Chapter Forty - Three


    Loney ignored her and went back to work. It took longer than expected but just as he was about


    rounding up, a silhouette walked into the office, d in red essories. Red designer bags, red


    stilettos and red phone casing. Loney was beginning to have a headache but decided to be a man.


    "Jasmine?" His awed voice needed confirmation before anything else.


    Unfortunately, he had forgotten Danica''s presence in his office, his voice drew her attention from her


    phone. The name rang a loud bell in her ears, they piqued her interest. She hadn''t seen the person yet


    but lifted her head to meet Loney''s gaze, which was focussed on the door. Surprisingly, Jasmine wasn''t


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    alone. She was waiting for someone when she stood at the door.


    Loney let out a deep breath when he saw a familiar figure joining her at the door. Hand in hand, they


    walked towards him.


    "You must be surprised but my dad knows everything about you so it wasn''t hard to get your office


    location," Jasmine smiled as she said, carrying a sophisticated glow. She hadn''t seen Danica since the


    somehow was on Loney''s conversation with this visitor.


    "Oh, I should have known. So, to what do I owe this visit?" He said, his gaze settling on Tyron, as he


    acknowledged in his usual deep voice, "hi, Tyron right?"


    Danica was relieved to see another person apanying the female. She recalled the name of


    spoiled brat vividly but was somewhat slightly intimidated by her boldness. She walked as if she owned


    the office space, even when she red with admiration.


    "Yes, you got the name right," Tyron responded, taking a good nce at his rival. He deciphered how


    obsessed Jasmine was and still is with Loney, but she agreed to love him even when he hadn''t told her


    he was the son of the vice president of France. His reason foring to Mexico City was to find love,


    which was Jasmine.


    "I have good news for you," Jasmine stated matter of factly to Loney, thetter''s eyes drifting to an


    engagement ring on her ring finger. Instantly, he felt his biggest burden lifted, a smile invading his


    features as his gaze held Danicas''. She lowered her eyes abruptly, Loney couldn''t read her expression.


    He moved his gaze to Jasmine, "let me guess, you two are engaged?" He beckoned the pair to the


    expensive chairs in front of him.


    "Yes, and we are leaving for France tonight," Jasmine lowered herself in adylike manner, her red skirt


    pulling up slightly, exposing her white wless thighs when her butts touched the softness of the chair.


    Loney''s lips stretchedfortably into a full-blown smile, "what can I say, congrattions to you both,"


    he said genuinely. Now, he could spend as much time as he wanted with Danica. The thought turned to


    admiration towards Jasmine. It''s the best news he has ever heard from her but his joy was short-lived


    when she made her demand.


    "Well, we still have three days before our deal ends but I''m going to let you off on one condition," she


    put on a sweet smile, Danica frowned, staring at her exposed thighs as she listened to their


    conversation.


    "What is that?" Loney asked sceptically, a frown distorting his features. He should have known that


    when he hadn''t heard from Jasmine, she was probably cooking up something ridiculous and wished


    she would just disappear.


    "That you say goodbye with a hug. A genuine one. Don''t fake it. I mean, I don''t know when I will ever


    see you again. I might be getting married but it doesn''t mean that I got over you," she said truthfully.


    Tyron shifted ufortably. Even Though he knew, he couldn''t help feeling jealous of Loney for having


    such a huge ce in Jasmine''s heart but he would wash out all traces of Loney from Jasmine''s mind


    as soon as they arrived in France. Jasmine noticed Tyrons'' difort and said,


    "Don''t worry Tyron, he made it clear from the onset. We can never be together but it will take time for


    me to get him out of my heartpletely, I hope you understand," she let out a sweet smile. Tyron


    didn''t want to understand but he returned her smile and said, "Of course, which is why the trip will help


    too. Trust me, I will make you forget him."


    Jasmine didn''t respond to his words because she knew he truly loved her and she was determined to


    make their marriage work. Somehow, she needed the distraction too but she couldn''t help letting


    everything go without a feel of Loney arms on her even if it was thest time.


    Loney lowered his head in deep thought. He gazed in Danica''s direction with uncertainty. It was as if he


    wanted to ask for her permission but not getting eye contact from her, he did the needful.


    He stood up from his executive swivel chair with a stride and stopped beside Jasmine. With a deep


    breath, he extended his hand to her, and she took it stunned, mesmerized at Loney, as he pulled her


    up and before she realized what was happening, his arms wrapped tightly around her with his eyes


    shut.


    Jasmine tightened her embrace and immersed herself in it. His expensive cologne engulfed her


    nostrils, she flourished in his unique scent. "Thank you," Loney muttered a few secondster, as he


    broke from the hug and went back to his seat. He lowered himself in it just in time to meet Danica''s


    unreadable gaze.


    Jasmine was still in a daze. Loney''s embrace was calming and warm, she wished it wouldst forever.


    Her lips thinned in satisfaction, as she grabbed Tyron by the arm, "we have to go now," she muttered.


    Tyron nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist, just as his eyes caught her teary ones. She was


    struggling to hold it in because she couldn''t bear to see it fall. Together with Tyron, they turned to walk


    out before she caught sight of Danica.


    With blurry eyes, she said, "Hi, I didn''t see you when I walked in. Are you..."


    "A surrogate," Loney blurted before Danica could respond. "She''s my surrogate," he rified.


    Jasmine stared at Danica with an unreadable expression. She wished love to be in Danica''s shoes at


    the moment. Carrying Loney''s child would have been her best aplishment. Since she knew Loney


    to be gay, she thought it natural that he would have a child by this means and never gave it much


    consideration.


    "A beautiful one at that. Lucky you," she said to Danica, earning a smile from her as she added, "any


    sess yet?"


    "I will say, it''s too early to be confident."


    Again, Loney responded before Danica could open her mouth.


    "I understand. I just never thought you would be one to want a family. But your secret is safe with me,


    all the best." She said, turned to Tyron and began walking out the door.


    "Thank you," Loney said after her, just as the door closed.


    "Why did you tell her I was your surrogate?" Danica couldn''t help asking afterwards. She could only


    take bits and pieces of their conversation which she couldn''t plough together but never found it


    necessary.


    "Would you rather I call you my girlfriend?" Loney teased her.


    "It''s not that, it just sounds weird," Danica uttered, her cheeks turning into a light shade of red.


    "Same here. It sounds weird but you don''t want me as your boyfriend right?" Loney pinned his eyes on


    her as he asked. He was getting desperate, especially knowing that he couldn''t put his hands on her


    again unless she was his girlfriend or agreed to be his wife. For as long as he was concerned, the


    second part of the contract had ended. He was a man of his words.


    "It''splicated," Danica forced the words out of her mouth.


    "Then let''s make it simple, Danica," her name sounded alluring on his tongue, Danica felt her stomach


    flutter.


    "There''s something I need to tell you but it''s a long story. If you still want me after that, then I will ept


    your proposal," Danica hinted. She missed Loney too. She wanted his arms around her, his lips on her


    skin but she had to tell him the truth first yet, Loney was impatient.


    "I''m all ears, tell me now," he insisted, giving Danica his full attention.


    Danica felt ttered. Another woman, beautiful to the core, just left his office after begging for just a hug


    from him yet he was ready to give himself to her and she still couldn''t ept it. She wondered how


    many other women out there threw themselves at Loney.


    "You have so much on your desk, Loney. I promise to tell you everything as soon as we get home but


    what secret is she keeping for you?" She forced herself to ask, thinking that Loney wouldn''t answer the


    question.


    Regardless, Loney stunned her. "I told her I''m gay," he abruptly said. Danica jerked withughter, just


    as Loney joined her,ughing their hearts out. It urred to him that he hadn''tughed this way in a


    very long time. Theughter died down when a knock vibrated behind the door.


    "Come in," Loney said, knowing it was Marie. Marie entered with the packs of food Loney had told her


    to order. Danica was ufortable. "I have..."


    "Don''t worry about allergies, I made sure to mention it while cing the order," Loney said, clearing her


    fears.


    Danica rxed on the sofa, gazing admiringly at Loney. A few minutester, Marie set the food in front


    of Danica, her expression was questionable but no one paid heed to her. She wanted some answers


    but got none.


    "Will you need anything else?" She asked Loney who in turn, asked Danica, "Do you need something


    else?"


    "No, thank you," she said dismissively, not catching the agitation in Marie''s expression. Thetter left


    the room unsettled. Did her boss find a woman already? The thought of it filled her with envy.


    Danica was grateful that Loney considered her allergies and even though the food didn''t taste so great


    as it would if she had made them, she didn''tin. they ate infortable silence, with deep


    admiration.


    Loney worked for a few more hours after they finished their meal before finally closing hisptop. It was


    past midday when he left the office with Danica the same way they came in. During their drive through


    town, Loney suddenly stopped at the mall. "Why don''t we do some shopping?" He asked Danica.


    "Okay, but let''s check the kids store first," Danica suggested. Loney agreed. They went to the newborn


    session, even though there were already newborn items in her room as Loney had formerly purchased


    but she was still drawn to that session, picking up a few toys. Then they moved to the toddlers'' session.


    Loney picked a beautiful toddler dress. "How do you know if it''s a boy or girl?" Danica knitted her brow


    and asked.


    Loney shrugged, "we can give it out if it turns out to be a boy," Loney countered. The dress was just too


    beautiful to let go and he was always attracted to beautiful things. Danica instantly thought of those


    underprivileged children, a smile creeping onto her face. "Of course," she smiled. If she doesn''t give


    birth to a girl, she could give it to the less privileged.


    They shopped and shopped till Danica got tired. Loney made the payment at the counter while a shop


    attendant helped them with the items in a trolley. Naturally, Loney held the door for Danica to step out


    but she seemed to have bumped into something or perhaps, someone.


    "Sorry," she muttered but didn''t get a response. She felt the person was rude but felt ufortable


    when she realized that Loney had stiffened behind her and lifted her head to meet a pair just like her.


    "Danica?" The familiar voice echoed just as Danica froze. "Danie?"