A Hopeless Pursuit (Forbidden Love Series Book 10)

Liam tried to console a broken Laurence who couldn't control the sobs coming from deep within his soul. He had lost the hope of ever finding his sister. Liam's eyes too glistened with unshed tears as he tried hard to control himself and give Laurence hope. Afterwards they tried to get some sleep but Liam couldn't sleep a wink. He prayed to God with all his heart so that his Lisa was safe wherever she was.

Change Of Scene

It was 6 o'clock and the main door of the beach villa style Sayulita opened. Lewis, the oldest son of Joe Lennard came out of the house to go to their beach shop. As he stepped out, he was shocked to see an unconscious girl on the couch outside. He went closer and touched her forehead and cheeks. She was burning with fever and was unconscious.

"Jenny come fast," he shouted out to his wife. His ten year old daughter, Anna and his wife came rushing outside.

"What happened? Why are you yelling?" Asked Jenny with a frown. Lewis gestured towards Lisa.

"Good heavens, who's she? How did she come here?" Gasped Jenny, touching, Lisa's cheeks. "Lewis can you bring her inside? She's burning with fever. Anna, call Dr Fernando immediately, " said Jenny. Lewis picked up Lisa and carried her inside the house while Jenny picked up her stuff.

Joe Lennard was sipping coffee with his ma, Lily Lennard. Their eyes popped out seeing the unknown girl in Lewis' arms. He laid her down on the sofa in the small cozy living room while the others came to see what the matter was. Lily Lennard came to check the girl.

"Have you called Dr Fernando?" She asked Jenny who nodded at her. "Maria, get me a bowl of water and a cloth," said Lily Lennard. Lewis's younger brother, Luke was married to Maria and had two sons. Maria got the water and sat down beside Lisa to apply the compress to reduce her temperature.

"How did she land up here?" Asked Anna.

"Maybe she's a tourist. She might have fallen sick last night," said Joe Lennard, looking worried. "Should we inform the police?"

"Let's wait for the doctor, " said Laura Lennard, Joe's wife. After five minutes, Dr Fernando came and checked the girl.

"She needs to be hospitalized immediately. I think the girl's pregnant and suffering from severe dehydration and fatigue, both mental and physical," informed the doctor. They didn't waste a single minute. Joe Lennard, Lewis and Laura Lennard took Lisa to Sayulita Medical Center and got her admitted. She was critical and pregnant. The doctors started her treatment immediately. Laura and Joe Lennard stayed back at the hospital while Lewis went to look after his shop.

They ran three tourist shops and had a small car rental agency which Joe Lennard's brother Steve Lennard and his son Danny looked into. Joe Lennard's other sons, Lincoln and Levi ran the other two tourist shops while Luke was a vet working at the local animal hospital nearby. Steve Lennard's three daughters  were all married and well settled.

It was around 9 o'clock in the morning when Lisa gained consciousness. She was surprised that she was alive and lying on a comfortable bed. She looked around and realized that she was in a hospital. Who brought her here? Last she remembered, one of her dad's men were driving her to some far away place. She was surprised that he didn't kill her. Then her eyes fell upon a gentle lady talking to a nurse just outside her door. She turned and she came towards Lisa's bed, her glance fell upon Lisa's face and she looked shocked. Lisa felt that she had seen the woman somewhere but couldn't recall exactly where. She looked oddly familiar.

"Nurse, she's gained consciousness. Come quick, " said the woman, quickly coming to her side and looking at her with concern.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked her gently, tucking Lisa's hair behind her ear.

"Yes, water, " Lisa croaked, feeling like her throat was parched. The woman brought a glass of water to her lips and Lisa thankfully drank it up. The nurse came inside with the doctor accompanied by a man. The man too looked very familiar to Lisa but her brain couldn't process where she'd seen him.

They checked her thoroughly. "Are you aware that you are pregnant?" Asked the doctor. Lisa's face paled. She was pregnant with whose child? Leo's or Liam's? Lisa didn't want to know the answer to that question. If it was Leo's her life would be doomed. She could never be able to show her face to Liam again.

"Y yes," she lied so that they wouldn't be suspicious of her.

"Okay, so we will observe you for 24 hours. If all goes well, we'll release you, " said the doctor. Lisa nodded softly. She crossed her fingers and prayed that they didn't ask her any questions. The doctor and the nurse left. The woman dragged a chair and sat beside her.

"What's you name? We found you today in the morning on our porch. You were unconscious and running a temperature, " informed the woman.

"I'm Lisa Lennard," she said. The couple froze and stared at her the moment she uttered her name.

"What's your father's name Lisa?" Asked the man with dread.

"I don't know who my real father is but I was adopted by Harry Lennard, " she informed them. The blood drained off the woman's face and she simply stared at her wordlessly. The man sat down on a chair nearby as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Do you know him?" Asked Lisa curiously.

"He's my brother," sighed Joe Lennard. "I'm Joe Lennard and this is my wife Laura, " he said softly. Lisa's eyes widened with disbelief. They were Laurence's parents. She remembered now why they looked so familiar. She had seen their photographs at their old house.

"D do you know Laurence?"Asked Laura Lennard as a sob escaped her mouth. Her husband came towards her and held her to console her. Both of them looked at her with hope.

"Yes, he's my brother," said Lisa. They looked ecstatic and relieved as they hugged one another unable to contain their happiness.

"He's alive Joe. My baby's alive," sobbed Laura as Lisa stared at her with a puzzled look on her face. They finally controlled themselves and looked at Lisa.

"How did you land up here at Sayulita, Lisa?" Asked Joe Lennard. Lisa told them in short how she was abducted by Harry Lennard and then sent here when she fell too sick.

"Why would he kidnap his own daughter?" Asked a confused Joe Lennard. 

"To extract money from my fiancé and his family, " informed Lisa with a sigh.

"I knew it. I knew Harry could never change his unscrupulous ways," said Joe Lennard with dismay. "Laurence is our son. He had a fight with us since dad didn't leave him any money in his last will. So he kidnapped a four year old Laurence and disappeared without a trace. For years we tried to look for him but couldn't find them anywhere. We had given up all hopes of seeing Laurence," he informed her. Lisa felt bad for what they had to go through.

"I can tell you Laurence's number. You can call him and tell him that you've found me. He'd be wild with worry. He'll come here immediately, " said Lisa. Laurence's parents eyes shone excitedly at the prospect of getting to meet their son after so many years.

"Yes please tell us," they pleaded. Lisa gave them Laurence's number. She was exhausted and the nurse came into the room to give her food and medications.

"You rest Lisa. We're waiting outside. We will call Laurence just now," said Laura Lennard. Lisa nodded and they left. Lisa felt relieved that Laurence would come to take her home. But her mind was in a turmoil regarding her pregnancy. She spoke to the nurse about doing a paternity test but found out that it couldn't be done before 9 weeks of pregnancy. Till then how would she face Liam?

She went to sleep with  a heavy heart.

Change Of Scene

The whole morning Laurence, Liam and Eric Parker waited for an update from the police about Lisa's whereabouts. Finally at 10 o'clock in the morning they received the much awaited phone call but the news they received dashed all their hopes of ever finding Lisa. Frankie's body was found in a battered and unrecognizable condition when his speeding car hit another on the busy highway Mexico 200 near Sayulita. The police were at the spot trying to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Liam sat down slumped and broken onto a nearby couch as tears came into his eyes and he had absolutely no control over them.

"Liam,  get a hold of yourself my boy. This news proves that Lisa's in Sayulita. Do you know someone who lives there?" Eric Parker asked Laurence.

Laurence's eyes sparkled as he realized where Lisa was currently. At Harry Lennard's family home!