As directed, the two men parked their car a short distance from the hotel. Watching and waiting.
It was Jenifer's wedding.
"I'm so happy for her." Nancy whispered to Lisa as they left the church after the ceremony heading to the reception area.
The heart of the day's event which was held in a garden venue at a prestigious hotel.
Melissa and Nancy had arranged the venue. Several tents were erected to host many guests, with an ample buffet and soft music for entertainment.
"Congratulations Jenny." They squealed, pushing to hug the gorgeous bride.
After a day of laughter and dancing, they escorted Jenifer and her husband out of the hotel.
"There she is." The man in the car told his partner. Pointing at the group of people walking out, he checked the photo in his hands for confirmation.
Blinking his eyes, the partner searched the crowd around the hotel's exit.
"How do we get to her?" He asked, scratching his head scanning the area.
Melissa, dressed in a sleeveless light green dress matching the two ladies beside her, held Tommy's hand as they hugged Jenifer. Congratulating her and her husband before sending them off for their honeymoon.
"This is hard, man." He tapped the steering wheel looking around.
Several uniformed officers guarded the entry and exits.
There was no way to get into the venue without an invitation card. And people walking around Melissa made it difficult for the hired men to carry out the assignment.
"We have to wait." He held the wheel as his partner clenched his fist watching Melissa.
With no other choice, they sat and waited for an opportunity to strike.
When fifteen minutes of charting and hugs passed, the couple got into their car and drove off. Leaving their guests to enjoy the better part of the ceremony.
As the guests walked back inside, the men despaired. Unable to get Melissa alone, it seemed they couldn't get what they came for.
For days, they had followed Melissa. Watching her every move but with the security in place to protect her, no one could get an inch of her hair.
"Drive now." The man instructed his partner as he took a gun from the glove compartment.
"What are you planning to do man?" Starting the engine, he glanced at his partner. "It's too risky. Let's try getting her another day." He suggested but the man beside him insisted they should finish the job.
"I can't let that b*tch walk. Not after what she caused my family. Drive, damn it." He roared.
"Let's go inside." Outside the hotel, Nancy turned to her friends.
"I don't think I'll stay for long. I have to take Tommy home."
"Come on Melissa, stay for a little longer. It's not dark yet. Oh, that song, I love it." Nancy went inside dancing as Lisa raised her brows at her.
Turning to the venue, Tommy pulled at his mother's hand pointing at his shoe races. "Oh baby! Lisa, go on. I'll be right behind you." She smiled at Tommy, then bent down to tie his races and straightened his suit jacket as everyone walked in.
Turning to Melissa, Lisa saw the car. "Melissa, watch out! " She called out to Melissa when she noticed the speeding car.
As the car window rolled down, one man held a gun. Pointing toward Melissa and Tommy.
"Noooo!" Lisa pushed Melissa back as the shot was fired.
People ran screaming for their lives as the police opened fire. The officers shot at the car several times as others pursued them, driving from the hotel parking lot disappearing into the busy highway.
"Oh my God, Lisa! Help, someone help us, please." Cried Melissa kneeling on the floor holding Lisa in her arms.
Calling for help, she placed her hand on Lisa's shoulder to stop the bleeding.
Tommy stood beside his mother, holding his aunt's hand with tears in his eyes.
"Melissa, are you okay?" Lisa inquired as she struggled to speak. "Those men are after you. You have to be careful." She said before passing out.
"Lisa, Lisa open your eyes. The ambulance. Someone call the ambulance, Lisa!" Melissa held her in her lap, begging her to open her eyes.
"Oh my God, Lisa!" Running from the hotel, Nancy got Tommy. Covered his eyes not to see the bloody scene as the ambulance stopped.
The paramedics checked the wound and her vitals trying to stop the bleeding as they drove to the hospital.
"This is my fault." Melissa sat in the hospital chapel praying waiting for the surgery to end.
A few months back when she got to the city, she was ready to do whatever it took to get her father's company back. Now kneeling, praying for her friend to pull through, she wished she could stop.
She wished she had never gone out in search of the truth.
Her quest got many people she cared for hurt.
"I'm sorry I can't stop." She wiped the tears, gazing at the cross.
She never thought Mr. Steven would go this far. She couldn't pull back now. It was already done.
She had filed the case, and she had to see it through. She had to get her father's company back.
All she had to do was brace herself and stand strong to protect the people she cared for.
After an hour of waiting, the lights in the operating room went off.
When the doctor came out, he informed them they had removed the bullet from Lisa's shoulder successively.
Though she lost a lot of blood, she was going to be okay. No serious damage was done.
.....
"What's wrong?" Diana asked the man beside her holding onto his arm as he spoke on the phone.
His brows knitted, he listened for a while, then ended the call. Pulling his hand from Diana's hold, he walked to the window.
"I lost the cargo."
"What! What happened?"
"The coastguards got to the ship sequestering everything." He spoke, running a hand through his hair.
"Through our interconnections we can get them back. Can't we?" She asked, sitting up.
"No, we can't. They destroyed everything. Millions' worth of goods were destroyed. We have to stay out of the market for a while." He spoke, taking a cigarette from his jacket pocket.
"No! We can make more here. I lost the casino's prestige. I can't lose this too. You have to do something." She pleaded, standing beside him batting her eyelashes.
"I can't do anything about it." About to light his cigarette, he saw the breaking news on TV. Halting his movement, he clenched the lighter.
Diana sat on the hotel bed, looking at the screen on the wall.
The shooting at the hotel was the top story of the day. Raising serious security questions.
"I asked you to keep your hands off, Melissa." The man turned to Diana.
Spitting the cigarette, he grabbed her by her forearm.
"What makes you think I'm involved?" She questioned, pulling her arm from his forced grasp.
"That is one of your cars." He said, pointing at the screen. In their line of business, everyone had a signature for territory. "I asked you not to go near her no matter what she does, but it seems I've been so lenient with you." He roared, pulling her up by the arm.
"I can't let her take everything I have worked hard for. Why do you care so much for Melissa, anyway?" Grinding her teeth, she stared straight into his eyes.
"My relationship with her is of no concern to you. If you want to keep working with me, keep your hands off her. Or you will have me to deal with." Pushing her onto the bed, he took his coat.
"You can't leave, not like this." Knelt on the bed, Diana held his hand stopping him.
"Why can't you do without this?" He sneered pushing her onto the bed.
"Let's talk first." She tried to get up.
"I thought this is what you are after." He said tearing her dress as he turned her to lie on her stomach.
"No stop. Not like this." She tried to pull away but he was stronger.
Taking down his trousers, he pulled her to the edge of the bed making her winch as he forcefully entered her.
In all the years she had been with him, he had never treated her the way he did. Covering herself with the bedsheet when he was done, she wiped the tears running down her cheeks.
"Damn you Melissa."
The pain in her heart was more than any physical pain she had experienced.
Getting from the hotel she went to the casino's basement.
"I gave you a very simple job yet as always, you failed me. Must I do everything by myself?" She bellowed at the men kneeling in front of her desk.
"Ma'am, she was heavily guarded. We couldn't get to her." One of the men explained trying to get up but the armed man behind them pushed him back down.
"You!" She pointed at the other man. "You like shooting people very much. Maybe I should shoot your leg off."
"No, I'm sorry but I had to do something. That b*tch caused my brother's death. She owes me blood." He gritted his teeth staring Diana straight in the eyes.
"I don't want her dead. Killing her is an easy way out." She sighed, putting the gun down. "You two need to leave the city till the police stop hunting you. I don't want my name mentioned in this." She instructed her assistant to get them to their safe house out of the city.
"What will you do about her? With Mr. Johnson protecting her we can't accomplish the mission." The assistant said standing behind her.
"We will have to get rid of Mark Johnson first." Diana grinned while making a call.