Chapter 57

Jacqueline looked at the retreating figure of her husband. Anger rippled through her as she started to pace.
It might have been a dozen years since she last saw him, but she is the one who wields the power. Not him. Her. Maybe it's time to remind James what will happen if he forgets his place.

Yes...she will do just that. She will squash his rebellious thoughts under the bottom of her shoe until the thoughts of freedom leave his mind. The only thought he should be concerned himself with is to keep her happy.

She strode to Anna who was talking to her mother and said, "let's get out of here".

Anna nodded to her and turned to her mother and asked, "you in?"

"I don't want to be part of any of this. If James finds out he will crush us", Anna's Mom said with a fearful look at them.

"And I will kill you if you don't comply", Jacqueline countered it with her vile threat calmly.

"Jey! That's my mother", Anna whispered horrified of Jacqueline's ultimatum.

"Then you better make her understand what's at stake", Jacqueline said curtly, not in the mood to cater to the mother-daughter duo's sensibilities.

"I...I... I will do what I can," Anna's mother stammered fearing for her life. She may have lived in this world of wealth but she isn't one of them like the person standing before her. She knows when to be meek.

"Good. Then let's go"

"It's my husband's funeral. Some things are expected from me", Anna's mother said while looking at the other mourners who were throwing daggers through their eyes.

"Very well. Stay here. I will tell Anna what you have to do", Jacqueline said offhandedly.

Anna felt she had bitten off more than she could chew. Seeing her mom's worried look, she too started to second guess herself.

However, Jacqueline didn't give her the chance to dwell on it as she dragged her outside of the church by her hand.

They entered an expensive restaurant not far from the church with fewer patrons dwelling about.

Once seated Jacqueline faced Anna and said, "you got me hooked. Now tell me what you know"

"No... first you. What did you see on your husband's face?" Anna asked, sipping her drink.

"I'm the one with questions", Jacqueline responded as she held her glass by its stem.

"Says who? I can easily walk away from here", Anna said bitingly, remembering the offhanded way she treated her mother.

"Do that and James would be on you before you could snap your fingers", Jacqueline said casually as she touched the brim of her glass to her lips and gently tasted the wine. She wrinkled at the taste and put it back.

"How would I know James wouldn't be hunting me if I go with your plan?" Anna questioned, alarmed at her response.

"You wouldn't. Would you?" Jacqueline smirked at the unease of Anna. She likes it when people squirm before her.

"That's not reassuring, Jacqueline. I'm putting my neck on the line here", Anna said as sweat trickled along the length of her spine.

"Well...you have to take the risk I guess", Jacqueline said nonchalantly.

"Or I can leave", Anna countered with false bravado as she realized the situation, she landed herself in.
"Before you go, remember that I was not the one who called to meet at the airport. I was minding my own business, happy to gallivant across the world when you called me. You involved me not the other way around", Jacqueline said leisurely leaning on her chair.

"Fine! However, I have a condition. Protect me from James", Anna put forth her condition.

"Honey...if you believe I will start to think about you, then you are a fool", Jacqueline drawled as she checked her nail polish. Maybe she must change the color, she thought as Anna struggled to accept her situation.

Anna lost all her color listening to Jacqueline. She was counting on Jacqueline to keep her safe.

"Jey!" Anna gave a harsh disbelieving sound. She realized then that she shouldn't have approached Jacqueline. What was she thinking? Where did she go wrong with her plan?

"Fine. I will try what I can if...what you are about to say is worthy enough. Now cut your dramatics and spit it out", Jacqueline waved her hand dismissively.

Anna looked flustered at her nonchalant behavior towards her security, but then what else can she expect from a cold fish? Maybe she should take a hiatus from this mess. But will Jacqueline allow that? Anna became unsettled realizing that her life is in Jacqueline's hands now. She blindly gave up her choice when she contacted her.

"I saw James with a woman", she started launching into what she saw that day.

Jacqueline sat upright in her chair. James displaying interest in a woman...well, well, well, dear husband, was finally able to break his vows, or has he still followed his moral code? Jacqueline internally snorted at her husband's ethics.

She must be something else if James noticed her. What is so special about her?

"What's her name?" Jacqueline asked giving her full attention.

"I... I don't know", Anna stammered about the details.

"Address, phone number... anything? What exactly did you see and where?" Jacqueline got frustrated at the shake of Anna's head for each inquiry.

"At the company's ball. James danced with that woman", Anna said and braced herself for another scorn from Jacqueline when she asked about the woman's features.

Jacqueline sucked her breath at this new revelation. The James she knew never danced with anyone after their marriage. The last time he danced was on their wedding day.

"That's not all. He later took her into a room and stayed there for a while", Anna quickly said before Jacqueline can ask any more in-depth details.

"What did he do in that room? Did you take any video?" Jacqueline leaned forward almost reaching the middle of the table in anticipation

"Uh...it was locked and I never thought about that", Anna’s colored realizing how lame she sounded to her own ears.

"Dumb. That's what you are. We could have used that video against him. My husband may be compliant now, but who knows what the future holds? If something happens to his loved ones, he will move heaven and earth to save them and you just lost the chance carelessly", Jacqueline growled her irritation.

"If I had thought like you, I would have ensnared a billionaire myself", Anna said flippantly.

"So... we knew nothing about the woman. Hmm... you cannot go in front of James", Jacqueline said thoughtfully uncaring about Anna's remark.

"I like to breath"

"I cannot go in front of him, or else he will know I'm on his tail. Who else has a grudge against him? Who else wants to see him rot?"

They both looked into each other's eyes, grinned, and shouted at the same time, "Perla!"

Jacqueline quickly dialed Perla on her phone.

"Perla, it's Jacqueline," she said coolly.

"You have surfaced?" Perla was confused about why his son's wife tried to contact her?

"Don't be surprised, Perla. We all have our moments", Jacqueline said at Perla's stunned query.

"Not me. I don't", Perla said bitterly.

"Then let me help you", Jacqueline coerced her.

"How? Does James say anything about me?" Perla thought to herself, has he finally got to his senses and thought to give her share in his money? That doesn't sound like James though.

"Not that I know of. But if I have to guess, I would say you are low on cash", Jacqueline deduced from the desperate voice on the other line.

"What else is new? My bastard of that son gives pittance to me as allowance so that he could see me begging"

"James hasn't lost that habit yet I see. Well, we will change that. Soon. For now, you have to do some work for me", Jacqueline launched in to her demand.

"Why will I do that? I won't get that pittance too if James got the whiff about it" Perla scoffed at Jacqueline's guts to take down James.

"Do you want to live your whole life on that measly pocket change?" Jacqueline countered hitting on her weak link

"What else can I do?" Perla sighed at life's unfairness as she questioned her.

"Work for me. I can give you the amount", Jacqueline quoted the money to her.

Perla's eyes widened at the amount. That's a huge one compared to James's pocket change. However, it would be only one time. What will happen to her when it runs out? And it always runs out.

"That's a good amount, Jacqueline. But I want more. Transfer that sums every year into my account and we have a deal", Perla tried to negotiate.

"Tsk...tsk...tsk. Greed, Perla, is not a good thing. You will do my work for the amount I said. Not you demanded"

"And what if I won't agree?" Perla asked guardedly

"Then James may have to find out about his MOTHER. Are you ready for that Perla?" Jacqueline smirked as she said that. Anna who was listening to this one-sided conversation raised her eyebrows. She thought she is lucky that Jacqueline didn't find HER secrets to use against her.