Emerald

44. The Runway

( Nicholas POV )

I opened my irritated eyes slowly as I groaned in pain, the left side of my neck was sore my head felt heavy. I could sense the drowsiness in my blood the moment I tried to get up.

'' Nicholas! '' Sebastian held on to my hand.

'' What are you doing here? '' I asked too drowsy to even act shocked

'' We came to check on you, it had almost been four hours since you left home, counting the time we spent here... seven,'' Lucien stated.

'' Athena is going to lose her shit,'' Marco spoke.

'' I want you to kill Giovanna too.''

My eyes concentrated on the screen in front of me when I heard my mother's name being called. I was suprised to see the Mongolian mafia leader on display as Marco stood blocking my view slightly.

'' The wife too? '' Berten asked

'' Yes, I want her heart and throat ripped out.'' Another voice spoke but the camera didn't show any justice as the voice came from the shadow.

''I sense a strong emotion of revenge,'' Berten stated drinking the whiskey from his glass.

'' No, you are wrong.'' the voice spoke as Berten frowned in confusion.

'' Hatred would be the correct terminology.'' The voice spoke.

'' Sweet, who do blame for the murder of Guiseppe and Giovanna?'' Berten questioned.

'' Alejandro, we will make him our little lamb and to frame him... we have our old pawn. Flavio.'' The voice said this time a little darkly.

'' You are too good blackfish.'' Berten praised as He lifted the glass towards the shadow.

''I was never good berten... I was always great.'' The voice spoke as from the shadow's emitted a woman who I once love and grew up with these small hands. She stood with her brave figure against berten as she clinked the glass and laughed her victory.

'' This means... Alejandro was.'' I whispered

'' Innocent,'' Marco said as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

His one-word sent my whole world crashing down, as I realised the grave mistake I committed by not trusting the woman that I loved. I closed my eyes as I felt so many foreign emotions go through me, but the one that hit me the most was guilt.

No matter what I'd say now, it wouldn't make a difference because I was so engrossed in my assumptions and thoughts that I never gave jade a chance to let me hear her out. I said things that hurt her and I could not be more ashamed of myself.

'' We got the CD which was taped to the wall, Jade is nowhere to be found,'' Lucien said handing me a glass of water.

'' I need to find jade.'' I declared

Marco slapped the glass away from my hand and placed his flask.

'' You need whiskey more than water.''

( Jade POV )

It has been three days since I last saw Nicholas, I remember leaving him on my hall room floor and running.

Dopey placed me in a hotel room on the first day and made me spend the whole night there. approximately at four o'clock in the morning, he wakes me up and tells me that we are changing our locations again.

What I didn't seem to grasp was why was I running? I never did anything wrong, I only wanted to bring the light to the hidden truth. But I guess that justifying yourself sometimes leads to you embarrassing yourself at the end.

Better yet... it will get you shot.

'' Dopey, why are we changing places so much? '' I questioned as I dropped my bag on the floor.

'' Jade you can't be seen anywhere near Nicholas,'' Dopey said as he closed all the curtains and looked for the light switch.

'' No he needs me, I need to tell him the truth! '' I spoke

'' No, he doesn't need you! You have put yourself in jeopardy by trying to tell Nicholas the truth.'' Dopey asserted as he fiddled with the connections.

'' But he needs to know! Look why don't we just go to Nicholas and tell him the truth. You have the videos with you, that shows your innocence! '' I conversed trying to convince him.

'' The last time I did that I was shot and telling Nicholas about the whole truth might alert the insider,'' Dopey replied.

'' Look for some time now you need to be on the low. you will stay here until I say so. Don't move from here if you need anything just call me.'' Dopey said as he placed a phone in my hand.

'' Give me your phone,'' Dopey said as I placed my phone in his hands at that very moment he slipped it into his pocket.

'' There are some change of clothes in the cupboard and few drinks in the mini-fridge. help yourself.'' He spoke and dusted the bed. I watched as Dopey paced around the room and tried to make it look neat and presentable.

'' I'm going to go out, I'll be back soon. Don't open the door until I give you a call on that phone.'' Dopey said pointing towards the phone in my grasp.

'' You are running away again aren't you? '' I questioned as Dopey stopped in his tracks.

'' You have all the evidence's to prove your innocence! You have proof that you weren't the one who planned Giuseppe's death, the videos the USB. But you won't stand up and prove them wrong! '' I hollered

'' And you think they would want to listen to a man who they think killed their parents!? It won't take Lucien to find me in two flashes if I am spotted by any cameras around the city. It will take less than a minute for Marco to find my location and it won't take even seconds for Nicholas to slit my throat.'' Dopey answered coldly

'' I can tell---''

'' When you told Nicholas the truth did he believe you? When you confessed your love to him did he believe you? Did you convince him enough? You were ready to give your life up for him but you didn't dare to find the guts to speak up?! '' He continued as he neared me

"How pathetic is that... If you go back now you will be met with nothing but pain. None of the siblings will listen to you because they think you harmed their older brother. They don't see you as a saint jade. They see you as a threat.'' Dopey spoke slamming his hands on the wall next to him. 

'' believe me when I say this jade. You will not survive out in the open.'' Dopey declared and walked out banging the door, leaving me alone in this small room with my haunted thoughts.

I placed myself on the bed and clutched my hair in my hands. Every time I closed my eyes I would see his still body on my floor, the moment I tried to think of something else my mind would race back to him.

I still remember the coldness in his eyes when I confessed my love for him. He didn't seem to be bothered by anything that I would say, I could feel the dried up tears still stained on my cheeks as I pleaded with him to trust me. But all he ever said and seemed to believe was that it was just

'' another lie''