The Secrets Hidden In The Scars

      It’s a new day. Great Britain. London. It’s about one hour o’clock. Today, it has been cloudy since the morning, and heavy rain started and is not probably going to be over at the nearest time. Because she should not go to work today, Alicia decided to stay home and sort out some things in her room. And all this time, the woman does not stop thinking of what’s happening in the life of Raquelle and the people in her circle.       “Gosh, why ain’t I so quiet?” Alicia thinks, moving her eyes off the things lying on the bed, on which she is sitting. “Every time I think of Raquelle, I think something bad is happening to her or her people in her circle. My presentiments have never betrayed me yet.”       Alicia gets up from the bed with a heavy sigh and slowly goes to the window, starting to look at what’s behind her room with sadness in her eyes. However, the woman sees nothing but the gray sky, traffic jams, heavy rain, and people literally running home with open umbrellas. And seeing something far is barely possible because all the buildings kind of melt in the air.       “I can’t forget the words of Amelia about a threat to Terrence. She’s said it several times, and he recently confirmed he got into a bad situation. What if Edward really wants to harm his friend? And everything’s hard about their uncle… It seems like that man is too cruel and will be stopped by nothing. And I’m truly surprised Amelia believes Edward might not be the one everybody thinks he is. Yeah, Terrence didn’t say that his friend openly spoke about his wish to kill and rob his family. But since he behaved so horribly toward his family, he doesn’t have to say anything. Moreover, that guy has lots of reasons to do it…”       Alicia exhales slowly, shaking her head.       “Oh, I don’t know… Maybe, I don’t just know the story and can’t make a final conclusion… I know only Terrence’s version, who could really blame Edward for all his sins in anger. Furthermore, I still don’t know the secret Natalia has been hiding and the reasons for her breakup with Edward. And it would be amazing if the story of the inheritance and the story of the breakup were connected.”       Some time later, Alicia steps back from the window and starts slowly walking in circles in the whole room.       “But yeah, no matter how bad Edward is, I must confess I liked the couple of him and Natalia. I've only seen that guy two times… And one of them happened when Natalia was next to him. Those people did have feelings. Maybe, not quite strong, but they could’ve been stronger if the guys hadn’t broken up. I wonder if these two still love each other. What if they decided to make the people sure that nothing connected them? What if Natalia and Edward got cold for each other and broke up because of that? Maybe, they need to work their relationship out, just like my niece and her fiancé did? A few months later, after the reconciliation, Raquelle and Terrence got happy, and they don’t suffer from a lack of attention!”       Alicia stops her eyes on a small picture of the incredible view of a lake and thick wood that is hanging in her room.       “Or maybe, they broke up for the reason! Since Edward betrayed his family, Natalia wouldn’t have been happy with that stinker. That girl deserves the best. I wish Amelia was right about Edward having a real reason why he doesn’t reject the inheritance. Doesn’t he understand he would never get someone’s trust and love from those he’d make victims for his goals?”       After walking in the room for some time, Alicia sits on the bed and sighs heavily, stroking down her hair and fixing little hair slides, with which strands on her temples are pinned.       “Please, God, may this story end well,” Alicia begs with pity in her eyes. “I want Edward to change his mind and realize that after killing someone, getting someone back is impossible. His uncle to pay for all the evil things to the fullest extent of the law… Terrence to get rid of remorse caused by the actions of the past. Raquelle to get peace and start getting ready for the wedding. Natalia to find the courage to tell her close people her secret and get her own happiness. I want her not to meet such stinkers that would only need her beauty, body, and youth…”       A few seconds later, a sudden call rings in her room. Alicia glances at the wired phone placed on the writing table, gets up slowly, takes the phone, sits on the bed, and answers the call:       “Hello.”       “Hello, Alicia, it’s Frederick Cameron,” Frederick says cheerfully.       “Mr. Cameron?” Alicia looks at the whole room a little hesitantly. “Oh, yes, yes, Mr. Cameron, hello…”       “Don’t I bother you?”       “No, no, everything is fine. I rush nowhere and am not going to leave home.”       “I called you with the thought that you wouldn’t answer me. I thought you were working.”       “No, I’m not working today. And I shall not go to a shop because there has been heavy rain since the morning. I wouldn’t like to get wet, honestly.”       “I see.”       “Yeah, isn’t it eight hours in the morning in New York? Did you wake up?”       “Oh, I’ve been awake since six o’clock! You know that I’m used to getting up early. If I don’t work, I do something at home and then have a rest by reading books or newspapers or watching TV.”       “Ah, I forgot, sorry…” Alicia replies thoughtfully.       “It’s alright,” Frederick replies amicably.       “Oh, how are you doing there? We haven’t talked for ages!”       “I’m fine. What about you?”       “Fine, too. I want to go to the USA, but I have so many things to do and money issues.”       “Sorry. Though, we are missing you much.”       “Me too,” Alicia sighs quietly with a slight smile. “How much I want to see all of you… Especially, Raquelle… I miss my girl so badly. Feeling so sad without her… I haven’t been able to get rid of bad presentiments.”       “Oh, yeah, Alicia…” Frederick says thoughtfully. “I would like to talk to you about something…”       “About Raquelle?”       “Yes, about her. I mean, to ask for a piece of advice.”       “Advice? Does it have to do with the problems of Terrence and Raquelle?”       “Oh, did Raquelle tell you everything?”       “Yes, she said they had some problems. But I believe I don’t know everything yet. We talked a long time ago, and many things could happen.”       “Honestly, I talked to her a long time ago… Raquelle used to visit me very often and help me with something, but that girl has lately forgotten me again.”       “So, doesn’t she call you?”       “No, she hasn’t called even once yet. Don’t think she must be by my side all the time. She has her life and is getting ready to get married… But I’m sad, understand.”       “Maybe, she is trying to solve the problems of the MacClifes? Since you know what happened, there is no meaning in telling everything I know.”       “Maybe. But since she tells me nothing, and I haven’t talked to Terrence for ages, I decided to call you with the hope that you know a bit more.”       “I think I don’t know more than you. We two know about the inheritance of Edward’s uncle, the weird relationship, and the breakup of Lockhart and Natalia.”       “Yes, I know everything. And I know Natalia was hiding one terrible secret that brought her to the breakup with Edward.”       “Really? Is it all connected?”       “It is!”       “Oh, do you know what happened? I recently talked to Terrence, who told me about the inheritance, but didn’t tell me the reason for the breakup of his friends. Maybe, you know something?”       “Erm… Actually, Raquelle asked me not to spread it because the case is quite delicate. If too many people know it, it will be bad for Natalia in a psychological way.”       “Oh, God… At least tell me what happened in a couple of words? How’s everything serious?”       “Alright… If you want a couple of words, Natalia was almost raped a few months ago.”       “Almost raped?” Alicia opens her eyes full of horror widely.       “One deadbeat started accosting her, and his pals were taking photos of them. So, they eventually got tons of explicit photos that Edward got.”       “Edward got?”       “But he knew nothing about the rape attempt and believed Natalia cheated on him with that man. Well, that guy went to her home somehow, threw the photos at her face, and announced the breakup. So, Edward was mad because Natalia showed her body to that man, even if her offender actually undressed her and let his pals take photos of the girl literally wearing only knickers.”       “Jesus Christ!” Alicia gets horrified and swallows up nervously. “How awful! Gosh… Do you want to say someone almost raped Natalia and used it?”       “It happened. And the poor girl was hiding it for five months and barely took that tragedy. She got threats of death if someone knew what happened, and Natalia was silent. So, this silence led to the day Edward when got mad at her.”       “My gosh…”       “And thank God, a police car that was going by scared that sick man and his pals. Otherwise, Natalia could’ve been raped and killed.”       “Didn’t they catch them?”       “No, that man and his gang ran away, and the policeman drove Natalia home, believing her words that she just got lost. But at first, he tried to make her sure to report and tell them what happened.”       “God, how many stinkers are living in this world!” Alicia puts her hand on her forehead and shakes her head. “How could they mock the poor girl? How?”       “Ah, Alicia, I don’t also know what Natalia did wrong if she got all these problems. She was blamed for being Simon Ringer’s accomplice, one stinker almost raped her, and Edward blames her for cheating and makes her a false, heaven forbids, prostitute that walks naked in front of another man.”       “Wait, but who wanted to frame Natalia and make Edward believe that the girl cheated on him? How did he get the photos?”       “Raquelle assumed it could have to do with the story, in which the uncle of Edward is featured. What’s his name… Probably, Michael…”       “Do you want to say that man framed Natalia?” Alicia frowns slightly.       “My granddaughter believes so. There’s a connection between the uncle of Lockhart and Natalia’s offender. Michael does definitely know where Edward is living and could tell that stinker about it.”       “But what do you think?”       “Actually, I agree with her. Because that man wouldn’t have found out he almost raped Edward’s girlfriend and gotten his home address. Edward hardly knows him… I think it has to do with Michael and his gang.”       “But how does he know her? How did he know her a few months ago? Michael hardly knew Natalia was Edward’s girlfriend.”       “Anyway, everything will get clear very soon.”       “I got it… So, do you think everything would’ve been otherwise if that girl had told him the truth?”       “Who knows, Alicia. But knowing what Edward did, I really doubt Natalia would’ve been happy with him and not left him by herself. She doesn’t need a man, who’s ready to kill and rob his family for money.”       “That’s right…” Alicia sighs heavily, glancing at the window for a second. “That guy and his uncle have done much… He isn’t the only one to be furious because of money. Edward’s relative is not better.”       “So, as I understand, you know about the tense relationship between the two.”       “Yes. Terrence told me everything. They had a serious conflict that eventually ended with a cruel fight.”       “Although I don’t like solving problems with fists, that guy definitely asked for something like that and got what he deserved,” Frederick says gloomily. “He shouldn’t have insulted Terrence and Raquelle and said his friend deserved all the problems he got. And he dared to call my granddaughter! Call her the way he called Natalia!”       “Yeah, I am resentful!” Alicia nods confidently.       “You imagine how far that man went? All of us accepted him so warmly, but that cad gave a damn about us and mixed our feelings with mud.”       “That’s why I’m disappointed in him. Not because of the situation with the money, but because he insulted my niece.”       “That man is very jealous and egoistic.”       “Yeah, he’s so jealous of the successful Terrence and furious because of his poverty that he’s ready to do a lot. Huh! He shouldn’t have wandered around, he should’ve thought of his education and searched for a job.”       “I do mean the same!” Frederick exclaims. “That guy is the one to blame for having nothing. If he wanted to be rich, he would become one. Terrence wanted to earn money and provide for himself – he did it and can have no worries about his well-being until the end of his life.”       “I wouldn’t be surprised if we knew more bad facts about Edward soon.”       “Agree. That man may be a very dark horse that we should keep ourselves away from. Trust me, Edward will give the guys many problems if they don’t press Michael and him to a wall just in time.”       “Honestly, I’m starting to be afraid something bad might happen. I’ve been kind of anxious for a very long time. A bad presentiment…”       “I know… Same about me. I can’t get rid of the thought that everything is worse than we think.”       “Yes, yes, exactly!” Alicia nods. “I don’t know why I always think of bad things, but my intuition never betrays me. Just like it never betrayed Elizabeth, it doesn’t betray Raquelle and me.”       “And I surely know something’s happening to my girl if I can’t calm down for a long time,” Frederick replies confidently.       “I think it’s a good reason to talk to her.”       “Now I’m sure I should try to call or visit Raquelle someday.”       “Do you want to do it today?”       “I think today, but I can’t promise it. I should do a few things. And I am planning to meet my friend after lunchtime. But I will surely find out everything that’s happening to my granddaughter.”       “Will you tell me if you know something new?”       “Of course, Alicia! I’ll contact you if I know something new about Raquelle or her close people.”       “Thanks a lot, Mr. Cameron!” Alicia exhales with relief. “Keep me aware. Sadly, I can’t be next to Raquelle at such a hard time, but I always have my girl on my mind. I never forget the one I love like my own daughter.”       “Oh, my dear, you should also solve your business. You’re working on adopting a girl now.”       “Thank God, everything’s fine, but it goes slowly. But I’d always find time for my nice, even if I had lots of lectures for students and got stuck at my job all day long.”       “It’s not a secret for me. And you know I’ve got nobody to worry about but my girl.”       “But I’m gonna have much more things to care about soon. Because I’m gonna be not only an adopted mother, but also a godmother.”       “Godmother?”       “Yes, my friend Amelia and her husband Raphael got a girl, Hailey. They’ve wanted to christen her for a long time, but can’t find a good time or godparents. So, I visited them recently, and they suggested I become the godmother of that girl.”       “That’s awesome!” Frederick exclaims happily. “I’m sure you’re gonna be a wonderful godmother. Children love you as well as you adore them.”       “Thanks for your nice words,” Alicia replies with a slight smile. “It’s always nice to hear something good.”       “Thanks for worrying about Raquelle and people from her circle.”       “Every day, I pray and ask God to help all of them and do something for justice to be restored.”       “That’s right! When we pray to God for someone’s help and well-being, we always think of close and beloved people. If we ask God to help our close people for too long, our pleases will be heard. And those, who’ve suffered and wanted something for too long, will surely get the award they’re gonna love.”       “I wish it happened.”       “I’m sure everything would be so,” Frederick expresses hope.       Two seconds later, the mobile phone placed on the table near the bed suddenly makes a sound and sharply falls into silence.       “I like the fact that you never lose optimism,” Alicia says, takes the phone, and unlocks it.       “It’s true,” Frederick replies cheerfully. “And I do advise you to keep a positive spirit. Even in the hardest situation, you should believe in the best.”       “Trying as hard as I can.”       At this moment, Alicia reads a message from Amelia and frowns slightly.       “Yesterday evening, I was viewing photos of Natalia’s palms for a long time. A bad presentiment made me do it. Yes, I can’t surely know it, but that girl is either about to run into something terrible, or she has already done it. Could you call me, so I can tell you everything? I just tried, but your home phone is busy.”       Alicia falls into silence for some time, closely reading every single word of the message and asking herself what could happen to Natalia.       “Alicia, are you alright?” Frederick shows anxiety. “Why did you fall into silence?”       “Erm…” Alicia pronounces and glances aside for a moment. “Oh… Nothing, Mr. Cameron… Nothing… I just thought of Raquelle again and believe something happened in her surroundings. That terrible presentiment got obsessed with me again.”       “Gosh, don’t worry so much! I promise I shall try to find out everything at the nearest time. When I know something, I will call you or send you a message.”       “Yes, please, find out everything as soon as possible,” Alicia begs excitedly, putting her hand on her heart. “Otherwise, I shall not calm down. You can call me at any time, even at night! I’d always answer your call!”       “Okay, okay, my darling, don’t worry. I shall find out everything.”       “Thank you so much.”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, during which Alicia runs her forehead with a hand.       “Oh, excuse me, Alicia, but I have to end our talk,” Frederick says hesitantly. “Actually, I thought we’d have a short talk, but it’s been longer. Don’t be mad, please. I just have very many things to do, but I decided to call you when sitting at the table and drinking coffee.”       “It’s alright, I understand it,” Alicia smiles shyly. “Call me next time.”       “Then catch you later. I shall call you.”       “Goodbye. Thank you for calling.”       “Thank you for the talk.”       Frederick ends the talk first, and Alicia puts the phone next to her. The woman thinks of the message she received from Amelia for a few seconds. But then she takes the phone again, types Amelia’s number quickly, and gets an answer a few seconds later.       “Hey, Alicia,” Amelia’s amicable voice pronounces.       “Hey, Amelia,” Alicia greets amicably. “Sorry, my home phone was busy because I had a talk. But I got your message and read it.”       “Yes, yesterday, I was viewing the photo of the palms of Raquelle’s friend and thought she might’ve had problems again.”       “Are they so serious?”       “Probably, yes! I can’t exclude that danger is threatening Natalia.”       “Oh, my gosh…” Alicia gets horrified, closing her mouth with a hand. “But what could happen to her?”       “I don’t know, Alicia,” Amelia replies a little excitedly. “But if everything happens in the worst way, she might suffer. Or actually die.”       “Die?” Alicia shakes her head sharply. “Gosh, Amelia, why do you have such horrible thoughts?”       “I’ve had a bad presentiment about that girl since yesterday.”       “Wait, could it have to do with her secret that she was hiding?”       “Quite possible. I can say nothing.” Amelia falls into silence for two seconds. “By the way, why did you ask? Do you think that girl got problems because of her secret?”       “It may have to do with what I just found out.”       “You found out something?”       “Yes. The case is that Mr. Cameron just called me.”       “Mr. Cameron? Were you talking to him?”       “Him.”       “And what did he say?”       “He said my niece told him Natalia’s secret and about how it became the reason for her breakup with Edward,” Alicia says excitedly.       “Gosh, is everything so bad that you’ve got such an exciting voice?”       “Yes, and it’s a very bad thing.”       “Gosh… What’s that?”       “I don’t want to tell you everything. But I shall tell you only that Natalia was almost raped by one stinker five months ago, and his accomplices were taking photos of the two.”       “Almost raped?” Amelia opens her eyes widely. “God, are you serious?”       “I am! Mr. Cameron told me that! Raquelle also knows this secret from Natalia, who told her and Terrence about the rape attempt.”       “Poor girl… So, is that the secret she was hiding?”       “And what was partly guilty of her breakup with Edward. The photos of that girl and her offender ended up in his hands a month ago. He got terribly jealous and didn’t find out what happened, insulting that girl and eventually announcing their breakup.”       “How awful!” Amelia exclaims with horror in her eyes, shaking her head. “I can’t believe it… I always get horrified when thinking what a girl feels when someone tries to kiss her by force or do much more terrifying things.”       “I understand it like nobody else,” Alicia sighs heavily and swallows up nervously. “Because I almost experienced violence at a young age…”       “Poor girl… She got a trauma… And how shocked she was…”       “Jesus Christ… I’ve known her since Raquelle became her friend. Natalia has always been such a good, shy and sweet girl. But one stinker mocked her and tried to make her false and nasty to everybody. For the second time, I want to notice.”       “Yeah, that girl has suffered enough.” Amelia sighs heavily with sadness in her eyes. “First, Raquelle quarreled with her because of Simon Ringer, then the rape attempt, and now the breakup with Edward, and a threat to her life.”       “She’s like a good catch for crime people.” Alicia thinks for two seconds, slightly biting her lip. “Natalia is a very memorable girl. Tall, a few centimeters lower than Raquelle is… Natural blonde with eyes of the clear blue sky and perfect features… And she’s got a very good body. Feminine… Guys love that type of body… I think not only good guys could like her, but also bad ones, who have nobody knows what on their mind and suffer from mental issues.”       “Agree, many men like girls like her. In my opinion, she’s really very beautiful and memorable. But sadly, these beauties always become victims, who are used not for the best goals.”       “However, Natalia has always been quite a bold girl, who could stand up for herself and say something to her offender. Even if she’s really afraid. It’s something like a protective reaction when you try to hide your fear by being tough. But this behavior may provoke her offender much more because they know it would happen.”       “I think when that man started accosting her, it happened. He definitely wanted to scare her and make her shake from fear. It was quite a normal reaction.”       “However, I completely understand that girl. I know what she felt when that man tried to kiss, hug, and caress her by force.”       “She may change very much after that event,” Amelia says with sadness in her eyes. “Natalia is gonna be lucky if she doesn’t withdraw into herself and start thinking of a suicide attempt. Sometimes a victim is ashamed to say something like that. Because of being obsessed with something else except fear.”       “Yes, I know…” Alicia says with sadness in her eyes. “And she must not stay alone. If Raquelle knows about that event, she must do her best to help her friend take that horror.”       “Well, as Natalia trusted Raquelle and told her everything, she completely trusts her friend, or your niece did her best to make that girl stop feeling lonely and understand she had no reason to be afraid and ashamed.”       “At least, now, I know what happened between Natalia and Edward and can rate the situation.” Alicia simpers without emotions on her face. “Oh, Edward is very bad! He almost betrayed his family and framed them, and also left the girl at such a hard time.”       “But that guy didn’t know what actually happened!”       “Yeah, but what would change? Do you think if she or someone else tries to tell Edward the truth, he will forget all the offenses and run to her to apologize? I don’t think so! Now that guy cares only about the money of his family. He’s obsessed with jealousy of his friend and his wealth.”       “What if there’s one powerful cure called Love that would literally bring him to life and make him change his mind and understand that he may make a great mistake.”       “Ah, I believe you’ve watched too many TV shows, my darling,” Alicia laughs kindly.       “You know, Alicia, anything happens. I don’t believe that guy is actually so horrible. I feel that even if Edward has the wish to exchange his family for money, he’s got something good yet. I think if the right person is by his side and reaches the bottom of his consciousness, he may stop.”       “But how do we find that person?”       “Let’s wait for a while. The only thing we can do is wait. To expect news from Mr. Cameron. He’s much closer to the MacClifes and able to find out what’s going on there.”       “You’re right, we can hardly do something. So, let’s just expect news and pray that this story ends well.”       Alicia sighs heavily and slightly fixes the glasses on the bridge of her nose, not being able to stop thinking that something very bad is going to happen at the nearest time.       

***

      The United States, New York. It’s about half past two. Terrence and Raquelle are in the living room along with Edward, who came here. Although the lovers are still mad at Lockhart they completely understand that they can do something and help Natalia only together. That’s why they try not to have conflicts with this guy, who is as quiet as a mouse.       Although Raquelle is in the living room along with Terrence and Edward, she is not very active in the talk, standing near the window, looking through it with her arms crossed over her chest, and saying something at times. She is now focused on the meeting with Victor Johnson and Darwin Austin and is terribly nervous because of how everything will go on. Moreover, Raquelle cannot still imagine how she could get out of the home without making Terrence suspect anything and making him follow her. All the plans of Victor and Darwin must be kept secret.       Terrence and Edward are sitting on sofas in front of each other and talking about what’s happening. Although there is still tension in their relationship, it’s not so terrible now. MacClife hides any emotions, and Lockhart is very shy and gives no reason to doubt his decency and reluctance to betray his family.       “That bastard was hiding her at his home,” Edward says a little excitedly, leaning on his laps with his elbows, slouching slightly, and looking into the distance.       “His home?” Terrence wonders, keeping his arms crossed over his chest. “But how do you know?”       “Uncle Michael sent me a message this morning and clearly let me know he was hiding Natalia at his house.”       “Really?”       Edward exhales sharply, takes his mobile phone from the pocket of his coat, finds something quickly, and gives it to Terrence, saying:       “Read it if you don’t believe.”       Terrence takes the phone from Edward and runs his eyes over the message that makes him understand his friend does not lie.       “Michael: Hi, my beloved nephew! Uncle Mickey does worry about you! I was told that you nearly died after being strongly hit on the head. When you were trying to protect one wonderful beauty from my people but, unfortunately, lost. You are probably grieving and suffering because you could not save her and are afraid that she is about to die. So, I thought a little and decided to text you and calm you down a little. I want to say that Natalia is in my house under the view of my most trustworthy people. I already talked to Ms. Rochester and let her know that any resistance would be worthless. I hope that truly beautiful blondie got it and would behave as quietly as a mouse. All my people got so excited. Everybody wants to play with that beauty. They are surprised you were such a moron and lost such a gorgeous candy that is wanted to eat so badly. If only they didn’t fight with each other for several days that she will spend in my incredible house…”       After reading the message until the end, Terrence shakes his head and runs his eyes over it again.       “My gosh…” Terrence pronounces thoughtfully. “So, that man is keeping Natalia near himself. At his house.”       “I guessed he could be hiding her at his house,” Edward confesses. “But I thought he’d find a further place to hide her there.”       “So, as we know where she is, we should take her out. We’ve gotta take Natalia away!”       “No, Terrence! I already tried to go there, but it was unsuccessfully!”       “You went there?” Terrence rounds his eyes, staring at Edward amazingly.       “Yes. Uncle sent me the message somewhere around eleven A.M. After reading it, I immediately went to his home and tried to get in and take Natalia away. But the security didn’t open the gate. Those idiots didn’t deny Natalia was at that house, but I was banned from getting closer to that.”       “Michael told them?”       “Yes, they said it was Uncle Michael’s order. I tried to get in by force, screamed, fought, and threatened, but the security didn’t give in. And then Eric, the main kiss-ass of my uncle, came to them and also said I wasn’t allowed to cross the doorstep. He even threatened to lock me there if I kept screaming, fighting, and biting.”       “So, didn’t you get into that?”       “Sadly. And I got lots of slaps and a bruise under my eye.” Edward runs a finger over a bright blue bruise under his little puffy eyes, wincing from the pain. “That old bastard wasn’t pleased to show up. The motherfucker was hiding in the house.”       “Oh, damn…” Terrence exhales sharply, running his hand over his face.       “And then I went here.”       “I see.”       “By the way, read what’s written after Uncle’s message. That cad texted me after I unsuccessfully went to his home.”       Terrence scrolls down the messages with buttons on the phone and finds several messages from Michael and Edward.       “Michael: So, Edward, didn’t you take your ex away? Did the evil men not let you in? They said I told them not to let you come to her not for anything? Yeah, it’s true! I was told you were trying to get in here by force… How you were furious, screaming, fighting, and swearing like a bastard… Bravo, dear, you looked like an idiot, who pretended to be a hero. But I see you did not die and are afraid the gal would die. Alright, sweetie, alright…”       “Edward: You are a bastard, Uncle! Just a real asshole that I do want to strangle! You were VERY lucky that your pathetic pals stood in my way and did not let me reach you! Otherwise, I would have smashed you against the wall. I have always madly hated you, but after what you did to Natalia, my patience has been gone. JACKASS! I HATE YOU!”       “Michael: Calm down, baby, don’t be raged. Better have a rest and treat your head. Go to a hospital and get yourself examined. What if you have brain damage. Though, I shall need you when it’s time for your close epeople and that young beauty to die. When you have to make a decision, depending on which you will either die along with those bastards or not.”       “Edward: Remember, if something happens to that girl, I swear you will regret it! YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY! DO NOT DARE TO TOUCH THAT GIRL WITH A FINGER! I do want to see her ALIVE! If she dies because of you, get ready: either you will die in prison, or I will kill you. DON’T DARE TO TOUCH NATALIA, PSYCHO! OTHERWISE, I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MYSELF!”       “Michael: Oh, my boy, you’d rather think of what you write in messages. Because I can easily use it against you and blame you for threatening me.”       “Edward: I do give A FUCK about your threats! I’m no longer afraid of you and your pals! Remember, Uncle Michael, if something happens to Natalia, expect no mercy from me. I give a fuck about how I will pay for the wish to defeat you and revenge for the sufferings and death of that girl. I will not leave it unnoticed. YOU DID TURN ME INTO AN ANIMAL!”       “Michael: Shut up and listen, little puppy: that gal is alive yet, but if she tries to run away, she will have to regret it very much. Now she does not get tortured by hunger and is not kept tied. But in case the beauty starts fighting and scratching like a wide cat, I will have to take measures. And let my dear Eugene get her a little cold, play with her and inject her a sedative. And you may not even show up on the doorstep of my house until I call you with an order to bring your ass here. You can suffer a little because Natalia will die very soon, and think of a wish to strangle yourself because of the truth you know now. I’m saying goodbye to you! See you soon, my little baby.”       “Edward: If you stand in my way, I shall, JACKASS, DESTROY YOU! AND THAT BASTARD WAINWRIGHT! AND YOUR KICK-ASS BROWN! YOU WILL PAY ME FOR EVERYTHING! I HATE YOU! CURSE YOU, ASSHOLES! DIE! DIE!”       After this, Michael texted nothing, and Terrence stops reading the last message and shakes his head, being a little shocked and trying to find words for two more seconds.       “Wow, what things…” Terrence exhales sharply. “The messages of that old man have so many mistakes… He can make two or three mistakes in one word. He didn’t definitely type in a rush.”       “Yeah, that man is absolutely illiterate,” Edward agrees. “And he is an old bastard, whose face I want to beat so badly. Push him right in mud…”       “Well, at least we know where to find Natalia.”       “But we can hardly be sure that those bastards would do nothing to her.”       “Right… Especially if there is the sick jackass, Wainwright is near her…”       “It would be good if Natalia behaved quietly. Maybe, they’d harm her much less. Uncle did let us know if she resisted them, it would be worse for her.”       “It would be good if Michael didn’t hold her for too long and showed up as soon as possible.”       “I think he will be holding her near himself for one day or two.” Edward crosses his arms over his chest, throwing a gloomy gaze aside for a second. “He probably wanna make us nervous.”       “Yeah, he probably thinks that if we know when he wanna revenge, we’ll have time to get ready.” Terrence puts the phone on the table, but Edward takes it and puts it in the pocket of his coat. “He wanna give a hit at a sudden moment.”       “You’re right. Uncle loves saying that he will give a strike earlier than someone realizes it and do something against him.”       “Nevertheless, we should be ready that the deadbeat may show up at any time.” Terrence leans back, crossing his arms over his chest and raising his head slightly.       “But it will hardly happen today,” Edward assumes quietly. “Natalia was kidnapped yesterday. So, it means it’s not even been one day since that. That bastard loves playing time, making his pleasure longer and making everybody nervous.”       “But what do we do now? We must not just sit! Otherwise, Michael will really kill all of us! He texted that he’d do it on the day he’d let us know what happened to Natalia.”       “We can only go to the police, but it won’t give us some results ‘cause they’ll be catching Uncle in crime. But we can’t wait. Nobody knows how Natalia would behave. She might make them so furious that Uncle could tell that sick freak Wainwright to mock her. But I don’t want it to happen.”       “What if we go to his home together? What if we get into his house and find Natalia together?”       “We can hardly do it.” Edward slowly becomes straight and raises his head. “You did read the messages that clearly said Uncle gave the order not to let me in the house. Even if we go there together, his people will kick us out and beat us strongly. If I hadn’t given up and kept resisting, those bastards would’ve easily beaten me to death. Or they would’ve actually locked me at the house and tied me up.”       “But how many guards are there at Michael’s house?”       “Many, actually. But two big, six-foot-tall guards are standing near the gates of his home. They always ask whom you come to and why. Before letting you in the house, they may ask Uncle for permission to find out if he’s waiting for you.”       “The same happens to you?”       “Nope, those two know my face and even yell, ‘Hiya, Eddy!’ when seeing me one mile away. But since they’ve got one brain for both of them, sometimes they forget who I am, and I have to call my name.”       “It’s weird…” Terrence frowns slightly. “I thought Michael surrounded his ass with much more guards… I thought they kept every single corner under their view.”       “There are usually only two near the gates, but today two more came to help them. So, they kicked my ass all together and told me to get out of there.”       “Hey, is everybody aware of his tricks? Maybe, there is someone, who doesn’t guess what he’s doing?”       “No, no, everybody knows everything. They do even encourage it, and Uncle pays them not only for their work but also for an additional one. Michael trusts all those people and tells them about his plans.”       “Do only men work for him?”       “Nope, women do, as well. When I go to his home, I always meet Catherine, the girl, who's working as a servant at his house. She always meddles in everything, but Uncle says nothing to her and believes it’s fine. Besides, he literally praises her and would definitely marry her if she didn’t date someone. But since she had a boyfriend, Uncle lost a chance to have at least one wedding.”       “Oh, wow…” Terrence thinks for two seconds. “That stinker surrounded himself with quite trustworthy people. He would hardly do all of that on his own.”       “He’s wanted to be praised all his life, even if he’s done nothing good. So, he met bastards with the same disgusting character, gave them much of Father’s money, and started getting praise. Doing his dirty things not to dirt his white hands in dirt and blood. And being sure his old ass and stolen things are safe.”       “Is he worried about all the wealth or his worthless life so much?”       “He is! That old man is so used to a gorgeous life that he’s now afraid to end up outside in his underwear. If the wealth belonged to him, I’d say no word. I wouldn’t be furious if he said he owned it. But it does belong to my father, not him. He was the real owner of everything Uncle stole so insolently!”       “But how did he rob your father so well and leave nothing to him? I believe he was robbing him not for one or two years.”       “Uncle started robbing Father when I was living with him. I remember he told my stepmother his friend was holding on somehow when Grandma and Grandpa were alive, but went nuts after their death. I don’t know how Uncle was doing it, but the fact that Father’s important things and money were quickly disappearing made me suspicious.”       “But how did you find out they started disappearing? He said?”       “He said it to my stepmother. She was surprised that his expensive watch that the woman gave him on their wedding anniversary disappeared. So, he definitely lied that he let one familiar man wear it for some time. They couldn’t blame me for stealing, ‘cause I didn’t know the password from the case, in which he kept them.”       “So, Michael knew it?”       “Maybe. But somehow, I heard the talk of Father and Uncle, who were talking as if they had been enemies all their life. I don’t remember what it was about, but Uncle said if Father didn’t give him something, he would give someone pain.”       “He gave him the watch at his wish?”       “At least, he said nothing to my stepmother. But if Uncle demanded something, Father could give the watch or sell it for big money.”       “Hm…” Terrence frowns slightly and starts thinking, stroking his chin. “So, Michael used blackmail and intimidation… And your father was afraid of him so much that he succumbed to the provocations and gave him everything he had at his wish…”       “I don’t exclude it. Uncle has hinted that Father gave his wealth at his wish many times. Well, not quite ‘at his wish’… Most likely, voluntary-compulsory.”       “Your father was so naive?”       “As Uncle says, yes. Of course, I’ve never believed Father would do that, but after thinking a little, I began to think he didn’t lie.”       “So, was he a bad, naive man?” Terrence gets a little surprised.       “You know, although Father didn’t almost give me attention, I never considered him a bad man,” Edward confesses, slouching slightly and tightly locking his fingers. “Yes, maybe, he made lots of mistakes, but Father did nothing bad personally to me. Something to make me stop calling him the one.”       “But what about the day when he caught you in his office?” Terrence looks at Edward surprisingly. “Weren’t you hurt that he almost kicked you out of home because of such a stupid thing?”       “I’m hurt, but I’m starting to believe that Father was mad not because I went to his office and found the photo of my mother. Something could happen between him and Uncle and make him mad. I remember one servant that was working at my stepmother’s home told another that Uncle Michael had come to him to talk.”       “You wanna say your father went to the office after that talk, saw you, and started screaming?”       “Yup, he had already been excited. And I believe Uncle was the one to make him angry.”       “Did your stepmother know about his visit? Did she actually know your uncle?”       “She knew him, but she wasn’t home on that day. Just like her children. The servant said they went somewhere together.”       “But how did your uncle make your father so furious?”       “Who the hell knows! After they ran into each other, it never ended well. Uncle spread his poison of anger upon Father, and that one was mad and got shortly excited. At first, Father was quiet and level-headed but a little cold, but when Uncle showed up, there was another man standing in front of me. Who I was really afraid of.”       “Did your father hate your uncle so much that he got enraged when seeing him?”       “Oh, yeah!” Edward exclaims. “They were always great enemies that would never establish their relationship. And if Father was unhappy or furious about something, he never hid his emotions.”       “Michael is the same?”       “First, he tries to keep his emotions inside. But if something makes him annoyed or angry, he will start shooting flashes of lightning. Just like it happens to me: Uncle is quiet and speaks with his personal grins, but when he gets mad, he shows his simper and claws.”       “That’s how…”       “Yeah, yesterday, when I came here, I thought you were very similar to Father in strong anger,” Edward notices thoughtfully. “Same gestures, same facial expressions, same loud voice… And when I told you about the inheritance, and you got enraged, you were his image.”       It’s a little unpleasant for Terrence to think of what happened a few days ago. He gets obsessed with awkwardness and shame, regretting the cruel fight with Edward and beating him at the bottom of his heart. But the man does not betray his emotions and tries to hide them deep inside, still staying cold and unflappable.       “Everybody says I’m similar to my father,” Terrence replies in a low voice and frowns slightly. “And sometimes I think it’s true.”       “Well, since your mother always says it, it’s absolutely true,” Edward says quietly.       “She always tells me I’m literally the image of Father. There’s nothing bad about it, but sometimes I wanna make people stop comparing us.”       “You still hate him?”       “I don’t know, Edward.” Terrence tears his back off the back of the sofa and becomes straight. “Maybe, I really hated him. But on the day when I told you about my memory, and you hinted that everything could be otherwise, it made me doubt. I began to think about what happened and ask myself if something like that could happen before my birth. Even if we assume it didn’t happen, what could provoke Father to slap Mother?”       “Haven’t you recalled that person?”       “How would I do it?” Terrence throws his hands up.       “And hasn’t your mother dropped hints?”       “She’s never talked to me about it. But Mother definitely knows something about that story.”       “Listen, Terrence…” Edward frowns slightly, putting a finger on his lip. “Of course, I can’t confirm it, but what if the man, whom Mrs. MacClife told you about, had to do with both of the cases? Provoked your parents’ divorce and said those words about your father…”       “My uncle?” Terrence rounds his eyes. “Why do you think it’s him?”       “Just assumed. I think there’s nobody else to really wish to get your parents divorced and to turn at least you against your father. It was a benefit only for your uncle.”       “Hm…” Terrence frowns slightly. “But it’s possible. But if we assume that Uncle did it, did he know where to find me and Mother? Did he go to our home and tell me about Father?”       “And if it’s true, Mrs. MacClife knows the truth for sure. She can say who was at your home when you were a kid.”       “No doubt that Mother can tell me what happened to Father, and why he got excited on the day of their breakup.”       “Somehow, a long time ago, Mrs. MacClife told me she and your father had a conflict that started for nothing. But judging her story about their hard life, I can assume they just had a nervous breakdown. That’s why they fought and broke up after Father’s slap. Even a little help from your grandma didn’t make the situation better.”       “That’s how… So, was their marriage ruined by domestic problems? Strong stress, a lack of money and food, a hard job…”       “Sort of. Maybe, everything would’ve been different if their lives had been much better. Maybe, because your uncle deprived your father of so much, they lived so badly and didn’t pass the test.”       “Damn, I need to figure out this situation. I must find out what happened on that day and try to recall that person.”       “Your mother refuses to tell the truth and insists upon a meeting with your father.”       “It’s okay, I’ll sort everything out,” Terrence says confidently and shakes his head sharply to move some strands of hair off his eyes. “But later. Now we have a more important business than searching for reasons for our parents’ divorce.”       “Oh, if everything was so easy…” Edward says without emotions, exhaling sharply and setting his gaze into the distance.       Terrence says nothing and just glances at Edward. Then they silently sit for a few seconds with their heads inclined, looking at different sides or their hands. But then MacClife glances aside for a moment and pays attention to Raquelle, who is still standing near the window with her arms crossed over her chest, watching what’s happening outside with a sad gaze and stopping being a part of the talk.       “Hey, Raquelle, are you okay?” Terrence asks. “Why are you standing near the window and being silent?”       “If I’m not mistaken, you’ve been standing near the window for thirty or forty minutes,” Edward notices, moving his eyes to Raquelle. “And you haven’t sat down even once.”       “It’s alright, I’m just thinking,” Raquelle replies in a quiet, broken voice, slowly turns on Terrence and Edward, looking at the floor and still keeping her arms crossed over her chest. “And I’m listening to everything you say.”       “Listen, sweetie, we are all worried about Natalia,” Terrence says quietly. “But I’m sure she’s gonna be okay. She can survive. Blondie is a strong girl.”       “I know…” Raquelle swallows up nervously, still thinking about the meeting with Victor and Darwin. “But I'm worried about her… I don’t know if she can take all of that… If Natalia behaves badly, those people may do anything to her.”       “Let’s hope your friend will understand she’d make it worse for her if she was screaming, fighting, and biting. Natalia isn’t stupid and completely understands that a mouse caught in a mousetrap can’t run away.”       “I also wanna believe she would behave quietly,” Edward adds. “It’s the best thing Natalia can do now.”       “The appearance of her offender, Wainwright, would make her forget everything,” Raquelle replies excitedly. “It does scare me, you know.”       “You think I’m having fun? Or Terrence? We are all terribly upset because we can do nothing and ask nobody for help. Even the police won’t help us set Natalia free immediately. We have to wait for a good moment.”       “That’s what makes me upset.” Raquelle starts slowly walking in circles in the living room. “I don’t want my friend to suffer because of that sick man. Michael would make a terrible mistake if he decided to kill her just because she was almost raped by his pal and dated you.”       “Sadly, it doesn’t change his mind. That asshole decided to blackmail me with her life. He found another weakness that he could press on. And he’ll be pressing until he gets what he wants.”       “I understand it, but the problem is not only about it,” Raquelle replies quietly and sighs heavily. “You two just never experienced it and are just starting to realize what worrying about someone to be kidnapped means. But I’m experiencing the kidnapping of my close person for the second time. I was already like on needles when my aunt was taken away nobody knows where and was tried to kill. And now I’m getting over this hell again.”       “Nobody said it would be easy,” Terrence throws his hands up. “But now we have only to wait and be very careful not to get kidnapped by those sick people. And the police won’t really save Natalia at once.”       Raquelle shakes slightly after Terrence’s words about the police, but quickly has to take control of her not to betray herself and tell about a meeting with the policeman.       “I get it,” Raquelle says quietly. “But it’s terribly unpleasant that we have to do nothing and wait for Michael to be pleased to call and make his claims for Natalia’s freedom and life.”       “We don’t also like the fact that Michael decided to torture the poor girl and us.”       “Nevertheless, we should go to the police anyway. Go to all police stations until we find a policeman, who is not Michael’s bribed friend or one from his gang. There are many people on the police staff! We have a choice!”       “I talked to the police that lived at another end of the city and would hardly arrive here,” Edward confesses. “But he was surely bribed because he didn’t listen to anything and walked me away from the office.”       “So, you should’ve tried! You only talked to one policeman at one police station, though you could’ve gone somewhere else.”       “After I tried to go to the police to ask for help, Uncle later called me and prevented all my attempts to do it, saying the police of New York were bribed by him.”       “But it’s impossible, Edward, impossible!” Raquelle replies a little sharply and loudly. “First, a person may go to prison for a bribe. And second, he wouldn’t have enough money to bribe everybody from the police! He’d go bankrupt after giving away all the stolen money! He’d have tons of bribed friends, but literally wear only underwear.”       “He also pays his accomplices. And Uncle hasn’t gone bankrupt because he uses the money that he gets from the company’s income. But if he also gets the inheritance, all the rights will belong only to him. Neither Father, Mrs. MacClife, Terrence, nor I will have to do with the money, the house, the company, and everything.”       “It’s not his money!” Raquelle yells, being a little irritated. “The money does belong to your father! Your uncle has no right to it! And if your father is really dead, you are the only ones to have the right to it.”       “You think I don’t know it? I know it much better than everybody else! But we don’t need the money! Uncle can take everything! But it won’t make him leave us alone because he just wanna revenge Father. That old man already killed him and should only destroy much more people.”       “But where is the fucking proof of the fact that Michael really killed your father?” Raquelle resents loudly, throwing her hands up. “Where? Words have no power and must be proven by real things. A plea to identify the body, a death certificate, a report concerning the cause of death… Huh! Where is all of it? Where? Tell me!”       “Hey, hey, hey, why are you screaming?” Terrence gets a little confused, being surprised by the behavior of Raquelle. “Calm down, sweetie, calm down. I understand the situation is hard, and you’re worried a lot, but you should keep yourself under control somehow.”       “Ha, said the one, who would have great pleasure to destroy the whole living room and scream at someone,” Raquelle throws rudely.       “Me?” Terrence points at himself with his fingers, opening his eyes widely.       “Just don’t pretend to be an innocent angel that wouldn’t hurt a fly. You have no right to ask me to calm down when you dream of beating someone.”       “Gosh, Raquelle, what are you talking about? What’s happening to you? Since when have you been so irritated? Don’t remind me of all my past sins and get mad because of them.”       “If I want it, I shall do it!” Raquelle throws coldly. “So, you remember you are not perfect!”       “Raquelle…”       “Don’t make me enraged, MacClife. Otherwise, I will strangle you right here!”       “What did I the fuck do?” Terrence yells. “I’m sitting quietly on the sofa, but you’re getting excited for nothing!”       “Just get off me!” Raquelle cuts off sharply. “I have no wish to talk to you!”       “Indeed, Raquelle, what’s happening to you?” Edward wonders. “Why are you talking to Terrence like this? He does nothing to make you mad! Why did you get so nervous and irritated?”       “This man does irritate me!” Raquelle throws loudly, sharply waving her hands. “I’m sick of fighting with his fucking hysterics and disgusting character of a hysterical gal.”       “Calm the fuck down!” Terrence shouts. “Otherwise, we will really quarrel if you really want to have a scandal! Yesterday, you did the fuck wash my brains and then were annoying me for the whole evening when we came back home. What do you the fuck need? I give you no reason to get mad, but you are unhappy with something and make me guilty of what I did not do.”       “Aha, I think I wasn’t the one to get excited for nothing yesterday!” Raquelle crosses her arms over her chest, gloomily looking at Terrence. “For your information, I tried to change your mind! And if I hadn’t been next to you, someone’s blood would’ve surely been here!”       “Holy shit…” Terrence rolls his eyes, running his hands over his face and moaning quietly. “Don’t start talking about it again…”       “I know that not thinking about yourself looking like a hysterical girl is easier. But you must say, ‘thank you’ to me for preventing something bad yesterday.”       “Ar-r-r, shut up, Raquelle!” Terrence demands loudly and irritably. “Just shut up and don’t make me enraged! You will ask for trouble if you keep washing my brains at this fucking hard moment.”       “Is it the fuck easy for me now?” Raquelle shouts, pointing at herself with her fingers. “IS IT EASY FOR ME? IT IS TERRIBLY HARD FOR ME NOW!”       “Stop screaming at the whole house,” Terrence demands, strongly clenching his hands into hard fists and getting every single muscle tense. “But if your mental health isn’t fine, I’ll quickly make it better. Splash a bucket of water over you to make you finally wake up and stop acting like an idiot.”       “SPLASH, COME ON! GO! GRAB A BUCKET OF WATER! COME ON!”       “Gosh, you fight even at the hardest moment,” Edward meddles, shaking his head. “You should be together and support each other, but you fight like a cat and a dog instead.”       “You see that I didn’t start it,” Terrence replies without emotions. “I don’t know why this fucking hysterical girl started making me enraged. She does the fuck want to scream!”       “Ah, am I a hysterical girl?” Raquelle asks rudely. “I AM THE FUCK A HYSTERICAL GIRL! SO, YOU ARE SWEET AND FLUFFY? BUT LOVES BEATING EVERYBODY’S FACES AND SCREAMING LIKE A PSYCHO! BUT NO, YOU ARE GOOD, KIND, AND SWEET!”       “Stop making me furious!” Terrence waves his hands sharply. “I’m so nervous because of this situation with Michael, and I also have to stand your demons and changes of mood. If you have PMS, say it or write it on your forehead, so I keep myself far from you.”       “Put on a table, ‘Beware of the dog!’ So, people know they’re having a deal with a real psycho that not every person can take.”       “Gosh, Raquelle, what are you talking about?” Edward wonders, shaking his head.       “Don’t start quarreling with her, Edward, otherwise she’ll wash your brains, too,” Terrence throws in a lower voice. “Or actually kill you in anger…”       “Wow, I thought you’d be happy with it!” Raquelle wonders loudly. “If I did what I stopped you from!”       “You will ask for trouble, bitch!” Terrence clenches his hands into hard fists, feeling his body getting tenser and tenser from evil. “If you keep running this show! I AM THE FUCK SICK OF IT! SICK! YOU ANNOYED ME WITH YOUR REPROACHES, SHOUTS, AND CHARGES FOR WHAT I DID NOT DO!”       “Come on, show everybody what a sick psycho you are!” Raquelle puts her hands on her hips. “COME ON, MACCLIFE, WHAT YOU ARE WAITING FOR! YOU CAN HIT ME IF I ANNOY YOU SO MUCH!”       “Sick idiot…” Terrence blunts, rolling his eyes.       “STILL SURPRISED THAT I HAVE LIVED ONE YEAR WITH SUCH AN UNSTABLE ONE! THE MAN THAT NEVER LEARNS FROM MISTAKES AND DOES NOT EVEN TRY TO GET BETTER!”       “Alright, scumbag, YOU ANNOYED ME!”       Terrence jumps off the sofa and wants to run to Raquelle to do something to her. But Edward stops him immediately, being dumbfounded by what’s happening.       “No, Terrence!” Edward exclaims loudly. “Don’t do it!”       “Ar-r-r…” Terrence groans crossly, clenching his hand tightly into a hard fist and closing his eyes for a moment with a strong shake in his body. “I’m sick of all of this… I AM DONE WITH IT! RID ME OF EVERYTHING THAT IS THE FUCK HAPPENING TO ME! ALRIGHT, I AM DONE!”       “Want me to call an ambulance, so you’re taken to the mental hospital?” Raquelle snaps. “Or find a sedative in the first-aid kit?”       “Go to hell, bitch! I’m sick of getting tons of reproaches and charges for having unstable mental health as the thankfulness for care and anxiety. ENOUGH! DO WHAT YOU WANT! I AM SICK OF TAKING CARE OF YOU LIKE A BABY! ALRIGHT! I AM DONE!”       Terrence, grabbing his hair, turns around sharply and goes to the side where the kitchen is quickly and nervously. And Raquelle, still standing near the sofa with her arms crossed over her chest, watches the man with a gloomy gaze. The girl understands it’s not the best moment for conflicts, but she is on edge because of worrying.       “You’re scaring me…” Edward says a little hesitantly, locking his fingers tightly.       “Sorry for making you hear it,” Raquelle exhales sharply. “But he’s terribly irritating me.”       “But why? What did he do if you got so mad at him?”       “I’ll just never accept the character of that man.” Raquelle tiredly sits on the sofa, on which Terrence was sitting, puts his hand on her forehead, and raises her head slightly. “It’s too hard. I can’t control it, and especially change.”       “Sorry for meddling, but I think you’re crossing the line,” Edward notices. “You don’t talk to each other or start talking very coldly and then end it with arguments for stupid reasons.”       “I want to see him less right now. I can’t… Ugh…” Raquelle shakes slightly. “I do wanna strangle that man so badly.”       “What’s happening to you? Why are you so aggressive toward your fiancé? It’d be okay if Terrence gave you a reason and really irritated you. But he does his best to take care of you and protect you from Uncle. That man does know what threatening Natalia might threaten you.”       “Sometimes it’s very hard for me to hold him down and stop him when he wants to do something in aggression.”       “So, the problem is that you’re trying to protect me?” Edward opens his eyes widely. “You’re holding Terrence down, so he doesn’t attack me with fists?”       “No matter how much Terrence doesn’t want it, we’ll have to be together to save Natalia and ourselves.”       “Don’t protect me, Raquelle. I will do it and can stand up for myself. Don’t make your relationship with Terrence worse because of your wish not to let him attack me.”       “But I don’t want him to do something to you. I don’t like fights and believe any problems must be solved verbally, not with fists.”       “I know, but it’s not worth it.” Edward looks at his hands for a few seconds and starts pulling a sleeve of his coat. “Besides, I understand him. Understand why he attacked me and beat me strongly on the day of revealing all the secrets and wanted to kick me out of home yesterday. I insulted his feelings. The way he behaved was quite fine.”       “Nevertheless, I should control him. Otherwise, he might make tons of mistakes he will regret later.” Raquelle sighs tiredly and shakes her head. “Although I madly love that man, sometimes it’s very hard for me to be with him because of his strong aggression. Sometimes he gets so wide that I start fearing him.”       “I also feared him when he got enraged. Just one crazy gaze from him made everything inside me turn upside down, and I felt a terrible frost on my body.”       “Oh…” Raquelle puts her hand on her forehead and rubs it slightly. “I’m also horrified when he’s enraged. At these moments, I may even start to regret agreeing to marry him. Ask myself if this decision is right.”       “Sorry, Raquelle, but you’re provoking scandals yourself. You shouldn’t press on him and remind him of what he did. Whatever that is, and however it happened, you shouldn’t start talking about his past actions. And you shouldn’t remind him of his great aggression. I think he does understand he’s got a hard character and does his best to fight with it.”       “I know, Edward. But sometimes I may not hold myself down. Sometimes he makes me so enraged that I wanna take a plate and crush it against his head. I dunno… There are moments when I can’t see Terrence.”       “Nobody makes you spend all the time together. If you don’t wanna see each other, don’t do it. Go to different rooms and stay there ‘till you calm down.”       “Absolutely everything has lately made me furious,” Raquelle confesses. “Terrence may do nothing or just breathe, but I may not take his pretense.”       “But why? What don’t you like about him? Or the problem is what’s happening? Or maybe, you hide something from him? Don’t you want him to know it?”       “I think the problem is the tense situation. I think we are all terribly nervous. First the letters, then the attacks and chases… And now Natalia’s kidnapping… Everything layered on one another… And it made everything worse.”       “I completely understand the situation is very tense now. But if we want the story to end, we should be together. By reproaching him, you push Terrence off yourself more and more and may lose him as your protector. You can’t save yourself if you run into Uncle Michael and his gang.”       “Don’t forget what you did, as well.” Raquelle, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, glances at Edward. “You did also remind him of all the sins. You said you’d always judge Terrence for his actions and believe he deserved all the problems. So, you can’t judge me after you did a terrible thing to that man.”       “I got really heated when saying it,” Edward replies with sadness in his eyes. “The fight with Natalia got me too excited and made me lose control of mine. I’m really very sorry about what happened. I swear, I’ve never despised Terrence for what he did to you. Yes, I don’t approve of his actions, but I don’t think MacClife could be added to the list of bastards that must be isolated. And I do really feel sorry for him.”       “But you clearly let us know it. You insulted him, humiliated him… Let him know that you madly hated him and were jealous of what he had gotten. You thought it was unfair.”       “Even if I said something then, it was said in evil. After the fight with your friend, whom I was mad at because of her alleged betrayal, it was impossible to watch my mouth. When I was mad, I usually tried to control myself somehow. But on that day, I broke down! I couldn’t be silent anymore!”       “The case is not only about what you said about him. You also insulted me and called me the way you called Natalia. And thus, you provoked Terrence much more. Did you think he’d pretend that nothing bad happened?”       “I’ve never thought you were bad. You’re Terrence’s fiancée, and I love you like a sister. And I'm very sorry for making you a part of that scandal. I didn’t want you and Terrence to be involved in my fight with Natalia.”       “You hardly remembered about your close people, who were really disappointed in you after what they heard.”       “Raquelle, I swear on whatever you want, I’ve never thought you’re so terrible and wouldn’t now dare to say you’re a prostitute that reached her success in the modeling business through a bed,” Edward excuses himself with pity in his eyes. “And I won’t dare to say Terrence deserved his success after sleeping with the daughters of powerful people from the show business.”       “I wanna believe you. And I try to tolerate you, at least for Natalia.”       “Not to let what happened to Natalia happen to you, I’m ready to help Terrence protect you. Uncle has very many friends. All of them are quite tough guys. And I’m afraid he wouldn’t deal with them alone. Maybe, I didn’t save your friend, but I’ll do my best not to let those stinkers reach for you.”       “I know, Edward, but I’m afraid you can’t do it together,” Raquelle replies anxiously. “Even if we ran into Michael’s people, they might easily knock you two out. I’d stay all alone, and those people would do anything to me.”       “We know, but doing something together is easier than alone. Even if you can protect yourself and resist, it doesn’t mean you'll get off those deadbeats. Unlike you, Natalia isn’t as brave as you. Even if she tries to seem to be sassy, that girl is actually very vulnerable, timid, and sensitive.”       “I agree about Natalia. She does really just seem to be sassy and brave, though it’s just a mask,” Raquelle thinks for a few seconds with sadness in her eyes. “And after what happened to her, Natalia will change much more. It all became a strong shock for her.”       “It’s right…” Edward replies thoughtfully, running his hand slowly over his hair. “I don’t know what would’ve happened to her if nobody had been by the side of that girl. She would’ve withdrawn into herself and done something bad.”       “I’m even afraid to think about it,” Raquelle says quietly. “What happened on the day she couldn’t take it all was enough for me. I’m still shaking from what I had to see…”       “If I’d known everything earlier, I would’ve never done such a cruel and unfair thing to her.” Edward thinks for two seconds, shakes his head, and glances down. “I’ll never forgive myself for not even trying to find out everything and starting to blame her for everything.”       “Although you did a disgusting thing, I understand you anyway. Understand you felt betrayed.”       “Mrs. MacClife said I needed the one to wake me up and let me know I should’ve found out everything before blaming someone. Sadly, I didn’t have them by my side ‘cause I wanted to say nothing. But everything could’ve been otherwise if I’d come to someone and told them about my suspicions.”       “You were ashamed to show the photos?”       “I didn’t wanna get anyone involved in our business. I thought we’d solve it without anyone’s help. But as the experience shows… Sometimes we need to ask someone for help or advice. Especially when we literally boil from evil. There are things that we can’t solve on our own.”       “Glad you understand it,” Raquelle cracks a smile.       “Maybe, I’ve made so many mistakes that living my whole life wouldn’t be enough to pay for them. But I don’t wanna let everything happen as it wants, and I am gonna fight ‘till the end. No matter what’s gonna happen to my relationship with that girl.”       “I think Natalia will appreciate the fact that you’re trying to save her. She’ll be grateful to you if you save her from your uncle. And maybe, she’ll even forgive you some time later.”       “Honestly, I don’t almost hope for it,” Edward confesses in a broken, quiet voice. “I’m just doing my duty. Doing what I must do. If I do nothing and let Uncle keep revenging us because of hate for Father and do something for Natalia to die, I’ll never forgive myself. I won’t just be able to live with this sin. I’ve made enough mistakes in my life and don’t wanna make much more.”       “You know, Edward…” Raquelle thinks for a few seconds, setting her gaze into the distance, but then moving them to Edward. “I’m listening to you and starting to think your relationship with Natalia is kind of similar to my relationship with Terrence… Almost the same happened to us and made us close to breaking up… MacClife thought I betrayed him and was cold to him ‘cause I had another man. Though, the problem was that I wasn’t really ready for a relationship. And we began to get busy with work at some moment. Eventually. Every one of us got cold for each other. And the story of Simon showed all our problems.”       “Two people should work on their relationship. When only one pulls it out, it doesn’t make sense. Early or late, someone gets sick of trying to reach for the one, who doesn’t want to understand and listen to them.”       “I know,” Raquelle sighs heavily and starts locking the fingers of her hands. “When the story of Simon ended, I started to seriously think of the breakup and proved to everybody that I no longer loved Terrence, and everything was over between us. I said the only solution was a breakup. At heart, I didn’t want it, but I didn’t wanna admit that I’d be unhappy without MacClife. Only when Terrence heard I was gonna break up with him, I realized I actually wanted it less than anything.”       “Have you never regretted it?”       “Never. I think the decision to give Terrence another chance was one of the best in my life. Now I understand that if I’d left as far as possible, I would’ve forgotten that man. Maybe, I wouldn’t have taken it and would’ve come back to him after the breakup. I think… No matter how much I think of leaving him, I wouldn’t do this. I… I can’t longer imagine my life without him.”       “When you were screaming at Terrence, I thought you got sick of him and thought of leaving him,” Edward confesses shyly.       “Maybe, he sometimes makes me mad for nothing, but I can’t leave him.” Raquelle falls into silence for two seconds and smiles slightly with sadness in her eyes. “No matter which fights and disagreements we have, that man will always be special to me. He’s the best part of my life, which has been full of bad moments. All these fights make me sad and give me pain… I’m afraid Terrence will get sick of it someday and wish to cancel the wedding and leave me.”       “So, why do you give him pain from all these groundless fights? Yes, I understand anyone fights, especially if they’re married, but you make a scandal out of nothing. You’re irritated just because he’s breathing. He’d make you irritated if he was dead.”       “I did say I was just too nervous because of what happened and want everything to end well.”       “And are you putting your relationship in danger because of it?” Edward wonders, looking at the depressed Raquelle with sadness in her eyes. “Do you understand Terrence’s patience isn’t endless? Even if you mean much to him, he might just be sick of you and leave! You don’t want it, but definitely aim that it happens!”       “Yes, Edward, I understand everything,” Raquelle replies in a little shaking voice. “But understand, it’s very hard for me. This situation deprives me of the rest of my strength. And now, when my friend is in the hands of those sick people, I’m desperate and don’t know what to do.”       “Do you think I’m not desperate? You think I’m not pulling my hair out because I couldn’t save your friend from those beasts and literally let them take her to Uncle’s home? I do want the ground to swallow me up! From shame! From a fear of looking into the eyes of the girl, to who I swore on my life that I wouldn’t let Uncle’s people touch her with a finger! As if I don’t literally have to put myself together in pieces and not to let myself give up and hide from everyone like a coward!”       “I do also have to put myself together in pieces. Not to piss everything off. To stay strong at this hard time.”       “But what do you want to get by starting scandals for Terrence? Do you feel better when you scream at him and remind him of all his past sins? If a person isn’t perfect and does know the weaknesses that he or she tries to fight with, it doesn’t mean you should literally point at the list of all the things they’ve done. You’d make it much worse if you kept thinking about your scandal, about his slap, about him cheating on you with that blonde, about him leaving you at a hard time…”       “Yes, Edward, you’re right…”       “Stop, Raquelle, enough! If you don’t wanna bring everything to something terrible, you must stop it. If you decided to forgive him and try to start it all again, what’s the point in coming back to the past and reproaching him for what happened? Live in the present and love him for what he is. You can’t change someone by force. They can change only when they want it. If they have a real reason to get better for someone and wean themselves away from bad habits.”       “I know.”       “Maybe, you couldn’t see that, but I remember the days when you gonna break up.” Edward thinks for two seconds and swallows up nervously. “I saw Terrence’s condition when I met him for the first time in my life. He was so depressed and broken, but he tried to hide it somehow. Though, that man didn’t hide that he lost hope for the best, even if he couldn’t believe that he should’ve broken up with you because of his mistake that he immediately told me about with no fear.”       Edward glances at his hands for a second.       “And you know, although Terrence seems to be a strong and invulnerable man at first sight, I thought your upcoming breakup showed all his weaknesses and rid him of a certain shield, with which he was fighting any difficulties off. I should’ve just looked at him to understand how hard he felt. So hard that I was really horrified that he’d get sick of living and do something to himself someday. Of course, I tried not to press on the painful thing and to distract him somehow. And Daniel and Peter helped him well. We knew he felt very bad and tried to do our best not to make his condition worse.”       After hearing the phrase “he’d get sick of living”, Raquelle sharply raises her head and scarily looks at Edward, recalling the night when Terrence told her he could have done something to himself in case they had not saved their relationship. The girl wants to tell Lockhart about it, but decides to be silent because of her fiancé’s plea not to tell anyone about it and pretend she does not know what it means.       “Oh, sorry, what do you mean ‘he’d get sick of living?’” Raquelle asks hesitantly.       “You see, Terrence felt so broken that it was hard to hide,” Edward replies with sadness in his eyes. “I saw he hated himself for ruining your relationship because of his actions, and I heard that man often saying he wanted the ground to swallow him up in shame. Besides, it was never a secret that he agreed to create a band with Peter and Daniel just because he didn’t wanna deprive the guys of a chance to get famous. He knew they wanted to become musicians and didn’t wanna ruin their dreams. And he agreed to tour with ‘The Loser Syndrome’ by force. He did give a damn about the band’s success. He was just doing it for his friends, for their dream. It’s like a disliked job: it irritates you, but you can’t leave it for some reason.”       “I do know it,” Raquelle shrugs. “Terrence said he didn’t wanna be a part of the band at first.”       “And it was just the beginning.” Edward glances aside for a second. “Somehow, I was here and suggested to him an idea for a song that I thought up accidentally. We were in his room, talking about it for a long time and trying to make it perfect. But at some moment, Christiana came to him and said he was wanted to come to the phone. So, when he left, I decided to check his notebook, in which he wrote lyrics for songs. But half of everything was struck out, and some pages were torn out. And at some moment, I found something scary…”       “What?”       “There were depressive lines that didn’t fit any songs he had written. They were about death, depression, a nervous breakdown, hysterics, and all negative things. Those words made me think Terrence thought of a wish to die and confirmed my guesses that I got after I had seen his condition…”       “Really?” Raquelle asks in a little shaking voice, opening her eyes widely.       “I got really horrified and started being afraid that suffering because of you would lead to something tragic. I was afraid that the man I just met would love to kill himself because of the girl he loved so much.” Edward glances down and sighs quietly. “But I couldn’t find the courage to ask him about it. I didn’t wanna give him more pain. I actually tried to avoid talking about you and your relationship. And I did my best to help him somehow.”       “But he talked much about it?”       “He could say a couple of words at times, but he tried to be silent and control himself. However, I felt his condition was much worse than it seemed at first sight.” Edward swallows up nervously. “I dunno… I started feeling his pain immediately… Something like a connection… When one feels bad, another starts to feel it, too. I couldn’t quietly watch Terrence and barely pretended that everything was fine. I saw he’d be happy to talk to someone about it and… Maybe… Shed a tear… Maybe, it happened when nobody saw him. Because… He wants to seem to be a strong and confident man, but he was afraid these confessions and tears could make people doubt his words.”       “You really felt it?”       “Yes, although it had been a little time since we met for the first time, it was enough for me to get tightly attracted to him and get a love for him,” Edward confesses with sadness in his eyes. “Terrence quickly became my close person, to whom I could tell everything. I got attracted to him as if we had known each other all our lives and had never been separated in childhood. I have some friends, but I can’t tell them what I would tell him. He’s always been my best friend, with whom I feel more than just comfortable with. And who I’m afraid to lose someday for any reason. I don’t want him to suffer and especially die. I don’t want…”       Raquelle feels strong remorse, starting to understand that she might bring Terrence to the edge and make him either kill himself or just leave her without coming back to her. The girl knows she needs to control her emotions. But it’s very hard for her to stay quiet, when everything is so hard, and she is worried about what should be kept secret so far.       “I didn’t know everything was so serious…” Raquelle says quietly, trying to hold tears down. “Really, I didn’t… I wouldn’t have thought he’d really love to do that.”       “I told what I personally saw,” Edward shrugs. “The opinion that I got. And I hope it will impact you somehow.”       “Do you think he loves me so much that he could kill himself if he lost me?”       “You don’t see it. I think that’s why Terrence calls you the reason why he’s still alive. Without you, his life would be deprived of meaning. Yes, maybe, that guy didn’t think he’d get so attracted to you. I don’t exclude that he considered you a girl for one night and wanted to piss you off the next morning. But as you see, you blew his mind. Charmed him like a witch.”       “I used to laugh loudly when someone said I’d get married to that man,” Raquelle laughs shyly.       “Don’t hurt him anymore, Raquelle, please,” Edward says, looking at Raquelle with pity in his eyes. “Although he has a mother, to whom he could tell everything, there are things she shouldn't know. It’s one of the things Terrence will never talk to her about. There’s only one person he trusts at one hundred percent. It’s you, Raquelle. You’re the only one to be able to keep the fire inside him. None of his friends can replace you. I can’t especially help him, even if I really want.”       “Why?”       “Because after what happened between us, he’ll never forgive me, even if I’m begging him about it and screaming about a wish to communicate with him like before.”       “Maybe, there is hope? He agreed to help you save Natalia, and he talks to you more or less well. Yes, Terrence is cold and quiet, but still…”       “Do you think he really wanted it?” Edward chuckles without emotions, starting to pull nervously a thin black bandage that he is wearing on his hand. “Terrence speaks to me just because you asked him. Because he wanna help Natalia. He decided to swallow up the offense after your ultimatum. Do you think my friend really cares about me and wants to help me so badly? Of course, no! Terrence just tolerates me! And if you hadn’t held him down, he would’ve grabbed me by the collar and kicked me out of the home like a dog. Or actually beaten me to half-death and rejoiced when watching me wince in pain. Hearing me scream.”       “I don’t deny it. If I hadn’t been next to him, he would’ve shown no mercy.”       “And the thing he will no longer remember is the fact that we’re friends. The friends that should help each other, despite nothing.” Edward falls into silence for two seconds and swallows up nervously. “But I’ll never forget it. Never forget that Terrence is my friend. He can do and say anything, but I won’t turn my back on him. Just like I will never reject his mother, whom I also love with all my heart.”       “Glad to hear it,” Raquelle smiles with the corners of her mouth. “And you know, talking to you now, I’m starting to believe you more and more. It’s very good you listened to what I said at the café and started taking the first steps and proving to everybody that there’s something good in you.”       “And I shall keep,” Edward replies confidently. “I must confess that Natalia’s confession turned everything to one hundred and eighty degrees. It really made me think about much and do something, not work my tongue.”       “I see it. And I think if you keep going on the same track, you will prove to everybody that your love for family is true. Maybe, even Terrence will understand it someday and forgive you.”       “I wanna reconcile with those I hurt. Mrs. MacClife, Terrence, you… And I wish Natalia had forgiven me. I won’t make her come back to me. But I’d feel better if she said she wasn’t mad at me.”       “Keep finding ways to save Natalia and put Michael and his gang in prison. Maybe, you’ll get what you want.”       “Thanks for speaking to me after what happened,” Edward thanks softly, looking at Raquelle guiltily. “Maybe, you’re meant to hate me as well as Terrence does. But I’m truly grateful to you for helping me and supporting me at this hard moment.”       “I can’t deny I’m still mad at you,” Raquelle replies quietly, looking at Edward with sadness in her eyes. “But we should be together to help Natalia, who needs our help so badly. For her, I’m ready to forget my offense and do my best for your uncle to leave her alone.”       “Thanks a lot, Raquelle. Thank you so much for not refusing to help me and for impacting Terrence, so he got softer and stopped beating me with his legs and hands. Even though I deserved it… It would be very hard for me to take it. My bad mental health wouldn’t take it.”       “But don’t think you’d get off it so easily, for your beautiful eyes. Just because I'm helping you and protecting you from your friend doesn’t mean I forgot the bad things you said.”       “I know. But what you and Terrence have given me is enough for me. I get a little better even when I talk to you about the situation with Uncle. I’m happy with what you’re giving, and don’t dare to ask more.”       Raquelle smiles shyly and falls into silence for a few seconds. And then a sudden ring of the doorbell breaks the silence in the living room. It makes the girl scared and makes Edward suspicious. The two sharply move their eyes to the hall door, and then the girl decides to open the door. But when she is going to do it, Terrence suddenly runs into the living room from nothing and, not turning on Cameron and Lockhart, confidently goes to the door, saying:       “I shall open!”       Terrence quickly comes to the door and opens it, getting ready that anyone might stand on the doorstep, even someone of Michael’s people. But his suspicions do not get confirmed because he sees Daniel and Anna having a wonderful mood.       “Daniel? Anna?” Terrence asks surprisingly. “What a surprise!”       “Hi, Terrence,” Anna says amicably with a slight smile.       “Hey, buddy,” Daniel greets.       “Hi,” Terrence replies a little hesitantly, shakes Daniel by the hand, shares a slight clap on the back, and hugs Anna amicably. “Sorry, I didn’t know you’d love to come.”       “We thought a little and decided to visit you and Raquelle,” Daniel says thoughtfully. “We haven’t met for ages.”       “And I wanted to suggest to Raquelle going to Natalia’s home,” Anna adds. “We haven’t met her for ages, and I’ve been obsessed with anxiety since yesterday. I wanna go to her home and make sure she’s okay.”       “And while the girls spend time together, you and I could go somewhere together.”       “Oh…” Terrence stutters and starts shifting his weight from one foot to another, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully and looking around. “You know, guys, I’m afraid we can’t do it… One unpleasant situation happened…”       “You have problems, buddy?” Daniel asks, frowning slightly, as he looks at the excited Terrence. “Why are you so excited?”       “Erm…” Terrence says nothing for two seconds, looking at Daniel and Anna a little hesitantly. “Well, there is one problem. A very serious one.”       “Gosh, something happened to Raquelle?” Anna gets horrified, closing her mouth with a hand. “She got into a bad situation?”       “No, no, luckily, no. The problem is something different…” Terrence exhales sharply, running his hand over his face. “And I think you better know it.”       “But what happened?” Daniel wonders. “If Raquelle’s fine, what could happen?”       “Come in. Raquelle and I will tell you everything.”       Terrence steps back from the doorstep to let the uninvited but welcomed guests into his house. Frowning slightly, Daniel and Anna look at each other, shrug, and come into the house hesitantly.       “I don’t like it all…” Anna whispers with anxiety, coming closer to Daniel and grabbing her throat with a hand. “He’s kind of strange and scared… As if he thought someone not us was standing on the doorstep.”       “I don’t like his face, either,” Daniel replies and glances at Terrence, who closes the hall door. “But Terrence said he’d explain everything now.”       “I believe something horrible happened.”       “We’ll find it out now.”       Two seconds later, Terrence comes to Daniel and Anna and points to the living room, saying:       “Let’s go to the living room.”       Anna and Daniel follow Terrence, saying no word and thinking about what could happen. Later, the three come into the living room, where Raquelle and Edward are silently sitting and watching those, who are coming here. While the girl is surprised by the sudden visit of the lovers, the man gets very nervous because he understands the two surely know what happened.       “Anna? Daniel?” Raquelle pronounces surprisingly, getting up from the sofa and turning on the guests.       “Hey, Raquelle,” Daniel and Anna say by one.       “Hey… I didn’t know you’d love to come.”       At first, Raquelle hugs Anna amicably and then does it to Daniel.       “You know, you look kind of tired…” Daniel notices thoughtfully.       “Hey, yeah!” Anna agrees. “You definitely need some rest.”       “Ah, if it was possible…” Raquelle sighs heavily, glances down, and crosses her arms over her chest. “We have no time for the rest.”       “Listen, why was Terrence so nervous when meeting us? I thought something happened to you, but he said you were fine.”       “Well, as you came, we will explain it.”       “What’s wrong?” Daniel wonders. “What’s going on here? Terrence? Raquelle? Someone says something?”       Daniel stops his eyes on the excited and tense Edward locking his fingers tightly.       “Edward?” Daniel wonders. “Are you here?”       “Hey, Daniel,” Edward says hesitantly, moving his eyes slowly to Daniel, and looks at Anna. “Hey, Anna.”       “Hey, Edward…” Anna greets gently, waving a hand at Edward.       “Hello,” Daniel pronounces coldly. “I didn’t know we’d meet you here.”       “I think nobody expected your visit here…” Edward replies hesitantly and glances aside for a second. “Yeah, long time no see… Too long.”       “Yeah, I can’t remember when it happened the last time…” Anna says thoughtfully. “Maybe, we talked about you, but we met you a long time ago.”       “You’re right…”       “By the way, you suddenly disappeared one month ago…” Daniel notices quietly. “You were found some time ago.”       “Oh, guys…” Edward runs his hand over his face with a quiet moan and massages the nape of his neck. “So much happened to me, but it’s too hard to explain it.”       “Well, I guess you’ve got very much to tell us,” Daniel crosses his arms over his chest. “Right, Lockhart?”       “I can’t deny it…” Edward falls into silence for two seconds and glances aside, but later moves his eyes to Daniel again. “Hey, I know what happened to Peter. I’m very sorry. I hope he’s gonna get well soon.”       “Thanks,” Daniel nods. “No matter how bad the case is, we try to believe in the best.”       “And I hope he’ll tell you what pushed him to do such a desperate thing.”       “We’ll see. Now we only want him to survive.”       “Everything’s so bad?”       “They can’t tell us anything good.”       “Sorry… Very sorry…”       While Daniel falls into silence, staying a little gloomy and cold, Anna looks closely at Edward, who seems quite depressed but does not show his emotions.       “You look depressed,” Anna notices. “I’d say, too depressed. And you’ve got so many bruises…”       “There are the reasons,” Edward says quietly.       “You have problems?”       “I’ve got tons of problems. But I think you know at least about a bigger part of them.”       “Yeah, we know what happened between you and Natalia,” Daniel replies quietly. “And what you did to your family. How you betrayed them.”       “Listen, Daniel…”       “Don’t say anything, Edward. Anna and I know about your tricks and your cruel betrayal, from which your friend and ex-girlfriend suffered much more.”       “I understand…” Edward inclines his head guiltily and looks at the black bandage on his hand. “If you two judge me, it’s okay.”       “It’s really disgusting, Edward,” Anna says gloomily. “Daniel and I won’t meddle in the business of your family, but I don’t like the way you behaved toward my friend.”       “And my friend,” Daniel adds.       “Everything is not what you think,” Edward excuses himself with pity in his eyes. “Maybe, I really insulted Natalia. But I’ve never betrayed my family.”       “No, you did. I mean, you’re about to betray them when you kill them once and forever for money.”       “Daniel, Anna, please, listen to me…”       “Erm, you know, guys, I think we shouldn't talk about it,” Raquelle meddles hesitantly. “Because there is a problem that’s much harder and more dangerous than this one.”       “Much harder?” Anna rounds her eyes. “What does it mean?”       “The situation with threats is getting harder.”       “Damn, Raquelle, what are you talking about?” Daniel wonders. “What happened to you and Terrence during the time when Anna and I didn’t meet you? MacClife and I met and talked recently, and you sent messages to my girlfriend on Facebook!”       “The problem is not about Raquelle and me,” Terrence says quietly, gets up from the sofa, and stands next to Raquelle. “I mean, we have to do with it as well as Edward. But that situation happened not to us.”       “But what’s wrong?” Anna gets horrified. “Something happened to your mother?”       “And yeah, Terrence…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully, looking at Terrence and Edward with suspicion. “Why’s Edward at your house? What’s the fuck he doing here? What does he need from you and Raquelle? How could you let him in here?”       “You were literally ready to kill him and asked Daniel not to mention the name of Edward,” Anna adds quietly. “What could happen if you don’t mind the pretense of this man at your home? We don’t get it, buddy!”       “Daniel, Anna, please, listen to us,” Raquelle says with sadness in her eyes. “The case is very serious, but it doesn’t have with you two. Though, you should know what happened to Natalia. Know that a great danger is threatening her now.”       “Natalia?” Anna and Daniel ask loudly.       “But what happened to her?” Anna asks excitedly. “She’s fine?”       “I can’t be sure about it,” Raquelle replies quietly, inclines her head, and folds her hand in front of her.       “Gosh, Raquelle, stop saying these horrifying things!”       “I’m serious, Anna, our friend is in great danger…” Raquelle nervously swallows up. “The case is… The case is that Natalia…”       Because of the excitement and the stress, Raquelle does not finish her thought and barely holds tears down. So, Terrence decides to tell the sad news about Natalia himself.       “Natalia has been kidnapped by the people of Edward’s uncle,” Terrence says with sadness in his eyes. “And today, we found out that Rochester was hidden at that man’s home, which was taken under special control by his people. So, nobody comes and takes her out.”       Daniel and Anna shake their heads and look at each other with widely open eyes full of horror.       “No…” Anna pronounces in a little shaking voice, closing her mouth with a hand and holding tears down. “No, it can’t be the truth! It’s not the truth! Raquelle, tell me Terrence is lying! Tell me Natalia hasn’t been kidnapped by anyone!”       “Alas, friend, but it’s the truth,” Raquelle nods, folding her hands in front of her. “And sadly, we can do nothing now.”       “Wait, wait, but how did it happen?” Daniel wonders. “And when? Why was it Natalia?”       “Let me tell you everything!” Edward exclaims, sharply gets up from the sofa, and turns on Daniel, Anna, Terrence, and Raquelle. “I saw it and can tell you what happened better.”       “You saw?”       “Yup. I won’t tell you everything, but I will describe the situation in two words. Yesterday, I talked to Raquelle at one café, and she openly hinted that Natalia was hiding something. And to my happiness, I met Rochester on the deserted street. The talk was long and hard, but Natalia eventually told me what happened to her. And I found out that girl was guilty of nothing and was framed.”       “Oh, that’s how you’re speaking!” Anna exclaims, crossing her arms over her chest. “First, you humiliate and insult the girl, but now you say she’s not guilty.”       “Yes, I’m an idiot, who didn’t have enough brains to figure everything out. But now I know I was deceived by two sick bastards that had nothing to do.”       “Ha, and then you ran away and watched them trying to kidnap the poor girl?” Daniel smirks a little contemptuously.       “Not at all, I wasn’t even gonna run!” Edward replies excitedly, getting so nervous that he can barely connect words in full sentences. “Natalia and I actually wanted to talk about what happened at her home. But we got surrounded by Uncle Michael’s people, who should’ve brought Natalia to him by his order. I was doing my best to protect her from them. She was also trying to protect herself when I paid attention to one of them. Later, we tried to run away, but those men found us.”       Edward falls into silence for two seconds to catch some air because he cannot literally breathe because of the excitement.       “By the way, Edward forgot to say that one of those men from that company was the one, who did horrible things to Natalia,” Raquelle says. “Who is the one to blame for making Natalia suffer and say nothing all this time.”       “And we even have the wallet he lost where the kidnapping took place,” Terrence adds. “We found a passport card that belonged to that man. So, we know how he looks. But you don’t better see that ugly face because you’re gonna see nightmares after that.”       “Oh, gosh, is he so horrifying?” Anna gets horrified.       “A gorilla would be a hundred times more sympathetic than that sick deadbeat that’s working for Michael.”       “Yes, it’s true, but I’ll be back to that later,” Edward says quietly and exhales sharply. “So, Natalia and I were brought on different sides. They didn’t let me come to that girl, who was insolently felt up and licked by her offender right before my eyes. At some moment, the main kiss-ass of Uncle Michael strongly pushed me to the wall, against which I hit my head. I passed out shortly with the thought my head was about to tear apart from pain. And those men took Natalia away… Put her to sleep with chloroform, got her into a car, and went to Uncle’s home. I don’t know how long I was unconscious, but I think, not for too long. I think I woke up somewhere three or five minutes later after the kidnapping…”       “And then Edward came here and told what happened to Natalia,” Terrence continues. “Of course, we didn’t believe him immediately and thought he lied to us. But we had to believe it.”       “It was clear Edward got beaten strongly because he came here with bruises and blood on his face,” Raquelle adds. “Of course, we treated his wounds and went to that place. We looked around and found the wall, on which there were tracks of blood.”       “We also found Natalia’s bracelet and phone that she lost when running away from those people, and the wallet that you heard about.”       “Oh, how awful…” Daniel shakes his head.       “Well, here’s the story,” Edward says quietly as he shrugs and looking at Daniel and Anna hesitantly. “We’re just waiting. And watching out because something like that might happen to us three.”       “You said Natalia was hidden at the house of Michael…” Anna recalls thoughtfully.       “Yup, today in the morning, Uncle sent me a message, in which he said Natalia was at his home. I immediately went there, but his people refused to let me in, according to the order of Uncle not to let me get closer to the house. And they beat me a little after I refused to leave at my wish. Thus, I left with nothing. Then Uncle texted me again and confirmed the words of those morons. And he disappeared. He didn’t reply to my latest angry message and decided to hide in a bush.”       Being overwhelmed, Anna and Daniel shake their heads slightly and look at each other with horror in their eyes.       “I can’t believe it…” Anna pronounces in a shaking voice, closing her mouth with a hand, and sniffs quietly. “It’s insanity! Insanity!”       “So, I see Terrence wasn’t the only one to kick your ass,” Daniel notices coldly, looking at Edward’s face and seeing pieces of the band-aid on the forehead and the bridge of the nose of the man.       “Well, yeah,” Edward replies quietly and touches the area on the forehead with a band-aid on it. “Those men beat me strongly… Of course, I didn’t feel good yesterday, but today I got better. But the bump on the back of my head still hurts enough. Especially when pressing on it.”       The excited Anna throws her half-wet eyes at the whole living room and sits on the sofa, putting her purse next to her.       “But is Natalia gonna be okay?” Anna asks excitedly, looking at everybody in the living room. “Please, tell me nothing will happen to her, and she’ll be free very soon!”       “We wanna believe in the best,” Raquelle sighs heavily and sits next to Anna on the sofa, hugging her around the shoulders. “But we already made sure that Michael was very dangerous and wouldn’t play childish games.”       “Did that man go so insane because of the money that he thought of kidnapping the innocent girl?” Daniel wonders.       “It’s a part of what he wants to do,” Edward replies with sadness in his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “He wanna destroy all the MacClifes and get what they own. Just because we’re connected with Father somehow, who he’s already killed. Uncle defeated his biggest enemy. The next are those, who make him irritated by just living: Mrs. MacClife, Terrence, Raquelle, me… Our lives are in danger…”       “But why was it her?” Anna sniffs quietly, setting her gaze into the distance and shaking slightly from the excitement. “Why did that man decide to make Natalia a victim, as well? My friend isn’t a member of your family and isn’t connected with the MacClifes! Why did it happen?”       “I think Michael MacClife just wanna torture us and make us worried about Natalia,” Raquelle replies thoughtfully. “By sending the messages to Edward, he let us know he’d disappear for some time, but later told us what to do. And he won’t let our friend go so easily. Michael will be holding her in his house for a few days.”       “You’re not also a member of the MacClife family, even if you’re gonna be the one soon. But Natalia will never be the one.”       “I know.”       “And yeah, how does he know her? How did that man find out where Natalia would be to send his people there?”       “They didn’t probably know it,” Edward assumes. “Maybe, they were driving in the city and searching for her. And if I hadn’t been with her, they would’ve taken her away without problems.”       “But indeed, why did your uncle do that?” Daniel wonders, still standing on his feet, frowning slightly and stroking his chin. “Why did he kidnap the one, who didn’t have to do with the inheritance? If the goal of her kidnapping was money, of course.”       “The old bastard just decided to mock us,” Edward throws coldly in a low voice. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that bastard thought of calling her parents and demanding money from them. A certain ransom. The more money he steals, the better his mood is.”       “And why does he need the money?” Anna asks in a little shaking voice. “Will he get happier if he gets a couple of bags of dollars?”       “That cad loves only two things: big money and kiss-asses that worship him and tell him tons of compliments that he didn’t deserve. So, he surrounded himself with a gang of idiots that worked for him too well for the money. They send letters, organize attacks, plan kidnappings, and beat someone to half-death. Anything!”       “Damn, is the reason just about her parents’ money?” Daniel wonders when Raquelle gets up from the sofa and walks in two little circles. “Does Michael know quite provided? Did he decide to rob them for the life of their daughter?”       “It’s not the main reason. The main reason is different. The deadbeat that’s working for him.” Edward clenches one hand into a fist and hits it against his lap. “Ar-r-r, I don’t doubt he was the one to frame Natalia with those photos.”       “Erm… Photos?”       “Yes, the photos of Natalia being almost nude, kissing, and hugging the one, who almost made her kill herself. And picked up some shoots to make me think she kind of liked all of that.”       “My gosh…” Daniel thinks for two seconds, but then he shakes his head sharply and sets his surprised gaze on Edward. “Hey, wait, wait, Edward… Do you wanna say the photos were fake proof of Natalia’s betrayal? You left her because of them?”       “Yeah…” Edward looks at Daniel surprisingly. “Wait, didn’t anybody tell you and Anna about it? Why do you get so surprised?”       “But we really hear about them for the first time! I mean… Anna and I knew you got the false proof of Natalia’s betrayal…”       “But we didn’t know what it was,” Anna adds. “Natalia didn’t hide something horrifying happened, but she didn’t wanna tell me. She kind of needed to put herself together to talk about it again.”       “Did you two also say nothing to them?” Edward asks, moving his questioning gaze to Terrence and Raquelle standing next to each other.       “Nope, we said nothing,” Terrence shakes his head.       “We gave Natalia a chance to tell everything when she’d be ready,” Raquelle adds.       “Hey, second!” Anna exclaims, gets sharply straight, and looks at Edward, Raquelle, and Terrence. “You three said about a wallet that belonged to the man, who mocked Natalia.”       “Yes, it belongs to Natalia’s offender. The one, who Terrence called someone to be more horrifying than a gorilla.”       “Gosh, what did that man do to her?” Anna asks with horror in her eyes. “Was it so horrible that my friend was silent for a few months?”       “What didn’t you wanna tell us about?” Daniel asks, sits on the sofa next to Anna, and amazingly stares at Terrence and Raquelle. “Don’t worry, Natalia somehow said she wouldn’t get mad at you if you explained what happened. Vice versa, you’d help her and get rid of the need to talk about what gives her pain.”       Terrence, Raquelle, and Edward look at each other and say nothing for a few seconds.       “That man…” Raquelle pronounces hesitantly, tightly locking her fingers. “He… He…”       “That man almost raped Natalia about five months ago,” Edward takes a word. “Before the eyes of his pals, who took those photos.”       “Almost raped?” Daniel and Anna get horrified, setting their gazes full of horror on the trio.       “C’mon?” Daniel wonders. “Natalia was tried to rape?”       “She told us everything,” Raquelle confesses and sits on the sofa in front of Anna and Daniel. “We won’t tell you about it because it’s a too delicate thing. But now you know what you should know.”       “Wait, wait, so, it happened that it was the secret Natalia was hiding for a long time?” Anna wonders. “The one that made her suffer?”       “And the one that almost brought her to a wish to kill herself,” Terrence says with sadness in his eyes. “I mean, her silence almost brought her to that. She said nothing and tried to survive it by herself. But it almost led to a tragedy.”       “And as I understand, is it the reason for Natalia and Edward’s breakup?” Daniel specifies.       “Exactly!” Terrence sits on the sofa next to Raquelle.       “That bastard made the rape attempt look like her betrayal and proved it with the photos,” Edward adds. “And as that girl said nothing, what should I have thought when seeing the photos of my girlfriend kissing and hugging a hairy big boy with a mentally sick man’s face?”       “So, does your uncle know about that situation?” Anna asks.       “Very well. He has hinted many times that he knows something about this story. That old man did know I dated Natalia. And when that man told him who he almost raped, those two probably came up with an idea to frame her like that.”       “Something like that,” Terrence shrugs and moves his little guilty gaze to Daniel. “Daniel, sorry for not telling you everything before.”       “Don’t apologize, Terrence,” Daniel waves a hand. “I get it.”       “Wait, do you think Edward’s uncle had to do with the story of the rape of Natalia?” Anna wonders.       “I don’t personally doubt he had to do with it,” Edward replies confidently. “I can’t say he was the one to give the order to rape her. But I’m absolutely sure the idea of picking up the best shoots and sending them to me belonged to Uncle Michael. Natalia wouldn’t have been shaking so much after she immediately recognized her offender.”       “But how does Michael know Natalia was your girlfriend?” Daniel wonders. “Did he know it was her?”       “I think so. Besides, that girl received lots of messages with threats on her mobile phone. His people got her number when they attacked me. While one stole my mobile phone, was searching for something and writing it on a piece of paper, the others were beating me strongly.”       “What?” Anna opens her eyes widely.       “You got attacked by the people of your uncle?” Daniel asks, staring at Edward amazingly.       “Yes,” Edward confirms. “The knife wound.”       “But when it happened? Why did we know nothing about it?”       “Do you remember you saying something about my disappearance for one month after coming here with Anna? So, I disappeared because I was in the hospital after the attack for about three weeks.”       “You got wounded with a knife?”       “At first they beat me strongly after my first attempt to run, but then put a knife deeply in my back. And they left me there. But that’s good someone found me and called an ambulance that took me to the hospital.”       “Oh, wow…” Daniel shakes his head. “I’m very sorry it happened. Really sorry.”       “It’s okay. The only reminder of that day I got was a couple of scars on the small of my back. Maybe, they will be gone later, but I’m afraid the wounds were so deep that they might stay forever.”       “But why did nobody know about it?” Anna wonders. “Why didn’t Terrence and Raquelle tell us you were wounded?”       “I swear we didn’t know it, either,” Terrence replies quietly. “Edward told us about it a few days ago. We didn’t know Michael’s people wounded him with a knife. The scars are in the hidden place that’s not always seen.”       “Wait, didn’t you have documents with you?” Daniel wonders. “If the criminals gave your phone back, the doctors could’ve checked it to warn someone from your family about what happened.”       “No, I had no documents and don’t always have them with me. And my phone was discharged. The doctors wouldn’t have gotten someone’s contact. I tried to call an ambulance or call someone to ask for help, but there was a little percentage… And I almost had no strength. I experienced massive blood loss and passed out quickly enough.”       While Terrence, Daniel, and Anna just wonder to know what happened, Raquelle listens to Edward’s words very carefully. At some moment, the girl smirks very quietly and asks herself how he would react if he knew the hospital staff knew his real side.       “So, I understood it,” Daniel shrugs.       “Now you know the truth,” Edward replies thoughtfully, setting his gaze into the distance.       “But what’s gonna happen to Natalia?” Anna asks excitedly. “What’s gonna happen to all of you? Is there no way to solve this problem? Will that man really keep his promise and kill you for the money and the company?”       “We can do nothing now,” Terrence says quietly. “But we believe Michael will show up soon and call out his claims for Natalia’s freedom. He won’t be holding her in his house forever.”       “What if she’s used as the object of blackmail? The uncle of Edward wants to get the inheritance that belongs to him and his brothers, according to the will of his father. And to get the money, he needs a refusal signed by them. What if he makes them sign the papers for the freedom of my friend?”       “If Natalia’s life depends on it, I shall do it,” Edward says not less confidently. “Even if it changes nothing and doesn’t make Uncle forget about the revenge and the murder.”       “You?” Daniel stares at Edward surprisingly. “You, too? You kind of wanted to get the inheritance and become as cruel as your uncle! And decided to kill your friend and his fiancée!”       “No, it’s not the truth!” Edward protests. “I don’t have the wish to steal at least a cent from my family. I’ve never had a bad thought. I just wanted to do my best not to let Uncle take the last thing that belonged to my father. I’ve never needed and will need someone’s money. I wanted to get only my part. That does belong to me by law.”       “Stop denying everything, Edward,” Anna says gloomily. “We’re well aware of your wish to kill and rob your family because of jealousy and a wish to live a beautiful life.”       “I was understood wrongly! I’ve never said I want to kill and rob my family. You all thought my refusal to stop fighting for the inheritance was a wish to get everything, and are now telling the lie to everybody.”       “Oh, come on!” Daniel wonders. “I believe you are telling a lie! Trying to become good and make everybody believe you’re innocent.”       “Daniel…”       “Do you think we’ll forget everything so easily and forgive you for your disgusting actions? No, MacClife, don’t even hope! You should’ve worked your stupid brains before insulting and humiliating innocent people.”       “Yes, it’s my fault, I don’t deny it. But I’m proving and will be proving that you are all wrong when calling me an egoistic, jealous bastard and accomplice of my sick uncle, along with who I wanna kill those, who I was searching for years. I’ve made lots of mistakes and am ready to pay for them. Ready to do anything to save Natalia and not to let Uncle kill all the MacClifes.”       “Gosh, somehow I thought you were a perfect partner for my friend,” Anna shakes her head. “I thought Natalia would be lucky with you. But you cruelly insulted her, humiliated her, and killed her morally, and you also turned out to be a nasty, jealous stinker that hates his family just because they’re much richer than he.”       “I’ve never been jealous of Terrence and am not even going to. You two know I’ve always treated him well. And the wealth didn’t impact my relationship with him badly.”       “It seems like it did,” Daniel throws coldly. “If you dared to do it to this man and betray him.”       “I betrayed nobody, Daniel! I mean, I betrayed only Natalia. But I’ve never done anything to betray Terrence, Raquelle, or my own mother.”       “Exactly, you betrayed Natalia!” Anna exclaims. “You betrayed my friend, who suffered so much! How many tears she cried out because of you! Because of your stupidity and naivety! Because of reluctance to find out everything and let someone know it. You were silent and pretending that everything was fine. But if someone had known about the photos and washed your brains, everything would’ve been otherwise.”       “Yes, Anna, you’re right. I understand everything. But now changing something is too late. And I’m surely doing what I can do. Even if nothing changes, I will be quiet because I’d do just something.”       “Oh…” Daniel exhales sharply. “Listen, Edward… Anna and I don’t blame you openly and won’t meddle in your conflict with your family. If you insulted one of us, we had a different talk. But none of us is gonna close our eyes to your disgusting actions. We can’t pretend that everything is fine and keep calling you an innocent angel.”       “I’m not gonna argue with you,” Edward says quietly, sits on the sofa that nobody is sitting on, and inclines his head guiltily. “You two can judge as much as you want. Because I really did a disgusting thing and realize it. But please, try to understand me… Understand what I felt when I believed my girlfriend betrayed me. Could I, being excited and insulted, think that she was framed? The best thing I could come up with is announcing the breakup and telling her she is a prostitute.”       “It’s not the best, it’s the stupidest thing!” Daniel throws a little coldly. “You don’t know what Natalia had to experience when you were making her pretend that everything was fine and feel guilty about you. Her depression after the rape attempt got much worse after your disgusting actions. But if she had killed herself, you would’ve been the only one to blame. Her death would’ve been on your conscience.”       “Hey, don’t say it!” Edward gets horrified, opening his eyes widely. “I don’t know what I would do if that girl killed herself. And if she dies because of Uncle’s wish, I will never forgive myself. Never!”       “Oh…” Daniel glances aside for a second. “Listen, man, I completely understand your feelings and know you had a reason to be mad and evil. But could you at least talk to her and ask her to explain everything? Or tell someone about that? Anna is right: if someone had washed your brains, everything would’ve been otherwise. If Terrence, for example, had known it, he would’ve quickly made you sober and wouldn’t have let you do what would give the girl pain.”       “You’re right, Daniel, I acted like a brainless idiot.” Edward glances down. “You may not believe me if you don’t want, but I’m honest now and telling you the truth. And despite the judgment, the hate, and charges for being an accomplice of Uncle Michael, I will go until the end and do my best to help. What if you show yourself at the last moment when people believe in your decency?”       “I make nobody believe. I will be silently doing what I must. May people decide whether they believe me or not.”       Anna looks at Edward with sadness in her eyes and starts realizing that he is really regretting his words and actions. It’s possible to see in his sad eyes, the gestures that he unconsciously does, and the way he stays insecure, slouches often, and nervously touches a bandage on his hand. She did not want to support this man because of what he did to Natalia, but now the girl changes her mind. Even though he keeps treating the man with suspicion.       “I will try to believe you,” Anna says quietly. “But it doesn’t mean I like the way you behaved toward my friend. I’m mad at you not because of money because your wish to get it makes me have some questions. But I’m not gonna forget what you did to Natalia so easily.”       “I know I’m guilty,” Edward replies with sadness in his eyes. “Even if Natalia says she is guilty of provoking the conflict, it doesn’t get me rid of the responsibility for my insults and humiliations of her.”       “At least I’m glad you understand it.”       “Listen, guys, I think we better forget about the offenses because it’s not the best moment to find out the reasons for what happened and sort out our relationship,” Raquelle meddles, sitting on the sofa and fingering over nervously with sadness in her eyes. “Let’s just stay together and believe everything’s gonna be okay.”       “But we can do nothing now!”       “Right, we only have to wait,” Terrence nods. “Nobody knows when Michael wants to show up and make his claims. Anyway, today we may expect no news from him. He just showed up to confirm Natalia was at his home.”       “Why don’t you go to the police?” Daniel suggests. “You should’ve reported that cad and his gang a long time ago! You can blame all those people for so many things. There is even a chance to put Natalia’s offender in prison.”       “Of course, we will do it. But we will be told we should be waiting for a good moment. The police can’t save Natalia immediately and get those stinkers arrested. They’d need the plan to catch them to get them caught, so to say, in crime.”       “Right,” Edward agrees. “Moreover, Uncle is too sure the police of New York are in his hands. He could agree with them for big money. Unfortunately, I got ‘lucky’ to run into the officer, who was his bribed pal. He didn’t listen to me and asked me to leave. There was allegedly nothing bad with the fact that Uncle robbed Father and was gonna kill his family.”       “Excuse me, Edward, but bribing the whole police of the city is impossible,” Anna says confidently, shaking her head. “Yes, you can bribe several people, but no more. Your uncle wouldn’t have so much money for them. And some people would reject money and dare to get him arrested and blame him for giving a bribe will be found, Michael is doing a crime – trying to give a bribe to a policeman.”       “I believe so, too,” Raquelle says confidently. “That man believes he is God and can do whatever he wants.”       “Uncle does adore saying that when you have big money, you are God,” Edward specifies. “The powerful God that can do anything and subjugate the whole world. Though, he’s just lucky to know such scumbags that are ready to sell their souls to a demon for money.”       “Can’t you go to all the policemen in the city and find one to help you?” Daniel wonders. “The city is large, there are many police stations, and much more people from the police staff!”       “You heard we’d waste time anyway ‘cause the police would spend some time working on the plan of action.”       “So, are you gonna do nothing?”       “If you want, you can go to a police station, find an officer, and just tell him Michael is threatening you. I can even say where the policeman, who kicked me out, was working.”       Meanwhile, Raquelle, slightly squinting her eyes and setting her sly gaze on Edward, thinks:       “Don’t doubt, Edward, I will go to the police. But nobody will know it. So, I won’t insist that you and Terrence agree to report Uncle. I will do it by myself. At least, even if I don’t get the help of the police, I will at least find out the truth about you, your uncle, and your father, who is alive and hiding somewhere. I shall learn all the plans and whether you are really guilty of nothing. All the secrets of the MacClife family will be revealed today.”       “Damn, guys, but you must understand you can’t do it all alone,” Daniel says confidently. “If that man feels he can’t be punished and gives his freaking pals the stolen money, he can do anything! And he’d get no punishment! Michael washes your brains, but you sit and fear!”       “We don’t fear, Daniel, we think soberly,” Terrence replies. “Of course, we will go to the police to report that stinker, but we believe he will be caught only on the day he makes his claims. I don’t know what it is gonna be: a ransom, a plea to go somewhere or do something or something else… It’s the only way to end this story and let nobody die because of him.”       “Okay, then just report him. No matter when and how they’ll catch Michael. The important thing is that you’d have hope to save Natalia and yourself. Otherwise, he will rob, kill, and threaten everybody not to please him. Today, he will kill his family, and what’s gonna happen tomorrow – he will go to rob a bank? Kill lots of innocent people?”       “That bastard does nothing by himself: his people do the dirty work, while he just walks and commands everybody like a prince of blue blood.” Edward hums quietly and sets his gaze into the distance. “He’s afraid to dirty his suit and hands in blood. Though, he won’t avoid the punishment and will go to prison along with those corrupted rats. And I don’t doubt he won’t stop, even if he kills all the MacClifes and will do it with stranger people.”       “My gosh, people are sometimes too mean and greedy…” Anna pronounces thoughtfully.       “Anything happens in life, sweetie,” Daniel replies with sadness in his eyes. “Maybe, there are people that are way worse than Michael.”       Anna says nothing, just sighs heavily and glances down, while Daniel looks at her with sadness in his eyes but then puts an arm around her neck, hugs the girl, and kisses her cutely on the top of her head, trying to calm the girl down because she is still a little nervous and shaking.       Raquelle looks much tenser and more thoughtful, shakes a leg nervously, doubles over slightly, leans on her pals with her elbows, and runs her hands through her hair. Terrence closely watches her and assumes the girl is worried about her friend and wants her to be fine, not guessing what she plans secretly from everybody. MacClife is also worried about his close friend, but tries not to panic and to keep a clear mind to be able to adequately think about future actions.       “Don’t worry, Raquelle,” Terrence says softly, hugging Raquelle around the shoulders and pressing her to himself. “I’m sure Natalia is gonna be fine. Michael won’t hold her at his house forever and will show up early or late.”       “I wouldn’t be so sure she’ll be fine,” Raquelle replies in a little shaking voice, still keeping her head inclined. “That man can do anything to her. And if her offender is near, she will be dead. He will wish to try to rape her again.”       “No, sweetie, don’t say so!”       “Why couldn’t we foresee something like that and protect her? If we’d known Michael was planning to kidnap her, we would’ve done our best not to let it happen! And why did Natalia, knowing the situation was hard, go to walk where everyone could commit criminals?”       “Even if Michael’s pals hadn’t caught her there, they would’ve done it on another day. If she’d avoided that yesterday, Natalia would’ve run into them next time. If Michael decided to do it, he would’ve done that anyway.”       “I don’t wanna lose her, Terrence,” Raquelle makes a quiet sob, running her hands over her hair from the top of her head to the nape of her neck. “Not Natalia… Not my best friend… I still can’t believe she is in great danger, and we can’t help her.”       “I promise we won’t lose her!” Terrence replies confidently, caressing Raquelle’s head softly. “No matter how shocked she is, Natalia won’t let them hurt her. She wasn’t afraid to fight with those men after she lost the protection. And I think your friend will realize that if she’s been caught, she’d better be as quiet as a mouse in case she doesn’t wanna die earlier.”       “What if Edward’s sick uncle wants to kill her earlier than we know his claims?” Raquelle asks, not being able to hold down the tears that are coming to her eyes and starting to make more frequent sobs. “Nothing will help her if one of those stinkers puts a pistol against Natalia’s head. None of us or her loud shouts and begs for help.”       “He won’t kill her. Nothing will happen to Natalia before we know Michael’s claims.”       “Oh, Terrence, why are you so sure about it?” Raquelle moans tiredly. “You can’t know what that stinker planned! Maybe, he’s trying to make us sure Natalia is alive, though he’s gonna tell his people to kill her!”       “Believe me, I’m also worried about my friend, and I don’t want her to suffer or especially die. But I also wanna believe in the best and be sure we will save her. And you also must make yourself sure that Natalia will be fine.”       “It’s too hard, at least for me,” Raquelle says in a low, broken voice, still shaking her leg, being tense enough and not caring about the tears that are rolling over her cheeks. “I feel it’s very hard for her now… I feel something horrible is meant to happen… I can’t… Can’t…”       “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Terrence replies in a quiet soft voice, trying to calm Raquelle down verbally, taking her by the shoulders, massaging them slightly, and moving off her hair that closes her face. “Relax, Raquelle, you’re too tense. I understand it’s hard for you, but you must not think of the worst and believe your friend is dead.”       “No, I won’t take it, I won’t!”       Raquelle closes her face with her hands and starts making louder sobs. Meanwhile, Anna, who is hugged and comforted by Daniel, watches her friend with sadness in her eyes, who is suffering because of what happened to Natalia.       “Raquelle, we are all worried about Natalia,” Anna says quietly, while Daniel caresses her head. “Yes, we’re absolutely powerless. And Terrence, Edward, and you are unprotected. You’ve got nobody to get help from, and you may count only on yourself and each other. But Terrence is right: we’ve gotta believe in the best. It’s madly hard, and I’m also terribly afraid something might happen to Blondie. But I’m trying to hope our friend will stay safe and sound. She must survive it all.”       “Sometimes I feel guilty about Natalia,” Raquelle says quietly, gets a little straight, and sets her gaze into the distance. “For all the bad things I did somehow…”       “What?” Anna opens her eyes widely. “Cameron, what are you talking about?”       “You know what. I’m still ashamed to remember how I attacked her with charges and even fought with her… Almost pulled her hair out because I thought she planned something against me. If that fight hadn’t happened between us, Natalia wouldn’t have wanted to go nobody knows where, and she wouldn’t have survived the mockery of that sick cad.”       “Raquelle, what are you talking about?” Daniel frowns slightly, looking at Raquelle questioningly. “Why do you think Natalia went outside at such a dark time, ‘cause she was too upset because of her fight with you?”       “Because I did provoke her for that,” Raquelle makes a quiet sob and starts to pull a sleeve of her light brown jacket. “I’ve always regretted what happened between us and wanted to do my best to forget that. But even after we reconciled, I didn’t forget what an idiot I was. And when I found out what happened to her and heard why she went there, I thought of that and realized Natalia was almost raped because of me.”       “Gosh, Raquelle, don’t say such stupid things,” Edward protests. “You don’t have to do with what happened. Why would you blame yourself for getting Natalia almost raped?”       “She said she went to that place at a late time because she was in despair and forgot all security measures. If Natalia didn’t tell you that, now you know what made her do that. But if it’s so, I’m guilty of making my friend’s life worse. And what eventually brought her to the breakup with you.”       “Raquelle, stop saying this delirium!” Terrence exclaims, setting his much more questioning gaze on Raquelle. “What happened between you and Natalia stayed in the past, and you don’t have to do with that. It’s been a while since that time, but you still think of that and started to blame yourself for getting that stinker to wish to rape her and getting Edward to end a relationship with her.”       “I’m guilty of all of her problems! Because I somehow acted like an absolute idiot and didn’t think my friend was just slandered. Framed. So, I felt lonely and helpless. If I’d had brains, everything could’ve been otherwise.”       “Gosh, Raquelle, do you understand what you’re talking about?” Anna gets horrified. “We understand you’re in despair because of the situation with Natalia. But all your words are not the truth! You were never guilty of what happened to her. Natalia has never blamed you for suffering for a few months. And you don’t especially have to do with her breakup with Edward!”       “I am, Anna, I’m guilty of everything that’s happened over the past one and a half years!” Raquelle says in despair, making loud sobs and not caring about tears rolling over her cheeks. “Being involved in the story of Simon Ringer… Almost ruining my relationship with Terrence… Because of my stupidity, I made so many mistakes and could’ve been deprived of everything.”       “It stayed in the past!” Daniel notices. “You say it as if you got in touch with Ringer at your wish.”       “Maybe, it’s true!” Raquelle closes her mouth with a hand for a moment and sets her gaze on the floor. “I’m the one to blame for almost ruining my relationship and bringing my friend one step away from death. All the MacClifes are about to die!”       “Gosh, don’t blame yourself for getting Michael to wish to kill us!” Terrence wonders.       “I’m guilty of everything!” Raquelle says loudly in despair. “I almost ruined my relationship and forced my friend to overcome something horrifying. After which she still can’t come to herself!”       “We already said you weren’t guilty of what happened to Natalia. And as for our breakup, I’ve told you many times that it was also my fault for that. If I had held myself down and hadn’t shown the aggression to you, everything would’ve been otherwise.”       “Yeah, didn’t our relationship get cold because of me? Not because of my sick obsession with a career? Not because of my unwillingness for a relationship?”       “I was also guilty of the coldness in our relationship. I should’ve given you much more attention and shouldn’t have gotten stuck on my wish to get into the music world. We two are guilty! And we did talk about it! Why don’t you wanna get it and forget everything that happened a few months ago?”       “Because I’m guilty of that!”       “You’re finding stupid reasons to blame yourself for all problems!”       “You still can’t forgive yourself for the slap that almost became the end of our relationship,” Raquelle replies a little coldly. “So, why should I forget that I’m guilty of those, who mean so much to me?”       “Yes, but it’s different. I do really have a reason to regret the mistakes of the past.”       “Ha, don’t I have the one?”       “As for the situation with Natalia, you thought up everything!”       “Not true!” Raquelle protests loudly. “Not true!”       “Stop saying this delirium! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”       “Why don’t you wanna understand it’s very important to me?” Raquelle wonders, looking at Terrence with tears in her eyes. “I did understand you when you told me what bothered you and gave you my support! Is it so hard for you to understand my feelings now? Don’t you care about what I feel?”       “Did I say I didn’t care?”       “You do show it!”       “I’d understand you if you felt guilty of what you REALLY are. But you got another demon, and you find reasons to fight or make someone pity you again. So, they feel sorry for you!”       “I don’t seek pity!” Raquelle protests loudly and crossly. “I’m just saying what I’m feeling! But you give a fuck about it! I need your fucking support that I don’t actually get!”       “You went insane?” Terrence wonders, opening his eyes widely, falling into a stupor. “I have always treated your worries with understanding and tried to support you!”       “SHOW IT, THEN, THE FUCK!” Raquelle screams. “SHOW!”       “Stop screaming at the whole house like a sick, hysterical girl!”       “There is only one sick, hysterical girl – it’s you!”       “Oh, fuck, here we go again…” Terrence moans quietly, running his hands over his face and leaning back in the sofa. “You can only talk about me and my mental issues.”       “I’m not the one to blame that you were born like this and haven’t learned to control yourself.”       “Listen, talking to you has lately been impossible!” Terrence says crossly. “You make a great scandal out of nothing! And you get other people involved in it!”       “You do make me irritated!” Raquelle shouts. “Terribly irritated and furious! I want to get out somewhere not to see you! Your fucking face!”       “Ha, what do I do to make you irritated?” Terrence wonders. “If you want nobody to come and talk to you, say it. So, everybody leaves you alone! So, you sort out this shit by yourself! Without someone’s help and support. If everybody makes you irritated, I could at least give a fuck about you. It’s okay! I agree!”       “It is alright!” Raquelle throws rudely. “You would do me a great favor if you left me alone!”       “Fuck, what’s the fuck lately happening to you?” Terrence wonders, shaking his head sharply. “I don’t understand the short changes in your mood! You’re absolutely quiet now, but then you start behaving aggressively, start hysterics, and scream like crazy. Even if I do NOTHING bad. You’re funny, you’re gloomy… I AM SICK OF YOUR HYSTERICS!”       “COME ON!”       “Stop it, Cameron, enough! I can’t take it! Pity me, at last! As if I’m not about to have a breakdown because of the situation that is getting harder.”       “Oh, oh, how tender you are!”       “I thought you’d get it and treat me with understanding and would not reproach for what happened in the past. But it seems like I was wrong.”       “IT HAS ALREADY CHANGED!” Raquelle screams at the top of her lungs, sharply jumps off the sofa, and turns on Terrence. “CHANGED, THE FUCK! YOU DO GIVE A FUCK ABOUT ME AND MY FEELINGS! I did the fuck tell you what bothered me, what hurts my soul! The reason I can’t sleep at nights! But you are sitting quietly and pretending that EVERYTHING IS THE FUCK FINE! HERE’S THE CONCLUSION THAT ALL YOUR WORDS WERE JUST WORDS! EMPTY WORDS THAT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU!”       Anna, Daniel, Edward, and even Terrence are deeply shocked by how excited Raquelle got, and how loudly she just started screaming. Cameron really scares Seymour, who presses closer to her boyfriend. Who is also shocked and looks at the lovers fighting a little scarily. Edward is surprised much less because he has already been the witness of groundless fights between his friend and his fiancée. But Terrence is sitting dumbfounded and silently looking at Raquelle with widely open eyes full of misunderstanding and surprise, while she is breathing heavily.       Silence settles in the air for a few seconds, during which everybody’s eyes are set only on Raquelle. But then Terrence decides to break it, slowly getting up from the sofa, turning to the girl, and looking at her a little hesitantly.       “Unfair…” Terrence pronounces in a quiet, low voice. “You’re unfair to me… I can’t believe you’re blaming me for it. You wanna get the attention that you definitely lack. But now you’re making yourself a stupid idiot, who went insane, not a victim. Sorry, but I can’t explain all the demons that made you excited. Very sorry… Very sorry that you let yourself do and say this.”       The resentful Raquelle wants to say something rudely, but at this moment, a mobile phone in the pocket of her jeans starts playing a quiet melody and making a vibration that she feels well. Telling the truth, she is very happy about it because she would not like to continue this fight and see Terrence, who starts making her more and more irritated for no reason.       “Excuse me, I gotta answer the call,” Raquelle says in a low, little rude voice.       Raquelle turns around quickly and steps far to answer the call, holding a mobile phone in her hand. Terrence watches the girl with a sad gaze, squinting slightly, feeling the tension in his body, and breathing a little heavily. Daniel, Anna, and Edward also watch her, being shocked by what happened before their eyes and looking at MacClife with a gaze full of sympathy.       “My gosh, I never saw her so excited,” Anna says quietly. “I don’t remember moments when Raquelle was screaming so loudly with my pretense.”       “But I did,” Terrence throws gloomily. “And I saw she could be a real hysterical girl.”       “Whoa, guys…” Daniel shakes his head. “Of course, I knew you had some conflicts, but I didn’t think everything would be so serious. Though, you fight for nothing.”       “You all saw I gave her no reason to get so excited and turn into a shrew!”       “Damn, it’s not fine!” Edward exclaims. “You’ve fought several times with my pretense over the past two days!”       “And that girl has washed my brains enough over the past two days. I do wanna get out somewhere not to hear her shouts and hysterics. This gal makes me wish to reject her more and more. And meet a good, quiet girl.”       “But what’s happening to her?” Anna wonders. “Why does she get so excited and say all these things?”       “You better ask Cameron about it.” Terrence exhales sharply. “Sorry, Anna, but your friend became unbearable. Being with her in the same room is impossible now.”       “She just became the one? Or has she had something like that before?”       “This girl has always had demons in her head. She’s never been the good girl that Alicia and Mr. Cameron wanted her to be.”       “Of course, I could assume she’s nervous about Natalia,” Daniel says thoughtfully. “But how much is Raquelle supposed to be worried to take it out on someone else?”       “Don’t try to understand what’s on her mind,” Terrence says tiredly, sits on the sofa, and puts his hand on his forehead, sighing quietly. “Oh, shit, how it’s all so hard… You know well that I madly love this girl. But sometimes being with her is just impossible, and I wanna run away from her.”       “Not gonna judge you, buddy, but I believe you said many bad things,” Daniel notices quietly, putting his arm on the back of the sofa. “You shouldn’t have asked her not to scream like a hysterical girl.”       “Do you think I should call her if she really screams at the whole house like a sick, hysterical girl? Though, she doesn’t wanna confess it and starts talking about me being a psycho!”       “Maybe, she is really worried about what’s happened over the past one and a half years? I think you shouldn’t devalue her sufferings and make her sure that she thinks of stupid things.”       “Yes, Terrence, why couldn’t you be silent and support her?” Anna asks. “Raquelle just said she gave you support when you needed it. So, why don’t you answer her back? She needs you and count on your support!”       “Don’t I need the one?” Terrence wonders a little louder, pointing at himself with his fingers. “Don’t I need someone to tell them everything in one breath? I am the one of us, who feels much worse! You all know how many problems have rained thick upon me! And after that, nobody can say I feel good now!”       “We understand it, buddy, but try at least to pretend that you understand her. You promised to be together, despite nothing. So, you should keep your promises.”       “Yeah, but how do we stay together if she finds a reason to pick on something even in the hardest situation?” Terrence throws his hands up.       “I get it, but you see how much she’s nervous and worried. The kidnapping of Natalia makes her worry about her friend and pull her hair out because she can do nothing.”       “But you saw that I tried to help her relax.”       “I know, Terrence. But don’t say her words sound like delirium and something like that. Since Raquelle feels guilty about what happened to Natalia, don’t say her thoughts are stupid. Yes, we all know she’s guilty of nothing, but you should change her mind softly. Not like you try to do it – stop saying some delirium, you’re crazy, what you made yourself think about…”       “But agree, Anna, it really sounds stupid! She should also say she’s guilty of making Michael kill me, her, my mother, Edward, and even Natalia!”       “But it’s not delirium for her!” Daniel notices. “Couldn’t you show some patience, watch your mouth, and find softer words to make her sure about her innocence?”       “Huh, patience with such a loud lady,” Terrence hums, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in the sofa. “Now I do wanna get out as far as possible not to see her. Cameron does know I can’t hold myself down and can easily explode, but she makes me nervous and provokes me on purpose.”       “Listen, Terrence, we completely understand it’s very hard for you two. But you must not take it out on each other at such hard moments, no matter how bad you feel.”       “She is the one to blame! She does wanna have a scandal and scream like crazy. And it’s explained by the word made of three letters – P. M. S.”       “Maybe, you just need to take this time?” Anna assumes. “Speaking out about what’s on your mind is better than keeping it inside.”       “Yeah, exactly!” Daniel agrees. “You two saw what Natalia brought herself to when she kept everything inside. That girl was madly lucky you saved her just in time and helped her come to herself somehow.”       “I’ll listen to her with pleasure if she wanna share something with me. But in case she does not scream loudly, so I don't become deaf. If Raquelle explained what she was worried about, I would understand her. But since I always hear reproaches and even got a strong slap in the face yesterday, I have no wish to listen to her claims. May she solve her problems by herself if she stopped appreciating me and forgot who I am. We can even quietly cancel the wedding, break up and live our lives.”       “And don’t forget that Raquelle is trying to do her best to make sure you don’t break our agreement about the temporary reconciliation and don’t attack me with fists,” Edward meddles hesitantly.       “Ar-r-r…” Terrence groans quietly, gets straight sharply, and looks at Edward tiredly. “Here you go again?”       “Just stating the fact.”       “She may be quiet about it. Our agreement will be valid until the story ends, and Michael goes to prison along with his gang.”       “Maybe, you don’t need my pieces of advice, but I think you got a little sick of each other. You need to get separated for some time. Have a rest where you wouldn’t think of problems.”       “Have a rest? We recently went abroad!”       “I guess you got enough of each other because you’ve spent the past few months together. Except for the time you were on the tour along with Peter, Daniel, Zachary, Liam, Nathan, and Bradley. When you spend all the time with someone, someday you may get sick of it. I think something similar is happening to you.”       “You think we need a short separation?” Terrence frowns slightly, moving his eyes to Edward.       “Of course, you could have a rest together. But you should forget about your job, problems, and everything that makes you nervous and worried. There are two possible reasons for your fights: either getting enough of each other or having too much stress because of what’s happening.”       “You know, Edward is right, Terrence!” Daniel notices thoughtfully, putting a finger on his lip. “Why don’t you give a damn about all the problems and cares, at least for a while, and go where Raquelle and you would be together?”       “Not now, Daniel,” Terrence replies confidently. “First, we must solve our problems, and then we can think of the family and ourselves. I can’t think of a rest when my family, my fiancée, my best friend, and I are about to be killed.”       “But you shouldn’t only focus on your problems and forget your close people and yourself,” Anna sighs heavily. “And be silent about it.”       “Oh, Anna, even with a great wish, we can’t do this,” Terrence says tiredly. “We can relax and stop thinking of bad things when this situation is solved.”       “I hope this story will end very soon,” Daniel exhales slowly.       Terrence says nothing and runs his hand over his face, Anna nods, and Edward glances at his hands. However, his thoughts are not about the problems of Terrence and Raquelle. He thinks only of Natalia and what will happen to her if she does not get help before Michael wishes to make his wishes come true.”       While these people are talking about all of it, Raquelle is talking on the phone with her friend Darwin, who called her to remind her of the meeting with Victor Johnson.       “Yes, yes, I know where that café is,” Raquelle says quietly, looking through the window with sadness in her eyes and sometimes glancing at Terrence, Daniel, Anna, and Edward talking in the living room. “Don’t worry, I won’t get lost.”       “Listen, maybe, we meet and go together?” Darwin asks anxiously. “What if something happens.”       “No, thanks a lot, Darwin, I will go in my car. I won’t choose absolutely empty roads and will go where there are many cars. It will be better.”       “Okay, in this case, be very careful. Because Michael’s people might be chasing you.”       “It’s gonna be okay, don’t worry. I’ll try to come to the café just in time. But if I don’t, I will call you and warn you.”       “Okay, Mr. Johnson and I will be waiting for you.”       “See you there then.”       “See you soon.”       Raquelle turns off the call and puts her phone in her pocket, realizing the moment when she will find out everything she wants to know has finally come. The girl exhales sharply to calm down, put her mind in order, and get ready for what she is going to do. After she silently gets ready to come to the others and truly tell them she must leave for two hours, Raquelle slowly but confidently comes back to the living room, where Edward, Terrence, Anna, and Daniel are talking about what’s happening but move their eyes to her when she shows up.       “I just got a call from Serena, my manager,” Raquelle says loudly and confidently, takes her purse, which is lying on the table near the stairs, and starts searching for something. “She asked me to come to the agency shortly and talk about something important.”       “And will you go there alone?” Edward frowns slightly.       “Yes, I will go alone. But I promise I will be back as soon as possible.”       “Aren’t you afraid something might happen to you?”       “Don’t worry, Edward, I’m not gonna walk in deserted places. I am going to go to my model agency that is located in the full center of the city.”       “I will go with you!” Terrence says confidently. “You’ll talk to your manager and go home with me. I will wait as long as need.”       “Don’t need, I will go by myself!” Raquelle jabs a little coldly, fixing the collar of her snow-white shirt with one hand. “Or I will strangle you on the way.”       “Are you asking for trouble?” Terrence resents loudly. “Or you wanna me nervous?”       “Go to the fuck, MacClife! And don’t even dare to watch me.” Raquelle quickly places her purse above her shoulder and waves a hand at everybody. “Bye, guys, I will be back soon.”       Raquelle quickly comes to the exit from the house and opens the door when Terrence, sharply jumping off the sofa, calls her loudly:       “Raquelle! Wait! Stop, I said! Cameron, I am addressing you, the fuck!”       However, Raquelle does not hear him, closes the door, and goes to her car. Terrence wants to catch the girl but decides to stop, being quite tense and breathing heavily.       “Alright then!” Terrence throws loudly. “Go wherever you want! But don’t complain if Michael’s people are chasing you! You will regret my words when one of them puts a handkerchief on your nose and pushes you into a car! Go, come on! I don’t actually care!”       Terrence exhales sharply, putting his hand on his forehead, and runs it over his face.       “Oh, someday I will really get sick of it and piss her the fuck off,” Terrence says quietly. “Someday, she will ask for trouble and hear that I have no strength and wish to live with her.”       “Don’t get excited, Terrence, maybe, she should really stay alone,” Edward replies quietly. “Since her agency is located in the center of the city, Uncle’s people won’t go there. And even if they do it, they’ll do nothing to her.”       “It was probably just an excuse to get out of here. I can easily call the agency or her manager and ask if they have scheduled a meeting. I have the number of Serena. If that woman says she didn’t call Raquelle, that girl deceived us and decided to go somewhere in the city.”       “Excuse or not, but let her stay alone,” Anna says thoughtfully. “I think Raquelle isn’t so stupid to walk where people of Michael could catch her.”       “She can go wherever she wants!” Terrence throws gloomily. “I give a damn. I’m sick of fighting with that unbearable girl. If she doesn’t value my care, she can live as she wants.”       Terrence sharply runs his hands over his face, sits on the sofa tiredly, and runs his fingers through his hair.       “Damn, these conflicts make me powerless…” Terrence says in a quiet, low voice. “I know any couple experiences them, but it deprives me of the last strength that I should keep not to go crazy from the situation with Michael.”       “Don’t be so nervous, buddy,” Daniel advises. “I think when this story ends, you two will become much quieter, and your relationship will get better.”       “I’m afraid I’ll leave her before everything ends, ‘cause I’m losing a wish to be with her and take her demons.” Terrence leans on his laps with his elbows and sets his dead eyes into the distance. “I don’t madly want to break up with her, but I’ll have to do it if she doesn’t stop behaving like this. Because I don’t wanna go crazy because of that girl and barely hold myself down not to make a scandal big.”       “Don’t think about it, Terrence,” Anna replies with sadness in her eyes. “I agree with Daniel: when this story ends, your relationship with Raquelle will get much better. You’ll calm down and stop taking it out on each other. It’s nerves, strong stress, emptiness…”       “Damn… I don’t wanna seem a weak man to you, but I do really have less and less strength to prove to everybody that I’m invulnerable. I do wanna piss everything off and let things happen as they want. I’m sick of this! I’m done with all the problems and just wanna live a good, quiet life!”       “You’re not alone, Terrence!” Daniel replies confidently. “You’ve got such close people as, for example, your mother, who will always support you. You weren’t deprived of good, loyal friends that won’t stay aside. You have and will always have people, whom you can ask for help and advice. If you have something to say, we’re always ready to listen and help.”       “Nope…” Terrence shakes his head, looking into the distance with dead eyes. “Friends and parents will never replace someone you love and are ready to die for.”       “We know, Terrence,” Anna replies softly.       “Raquelle is the best part of my life.” Terrence looks at everybody in the living room with sad eyes. “The lightest and most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me. No matter how disgusting I feel because of our fights, I can’t deny that I’m afraid to lose her. I don’t wanna break up with her and stay without that girl, who changed me for the best and opened my eyes to many things. Maybe, she irritates me at times, but I can’t do without her. I see no meaning in life. I wouldn’t have thought I wouldn’t be able to live without the girl that I’d love so much. And now I’m suffering from conflicting with her and literally shaking because of a threat to lose her someday.”       “And aren’t you ready to take it all for the love of her?”       “It’s the only reason I still tolerate her. If I was indifferent to her, I would break up and meet another girl.”       Meanwhile, Edward recalls Raquelle telling him that Terrence is the best part of her life. It hurts for him to watch his friend suffer because of the problems with his fiancée, who is doing bad things to him for nothing. He would like to support this man and show him that Terrence could always ask him for help and advice. But the man remembers they are in a fight, concluded a temporary reconciliation, and set limits. Edward watches the depressed Terrence for a few seconds with sadness in his eyes. At some moment, he wants to clap him on the back slightly to encourage him. But then Lockhart changes his mind, believing his friend would hardly like this way of showing feelings. So, he decides just to say encouraging words, moving his eyes to his hands and starting to speak quietly:       “I understand what you’re feeling… Completely understand… The feeling when you fight with someone important to you is disgusting. No matter who you are fighting with, fights always make you depressed. Nobody wants to lose someone, who means so much to them… Who you get strongly attracted to… Who you could tell everything in the world…”       “It describes what I feel for Raquelle,” Terrence replies thoughtfully and leans back in the sofa, raising his head.       “Raquelle also understands she can’t live without you. I think she’s behaving like this because she’s too worried about what’s happening. But she doesn’t talk about it openly.”       “But sometimes it seems to me that she does want to do her best for me to leave her. I kind of do everything she wants, but she isn’t happy with something. I don’t understand what she needs. What’s she unhappy with? What do I do wrong? What’s my fault?”       “You’re guilty of nothing for her. There are just moments when someone starts to get you irritated for nothing. Even if you’re super, super perfect! Sometimes even the best things make us irritated to death if we have too many of them. Well, and as we said, strong stress also impacts our mental health.”       “Most likely… But it’s all too hard…”       “It’s gonna be okay…” Edward bites his lip slightly, barely holding himself down not to pronounce the word ‘friend.’ “Terrence… You just need to take it… Someday, everything will get better. Your relationship with Raquelle will get better. Don’t forget that she completely understands everything and feels the same as you do.”       “We’ll see, Edward… We’ll see…” Terrence glances at Edward. “Still, thanks for the support. You understand me well.”       “Yeah, sure…” Edward nods, pulling the bandage on his hand. “Everything should be fine, at least for someone…”       Edward raises his head, leans back in the sofa, and closes his eyes for two seconds, running his hands over his face and hair from the top of the head to the nape of his neck and doubling over with a quiet sigh. Terrence moves his gaze full of sadness to this guy, starting to get more sympathy and pity, getting softer and softer toward him, and forgetting about his wish to show aggression towards him. He starts seeing that his friend is really regretting what he has done and trying to prove it so hard. The man wants to encourage his friend by sitting next to him and clapping him on the back or shoulder. And at some moment, he even reaches a hand to him, while Lockhart runs his hands over his hair and face, doubling over. But at the same moment, Terrence changes his mind, as he is not ready to overcome pride and forgive Edward, despite getting much softer to him and stopping showing aggression, as he did some time ago.       Daniel and Anna, holding each other’s hand and pressing close to each other, watch Terrence and Edward with sadness in their eyes, seeing they definitely want to support each other but cannot find the courage to do it.       “They definitely wanna support each other, but they can’t,” Daniel says quietly. “Fighting with opposite feelings.”       “I see,” Anna agrees. “Terrence is fighting with offenses against Edward, and Edward himself is fighting with fear that his friend will refuse to accept his support.”       “Agree. Still, people are right when they say friends can fight as much as possible, but they love each other at the bottom of their hearts. Of course, there are exclusions, but most people remember their family ties and… Can’t get rid of pity and sympathy…”       “At least, we can now watch Edward a little. And I personally see he’s regretting his actions in one or another way.”       “Yeah, you’re right…” Daniel bites his lip slightly. “You know, Anna, first, I judged Edward for his actions and thought he was a stinker… Erm… I mean, I judge him now and still can’t trust what I see on his pretty face. But when he speaks, I see a great regret about what happened on his face.”       “My heart squeezes when I look at him. This guy looks so unhappy and is even afraid to look at all of us. When he speaks, he rarely looks into someone’s eyes. As if he’s ashamed.”       “Nevertheless, I believe he sounds true. He doesn’t try to think up anything and tells the truth. At least, I like the fact that he doesn’t deny the charges and agrees with them. MacClife doesn’t get furious, denying everything we say, and quietly tries to explain it somehow.”       “Maybe, we really attacked Edward with charges of greed and egoism for nothing? What if this man just tried to protect his family from that Michael by himself?”       “Yeah…” Daniel pronounces thoughtfully. “I guess you were right when you said he could hardly think of betraying his family for money. No point in talking about the situation of your friend ‘cause he confirmed everything and recognized his fault, but as for the inheritance…”       “The inheritance belongs to him by law. His father bequeathed some part to him and another part to his brothers. So, he has the right to fight for what belongs to him.”       “And notice that he hasn’t said anything about the money of his friend, his fiancée, or his mother. Edward hasn’t said he wanna kill and rob his family. Vice versa, he says he’d never do that.”       “And I prefer believing him,” Anna confesses. “Moreover, Raquelle, Terrence, and Natalia said Edward never told them about a wish to get everything, even when he was furious. There were only words about the inheritance. About justice.”       “Agree. And looking at him, I feel kind of sorry for this guy. He looks exhausted and unhappy. I don’t know what he was before, but now MacClife can’t definitely be quiet because of what’s happening to Natalia. He’s too nervous and shaking when talking about her and the kidnapping of her.”       “I think he still loves her and is worried so much for this reason.”       “Who knows.”       “And you know, Daniel, something tells me that’s what could push Edward to take some actions. If he still loves Natalia and is afraid his uncle could kill her, it will become his great motivation.”       “I dunno, maybe,” Daniel shrugs. “But still, let’s not whitewash him and call him good earlier. We better wait for some time, until this story ends. If Edward is really so good and regrets what he did, he should prove it. For example, sign the papers for the refusal of the inheritance along with Terrence. Since this guy says he is ready to do this if Natalia’s life depends on it, he must keep his promise.”       “Nevertheless, he’s already trying to get better. I believe him when he speaks. Of course, it’s still unpleasant for me that he did such a disgusting thing to my friend. But this guy is clearly regretting it and trying to make amends for her.”       “We’ll see what he’s ready for his love for her and his family in case he still has it. If Terrence and Raquelle gave him a chance, he should prove that he was understood wrongly.”       “Oh, I can’t wait for Michael to show up and call his claims for Natalia’s freedom,” Anna sighs heavily. “I’m imagining how it’s hard for the poor girl now…”       “She’ll be okay, my love,” Daniel replies softly and caresses Anna’s cheek with the back of his hand tenderly. “This story will end very soon, and your friend will be free.”       “I hope, sweetie, I hope…”       Anna sighing heavily again puts her head on Daniel’s shoulder, setting her sad gaze into the distance, while the man softly caresses the girl’s head, kisses her cutely on her temple, strokes her long red hair, and strokes the inside of her wrist.       

***

      It’s about three o'clock. The house of Michael. Natalia has to be in the room where she was locked. Although it’s been a second day since she was brought here, the girl believes it’s been kind of forever. Time in captivity goes very slowly, like something unpleasant that is wanted to be forgotten as soon as possible. At least, she is happy Michael’s people did not tie up her hands and legs. So, she can freely move in the room, even if she has almost nothing to do. The girl is not really suffering from hunger and is treated quite well, and nobody dares to mock her. Probably, this is the only thing that makes her happy.       “Gosh, I really wanna get out of here!” Natalia thinks, sitting on the cold floor, leaning on the locked door with her back, pressing her knees to herself, and raising her head. “Please, help me survive. No matter how I will be saved and by whom. But now I dream of three things: being free, knowing my friends are living in peace and calm, and… Getting Edward back.”       Natalia opens her eyes wider and sniffs quietly.       “Yes, I really wanna get him back! I wish he was with me right now. To hug me tightly, press me to himself, and say it’s gonna be okay. I need that man… So badly… Like never ever before… I want him to get me out of here… I do wanna know I can count on him. Count on the one I love with all my heart… I think I will not love anyone else as much as I love him. I’ll always love him. Even if our breakup is final and irreversible.”       At some moment, Natalia smiles shyly because she thinks of Edward protecting her from Michael’s people until the end and showing himself as a brave and confident man.       “Edward was protecting me so hard when those people surrounded us. I’ll never forget how much I was proud of him. That man was so brave and confident. He wasn’t afraid to fight off those stinks. He was fighting furiously with them… Especially the stinker, who almost raped me and ruined our relationship… I was madly horrified, but I was glad I had such a trustworthy man by my side… I had… Before they defeated him…”       Natalia sighs heavily and calls the memories about the moment she was much more horrified than ever – when Edward strongly hit his head and collapsed on the ground unconscious. The girl gets tears in her eyes, and her heart squeezes and bleeds.       “God, what happened to him after that hit?” Natalia asks with anxiety and sniffs quietly, feeling that tears are rolling down her cheeks. “Didn’t Edward die? Did he get out of there if he woke up? Did someone help him? Will that hit not lead to anything horrifying in the future? Please, God, don’t let anything bad happen. I won’t be able to live if something happens to him. If he dies! It will be unbearable for me to know that the man I love is dead. No matter how much pain he’s given me, I’ll never be indifferent to Edward. I love him literally stronger than before. I do really feel bad without him. I wanna be with him. I’m ready to forgive him for anything. To be happy with the one I feel so good with. Who I feel warm and comfortable with… I need his care freaking much… His caress… His love… I don’t wanna believe it’s all over! I still believe we didn’t break up, but had a big fight. Nobody else has made me feel as good as he does. But I, idiot, didn’t appreciate it. I kept him away because of my fears gotten after the rape attempt. Because of my stupidity, I lost such a wonderful man! Everything could’ve been otherwise if I’d told him the truth earlier! Why? Why?”       Making quiet sobs and shaking slightly, Natalia closes her face with her hands and runs them over her matted hair. And some time later, she wipes off tears under her eyes, and then grabs her throat with a feeling that she cannot breathe. The girl slightly pulls her gray shirt, takes a gilt necklace hanging on her neck, and starts to look at this. Although it’s simple, it’s very cute. A sparkle gilt letter “N” – the one the girl’s name starts with – is hanging on a thin chain. The blonde puts this pendant on her palm and looks at it for some time with a slight smile on her face, but later closes her eyes, squeezes the letter, and puts it to her heart for a few seconds.       “Please, Edward, save me… Take me away from this place. I don’t wanna stay with the one, who might try to rape me again. Don’t leave me in trouble, I’m begging you. I need you… I need your help… Your protection… Your support… You can’t imagine how grateful I’d be if I was saved by you. Please, sweetie, save me… I know you can do this… I do really wanna get out of here, and I ain’t gonna die so early. For the Christ, Edward, do something… If you do it, I’ll forgive you anything. Just save me from your uncle…”       Natalia sighs heavily and starts looking at the necklace with the first letter of her name, running her fingertips over it. This necklace kind of gives her some strength and hope that everything will be okay. Shoots of the bright sun getting through a small window fall on the sparkle gilt letter that starts shining with a special gloss. Since the blonde adores sparkling stuff, she spends some time watching the bright shine of the little sparkles the pedant is covered with like charmed.       “Help is getting closer, I feel it,” Natalia smiles slightly, moving her eyes off the necklace. “I still have a chance to save myself. I’m sure something will help me save myself someday. And if I don’t wanna die earlier, I must keep staying quiet and not try to go against Michael and his gang. It’s the only thing I can do now. And I promise I will be taking it until the day I can hope for my salvation comes.”       Natalia glances at the small window, through which the sunlight is getting into the room full of some unnecessary things.       “I promise to believe in my salvation for those I love,” Natalia thinks with a slight smile. “For my parents, Edward, Raquelle, Anna, Terrence, Daniel, Peter… Those people are the reason why I can find the strength to fight ‘till the last breath. My heart beats for love… For the love of those people. It’s the sound that tells me not to give up. I will believe and will be fighting for the love and strong friendship that connects me with all those people. Salvation will come, I should only believe and wait for some time.”       Natalia glances down for two seconds, tightly squeezing her gilt jewelry. And while she is praying about salvation and trying not to stop believing in the best, certain voices, one of which belongs to Eugene, say something. After hearing it, the girl immediately hides her necklace underneath her shirt and starts listening to what her offender and another man start talking about, still sitting on the cold parquet floor and pressing closer to the shabby door.       “Michael will start his game soon,” Eugene says confidently. “At the nearest time. Maybe, tomorrow or after tomorrow, he will call his nephew and tell him about his claims.”       “Which claims?” the man asks.       “Nothing special. Lockhart should just come to his beloved uncle. And bring his crazy friend with him, preferably.”       “MacClife did tell Michael he was in a fight with his friend! How would he make him come here?”       “Don’t worry, Xavier,” Eugene laughs with evil in his eyes. “If Edward doesn’t bring Terrence MacClife here, I will go to his home and grab him by the collar. And take him to the office of our dear lord.”       “Oh, it’s gonna be a hard task. That Terrence is an unstable psycho. If he dislikes something, he starts acting like a sick bastard. Just like his daddy did somehow.”       “Yeah, but it seems like his friend is not so far.” Eugene shows Xavier the bruises on his arms. “Look what that kid did to me yesterday. And how he was screaming! I think if the mental hospital staff had been near, they would’ve immediately taken him with him.”       “Agree…” Xavier pronounces thoughtfully. “Maybe, he’s gonna become an absolute image of the eldest sonny of Jamie. People are right when they say Terrence is an image of his father. At least because of his character. I can’t say anything about the appearance because I’ve never seen him in real life, but his character is discussed very much.”       “Trenton said Terrence was really very similar to his father like two drops of water.”       “Yeah, it’s so interesting: the older sonnies are his images, and the younger ones are similar to him only thanks to some features. Michael did tell us about them and showed photos of those two.”       “I remember. At least those kids have the brains not to meddle in the life of their uncle and to do their business. That’s why our boss loves them. I’m sorry that one of his older nephews didn’t take an example from them and started pretending to be a hero.”       “He probably, naively believes someone would thank him if he puts Michael in prison,” Xavier smirks, crossing his arms over his chest. “So, he’s kicking asses!”       “It’s okay, dude,” Eugene says confidently. “When his friend, his fiancée, and his mommy are here as well as he, Our lord will give him a choice: life and an oath of loyalty or a refusal to become brave and death.”       “I wonder if we will have to knock MacClife just like we did it to the younger one and his ex-girlfriend in case we have to bring him here? What if they’ve had the ability to fight and scratch like wild cats since they were born.”       “Well, knowing he’s a sick psycho that screams and waves his hands all the time, it will be the only way.”       “What if that idiot dies? What if he’s less lucky?”       “Huh, nothing will happen to Terrence if he gets a hit on the head,” Eugene replies confidently, waving a hand with a sneer. “When he wakes up, he will be sitting in front of his uncle Michael at his office. Maybe, even being tied up. I’m sure his head is as tough as his friend’s.”       “You’d do anything to bring the girls here quietly. We had to knock the puppy out and will have to deal with that deadbeat. When these men are here, Michael will tell us to bring his fiancée here. Dealing with gals is easier than with men. They can’t wave their hands and beat someone’s face. It’s okay if they scream a little and drown someone with tears because it’s quite fixable.”       Hearing Eugene and Xavier saying they are going to bring Terrence and Raquelle here, Natalia opens her eyes widely and shakes her head.       “No…” Natalia whispers. “No, no, not that! Not Raquelle and Terrence! I don’t want you to touch him or her with a finger! I don't want them to be where I am now! You won’t dare to do it! Terrence won’t give up and will not let you touch Raquelle at least with a finger. Don’t even hope, dogs!”       “I hope that beauty will be more obedient than her friend,” Eugene smiles shyly and slightly claps on the locked door with his hand. “Our blondie became quiet only after Eric put the handkerchief to her nose and sent her to the world of magic dreams.”       “Nevertheless, you’re drooling over this gal and can’t wait for the day when Michael gives her to you,” Xavier chuckles quietly. “Waiting for the boss to let you fuck her.”       “Everything will happen, Hilton. I have very many plans for this girl. I will have a lot of fun before she dies. Rochester will suck me enough and spread her legs, so I get my penis into her.”       “Well, you wanna have fun with the blondie, but I wanna see her friend, that sexy brunette.” Xavier smiles much wider and bites his lip slightly. “That girl is an awesome chick! She does spread the sex! Just looking at Raquelle would be enough for any man to get immediately excited.”       “Agree. And I completely understand why MacClife couldn’t resist. She is really walking sex! She does know how to show herself and make men lie at her feet with her gaze.”       “That guy definitely must be very nervous because such a sexy cutie must be kept under view. If you yawn once, someone will take her away! Someone like me! I’d have a great pleasure playing with that baby, caressing her gorgeous body and kissing it. Undressing her slowly… M-m-m… I’m sure she’s unreal and wonderful in bed, as well. MacClife is so happy when being next to her for a reason. It’s clear they have incredible sex, and he doesn’t suffer from a lack of the lady’s love.”       “Huh, he’s got too much of it!” Eugene smirks, crossing his arms over his chest. “That plucked peacock has a too great self-opinion. He finds himself literally a God that everybody must praise.”       “That’s what the love of lots of little girls and everyone’s admiration for his allegedly great goals does. And his mommy also gave him too much love to him and made him think he was the most wonderful and best one in the world.”       “Oh, if his gorgeous fiancée praises and admires him every day when that psycho stands near her, it’s not surprising that MacClife’s self-rating became too high, and he doesn’t believe when someone says it’s a lie. He thinks someone’s just envying him and doesn’t know how handsome he actually is.”       “It’s okay, while the guys and our boss are dealing with that bastard and his friend, I will use a chance and have fun with that babe.” Xavier rubs his hands with a sly smile. “Maybe, right before his eyes. To make him die from evil and jealousy.”       “That’s right. We could have fun with Raquelle and Natalia only when the brainless puppy and his psycho friend could do nothing. I’m sure that Terrence wouldn’t let anyone come to that beauty. I heard they had great love.”       “I heard. And yeah, one of the guys told me he saw Terrence at a bar a few months ago. He kind of drank very much, ‘till getting drunk to hell. MacClife was often in similar places. And somehow, Dustin even saw a certain man getting him out of the bar. Terrence was drunk to the fuck, could barely stand on his feet, but was signing songs at the top of his lungs.”       “Yeah, everybody wrote about it.”       “He was even caught in the hugs of a blonde gal that he was kissing. I don’t know who she is, but that cutie was deeply in love with that six-foot-tall column.”       “Oh, yeah, a long time before his possible love affair, there was a rumor that Terrence and Raquelle were about to break up,” Eugene says.       “I remember. The media spread so many rumors: cheating on each other and the fact that the guy drank too much. And someone wrote about jealousy of each other because of a career…”       “So many rumors were spread about that couple,” Xavier notices, stroking his chin. “Until they made an announcement that they weren’t breaking up and wouldn’t end the modeling career and the acting career.”       “And they’re now pretending that nothing happened and refuse to talk about the attempt to break up.”       “Right… They’re now trying to change the subject and talk about, for example, their success. She doesn’t get sick of being proud of her success in the modeling business, and she contracts with the best brands. And he has the pleasure of talking about his musical band and doesn’t exclude that he will start filming in movies again for the happiness of his little fans.”       “Wow! I didn’t know he had a band. Long?”       “Not very. He met two deadbeats and started a band with them. But they might disband it because it’s rumored that there is a conflict in the band, and they could hardly record an album. And one of the members recently tried to kill himself.”       “Come on!” Xavier exclaims, opening his eyes widely. “Was he such a tender creature?”       “It seems like so. They say his condition is very hard. I wouldn’t be surprised if he died, despite doctors’ efforts.”       “Ha, Terrence is so unlucky!” Xavier smirks, crossing his arms over his chest. “The member of his band is between life and death, and MacClife himself will die soon. Will be killed by his friend.”       “Oh, yeah, the boss can’t wait for it!” Eugene replies with enthusiasm with a wide smile. “I can’t wait for the story to happen again.”       “And now Edward got a chance to save his life and do what his uncle did to start living the life that he’s always wanted.”       “Exactly!”       “Hey, what if Lockhart is a coward? He did always tell everybody he wouldn’t kill Terrence, ‘cause he kind of feared a gun and loved his friend too much.”       “So, he shall die along with his friend, his friend’s fiancée, his ex-girlfriend, and his mommy. Though, I don’t think he’ll refuse to kill because a big amount is at stake. That little yobbo has never seen those amounts before. Bags of dollars will impact him like hypnosis: he will look at them and do anything for them to belong to him.”       “Hey, how much does Michael want to pay his nephew for killing his friend?”       “Although Michael doesn’t actually want to share the money, he’s ready to give just a little part of the inheritance that should belong to him and his friend.”       “Come on?” Xavier opens his mouth. “It’s just a big amount! According to the will, Michael’s brother bequeathed about four million dollars to those two and some privileges related to his company. And these deadbeats are supposed to share it with each other.”       Putting her ear closer to the door, Natalia opens her mouth widely in surprise.       “Right, but Lockhart will get only one or two million dollars,” Eugene shrugs. “And zero percent of the stocks. His uncle will get the other. But if Edward is a good boy, Michael will give him a reward from his personal money for braveness. And the better he serves him, the more money he will get. Michael will provide him with everything: giving him a lot of money, renting one of the houses in this neighborhood, finding him a job in a company close to himself… He will live like a king! He should only put his cowardice in his ass and shoot at Terrence.”       “Yeah, a king! The company is giving him great money that will be enough for the rest of his life. Our lord will always be amazingly rich and be able to provide for his nephew if he works for him. And when it’s his time to die, Edward may become the owner of the wealth. If he wants, he will become much better and richer than his friend. He’s got a wonderful chance to live in luxury, drink expensive wine or champagne, and eat incredible lobsters and oysters.”       “Be sure, Xavier, that bastard will agree to become his right hand,” Eugene says confidently and smiles slyly, scratching the bristle on his face. “Not only because he’s terribly ashamed of living in poverty and being a little puppy for everybody. In case he refuses to be by his side, Michael can tell everybody one secret that Edward is hiding from everyone. If he makes everybody sure that he doesn’t wanna steal money from someone, this secret will ruin his good relationship with his family. And Natalia will not cry for him and wish to come back to him.”       “What are you talking about, Eugene?” Xavier frowns slightly. “What kind of secret? What’s Edward hiding?”       “Well, everybody here knows that the real name of that kid is Edward MacClife.”       “Yeah, it’s not a secret to anyone that he’s been pretending to be someone else. That he is not Lockhart.”       “What?” Natalia opens her eyes widely. “MacClife? Edward MacClife?”       “If those people are not stupid, they’ve probably started to suspect something. Everyone knows that there can’t be too many coincidences.”       “They’re gonna be overwhelmed when the real identity of the puppy is revealed. When they know which sins he’s committed.”       “What do you mean?”       “Don’t you know? Didn’t Eric tell you how Michael, several guys, and I were drinking coffee, and the chef mentioned the secret, which would be revealed if that puppy went against us?”       “No, would you share it with me? I promise I’ll be as silent as a fish and say nothing!”       “The case is that the man named Nicolas Carter was killed a few years ago. He knew Jamie and Michael well, but was only a friend of our boss’ brother.” Eugene clears his throat quickly. “So, Edward MacClife was suspected of the murder. He was found at the place of the crime. The puppy even got arrested on suspicion of murder and was kept in prison for some time. Later, the police let him go. Though, they did not clear him, and he is still on the list of suspects. The killer of Nicolas hasn’t been found, but the suspect is Edward. No other suspicious people. Besides, the cops caught him with a gun in his hands.”       Natalia gets horrified and opens her mouth much wider, throwing her dumbfounded eyes at the whole room and feeling she instantly gets obsessed with a strong shake.       “What?” Natalia barely pronounces, getting sharply white from horror. “Erm… Edward? K-killed the man?”       Natalia starts listening to the talk much better, but has literally not to breathe because she can barely hear it through the locked door.       “Holy shit!” Xavier exclaims loudly. “That puppy? Killed someone?”       “I didn’t believe, either, and was laughing loudly when Michael told us about it,” Eugene confesses. “But it’s the truth: Edward Robert MacClife is a killer. Who tells everybody he terribly fears a gun. Nevertheless, something made him kill the friend of his daddy. I don’t know what Nicolas did to him, but that man is dead because of the puppy.”       “But how does Michael know it? You said Nicolas was only a friend of Jamie!”       “Right, but he knows about the murder. I don’t know how, ‘cause he didn’t say it. But Michael doesn’t doubt that his nephew killed that man. And Edward is terribly afraid that his family would know this secret. He is afraid of it much more than revealing his real name.”       “But why haven’t the police gotten that puppy arrested if all the suspicions are on him?”       “Honestly, I don’t know why this yobbo is still free,” Eugene shrugs. “I know that Edward was with the killed man and holding a pistol, which was found at the crime place. As Michael said, the cops checked the fingerprints and found out that they belonged to this fucking puppy.”       “What a twist!” Xavier shakes his head. “I can’t believe Edward could kill someone. I thought that kid could only hide behind his mother’s skirt and cry.”       “People are right when they say you shouldn’t believe a pretty face and think its owner is an angel. So, MacClife has been hiding under the mask of a cowardly, insecure bunny for many years. He even changed his name. He probably thought that nobody would know about his sins.”       “But how long have you known it?”       “Michael told us that yesterday. After we brought the gal here. He organized a little get-together for us, during which the guys and I told him how we knocked out that kid and caught his ex.”       “Okay.”       “And you know, I’m starting to doubt MacClife is really a coward. If he killed Nicolas, murdering Terrence will be very easy for him.” Eugene thinks for two seconds. “Maybe, our owner saw the ability of a killer in him, and it became another reason why he wanted to kill Terrence with Edward’s hands.”       The more Natalia listens to this talk, the more she gets shocked and becomes speechless, refusing to believe such a sweet and kind at first sight guy like Edward could kill someone. The white, dumbfounded girl is sitting on the floor and closing her mouth with a hand, shaking her head, strongly shaking, and feeling tears slowly rolling over her cheeks.       “Yeah, but why is the fuck that bastard still free?” Xavier wonders. “Since he killed, he must go to prison and die in the dirtiest cell!”       “I’m also surprised Edward killed the man, but he walks into the city as if nothing happened,” Eugene replies thoughtfully. “Michael said the murder happened somewhere at the beginning of 2010. That puppy has been supposed to be in prison for six years, but he hasn’t been arrested yet. No court hearing took place. No sentence was given him.”       “But why, fuck?” Xavier wonders loudly. “Did our boss do something not to let it happen?”       “Maybe. Probably, that puppy was out on bail but stayed under suspicion. Though, Michael didn’t say if it helped him or not.”       “I think it happened. I don’t exclude that Michael wants to get benefit from it. Revenging on him for the murder of his familiar man.”       “Michael said the murdered man communicated with Jamie much better, and they were literally best friends. But he didn’t treat our boss well.”       “Anyway, I find only one explanation for the fact that Edward walks freely – our boss covered him and got him out of prison. But if it’s so, I don’t exclude that Michael wants to get something back and could tell everybody his nephew killed that man. He’s able to put him in prison again and do his best for the court hearing to take place. So, either MacClife will go to prison and die there, or he will be killed by us on the same day as his friend, his fiancée, his mother, and his ex-girlfriend. Or… He will have to kill Terrence.”       “I think you’re right,” Eugene says thoughtfully and smirks ironically. “Since Edward is terribly afraid that someone from his family knows he became a killer at the age of nineteen, it will be a wonderful trump card for Michael, who can easily get him to stand by his side and say nothing about his sin before the death of his relatives.”       “I believe we can call that guy dangerous,” Xavier chuckles quietly with his arms crossed over his chest. “We’ve got a reason to suspect his insecurity and terrible cowardice are just a mask.”       “At least if he starts beating you, you will barely walk. That bastard has a hard hand and can fight well. And his tongue is sharp. He’d find an answer for anything.”       “So, he got a chance to show himself and get a benefit for himself. It can help him start to live the life that he has always dreamed about. And he wouldn't have to be jealous of his rich friend.”       “That’s right!” Eugene laughs quietly.       Silence settles in the air, during which Natalia shakes her head with her mouth closed with a hand and shakes from the excitement and tension that she is getting more and more obsessed with.       “Oh, listen, red-haired, let’s go to eat,” Xavier suggests. “I'm dying from hunger!”       “Again?” Eugene smirks and pushes Xavier on his hip. “You did eat some time ago! You don’t have a stomach, you’ve got a bottomless pit! No matter how much you put in it, you can’t fill it fully.”       “If you don’t want, don’t go, I will go alone!” Xavier smiles mysteriously. “Today they cooked such delicious dishes… M-m-m… You’re gonna bite your tongue! The gal got her breakfast this morning, and she ate it all. She definitely liked it.”       “Okay, jock, deal!” Eugene waves a hand. “Let’s go to see what our girls cooked.”       Eugene and Xavier quickly go somewhere, still talking about something that does not have to do with Michael’s place and laughing quietly. Natalia, still keeping her legs bent at her knees and leaning on the locked door with her back and the back of her head, is ready to cry bitterly after what she had to hear. The girl raises her head and tightly closes her eyes, trying to hold on to the flow of tears that is about to get out. The blonde getting sharply white starts shaking stronger and stronger from just one thought that Edward Lockhart is Edward MacClife. The man, whom she madly loves, turned out to be a killer.       “No…” Natalia pronounces in a shaking voice, barely moving her lips and shaking her head. “No… No, it can’t be true! Edward… He’s… He's one of the MacClifes… He’s Edward MacClife. If only those bastards didn’t lie. Though, they sounded truly enough.”       Natalia swallows up nervously and runs her hands over her hair.       “I don’t wanna believe it! No! Edward couldn’t kill the man! Couldn’t! I don’t believe that he has to do with that murder. I refuse to believe what that man said. The man that I madly love can’t be a killer. He killed nobody!”       Natalia closes her face with her hands for a few seconds and makes a few loud sobs.       “Michael is lying!” Natalia exclaims in despair. “He wants to slander him! Make us believe he is really a shameless stinker that we must keep ourselves away from! Edward couldn’t become a killer at his wish or against it! It couldn’t happen! Couldn’t happen! COULD NOT!”       Natalia grabs her hair with her hands, as she is crying bitterly.       “Please, God, I wish it was a slander of Michael,” Natalia begs with tears on her cheeks, closing her eyes. “I wish the killer of that man was anyone except Edward. Maybe, he’s not an angel, but I’m sure that man would never do that! Never! I don’t wanna believe it… He could not…”       Natalia makes a few loud sobs and sharply runs her hands over her matted hair.       “Gosh, what if it’s the truth?” Natalia gets horrified, closing her mouth with a hand with widely open eyes. “What if Michael talked about that murder? He said he knew something about Edward that would ruin his relationship with his close people! Is that what he blackmails that man with? Does he threaten to reveal his secret in case he refuses to kill Terrence? Maybe, that is why Edward didn’t wanna go against Michael for some time?”       Natalia closes her face with her hands, understanding she is shaking from the strong tension.       “Ar-r-r, damn, what am I talking about? It just can’t be the truth! I will not believe that Edward killed someone! He’s a sweet, kind, and decent guy, who became a victim of that sick idiot. Even if he has a different name… Not a killer… Not a killer! NOT A KILLER! I SHALL NOT BELIEVE IT!”       Natalia inclines her head and closes her face with her hands, still sitting on the parquet floor, leaning on the cold locked door with her back and sometimes fixing her disheveled, matted hair that gets into her eyes or some part of her face. The white, exhausted girl is crying bitterly, shaking strongly, wiping tears rolling over her cheeks off her face, and feeling her heart starts beating much faster from excitement, and it’s getting very hard for her to breathe.       

***

      It’s almost half past three. Raquelle drove to the café “Runaway” to meet Darwin and Victor. The girl reaches the right place without problems, noticing nothing suspicious on the way, and comes just in time. After finding a place in the parking lot and taking it, she gets a key out of the motor, takes her purse from the passenger seat, unlocks the car, and confidently goes to the sofa, walking on black boots with heels.       Raquelle enters the café and looks around, seeing there are fewer people doing their business, sitting on tables, or standing in a line for the cash. Actually, this place is very comfortable and nice. There is no wish to leave it as soon as possible. Nice music, quiet atmosphere, discreet staff members, and a good menu and prices… And the design of the café is made of light colors that do not cause disgust or excitement. There are not very many tables here because the room is not very large. But if you go further, you can see a turn, behind which there is a women’s and men’s restroom, judging by the sign hanging on the wall.       Luckily, Raquelle does not have to find Darwin and his colleague Victor for too long. Two seconds later, after she enters here, the girl sees a familiar person, who noticed the brunette much earlier and waves a hand at her to call her. She confidently comes to the table, and Darwin and Victor get up from the table to welcome the girl.       “Hey, Raquelle!” Darwin greets amicably. “Thanks for coming just in time.”       “Same to you, Darwin!” Raquelle replies gently, amicably hugging Darwin to welcome him, and steps back from him two seconds later. “Been a while?”       “Nope, about five or ten minutes,” Darwin shrugs with a shy smile. “We came here a little earlier because we wanted to look around.”       “Well, okay,” Raquelle smiles shyly.       “Hey, how was your trip? No problems? You noticed nothing suspicious?”       “No, no, it’s alright. My trip was good, and I tried to look around. Saw nothing and nobody suspicious.”       “Thank God, then.”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, and then Darwin glances at Victor and points at him, saying:       “So, Raquelle, before we start a talk, let me acquaint you with the person that you wanted to meet.”       “Hello,” Victor nods with a gentle smile. “Nice to meet you! Victor Johnson, a captain of the police and Darwin’s colleague.”       “Same, Mr. Johnson,” Raquelle replies amicably, and shakes Victor by the hand. “My name is Raquelle Cameron.”       “Nice to meet you, Ms. Cameron.”       “Call me just Raquelle.”       “Alight, if you do not mind…”       “So, let’s sit at the table?” Darwin suggests.       “Yeah, sure,” Raquelle shrugs with a shy smile.       Victor, Darwin, and Raquelle sit on the table and comfortably set themselves on soft chairs, and the girl puts her purse on the back of the sofa.       “You know, as we seriously take care of the safety of your circle, I asked Darwin and some colleagues of mine to come with me,” Victor confesses. “Four more policemen are sitting behind my back.”       Raquelle glances at the table behind Victor and Darwin and really sees four people that are sorting out the food on their plates and talking about something, behaving freely and laughing shyly at times.       “Wow, I didn’t know they were with you…” Raquelle says thoughtfully.       “We put on casual clothes not to get attention on us,” Victor replies. “We don’t need too much attention because people may often come to us if something happens. But now we have no time to solve the problems of others.”       “I got it. But I think nobody would bother is because this place is quiet and unpopular enough. There are fewer cars in the parking lot.”       “That’s what we need.”       “Right.”       Silence settles in the air for two seconds, after which Victor clears his throat and breaks it confidently:       “Oh, alright… Let’s not push off this discussion. Let’s talk about what we met here for.” Victor folds his hands on the table in front of him. “Darwin told me about your situation with two words, and said you asked me to meet you.”       “Yes, Mr. Johnson,” Raquelle nods confidently. “The case is that I want to find out everything you know about Jamie and Michael MacClife. Darwin told me you were trying to help your close friend make his older brother Michael pay for everything he has done.”       “Oh, Michael…” Victor sighs tiredly and throws a little gloomy gaze aside for a second. “That cad made everybody’s life worse…”       “Really?”       “You know, Ms., I have met different people with different shortcomings. But that man is the worst one.”       “You know him personally?”       “Personally, no, but Jamie has told me much about him. I know absolutely everything about that man and what he is planning.”       “Mr. Johnson, could you tell me the story of the inheritance and everything about Jamie and Michael MacClife? Why did it all start? How? What are Michael’s goals? I want to know everything!”       “Alright, I will tell you everything. In order for you to understand me well, I will start the story from the beginning. But if you know something, let me know, and I will go to the next line.”       “Alright, speak, I’m listening to you.”       “So, the case is…” Victor clears his throat and folds his hands on the table in front of him. “I’ve known Jamie for a very long time. We have been friends since we were young: he was about twenty-one, but I was twenty-three. I got married and became the father of a daughter. And Jamie knows Lydia, my wife, and Diana, my daughter, for whom he became a godfather.”       “So, do you also know his ex-wife, Rebecca?”       “Yes, I know Rebecca Jonas, it’s her maiden name, very well. There were times when we spent time all together with a cup of tea at the home of my wife and me. That woman also loves my daughter and has always treated her very touchingly, though she is not her godmother.”       “But how did you meet Jamie and Rebecca?”       “I met Jamie thanks to our common familiar, and Mr. MacClife himself introduced Rebecca to me. They just started dating, and they were getting closer to a wedding. I quickly got on well with those people and later introduced them to my wife Lydia and showed my daughter Diana, who was a newborn baby.”       “I got you.”       “So.” Victor glances aside. “As you know, Jamie has an older brother, Michael, who hates him to death, has been terribly jealous of him since childhood, and even wants to kill him.”       “But what caused this hate?”       “Their parents always gave Jamie much more attention, and he was getting all the best. I think it’s kind of explainable because Jamie is a younger child and should’ve gotten everything. Michael was seven when his brother was born. And those people believed that boy was big enough to serve himself. However, Michael thought that nobody loved him, and his parents forgot he existed after Jamie’s birth.”       “Sort of. But their parents actually loved Jamie and Michael in the same way. The younger child just got much more attention and much praise because he gave them a reason to be proud. Jamie was the pride of his parents and always made them happy with his success. They were so proud of him that they didn’t punish him for bad things and did protect him from the attacks of his older brother. No, of course, they could swear on him if he was really guilty, but that man recognized his fault quickly and was able to apologize for it. Unlike Michael, who could do a dirty trick and have no regret.”       “Isn’t he a psychopath?”       “I don’t think. Usually, psychopaths are wonderful actors and make people consider them angels and become good when they need it. But Michael has never even tried to become sweet and obedient. Yes, maybe he has constantly lied and never known what regret, sympathy, and kindness are, but he could hardly be a psychopath.”       “Alright…” Raquelle pronounces thoughtfully. “So, did their parents give more attention to Jamie’s good life?”       “Yes, Jamie has always been a smart man, who quickly learned something new. Studying at school was very easy for him, and teachers praised him and held him as an example. Because of that, he was deeply respected and was a role model for many people. And thanks to his brains, he got a brilliant education at one of the most prestigious universities in New York and graduated with honors. And after that, Jamie started working for the shipbuilding company of his father.”       “Did he go there at his wish? Or did Jamie’s parents want to see him as a manager?”       “Jamie has always had a talent for a business and ruling the company, and he showed interest in its work. After coming to the firm, his father told him everything about work, and he understood everything quickly and started working as a helper for that man, who was the manager.”       “And Michael?”       “Oh, Michael has never shown any talents. The only thing he can do is do dirty tricks and blame Jamie for everything. No matter what happens, that man has always blamed his brother, cursed the day he was born, and allegedly took what could have belonged to him. His parents always punished him for finding fault with Jamie and doing dirty tricks, but it gave no results. Michael was terribly mad at his parents for letting his brother be born and at Jamie for just being born.”       “Would everything have been otherwise if Michael and Jamie had a less age difference?”       “Maybe. Jamie was born when Michael was already seven. Well, imagine: you’re the only seven-year-old child in your family, but then your father and mother tell you that you are going to meet your brother or sister soon. Not everybody would be happy if a younger child got all the attention. They may not remember that somewhere at the age of two or three, but seven years is quite a great age difference.”       “I don’t have brothers and sisters, but I understand what you mean.”       “As you said, a typical jealousy of brothers and sisters over parents.”       “I got it,” Raquelle glances aside for a second. “And as I understand, the relationship between Michael and Jamie didn’t get better?”       “No.” Victor takes a couple of sips of coffee. “Their relationship didn’t get better, but vice versa, it got much worse. When they were adults, their father died of natural causes. Their mother lived for some time after her husband’s death, but she didn’t have to do with the shipbuilding company and was a homemaker all her life. And she didn’t manage to do something for her sons to get on well.”       “And did Jamie take the place of the manager after his father’s death?”       “Exactly! I’m going to tell you that the relationship between Michael and Jamie got much worse not only because of jealousy and evil, but also because the younger son started ruling his father’s creature. Michael also got a job at the company, but he was supposed to be on the line and answer calls. In short, he was just a secretary. Michael thought he would become at least a helper to Jamie, but another man got this job. And Jamie wasn’t the one to wish it. His father was. He made his younger son his helper and later let him rule the company and made the older one answer calls and control meetings.”       “Didn’t Jamie try to influence his father and make him sure to give Michael a chance?”       “No, come on! Jamie also disliked his brother. But not as much as Michael did. He was mad because his brother always treated him like a doormat. Jamie tried to befriend Michael in childhood, but nothing happened. He gave a damn about it and started to dislike his brother, but didn’t show it openly for the time being.”       “By the way, as I know, Michael is ruling the company, not Jamie.”       “Right. Michael is ruling everything now. He hated Jamie so much that he somehow decided to frame his brother and do something for him to lose his job at the company. So, he started making his plan come true. For example, he scheduled meetings and called a different time for everybody. That’s why Jamie got confused many times and even lost some clients. They came when Michael called them, but they did not meet my friends. Michael could always say Jamie was not at the office if important clients came to him, talked to them openly, and made them sure that they should not have worked with Jamie because they would waste time and money. In short, he was drowning him more and more, using the fact that he was responsible for calls and meetings.”       “I got.”       “Moreover, Michael was even stealing Jamie's papers and forging reports and documents for tax authorities. There were eventually great inconsistencies in revenue and expenditure. Thus, he was trying to do something for everybody to think that Jamie was robbing the company and stealing a part of the money. As far as I know, he even nearly got arrested. But he avoided it magically.”       “He tried to bankrupt the company?”       “Nope, Michael just wanted to make Jamie think he was a horrible manager that could not do his work.”       “But how did he do it if Jamie knew what he wrote in documents?”       “He knew but could forget something when writing a report, for example, in the evening, but decided to continue it the next morning. By that time, he could forget what he wrote and recalled it only when he turned on his computer and opened a document.”       “So, did Michael have access to Jamie’s computer?”       “Yes, somehow he found a piece of paper with a password. It was quite simple, and Jamie never cared about its difficulty and didn’t change it regularly for his safety. That man was very smart and talented, but a little naive and couldn’t foresee all the turns of events. And Michael used it, coming to the company very early or staying there until late night after Jamie went home and, pretending that he had very much work, used his computer to make random changes.”       “And didn’t Jamie know Michael used his computer? It’s possible to check the date of changing a document! He would have surely known he did not edit a report somewhere at two hours at night!”       “First, Jamie guessed nothing and kept working on documents. But when he decided to check all the numbers because something did not fit, that man suspected something bad. And he somehow almost caught Michael, who, believing that Jamie left for his business, tried to turn on his computer. That man said he was searching for a pen or a piece of paper. But after that moment, something jammed inside Jamie’s mind, and he started to understand that he should have closely watched Michael.”       “Did Michael eventually get the company?”       “Yes, he did. Unfortunately.” Victor drinks some coffee from his cup. “Michael made the company staff sure that Jamie was allegedly deceiving everybody, stealing money, and trying to do something to pay less to tax authorities. Of course, Jamie denied everything, but the people saw all the documents with mistakes and knew the company lost many valuable clients that refused to work with my friends for some reason. The last drop was the fact that the company staff did not get their salary for two months. At first, nobody resented it, and they took it with understanding because the company had a hard time. But then, the collective started a riot with the help of Michael and demanded to deprive Jamie of the job of the manager of the company and kick him out. They wanted Michael to take his place. So, there was voting when everybody decided that Jamie should have left the company, and Michael should have started ruling the firm. Someone was proud and left a job without demanding money, but someone literally sank their teeth into every cent. But when my friend lost the job, the staff got a salary.”       “My gosh…” Raquelle wonders, shaking her head. “Didn’t Jamie try to prove his innocence? Did he agree with the charges for stealing money and leave the company without a fight for justice?”       “Sadly, yes. Jamie could have proven his innocence, but he was afraid nobody would listen to him. He became too bad for the staff members.”       “He had proof?”       “When he realized Michael wanted to frame him, he decided to check it and started copying documents not only on his computer but also on his flash drive. That time, Jamie cared about setting up a very difficult password for all the documents, which Michael would not have guessed even if he had had a great wish. And comparing the versions of the documents on the computer and his flash drive, Jamie finally guessed everything. But sadly, it was too late because Michael persuaded the people to start a riot and demand that Jamie is suspended.”       “He still has that flash drive?”       “No, I do have the flash drive. Jamie gave it to me a long time ago as proof that Michael was forging documents, and gave me a piece of paper with passwords in case someone has to open documents and examine their content.”       “That’s how!”       “I suggested Jamie report his brother and charge him for forging documents. But he refused, saying it was worthless. Even if that man left the flash drive to me. And I added it to the proof of the case that I later opened due to new crimes committed by Michael. But I will tell you about it later.”       “Wait, but if Michael deprived him of the job of the manager, what do his sons have to do with the company? I know there is a will, according to which his sons will bequeath his wealth after his death.”       “It’s correct, there is the will. And Jamie really had to give a part of his stocks to Michael after he lost a job. But that man didn’t know there was another part of the stocks that Jamie signed it over to Rebecca Jonas. So, she has the right to some part of the income of it.”       “Alright, what’s next?”       “Next, Michael wanted not only to deprive Jamie of the rights to the company, but also to make his personal life worse. Kicking his brother outs of the company and getting a job as a manager was not enough for him. That man decided to keep going. I think, because of jealousy. While Jamie got married and became a father, Michael has never been married and made no children. He has never had permanent lovers. Jamie said all the girls left him quickly because they couldn’t stand his character. Even money that he started getting from the company’s incomes did not get young girls attracted.”       “Say, Mr. Johnson, when Michael was trying to get the company, did Jamie and Rebecca know each other? Or everything happened at a different time?”       “Yes, they knew each other, and I had known them for a few years. Rebecca was twenty, and Jamie was twenty-five when they met. Their relationship was getting stronger quickly, and they started dating literally two months later. And that woman was well aware of what was happening in the company and supported Jamie, demanding nothing from him and being by his side even after he lost his job. And despite it, they were planning to get married. Jamie barely saved money for a cheap ring to propose to Rebecca to marry four months later after a meeting.”       “So, was Michael framing Jamie for a few years?”       “Not quite. He was twenty-two when he finished the university and went to work at the company with his father, who died two and a half years later. Well, at the age of twenty-four, Jamie became the manager, but one year later, he met Rebecca, lost a job, proposed, and got married.”       “That’s how…”       “Of course, there was no celebration due to a lack of money. I even had to give him a loan because what he had was not enough. A friend of Rebecca and I were witnesses. They had no beautiful wedding ceremony. Jamie and Rebecca just registered their marriage officially and had a little dinner for the closest people: Lydia and me, two sisters and brother of Rebecca, and a couple of friends of her and him. No restaurants and luxury.”       “And didn’t Mrs. MacClife get scared? I mean, she was well aware of the fact that Jamie instantly became poor, but she agreed to become his wife.”       “She loved him too much and did what a truly loving woman should’ve done. As they say, you’d go through fire and water for someone you love. But they really had a very hard life: Jamie had to sell the house that his father gifted him at the majority to get some money. And Rebecca and he moved to a small apartment that belonged to me. It was emptied for many years after my parents’ death, while my wife, my child, and I had a different, more spacious, and gorgeous apartment. At first, I wanted to rent that apartment, but I understood Jamie and Rebecca’s situation and let them live for free. I demanded nothing from them, let them live as much as they wanted, and sometimes even helped them with money. They felt terribly awkward, but I insisted. And I even helped Jamie with a job several times. A salary was little, but it was barely enough for the two.”       “My gosh…” Raquelle gets horrified, shaking her head.       “And yeah, try to guess who Jamie sold his house to?”       “Michael?” Raquelle opens her eyes surprisingly.       “Guessed! When he found out Jamie was selling the house from the advertisement that I put for my money, Michael, ‘kindly’ agreed to buy it from his brother, promising to pay a lot of money for it. But he eventually deceived my naive friend and paid a part of the amount.”       “But why did Jamie sell his house to Michael? I’m sure he had a choice and could sell it to any person, who would have paid as much as needed!”       “That stinker just said he realized everything and got better. Well, Jamie was a little naive and believed everything he was told. It was easy to deceive him. Though, he changed later and stopped trusting everybody, learning to feel a lie and know if someone really wants what they talk about. So, he believed Michael and his beautiful words… However, Michael really can speak and get what he wants. He could talk someone into so that you give him anything you have.”       “How it’s mean…” Raquelle leans on the table with her elbow and on her hand with her chin.       “Rebecca and Jamie lived for the money, which they got after selling the house, which I gave them, and which my friend earned. It seemed that they could live quietly, but six months later, they found out that Rebecca was expecting a child and was in the second or third month of pregnancy. It made the hard situation much harder, but they never hid that they wanted to have a child. Jamie and Rebecca were very happy and expecting the birth of their child with impatience. The birth of the son, as they found out during the ultrasound. And a few months later, they got an absolutely healthy boy that was named Terrence James MacClife.”       “That’s my fiancé,” Raquelle says with a slight smile, forgetting about her conflict with Terrence.       “As Jamie said, the boy was very similar to him. Rebecca and he somehow took childhood photos of my friend and noticed how much Terrence was similar to his father when he was just born. The same look! Fantastic resemblance!”       “I barely saw a photo of Jamie, but I thought Terrence was very similar to his father.”       “He is his absolute image, trust me! I saw Terrence when he was a kid. And the older that boy was getting, the more he was getting similar to Jamie. I viewed some childhood photos of my friend and know how he looked. That’s why I’m so sure about it.”       “I heard that Terrence was a wanted and beloved child.”       “Right, despite the hard situation, Rebecca and Jamie were happy and loved their son very much, to whom they gave as much attention as possible. They kind of got used to life with a little child, and I didn’t stop helping the young parents with money and helped them raise a baby. But when Terrence turned one, Rebecca found out that she was expecting a child again. And that time, Jamie and she were deeply shocked because they didn’t know how to live with two children. They didn’t plan that child, and Rebecca’s second pregnancy made the situation much worse. Nevertheless, there was no talk about abortion. So, Jamie and Rebecca were just expecting. One year later, they got a second boy – Edward Robert MacClife. The absolutely healthy and very sympathetic boy.”              “Mrs. MacClife said she has known nothing about him for many years and has lost any hope of meeting him.”       “Yes, I know. The boy ran away from home when he was a teenager, and nobody has known a thing about him since then on.”       “So, didn’t Edward exaggerate when saying his parents never wanted his birth?”       “Partly, yes. They wanted to have another child. But after Terrence grew up a little and became able to serve himself. But it happened that Rebecca got pregnant again when her older son was a baby. Just imagine what living in poverty and trying to raise two little sons is like. It was good both of Rebecca’s pregnancies were easy, and she didn’t have the wishes that pregnant women usually got. Just like, for example, my Lydia had when carrying Diana under her heart.”       “I think you know it better because I don’t have children yet and haven’t been pregnant.”       “Well, so…” Victor drinks some coffee from his cup. “Although Jamie and Rebecca loved Edward and Terrence very much and tried not to deprive one of them of attention, they sometimes had to give the younger son to the mother of my friend. Raising two babies was a too hard thing. Jamie’s mother sometimes gave money after Terrence was born, but it wasn’t enough, and she couldn’t visit them too often because she lived on another end of the city. But since Jamie worked much, Rebecca had to take care of the children and homework. And it was very hard for her to do it all alone, despite the help of her mother-in-law and the support of Lydia and me.”       “My gosh…” Raquelle pronounces with sadness in her eyes, shaking her head and being truly sorry for Jamie, Rebecca, Edward, and Terrence. “I’m so sorry… I never thought everything was so hard. Yes, I knew my fiancé and his mother had a hard life, but I didn’t think everything was so horrible.”       “The worst period started when the older child turned three, and the younger one was only one. But he should have turned two. Terrence was born at the end of April, and Edward was born at the beginning of May…”       “Everything about money got worse?”       “Not only. Jamie and Rebecca literally started burning out emotionally. They always lacked money, became very irritated, and started fighting for stupid reasons. Jamie thought of how to feed and provide for his children, himself, and his wife, and was terribly exhausted because he worked non-stop. And Rebecca started getting tired of homework and was literally going crazy from the pans and shouts of the sons that wanted food and attention. Due to the stress, she missed the milk and couldn’t breastfeed. They were so empty that they sometimes wanted to piss everything off and run as far as possible. You imagine doing all the same and always being tense all the time. No time to watch a movie or just walk somewhere.”       “I get it.”       “So…” Victor moves his sad eyes aside for a second and fixes his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Someday, the emotional burnout led to the great scandal, during which Jamie and Rebecca told each other many bad things. They couldn’t take each other and were about to break up. And later, their conflict got so tense that Jamie slapped Rebecca in the face in affect.”       “Slapped in the face?” Raquelle opens her eyes widely.       “Yes. But Jamie immediately came to himself and realized what happened. He was terribly ashamed and wanted to disappear from Rebecca's life once and forever. Rebecca begged him to stay and promised to forgive him, but her husband did not listen to her. He took his stuff and went nobody knew where. Besides, he went to his mother’s home for Edward, who was with her on that day. And after that, Rebecca did not see her younger son, who disappeared with his father. She stayed alone with her older child and believed Jamie would change his mind and come back. Rebecca cried, suffered a lot, blamed herself for making Jamie leave her… Lydia and I barely made her put herself together, at least for Terrence. He was a kid and needed her love, care, and attention. We even thought of taking the boy with us. But luckily, Rebecca found the strength to keep living and raising Terrence. It goes without saying, my wife and I were doing our best to help her somehow. She accepted the help and thanked us for not leaving her. And sometimes Rebecca asked us to watch Terrence and take him away from school when she had to go to work. But when he grew up, he went home by himself and learned to cook breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.”       “Say, wasn’t Terrence a witness to the scandal?” Raquelle frowns slightly.       “Yes, he was a witness to the fight and the slap of his father for his mother. As Jamie said, Terrence was loudly crying and screaming, while his parents were fighting before his eyes. And he was crying after the slap, and when his father was leaving the family. The boy was strongly attracted to his father and could barely take the separation with him, often asking his mother where Jamie was.”       “Didn’t Jamie get touched by Terrence’s tears and stay, at least for him?”       “He got, of course. But a sense of shame and fear of looking into the eyes of his wife and children after that were stronger.”       “Oh, God…” Raquelle shakes her head, closing her mouth with a hand.       “By the way, why did you ask?” Victor frowns slightly. “Do you know something about that scandal?”       “Yes, Terrence told me about it when he decided to explain why he had hated his father. He clearly remembers Jamie slapping Rebecca and leaving home. It happened the way you just told me.”       “Does he remember only that? What about his brother? Does Terrence remember something from the early years he spent with him?”       “No, Terrence remembers nothing about the years he had lived with Edward before their parents got divorced and separated them. He just recently learned that his mother had a second child, who was taken away by his father. And since then on, my fiancé has been determined to find that guy. But we don’t know how to do it because we don’t have any ideas.”       “Sorry…” Victor sighs quietly.       “But how long were you helping Rebecca and Terrence after Jamie had left them and taken Edward away?”       “When Terrence grew up a little, I stopped helping Rebecca. Not at my wish. The case is that I had to leave New York for some personal reasons for a few years. But by that time, the guy knew he should have helped his mother. Terrence never asked for a toy from his mother because he knew Rebecca couldn’t buy it. That boy swore that he would start earning money and started looking for ways to earn it since Class 3 or 4. Of course, he was very little to work officially, but there was nothing bad with selling lemonade or not spending money he got for his own needs. A long and hard work let him buy something from clothes on a flea market or a little toy.”       “Alright… And what about Jamie? Where was he? What was he doing? When did he show up?”       “Jamie showed up six years. I mean, I met him by chance and suggested that he sit at a café. So, I found out that he got married to a rich woman named Isabella Meghan Thorn four years later after disappearing. They were running into each other outside for a long time and then started to speak. And everything happened somehow… But Jamie never loved her truly. He just respected her. And a wish to provide Edward played its role. Realizing that Isabella had fallen in love with him, he proposed to her to marry, she accepted it, and they had a luxury wedding with official registration and celebration. For two years, they had two sons with an age difference of one year. They named the older one Jeremy Harold and the younger one William Jason. But these guys, as Jamie said, didn’t get on with their half-brother Edward, and he didn’t have warm feelings for them and felt uncomfortable at their home.”       “My gosh…”       “Jamie lived quietly for a few years and then started thinking of Rebecca and Terrence. He started getting remorse and regretting leaving the woman he loved with all his heart, even when he lived with Isabella. He was grateful to her for warmly accepting Edward, giving him a job at her small firm, and paying for the education of her stepson at a private school. He was with her only because of her money and the fact that she gave him a job and home. But only Rebecca has always lived in his heart. Though, he loved his children from Isabella as much as Terrence and Edward.”       “Wait, I don’t understand something…” Raquelle frowns slightly, folding her hands in front of her on the table. “Didn’t Rebecca and Jamie file for divorce after they fought? One of them should have started a divorce marriage.”       “I’m telling everything that happened in chronological order. The situation of the divorce of Jamie and Rebecca got clear a little later, but I promise I will explain everything.”       “Alright then, tell me what happened later.”       “So, Jamie tried to find a way to meet Rebecca and Terrence, apologize to him, and promise to help them. He came to me and asked where his son and ex-wife lived. But I decided to ask Rebecca first. And when she allowed me to say it, I did it, though Jamie couldn’t find the courage to go to her home. He accidentally met her at a café and decided to come to her. My friend was begging for forgiveness for a long time, but Rebecca was never unforgiving and quickly forgave him and wished him luck in a new life. He told her about his wish to see Terrence and explain everything to him. And while Rebecca agreed to let them meet, Terrence, who already turned eighteen, wanted to hear nothing about his father and refused to meet him.”       “He still doesn't want to see him. Terrence believes that Jamie was beating Rebecca, got mad at his father, and swore to protect his mother. And he really treats her very tenderly and still provides her with money. Somehow, he bought her a big house, in which she is still living. My fiancé believes it’s his duty. Because that woman suffered so much and applied so many efforts to educate him, and he must be grateful to her and answer with the same care.”       “Yes, I know he is providing her. But as for the situation of his parents, everything is otherwise.”       “What do you mean? Terrence said that he literally struck his father out of his life because he was beating his mother!”       “It’s a lie, Jamie never beat Rebecca!” Victor protests confidently.       “Never beat?”       “He loved that woman too much to mock her like that. There was only one slap, but no domestic violence. Before, Jamie had never dared to raise a hand at Rebecca. Yes, he could scream, say something bad, crush something… But he never raised a hand.”       “Hm…” Raquelle frowns slightly, stroking her chin. “So, I was right. This story was not the one my fiancé saw it.”       “You can trust my word. Jamie personally told me what he did on that day. At first, I judged him for the slap and the fact that he left his family and disappeared with his child for a few years. But then I found a few excuses. For example, I have always known about the short-tempered character of my friend and the situation that happened in his family. Furthermore, I was even afraid of something like that and thought it would lead to a fatal aftermath. And here’s what we got…”       “I think living the same life, someone would hardly stay cold and would not burn out emotionally.”       “By the way, did Terrence tell you that he remembered the fight between his parents?”       “Erm…” Raquelle thinks for some time. “Yes, Terrence…”       “But why is he so sure that Jamie was beating Rebecca?”       “He says someone told him that, and he believed it. But Terrence doesn’t remember who did it. But he surely remembers how he was told that his father was constantly beating his mother and left her on her own.”       “Seriously?” Victor opens his eyes widely, stroking his chin. “It’s very interesting…”       “By the way, does Jamie know why Terrence is mad at him?”       “No, I have never heard anything like this from him. Jamie believes his son got mad at him just because he left him and Rebecca when they needed help.” Victor falls into silence for two seconds and takes a little sip of coffee. “Did Terrence say it to someone else but you?”       “One friend of him also knows about the memory of his friend. His name is Edward Lockhart, by the way.”       “Edward Lockhart?”       “Yes. He was the one to make Terrence doubt the story of the beating was the truth. Mrs. MacClife doesn’t know someone said it to Terrence, but my fiancé’s friend, who got on well with that woman, recently said Terrence remembered her fight with Jamie. And she was surprised because she believed her older son was too little to remember it.”       All this time, Darwin has said no word and listened to the talk with a cup of nice coffee to find out more about the case that he is investigating. But now he decides to say something for the first in a while:       “Listen, Raquelle, didn’t Terrence come up with the thought that Michael could have to do with it?”       “What?” Raquelle frowns slightly, looking at Darwin questioningly. “You wanna say Michael could do a bad trick again?”       “I wouldn’t be surprised if Michael was guilty of turning Terrence against his own father.”       “But how did Michael find Rebecca and Terrence? My fiancé said someone told him about his father when he was at home, in his room.”       “That man sticks his nose in everything. He’s got so many familiar people that I wouldn’t be surprised if someone told him where Terrence lived with his mother.”       “Listen, Darwin, you’re probably right!” Victor assumes confidently. “Jamie has said nothing about it, and he hardly knows Michael could make Terrence hate him.”       “Wasn’t Michael at that apartment at least once?” Raquelle asks.       “When Jamie lived with Rebecca, Michael wasn’t. And then… Who knows… But as you say, Terrence learned it at his home, someone visited him and Rebecca on that day.”       “Unfortunately, I can say nothing. That woman becomes very secretive when the talk is about the relationship between Terrence and his father.”       “Gosh, does she know who turned Terrence against Jamie?” Victor asks. “She knows, but says nothing?”       “I think Rebecca knows everything. But she always says Jamie should tell Terrence everything.”       “Oh, wow…” Victor shakes his head. “I should think about this situation and ask Rebecca about it.”       “Maybe, we could understand something if you kept telling the story?” Darwin assumes.       “Yes, let me continue the story, and then we will think about what to do.”       “Yes, yes, of course,” Raquelle nods and folds her hands on the table. “I’m listening to you, Mr. Johnson.”       “So, one year later, Michael suddenly showed up after he found Jamie and his new family. He got the trust of Isabella quickly, got on well with Jeremy and William, and met Edward for the first time, whom he started hating literally at first sight. And later, he told Isabella that her husband married her without divorcing his first wife.”       “What?” Raquelle opens her eyes widely. “Without divorcing his first wife?”       “Yes. Of course, Isabella got shocked, didn’t believe that man, and demanded proof. She entirely trusted Jamie and knew everything that happened between him and Rebecca. And he never hid that he had another, the eldest son, except Edward. That woman truly loved him and didn’t want to believe her husband could do that. But Michael gave her a document that, to her surprise, confirmed that Jamie MacClife was still married to Rebecca Jonas. It was the right proof of bigamy, which is, as you know, not allowed for us.”       “Oh, my gosh…” Raquelle pronounces quietly, shaking her head. “So, didn’t they file for divorce when Jamie left Rebecca?”       “That’s what I wanted to say earlier. Jamie hid that fact when he somehow lost all his documents and had to get them again before marrying Isabella. But thanks to that woman, he quickly restored everything and got married to her after he got documents that identified him. I don’t know how it happened that nobody found out that he wasn’t divorced, but his new documents said nothing about that marriage.” Victor clears his throat. “And after coming to herself a little and examining the marriage certificate given by Michael, Isabella applied to the court to annul her marriage with Jamie and deprive him of the right to speak to Jeremy and William. She also wanted to deprive him of parental rights, but changed her mind later. That woman was too hurt and didn’t want her child to keep speaking to their father.”       “And how did Jamie react?”       “He tried to explain everything to her and begged not to deprive him of the right to speak with his children, but Isabella was determined. Moreover, some time later, she left herself and took her children away, but later came back and demanded that Jamie leave the house. And he had to do it because the house belonged to her. She lived in it before marrying. So, she had a right to kick him out. But honestly, Jamie didn’t get too upset. Yes, I can’t say he literally jumped from happiness. But as I said, Mr. MacClife was with her only for money and home. Only because of that, my friend got a little upset.”       “And what about the hearing?”       “Isabella won both of the trials. The second marriage of Jamie was annulled, and William and Jeremy were not able to see their father, at least until the legal age. But since the second marriage was annulled, it happens that Jamie is still married to Rebecca, even more than twenty years after their breakup. By giving the proof to relevant authorities, he will get documents with changes.”       “My gosh…” Raquelle pronounces, being shocked by Victor’s words. “So, Jamie and Rebecca are still married by law…”       “I was also shocked when I found it out. When Jamie told me that, I barely believed him. Though, for him, it was also a shock. Because he thought Rebecca filed for divorce by herself. But she didn’t do it.”       “And if Jamie left Isabella’s home, Edward should have also left. That woman would have hardly agreed to let him stay because he is nobody to her. Not her son. But somehow he left home to find his brother and mother.”       “Edward left home on the day Isabella heard from Michael about Jamie’s bigamy, took her children away, and left for some time. The younger son of Jamie from the first marriage also discovered the existence of his older brother and wanted to ask his father about it. But Jamie wasn’t ready to talk about it because Edward chose a bad moment. He always chose bad moments. Lots of work then, and shootdowns with Michael later… My friends had no time or strength to give attention to that guy, but now Jamie really regrets it.”       “Wow… It’s so similar to Lockhart’s story… And he also told us about the photo, thanks to which he found out everything. And his father broke into the office and started to shout at his son, whom he kicked out of home in anger.”       “I’m a little sorry about that guy because everybody forgot about him at that home. He walked there like a shadow, and nobody cared about what happened to him. They thought of him only when Edward did bad things and tried to get their attention by being a hooligan.”       “Yeah,” Raquelle agrees with sadness in her eyes. “Lockhart didn’t definitely get enough love in childhood. Here’s how he got a love for adventures and solving someone’s problems. Edward is still trying to get attention and get some love and thanks. He strongly lacks love. The love he is looking for in his friends and close people.”       “Sadly, that guy became a victim but has to hide his emotions. Michael always says his wish to be a hero and his bravery are just a mask. While he is actually a cowardly and insecure boy. Everybody from the circle of Jamie’s brother openly calls Edward a little barking puppy for trying to be brave and sassy but being afraid to get out of his hideaway and prove he is a brave and confident man.”       “I’m sorry that Jamie didn’t understand it. I wouldn’t like to insult him, but he is partly guilty of making Edward the one. Why did he do that to his son? He was loved with all his heart! Why did Mr. MacClife not give Edward the same love?”       “I don’t want to look like I'm excusing my friend, but Jamie was just too busy with work and had stress caused by the situation with Rebecca and the problems with Michael. He was furious because his brother came into his life again and started to ruin it. My friend was sure Michael wouldn’t stop after ruining his marriage with Isabella Thorn. And he wasn’t wrong. Because thanks to his help, that woman got her marriage with him annulled and banned him from speaking to William and Jeremy.”       “I believe, Isabella got what she wanted so easily because Michael hired his bribed lawyer that could win that case.”       “You’re right. And actually, for the years that Jamie lived with Rebecca and then Isabella, Michael did everything for the company to start giving him money. He had to learn much and get over many difficulties to get successful. It’s clear it was hard for that man because he was never as smart as his brother. But we knew that Michael got not just rich, but amazingly rich.”       “He is headstrong!”       “Agree. But other people are doing almost all of his work for him.”       “By the way, is that true Jamie’s familiar man is working at the company and telling him everything that’s happening there?”       “True. Jamie should’ve known what was happening there and sent Aaron, his long-time familiar man. Of course, Michael doesn’t guess he knows his brother. Although that man is just an average staff member and does not have access to especially secret documents, he knows everything. Moreover, some of his colleagues are very talkative and told him all the secrets of the company at once.”       “So, Mrs. MacClife tell Terrence the truth…”       “He does know it?”       “Yes, they recently had a talk, and she revealed some secrets.”       “Alright…” Victor takes a big sip of coffee. “So, I will tell you that you probably know, but still… After the court hearing, Michael learned about the existence of the will that had been changed a little. Also, Jamie got a bank account with four million dollars in it. He probably earned the money at the firm of Isabella. I think that woman didn’t know about the account, and Jamie kept a part of the earned money at a bank.”       “Didn’t she know about that account and tell him to give the money back?”       “No, she did not.” Victor clears his throat. “It’s clear about the rights to the company – they were meant to belong to Rebecca Jonas. And four million dollars that he has on his bank account are supposed to be shared between his sons. Nobody but Rebecca knew about the will first because it was written secretly. The notary that made it official said nothing about its content.”       “But how did Michael learn about the will? He bit that notary through?”       “No. As it turned out, Isabella knew about the will and told Michael about its existence after the court. And Michael decided to get the other stocks and the money on the account that he learned about from a familiar person from the bank.”       “But don’t you know how Edward learned about the will?”       “I cannot say exactly, but I have an assumption that he could overhear one of the talks of his father and stepmother. Jamie said Edward often listened to his talks with Isabella, but he was pretending that he did not notice it. He wanted to tell his son everything: about his uncle, his brother, the company, the money at a bank… Everything! But since Edward decided to play a spy, he found out almost everything without him. It became one of the reasons why Michael hated that guy so badly.”       “And if Michael already knew Edward, was he aware of Terrence’s existing?”       “When Terrence was a baby, he undoubtedly knew very much. But be sure, Michael has always known about the existence of Terrence and Edward. However, he has known the first one for ages and still wants to meet the second one. Of course, not to get on well with him.”       “Did Jamie tell you everything that happened in his life after the breakup with Rebecca?”       “He did! When Jamie ran into me many years later, he told that story and asked me for help in finding Rebecca and Terrence.” Victor takes two more sips of coffee. “They started telling each other everything that happened. And Jamie wanted to protect his eldest son from Michael, but did not, unfortunately. His brother found out that Terrence MacClife became a popular actor and started dating the famous model.”       “You mean me.”       “However, it was easy to learn it because the media wrote much about you and Terrence. They wrote about your affair and engagement in all detail. By the way, he had watched you before he found out about your relationship with his nephew. Michael somehow adored you and was your huge fan.”       “Really?” Raquelle frowns slightly.       “One person told me you were his favorite model. He even wanted to get your attention and marry you someday. That man watched your life very closely. Especially after you and Terrence confirmed your relationship. Michael knows about all the scandals and rumors that were spread about your couple, about your breakup that did not happen, and the case when one man tried to kill you.”       “So, does he know everything?”       “Yes, everything.”       “Alright…” Raquelle glances at a person going by. “So, what happened to Jamie after that story?”       “So, a fight for the inheritance started at the same time when your relationship with Terrence did. After leaving Isabella’s home, Jamie lived in an apartment that he had been renting for a long time for the money he got for a hard job that was depriving him of strength and making his health worse. He was still trying to contact Terrence through Rebecca, but he met failure. Luckily, Michael didn’t know his brother was trying to contact his first wife and eldest son, but he always found a reason to make his life worse. But it couldn’t be much worse because Jamie became a homeless beggar and lost his family. He felt terribly sad at the thought that he didn’t have his children and the woman he had loved all his life by his side. All this time, my friend has been living and fighting for them. He had no money, but helped Rebecca with little amounts of money. And that woman believed giving him the loan wasn’t bad. But since it was Terrence’s money, it made him mad. That man tried to ban his mother from giving his father at least one cent. But Rebecca kept helping Jamie and believing someday her son would love to listen to his father.”       “That’s how…”       “It was happening until the present… Michael had a plan for getting the inheritance. And the first line was a goal to kill Jamie. He was getting ready for the murder for a very long time. I mean, he was not the one to get ready, but his pals did. However, Michael was controlling everything personally and suggested his ideas, believing everything would be fine, and trusted those people, who didn’t doubt the success of the idea.”       “And how should they have killed Jamie?”       “Somewhere one month ago, Michael called Jamie and asked him about a meeting. He kind of decided to give the company to his brother and let him rule it. At first, Jamie refused because he didn’t believe Michael and wanted to have nothing in common with his brother. Still, Michael was so headstrong that my friend had to agree. The meeting was scheduled at the personal yacht of that stinker at about six o'clock. Jamie arrived, and Michael tried to pretend to be the one, who ‘kindly’ wanted to help his brother get out of soberly and decided to give him his company. But later, he stopped doing it and started talking about a wish for revenge. When Jamie realized that his brother had deceived him, he tried to run away. But one of Michael’s accomplices caught him quickly and hit him on the head after a short fight. That’s why that one immediately lost consciousness.”       “Oh, my gosh…” Raquelle shakes her head, folding her hands on the table in front of her. “And what did they do to him?”       “I believe those people just threw his body into the water. Michael thought his plan came true, and Jamie would have died. He would have swallowed much water and just drown.”       “Why do you think he was thrown into the water?”       “Because Jamie said he woke up for a few moments and saw himself being in the water and could barely stay on the surface. But a few moments later, he lost consciousness again and started going down. But luckily, a fisherman placed his body in his boat, tried to wake my friend up, reached the coast, and drove him to the hospital. Nobody knew who Jamie was because he didn’t have documents or a phone with him.”       “My gosh…”       “He was diagnosed with moderate brain damage, and his lungs were full of water. He was unconscious for two days, but then Jamie woke up. The doctors told him what happened, and who brought him there. My friend quickly realized everything, but said nothing when he was asked to call his name. Jamie decided to call false data: name, last name, age, place, and birth… And he said he had no relatives.”       “Didn’t he want everyone to know he was alive? Michael to know it?”       “That’s true! Jamie decided to use the fact that he was pronounced dead. And Michael still doesn’t know his brother didn’t die and believes he’s dead. Mr. MacClife himself was in the hospital for one week or two and was released when the doctors made sure that he was fine. But he did not stay in bed, as they told him. Somehow, I got a message from him with a plea to meet in a quiet place. Well, as I didn’t see him for ages, I decided to agree. I thought we’d sit quietly and talk, but he told me what happened. I listened to him and didn’t refuse to help him, promising to do my best to restore justice and put Michael in prison.”       “Now it’s clear why Michael is so sure that Jamie is dead and made Edward think so… But where is that man now?”       “At the apartment of my parents.”       “The one where he lived with Mrs. MacClife?”       “Yes. I was renting it out for a few years, but the renters left it some time ago due to personal problems. So, I quickly solved the problem of the runaway and helped Jamie settle in there, while Michael thought he was dead. We decided that he must not have shown up in public because the people of his brother could see him anywhere. So, we decided to keep safe. I regularly visit him and bring him something from food and clothes.”       “My gosh, you planned it well…”       “By the way, after Michael started to believe he killed Jamie, he waited for some time,” Victor says, holding a cup of coffee in his hands. “And then that man decided to defeat Edward. Just because he terribly hated him and wanted him to die and not to stand in his way. And a similar event happened to him. But Edward was not thrown into the water. He was wounded with a knife.”       “Wow…” Raquelle pronounces thoughtfully.       “Darwin and I learned about that event from our colleagues, who came to the place of the crime, got the address of the hospital where he was taken in, and went there. We asked the hospital staff and the one, who took the responsibility for that guy, and they found out his condition was very hard, and he was unconscious. But one or one and a half weeks later, the guy woke up and said to the doctor that his name was Edward Lockhart.” Victor clears his throat quickly. “We asked the doctor to show that guy to us. And he did it: while that guy was under a strong sedative, Darwin and I were brought to the room of Justin.”       “Darwin told me that you got a little nervous and tense when you saw him.”       “Yes, that guy really made a little confused.”       “Do you know him?”       “I could say so.”       “But how?”       “I saw Terrence until he went to school, but I barely saw Edward when he was a newborn baby. Though, I have always known it would be easy for me to recognize him thanks to his strong resemblance to his father.”       “What does Terrence have to do with it? Judging by your story, I understood that you had never met him. Because… You’re talking about Edward MacClife. But he’s Edward Lockhart.”       “You said that Lockhart was a friend of Terrence?”       “Right. Edward met him thanks to my best friend. And I was confused by his wild wish to impose his friendship on him. Yes, Terrence was confused, too, but he agreed to talk to that guy with pleasure. And they really befriended and got close quickly.”       “Can you tell us more about him?” Darwin specifies.       “Well… We recently found out that his uncle wanted to deal with all of us. And…” Raquelle thinks for two seconds, biting her lip slightly. “The story is almost the same as the case of Michael MacClife.”       “So, do you wanna say these two stories are happening at the same time? Edward’s uncle is doing his tricks, and Terrence’s uncle is doing his things.?”       “It happens.”       “Can’t you suspect anything?” Victor smiles mysteriously. “Don’t you think this situation is weird?”       “Yes, to be honest. I got kind of confused about all of it. Edward’s brother, Terrence’s brother, Lockhart’s father, MacClife’s father… Now some uncles have shown up… Oh… My brain is gonna explode soon…”       “It’s not a coincidence, Raquelle. There’s a simple explanation to the current situation.”       “What? Do you think we mean the same people?”       “I mean the same person.”       “What?”       “All this time, Edward Lockhart has been pretending to be another man and hiding his real identity.”       “What?” Raquelle opens her eyes widely.       “His real name is Edward MacClife.”       “MacClife?”       “It’s true. At first, I wasn’t sure about it and could just guess it. But after my visit to the hospital, everything was put in its place.”       “But… How did you understand it? How do you know it?”       “Did you think I wouldn’t notice his clear resemblance to Jamie? Of course, everything got clear for me when I just looked at his face.”       “No, it can’t be the truth!” Raquelle exclaims, shaking her head. “Edward is not similar to his father! I’ve seen the photo of Jamie! These are absolutely different people. And he doesn’t have any resemblance to Terrence!”       “Yeah? Did you see him without a wig and lenses?”       “A wig and lenses?”       “If you mean that he’s got brown hair and brown eyes, it’s not the truth. Edward is actually a black-haired guy with gray eyes.”       “So, do you want to say that he wears it all the time? Doesn’t he show the real him to anyone?”       “Exactly!” Victor exclaims.       “But… I remember that he showed us his driver’s license. It said that he was Edward Lockhart. Edward Dilan Lockhart.”       “He is really Lockhart, as his document says. The boy changed his name officially. But his birth name was Edward Robert MacClife.”       “My God…” Raquelle opens her eyes widely. “So, he’s… The missing son of Rebecca? The one, whom she didn’t hope to meet?”       “Yes, Edward is the younger son of Rebecca and Jamie. And Michael MacClife is his uncle.”       “And Terrence… Is his… Brother? Terrence is an older brother of Edward?”       “Congratulations, your search has been over. The boy, who disappeared many years ago, has been found.”       “I can’t believe it…” Raquelle moves her shocking eyes aside, feeling that it’s a little hard for her to breathe. “All this time… He’s been near… Terrence and his mother have been looking for him everywhere, but... Edward was near. Just like one of Michael’s accomplices said, ‘You brother was much closer to you than you think!’”       “Edward changed his name officially at the age of nineteen. I guess he did it to hide some unpleasant things about himself. He didn’t want anyone to know about his personal case. In which I, by the way, saw the photo of Edward. That’s the thing that also let me recognize him.”       “Personal case?” Raquelle frowns slightly. “What kind of personal case? The police?”       “Yes, Raquelle.”       “Gosh… Was Edward caught at crimes if the police got his case?”       “The case is that a man named Nicolas Carter was killed in January 2010. He was a good friend of Jamie and knew Michael as well, but didn’t get on with him. The corpse of the man was found in the late evening in a deserted place. The autopsy showed the cause of death was tons of knife wounds. There were lots of strong bruises caused by strong hits. They did not cause the death, they just hurt some vital organs. Nevertheless, the wounds were too serious, the murdered one lost very much blood, and it caused a quick death.”       “Of course, I’m very sorry about that man, but what does Edward have to do with it?”       “He does, Raquelle. Edward MacClife, who was nineteen at that moment, was suspected of the murder of that man. The police had the reasons to get him arrested because he was the only one to be at the crime scene and holding a pistol, from which the fingerprints were gotten off. They really belonged to Edward. And it was proof of his fault.”       “No…” Raquelle shakes her head. “No, I don’t believe it… What you are talking about…”       “That guy got arrested on the charge of the murder of Nicolas and put in a cell. The person, who is now in retirement, was investigating that case. But I closely examined the case of the murder of Jamie’s friend because his son was featured in it. I know that the investigator questioned Edward with the third degree and tried to get a confession out of him. That guy denied his fault and said he ended up at that place by chance. But nobody believed him because the fingerprints on the pistol belonged to him. And as there were no other suspects, and, as the case said, the police found nothing that could deny the fault of that guy, Edward stayed in prison for a long time.”       Getting sharply white, Raquelle widely opens her mouth and her eyes from the shock she gets obsessed with after hearing this from Victor.       “God, how awful…” Raquelle pronounces in a quiet, shaking voice, putting her hand on her forehead and running both of them through her hair. “It’s impossible… I don’t want to believe it! I don’t want to believe Edward killed someone! Please, Mr. Johnson, tell me it’s a lie!”       “Alas, Raquelle, but judging the material of the case, everything says Edward MacClife had to do with the murder of Nicolas Carter,” Victor shrugs.       “No, I don’t believe it! Has there been a bloodthirsty killer near us all this time? Who turned out to be a relative of the MacClifes! Nicolas was killed too cruelly, judging your story!”       “I understand it’s hard for you to take it. Nevertheless, it’s not a lie. The words about the murder committed by Edward are the truth.”       “But wait…” Raquelle glances sharply at Victor. “Did Edward serve his time? Since the murder took place in 2010, it happened that he was in prison for only five or six years?”       “No, Edward spent two weeks in prison. That investigator overstepped, trying to get the truth out of that young guy, who he did not want to say it. They say Edward had lots of bruises on his body because he was getting beaten by his cellmates and the investigator. For him, it was definitely great stress. I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn’t come to himself after what they did to him in prison.”       “Really?”       “Actually, not very good things were said about that policeman. He was very cruel and could really get confessions through violence and threats. I guess that man was caught on it and had to resign at his wish.”       “But how did Edward go free? Did the police find proof of his innocence?”       “Not at all. Two weeks later, Michael came to the police and talked to the man, who was investigating the murder of Nicholas. Eventually, that investigator agreed to let Edward go on bail. The cost of the bail was too high. But Michael easily paid as much as that man wanted. After that, the guy was set free.”       “Does Michael know that man?”       “It seems like, yes. He was the one to find Edward’s uncle and tell him his nephew got arrested.”       “And it happened that Edward went free on bail but hasn’t been put in prison yet? Hasn’t a trial for him taken place yet? Hasn’t he heard a sentence?”       “The case has not been closed yet, but the investigation is temporarily suspended. Michael also had to do with it as and paid that person a little bit more, so the case wasn’t closed. And yeah, although Edward was released from prison, the investigator made him sign an undertaking not to leave the country and reminded him that he was still on the list of suspects. And as the investigation of the case has not been stopped, Edward is still not allowed to leave the country, and the charges against him were not dropped.”       “And it means, he might be judged?”       “Yes, Edward may get a sentence if the judge found him guilty of the murder of Nicolas Carter. If another person takes the case and renews the investigation again, and other suspects are not found, he will have to get a punishment. And trust me, he will get a great sentence. Either, he will never leave prison, or he will be sentenced to capital punishment. You know that our laws are very severe, and he will not get three or five years.”       “Gosh, I can’t believe it…” Raquelle sets her surprising gaze into the distance, running her hand through her hair. “He’s been silent all this time. Silent about killing the man and the fact that he may be arrested and judged at any time. And he was hiding his real identity.”       “Edward is terribly afraid that someone would know this secret,” Victor confesses. “Michael knows it well and often says he may tell everybody what happened in January 2010 and do his best for the investigation to start. And reveal his real name.”       “Wait, does Jamie know it? Does he know his son killed Nicolas, who, as you said, was his friend?”       “No, Jamie knows nothing. I don’t find the courage to tell him who was the real killer of Nicolas. He is terribly worried about the situation with Michael, and the news about Edward becoming a killer will strike him down. Maybe, I will tell him about it later. But now I don’t want to do it because of the wish to take care of his nerves.”       “Does he know that Edward Lockhart and Edward MacClife are the same person?”       “I told him about it literally a few days ago. I had had some doubts about it, but I did it when I made sure that I was right.”       “It seems like I treated him with suspicion for a reason,” Raquelle notices thoughtfully. “Edward has seemed kind of suspicious to me since the day we met. I don’t know, at first sight, he seemed so kind, sweet, gentle, and innocent, like an angel. But there was something about him that did not cause trust. I always thought he was not the one he pretends to be. Trust me, Mr. Johnson, I have always had very good intuition.”       “Listen, Raquelle, of course, I don’t protect that man and believe he must get his punishment if he really killed that man,” Darwin says quietly and takes a sip of coffee. “But what if Edward was framed? Maybe, he told the investigator the truth and ended up at that place by chance? We don’t know what actually happened! If the police saw that guy with a pistol, it doesn’t mean Edward could kill Nicolas Carter.”       “Do you wanna say Edward could get arrested by mistake?”       “I also know the materials of the case well and know that there were fingerprints of someone else on the pistol, which probably belongs to the real killer.”       “But what about the fact that he was holding a pistol?”       “Agree, he could just take it! I don’t exclude that the killer could lose the gun there, but Edward took the pistol when the police came there.”       “But why didn’t the police check the other fingerprints on the pistol?”       “I guess bad members of the police staff got that case. As Mr. Johnson said, the investigator, who was investigating the case and questioning Edward with the third degree, really had not the best popularity. Nobody cared about it much because of his respect and all his merits. He investigated hundreds of crimes. But as we know, there is a limit to everything, and that man went too far somehow. I don’t exclude that he got kicked out of the police after Michael gave him money to suspend the investigation. I got him caught on getting a bribe and was told to resign at his wish.”       “So, do you think even if Edward goes to prison, he will do it for nothing?”       “I don’t protect him, Raquelle, I repeat. It’s just weird for me that the police got him arrested just because that guy was holding a pistol. And as he denied his fault so hard and said he walked there by chance, there’s a reason to think better.”       “Yeah, maybe, you’re right, I don’t deny…” Raquelle glances aside for a second. “Nevertheless, I can believe it’s the truth. I don’t trust Edward and don’t believe he has such good thoughts about us. That guy seemed suspicious to me from the beginning. I was sure that he was hiding something from us. I couldn’t believe a sweet ad fluffy guy was hidden underneath the angel’s face.”       “I’m sure the police have a chance to find the real killer of Mr. Carter. Of course, Edward will be judged anyway because he is featured in this case. But knowing he went free on bail, he will be waiting for the trial on freedom.”       “Listen, didn’t the police find any witnesses of what happened? Maybe, someone can deny or confirm the fault of Edward in the murder?”       “The case is that there are no witnesses,” Victor replies. “Edward was alone with the bloody corpse, holding a pistol in his hands. The case says he did not try to run away when seeing the policemen, but resisted hard when they put on handcuffs and seat him in a car.”       “Don’t you know if Nicolas could be connected with Michael? You said he was a friend of Jamie but disliked his brother.”       “Do you want to say the dead man could have a business with Michael?”       “I can’t be sure about it… But I kind of have a feeling that the murder of that man has to do with the story of the MacClife family somehow. I mean, what’s happening between Michael and Edward.”       “Hm…” Victor frowns slightly, stroking his chin. “I don’t exclude this version… Maybe, Michael could just frame Edward and do something for everybody to think he killed that man… And it’s strange that Michael posted great bail for Edward and paid the investigator, so the case was suspended. I think that man wants to use it as a trump card. I guess he did it all for a reason. I wouldn’t be surprised if Edward was guilty of something for him and had to wait for his death or a treat to spend the rest of his life in prison.”       “It may be one of the reasons why Edward is afraid to go against Michael and always doubts if it would be right to report him to the police. Although he agrees to go to the police now, my fiancé’s friend doubts it anyway. And now I understand why – Edward is afraid that Michael would tell everybody his secret and do his best to put him in prison again. He would reveal himself the real him early or late, but he would be silent about the arrest.”       “Yeah, maybe…” Victor says thoughtfully. “Michael has been blackmailing him and pressing on him for a very long time. Edward got off him for some time after the knife wound because Michael thought his nephew was dead. But when he was seen by one of that man’s accomplices, it started again. And I think you know he is threatening not only Edward, but also Terrence and Rebecca.”       “And Natalia, as well,” Raquelle sighs heavily and looks at Victor with sadness in her eyes.       “Natalia?” Darwin wonders. “Who is Natalia?”       “Natalia Rochester. My best friend and Edward’s ex-girlfriend. I told you that Michael was threatening her, sending her messages on her mobile number.”       “Yes, yes, I remember. So, her name is Natalia…”       “By the way, I recalled that Darwin told me something horrible happened to you, and you wanted to ask me for a piece of advice,” Victor recalls thoughtfully, putting a finger on his lip.       “It has to do with my friend. Natalia got into trouble, and great danger is threatening her. If we don’t do anything, Michael may easily give the order to kill her.”       “Gosh, Raquelle, what are you talking about?” Darwin wonders. “What happened to your friend that she may die because of Michael?”       “Michael’s accomplices kidnapped Natalia yesterday evening,” Raquelle jabs excitedly in a shaking voice, barely connecting words in full sentences. “She fought with Edward because of my friend’s alleged lie when they met in a deserted place. And a little later, they got surrounded by Michael’s people. They said they needed my friend, whom they should have brought to his house. Edward was protecting Natalia until the end but did not do it: he got a very strong hit on the head and lost consciousness, and she was put to sleep and driven away.”       “Wait, wait, Raquelle, wait,” Darwin says thoughtfully. “Don’t jab like this. I understood nothing from what you said. First, calm down a little and then quietly tell us everything in order. What happened to that girl? When was she kidnapped? Where?”       “Alright, I will try…” Raquelle exhales sharply, getting rid of the tension in her body. “But it’s going to be hard because I’m terribly nervous and afraid I might lose my friend because of that sick man.”       “We rush nowhere, don’t worry,” Victor says softly. “Tell us everything slowly and quietly.”       “My friend met Edward five months ago. They got closer thanks to the wish of my fiancé’s friend to find Terrence. Natalia agreed to help Edward and really introduced him to Terrence some time later. But the case is not about that…” Raquelle falls into silence for two seconds and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “A few days later, Natalia was walking in a dark deserted place where she was almost raped by, as we found out yesterday, one of those, who worked for Michael. There were several more people, who were taking photos and videos of them. I will not tell you what he did to her, but I will say it gave Natalia great psychological trauma, after which she still cannot come to herself. Fortunately, a police car that was going by scared them, and they left her alone. But her violator threatened to kill her if she told someone what happened…”       Raquelle glances aside for a second.       “Later, Edward and Natalia started dating. They dated for three months and seemed happy. But one month ago, Edward got the photos of Natalia and that stinker, who almost raped her. He thought my friend cheated on him and, not wishing to find out what happened, announced their breakup. For the time being, they were pretending that everything was fine. However, Terrence and I quickly realized that something had happened and decided to find out the truth. But our attempts to encourage them to make an open confession gave us no result. And we decided to forget about Edward and Natalia’s problems, but we didn’t stop watching them.”       Raquelle sighs heavily and tightly locks her fingers.       “After that, Michael let us know about himself. We received letters with threats from him. They hinted that someone did not tell us something, and if we wanted to discover all the secrets, we’d better ask someone about it. Of course, Terrence and I didn’t know what happened, but I had the thought that Edward could have to do with it. And the next day, Terrence got attacked by Michael’s pal, who said my fiancé’s brother could tell us much.”       Raquelle glances aside for a second, while Victor and Darwin are closely listening to her and slowly drinking coffee from their cups.       “Terrence and I realized that we should’ve immediately gotten the truth out of Edward. And we came up with a plan that helped us press him to the wall. But before that, Terrence and I had almost gotten attacked by five people of Michael with knives in their hands. Fortunately, we managed to run away from them. But two days later, Edward told us about Michael and the inheritance from his father. On the same day, we found out he broke up with Natalia. And we three fought with him because he pissed us off. Terrence was much madder and attacked Edward with fists. They beat each other strongly and almost destroyed the whole living room. When he slammed the door and left, we also learned about the rape attempt, which Natalia told us about.”       “Wow, what a story…” Darwin wonders, opening his eyes widely.       “Sometimes I don’t believe it happened to us.”       “And how did everything end?”       “Well…” Raquelle tears her back off the back of the chair. “Everything was quiet for a few days. And yesterday, the kidnapping that I told you about happened. Somewhere at six hours, Edward went to the home of Terrence and me, told us what happened, and asked us to help him. At first, Terrence minded and attacked him with fists again. But later, I said that if he didn’t forget all the offenses for some time for our friend, I would help Edward by myself. For Natalia, I also forgot all the offenses and was ready to unite with him. And Terrence thought a little and agreed with reluctance. But he said that nobody would show love and tenderness and talk only about a business.”       “That’s how…” Victor pronounces amazingly.       “Edward drove me and Terrence where everything happened. And we found three things: my friend’s phone and bracelet, and the wallet and the documents that belonged to the accomplice of Michael and the offender of Natalia. And before going to our home, Edward had found the handkerchief soaked in chloroform, as he said. We assumed that was what the criminals used to take Natalia away. He said that thing would deprive a person of consciousness for a little time, but it was enough for them to put her in a car and drive away.”       “Yeah, it might happen… It’s a cliché, but it’s possible… Either the handkerchief on the nose or an injection into an arm… I remember many cases of kidnapping when criminals used similar things.”       “And I forgot to add that Michael sent Edward a message this morning and confirmed Natalia was at his house. Of course, my fiancé’s brother went there immediately, but the guards did not let him in because Michael gave the order not to let the guy come closer to the house and especially enter it. No matter how hard Edward tried to let in, he left with nothing. And nobody will let her go so easily. And if Natalia shows resistance, she might be killed earlier.”       “My gosh, poor girl…” Victor shakes his head. “It happens that Michael wants to defeat her just because she is Edward’s ex-girlfriend and the friend of you and Terrence and was almost raped by his accomplice?”       “We don’t doubt he had to do with the breakup of my friend and my fiancé’s brother. Her offender could tell Michael about that girl, and Mr. MacClife, knowing Edward dated Natalia, decided to use it. He told him where to send the photos that made his nephew believe she cheated on him. As Edward said, his uncle dropped many hints that he knew something about that story, but that guy was too mad to believe someone. Only Natalia and her confession of the rape attempt made Lockhart realize he was cruelly deceived, and she was framed.”       “Excuse me, you said something about the document of the offender of your friend,” Darwin says thoughtfully, putting a finger on his lip. “To whom does it belong?”       “To Eugene Walter Wainwright, born on March, 30th, 1985, in Salt Lake City, Utah.” Raquelle takes her purse off the back of the chair and opens it. “I took his wallet to show it to you. Give me a second…”       A few seconds later, Raquelle finds Eugene’s wallet and gives it to Victor. The captain of the police opens it and starts to examine what’s inside, while Darwin takes a passport card and closely looks at the face of the man on the document.       “This face kind of reminds me of someone…” Darwin says thoughtfully and rounds his eyes two seconds later. “Wait, Mr. Johnson, it’s the man that featured in the case of the MacClife family! As the one to suspect in the attempted murder of Jamie MacClife!”       “Let me look,” Victor says, takes the passport card from Darwin, closely views the photo of Eugene, and frowns slightly. “Yes, that’s the man! I remember his face very well! He was the one Thomas Harrison told us about. The man, who saw how Jamie was tried to be killed. Judging from the description and sketch, Eugene is very similar to the one, to whom this document belongs. The scar is one of the identifying marks that the witness to the attempted murder of Jamie called. Mr. Harrison mentioned his scar on half of his face and wild gaze.”       “Do you want to say Thomas Harrison found Jamie and saw how he was tried to kill?”       “He says he saw what happened from far. Mr. Harrison noticed someone to be similar to Eugene, and someone else knocked Jamie out and threw his body into the water. And when Michael’s yacht swam away, the witness got closer and took Jamie to the coast just in time.”       “My gosh… If it’s so, Jamie was madly lucky. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have pretended to be dead for Michael.”       “I’m also surprised he survived. In that case, he had only one way – to die. I don’t know… Maybe, Mr. Harrison saved him and drove to the hospital just in time.”       “You say Eugene Wainwright was among those, who tried to kill him?” Raquelle asks.       “I cannot exactly say that’s him, but the man in the photo is very similar to the one, who the witness described.”       “So, he could be charged with the rape attempt and the attempted murder of Mr. MacClife.”       “If your friend is at the house of Michael, and there is Eugene there, it might end very badly,” Darwin says thoughtfully. “A great danger might be threatening her. Michael already tried to kill Edward and Jamie, even if both survived. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gave the order to kill that girl.”       “But why?” Raquelle pronounces in a shaking voice. “Why is it her? Natalia doesn’t have to do with the MacClifes! It would be okay if Michael kidnapped me because I’m almost a member of the MacClifes and the fiancée of Terrence. But why is it Natalia? Just because that Eugene almost raped her?”       “I don’t exclude that it could be a plea from Eugene himself. He could come to Michael and ask him to allow him to try to rape her again.”       “But it’s some kind of illness! What if Wainwright is mentally sick and must be put in a mental hospital? You view his photo – he looks like a mentally sick person!”       “I think if he gets arrested, he will surely be sent to a medical examination. Of course, if your friend reports him and gives proof of his fault.”       “I think Edward could prove his fault because that man accosted her right before his eyes.”       “It seems like Edward is still not indifferent to that girl,” Victor assumes. “And he will do a lot to save her.”       “Edward definitely feels guilty about her for betraying her and not being able to protect her. I see he’s terribly nervous and afraid to lose her probably much more than me.”       “If Edward is actually not guilty of the murder of Nicolas Carter, what if these feelings can help him find the courage to go against Michael without fear that his uncle would betray his secret?” Darwin assumes.       “If he wasn’t guilty of the murder, he wouldn’t be afraid to go against his uncle. However, if he really loves Natalia so much and wants to prove his loyalty to his family, these feelings may be a strong motivation.”       “I don’t know…” Darwin exhales slowly. “But I would think better if it could be the truth… Maybe, Edward would actually love to tell you the truth about the arrest and stop being afraid to be betrayed by Michael.”       “Maybe…” Raquelle glances down for a second. “But now I’m worried about my friend much more. For the MacClifes. We are all afraid to die. Terrence and Edward believe that Michael may do something similar to me. So, they don’t leave me alone. Honestly, I barely got off them because I didn’t want them to know about our meeting.”       “Don’t they know you wanted to meet us?”       “No. Terrence and Edward know nothing about my yesterday’s meeting with you or today’s meeting with Mr. Johnson. And I’m going to tell them nothing. First, I need to get proof of the fact that their father is alive because they believe he is dead. And I’m afraid they will start to persuade me to stop figuring everything out if they know I’m going to ask you for help.”       “That’s very good you told them nothing,” Victor says thoughtfully. “Jamie got scared when he found out Darwin told you he was alive. But I made him sure that you’d tell him nothing, and he calmed down a little.”       “Don’t worry, Mr. Johnson, you may count on me. I will tell nobody that Jamie is alive until he lets everybody knows about himself. And I will not tell anyone that Edward Lockhart is actually Edward MacClife, who is about to go to prison.”       “It’s good. We do need a trustworthy alias that will tell us what’s happening where we can’t send our people. Just like we sent someone to Michael’s house. We know about his plans just because our person is working there. They pretended to be one of Michael’s loyal people and regularly gave us the information that they easily get. That person got very close to that stinker and won his trust.”       “I understand I’m doing a bad thing, doing it all secretly from everybody. Yes, I’m risking walking outside without my fiancé and his brother. But they said Michael’s people would do nothing to me in daylight because dark things are committed at a dark time.”       “Yeah, that’s right,” Darwin nods confidently. “So, you should be very careful and not show up where there is nobody. These places are perfect for kidnapping and murdering.”       “No, no, I’m not going to show up there. However, I’m not going to give up on my wish to get the help of the police. I’m doing it for my close people. For my friend, who doesn’t deserve what happened to her. If it happened that I met the one, who could help me, it would be a sin not to use a chance.”       “I understand you, friend.” Darwin softly caresses Raquelle’s hand with a slight smile. “Don’t worry, we will help you.”       “And yeah, Raquelle, I don’t want to scare you,” Victor says hesitantly. “But I’ve been aware that Michael wants to make Edward kill Terrence. He still keeps pressing on his nephew and making him sure it would be the right solution.”       “What?” Raquelle gets horrified and closes her mouth with her hands, getting sharply white and looking at Victor and Darwin with widely open eyes. “Michael wants to make Edward kill Terrence?”       “It’s his claim for Edward to become the only one from the MacClife not to die.”       “No, no, I don’t want it to happen!” Raquelle jabs in a shaking voice, while her eyes get wet. “I don’t want to lose my fiancé! Not Terrence! I will die of grief if something happens to him!”       “Maybe, it will not happen because Edward refuses to do it. But Jamie is afraid his brother could persuade Edward to do it. That man knows all the weaknesses of his nephew: insecurity, fear of him, the shame of being a homeless beggar… And a reluctance to let someone know he killed the man. My friend believes if Michael uses his charm and presses on the most vulnerable weaknesses of that guy, Edward will do it.”       “If Edward does it, I swear I will hate him until the end of my life! I will personally bring that cad to prison if my fiancé dies because of him. I will give a damn about his regret and any kind of excuse. If he kills Terrence, he will pay much.”       “Fortunately, Edward is holding on and refuses to kill his own brother and someone else.”       “It doesn’t mean he will not break. We all believe Edward is ready to do anything for the money. When he fought with me, Terrence and Natalia, he clearly let us know he had a plan to get our money in any way. Yes, my fiancé’s brother did not say it exactly and says he does not need someone’s things. But I don’t have a reason to believe him. We united with him for Natalia’s salvation, but we keep him at a distance and watch him closely.”       “No, Raquelle, Edward doesn’t really need your money. His main goal has always been a part of Jamie’s inheritance. If he needs someone’s money, he needs only what his father bequeathed to him.”       “You think?”       “Yes. Everybody at Michael’s home knows it well. And they use it to let him know he is cowardly and hesitant.”       “But everything might change: Edward could easily take his words back and kill Terrence, his mother, his ex-girlfriend, and me. Money and a wish to prove he is not cowardly and insecure may get obsessed with him and make him obey Michael’s wishes. Somehow, he proved it when he killed the friend of his father.”       “You know, maybe, Edward is really guilty of nothing, as Darwin believes. I don’t say he killed that man. I am just telling you what I know from the material in the case.”       “Anyway, my mistrust for Edward got stronger because he is probably a killer. And if it’s so, it will be very easy for him to kill Terrence, Natalia, and those, who did not please Michael.”       “It’s your wish, but until the truth is out, you shouldn't attack that guy with charges and turn everybody against him. If Edward understands he is not able to hide the truth until the end of his days, he will tell you everything, early or late. And believe that he will not kill your fiancé.”       “I don’t know…” Raquelle sighs tiredly. “Now I’m starting to be afraid that Terrence and Edward will stay alone, and that guy will shoot at my fiancé with no regret someday. Or if they are in front of Michael. Lockhart will get scared and do anything his uncle is going to ask him about.”       “Ah, yeah, something else…” Victor pronounces thoughtfully and drinks some of the rest of the coffee from his cup. “It seems like a hurricane is getting closer… The case is that two hours ago, our informant told me Michael would prepare a trap for Terrence and Edward. And no matter how careful the guys are, the two may get into it.”       “Trap?” Raquelle rounds her eyes. “But what is that?”       “Sadly, my person gave no details. But I think it has to do with the wish of Michael to bring Edward, Terrence, you, your friend, and even Rebecca to his home. He is going to kill Terrence, you, and your friend. But if Edward refuses to become Michael’s ally, that guy either will die or go to prison and spend the rest of the days there. Well, Mrs. MacClife will hardly stay alive.”       “I’m sure Michael knows Terrence will not let anyone do something to me and will tear anyone if someone harms me. So, he is going to deprive me of support, so we guess nothing.”       “Maybe, it will happen. And if you are right, a real danger is threatening you. Being in your own home is going to be dangerous for you.”       “Yes, yes, I will not be surprised if those people get into your house to bring you to Michael’s house when Terrence is able to do nothing,” Darwin assumes thoughtfully. “As you said, Michael sent you letters with threats, he does know the address of the home of you and your fiancé. He may tell his people to take you away as well as they did it to your friend.”       “It will probably happen,” Victor says confidently. “Michael wants Terrence and Edward to be at his house. And then his people could quietly go to your home and bring you there. The informant told me Michael knew about the security at the neighborhood where you lived, and he is sure his people would easily go by them.”       “Oh, my gosh…” Raquelle pronounces excitedly and swallows up nervously. “But what do I do? I don’t want that man to do anything bad to me or my close people! I must stop it somehow! If I do nothing, all the MacClifes will be dead. And my friend will become a victim.”       “Of course, we will take measures. In this case, you will not be able to do it without the help of the police. The situation is too dangerous. Edward, Terrence, your friend and you will not deal with such a dangerous man like Michael alone.”       “I know,” Raquelle shakes her head with sadness in her eyes. “That’s why I asked you to meet me. I wanted to know the truth about the story of the MacClife family and ask you for help. You are probably our only hope for salvation.”       “Say, has one of you tried to go to the police and report Michael or one of his accomplices?” Darwin asks.       “Edward tried but got kicked out of there. He ran into an officer that knew Michael and pretended that there was nothing bad with the fact that his uncle wanted to kill us.”       “But this time, nobody will kick out anyone!” Victor says confidently. “Darwin and I are personally working on the case of the MacClifes and not going to miss a detail.”       “So, can you help me save my friend, fiancé, his brother, his mother, and his father?”       “I will, Raquelle. I will tell you more: I was looking for someone from the MacClife family’s circle to conclude, so to say, an agreement about a secret collaboration.”       “And I’m ready to do,” Raquelle says confidently. “Do anything you’d tell me.”       “We are lucky Darwin ran into you at the café. We were stuck in the same place and could do nothing for a long time. But now it’s time to try to save your friend and all of you and get Michael arrested. And Jamie can give his brother a sudden hit on the back when he shows up safe and sound to him. I’m sure it will be a strong hit for Michael that he will not take.”       “Yeah, but how will you and Mr. MacClife get into the house? He has guards, who are protecting the house and him! You will not deal with him so easily! As I said, they didn’t let Edward in when he came after getting a message from his uncle about Natalia.”       “There is nothing impossible, Raquelle! You may not be worried about it. We are well aware of the guards and have been watching the situation at Michael’s house. It doesn’t change day by day. So, it means we will do everything to neutralize the guards before getting into the house. Our main goal is to bring Jamie to his own house and let him make a surprise for Michael. While policemen should catch all his accomplices, get Michael arrested, confiscate the property and seal the house.”       “You think you can do it?”       “We’ve been getting ready for this operation for too long and know that we can do it. We only needed a reason to get into it. And we finally found it. If Edward, Terrence, and Natalia are at Michael’s house, it will be a wonderful reason to do what we want.”       “Yeah, but what will I be doing?”       “Darwin, explain to Raquelle what she must do.”       “Look, Raquelle,” Darwin pronounces quietly and folds his hands on the table in front of himself. “You should do nothing right now. You must do just one thing – wait for Terrence or Edward to get a call from Michael and ask both of them to come. Next, you give us a sign, so we get ready. No matter how much time we have. As Mr. Johnson said, everything is ready, and we need only a signal.”       “I got it,” Raquelle nods.       “We will immediately send a few policemen to your house, so they are protecting it and will catch Michael’s accomplices if they try to get into it and take you out.” Darwin throws a one-moment gaze on someone that goes by the table, at which he is sitting with Victor and Raquelle. “It would be good to hide all valuable things: jewelry, money, documents, and everything that costs much.”       “Yes, I see…”       “And while the policemen stay to protect the house, you will go with me to Michael’s home.”       “What?” Raquelle opens her eyes widely. “Michael’s home? You went crazy?”       “Don’t worry, friend. Did you think we’d let him hurt you? You will just stay in a car and not show up until the operation of getting Michael arrested ends. I shall give you a sign when you will be able to leave and see Edward, Terrence, and your friend.”       “Will you just take me away from home, so Michael’s people don’t find me there?”       “Exactly! When your fiancé goes to his uncle’s home, it will be dangerous for you to stay there. So, you will be with me and the policemen. Until Michael and his accomplices are arrested, you will stay under our protection and not suffer because of those people.”       “Ah, that’s how!”       “So, did you understand what we wanted from you?”       “Yes, I did,” Raquelle nods. “But will you really go to my home in time if everything happens very quickly?”       “We will,” Victor replies confidently. “Michael’s house is too far from here. We need at least one and a half hours to reach it. Even if he tells someone to go to your home, they will be reaching you for a very long time.”       “Well, the way from my home to this café doesn’t take too little time.”       “That’s great!” Darwin exclaims. “So, we will have time! The important thing is, don’t waste time, and do warn us when Michael shows up and calls Edward or Terrence. Tell us the right time when he is supposed to be waiting for them, and we will quickly plan everything.”       “Alright, I will do what you want,” Raquelle promises and looks at Darwin and Victor. “But please, help me and my close people! I do want this freaking story to end once and forever. You can’t even imagine what it means to live with a fear of dying today, tomorrow, or at the nearest time. It’s unfair that someone can kill their family because of jealousy and greed.”       “We will help you, Raquelle!” Darwin takes Raquelle’s hands with a slight, encouraging smile. “But you should also help us, so we become a great team. Only together, we can stop that stinker. We also want to get Michael arrested and close the case of the MacClife family that has been open for nobody the hell knows how many years.”       “I promise I will do everything I need. You can count on me for everything. I will tell nobody anything about what I learned from you.”       “Excellent!” Victor smiles slightly. “That’s great you and I talked so well and agreed on everything.”       “Thank you so much, too, Mr. Johnson,” Raquelle thanks with a slight smile. “Thanks for not refusing to meet me.”       “I would do anything for my old friend, who has suffered too much because of his brother. I sacrifice my other cases to close the case of Michael MacClife soon and give the materials to the court.”       “God shall help us end it.”       “And I’m asking you about the most important thing again – don’t tell Terrence, Edward, and someone else that you asked us for help. I understand you are doing a kind of wrong thing by hiding the truth, but I’m sure your close people will understand you when they know why it started.”       “I think I will be playing a double game: collaborating with you and being by the side of Edward, Terrence, Natalia, and Mrs. MacClife. Yes, it’s bad, but I must do it. I have no choice.”       At this moment, Raquelle thinks:       “I’m sorry, Terrence. I’m sorry for breaking our promise to tell each other everything and hiding the truth from you. But I’m sure you will understand when it’s all over. I’m doing it for you and your family. I can’t let things happen as they want.”       “That’s good!” Victor exclaims and drinks the rest of his coffee. “So, as we agreed on everything, let me talk to you about some things to specify something.”       Victor starts asking Raquelle some questions, getting the necessary information that he needs to end the operation of getting Michael MacClife arrested successfully. The girl answers all of them confidently and shows that she is ready to do anything to save her fiancé, his brother, his mother, his father, and her best friend. To get back the long-awaited peace and calm that everybody has lacked for such a long time.