Luke stood in Kayla Andrew’s house fiddling the bracelet, his nerves all but ready to explode with rage.She finally stepped into her living room, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw him.“Luke? What are you doing here?”Luke stared at her for a moment, his face hard and unsmiling.“Do you have a minute? I’d like us to discuss a few things.”Her eyes narrowed in confusion but she hid it really well.“Oh, please sit.” Her gaze clouded with concern. “Is this about Nina? Is she okay?”Luke paused for a bit, unsure on how to broach the subject.“Nina’s awake now. The doctor proclaimed her stable yesterday.”She brightened immediately.“Oh, that’s great. So…what did you want to talk about?”Luke fixed her with a thoughtful stare.“Kayla, when the police questioned you concerning the night you and Nina were kidnapped, are you sure you told them everything you knew?”Kayla shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Yes. I’m sure I did. Is there any problem?”“Think carefully, Kayla. Are you
Kayla’s face twisted in shock as she stared at Luke.“What exactly are you talking about? Do you even realise the depth of what you’re saying?” She screeched.Luke was not perturbed.“You are certain that the kidnappers did not drop you off at any building. However, investigations reveal that your fingerprints were all over the attic where Nina was being held hostage at the British Museum. Can you explain that?”Her eyes darted nervously around the room as she tried to come up with a reasonable excuse.“There has to be a suitable explanation for that. Perhaps the kidnappers…”“The kidnappers cut off your hands and stamped your prints all over the walls?” Luke asked sarcastically.Kayla stepped back.“Look, I am innocent in all of this. I was not taken to any museum. Someone is obviously trying to set me up. Can’t you see?”Luke curled his fingers into fists, trying to contain his anger.“Save your lies for the court, Kayla.”“I’m not lying!” She yelled desperately. “I promise, I’m not
The day of Fiona Carmichael and David Humsworth’s wedding dawns bright and clear. Even the usual cold, rainy London weather gives way to a bright and sunny day. The birds chirp their congratulations in perfect symphony, and the toll of the great church’s bells can be heard for miles.While Fiona is busy preening in her wide skirted wedding dress and David is celebrating a double win – the successful kidnapping of Nina and his intending marriage to Fiona – Luke and officers of the London Police Department are plotting to destroy a wedding that will soon be the most talked about event in the history of London weddings.The joining of the Humsworth and Carmichael families could be said to be a match made in heaven. Both families were incredibly snobbish, ridiculously proud and loved attention to a fault, which explained the numerous reporters who flashed cameras and took interviews at the venue of the wedding.To Luke and his men, the reporters would only be an added advantage. The fas
“Excuse me?” The lady asked, her brows narrowing in confusion.“Oh,” Luke said, making a show of acting shocked. “You didn’t hear the news? Nina Wahington was kidnapped a few days ago. Wanna know who kidnapped her?”The lady stared at Luke like he’d gone crazy and he looked away with a short laugh. In front of the church, David was trying to explain the horrible images on the screen to a screeching Fiona.“What the hell is going on?!” Fiona cried. “Shut that thing off right now.”“Wait.” One of her bridesmaids called. “Isn’t that Nina? Nina Washington?”Fiona was trembling with rage now.“I don’t care if it’s the Duchess of Mesopotamia. Those pictures have no business at my wedding!”David and his father were currently arguing with the projector’s operator, looking for means to stop more of the pictures from coming up.If only they knew.“I’m sorry sir,” the operator tapped at his screen, frustration already evident on his features. “It seems like I have no control over it. My sys
All the TV stations streamed it. Every radio station in London carried the news.London’s very own prestigious family, the Humsworths, were part of a notorious New Mexican cartel, and were responsible for the kidnap of Nina Washington.Nobody else asides Luke and the doctor knew that Nina was sexually assaulted. That would’ve been too messy.The news of Fiona’s ruined wedding ceremony travelled far and wide as well. Most called her lucky for successfully evading being married into a family of criminals. Others mocked her and called it karma for rejecting Luke.Over the next couple of days, Luke made sure that David and his father were tried and sentenced for their crimes. Of course, being crooks, they tried to bribe the judge into influencing the judgement in their favour, but Luke made sure all their plans proved abortive.On the day of the sentencing, David broke down and cried like a baby when the judge gave him fifty years with hard Labour, and twenty five years for his father.N
It’s been a full month since David and his son were arrested and Luke successfully had his revenge. It was the weekend and nothing interesting was going on in school, so Luke dragged Nina to his office to get some work done on a few projects.Nina displayed signs of a smart, level headed young lady and Luke was seriously considering the prospects of hiring her as a permanent staff.Presently, she ran her fingers over a grid of colours, her face bright and care-free. Nina had struggled to put the pain of the past behind her. Now, she looked forward to the future with new found hope every single day.“So, I was thinking since the investment is somehow related to agriculture, we should go for green and white for the logo. It feels more original…”Just then, his secretary bursted into the office, her face tight with strain.“Sir. Sir, I’m so sorry but there’s been a problem.”Alarmed, Nina and Luke shot to their feets, their eyes wide with curiosity .“What’s going on, Mirabel?”His sec
For a moment, time stood still. Luke stared from Fiona’s hand on his wrist to her face, totally disgusted at the greed he saw in the depth of her eyes…the greed she tried so hard to hide but couldn’t. Something very fishy was going here, but Luke’s grandfather had taught him just yesterday to always play smarter than his enemies, so he was going to play Fiona and her mother at their own game.He settled back in his seat, making Fiona believe he was actually considering her stupid proposal. He even took the risk and ran a finger over the backs of her palm. Just a light touch… just something to make her believe she was successfully fooling him.Luke was aware of Nina’s confused, hurt expression as Fiona sent her a smug look over her shoulder, checking to make sure that Nina had seen my touch.Even her mother was smiling like the cat that got the cream.“Oh, Luke,” Fiona purred. “I always knew you’d make the right…”“Why now?” Luke asked, stopping her mid sentence.Fiona’s smile falte
“The plan didn’t work.” Trent Carmichael said, looking at Wilhelm Humsworth from across a table in the prison’s common room.Wilhelm narrowed his eyes, his short temper beginning to flare.“What do you mean by that? Why?”Carmichael shrugged tiredly.“According to what my daughter told me, Luke would not be swayed. He didn’t even want to let her into his office. She and my wife had to struggle their way past security. Do you understand how embarrassing that was for a family of our status?”Wilhelm shook his head angrily.“That was just a small price which they had to pay to make sure Luke Bradford gets destroyed. This is a small price for an even greater victory.”Carmichael shook his head.“So what do you suggest we do now? Luke rejected the proposal no matter how juicy it sounded.”“Knowing your wife and daughter, they probably turned the whole thing into a power of wills.” Wilhelm said on a scoff.Carmichael did not justify his snarky comment with a response because he knew the man