Chapter 3 - A Missing Piece

"Tell me, you followed me after that incident in the hotel," his hazel eyes dark, his voice carrying a dangerous tone. 

There were a lot of women who had tried to climb in his bed using different kinds of schemes. It was Jade who had finally succeeded in binding him to this loveless marriage. 

Jade stepped back and tripped on her gown. She fell and her bottom kissed the floor with a loud thud. She whimpered due to fright and the pain on her bottom. 

Shaking her head negatively, she denied his accusation. "I didn't stalk you, believe me." 

She sobbed and hiccuped at the same time. She closed her eyes and fought the image of her parents being killed. 

"Ahhh!" She held her ears and shook her head continuously to shut off the sound of gunshots and the images of his parents being murdered. 

Tyler frowned and was baffled at her reaction. He wondered if she was just putting on an act for him not to be suspicious of her. 

"No!!!" She begged and hugged her knees. She was like a scared animal being cornered. 

To see her like that, Tyler felt a tug at his heart. He put down his gun on the nightstand. 

Then he stepped forward toward Jade who was crying as she hugged her knees. 

He squatted in front of her. And held her shoulder. "Jade, look at me." 

"Please, don't kill me," her tear filled blue eyes looked at him full of dread. 

All of a sudden, her vision turned black. 

"Jade, Jade," Tyler shook her but there was no response from her. 

He picked her up from the floor and took her to the bed. After he settled her on the bed, he sat beside her, staring at her beautiful but pale face.  

'I have scared her to death.'  

He was about to call a servant to remove her gown and put her on her nightclothes but he decided against it. He must be careful if he wants this mission to succeed. 

It took him half an hour to rally his courage to remove her gown. He was starting to unzip her gown but came to a halt when his phone rang. 

He grabbed the phone and answered it quickly afraid that Jade would be woken up. 

"Tyler," Sophia's sultry voice came over from the other end of the line. 

"Hi," Tyler replied while he walked towards the floor to ceiling window. He leaned on it while looking at the sleeping woman on the bed. 

"Happy birthday!" She greeted him cheerfully. 

However, Tyler's heart was ridiculously glum. He always felt this way since he was sent to the States to study. 

He felt like a piece of him was missing. 

"Thank you," he sounded happy though he didn't feel like doing it just to not upset her. 

He can't upset her as she's the only precious person left in his life apart from his sickly half brother. 

"Where are you?" Sophia asked as Tyler's end of the line was completely silent. It's his birthday, he must be celebrating with his comrades, however, she could hear no noise at all. 

"Home," he replied, his gaze trained on the woman on the bed still on her wedding gown. 

"You didn't celebrate?" Sophia asked in disbelief. "Why?" She added. 

"I don't have a reason to celebrate," Tyler answered lazily. 

Sophia thought that it's because she didn't come home that he didn't feel like celebrating his birthday. 

"I'm sorry honey, I couldn't make it on your birthday but I'll make it up to you. I'll be by your side everyday," she said to cheer him up. "We'll be together every waking moment of our lives." 

Tyler clutched his phone so tightly that he could almost crash it. 

"Yeah," he replied between his gritted teeth, his eyes still on the woman on his bed. 

Tyler looked outside with a brooding countenance. His hazel eyes glinted while he pondered. After a while he turned towards the door and went to the study. 

He changed his mind and let Jade sleep on her wedding gown. 

It was already in the middle of the night when he decided to return to his room. 

Jade was seated on the bed when he opened the door. She stood and walked towards him but her eyes were shut. 

"Jade," he called her but she walked past him. 

"She has a sleep disorder," he muttered under his breath. 

He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed and tucked her under the duvet. Then he went to have a shower. 

Jade was no longer on the bed when he turned up in the bedroom. The door was ajar. 

"This woman," he muttered in exasperation and hurried outside. 

Tyler darted towards Jade as she was approaching the landing. He held Jade's arm just in time, if he was a bit late, her fall was inevitable. 

Tyler took her back to the bedroom. He held her in his arms concerned that she would sleepwalk again and the servants would find her still in her wedding gown. 

Her sweet and comforting scent wafted to his nose. He frowned at the thought that came across his mind. 

Nevertheless, he held her in his arms all through the night and had a sound sleep which he hadn't experienced for a long time. 

"Ahhhh!" A scream tore through the silence, waking Tyler from his first deep sleep after so long. 

Jade hugged her knees as she trembled in fear. 

"What's wrong?" Tyler asked in daze. 

"Don't kill me, please. I didn't do anything wrong," Jade pleaded, rocking herself as she hugged her knees. 

Tyler said nothing. He left her and took a shower. 

Later, after getting dressed. Tyler found Jade still in the same position when he left her a while ago. 

He shook his head and said, "Go and have a shower. The maids are coming to clean the room. You wouldn't let the servants know that we are married on paper only. Are you?" 

Jade understood what he meant and looked at him. 

Compared to the expression he wore last night while he pointed a gun at her, his icy cold face is more acceptable. Way much better than that ferocious looking face. It was like he could tear her apart. 

"What are you waiting for?" He growled when Jade just stared at him. 

Jade held her chest nervously. She felt like she would die before she could avenge her parents’ death.. 

Getting irritated at Jade's jumpiness, Tyler left the room with a huff. 

He was beginning to doubt that this woman has the capability to help them complete the mission of extirpating the rebellion in the nation.

He felt like his sacrifice of marrying her was wasted and went down the drain.