The Billionaire's Ex

39|yet,

     Jace hid in the shadows watching carefully as Andrew crossed the threshold of the building. Retreating further into the night, he waited carefully as Andrew climbed the stairs leading to where was.

The only visible belonging was his boot as he hid in a corner, waiting.

Just as Andrew crossed him, he raised the metal in alert waiting for the right moment. He stepped out of the shadows immediately Andrew was in his line of sight. Before the man could turn, Jace raised the metal and hit it against his back sending him to the floor completely.

"Andrew Ryder, if I'm not mistaken. You've made a big mistake coming here."  Jace said to him and Andrew struggled to lift himself off the ground instead.

---

"What happened to Thea?" Zachary's voice laced with intense concern.

"We got into an accident and I passed out when I woke, I found out someone took her,"

"My goodness," Freya's voice sounded from the other side.

"I need you.... to help me... please, get the police." His voice strained as he fought to stay conscious.

"Are you hurt?"

"I think so,"

"Stay with me, I'm in my car now," Zachary said to him and Ashton groaned in pain instead.

"Hurry up, I....I... can't-"

"No, no, no.... please stay with me. I'll get Peterson for you!" Zachary yelled into the speaker Making sure that Ashton heard every single word he was saying.

Ashton's eyes closed in weakness. His head ached like never before and everywhere began to look blurry.

---

Jace circled him and now squatted in front of him. His eyes mocked Andrew's state as Andrew actually raised his head to glare at him before wincing. Once again, he struggled to get up but Jace stood quickly and  footed him hardly allowing him to land flat against the floor once more weakly.

"You have come to be her saviour? To free her from me. You are just going to die, like her." Andrew didn't meet his eyes this time.

"What did she ever do to you?!" Andrew seethed.

"She ruined everything!" Jace blurted out. "She took the little I had, and when I'm done with her. I'll take care of your brother too."

Andrew's eyes widened in realisation. "How did you...how did you know?"

Jace laughed hysterically. "How I knew that Ashton is your brother?"

"Both of you have so many things in common. You are both rich, you have the same father....you long for the same girl." Jace's smile widened when he noticed Andrew's grip tightened.

"What happened, didn't I get it right? You do know that she'll always choose Ashton over you even if you save her now, even if you're hero today, she'll always choose Ashton because you are just not it." Jace taunted.

Andrew tightened his grip, his hands red with anger.

"You'll always be the other son, you'll never claim what you always wanted. A complete family and the girl you love by your side-"

Andrew was up in an instant startling him for a moment but Jace was up and ready for any attack and dodged the blow that came his way narrowly. Jace swung the metal against his back again and Andrew fell to a knee.

"Are you angry?" Jace taunted over again.

"I will tear you all apart like no one and you'll only watch as I do it." Jace smirked.

"It's funny that is your only ambition in life, watching people suffer." Jace's smile began to drop. "Maybe it's what you are only good at, considering you don't even know how to manage your own business, you had to steal from my brother,"

Jace growled and struck him again with the rod but Andrew caught it in time and went for his face, causing bruise to it.

Jace staggered, the metal falling from his hands and rolling to a far end. Andrew grip his throat and growled at him in anger.

"You think you're free to do anything don't you, watch as I tear you apart too."

---

"Where are you Mr. Ryder sir? Tell me where you are?!" Mr. Peterson yelled through the phone. "Quick jot down!" Peterson said to Zachary who jotted as Peterson repeated the location.

"We are a near, only a few metres away from you, hang on there some more,"

Ashton opened the door to get out of the car and barely held himself.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, now shut up...I can't...I think I really need a doctor..." His voice stuttered as he leaned against the back of his car, sliding till his butt hit the floor. "I think..."

He didn't get to complete his sentence as everywhere went blank.

---

Jace rolled against the floor after earning an impact from Andrew's fist. Andrew staggered to him. He barely caught himself and fell to his knees weakly, blood dripping from his lips.

Andrew eventually got to his feet, wiping the blood that surrounded his mouth with a swipe of his right bicep.

"Where has your confidence run to Lockhart? You still want to ruin me?" He gripped Jace by the collar and raised him up to meet his stare.

Jace laughed without humor, blood sputtering from his mouth as she spoke. "Over confidence can be your greatest enemy,"

Andrew frowned in confusion, too late to comprehend what Jace was about to do. Jace took that opportunity to pierce the sharp iron he had managed to grip on his right thigh leaving Andrew screaming in pain.

---

"I see him!" Freya screamed at them and they pulled over immediately.

"Ashton!" Freya panicked voice called out as she shut the door of the car behind her.

"Mr. Ryder!"

Ashton just sat on the ground, his back resting on the trunk of his car and his head hanging low.

"Ashton wake up!"

For a minute there, Ashton fluttered his eyes opened but he could barely keep it open for more than a second.

"Move away let me apply something to stop his bleeding. He has lost a lot of blood!" The doctor said making a way amidst them.

Zachary hugged Freya tightly as she stood beside them almost sobbing lowly praying that his condition wasn't as bad as it looked.

---

Jace quickly stood to his feet. Pushing Andrew away from him, he retreated, and scurried away from him.

"You can't save her Andrew, no matter what. I have it right here," he raised the remote control for the bomb that hadn't started it's timing. "Just pressing this button and we'll all die, painfully but she'll die first," Jace blurted out as he kept on retreated.

"No.... don't do it," Andrew struggled to get to his feet but the piercing pain on his right thigh wouldn't let him.

Jace almost didn't get the next step and missed a footing. When he regained balance, he smiled and clicked the button.

"Tick tock..."