A Daughter's Will

by PilotGirl01

Sequel to An Orphan's Life. It's been a year since Elysia found her father and now they're living a peaceful life. But the questions of her and her mother's past have yet to be answered and attacks against her forces them all to go back and find out what

10. Winning Heartbreakers

A Daughter's Will

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or any of it's characters. Only what I create with my twisted mind is mine.

A/N: And here's chapter 10. I'd like to take this moment and thank the TEN people who have taken the time to review me. So, thanks a TON and much love to:

DarkFairy88
Chikara-Yuy
Mithros
LucreziaNoin86
Zammy
Computer Geek Michelle
Kelsey
Garowyn
Sutoomu
and AutomatedRose

You guys made me want to work some more at keeping this fic going. Believe me, a few good words and some positive criticism goes a long way. Thanks again, and, as always, R&R, and I'll see you next chapter. ;)

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Jacob gently laid Elysia onto Theo's bed, while Theo stood nearby watching. She had fallen asleep on the ride over to see Jade at her condo, since she wasn't working today. This, of course, scared Jacob deeply, as he hadn't noticed her dozing off, and was already worried about her health.
Jade had merely shook this all off and told Jacob that Elysia just needed to take her medication, and that she was perfectly fine.
Jacob, though, got a bit peeved, as Elysia seemed to be in worse condition. But, Jade was her doctor, so all he could do was listen to her directions.
He had driven Elysia back to Theo's home and carried her up to his apartment. He had managed to wake Theo up and get him out of his bed, so that she could lay down somewhere.
Not that Theo didn't mind, since he was suddeny worried about her, upon seeing Jacob carrying her through his door. He grabbed ahold of one of her hands and was holding it, lightly massaging it. He hated seeing her like this.
He looked up to Jacob and sighed. "I'm going to sleep on the couch, so you figure out where you're going to go."
Jacob just shrugged and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I have to stay near her. You have a chair I can sit in?"Theo nodded, still tired from his long night of work. "Yeah, sure. I'll go get it from the kitchen right now." He took one last look at Elysia, before exiting his room.
Jacob looked down at his sleeping cousin, mad at himself for not preventing another one of the females around from getting sick or hurt. He was really bad at taking care of the women in his life.
He looked up as Theo returned a few minutes later, carrying one of his dining room chairs. He set it down against the wall next to the doorway and motioned silently for Jacob to sit. As Jacob stood up, Theo stood still, looking away from him.
"What's going on with you and Caterina?" he asked softly. Jacob made a face, wondering why the hell Theo even cared and pulled the chair back from the wall a bit, before sitting down in it backwards. "What are you talking about? Why would you even ask me something like that?"
Theo gave a shrug. "I'm just wondering... Since Quatre has been frantic about her being gone, and you obviously haven't seen her lately either... Did you two have a fight?"
Jacob looked away. Theo was right about him not hearing from Caterina, but he didn't want to let on that he was right. But...
"We haven't had any fights, as far as I can tell. Everything's been peachy keen, up until the other night with Elysia. That day was particularly hard for Cat, wedding wise. Those photos of her really screwed things up for her and upset her deeply..." He looked back to Theo, staring him directly in the eyes. "But she was fine, from what I saw. I'm really..." He looked down and sighed, not wanting to share his feelings with Theo Barton, of all people. "I'm worried she's done something to hurt herself, is all. I'm pretty sure she went for a drive to clear her head, as she usually does when things get too hard for her. I'm just hoping that she hasn't done anything to ... you, know..." He didn't want to say that he was worried about her doing something permanent. Something bad or terrible.
Theo nodded and crossed his arms. "Again, I'm just asking. I find it odd that she hasn't spoken to anyone this past day, especially you. It makes me wonder what Ms. WInner is up to."
Jacob nodded.
They both didn't want to say their worse fears out loud. They didn't want to talk about Caterina getting caught in one of the riots or getting attacked by the same people who attacked her mother earlier that week.
They brooded for a while longer, before Theo sighed and left the room. "Well, I'm off to couch."
Jacob smirked a little at him and waved a bit. "Goodnight, princess."
Theo held back saying something in return and just went to his couch. "Whatever, man. Just don't break my chair."
Jacob held back a laugh and shook his head. He looked to his sleeping cousin and sighed, getting back into his "guard" mode. He hoped that she was at least feeling better.

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It had been four days now. Four days since she ceased all coversation with her friends and family. Four short days since she'd lost a lot of her life to those wretched photos and that threatening phone call.
She hated that man with every fiber of her being. She hated how he'd forced her to put her life on hold. She had to wait for that damn deadline to discuss with him her next course of action. And she still wasn't quite sure what that was yet.
She'd already come close to figuring something out. A bargain of some sort. Something that wasn't quite Elysia's head on a platter, but decently close. She really didn't think money would be worth anything to him, though.
She sighed as she rose up from the hotel bed she'd been friends with now these last couple of days. She had been hanging around some cheap hotel on the bad side of the LX4 colony.
She was on her way back to the home she'd shared with her parents her entire life, up until she moved out last year. But upon getting to the colony, she'd grown wary of walking home. And being there. She wasn't ready to face her mother or father yet after those embarrassing pictures. She wanted to be alone for a bit longer.
So, she took a cab to the only hotel her father never took her too. It wasn't a bad one, per se. It was just the "bargain" version of the fancy, expensive ones she was used to being at. But she was beginning to appreciate the cheapness of it. She had extra money to drink with.
As she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she thought of what other lame activity she would do today. She hadn't done much the last couple days, except think, shop, and drink. Not as much as she wanted, but enough to keep her buzzed.
Although now...
A thought went through her mind as she realized that she hadn't seen her dear cousins for a long time. And now was the perfect opportunity to gather the girls around and have a night of wild partying like they used to do. She smiled as she remembered all the crazy nights that she and her older cousins had, bar and clubhopping from colony to colony or earth, doing everything possible that would shame their parents and the Winner name if it ever got out.
But they were careful about where they went and what they did. They even managed to pass themselves off as a club, the "Winning Heartbreakers" club. It was a cheesy name, but her cousin Mary had come up with it, as it was a spin on their shared last name, and, well, truthful. The Winner girls were well known to lure, date, and dump every man possible. Sheila Marie set a record once by doing that to an entire club in one night. She had earned herself many victory drinks for that, as well as phone numbers.
Caterina looked down to the floor, looking for her purse. She was ready to call Bethany, the oldest Winner child, and the best person to call when she wanted to gather the girls. Bethany was a big mouth.
She found her small bag and picked it up, digging around inside, until she found her teal phone. She pulled it out and dialed Bethany's number, noting that the time was well past 12 in the afternoon. She didn't care, though, that she had slept in late again. It wasn't really hurting anyone.
When Bethany answered the phone, seemingly surprised to hear from Caterina, Caterina merely laughed and got into her silly teenage girl persona. "Bethy, hi! I was just thinking about you!"
Bethany's high voice showed her confusion as she asked," Oh, you were? Why? What's up? Uncle's been calling around for you. Everybody is on Winner Watch right now."
Caterina snorted and leaned back on the bed, staring off to the ceiling. "Oh, that figures. I guess I should give him a ring later and let him know I'm alive... Anyways, I was here thinking and I suddenly got an idea."
"An idea, huh? Is it what I think it is?" Bethany actually sounded excited.
"Yep, Bethy. Gather the girls and the W.H. Club. We're going drinking tonight!"

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Jennifer smiled broadly at Jonathan as she watched him walk up to her. She'd been waiting in front of the store for a while now. Not that he had been keeping her waiting. She had just been too excited to see him again, and had gotten there early. She had managed to get some shopping in, being sure to by some small figurines for a new collection she had begun, and had stood in front of the shop patiently afterwards.As he approached her, she noticed that he was smiling back just as big.
"I see you dressed up," she said as he drew near, giving her a small hug, before wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
He laughed as they began to walk away and shrugged. "Well, I am visiting your family. It'd be a good idea to give them a good first impression."
Jennifer smiled some more and shook her head. "You really planned this out, didn't you?"
"Of course!" Jonathan actually appeared somewhat surprised as he looked at her. "C'mon, do you really think I just go along and wing it?"
Jennifer shrugged. "Well, you did give me that impression." She looked around curiously at their surroundings, wondering where it was exactly they were going. There wasn't a cemetary near the Plaza or in walking distance as far as she could remember.
"Yeah, well, still. I do think ahead.. sometimes." He paused in his steps and looked to her. "Now, I'm going to drive you over, if you don't mind getting in my car."
Jennifer looked up at him, perplexed vy the question. "Why wouldn't I get in a car with you?"
He turned down a small street leading to a parking lot, leaving her standing, and waved for her to follow. "Because I'm just so damn good looking that I might kill you with just a simple glance."
Jennifer shook her head at his answer as she walked over to catch up to him. "Pfft, maybe if I were a mirror."
Jonathan had reached his car and was now holding a door open for her. He seemed taken aback from her answer and grabbed his chest in mock pain. "Ouch. That was a quick one and kind of hurt a little."
Jennifer tried not to laugh as she climbed into his jeep. "You'll get over it. Men are stupid and forget things easily."
Jonathan let out a laugh as he shut the door and went around to the driver's side. "Oh, really?" he asked when he opened the door. "And what makes you say that?"
Jennifer raised her eyebrows at him as he buckled himself in. "Seriously? That's too easy." When he looked at her expectantly, she sighed and looked out the window. "Well, try the whole concept of 'oh, it's our anniversary?' bit. Guys tend to forget simple dates and figures, unless it has to do with something they like."
Jonathan started the car and laughed some more. "Actually, we choose to remember certain things, because they interest us, not bore us."
He pulled the car out and got onto the road, as Jennifer thought his answer over. "I suppose," she mused. She looked to him while he drove. "But you're really making a bad name for yourselves."
Jonathan shrugged this off. "Eh.. It's not like it bothers me.
Jennifer shook her head and looked back out the window to the passing scenery. "Whatever you say, buddy."
They drove along for a bit of time, enjoying the comfortable silence. After a while of seeing the city fade into trees and then into small neighborhoods, Jennifer glanced back to Jonathan, her curiousity getting the best of her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're going to kill me and hide my body in some secluded spot."
Jonathan laughed and shook his head. "I know, it is a bit of a long, confusing ride. When I first went to find the place, I began to wonder if the directions I were given was just a cruel prank set on me by my colleagues."
Jennifer stared at him questiongingly at that. "Why would they go and do that to you?"
Jonathan gave a slight shrug and looked down, a bit guiltily. "Yeah, the shenanagins of my co-workers and I should be saved for another day... "He looked over to her and smiled weakly. "Let's just say that I'm the guy everybody wants to target, because I'm just that darn good at pulling pranks."
Jennifer laughed at that, shaking her head in amazement. "Wow, so you're telling me that I'm with the King of pranks? I feel so honored to be in your presence."
The pair laughed some more and continued their conversation, already expecting the day to turn out well.

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Theo looked up as he walked through the front gates of the factory when he heard his name being called.
Who could that be now?
He frowned when he realized that the factory owner was standing at the front doorway, waving to him. What could that man possibly want with him now? He had just gotten to work to do his shift.
He walked a tad slow to delay his conversation, but the owner had no qualms about shouting across the way. "There you are, my boy! I've been waiting all day for you!"
Theo made a face as he drew near. "What for? My shift doesn't start for another ten minutes."
He looked to the two men he saw standing watch nearby. They were both rather short and old, but that didn't stop them from looking at him intimidatedly.
He held back his contempt and looked back to his boss.
"Well, it has nothing to do with your shift. Remember how I talked to you the other day about our new owner?"
Theo stared at the owner curiously, and nodded. I hope this doesn't cut into my work time.
The owner turned from him and went to walk into the building, clearly expecting Theo to follow. "Well, he's here today. I'd like you to meet him."
Theo froze at that, not understanding the feeling of dread that had come over him. There was no reason for him to feel the way he was, but he couldn't help it. There was something ominous in the air.
He breathed in deeply and tried to concentrate on something else. He couldn't let this get to him, or at least let it show.
He followed the owner to one of the main rooms of the building, turning this way and that in the hallways, as the the owner droned on about business protocol and the new owner.
"I want you two to really get along, all right? No competiton nonsense and such. Just do your job and let him do his, and we'll all be happy."
He opened a door to a meeting room and walked in, holding it open for Theo with his right arm, and motioned for him to enter. He was already talking to the other man inside, Theo assuming it was the new owner.
His boss had glanced at him shortly, telling him, "Shut that door, while you're there," before returning to his conversation with the other man.
Theo, who had his back to the owner this whole time, went and closed the door. He turned afterwards and wasn't really focusing on anything in particular, waiting patiently for his boss to stop talking. The ceiling tiles were actually becoming rather interesting to him at the moment and he began counting all the little specks that he could see on them.
It was then his boss had said it. "Oh, and I'd like you to meet our head night guard." He turned to Theo and waved him over. "Theo, my boy, come shake Friedrich's hand."
Theo turned to better face the men and walked over. This was when he got a good look at the other man.
And he stopped in his steps, his breath drawing in quickly.
He knew this man. He'd already known this man for years.
Since that night, that horrid, tragic, painful night so long ago. This man's face was the face he saw for so many nights after that, the face that haunted him for years, in his dreams, through nightmares, and normal everyday activities. The horribly evil face that had just smiled at him, just as it had smiled at his mother.
The face of the man who had murdered his mother that one night.
He tried to hold back his surprise, shock, and anger that rose inside him, hoping that the other two hadn't noticed.
He couldn't believe who he was seeing.This was something he never thought would happen to him
His boss nudged him, and he realized that he hadn't shaken the man's hand yet. He didn't want to. He couldn't.
But if he didn't... Then they'd know. They'd catch on. And things would, might get worse.
He stiffly reached out, deeply regretting this as he did so, praying that he wouldn't catch any of the evil that this man reeked of.
They shook, Theo tightening his grip as hard as he could, as a means of showing Friedrich that he was strong and dangerous.
Friedrich merely gave a slight laugh as he pulled back his hand. "Wow, now that's a handshake. Do you do this for all the boys, or just me?" He was still smiling at him.
How Theo wished he could slap that smile off of him. And take away this man's life. How hard it was for him not to beat the man and pull his gun out on him right now.
He didn't answer Friedrich's question, except for a stony gaze.
Friedrich seemed unfazed and turned his attention back to Theo's boss. "He's a strong boy. It's a good thing we have him working for us." He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face and hands, much to Theo's contempt. If anything Theo should be the one wiping his hands.
As the two men continued on with their conversation, Theo worked on holding back his anger and disgust. It was taking all in his power not to do anything. Now wouldn't be the best time to do this. Especially when his boss was right there. It wasn't that he feared losing his job. He just didn't want any witnesses.
After what seemed like a long conversation, the two men ended their discussion and prepared to leave.
"It was nice seeing you again, Friedrich," Theo's boss was saying."Thanks for stopping by and getting the tour. I'll see you next week when you start."
Friedrich nodded and edged himself out to get to the door. "Not a problem. Thank you, James for letting me swing by on such short notice."
He looked to Theo as he walked out. "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Barton. I look forward to us working together." He said another thank you to Theo's boss, before exiting.
Theo waited for his boss to leave the room, before he began to kick the table and chairs nearby in anger. He grabbed one of the chairs and flung into across the room, so angry with what had just happened. He slammed his fist down on a table, ignoring the pain that erupted in his hand, wanting nothing more than to pound that heartless monster to a bloodly pulp and take away his life, just as he'd done to his mother.
He threw himself on the table and rested his head in his hands, holding back his tears of frustration and hurt.
He was grateful, though. He now had the chance to avenge his mother's death. But he didn't like the way it came about to him. He would have to make do, though.
He stayed there a few minutes longer, trying to calm down as he thought of what he was going to have to do now, and then pulled himself away from the table, walking out so that he could get back to work. His mother would have to wait just a little longer.

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Caterina was having the time of her life. Well, sort of. She wasn't all that happy on the inside. But her many, many drinks were doing well to cover that. She was giggling hysterically, as her cousin, Gia, had made a joke about the bartender. She wasn't sure if it was even funny, but the glass of whiskey in front of her told her otherwise.At that moment, her other two cousins, Sariana and Margey, walked up to them at the bar, pouting.
"Catty, that guy turned me down!" Sariana wailed. She sat down next to Caterina, as Margey elbowed her way to the bar between the many Winner woman of the W.H. Club. Sariana motioned to the bartender for a drink and threw herself on the counter dramatically. "That's never happened in the history of the club!"
Margey giggled as she grabbed Caterina's glass and took a large gulp of it. "Maybe we should kick you out or something for not living up to our name," she said drunkenly.
Sariana grabbed the two shotglasses that the bartender had placed in front of her and drank them down quickly. "You can't do that! It wasn't my fault!" she whined.
"I beg to differ, little sister," Sheila Marie had said a few people away from the girls. "If the guy wasn't interested in you, you must have done something wrong. It's your fault for being unappealing."
Sariana said nothing more, but sat there brooding, sticking her lower lip out pitifully.
Bethany, though, chimed in. "But we never did establish rules for the proper etiquette on what to do when this happens."
Caterina glanced to her other cousins who were now joining in on the conversation.
This time, Lullabelle was adding her two cents. "That's because it was unheard of that men would actually turn us down."
Margey shrugged. "Well, it's happened now. So, what are we going to do about it?" She snapped her fingers at Gia.
Gia passed Margey her glass and watched her as she drank it. "Well, what can we do? We never had rules for it, so there was obviously a good reason for it."
"But it still happened. I say now's a good time more than ever to establish some rules!" The club's most quiet female, Lillian, had said this.
They all looked to her in surprise, but shrugged it off and drank some more.
"I agree!" Lullabelle added.
"Me too," Margey said.
"Well, I guess we're taking this to vote," Bethany muttered. She glanced around the bar. "Is everybody here?"
"Trixie and Madison are in the bathroom," Sariana said.
"And Barbara, Mary, Allison, and Stevie are on the dance floor," Gia continued.
Bethany frowned and looked around some more. "Then where's Joanie?"
"I saw her making out with some guy," Liliian said sullenly. "I don't think her vote should count right now."
"Why not?" Margey asked.
Caterina, at this point, was starting to feel a bit queasy, and a bit annoyed. She hated when the girls wanted to put things to vote. It was such a big hassle rounding up every singe Winner girl present in the club. There was just so many of them. In fact, she wasn't even going to mention that she saw her other three cousins, Remie, Lola, and Nikki, leave the club with the same guy Lillian said she saw Joanie with. That would cause a nice lovely uproar.
She stood up shakily, trying to keep her balance as she grabbed her purse.
"Hey, where are you going, Cat?" Bethany asked. "I was just doing a head count, before we voted."
"I'm going out for some air," Caterina answered sickly. She reached out and chugged down the rest of her drink. "I'll be back."
"But you have to vote!" Sariana shouted.
Caterina was already walking away, but paused long enough to say," Bah. I vote for... monkeys then."
Her cousins watched her worriedly, then shook this off and went back to their vote.
As Caterina made her way out of the club, she tapped the shoulder of her cousin Cicily who happened to be with a guy by the exit. "They're doing a vote right now," she told her.
"Oh, no! I can't miss that!" Cicily then grabbed the guy she was with by the shirt and dragged him over to the bar. "Guys, wait for me!"
Caterina laughed at this as she walked unsteadily out, her body shaking uncontrollably. Soon, she was flat out cracking up. She laughed hard as she stood outside of the club, gasping for air.
"There you are!"a familiar deep voice shouted.
She abruptly stopped laughing and turned in the direction of the voice. "Oh, it's just you," she muttered, turning back and started to walk off.
"Cat!" Jacob ran to grab her by the arm. "Where are you going? Where have you been? I've been worried about you and looking all over the place!"
Caterina yanked her arm away and glared at him. "How? You're supposed to be watching Elysia!"
He stopped walking and looked down slighty, not knowing how to answer. He looked to her, his blue eyes solemn. "What the hell has gotten into you?! Everybody's been freaking out, wondering what happened to you!"
Caterina rolled her eyes and walked a little faster, even though she knew she couldn't outrun his long legs, especially in her drunken state. "I'm fine!" As she said this, her foot caught on something, and she tripped, falling to the sidewalk roughly.
Jacob quickly rushed to her side and tried to help her up, but she jerked away from him. "Don't touch me!" she screamed.
He pulled back slightly, not knowing what to make of her behavior. As she stood up and straightened her clothes out, he crossed his arms, maintaining a a safe distance from her. "What's wrong, Caterina? Why are you acting like this?"
She turned to face him, glaring deeply. "What are you talking about? I'm acting like I usually do!"
Jacob just stared at her (confusedly/angry). "What have you been doing these last few days?" It was then that he caught a whiff of her. His eyes widened. "Have you been drinking nonstop?!"
Caterina rolled her eyes again and turned down the sidewalk, trying to remember where she left her limo driver waitng. "Oh, come off it. I'm a grown woman. I can do whatever I want. What do you care?"
Jacob grew infuriated by that. He ran up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders, turning her to face him and shook her. "What do I care? I'm your fucking fiance'! What you do is my business! Especially when you take off for five days without saying a damn word to anyone!"
Caterina was a bit in shock by this, but she quickly recovered and tried to pull away from his grip. "Oh, wow, now you suddenly care about my well-being and what I do! Never mind the many times I've called you or asked you to come see me, and you've been 'too busy at work or some other bullshit like like that!" She was really letting it all out now. She'd managed to get away from him and stand two feet away. "Ol' Jakey's too busy to do anything, not even help plan his stupid wedding to his whorey girlfriend!" she said, making quotation marks with her fingers to signify quoting what the newspapers said about her. "Except he's not too busy to watch another girl twenty-four hours a fucking day!"
"You know why I have to watch Elysia, Caterina," Jacob said darkly, his blue eyes flashing in anger.
Caterina made a face at that. "Oooh, big deal! Jacob's getting mad now!" She was starting to cry now, much to both of their surprise. "What are you going to do about it? Hit me? Beat me as if I were a criminal terrorist?!"
Jacob, taken aback by her tears, tried to calm down. "Cat, what's wrong? Tell me, please," he begged.
"What's wrong? Do you really want to know?" She had been backing up this whole time, but now she took some steps closer to him, looking him in the eyes. "I've been planning a damn wedding all by myself! For four straight months! With no help from anybody, not even you!" The tears were flowing heavily now from her eyes. "And do you know what I get for it? Do you know what I get for all my hard work and dedication?!" She paused to wipe the tears from her face. "Three burned down churches, no reception hall, no caterer, cheap flowers, a crappy tailor, my mother attacked, nude pictures of me plastered all over the damn galaxy..." She trailed off, not wanting to add more to her misery. She was still trying to forget that awful phone call. She looked down as she sniffled, hating herself and everything at that very moment. She looked up at Jacob, who was softening at her rant. Which wasn't what she wanted.
She shoved him and backed away from him, ready to hit him again. "And the icing on the cake is that my dear, loving, caring, fiance' isn't here to help me! You're too damn busy! And I'm forced to sit there and plan and gather, and call, and reserve, and for what?! For all I know, you'll get yourself killed on one of your stupid missions your own father sends you on! Or you'll get caught in the riots! Or attacked by weirdos asking for Elysia! Or something else!" She was crying harder now, as she had let out her deepest fears. "I'm constantly worrying about you, my parents, or everybody else, and I'm starting to think that maybe I shouldn't... " She stumbled on her words, not wanting to say this, of all things. She covered her mouth and looked tearfully at Jacob, shaking her head.
"You shouldn't what, Cat?" he said, monotously, unaffected by her earlier display of violence.
She sniffled a bit and averted her gaze. "That I .. I shouldn't marry you!" Upon saying the words, she grabbed ahold of her hand and yanked the engagement ring Jacob had given her off of her finger. "I can't have this, Jacob. I can't take any more of this!" She looked up into his blue eyes as she backed away. "I can't marry you."
She didn't want to do what she did next. She would have much rather hand it to him like he deserved, but she couldn't bear touching him right now. She couldn't be anywhere near him.
She flung the beautiful gold diamond ring at him, and took off down the sidewalk, finding her limo driver at the end of the street. She quickly dove into the car and locked the door before he could catch up to her.
Her driver seemed to know that it was time to leave. He started the limo and pulled out into the street.
She stayed laying face down on the seat, sobbing from what had just happened. She didn't want to look at him as they drove by. It was just too hard.
Meanwhile, Jacob had picked up the ring, and was staring at it. He was in shock from what she'd said to him, and was, understandably, upset. He couldn't believe what had just happened. And why.
He gently put it into his front pocket of his jacket and watched as Caterina's limo driver took off down the street. He stood there silently, unsure of what to do next, his heart broken.

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