PHOENIX

16| A BOND THAT COULDN'T FAKED

As the afternoon wore on, Jackson's patience was finally rewarded when movement at the estate gates caught his attention. Melissa emerged from the mansion with the scar-faced bodyguard walking only a few steps behind her. They climbed back into the same black sedan, and moments later, the gates slowly opened to allow them through. Jackson immediately reached for his keys but resisted the temptation to start his car right away. Waiting until the sedan had travelled a comfortable distance ahead of him, he calmly started his engine and pulled onto the road, following them from far enough away that he could easily blend in with the light afternoon traffic.

The journey quickly took an unexpected turn. Instead of driving back towards the city as Jackson had anticipated, the sedan headed in the opposite direction, venturing farther and farther into the countryside. The buildings gradually disappeared behind them, replaced by endless stretches of rolling hills and open farmland that seemed to continue forever. Large farms occupied both sides of the road, their fields stretching towards the horizon while the occasional farmhouse interrupted the sea of green. Jackson stayed well behind them, weaving naturally through the sparse traffic while silently wondering what possible reason Melissa Roy could have for travelling this far away from the city.

After driving for quite some time, the sedan slowed before turning onto a long dirt driveway that disappeared between rows of old trees. Jackson continued driving past the entrance without hesitation before eventually finding a suitable place to turn around. He carefully parked his car behind a thick cluster of trees where it would remain hidden from anyone arriving or leaving the property. Satisfied that his vehicle couldn't easily be spotted, he retrieved his binoculars and quietly settled in to observe everything from a safe distance.

The property itself couldn't have been more different from Roy's luxurious estate. Instead of towering walls, expensive landscaping and heavily armed security, there stood a modest farmhouse surrounded by cultivated fields and farming equipment that looked well-used rather than decorative. Everything about the place felt simple, practical and lived in. Jackson watched as Melissa and the scar-faced man climbed out of the sedan before disappearing into the house together. Curious, he continued watching, unsure what to expect next.

Several minutes later, the front door opened again.

To Jackson's surprise, neither of them was dressed the way they had been when they arrived.

Both Melissa and the bodyguard had changed into simple work clothes that looked perfectly suited for manual labour rather than expensive meetings and luxury restaurants. Without wasting any time, they walked across the yard towards an elderly man who was already working in one of the nearby fields, apparently planting something in the freshly prepared soil. The older gentleman barely looked up before smiling warmly at the sight of them approaching, and even from the distance separating them, Jackson could clearly tell how genuinely pleased he was to see them.

The entire scene unfolding before him felt almost surreal.

The elderly man possessed a weathered face shaped by countless years spent working beneath the sun. His hands were rough, his shoulders broad despite his age, and there was a quiet strength about him that immediately reminded Jackson of the scar-faced bodyguard. The resemblance between the two was impossible to ignore. Their facial structure, their posture and even the way they carried themselves were strikingly similar. Jackson found himself wondering whether the older man was the bodyguard's father or perhaps even his grandfather. Whatever their exact relationship, there was no denying they were family.

What surprised Jackson even more was watching the scar-faced man himself.

The intimidating giant who usually looked capable of snapping someone's neck without changing his expression appeared completely different on the farm. His permanently stern face softened noticeably, and every now and then, Jackson actually saw him laugh. It wasn't loud or exaggerated, but it was unmistakably genuine. The sight caught Jackson completely off guard because it was so utterly at odds with the ruthless man he had encountered before. For the first time since learning about him, Jackson found himself looking at him not merely as Roy's terrifying bodyguard but as someone's son... or grandson.

Melissa was perhaps the biggest surprise of all.

The guarded, complicated woman Jackson had spent days trying to understand seemed to disappear the moment she stepped onto that farm. She laughed freely as she worked alongside the two men, occasionally saying something that made both of them smile. There wasn't a trace of the tension that had weighed so heavily on her face after leaving the office building earlier that day. She looked relaxed. Comfortable. Happy. Watching her kneel in the dirt without the slightest hesitation as she helped plant seeds made it difficult to reconcile this version of Melissa with the woman who moved effortlessly through Roy's dangerous world. Here, there were no luxury cars, expensive restaurants or heavily guarded estates. There were only fields, soil and three people quietly working together as though this had always been part of their routine.

Jackson lowered the binoculars slightly, his mind struggling to make sense of everything he was witnessing. None of it fit the picture he had spent years building in his head. Melissa was Roy's daughter, a woman who had grown up surrounded by unimaginable wealth, privilege and influence. She had no reason to spend her afternoon working on a modest farm unless there was something far more important drawing her there. The question that refused to leave his mind was painfully simple.

Why?

Why would a woman who could have spent every day living in unimaginable luxury willingly come all the way out here to work in the fields beside an old farmer and the scar-faced bodyguard? What connected her to this family so deeply that she looked happier here than she had anywhere else Jackson had seen her?

He continued watching in complete silence as the three of them planted seeds, exchanged quiet conversations and occasionally laughed together. Whatever relationship existed between Melissa and those two men clearly went far beyond simple friendship or obligation. There was affection there. Familiarity. A bond that couldn't be faked. Jackson didn't yet understand what he was looking at, but he knew one thing with absolute certainty.

This farm was important.

And whatever answers he had been searching for regarding Melissa Roy, he had a feeling they were buried somewhere within that quiet piece of countryside.

As Jackson continued watching them from his hiding place, his thoughts gradually drifted away from the purpose that had brought him there in the first place. He had spent the last several days focusing entirely on following Melissa, watching her every move and trying to uncover whatever secrets she was hiding, but somewhere along the way, he had forgotten to ask himself a very simple question. Who was Melissa now? The woman laughing freely in the middle of a farm, happily planting seeds beside an old man and his son, didn't resemble the woman he had spent the last five years convincing himself had betrayed him without remorse. The smiles on her face looked genuine. The laughter that occasionally escaped her lips sounded natural. Nothing about her behaviour suggested she was pretending. It clashed violently with the image he had carried in his mind ever since the day he nearly died because of her. For the first time since returning to the city, Jackson found himself wondering whether there were still parts of Melissa that he had never truly known or understood.

Time passed quietly as the afternoon slowly gave way to evening. Jackson remained exactly where he was, patiently watching every movement while the three continued working together in the fields. Eventually, they appeared to finish whatever they had come there to do. Melissa dusted the dirt from her clothes while the scar-faced bodyguard gathered a few tools lying nearby. The elderly man exchanged a few words with both of them, and although Jackson couldn't hear their conversation from where he sat, he could clearly see the warmth shared between them. The older man's smile never seemed to leave his face, and when Melissa said something that made him laugh, Jackson found himself staring longer than he intended. It was painfully obvious that the old man didn't want them to leave. There was genuine affection in the way he looked at both of them, and the feeling appeared to be completely mutual.

Watching their interaction stirred something deep inside Jackson that he hadn't expected. A quiet ache settled heavily in his chest as memories he hadn't invited slowly resurfaced. He couldn't help thinking about everything he had lost over the years. Family wasn't something he had ever been fortunate enough to have for very long. The simple affection he was witnessing between those three people reminded him of something he had spent most of his life searching for but rarely managed to keep. It made him think of the connections that had been ripped away from him, of the people he had loved and lost, and of the sense of belonging he had always longed for but never seemed able to hold onto. For reasons he couldn't fully explain, seeing Melissa laugh so freely with people who clearly cared about her filled him with a quiet sense of envy.

Eventually, Melissa and the scar-faced bodyguard said their goodbyes before walking back towards the sedan. The older man remained standing outside the farmhouse, watching them until they reached the vehicle, and even after they climbed inside, he stayed where he was, raising a hand in farewell as the car slowly disappeared down the long dirt driveway. Only then did Jackson quietly start his own engine and pull back onto the road, once again maintaining a careful distance behind them.

This time, however, something inside him had changed.

He was no longer following Melissa simply because she was Roy's daughter or because he believed she might unknowingly lead him to information that would help him destroy her family. Somewhere during the afternoon, his reasons had become more complicated than that. He was chasing understanding now. Every strange encounter, every contradiction in her personality and every glimpse into a life he had never imagined she lived had left him with more questions than answers. The picture he had painted of Melissa over the past five years no longer seemed complete. Pieces of it still fit, but others had begun falling away, forcing him to question whether the story he had been telling himself all this time had been missing important parts.

The drive back towards the city remained quiet for quite some time, allowing Jackson to continue sorting through the endless thoughts occupying his mind. His attention remained fixed on the black sedan ahead of him, but it wasn't long before he noticed something unusual. Instead of heading towards the hotel where Melissa was staying or returning to the heavily guarded estate they had visited earlier that day, the vehicle took yet another unexpected turn. It gradually steered away from the main roads, making its way towards a far more isolated section on the outskirts of town.

The farther they drove, the quieter everything became.

The houses that had lined the roads slowly disappeared until only the occasional building interrupted the landscape. Thick woods replaced neighbourhoods, while the roads themselves became increasingly deserted. Jackson instinctively tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he continued following from a safe distance, unable to ignore the growing feeling that wherever Melissa was going this time, it wasn't somewhere ordinary. The deeper they travelled into the secluded area, the more his curiosity intensified, leaving him silently wondering what awaited them beyond the dense forest stretching out ahead.

Eventually, the black sedan slowed before turning towards a large gated property hidden deep within the secluded area. Jackson immediately eased off the accelerator, allowing even more distance to separate them as he carefully observed everything ahead of him. A large metal gate blocked the entrance, and mounted beside it was a prominent sign that read, "Private Property – No Trespassing." Without drawing any attention to himself, Jackson drove past the entrance before finding a suitable place to pull over. He parked his car where it couldn't easily be seen from the gate, yet remained close enough to keep the entrance under constant observation.

His mind immediately began racing through countless possibilities. What exactly was this place? Why had Melissa come all the way out here? More importantly, why had she visited a law firm, then a secluded farm, and now an isolated property hidden far away from the rest of the city, all in a single day? None of it made any sense. Every location seemed completely unrelated to the one before it, yet Jackson couldn't shake the feeling that they were somehow connected. He simply couldn't see the connection yet.

Every instinct inside him urged him to get out of the car and continue following them. He had come this far already, and the thought of stopping now was almost unbearable. Whatever answers he had been searching for could very well be waiting beyond those gates. All he had to do was keep going. The temptation was overwhelming, pulling at him with every passing second.

Fortunately, his common sense proved stronger.

Jackson forced himself to remain exactly where he was, reminding himself that curiosity alone wasn't enough to keep someone alive. Crossing that gate would immediately expose him. There was no reasonable excuse for entering private property after following the same vehicle across half the city. Anyone watching the security cameras would know exactly what he was doing, and if the people inside were even half as dangerous as he suspected, the consequences of making such a reckless decision could be catastrophic. He had already pushed his luck more times than he cared to admit over the past several days. Continuing beyond this point would no longer be careful surveillance. It would be suicide.

He remained motionless as Melissa's sedan rolled through the entrance.

Several moments later, the heavy gate slowly closed behind them, completely cutting off his view of the property beyond. Jackson stared at the now-closed entrance, frustration slowly building inside him. He had followed Melissa across the city, to a law firm, to an enormous estate, to a quiet farm in the countryside and finally here. Every step had convinced him he was getting closer to discovering something important. Now, with what felt like the final piece almost within his reach, a simple metal gate stood between him and whatever truth lay hidden on the other side.

His hands tightened around the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

Every fibre of his being wanted to ignore his better judgment and continue anyway. He wanted to drive straight through those gates, uncover every secret they were protecting and finally put an end to the endless questions tormenting him. But wanting something and surviving long enough to obtain it were two very different things. After several long moments, he slowly forced his hands to relax, silently accepting that today simply wasn't the day he would get those answers.

Instead of making a reckless decision, Jackson chose patience.

If Melissa and the scar-faced bodyguard had entered the property, eventually they would have to leave it. Until then, there was nothing preventing him from remaining exactly where he was. Waiting carried far less risk than trespassing, and perhaps simply observing when they left would reveal something useful. He settled more comfortably in his seat, his eyes never once leaving the entrance while silently preparing himself for what could become a very long wait.

As the minutes gradually stretched into hours, Jackson found himself replaying everything he had witnessed throughout the day. The expensive law firm. The heavily guarded estate. The peaceful farm where Melissa had worked alongside the elderly man and the scar-faced bodyguard as though she had done it a hundred times before. And now this mysterious property hidden deep within the woods, protected by gates and warning signs. Each destination seemed completely disconnected from the others, almost as though they belonged to entirely different lives. Yet deep down, Jackson was convinced they formed parts of a much larger picture. He simply hadn't discovered the pattern linking them together.

For the first time since returning to the city, he realised that the greatest mystery before him might not be Roy or his criminal empire.

It might be Melissa herself.

As Jackson continued watching the property from his hiding place, a sudden realisation struck him with such force that he instinctively sat up straighter in his seat. This wasn't just another secluded estate hidden away from the rest of the city. He knew this place. Not because he had ever been there himself, but because he had seen photographs of it countless times while gathering information on the Roy family. The high walls, the secluded location and the unmistakable layout all matched the intelligence he had received before returning home. This was the Roy family mansion. More specifically, it was the estate where Roy's elderly mother, Melissa's grandmother, still lived.

The realisation brought with it an overwhelming mixture of frustration and reluctant acceptance.

So that was why Melissa had come all the way out here.

She wasn't meeting mysterious business associates or secretly conducting some operation hidden from the rest of her family. She had simply come to visit her grandmother. Jackson remembered reading about the old woman while studying the Roy family files, although very little information existed about her beyond the fact that she rarely left the estate. If Melissa had come to spend time with her grandmother, then there was no telling how long she intended to stay. She could leave within the next hour, or she might remain there until the following morning. Jackson had absolutely no way of knowing, and that uncertainty frustrated him far more than he cared to admit.

His eyes returned to the mansion beyond the gates.

Even from where he sat, the sheer size of the estate was impressive. Hidden behind towering walls and thick vegetation, the mansion was almost completely concealed from the outside world. Years of wealth had transformed it into something far more than an ordinary family home. It looked like a fortress. Jackson already knew from his research that security around the property was notoriously strict, and simply observing the entrance from a distance confirmed everything he had read. Cameras monitored every possible angle, while guards maintained constant watch over the gates. Attempting to move any closer would be nothing short of reckless. He wouldn't make it very far before someone noticed him, and once that happened, explaining his presence would become impossible.

A quiet sigh escaped him.

For the first time that day, Jackson seriously considered the possibility that following Melissa might ultimately accomplish nothing. He had spent hours trailing her from one location to another, convinced that each stop would finally reveal the answers he had been searching for. Instead, every destination had only produced more questions, and now he found himself parked outside a heavily guarded estate with no realistic way of learning what was happening inside.

Still, he remained where he was.

The thought of leaving crossed his mind more than once. He even considered returning later in the evening or perhaps coming back the following day. Every time he seriously entertained the idea, however, another thought immediately followed. What if she left the moment he drove away? What if today turned out to be the one opportunity that finally led him somewhere important? The possibility of missing something significant kept him rooted exactly where he was. Although his body had begun protesting after sitting in the driver's seat for so long, he stubbornly refused to move, occasionally shifting into a slightly more comfortable position while keeping his attention fixed firmly on the imposing gates ahead.

Time seemed to slow to an agonising crawl.

Minute after minute slipped by until they gradually became hours. The sun continued its slow journey across the sky while nothing changed beyond the entrance to the estate. Jackson found himself becoming increasingly discouraged. The optimism that had accompanied him earlier in the day steadily faded, replaced by the growing realisation that he couldn't remain there forever. Sooner or later he would have to admit defeat, return to the hotel and try again another day. Continuing to sit outside the mansion indefinitely simply wasn't practical, no matter how badly he wanted answers.

He had just about convinced himself to leave when movement suddenly caught his attention.

The massive front gates slowly began to open.

Jackson's exhaustion disappeared instantly.

His entire body tensed as he leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the entrance while trying not to miss a single detail. Moments later, Melissa emerged from the estate, followed closely by the scar-faced bodyguard. She paused briefly, her eyes casually sweeping across the area before walking towards the waiting sedan. Jackson instinctively held his breath, irrationally worried that she might somehow notice him despite the considerable distance separating them. Fortunately, she appeared satisfied after her brief glance around and climbed into the car without hesitation. The bodyguard closed the door before making his way around to the driver's seat, and within moments, the sedan rolled away from the mansion.

Jackson deliberately remained where he was.

He had learned patience the hard way, and he wasn't about to abandon it now. Only after the black sedan had travelled a comfortable distance ahead did he quietly start his own engine and ease back onto the road. This time, he exercised even greater caution than before, leaving considerably more space between their vehicles while allowing other traffic to separate them whenever possible. Being discovered now, after everything he had observed throughout the day, would erase every advantage he had worked so hard to gain.

The drive eventually led them back towards the city.

Gradually, the isolated roads gave way to familiar streets, and before long Jackson recognised the route they were taking. It wasn't long before the black sedan pulled into the hotel where Melissa was staying. Jackson drove past the entrance before parking several blocks away, careful not to place his vehicle anywhere it might be associated with hers. From there, he quietly watched as Melissa and the scar-faced bodyguard entered the hotel together before disappearing through the front doors.

Even then, Jackson made no move to leave.

Instead, he settled back into his seat and continued watching the hotel from a distance, hoping that perhaps someone else would arrive or leave, or that some small detail might reveal itself if only he remained patient a little while longer. After everything he had witnessed that day, he had learned one thing with absolute certainty.

Nothing about Melissa Roy's life was ever as simple as it first appeared.

The moment Jackson saw the scar-faced bodyguard emerge from the hotel alone, a quiet wave of relief washed over him. He remained inside his car, watching as the giant climbed back into the black sedan without Melissa before driving away. Jackson continued observing for several more minutes just to make sure she wasn't coming out after him, but the hotel entrance remained undisturbed. That was all the confirmation he needed. Melissa wasn't planning on leaving again that day. Whatever business had occupied her from morning until evening was finally over, allowing Jackson to breathe a little easier. At least for the remainder of the day, he no longer needed to worry about losing track of her movements.

Only then did another thought force its way into his mind.

His family.

Jackson leaned back in his seat with a quiet sigh as guilt slowly settled over him. He had become so consumed by following Melissa from one place to another, desperately trying to uncover the truth behind her increasingly confusing life, that he had completely neglected the promise he had made to Sue and Ethan. The realisation made him wince. Ethan had been looking forward to spending time with him, and Jackson could only imagine the disappointment the little boy must have felt when he never showed up. The thought alone was enough to make him feel ashamed. Revenge, surveillance and unanswered questions had slowly begun consuming every waking moment of his life, but that wasn't the man he wanted to become. No matter how important his mission was, Sue and Ethan would always come first.

Without wasting any more time, Jackson started his car and pulled away from the hotel. The evening traffic had begun building throughout the city, but the familiar streets guided him effortlessly towards the modest neighbourhood where Sue lived. As he drove, his thoughts shifted away from Melissa and returned to his sister. He sincerely hoped she had listened to at least some of what he had told her the previous night. Knowing Sue, however, he wasn't particularly optimistic. She had always been fiercely stubborn, especially whenever she believed she was doing the right thing. Jackson could only hope that her determination hadn't pushed her into doing something reckless while he had been busy chasing Melissa across the city.

Eventually, he pulled up outside the small house and switched off the engine. For a few quiet moments, he remained sitting behind the steering wheel, collecting his thoughts before finally climbing out of the car. He made his way towards the front door and knocked, waiting patiently until footsteps approached from inside. A few seconds later, the door swung open, revealing Sue standing there. The surprise on her face was immediately followed by a warm smile.

"Jackson!" she exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting you today."

Jackson couldn't help smiling back as he looked at her. "Yeah," he admitted with a small chuckle. "I figured I should come and see the two of you." His eyes instinctively wandered past her into the house before returning to her face. "Is Ethan still up?"

Sue stepped aside, allowing him to enter. "He's in his room," she replied. "Probably playing with his toys. He missed you, you know."

A fresh wave of guilt settled over Jackson's shoulders.

"I know," he said quietly as he walked inside. "I should've come sooner."

The familiar warmth of the house greeted him immediately. It wasn't large or luxurious, but it felt comfortable in a way no hotel room ever could. The scent of home lingered in the air, and for the first time all day, Jackson felt some of the tension slowly leave his body. Then, from somewhere deeper inside the house, he heard the unmistakable sound of Ethan laughing to himself, and an involuntary smile spread across his face.

"Ethan!" Jackson called loudly enough for the little boy to hear him. "Guess who's here!"

Almost instantly, hurried footsteps echoed down the passage.

A second later, Ethan burst into the living room with excitement written all over his face. The moment he saw Jackson standing there, his eyes widened before the biggest smile imaginable spread across his little face.

"Big brother!" he shouted happily. "You came!"

Without slowing down, Ethan threw himself straight at Jackson, wrapping both arms tightly around his legs with all the strength his little body could manage.

Jackson laughed softly as he bent down, effortlessly lifting the boy into his arms before spinning him around once. Ethan's laughter filled the room, bright and carefree, making every hour Jackson had spent following Melissa suddenly seem very far away.

"Of course I came," Jackson said warmly after setting him back down. "I'm sorry it took me so long."

Ethan looked up at him, the disappointment Jackson had feared nowhere to be found. Instead, the little boy simply smiled as though the apology wasn't necessary.

"It's okay," Ethan replied cheerfully. "You're here now." His excitement immediately returned as he grabbed Jackson's hand. "Can we play?"

Jackson smiled without hesitation.

"Absolutely," he answered. "What do you want to play?"