"You know that's not true when you touched me..." Ajie understood easily what she meant and he laughed sardonically. Back then in Istanbul, she screamed in pain the moment he entered in her feminine territory.
"You have millions now and in this modern era where science and technology are at it's peak, we both know that everything can be faked including one's gender. Your tightness is not an exemption. How would I know if you underwent hymenorraphy?"
Hymenorraphy or hymen reconstruction surgery is the temporary surgical restoration of the hymen. He got this idea from Jane when he asked about this for enlightenment.
Allie felt lost, Ajie was now mocking her. Seeing that there's no way she could win him over, she conceded.
"I won't force you to believe me, if for you it's all a lie. It's your choice, after all. I just want to see my daughter before I'll die. I won't take her away from you. I know I have nothing to worry. I just hope that when you two will have children on your own, you will not set Chloe aside. Just give her to my parents if she becomes less important to you." Allie then pull out a sheet of paper in her bag and wrote her number.
"If you still have a conscience, send me a message." Allie turned her back right away and went out of the door. She didn't need to waste time with him, if mockery was all she could get.
Luckily, the taxi driver was still outside, doing some fixing on the engine. When he saw her coming out, he looked up.
"Ma'am, do you need a ride again?"
The driver smiled sheepishly at her.
"Yes, please." She answered, forcing out a smile for him.
"Then, hop in."
" Marguerrita Hotel, kuya."
"No problem."
While on her way, she contacted Joshua. As far as she knew, he was still the team leader in hunting her down. She saved his number secretly from Hayri' s phone one time, while they were on the cruise ship. To her relief, Joshua picked up the call.
"Cous, this is Allie. See me in thirty minutes in Margueritta Hotel."
Joshua perhaps got a hard time digesting her call. He had been looking for her for five years and for her to call him on her own, was such a great surprise. In that span of time, he wanted to locate her ahead of his team because he wanted to protect her as much as he could. He was the reason why Allie was not located nor her details dug out, because he always muddled up the search point and misled the team to irrelevant sources. Yet, he knew that a day would come that his methods wouldn't work out anymore.
"What?"
"Yes, it's me, Allie."
"Am I dreaming?" He knew very well that it was indeed her voice.
"Pinch me when you'll see me." She chuckled.
"Okay, see you then."
___
Joshua cried right away the moment they hugged. Either it was because they met again after a long time or because he was reminded that her life hung now on a thread , he could not tell.
"Where have you been? Do you know that everyday for five years, I have been so nervous because of you?" Joshua cried even harder as he said this, making Allie cry along with him.
"I' m sorry, Josh. I always know that as much as you can, you will protect me. But I am already tired of hiding. I already want to end this. "
"What do you mean?" Joshua eyed her suspiciously.
"I am now revealing myself to Hayri."
'Who is Hayri?" He asked, unable to keep tract in the flow of their conversation. Or, he was just refusing to believe what he just had heard.
"Louise Dioko." She answered calmly and fearlessly while fixing her gaze at him.
"Are you crazy? Have you gone out of your mind? You don't know how much he hates you. You don't know how much pressure he places on us just to find you! " Joshua must have exerted all his energy to suppress his rage towards her.
"I don't want to go on living as a prisoner forever."
"Then go back to where you hide for five years!"
She chuckled sardonically before she narrated to Joshua how she fell into Hayri's lair. How she tried to help him change his mindset and how she was tied now to the goal she set for him.
"Josh, few days from now, the Philippines will be giving me the honor for designing the world's second largest cruise ship. Hayri made it possible for me. I don't want it to happen anymore. It make's me guiltier."
Allie also told him what had become of her marriage to Ajie. It was all because of her hiding, of her fear to die. And she wanted to end it now. Witnessing the contempt Ajie gave her a while ago, made her drop the last courage she clung on to.
"Tomorrow, at ten in the morning, tell Hayri that you have found me. And that you will bring me to him."
"Allie, give it more time to think about it." Joshua started to give up, he saw in her eyes the determination and he knew that no one could stop her now. Might as well try a different way to save her from Hayri's wrath.
"It's final. If you won't, I'm going to do it myself."
"Are you ready to die?" Joshua looked at her helplessly and he cried again in frustration and pity towards her.
"I am. However, I have one request. I want to see my daughter and my parents before I'll reveal myself. But Ajie won't grant it."
Joshua left with a heavy heart. He didn't take long in talking to her. He must find a way and he would see to it that her wish would be granted. He didn' t waste any minute and he called Ajie right away.
"Where are you?" He didn't even show a courtesy of mentioning his name.
"At the office."
"Then wait for me."
"Got it."
The moment Ajie opened the door for him, he sent a fist flying into his face.
"If you don't want me to kill you, show the child to Allie or else, you will lay down with her in the grave tomorrow." Joshua demanded fiercely, his eyes were flaming with anger.
Ajie held on to his face while Jane rushed to his side to shield him from another blow.
"You may not be interested anymore but be sure to bring the child to her before ten in the morning. She's all yours after ten anyway."
With this, Joshua slammed the door and left, leaving Ajie standing dumbly in his place.