One last time

Inside a cafe.

After buying a cappuccino for herself and a donut for Amy who was waiting for her at Steve's place, Jeren was about to step out of the when someone called her out.

"Jeren."

Turning around when Jeren saw who it was, her expression turned ugly. She had bumped into someone whom she didn't wish to see. Without giving any kind of reaction, Jeren kept on standing near the door.

Sabrina quickly approached her and excitedly garrbed Jeren's hand. "It's just been a few weeks but you've already lost so much weight.

Taking her hand back, Jeren asked, "What do you want?" 

Seeing how different Jeren was acting and uninterested in having a conversation with her, Sabrina pursed her lips. "I wanted you to come back home with me. It had already been so many days and your dad and I really miss you. And how many days are you planning to stay in your uncle Thomas' place? You also have to join college soon. Who is going to pay for your college if not us? Don't expect your uncle Thomas' or your brother-in-law to pay for your college fees too."

When Jeren did not say anything, Sabrina grabbed her shoulders and tried very hard to pollute her mind. "Jeren you are too young to understand these tactics and games honey. They are just using you to look down on me. They want me to lose my other daughter as well. Thomas and Lily polluted Silvia's mind and they are now doing the same for you and you shouldn't fall for it. You are much more dear to your father and me than your elder sister. I cannot do anything with Silvia but with you it's different. I cannot just stay back and watch them take advantage of my precious little princess."

Suppressing the strong urge to roll her eyes and throwing up, Jeren took a step back. "I think I am big enough to understand what is good for me and what is not."

Unwilling to give up, Sabrina took a step forward and kept on spouting nonsense. "You don't understand Jeren they are using you to replace Silvia in that competition. They take you as a replacement and nothing else. You shouldn't fall for this, mommy won't let you fall for this. You are leaving with me." 

"Are they looking for a replacement or are you looking for a replacement Mrs Green?" Lucifer asked before standing right beside Jeren.

Sabrina's expression darkened when she saw Lucifer. "Who are you? I am talking to my daughter and I don't want any interference."

Lucifer chuckled and helplessly shook his head. "You call this talking? Well, judging from what I heard, this is called manipulating or rather polluting your daughter's mind by ranting out your shitty analysis."

Pointing towards Lucifer, Sabrina asked, "Jeren is he your new boyfriend?" Without waiting for her reply, Sabrina added, "Oh my God, can you not stay without a man even for a few weeks?"

Jeren widened her eyes in shock. "Mom what nonsense are you spouting? Do you even realise how bad that sounds?"

Without paying any heed to how bad her words were making Jeren's character look, Sabrina kept on blabbering. "California was different but here everyone knows that you are Jeremiah's Jones grandfather. At least don't taint your grandpas name like this. You are not even an a.d.u.l.t yet and look at you already playing around with so many men. Give some face to your parents and have some shame for yourself and come with me. You've really become-"

"Enough," Jeren shouted. "You are questioning my character? Have you not seen or you don't know what kind of a character you have? I would rather prefer having loose character than being someone like you who is a failure as a mother and a human being. Someone who is selfish and doesn't care about anyone else, not even her own kids. After everything that you did, you still have the cheek to say that you love me or sister Silvia? You sure have a very thick skin mother."

Gritting her teeth, Sabrina shouted, "Stop it."

"Why should I stop? Are you feeling ashamed now? Ashamed that I know what kind of a woman you really are? Initially I thought you did all of this because you had your own reasons but I was wrong. You only did this because you are selfish. And now instead of feeling sorry you are still trying to act all pitiful. I am not shameless but you-." 

*THASH*

"How dare you talk to your mother like that?" Sabrina shouted after throwing a tight slap right across Jeren's face. 

Jeren who was not ready for the sudden slap, staggered and would definitely fall down if not for Lucifer who acted fast and caught her waist. 

"Are you alright?" Lucifer asked.

Wiping her tears away which were running down her swollen cheek, Jeren slowly nodded her head.

"You are going home with me right now." Sabrina yelled before grabbing Jeren's hand. But before she could, Lucifer grabbed Sabrina's wrist. "I think she already said that she is unwilling to go with you. So you better back off before things turn more ugly."

Lucifer's grip around Sabrina's wrist was very firm and strong making her wince in pain. 

When Sabrina's eyebrows scrunched, Lucifer smirked and let her wrist go. 

Wiping her tears away, Jeren took a deep breath before looking at her so-called mother. "Never come looking for me ever again. I already lost the last string of hope that I had for you both yesterday when you did not even bother wishing me on my birthday. And you what? I deserved this slap. I deserved it for even hoping that maybe you aren't as bad as others think. But I was wrong, you are even worse." 

"Birthday? Jeren I-"

Without waiting for Sabrina to finish her sentence, Jeren turned around and left the cafe. 

After giving Sabrina a disgusted look, Lucifer followed Jeren outside.

…..

High Spirit Bar.

Jackie was about to leave the bar after meeting a friend when he saw a familiar figure sitting all by herself with a glass of wine in her hand.

After bidding his friend goodbye, Jackie made his way towards Liza who was sitting in a daze.

"Hey, what are you doing here all alone?" Jackie asked.

"Refreshing my mind may be. I don't know, I just felt like drinking today." Liza reasoned out. 

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Jackie asked.

Taking a sip from her glass, Liza chuckled, "Well, I don't mind someone who is equally heartbroken as me accompanying me for a drink."

After ordering a drink for himself, Jackie asked, "What happened? You look a bit off today."

Placing the glass down, Liza smiled. "Remember I told you how my husband was found dead inside his office the very day we got married?"

When Jackie nodded his head, Liza added, "For all these years, I have been looking for the person who killed my husband and the reason behind it but I never succeeded but guess what happened today?" Without waiting for his reply, Liza continued, "I finally know who did that and why."

Jackie raised his eyebrows and asked, "You do? Who is it?"

Looking at Jackie, Liza smiled and then chuckled. "Well, your sister killed my husband."

…..