WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 51 – The End
Chapter 61
SEMI_FINAL
Written by: Racheal Dennis.
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WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 51 – The End
Jasmine’s pov ?
The officers sat opposite us, their notes, pen and recorder ready to take ma Gloria’s testimony.
“Mrs O’Briens, are you ready for us?” One of the officer asked.
Ma Gloria took a deep breath and nodded, though she seemed a little bit nervous.
“Alright, let’s start with.. who’s Mr Roman to you?” The officer asked.
“He’s.. he’s.. my stepfather”
Who’s this Mr Roman everyone is talking about? How come I don’t seem to know him? Or maybe I haven’t seem him before.
“Your stepfather….”
the officer trailed off and jotted down in his note, then lifted his head.
“… can you tell us about your relationship with him?” He asked.
Ma Gloria nodded, she cradled Davis whom she’s still carrying in her arms.. she had refused to lay him down.
“My mom got married to Mr Roman three years after my dad died, she took along with her, my sister and I.. Grace”
So.. it’s true, doctor Grace is truly her sister.
“Roman already has a daughter who’s the same age as I…”
“Sorry to cut you, Mrs O’Briens, but how old were you then?”
“I was 9 and my sister was 6” she answered.
The officer nodded and continued writing on his note, while ma Gloria continued talking.
“My late father’s company was still functioning then and my mother was in charged, since my sister and I are too young to run a company… ”
She paused and tilted her head as of she just recalled something.
“… Oh, Roman was poor then, but my mom married him because they were highschool lovers”
My eyes flicked towards Thanatos when she said that, Thana is also my highschool lover and I dropped out because of him.
Is it really compulsory that we’ll spend the rest of our lives with our highschool lovers?
“So.. my mom was managing the company just fine. At first Roman loved my sister and I as if we were his own, he’d provide us with all the love and care in the world… ”
Fake love, I scoffed mentally.
“… but we didn’t know he was doing all that for his selfish reasons, when I was eighteen years old, he plotted and killed my mother….”
What?! He killed his wife?! How wicked can this man be.
“…then he started giving us ill-treatment…he stopped the maid from serving us food and he stopped giving us our daily allowance… ”
I knew that’s what he would do…if he can kill the person he claim to love, then her children will equally suffer.
“But before he killed my mother, he made her transfer all her shares in the company to him.. he started using the company’s money lavishly, until the company started going bankrupt… ”
She paused, her eyes glistening with tears as she spoke but she’s trying hard to hold back the tears.
“… many of the shareholders and investors started withdrawing, the company was going down the drain and there was nothing I could do to save it…I couldn’t bear to watch my parents hard work just go down the drain…”
Her story is making me emotional, I feel like crying and I don’t get why. I’ve never being the type to cry easily, I’ve always been strong.
What’s happening to me?!
“… I stopped schooling and started taking online classes, so I can start working. I found a job in a club as a barmaid, I started working hard so I can get enough money and save the company…but my pay then was very poor, it could barely pay my sister’s intuition fees…”
Thanatos blinked and looked away from his mother, wait.. was he trying to hold back his tears?
“…I was really struggling then, I couldn’t keep up and wanted to give up. But I met someone who alleviated me, he helped me saved the company… but we had a deal”
Who’s that? Is she talking about Mr O’Briens? And what deal did they made?
“His girlfriend broke up with him then and his parents are on his neck about him having a son, or he won’t get his inheritance…we made a deal, we’ll get married for three years and I’ll give him a son…”
Oh no! Don’t let my imagination be the truth!
“… we got married and luckily, I gave birth to a son”
Her eyes landed on Thana when she said that, but Thanatos wasn’t even looking her way.
“I gave birth to Thanatos and the O’Briens family were very happy, we were all living happily and three years past but Bernard didn’t break off our marriage.. none of us remembered our deal…”
“Momma.. ”
Davis cried in his sleep, she paused and cooed him back to sleep.
“.. we were just one happy family, until Bernard’s girlfriend came back and I was heartbroken to find out she’s my stepsister”
My eyes grew wide, isn’t this just like my story?! My sister’s husband is actually my lover!! History!!
“She was pregnant with his child when she left, I didn’t know what to do.. I was so confused, I didn’t wanna fight with my sister over a man that doesn’t love me in the first place….”
Wow! But I fought, I can’t let someone else take what’s mine..even if she’s my sister, what’s mine should remain MINE!
“…so, I thought of running away, but Alice didn’t let me, she said I should stay since I’m the legal wife..”
Ma Gloria laughed and shook her head, she sighed.
“I didn’t know it was actually a trap, she’s gotten in trouble with some bad gang and signed an agreement with them using Mrs O’Briens.. the people came and took me away, Bernard tried all he could to pay them off but up till now he hasn’t been able to pay up…”
I frowned deeply. “But why?” I blurted out.
“They kept increasing the money everyday, later I found out the gang is Roman’s… When he came to visit me in the room they held me captive, I asked him why he’s doing this.. he said it’s because I took what belong to his daughter.. ”
Oh, actually, Alice saw Bernard first.. so I think that statement is true, but I dared not say it out loud.. or Thana might be the one to slap me.
“He made me vow never to meet with my son, or he’ll kill him and I quickly agreed.. so, he let me out and I started roaming the streets, cause I had nowhere to go… ”
She really did went through a lot.
But I remembered she was wearing neat and expensive clothes when we first met… how is that possible?
“Luckily, I met one of my father’s acquaintance, he told me about my father’s underground mansion in Chicago.. that’s where I normally sneak to at night”
Oh, that explains her expensive clothes.
“Roman is very greedy, since I left, he’s been trying his best to help his grandson be the O’Briens heir.. if that had happened, the O’Briens would have gone down the drain too” she concluded.
The officer nodded and closed his note, he got up and shook hands with ma Gloria.
“Thanks for your testimony, we’ll send it over to Chicago tonight.. also, tomorrow, we’ll be needing your attention at the police station tomorrow in Chicago..”
He turned to Thanatos and I.
“…we don’t know if he’s gonna be sentenced directly or taken to the court.. so we’d like you all to come over”
“That’s fine, officer, we’ll be there” Thana said.
“Thanks for the corporation” the officer said.
Thanatos turned to Peter.
“See the officers off” he told him.
“Yes sir” Peter turned to them. “This way, please”
Immediately they left, ma Gloria got up and transferred Davis to her shoulder.
“Jasmine, show me to Davis’s room.. I’ll sleep there tonight” she said.
I nodded and got up, then headed towards Davis’s room.
The silence after the officers left is so.. I don’t even know how to place it, but it’s very uncomfortable.
It’s best everyone goes to sleep, but going to sleep on an empty stomach.. I don’t think I can sleep very well tonight.
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WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 51 – The End
Adele’s pov ?
I’m feeling so nervous right now, it’s as if I’m sitting for an interview.
Mr and Mrs Evans sat on a love sit opposite us, another gorgeous lady who look a lot like Mrs Evans…sat on a sofa next to them.
She folded her arms on her chest and stared at me attentively, her stare is giving me goosebumps.
“So…tell us truthfully, is your father a businessman?” Mr Evans asked.
I bite my lower lip, swallowed the nervous lump in my throat and shook my head.
“No” I answered. “He was a farmer”
It’s better I tell him the truth now, I can’t bear the repercussions if he finds out I lied later…rich people are always powerful.
“Was?” He tilted his head slightly.
“Yes, sir…he died last year, he suffered lung cancer” I said.
Mr Evans nodded, he exchanged a knowing look with his wife and her lips curved in a smile.. or smirk.. I don’t know.
I’m too nervous.
“What about you? Which of the universities did you attend?”
His question made my blood ran cold, will he chase me out if I told him I didn’t…
“Or let me guess, you didn’t get to university level” the lady said smugly.
“I didn’t” I replied.
“A highschool dropout?” She asked.
“Yes”
She scoffed loudly and clapped her hands in a mocking manner, anger build up in me.
“Angel!” Clark called her warningly, she ignored him and continued laughing.
My brows furrowed instantly and I clenched my jaw, what’s wrong with being a highschool dropout…i almost snapped at her.
A voice is nagging me to reply her hot, hot..but I decided against it… she’s Clark’s sister, I should keep my rudeness at bay.
Mr and Mrs Evans are watching me, maybe they’re waiting for my reaction..
Wait, are they purposely asking these questions to provoke me? They wanna know if I disrupted their dinner that day because of Lizzie… or if I’m naturally rude.
Aha! I’m not gonna let that happen!
I put on a smile and held Clark’s arm, I pat his chest as if I’m trying to calm him down.
“Clark, she’s just asking a question.. there’s no need to get so worked up” I told him.
Angel stopped laughing and watched us, she sat uprightly.. Mr Evans cleared his throat.
“What job are you doing now that you didn’t get to university level?” He asked.
“I’m a waitress, I work at Mike’s kitchen” I answered.
He nodded.
“How long have you known Clark?” Mrs Evans asked.
“A month now” I blurted out without thinking.
But I didn’t lie, it’s been a month since I knew Clark, but we became official four days ago.
Clark reached for my hand and squeezed it reassuringly, he smiled at me.
“You’re doing great” he whispered to me.
I simply nodded and turned my gaze to his parents.
They’re whispering among themselves, even his sister is staring at me with a satisfied smile.
“Ahem!” His father cleared his throat.
My heart’s beating fast as I wait for what he’s gonna say, I’m hoping and praying they don’t disapprove of our relationship.
“We like you!” Mr Evans said.
“Huh?” I asked as if I didn’t heard clearly.
“We like how you’re being honest to yourself, you’re not ashame of your status and you’re not scared to speak your mind..”
Mrs Evans paused, she got up and moved closer me. She pushed Clark away from me and held my hands in hers.
“… you’re the perfect match for Clark, we give you our blessings!” She said.
Clark’s sister also jumped forward and gave me a side hug.
“Dad already did a background check on you, it’s a good thing you didn’t lie!” she said.
I don’t know how to react, I simply looked at them in surprise.
Yeah, I was praying they accept me and I’ve been nervously thinking of ways to impress them, but I didn’t expect it’ll be so easy to impress them.
My eyes flicked to Clark and he winked at me, I blushed.
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WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 51 – The End
Jasmine’s pov ?
My stomach kept growling, making me toss and turn in bed..I groaned in my sleep.
My eyes snapped opened and I sat up, I reached for the table lamp and turned it on..
I just woke up to eat few minutes ago, why am I still hungry?
Then I looked at Thana sleeping on the other side of the bed.
“Should I wake him up?” I asked myself.
I reached for my alarm clock and checked the time, it’s already 01:23am… I can’t wake him up now.
“Besides, he’s injured and can’t help me with anything”
A deep sigh left my mouth as my stomach growled again, I jumped off bed and quietly headed towards the door.
It’s best I get something for myself.
WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 51 – The End
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My steps faltered when I saw a figure sitting on a stool in the kitchen, ma Gloria?
What is she doing here? I wondered.
“Ma?”
Ma Gloria turned to me with a smile, she’s holding a glass of water…oh, she must have come to drink some water.
“Jasmine, I thought you’re already asleep” she said.
“Yeah, I was… ” I replied.
I pulled out another stool and sat down, I reached for an apple on the counter and washed it in a bowl of water.. then took a bite.
“… but I was too hungry to actually fall asleep”
She furrowed her brows.
“Do you normally wake up in the night to eat?” She asked.
I shook my head, took another large bite from the apple.
“No, it just started recently”
She tilted her head and scanned me, as if she’s trying to figure something out.
“You must be pregnant” she said.
I stared at her for a moment and burst into laughter, she frowned slightly.. she must be wondering why I’m laughing.
“Ma, I’m not pregnant”
I continued laughing.
“You are, I can’t be wrong about it” she said.
I stopped laughing and took another bite from my apple, I waved my hand in disapproval.
“Ma, there’s something you don’t know.. I can never get pregnant, Davis is the only child I’ll ever have”
Her frown deepened, she dropped the glass of water on the counter.
“Why?” she asked.
I sighed.
“I have cervical problem and it kinda affected my womb after I gave birth to Davis… ”
I paused and swallowed the chewed apple in my mouth.
“… you know about this” I said.
She was there when I was struggling in the labour room, she witnessed how I almost died.
“I know, Jasmine, but miracles do happen”
“Ma, not even a miracle can change this” I replied.
Ma Gloria took my left hand resting on the counter, she placed two fingers on my vein.
“What are you doing, ma?” I asked.
“Shh… I’m trying to feel your pulse” she replied.
I stayed silent and let her do her thing, she frowned and stared at my face.. while I raised my eyebrows curiously.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Tell me what else you took note of recently”
I frowned and thought back, then nodded when I recalled.
“I’ve been sleeping a lot, getting tired easily and throw up at the smell of some perfumes and other stuffs… ” I trailed off as a realization dawned on me.
All these are what happened to me when I was pregnant with Davis.. but how?
“My dear, you’re pregnant”
“But how?”
“I told you miracles do happen”
“But not in this case, different doctors all said I’ll lose any chance of conceiving if I give birth to Davis.. ”
Ma Gloria smiled.
“… even after giving birth to Davis, the doctor told me I can’t ever conceive, I… ”
My eyes moved down to my stomach, I rubbed it gently with a frown.
Is this really true? Am I really pregnant? How did it happen?
“Jasmine, God is our healer and he heals every diseases, nothing is too big for him to do”
If this is really happening because I’m pregnant, then I’ll be very happy, but…
“Ma, it’s no confirmed yet, I’ll have to go for a test first” I said.
It wouldn’t be nice if I get out hopes up for nothing, Thanatos will be heart broken if I give him a fake news.
WHEN LOVE IS GONE: Chapter 51 – The End
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