Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)

The moment I mentioned the possibility of knowing something, his head snapped up, and he locked eyes with me like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline, "What do you want to know? "When did you find out the child by my side was Zora's?" I asked, my tone even, unreadable.

He stumbled over his words, his mouth opening and closing, but nothing came out.

"You didn't know, did you?" I took a step towards him, my disdain for Jaylan crystal clear.

His head drooped, guilt written all over his face.

"Does anyone in your family know where the child is?" I pressed further.

"I really don't know," Jaylan blurted out defensively, "It was much later when I found out Zora swapped the kid."

It seemed Jaylan was genuinely clueless. It was Hazel' who knew the child's whereabouts.

That meant the people looking for the kid were Jerome's men. I was certain Hazel would have told Jerome because he was always Hazel's rock.

But who was behind the child's disappearance?

"Did Zora ever mention where the child might be?" I asked, holding onto a shred of hope with yet another question.

"She never told me a thing. That's how she controlled me with our son. There are things I never wanted to do, but she'd always threaten me with him. But..."

"Our son? Do you think you're worthy?" I challenged him with a stare.

I turned away to collect myself and then slowly faced him again, "Who was behind the kidnapping on the night of the victory party?"

"I don't know." he insisted.

No sooner had Jaylan uttered those words than Hannah, unable to contain her fury any longer, delivered a swift kick to his jaw, "You don't know anything, then what do you know?"

Jaylan tumbled off the couch and onto the floor, his humiliation absolute. He scrambled up, clutching his jaw, and glared at me, "Aaliyah you bring your muscle into my house to beat me up? You're nothing but a bitter shrew."

I couldn't help but laugh softly, looking at him with a detached amusement.

"Barging into my home uninvited, and you think you need a reason to get hit?" Hannah glared fiercely at him, "I'm the one who hit you, so go ahead, take it to court. I told you before, every time I see you, you're getting a beating. Did you think I was joking?"

"You lowly servant, you're nothing but a dog to bark at me."

Larkin, with a face dark as thunder, stepped up and delivered a gut-wrenching kick that left Jaylan gasping for air.

"Jesper got the three million dollars Jessica raked in and ran away, and you didn't know that either, did you? You're a loser who only deserves to hide in the shadows and get drunk. I gave you a platform and made you the face of the Dawson family. And what did you do? Jerome built his network with Medsafe Liyah Inc. and traded your money for power. Jesper took your last three million dollars and didn't look back. Even Jessica knew to move three million dollars to build her business. What about you?

Jaylan, you've lost everything. No home, no business, just a trail of betrayal and abandonment. You lost your son and you still strut around proudly."

Jaylan, eyes bloodshot, spat a mouthful of saliva at Hannah and struggled to his feet, grabbing a bottle of booze and taking a swig, "Aaliyah, my downfall is all thanks to you. Want to find the kid? Forget about it. Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. I want you to suffer with regret for a lifetime."

"Jaylan..."

His words ignited a fury within me, "Are those the words of a human being?"

"Human?" he laughed maniacally, "I am no human anymore..."

With that, he swung the bottle at my head, but before it could connect, Larkin was upon him. A hand snatched Jaylan's wrist, and with a twist, a sickening snap echoed through the room. Jaylan's agonized screams filled the air as his wrist bent unnaturally backward. He collapsed to his knees, clutching the injured wrist, his face turning white.

"Jaylan, I've handed over the evidence of the Seabreeze Boulevard car accident to Dalton. If you're so clueless, maybe you'll figure something out in the jail. But let me be clear that I will find my son."

Here you smash well. I won't want it anymore if you don't smash it because it's disgusting to me that you used to live here. I'm sure the next tenant will appreciate it. You? You're only fit for a bunk bed in a cell. Don't worry, and I'll gather all of you together, and bring you back to square one."

I had barely turned to leave when Dalton entered, flanked by several officers.