CHAPTER 45

Robert Swiss sat down in the inner chamber of their home, lost in thought. A certain number had been calling him for some days now, and he didn't know what to make of it. Since getting to Miami, the number had been calling. With all the drama going on, he was worried that picking up could mean hearing threats over his family, so he ignored it. Today, he got a text from a number asking to meet. He didn't want to, especially since he hadn't told his wife about this. He wanted his family safe, and he didn't think getting them all worked up would do that. Adriana was already suffering from this, as it were. She had called last night, saying she had sent Noah out. It was a reasonable decision she had taken, but it meant she was home alone now with two kids, all by herself. Although her sister would be coming in later today, it still wasn't right. He reread the text, unsure whether he wanted to meet. He sighed heavily.

His wife stood at the entrance watching him. When he stood to walk out of the room, he saw her. "You're here?" he asked, not so surprised. His wife had always been one to walk upon anyone quietly. "Need something?"

"No." She said, "Are you okay?" He nodded in affirmation, but she wasn't convinced, "You've been staring at your phone."

He wasn't sure he should tell her. He sat down, and she sat beside him. Then he decided to let her see the message. "This number has been calling me since I got back." He said, handing her his phone. "Sounds a bit off to you?" He asked.

Before replying to him, Mrs. Swiss read out the message; Let's meet at the inn later today. Or tomorrow or any day you decide. Call.

"That's it?" Mrs. Swiss asked her husband. He nodded. "I don't see anything scary here" she handed him the phone so he could look at it again. "It doesn't sound like a threat to me."

Looking at the message too, he discovered she might be right. "You have a point. No threat here. But it's vague still."

"I just think whoever this wants to talk."

"True. But seemingly innocent acts have gotten people killed."

She agreed, "But this looks like someone with something to tell you." She read the last part. "You can decide when to meet. Even where if you so wish. Fix the time and have your men check out the location."

"Sounds like a good plan." he dialed his security team, "I'll get my men on it." He said to his wife while the phone rang on the other end.

*********

Done with the shopping, Evan and Zoe walked out of the boutique with a bag of clothes. She had been able to pick out some clothes, and Zoe had found a pink baby gown too, "If she's a girl." She said and had it wrapped up. Then she told the attendant to add the bill to hers. "My gift to my godchild." She said.

"Aww, thank you." Evan hugged her. "I love it."

"Because it's pink." She mocked as they exited the building. Zoe waved her and drove away in her car while Evan sat down to order a meal before leaving so it could be delivered about the time she would get home. Done, she started the car and moved out of the park. As she exited, she noticed the blue vehicle she had seen at her apartment earlier again. She wondered if the occupants were ladies since they came to BELLS too. This was a place women mainly visited. The store sells only women wears and access. However, some men have been known to come shopping for their ladies. Turning on the music, she forgot all about the vehicle and drove out.

Loving the healthy way the wheels felt on her hands, Evan bounced along as she drove home. It wasn't until she was about turning to her street that she sighted the blue car again. "Okay, that's odd. I have a feeling I'm being followed." She whispered to herself. Becoming instantly alert, she drove past her street and stepped on the accelerator. She needed to call someone. Her dad was the best choice. She dialed his number but, on second thought, ended the call. It would be weird asking him for favors when he hadn't been around for a long time. They hadn't even spoken since the dinner they shared.

As she turned the corner, she checked her rear mirror and saw that she was still being followed, so she called the next person that came to mind. Jason picked instantly, "Hi." He said so sternly, she was forced to ask, "Are you in a meeting?"

"Yes. But what's going on?"

"I hate to do this now." Her voice sounded panicked. She couldn't get the fear out of her voice.

He sensed something was wrong. Still, he calmly answered, "It's okay, Evan. What is it?"

"I'm being followed." She told him.

Jason was at alert instantly, "Hold on." He said. She heard him dismiss the people in the room with him and was back with her in seconds, "What does the car look like?"

Evan smiled, noting that he didn't ask if she was sure she was being followed. She felt happy he trusted her judgment to know she could tell when something wasn't right. "It's blue with tinted glasses."

"Good. Are you on the road?"

"Yes."

He swore angrily, "Stay on the phone while I get James. Drive carefully." Then he whispered, "Please."

Smiling, she answered. "Okay." She loved this side of him. He called James, and she listened to him asking about the blue car tailing her. She didn't hear what James said, but she knew he was instructing the guy to be in the situation instantly.

"Evan?"

"I'm here." She replied

"Drive somewhere busy and stay in the car, okay?"

"Alright." She drove straight to Madison Park. The place was always so hectic on Thursdays, with people coming in for boat rides and other fun events the park had planned. "Found one. I'm at Madison."

"I know."

He knows! She shrugged that off but didn't let it bother her. She tried to see if the car was following her. There wasn't any blue car in sight. She released her breath. "I can't see the car."

"That should be a good thing." He said, then spoke to James on the phone again, "James will come to get you. You're coming to Miami now." His voice was firm, not taking no for an answer

"But I'm yet to pack my things. Food too." She complained.

"Evangeline." He backed into the phone, "Please stay in the car till James comes. He'll get you home, and you can get your things."

"Alright."

"Will you?" He asked, unsure she would stay put.

"I will, promise."

"Thank you." He said, "See you soon. Don't end the call. Stay until James gets there."

"Is James in Miami?" She asked, but before he could come up with any reply, James knocked on her door. She wound down and smiled at him, wondering what he was doing in Miami. She would ask Jason later. Remembering she hadn't hung up, she turned to check her phone, but he had already disconnected. It made her sad. But she turned to James happily and told him the vehicle had left.

"We saw it." James told her, "Thanks to you, we have those men now." He said something to the earplugs he had on, and Evan realized he must have been communicating with Jason. He drove her home and sat in her living room while she packed her clothes and other essentials. The food she ordered had been delivered, but she was no longer in the mood for it. She packed that too. When she locked the door, she couldn't help feeling that it might be a while before she got back.

James drove them to the jet pad, where some guy came to help drive the car to the park while they stepped in. Throughout the trip, Jason was on a call with James. She listened to the little she could make of their conversation. He appeared worried about her, asking how she was from James. She didn't understand why he wouldn't just speak with her, though. It was a very long trip and boring too. The last thing she thought about as she dozed off wasn't anything fun about Jason.

CHAPTER 46

A few hours later, a tired Evangeline stood knocking on her sister's door. When the door flung opened, and Adriana stood smiling at her, she greeted. "Hey sis." And hugged her sister, "Where are the twins?" She asked, stepping in.

"It's so good to see you." She smiled, "The twins are in their room. They should be here soon. You look..."

"Jet lag." She complained. "I need a quick bath, but I'm so tired."

The twins ran in to hug her. Dropping her bags she said, "Hey cuties." She lifted the lighter twin, Elizabeth, but dropped her immediately, "You've grown on me, Boo." Elizabeth laughed happily. Ethan punched her and tongued out at his twin. "Don't be fooled." He teased his twin, "You're still very tiny." They started pulling each other and soon started arguing

Perplexed, Evan moved towards her sister and whispered, "I can see they are still always fighting and arguing."

She whispered back. "Every freaking second they get."

"Wow." She watched them, amused. The twins continue to argue while the sisters looked on until Evan brought out the food she had ordered earlier. "Who wants potatoes, fries and chicken?" The twins ran after her as she dashed for the kitchen. Their mother was relieved. She packed Evan's bags and dragged them to her room. When she got to the kitchen, the twins with their aunt had settled down and were eating. She joined them too.

"So, how are you?" Evan asked her sister, who gave her the eye, to let them talk after the twins were in bed.

"But, I am okay." She replied out loud for the twins' sake, "Work is hectic, though. Mom and I still haven't figured out the missing dough part. He claims he knows nothing about it. But he's linked to it all."

"Interesting." Evan said as she passed the chicken laps. "I had an interesting moment some couple of minutes ago. I wasn't supposed to be here till later tonight. I'm still pretty shaken up about it."

"Later tonight? It's late already." Adriana said, checking the wall clock in the kitchen. It was 7 pm. "What happened, though?"

"I'll fill you in soon as I get a shower. Do you know anything I could do? My backaches. I think from the travelling here and there."

"Definitely go shower." Adriana advised. "You could use a massage too. I can help with that."

"I'll do it." Ethan said, butting in. "I'll do it, Linne." Elizabeth said too.

"Aww." She rubbed Ethan's hair and patted down Elizabeth's. "Aren't you cuties a darling! Maybe I'll let you both do it."

Adriana rolled her eyes, "Trust me. You don't want that."

Evangeline smiled and stood up, "Don't I know that?" She excused herself and went to shower. The bath was so warm she started to doze off in the tub. Tiredly, she got out of the tub and dried herself, then slipped into the bed. It wasn't until later, when she felt someone enter the room that she woke up.

"Hey! Sleepyhead, You okay?"

Evan sat up, rubbing her eyes, "I'm sorry. Look at me, I'm supposed to be here to help, but I'm so tired."

Adriana nodded, understanding her sister's plight. She sat down beside her. "It's okay. Your presence is all the help I needed anyways."

"The twins?" She checked the time. It was late into the midnight

"They slept after getting another bowl of food. Ethan eats as an elephant." Evangeline laughed, then covered her mouth so she wouldn't disturb the children sleeping down in the other room. "I was so raw last night." Adriana told her, "When he left, I cried myself to sleep, along with the kids."

"I'm so sorry about that."

Her phone started to ring. Adriana reached for it and gave her the phone, "it has being ringing for a while now."

"Oh." Checking her phone, she saw it was Jason. He had called four times already. She dropped the phone on the dresser.

"You won't call him back?"

Remembering how during the trip, he had continuously ignored checking up on her. Instead, James had been the one he spoke with all through, she didn't think he wanted to speak with her. "No."

"Did something happen?"

"Matter of fact, yes." Then, smiling she dismissed the urge to speak about her uncertain issues when her sister was in a dire situation, "But leave that for now. Let's talk about you."

She sighed heavily. "I'm devastated."

"Did he tell you everything?"

"Yes. He did. Every irritating bit." Her eyes got misty again, "I was a pun in their plan. Apparently, his cousin saw me in the news when I got called to bar, and Noah was made to get me." Laughing hysterically, she said. "I fell for him" she rubbed her eyes as the tears began to fall.

She patted her sister's back as she pulled her in for a hug. "I'm so sorry this is happening to you right now." They stayed that way until she had quietened. "It's alright. You'll be fine. Everything will be alright." Her phone began to ring again, seeing that it was Jason, she ignored it.

"Okay. You really need to tell me what's going on." Adriana said, picking the call, she said, "Hey you. No, it's Adriana." She eyed her sister viciously, "Yes, she got in safe. Thanks for the ride." smiling at what he said, she replied, "I'm fine. They are okay too." When she dropped the call. She chastised her sister. "He just wanted to know how you were doing."

"It didn't look like it from the drive here. We were in a good place. I think." confused about the drastic change in him. She told her sister about the kiss. "We kissed, and it was intense. We probably would have had sex."

"Wait, what? When?"

"Never mind. It meant nothing to him. Anyways, he looked at me with those guilty poppy eyes like he regretted it and we haven't spoken about it. Then we kissed again. I pulled away."

Her sister murmured "wow!"

"We were good, you know. Planned a weekend getaway."

"When?"

"This weekend, before you called. So I had to cancel."

"No. no, wait. You cancelled?"

"Yes. He completely understood. I told him why and he agreed to reschedule. But then, the drive here, he completely neglected me. He was only asking James about me. Like he could have asked me. Instead, he spoke with his staff. It kinds of made me feel neglected."

"He might have his reasons. It would be best if you spoke with him." Suddenly smiling. She said, "Tomorrow, you go over there and speak with the man, okay?"

"No. I'm here for you. Not him."

She wasn't going to let her ruin her relationship this time, "Either you go, or I get him here." She threatened.

"I'll go, mother." She smiled and threw a pillow at her. When she threw it back and stood up, Evan asked, "Good night?"

"Yes, goodnight."

CHAPTER 47

The next morning, Adriana packed some clothes for herself and the kids and told her sister they would be spending the weekend with her parents. Last night, she had come up with the plan after speaking with Jason in her room. He told her about the car that's been tailing him and now Evan. In her anger, her sister hadn't remembered to tell her she had being followed. Worried, she agreed to send her sister over, and she would stay with her parents when he insisted she shouldn't be alone. "You can take some clothes, stay with Jason."

"Why? Does it have to do with the weekend getaway I told you last night?"

"No. It's about the car tailing you, which you forgot to tell me."

"I'm sorry, it slipped my mind last night." she dropped the duvet and got out of bed

"How can something that big slip? You didn't want to tell me."

"I was worried about you and with Noah..." She kept quiet when the twins came in. "Morning, you two." They hugged her. They were dressed for school

"Get your clothes." She whispered. Then to the kids, she said, "We are staying at grandmas for the weekend."

"Yaay!" The kids jumped up excitedly.

"We will go from school. I will be back here later in the evening to get some things." She gave her sister the eye, "Don't let me meet you. Go to..." She eyed the twins and let her sister pick up the name. "Kids, we're running late for school. Pick your bags and let's go." They all left Evan's room, "I made breakfast." Adriana said as she left.

Evangeline yawned and got down from the bed. Checking her face in the mirror, she gasped. Her eyes were swollen, and her lips fuller. She stood up to check her stomach. Jason had been right. She was beginning to show. Her face was a sight to behold. If this were the pecks of being pregnant, she certainly wanted to be. Rubbing her stomach, she smiled. "Hello there. Want to go meet daddy?"

****************

Robert Swiss followed his wife's advice and decided to meet the person. First, they sent some men to the place before he texted the address to the number and the time. When all was set, he waved his wife and went to the location. Getting there, he settled into a corner where he could watch the person come in. Some minutes passed before he did walk in. when he did, Robert stood up. it was Noah Monterey. "It was you all along?"

"Yes." Noah said, standing at the table. "May I sit?"

Robert gave him a distressing look. He didn't hide the displeasure this meeting was for him, "Please yourself."

Noah decided he would be better off sitting than standing while they talked. So, he sat down and apologized instead, "I'm sorry."

"About?" looking around, Robert checked his men out. They were ready and at alert. Though it was a bar, people were seated in twos and threes, chatting and having their petty talks. He had chosen a public place intentionally. At the entrance, two of his men stood in the black outfit, their hands in their pocket, holding their gun, he knew. Somewhere behind him, two others were there too. He watched the man sitting in front of him and asked, "What are you sorry for? Putting my family in danger of ruining my first daughter?"

Sensing he was surrounded too, Noah played safe. "I am sorry for everything. And I came alone." he looked at the door, trying to tell the older man he knew they were his men and that any slip from him would be fatal. "I mean no harm."

He didn't even bother dignifying that with a response. Instead, he stared at the man who had used his daughter to get through to him for revenge. He felt like hitting him.

Noah watched the play of emotion on his face, and he saw how he squeezed his hands in a fist. He knew what that meant. Robert Swiss wanted to hit him, and he could totally understand. Hell, he had strangled any man who toiled with Elizabeth that way. "I'm sorry. I'd want to hit any man who toiled with my daughter that way too."

Flexing his hands, he replied, "Then you don't mind being hit then?"

Noah looked towards the entrance again. "Please tell your men to stand down. I'm feeling really uncomfortable."

"Better get used to it. They won't stand down because I don't trust you."

Sighing, he sat up straighter, "I came here to let you know I'm not the enemy you are looking for." he explained himself, "See, I did come for revenge, as a Monterey. And I did move your money." He quickly added, "which we are not giving back."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because we lost a lot. I lost my parents and uncles and a whole lot."

"And you've killed lots too."

He raised his hands in surrender, "True. We are guilty. But in this war, you started it. Surely, you should expect a comeback and some losses. For one, you should be thankful you didn't lose no one."

Robert stood up angrily. His men started to move closer, "What?"

Sensing the tension in the room, Noah calmed him down. "All I'm saying is if you think about it long and hard, both families and other lost dear people. You didn't"

He signaled to his men to hold off, and they returned to their post but stayed at alert. "I lost fifteen years away from my family."

"I'm sorry."

"You need to stop saying that. Anyway, what do you want?"

"As I said, I'm not the enemy you should be looking for. Someone is making me take the fall" when Robert kept staring at him hard. He added, "I stopped this stupid plan of draining your account years back. I haven't taken a dime in five years."

"But my wife noticed this some weeks ago, and the money has been moving all the while. Your handwriting was all over the place." Then he paused, and something struck him as odd now that he said it out loud, "Which is suspicious."

"Yes, why would I want to be caught when we haven't even gotten to the highlight of the plan yet?"

Robert gave that a thought too. The Monterey or any gang in the suburb of Miami had a code they operate. When they strike your finances, you hardly find the traces. He had handled enough cases to know how the gang operates. Only a few would let themselves be exposed, and by then, the gang would have gotten what they wanted. Unless the Monterey have what they need, which he desperately doubted would be Adriana, they have nothing yet. So, if all evidence pointed at Noah, it meant one thing; someone knew about their history and was using that against him. It was a set-up. He stood up immediately, frightened. "If you're right, something is wrong. I need to go home." picking up his car keys, he asked, "Do you know who?"

Noah shook his head, "Not now. I just wanted you to know you haven't figured it out. And that's a bad thing."

Robert nodded, believing the man. "Thank you. If I may ask, why are you doing this?"

"Because I love your daughter."

Somehow, Robert didn't doubt him. He looked at him, nodded and signaled to his men. They relaxed as he walked out of the bar. The two at the bar followed him while the other two waited until Noah left the premises.

While Robert and his men drove home, he told them to work on extra security, both at home and the office. The men got to work immediately. He dropped some off at the courtroom, and his driver, with an officer, followed him home. Two men were stationed at the law firm while three were to parade his house night and day. The first chance he had, Robert Swiss told his wife, his encounter with Noah. "I believe there's more to this."

"Then it's good it was you who went alone. I would have shot that brat who so brazenly ate all my food and sat down several times in my home looking at my girl with those eyes." She ranted.

"I almost did, too." He admitted to her. "But, then I just wanted to hear what he had to say and be out before I do something I might regret. I think he loves her. It's why he stopped his plan."

"How do we know he isn't lying again? Love my butt." She snickered.

"He's not, and we will have proof soon. I've put my men on it."

"Okay then."

"Is Adriana coming over?"

"Yes." Mrs. Swiss answered, "And Evan is here. Adriana said she should stay with Jason but I don't like that at all."

"Then let's inform Jason to tighten up security. We need to be extra cautious henceforth.

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