mother,” Cassius helped Tatiana sit at the dining table. He gave Butler Conrad a cue to bring her meal.
“Start what? Look at the beautiful marks you gave her.”
Tatiana’s eyes widened as she looked down at the love bites Cassius had left on her neck and chest. She shrank into her chair and tried to use her hair to cover up.
Cassius ruffled her hair and kissed her. “I’ll be right back.”
Tatiana wanted to speak, but Butler Conrad arrived with the food and placed it in front of her. “Eat well, ma’am.”
Tatiana nodded and watched Cassius walk out of sight.
“You okay?” Aurora asked, nibbling on a plate of diced fruit. “I heard about the poison. Do you feel hurt anywhere?”
Tatiana smiled at how sweet her mother-in-law was. She noticed Aurora didn’t have blue eyes like Cassius, though he looked a lot like her. Cassius must have inherited his eyes from his father.
“I’m fine, Mother,” Tatiana replied.
In the study, Cassius waited for Jaxon to pick up his phone, and when he did, Cassius spoke coldly.
“I need to ask you something…”
—
UNDER HIS INFLUENCE : CHAPTER 101 – 110
“So, tell me your name,” Rafael demanded.
The mysterious man shifted his gaze to Rafael and raised an eyebrow.
“You go by Mr. Falcon at school, but I know that’s not your real name. Like I said, you’re not a teacher,” Rafael added.
The man didn’t respond and turned his gaze back to the white wall. They were at the hospital, waiting for feedback from the doctor.
“C’mon, telling me your name won’t hurt.”
“Your brother called me old,” the man finally said, slowly shutting his eyes. “Do I look old?”
Rafael couldn’t believe this man had let his brother’s words get to him. His face twisted in a scowl.
The man appeared to be in his late forties or early fifties, though the way he carried himself, his actions, and his words made him seem younger. He was incredibly handsome, cold, and his voice sent shivers down Rafael’s spine.
He never smiled and was always blunt, no matter how hurtful his words might be. Rafael knew the man was dangerous, but he still felt safer around him than with his own family.
“You’re about the same age as my father,” Rafael responded. “Now answer my question.”
“Silence,” the man replied.
“Huh?”
“The name is Silence.”
“Silence isn’t a name,” Rafael argued, and the man gave him a cold look. Rafael fell silent and nodded. “Fine, Mr. Silence.”
“I’d advise you to keep calling me Falcon for now. Using the name ‘Silence’ outside might get you into trouble,” he muttered.
“What do you want with me, Falcon? I’m sure you approached me for a reason.”
Falcon’s gaze lingered on Rafael for a moment before he spoke, his voice low. “You’re different, Rafael. You’re different from your family. You have this spark… within you.”
Rafael’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Falcon leaned his head back against the wall, eyes closing. “You have potential. Potential to be more than just a pawn in your family’s game.”
He continued, “How did it feel when you retaliated against your brother’s attack?”
Rafael stared down at his palm. He had struck Leonard with his cutter, drawing blood. That was the first time he had hurt him, and it felt… it felt right.
Leonard had always been an asshole, tormenting him, and their mother always took Leonard’s side. His whore of a mother.
Rafael felt like his whole family was a lie, full of scumbags, except for his three stepsisters who had suffered as well.
“Pawns are meant to be sacrificed,” his father always said.
“What are you thinking about?” Falcon’s words snapped him back to reality.
A dark expression clouded Rafael’s features. “My family is a joke.”
Before Falcon could respond, the doctor stepped out of his office and approached them.
“The results are ready.”
Rafael’s breath hitched as he exchanged a look with Falcon.
Later that night, Rafael stared at the results he had gotten from the hospital. The word ‘POSITIVE’ was written boldly. He shifted his gaze to the burning furnace before him and sighed.
He threw the paper into the fire, clenching his jaw.
‘My family is a joke,’ he thought.
___
UNDER HIS INFLUENCE : CHAPTER 101 – 110
Rafael was called down for dinner, and as he head there, his eye met with his so called family. His mother gave him a small smile and he ignored it. Leonard glared at him, he smirked sighting the small bandage on his cheek.
Tristan wasn’t present, probably carrying out some mission.
As he walked to sit on his chair, he felt the gaze of his father following his movement.
With an unreadable expression, he stabbed one of his stake and ate.
“I got a message from school that you had hurt your brother with a cutter” Maximum’s said, his voice low and thick.
“Yes” Rafael replied and he continue to eat. He noticed his brother shifted uncomfortably beside him.
“He was wounded because of you” he heard his father said againa and he paused to look at him.
“Yes, he was wounded because of me and I do not regret my action” he stated firmly, his cold gaze locked with Maximus.
“Rafael” Odessa called his name as if scolding him.
Rafael gave her a disgusting look.
“See mother. This is what I’m telling about. He had been acting so weird lately. He had been leaving school early and following a strange male teacher…”
“I never asked you to speak, Leonard” Maximus snapped at Leonard and the boy kept quiet.
“Who is this man?” Maximus asked Rafael.
“His name is Mr. Falcon. He offered to give me private lesson…”
“Without my consent?”
“You don’t own my life father. Instead of focusing on mine you should focus on yours. You might get to see the darkness swarming around you” Rafael stood and dropped his fucking.
“Thanks for the dinner” he said coldly and head up to his room.
Odessa was beyond shock at Rafael’s action. Her breath uneven as she watched her son leave. What in the world got into him?
___
UNDER HIS INFLUENCE : CHAPTER 101 – 110
“Rosa isn’t back yet?” Rowan asked Jolene, who was busy doing the dishes. It was already so late, and Rosa still hadn’t shown up.
“I’ll go check on her,” Jolene finished up and grabbed her jacket.
“Be careful, Jo. Should I come with you?” Rowan stood up.
“No, don’t. I’ll be back soon.”
She knew where Rosa had headed—it was a nearby shop. Since things had been tough with Wallington, Jolene made sure her dad and Rosa didn’t wander far.
“Hi,” Jolene greeted the man at the counter, showing him Rosa’s picture. “Have you seen her?”
The man’s eyes widened. “You know her?”
“Yeah, she’s my friend. Did something happen?”
The man sighed, concern etched on his face. “This woman came to the store, and as soon as she stepped out, she had an accident.”
“What?!” Jolene’s eyes widened, and she began to panic. “Did they take her to the hospital? Where? What hospital?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ll help you ask around, but… she was dead before the ambulance even came. She was hit too hard by a car, and the driver left her bleeding. She didn’t have a phone to call any of her relatives…”
Each word felt like a heavy blow to Jolene’s heart. Rosa was dead?
Jolene spun around in tears and left the shop, heading back to her apartment with uneven breaths.
“Jo? Where’s Rosa?” her father asked, but she didn’t answer. She went straight to her room and slammed the door shut.
Her hand went to her hair as she slowly slid down to the floor, tears slipping out of her eyes, her heart racing.
“Cutie?” A familiar voice sounded in the room, and Jolene’s head snapped up to see Jaxon, dressed all in black, standing there.
“Mr. Jaxon,” she stood and wiped her tears.
Jaxon stepped forward, worry evident on his face. “Are you alright?”
Jolene shook her head. No, she wasn’t.
“Rosa is dead. I think they killed her.”
Jaxon’s eyes widened in surprise.
She continued sobbing. “I shouldn’t have let her leave. It’s all my fault… it’s all my fault.”
Jaxon held her face, his thumbs gently wiping away her tears. His voice was soft. “It’s not your fault.”
Jolene sighed, her heart finally beginning to calm. “Tatiana will hate me for this. What should I tell her?”
“She’ll understand. And those who did this will pay. All of them. I promise,” he assured her, and she nodded slowly.
“I’ve missed you, Jax,” she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears.
Jaxon’s gaze moved down to her lips, and he kissed her. Soft and gentle, her nerves seemed to settle, and her tense shoulders slowly relaxed.
As they pulled away, Jolene gazed at Jaxon with affection. He had really calmed her down, her heart still racing.
“It’s not your fault,” he repeated, and she nodded.
“Was Tatiana able to save the girl Rosa talked about?” Jolene asked, curiosity in her eyes.
“You’ll have to ask her that yourself,” he replied.
“Hm… She was so tired yesterday, I decided not to bother her with too many questions. Even though I’m dying to know… I can’t believe that monster poisoned her. I just hope this is all over soon,” she whispered.
Still holding her face, gazing into her eyes, Jaxon asked in a broken voice, “Why does it have to be you?”
Jolene blinked. “Huh?”
“All my life, I’ve always fallen in love with the wrong women. Women who broke my heart, tore it apart, and betrayed me. So, I learned to lock my heart away and surround myself with beautiful women, using them however I wanted.”
He reached for her hair, running his fingers through it. The disappointment was evident in his eyes.
“But then you came along, cutie… and you broke that lock on my heart without even trying.”
“You have my heart too,” she whispered, tears falling down her face.
“I love you, cutie,” he whispered, and a smile crept up her face.
Jolene bit her lip, her eyes swirling with emotions. “I love you, Jax.”
She held his hand against her face. The moment felt like a fairytale to her. She had finally found the man of her dreams, the man her heart beat for.
“I wish I could believe that,” he said, and her face slowly fell, his expression unreadable.
“What are you talking about?” Jolene frowned, confusion swirling in her gaze.
“I can’t believe I fell in love with the wrong woman again,” Jaxon whispered, and she became even more confused.
He continued, “I know what you did, little bird.”
_
UNDER HIS INFLUENCE : CHAPTER 101 – 110
Jolene’s eyes widened. She slowly retreated from his hold and stepped back.
“Isn’t that what he calls you?” Jaxon asked.
“How did you—”
“When Cassius’s mother had an accident, I drove to the Wallington mansion. I was beyond angry, and all I wanted was to end him. I stopped driving when I saw his car leaving the mansion, and for a fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of you with him. I knew you looked familiar the day we first met, but I ignored the fact that you were with him on the same day Tatiana was betrayed by Nathan…”
“Stop,” Jolene’s voice cracked.
“What did he tell you to do?” Jaxon asked, stepping forward.
“Don’t come closer,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.
“Why did you do it?”
“You wouldn’t understand. None of you would…” She shook her head.
“That night of Tatiana’s welcome party—I was down because I realized you were the woman in that car, and yet, I kissed you. Because I love you, okay? I’ll understand no matter what, so tell me, Jo,” Jaxon demanded.
Suddenly, she reached for something behind her and aimed it at him—a gun.
“Stay back!”
Jaxon’s expression didn’t change, and he kept approaching her.
“Stop, or I’ll shoot you!” she threatened, her face serious, but the man didn’t stop.
“You want to shoot me? Then shoot me,” he said, taking another step closer. Jolene clenched her jaw.
“Jaxon, stop!”
“Jo? Is everything alright up there?” Rowan’s worried voice came from downstairs.
“Everything’s fine, Dad!” Jolene yelled, her eyes darting back to Jaxon.
“Shoot me!” Jaxon snapped, his loud voice triggering something in Jolene, and she pulled the trigger.
A gasp escaped her lips as she staggered back. Her hands went to her mouth, tears blurring her vision. Spinning around, she dashed out of her room and rushed downstairs.
“Jo?” her father called, but she didn’t listen. She grabbed her car keys and stormed out of the apartment.
When she reached outside, she halted at the sight of a figure.
Tatiana.
UNDER HIS INFLUENCE : CHAPTER 101 – 110
A dark expression clouded Tatiana’s features as a whirlwind of emotions struck her all at once. Her heart raced, her breath became uneven, and her hands trembled as she struggled to process the turmoil within. The revelation hit her like a tidal wave, threatening to drown her. Her mind reeled, memories flooding back like a broken dam. The pain, the fear, the helplessness—it all rushed back, suffocating her.
‘You know who it is… you just don’t want to accept it,’ her father’s words echoed in her mind.
It all started the night she met Cassius. That wasn’t just a coincidence. Considering how adamant Maximus was about making the Kings join his empire, her appearance in Cassius’s room now made sense.
Jolene had taken her to the hotel, to a room just beside Cassius’s.
Maximus must have known Cassius needed a woman that night and found a way to stop the one originally meant for him. Her drink that night had made her body feel strange, desperate for a man. The barman who served her had given her a strange look, but she had ignored it due to her pain.
At the hotel, Cassius’s room was next door—easy for her to reach.
‘Years ago, you barged into my room and threw yourself at me,’ Cassius had said.
Maximus had let her be for years, allowing her to raise Dylan. Then, when the time was right, he used Isabella’s incident to force her back to the country.
Realization hit her as she recalled how Jolene had tried to bring her and Cassius together.
‘He’s a good man, the best man you’ll ever meet,’ Jolene’s words echoed in her ears.
Jolene had probably known all along that Dylan’s father was Mr. King.
She was being used the whole time to get Cassius the whole time. She was being used without her knowledge.
No. Tatiana shut her eyes, blocking out those realizations. As the thoughts hit her, her heart clenched even more.
If it weren’t for the recording she’d overheard while Jaxon was talking to her, she would never have believed it. Jolene had indirectly confessed that she was the “little bird” her father had been talking about.
Tatiana opened her eyes and exhaled.
“T…Tatie?” Jolene’s voice cracked, her body trembling as she looked so nervous.
After what felt like an eternity, Tatiana finally moved her feet, approaching Jolene with slow steps.
“Tell me it’s not true,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.
Jolene stayed silent, her gaze locked with Tatiana’s.
“Tell me, Jojo. Tell me my father didn’t order you to bring me to that hotel so I would look like a whore to him. When I got pregnant with Dylan, tell me you didn’t inform my father—that you didn’t know all along that Cash was the father. All those efforts to bring us together, tell me they weren’t my father’s orders. Tell me you weren’t the one who revealed I was married to him.”
Tatiana paused and reached for Jolene’s hand. “Just tell me you weren’t his little bird, and I swear to God, I’ll believe you. You’re my sister.”
She watched as Jolene gritted her teeth, trying so hard not to burst into tears.
“Jojo,” Tatiana called softly.
“I’m sorry, Tatie. I’m sorry… You won’t… un…” Jolene bit down on her lips. She removed her hands from Tatiana’s grip and tried to catch her breath.
“It’s all true,” Jolene confessed, and Tatiana felt the world crashing down around her. Jolene continued, “I knew a day like this would come. A day when you’d finally see the real me…” She looked up to meet Tatiana’s gaze.
“Jo…” Tatiana wanted her to stop talking already.
“That’s not all I’ve done, Tatiana. I gave Isabella’s details to your father. That’s why they were able to tarnish her image so badly. I’m a monster… I’ve caused you pain, and I deserve whatever you do to me.”
“Are you being threatened? Is my father forcing you to say all this? My Jojo would never…”
“Tatiana!” Jolene yelled.
Tatiana froze, as Jolene’s words finally sank in. She stayed quiet and just stared at her.
Her sister—from another mother.
Why?
Why her, of all people?!
Jolene shook her head. “You probably hate me now, don’t you?” A small, painful smile spread across her lips.
Jolene continued, “Let me help you.” She took Tatiana’s hand and placed the gun in it. Holding it up, she made the gun point to her forehead while Tatiana still held it.
Jolene slowly let go, leaving Tatiana’s hand with the gun still aimed at her head.
“It’ll make you feel better if I disappear right now. I know how heartbroken you are. How badly you don’t want to believe it… how much you wish this were all a dream… I feel the same too.
So…
To make it easier, Tatiana…”
She stepped closer, pressing her head against the gun and closing her eyes.
“Please, just… shoot me.”
UNDER HIS INFLUENCE : CHAPTER 101 – 110
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