CHAPTER 7

Jordan stood rooted on his spot, his eyes glued towards the face of the woman that has been etched permanently in his brain and most especially in his heart.

Rachel.

His insides are screaming madly at the sight of the woman in front of him. His heart started pounding with so much intensity and he could feel the heavy load that he has been carrying for the past six years suddenly lifting off his shoulders.

Rachel, he thought desperately.

He looked intently down at the dark green orbs that are staring elegantly up at him, smiling. But it faltered a bit and he realized that he had somehow uttered the name. He felt his heart squeeze tightly and finally felt himself taking a step towards her with one hand reaching for her outstretched hand.

As if in slow motion, the moment Jordan had his palm touched hers, he closed his hand over hers and immediately pulled her towards him. He gathered her tightly into his arms, pulling her to his chest and resting his chin on her head.

“You’re alive. I knew you’re alive. I never doubted. F8ck, Rachel, you’re alive,” he whispered continuously gratefully. He was running his hands through her hair, inhaling her scent. “Most of them pressured me to end the search and I finally did. But I didn’t believe deep down that you’re dead. I was right. You’re not dead, Rachel. Thank God that you’re back. I was so lost without you.”

Jordan bent down and dropped a long kiss on her forehead before hugging her again to him.

“Mr. Cunningham -,” Mason stated uneasily beside him.

He looked towards his secretary and suddenly realized that Rachel is struggling frantically in his arms, doing everything that she can in pushing him away. She is pushing against him to free herself from his tight grip.

“Let go of me!” She exclaimed, placing both of her hands on his chest, and doing everything she can in pushing him away. Her eyes were filled with anger but most of all confusion. “Get your hands off of me!”

Jordan, confused on her reaction loosened his hold and if it wasn’t for Mason, he would have stumbled back. He looked towards Rachel and saw her, fixing herself and moving away from him. He looked at Mason and immediately he gestured towards the hotel manager, the two of them ushering the staff out of the dining area.

He knew without looking back that Mason had already called his bodyguards to watch over the doors and not let anybody inside.

“Rachel, it’s me. It’s Jordan,” he started calmly. He raised his hand to reach for her but drop it down immediately when he saw her reaching for the knife on the table. “Sweetheart, don’t you remember me? I’m Jordan Cunningham.”

“I don’t know you!” Rachel screamed at him.

Those four words felt like a blow to Jordan’s heart as she continued to step back away from him, pointing the knife at him. She was looking at him fearfully and was reaching for her phone on the table.

Jordan stared at her in confusion.

“Rachel, I’m not going to hurt you,” he started again slowly. “Put the knife down. You might hurt yourself.”

“Stay away!” She yelled at him as she placed her phone on her ear. She kept looking back at him cautiously, knife in the air. She dialed the number again and murmuring. “Pick up. Pick up!”

“Don’t you remember who I am?” Jordan asked again.

Jordan remained on his spot, studying her intently. Aside for the color of her hair which is now a long, honey, brown hair, everything about her scream to him that she is Rachel Hamilton. His Rachel, who was on her way to their wedding but was ambushed with gunmen. His Rachel who told him over the phone while crying that she loved him and even had apologized for wanting a church wedding.

Something that she had blamed herself with.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Rachel,” Jordan said pleadingly. He took a step towards her but stopped when she back against the wall, waving the knife in the air. “My name is Jordan and you are Rachel Hamilton. We were supposed to get married a few years ago but you figured in an accident.”

He saw her eyes darted towards the door, as if waiting for someone to rescue her.

“Put the knife down, sweetheart. You might hurt yourself,” he pleaded again. He took another step towards her and stopped again so she wouldn’t run away. “Please. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Jordan then looked towards Mason, who is waiting for any instructions from him. “Call Xavier Thornton and Adam Fielding to come here immediately,” he ordered firmly. “Call my private investigator as well. Tell them to be here within two hours and I don’t give a damn if they are in a meeting or doing something else!”

“Yes, Mr. Cunningham.”

Rachel used that brief exchange of Jordan and Mason to distance herself further from him. When Jordan looked back at her, she is already rushing towards the door, talking and sobbing over the phone.

“Rachel!” Jordan called and in less than ten strides, he caught her by the waist and immediately gripped her arms to keep her from hitting him. He checked down to make sure that she won’t be able to start kicking him and then started to shake her gently. “Rachel, it’s Jordan! Let me explain everything to you.”

The woman shook her head, her cries getting hysterical.

“Let go of me. Please I’m begging you,” she pleaded desperately, trying everything that she can to push him away. “My name is Maya Griffiths! You must have made a mistake! Let go of me, Mr. Cunningham.”

Jordan could only think of one thing right now to get her to stop. Pushing her arms down to her sides, he bent down and pressed his lips on hers, kissing her hungrily and deeply. Inhaling her scent that he had so much missed as he deepened the kiss, pouring out for the past six years everything he has been bottling up inside from missing her.

“What the f8ck are you doing?!”

Strong arms suddenly pulled Jordan off Rachel and a hard fist connected with his jaw, making him stumble back and landing hardly against the chairs and table. Jordan’s eyes hardened as he turned coldly to the person who dared pulled him off.

Mason and the hotel manager rushed towards Jordan and immediately helped him back on his feet. The bodyguards as well suddenly flanked behind him, protecting their employer.

Grayson St. Claire is standing in front of him with Rachel in his arms, wiping her tear-stained face and murmuring some words of comfort.

To HIS woman!!!

That angered Jordan intensely and he balled his hands into tight fists and took a step towards him threatheningly.

"Let go of her!" Jordan growled warningly.

Pushing her behind his back, Grayson turned towards Jordan and the glare in his eyes has the same intensity that is coming out from Jordan’s as well. The next words that came out of Grayson’s mouth sent Jordan spiraling into rage.

“Don’t you dare touch my fiancé again!”