May frantically tried to search for Ash as everyone was all cheering, congratulating and proposing toasts. The noise felt overwhelming and yet she continued trying her best to focus.

When Drew knelt down, the only thing that raced through May's mind when she saw the ring was how Ash would react. Would he be ecstatic or angry?

"May," Norman whispered in her ear after the famous four worded question lingered for several seconds, "Do not embarrass him in front of everybody."

More than anything, she would say yes and then tell him no later, but how was she able to communicate that with Ash without her father picking up on it. And even if they broke it off, he;d be heartbroken and she wasn't sure it was going to be amendable afterwards.

Avoiding everyone possible, she pulled Drew outside on the deck, smiling superficially at the people who gave the couple their congratulations. Ash was nowhere to be seen and she made eye contact with Dawn, who also had no idea where he had gone.

"Congratulations," Drew beamed, pulling her in for a kiss, "We're engaged now."

"Drew," May breathed, suddenly at a loss for words, "I can't. I can't marry you."

"What?" His face turned to shock, "Why not?"

"I just can't marry you." She stifled, "I'm sorry."

At first she thought that Drew would understand. On similar issues where she was having a tough time, he was often there, albeit not immediately, but still present to support her for as long as she needed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He angrily spat, "I've put up with you, your damn father and your bratty brother for years and this is how you repay me? Tell me, how have you done the same?"

"Of course," May's face was starting to rim with tears, "I've been there for you, I've supported you through everything." She sniffled, "But Drew, I can't marry you. You have to understand. If that's not the case, why did you ask?"

"You owe me and so does your father! This proposal was his idea in the first place!"

"Of course!" May was starting to get angry...and sarcastic. Angry that once again her father was the driving force behind this "forced marriage" and that it wasn't by Drew's own initiative. "The two of you love to control what's happening in my life! I don't owe you or him anything at all!"

Drew was about to retort, but held himself back. If he wanted a foothold in the company, he would need this marriage to work. "Please May, whatever's bothering you, we can work it out. I promise."

He leaned in for another kiss.

Only for May to shove him back, "No Drew. I don't love you the same way you love me. It's over." She solemnly looked down, "I'm sorry." Right now it was apparent that he was adamant on being her husband. Part of her wanted to at least end their relationship on acquaintances, but seeing his intention, she wouldn't care if she saw him again. Her answer would remain unchanged, even if they were the last two humans on the planet.

She took the ring off her finger and handed it back.

Instead of taking it, he grabbed it and threw it across the room, where it hit the wall next to an expensive looking drawer and disappeared behind. Rather than becoming angry again, he began laughing and his face contorted into a rather malicious grin.

"You and that little fucking game you're playing with that Ketchum person! Do you really think you'll have a long lasting relationship with him? He's a killer and he'd probably get a good fuck outta you and then mount your tits on the wall when he's done!" He blew out from his lips in frustration and flicked his hair, "I would have divorced you anyway after I got a good fuck myself!"

"Get out!" May screamed, "Now!"

Drew laughed, "Look at you. All furious because we've ruined your little fantasy! Watching after you is like an unruly kid! This and your pathetic excuse of a friend were the reasons I would have never want something to last with you!"

"And you're an asshole!"

He turned to leave the room but stopped, "Just you wait May. One day the three of you are going to suffer and I'll be sitting at on my throne to watch every agonizing second of it!"

Her now ex-fiancee shut the door hard enough to knock the old Maple family portrait on the wall free from its mount and caused the glass to shatter into pieces.

Drew sat at the deck bar next to the backyard and tilted the glass up to down the last of the scotch inside. He set it down next to another empty one and gestured the bartender for another. He finally managed to recompose himself and think of a way to salvage his placement from the brink.

Norman approached him from his left, "Where did May go after you talked with her?"

"I don't know," Drew waved it off like it was just another problem, "And frankly, I don't fucking care."

Another glass of scotch was placed in front and he reached for it. However Norman stepped in and placed a hand over the drink. His eyes roamed Drew in search of something amiss, but he placed it right away. May broke it off with him.

"That's enough to drink,"

"Enough?" His former son-in-law looked over angrily, "Enough huh? What about you? Don't you think you've had enough. I had May! I HAD HER! Until you had to force my hand into an early proposal!"

"We had this going on for weeks now Drew. Besides, she was spending too much time with Ketchum and it was now or she'd never agree."

"Norman you don't know the first thing about women do you? You tell them they can't have or do something and their drive for it multiples tenfold! I don't know where May is and same goes for Ketchum. So I'm going to guess they ran off somewhere to fuck together!" He chuckled to himself, "This is what I get for being the loyal one who puts in years of dedication and time. I was supposed to run the company after the marriage and now I'm assuming that plan is in ruins."

"Well it is not my fault that you couldn't hold the relationship together. You could have been there immediately to see her when she woke up. I even tried calling you. Where the hell were you when she was endangered?"

"I don't think that would have made a difference." Drew reflected back on that day where he was smitten with a rather attractive member of the communications company Maple Software was cooperating with. He remembered several of flirting attempts and successful convincing to take her out for the night. Flashbacks of his convertible car racing alongside the beaches in Petalburg with the top down and reaching her apartment. From there, the two of them had torn their clothes off one another and collapsed onto the bed.

That night, he had some damn good sex and he never regretted it.

Until now.

He had shut his phone off that night so that he wouldn't be disturbed and woke up when multiple missed calls and text notifications came from Norman about the kidnapping.

"I told you what I said that day. I lost my phone, but now it doesn't matter does it? What is my deal with the company?"

Norman glared back at him, "How am I supposed to let a man run the company when he can't even manage my daughter? I was the one who set it all up and I gave her to you! All you had to do was love and care for her like a proper boyfriend and now husband! Your own negligence was what cost you!"

He stormed off without another word, leaving Drew to his thoughts.

The scotch was downed and he asked for another one. He was in complete disbelief of what had happened. There was no point in trying to undo what Ash had meddled with.

He was so close to finally gaining control of the company and the thought of billions of more dollars flowing into his accounts and net worth, only to have it crushed because the key to it had run off with another man that fit her type.

"No old man," Drew swore to himself, "You brought this upon me and you're going to fucking pay for it."

May took her car and drove directly to Ash's house. Passing by, she noticed that no lights were on in his house.

Was he at work? He didn't work this late. Then again, he was law enforcement, so he was therefore on call at any given time.

She steered the car in a U-turn and got back onto the highway, headed for the JETS' headquarters.

Pulling up, she now noticed that all of their cars were parked in the storage sheds. This was not happening. Ash was unable to be contacted and anything she said wouldn't make him forgive her. The longer time passed without his presence or voice, the longer her heart began to ache for him.

She burst into the front entrance and scrambled towards the security desk at the front. The woman there looked over and seemed to be unperturbed at her desperation. She did recognize her though.

"I need to see Lieutenant Ketchum."

"May, I can't let you past there."

"Why? Is it because there's something secret?"

"No, the JETS' area is locked."

"What do you mean locked?"

"Lieutenant Ketchum and his team left for the Air Force Base on a major operation ten minutes ago."

Here you go! Y'all deserve another update! Poor May is caught in this crazy love game and Ash is now giving the cold shoulder. Maybe some time out on duty to shoot bad guys will help.

A big thanks to all who favorite and follow this story. This one has more than any other piece of work I've written on this site and maybe one day, I'll be able to break the 100 milestone in both those categories.

Thanks for reading and reviewing, you give my writing purpose.