A Hopeless Pursuit (Forbidden Love Series Book 10)

Three Months Later

The last three months were the happiest times of their lives. Arianna's health improved and little Lauren bonded very nicely with Laurence, Lisa, Troy and Sandra. Troy fell for their hot neighbor and literally stayed with them at their house. Lisa and Laurence pulled his leg the whole day but he never got pissed off with them. Finally the day arrived for Arianna's final check up. She was completely healed and could continue with her normal life. Lisa still missed Liam everyday wanted to connect with him again like before now that her life had become more stable. She was thinking of calling him up when after school she was stopped by none other than her dad outside the school gate.

"What do you want dad?" Asked Lisa impatiently. She knew what he wanted and she would never oblige him.

"I miss you, Lisa. Come home with me," he said, trying a different tactic.

"No dad. I'm happy where I am," said Lisa bored of the topic.

"I could provide you with a better life, better clothes, lots of parties. You could meet Liam everyday, you know. You could go on dates with him and then marry him when you turn eighteen. I have it all figured out," her dad tried to convince her.

"I don't need to stay with you to do all of those, " she said, not liking the topic.

"You'll do it all my way. We can both see each other's interest, can't we?" Said her dad, trying to be sweet.

"I don't know what interest you're talking about, dad," said Lisa confused.

"Look Lisa, I know you like Liam. My men stalk you every where you go. I know Liam follows you around. He's crazy about you. He will pay me any amount for agreeing to your wedding. I have a prenuptial ready. The day you turn eighteen,  we'll fix the contract. You will be free to marry him provided I receive my money," said her dad.

"Why should he pay you to marry me? We will be adults and could get married without your permission," said Lisa. 

"Oh believe me, I won't let your wedding happen till I get my payment, " said her dad. "One more thing, if you tell Laurence anything, I shall finish off that little girl, Lauren," threatened her dad.

Lisa paled with horror. "You can't be my real dad," she said as tears fell from her eyes.

"No I'm not. Took you long to realize, " admitted her dad with a wicked grin on his face. He walked away with a laugh. Lisa stood paralyzed watching him with horror.

She climbed onto the car and wiped her tears. Should she tell Laurence anything? Maybe a little that their dad had come to see her. She couldn't tell him everything. Her dad had threatened to kill Lauren and she knew that he could stoop to any level. She had no idea she was being stalked by her dad's goons. But most importantly she had no idea that Liam followed her around. She looked around as Laurence's new driver Ben Kingston drove her home. She didn't see Liam's car or Liam. Maybe her dad was playing games with her mind. Was he her real dad? The thought bothered her. If he wasn't her real dad, he could stoop to any level to get what he wanted. She felt helpless and angry at her fate.

Lisa reached home with a grumpy face, stomping angrily towards Laurence as he parked his car and came towards them, having just arrived home from the doctor's clinic.

"What happened?" He asked Lisa.

"Guess who came over to school?" She asked with a disgusted expression.

"Who?" Asked Laurence although he had an idea about who might have visited her.

"Dad," said Lisa angrily.

"What did he want?" Asked Laurence patiently. He had been only giving the exact amount Harry Lennard needed for his basic necessities. He had planned to buy an apartment for his dad and sell of that huge building where he lived all alone. Laurence would never live in that building with his family. It didn't feel warm and homely. He had bad memories of the place.

"He wants me to live with him, " she said rolling her eyes.

"You can spend a day with him, you know, once a month or so," suggested Laurence.

"Have you gone mad, bro? All he talks about is how I should talk, how I should walk and how I should party. He wants me to trap Liam Parker somehow. He forgets that I'm only seventeen," said Lisa, angrily shaking her head and stomping off to her room. She couldn't tell him any more.

"I'm tired of this. I have to talk to dad," said Laurence.

"Why can't he let the girl live in peace? Serenity and I didn't click, so now he's after Liam and Lisa?" Sighed Laurence. Even Arianna disliked it but she didn't say a word in their own matters.

Laurence went to work and Arianna tried to console an upset Lisa to the best of her abilities. She didn't want Lisa to again run away from this house too. Lisa calmed down considerably by the time Laurence returned home.

The next day, Laurence came home with the news of his mom's death. The police were investigating but it looked as if she had committed suicide after learning that her boyfriend, Kenneth Bailes was actually married. He was absconding from the one roomed apartment where he was staying with their mom. All her stuff was also missing along with him.

"I don't think this is a suicide," said Laurence.

"Me too. She was murdered and her precious stuff were stolen by that man, Kenneth, " said Sandra. "Did you know that he's a smuggler? He illegally deals with weapons, " informed Sandra.

"How do you know?" Asked Lisa with wide eyes.

"I over heard your dad talking to someone," said Sandra.

"I have nothing to say. Whatever the police does, I'm fine with it," said Laurence.

He wouldn't pay extra to catch Kenneth Bailes, or have the case investigated further. His mom had dug her own grave and she learnt her lesson the hard way. That was her fate. Lisa didn't feel any unhappiness at the news if her mom's death. It didn't affect her at all.

The next whole month, his dad drove Laurence crazy, everyday visiting him and trying to force him to slap a case against Kenneth Bailes demanding his mom's jewelry and money back. Laurence wasn't interested. It was hers and she gave it to her boyfriend.

"I can't maintain such a big house. You need to increase my allowance, Laurence, " said Harry Lennard.

"I've bought a two bedroom apartment for you dad. I'll send my men to help you pack your stuff and shift into it," said Laurence.

"How could you do this to me? You're throwing me out of our home?" He asked horrified.

"No dad. Just shifting you to a smaller apartment which you can maintain," said Laurence patiently. He hated creating scenes at his workplace but his dad didn't care. His melodrama always continued here.

"What will you do with that house? I can sell it off. I need the money Laurence," he said vehemently.

"I will sell it and fix the money in Lauren's name," said Laurence patiently.

"Give me in writing what you need the money for, if it's a feasible cause, I'll give you but first I'll make investigations. If you think you'll hire hitmen to finish us off with the money then you're mistaken. My PI is always keeping track of your whereabouts, " said Laurence.

His dad left in anger. He didn't come to meet him after that but Lisa's behavior changed considerably as days passed by. She jumped at the drop of a hat. She always looked behind her shoulders to check who were following her. She forgot to laugh. At school, Leo who was now in college came to pick up Sofia and Victoria and tried to talk to her every day but Lisa tried to avoid him as much as possible.

Liam sometimes followed her when he missed her immensely. She had stopped going to the back gate and he had the feeling that she had completely forgotten about him. But he had promised that he would give her space to grow up and he kept that promise. He was furious everytime he saw that disgusting Leo trying to talk to her outside school. 

Although her dad didn't come to meet her after that day, yet Lisa looked out for him and his goons. How he could still afford goons she had no idea. Laurence didn't pay him anything extra after all. By now she had a rough idea of who followed her around. There was a skinny man with sunglasses and a buff man who always wore a leather jacket. They were newly employed by her dad as she had never seen them before. She saw them outside their home too, waiting, watching. She wanted to tell Troy and Laurence but the thought of Lauren's welfare prevented her from approaching them.