*MRS JANE'S POV*
I sat in front of the house, legs crossed, going through my tab when Mrs Reeves approached me.
"Did you send my message?" I asked.
"Yes, madam, she will be with you shortly," Mrs Reeves replied and was about to take her leave.
"Hold on, I need you to do something else for me."
"What could that be, madam?"
"I want you to watch every one of Sophia's moves and report back to me," I said and took a gulp from the juice.
"Every one of her moves?"
"Are you deaf or dumb, or both?!"
"Sorry, madam."
"I would assume you know what to do from henceforth, Mrs Reeves."
Mrs Reeves turned around and walked away from where I sat. After a couple of minutes, I saw Sophia walking towards the house.
"Sophia, I thought you wouldn't honour my invitation," I teased.
"Oh, of course not, why would I not?" she said.
"I am actually surprised you would want to see me," she said.
"I don't think there is a law that forbids the madam of the house from seeing the newest wife and member of the family, is there?" I asked.
"Oh, not at all, please forgive my choice of words," she said.
"No, silly, no offence was taken. How is married life treating you? I know Bran to be such a handful," I asked, curious.
"You all seem to know Bran so well, but me," she said with a short smile.
"Well, what would you expect? He is more of a son to my husband and me."
"Regarding how married life is treating me, I would say that I am still finding my way around it."
"Good, that is good...I must also remind you that the Garners aren't a family anyone can just get into by sheer luck."
"I don't understand."
"What I am trying to say is that the Tylers and the Garners were and never are on the same level, my dear, knowing your place in this family would go a long way to help you," I said in a low voice, close to Sophia's ears.
Sophia sat there, quiet and at the same time aware of the message I was sending.
"Oh, you don't have to take it to heart, dear...I am only looking out for you," I said and held her hands gently.
"Of course, Jane, I would be sure to keep that in mind regardless," she said.
"That would be great," I said and removed my hands.
"If there is nothing else, I would like to return to the house," she said and stood.
"Yes, sure, I am certain we have had a great deal of conversation and understanding," I said, my eyes fixed on Sophia.
"Thank you," Sophia said and walked away.
I picked up my phone immediately and made a swift call.
"I need you to tail someone for me," I said, with eyes that depicted control.
SOPHIA'S POV
Bran has not been coming home as early as he used to, but that was not my concern, so I just go to bed early, and when I am sleepy, then wake up to him being gone from the house.
So most of the time, we don't see each other at night, and we don't see each other in the morning either.
*UNCLE TOM'S POV*
I summoned some of the board members I had bribed before the emergency meeting I called in the absence of Bran, into my office.
"What was all of that a few days ago?" I stood and asked, perplexed.
"You need to be specific about what you are asking about, Tom," one of the board members replied.
"Be specific? Be specific?! Like you, lots don't know exactly what I am talking about. You! I gave you that estate you've always begged me for...and you! I finally gave you the connection you needed for your business deals," I said as I pointed to them one after the other.
"Tom, I know you reached out to us with things that we needed at that moment, but what Bran said in the meeting was actually right," one of them replied.
"Then what about what I wanted? You bunch of fools and ingrates all over the place!" I said in anger.
One of the board members suddenly stood from his seat.
"Enough with all of this, Tom! The only reason we are here and giving you face is because of your wife!"
"Then be ready for the wrath that comes with going against her wish, cause her wishes are also mine!"
"We know that we have gone against Mrs Jane, but then the fate of the company is more important than you overthrowing Bran and taking over the company, after all, he is the rightful heir."
"My elder brother didn't think so in his will…..his will clearly stated my name as his successor, what happened even after you all saw that?" I asked.
"Yes, your name was clearly on your late brother's will, but you were very much involved in a scandal, leading to an investigation as at that time...how do you expect a company such as Garners Industry to appoint you as the Ceo?"
"I am pretty sure that was all Bran's doing!" I defended knowing it wasn't true.
"As a matter of fact, I no longer want to take part in overthrowing Bran... if there is nothing else, I will take my leave." Mr Brown, who had been in the team before, changed his mind and exited the office.
"I need you all to get out...get out of my office!" I yelled at them as they stood and left one after the other.
I went back to my seat and sat, all perplexed and furious.
My Japanese P.A., only on paper but actually my wife's loyal assistant, walked into the office and caught my attention.
"Madam would like to get an update," Ren passed the message.
"F*ck the updates! What use is it when no one respects or listens to me well enough!?" I angrily said and flung the cup used to hold stationery against the wall.
"Tell her she needs to come up with another plan, the previous one failed," I said and turned the chair away from Ren's view.
"She would need an explanation on how the previous plan failed," Ren said, with a direct and straight face.
"Not you too, Ren, find something to tell her, and when you do that, let her know that we need to take care of Mr. Brown," I said, still backed against Ren.
NARRATOR'S POV
Ren walked out of the office with no words, and as he walked down the hallway, he brought out his phone and dialled Mrs Jane's number.
"Ma'am, he said the previous plan failed,"
"Oh, Tom....when is he ever going to get things right?" Mrs Jane said over the phone.
"He also mentioned taking care of Mr Brown," Ren added.
"Mr Brown, he has always been a pain in the ass...fine, take care of him and focus on the recent task I gave you" Mrs Jane said.
"Yes, ma'am," Ren responded and hung up.
It was night now, and Ren quickly found his way and tailed Mr Brown on a bike, all the way from the company's parking lot to his apartment, dressed in a simple black outfit.
Ren quickly approached Mr Brown's car the very moment his driver got out of the car to put in the passcode to the main gate.
Ren got into the backseat where Mr Brown sat and stabbed him with an injection that had some substance in it. Mr Brown struggled to break free from his grasp, but Ren closed his mouth with his palm to silence him until the substance was fully injected.
He found his way out of the car and out of the vicinity quietly and left Mr Brown to his heart attack.
The gate finally opened, and the driver, on returning to the car to drive it in, found Mr Brown, lifeless in the backseat of the car, and he fell to the ground out of shock.
Within a few minutes, the ambulance and some cops arrived at the scene, and the driver was questioned as to how it all occurred.
"Are you sure Mr Brown was fine before you got out of the car?" the officer asked.
"Yes, he was even pleased….When I told him the main gate would be changed to one that didn't require one to directly input the passcode, the driver said, with cracks in his voice.
"Was that why you got out of the car? To input the passcode to the main gate?" the officer asked.
"Yes sir…..but when I returned to the car, he was already dead" the driver said with little tears.
The second officer approached them where they sat in front of the house.
"I just checked, the CCTVS weren't working at that time, but we were only able to confirm through the car's black box that the driver indeed stepped out of the car and towards the gate," the second officer reported.
Mr Brown was laid on a stretcher, covered with white clothing and was wheeled into the ambulance as it drove away.