Chapter 40: What Brings You Here

Rayan sent out many people in search of Gracie.But, it was as if she had vanished from the face of the
world.

He even went back to the old house himself to check but still could not still locate her.On top of that,
even Gracie's parents were also missing and nobody could state a reason for that.

Nothing made sense anymore.

If Gracie was really missing, how come she sent Rayan the message of breaking up with him? At this
point he had no one else but to suspect Janessa.

But he did not let his emotions get the better of him and controlled himself from confronting Janessa
right at that moment. When he was at home, while stressing he drank a lot and in that state drove to
Janessa’s place.

Even in that absolutely drunk state Rayan managed to accurately locate the place where she hid her
extra keys.

He swiftly took it and opened the door to the apartment.After returning home from a long day of work,
Janessa was enjoying a hot bath.

Suddenly she heard the noise of her front-door creaking open.She quickly pulled her bathrobe and
covered herself.She grabbed something in order to protect herself and carefully walked out of the
bathroom.

The silhouette of a tall figure was visible for a moment and then it collapsed on the sofa.

"What the hell are you doing here, Rayan? That also, at this hour of the night?"



She pulled her bathrobe a little tighter around her body and inspected the man lying on the sofa.Gracie
was nowhere to be found.

Then what was Rayan doing in her apartment? The smell of the alcohol from his body stung the air
around.

Janessa knew that she could not allow him to do anything crazy in this drunk state.So she quietly went
to the kitchen and made him a bowl of soup to sober him up.She silently placed it in front of Rayan.

"Why are you here in the middle of the night?" Rayan looked hard to see her.

The look on his face was dull.

"What did you say to Gracie? Tell me right now! Why was she trying to defend you?"

When Rayan loved Gracie with all his heart, she left him because of his mother.Now after that ordeal
when they were finally together Janessa messed everything up.

"I remember you and Gracie came together that day to the old house.When your dad and I came out of
the study, you had already left."

But the reality was after that day Janessa never saw Gracie ever again.

Then how could Rayan think that she was hiding his lady love? She was sanguine that he was saying
gibberish because he was so drunk.

So she asked him to drink up the hangover soup quickly.

"Listen, what you are saying is impossible.I left early on that day.I am sure you messed up and said
something when I was away.You are such a heartless person Janessa!"

Rayan somehow wobbled on his feet and tried to stand up.Then he moved towards Janessa.



He kept on hitting the tea table with his knees but he did not seem to care at all.

"What are you trying to say, Rayan? How many more times do I have to clarify myself? We are
divorced now.I have nothing against you anymore.So I really don't care who you are with.Why do you
keep on coming to me, blaming me for every little thing? I am your ex-wife, not your toy to dump every
responsibility on to."

As he never understood what Janessa said even in sober state, now she found it an unassailable task
to make sense of anything.

There were many other people who could abduct Gracie.

Then, why was he here to blame her? Why always her? Even after drinking the soup Rayan took time
to sober up.Thoughts kept reeling in his mind.

She was losing her temper at all these baseless accusations.She stood there rubbing her temples.

Then in a fit of great rage, shouted at her ex-husband

"Yes, I am the one who kidnapped Gracie! What will you do about it? What can you do?"

This triggered Rayan as he immediately stood up and roared in great fury.

"So you finally admit it? Where is she? Where have you put her away? You need to tell me right now!"

Janessa realized her mistake and regretted shouting at a drunk man.How would she control him now?
But there was nothing she could do.Her words had already enraged him.

"You are strange.When I was telling the truth you never believed me.But you are ready to pounce on
me believing a lie I just made up.You are sickest person I know!"



This did not make him happy at all.The alcoholic smell was all over Janessa's body now.His face
turned dark and gloomy.With each step as he came closer, she got a little more nervous.

She was aware that he had great strength.

Added to that Janessa had no place to move anymore as she was already pushed back against the
bathroom door.

Rayan was smiling like a manic and pushed her forcefully in the bathroom.

"You think I am so dumb that I won't be able to differentiate the truth from the lie?"

‘’Is it so? If you were so smart you would be looking hard for your sweetheart instead of making a
ruckus at my apartment!’’ Janessa said to herself.But she refrained from expressing her thoughts
loudly.She was just wearing a bathrobe under which it was just her bare skin.

Even though this intimacy was nothing new to them, right now Rayan was unpredictable and Janessa
was genuinely scared of any consequences.

"Please go from here right now! See it is already really late.Both of us staying together in the same
room is not the best idea."

Janessa suddenly remembered that she had once informed Rayan about the place where she hid her
spare key.It was clear that she needed to find a new place.

Otherwise, if he kept on paying her such untimely visits, it would create a lot of rumors.

"You know, Janessa, I called you but...Oh no!"

Right at that moment Eric arrived and saw the front door ajar.

He ran inside only to find Rayan pressing Janessa against the bathtub.



Almost as if in a reflex he grabbed Rayan by his collar and threw him on the corridor of the living room.

"Janessa, are you alright?" Eric was frantic.

He wanted to see if she was okay.The collar of her bathrobe was slightly removed and that revealed
part of her bare chest.

He quickly moved his hand out of embarrassment and turned to face Rayan.Janessa quickly looked
down to realize her bathrobe had loosened.She shut the door of the bathroom and finally changed into
her clothes before stepping out.

After finally sobering up Rayan sat on the sofa facing the other two people seated opposite to him.

"What are you staring at, you drunkard? Get this straight and clear.No matter who you are, you cannot
bully my sister like this ever!" Eric fumed in anger.

He shuddered at the thought at what would happen if he was late by even a second.

"So? This is your new lover? He is young and fresh."

"Shut your mouth right now.Do you think every man is as filthy as you?"

Janessa was disgusted with Rayan.

She tried her best to control the situation lest Eric misunderstood her.

"Listen woman, I don't give a damn about who you are with.But if you come near my Gracie, I will not
let you get away."

After finishing the soup he finally stood up and left.Eric locked the door and came back to sit on the
sofa.Then he asked



"Janessa, are you doing okay? Did he hurt you?"

Even though she was fully clothed now, Eric avoided looking at her directly.

"Do not worry, I am fine.You tell me, what brings you here at this hour?"

"I...I was actually near the neighborhood, so I wanted to ask you out for dinner but you did not answer
my call.So I came by to check if you were home.I was not expecting that jerk in anyway.Please give me
a call if he attacks you like this again.I will beat the life out of him!"

Janessa was really concerned about Eric's thin arms.

"Do you know that he works out for an hour every day? If you really want to beat him, you need to work
out for at least a few more years first."

Janessa however felt very warm inside.

Although she was really upset about Rayan's behavior, Eric brought her a lot of joy.

"I will protect you no matter what.Trust me on this one."


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