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Jackie's POV

I think it was time I met a therapist because all these twists and turns were taking a toll on my mental health.

"What is it?" Lucas asked, breaking me out of my trance.

I raised my phone to him which was on a video call with Clark. At the sight of Clark, anger masked Lucas' face. I knew he would have a problem with Clark since he was the other person in the picture.

"You," Lucas hissed out. "What do you want?"

"Look, man. I don't have the time to argue with you over shit. I have something important to tell you and I've not been able to say this. The last time I wanted to let Jackie know about this, I was threatened not to speak. Lucas, I already told Jackie the truth. I apologize for also creating problems between you two," Clark said while I gripped the phone tightly.

My thoughts were filled with what he had said to me. It was unbelievable and funny at the same time. Someone was joking with us.

"What did you tell her?" Lucas asked.

"Before I broke up with Maddy, I had several fights with her because of my lifestyle. I cheated on her a few times and it caused a rift between us. I liked Jackie because she was someone attractive and hardworking, someone, different from Maddy. She found out about my attraction toward Jackie and started having problems with me," Clark said and I forced the phone into Lucas' hand.

I couldn't bear to listen to everything he was saying because I was beginning to get hurt all over again.

"Before we broke up, I came home drunk one evening and kissed Jackie. It was revealed to me after that my housemate who has also fucked Maddy while we were in a relationship took a picture of the scene and sent it to her. She confronted me about it and revealed something shocking. She called Jackie names, all manner of names related to a prostitute. She didn't say much and left. When she found out I was still talking to Jackie, she threatened to hurt someone I care about. I kept quiet but I can't anymore. I'll send CCTV footage of the day she insulted Jackie in a minute."

I heard the sound of the video call ending and wrapped my arms around my body. My heart was hammering so fast that I felt like I was out of breath.

"There has to be a misunderstanding somewhere. Nothing makes sense to me. Maddy would never hurt me or do such to any of us. She's my best friend, I love her and she loves me. There has to be someone trying to frame every single one of us. First, Axel, me, you, and Maddy. This enemy is trying to pin us against each other with vulnerable points that seem logical," I rambled on as my emotions stirred within me at a full current.

Lucas stood in front of me and cupped my cheeks. He came closer and caressed my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs.

"You need to calm down. You don't need to stress yourself. I'm also confused. So many things are happening at the same thing but I need you to be strong for me, for our baby. You're looking pale," he said and pulled me closer to his body.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest. He hugged me back and rocked us side to side. I wanted to cry but I couldn't cry. I believed Maddy was innocent and would never do such to me.

"Do you think Ruth is telling the truth?" I asked at the thought of the girl.

"I don't know, my love. But we have to avoid being vulnerable to anything been told to us. We have to learn from our past mistakes. As you can see, things are being manipulated to twist our minds. We only have each other and we need to stand strong," Lucas said and kissed the crown of my head.

I moved my head off his chest and tilted it back to look at him. He looked down at me and smiled softly. His eyes moved from my eyes to my lips then he cupped my cheek.

"When will all of these end?" I whispered and he sighed. I blushed when he kissed my forehead, making me feel butterflies in my stomach.

"I don't know, Jackie. But I want it to come to an end so I can think of ways to woo you again," Lucas whispered against my forehead.

I giggled and felt relief. "You can only wish."

"I don't have to wish, baby," he said and held my chin in his hand.

I eyed his inviting lips and licked my lips. I missed the feel of his soft lips on mine. At this moment, I needed a kiss from him. Maybe it would put me at ease from all the tension going on.

I held my breath when he leaned down and rubbed his nose against my cheek. I got warm tingles in my stomach when his lips brushed the side of my lips and goosebumps rose on my skin when he gripped my hips tight.

"I want to kiss you," he whispered.

I held back a moan from how deep his voice was when he spoke. I wanted to fight back the feeling that he had evoked inside of me. But I couldn't when what I felt for him was so strong that I needed more of it. I swallowed and held his shirt in my grip then leaned forward.

I closed my eyes and parted my lips then I sighed when I felt his warm lips on mine. I melted onto his body and allowed his lips to move on mine in a slow tempo, making me lean into him the more.

When he was about to deepen the kiss, it was like someone slapped me back to reality and I pulled away from him, wiping my lips in the process.

"Don't ever do that again," I said, remembering I had to make him suffer.

"Jackie, I —"

"I'm serious. You should not do that again. Do it again and I'll have a reason not to accept you back. Let me decide if I should accept your affections or not," I said and pushed past him.

Before I reached the door of Jared's room, I heard my phone notify me of a message from Lucas' hand. I turned around and walked back to him, snatched the phone from him, and raised it to my face.

It was a text from Andrea which was notified as attached files.

"What is it?" Lucas asked.

"Andrea said she would send footage of who withdrew from the ATM with Ruth's credit card and she must've gotten it, which is what she might've sent."

I quickly opened the message and downloaded the files which opened after a few seconds.

The first one was security footage of a man who looked just like the one I had seen at the supermarket earlier in the day. I watched as he slot the card in when the camera angle changed and after a minute, he took out wads of cash from the machine.

"This was the same man I saw at the supermarket. The one I told you about," I said in horror as he took out the card and turned around. The camera caught his face and he was indeed the same man.

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked and I nodded then scrolled to the next file.

It was a picture of the same man sitting inside a car with someone in a hooded sweatshirt. Their face wasn't revealed which made me so curious that I swiped to the next image. The next picture revealed that the hooded person had long hair but their face wasn't showing.

I swiped again and my eyes widened with a drop of my heart.

"It can't be," Lucas said in shock.