Chapter 165 - Someone's Pawn

Leo enclosed his wife in a warm embrace, feeling grateful for being blessed with an understanding wife despite the shame and frustration he experienced. She was a supportive wife to him and a good mother to Ajie, something he would always be grateful for.

"It won't be easy, Issa. Andrew is suffering from a stress disorder that Joanna referred to as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."

Issa gave him a puzzled look. She could not understand what it exactly meant, but according to what she heard, it is a type of mental disorder. As if Leo had read her thoughts, he started explaining it to her.

"It is a type of mental condition developed after a terrifying or dangerous event like an accident, sexual assault, and domestic violence. The affected person often relives the traumatic events through nightmares and flashbacks, and these will trigger his anxiety, even affecting his daily activities."

Leo then explained how he and Cherry's reappearance triggered his anxiety. He was fine for a long time already after Joanna managed him, but after meeting Cherry again, he was back to being anxious and guilty. Cherry's effort to free themselves emotionally restored his vigor and energy. Yet after seeing Leo that night, he suddenly lost his strength and slumped on the floor like he was unaware of the things going on around him.

"Poor child, there is only one explanation for that. Raul perhaps maltreated him because he probably knew that he is your son."

"I am also thinking about that."

Leo looked around and saw that all their things were already in suitcases. Issa had already prepared ahead for their early flight a few hours later. Issa followed his eyes and before Leo could speak again, she held his upper arm and spoke first. "I'll unpack it." 

Leo raised a brow, wondering what she meant.

"Leo, your son is here. He needs you and your time for his recovery."

Leo's face gloomed and unshed tears glistened in his eyes. The word 'son' hit him deep within and he became guilty. He rubbed his eyes, and a sad smile twisted in his lips.

"Issa, how can I thank you enough?"

Early in the morning, the whole family gathered for breakfast before setting out to the airport. Ryan and Cherry joined them also. Hayri and Jane sat beside each other, looking sleepy. They spent the whole night at a coffee shop, chatting until it was time to leave.

"We won't be joining you," Leo announced.

All eyes fell at him in a questioning gaze. 

"Andrew's condition is not improving. We want to help him."

Cherry looked up, surprised, and wondering. "What happened, uncle?"

"He got anxious again when he saw me?" came Leo's soft reply.

"Why?" everyone chorused their question.

Leo ran his eyes over all of them before he answered. "Perhaps because he knows I was his father a long time ago."

"What?" all of them exclaimed their surprise almost together.

Leo started narrating his summed up story about him and Amalia. In the end, everyone agreed on their decision to stay. Cherry's heart sank, but she knew she could no longer interfere. There was Joanna in his life already. Even if she could no longer accept him back as a lover if ever a chance would open up, she still wanted to help in any way she could. A sense of empathy engulfed her, Andrew's situation, she could relate well to her state of depression. She realized one thing, she had truly forgiven him.

"I'm sorry, uncle," said Ryan as he suddenly took a step forward and bowed down to apologize.

Surprised, everyone, including Leo, lifted their heads and looked at Ryan. 

"What do you mean?" Leo finally found his word and asked.

"I'm sorry for my wrong accusations against Andrew."

Leo smiled, "It's alright. His anger at Ajie makes him the first suspect."

Ryan nodded; his expression seemed to hold brilliant ideas. "Thanks for understanding, uncle. But we have to be careful. Someone may have known about your relationship with him and use him as a pawn for his revenge."

Hayri stepped in, his arm still clinging over Jane's shoulders. "Ryan, thank you. I hope you can help us figure out who is behind this. What we don't understand yet is, who among us is the target?"

The trip to the airport took everyone on sealed lips. They all got engrossed in thinking; if not Andrew, who is their actual enemy? Why did he use Chloe as a warning that a bigger attack was coming on? If their intention for abducting were only about financial needs, they would not have released Chloe unharmed. The small amount of chloroform in her blood was not significant to an intention to kill and keep the child. Ryan was right; it was an indirect revelation that someone wanted to start a  war with them.

After checking in, Hayri and Ryan bid goodbye to all of them. Hayri had to go back to Istanbul while Ryan decided to go back to his main base in UAE.

"Dear, please think about moving your main office closer to our home," Mr. Dioko said after hugging his son.

"Yes, dad. Now that we are seeing trouble coming our way, I want to stay closer to you."

"That's good. You can always hire personnel to do the work for you. Anyway, you can always visit the site anytime you want."

"That's right, dad," Hayri agreed.

Hayri then hugged the rest first, before he approached Allie and Ajie. He bent down to hug Chloe tight first before he looked and held Ajie's gaze. "Take extra care for your family. Loved ones first before business."

Ajie smiled and nodded, hugging him the next moment. A complicated emotion rose in Allie's heart. The scene was a bit awkward. She closed her eyes for a second and took a deep, slow breath, hoping that one day soon, they would adapt to their new role.

"My dear, always remember there's a baby inside. Don't stress too much. The men around you are all experienced men in handling troubles," Hayri said as he turned to her.

As a sudden impulse wrapped up her heart to express her complicated emotions, she threw herself at him and Hayri received her in a tight embrace.

"Be careful always," she said; those were the only words she could think to say in front of her whole family.

"Always, I promise."