A week later. Eureka walked into the gazebo, holding a tray with two goblets of red wine. She placed the tray on the table, handed Melissa a glass, then sank into the chair opposite her. They both sipped it, setting the glasses down.“Still haven’t gotten a new housekeeper?” Melissa asked, tucking some strands of her hair behind her ear.“I’m still contemplating. I don’t trust anybody with my family anymore,” Eureka said. “If Mildred, of all people in the world, could betray me, then there’s no good one out there. Besides, my stay in the States is numbered, so I don’t mind doing the chores for now.”“Are you really going to leave for good?”“For my peace of mind, yes,” Eureka affirmed, sipping her drink again. “This country has done its worst to me and my family. I want to take them far away from here.”“And Raymond?” Melissa asked. “Will he go with you guys?”“I don’t have any business with Raymond. The only privilege he’ll get with his kids is knowing their
Kaiden sat on the bed in his room, buttoning his purple and white striped dress shirt. His wound was gradually healing, but he still felt a bit sore at the spot. Hissing, he began folding the sleeves of his shirt. He heard someone grabbing the door handle and struggling with it.“Kaiden!” Kailani shouted from behind the door.“Shit, hold on a bit,” he responded, pulling down his sleeves to cover his wound. He wasn’t sure how she would react if she saw him injured from a bullet.“What are you doing? Open up already,” she whined.Kaiden rushed to the door, unlocked it, and twisted the handle to open it. The moment the door revealed Kaiden, Kailani threw herself into his arms, making him stagger as she enveloped him in a tight hug. He spun her around, despite the stretch he felt from his wound. Stetson closed the door behind him, leaning against it and watching the two.“Let me go first!” she groaned, pulling away from him. She felt lightheaded but didn’t care. “You were supposed to call
Heart pounding. Feet shuffling. Shoulders drooped. Eyes aching, begging for no more tears. Melissa wiped her tears with the back of her hand, took a deep breath, then grabbed the door handle and opened the door. The AC welcomed her with a chilly breeze, teasing her skin softly. She closed the door gently, heaving a sigh of relief. Her head turned from one corner of the living room to the other, scanning. Everything was just as she left it, but she wasn’t the same as when she left. Something twisted in her stomach as the scene of Eureka dropping the gas lighter on Cassandra flashed across her mind, tears threatening to fall again.“Don’t, Mel,” she cautioned herself, voice low. “She deserved what she got. Imagine her coming for me and my son if she isn’t dead?” she dreaded, her head dropping to the floor. She spotted a stain of blood on her big toe, recalling when Kaiden had dropped to the floor, shot.“She deserved what she got,” she reminded herself, chanting it like a mantra several
Cassandra started shooting wildly, taking down the three guards. She stepped on Raymond’s injured foot, making him groan as Melissa ran for cover behind the crates. Eureka pulled Kaiden aside, pressing his back against the wall. She tore his shirt, using it to wrap his bleeding arm tightly.“You’ll be fine, son. I love you,” she said softly, pecking his forehead.“Don’t get hurt, Mom,” Kaiden warned. She smiled warmly and nodded before stepping forward to face Cassandra.Seeing Eureka, Cassandra pulled the trigger. Eureka crouched just in time to dodge the bullet. Cassandra was running low on ammo. Before she could grab a bullet from a fallen guard, Raymond grabbed her leg, yanking her hard and forcing her face down onto the floor. She grunted, kicking out wildly and pushing Raymond against the crates. Some crates fell on him, drawing a sharp cry from his lips.“How dare you touch my son?!” Eureka growled.Cassandra reached for the gun again, but Eureka charged,
“What?” the trio chorused.“What’s what? Do you think I’m infertile?” Cassandra chuckled. “I came back for the father of my child. Do you know the most painful part? This son of a bitch here,” she pointed an angry finger at Raymond. “He was all over Eureka again. Even when she sent him to jail, he still wanted to be with her, to have his kids back. And I spent over five years with him, yet he betrayed me for a woman he was only married to for two months. He even had the guts to have me wanted by the police after sixteen years. Was I supposed to lose everything? He proved to me that I wasted my time with him.”“It’s all my fault, Cassandra,” Raymond chimed in, remorse filling his tone. “These women are innocent. Kaiden is innocent. Do anything you want with me, just let them go, please,” he begged.“Aww! So adorable, isn’t it?” she laughed hysterically, her voice ringing through the room. “He wants me to let them go. Isn’t that crazy?”“We can sett
Raymond pulled into the field. A vast, empty field stretched out before him, dotted with a single warehouse and a lone windmill standing sentinel in the distance. Two armed men were seen parading in the far distance. Raymond alighted from the car, walking around to open the door for Eureka. He pulled her out roughly like she was truly his captive.“I hate you!” she groaned, and he shrugged, leading her into the warehouse.The guard at the door did a pat-down search on Raymond.“Don’t you dare!” Raymond groaned when the guard turned to Eureka to pat down too. The guard retreated, eyeing Raymond before allowing them in.“What happened? You don’t want to see your ex-wife patted down in your presence? Are you scared it might turn me on?” Eureka taunted, sneering.“Shut it, Eureka!”“Why? Have you forgotten how many times I slept with other men and made you watch?” she laughed.“Don’t say another word!” he growled, gnashing his teeth as he glared at her. The s