***

Jade went into his office, ignoring the weird stares. Pissed like hell but trying to conceal it. Her took off his black jacket and placed it on a hanger, somewhere in the corner of his office. He threw himself on his executive chair, already feeling useless.

A small frown appeared on his handsomely -shaped face. Jade went through the file placed on his desk as he unbuttoned the first three buttons on his white sleeved shirt.

Mr Tim looked at his co-workers with a fake smile on his face.
"Come on guys, concentrated on your work. I'll go and check on him now." He announced before walking to the CEO's office.

Tick-tick.

Mr. Tim tapped his index finger on the mirrored door as he narrowed his head into Jade's office.

"What's it?" Jade muttered without even looking at Mr. Tim's direction.
"Come in." He ordered.

"Umm... What's happening, boss? Are you alright?"

"I don't know. How come did the media hear about Sapphire's kidnap case?"

"It had already been reported by the investigators, sir. Even before I could intervene. Those media personnel are just gossipers. I wish I coul-"

"Make sure all of the news remains confidential. Including anything pertaining my family. Although everyone knows about everything now. Nothing is hidden anymore until I find out where Sapphire is. If a single word if this gets to the media, things would get more difficult than it is."

"Y..yes sir. I understand but Mr. CEO..." Mr. Tim turned to his boss with his face laced up with curiosity. "I want to ask you a very disturbing question. It's what they say but I don't still believe."

Jade looked at him as if he was trying to say, go ahead.

"Is it true that you're really adopted? I mean... You take a lot from the chair man and Mrs. Kate, both in looks and character."

Jade wore a tight frown at Mr. Tim's questions. He just looked away and left his boss's office.

"How annoying!" Jade hissed, going through the documents in front of him.

***

"What did he say? Tell me all the news I've been reading in the last few days are all lies." Miss Barbra asked Mr. Tim immediately her walked out if the CEO's office.

"Is it true?" Mr. George interfered with raised eyebrows. "His Denver really an Alejandro too?"

Mr. Tim let out an heavy breath in relief. "It's possible guys. Although out boss is inconsiderate, I can't help but to pity him right now. First, his girlfriend, now this?..."

Ring! Ring!! Ring!!!

Jade's phone rang. He quickly looked at it, it was a call from Zoey. Jade grabbed his hair again in confusion as his mouth hang open, a deep sigh brushing through his lips.

Jade closed his eyes, tight. Thinking I'd what next to do. All he want to do now is to concentrate on his his work... Picking up her call might cause him more pain and leave her even more worried. Jade quickly turned off his mobile phone and placed it somewhere inside his drawer.

What would I have to do right now?" His fingers brushed through his shiny black hair as he suddenly closed the brown file in front of him.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he wiped it off with a white hanky.

"I would just have to work. To work more to kill stress. It's over 24 hours now and I'm unable to find any proof. I would have to find Sapphire sooner or later but I'm left with no clue. I would have to work on Denver, myself. They're all betrayers and deceitful, I can't trust any investigators again. Not even my mum!" Jade opened the file again and continued working.

Even though his heart was hurt and his mind was boiling, Jade didn't stop until sleep clouded in his eyes. He gently placed his head on the desk, thinking about the one he miss the most.

***

Her parents had an argument while Fiona grabbed her daughter's arm with force in her full fist.

"You're always busy with your patients as if you're the only nurse alive! You should better quit that annoying job of yours and join me in my farm!" John Blac yelled at his wife with red eyes.

Fiona threw five years old Sapphire on the bed and locked her in her room. Meanwhile, she went back to where her husband was. He's always complaining about her coming late at night or spending her nights in the hospital since she was originally a nurse.

John on the other hand is fed up with her not being able to care for their only daughter— shapphire. He wondered if she loved her profession better or something. Most  mornings, when Fiona is back from work, all they do is fight and argue.

"I'm a senior matron in that hospital, J! You can't just expect me to stop working because I'm a married woma-"

"You should quit your job already, Wifey!" John cuts into his wife's words, sharply.  "I can't stand this anymore! When last did we spend the night like real couples? Huh?!"

"You know what? I'm out! I'm leaving you, J! You can take care of our daughter alone and remarry if you want! I'm so fed of of this hell of a marriage!" Fiona hissed and took some if her bags before leaving the house.

John too did the same. He left the house without knowing that Shapphire was locked inside her room.

She cried for house in the dark, calling on her mum and dad but no one answered. She was there alone, searching for light, little Sapphire mistakenly pulled the shelves as it fell on her. There were dozens of glass cups and ceramic plates arranged in it. Everything shattered on Sapphire's body and she had to pull it up, herself. She cried for days alone and in hunger, until the third day when Fiona remembered.

Running back to unlock the door, Fiona met her daughter in a pool of dried blood and she's already passed out. In fear of not loosing her daughter, She immediately rushed her to hospital and called John, saying she thought he was with her.

Sapphire spent a week in the hospital to treat her injuries but that incident caused a bigger scar to Sapphire's heart. She always feel feverish and gets scared, especially at night. After lists of complain, the doctor referred them mental health professional who diagnosed that Shapphire was Monophonic.
It wasn't easy for both her parents, especially for her mother, Fiona. She wrote a resignation letter and resigned from the hospital where she worked.

All for Sapphire's sake, she helped her husband build his farm and also spent time with Sapphire. For almost a year, Shapphire went through exposure therapy and medication. She was able to get better and gradually, live a normal life again. Yet, it still affected her sometimes, that is why Zoey visits her from time to time to make sure she's alright.

The sky was dark as death. The wide moonless night looked cloudy, yet, it engulfed the full magnificent moon that shone to the sky, sending it's refection to the clouds like an angel ascending the Earth. The fact that the house was grave-silent made her eyes glow in the darkness like naked two pears.

Lost in the nightmare of her childhood illness, Sapphire opened her eyes to the thick darkness that covered the room like a toxic smoke. All her body was dripping with sweat as she sat upright. Her right hand clutched her hair, burying her fingers into her messy, auburn hair.

"Where am I?" She asked herself, trying to remember what last happened.

Just then, her blue eyes caught the dull bulbs hanged up to the chandelier above her. Sapphire's eyes inspect the room vacantly as she jumped out of bed.

"I must leave here right now." She said to herself as she tiptoed to the door. She pushed it a bit, it widened.

'Oh, this door is opened?' She pondered over the thought as her eyebrows pulled up together in fear of being caught.

Carefully, she peeped outside and noticed her two bodyguards weren't there.

'They just have possibly gone to bed too.' she thought again, stretching her right leg, outside. Then her left leg followed in the same manner.

Taking a good look before she leap, Shapphire climbed downstairs gradually,  Silently. As if she was a thief trying to sneak out of prison. Well, Ace mansion felt like it. Spending another day would literally drive her in sane. Especially Jade. She couldn't stop thinking about him and how freaking worried he would have been.

Having a peep downstairs, Sapphire noticed there was nobody. It looks as if she was alone in the whole mansion. It was obvious that they'd all gone to bed. There wasn't any clocks in the wall so she couldn't predict the time but from the look of things, it felt like midnight.

Looking left and right and left again, Sapphire saw a dark path and followed. Just then, she realised there was a long entrance to the mansion. She ran as fast as he legs could carry her, with more beads of sweat, hanging in the corners of her forehead. The racing of hear heartbeat was audible enough but Sapphire didn't care. All in her mind was to escape from the hell of a place.

With both eyebrows pulled up and together, Sapphire finally approached the end if the entrance as she walked almost got outside. The light if the midnight moon kissed the wall of the entrance. A small smile played on her lips until someone stopped her. His  figure stood tall and his clothes were as dark as the night, itself.

It was Ace.

His eyes stared into her's like an arrow of an enemy. She stared open-mouthed at his eagle eyes, casting dark shadows upon hers.

In an instant, Sapphire's breath, thickened. She felt a closing in her throat as she suddenly went speechless, she fell to the ground.

***

The morning was cloudless and warm. The sky had the colour of ashes, mixed with white, like the softness of cotton balls. Till suddenly, as if a door had been opened eastward, a strange  breeze whispered through his window. Like a secret, it triggered to Jade's eyes, making him widening it unconsciously. He snapped a look at his wrist watch, it was 6:30 a.m.

With the files on the table, a memory of how the previous day went, flashed through his mind. As it it as a nightmare, Jade rubbed through his messy hair, till his entirely hands covered his face.

Thinking about what next to take, especially steps to finally expose Denver to the whole world.

Jade stretched out of his executive chair and grabbed his dark grey jacket and walked his way out if his office. Some of his workers were already arriving, while some guests were leaving. Stepping out if the elevator that went downstairs, Jade heated someone call on him.

It was Chloe.

He recognized her voice in an instant.  A weird smirk played on her red, blooming lips.

“Chloe!” Jade gasped, narrowing his eyes as she stood in front of him. He couldn't help but to remember when they last met. At the company's anniversary; three days ago.

She stumbled back, her hands clutching the front of her delicate blouse. Chloe walked to him majestically.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

“I came to meet someone but I'd have to postpone it now.” She responded, making her nose wrinkle.

"Okay then," Jade replied, faintly and turned away. As it is, he looked famished and for once in a long time. He wanted to go home, have a good shower and start his research on the latest member of Alejandro's family— Denver.

"Jade!" Chloe called his attention again. "Are you angry with me?"

"Pardon?" Jade raised an eyebrow at her stunning words.

"I mean... Am I doing something wrong? So we just greet now and that's all?"

"What do you want?" He wears a serious look at her.

Chloe walked closer, placing the front strands of her hair behind her ear.
"I want to be your friend, Jade, and not a stranger."

"Friend?" A sharp scoff escaped from his lips while he glared at her unbelievably.

"We've known ourselves since highschool days but you're still treating me like some piece of trash? I hated you before but it's not really worth it. We're adults... Let's start over again as friends. Come on, Jade."
She wore an expensive smile at him.
"We should be of help to one another at times like this. Perhaps, I hard about your girlfriend, Sapphire. Why was she kidnapped? Poor girl..."

"I'm actually on my way home. I need to rest a bit." Jade explained.

"Can I follow you?" Chloe asked.

****

The Chandelier in Sapphire's Room.

Leading downstairs.

Ace's secret mansion

***

Hey guys!

Hope you love this chapter. As it is, Ace is infuriated. Would Sapphire go unpunished? What exactly is Chloe's plan? You would know until you check out the next chapter.

Don't forget to vote, comment and share this amazing book with your best, besties. Have a wonderful weekend and stay blessed.