Hunt my shadow

"Dad, I'm very sorry. I didn't even call you. I wanted to give you some space. I don't want to disturb you anymore." Skylar apologized as they entered the house.

The magnificent room was very large and elegant, it looks more classy than the first.

"But dad, when did you build this new house of yours? It looks much better than the first one." She added, looking around.

Jace stared at the arrangements of chairs in this room, they seem so magnificent. The only reason he abandoned his family was this wealth.

"I started few weeks after you left and the work was very fast. So within a year everything was completed." He replied, smiling.

"Welcome home dear." He added and held her hand. She started sobbing as he pat her shoulder.

"It's okay, calm down." He said in a low voice.

"I'm very sorry for abandoning you." She said and cried more.

"How can I be so foolish? I didn't even show any care towards you for two good years. I deserve to be punished. Please punish me dad. Hit me, slap me, I deserve it." She added and cried more.

"I can't do that. You are my daughter. My only child. I will never hurt you." He said and patted her shoulder.

"Everyone makes mistakes." He added and cleaned her face, urging her to stop crying.

"Come and sit, we have a lot to talk about." He said as they walked towards the chairs. They sat down and he patted her shoulder again.

"Dad, you look more handsome than before." She said, rubbing his cheeks.

"Are you sure of that? I didn't notice." He said and they laughed.

Jace wasn't involved in their conversations and didn't even want to. He just glued his eyes to the television on the wall.

"Thank goodness you are alright, what would I have done without you?" She asked and hugged him tightly. He smiled broadly and pat her head.

"I thought you are now grown up, you are still a little child." He said smiling.

"Weren't you the one who told me I will always be a child in your eyes?" She asked and they laughed.

A chief walked in and bow his head.

"Sir, food is ready. It has been served on the table." He said, still bowing his head.

"No problem, chef this is my daughter." Mr. Robert said smiling.

"Your lady." He said and bow before Skylar.

"Nice meeting you." Skylar said confidently.

She was very happy, now she has servants to order around. But in the State, Jace refused having any. He was totally against it and this made her sad especially when she has to keep the house clean alone.

"Thank you miss." He said smiling.

"You may leave." Mr. Robert said, staring at him.

"Yes sir." He said and left.

Father and daughter totally forgot to introduce Jace as well, Skylar was so carried away by the environment that she forgot her husband exist. She just want her luxurious life back.

Jace sneered angrily and pretend not to notice anything.

They soon got up and walked towards the dinning room. He followed behind without a word like a dog being controlled. They sat down and Skylar started serving the food into various dishes.

"Wahooooo! this is so beautiful! I never thought it would be this great, all thanks to this talented artist." Prachi exclaimed as she pulls Ana's cheeks gently. They smiled.

"I just wanted a beautiful office for my mom. I didn't even do anything much, you helped me with everything." Ana said smiling.

"Okay darling, kudos to us." Prachi said happily. She looked at Jelly who seem lost.

"Yeah." Ana shouted and jumped around.

"Take my phone and start taking selfie of yourself, don't forget to snap this place too." Prachi said smiling.

"Yes aunt." Ana shouted and collected the phone. She ran towards the stickers and started snapping.

"Still thinking about it?" Prachi asked, staring at her.

Jelly raised her head and sigh heavily, she don't know why she can't get rid of those memories.

"You should tell me, you know I can help you with anything." Prachi said and touched her shoulder gently.

"Can you erase my memory?" Jelly asked as tears dropped from her eyes. Prachi looked at her shocked.

"What are you saying? How can you make such request?" Prachi asked sadly, she can't even fulfil that.

"I just want that, please do it for me." Jelly said and cried more.

"You have to stop. What if Ana hears you? What will you tell her when she asks question?" Prachi asked.

Jelly looked at her not knowing what to do.

"We should go home, we have a lot to talk about." Prachi said and cleaned her face.

"Yes, please let's go." Jelly said and sigh deeply.

She was already having headache.

"Ana, Ana." Prachi called and look around.

"Yes aunt." Ana answered and ran out. She smiled and walked towards Prachi.

"We should go home now." Prachi said and held her hand.

"Mom, what are you doing? Let's go home." Ana said staring at her mother.

She gave Prachi her phone and ran to meet her mother.

"Mom, are you okay? Are you crying? What happened?" Ana asked, looking at her eyes.

She touched her cheek and noticed it was wet.

"Who beat you mom? Did anyone offend you?" She asked, staring at her.

"No dear, I'm fine." Jelly lied smiling. She has to put up an act for the little girl.

"No, you are not. I can see it, look at the tears on your cheeks." Ana said sadly.

"No dear, I'm fine. I was just thanking aunt. She has done a lot for us." Jelly said in a low voice.

"Yes you are right. That means it's tears of joy." Ana said smiling.

She never want to see her mother sad, she can even beat anyone responsible for it.

"Yes dear." Jelly said smiling.

"Let's go home, it's getting late." Prachi said smiling, she held Ana's hand.

"Aunt, we should buy ice cream on the way. Please." Ana said, blinking her eyes.

"No problem dear." Prachi said smiling.

Jelly stood up and walked away, leaving them behind. She wasn't in the mood to argue with anyone.

"Mom is leaving us behind, let's hurry." Ana shouted and they ran towards Jelly.

"Mom wait for us." She yelled, pulling Prachi along.

Jelly turned to look at them and she started running as well.

"Catch me if you can." She shouted and increased her pace. They laughed and continued running.

They ate their meal in silence, Jace looked at both father and daughter. Then he looked out through the window which was slightly opened. Jelly is not home yet, when will she come? Is she not staying here again? He stared outside as these questions ran through his mind.

"Are you alright?" Skylar asked and tapped his shoulder.

He jerked suddenly and turned to her. Then looking at the table, he noticed it has been cleared. He looked at the other side and noticed Mr. Robert was not there.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked slowly.

"Nothing, where is father?" He asked, looking around.

"In the sitting room, you were lost in your thought. We left you here and you didn't notice. Did you know when the servants cleared the table?" She asked, staring at him.

"I'm not thinking about anything, let it be." He said slowly and stood up.

"Was it Jelly?" She asked in a low voice with a sad expression.

"Were you thinking about her?" She asked again and held his hand. Facing him, she cried.

"You still love her? You want to go back to her? You want her back in your life?" She asked as tears ran down on her cheeks. He looked away not knowing what to say.

"Tell me Jace, don't keep quiet. I want an answer." She yelled.

She can't even let that happen, her life would crumble. What will happen to her unborn child? Though he wasn't aware of the truth, she won't let him go easily.

"I want an answer now, talk to me." She added.

He looked at her. To be honest he despised everything about this woman.

"Yes, I want her back." He replied with a stern look.

He was serious and she could see it. Like a flashlight, she dropped his hand and fell down. Tears kept dropping down from her eyes.

"Everything happened because of you and your father. I was happily married with a daughter. You returned from the State and ruined our perfect life. You caused everything and you still want me to love you, how is that possible?" He asked angrily.

Tears started dropping from his eyes, he regrets doing it.

"I was happy with Jelly. She was everything I wanted. She was my life, my breath. I did everything for my family yet they didn't even know of it." He said and cried more.

"Why she? What's so special about her? Is she better than me?" She asked angrily and cried more.

She stood up and held his shirt like a crazy puppy who just lost its mother.

"She's hundred percent better than you. She's more special than you. She isn't arrogant like you, she's not a daddy's pest like you. She is not as stupid as you are. You said your dad is your everything yet you didn't call him for two years. You didn't even tell him we were coming. You said it's a surprise, stupid surprise. Just like yourself, you ruined my life. Your father took away my family and you want love from me." He yelled angrily.

Mr. Robert heard him and ran to the dinning room. He wondered what was going on. Skylar removed her hand from his shirt. She was weak, this isn't what she expected from him. Is this why he wanted them to return to London? So he could see Jelly and his daughter.

"Noooooooo." She shouted angrily and fell down crying.

"Sky dear, what is it?" Mr. Robert asked immediately he got inside. He looked at Jace and turned to Skylar.

"What happened?" He asked and raised her from the floor. She was still crying.

"What did you do to her?" Mr. Robert asked Jace angrily.

"Can't you see she's pregnant? How could you stress her in this condition?" He inquired angrily.

"I didn't stress her, I only said the truth." Jace replied confidently. He wasn't scared of them anymore.

"What? You have the guts to say nonsense to her." Mr. Robert shouted angrily. Jace looked at them and scoffed.

"It's not nonsense. It's the truth, I only told her the truth." He replied and cleaned his face.

"I wouldn't have left my family. But I have to protect my daughter. I wanted her to live. So I stepped on this stone called force marriage and fell." He added sadly.

Looking at them, he hissed. This made Mr. Robert angry and he slapped him, Skylar cried more.

"You can keep hitting me sir but it won't hide the truth." He said confidently. Skylar fell on her knees and held his leg.

"Please don't leave me Jace. I can't live without you. My life is useless without you. Please, I promise to do anything you want. I have always done everything to please you. I did just what you want, I'm never against your decisions." She pleaded endlessly.

Mr. Robert looked at his daughter's pitiful state and became more angry. He hates to see her in tears and this bastard is making her cry on purpose today.

"It is enough, you have said enough. Guards, guards." Mr. Robert shouted angrily.

"Yes sir." Two hefty men entered and bow their heads.

"Take this bastard and deal with him mercilessly." He commanded angrily.

"Yes sir." They answered in unison and held Jace.

"No, no, no, no, please leave him." Skylar said and stood up.

She held Jace's hand and pull him towards herself. She can't let them hurt him. Mr. Robert pulled her away angrily.

"Take him away now." He yelled at them and the guards dragged him outside.

"No dad. Don't do that. He's still my husband." Skylar protested and tried to run away from her father's grip but she couldn't.

"Shut up and stay here." He yelled at her angrily. If she wasn't his daughter, he would have flogged her too.

"No I can't, please let me go. Better don't touch him, I will kill you if you do." She yelled angrily.

"Why are you doing this dad? I thought you want me to be happy. Yet you are now stepping on my happiness." She added angrily and hit her father's hand.

"Let me go." She yelled and continued hitting his hand. He tighten his grip and she groaned in pain.

"Are you stupid? Don't you have sense? I thought you were wise. But you are more foolish than I thought." He yelled angrily.

"That man don't want you, you are killing yourself for nothing. I did everything for you then because I thought he loved you. I never knew you were just making yourself worthless by jumping on him at every seconds." He yelled and she cried more.

"It's none of your business. It's my life. Stay away from it, who are you to question my decisions?" She asked rudely, this made him more angry.

"Who am I?" He asked slowly and let go of her hand.

He looked at her and his heart ache from her words. He did everything for her yet she don't appreciate any of it.

"I'm leaving here. I won't come back again." She blurted out and started walking towards the door without his response.

"Jelly wanted to kill me." He blurted out. She stopped and turned to him

"She stabbed me." He added.

She looked at him shocked. Was he lying? Or, is this the new tactic he wants to use to keep her here? She wondered if this was true as she stared at him.

Suddenly, he raised his shirt and some marks of stitches could be seen. It was very obvious that she could it see it properly. She opened her mouth shocked and ran to him.