{CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR}

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"He's definitely not the one," Lisa said

"Seriously?" I snatched the photo from her grasp, my heart sinking. The disappointment was observable as I had pinned all my hopes on him being the one, the one I desperately needed him to be.

I let out a weary exhale, my cheeks puffing out in response. Meeting Lisa's gaze, I saw reflected at me the concern etched in her eyes. Despite the setback, I understood the importance of accepting it, moving ahead, and persisting in my quest for him.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't be of help to you," the lady said, rising to her feet with a swift motion, her baby in her arms, prompting me to rise as well.

"It's fine, and you did a lot for me. Thank you for letting me come here. At least I tried, but I won't stop here. I'm gonna keep on trying," determination clear in my voice.

"But I believe it's time for us to bid farewell."

"No worries at all. It was an absolute pleasure having you here." With those words, she came over for a hug, then turned to Lisa, who was on her feet and shared a warm embrace with her as well.

As we drove back, Lisa and I dove deeper into how things unfolded. She expressed her concerns, not wanting the search for the young boy to consume me entirely. Lisa suggested redirecting my determination in the search for the young boy to my upcoming marriage plans with Jackson. The mention of Jackson led my gaze to the ring on my finger. At that moment, the reality of becoming someone's wife momentarily slipped my mind. Despite his persistent calls since our arrival at the lady's place, I chose not to disrupt our conversation by answering, not wanting to be rude.

I cast a glance at Lisa and then at my ring—she was spot on; it was time to center my attention on Jackson and our impending wedding. The anticipation of him meeting my family and Lisa, the ones dearest to me, filled me with joy. I had a strong feeling that Lisa would take a liking to him.

"Is Jackson arriving tomorrow?" Lisa's question cut through, a reminder of Jackson's visit.

"Uh, yeah," I replied tersely, the seconds dragging on as my attention remained fixed on the road ahead.

"I hope I like him."

"Oh, I'm certain you will," I replied with a convincing smile. "Remember the first time I mentioned his name to you? And you thought his name sounded familiar? So, being drawn to his name automatically makes you drawn to him." I gave her a mischievous wink.

Of all persons, it just had to be Lisa who took a liking to Jackson. I can't quite explain it, but deep down, that's exactly how I wanted it to be—she was my friend, and it just felt fitting for her to admire and view my man in a positive light.

"I remember," she chuckled lightly. "I said his name sounded familiar to one of the guys I used to have a crush on. Oh, how silly of me," her laughter persisted.

Our convo just kept rolling as we drove, chatting about this and that; we just went with it. Before we knew it, it was time to drop Lisa off at her place.

"Stepping out of the car, she leaned casually against the window where she had just been seated, and with a smile, she mentioned, "Just keep me updated on his arrival. We'll chat later."

As she was on the verge of departing, I managed to grab her attention, pulling a goofy face as I spoke, "Thanks for being my escort today. I know you had something weighing on you that was tough to share, but I'm thankful you left it behind and still came along with me."

Upon hearing my words, I saw a sense of satisfaction wash over Lisa's face, memories flooding back. Yet, she quickly shrugged it off with a smile, saying, "Oh my God, girl, you're hilarious with that expression. This is your  moment, so forget about my problems."

I gave a confirming nod. She was right; this was my moment, so stressing over other matters felt unnecessary. It warmed my heart that she placed my special day above any concerns she had to discuss.

"I hollered, 'I love you boo!' as she was just a few steps away from unlocking her house gate."

"I hate you," she yelled back, waving her hand in the air without even looking at me.

"Tsk, silly girl. Regardless, I love you," I clicked my tongue, reassuring myself as I started the car, prepared to drive off.

The banter between Jackson and his uncle appeared peaceful and quiet today, unlike their typical exchanges that often escalated into chaos. The atmosphere felt peaceful as their actions aligned with their words. Jackson, originally insistent on sticking to their initial plans, now found it best to follow his uncle's lead. This decision marked a shift, with Jackson choosing to prioritize his uncle over anyone, including his enemies.

The sound of wine elegantly flowing into two glasses by Jackson resounded in the room, infusing the space with the satisfaction of a long-awaited successful plan.

"Finally, my boy, you did it," Jackson's uncle remarked, reaching out to accept the glass of wine poured by Jackson.

"Yes, finally! We did it," Jackson raised his glass, signaling a toast to his uncle, who reciprocated the gesture.

The gulp of wine slid down their throat as they sipped. "But I'll need you to come with me to meet her family," Jackson interrupted the tranquil moment.

"Ahh, I'm afraid I can't, as I have something to take care of; how about going along with your friend?" His uncle suggested.

"You mean Victor? But he's not involved in this," Jackson countered.

"I am aware, but you need someone to tag along with, and it won't be me because I have something urgent to sort out; besides, showing up to them now wouldn't be a reasonable plan."

Jackson mulled over his uncle's words. The fact that he had shared with Hanna about his parents' passing, yet never mentioned having an uncle, made him hesitate. Simply showing up with an uncle now would throw a wrench in their meticulously crafted scheme.

Nodding his head while taking a sip of his wine, he muttered, "You make a good point, uncle... What would I do without you."

"And that's precisely why I'm here. Your parents would be incredibly proud of you," his uncle beamed a smile.

Jackson replicated the familiar grin of his uncle before replying, "I'll just check with Victor." Rising from his seat, he continued, "I think it's my cue to leave; I need to inform Victor on such short notice."

"Alright."

Bang! The door slammed shut as Jackson made his grand exit. His uncle swiftly reached for his phone to dial Victor, letting him know about Jackson's upcoming visit to Hanna's home.

"Hey son," he greeted Victor as he answered the call. "I'm sure you've caught the wind of the proposal; I need you to accompany him in meeting the girl's family."

"Alright, Dad. But why me all of a sudden?" Victor inquired.

"I've got an urgent meeting with Reaper."

"Oh, Dad, what plans do you have up your sleeves now?"

With a sly smile, he retorted, "You're in for a surprise..." Just as he was about to conclude his statement, the door creaked open, revealing Jackson's gradual entrance.

.

.

.

.

"Jackson!" His uncle gasped, his eyes wide with shock. "How long have you been there?"

Jackson remained silent, his deliberate stride leading him straight to his uncle. Seeing him approach, his uncle swiftly concealed his phone behind his back, frantically trying to end the call before Jackson drew near.

A heavy tension filled the room. Each of Jackson's steps sang like a thunderous drumbeat in his uncle's ears. 'Did he catch wind of my phone conversation?" His uncle's mind raced with worry.

As Jackson drew nearer, a wide grin spread across his face, "Why the fright, uncle? It's not like you've seen a ghost." He strolled forward to the seat where he was initially seated, retrieving something and playfully waving it in the air, "I left my phone here."

His uncle released a satisfied sigh at Jackson's words, "Ah, then grab it quickly. You have a visit to prepare for."

"You're right, uncle. I'll leave you to it. Have a great day," he said as he began to walk away, only to be interrupted by his uncle's voice.

"Jackson," his uncle called out. "Were you by any chance at the door this whole time?"

"Nope, just got here. Why do you ask?" Jackson questioned.

"Oh, it's nothing," his eyes blinked in quick succession as he responded swiftly. "You're free to go now."

Exiting the room, Jackson emerged into the sweltering noon, his eyes squinting against the sun's harsh glare. Moments later, his phone chimed in his hand, drawing his attention. It was Hanna calling, and inexplicably, he felt a surge of excitement at the sight of her name on the screen. Catching himself smiling, he shook his head, trying to dispel the grin that had crept onto his face.

"Hey, my love," he greeted, his voice warm and tender.

The word 'my love' had become a comfortable part of his vocabulary, its authenticity now unquestionable. He marveled at how effortlessly the words slipped from his lips, carrying genuine sentiment with each syllable.

"Hi, Jackson. Apologies for missing your call."

"No worries at all. I presumed you were tied up," he reassured.

"Aww, so you're indirectly telling me you missed me?" I teased.

"So much, I missed you so much. You're my future bride, remember?" he responded, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

In the hush that followed my words, I stole a quick blush before replying.

Locking eyes on the ring, I conveyed, "I can't wait for my family to meet you tomorrow. I'm sure they'll adore you as much as I do."

With a chuckle, he quipped, "They're going to. I'm quite the charmer, you know."

"I see, just like you charmed me, right?" I playfully teased back.

"Uhm," I interjected, preempting his response as I recalled the request I wished to make. "There's something I want to ask you, but I believe it would be best to discuss it tomorrow when we meet."

"If that's what my love desires, then it's settled," he replied warmly.