Lucia wanted to say these words to Bruce so badly."Yes, trust your friend. Bryan is your friend," she said instead and she pitied him when she saw him smile."But you were ready to tell me his name yesterday if I am ready to save your son. I am and—""You should just try to be smart," Lucia interrupted. "That's all I can tell you. Remember how your father died. Don't let yourself get silenced like he did.""You hate me so much that you'd rather watch your son suffer than help me.""I hate you. That is true, but I secretly vouch for you." Lucia looked around to see if Bryan was around. "You're drawing trouble and danger to yourself. You should be careful. That's all I can tell you." "I don't think you are," Bruce said dryly. "What if I help your son then you help me? Seems like you don't trust that I'd help you afterward."Lucia froze.She remembered Bryan warning her to grab all the opportunities presented to get Bruce into helping her son.She heaved a sigh. She did not want to do
"You look scared," Bryan chuckled."Why should she?" Bruce asked and Bryan shrugged."You should ask her yourself."Bruce looked at Lucia and then back at Bryan. "I don't think my mother-in-law is afraid of you.""Whatever. I came to see someone else anyway. I know Cole and me—""Just do whatever you are here for. I'm done with helping you pull my mother inlaw's legs so—" Bruce paused, seeing that Lucia was glaring at him. "Now you've made me annoy my mother-in-law." "You should be the one who should be annoyed with your mother-in-law. It shouldn't be the other way round," Bryan pointed out. "Why are you trying to impress an evil mother-in-law?""Bryan," Bruce called out with a warning tone and Bryan rolled his eyes. "She is making you help save her son who is most probably guilty of the crime he was charged for. She sees you as a gullible person."Lucia clenched her fists. Bryan was the one who asked her to frame Bruce but he was the same person making it hard for her to convince B
"From your plan, it seems like your plan would implicate my son. I don't want my Cole to get into trouble." Lucia said with a frown."The tone you're using with me. I don't like it." "Bryan, don't think I am weak. If anything happens to my son, I'd destroy you," Lucia warned."You're growing wings.""I'm an angry mother. It's looking like you're playing with my son's life to have your stupid revenge. If you want to take revenge for what Bruce did to you, do it without putting my life or any of my loved one's life in jeopardy.""I thought you cared about Bruce's life since he saved you from prison."The truth was that Lucia didn't care that much. She only pitied Bruce. He was being nice to his enemy. Lucia saw Bruce as a foolish person. She owed him big time and she knew it. She felt bad for helping Bryan, a rude motherfucker, plan evil against someone she owed.Lucia frowned.She wished Bryan would sleep and not wake up. She just found out that her son-in-law was Astor Ace's son. It
The house was awfully silent.Jade groaned.She usually thought that she would be happy in a home without any of her family members around. She wondered why she hated how quiet the house was without them. Aunt Jemimah and her husband had gone shopping. Her cousins and the other family members went to the beach to have fun together. Her father, of course, was working despite the fact that it was a Saturday.Her mother, who should be at home, was out again with her husband. The fact that they were going out together frequently lately did not sit well with Jade.She felt lonely. "Bruce would have been at home with me if—" she paused, realizing that it was Bruce she missed the most.Ding Dong. The doorbell rang."Bruce," Jade called out without thinking and rushed to the door.She opened the door and Bryan, the person at the door, did not miss the disappointed look on Jade's face. "I came to see Bruce.""He is not at home." Jade made a move to close the door but Bryan held the door, sto
Bryan went out of the house before Bruce could get down from the stairs."Are you ready?" Lucia asked and Bruce nodded."Where do you think you are going?" Jade asked angrily. She had lost it. The last thing she expected from Bruce was for him to ignore her because of her mother, the same woman that insulted and ridiculed him for having nothing.Bruce turned to his wife. "Jade, I can't stand by and watch someone innocent paying for a crime he didn't commit.""You're being used. They are using you. You might be gaining something from this but the mother and half-brother I know is definitely using you. They seem vulnerable now, right? Well, that's the tool they are using to use you."Bruce smiled. "Do you think I don't know?"Lucia froze. She had a shocked expression on."They using me doesn't change the fact that Cole is innocent so I'd still help."Bruce walked away immediately and Lucia followed suit.Jade just stood, shocked and angry at Bruce's action. "I'd come with you," Bryan,
"Eat more."Bruce smiled to himself as he heard Lucia urge her son to finish the trays of food kept before him."I know they starve you so please eat more to make up for the meals you haven't had.""She loves her son too much. It's annoying," Jade said, startling Bruce.Bruce relaxed seeing that it was Jade. "You almost caused my heart to fly out of my chest."Jade took a seat next to Bruce. "They are both cruel, but you did good by stopping Cole from suffering from the punishment of a crime he did not commit.""What makes your deed great is that those two once tried to hurt," Jade continued. "They would most probably try to hurt you again," Jade added after a long silence. "You did not think my deed was this great a few hours ago," Bruce pointed out. "I'm sorry. I thought—" Jade's voice trailed off."You thought I was involved in drug trafficking with Cole and I was helping because I'd get implicated by Cole if I don't.""I thought Lucia was using you. I just wanted to be sure you
After Bryan drove for hours, they finally got to the bar Cole chose."There are tons of nearby bars. Why did Cole choose somewhere far away?" Bruce could not help but wonder if he should have listened to Jade and stayed back.Bryan shrugged. "I don't know. Most times, you go to restaurants far from home when there are tons of better restaurants near home, don't you? Cole might have chosen somewhere far because he thinks you like somewhere far.""That could be a valid reason, but—""Let's just go in," Bryan interrupted."You're the only one who knows that. Cole doesn't," Bruce muttered the continuation of the sentence Bryan interrupted to himself.Loud music blared from the speakers around them as they went in. Everyone present looked rough and dangerous. The women were nearly naked, some were naked and they all had dark makeup on. More than half of the men looked like bouncers— huge and burly."I don't think this place is the right place to use for appreciation," Bruce said as they to
Bruce looked at Bryan without making any movement as he drew closer with his knife."Aren't you scared?" Bryan asked as he played with the knife in his hands. "Why should I be?""You're poisoned and I'm with a knife that I can use to kill you without getting stopped by anyone.""That is what you think." Bryan drew closer with his knife and Bruce drew backward. Bryan chuckled. "See. You're scared.""I have told you before now. I can only get scared when there is something to be scared of." Like he had done earlier, Bruce looked around and smiled. "When you're always prepared to face any kind of danger, there is always nothing to be scared of."Before Bryan could say, Jack Robinson, two burly men from nowhere caught Bryan's hands. The one holding the hand with the knife took the knife from him."You had guards follow you secretly." Bryan gritted his teeth."What do you expect when my identity is a secret?"Bryan laughed. "You're still poisoned though. Before you get to a doctor or bef