The Quinn War (2015)

Chapter Ten: A New Woman!

Jaydon stood outside Francesca's room, hesitating before knocking on the door. He had been thinking about her drastic change ever since she returned, and he needed to understand what had happened. Gathering his courage, he knocked.

"Come in," Francesca's voice called out, cold and distant.

Jaydon entered to find her sitting at her desk, staring intently at a laptop screen. Her eyes, once warm and full of life, were now sharp and calculating. The room, usually tidy, was cluttered with papers, books, and maps of Corby. Francesca looked up at him, her expression void of emotion.

"What do you want, Jaydon?" she asked, her voice laced with impatience.

Jaydon took a deep breath. "Francesca, I'm worried about you. You're not yourself. What's going on?"

Francesca's eyes narrowed, and she snapped, "What's going on? I nearly got murdered, Jaydon. That might be the reason for my change."

Jaydon recoiled slightly at her harsh tone but pressed on. "I get it, Franny, but this... this isn't you. You've always been strong, but now you're so cold, so distant. Talk to me."

Francesca slammed her laptop shut and stood up, her anger palpable. "I'm going to commit a lot of violence on a lot of people, both friends and family. If you don't like that, you can leave too."

Jaydon stood his ground, his heart aching for his sister. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll support you, whatever it takes."

Francesca stared at him, her expression softening slightly, though her resolve remained. "You're serious?"

"Yes," Jaydon replied firmly. "If this is about the Johnstons, I might have an idea."

Francesca finally paid attention, her interest piqued. "I'm listening."

Jaydon explained, "Ricky's hosting a fight night tournament in Corby. I was thinking of competing. It gives us an excuse to go back down there. We can fight them in the ring, in front of everyone, and blow off some steam."

Francesca considered his words, her mind racing. She didn't care much about Jaydon's boxing match, but the idea of getting close to the Johnstons in such a public setting intrigued her. "Fine," she said, her voice cool. "If it gets us near them, I'm in. But I'm not there to watch you box-I'm there for something else."

Jaydon nodded, relieved that he had gotten through to her, at least somewhat. "I'll take down the Johnstons in the ring, Franny. I promise."

Francesca simply nodded, her mind already moving ahead, planning her next steps.

In the days that followed, Francesca became a control freak, her obsession with the Johnstons and Cameron's crew consuming her. She spent hours researching everything she could find on them-social media profiles, news articles, and even obscure mentions in local forums. She compiled dossiers on each of them, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and connections.

Francesca's paranoia grew, and she decided she needed to be prepared for any confrontation. She visited a local gun club she had been a member of for years, using her status there to quietly purchase a small handgun. It was illegal for her to carry it, but that didn't matter to her now. This wasn't about playing by the rules anymore-this was about survival and revenge.

She kept the gun hidden, not telling Jaydon about it. He didn't need to know; he was focused on the fight night, and she had no intention of involving him in what she was planning.

At night, Francesca hardly slept, her mind racing with thoughts of how to get back at those who had wronged her. She imagined scenarios where she confronted Cameron, Kerys, Ricky, and the others-each ending in bloodshed. The anger and betrayal she felt festered within her, driving her to the brink of madness.