Chapter 59：SOS

Preston and Bella were let out on bail but until a date for the ruling was decided upon. Destiny had willingly turned state witness and was under protective custody. Preston's attorney pressed assault charges against Jordan and wanted compensation worth $5 million for injuries sustained and supposed emotional damage. He still threatened to release the footage and Jordan even dared him to. He was not one to give in to blackmail and he wasn't about to start now.

Jordan took time out and went to his cabin in the woods. He returned after almost two weeks and he and Lana were distant but polite to each other. Lana decided it was time to go and visit her mother before leaving for New York; in the hope of trying to mend their relationship.

When she arrived at her childhood home there was a black Discovery SUV parked in the driveway and two bodyguards standing at the door. Lana greeted them and entered the house cautiously. She found her mother seated in the living room with a man she had never seen before but he looked vaguely familiar.

"Lana!" A look of surprise, mingled with consternation, sprang into her eyes. "What are you doing here?" She rose up from the sofa and advanced towards her daughter.

"This is my house too-I'll be upstairs in my room," she lugged her bag behind her and was stopped in her tracks.

"Wait.. there's someone I want you to meet." She seated herself and took a furtive glance at the man's face.

"I'm not sure if you two have met-but this is Mr Carter-"

"Jordan's father." Lana finished off as she took a surreptitious glance at the profile of Alexander Carter. He had Jordan's height, eyes, and hair but that's where the similarities ended. His face was pale and it seemed he had difficulty standing up straight.

"Lana," he stood up gracefully, "it's a pleasure to finally meet you, my dear." He held out his hand and she shook it absentmindedly.

She felt talking to this man was like a betrayal to Jordan so she decided to go to her room as planned. "Mr. Carter. Nice to finally meet you," she said with a tight smile. "I've got a headache so I-I'm going to go and rest."

"Of cos..but I was hoping we could talk?"

"If this is about your son then I'm sorry I can't-"

"Lana I have a medical condition and I need a donor. We have people on the ground checking for other suitable donors but so far.." he shrugged helplessly. "Look I know Jordan and I haven't had the best relationship but I care about him-"

"Then I suggest you have this conversation with him." She said in a tone of finality and started up the steps.

"Let me get going. I have a doctor's appointment." He said his goodbyes and left.

Lana was in the middle of a phone conversation when a knock sounded on the door. "Listen Liv I'll call you back-" she rang off and shouted, "come in!

"Can we talk?" Her mother asked, then took a tentative step into the room.

"If this is about Jordan's dad then I'm not interested in what you have to say," Lana leaned on her headboard and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"The man is going to die without the transplant," Mrs Logan sighed and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Mom this isn't my call to make-"

"But you can influence Jordan to make the right-"

"No! I won't!" Lana cried out.

"Why don't you want to help the poor man! He's going to die-"

"I think coming here was a bad idea!" Lana slid off the bed, grabbed her bag from the floor and started to pull it out, "I'm leaving."

"Lana Logan! I know I raised you better than this-" reprimanded Mrs Logan as she tottered on her high-heels, trying to catch up her daughter.

"It's Carter. I'm Lana Carter now." She threw her bag into the back of Jordan's jeep and hurried over to jump in the driver's seat.

Mrs Logan laughed a false laugh and assumed an airy, condescending tone. "It's actually sad that you believe you have a real marriage with that no good-"

"Bad-mouthing my husband isn't going to win you any brownie points mother," Lana muttered as she put on her sunglasses and started the ignition.

"You're selfish-just like him!" she yelled with a clenched jaw.

"I was hoping we could spend Thanksgiving together because I didn't want you to spend it alone," Lana shrugged her shoulders with a petulant pessimism her youth made amusing, "anyway I'm out. Good-bye, mother." She drove away and left her mother seething in the driveway.

Jordan had his reasons for not wanting to help his father and she couldn't sway his decision; even if she wanted to. She didn't want to take sides and while some may say Jordan was heartless, there were always two sides to a story. The man had not been a father to Jordan and now he suddenly remembered that he had a son, only because it suited his purposes.

Lana's phone buzzed on the passenger seat and she put it on loudspeaker as she continued to drive.

"Lana! Help me!" Bella's hysterical voice shrilled like a knife on a grindstone.

"Bella!" Lana pulled over to the side quickly and grabbed her iPhone.

"Help me! Please-" another ear-splitting scream pierced the air. "Please stop! Preston! Don't-!"

"Where are you?!" She heard a loud thud and heard Bella's torturous screams streaming in from the phone-then there was silence.

Lana grabbed her car-phone and quickly dialed 911. She gave them Bella's number and Preston's as well,; and hoped they could pin her location and get to her on time. It sounded like she was getting a brutal thrashing from Preston again and it sounded bad.

She internally struggled about whether she should go over and help Bella or not. It wasn't a good idea but she found herself calling Jordan, to ask him for Preston's home address.

"You are not going there! Do you understand me?!"

"But Carter-she's in trouble!"

"Where are you? I'm coming over there right now-don't move a muscle."