Chapter 36: Harsh Realities

KIANA

After a few days of letting Chase take care of me, I felt the need to get back to normalcy. I was ready to move forward, especially now that Cooper was finally out of the picture.

Chase was dealing with Joanna. I trusted him to handle it on his own.

I went back to the penthouse after my first day back to school. I’d been staying there more often than my own as of late.

“Just in time,” Chase called from the kitchen. He was topless, dressed in his usual attire of comfy pants. He set down two plates of steaming hot food.

I inhaled, my stomach already doing somersaults. “That smells amazing!” I hurried to the island and took a seat.

“My mother’s recipe.” He smiled proudly.

Just as I was about to dig in, the doorbell rang. We looked at one another, confused for a moment before Chase went to the intercom.

“Hello?… Send him up.”

“Who is it?” I asked, turning so my full attention was on him.

“Jackson,” he answered flatly.

I almost choked on air as Chase let him in. My eyes instantly swelled with tears, ready to burst from their dam.

“Rose,” he whispered, a tear falling down his own cheek.

Every other care went out the window as I ran into his arms, just like I did when I was a child.

“Uncle Jack!” I sobbed.

His chest heaved with similar emotion. “I am so sorry. I should have seen it sooner. When you came to me that night with the injury on your neck and you passed it off as a simple accident, I should have pushed for the truth. I promised your mother I would protect you—and look what happened.”

I pulled back, stopping his rambling self-blame. “None of this was your fault. You were the only one I could count on. You saved me, Uncle Jack.”

He cupped my face. “I am on your side. I believe you. I’m just hurt you didn’t feel like you could tell me back then.” Another tear fell as he hung his head in shame.

“I…I didn’t know if you would believe me. He is your son. And I was so scared. I couldn’t risk losing the only person I could turn to for help,” I whispered, finally hearing how stupid that sounded.

Jackson shook his head. “Cooper and I have always had a rocky relationship. I always knew there was a darkness in him. I just never knew how dark.”

“You’re telling me you never knew a thing?” Chase interrupted, standing beside me with his hand on my lower back as a show of support.

“No.” Jackson shook his head. “He was diagnosed with the same condition his mother had. He told me he was taking his meds… I should have recognized the signs.

“My wife was unstable and prone to telling lies to stir up trouble. When Cooper was young, she tried to convince him that Kenzo was his real father and Rose was mine. Cooper told me he didn’t believe her, but somewhere down the line, that must have changed.”

“You don’t know how much I wish that lie were true,” I mumbled to myself.

They both heard me, and a sad smile passed across Jackson’s face as if to say he agreed.

“Why would she lie about that?” I asked, curious.

“To hurt me, most likely. Your mother and I had a special bond of friendship for many years. We were two outsiders in a society where most people are English and from old money. But rumors started to travel that we were having an affair.

“I still sometimes wonder if Lilian was the source of those rumors. You see, Lilian was jealous of your mother. She knew that Kenzo and I already had a rocky past, so to get back at me, they slept together to try and ‘even the score,’ as Kenzo put it.

“I had to distance myself after that. If I’d known how much it would affect your mother, I never would have chosen an unsalvageable marriage over her.

“I helped you escape because I didn’t want to see you end up afraid, alone, and depressed like your mother.

“Although, I may have secretly been glad of the chance to get back at Kenzo for ruining my marriage and my dearest friendship.” He gave me a sad smile, causing me to mirror one of my own.

A few moments of silence passed before I finally spoke up.

“I’ll understand if you want to help him. He is your son, after all. And by the looks of him, he hasn’t been taking his meds. Maybe—”

“That boy is no longer my son. Not after this. On his meds or off, that sort of act can never be excused,” he spat venomously.

“Is that why you came?” Chase asked a little harshly.

I gave him a gentle dig in the ribs and a side look as if to say, “leave off.” Jackson was hurting just as much as me. No matter what he said, whether he liked it or not, Cooper was his blood.

Jackson shook his head. “I came to let you know that I’m paying for all your legal expenses and to offer my help in Cooper’s prosecution. If there’s anything you need, you let me know.” He still had that paternal look in his eyes. I’d forgotten how much I missed that.

“Of course,” I said quietly, nodding.

“Having you as a witness should help put him away,” Chase added.

“I’ll do anything,” he answered. “One more thing before I go. I should warn you that it’s likely Kenzo has connected Cooper’s attack back to you. If there’s anything I can do to help keep you hidden from him while you wait for the trial, remember I’m just a phone call away.”

“Jackson,” Chase spoke up. “I might need your help in putting together some intel on Kiana’s father in case we need it later.”

“Of course. Give me a time and a date and I’ll be there,” he replied without hesitation.

“I…um… I should be going.” He cleared his throat.

“Wait!” I reached out to him, pulling him into another heartfelt embrace.

“Please don’t leave me alone again. I need some time to sort everything out, but I want you in my life again…for good.”

“I’d love that too.” He smiled warmly as we said our goodbyes.

After the events of the last few days, I felt my shattered heart find the courage to begin piecing itself back together again, as though everything was finally going right for once.

^TWO MONTHS LATER^

I walked through the university corridors, finally happy with the world.

Cooper had been thrown in jail two months ago and was now languishing in a cell, waiting for his trial.

A part of me was still scared he would be bailed out before the hearing. But his father had cut him off, and his supposed abundance of friends with deeper-than-life pockets either didn’t exist or they didn’t give a damn.

It was finally starting to sink in that he was well and truly locked up, and I was relieved he was going to be facing the consequences he deserved.

As for Joanna, she was under house arrest pending trial. She faced charges of aiding and abetting, as well as attempted manslaughter. Although I had a feeling her “expensive” lawyer would manage to get her off that last charge.

Either way, she wasn’t allowed around me or Chase. And until her hearing, she could not leave her home.

“Hey, Kiana. Are you done for the day?” Mia inquired when she spotted me in the cafeteria.

“Yep,” I mumbled, finishing off my bagel.

We made our way to her car and headed home to prepare for the evening.

Tonight, we were meeting Crystal at a trendy downtown karaoke bar to celebrate the upcoming Christmas holiday. Mia and I had a few weeks off from university, and I wanted to make the most of my time with my two best girls.

I chose a chic black-and-gold romper with a bold neckline. Mia picked a baby-blue crop top paired with light-blue denim shorts.

Then we flagged down a taxi and met Crystal outside the bar. But she wasn’t alone.

~Was Ben crashing our girls’ night?~

“Kiana, Mia!” Crystal hollered, wrapping us in a hug.

“Hey, Crystal, I didn’t know your brother was coming,” I said, smiling as she let go.

“He’s here for the holidays too. I made him drive me, but I can ask him to leave,” she offered.

“No! The more, the merrier,” Mia chimed in quickly.

She was sporting a huge, impish grin. I knew that look…

“Awesome! Let’s go in. I’m parched!” Crystal tugged me inside, followed by Mia and Ben.

I gave Ben a wave before Crystal once again dragged me to the bar.

“So, how’s my cousin doing?” She rested her chin on her hands as she asked.

“He’s been all right. ~Stressed~, but all right,” I responded a bit shyly.

Chase and I were doing well. He’d taken charge of all the legal needs related to Cooper. I tried to refuse, but he went ahead anyway. Besides, it was either let him do it or Jackson.

We still hadn’t discussed what we were to each other. That conversation had just never happened. Regardless of what we were, I was content, and I assumed he was too. I didn’t want anything to change between us.

Crystal’s amber eyes suddenly widened in shock as she focused on something behind me. I followed her gaze, but she firmly held my face, forcing me to look at her.

“Kiana…,” she started.

She sounded anxious, so I looked at her, confused.

~What was happening?~

“Crystal, what’s the matter?” I asked, worried.

“Just stay calm. Everything will be okay. Okay?” she reassured me.

She let go of me, and I followed her gaze again. It was fixed on the TV screen behind the bar. The sound was barely audible, but I could still make out what the news anchor was saying.

My blood turned to ice, and my heart stopped…

~What the fuck?!~

This couldn’t be happening.

It had to be some cruel prank.

“Kiana!” Mia and Ben rushed over to me.

I was too shocked to look at them. I just stared at the face on the screen…

That fucking face I wanted so badly to erase from my memory.