Jake wasn't refuted about his hunch as he witnessed a pair of male dark blue eyes, following him for the past one hour. Not exactly him the man followed, but those deep blue eyes of his laid particularly on Barbara. He never moved a muscle from his vigil stand and not blink for a single moment.
He was so poor in prying, as Jake had been drilling holes into his face with his piercing stare yet he never gave up on his so called stalking. Whomever wanted to spy Amelia must be a block-head as they had used a person with a sense less than a earthworm.
He slowly leaned closer and whispered into Barbara's ear, "Hey don't you think the bastard o'er there is following us?"
"Are you talking about the one at twelve-o-clock?" inquired Barbara in the same hushed voice.
Jake's eyes flew open. Had she been knowing about it all the while and not being slightly blemished? How she manages to act so well? Wasn't Iris supposed to be the actress?
Barbara closed the gap between them. Her moist lips were just inches apart from Jake's ear. Anyone over there would've mistaken her to be kissing him. Jake's heart pounded erratically against his ribs as he felt her warm breath over the side of his cheek.
"Know one thing? He is here to see this. It's a good thing because he'll definitely go and report this to her"
"Who is that her?" said Jake perplexed.
Barbara snorted, "Don't act like you don't know. This guy is one of the minions of the accursed witch I'm supposed to live with"
Blood rushed to Jake's face making it appear in a color between red and purple.
"Don't say.."
"Unfortunately I've already said. You heard me right. That diabolical bitch is always inquisitive about my whereabouts and relationships. Being stalked by her gets me to the edge but now I'm somewhat pleased by it." Barbara's hands gently cupped Jake's face, where the warmness of his cheeks surged into her palm.
"It's because of her I'm so close to you, ain't I?" She gave an unusual grin, which might also be called as a soothing smile.
Jake observed the transformation that took place in Barbara's face. Her bold and sharp looks were slowly calming to comforting and soothing features . He realised, she was trying to change herself for him.
She was madly in love.
Jake curtly squirmed away, mentally blemished by her proximity. Barbara's unexpected act made his insides go haywire.
Having unfathomable love in his heart for Amelia, he couldn't imagine lending a part of his feelings to Barbara, though she was a part of Amelia. He had swore fealty to the lady of his heart and there was no way he was going to give up on her.
Barbara gave a humorless laugh, "I took you by surprise didn't I? I think you would've known me by now Jake. I'm quite acerbic. I don't hold feelings in my heart knowing that it is one sided. I think it is better to be ditched than to be devoured by vanity."
Jake's mouth hung open. He never knew what Barbara had for him was actually true love. Barbara's history of boyfriends was a ceaseless list, so Jake had been mistaken that she was carried away by infatuation caused by hormones. Whereas she had been down to earth all the time.
Jake's heart skipped a beat when Barbara knelt on the grass before him. She plucked a yellow carnation on the grass by the side of the bench and held it close to her bosom.
"Don't worry Jake this is not a proposal. This is going to be a rejection. Do you know what does a yellow carnation symbolise?"
Jake shook his head solemnly.
Barbara took in a deep breath," A yellow carnation is a sign of rejection and disdain, so you can at least accept the flower without hesitation even if you don't love me"
The dark eyeliner sketched eyes of Barbara sank into the vibrant sea-green eyes of Jake pleading him not to accept the flower.
Jake looked back from Barbara's eyes to the flower in her hand. He must make a decision immediately or else his brain would be abducted by a violent storm of contradiction. With hard mental effort, he fixed his mind.
"Barbara, I..."
___________________
Amelia woke up to the searing ache from her arm and the biting coldness in the air. On opening her eyes, the first thing that was visible to her eyes were the car windows which were scrolled down, inviting the cold gust.
Unpremeditatedly the name which came first to her mind slipped out through her lips. "Jake?"
What am I thinking? Jake is back in Brooklyn. Why am I searching for him?
But her mind felt light, free from burden which happened only when she was with Jake. She was so familiarised how the atmosphere felt when she was with him. She could blindly sense his nearness.
To her horror, a tall figure with a familiar black dyed hair and familiar pierced ears rose it's head from the car's steering wheel.
"Jake!" yelped Amelia. It was true she was thinking about him but she didn't expect him to rise like a mummy next to her. Jake who was psychologically exhausted, couldn't express a much better emotion on his face.
"Oh Amy" Jake threw his arm around Amelia and enfolded her. He did nothing. He just waited for himself to be healed by her touch. Amelia's lips curled into a smile, which she couldn't help. All the doubts and suspicions she had about him awhile ago, suddenly became ashes and flew away along with the wind. It was some kind of magic or mesmerism Jake had, which hijacked her mind and held it as hostage to fall for him.
She desperately wanted to hug him back. Due to the irresistible urge she raised her wounded arm. Pain shot through her nerves like electricity and her skin stung like it was going to tear apart.
"Ouch..." Amelia bellowed in anguish. Instantly Jake released her body and took control of her arm.
"Is the pain unbearable? Should we go to a hospital?" fretted Jake
"No. It's alright. Just fetch me the first aid box. I need a change of band aid"
Jake reached out to Amelia's bag and grabbed her first aid kit. Meanwhile, Amy had a tug of war with her band aid in the process of removing it. Jake, in a poised manner held her hand and started untying the bandage. Amy felt the hair allover her hand standing erect due to his sudden contact. His hands were cold but they gently caressed her hand without causing any pain. She wished their hands remained like that forever. But it will only be a dream.
"Where did you learn first aid? You are doing it quite well" Amy was taken by surprise as Jake treated her wounds no less better than a doctor.
"Hmm.. Actually we off-road racers used to go on rallies over varied terrains for several weeks . The places we chose were the ones devoid of civilisation. In off-road racing accidents were inevitable so we men treated each other with the available medical equipments. Like that I came to learn few techniques of treating wounds"
Amy was impressed by the man before her. At times he seemed so ignorant that she failed to notice the brain he hid below the huge head of his.
"Were you hurt during the rallies ?" asked Amy.
"Obviously " nodded Jake.
"Where?"
Jake's eyes widened, "Are you sure you want to see that?"
The color from Amy's face drained, "No I didn't ask for a sight of it idiot."
"I see that" chuckled Jake,"But you are welcome anytime if you wanted to check on it. As a doctor I mean, don't wish for anything else"
Amy gave a slap on Jake's arm, "Pervert" she cursed.
Amelia looked around and found that their car was parked in a deserted highway. Seeing her body trembling in the cold, Jake closed the windows and turned on the heating system.
"Were are we?" She questioned
"Since you butchered up your arm, you weren't allowed to travel by air. So your responsible guardian left by plane abandoning you with me" mocked Jake.
"If you are so displeased about it, let me call Ethan to join us in our drive. I'm sure he won't mind" teased Amy.
"No" roared Jake, "We are close to Brooklyn, let's not pester him and waste his time"
"Then why have we stopped here?"
"I was tired. So I just made few pit stops here and there"
Amy's forehead creased, "The racer who had rallied for weeks is getting tired? Doesn't sound good. What are you hiding. I can see you lips urging to tell something"
"Actually my lips are urging for something else. Can't you see that" Jake leaned closer to Amy. Amy could feel the insane rush of blood to her face. Jake chuckled at the blushing Amy.
If only I can have you Amy, I'll never let you be hurt anymore.
"Don't... Don't distract me and spill the beans Jake. I know Barbara wouldn't strive to make me proud" grunted Amy.
Stubborn ass, aren't you?
"Bad news. Barbara knows you've set a spy on her trail. What is the need for a spy Amy? You could've called me" proclaimed Jake
"Its true I used spies Jake, but not since I appointed you. They are under Ethan's control so he must've approached them when I went missing" suggested
Amy.
"I thought so" groaned Jake as he turned on the ignition and set his foot on the accelerator,"I heard about the happenings at your trial from Ethan"
"Hmm.." replied Amy blandly. The thoughts that she abandoned a while ago were forced back into her brain. Jake was supposed to be one of her suspects but howmuch ever she wanted to get rid of that thought it stayed put inside her head.
Words chocked inside her throat as she struggled to get them out, "Whom do you think would've taken the video Jake? Not many people have access to the mansion's hidden room"
Jake's fingers tightened around the wheel making his knuckles white, "I don't know Amy but when I get my hands on the bastard, I'll take the life out of him"
Amy knew hardly that Jake meant those words. She just assumed it to be a figure of speech.
Can I really trust him?
______________________
Without taking his foot from the gas Jake drove at a stretch to Brooklyn. Not slightly affected by Jake's rash driving, Amelia slept through the entire journey.
Jake parked the car by the mansion's fountain and opened the door for Amelia. Amelia was sound asleep. She would've preferred to be waken but Jake couldn't stop himself from admiring the way her face looked while she slept.
He removed the seat belt and carried her to her room. She was so frail and light in his arms. Unconsciously Amy buried her face into Jake's chest. Jake couldn't control himself from the grin spreading over his face.
Jake laid Amelia on her bed and wrapped her with warm blankets. He enclosed her hand between his hands and sat by the side of the bed enjoying her company.
After awhile he raised from the bed and took a step backward leaving her hand finger by finger. His heart made a jolt as she grabbed his hand while the last finger was about to slip.
Amy half-opened her eyes and glanced at the pale Jake before her.
"Jake, you won't leave me right?" pleaded Amy. Now she depended for everything on Jake, she became too selfish to possess him.
"Not until my last breath" assured Jake. Amy gave a reassured smile and let go of his hand. Jake left the room with his heart throbbing inside his ears.
Before he could leave to his room in the east wing, he walked to the library on the same floor to check on something.
Holding his breath, Jake tiptoed to a particular rack inside the library. He pressed his ear against the wall beside the shelf where he heard sounds.
His guess was right. The person had come to the hidden room knowing that he won't be there
With a single prod he pushed away the door. Jake, who had a powerful night vision figured out a person standing inside, petrified on being discovered.
Hearing the loud footsteps approaching towards him, he assumed that the person was trying to escape by charging at him.
You've found your grave scoundrel
Jake crouched to the floor and wiped the person's legs from the floor.
THUD
The person on the floor gave a anguished cry. Jake's stomach churned with fear as the voice was so familiar. Instantly he switched on the light, which revealed the traitor on the floor.
Jake's pupils dilated in astonishment, "I never thought. How can you.. How can you do this to Amelia? She had so much faith on you
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AN: Hey lads, we meet after a week. I'm so happy this week as Jake is proved innocent. Hope you are also pleased.
But the original traitor might be someone who had earned Amelia's trust beforehand which might break her heart. Readers, please keep supporting Amelia.
And sorry for leaving you at the edge of the cliff during Barbara's proposal.
Let's hope to climb up the cliff on the chapter next week.
Adios Amigos