Survival Of The Game

I don't care.

Jane nodded and watched him leave before taking a deep breath. Elena came in few minutes after he had left. “How was it? Did it go well? Did you two settle your differences?,” she asked Jane.

“I can't believe you ditched me,” Jane replied. Elena laughed. She walked to the bed and adjusted the bedspread. “You weren't expecting me to stay here and watch you two talk, right?,” she asked incredulously.

She looked up and saw the expression on Jane's face. She couldn't help but laugh again. She couldn't believe this girl thought she would stay.

“That would have been so awkward. Moreover, you two needed the privacy. Master Alan would have been so uncomfortable with my presence. He wouldn't want to talk about what had happened yesterday,” Elena explained and Jane couldn't help but nod her head in agreement.

“But Jane, I have to warn you about his fiancee. The lady is actually like Irene. She is very hot tempered and saucy. There is a great possibility that she might hear what happened so please avoid her in the nearest future,” Elena warned her.

********

The manager only stared at Jack without saying a word. He didn't even reply when Jack greeted him. Jack wondered what was going on with him but he didn't say anything.

As soon as Jack finished with the first few orders. He walked to the manager cause he felt uncomfortable with the way he just kept on staring at him.

“Sir, is anything wrong?,” he asked. The manager just looked at him weirdly with a kind of pitiful expression.

“Jack, I didn't want to do this but you are fired,” the manager told him solemnly. Jack froze as he looked at him in disbelief. What the heck is going on? What did this old man just say?

“Si... Si... Sir, what did I do?,” he stuttered. The manager shook his head and just said,“Nothing. Our restaurant can not condone your presence anymore. That's why.”

Jack looked at him. So he is getting sacked just because the restaurant can't condone his presence anymore. He would have laughed if the situation wasn't really important and serious.

It actually sound funny. You don't like seeing someone so you just sack them. Who would believe in that type of explanation?

Jack sighed. He had expected this but not so soon like this. When did he get this job that he is already getting dismissed. He really has a bad luck.

After so many efforts of searching for a job, he finally got one and now he is getting dismissed. 'God! I must really have bad luck. Whose bad karma rubbed off on me? Instead of seeing light at the end of the tunnel like the proverb states, I'm just seeing more endless darkness,' Jack thought sadly.

“But, don't worry I will give you the full monthly payment you were supposed to receive this month without removing a dime,” the manager said. This is the least he could do to curb the guilty feeling in his heart.

Jack didn't say a word. Just nodded. The manager brought out his paycheck and signed on a page after writing down the amount.

Then he gave it to Jack who nodded in response. Jack removed his helmet and uniform before leaving. He sighed and turned around to look at the restaurant for the last time before finally leaving.

Cause he left in a hurry, he was unable to see the guilty and sad expression on the manager's face. Even if they have argued, even if the boy is inexperienced, he diligently taught or try teach him what he needs to know.

He confirmed that Jack had really left before bringing out his phone. He called someone and said,“Sir, I did just as you asked me to.”

“Good,” the recipient of the call laughed out in his deep voice. “Check your bank balance. I sent a little surprise to you.”

Then he cut the call. The manager couldn't help but wonder who the man is. He sounds really powerful. How did Jack manage to offend someone so powerful?

He received a notification instantly and as soon as he checked his phone, he couldn't help but gasp. The man is really powerful. He sent thrice the amount of what they had agreed on. Why is this man interested in that poor fellow that works in the restaurant to survive?

Jack wandered aimlessly down the road. Every now and then, he checked his pocket to make sure the paycheck is still there. Now he is even terrified of himself. Just within a month, he lost two jobs, invested and lost his money.

He isn't even sure of how he is gonna pay off all his debts. As soon as he thought of Mike, his head suddenly ached. The guy might be good, kind hearted and helpful but he never revoke his demand.

He doesn't ever go back on his word. Will his Ella really be taken away from him? His mom will be so disappointed in him wherever she is.

He sighed. This f*****g money is all he has for now. If he doesn't spend it on their food, they will possibly starve to death. He walked towards the direction of Ella's college since it isn't faraway from where he was working.

He smiled bitterly at the word 'was'. Yeah! It's was since he lost his job. As soon he got there, he smiled as he entered the college. She will be surprised that he came to visit her. He can't wait to see the suprised look on her face.

He asked around for her department since she is studying something thronics. Is it mechatronics? He doesn't care right now. He went to the department and noticed that it was almost deserted since the students ae already leaving.

Jack moved around and asked after her but he couldn't find Ella. Finally, someone informed him that she had seen Ella outside earlier. That she was sitting on of those benches in the middle of the school.

Shall we say the college garden? Jack walked there and found her. His smile turned to a frown when he noticed a guy beside h

Shall we say the college garden? Jack walked there and found her. His smile turned to a frown when he noticed a guy beside her. He stood and watched the two of them hug with a huge frown.

As the guy left, his eyes trailed him. He caught a side view of the guy but couldn't see him clearly cause he is faraway.

‘Why does he look like Mike?,’ Jack couldn't help but wonder. But he soon waved away the thought cause the Mike he knows never wear casual, colourful clothes.

He is always in those annoyingly creepy black biker outfits. Jack didn't worry about it anymore as he walked towards Ella in huge strides. He knows that man can never be Mike.

“Brother! You are here!,” Ella shouted not minding the people passing by who are now looking at her as she rushed to him. He engulfed her in a tight embrace.

“Yes, I am here. How do you like my suprise?,” he asked with a smile, trying to hide everything he has been going through. She doesn't have to know.

“I don't just like it. I love it. By the way brother, shouldn't you be at work?,” Ella asked puzzled.

“Oh! I requested for permission to come and see you,” he quickly lied. Ella stared at him suspiciously as he answered quickly.

She knows that anytime he does that. It means he is trying to hide something from her. “Brother, why do I feel like you are hiding something from me?,” she asked and Jack sighed.

“Ella, who was that guy I saw you hugging just now?,” Jack answered her question with a question of his own. He is trying to distract her.

“Oh! He is actually a friend of y...,” Jack didn't let her finish before he interrupted. “Ella, you should be careful of this college boys. They may act as if they are matured but they are all immatured. They just want to destroy naive girls like you,” he told her.

Ella frowned as they walked to the gate. “Who told you I'm naive? That guy isn't even from this college,” she retorted.

“Okay, let's forget about it. We should talk about something else other than this,” Jack said as soon as he noticed that she is getting pissed off.

*******

“Have you sent the mail?,” Cassie asked the man in front of her. She had to come to this office again cause she doesn't really trust the man.

“Yes ma. I already sent it yesterday,” the man answered as he fought the urge to glare at her. She dared to make him address her as ma.

He is even old to be her grandfather. “Then, what did the post office say?,” she asked curiously.

“That the mail will possibly reach there after three weeks,” the man answered.

“Well, we can wait. You do remember what I asked you to do, right?,” Cassie asked and he nodded.

“Yes ma'am, I remember every single bit of it. I won't give anyone the job until the guy comes,” he told her. Cassie smiled in satisfaction.

She just felt giddy inside at the thought of seeing Jack again. She turned around to leave so quickly that she didn't notice the cruel facial expression on the man's face.

As soon as she left, the man called someone. “ She just left again. For how long are we gonna keep this from her?,” he asked.

“For as long as we can. I need to bring my nephew into this place so he can make her fall in love with him. That won't be possible if there is another guy in the picture,” the recipient of the call replied.

“I just hope we won't get into trouble because of this,” Mr Walker answered and the man he was talking to almost rolled his eyes.

“As long as you follow my instruction and do as I asked you to do, you won't get into any trouble. Just trust me,” the man told Mr Walker before cutting the call.

*********

“I haven't seen Joe for a while now. I wonder how that cute little kitty is doing,” Elena spoke and Jane giggled. She stood up from the bed and walked out.

She stopped just before she could reach the door and turned around to ask Elena,“Are you coming or not?”

Elena quickly left what she was doing and followed her. They got to Joe's room and was surprised that he wasn't there. They went to Madam Jennie's room but she also wasn't there.

Jane panicked a little,“Where could the two of them have gone?” Elena just shrugged her shoulders and answered,“Don't worry too much. Let's go and check other places in the house.”

They walked around the house and was even more suprised to meet the house empty. They didn't see anyone or any servant. Now Jane was really panicking.

Elena tried to persuade her to calm down but she just flared up,“You are asking me to calm down! I can't find my brother or anybody and you are asking me to calm down!”

As Jane was panicking and looking around, she didn't notice the smile on Elena's face. Just as they walked back to the sitting room, they stopped in their tracks.

Everyone was standing there and probably waiting for them. Irene and her friends had a scowl on their faces like they were being forced to do they do not want to do.

Joe had a huge smile as he looked at the birthday cake in the middle of the room. Jane was still wondering whose birthday it is when they all shouted happy birthday including Elena.

They began to sing a happy birthday song to Jane who just stood frozen. 'Is it my birthday today?,' she thought with tears in her eyes.

She can't remember the last time she ever celebrated this day called a birthday. Cause her parents died just a day after her birthday so it became a forbidden day. Her relatives wouldn't even let her remember it's her birthday not to talk of celebrating it.

“Happy birthday Jane. See, I asked grandma to get you a cocolate cake like you have always wanted,” Joe said.

CCha

“Happy birthday Jane. See, I asked grandma to get you a cocolate cake like you have always wanted,” Joe said. Jane looked at him. It was probably his idea to throw this birthday in the first place.

And she is absolutely correct. Madam Jennie was feeling guilty about what her son tried to do so she wanted to do something to make Jane happy or at least forget about what had happened.

She was still thinking when Joe rushed into her room and told her that today was supposed to be Jane's birthday but he doesn't want to remind her. When she had asked him why, he explained that Jane always seem sad and always cry on this day.

That was when Madam Jennie remembered that when Jane spoke about her parents death, she had mentioned that it was the day after her birthday that the unfortunate incident happened.

She was actually worried about throwing a suprise birthday party for her cause she was scared of how Jane would react.

But Joe who loves anything that has to do with party made sure to pester her until she agreed to order a cake and start the late birthday preparations.

“Happy happy birthday Jane,” Madam Jennie said happily as she fed her a piece of the cake. Jane smiled happily and nodded.

She turned to Elena with an expression that clearly says,'You will explain all these to me later.' Elena gulped a little bit. Jane probably figured out that she was also involved in this plan and she made her worry unnecessarily.

Irene rolled her eyes as everyone wished Jane. She turned to one of her friends who is also glaring at Jane. “Did you get the footage?,” Irene asked her, trying to speak softly just in case anyone is eavesdropping.

“Yes. I went through alot before I could get him to copy the footage to my phone. I even had to pay that fool,” her friend replied.

“Leila, don't worry, I'll pay you back. Just play the video and let's see what really happened last night,” Irene told her.

“Okay but first we have to go to somewhere less noisy and secluded. Also the video is mute so we won't be able to hear anything,” Leila told Irene.

“I don't care. Let us just watch and see the video,” Irene retorted as she quickly pulled Leila to the far end of the room.

Leila brought out her phone. They watched the dark phone screen for a while. Then suddenly the screen brightened because in the video, someone switched on the light switch.

Leila and Irene watched as Jane staggered into the room while trying to balance Alan's drunk figure. Irena couldn't help but get angry with how Alan held on to Jane tightly.

Then they saw the whole scene of how she helped him into bed, removed his shoes and wanted to leave the room. Irene watched as she went back and climbed on top of the bed to unbutton his shirt.

“Why does she have to unbutton his shirt slowly?,” Irene gritted her teeth angrily.

“Ssh... Irene, stop making a noise. Let us watch this in peace,” Leila told her.

Irene almost ran mad when she saw the way Alan pulled Jane back to the bed and kissed her fervently even if Jane looked like she was struggling.

“Stop! Pause the f*****g video!,” Irene shouted. She couldn't take it anymore. Her heart tightened in pain as she turned around to glare at Jane hatefully.

Who is this nobody that just appears out of nowhere and try to snatch Alan from her? Technically, Alan isn't hers but once she confesses her feelings to him, she is sure he would agree.

Leila quickly pause the video as she sighed. She looked at Irene who was currently going crazy. She wondered that if Irene is behaving like this, then how would Master Alan's fiancee behave.

She smiled as soon as she thought of something. She pulled Irene to her and whispered something into her ears. Irene looked a little bit relieved as she heard what Leila told her.

“Are you sure it will work?,” Irene asked unsure.

Leila nodded vigorously in return as she replied,“Yes, we will send the video as two different videos to two different people but we will be killing two birds with one stone.”

Irene smiled and thought,'Just you wait Jane. I will get you thrown out of this house to wherever you came from.'

Leila played the video and trimmed it to one specific part. Then she sent the trimmed part to a number as a message. Immediately the message was sent successfully, she blocked the phone's sim and removed it from her phone before throwing it away.

Then she played the video again and trimmed it to a specific part. She saved that part and deleted the original video just in case it might cause any problem.

She handed the phone to Irene and said,“The last time I checked, Master Alan is not in his room so he probably went out. As soon as he comes back, make sure to take him somewhere private before anyone else try to talk to him. Show him the video with a pitiful look and pathetic story. I'm sure he will react.”

Irene collected the phone and nodded with a smirk. That stupid Jane won't know what hit her.

It wasn't even up to five minutes that Leila said that words when Alan walked in. He came just in time to meet the birthday celebration. He paused his movement at first as he stood in the doorway to observe whatever is going on.

He looked around and soon realized it's a birthday party. He saw the people flocking around Jane and thought,'Is it her birthday today?'

With a smile, he walked forward to wish her happy birthday but Leila already saw him from afar so she quickly nudged Irene to inform her of his arrival.

Irene hurriedly rushed over and blocked his path. Alan frowned as he looked down at her. He was just about to reach Jane when she blocked him.

“What is it?,” he asked coldly.