The news and tabloids were in a frenzy. Grayson Carter had divorced his trophy wife Monique Devereaux. There were videos of the couple coming out separately from the courthouse. Grayson Carter came out first with his lawyers. The press surrounded him. He gave a brief statement saying that the divorce was filed on 'irreconcilable differences'. There was no mention of Monique's affairs. No, she will not return to GC Holdings as his secretary. Yes, it is an amiable separation; well, as amiable as it could be, he said with a charming smile making the press laugh. He did not answer questions pertaining his ex-wife and children. Instead, he glossed over them, changing the subject skilfully as only a veteran businessman could.

Monique came out ten minutes later dressed in a revealing figure hugging red outfit. She was furious. There was no display of her usual coy sensual self. In contrast to her suave ex-husband, she snapped and sneered at the reporters, her beautiful visage turning ugly in contempt at the news hounds. Cameras were rolling, pictures were taken. For once, she didn't care, she had more important things on her mind, like money and survival.

She had to accept a paltry sum of only one hundred thousand for the divorce. It was either that or nothing with her name dragged through the mud and smeared all over the tabloids, and not in a good way. Grayson Carter had promised her that if she chose the latter, she would not be able to find decent work in any company in the country. He would ensure she was blacklisted and made unhireable in every industry. He had that much power when he chose to wield it.

Monique had played the pity card, tried to seduce Grayson and finally threatened to sue him back. He had faced her down calmly. No lawyer in his right mind would take her on as a client willingly, not when Grayson Carter was her adversary and definitely not with her already poor reputation. She could try to sue him. He would win, he had the best legal team working for him.

-------------------------

How dare he? How dare he? Monique fumed at her former lover. Use me and throw me away will he? Without any money or benefits? She disregarded the one hundred thousand Grayson Carter had given her, it was a paltry sum compared to what he could offer. It was an insult to her. He had not even let her take her jewels, expensive dresses or the sporty 2016 Audi A5 Cabriolet he had given her as a present. The tycoon had taken it all back.

She also chose to ignore the fact that it was her promiscuous behaviour that led to her current predicament. She had decided it was all Grayson Carter's fault.

Now the news was all about him getting back with his estranged family. Ridiculous! He had actually apologised publicly to Jennifer , Gwen and Jonathan. The fool!! She paused. Jonathan had looked very nice on screen. She licked her lips. He had grown up nicely, she remembered him in the court that day. Yes, he had grown up very nicely indeed. She smiled remembering his sensuous and very responsive body. Maybe if she couldn't get the father, she could get the son.

What a wonderful revenge! Hit Grayson Carter's ego and get his money through his heir. Her smile widened. Jonathan Carter ... I'm coming for you. Screw the injunction.

-----------------

The Carters were driving her crazy. They were on her mind twenty-four seven. Monique was seething mad. Jonathan had actually blocked her!! Like father, like son. She was going to get them. She was going to punish them all. She would take everything away from Grayson Carter, just like how he threw her away with nothing. She would take away what he held the most dear, what he was fighting so hard to regain now and leave him with nothing. She would take away his family! She would make him feel like how she felt.

Monique grinned like a maniac as her prey came into sight. Hate bubbled within her. She was sitting behind the wheel of a rental with the engine on, waiting for the Carter family to come out of the exclusive restaurant. Though it was cold and there was a slight drizzle, the sidewalk was crowded with the press covering the event. It was the first ever Carter family dinner, after all the scandals and negative news; a public statement of the family's reconciliation. What a joke!

The distinguished Grayson Carter came into view. He was tall, well-built and handsome. She grounded her teeth as she saw Jennifer Anderson, the beautiful successful surgeon draped on his arm. They were both smiling for the cameras. They had made up. How disgusting. Her grip tightened in fury on the steering wheel.

The couple's teenage children stepped out from behind them sharing the spotlight. Cameras clicked flashing lights at the family. It was a perfect picture. A happy family reunited. She wanted to vomit. It should have been her on Grayson's arm getting all the attention, not that bitch and her brats. Reporters started their monologues giving a brief background of the famous family before approaching the mogul for his statement.

It was too much. Something snapped in her as her leg pressed down hard onto the accelerator. The rental shot across the street, tyres screeching in protest. The crowd parted screaming in panic as the car jumped the curb and careened into the Carter family. The slippery wet pavement did not help.

Grayson Carter immediately grabbed his wife and jumped out of the way of the on-coming car. "Jonathan!! Get Gwen!" he yelled at his son.

Jonathan Carter pushed his sister out of harm's way just as the automobile smashed into him. The impact rammed him through the glass walls of the restaurant shattering it and flung him onto the tables inside.

Monique hit her head on the steering wheel as the car came to an abrupt stop inside the exclusive diner. The loose seatbelt did nothing for safety. The hood was smashed and smoking. She looked up slowly and smiled, blood trickling down the side of her head. She had hit something she was sure of it. She hoped it was Grayson. He deserved to die. All she could see were smoke from her car and broken furniture.

The beautiful woman shook her head a few times before she realise the noise around her. There were screaming diners, screaming restaurant employees and screaming press. They were too loud. Stupid people. Everyone deserved to die. She wished they would all just shut up. They were giving her a headache.

Meanwhile cameras had continued rolling capturing the whole drama. Pictures were taken by the press and bystanders on their hand phones. Videos were recorded.

Someone must have called the police or was it the ambulance? It took only minutes before loud sirens joined in the racket making her head spin. No one had dared approach the car in the meantime. Mercifully she was left alone. She didn't want to open the door and go into the noise.

Tap, tap, tap. A respectful knock on the window. Monique turned her head still in a daze. A police officer was peering at her through the glass.

"Miss? Are you o'kay?"

She stared at him unblinking.

Tap, tap, tap.

"Pease step out of the car."

When she was slow to respond, he did not wait. The police officer tried the handle and opened the unlocked door. He wrinkled his nose at the alcohol fumes that assaulted his nose and waved at someone behind him. Immediately two female officers came into view and unbuckled her. They helped her out of the car before handcuffing her. Wait. What? She snapped out of her stupor.

"Ms.Devereaux, you are under arrest for the assault of Grayson Carter and family, causing grievous injury, driving under the influence and damage to private property."

The experienced law enforcer took a breath before reading the beautiful ex-Ms.Carter her Miranda Rights. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney ..." He did not get to finish.

She looked at the police officer in outrage and raised her voice.

"You can't do this! Do you know who I am?"

"Please, Ma'am."

"No! No! Let go of me! I will get all of you for this!!"

The crowd surged back through the broken wall, mindless of the broken glass to get a better view of the arrest. They ignored the police who were trying to establish a perimeter around the crime scene. Preservation of the site was going to be difficult.

A few ambulances had arrived adding to the chaos. Several of the media and onlookers were hurt. Medical personnel immediately went to work. Most were in shock, some had cuts and abrasions when they fell trying to avoid the out of control car. The more serious ones were bleeding from flying glass when the car had shattered the restaurant wall.

The restaurant was a mess. Broken furniture, glassware and half-eaten food were everywhere. Several people cowered in the corners and behind the bar. Some crawled out from under overturned tables.

The Carter family was in shock. The billionaire, Grayson Carter had sprained his ankle and hurt his back when he had heroically protected his beloved wife from oncoming danger. Jennifer Anderson was in shock but amazingly physically unhurt. Gwen Carter suffered a broken leg and was going to have a few bruises on her body from her fall. She would have been worse if her brother had not pushed her roughly out of the way.

Jonathan Carter had been hit by the oncoming car and smashed into the restaurant's glass wall. Minutes later the teenager miraculously crawled out from under a broken table to his sister's side where he collapsed. He looked alright but was unconscious.

The Carter family was rushed to the nearest hospital. Their family physician was contacted.

--------------

"Where are you?" Chloe asked again. She thought she had misheard Ash. Her eyes widened alarming Aria who was beside her. They were at a local mall.

"Oh!!"

"What?" Aria mouthed at her anxiously. Chloe held up her hand to the impatient Aria trying to concentrate on her conversation. Ash was saying something important.

"Hospital? Jace was in an accident?"

Aria's hand flew to her mouth. No! She didn't know why but tears pricked her eyes and her heart started thumping wildly in sudden panic.

"His whole family? Oh, O'kay. Aria and I will be right there." Chloe's eyes softened at something Ash said. "Hang in there Ash, he will be o'kay ... o'kay?"

When the girls reached the hospital, they found Ash pacing outside the operating rooms. Chloe went to hug him immediately.

"He's in there?" Aria asked in a small voice. "How bad?"

A beautiful woman joined them. Her eyes were red rimmed from crying.

"Ms.Anderson you're back. How is he doing?" Ash asked.

"Grayson is resting. He will be fine and Gwen too. Gwen will have a cast on her leg." She looked inquiringly at the two girls.

Ash coughed. "This is Chloe Chase," he squeezed the blond girl next to him, "and that is Aria ..." he lifted his eyebrows inquiringly at Aria.

"Cruz. Aria Cruz. Nice to meet you. Ms.Anderson."

There was no mistaking this elegant woman for other than Jace's mom. He had inherited her dark hair and green eyes from her.

"All of you came for Jonathan? He is so lucky to have friends like you."

"Please have a seat, Ms.Anderson. We will wait together."

"Any news since I left just now?"

"No," Ash confirmed shaking his head. "He is still in surgery."

Aria started. "I don't understand. Ash said he was hit by the car but he was okay, no injuries right? Only some superficial scrapes ... why is he in there?" her voice was shakey.

Jennifer went to her and took her hand. Her instinct told her that Jace meant a lot to this girl she had never met before. The way her face had paled and the confused frowns on her brow all suggested she was deeply worried for her son. Aria was almost as worried as she or Ash was. Aria Cruz. Her surname was familiar. Jennifer's eyes narrowed as she tried to remember why.

If Jonathan meant so much to this Aria, then maybe she too meant something to Jonathan. Jennifer took a closer look at the gothic dressed girl and gestured to her to sit down.

"We came to the hospital in separate ambulances. I was with my husband whilst Gwen, my daughter was with Jonathan." She paused and swallowed. "He saved Gwen but was hit by that car. There were no obvious physical wounds only minor bruises. Well that was what we thought anyway. We were all so thankful to get away from that horrible incident with only minor injuries."

"Gwen said Jonathan regained consciousness in the ambulance on the way here, only to complain of severe chest and stomach pains. The nurse was not too worried until he lost consciousness again. His blood pressure dropped and he ..." she trailed off remembering how terrified Gwen was that her younger brother had died in the ambulance. Gwen had been hysterical when they had reached the hospital. They had wheeled him immediately for an emergency scan and operation.

"Ms.Anderson, what is wrong with him?" Aria was trembling. "Please, tell me!!"

Ash exchanged an anxious look with Jennifer before turning away to face the closed doors leading to the operating rooms. His shoulders were heaving suspiciously. Chloe went to comfort him.

"T-the blunt trauma ... the impact from the car tore muscles and some blood vessels in his stomach and chest causing massive internal bleeding. He is hemorrhaging from within," she concluded in a soft voice.

Aria looked blankly at her. Tears started falling from her eyes, "Huh? Internal bleeding?" She shook her head in denial, "Is he going to die?"

"No! He is not going to die!" Jennifer stated fiercely.

Then she cried losing control. The tears she had been so carefully holding back fell without restraint revealing her fears for her son.