Chapter 4: Reactions

Jake Hunt was stupefied and though he could not see the face of the woman who had just interrupted his wedding because it was hidden under a veil, he was filled with anger and loathing towards her as he looked at her as though he could see her face and his anger and loathing seeming to pierce through the veil.

He was barely aware of the commotion around him and only wanted to hold the woman and shake her till she spoke the truth but his feet were rooted to the spot and he could not get them to function. He did not even know her, or at least he felt that he did not. He knew he did not have a wife, so why had she claimed she was his wife?

Was this some sort of vendetta? Or joke? But whoever jokes with something like that? It was two lives that had been ruined just now just because of that woman's careless words. He kept looking at her till she hurriedly left the church hall.

He looked at his bride, Evelyn Brooks. She was besides herself with righteous indignation.

'Is this a joke, Jake? You never told me, you were married', she said not knowing what to do. 'Who is that woman by the way?' she asked shaking her head as if to clear it of the cobwebs that had gathered there. 'Oh, stupid me. What a question! She's your wife. The one you've hidden from the view and knowledge of everyone'.

Evelyn was not one to cause a scene but a scene had already been caused. A scandal more like and she was not going to wait around to be captured on camera when the press eventually got there. She hated scandals. So she whispered something to her parents who looked long and hard at Jake Hunt and his father before walking briskly out of the church hall, into the white Rolls limousine that had brought her and drove away.

Jake had not been able to reply to his ex - bride's harshly whispered recriminations and as she walked out of the church, he slumped in a chair. He had worked hard to get this wedding fixed and only a few carelessly spoken words from a lunatic had made all his efforts go to waste.

How was he going to deal with this? But deal with it, he must.

He signaled some men who worked for him.

'Yes boss', the leader said.

'How can you all be seated here and someone did something like this and you did not follow her immediately or at least stop her?' he asked angrily. He knew it was a transfer of aggression but he just didn't care. The men should know their work and be able to take the initiative in cases such as this.

'We were taken unawares, boss', the man said. 'We did not know what to think'.

'Don't think. Act! Go look for that woman', he said. If it means going to the ends of the earth to look for her do it. But you must come back to me with results. Don't just stand there moping at me'.

'Should we bring her to you?' he asked.

'Find out who she is and where she is staying', Jake said after a brief thought. She must not know you are unto her. Then come back and report to me. I shall take it from there'. He wanted to deal with her himself.

James Hunt, Jake Hunt's devious identical twin could not help smiling at the turn of events. He had been unaware of the wedding till late and had not been too happy about it but he had been unable to do anything about it but his work had been done for him by a God - sent. He felt like smacking his lips in jubilation of his brother's obvious misery. He wondered who the mystery woman was and also wanted to find her but whoever she was, he thanked her from the bottom of his heart. He wished he could find out who she was and thank her personally. But that could be done only if she had left traces or anything that could be used to find out who she was or where she lived. James was curious to know the reason behind the woman's actions. Was she one of his brother's lovers who got sour because Jake was getting married to another?

This was why I like my carefree lifestyle. The women always knew where they stood with me. They always had an understanding and none ever went against me, James thought.

Jake's father and step mum, looked at him and tried to calm him.

His step mother patted him comfortingly. She did not know what to make out of the events but being a psychologist, she knew the impact such an occurrence as what just happened could be having on her step son. But what she could not understand was why someone would want to do something as hideous as this. What had motivated the woman behind the veil to do this? Had she been paid? Did Jake actually know her? She trusted Jake and was very close to him. She knew that Jake would not intentionally hurt another, so he could not have hurt that woman and she had come to avenge herself.

If it were James on the other hand, she loved him too but she knew that he was the one more likely to hurt people because he was spoilt - had been by his biological mother since he was born. But she just had to know for sure.

'Jake, darling', she started, 'Do you know that woman or why she would do this?' Hilda Hunt asked. His father must have had the same question nagging in his mind for he nodded vigorously, feeling his son's pain but not saying a word. But kept his hand on his son's back to show solidarity.

Jake shook his head because he did not trust himself to speak. It had all happened in a hurry and he was still shocked at the turn of events but he was not a man given to cowering, so he shook himself out of his dazed state.

'No, I do not know who she is and neither do I know why she stopped my wedding', he said, his voice hoarse. Clearing his voice, he continued, 'and before you ask, I had not asked any other to marry me and neither did I have a serious relationship before now'.

'She must have been paid to do this or did this out of a personal vendetta, most probably business related', Hilda thought aloud.

'I try to be honest in my dealings like Dad taught me but then I can't be sure why she did it and now, I seriously don't care. All I can promise is that she is definitely not going to get away with it', Jake vowed.

Hilda hated to disillusion her stepson but he had to face facts. 'But she already has - got away with it, I mean', she said, touching his cheek sympathetically. ' How will you find her now when you do not even know her identity?'

'That is no problem Mrs Hunt', a voice said behind them, My men are combing the town and they should find her before nightfall today'.