22
Amber drove down the street, on her way back home to get Jacob's stuffs.
She could have easily called a maid to get them for her but the idea of a maid going through Jacob's wardrobe and touching his under wears did not make her comfortable
She does not care if anyone thinks she is just being too obsessive or jealous
But she just can't.
She decided to stop in front of a mall to buy him some snacks
He has not been eating for the past few days he has been in the hospital, because of his sickness
The Anorexia
The doctor's gave him drugs that will give him appetite but then it was too hard for him
One time, he would say he is hungry but then after taking one or two bites, he would say he is full
And then if Enzo tries to force him to take more bites, he would throw everything up
His condition is not improving and he keeps losing weights day by day.
Perhaps, eating snacks would help him.
She parked her car across the street and crossed to the other side to get to the mall.
On picking a shopping basket, she began to scan the Mall, diligently searching for what Jacob would eat.
As she got to the cookies side, she stretched her hands to pick a particular type of cookies made from vanilla since Jacob seems to like vanilla flavor but then someone snatched it before she did.
She turned her head and arched her brow when she noticed it was Maria
"Hi sis, did you miss me?" Maria grinned and dropped the cookies in the basket in her own hand
Amber rolled her eyes and picked another cookies and then proceeded to keep shopping while Maria decided to tag along
"Why are you here shopping? You guys have a lot of maids so why can't they come shopping for you?" Maria said mockingly but she was ignored as Amber just pretended she was not talking to her
"I can't believe you are ignoring your own sister right now just for some idiot"
Amber stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Maria with a glare
"watch your mouth, Maria"
"Did I make you angry?" Maria scoffed "Because I called Jacob an idiot? C'mon Amber, we both know he is an idiot"
"What are you doing here?" Amber frowned "From what I know, this mall is about two hours drive from your house, so why would you come shopping here?"
"Well, that's because things are more cheaper here" Maria said with a straight face, trying to look like she was telling the truth but it was so obvious she was telling lies
"Have you been stalking me?" Amber arched her brow and took some steps closer to her "Why?"
"Don't get the wrong idea... Why would I stalk you? Do you think I am that jobless?"
"Then give me a sensible reason for being here!" Amber snapped at her "I told you I do not want to see you again, didn't I? I told you to get lost!"
"Seriously?" Maria scoffed "You are just gonna let Jacob break our sister's ties?"
"You broke the tie yourself, why did you do that to Jacob?"
"Stop acting like you care Amber, we both know you never loved him"
"What are you saying?" Amber clenched her fist "Jacob is my husband, why won't I love my husband?"
"You married him out of pity" Maria smirked "He was so poor and so you decided to show him some pity because of how kind hearted you are but then what happened to you guys at the end? Your marriage was miserable"
"Maria!"
"Do you think he is with you because he loves you?" Maria grinned "Why would he love you? You never showed him love from the beginning, he is probably with you because he needs you to be his weapon. To mafias, Marriage is important, they can use it to stomp on whoever they wants"
"Why do you keep talking like you know us?" Amber's hands were trembling and she was trying to hide that from Maria so that she won't think she just hit the spot.
She turned her gaze back to the cart and was about to take a chocolate bar but then Maria snatched it first again just like she did in the first time
But this time, another being collected it from her
They both turned to look at who it was and there was Ian , leaning on the cart and chewing a candy
"I took that first!" Maria frowned and tried to take it back but Ian dropped it in Amber's basket
"Don't be so petty, you can just pick another one. There are a lot of similar chocolate bars here" Ian scoffed
"Who the hell are you?!" Maria frowned
"I am Ian Grey Hennessy, and who the fuck are you?"
Maria's face was filled with both anger and surprise
"You are Ian Grey Hennessy?" She asked again just to be sure she was hearing the right now "Jacob's brother?"
"Yes" Ian nodded proudly
All expressions were all suddenly replaced with Fear
"What are you going to do to me now?" Maria gulped "Are you going to kill me?"
"You are too weak minded for someone who was yelling at an innocent lady just now" Ian chuckled and turned to Amber "Who is she?"
"She is my sister, just ignore her" Amber replied sullenly
Ian turned back to Maria with a glare which made her gasp in fear "I don't care if you are her sister or not? In no way are you allowed to treat my sister-in-law like this, understand?"
Maria gulped and tried to stop her hands from trembling
"Understand?!" Ian yelled at her and she immediately replied with a nod.
He helped Amber buy the remaining things she wanted to get and they both walked out of the mall, each holding a bag containing the things they had bought
"Thanks for today" Amber said with a faint smile
"It's nothing, I just did what needed to be done. Your sister seems to be bullying you, as she always been like this?"
Amber shook her head "No, she suddenly changed after I moved in with Jacob. She does not like Jacob"
"That's right" Ian snapped his fingers "I heard about the story of how your family maltreated Jacob and then Enzo captured your sister and brother because of that"
"Yes, it is because of that"
They both crossed to the other side of the road where Amber's car was parked
"By the way, how did you know I was in the mall?" Amber opened the back seat and placed all the stuffs inside
"It was coincidentally, I came to buy candies" Ian grinned as he showed her the candies he really came to get
"It seems you like candies a lot, I will make sure to get you some the next time we meet" Amber checked her wristwatch "I have to go now, I am running late"
"How is Jacob?" Ian asked, one could hear the worry in his voice even though he seems to be trying to hide it
"Are you worried about him?" Amber scoffed "That's unlike you"
"I know right?" Ian sighed "It's just too tiring since he is hospitalized, Dad has been making me do all the works"
"And here was I thinking you are worried about him but then you are just worried because you have been doing all the works in his stead" Amber shook her head in disappointment "You are unbelievable"
"Whatever" Ian sucked in his teeth "So when are you going to visit? It's been days now, charlie misses you a lot"
"I miss her too but then I have to focus on Jacob's recovery. I will make sure I visit soon" she waved at him and was about to enter the driver's seat but Ian grabbed her wrist
"Amber, by the way...." He scratched the back of his neck "Jacob does not like seeing us together, right?"
"Obviously" Amber scoffed "You are his step brother and he believes you hate me"
"Why are you always so honest" Ian sighed "Then why are you still talking to me so comfortably? Jacob would probably get mad if he knows"
"Jacob hates you, not me. I believe you have a very beautiful soul" Amber smiled "You are the type to brightens a person's day when they are down, it would be such a waste not to make friends with someone like you"
Ian was mute as he just kept staring at her
He could feel himself getting hot
Apart from the 'Good job' he always gets from his father, this is the first time he would be receiving a sincere compliment from someone
"I have to go now, Jacob will be waiting" Amber slowly let go of her wrist and entered the car before starting the engine of her.
As Ian also drove off, Maria came out from where she has been hiding and eavesdropping on their conversations
She let out a deep breath and stretched her body, the place she was hiding was too cramped up
"Why do I feel like Ian is in love with Amber?" She murmured to herself
"I think so too" she heard a masculine voice behind her
She turned and saw a strange looking guy staring at her
"Who are you?"
"Is it right for Ian to fall in love with Amber? I mean, she is married to his brother" he said
"I know right?" Maria nodded in agreement "But the question is, are Jacob and Amber in love?"
"In love or not, they are married so they will grow on each other after a long time. The one who would get hurt here is Ian" he added
"You are right, and...." Maria suddenly paused and arched her brow "By the way, who are you?"
"Me?" He pointed at himself "You don't know who I am?"
"I would if you will introduce yourself" Maria frowned
"You really don't know who I am?" He asked again just to be sure "Don't you watch the news?"
"Why would I? Watching news is mostly for old people"
"No, no. I don't mean news like that, I mean, don't you read articles or are you not always active on social medias?"
"Just spill your name already!" Maria snapped at him
"Fine" he sighed "I am Mason Grey Hennessy"
"Mason Grey Hennessy? Then are you Ian's brother, Jacob's step brother?" Maria scanned him from head to toe but did not look impressed
"You are right, that's me" Mason brushed his hair out of his eyes proudly
"Alright" Maria scoffed "Why are you here?"
"That is not what us important right now" Mason took a step closer to her "I believe the both of us have a mutual enemy"
"A mutual enemy?" Maria arched her brow "What are you talking about?"
"A mutual enemy is someone....."
"I know what a mutual enemy means " Maria interrupted "Can you emphasize?"
"I know you do not like Jacob, that son of a bitch wronged your family so much"
"And so what?" Maria rolled her eyes "He is powerful and influential, I just have to let him go with anything he does"
"That's not right" Mason clicked his tongue "You should not just give up on things like that"
"So what do you want me to do? I don't want to get on his nerves, the last time we did that, his crazy bodyguard captured I and my brother and locked us up with no food and water" Maria poured out frustratingly "Do you know how annoying that is?"
"I know" Mason nodded "Which is why I am offering you to take my hands now. You hate Jacob so much that you want to crush him, just like me"
Maria was mute as she kept staring at Mason, hesitating.
She could not think of an answer to give him right away
Mason moved closer to her and held her hands
"C'mon Maria, let's crush our enemy together".