Chapter 490 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“Still, he worries too much. I swear I’ve told him I’m fine more than a hundred times today yet he wouldn’t listen,” Aaron complained, and Celsie smiled.

“I believe he took after someone. Probably you or his mom,” Celsie said lightly, and watched from the corner of her eyes as the smile on Aaron’s face faltered at the mention of Harry’s mom.

“I believe you haven’t had breakfast yet, have you?” She asked, and without waiting for his response she walked into the kitchen and looked around the place before pulling out a couple of cabinet drawers until she found the drawers containing the dishes and cutleries.

“Harry says Benne’s chef is the best,” Aaron said as he watched Celsie return to the table with the plates and cutleries.

“I agree with him. Samantha can make anything taste good,” Celsie said with an easy smile as she set the breakfast on the table in front of Aaron and herself.

“What do you think?” Celsie asked when Aaron bit into the biscuit and gravy, and he gave her a nod of approval.

“She’s second only to me,” Aaron said, and Celsie giggled.

She watched as Aaron ate, contemplating on the best way to raise the subject, and after a while Aaron looked up at her, “Why are you just watching me and not eating?”

“Did Harry tell you we came around last night?” She asked, and Aaron gave her a nod.

Candace looked up when Jade offered her a handkerchief and she took it from her, “Thanks,” she said with a sniffle, and Jade gave her a nod.

“You must think I’m crazy for crying over a man I desperately wanted to kill,” Candace said, but Jade shook her head.

“I don’t think anything. Our feelings and emotions are not entirely within our control,” Jade said, and Candace gave her a shaky smile.

“It’s crazy. I resent him for everything he did to us, but at the same time a part of me feels so sorry for him. A part of me that also remembers some of the good moments I shared with him wants to go there and care for him until he dies. I know it’s crazy, but I can’t help it,” Candace said as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I can’t tell you how to feel, Candace. I believe you loved him at some point in your life. It would be crazy if you didn’t feel this conflicted,” Jade said, feeling sorry for her.

“Do you mind stopping the car?” She asked, and Jade looked at her curiously before finding somewhere to park the car.

“I think I should go back there and be with him. If for nothing, for Jamal’s sake. He did all sort of evil things, but I have Jamal thanks to him. I can live knowing that he’s not dying just because of his other crimes, but he’s dying such a painful death because Cassidy is punishing him for what he did to Andy. He didn’t go scot-free. I can live with that,” Candace said, but Jade didn’t say a word or try to stop her as she got out of the car.

Jade watched until she flagged down a cab and got into it before driving off. She thought about Todd’s betrayal and wondered if she would have been willing to stay by Todd’s side at the hospital if he survived that accident and she found out he had been about to marry another woman.

Although the nature of Todd’s offense was different from Jero’s offense, she wasn’t sure she was as forgiving or kindhearted as Candace. She would never have wasted a second of her time taking care of him. Although she didn’t support crime or murder, she thought Jero deserved to be poisoned.

Once Jade got to the hotel, the receptionist informed her that someone was waiting for her at the lobby, “Who?” She asked with a puzzled frown.

“He refused to say. He’s the one hiding behind the magazine,” the receptionist said, when Jade turned to take a look at the people seated at the lobby.

Jade’s brows pulled together as she approached the man, wondering who it was. Was it possibly Bill? Perhaps he had come to deliver Jero’s package to Candace? She hoped that was the case.

“Hello! I was told you are waiting for me?” She said, and immediately the person looked up at her.

Seated there with sunshades on and a hat over his head, which she believed he was wearing to disguise his identity, was Matt. She tried to hide her disappointment when she realized it wasn’t Bill.

Thankfully it worked since she was more surprised to see him than disappointed. She had completely forgotten that she had called him the previous evening to intimate him on all that was going on so he could talk Candace out of her plan to harm Jero. Now he was here without knowing that Candace’s plan had changed already.

“Matt!” She exclaimed with a wide smile as he stood up and embraced her, “How long have you been waiting? Why didn’t you call?”

“I couldn’t leave immediately you called. We had to film all through the night, and in my rush to leave after my shoot in the early hours of the morning, I left my phone,” he explained, and Jade raised a brow.

“You could have told the receptionist who you were or simply…”

“It doesn’t matter. Where is Candace?” He cut in as he looked around for her.

“Why don’t we find somewhere private to speak and I will bring you up to speed on what has happened?” Jade suggested, and Matt dumped the magazine he had been reading on the chair he had just vacated and they both walked away from the lobby and headed for the suite.

Immediately they walked into the suite, Jade turned to him, “Do you care for wine or should I order breakfast?”

“Nah. I’m alright. I just want to know what’s happening. Why don’t I see Candace around?” Matt asked as he looked around the suite.

“She is at the hospital,” Jade said, and he looked at her in alarm.

“Hospital?”

“Relax. She is fine. She went there to look after Jero. He’s hurt,” she said, and Matt blinked in confusion.

“I beg your pardon?” He asked, not sure he had heard correctly. He had come running because Jade told him Candace was determined to out an end to Jero’d life even if it meant her going to jail, so what was Jade talking about?

Jade quickly summarized everything to him, and when she was done, Matt frowned, “So she went there to take care of him?” He asked, and Jade gave him a nod.

“It’s crazy, but yeah. I’m sorry I made you come all this way for nothing,” Jade said apologetically.

“Did she say how long she was going to be there with him? How long does he have left?” Matt asked, and Jade shook her head.

“She didn’t specify how long she’s going to stay there. And I don’t know how long he has left either. But his condition is pretty bad,” she said, and Matt looked at her thoughtfully.

“Can you give me directions to the hospital?” He asked, and Jade looked at him curiously.

“I suppose you are ready to talk to her now?” She asked, but Matt said nothing as he waited for her to give him directions to the hospital.

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