Chapter 291 - ‘Yes, It’s Me... Marianne’
Chapter 291 – ‘Yes, It’s Me… Marianne’
The footsteps of several men dressed in all black could be heard clearly as they entered the living room of Jack's mansion when they brought the Higgins family who had their heads covered with black cloth. Meanwhile, Erick followed behind while continuing to communicate with Jack who was on his way with Anne.
"Calm down, Anne, it's me," Jack said softly to Anne.
"I don't need to see them, do I?" asked Anne quietly.
Jack nodded his head. "Yeah, you stay on the second floor, as we discussed earlier Anne."
"Okay, Jack, I understand."
Jack smiled upon hearing Anne's words. He then increased the speed of his car so that he could get home quickly. Meanwhile, Robert, Hannah, and Sophia who were already sitting on the chairs still couldn't do anything, because at this time their hands were still tied behind their bodies with their mouths covered with tape. They really looked like kidnap victims, Sophia and Hannah were facing each other. The mother and daughter seemed very scared, only Robert there was trying to be strong.
Shortly after, Jack and Anne arrived. Jack went straight into the house with Anne who continued to grip his hand tightly.
"Take Anne to the second floor," Jack said softly to Alice who greeted him with Erick.
"Jack…"
"Don't worry, everything is fine." Jack reaffirmed Anne.
Anne also released her grip on Jack's arm and walked with Alice to the second floor, while Jack continued to walk towards the Higgins family with Erick. When Jack walked in, Robert was seen sitting straight up straight. He immediately got ready to welcome the people who came. After joining his ex-fiancée's family, Jack then ordered Erick to take off the three people's blindfolds. Without being ordered twice, Erick did the task given by Jack along with two other bodyguards to remove the Higgins' blindfolds. As soon as the blindfolds were off, Robert looked at Jack full of anger. He continued to move to give the code to remove the tape on his mouth to Erick, who was still standing in front of him. Jack cleared his throat, giving Erick a code to do Robert's request. Erick swiftly removed Robert's mouth tape. What Eric did was soon followed by the two bodyguards. They also opened Hannah's and Sophia's tapes on their mouths at the same time.
"Ahhh bastard! Why are you doing this?!!! Do you know who I am?!!" Sophia shouted loudly at the bodyguard who had just removed her tape. She hadn't noticed Erick and Jack yet.
Hannah also cursed the other bodyguard. She got angry like Sophia, and ordered them to let go of her hands too. However, because the two bodyguards had not received orders from their master, they just kept quiet. Instead, they walked backwards away from Sophia and Hannah, who kept screaming to be released.
"What do you mean Jack? You know who we are, don't you?" Robert rebuked hard at Jack, who was standing in front of him, folding his arms across his chest.
Sophia immediately froze when her father mentioned Jack's name. She spontaneously turned to his father to make sure she had not heard wrong. But she was actually very surprised when she saw Jack standing in front of them casually without guilt.
"Jacky!!! What are you doing there? Let us go, Jack," asked Sophia in a contrived tone. It did sound cute and adorable and would probably make anyone who heard it feel happy, including Jack. But that was back then, when they were still in a relationship. But now after hearing Sophia's words like that, Jack wanted to vomit out of disgust by the words of the woman, who turned out to have been mean to Anne years ago.
"Let go of us, Jack, we are your family, son. How can you do this? Sophia is your fiancée, Robert and I are your future in-laws. We are important people in your life, Jack, don't treat us like this!!" shouted Hannah Higgins angrily and loudly. Hannah's shouts were so loud that they could be heard up to the second floor, where Anne was sitting with Alice who calm her down.
Jack smiled faintly at the words of the three people sitting in front of him. He still stood in his position and didn't order Erick to let them go. Without a word, Jack grabbed a chair and sat opposite Robert, still keeping his hands tied.
"Jackson Patrick Muller!!!" Robert snapped back. "What are you doing? Why are you sitting like that? Let us go!!!"
Jack looked at Robert scornfully. "Who are you to speak to me like that?"
"We're your family, Jack!!" Hannah answered quickly.
"Hahaha! Family? What family? Both my parents are dead, I have no siblings. So how can you be my family?" asked Jack curtly, laughing.
"I'm your fiancée, Jack, don't forget that. Our relationship has been so long, Jack …"
Bang!
Jack immediately got up from the chair he was sitting in quickly, making a loud enough sound which made Sophia stop his words.
"Our relationship has ended since you betrayed me years ago, Sophia. Ahh no, Selma. Isn't your name Selma?"
Gulped! Robert swallowed hard when he heard Jack's words. He was very surprised when Jack mentioned the name Selma, which they had buried deep and was only known by his family and was never discussed again. That was why he was very surprised when he heard Jack called Sophia by the name Selma, the real name he gave his only daughter for the first time.
"What are you saying, Jack? I-I don't understand," asked Sophia, stammering, her face turning pale instantly.
"Don't pretend you don't know, Selma. Wasn't that name your real name before your father changed it to Sophia? I know everything, so don't act anymore. Don't make me sick of you guys again," replied Jack coldly. His eyes were glaring at Sophia without blinking.
"That name is Sophia's nickname, we didn't change it, Jack. We just wanted to make an interesting stage name for her, that's why we used the name Sophia for her. Don't get me wrong, Jack, after all, using a stage name for an artist like Sophia is a big deal. It's natural. I think everyone in this world also uses another name for their stage name, so it's fine if Sophia uses it too, right?" Robert Higgins immediately gave Jack a reason about Sophia's name change.
Hannah Higgins also gave an explanation to Jack. She also shared the reason behind changing the name to Sophia. Jack was initially interested in Hannah's words, he hoped that Hannah would mention how their life was in Germany, how Sophia auditioned to become a pianist. But it turned out that Hannah didn't even talk about it, she actually told other things that made Jack sick.
Jack narrowed his eyes at Robert and Hannah Higgins. He looked very angry at the couple who almost became his father and mother-in-law. A cold aura full of anger came out so strong from Jack's body, Sophia who was sitting next to her mother was still crying. She acted like a woman who was hurt, a weak woman who hoped for compassion. Maybe if Sophia had cried like this to Jack three years ago, Jack would have melted, but now it was a different story. Instead of pity, Jack was disgusted by what Sophia was doing, especially considering how arrogant Sophia was when she had an affair with his fake cousin Edmund and Esteban Shevchenko the soccer player he financed.
"Really? So the reason for using the name Sophia is because of a stage name problem, not for other reasons?" Jack asked quietly, trying to give the Higgins family another chance to tell the truth.
"Of course there's no other reason, Jack, why would we lie to you? After all, since the first time she met you in Switzerland, Sophia was already well-known by that name. Not by her nickname which…"
"Which you guys intentionally hid because you wanted to bury deep memories in that name, isn't it?"
Thump!
Robert, Hannah and Sophia were shocked. They were both surprised to hear those words and tried to find the person who spoke and were very surprised when they saw a beautiful girl walking down the stairs. Even though Anne had changed a lot, the look in her eyes was still the same, the eyes full of warmth and politeness could be seen clearly emanating from Anne's beautiful eyes.
"Who are you, Miss?" asked Robert quietly.
"Have you forgotten me, sir?" Anne asked Robert politely, her eyes were fixed on Robert.
Sophia, who was Anne's childhood friend and had spent more time with Anne than her parents, suddenly became quiet. Her face instantly paled with quivering lips.
"Y-you are… Ma-Marianne…"
Anne smiled hearing Sophia's words. Although Sophia's voice was very low and barely audible, but Anne could clearly hear the two words that came out of Sophia's lips.
"Yes, Selma, it's me Marianne."
Continued