THE FLAME IS LIT

Things seemed to be getting worse for Daphne, as she bared the pain of having lost her beloved daughter, Lesley.

Mrs. Salvador and her sons however seemed to be the least disturbed after Felicity, who was also acting ignorant heeding Lesley's disappearance.

“I'm glad that I can eventually let go of Daphne,” Bruce said contemptuously.

“Luck is on our side, I must say. I mean look at this, someone helped us rid of that brat Lesley,” Mrs. Salvador uttered, a devilish smile printed on her face.

“I knew that getting rid of her so-called daughters was the only way to destroy Daphne. And now, I do not doubt that I’ll take over as the new CEO of her inherited company and I'll get to pay back your fucking cash!"

"Hey, watch your mouth, Bruce. Don’t forget you I'm the one feeding you, idiot!”

Just then, a knock at the door was listened to.

“What do you want ?!” Hugo shouted.

“It's ma’am Daphne,” a soft voice responded.

“Go handle your woman!” Mrs. Salvador exclaimed.

Bruce flashed outside. Daphne had lost all forms of composure and was turning everything upside down.

Without hesitation, Bruce went forth and grabbed her by her hair, dragging her to the floor towards the store.

Daphne shrieked but that was Bruce; no one would dare to go against him.

The nanny pitifully watched the saddening scene.

Bruce locked Daphne in the store, after giving her a good beating and tying her up.

“The moment you free her, be ready to face worse!” Bruce roared at the nanny who shook like grass in the whirlwind.

“Rex!” she exclaimed.

“Nanny, I'm going out to disseminate some posters. I hope we find Lesley soon,” Rex said in a low hoarse tone.

Nanny only nodded and faced the opposite side, something Rex found quite odd.

"Nanny, are you okay?” He questioned.

“Yes! Good luck!” Nanny answered in a charged tone and ambled away.

“Okay,” Rex muttered and went on to the parking lot where Felicity was busy packing stuff in her car.

"Oh, Felicity! Where are you off to?”

“Well, a modeling agency called me an audition,” she talked, switching her attention to Rex.

“What! At this time when we should be focusing on finding your missing sister?”

Felicity approached Rex and gripped his t-shirt, pulling him so close that they could feel each other's breaths.

She moved her lips towards his ear, almost biting his earlobe, and whispered something to him after which he gave him a peck on his cheek.

“Priorities first?!” Rex clamored in amazement.

*********

“ Here is the disk that got your parents murdered years back. Do you still doubt me?” Clark queried proffering a rather old disk to Lesley.

Lesley, who now had downcast eyes due to intense crying, reached for the disk as her arm trembled.

"How could they?!” She screamed loud enough to awaken the dead and squeezed the disk, reducing it to pieces.

The disk had the logo of The Flaming Dragon Company, and so it was a bitter- truth to Lesley that she had no choice but to believe.

“Bethany, calm down,”. Clark tried consoling her.

“Calm down?! Do you know how much this hurts?! I've lived with them my whole life!”

"Look, I understand you…”

"No! You don't! I trusted them, Clark! I loved them!” Lesley wailed as she hit her fists against the wall.

Clark went and held her arms but he ended up taking the role of the wall instead.

Both Dean and Daisy sadly watched the scene, not aware of the action to take.

“Why does it have to be them?!”

She was slowly running out of strength and Clark was able to nestle her.

Clark passionately patted Lesley.

“When they took me in, I was beyond elated as I finally had people I could regard as a family. They took good care of me and my sister,” Lesley whined as wiped off her tears using his shirt.

“Dear, come here,” Daisy said opening her arms for a hug.

"Auntie, ”Lesley muttered and fell into Daisy's arms.

“It's okay to cry. Just let it all out.”

"I couldn't have envisaged such human tie. It's too much, “Lesley shed tears.

“I know my dear. Don't worry. We are by your side.”

Daisy consoled them and was able to make her calm down.

Clark stayed by her side and they spent the rest of the day rewinding their happy childhood memories together.

“ Bethany, what's your plan now? I mean you can't secrete in here forever.”

"Clark, I still don't know yet but one thing I'm certain of is that I’ll make them pay!”

“And your relations?”

“Do I have a choice? I mean, I don't fuckin’ care! What they did is unforgivable Clark! We have that disk, don't we?”

“Yes, but that's just not how things work here. You think Uncle Dean hasn’t tried presenting that to the court?”

"What do you mean ?” Lesley queried raising her brows.

“Fighting the Salvadors by trying to seek justice is a losing battle!”

Without uttering a single word, Lesley floundered and got of the bed whereby she trudged to the window.

She appeared to be drowning in her thoughts.

Clark walked to where she was, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

He fondly tucked her follicles behind her ear and passionately kissed her cheek.

“Clark, “Lesley muttered and swiftly freed herself from his hold.

“Sorry if I’ve made you feel uncomfortable,” Clark apologized in embarrassment.

Without notice, Lesley turned back to him and kissed his lips roughly, pressing her palms against his cheeks.

“I'm not the girl you’d want for yourself Clark, “she whispered.

“Bethany, since we were young, you've always been the girl of my dreams,” Clark emitted, as he struggled to hold back his tears.

“With the turn I'm just about to take in life, I promise, one day I'm gonna hurt you.”

“I don't mind getting hurt Bethany. I trust you.”

“Trust?” Lesley queried sarcastically when learning on the window lane, “It’d do you some good if you forgot the word trust, Clark.”

“I trust that the heavens will free your heart from the anger and pain you’re feeling. This is not you.”

“With everything that has happened to me in life, I don't believe in heaven or hell,” Lesley uttered boldly as she engaged her hands in flipping the curtains,” I only believe in revenge which I'll serve it warm to them with a side of pain!”