Jason's jaw tightened and his hand curled themselves into fists when saw the other man's body slump entirely against the cold table.
He slept.
Christian slept.
When he was just about to reveal something of value. He slept.
His fingers wrapped themselves around the glass container and pretended it was Christian's neck, strangling him for wasting his time. It was an understatement to say he was pissed! He was fuming.
He was THIS close to get Lillian out of the way for good and Christian fell asleep. Haha, how nice was that!
But another loud bang from the middle of the room made him divert his attention. Issac was dragging a dazed Lillian out of the room by her wrist and Alex was on the ground. Jason couldn't exactly see what he was doing since his back was to him but he could see him cradling his left cheek.
Maybe, all hope wasn't lost. He through to himself with a smirk, casually sipping on his tequila. He did- after all- manage to stir a fight amongst the man who'd 'never doubt' his girlfriend and her brother's friend.
Issac, now, could never be accepted into that family. Jason only needed the support of Issac's family now to push them apart. Once it's done, Lillian would get angry- that anger will distract her and THAT'S when he'll remove her from the picture for good.
He'll pull out his investments when their relationship is in tatters if they still choose to be together, that will lead to an argument.
And Lillian who was out all day fighting crimes, would be exhausted when she goes home and tired of listening to Issac- she'd 'accidentally' kill him.
And if that didn't work...
He could just let her dig into him for awhile. It wasn't like she could get anyone to confess to anything anyways. They knew what'd happen even if the slight thought of betrayal crossed their minds. And if she did manage to persuade them, he'd kill the girl. Any girl she ever talks too. And he'd do it over and over again til she learned he wasn't one to be messed with.
~~~~~~
It happened in a blink of an eye. One second she felt someone grab her by the waist, her pulse quickened and the next something heavy pressed itself against her lips.
It was wet and the room spun out of her control. She felt nauseous and her head hurt.
And the next she heard people gasp and someone yelling something incoherent. She felt like her ears were underwater, floating in a cold stream, her soul gently drifring away from her mortal body in peace, as she looked at the people around her and the one that held his cheek- where a purple bruise was starting to form.
Then she felt being hauled out of the room by a man in green. Issac. Her senses started to get clouded as she got dragged by the hand, like a lifeless human sized doll.
What happened? Alex kissed her and Issac punched him.
Issac...yea.... she needed to say something.
Or not.
She drifted peacefully, silently, in her head. There was no noice. Or anything.
Just a pink world with pink clouds and glitter rainbow.
The ground was pink. She near felt pink appealing but it looked pretty. Not too dark not too bright or dull. Just a hue of pink that not many fruit or flowers were blessed with, it was a dry and plain terrain.
~~~~~
"Get your lips off of my girlfriend." Issac spat out with venom after punching the assaulter who couldn't even recognize his own girlfriend.
Max- who was silently watching the spectacle- did nothing to help his friend and neared his father with a subtle expression.
"Did you hear what he said?" He asked.
"Have you seen him before?" Vincent asked, ignoring his son's question, as if he got a confirmation of the unspoken secret of 'Lillian' his assistant shared with him the day before.
He couldn't believe his ears when he heard the remote possibility of Lillian having a twin. Except, it wasn't a possibility- she had a twin. His other daughter he never knew existed.
He didn't know how he should feel or if he should even feel anything. The revelation was a bizarre one. Something he wasn't expecting.
How could there be another Lillian out there he wasn't aware of, sharing his blood and DNA? Neither he or Laura was aware of, the women who gave birth to them.
Or maybe it was just Lillian who forged her identity. But recalling Lillian's personality when she lived with him, it seemed unlikely.
His assistant couldn't find more information about her but managed to piece the scattered puzzles together and managed to connect her with the King's.
He'd ordered his assistant to make sure the news wouldn't get out and to protect the twin's identity and her family's. He wasn't sure if she was truly his daughter yet, but if she was, she will be protected at all costs and in extension- the family that raised her all her life.
What he couldn't understand was how Lillian got in touch with the King's. It had to be the time after he- she left, during the 8 years.
A background check on Lillian shed light a lot on her childhood too. He scoffed when he looked at the list of the various dead end shops she worked at, distraught.
What made it even worse was she had been working since she was 12..... when she was under his roof... all protected....
The unnamed emotion that tugged at his heart spoke his thoughts out loud for him. He had failed in more than one ways. Hell, he failed her since the day she was born.
She was separated from her twin, then she was..... and she didn't trust him to take care of financially either.
What hurt was, she wasn't even remotely wrong.
In a way his father was a better father than he was. Atleast he wasn't lacking in the monetary aspect. He could indulge himself with the worldly luxuries on a whim without his father batting his eyes.
"Might've bumped into him at the masquerade ball 4 months ago." Max said in a monotone.
"Come to my off- come home tomorrow with your wife and son so your mom won't get annoyed, there's something I want to tell you." Vincent said, correcting himself in the middle. 'His office', the term sounded distant now, cold and businesslike.
But wasn't it too late? To change himself? To identify his errors? To rectify his mistakes?
And if Lillian did indeed have a twin. He knew he fucked up. He hammered the nail too deep a pair of pliers wouldn't help fix his blunders. He needed to start from scratch and that wasn't an option.
~~~~~~
Casey clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"What happened?" Riley asked, nervous, fearing her nervous system was on the verge of collapsing.
"Issac." She gritted out. There's was a lot at stake and he thought picking a fight at such a crucial time was the best? "He punched someone." She explained, her eyes shifting to the other screen where Jason was watching the scene with a satisfied look.
Maybe Issac didn't mess up after all.....
"Nevermind, false alarm." She said quickly, muttering an apology in her brain to Issac for judging too quickly.
"Whom did he punch?" Riley asked, curious. There wasn't much to do when you are at home in lockdown other than watch TV and gossip. The former definitely grew tiresome after some time, but gossip- there was nothing better than a hot fresh tea filled with gossip.
Casey hummed, pulling the files of the guest in attendance and searched for the person with similar features to the man. "Alex.... Morotti?" The last name came out as a question as she pronounced the word with difficulty.
"Why would he do that?"
"He kissed Lillian."
Riley blanched. Noooooo. Whatever she had in mind, this was the worst scenario that could've happened.
"Casey, sweetie. I'm sorry but I gotta go."
"What? You know it's risky." Casey tried to reason with her but the call ended with a buzz.
She let out a short laugh in disbelief and tried calling her again.
"I'm sorry, Casey my relationship is in jeopardy." She explained in a hurried tone, the keys jittering as she tired to find the right key.
"Relationship? Oh he's 'that' Alex? Call him, do not go!"
"I'm sorry." She apologized before hanging up for the last time.
"You're relationship is in jeopardy!? There are thousands of life-" her reproaching words were cut short by the ringing sound- indicating Riley hung up on her. "Riley, Riley?" She yelled out in confusion before gritting the name out.
"Aunt." A small hand gently squeezed her thighs to get her attention.
Casey sighed out, placing the phone on her side. It was useless, Riley was adamant and wouldn't listen. A blizzard of fury and bitterness hit her with a damaging anemometer at the irony.
She wasn't an FBI agent! Merely a rat who is trying to survive and the actual FBI agent was being irrespective! Choosing a relationship over countless lives?!
She massaged the side of her temple in an attempt to calm herself.
"Aunt Macky." Her niece called out to her with sparkling eyes, filled with innocence. She didn't yet know how cruel and 'child friendly' the outside world was, how they'd run to save a relationship when thousands of people were in captivity.
"Sorry sweetie. Auntie got mad at her friend a bit." She said in an equally friendly and apologetic tone, focusing her gaze back on her tiny laptop screen with Jason's face magnified.
"It's not nice to yell." She reprimanded in a soft tone.
"Sorry."
She checked the time on her laptop when she saw Jason's assistant, Melissa Mendes- approached him with quick steps- drawing curious and appreciative glances from some standing in the sidelines. It was about the time the news regarding Jason was released.
Casey couldn't read her expression since she faced the opposite side of the camera Casey had pinned to her screen but she noticed Jason's pixelated face morph to a silent anger before he said something to her hiding behind clueless look.
She blew out fiery air through her nostrils in dismay at the failed attempt to get his fake persona to crack in public. Casey had thought if the news about him being part of human trafficking ring was exposed he'd let his guard down a bit. Not completely, making him vulnerable to external attacks, but slightly, enough to make him less reliable in the public eye.
Though it seems like he wasn't bothered even a tiny bit by the articles despite how damaging it could be to his image and company.
One last article would pop up the next day, and that's when Casey would come in action. At the thought, Casey looked at her side where her niece laid in peace. There were countless thoughts that ran through her about how everything could go wrong.
Regarding how she might not make it out alive. Her niece didn't see much of her drunken irresponsible mother in her life, only herself.... and the thought of leaving her behind....
No. She shook her head, trying to shake the thoughts away. She can't think that way. If, things do go wrong. She swallowed, not wanting to actually digest the thought.
Soon, Jason and his assistant left the party hall and since she didn't have to monitor them anymore she closed the windows down and kept the laptop on the night stand beside her.
"Lia." Casey whispered as she laid on her beside, crawling under the blanket, beside her niece.
Casey watched in fascination as her tiny nose scrunched up in distress before relaxing.
"Lia." She said a little louder, poking at her side gently.
Lia made a dramatic sound in pain, Casey's heart clenched in anguish at the thought she was never going to watch her niece grow up. Will never get to see her after that day. Never get to see her have her first boyfriend- or girlfriend, or both. She'd never be there for her milestones.
Lia would never have anyone to come home to. She'd always hate her for going after bad guys instead of being there for her.
But she'll understand one day. Her aunt saved thousands of innocent girls like her, one day. She helped make the world a better place for her. Not completely safe, but better.
People like Jason will always be around. But there'd be one less person to worry about with him gone. And he was the root, if they managed to remove the root the plant wouldn't grow into a tree- it'd need a new root and needs to start from scratch.
"Lia, if Aunt doesn't come home one day. What will you do?" Casey tried to hide the crack in her voice and how parched her throat was as she spoke, patting Lia's chest slowly in a rythem.
"I will wait for to come to me the next day." She said as if it was obvious, sticking her tongue out.
Casey let out a hallow chuckle at cheerful answer. "What if I never come back?"
"You'll always come back, silly."
"Hmmm. Yes, I'll always come back to you. Just know, even if I'm not here with you physically- I'm always there with you. Here, in your heart." Casey pulled her niece that she had been raising for 4 years closer to her.
"No, Alan is here." Lia said with a pout.
"Ouch. Who's Alan?"
"My boyfriend."
"You don't have a boyfriend."
"I do." She insisted, glaring at her Aunt who looked at her with a lazy smile.
"Don't."
"Do."
"Fineeee."
"I do have a boyfriend!"
"Good night." Casey said, kissing the middle of her nose making Lia scrunch her face in disgust and use the back of her hand to clean off the non existing saliva.
~~~~~~
"Alex." Riley yelled out inside the house, that looked new and much bigger than the last time she came over. She knew her brain was playing tricks on her, she knew if she didn't resolve this misunderstanding right then and there- their relationship was over.
Riley wasn't even sure if there was even anyhing to salvage at that point but she wasn't going to give up without a fight.
Her voiced echoed in the mansion once again as her tears filled her eyes. She tried reaching him through his phone while driving but he wouldn't pick up.
"Alex." Her voice was much weaker this time and tears started spilling out of her eyes.
"Lillian!" She heard a familiar voice exclaimed in bewilderment.
"Linda. Alex?" She managed to squeeze out despite the large lump in her throat.
"Why- in his office." Linda caught herself from bombarding her with questions before pointing towards a room on the first floor.
She managed to strangle out a word in gratitude before climbing the stairs two steps at a time.
She barged through the door, panting through her mouth with a puffy nose and eyes filled with tears.
"Alex, I can explain." She said entering the room, holding her hands up as the man didn't even acknowledge her presence and strided through his office with an imposing aura- merely using the metal prongs to lift an ice cube and drop it onto a whiskey glass in silence, before pouring a brown alcoholic drink into it.
His coat laid discarded on the table.
"Alex." Riley whimpered out but stopped herself when Alex held his hand out, the air in the room suddenly dropped a few degrees as he continued to look away from her. Riley's heart dropped to her stomach as little pins and needles lodged itself in her heart.
"That's why you didn't want to make it exclusive, didn't you?" He chuckled out in a self depreciating tone. How stupid of him. "Because you already had a boyfriend." He spat out with venom in his tone.
"No, he's not my boyfriend." Riley insisted, desperate. "He's my brother."
Alex let out a loud laugh at the ridiculous claim. Acid brewing from the pits of his abdomen. He didn't know what was worse- him getting punched or his girlfriend making laughable excuses.
"Do you think I was born yesterday?" He spewed out- turning around- slamming the glass onto his desk with a loud sound, making Riley flinch. "I saw the way he looked at you. And the way 'you' looked at me too."
Her heart shattered into million pieces looking at Alex's red eyes that looked down at her with hatred.
"No. Alex. Issac is my brother."
"Really? Since when? After he dragged you out? Tell me one thing, am I your brother to him?"
"No, the one you kissed was Lillian my twin sister." She cried out, pleading to be believed but even she knew she wouldn't believe herself if she were in his shoes.
The whole situation was messed up and the most hilarious part was- she was the sole reason for it all.
She managed to entangle herself deeper into this sequence of catastrophe without even telling Alex who she really was.
She tried to pass off as her sister in the beginning and now everyone believed her to be Lillian. But at what cost? Her sisters safety and her relationship.
She didn't give him a single reason to trust her when all he had been so far was supportive.
"Sister." He chuckled out, hysterical. "And I thought that man was your brother and now you are your sister." He ridiculed. "Are you even listening to yourself!"
"I'm not Lillian, I never was I promise. We are twins sisters-" She tried to explain but Alex cut her off.
"Just a reminder: I've known Max since birth."
"No. Just listen. Please." She begged as a tear trickled down her face.
Alex's eye hovered over her face, following the tears as it trailed down an imaginary path down her skin before he looked away not wanting to see the helpless look on her face.
Moreso, he was afraid. Afraid he'd end up listening to his heard over his head that was screaming at him to not believe her, afraid he'd end up walking over and take her in his arms to comfort her. Afraid he'd forget she'd cheated on him. So he did what was more easy, he let out a grunt- indicating her to get on with whatever story she made up.
And that's what she did, Riley started from how she got kidnapped from the hospital and Stacy and Benjamin stumbled upon her after her kidnapper abandoned her.
She divulged out how she met her doppelganger one day- leaving out the fact how she got to know her existence- and coincidentally, she has been kicked out and she persuaded Lillian to live with her.
And summarized their life so far. How she chose to be a detective and Lillian an accountant. How she helped police arrest a human trafficking ring leader and then pretended to be Lillian to catch hold of her kidnappers, and how she met him while doing so. She also briefly mentioned how the new ring leader has been after her ever since but unfortunately knows her as Lillian and not herself, forcing Lillian to live with her parents.
At the end of it Alex had a blank look. Riley couldn't say whether he believed it or not, and clung to the hope he did. He had too! She didn't want to lose him.
"You've been lying to me from the beginning." He stated, convinced, with a tinge of hurt echoing in his voice.
"I... didn't want too." Riley stuttered out, wrenching her fingers together looking at the ground with a disheartened look.
"Yet you did." He then sighed out. "You didn't trust me.... and I don't think I can overlook this huge breach of my trust. I hope you know your way out."
"Alex, please."
"Leave Riley, Lillian or whatever you call yourself."
Riley let the tears she was holding back run free, she didn't want to leave. She knew it was over the moment she steps a foot out of the door.
She felt a hand tightly wrap itself around her heart, squeezing painfully at the realization she'd never wake up to him stroking her hair again, she let out a loud sob.
Why didn't she realize it before now? Why did she not tell him her real identity? Why was she not completely honest with him? Why did she have to love him? She only realized too late that what she felt for him was more than just some infatuation.
She loved him.
And she lost him.
~~~~
"What was all that about? With Lillian." His mother asked, standing in the same spot lil- Riley stood mere minutes earlier.
His dear mother who completely shut out everyone, including her son, stood there asking about 'Lillian'.
He didn't know if he should even believe the story she cooked up. Lying- evidently- came easy to her. What if this was just another one of her game? He was wary to trust her now. Wary to trust her with him heart again. What if this was all just a game to her? Didn't she mention she was on a mission. What if he was just a part of the mission to her? Whom she'll throw away at the end of it?
He didn't... want to give her the benefit of doubt in case she ends up throwing his feelings back at his face.
'Lillian has an...... interesting influence on people.'
Max couldn't have been more right. She truly had different impacts on people. How could she rip his heart out of his chest one second and make his heart clench with longingness the next.
"She's a twin apparently. Her names Riley." He said with an eye roll before closing his eyes, kicking his leg on top of the desk- the chair bending backwards against his weight.
"Riley? King?" His mother asked as she let out a shaky breath.
He opened one eye. "How'd you know that name?" He asked, tensed. He didn't hear of her full name until that day, but his mother's trepidation look told him that she already knew of her existence.
'Are you kidding me? Riley King? As in from the King's family? Benjamin King? She's a detective? Are you sure she's an FBI agent?'
Her husband's anxious tone that she could never forget as she patiently waited for him to be done with the call.
It was a month or two before be died so Linda couldn't recall the conversation as she was filled with grief.
The room started to spin around her and gripped the door handle as she stumbled backwards.
"Mom!" A distant voice was the last thing she remembered hearing before her cold body hit the ground.
~~~~~~
Jason and Melissa left the party not long after she showed him several new articles that accused him of serious allegations.
Melissa voiced her support he'd never do something so despicable and said she'd look into it immediately the next day. While, Jason flashed his pearly teeth with a grateful smile, he was seething inside.
Unable to hear his own internal voice, Jason voiced his unwillingness to be in a crowded space anymore and they headed towards the nearest exit.
"The fake news might affect stock prices of the company for a while but it'll get back to normal by the end of the month. I'll give HR the heads up about this and get the legal department involved too." She reassured him, tapping on her phone, walking beside Jason who looked dejected and exhausted.
"There's Jason Matthews!" A loud voice exclaimed making Jason halt his steps before picking up his pace.
"Paparazzos." He whispered under his breath as his assistant struggled to match his long steps.
"Shit!"
Before they could make an escape, they were swamped by the reporters midway.
Blinding lights of cameras flashed at Jason- who tried to be as cooperative as possible- several mics being held near his mouth as they fired him with questions from all directions making his skin crawl but he looked straight ahead with a tight expression. Looking displeased at the invasion but not so much he could be perceived guilty.
He knew at times like this, blowing up could seal his fate. He was walking on thin ice and it was up to him to show the world if he had the confidence to skate on it or fumble and end up breaking the thin layer.
"Is it true that you kidnap girls and sell them?"
"Do you hold women captive in your 20 million dollar mansion?"
His mansion was much more expensive than that....
"There are allegations that you supply young woman to your friends for their carnal satisfaction. Is it true?"
"Can you tell us your thoughts about these articles?"
"I'm going to have to ask you to back off and give us some space to get into our vehicle. We just heard of the articles and didn't have the time to read it but based on your questions, I can say with conviction it's nothing but false allegation fueled by jealousy and rumors. We will issue a statement tomorrow morning and the related press media will be sued for slander and public defamation for trying to destroy Jason Matthews reputation. We will hold a private investigation to get to the bottom of it. And unless you want to be involved in a lawsuit, I'd advise you to give us some space."
Before Jason could open his mouth to answer some of their inquisitive questions, Melissa fired at them- her tone not wavering for a moment as she maintained eye contact with someone in the crowd to assert her dominance while telling them about the actions she planned on taking to dispel the rumors.
For the first time in his life, he was speechless.
His usual no nonsense and grumpy assistant not only defended him, siding him in front of everyone, but also told the reporters off but such elegance and straightness he wouldn't have imagined.
"As a woman, how do you feel about supporting a man who has been alleged of human trafficking?"
"As a reported, how do you feel about badgering an innocent man based on nefarious rumors?" Melissa retorted.
"But he's not innocent. Rumors don't make themselves up, they are partially based on truth."
"Did I lose my hearing sense or did you just contradict yourself! Key word: partially. And as people start to gossip, the partial truth will start to lose it's base- spinning into a story with no credentials. And it's innocent who suffer the most because of such baseless rumors. So please be mindless of your words, people believe you more than individuals like us."
Jason watched in awe as she answered the question without any visible difficulties and chided her in a gentle tone making the questioner's face go red in embarrassment and fury.
Melissa then held the end of his sleeve- squeezing themselves through the crowd before pushing him inside the limo.
"You've been surprisingly quiet." Melissa noted as she secured the seat belt around her, her bangs falling into her eyes as she moved her head without looking at him.
"You looked amazing up there. Confident and brave. I thought you could only curse me out behind my back, who knew you had it in you!" He admitted and chuckled out as he recalled how she'd glare at him behind his back when he'd ask her to bring him a cup of coffee as soon as she'd arrive.
'Are you disabled? Don't you have functioning legs!' She'd mutter under her breath, aggrieved at being treated like a waitress than an assistant.
Melissa flushed at the remark. He knew. She thought to herself with a grimace.
"I- didn't do it for free. I expect to be compensated generously for it." Clearing her throat, she announced.
He chuckled out. How cute.
~~~~~~
Issac's fist clenched against the steering wheel and relaxed. He wasn't sure whom he was- or should be- mad at the most, Alex, Lillian, Riley, Vincent, her personality disorder?
He knew what he signed up for when he chose to date her but seeing her get kissed by someone... without even a protest? Stuck a nerve.
She froze up. It could've have been worse and she froze up. He could've carried on, and done much worse, and Lillian wouldn't even realize it.
Seeing Alex kiss him girlfriend was maddening, Riley unwillingness to tell her boyfriend she wasn't Lillian was nerve wreaking and seeing Lillian withdraw into herself was just the icing on the cake.
..... and she still was in a daze. He thought to himself in concern. He had been driving for an hour and she still hadn't said anything.
He wasn't sure what he should do now.....
She needed help. Professional help.
Not for his sake, but for her own- he'd realized that tonight. Freezing up..... if she were put in a similar situation it would escalate quickly.
He slammed his balled fist on the wheel, rewinding the scene in his head. That guy didn't even realize there was something wrong with his girlfriend! Or was he just thinking with his other head.
"Lillian?" He called out to her, stopping the car in an isolated place.
'His voice was weird.' Lillian thought, looking at the giant ball of fire retracting blue and pink, burning up everything in it's path.
Her own voice felt alien and far away to her as she spoke those 4 words.
"I'll get help."
She'll likely forget how she trapped and helpless she felt, and highly doubted she'd even remember that sentence. But she still said it.
~~~~
"We found her coming out of the computer room." One of his security guard said holding a women by her elbow.
Jason tilted his head to get a better glimpse of her face and a smile broke out on his face at the familiar face.
Mackenzie Knight.
"MacKenzie, right? The one who hacked into multiple large scale businesses 6 years ago?" He didn't need a verbal confirmation, the slight scared look on her face said more than enough.
While doing his research on Lillian, he got his hands on information of those people who were in her team.
"Pass me her phone." He said with a lazily smile, holding his hand out.
He went to contacts and typed the name he was looking for and hit the phone logo.
"Lillian Lillian Lillian." He sung out, his tone going down a pitch with each repetition in disappointment. "I warned you to back off but you didn't and see! Your dear friend is in my hands. She's quite the looker."
"What do you want?"
"You know I don't desire for much. Quit being a pain in my side and leave me alone." He sighed in exasperation, but then a joyous smile bloomer on his face.
"What are my other options?"
"Options, huh? Either that or I will kill your little friend." He pulled the safety of his gun and pointed it on top of her head. Mackenzie's head bubbled as she gulped down her saliva in fear.
"Kill away."