CHAPTER 1

Glaring lights from several news channel helicopters pointed towards the open sea as three medium-sized cargo ships with each leadman shouting instructions to their operators over their handheld radios pulled up something from beneath the dark waters.

A large crowd had gathered over the sea wall and watched as the lights from the helicopters continued to give the illumination it needs while most of them had their phones out, recording the ongoing situation. A few feet away, media vans had parked for a better angle of the scene while siren lights from police cars and ambulance are filling the area.

Jordan Cunningham, stood erect and silently by the dock, watching intently as the three cargo ships had finally pulled out a damaged black, vintage Rolls Royce. The three cranes then moved together towards the fourth empty cargo ship and finally dropped the vehicle.

“Still no sign of her form, sir. They had just found Simon’s body and Coast Guard is bringing him up. We added more divers just now to look for her.”

Glaring back at his secretary coldly, Jordan only nodded and turned back towards the water and continued to watch the scene in front of him.

“Mr. Cunningham! Mr. Cunningham!” Some media reporters yelled behind him that are being prevented from getting near him by his bodyguards as well as the police.

“Is it true that Ms. Hamilton’s bridal car had been ambushed?!”

“Who is the person or the persons you are suspecting in doing this to your bride?!” Another one yelled loudly. “Is there any feud that we need to know about from your rivals?”

“Get them out of here, Mason!” Jordan barked tightly at his secretary. "Don't let me repeat it."

Jordan gripped his fists tightly as he watched the cargo ship where the car is, heading towards the dock with Mason behind him, pleading the journalists to leave his employer for now and that he will let them know once he is ready to talk.

“Jordan!” Rachel had screamed desperately and in tears over the phone a few hours ago. “Jordan! We’re being attacked! Simon is doing the best he can in evading the attackers, but we are being followed by eight men on motorcycles! I cannot see their faces!”

“Where are you right now?!” Jordan bellowed as he went out from the church, where he is waiting for her arrival. He could feel his best friend, Xavier Thornton behind him as well as the groomsmen following. “Put your phone on loudspeaker so Simon can hear me!”

“I’m entering Emerald Tunnel towards Ocean Street, Mr. Cunningham!” Simon, the designated driver, who is also Rachel’s bodyguard, immediately shouted. “F8ck! They just shot through our windshield! Get on the floor, Ms. Hamilton! Stay down!”

There was an erratic sound for a while and Jordan knew that they had went through the tunnel. Jordan gripped his phone tightly, waiting for the reception to become clear again. He bounded down the steps hurriedly when his car had finally driven in front of him. He got in and so did Xavier.

“Jordan!” Rachel’s screamed immediately filled his ear. “Simon! Wake up!”

Cold dread filled Jordan’s being at Rachel’s words. Her frantic voice could be heard all over his phone and he could just imagine her, trying to wake her bodyguard, who he now knows has been shot inside the tunnel. He could hear her frantic cries and he knew that she is reaching for the wheel. Another scream came and he knew that she’s hurt.

"Jordan! I'm so sorry," Rachel sobbed hoarsely. “I should have agreed with you to have the ceremony at your hotel. I shouldn’t have insisted for a church wedding! I should have listened to you. I’m so sorry!”

“Rachel!” Jordan interrupted firmly. “I also wanted a church wedding, okay? Tell me where you are right now, Rachel. The police are on their way and so am I! I’m going to get you there, sweetheart. It’s going to be alright.”

Rachel is crying frantically on the other end and another scream came and this time, gun shots could be heard in the background.

“I love you, Jordan. I love you so much,” she cried desperately. “I know that you only agreed to this wedding because your grandfather had caught us in bed. I shouldn’t have taken that drink Sissy gave me. I should have known she was setting me up to disgrace myself to someone she had connived with.”

“But you got me instead, right? Look where we are now. It took a while but we somehow managed to make things right.” Jordan answered tenderly. “I’m sorry that I was angry at first and for thinking that you were a scheming bitch. I know now that you are not. You will never be one. Now, I didn't regret what happened between us. Honestly, I am glad that something happened between us. You made me become a better man.”

There was no response that came.

“Rachel?!” Jordan yelled. He gripped his phone. “Rachel!!”

The only thing that Jordan heard on the other line is a loud crash towards what he knew was a thick concrete barrier and finally a heavy splash of water as the car dove in towards the water. The reception of the call went dead a few seconds after.

“FASTER!!!” Jordan yelled at his driver, who is zigzagging through the traffic jam.

*****

Several hundreds of feet away from the crime scene, a dark grey Camry rolled down its window and a man in a black leather jacket, denim and boots walked towards the vehicle.

“Mission accomplished,” he snickered dryly.

“It’d better be,” a voice inside the car responded coldly. A whiff of smoke flew out from the car that has a hint of peppermint. “That woman is hard to kill with the bodyguards that Cunningham had surrounded her with.”

“It took us a while to eliminate the others,” the man commented with a hint of charging an additional to the pay he is getting. “I have to say it was not an easy feat.”

“Don’t worry,” the voice scathingly snapped and a few seconds later a thick wad of manila envelope is handed out through the window. “I added more than enough for what you and your men had done. You’d better lie low for a while.”

“With the money you offered us, it is enough for us to move to another state,” he answered flatly as he accepted the package handed to him. “It is our honor in serving you, Boss. In case you need our assistance again, you have my number. It's going to be a pleasure.”

There was only a grunt before the window finally rolled up and the driver started the engine before finally pulling out from the vicinity.

The man opened the envelope and his eyes brightened at the thick wads of cash inside. He gripped the envelope tightly and stuffing it securely in his pants before getting on his motorcycle.

“All in a day’s work,” he muttered and started the engine.