Chapter 119 Elizabeth Is Pregnant? {Kieran}

Chapter 119 Elizabeth Is Pregnant? {Kieran}
Brad was a traitor.

The meeting continued in a blur; every dialogue was background noise to my thoughts. I squeezed and unsqueezed the ballpoint pen I held. 

Watching Berlo’s casino blow into smithereens didn’t make me feel any better. My hands itched for blood, for violence. I craved to have them wrapped around Berlo’s neck or at least in his eyes until they popped. How he managed to get a bomb into Elizabeth’s home made my blood boil, and then the footage Zayn pulled up. 

I got Elizabeth back but in a terrible state. She lost pounds of flesh and her gorgeous hair. I drew in a sharp breath, followed by the sharp noise I made when I snapped my pen into two. The sudden release made me realize I wasn't alone, and every board member in the room with me froze mid-conversation to stare anxiously at me.

“Mr Ferra—"

I shot out of my seat before the pale old man on my right could finish his sentence. “Meeting adjourned.” 

I aggressively loosened my tie as I made my way into the abandoned warehouse where Brad and Gracie were kept. Brad, a traitor? I’ve known that kid for ten years. He was so loyal, I entrusted my son’s safety to him. It was hard to believe he played a part in the explosion, but there was no one else that could have planted a bomb in the building besides Brad and Gracie.

Brad’s shouts and grunts bounced off the walls. The environment reeked of the metallic scent of blood and the burnt smell of flesh.

Brad, my confidant and loyal friend, sat shirtless with his hands strapped behind a chair. His head hung low; sweat and blood dripped from his face. His body was marred with cuts and burnt marks. He was surrounded by his comrades who were responsible for punishing him. While Gracie sat in one corner untouched, she looked as white as a ghost. Her saving grace is Elizabeth.

I stood a few feet away from him, not trusting myself not to strangle him to death without giving him a chance to defend himself. "What has he said since you started?” I asked the soldier standing behind him.

“He only kept asking to see you, boss.”

Brad groaned lowly as he raised his head to look at me. His face was swollen at every angle, bloodied and purple. “Boss,” he groaned. “I didn’t mean to–”

The sound of car tires screeching made us pause, but I already knew who it was because I asked him to come. Zayn. Since the explosion happened, he was able to gather salvageable items from the scene and other things that may lead to evidence against Brad.

He slapped me on the shoulder in greeting. “Any new information?”

“We’re about to find out.” I grumbled as I marched to take the already bloody baseball bat and faced Brad with it. “Did you betray me, Brad?”

The bastard had the audacity to laugh. Brad laughed with blood dripping from his gums. “If I wanted you dead, Boss, you’d already be dead.”

I froze. My hand tightened around the bat. Son of a bitch. “Better start talking, Brad, or I swear I will bash your head in with this bat," I growled. Zayn held my shoulder and shook his head once at me.

Brad spat a mouthful of blood onto the concrete ground. “I didn’t betray you, Boss," he drawled. “I was only trying to protect you.”

“How so?”

“I wasn't just driving Elizabeth; I was watching her," he finally spoke. His burst lip made him sound like he had a lisp. "Ever since we discovered the truth, I wasn't just going to let her back in like she didn’t deceive us. The briefcase only had pictures of her whereabouts when she was alone and recordings of her phone calls.”

Even Zayn couldn’t hold back swinging the bat across Brad’s head. Although I didn't hit him with the right force to make him pass out, he did spit out another mouthful of blood. I stood above him, raging and breathing out of control.

“Under whose permission?!"

“Because you weren't thinking straight! You forgave her so easily, and I knew you’d trust her just again, and she would end up stabbing you in the back.”

I raised the bat but stopped mid-swing. His body won’t take another hit, and deep down, I am relieved. A part of me hated having to kill Brad for being a traitor. I disposed the bat with a sigh. I crouched low to his level and pulled his head back by his neck. He could hardly keep his eyes open.

“Listen to me, Brad, next time you pull a stunt like this without my consent, you’re dead.” I squeezed his nape. “You hear me?” 

He nodded weakly, then I let him go. I order the boys to release him and get him cleaned.

Zayn came with a box filled with things recovered from Elizabeth’s burnt house. I got his messages on my way to the warehouse, but I was too pissed to comprehend what the images and texts were about.

“If Brad isn’t the rat. "Who is?” I asked as I took out the files he brought to me in an envelope; some edges were burnt. “And what’s this?” 

“I reviewed everything from emails to videos to neighborhood sightings and found this maintenance report Gracie, your housekeeper, dropped on the desk of your table.” Zayn explained slowly while I read it.

It was about the pest control visit. I remembered her bothering me about the bee infestation problem happening around the house during the time Elizabeth left, and I told her to handle it. 

“Although the exterminator did come from a legit company, Berlo's men managed to attack and abduct them so they could take their place," Zayn added. “If we track the truck used, we can get a lead on their hiding spot.”

I nodded. Something caught my eye from inside the box. I reached into it and pulled out a clear evidence bag. Inside was a tiny pink sock.

“Mind explaining why there are baby items in here?” 

Zayn shrugged. “I could ask you the same thing.” He dipped his hand inside the box and pulled out another bag of a stuffed rabbit. “These were found in the debris of Elizabeth’s home, and considering how close you two are, I was hoping you could shed some light on it.” He pulled out a baby blanket burnt around the edges.

My heart sank. I didn’t realize my hands were shaking until the rabbit fell from my hand. My chest suddenly felt tight. Zayn had pulled out the final bag, and when he took out the half-burned ultrasound image, I let out a choked sound. The name signed on the image read, “Elizabeth Grant." The warehouse went silent. Behind me, Gracie started crying. 

Stiffly, I turned toward her slowly. “Why is there an ultrasound with Elizabeth’s name on it?” My voice came out barely above a whisper. It sounded like I was asking myself the question.

“E-Elizabeth is pregnant?”