Taming The Billionaire's Obsession - Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Suddenly, the phone jolted them both from the quiet. In the darkness, Luke frowned and pulled his hand back from Jane's face. He picked up the phone beside him. "Hello."
It was Harvey, his assistant. Harvey said, "Mr. Drake, we're glad you're safe. We've got your location. There's an emergency in Dorvania. The car's waiting downstairs."
Luke hung up and looked down at Jane, still fast asleep in his arms. He tried to lift her.
But she murmured, "Uh... I'm so tired. Stop." Her hand pushed weakly against his, and she buried herself deeper into the blanket, too sleepy to even open her eyes.
Seeing how exhausted she was, Luke slipped his obsidian ring onto her finger. "Stay here and wait for me. Someone will come for you later."
A week later, at the Judd residence, the evening rain was pouring down in sheets. Jane pounded on the door, her fists thumping against the wood. The noise cut through the storm.
She shouted, "Johnson, Lily, open up! You promised that if I went on that date at Night Charm, you'd take care of Mom. So why did the hospital say you cut off her medical support—and even want to pull the plug? You can't just do this!"
The door finally creaked open. Her aunt Lily stood there, her face dripping with irritation. "Jane, still showing up here for money? How shameless!
"Check the news. Ever since you met Don last Friday, he's pulled all his investments from our company. Now he's ghosting us, not picking up our calls. You must've ticked him off during that date.
"Don't think so high of yourself. You're just a nobody. Don was doing you a favor. Sleeping with him wouldn't have killed you, so stop pretending to be so high and mighty."
Jane's face drained of color. "What? You told me to go on that date. You said you were worried about me being alone. You said I should marry a good man and make Mom feel better.
"But it was all a lie? Y-you never saw me as family. You just wanted to use me to get some investment for the company."
Then it hit her. It wasn't just a coincidence. Johnson and Lily had known all along that Don was after her. It was obvious he wanted her. No wonder Lily had spoken so highly of him—that creepy, disgusting old man who could have been her father.
She kept replaying that night in her head. Don had spiked her coffee during the date. If she hadn't run into Luke, she'd never have made it out of there.
And yet, here she was, back with Luke. The one who'd promised to be there for her, twice now. But he was gone again, just like before. All that remained was a black obsidian ring. She didn't even know what he looked like.
It was only when she got home and saw herself in the mirror—love bites and kisses all over her skin—that she knew it hadn't been a dream.
Jane yelled, "Lily, how can you do this to me? You know your plan led me to some guy at that club? And he—"
"Some guy? What guy?" Lily's eyes narrowed, catching the slip. "So you're a shameless tramp after all. Skipping out on Don to sleep with some random guy? No wonder Don hates us.
"We've done enough for you and your mom. Not a penny more for her medical bills. Get out of here, now!"
Lily turned and barked at Johnson, who was standing behind her, to throw out Jane's luggage.
Seconds later, a black plastic bag filled with a few clothes was flung at Jane. Lily sneered, "Get out of here before my Ella gets home and sees you. She'll be furious."
Jane's eyes blazed with fury. If it weren't for her mom Rose, lying in the hospital waiting for her to save her life, she would have fought Lily right there.
Jane picked up the bag, her face darkening. "No, something's missing. Where's the Larmes Sacrées Éternelles my mom gave me? Why isn't it in here?"
The perfume Larmes Sacrées Éternelles was her mom Rose's favorite scent. When Rose was still wealthy, she had bought it at an auction abroad; it was the last bottle in the world.
Rose always loved it when Jane wore that scent, saying it suited Jane perfectly and brought back memories of Rose's own youth. Every time Jane visited Rose in the hospital, she would spray a little.
The last time Jane used it was a week ago, before going to the club. Since then, she hadn't been back to the Judd residence, let alone use it again.
"What Larmes Sacrées Éternelles? I don't know what you're talking about." A flicker of guilt crossed Lily's face.
"Forget it. I'll go look for it myself," Jane said.
"Over my dead body," Lily shouted and pushed Jane away.
As they jostled, Lily caught a glint of something under Jane's collar. "Hold on, you little sneak. What's that you've got around your neck?"
Lily's hand shot out like a flash, yanking the necklace right off Jane's neck and snapping it clean in two. A ring, studded with diamonds and set in obsidian, tumbled from the broken chain into Lily's grasp.
She sneered, "Whoa, look what we have here. You've been hiding quite the treasure, haven't you?"
"No, give it back. It's mine," Jane cried. That ring was the only clue she had left from Luke. It was her lifeline to finding him.
"Get out of here. You and your mom owe us more than you'll ever repay. This ring is the payment. Try to take it, and you'll regret it." Lily slapped Jane hard across the face, again and again, before shoving her out the door.
The iron gate slammed shut with a resounding bang, leaving Jane in the pouring rain. Neighbors peeked out their windows, snickering at her swollen face, at the girl who'd been kicked out like trash.
For a moment, Jane felt like she was drowning in despair. The man she'd thought would stand by her had vanished. The family she'd trusted had turned their backs on her. And her mom was still waiting for her help. She didn't know what she could do.
Then, out of nowhere, headlights blazed behind her. A sleek black Rolls-Royce pulled up beside her. A man stepped out. "Ms. Jane Ritter? Our boss wants to see you."