CHAPTER 12

Michael's Pov:

I froze as I stared at the man standing on my doorstep, a stranger yet oddly familiar. It took a moment for recognition to sink in, my uncle whom I hadn't seen in years. 

My mind raced, trying to comprehend the words spilling from his lips.

 "We've been searching for you for years, " he said, his voice had a tone of urgency " I don't know what the hell happened or why you had run away from home but I do know something; your father is Ill Michael. It's time for you to come back." He said.

My heart pounded in my chest as I struggled to process the bombshell dropped on me."But I've built a life here" I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. " A different life".

My uncle's gaze softened, understanding evident in his eyes ." I know Michael.

 But your family needs you. Your father needs you . And there's something else... You have a responsibility to your legacy. Your father's empire .... It's yours now".

My mind reeled at the weight of my uncle's words. I had left behind everything since I had that accident that almost took my life. But now, faced with the prospect of returning to a world that I thought I had escaped from. 

A world full of a lot of expectations, duties and obligations. "Am I still required to produce an heir ?"I said, my voice barely a whisper, the weight of the revelation settled over me like a heavy cloak.

My uncle nodded solemnly ." Yes , Michael. You need to come and secure the future of the family".

With a heavy heart and a mind swirling with conflicting emotions, I knew there was no turning back.

 I had a choice to make, a choice between the life I had built and the legacy waiting for me , a choice that would shape not only my future but the future of the generations to come. 

Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and made my decision . I'll come back", I said , my voice steady despite the turmoil within. "For my father, for my family... For the empire."

 And with that, I began to explain to him how I didn't just disappear but was involved in a car crash that made me lose my memories which I just lately recovered.

As I stood on the balcony, surveying my surroundings and bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, my phone buzzed in my pocket interrupting my throbbing thoughts. He glanced at the screen, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of Rosemarie's name. 

With a sense of foreboding, I answered the call, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. "Rosemarie , what's wrong ?". There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line,broken only by the sound of Rosemarie's ragged breathing.

 "Michael, " she finally whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "It's .... It's one of our daughters, it's Jasmine. She's been kidnapped".

I felt as if the ground had been pulled out from beneath me, the blood draining from my face as I struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what I had just heard.

 My daughter, my flesh and blood, in the hands of kidnappers, it was a parent's worst nightmare coming to life ."where are you?" I said with much desperation and urgency "I'll come to you".

 "I'm on my way to a possible place that James could have taken her to, will send you the address via text" Rosemarie replied, her voice choking with tears.

 "We...we have to find her, Michael , we have to bring her back." Without hesitation, I made a decision . "I'll meet you here" I said , my voice resolute. "we'll find her together ".

And with that, I ended the call, my mind racing as I made my way across the hall in my apartment . My daughter needed me and I would stop at nothing to bring her back to safety. 

As I stepped out into the cool evening breeze , I felt a surge of determination wash over me. No matter what obstacles lay ahead, no matter what the dangers lurked in the shadows, I would face the head on with courage and resolve. 

For I am Michael Morgan, patriarch of a powerful dynasty and my family would come first.

With a glint in my eye, I set off into finding my daughter ,my heart filled with hope and determination.

Together with Rosemarie , I know we will find our daughter and bring her back home where she belonged. 

And as I drove off in my car to search for Jasmine ,a single thought echoed in my mind , a promise, a vow ,a testament to a father's love. 

No matter what challenges lay ahead, I would never stop fighting for my family. Rosemarie sent the address and before you know it, we were at the front of a building that looked like an abandoned warehouse.

 According to Anne, Rosemarie's sister, she said her ex husband would sometimes come here to work and she had always found this place to be creepy so she suspects he would have brought jasmine here.

We splitted into different directions so the search for jasmine could be faster.

 While checking around a particular room, Anne shouted that she had found something. Both Rosemarie and I ran to her asking what she had found. 

And behold it was one of jasmine hair clips lying on the floor. 

Rosemarie burst in tears and I tried to comfort you but then was worried because it's obvious they had been here and also they had left knowing for sure that Anne would know he would go here. Now we are left with no clue and Rosemarie kept on crying her eyes out.

We headed out and I continued to question Anne in case she remembered anything else about James and probably his friends or something that we can connect to where he took jasmine too. While trying to sort things out a call came through Anne's phone and lo and behold it turned out to be James.

 I whispered to Anne to put the phone on speaker so we could all hear what he had to say. "Hi Anne, hope you are good?" he said while laughing out wickedly over the phone. 

"Well I'm sure your sister would be working very hard to get her daughter back but tell her not to stress herself that her girl would be returned safely to her" he said. 

I let out a breath of relief but suddenly interrupted when he said "but one condition, Anne love you will have to get married to me again then will I release the little girl. You have just two days to tell me your answer.

 Bye love." He didn't even let her speak, he just hung up but that didn't surprise me until both Rosemarie and I noticed a grin on Anne's face after the call. She just smiled, looked up and said" I know where they are".