Chapter 43

Caleb

I was standing outside the hospital. I guess this was life, no one could ever truly be happy,no one can have everything they wanted in life. I will spend the rest of my life alone and missing her. I saw the Vans pulling up ,and the reporters started running towards me.

“ Mr Cross is it true?, your wife has been kidnapped and murdered?”.

“ Mr Cross, Is it true your wife is Onyx Software's CEO Aria Garcia ?”.

“ Mr Cross, do you have any idea Who did it?”.

“ Mr Cross, is it true your wife is the illegitimate daughter of Senator Campbell?”.

“ Me Cross, is it true , your rival Jason Campbell is no longer your rival?”.

They kept rattling off questions after questions. “ Can't you people Give it A FUCKING REST?. I just lost my wife and my entire family was kidnapped and tortured. You people thrive off other people's fucking misery. If I hear another question, I'm suing every single last one of you. Not your companies but personally “.

They all just stopped and looked at me.

I saw Max heading towards me.
“ Mr Cross, let's head back inside”. I walked back into the hospital . Jason came over to me and Max left.

“ My mother knows something about this,so does Catherine ” , he said, I listened to him explain what Max and Pete found out.

“ I know “. He looked at me.

“ What?”

“ Max told me. Doesn't matter what you say to Max, he'll always be honest with me. I'm giving you a month or two to deal with it. After that I'm dealing with it and it won't end well for her if she's behind this. It won't end well for anyone ”.

“ I'll deal with it and if she doesn't relent then you can do whatever you want ”, he said looking at the reporters.

“ They know her identity " ,He said quietly.

“ Someone tipped them off. It doesn't matter if the world knows. It should have never mattered in the first place. I'll make a statement later”. I Said looking at them.

“ I'm heading home with my father. We'll discuss it and deal with her. Holly will be returning to Payson and preparing for her funeral ”, he said quietly.

“ Okay “

Jason

He spoke without any emotion,it was though he wasn't there as if he was done with life. I left them there and headed home. When I walked into the house my mother was sitting in the living room, drinking a glass of wine. I took a seat and sat facing her. She didn't say anything or even look at me.

Ten minutes later my father walked in and took a seat,he didn't say anything either. I could see the emotions on his face, he was hurt more than he was letting on.

“ Did you do it Diane?”. He asked,not looking at her. She took her time setting the wine glass onto the table.

“ Do what, Aaron?”.

“ Did you have her killed?”.

“ Kill who ?, what on earth are you talking about now?”.

“ Aria?”. She looked at him

“ Who is Aria and what exactly is this about?”. She said as though she had no idea.

“ Who is Taufik?”. I asked, I could see that question caught her by surprise. She looked at me immediately.

“ I have no idea who that is or what is going on with the two of you ”, she stood up about to Walk out of the living room.

“ I'm done mom. I won't be protecting or defending you anymore. I won't be doing anything for you. I will allow Cross to do whatever he wants even if it means losing my mother “. I stood up and walked out of the house.

“ Jason Campbell,you get back here now. I am your mother ”.

I stopped and turned to look at her. I looked at my father.

“ As of this moment onwards. My mother is dead. I won't be returning to this house. Dad, you know where to find me if you need me”.

When I walked out , she was still yelling. Fuck she was relentless,she would never admit to it and she's not going to stop. If I know my mother the way I truly do then I'm her next target.

Holly

She was gone. My best friend, she was like a sister to me and now she is gone. I don't know how to believe it , I'm never going to see her again. She chose to die and let us live instead. Why did she do it, why?. I would have gladly taken her place instead. She meant everything to me and now she is gone.

I haven't seen Caleb lose it and from the look on his face he's already lost it and is trying to keep himself composed. When he told the senator she was gone, I heard it in his voice. He was broken,it destroyed him more than me . Losing her has broken him and I don't think he would ever be the same again,none of us ever will.

Mya and Grace just cried. We all cried , When he shot her the first time I felt a part of me die, with each bullet I died a little. Gertrude and Chief Matthews weren't going to take this well ,no one would. Aria was good and kind to everyone, that cafe was where all the women spent time laughing, joking and gossiping with us. How am I supposed to keep all this up ,how do I keep everything together.

We stayed in the hospital room together, quietly crying. A few hours later,I saw Caleb Walk in with the doctor.

“ Well I've checked your reports and you're all cleared to leave except Mr Cross, he's the only one that has been severely injured. I'll get started on your discharge papers ”, the doctor said walking out.

“ There's a few cars out front. Holly, you, Ryan and the others will stay with us . Mya I've already called Josh and spoke to your husband, he's on his way here. Cindy will make sure you're all settled in”.

“ Caleb?”.

“ It's fine Holly. I need to take care of a few things ”, he said walking out. I looked at Ryan and I could see it on his face. He was worried about him, truthfully I was worried too.

Ryan

He's no longer there. I've never seen him like that, just emotionless. It was as if he was on autopilot, just going through the motions. After the doctor cleared us , I made sure Holly and the girls were okay with Cindy and Amanda and left. I knew exactly where he would be. I grabbed a couple of beers and a bottle of whiskey and walked out. I got into one of his cars and drove out, I drove through the back roads.

When I pulled up to the building his car was parked outside. I grabbed the beers and the whiskey and walked in. It was an abandoned Stadium,it wasn't run down or anything, it was just never used. We used to sneak away and come here. Whenever we needed to think or clear our Heads this was where we always ended up. I walked up the stairs and saw him sitting there.

I walked over and sat next to him. I put the beers down and he took one. He knew I would show up.

“ I love Holly,but I couldn't let Grace and Mya lose their lives because of our personal relationships. Before I called you, I thought about every single possible outcome and it was the same . All four of us would die if I didn't call you “.

“ I don't blame you Ryan. I don't blame anyone. I blame myself for thinking that I could be happy. I blame myself for thinking I could love someone and have that life”. He said quietly.

“ Caleb you couldn't know this would happen ”.

“ No, but still I should have protected her better. I feel like a part of me has died, like I've lost a part of me and I know I'll never get it back. I want you to do something for me Ryan”.

“ You know you don't have to ask”.

“ Go back to Payson. Get married to Holly and have a life. You'll take charge of the resort . You can work from anywhere , just do me that favour and live. I'll take care of everything here ,if I need you I'll call you but live Ryan, I've lost that chance. The minute I saw her that day, when she walked into the cafe I knew without a doubt it would be her and her alone for the rest of my life and now she's gone and so is that chance “.

“ Okay, but on one condition ”. I said, opening another beer and taking a drink.

“ Okay”.

“ Just give me your word , that if someone else comes along and you somehow feel for them you'll allow it to happen “.

He looked at me. “ Okay , but just know it won't ever happen , there isn't a woman out there that can change it ”. He said, looking at me. I believed him because of the way he said it and I knew his heart wouldn't let him move on from Aria. If only both of us knew that that exact moment there was such a woman .