When Jade heard him say they were heading for his penthouse, an alarm bell has suddenly set off in her head. Warning bells were ringing as she stared at him unblinkingly.”Penthouse?” Jade asked him with widened eyes.”Yeah” Came Jake’s reply.”Why?””Because it will be the best place for us to play and relax ourselves, and it’s just around the corner” Jake said. He didn’t think much about it. He thought it was okay since Jade was slowly opening up to him, and to be frank he was too tired to drive to those game house.Jade had compelled herself remain quiet and not be suspicious of him. She didn’t think it was a good idea to go his penthouse, but so far Jake has proven to be quite a gentle man and has by no chance made her uncomfortable. She decided to let her guards down just for a little bit and go with him.Jade was more than stunned when she walked into the all smart penthouse, owned by Jake.Her jaws dropped when she stepped into the house, her eyes were wide open as she took in the beauty of the house.”Jake how rich are you?” Jade asked without much reasoning. That was a really dumb question to ask, but she has blurted it out anyway.Jake chuckled when he heard her and saw how enthralled she was.”Enough to travel in a spaceship every one hour” He replied, while Jade scoffed, “show off””Wait till you see the game house” Jake said as he led her to the small game house upstairs.”Oh my God! How…””Don’t ask any silly questions. This is just the perk of being rich” He said smiling gleefully. He couldn’t contain his joy knowing Jade was right there with him.Jade turned to him, her hands folded across her chest as she gazed at him intently, “Has someone ever told you how conceited you are?” Jade asked.”Of course, you just did” He replied making Jade scoff again. Seems Mr Jake was a bit thick skinned.”Come on, let’s go” Jake gestured to her, waving his hand at her.”Where to? I thought we were here to play the game, don’t tell me you’re chickening out, I came prepared””I know you did. Let’s just go to the kitchen and find you something to eat before the worms in there feed on your organs” Jake said pointing at her stomach. Jade has been enthralled by Jake’s gorgeous apartment has been oblivious to her rambling stomach. As if on cue, it rumbled again, making Jade bit her lips in embarrassment.”Let’s go” Jake told her, walking ahead while Jade trailed behind.Jade thought they were going to order take out or something that didn’t require Jake using the heat or pots. But she was shocked out of her skin when he rolled up his sleeves and put on an apron, before saying, “What would you like to eat? But mind you, ask for something simple, I haven’t cooked in a long while”That was another shock.”You know how to cook?” Jade asked doubtfully. Doubts was written all over her face.’There was no way he can cook’Jade was surprised when she observed how deftly Jake moved around the kitchen. She couldn’t stop herself from admiring the way he looked while cooking. Who would believe he actually knew his way around the kitchen? Absolutely Unbelievable!Knowing that Jake could cook came as a surprise to her. She had doubted him until she saw a plate of egg Benedict’s divinely made unto perfection, placed before her.Just the sight of it made her mouth water. She looked up at Jake with a doubtful smile, as she picked up her eating utensils.”You really don’t have to give me that look you know” Jake said as he took off the apron tied around his waist.”What look?” Jade asked innocently.”That look on your face” Jake replied pointing a finger at her face, while he picked up his plate and joined her on the kitchen island. He slipped himself onto one of the Kitchen high stools.”I’m not going to kill you with my food. I can’t promise you that it would be great, but I can assure you it’s edible” Jake said as he looked at her.”But I didn’t say your food will kill me, just in case you heard wrong” Jade said in her defence. She took a small bite of her eggs Benedicts and Jade couldn’t believe how great it tasted. She closed her eyes to savour the divine taste of the egg. The egg came melting off like one of those eggs made by those top michellin star chefs, not like she has been opportuned to eat them, but wasn’t that how people often described those sumptuous meals.Jake proudly smiled to himself when he saw the huge satisfied smile plastered on her face. He didn’t need a soothsayer to tell him that she liked it.Jade didn’t turn to look at Jake as soon as she started eating, she was too engrossed with her meal to spare him a glance or give him a rating. She initially had thoughts of teasing him had the food not tasted good. But now, she just wanted to devour this plate of delicious egg’s Benedict.Jake was staring at Jade as she ate, for some awkward reason he couldn’t take his eyes off her. His eyes were glued to her, and the more he looked the more he couldn’t take his eyes off not even for a second. He had this strange feeling inside him whenever he sees her, talks to her or even look at her the way he was doing now. The myriads of feeling going on inside of him were strange. He had no clue what they meant. And they were slowly eating him up.Right now all he wanted was to pull her into his embrace and hold her there as long as possible. Since he meat Jade barely three months ago, he has had this feelings he couldn’t express. She has somehow become the center of his every day thoughts. He couldn’t think without the thoughts of Jade slipping into his mind.Seeing her now made him realize how much he had missed her in this last few days. The last time he had seen her was the day she had returned his jacket, and he still hasn’t forgotten all she had said. He had regretted stopping her from saying all she had to say on that day, because he didn’t have the heart to watch her cry just like she did on that day. He had the feeling she wasn’t ready to open that can of worms and relive whatever she had passed on the day she had labelled the worst day of her life.Jade snapped her head towards him, and she caught him staring at her.”What?” She asked with a smile, making Jake smile back.”Nothing. I’m just basking in the joy of watching you eat my food. So tell me how was my food?” Jake asked expectantly.Jade smiled more, “Well….I think..” Jade had a contemplative look on her face. She was trying to mess with him, she smirked inwardly when she saw the impatient look on Jake’s face, “this is the best egg I’ve tasted all my life” She grinned, making a quick blush appear on Jake’s face.”I can’t believe you actually made this. If I wasn’t watching you while you made that, I would have doubted you can actually make something this good””Thanks for the honest review” He smiled before pouring her a glass of wine, which he had picked from the bar earlier.”Thank you” Jade said receiveing the glass.”You’re welcome””So did the famous CEO Beau become a master of such culinary skills” Jade asked raising the glass to her lips, with Jake staring at her, his head was plonked on his hand resting on the counter.”It was just something I picked up for fun. I sometimes do things for interest””Hmm” Jade nodded. “I have to say, your culinary skills is top notch” She praised giving him a thumbs up.”Thank you again” Jake said grinning from ear to ear. As far as he got these kinds of acknowledgement from her, he doesn’t mind cooking for her everyday of his life. He thought to himself.’What are you thinking man’ He chided in his head. ‘Everyday huh?'”Are you not going to eat that?” Jade asked pointing her chin to Jake’s plate.”Oh, uhm no” Jake replied before turning to the plate of food in front of him.”Why?” Jade raised a brow.”Because that’ll is the reward for tonight’s winner” Jake said with a wink.”Then I guess we should get started” Jade jumped to her feet.”That plate is so mine” She cracked her knuckles to show how serious she was about it.Jake smiled to himself, he was going to give it to her anyway. He wasn’t feeling hungry when he stepped into the kitchen. He had quite a lunch at work, so he wasn’t feeling hungry. Jade had prompted him to step into the kitchen for the first time in a very long time.”So what are we playing?” Jake asked as he turned on the appliances. He hasn’t been here since he returned to the country, but the house was properly been maintained by staffs.”Demon souls” Jade said with so much enthusiasm. To be sincere, she loved the game but she had decided not to play with anyone, because no one met her expectations. Everyone she had tried playing with were all slackers. But since she played with Jake, her love for the game has been rekindled. Jake had revived her back to the game, and has once again shown her why the game was one of the best games in the world. Jake was a worthy opponent. It had taken all she had to have won the game the previous time.In two words, Jake was a formidable player. But he doesn’t have to know that. Heaven knows how conceited he was, but in a good kind of way.”Don’t be a cry baby when I win” Jake confidently said.”In your dreams mister, that Egg Benedict is so mine” Jade proclaimed.Three rounds of intense gaming has passed in the last 2 hours and Jade was yet to win one round. She glared at Jake from the corner of her eyes as they kept playing. She increased her concentration towards the game but Jake wasn’t giving a chance at all.What the hell!!!Jake saw the frustrated look on her face, and he smirked. This was his comeback and he was going to make it loud enough.”Jake Beau!” Jade snapped when she lost this round too. “That’s it I’m so not playing. I’m done” Jade declared, grumpily dropping the console on the ground. Jake bellowed out in laughter at her childish outburst. Her hands were folded across her chest, with deep frown lines etched on her head, her lips cutely pouted as she intensed her glare at him. Jake’s laugh increased, he laughed so hard that his stomach was beginning to hurt.”Stop laughing” Jade sneered. Her eyes were shooting lasers at Jake.”Okay I will, before you burn me alive with your eyes” Jake said trying to stifle his laughter.”This is not fair” She gruffed. She couldn’t believe Jake had won her thrive in a row. “You don’t know how to be a gentleman” Jade hissed, as she kept eyeing him dangerously. She has never lost a game, not once. Even the candy crush game she was heavily addicted to, she has never repeated a stage, so she wasn’t used to losing. Jake had broke her ‘undefeated record'”In what way, am I not a gentle man” Jake asked with interest.”Because a typical gentle man wouldn’t be this mean. You’d let me win” She stated with a serious look.”So you’re asking me to give you a leeway, I didn’t see you as a woman who’d want a man to favour her” Jake said jocularly.”Of course I’m not like that. I’m only saying….””I should have gone easy on you” Jake cut in. He sighed.”Believe me missy, I don’t do easy. When I play, I play hard and rough…” Jake paused when he heard himself.Why does his word sound he was referring to something else.____________He rushed over to her like he had just seen his Messiah. He reached for her hand and held it tightly, but not enough to hurt her, but enough to tell her that he meant every word he was about to say.”Mom please you have to help me” He pleaded, his voice was firm and desperate.”Help you with what?” She asked, raising her hand to touch his face gently. She has never seen her son like this.”With Jade” He said, making his mother’s hand abruptly stop her movement while she snatched her other hand from him.”In your dreams” She snapped.”Mom!””You’re being delusional. Is this why you created such a mess?” Helen asked glaring at him, pointing at the mess Cale has made of his room. “Maybe you should have thought about doing something else” She hissed as she tried turning away.”Something like what?” Cale asked.”Something like forgetting about her and leaving her the hell alone” She snapped, raising her voice.”No!” Cale spoke, his voice firm and strong.”No to what?” She asked eyeing him. She understood what he meant, but she wanted to hear him say it.”No I can’t leave her alone. Mum I love Jade, I truly do. She completes me, she makes me happy, she’s all I want. Mom please help me get Jade back” He said with a pleading tone.”You should have thought about that before you broke her heart” She told him coldly.”Mom I know” He said as he raked his hand through his hair, “I was a fool” he hissed.”Sure you are” She hissed too.Cale brushed one hand through his face while the other rested on his waist, his eyes were fixed on the table clock, which Jade had gotten one time she had gone shopping, “They say you don’t know the value of something, until you’ve lost it” He sighed loudly before staring back at his mother.”Mom, Jade gives me stability, she makes me special, like I can conquer the world and achieve all my dreams. Jade is the woman I want by my side, she has always been, the thing with Stephanie was because I couldn’t control myself but I never had the intentions to marry her. Mom, you know Jade is good for me, she’s the ideal wife and daughter in-law. Jade is my life, Please help me get my life back” Cale slowly brought himself to his knees as he continued speaking.”I’ll lose my job, my sanity, everything if I lose her. She belongs to me…””She’s not some sort of possession Cale, she’s a woman, her own person, not someone you can own” She told him before looking away.”Yes I know” Cale nodded affirmatively. “She’s not someone I can own, then let her own me, I don’t mind. As long as I have her in my life” Helen glanced back at him but didn’t say a word. To be honest, this was the first time she was seeing Cale behave like this. She has never seen him on his knees before except as a child when he wanted to tactfully ask for something. But here he was kneeling and pleading for Jade.”Mom please. I know she’ll listen to you, please help me get my woman back” He said gently pulling at her hand.”Cale I can’t force her to take you back. If you want her to forgive you, then talk to her yourself. Show your sincerity to her and I know Jade, she’s a sweet girl she’ll hear you out and forgive you” Helen spoke back.”But I have tried” He said looking up at her. “I’ve tried, but she won’t even see me, or talk to me””Then let her be. She’ll come around when she has forgiven you. Give her time” Helen said in a soft tone.”But I’d have lost her completely. Mom just talk to her once, just once. Please” He pleaded earnestly.Helen sighed as she looked at him. She didn’t know what to do. She was confused at the moment.On one side is a girl who she loves as a daughter and wishes the best for. On the other side was her who she also loves and wants to be happy in life.Meeting Jade would mean she was taking Cale’s side and overlooking all the wrong he has done to her. But what if Cale has realized his wrong and was truly sorry? Nobody is perfect right? Not even her. People make mistake but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a second chance right?What if Cale has truly changed? And his words about only loving Jade was real?Helen looked down at Cale, she sighed before helping him up his feet.”Come on” She said as she pulled him up. She looked him deep in his eyes, “Cale i know you made a mistake and I’m happy you’ve realized your wrong doing. But are you really sure about this?” She asked.”Of course, I’m sure. I want Jade back and i promise to do right by her” Cale said assuringly.”Cale I love Jade just as much as I love you. I also want her in this family but not as a woman you can use for your own selfish reasons or maybe because you simply can’t get over her. If you don’t love her…””Mom I do” Cale cut in. “I really do””Then fine I’ll talk to her even though I know I shouldn’t. But know I’m not going to coax her into getting back with you. If she says she has moved on, then you will have to do that too” Helen said firmly, with her eyes expectantly waiting for Cale’s reply.”Of course” There was no way Jade wouldn’t come back to him. There was no way he’d let her go, not in this world. Jade was a rare treasure, one that was hard to find. She’s all he needs in this world and nothing was going to take her away from him.”Cale?” Helen looked at him doubtfully.”I agree, but please talk to her first””Okay, I will””Thank you mom….Thank you” He said pulling her in for a hug.”Okay, that’s enough” Helen said pulling away from Cale who was squeezing her too tightly.”Now put this room in order, before I change my mind””Sure. Thanks mum, I love you””I know” She said with a teasing smile before walking out. Her smile disappeared from her face the moment she walked out of Cale’s room.’Am I doing the right thing?’ she asked herself.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 77
