chapter 9


    “That won’t be necessary. Old Mrs. Macari is in poor health, so it would be better if you don’t tell her, lest


    she worry for me,” Kathleen said. “Have you been alone throughout the years?” Gemma hung her head


    low as she sat beside Kathleen. “I suppose,” Kathleen replied. “You suppose? What does that mean?”


    Gemma was confused. Kathleen smiled ruefully. Ever since marrying Samuel, she was mostly alone


    even though it seemed as if they lived together. “Kathleen, you’re quite lucky. You at least have Old Mrs.


    Macari.” Gemma sounded depressed. “My brother and I are different. Neither of us was of legal age.


    Nobody wanted to adopt the both of us together, so we were forcefully separated when adopted by


    different families.” “So that was what happened.” Kathleen pulled her lips into a thin line. “Jeez, why am I


    even telling you this?” Gemma’s expression reverted to its former state. “I need to go to a night shift at


    the hospitalter on. You take care.” “It’s fine. I’ll leave after getting some rest.” Kathleen knew she


    shouldn’t have met up with Gemma, for both of them had varying degrees of post-traumatic stress


    disorder. Their parents’ passing had caused great hurt to their young and fragile hearts. Because there


    were hurt that would never heal, these kinds of people hade to a tacit agreement to not meet up


    with each other. Without meeting each other, they would never be forced to recall those painful


    memories. “Kathleen!” Gemma sounded slightly exasperated, causing Kathleen to pause for a moment.


    Realizing that she might have said that a little too loud, Gemma softened her tone. “It’s fine. This ce is


    your home too. I have clean clothes in my room, so you can put them on after taking a shower. There’s


    still some oatmeal that I madest night in the kitchen. Have some after heating it.” Gemma went to get


    changed as she spoke and was ready to leave after putting on her coat. “Gemma, are you working in a


    hospital now?” asked Kathleen. “I work as a nurse now.” Gemma didn’t look back. “Kathleen, I’ve already


    moved on, so it’s fine. It’s okay even if you have troubles that you can’t talk about to me. Just stay


    without worrying about anything else.” She left after saying that. Kathleen heaved a long sigh. She knew


    both Gemma and her were dealt the heaviest blows during the incident because both of them had


    witnessed first-hand the horrible death of their parents. Kathleen’s eyes reddened as she was on the


    verge of tears, but she managed to force them back when she lowered her head to check the blood on


    herself. She entered Gemma’s room and took a change of clothes before going into the shower. After


    showering, she checked on her belly in the mirror before reaching a fair hand out to caress it softly. “Do


    not fear, my baby. I will protect you!” To her disappointment, tears still fell when she recalled the fact that


    it was Samuel who had put her in such danger. Samuel will never care about my state of being. He must


    be all lovey-dovey with Nicolette in his arms while in the hospital. On the road, Samuel was leaning


    against his Maybach while puffing on a cigarette. He was chain-smoking, so cigarette butts were littered


    all over the ground around him. It was almost the break of dawn, but he had yet to uncover Kathleen’s


    whereabouts. His fingers gripped her phone tightly as his heart trembled nonstop. Will she die? Will she


    disappear from my life entirely? No! I won’t allow this to happen! “Mr. Macari!” Tyson ran over to him.


    “We’ve found the drunken man who abducted Mrs. Macari.” “Bring him over,” Samuel ordered in an aloof


    tone. When two bodyguards brought the drunken man over to him, the man was already battered and


    bruised all over his body and face. “What have you done to that woman?” Samuel lifted his gaze, a


    distant look in his eyes. The drunken man was jostled awake and was aware that Samuel wasn’t


    someone he could afford to cross, so he said, “I’ve done nothing.” “Chop his hand off.” Samuel didn’t


    even blink. One of the bodyguards immediately unsheathed a dagger. Upon noticing that Samuel was


    being serious, the drunken man fell to his knees before Samuel while begging for mercy, “Please don’t


    chop my hands off! I’ll tell you anything!” “Speak.” Samuel looked intimidating. “I was in a bad mood


    because I just had a divorce. Lust overtook me when I saw a beautiful woman standing beside the road,


    but I didn’t do anything to her. A man saved her and brought her away as soon as I dragged her into an


    alley.” “Which hand did you use to touch her?” questioned Samuel. The drunken man dared not answer


    his question. “Chop both his hands off since he doesn’t have the guts to reply.” Samuel’s exquisite


    jawline was tensed up as he maintained a cool, refined look. “No, please don’t! It’s this hand!” The


    drunken man raised his left hand. Still smoking, Samuel said, “How dare you lie? You touched her with


    both hands. Chop them both off.” The drunken man nearly fainted from shock. Why ask if you’ve already


    made up your mind? “Argh!” Just when the drunken man was spacing out, the bodyguard chopped one


    of his hands off with a clean swipe of his dagger, causing the man to howl in agony. The other bodyguard


    covered his mouth before his other hand was also chopped off. “Discard this scum to a deserted ce,”


    ordered Samuel with a stern voice. “Yes, Sir!” The two bodyguards left, dragging the drunken man away


    with them, while the other bodyguards stayed behind to clean up the scene. “Check the surveince


    footage of the back alley and find out who rescued Kathleen,” Samuel instructed in a detached manner.


    Just when Tyson was about to make a call, he got an unexpected call. “Hello?” Tyson picked up. “Who


    are you?” “Are you Kathleen’s family?” asked Benjamin distantly. “Is Kathleen with you?” Tyson frowned.


    Samuel narrowed his eyes as he snatched the phone away from Tyson. “Where’s Kathleen?” Benjamin


    was startled. “How are you rted to Kathleen?” Samuel replied sternly, “I’m her brother.” “All of her


    family members are dead. She doesn’t have any surviving rtives.” Benjamin didn’t believe in that.


    “Who exactly are you?” “How did you manage to track down Tyson?” Samuel was displeased. Why


    would he call Tyson when I should be the one who’s closest to her? “I got his phone number from the


    emergency contact list Kathleen has filled during the recent years.” Benjamin was unfazed. “Can you


    pass the phone back to Mr. Hackney?” It’s not me but Tyson, who she listed as her emergency contact?


    Samuel didn’t feel good about it at all. While passing the phone back to Tyson, he said emotionlessly,


    “Ask him about Kathleen’s whereabouts.” “Understood.” Tyson took the phone and asked Benjamin


    where Kathleen was. “She’s safe, but I need to confirm this with her before I can tell you her


    whereabouts. I will contact you again.” Benjamin hung up after saying that. Tyson didn’t know what to


    say as he looked at Samuel with a gloomy look. “Mr. Macari, he said he would have to check this with


    Mrs. Macari before he could tell us her whereabouts.” “Start an investigation about the caller.” Samuel


    sounded impassive. “I want information about him before the sun is up.” “Yes, Sir.” Tyson immediately


    sent someone for the investigation. All the while, Samuel puffed on his cigarette, still feeling disturbed


    deep down. Although he had found Kathleen, he had no idea what her situation was. Why didn’t she


    contact me if she’s fine? Shouldn’t she havee to me first and foremost after such a grave incident?


    Previous Chapter


    Next ChapterPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org.