Immense hatred

While Melanie was still recollecting the words Lexi had told her, Adrian had ended his time at the arcade and had returned to his room in the hotel. Unlike Steve, he was yet to buy an apartment for himself.

It had been a long day for him. First, he had to track Ted, then visit Patrick in his office and the unbelievable meet with the crazy woman. He stood in front of the mirror, staring at the small scratch on his face. He could remember the way the puck had smacked him even now. Though it was not painful, it still did hurt at that moment.

'Unbelievable.' He sighed. He had met that woman twice and both the times, he had been on the receiving end. He would end up getting beaten up somehow and the woman's crazy antics were taking new levels.

'Does she seriously not remember me?' He pondered. If so, it was good for him. Nobody would know that she had slapped him. It was the first time somebody had dared to do something like that and had got away with it.

He applied a bandaid on the scratch and lied on the bed. He was done with his work for the day. All that was remaining was for his prey to fall in his trap. Adrian stared at the ceiling without blinking. The memories of the past came rushing back to him.

It was the day he had returned home late after a party, two years back. Steve was not with him, they had gone in separate ways after the party had ended. He had consumed very less amount of alcohol, so his mind was still sober. He saw that his house was completely dark and eerily quiet. His bodyguards were not seen anywhere in the vicinity. He was alarmed now.

'Why are the lights not switched on? Are Emma and Ahana not at home?' He wondered. But even if they were not at home, there were at least the servants who stayed with them. Why have they not switched on the lights?

He stepped inside his house carefully and the lights turned on automatically. The scene he saw made him freeze. His servants were lying unconscious on the floor. He had four servants helping him in the housework and three of them were on the floor.

He ran to the head butler who was nearby and checked to see if he was alive. To his relief, he was breathing. He was only asleep. It was the same with the other two servants. They were just unconscious. The fourth maid was nowhere in sight.

"Emma, Ahana." He shouted, fear engulfing him. He was worried about them now. There was no reply, not a sound.

Adrian searched everywhere on the ground floor. There was no sight of his sister or his niece or even the maid. He ran up the stairs, going through each room, checking everywhere for any clue. He finally went to his niece's nursery and saw the fourth maid lying dead with her eyes open. She had multiple wounds on her face and legs. She had been stabbed many times until she bled to death. The stark contrast of the red color against the white floor was like a nightmare to him.

Without wasting further time, he looked around. There was no hint of Emma or Ahana. Now the only place that remained was the roof. He took the stairs to the roof, climbing four steps at once. The door to the roof was wide open. He cautiously took a step outside and to his horror, he saw his sister, Emma, lying on the floor, bleeding just like the maid.

"Emma." He shouted and sprinted towards her. She was breathing although it was shallow. Her light pink shirt was stained with her blood and there was a small puddle below her.

"Emma," Adrian shouted again trying to get her to speak. He was distraught at her state, her eyes were closed and her breathing was erratic.

"Hold on Emma. I am calling the ambulance. Please stay. Please. I cannot lose you." He pleaded trying to fish out his phone from his pocket and without further delay called the ambulance.

While he waited for the medical help to arrive, he patted his sister's cheeks trying to wake her up. It took some time to make her wake up.

"Emma, Emma look at him." He said as he laid her down and took off his coat so that he could tie it around her stomach where she had been stabbed.

"Emma. Wake up." He patted her cheeks again anxiously. His sister was dripping in and out of consciousness.

"Ade," Emma spoke with great difficulty. Tears started to run down her already tear-stained face. "He took her." She cried.

"Who?" Adrian realized that Emma was talking about her daughter, Ahana.

"Who took her Emma?" Adrian held her in his arms as he wiped her tears and cursing the medics for being late. He picked her up and rushed to his car. If the ambulance was not coming, then he could as well go to the hospital.

"Emma, wait for some time. We will go to the hospital. You will be fine. Please stay with me. Please." He pleaded as he sprinted towards the car.

"Ade, I don't think I can make it," Emma said, choking and coughing out blood.

"Emma. Don't say that. You have to stay alive. Think about Ahana." Hearing her daughter's name, Emma opened her eyes.

"He took her Ade. Please save her. Please. I beg you. He will kill her." Emma begged. It was becoming very difficult for her to speak. She did not have much energy.

"Who took her?" By then Adrian was almost near the door.

"Her father," Emma answered. Those were the last words he heard from her. She had died in his arms even before he could step out of the house. Unable to believe that she was gone, Adrian squatted down and placed her on the ground. He hugged her tightly.

"Emma, please don't play tricks with me. Please. Open your eyes, Ems. You are scaring me. Ems, it's me your brother, Adrian. Wake up, Ems. Please. Please. Please. Emma, please wake up." He cried trying everything he could to get a response from her. But there was nothing, Nada.

"Emma." He cried loudly, tears running down his face. That day was the first time he had cried.

Present-day.

Adrian slowly opened his eyes. He did not know when he had closed them. The memory of Emma lying dead in his hands was etched in his memory. He was filled with immense hatred for the man who killed his sister and took away his niece. He did even know if Ahana was alive or not.

The problem was that he did not know who Ahana's father was. He never asked Emma as it was a nightmare she wanted to forget. So, he had secretly tried to find out more about him. But his sister had found out eventually and she was heartbroken. So, he had promised to not delve deep into this matter.

Now, with his sister gone, the promise had no meaning. So, he had started tracing for clues. The only man who could give him answers was Ted. He remembered his sister saying once that Ted was closely acquainted with Ahana's father when she had met him at a party.

But before Adrian could get a hold of him after Emma's death, Ted had fled from the country. He then realized that the situation was not as simple as it looked. Somehow Ted too was involved in his sister's death and he vowed to catch him alive. He needed to find the man who murdered his sister and took his niece. And for that, he would do anything even at the cost of his life.