Two years ago; Trenton, New Jersey- Liam (Raven):
Liam was stunned, shocked really. He stared across the mahogany desk at his father, his mouth gaping, unsure what to say, how to react. Liam quickly snapped his mouth shut, not wanting to be reprimanded for showing an emotion other than anger. He knew the second his father uttered the words lung cancer that he would have no choice but to finally bite the bullet and marry who his father wanted, Madeline.
Liam’s jaw clenched, his hands balling up into fists, fingernails digging into his palms at the thought of being forever bound to Madeline. He had resisted his father’s efforts for years. While officially she wore a ring, not the ring—the one that was his mother’s, he refused to acknowledge the engagement he was forced into. He didn’t care that Madeline was groomed to be his partner, that she knew the business inside and out, had grace and poise that rivaled any other woman while remaining tough and rigid, a perfect supportive yet yielding wife any mobster would dream of marrying. These qualities made Madeline perfect in his father’s eyes, but it was these exact qualities that made Liam loathe the idea of being married to her.
Madeline’s upbringing made her cold and unfeeling. She had stated more than once that she was willing to turn a blind eye to any indiscretions as long as she was the only one to bear any children. Children, the biggest reason Liam detested the thought of marrying Madeline. He may have lost his mother when he was only eight years old, but he still remembered the warmth, love and compassion her chestnut brown eyes held whenever she looked at him. He remembered the feeling of being wrapped in her loving embrace as she read to him, how he always felt safe, happy and loved while wrapped up in her arms. The sparkle in her eyes as she played pretend with him, the sadness they held whenever his father brought up his training for his birthright. The way she cared for all the children in the family as if they were her own. He longed for a wife, a partner who held the same kindness and compassion, a woman who showed love like his mother had. Liam wanted someone who would ground him, give his children the kind of childhood he had until Bastien had stolen it from him. A wife who would guide him on his path to vengeance, but keep him from going too far.
The thought of marrying Madeline made Liam feel hollow and empty. He refused to be confined in a loveless marriage. He had spent years coming up with reason after reason why he needed to postpone the wedding. He kept holding out hope that he might meet someone who made him feel strong and whole, like he could take on the world, instead of the hollow empty feeling he carried with him now. He feared his father’s news would be what finally forced him to do the one thing he dreaded.
Liam’s head spun with thoughts of her as he maneuvered through the widespread house back to his room, his sanctuary. It had been six years since he saw her, really truly saw her, more than in mere passing when she visited from college. He envied her freedom, the choice she had in what it was her future held. He hated he was destined to one thing, a business he didn’t really want any part of except to exact revenge on the man who took his mother from him. He never wanted this life, but it was the one he was born into. He once dreamed of escaping the life with her, the dream vanishing when his mother was murdered in what they assumed to be cold-blood. He had allowed himself to slowly drift apart from one of his closest friends when she left for Chicago for college to live her life away from the life, away from the family, away from him. She deserved to live the life she wanted, and that life wasn’t there, wasn’t with him. He had hated to admit it, but once she was gone he realized how much she really meant to him. He noticed that she was on his mind more than she should have been. He bit his tongue, keeping the truth from her, he couldn’t make her question her own dreams. He hated to lose her, but he knew it was for the best, he needed to let her go and let her live her own best life, at least then one of them wouldn’t be stuck in the life. The only relief he felt was that she was free, even if it meant she was free of him too.
Back in his room Liam nervously chewed on his bottom lip as he stared at his phone. He hesitated as his finger hovered over her name a moment before finally pressing call. What am I doing? She got out, she’s happy in Chicago! His breath caught in his throat, heart beating rapidly as the phone rang waiting for her voice to break through the line. I should just let her live her life! He contemplated hanging up before she could answer, knowing the friend she was growing up he knew she would drop everything and come home if he asked. Is it fair of me to ask? He heard the click of the phone being picked up. For the first time in his life he hoped he reached her voice mail, he couldn’t upend her life no matter how much he needed her level headedness in this moment.
Raven’s heart stopped in her chest when she saw his name pop up on her phone. She hadn’t spoken to him except in passing in the last six years. No no no! Her heart plummeted to her stomach at the realization that he could only be calling her for one reason. Oh please no! Her hand shook, heart racing as she pushed answer. She hesitantly brought the phone to her ear, not ready to hear the news he had called to give her. “Liam? Please tell me my mom is safe!” Raven begged, her voice broke with emotion, voice raised in panic, as hot tears stung her eyes, not even caring about proper phone etiquette in that moment.
Liam felt his heart clench at the sound of the fear and panic in her voice. “Raven, no she’s fine I promise!” Liam replied, taking a deep breath, “that’s not why I called.” Never before had he felt so bad, he just needed her support and instead he made her panic. Why did I call? This was a terrible idea! What the fuck was I thinking?!
Raven sighed in relief, the weight around her heart releasing slightly, putting her more at ease than she felt since she saw his name pop up on her phone. “Okay, then why did you call?” She questioned, fear giving way to confusion.
Liam sighed, knowing as soon as he uttered the words they would slip back into their old roles. She would try to make him feel like he had control over his life, like he had a choice in what became of his life when he knew that was the farthest thing from the truth. He knew she’d be ready to come and offer him whatever comfort she could, putting her entire life on hold for him. Can I really take her chance from her? He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. It’s too late, I can’t turn back now. His heart clenched knowing she would be ready to fly back the next day if he asked, I never should have called her! “It’s my dad, he has lung cancer.”
Raven’s heart broke for Liam, the fear she had felt just seeing his name come up, the fear of what might have happened couldn’t compare to the multitude of emotions she knew he had to be feeling in this moment. She couldn’t imagine losing both parents, one to someone they had trusted and now knowing that his father would soon be dying by an uncontrollable force. She couldn’t help but think what a cruel joke it was that someone so kind would go through so much pain and hurt, be forced into such a terrible life, and all before he was even thirty. She glanced around her living room, a picture of them at her graduation gracing her wall, she made a life here, but it was missing him. Could she stay here and let him go through this on his own? She shook her head, she knew she needed to go and be there for him, even if he’d only ever look at her as the younger annoying friend. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Don’t try to talk me out of of coming!” She declared, pushing end call before he could try to convince her to stay. Her heart clenched again, this time in pain instead of fear, she knew it wouldn’t be easy being around him being nothing more than a friend. She shoved the pain aside, he needed her, just like he needed her eighteen years ago. She could do this, she could handle just being his friend, for him.
Liam sighed, his phone dropping to his bed, his head dropping into his hands. Why did have I bother her? He shouldn’t have told her, he shouldn’t have called her. She deserves better than me! She shouldn’t be shackled to a life she never wanted, the life she’d live in Trenton by his side. Who am I kidding she doesn’t like me like that! He mentally chastised himself for thinking someone as perfect as Raven could ever have feelings for him. The only person he’d ever have by his side would be cold, cruel, and unfeeling. He would never find a way out of his forced marriage to Madeline, he knew that now, only he made things worse by pulling the one person he thought he might be happy with back into the life. God what was I thinking?! He should have known better than telling her what was going on with his father, he knew she would drop everything for him, that was just the type of friend she was. Liam needed to come to terms with the marriage he would have no choice but going into, and now he had to figure out how to show Raven he was fine and she could return to her life. The thought of lying to her, and saying goodbye to a future with anyone but Madeline all at once made his heart ache in a way he thought it might not ever stop. He needed to pull himself together, he would soon be in charge, far before when they ever thought he would, he needed to act like the man he needed to be, the man his father expected him to be. He needed to leave behind his childhood fantasies and do what was expected of him, he needed to let go any hopes of having a life with her.
Present day; Trenton, New Jersey:
Liam sorted through the stack of mail on his desk, pausing when he saw one with a return address for a nearby nursing home. Confusion overtook him as he opened the envelope, pulling out what was most certainly a bill. Why was he paying a nursing home? He picked up the phone, punching in the number, needing to get to the bottom of the bill. Perhaps it’s a mistake. He glanced at the name, clear as day ‘Constantine Rhys’ printed as payee, no other information given. He drummed his fingers against the mahogany desk as he waited for the phone to be answered. New questions coming up every second that passed as he waited.
“Royal Pines, Katherine speaking.”
“Hello Katherine, I was going through my mail and found a bill for your facilities and was hoping you might be able to tell me what it was for. My father has passed and the bill is in his name.” Liam replied.
“I’m so sorry for your loss. If you give me the information I should be able to help you.”
Liam relayed the needed information, his heart racing in his chest as he waited as she typed into the computer.
“It looks like your father has been graciously paying for Jane Doe’s treatment for the last twenty years.”
Liam’s head was spinning. Jane Doe? Twenty years? Why on earth was his father paying for someone’s care for twenty years? Could she possibly have survived? His heart raced in his chest at the thought, the hope that maybe somehow Bastien failed.
“Mister Rhys, do you want to stop paying for her care? Her daughter would be upset, but there is no signs of her getting any better.”
“No, I’ll continue to pay.” He muttered, phone slipping through his fingers. He stomach twisted into knots. His father was paying for someone’s care, someone with a child. Could it be her? He shook the thought from his head, he refused to get his hopes up. The only thing was clear that he needed to uncover who Jane Doe was and why his father would cover her care for twenty years.
***
Liam pushed open the door to Royal Pines, his mind filling with doubt. Maybe I should have waited until they could speak to the family. That part puzzled him more than anything, how could she have family and still be considered a Jane Doe? He couldn’t wait he needed answers, like whoJane Doe was, and why his father would be paying her medical bills for the past twenty years. He knew he wasn’t going to find out who she was, she was a Jane Doe, but maybe he could uncover why his father felt the need to cover her bills for so long. Maybe he could discover why she why she was still unclaimed if they had next of kin the needed to contact. He walked up to the reception desk, giving them his name and requesting to speak to Jane Doe’s Doctor. He turned leaning against the reception desk as he looked around the expansive reception area as he waited on the Doctor.
A short, grey haired woman, in a white lab coat came out. “Mr Rhys I presume?” She asked receiving a nod in return. “I’m Dr Linda Casey, I’ve been in charge of Jane Doe’s care for the last twenty years. We are very thankful to your family for their paying for her care, but I’m afraid I can’t give you any information about her medical history without the approval of her next of kin.”
Liam nodded, he expected as much, yet he needed to try. He needed to understand what would possess his father to care for a woman with no name for twenty years. His heart froze in his chest as a young woman the spitting image of his mother walked up to them.
“Linda, is this the man I have to thank for taking care of my mother?” She questioned.
“Hope, I’d like you to meet Liam, the son of the man who maintained care of your mother. Mr Rhys, this is Hope Casey.” Dr Casey replied introducing the young woman to him.
Hope turned to him smiling, where he expected his mother’s brown eyes he was met with steel grey. He felt his blood begin to boil, he bit the inside of his cheek so hard he drew blood. That bastard! That’s why Bastien had killed, no attempted to kill his mother. She survived? His heart soared at the thought that she somehow survived, Plummer’s back down to earth realizing his father had to have known. If she was alive why was I told she was dead? Why was she a Jane Doe if his father could so easily identify her? Why would my father keep this from me? The questions swam in his head making him dizzy. One thing was clear, Bastien Lykel needed to be stopped before he did anymore damage to anymore lives.
Twenty years ago; Trenton, New Jersey- Constantine:
Constantine downed the remainder of his Scotch, he threw the empty tumbler against the wall, the glass shattering upon impact. The sheer incompetence! He knewsomething was going on between them, the audacity she had to go behind his back! He thought he could rid his life, his organization of all traitors easily. Of course he would refuse to kill his lover, what was I thinking? He thought he had it handled, he thought surely she could handle a simple hit. Why am I surprised? Of course she would survive, they reacted too quickly. His only saving grace was that everyone thought she was dead, he just needed to keep that illusion. Of course she would be pregnant. No one could know she survived. No one could learn of the pregnancy, especially not him. Thankfully she was in bad condition. Perhaps she won’t make it.
As he stood there, seeing the woman he had once loved, had trusted with so many machines hooked up to her small frame. A tube down her throat connected to a ventilator, the only thing helping her breathe, keeping her alive. Oh how easy it would be to end it, just a flip of a switch, but he couldn’t, of course he couldn’t. I can’t believe I was so weak!
Constantine’s hands curled into fists at his sides as he remembered how weak he had been when he viewed her hooked up to the ventilator. He had felt a twinge in his heart looking at her laying in the bed unmoving, she looked so small and weak, her slight frame looked even smaller, almost childlike in the large hospital bed. Her right side of her head covered in thick white bandages, jet black hair fanned out around the left side of her pale, gaunt face, a stark contrast to the white hospital sheets. He was disappointed in himself, he hated that she still made his heart skip a beat after all she did, all she planned to do. How could he still be under her spell, unable to harm her? She made him feel, made him weak. His fist slammed down on the mahogany desk, he should have been able to end it, finish her off himself. It had been so hard to remove himself, pretend he didn’t know who she was. It’s what needed to be done! The only way he could make this work was if everyone continued to think she was dead. He needed to play the grieving widower, make them feel for him, feel for his son, he could never let the truth come to light. Maybe the swelling in her brain will get worse. Maybe she’ll get an infection from the gunshot and subsequent surgery. He just hoped the situation would resolve itself, and soon.
