Chapter 26

Emerald couldn't be more thrilled when she heard Christiana had left. She was glad she finally understood her position and left before it really ended for her.

She didn't expect Christiana to leave so soon but now that she did, she could rest well and plan the next big step ahead.

"A toast to our victory," Vanessa said to Emerald stretching forward the cup of wine in her hand.

"A toast indeed, my dearest Ness," She replied, stretching her glass of wine forward too.

"Hold on a minute," Vanessa said, confusing Emerald. "Did she take your offer or...she left on her own?" Vanessa asked.

Emerald took a sip of her wine before answering her, "She did not. She doesn't have the guts to know I know she's after my precious son money," She spat out with venom laced on her tone.

"I just hope Andrew isn't foolish enough to go after her and I'm also wondering, what if..." Emerald cuts her off.

"Do not think negatively now. She defined wouldn't go to a place Andrew would find her so easily knowing well what I am very capable of. She is much wiser than that."

Vanessa nodded her head, "I see. I will just have to be the sweet darling in Andrews eyes once more till his feelings for me come back."

Andrew took the next flight to Switzerland with hopes that he could catch up with John and beg him to reveal Christiana's location. Unbeknownst to him, John didn't take a flight to Switzerland as he told him, John had taken a flight to Trinidad and Tobago. That was where Christiana and her dad were. Just like Christiana, John had been threatened by Emerald too. She had told him to stay away from her son because men of low class like always taint the minds of successful businessmen.

The weather from Switzerland was quite different from that of America. Andrew loved the weather here as it brought back memories of him and Christiana. He smiled, believing he would finally see her again.

John arrived at Trinidad and Tobago at the same time. As soon as he walked out of the airport, he saw Christiana and smiled. She was in a yellow baggy hoodie and black jeans. She smiled once she saw John too. She remembered her last conversation with him in American, the day he came into her and Andy's room after she had survived that murder attempt.

"Who do you think wants to hurt you?" he asked. "Tell me, Christy. I'm here for you. I hate seeing you this way."

She sobbed quietly, not knowing how to start or what to tell him, but she knew she was no longer safe.

"John ... John ..." she stuttered, tears falling faster. She was scared. She was scared that running away would make her a coward. But, at the same time, staying here would hurt not only her, but her father too.

"I've been threatened not once, but multiple times by Andrew's mother," she finally confessed in a whisper, pulling him closer so he could see her fear.

John went silent. He had also been threatened. If Emerald could send people to kill Christiana, who's to say that she wouldn't send others to kill him, too.

"You're scaring me, say something," she begged, whispering.

"Shit!" he muttered, pissed off. "That woman is a sicko," he muttered under his breath.

"She had told me to leave Andrew. I didn't know she had done the same to you."

She began explaining the first threat to the last before her attempted murder. She told him how Emerald had tried using a knife to kill her in the kitchen. She also revealed Vanessa's threats, too. She told him how Vanessa had promised her a life of hell if she didn't stay away from Andrew. She also told him about the ultimatum they gave her which had them paying for her migration to China.

John knew this wasn't going to end here, so he and Christiana came up with a plan. He had booked a flight for her and her father that same day and told her she couldn't go back to Switzerland because Andrew would go there and try to find her. She would stay in a hotel for a while before she left for Trinidad and Tobago.

That night was her last night with Andrew.

All the while Andrew searched for her, she was in a hotel, silently preparing for her flight to Trinidad and Tobago.

Christiana waved at John immediately and she saw him coming out of the airport. With a smile on his face, he waved her back, happy that she was safe. He had to stay in America so as not to make Andrew suspicious that he knew where Christiana was.

Once they were both standing in front of each other, they hugged. "I'm so glad you're okay," he whispered. “You gained some weight; you also look a lot healthier."

She smiled, "I did, maybe because I was able to relax here," she whispered. That was a total lie, she had been crying every day. She needed Andrew but she needed to be safe as well.

Andrew reached Christiana's father's house thinking that they might be there unlike the last time, but there was nothing. It was empty.

He was frantic about everything. He wondered why the house was suddenly empty and what had happened. He couldn't comprehend anything in his head at all.

He went to John's house and saw John's older sister who'd told him John wasn't in Switzerland and never said he was coming. He couldn't believe John never came home and he lied to him.

He was shocked. If he went after John, then he should be here already. He asked again just to make sure and her reply to him was the same. "John never said he was coming home. We spoke last night, and he said nothing of the sort.”

"Could something have happened? Is something wrong?" She asked Andrew who seemed lost in his own world.

"If he didn't come here, then where did he go?" Andrew whispered to himself, but John's sister heard him.

"Now that I think of it, he said something about leaving but I didn't really get it. Is my brother hurt by chance? Tell me what is going on?" She asked him, curiosity laced on her tone.

"Nothing at all. Your brother... Your brother is fine," Andrew assured her.

Andrew was devastated. What is going on? John knew where Christiana was. If it wasn't Switzerland, then where?

A piece of him broke once more and he cried again. He needed her like he needed air. He was lost without her. These past few weeks had been long and agonizing for him.

He wished he had sensed all this sooner. And who would want her dead. Who could have threatened her? He had a hunch that the shot was meant for Christiana, but he couldn't think of anyone who could've been the shooter. Sometimes he thought it was his mother, but she wasn't cruel enough to kill someone. One thing was certain, though. He needed to do more investigating. Find out who threatened Christiana and the reason for it.

What pained him the most was that she couldn't confide in him. She couldn't tell him what she was going through and he blamed himself. He wished he had paid more attention. He wished he knew more.

"Christiana where are you? Please come back," he murmured as tears streamed down his face. He loved her so much that it hurts to not see her. He was so used to having her around him and her smile relieved him whenever he was going through so much.