The Pride Game

Chapter 7

"Isn't that Frans?" Samuel asked Jonathan. Jonathan looked in the direction Samuel was pointing. "Who is she?" but both of them immediately fell silent. No one spoke again after seeing Frans was pulling the woman's waist in front of him, licking her lips with passionate desire. Samuel bowed his head, he had no right to interfere in the affairs of his ex-wife's household, and he had better leave Frans right now if he didn't want to be recognized by Frans. Jonathan quickened his steps, and he knew who the woman was with the man. She was the demonic woman, who a few minutes earlier, had just charged him to pay off his debt. Had she tracked him down until she needed to chase Jonathan to this place? Jonathan asked in his mind. He looked left the rest of the way down to the waiting lobby. "Jonathan, wait. I have something to ask you," Samuel said when he was in the waiting room. "Are you the one who paid for my hospital fees?" 

Jonathan stopped. "Don't worry about it. I owe you a lot." Jonathan always felt indebted to Samuel because Samuel lost his job and lost his family and his future because of him. Jonathan is one of the people who are jealous of Samuel's intelligence at work, so when he sees the crowds surrounding the CDA office, Jonathan immediately takes advantage of the situation. He corners Samuel and allows Samuel to vent his frustration so that Jonathan can quickly fire Samuel. However, Jonathan now got the proper reward of what his future holds after being dishonorably expelled from the CDA; someone removed from the CDA seemed to have no end. Everything done appears to be in vain and only generates a small income.

"Thank you very much. If you need anything, you can tell me. Ahm ... maybe not money, because you know my finances, but maybe I can help you in another way." 

Jonathan sneered at Samuel's words, "Dream that you can help me. Better watch yourself and take care of yourself from now on." 

Samuel's hand was outstretched as he said, "I mean it. I can help you." 

"Never mind. Forget it. Now please stay here; I'll get my car first." Without waiting for an answer from Samuel, Jonathan immediately ran to the parking lot and then took the car.

Aunt Judith had left early this morning, and now Jonathan was asked to pick up Samuel. After Jonathan managed to get into the car, he parked the car in front of the waiting lobby and led Samuel into the vehicle. When he got behind the wheel, his eyes widened, and at once, he was utterly taken aback. "Oh no." It felt like Jonathan's heart was about to fall out of place, his face was terrified, and he was driving very fast. Before Jonathan closed the door, Samuel could hear screams from the people behind him. "That's him! That's him! Hurry up!" This order came from a bald, straight man who wore sunglasses. The men immediately got into their respective cars and chased Jonathan. 

"What's wrong with them?" Samuel could feel a dread of tension rising through the atmosphere above them, his hands gripping the handle of the car. He saw Jonathan's face that was so worried, his forehead furrowed deep, and his eyes never left the rearview mirror; he glanced briefly then continued to drive fast. Jonathan didn't answer Samuel's question, and he kept glancing at him with his heart beating fast.

In front of them was a large and long truck with large and many wheels, which was about to pass; sweat trickled down Jonathan's temples which were twitching violently, his shoulders heaving, his teeth pressed against one another, the grip on the gear lever tightened until the nerves were almost visible, and his knuckles turned white. He pulled the lever with a racing heart, then squeezed the gas with his foot. "Waaaaaaaaa!" Samuel shouted very loudly; Jonathan was crazy, he avoided the group of people and let them both lose their lives. "Waaaa!" Samuel closed his eyes, and he couldn't bear to see the truck crushing him to the ground. He'd be laying down his life in a minute in this car with his stupid friend. "Damn it! What have you done to my life!" he cursed as he gripped the door handle so tightly his whole body was shaking violently. He lay face down all over his body, pain running through his every nerve; his flesh seemed to be torn apart as his whole body buckled. 

Whoosh...

The car drove at high speed into the aisle of a vehicle passing by. Samuel's heart had been torn apart and violently taken from its place, and he was scared to death. Still, then when he realized that nothing was crushing him and crushing every bone, Samuel blinked his eyes quiveringly and slowly started to open his eyes. "s**t! You bastard!" His voice trembled. He slowly got up and saw Jonathan's face was bright. "What's with them! Why are they chasing us like this!" cried Samuel looking behind him, but now the cars were out of sight. "What have you done to them?" However, Jonathan still didn't want to say anything. Immediately Samuel turned his head to the window, and he put his hands together to support his heavy head. Arriving on a busy street, Jonathan pulled over, got out of the car, and said harshly, "Get out!" Samuel looked with relief, and he was already in front of the alley of his house. 

"Jonathan," he sighed, "tell me what I can do for you?" Jonathan's face became impatient, and he said, "Get out!" Samuel took a deep breath he got out of the car. In front of the alley of his house, he saw a woman about twenty-five years old standing there. She held her bag hesitantly, then turned around and accidentally bumped into Samuel's body. "Sorry. Sorry. I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry." The woman kept crouching, and she could barely show her face. Samuel wiggled his palms in front of his chest. "It's okay. It's okay. Are you all right?" asked Samuel, bending down and picking up the woman's bag that had fallen. 

"Let me take it," when she said that, she accidentally hit Samuel's head. "Ah." 

"Are you okay?" asked Samuel in a worried tone. 

"Forgive me." She kept rubbing her head, she grimaced, but all that came out of her mouth was, "No. It's okay. I'm fine." Then she stepped backward. Samuel watched the woman, and she looked very nervous. "Can I help you? It looks like there's something you'd like to meet in this alley." However, the woman looked awkward; she tried to cover her face with her short hair. "Who are you looking for? Maybe I can help you."

Again the woman just bowed awkwardly. "I think I have the wrong address," and after that, she immediately left the place. "Wait!" cried Samuel when he saw something familiar in the woman's hand. The woman's heart was pounding. She did not want to linger in that place. "Yes, what is up?" she said in a choked voice in her throat. Samuel's brow furrowed. "What's that in your hand?" asked Samuel. His eyes were fixed firmly on the small object he had also received yesterday. Jonathan hadn't left yet, before he kept chuckling, sneering at the beautiful woman in front of him who was acting awkwardly like that, but after Samuel said, "What's in your hand?" His attention was drawn to the small object. Jonathan's hair stood on end. It's true what Samuel said; someone or a group of people are waiting for them somewhere, Jonathan thought as he swallowed his bitter saliva.

"Where did you get that envelope from? Who are you? Are you a former CDA employee too?" asked Samuel curiously. "Why did you come here?"