Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 407: Upset

Jamal’s car rolled to a stop at the private airstrip. For a moment, he stayed inside the car with his hands still on the steering wheel.

Ahead of him, the jet was already waiting. The stairs were down and Stefan stood a few steps away from it like he’d been about to go in but paused when he heard Jamal’s car approaching.

When he started to approach Jamal to find out if there was a problem, Jamal opened the door and stepped out.

"Is something wrong?" Stefan asked as he stopped in front of Jamal. "What are you doing here?"

"I’m coming with you."

For a second, Stefan just stared at him like he wasn’t sure what he’d heard, then his brows pulled together. "You don’t have to do that."

Jamal nodded. "I know."

"If you do, then you shouldn’t be here." Stefan shook his head slightly. "You should be at the company. There’s a lot going on right now."

"The company can wait. This can’t wait," Jamal said as he started heading for the jet. "There wasn’t enough time to go home to pick up my stuff so I’ll just get whatever I need when we get to Westend."

Stefan remained where he stood, "You should be with Dawn. I’m pretty sure the news upset her."

That made something snap in Jamal. His jaw tightened and he turned to glare at Stefan.

"You think I don’t know that? Or you think I don’t want to be with Dawn?" he asked sharply.

Stefan blinked, taken aback.

"If it wasn’t important for me to be here with you, I would be with her right now," he said, his voice low but firm. "Or I’d be at the company handling things."

Stefan said nothing.

Jamal’s eyes held his. "But you need someone with you whether or not you choose to admit it," he continued. "So I’m here."

Silence hung in the air between them.

Jamal exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. "So instead of getting on my nerves," he added, his voice softer but still edged, "Just get into the jet so we can leave. Grandfather will make sure the company runs smoothly. Tom and Lucy will make sure Dawn is okay."

For a moment, Stefan stared at him feeling a mix of emotions.

"Don’t be sorry or grateful," Jamal said before Stefan could say anything.

Stefan swallowed hard then gave Jamal a small nod. He turned without another word and walked toward the jet.

Jamal watched him for a second. Then he followed.

Stefan walked in first and took a seat by the window. He sat down slowly and leaned back.

Jamal stepped in after him and took the seat across from him.

The door closed behind them with a dull sound.

A moment later, the low hum of the engines started. Neither of them spoke.

Stefan turned his head slightly and looked out the window. The runway stretched long and empty.

Jamal watched him. "You okay?" Jamal asked quietly.

Stefan didn’t answer at first. He wanted to ask Jamal if he would be okay if he were in his shoes, but he knew he shouldn’t.

His eyes stayed on the window. "I’m not," he said finally.

Jamal leaned back in his seat. "I’m sorry this happened, Stef. Tom is doing all he can to find out what happened. Whoever is behind this will be punished," Jamal said quietly.

Stefan said nothing but he closed his eyes for a brief moment and his hand curled slightly into a fist.

Jamal noticed but didn’t say anything. He had no idea what to say.

Away from there,

After Emily’s call with Mari, Callan raised a brow. "Did something happen?" he asked.

Emily nodded and shifted closer to him. "That was Mari. There was an explosion at I-Global Hotel in Westend."

"What?" Callan straightened a little and frowned. "An explosion? How?" He asked, picking up his phone like he didn’t believe the news and had to confirm it online.

She took a breath. "That’s not all. It happened in the room Genevieve was staying in."

Callan’s brows pulled together as he looked up from his phone. "Genevieve’s room? She caused the explosion?"

Emily sighed with exasperation. "She didn’t cause it. She was the victim of the explosion. They found a badly damaged body in the room."

Callan went still.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then he ran a hand over his face slowly. "God..."

Emily moved closer and rested her hand on his arm. "Mari said Jamal thinks it was a bomb. They think she was targeted."

Emily went on to tell him all that Mari had said including about Jamal traveling with Stefan.

Callan’s jaw tightened. "I told her not to go there or do anything for that filthy bastard. She went there because of that rotten bastard," Callan muttered. "His ashes. His estate. All of it."

Emily shook her head gently. "Cal..."

Before she could say anything else, Callan’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen.

"Mom," he said under his breath, then picked up. "Mom?"

Her voice came through shaky and loud. "Callan, have you seen the news?"

Callan closed his eyes briefly and sat up fully. "Yes. I just heard from Em."

"Oh my God..." his mother’s voice broke. "That poor girl... she didn’t deserve that. No one deserves to die like that. All she wanted was to make amends for her wrongdoing and to live a good life."

Emily watched him quietly as his hand tightened around the phone. "Mom..."

"She was so excited about working for the foundation," his mother said. "We spoke yesterday and she was sharing some of her plans with me. And to end like that..." Her voice cracked.

Callan swallowed and rubbed his forehead. "I can’t believe that even in death, he’s still causing harm. This is all connected to Ryan," he said angrily. "She shouldn’t have gone there. She shouldn’t have bothered with his ashes or his estate. None of it was worth it," he continued, frustration rising in his voice.

On the phone, his mother sniffed. "I’m just... I can’t stop thinking about her. I shouldn’t have encouraged her to go. I should have stopped her honestly myself."

"You didn’t have that sort of relationship with Ryan to do that. And you didn’t owe him anything. No one did, and I wish you all had left his body to wrath or thrown his stupid ashes in a sewer or flushed it down the toilet!"

Emily looked at him and shook her head slightly. "Not now, Cal," Emily whispered.

Callan exhaled and looked away from Emily. "I’m just... upset," he muttered.

"We all are," Emily said softly.

"I’m sorry, Mom. Try not to cry too much, okay?"

"Yeah, I’m trying," she said softly. "Give my love to Emily."

"I will."

The call ended and Callan lowered the phone slowly.

The room was quiet again.

Emily watched him. "You okay?"

He nodded once, but his expression was tight. "I should check on Stefan."

He picked up his phone again and dialed.

"He’s not taking the call," Stefan murmured after a while and dialled Jamal’s line.

The phone rang but Jamal didn’t take his call either.

He ended it and tried again several times.

Callan dropped his hand slightly. "They’re not picking."

Emily shrugged. "They’re probably on their way already. You know they don’t like to be on their phones while in air."

Callan nodded slowly. "Yeah. I should probably talk to Dawn," he said as he tapped her number.

The phone rang twice before it connected.

"Callan?" Dawn’s voice came through softly.

"Hey," Callan said, his tone gentler now. "How are you doing? I heard the news."

There was a pause. "I don’t think I believe it yet. I can’t wrap my head around it even though my heart aches," Dawn said quietly. "And my stomach feels tight."

Callan closed his eyes briefly. "I’m so sorry."

"Did you speak with Jamal or Stefan?" Dawn asked at the same time.

"I tried reaching them but they weren’t taking their calls. I’m glad you didn’t get involved with the funeral or travel to Westend. Dawn, you should be more careful. Maybe be careful with what you say on your podcast so you don’t attract the wrong attention."

Dawn was quiet for a second. Then her voice came, firmer this time. "Ryan controlled me for most of my life. I won’t let him control me even in death," she continued. "I will say what I want to say. I won’t be mute again because of him."

Callan sighed softly. "I’m not asking you to be silent. Just... be careful. At least for Josh’s sake."

"I will," she said then looked up when a knock sounded on her door.

Followed by a maid’s voice. "Ma’am, Ms Mari is here to see you."

Dawn paused. "I have to go," she said into the phone. "Thanks for calling."

"Sure," Callan replied. "Take care."

"You too."

The call ended.

Dawn lowered the phone slowly. For a moment, she just sat there. Then she stood up.

Lucy and Tom had taken Josh with them to give her time alone.

Her legs felt heavy as she walked out of her room. She walked down the stairs slowly and she saw Mari seated in the living room.

The moment Mari saw her, she stood up. For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then Mari walked forward and pulled Dawn into a tight hug.

"Jamal told me what happened. I’m so sorry, sweetheart," Mari said softly, and Dawn held onto her.