I was so angry at him for fighting, for going behind my back and keeping that aspect of his life a secret. However, I’ve come to realise that Jake only involved himself in those fights for me. He used it as a cover so he could search for the man who attacked me all those months ago, seeking revenge for what I had been through.
Jake sometimes goes about things the wrong way but his love for me has been constant since we met. His devotion has been consistent, unwavering and true despite everything.
When the chaos which surrounds our relationship becomes too much, I try to imagine us both someplace else. I picture us somewhere serene and tranquil, watching the sunset on a deserted island or somewhere exotic. The thought of Jake wading out into the ocean stills the turmoil which rages on inside of me and I somehow manage to find a moment of peace.
I still don’t understand what happened with Jake and the girl I caught him with last night. He swore he was telling the truth, unable to remember how she came to be on top of him and making out and as furious as I am about it… I do believe him. There’s every chance that Sarah spiked his drink, she’s certainly manipulative enough if she’s been following me for the past couple of months.
I climb out of bed, careful so I don’t disturb him. I need some fresh air but don’t want to interrupt his rest or cause him to worry. Scribbling a note, I leave it by the bed in case he wakes up while I’m gone.
Don’t worry if I’m not here when you wake up. I needed some fresh air but I won’t be too long… I’ll be home soon.
Forever & Always xx
For the first time in months I feel peaceful. The weather is turning warmer and the sparkling sunlight from the sun gives off this ethereal sparkle as I walk on, enjoying the fact that I have no location in mind.
I just need this time alone so I can think, reminiscing about my life and how drastically it’s been changed since I met Jake.
There are people who I miss, people who are no longer in my life and yet… I’m happy. I don’t know where this understanding came from, all I know is I’ve found my way back. I retraced my steps and what I found was Jake.
He had been there all along.
“Bethany?”
I whirl around, startled by the sound of someone calling out my name.
“Mum?”
I can hardly believe my eyes as I come face to face with my mother. We haven’t seen one another since the day I left home a few months ago, although it feels much longer than that.
“Sweetheart, I’ve missed you so much.” She sobs, flinging her arms around me in a warm embrace.
“W-what are you doing here? How did you find me?” I ask, returning her affection as emotion permeates my voice.
“It’s purely coincidental. I’m just on my way home.”
“He actually allowed you to leave the house?” I enquire, incredulous and surprised by her statement.
“So long as I’m back in half an hour.” She replies, smiling meekly.
“Oh, Mum.”
“Enough about me, tell me how you are. Are you happy? Is the baby ok?”
I frown, wondering how she even knew I was pregnant. It suddenly dawns on me that Jake must have told her the night he beat up my father.
“There is no baby, Mum. Not anymore.”
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.”
“It’s ok.” I assure her, raking my fingers through my hair. “It wasn’t for a long time but it is now.”
“I’m so relieved that you’re alright. I’ve been worrying myself sick all these months, wondering where you are and if you’re happy.”
“I’m so sorry about Gran.” I tell her, realising it’s the first time I’ve spoken with her about the death of her own mother. “I miss her so much.”
“Me too.” She informs me, wiping her tears as they begin to fall. “You remind me of her, Bethany. You’re so brave and strong, it’s inspiring for someone like me to see how far you’ve come. You escaped and it gives me hope that I might do the same someday.”
“You can.” I insist, taking hold of her hands. “Come home with me and we’ll take care of you. Jake won’t mind and it will mean you won’t have to live with that monster anymore.”
“You actually think he would let me go?” She scoffs, trembling slightly.
“Why not? He let go of me.”
“Oh, Bethany. If only you knew…”
“Knew what?”
She remains silent, moistening her lips before she speaks again.
“He’s been plotting and scheming to get you back home for months. He’s… he’s even got in touch with his long lost daughter to try and come between you and Jake.”
“What?”
I can hardly believe what I’m hearing, staring at her in astonishment and disbelief.
“Her name is Sarah and she’s extremely beautiful. I guess she must take after her mother.”
My eyes widen, wondering if I heard my mum correctly.
“Did you just say her name is Sarah?”
“Yes, do you know her?”
“Mum, this is really important. Can you tell me what she look like?”
“She has long blonde hair, blue eyes and she’s tall and slender.”
“And how old is she?”
“A couple of years older than you. Which means your father must have been having an affair before you were even born.”
I want to throw up. I want to scream, cry and lose control right in front of her but instead… I stay composed, aware that I need to get as much information as I can.
“You said he’s been plotting?”
“All I know is she came over to the house last night with the intention of keeping your father updated. I think she’s been following you, Bethany.”
“You have no idea how important this is.” I say, imploring her to tell me everything she knows.
“There is one more thing…” She wrings her hands together, clearly distressed by everything which has been happening. “I was listening outside the door when she came over last night. I overheard her saying that she had managed to persuade some girl into convincing Jake that he’s the father of her baby.”
“You mean she’s lying?” I gasp, struggling to remain standing.
I feel faint and beyond horrified that these people would go to such lengths to destroy my relationship with Jake. It’s beyond anything I could ever imagine and I despise the pair of them for it.
“I’m afraid so. It’s part of their plan to split the pair of you up.”
“I can’t believe this… I can’t believe that son of a bitch is still trying to control my life!” I cry, battling against the rage which is starting to take hold.
“Bethany, he’ll never stop. This is what I’m trying to tell you.”
She strokes my arm, her eyes brimming with compassion for my hopeless situation… as well as her own.
“Believe me, he will. I’m going to put a stop to this once and for all.”
“What are you going to do?” She asks, sounding hesitant and more than a little fearful.
“I don’t know yet but Jake will.” I reply boldly, no longer afraid. “I’m going to tell him everything.”
I give my new number to my mum, making her swear that she will keep it safe. She assures me she will and we embrace one more time before I watch her walk away, returning home to the father I’ve come to know as a monster.
Racing all the way home, I speed through the front door of our apartment and collide with Jake. He reaches out to keep me from falling and asks me what’s wrong, demanding that I tell him what’s just happened.
“I’ve just seen my mum.” I tell him, struggling to catch my breath.
“Your mum?” He prompts me, forcing me to sit down on the sofa. “Where was she?”
“I just bumped into her when I was taking a walk and she told me a few things.”
“Such as?”
“Jake, Marissa is lying to you. You’re not the father of her baby.”
“How can you pos
sibly know that?”
“She’s part of some scheme to split us up, something my father came up with as well as Sarah.”
“Sarah?” He asks, his eyes widening in disbelief.
“My God… where do I even start?”
I’m still gasping for air, unable to control my racing heartrate or the adrenaline which is coursing through my veins.
“Shh, take a deep breath.” Jake advises me, stroking down the side of my face with his thumb. “Try and calm down and just start from the beginning, ok?”
I nod my head and thank him when he insists on fetching me a glass of water, guzzling it down before I continue.
“Jake, she’s my half-sister.”
“She’s what?”
“She’s my father’s estranged daughter and they’ve been working together since I moved in with you. They even sent Marissa to come and tell us that her baby is yours and that’s also the reason why Sarah has been following me. She must have told about you about Callum, hoping it would split us up.”
“I’ll kill her.” Jake threatens, jumping up onto his feet.
“No, you can’t do that.” I beg him, clinging onto his arm to stop him from leaving. “Jake, you can’t go anywhere near her or my father.”
“Why not? They can’t get away with this. I almost lost you because of them!”
He’s trembling with fury, grappling with his need to find the two of them and make them pay.
“Do you feel this?” I ask, standing in front of him so I can place his hand against my chest. “Do you feel how fast my heart is beating?”
His penetrating gaze locks onto mine, surprised that I’m mirroring his gesture from the night before.
“Yes.”
“My heart is racing because I’m happy, not because I’m afraid or distraught.”
“How can you be happy after everything you’ve just found out?” He demands incredulously.
“Because despite everything, we’re still together. We’re still in love and stronger than we’ve ever been before. Regardless of what they tried to do to us… they failed. We know the truth now and no one can touch us.”
I wait for my words to sink in, watching him calm down right before my very eyes.
“Why are you so much smarter than me?” He jokes, circling his arms around my waist so he can pull me close. “I still don’t know if I’ll be able to keep myself from going after that bastard father of yours but for you… I’ll try.”
“Don’t call him that.” I respond coldly. “That man is no longer my father.”
“No but he is Sarah’s.” He says, speaking softly. “I can’t believe I failed to notice how similar they are.”
“I can’t believe I’m actually related to her.” I murmur, trying to adjust to the newfound knowledge that I’m not an only child after all. “She’s my half-sister.”
“Let’s not think about it anymore.” He interjects, wanting to change the subject. “I need to figure out what I’m going to say to Marissa when she comes over to discuss the child that isn’t even mine.”
“We’ll confront her together.” I assure him, taking hold of his hand. “We’ll tell her that we know the truth and she’s bound to go back and inform Sarah as well as him.”
I can’t even bring myself to say his name, consumed by hatred for the man who seems to take delight in trying to destroy my life.
“What about your mum? Can we help her in anyway?”
“I told her she could have come back here with me but she knows she can’t ever be free of him. He’s a controlling dictator who needs to be stopped.”
“So how do we stop him?”
“We’ll think of something.” I reply firmly, certain that his reign of terror must come to an end. “So long as we’re together, no one can stop us.”
“I like the sound of that.” He adds, smiling happily.
“Always?” I ask him, reaching up on my tip toes so I can kiss him.
“And forever.” He concludes, brushing his lips against mine.
Little did I know, we would have just one more week together…
Chapter Twelve
We confronted Marissa when she came over to see us, revealing that we knew the truth behind her lie and who put her up to it. It’s safe to say she was devastated to have been found out in such a way and apologised profusely to us both.
A part of me actually felt sorry for her, figuring out the main reason for her going along with such a scheme was for the money my father had paid her through Sarah. I know how terrifying it can be to face a pregnancy you’re not ready for and I told her I understood her fear. She was grateful for the compassion I had showed her and promised she would have no more dealings with Sarah or the man who orchestrated the whole thing in the first place.
Jake and I spent the next few days in a blissful and dreamlike private world. It felt like everything that had happened to us had somehow made us stronger, solidifying the love we had for one another as well as the commitment we had foolishly almost let go of.
I was amazed that Jake had kept his promise and stayed away from Sarah and my father. He swore that he would keep his distance and not fall back on his tendency to use violence. In exchange for such a miraculous change, I also promised to stay away from Callum.
One day I will broach the subject of seeing him again but for now… I know it’s too soon for Jake to get his head around it. I realise that the only way to keep moving forward is to stop turning back and I decided to quit doing that the day my mum told me everything that had been going on.
Her revelations granted us a new beginning. It felt like we were starting a whole new chapter and couldn’t wait to find out what was next for us.
“What are you thinking?” Jake enquires gently, pulling me out of my deep contemplation.
“Just how much can change in seven days.” I answer, smiling up at him.
We’re both on the sofa, watching some movie I haven’t paid much attention to since it started.
“Tell me about it… this time last week I thought you had left me.”
“I won’t put you through that again.” I insist, making sure I sound certain. “You know that, don’t you?”
“Promise?” Jake asks, forcing me to look at him.
“I promise.”
“So… you won’t think I’m completely crazy if I ask you to put your coat on right now and come with me.”
“I might…” I joke, speculating out loud. “But I’ll come anyway.”
I have no idea where he’s taking me but trust him when he tells me to close my eyes. Jake is adamant that I let him guide me, determined when it comes to his plan to surprise me.
After five minutes of walking with my eyes shut, we finally reach our destination and we come to a standstill.
“Ok, you can open them now.” Jake instructs me, placing his hand on my lower back.
I do as he asks and gasp when I realise where we are…
The place where we first met.
It’s the exact spot and I turn around to face him with tears in my eyes.
“I haven’t been to this place since we used to meet here.” I confide in him, overwhelmed by the emotions this location stirs up inside of me.
“Neither have I” Jake informs me, watching me closely. “I thought it was time we came back here again.”
“How come?”
“I wanted to reaffirm my commitment to you and remind myself that I should cherish every single moment that I have with you.”
I’m so sorry I made you doubt me.”
“Bethany, everything is forgiven. I want us to start a whole new chapter and move on from what’s happened.”
He takes a strand of my hair and strokes it, savouring this moment just like I am.
“Do you remember how you literally barged right into me?” I laugh, recalling the exact moment when Jake and I collided.
I was lost and consumed by sadness that night, wondering when my life would begin and if I would ever find the stre
ngth to escape my father’s clutches. I had been sitting there on the ground when Jake was on his home, stumbling over me before he knocked me flying.
He altered my life forever that night. It hasn’t been the same since.
“You were just sitting there in the dark.” Jake reminds me, pulling me closer towards him. “I couldn’t help myself tripping over you.”
“You found me.” I whisper, gazing up at him in adoration. “You found me that night and saved me.”
“You saved me.” He insists, lowering his mouth towards mine. “And I’ll never be able to thank you.”
He kisses me and I tremble, unable to describe how much I love this man.
“You just did.” I murmur, smiling happily.
We still haven’t heard anything from Sarah or my father and a part of me is hoping that they’ve given up on the idea of trying to come between us. I know this might sound slightly naive but I’m confident that Jake and I are indestructible now. We can take on anything and remain strong.
To cement and celebrate our new start, we decide to celebrate by going into town later on that night. I wear a new dress which I first bought when moving in with Jake and he chooses a luxurious restaurant for us to dine in.
We laugh, talk and flirt together all night, enjoying the company of one another for the first time in months. It’s exactly like I told Jake last week when I said I felt free. I can hardly contain the anticipation I have when it comes to our future and I’m amazed it’s taken us so long to reach this harmonious point in our relationship.
It’s during our walk home after our meal when I feel it…
We’re being watched.
Every single one of my instincts is screaming at me that something is wrong. I just feel it but don’t know how to explain that to Jake when he asks me what the matter is.
“I don’t know…” I reply truthfully, coming to a standstill so I can take a look around. “I just want to get home.”
“At least tell me what it is.” Jake persists, stroking the back of my hand. “Something’s bothering you.”
There’s no one else around and the street is deserted. It’s dark and the silence which surrounds consumes me with dread.
Forever & Always (Always & Forever Book 2) Page 11