CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

Mabel deleted Jack's call history, to get rid of any evidence that his mother ever called. She left with all the clothes and Jewelry Jack had bought her.
Jack came back an hour later, ready to celebrate with Mabel.
"Mabel" Jack called but no one answered.
"Mabel" Jack called out again.
Usually, he would assume that Mabel stepped out, but this time something felt off.
He searched the whole place for her but there was no trace of her or her belongings.
He got his phone back from the kitchen counter and called her. She didn't pick up until the third time.
"Mabel, where are you?" Jack asked.
"Far away from you, why do you ask?"
"Don't play games with me and come back home"
"You don't control me, Jack"
"Come home Mabel," Jack said sternly.
"Home? Where is home? You can't possibly expect me to stay with you, when you have nothing to offer me. It doesn't work that way"
"What about the baby? You can't take my baby away from me"
"Jack, you are still as stupid as the day we met. There is no baby, That crazy bitch was right?"
"I thought you loved me" A part of Jack's ego had just been ripped out of him.
"You thought wrong, I only stayed with you because of what you could offer. You should have never left Lia" Mabel said and laughed.
"Mabel if you don't come back to me the next time I see you, I promise you, I will end your life" Jack threatened her.
" Then let's never meet again. Don't try to contact me... ever. I no longer have any business with you" Mabel hung up.
Jack tried to call her again, but her phone was switched off. He tried to convince himself that it was all just a joke and that she would come back to him.
And suddenly there was a knock on the door.
Jack didn't hesitate to run to the door with high hopes that Mabel had actually come back.
Before he could even touch the knob the door burst open.
Jack stepped back, He started shaking as if he had just seen a ghost.
Three men came into his house. They were by far bigger than Jack. The leader stood in front of the other two.
They all reeked of alcohol and weed.
" Remember me, boy? " The leader spoke, putting his yellow teeth on full display.
" If it isn't daddy's little heir" One of the men mocked him and they all laughed.
" Where is my money? " The leader asked.
Jack had completely forgotten about the loan sharks. He had been borrowing money from them, way before his allowance was cut short.
He had always assured them as soon as he became the CEO of Griffon's Group he would pay them double of what he owed. And for what reason? Because of Mabel's reckless spending.
"It's time to pay back kid" The leader said with no hint of humor.
"I promise you, I will have your money ready, just give me a little time" Jack begged.
" Nah, I think I will just have your life instead"
"But if you kill me, then you won't get your money back" Jack tried to give them a reason why they should not kill him.
" True, but It doesn't matter to me" The leader said and one of the men charged forward.
"Wait, take this" Jack took the check out of his pocket and handed it over to them.
"Boy, this ain't even up to half the money you owe" one of the men spoke.
"Please give me some more time, I beg of you"
"Three days, that's all I give you. If you don't have my money before I return I will sell you as a harlot. You will make good money" The leader said as he eyed Jack up and down and bit his lower lip.
"Don't even think of running away. Let's go"
They left Jack alone, for now.
...
"Lia" Ellie called.
"Yes Ellie"
"Someone is here to see you"
"That's weird, I'm not expecting anyone" Lia said.
"He said his name was, Jayden"
"Jayden?"
"Or James, John, Jeff..."
"Jack?"
"That's the one"
"I don't want to see him"
" He said it was important"
"Well, it's not important enough to miss work. I'm not on break yet"
" I can cover for you"
" I don't want to go"
" He said he won't leave until he meets you and he is making a hell out of a scene down there"
" What? I will go right now"
When Lia came down to the lobby she saw Jack being held back by a security guard.
"Let go, you bastard"
" It's ok you can leave him" the guard nodded and left.
" Lia my love" Lia almost gagged.
" What do you want from me?"
" Let's go somewhere a little more private"
Lia hesitated at first but went along with it anyway. She took him to the parking lot where it wasn't so crowded.
She had her taser in her back pocket, just in case he would try to do anything funny.
" How do you know I work here?"
" I followed you some time back"
" You are stalking me?" Lia asked with disbelief.
" That's not important, I need your help"
" What could I possibly help you with?"
" I need money, Lia. You have a good job and a rich boyfriend you should be able to help me"
" What makes you think I will?"
" Cut the crap Lia, I know you still love me. The only reason you hooked up with that guy was to make me jealous"
" Are you crazy? one moment you come to me and tell me that you love me and in the next you love Mabel. Go get yourself checked. Goodbye"
" You can't just abandon me, not after everything we have been through together"
" Does your fiance know you are here?"
" Don't change the subject" Jack warned.
" Look, Jack, I can't help you. I haven't even received my first pay yet"
" Don't pretend like you have nothing, you can always take some money from that man"
" What do you need the money for?"
" I'm in debt right now. Maybe when I pay it off we can get back together"
" Let's never meet again Jack," Lia said.
Jack grabbed both of her shoulders.
"Why do you always have to make things hard for both of us?"
"Let go of me"
Jack leaned in to kiss Lia however, that action wasn't successful. He was roughly pulled away from Lia and punched to the ground.
Leo kicked him over and over again on his abdomen.
"Leo stop, you will kill him"
"..."
"Leo" Lia grabbed his arm, she barely managed to pull him away from Jack.
"He fucking touched you, Lia" Leo roared.
"It's ok let's go, I'm sure he has learnt his lesson"
They both left a groaning Jack on the floor. The familiar taste of metal invaded his taste bud.
He wasn't even given the chance to see the man's face.
" Oh God, what did I do to deserve all of this?" Jack asked.
Jack didn't want to go back to his mother. He didn't want to give her the satisfaction of her knowing, she was right all along.
But because he loves his life, he would have to go anyway.
When Jack came back home. The first thing he saw was packed bags. He asked one of the maids about it.
" Whose things are these?"
"It belongs to the Master"
"Why is he leaving?"
"He and the Madame got a divorce"
"What? Where is she ?"
"She is in her bedroom. She said she didn't want to be disturbed"
Jack rushed up to his mother's room. The door was locked from the inside.
"Mother" Jack knocked on the door.
"Mother, open the door it's me, Jack"
"Mother"
Jack waited a little, still no reply.
"Mother if you don't open this door I will burst it open. On the count of three"
"..."
"One..., Two..., Three" "Bang " Jack broke the door.
What he saw next completely horrified him.
Mrs. Griffon laid lifeless in a pool of her own blood. Her wrists sliced open.
" Mother"