Chapter 44: Eric’s final rope trick.
Chapter 44: Eric’s final rope trick.
Chapter 44: Eric’s final rope trick.
After waking up from what seemed like an eternity, Eric’s head felt like it was splitting in two from the severe migraine he had. He tried to move his arms however, he realized he was once again strapped to a chair. Frantic, he began to look around as he realized the wind was hitting his face abnormally hard. Finally….he realized where he was……Panicked he began to yell for help.
“HELP!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!! SOMEBODY!!!!!”
As Eric’s breathing began to quicken, Ian’s voice came over the intercoms outside the cabin.
“Mr. Synder…..so glad you’re awake. How are you feeling? Well rested I hope.”
Ian’s voice was eerily calm as Eric once again screamed for help.
“PLLEEASSSSE!!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!!”
Ian began to chuckle.
“Come on Mr. Snyder….you of all people should know….no one can hear you out here so why waste your vocals. Now….we’re going to play a little game of three ropes….and maybe if you tell me what I want to hear…..I’ll let you go.”
Eric began to cry hysterically!
“I-I tell you anything you want to know!!! Just please let me go!!! Please!!!”
“I’m glad I’ve got your cooperation. Question number one…..why did you bring Dara Chambers to me.”
Eric’s eyes looked around frantically as his heart pounded through his chest.
“I……I just wanted help! I swear!”
“Help with what?”
“I wanted to move up! I was hoping I could become VP one day! That’s all!! I swear! I never had anything to do with her plans!!! I-”
CUT!!
“Aghhh!!!”
Ian cut ordered the guard to cut one of the ropes. Eric began to cry and plead more as he could feel the chair sway slightly to the left.
“I don’t recall asking you about Dara’s plans Mr. Snyder….right now I’m talking about your plans.”
Ian sipped his scotch as he stared at the camera. Even from that distance he could see Eric’s hyperventilating erratic breathing.
“Next question Mr. Snyder….how long did you know about your sister carrying another man’s child?”
Eric’s eyes widened!! A mixture of fear and anger!! This was all that bitch Cassandra’s fault!!! She’d set him up from the moment she gave him her card! She KNEW he had been following her and she recorded everything on purpose!
“M-Mr. Keller…..please!!! I….-”
“I don’t recall asking for your pleas Mr. Snyder….do I need to cut the next rope?”
“No please!!! I…..didn’t know how to tell you! I swear!!! I-”
“But you knew how to tell my ex-wife right? You knew how to tell her about all of your little secrets…..my affairs…..you were quite the chatterbox…..”
CUT!
“Aggghhhhh!!! Mr. Keller please!!!! I swear I never meant to cause you any harm!!! Please!!!”
There was now only one rope holding Eric over the cliff. As his panic heighted he could feel his seat become wet and sticky from the warm liquid now seeping through his pants.
“PLEASE!!!! Mr. Keller!! I’ve done everything you ever asked me to do!!!”
Ian tilted his head.
“You also helped ruin my marriage.”
“THAT WASN’T ME!!! I SWEAR!!! THAT WAS DARA!! I SWEAR I NEVER WANTED YOU TO PART!!”
Eric’s tears and sobbing echoed through the trees.
“So you swear huh.”
“YES!! I SWEAR! I SWEAR!! I SWEAR TO GOD I SWEAR!!!”
A light smile appeared on Ian’s lips.
“You swear to God huh….God isn’t here Eric….you should have sworn to me.”
CUT!
“AGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!”
Ian sipped his scotch until he could no longer hear the screams of Eric Snyder.
“One down…..”
As Ian stood to leave, one of his assistants ran into the cabin.
“Sir….you better get to the Keller Manor. It’s a hectic there!”
As Ian arrived at the Keller manor, there was a barrage of reporters and cameras outside the door yelling and asking questions as they demanded answers for the public.
“MR. KELLER IS IT TRUE YOUR WIFE STOLE YOU FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD SWEATHEART!”
“MR. & MRS. KELLER! WHERE IS YOUR DAUGHTER! HAS SHE BEEN ARRESTED!”
“IS IT TRUE YOU ALL LOOKED DOWN ON YOUR FORMER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW!”
“MR. & MRS. KELLER WHERE IS IAN KELLER!”
PEW!!!
The crowd went quiet as the gunshot from Ian’s bodyguard shot into the air. As the reporters turned around, their faces widened in shock at the site of Ian.
“Ian Keller is right here. Why are you all harassing my family.”
Suddenly, the reporters turned to him.
“Mr. Keller! What do you have to say about the video from your reception!”
“Mr. Keller what’s the current condition of your wife and child?”
“Mr. Keller!”
As Ian made his way to the front door, his guard fired off another warning. Turning to the crowd of reporters, Ian spoke.
“The next time he fires it won’t be a warning shot, so I suggest you get the hell from in front of my house.”
As Ian turned around to head into the manor, a reporter made a snarky comment.
“What are you going to do Keller hang us over a cliff.”
The light laughter that followed instantly halted when Ian turned around. His eyes were dark and red as his fury began seeping through. Walking slowly towards the crowd, his eyes landed on the person that made the remark. A sardonic smile on his face.
“If you think I did something like that to the woman I loved….what do you think I’ll do to you?”
The reporter backed away slowly as fear began to creep down their spine. Ian’s bodyguards spoke next.
“Unless any of you want to be your own front page story….I suggest you get from in front of my boss's estate.”
The reporters all turned around as they began to leave; too afraid of how unstable Ian may be.
As he entered the estate he could hear his father yelling and his mother crying.
“I don’t give a shit what she did!!! My daughter is not going to jail for that lying bitch and her bastard child!!! Get her out now!!!”
Ian stared at his father, so many years of resentment for this man, but right now….all he felt was shame and guilt for the chaos he’d brought into the family.
Suddenly, Nancy’s eyes widened as she ran towards Ian in a panic.
“Ian!! Thank God you’re here! Y-You have to save your sister!!! She can’t go to jail!!”
Suddenly, Ivan came storming into the grand room.
“You’ve got a lot of fucking nerve showing your face here!!”
“Ivan please!! We need his hel-”
“It’s his gotdamn fault all of this is happening!! You fucked our entire family up for a fucking mistress carrying some bastard’s child!! And you dared to compare her to your mother!!!”
SMACK!!
Nancy smacked Ivan across the face shocking him and Ian.
“N-Nancy…..how could you-”
“Because this isn’t getting us anywhere Ivan! We don’t have time for this shit! Our daughter is in jail right now for assault!”
Ivan’s eyes were filled with fury, but he swallowed his words. Nancy was right….the most important thing was getting Isabelle out of jail.
Ian pulled out his phone and called his attorney.
“Head to the precinct….get my sister out…..don’t even think about calling me until you do.”
Ian turned to his parents. Multiple emotions on their faces. As the reports of the wedding continued to trend, the stock prices of Keller-Corp were plummeting. The company was a in a severe crisis. Ian’s phone had been ringing nonstop as the board was in full fledge panic. But right now….Ian didn’t care. He couldn’t focus on any of that until he made things right with Cassandra.
“Bill will have Issie out in a few hours. I need to go to the hospital.”
As he turned to leave, Ivan grabbed his arm.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going!!”
Ian gave his father a death glare causing him to immediately release his grip.
“I just told you. To the hospital.”
“Got dammit Ian!!! You’re choosing that slut over your family!!! I never should have let you take over the-”
Ian began to laugh manically causing Ivan and Nancy to shudder. Composing himself, his glare was dangerous.
“You ‘let’ me take over? Father….what are you talking about….you didn’t let me do anything…..I TOOK IT!”
Ian walked up to his father causing Ivan to nervously step back.
“Let’s be clear….you tried to throw me out of the family because of YOUR failures….you didn’t expect me superseded you….but I did. So if you want Issie out of prison….I suggest you sit your ass down….and wait.”
Ivan was furious! This would be the last time Ian belittled him.
“Fuck you Ian! You think you’re better! You’ve completely ruined the Keller name! The company is destroyed thanks to you! Only this time….you won’t have Cassandra around to clean up your mess!”
Ian paused for a moment before exiting the mansion. Behind him were his mother’s cries and his father’s screams.
Ian arrived at the hospital thirty minutes later. In the VIP room, Dara laid asleep. Even through the glass window of the door, Ian could tell the baby was no longer in her stomach. As the nurse approach. She had a saddened expression.
“Mr. Keller?”
“Yes.”
“I’m so sorry…..your child didn’t make it. But your wife-”
“That’s quite alright….the baby wasn’t mine.”
Ian never even turned to look at the stunned nurse. His eyes remained fixed on Dara as he walked into the room. As if sensing danger was near, Dara immediately woke up. Her face was puffy, and her eyes were swollen. As she turned to see who was in her room, her eyes instantly widened in horror. With a sinister smile on his face. Ian took his fingers and gently rubbed Dara’s face.
“Hello my wife.”