Adventures of Jake Cullingham

Three

The Hendrix family stood in a room around a coffin as they each placed flowers on it. 

The head of the family was dead and they were all mourning for the loss of the man. The report from the hospital had been that he died of natural causes. Only few believed that. He was a powerful man and had made multiple enemies over time so it was possible that natural causes was just an excuse for his real death.

Within an hour of their silence and condolences being spread around, the family lawyer showed up with the will.

“If the immediate family would be kind enough to follow me to the conference room that would be appreciated.”

Everyone nodded and followed the man there as they were ready to hear what he had to say.

They all sat down around the large oak table as he opened a few documents and placed them before him.

“I am so sorry for your loss Mrs Hendrix,” the lawyer said to a woman who was still mourning.

“Just read the damn thing and let’s be done with it,” she sighed.

“Alright. It’s a very short will to read. The new heir to become owner and leader of the companies would be the eldest daughter, Camilla. This would make her the chairwoman of the family.”

This had her siblings frowning in rage.

“Impossible,” said Robin, the first boy of the family. “If anything it should be me who should take up the mantle. Who are you to do that? What did you do to father?”

“From what I see I think she must have killed father for the possession,” Jackson, the third born, said.

“Boys, would you please stop it,” Mrs Hendrix sighed. “We just lost your father. At least show some respect for him.”

“Mother, I love you but we are not accepting this will. She must have tampered with it. And who knows, she might have even killed father.”

Mrs Hendrix nodded to the lawyer who shrugged and leaned forward.

“The will can be temporarily changed at the request of the deceased partner until a certain criteria is reached.”

Everyone waited for the lawyer to say what the criteria was.

“The company would be given to Robin, the eldest son until Camilla is ready to regain control of the company. That would be done when she is married. Until then, Camilla’s name would be kept aside and Robin would handle the company.”

“You can’t do this to me!” Camilla yelled to her feet. “I lost my father too. And for you two to accuse me of killing my own father shows how insensitive you are.”

“Camilla!” Her mother called out but the woman was too angry to listen.

“I’m done here. No wonder he didn’t place your names in charge of the company. He already saw you all for what you are. Wolves.”

“Camila, you can say all you want but we all know that you did something to this will,” said Jackson. “You tampered with it.”

“Like I said, all of you are wolves.”

With that, she ran out of the building and got into the street with her anger burning red hot.

How could her own family betray her like this? She needed to clear her head, to find peace away from the prying eyes and the suffocating walls of buildings. 

But as she stepped onto the busy city street, she felt a chilling sense of being watched.

“Miss Camilla,” a guard said as she waved her hand to their faces.

“I’d like to be alone now,” she said. “All of you crowding me won’t do me any good.”

But they followed her anyway which had her running through an alley and weaving through the crowd to jump into another street.

She looked back to see the confused guards as more than six of them started looking frantically for her in the chaos.

But that was when she noticed that something else was still trailing her.

Her instincts kicked in, senses heightened by the adrenaline coursing through her veins. 

The woman glanced over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure, lurking in the distance. 

Panic surged through her as she realized that this person was tailing her, and there was something suspicious about the person.

Without a moment's hesitation, she quickened her pace, weaving through the crowd, desperate to lose her pursuer. 

Fear fueled her determination to run as she darted down alleys and side streets, her heart pounding with each step. But no matter how hard she tried, the person remained hot on her trail, closing the distance between them.

Just when she felt the walls closing in, a hand reached out and grabbed her arm, halting her in her tracks. 

Camilla spun around, ready to defend herself, only to find herself face to face with a rugged man. His deep brown eyes bore into hers, his face filled with concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice calm yet filled with urgency.

Camilla's breath ceased, relief washing over her as the realization dawned that the man had intervened to save her. 

She nodded, her voice trembling as she replied, "I think someone's after me. They've been following me since I left the office."

The man nodded, looking behind him to see the attacker from the distance put his gun in his holster and walk into the crowd.

“Well that was a close one,” the man chuckled which had Camilla squinting her eyes at the man.

“You seem familiar,” she said. “I think I know you from somewhere.”

“Oh, I get what this is,” he laughed. “I’m a handsome man who saves you from danger and I get the pickup line.”

“No, I'm being serious. I do think I know you.”

“But I don’t know you.”

“What’s your name?”

“Micheal Black,” the man said after hesitating. “What’s yours?”

“Camilla Hendrix.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Camilla.”

“Look, you seem like a man who goes to the gym and you seem very great at scaring that guy away so how about you become my bodyguard and I’ll pay you handsomely. Just keep me alive.”

“I’m not looking for a job. And even if I was, I'm not cut out to be a bodyguard. Don’t people have to train for that stuff?”

“You seem fine,” she sighed. “Just get me to places I want safely and I think I’ll be fine.”

He still refused as she got out her card and handed it to him.

“Please think about it and I really would love to hear a yes from you.”

The man looked at the card with raised brows before nodding.

“I’ll give it some thoughts. Do have a nice day.”

And with that, he walks away, leaving the woman alone in the alley.