The Deal

Chapter fifty-five
Henry
I cross my long legs, relax my head against the chair. I'm going to hear everything today before I leave.
Enough of deceit. I won't let them deceive me again.
They might think their plan was working. They might think I didn't even see the difference.
Truthfully, I saw it the first time I met her in the garden. And yes, she did act like she didn't know me. Because, yes, she didn't know who I was.
And I found it hard to believe Hattie has changed.
"What do you want me to tell you exactly?" Beatrice asks, worriedly.
Mercy let out a sigh, " What do you know?"
"Nothing, except the fact that Hattie is in the hospital and Jayde is the one I've been staying with."
" When did you know this?" Mercy asks.
I look at her, " before she came back. I went to pick her up even after knowing the truth."
Beatrice's face registered shock but it was only for a few minutes, " Why haven't you said anything? And why did you have to call her back? We've agreed that she could go on her way."
" And what if she did? When she did, what did that cause us?" I sit properly to be able to look her in the eyes, " And you gave me the heck of troubles! I had to visit the polices. Do you even know where I went to just to find Hattie?"
" I couldn't go to work. My parents thought I chased her out. Gosh! Do you know how much I faced?" I give them a dirty glare.
And that I think about it, maybe I should have informed the public of what I found.
" All this while, you acted so innocently. You joined me in finding your daughter. Meanwhile, you knew where she was."
" You made me marry a nobody and pretended so innocent?" I feel the anger rise. Something I have been trying so hard to keep in check.
How can Everett be this wicked! They could have announced the situation at hand and we would have proponed the wedding ceremony.
I don't believe I got married to someone else, thinking she was Hattie.
"Yes, I wanted to do it. I wanted to expose you guys and let everyone know about the game you played! But I had to step back because of my dignity. "
I move back again. My hand forms a fist beside me. I look away as I try to fight back my anger. I have to do this for myself. I'm only doing it for myself.
And I'm doing this for Jayde! The poor lady didn't even know what she was getting into. Well, she did try to end it before she couldn't. She couldn't even freely move around.
She had to protect herself with the face mask. Why does she have to suffer for something the Everetts did themselves.
They made her fall in love with me. How will she do it when Hattie comes back? What would she do?
"It wasn't our fault either. We thought Hattie would wake up, "Mercy started, sobbing in between, "She woke up and we rested assured. We were home one day when we received a call from the doctor that she went into a coma again."
She looks up at me and I can see the tears and the truth in her eyes, " That was three days to your wedding. And the day we saw Jayde. Her mother was taken by Paul because she couldn't pay up her debt."
" We offered to pay her debt and even give her a one million dollars if she would make the wedding ceremony come alive. She was supposed to leave the second day."
Seriously? So, that was why she did it? Jayde did it for her mom?
Well, that's understandable. Since she has only a parent. I know the feeling associated with wanting to protect her.
Well, I can protect my mother hundred times. It's the same for everyone. So, it's understandable.
I look at Beatrice, "What's Hattie's current situation?"
"Nothing yet," she says and looks away, " The doctor doesn't even know if she will wake up."
I look away as I think about it quickly. I think this is an advantage to get rid of this marriage once and for all.
I smile and look back at Beatrice, "I have a deal to make with you. If you can do this, then I won't let anyone know anything."
Beatrice looks up at me, her eyes watery, " What is it?"
"You will make Jayde initiate a divorce and be adamant about it. I will sign the divorce papers. After that, you can stage an accident and make Jayde disappear. Correct the hospital report and make it look like Hattie just got into the accident."
" What?" Mercy exclaims softly.
I smile again, " And don't let Jayde know I'm aware of this until after the deal is off. Is this deal on or off?"
They both look at me, confused and shocked.
Beatrice nods briefly, "Deal."