Chapter 5 Trap

Arabella wore a white dress with handmade flowers at the edge of her elegant, flattering skirt.

The delicate design of her lace lantern sleeves made her look like a flower fairy, as beautiful as a sunrise.

She walked down the red carpet with James and some other guards with her. Jake was nowhere to be seen. It was the first time she was seen in public after the rumor.

She looked bright and seemed unbothered by the news going around. She looked lively and delicate.

Who would have thought keyboard warriors almost destroyed her behind their keyboard?

When she faced the camera, her lips curled up slowly. The moon was smiling brightly at her beautiful face, and she had an elegant, mysterious aura to her.

"I'll answer all your questions if you don't rush me" she declared decisively.

The reporters were scared to speak, no one could gather courage to question her. She's the great Arabella Sinclair after all.

Catherine could not stay still knowing Arabella is doing fine so she paid some people to do her work for her.

"Is it true that you snatched Jake from Emily" one of the reporters, Catherine paid asked.

She knows she won't lose anything because she has received half of her payment, and it's enough to stay alive.

And she had a personal grudge towards Arabella. How can someone be so rich and still find love? She was jealous. She has to work 9 to 5 just to make a living, but someone is born with everything.

Arabella could survive without working and that was annoying. The reporter was not ready to accept that and that was why she was easily bought by Catherine.

"I think you should ask the man in question about that" Arabella turned, and the reporters turned too.

Jake wore a dark blue retro handmade suit, covered by a dark green coat. He looked confused when the reporters faced him.

Days before the company's anniversary...

Jake sat down in the dark room. He was bothered about Emily, no not Emily but Arabella.

He was meant to be worried about Arabella, but his heart kept drifting to Arabella.

"Is she fine?" He thought and sighed, but his thoughts were cut short when he heard voices outside.

"He's inside sir" he heard. The door opened, and the light was switched on. Grandpa Sinclair walked in with his stick.

Jake knelt down, he opened his mouth, he found himself shivering in fear.

"Don't be worried" grandpa Sinclair waved his hand and sat down. He looked at the young man and shook his head sadly. Only God knows how much he wants to hit this fool, but he promised his baby already.

"I'm sorry" Jake said quietly, unsure of grandpa Sinclair thoughts. He was scared the guards would shoot him and feed him off to the whales in the ocean and no one would bother to look for him.

"Are you really sorry? You know what you did wrong? Why can't you just open your heart to her? Have you ever felt the pain of seeing someone you love losing it?" Grandpa Sinclair found himself losing it.

His butler held him and fed him water, so his health wouldn't worsen. He felt sorry for Jake too, but he deserved all the scolding.

Jake's eyes welled up in tears. He knows how grandpa Sinclair feels, but Emily is a victim too.

"I understand you want to save your granddaughter, but I need to protect Emily" he declared.

Grandpa Sinclair laughed in self-ridicule. "Divorce her yourself and leave City Z, else I'll take action, and you might lose your life", grandpa Sinclair declared when he saw that Jake couldn't be reasoned with.

Jake shook in fear when he saw grandpa Sinclair's bloodshot eyes. He swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry" he apologized. He wanted to explain himself, but he had nothing to say. He hurt Arabella and he wouldn't deny that.

He'll talk to her at the company's anniversary and end things with her. He clenched his fist when he felt his heart hesitating not to end things with her.

Back to the company's anniversary...

Jake walked closer to Arabella and the reporters.

"They asked if I, snatched you from Emily", Arabella asked, without any emotion.

Jake felt his heart shattered into pieces. Is she angry with him? He was not ready to accept her new attitude towards him.

"I'll leave you to answer them" Arabella said and turned to go, but Jake held her hand back.

"Arabella," he called. He looked at her with mixed emotions.

"I broke up with Emily before I got married to Arabella" he answered. Arabella smirked and dragged her hand away, she looked at him and wiped her hands, disposing of the wipers. She left Jake standing.

Days before the company's anniversary...

Kelly came out after changing Arabella's clothes.

" I've changed her clothes" she bowed.

Grandpa Sinclair went back to Arabella's room. His heart broke when he saw her pale face.

"You are my granddaughter, I'll take care of you, I promise" he whispered, so he wouldn't disturb her sleep.

She looked pale and sick, grandpa Sinclair got up, unable to look at her pale face any longer.

He walked out of the building in a daze. As his butler drove out of opals garden, he couldn't explain how he felt.

Is this how love hurts? Is that why he never fell in love? He mocked himself and sighed.

Zoe Campbell is the only daughter of the Campbell family. She became the heir after she lost her brother at the park when they were kids.

The Campbell and Sinclair family are known to be family friends. Zoe Campbell and Arabella Sinclair grew up together.

Zoe came back to city z and saw the news. She was shocked and felt sad for her friend.

Funny how she didn't know the full story but knew her friend was going to be the victim.

She entered Arabella's room immediately She got opals garden. It was obvious she ran and drove like a maniac because she was panting hard.

Arabella was about to take her drugs but when she saw her childhood friend she broke down.

Zoe couldn't control the tears from falling. She moved closer and hugged Arabella's trembling body.

" I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. Mom has been sick for years, she misses my brother so much that she couldn't control herself, so I have to start finding clues because she's on her sick bed" Zoe explained why she has been away.

She has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. Her mother has less than a month to live, and her last wish is to see her son.

But how will they see a son that got lost almost twenty years ago? She could only do her best for the sake of mom.

Arabella understood her friend's predicament and could only smile. She explained everything to Zoe, who laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" Arabella could not control herself, she started laughing too.

"I came to win, to fly, to survive..." Zoe sang and Arabella joined. She always sings this song to Zoe anytime she wants to give up.

She lost her parents on the day she lost her brother. Her parents always think about him and forgot about her.

"You're Arabella Sinclair. He is nothing without you. If he wants a contract marriage, then give him a contract marriage. If he wants a love marriage, then give it to him.

You can't waste your emotions on someone who won't care about you. He didn't even call to check up on you .

He feels Emily is the real victim, then stop being a weakling and make her the real victim.

Show both of them the importance of money and power. No one will question you or will they?

You're heir to the Sinclair property. If you break down this way, then who will believe in your capability?

Those old men will think you're a weakling, and you have Catherine, who would do anything to get your company.

Eliza might want to take power when she see you as a weakling. You're not a baby girl", Zoe yelled angrily at Arabella.

Arabella smiled with tears in her eyes. "Yes, I'm Arabella Sinclair". She nodded her head. " I deserve more than this", Arabella declared.

Zoe hugged her happily. "That's the feeling", she cheered.

Back to the company's anniversary...

Arabella walked inside the beautifully decorated hall elegantly. Yes, she's Arabella Sinclair and she'll live up to her title.

Who's Jake? An orphan brought up from an orphanage. She'll show the two lovers what it means to be victims and what it means to be suppressed.

The ceremony started. Jake watched Arabella talking to the city's socialite without caring about him.

He was down and sad, but why? Was he enjoying the attention he got from her?

His thoughts were cut short when Emily walked in. Everyone turned to look at her. She wore a green mini gown that has only been seen on a maniquinn but no one has the body for it.

She looked classy and beautiful. Jake looked at her. She looked innocent, but Arabella looked classy.

Catherine clenched her fist. Who invited this fool to the company's party? Is she here to threaten her?

Enzo looked at Catherine and smirked "have you planned something" he questioned when he saw her tensed up.

Catherine forced a smile and shook her head. " I won't be stupid to spoil the company's anniversary party" she said.

To be sincere, Enzo felt Catherine was just like him. He wants the Sinclair property, but Arabella will be at release it to him even if they get married.

So he married Catherine because she's greedy and would do anything to get what she wanted.

Both parties thought they were using each other. But they were only fooling around with each other.

Arabella looked unconcerned, but Zoe nudged her " what is she doing here", she asked Arabella.

Arabella looked at Emily and toughened up." I don't know, she's a celebrity, you know," Arabella mocked.

Jake felt uncomfortable because of the look he got from people. He walked towards Arabella, but her name was called, and she walked to the stage majestically.

Jake really wants to explain to her that he didn't invite Emily, and he knows nothing about it, but Arabella's, I don't care, attitude is a turn-off for him.

Arabella got to the stage and stood beside her grandpa. He looked at her sweetly, making others who lacked family love look at Arabella jealously.

"I'm supposed to announce the new CEO today, but I changed my mind because Arabella isn't good enough to manage herself" grandpa Sinclair declared.

Arabella was shocked. By birth, she's the heir. What is her grandpa trying to do? She must have disappointed him. She crossed her heart to let Jake go and not make him an obstacle to getting her inheritance.

Who would have thought she had married to save her inheritance, but it turns out she might lose it because of the so-called marriage?

Zoe clenched her fist and glared at Jake angrily. She'll surely release her dogs to tear him apart for doing this to her bestie.

Catherine sipped her wine happily, that meant grandpa was not satisfied with Arabella.

She needs to give Emily more money to destroy Jake and Arabella, so grandpa might be dissatisfied with Arabella, and she'll be the next heir.

Mr Thompson looked at grandpa Sinclair and smirked. His two daughters got only 20 percent shares while that little girl will get all, but this is an opportunity for his daughters to compete for the shares.

He got married to the Sinclair only daughter to get the property, but who would have thought grandpa Sinclair had no intention of giving his daughter the property?

When you're blinded by greed, you will not think beyond the surface because you'll be scared to destroy your own theory.

Mr Thompson never thought Mr Sinclair who died was the heir and Arabella was his child. He never thought grandpa Sinclair had given 20 percent shares to his daughter.

Mr Thompson never thought Arabella lost her parents at a young age and deserved all the love she was getting. He never thought grandpa Sinclair had allowed Catherine and Eliza to Eden crest after the death of his daughter, Mr Thompson's wife.

Jake looked at Arabella sadly. He was shocked because he knew the reason. He would never forgive himself if she lose her property.

He sighed, he'd do everything in his power to make her get back her property.

Grandpa looked at Jake and smirked. If he has a heart, he'll know how to correct his mistakes.

" I'll get back to the company" he declared.

Those old shareholders planning to take the position swallowed their thoughts at once. Who could scheme against the old man?

Emily smiled, she'd get the role now that Arabella might lose her inheritance right.

Arabella Sinclair smiled, at least this was the best way to prove herself. She looked at her best friend Zoe, who smiled at her sweetly.

"Can miss Emily Tordoff come to the stage to sing for us" grandpa Sinclair called. Emily walked on stage elegantly smiling sweetly without suspecting a thing.

Catherine clenched her fist. Her grandfather invited Emily, but for what? He can't be up to anything good.

Emily ignorantly walked to the stage and collected the mic from grandpa Sinclair, bowing sweetly to the guests.

Some of the guests looked at her in disgust and some admired her. Arabella still maintained her smile, looking at Emily. A lot of thoughts on how to make life miserable for Emily were going through Arabella's head.

Emily smiled"I'll sing perfect by Ed Sheeran", she said aloud.

I've found a love for me

Darling, just dive right in and follow my lead.... She sang but all of a sudden the chandelier fell, hitting Emily and Arabella.

All the guests got up screaming loudly... grandpa Sinclair stood looking at Jake to take a step forward.

Catherine see through grandpa Sinclair's intention and smirked because he'd be disappointed once again.

Jake looked at the two women on the floor in pain. All the guests rushed to Arabella, but Emily lay on the floor alone...

Author's note:

Who will Jake save? Do you think grandpa Sinclair is doing the right thing? Who do you think the real victim is?