"Why do you suddenly decide to take me shopping?" Bruce smiled on hearing Jade's question. He had finally avenged his parents' death. Now, he wanted to focus on taking good care of the little family he and Jade had formed."Why?" Jade asked again with a smile."I have a good job and for the first time in my life, I've been paid a good salary. I decided to take you shopping. Take whatever you want."Jade beamed. "This is very thoughtful of you." Jade watched Bruce for a while, then she added; "For a moment, I thought you were really Astor Ace's son and you're treating me because you've finally killed Nicholas Athen."Bruce widened his eyes. "Why would you think that way?""Why are you scared?" Jade chuckled. "Yesterday, Cole came home drunk and was whispering something about you being Astor Ace's son. Well, just forget it. It was only a silly thought."Bruce faked a smile. "Yes, there's no way I'm Astor Ace's son. Come on, look at me."Jade and Bruce laughed it off, but deep down, Bru
Jade's car engine roared outside the house. It indicated that Jade was back from home. Bruce smiled to himself and got off his bed to get to the living room."One..." Bruce began to count down to ten. In ten seconds, he knew Jade would dash into the house in excitement and deliver good news."Two, Three, Four, Five..." He continued counting as he climbed down the stairs hurriedly."Six, seven, eight, nine..." He had gotten to the living room already."Ten."Jade dashed in with a big smile plastered on her face. She rushed to him and gave him a big hug, throwing Bruce off guard. She pulled away from the hug and looked upward at where the rooms were."Everybody," Jade called out excitedly. "I got a big contract with AAB groups."Jade screamed out at the top of her voice. Before the word, Jack Robinson could be said, everyone at home rushed down the stairs.For quite a very long time now, some members of Jade's family have tried to get a deal with AAB groups, but their efforts were all i
Bruce paced up and down the living room, waiting for the arrival of Jade and her family. He searched around for the Butler Lucia had sent to deposit her money but he was nowhere to be found."How would I face them?" Bruce asked himself. All of Jade's family members thought low of him. "This will make things much worse," Bruce thought out loud to himself.He did not care about what Jade's family thought of him but he knew Jade did. Bruce groaned. What kind of a mother is Lucia? He asked himself. He shook his head in disapproval. He heard the gateman opening the goat. He began to quiver. They were back earlier than they wanted to and it was most probably because Jade's mother thought he stole her money."Where's that goddamn thief?" He heard Lucia shriek and he rolled his eyes. He did not take her money and she knew it."Mom, stop it," Jade said, trying to dissuade her."Bruce." Lucia dashed into the room. "Thief. I knew it. You got married to my daughter so you could take all of her m
"You want our boss dead?" Bruce asked, feigning surprise.Bryan glared at him. "If you say those words out loud again, I'd want you dead too.""You've tried to kill me so many times but you couldn't. Do you think you can kill Astor Ace's son?""That old hag was the one who handled your case. If I was fully in control, you'd have been six feet below me by now," Bryan said. "You're no longer Bryan Athen, son of a billionaire. How do you intend to kill the richest man on earth?""Why do you think I'm here? I'm keeping my enemy close," Bryan replied with a smirk."You're not working here for the money, but to monitor B. A. Ace.""I'm here for both," Bryan said with a straight face. "Won't you invite your new friend over to your house for dinner?""Who is the new friend?""Who else? Me, of course. I told you a secret of mine and you told me yours."Bruce looked confused. "Which secret did I tell you?""That your mother-in-law hates you.""That's not a secret." Bruce looked up at Bryan's f
Three weeks later was Jade's birthday and a party was thrown to celebrate it. Bruce stood from the balcony and watched as people trooped in.For the past three weeks, nothing dramatic occurred and Bruce was grateful for the peace of mind he was getting.With Bryan around, Lucia dared not attack him like she used to. It was baffling how Lucia still feared Bryan. He noticed that the other members kind of did so too.The only troubling part for Bruce during the past three weeks was that he had to monitor Bryan to see if he planned anything sinister against the Fultons or himself so he could stop it. Bruce watched Bryan from the balcony. Bryan got ignored by whoever he tried to talk to and Bruce felt bad for him. For the past three weeks, Bryan proved to be helpful. Bruce wished he could find a way to take Bryan's vengeful spirit. He instantly recalled the time Nicholas was still alive and wealthy. He was as vengeful at the time. At that point, Bruce realized that he wasn't very differe
"If Jade is gone, her cousins would inherit Tekbos," Lucia lamented and Bruce stared at her in disgust. Her daughter was in danger yet the only thing she could think of was the title of the CEO of Tekbos. She grabbed the hands of her son, Cole. "How can this happen to her? She has not transferred the properties to you yet so why now?""You're thinking of properties when you should be thinking of a way to save your daughter from the danger she is already in," Bruce said angrily and Lucia glared at him."Her father is at the police station at the moment. He would get the police to find my Jade," Lucia lashed out.Without paying much attention to what Lucia had to say, Bruce dashed out of the room to Bryan.~~~Bruce stopped by Bryan's apartment and he found him seated at the entrance of his house like he had expected Bruce's visit."I knew you'd visit," Bryan said with a smile and Bruce glared at him."You think I have a hand in Jade's kidnap, don't you?""Where is Jade?""Kidnapping Ja
"Jade's life is at stake," Bruce replied in a shaky voice. Her life was not just at stake. It was that way because of him."So you'd agree to let go of everything your father suffered to build up for her and to the people that might in fact have a hand in your father's death. If you lose your properties to them, then Nicholas's death was a waste." Mr. Archibald looked visibly annoyed. "Just forget her. From what I know, your relationship with her wasn't based on love.""We still care for and respect each other. I can't stand by and watch her die. She wouldn't do that if she were in my shoes," Bruce said and Mr. Archibald frowned."Do you think her parents would stand by and let her do that? They won't just like I won't let you.""So you want me to let my wife die?" Bruce asked and Mr. Archibald went mute."If something similar had happened to my mother, would you have advised my Dad to do the same?" "You're willing to let go of all your father's properties for a girl," Mr. Archibald p
Standing before Bruce was someone who he had least expected. "You really underestimated me, didn't you?" Jade's kidnapper asked.Bruce frowned. The person before him was right. Bruce looked up at the face that gazed mockingly at him."Ms. Williamson," he started with a big frown on his face. "You made a very big mistake.""What mistake?" Ms. Williamson, the perpetrator of Jade's kidnap laughed at him mockingly. "I now own all you own, including the properties you snatched from Nicholas Athen, who you killed.""How do you know my face?" Bruce asked with a straight face. The only people who knew who he was was Mr. Archibald and himself. He knew Mr. Archibald well enough to know that he wouldn't reveal his identity to Ms. Williamson of all people."Let's say I followed the steps of your late enemy, Nicholas Athen," Ms. Williamson said with a big smile plastered on her face."Have you forgotten how I killed that enemy of mine?" Bruce asked with a smirk."That's what differs me from Nich