Chapter 53 SHE'D NEVER FIND OUT
\[IXORA'S HOUSE\]
Ixora arrived, her mind spiraling around her conversation with Joanna. Joanna had refused to tell her about Drexton. The only thing she told her was that she should ask her parents. And that was where she got even more confused.
What does Drexton have to do with her parents? It made no sense at all.
She exhaled, recalling her dad was out of the country... so, she's left with her mum.
She went upstairs and freshened up before making her way to her mum's room.
\--
Georgia was on a conference call. She noticed Ixora's presence.
"We will continue the meeting some other time," she said, disconnecting the call.
"Xora," she called, averting her attention to her.
"Mum," Ixora pouted as she went and lay on her lap.
Georgia began stroking her hair softly.
"Are you okay?" Georgia asked.
Ixora hummed a reply.
She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling. Soon, Drexton's face appeared in her head.
He had stroked her hair the same way. She couldn't help but admit that she felt so comfortable when he was doing it. The way his fingers ran along her silky hair, slowly caressing her scalp.
Her eyes fluttered open when she realized she was thinking about him.
"Mum, can I ask you something?" She muttered.
"Anything you want," Georgia replied.
"Did you by chance wrong somebody in the past?"
Silence immediately reigned in the room. For a minute, two. Nobody said anything: both in a thought of their own.
"Who told you that?"
Ixora sat up.
"I'm just curious."
Georgia made her lie back on her thigh.
"I was once the first lady of the state. Our lives are as open as a book. If I did any wrong, don't you think it would have tarnished my name?" Georgia asked, staring at her daughter intently.
Ixora smiled, sitting up. "You are the best, love you," she ran away.
Georgia stood, her eyes turning dark as she walked to the window.
"He's not the Drexton I know. She'd never find out," she muttered.
A smile crept up her lips when she saw the big amount that had just come in.
"I've waited long enough." She dialed Smith's number.
\[BLAKE'S HOUSE\]
Blake stood, trying to get through to Audrey. Ever since the day he attempted to raise his hand to her, she hasn't come home. He had no idea where she was.
He was regretting it deeply. She was only looking out for him. He might be older in just a few minutes, and act overly protective towards her—she doesn't fail to show her protective nature either.
Their mum had run away from home when they were just five.
His mind delved into that day.
\[FLASHBACK, AGE FIVE}
"Mummy, where are you going?" Blake asked.
"And with your bags?" Audrey added, both staring at her.
Joanna looked at them. Her face reeked with purple bruises.
Her husband was a drunkard, an abusive man who didn't miss an opportunity to hit her whenever she spoke about his wayward lifestyle. He also hits their kids each time they try to interfere.
They weren't rich—just managing.
"Should we also get our bags?" Audrey asked.
Joanna sniffled, then nodded negatively.
"N... No need," she choked on her sobs.
"Mummy, why are you crying? Is it because of Dad?" Blake asked.
Joanna couldn't hold her emotions again. She crouched down to their hands and spread out her arms.
They both ran to her and wrapped their tiny hands around her.
"I love you both, so very much." She kissed their foreheads deeply before standing up.
She zipped her bag.
"Mummy," they called.
"You should both be good kids, okay? I will come back to get you both," she said, caressing their hair.
"Mum, why are you going? We want to go with you." Tears began falling from their kids.
Joanna wiped her tears while nodding.
"You can't, please understand," she pleaded, making her way to the door.
They both got on their knees and held her legs.
"Please, mummy. We don't want to stay with Daddy. He does not love us." They cried, dragging her leg.
Joanna's tears poured even heavier.
"Okay, get up. Go and get your bags," she said, helping them up.
"Really?" Their faces lit up, though streaks of tears were on their faces.
Joanna nodded, flashing them a smile. An insincere one.
"We love you, mum," they said in unison and began rushing up the stairs.
They climbed the first one when they heard the door creak open.
They stopped and looked back to see Joanna at the door.
"Mummy loves you a lot," she whispered.
"No! Mummy! Wait!" They ran to the door.
Before they could reach the door, she bolted it from the outside.
"Mummy!" They banged their tiny fist loudly against the door, but she didn't open it.
\--
\[IN THE EVENING\]
Blake and Audrey had already cried and screamed a lot that they fell asleep on the doorstep.
The sound of the unbolting door woke them.
"Mummy," they said, thinking it was Joanna.
It was their aunt.
Since they weren't rich, their relatives visited a lot, and that resulted in them having the key to their house.
Her expression was down as she stared at the two kids. She had tears in her eyes.
"C... Call your mummy for me," she muttered.
The kids exchanged glances as their tears began falling again.
"M... Mummy has left." They cried.
The aunt's eyes went wide in shock.
At that same time, some people walked in carrying a body. His whole body was covered with a white cloth, including his face.
They carefully dropped the body on the floor. The cloth exposed some parts of his face.
The kids' eyes widened as they rushed to the man.
"Dad!" They shook his body.
"Dad!"
They looked at their aunt.
"Why isn't he waking up? Why is he covered in blood? What happened to him?!"
The aunt only shook her head while watching the scene with tears in her eyes.
"Daddy!!!"
\[REALITY\]
The door squeaked open, revealing Audrey. Blake wiped the tears that had fallen from his eyes. His face lit up.
"Audrey," he called.
Audrey ignored him, heading inside.
He rushed and held her hand.
"I came here to get something. Would be leaving soon?" she muttered, releasing her hand from Blake's hold.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have raised my hand at you. Sorry," Blake apologized.
Audrey rolled her eyes, wanting to go inside.
"I will get you anything you want. Talk to me already," Blake said, his voice sounding desperate.
A smile formed on Audrey's lips. "Anything?" she asked.
Blake furrowed his brow. "As long as it's something worth demanding," Blake said, knowing what his sister is like.
"You aren't serious then," she said, and wanted to continue her movements when his voice stopped her.
His voice made her halt.
"Fine, anything."
She went and hung her arm around his shoulder. "You know those singers that shoot their music videos in the rain?"
Blake nodded.
"Right," she smiled. "I want you to perform your next concert in the rain."
"Wait, what?" Blake asked, taking her hand off his shoulder.
Audrey nodded. "Haven't you seen how hot the rain makes them look? I want you to do the same," she winked at him.
"That'd be so many hours in the rain," Blake complained.
"Anything means anything." She twirled the key between her fingers.
Blake groaned.
"Is that a yes?"
Blake nodded with a frown.
"You are the best," she pecked his cheek.
"Since that is settled, I can now ask you mine. Where were you staying during those days?"
"Hotel," she replied nonchalantly.
Blake grabbed her ear and squeezed it hard.
"Hotel! What if some bastard did something to you?"
"You are hurting me," she pushed him off.
"That way, I would have flexed my fist. It's been long, though," Audrey replied, flexing her fist.
Blake sighed tiredly. "You are impossible."
"It runs in our blood." She blew him a kiss and headed upstairs.
Blake chuckled, getting his phone.
He went to Ixora's number, which he had saved as 'mine'.
~Let's go and have dinner together. Our first outing was disrupted. We could make it up.
He clicked send.
He twirled the phone slowly in his hand, remembering Drexton.
His fist tightened around his phone each time he remembered the thing Ixora told him about Drexton.
The veins in his hand and neck all stood out.
He could feel the hatred growing in him.