CHAPTER 14

He had continued to bang on the door after she locked him inside the room, and the maid had come to his rescue. She opened the door and found him bleeding on the head. She had asked that he sit on the seat inside the room while she went for the first aid equipment. By the time she returned, she met him with his phone in his right hand and the powdery substance on the book cover in his left. She politely asked him to put down the hard drug first so that she could take care of his wound. He was surprised that she wasn't shocked on seeing him use the hard drug, he thought it was a secret between himself and the other maid who he slept with frequently but never knew the maid had told her colleague. He dropped the powder with the book cover and she began to apply treatment on his injured head but his strange urge for sex overcame him as he got a view of her well formed hips and noticed her backside. He stopped her from treating him and had his way forcefully when she struggled with him, inflicting wounds all over her body as she struggled.

Tom stared at Cara. She was still vibrating from the shock of what she saw. It was less than a minute since she entered, but she was already sweating. She had seen his secret – the hard drug in his hand and the woman he had just forced himself on who was probably dead in the bed. He decided she wasn't going to leave without him having his way with her too and making sure he hit her so hard in the head that even if she recovered, she could have lost her mind or memory. He dropped the book cover in his hands and jumped down from the chair.

Cara never knew him to be a drug addict or user. Never in her mildest imaginations had she thought he could be involved in such. All through the five years he had returned to El Deols, she had not seen him show the slightest sign that he was involved in drugs. Or maybe she had seen some signs and only thought it was his normal way of playing wild.

She watched as he dropped from the chair and made his way towards her. She remained on the spot, too scared to move her legs. She let out a loud scream.

Henry was startled by the scream. He turned back immediately and stared at the door for a second, wondering what was happening. The scream continued, and he hurried towards the room, knowing something was definitely wrong.

Henry pushed the door open to see Tom dragging Cara to the bed already while she tried to resist. Tom landed her two quick blows on the face and pushed her to the bed, over the already sprawled body of the maid. He noticed someone had come in and turned to see who had entered to disturb him from having fun in his way. The powder he sniffed within the last few minutes, already taking its full toll on him.

He charged towards Henry angrily, pissed firstly for seeing Tom in his house and then for intervening in what wasn't his business. He threw a punch at Henry, but Henry grabbed his fist easily, held it for a second, and sent him a headbutt on the face.

Tom shrieked in pain as he fell back on his backside. His vision was already blurry, and he was feeling dizzy, but he managed to get up immediately and tried to attack Henry again. Henry followed up with a straight punch in the face. Tom fell flat to the ground like a log of wood, totally unconscious.

"Cara, are you okay?" Henry hurried to check Cara, who was just getting up from the bed.

"I'm fine…" she murmured through her nose as she rubbed it to ease the pain.

"What happened here?" Henry asked.

Cara was in pain but was relieved to see Tom ready on the floor.

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Four hours later

"That fool did this to you?" Emery Jack asked with his face full of shock as he sat beside his daughter on the sofa. His hands were shaking as he cupped her chin gently in his palms. He had been called by the state's police overseer that his daughter had filed a report against Tom Wills, son of Harry Wills, accusing him of harassment, attempted rape and also accusing him of raping and attempting murder on another lady. Emery Jack had called his daughter at once to find out what happened, and she narrated her order to him.

"I'm fine, Dad," Cara said and dropped her Dad's palm from her face.

The man got up to his feet and let out a breath angrily. His eyes stared at the ground as he wished to get the opportunity to see Tom and strangle life out of him.

"I would never forgive Wills and his son for what he's done to you," he said angrily. He began to pace about the room slowly.

"Hey, Dad! I'm okay, you shouldn't involve Mr Wills in this. He knows nothing about Tom's temerity to behave in this kind of manner, and I'm sure he would be as shocked as you and I are."

Emery Jack was, however, still not satisfied. He was naturally strict and disciplined but calm, he only could become the wildest animal when his daughter was hurt or someone was trying to hurt her. The apple of his eyes, she was his only reminder of his wife, whom he had loved so much.

He stopped for a second and stared at Cara's face again. "Whether Wills is aware of son's reckless behaviour or not, I'm going to make sure the animal pays dearly for his acts." He threatened.

"Dad, I don't want you to make him pay. Please just let him be, remember I loved him." Cara said.

"You can't love him again, thank God I haven't gotten you married to the nonentity yet." Emery heaved a sigh of relief as he wondered what a regret it could have been if Cara had gotten married to Tom before this side of him was revealed.

"Dad, I want you to stay out of the case since it's already in the hands of the government. Tom would certainly get his punishment. The woman he raped and injured is at the hospital. He has enough charges against him already."

Emery continued to pace about angrily, his mind suggesting to him that he could not just sit and do nothing to punish the man who tried to harass his daughter.

He was still pacing when he noticed someone had joined them in the living room. He turned to see Henry standing behind the loveseat and placing his elbows on the top of the backrest.

"Good evening, sir," Henry greeted.

Emery's face loosened a bit. "Henry," he called softly and proceeded towards him.

Henry straightened up seeing the man coming towards him.

"Thank you for being available to save my daughter from that thug," Emery said in a reflective tone. He offered his hand to Henry for a handshake, and Henry took it warmly in his.

Henry remained silent and returned to his position while Emery Jack sat beside his daughter.