Sweet Revenge: Jace & Emerald

“How about the other properties? Do they really have nothing left after I took the grocery?” asked Emerald. She was in the meeting room of the ACEGame building with Creep and Daryl, talking about the assets that the Morgans left with after losing the Family Grocer to her.

“I made an initial investigation to know if they will be capable of getting up,” Daryl replied,

“And?” she asked curiously.

“With the information I’ve gathered, I don’t think they will still have a chance to recover without anyone helping them.”

“Why do you say so?”

“As you already know, they are now living in a rented apartment, and according to their neighbors, they frequently heard Mr. and Mrs. Morgan fighting over daily expenses. Their financial situation seems to be dire.” Daryl answered, but Emerald couldn’t help but feel worried. She’s not that bad to wish the worst for the family she grew up with, but she also doesn’t want to put her family at risk because of them.

Emerald’s heart tightened. The Morgans had been a thorn in her side for years, and the recent event where Emerose had kidnapped her. The thought of their downfall should have brought her some sense of satisfaction. Instead, it left her feeling uneasy. Despite everything, she didn’t wish ill on them, but she couldn’t ignore the threat they posed to her family.

Creep, her tech-savvy friend who had helped her numerous times, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. “Emerose is still in jail, right?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Daryl nodded. “Yes, she is. Morgan’s financial instability, however, could make them desperate. We need to be cautious.”

Emerald sighed, rubbing her temples. “I don’t wish for the worst to happen to them, but I can’t help but feel scared for my family’s safety. Jace, Ace, and I finally have some peace. I don’t want that disrupted.”

Creep straightened up, his expression serious. “We need to be vigilant, M. The Morgans might see their situation as a reason to target you again, especially when you’re responsible for their downfall.”

Young Morgan’s eyes hardened. “I have no intention of helping them financially. Not after everything they’ve done. And I still can’t shake the feeling that they were behind my Mom’s disappearance five years ago.”

Daryl nodded. “Your suspicions are valid, M. We must protect your assets and ensure your family’s safety. We can tighten security measures at your home and the office. Well, Mr. Higginson has been doing a really good job by giving you and Ace your own bodyguards.”

Her thoughts drifted back to when she took over Morgan’s family grocery store business. Elise had tried to run it with integrity and care, hoping to salvage something beneficial from their created mess. But the Morgans had never accepted her presence, always seeing her as an intruder. She glanced at a photo on her desk-one of her, Jace, and Ace smiling together at the park. It was a rare moment of unguarded happiness, a reminder of what she had fought to protect. She couldn’t allow the Morgans to threaten.

“I agree,” she said, her voice firm. “We need to increase security and closely monitor the Morgans. I won’t let them disrupt our lives again.”

Creep nodded. “I’ll start improving the home and office security systems.” We’ll also set up surveillance to monitor any unusual activity around the Morgans’ property.”

Daryl added, “And I’ll continue to gather information on their financial status and any potential moves they might make. We’ll be prepared for anything.”

Emerald took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside her. “Thank you, both of you. This isn’t just about me-it’s also about protecting Ace and Jace; we can’t let our guard down.”

Creep gave her a reassuring smile. “We’ve got your back, M. We’ll do everything possible to keep you and your family safe,” he replied. Being friends with Emerald over the years, he and his wife Elise grew fond of her and Ace. They treated each other as family, including Daryl and nanny Keng. Emerald nodded, feeling more at ease with her friends by her side.

***

Jace’s office at the SoftWare Group building was a stark contrast to the chaos that had surrounded him recently. The minimalist design and soft lighting created a calm atmosphere, but his mind was anything but at ease. Across from him sat Liam, Emerald’s friend and, until recently, more than just a friend. Though they tried to act professionally, their tension was palpable.

Young Higginson cleared his throat, focusing on the task at hand. “Liam, I appreciate you coming here. We need to figure this out quickly. We must locate the device Dr. Sanders used to message Emerald’s previous landlord in Italy. It might contain clues about where they’re keeping Dr. Sanders and Lucy.”

Liam nodded, leaning forward, his expression serious. “Where do you think it is?” After learning about Emerald’s biological father and grandfather, he thought he could do nothing for her. They have all the resources they need to find Ember, but knowing he could still do something for the woman he loves gives him so much happiness.

While Jace was pulling up a map on his tablet and zooming in on a specific location, Liam watched him. He was slightly startled when young Higginson suddenly spoke. “According to our intelligence, where I gave the coordinates you sent me, the device was last traced to an old mansion on the next city’s outskirts. It’s a bit run-down, but it’s still possible to live in. We need to get in there and see what we can find.” Liam studied the map, then looked up at Jace.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“We should go tonight. The longer we wait, the colder the trail gets,” Liam suggested, to which Jace quickly agreed.

“We need to tell the others just to be safe. We don’t know what we might find there, so it’s safe to be with the authorities. I didn’t want my wife to worry about me or you because that’s what’s going to happen if ever she finds out that we leave by ourselves,” young Higginson said, and Liam understood. He also knew what kind of person Emerald was, and he, too, didn’t want her to worry about him, especially her husband.

As Jace began making calls, Liam looked around the office. It was difficult to ignore the pang of jealousy when he thought about Jace and Emerald together. He admits that he is already looking forward to the time when they will become a family and doesn’t expect Jace to take the woman he loves back. He was already used to Ace calling him Dad. Now that young Higginson is around, the boy has already called someone “Dad” permanently, who was also his real father. He knew he couldn’t do anything but accept their relationship had ended; still seeing Jace back in her life, especially with Ace, stirred up complicated feelings.

Young Higginson finished his call and looked at Liam. “Everything’s set. We’ll have a clear route to the mansion. But I need to make something clear.” He hesitated, then continued, his voice firm but not hostile. Liam nodded, motioning him to continue. “Emerald and I are trying to rebuild our family. I know you were close, and I respect that, but we must keep things professional now.”

Liam nodded, his jaw tightening slightly. “I understand, Jace. I care about Emerald and Ace. I just want them to be safe.” Jace softened slightly.

“Thank you, now I can feel at ease.” Yes, Jace always feels threatened by Liam’s presence. Even though Emerald has already given him herself again and assured him that they were only friends, he still worries that young Morgan might leave him for the man.

Hours later, they were on their way to the warehouse with the detectives they hired and the police. The drive was tense but focused, both men aware of the stakes. The place was, as Jace had described when they arrived, run-down and seemingly abandoned.

They entered cautiously, flashlights cutting through the dimness. The mansion was filled with old furniture and appliances, but they pressed on, searching for any sign of the device.

They checked every room and every corner until they reached the room where Lucy had previously settled. “I think Ms. Ember has been here; look, there are medical supplies left.” Jace’s private investigator, Ronnie, said, pointing at the used oxygen tanks sitting on the corner.

“I think you’re right.” Liam agreed after he opened a cabinet filled with cotton, syringes, and other medicines in boxes.

“Sir,” the police said, looking at Jace. “There’s a working telephone line in a mini office along the corridor.”

“Please check if Dr. Sanders used that when contacting my wife’s previous landlord. Get all the fingerprints, and let’s see if it also matches him or anyone from the Morgans.” Jace replied while Liam continued to check the surrounding area until he was in the corner near the window. He decided to look out and see if he could find anything.

The window has grills, and there are plants on either side. Liam was about to give up when his eyes caught something. It was a crumpled paper, and he still took it even if he wanted to ignore it, thinking it was just trash. Having a paper in a room where a patient was staying is very uncommon. What do they need paper for there?

“Jace, look at this,” Liam called out, handing the paper to him. Young Higginson took it and quickly scanned the hastily written message.

“They left the mansion three days ago at four in the afternoon,” Jace said after reading the note. He felt a surge of urgency. “This is it. They’ve moved, but this gives us a timeframe. We can track their movements from here.”

Liam nodded, adrenaline pumping through him. “We need to get this information to Emerald and Creep. They can help us trace where they went next.”

Jace folded the note carefully, slipping it into his jacket pocket. “Let’s get back and regroup. We’re not far behind them.”

As they left the mansion, Jace couldn’t help but feel a mix of hope and determination. They were getting closer, and with every step, they were one step closer to finding Dr. Sanders and Ember and ensuring the safety of their family.