Chapter 25

Lilly's POV:

I am sitting in my bedroom and waiting for my results from college. I keep checking my computer and the anxiety is killing me, what makes it worse, my dad keeps coming into my room, looking for an update from me. Josh comes over and I didn't expect him home so early, it is strange.

Lilly: "Hey babe, what are you doing home so early?" I am sitting on my bed, barefoot and anxious.

Josh: "Hey Munchkin, I took off from work, wanted to surprise you. I know your results come in today and I knew you would be sitting here stressing about it, so we are going for ice cream. "put some shoes on, let's go."

Lilly: "Josh, I can't leave, I would just worry even more." He sits down on my bed and rolls his eyes at me.

Josh: "I knew you would say that but, you can't sit like this all-day baby."

Lilly: "No, I can't leave."

Josh: "Yes you can. Let's go."

I knew she wouldn't go with me, Lilly is stubborn, but I have back up. She is still refusing so I text Ola and she knows what to do. On cue, Lilly's phone rings.

Lilly: "Josh, you are so mean. This is foul play." I answer the phone; this woman is my weakness. Granny Ola wants to see me. I tell Josh I know what he is up to and he just smiles. I put my shoes on and we leave my house and we go over to Ola. When I get there, she has ice cream ready and I love this old lady. We end up talking for hours and I forget about my results. She actually tells me that when Josh was little he used to say that he would have a wife with long hair and big boobs. Ola said that it use to make her laugh and it seems he is keeping to his word, I grab my boobs from embarrassment and we all laugh.

I get home later that day and my dad, mum and Will are waiting for me with balloons. The Kales are back home, so it is just my family, Will has a small congratulations banner and at first, I am confused but then it hits me, "I passed?" I ask my family, just to be sure and they are all cheering. YES! I have finally completed my degree. Josh hugs me and I run up to my room to see how I did. We celebrate with some champagne and an hour later, Will bids us goodnight and says he has to get Ty home and Josh leaves with him.

I am so tired and everyone is either gone home or in bed and all I want is my pajamas and my pillow. I look for my PJ's and I see my pads. Oh my GOD, I am LATE! I didn't get my period this month. I look at my period app on my cellphone and I last got my period in September. We are in the beginning of November. Oh, my LORD! I need to get a pregnancy test. Shit, after Romeo and I, I oh, I can't even string a sentence together. I said, I would take care of it, he forgot the condom and I said, I would take care if it and I didn't. I forgot!

The next day, I wake up and I don't eat or wash. I go to the pharmacy in my PJ's and I buy a pregnancy test. I drive home again and I am silently praying that I am not pregnant. Maybe, it is the stress from the exams and waiting for my results. I don't know but I really, really, really hope we can rule this out as stress. I get home and take two stairs at a time, rushing to the bathroom, I have to first read the instructions, this is the first pregnancy test I have ever taken. I am in my bedrooms bathroom and I know no one is home. Millicent is in the laundry room, Ana is in the kitchen and my parents are at work so I am alone. I sit down and pee on the stick, it said to then leave it for five minutes on a flat surface so I put it on my bathroom floor and I go to the other side of the bathroom to let in some bath water. I turn around and Josh is standing in the door, looking down at the pregnancy test.

Oh floor, please crack open and swallow me hole.

Jessica Smith – the girl who died many years ago, it has been said that she died by suicide. Her parents were Jade and Wayne Smith. Two famous singers who, only had one daughter, Jessica. When she died she was twenty-five years old and this is her story.

Jessica's POV

I think back to the day I met him. I was sitting by the pool in my gold bikini and I was reading a book. My parents are rich so I don't have to work but, my dad insisted that I go to college and get a finance degree so that I could handle their finances and carry some responsibility. I've had a few boyfriends. My longest relationship was around two years. We lived together but we were at different places in our lives and had bit of an awkward, drawn out break-up. It left me pretty down for about 6 months or so. I went inside for a drink and I heard the doorbell. I opened the door and Mr. Edward; my dad's golf buddy was standing there. I have always found him attractive, he looks good for his age. My dad is a lot older than he is but they have been good friends for years. His married, I know and so many people have strong feelings about women my age getting involved with married men but well, if he isn't eating at home I might as well feed him.

Jessica: "My dad will be home in a few minutes Mr. Kale, come inside."

Edward: "call me Edward, Jessica, I have told you this, many times and sure, I will wait for your father."

Jessica: "Can I get you anything?"

Edward: "Yes, you can go put on some clothes and a beer would be nice, thank you."

Jessica: "Don't you like my bikini Edward?"

I smiled and winked and I think that was his undoing. Edward and I have been flirting since I moved back home, even though he tried to act normal around my dad or he would never say anything directly, I always knew this man wanted me. He has always been upfront about his wife and I am aware of her. When Edward came over, he always complained to my dad about his wife and how much they fought and he was miserable, she was too demanding and I knew that we would be together to heal each other and I fell into the abyss. His wedding band annoyed me. I went and got his beer and I remember how I deliberately shacked my hips as I walked, I knew he was watching. Somehow, he always came over when my dad wasn't home and we became friends, well sort of. Becoming friends with someone I desperately wanted to make love to was torture.

His phone rang and it was my dad telling Edward that he wouldn't be home and he couldn't make their game, they spoke for a minute and he hung up and told me he was leaving. I walked him to the door and before he left, I asked for a hug goodbye. He entertained me and I was so happy, it was just fun, I was toying with him but then he hugged me and it was like nothing I have ever felt before. Our intimacy level catapulted us into the stratosphere. I couldn't let go, I didn't want to let go and thankfully he didn't. All I knew was that he had planted something powerful inside me. I admired him and I developed a bond with another woman's husband. He left and went home.

Four long weeks later, I will never forget where I was when the call came. So unexpected that I didn't immediately know it was him. As his voice filled my car, it felt like his soul did too, wrapping me up in the glow of his obvious desire. It was obvious how hard it had been for him to call. He asked me to meet him for coffee and I agreed. Suddenly we were facing each other at a small table in a dimly lit café and we had absolutely nothing to talk about. It was a game-changer. I wanted to kiss him so badly it hurt.

As I sat there, I suddenly felt violently ill. I thought it must be a heart attack as the physical jolt was so strong. I told you simply that I needed to talk to you, and you knew. You knew instantly what for. Suddenly the fun and games had ended and the situation felt unnervingly serious. It was truly the first time in a long life that I had suffered crippling stage fright. I had rehearsed a very short question, and all I needed to do was get through it. But as he sat there before me, loyal, thoughtful, gentle and anticipating it, I found I couldn't speak a word, or breathe, or cope.

Jessica: "Tell me this can't happen."

Edward: "I can't. I had been in love with you all along."

Jessica: The café quickly became the car. I wanted to touch him more than breathe. I remember I reached out and held his hand, it was the most intimate thing I had ever felt. I was already madly in love with him, and yet, we hadn't even slept together, we hadn't even kissed.

We spend six amazing months together. He made promises, said he would leave his wife and we would be together forever. We eventually had sex whenever we could, he would take me on business trips, I would sneak out to be with me him at night and then, I couldn't imagine my life without him.

A year into our affair, it was a Friday night and he told me to pack my bags and meet him at his house on Sunday morning at 11am. We were going to elope and he would just send Lisa the divorce papers. I did as he asked but the very next day he sent me a text saying that it was over and I needed to move on. I couldn't believe it, I didn't want to. Sunday morning came and I decided to go ahead with our plan, maybe Lisa sent those messages but when I got to his house, I saw him laughing with his family and leaving the premises. I reversed and tried to hide my car. I followed them, they went to church and I sat in the car for two hours and just waited. While I waited, I remembered the letter I wrote to him last night, asking him not to leave me but I forgot it under my mattress. Shit! I really wanted to give it to him.

Jessica's mum – Jade's POV:

My daughter went to bed a normal young woman on a normal evening. I would never have guessed that a few hours later, on a Sunday afternoon, it would be the start of my worst nightmare.

Every waking moment I replay that night over and over in my mind.

I went into her bedroom and she was writing some letter and crying. I kept asking her to talk to me but she just told me to leave her alone and give her some space. She was an adult, I didn't want to smother her so I gave her some room. When I went in to check on her again, her door was locked and she just shouted "I am fine mum". I left it, figured the next day she would feel better and we could talk. There was music playing and she seemed back to her old self. As a woman, I know how mood swings go, so I understood.

Sunday morning came, I woke up and went to find Jessica, but her room was empty, her clothes were gone and there was no sign of her. No note, nothing. I called my husband and the maid, we all started looking for her, it felt like forever. Hours later, I got the call.

I wish I had been taking more pictures. I wish I went into her bedroom last night and begged her to speak to me. We got to the scene and I couldn't wait to see her in an ambulance being resuscitated but instead I saw my baby's body, covered with the silver sheet and I knew, I knew I lost her, yet I didn't want to believe it. I ran to her cold body and I screamed, I cried and I was scared. I sat there for, I don't know how long and I kept telling her, I loved her but it was too late. The police officer took me to her car, my husband and I saw all her clothes on the back seat, lying in the road, bags everywhere but I just didn't care. How am I supposed to even think about life without my daughter? It wasn't fair!

5years after her passing, I decided it was time, for a long time I wasn't ready but then, on that fatal day, it was just time. I finally stepped into her bedroom and started packing up all her things. I cried, it broke my heart and I asked myself how many times I would have to put my daughter in boxes. First her body now her belongings. I hated it. When I moved her bed, I found a letter, I was so shocked. I hoped the letter gave me some answers, I hoped the letter was addressed to me but it wasn't.

Dear Edward

Love of my life, you are the first thing I think of when I wake up and I'm looking forward to a life where I will wake up next to you, not needing to imagine you, because you will be sleeping right there next to me. I want to spend the rest of my life sleeping next to you and I can't imagine it otherwise. I can't wait for you to leave Lisa, you promised you would.

You are the love of my life. You're the only person in the whole world that can lift my spirits when I'm sad by giving me one, single hug that means the world to me. You're the only one that I think of 24/7 when I wake up, when I go to sleep, and every second in between.

My pudding, I am the happiest woman alive because I have you.

There wouldn't be a "me" without you or a "you" without me. We were meant to watch the sunrise in the morning together, for the rest of our lives.

We were meant to be there for each other, to fight for our love, and never stop fighting no matter what. I love you ! Don't leave me. We will last forever. I know that you are much older than me and my dad is your friend but we will make this work.

Love forever

Jessica Smith

I ran down the stairs, crying, screaming, angry, sad, confused. I don't know but I needed my husband to confirm what I just read. He read the letter and all I remember him saying was "I'll kill him." I didn't stop him, I didn't want to, someone had to pay.

We started scheming and planning and spent money to get our revenge but nothing really worked, until…...we met SCAR FACE. He helped us get something tangible, someone valuable.