Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)
Chapter 495

Her antics scared me so much that I didn't dare to breathe too loudly, terrified that any sound might startle her into falling.

"Jaylan, cut the crap with your threats," she spat with venom. "You done using me, huh? And now you have the nerve to boss me around, demanding the kid? By what right?"

"He's my son!" Jaylan roared, unable to contain his fury.

"Now you remember you want your son, it's too late! Ha-ha-ha..."

Her laughter was almost maniacal, echoing in my chest with every heave of her body, my heart clenching in time with her swings.

Zora laughed to the brink and then abruptly stopped, her eyes narrowing into slits as she glared at Jaylan, "Even if I die, I'm taking him with me. You'll live with guilt for the rest of your life, tasting the agony of losing a child!"

Jaylan hadn't anticipated such defiance, and he realized his commands had failed. He watched Zora, now at her brink of madness, completely at a loss.

"Zora, please, calm down!" I pleaded softly, "Don't do something rash... just breathe!"

"Calm down my ass! You bring these people up here and expect me to stay cool? I've got nothing to live for today anyway. Jaylan, you treated me like a damn circus act, you wanted a kill, I delivered, you wanted..." Her voice broke as tears began to stream down her face.

Jaylan quickly cut her off as if afraid she might spill too much, "Shut it, Zora. Just come here. As long as the kid's safe, we can talk this out. You can keep all the money you took, but if you so much as scratch him..."

I never thought I'd see the day when Jaylan would say money didn't matter.

"Ha-ha-ha, and then what? You've all backed me into a corner. What are you gonna do, kill me? Yeah, that's right! I don't want to live!"

Zora had that 'I've got nothing to lose' look, her gaze holding a dark secret as she taunted Jaylan, "You've got nothing over me anymore, because they're all dead... all gone!"

"So, I might as well take him with me, save you the lifelong obsession," her face twisted as she turned to me, "Aaliyah, if I don't die today, I'll come after those little brats. I'll wipe out your whole damn Dawson lineage, it's what you owe me! No one ever gave me the time of day... Jaylan, not even you. Did you really think I was clueless? Not knowing you were using me, all those dirty jobs you had me do, weren't they just to pin the blame on me?"

Zora sobbed uncontrollably. Her cries startled Carl into silence; he looked at Zora with such an innocent confusion that it tugged at the heartstrings.

Feeling the storm of emotions from Zora, he seemed to sense the danger, his tiny arms clinging desperately to Zora's neck.

Then, Zora suddenly turned to Jaylan and demanded, "Tell me, did you ever truly plan to take me to Australia?"

Jaylan hesitated, and I had the urge to kick him for being such an idiot.

Seeing his reaction, Zora lost all hope, "Jaylan, your fancy dreams were just hopes drawn by Azure Enchantress... and soon, you'll be kicked out. You won't get Aaliyah's money anymore, and the man behind the curtain won't keep you around either. What's your worth now?

You've turned your back on your own, Jaylan. It's all because of her... She's the one who won't let you live. Let's just end it here and now, and soon you'll join me. I'll be waiting for you, ha-ha-ha..." "Shut your mouth!" Jaylan lunged forward, and Zora prepared to make a move that suggested no turning back.

Carl looked back at me and Jaylan, his small voice pleading, "Mommy... Daddy..."

I yanked Jaylan back, yelling furiously, "You're going to get him killed!"

Just as I was about to speak again, a sharp crack of a gunshot rang out. I saw a spray of blood burst from Jane's shoulder, blooming like a bright red flower.

Her body immediately arched backward, out of control, as she began to fall.