Ch-28 ★Murdered

             [Aulaura]

“Because I love you,” His eyes hold my gaze for a second.

            I felt numb.

Jay- his eyelids fall to a close, a smile played on his lips. I wanted to cry but I couldn’t.  Underneath us, the grass was stained red. It wasn’t my blood but it felt like I was the one bleeding.

            His face was pale as a ghost.

He couldn’t do this to me. No, he couldn’t.

*~*~*~*~

            West Palm Beach, Florida

            Jay slept soundly on the hotel’s bed. The doctor had said the injuries weren’t serious. His back had taken most of the impact in the hit which had caused him to lose conscious. There was a large gash running down the length of his spine. It was horrible and it’s all my fault.

            If it weren’t for my stupid idea to go skydiving, none of this would have happened. I screamed my lungs out at my trainer for being irresponsible and giving me a faulty parachute.

My heart stopped when I remembered the incident. Jay threw himself before me. Why would he?

            Because he loved me- I couldn’t believe it. Yes, even after Jay had jeopardized his life for my sake I couldn’t believe him.

            Why?

Because I was scared, I couldn’t be lucky enough to have him love me back. I just couldn’t be that lucky.

            Jay shifted in bed. Instantly I shot up from the chair I had been sitting in and ran over to his side. He rose from the bed, groaning. I placed my arm around his shoulder, helping him sit up.

            I moved away once he was properly seated. “How are you feeling?” I asked him.

His eyes snapped in my direction, he looked surprised. “Aulaura, where are we?”

            “At the hotel. Why?”

He shook his hand- the blanket fell off his chest, revealing the white rolls of bandages wrapped around his mid-section.

            “Must be the morphine, I feel doped,” He muttered under his breath, gripping his head.

“Do you want some water?”

            “No, I’m fine. You tell.  Are you okay?” His eyes scanned my body for injuries.  I felt blood rush to my face.

            I pressed a hand against my bandaged cheek. “Just a small cut other than that I’m fine,”

“Okay,” He smiled, the slight stubble around his jaw stretched as he moved his cheeks apart.

            An awkward silence fell between us. I stared at my feet as though they were the most interesting things on earth.

            “What I said-“Jay started, I looked up. There was this strange fear in his eyes as he watched me. My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for him to the say the words.

            Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door; I rushed to it, not glancing back as I went. It was Victoria, the manager of my father’s resort.

            “There’s a small celebration going down at the resort. The staff would really like it if you and Mr. Walters could join us,” She spoke politely, her hands folded at the front of the blue dress.

            “I don’t think we can- Jay’s not well,” 

“Of-course we will,” Jay came up behind me, a forest green t-shirt was draped over his shoulders with a nice pair of jeans hanging low on his waist.  How in the world did he get ready so fast?

“You need to rest,” I argued, frowning.

“We’ll be there,” Jay smiled the manager, completely ignoring me.

            “Thank you so much,” Victoria grinned and left us alone.

Jay caught me staring at him, he smirked. “What?”

            I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not going,”

“Come on, it’ll be fun. Plus it looks you could use a couple of drinks in your system,”

            “I don’t drink,”

“You can always pretend,” He grinned, leaning against the wall.

            “The doctor said you need to rest,” Fantastic, I sound like the mum.

“The doc can go to hell. I’m feeling great,”

            “But-“

“No, buts Aura, Go get ready, I’ll meet you there,” He’s definitely up to something. Why is he so insistent on going to a dumb party? Does he want some time to himself? But why?

            “Why don’t you tag along with me?” 

He raised an eyebrow. “Suspicious, huh? You know I’d like this ‘I’m your wife’ act if you hadn’t forced me to marry you,”

            Something twists inside me. I don’t let his words get to me.

“It’s not an act unlike everything you do,”

            Jay laughed, clutching his stomach. “Come on, Aura,” He winked, his back left the wall as he began advancing towards me. We still stood in-front of the open door in the small lobby. My back collided with the wall before I realized it.

 “We both know who the real actor is,” His breath washed over me like a drowsy spell.

I was the actor in his eyes.

            “See you at the party,” I brushed him aside, angrily and walked out of the room.

If he wanted me to be the actor, fine- he’ll get that side of me.

~*~*~*~

[Jay]

            I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched Aura stomp out of my hotel room. Damn, that girl is going to be the death of me.

            I rushed back into the hotel room, making sure to slam the door shut. Where’s my god damned phone?

            After minutes of searching, I couldn’t find my cell-phone. I’m sure I brought it along me. Shit, I left it in Aura’s private jet.

            I groaned, grabbing a fistful of hair. With the back of my hand, I tossed the lamp on the bedside table. The thing went crashing onto the floor with a loud bang. Sparks left the lamp, nearly catching fire.

I need to call Mathew right now. Hell, I’m sure he’s going to kill me for disappearing like that. I spotted a white, cordless phone lying on the other bedside table. I placed the phone by my ear, my fingers jabbed a bunch of keys on the plastic panel.

Hopefully, I could make international calls on the thing. Just my luck, I could. I waited for Matt to pick up. After some dull ringing sounds, he finally answered.

            “Hey, who’s this?”

“It’s me Jay,” I breathe into the phone, falling onto the bed. My back ached in the center. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to ignore the throbbing.

“Bloody bastard! You didn’t tell me you’re sneaking Aura to Florida,” Mathew sounded pissed.

I laughed.  “Chill out mate,”

            “Chill out? Jay things are a wreck out here in London. You bloody cancelled the world tour. The record label is furious. Do you know they sealed your bank account to pay off the losses? You’re broke Jay. We’re finished. This whole thing we got is done,”

            Those filthy greedy dogs- they sealed my bank account. Good thing, I transferred the money from Aura’s deal into a private bank account.

            “It can’t be that bad. Money still must be coming in from the record and merchandise sales,”

“Yah, you’d think the record label is going to pay for that. They’re keeping the profits. Why wouldn’t they? You cancelled the next album. They have no faith in you,”

 I heaved a sigh, my muscles groaned with every breath I took. “Great,”

“Jay, it’s over. Everything you worked for is finished,”

            “Matt, go find yourself some other label and don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,”

“Is that why you married her? You knew it all along. You knew that we’re screwed, Damn you,”

            I stiffened. “No, that’s not why I married Aura,” 

“Never mind,” Matthew breathed out into the phone. I could picture him running an agitated hand through his curls. “How are you?”

            “I’m alive, you?”

“Won’t believe this but Sam staying with me at my apartment,”

            I got up from the bed. “What?”

“Mate, she got her bags and everything. I think she moved out of Grey mansion,”

            “Why? What happened?” Sam wouldn’t just randomly leave Grey Mansion.  Something must have happened between her and Aura. Is that why Aura came to Florida? She wanted to avoid Sam.

            “She ain’t telling me anything,” Mathew sounded worried. He loved Sam like hell. I’ve never seen my best-friend so whipped over a girl.

“Do you think Aura found about Sam’s truth?”  After that day when Hunter purposely injured Aura, I got Matt to bring Sam over to my apartment. Together, we forced Sam to spill the beans. I told her how badly Hunter had hurt Aura and she told me everything from being Melody’s younger sister to being a part of Hunter’s gang. She despised me from the very start- for wrecking her sister’s life.  I can’t blame her.

She told me that Hunter wouldn’t hurt Aura as long she stayed away from Matt. Since then, Matt and Samantha have kept their love a secret.

            “Nah, she already knew. Sam told her before she was going to marry you,”

“Matt, Can I talk to Sam?”  Maybe I can get her talk about it.

            “She’s out,”

I glanced at the clock- It’s probably ten pm in London.

            “Out where? It’s late,”

“She went to buy some groceries. Apparently there’s nothing edible in my pantry,” Matthew scoffed. I could imagine him rolling his green eyes at the idea.  Let’s say Matthew kept his kitchen stocked better than any restaurant.

            “She probably said that to deflate your ego,”

“Probably,”

I should get ready- Aura is expecting me at the party. If I turn up any later, she’ll bombard me with questions and I’m not in the mood for that.

“Hey Matt, tell Sam to call me once she gets home,”

“I shall report it to the lovely lady,”

            Cheeky bastard. I shook my head. Some people never change.

“Don’t eat too much, ay Matt. Girls don’t like fat guys,”          

            “Shut up,” 

Laughing, I ended the call.

I stared at the distant wall. I really screwed this up, didn’t I?

            If Melody were alive, she’d hate me for what I’ve become. She’d tell me to more responsible for Beatrice’s sake.

            Beatrice deserved a better father.

~*~*~*~

[Aura]

            I heard a loud crash, pulling the red dress over my knees. My feet hauled me out of my hotel room into the decked lobby. I stopped in front of the closed door of Jay’s room- my heart beating insanely fast in my chest.

            Is he alright? Maybe he fell. I shouldn’t have left him alone in the condition he was in.

I turned the knob of the door and froze when I heard his voice echo from the room.

            He was talking to someone. But who?

 “Hey Matt,” He was speaking to Matthew. Why couldn’t he talk to him in-front of me? “Tell Sam to call me once she gets home, “

            My heart fell to the pit of my stomach. I wanted to burst into tears right there and then. I couldn’t believe my ears. Jay -even after I dragged him to Florida, he was still hung up on Sam.

            He told me he loved me few hours ago. He risked his life for my sake. Had he lied?

~*~*~

            I was dancing, my eyes blurry with tears. Sweaty bodies surrounded me on the dance floor. I don’t even know the guy who had his arms wrapped around me. I couldn’t care less. My hips moved with the rhythm of the song. The beat echoed through the resort’s club. I had lost. Sam had won. She won my Jay’s heart.

            Jay will never love me. He won’t love someone like me. The only reason he was here with me because he thought I owned him. All this time he cared for my money only.

            So this was it feels to be alone- today even though I was surrounded by  hundreds of people, I felt alone. No-one cared for me- not my parents, not Sam, not Jay.

            I had given them my everything, my soul, my heart.  Dad, who always helped me stand up when I fell, was lost in his world of business. Mom, who stayed by side even when dad left, had fallen into a vicious circle of the rich and famous.  Samantha, who had been a genuine friend, had stolen my most precious possession. Jay, who understood me better than anyone, betrayed me for my money.

            I felt devastated.  The guy dancing with me, ran his hands across my back pulling me closer to him. I should stop him but I won’t.

            Jay entered the club, wearing a tight-fitted black shirt which curved around his muscles. Screw him for looking damn good.   His deceitful brown eyes were looking for me. A moment later, he spotted me. I could see him advancing towards me in slow steps. Before he could come anywhere near me, I smashed my lips against the guy I was dancing with.

            The guy reeked of alcohol and sweat. He took me in instantly, responding immediately to the kiss.  Shock replaced by anger covered Jay’s face. He pulled his lips into a scowl. If looks could kill.

             It felt good -to see him angry, to see him furious.  

Suddenly I was jerked away from the guy- Jay held my wrist and dragged out of the club. I tried resisting but it was of no-use, his hold on my hand was deadly strong.

~*~*~

We entered Jay’s hotel room. He tossed me onto the bed and towered over me. His eyes bloodshot red and his cool façade from earlier seemed to have vanished.

“What the hell was that?” His voice was strained as he spoke.

I shrugged my shoulders, standing up from the bed.

            “You’re my freaking wife,” He yelled, advancing towards me. He grabbed my arms- his nails dug into my flesh.

How dare he? I shoved him away with the palm of my hands causing him to stumbled backwards “Oh! So I’m your wife now. What happened to the act? Huh?” I punched his chest, hard. He didn’t even budge. It only hurt me -my knuckles were sore but I couldn’t force myself to care. “What happened to the husband act when you were getting cozy with Sam? When you left me to meet up with her at the park?”

            He looked at me, horrified and disgusted- his eyes so wide that the whites were visible.

He shook his head, running a hand through his black hair. “It makes sense now,” What is he talking about?

            “Is that why you brought me to Florida? Sam didn’t leave your place. You freaking kicked her out so she’d stay away from me. How low will sink Aulaura Grey?” He spat, angrily.

            “Low? Me?” I laughed- bending over my knees till tears fell out of my eyes. “You’re the one who used me for my money. You’re the one who went behind my back and cheated me with my best-friend. And I’m the low one,”

            “Aura, you don’t see it. Do you?” Tears were welled up in Jay’s eyes. The counters of his face sagged. It looked like he was about to break apart any moment. “You don’t see it,” His voice was quite barely above a whisper.

            “See what? Your betrayal!” I nearly scream.

Then he snapped, in a quick second he had me in his arms- his fingers dug deep into my flesh. His ragged breath fell over my neck. My breathing was hard as his.

            The beats of my heart were so hard that they could be heard till my ears.

“See what?” I whispered.

            He pressed his head against mine, the fresh smell of his cologne drowning me.

“My love, you don’t see it,” He breathed out. My lungs ached inside me. They were ready to burst open any moment now.

            “Love for who?”

The phone in Jay’s room rung loudly, breaking us apart instantly. “For her,” I point at the phone. “For Sam. She’s calling you right now. Let me do the honors,”

            I walked over to the phone and flung it to my ear.

The words from the other side were a jumbled mess. It was Mathew, he was sobbing- hard.

            “Sam, S-she,” My heart halted. I’ve never felt so scared in my life.

“Mathew, what happened to Sam?” I clenched the phone close to my ear. A wave of shivers shook my entire body. He wouldn’t hurt her. He promised.

            “She wa-was atta-attacked.  Nin-nine bullets shot her down. She’s in critical condition,”

            The phone fell from hands. Jay rushed to my side; his arms wrapped themselves around my waist to keep me from collapsing.

            I couldn’t breathe. My throat felt dry.

Everything rushed back to me. Mr. Smith wasn’t the only one I called that day.

                        [003928934989]- Call me if you need me which you probably will.

 I stared hard at the message blinking on my cell-phone screen. Before my mind could object, I dialed the number. Hunter picked up on the first ring.

            “Hello beautiful, I told you that you’ll need me,”

“If I hand Sam over, will you leave my family alone?”

            “Of-course, my’ lady. I’ll disappear from your life. You won’t know if I ever existed,”

                        My heart pumped blood faster than before. “You won’t hurt her, right?”

“You still care about her. That’s lovely,”

            “Answer the question,” I repeated in a stern voice.

“I would never hurt her,”

            The tone of his voice sent chills down my spine- it was so strong- anyone would have believed him.  

“You tried to hurt her once. How can I trust you?”

            “I never tried to hurt her. It was my father’s idea not mine. He never told me that he was planning to eliminate Samantha  from the gang,”

“Promise me?” Even though in the back of my mind, I knew a guy like him should never be trusted I had no choice.  Hunter will try to harm my family and Jay if he doesn’t get what he wants.

            “I promise,” And with that, the phone’s line went dead.

“I murdered her,” I gasped. I don’t find the air to breathe in. “How could I?”

            “What are you taking about?” Jay asked, his eyebrows drawn together in a confused line.

“I killed Samantha,”

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            Note:  I hope this chapter made sense. If it didn’t, please be sure to let me know. Okay?

Poor Sam. Nine freaking bullets- let’s hope one of those bullets didn’t shoot down any vital organs. Since Jay was saved, someone has to go now. I’m kidding. Don’t take me too seriously.

            I’d say five chapters left + epilogue.