Chapter 3 Hidden Agenda

Reginald paced back and forth in the living room, his face red with rage. It's been three days now and not a word from your daughter on her whereabouts, not even an apology, she brought a low-life into my home, well that aside "You have to convince her to come home," he said, turning to Sara's mother. "She's ruining everything.

Our reputation, our business...everything." Sara's mother shook her head, tears streaming down her face. The fact you are not even concerned about her safety but just what you stand to gain baffles me. She's a grown woman who's in love, you have to understand that the matters of the heart aren't easily manipulated. "I've tried talking to her, but she won't listen," she said. "She's an adult, she makes her own decisions." Reginald stopped pacing and turned to Catherine, his eyes blazing with anger. "You have to try harder," he growled. "If she doesn't come home and marry Johnson, I'll...I'll..." He trailed off, but Catherine knew what he was thinking. She'd seen the look in his eyes before. "You can't hurt Joe and his family," she said, trying to reason with him. "That's not the solution." But Reginald just laughed, a cold, menacing sound. "Watch me," he said. "I'll destroy them. I'll make sure they regret ever crossing me." Catherine felt a chill run down her spine. She knew her husband was capable of terrible things when he was angry. She had to protect Joe and his family, no matter what. Catherine knew she had to act fast. She couldn't let her husband hurt Joe and his family. She slowly got up from the couch and walked over to her husband, trying to reason with him. "Please, dear, don't do anything rash," she said, putting a hand on his arm. "Think about the consequences. Think about Sara's happiness." But Reginald shook her off, his face twisted in anger. "You're always so soft on her," he spat. "You never discipline her. That's why she's like this." Catherine felt a surge of anger, but she knew she had to keep calm. Sara has never disobeyed anything from you, she listens to you always but we need to consider this is a lifetime event we are talking about now. She couldn't let her husband's anger escalate further. "I'm going to go talk to Sara," she said, trying to sound calm. "Maybe I can reason with her." Reginald sneered. "Good luck with that," he said. "She's not listening to anyone anymore." but I hope she listens to you for her and the life of that bastard! Catherine took a deep breath and walked out of the room, determined to find a way to stop her husband's destructive plans. Sara's phone rang, shrill in the silence. She hesitated for a moment before answering. "Mom?" she said, her voice cautious. "Sara, sweetie, please come home," her mother said, her voice trembling. "Your father is...he's not himself. He's threatening to do terrible things." Sara's heart sank. She knew her father's temper, knew how destructive he could be. "What do you want me to do, Mom?" she asked, feeling a sense of resignation. "Please, just come home and play along with your father for now," her mother said. "Just temporarily, until we can find a lasting solution. We'll figure something out, I promise." Sara hesitated, unsure of what to do. Part of her wanted to stand her ground, to refuse to give in to her father's demands. But another part of her knew she had to be smart and cautious to win against her dad a part that loved her mother and wanted to protect her, wanted to go home and try to make things right. "Okay, Mom," she said finally. "I'll come home. But just for now, and just to calm Dad down. We'll figure something out, like you said." Her mother's sigh of relief was audible. "Thank you, Sara. I'll see you soon." Sara hung up the phone, feeling a sense of trepidation. What was she getting herself into? Sara sat on the couch, staring blankly at the wall as her mind wandered. She couldn't believe how her life had taken a drastic turn. Just last year, she'd finished law school, proud of herself for completing the challenging program. But now, as she thought about it, she wasn't even sure why she'd studied law in the first place. Was it because her parents had wanted her to? Because it was a "respectable" career path? She shook her head, feeling a sense of disillusionment. She'd always felt like she was just going through the motions, doing what was expected of her rather than following her dreams. And now, with her parents pushing her to marry Johnson and her father's sinister threats looming over her, Sara felt like she was losing control of her life completely. She stood up, feeling restless, and began pacing around the room. She needed to figure out what she wanted, and fast. She couldn't let her parents dictate her life anymore. But as she paced, Sara couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty. What did she want? Where was her life headed? The questions swirled in her mind, taunting her with no clear answers. Sara sat back down on the couch, her mind still reeling from her thoughts. She looked around Joe's living room, feeling a sense of comfort and security. Just then, Joe walked into the room, a concerned expression on his face. "Hey, is everything okay?" he asked, sitting down beside her. Sara nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. "I just feel so lost," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what to do." Joe put his arm around her, pulling her close. "We'll figure it out together," he said, his voice soft and reassuring. "You're not alone, Sara." Sara leaned into Joe's embrace, feeling a sense of comfort and security wash over her. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of his body seep into hers. "I'm so sorry, Joe," she whispered, her voice muffled against his chest. "I'm so sorry for bringing all this drama into your life." Joe's arm tightened around her. "Don't apologize, Sara," he said. "You're not responsible for any of it if only I controlled myself and waited for you to return my calls. And I'm glad you're here with me." Sara's eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at Joe. His eyes were warm and gentle, filled with deep affection. "Thank you, Joe," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you for being here for me." Joe smiled, his lips curving upward. "I'll always be here for you, Sara," he said. "No matter what." Sara's heart swelled with emotion as she looked at Joe. She felt seen and heard, understood in a way she never had before. She realized she had a partner who would go to the ends of the earth for her "Joe," she said, her voice trembling. "I have to tell you something." Joe's expression turned serious, his eyes locked on hers. "What is it, Sara?" he asked. Sara took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. "My mom called me earlier," she said. "She wants me to come home and marry Johnson, well not in those particular words she asked me to come home and play along temporarily." Joe's face darkened, his jaw clenched in anger. "You can't be serious," he said. "You're not going to do it, are you?" Joe's face darkened, his jaw clenched in anger. "You can't be serious," he said, his voice low and menacing. "You're not going to do it, are you? You're not going to marry that guy just to please your parents." Sara shook her head, feeling a surge of emotions. "I don't know, Joe," she said, her voice trembling. "My mom is really pressuring me. She says that if I don't marry Johnson, my dad will...he'll do something terrible." Joe's eyes flashed with anger. "What does she mean by 'something terrible'?" he demanded. Sara hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But something about Joe's expression made her trust him. "I think my dad is threatening to hurt you and your family," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Joe's face went white with rage. "That son of a...," he muttered, his fists clenched. Sara reached out and touched his arm. "Joe, please," she said. "You can't do anything. My dad is a powerful man. He has connections everywhere." Joe's eyes locked on hers, burning with intensity. "I don't care about your dad's connections," he said. "I care about you. And I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." Sara felt a surge of emotion at Joe's words. No one had ever stood up for her like that before. No one had ever made her feel so safe and protected. "Joe," she said, her voice trembling. "I...I don't know what to say." Joe's expression softened, and he pulled her into his arms. "You don't have to say anything," he whispered. "Just know that I'm here for you. And I'll do whatever it takes to keep you as mine for life. As Joe held Sara close, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. For the first time in her life, she felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be. "I'm so glad I met you, Joe," she whispered, her voice muffled against his chest. Joe's arms tightened around her. "I'm glad too, Sara," he said. "I feel like I've known you my whole life." Sara smiled, feeling a sense of wonder. She had never felt this way about anyone before. It was like she and Joe were connected on a deeper level. As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, Sara felt like she was home. She felt like she had finally found the one place where she truly belonged. Just then, Joe's phone buzzed with a text. He hesitated for a moment before pulling away from Sara to check it. His expression turned serious as he read the message. "It's from my friend, Alex," he said. "He's a detective. He's been looking into your dad's business dealings." Sara's heart skipped a beat. "What did he find?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Joe's eyes locked on hers. "It seems your dad is involved in some shady stuff, Sara," he said. "Alex thinks he might be connected to some organized crime syndicates." Sara felt like she'd been punched in the gut. She had always suspected that her dad was involved in some questionable business dealings, but she had never imagined anything like this. "What are we going to do?" she asked, feeling a sense of panic. Joe's expression turned determined. "We're going to take him down, Sara," he said. "We're going to expose him for the corrupt person he is." Sara's eyes widened as she grasped the severity of the situation. "Joe, my dad is a very smart man," she said, her voice laced with concern. "He has connections everywhere, and he'll stop at nothing to protect himself." Joe's expression turned grim, but he nodded. "I understand," he said. "We'll need to be careful." Sara nodded vigorously. "We have to be discrete for now," she said. "We can't just rush in without a plan. My dad has too many resources at his disposal." Joe's eyes narrowed. "I agree," he said. "We need to gather more information, and figure out the best way to take him down." Sara's mind was racing. She knew her dad's operation was complex, with many moving parts. But she also knew that with Joe's help, they might have a chance to expose him. "Let's start by gathering evidence," Sara said, her voice firm. "We'll need proof of my dad's wrongdoing if we're going to take him down." Joe nodded. "I have some contacts who might be able to help us," he said. "But we need to be careful. If your dad finds out what we're doing, he'll do everything in his power to stop us." Sara's heart skipped a beat. She knew the risks, but she was determined to see this through. She was tired of living in fear of her dad's wrath. "I'm willing to take that risk," she said, her voice steady. "I want to bring my dad down, Joe. I want to make sure he can't hurt anyone else." Joe's eyes locked on hers, filled with admiration. "I'm with you, Sara," he said. "We'll do this together." Sara took a deep breath, knowing she had to convince Joe of her plan. "Joe, I need to get home," she said, her voice firm but gentle. Joe's expression turned skeptical. "What? No, Sara, I don't think that's a good idea," he said, his arms crossing over his chest. Sara nodded understandingly. "I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out," she said. "If I don't play along, my dad will get suspicious. He'll know something is up, and he'll do everything in his power to find out what's going on." Joe raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think playing along will keep him from getting suspicious?" he asked. Sara hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Because my mom will be involved," she said. "She'll have a plan, Joe. She always does. And if I can just pretend to go along with it, I might be able to gather more information." Joe's expression softened slightly, but he still looked unconvinced. "I don't know, Sara," he said. "It sounds like you're putting yourself in danger. Though I think your right if you take the smart option of playing along he wouldn't see us coming like the saying " keep your enemies even closer". "Sara reached out, taking Joe's hand in hers. "I know it's a risk, but I have to try," she said. "For my mom's sake, for your sake, for everyone's sake. We can't just sit back and do nothing." Joe sighed, his eyes searching hers. "Okay," he said finally. "But you have to promise me one thing." Sara nodded eagerly. "Anything," she said. Joe's grip on her hand tightened. "You have to promise me you'll be careful," he said. "If anything feels off, if you get even a hint that something is wrong, you get out. Immediately." Sara nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude toward Joe. "I promise," she said. "I'll be careful." Joe's expression softened, and he pulled her into a tight hug. "I'll be waiting for you," he whispered. "Be careful, Sara, and no matter what hangs in there don't give in don't get married to him. I sincerely can't stand the thoughts of you with another man.."