Scars of Time

Chapter 69: "The truth"

Jo's POV

As the morning light filtered through the curtains, I stirred from my sleep and realized that Time was not lying beside me in bed. I assumed he had already left for work, so I checked the time. It was still early, but I figured he must be busy. However, the sound of water cascading from the bathroom interrupted my thoughts, and a delightful smile graced my lips.

He is still here.

I hurriedly made my way back to my room and I couldn't help but feel the need to glam up a bit. So I skillfully applied makeup, ensuring every detail was perfect, and effortlessly straightened my hair. It had been ages since I last adorned myself in a cute dress, but today was the day I wanted to showcase my adorable side.

The moment I left my room, I bumped into him as he was returning inside. He stared at me for a while, but his face remained devoid of any emotion. I guessed he was still half asleep.

"Good morning," I chirped happily, my smile stretching from ear to ear.

In return, he responded with a rather emotionless "Morning."

Maybe he's still upset from yesterday, which is why he's in a bad mood. I feel guilty for acting so cheerful without thinking about his emotions. I should try to comfort him.

"Breakfast?" I suggested but he shook his head.

"Then....what are your plans for today...should we meet after work and go on a date?"

"Jo...I have something to tell you." My heart sank as he cut me off mid-sentence. The expression on his face gave away that whatever he had to say wasn't going to be pleasant. Despite my best efforts to remain cheerful, my face involuntarily fell, anxiously anticipating his next words.

"I think we should break up."

It took me a few moments to figure out if he was being serious or not.

Then I found myself asking the most pathetic question: "Why?"

"I don't think I'm the right guy for you, and I think that you deserve better than me."

"But... I love you"

With a complete lack of hesitation, he bluntly stated, "But I don't love you,"

"What are you talking about? Time...I know you don't mean this." I tried to reaseon with him but he backed away, preventing me from reaching him.

"I do. I felt bad last night when you confessed your love for me. I never intended for things to escalate like this."

Tears streamed down my face together with the makeup that I wore today just for him.

Have I always been this pathetic?!

"I didn't think you would actualy fall for me. I'm sorry. It was all Hope's idea."

"What are you talking about?!!"

"The night I abducted you, it wasn't because I was deeply in love with you and wanted to keep you all to myself. In reality, I had no idea who you were. It was simply a coincidence that we were acquainted. My original plan was to kidnap Alex's girlfriend, and you just happened to be her."

I angrily brushed away my tears, realizing that he was actually telling the truth. It's infuriating how everything now falls into place. He's beyond awful!

"Why are you telling me about it just now?"

"I feel like a jerk. I didn't expect you'd actually fall for me. I assumed you were more intelligent than that, but I guess I shouldn't have expected much from someone who believed that a guy like Alex would ever cheat.

"Lie. You're lying. You are not this cruel."

"You already know that I'd do anything for Hope. She wanted Alex, so I made sure she has him."

"You"... I pointed my finger at him with anger burning in my eyes, but suddenly, I felt a wave of dizziness and lost my balance. He had the audacity to try and hold me, but I forcefully shoved his hands away!

"Get out of my house."

He paused for a moment, but then snatched his phone from the counter in my room and callously walked right past me, without a care in the world.

Well, I can't really point fingers at anyone but myself. I already knew that he was a complete jerk. I was so embarrassed about being with him that I couldn't even bring myself to tell my best friend. So, why am I taken aback when he consistently fails to reveal any redeeming qualities? I fell for him, fully aware of the kind of person he truly was. I was just deceiving myself into believing he could be someone he wasn't. It was all just a figment of my imagination.

However, my heart...why does it ache so intensely?

.......................

Time's POV

All night, her words replayed in my head, preventing me from getting any rest.

Those words aren't meant for me. Love isn't something I deserve. Especially not from her.

What was I thinking?!

Why did I give her hope?

There is no such thing as a future for me, so why would I even dream of it for a second.

Well, at least it's not that hard to make her hate me again. All I needed to do was tell the truth. So, that's exactly what I did. I showed her my true face, erasing any love she had for me from her eyes.

This morning's phone call jolted me back to reality.

It was Carl Edwards.

"Hello, this is Carl. We met at Josephine's house. Despite the fact that you turned down my offer and we're not really friends, I still wanted to make sure you were aware of what's going on with your company."

"What about my company?"

"How about we meet up? I have a feeling something suspicious is happening and you need to be careful."

"Can you explain what you mean by: something suspicious? And how did you come to know about it?"

"I will fill you in on all the details when we see each other, but essentially, I overheard my father having a conversation with someone on the phone. I hate to admit this about my own father, but it seems like they are scheming against you."

While Carl was unsure of the person his father was conversing with, I immediately knew it was Evan. This was the confirmation I needed to know that he has indeed returned and is not suffering from any illness.

I headed over to meet up with Carl, eager to hear what he had to say. As we sat down, he wasted no time in sharing his concerns. Apparently, he had been noticing some suspiciously large transactions from his company to mine, and what bothered him even more was the lack of explanation behind them.

Carl revealed that he had taken a page out of his father's book and started investigating. Every week, he would rendezvous with a group of individuals, some of whom he recognized as influential figures, while others remained strangers to him. Carl confessed that he had been going undercover to this mysterious gathering spot, determined to uncover the truth. It turns out, they were dealing with a pill that resembled a potent drug, one that could easily evade detection in a blood test. What's more, this pill would vanish from the system within a mere 24 hours.

However, what truly piqued his curiosity was the person who was guiding all these influential individuals. He couldn't help but be curious about who possessed such commanding authority. That's why he spent a considerable amount of time investigating and eventually unraveled the identity of the big boss.

But, at the halfway point of the story, he suddenly hesitated right when it mattered the most.

"So, who is it? Who's the big boss?" I asked, holding my breath, anticipating his answer.

"It's you."

The moment he uttered those words, it was as if the entire restaurant went quiet.

I couldn't help but burst into laughter because it had to be a joke, right? He must be kidding around, there's simply no way he's being serious!

"I don't know if right now I'm digging my own grave and I just told a mafia boss that I know his secrets, but it seems like I'm screwed anyways. My dad is part of the mafia, involved in drugging people and aiding others in committing crimes. My company isn't really mine as I had believed. Turns out, I'm nothing more than a puppet in this whole situation.

Mafia boss or not, you are my last resort to save my company. So I'm betting everything I have on you right now. Please help me."

"Carl, I'm really grateful to you for sharing everything with me, but I'm afraid I may not be able to help you."

"Why? Are you actually the boss?!"

"No. But I think I know who it is. And at the end of all this, I'm either going to end up six feet under or behind bars. In either scenario, I won't be of any use to you. So I'm sorry."

In a hurry, I bolted out of the restaurant, leaving Carl in a state of confusion as he struggled to grasp the unfolding events. However, I was already en route to my home, determined to retrieve something important from my safe.

Jo and I are no longer together, and Hope has made it clear she wants nothing to do with me. That means that I have nothing else to lose anymore.

Even if I end up dying, I am consoled by the fact that their animosity towards me will prevent them from mourning too deeply. However, No matter the outcome of today, I will ensure that Evan Astor is unable to hurt anyone else ever again.

As soon as I enter the house, my eyes are immediately drawn to the picture hanging on the wall. It's the black tiger that has haunted my nightmares since childhood. I've never been a fan of this picture, yet I chose to leave it hanging.

It's a constant reminder that I'm in Evan Astors' house. This place will never truly be a home for me or Hope. Yet, for the first time, I found myself feeling nostalgic as I looked at it.

Even though I couldn't stand it, that image was always there to greet me when I walked in. Whether I returned exhausted from work, soaked from the rain, or after a tough day... Those eyes appeared to be looking at me with pity.

But today, I greeted it with a smile. It was almost like bidding farewell.

As I stepped into my room, anticipation filled me. I eagerly opened my case, hoping to find the thing I had been searching for. To my dismay, it was nowhere to be found.

I meticulously searched every corner of the house, yet I was certain I had left it in my case. If it's not there, then there's only one person who could have possibly taken it.

Hope.

I dashed outside, determined to make it to the hospital on time where I knew Evan Astor was staying. I had a feeling she would be there. And despite repeatedly calling Alex, he didn't pick up.

Unfortunately, I was not able to even leave the driveway as my path was suddenlg blocked by police cars in front of me. One of the officers stepped out and revealed his badge.

"Time Astor. You're under arrest"