Drag him down

"I'm sorry if I had to say this but she just told me she wants to see both of you"

"No, get on with the story. I want to know everything."

"S-sure..."

Brithney said everything including who killed their almost-son-inlaw.

Mrs. Julian just watches her graceful.

"This is all my fault"

"You don't have to say that"

"You can't understand" Mrs. Julian rest her glass of juice on the marble furniture.

"We knew Leonel killed Damien."

Brithney blinks her eyes

"We knew everything. But-you know-family business is different. Before his dad passed away we certified a contract with him. It was about us partnering with the company he gave Damien. It was just a gift from him to us but-we depended on that completely. Our faim was falling and we were scared of what we'd become. That's why when he died, we couldn't interfere. We had to talk to our daughter to get married to that son of a bitch!"

"You sold your daughter for faim?!"

"I guess...I'm such a bad mother"

*Yes, you are a woman!*

Brithney just sits in silence. Well, what could she say? It was the past.

"At least you can make things right by going to see her and telling her the truth. And also...saving her from that house if possible."

"No no... I can see her but not to intervene in their marriage. I have no right"

Brithney just nods as she sips the rest of the drink.

"So are just going to let her suffer?"

She gives Brithney an uncertain look then says

"We can only assist in dragging him down. But that won't be an easy thing to do"

"Well, I have an idea"

"Mmm"

"Could you-meet Damien's parents and tell'em about this. I'm certain they'd be of good help to us"

Mrs. Julian gives her a blank look and fear starts forming over her face

"I know it's very-shameful and sad to do but...we have no choice. We can't stand for him as much as his own family. And I can't stand against Leonel all alone. But we can stand together and put him in his place for everything he has done. Two is better than one remember"

She takes time to consider her words as she stares into the open air.

...

Mr. and Mrs. Julian saw their daughter the following day after they proposed to take Brithney along with them on their journey to see Damien's parents.

Brithney tells her girls about it but falls face down when she hears Ciara's son was found in Jake's house.

She rushes in unison with Katty to see Ciara but April doesn't come with them.

Katty seems a little worried because they haven't talked in a while but she doesn't show signs of care.

They arrive there and Ciara is on her way to see Jake in custody.

"Ciara-" Brithney calls and she cuts her

"We'd discuss this later. I have something to do ASAP"

They don't interrogate her further but walk towards her mom at the door side with Jack in her arms.

"Where is she going?" Katty questions her mom.

"Jake"

They look at each other and say at once "Why will she Want to see him?"

"I don't know. She refused to talk to me"

Brithney frowns and asks "Where's Apriva? Still at work?"

"I just came back from a journey so I don't know. But she and Katty are not on good terms"

"Oh, why?" She inquired

And Katty looks away

"I'm so sorry for trying to pry" Ciara' mom apologizes at once

"No that's ok." Katty stops her from apologizing.

...

Ciara opens the cell door gently and gets in. She stares at the back of a restless Jake and he feels her presence.

He quickly turns and she walks towards him causing his sights to follow her movement.

She faces him and gently sits on the chair.

He doesn't keep his eyes off her the entire time.

They silently stare at one another and she says "When my dad told me he was going to find Jack in your house, I was so confident and certain you'd never do that. But after what happened, I don't know what else to believe."

He gulps

"I don't understand why my dad chooses to come to your house then but I have a feeling he knew where Jack was the whole time. So I want to know if you did that. Because something in my heart strongly rejects-"

"Then listen to your heart"

She flinches

"I'm sorry" he apologizes instantly

She blinks her eyes off him "I-I heard my dad talking to someone on the phone just after you were taken away. He said he's going to make you pay for disobeying his order"

She returns her gaze to him expectantly "What exactly was he talking about?"

"Why didn't you ask him?"

"Are you keeping something from Jake?"

He looks at his fingers on the table and says "How's Jack?"

She blinks her eyes at his change of subject. Not knowing if she should stick to her question or respond to his.

"He's fine," she says shortly looking at the ground.

"So-you're hiding something from me"

He peeks at her just when she looks at him.

"Are you sure you're going to accept what I tell you?"

She folds her fonts "Why wouldn't I? Is it bad?"

She sighs "I wish it was just that"

"Did you sleep with another woman and got her pregnant?!"

He almost smirked she's scared of losing him. But rather clenched his jaws.

"You did?" She askes after getting faded of hearing from him.

"No. I would never sleep with another woman."

She breaths out a sigh of relief and a faint smile forms over her face but Jake wipes it with

"Your dad was the reason I left you"

Her heart almost climbs up to her throat but she swallows quickly.

"When I met him, I didn't know he was your dad. I just knew he was a dangerous man who makes a lot of dreadful bargains. However, at a time I started knowing a lot about him from his tight friend. The same man I worked for who also worked for him."

"The was a wrong deal and suddenly, everyone was targeted. Many of his gang ran but I stayed back. He saw that I'd be a downfall to his life if I'm caught so he ordered me to leave. I insisted to stay and he threatened to kill you. I kept aside the fact that he must have been prying on me and did as told. That's when I disappeared. I stayed hidden for years under the coverage of an old friend. Of course, I didn't tell him the truth. Though we lived well, I became unsatisfied. I felt like my presence will end him in trouble. So I found a place just for me."

"In my silent stay, I met someone who told me so much more about your dad. I was off this business. But I kept sticking around. And one day, I found out James was your dad. He didn't make me leave town because of trouble but because he didn't want me leaching his smelling secrets to you."

"He was ready to do anything to eliminate me. But I came back. I came back for you. That's when I found out you had a son. At once I knew he was mine. He looks just like me you know. I had to protect both of you from your dad. Because he'd lead you all into trouble. He has currently made a deal with another Mafia dude. Who's one of the beasts of Brooklyn. Those people are not the type of dudes to play games with without a penalty. They may come for all of you"

She still can't formulate words. Not after the details he just gave her.

"Now you know exactly why I want to get my son."

Ciara starts recalling the times when her dad talked badly of Jake. Convinced her that he deals with drugs and so he can't let her be with such a man. She understands now that Jake is not her son's kidnapper but her dad.

"He trapped you so that the case will be closed and you won't be able to get Jack."

"Exactly! And he paid the police too. No police in his right senses will accept to follow a man into someone's house without being certain they have what they're looking for."

"Your dad is trying so hard to get me out of his way. He wants me out of your lives too. So that you all can see him as the good man he has claimed to be all those years. But I won't let that happen! Not anymore"

The thoughts of all these depress her and her eyes begin to sting with tears. She blinks them away refusing to cry because that demon called her dad.

"I'm so sorry"

He leans in and she does the same

"You don't have to. It's not your fault. I wouldn't be in this mess if I never did what I did in the past. So take that off your mind"

She gives him a faint smile and he touches her cheeks. She leans into his touch.

"What can I do to get you out of here?"

He renders a soft gaze "Your testimony is all I want. But your safety and that of Jack is all I need. So stay away from him. For as long as you all live there, I can't be fine and you can't get me out of here. However, I have everything sorted out by my Lawyer. So don't worry. I'd be fine. Okay?"

She nods

Someone walks in with a plain blue and black uniform "No touching Sir"

"Shut the fuck up," he says under his breath, and Ciara giggles.

To be continued...