Love Jason

Chapter 36

Jason's POV

Lucas and I were having drinks in the living room, deep in discussion about our plans to retaliate against the Marinos when Anna walked in, her expression filled with worry.

"Don," she said, her voice tinged with concern.

"What is it, Anna?" I asked, trying to sound as dismissive as possible. I had no time for her interruptions.

"It's Aurora," she replied, her words instantly grabbing my attention.

"What happened to my daughter? Is she okay?" I demanded, my concern for Aurora rising.

"She has been crying," Anna replied, her voice filled with apprehension.

"Crying? Why? I'm sure it's nothing. Don't worry about it," I said dismissively, trying to brush off the situation.

"She has refused to eat dinner," Anna continued, her words sending a wave of unease through me. I knew my daughter well enough to sense when something was wrong.

"What's wrong with her?" I pressed, my worry growing by the second.

"She wants her nanny. She refuses to eat unless her nanny feeds her," Anna answered, her tone grave.

"Then get her her nanny!" I snapped, frustration creeping into my voice.

"Miss Hart isn't back home from the hospital," Anna replied, her expression filled with genuine concern.

"Emily is not back from the hospital?" I repeated, my heart sinking at the realization.

"Yes, Don. I shouldn't be disturbing you about this, but Aurora wouldn't stop crying. I'm afraid she's going to fall sick if Emily doesn't come to her," Anna replied, her voice filled with genuine concern.

As my heart constricted in my chest, a wave of worry washed over me. I knew I shouldn't be feeling this way, but I couldn't help but feel concerned for Emily's well-being.

"Find someone else to take care of Aurora for now. I'm sure Emily will show up, and if she doesn't, we'll just find a replacement for her," I instructed Anna, trying to sound confident despite my growing apprehension.

However, Anna's reaction told me that she didn't quite agree with my words. Her expression remained troubled, and I could sense her unease as she hesitated to respond.

"I understand, Don, but Aurora seems really attached to Emily. I'm worried about how she'll react if Emily doesn't return soon," Anna replied, her voice tinged with concern.

"Go, I will handle it," I instructed Anna firmly, watching as she nodded and left the room.

As Anna departed, Lucas drew my attention to him, his words pulling me back into the present moment.

"What are you going to do? I know we suspect that she might be the snitch, but she might also be in trouble," Lucas voiced his concern, his expression reflecting the uncertainty of the situation.

"Lucas, I do not care. If she doesn't come, it's good for me," I asserted, trying to convince myself as much as him. But Lucas shook his head in disagreement.

"Is that the lie you're telling yourself? You care about this girl more than you want to admit to yourself. And she might be in trouble. I can send men to look for her because even the driver has not returned," Lucas pointed out, his words cutting through my facade of indifference.

His observation struck a nerve, forcing me to confront the truth that I had been trying to deny. Despite my efforts to distance myself from Emily, a part of me couldn't help but worry about her well-being.

"Fine, send your men to look for her. We need to know what's going on," I conceded, swallowing my pride as I acknowledged the depth of my concern for Emily.

As Lucas nodded in agreement and left the room, I was left alone to grapple with my swirling thoughts. The weight of uncertainty hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over my mind as I tried to make sense of the situation.

As hours passed by without any word from Lucas, a sense of unease settled over me like a heavy blanket. Despite my attempts to remain calm and composed, the nagging worry continued to gnaw at the edges of my mind, refusing to be ignored.

"Relax, Jason, I'm sure it's nothing," I reassured myself, trying to quell the rising tide of anxiety that threatened to consume me. But deep down, I knew that my words were nothing more than a feeble attempt to soothe my frayed nerves.

Feeling restless and anxious, I decided to go and see my daughter, Aurora. Anna had returned to inform me that Aurora was still crying, and I couldn't bear the thought of her being upset any longer.

With a heavy heart, I made my way to Aurora's room, my footsteps echoing in the silent corridors of the mansion. As I approached her door, I could hear her soft sobs from the other side, and a pang of guilt washed over me.

Pushing open the door, I entered the room to find Aurora sitting on her bed, her tear-streaked face turned towards the window. My heart broke at the sight of her distress, and I quickly crossed the room to kneel beside her.

"Aurora, sweetheart, what's wrong?" I asked gently, reaching out to brush a stray tear from her cheek.

As Aurora looked up at me with her red-rimmed eyes, her expression filled with sadness and longing, my heart shattered into a million pieces. Her words cut deep, echoing the pain of loss that still haunted us both.

"I want Emily, Daddy. Will she never come back just like Mom?" she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper, but each word struck me like a blow.

My throat tightened with emotion as I felt a surge of helplessness wash over me. I struggled to find the right words to comfort her; I didn't know she cared about Emily so much.

"Emily will come back, sweetheart. I promise," I said, my voice filled with conviction even as doubt gnawed at my insides. "She's just... she's just taking a little longer than expected. But she'll be back soon, I'm sure of it."

Aurora's eyes searched mine, seeking reassurance in the depths of my gaze. And despite the weight of uncertainty that hung between us, I knew that I had to fake it for her sake.

With a heavy heart, I pulled her into a tight embrace as I whispered again.

"Emily will return."