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CHAPTER 157

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He waited a little while for her and when she wasn't forthcoming, he gave her a hot slap across her cheek.

POW!

Arctic who was awaiting his confirmation from the lady, suddenly heard a hot slap from the other end of the phone.

"Speak!"

His eyes dimmed further and the rage he was locking in finally showcased itself.

He felt his blood boil when he heard the ingrate yell at her but what followed next made his heart calm down and feel on edge at the same time.

"Hahha hahhaa…" A sweet melodious raspy voice rang from the other end of the phone. She gave the direct opposite of what they were hoping for and after she finished laughing she became serious again and he leaned her head forward towards the phone.

"On no account should you do anything to save me. Ignore them."

"What the fuck! Bitch!"

POW! POW!

Arctic eyes closed when he heard the voice loud and clear. That was who they said she was. His heart ached when he heard her raspy voice. For how long had she been there under their custody?

He did not know but just hearing her voice was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

"Get the hell away from her!" Arctic yelled into the phone.

"You can free her from her misery but on one condition."

He knew this was where it was going to. He did not want to say it but he had to. Reluctantly, he opened his mouth and uttered the wrong words. "Name it."

"I think you already know what we want. Give that to us and we let her go."

'How sure am I that you would fulfill your part of the bargain?"

"You wouldn't know. But we call the shots here. We have you in the palm of our hand. All you have to hold on to is…"

The man suddenly stopped speaking and Arctic checked his phone and saw that the phone was still connected. "Hello?"

"Yes, Hello."

His eyes dimmed further when he heard a different voice from the one that spoke prior. He recognized this voice at any time. What a demonic thing to have happened to him right now.

Just by hearing the voice, he knew they were not bluffing and he knew what they wanted but was it what he could deliver? Who meant the world to him most?

He was already torn in two before he even started anything.

"I presume the Unkillable killer already knows who is speaking?" the voice asked.

"ZALE." One could feel the malice in his tone from when he spoke. He hated anything and everything attached to that name and the family name as well.

"Glad we are on the same page. I know you of all people should know that it is not a bluff. Get me what I want and I would give you what you want. You should know a real deal when you see one and you also know the authenticity of my captive. I would leave the rest up to you. Just be good. You have only two days to deliver."

"Zale Anders, you would rot in hell for all you have done."

'Tsk, life is already that hell and I am living good in it."

BEEP!!

Slowly, the phone fell from Arctic's hand and onto the table. His eyes remained fixed at nothing as he stared blankly ahead.

***

The next day, Jade had gone to visit Macy. It had been a while since she informed her friend about anything going on with her. Also, she needed her to give her the boost to carry on and do the deed.

It was not because her love for Xander was shallow but because she could not trust herself well enough to know whether she could go on with it.

A part of her kept telling her it wasn't the right time while the other disagreed with her. She loved him but she couldn't shake off the fear of something terrible about to happen.

With that, she had decided that perhaps chatting with her best friend might help her focus on her earlier decision.

"Hey, Macy," Jade said as soon as the door opened.

"Jade!!" Macy squealed in turn and jumped on her friend. She had to admit that with their relationships, they rarely hanged out together. It was whether they were busy in the office or with their boyfriends respectively.

She pulled her friend inside and locked the door behind them. "Tell me, Jade, how have you been?"

"Well, I have been good. I think I can say that very well."

"Cool. I heard."

"You hear what, Macy?"

"Well, you know Jay. He virtually tells me everything and he said you two were close to doing it or you did. I have forgotten the actual word. But tell me please, did you already have sex with Xander?"

"Sigh! What did I do wrong to have you for a friend?" Jade lamented loudly.

"Hey! Why are you saying it like it is a bad thing, hmm?" She did not wait for an answer and pulled Jade with her to her room. "Now tell me, why did you not do it?"

"I thought you weren't sure just now if I did or not?" Jade smiled at her friend. She knew something was definitely fishy about the whole thing. She said one thing and now it is different.

"I wasn't honestly but from how you are looking, I can tell you still did not do anything," Macy stated her observations.

"Hmm, I guess I am now a plain book to read now, aren't I?"

"Hahhaa, hahhaa no, Jade. Do not think that way. You are my friend and I know you all too well. I just want you to be happy."

'I am happy. I have never been happier in my life as this since I met Xander, Macy," Jade confessed.

"Then what is holding you back? What are you scared of dear?"

"I do not know. Something is not right. I can feel it. The danger is coming. It is approaching so fast."

Macy let out a breath. "I told you. I know this is what your parents would kick against. You are risking your happiness for your revenge."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are, jade. Can't you see it? You cannot be free with Xander because 24/7 you are at alert."

"Easy for you to say. You are not the one they want dead. My whole life is a risk right now. I can never be as free as you are and have a normal life. I am being hunted, you know."

Macy could see the pain in her eyes as she tried her best to exp0lain her worries.

"I cannot be as free as you are even if I do not want to. Zale is out there searching for us and it would only be a matter of time until they find us. I cannot risk that and I cannot ask any other person to risk their lives to save me. I love Xander but this fear…"

"Shh…" Macy quickly got up and made her way to Jade then held her shoulders, urging her to look into her eyes. "Hey, hey, hey… calm down. You have got me here. Calm down."

"I cannot calm down and you know it, Macy. I heard something about Arctic and I left. Zale is on his tail so much. I just could not remain there without finding a means to thwart his plans you know."

"I know. I know and I am sorry. I did not mean to offend you or anything."

"I understand, Macy but I cannot shake the feelings off. I love Xander. I love him with all of my being. I fear that he may be hurt getting involved."

"Then if you feel all these kinds of fear, then why were you pushing for it? Did you feel you were okay to go with it?"

"I…I." Jade stopped talking. It was now it dawned on her.

She felt that she was ready and as such she told Xander but deep within, she wasn't and when the problem came, she chose that over her love lifetimes and times and again.

"Jade."

"I thought I was. I wanted to enjoy my time with him. With this revenge, I may lose my life but I do not care. If at all I do, then I want to know that I spent my life to the fullness with my loved ones. I wanted to throw caution to the wind and enjoy with him and for some hours or a few days it did work."

"But then the truth about reality struck and your heart ran to your duty, leaving your love behind. You were too… oh God."

"For those two days with him, I felt more than I have felt in a long time. It was different. It felt like I made the right choice. I felt safe and secure, Macy. I love him in all and every way possible."