CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Henna returned to her father's house instead of the Garner residence where she was temporarily staying. She met her father by the garden as he sat down, relaxed, and enjoyed a plate of fruits.

"Henna, you're home" he turned and said to her with a smile the moment he saw her coming.

"Dad" she muttered, her face downcast as she was worn out from the excessive thinking.

"What is wrong? Why is your face this down? Did anything happen on the way? Talk to your father" he pestered, his face reflecting worry and concern.

"I am fine Dad, I am just a bit down," Henna said and picked a slice of pineapple with a tiny fork.

"Are you sure? If staying at the Garner's residence is weighing down on you then you should return home" he said with a stern look and looked away.

"Is that how weak you think of me, Dad?" Henna said and dropped the slice of pineapple she had picked out of anger.

"That is not what I meant Henna, I just don't want you taking in the brunt of this strife between you and your sister and letting it stray you away from your own life," he said in a low and warm voice.

"I said I was fine! And I know exactly what it is I want, and I am going to get it! I am going to take it all one by one" Henna said this, stood and walked out on her father.

*************************************

Ren drove Jane's car into the residence as he got out and opened the car and she stepped out.

She saw Tom seated by the pool, in a pair of shorts and white polo, enjoying the coming sunset with a glass of whiskey and a cigar.

"You didn't tell me you would step out today," he said in a grunt voice but later cleared his throat.

"Since when have you bothered about where I go or what I do in my spare time?" Jane asked, poised and defensive.

"Well, don't you think I should know about your whereabouts? You hardly step out but these days it's been quite often….. I mean, we have quite a number of things on our hands and we can't afford to have the other slipping" he said and sat up on the beach bed he was sitting on.

Tom was a man in his late fifties with a not-so-big stomach but slightly still fit with a good body physique, his beards and hair all grey with light green eyes that yearned for young women.

Jane was a woman in her late thirties, with brown eyes, poised and confident with every word, walk and body movement. Endowed with smooth skin, long and wavy brunette hair, plump bosoms and a nice body shape.

Jane was Tom's mistress at first but then he married her into the Garner's family as his wife shortly after his first wife died of an illness and depression. Jane is twenty years younger than her husband, Tom.

"Of course Tom, we have got quite a lot on our hands….if there would be anyone skipping them most likely it won't be me. I'll be in the room if you need me" Jane said this and was about to leave.

"I heard Sophia was kidnapped, did you know about this?" Tom asked with the intent to stir up the truth and satisfy his curiosity.

Jane stopped walking and turned around.

"Well I wouldn't have known if you didn't mention it now Tom," Jane said with a fake smile.

"Well, now you know," Tom said, stood and walked out of the scene and into the main house while Jane stood there, pondering on what and how much Tom knows.

***************************************************

*SOPHIA'S POV*

I was done with the drip and I was ready to be discharged.

While I was on a call with Liam, Bran had gone to handle the paperwork for my discharge.

I was then notified of my discharge by a nurse and shortly after, I got changed into the clothes I wore when I was kidnapped. Bran finalized the paperwork and came into my ward as I was fully changed and sat on the bed.

Seeing me change into the same clothes I wore when I was kidnapped, he quickly walked to where I sat.

"You don't have to wear those clothes, I had Pierre bring you a new set of clothes," he said as dropped the discharge document and grabbed a shopping bag that was placed inside the mini wardrobe.

"Here," he said and handed over the shopping bag to me.

"Thank you" I stretched my hand to collect the shopping bag and at that moment, our hands brushed off against each other.

We both suddenly withdrew our hands to ourselves, our eyes trying to read each other's expressions.

"I'll—be outside, let me know when you are done" his words staggered as he walked out of the ward.

I brought out the brown dress from the shopping bag and changed outfits.

I then packed the old clothes into the shopping bag, grabbed the discharge document and headed to the door I slid it open slowly, and our eyes met with each other as he turned around the moment he heard the door open.

"I am ready," I said in a low voice and held onto the shopping bag.

"Let me hold onto that," he said and gently collected the document and the shopping bag from me as we began to walk down the hallway, side by side.

Pierre was outside the hospital waiting for us with the car, shortly after, we met with him outside as he walked towards us.

"Sir, there is—there is news," Pierre said, his eyes darted towards me and then back to Bran.

"What is it?" Bran asked his mind alert.

My eyes pondered and filled with curiosity as to what Pierre was about to report.

"I received a call from the station not quite long...the kidnapper suddenly passed away in his cell" Pierre reported with his face worn down with disappointment.

"What?" Bran exclaimed.

"What—what do you mean he passed away?" I asked, confused.

"That is what I was told by the cop in charge," he said.

My breathing suddenly became quite fast and unusual. Bran noticed this and held onto me.

"Let's get you home first," he said and helped me into the car that Pierre immediately opened.

I sat in the car and held onto my chest as I was finding it difficult to breathe normally. Bran got into the car too and Pierre drove us back home immediately.

*BRAN'S POV*

We finally arrived home and I helped Sophia get into the house while Pierre parked the car properly and retired for the day.

She took her seat on the couch in the living room, trying to figure out what was going on.

"How can he be dead? I mean, he can't have just died just like that...and he did not confess at all?" Sophia asked, worried.

"No, he didn't.... Something isn't right about this" I said and took my seat opposite Sophia.

"What do you mean by that? Is there someone else at play with this?" Sophia asked as she sat up.

"I will figure that out, you don't have to worry about any of this," I said and walked over to her.

"Let's get you into bed," I said and lifted her up, her eyes widened out of surprise as she was not expecting me to lift her.

She interlocked her fingers around my neck and held onto me immediately, her eyes fixated on mine for a while before she looked away.

I carried her all the way up the stairs and into our bedroom. I gently laid her down on the bed and tucked her in with the duvet.

****** 

Henna returned home right about the same time, and as she walked past the door to the couple's room, slightly open, she saw Bran tucking Sophia in as she grunted in anger and angrily got into her own room.

She immediately pulled out her phone and dialled Mr Frank's number, it rang for a while before he picked up.

"What is the update? Were you able to take care of the problem?" Henna asked inquisitively and tensed.

"It has been taken care of…....now you have to hold your own end of the bargain, bring me Sophia or it will be you who will be taken care of" Mr Frank said this and hung up the call.

A part of Henna was happy that the problem had been solved but another part of her was equally scared about being intertwined with a man like Mr Frank as it was Jenny who introduced her to him in the first place.

She started to bite her fingernails anxiously and pondered on what she could possibly do next to get Sophia to Mr Frank and then take the company and Bran for herself.