Vanessa paced the entire length of her bedroom, her heels clicking softly against the hardwood floor as her thoughts spiraled.
Her mind was a battlefield, torn between anger, ambition, and a gnawing sense of urgency. The room was dimly lit, but the glow of her phone screen, which had been ringing incessantly, illuminated her worried expression.
She glanced at the device, frowning at the unknown number that kept calling. Who keeps calling ? she wondered. It wasn't like her to ignore a ringing phone, but given the current situation, she wasn't in the mood to talk to just anyone.
Her mind raced back to Jake. His arrest had made the headlines, and every dia outlet seed eager to paint him as a villain.
It didn't matter that Vanessa believed in him. What mattered was how the world saw him and, more importantly, how she could use this chaos to her advantage.
She stopped pacing and crossed her arms, staring at the phone as it lit up again. This ti, she let out a frustrated sigh but didn't answer. Could it be soone connected to Jake?
Vanessa sat on the edge of her bed, weighing her options. Associating with Jake right now was risky.
His reputation was in tatters, and her involvent could tarnish her own image.
But on the other hand, helping him could be her ticket to centing her place in his life. When he inevitably reclaid his position as the rightful CEO, she could stand beside him—not just as his lover, but as a capable and loyal ally.
But then, could she risk her life for him? Would he do the sa if he were in her shoes? She thought and then shook her head.
She had lost her job entirely because of all this issue. Should she still continue or pull out now that it wasn't too late? But could she truly stay when Jake was suffering?
Thinking about all she and Jake had done and said to each other, her heart broke. Jake loved her. He didn't even think twice about leaving Emma and treating her the way he did for her, so how could she desert him now when he needed her the most?
Besides, she didn't have a job and was just an orphan, so what would she have to lose if she failed? But she had a lot to lose if she tried and succeeded. Jake's love and support, also a lifeti of luxury after they take down Alex.
After considering the cons and pros, she stood abruptly, her mind made up. Jake needed her, and she wasn't the type to back down from a challenge. Helping him now would ensure that he'd see her value.
But how was she supposed to help in this situation? Her eyes narrowed, and she grinned when a thought struck her.
"Emma," she muttered to herself. Emma had always been at the center of Jake's troubles.
She was the one who had been caught in the crossfire of his lies, the one who had beco Alex's wife hence making their plan fail woefully.
Vanessa's lips curled into a cold smile. Maybe Emma's the key. "Maybe... she's the piece I need to move this ga in Jake's favor."
The idea was reckless, even dangerous, but Vanessa was no stranger to bold moves. If Emma was removed from the equation, perhaps the entire narrative could be shifted. Perhaps Jake could even be freed.
No. He would be freed by the ti she's done with what she has planned. She smiled as she thought about it, excitent at making Emma suffer already bubbling within her.
The phone lit up again, pulling her out of her thoughts. This ti, she decided to answer. She had already gotten her thoughts together, so there was no need to avoid calls, especially from an unknown number.
Who knows? It could be Jake. She thought as she answered the call.
"Hello?" she said, her tone cautious.
"Vanessa?" a familiar feminine voice replied, shaky yet determined.
Vanessa frowned, wondering who it was. "Yes. Who's this?"
"It's Margaret," the voice clarified. "Jake's mother. I've been trying to reach you. Jake asked to call you. He said you'd help him."
Vanessa's frown softened, imdiately replaced by a smile. "Margaret," she said, feigning warmth. "I didn't recognize the number. Of course, I'll help. Jake ans a lot to , and I'd never abandon him, especially now."
Margaret let out a shaky sigh of relief as she nodded. "Thank God. I was starting to think you'd given up on him after seeing the news. Everyone else, including my family, seems to have."
"Never. Not ," Vanessa said firmly. "You can relax, Margaret. I've already started thinking about how to fix this."
Margaret hesitated. "Really? That's good. I was planning to et with Claire, and I apologize. Maybe if I talk to her calmly this ti and plead, she'll withdraw her statent."
Vanessa's eyes narrowed. "You can try, Margaret," she said carefully. "But Claire's not likely to budge. Even if she would, I don't think Alex would let her. He's always seen Jake as a problem, and Claire always follows what he wants. You can try, though. If she doesn't agree to help, we'll need to take a different approach."
Margaret's voice wavered. "What approach? What's your plan?" she asked, thinking about the way Jake had also sounded at the station.
Vanessa smiled to herself, her voice smooth and confident. "Don't worry about that. I have everything under control. Just focus on talking to Claire and let handle the rest. We'll get Jake out of this ss. Trust ."
Margaret paused, then nodded as if Vanessa could see her. "Alright. Thank you, Vanessa. I'll try to speak to Claire tomorrow and let you know how it goes."
"Alright," Vanessa replied. "And rember, Aunty, Jake is going to need us both to stay strong. We'll handle this together," she said in a softer tone.
After ending the call, Vanessa stared at her reflection in the bedroom mirror, her smile fading into a determined glare. She was ready to do whatever it took to secure Jake's freedom—and her future alongside him.
Her mind returned to Emma. Removing her from the equation was the first step, and Vanessa already had a plan forming.
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