Forgotten Romance: Take Me Back To You

"I couldn't believe I'm going to be a granddad!" Barry yelped while talking to his longtime partner, Carla Johnson oversee.

"I can hear your excitement till here and that's good. I'm happy for you." The forty-two-year-old blonde voiced sincere. "So tell me, did you meet your son already?'"

He didn't reply for a few seconds. 

"Ehm, I did." His cheerful tone changed. He seemed… dejected.

"I guess it didn't go well, huh." The woman knew it didn't go according to the man's plan and who knows, his son might hate him too.

"I don't know what happened but he can't remember me." He explained.

"He can't remember you? What do you mean?" She sound surprised.

"I don't know what exactly happened but he didn't even bat an eyelid when we first met. I was like a stranger to him." 

"Hmmm…That's kinda new." She voiced thinking deeply. 

"Anyway, I think that's better." He tried to sound positive. "Just as what my friend told me, my son not knowing or remember me might be the best way to start a new."

Carla didn't say a word but she also thought of that idea just a while ago. 

"Yeah, I think so too…" She agreed. "Why don't you take this opportunity to get closer to your son, not as the father he feared before but as a changed man now."

"Yes, I will." He smirked. "I was planning to do that and this time around, I will make sure that we will be reunited and have a blast. Me and my son against that old witch. Ha-ha-ha!" He chuckled evilly.

"Barry…" Carla exhaled an amount of air. Her heavy breath tells the man that she didn't like what she just heard. "Can't you just live a good life with your son out there? Now that your daughter in law is expecting a baby now, did it never cross your mind to let go of everything and live your life to the fullest?"

"Carla, the main reason why I am still alive right now is to trample that fox who ruined my life!" the woman can feel the deep bitterness in his voice. "And I will never let it slide, not that I am close now."

"But Barr…."

"I'll call you again tomorrow. Bye honey." The man didn't wait for the woman to say more since she might start crying again because of him. And he hates it when she does that! Pleading through her tears.

"I'm sorry, Carla, but I have been waiting for these time and opportunity to come and now that the world is on my side, I can't just let it go." He muttered within himself while ċȧrėssing the dog sleeping comfortably beside him.

"Makish… you need to help me regain my beloved family from that witch's grasp." He smirked evilly. 

SHE WOKE UP when her phone suddenly rung. 

She's too lazy to wake up but she stretched her hand and reached her phone that was on the bedside table. 

Jackie? She raised her brows but still answered the phone call. 

"Jackie, what's up? Why are you calling so early?" Jade asked as soon as she sat on the bed. However, she was even more confused when she realized that she's on her bed.

As far as she remembers, she slept at the couch in wait of her husband. Looked like she slept. But how did she end up on her bed? She was thinking when her eyes immediately landed on Marcus' bed.

Did he come home last night? Did he possibly carry her? She's not sure since base on her old wristwatch, it's four in the morning and Marcus isn't awake yet around this time. 

Guess he didn't come home. She frowned at the idea that Marcus may be at Rachelle's house. 

"Miss Jade, I… I received a video of my brother!" Her voice was trembling. 

Ah, yes! Jackie's brother! She forgot about him since she was hospitalized.

"Can you send it to me as soon as possible?" Jade asked. 

"Y-yeah… just a minute." She was still on a call while looking for the specific video clip that was sent to her. After a few seconds, Jade received the video she sent.

"I… I really don't know what to do anymore. I'm losing my mind!" Jackie sobbed. "Miss Jade, the man is not after money…"

"Let's report your missing brother to the police for the meantime. And Jackie, I need you to be strong right now?" She comforted the young lady. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"E-ehm…" The woman hummed in response but still, she can't help but teared up. 

She hung up but as soon as the call got disconnected, Jackie cried a lot. She wanted to save her brother but the suspect was obviously playing with her.

MEANWHILE, as soon as the line got disconnected, she immediately browsed her phone and looked for the video that Jackie sent. 

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

The first tagline itself with an image of a young man beaten up and was tied upside down made Jade dropped her phone on the floor. 

That scene alone made her shuddered. She doesn't even want to finish the five minutes' video clip. 

Marcus! She needs to see and tell Marcus right away. They need to help Jackie and her brother as soon as possible!

Seeing Marcus' empty bed, she thought of two options; either he's at his condo unit or with Rachelle. But even so, she needs him right now. She was about to dial his number when she suddenly heard a loud thud downstairs. 

She jerked up. Who could it be? Susan? A stray cat? A robber? 

She shook the last option since despites the lack of manpower and security personnel in the house, the security alarm attached to the house can detect unregistered people and when the alarm sets off, all the neighborhood will definitely be disturbed.

She exhaled an amount of air before she slowly trekked the staircase. To her surprise, when she got to the kitchen, she saw Marcus wearing an apron while facing the sink and washing the used kitchen wares. 

Guess that things she heard was one of the casserole that fell while he was washing the dishes. 

She smiled sweetly as she watches the man prepare their breakfast. 

Yes, 'THEIR' breakfast since there are two set of plates on the table. 

"I appreciate you cooking for breakfast but you can leave the dishes to me. I'm afraid we'll have broken wares after you wash it." Jade chuckled taunting the man who was obviously surprised to see her behind him. 

"J-jade! You're awake…" He turned his head a little to get a glimpse of the woman. "I woke up early and can't go back to sleep so I tried setting the table before waking you up."

"Oh, that's so sweet of you. What's the occasion?"

"Nothing... I just want to welcome my wife who returned from the dead." He joked but Jade got his message. 

"I sent a message though." She softly voiced before taking her seat. Although her voice was almost a whisper, Marcus was able to hear it but he acted as if he didn't hear anything. 

"I didn't see you when I woke up yesterday morning. Where did you sleep?" He intended to inform her that he knew about her absence. "You didn't even come to work. If you were planning to go somewhere then you should have at least notified the company." He wiped his wet hands using his black apron before sitting opposite the startled woman. 

Jade was a little bit confused. He came home that night? But she thought he's with Rachelle! 

"Jade, you may be the wife of the CEO of the company but you should know how to give importance to your job. Remember, when you are in the company, you are not my wife, you are my secretary, one of the employees being paid a high salary." 

She knew she deserved to be scolded for her irresponsibility and unprofessionalism so she kept her mouth shut despites the fact that she was itching to talk back. 

'Jade, don't ruin the mood. D O N T S A Y A W O R D!' She pursed her lips tightly. 

"Are you even listening to me?" Marcus was a bit annoyed while Jade forced a smile. 

"I am… Sir." She grinned playfully. "And I'm sorry."

Tsk! He hissed jokingly. Since she admitted her fault, there is no point of scolding her for more. So then he motioned her to start digging in. 

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

"Marcus, I need to tell you something." Jade seriously looked into his eyes after breakfast. 

Seeing the solemnity of her face, Marcus got intrigued. It looks important. "What is it?"

"Remember Jackie?"

"Of course, how could I forget her?" He smiled. "Why? Did something happen to her?"

"Yes." She didn't beat around the bush any longer.

Marcus raised his brow and leaned forward. "Care to tell me more?"

"She needs our help." Jade took out her phone and hand it over to him so he can watch the awful video of Jackie's brother. 

"Jackie's brother was abducted." She explained after the man watched it. 

"You telling and showing me the video gives the impression that this matter is the company's liability, am I correct?" 

Jade nodded. Marcus is indeed smart. 

"What are your thoughts?" He folded his arms across his ċhėst.

"I think it has something to do with the Beau collection." Jade shared her thoughts. "The man who approached Jackie to before, I heard that he was fired. I think he's behind the abduction!"

"If that's the case then we will be needing the help of the KSAN Co. as well." Marcus heaved a sigh. "Don't worry, we'll find him." His confident smile suddenly gave her a ray of hope.