40 ON THE RUN

Mr. Shan watched the two ladies board the taxi with the suitcases. Jenny accompanied Jillyanna to stay at the apartment for the next few days while waiting for her flight.

Before they arrived the place, Jillyanna called Cielo. "You finally remembered me!" Cielo exclaimed in a shriek from the other line making Jillyanna winced and put the phone away from her ear.

Jenny smiled listening to Cielo's voice. Even if she wasn't their relatives, they took care care of her when her mother abandoned her. It's not that Jenny didn't know what her mother did but she knew that her mother won't be coming back to her. She saw her with a new man with a child and there was no space left for her.

Jenny stayed in their old house because that's the only place she knew she can stay. It was a blessing that Jillyanna found her when she went home for the first time after 4 years from the time her mother died.

"I'm sorry I didn't contact you. I ran into a very troublesome person and I need to leave immediately." Jillyanna admitted to her since there's no benefit in lying.

"Yeah. I've heard about it. Haha!" Cielo's laughter echoed in Jillyanna's ears. "I can't believe you'd be so unlucky to have met him. I don't think he'd let you go."

"That doesn't matter. I'll go if I want to. I just have one favor from you."

"What is it?" Cielo sat up straight from the couch to listen carefully. Everyone was sitting beside her to hear their conversation, too.

Jillyanna took a deep breath and massaged her right temple. "I want to stay at your apartment these next few days. I can't stay in my room since Travis knew where I'm staying. I'm certain that someone would be stationed there to give him a report. I want to use your room. Don't come and visit me or else I'd be exposed. I'll visit you at the cafe before leaving." she stated to her sister while looking outside the window.

The night was dark but the city was bright with the street lamps and building lights. It was still crowded since many people were still strolling around the area.

Cielo's worried voice came in. "You know the password. Just make sure to lock the door and windows. I'd really want you to go home but someone had been patrolling the area in hope of seeing you here."

"I know. I didn't expect this either. The hell I care though. Anyway, I just arrived at the apartment. I'll give you a call in the next few days."

"Take care of yourself and your baby." Cielo reminded her before the call ended.

Jillyanna paid for the fare and got out of the car. She immediately saw a man leaning on his car across the apartment building. He was smoking while his gaze was locked on a certain floor.

Jillyanna didn't dare risk her identity so she asked the guard to get her things while she got inside the building immediately.

"Can I get an identity card?" the guard asked her after placing the suitcases on the floor.

Jillyanna opened her wallet and took out a small I.D. The guard was surprised but he soon relaxed himself and acted like it was nothing.

Jillyanna and Jenny went up to the topmost floor and opened Cielo's and Lucian's apartment.

The man below who saw what happened didn't think much about it. Travis told her the apartment number of his woman but the two ladies earlier went inside to a different room so it must not be them.

Jillyanna had never been exhausted in her life as much as she felt right this instant. She never thought that she'd meet a very troublesome sperm donor. If she knew, she would never hook up with him.

Jenny used the guest room and Jillyanna used the master's bedroom. As she removed her make up, the words Travis spoke the day she visited the house rang in her mind.

'Did you really think I'd marry her? I just need her for something, okay? You don't have to be so worried.'

Jillyanna was shaking her head as if by doing so, she would be able to get rid of such thoughts.

"See? Leaving him is the best decision cause I am pretty sure he would force me to get an abortion since he wasn't really committed." she murmured to herself with her chin up and proud face while cleaning her face with a make up remover.

For some reason, she felt a dull pain in her heart but she didn't mind about it at all, thinking it was a heartburn.

Jillyanna and Jenny were both tired so after eating their, once again, late dinner, they fell asleep almost immediately.

It was the total opposite in Travis's side. He has been so restless and depressed these past few days. It's been four days since he found the keys in his rented house and the day he found out she was pregnant. Until this moment, he didn't receive any good news.

Dark circles were visible under his eyes. He wasn't able to get some sleep knowing that she was planning to leave him. He can't let that happen. He must find her.

Two days later, a shocking news ignited Travis, making him lose his temper.

"How the hell did it happen?" his voice raised a few decibels from so much anger. She escaped from their grasp. She was actually there in that old house but nobody knew and he didn't doubt the young girl's words either.

"I'm sorry boss. The young girl came back with a nerd person last time and told me she was a house keeper. However, I only saw her twice. I checked these past few days but the house was quiet and there was no signs of life. That's when I found the marks on the ground. It's the wheels of a suitcase. I asked around and many people said that they saw someone with a suitcase but they didn't know who it was or where the person came. She had disguised herself." The man recalled the things he knew and apologized.

Travis punched the wall inside his office to vent his frustrations. Dots of blood started to form on his white knuckles but he didn't bother wiping it.

"Inform all airlines not to let a woman named Jillyanna Madrid, 22 years old, leave the country. Anyone who matches the description must go through a different security check!"