When Theo was a little boy just above thirteen, his father sent him off to his cousin's place with the idea that he was being coddled by his mother and needed to be a man. Young Theo had cried, thrown tantrums, and cussed at his father for taking the only source of happiness away from him and sending him over to a good-for-nothing farmyard to work as a help for relatives he only just heard of.

He recalled how deep his anger ran at the realization of where they'd really sent him off to and the hardship that followed. But that anger and fury didn't compare to the one he felt run through his veins when he set eyes on the woman who had endangered the life of his innocent son.

The woman who had by all means disrespected and disregarded his authority by just one impulsive act. There she stood in all innocence, peering at him with those brown eyes. She looked like a wreck.

"Do you know her or something?" Colonel asked from behind.

"Theo dear," Regina started and tangled her slender arms underneath his. "The guards can handle such commotions, you must come, let's forge ahead."

"Yes, I'll have them take her away if you want," the colonel was about to signal to his men to take care of the situation when Theo stopped him.

"I'll be back in a minute, give me two." He rendered and walked towards an exhausted Jema.

She stood straighter when he got close, ready for the toughest confrontation of her life.

"Sir," she began but he cut her off in a crude manner.

"Quiet!" His tone was cold and commanding. Jema's mouth fell in utter shock, it was demeaning to be treated like a child, like she was one of his junior-ranked officers but Jema did as he said.

"You dare step into my viewpoint, a dead woman like you," he admitted icily. His patience for her was wearing thinner than a skip rope but Theo knew better than to flare up publicly.

Jema ignored his insinuations and spoke, desperate to make her claim.
"I know I may be asking for too much sir but can we step aside for a bit, I can't possibly explain much in such a noisy area." her voice cracked and her eyes watered. It wasn't hard for Jema to get all emotional it had become a part of her since countless tragedies struck her life.

Theodore stared bewilderingly at the brazen woman before him, she had the guts of mice threading grounds with a cat, which was only calling for death.

"Please sir, I know you probably hate me and wish me dead_"

"Want," he cut in. "I'll have you go through the worst possible things, you'll never imagine a man like me can be so cruel," the words tumbled between them, not a warning but rather a strong resolution that should've had her running for the door but somehow she stood there waiting and wanting him to do his worst.

"Theo," Jose waltzed over holding a glass of white wine, he seemed tipsy from the unstable lapse in his steps. The two didn't break eye contact, they stared long and hard into each other's eyes like they were telepathically communicating.

"I just got off the phone with our client in Rio de Janeiro, he insists on speaking directly with you."
Jose recklessly said Theo glaring at him for being so loose-mouthed in front of strangers.

"I thought I told you to handle the matter yourself?"

Jose shook his head and took another sip from his glass. "Uh this wine tastes like juicy trattino, damn now I want more, where are my fuckin ladies?" he exclaimed delightfully, rubbing at his chest with his eyes half closed.

"Get it together Jose!" Theo barked. "I have to go home, sad that I couldn't enjoy the event. Let the colonel know I left for good reasons." He said to Jose.

"And lady Hobart? She's gonna cry me a river that you left Theo, at least let me order her a bottle in your name."

"I'm warning you," Theo said. "You can do that in your name, I have no problem with that," he said dismissively and started towards the elevator.

Jose's voice rang behind him before he could get to the elevator.  "What about her? Damn, she seems oddly familiar." That alone brought Theodore back to where Jema stood. He suddenly realized how unwise it was to leave the woman behind with his friend.
She was an employee at his home, a place where all his truths were buried. If she were to say a word to Jose or reveal her identity it would be the end of his heavy secret.

"Let's go," he said and took hold of her arm, in a moment Jema was whisked away from the ruckus and into a descending elevator. Both of them were the only ones in there, alone and in awkward silence.

"I apologize for my poor decision, I should've been more professional_" she began but like an instinctive act Theo cut her off.

"You break my rules, you pay for your sins, I only wished you were present enough to experience those shocking events with your family." Theo beamed at her with a somewhat triumphant smile. It gave her chills.

Cold shivers ran through her skin like a fever.
"What event? What are you talking about?" Her throat felt dry and scratchy from yelling and overuse.

"I made a little example of what crossing me meant, your gran-gran and her knucklehead husband is safe, but I won't guarantee that the next time. A little fire by the fields can't hurt a fly can it?" His menacing face tilted towards her much shorter frame.

He wasn't lying about what he had just said, Jema knew very much of how much of a do-and-talk her boss was and that was why she stood there in sheer terror, staring at the man whom she'd nursed and breastfed his son right in her aching arms, while he had his peaceful night sleep.
A sacrifice a lot of women weren't ready to make, but she did out of love.

It was at that point that Jema realized what a beast she'd been working for, a heartless monstrous man with no hope for salvation. His heart was dark and evil, and because he was that way he repelled good.

The sound of the elevator tore her out of her shock, Theo was quick to exit while she distortedly followed behind, her head shrouded with fearful thoughts.

She watched as everyone paid courtesy to the man before her, bowing, smiling, and waving at him while he walked majestically in honor. He put on a nice facade but Jema could now see through it all. He was a monster.

When they got outside the building Theodore stopped to give a last warning to his impudent employee. "I hope the ride back home doesn't terrify you because I just got started Jema," he said, her name sounding less familiar to her ears as he spoke it.

"Sir, the car's ready," Otis stood by the open door waiting patiently for him.

He made to step forward but Jema stood before him, a flash of determination maring her languid face.
She opened her mouth to speak but felt a surge of inexplicable pain retch through her body, its force propelling her forward and into Theo's arms.

The weaponized sound of bullets fired from afar filled the night air, trembling every space and leaving the few people in the VIP lot scampering for safety.

Theo had pulled her with him to the floor while Otis ducked under the Volkswagen. Someone by the corner was contacting the police about the current shootout.

Jema felt weak all of a sudden, her senses dulled and the excruciating sensation behind her back wasn't getting any easier to bear as Theo's bulky hands were wrapped tightly around her. She was awkwardly pressed against him, with her face dug into his chest.

It felt like ages before the gunshots stopped and the little security guards surrounded the area. The police sirens could be heard miles away, a hopeful sign that brought everyone back on their feet except Jema.

"Fuck!!" Theo cussed under his breath. "Someone help me out here, she's been shot!"

Otis ran like the wind and fell right at the scene before him. His face dried out of color when he saw the bloodied hands of his master. "She's bleeding!"

"I can see that." Theo snapped. Otis pulled off his coat and pressed it on her back to slow the bleeding.

"Get the damn door, Otis!!" Theo yelled and quickly scooped an unconscious Jema off the ground, ignoring the words of other people around who were advising him to wait for the medics.

"Sir, to the hospital or home?"

"Fuckin gas this thing back home Otis! I'm a fuckin target everywhere!"
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What a chapter.

What do you think will happen next?