Chapter 9: Hidden Place
A soft knock on the door brought Mark back from his past memories.
"Dad, can I come in?" Evelyn said softly.
"Sure, honey" Mark said while quickly took Evelyn's broken phone in his drawer. She would be upset about the phone. It was her birthday present from the twins. Mark had make arrangement to replace with a new phone.
Evelyn walked in with a tray of food, smiling.
"Mom and Mandy watching the tele. Lucy told me you barely ate for lunch. You had nothing for dinner too. So, i made you your favourite turkey sandwich and fries at the side." She placed the tray of food and a glass of orange juice on Mark's huge desk. She sat at the corner of the table and took a fry and wanted to feed her father.
"Dad, open your mouth. Let me feed you." She said giggling. Mark felt touched by Evelyn's kindness and at this moment looking at her makes him feel that all his worries have gone away. He opened his mouth obediently and let his daughter feed him. 'You are my gift from heaven, Evelyn' he thought to himself. His heart ache for keeping so many secrets from Evelyn. He wished he could tell her everything one day. But now is not the right time. Evelyn needs to focus on her studies.
"Evelyn, I'm sorry for snapping at you at dinner. There are things I wish I could tell you girls but.. " Mark could not find the right word to continue. He hesitated and closed his eyes to think.
"Don't worry Dad. Mandy and I understand what is happening." She said while cutting the sandwich for Mark. "You do?" Mark was suprised at her calmness to this situation. A panic feeling suddenly appear in his heart. Does she know the truth? How? He thought.
"Of course. What else could it be if not because of your work. My Dad is the successful private investigator in City A" she said proudly. "Of course, you must have some enemy out there. Mandy and I know that you are just doing your best to protect us from danger. Totally get it Dad." She said while handing Mark a glass of orange juice.
'Thank God.. she does not know it yet..' He was not ready to tell her the secret he kept from her.
Mark was holding back a tear. He drank the orange juice and stood up. He hugged Evelyn and kissed her forehead. "You know I love you girls and I promise I would do my best to keep you safe." Evelyn hugged Mark. "I believe you Dad. Please stay safe.. and you must eat to restore energy. You losing weight Dad. Please take a bite of my delicious sandwich made with love." Evelyn giggled.
"Ok.. Ok sweetheart.. Let's watch the tele with Mom and Mandy. I will eat there." He said taking the tray with him and head to the lounge area. Evelyn followed behind him.
"Dad, can I have my phone back?" Evelyn asked.
"Something is wrong with your phone. I need to get it checked for your safety" he lied hoping that Evelyn would not find out her phone is totally destroyed by him.
"Hmm.. Ok. Can I borrow your phone then? I need to text John Mu. He will go crazy if he does not hear from me." Evelyn sighed and rolled her eyes when she talked about John.
John is a little possessive sometimes. He is already treating Evelyn like his girlfriend. Once they quarrelled and Evelyn ignored him, he went to her house and waited outside at the security house for hours till she comes out to see him. 'It is so suffocating', Evelyn thought. But she just let it happen as she really does care about him. Not romantically though.
"So.. are you two finally together?" Mark said teasingly. He noticed their relationship got closer since few years back. 'John Mu is a good guy for Evelyn', he thought. He would approve their relationship when it happens. But he is not aware of Mandy's obsession with John.
"No dad. Not happening." She glared at her Dad for saying such things.
Mark gave Evelyn a half smile and said "Sure. Just the twins. Do not tell them our location. They might be compromised too", Mark reminded Evelyn of the risk she needs to be aware off.
"Aye.. Aye.. Sir" Evelyn said jokingly.
The father and daughter walked to the lounge area and the family spent the night watching a movie. Another horror me. The Conjuring. Mandy was most of the time under her favourite unicorn blanket.
It was a wonderful family gathering. A lot of screaming though.
"Marcus Kai.. Tsk.. Tsk.. You think you can get rid of me? I will have my revenge. I will take away what you love most. If I can't have you, no one can" Samantha Lawrence sneered to herself looking at her image in her mirror.
A scar was visible strecthing from her forehead to her left cheek reminding her how much she wants to get revenge from Marcus Kai and make him suffer.
"All you have to do is come out from your hiding place. One mistake. That's all I need to kill you, you B***H!!" She shouted throwing a mug smashing the mirror infront of her with broken glass on the floor. She breathed heavily absorbing all the anger she has since the first day she met Marianna Cruz. 'The witch', she called her in her head.
"Even witch can die" she sneered visioning all the possibility to kill her enemy. "I will find you. I will kill your daughters infront of you", she said in an evil tone and laughed hysterically.
"Ringgggg.. Ringgggg.. Ringgggg.." her phone rang. The name "Jerome" appeared on the screen.
"What?" She asked angrily.
"What's the matter? You failed again? That is what will happen when you disobey me! I told you to keep hidden till the time is right. You had to let him know you are alive aren't you? You almost ruin the plan, you stupid stupid woman!" the man called Jerome sounded angry from the other end of the line.
"I'm not afraid of him, Jerome. I will pull the trigger when the time comes. I want her dead. I waited too long for this." She said all of these words under one breath.
"Stupid woman. No wonder you almost died in the car crash chasing them 10 years ago. You were impatient and impulsive. Look what happened to you. You were in a coma for 5 years and disfigured. We planned for this for years. We are so close now. Don't you dare screw this up! Or I will end YOU!!" Jerome shouted. Samantha snorted and end the call.
Jerome thinks he is helping her while helping him to get revenge for the death of his sister, Jessica. But, Samantha was just using him to get revenge on someone else. Only Samantha knows the truth on who caused the death of Jessica Fu.
Jessica Fu was the dead ex-fiance of Zander Cage.
Her death was the start of the family feud between the Fu and the Cage.