Susan's POV
To him, I wasn't sounding too convincing. With a few lines, I had to ensure Paul put his trust in me. Fortunately for us, Paul's outfit best describes a perfect gentleman and a potential client. As I watched Paul approach Maria's gate, I prepared myself to swing into action. I avoided every distraction that would cause me to take my eyes off Paul for a second. I was scared when no one showed up to attend to Paul. It feels like my whole life was shattered. Not just me, I could picture Paul losing all hope and confidence from a distance. He might not have admitted it, but his reaction says it all. I lost count of how many times he facepalms. I won't be surprised if he starts walking back to the car after several failed attempts. Suddenly, I heard the door opening from inside just when it seemed like all hope was lost. Paul was already making plans to leave the scene when he heard the sound from the gate and returned. Since I was away, it became too difficult for me to hear them. However, after reading their body language, it was obvious that Paul was having a difficult time trying to convince the gatekeeper to let him in. It was starting to look like a fierce battle. I rested my head on the steering wheel. I couldn't bring myself to witness the embarrassment that Paul is enduring from the gatekeeper. The moment I lifted my head, Paul was nowhere to be found anymore while the gate was still very much open. I needed no one to tell me that Paul had finally gained entrance inside the mansion. Without hesitation, I rushed inside just when the gatekeeper was about to close the gate. "You? I know you," The gatekeeper recognized me at first glance. He's got some really sharp eyes. And to think that It was pretty dark the last time I visited the mansion. He tried to walk me outside and I refused and stood on my ground. After what I went through to get in, I don't intend to give up easily. "I want to see your Boss. I am not leaving this place without seeing her," I commanded. I refrained from displaying my weakness to avoid being taken for granted. "The last time you were here, I nearly lost my job. I am only following strict orders," the gatekeeper begged as though his life depended on it. I pitied him after seeing how reddish his eyes had been coming. The tears were already stored on his eyelids, waiting to drop down like the waterfalls. As much as I don't wanna be the reason for getting him sacked, I am still inclined to fall for his self-pity From what I know, he might just be faking the emotions just to see me leave. I guessed right. It didn't take too long for the gatekeeper to enter into his beast mode the moment he realized that I might not be leaving anytime soon. As we argued, Maria showed up out of the blue with Paul. "Let her be. I'll handle it," she spoke from afar. Her commanding tone was enough to put the gatekeeper in his place. "For disobeying my orders, you're fired!" Maria dismissed the gatekeeper without waiting to hear his side of the story I felt guilty after Maria's drastic decision. It was what I'd been trying to avoid. "He's innocent. He tried to walk me out but I was too stubborn for him to handle," I was forced to intercede for the gatekeeper. That was the least I could have done after I nearly cost him his job. "I wasn't talking to you, traitor. The last time I checked, you weren't my gatekeeper. Neither did I invite you over. So shut the fuck up!" Maria yelled at me. She spoke to me as though I was one of her kids. It was a difficult pill to swallow but I had no choice. "As for you, return to your duty post. I am still coming back for you," She dismissed the gatekeeper. It wasn't an assurance that he was free from her wrath. "Back to you, whore. What are you doing here? I thought I specifically warned you not to show your ugly face here ever again?" Maria revisited my case with full force. I couldn't speak immediately, so I signaled Paul to come closer to me. He suggested the plan. He ought to be in the best position to salvage the situation "We came together, Maria. I'm Paul, Ethan's cousin," Paul disclosed. "That ain't true. But you are..." Maria stuttered. The plot twist hit her like a heavy storm. "You thought I was a client, right? I saw this coming. Sorry, we tricked you. That was the only way we could enter your mansion after your last fight with Susan," Paul confessed. He spoke endlessly while Maria listened tirelessly. She went blank for a couple of minutes, trying to comprehend what just happened. "I'm sorry, Maria. But I couldn't fold my arms while my cousin is languishing in the cell," Paul addressed the situation again to awaken Maria's interest. "It's Naomi Jackson, you toad. Address me as Maria again, and you'll regret ever coming here," Maria vented all her frustration on Paul that could have been shared between us. "Her name is Naomi Jackson and not Maria," I had to notify Paul. Although, it came late. It wasn't my intention to take sides with Maria about the new name thing. On second thought, I figured it was needed to ease and neutralize her rage and probably get her on my side. Pathetic Paul! He wasn't aware of that recent development. If only I had notified him earlier. Knowing how Maria hates being addressed by her real name, our chances of freeing Ethan have now reduced drastically. We might as well need a miracle to convince Maria to order Ethan's release regardless of whether we accept her ridiculous condition. What a waste of mission.Tony Woods' POV “Did you just hear that? He fucking uttered something,” I called Marcus attention to the voice I heard. I needed to be certain that I wasn't imagining things that weren't real.In a delicate situation like that, the last thing I'll consent to is jokes or pranks.“Of course, I did, Tony. You weren't the only one who heard the voice. It is safe to say that your ears lead you in the right direction. Let's listen to what the son of a bitch has to say,”Marcus replied.I was relieved by his utterances. It confirmed that I wasn't losing my mind after all.Patrick stepped forward. He stood before everyone to ensure he was closer to Sean than any of us. “Start talking now! This is your chance to make it right again. Tell us what you know about Angela's whereabouts. And don't you dare miss out on any details,” Patrick ordered Sean.For a moment, I was impressed by his moves. That was the only sensible thing that has been done over the last couple of hours. If he had rec
Tony Woods' POV “Stop that man.Don't let him get an inch close to the interrogation room. He's going to do something crazy," Officer Patrick instructed his other officers.Instantly, they stood before me and formed a shield to block my exit.Soon, Patrick joined me as he panted heavily. I gave him the run of his life that he would never forget rushing. “What's the meaning of this madness, Patrick? Have you suddenly lost your manners? Is this how you treat a man of my age?Tell them to get the fuck out of my way before someone gets hurt," I demanded.I used my age as an advantage to get past the officers, but I failed.The officers in front of me were ruthless. It was as though Patrick had cast a spell on them, that made them obey his command without grudges.“This ain't got nothing to do with ageYou brought this upon yourself. If there's anyone that might end up hurt, it's you," Officer Patrick said to me. It was starting to sound like a threat to me. I couldn't handle the r
Chapter 55Tony Wood's POV“Wait a minute, did you just hear that?” I called Patrick's attention to the tiny voice I heard. “Heard what? What are you talking about? Are you starting to hear things that aren't real?” Patrick mocked me. He didn't think I was telling the truth. “Have you forgotten the reason we are here? Let's go inside quickly before she escapes,” he urged me, but I refused. I was resilient and focused on my instincts. “I might be old, but certainly not dumb or stupid. I knew what I heard. That was Kelly's voice,” I challenged Patrick.I didn't allow him to control my thoughts. I left the doorway and strolled around my mansion, trying to trace the voice I heard. “Papa, please come,”I heard the voice calling me for the second time. I traced the voice to the garage and saw Angela and Kelly seated inside the car. I tried to get closer to them, but she drove off. I didn't try to run after the car, knowing it would be pointless to do that. For the second consecut
Tony Wood's POV“Where's Angela?Where's Kelly?” I popped the question without a direct lead. I was hoping that someone would sacrifice themselves to speak up.“Oh, shit. She fucking escaped. How did this happen? Where are the fucking nurses?” The doctor screamed. He slammed the wall to demonstrate his rage. He was about to leave when I held him back. “Where the heck are you going?”“What the heck is this? Let go of me,” he requested.“I want to summon all the nurses to know who was on duty,” he explained.I was ruthless!I refused to let him go, knowing that he was the reason for Angela's escape. If he hadn't hesitated when I called for her arrest, Angela would be sleeping behind bars already.“Oh, come on, Tony.You know I have nothing to do with this. I was only trying to protect the image of my hospital,” he claimed.That was the lamest excuse I've ever heard. The excuse made me even more angry. I wasn't conscious of my act anymore. And the next minute, I was already draggi
Tony Woods' POVI am at the point where I genuinely don't know what to do. It feels like I'm struggling. It feels like I'm standing at a crossroads, stuck and uncertain about my actions. The people you think you know.You come to realize that maybe you don't know them after all.And that shakes you.I usually have answers, but now, I'm the dumbest man alive.I'm used to having directions. But this time, I feel lost in the dark. And it's crazy each time I remember that I am all alone. I don't see anyone coming to salvage my pathetic situation. Each time I recall that I'm the architect of my misfortunes, my heart bleeds.The question that keeps echoing in my head when I wake up every morning is, “When will I finally get out of this?” To worsen it all, I am not guaranteed a perfect response, let alone a remedy. “What the hell is going on here, Mr. Woods? Why did you invite the police to my hospital?” The Doctor asked me in a faint tone. He was panting heavily after running to m
Tony Woods POV“Are you sure you are ready for this moment, Mr. Woods? I want you to take your time and reflect on it before coming up with a decision. What I'm about to disclose might sound partially devastating and heartbreaking to you. And I am sure you wouldn't want that for yourself. Remember your health status. I don't want to be the one to escalate your blood pressure,” The doctor retreated just when he was on the verge of disclosing my son's test results. It wasn't a question I found quite intriguing. But somehow, I was able to control my rage. “Really? Are we going to do this all day? Come on, Doctor. I am not interested in any of your jokes. Just hit the nail on the head. Doctor, if I weren't ready, I wouldn't be here. As we speak, I am involved in an ongoing police investigation,” I revealed.What Ignorance!If only he knew what I've been through in the last 48 hours. “Oh, shit. What did I just do?” I spoke in a low tone. I got carried away by my emotions. It t