Astonishingly, the girl that Jordan had rescued the previous night was no ordinary girl. She was from an extremely affluent family, and so, finding someone was as easy as blinking an eye. After conducting an emergency search, she was able to learn of Jordan’s whereabouts. And like she had promised last night before she ran away for her safety, she came for her savior.
Jordan’s facial idiom was no different from that of the couple beside him as he watched the girl approach. He was in awe as he watched the girl match toward him. Her face was glowing more in broad daylight than it was in the dark. What moved him more was the fact that the girl looked for him. He didn't know she would ever find him even if she searched for him.
Hell! He did not even anticipate she would bother looking for him. They say, do good and go your way, and that is what he had done. He did not expect anything in return. Knowing that he rescued someone from danger was more than enough for him.
But here she was. Risking her life and moving up and down to find him. He couldn't help but wonder if the girl was not afraid of the bad guys anymore. But his queasiness and baffles were squelched when his eyes caught the sight of the battalion of bodyguards matching behind her. The innumerable men in black looked like they could fight the whole world and still manage to secure the girl. The picture before Jordan proved without a single doubt that the girl was from a wealthy family.
The girl, Anna, approached Jordan with gratitude in her eyes and a bright smile. She held his hand, squeezing it gently as a show of gratitude for what he had done for her. But that did not sit well with Diana.
A strong wave of jealousy swept through Diana. She could not bear the thought of the girl being this close to Jordan. Another wave of her mockery and insolence toward Jordan prior to this incident slapped her really badly. She was so certain that no girl would spare Jordan a glance after she left him. But here was a total mockery before her. Her own words itched her. The worst part was that the girl seemed wealthy. But how was this even possible?
‘NO!’ she mentally howled in denial, launching an attack. She most definitely was not the kind to take things seated down and lip-sealed.
“Now I get it, Jordan! Now I know why you were so determined and calm about leaving me. How dare you be this shameless after all that I and my family did for you?” Diana spoke, and everyone looked at her.
She spoke with so much loathing and pain that it shocked even her lover, Edwin.
“You are speaking in riddles!” Jordan spoke calmly. He honestly did not understand what Diana was blabbering about.
“Oh, cut me some crap! You damn well know what the fuck I am talking about, Jordan! Don't you dare to play dumb on me! It all makes clear sense now!” she fumed again, slipping out of Edwin’s grip.
“Enlighten me what you…”
“It is this whore you have been cheating on me with me, you wretched fool! She is the reason why you do not even want to accept any help because you have a rich whore to feed you now! How…”
A resonant slap across Diana’s face reverberated in the whole area, shutting her up and sending her staggering backward. Anna stood still and bold as Diana screamed from her agonizing slap. Her boldness exuded danger for Diana.
A moment of screaming lull passed, with Diana soothing her sore cheek and refusing to raise her face to confront her nightmare.
“Babe, are you okay?” Edwin asked with concern as he reached for Diana.
She finally lifted her face, tears welling up in her eyes, while her hand was still soothing her cheek. Deep inside, she was raging with humiliation and disbelief. How dare the girl slap her?
“Won't you do anything to this girl who just slapped your pregnant fiancee? Put her in her place, Endy!” Diana squealed at Edwin.
“Of course, babe. Nobody dares to hurt you much less in my presence!” Edwin assured her as he turned to Anna, who still stood bold.
She seemed so unthreatened.
Her bodyguards started moving forward to defend her, but she raised her hand to stop them. And they obeyed, stepping back. But Jordan moved forward, taking Anna’s hand and pinning her to his side in defense.
“How dare…” Edwin started launching a blow, and only God knows what was going on in Jordan’s head as he calculated Edwin’s movement.
But it wasn't for long, because some kind of magic hooked his fist in the air, and his eyes were fixed on the girl beside Jordan.
That cold face rang a bell in his head. Her face was so familiar. He tilted his head several times as he dropped his hand. His head hunched down.
“Anna De’Luka.” He whispered with a tremor that was not meant for any ear. Now he remembered her and her family very well.
The De’Luca family is one of the top three influential families in the country. Their fortune is a hundred times worth more than his family's. Their infamy goes way from decades. They are the kind of family that he wouldn't dare mess with unless he wanted a catastrophe to befall his family. He could not dare do that. He could not afford to stir trouble with the De Lucas.
He closed his eyes in defeat. He was so angry that he could not protect his lover, even in front of her ex no matter how much he wanted to prove his worth over Jordan.
“What are you waiting for, Endy? Spank some sense into this woman for God’s sake!” Diana screeched again, challenging her lover.
Edwin felt incapacitated. He so badly wanted to prove himself to his lover, but he knew better than to do what she was asking him to. That would mean his and his entire family’s ruin. It was a bid he could not take for anything. But still, he felt the urge to vent his anger at someone.
And there was only one person he could discharge his anger on - Jordan! In a single swift, his blow landed on Jordan’s jaw, awakening Jordan’s demons.
Now the fool had crossed all boundaries, ripping off Jordan’s cool.
Jordan was itching to break the fool's bones, but his sixth royal sense soothed him. They were in the wrong place. The court was not a place he wanted to start a fight. Diana could not crack the situation. Her bafflement was not so much banked in why her husband could not slap the girl and avenge her, but in how he seemed fearful of the girl all of a sudden. She could not just figure out her lover’s behavior. And his next action left her in more bewilderment.Edwin bowed to the girl. His eyes could not even meet hers. His actions portrayed fear and respect, and the sincerity of his actions was portrayed in his words.“I am so sorry, Miss Anna. Please forgive my actions. I hadn't recognized you. Please, I am so sorry.” His head was still hunched down as he spoke.Anna, on the other hand, did not even care to spare the fool a glance. Her gaze was fixed on Jordan, and her grin shone over the whole place. Once Jordan caught her staring, her smile widened shyly. She cleared her throat b
Jordan and Anna got into her gold sports car and drove to The Hilton Hotel on the outskirts of Nairobi city. It was a short distance from the judicial court where they were. She also felt the need for some privacy with the man who now meant so much to her, so she had asked the driver to join the guards in the convoy behind them, while only she and Jordan drove in her car.They pulled up in front of the voluptuous hotel after a few minutes.“Umh, Jordan, right?” She asked after turning to Jordan.“Yes. My name is Jordan.” He said.“Okay. And I am Anna De’Luka. But just call me Anna.” She said after realizing they had not introduced themselves.“Okay. Anna, it is.” Jordan said with a small grin.“Okay. You may go in first. I will just park and join you.” Anna explained.“Alright.” Jordan responded and stepped out of the car.He started his way to the entrance as he sampled in the rich, unruffled aura. He had not sniffed any peace for the longest time, so this got him all intoxicated unt
The manager continued howling for help from the guard. But the guard was extremely frightened of Jordan now. He did not move an inch from his spot. He was still battling whether to call for help for his boss from the inside when a female voice interrupted them. “What is happening? What the heck is going on here?” Anna spoke as she stopped behind Jordan.Jordan released the manager’s hand, who then walked a safe distance from Jordan as he groaned, soothing the pain in his hand. He hoped that the hand did not develop an internal injury due to the pain he was experiencing.The manager’s groans stopped the moment he saw Anna's face. His face dropped, and formulated deep furrows. He could not help but wonder whether there was any truth in Jordan’s words. He hoped there wasn't, because if there were, he knew they were in for big trouble.“Jordan, what happened? Why didn't you go in?” Anna asked with a deep frown on her face.‘She knows this beggar’s name? Could it be possible that this sti
Derrick’s eyes remained fixed on Jordan for a long moment, scanning the competition before him from head to toe. Anna was his prey, the girl he had taken interest in. He wanted nothing but to have her. The mere thought of another man beating him to the game was arousing his demons. He could not envisage another man having the girl he was after. And looking at the duo at the moment, with Jordan’s hair dripping wet, looking so raw from the shower, Derrick’s head throbbed with assorted sentiments. Who was the man? Why were they together? And in a room? What had they done that he needed to freshen up? Had she given herself to the man? Derrick’s anger rose, breaking the awkward lull that had been engulfing them.“Who the hell are you, if I may ask? What is your name, and what are you doing with her? What family do you come from? What do you…” “Enough, Derrick!” Anna yelled at him, cutting him off.She found his vetting unfounded and contemptuous. They were not together, and she had not
Jordan smiled weakly at Anna’s apology. Then he spoke.“It is okay.” He said.“Are you sure?” Anna asked.She could not decipher Jordan’s slight frown. He took in a deep breath before speaking.“You know, I have not had any luck with these rich people. They are all the same - arrogant, full of themselves, granitic, proud, intolerable.” He said. Anna felt a tinge of pain in her heart. She wondered whether he thought the same about her too.“That is so harsh.” She said softly, cloaking her pain.“It is all true. I am a witness, and after my divorce from my ex-wife, I will be extremely careful in choosing my partner. I don’t want a rich brat near me ever again.” He affirmed, and he meant it, what he didn’t know was that he was hurting someone.Anna felt that ripple of pain again. It was like the message was indirectly meant for her. They were from two opposite worlds. She was rich and he wasn’t, and with his last words, there seemed to exist a big rift between them. All the possibilities
Anna remained engrossed in her thoughts after the arrogant woman left. She seemed to be mulling over something so profound that it left Jordan wondering whether she was really happy. The scowl on her face was so non-buoyant and baffling. However, remembering how the posh woman had spoken to Anna with zero affection, Jordan had a beardown of strong hunch that something was amiss, but he couldn't meddle. Anna had not received much affection from her parent’s home. All her life with her foster parents, she had absolutely no freedom of speech. The adopted family always reminded her that she would be rotting in the streets or the orphanage if they did not adopt her. And given the fortune she was meant to inherit, she felt more than gratitude for them. Despite their hostility, she bore it all with the gratitude of all she had and still would have all thanks to them. On the other hand, Jordan was beginning to drown in his thoughts of the beckoning misery. The day was going by so fast. The
“I can't believe you two!” Jordan was still mangled between what to say to Anna when a voice startled them. There was no way in hell would he fail to agnize that voice. He and Anna turned around, coming face to face with Diana and her boyfriend. “You still want to play saints that met just last night?” She quizzed, but unlike before, she spoke with a fleecy tone. She was also standing a distance from the duo. Anna signed in frustration, while Jordan was more than pissed off as he dragged his pissed-off self to his feet. He had had enough of Diana’s fuss. And there is no way he would allow her or her lover to insult him again. Anna stood too, taking her stand beside Jordan as they met Diana’s eyes. Anyone could tell that her cool was bogus. She exuded reverence that was so patient, especially for Anna. Edwin, on the other hand, had his head cocked at his lover. His eyes were digging through her cheek as he stared with a demeanor that was perplexing. It was like he was trying to thr
Edwin felt defeated. How his family would take the news remained a mystery to him, but he knew one thing - his family would never forgive him for what he had done. He felt helpless in this situation. “Let us go!” His eyes were flushing with redness as he spoke to Dianna, who was still trying to digest the situation. The man she just spit out like vomit was now dining with the rich. That was a puzzle that she couldn't crack. The fact that she was having issues with her new lover so soon was weighing on her. She knew Edwin would never forgive her if anything happened to his family because of what she had done. But still, her pride was something she was not willing to gamble on. “I am not leaving.” Diana spoke in an arrogant tone that summoned their eyes to her. She was not a pathetic poor soul who could bow to anyone just at a mere order. And if a merger was something that Edwin’s family needed to fix the issue, she could provide it. Her family was rich. Well, that was what her wild
Three months later!Anticipation and enthusiasm surrounded the grand opening ceremony as it took place. In addition to officially opening The Rivers Group of Martial Arts' newest location, the ribbon-cutting ceremony signified the end of a journey that had passed through darkness and emerged into the light of mutual empowerment and progress.Jordan stood proudly in front of the assembly and spoke to them. "Our slogan stands true today as it did when we started: The Rivers Group of Martial Arts is not just a school to teach martial arts, but a community for empowerment and growth, both as a community and individually." His statements reverberated with authenticity, capturing the spirit of their group's objective."And so, ladies and gentlemen, here I present to you the last, as of now, branch of The Rivers Group of Martial Arts." Jordan handed the scissors to Ana, symbolizing the transition from the shadows of the past to the bright possibilities of the future. As Ana cut the ribbon, t
The following day, Ana woke up in his old home, the De’luka mansion. Ricotchetting her eyes. Memories lingered—a combo of both good and bad memories. She had slept off there with her entire crew to prepare for the burial.“Are you ready? You can stay back if you want. I will bring the body here.” Jordan said, giving her a morning hug after strolling into her room.Ana sampled everything that Jordan’s body was bleeding on her—the solace, the heat, the comfort. Everything. She appreciated his comfort and his gesture. She then pulled away, and Jordan kept her hands in his. “I appreciate this, Jordan, but I have to do this.”“Are you really sure?” Jordan emphasized."Come on, Jordan! Do I look like I am showing signs of a mental breakdown or something? I am perfect. Besides, you and I know the story behind this man. I'm all good.” She said.Jordan nodded his head. “Alright. I never said that you were about to break down, by the way. I know you are strong. Even more than I am.”‘Yeah, yeah
“I guess so. We can all say that.” The officer affirmed.A few chatters filled the room for a long time. Who would have thought that a once vigilante group could be saluted by the government, huh?Jordan cleared his voice, speaking to the officer, although everyone was keen. “Whether the government recognizes me or not, I don’t care. But I know how much you loved your job. I also know that you like it, and it is my hope that you have no regrets whatsoever for those few days that you and your boys have been members of this family. I want you to know that I cannot hold you back. If they want to give you back your position, please don’t feel obliged to remain with us. You deserve that position.”Officer Adamson looked at Jordan with so much appreciation and gratitude. “Regrets? What is there to regret about being part of this great community, Jordan? I felt honored that I was lucky to have a chance to meet you all and to partake in your just missions. But, like you said, I feel the need
The group, which had now become a family, pushed itself into the audacious project of opening martial arts schools in the following weeks, their unwavering dedication transforming dreams into concrete accomplishments. With incredible vigor, resolve, and a sense of purpose that permeated each movement they took, Jordan's vision came to life in that brightly illuminated room.Securing a central location for their flagship martial arts school was the crew's initial action. They converted a large warehouse, which had previously served as a symbol of corruption, into a center for empowerment, training, and discipline after extensive reconnaissance and planning sessions. When they held their first courses, the sound of kicks and swishing-trained moves filled the air inside those walls.With her excellent organizational abilities, Sarah oversaw the administrative side, making sure that all licenses, registrations, and marketing campaigns were completed. She proved to be the mainstay of the o
As the soft hues of morning began to seep through the windows, the room, once ablaze with celebration, now held a serene stillness. Jordan and his crew, draped in the comforting shadows of a night well spent, found themselves resting on makeshift seats, their weariness a testament to the battles fought and won.The sunlight painted a gentle tableau, revealing the subtle lines of fatigue etched on each face. Yet, amidst the quietude, a sense of unity prevailed. Jordan, observing the camaraderie that had evolved in the past hours, felt a renewed purpose bubbling within him. This wasn't just a crew; they were a band of individuals who had weathered storms together and emerged stronger.Looking at Major, he knew that he had a question to tackle. They looked somehow confused about what to do next, and he knew he owed them an explanation, at least for the sake of their sanity. He remembered how he and Major’s group became participants. Initially, they were just his hired bodyguards, but ove
‘‘Huuu!” Noises crackled in the house of Jordan as the members heaved out their tiredness, sampled in the aura of victory, and rested their weapons on the tables as they took their seats. It was almost 4 in the morning, but the night echoed with sounds for the next few hours. Their faces were smeared with soot and sweat from the tough battle they had fought and, by God’s grace, won.“This calls for a big celebration!” Jordan spoke, pulling Ana beside him as he rested on his signature seat of authority. “Mariela? Could you make us something delicious for us?”Mariela nodded in agreement. “After emerging triumphant, you all deserve a special treat. I had made arrangements before we left. I will be back in a sec.”They all made sweet sounds of appreciation that sent Mariela off to the kitchen with a smile on her face.Soon enough, she was making hasty back-and-forth tours to and from the kitchen with trays of mouthwatering shawarmas. Then the drinks followed, and everyone wanted nothing
As Jordan and his group crouched in the shadows, staring at the far-off warehouse where the covert conflict had taken place, the night sky hung thick with an oppressive still. An overwhelming feeling of unease permeated the air as they anticipated reaching the pinnacle of their unwavering quest for justice.Abruptly, a menacing gleam illuminated the horizon, illuminating Jordan's team members' features with elongated shadows. From the warehouse, flames shot up, licking the darkness with an abysmal embrace. The blast echoed through the still air like a mighty cry of vengeance.Jordan clinched his hands and tensed his jaw, watching the conflagration with a bleak determination mixed with joy. The warehouse collapsed under the weight of its own secrets; it had previously been a center of corruption and dishonesty. His transgressors were being burned into charred souls. He could imagine them weeping in pain as the wildfire mercilessly devoured them.Jordan whispered, "That's it," his voice
“Names? What names, Jordan?” Mr. Elias asked in confusion.Jordan, with a steely gaze, had no time to waste. He needed to get to the heart of the issue as fast as he could. His voice was firm as he spoke. "The names of your supporters. The high-ranking officials who are protecting."The alliance members exchanged uneasy glances, a palpable scent of impending doom slapping at their nostrils. How could they comply with Jordan's request? Revealing the identities of those wielding formidable power felt like signing their own death warrants. And death was what they were trying to escape by all means. How could they negotiate for survival and sell themselves to the devil in the same way?“Jordan, please understand that we cannot do that. It is too dangerous for us. Besides, why do you want the names?” Mr. Elias replied, attempting to mask the tension in his voice.Jordan's eyes narrowed, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "I need those names to expose the corruption that is eatin
Jordan looked at Elias and his meanness. He could read through their minds. He knew exactly what they wanted. And he loved their stupidity.Elias gazed at Jordan and spoke with a stern voice without a single tinge of wavering in it. “You are wiser than this, Jordan. I know you know what I mean.”Jordan shook his head and read a memo that said, ‘I know, but I want to hear that crap from your stinking mouth itself’! “No! Please enlighten me, Elias! I might be getting carried away.” Jodan spoke.Elias even managed to smirk, even though he could not tell whether Jordan was toying with his mind or not. He spoke. "Jordan, all I am suggesting is that we can settle this amicably. You don’t have to betray your noble parents by becoming a bloody murderer. Well, if it is revenge that you want, your parents are gone, and you can’t bring them back. Don’t even kill us. I have got something that will surely interest you."Jordan, unmoved, eyed Elias with a steely gaze, his expression portraying no