Jackson listened to what Warren told him and how fearful he was of the Hynkel family. One thing he couldn’t get his head around though, he blurted out. “What do they have to do with my mom’s necklace?”“Valid question! According to Mr. Rolland, they were the last known owners.”Jackson couldn’t wrap his head around it. “How did my mother end up with it, then?”Warren shrugged his shoulders, unable to answer his question.***A week went by uneventfully. Jackson had fully recovered and could move around freely. Within that week, he regularly visited Riverbank city and the Auction House.Whenever he got the chance, he would antagonize the young Lord from the Brown family.Because of her work schedule, Elena had little interaction with him. It saddened him he couldn’t spend more time with her, but it wasn’t up to him.He didn’t plan to go back to Southfield soon, so with the help of Warren, he purchased an old house on the outskirts of the city.It was in between the Auction House and S
A week went by. Jackson had mostly repaired his new house. Alicia and Naomi stayed with him during this time and even helped him pick up furniture.The estate Jackson purchased was an old house with an enormous garden. Of course, nothing inside had a hint of life, but he didn’t care. Step by step, he would build it into an ideal fragrant garden.With his minimum knowledge in construction, he replaced a few parts of rotten wood and fixed the roof. It was far from a habitable place, but by pouring his everything into anything he did, it slowly became something he could call home.It paled compared to the domineering estates of the Elites. If one could put the Raven estate and his next to one another, Jackson’s home was probably a quarter in size, if not less, but that wasn’t something which held him back.He was taking a break, having tea on the porch with the girls, when a car pulled over. Excited, Jackson stood up. “Myles! How did you find me?”The young man approached. He blushed the
Jackson remained still. A familiar yet distant warmth came over him. The fragrance coming from that woman’s perfume blurred his thoughts. He closed his eyes and accepted her embrace.It wasn’t a mother’s touch, but it was close enough for Jackson to succumb. At first, he thought he should be stoic and talk with her at a leveled position. He didn’t expect her to make a move like that.Even Myles appeared to be surprised by the turn of events unfolding before him. Lady Woodfield has always been stern and couldn’t care less about what was happening in the world. Yet, the moment she laid eyes on Jackson was as if her entire demeanor had changed.Soon after, she pulled back. With a glance, Myles understood he should leave the two of them alone. He turned to Jackson and smilingly walked away from the kiosk. “Later man!”Elegantly, the Lady of the Woodfield family returned to her seat. She picked up her cup and took a sip. Her gentle voice reached Jackson’s ears. “Please, have a seat.”Jacks
Jackson had veins pop on his forehead. He clenched his fists in anger as he watched the girl dragging the young man in chains. “Bitch!” He turned around and walked towards the door. Just as he was about to step outside, Alicia grabbed a hold of his hand. “What are you doing?” “Let go!” “Only if you tell me what you will do…” “Fine! I’ll go over there and smack the shit out of her!” Jackson gritted his teeth. If he put any more pressure on, he would have chipped them. Alicia felt a staggering pain in her heart, watching him go through this. She let out a sigh. Gently, she put her hand on his cheek and caressed it. “You should calm down first. If she could walk in here so brazenly, her background isn’t something you can deal with.” “But…” Naomi came and embraced him from behind. Her soft voice tickled his ears. “Alicia is right!” “… I know she’s right.” “Take a deep breath first and calm down before doing something you will regret.” As Naomi suggested, Jackson inhaled air to t
The weekend came and Jackson got ready to attend the banquet held by the West family. A sharp black suit toned his body. One could see themselves mirroring in the black glistening shoes he wore. With a cup of tea, he sat on the porch and waited for the girls to get ready. After thirty minutes, he went inside and shouted. “It’s starting soon. Are you ready?” With one voice, they responded. “Five minutes!” In a barely audible voice, he uttered. “That’s what you said thirty minutes ago…” He let out a sigh and returned to his seat on the porch. Five minutes later, he heard the clacking of heels coming down the stairs. He stood up, breathing out. “Finally!” The moment he walked inside and laid eyes on the two girls, his blood rushed to his head, making his cheeks crimson. Naomi tied her hair to a bun. She wore a long white dress, which showcased her voluptuous curves. Her neckline cheekily displayed an opening to her breasts, whereas the heels boosted her thighs, creating an illusion
The venue hosting the auction for the commoners was none other than the living room of the West family estate. Round tables scattered throughout the room with red velvet cloth spread.Bottles of champagne for every one of the twenty tables. Approximately forty families attended the banquet, and everyone present listened attentively to the commoner woman’s song.Once the song ended, several seconds of a deafening silence followed.Like waves, the roars from the audience shook the estate. The chandelier in the ceiling trembled and dust particles floated.Applause!Applause!The man with the goatee walked up on the stage with a smile on his face. His voice filled the room. “And there you have it, folks!”Jackson stayed at the back during this time and listened to the song. When it ended, he pulled Naomi close and whispered in her ear. “She has a beautiful voice, right?”His breath tickled her, and a flush of blush reddened her cheeks.Before she could utter a word, the man with the goate
A surge of laughter made the room vibrate.Boyd West had a sour look on his face. In an annoyed tone, he uttered. “Look, kid, if you are not serious, leave!”Nonchalantly, Jackson uttered. “What are you talking about? Of course, I’m serious.”Frustrated, Boyd sighed. “Very well. Bid for one dollar, anyone else?”At that moment, the phones rang. Every family present received the same notification.Boyd West, bemused, uttered. “What’s happening?”{Don’t outbid the one-dollar amount, otherwise the Alroy family will seize your assets!}As soon as they read the message, the various families gasped.Sweat drenched their faces.With horror written all over their faces, they turned to Jackson at once, who revealed a grin. A chilly glint appeared in his eyes, which froze the blood in their veins.Not knowing what happened, Boyd asked once more. “A-Any other bids?”The deafening silence made it possible for them to hear the fast-beating hearts. Only Jackson’s heart rate was steady.When no one
Boyd West, the patriarch, and Amira gasped. Only Elisa giggled. She admired him even more.Never once did they expect someone to act so shameless against them. Vein popped on their foreheads from rage. The humiliation was too much. Amira gritted her teeth. “How dare you?”Boyd West walked towards Jackson, as if he was just about to punch him. The glare in his eyes could freeze even the most seasoned warrior.One a breath away from Jackson, he uttered from between his teeth. “You clearly go against my West family.”As a veteran negotiator, Boyd tried his best to appease Jackson, who either held immense power or he had someone’s backing. The other families denied going against him. “Did we somehow offend you?”Jackson looked at him closely, trying to figure out his train of thought.He closed the distance between them by leaning forward, close to his ear. Jackson’s voice came out, barely audible to the guests. As if he whispered, he uttered. “No, not really, but if you kick a girl out o