Chapter Thirty - Five


    A heightened measure of tension enraptured Doctor Jeff''s office, marked by a deafening silence.


    Loney''s mind was flooded with rage. Was it another betrayal? Files of his seven previous surrogates


    connected his brain. His trust for Paul dwindled, left alone Doctor Jeff. His brain was charred with all


    the fearful betrayals from his past. The cessation lingered on, heart rates increasing. Paul lowered his


    head in embarrassment. He did nothing wrong but he perfectly knew the reason for Loney''s outrage.


    He hated to be disobeyed and this was his surrogate therefore, everything about her was his business.


    "Loney, it''s not what you think. She..."


    Paul tried to exin but was curtly cut off by Loney''s low growl, "really? I gave simple instructions to


    Paul. Was that too much?" His eyes were heated with fire, focussed on Paul, who sat on a chair in


    Doctor Jeff''s office.


    Doctor Jeff couldn''t understand in the least, what was going on. "Do you mean you weren''t aware?" His


    voice quaked slightly. Loney had a quick temper and none of them wanted to experience it. If it got


    worse, somebody might just get admitted to this hospital with broken bones.


    "I would have called you myself if I was," Loney cast a sharp nce on Doctor Jeff, whose confusion


    was written all over his face.


    "Then why are you here?" The question forced out of his mouth. Loney was so raged his words stuck in


    his throat. In his thoughts, Danica was just like his previous surrogates, looking for a means of escape


    after taking the money and Paul was her aplice. No wonder it was easy for his previous


    surrogates to escape afterwards. The simple fact that Danica was lying on the examination table


    escaped him.


    "I.." he suddenly recalled Jasmine''s gift as his reason for stopping over. "I came to take care of


    something around here and decided to stop by and see how you are faring." Loney''s voice was icy, his


    eyes still trained on Paul as he spoke to Doctor Jeff.


    "Loney, let me exin..." Paul tried to speak again but just like the first time, was cut off by Loney.


    "I trusted you, Paul, I can''t believe I did. All those surrogates I left in your care, you helped them


    escape, didn''t you?" Loney was spitting fire and Paul almost cried. One thing he never wanted to lose


    was Loney''s trust. Yet, he couldn''t bring himself to me Danica. He was about to speak when a weak


    voice captivated the entire consulting room.


    "Please, it''s not his fault." Loney froze at the sound of Danica''s voice. The gentle, soft and now weak


    voice, made the scales fall from his eyes, as he strode towards Danica, hiding the pain after seeing her


    weak form on the bed. His eyes instantly darkened.


    "I didn''t want you to get worried. Trust me, I just feel a little tired. There''s no need making a big deal out


    of it," Danica''s weak voice expressed. Loney lowered himself beside the bed. His expression was


    unreadable as he spoke in a way that only she could hear. His mouth was close to her lobe.


    "Listen to me, Danica. Everything about you is a big deal to me. I want to have first-hand information


    about everything concerning you. Let me be the one to judge as to whether or not it needs my attention


    it not. Do I make myself clear?" Loney''s voice was warm but his words hinted at a warning.


    Danica espoused the meaning of his words but she was too weak to begin breaking them. She opened


    her eyes and stared at him. Her heart did a little flip. She caressed his cheek with her warm palm and


    said, "I''m sorry. It wasn''t his fault. I begged him not to tell you because I didn''t want you to be worried."


    Loney felt the anger dissolve from his chest just by her soft words. "I will be more worried if you hide


    things from me." His voice carried warmth and firmness. He straightened himself and gazed at Doctor


    Jeff. "How is her condition?"


    "I suspect that she''s pregnant but I have called for other tests as well. I did a physical examination and


    she''s fine so the fatigue might just be because of her hormones but she will be fine," Doctor Jeff


    exined


    Loney''s heart leapt with excitement but it wasn''t reflected on his face because he was bothered. "Can''t


    you do anything to boost her energy?"


    "That will depend on the.." A knock sounded on the door. "Come in," Doctor Jeff stuttered a little. "Oh,


    the test result is ready." He said, taking the envelope from the nurse who had just walked in. She left as


    fast as she came.


    Doctor Jeff stared at theb result. His face contoured into different shades of confusion. "All the tests


    performed show negative."


    "Which means she''s not pregnant? What could be the problem then?" Loney was even more


    concerned? He couldn''t stand anything happening to Danica because of him. He won''t be able to


    forgive himself.


    Danica lifted herself from a sitting position on the bed, her eyes wide awake now, her ears peeked.


    Doctor Jeff walked towards her and stared at her pale face. "From ten years of experience in this


    profession, I will still stick to my observation despite theb result. It might be too early to detect.


    Perhaps a few days but her body is so sensitive. I will send Dina over to take another test in a week. It


    should be confirmed by then but I will give her some multivitamins. Her body demands rest so let her


    rest," he concluded thoughtfully.


    "I will take you to hope this minute," Loney said as he tried he helped her with her flip flops. Danica felt


    a shiver at his actions. It warmed her heart that he cared so much but she also knew that he had a lot


    on his shoulders.


    "Don''t you have work? Paul will take me home. Go and work hard and don''t forget your promise," she


    dismissed him.


    "Promise?" Loney frowned.


    Danica forced a smile, "this weekend, remember?"


    Something clicked in Loney''s mind as she furrowed his brow, "In your state?"


    Danica''s cheeks heated up but she hid it well, e on, it''s not yet confirmed so you still have an


    obligation."


    Loney was about to speak when his phone rang. He took it out from his breast pocket and almost


    cursed himself at the name. ''Jasmine.'' He turned to Danica.


    "Are you sure you will be alright on your own?" He asked with great concern.


    "I will be fine. Besides, I''m in the hospital and Paul is here too," she tried to convince him. Loney


    wanted to stay but he also recalled Jasmine''s birthday party and said, "Call me if you feel any


    difort."


    Danica nodded in the affirmative, as he strode to the door, turned the knob and as of recalling


    something, turned around. He tapped Paul on the shoulder, "next time, send me a text if she makes


    such an outrageous request. You know what I mean."


    The corner of Paul''s lips curled, "Of course."


    "Take care of her," Loneypleted before he walked out. His mind was still on Danica throughout his


    drive to the hotel. He was so deep in thought, he couldn''t hear his phone ringing. Why would Danica be


    so thoughtful of him and not want him worried? Does it mean she didn''t enjoy his presence? Why


    would she encourage him to leave when he wanted to stay?


    Jasmine was obsessed with him and wanted him with her at all times. Does it mean that Danica


    doesn''t feel attracted to me? Or did she hate his presence? He jolted back to reality at a turn to the


    hotel. His phone was still ringing so he answered.


    "Loney, are you okay? I''ve called you about twenty times already..." She began to whine.


    "Jasmine! Stop patronizing me. I don''t like it. I gave you my word and I intend to keep it," he snapped.


    He couldn''t stand it.


    "But the party is almost starting..." she continued to whine, forgetting his previous warning.


    Loney shook his head in disapproval, not hiding his anger. "You gave me time and I am notte."


    "It''s just five minutes to the time.." She sobbed but Loney couldn''t take it anymore and ended the call


    instantly. He had already arrived at the underground garage of the hotel. He picked up the gift bag and


    strode towards the direction he was given.


    Jasmine was steaming red. She had waited for so long for Loney and her friends were beginning to ask


    if her boyfriend would make it before the party started. Her ex-boyfriend Thyron who she dumped a few


    months ago had attended with histest girlfriend to despise her. Aside from that, she had invited the


    big shots. She wanted to prove to Loney that she wasn''t the childish girl he thought her to be. Perhaps,


    Loney will begin to see her differently.


    Throughout her life, she always had everything she wanted. Her dad had always tried to make up for


    the absence of her mum and ended up spoiling her. She made sure to invite some of her fathers''


    friends who were top politicians. Also, she invited top businessmen and of course, her three friends,


    Lindsay, Barbie and Jane.


    She was nervous and began to flush red in embarrassment, as they waited for her to start the party.


    "Will hee? It''s two minutes to start. We can improvise something, create an excuse for him," Jane


    suggested. She was the wisest among the four.


    "She announced her boyfriend was going to start the party. He has toe. or?" Lindsay tried to


    convey her fears.


    The back of Jasmine''s eyes burned as tears threatened to fall,  just as she was about to speak,


    thinking about taking Jane''s advice, she saw a familiar figure. Her heart did a flip at the way Loney


    carried himself. His graceful steps with those slender legs, his parted lips as if begging for a kiss. The


    frown on his face as if he hated everyone else except her made her stomach giddy.


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    "There!" She yelled and took fast strides towards Loney. Naturally, Loney wrapped her arms around her


    waist as a way of faking their rtionship but before he could utter a word, Jasmine''s lips had


    swallowed his...