Chapter 3 Childhood friends

Jade wiped her face with her hands and stood up, not looking back at him. "Stop right there!" she shouted from a distance at Luca, who halted just a few steps away.

"You shouldn't be here," she said, her voice cool and steady. Luca let out a heavy sigh, moved closer, and replied, "We need to talk. The media is going out of control."

"Good," Jade finally turned to face him, not forgetting to give a piercing stare that caused him to pause. "Let them rip you to pieces."

"Jade, this isn't about us. It's about my dad's business..." Luca replied firmly through his tightened teeth. What Luca didn't realize was that Jade had already done proper research into his family's affairs.

"Oh, your father's business? I know all about it," Jade cut in. "Drugs, money laundering."

These are things Jade failed to realise when in the relationship. But now, she had nothing to lose and is ready to fight tirher right and make sure Luca paid dearly.

"There are secrets buried that no one would ever discover." Jade wore a sly smile on her face to perfectly convey the message "Funny how love can blind someone, isn't it?"

Luca stood still, as though his feet were glued to the ground "You don't know what you're messing with."

"I know perfectly." Jade walked forward in anger. "You thought I was some heartbroken fool that you could discard. But I dug, Luca. I dug deep"

The love Jade had for Luca was pure, but noticing his unusual way, she had to brace herself for anything the future holds.

"What do you want? Money?" Luca shamelessly asked, hiding his hands which had already formed a fist.

Jade laughed in mockery and said, " I want you to stand in front of those cameras and admit it, all of it, the cheating and the lies."

Luca felt downcast "You'd ruin me over a mistake?"

"A mistake, you say" Jade took a few steps forward, her calm voice changed into a dangerous whisper "You f*cked my cousin on my bed, laughed about me. And now you want me to feel sorry for you?"

Jade leaned closer to Luca, as if she was about to kiss him. "Tell me, Luca, does it hurt?" she asked softly.

"You'll regret this," he warned, now his fist was obvious.

"You thought as much," Jade said softly before walking away from the cemetery, leaving Luca alone with his thoughts.

Jade reached into her bag and pulled out her phone to make a quick call. "Hi, Darian," she said.

"Hey, Jade! Do you need me to come pick you up?" Darian asked from the other end of the line.

"Yes, please. I also need a small favor from you," Jade replied in a calm voice.

"Got it! I'll be there in five minutes," he said before hanging up.

Jade stood by the road for a little while, lost in memories of her past with Luca, and was brought back to the present by the sound of Darian's car horn as he pulled up.

"Jade, hop in," Darian said.

Jade got into the car and asked him to drive her to her apartment. When they arrived, she told Darian to wait while she packed her things, as she was preparing to leave for a while.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Darian asked, looking confused.

"No, that's what I need your help with. Can I stay with you for a bit, please?" Jade asked with teary eyes. "Just until everything settles down," she added.

Darian paused for a moment, considering whether it was the right decision to let her stay. After a little while, he agreed, saying, "Alright."

Jade was thrilled. She hurried into her apartment to grab her essentials; clothes and skincare products. A few minutes later, she returned to the car with her luggage, and together they drove away.

*******

Kaelan arrived at the office and walked into the CEO's room. His assistant, Gabe, came in and said, "Sir, it's time for the meeting."

Kaelan was lost in his thoughts, tapping his fingers on the desk, alone in the quiet room. Gabe repeated his message, but Kaelan didn't respond. Sensing the quietness, Gabe stepped closer and gently tapped on the desk. That brought Kaelan back to the present. "What did you say?" he asked.

"It's time for the meeting with the board of directors. I think it would be good for you to clear your mind before heading in," Gabe suggested.

"Okay, thanks, Gabe," Kaelan replied. He stood up, and they left the office together.

The door to the boardroom swung open, and Kaelan entered. Upon seeing Kaelan's arrival, the conversations and whispers immediately stopped. He made his way to the table, and Gabe kindly pulled out a chair for him.

"Who approved this?" Kaelan asked, sliding a report across the table. The room fell silent, and everyone looked anxious, wondering who would take the blame.

Kaelan smirked and added, "Someone tell me why I shouldn't fire all of you right now." At that moment, the CFO stood up and accepted responsibility for the mistake, facing Kaelan's criticism.

"Alright, let's get started with today's meeting," Kaelan said, and the meeting commenced.

As they discussed various topics, everyone shared their thoughts with Kaelan, but he didn't respond. His mind drifted, and he murmured, "Jade," lost in memories of her scent and voice.

"Who just disappears without a word, no number, no explanation?" he wondered to himself. The CFO cleared his throat, trying to bring Kaelan back to the meeting. "Sir, can you hear me?"

Kaelan clenched his teeth, reminding himself, "Get it together; it was just one night."

"I can hear you, please continue," he replied, refocusing on the meeting. The meeting ended on a positive note, and Kaelan headed back to his office.

"Gabe, I need you to track someone for me," he said as he handed over his phone, which displayed a picture of Jade.

"Of course, sir," Gabe replied, he took a glance at the photo and nodded before leaving the room. "I'll find you soon," Kaelan said staring at the photo and playfully putting his finger to his lips.

ON THE OTHER HAND

Jade arrived at Darian's house along with him. "Good morning, ma," she said as she walked up to Darian's mother.

"Jade, it's great to see you! It's been a while," his mom replied with a warm smile. "Make yourself at home." She hugged Jade and added, "Darian filled me in on everything that's been going on."

Jade was feeling a bit stressed, and Darian said, "Let me show you to your room. He stepped in to help her with her bags. Just then, her phone rang, a call from an unknown number.

Jade paused for a moment before answering, "Hello?" she said. On the other end, a voice that she recognized replied, "Hi Jade."