Treasure Must Die

Treasure was on a call when Bernice, her secretary announced Jake's arrival.

"Let him in" she replied and dropped her cellphone. Jake walked in seconds later, but he stood by the door, unsure of how to greet Treasure. Their last encounter had been a big embarrassment and now, he lacked words to say.

"Don't just stand there, sit" Treasure said gesturing to an arm chair, and Jake made for it.

"Hey!" He said, but Treasure replied rather coldly.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"I'm sorry..." He said

"everything happened so fast and...I don't know...I...I didn't want things to get this complicated between us but..."

"Just let it be Jake." Treasure replied as she stood to her feet, but Jake held her.

"I know you're upset, but I promise, I didn't know Vanessa was capable of doing all that she did to separate the both of us..." He said

"...but she's in love with you, I really can't ignore that...I mean she's my friend, she's our friend, and in issues like this, friendship ties must be considered." Treasure replied

"I... I know that Treasure, but I am...I... I'm in love with you." Jake said drawing closer to Treasure.

"...and Vanessa?" Treasure asked

"Will you ignore her love for you?" She asked

"Will you be that selfish? Huh?"

"Vanessa and I have never gone beyond friends. I...I don't know why she... I don't know...I...I  don't why she fell in love with me, b...but I have always loved you Treasure, I... I can't compromise my love for you, I really love you..." He said wrapping his arms around Treasure, but she brushed them off.

"I'm sorry Jake, but you should leave, I'm busy at the moment." She said, but Jake held on to her.

"Let go Jake, I don't care about you, I cannot reciprocate your love because I don't have feelings for you!" She said, but Jake drew her into his arms

"Really?" He asked

"Then let's find out if you're speaking the truth" he said, but before Treasure could understand the meaning of his words, he cupped her face in his palms and was kissing her passionately. Engrossed in the kiss, Treasure couldn't deny the fact that she had missed the taste of Jake's lips and had longed to re-live that moment again. As he kissed her, she could feel how desperate his love for her was, but she wasn't going to accept defeat this early. She pushed him away from her, and turned to leave, but Jake caught her hand just in time. He wrapped his arms around her as he kissed her again, this time more passionate than before. As he kissed her, he explored the inside of her mouth with his tongue, sucking and licking every part of her lips. Treasure's emotions shot up. Soon, her tender hands were on Jake. As she caressed his nape, the other groped his chest. Still smooching, Jake made for the couch, and pinning Treasure against it, he reached for the scarf around her neck and undid it in no time. Treasure's cleavages were out in the open, and staring fully at them, Jake swooped down on her, but Treasure made no repulsive move towards him.  She gasped as he pressed his lips down on her neck. But as he reached for her buttons, there was a deafening sound outside.

"You cannot go in without the boss's permission!" Bernice yelled, but before she could say anything else, Ancel barged into Treasure's office. He met her adjusting her scarf around her neck. Suspicious, he hastened his footsteps towards her and pulling her to himself, he turned to face Jake

"What's he doing here?" He asked

"I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with business does it?!" He yelled

"I'm so sorry ma'am, I tried to stop him..." Bernice apologized as she came in, but Treasure waved her to leave.

"Let go Ancel" she said, but Ancel launched at Jake, and grabbing him by the collar, he yelled

"Listen, you are not allowed to touch My woman..." He said

"Let go off him." Treasure said trying to pull Ancel away from Jake, but he wouldn't let go.

"I will pretend I didn't see this, but if it happens again, I promise, you'd be on a straight road to hell." Ancel threatened, but Jake held his hand

"Who are you to give me such orders?" He asked as he yanked Ancel's hand off.

"Treasure isn't your pocket watch! He said again adjusting his collar.

"Really?? Is this the way you wanna play? Huh?" Ancel asked furiously.

"Just stop it okay!" Treasure yelled on top of her voice, and looking at Ancel, she said.

"Please leave Ancel, I'm sorry this turned out to be a bad timing for you, but you need to leave." She said.

"So I'm the one to leave?" Ancel asked irately.

"Yes, please leave, let's not make matters any worse than they already are now please." Treasure replied holding on to Jake's hand. Ancel saw this and walked out angrily, slamming the door as he went.

"I'm sorry..." Treasure said. "I...I  really don't know why am apologizing right now, but I'm...I'm... really sorry..." She said again.

"Why are you apologizing Treasure? I should be the sorry one here." Jake said as a coy smile curled up his face. He stared down at Treasure's hand on his, feeling a bit shy, Treasure took her hands off, but Jake placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I love you a lot Treasure,"

"Don't you ever think of leaving me again" he said, and hugged her. A smile brightened up Treasure's face and she hugged him too.

Meanwhile, Vanessa travelled back to New York city the day after their get together party. She had not forgotten the details of the incident at the party, and was just as angry as she had been then.

"I can't believe Jake slapped me because of Treasure." She said to herself as a tear trickled down her face.

"She has succeeded in making a fool out of me, but I won't let this slide so easily, I will make her  pay for this!" She said looking at the enraged image of herself in the mirror.

******************************

"Why was my heart racing so much yesterday? Why couldn't I control my emotions?" Treasure asked herself in embarrassment. She covered her face with her palms but a smile remained on it.

"No...I shouldn't have let him kiss me like that, but I really liked it" she said again as she hugged her pillows so tight to herself

"I can't believe we kissed for so long..."

"Tresh?" Mrs Daisy called out.She has been standing by the door of Treasure's room watching her behave weirdly.

"Mom!" Treasure exclaimed and sat up quickly.

"Do you like the pillows that much?" Mrs Daisy asked walking in

"Or do I say you're feeling embarrassed because you're in love." She said with a smile

"Mom!!" Treasure yelled blushing .

"So who is it?" Mrs Daisy asked, but Treasure refused to say a word about Jake

"I will tell you once the time is right" she said

"I'm running late, I need to get ready for the office.

"Alright darling" Mrs Daisy replied watching Treasure hurry to the bathroom.

At the office, Treasure called Jake to inform him of her trip.

"How long will you be gone for?" He asked

"Probably six months" Treasure replied

"That's too long" Jake said sadly, but Treasure consoled him

"You'd be leaving for New York city soon, so I doubt you will miss me, you'd be too busy with work." She said

"I will be safe don't worry" she said again, and Jake had to give up

"Alright then" Jake replied

"Where are you at the moment?" He asked as he waved a taxi cab

"I'm at the company's lobby, I'm done for the day.

"Wait for me at the parking lot, I want to take you out somewhere" Jake replied

"Alright then I will be waiting" Treasure replied and hung up the call.

"Where are they?" She asked looking around for her bodyguards. She walked on absent mindedly and bumped into someone in a black hat.

"I'm sorry" she apologized, but the stranger ran off before she could say anything else. Treasure touched her abdomen, watching her blood flow slowly but steadily, soaking her white shirt. Only then did she realize that  she had just been stabbed. Immediately, she fell to the floor dazed as she was loosing a lot of blood. Jake arrived at the parking lot of the company and met Treasure's bodyguards there

"Where's Treasure?" He asked, but they all looked at themselves in confusion.

"Why isn't she with you?" Jake asked alarmed.

"Well, we got an information from an unknown source that someone in a black SUV was about launching an attack on madam Marcus, so we came out here to investigate, but from the look of things..." Before the guard could say anything else, Jake ran towards the company to search for Treasure. As he hurried on, he dialed her cellphone number.

"She's not taking her calls" he said in frustration. Not too far from the exit of the company, Jake saw a group of employees in a pandemonium.

"What's going on here?" He asked as he forced himself through.

"sir... sir...the CEO has been stabbed!" Jake heard someone say, and staring down at Treasure on the floor, in a pool of her own blood, he froze in shock.

"Quick! Someone call 911!" He managed to yell out, as he swooped down on Treasure and carried her in his arms.

"Please... please Treasure, don't die....hang in there please..." he pleaded.

Treasure was again taken into the intensive care unit. Jake and Treasure's bodyguards paced the lobby in anticipation.

"We should tell madam Daisy." Rufus, one of Treasure's bodyguards said reaching for his phone but Jake stopped him.

"Now's not the time, you will only complicate things..." He said.

"Let's focus on saving Treasure's life first"

"yessir" Rufus replied.

Hours later, doctor Hugh came out of Treasure's Ward and quickly, Jake and Treasure's bodyguards surrounded him.

"How's Treasure sir?" Jake asked.

"Well she lost a lot of blood, and her internal organs was injured too, but we have done our best, we can only hope she recovers soon." He replied.

"Can I see her now?" Jake asked

"No, she needs to rest for now please." Jake sat on the wait chair with disapointment and fear written all over his face.

"What's going on?" He asked himself.

"Something isn't right. I think someone is trying to murder Treasure, but for what reason? Why does she have so many enemies? No no...no, I need to find out exactly what's going on" Jake said to himself.

******************************

"What?!!!" My...my... daughter? Hospital?? I will be right there!" Mrs Daisy yelled rushing out to her garage.

"Madam is everything alright?" Sophia asked trying to keep up with her, but she zoomed off without a reply. At the hospital, Mrs Daisy met Jake waiting outside, and running into his arms she asked as a tear rolled down her cheek

"Tell me, is she okay? She is doing just fine right?" She asked again squeezing Jake so tight he almost couldn't breathe.

"Yes ma'am, she's finally out of danger, but we can't see her just yet." He said.

"My poor child. What did she do to deserve all these?" Mrs Daisy asked herself, but Jake consoled her.

"Please relax Mrs Daisy." Jake said trying to keep her calm.

"We will alert the police, nothing will happen to Treasure. They will do the necessary investigations and catch the culprit..." he said

"Really? The police are just as useless." Mrs Daisy replied.

"They haven't been able to catch the culprit behind Treasure's accident a year ago, what makes you think they'd be able to catch the person that did this to my Treasure? Huh?!" She yelled.

"Please Mrs Daisy, you need to trust the cops, they'd catch the culprit please." Jake replied patting her on her shoulders.

The next day, the press had announced the news of Treasure's attack. Elmer sat in his living room sipping his whiskey. He lit a cigarette and concentrated on the news before him

"Did you do this?" His mom, Susan asked as she stepped into the room. Elmer dropped his glass and turning to stare at his mom he said.

"This is proof that I'm not the only one after Treasure. This isn't my doing mom, but whoever it is, is a complete failure because Treasure is still alive." He said.

"I've got even better plans than this, and when I execute them, you'd be proud of me I promise." Susan clapped her hands excitedly.

"That's my son, I believe in you, Treasure must die no matter what." She said.

"And those property papers must be mine." Elmer concluded with a smirk across his face.