Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Seven

“Well Mr Cutler, I don’t have all day.” The Judge looked in his direction pointedly.

Elongating the silence he had being maintaining for close to ten minutes, with a little mutter or stutter coming out of his mouth as an answer, Francis moved his eyes to where Jennifer was seated. It was as if he was communicating something to her and that made her uncomfortable, but all she wanted to know was who the woman in the video was.

“Mr Cutler…”

“H… Her name is … Hannah Solver.” The Judge motioned to the police and they nodded, some of them leaving the room.

“Do you know any Hannah Solver?” Roberts leaned in to ask Jennifer.

“No. It doesn’t ring a bell. The only Hannah I know is our help at the mansion.” Jennifer frowned as her eyes went back to Francis who still had his eyes on her.

“Do you want to tell us who this Hannah Solver is Mr Cutler?”

“She… uh… she used to be the help at Mr Lewis house.”

“What?” Jennifer muttered to herself, shocked. Roberts leaned in again.

“Seems it is the Hannah you know.”

Looking confused, Jennifer said, “It doesn’t make sense. Hannah’s last name is James not Solver. And my dad made sure to check her background well before hiring her. Why would she even want me dead?” Jennifer’s voice went a bit high on asking the question, drawing the whole room’s attention to her.

“Ms Lewis, please try to keep calm.” The Judge said, transferring her sight to Francis. “So, Mr Cutler, do you want to tell us why Hannah Solver would want to kill Ms Lewis?”

“I don’t know.” His answer came out grudgingly.

“Mr Cutler… isn’t it the same reason you wanted Ms Lewis dead?”

“Your Honour, I don’t wish to answer anymore questions.” Francis answered quite shaken, his eyes filled with, if Jennifer saw it clearly, fear.

“Very well then, I adjourn the next hearing to the day after Hannah Solver gets nabbed. Good day to you all.” The Judge left, dispersing the room.

“I still can’t believe it. Hannah is behind my accident?” Still having the confused look, Jennifer looked at Roberts. “But Hannah has ginger- red hair and that woman in the video has… has… it just doesn’t make any sense!”

“Jennifer!” Mark rushed to where they were seated, Silvanus behind him. “Jennifer, get a hold of yourself. We are going to get this lady behind bars, we promise you.”

“B… but it is Hannah. Freaking harmless Hannah. She was like freaking family. Why do I feel like Francis made that up? Why do I feel like he is trying to frame an innocent girl?” Jennifer looked scared as she stared back at Mark.

“Jennifer!” Mark shouted with a command tone making her flinch. “Get a freaking hold of yourself Jennifer and let us handle this!” His hard face soon turned soft. “Please, let us handle this.”

Jennifer, who was still feeling the effect of his hard voice in her chest, knew she couldn’t say anything back. Not to the people who left everything they had to help her. So she just nodded and said, “I need to get some air.”

“Jennifer.” Mark called after her, but she hardly heard him as she had already gone elsewhere in her head. As she walked her way outside, reporters flooded her but she was too lost in thoughts to know anyone was in front of her. The reporters left her alone when they could not get anything out of her, especially since she was just walking without emotions on her face.

It was all crazy. Everyone she knew, everyone she has been close with have left her or rather betrayed her. Her dad, Francis, Amanda, Hannah. Not wanting to bring up her grieving side , she focused on the last three. She wondered what she had done to deserve such betrayal. She was a good wife, she freaking gave her so called husband her own company. Her company! But she got drowned anyway and got replaced matrimonially by her freaking best friend. And allegedly her help on the verge of fully being her friend was involved.

Jennifer chuckled at herself, at her sorry life. She laughed at how being nice almost killed her. How being a good friend almost made her lose everything her father worked for, everything her father built. Her life was just a joke. A big joke.

Leaning back against a tree, she just let the tears that had been storing up flow. And for a minute, she felt at peace. So, she just cried silently, letting the cool breeze of the quiet place she had walked to, bless her.

"Jenny! It is really you!" An excited voice, familiar one got her out of her thoughts.

“Amanda.”

Amanda smiled brightly, almost jumping her way into Jennifer’s presence.

“What are you doing here Amanda? What do you want?” Jennifer said bitterly, taking her alleged best friend aback.

“What do you mean, what am I doing here? Do you know how much worried I was when Francis said you were dead?”

“Worried.” Jennifer recollected her stance, staring squarely at Amanda. “You were clearly making your way into my husband’s… ex-husband’s bed few days after my so called death. So what worry? Why were you worried?”

“Making my way into Francis bed? Why would I do that?” Amanda looked confused. But to Jennifer it was all an act.

“I don’t know! Maybe you’ve had your eyes on him for so long you couldn’t help but jump into his bed the next minute! I mean, it seemed like everyone wanted me out of the way so they could finally bring out their true self!” Jennifer could feel the anger coming up.

“Jennifer, I have never and will never sleep with Francis.”

“Bullshit! Aren’t you the blonde that is married to him?”

“You think I am the secret lady Francis is married to?” Amanda placed her hands on Jennifer’s arms, staring softly into her eyes. “Jennifer, you are my best friend. I would never hurt you in such a way. Wh.. when I heard you were dead, I was devastated. I had wanted you to be the first to know about my engagement to David immediately you got back from your honeymoon, but Francis…” She looked around quite frantically. “He told us some story, he said you were dead. I… I was terribly sad Jennifer. But… look at you! You are alive.”

Amanda’s tear laden voice chuckled, still looking softly at her best friend who was crying hard. Jennifer felt a bit of relief.

“You are engaged to David?” Jennifer sniffed.

“Yes I am. David is over there waiting for me.” She pointed and Jennifer followed her hand. It was David alright, nothing had changed, he was still the tough looking guy he always was. He waved at her and she waved back.

“I am so sorry. I thought you got married to Francis.” Jennifer closed her eyes for a second as the tears came more, Amanda comforting her with slight arm squeezing. “I was so mad when I found out he remarried a blonde, and you are the only blonde I know and… it is all just so crazy, I feel happy right now that you didn’t betray me.”

“I would never. You mean a lot to me Jennifer. Seeing you alive right now makes me elated, you should have seen me after your so called death, I was a mess and it almost affected David and I.” Jennifer had a look of concern and worry etched on her face as she looked at her. “Don’t worry we are good now.” Amanda smiled and hugged her friend tightly, the both of them, especially Jennifer finding the hug comforting.

“ Oh my baby, I missed you so much. I am glad you are alive." Amanda dissolved the hug and smiled widely at her friend.

"It does feel like I had left for years."

“I still can’t believe Francis tried to kill you. And Hannah? Why?”

“The exact question I wish to ask the both of them when I see them, especially Hannah. Why?” Jennifer said sadly.

“Don’t worry girl. I am here for you. If you need to kick their asses, call me. I’ll make sure to put on my best high heels so I can properly kick their sorry asses.” Jennifer smiled, happy that her friend was not with Francis. She was happy that she at least had a certain friend with her.

“So, I noticed you brought some friends from Hamesia. Tell me, who is that fine dude with dreamy blue eyes and sandy hair?”

“That would be Mark.”

"He is so hot." Amanda said excitedly.

“Mandy!”

“Look at you! You like him don’t you? Did you two do it?”

“Do what?” Jennifer was trying hard to keep her smile.

“Did you two bone each other?”

“No! No, no, no.”

“That is a lot of no’s. You two almost did it, or did you do it?” Amanda asked, a brow up on her excited face.

“Mandy.”

“Look at you blushing. You really like him don’t you?”

“Jennifer.” A deep male voice called her, interrupting the answer she was about to give Amanda.

“Mark!” Jennifer cleared the excitement in her voice so she could sound… normal. “Mark. You are here.”

“I take this is Amanda Stone, married to your…?”

“No, she is not married to Francis. That is someone else. She is definitely not married to him.”

Amanda smiled brightly at Mark and stretched her hand for a handshake.

“Nice to meet you Mark."

Mark gave a short smile and took her hand briefly, his eyes on Jennifer. Amanda could tell they wanted to talk so she held Jennifer’s hand and squeezed it assuredly, saying, "All will be fine. You will win this battle. So, are you two dating?”

"Mandy!" Jennifer was so shocked at her straightforward question. Amanda smiled apologetically at the duo, Mark giving her a grim smile. Jennifer smiled as she watched Amanda left. Some people never change. And it was good to know that Amanda was still the same.

“It is good to see you smiling.” Mark got her attention, his eyes on her.

She smiled softly. “I am so sorry for leaving so suddenly earlier.”

“You clearly needed some air. I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier.”

Jennifer took a dramatic step back, amusement all over her face. “Wait a minute. What exactly is up with Mark McMuffin these days?”

“What do you mean?”

“The Mark I stayed with was a lot cranky, snappish and hardly apologetic. I mean, you would apologize this second and the next second, you would be blaming me for some shit. What is up with this less irritated, awfully apologetic you?”

Mark gave a soft chuckle, running a hand through his hair as he smiled at her.

Hardly recalling seeing him smile, she concluded he had a very nice smile and she could feel her insides melt as the smile persisted. “Well say something.”

And he captured her lips in response, Jennifer immediately giving in. This time it was different, it was slow, passionate and felt like a bond. Her hands tugging at his hair, she drew him closer for more and their lips moved against each other for some more time, Jennifer feeling high.

As soon as they broke the kiss, both having raspy breaths, Mark looked into her eyes and said, “I am still the same man. Come on, let’s get you home.” He gave her one last beautiful smile, grabbing her hand as he resumed walking.

Jennifer stared at the back of his hair, her other hand occasionally touching her lips. It felt so different from the last one, whatever it was that just happened and it was making her so happy. She could tell she wanted more and even more of Mark even though it was still crazy to her how she suddenly grew to like Mark that way. But she knew, he was becoming the sane part of her crazy life and that made her happy.

She sighed deeply as she sighted Silvanus and the lawyer chatting away with Amanda.

Maybe her life wasn’t that much of a joke.