CHAPTER 57: A VICTIM OR AN ACCOMPLICE?

"Rio, she's in danger. The bounty hunters were after her. My son was attacked by Bones. They are definitely luring her out." General Archedeus relayed the news to Demetrius.

Demetrius stood up and walked towards the lily flower planted in the middle of the greenhouse. He was having a tea time at the greenhouse when Archedeus came to him in a hurry. Demetrius took the water jar and started watering the Lily.

"We have to see her as soon as possible. If the Bones knew you are here, they might lay low for now." Archedeus continued.

"Did she know that I am here? In the Central City?" Rio asked.

"No. I didn't tell her."

"Good. Don't tell her that I am here, for now." Archedeus didn't understand. But why? Wasn't this the best time to show up? To help his daughter? Rio absolutely understood Archedeus' puzzled look when he faced him.

"Archedeus, I understand your worries for our children. Don't misunderstand my intentions because I consider them my children as well. But we trained them properly for such situation as these. They won't break easily. You know them as much as I do, they will call for help if they can't handle it." Rio explained his thoughts to his friend. He knew he would understand his intention.

"Yeah. I guess I misjudge them." Archedeus lowered his head in shame.

"Let's observe them for now. But as for us, we should know who those clients who dare to hunt my daughter." Rio's voice held a murderous tone.

Yes! Rio was right. Bounty hunters were a pain in the ass for such a long time now. They wouldn't stop unless the client said so. Assassination had been their livelihood. They never choose who to kill. They were trained to be merciless. They did not know mercy at all, whether it was a child or an adult, they wouldn't care. They didn't fear death at all.

"You're right Rio. Should we begin to investigate internally?" Arch asked. Rio nodded as an assurance.

It was beyond doubt. They needed to start looking into it within their organization. Complaints and factions started to grow in their organization since the day he announced that Aisha would be the next heir.

*** Aisha was waiting for Johnny to calm down. She unquestionably understood the shock that he was experiencing right now, when she told him that she was not Stacy. She tried to explain everything to him one at a time, but she could see that Johnny was trying to absorb everything. She couldn't tell what he was thinking right now with his mixed emotion resurfacing on his face.

"Wait. Let me understand this in a simple way. You are saying that you and Stacy are twin sisters, correct?" Johnny was clarifying his thoughts.

"Yes, that's right."

"And you are not Stacy? You are just pretending to be her. Correct?"

"Yes!" Aisha sipped her mixed berry shake.

"You're not Stacy. You're Aisha! Ha-ha, no wonder you didn't recognize me before which is impossible to happen of course..." Johnny mockingly laughed at himself.

"And I'm sorry that I hit you, before. You know what I mean."

"Forgiven." He smiled at her.

"So Johnny, can you tell me what's your relationship with my sister?" She was serious. Johnny sighed.

"We've been together for almost five years' now. We were supposed to get married when Stacy's foster parents asked her to marry Ethan. She chose Ethan over me." Johnny explained, "But we continued to see each other even when she was married. She asked me to wait for two years then we can finally be together. But two years became four years. It was not because he loved Ethan, but her father extended the contract." He continued.

"Yes. Her father entered a five-year business contract with the Williams. They couldn't possibly breach the contract since it would incur them a big loss.'' Aisha was pondering on Johnny's statements. If he was telling the truth, then the Hertiz forced her sister into a marriage she never wanted then. And approaching her to pretend as Stacy was also for their gains not for her sister!

Then she remembered what she heard at the Hertiz residence. But that mysterious man spoke of Stacy as an accomplice. Was Stacy a victim or an accomplice? She couldn't tell. How about her being in a comma? Aisha didn't know what to believe anymore. She never thought that she's been living a life full of lies. In this sea of lies, was there even a one percent truth that she could hold on to? She was lost.

"Aisha, I forgot to ask you, if you've been living her life for some time now then where is she then?" Johnny asked.

"That I do not know also. That's why I told you that I need your help." Aisha looked at him intently.

"What do you mean? What do you want me to do?"

"Find Stacy." She said in a serious tone.

"But I don't know where she is right now. She just left like a whirlwind! Oregon is a big continent with seven states!" His doubts resurfaced.

"She's in Paris!" Johnny dropped his jaw upon hearing her.

"Paris! It's even more complicated!" His eyes widened in disbelief.

"Johnny you have to! I didn't get the chance to know her exact location but I was told that she is currently in Paris. Robert told me that she was in a comma and is being treated in Paris right now but I don't know if they were telling the truth." All of a sudden, Johnny contemplated on what Aisha just said. He also wanted to see her badly. Maybe with Aisha here pretending to be Stacy instead could solve his problem. They could live peacefully now! He just got an idea so he agreed to find Stacy.

"But you have to call me once you find her. Also, don't blow my cover to anyone else." She threatened.

"I will. So when can I go?"

"As soon as possible. Find Stacy, find my sister in Paris, please." She begged.

After Aisha revealed her identity, she also implored him not to tell anyone about her and her sister. No one must know that he would go to Paris to look for Stacy, especially not the Hertiz.

Unknown to Aisha, someone took a video of her while fighting the five men earlier at the tea store. A shadow was lurking around the café too, watching her every move.

"Sir! I got a big story!" The man with a feminine voice was talking to someone over the phone. He was looking at the woman exiting the café, "I'm sure it will rock the whole city, or should I say the whole nation!" The man exclaimed triumphantly.