Chapter 8: The Protector
Mark checked Evelyn's phone. 'Silly girl', he thought. Her phone password was simple 1,2,3,4. 'Might as well not have a password', he thought.
He read the strange messages sent to Evelyn and immediately knows who sent them. "B*****d!" He said and bang the table in his study room. He took his phone, key in a text and dialed a number. The other side answered after a few ring tone.
"Chris.. locate the source of those numbers immediately" he hang up. Mark sat back on the chair with his hand on his forehead frowning. Thinking of his plan. It was already set in motion waiting for Zander to fall in his trap.
He took Evelyn's phone and dialed one of the unidentified numbers. After a few ring tone, some one answered. "Hello.. " a woman's voice was speaking.
Mark kept silent and puzzled. It can't be her. After a few seconds, she laughed. A sinister laugh. "Mark? Is that you honey? Ha-ha.. baby, miss me?". After hearing her eerie voice. He hang up and smashed the phone on the ground. This matter is getting more serious than his expectation.
'How is she alive?' Mark thought. Mary should not know this. Her weak heart could not take this news of this woman being alive.
(Flashback 19 years ago, New York)
A man in black suit carried a woman in his arms running towards the emergency ward. The woman was wrapped in a blanket covering from her face to her knee.
He shouted "I need a doctor NOW! Call Dr Kwan. Mention Marcus Kai is here. NOW!!" He roared angrily to the nurse on duty. The nurse trembling while dialing the phone for Dr Kwan. She was too afraid to look up to this man. He had blood shot eyes and gritted his teeth talking to another man in black suit next to him. The other man nodded and walked out of the hospital.
Once the call got connected, the nurse said "Good morning Dr Kwan. I have someone named Marcus Kai here -" the other side hang up. She puzzled what just happened.
'Did I dial the right number? Should I dial the number again?' She thought. 'Well, it is better to do so or to say to this crazy looking man that Dr Kwan is busy or she hang up. The man would probably hang me to the flag pole outside'.
While she was thinking, the angry man yelled at her again "Where is Dr Kwan? Did you call her? HURRY UP! Do you want to live another day miss??!" The man yelled at the nurse.
The security personnel came after hearing such a commotion at the emergency desk. "Excuse me sir, can I help you? Please respect the patients here -" the angry man stared at the security guard and shouted, "GET ME DR KWAN OR I'LL.. " before he finished his sentence, a doctor came running down the corridor and shouted "I'm here.. I'm here.. Lucy, please lead this man to my room and prepare for full body examination. Tom, I thank you for your concern. I will take them from here" Dr Kwan thanked the security guard.
She motioned to the frightened nurse at the counter and said "I will settle registration later. Sorry for what happened just now. He is my cousin" the nurse smiled trying to look calm. The scared nurse took with her some forms and walked to Dr Kwan's room. 'What a day', she sighed.
In Dr Kwan's room, Lucy placed the admission form on Dr Kwan's table. "Lucy, can you hand me some more gauze and a bowl of clean water" Lucy obediently followed Dr Kwan's orders. She has been Dr Kwan's nurse for 8 years. The doctor treats her well, she thought.
When Lucy arrived at the patient's bed, she saw a beautiful face being beaten up one side with swollen eyes. Her lips were also swollen with several cuts. She had her hands covering her abdomen and curled her body protecting it. Her expensive looking dress was in a mess, torn at her sleeves exposing her white shoulders. There were several bruises and red scars on her long slender legs. Lucy gasped. 'Who would do such things to this poor soul', she thought.
When Dr Kwan gently turned her face to the other side, Lucy could see the woman's face clearly. "Oh Dear Lord.. " Lucy exclaimed and closed her mouth. 'This is Zander Cage's woman' she thought. She has seen her face few months ago in a magazine. Lucy put a hand on her heart and could not believe the scene infront of her.
Zander Cage was known to love this lady. They were seen in public and photographed by papparazzi being happily in love and was rumoured to have eloped to be married.
"Lucy, this matter is delicate. I hope you can keep it confidential. Can I trust you?" Dr Kwan asked. At the same moment, the angry man standing beside the injured lady was staring at Lucy intently with his killer eyes. Lucy nodded, keeping silent. She helped Dr Kwan to clean the cut on this lady's body, gently.
Dr Kwan's voice broke the silence, "Marianna, can you hear me? I'm Dr Kwan. You are in a hospital. You are safe now. Please nod if you can hear me". Dr Kwan repeated her sentences a few times. Then a weak nod was seen from the lady. She then groaned in pain and cried softly.
"Lucy, assist to arrange for a body scan and get this blood tested" Dr Kwan continued to check Marianna's body for any serious body injury. Lucy went to arrange for the body scan and blood test as instructed.
On the way to the blood lab, tears flow from Lucy's right eye. She knew how it feels to be beaten like Marianna. She too was a victim of domestic violence by her fiance. She prayed that nothing serious would happen to Marianna.
Marcus Kai's phone rang with the name "Sammy Baby" on the screen. Marcus rejected the call for the tenth time. He was angry at this person. He knew she caused this and provoked Zander Cage. 'Why did I fall in love with this wicked woman?' he thought and hated himself for not seeing the evil intention of Sammy soon enough. Marianna had to pay the price.
It is true that he had some feelings on Marianna. But he could never let anyone know. He was happy to see Zander's happiness when he first laid his eyes on Marianna. Zander was truly madly in love with her and was willing to lose everything. His title and his wealth meant nothing without this delicate lady on the bed. They were happy until he brought her home and introduced her to his family. She was not his family's choice. She was treated like an outsider.
Everything changed on that day. What seems to be a fairy tale love story ended to be unhappy ever after. Marianna had suffered long enough. Emotionally.. then it became physical torture caused by Zander's jealousy. Marcus vows to protect her from this day onwards.
Marcus Kai and Zander Cage were friends from many years. Zander made Marcus his right hand man, his protector, his brother. But today, after seeing what Zander has done to Marianna, he declared war on Zander.
The friendship is broken.
Marcus will make Zander regrets on what he did to Marianna. But first, they will need to change their identity.
(End of flashback)