"You don't have to do this alone. We can do it some other time." Adrian was so worried about James. He hadn't slept for 3 days. He had stopped eating proper meals, all in the name of preparing for the battle. "I have to do this today. No way I'm leaving her alive to see another day." James didn't even look up at Adrian.
He planned and re-planned everything. Checked and rechecked every nook and cranny of the battleground. "So, this comes here…. And this will give me a perfect shot…" he kept mumbling to himself, while Adrian stood idle staring at him as if he was a creature from an unknown planet. "Let me go with you-" Adrian stopped abruptly as James motioned him to stay quiet while he calculated the total time for the mission.
"If everything goes according to me, within fifteen minutes that bitch will be as good as dead." He said as he rose from the table he was glued to for the last 3 days. "Are you sure you want to do it? Because if you get cold feet at the last moment, that might be your final moment. You may have spared her a few times. She won't even think a minute before blowing you off." Adrian was hoping James would back down. This wasn't healthy. "No. I won't. I have some responsibility towards the group. Moreover, I owe you this much. You have suffered enough." James said.
"It's been 3 days since I rejected her. You have been suffering for one and a half year now!" Adrian almost shouted. His voice cracked as the view of Jennifer's swollen red eyes reappeared. "I want to do this. Alone. I know what I am into." James said solemnly. "Go to the party. Make sure everything is under control there. If my plan doesn't go very smoothly, there might be a chance that they still come for Jennifer."
Adrian clenched his fingers tightly at the thought of those beasts eyeing Jennifer. "I won't let anyone or anything harm her. And since you are so determined, best of luck." Adrian walked out of the room, genuinely scared for the first time in life. Every time the den went out for hunt, they were the unkillable hunters. This time Adrian's best friend was the prey.
He was stepping into the war zone, fully aware that his chances of survival were smaller than ever. Adrian feared that this might be the exact reason he decided to step in. "No. No. Don't think like that. You have a task at hand. Focus." Adrian pushed all the negative thoughts away.
Back home, Jennifer got up from the couch to get changed. Today her father was hosting another party in hopes of attracting investors. After the breach of the contract, their company survived huge losses. Jennifer's father was in dire need for attracting investors. Even the greatest businessman of all times needs allies.
"I know you don't want to go but please, for your father, please pretend to be interested in the party. Don't create trouble. This party means a lot to our business." Jennifer's mother told her when she came to check up on her. "I know. I'll try not to get pissed." Jennifer muttered uninterested as she slipped into her pastel pink net gown with thigh high slit. "There will be a lot of guys there. The sons' of the investors, your dad has given you a chance. Choose any guy you like. For the ascension of the business, we have to get you engaged." When Jennifer's mother told the real reason for this party, Jennifer literally felt her soul leave her body.
The memory of Adrian's rejection was fresh in her mind. "Mom, I'm too young to get married." Jennifer freaked out. "I can't get married." she kept listing several reasons while she shouldn't get married right now. "This isn't a marriage. It's more of a verbal promise to give direction to the future endeavors of our company." Jennifer's mom tried to convince her that she wasn't going to marry her so soon.
"Still. I can't do this. You just want to use me as a bait in your future. I'm no cogwheel. Dad is capable enough, he can find some other way. I won't use somebody's feelings to give an up thrust to our business." Jennifer was firm on her stand. No means no. She wasn't going to play with anyone's heart. What if the boy actually fell in love with her.
She knew, she couldn't love anybody else, apart from Adrian and breaking the boy's heart is horribly erroneous. She won't do that. "Sweetheart, at the current rate of our business growth, very soon our shares will get affected. Please, you don't want your father's hard work to go waste. Do you?" Appeasing Jennifer was the ultimate target today.
"No. Not at all." Jennifer was still adamant. Jennifer's mother couldn't accept defeat. "I wasn't suppose to tell you this but since you haven't left me any option. Just know that if you don't do this today, Adrian will get into trouble." Jennifer was confused. For Adrian, she could do anything. "How?" she asked. Jennifer's mother looked defeated. "Look, Don't get mad. I'm sorry for hiding this from you. If our company's shares fall, Rains Association will exceed us and your father won't accept that."
"Then, he will use his other forces to bring down Rains Association." Jennifer connected the remaining dots of the puzzle. "Yes." Jennifer's mother said. "But, dad was never like this. Why is he doing this? He never cared about something as materialistic as money." Jennifer was confused with this sudden change in her father's behavior. "Actually, you father was like this always. It's just that I won't let you see his imperfections."
"Mom…" Jennifer noticed tears in her mother's eyes. "Please do this." Jennifer's mother pleaded for the last time. "Only for Adrian and his safety." Jennifer agreed to forlorn deal with a heavy heart. Everyone had to make some sacrifices to protect the ones they love.