ã€ŠMarrying my high school bullyã€‹


 Betrayal

    Lorraine

    ¡°No! it can¡¯t be true,¡± I tried to ignore the words I heard from the anonymous caller as I stormed towards the church.

    Dressed in my silky ck nightgown, with my hair packed in a messy bun, I didn¡¯t look like I belonged here and it could be seen by how people kept ncing at me. I was just woken from sleep with words I never expected to hear¨Cnot in a million years though.

    We are in love for Christ¡¯s sake! Or were.

    I blinked for the fifth time wondering if my eyes were deceiving me because there was no way Eden could have used the same venue we booked for our wedding..

    ¡°Now it¡¯s time to exchange the rings¡­¡± The priest announced and I gulped. He was the same priest I had booked!

    ¡°What is going on here?¡± I thundered as I advanced towards Iris and Eden who stood facing each other with bright smiles on their faces in front of everyone, my presence interrupting their happy moment.

    Surprise and shock were evident in their expressions as I was probably thest person they expected to see in their wedding, at least not when they were about to exchange the rings and be a couple.

    ¡°I-I can exin, Lorraine.¡± Iris pleaded, stuttering and palming her hands while loud whispers went round in the congregation.

    I stared at the two people who meant everything to me with my eyes turning misty, but I willed myself not to cry or give them the satisfaction that they had broken me.

    My lips curled in a smirk as I shed a deep re at her. ¡°Now you stutter, but you didn¡¯t while you were dering your vows without shame. What the hell did I do wrong to deserve this, Eden? I thought you loved me. We were supposed to get married next week¡­..¡± My voice didn¡¯te out sounding as confident as I wanted it to, but it didn¡¯t matter anymore.

    I needed rity.

    Eden¡¯s expression switched from apologetic to stoic and nonchnt within a fleeting second.

    ¡°What makes you think that I can get married to a woman like you? You are timid andck foresight. I do every single thing for you and with the baggage of your step father, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to deal with that in marriage.¡± He spurted out.

    The tears I¡¯d been trying to keep in finally rolled down my eyes, but I wiped them off without hesitating, seeing that I was only making a fool of myself.

    My stepfather was one of the reasons I turned out the way I did. After my mother died while I was nine years old, he treated me well for sometime but the moment I turned thirteen he began to make strange advances towards me.

    I ignored it all, and stayed in schoolter than usual just to avoid him but when I returned home he¡¯d hit me and tell me never to returnte from school.

    ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done for you, Iris, you saw no one else to be with but my fiance?¡± I yelled at her, clenching my fist to punch the annoying expression off her face but she snorted then cocked her head to the side.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that you were stupid and dumb and allowed him to do whatever he wanted with you. He never loved you from the onset, it was just some deep sympathy he felt for you because no one wanted to date a timid and needy girl like you. To him, you are the case of a lost puppy found under the rain, so leave here before we call the security to throw you out.¡± She snarled, hissing like she couldn¡¯t stand my presence anymore.

    My lips parted and I didn¡¯t bother to shut it. Here I was thinking that I¡¯d gotten a family, but they just showed me that it was all an illusion. I inclined my head and touched my stomach, I couldn¡¯t even tell him that I was pregnant.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to go that far, but I want you to remember that a stolen property neversts. It will be taken from you the same way you took it.¡±

    Her face turned pale at my words but I¡¯d said everything that needed to be said. As I walked through the aisle with my shoulders hanging loosely and my face lowered, the sad memories of my life began to rey in my head. I made sure not to look sideways or the sight of the guests shing pitiful looks at me would make me cry harder.

    Now I was pregnant and alone; no boyfriend or even a best friend. I hadn¡¯t seen my stepfather in a few years as he was my worst nightmare, but now that I was left with no house or property to myself there was only one choice left but to run away.

    On my way out of the church, I sighted someone who looked just like my stepfather. I darted my eyes away from the man chewing his burger and taking a sip from the bottle of water on the wooden chair he sat on and looked around.

    ¡®It can¡¯t be him.¡¯ I muttered under my breath and trudged away from the church.

    I scrolled through my phone and dialed the number of the person who had called anonymously to inform me about the wedding but it was unreachable. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I felt someone following me.

    I turned around sharply, the action causing a wave of dizziness to hit me hard but I shook it off and searched for who might be following me and I found no one.

    Unnerved by the eerie feeling, I increased my pace and began a sprint. Footsteps sounded behind me but I didn¡¯t bother looking back again as it was confirmed that I was being followed. The dizziness continued but I kept running till I got to the main road.

    I nced at the traffic lights which signified that it wasn¡¯t time for me to cross yet, but seeing that I had a stalker, I threw caution to the wind and ran across the road.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Cars honked their horns, the drivers throwing snide remarks at me but I kept running, gasping for breath at the same time. I paused my race then summoned the courage to check if I was still being followed but that was the worst mistake I¡¯d ever made, as a ck jeep which wasing with uncontroble speed collided into me.

    The force of the hit sent me flying in the air, and when my head connected to the ground, everything turned pitch ck.

 Marry me

    Lorraine

    The unfiltered noises, the strong smell of antiseptic and the weird feeling of someone hovering over me jolted me from my reverie. Slowly my eyes fluttered open but the bright light emanating from the fluorescent sent my eyelids back to safety mode.

    I shut my eyes for a few seconds then opened it again after getting used to the brightness. I took a cursory nce around the room which was painted in a shade of Aqua blue, with floral patterned curtains which had agoon blue background.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to know that you are awake, you are really strong. You¡¯ve been out for a week, your body must have enjoyed the rest.¡± A familiar deep baritone voice intruded my brief scrutinisation of the ward and drew my attention to him.

    I tried to sit up and reply him, but a sharp stabbing pain reminded me of the reason I was here in the first ce. It came rushing to my mind: the man dressed in an all ck attire chasing me around the street, Iris and Eden¡¯s betrayal which brought tears to my eyes again, then the ident.

    My fingers trailed along my stomach which caused me to gasp. I bit my lower lip and hoped that nothing had happened to my pregnancy.

    I nced at the young man, staring at him from head to toe while searching my memories to remember where I¡¯d seen him. ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked, finally acknowledging him.

    ¡°The man who saved your ass.¡± He blurted in a sassy tone, while I narrowed my brows at his curt reply. ¡°It¡¯s funny how you don¡¯t remember the person that made your high school years fun and filled with troubles¡± He smirked, his voice was strong, bearing an uncanny resemnce to that of the teenager who made my high school years a living hell until he left.

    My mind shed back to the teenage boy who dropped a lizard on my desk just to get my reaction, framed me several times for doing the things I never did so that I could be in detention with him. He was the same person that gave me a lingering and unforgettable kiss at the only night party that I¡¯d ever attended.

    ¡°High school? D-Dexter¡­. Dexter Hemmingway?¡± I stuttered and stared at him, this time it wasn¡¯t just a nce but a thorough scrutiny at the man who awoke strange feelings within me in one night and travelled to another country some dayster.

    Since then I didn¡¯t hear from him, neither did I bother searching him out even though I could after how badly he hurt me.

    His smirk broadened, his eyes crinkling with amusement. ¡°Finally, you remember. I thought you lost your memory when you had the ident.¡± He joked, shing his perfect set of dentitions at me.

    He had always been a hottie since I knew him, but the transformation of his formerly slim physique to a more thickly muscled and well defined figure which was well hidden in a ck suit baffled me. His dark hair which he always kept spiky was now styled into a slickb-over.

    Then his face¡­ Damn! That face which wasposed of dark piercing orbs, an aquiline and attractive nose which hovered over his well set cherry lips caused some shivers to run down my spine. He was more like a Greek god that was sent here on earth to torment lily-livered women.

    ¡°W-When did you return?¡± I stuttered, but he didn¡¯t have the chance to reply as the door swung open as a young man in a white coat strolled in.

    My tongue became dry at the sight of him and his fallen expression gave me the chills. He was obviously a harbinger of bad news.

    ¡°I see you are awake already. You¡¯ve been out for days and your situation would have been moreplicated if not for this young man who saved you.¡± He exined gently, then he asked, ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    I cleared my throat, my heart thudding fast. ¡°Weak. Very weak.¡± I replied, feeling drained after the response, then I forced myself to ask the question that made me anxious since I woke up. ¡°Did I lose my baby?¡±

    I felt a warm hand on mine as I felt my chest constricting while I waited for his response which took forever. ¡°The impact of the collision was too fatal which made the surgeryplicated since you lost a lot of blood. To sum it up, the baby couldn¡¯t make it.¡± He announced without any hint of emotion.

    I gasped for air as the room suddenly became hot. Hot tears spilled from my eyes and slight sobs from my lips. I didn¡¯t want to cry or be vulnerable in front of anyone but each time I tried to be strong, I failed.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Being strong wasn¡¯t for people like me as several situations had reminded me of that fact. My uncontroble sobs grew into a bawl, as I poured out my heart with my body shuddering. Dexter took his hand from mine and produced a handkerchief, wiping my face with it then he caressed my forehead gently.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Hills.¡± He said and stalked out of the ward, leaving me alone with Dexter again.

    I felt oddly better with Dexterforting me with kind words. If I was in a better mood I¡¯d have asked him when he learnt how to act like a human.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Lorraine, at least I¡¯m here for you.¡±

    I sniffed and blew my nose then nodded. ¡°Thank you for being with me at this point of my life.¡± I said quietly and he snorted, dipping his hands in his pocket.

    ¡°There are better ways to thank me, you know.¡± He said with a smirk then sank onto the edge of my bed which dipped under his weight.

    My eyes widened as different thoughts began to evade my mind. He had better not think of sleeping with me, I hoped.

    ¡°What ways, Dexter? I¡¯m not going to sleep with you if that is what you are thinking of.¡± I objected and he burst into a peal ofughter.

    Strangely, I felt butterflies fluttering in my belly at the sight of hisughter. I cleared my throat and he stopped abruptly then stared at me. ¡°No, Lorraine, I¡¯m not thinking of sleeping with you. Not yet.¡± He countered.

    ¡°Then what do you want?¡±

    ¡°I want you to marry me, Lorraine.¡± He replied with all traces of humor disappearing from his face.

    It was my turn tough even though my body ached badly and my wounds felt like opening again, but I had tough because I was apparently hallucinating.

    ¡°I guess being away from me since high school has given you enough time to get more ideas for your annoying pranks.¡± I took a pause when I noticed his silence, ¡°You are kidding, right? You have to be joking about marrying me,¡± I spat but he shrugged then got up, dipping his hands into the pocket of his pants.

    I stared into his eyes which had darkened, and his lips which were pursed then he said. ¡°I¡¯m dead serious, Lorraine. Marry me for two years and give me a child, after that we divorce and I¡¯ll settle you with a million dors. You¡¯ll also be able to visit your child anytime you want, but whether it¡¯s a son or daughter, the child gets to stay with me.¡±

 I wonéˆ¥æª› marry you

    Lorraine

    I scoffed and tried my best to stand up so that I could smack him in the face but my strength failed me.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be joking, huh? What makes you think that I need your help? The fact that I lost my boyfriend and my child doesn¡¯t make me helpless.¡± My eyes turned misty as I burned in rage, wondering why everyone thought I was a piece of trash that they could spit on.

    Eden¡¯s emotionless words reyed in my head. He called me needy and helpless, then said I had a lot of baggage. Iris said that I was the case of a lost puppy found under the rain. Now, Dexter wanted me to marry him out of the same pity?

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so sentimental about the proposal. I¡¯ve made some background checks on you, and I discovered that you do need some saving or you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± He stated passively, his hands plunged into his pocket.

    The face I¡¯d admired earlier disgusted me, but nothing annoyed me more than the fact that he was right. I needed help, but I wouldn¡¯t ask for his. Never!

    ¡°What kind of trouble are you talking about? ¡± I swallowed, my heart thumping faster to the extent of wishing that I could join myte parents in the grave so that I¡¯d be free from all these problems.

    He hesitated in replying, pacing to and fro in silence which caused me to be nervous. I had to know what was going on.

    ¡°Talk to me, Dexter! Your silence is not what I need now.¡± I urged him on, my voice rising in an angry crescendo.

    I wasn¡¯t in control of anything anymore, not even my own voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of the right way to put it to you. Your ex, Eden Maxwell, took a loan in your name and I didn¡¯t get to find out until today.¡± He spat and I reeled in shock, my lips parting widely. Then I burst intoughter, shaking my head and clutching at my stomach because of the pain I felt.

    It was obviously a lie to get me to do what he wanted. Eden could be many things but a debtor. He seriously hated debts!

    ¡°That¡¯s not true, Dexter. Everything you¡¯ve said right now shows how much you want me to warm your bed. I¡¯m not that cheap, you know, so get out of here before I call on the doctor to take you out.¡± I yelled at the top of my voice, my chest constricting as I panted heavily.

    ¡°One million dors. That¡¯s what he took from me.¡± He blurted casually, shing a look at me that said he wasn¡¯t joking.

    I gulped, then swallowed. ¡°No! No! No.. That¡¯s too much. What the hell did he use it for? He isn¡¯t even a businessman.¡± I cried, leaning on the head board in exhaustion and resignation, wondering why the ident took the baby¡¯s life and not my own as well.

    ¡°An borate wedding, I guess, and enough money to take his new bride for the best honeymoon he can think of. That¡¯s not my problem, Lorraine, what I need you to know is that you owe me money and with your current state. You can¡¯t even me pay back, so why don¡¯t you marry me so that I can take care of you?¡± He drawled, his voice calm and unshaken.

    I¡¯d always known him to be confident even in high school, it was no wonder he turned out to be this way-cold and cruel.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯ll find a way to get you your money, but I can¡¯t get married to you. Marriage isn¡¯t something that we should both rush into, Dexter. Besides, how could you allow someone to take a debt in my name without even making verifications? What if I was dead?¡± I questioned, angry at my confinement to the bed.

    I needed to be free to walk around the room, if not for anything but to be able to punch the metal table or stomp my foot on the tiled floor.

    He burst into a heavy bout ofughter which left me stunned, his voice resonating in the room and his eyes shut as he mocked me to scorn. I watched himugh to his heart content, and though I despised him, I couldn¡¯t deny that heughed beautifully.

    ¡°That ident might have done a lot of things to your brain, Hermione. Have you forgotten how poor you are? With your meagre sum of a sry how do you think you can pay off your debt? Besides, I¡¯ll still pay you heavily after the contract is over.¡± All traces ofughter had disappeared from his face with seriousness recing it.

    His hardened expression reminded me of how cruel he could be when he wanted. I¡¯d forgotten about Dexter or at least I thought I did until he came standing in front of me-flesh and blood.

    He reminded me that I was a pauper and I should have been hurt, and bawling on the floor because his words, but I only felt chill because it was the truth and I was used to hearing such words from people.

    ¡°What are my options?¡± I asked  impassively, staring into his eyes which were presently unreadable and then I let my gaze lower to his alluring cherry lips which I had no business looking at.

    ¡°Marry me or I¡¯ll sue you, and with my influence, you might spend a long time in prison. I bet you can¡¯t even afford awyer.¡± His lips curved into a smug grin as he cocked his head cockily, then he approached my bed and lowered his body towards mine.

    The memories of the past came in as a sh, how he leaned in for a kiss that night and I didn¡¯t push him away because my body craved for it-his touch, his lips on mine and it happened.

    I shoved the sizzling hot memory aside which made me feel like I¡¯d plunged my body into a pot of hot oil and focused on the present.

    ¡°To hell with you, Dexter! I won¡¯t let you have me the way you want just like it happened in the past. I¡¯ll surely get you your money.¡± My reply got him shocked, but he hid it with his impassive mask and backed away.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    He straightened the jacket of his suit and shrugged, his hands still in his pocket. ¡°You¡¯ve got seven days to save yourself, Lorraine. Don¡¯t forget how vile I can be when tempted.¡± He stalked out of the room leaving me drained and exhausted beyond words.

    How on earth was I going to produce one million dors in seven days?

 Escaping

    Lorraine

    I was to be discharged today. It was supposed to be exciting news but here I was, making ns on how I would disappear from town and travel to another country until the heat dies down.

    As a knock sounded on the door, my heart skipped a beat, thumping hard while I gripped the sheets and waited for the visitor toe in.

    ¡°May Ie in?¡± The voice of the nurse who had been taking care of me calmed my fear immediately as I nodded, merely mouthing that she came inside.

    She came in, her lips stretched in the soothing smile that I liked. I¡¯d have made her my friend if I wasn¡¯t going to run away as soon as I left, besides the fear of having friends who could easily betray me had already enveloped me. The pain Iris caused me was still imprinted in my mind and I wasn¡¯t sure that I¡¯d ever forget about it.

    ¡°How do you feel knowing that you will be discharged today?¡± She asked, handing me some new clothes which surprised me.

    She took note of my arched brows and parted lips then chuckled. ¡°The other dress you wore was torn and filled with blood so Mr Hemmingway decided to get you some new clothes.¡±

    I scoffed in anger. Surely, he¡¯d do everything nice to look nice in front of everyone whereas he was nothing but a beast to me.

    ¡°Oh!¡± I muttered, shing her a nervous smile. I motioned for her toe closer and she then sat beside me. ¡°Have you seen him today?¡± She arched her brows in confusion, ¡°Mr Hemmingway?¡±

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t been around for the past five days but he said that he¡¯ll be back whenever you are discharged. I guess doctor Lucas has called him already.¡± She informed me and a loud scream erupted from my lips.

    How could the doctor do that? What kind of weird rules went against the will of a patient?

    ¡°Are you sure that he has called him already?¡± I croaked, my voice shrill with fear and anxiety. If he has been called, then I needed to find a way out of the hospital quickly before he caught up with me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± She stood up and straightened her pair of light blue cks. ¡°Take care of yourself, alright?¡± She said sweetly and shut the door after her.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I got up abruptly, peeling off the annoying overall that had been my daily wear since I got admitted and quickly tossed on the red tank top and pair of dark skinny jeans she brought over.

    My eyes darted around in search of my footwear, then I remembered that it could have been trashed as well. It didn¡¯t matter as I dashed out of the room, wearing the pair of flip-flops avable.

    Seeing that I might get noticed and stopped by the security, I tousled my hair and made sure that some of the strands covered the sides of my face. When they stopped me, I quickly formed a lie that I was a janitor sent on an errand.

    ¡°What¡¯s your mode of identification?¡± A huge man whose face was expressionless scrutinised me thoroughly while I kept my head bowed.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I chuckled nervously though I tried to keep my voice calm, ¡°My card? I forgot it inside. Just let me go, I don¡¯t want my boss to query me.¡± I pleaded with him and after going through a series of back and forth with them, I was let out of the hospital gates.

    With a sigh of relief I walked down the street and when I was far from the hospital, I broke into a run, not stopping until I¡¯d gotten to a bend that led to the house that Eden and I used to stay in. I surprised myself, running through such a long distance after an ident that caused my knees some pains, but I¡¯d do anything to avoid getting married to Dexter.

    He was still the same man that scarred me in High school and left without looking back. I couldn¡¯t allow him back into my life again. Never!

    There was no feasible n aside from taking the few things I couldy my hands on and escaping to the nearest hotel, then call a colleague of mine who worked in the same office with me to help me out of town. Right now, he was the only one I could trust.

    As I drew closer to my former house, a tinge of uncertainty mixed with fear grappled me. Knowing what Dexter was capable of, I knew that it would be risky toe back to the house but I shoved the discouraging thoughts aside and trudged on.

    The house remained the way I left it but as I reached for the door knob so that I could move in, a few male voices resonated from the backyard.

    I¡¯d lived alone in a small bungalow which had just two rooms and the living room. It wasn¡¯t the best of houses, but it was what Eden and I could afford-or thought we could afford until he took the debt. It was my safe haven, so remembering how he was eager to abandon me caused fresh bs of anger.

    ¡°This house looks empty. I¡¯m not sure she¡¯s back yet.¡± A deep angry sounding voice resonated.

    Filled with curiosity, I took a quick peek while standing behind the wall and found him looking through my window. Fear gripped me tighter as I retreated to the gate.

    My big toe tripped over a huge stone that I¡¯d overlooked and a painful scream tore out from my lips. I quickly mped my lips shut and ced my palm over my mouth, limping through the gate but I knew I couldn¡¯t make it far away. They¡¯d definitely catch up with me.

    ¡°She¡¯s over there!¡± A loud voice rang through, causing me to burst into a sprint even though I couldn¡¯t put my legs to good use out of exhaustion and hunger.

    With no money on me, gging down a taxi would prove difficult and I couldn¡¯t return to my previous work ce since I was being watched.

    I made a move to cross over to the other side of the road when I felt strong hands on my arm, dragging me backwards. No car was in sight which was quite worrisome because I wouldn¡¯t be able to scream for help.

    A piece of cloth which had a distinct smell, causing an immediate unrest in my stomach was ced over my nose as they dragged me towards a vehicle I could barely identify. My eyelids became heavy and my sight blurry.

    The struggle to escape their tight grips turned futile as I felt my body copsing onto a leather seat and as my head touched the head-rest, I lost consciousness.

 A few rules

    Lorraine

    My head ached badly as my eyes fluttered open. I shut my eyes quickly and opened them again and tried to shove the pain aside by shaking my head, but it onlypounded the pain.

    Slowly adapting to the empty bright room that had nothing but a bed, I tried to get up, then I realised that my legs were tied together and my hands also suffered the same fate as they were held together at the back of the iron chair.

    My intended scream was muffled by the rope my lips were covered with, bringing tears to my ears as my heart beat in a stato rhythm.

    My fear skyrocketed when the door of the room pushed open with some men trudging in ackadaisical manner like they owned the world. My eyes gleamed with fury as I caught the sight of their leader, strolling behind them with his lips curved in a mischievous smile.

    I¡¯d have scoffed if not for the restriction. I bet he was finding it funny.

    ¡°Untie her!¡± He ordered, his voice firm and hinged with disapproval.

    One of his bodyguards in a ck suit rushed towards me and untied my legs and hands. He turned around and tried to remove the rope from my lips but I raised my hand to stop him as I didn¡¯t appreciate the unwanted closeness.

    A loud gasp escaped my lips as my mouth became free. I remained seated on the chair, examining my bare wrists which had turned red.

    ¡°Do you feel satisfied now that you¡¯ve kept me all tied up like an animal being taken to the ughterhouse?¡± I thundered, surprised at the angry tone of my voice and the boldness with which Ished out at him.

    He cocked his face to the side, his smirk still donned on his lips. At the snap of his fingers the bodyguards left, leaving me with him.

    ¡°You should feel proud of yourself for strolling around with several bodyguards like the king of Israel. Can you even protect yourself without them?¡± I mocked, but his chuckle disappointed me.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be amazed at how many things I can do for myself including making you mine.¡± He began, his tone filled with an irritating kind of confidence I wished to have, because till now, my body still tingled with a strange kind of feeling at a mere sight of him even though he was thest person I wished to see.

    ¡°I will never be yours!¡± I shot back at the top of my voice.

    He moved away from the empty wardrobe he was leaning on and advanced towards me, his step predatory and intimidating yet admirable. If I was this strong seven years ago, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen into his trap.

    ¡°You tried so hard to run away from me yet you are here, do you think that there¡¯s anything else you can do?¡± He asked, fixing his thumb under my chin so that I could keep my gaze on him.

    I snapped my face out of his grip and hissed, putting some reasonable distance between us.

    ¡°The only reason I¡¯m still here is because you found a way to get me. Why can¡¯t you understand that I despise you and I never want to be with you?¡± I spat back, clenching my fists as if I could punch him if given the chance.

    He chuckled again, then folded his arms. ¡°I despise you more, Lorraine, but you still have to marry me because you owe me.¡± He stated calmly and this time I unclenched my fist and raked my fingers through my air in frustration. ¡°A huge amount of money precisely.¡±

    Not again. For God¡¯s sake, when was he going to understand that I didn¡¯t borrow the money? I could sue him for defamation if I had the chance but what proof did I have?

    ¡°You know that I wasn¡¯t the one who borrowed the money, right? Besides, if you know who did it, why don¡¯t you go ahead and apprehend him, don¡¯t you see that I¡¯m stuck in the middle?¡± I cried.

    He shrugged nonchntly. ¡°I got to know by chance and I¡¯m going to spare you the details of how I found out so just do yourself a favor, sign the papers and be my wife.¡±

    I drew in a deep breath to maintain my cool, seeing that he wasn¡¯t going to bulge. I needed to find a way to get out of this mess before it would be toote.

    Masking my sour expression with the sweetest smile I coulde up with, I approached him slowly and reached for his hands. Electrifying currents surged through me as our hands met but I held him firmly to keep up the show.

    ¡°Dexter, as long as I can remember, we have both loathed each other from high school and I don¡¯t believe that you like me now just because I¡¯ve grown into a beautiful woman. So why don¡¯t you stop this charade and let me go?¡± I asked sweetly, batting myshes at him, ¡°It would be good for the both of us¡± I added.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    He stared at me, long and hard, then took his hands off, digging them into both pockets of his pants. ¡°After what you did, I¡¯d like you to know that I can¡¯t stand you, but this marriage cuts across our hateful feelings for each other. It¡¯s something you will never understand.¡± His eyes turned dark and vengeful immediately, causing me to take a step back.

    An exhausted sigh escaped my lips. ¡°This is my life, Dexter. You won¡¯t ruin it for me with your so-called marriage contract.¡± I protested.

    He shook his head, and the vengeful glints were reced with an unreadable expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t marry me, then your life will bepletely ruined, dear Lorraine. And don¡¯t forget that you have a lot of enemies, especially your step father.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t about the debt anymore, something dark was lurking behind his words and he wouldn¡¯t let me in on it. Escaping wasn¡¯t an option because he¡¯d catch me again, he was capable of it. And obviously, he was more dangerous than the younger version of him I knew in high school.

    My stepfather was a huge threat to my life and maybe he could protect me from him. Just maybe.

    With a tired sigh, I raised my hands in surrender, forcing my voice to be firm and unwavering. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll sign the contract but I have a few rules.¡±

 Dexter

    Dexter

    My brows furrowed at the thought of her bringing up new rules. Were they what she thought to be important right now?

    Though I wasn¡¯t happy with her request, I couldn¡¯t help but indulge her knowing that she could be stubborn if she set her mind on something. ¡°What are the rules?¡± I asked with a bored tone, even though I was actually interested in her rules.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    She sighed, approaching me slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone to know that we are married, after all, it¡¯s a contract marriage. The knowledge should remain between the both of us.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± I sted her, but she kept my gaze, looking unfazed. ¡°What¡¯s the use of getting married if no one gets to know about it?¡±

    She shrugged and folded her arms, her stance obstinate and annoying. Sadly, I¡¯d have to put up with this for two years if we didn¡¯t end up killing each other.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seeded in making me do what I don¡¯t want, so there should be somepromise at your end, don¡¯t you think?¡± She asked nomittally.

    I raked my fingers through my hair and hissed. This wasn¡¯t funny at all. She¡¯d still be in danger if people thought that she was still single, but seeing the stubborn tick on her jaw, I knew that it would be pointless to argue. ¡°I agree.¡± I replied with a low displeased tone.

    She took another stride towards me. ¡°We won¡¯t be sleeping on the same bed, you might have to get another bed for yourself or I¡¯ll make myselffortable in any of the free rooms you have.¡±

    My eyes turned red as she made her second rule. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious about that. I¡¯m the one who asked for the marriage so how dare you think that you can make the rules?¡±

    She rolled her eyes like her words bore no weight. The aim of our marriage was nothing short of having children, how could I get that done when we wouldn¡¯t even have sex?

    ¡°Stop making these rules.¡± I ordered when I saw the deadpan look on her face.

    Her formerly nonchnt expression turned into a scowl. ¡°You think I really want to be here as your wife? You came all the way to disrupt my life just because of some debt I know nothing about, yet, I¡¯m expected to be happy?¡± She hollered, fuming in rage.

    Somehow her anger got to me as I quickly snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me. Her eyes gleamed with surprise as she locked her soulful grey orbs with mine.

    ¡°You won¡¯t understand why we have to get married untilter,¡± I spoke slowly and gently, hoping that she would understand but she didn¡¯t, and even if she did, I couldn¡¯t tell.

    My grip became ufortable for her as she struggled out of my hold. ¡°Thest rule,¡± Her voice was breathy from her effort in trying to get away from me. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be a model and yourpany can help me with that. I don¡¯t trust you one bit which means I¡¯m not interested in your money. I know that going elsewhere to work wouldn¡¯t be feasible since you won¡¯t allow it, but if I¡¯m to be your wife, I have to make a decent living by doing what I like.¡±

    Seeing that she really wanted this, I nodded in agreement while wondering how she was able to make me agree to her rules even when they weren¡¯t convenient for me.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make my own rules now.¡± I began, but she didn¡¯t allow me to finish as she took advantage of the looseness of my grip and trotted away.

    Flipping her beautiful chestnut hair that suited her attractive nose to the side, I began to wonder if I made the right choice by allowing her to model in my agency. She had a banging body and an enchanting face that could keep one hooked even on my face.

    Several men would be interested in her and if they didn¡¯t know that she was married, they wouldn¡¯t stoping close. ¡°I¡¯ll sign the papers right away, and you¡¯ll take me to your agency. I need to get to work.¡±

    *******

    A few hourster, I found myself driving towards the Hemming Agency. It was one of our business lines that dealt with modeling and a very lucrative one too.

    Since we had a fashion line, it was only normal that I added modelling.  to it instead of always searching for models.

    ¡°Here we are.¡± I killed the engine and rxed for a bit.

    She darted her gaze around the ce in a strange kind of awe that made me satisfied. I wasn¡¯t surprised that she felt this way because I was literally the business muscle of Hemming industries, and I made sure that everything concerning our business was excellent.

    From the customer care to the sales and marketing team, even the high towering buildings which had intricate and beautiful interior designs spoke of how hard I¡¯d been working through the years after my father died.

    But why did I suddenly feel so good that she appreciated my efforts?

    I quickly snapped out of the euphoric feeling and tapped her thigh gently. ¡°We don¡¯t ck here, so you¡¯d better stop ogling and get your ass out of the car.¡± I spat and she nodded, doing as I said.

    She followed me quietly, trying to be brave, but I could see through the corner of my eyes that she wasn¡¯t making a good effort at that as her body trembled visibly.

    Where did her previous boldness disappear to?

    As we passed through the revolving door with me at the front, everywhere became chaotic as my staff began to run helter-skelter. They weren¡¯t expecting me today obviously and maybe they had been cking off.

    Mind you, I employed a set of workers who made working the bane of their existence but we had just rounded off the first runway show for the year so they were taking things easy.

    Emilia, who was our top model, rushed towards me as soon as she sighted me and quickly plunged a kiss on my cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, boss, you didn¡¯t tell me that you wereing.¡± She slurred, fiddling with the cor of my suit.

    I nearly snorted at her attempt to get cozy with me. She had tried to get back with me severally after we broke up, but I wasn¡¯t just interested anymore because I disliked cheats. The only reason she still worked with me was because of her influence in the industry and how good she was.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you everything, Emilia.¡± I waved her off and led Lorraine to Stefan who was in charge of training the models.

    He was engrossed in a conversation with one of our models but that didn¡¯t stop him from ending it the moment I came over. ¡°Good afternoon, sir.¡±

    ¡°Good afternoon. This is Lorraine Hills,¡± I nearly bit my tongue while regarding her with her surname. She was supposed to bear my name. ¡°She¡¯s going to be our new model so do your best with her.¡±

    A loud scoff got to my hearing and it irritated me when I realised that it was from Emilia. ¡°A new model? What do you need her for?¡±

    I fixed a very serious stare at her. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, I hope you know that? Make sure you don¡¯t give her any hard time while she¡¯s here or I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to cancel my contract with you.¡± I warned, surprised at how scary my tone became because of Lorraine while she held my hand and quietly shushed me.

    Her touch quickly eased off the tension that was already beginning to pile, but I still had to make myself clear, knowing the kind of person Emilia was.

    ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    She nodded, her eyes zing with embarrassment, ¡°Yes, Dexter.¡± She shed a threatening re at Lorraine, picked her bag from one of the sofas then stalked off.

 The call

    Lorraine

    ¡°Who¡¯s she to you?¡± I asked as a pang of jealousy rose up my chest.

    I shouldn¡¯t have felt that way, but right now I couldn¡¯t ignore the scathing urge to push the woman far away from Dexter because they clearly had a history.

    He stared at me briefly with his unreadable brown eyes boring into mine. ¡°Why do you sound jealous? Should you be jealous considering the fact that you don¡¯t want anyone to know that we are married?¡±

    He used one of my wishes against me and I couldn¡¯t deny that it hurt a bit.

    ¡°I just want to know what I¡¯ll be up against,¡± I replied with ackadaisical tone. ¡°She seems like a lot of trouble and she¡¯s obviously into you.¡±

    He was quiet for a while, like he was deciding if it would be appropriate to part with the information. But then, it was my right to know the people he was involved with since I was his wife. ¡°She¡¯s my ex.¡± He finally responded.

    My eyes widened in surprise then I lowered hershes, apparently processing the information. ¡°And why is your ex still in close contact with you?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sound angry even when I didn¡¯t want to feel that way.

    ¡°She¡¯s good business and that¡¯s what I¡¯m all about, making money without any strings attached. If she thinks that we can still get back together because I hired her services then she has to be in her highest state of delusion.¡± He exined with a bored tone.

    Seeing that the conversation wasing to an end I decided to meet up with Stefan. He looked approachable even though his fashion sense looked really weird.

    As I approached him, I felt a buzz in the pocket of my jeans. I brought out my phone and nced at the unknown number on my screen with extreme curiosity. I didn¡¯t have many friends and after the betrayal I¡¯d experienced a week ago, I wasn¡¯t sure I could entertain any form of friendship.

    I picked the call anyway, but no matter how much I convinced myself that it could be just any caller, my chest still thumped faster than usual.

    ¡°Hello, it¡¯s Lorraine Hills on the line. Who am I speaking with?¡± I asked politely.

    A deep chuckle which I¡¯d recognise anywhere responded reverberated in my phone, then the signatureughter. My body froze that moment as I realised that one of the people I¡¯ve been hiding from still had ess to me.

    With my voice shaky and my body trembling terribly, I summoned courage to reply to him. ¡°Why are you calling me? Haven¡¯t I asked you never to call me again?¡±

    ¡°Oh,mon Lorraine. I¡¯ve missed you so much and I think you are doing the same too. How could you have forgotten all about your stepfather so easily?¡± He cackled, his voice unnerving and deeply annoying.

    I couldn¡¯t bear it anymore as the memories of how he assaulted me physically and almost sexually flooded my mind. ¡°Get off my phone, Leonardo.¡± I screamed, forgetting that we were in an office and not thefort of my home.

    Dexter quickly snatched the phone from me as I sank onto the floor, sobbing profusely. He surprised me by scooting beside me and caressing my shoulder.

    Inasmuch as I didn¡¯t want him around me, my body still betrayed me by rxing at his touch. ¡°I hate that man so much.¡± I whispered amidst my tears.

    He helped me up and wrapped his arm around my neck, his stance protective and soothing. ¡°We¡¯ll continue with the introduction tomorrow, let¡¯s get you out of here.¡± He offered, his toneced with concern and warmth.

    I halted on my steps and sniffed. I couldn¡¯t leave or my potential colleagues would see me as weak. Besides, going away with Dexter will warrant me answering every question he had to ask.

    Though he had made me marry him, I couldn¡¯t trust him at all. Apart from my stepfather, he had scarred me deeply and I doubted that our marriage would make me forget everything he had done.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m fine,¡±

    ¡°Who on earth made you feel that way?¡±

    The intensity and ferocity behind his tone caused me to take a step back. His eyes were zing with anger and fiery protectiveness that caused a spark within me. Even if everything I knew about him were lies, the overwhelming emotions I saw him exhibit right now weren¡¯t.

    Getting a hold of my emotional state, I gged on a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, Dexter. Just continue with your work, I¡¯ll be fine on my own.¡±

    He folded his arms and immediately I knew that he wasn¡¯t going to back down until he got answers. ¡°I¡¯m the boss here and I decide if I¡¯ll leave or not so can you tell me who the person was because I¡¯ll find out myself.¡± He threatened and I immediately regretted picking the call.

    The sad memories I had with my stepfather was thest thing I wanted to relive. Why couldn¡¯t he understand that?

    He¡¯d barely opened his mouth to ask again when his phone rang. Seeing the grim expression on his face, I knew that the call was important and annoying.

    He shed me an I¡¯ll-be-back expression and walked away, leaving me with Stefan who waited patiently for me to walk over to him.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for making you wait.¡± I apologised.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lorraine. Mr Dexter can be overbearing sometimes but ites from a ce of deep care and affection for everyone that works with him.¡± Stefan expressed with admiration radiating in his face which had no beards at all.

    I nearly scoffed at his description, because if they knew that their kind boss had forced a woman to sign a marriage contract in less than twenty-four hours of kidnapping her, I¡¯m sure that their perception would be different.

    Not wanting to dwell on any topic rted to him, I quickly changed the subject. ¡°What¡¯s the drill?¡±

    ¡°First of all, you¡¯ll have to get acquainted with other models. Since you¡¯ll be majoring in runway modeling, your size is almost perfect. You will be taught on how to walk on the runway and the mannerisms that follow suit and I expect you to be here on time tomorrow morning.¡± He stated strictly.

    I nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll surely do that.¡±

    He came closer to me, his eyes solely trained on me and his expression filled with seriousness. ¡°Don¡¯t fail Mr Hemmingway, he has never brought new models by himself which exins Emilia¡¯s surprise, so I¡¯ll advise you not to fail him.¡±

    My heart felt like it had stopped beating as he said those words to me.

    Suddenly, I began to wonder why Dexter was this sweet to me when we ended on a bad note. Something was off about him and sadly, I couldn¡¯t detect where the problem came from.

 A heart wrenching scene

    Lorraine

    Waking up to prepare for my first day at the agency filled my body with nervousness and a sizzling excitement.

    Finally, I¡¯d be doing what I loved after a long time. Rubbing my sleepy eyes with the back of my hands, I realised that it had been a long time since I slept on a bed asfy and plush as this.

    Dexter slept in the same room with me, but in a different bed as I¡¯d wanted. I got up, tossing on my ck robe as I¡¯d gotten really self conscious because of the overly revealing nightwear that he had forced me to wear.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± I chirped as I reached for my toothbrush while scanning Dexter¡¯s bare chest with the corner of my eyes.

    God! His body was ripped with thick muscles that flexes with each movement. My fingers itched to touch his smooth skin and feel the sturdiness of chest.

    Dexter had always been a hottie since high school and I could remember girls sprawling all over the ce just to have him notice them.

    ¡°You are going to bete for work if you keep ogling at me that way.¡± He rumbled, wiping his alluring wet lips that called out to me.

    I quickly shut my eyes, tilting my face away while biting in a hiss. This wasn¡¯t right at all. He wasn¡¯t supposed to arouse these kinds of feelings from me after everything.

    ¡°Don¡¯t count on it. I¡¯m an early bird.¡± I retorted and dashed into the bathroom before him, ignoring his sigh.

    ¡°If you do that next time, I¡¯ll ignore your rules and jump into the bathroom with you.¡± He shouted after me while I turned on the shower to douse his voice.

    Some minutester, we left the house together in readiness for the day¡¯s work. He headed straight to his car and opened the car door for me which was quite amusing because I hadn¡¯t expected that.

    I nced at the open invitation then shook my head, eliciting a frown from him. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it would be weird that we go to work together? I¡¯m not supposed to be seen or suspected to be your wife, remember?¡±

    He massaged his forehead and sighed, then shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± He entered the car, closed the door then ignited the engine. ¡°Have a nice day.¡± He zoomed out of the house leaving me floored.

    I found a way to get to the office just before the opening hours. Stefan was already sitting on his desk, his attention fixed to theptop in front of him.

    ¡°Good morning, Stefan. I hope you had a good night¡¯s rest?¡± I asked politely, donning a small smile.

    He took his gaze off theputer and returned the smile and that was when I noticed the nose rings he wore and a tinge of shiny lip gloss on his lips. ¡°I slept like a baby, darling.¡± He nced at the clock then darted his gaze back to me. ¡°You¡¯re right on time. Once the otherse, you¡¯ll be introduced to your tutor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Stefan.¡±

    I returned back to the meeting room where Dexter had taken me to the first time and sat patiently. I scrolled through my phone for interesting news on the Inte, but the free time didn¡¯tst for long as the door flew open with Emilia storming in.

    Her expression did nothing to hide the scathing disapproval on her face. She was beautiful but her aura wasn¡¯t. And even if nobody told me all about her, her attitude was enough to warn me to steer clear of her.

    ¡°Trying to impress us, huh?¡± She sneered, dropping her bag on the table in a lousy manner.

    Knowing that she was trying to sniff out trouble where there was none, I took a deep breath before responding. ¡°Being punctual is part of the rules.¡± I said curtly.

    She scoffed and approached me, ¡°I know that you have it hot for my man, but don¡¯t act on it because he¡¯ll never notice you. There¡¯s no heart in that body of his and trust me, I¡¯m the only one that can handle his shit.¡±

    She didn¡¯t have to tell me about how cruel Dexter was because he kept proving it every single day, including this morning, and I wasn¡¯t even interested in having any romantic experience with him.

    ¡°He¡¯s my boss, as well as yours. I won¡¯t stand in your way if he still wants you.¡±

    I watched her face turn red in embarrassment. Apparently, she didn¡¯t expect my reply but I was good at giving snide remarks even though I couldn¡¯t fight back physically.

    She raised her finger, stomping her feet continuously but she couldn¡¯t say anything.

    Soon, other people trooped in, relieving me of the burden of sharing the same space with Emilia. It was quite depressing. Fewdies and young men, who seemed to join the industry, came in, filling me with more excitement.

    It would surely be fun to train with all of them.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to introduce her to you yesterday because of a few issues but I have tjr opportunity right now. So this is Lorraine Hills, our new member.¡± Stefan said enthusiastically as they all came to shake hands with me one after the other.

    A few of them shared the same expression with Emilia, but the intensity was different.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you all. I hope to blend in and learn everything you have to teach me.¡± I said with a smile.

    Stefan introduced me to my tutor along the line and I couldn¡¯t wait to be trained under her. She looked genuinely happy to have me which got my mind settled.

    I was taken to a separate section where I¡¯d be asked to practice my catwalk. It was no news that my steps were poised and unique, but I had a feeling that several things had to be corrected about it. The only sad part was that I had to cut down on my diet so that I would be able to fit into designs.

    My heart skipped a bit when Dexter stepped into the room, his face schooled into a business-like expression and his hand folded behind him. For some unknown reasons, I was happy to see him while reconciling the billionaire Dexter with the bully I knew way back.

    But my happiness was short lived as Emilia rushed off to him, pulled his face and merged her lips with his. At that point, I couldn¡¯t exin the tinge of anger that surged through me when I saw the both of them together.

    It took all of my willpower not to walk away and burst into tears as my heart raced all the way to my mouth. They were still kissing and he was obviously enjoying it.

    I blinked away the tears, knowing that he would be the same man I always knew him to be. A liar and a traitor.

 A seductive threat

    Dexter

    Sitting still in my office with the reminder that Lorraine was in the down floor practicing kept my restlessness burning. I wanted to see her beautiful face even though I had to do it under the pretext of supervision.

    The feelings were weird because I loathed her and I was supposed to stay several meters away from her but it wasn¡¯t working.

    Hell! I wasn¡¯t evenfortable allowing her tomute to the office so I sent one of my men to disguise as a cab driver so that she would be safe. And when he notified me that she was around, I had to rush to my floor to ceiling window which faced the entrance of the building to confirm.

    Unable to keep the urge away, I got up from my executive chair and headed to their practice room. If I¡¯d known that Emilia would jump on me like a predator, I¡¯d have stayed back and sent for Lorraine toe over.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± I pulled away with a grimace, ring at her satisfied grin.

    If not for the strong respect I had for women, I¡¯d have shoved her really hard until it dawned on her that I would never have anything to do with her again.

    She smirked, biting her lower lips seductively. ¡°Of course, you know what I want.¡± She whispered then I cleared my throat and left her side.

    ¡°How¡¯s Lorraine doing?¡± I nced at her and watched the uneasy look on her face which stirred some sort of remorse within me.

    Guilt shed my heart as I watched her avert her gaze from me, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit happy that she wasn¡¯t unaffected by the disgusting kiss.

    Stefan blew out air then nced at Lorraine who was seconds away from crying, then cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ve handed her over to her trainer so don¡¯t worry about her. Is there anything else you want?¡±

    Was there?

    I¡¯d satisfied my craving and it would be better if I left to avoid having moreplications.

    Lorraine¡¯s sad face kept shing in my mind even as I stared at myputer screen, watching the new designs for the textiles in print. My mind wasn¡¯t even on it and I had to make sure that today¡¯s event didn¡¯t repeat itself anymore.

    I quickly rang Emilia toe over.

    She opened the door minutester, her face beaming with a sultry smile that would have aroused me a few years back, but now, it only reminded me of how cheap she was.

    ¡°Sit!¡± I ordered with a steel voice.

    She lowered herself onto the chair slowly, her cleavage popping out of the low neckline dress she wore. It wasn¡¯t that visible earlier but knowing that we would be alone in my office, she was probably trying all possible means to getid by me.

    That wasn¡¯t happening any time soon.

    ¡°What was that all about?¡± I asked coldly, while she crossed her legs and batted hershes.

    She got up from the chair and strolled towards me, her overly sweet perfume drifting into my nose. ¡°That was me trying to tell you that my body wants you badly. I¡¯ve missed you, Dex, don¡¯t you want to have a taste of these chunky assets in front of you?¡± She caressed her breast slowly, unbuttoning the remaining buttons that led to her stomach.

    She cradled me, pinching her nipples through hercy push up bra while she squeezed my crotch. ¡°Don¡¯t you miss this?¡± She moaned loudly.

    I got up abruptly, pushing my chair backwards which caused her tond t on her ass. She yelped in pain, squeezing her buttocks as she tried to get back on her feet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to sell yourself cheap to me, it¡¯s really downgrading and I don¡¯t deal with cheap articles. Do you hear me?¡± I hollered.

    She got up, her eyes zing with so much indignation that could burn a house. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this. I promise you!¡± She poked my chest and stormed out of my office angrily.

    My mind was all over the ce as I palmed my forehead with a sigh. Fortunately, it was lunch time so I jumped into my car and headed to a cafeteria.

    Being out of the office reminded me that I had arge stomach to feed, but since I had to stay light because of the intricacy of my work I had to order two cheeseburgers and a bottle of water.

    I dug in as soon as it was served, savoring the perfect blend of the ingredients and enjoying how easily it melted in my mouth until I caught the sight of Lorraineing out with two polythene bags.

    Passing a cursory nce at the bags, I knew that it contained some dishes. I pushed the half eaten burger aside and strode towards her, simmering in displeasure.

    ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± I dashed behind her and held her hand as she jerked in surprise.

    Her lips parted slightly then she caught herself and regained herposure, snatching her wrist from my grip. ¡°I went to get lunch for the group. Is there any problem with that?¡± She asked with a sassy tone.

    I furrowed my brows in disapproval. ¡°That¡¯s not right. You are meant to enjoy your lunch break on your own and not as a ve to anyone.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not biggie. I can handle this, besides, I¡¯m their junior which means I have to do whatever they want.¡± She retorted, cocking her head to the side.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I sighed, slightly irritated that she was as still unassertive as she was in high school. Maybe she would have lived better if she learnt how not to ept every bullshit like she was doing right now.

    ¡°You are going to enter my car and  we¡¯ll go to those models who forced you to do this.¡± I ordered.

    Her nose red, a stance of obstinacy. ¡°What if I don¡¯te along?¡±

    ¡°Then I might just kiss you senseless in front of everyone and tell them that I¡¯m your husband. Trust me, there¡¯s a lot of proof.¡±

 A temporary truce

    Lorraine

    ¡°Come join me.¡± Dexter offered as I headed for our bedroom with a te of cookies in my hands.

    His offer was gentle yet demanding at the same time. Only someone like Dexter could pull off such a tone with ease.

    I¡¯d have loved to ignore him and move straight to our room, but what good will it do for the both of us? He was trying to call some temporary truce and it wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t enjoy being with him even if I wasn¡¯t supposed to.

    I sank onto the chair he sat with a grunt. ¡°If you say so.¡± My eyes darted to the bottle of whiskey on the table and the empty two sses beside it. ¡°Why do you have a bottle?¡± I questioned, hoping that my voice didn¡¯t bear so much concern.

    He poured some of the content into two sses and passed one to me. ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯m a bit frustrated.¡± He grumbled.

    ¡°What could make the almighty Dexter frustrated?¡± I asked sarcastically, slightly interested in what he had to say.

    He doused another ss and rxed on the back rest. ¡°A woman.¡± He said simply while I shed a quizzical look at him, with a tinge of jealousy stirring at the pit of my stomach.

    ¡°What woman could possibly make you frustrated, knowing how calm and controlled you are all the time?¡± I probed further.

    He scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s the one who made me think that true love existed then stabbed me at the back when I wasn¡¯t there. Now she¡¯s acting like we have no problem. Isn¡¯t that hypocritical?¡±

    My heart sank his wary emotions rubbed on me. If he was being this way then what would I say about myself? He made love to me in the gentlest and most loving way ever, yet, he allowed me to go through so much pain.

    He surely deserved whatever fate had dished out to him.

    A deep silence fell, spurring the growth of the tension between us. I shifted ufortably, searching for the right words to break bars of nervousness.

    I cleared my throat and gulped the remaining whiskey in my ss. ¡°When did you return?¡± I asked tersely, trying not to divulge into the past.

    ¡°Immediately afterpleting my second degree in Business management. My father was sick so I had to be around and take over the family business. It wasn¡¯t easy but I like where we are today.¡±

    I could see the glow of pride radiating on his face as he talked about how much he had aplished. I¡¯d known him to be resilient and determined and truly it paid off.

    He moved closer to me and kept his gaze trained on me. ¡°What about you? What have you been doing with your life?¡±

    That single question caused an eruption of the pain I¡¯d been suppressing for years.

    My life?

    It had been in shambles ever since he left and it shattered to dust when I ran away from my stepfather¡¯s house. Meeting Eden and Iris gave me new glints of hope, but they squashed it as soon as they got the chance.

    ¡°Great, it has been.¡± I answered shortly with less enthusiasm.

    His brows furrowed, showing that he didn¡¯t believe me but there was no way I¡¯d borate on that topic. My life was none of his business and I couldn¡¯t imagine that I¡¯d be his wife for two years.

    ¡°Why are you walking on eggshells around me?¡±

    ¡°And why are you pretending that everything is fine between us?¡± I red.

    He jerked backwards, surprised by my outburst but I couldn¡¯t control the edginess I felt because of his silent truce. No matter what he does, I¡¯d still resent him.  ¡°Is anything wrong? Did I say that there¡¯s a problem?¡±

    My lips curved in a sad smile as I got up to my feet. ¡°I¡¯d like to rest now. Tomorrow is going to be a stressful day for me.¡± I informed him.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    I hoped that he would listen, but he didn¡¯t as he twirled me around and swiftly tossed me on the chair. He was so careful that my back met the chair with ease, then he towered over me, nearly straddling my body.

    My body became rigid as several emotions decided to take a roller-coaster ride within me that moment. Our bodies were touching and his eyes kept caressing me in such a way that I doubted the essence of the clothes I had on.

    Seeing that I couldn¡¯t escape his brief captivity, I lowered myshes and moistened my dry lips. ¡°You keep avoiding me, Lorraine. Are you guilty of any crime?¡±

    ¡°Why do you keep kissing her?¡± I blurted to keep him from asking more nerve-wrecking questions.

    A smirk appeared on his lips as he lifted his body slightly. ¡°Are you jealous? I saw how angry you were when she kissed me.¡±

    I scoffed and tilted my face to the side. ¡°She kissed you, but you enjoyed it. Why didn¡¯t you stop the kiss immediately?¡± I almost covered my face as my cheeks were heated with embarrassment.

    How did I let my guard down? If he noticed my reaction to the kiss then the others might be aware as well.

    Keeping my emotions in check wasn¡¯t my best skill, but it was something I hoped to learn if I was to live with Dexter sessfully.

    ¡°Of course I did stop her and warned her sternly never to try it again. If kissing her would bring out such reactions from you all the time then I¡¯ll keep kissing her.¡± He joked, bursting intoughter.

    The hard lines that etched on his face earlier disappeared as heughed, the beautiful sight threw me into a nostalgic state, causing me to remember how hard he used tough after pranking me.

    We had a love-hate friendship until we realised that we had feelings for each other and decided to act on it.

    Unfortunately, my feelings were unrequited because he just wanted to get in my pants. He wasn¡¯tughing any longer as his breathing had be uneven while staring at me softly.

    ¡°I have to go now. I can¡¯t stay here anymore.¡± I pushed him aside.

    He called my name, ¡°Why did you do it?¡± He grumbled while I froze on my steps.

 Let me make you happy

    Dexter

    The drive to one of my favorite bars seemed longer than the time I had to wait for Lorraine to be brought to me. Her crude response to my question yesterday was startling, but maybe she wasn¡¯t the angel I thought her to be.

    As I waltzed in, I saw my friends, yelling at me toe over. A smile stretched on my lips as I headed over to their spot and sank onto the seat they had reserved for me.

    Liam stretched his hand for a warm handshake. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, buddy. You are filling out so well.¡± He said with a New York ent.

    ¡°What can I do?¡± I chuckled and greeted ke as well who was more focused on his bottle of rum.

    It¡¯s been a while since we met after a few years of being away from each other. I¡¯d drowned myself in work and it wasn¡¯t until today that they forced me toe over for a reunion which I eagerly epted.

    ¡°How have you boys been?¡± I teased them with a smirk.

    Liam shrugged and was about to reply when he caught the sight of a beautifuldy who walked past us with a handsome young man. He palmed his hands flirtatiously and ruffled his hair while making a loud whistle.

    I shook my head in amusement.  ¡°Come on, man. She¡¯s not alone.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Dexter.¡± He replied, his ewes still trained on both of them.

    ¡°What does?¡± I asked, looking at ke for help but his lips stayed glued to each other.

    He got up to his feet, pushing his seat behind him. ¡°What matters is that I¡¯m going to have that girl in my bed tonight, you can¡¯t even begin to imagine how hard I¡¯m going to spank her.¡± He brushed her while passing and I could see thedy making ufortable movements.

    A few momentster, she got up as well and headed in the same direction he went. ¡°Women.¡± I muttered in irritation.

    Remembering what happened between Lorraine and Ist night and seeing that woman go after Liam, I got more disgusted by the fact that most women these days were unreliable, including the one people thought were perfect.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I saw Lorraine recently.¡± kemented, my heart skipping a beat.

    How could he have seen her? ¡°Where did you see her?¡± My voice was chill but filled with nervousness.

    Let it not be that she is still meeting with them.

    ¡°On TV. She¡¯s more beautiful and hotter since high school, I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s still bold and confident after what she did.¡± ke cackled, scrolling through his phone.

    If he had seen the devious re on my face, his mouth would have stopped running. I didn¡¯t need to ask more questions because I understand how Lorraine showed up on the television.

    Stefan proposed that we make short clips of our model wearing our designs during their rehearsals and air it. Seeing that it would increase the chances of our designs getting visibility, I obliged him and since then I noticed a tremendous improvement.

    But what surprised me was the fact they allowed Lorraine to join in though she was new.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± I requested calmly, because I wasn¡¯t sure that I could continue the conversation without my emotions spiraling out of control.

    He nced at me quizzically then huffed. ¡°I wonder why you are still possessive of that bitch.¡± He muttered almost inaudibly but I heard him and this time I couldn¡¯t restrain myself.

    My tightly clenched fist met with his cheek, causing him to slip out of his chair, his ass connecting with the floor with a loud thud that elicited gasps from the customers around.

    Enveloped with rage, I lurched at him, throwing more punches at his face until I felt strong arms pulling me away from him. ¡°I won¡¯t say it again, ke. Don¡¯t ever talk about Lorraine in such a manner! Whatever I do with her and about her is none of your business!¡± I barked at him, ignoring the injuries I¡¯d caused his face.

    I shook myself free from their strong grip, picked up my phone then left.

    As I drove back home, my mind was filled with the memory of the past. It irked me, causing me to hold the steering wheel tightly else I¡¯d lose control.

    I couldn¡¯t believe I just fought with my friend over a woman who was undeserving of my care and love. The urge to defend her was still there and inasmuch as I acted on my feelings earlier, I began to regret it.

    My anger was still simmering no matter how much I tried so I scrolled through my phone and called one of my friends.

    ¡°Meet me at the usual ce.¡± I ordered and ended the call.

    The door of the hotel room I¡¯d booked pushed open, with ady trotting in. She looked beautiful and sexy as usual, her dress was just as provocative as I wanted.

    ¡°Edith.¡± I said calmly as she shed me a smile, approaching me with a sultry gait.

    She flung her bag to the bed and dropped to her knees, her eyes glimmering with lust and desire that should have turned me on.

    But what got me bothered was why my lower member wasid and unconcerned in the presence of this good meat.

    Her cleavages almost burst out of the low neckline dress she wore, and the length of her dress stopped right under her firm ass. The dress had no sleeves, save for a single strap that was crossed over to the other arm.

    ¡°You are reluctant, Dexter. What¡¯s the problem?¡± She asked as her fingers trailed down my chest slowly.

    Her question caught me off guard as I stared at her. She wasn¡¯t really a friend, but a fuck mate whom I enjoyed calling regrly because of how well she took care of my needs.

    I always did my best to ensure that she left limp with a huge amount of money, but she always assured me that she enjoyed it because I was so good.

    Seeing her now, my body was supposed toe alive just the way we both wanted. ¡°I think you should go.¡± I whispered curtly, with a breathy voice.

    She snapped her head backward, her lips parted with surprise. ¡°What do you mean, Dexter? I thought you liked this?¡± She stroked my phallus through my pants and dropped it abruptly when she realised that I wasn¡¯t moved.

    ¡°Edith¡­¡± I groaned.

    She bit her lips, not giving up as she unhooked my belt speedily. ¡°Let me make you happy.¡± She drawled and immediately my phallus sprang free.

 Lorraine

    Dexter

    ¡°Stop it!¡± I yelled as I jerked up my feet. ¡°I asked you to leave the room and I¡¯m very serious about it.¡±

    The intensity of my rejection caused her to stagger backward as she leaned on the wall, her back pressing onto it for support. She sniffed and blinked continuously and when I stared at her eyes, I saw how misty it had be.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    Yeah, I could be cold and nonchnt but that doesn¡¯t mean that I went around hurting everyone¡¯s feelings.

    She sniffed again as she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. ¡°I love you, Dexter,¡± She blurted.

    I hid my surprise well, my feelings properly hidden with a stoic mask of nonchnce. She should know better than to fall in love with me or did she expect me to grow feelings for her all of a sudden because of how frequently I called her over?

    ¡°You¡¯re not saying anything.¡± She rasped when she noticed how silent I¡¯d be.

    With a shrug, I approached her fluidly after arranging my pants and tucking my manhood in. ¡°I¡¯m silent because I can¡¯t reciprocate your feelings. You should never have allowed yourself to fall for someone like me.¡± I said harshly.

    She sobbed harder, her tears turning her once perfect make up into a watery mess. Her mascara had formed a straight line down to her chin and her nose became puffy and red.

    I thought women used waterproof mascara or something.

    ¡°So all the good sex meant nothing to you?¡±

    Not wanting to hurt her further, I offered her my handkerchief so that she could wipe her face with it. ¡°Look, Edith, I don¡¯t want to hurt your feelings further and that¡¯s why I¡¯ll be saying this.¡±

    She quickly palmed my mouth to stop me from talking. ¡°Don¡¯t say it, Dex. Just allow me to keep loving you, I promise that you will love me back.¡±

    I gently dropped her hand and fixed her a serious look. ¡°From now on, don¡¯t expect my calls because I won¡¯t need you anymore. I have your details so I¡¯ll send you a good amount of money to take care of yourself but that will be just it.¡±

    She shook her head vehemently, her eyes burning with pain and anger. ¡°No! I don¡¯t need your money and you know that. We are a perfect match and you know that.¡± She wiped her face again angrily as realisation dawned on her features. ¡°Is there another woman?¡± She hollered.

    Lorraine.

    Yes, she was my woman, even if I nned to break her and make her regret hurting me so badly. I was the only one allowed to hurt her and no one else.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t call me.¡±

    With that being said, I stalked out of the room, leaving her to bber away. It was time to return to my beautiful wife.

    After jumping into my car, I checked my wristwatch and sighed. It was almost twelve midnight and I was busy frolicking with some unimportant person.

    My heart took a skip when I found a figure curled up on the couch. She had a good height but I still towered over her.

    ¡°Lorraine?¡± I called quietly, surprised that she had been waiting for me.

    I turned on the light as she got up slowly from her sleep, rubbing her eyes like a baby. It looked so cute that I was almost drawn to kiss her cheeks.

    ¡°You¡¯re back already?¡± Her voice sounded grumpy as she stood up. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that you¡¯de back thiste.¡±

    God! Why was she sounding like my mother?

    I should have given her an honest reply but did she deserve it?

    No.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have bothered. Next time enjoy your sleep on the bed whenever I¡¯mte. It¡¯s not like we are a real couple any way.¡± I replied with a bored tone.

    She smiled angrily and raked her hand through her hair-something she always did whenever she was frustrated. ¡°Yeah, I shouldn¡¯t have bothered. It¡¯s my loss.¡±

    ¡°I could have been out with another woman while you were here, waiting for me stupidly.¡±

    She passed a hurt look at me then masked it with a smile immediately. ¡°Since this isn¡¯t a real marriage, don¡¯t be bothered when other men take me out on dates. After all, no one knows we are married.¡±

    Other men?

    My heart churned with jealousy as I imagined herughing wildly with other men. Immediately I squashed the thought.

    No way on earth would I allow that to happen.

    Spurred by jealousy, I took a few quick strides towards her and forced my lips on hers. Her mouth tasted like chocte and her cool breath was the most refreshing thing ever.

    If her lips kept tasting that way then I¡¯d surely be addicted.

    She parted her lips so that I could gain entrance. My tongue delved in, twirling and teasing her lips. Slowly, we engaged in a tongue fight which caused nothing but tingles that spread down to my cock.

    My fingers trailed from her smooth cheeks to her waist, then her back.

    How could a woman be this hot and alluring?

    With just a single kiss, every fiber of my body came back to life, yearning to make love to her till she wouldn¡¯t be able to think of any other man.

    She broke the kiss suddenly, leaving me bereft of strength. I thought that she wasn¡¯t affected until I saw her panting heavily, her face turned away from me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again except I ask you to.¡±She protested with a gruff voice.

    I liked how affected she was so I stayed put, caressing her chin with my thumb. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I? Didn¡¯t you enjoy it?¡±

    She lowered hershes and bit her lips. Her nervous actions made my attempts to suppress my urge for her a failure.

    ¡°I wanted to know if I still felt anything for you, and I got my answer.¡± She replied coldly.

    My chest constricted at her words as my pupils dted. ¡°What was your answer?¡± I managed to ask.

    ¡°I feel nothing for you.¡± She replied tantly. ¡°Nothing!¡± She reiterated with a grim smile and walked away.

 A blatant lie

    Lorraine

    It was a lie-a tant lie!Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    I felt something so strong that I didn¡¯t want to acknowledge.

    Gosh, I thought those feelings were dead but I guess they had been buried in a dark corner of my heart and all it took was a single kiss to stir it up.

    I quickly walked away so that he wouldn¡¯t notice how I truly felt. He¡¯d use it against me once he found out that I was trying to rile him up.

    The door of our bedroom flung open as I tucked myself under the duvet with Dexter sighing intermittently. ¡°I saw ke and Liam today at a bar. It¡¯s been a long while since I met them.¡±

    My throat constricted and a deep feeling of dread, stemming from the memories of the past dropped into the pit of my stomach.

    ¡°How are they?¡± I asked, hoping I sounded as nonchnt as I could because they never mattered to me, not after the indelible scars they caused me.

    Dexter turned around and smiled at me. ¡°They are fine. Did you ask because you actually care or you just want to know?¡±

    I sighed, knowing that he caught me. It was bing annoying that he could tell how I felt without even looking at me. I hoped he didn¡¯t decipher how I felt.

    ¡°Good night.¡± I said curtly and pushed the duvet over my face.

    Morning came by without hesitation and since I wanted to establish a punctual routine, I dressed up quickly and entered a taxi.

    Surprisingly, the same taxi took me to work daily and brought me back. It was like he knew the exact time I¡¯d close from work and honestly, it was bing slightly unnerving.

    It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him not to bother taking me today, but seeing how jovial he was I allowed him to shower me with his daily dose of princess treatment.

    ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am.¡± He greeted me with a smile before shutting the door.

    I returned the smile as well and greeted him warmly, waiting for the right time to drop my question. He started the car and began to drive in the direction of my work ce at a steady pace.

    He was beginning to grow on me strangely. The skillful way he drove, and how he made sure that I wasfortable made me wonder how he could derive so much joy in being a cabbie.

    ¡°I want to thank you for alwaysing out here to drive me to work. It¡¯s so sweet of you.¡± I began.

    He nodded, swerving through a bend. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my job and I feel that a beautiful woman like you shouldn¡¯t be stressed out on a daily basis.¡± He chuckled.

    I could sense the nervousness in his voice so I decided to flow with it. ¡°I¡¯m not stressed, I see it as an exercise. Besides, standing for a few minutes before getting a taxi won¡¯t do me any harm.¡±

    He shrugged, knowing that I¡¯d been let into the truth. ¡°Well someone doesn¡¯t want you to be stressed anymore so just enjoy it, ma¡¯am.¡± He said politely, dropping the conversation.

    Even though he didn¡¯t want to talk much, it was obvious that he was working for someone.

    I¡¯d have to tell Dexter about it, but after remembering everything that happenedst night I had a rethink on my n. It would be hard for anyone to hurt me because I was in a new city and none of my old acquaintances or friends knew where I was.

    ¡°Have a nice day, ma¡¯am.¡± He said after dropping me at the agency.

    I walked in, feeling bright and expectant. Ste, my tutor, had already begun training me but she said that I was still in the process of acquainting myself with her procedures.

    The routine was checking on our boss for any update, then waiting for the rest of the models toe around before we started training.

    I knocked on Stefan¡¯s door then went in with his permission. ¡°You look great, Stefan.¡± I said after greeting him.

    Mypliments weren¡¯t aimed at ttering him, he was truly looking good in the white shirt that had the sleeves rolled up below his elbows, and a grey pair of pants. I¡¯d never seen him look this manly, which got me wondering what he could be on about.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look bad yourself.¡± He said.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I nodded in appreciation, staring at my ck V-neck dress that fitted my body properly. I looked good in it, which was why I wasn¡¯t surprised when I got the attention of some of the young men downstairs. ¡°Is there any special eventing up soon?¡±

    He looked up from hisptop and leaned back on the backrest. ¡°We¡¯ll be having a mini runway event in one month which means that you have to work harder. The agency tags it as ¡®mini¡¯ because it¡¯s meant for the new models to showcase themselves and if you do well, you¡¯ll be added to the main models who will model for the main event.¡±

    My body became giddy with excitement at the information. I¡¯d work hard to get to the top so that no one would be able to scar me anymore.

    ¡°Alright, Stefan. I promise to work hard.¡± I assured him.

    ¡°You have potential, Lorraine. No new model here has worked as hard as you are doing presently, and your talents are just perfect. Do everything I asked you to do and you¡¯ll make it.¡±

    The urge to jump on him for an embrace enveloped me, but I held back since I didn¡¯t know how he would react. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Stefan. I¡¯ll continue to work hard.¡±

    By the time I returned to the training room, Ste was already waiting for me. We exchanged greetings and then we began training.

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you¡¯re not so confident in heels, so we¡¯ll work on that today.¡± She announced and set out to work.

    I agree that wearing really high heels was scary for me because of the snide remarks I received in the past for wearing them. Snickers and pumps were more convenient for me because no one would insult me for wearing shoes that were out of fashion.

    There was no good memory for me apart from when my parents were alive. Every other thing I remembered was hurtful.

    I watched Ste arrange some blocks vertically which was surprising. ¡°Ummm, I haven¡¯t seen others using this.¡± I objected as my anxiety heightened at the sight of the blocks.

    ¡°That¡¯s because they have better walking skills than you. It doesn¡¯t mean you aren¡¯t good, but you have to be confident enough to pull off your catwalks or everyone will look down on you. In modeling, confidence is key.¡± She exined.

    And it was the same confidence Icked, but I was ready to challenge myself to be a better person.

    I was given a six inch heel and also asked to walk on the blocks with it. It was a hassle because I kept losing my bnce and falling to the ground.

    She asked me to walk on the blocks again and I did, slowly getting used to the steps. I¡¯d almost gotten to thest block when I missed a step and fell on the ground.

    A sharp pain tore out from my ankle, causing me to yelp loudly. Ste rushed towards me and touched the affected part which elicited a loud yell from me.

    She sighed and patted my back. ¡°Your ankle has been sprained.¡± She announced with a shaky voice, my heart taking a huge leap as I began to imagine how this injury will affect my training for the runway event.

    Immediately, the door swung open with Dexter running towards me frantically. Without uttering a word, he scooped me up in a bridal style and dashed out of the room.

 Thrills of possessiveness

    Lorraine

    I refused to acknowledge how much Dexter¡¯s worried expression affected me.

    I thought we both loathed each other? How could my pain make him feel this way?

    He shed a reassuring stare at me, ¡°How do you feel?¡± He didn¡¯t even wait for me to respond when he bombarded me with another question. ¡°Is it getting any worse? Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll soon arrive at the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I whispered as I willed myself to refrain from touching my ankle.

    The pain increased by the minute but I suppressed the yelp that nearly burst out of my lips and thought of how to continue the conversation. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯d sprained my ankle?¡±

    ¡°I was about to enter the room to check on the progress of the training when I heard your scream. It really did something to me and I¡¯d have lost my peace if I didn¡¯t help out.¡± He responded with a little grudge.

    A smile formed at the corner of my lips and butterflies fluttered in the pit of my stomach, knowing that he still cared a bit about me even though he was overbearing.

    ¡°Won¡¯t the other models be surprised that you had to help me that way?¡± I asked fiddling with my fingers.

    He huffed and rolled his eyes. I was able to see him through the driver¡¯s mirror and a blush crept up to my cheeks, seeing how nonchnt he tried to be. ¡°They know how kind I am so that won¡¯t be an issue. Besides, they know better than to gossip about their boss.¡±

    Having nothing else to say, I kept my lips shut and prayed that the drive to the hospital would be shorter as I couldn¡¯t bear the pain any longer.

    My prayers were answered when a hospital came into sight. Dexter hurriedly parked properly and helped me out of the car.

    He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, while leading me carefully towards the entrance.

    ¡°Emergency!¡± He thundered, his loud voice producing a few nurses who came running towards us with a stretcher.

    I nearly rolled my eyes, knowing that he was exaggerating and it wasn¡¯t really an emergency. But when they helped onto the stretcher, the stabbing pain reinforced itself and then I understood the reason for his exaggeration.

    The doctor met with us after the nurses administered some treatments on my ankle. Whatforted me was how nice Dexter was during the session because I couldn¡¯t imagine how I could have gone through it all alone.

    ¡°Do you feel any better?¡± He asked after scrutinising the bandaged part briefly.

    I nodded in response, exhausted from all the massage and drugs I¡¯d taken earlier. ¡°I just hope it gets better soon.¡± I admitted.

    ¡°Uhh,¡± The doctor hesitated.

    My tension heightened as I propped myself up on the bed. ¡°Is there going to be any problem?¡±

    Dexter gently caressed my back so that I could rx, but it wasn¡¯t working. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± He whispered in my ear.

    ¡°The sprain is a bitplicated. It¡¯s more serious than we thought.¡± He started exining but my impatience didn¡¯t allow him to continue.

    ¡°Excuse me, Doctor, but what are you trying to say?¡± My eyes were bing ssy, my throat choked with several negative emotions.

    He sped his fingers and swallowed. ¡°You fell so hard on your ankle together with the heel which led to a grade three type of ankle sprain. Your ligament ispletely torn which means that you wouldn¡¯t be able to use your leg until the next three months.¡± He announced.

    I shook my head vehemently, unable to ept the information. I had an event to prepare for-it was going to be my debut and nothing would stop me, not even this freaking ankle sprain.

    Showing off my anxiety wouldn¡¯t increase my healing rate, so I dragged in a deep breath which helped to calm my nerves slightly. ¡°Is there any drug I can take to speed up the healing rate of the injury?¡±

    ¡°There are drugs, but constant intake of them can cause adverse effects to your body. You wouldn¡¯t want that, would you?¡± He asked penitently.

    I sighed in resignation as he concluded his conversation with Dexter and left my ward. What was I going to do?

    This was my moment and a sprain was going toe in my way?

    Maybe if I¡¯d have been more careful while walking on the blocks this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Forfeiting my role at the event wasn¡¯t an option, I just had to find a way out.

    ¡°What are we going to do, Dexter?¡± I cried in frustration. ¡°The runway is in a month but I can¡¯t even use my legs after that. Why does everything have to be against me at this time?¡±

    He cast a light kiss on my forehead which numbed the pain for a moment and gave me something else to focus on. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine, Lorraine, just focus on getting better.¡± He said softly, tucking my hair behind my ear.

    ¡°But the event? What am I going to do about it?¡± I stared at him hopefully, wishing that there was something he could do about it, but when I saw how sullen his countenance was, I knew that I¡¯d have to take my destiny into my hands.

    ¡°You can always join during the next season.¡± He said tiredly.

    *********

    My life has been on a standstill ever since I was told that I couldn¡¯t join the runway show. Each time I got a notification of the new clips the other models made while practicing, tears welled up my eyes.

    The doctor was right when he said that I wouldn¡¯t be able to move around because I could barely make a step without the aid of my crutches.

    A knock sounded on the door, disrupting me from my depressing thoughts. Since I couldn¡¯t get up, I encouraged the person toe in.

    A wave of shock passed through me as Stefan made his way in with his briefcase. His smile was warm and filled with care, but it wasn¡¯t warm enough to set my heart at ease.

    ¡°Hi, Stefan. It¡¯s a huge surprise to see you.¡± I discarded my scared expression and reced it with a happy one.

    He walked towards me and gave me a side hug while I chuckled nervously. ¡°I came on behalf of the other models to check on you. How have you been, Lorraine?¡±

    ¡°Bored. A bit depressed. It¡¯s not easy to stay idle while watching your colleagues work.¡± I replied.

    He patted my arm and dropped onto the chair beside me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that. Ste sends her regards as well. I miss your daily routine of knocking on my door to tell me that you have arrived. But don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s good news.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Good news?

    My heart leaped for joy when he said that. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± I demanded with a light tone, my body giddy with excitement.

    ¡°The event has been postponed to the next three months. I don¡¯t know the reason for the adjournment, but a letter came to me this morning asking that we hold off the show so that the models can have adequate time to practice.¡± He announced, ¡°I think fate is on your side.¡± He added.

    I jumped on him immediately, unable to put my happiness into words. He was stiff at first butter on, the tension disappeared and he wrapped his arms around me.

    If he came all the way here to tell me about the new development then he really deserved the hug. ¡°Thank you so much, Stefan. You don¡¯t know how happy I am right now.¡±

    My moment of happiness was short lived as the entrance door pushed open again. I jerked out of the embrace in surprise, my eyes fixed on Dexter who stood by the door, his face zing with anger.

 Chapter 15 Do you want kids?

    Lorraine

    Time passed between us as we kept staring at each other in silence.

    Stefan cleared his throat, reminding us that he was still around. ¡°You¡¯re here, Mr Hemmingway.¡± He chuckled nervously.

    ¡°Yes, I am and what are you doing in my house?¡± He asked in a tone that showed how indignant and jealous he was.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± I muttered under my breath, thinking of several ways to salvage the situation.

    This was thest thing I wanted. Since it was a fake marriage, I didn¡¯t want anyone to know about it to avoid a scandal ensuing, but Dexter wasn¡¯t making things easier for me.

    He didn¡¯t have to blurt out the truth like that.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Ummm, Stefan, it isn¡¯t his house as he said. He just came to visit just like you¡¯re doing right now.¡± I chimed, hoping that he would believe me.

    Stefan swung his gaze from me to Dexter and when Dexter didn¡¯t say anything else, he picked up his briefcase which I appreciated as the tension was growing by the minute and headed for the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to see that you are getting better. Please take care of yourself.¡±

    Before going out, he gave a little bow to Dexter then left. I forced myself up with the aid of my crutches and gave him a long hard stare. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that, Dexter.¡± I whined while he walked towards the wine cer.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have to do that? One of my staff was right here in my house to visit my wife and you expected me to be quiet?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. We had an agreement that no one was to know about this marriage. That implies that they shouldn¡¯t even have a hint at all. What on earth is your problem?¡± I spat angrily as I felt my temper elerate.

    He turned away from the cer, gnawing at the wine and the ss. I bit my lips to stop myself from giving out more angry outbursts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll only make an act outside of this house, but here I¡¯m free to do as I want.¡± He said in the sassiest tone I¡¯d ever heard. ¡°Have you had anything to eat today?¡±

    The fact that he cared about my stomach melted the fury that had formed a ball in my chest.

    How could he make me angry and happy at the same time without much effort?

    ¡°I had pizza with a bottle of apple juice at noon but that¡¯s it. Nothing else!¡± I said ndly so that he wouldn¡¯t be able to pick on my emotions.

    He took off his suit then rolled his white sleeves. ¡°I¡¯ll make you something then. How does Lasagna and Grilled chicken sound?¡±

    My mouth salivated at the thought of having dinner made by him. It¡¯s been a while since I had a well prepared meal that I didn¡¯t have to buy with my money.

    Eden didn¡¯t really care about me. I couldn¡¯t remember being properly pampered by a man who called himself my boyfriend. The more I thought of it, the more I realised how closer he was to Iris than to me.

    They literally did everything together while making me look like the third wheel. On several asions, most people thought that they were couples.

    I¡¯d never fit into their lives from the beginning.

    ¡°Lorraine!¡± He snapped his fingers at me, causing me to jerk out from the hurtful memories.

    With a sad smile, I said. ¡°It sounds really good.¡±

    Dinner with Dexter felt strangely nice because we never had the chance to go on dates even in high school, but I got the chance now and even though I was supposed to stay away from him, I couldn¡¯t deny the fact that having a quiet homemade dinner with him was exhrating.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mouthed after wiping my lips clean.

    He stood up and began to stack on the tes on each other. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you could cook this well.¡± Imented, nibbling on the caramel apple cake he brought for dessert.

    He shrugged, washing the dishes meticulously while I trained my gaze on him. I¡¯d seen how cool he was in business, but being domesticated-I didn¡¯t expect that.

    ¡°There are several things you don¡¯t know about me.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡± I replied almost immediately, enjoying the direction of the conversation. ¡°Tell me, what other things can you do effortlessly that I don¡¯t know about?¡±

    His lips curved into a mischievous smirk as he dried his hands. He removed his apron and focused solely on me. ¡°I can y the guitar well but I don¡¯t have a good voice to go with it.¡±

    I burst intoughter, imagining how his croaky voice would sound while singing. ¡°Don¡¯t ever sing for me.¡± I joked.

    He faked a frown and huffed. ¡°I won¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    Our conversation lingered on and I didn¡¯t want it to stop. Iughed heartily to each of his childish boasts because they all sounded unreal to me.

    ¡°You¡¯d have to show me a picture of one of your paintings as proof.¡± I said in disbelief after he tried to convince me that he could draw.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that soon.¡±

    I could see him cracking a smile as I continued to tease him, but every now and then the thoughts of the past still flickered in my mind. ¡°If you are this art inclined, what the hell are you doing in business?¡±

    The happy smile he wore earlier disappeared from his face and the nonchnt expression I loathed returned.

    ¡°I had something to protect. A legacy that couldn¡¯t be abandoned because the bearer had died. My father trusted that I¡¯ll do better than him, so I had to man up and live up to his expectations.¡± He averted his gaze from me which was quite disappointing because I wanted him to look at me while we talked. ¡°My children would choose their destiny, I¡¯ve made a promise to myself that I won¡¯t stand in their way.¡±

    My stomach fluttered at the mention of children, causing me to caress my stomach subconsciously. I would have been carrying a child in my womb if not for Eden and my stepfather who made me run blindly.

    ¡°Did I upset you?¡± He asked gently.

    I continued caressing my stomach as I raised my head. ¡°Do you really want to have kids?¡±

 Just before intimacy

    Lorraine

    I regretted asking him that question immediately after the words left my mouth.

    ¡°Sure,¡± He answered with ackadaisical tone. ¡°You¡¯re going to give me a child, Lorraine. It¡¯s a part of the contract.¡± He said obstinately while I raked my hand through my hair.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get pregnant now.¡± I retorted.

    He folded his hands with an amused expression. ¡°Why not?¡±

    My eyes churned with tears at his emotionless question but I blinked hard to keep them from falling. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to have a child after what happened with Eden. Right now, I¡¯m still trying to find myself and having a child with someone I don¡¯t love¡­ That would be very difficult.¡± I exined.

    I loved him before, but I wasn¡¯t sure I didn¡¯t right now. There were several barriers between us and having a child for him would do nothing but remind me of my resentment for him.

    ¡°That¡¯s well understood and I won¡¯t bug you now, but you still have a lot of time to have my child.¡± He walked away, ending the conversation.

    ********

    The sprain was healing already which made me giddy with excitement. It¡¯s been two months of being pampered and taken care of by Dexter.

    Fortunately, he did everything withoutining and I wondered how he could pull off being nonchnt and caring at the same time.

    Ever since we talked about having children, I¡¯d avoided any situation that would lead us to having intimate moments. Until we pushed away the barriers between us, I wouldn¡¯t allow myself to carry his child. Contract or not.

    I woke up quite early to prepare for work. I¡¯d actually missed dressing up to go to work and interact with other models. Seeing their clips everyday motivated me to practice harder despite the pain.

    Dexter tossed slowly on his side of the bed after I turned on the room light. His eyes flew open and he quickly sat up, blinking continuously. ¡°Thank God you woke up early, I have a meeting that I have to be ready for.¡±

    He returnedte from workst night and I didn¡¯t bother to ask where he went knowing that it would sound personal.

    I nodded and took off my robe then headed for the bathroom. Walking around wasn¡¯t a hassle anymore even though I usually felt a tinge of pain if I was too stressed.

    He joined me in the bathroom with a toothbrush in his hand. After we finished brushing, he dropped the brush and stared at me, his eyes filled with uncertainty. ¡°Do you mind us bathing together?¡± He asked with doubt ring from his tone.

    My brush which was still in my hands fell to the ground as his question got me bamboozled. ¡°Bath together? We aren¡¯t a real couple, Dexter. How many times do I have to remind you of that?¡± I rasped.

    He rolled his eyes which was quite funny because he looked childish. ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t seen you naked before.¡± He teased, wiggling his brows with a mock grin.

    ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to bathe before me, but that¡¯s it.¡± I retorted.

    ¡°Okay.¡± He raised his hands in surrender, but I didn¡¯t expect the next thing he did.

    He carried me over his head, my legs iling in the air as I struggled to get away from his body. ¡°Let me go, you snake!¡± I screamed, hitting his back with my fists but with his huge size it was like pouring water on a rock because he didn¡¯t bulge.

    Quickly, he dropped me inside the shower cubicle and turned on the shower while I stared at him, unable to make a move. It wouldn¡¯t even make sense for me to move out of the bathroom with my wet clothes so I allowed him to take them off.

    Shyness washed over me as his eyes caressed my body slowly with a feeling that resembled lust. ¡°God, you are so beautiful.¡± He muttered almost inaudibly.

    The nervousness dissipated slowly since it was getting reced by my own feeling of lust. If we kept staring at each other that way then we would do more than bathing.

    My body craved his touch as a pool of wetness was already forming around my mounds. ¡°We should be bathing right now, Dexter.¡± I croaked, my voice hoarse as my chest experienced a feeling of tightness.

    ¡°Yes, we should but I can¡¯t stop what I¡¯m feeling right now, Lorraine.¡± He said, pulling his face closer to mine.

    I stayed still, eager to have a taste of his lips again as the memory of thest kiss we had dominated my mind again and caused my body to fire up with a strong desire to have him inside of me.

    His eyes kept searching mine for any trace of doubt that would have probably disappeared with how tenderly he gazed at me. He was no longer the Dexter that hurt me, right now, he was the man that my body craved like a drug.

    ¡°Kiss me.¡± I demanded, my voice was soft and light like a whisper.

    He drove in without hesitation as if he had been waiting for me to permit him before making any step.

    I wrapped my fingers around his neck, kissing him desperately like my life depended on it. The light caresses he made while massaging my ankle each night, the subtle looks he passed while he helped me undress built up within me and the kiss did nothing but break the walls clogging the dam of my feelings.

    His strong capable hands ravaged my body fiercely, his fingers twerking the nubs on my chest. My sanity had vanished and all I wanted was for him to take me until I wouldn¡¯t be able to breathe.

    His lips reced his fingers so swiftly that I didn¡¯t have the chance to exin. I liked how he massaged my ass like he was trying to make a mark on it.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Ahhh! Dexter! Don¡¯t stop.¡± I pleaded, bobbing my head backwards as I let the pleasure from his finger on my clit overwhelm me.

    I didn¡¯t think I could hold off my need any more, and when he hoisted me up so that my thighs could straddle his waist I knew that I was a goner.

    ¡°Do you want me inside of you, baby?¡± He grunted.

    That was when I closed up. The maddening desire for him to touch me disappeared and my senses returned, including the hurtful shes of the past. This naughty question he asked me now was the same thing he said thest time.

    How could he repeat it again?

    I jumped down from his body and stepped out of the shower cubicle, my face as hard as stone. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the bedroom. Be fast, please, I don¡¯t want to bete for work.¡± I said coldly and stalked out, leaving him utterly speechless.

 Sassy new man

    Dexter

    I watched her leave hastily while putting on my jacket, my mind filled with several thoughts of why she had gotten sudden cold feet.

    Her reactions to my touch, and the way she moaned that I shouldn¡¯t stop touching her made me mad with excitement. But after asking her if she really wanted me, the desire just died off.

    My heart was tormented with the conclusion that I¡¯d done something wrong and with how tight-lipped she was, I knew that I¡¯d have to move the heavens and the earth to know what really happened.

    I signaled my chauffeur to drive me to work so that I could think. We had an important meeting with a big organisation who wanted to give us a huge contract and all I could think of was a woman who rejected me twice?

    Shaking my head vehemently, I decided that I wouldn¡¯t allow the thoughts of her to distract me. The contract I was about to bag was much more important than her.

    After convincing myself over and over again, I put on myptop and prepared for the meeting.

    Some hourster, the conference room was filled with my personal assistant, one of the tech guys, Mr Arnold Smith, the man who was to award the contract to us and a few of his team.

    I wondered what they were here for but it wasn¡¯t as important as getting the deal.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to have you in Hemming corporatives. We¡¯ll begin with the presentation now.¡± I said and made signals to my personal assistant who turned the screen on and began to talk about each design that shed on the screen.

    While Mr Smith was focused on the presentation, my mind shed back to the short intimate moment I had with Lorraine.

    Her mounds were still as soft as it was that night, and her breasts called out to me in a way that I couldn¡¯t resist.

    Hell! I shouldn¡¯t be thinking about her right here, but remembering how she arched her body towards me in surrender got my dick throbbing hard against my briefs. Her figure was right in front of me, causing a mess to the concentration I was supposed to be having.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± I muttered, banging the table with my clenched fist.

    The presentation halted as everyone fixed their eyes on me in surprise. My face reddened with embarrassment as I gave a quick apology. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. You can continue, Fred.¡±

    He finished up fast and I almost thought that it was because of the short breakdown I had.

    It was time for Mr Arnold to make his decision and I couldn¡¯t deny that my heart took a skip. Even though the news of Hemming Corporatives¡¯ sess had gone far and wide, every deal still mattered to us. To me.

    He kept watching the rey of the designs while I gauged his expression. It was unreadable just like mine but at the approving flicker of his eyes, I knew that the deal was sealed.

    ¡°Congrattions, Mr Hemmingway, you have the contract.¡± He announced and everyone apuded us.

    Relief filled me as I signed the contract on behalf of thepany then we shook hands. ¡°Thank you, Mr Arnold.¡± I said with what I could regard as a smile.

    He was a busy man, strict on business ethics so he decided to fly back to his state of residence the same day.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going on a first name basis with you, Dexter, because of the nature of the topic.¡± He said, after waiting for everyone in the room to leave.

    I furrowed my brows, wondering what theck of formalities was all about. ¡°That¡¯s no problem, but is there any issue you have with the design?¡±

    He shook his head and patted my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve been in your position before and I know how hard it is to get a woman out of your head. Especially the one who messes with you. Trust me, it will be more frustrating to get her out, all you have to do is to let her in. ¡±

    I shed a what¡¯s-your-business stare at him but he wasn¡¯t in any way unfazed. ¡°It¡¯s much moreplicated than you think.¡± I quickly replied in self defense.

    ¡°Alright. But I hope you master the art of bncing business with pleasure. It¡¯s not really nice to have a breakdown during a business meeting.¡± He chuckled then gave my arm a final squeeze. ¡°Have a good day, Mr Hemmingway, I¡¯ll inform you of when to start making the deliveries.¡± He said and left.

    I snorted once the door closed and rolled my eyes, then decided that he wouldn¡¯t make a good friend because he liked to interfere with issues that didn¡¯t concern him.

    Letting Lorraine in would be very difficult because of how deeply she hurt me. I just want to sleep with her and forget about all the lustful feelings-that¡¯s if I¡¯ll ever be freed of it.

    I didn¡¯t want to care about what caused the sudden distance, because it could be one of her tactics to make me fall for her.

    We freaking had to sit down and talk about everything like adults.

    With that settled in my mind, I got up confidently and headed towards the door. I didn¡¯t need to twist the knob open because Emilia was already outside waiting to enter.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Dexter Hemmingway, where are you headed to?¡± She asked with a coy smile that irritated me.

    Though she had a good height, I was still taller and that gave me the advantage of staring over her head. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, Emilia. What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I came to see you.¡±

    She tried toe in but I stood firm at the door, holding the knob so that she wouldn¡¯t be able toe in. ¡°I have to be somewhere. Don¡¯t stand in my way, Emilia.¡± I hollered at her but she didn¡¯t flinch.

    She sped her hands together and feigned a sad look. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so harsh on me. I¡¯m here because I care about you.¡± She murmured trying to lean on me.

    I sighed, massaging my forehead in frustration. There she goes again, always saying that she cared when she actually never did. She was only hungry for my cock which wasn¡¯t just avable to her anymore.

    ¡°Thank you for asking, but you have to leave now. If there¡¯s any new update, Stefan will give you some info.¡±

    I left her stunned while heading towards the training room. My heart thudded faster as I wondered how the conversation would go.

    She wasn¡¯t at the training room which was quite surprising because it wasn¡¯t lunch break yet. Still I was going to find her and talk to her even if she had a hunch that I wasing to see her.

    My search for her stopped halfway after I got out of the elevator and stopped at thest floor. My eyes caught the sight of her close to the entrance of the building all wrapped up in the arms of Arnold, the same sassy man that just left my office.

 A date with him

    Lorraine

    The annoying blonde haireddy barged into the training room with a scowl donned on her face. ¡°I¡¯ve always known that women with innocent faces were more deadly than the devil, but I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯d be the one to prove it to me.¡± Emilia fired, interrupting my training session.

    I willed myself to mp my lips shut because of my unstable temper that resulted from the brief moment of foolishness I disyed earlier on at home.

    My mind was still reeling in shock at how I¡¯d let him touch me so intimately. For Christ¡¯s sake, my body shouldn¡¯t be betraying me this way. I shouldn¡¯t even have a soft spot for him.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I snapped at her, causing her to flinch.

    At least, my response was doing something to bring her down from the high horse she rode on.

    She chuckled, tsking her tongue as she tilted her head to the side. ¡°What is your rtionship with Dexter?¡± She went straight to the point which I liked.

    But how on earth did she get the hint that Dexter and I had something to do with each other? I didn¡¯t need to think about my answer twice since it was as clear as crystal.

    ¡°The same rtionship you have with him,¡± I replied drily, ¡°Is there any problem with that?¡± I really enjoyed how snappy my tone was, if she was sensible enough, she would know that I wasn¡¯t enjoying the conversation and leave me alone.

    She burst outughing immediately, her voice loud enough to distract others who threw brief nces at us.

    ¡°You think that if I knew that it was the only rtionship you had with him I¡¯d be asking questions?¡± The traces ofughter had disappeared.

    Since Ste wasn¡¯t around, I had the liberty of taking a break whenever I wanted and this seemed to be the perfect time to break away from her or I¡¯d break her annoying blonde little head.

    I stepped out of my training shoes and adjusted the blocks to the side. ¡°You can think whatever you want, Emilia. It¡¯s all in your head.¡±

    Picking up my phone which was the only valuable asset I brought to work, I made a move to walk away but she caught me by the wrist and held me firmly.

    I didn¡¯t bother talking as I fixed her one of the scariest res I coulde up with. Her grip loosened with her lips slightly parted. How she felt wasn¡¯t my business but it made me feel good.

    Being in the same room with her while my mind subconsciously drifted to the short moment I had with Dexter this morning once in a while caused me some difort, so I headed towards the entrance of the building to rx.

    The facade had beautiful aesthetics which consisted of colourful and nicely scented flowers that were meticulously trimmed to eliminate negative feelings even if it was just for a short while.

    I waved at the middle aged greeter who was diligently doing his job with a bright smile, then allowed my gaze to wander around the building.

    Dexter really had good taste. The driveway was built to perfection and the ground wasyered with Terracotta tiles, giving it a prominent look. The first time I came here, I was nearly swept away by the sight of the gigantic building but looking at it again with more concentration, I appreciated Dexter¡¯s pulchritudinous style and quest for excellence.

    After deciding that I¡¯d had enough break, I dragged in a deep breath and headed for the revolving door.

    I went in, distracted by the hustle and bustle of the staff downstairs. They looked serious and busy in their suits, reminding me of my former job.

    Due to my temporary distraction, I didn¡¯t see that someone was walking towards me. I bumped into him, missing a step as I closed my eyes and awaited the loud thud that would resonate from the contact between my ass and the floor.

    The sound didn¡¯te, instead I felt strongnky arms snaking around my waist, keeping me bnced until I was able to regain myposure.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± His light baritone voice jerked me out of my reverie immediately.

    I straightened my blue dress, my cheeks flushed in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for bumping into you. I hope I didn¡¯t cause any inconvenience to you?¡± I asked, hoping he wouldn¡¯t sense the nervousness in my voice.

    He smiled warmly at me, setting my tad bit scared heart at ease. ¡°Of course you weren¡¯t. I¡¯m just happy that I was able to stop you from falling. That would have caused a real embarrassment.¡± He rumbled.

    Being short of words to respond to him, I raked through my hair. ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯d make sure that this never happens again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll count on that.¡± He agreed and walked away briskly.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Woof!

    That was a huge one. The anger that was simmering within me earlier had gone with the wind and now I was ready to practice intensely as the date for the mini runway show drew closer.

    Again, I bumped into a hard rock-no-it was a human being with hard lines formed on his face. His arms were folded, his expression so stern I nearly backed away but it would seem childish so I stayed put, returning his stoic gaze with a nonchnt one.

    ¡°Have you added another duty to your position by being my bodyguard?¡±

    He kept staring at me with that unreadable stare I hated. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you enjoyed the arms of any other man that wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    I¡¯d have pped him if we weren¡¯t in his work ce which would lead to tongues wagging and maybe a small scandal. ¡°Whoever I¡¯m with is none of your business, Dexter. What do you want?¡± I shot at him.

    He tugged his hands into his pants, his soft lips which did a good job in messing with my senses this morning curved into a smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s go on a date. We have a lot of things to talk about.¡±

 The visitor

    Lorraine

    I bobbed my head backward to contain myughter, which I seeded in doing. ¡°You aren¡¯t serious, are you?¡±

    There was hardly any hint of yfulness on his face so I took it that he was serious, but thest thing I¡¯d do is to go on a date with him.

    ¡°It seems this is a bad idea so I¡¯ll just return to my office, but I won¡¯t have you loitering around during work hours.¡± He said sternly.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t loitering.¡± I said in my defense, contemting on telling him about my encounter with Emilia. It concerned the both of us, so I went ahead. ¡°Emilia suspects something.¡±

    His eyes widened as he massaged his temples quickly and dropped his hand. ¡°What exactly does she suspect?¡±

    ¡°She thinks we are in a rtionship.¡±

    He said nothing else then walked away, his shoulders drooped, probably in disappointment.

    The day went by in a haze while I earnestly waited for dismissal time. It finally came so I greeted my colleagues goodbye and raced towards the gate.

    I¡¯d passed through the revolving door after bidding the greeter good bye when I caught a sight that got my blood boiling. Dexter opened the car door for a woman to slide in while looking around surreptitiously.

    My eyes burned painfully as I sighed, angry that almost everything he did affected me. He climbed into the car as well then drove off.

    I couldn¡¯t exin the excruciating pain that filled my heart that moment, but it was so heavy and heady that I wanted to smash someone¡¯s head, or at least see some break into pieces.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Not returning home would be a big proof of how sad I was, so against every bad odds that convinced me not to go home, I still trudged ahead. Frustrated and angry.

    The kind of warmth I wanted to experience each time I got back never came, instead I was reminded of my loneliness that had be a constant presence in my life. Happiness wasn¡¯t meant for me as every event of my life gave me the pointer.

    I pushed the door open, slightly relieved that I¡¯d have some level of peace and quiet to myself but Dexter had something else in store for me.

    The same woman he left with was seated right on the sofa, scrolling through her phone with a bitchy expression. Her well toned thighs were crossed over, giving her an I-don¡¯t-give-a-fuck vibe.

    ¡°Hello,¡± I said with a light but firm tone.

    She slowly lifted her gaze from her phone like she hadn¡¯t heard mee in, and arched her brows at me as if I was an intruder. ¡°Who are you?¡± She intoned rudely.

    I had an instant dislike for her. How could someone be so saucy at the first meeting? I¡¯d opened my mouth to give her a proper reply that will make her have some rethink about her manners when Dexter stepped in, casually dressed in a pair of baggy shorts which exposed his muscr legs and a white vest.

    My eyes quickly conducted a brief scrutiny on the broadness of his chest, his well carved biceps and his ripped muscr arms.

    I cleared my throat, ¡°You¡¯re back, Mr Hemmingway. How was your day?¡±

    ¡°It was¡­.¡±

    The unknown visitor cut him short. ¡°Who¡¯s she, Dex? I thought you didn¡¯t like having people in your homes, Mr privacy.¡± She teased him with a beautiful smile. I imagined she gave only people she genuinely loved.

    Dexter nced at me, his eyes dropping silent pleas. ¡°Ummm.. She¡¯s my¡­¡±

    I dragged in a short breath ¡°I¡¯m his live in maid.¡± I cut in nervously and hurriedly, ignoring the look of disbelief and disappointment he passed to me.

    Did he think I was joking when I said that I didn¡¯t want anyone to know that we were married?

    ¡°Oh, I thought as much. You look like one with that worn out dress you have on. It¡¯s really old fashioned, isn¡¯t it?¡± She asked Dexter.

    His disbelief turned into a frown. I didn¡¯t even know who it was directed at but the way he scowled at thedy showed that it was just for me.

    ¡°Lorraine, this is my younger sister, Victoria. She¡¯s been out of the country for years and now she¡¯s back so I hope you both get along.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a mere statement to keep the conversation going, he was really hopeful that we would be closer.

    She scoffed immediately, interrupting Dexter the second time. ¡°There¡¯s no way on earth I¡¯m getting along with a maid.¡± She blurted then got to her feet, hooking her arm with Dexter¡¯s. ¡°Dex, I told you that I might be staying in the hotel for a short while before looking for an apartment, but yours is really dope and I want to stay.¡± She requested with a pout.

    Oh no. I hope he wasn¡¯t going to allow her to stay without my consent. She was the true definition of a bitch and I was so sure I couldn¡¯t stand her for a second.

    He ruffled his hair roughly, pinning his gaze on me. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, Tori.¡± He replied tly while she kept batting hershes at him. ¡°It¡¯s not a promise.¡± He added.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll bug you until you have no choice but to yield to my request.¡±

    A real pest.

    Realising that they weren¡¯t the only one in the room, she averted her gaze from her brother to me. ¡°Miss maid, can you get me a ss of water? I¡¯m really thirsty right now.¡± She said with a grim smirk that I really felt like smacking off her lips.

    I¡¯m not your maid, dummy. That, I wanted to say but it would onlyplicate matters so I chose another reply instead. ¡°Do you want it warm or cold?¡±

    ¡°Cold, of course.¡± She stated with a dismissive tone. ¡°Don¡¯t be so dumb.¡± She said after I left.

    After getting a bottle of water from the fridge, I turned it into a ss tumbler and set it on a tray. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn¡¯t feel that someone else was present in the room.

    ¡°You¡¯re really keen on downgrading yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡± I could sense the pain from his voice, but what could he have me do?

    My life would be plunged into a downward trajectory if anyone knew that we were married-contractually. It would have been easier for me if we both loved each other, but love was thest thing that could happen between the both of us.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that she was around? You could have sent a text or something, yet you decided to give me the best surprise of the year.¡± I fired at him. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but to me, the conversation was over. ¡°Excuse me, please.¡±

    The stic tray holding the ss cup that was held firmly in my hands slipped off and dropped to the ground, shattering into splinters as I stared at the second uninvited visitor we had.

    What on God¡¯s green earth was Emilia doing here?

 Just one dinner

    Dexter

    Why did I feel like I¡¯d strained the already overstretched bond that was barely hanging on a thread?

    I knew how saucy my sister could be with paupers, but Lorraine wasn¡¯t one. She was the wife of a billionaire-my wife, yet she agreed to call herself a maid and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Seeing her all wrapped in Arnold¡¯s arm at the entrance that time filled me with a strange kind of feeling I feared to entertain. That moment, it took all my self-will and the reminder that we were in a formal ce to stop me fromnding an angry punch on his cheeks.

    No other man has the right to touch her apart from me. I was the only one who could make her body react to my touch even when she thought she didn¡¯t want me.

    I couldn¡¯t allow her to continue making a fool of herself so I returned to the sitting room to make sure that Victoria wasn¡¯t going overboard on her, and I almost regretted it because Emilia was seated on my chair with a gobsmacked expression on her face.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Emilia?¡± I hollered since no one was willing to talk.

    She broke the stare and shed her signature sultry smile at me. ¡°I¡¯m here to see my friend, do you think the world revolves around only you?¡±

    Victoria red at me but I ignored her. ¡°Dexter,¡± She groaned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you have forgotten about our friendship?¡±

    Damn it! I should have thought about all of this before bringing her home. But she was my baby sister, it wasn¡¯t wrong for her to know where I lived.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t, it¡¯s just that¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s surprised to see me here because there are a lot of skeletons in his cupboard.¡± She chuckled and fixed a surprised stare at Lorraine who had been unable to say anything since she saw Emilia. ¡°What is she doing here?¡±

    No. No. No. I couldn¡¯t let this happen. ¡°Emilia, can I see you outside for a second?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s his maid.¡± Victoria informed her before I could stop her. ¡°Not so smart, is she?¡± She derogated.

    Emilia blinked hard, her lips widely parted as she raised a finger at her. ¡°You¡¯re his maid? How can you evenbine that with your job at the agency?¡±

    I lurched at her and palmed her mouth, dragging her out of the sitting room to the hallway. ¡°You have to leave, right now!¡± I said sternly.

    She fiddled with the tip of her blonde hair, intentionally sucking on her lower lips. ¡°I came to visit your sister, not you. How do you think she¡¯ll feel if I leave abruptly just because you asked me to?¡±

    I resisted the urge to ring the security downstairs and ask them to yank her away from my sight, knowing that it wouldn¡¯t end well for us, especially Lorraine.

    ¡°You can stay, but you have to keep your big mouth trapped. I don¡¯t need you bbering off to my sister. Just have fun and leave.¡± I demanded with a deadpan expression.

    She chuckled, her tone bearing some hint of sultriness. Why did she want to seduce me every time she was around me? Was my cock that addicting?

    ¡°It¡¯s sweet to know that you actually know the size of your mouth.¡± She grinned, advancing towards me with a wink. ¡°Who¡¯s Lorraine to you, Dexter? With the way you protect her, I¡¯m very sure that she¡¯s more than an employee to you.¡±

    She was right. I couldn¡¯t even consider Lorraine as my employee. She wouldn¡¯t even be one if she wasn¡¯t so keen on working and being a model.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    I knew that she had the right figure for it but the passion, where did it evene from? She never mentioned wanting to be a model while we were in high school.

    ¡°Victoria just told you who she was. She¡¯s my maid and she doubles as a model at the agency. Why do you care so much?¡± I asked, folding my arms.

    ¡°Oh! spare me the crap!¡± She snapped, ¡°Your maid? Really?¡±

    I sighed, thinking of how to salvage the situation without causing more mess. ¡°The only thing I want you to do is to protect Lorraine¡¯s identity from Victoria.¡±

    ¡°Nothing goes for nothing.¡± She stated.

    ¡°Women!¡± I inclined my head and muttered in disgust. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you for this.¡±

    She snorted and closed the distance between us, trailing her fingers on my bare arm. I didn¡¯t even feel any hint of excitement as she touched me. The sparks that usually ignited in my body each time Lorraine passed a simple nce at me were nowhere to be found, instead, my skin crawled with irritation.

    ¡°Money, money every time. I don¡¯t need your money and you know that. I want something more personal than the stash of cash in your ount.¡± She drawled, leaning on my chest. ¡°I want this.¡± Her fingers continued the trails down to her my dick.

    I pushed her away instantly. ¡°Not getting that.¡± I said with a snide tone.

    She furrowed her brows with a mischievous smirk. ¡°I¡¯m not? I thought you wanted my lips sealed?¡± She reminded me while I clenched my fists, wondering why Lorraine liked making things hard for herself.

    Why on earth couldn¡¯t shee clean and allow me to tell everyone that she was my wife?

    ¡°For sure, your lips are going to be sealed. I just need to figure out the perfect way to make sure it never spills unnecessary information.¡± I growled, enjoying the nched look on her face which she quickly covered up with her annoying smirk.

    She raised her hand in mock surrender. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s call it a truce. Just have dinner with me and I promise you wouldn¡¯t have to fear about your dear Lorraine¡¯s reputationing out in public.¡± She said, making a zipped lips sign.

    ¡°Your promise doesn¡¯t bear any weight to me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your choice to trust me blindly, after all, you¡¯re the one making the request.¡±

    I sighed in resignation, ruffling my hair. ¡°Dinner after the runway show. Just one dinner and that¡¯s it, don¡¯t expect anything else from me.¡±

 Is she your wife?

    Lorraine

    A weary feeling of anxiety washed over me, knowing that it was thest day of training before the mini runway show.

    Today, we were to showcase what we had been practicing all along, then the models that should participate in the show would be shortlisted. That was where the anxiety stemmed out from.

    Victoria left with Emiliast night and ever since, the atmosphere between us has be more strained than before. My heart yearned to talk to him, even if it was the trivial conversations we used to have.

    Stefan came into the training room dressed in a long flowing gown with dolman sleeves. His nose, which I didn¡¯t notice was pierced, had a medium sized round ring on it.

    But his queer way of dressing didn¡¯t cause a dent to the beauty of his face. Maybe if he dressed more like a man, I¡¯d make him my crush.

    ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡± He chirped with the same warm smile that he usually greeted us with.

    ¡°Good morning, Stefan!¡± We chorused, then I added. ¡°How was your night?¡±

    His warm smile got broader, ¡°I¡¯m fine, my darling.¡± The exchange of greetings were over, so he faced us all squarely. ¡°As we all know, today¡¯s the final day of practice which means whatever you do  will decide your fate before the event. You¡¯ll be shortlisted and if you don¡¯t do well, I¡¯m sorry to break the news but you won¡¯t be able to model for the show.¡± He reiterated.

    My nervousness skyrocketed and when I darted a nce at my colleagues, I realised that I wasn¡¯t the only one.

    He allowed us to digest the news before he continued. ¡°Prepare yourselves because in the next thirty minutes, we¡¯ll be on a bus to the event center where you¡¯ll show off all you¡¯ve been working on. Is that understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± We chorused again.

    ¡°Whatever you do, do it from your heart. I wish you all the best, sweethearts.¡± He said and left the room.

    A tired sigh left my lips as I wondered why his speech felt so motivating yet draining at the same time. There was not much time to entertain unnecessary thoughts so I headed towards my own space and began to rehearse my steps.

    Mine was unique, Ste used to say, and just made for me, but I needed a lot of confidence to execute it perfectly and make everyone stare at me in awe or I¡¯d just be some silly girl trying to make everyone watch her put her legs in front of the other.

    Over here, not everyone liked me because they thought that I was given preferential treatment by Dexter. I could imagine how much the hatred would intensify if they knew what our real rtionship was all about.

    Thirty minutester, just as Stefan told us earlier, someone came to inform us that our ride had arrived. My heart skipped a beat, knowing that it was time for business.

    We took our bags and a few minutester, we hit the road. On getting to the hall, my lips parted narrowly in shock. I quickly closed it to avoid being mocked by some of my seniors.

    The hall was magnificent, prepping my small little heart about what I¡¯d see inside. As I jumped out of the bus, I caught the sight of three people that caused my blood to pump in different ways.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    Dexter was walking towards the hall with Emilia and Victoria standing beside him. I bit my lower lip to keep myself from screaming as the sight of him wrapping his arm around Emilia caused me to cringe with anger.

    When did he be such a pathetic liar?

    I thought he said that he was done with her, why would he be messing around with someone who didn¡¯t have the shame of knowing when to stop throwing herself at a man?

    He had already gone with them, so I followed suit with the group and forced my mind to focus on the main reason I was here.

    We got acquainted with the runway and I couldn¡¯t deny that the nces I found Dexter throwing my way-his eyes which were zing with difort helped in chipping off the anger that had piled in my heart like an iceberg.

    Something came to my notice each time I returned the nce at him. He was willing to be anywhere but with Emilia who kept grinning like she had won a lottery.

    Stefan called us backstage where we had to dress up and change our outfits for each walk to give one more piece of advice.

    ¡°Make sure you do your best.¡± He said, ¡°What you are about to do is the first step to making your ims as a runway model.¡±

    *******

    The final practice was finally over and it was safe to say that I was dead-beat tired. My nerves were frayed by the numerous eyes that stared at me; most of them were judgemental, the others nonchnt, while some just wanted me to fail.

    Fortunately, I didn¡¯t allow their thoughts to get to me. Deep down in my heart I knew that I¡¯d done well and even if I wasn¡¯t selected for the show, I¡¯d work twice as hard to be on the next one.

    We were granted a short break to use the convenience room. I opted to use mine to search for a snack since the food I¡¯d eaten had dissolved already.

    ¡°That was a good catwalk you showed off back there.¡± I turned around, knowing who exactly had the voice.

    Seeing him wearing an astonished and I¡¯m-happy-for-you expression made me swallow the surly statement thatid low at the tip of my tongue.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied curtly.

    An amused look shed on his face and disappeared quickly. ¡°Where are you headed? I could drop you off, besides you look so hungry and tired.¡±

    I didn¡¯t react physically but deep down, my heart was doing a little happy dance. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± I waved it off.

    ¡°I know that I¡¯ve been a douchebag and you are so pissed at me but trust me, everything I¡¯m doing is for your own good.¡± His voice had gotten a bit tender, like he wanted me to believe what he had to say.

    Emilia came up behind him with a huge scowl on her face. Obviously, she wasn¡¯t happy to see her stolen piece of cake on another¡¯s person¡¯s te. ¡°You told me that you were going out, you didn¡¯t tell me it was with her.¡±

    He spun around and pinned her with an icy stare. ¡°I¡¯m not ountable to you, Emilia, you are not anything important to me. You are not even my wife!¡± He thundered, our eyes met after he made mention of the word ¡®wife¡¯.

    ¡°Then tell me, Dexter, is she your wife?¡± She shot back.

 A good news

    Lorraine

    ¡°Whatever rtionship I have with her is none of your business. The only reason I allow you to hang around me is because of that conversation.¡± He seethed.

    Against my better reasoning, I expected him to blurt that I was his wife. I mentally pped my face because something was definitely wrong with me.

    She stomped her foot on the ground vehemently, trying to voice out words which remained stuck in her throat. Her jaw was clenched as if she was barely stopping herself from throwing a punch at Dexter. ¡°You are so annoying.¡± She said through gritted teeth. ¡°You promised to do whatever I wanted, is this how you keep to your word?¡±

    Really?

    He made a promise to her after confessing that there was nothing between them?

    There and then, I realised that I¡¯d been such a fool. Listening to their banters would do nothing to eliminate the pain I felt so I spun around and stormed off in search of a cafe.

    Loud footsteps sounded after me but I wasn¡¯t going to stop to listen to any of his lies. I¡¯ve had enough.

    My steps were halted by the firm grip of his hand on my wrist. I fixed a mean re that caused him to give my wrist a break. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked harshly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Lorraine.¡± He sighed in resignation, shaking his head slowly.

    I scoffed, blinking hard to keep the stupid tears in my eyes from falling. ¡°I¡¯m not a dummy like your sister said the other time, I surely understand what is going on here.¡± I dragged in a deep breath and started talking with the pent up anger that had found a way out of its hole. ¡°You married me just to toil with my feelings. To remind me that I¡¯m weak and anyone can pull the strings and in a sh, I¡¯ll be at their mercy. I might be wrong, but I¡¯m not wrong about the fact that I hate you, and I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with you.¡±

    Dexter stared at me with a confused and nched expression. There was no trace of nonchnce, all I saw was the vulnerability and a flicker of hurt.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true, Lorraine.¡± He replied weakly.

    I raked through my hair in frustration, letting out an angry cry. ¡°Then why did you marry me in the first ce? You¡¯ve done nothing but cause me pain even when I don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you why.¡± He disagreed calmly, the familiar unreadable mask covering the ball of emotions he¡¯d revealed earlier.

    A darkughter rang out of my throat. ¡°Then let me go.¡± I croaked.

    With an intense stare that could see right through my soul and his jaw tightly clenched, he breathed, ¡°Never.¡± Then walked away.

    Fury mmed through me as I watched him walk away with the realisation that I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything even though I tried.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Dexter could get whatever he wanted without breaking a sweat and he got me that same way. The question I kept asking myself was if he would marry me after what happened in the past.

    The answer came almost immediately. It was scary, hurtful and it went so fast in unlocking the box of pain that I¡¯d hidden at the farthest part of my mind.

    I picked myself up and returned to the hall. My break was over already and with how tired I was, I didn¡¯t need anyone to remind me of my inadequacies.

    Victoria stopped me just before the entrance. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you and what happened right now doesn¡¯t look like a discussion between a boss and his maid.¡± She pinched her chin as if in deep thought. ¡°It seems like you were really heartbroken that he was Emilia.¡± She cackled.

    ¡°Get out of my way.¡± I growled as she flinched, putting a small distance between us.

    ¡°Now the maid talks back,¡± She said with an air of indifference. ¡°You don¡¯t really know how to mask your feelings, do you?¡± She taunted me.

    I shut my eyes and counted to ten before thinking of a reasonable reply. ¡°Minding your business will help you a lot. Do you know that?¡± I said calmly.

    She beamed at me with a frown, surprised at myeback. ¡°What did you just say to me?¡± Her eyes danced with fury.

    ¡°What you heard me say, Miss Hemmingway. The fact that you are my boss¡¯s sister doesn¡¯t mean you have to bully me around. I¡¯m a human with feelings and I won¡¯t allow anyone to treat me less.¡± I warned with a note of seriousness.

    It felt good to finally let her know that I wouldn¡¯t be pushed around by her or anyone else. ¡°If you have nothing else to say to me, I¡¯d like to take my leave now.¡±

    Her lips were still snapped shut so I took it that she had nothing else to say until she obstructed my path with her signature bitch face. ¡°I know you like my brother a lot, I mean, you couldn¡¯t even hide how hurt you were when you saw him with Emilia and even if you both say that you are his maid, I don¡¯t believe it.¡±

    ¡°So what are you trying to say?¡±

    Her eyes flickered with anger. ¡°Stay away from my brother. You are not his type and you will never be.¡±

    I pushed closer to her, my gaze cold as ice. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing for a long time now, but he doesn¡¯t know how to stay away.¡± Her brows furrowed in confusion, but I wasn¡¯t going to say more. ¡°Have a nice day.¡± I said sweetly and headed for the hall.

    My steps were fluid and fast because I calcted that they would have started the process of shortlisting while Victoria kept me outside distracted.

    Stefan passed a look of disapproval at me as I joined the line of models who were to be picked. ¡°You arete.¡± He rebuked me sternly and before I could exin what happened, Dexter cut in.

    ¡°Whatever happened is on me. Let¡¯s continue.¡± He said with his gaze on me, like he was tired of being anywhere but here.

    Over ten people had been selected already causing me to be nervous. The confidence that enveloped me when I was with Victoria had been drained and now I wanted nothing more than to know my fate.

    ¡°Lorraine Hills,¡± Stefan said curtly, not passing off any hint of my sess or failure. ¡°Congrattions, you have been selected to be a part of the mini runway show. Don¡¯t forget to do your best.¡±

    My joy knew no bounds as a loud scream of happiness flew from my lips. Ste, my trainer, didn¡¯t hesitate in giving me a hug while a few others who didn¡¯t feel any negative thing for me whispered congrattory words to me.

    But everything that happened didn¡¯t measure up to the surprise I felt when Dexter came forward and gave me a side hug which was so warm and cozy that I forgot how angry I¡¯d been.

    With a genuinely happy voice, he said. ¡°Congrattions, princess. I¡¯m really happy for you.¡±

 Victoria again?

    Lorraine

    ¡°Thank you very much, sir.¡± I replied shyly after moving away from him quickly, wondering what pushed him to show a public disy of affection.

    He dipped his hands into his pants and smirked. ¡°You are very wee.¡±

    Then I realised what happened as his smirk stretched. His hug had two meanings: slowly, he wanted to show everyone that I was his. Secondly, he was truly happy for him.

    A lot would go down once we got home today.

    Stefan went on with the name calling while I engaged in an eye battle with him, not minding if others would be giving us a very serious scrutiny.

    I knew they liked him. Most of the models had gossiped about how they¡¯d do anything to be on his bed because of how sexy he was.

    Sometimes, I smiled after hearing their conversations, knowing that it would never happen because I for one wouldn¡¯t allow it since I was his wife.

    Yes! The kind of jealousy that spurs through me whenever I seedies outrightly seducing him couldn¡¯t be exined, and soon I¡¯ll be marking my territory.

    ¡°We can all go home and take a break. If there¡¯s any new update, you¡¯ll be duly informed.¡± Stefan concluded as we jammed our hands together, apuding him with sighs of relief.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Since I didn¡¯t want to raise more suspicions, I decided to head home straight. The taxi driver that carried me to and fro wouldn¡¯t know where I was presently and I didn¡¯t want to bother calling him.

    I stood at the side of the road, waiting for any cab that would be avable to take me home when my familiar cab ride stopped in front of me.

    My eyes reeled in shock as I wondered how he got to know my location. Now, I could say that I wasn¡¯t imagining things when I felt that someone was trying to make my life easy.

    There was only one way to find out, and I would.

    ********

    Surprisingly, Dexter was already home before me. How he was able to pull that off, I couldn¡¯t tell, because I was very sure that I left before him.

    The aroma of mouth watering dishes wafted into my nose and instantly, I was reminded of how hungry I was. Even if Dexter and I weren¡¯t on good terms, the fact that he was thoughtful enough to make dinner helped my resentment to melt a little.

    I trudged to the kitchen after dropping my bag on the bed. What a way to end the day.

    The minute I entered, he darted his gaze to my figure at the door and offered a sweet smile that almost made me want to kiss him.

    I say again, Dexter was the only man that could get different emotions out of me without breaking a sweat. Presently, there were just two things I felt-joy and an unusual urge to have him inside of me.

    Crazy, right?

    How did I move from not wanting him around me to craving his dick?

    ¡°You can keep staring all you want. I know I¡¯m a sexy piece of meat and the good news is that you can have all of me.¡± He chuckled sweetly, his attention all fixed on the cooker.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you, Dexter, so stop getting ahead of yourself.¡± I lied.

    He snorted and wiped his hand with one of the clean towels on the counter. ¡°Of course, I know I¡¯m getting ahead of myself, but don¡¯t deny that you want me. Your eyes are zing with need, and do you know why I¡¯m happy?¡± He paused, propping his arm against his waist.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked almost inaudibly, knowing that I¡¯d been caught because my husband right here can see through me.

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve always wanted to be truly wanted by you and slowly we are getting there.¡±

    Maybe I should just consider him. We are two grown adults who could have sex and forget about it, but I was very certain that I¡¯d never forget about it if we ever made love again.

    ¡°What¡¯s for dinner?¡± I blurted, getting ufortable with his subtle way of initiating sex.

    He bobbed his head backwards, apparently taken aback by the change of subject. He answered anyway. ¡°I¡¯m making a three course meal to celebrate your sess. For starters, take this.¡±

    He set a te of spinach artichoke dip in front of me then handed me a towel. I stared at it for a while then averted my gaze to the maker. His eyes were filled with anticipation so I dove in, my eyes shut as I enjoyed the sweet sensations that I got from the food.

    When I opened my eyes, his finger was on the side of my lips, wiping off the smear from the cream he used. ¡°This is so delicious. Are you sure that you really made this yourself?¡±

    A glint of satisfaction shed in his eyes. ¡°How many times am I going to remind you that I cook very well?¡± He muttered, sounding offended. ¡°Maybe the next meal will convince you.¡±

    He returned to the counter to check on what he was cooking, then I remembered the question I¡¯d wanted to ask.

    ¡°You got home earlier than me even when I left before you? How so?¡± I probed.

    With a shrug, he said, ¡°Difference in speed, Honey. You can¡¯t expect a Toyota Prius to give a Cadic SRX a heart mming race.¡±

    He just shot himself in the foot. ¡°It¡¯s been you all along, Dexter.¡± I whispered in sheer realization while a knowing smirk touched his lips.

    ¡°It actually took you so long to figure that out. Did you think that I¡¯d let you jump into buses when I know that your safety is at stake?¡±

    I gasped in unbelief. ¡°Then why did you act like you didn¡¯t care?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you decided to see, Lorraine.¡± He turned off the gas and strolled over to my side. ¡°I¡¯ve always cared, even when you broke my heart into pieces and gave me reasons not to trust you again, my heart couldn¡¯t bear the fact that someone wants you hurt.¡±

    Tears were already beginning to form in my eyes and it was just a matter of seconds before they cascaded down my cheeks. ¡°Whatever you thought I did, I swear that I didn¡¯t do it.¡± I admitted, my voice cracking.

    His hands squeezed my shoulders a bit lightly as he lowered his face to my ear. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to trust you on that, but know this, I will never allow anyone to hurt you apart from me. One of these days, you¡¯ll begin to pay back for all the pain you caused me.¡±

    ¡°I¡­..¡± I shivered at the intensity of his words but I wasn¡¯t scared. Strangely, I anticipated his punishment.

    His index finger cut me short as he shushed me. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about the punishment and focus on how we feel right now.¡±

    Blood rushed to my face, my heart thudding so fast as he merged our lips together. It was the sweetest feeling, mixed with a tinge of pain that stemmed out from knowing he didn¡¯t trust me.

    The kiss was intense, anything but gentle. We were both desperate to feel each other, our hands roved over our bodies with fervency, spiking the mes of pleasure.

    ¡°Upstairs, huh?¡± He broke the kiss, hoisting me up so that my legs could straddle his waist.

    I nodded in haze as I couldn¡¯t trust my voice to make a coherent reply. When I didn¡¯t say anything else, he smiled. ¡°My room it is.¡±

    I loved how prompt he was about everything. We¡¯d left the kitchen, almost getting to the stairs when the front door pushed open, then a scream followed immediately.

    Fear surged through me as I struggled to get down to my feet which he didn¡¯t allow. Our gaze flew to the visitor who was no other than Victoria whose lips were widely parted, eyes bulging, with a big channel box beside her.

 Iéˆ¥æª’l be there with you

    Dexter

    There was a quick switch in the kind of hormones that rushed through me-the rush of testosterones had dwindled as my adrenaline level rose up. Our secret had been busted and it would be better if I just told her the truth now, seeing how livid she was.

    ¡°Your maid, Dex?¡± Her eyes wide with incredulity. ¡°Are you that horny that anyone can do the job for you?¡± She fired.

    I could feel it. My anger. It was building up already and the reasons I didn¡¯t act on them was because of my rtionship with her and my stance on physical violence.

    ¡°You have to tone it down, Victoria, she¡¯s my staff not yours.¡± My voice was gruff and curt, causing her to flinch as she didn¡¯t expect my response.

    Lorraine, who was still tightly held in my arms, kept pinching me, whispering that she wanted to get down. I allowed her, knowing that she was anything butfortable presently.

    Victoria mmed the front door shut then traipsed forward with her box. She dropped her bag on the sofa and directed her re at Lorraine who returned the re, undaunted. ¡°I was right all along, bitch, but you denied it. Do you know what people like you are?¡± She stomped her foot on the floor just like Emilia did whenever she was mad.

    Bad influence.

    Lorraine didn¡¯t allow her to finish and truly, I appreciated her standing up for herself even if it was against my younger sister. ¡°People like me are hardworking and caring, it¡¯s not bad that your brother fell for me and I¡¯m sure that it¡¯s very hard for you to pull that off seeing how malicious you are.¡± She retorted proudly, taking me aback.

    This conversation was actually going the wrong way.

    ¡°You, idiot¡­¡± She lurched at Lorraine who was fast enough to duck her fist and head for the room.

    I could see resignation in her eyes even though she was sounding all strong earlier. Left alone with Tori, I decided to clean the mess.

    ¡°Why did youe here?¡± My anger was bing unbridled.

    She caught a hang of my harsh tone and decided against a snappy response. ¡°I wanted to be around my family. I¡¯ve been all alone and since you said that you¡¯d consider my request, I decided toe this evening.¡± Her lips were pouted while she fiddled with her fingers.

    ¡°But you should have told me first beforeing here, that would have been better than themotion you just caused.¡± I corrected her.

    She dropped onto the sofa, rolling her eyes. ¡°Do I really have to call you beforeing? You are my brother.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s my house. You know how much I enjoy my privacy so here¡¯s what we are going to do.¡± I sighed, taking a deep breath because I needed all the calmness I could attain in dealing with the brat seated before me.

    Her eyes shone with hope, one that I was about to squash. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll stay here for some days while I search for a house in a nice location for you. Say Beverly Hills, Malibu, any nice neighborhood you choose.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I could see a flicker of disappointment at first, then after some seconds a grin worked its way to her face. One way to get her way was using material things and I just did that.

    I wasn¡¯t even joking when I said that I wanted her to be on her own. It was obvious that Lorraine would never befortable in her presence and if Victoria was here, then Emilia would have reasons to visit.

    The chain was endless and I didn¡¯t want to think of where it would end.

    She sprang to her feet and leaned on my chest. ¡°I love you, brother. Thank you for always having my back, but please allow me to do the same as well. Thatdy Lorraine, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s good for you. Nody in her right senses would allow such a level of intimacy with her boss. It¡¯s really annoying and disgusting.¡±

    ¡®There¡¯s a legit reason for that.¡¯ I nearly mouthed but Lorraine wouldn¡¯t be happy that I broke her rules. ¡°Allow me to be the judge of that and don¡¯t treat her with disrespect. I won¡¯t tolerate it next time.¡± I warned.

    Speaking of Lorraine, she was gone for some time without having the dinner I prepared for her. This was one of the reasons I loved my privacy.

    ¡°Good night, Tori. You can make yourselffortable in any of the rooms.¡± I said in a rush as I headed for our room.

    On pushing the door open, I found the bed empty without her or the duvet. Then it urred to me that she wouldn¡¯t be sleeping in our room because of¡­

    My house was a big one which had several rooms. There were about five rooms in my wing and if she didn¡¯t want to create any suspicion, she¡¯d have to go to another wing in the house.

    I quickly headed to the less beautiful part of the house where any of my staff would stay if I eventually employed a live-in maid. I didn¡¯t need to check other rooms because a sniffle which could only be hers, caught my attention.

    ¡°Lorraine,¡± I knocked and the room became silent immediately, but I didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Can Ie in?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond as she continued to sniffle, increasing my nervousness by the second. After what seemed like eternity, I heard footsteps advancing towards the door. The knob twisted, the door opening slightly for me toe in.

    I caught her wrist before she could get to the bed and twirled her around so that I could watch her reaction while I talked to her.

    Her beautiful face had turned red and puffy with tears, her eyes were quite bigger than they used to be but that wasn¡¯t the only thing I noticed. Sadness and unspoken frustration were embedded in them.

    This wasn¡¯t my n.

    Though I wanted her to feel so much pain for making me look like a fool for years, I didn¡¯t know that it would hurt me this way. I didn¡¯t realise that for the few months we¡¯ve been together, her pain wasn¡¯t hers alone but mine too.

    The discovery was unnerving, because I didn¡¯t want to fall for her again, but seeing how pained she was, I knew in my heart that I could kill so that she would never have to experience such a feeling again.

    ¡°Come back to our room, Lorraine. You can¡¯t sleep here alone.¡± I persuaded her gently.

    She shook her head, a reminder of how stubborn she could be. ¡°Sleep here with me instead. Tonight, I just want to forget about everything and enjoy the warmth of your cuddles. Even if we might return to our normal routine, I want to sleep soundly knowing that I¡¯m not alone.¡±

    She didn¡¯t need to speak further as her confession struck a guilty chord in my chest. Because of my selfishness, I¡¯d taken away the little peace of mind she had left but I would never let her go.

    Never.

    ¡°Anywhere you want to be, I¡¯ll be there with you.¡± I assured her with all sincerity and took her into my arms

 The event

    Lorraine

    Finally, the day that had given me restless nights since thest practice had arrived, and I couldn¡¯t deny that my anxiety had doubled.

    Alongside other models, I was seated on a wooden stool, having my face made up. My eyes were shut as my mind wandered in different directions.

    I didn¡¯t even know what to feel. I didn¡¯t know what to think. The excitement of being on the runway for the first time had fizzled out and it was reced with a very strong fear of failure.

    There was no one to cheer me up amongst the crowd. Unlike others who would have their families pping for them, I had no one. Absolutely no one.

    ¡°You can open your eyes now, I¡¯m done.¡± The artist informed me and quickly I stared at the mirror in awe, my eyes popping at the reflection that greeted me.

    I was beautiful. I didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s validation to be sure of how beautiful I was. The knowledge gave me strength that I could pull it off and slowly make a name for myself.

    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± I gushed at her while she nodded with a satisfied smile.

    She left to continue her business while I stood up to change my clothes. We¡¯d done the first fitting for the dress and I couldn¡¯t deny that it looked good on me. Stefan was already beginning to warn me about being overweight and after this show, I¡¯d have to join a gym session.

    Upon entering the changing room, I discovered that I wouldn¡¯t be alone. The other models who were done with their make up had already begun changing while I was busy fiddling with the zip of my dress.

    A deep voice I¡¯d recognise anywhere resonated close to the door, initiating a fluttery feeling in my stomach.

    He¡¯d reassured me that he would see me before we were asked to walk on the runway but I didn¡¯t take him seriously. ¡°Is she in?¡± I heard him ask and within a short moment, the door knob twisted open.

    He took a peek in and when our eyes met, he signaled that we talked outside. Ignoring the audible hisses and res that some of the models threw at me, I shed a nonchnt nce at them and walked out.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± He asked as soon as I got out.

    ¡°Nervous.¡± I answered a bit too fast, unable to get over the edginess of my tone.

    He pulled closer to me, reaching for my hands not minding the side nced passed at us. ¡°You have every right to be. It¡¯s your first time out there,¡± He said softly.

    Seeing him here reduced every fear and doubt I had about myself to the barest minimum. The way he looked at me showed how much he adored me even without putting it in words. ¡°I don¡¯t want to miss my step and slip.¡± I whined, ¡°What if I slip off and fall? What if I don¡¯t do well.¡± I croaked, my heart palpitating.

    He loosened our hands from each other and caressed my chin. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do any of that, instead, you will show everyone how bold and ssy you are. Win them over with your graceful steps.¡±

    ¡°Oh Dexter!¡± I fell into his arms, my eyes getting blurry with tears. ¡°Thank you for being here.¡± My voice wasced with emotions.

    His fingers moved to my head, caressing my nicely styled hair which caused shivers to run down my spine. Time wasn¡¯t on our side and even if he had nners who were making sure that the event went well, he wasn¡¯t stillfortable.

    We pulled away from each other simultaneously as if our minds were linked together. ¡°You¡¯ll do well,¡± He confidently assured me like he knew how it would end.

    ¡°Good bye.¡± I sighed and returned to the dressing room.

    The room fell silent as soon as I got in but I ignored it and focused on changing. If they weren¡¯t going to say anything because of what they say, then it was their business.

    Slowly the noise returned but I suddenly wished they didn¡¯t say anything because they were talking about me like I wasn¡¯t there.

    ¡°She thinks so highly of herself because Mr Hemmingway is attracted to her body.¡± Marianna who really wanted to have Dexter to herself said.

    An angry snort followed then another snide statement. ¡°What body? A pauper that has nothing to offer? Even the body ain¡¯t enticing.¡±

    With fury swelling within me, I turned around and fixed a monstrous re at them. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault that you are unable to get what a pauper already owns. Sad, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Marianna lurched forward, her fists clenched and her nostrils red so wide I thought I saw smoke randomly moving out of them, but she wasn¡¯t fast enough as her minions held her back before she could hit me. ¡°You won¡¯t know what hit you, Lorraine.¡± She snarled, but none of her threats got to me as I revelled in the feeling of triumph.

    I was done dressing and since I didn¡¯t want to risk being fought against, I left with my head high and waited for the show to start.

    **********Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The show was already buzzing with the audience cheering the models who were doing their thing on the runway. Just two models and it would be my turn to move.

    I reached for my high-heeled sandal which had a long strap and wore it. I¡¯d taken it off earlier because of an unusual ache I¡¯d been having since I came.

    Satisfied with how well the shoe looked on me, I took a step forward and immediately I noticed a friction between my foot and the insole. It was toote for me to properly scrutinise it even though it felt slippery and I was scared of falling.

    I began to walk, slower than I should, but I couldn¡¯t risk falling or stopping as well. Like everything was against me, the hem of the chiffon dress which had a long slit by the right side of my leg got blown by a gentle breeze when it died down, the hem hooked to the buckle of the heel, causing my steps to be wobbly.

    Thebination of a pair of slippery shoes and a hooked buckle caused me to trip over, falling onto the ground with a loud thud.

    Gasps and whispers reverberated from the audience, some of them standing to their feets and peering at me.

    Heavy embarrassment washed over me as I allowed my tousled hair to form a veil over my face. I could hear the other models mock me from the backstage just as they¡¯ve been wanting to do.

    Someone set me up, I was sure of that. And as I continued to lie down on the stage, the dots began to connect to each other. The shoe wasn¡¯t the same size I wore initially so it was switched, and if anyone had the opportunity to disgrace me, it would be Marianna.

    The screams increased as I heard heavy steps run close to me. I tilted my head to the side as Dexter crouched before me, stretching my length as he carried me swiftly out of the stage.

 A new friend

    Lorraine

    ¡°What happened over there?¡± Dexter asked, breathing frantically.

    I took a cursory nce at his face to know if he was actually scolding me, but it was the opposite as his eyes held worry and concern all directed at me. He looked ready to beat up whoever caused that chaotic scene at the runway.

    I bit my lips and sighed, tired of the incessant frustration caused by people who were supposed to mind their business. ¡°Someone set me up. That shoe wasn¡¯t my size.¡± I admitted, rxing on the back rest of the chair.

    A glint of disbelief crossed his features as he folded his arms. ¡°Exin!¡± He snapped, his voice was low and dangerous, edgy at the same time.

    ¡°I took off my shoes earlier because of how cranky I was. I don¡¯t know what happened around that time, but when I put it on again, I realised that it was slippery and on making a step I discovered that it wasn¡¯t my size.¡± I paused, remembering a certain detail that might have caused the problem.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What?¡± He grumbled.

    My throat ran dry but I managed to reply, ¡°At a certain point I was pressed and since I¡¯d taken off the shoe, I went on my pumps to the convenience room. Whatever took ce should be around that time.¡± I muttered, my eyes widened in discovery. ¡°Is the show over?¡±

    He came over to me and sank onto the chair beside me, his features softened as if he realised that he had been harsh all along. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to take that walk again?¡±

    I nodded, peering at him with an idea popping into my mind. ¡°With you beside me. I can do it.¡±

    His brows furrowed with a knowing look. ¡°Whatever support you need, I¡¯ll give it to you, but why do I feel that you are about to ask for something else?¡±

    He was right and I hoped that we wouldn¡¯t have to stay too long on the matter. ¡°Join me on the walk. Right now, I don¡¯t think I can get on that stage¡­¡±

    With his usual stoic expression, he sprang to his feet, causing me to flinch. It was obvious he wouldn¡¯t do it. It was too belittling for the CEO of Hemming corporation to join me on the stage. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try to do it alone.¡± I inclined my head.

    ¡°I hope my step matches yours.¡± He began to grin, the anxiety that had built up within me began to dissipate as I realised that he was going to help me.

    Without thinking, I jumped on him and flung my arms around him. ¡°This is the second time I¡¯m telling you thank you today, but I¡¯ll say it again. Thank you.¡± I was giddy with excitement and almost willing to tell the whole world that he was my husband.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± He held my hands and led me out of the changing room.

    The gossips that were going on between the models that weren¡¯t on my side died down as they stared at us awestruck. I kept my chin high, beaming at them and daring any of them to say any meaningless word to my face.

    Dexter took his hand off mine and took a step away from me. ¡°You all know that whatever happened to Lorraine at the runway wasn¡¯t a mere coincidence, and trust me to make sure I get to the bottom of it. Whoever switched her shoes should report to Stefan because if I go through the stress of making an investigation, it won¡¯t be funny.¡± He threatened and reached for my hand again.

    My gaze met Marianna who was trembling slightly behind her friend. I stuck out my tongue at her, showed her my middle finger and walked away with Dexter.

    They arranged another walk for us with the remaining set of models walking and this time, we would be thest toe out.

    My palms were getting mmy with sweat again and Dexter, who noticed it, shed an assuring smile at me. ¡°I¡¯m here with you, Lorraine. No one will hurt you again,¡± He gave me a firm promise. ¡°And I hope your shoes are good.¡± He teased me with a mischievous smirk rising to his lips.

    We went out next, our steps briskly yet fluid. Our gait matched together with our perfect pace. The audience were shocked initially and because of that they became silent, but it was just for a second as they got over the surprise and began to apud us. It felt like I hadn¡¯t lost my footing some minutes ago. Everything was just right.

    As we made a u-turn, my eyesnded on a familiar face. It was as if he knew that I was looking at him so he returned the gaze with that same confident smile I saw on that day.

    He waved and I nodded, then caught myself before anyone would notice the little interaction we were having.

    ¡°That was awesome!¡± I mouthed as soon as we got to the back stage.

    He nodded and kept looking around while I chattered nonstop. When I realised he wasn¡¯t listening, I trailed what got his attention and my heart fell.

    Emilia.

    They were both interacting with their eyes while I bbered like a kid. My heart zed with indignation and my eyes burned with tears but I willed them not to fall. They wouldn¡¯t have the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

    I walked away and he didn¡¯t notice. It broke my heart further. Today should have been the best day of my life after the show, but I was reminded that my ¡®husband¡¯ was aplete asshole.

    When would he stop punishing me?

    I quickly changed into the jumpsuit I¡¯de in and wore myfortable pumps. While everyone, including the newbies like me were jubting, I was craving loneliness.

    I headed out of the hall, distracted by my thoughts and eager to get away from everything when I bumped into someone. This time I didn¡¯t fall and I was grateful for that.

    ¡°It seems that the universe wants you to keep bumping into me all the time.¡± He chuckled when our eyes met.

    He was the same man from before.

    My fingers clutched my bag tighter as I peered at his smiling face. ¡°And once again, I apologise for bumping into you. I wasn¡¯t looking¡­¡± I trailed off, realising that I was babbling.

    ¡°Just like the other day, you don¡¯t look so good right now. What¡¯s the matter?¡± His tone was gentle and soothing but I didn¡¯t want to tell my woes to a stranger.

    I hid my weary emotion behind an expressionless mask that I recently cultivated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± I said curtly, hoping that he would give up.

    The chattering of two women who walked past us, followed by a man caught my attention as a gasp escaped my lips. He was still following them like a dummy. This time, I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears. ¡°Take me out of here and I¡¯ll tell you all about it.¡± I demanded harshly with a cracked voice, lowering myshes.

    He snaked his arm around my shoulder. ¡°With all pleasure.¡± He agreed and walked me to his car.

 The dinner

    Dexter

    ¡°I thought that this meeting would never hold,¡± Emilia chirped as she jumped into the passenger car beside me. ¡°I guess everyone needs to learn the art of persistence, after all.¡± She giggled, while I snorted loudly and interrupted the next thing she had to say.

    ¡°You can decide to be quiet throughout this journey. It won¡¯t be a crime, trust me.¡± I grunted, angry that I had to be beside her when Lorraine and I were supposed to be celebrating.

    The show was a huge sess and even though it wasn¡¯t the main event, we were having a lot of deals ording to the sales department report.

    Victoria buzzed in from behind us, ¡°Don¡¯t be too harsh on my friend, Dex. She didn¡¯t force you to make a promise.¡±

    I nted a questioning look at Emilia who quickly showed me a zipped lip sign. A sigh escaped my lips as I started the engine. If I found out that she said any word about our conversation to anyone, not only would the deal be off, but I¡¯d deal with her.

    The drive to the restaurant was fast because of how eager I was to get away from her. Having the both of them in my car didn¡¯t always bode well for me.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be joining you guys, Dex. I¡¯m sleeping over at a friend¡¯s ce so you can pull over and drop me here.¡± Victoria requested.

    I quickly did as she asked. Other elder brothers would have been worried that she was already sleeping around barely a few days after returning to the city, but I was a bit nonchnt because of how overbearing she was.

    Her house was almost ready and I couldn¡¯t wait for her to leave. ¡°Alright then.¡± I pulled over and she got off, giving Emilia and I all the privacy I didn¡¯t want.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± I announced, having the restaurant in sight.

    I¡¯d never been here before but word had it that they prepared nice Italian dishes. Taking her to my favourite restaurant felt too personal for me, I only wanted to take one woman there and that was Lorraine.

    The parking lot was almost full but I was lucky to find a good space. While I was focused on parking the car properly, Emilia¡¯s hand dropped onto my thigh in a suggestive manner.

    She was smirking when I trained an icy gaze at her. ¡°We could have a quickie right here and no one would know.¡± She ran her tongue over her lower lips, and slowly drew her already short dress up her thighs so that I could have a good view of them.

    If she thought that I¡¯d have a boner for what I¡¯d already rejected a long time ago then she was a big joker. The only reason we were seated in the car was because of Lorraine. I wanted to protect her even when I shouldn¡¯t.

    It was crazy of me, but like I told her, I was the only one who could hurt her and I knew how well too, not like this.

    I dragged in a deep breath, reining my difort as her well manicured fingers reached for my crotch. Lorraine¡¯s fingers were beautiful even without any fixed nails.

    ¡°Are you ready for dinner?¡± I asked in a bored tone and jumped out of the car before she could reply.

    Seeing that I wouldn¡¯t open her side of the door, she came out as well, sulking. I sent a message to Samuel, one of my men who I¡¯d asked to keep watch on Lorraine.

    I couldn¡¯t get over this feeling that her life was in danger and she needed to be protected. If she found out that she had a stalker, all hell would let loose and the purpose wouldn¡¯t be achieved.

    A beep followed that got me worried.

    ¡®I haven¡¯t seen her yet, boss, but I¡¯d keep looking.¡¯

    Worry filled me instantly as we made our orders. If she saw me walk off with Emilia then she would really be angry that anyone after her would take advantage of her loneliness.

    I didn¡¯t even want to think about the consequences.

    ¡®Then keep looking, damn it!¡¯ I replied in frustration.

    ¡°For someone who agreed to take me out for dinner, you don¡¯t seem to have my time.¡± She drawled, dug into the mashed potatoes in front of her and let out a moan. ¡°Mmmm, this is just as soft as my body.¡±

    I ignored her and continued to wonder where Lorraine could be at this time of the night.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Can you stop that? It¡¯s really disgusting.¡± Ished out at her, scowling.

    When she saw the mean look on my face, she adjusted on her chair and rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you so devoted to someone. You even walked with her on the stage, that was something else.¡± She chirped, acting like she was happy though her eyes said something else.

    It was obvious that she was trying to get words out of my mouth, but I was five steps ahead of her. ¡°Lorraine is talented and graceful. She doesn¡¯t need to make much effort to pull attention to herself so I¡¯m not surprised with the oue today.¡± A smile tugged at my lips.

    Emilia cleared her throat, dropping her fork. ¡°When you talk about this woman, your eyes light up in a way I¡¯ve never seen. What does she have that I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°A lot.¡± I replied briefly.

    ¡°Oh, so she¡¯s not just your maid, you also service her?¡± She arched her brow with a mischievous grin while I rxed on the chair.

    If she was expecting me to spring to my feet and pull her hair for making assumptions then she didn¡¯t know me at all. Well, I actually sprang to my feet, but it was for a good reason.

    ¡°I¡¯ve fulfilled my own end of the bargain so make sure you do the same as well. The bills have already been taken care of. Do not bother me again.¡± I said curtly as she got up as well with a knowing smile.

    She folded her arms, pushing up her cleavage which seemed to be more interested in spilling out of her dress. ¡°You¡¯re searching for Lorraine?¡±

    My eyes widened. ¡°How do you know that?¡± I growled.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been acting like a father whose daughter is on a curfew, checking your phone and all. Well, I just know who she might be with presently.¡± She chuckled and pulled her seat backward so she could close the distance between us.

    My fists were clenching and I was having a hard time controlling my temper. She¡¯d better not be ying with me. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°A man¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time, Emilia.¡± I snarled as sheughed loudly, her voice mocking and sultry.

    I wasn¡¯t bothered with people seeing us because I¡¯d asked for a private space. I couldn¡¯t risk getting into the eyes of social media again.

    She nced around and shrugged. ¡°You know what I want, Dex, no one will barge in on us. I really want you,¡± She croaked, reaching for my jacket.

    My phone beeped and immediately I reached for my phone, reading the message from Samuel with a broad smile. ¡°Thank you for your help, Emilia. Have a good night,¡± I smirked, leaving her to drown in her gobsmacked horny state.

 A challenge

    Lorraine

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± My new acquaintance asked, tucking away the strands of hair which were being tousled around by the cool evening breeze at the nook of my ear.

    I didn¡¯t respond immediately, as I wanted to be sure of how I truly felt before replying. Having a cup of vani ice cream in a park with a man who shared the silence with me was therapeutic and amazing.

    There was no argument. There was no fear of him being called by another woman. Just the both of us, gazing at the twinkling stars in the deep blue sky.

    Was that too much to ask for from Dexter?

    After letting off a relieved sigh, I looked him in the eyes and said. ¡°I¡¯m really fine right now, Mr Bumpy.¡± I giggled, his lips twitching.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    With a smirk tugging at the crook of his lips, he dropped his own te of ice cream. ¡°You don¡¯t get to call me that when you¡¯re doing all the bumping.¡± He teased me.

    We bothughed over it; a throaty, heartyughter. I loved this peaceful feeling and I didn¡¯t want it to go away any time soon.

    ¡°I wish my husband would stop hurting me all the time.¡± I blurted without regretting the words leaving my lips.

    Since he was ready to listen, I didn¡¯t mind sharing the pain that no one else knew about. It was like a heavy yoke on my tender shoulders, pulling me backwards each time I tried to take a step. Sadly, no one was willing to help me out with it even though it was spine breaking and I could get affected in the process.

    ¡°Your husband? You¡¯re married?¡± He asked in disbelief.

    I nodded, allowing him to process the information I just gave. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± I questioned tly.

    He reached for my left hand and scrutinised my fingers which were void of any ring. ¡°I thought as much, you don¡¯t even have a ring on it. Who¡¯s your husband?¡± There were glints of disappointment and tiredness in his voice, but above all, I could sense that he wanted to protect me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like rings,¡± I lied, ¡°And also, you know my husband.¡±

    He blinked hard and fast, then realisation settled in his eyes. ¡°Dexter?¡±

    ¡°Yup,¡± I popped the ¡®p¡¯ then it urred to me that he guessed correctly. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I have eyes.¡± He snorted, then continued, ¡°Look, if you are the same woman he was thinking about so deeply during that made him bang the table so that we lost all our focus then I¡¯m sure that he has feelings for you.¡± He dered while my eyes bulged, my ears waiting attentively for him to say more.

    Feelings? How did he know about that?

    I cleared my throat, shifting ufortably on the chair. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°If the fear and desire I saw in his office after the meeting is any indication then you have no reason to fear.¡± He said confidently.

    I huffed, spooning some ice cream into my mouth because it all made no sense to me.

    How could he be so sure that the feelings he saw Dexter disy at the office were directed at me? I couldn¡¯t believe any of that as he was presently enjoying himself with Emilia.

    Suddenly, I got tired. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡±

    ¡°Any ideas?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s talk about you.¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Me?¡± He pointed at himself like there was another person around and when I didn¡¯t answer, he added. ¡°What do you want to know about me?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Everything. Like who you are presently interested in?¡±

    A sad hue fell over his face as I propped myself for a sad story. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t think anyone interests me. What¡¯s the use when they all act the same way?¡±

    Now this has gotten my attention. I dropped the almost empty te and leaned on the back rest. ¡°What happened? Who hurt you?¡±

    He took in a deep breath and after exhaling his eyes darkened. ¡°It¡¯s about a girl I¡¯ve been dating for two years now. I wanted to make it official and marry her, but then I caught her in bed with a man she imed to be her step brother.¡±

    A gasp escaped my lips as I wondered how women could be so unfaithful to people who showed them genuine love.

    How would they react if they were in my position?

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for that, Bumpy. You didn¡¯t deserve that.¡± I caressed his back as I noticed it was hard for him to continue.

    It was surprising to see him being soft and vulnerable when from afar he looked like a macho man who couldn¡¯t break a smile.

    ¡°The sad part was that she wasn¡¯t remorseful. She told me that I was too busy for her and even when I made time for her, I didn¡¯t give her sex the way she wanted. She said that I didn¡¯t understand her body so everything became boring for her. In other words, her step brother knew how to fuck her better than I do.¡± He rumbled.

    Speaking of sex. Everyone actually had another version of someone¡¯s problems. Dexter didn¡¯t care about me obviously, but he understood my body and knew how to get a reaction out of me by a mere kiss.

    I shoved the thoughts aside and continued with my constion. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, alright?¡± I assured him as he nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t allow the past to bother you, if anything, be grateful that you don¡¯t have to be tied down with her.¡± I muttered.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    I massaged my forehead, chewing my lips in regret of what I said. No one could know that I was in a contract marriage, not even him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to read meaning to everything I say.¡±

    He cocked his head to the side, showing that he didn¡¯t believe me but I wouldn¡¯t say any more than I already have.

    ¡°Are you being caged in your marriage?¡± His voice had be soft, his eyes which I tried to avoid zed with intense curiosity and eagerness to get the truth out of me.

    I opened my lips to reply when a huge familiar figure appeared before us. I scrambled to my feet, lips parting and breathing ragged because of the unexpected interference.

    Seeing the scowl directed at Bumpy I knew that things would get rough if I didn¡¯t step in. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I hollered.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to take you home.¡±

    Home? Did he even know what it meant?

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to leave with you. Who knows how much you¡¯ve fucked Emilia on our bed.¡±

    His eyes widened, his face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°I would never do that to you. Just follow me home and I¡¯ll exin everything to you.¡± He pleaded and I stared at Bumpy who shook his head, nudging me to go ahead.

    ¡°It had better be a good one.¡± I spat furiously.

    He ignored me and shook hands with Bumpy. It was more of a challenge than a normal exchange of pleasantries. That was what happened when powerful men met, they usually liked to establish their territory. ¡°Thank you for being with her, but after tonight, please stay away from her.¡± He said sternly and broke off the handshake.

    ¡°I will, when you learn how to treat her right.¡± Bumpy replied casually, but I could sense how serious he was.

 The past

    Lorraine

    ¡°What was the meaning of that?¡± Ished out at him the moment we got home.

    Thankfully, Victoria wasn¡¯t at home so I could unleash my emotions without fear. Dexter was seated on the sofa, eyes following me as I paced to and fro frantically.

    I was mad-not mad-indignant.

    I felt like tearing down the walls of the house with my bare hands and to worsen it all, Dexter wasn¡¯t saying anything.

    ¡°You know, I like it when you¡¯re mad. It looks so good on you.¡± He chuckled, his long hands stretched on the chair.

    Immediately, I fixed him with a re which made himugh. He got to his feet, his hands tucked away in the pocket of his pants with a grim smirk that sent tingles down my spine.

    He advanced towards me while I contemted on either staying on the spot or moving backwards. I chose the former option and waited for him to stoping close.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°There¡¯s no point in all of this. You don¡¯t love me, why are you making the both of us miserable?¡± I broke down in tears, my body vibrating with anger.

    He palmed my shoulder, training the most passionate gaze I¡¯ve ever seen on me. ¡°And who said that I don¡¯t love you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    A sigh left his lips as he lowered his head and quickly lifted it up again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for hurting you this way. My outing with Emilia was to protect you.¡±

    I squinted my eyes in confusion. ¡°Protect me? I don¡¯t need protection from anything.¡± I protested, moving away from his grip. ¡°If that is your excuse for hurting me over and over again then I¡¯ll let you know how pathetic it is, Dexter.¡±

    He flinched as if he had been whipped unexpectedly, then his lips twitched and began to stretch slowly as if he just realised something. ¡°Do you still love me?¡±

    I became short of words as his question threw me off bnce.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I replied under my breath, then gulped, regaining myposure. ¡°I don¡¯t love you. I¡¯m your wife so I should be concerned about who you go out with.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t love me then you shouldn¡¯t be bothered about what I do. You are yet to tell me all that happened after that party, and every day I¡¯m reminded that you slept with both of my friends.¡± He blurted, his voice sharp with anger.

    That was what he thought of me?

    A cheap girl that could allow anyone to get to me just like that.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything you aren¡¯t sure of, Dexter, you don¡¯t even know the kind of wicked friends you have.¡± I warned, my tone was cold and I could hear his scoff, but if he wanted the truth then he¡¯d get it.

    ¡°Friends that quickly told me to stay away from someone like you, yet I didn¡¯t and today, I¡¯m reminded of why I should have listened to them.¡± He replied, his expression clouded with disbelief and disappointment.

    Anger surged through me as my palm connected with his cheek. His eyes dted but he didn¡¯t say anything, not like I wanted him to add more salt to the injury he had inflicted on me. ¡°I hate you so much, Dexter.¡± I seethed, deciding to tell him my side of the story since we were already on the topic. ¡°Liam and ke cornered me that night after you left and showed me a sex video they took while we were making love. They told me that you were aware of it and it was a normal thing for all of them, but what you didn¡¯t know was that it would leak if I didn¡¯t sleep with them.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He cut in. ¡°They didn¡¯t do that.¡± He shook his head vehemently, just as I expected.

    ¡°You can call them and ask them, though I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ll say the truth after all, they had ns of raping me if not for the security guard that interfered.¡± I admitted.

    He copsed onto the sofa, raking through his hair roughly. At this point I didn¡¯t care about his reaction any more.

    I didn¡¯t care if he didn¡¯t believe me. What mattered was the fact that I wasn¡¯t keeping the truth to myself any more.

    ¡°Liam and ke would never do such a thing. They knew that I liked you.¡± He said in their defense, tearing my heart further.

    I gasped then gulped, angry at myself for expecting too much from him, maybe taking my side. ¡°Your opinion on this matter isn¡¯t my business. You knew that they would take videos but you didn¡¯t care, all that mattered was having my body. I promise you Dexter, you will never have ess to me again.¡± My body was trembling as each word left my mouth but I wasn¡¯t going to stop. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for this sham to be over anyways.¡±

    The next thing I got as a response was a flower vase hurled across the sitting room. Then the ss center table was tousled over. ¡°I freaking loved You, Lorraine, with every fiber of my being I did, but when I returned and saw your sex video with another man in your house, I just couldn¡¯t believe it.¡±

    Another sex video with a stranger?

    My heart thudded faster, my head reeling from the news. What did these men see in me?

    My lips quavered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think I¡¯m lost. I never had sex with them, Dexter. They aren¡¯t even my type.¡±

    He rose up from the chair sluggishly. His gaze averted from me as if he couldn¡¯t afford to stare at me any longer. ¡°While I was over there I kept thinking about you until I asked about you and Liam told me not to bother. What he said wasn¡¯t clear at first, but when they sent me the video, I understood that it wasn¡¯t worth it.¡± The admittance made my heart melt and then I realised who my real enemies were.

    Oh God, I cried.

    How could I have slept with someone in my step-father¡¯s house without remembering? How was that even possible?

    My body couldn¡¯t bear the weight of the information but I willed myself to be strong. ¡°So I¡¯ll ask you the same question I¡¯ve always been asking. Why did you go ahead and marry me, knowing how much of a slut I am?¡± It hurt to victimize myself but that was what he saw me as, and even though I tried to act nonchnt I was badly affected.

    He strode towards me with an intimidating gaze that zed with anger. ¡°To take my revenge and protect you at the same time if it makes any sense.¡±

 Proof

    Dexter

    I don¡¯t know why I had the urge to protect her but even though she hadmitted the worst of crimes, I still wanted to make sure no one hurt her.

    She burst intoughter-aughter of disbelief. It was annoying that my body still wanted her even after knowing her past. She said that she was framed and they had a video of us, but it was so hard for me to believe that my friends could do such a horrible thing to me.

    There was only one way to find out about it and seeing how affected she was even though she tried to hide it, I knew that I¡¯d have to get to the bottom of the story.

    ¡°Stop protecting me, Dexter. I don¡¯t need it.¡± She red up, ¡°If you think my stepfather is still after me then don¡¯t bother, he hasn¡¯t called since that day.¡± She blurted, iling her arms in the air.

    I cracked a smile and folded my arms. ¡°I know that he has been trailing you for a while but he stopped. And the call, I also know about it.¡±

    Her eyes widened in surprise but she didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± She asked softly.

    I shrugged, ¡°Because you didn¡¯t trust me well enough to tell me all about it, but I was too ufortable to do nothing. He tried to hurt you again but I sent him a warning at least to scare him. No one touches what¡¯s mine,¡±

    She rolled her eyes and let off a tired sigh, and then I noticed the bags forming under her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not yours, but thank you for helping out. Good night.¡±

    I watched her walk away, with the need to chase after her but what we both needed was distance, that could only be achieved if we stayed away from each other for a while.

    ********

    I floored the gas as soon as I got to Liam¡¯s apartment and adjusted my seat so that I could properly articte myself before going in.

    We hadn¡¯t seen each other facially ever since the confrontation I had with ke, but today, I nned to kill a bird with two stones.

    Liam told me that ke was around as I expected. Those two were quite closer to each other than I was with them. They were more like partners in crime and sometimes people mistook them for brothers.

    I pressed the doorbell and waited. The door pushed open with Liam standing behind it. ¡°Finally, you¡¯re here. I thought it would take a long time to visit us.¡± He shook my hands and ushered me into their living room where ke was focused on his game.

    ¡°ke man.¡± I hailed him and he got up with a smirk, then gave me a manly hug.

    Ever since Lorraine told me her side of the story, I began to see them in a different light. Though I refused to acknowledge it, I was actually imagining them trying to coax her into sleeping with them so they wouldn¡¯t leak the video.

    It wouldn¡¯t affect me much because I was a man but her, it would do a great deal of damage to her budding career. If there was a video, I had to get hold of it before they thought of doing something funny with it.

    ¡°How have you been, man? It¡¯s been ages since you came here.¡± Liam chuckled and disappeared into an adjoining room; the kitchen perhaps.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that, but I didn¡¯t forget you. Thest show got me all caged up and I had to make sure it was a sess.¡± I said.

    ke snorted and paused the game. ¡°You aren¡¯t CEO of Hemming corporations for a reason, you can employ people who would make your work easier for you.¡±

    ¡°Dexter is a workaholic, he wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± Liam added as he came out holding three sses and a bottle of Macan M whiskey bottle.

    It used to be my favorite when I was still an avid drinker, but now I wasn¡¯t and there were two things that got my attention: Lorraine and my chain of businesses.

    ke sat up as Liam poured out the drink for all of us. ¡°Congrattions, Dexter, the show was a sess even though the bitch-sorry-Lorraine decided to make a fool of herself.¡±

    I was d he quickly stopped himself from calling Lorraine a bitch or I¡¯d have beat him up again. A small part of my heart kept telling me that there would be a good reason for sleeping with them, if it happened.

    ¡°Someone set her up. One of the models didn¡¯t like her so I had to step in to save face. I¡¯m d it all turned out well, though.¡± I replied casually so that they wouldn¡¯t think I was defending her.

    ¡°Set her up? Thatdy has always been clumsy all her life, that¡¯s why she¡¯s always making silly mistakes.¡± Liam grunted, while I shed a cursory nce at him.

    He shifted on the chair, biting his lips like he had said something wrong. I was going to feed on this. ¡°It¡¯s really annoying you know, if she keeps acting this way I¡¯ll have to fire her.¡±

    ke decided to butt in at this point, seeing how I was belittling her. ¡°Of course you should. Lorraine isn¡¯t to be trusted,¡±

    ¡°Is she?¡± They both stared at me, anxiety masking their faked calm expression. ¡°I mean she slept with the both of you for whatever reason and then she decided toe into my life once again.¡±

    ke got up his feet, whirling the ss cup while propping his other arm against his waist. ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it, Dexter. Look, I can show you the video once again if you didn¡¯t believe us at first.¡± He proposed.

    Liam made a whistling sound but ke asked him to calm down. ¡°Let me get my phone.¡± He scurried around while I waited quietly with tension eating me up.

    This time, I¡¯d thoroughly scrutinised the video and made sure I tightened every loose end. He came back almost immediately and showed me the first video.

    I quickly shared it to my file and cleared off the link that showed what I did, then focused on the video which got my blood rising.

    Lorraine made mention of our sex video they had but I wasn¡¯t seeing it here. So I focused on the one that Liam gave to me, my body taut with anger as I watched Lorraine tossing off her bag onto the bed.

    I zoomed in so that I could see every little detail that I ignored the first time, then I realised that her eyes were squinted and she was staggering all through.

    She threw her fists at him as if she was trying to fight him but the man in the video overpowered her and pushed her onto the bed.

    It took all the self will I had not to smash the phone on the ground. Lorraine had been telling the truth and I didn¡¯t believe her. She was probably drugged and my friends here thought it best to get a video of her.

    I got to my feet, having gotten the information I wanted. Then I returned his phone, clenching my fist. ¡°I¡¯ll see you both soon.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 A visitor from the past

    Lorraine

    My phone beeped, then rang loudly, arousing me from my sleep. I stretched with a yawn, angry that someone had the audacity to disrupt my short time of rest.

    Yea, sleeping was quite important to me because it was a means of escape from my ever unending problems. With drowsy eyes, I searched for my phone on the bed stand and checked who was calling.

    The initial anger disappeared on seeing who the caller was. ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted groggily and sat up, sighing and rubbing my eyes.

    ¡°How can the greatest model of all times be in bed by this time?¡± Bumpy teased me, while I imagined him smirking at the other end.

    ¡°Because it isn¡¯t a crime for me to rest, Bumpy. Why are you disturbing me anyways? You just disrupted my peaceful sleep¡­¡± I whined like a baby and pouted my lips.

    He chuckled this time then groaned like he just dropped off something really heavy.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    His reply was fast. ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯m at the gym right now, giving those young girls a reason to keeping here, but that¡¯s not the reason I called.¡± His tone became serious.

    All the traces of sleep disappeared as I listened intently to every word he said. ¡°You can go on, I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°A friend of mine who just started a lingerie brand needs a model. I know that you aren¡¯t that popr yet, but I believe you can do it so I rmended you to him.¡± He announced.

    I sprang up to my feet, my heart racing as it swelled with happiness. He rmended me for a model for a brand?

    That was really a lot, considering the fact that I was new to the industry and a lot of people didn¡¯t even know me. I was still building up my skill so I wasn¡¯t really keen about it.

    ¡°Are you still there?¡± His deep voice jolted me from my reverie as I caressed my forehead.

    ¡°Y-Yes, I am¡­ I was just overwhelmed by the news. I mean it felt a bit too much, knowing that you could do this for me.¡± I could hear my voice quivering but I managed to keep it confident.

    He sighed deeply then a squeaky sound followed. ¡°Look, Lorraine, I know that you are scared and all that, but this is one of the ways to grow your career. You have a beautiful body and a charming aura. You just have to be you and everything will fall into ce.¡±

    His beautiful words melted my heart as I could hear the sincerity in them. I would do it. Yes, I would, but there was just one problem.

    ¡°I¡¯m under an organization, Bumpy, it would be wrong to keep it from them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. I¡¯ve already sent a letter to your coordinator and if they care about your growth, they would approve it. For now, just focus on getting ready.¡± He informed me as I hugged my pillow tightly, my body giddy with excitement.

    My breathing had be rapid as I didn¡¯t know what to say any more. I wished he was present so that I could snag him up and thank him properly for supporting my dreams.

    I think I knew what to do. ¡°You know what, Bumpy, why don¡¯t we go for a drink tonight? I¡¯m not really doing much.¡± I suggested, hoping that he would agree.

    ¡°What about your husband?¡±

    Then it urred to me that I was still married to someone that was never there for me. ¡°He¡¯ll deal with it. Don¡¯t worry about him.¡± It was time to start living my life the way I should.

    I couldn¡¯t stay caged in while he was having his best life out there.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Uncertainty rang hard in his voice and I couldn¡¯t me him.

    After what Dexter disyed some nights ago, anyone would be scared. I was happy with Bumpy¡¯s response because he felt quite threatened.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°A hundred and one percent. It¡¯s my treat.¡± I assured him.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be ready by six so I can pick you up. Take care of yourself.¡±

    The line went off and I couldn¡¯t deny that my morning had been made. I got up and stared at myself in the mirror. A different version of me reflected-one I was proud of.

    Then I remembered something that Stefan said about watching my weight. I hardly put on weight but that didn¡¯t mean that I shouldn¡¯t maintain it.

    Feeling all bubbly and charged up for the day, I took the key to Dexter¡¯s gym to start working on my fitness. I was going to give the lingerie brand the best of myself. They aren¡¯t even ready for it.

    ***********

    It was some minutes past five and I¡¯d already gotten ready for the outing. I chose a ck bodycon V-neck dress, which had puffy sleeves and the length of the dress stopped right on my mid thigh.

    I left my hair to flow down my back since I didn¡¯t have the energy to style it. Staring at my reflection from the mirror once again, I wondered if I was actually going on a casual outing once again or I was trying to impress him.

    I kept the first option imprinted in my mind, slung my silver shoulder bag on and stepped out in a matching ankle strap heel.

    It felt great to look chic and wanted by someone, though deep down, I wanted it to be Dexter. I wanted him to believe that I never betrayed him but I wouldn¡¯t do more than I¡¯d already done.

    He had toe to terms with the truth by himself.

    I shoved away the thoughts of him into the far part of my mind and kept looking forward to seeing Bumpy. Victoria snorted as soon as I got to the living room but I ignored it.

    She wouldn¡¯t be given the chance to spoil my mood.

    ¡°Happy slutting!¡± She mouthed after I left the room.

    As I opened the gate, I caught the sight of a ck BMW that was already waiting in front of the house. Always punctual, I thought, and headed towards the car.

    I knocked on the car window, surprised that he didn¡¯t open the door yet. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to let me in, Bumpy?¡± I chirped happily and immediately the window began to make a wheezing sound, going down gradually.

    My fist hung in the air as my eyes locked in with thest person I expected to see.

 Being possessive

    Lorraine

    ¡°We meet again.¡± His eerie voice resonated from the car, followed by his grim smile that made my skin crawl.

    I dropped my hand and staggered backwards, my lips widely parted. I thought I was already drooling.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Liam?¡± I asked, my voice shaky with fear.

    This man was dangerous. He tried to take advantage of me together with ke. I quickly took a peek into the car and released a sigh, relieved that ke wasn¡¯t in the car with him.

    He donned a pair of ck shades even though it was no longer sunny and stepped out of the car, heading towards me. I put a small distance between us and held tightly to my bag.

    Oh my shoes. It wouldn¡¯t allow me to run if I had to.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look so happy to see me, Lorraine, why is it so?¡± He shed his ugly set of teeth that was dented probably by the cigarettes he took or whatever thing he smoked.

    I clenched my fist and counted slowly to ten. It helped as I was able to mask my fear and put on a cid smile. The fear had subsided, but the gnawing urge to get away from him didn¡¯t vanish.

    It remained in my mind, reminding me that I should leave as soon as possible. ¡°You don¡¯t expect me to throw a party because you are here, do you?¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    His brows furrowed as he didn¡¯t expect my sassy response. My confidence was growing and I was going to thrive on it.

    ¡°I guess being around people has made you a little bit bolder and honestly, I don¡¯t like it.¡± He frowned.

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, Liam, besides, why are you here?¡± I snarled.

    He folded his arms and sat on the bo with a cocky expression. That part of him had never changed. ¡°I came to see Dexter, but then I saw you. And now it seems like you don¡¯t only work in his agency as a model, but you double as his¡­¡± He eyed me from head to toe, then said, ¡°House help.¡±

    My heart which had skipped a beat because I thought he would say something worse rxed.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you needed money so badly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± I said in a rush. ¡°You should have called Dexter beforeing. I¡¯m sure you know he¡¯s a busy man.¡±

    An annoying chuckle burst out from his lips as he jumped down and advanced towards me. ¡°Of course I will, but I won¡¯t deny that I liked the surprise I got here. You are much more beautiful than before, don¡¯t you think we can have some time together somewhere. Let¡¯s say, be my woman? I promise to take very good care of you.¡± He suggested, his tone ring with deceit.

    I scrunched my face in disgust as I stepped away from him. There was no way I¡¯d ever have anything to do with him. If it was possible, I¡¯ll banish him to the loneliest part of the world so he wouldn¡¯t have to bother me again.

    ¡°In your dreams, Liam.¡± I refused harshly and began walking away from him.

    He said nothing else and jumped into his car then drove off. Relief washed over me as I stopped walking and waited by the gate after he left, waiting for Bumpy. It was almost six and he wasn¡¯t here yet.

    I didn¡¯t want Dexter to meet us here so I tried calling his phone which wasn¡¯t reachable. Secondster, Dexter¡¯s car veered towards the house, inciting a disappointed hiss from me.

    The car door flung open as he stalked towards him, his eyes zing with anger. ¡°What in God¡¯s name is going on between you and Arnold?¡± He seethed while I threw a questioning nce at him.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Arnold?¡±

    The pinched his forehead, stomping his foot on the ground. ¡°You don¡¯t even know the name of the man you¡¯ve been frolicking with. How amusing!¡± He eximed.

    I ignored his usation as realisation set in immediately. ¡°Bumpy? Arnold is Bumpy?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s Bumpy or whatever you call him.¡± He red then stopped to scrutinise my dress. ¡°Where are you headed? This is not a casual outfit and you don¡¯t look dressed to go for an outing with the girls so tell me all about it.¡±

    I shook my head and rolled my eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t own me, Dexter, whatever I do with my life is none of your business.¡± I spat.

    He licked his alluring lips, propping his arms against his waist then strolled towards me. ¡°I own you, Lorraine, from the moment you signed that contract you became mine and I won¡¯t allow anyone else be with you.¡± His voice possessive and demanding.

    I liked how jealous he was, but I wished he would acknowledge his feelings for me. ¡°Just two years, Dexter, and this sham will be over. You say I¡¯m yours but I don¡¯t even feel like it.¡± I paused, remembering the reason he stopped at the gate in the first ce. ¡°What did Arnold do?¡±

    ¡°The lingerie modeling deal, are you going to take it?¡± He asked in a way that showed he didn¡¯t want me to take it.

    I responded without hesitation. ¡°Yes I will. It¡¯s going to help me a lot and you know that. I¡¯m just starting and it¡¯s pleasing to know that someone other than yourpany wants to hire me for his brand.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He raised his hands in surrender, ¡°The fact that we are going through a phase doesn¡¯t mean I should stand in your way of seeding. I just hope you don¡¯t forget the reason you¡¯re doing the job.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± My forehead was creased as I wondered why he would make such a statement.

    He didn¡¯t get the chance to exin as a car stopped right before Dexter¡¯s. My palms became mmy with sweat as Bumpy came out of the car and headed towards us.

    ¡°Hi, Dexter.¡± He waved at Dexter then turned to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte and I also returned your call but obviously you didn¡¯t notice.¡±

    I averted my gaze from him to Dexter whose scowl was deep enough to scare off a serial killer. This wasn¡¯t the scenario I wanted and that was why I asked him to pick me up by six.

    ¡°What is he doing here, Lorraine?¡± He asked in a surprisingly calm voice and then I knew that I¡¯d stirred up serious trouble.

 Marking his territory

    Lorraine

    ¡°We were supposed to go and have a drink, but he didn¡¯te on time.¡± I exined.

    I expected a fight, knowing how easy it was for Dexter to re up, but he didn¡¯t do anything, instead he invited Bumpy in. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have the drink inside?¡±

    Bumpy and I exchanged shocked nces then averted our gazes to Dexter who kept a straight face.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a drink in my mouth when I said it. I¡¯m sure you both heard me clearly.¡± He spun around, and headed into the house while one of the chaffeurs drove the car in.

    Phew! That was close.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± I ushered him in, while my mind thought of a hundred and one reasons why Dexter would invite the both of us into the house.

    Committing murder wasn¡¯t an option because he was too noble for that, but he was unpredictable and I was sure Bumpy wouldn¡¯t let his guard down that easily.

    ¡°You have a nice house.¡± Bumpymented and I smiled.

    ¡°Thanks, Bumpy, I¡¯d like to see yours too.¡±

    He rolled his eyes and smirked. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to stop calling me Bumpy, are you?¡± We bothughed and halted on our steps immediately we got in as the sight we met was disgusting.

    Victoria was undpletely naked with a young man sitting on the sofa. She covered her breasts with her hand and her lower end, leaving little to our imaginations.

    I was awestruck as I couldn¡¯t even tell when the man came in.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the slut now?¡± I couldn¡¯t stop myself from mocking her as she rewarded me with an embarrassed expression.

    Bumpy squeezed my arms, warning me to keep quiet but I didn¡¯t care. Once in a while she needed to get a dose of her own medicine and that was exactly what I was doing.

    She called me a slut before I left, but who knew that she had her own brothel in her brother¡¯s house.

    ¡°What is Tori doing here?¡± Bumpy asked no one in particr and went close to her, then I noticed how she couldn¡¯t meet his gaze.

    I blinked hard in realisation.

    They knew each other before?

    Wait a minute. Was this thedy he was talking to me about?

    Dexter, who was ring daggers at Tori and the other man, shrugged with his shoulders hanging tiredly. ¡°She¡¯s my younger sister. Why?¡± He didn¡¯t understand what was going on yet.

    It took some time before Bumpy could reply which confirmed my assumption. ¡°She¡¯s my ex.¡± He muttered under his breath but it was audible enough for all of us to hear him.

    I dropped to an arm chair beside the dented sofa and cheeked in my smile. The atmosphere was tense and I didn¡¯t want to risk getting both men more riled up than they were.

    Dexter¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at Victoria. ¡°You dated this man?¡±

    She ced her head which was inclined between her palms and nodded.

    ¡°Get out!¡± The both of them chorused, barking at the nude man who scurried away with his jeans and shirt in his hands.

    Simultaneously, we closed our eyes and waited for Victoria to fix herself up before Dexter began to interrogate her. ¡°We have a lot to talk about, but let me start with what just happened now. You have a bedroom, Victoria, why do you have to do it here?¡± Dexter¡¯s voice bore a great degree of disappointment I understood.

    It was very difficult to live with a sister who did nothing but bring trouble. I hoped that he¡¯d get a house for her soon so she would have all the privacy she needed.

    ¡°Throes of passion?¡± She replied nonchntly, but lowered hershes when Dexter took an angry step towards her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±She whispered.

    ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re not!¡± He red up. ¡°You¡¯re sorry because we caught you here and not because you wouldn¡¯t do it again. Your ex even caught you misbehaving, I¡¯m guessing this is the reason he broke up with you.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    She scoffed and scratched her hair. ¡°There was a good reason for our break up. He couldn¡¯t give me what I wanted so I had to get it from someone else.¡±

    Dexter banged his fist on the ss table so hard I thought it would crack. ¡°Mother didn¡¯t train you to be like this. What happened?¡±

    ¡°Life happened.¡± She picked up her bra from the chair and made to walk out when she stopped in front of me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell Dexter about the man that was all over you before my brother came back.¡±

    I felt a squeezing sensation in my chest as I began to pant. How could I not have known that she¡¯d be watching me through the window?

    ¡°What is she talking about?¡± Dexter snapped.

    I took a deep breath and waited for her to leave before answering. ¡°Liam came here.¡± I answered hastily, then got to my feet and headed to the wine cer. ¡°I thought we all wanted to have a drink?¡±

    I was very sure that they were passing intimidating nces at each other but I didn¡¯t care. I didn¡¯t have much knowledge on alcohols but I wanted something that was subtly strong, so I went for a bottle of vodka.

    ¡°Why did hee?¡±

    ¡°To see you.¡± I replied and hoped that he wouldn¡¯t bring up the matter again.

    On dropping the sses on the table, Dexter cleared his throat. ¡°How possible is it that you dated my sister and now you¡¯re interested in my wife?¡± He blurted.

    My eyes widened as I threw a warning nce at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to say that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your wife, man, but if you are scared that I¡¯ll be, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad, huh?¡± He shrugged and downed the ss of drink I¡¯d poured for him.

    The tension was heightening and I didn¡¯t like what the result would be. The men beside me were powerful both physically and financially. One wanted to mark his territory and make sure no one came near, and the other¡­ I didn¡¯t even know his intentions other than him being a good friend.

    ¡°The both of you should calm down,¡± I demanded rather harshly. ¡°When is the shoot going to start?¡± I decided to change the topic.

    With his eyes still on Dexter, he replied. ¡°By noon. You have to be on time because he doesn¡¯t tolerateteness.¡±

    Dexter dropped his empty ss and trained a gaze that was supposed to be intimidating on me, but wasn¡¯t. ¡°And I¡¯ll drive there myself and wait until she¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°What the hell?¡± I argued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want someone to snatch you away while you¡¯re looking all hot and exposed. We already have someone ready to trespass and he¡¯s just waiting for the right time.¡± He red at Bumpy and shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡±

 Youéˆ¥æª™e mine tonight

    Lorraine

    Dexter did just as he promised.

    Before the agreed time, he came to the house and met me all dressed up. I put on a simple pair of nnel pant, a white tank top and a wedge heel.

    ording to Bumpy, everything I needed for the shoot would be provided, I just had to be there on time.

    ¡°You look good.¡± Hemented briefly, his eyes bright as he scrutinised my outfit.

    I tried hard to hide the blush that crept up my cheeks. ¡°Thank you.¡± I replied and made to walk away, but his hand was quick to grip my wrist and restrict me from taking another step.

    He snaked his arm around my waist and caught my chin between his fingers so that I could keep looking at him. We stared at each other in the silence, my heart thudding as I gauged the meaning of each look.

    My lips parted, inviting him to take a chance of kissing me but he did nothing, just staring.

    ¡°I think we should leave now, I don¡¯t want to bete on my first appointment.¡± I broke away from his grip, disappointed.

    He obliged and came after me.

    An idea popped in my head. It was obvious that he still liked me and if he wasn¡¯t going to say anything then I¡¯d have to make him jealous.

    And I knew just the perfect way to do it.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    *********

    Several boxes were ced on a table in the dressing room. Each of them contained the lingerie to be worn. I wasn¡¯t the only one as they also had plus sized and other models with lesser sizes than me all dolled up, but for a size of eight, I was the only one avable.

    Bumpy¡¯s friend stepped into the room, looking calm and reserved but I could feel how warm and amodating he was.

    He shed a cid smile as soon as he saw me and took a sit. His husky body filled up the chair and I began to wonder if they didn¡¯t check his size before making such chairs.

    ¡°Lorraine, right?¡± He asked.

    I nodded, my heart racing as I sat up straight. ¡°I am, and you must be Mr Durand.¡±

    He sighed in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point. You are to wear the red lingerie first just as the others would do. The first set is very important because it¡¯s in high demand and most women have confirmed that their inner confidence is charged up when they are in red lingerie.¡± He informed me while I kept nodding, taking note of everything he said.

    This was the first deal I was taking after my debut on the runway. If I was confident in myself, it would show in my poses and pictures.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to give you my best, sir. Thank you for giving me the opportunity.¡± I¡¯d wanted to appreciate him in person and satisfaction filled me after I did that.

    He stood up and dipped his hands into his pocket. ¡°The shoot is about to start so take your time and look beautiful.¡± He said and walked out.

    A few minutester, a woman came in with a box-a make-up box, I presumed it to be. We exchanged pleasantries and set out to work immediately.

    The result of her hard work paid off as my face which was void of any make up became more beautiful and had this smokey look. My lips were painted red to match the lingerie color and my eyebrows were covered with brown eye shadow and a silver hue.

    I loved how my hair was styled to have bouncy curls which gave me an elegant gait.

    Being alone in the room, I nervously opened the box and brought out the red lingerie set. It had a robe then the main filmsy clothing. I got und and tried on the lingerie.

    A gasp flew out of my lips the moment I saw how I looked from the mirror. I was almost naked, save for thecy parts that covered a few parts of my body. The upper part of my breast, cupped by the-would I say undersized breast cups werergely exposed and my stomach too, which had suspenders going down the waistline.

    My hands flew to my ass which suffered the same fate as my cleavages. I dragged in a deep breath as I trailed my fingers to thecy part which had a high waist design and straps around my thighs.

    ¡°Shit!¡± I cursed. ¡°What had I gotten myself into?¡±

    It would be very hard taking pictures, looking like this in front of those men. The glow of my skin was enhanced by the color and even I could confirm how sexy that made me feel.

    Someone knocked on the door, reminding me that it was time for the shoot. I quickly tossed on the robe and wore a matching red ankle strap heel out of the room.

    I veered towards the darkroom where the other models were, employing my signature catwalk that always got the attention of people. Now there wasn¡¯t just my step to get them hooked, my clothing was present as well.

    I stole a nce at them and noticed how some of the men including Mr Durand kept whistling and strolling to and fro.

    My eyes searched for Dexter who was nowhere to be found. Typical of him, I thought. It wasn¡¯t abnormal for him to have disappeared after he promised to be by my side all day long.

    Bumpy appeared from an adjoining door and halted on his steps as soon as our eyes met. Desire zed through his orbs and I couldn¡¯t deny how lust covered his expression.

    I broke our gaze and took a cursory nce at myself. Did I really look this appealing that everybody¡¯s eye¡¯s screamed lust?

    With the way my heart hammered, I wasn¡¯t sure I could take another lingerie deal. I didn¡¯t need to think too much as Dexter came in, his phone glued to his ears. His face which was scrunched in a deep frown turned to astonishment as he brought his phone down to his pocket.

    The phone call forgotten.

    I kept my eyes on him, enjoying how he drank in the sight of me and never looked away. His tongue ran over his lips, and his eyes spoke in volumes about his overwhelming hunger for me.

    His hunger sparked up my desire for him as my breathing becamebored. The shoot started and I managed to focus and give them my best poses.

    The other models and I had to take pictures at some point, changing lingeries after lingeries. Each of them was more revealing than the other, but I didn¡¯t mind because I realized that I wielded some power over most of the men here, just because of how I looked.

    Dexter never took his eyes off me apart from when he was scowling at other men who clearly wanted to have a bite of me.

    His possessiveness helped to fuel the mes that had been ignited within me, and when Mr Durand announced that the shoot was over and we could keep the wears, happiness shot through me.

    ¡°Hi, Dexter.¡± I beamed at him, knowing how sexually frustrated I made him feel. ¡°Give me some minutes, I have to change into something decent.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± His reply came almost immediately in amanding tone. I understood what he was talking about, but I wanted him to go through some little torture.

    I licked my lips and flipped my hair backwards, batting myshes. ¡°Why?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m going to have you tonight, in my car maybe, but you look so sexy and enthralling right now, and I just want to keep having this image when I pin you under me and make you mine once again.¡± His words were something I could describe as a growl.

    It felt like he was barely trying to get the words out of his throat.

    ¡°I understand, but I need to get a robe¡­¡± He didn¡¯t allow me to finish as he scooped me up and held me firmly in a bridal style so that I wouldn¡¯t escape. ¡°What are you doing? This is a work area.¡± I rebuked him.

    He chuckled darkly, the sound inciting fluttery feelings in my stomach. ¡°I know, baby, but work is done and right now, it¡¯s time for fun.¡± He said and by the time I realised that we were already outside, he dropped me in the backseat and asked the driver to start driving.

 An evening together

    Lorraine

    I was stunned when he turned around to sit at the back seat with me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I straightened.

    He ignored my question and began to pass orders to the driver. ¡°Keep driving around till I ask you to stop.¡± After that, he hit a button and the privacy ss behind the driver began to slide up.

    He faced me, raking his huge fingers through the scalp of my hair. It was soothing like a massage, and at the same time, arousing.

    I was in a different kind of high. Not one caused by alcohol and drinks, but the one I felt just by his mere touch and lingering caresses.

    ¡°I told you I want you,¡± He rasped beneath my ear, his hand trailing towards my sex which shivered in anticipation. Through my panties, he touched me while I bit my lower lip to keep off the moan. Even though the ss was up, I couldn¡¯t risk the driver hearing my moans. ¡°And by the look of things, you are more than ready for what I¡¯m about to do to you.¡±

    My breath was more thanbored, I was literally panting as each caress sent me out of reality and spiraled me into another realm I didn¡¯t know existed. ¡°I¡¯ve never done it in the car, not even with Eden.¡± I informed him.

    My sex life with Eden was boring, or maybe I was. We only had it in the bedroom and I couldn¡¯t deny the emptiness that followed after we were done.

    Each time I slept with him, I kept imagining it was someone else and since I loathed Dexter, I didn¡¯t want to agree that he was the one I thought about while Eden made love to me.

    Now his fingers were making promises on how fulfilled I¡¯d be when he was done with me, and truthfully I couldn¡¯t wait.

    ¡°There¡¯s always a first time for everything. Secondly, don¡¯t talk about Eden here. He¡¯s a douchebag.¡± He said with a distasteful voice.

    I wanted to tell him that he acted like a douchebag himself, but that would ruin the moment and tonight I just wanted to forget our history and focus on the present.

    He began working on unknotting his tie and I decided to make a move. ¡°Let me take care of this, just for tonight.¡± I gazed at him as he nodded in approval.

    His fingers did well in distracting me as I unbuttoned his shirt till it got to thest button. His chest was in full disy and at my disposal to do what I felt like with it.

    I let my fingers caress his ripped and sturdy chest. He groaned, inhaling deeply with his eyes shut. I liked how he allowed me to explore that part of his body.

    ¡°If you keep doing that, then I might lose my control, princess.¡± He growled, but I didn¡¯t listen as my hands wandered to his waist line.

    I knew that I was elongating our desires, but it was nice to know that you could have something close to you without getting it. His hardened dick was a rock that filled me with surprise. I couldn¡¯t hold back my gasp.

    He tossed me over. Shirts off, pants down and his cock threatening to rip out of his briefs. ¡°I warned you.¡± He reminded me impatiently, peppering kisses all over my body.

    Hisrge hands palmed my breasts from thece and squeezed it roughly. His fingers pinched my nipples which sent strong and sweet sensations to my core.

    ¡°Oh God, Dexter.¡± I moaned, my body writhing under him as he tore off the lingerie and got me und.

    My clothes were at the studio but I didn¡¯t care as I just wanted him all over me. He stopped and stared at my body, his eyes filled with adoration as he lowered his lips to my belly button.

    ¡°You are so beautiful.¡± He cracked and dived for my clit which was already coated with my wetness.

    His tongue swiped, licked, circled my nub while his middle finger went straight to my hole which was quite tight as I hadn¡¯t had sex for a while. My body got used to the intrusion as his fingers continued to pump into me slowly but steadily.

    I took a handful of his hair and gripped it hard as I felt an orgasm working its way out. He kept licking me like a candy, while his finger kept pumping, filling every void that was ever there.

    If his finger was this good then I wondered how his cock would be inside of me. My body convulsed with shots of pleasure as his tongue flicked my clit once more.

    My legs, which were widely spread, kept quivering as dirty words flew out of my mouth without restriction. He seemed to like it as he kept sucking in every juice that my orgasm produced.

    He raised his head, a satisfactory smirk evident on his cocky face. ¡°How was that?¡±

    ¡°G-Good.¡± I managed to say and my throat suddenly ran dry due to how burned out I was, but his erect cock which had been freed from the shackles of his briefs told me that he was just getting started.

    And my body which should have been satiated began to crave for it. ¡°Are you going to make me wait again?¡± I questioned and he replied by closing the distance between us.

    Thankfully, the car seat was long and a tad bit wide enough to contain the both of us. Maybe he knew this would happen and decided to use a different car.

    I could feel the tip of his cock, tickling my entrance, preparing me for another phase and I moaned unintentionally, letting him know I was ready.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be rough with you, Lorraine, because inasmuch I want to pleasure you all evening, I¡¯m too selfish not to have a taste of you while I¡¯m at it. But next time, we¡¯d do everything you¡¯ve imagined doing to me.¡±

    My eyes shone as I moistened my dry lips.¡±There¡¯ll be a next time?¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°If you want it,¡± He smiled and gradually glided inside of my wet hole.

    I shut my eyes, reeling from the jolts of pleasure I felt when he thrusted into me as we became one. His pace was slow at first, and I nearly reminded him that he promised to be rough with me.

    A normal person would want slow and tender, but I wanted to see his emotions while he pounded me like a slut. I wanted him to lose control while he released. I wanted to hear him breath raggedly because he couldn¡¯t stop himself anymore.

    All these pointed to the fact that I wasn¡¯t normal.

    ¡°You¡¯ll always belong to me, Lorraine, not Arnold or any other man who tries toe close.¡± He said harshly while I did nothing but nod as I could feel another orgasm springing up.

    He changed his position while I straddled him, arching my hips closer to him. The slight adjustment caused his dick to go deeper, hitting my G spot and causing my toes to curl.

    I dug my nails into his back, my eyes shut, and the intensity of my feelings mming into my stomach. With a guttural groan, he shot his seed inside of me, firing up my own orgasm which was more nerve racking than the first.

    This time I didn¡¯t care about the driver as I screamed loudly until I couldn¡¯t any more. And when I opened my eyes to meet his gaze, I realised that I was still very much in love with him.

 Fun time

    Lorraine

    The realisation that I still loved him scared me. My stomach sank into a pit of hollowness as my mind kept processing the discovery. I didn¡¯t even know that I¡¯d zoned out until he shook me hard.

    ¡°Are you alright, baby? Did I hurt you?¡±He asked softly, producing a wipe from the cup holder by the side of the car.

    I couldn¡¯t let him know what I was thinking about, so I shook my head and shed him a sweet smile. ¡°How wouldn¡¯t I be alright after what you did this evening?¡± I said shyly, my cheeks heating up as he helped to clean me up.

    Then I noticed something, the car wasn¡¯t moving any more. ¡°Where¡¯s the driver? Is he still here?¡± I probed, looking around.

    Dexter roared inughter before he could give me an appropriateughter, while pointing towards my face. ¡°Do you¡­ Do you think I¡¯m going to hurt you?¡± He questioned amidstughter.

    I rolled my eyes and leaned on the head rest. ¡°You won¡¯t, but I¡¯m just worried.¡± I knew that I was worried for nothing but I couldn¡¯t help it.

    When theughter had died down, he wore his squeezed shirt and buckled his belt. ¡°I dismissed him for the day so we could have some time to ourselves. We¡¯ve never really enjoyed this thing called marriage.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought you didn¡¯t have a heart.¡± I muttered then stared at my naked body. ¡°We can¡¯t stay all evening in this car and my clothes aren¡¯t here.¡±

    ¡°I know that. That¡¯s why I asked the driver to stop at a cloth store so that I can get you something for the evening.¡± He opened the car and left abruptly without waiting for me to say another word.

    My lips stretched into a more genuine smile as my body reacted to his thoughtfulness. Even though he behaved like he didn¡¯t care, he still noticed the little details.

    His quick disappearance to the store gave me time to meditate on the new sprouting feelings that shook me to the core. I didn¡¯t want to love him. I just wanted this marriage to be over so that I can leave, but now it looked like it would be harder to leave.

    There were just a few months and a year left, if I wanted time to go slower or faster I couldn¡¯t tell.

    I didn¡¯t have extra time to ponder on my feelings as the car door flung open and he jumped in with two shopping bags. I furrowed my brows as I snatched the bags from them in curiosity.

    ¡°What are these?¡± I brought out an ash T-shirt that had the inscription ¡®Don¡¯t give up¡¯ and a pair of joggers from the first bag.

    ¡°Do you like them?¡± He asked as I kept scrutinising the clothes.

    They looked really beautiful, but I wondered how he knew my size. ¡°It seems you have every detail of my body etched in your perverted brain.¡± I giggled as I tossed on the shirt.

    ¡°I¡¯d take that as apliment.¡± He helped to bring out a box with a Nike inscription from the other bag.

    I opened it and gasped at the beautiful pair of snickers that was in front of me. I couldn¡¯t hold back my excitement as I dragged his face closer for a kiss. ¡°This is so sweet of you. Are you trying to apologise for something?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just be nice?¡±

    ¡°Well, a lot of people saw me as vulnerable so they made me feel that I didn¡¯t deserve anything good in my life.¡± I inclined my head as I tried the sneakers on. ¡°You also did the same at some point.¡± I confessed.

    His harsh intake of breath sounded in my ears but I did nothing about it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I was neck deep in my resentment for you that I failed to filter the lies from the truth.¡±

    I moved closer to him. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s forget about it for now. I¡¯ll tell you all about it at the right time.¡± He pushed the conversation aside.

    Several questions were at the tip of my tongue, waiting to be asked but seeing how reclined he was, I decided to listen to him. ¡°Are we going back to the house?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± He popped the ¡®p¡¯. ¡°We are going wherever you want to go. So make your choice and tell me what you want.¡±

    I tapped my chin like I was engrossed in a deep thought then cleared my throat. ¡°I¡¯ve not had ice-cream in a while. We can have it together with some burgers. Then I¡¯ll take you to a good noodle shop I discovered. They make the best soupy noodles around.¡± I chirped, my voice ring with happiness.

    For the first time since childhood, I¡¯d get to eat all I¡¯ve been denied because of financial instability and just do whatever I want.

    I could already envisage how fun filled tonight would be.

    ¡°Let¡¯s switch positions then. I¡¯ll take over the driving.¡±

    We moved to the front and he hit the gas. I enjoyed having him drive like a man without control. It was so crazy that sirens began to re behind us.

    ¡°I think we¡¯ve gotten ourselves into trouble,¡± Iughed, enjoying the ride.

    He shrugged and overtook a car while I held onto the seat belt to keep me bnced. Soon, we lost the police van but I couldn¡¯t help but keep looking behind me, in case he decided to take off his uniform.

    We pulled over at an ice-cream parlor which was just beside the road, then he held my hand firmly and swung our arms so that everyone would see that we came together.

    ¡°What are you doing, Dexter?¡± A giggle erupted from my lips as I saw that his showoff was attracting some attention to ourselves.

    ¡°Letting everyone know that you are mine. Is that a problem?¡± He whispered in my ear.

    I bit my inner cheeks as he pushed the ss door open. ¡°I think I¡¯m ready to have that ice-cream.¡±

 Trouble after fun

    Dexter

    This woman was fun, and all I¡¯d been seeing was the frustrated and wary part of her. She hadn¡¯t stopped smiling ever since she got into the parlor.

    She requested three different vors of ice-cream and I was more than willing to give it to her. My only worry was that she could have a stomach upsetter. I didn¡¯t care if she put on extra weight.

    Presently, she was scooping from the strawberry te, licking it withser focus.

    ¡°Rx, it isn¡¯t running away.¡± I teased her, chuckling.

    She dropped the te and moved to the next. ¡°I know it isn¡¯t, but can you allow me to enjoy this? I don¡¯t know when next you¡¯ll be avable for me.¡± She rasped, her voice a bit croaky because of the cold stuff she was taking in.

    My heart ached at her words. ¡°Is that why you are always close to Arnold?¡±

    ¡°Apart from the fact that he¡¯s a good friend, yes. He¡¯s always there for me. I remember the first time we went out, it was because you abandoned me like a nobody and went out with Emilia, Dexter. You gave me the impression that you had nothing going on with her yet you couldn¡¯t set boundaries.¡± She blinked hard, like she was trying to stop her tears from falling. ¡°It hurt like hell.¡± She sniffed.

    I was short of words. I didn¡¯t know that my actions had hurt her that badly. Maybe I should tell her the real reason I went out with Emilia.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, baby. Like I said that day, going out with Emilia was a way to protect you. She discovered that you are a maid, which in reality you aren¡¯t, and she threatened to make a fuss about it. That dinner was just one way to make sure she didn¡¯t get ahead of herself.¡± I exined and nudged her to look at me.

    She lowered hershes and licked her lips, her breathing slow andbored. If only she knew what her moistened lips did to me, she would stop.

    ¡°This is the reason I don¡¯t want anyone to know that I¡¯m your wife. It would cause a lot of ruckus and scandals for your business and I don¡¯t want that. I¡¯m a nobody, Dexter, I won¡¯t really be affected.¡± She said warily.

    I palmed my face, guilt washing over me. Here I was, crucifying her over her past mistakes which I wasn¡¯t actually sure shemitted, yet, she was concerned about me.

    She was right about the scandals I¡¯d face, but the thought of it didn¡¯t faze me. I¡¯d gone through worse situations and my business was still thriving.

    Her life would turn around if the whole world got to know that I was married to her. She¡¯d be treated with respect and dignity. No one wanted to go against the wife of one of the richest men in the world.

    I reached for her hands, enjoying the warmth of them. ¡°You aren¡¯t a nobody, Lorraine. You are a strong woman who¡¯s doing her best to make the most of her situation. So let¡¯s enjoy the present and face the music tomorrow. Is that alright with you?¡±

    She nodded and squeezed my palms, then gasped, her watery eyes darting to the ice-cream while I got up. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Watch me.¡± I smirked cockily as I veered towards the karaoke part of the parlor and took a microphone.

    Her questioning nce turned to an awestruck one as she realised what I was about to do. ¡°Come back here.¡± She mouthed, and nearly stood up but I didn¡¯t listen to her.

    ¡°Can I get your attention, everyone?¡± My voice boomed into the microphone.

    The parlor became quiet as everyone wanted to listen to what I had to say. ¡°There¡¯s a very beautiful woman I¡¯ve hurt unintentionally and I want to use the song I¡¯m about to sing to apologise to her. I hope she forgives me and allows me to straighten things with her.¡±

    The customers began to p, some of them making funny noises while Lorraine just allowed her tears to flow.

    I was going to make things right between us, past or not.

    A song by Justin Bieber shed in my mind and I began to sing it. I¡¯d boasted to her during dinner one night that I had a marvelous voice, I hope she believed it now.

    Being wrapped in the euphoria of the melody I created, I didn¡¯t know that she was beside me until I felt her touch on my shoulder. A look of understanding passed between us as we both sang together from our hearts, entertaining the customers and when we finished, they began to chant my name.

    That was when I realized that they knew who I was.

    ¡°Can we take pictures?¡± A young man asked.

    ¡°You both look good together. Is she your girlfriend?¡± Ady asked with a disapproving look like she didn¡¯t want Lorraine around me.

    I grabbed Lorraine by the arm and immediately we rushed out of the parlor and sprinted to the car. More questions would surface if we kept staying there and I hoped that no one took our pictures.

    Ourughter echoed in the car, my body riveting with happiness. I¡¯ve not had such fun in a while and it was nice to loosen up without being judged.

    ¡°You were right about your voice. I didn¡¯t know you could sing this well.¡± Shemented, her face still heated up.

    I shrugged as I ignited the engine, ready to take her to the noodle shop. ¡°I told you that there¡¯s literally nothing I can¡¯t do. I just have to put my heart to it.¡±

    ¡°Being cocky again, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    We flowed pretty well, even in the silence. It wasn¡¯t unbearable or ufortable, it was shared in understanding and beautiful feelings we didn¡¯t want to acknowledge.

    Being with her was fulfilling, like it was the right thing to do. The right ce to be.

    ¡°Are you sure your stomach can hold a te of noodles?¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Of course!¡± She replied eagerly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll lose all these calories at the gym tomorrow. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± She assured me.

    Satisfied with her answer, I kept driving. My phone rang loudly and she picked the call without me asking. ¡°It¡¯s Victoria.¡± She said quietly.

    ¡°Hello, Victoria.¡± I greeted gruffly as I wasn¡¯t so excited to speak with her. Since that incident, I¡¯d given her a lot of distance and pressured the people in charge of her new apartment to be quick with the interior decor.

    ¡°Where are you guys?¡± There was a note of urgency in her voice, and going by the sirens wailing in the background, I knew that something bad had happened.

    ¡°On our way to get noodles. What¡¯s going on?¡± I tried to be calm, but an eerie feeling gnawed in my chest, making my attempt to be calm unsessful. ¡°Talk to me! Dammit!¡± I thundered when she didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Someone broke into the house, Dexter.¡± She cried. ¡°Whoever it was, made scary paintings on the wall. It¡¯s so horrible. Pleasee home now!¡±

 A scandal

    Lorraine

    Dexter literally forced the car to fly as he raced towards the house like a man on a wild goose chase. I couldn¡¯t me him. The fear in Victoria¡¯s voice was unmistakable. The situation was really serious.

    My anxiety skyrocketed when I saw a few neighbors gathered in front of the house. Thankfully, the cops didn¡¯t let them in. I hated when my privacy was intruded upon and I knew Dexter disliked it as well.

    Victoria rushed to her brother as soon as she sighted him, and leaned on him for a hug. Even though we were sworn enemies, I understood what it meant to have someone hold you with an assurance that everything will be fine.

    ¡°It¡¯s so scary. My God, it really is.¡± She couldn¡¯t stop saying.

    My curiosity took the better part of me, but I couldn¡¯t go in until the cops had cleared us. Dexter had been snagged by one of the cops who engaged him in a serious conversation.

    Victoria kept passing res at me like I was the cause of her problem but I ignored her, being enveloped by my worry.

    Dexter and the cop veered towards us, their faces bearing unreadable expressions. Victoria skidded along while I waited for them to start talking.

    ¡°Hi, Lorraine, I¡¯m Detective Steven. I¡¯ll be in charge of this case so I¡¯ll need your cooperation so that the culprit who broke in can be caught.¡± He informed us, shing a wary nce at me.

    ¡°I promise to give you all the cooperation you¡¯ve asked for, but we want to know what happened and I¡¯m sure Victoria here can tell us more about it.¡± Dexter suggested.

    She drew closer to her brother and held onto his arm. ¡°I was waiting for you toe before I tell him anything, but the main problem is inside the house, not here.¡±

    A scared countenance veiled her face and I decided that whatever happened must have been petrifying.

    ¡°We¡¯ve taken a look at it before, but we have to look at it meticulously again. The window in your living room was broken through. I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s how he got in, and the forensic department has done what needs to be done. So don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll catch whoever it is.¡± He said quite confidently. ¡°We¡¯ll also need to check the cameras around the house so we can get clues.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. I¡¯ll make the footage avable to be watched.¡± Dexter concurred.

    We strode in, the detective ahead of us while Dexter held my hand in a firm but gentle way.

    The sight that greeted us when we entered the house had me gasping for air. It was indeed hair-rising as the red colored writing only screamed one thing, and that was me getting out of the house.

    The inscription stated boldly:

    ¡®LEAVE HIS HOUSE OR I¡¯LL COME FOR YOU, MY DEAR LORRAINE.¡¯

    I copsed on the floor with Dexter hurrying to keep me steady. The fact that the delinquent added ¡®dear¡¯ to my name made it all creepy.

    This was what the person wanted and sadly, I was giving him the wanted reaction.

    ¡°How did this happen?¡± I asked rhetorically.

    Victoria decided to act like a human this time and answer without being bitchy. ¡°I¡¯d just returned from an outing with Emilia when I saw a shadow jump out from that window.¡± She pointed towards the broken window and continued. ¡°I was too gobsmacked to follow and know who the person might be and that was when I saw the painting. I quickly dialed 911 and fortunately, the cops were on patrol along this area.¡±

    Dexter had helped to put me on the sofa so I could rx, but my mind wasn¡¯t cooperating. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a cup of coffee.¡± He  caressed my hair and slowly I began to feel better.

    Few minutester, we were all seated and ready for some questioning. Detective Steven¡¯s kind eyes made me trust him a bit. I was tired of being pushed around because of my past. Whoever instigated it must be brought to book.

    ¡°Lorraine, I¡¯d like you to be honest with me.¡± He requested and I nodded. ¡°Do you know anyone who could go to the extent of breaking into the house just to threaten you?¡± His question was penitent.

    Of course, I knew several people didn¡¯t like me. Most of them were verbal about it, but I wasn¡¯t sure any of them could get to the extent of doing such a horrible thing.

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone, Detective.¡± I answered truthfully as Dexter¡¯s strong arm wrapped my body.

    His touch was soothing and on the other hand, arousing sensual feelings that were supposed to be dormant because of how terrified I was. Maybe I should have given him a little distance so that I¡¯d focus on the detective¡¯s questions, but I enjoyed it too much to move away.

    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no one?¡± He reiterated.

    I nodded in affirmation. It was normal to have people who didn¡¯t like you, so I couldn¡¯t mention their names as suspects. That would be very unfair.

    He got to his feet and Dexter did the same. ¡°I¡¯ll keep in touch, Mr Hemmingway.¡± He shook hands with him.

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on it. I don¡¯t want to have my woman looking behind her while moving forward just because of some nitwit who doesn¡¯t know where to do his shit.¡± Dexter replied, his voice strong and bearing a warning.

    My body tingled as I heard him call me his woman. It felt so good to be acknowledged by him.

    Detective Steven didn¡¯t say anything else or they¡¯d be arguing so he left. Then Victoria decided that it was time to remind me why I disliked her.

    ¡°So while I was out here fighting for my life, you were out there having the best time of your miserable life with my brother?¡± She scowled.

    I jumped to my feet immediately, ready to put her in her ce. ¡°My life ain¡¯t miserable, honey!¡± I shot back then a realisation dawned on me. ¡°Hold up, how do you know about our outing? We didn¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡±

    She quickly picked her phone from the chair, began to scroll then she shed the screen at me. Dexter who went to shut the door returned and stood behind me.

    ¡°What the hell is¡­¡± He didn¡¯t need toplete his statement as the video on her phone gave him the answer.

    Apparently, some unscrupulous people posted our performance at the parlor online and the videos were trending with several annoying hashtags.

    Dexter and I exchanged nces while I shook my head, walking away.

    The scandal I¡¯d been trying to avoid had happened. Only God knew what would happen tomorrow.

 Standing up

    Lorraine

    It didn¡¯t get any better from there as series of threats kept popping in my phone a few times a day with different lines. I kept wondering if the fellow had nothing serious to do than to threaten me and make my life miserable.

    Dexter assured me that he was already looking into it, and I hoped he was, because I was running mad with worry. Someone wanted me to leave him, but the problem was how he or she knew that we were together.

    Victoria had been more withdrawn since that day. Always keeping to herself inside the room except she was hungry and had to get her dinner. Something was absolutely wrong with her, but I couldn¡¯t ask because I didn¡¯t want to be insulted.

    Stefan called me over, informing me that we had some practice to do for the next show. He congratted me for the sess of the lingerie shoot. I could never have been more proud.

    Immediately I got to his office, I blindfolded his eyes with my palms. ¡°Lorraine?¡± He called with a slight hint of uncertainty.

    My chuckle gave me away as I took off my hands and grinned at him. He moved away from his desk and pulled me for a hug. Our rtionship was tonic as he was my mentor in the industry.

    He was kind, caring and amodating. I could never ask for a better coach than him who wanted everyone around him to grow.

    ¡°It is I in flesh and blood.¡± I beamed. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, do you know that?¡±

    He held me tight. ¡°I know that, and I missed you too. For the past few weeks, I¡¯ve had no one knocking on my door before eight to tell me that I look good or asking how well I slept.¡± He admitted and released me from the embrace.

    ¡°I¡¯m back now. So let me ask, how was your night?¡±

    We bothughed and I felt the tension from the past days vanishing into thin air. I was safe here. Dexter drove me here instead of my cab driver even though I kicked hard against it. He was of the opinion that our truth was already out in the open, so he¡¯d proudly give them the show they wanted.

    ¡°I¡¯m good, but I want to know if you are.¡± He asked softly and I knew he was referring to the trending video.

    I took a deep sigh and slouched onto one of his chairs. ¡°Maybe I am. I can¡¯t really tell. A lot of things have happened during the week and it feels like a heavy yoke trying to drag me backwards.¡±

    He sat down as well and held my hand, staring into my eyes. ¡°You are resilient and determined, Lorraine. They want to break you, even the people you think cares about your well being, but don¡¯t give them that satisfaction. I don¡¯t really know your history, but I want to see you soar very high like an eagle. That¡¯s what I want for you, Lorraine. Do you want that for yourself as well?¡± He questioned, his voice gentle like a mother¡¯s voice singing lubies to her children.

    I nodded, unable to talk as rivers of tears cascaded down my cheeks and my throat clogged with emotions.

    ¡°I want that too, Stefan, but everything looks so bleak.¡± I croaked, wiping off the tears as I drew out a handkerchief to blow out my puffy nose.

    He allowed me to cry my heart out which was what I¡¯d been trying to do for some days. Dexter didn¡¯t allow me to cry when I was around him. Not because it irritated him, but he usually felt heartbroken each time he saw me in a bad mood.

    ¡°How do you feel now?¡±

    ¡°Better.¡± I chuckled and stood up.

    My white shirt was already ruined with my tears, but it didn¡¯t matter as they were tears of relief.

    ¡°That¡¯s good because we have a lot of work to do. Just like I said the first time, our designers have done a lot of work with the new textiles produced and severalpanies would want to seal deals with us. You have to give your best.¡± He said firmly.

    This was probably why he had worked the longest in Dexter¡¯s agency. He knew how to bnce his softness with firmness. No sh. Just perfectly bnced.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do less when I can give the best. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± I promised and turned away to the training room where Ste might be waiting for me.

    As I got to the door, I took a deep breath and counted to ten. When I was sure of my stability, I pushed the door open and put on my bright mind-your-business smile.

    A few models were able to get the memo as they only waved, but some were crazy enough to bring up the topic. My eyes darted around in search of Marianna and I realised that she wasn¡¯t here.

    ¡°Good morning, Ste.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Lorraine. I hope you are ready for work.¡± She questioned.

    ¡°Sure.¡± I replied enthusiastically and began to change my clothes.

    Ste began to make some corrections from thest show which I took. Shemended my ability to shove my embarrassment aside and make something good out of the situation.

    That was when I decided to ask the question that had made me restless since I came. ¡°Have you seen Marianna?¡±

    ¡°Oh. Stefan suspended her for a month. Apparently, she was the one who changed your shoes and added some greasy substance so you could slip.¡± She exined. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for that.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know whether tough or feel sorry for her so I merely nodded. The next training was on taking poses so I readied myself for it, but the door swung open and Emilia stormed in, wearing a red skimpy bodycon dress that did nothing to hide her cleavages.

    ¡°Hi, Lorraine. I see you¡¯re back to work.¡± She smiled grimly.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I folded my arms and shrugged. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be?¡±

    She dropped her purse and folded her arms as well, ring daggers at me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I get the hint that you weren¡¯t just a maid but his personal slut?¡± She yelled, drawing the attention of the other models while I nced around, shaking my head.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± I shot back, feeling anger course through me as I clenched my fists. At this point, going physical on her wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t?¡± She drawled, her lips curved in a cynical smirk as she faced the other models. ¡°This poor nobody works as a maid for the boss, but I think she has other skills than just doing the dishes and keeping the house clean. She also warms his bed at night.¡± She taunted me.

    I couldn¡¯t hold back my anger anymore as I lurched at her, connecting my fist to her face. She fell with a loud thud and I jumped on her, punching her hard without mercy. Her muffled scream was like music to my ears and each blow Inded on her body helped to ease the tension I¡¯d been facing since the break in.

    It just felt like I was face to face with my tormentor and I was unleashing terror on him or her.

    ¡°Stop!¡± I felt a strong hand lift me away from her, then I realised that Dexter was around.

    Everyone had demons, but this morning, I¡¯d let mine out. All of them. My anger consumed me and if Dexter hadn¡¯t stepped in, I¡¯d have probably killed the bitch with my bare hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I apologised in a husky voice as I was bereft of strength.

    He said nothing as his jaw flexed. With a stoic expression he spun around with two words leaving his lips. ¡°Follow me.¡±

 Delayed gratification

    Dexter

    She followed me into the office, her ragged pants resonating in the room. I couldn¡¯t deny how proud I felt watching her stand up to Emilia. She got whatever she deserved and there was no way I¡¯d punish Lorraine for it.

    I¡¯de to their floor just to watch her practice when I saw Emilia hurling insults at her. I wanted to step in so badly, but I didn¡¯t need to as Lorraine showed everyone that she couldn¡¯t be messed with.

    And Emilia, she was all talk without strength. It was good for her.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to scold me? I broke a rule.¡± She said tly, her voice calmer than I expected it to be.

    I reeled around on my executive chair. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m your boss and not your husband. You won¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±

    She snorted and stomped her foot on the ground, biting her lips. She wasn¡¯t even afraid of what I could do to her. One word and her career would be over, yet she wasn¡¯t scared?

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m sorry for what happened back there. Emilia got on my nerves and I was tired of her trampling on me at any given opportunity. How could she say such horrendous things in front of my colleagues?¡± She spat, her eyes zing with fury once again.

    I had to do something or she might just return to beating Emilia up again. This angry and brave Lorraine turned me on and it took all my self will not to bend her over my desk and fuck her into calmness.

    She sighed, realising that she had been rambling without getting a response. ¡°Say something, Dexter.¡± She cried impatiently.

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of what you did out there.¡± I replied sincerely.

    Her forehead was creased with doubt as her eyes narrowed. ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± I simply said. ¡°She was due for some serious spanking and since I couldn¡¯t get the job done myself, I was d you did it.¡±

    She gasped, a smile crashing on her beautiful face. ¡°Oh God. You don¡¯t know how tense I was. You should have said something.¡± She sighed in relief.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s because I was pondering on how to make everyone think I¡¯m mad at you, but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll sort it out.¡±

    ¡°Can I leave now?¡± She asked.

    I licked my lips, my eyes taking in her tight pants and sleeveless crop top. Even after the fight, she still looked so breathtaking I was moments away from plunging my dick into her.

    I swallowed and adjusted my tie. ¡°Sure, you can return.¡± I managed to say.

    She didn¡¯t go away as I expected, but she kept staring at me, her eyes scrutinising every inch of my body until it got to my lower end where she gulped. ¡°Is this why you¡¯re suddenly uneasy?¡± Her surprise turned into desire as she looked around and bit her lower lip.

    She came closer, her hips swaying as she moved. God, she was so sexy and I kept wondering why I didn¡¯t notice this. Or maybe I did, I just ignored it because of how angry I was at her.

    ¡°Ummm¡­ I-I.. I think you should leave now. ¡± I stuttered.

    I couldn¡¯t believe I was stuttering. She was making me lose my mind.

    Her fingers slid around my neck as she raised her brows. ¡°Are you sure you want me to leave?¡±

    This woman would be the death of me. I took a deep and aroused breath and moved away from her. ¡°Anyone can barge in on us and that will make things moreplicated.¡±

    She shed a questioning nce at me.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Okay. Wrong answer.

    I was the boss and no one would dare barge into my office asides Emilia who didn¡¯t give a damn about courtesy. She was supposed to be undergoing some treatment if she wasn¡¯t here yet, and the ss walls of my office weren¡¯t see-through so I could have as many rounds as I wanted with her and no one would notice.

    Disappointment flickered in her eyes. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave. Ste would be waiting for me anyways.¡±

    I took a few steps and grabbed her waist, hugging her from behind. ¡°I¡¯m not sending you away, Lorraine, I just want to clear up what happened.¡±  I exined.

    ¡°Are you sure you aren¡¯t loathing me again?¡± Fear rang hard in her shrill voice.

    ¡°You make it impossible to do that.¡± I assured her. ¡°Say what. Once all of this is over,e back here and wait for me. I might be hooked in a meeting so you can do whatever you want, but I promise to be fast about it ande back to you.¡± I promised.

    Seeing the mes of lust in her eyes fanned my own desire. My dick was painfully hard. It was throbbing and craved for her sex like a drug.

    Funny how I wasn¡¯t able to think of anyone but her. Her scent, her beautiful smile, everything about her had saturated my mind and at every given opportunity, I just wanted to be close to her.

    ¡°Whatever you say, husband.¡± She drawled and squeezed my balls before stalking out.

    A groan escaped my lips as I almost decided to get off with the thought of her, but I didn¡¯t do it. Dyed gratification was always sweeter at the end of the day.

    I brought out my phone and called an old friend. It was something I¡¯d been meaning to do ever since I rewatched the video ke showed me.

    After Liam came to see Lorraine that day, I began to feel really disturbed that she might have actually been saying the truth. The both of them felt very uneasy when I stylishly brought up the topic so they could be hiding something.

    ¡°Colter.¡± His grim, nonchnt voice came on the line.

    My lips curved in a smirk before I responded. He was always the same. ¡°Hi, Wyatt. Dexter.¡± I replied tly and the line went silent.

    ¡°You, bastard. Have I finallye to your remembrance this afternoon or do you have a job for me?¡± He replied in a rxed tone.

    Wyatt was always about business even when I was just checking up on him. I couldn¡¯t me him anyways. He was a renowned private investigator, ex-Special forces which exined why he was good at what he did.

    After his fiance died in the hands of a serial killer just because of a mission he couldn¡¯t avoid, he retired and went deep neck into getting information that even the forces couldn¡¯t gather.

    We met in college and seeing the fire in his eyes then, I knew he would be something and I wasn¡¯t wrong.

    ¡°Truthfully, I need your help.¡± I admitted.

    ¡°Bring it on.¡±

    I told him about the video and the hunch I had about Lorraine being drugged, then asked him to track the man in the video down so I could ask some personal questions. ¡°Are you game?¡± I asked, knowing he would never refuse me.

    ¡°Did you really have to ask?¡±

    It was absolutely normal for Wyatt to reply to my question with another question. ¡°Thank you for this. It¡¯s really important.¡±

    He scoffed, a huffing sound audible to me. ¡°Stop sounding like a woman, Dex, it feels so cheesy I can¡¯t even stand it. I¡¯m busy right now but expect an update from me tomorrow morning. Ciao.¡± The line dropped dead as I chuckled.

    He was still the same old Wyatt.

    I rang my secretary and asked her to bring Emilia over. It was time to straighten things out with her.

 Straightening things

    Dexter

    Emilia came in almost immediately, her cheeks swollen, and a very obvious shade of red on them. Her pointed nose had been battered and I was very sure it would take time for her to regain her previous perfect face.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a disgrace, Dexter.¡± She yelled at me. ¡°How could a mere trainee insult me and hit me like that? Take a look at my face. My cheeks are hurting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure your hands are still very capable of retaliating, but you didn¡¯t do anything other than allow her to remodel your face. I think I like this version,¡± I teased her, enjoying her res which didn¡¯t stem from just anger but resentment.

    It was obvious that she didn¡¯t like me anymore. I could sense it.

    ¡°You think this is funny, huh?¡± She tsked, pacing around the office while I leaned on my chair, watching her fall apart. ¡°I guess I might have been saying this all the time but you¡¯re surely going to pay for this humiliation. Maybe her body has gotten you hooked, but you¡¯ll get tired of her ande running to me and I wouldn¡¯t have your time because I¡¯d move to someone who values me more.¡± She ranted.

    I yawned, exhausted by her unnecessary bickering. ¡°You¡¯ll need to move on soon because I¡¯m ending the contract with you. The Hemming Agency no longer needs your services because Lorraine has done what we¡¯ve been trying to make you achieve.¡±

    Her jaw dropped the same as her shoulders, then she caught herself and the look of surprise quickly vanished as her signature snobbish expression returned. ¡°What are you talking about.¡±

    I¡¯d probably never said anything to Lorraine because I was yet to confirm the details, but now that I had, it would be fun to rub it in Emilia¡¯s face.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Our designs are selling out really fast, and the brands that aren¡¯t interested in the designs want the materials. All these happened in less than two weeks of having her on the runway. Imagine what happens when she¡¯s featured in the main events.¡± My lips stretched into a satisfied grin when I saw the look of resignation on her face.

    She caressed her forehead, her eyes shut as she tried to process the news.

    Her lips were moving but no words were heard. ¡°That isn¡¯t possible, Dexter! She¡¯s a newbie. I¡¯m very sure those facts were manipted.¡± She cried in disagreement.

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth, so get the hell out of my office and nevere back. Don¡¯t worry about your payment, it wille to you soon.¡± I said calmly.

    She stormed out, unable to say anything else. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

    How did I even date her in the first ce? Thedy was superficial, heartless andzy. She was something a few years back, but now she was more of a slut than a model.

    Now that she was gone, my mind reverted to the deal I made with Lorraine and immediately my dick twitched in anticipation. I knew exactly how I¡¯d pin her and make her scream my name in pleasure.

    I just had to go for this annoying meeting thene back and get the reward for waiting.

    *******

    The meeting went in a haze and I wondered if I actually concentrated on why I was there. My PA would have gone in my stead, but I preferred taking care of the littlest things myself.

    My eyes darted to my wristwatch after I entered my office and the sight that weed me messed with my mind in a good way.

    Lorraine stepped out of the bathroom, half naked, except for the ck underwear she had on. Her brown hair became a darker shade since it was wet. Her hair wasn¡¯t just wet, droplets of water dripped down her skin as she cat walked towards me.

    Her eyes screamed only one thing. Sex. And I was more happy that she wanted me the same way I wanted her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± She drawled, fiddling with the tip of her hair.

    I took off my jacket as I approached the desk where she perched on. My tie which I didn¡¯t always knot tightly became harder to lose.

    Why did it take eternity for a simple tie toe undone?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking so long, baby, but if it makes you feel better, you were the only thing on my mind during the meeting.¡± I apologised softly as I closed the distance between us.

    She licked her alluring lips and trailed her hand towards my chest. ¡°I like that, but I hope it doesn¡¯t happen next time. I don¡¯t want to be the reason you make losses in business.¡± Her tone wasced with concern as her fingers wandered to my belt.

    A guttural groan flew from my mouth as her soft hands met my phallus. Squeezing my balls was bing a habit and I¡¯d be lying if I didn¡¯t say I liked it. ¡°Damn, Lorraine! You don¡¯t want to know the repercussions for what you¡¯re doing to me right now.¡±

    Her hand wasn¡¯t on my crotch anymore, instead, she led my hand to her sex, hinting me on what she wanted. I got an inkling as my nose red in hunger.

    Since there was no other obstacle apart from her pantie, I decided to take some time to tease her. Business meetings were over and she was done with practice. What better way could we cool off than this?

    ¡°I¡¯m so eager to know what you¡¯ll do to me for being so bold, besides, my body misses you and you¡¯re taking too long.¡± She moaned as my thumb drew a circle between her lips.

    I enjoyed the slurpy feeling of her juice around my fingers, then hoisted her on top of the mahogany desk and widened her thighs. She raked her fingers into my hair and pulled it desperately.

    ¡°What do you want to do, Dexter?¡± Her grey orbs reeled with anticipation.

    Facing the pink deliciousness in front of me, I mouthed. ¡°Whatever you think I¡¯m about to do to you.¡± I didn¡¯t allow her to ponder too much on my words as I dove in, doing what I knew how to do best and smiling happily as she rewarded me with her reckless moans.

    She nearly toppled over the desk but I held her tight as the party was just getting started.

 An addiction

    Lorraine

    Dexter and I left the office together, after having the most passionate and exhrating love making session. I was so sore that I couldn¡¯t wait to jump in for a hot bath.

    It wasn¡¯t until we returned to the house that I remembered that my life was still under threat. There was no gathering of people, just the police car with detective Steven and another officer who I didn¡¯t know his name.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Dexter asked with concern.

    I wasn¡¯t alright in any way. Someone was interested in making sure that I go mad with fear and I was doing just that. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dex. No threatening message has popped in my phone this afternoon, but I¡¯m still anxious.¡± My admittance was made through a whisper.

    Those people who could snap out of reality while present in a conversation needed to be given a gold medal, because I couldn¡¯t do it.

    Dexter¡¯s caring gesture permeated through my fears and filled me with the assurance that I had someone. ¡°I¡¯m going to be here with you every step of the way. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been doing and I won¡¯t stop now.¡± He promised, his eyes filled with sincerity.

    I unplugged the seat belt and stretched over to hold him. His musky masculine scent mixed with his aftershave drifted into my nose, giving me some level of peace.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± His hug had disseminated some of the fear and now all I had to do was face the ones the remaining ones that lingered.

    On our way in, we invited the cops as well while I hoped that Victoria wouldn¡¯t be messing up again. Fortunately, the house looked empty and even if she was in, it wasn¡¯t obvious.

    ¡°Good evening, detective Steven. We didn¡¯t expect you to be here by this time. Is there any update as promised?¡± Dexter asked, plopping onto the armchair then removing his jacket.

    Most of the time, he looked like he didn¡¯t want to be in suits at all and I understood him. These formal attires felt like a necessary cage one had to be in.

    ¡°Yes, there is.¡± He replied and my heart skipped a bit.

    With every fiber of my being, I wished that it would be good news. I also wanted to let him know about the messages, but he had to say what he came here first.

    ¡°Alright, bring it on.¡±

    Detective Steven took a deep breath and darted a nce at the both of us. ¡°The footage was corrupted. It seems like the intruder had been nning this for a long time and he might have had some inside help.¡± He insinuated.

    My heart didn¡¯t just skip a beat, it hammered hard against my chest. A hopeless feeling sank down the pit of my stomach as I gripped the chair tightly.

    ¡°Inside help? What do you mean?¡± I chimed, frustrated and angry as Dexter signaled that I calm down with his eyes.

    The hell I couldn¡¯t!

    He wasn¡¯t the one getting threatening messages everyday. He hadn¡¯t gone through half of what I¡¯d experienced so he shouldn¡¯t expect me to be calm as he was.

    I¡¯d always believed that justice would prevail, but right now, I had never been more tempted tomit murder. Whoever was doing this to me should die a very gruesome death.

    The detective put on a kind smile that had some element of understanding in it. ¡°I know how riled up you are, Miss Hills, but I promise you that we¡¯ll get to the root of the situation.¡± He guaranteed me then averted his attention to Dexter. ¡°It¡¯s true that the footage was corrupted, but we were able to get a glimpse of the intruder¡¯s gender.¡±

    A ray of hope finally struck on us.

    ¡°We¡¯re listening.¡± Dexter encouraged him calmly to continue.

    It was amusing that he could remain this calm in the midst of chaos. I wished I could borrow that part of him for a few minutes.

    He sighed deeply like he was about to announce some bad news. ¡°It¡¯s a man.¡± He paused, allowing the news sink then continued. ¡°We were able to tell by his silhouette and the haircut, but don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find him.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I couldn¡¯t hold back my curiosity anymore. ¡°And what if you don¡¯t?¡± I spat. ¡°I¡¯ve been having these threatening messages ever since that day and each time I get it, I feel like my life would be taken from me at any moment.¡± I was literally screaming but none of them seemed to mind.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find him, miss Lorraine. This is a promise from me to you.¡±

    I nodded as my eyes churned with hot tears. Dexter got up from the armchair and came to sit beside me. His arm went around my shoulder while I leaned on him, allowing the tears to stream down.

    He squeezed my shoulder and nted a kiss on my forehead. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, baby.¡± Amidst my tears, I could sense how worried he was for me.

    ¡°And for the hunch I¡¯m having about the inside help, I¡¯ll need to interrogate everyone working for you.¡± He said to Dexter.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem, but I don¡¯t have any live-in staff. You can interrogate my chauffeur, the gardener and the housekeeper.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be expecting them at the station tomorrow.¡± He said and got to his feet.

    Dexter didn¡¯t bother to follow him to the door as he was more concerned about me. We stayed like that in the silence, his breath fanning my forehead.

    Sadness ate me up like termites in the woods. Why couldn¡¯t I enjoy peace for once in my life?

    ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Dexter asked.

    On hearing about food, my stomach began to make gurgling sounds, reminding me that I hadn¡¯t eaten any serious food since breakfast. ¡°Anything you prepare.¡± I replied simply. ¡°I¡¯ll just get a ss of juice in the kitchen.¡±

    He headed towards the room to drop his jacket while I left for the kitchen. We¡¯d stopped sharing rooms because of Victoria who thought I was a maid.

    The kitchen was quiet as expected but something caught my attention which was the darkness and sniffleing from an opposite direction. I quickly flipped the switch and listened attentively to where the noise could being from.

    Enveloped with fear, I picked up a rod beside the trashcan and headed towards the pantry where the sound seemed to being from.

    It became louder as I got closer, the groans I heard startled me and in quick response I raised the rod, ready to hit whoever was hiding. It might just be the intruder.

    I inclined my head as a familiar pair of puffy eyes met mine with a wail. ¡°No!¡± Victoria screamed.

    I stopped dead in my tracks as a muffle followed. She crawled out of her hiding space und, her skin red with blisters and her hair a matted mess.

    ¡°Dexter!¡± I called out as I crouched beside her.

    Loud footsteps resonated into the kitchen and sooner I felt his presence around me. ¡°She¡¯s sick.¡± I observed, checking her eyes which were closing.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±

    Victoria stared at the both of us with a stare that showed how dazed she was. Her fingers sought her scalp as she scratched violently.

    My lips parted as I realised what might have gone wrong with her. She slumped on my chest then smiled tiredly as she tried to make out a word. ¡°C-Cocaine.¡± She whispered and immediately her eyes closed.

 Losing control

    Dexter

    To say that I was angry was an understatement, I was really disappointed in Tori.

    What hadn¡¯t I given her?

    She lived a life that was enviable by otherdies of her age, yet she wasn¡¯t satisfied.

    I made sure that she lived the best life even though she spent all the money I gave to her on frivolities. My eyes caught the sight of Lorraine who was talking to doctor Luca on my behalf.

    She noticed how stunned I was to speak so she stepped in. Thank the lord for her.

    ¡°I¡¯d still have to talk to him.¡± I overheard him say then he walked away while Lorraine returned to me.

    She led me towards the rows of chairs that bordered outside the wards and made me sit. Concern shed in her face as she held my hands. ¡°Victoria needs her brother, not a man who resents her.¡±

    ¡°How did I fail her?¡± My voice cracked as my emotions surged through my throat. ¡°She¡¯s been addicted to drugs and I didn¡¯t have the slightest idea.¡±

    ¡°As long as we¡¯ve known, Victoria has always been secretive and withdrawn. Though we don¡¯t get along, I can see dark secrets lurking behind those bright smiles. There¡¯s more to the story than we know about, let¡¯s just pray that she survives this.¡± She replied, caressing my arm.

    I stared at her in awe. Lorraine had a kind heart that couldn¡¯t be argued about. Victoria had always treated her badly and talked to her condescendingly but she still cared about her.

    ¡°What kind of woman are you?¡±

    She stared at me with a puzzled expression, batting hershes innocently. ¡°I don¡¯t get you.¡±

    ¡°You have a big heart that flows with kindness, unconditional love and sweetness¡­ The list is endless, Lorraine. Victoria never liked you, yet you still care about her safety. You are trying to protect her from my wrath even when you should be happy that she¡¯s under the weather.¡± Everything I said was from my heart.

    Lorraine was a good woman, I just didn¡¯t realise it on time.

    She stared at me with those beautiful eyes of hers. Grey to brown. And I could see how much she cared about me.

    ¡°Victoria needs us now and this isn¡¯t the appropriate time to pay her back in her own coin. I can always do that when she has the strength to fight me.¡± She replied in a modest way.

    I didn¡¯t say anything because I didn¡¯t know what to say. My heart was swelling with the different emotions, none of which I could put a name to, but I was very sure that Tori and I had a lot of things to talk about once she woke up.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to see doctor Luca. He has a lot of things to tell you.¡± She urged me on firmly.

    I shrugged, unwilling to see anyone that could tell me how deteriorated her situation was. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You can tell me what he told you.¡±

    She shook her head, her jaw set stubbornly. ¡°If I tell you what he said then my aim of pushing you to him would be defeated. Just go ahead, I¡¯ll wait here for you.¡±

    Knowing that arguing with her would be like pouring water on a rock, I got up and headed straight to Doctor Luca¡¯s office, smiling at my childish behavior. Thankfully, only Lorraine got to see that part of me.

    I knocked and checked if he was free. Fortunately he was, so I stalked in and exchanged pleasantries with him.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°How¡¯s she?¡±

    Funny how I was trying to act all macho, but deep down, I cared so much about Tori. I just needed to know the cause of her problem.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡± He said inly. No hints of emotions on his face.

    I gave off a sigh of relief and massaged my temples. ¡°I¡¯m still baffled at how I was unable to notice that my younger sister was addicted while staying under my roof.¡±

    ¡°You never know because they are usually good at hiding things. They never let you into their space, they behave like hermits. The symptoms are noticeable but we act nonchnt because we think it¡¯s just a phase.¡± He exined and I nodded in understanding.

    I tried to think of the times when Tori pushed me away, then I realised that I didn¡¯t even have time for her. It was always work and all. Even when she came to live with us I still thought of pushing out of the house just because of so called ¡®privacy¡¯.

    Her constant bickering with Lorraine was another reason, but I could have found a way around it. I almost lost my sister out of selfishness and I didn¡¯t even know.

    My eyes stung and the urge to cry became overwhelming but I held it in, not wanting to show anyone my vulnerability.

    ¡°What can I do to make her better?¡± I questioned, my heart hammering against my chest. ¡°I can¡¯t lose my sister like this.¡± I croaked, knowing that the control on my emotion was slipping away.

    ¡°Once she wakes up, you¡¯ll have a hearty discussion with her. You need to make her see reasons why she should go to rehab because that¡¯s the only viable way to save her right now. Drug addiction has a lot of disadvantages that we aren¡¯t even ready to talk about. Except you want to lose your sister, you have to put in some work.¡± He encouraged me, just the same way he used to.

    Sometimes I wondered if he was this way because of work or if he had no feelings at all. It didn¡¯t really matter to me because he treated me well.

    Anything for my sister. She had to be fine, because she was the only family I had.

    Suddenly a beep sound got his attention. Well not just his attention, but mine too.

    Without haste he got up and wore his white coat. ¡°Your sister, I need to check on her.¡± He announced.

    That spurred me to join him outside his office. ¡°Is anything wrong?¡± I asked with a note of urgency.

    This one of the things I hated about doctors, they never said anything until they had to. I was already going mad with worry and he was still being all professional. It was already getting me worried.

    He got to the door and stopped, giving me a warning look. ¡°Wait here until I ask you toe in.¡±

    I wanted to protest but a light touch on my shoulder stopped me. ¡°I know that patience has never been your strong forte, but just do whatever he asks of you.¡± Lorraine said carefully.

    The door opened almost immediately, his head popping outside the door. ¡°She¡¯s asking for Lorraine.¡± Doctor Luca said as Lorraine and I exchanged astonished nces. ¡°Are youing?¡± He said to her and she gave me a look that told me to rx.

    I wasn¡¯t angry that my sister asked for Lorraine, probably she trusted her enough to tell her what she couldn¡¯t tell me. That was a good sign.

    My phone rang and I felt better, seeing who the caller was.

    ¡°Wyatt.¡± I said his name curtly as a name of greeting.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got news.¡± He informed me as I went out to listen.

 A sad revelation

    Lorraine

    I was over the moon, hearing that she wanted me to be with her after waking up from a few hours of unconsciousness. She might have other ns but I was on guard if she decides to misbehave.

    The once energetic and vibrant Victoria had be a shadow of herself. Without make-up, she looked frail. Her full hair had be thinner and then I realised a lot of things that caused chills to run down my spine.

    The full hair might have just been the effect of a hair extension, and her beautiful face a result of constant make-up. She wasn¡¯t always home so we couldn¡¯t notice if she had issues with her health.

    Her bulgy eyes were trained on me as if she was expecting me to yell at her.

    Sorry to burst your bubbles, honey, I¡¯m not that heartless.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± I held her hand which she squeezed in gratitude.

    A nurse had put her in a sitting position before she left so she could feel morefortable than just lying t on the bed. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t exin how I feel. It¡¯s so bad.¡± She whispered.

    It was the first time I was seeing her this vulnerable and I didn¡¯t know how to react. I just hoped she would live a better life after this.

    ¡°Just take your time and heal. We¡¯ll always be here for you.¡±

    She broke into sobs after myst statement, a dam of tears breaking through. ¡°Why¡­ Why are you so kind?¡±

    This was the second time I was asked such a question and I was beginning to wonder if they hadn¡¯t noticed that my kindness was an inborn thing. Even when the world was against me, there was no better way to feel better than being kind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just my way of life.¡± I replied curtly.

    She shook her head in disagreement. ¡°If I¡¯d met people like you in Europe then maybe my life would have turned out better, but all they tried to do was to put me down. I was so depressed.¡±

    Her shrill voice screamed anger, hurt, sadness.

    Why did we have so many killjoy?

    It was almost a trend. My life was a very good example that some people derived joy in taking away what made others happy. I wished it were possible to eliminate those wicked humans from the earth.

    With an emotionden voice, I pulled my chair closer as I didn¡¯t want her to scream. ¡°Before asking what they did to you, I¡¯d like to know why you chose to talk to me while knowing that your brother is here.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    She sighed and rested on the pillow. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want me around him.¡± She began while my lips parted at the revtion. She smiled sadly and continued. ¡°It¡¯s not out of hate, but after our mother died, we both drifted apart. I left the country to continue my studies after he returned and took over thepany. He always sent me money even without asking, making sure I wasfortable but that wasn¡¯t all I needed.¡±

    She ignored my question but I was fine with that. She could always answer at her own time.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t realise he was hurting you.¡± I said in his defense, remembering my own past with him.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t have the slightest idea and that¡¯s why I returned, but it was toote.¡± Her countenance was crestfallen though she tried to mask it with a smile.

    Curiosity shot through me as I badly wanted to know what had happened to her in Europe. ¡°Tell me, Victoria, what happened?¡±

    Her eyes were bing misty but she blinked hard to keep it in. ¡°It was all because of a stupid boy in college. I should have known that he had bad vibes and all, but I guess that was what attracted me to him.¡±

    A smile touched my lips unknowingly as I remembered how Dexter and I used to be in high school. He was the hottest boy in school and every girl had a huge crush on him, including me.

    The only difference was that hid mine behind my quiet mask and acted like he didn¡¯t exist. He bullied me a lot, but he didn¡¯t allow others to do the same, and that was when I realised that everything he did was to get my attention.

    He affirmed it on the night he took my virginity and I couldn¡¯t deny that it was the best night I ever had. Sadly, Liam and ke had to spoil it for me by taking videos and tried to ckmail me with it.

    ¡°You¡¯re blushing.¡± Victoria observed.

    I waved it off with an eye roll. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Keep talking, I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°He was very skilled in manipting me. On several asions he gaslighted me and I didn¡¯t even know the damage he did to me until my nudes circted on the college¡¯s website. He hacked it.¡± She paused and sniffed, drying her eyes as she couldn¡¯t stop crying.

    Now that was all shades of wrong. I rose up and hugged her as she cried on my chest like a baby.

    Who could have thought that Victoria, who I disliked grossly, would be so emotional with me?

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t cope with the embarrassment so I met a drug dealer at the club and he introduced me to hemp. After taking it for a while, it began to lose its effect on me so I asked for something stronger. The money was there so he was d to give me whatever I wanted.¡± I patted her back, whispering words of assurance to her.

    ¡°That man needs to rot in jail. Selling such things is illegal.¡± I said in exasperation.

    She huffed after blowing her nose with a paper towel I gave her. ¡°He has several connections. It would be hard to pull that off.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Do you know who your brother is?¡±

    ¡°After I returned, I found someone who would continue selling to me here. I made sure that they didn¡¯t know I was from the Hemmingway family so it wouldn¡¯t cause a scandal, but I wasn¡¯t smart enough because the new dealer discovered who I was and threatened to tell everyone about it. He hiked the price of the coke he supplied to me and since I wasn¡¯t in Europe anymore, Dex didn¡¯t need to send as much money as he used to. I don¡¯t have a job or a business so there was no way I could pay aside from sleeping with him.¡±

    It was bing clearer to me now, but her exnation caused a discovery I didn¡¯t pray to be true. ¡°Was he the man we met here that night?¡±

    She looked away from me immediately, lowering hershes and then I got my answer.

 Reconciliation

    Dexter

    I was pretty ticked to hear from him. A conversation with him would ease the tension I¡¯d been feeling since Victoria got admitted.

    ¡°Spill it.¡± I demanded, my body tethering on the edge.

    He snorted as if my order had no effect on him. ¡°I¡¯m helping you here so be nice.¡± He fired back with a steel tone. ¡°The dunce you¡¯re searching for tried to go off grid, but he wasn¡¯t smart enough to keep his tracks covered.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± A ray of hope became visible, but I needed him to make it clearer.

    ¡°One of my staff was able to put a tab on him, so I¡¯ll send you his present location through a text. I know you¡¯re a busy man but be with your phone at all times, alright?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for me to respond before ending the call.

    Typical of Wyatt to call anyone working for him a staff. Though it was the right thing to call them, it sounded too formal in my ears for the kind of job they did.

    I clicked continuously on the side of my phone, eager to get the text and it came.

    A deep feeling of dread stirred in my stomach as I read the text. The dunce was in Beverly Hills and very close to the hospital we were in. Apparently, he knew that Lorraine would be here and if I wasn¡¯t getting ahead of myself, he might have been the one sending the texts.

    I didn¡¯t bother telling Wyatt that I¡¯d gotten his message as I swung into action. I headed straight for Tori¡¯s ward and found her alone.

    Another feeling reced the former as I felt my temper begin to simmer. Tori¡¯s still gaze nted towards me as she stared at me with remorse.

    Seeing that I couldn¡¯t leave without saying anything to her, I quickly sent a message to Drake who usually drove Lorraine to work, asking him to search for her.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to see me.¡± She said quietly after I sent the text to him.

    I regarded her for a while then dipped my phone into my pocket, gathering the right words to say to her. I couldn¡¯t be harsh on her right now because that wasn¡¯t what she needed.

    ¡°Who told you that?¡± I sat on the chair beside her bed and took her hand into mine.

    She sniffed and that was when I noticed the puffiness of her face. She¡¯d been crying and I wasn¡¯t there to console her. ¡°I felt it. You don¡¯t have to lie to me.¡± She countered, her sharp tone sawing my already weak heart.

    I had to cut the chase, so I pushed the chair forward and tipped her chin to look at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Victoria. I¡¯ve failed you in several ways and it breaks my heart each time I remember that you might have been going through something and I didn¡¯t know about it.¡± My voice was beginning to shake, my breathing in quick pants.

    I wasn¡¯t one to get emotional so easily, but my sister was in a deep mess and that realisation brought out a deep feeling of empathy within me.

    She shifted towards me slowly and wrapped her hand around my head. I evacuated the chair and sat beside her, holding her tightly to myself. We hadn¡¯t shared such closeness in a while and it felt very strange but good.

    ¡°We used to be so close until after mama¡¯s death. That shouldn¡¯t happen again.¡±

    I nodded, cing a kiss on her forehead. ¡°I promise it won¡¯t. We will always be there for each other no matter what, because you are my family.¡±

    She broke away from my hold and looked into my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t call for you when I woke up. At that point, I didn¡¯t want someone that would judge me, and my heart felt at peace while talking to Lorraine.¡± She admitted.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    My lips formed a ghost smile as she talked about Lorraine, but it disappeared on remembering that I didn¡¯t know where she was.

    Please be safe, I prayed.

    ¡°You like her?¡± I probed, enjoying the easy conversation we were having.

    ¡°I never hated her.¡± She replied honestly. ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t like her because she got all your attention, but I realised that you found it easy to talk to her because she cared about you even with your grumpiness. Have you ever considered taking things further?¡±

    My heart raced, my hand flying to my chest as surprise enveloped me. ¡°Should I be scared that you¡¯re asking such a question? ¡± I teased her.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Dex. She¡¯s good for you and I¡¯m really sad that I didn¡¯t realise on time.¡±

    The thought of telling her who Lorraine truly was to me crossed my mind and I began to contemte on it. We had both reconciled and I wasn¡¯t sure I wanted to hide anything from her.

    ¡°She¡¯s my wife already.¡± I blurted with a deadpan expression.

    Victoria flinched, blinking incessantly as he mouth dropped in disbelief. Then she burst into an annoyingughter. I really hated it when sheughed that way, but for the information I just dropped, it was well deserved.

    ¡°You must be kidding, bro. This is the funniest joke of the century. How can you say something like that?¡± She reprimanded me, but when she noticed how serious my expression was, she allowed the news to sink in. ¡°Howe you got married to her and no one knows about it?¡±

    My phone chimed simultaneously and hastily, I checked for his message. My heart sank on reading that he couldn¡¯t locate her.

    Her phone was off.

    I jerked to my feet, unable to sit still.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Your face has turned pale.¡± She observed.

    ¡°When did Lorraine leave?¡± I propped my arms against my waist.

    She tapped her cheek with her index finger as if in thought. ¡°About ten minutes before you came in. She got a phone call and told me she had to leave, she also said that she¡¯ll tell you but I guess that never happened. Why are you asking?¡±

    I was already at the door. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about itter. Don¡¯t be surprised if you find some men at the door. You¡¯ll be under twenty-four hours of surveince until you¡¯re discharged.¡± I informed her and went in search of my wife.

 A unknown destination

    Lorraine

    My phone rang loudly, disrupting my conversation with Victoria but I couldn¡¯tin as the caller was an important one.

    ¡°Hey, Bumpy,¡± I greeted casually. ¡°Missed me?¡±

    He chuckledzily. ¡°It¡¯s part of the reasons I called you, but not the main one.¡± He stated.

    ¡°What other reason could that be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± He responded almost immediately and my heart fell.

    He couldn¡¯t leave, but then I remembered that he came to California because of a  business deal with Dexter and he¡¯d have to return to his city. ¡°Are¡­ Are you for real?¡± I knew that my emotions were bing obvious but I didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet in twenty minutes at the park. Tell your husband about it so he wouldn¡¯t send men to strangle my neck when he finds out we are together.¡± He joked, trying to make the atmosphere lighter.

    It didn¡¯t work.

    Bumpy has be a part of my life. He was the kind of friend I prayed to have and now he was leaving. We could talk over the phone, but it couldn¡¯t bepared to knowing he was in the city.

    ¡°Are you still there?¡± His voice was like a bell, intruding on my sad thoughts.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m here. Just missing you already. Why do you have to go back anyways?¡± I whined. I knew that I sounded selfish, but I just wished that I could find a way to keep him in California for the time being.

    A sound resembling a sigh left his lips, then I heard a chair creak. ¡°I have my business to run in Chicago. The reason I¡¯m still around is because of you.¡± He admitted as I swallowed, my tongue running dry.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Like I said earlier,e to the park and we¡¯ll talk.¡± His voice became distant but since I didn¡¯t want to push it, I decided to give him what he wanted.

    Massaging my forehead and ignoring Victoria¡¯s questioning nce, I said. ¡°I¡¯ll be there at fifteen.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± She asked when I got off the call then I remembered that Bumpy was actually Victoria¡¯s ex.

    We had started afresh on a good note and since I wasn¡¯t sure of her present feelings for him, I decided to keep him a secret. ¡°A friend I have to see immediately. I¡¯ll tell your brother that I¡¯m leaving so he cane and stay with you.¡± I informed her and she nodded.

    I¡¯d gotten to the door when she called me, bringing me to a halt. ¡°Any problem?¡± I spun around, worried that she might be having a headache.

    ¡°No.¡± She said as relief washed over me. ¡°You asked me why I chose to speak with you before my brother, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    She inhaled deeply and shed a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s because I trust you.¡± She said simply and I felt my heart melting.

    My eyes churned with tears because her brother didn¡¯t even trust me. Though we were silently trying to work things out, I knew that it would be hard for him to have the same blind trust he had in me in high school.

    ¡°Thank you, Tori. I¡¯d like to call you that.¡± I rushed towards her, my arms wide open for an embrace.

    Amidst the turmoil and the downward trajectory my life had taken, something felt right for the first time.

    ¡°You are very free to call me that, Lorri.¡± Sheughed.

    A look of understanding passed between us and deep down, I knew that a new chapter had been opened for us. ¡°That¡¯s a weird one, but I like it.¡± I stared at my watch and sprung away from her. ¡°Someone¡¯s waiting for me.¡± I reminded her.

    ¡°Have a great time.¡± She wished me as I trotted out of her ward.

    While hoping that I¡¯d quickly find a cab to take me to the park, I searched around for Dexter who had apparently disappeared. Since I¡¯d given Bumpy a time frame, I had to leave without telling him.

    Luckily, I found a cab and gged it down. I got in and we headed for my destination. As he drove on, my mind went to Bumpy¡¯s statement that I¡¯d refused to acknowledge.

    He said he had been around because of me, but why was he leaving soon?

    I sighed, knowing that I couldn¡¯t get everything I wanted. Chicago wasn¡¯t so far from here and if he valued our friendship, we¡¯d make time to see each other.

    The silence in the cab was beginning to get me bored. My mind shed to the interesting conversations I used to have with my cabbie. It wasn¡¯t forced and I usually looked forward to going to work in his cab, before the video from the ice-cream parlor trended.

    I checked my wristwatch for the umpteenth time, getting disappointed that we hadn¡¯t gotten there yet. I took a peek of the environment from the window and realised that we weren¡¯t on the route to the park.

    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. I think we¡¯re on the wrong route.¡± I called out to him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are different routes to the park. There¡¯ll be traffic on the main route by this time, hence my decision to follow this one.¡± He exined with a chill tone, but I wasn¡¯t satisfied with his response.

    I didn¡¯t want to sound imposing so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and let him do his thing. I reached for my phone which was inside my bag to text Dexter but my phone had gone off.

    ¡°Oh no. I charged this phone.¡± I muttered under my breath.

    An unmistakable dark chuckle came to my hearing as shivers ran down my spine. Something was wrong and I began to feel ufortable in the car.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    I nced at the driver¡¯s face through the mirror and flinched in fear. His expression was unsmiling with a scar running from his cheek to his jaw.

    If he had such a scary scar on his face, I wondered how much more his shirt hid.

    Masking my fear behind a sweet smile, I pretended to scroll through my phone then sighed. ¡°Ummm.. Sir, can you drop me off here?¡± I made sure my voice didn¡¯t show any hint of fear or he¡¯d use it against me.

    ¡°I decide that, sweetheart, so shut up and allow me to drive us to the destination peacefully.¡± He replied coldly.

    The destination?

    What was he talking about?

    I raked through my hair and wiped up the sweat that gathered under my chin. ¡°What destination? I really need to get down now.¡± I demanded firmly.

    He shrugged and changed the gear, increasing the speed of the car. ¡°You¡¯ll know soon.¡±

 An escape

    Lorraine

    My lips trembled, tremors ran down my spine as I watched him drive recklessly, like he was under the influence of alcohol. We were slowly moving from the streets to the highway and if I didn¡¯t do anything right now, it would be hard for me to escape this evil man.

    I racked my brain, thinking of how to get the car to stop while ensuring that my fear wasn¡¯t evident on my face. For the first time in my life, I wanted to be strong even though I might not survive it.

    An idea shed like lightning into my mind and I grasped it with all my strength. All I needed was the right time to swing into action or my efforts would be for nothing.

    I slowly slipped my fingers into my little bag and brought out a needle. A ghost of a smile touched my lips as I remembered theme reason I kept a needle in my bag.

    It was to prick annoying bastards that didn¡¯t understand what boundaries are all about. It was so sad that this prick driving me off would be the first person to get the taste of the needle.

    I twirled the needle with my fingers, acting like a killer with a target while my inside had melted with fear. My palms were mmy with sweat. Bile rose through my throat.

    A phone rang out loudly, since mine was off it had to be his.

    A space had been made for me, I should have swung into action, but I needed to know who he was speaking with so I waited patiently.

    His speed had reduced which was a good sign because I was so ready to jump out of the car as soon as I got him destabilized.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hello, boss. She¡¯s here with me.¡± He rumbled, his voice connoting nothing short of violence and death.

    I didn¡¯t have the time to listen to the remaining things he had to say as I lurched at him, jabbing his neck with the needle. He bobbed his head backwards, his phone slipped off his fingers and a painful groan exited his dark lips.

    Just a single stab wouldn¡¯t be strong enough to give me the weakening effect I aimed for, so I reached for thest ce I never nned to touch and dragged his balls.

    He grabbed my hair tightly, but I was running on adrenaline, his painful grip didn¡¯t sway me from squeezing both balls like my life depended on it. The pervert sent a strong punch to my cheek and I felt my premr at the receiving end of his blow.

    I retaliated by dragging his testicle with all my might until a popping sound followed and he released my hair immediately. He began to whimper like a baby, writhing on his driver¡¯s seat.

    Seeing how weak he was, I resorted to the final attack I had on him. I grabbed his neck which was already bleeding and pushed his head against the steering wheel.

    I searched for the button to unlock the doors and clicked on it. The back door opened and I rushed out without thinking

    Fear was my motivation and the people I had waiting for me were my inspiration to make sure that I escaped. The highway had few cars running on it and the urge to stop any car increased with each step, but remembering my ordeal with the evil man, I had to shove the idea aside.

    My feet were beginning to hurt, my body almost giving out but my mind stayed on one man.

    Dexter.

    I just wanted to return to him and have him hold me. I wanted him to assure me that he would keep me safe no matter what. I knew that no man could ensure my safety all the time, but hearing him say it gave me a different kind of hope.

    My breath came in my pants, a ragged rhythm of air moving in and out of my lungs. It was almost painful because the cold breeze had formed a hedge around me, my top iling with the wind.

    I bumped into a tiny stone and when I looked down, I saw a red liquid flowing out, yet I didn¡¯t stop. Just like my stepfather, he could still be chasing me and if I allowed myself to be caught, I¡¯d be dead meat.

    A familiar car sped past me, giving me a deja vu of my cabbie¡¯s vehicle. It was the same thing, except that it could be a different driver.

    The car which had run past me reversed, and halted abruptly. My heart flew to my chest as I increased my pace, screaming at the top of my lungs.

    Maybe it was another of my attacker¡¯s using the same cab to distract me. I didn¡¯t even know that my speed had reduced until I felt warm hands snake around my waist.

    The grip was firm to stop me from making any move, but it wasn¡¯t in any way painful. I kicked, iled my arms but this man felt too big to be affected by my mere struggle.

    ¡°Shhhhh.¡± The voice was oddly familiar. ¡°It¡¯s your cab driver.¡± He whispered and slowly spun me around so I could have a good look at him.

    My eyes, which had be blurry with tears, thoroughly scrutinised him. It was him, I realised and threw my arms around him.

    Tears streamed down my face, but I didn¡¯t stop it. Neither did he. It felt good to have someone who allowed you to pour out your emotions without judgment.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe now. I¡¯ll take you to the boss now.¡±

    I jerked away from him impulsively as panic gradually seeped through my skin. ¡°Which boss?¡± My voice had cracked due to my incessant screams earlier and it was shaky, but I¡¯d rather run again than allow him toe close.

    He didn¡¯t need to respond as his phone rang. He received the call and ced it on hands-free.

    ¡°She¡¯s here with me, boss. Can you speak to her yourself?¡± He sighed in impatience, raking through his hair.

    His voice resonated almost immediately and calmness ensued. Peace returned to my heart as I heard the voice that kept me running from my Captor.

    ¡°Baby?¡± He rasped. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for everything that happened to you. Please, let Drake bring you home. You aren¡¯t safe there.¡± His tone held a note of urgency.

    With how he urged me on, I knew that he knew some things I didn¡¯t know. ¡°Dexter?¡±

    ¡°Just trust me. Nothing will happen to you as long as I¡¯m here. Let Drake bring you home, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± He pleaded, his gentle voice breaking every wall of uncertainty I¡¯d held onto.

    He had called me. The man I couldn¡¯t stop loving would keep me safe just as I wished.

    Feeling rxed though in pain, I agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s not keep your boss waiting.¡±

 Hurting her captor

    Dexter

    My eyes never strayed from my phone while I paced in the hospital¡¯s parking space. I wasn¡¯t just counting the seconds till Lorraine got here, I was also checking for updates from Drake.

    I¡¯d never forget what he did for me today. How he decided to drive around California knowing that the kidnapper wouldn¡¯t have gone far.

    I couldn¡¯t leave because I had to keep tabs on my younger sister. Though some of my men were already watching over her, I felt that things would go wrong if wasn¡¯t around.

    My phone beeped, my heart tightening at Drake¡¯s message. She was here.

    My princess was back from the lion¡¯s den and I couldn¡¯t be more happy.

    One of my men who followed Drake to search for her sent a message, saying that they got the man who took her away.

    I was known as one of the most eligible bachelors in the state, and a wealthy billionaire.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Truthfully, I dominated the textile space. No one could evene close. But what the inte didn¡¯t know was that I could be ruthless when it came to protecting the people I loved.

    I dialled Dante¡¯s line, the one who told me about the kidnapper¡¯s capture and waited impatiently for him to pick up the phone. I was ready to scold him for dying when I sighted Lorraine limping towards me, her arm slouched over Drake¡¯s shoulder.

    She was hurt.

    The idiot hurt my baby.

    He¡¯d be hurt too.

    Finally he picked up, apologizing for taking long.

    ¡°Make sure he¡¯s well taken care of. I¡¯ll meet you guys soon.¡± I ordered and ended the call, eager to have Lorraine in my arms.

    Her gray eyes which had a captivating spark was doused with fear and glints of relief. She stared at me, her eyes turning ssy as she took her arms off Drake.

    I advanced towards them, walking faster than usual. She jumped on me, our arms wrapped around each other in an embrace that disced the worries and uncertainties that we faced a few hours ago.

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again.¡± She sobbed against my back, her body humming as she bawled.

    My hands stroked her back tenderly until her sobs turned into sniffles. ¡°He¡¯d never hurt you again. It¡¯s a promise.¡± My body was taut with anger and an unquenchable thirst to maim the person who hurt my wife.

    She gazed at me, her nose red. Then I noticed the swell on her left cheek which was slowly fading into a purple mark.

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± I growled, carrying her into the car.

    She was silent at first, like she was processing my question. The shock from earlier hadn¡¯tpletely vanished and I knew just what to do, but it had to wait until she was cleaned up and checked. ¡°Talk to me, mamacita.¡± I pleaded.

    She shrugged, then took a deep breath with her eyes shut. When her eyes opened, the fear had disappeared, just exhaustion. ¡°He hit me while I dragged his balls. I guess he didn¡¯t like the ministration but if he had left me alone, I wouldn¡¯t have done that. He also pulled my hair, but I retaliated then ran away.¡± She exined.

    My heart swelled with pride as she exined everything she did to him. Gradually, it urred to me that Lorraine wasn¡¯t as weak as she used to be.

    She was growing beautiful wings and I¡¯d be there to watch her soar in the sky.

    ¡°Thank you for fighting. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done if that man had hurt you more than this.¡± I confessed as I held her hands, surprised at how easy it was to express my emotions.

    Her brows arched with a nonchnt look. ¡°You¡¯d have called the cops.¡± She rolled her eyes then fixed it on me with a questioning look. ¡°How did Dante know where I¡¯d be? I asked him in the car and he only told me to rest my mind. What¡¯s going on Dexter?¡± She interrogated me.

    I shook my head and looked away. I couldn¡¯t answer any of her questions because it would lead to more questions that I wasn¡¯t ready to reply.

    I had a lot of skeletons in my cupboard. They weren¡¯t stale, just not normal. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he had a hunch about where you could be since we couldn¡¯t reach you.¡± My response was vague, but that was all I could let out.

    She parted her lips as if she had something else to say, but she snapped it back and my eyes wandered to her injured foot. I reached for it, fixing a cursory nce at it.

    ¡°We need to get this cleaned up, then I¡¯ll take you home.¡± I said.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± She replied tly, recoiling into her quiet shell as we headed back to the ward for treatment to be administered on her.

    I made sure that her toe was cleaned and her face taken care of. The faint mark on her cheek was a reminder of her strength and vulnerability.

    I¡¯d never forget it.

    ¡°Do you want to go home?¡± I asked as I led her towards the car, her arm wrapped around my shoulder.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can. Victoria is still in the hospital and I¡¯d like to stay around as many people as I can.¡±

    The fear still lingered. Soon I¡¯d wipe it out so that she¡¯d be able to live freely.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll have to rest, Lorraine.¡± I persuaded her as I thought of what to do. ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. I¡¯ll take you to a hotel and I promise that I¡¯ll have people watching over you. Is that fine by you?¡±

    She pursed her lips, silently contemting on her options. I had to deal with her captor but I couldn¡¯t let her know that or she¡¯d have a different perception of me.

    ¡°Are you going to be there with me?¡± She asked quietly, training those soulful gray eyes on me.

    I had to be careful about my answer, knowing that she needed me now more than ever. Staring right back at her, I knew what I had to do.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay.¡± I promised.

    She smirked, her face lighting up at my words. ¡°Good,¡± She chirped as I helped her into the car. ¡°Because I want you.¡± The words rolled out of her lips, her eyes ring with desire that sparked up mine.

    It was funny how our minds worked together, because that was the therapy I nned for her. Making love to her all night until she couldn¡¯t think about anyone but me.

 He completes her

    Lorraine

    ¡°Is everything ready?¡± I asked after he finished with the receptionist and trotted towards me.

    He nodded, dangling the keys at me as we both headed to the room he had booked for us.

    Though my body was giddy with excitement and anticipation, his present disturbed expression didn¡¯t go unnoticed. I just hoped that by the time we were done, he¡¯d feel better.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked when I couldn¡¯t keep it in any more.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be.¡± His lips curved into a side smirk as he opened the door.

    There was nothing more I could do than hope he¡¯ll be fine so I decided not to probe further.

    My eyes took in the simplicity of the suite and I smiled.

    Trust Dexter to always go for the best.

    Before getting into the room, he stopped in front of me and helped out with my bag. He dropped the bag on a counter. ¡°Keep this here, baby, you won¡¯t be needing it.¡± The tension was gradually dissipating as his fingers slid down my legs.

    I bit my lower lip as he helped me out of my jeans, tossing it away with his gaze ltrained on me. He swept me off my feet as we headed to the bedroom which had a floor-to-ceiling window, facing the busy streets.

    The lights from the buildings around reflected on the window, casting a golden hue inside therge room. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to turn on the light?¡±

    ¡°I just want it this way with you, Lorraine, but if you aren¡¯tfortable, I¡¯ll turn on the light.¡± He quickly rose, nearly rushing to the switch.

    I grasped his arm and stopped him. ¡°Just make love to me, Dex. That¡¯s what matters right now. I want to feel you around me and be sure that you¡¯ll never leave.¡±

    The desperation in my voice was thick and heavy, and if it were to be some weeks back I¡¯d be scolding myself for being this expressive, but there a leap in our rtionship that I enjoyed and I wouldn¡¯t be happy if things returned to how they used to be.

    ¡°With all pleasure.¡± He drawled and peeled off his shirt while I worked on mine. His fingers stopped me halfway as he whispered. ¡°Let me take care of that.¡±

    He pulled up my blouse and I was left in my push bra. I savored his tant ogling on my cleavages, while I allowed my hands to trail his ripped chest. His nipples hardened as I pinched it, his groan spurring me on as I pinched it harder.

    He had the body of a demigod and each time we were intimate, I was reminded that I had this whole body to myself.

    I just different tonight.

    The urge to be in control enveloped me so I got up abruptly, his brows raised as he tried to understand my next move. I took off the rest of my clothing and watched him gulp as I stood before him naked.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Can you lie on your back?¡± I asked gently as he reluctantly pushed backwards.

    It wasn¡¯t until I hovered over him and my thighs straddled him that he realised my intentions. ¡°I want to ride you.¡± I muttered shyly, my fingers tangling in the thick mass of his hair.

    He said nothing as he hoisted me over, spinning me around so that I¡¯d be sitting on his mouth, my butt on his face. Thrills of pleasure coursed through me as the hot breath from his mouth fanned my sex.

    His wet tongue thrusted into my hole, slowly filling the void and drawing out feelings I hadn¡¯t felt in a while. Immersed in the well of pleasure, I didn¡¯t realise when his tongue stretched towards my nub.

    A naughty idea struck my mind as I lowered my face towards his erect rod staring at me. I stroked it, darting my eyes at his face to watch his reaction.

    His eyes were shut and his pace on my pussy had increased. The need to return the favor was filled like an addiction I couldn¡¯t control. I¡¯d never gone down on a man before though I¡¯d watched a few movies and seen how it was done.

    If I was to do this, I had to do it right and make sure that it beats whatever Emilia used to give him.

    His finger slid into me, making slurpy sounds as he thrusted in and out. I squirmed under him but his strong hands kept me pinned on him. Without thinking, I took his length in and almost gagged.

    ¡°Jesus! Lorraine,¡± He eximed, tightening his grip on my butt while I smiled in satisfaction.

    His length filled my mouth, making it impossible for me to breathe so I waited until I got used to the feeling, then I began to imitate what I saw in the movies. His teeth grazed my clit as my tongue circled his tip each time my mouth glided the top and went back down.

    I was getting close to my release but I wanted us toe apart at the same time. Then I increased my pace, taking all he had to give and ignoring how hard he fucked my mouth.

    Strangely, the rough manner in which he handled my body sparked up my uncontroble lust. His shaft began to swell in my mouth, his groan incessant and strong.

    I could feel my walls clenching, waiting for onest touch till it came apart. I squirmed harder, rocking my hips against his tongue until he touched the spot I itched.

    Then it came rushing through me, like a dam. My legs quaked at the intensity of the release as my body vibrated without restraint.

    His grip on my ass loosened as he released inside my mouth, jerking and twitching with a guttural groan that sounded like music to my soul.

    ¡°Where did you learn to do that?¡± He smirked as I wiped my wetness off his lips, guiding my entrance into his still erect manhood.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know.¡± I teased him, and settled on him, enjoying the feeling of his length stretched inside of me.

    His eyes widened, his fingers reaching for my breasts which he squeezed like his life depended on it. I could feel my wetness forming a pool as I rode him like a horse.

    We were both unsated, our eyes locked as our bodies merged as one. Being with him this way and never letting go was blissful. I didn¡¯t want to experience this with anyone but him.

    Hepleted me, and that realisation shook me.

    When I thought that he had abandoned me after his friends showed me our sex video, I didn¡¯t know what to feel. But riding him and watching every control he had crumble with his eyes staring at me with admiration, I knew that I was ready to give us another chance.

    His hands never left my nipples as he tugged at it, ying with it like a toy gifted to him for Christmas. Every tug sent sensations straight to my pussy which clenched hard against him.

    ¡°No one will ever hurt you again.¡± He promised, his voice cracked but smeared with anger and possessiveness. ¡°I¡¯d make a mess of anyone whoys his hands on you.¡±

    His eyes darkened as he spoke and I knew that it wasn¡¯t a bluff. I shivered, happy that I had someone who would protect me.

    I stared at him tenderly, unsure of what to say. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± I mouthed.

    He held my waist and flipped me over, his eyes caressing my bare body. ¡°You wanted me to make love to you, huh?¡± He asked and I nodded, licking my lips. ¡°Then let me.¡±

    He drew my lips into his mouth hungrily, as the pleasure built up within me like a wave. We weren¡¯t just making love to each other, we were sealing the unspoken feelings we had for each other.

    I tried to break the kiss to tell him that I loved him, but he didn¡¯t let me as he rammed harder into me, his tip hitting a sweet spot inside of me. My body became taut as sparks flew within me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡± I cried, raking through my hair.

    His lips reached for my corbone, sucking and biting at the same time as he plunged in again. This time, harder than the first. My eyes were reeling, the sensations were indescribable but I wanted more. I didn¡¯t want him to stop making me feel this way.

    ¡°I won¡¯t baby. I¡¯ve been wanting to see you like this since you came back to me.¡± He said rashly, his breathinging in pants. ¡°I know I sound like a pervert, but I can¡¯t get enough of your body. Even while I was away from you for some years, no woman couldplete me like you do.¡±

    His confessions put the world around me on standstill. ¡°Dexter?¡± I moaned but he stopped talking as he kept thrusting until the both of us got to our tipping point.

    Tears slid down my face as thest waves from the orgasm eroded. My body was limp and tired, but there were several questions to be asked and I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d rest well without getting answers.

    ¡°Can we talk?¡± I asked softly, facing him.

    He palmed my cheeks, caressing the bridge of my nose with his thumb. ¡°Not now. You have to sleep.¡±

    Like an order from a captain, my eyelids began to feel heavy. The more he caressed me, the more I felt the drowsiness closing in on me. I wanted to argue, but I couldn¡¯t put my emotions in words so I gave up and let sleep im me.

 Catching the captor

    Dexter

    I watched her fall into a deep and peaceful slumber. She needed to rest, and I needed to deal with someone.

    My eyes darted to her small lips which she pursed as if she wasn¡¯t happy that I forced her to sleep. ¡°Have a good night¡¯s rest, angel. ¡± I nted a kiss on her forehead and hoisted myself up gently to avoid arousing her.

    She stirred immediately like she felt my movement, then turned to the other side of the bed and continued her sleep. I headed for the bathroom and quickly had a shower, then came out to meet a bag on the bed.

    I opened it and brought out the ck dress shirt and matching ck pants that I¡¯d asked Drake to get from the house earlier on.

    Satisfied with how good I looked, I wore my wristwatch and loafers then headed out, after ensuring that Lorraine¡¯s body was properly covered.

    Drake, who was engaged in a conversation with the other men, left them and headed towards me. ¡°Is there anything you want me to do for you, boss?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Just make sure no one enters this room. No one at all.¡± I ordered steely.

    ¡°Yes boss!¡± He replied and I patted his back as he assumed his position at the door.

    Drake had be one of my most loyal men and I knew that he¡¯d protect Lorraine with his life. I only prayed that it wouldn¡¯t get to the extent of losing his life.

    I drove to the hospital to make sure that Victoria was fine and my men weren¡¯t cking. Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t disappointed as she was sleeping unperturbed when I checked on her.

    ¡°Dexter.¡± My name rang out from the hallway and I turned around to find Arnold trotting towards me.

    He was dressed in a in blue T-shirt with a suitcase in his hands. It was toote to attend a meeting by such time of the day, but I shoved the thoughts aside, deciding that whatever he did with his life wasn¡¯t my business.

    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± I muttered.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been calling Lorraine all day and her line is unreachable. Is she alright?¡± He questioned.

    I was puzzled because only a few people knew that I was in the hospital. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯d be here?¡±

    He shrugged, taking a cursory nce at the walls around us. ¡°I came to see a friend who was rushed here in a dying minute, then I saw you. But that¡¯s not the problem right now, where¡¯s Lorraine? We were supposed to meet before I leave.¡±

    Angerced with jealousy simmered within me as I glowered at him.

    ¡°You asshole!¡± I hollered, summoning every droplet of self control I had so I wouldn¡¯t throw a punch at him. ¡°Lorraine almost got kidnapped because of you. When will you learn to stay away from her?¡±

    His eyes widened and the suitcase in his hand dropped to the floor. ¡°What do you mean?¡± His voice became soft as he advanced towards me.

    I could see genuine worry in his eyes for her which helped to calm me down. ¡°Victoria was admitted.¡± I informed him, evading his series of questions.

    ¡°What!¡± Surprise rang hard in his tone. ¡°How¡¯s she doing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s recuperating and Lorraine is resting right now undisturbed.¡± My reply was blunt and short though he didn¡¯t deserve that, but any time I saw him with Lorraine, I couldn¡¯t ignore the jealousy that bubbled within me.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Arnold was handsome and easy going. He was more expressive with his feelings than I was and Lorraine hardly told me what they discussed¡­

    God! What if he was already wooing her?

    ¡°I was supposed to leave for Chicago today, but I couldn¡¯t because I felt something was wrong. Being here, I guess I was right and I have a request to make.¡±

    I snorted, frowning deeply. It was bad enough that I didn¡¯t feelfortable around him, now he was asking for a favor.

    ¡°Spill.¡±

    ¡°I want to see Victoria.¡± He stated with a hint of uneasiness.

    ¡°And why should I allow you to see her? The both of you broke up a few years back and I¡¯m not sure she needs you now.¡± I said in her defense.

    Victoria was doing her best to get better, I won¡¯t allow anyone who would jeopardize her progress toe close.

    ¡°We broke up because she cheated, yet I¡¯m insisting on seeing her. Doesn¡¯t that say anything to your conscience?¡±

    His words got to me as I rolled my eyes. We weren¡¯t conversing as business partners but as two men who needed each other even though I didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it. ¡°You can see her but if I return and discover that she¡¯s hurt again because of you, it won¡¯t be funny.¡±

    His lips formed a smirk as he tucked his fists into his pocket. ¡°Unlike you, I don¡¯t do so well in breaking hearts.¡± He replied coldly, a flicker of challenge crossing his features then disappearing almost immediately.

    I immediately regretted giving him the permission to see my sister, but I¡¯d given him my word already and I wouldn¡¯t go back on it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget what I told you.¡± I brushed him off as I stormed out of the hospital.

    Strangely, I didn¡¯t feel ufortable knowing that he¡¯d be around my sister, and I didn¡¯t like it. I didn¡¯t want to be friendly with him, especially now that I didn¡¯t know where his loyaltyy.

    Shoving the unimportant thoughts aside, I sped up to the empty building that Dante told me that they were in.

    Fury began to brew within me as I trotted from the yard to one of the rooms that the douchebag was tied up in. By the time I¡¯d be done with him, he would never hurt anyone close to me.

    I wasn¡¯t in the mafia, nor was I entangled in any bad business, but after escaping several life threatening incidents that were orchestrated by my enemies in the business, I decided to y by their rules.

    In all, I made sure my hands weren¡¯t soiled with dirt and I didn¡¯tmit murder, but having the man who hurt my woman around me tested my decision to remain clean.

    The door of the room he was kept in pushed open for me to enter. My eyes searched for the culprit and a sense of satisfaction welled within me when I saw him.

    ¡°I hope he¡¯s good?¡± I motioned to Dante who took off the veil that his face was covered with.

    ¡°Yes boss.¡±

    I advanced towards him to have a clearer look at his face, but I froze on my steps. His battered face looked oddly familiar, bearing an uncanny resemnce to the man I saw in the video that ke showed to me.

    I reached for his chin, tipping it upward so he could stare back at me. My face formed an intimidating scowl as I realised that he was the same man.

    He tried to rape Lorraine a few years back, and today he tried to take her away from me.

    At the snap of my finger, a chair was provided which I sat on. ¡°Well, Mr Cornel, we have a lot of things to discuss but the first thing I¡¯d like to know is who sent you.¡±

    A gasp flew past his lips as he gulped, averting his gaze from me.

    He was stubborn, but I was persistent and I had all the time to get all the answers I needed from him.

 A big decision

    Victoria

    I wasn¡¯t alone.

    I could sense it even before opening my eyes. Fear gripped me as I jerked out of my sleep and shot a nce at the man sitting opposite me.

    He sat on a chair, his head ced on my bed. I nced at the clock and I wondered why he would be around me by this time of the night.

    Even without looking at his face, I already knew who he was. I gulped, slowly sitting up as I took some time to stare at him before he¡¯d wake up.

    He was still in shape just as usual, and his hairstyle remained the same. My mind wandered to the past and a pang of guilt gnawed in my chest. I didn¡¯t do anything more than hurt him yet he was here.

    Unable to tame my curiosity, I reached for his arm and woke him up.

    A scowl appeared on his face after he raised his head, then when he realised that I was the one who touched him he quickly rushed to me, wearing his worries on his face. ¡°Are you alright, Tori?¡± The tenderness of his voice hit me hard but I made sure he didn¡¯t notice.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I replied sharply.

    He sighed deeply as if he had been relieved of a heavy burden, then he held my hands. ¡°Your brother refused to tell me what happened to you and Lorraine, and I¡¯m going mad with worry. Can you tell me what happened?¡±

    His genuine concern was too much for me to bear and I didn¡¯t even know when I burst into tears. He cupped my cheeks, wiping away the tears that didn¡¯t stop streaming down my face. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be here, Arnold. You don¡¯t have to do this.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± He spat. ¡°I¡¯m here because I care about you even if you don¡¯t deserve it.¡± He pulled me close to himself and allowed me to cry until I didn¡¯t have the strength to.

    If I had focused on our rtionship, I wouldn¡¯t have be a drug addict. I was young and wild, and the urge to try out so many things overwhelmed me.

    Luckily I got a good man but tossed him aside because of a college dick, yet, the same man I hurt deeply is the same person who is trying to help me heal.

    Karma was a bitter bitch.

    I had to tell him the truth straight up. He deserved it and I didn¡¯t mind the judgment he¡¯d pass at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m addicted to coke.¡± I said in a rush. Immediately, I felt a space between us as he rose up from the bed.

    He evaded my gaze while I fiddled with my fingers, waiting for him to break the silence. I wanted anything else; he could walk out, say hurtful words to me, but keeping quiet with his back turned against me was what I couldn¡¯t bear.

    Finally, he nted a stoic nce at me, not that of surprise. ¡°I won¡¯t say I¡¯m happy with what you just told me, but I won¡¯t judge you.¡± He voiced, ¡°So you can tell me all about it. I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    I cleared my throat and swallowed, then motioned for him to sit with me on the bed. ¡°There¡¯s no excuse for what I did, but I guess you were unlucky to meet me as a youngdy who was basically interested in the frivolities and pleasures of life. You were a good man, but you weren¡¯t always there because of distance. And I know that I should have said something, but I didn¡¯t want to sound selfish or be a nagging girlfriend, so I sought out other means to keep myself distracted.¡± I exined.

    He stared at me intently. His face was expressionless and his eyes unreadable, making it hard for me to know how he felt.

    ¡°Say something, Arnold. I¡¯m losing my damn mind.¡± I urged him.

    ¡°Sure, I was about to say something if you had been patient enough. What I keep asking myself right now is why you stumbled into drugs. You weren¡¯t depressed and your brother took good care of you, so make it clear to me.¡±

    This was the hard part, but a book I read about conquering your addictions stated that the first way to break out was by telling your truth, no matter how hard it was.

    If I¡¯d talked to someone about it like I was doing right now, then I might have conquered it a long time ago.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± He folded his arms, watching me fight within myself.

    I couldn¡¯t bear his cold scrutiny so I got up from the bed and gave us some distance. ¡°James leaked our sex video on the school website. It was brought down after I found out, but a lot of people had already seen it and even reposted it. I had to pay a lot of money for it to be taken care of but it didn¡¯t restore my reputation.¡±

    My voice was beginning to quake but I quickly put a strong leash on my emotions and continued. ¡°My friends deserted me, and I felt so lonely and depressed. Then someone I met at the club introduced me to drugs. I felt guilty at first, but it helped me to deal with the pain so I went on with it until I realized that it was destroying my life. The more I took it, the more I was reminded of the emptiness of my life.¡±

    Arnold did the unexpected. He came closer to me and kissed my forehead, his eyes filled with empathy and care.

    ¡°We¡¯ll solve this issue together, Victoria. I¡¯m here for you.¡± He assured me strongly.

    ¡°Thank you so much. I¡¯ve spoken to Lorraine about this and I felt better, but now that you¡¯ve heard all about it, I¡¯m head over heels with relief. I¡¯d also like to say something else.¡±

    He led me to the bed gently. ¡°You can talk. I don¡¯t bite.¡± He joked, trying to make a lighter note of the situation.

    ¡°I just want to apologize for hurting you. You tried to make us work even though you had a lot of reasons not to and I failed you. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± He shut me up, with his finger on my lips.

    His lips stretched in a beautiful smile that I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see again. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you, but it will be on one condition.¡±

    I was ready to fulfill any condition of his so that we could be on good terms again. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to go through the rehabilitation process once the doctor discharges you.¡± He suggested and my face fell.

    I knew that I needed this. I couldn¡¯te out of this stronghold of addiction on my own, but going for rehabilitation was another level. I¡¯d lose my life for the period of time I¡¯d be there.

    I raised my head and our eyes met. He was patiently waiting for an answer, not just any answer but a positive one. On taking a deep sigh, I realised that I had people to live for.

    So what if my past was messed up?

    There were people who believed that I could do better. ¡°This is the first step to recovery and I also want your friendship back so I¡¯ll go.¡±

    His eyes lit up with excitement at my response as he pinched my cheeks. ¡°I¡¯d have still forgiven you if you don¡¯t want to go, but I¡¯m happy with your response.¡±

    His happiness rubbed off on me and caused fluttery feelings in my stomach. I was a big liar when I told him to his face that he couldn¡¯t satisfy me because right now, my body craved him.

    I pushed closer, reached for his lips without thinking and closed it with mine. He was cold, as if he didn¡¯t enjoy what I did, but having our lips merged together was enough for me.

    Slowly his lips parted and I used the chance to deepen the kiss, plunging my tongue into his warm mouth. Then the door swung open, and we jolted away from each other.

    We both darted our eyes to the door to find Lorraine in her short sleeveless v-cut night dress, panting heavily like she¡¯d just finished a race. Her hair was a tangled mess and her face was pale, but what struck me was her eyes which were red with disappointment.

    She spun around and ran off.

    Arnold jumped off me as well, running after her without saying a word to me.

 I know about him

    Lorraine

    I couldn¡¯t understand why I reacted the way I did, but it was surprising to find Victoria and Bumpy making out in the ward.

    Heck! How did he even know that she was there?

    Maybe I reacted that way because I didn¡¯t expect them to be back together that easily, but it still didn¡¯t make any sense that I had to run off like that.

    ¡°Lorraine!¡± He shouted, his heavy steps resonating behind me, but I didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Wait up, please.¡±

    I was already feeling embarrassed and the quirky stares that the nurses passed at me didn¡¯t help matters.

    A nightmare had aroused me from my sleep some minutes ago, and it was more painful that Dexter wasn¡¯t beside me. I didn¡¯t even notice him leaving. Feeling scared, I rushed out of the hotel room without checking how I looked, ignored Drake¡¯s warning that I should stay in and rushed to the hospital.

    That was my mistake because I should have stayed back and waited for Dexter.

    I felt a grip on my arm, restricting me from taking any other step. ¡°What do you want?¡± Ished at him.

    He dropped his hand, his expression puzzled. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you and whatever you saw in there was a mistake. I didn¡¯t kiss her.¡± He was breathing heavily.

    I raked my fingers through my disheveled hair and gasped. I was acting like a jealous girlfriend when I already had a husband.

    What the hell was wrong with me?

    ¡°Look, Bumpy, I¡¯m so sorry for how I reacted. I shouldn¡¯t have barged into you guys like that.¡± I apologised with my head inclined as I couldn¡¯t even manage a nce at him.

    He held my hands and together we strolled outside the hospital. It was past 12pm which exined the quietness that I kinda enjoyed.

    ¡°I was almost kidnapped yesterday, Bumpy. It was a difficult situation for me and I don¡¯t know what would have happened if I didn¡¯t fight my kidnapper.¡±

    He flinched in shock. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you went through all of that. I pray he gets caught.¡± He said, snaking his hand around my shoulder.

    Dexter wouldn¡¯t be happy if he saw the both of us like this, but he was nowhere to be found. Then a thought urred to me. If Bumpy had been here for a while then he¡¯d have probably seen him around.

    ¡°Have you seen my husband?¡± I asked hopefully.

    He looked down on me due to our differences in heights. ¡°Yes. A few hours ago we met here and he wasn¡¯t looking so happy. I don¡¯t know much about what he was about to do husband, but it felt like he had unfinished business.¡±

    My heart skipped a beat as I listened to him speak. Dexter and I obviously had a lot of things to talk about, but somehow I felt like I didn¡¯t even have the right to have a conversation with him.

    Our sex life was explosive. We had a strong connection and I loved him, but how was I sure that he loved me too? He always told me that I was his and no one would get me, but there were two meanings to it.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± He asked.

    I nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk. You said you had something to tell me.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    He scratched his hair and hesitated. ¡°Ummm¡­ About that, can we forget it? I won¡¯t be leaving any time soon.¡± He announced and my eyes popped.

    ¡°Are you for real?¡± I was excited and I didn¡¯t even bother hiding it.

    ¡°Yup. I realised that I could work remotely but that would include short visits to mypany. Victoria needs me-us. We have to be there for her.¡± He said with conviction and I felt a bit disappointed.

    He told me yesterday that he had overstayed because of me and he had to leave, now he changed his mind because of Victoria. Something wasn¡¯t just adding up.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. She needs us now more than ever, and I still find it hard to understand why the people who love with all their hearts meet the wrong people.¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Are you referring to yourself?¡± He quickly got my message.

    I wasn¡¯t sure that I wanted to discuss my marital struggles with anyone so I shrugged.

    Silence ensued as I stared at the aesthetic ambience of the hospital. Tall trees bordered towards the gate and little flower pots were meshed between them. I¡¯d never seen something like that before but it was beautiful.

    ¡°What about your parents?¡± He suddenly asked.

    ¡°They are dead.¡± I responded without any emotion.

    He nced at me. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry about that. How did you manage to survive all these years?¡±

    ¡°The only way I knew how to. It wasn¡¯t easy because there were several people who weren¡¯t happy with my existence, especially my stepfather, but I forged ahead.¡±

    He arched his brows, a funny expression he made each time he didn¡¯t understand me. ¡°Your stepfather?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He was always keen on hurting me and I had to run away when I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He promised to kill me any day he found me but surprisingly he hasn¡¯t.¡±

    I honestly wished I could see him so that I¡¯d plunge a knife in his chest for all the pain he caused me. After thest call at the agency, I hadn¡¯t heard from him which was surprising.

    ¡°Your stepfather needs to be put in jail.¡±

    Putting him in jail would make things easy for him. He deserved to die a slow and painful death for making me lose my child.

    Bumpy and I kept talking until we ran out of topics. The tension between us had disappeared which I was grateful for as I didn¡¯t want to fight with the one good friend I had.

    I looked back over my shoulder as I heard sounds of footsteps approaching. Dexter advanced towards us, his expression disapproving and his eyes dark and cold.

    Typical of him.

    I headed towards him. ¡°Where have you been? I woke up and I couldn¡¯t find you.¡±

    ¡°Something really important came up and I found out who the kidnapper is.¡± He informed me and my body trembled in fear.

 A rude disruption

    Lorraine

    Life had returned to normal.

    Dexter and Arnold teamed up and ensured that Victoria was taken to a proper rehabilitation center. I was so happy with her decision and I hoped that she¡¯de out clean.

    I resumed practice in earnest as I¡¯d already taken several days off. I didn¡¯t want to lookzy because I was with Dexter.

    Speaking of Dexter who had be extremely distant since he found out about my kidnapper, he was nowhere to be found presently and I had to go to work in Drake¡¯s taxi.

    I didn¡¯t mind though. At least, I could have interesting conversations with him before getting to work.

    Once I got to the training room, we would be bombarded with lectures after lectures, giving me no time to think too much about my rtionship with Dexter.

    Today I¡¯d be practicing on my own as Ste said that I¡¯d almost be perfect in my poses and steps and I didn¡¯t need much supervision from anyone. It got me ted and motivated so I focused on my practice.

    Lunch break came faster than I expected which was quite a good thing because I didn¡¯t have breakfast before leaving.

    I strolled to the cafeteria which was quite a stone throw from the agency to get two sandwiches and a bottle of coke. Sadly the sandwiches had finished and so was every other snack on their menu.

    ¡°What am I going to do then?¡± Imented under my breath, my stomach making grumbling sounds.

    ¡°You can go to another cafe. I¡¯ll take you there if you like.¡± A manly voice suggested.

    I spun around quickly to find a man standing behind me. Judging by his slightly wrinkled face, he would be in his mid-sixties, but it didn¡¯t show in his well built physique as he wore a beige colored suit that fitted him perfectly. His hair which had more gray strands were styled to be slicked backwards.

    The man was far older than me, but his age had no dent on how handsome and hot he was.

    I batted myshes when I got a grip of myself, embarrassed at how he waited patiently till I finished scrutinising him. ¡°That won¡¯t be a bad idea, sir, but I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you.¡± I chuckled nervously, tucking my hair to the back of my ear.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be a burden. I offered to take you there, so just take my offer.¡± He said on a lighter note.

    Since there was no hope of getting something good here, I decided to take on his offer. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± I agreed and we walked to his car.

    Like a gentleman he was, he opened the car door for me to get in before moving towards the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see you around often, do you work here?¡± I asked, creating a small talk.

    ¡°Oh no! I don¡¯t work here. I just came for business purposes but I had my secretary check out for good cafes before stepping out of the office.¡± He said as I nodded.

    That exined the ease at which he offered to take me somewhere else to eat. ¡°But have you been in California apart from today?¡± I couldn¡¯t understand why I got this curious but he radiated good vibes and I didn¡¯t want the conversation between us to end.

    ¡°Sure, I have. Mypany has branches here so I came here for some supervision. I was hungry, that¡¯s why I came out for a break.¡±

    My eyes bulged as I stared at him. ¡°You should be retired, sir. Don¡¯t you have children who can help with the supervision?¡± I sounded too worried for someone I just met.

    He shrugged and kept driving. ¡°I don¡¯t have kids.¡± He said bluntly.

    I palmed my mouth, silently scolding myself for saying something insensitive. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be.¡± He waved off my apology then gazed at me, his eyes roaming all over my face. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I keep remembering someone each time I look at your face. It¡¯s like a deja vu.¡±

    ¡°Who could possibly share a resemnce with me apart from myte parents?¡± I probed casually.

    ¡°A friend of mine. She died several years back and you look just like her. You both share the same heart warming smile and chestnut hair.¡± The sadness in his tone couldn¡¯t be disced and I wished I could do something to make him feel better.

    I didn¡¯t like the fact that my face reminded someone of his pain, but there was nothing I could do about it.

    We got to the cafe he had talked about and made our orders. I ate my sandwich silently, watching him from the corner of my eyes as he ate like a dignitary.

    No doubt he was wealthy, but it was hard to find men like him who were reserved yet kind and caring. He could pass for a father figure and strangely, I wished he could be one to me.

    ¡°How¡¯s your sandwich? Do you like it?¡± He questioned while I nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

    I swallowed the rest of my sandwich and took a sip from my apple juice. ¡°The pastry chef knows her onions and she just gained a customer. I wish I could see her so that I can tell her how good she is.¡±

    A small smile crossed his lips. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you like this ce. I almost thought that I didn¡¯t make the right choice.¡± He grinned and we bothughed.

    Later on, our table was cleared and when I checked my phone I discovered that I¡¯d spent more time than I was supposed to. I couldn¡¯t leave without asking the question disturbing my peace so I propped myself for it.

    ¡°What¡¯s the name of yourte Friend, Mr¡­?¡±

    He slowly dropped the ss of whipped frozen lemonade on the table, his expression turning moody.

    I gulped and lowered myshes. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have asked again. This was the second time I made him ufortable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking. My curiosity took over my reasoning.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to drop it. I haven¡¯t just gotten over her death, that¡¯s why I felt bad when you asked. My name is Williams Rogers and I can tell you all about her if you still have time to spare.¡±

    He looked like he needed somepany and the feeling was mutual. I didn¡¯t have much to do at the training room so I could give him some minutes.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± I urged him on.

    ¡°The name of my friend was¡­¡±

    My phone rang loudly immediately, attracting unwanted attention to our direction. I cursed as I reached for my phone, angry at the rude disruption.

    The caller made me feel worse. Why on earth was he calling?Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± I snapped at him.

    ¡°I need you at the office in less than ten minutes.¡± He rumbled and ended the call so I couldn¡¯t argue.

    A loud hiss escaped my lips as Mr Rogers gave me a puzzled look. ¡°Work issues?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I have to be back at the office in ten minutes. I¡¯m so sorry for breaking my promise.¡± I was tired of apologizing but there was nothing I could do.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. I¡¯ll drive you there.¡± He offered and I thanked him.

    He paid for our bills and he drove me to the office. I stormed into Dexter¡¯s office, wearing a scowl. I disliked the way he ordered me around, and I was more angry that I didn¡¯t hesitate in doing his bidding.

    ¡°Another man brought you here?¡±

    I snorted and rolled my eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t keep ordering me around, you know. I¡¯m your wife.¡± I mmed the table, unable to constrain the anger that surged through me.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re making use of your title. I thought you didn¡¯t like to be called my wife.¡± He teased me. ¡°We are going to a party tonight. You¡¯ll have to leave right now with Drake so he can help you get ready. We¡¯ll meet again by seven.¡± He ordered with a tone of finality.

 Iéˆ¥æª“ beautiful

    Lorraine

    Drake opened the revolving door that led to the boutique for me to go in. I sighed as I nced at the clothes arranged in different racks at different positions.

    ¡°We have to get you a nice dress that will make you stand out, then we¡¯ll head to the salon so your hair can be taken care of.¡± He listed the activities for the evening which I took note of.

    I wasn¡¯t looking forward to the party, but I know it was important to Dexter or he wouldn¡¯t have asked me toe along.

    I wondered what could be going on with him. Sometimes, he¡¯d show me how sweet he could be and other times, he¡¯d act like we areplete strangers.

    Gradually I was getting used to his attitude even though it was difficult.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to it then. We don¡¯t want to waste Dexter¡¯s time.¡± I said sarcastically.

    His lips parted as if he had something to say, then snapped his mouth shut immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine.¡±

    I ignored his words of encouragement and advanced towards the sales rep. She was engrossed with some books in front of her, but when she noticed me, she lifted up her face with a smile.

    ¡°Good evening, ma¡¯am. What can I help you with?¡± She asked politely.

    ¡°I need a good dress that is ssy and appealing. Something that will make me stand out, and have men drool uncontrobly at the sight of me.¡±

    Thedy¡¯s eyes widened but she dared not say a word. She moved out of her little cubicle and stood in front of me. ¡°Look no further, ma¡¯am. I have just the perfect dress.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    She took me to a different section and there I saw several beautiful dresses that I wasn¡¯t sure I could afford. I didn¡¯t have any design in mind, but once I see what I want, I¡¯d know.

    A gold sequin dress tucked in between two ck dresses caught my attention. ¡°Can you get that dress?¡± I asked her.

    She nodded with her polite signature smile and held out the dress to me. I gasped, awestruck at the beauty that was in front of me. The dress was everything I wanted and I couldn¡¯t wait to try it on.

    ¡°Is this ¡®the dress?''¡± Her eyes shone with relief.

    I nodded vehemently. ¡°It is.¡± I cried in satisfaction.

    I was going to make Dexter regret treating me like trash. Yes I loved him, but the feeling was unrequited and he didn¡¯t even treat me like his woman, so I¡¯d live my life like he didn¡¯t exist until he would be forced to ask for a divorce.

    ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll pack up the dress for you.¡±

    Drake, who I thought had disappeared into thin air because he didn¡¯t want to make me ufortable, came towards the desk to make the payments.

    ¡°The dress goes for two thousand dors.¡± She informed us, swinging her gaze from me to Drake.

    My eyes bulged as I gulped. ¡°Two thousand dors? That¡¯s too much. I think we have to return it.¡±

    Drake burst intoughter, ignoring the deadly re I passed at him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be worried about the price, Lorraine.¡±

    There was no way I wouldn¡¯t be worried about the price. I¡¯d never bought a dress that cost more than a hundred dors since I was acquainted with a thrift shop near my former house.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can take it. It¡¯s too expensive.¡± I reiterated firmly, handing the cloth bag back to the sales rep who wore an understanding look.

    Drake got over my outburst and pulled me away from thedy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my hysterics back there, but my boss, your husband, will fire me if you don¡¯t look stunning tonight. And it will be insulting that his date is looking like a pauper when she¡¯s hooked to a billionaire.¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea to have him ridiculed a bit. I mean, Dexter had an ego that was almost the size of Burj Khalifa and it needed to be crushed, but tonight wasn¡¯t the right time to achieve that.

    ¡°You can pay for it. I don¡¯t want to be the reason you lost your job.¡±

    ******

    My mouth was agape as I stared at myself in the mirror. The gold sequin dress clung to my body like a second skin,plimenting my dark chestnut hair which was curled and styled to stay at the other side of my neck.

    The make-up artist opted to use a red matte lipstick on my lips and though I didn¡¯t agree at first, I¡¯de to understand why she chose it now because I wasn¡¯t just looking beautiful, I was drop-dead gorgeous.

    This was the look I was going for and I got it.

    I didn¡¯t know the kind of party Dexter and I were about to attend, but I wasn¡¯t bothered because what I wore could fit any theme..

    The dress flowed to the ground, my right thigh exposed because of the slit that stopped close to my upper thigh.

    It had a halter strap neckline that copsed on my bulging breasts. The lower strands of my hair covered just a tiny chunk of my cleavages, leaving the rest to imagination.

    Satisfied with my daring appearance, I picked up my small clutch bag and walked out of my room.

    It was almost seven so I was right on time for Dexter to pick me up. His head snapped up the moment I entered the living room and the look of surprise didn¡¯t escape my eyes.

    He swallowed, his throat bobbing as his eyes stripped me naked. ¡°You are so beautiful, Lorraine.¡± The words slipped out, causing my cheeks to heat up then he caught himself immediately. ¡°Are you going to wear this out? Men are going to lust after you.¡± His tone was riddled with fear, but I didn¡¯t care.

    I shrugged, catwalking past him as I swayed my hips nonchntly which had expanded due to my morning workout. ¡°Well, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m aiming for.¡± I nced at the clock and smirked. ¡°It¡¯s seven already, can we leave now?¡±

    Swiftly, he closed up on me, his woody scent drifting into my nose. ¡°No man would look at your body like that.¡± He growled.

    My smirk widened as I grabbed his dick, earning a guttural groan from him. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± I said with confidence and headed out of the house.

 Out in the open

    Lorraine

    The party was in full swing by the time we arrived. Several couples trooped in with smiles on their faces; most of them were fake apart from mine which stemmed from the sense of fulfillment I felt in torturing Dexter.

    Each time our eyes met, he didn¡¯t bother to mask how much he wanted me.  Unfortunately, I wouldn¡¯t give in. He needed to have a taste of his own medicine.

    ¡°Can you fill me in on the details of the party? I need to be able to make easy conversations, you know.¡±

    He exined the purpose of the party with hesitation, scowling at everyone who took a second nce at me. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have worn this. Now I¡¯d have to constantly remind these men that you are with me.¡± He whined.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go through the stress, dear husband. It¡¯s not important.¡± I said as a waiter passed us with a tray. I picked up a ss of white wine and downed the whole contents. ¡°Let¡¯s talkter.¡±

    He was clearly shocked by my new attitude, but if I had to act this way to survive his coldness then I¡¯d give it my best shot.

    The dance floor was filled up and since I wasn¡¯t with Dexter anymore, the men who had been ogling at me had the chance to ask for a dance.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You are so stunning, mdy. Can I have one dance with you?¡± One of the young men who had his eyes on me requested.

    ¡°Of course you can.¡± I sounded too excited but he didn¡¯t mind. He seemed to  be happy to have me on the dance floor with him, and even though I wasn¡¯tfortable around him, I still went on with it.

    He held me very close to himself, ensuring that my breasts touched his chest. It was repulsive as I didn¡¯t enjoy being in close contact with anyone who wasn¡¯t a friend or more.

    Then I nced around in search of Dexter and found a woman who wore an extremely revealing dress, trailing her fingers around Dexter¡¯s chest.

    He stood still instead of taking her hand off. I was grossly irritated and I couldn¡¯t let it show. The aim was to act nonchnt and enjoy my life in this party, and I would do just that.

    ¡°So are you Dexter¡¯s girlfriend or he just brought you as a date?¡± The young man whose name was unknown asked foolishly.

    I hid my irritation behind a cocky smile and huffed my shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t think my rtionship with Dexter is your business. Let¡¯s just enjoy the dance while itsts, as you can see, there are other men waiting in line.¡±

    His expression became sullen as he didn¡¯t expect my response, but sometimes, men deserved to be put in their ces. Most of them had dysfunctional brains and seeing how he had been trying to touch other parts of my body, I knew he wouldn¡¯t have the boldness to continue the dance.

    Thankfully the song stopped ying and I stepped away from him. Dexter walked straight to my spot and red at other men who tried to dance with me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re having a lot of fun with this.¡± He growled.

    ¡°If you had treated me right these past few days, we wouldn¡¯t be having this discussion.¡± I retorted and tried to keep my feelings bottled in, but it wasn¡¯t working so I continued. ¡°You refused to tell me who the kidnapper was and after that you¡¯ve made your office your second home. I¡¯m trying to make this marriage work, but you keep giving me reasons not to.¡± I croaked.

    He palmed his forehead and sighed. ¡°You won¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± I fired back. ¡°I¡¯m your wife, Dexter, for as long as the contract says. We¡¯re talking about my life here. Why don¡¯t you want to get me involved?¡± I raised my voice.

    ¡°Please keep it down. We can talk about this at home.¡±

    ¡°Home? Do you even know where that is?¡± I shot back.

    I was obviously getting to him as he struggled to reply. It felt good to let out all that steam, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Until he assured me of his undying love and treated me well, he would continue to see this cruel side of me.

    Our conversation, or argument came to an end as thedy who was with him earlier approached us with a re. Her face wasn¡¯t familiar, but I could tell that she had a history with Dexter.

    ¡°Is this why I couldn¡¯t have you that night? Because of her?¡± She stared at me from head to toe, her eyes raging with undeniable jealousy.

    ¡°Leave, Edith!¡± He hissed.

    She drew closer to him, wearing a childish pout. ¡°I miss you so much, Dexter. I know you¡¯ve asked me to stay away from you but I can¡¯t. You¡¯ve saturated my mind and I can¡¯t stand the fact that another woman is taking my ce already.¡± She drawled, her voice sultry as she stylishly lowered her dress to seduce him.

    The sight was humiliating.

    For how long would I continue to encounter such embarrassing moments?

    ¡°I think you both need some privacy. I¡¯ll be outside.¡±

    I made to walk away but he stopped me. ¡°You¡¯re the one I came here with. You won¡¯t leave because of her.¡± He red at Edith who in turn glowered.

    She hissed loudly and stormed off, realising that Dexter wouldn¡¯t give her any attention.

    ¡°I still need some air. Being around you is suffocating.¡± I stated.

    ¡°Then I¡¯lle with you.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t what I wanted, but I couldn¡¯t persuade him to do otherwise so I turned towards the entrance, while he followed closely behind me.

    A wheezing sound caused by an interaction between a microphone and the speaker resonated in the hall, then a female voice came next. She pleaded that everyone outside shoulde in as they had a presentation to give.

    ¡°We can always go outter.¡± Dexter said to me and I agreed.

    Since we had intended on leaving, some other people had taken our spot so we joined the crowd that just arrived.

    The projector came on and the hall became silent as everyone earnestly waited for the presentation. I was curious as well.

    A blurry video popped up with voices that I couldn¡¯t recognise at first¡­ No way!

    That was my voice.

    The video became clearer as seconds passed by and I began to make out the people who were engaged in the conversation. My face became more limpid and that of Victoria who was lying on the bed.

    I froze with shivers running down my spine.

    The conversation I had with her at the hospital was being yed, including Victoria¡¯s confessions to being a drug addict.

    Dexter and I exchanged nces as his face became grim with anger. ¡°Who the hell did this?¡± He thundered, pointing at the screen, but no one replied as they were all engrossed in the video, taking pictures as well.

    ¡°Stop the video!¡± I cried, palming my cheeks, my body trembling visibly.

    My voice was drowned by the loud gasps the guests made when I told Victoria that I was Dexter¡¯s wife.

    My secret was out in the open in the least way I expected and I couldn¡¯t even redeem myself.

 Marry me, Lorraine

    Lorraine

    My eyes were filled with tears but I willed them not to spill. Not in front of these people who enjoyed my humiliation and even added to it.

    I was chill; too stunned to speak or yell at them to stop ying the video. I couldn¡¯t even imagine who would have taken a video of me and Victoria in our most vulnerable states.

    Dexter stormed forward as the guests cleared the way for him. I didn¡¯t bother to call him back as I anticipated his next line of action.

    He collected the microphone from the host of the party and cleared his throat. His steel gaze trained on everyone of us. With my eyes fixed on him, I could see how hard it was for him to control this temper.

    ¡°Good evening, everyone.¡± He began with a cold tone. ¡°I was invited to this party by a friend and honestly,  my wife and I have been enjoying it until now.¡±

    My heart melted as he publicly called me his wife and that statement emboldened me as I ignored the snide remarks that were thrown at me.

    ¡°Someone out there is against my happiness and I promise to fish out whoever made this video, and make him or her suffer the consequences of thew-¡± His speech was cut short by the round of apuse that went on.

    I almost choked on myughter.

    Weren¡¯t these the same people who mocked me a few minutes ago?

    ¡°I¡¯m not done talking.¡± He reminded them and the hall became quiet once again. ¡°Can Lorraine Hillse to the tform? I need to show the whole world how beautiful my wife is.¡±

    Now I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears. All my anger I¡¯d been harboring had been for nothing, and I was unable to see through his actions that he actually cared.

    I sniffed, wiping my tears gently to avoid ruining my make up. Then I raised my chin, determined to make them stare at me in awe.

    Remembering what Ste had taught me about confidence, I decided that it was time to give the person who tried to humiliate Victoria and I a show. I knew that I was already trending on the inte, but I was going to use it to my advantage.

    I took the first step, then the next. Each stride was filled with undaunting confidence, revealing the subtlety of my power as a woman. The guests cleared the narrow path for me as I walked with a proud gait.

    Dexter did the icing of the cake as he pulled me close to himself and kissed me.

    A louder apuse ensued as he deepened the kiss, pressing me to his body. The kiss wasn¡¯t just for show; I sensed how much he wanted to say but was unable to because of the rift between us.

    We broke away from each other simultaneously, my cheeks as hot as coals of glowing fire. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for how I¡¯ve been treating you recently. I know my attitude is confusing but I promise to exin everything once we get home, wifey.¡± He whispered against my ears as I ced a light kiss on his lips again.

    Now everyone who had eyes on him would back off.

    ¡°I¡¯m always ready to listen to you.¡± I grinned.

    He nodded and turned to the guests. ¡°I know you¡¯re all itching for an exnation but I won¡¯t give it. On this note, I¡¯d like to formally introduce Lorraine as my wife. We have reasons for keeping our rtionship away from public eyes, but I guess I should have allowed the whole world to know that I¡¯m with an amazing woman.¡± He shed a smile at me, then continued. ¡°I¡¯d like to have my first official dance with her, if she permits me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Dex. Of course I want to dance with you.¡± I scolded him mildly.

    He returned the microphone to the host then we linked our hands together for our first dance. I didn¡¯t even realise it was our first dance until he said it.

    We¡¯d never acted like a couple because I was keen on hiding our identity, but not anymore. I would unt my title as his wife to the people who cared to know.

    Dexter gave a pleading look to the celebrant as we took over the dance floor. Soft music yed in the background, captivating me with its melody. Dexter curled his arm around my waist, my hands on his shoulder as we lost ourselves in the dance.

    ¡°Has anyone told you how beautiful you are today?¡± He smirked.

    I arched my brow, biting my lips to stop myself from blushing sheepishly. ¡°You did before we left the house, but it sounded like you didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to tell you now that you are the most beautiful woman in the world.¡± Heplimented me, his lips stretching into a wide grin.

    I rolled my eyes even though I was giddy with excitement at his sweet words. ¡°Are you sure about that? Because I seem to have a rival.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    He squinted his eyes in confusion but I didn¡¯t bother exining as I wanted him to figure it out by himself. ¡°Are you referring to Edith?¡±

    ¡°Who else?¡± I shrugged.

    He ced a peck on the tip of my nose and chuckled. ¡°She used to be one of my friends with benefits, but I ended things with her as soon as you became my pretend wife. Don¡¯t be worried about her, she¡¯s not even my type.¡±

    I nodded absentmindedly. ¡°But you made her your fuck buddy.¡± I blurted.

    Dexter sighed in exhaustion and we stopped dancing. ¡°Yes, she was avable and I used her to cool off, but she got a lot of things from me too; money, fame and other things I can¡¯t mention.¡± He paused and allowed his exnation to sink in. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to marry me just because of the debt, I wanted you back because I¡¯d spent too many years away from you to let you go again.¡±

    I saw sincerity in his eyes as he spoke passionately, and deep down I knew he wouldn¡¯t toil with me again.

    ¡°Onest question. Do you still want me to be your pretend wife?¡± I asked, my heart thumping hard against my chest.

    ¡°No, baby. I know that the contract says we are legally married, but I want to have a home with you, filled with lots of children that looks like you.¡±

    My heart stopped. ¡°Are you proposing?¡± I gasped.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I know that I don¡¯t have a ring here, but my words are a seal to my promise. You are all I want and I love you so much. You deserve the best of weddings and I¡¯m more than capable of giving it to you.¡±

    ¡°Cocky much?¡± I teased him.

    He went down on one of his knees, the other one propped up and immediately the hall went agog with joyful shouts. ¡°Marry me, Lorraine Hills.¡± He asked softly, his eyes pleading.

 You and your meal

    Lorraine

    I gasped, palming my lips as I darted my gaze around the guests who stared at me expectantly.

    They¡¯d never forgive me if I gave a negative response though I didn¡¯t have ns of doing that.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving this one more shot, Dexter, so I¡¯ll be your wife, but have it at the back of your mind that you just signed up for a whole new coaster ride with me.¡± I giggled and the guests began to chant ¡®say yes¡¯.

    Since there was no ring, all he had to do was get up from his feet and hug me. I felt at peace in his embrace, just the way I used to feel years back. He had always been my savior and now he¡¯d proved again that he would always be there for me.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect today to turn out this way but I¡¯m so d to have you fully as my wife.¡± He held me tightly as I blushed. ¡°I think I¡¯m happier than you are.¡±

    ¡°Are you?¡± I wriggled my brows.

    He loosened his hold around me. ¡°I¡¯m starving right now and there are only two things that can satisfy me: You and your meal.¡±

    I tapped his chin yfully as I pushed him away. ¡°Naughty boy.¡± I took a cursory nce around and discovered that the number of guests had dwindled so no one would notice our departure. ¡°Let¡¯s go home then. There¡¯s nothing I¡¯d love more than to make you feel better.¡±

    My oestrogen level entered overdrive as I urged him on. It made me happy that he craved for my body the same way I did for him, but this night would be all about how well we flowed. My mind was filled with several ideas of where we could have a good time.

    The kitchen seemed to be a good ce to start.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have you in this dress with your panties on.¡± He informed me, his voiceced with lust while he sped away from the hall.

    My body trembled as I held my seat belt tightly. My walls clenched uncontrobly as if I¡¯d taken an aphrodisiac and I bit my lips to keep myself from moaning as his fingers trailed to myp.

    I was enjoying it, but I didn¡¯t want him to drive into a pole because I was so ready to give him a taste of his own medicine. He wasn¡¯t the only one allowed to torture me.

    ¡°Dex¡­ You have to slow down and concentrate.¡± I gasped as he caressed me through my already wet thong. ¡°Can¡¯t this wait?¡± I asked through gritted teeth even though I didn¡¯t want him to stop.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Do you really want me to stop?¡± He smirked, searching out the little hole in my thing and digging into my wet pool.

    I flinched and subconsciously widened my thighs for him to gain unrestricted entrance into me. ¡°Oh, Dexter¡­¡± I moaned, shutting my eyes and enjoying the way he intentionally tortured me with his skilled fingers.

    ¡°This,¡± He scratched my nub with his thumb, ¡°Is for allowing that man to have a dance with you.¡± He added another finger into me and I groaned, bobbing my head backwards.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Dexter.. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He chuckled darkly and the car pulled to an abrupt halt, then I opened my eyes and found out that we were already home. ¡°I don¡¯t think you are.¡± He got out of the car and walked to my side.

    His temporary absence caused me to hiss as I felt like something important had been ripped away from me.

    I thought he wanted to open the car door for me to go out, but he bent over and held my chin gently. ¡°What happened in there was a mere appetiser, what is going to happen inside the house would be the main meal.¡± He bit his lower lip and without warning, he swept me off the chair and carried my bridal style to our room.

    After I told Victoria about our marriage, I didn¡¯t need to pretend I was his maid anymore so I moved back into his room.

    ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± I asked when he didn¡¯t drop me on the bed.

    His eyes darkened as I leaned on the vanity table, crossing my bare leg over the other. His lustful stare caused thrills of excitement to surge through me as he took off his jacket. ¡°I want you to pleasure yourself.¡±

    My eyes widened but he was dead serious. ¡°Are you sure you can watch me do that?¡± I asked nervously, scared that I might not be able to keep him aroused as he wanted.

    ¡°That has been one of my fantasies for the longest time. Do you want to deny me that?¡± He asked with a chill tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s not even possible to deny you anything. You¡¯ll always find a way to get what you want.¡± I glided my fingers from my cleavages, squeezing it hard as I moaned.

    His passion-filled expression was my reward so I continued trailing my fingers along my body till I got to my waist. I tried to bring the pantie down, but he raised his hand sharply.

    ¡°I warned you not to do that.¡± He growled.

    I set my index and my middle finger around my lower lips and began to tweak it slowly. Pleasure began to build within me as I stroked up and down, establishing a steady rhythm.

    Myshes joined each other as the sparks of pleasure flew through every part of my body. ¡°Don¡¯t close your eyes.¡± He ordered. ¡°I want you to see how I feel while you do that and also, make sure you don¡¯t orgasm. I¡¯m the only one permitted to make youe.¡±

    ¡°I-I can¡¯t?¡± My voice was shaky as the sensation was getting intense, the force so strong I nearly toppled over the edge.

    He ignored my question as he loosened his belt, his pants dropping to the floor. He stepped out of them and remained in his shirt and briefs. His huge rod bulged against his tight underwear, causing me to gulp.

    I tweaked harder, my thumb circling my clit faster. My body shivered as I was close. ¡°I¡¯m about to-¡±

    He didn¡¯t waste any time as he stealthily moved me to the wall, my back facing him. I felt his dick glide slowly from behind as he searched for my flooded entrance.

    I bit my lips hard as he thrusted in, using his hand to keep me bnced between himself and the wall, then he began to ride me with my panties shifted to the side.

    His other hand moved to my perky breast which had be very sensitive to his touch. Every gentle squeeze sent sparks to my pussy, stirring up overwhelming feelings I couldn¡¯t contain.

    I squirmed under his hold but I couldn¡¯t make a move as he thrusted harder, punishing me for trying to escape from his ministrations.

    Our tempo matched as he rammed me like a bull on a chase and I loved every bit of it. Dirty words flew out of my lips as he bent me over, his rod hitting my sweet spot and I could swear that stars flew over my head.

    My eyes were reeling from extreme pleasure, but I didn¡¯t want him to stop, not when I was already getting closer to my release.

    He groaned loudly with beads of sweat dropping on my bare back. His hand on my waist tightened almost painfully as drove all the way in without restraint. Each time I thought he had gotten to his limit, he showed me that he didn¡¯t have one.

    Inarticte words kept escaping my throat as he pinched my nipple. My knees buckled with a gasp and I panted heavily as my orgasm rode through me, the aftermath sating my long time craving.

    Dexter released just after me, screaming as he jerked uncontrobly until thest waves of pleasure eroded.

    ¡°That was good.¡± I slurred while I crawled to the bed and slumped on it.

    Cleaning up should have been the next thing, but I wasn¡¯t sure my legs could carry me to the bathroom. My eyes began to close and I allowed it, feeling a piece of clothing between my legs.

    ¡°Have a nice sleep.¡± He kissed my forehead and turned off the light, the faint sound of the shower running lulled me to sleep.

 Reassurance of his love

    Lorraine

    ¡°Wakey Wakey.¡± Dexter sang loudly as his side of the bed dipped when he climbed on it. ¡°Rise and shine, your majesty.¡± He pped.

    I rubbed my eyes slowly, the sun rays bursting through the window and reflecting on my face. I opened my eyes quickly to find a tray on the bed with a te of omelette, bacon, two slices of pancakes and freshly made orange juice to go with it.

    My lips stretched into a smile as I snatched the tray from him. ¡°This looks so delicious. When did you have the time to make all of this?¡±

    My mouth was already watering as I couldn¡¯t wait to dive into the meal. While I slept like a baby, my man kept himself busy in the kitchen.

    How good it was to see this adorable part of him all the time.

    ¡°Thank you for breakfast, Dexter. Have you had anything to eat?¡± I asked and he shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother about me, your satisfaction is my priority.¡± He stood up, duffed an invisible cap, then gave a mock bow.

    I giggled as I bit into the hot pancake that had a creamy taste. ¡°Come and have a taste of this, it¡¯s really good.¡± I urged him on with my mouth full. ¡°You should consider opening a pastry business, you know.¡± I joked as I fed him with the pancake.

    ¡°Then who would I leave thepany to?¡±

    Me?¡± I said in a suggestive tone and we bothughed over it.

    I was almost sure that Dexter didn¡¯t have enough to eat as I rushed the meal. He kept the tray on the bedside while I nibbled on my drink.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Breakfast was over, it was time for the conversation we¡¯d been avoiding for the longest time.

    ¡°What do you know about my kidnapper?¡± I asked bluntly.

    He dragged in a deep breath and moved closer to me. ¡°Before I tell you anything, promise me that you won¡¯t overreact over what I¡¯m about to say.¡±

    I squinted my eyes, wondering why he was making such a request. ¡°I have to know what we are up to here.¡± Then he gave me a pleading look that I couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°A few years ago, you were drugged at the club and a young man took you home. He nned to sleep with you but someone who looks like your stepfather stepped in. Can you remember that night?¡± He questioned and I shook my head.

    I rarely went to clubs or even house parties. The first andst one I attended left an indelible mark I would never forget, so I wondered what would have made me go to a club the second time.

    ¡°I can¡¯t recall going to a club, talk more of bringing a man to my house.¡±

    He palmed his forehead and reached for his phone then passed it to me. ¡°That should help you remember.¡±

    I clicked on the video nonchntly and began to watch. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I stared at the sight before me.

    A young man was forcing himself on me and I almost gave in. Seeing how dazed my eyes were, I could tell that I was drugged. But what bothered me was how I couldn¡¯t recall what happened-or maybe I was beginning to remember.

    I paused that video as a memory shed in my mind. That was the night I ran away from my stepfather¡¯s house and decided not toe back. I was barely eighteen years old.

    My body shook with fear as I gazed at the video. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to remember.¡± I informed him, my voice tight with anger.

    ¡°Good, because someone sent him to do that and he was the same man who took you away.¡± Dexter said.

    I squeezed my eyes shut in surprise as I quickly jumped to my feet, forgetting that I was naked beneath the covers. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    He held my shoulder, bringing me close to himself. ¡°You promised not to overreact.¡± He reminded me.

    I flung his hands away as I retreated my steps. ¡°How do you expect me to react?¡± I fired at him in anger. ¡°Someone is out there nning on the best way to ruin me and you expect me to be calm?¡±

    He seemed to understand my dilemma as he allowed me to rant till I was spent. ¡°No one is going to hurt you again, not under my watch.¡±

    A thought crossed to my mind as I stared at him. ¡°Who is behind all of this and how did you manage to get the information that the cops have been struggling to gather for weeks now?¡±

    ¡°I have my ways.¡± He replied, a cocky grin spreading on his face.

    ¡°The truth, Dexter.¡± I demanded harshly.

    ¡°The person behind all of these is Liam. ording to what the man told me.¡± He announced.

    The ground spun under my legs as I dropped on the bed. ¡°L-Liam? Your¡­ your friend?¡± I stuttered.

    He nodded. ¡°He knows that I¡¯m onto him so he escaped, but I won¡¯t rest until I find him. He has to tell me why he has two incriminating videos of you.¡± He assured me, joining me on the bed and taking me into his arms. He yed with the strands of my hair, caressing my scalp so I¡¯d rx. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared, Lorraine. I¡¯ll watch over you just as I¡¯ve been doing.¡±

    ¡°And my stepfather? What if he decides toe out of hiding?¡±

    The thought of having to see the cruel man face to face again made my skin crawl. He was pure evil and I wished that he¡¯d never see the light of a new day each time I prayed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to do that if he loves his life.¡± Dexter stated as a matter of fact.

    ¡°How are you so sure? Did you meet him recently?¡± I probed.

    He looked away from me, hesitating to give answers to my questions. Obviously, he was hiding something from me that he wasn¡¯t ready to share.

    ¡°Look, Lorraine-¡±

    A knock resonated on the door and we nced at each other. ¡°Are you expecting anyone?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go and find out then.¡± I scrambled to my feet and put myself in order, then headed to the living room.

    I opened the door and froze. Dexter hissed behind me as I folded my arms. ¡°What are you doing here, Emilia?¡± I barked and she did the unexpected and fell on her knees.

 No space

    Dexter

    I tried to m the door on her and walk away but Lorraine stopped me, silently begging me with her eyes to hold on.

    Emilia palmed her hands together, her orbs getting misty as she blinked hard. ¡°Please, just let me in. I promise I won¡¯t take your time. ¡± She employed the most pitiful tone that was already getting to Lorraine.

    Who cares if she stayed for just a minute? Her presence was already irritating me because I knew what she was up to.

    How could shee out of the blues and begin to plead with me on her knees after everything she had done?

    ¡°Dexter, please, let her in. I think she has something important to say.¡± Lorraine requested weakly.

    I raked through my hair in frustration.

    Couldn¡¯t she see through the pleas and fake pitiful expression that it was all for show?

    I didn¡¯t know what it was yet, but I intended to find out.

    ¡°Let her in then.¡± I agreed. ¡°But I won¡¯t be here for whatever nonsense she has to say. ¡± I walked away, leaving both of them stunned.

    I¡¯d always known Lorraine to have a kind heart, but that shouldn¡¯t make her stupid. I followed people by the kind of aura they radiated and if I wasn¡¯tfortable, I wouldn¡¯t continue with the friendship.

    Not only had Emilia tried to ruin my rtionship with Lorraine, she also humiliated her publicly several times. And now she thought that her offences would be wiped away by an annoying show of apology.

    She should try again.

    I took the empty tes from the bedroom and headed towards the kitchen. We were having a very good moment and Emilia just came in like a bug to ruin it for us.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Lorraine and I had a lot of things to talk about. She was yet to know why I distanced myself from her even though it hurt to do so, but with Emilia¡¯s presence we wouldn¡¯t be able to continue our conversation.

    Gentle footsteps trailed towards me but I ignored them until I felt her arms wrapped around my waist. ¡°You should have waited.¡± Lorraine chided me as I scoffed.

    ¡°Wait for what, Lorraine? That woman is a snake. You don¡¯t know her more than I do.¡±

    She pursed her lips as if she was trying to hold back a smile then she began caressing my skin, causing my anger to slowly dissipate.

    This was the problem I had.

    I couldn¡¯t stay mad at her no matter how much I wanted to. We stepped out from the kitchen and stood at the passage between the living room and the kitchen so we could watch her.

    ¡°Dexter,¡± She began softly and I sighed, knowing that I¡¯d lost the battle even before she could continue. ¡°Last night life presented a clean te to us and we grabbed it. I¡¯m still surprised at everything that is happening, but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s for a good reason? Maybe the universe wants us to forgive everyone who offended us so that we can all be happy.¡±

    Damn the universe!

    Some people would never change. They are just so good at maniption and waiting patiently for the right time to strike.

    ¡°So what do you want me to do?¡± I questioned with a bored tone.

    ¡°Come with me to see Emilia. I know that it¡¯s a strange request and she has hurt us, but I¡¯m willing to listen to her. So do the same too. Let¡¯s just give her the chance to clear herself.¡± She appealed to me, ying with my corbone.

    She shed me her sweetest smile that I couldn¡¯t refuse so I raised my hands in surrender. ¡°Fine! I¡¯de along, but she won¡¯t stay here for more than twenty minutes. I don¡¯t trust her.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve done more than enough, darling. Let¡¯s go.¡± She urged me on.

    Emilia, who was passing nces at us, sat upright when we returned to the living room. Today, she didn¡¯t dress like a harlot and I¡¯d have asked her if she had forgotten her identity, if not Lorraine who kept asking me to be calm.

    I took the double seater opposite her and held my wife close to me. ¡°Twenty minutes is all you have so tell me why you are here?¡±

    She inclined her head and stayed quiet for a minute, but I wasn¡¯t having it. I was a busy man and I didn¡¯t want anyone to waste my time.

    ¡°Can you start talking? We don¡¯t have all day.¡± I raised my voice.

    When she lifted her face, her eyes gleamed with unshed tears. ¡°I¡¯m here to say that I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her voice cracked and Lorraine nced at me with a knowing look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little toote for that? I mean, you dropped a lot of threats thest time you tried to seduce me, and now you want me to forgive you, when you made my life unsafe?¡± I shot at her, the tone of my voice increasing in a high crescendo.

    She sniffed and wiped a tear. ¡°You know that I didn¡¯t mean any of the things I said, Dexter. I hated the fact that you rejected me even when I kept throwing myself at you, but then I realised that I was just wasting my time on you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you did.¡± I chimed in.

    Lorraine cleared her throat and moved away from my chest, sitting upright. ¡°And when did you realise that you were wasting your time?¡± She asked harshly.

    ¡°From the video I watched yesterday.¡± She confessed as Lorraine and I exchanged confused nces.

    ¡°What video?¡±

    ¡°The video from the party. It¡¯s trending all over the inte and a lot of people are giving positive reviews¡­¡± She trailed off and stopped when she saw how uninterested we were. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that, the both of you love each other and it would be very bad of me to continue to butt in your rtionship. I cheated on you and that¡¯s when I lost you, but I¡¯ve made a promise to myself that I would never hurt any man like that again.¡±

    ¡°Good for you.¡± I replied casually, my eyes darting at the clock. ¡°The twenty minutes I gave you has psed, and my wife and I have other things to do for the day.¡± I said dismissively then remembered something. ¡°Have you ever gone to visit Victoria? You know she¡¯s at rehab right?¡±

    Emilia became quiet again, and avoided her gaze as she shook her head.

    ¡°I thought as much. You can leave now, and your apology has been epted, but I don¡¯t ever want to see you in my house again.¡± I ordered her then opened the door for her. ¡°Let yourself out.¡±

    She slowly took her pause and dragged her feet, her expression filled with sadness. Her shoulders dropped as she walked, no longer high and cocky as it used to be. ¡°Goodbye, Lorraine, Dexter.¡± She muttered and I mmed the door.

    I sighed in relief. ¡°Good riddance to bad rubbish.¡±

    ¡°You were too harsh, do you know that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what she deserves. And I hope you know that I only gave her a listening ear because of you.¡±

    She hugged me and kissed my chest because of the difference in our heights. She wasn¡¯t really a short woman but I still towered over her.

    ¡°Thank you for that, hubby. How do you want your reward?¡± She wriggled her brows, batting hershes at me suggestively.

    I got the hint and took off the simple robe she wore, delighted at the delicious sight that stood before me. ¡°I think you know what I want.¡± I grinned and dove in for a passionate kiss.

 Bonding together

    Lorraine

    I nearly flung myself at Victoria, who was standing in front of the cafe¡¯s entrance when we saw each other again. After going on two rounds of lovemaking earlier this morning, Dexter suggested that we visited his sister and I didn¡¯t hesitate in agreeing.

    I could imagine how lonely she¡¯d be now that her freedom had been taken from her. ¡°How have you been?¡± I held her tightly, caressing her hair as she sobbed on my shoulder.

    She sniffed and cleaned her eyes. ¡°Lonely,¡± She replied just as I expected. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect you guys here. It¡¯s such a wonderful surprise.¡± She giggled.

    Dexter stepped closer to us and pulled his sister in for a hug. I gave them some space, watching their public disy of love. Dexter, who looked troubled on his way here, became rxed.

    We all sat down after the exchange of pleasantries and a waiter came to take our order. ¡°How¡¯s the ce like? Do they treat you badly? Does any part of your body hurt?¡± I threw the questions at her, unable to hold back my curiosity and concern.

    ¡°Rx with the questions, girl. I¡¯m fine.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Everyone treats me nicely and it¡¯s not even like they can maltreat me, because my brother warned them sternly before handing me over.¡± She winked ad Dexter who acted ignorant.

    Little wonders he was so calm. I bet he had threatened all the workers to treat his sister like an egg or there¡¯d be war.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, Vicky. The house is so boring without you.¡± I whined.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in less than two months, so don¡¯t worry.¡± She assured me and we paused when the waiter arrived with our order.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    The breakfast I took in the morning had vanished due to the intense sex we had.     It didn¡¯t even bother me that my body responded each time Dexter touched me, even when I thought I couldn¡¯t go on and he was always eager to take advantage of my weakness.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell her about the man that has made it a point of duty to visit you every day?¡± Dexter butted in as I shed Vicky a questioning nce.

    Her cheeks turned pink as she held back her smile. ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Arnold¡­¡± She giggled, the pink blush turning into light shade of red. She was blushing very hard and I enjoyed every moment of her cheesy antics.

    ¡°Is it Arnold Bumpy or another Arnold?¡± I wriggled my brows as I sipped my soda.

    She palmed her face, acting like a teenager who just fell in love for the first time. ¡°Do you really have to make this hard for me? Of course it¡¯s your Bumpy. He¡¯s always here for dinner and I¡¯m allowed to walk him out of the gate.¡± She exined.  ¡°Honestly, he has made this process quite easy for me and I wonder why he¡¯s doing it.¡± Her face turned sullen. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve his kindness, Lorry.¡±

    I reached for her hand and held it. ¡°None of us actually deserves what we get. Sometimes, it¡¯s just fate trying topensate us for the shit that life has thrown at us. And I think you should enjoy every time you spend with him.¡± I advised her, genuinely excited that she was finally enjoying some peace.

    Ever since I knew Arnold, he had never been that bright and bubbly man I thought him to be, though I knew he was capable of ying such a character.

    We were quite close and each time he looked at me, there was a kind of longing lurking behind the unsaid words. I couldn¡¯t wait to see him again and tease him about his new found addiction.

    ¡°I¡¯m so stupid for cheating on him, you know. I shouldn¡¯t have allowed distance toe in between us. But I guess I know better now and because of him, I¡¯ll do the right thing.¡± She spoke with a certain kind of determination I admired.

    I was d about her progress and I prayed she stayed clean forever.

    Dexter pinched me, giving me a knowing look. I sighed, watching Victoria who gobbled up hersagna. I was yet to touch my te because of the tension that simmered in my chest.

    ¡°Ummm¡­ Vicky.¡± She raised up her head and dropped her fork, scrutinising our faces.

    ¡°Is there any problem?¡± She wiped her mouth with a paper towel.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t, but we have something to tell you.¡± I announced.

    She swallowed and nodded slowly, the tension thickening around us.

    ¡°Something happenedst night that we regret badly.¡± I told her the full story as she listened with rapt attention.

    She banged her fist on the table and chewed her lip in anger. ¡°Who would have done that to me? This was supposed to be a secret. Now the whole world knows.¡±

    Dexter cleared his throat and she snapped her lips shut. ¡°I promise you that we are going to fish out whoever did this to the both of you. I don¡¯t know what the intention of the person is but he or she would be sorry they crossed my path.¡± He  promised firmly.

    ¡°Thank you, Dexter. You¡¯re the best brother anyone can have. I¡¯m happy that I don¡¯t have to go through this alone.¡± She said.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be alone anymore, Tori. I¡¯m the reason you¡¯re going through this in the first ce so I¡¯ll do everything to redeem myself.¡± He stared at his sister with love and my heart swelled.

    ¡°Aww, now I wish that my parents stayed alive to give me more siblings. The both of you are so sweet.¡± I cooed and theyughed.

    Since the tension disappeared, my appetite returned. Victoria took in the news better than I expected, showing her maturity over the issue.

    She had changed visibly. She was no longer the spoiled brat I used to know. Her situation had helped to bring out a better version of her which I appreciated.

    Dexter got a phone call so he excused himself to take it.

    Victoria and I engaged in a silly discussion that got meughing. She told me about some of the addicts who refused to give up the drugs even though it kept causing more damage to them.

    I asked her how possible it was to smuggle drugs into the centre and she cited several examples.

    In no time, Dexter joined us but his face wasn¡¯t looking bright. ¡°There¡¯s news.¡± He announced.

    ¡°We¡¯re listening.¡± Victoria and I chorused.

    ¡°My friend just informed me that he checked the footage fromst night¡¯s party, and they saw a woman change the disk in the media room.¡± He said and I frowned, wondering why the woman didn¡¯t disconnect the camera from recording her.

    Maybe she wanted to be caught, and she would be caught.

    ¡°But how did she get to take a video of us at the hospital? We had no visitors aside from Bumpy who I¡¯m sure isn¡¯t capable of doing such a thing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s him, but the bigger problem is that they weren¡¯t able to capture the woman¡¯s face.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I red up.

    ¡°Because she wore a mask, only the color of her hair was visible and it was brte.¡± He said tly, his eyes turning cold.

 A persistent apology

    Lorraine

    It felt so good to prepare for the main runway show. Despite the obstacles that caused me some distractions, it didn¡¯t stop me from getting the job done.

    The new designs were mind blowing and I couldn¡¯t wait to put them on. I could own all of them if I wanted, all I needed to do was make a demand and it will be settled.

    As soon as the artist finished with my face, Dexter barged in with a bright smile, his eyes ring with adoration for me. I liked it when he looked at me that way, like he wasn¡¯t tired of being with me.

    Ever since the video about my marriage with Dexter hit the inte, my colleagues stayed away from me and changed their attitude.

    Marianna, who disliked me with passion, went out of her way to make sure I wasfortable when I came this morning. I guess they were all scared of losing their contracts with the agency.

    ¡°You look so stunning, baby. I can¡¯t wait for you to climb that stage and show them who the boss is.¡± He said, hyping me with so much enthusiasm.

    Two weeks ago, I was thinking of ways to make him go mad with jealousy, but here we were, loving each other like no one else existed.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll be on the stage because you gave me the chance to. Don¡¯t be surprised if I get other modelling contracts; that will mean more money for me.¡± I grinned, giddy with excitement.

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m not going to stop your dream because I want you to seed.¡± He said sweetly and I gave him a light kiss on the lips so that my make up wouldn¡¯t have a dent. ¡°I think we should go on a vacation after this. We need to spend some time together before preparing for the wedding.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    I nodded, agreeing to everything he said as I wondered why he was more excited about the wedding than me.

    In our society, it seemed that the woman should be more thrilled about getting married than the man. Apparently, there was a switch in the order of things.

    ¡°A vacation won¡¯t be a bad idea. Where do you think we should go to?¡±

    He palmed my head and kissed my forehead. ¡°It¡¯s your choice to make. I¡¯ll be fine with whatever ce you choose.¡±

    A blush rose up my cheeks. ¡°Why are you so sweet? I thought this part of you died seven years ago?¡± My mind shed back to the night he disvirgined me.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t die. It was just buried and waiting to be reawakened.¡± He checked his wristwatch and helped me up while I smiled at his kind gesture. ¡°You have to get going. The show is about to begin.¡±

    I dragged in a deep breath and patted my hair that was styled into a tight bun to make sure none of the strands weren¡¯t dangling freely. ¡°Thank for being here, Dex, you don¡¯t know how much this means to me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±

    He escorted me out of the room then he headed to the other side of stage, but behind the curtains. The other models were already lined up and waiting to be called out so I joined and waited patiently.

    The urge to pee poked at my dder and I cursed under my breath. This was the worst time to leave as anything could happen.

    My mind quickly recalled what happened at thest show and I decided to keep it in. Being on the runway wouldn¡¯t take so much time; it was either I waited or missed the show.

    Finally, we were called out to hop on the runway. I was thest as usual but that didn¡¯t deter me from cheering on the models who had already taken their turn.

    My outfit was a jumpsuit that has slits at the hems of both sides. The sleeves were crossed against each other and a star cut was created at the back. My cleavages were well covered by the cups of the padded bra and the corset kept my stomach in shape.

    What I liked more was the colorbination; beige and deep blue that made me look elevated. I was surely going to sow more of these kind of clothes.

    It got to my turn and I stepped out without any reservations, enjoying the awestruck stares that they threw at me. I ignored them as I couldn¡¯t allow myself to get distracted.

    There was no slippery shoes this time or an annoying pretend husband, just pure love and support from the people around me. It was surprising how my life turned around so quickly.

    I did a twirl and propped my arm against my waist, shing them my sweetest smile, then did a u-turn and returned to the backstage. They all rose up and apuded me.

    *********

    ¡°Girl, you did so well.¡± Stefan chirped when I returned to the dressing room. ¡°There are several brands out there asking for you services and you are going to give it to them.¡±

    He got my attention. ¡°What brands are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Lingerie brands, clothing brands, skincare brands.¡± He listed them and my heart swelled with excitement. ¡°While you were on the stage, I was busy with phone calls from the brand¡¯s representatives. You have grown so much, honey.¡± He smiled brightly.

    My eyes were beginning to water as I was overwhelmed with the good news he shared with me.

    ¡°This is so good, Stefan, and you know what? I¡¯m ready for everything thates with being a model. I won¡¯t be just a model, I will be the model that everyone wants.¡± I dered, unable to hold back my happiness.

    He nodded to everything I said then hugged me. ¡°I¡¯m happy with your progress. Just keep it up, alright?¡± He patted my back and left so that I could change my outfit.

    A knock resonated on the door, but I was already done dressing so I let the person in.

    Emilia strolled in, her body radiating with tension as she put on an anxious smile. ¡°Hey,¡± Her tone brimmed with nervousness and I could understand why.

    Months back, she could humiliate me the way she wanted, but now she couldn¡¯t even see me except I allowed her. I put on an unreadable expression as I hooked my earrings.

    ¡°Hi.¡± I replied casually, throwing my hand bag on.

    She swallowed and scratched her well styled hair. ¡°Congrattions on the sess of the show. You did great out there.¡±

    My eyes widened, shing a cursory nce at her to be sure that I wasn¡¯t standing in front of an impostor. What changed Emilia? I thought.

    ¡°Thank you very much, but why are you here?¡± I made sure to sound uninterested because I was.

    ¡°To say I¡¯m sorry again, and to tell you that I won¡¯t stop until we be friends or at least acquaintances.¡± She said with so much confidence I almostughed.

    A rude response rolled to the tip of my tongue, but I held it back and opted for a better reply. ¡°I bear no grudges against you, I just like to keep to myself.¡±

    She fell to her knees and crawled towards me, holding onto the hem of my dress.  ¡°Look, Lorraine, I¡¯ve realised my wrongs and I want to make amends but that won¡¯t be possible if you don¡¯t give me a chance.¡± Her voice cracked, her lips quivering as if she wanted to cry.

    I wouldn¡¯t be able to watch her cry so I lifted her up while she beamed with relief.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance, but let¡¯s take things slowly because I don¡¯t trust you.¡± I said and she did the unexpected and flung herself at me.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Lorraine, I promise I¡¯ll be the best friend you¡¯ve ever had.¡±

 Bitter after sweet

    Lorraine

    I found myself at the beach the next day which was the location the skincare brand wanted me to model for them. The demand was impromptu because the other model that I¡¯d reced backed out on the deal, and it was mandatory that the shoot should be held today.

    Dexter offered to tag along, but I didn¡¯t allow him as I wanted him to focus on his job. So I was here with just Ste who was asked to apany me, and Drake who Dexter had turned to my bodyguard.

    ¡°Good morning, miss. You¡¯re quite early.¡± The directormended me after I¡¯d dropped my bag on the table and was about to go in search of the crew.

    A satisfied grin rose to my lips. ¡°It¡¯s a principle, sir. I like to be punctual.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, because we thought that we would have to wait for a long time for you toe. The other models do that.¡± He sounded disappointed and if I was in his shoes I¡¯d feel the same way too. ¡°Well, now that you¡¯re here, the concept of the shoot will be exined to you and then we¡¯ll start. If you need anything just inform us and we¡¯ll get it to you.¡± He said kindly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything for now but thank you very much.¡±

    He led me to the crew; some of them were already setting up their equipment while the other models had their skin being taken care of.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    As the director addressed us, I got to understand that they had to use different models with unique skin tones, so they they would show the effectiveness of their products.

    My skin wasn¡¯t too light and I wasn¡¯t a ck woman so they wanted someone in my range, and when the other model became unavable, they chose me. Well, it was a plus for me because it would increase my poprity and .

    After exining the concept to us, we started off with the shoot. I had so much fun with the girls and I also admired their cooperation. We took corrections when needed and a few hourster, the shoot was wrapped up.

    I felt someone tap my back while I sat on one of the huge stones, away from the other models who were having a ss of wine. ¡°Hi, is there any problem?¡± I gave the person a backward nce.

    ¡°No, I came to inform you that someone wants to see you.¡± She said then left.

    Who could it be? I thought.

    Dexter was the only one who came to my mind because he could be crazy enough to leave work and visit me.

    Must be him though. I decided as I searched around for him, but I was appalled when I met Emilia standing under a shade with a white food box in her arms.

    I was startled as I didn¡¯t expect her to initiate lunch so easily. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± I almost frowned as she came forward and pecked my cheeks.

    ¡°You thought I¡¯d forget about lunch. I was very serious when I said we¡¯d have lunch together, so instead of going to a cafe, I brought it here for us.¡± She smiled expectantly while I tucked my hair behind my ears, thinking of how to push her away.

    ¡°Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but my stomach is really full right now.¡± I lied, because the shoot drained me, including the enormous breakfast I¡¯d taken beforeing so my stomach was literally empty.

    Like my stomach wasn¡¯t in support of my lies, it gurgled loudly.

    She pointed at my stomach andughed. ¡°I think your belly says otherwise.¡±

    Shit!

    Thest thing I wanted was to have lunch with her. She might have poisoned the food and brought it for me to eat then join myte parents.

    The thought got me shaking so I shook my head, vehemently. ¡°I¡¯ve been having a stomach upset, that¡¯s the reason for the gurgles you had. Don¡¯t worry about me, just enjoy your meal alone.¡±

    She shrugged and opened the box, then drew out a slice from the pepperoni pizza. My stomach grumbled again at the aroma of it.

    It had been a while since I took pizza with enough pepperoni and cheese because of how addicted I was to it, but having some of this deliciousness in front of me, tested my self-will.

    She bit into it and moaned while I swallowed, clenching my fists tightly. She took another slice and closed the box. ¡°If you change your mind, the remaining pizza is avable for you. I have to leave now.¡± She walked away, after giving me a side hug.

    Should I eat it? Should I not?

    ¡°Arrgggh!¡± I screamed in frustration and finally gave in to the temptation.

    Obviously the pizza wasn¡¯t poisoned or she wouldn¡¯t have eaten it and this little box wouldn¡¯t make me shapeless.

    ********

    Drake dropped me at home, the knowledge that I could sleep as much as I wanted filled me with relief.

    My eyes widened when I opened the door, sighting the red roses that formed a trail towards the staircase. My eyes darted towards the red medium-sized balloons which were hung on the ceiling, giving the living room a romantic ambience.

    My body became giddy with excitement as I followed the trail which led me to our bedroom. Then I opened the door but found no one in it.

    ¡°Dexter?¡± I giggled, grinning from ear to ear as I stepped out of my ankle strap heels that was already beginning to hurt my feet.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked in a sing-song tone, checking the bathroom which was also empty.

    What kind of game could he be ying?

    A big cake, oveid with nicely scented roses was in the middle of the bed, surrounded by several red boxes of different sizes.

    My heart skipped a beat as I read the inscription on the cake. It was my birthday and I didn¡¯t even remember it. Simultaneously, the door pushed open and Dexter appeared, looking drop dead gorgeous.

    ¡°Looking for me?¡± He smiled cheekily. A usual show of his arrogance.

    But his sexy abs that bulged through the silk ck shirt he wore didn¡¯t go unnoticed. His hair was damp, like he just came out from the shower.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. I wasn¡¯t really looking for you.¡± I feigned nonchnce.

    He said nothing as he advanced towards me and began to tickle me without restriction. ¡°Are you sure you weren¡¯t searching for me?¡± He teased, ¡°Because I heard you open the bathroom door and call my name.¡±

    Myughter was hysterical as he kept tickling me until I couldn¡¯tugh anymore. Then he passed me a ss of water afterwards to help me rx.

    I nced at the items on the bed and my eyes turned misty. ¡°How did you even know that today is my birthday? I didn¡¯t even remember.¡± My voice cracked as I stared at him with so much love and adoration.

    ¡°When you love someone, you tend to value anything that concerns them, no matter how trivial it might be. I never forgot your birthday no matter how much I tried, so I decided to do this for you, knowing that you didn¡¯t remember.¡±

    My lips quivered and words failed me as I melted into his arms. ¡°This is so sweet of you, Dex, I wasn¡¯t expecting this.¡± I said in a drawl.

    ¡°Now you have them, and I can¡¯t wait for you to see the beautiful gifts I got for you. I¡¯ve been nning this sincest month.¡± He confessed and I gasped, my eyes almost bulging from its socket.

    ¡°Last month?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°But that was the same period you acted all cold to me.¡±

    He took in a deep breath and exhaled, raking through his damp hair. ¡°Yes I was cold to you, but that doesn¡¯t mean you aren¡¯t important to me. We¡¯d have had a truce sooner orter because it hurt me that I hurt you.¡±

    ¡°This really means a lot. Thank you.¡±

    He rolled his eyes and copsed on the bed, propping his arms behind him. ¡°There are several ways you can thank me.¡± He wriggled his brows.

    My cheeks became heated instantly, but it wasn¡¯t just my cheeks that felt the heat because my whole body came alive, irrespective of my exhaustion.

    ¡°You can have me.¡± I stated suggestively.

    ¡°Not that, although it¡¯s important, but I¡¯ll tell you what I want after you check your gifts.¡±

    I nodded and drew closer to him. Our lips touched and that was all it took to lose my control. He buried his tongue in my mouth, taking over from me.

    Our lips warred against each other, fighting for control but even before the end of the battle, I knew who would win.

    Suddenly, a stinging sensation shot through the pit of my stomach, causing me to break the kiss abruptly. Dexter stared at me in absolute confusion, but I couldn¡¯t give him an exnation as the pain continued to burn within me.

    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± I screamed, holding onto my stomach as my body grew hot instantly.

    The pain was unbearable; it felt like my intestines were being wrung together and my eyes began to feel heavy. My ears rang with a wheezing sound that made me lose my bnce.

    Dexter¡¯s face was a description of in horror. He kept calling my name but I couldn¡¯t respond, as I slowly sank into unconsciousness, the world turning ck.

 A big hit

    Dexter

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± I panicked, my eyes trained on Lorraine whoid unconscious on the bed, her face pale and almost lifeless.

    My heart clenched in pain, seeing her helpless and vulnerable.

    ¡°She was poisoned by what she might have taken in, and the poison has caused a lot ofplications for her. She¡¯ll be awake soon, but we are still checking the amount of damage done in her system.¡± Doctor Luca exined, his expression as unreadable as usual, but there was a glint of pity in his eyes.

    ¡°Wait a minute, Doctor Luca, you just talked about food poisoning. Is it the normal kind of poison because Lorraine is very careful of what she eats?¡±

    He shook his head, taking off his sses that exposed a little bit of vulnerability from him. He wasn¡¯t just a doctor, he was my family doctor and he had treated a lot of cases that happened to me, so I didn¡¯t expect formality from him.

    ¡°Look, Dexter. It wouldn¡¯t have been this fatal if it was mere food poisoning. The symptoms would have been mild as well. But your wife almost lost her life if not for your rapid response. This kind of poison eats slowly into the body then begins to show the symptoms, by then, a lot of damage would have been done.¡±

    I sighed, ruffling my already disheveled hair as fury mmed me hard in my stomach.

    Who would have the effrontery to hurt a peaceful woman like Lorraine? I thought.

    She never stepped on anyone¡¯s toes and she made sure that no one stepped on hers.

    ¡°Doctor,¡± I croaked, my lips quivering. ¡°Will she truly be alright?¡± It took me all I had to ask the question because I was scared of what his answer would be.

    But I was sure of one thing, I would never let Lorraine go through this alone.

    No matter what!

    Doctor Luca inclined his head, sighing deeply as he put on his sses. ¡°I can¡¯t tell for now, Dexter, but what I can assure you is that she¡¯s a strong woman and she¡¯ll be fine.¡± He patted my arms, threw a final nce at Lorraine then walked away.

    I copsed to the floor, feeling like my world had crumbled. My lips trembled as I broke into silent sobs.

    I couldn¡¯t allow her to hear me cry because she was trying to be strong and I was supposed to do the same, but I couldn¡¯t. I just needed a shoulder to cry on and for someone to assure me that everything will be fine.

    I crawled to her bedside, entangling her fingers with mine. She was still beautiful even though she just escaped death.

    Her luscious pink lips that I was always tempted to kiss had turned slightly yellow, and her chubby cheeks had shrunken in a matter of hours.

    The changes didn¡¯t affect the view I had of her because I still loved her. She was still the most beautiful woman in the universe to me.

    I kept staring at her, muttering words of affirmation to her though she didn¡¯t respond in any way.

    It felt like I was speaking to a lifeless person, but I hoped that she would wake up soon because I wouldn¡¯t be able to continue life without her.

    Gradually, mother nature began to call onto me as my eyes became heavy exhaustion. I took a chair and sat beside her.

    ¡°I love you, baby. You wille out of this stronger and better.¡± I whispered under my breath, then leaned towards her forehead and ced a reassuring kiss on it.

    ***********

    A soft voice called out to me persistently, but behind the voice, there was a slight struggle and gentle touch on my palm.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°Dexter!¡± The voice came more strongly and my eyes snapped open to meet Lorraine sweating profusely.

    Reliefced with excitement tore through me as I swooped her in for a hug. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that I didn¡¯t know you had woken up.¡±

    She groaned, saying nothing else, then I released my hold on her a bit. ¡°Water.¡± She requested and quickly poured out water from the jog into a ss cup.

    While she drank the water, I rang doctor Luca so he woulde over. She passed the ss to me and sighed, the paleness disappearing slightly.

    ¡°How do you feel right now?¡± I wiped a smear of water at the corner of her lips and helped her rx on the bed rest properly.

    She couldn¡¯t afford to be stressed.

    ¡°My head feels heavy and my stomach hurts badly, especially my abdomen. It feels like something is being chopped into nuts within me.¡±  She shut her eyes, her face scrunched up as she touched her abdomen. ¡°It hurts like hell.¡± She whined, stirring to her side in difort.

    I quickly rushed to her aid, and put the pillow beside her until she was morefortable. Seeing the pain she went through made me want tomit murder, but she didn¡¯t need that from me right now.

    Then I decided to ask a question that had been bothering me sincest night.

    ¡°Lorraine, I don¡¯t mean to stress you right now because of your health, but there are certain questions that need to be asked. But if you aren¡¯t ready for them, I¡¯ll allow you to rest and we¡¯ll wait for Doctor Luca toe with the test results.¡± I informed her gently.

    ¡°You can ask me any question. I know that they have to do with my health and I think that I¡¯m in a good ce to talk.¡± She replied with a tinge of enthusiasm that encouraged me.

    I had to ask the questions without making her realise the gravity of the situation. I didn¡¯t want her to panic.

    ¡°Before you returned home yesterday, did you stop by any cafe to grab something to eat?¡± I asked carefully, watching her squint her eyes in thought.

    She shook her head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I¡¯d have done that if Emilia hadn¡¯t brought me pizza at the beach.¡±

    My eyes saw red as soon as she spoke about Emilia.

    That witch!

    How could she ept pizza from her?

    ¡°Emilia brought you pizza and you ate it?¡± I was barely controlling my temper because I didn¡¯t want to be mad at her. Why couldn¡¯t she read the handwriting on the wall?

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the only one who ate it, she ate it with me as well.¡± She replied. ¡°Why are you asking about what I ate all of a sudden? Is there something you aren¡¯t telling me?¡±

    Damn! I¡¯d shot myself in the foot because I was angry.

    If Emilia had eaten the pizza with her then she should be in the same situation as Lorraine. I hadn¡¯t heard from her and I nned to call herter.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡± I replied in a rush, evading her questioning gaze.

    She didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Dexter¡­¡± She called my name with a warning tone, just like my mother used to do. ¡°When did you begin to hide things from me?¡±

    There was no way I could hide the truth from her, was there?

    ¡°You were poisoned, Lorraine.¡± I announced and a gasp flew past her lips, her eyes widening. ¡°And Doctor Luca said that it¡¯s not a normal case of food poisoning. I don¡¯t know what is going on right now, but I think someone wants to eliminate you.¡±

    Her lips tightened as she remained silent, processing the news.

    ¡°But I was careful about what I ate¡­¡± She lowered her voice.

    The door pushed open and Doctor Luca came in. I examined his face and it wasn¡¯t looking good.

    If he used to wear an unreadable expression before, then this one was worse, because it looked like the world was about to end and we couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Lorraine, how do you feel?¡± He questioned, checking her heartbeat with the stethoscope.

    ¡°I¡¯m in pain, Doctor.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable.¡± He sighed and hung the stethoscope around his neck. ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with Dexter.¡±

    Lorraine straightened on the bed. ¡°Whatever you want to say to Dexter can be said with me present. He¡¯s my husband, I¡¯ll know at the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°This is hard to say but there¡¯s no better way to paint it.¡± He paused and passed nces at us.

    ¡°Can you stop the suspense and spill it already?¡± I demanded impatiently and Lorraine quickly grabbed my hand, giving it a gentle massage that helped to calm me down.

    ¡°After conducting some tests on you, we discovered that the name of the poison you ingested was Zearalenone. It¡¯s notably toxic to the reproductive system. I¡¯m afraid, whatever you had in thest twenty-four hours contained some amount of the poison, and sadly, it has caused a serious disorder to your system which has affected your ability to have children.¡± He dropped the bomb and Lorraine retracted her hands from mine.

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± My palm became moist as I felt like a million knives were stabbing through my chest.

    ¡°We were able to flush out the residue but the damage has already been done. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He concluded and Lorraine slumped immediately.

 Leaving him hurts

    Lorraine

    My eyes fluttered open, but I wished they didn¡¯t. Being unconscious made me unaware of the pain, and then I understood why people resorted to drowning themselves in alcohol when they became overwhelmed with their endless problems.

    A pair of worried brown eyes peered at me, but I looked away, unable to face him.

    I sighed deeply, trying to rein in the emotions that choked me. The room was silent and when I nced around, I noticed that it was just the both of us in it.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± He said in relief.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of waking up? I should have gone to meet my parents from there.¡± I replied with a nonchnt tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that, Lorraine. I¡¯ve been waiting for you to wake up because I can¡¯t carry on without you so don¡¯t ever wish for death.¡± He scolded me, his voice sounding harsh and angry.

    I couldn¡¯t apologise. There was no need of apologizing for what couldn¡¯t be solved.

    Why was he still interested in a woman that couldn¡¯t bear children? Did he know what he was getting into?

    He made it clear that he wanted to have children with me, but presently I couldn¡¯t grant him his wish. And because I loved him, I wouldn¡¯t let him be with me when he could have someone much better out there.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t saying anything, Lorraine.¡± His voice had moved from angry to worried.

    His gesture touched me and I almost broke down. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say. I just want to be alone.¡± I said curtly, still not sparing a nce at him.

    He scoffed and tilted my face towards his direction. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to tell me what to do, Lorraine. I¡¯ve made a promise to myself to be with you always, and that will never change. So you¡¯d better allow yourself to heal so we can go on a vacation. You need to be away from all this mess.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t be together, Dexter. I don¡¯t deserve you and you don¡¯t have to tie your life to mine. I¡¯m a woman with a damaged womb, and I can¡¯t even give you children-¡± Imented.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± He thundered, cutting me short. ¡°My love for you can¡¯t be quantified with the number of kids you can bear for me or the perfect state of your body. I love you because my heart chose to, and as long as my heart continues to beat, it will only love you.¡±

    ¡°Oh God.¡± I muttered with tears streaming down my cheeks.

    Then he moved closer to me, wiping my tears with his thumb. I sniffed and allowed him to hold me while I made my decision.

    ¡°Everything will be fine, I promise you that.¡± He kissed my forehead, caressing the scalp of my hair as he usually did to help me rx.

    ********Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    About eight dayster, I was discharged from the hospital. Dexter barely allowed me to do anything for myself, making it hard for me to distance myself from him.

    He¡¯d rush to me if I mistakenly gurgled, or held any part of my body and frowned. He took some days off and he vowed not to return to work until I was back on my feet.

    Yeah, it was that intense.

    ¡°Tell me what you¡¯d like to have for dinner and I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± He offered after dropping me on one of the kitchen counters, just beside the middle one that had a sink.

    He gave me a piggy ride from our room to the kitchen because he didn¡¯t want me to be stressed.

    How sweet of him!

    ¡°Chicken broth and fresh bread would be fine.¡± I stated casually.

    He nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ve been craving that too and fortunately, we have everything needed to prepare it.¡± He said with excitement and headed to the fridge to bring out the ingredients.

    My heart sank into my stomach when I thought of how broken he¡¯d be if I left, but I just had to.

    I knew he loved me, but how long would it take before he began to resent me?

    I shook off the thoughts and watched him move around expertly while garnering the already prepared ingredients. ¡°Like I said before, Dexter, being a full time cook won¡¯t be a bad idea.¡±

    He chuckled, adding the chopped carrots, diced garlic, onions and celery. He stirred the soup fluidly, while I glued my eyes to his sturdy back and arms that flexed with each movement.

    Since this would be thest time I¡¯d be seeing him this close, I decided to create memories with him.

    ¡°Now that you are speaking of it, I think I¡¯ll consider it once we get married. By that time, I¡¯d have settled some things in thepany which will enable me to be more flexible with my time.¡± He replied, shing a bright smile at me.

    At that point, my heart tore apart and my palm became mmy with sweat. He kept talking about us getting married, unfortunately, he wouldn¡¯t be getting that.

    He deserved the full package, not a poor, damaged woman like me.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be bad.¡± I spurred him on, feigning a smile even though I was dying inside.

    A few minutester, he dished out the chicken broth and sliced the mouthwatering fresh loaf he had baked.

    I was so sad that it would be thest meal he¡¯d prepare for me.

    It was time to execute the n I¡¯d been working on for days. I¡¯d almost given up on it, but then I decided to forge ahead as it was for our own good.

    If he didn¡¯t see me for some days, he would move on and forget about me. Maybe marry someone else while I pick the remaining pieces of my life.

    ¡°Ummm, Dexter. Can you get me my phone upstairs, I think I forgot it.¡± I lied and he arched his brows in doubt but I kept my face straight.

    ¡°Do you really need your phone for anything important?¡± He probed.

    My straight face turned into a frown. ¡°I could have a business call, you know.¡±

    ¡°No modeling jobs until your health is stable.¡± He said with a tone of finality, leaving no room for more argument.

    It wasn¡¯t like I had the strength to argue because I¡¯d lose. This was one of the few times he revealed how bossy he was, and I enjoyed it-or I allowed myself to enjoy it.

    He tossed his apron aside, pecked my nose then went for the phone. Quickly, I slid down the counter and added some quantity of sedative to his chicken broth. I added enough so that it would weaken him without dy.

    I stirred the soup with my index finger and made sure that the surface looked the same when he left it, then I returned to the counter.

    He appeared into the kitchen almost immediately and handed my phone over to me.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mouthed and he helped me down the counter.

    He pulled out a chair for me to sit, then gave me my own te of chicken broth. He served himself as well and we began to eat.

    ¡°This is delicious.¡± He winked at me, shing his cocky smirk at me.

    I rolled my eyes, trying not to show how anxious I was. ¡°Yes it¡¯s delicious, but can you stop rubbing it in my face that you cook better than me?¡± I pouted my lips.

    He chuckled, drank his soup and gobbled his bread, while I watched him carefully. My heart thudded faster than usual and it increased when I saw his eyes bing dizzy.

    He reached for the ss cup, but he couldn¡¯t hold it and then it shattered on the table, the liquid spilling over and the shards flying around the table which I quickly gathered.

    He flinched and stared at me wide-eyed. ¡°What¡­ is¡­ going on?¡± He slurred, trying to keep his eyes open.

    I got up, my breathing in quick pants as a tear slid down my face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my love, but I have to do this. I¡¯ll be gone before you wake up, but I want you to know that I love you so much and that will never change.¡± My voice quivered as I spoke but I wasn¡¯t going to change my mind.

    He sprawled to his feet but the drug had already taken effect on him causing him to stagger. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± His voice sounded like a wheeze as he copsed on the ground, his eyes shut.

    I helped him to the sofa and made sure he wasfortable then I stared at his sleepy face and smiled sadly, caressing his stubble.

    I sniffed, nting a final kiss on his lips then I retreated from him after summoning all the courage I had.

    It was time to leave for our best interest and I wouldn¡¯t look back.

 Searching for Lorraine

    Dexter

    ¡°Oh God!¡± I groaned, forcing my eyes open as the brightness of the room jolted me from my sleep.

    I shouldn¡¯t have jerked or made any sharp movement because the effect went straight to my head, causing a banging headache.

    What in God¡¯s name happenedst night?

    Why did I feel like something had gone wrong but I couldn¡¯t do anything?

    I stood up slowly, afraid of losing control, then I held onto the edge of the sofa to steady myself. A realisation hit me. I slept on the sofa¡­!Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Lorraine?

    My heart skipped a beat. Where was Lorraine?

    ¡°Baby,¡± I called, taking the stairs in twos, eager to get to the bedroom.

    She didn¡¯t respond, rather my voice echoed back. I held my breath, barging into the room with my worst fear rising to my throat. What if she had fainted again and I didn¡¯t know?

    What if she got sick again?

    Several ¡®what ifs¡¯ crossed my mind, but it didn¡¯t assuage the panic I felt when I met the bed empty. The sheet was neatly arranged just the way I left itst night¡­

    All the activities ofst night began to return to my memory, my chest tightening with fear.

    I remembered being dizzy and falling to the ground. I remembered how sullen and remorseful her face was when she told me that she loved me, even though I was barely able to make out what she meant.

    No! No! No!

    This wasn¡¯t happening.

    I pushed open the doors of the wardrobe and my eyes narrowed to herpartment. It was almost empty, save for a few clothes and shoes.

    A gasp got stuck in my throat as I ran out of the room to get my cell phone. I dialed her line incessantly, but it went straight to voicemail.

    ¡°Pick up, Lorraine!¡± My voice was tight with worry, yet, none of my calls went through.

    The doorbell rang and I stormed towards the door, my heart pounding with expectation. Maybe she didn¡¯t really leave the house, I thought.

    My hands twisted the knob, eager to wee Lorraine back and make sure she never leaves the house without my knowledge.

    I hissed loudly as the unwanted visitor shed me a warm smile. ¡°What in God¡¯s name are you doing here?¡± I questioned.

    Emilia furrowed her brows and ushered herself in. I nced at her in irritation, and wondered why she would dress like a harlot to visit me.

    Her strapless yellow dress clung tightly to her body and the length hung under her butt. Her upper breasts were barely covered by the low neckline which stopped just below her nipples. She should have left them opened as there was no use of covering them.

    ¡°I came to see my new friend, is that a crime?¡± She shrugged and sank onto the sofa I¡¯d slept in.

    ¡°Lorraine isn¡¯t your friend, Emilia, so stop looking for excuses toe here because you¡¯re not weed.¡± I hollered at her, unable to control my temper.

    ¡°Oh really? But that wasn¡¯t how I felt when I saw her after the runway show two weeks ago. She told me that she had forgiven me and she even agreed to go out for lunch with me. So I came to see her after leaving my boyfriend¡¯s house.¡± She informed me, crossing her legs while searching around the house. ¡°I¡¯m not hearing her voice, where¡¯s she?¡±

    I needed this woman to leave my house at this minute. Having her around me was a big test of my patience and I wondered why I hadn¡¯t thrown her out yet.

    ¡°It¡¯s good you have a boyfriend now, but I¡¯m not sure that he will be happy knowing that his girlfriend is trying to seduce another man¡¯s husband.¡± My tone was curt and blunt.

    Apparently, she didn¡¯t expect me to speak to her in such a manner.

    ¡°I¡¯m over you, Dexter.¡± She retorted sharply, but I could hear the pain in her voice. ¡°Stop thinking so highly of yourself, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re the best in bedroom games.¡±

    I was tempted tough, but the need to find Lorraine superseded any other feeling. ¡°It¡¯s good you realised that, so leave now. I have to search for Lorraine.¡±

    She shot me a confused look. ¡°Lorraine is missing?¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t supposed to know about it, but now you do and I actually thought she hade back when you knocked.¡±

    The more I spoke with her, the more my irritation increased.

    ¡°That¡¯s so sad. Can I help you search for her? I could make a few calls¡­¡± She suggested but I shook my head.

    ¡°Thank you very much, but I have it under control.¡±

    Under control?

    That was a big lie.

    My nerves were freaking out, I couldn¡¯t think straight and my temper was unstable. Being away from Lorraine was affecting my sanity and what hurt me the most was the fact that she left me after I pleaded with her not to.

    Why couldn¡¯t she understand that I loved her beyond her ws? That we could adopt children and still have the best marriage we¡¯d both been looking forward to having.

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± She pushed on, wriggling herrgely carved brows at me.

    ¡°Yes, but I have a question to ask before you leave.¡±

    She shrugged, advancing towards me with a sultry smirk. Her eyes spoke volumes about how much she wanted me and I couldn¡¯t stop myself fromughing.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready to listen to you,¡± She trailed her fingers from the middle of my chest as she usually did whenever she wanted to seduce me. ¡°Always ready to listen.¡± She reiterated.

    ¡°Your friend won¡¯t be happy that you are trying to seduce her husband.¡± I warned her with a bored tone.

    She licked her lower lip, biting it slowly. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything wrong. You are tense and I¡¯m trying to help you relieve it.¡± She whispered.

    I decided to cut to the chase. ¡°So, Emilia, you brought pizza to Lorraine at the beach that afternoon. How did you know that she¡¯d be there?¡± I asked and she retracted her hand from my chest like she had ced it on hot coals.

 Is that Lorraine?

    Dexter

    Okay¡­ This is going to be fun.

    ¡°W-What k.. kind of question is that?¡± She stuttered, her cheeks ming red.

    I folded my arms and huffed. ¡°I asked a simple question that needs a simple response. I hope you know that you¡¯re wasting my time.¡± I said calmly, even though I was anything but calm.

    She straightened her hair and swallowed nervously, unable to keep my gaze. ¡°Ummm¡­¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I went to the office and asked after her, then Stefan told me where she went. Are you happy now?¡± She snarled, picked up her purse and walked past me.

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± I probed further, watching her uneasy gestictions.

    ¡°Yes. You can go ahead and ask him if you think I¡¯m lying. I¡¯m out of here.¡± She hurried out of the living room.

    Once again, good riddance to bad rubbish. Now that she was gone, the reality of Lorraine¡¯s absence dawned on me. The house was empty and boring without her. I couldn¡¯t even think straight.

    I called Drake and he picked up immediately. Without beating around the bush, I asked him straight up. ¡°Have you seen Lorraine this morning?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. You said that she wouldn¡¯t be needing my services for now.¡± He reminded me.

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± I said through gritted teeth, then inhaled deeply before dropping the bad news. ¡°She has left the house. She drugged my foodst night, so I overslept and when I woke up this morning, I couldn¡¯t find any of her things-just a few that she didn¡¯t take along.¡± I tried to sound strong, but analyzing the situation to him weakened me.

    I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I showed this kind of emotion.

    ¡°She left or she was taken?¡± Terror resonated in Drake¡¯s voice.

    ¡°She left, goddammit.¡± I cursed, getting crossed at his question.

    He got the memo and sighed. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    This was one thing I appreciated. His promptness when it came to solving issues.

    ¡°Find her.¡± I said shortly and ended the call.

    I sprinted towards my room and had my mouth washed. I took a quick shower then wore a sweatpant and a hoodie. I didn¡¯t want to have cameras all over my face while walking around the street.

    There was only one ce my mind directed me to and that was Arnold¡¯s house. Getting his address was a piece of cake so I raced there, not minding the traffic rules.

    The cops coulde after meter, but right now I didn¡¯t care.

    Arnold¡¯s house came into view and I parked the car by the gate. It was simpler than I thought it would be, then I remembered that the house wasn¡¯t his actual residence.

    I didn¡¯t know how I¡¯d feel if Lorraine was here; I¡¯ll be relieved but disappointed.

    I knocked loudly and impatiently, hoping that he¡¯d be at home. The door opened some secondster with Arnold appearing behind the door.

    ¡°Good morning, Dexter.¡± He wore a puzzled gaze then allowed me in and shut the door. ¡°How did you know where I live? I thought I made that private.¡± He looked a bit pissed, but he managed to hide it behind his stoic expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for barging into your privacy but I¡¯m very desperate right now.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He pointed towards the couch so I could sit, but I was too tense to entertain any form of courtesy.

    ¡°Lorraine left the house this morning and she¡¯s not picking my calls nor returning them. Most of her things are no longer in the wardrobe and that only means she has been nning this for long.¡± I exined.

    He folded his arm, pinning a re at me. ¡°And you came here first because you thought she¡¯d run straight to my house?¡±

    Shit! This wasn¡¯t going the way I thought it would go.

    I was short of words. ¡°You are the only friend I know she has, so it¡¯s normal for me to think that she came here.¡± I defended myself and he scoffed.

    ¡°What did you do to her that made her leave without your knowledge?¡± His voice wasn¡¯t cool anymore, he sounded angry and looked ready to rip me apart.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, and I don¡¯t think Lorraine would be happy that I told anyone about it without her permission.¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯m scared that someone might have her. She has so many enemies out there. She¡¯s not safe.¡± Imented, my emotions getting a hold of me.

    His offensive gait fell away with empathy ring from his eyes. ¡°You are going to find her, but I promise you that Lorraine isn¡¯t here. She doesn¡¯t even know where I live.¡± He admitted and I nced at him in disbelief.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± I mouthed, shaken at his admittance.

    He huffed. ¡°Your wife is a principled woman. We only meet each other at your building, the park or a cafe. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s been here before.¡±

    My chest became a bit light. ¡°Alright. Thank you. I¡¯ll keep searching.¡± I replied with disappointment.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to keep me posted.¡± He said as I exited his house.

    Not wanting to return to my house, I headed to a cafe downtown. Loneliness etched a mark within me as my eyes caught the sight of some couples, holding hands and strolling with their dogs.

    I didn¡¯t have a thing for animals, but taking a stroll with Lorraine in the mornings wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. I just had to find her first.

    A cafe came into view. I liked the aesthetic look of the surrounding; ss walls which were see-through, neatly trimmed flowers with different colors and floral scents, well patterned stone flooring that made up the walkway.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    I parked my BMW properly and walked in, hiding my face with my hoodie. I picked an empty table close to the window and ordered a cup of strong ck coffee without cream, a te of pancakes and eggs.

    Since I was here already, I might as well have breakfast as there was no need to cook for myself at home.

    The waiter brought my order, and I thanked her, then took a huge gulp from the cup, enjoying the relief the strong vor brought.

    My eyes darted towards the street, and I caught the sight of a youngdy with dark chestnut hair. She had the same height with Lorraine and they even had the same walking step.

    I dropped the coffee aside and stalked out of the cafe.

    ¡°Wait, please!¡± I shouted, running after her.

    My heart leaped with expectation as she spun around and stared at me nkly.

 Kiss me!

    Lorraine

    ¡°How was your day?¡± Ste asked me just as she returned from work.

    I quickly dried my eyes and sniffed. ¡°Boring. ¡± I replied quietly, staring at the flower on the table beside the wall.

    She dropped her bag and sat down beside me, tilting my face to hers. ¡°You¡¯ve been crying all day. Take a look at your face, it¡¯s red and swollen and you have be a shadow of yourself.¡± She said gently, though deeply worried.

    I couldn¡¯t hold back my emotions as my body retched with heavy sobs that turned into a bawl. It had been my routine since I dropped by at her ce after leaving Dexter¡¯s housest night.

    She was surprised to see me at first, then I told her that I wouldn¡¯t stay for long, and I just needed somewhere toy my head and that would be it.

    She agreed and when she left for work, the burden of my present reality came crashing down my fragile shoulders. I couldn¡¯t eat anything, not even the toast bread she prepped before leaving as it was repulsive to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ste, I¡¯m not usually like this.¡± I cried.

    Her face scrunched up in a frown as she folded her hands. ¡°Tell me, Lorraine, did Dexter assault you? Because I¡¯m ready to march to his house and give him a piece of my mind.¡± She fired.

    ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t do that. He didn¡¯t assault me. ¡± I said in his defense. ¡°He loves me very much and that¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to tie him down with me. I¡¯m not good enough for him.¡±

    Her face softened as she pulled me into her arms. I didn¡¯t cry anymore as I relished her warm embrace. It felt good to have someone who wasn¡¯t judgemental, but patient enough to console you until you are ready to spill it out.

    ¡°Everything will be fine, alright?¡± Sheforted me and I nodded, hoping that someday the pain would disappear and I¡¯d be truly happy.

    She broke the embrace and jumped to her feet. ¡°Enough of the sad vibes. We are going for a party tonight and you aren¡¯t allowed to decline.¡± She chirped.

    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking no for an answer,dy. We are going out there to have fun so that you can forget about your sorrows. And don¡¯t worry, the bills are on me. Your husband pays me well.¡± She giggled and I couldn¡¯t help but join her.

    She had a free spirit and I wondered if anything could get to her.

    I thought about her offer carefully and I discovered that she was right. There was no point of staying here and wallowing in misery when I could go out and have a little fun.

    ¡°Which club are we headed to?¡± I beamed at her and she rewarded me with a happy scream.

    In one hour, we had both dressed to kill. She wore a blue bodycon jumpsuit, having a v-neckline that stopped at the base of her stomach, then matched her outfit with a pair of ck high heeled boots.

    I opted for a skimpy shirt dress, the re stopping at my mid thighs. I left a few buttons undone, ensuring that my cleavages were slightly exposed. The single silver strap heel I chose matched my ck dress and I kept my hair down since I intended to dance like a wild cat.

    ¡°And we are set.¡± Ste dered in a sing-song tone.

    I stared at my reflection from the mirror onest time, then clutched my glittery ck bag and together we stepped out.

    *******

    We got to the club after a short drive and I was so sure that I¡¯d be drowned by the songs, ring from the loud speakers. ¡°This ce is so loud.¡± I shouted, following Ste who was already moving her body to the groove of the music.

    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s called a club.¡± She shouted right back. ¡°You get to drink and dance away all your sorrows.¡± She led me towards the bar and I hoisted myself up the elevated chair.

    ¡°Two shots of sex on the beach and a slice of  lime, please.¡± She said to the bartender who shamelessly checked her out.

    She propped her boobs on the counter, fiddling with a few strands of her hair. ¡°Do you like what you see?¡± She wriggled her brows as the bartender blushed, turning his back on us in embarrassment.

    ¡°You¡¯re something else, Ste. I didn¡¯t even know that you could be this flirty, yet, you act like miss perfect at the agency.¡±

    She shrugged, ¡°This is a club, and the agency is my workce. Different personalities are required, darling. I¡¯m not in anymitted rtionship and that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to flirt around until I get a man for tonight.¡± She giggled.

    I shook my head, wishing that I could be as audacious as her. ¡°Goodluck in finding a good man,¡± I darted my eyes around and found men who were engaged in nasty things withdies who didn¡¯t care about who watched. ¡°Because the men out here aren¡¯t worth it.¡± I finished my statement.

    The bartender brought our drinks and I collected mine. Ste collected hers from him, allowing her palm to linger on his. They began to flirt while I looked away, gulping the content of the shot.

    I shook away the bitter taste and slowly shook my body to the rock¡¯n¡¯roll ring from the speakers.

    Thest time I came to a club, a strange man followed me home and I wondered if the same thing would happen again.

    Seeing that Ste was already hooked up with the barman, I got off the chair and the cat walked to the dance floor.

    That was one of the biggest mistakes I made because all eyes turned to me. I became the center of attention even when I didn¡¯t enjoy it.

    A man approached me with his bulging stomach. He looked like he could be my father and I kept my disgust obvious, ring my nose and ring at him, but he continued to leer at me.

    ¡°You look so hot, caramel. Do you care to join me at the table over there?¡± He pointed towards a secluded part of the club that was poorly illuminated by a dim blue bulb.

    I was able to make out the people sitting there. Some of the young men had strippers twisting their waists and shaking their jiggly asses on their thighs.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    With my eyes still pinned on them, I shook my head in disagreement. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m-¡±

    My words hung in my throat as one of the strippers seductively crawled away from the man sitting in the middle. I froze, my heart thudding hard as I stared at the cold face of the man who barely noticed me.

    Dexter was present at the party and he just allowed a woman to give him ap dance.

    My eyes churned with hot tears as I retrieved my purse from the counter and trotted out of the club, ignoring Ste who tried to run after me.

    Fortunately, a cab stopped as soon as I got out and I jumped in without thinking. My breath came in heavy pants while I fumbled with my phone and dialed Bumpy¡¯s number.

    He picked up without hesitating. ¡°Lorraine, we¡¯ve been searching for you. Where have you been¡­¡±

    I disrupted his excitement. ¡°Send me your address, I¡¯ming over.¡± I said with a shaky voice.

    ¡°Are you sure-¡±

    ¡°Just do it,¡± I yelled and ended the call.

    The driver spared me a backward nce but didn¡¯t say anything, and I was happy that he didn¡¯t because I was ready to transfer all my anger to him.

    Some minutester, we arrived at a bungalow. I threw out a wad of cash at the driver and banged at Arnold¡¯s door.

    As if he had been waiting for me toe, the door swung open and he stretched his arm to give me a hug. I leaned on him and pushed him backward, shutting the door.

    ¡°Where have you been? Dexter came here this morning, he looked so broken.¡±

    I scoffed, pushing the disgusting sight of him and the stripper that kept popping in my head aside. ¡°Kiss me, Arnold Smith.¡± I ordered, my face masked with seriousness.

    His lips parted as he put a little distance between us. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Lorraine. Dexter will kill me if he finds out.¡± He argued, but desire red up in his eyes.

    ¡°Forget about him and kiss me!¡± I demanded, this time louder and more desperate.

 We meet again

    Dexter

    Was I dreaming?

    I pushed the stripper aside who tried to give me ap dance after I asked her not to bother, while wondering who trained them.

    I made my way through the midst of sweaty bodies, dancing wildly to the songs as if they had no problem to deal with and for a moment I wished to be them.

    By the time I could get to the bar, she had already left. My heart was torn into pieces because she had to see such a disgusting sight. Now I have proven to her that I didn¡¯t care which was exactly what she feared.

    How could I have chased the woman I¡¯d been having sleepless nights for because of my indecision?

    With my shoulders drooped, I decided to go home, having nothing else to do in the club. Then I heard my name from a familiar voice and spun around.

    ¡°Ste? What are you doing here?¡± I asked with a lighter tone as I didn¡¯t want anyone to sense that I was in a dilemma.

    She inclined her head, holding back a smile. ¡°Well, I came here to have some fun since this is the weekend already. What about you sir?¡±

    ¡°I came to do the same as well, but at the same time, I did something stupid.¡± I revealed.

    She must have been wondering why I opened up to her, but at this point, I just needed someone who would listen to me like a friend would do.

    A problem half shared is half solved, they said.

    Mine might not be solved at all, but at least I had someone to listen to me.

    ¡°Lorraine left the housest night and I don¡¯t know where she went. By chance, I saw her in the club but she ran out crying.¡± I admitted, feeling better after spilling out some of the things that had been confined to the walls of my heart.

    She said nothing, her face bearing no surprise like I expected. I watched her closely as she averted her gaze from me and started at the shot ss in front of her.

    ¡°Do you know about this, Ste?¡± I treaded carefully.

    She scratched her hair with nervousness radiating from her body. ¡°She came to my housest night and I couldn¡¯t push her away. She seemed to be very sad and broken, and she kept crying even when I returned from work today.¡± She replied.

    I raked through my hair, shivers running through my spine as I heard that she¡¯d cried because of me. ¡°And you didn¡¯t bother to tell me that my wife was in your house?¡± I scolded her, my voice calmer than I expected.

    Her face fell. ¡°It¡¯s not in my ce to tell, sir. She didn¡¯t want anyone to know where she was, so I had to do her bidding until she was ready to open up to me.¡± She exined and I saw reasons with her.

    After taking a deep breath, I decided that I had to see Lorraine immediately. ¡°She ran out of the club, do you know where she might be presently?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. I tried to ask her but she was already in tears and eager to leave. I don¡¯t understand why-¡± Then she shed a questioning nce at me. ¡°Are you the reason she left?¡±

    She folded her arms, ring at me. She¡¯d have passed for a mother who was ready to defend their children at all times.

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯m your boss so you should know your limits. Secondly, you have to take me to your house right now.¡± I ordered, leaving no room for argument.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do that, sir. Lorraine will be mad at me.¡± She refused, inclining her head.

    I tucked my hands into my pants, putting on an aloof expression. ¡°Well, my dear trainer, get ready to lose your job in less than five minutes because I¡¯ll speak to Stefan and ask him to draw up a dismissal letter. And you know that my agency pays you better than other agencies would do.¡± I enjoyed the build up of panic that red on her face. ¡°So make a wise choice. Are you going to show me where you live or not?¡±

    ¡°Lorraine will kill me.¡± She muttered, snatched her purse and brought out some cash.

    I raised my hand sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the bills, I¡¯ll sort it out. Let¡¯s just go home.¡± I said with a note of urgency.

    I had to clear the wrong perception she had about me tonight, and ensure that she goes home with me. While searching for her, I realised that I could do nothing without her. She was the bane of my existence and she knew it.

    After clearing the bills, I went after her. ¡°Let¡¯s go in my car.¡± I stated curtly but she didn¡¯t make any move to obey me.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want Lorraine to know that you are with me, right?¡± She stated and I nodded, realising that she had a point.

    We entered her car and she ignited the engine and drove off. None of us said anything to each other as a thick mass of tension reigned in the car, emitting unbearable moments of silence.

    A few momentster, she stopped by a condominium and floored the gas. ¡°My house,¡± She announced and got out of the car.

    I did the same as well. My forehead was creased with sweat and my breathing hitched as we strolled into the house, anticipating what her reaction would be when she sees me.

    She opened the door and flipped the switch on. Surprisingly, the house was empty, causing me to hiss in disappointment.

    ¡°You made a fool of me?¡± I barked at her and she flinched.

    Trembling visibly, she reached for her phone. ¡°Let me give her a call.¡±

    I rolled my eyes and began to pace to and fro in the living room. I watched her call Lorraine, pleading with her to return home and slowly my anger disappeared. I was transferring my aggression on the wrong person.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What did she say?¡± I asked when she got off the phone.

    ¡°She¡¯s on her way.¡± She repliedzily. ¡°Do you want a cup of coffee while you wait for her?¡± She offered.

    ¡°No, I¡­ Ummm¡­ I¡¯m very sorry for how I¡¯ve acted towards you. I¡¯m just so desperate to have her back and it¡¯s messing with my manners. I¡¯m very sorry.¡± I apologised and she epted it with a warm smile.

    ¡°No hard feelings, sir. You are both very much in love with each other and that¡¯s why you reacted that way. So do you still need the cup of coffee?¡±

    Feeling a bit better but still edgy, I nodded. ¡°Make it strong.¡±

    She left for the kitchen while I kept myself busy with an ongoing show on her television. She livedfortably for a woman her age and I was very proud of her.

    Voices resonated outside the house, and I stilled, listening to the owners. It was a male and a female-Lorraine¡¯s voice.

    The door went ajar then she came in, her face puffy and red, yet beautiful. The bubbly feeling of excitement I felt on seeing her vanished into thin air as I saw who her escort was.

    Arnold.

 Itéˆ¥æªš not what you think

    Lorraine

    He hesitated, his breathing ragged as his eyes narrowed towards my parted lips. Slowly, he lowered his head with his eyes closed.

    My pulse raced as I anticipated his lips on mine. Nothing mattered right now as I just wanted to do something that would distract me from my pain. I shut my eyes as well, licking my lower lips as I craned my neck to meet him.

    Our lips barely touched, then he retracted his neck and whispered. ¡°No.¡±

    My eyes fluttered open as I gaped at him in surprise. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you kissing me?¡± I asked, a bit offended at his subtle refusal to do what I wanted.

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t really want it.¡± He replied in a clipped tone.

    Anger shot through me as I red at him. ¡°And what makes you think that you know what I want? I want you and your eyes are zing with need for me. You can¡¯t hide it, Bumpy, so let¡¯s just enjoy this short moment and be done with it.¡± I red, frustrated at the calm manner at which he stared at me.

    ¡°Dexter came here today, did you know that?¡± He began and slumped on the cream plush couch.

    I shrugged, throwing a nonchnt look at him. ¡°You said that over the phone, why are you telling me about it again?¡±

    He inhaled, lowering his head as he scratched his palm. When he lifted his face again, the mes of desire were gone, reced with a mask of seriousness.

    ¡°You came crying to my house and the only thing you could ask me for was a kiss. Am I that easy to you? You want me because Dexter might have done something to hurt you, and you¡¯re obviously searching for a way to numb the pain.¡± He pointed out, adding to the pile of guilt that gnawed in my heart.

    He was right about everything. I knew that I¡¯d been pushing Dexter away, but I didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d get hurt seeing him move on so quickly. The sight of the stripper grinding him made me want to puke, and then I realised that I still loved him.

    It was too early to stop loving him, and I wanted him to feel the same. I sent his calls to voicemail because I thought I could get through with my ns. We¡¯ll, the jokes are on me because I was failing-failing woefully.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bumpy. I didn¡¯t know what came over me.¡± I began to cry, my emotions overwhelming me. ¡°A lot of things have happenedtely and it¡¯s messing with my mind. Dexter doesn¡¯t deserve me. I¡¯ve failed him.¡± Imented.

    He advanced towards me, wrapping me up in a warm embrace. I let the tears flow freely as we stayed in silence, allowing the quietness to console me.

    When I felt better, he ced a kiss on my forehead. ¡°You have to let it all out, Lorraine. Keeping it in will only burden you and increase your pain.¡± He said softly.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I sniffed and walked to the couch he¡¯d gotten up from. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it, but can I get a ss of water first?¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sure.¡± He went to the kitchen while I leaned on the backrest, the heart-wrenching sight from the club reying in my head.

    He came back with a ss of water which I downed immediately. I dropped the cup aside and took a deep breath before telling my story. The look of surprise that came on his face after I finished my narration couldn¡¯t be exined.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that your reproductive organs have been tampered with?¡± He rasped in disbelief.

    I nodded, unable to form words with my mouth. ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to be with Dexter. He has always told me that he wants to have children with me, but that is looking impossible right now.¡±

    He shook his head vehemently. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Lorraine. I¡¯m very sure the situation can be salvaged. Did Dexter even tell you that he didn¡¯t want you anymore?¡±

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. He told me that we can find a way around it.¡±

    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you taking his word for it?¡± His voice rose to a higher degree.

    I kept asking myself the same question then I came to the conclusion that I was scared, and perfect love casts away every fear. I just couldn¡¯t help but think of how tired he¡¯d be after staying without kids for years.

    ¡°He¡¯ll want children some day-one from his loins, and I can¡¯t provide him with that.¡± I confessed. ¡°I lost my baby during an ident after I caught my ex cheating on me, and it hurt me so badly because I¡¯ve always wanted to have a child who came from my womb. But after meeting Dexter, I consoled myself with the fact that we could still make babies. Now that dream has been squashed. What do you expect me to do?¡± I shut my eyes and blinked back the fresh hot tears that threatened to spill.

    He reached for my hands and held them. ¡°If the heartbroken and desperate man I saw this morning is the same person you¡¯re talking about, then you¡¯re in good hands. Have a heart-to-heart discussion with him and the both of you should reach an agreement when you see him. Everything will work out fine.¡± He assured me.

    Strangely, spending some time with Bumpy had helped me to see things from a clearer point of view.

    ¡°Thank you so much. I¡¯m d I came here.¡±

    ¡°Any time, girl. But you¡¯ll have to return to your house.¡± He said and when I furrowed my brows in disappointment, he added. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll drive you back.¡± He offered, snatched his keys from the side table then we stepped out.

    Ste called me, pleading that Ie back home so we could talk about whatever happened. I sensed how uneasy she was, but she wasn¡¯t ready to say anything until I got home.

    The drive was smooth, the journey shorter than it had first been when I came to the house. The car rolled to Ste¡¯s condo, then I unhooked my seat belt and hopped out.

    He did the same as well as I shot him a puzzled look.

    ¡°Thank you for the ride, but you don¡¯t have to go in with me. I can take it from here.¡± I tried to ward him off.

    ¡°I want to know where you leave and you aren¡¯t changing my mind about that.¡± He replied stubbornly so I let him have his way.

    We took the elevator and relief washed over me when I stopped at Ste¡¯s apartment. I didn¡¯t bother knocking so I barged in and met thest person I expected to see.

    His lips stretched into a very wide smile as he approached me, then it twisted into a scowl when his eyes darted to Bumpy who was behind me.

    ¡°I thought you said that you didn¡¯t know where she was. How is it possible that the both of you are together by this time of the night?¡± He seethed, jealousy ringing hard in his tone.

    Seeing how heated he was, I knew that I¡¯d have to step in. ¡°Dexter, rx, please. It¡¯s not what you think.¡± I pleaded, closing the distance between us.

    He retreated and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think anymore.¡± He stormed out of Ste¡¯s apartment without sparing me a backward nce while I stood still, contemting on chasing after him or staying back.

 Together again

    Lorraine

    I opted for the former and chased after him. Luckily I was able to stop him before he left the condo.

    ¡°Come on, Dexter. Allow me to exin. It¡¯s not what you think.¡±

    He scoffed, propping his arms against his waist. ¡°That¡¯s the cliche line people use after hurting others intentionally.¡± He used me without remorse. ¡°I woke up this morning and found out you were gone. I searched everywhere for you including Arnold¡¯s house, and he told me that he had no idea of where you could be. He even told me that you have never been to his house before.¡±

    I raked through my hair in frustration. This wasn¡¯t how I wanted things to go. ¡°Everything he told you was the truth.¡± I debated angrily, unsure of what to do next. ¡°After I saw that skank grinding you at the club, I couldn¡¯t just take it. So I asked Bumpy for his address. He was the one who encouraged me toe back home.¡± I spat back, my voice taking a higher pitch.

    He seemed to understand me as his breathing became uneven and then he pulled me in for a hug. I allowed myself to rx in his arms, enjoying how reassuring his embrace was.

    ¡°I missed you, Lorraine.¡± His voice cracked, and I could tell he was trying to mask his true emotions. ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again.¡±

    I raised my face and stared at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for putting you in such a difficult situation but I¡¯m so scared, Dexter.¡± I admitted as sadness clogged my throat.

    He brushed the strands of my hair aside so he could look at me directly. Then he kissed my forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid of anything, sweetheart. I¡¯m a man of my words.¡±

    His eyes became squinted as he folded his arms. ¡°Is this just about me or is there anything else?¡± He asked gently and I tried to evade his gaze, but he didn¡¯t let me.

    He fixed my chin in between his thumb and index finger, ensuring that I kept my eyes trained on him. ¡°Tell me, baby. I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    ¡°I want to have a child of my own.¡± I sobbed. ¡°Everything looks so bleak right now.¡±

    His arm stretched over my back as he gazed at me lovingly. ¡°Even though we don¡¯t have our own kids, we could adopt and make other children who don¡¯t know what having parents about get the knowledge in a more beautiful way. We¡¯ll shower them with all the care and love we would have given our biological children.¡± He said with reassuring confidence.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    I raised my brows as I stared at him. ¡°Are you really sure about that?¡± My heart nearly burst out with hope.

    He smirked evilly and nced around the condo. ¡°Why don¡¯t I show you how?¡±

    I didn¡¯t understand what he meant until he gged down a taxi that stopped at a nearby hotel. My lower end rocked with heat as I looked forward to what we were going to do.

    I got the feeling that it wouldn¡¯t be business as usual and I just couldn¡¯t wait.

    The hotel wasn¡¯t the usual five star hotel he¡¯d have gone for, but this was different. The location didn¡¯t matter as long as we were together.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said in remembrance and he nced at me.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t tell Ste and Arnold that we¡¯d be out. They must be worried by now.¡± I said, surprised that my phone wasn¡¯t getting drained with calls already.

    Heughed it out. ¡°It¡¯s either they are having their own kind of fun, or they have understood that we have gone to sort our issues.¡± He plugged the key into the keyhole, then we went in.

    ¡°You might not like this ce, but-¡± I cut him off with my index finger on his lips.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t here to talk, remember.¡± I said, winking at him as I undid the remaining buttons of my dress and stepped out of it.

    Fortunately I didn¡¯t have to do much after that as he took it up from there. My bra was unhooked in a split second, same with my already soaked panties.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dying.¡± He growled and without warning, he pressed his lips against mine, hoisting me up as I wrapped my legs around him.

    I moaned against his hot mouth as I slowly unbuttoned his dress shirt. Wended on the bed and I quickly did what I could with his belt, then he slipped out of his pants. His huge tent staring at me from his briefs.

    My body shivered as he climbed the bed, naked as I was, his face masked with pure pleasure. I parted my thighs, unsure of what he wanted to do. Then his mouth closed around my ample breast, his tongue tickling my peaky nipple.

    I rolled my waist against his as the heat between my legs became unbearable. ¡°Dexter¡­¡± I slurred, my fingers tangled with his hair.

    Two of his fingers slipped into my slick folds which became coated by my wetness, and he began to stretch me out. ¡°I like how wet you always are for me.¡± He saidzily as his fingers continued to thrust into me until I felt my orgasm build up.

    ¡°I¡¯m almost there.¡± I moaned, writhing violently.

    He chuckled and drew out his fingers. ¡°Not yet, honey. We aren¡¯t even started yet.¡±

    In a swift moment, he flipped me over and pped my behind which vaulted my pleasure. I screamed as he ordered me to go on fours.

    ¡°Your body will give in when I want, but for now, I¡¯ll have to punish you for running to Arnold¡¯s house first. If not for the fact I trust you, I¡¯d be trashing his ass right now.¡± He growled as he guided his length into me, filling me up with his thick mass.

    It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him that I begged him for a kiss, but that was a secret that I would take to the grave.

    ¡°I was jealous.¡± I muttered as he plunged into me without restraint.

    I held the head board which mmed loudly against the wall at his hard thrust, my lower lip held between my teeth so I wouldn¡¯t scream my lungs out. My walls clenched as he pulled out of me then rammed in again, causing my head to swoon.

    Dexter would be the end of me, but I didn¡¯t mind.

    His balls pped against my ass, causing a loud pping sound to resonate in the room. I moaned in relief, knowing that it was a hotel and every one would mind their business even if they heard anything.

    ¡°You¡¯re mine, Lorraine.¡± He said with a  deep demanding tone, pushing so deep into me I thought I wouldn¡¯t breath. ¡°Tell me that you are mine.¡± He ordered, his hands on my hips as he steadied me.

    My eyes became cloudy with tears as his tip hit a sweet spot. Each thrust went deeper than the first but I didn¡¯t mind as I just wanted him to fill me up until all my fears were erased.

    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting.¡± He reminded me.

    ¡°I¡¯m yours.¡± I moaned, feeling my release at the corner as fiery sparks of pleasure flew to my sex.

    His breathing became erratic, his thrusts wilder as he groaned incessantly until we hit the crescendo together. My legs quivered, his grip on me loosened as we both climaxed. Our release shooting forth like a volcano.

    I copsed on the messy bed and he slumped beside me, our gaze locked. Then we chorused to each other at the same time, ¡°I love you.¡± then allowed our bodies to drift into unconsciousness.

 An unexpected proposal

    Lorraine

    A smile crept to my face when I saw how peaceful Dexter¡¯s sleep was. He was shirtless, the covers ridden down to his waist together with the bright sun rays reflecting into the room gave me a mind blowing sight.

    I gazed at the rise and fall of his broad chest, his stretched sturdy abs and his thick muscles. His jet ck hair which covered a part of his gorgeous face.

    Oh, how I loved his ripped body.

    His eyes flipped open as he greeted me with the sexiest smile ever. ¡°Are you just checking me out? I thought you would eat me up as well.¡±

    My cheeks heated as I looked away. That wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea, but I didn¡¯t feel like going on another round with him, even though he was capable of putting me in the mood.

    ¡°Good morning, hubby.¡± I evaded his question. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± I brushed away the strands of his hair.

    He nodded, his skilled fingers reaching for my thighs under the covers. ¡°With a beautiful angel beside me, I¡¯m sure to sleep like a baby.¡± He joked as his palm found my ass.

    He squeezed it gently, causing me to jerk closer to him. ¡°A morning quickie won¡¯t be a bad idea, am I right?¡± He asked, wriggling his brows yfully while I pped his palm away.

    ¡°You can never be satisfied, can you?¡±

    ¡°Never. Not when you have such an appealing body that can make any man swoon. Any man, Lorraine.¡± He said sweetly and my cheeks grew hotter.

    Did I actually think I could be away from Dexter for so long or allow another woman to have him?

    He was right about having children outside. A lot of kids didn¡¯t know about the security and love that came from having good parents. There was no need to beat myself up, if I could love a child that came from my womb then I could love one that wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a job to go to? You¡¯ve practically made yourself jobless because of me.¡± I scolded him lightly, sliding out of the bed stylishly.

    ¡°Because you deserve it.¡± He stated seriously.

    I bit my lip and folded my arms. ¡°How did you cope yesterday, I mean after I ran away like that? I even dropped you.¡± I pped my forehead in embarrassment.

    He sighed and straightened. ¡°Do you want me to be honest?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I nearly lost my sanity. Several scary thoughts ran through my mind because I didn¡¯t know where and how to find you. I think fate brought you to the clubst night so we could see each other again.¡± He exined.

    ¡°How do you mean?¡± I asked quietly, my heart tearing apart as he recounted his experience.

    ¡°After asking Arnold about you and getting a negative response, I headed to a cafe and there I saw someone who shared a striking resemnce with you. When I realized that I¡¯d stopped the wrong person, I began to slide into depression. Later in the evening after getting the same negative response from Drake, I decided to go to the club for a little distraction.¡±

    ¡°And you allowed her to give you ap dance?¡± I fired, feeling jealous once again. ¡°If you need it, I can give it to you.¡± I tut my lips and rolled my eyes.

    Dexter burst into a bout ofughter, which was more teasing than fun motivated. ¡°You should take a look at your face. You look so ready to beat up thedy.¡± His body shook hysterically while I flung a pillow at him.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll give someone ap dance so that you¡¯ll know how it feels.¡±

    All the traces ofughter extinguished from his face as he red at me. ¡°First of all, don¡¯t even think about doing that on anyone but me. Secondly, the stripper forced herself on me, it wasn¡¯t like I was interested in her and I was about to push her away when you saw me.¡±

    ¡°Territorial, much?¡± I teased him and returned to the bed on my own volition, but I didn¡¯t spare a nce at him. ¡°I trust you, it¡¯s those women that I don¡¯t trust.¡± I sulked.

    He chuckled and trailed his fingers on my skin. ¡°You are my wife and I¡¯m very sure that the whole world knows it, but if they don¡¯t then let¡¯s pick a wedding date. And it has to be soon.¡± He announced and I felt my chest lighten, my eyes swooning.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too soon?¡± I whispered even though I wanted it badly, then he got up from the bed and picked up his pants.

    He produced a little box and approached me with a confident expression. He opened the box and a bright diamond stone, fixed on a pure golden band came in view. My heart swelled and my eyes became misty.

    ¡°I wanted to do this on the night of your birthday, but life happened, yet I took this box everywhere I went, hoping that I¡¯d propose any day I found you. I didn¡¯t know it would be this soon.¡± He swallowed, his eyes zing with anxiety.

    He didn¡¯t have to be nervous because I was more than ready to be his real wife.

    ¡°Can you put the ring on already? My finger is itching to have it on.¡± I urged him and he grinned, the hints of nervousness disappearing. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d reject you? I¡¯ve been dreaming about this since high school until I thought you hurt me and I stopped.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never hurt you like that, baby, and you know that.¡± He leaned in for a kiss to seal the engagement even though we were married. ¡°You¡¯ll have to choose a dress today. So get ready so that Drake can pick you up. He knows the right ce to take you.¡±

    I smacked my lips as I gaped at how well the ring suited my finger. ¡°Someone¡¯s ready to wife me up. I can¡¯t wait to tell Ste about it, she¡¯ll be all over the moon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send some money to your ount right now. It should be enough to take care of any expenses incurred, and please pick what you¡¯ll befortable in. You¡¯re beautiful anyhow.¡± He stated and I hugged him, enjoying how sweet he was.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I muttered, fiddling with my ring.

    ¡°For what?¡± He inquired softly, scrolling through his phone.

    ¡°For being the man of my dreams.¡± I replied and he scoffed.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± He replied cockily and then I decided I was ready to give him the quickie he wanted.

 Her stepfather

    Lorraine

    ¡°These dresses are so beautiful.¡± Ste cooed, as she apanied me to the dress store.

    Several beautiful wedding dresses caught my attention, their designs appealing and mind blowing, making me wish I could try all of them.

    I would have been more happy if Victoria was around to shop with me. She had a good sense of fashion, and with just one look, she¡¯ll make the perfect choice for me.

    ¡°Yes, they are very beautiful. I can¡¯t wait to find the right one.¡± I agreed, blushing as we trotted further into the store.

    An attendant walked towards us with a charming bright smile that I couldn¡¯t help but return. ¡°Good morning. I¡¯m here to shop for a dress.¡± I announced with more enthusiasm needed than usual.

    She pped her hands eagerly. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in the right ce because over here, there are hundreds of beautiful dresses you can pick from at affordable prices. And if you want, I can help you choose what suits you then we¡¯ll start with the fitting.¡± She offered.

    ¡°Cool.¡± I nced at Ste who was staring at a dress with a mncholic expression. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the search for the perfect dress!¡±

    We nced through each section, housing different types of dresses ranging from: ball, mermaid, trumpet, tea length, basque and even short dresses.

    Some of the designs were nice but none of them caught my fancy until we went into the inner section. She didn¡¯tin at how picky I was, because she knew that I was capable of paying any amount.

    Earlier at the hotel, Dexter had transferred about a million dors to my ount, which almost caused me to swoon because I¡¯d never gotten such money in my life. That was the exact amount he baited me with.

    I could easily pay him back his debts and I¡¯ll still be left with some tangible money, I realised.

    I made a cursory nce at the dress and gaped at the creativity behind it. The dress was everything I wanted and more.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± The attendant asked when she saw how gobsmacked I was.

    ¡°Of course, I do.¡± My eyes lingered on the color progression and my lips went agape.

    The skirt of the dress was shorter and the back had a gathered train. The fabric had a very smooth texture which could be likened to silk, and the eye catching part was the subtle progression of the color.

    It had an ombre effect with the train of the dress being white, then onto the next level, it descended to a subtle grayish hue that would stop at my knee, matching the color of my eyes.

    The bodice had a subdued light gray full beaded fabric, with silver threads.

    ¡°I want this.¡± I screamed and pointed at the dress, unable to hold back my excitement.

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± The rep asked and I nodded vehemently.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been more sure of anything in my life. This is a dress made from heaven. I love it so much.¡± I eximed. ¡°I¡¯m going to look like a fairy queen on my wedding day.¡± I chirped, running my fingers through the velvety texture of my wedding dress.

    The attendant removed it from the hanger it was hung in so I could try it. Since I¡¯d be buying it, they had to make sure that it fit me properly.

    I stepped into the dress, wishing that Dexter and I had chosen a closer date. I couldn¡¯t wait to look like a real bride. It was a dreame true for me.

    The high neckline fit me properly aside from the seams of my sides which felt a bit loose. Apart from that, every other thing was perfect.

    Ste gasped behind me, her eyes widening with surprise as she gaped at me. ¡°This dress looks like it was made for you from the beginning. Dexter will swoon when he sees you on it.¡± Shemented, her voice bearing a happy tone.

    I giggled like a kid who was given her favorite candy. ¡°I know, right.¡± Then I turned to the attendant. ¡°I¡¯d like to pay for the dress, so when can Ie for my next fitting?¡±

    ¡°By next week. The seamstress has a lot of orders that need to be cleared so that she can attend to you. But since there aren¡¯t many amendments to be done, your dress will be ready on the same day.¡±

    I flung my hands to the air. ¡°Yay!¡± I eximed, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Thank you for your promptness.¡±

    We went to the counter and I was more than eager to pay for the dress even though it was more expensive than I expected. I didn¡¯t mind paying over five hundred thousand dors for it, because I knew I deserved it.

    Being with Dexter has taught me not to withhold good things from myself just because I thought it was too extravagant. This life is too short not to be happy, and no one would take their money to the grave.

    If I wanted to be acknowledged as the wife of a billionaire, then I had to act and look like one.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said after collecting the receipt and strolling out of the store with Ste.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± She moaned, clutching onto her stomach while I rolled my eyes. ¡°We¡¯d have to stop over and get something to eat, otherwise I¡¯ll slump in your car.¡± She whined like a baby.

    Drake, who was waiting patiently at the bo of the car, collected the shopping bag which held some other nice dresses we bought from me and put it inside the boot.

    ¡°It seems that your mission was aplished. Your face is glowing.¡± He said and I nodded with a smile, then he opened the car door for me to enter.

    I enjoyed the indulgence as I put on my seat belt and he began to drive. ¡°We are hungry so we¡¯ll stop over at a restaurant.¡± I informed him.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±

    Having nothing else to say, I picked up my phone and began to send texts to Dexter. He replied almost immediately as if he had been waiting for my message all morning.

    ¡®Got the dress.¡¯ I sent to him.

    ¡®Do you like it?¡¯ I asked and my heart melted at his concern. ¡®I know you¡¯d look dashing in it. I can¡¯t wait.¡¯ He replied.

    I could sense the excitement from his texts and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from giggling so loudly.

    The happy thrills were cut short when the car pulled to an abrupt halt. I tore my eyes away from my phone as I nced at Drake whose eyes had darkened as he tried to make a reverse.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, my throat running dry.

    ¡°Shit!¡± My fear increased, a rush of adrenaline surging through my veins. ¡°We¡¯re being followed. Get your heads down.¡± He ordered and I obeyed without uttering a word.

    ¡°Are we going to die?¡± Ste asked, her voice shaky with fear.

    I didn¡¯t know what to say as I quickly sent Dexter a message informing him of our situation.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I inquired again, my voice sounding muffled with my head tucked between my thighs.

    I dared not raise my head as a gunshot resonated in the air, bursting through Drake¡¯s window. I managed to spare a peek at him and I found blood, gushing out from his left arm.

    My heart split into two as I gripped my bag tightly. Dexter¡¯s message came in, saying that he¡¯d send some people to me but I didn¡¯t know how fast it would be.

    Several questions lined up in my head but I¡¯d ask them when we escaped the shoot out. I wondered why we didn¡¯t follow another route since this one was quite lonely, with few vehicles driving along it.

    ¡°Your arm is injured Drake, what are we going to do? Who¡¯s even following us?¡± I yelled in frustration.

    He dodged another bullet that shattered my window, the sses flying around with some of the shards grazing my bare skin. ¡°Fuck! I need to get the both of you out of here.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, Drake! Who¡¯s the bastard?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t like to know.¡± He growled.

    ¡°I want to.¡± I screamed.

    He did a quick swerve and I almost lost my bnce, then I didn¡¯t hear any more shooting, just uneven breathing from behind me. Then I remembered that Ste was in the car with us.

    ¡°It¡¯s your stepfather.¡± He muttered and I felt blood drain from me, my mouth bing nd.

 Iéˆ¥æª’l protect you

    Lorraine

    Dexter was already at the facade of our house, waiting for me since Drake was able to bring Ste and I home sessfully, but I was more than livid. I was damn furious.

    First of all, how did Drake know about my stepfather and why was he chasing me with a gun?

    ¡°Oh, Lorraine!¡± He ran towards me, giving me a bear hug that I¡¯d have enjoyed if I wasn¡¯t too tense to be acting all cozy with him. ¡°Your skin,¡± His eyes trailed down my body, darkening as he sighted the bruises.

    After the shootout, I regretted wearing the sleeveless halter-neck dress Iter opted for, instead of the simple pair of T-shirt and jeans I¡¯d chosen the first time.

    ¡°What do you know about my stepfather?¡± I seethed, my voice dropping to a very low degree.

    He flinched, totally not expecting my cold tone. ¡°What are you talking about, Lorraine?¡± He feigned ignorance, evading my piercing gaze. ¡°Your stepfather is still around?¡±

    I rolled my eyes and shoved him aside, storming into the living room. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare act innocent with me, Dexter!¡± I red up. ¡°I got a call from my stepfather several months ago, then I didn¡¯t hear from him again. Suddenly, he¡¯s chasing after me to kill me and Drake knows all about him. Tell me what is going on?¡± I demanded, my body trembling with the uncontroble level of anger that simmered within me.

    Thest time I got this angry was when I had a fight with Emilia, but throwing a punch at Dexter wasn¡¯t a feasible option because he¡¯d block my attempt with his sharp reflexes.

    He put his hands on my shoulder but I shrugged it away. ¡°I need an exnation.¡± I reiterated stubbornly, stomping my foot on the tiled floor like an angry child.

    He raked through his hair with a sigh, his back facing me. ¡°This isn¡¯t supposed to happen.¡± He muttered.

    I squinted my eyes in confusion. ¡°How do you mean?¡± I probed and he spun around to look at me, his eyes suddenly stoic and furious.

    ¡°I mean that I had a deal with him to leave you alone after settling him with a huge amount of money.¡± He blurted out and heaved a sigh as he dropped to the chair.

    Nothing made sense to me-Was it the unknown deal that he wouldn¡¯t have told me about if my stepfather hadn¡¯te out of hiding? Or his bad attempt at feigning ignorance? Then I remembered the words on the day he asked me to marry him.

    Everything began to make sense to me. ¡°Who are you really, Dexter?¡± I whispered, my fear clogging my throat as I was scared of what would be his response.

    He tilted his head backwards, staring at me in disbelief as if I¡¯d said something abominable. ¡°I¡¯m your husband, Lorraine. The man you¡¯ve always loved since high school.¡± He replied casually, but beneath the tone was theck of conviction; something I thrived on.

    I shook my head in disagreement. ¡°No! You¡¯re not.¡± I said point ck. ¡°It¡¯s beginning to ur to me that you have a lot of secrets, and I don¡¯t even have the slightest idea about any of them.¡±

    He looked surprised, his eyes darkening at the painful stab of my words. ¡°Sit down and I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± He said calmly but with a dangerous backing.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t even trust you.¡± I hollered, folding my arms.

    His lips formed a confident smirk. ¡°Of course you trust me, you¡¯re just confused.¡± He stated and I sank onto the chair, knowing that he was right.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± I spat nonchntly and he chuckled, drawing closer to me.

    ¡°I care about you so much, Lorraine and I can go to any length to protect you if it means negotiating with your abuser.¡± A gasp escaped from my throat as I wondered how he got to know about my stepfather.

    ¡°How¡­ How do you know that he abused me?¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you a story.¡± He said and entangled his fingers with mine. ¡°Few months ago, I met your stepfather after he called to threaten you and we had a lengthy discussion.¡±

    My heart skipped a beat. ¡°What type of discussion?¡±

    ¡°I asked him to wash his hands off your case because you are under my protection,, then he asked me what he¡¯ll get in return.¡± He said slowly and I stared at him, gobsmacked at startling information that I wouldn¡¯t have heard about if I didn¡¯t force him to talk.

    ¡°You really did all of that without telling me? That man is dangerous. What if he had hurt you?¡± I spat.

    He scoffed. ¡°Your father knows better than tounch an attack against me. It¡¯s you he wants and I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    I sprawled to my feet, propping my arms against my waist as I tried to make my breath even. ¡°Then take me to him. I want to see the bastard that made my life a living hell after my mother got married to him. She died and left me with nothing, not even my father¡¯s wealth, yet that abuser continues toe after my life after creating an indelible mark in my heart.¡±

    Dexter tried to console me but I didn¡¯t need any close contact. I just wanted everything to make sense. ¡°I did it because I wanted to protect you.¡± He replied calmly.

    I scoffed. ¡°And you did well because he almost got me killed today.¡± I retorted with a heavy note of sarcasm.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t the target.¡± He cut in.

    I cocked my head to the side, wondering what he meant until realisation set in. ¡°Dexter, how do you know that I was not the target?¡± The question barely made it out of my throat as a whisper.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know everything, Lorraine, just have it at the back of your mind that I¡¯d protect you from him. Negotiation failed so I¡¯ll adopt other means.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re speaking in parables, Dexter!¡± I screeched. ¡°I know that I need protection from him but we¡¯ll have to do it the right way.¡±

    Dexter chuckled, almost mockingly. ¡°The right way? Do you have any proof that he hurt you?¡± He argued, his voice ascending to an angry crescendo.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°We can figure out a way.¡± I muttered, biting my fingers. He said nothing so I wrapped my arms around him. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that you let me in on whatever is going on. I want to know when that bastard pays for all his sins.¡±

    His hand came up to my face which he palmed. ¡°Fine. Anything for my princess. And I¡¯m sorry for allowing you to go through all of this. If I¡¯d known that he would go against our bargain, I wouldn¡¯t have let you out of my sight.¡± He said worriedly.

    I patted his jaw, shing my sweet smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll hurt me again knowing that I¡¯m not alone all the time, and for the first time, I¡¯m happy you gave me a bodyguard. I don¡¯t know what would have happened if Drake wasn¡¯t with us.¡±

    As if he remembered something, his eyes lit up in concern. ¡°What about Ste? Is she fine? He mighte for her.¡±

    Dexter was right. If my stepfather was out for me, he wouldn¡¯t mind ying dirty to get me anyhow. I still wondered what he needed me for after making it clear that I didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with him.

    Maybe he was overly obsessed with me.

    ¡°Let her stay with Drake then. I think he¡¯s capable of watching her.¡± I suggested and he nodded in agreement, lowering his neck.

    ¡°Do you want to go upstairs for a massage? You are stressed.¡± He proposed with a subtle tone.

    I kissed him, happy that I was fortunate to be with him again.

    Suddenly we heard the door creak, then an excited shrill cry which caused us to break our kiss. My heart leaped for joy when I saw who the intruder was.

    Victoria was back, looking healthy and happy.

 A honorable deal

    Dexter

    Dante lit up a cigarette and inhaled deeply while Drake let out a pain filled groan while taking the bullet out of his arm.

    I¡¯d have taken him to a hospital but I wasn¡¯t ready for unnecessary questions, and since he was good at taking care of his injuries, I let him do it.

    ¡°Once again, thank you for saving my wife. I really appreciate it.¡±

    He nodded, wiping the blood with a wet towel then wrapped his arm with a bandage. I didn¡¯t know how I¡¯d repay him but the heavens knew that I¡¯d try somehow.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, boss. How¡¯s she doing?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Pretty shaken up. She¡¯s surprised that her stepfather is lurking around the corner so that got her scared, but I¡¯d make sure nothing happens to her. Anyone who wants to hurt her would have toe through me first.¡± My jaw ticked in resolution because everything I¡¯d said was the truth.

    ¡°Lorraine is a kind woman. She doesn¡¯t deserve to have someone as wicked as him for a father. I swear I¡¯ll kill him again if he everes close.¡± Drake looked more angry than I expected.

    His eyes were zing with anger and I was beginning to think that he was having feelings for her. But I shook off the thought, knowing that Drake was too ambitious and loyal to betray me like that.

    Then I remembered Lorraine¡¯s request and my heart settled. Finally, he¡¯d have someone to distract him for the meantime.

    We were currently at a safehouse owned by me, in a secluded area in Beverly hills. I met with the boys there whenever I had to see them or give them information like I was doing now.

    Lorraine had asked me what I did. I didn¡¯t do much apart from ensuring my own security without the aid of the cops. Nothing illegal, just trying to stay safe.

    ¡°Drake,¡± I called as he put on a ck vest. ¡°I¡¯ll like you to do me a favor.¡±

    ¡°Name it, boss.¡± He replied.

    ¡°A woman will being to stay with you until we¡¯re able to find Mr Jones. Her name is Ste and she¡¯s Lorraine¡¯s friend.¡± I informed him and watched his reaction.

    His face twitched with disapproval but he masked it immediately with a nonchnt expression. ¡°It¡¯s all good sir. I¡¯ll watch over her very well.¡± He assured me and I had no doubt that it would.

    I signalled Dante who was engrossed in his smoke toe over.

    ¡°What about the skank? Is he still alive?¡± I questioned grimly.

    ¡°Yes sir, though he¡¯s getting weak and he might pass out any time soon.¡± He said and I wrinkled my nose in disapproval.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need him dead. He still has to tell us where his boss is and how we can get him.¡± I ordered, then turned away from them. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that my friends instigated such acts against my wife.¡± I muttered to myself.

    My phone vibrated in my pocket, I reached for it and picked the call with scepticism seeing that it was a strange number.

    ¡°Hello, Hemming corporations on the line.¡± I said.

    A cynical chuckle followed, one that sounded familiar and eerie. ¡°Yea, I know who I¡¯m speaking with. How are you son-inw?¡±

    ¡°Leonardo?¡±

    ¡°You actually remember my voice. I thought you¡¯d deleted everything about me from your memory?¡± His voice was taunting and annoying.

    I couldn¡¯t let him know that he was getting to me so I maintained my calm tone. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to have anything to do with you, so tell me, why are you calling?¡± I asked sternly.

    ¡°Rx,¡± He drawled, ¡°This could go peacefully if you want so make your choice and be very careful with me.¡±

    His nonchnt demeanour was getting on my nerves. He tried to kill my wife, yet he acted like nothing happened and was demanding that I act calmly.

    Was he really out of his mind?

    ¡°Don¡¯t use that tone on me, Leonardo. There¡¯s a reason I haven¡¯t hunted you down yet.¡±

    He burst intoughter while I dropped my phone and put the call on a loudspeaker so that we could all hear him. ¡°You haven¡¯t hunted me because you don¡¯t know where I am, but don¡¯t worry, we can have it sorted out.¡±

    I snapped my finger and Dante headed swiftly towards me with hisptop. He made some connections and slowly began to trace his location.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    To ensure the sess of my n, I had to elongate our conversation even though it was already pissing me off. ¡°So what do you want? You never call me without a reason¡±

    I intentionally didn¡¯t ask about the shootout yesterday because he would get livid, and that would be bad for me.

    ¡°Lorraine. I want her.¡± He stated without mincing words.

    Over my dead body would he have her, but he didn¡¯t need to know that.

    ¡°So you can abuse her again?¡±

    ¡°She has something that belongs to me or she might know where herte mother hid it before dying.¡± He insinuated and I scoffed.

    Was he that dumb?

    Lorraine¡¯s mother died when she didn¡¯t even know much about life, and now he was talking about a property that Lorraine had no idea about.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re talking about the wrong person because if you can remember correctly, her mother died when she was little. How do you expect her to remember the details?¡± I spat, my temper rising to the surface.

    Drake patted my back so that I could get a hold of my feelings.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, Dexter. I want to see her before the wedding or you won¡¯t have a bride on your forting auspicious asion.¡± He threatened and I could sense the seriousness from his voice.

    ¡°That will never happen, Lorraine. You tried to attack her today but it didn¡¯t work, what makes you think I¡¯ll let you attack her again?¡± I fired venomously.

    He sighed and I heard a clicking sound, then a familiar female voice that I couldn¡¯t ce. ¡°Let¡¯s have a deal then, one that I¡¯m very sure you will like.¡±

    My ears perked up in curiosity. ¡°What honorable deal can you make?¡± I replied sarcastically.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you where to find your friends, the ones who hurt your dear wife. But you¡¯ll have to bring Lorraine to me. I just want to ask a few questions and that will be it.¡± He offered and I swallowed visibly.

    The man was very good at baiting people.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t serious,¡± I scoffed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time to think about it then I will call you back, but have it at the back of your mind that my eyes are on you.¡± He said and the line went dead.

    My head swarmed with several thoughts as I stared at Dante who looked frustrated. ¡°Didn¡¯t work?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s too smart. He¡¯s using a burner.¡±

 A good friend

    Lorraine

    The closer we got to our wedding day, the more my excitement heightened, and today I and my new friends would be going on the second round of shopping.

    Girls would always be girls, because I could feel their ecstasy when I informed them of the shopping. Fortunately, Drake wouldn¡¯t be the only avable bodyguard as Dexter was trying to take precaution because ofst time.

    Instilled with fear from the previous shootout, I wore a long pink sleeved tank top with a pair of skinny jeans that hugged my curves, then matched it with white strappy low heels. I let my chestnut hair flow down my waist, enhancing my already beautiful face.

    Victoria was living with us already and since Ste was presently living with Drake, we¡¯d have to pick her up as well.

    Finally, we were all together in Dexter¡¯s Cadic. The men; Drake and Dante upied the front seats with Dante taking the position of the driver due to Drake¡¯s injured arm.

    ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you again, Ste.¡± I chirped, ¡°I hope my favorite chauffeur has been treating you right.¡± I wriggled my brows and stole a nce at Drake who kept his face unreadable.

    Ste tucked her hair behind her ear and lowered hershes, her cheeks turning red.

    I gasped, staring at her with disbelief. ¡°He popped your cherry already?¡± I teased her and palmed her face while Victoria and I burst into bouts ofughter.

    Drake hissed from the front. ¡°It¡¯s not funny, Lorraine. That¡¯s our business.¡± He tried to sound harsh but he failed as he joined us inughing.

    Dante was the only one who didn¡¯tugh as his attention was fixed on the road even though I wanted him to loosen up a little. Then I realised that not every bodyguard would be as jovial as Drake.

    ¡°Anything that concerns my friend is my business as well.¡± I replied with a sassy tone like a spoiled brat and tsked my tongue. Then I turned to Ste who was fiddling with her fingers. ¡°Girl, we have a lot of things to talk aboutter-¡±

    Drake cut in. ¡°Don¡¯t even ask her anything.¡±

    We stopped at the boutique and bought several party dresses since we had nned to have a nice time at the club. While the girls picked their dresses, I snuck to the lingerie section and selected a red beautiful lingerie set that I knew Dexter would like.

    A lot of ideas came into my mind for what I could do to make our night special. I couldn¡¯t wait to go back home and surprise him.

    I stopped at a jewellery store while they were engrossed with trying new dresses, and a beautiful bracelet caught my attention. It was made with thicktex, and a gold heart shape was embedded in the middle. Not wanting someone else to get it, I quickly paid for it and they had it packaged.

    After we all finished shopping, my stomach began to grumble and I was sure they were hungry as well. ¡°Who cares for lunch?¡± They all raised their hands then we matched to the car.

    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Victoria probed.

    I shrugged, tucking the lingerie deeper into my shoulder bag. ¡°Nothing.¡± I denied, ¡°I just went about my private business.¡± I replied with ackadaisical tone.

    Victoria and Ste nced at each other, their eyes obviously hinting that they didn¡¯t believe me, but they didn¡¯t bother asking more questions which I appreciated.

    I was at the verge of blushing because of the crazy scenes I¡¯d cooked up in my head, but with the curiousdies beside me, I had topose myself.

    Dante finally stopped at a small restaurant along the road and we all climbed out, save for the men. They preferred being invisible for our own convenience.

    I ordered a te of Lasagna and grilled chicken and the rest made their orders. The server took note of what we wanted then left.

    ¡°So Ste, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you a particr question but Drake was together with us, and I knew it would sound weird so I¡¯m asking now.¡± My lips curved in a teasing smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± She said tly, but I could sense the strong urge tough.

    I couldn¡¯t allow her to keep a straight face in front of us, so I went ahead. ¡°How well does Drake treat you at night?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t say because he hasn¡¯t made a move yet, but I can feel the sexual tension. Every time he looks at me, he feels like he wants to eat me up, but he¡¯s just too reluctant to do anything.¡± Sheined, her face drowning with disappointment. ¡°And you want to know the truth?¡± I nodded. ¡°I want him.¡±

    A whistling sound burst out from my lips. Now I knew what to do about them, they¡¯d be tripping hard for each other soon.

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± I replied less enthusiastically so she wouldn¡¯t know what I was up to.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use that tone on me, I¡¯m still your boss.¡± She tried to sound harsh but it didn¡¯t work.

    I chuckled. ¡°Of course, I remember, but that title doesn¡¯t work here because you both will be my bridesmaid.¡± I pointed at Victoria whose phone had all her attention.

    Our meal finally came and I didn¡¯t hesitate to gobble it down. I enjoyed how spicy the Lasagna was, and how tender and properly marinated the chicken tasted while I masticated on it.

    Maybe I¡¯d be opportuned to meet with the chef who prepared the meal andpliment him on the wonderful meal he curated.

    As I finished the remnant of mysagna, my eyesnded on a familiar acquaintance, walking out of the restaurant in a gray suit, looking clean and well polished like thest time.

    I jutted up from my seat, slung my shoulder bag on and traipsed towards him. He left through the see-through ss door and since he had long legs, I had to walk faster to ensure he didn¡¯t get into the car before I got to him.

    ¡°Mr Rogers!¡±

    He halted on his steps and spun around with a slightly annoyed expression which left his face immediately he recognized who I was.

    A smile quickly brightened up his handsome face as he motioned his driver to shut the door. ¡°You? I¡¯ve been searching all over the ce for you since that day. I even came back to the cafe where we met and they all told me that they haven¡¯t been seeing you regrly.¡±

    My heart melted as he admitted that he made an effort to search for me, while a pang of guilt settled in the pit of my stomach because I didn¡¯t even remember to do the same for him, even though we had connected on a friendly level.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mr Rogers. A lot of things happened that made me unavable, but I¡¯m so happy to see you right now.¡±

    He approached me and without saying anything else, I gave him a quick hug. ¡°It¡¯s fine, dear.¡± He passed a cursory nce at the restaurant then stopped at me. ¡°Are you here alone?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m with my friends.¡± Then an idea came to my mind, one that I was excited about.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯d have loved us to continue our conversation from that day.¡± He suggested a bit carefully.

    I wanted the same thing as well, but today wasn¡¯t the right time for it and I¡¯d be busy until the wedding was over. ¡°I wanted the same thing as well but I have something very important to tell you.¡±

    His eyes widened in curiosity. ¡°Tell me, I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be getting married soon-mind you, I¡¯m married already, but my husband and I feel that we need to have a wedding celebration since we weren¡¯t able to do it due to some unforeseen circumstances. So I¡¯m using this medium to invite you if you will be avable¡­¡± My voice came out a bit nervous because I wasn¡¯t expecting a positive response.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be there.¡± He said and my heart leaped for joy.

 Heéˆ¥æªš cheating

    Lorraine

    He finally gave me his personal number so I could contact him about the location of the wedding. I didn¡¯t know why I should be that excited that a stranger-no-new friend that I just made, would grace my wedding.

    I would tell Dexter about it once hees back.

    Satisfied that I¡¯d returned home before him, I decided to execute the exciting ns I¡¯d been making in my head.

    I began with dinner. I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I cooked for him, since he boasted constantly that he was a better cook than I was.

    He deserved to be pampered, and tonight, he¡¯d get loads of it from me.

    I donned on an apron, the one Dexter normally wore when he wanted to enter ¡®chef mode¡¯, then I went ahead to get some ingredients from the pantry and began the preparation.

    Cooking was tasking in all ramifications, which I avoided like a gue but it didn¡¯t mean that I wasn¡¯t a good cook, and tonight I¡¯d show Dexter how useful I could be in the kitchen.

    A few hourster, I servedrge chunks of roast beef on silver chinaware. I did the same with the mashed potatoes and poached wild salmon. I quickly whipped up sour cream cornbread for dessert then arranged them on the dining table.

    Sweaty from the exhausting activities in the kitchen, I trotted to our bedroom to have a shower. Dexter couldn¡¯t have me while my skin was mucky and inundated with the tantalizing aroma of different delicacies made by me.

    When the cold water from the shower tap hit my bare skin, I let out a sigh and leaned on the tiled wall. Now I realized how much effort Dexter used to put in each time he prepared dinner for me.

    I wanted to be ready before he returned so I finished up fast and used my lotion. I took out the red lingerie set I got from my bag and raked through my hair as heat sizzled within me.

    The lingerie fit me perfectly as I stared at my jaw-dropping reflection from the full length mirror. I decided to do something different with my hair so I curled to be wavy, enjoying how bouncy it felt below my shoulder each time I moved.

    The charm wouldn¡¯t beplete without subtle makeup and a sultry perfume. So I donned it all up and sent a text to Dexter.

    -Food is ready, honey. Tell me how you want it served. I added a wink emoji that gave off flirty vibes then hit the send button.

    I tapped the wooden dining table, patiently waiting for his response. My eyes darted at the clock and I realised that he was supposed to be back already.

    If he was going toe backte, he¡¯d have called me already. I shoved aside the nerve-wracking imaginations that whirled up in my head as I thought of how happy he¡¯d be when I showed him the bracelet and I hoped he would like it.

    Even if he doesn¡¯t, I¡¯ll get more gifts for him.

    Twenty minutester, there was no text or calls. Nothing. Just me staring at the wall clock which ticked at an annoyingly fast pace.

    I couldn¡¯t keep it in anymore. The food was getting cold and my excitement was thinning. I didn¡¯t know whether to be worried or angry.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    Surely, he wouldn¡¯t ignore my text if he wasn¡¯t busy. No, I think again. Dexter had always prioritized everything that concerned me even to the littlest details.

    There was no way he didn¡¯t see the text except¡­

    I dialed his number, my heart stuck in my throat as I waited for him to pick up the call. My anxiety had to be calmed so I began to count from one to ten. One, two, three¡­

    ¡°Hello, Lorraine,¡± A sultry voice greeted me, then a moan followed. The apparently knew who I was and I might probably know her too.

    Bile rose up to my throat as I froze, my breathing hitched. My mouth tasted like copper and my brain stopped working for a moment, unable to process the fact that the reason Dexter ignored my text was because of a woman?

    No way!

    ¡®He¡¯s cheating,¡¯ a voice said within me.

    He couldn¡¯t be, I argued as tears sprouted in my eyes.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Dexter?¡± I managed to ask, happy that my voice came out controlled and not fretty like I thought it would be.

    She moaned, louder than the first time. I could imagine a triumphant smile creeping on her face. ¡°He.. He¡¯s behind me¡­¡± She stopped talking, then a loud bang from the door reverberated from my phone.

    ¡°What the fvck are you doing?¡±

    That was Dexter¡¯s voice, zing with anger and maybe disapproval that she had to leak their dirty secret.

    My eyes burned as he called my name gently, like he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. ¡°Honey, please listen to-¡± I dropped the call and flung my phone across the wall, not minding if it got damaged then burst into uncontroble sobs.

    Some minutester, his car rolled into thepound, something he wasn¡¯t able to do over twenty minutes ago.

    I got up from my chair, but his swiftness from his car to the living room took me aback and I almost flinched. I¡¯d already dried my eyes because I didn¡¯t want him to know that I¡¯ve shed several tears because of him.

    His eyes looked relieved after he finished staring at me from head to toe. Did he think I¡¯ll ram a knife into my stomach just because he couldn¡¯t keep his dick in his tight pants?

    ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t see the text because of how busy you were,¡± I said with a tone filled sarcasm. ¡°But I prepared dinner for you. It¡¯s on the dining table.¡± I nudged towards the table and turned my back against him, heading towards our room-no-his room.

    I wouldn¡¯t share a room with him. I¡¯d rather sleep in the basement than lie on the same bed that he wouldy on.

    ¡°Lorraine, please I can exin.¡± His voice was cracked, sadness brimming through it as I halted my steps.

    I huffed. ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin. You might have had your reasons.¡± I walked away, praying that he wouldn¡¯t follow me.

 Trust and love

    Dexter

    She walked away and there was no way I wouldn¡¯t follow her. I¡¯d have reacted the same way she was reacting now if I were in her shoes.

    Fuck Edith for being a bitch!

    If Lorraine decides to call it quits, then Edith will bear the brunt. She couldn¡¯t interfere with my life like that and go scot-free.

    I followed her up the stairs, my chest ripping apart as I noticed that she wasn¡¯t heading to our room. If she knew that I was behind her, she didn¡¯t utter a word.

    ¡°Lorraine, please listen to me, we need to talk.¡± I said calmly, my eyes pleading at the same time, but it didn¡¯t seem to have any effect on her because her eyes were like steel. No emotion could be seen in them.

    She dragged in a deep breath like she was trying to calm her nerves. That made me happy because I almost thought that she had no feelings at all. ¡°What do we have to talk about?¡± She replied sharply, her face radiating nonchnce.

    I squinted my eyes in confusion, not knowing what to say. At this point, I¡¯d have to thread carefully or things would be more sour between us.

    ¡°Whatever you heard on the phone wasn¡¯t real. It was Edith.¡± I admitted and her eyes sparked with anger.

    She had already gotten to the door of the other room, but she retreated and climbed down the stairs to meet me. ¡°And what the hell did shee to do in your office, Dexter?¡± She fired at me.

    That was the same thing I thought when I saw her after rushing out of the office without my phone. I had an impromptu meeting and I totally forgot to take my phone along, by the time I remembered my phone, it was alreadyte.

    If I¡¯d known that my mistake was about to cost me my marriage, I¡¯d have asked my PA to get it for me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lorraine. I left my phone in the office and I couldn¡¯t get it because of the meeting. Upon my return, I met Edith talking to you and with the way she was faking her moans I just guessed it had to be you.¡± I exined while she scoffed in disbelief.

    ¡°You¡¯re just a pathetic liar, Dexter. How did she gain entrance to your office? Didn¡¯t you lock it?¡± She spat, her voice soaring with uncontrolled anger and fury.

    The fact that she didn¡¯t believe me was disheartening, but I chalked it up and made further attempts to exin, then I realised something¡­

    Edith was able to ess my office even in my absence, which meant she had someone who could help her out. Well they weren¡¯t so smart because I knew just the right way to get them.

    I raised my hands in surrender. ¡°I don¡¯t know how she did but she got in. Why can¡¯t you believe me, Lorraine? I¡¯d never hurt you like that¡­¡±

    A tear slid down her cheek, shredding my heart into pieces. I made her cry. I caused her pain and I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d do about it.

    ¡°I got back from shopping and made dinner for us just because I wanted to celebrate our love. I got a new lingerie, the type I knew you¡¯d like, so that I could make you happy. Wasn¡¯t my effort enough?¡± She whispered.

    It was obvious that she was broken, and my words alone weren¡¯t going to prove how innocent I was so I dropped to my knees, pinning my gaze on her gobsmacked face.

    That¡¯s right. She didn¡¯t expect it.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to convince you that I can do anything to make you forgive me. Tell me what you want me to do to make you believe me and I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Her eyes softened in a way that I didn¡¯t like. It seemed like she was giving up on the conversation and I was the only one interested in fighting.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dexter,¡± She sighed warily.

    Still on my knees, I asked. ¡°Did you ever trust me?¡±

    She flinched, as if I threw a dangerous weapon at her. My lips stretched in a smile as I got the response I wanted. I got up and swept her off her feet.

    ¡°What are you doing? I still haven¡¯t forgiven you.¡± She pouted, but her eyes said something different.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I teased her with a wink.

    She kept quiet, not bothering to struggle as I carried her to our room. We didn¡¯t say anything to each other as I dropped her on the bed and sat beside her.

    She lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers. ¡°When she picked the call and moaned, my world crumbled. I know that you love me, but sometimes I can¡¯t help the thoughts from straying into my head.¡± She admitted, and seeing how she avoided my gaze, I knew that it took her a lot to make the admittance.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby. Edith is someone who doesn¡¯t want to take no for an answer, and I seriously underestimated her but she¡¯ll have to pay for this. I almost lost you.¡± I acknowledged and she rose to her feet, causing my heart to skip.

    What would be her response?

    Was she going to reject me?

    She brought a box from the vanity table then gave it to me. I stared at her with a questioning nce. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Just open it.¡± She chuckled, her eyes shining radiantly.

    It gave me some hope so I loosened the ribbon and opened the box. A broad smile crossed my lips as I gazed at the beautiful bracelet seated inside the box. I loved the design and the thoughtfulness behind it.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know if you would like something like this. You¡¯re already rich and I know it¡¯s a small gift, but I just wanted to get you something you can wear around and remember me.¡± She said nervously.

    ¡°I love the gift.¡± I said happily and stretched my left arm so that she could put it on my wrist.

    She didn¡¯t hesitate to put it on, then she kissed the back of my palm and giggled like a teenager who just fell in love. Well, I felt the same way.

    ¡°I¡¯m never taking this off. It¡¯s a promise,¡± I pressed my lips against hers, kissing her with so much intensity and love.

    I couldn¡¯t remember getting gifts from anyone. I was always gifting people and not the other way round. Most of my friends and associates usually thought that I was wealthy and they had nothing to offer me, but it wasn¡¯t true.

    Behind my stoic facade was a lonely man craving attention, and I was so d that the woman my heart yearned for didn¡¯t deny me of such love.

    She broke off the kiss, her eyes zing with pure lust. ¡°You need to shower, why don¡¯t I help you with that?¡± She drawled, loosening my tie and peeling off the silk robe she had on.

    Then I saw what was underneath; what I¡¯d have passed up on if I¡¯d allowed Edith to ruin my marriage. She wore a two piece red lingerie set that barely covered her body.

    The thong disappeared into her big round butt and her breasts¡­ Gawd, they were pushed up by the bralette, screaming  for me to touch it.

    Blood rushed to my crotch as I literally undressed her with my eyes. ¡°God, Lorraine, is this your n?¡± I growled.

    She batted hershes and turned around. ¡°Do you want to have a shower or not?¡± She slurred, as she traipsed to the bathroom, her ass jiggling with each step.

    I followed her like a robot. There was no way I¡¯d let such goodness pass me by.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

 The request

    Lorraine

    dness filled my heart as I peeled the wedding dress off my body and had the attendant package my dress. The final fitting had been done and I was more than ready to stand in front of Dexter to dere my vows.

    Drake, whose arm was getting better, drove me from the dress store to the location of our wedding, where Dexter and I would meet up to supervise the decorations of the venue and make changes where needed.

    The view that I saw when I got down from the car got my eyes popping in pleasant surprise. This was exactly what I wanted-what I dreamt of.

    The white cauliflowers and pink carnations bordered towards the beach front in Malibu, with a lighter shade of pink curtains draped on the pirs.

    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful,¡± I muttered under my uneven breath, my eyes darting around and taking note of the ethereal scenery.

    The decorators knew their jobs so well because I could hardly detect any changes to be made.

    My eyes caught the sight of the gray tuberoses which were arranged in several bouquets, stretching along the aisle till it got to the tform.

    How they were able to blend the tuberoses and the pink carnation was what I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around, but I couldn¡¯tin because it was perfect l. I was so engrossed in the creativebination of the colorful flowers that I didn¡¯t sense Dexter¡¯s presence.

    ¡°You seem impressed.¡± His deep voice rumbled behind me as I beamed. ¡°Do you like it that much?¡±

    I nodded, my eyes watering as I spun around to look at the man who was delighted to be with me. ¡°Of course, I love it. The color patterns, the arrangement. Everything is perfect¡­¡±

    ¡°I know, right?¡± He replied, his eyes ring with satisfaction.

    My eyes widened as I got the hint. ¡°Did you put them up to this?¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡± He popped the ¡®p¡¯ and continued. ¡°I want to make our day special and I know that these little things matter to you, so¡­¡± He trailed off when I silenced him by putting my index finger on his sexy lips.

    ¡°The way you go all out for me is amazing, Dexter. Your love is engraved in my heart and I will never forget it.¡± I assured him confidently.

    In a heartbeat, his arm went around my neck, merging our lips together. No pressure, just two lovers enjoying the beautiful sparkles of love that surrounded them.

    I was the first to pull away, remembering that we had workers around and some of them might be distracted. I wanted to give them a show, but the urge to have a perfect wedding overwhelmed my impulsive thought.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving for the hotel tonight.¡± I announced and a small frown appeared on his face.

    ¡°Do you really have to go?¡± He whined like a toddler which was kinda cute.

    I liked it when he was free with me; not the CEO, or grumpy or demanding boss, but a husband who was pouting angrily because I didn¡¯t want to stay with him until the wedding was over.

    ¡°Yes, babe, I have to. It¡¯s the rule.¡± I tried to pacify him, but the scowl on his face and his stubbornly set jaw showed that he didn¡¯t agree with me. ¡°Stop being stubborn,¡± I caressed his bare chest through the half buttoned ck shirt he wore.

    ¡°I¡¯m not being stubborn. I can¡¯t just believe that you¡¯ll be staying away from me for two days when we¡¯ve been together for almost a year.¡± He dragged on while I rolled my eyes, tightening my grip on my blue silver purse.

    I didn¡¯t want tough because it would further annoy him, but I couldn¡¯t help the smirk that rose to my lips.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Dexter. Besides, I think you need to miss me a little and get acquainted with Williams. Remember he¡¯ll be walking me down the aisle.¡± I reminded him and he rolled his eyes back at me.

    After thest coincidental meeting between Williams and I, the thought of having him walk me down the aisle never left my mind so I acted on it and he agreed.

    I didn¡¯t see anything wrong because I felt at ease with him. Conversing with him was as easy as ABC. The connection was magical and I somehow wished that he was my father.

    ¡°Arnold is there too. You can go to the club and have some fun. Men¡¯s night?¡± I suggested as he looked away, acting like all I said fell on deaf ears.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    He scoffed, knowing that he couldn¡¯t change my mind. ¡°I think I¡¯ll consider that.¡± He grumbled, then I stretched a little to kiss his forehead.

    ¡°Can you walk me to the car? I need to meet up with the girls at the hotel.¡±

    He nodded, dipping his hands into his pockets as he walked behind me. Then he stopped. ¡°Can¡¯t we have a quickie?¡±

    I pped his arm yfully and walked faster. ¡°You can return to work. I don¡¯t need you anymore.¡±

    ********

    Since the wedding would be held in Malibu, I and the girls consisting of: Victoria and Ste, decided to book a suite in one of their five star hotels.

    I paid for it with my own money and I could remember smiling with satisfaction after transferring the money. After the photoshoot at the beach, several brands reached out to me for my service and I willingly offered it to them.

    Dexter taught me how to make bargains without faltering or feeling inadequate, and I couldn¡¯t deny that his lessons had helped me a lot.

    After settling into our suite, I decided to take a tour around the grand hotel since Victoria and Ste were yet to show up. I found a big clean pool seated between the bar and the sauna and decided to sit by it.

    I missed Dexter and I was on the verge of calling him, but I didn¡¯t want toe off as clingy so I decided against it. The pool was quiet with a few couples having a swim inside.

    I couldn¡¯t wait for the wedding to be over so that I¡¯d bring Dexter here.

    ¡°Lorraine?¡± I heard my name and jutted my chin at the direction of the voice to find Emilia standing beside me, wearing a ck swimsuit.

    I quickly retracted my legs from the pool and got up. ¡°Hello, what a pleasant surprise.¡± I quickly donned a warm smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±

    ¡°Well, I decided to take a break from work so I came here.¡± She exined then gave me a once over. ¡°How¡¯s your wedding ns going?¡±

    I squinted my eyes in surprise. How did she know about that?

    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, it¡¯s all over the news.¡± She added and I felt better.

    I don¡¯t know why, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling wary whenever I was around her. Maybe it was due to the bad blood that ran between us earlier, but since we had settled our differences, I wasn¡¯t supposed to feel this way.

    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s going fine.¡±

    She palmed her hands together and stared at me pleadingly. ¡°I have a request to make.¡± Her tone grew soft.

    ¡°Bring it on.¡± I urged her.

    ¡°Can I be a part of your bridal train?¡±

 A twist in plans

    Lorraine

    Finally! My big day.

    I couldn¡¯t exin the kind of joy that steadily seeped through me while I stared at my gorgeous reflection in the mirror.

    A smile crept to my face, as my fingers trailed along the diamond ne that Dexter gifted mest night. The crystals glittering as the sun rays touched it reminded me of how blown away I was when I read the note that followed the gift box.

    It matched the color progression of my dress and my grey eyes.

    Right now, everything was perfect.

    I basked in the heightened elegance it brought me and made a mental note to find something really beautiful to give him in return.

    My eyes swept through the dress once again and then I decided that I¡¯d made the right choice. Dexter would be over the moon when he saw me walk down the aisle, and so would everyone else present at the ceremony.

    I tried hard to blink away the tears that were beginning to form in my eyes at the realisation that my real father who should have walked me down the aisle wasn¡¯t here. Sometimes, I wondered if I resembled him, but since I didn¡¯t have a picture I couldn¡¯t tell.

    Victoria flung the door open, catwalking in the light blue dress she chose to wear with Ste and Emilia for the bridal train. I could remember her asking me what color I¡¯d want them to wear, then I asked her to make a choice and do what she wanted.

    Seeing the awestruck look on her face, I didn¡¯t need to ask why. Presently, I could be likened to Aphrodite.

    ¡°Oh, honey, you look so fabulous. I can¡¯t even describe how beautiful you look right now.¡± She took in my dress, giving me a happy and satisfied once over.

    ¡°Thanks, Toria. I¡¯m d that you¡¯re here to support me.¡± I replied, walking away from the full length mirror. ¡°A few months ago, I wouldn¡¯t have imagined that we¡¯d be doing this together.¡± My eyes were beginning to water again and I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d be able to hold back if I let them out.

    She reached for my hand and tangled her fingers with mine. ¡°The first time I met you, I honestly thought you would leach off my brother and make him forget me, then I remembered that I was the actual leach who brought nothing but trouble to him. You¡¯re the sister I never had and Dexter made the best choice the day he chose to be with you.¡±

    I sniffed, dabbing my made up brows lightly with a handkerchief to stop the tears from cascading down my smooth cheeks. When I was sure that my emotions were under control, and I wouldn¡¯t ruin my makeup, I stopped.

    ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Tori. You are the best.¡±

    We embraced each other as she buried her head on my neck. A sisterly bond had been formed, one that cut through the ties of blood and grew through loyalty and love.

    Ste barged in, wearing the same type of off shoulder tea length dress with a matching topaz ne and earrings. She was absolutely stunning.

    ¡°You both look like you¡¯re about to dive into a pool of emotions, but this isn¡¯t the right time because we have to leave now. The wedding is about to start.¡± She announced after nting kisses on my cheeks.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready.¡±

    The hotel wasn¡¯t far from the venue and in a few minutes, I¡¯d be standing in the ce that would change my life forever.

    Victoria, who was my bridesmaid, pulled the veil over my head and handed me my bouquet which consisted of white jasmines and pink carnations, matching the decorations at the beach. We approached the door when I remembered something¡­

    ¡°Where¡¯s Emilia? She¡¯s supposed to be here.¡± I asked calmly, knowing that she could be a nutcase at times.

    Victoria and Ste exchanged questioning nces. Then Victoria decided to speak up. ¡°She said she wasing here to see you. That¡¯s what she told me after we finished dressing up and I¡¯m even surprised that she isn¡¯t here.¡±

    I cocked my head to the side in confusion with weird thoughts popping into my head. Today was my wedding and I didn¡¯t want to make any assumptions so I shoved the thoughts aside.

    ¡°It¡¯s weird because she didn¡¯te here. Maybe something came up, but how will she locate the venue if we don¡¯t go together?¡± Ste asked and I shrugged.

    I picked up my phone and gave it to Victoria. ¡°If she¡¯s not here then we should text her the venue. She might be caught up on something. You know how she is.¡± I put up an excuse for her.

    An eerie feeling began to creep in while wondering where Emilia might have gone. When she came to me that afternoon to make her one of the bridesmaids, I thought she was joking until she tried  to kneel in front of me until I epted.

    I honestly didn¡¯t know why she was pushing hard to be close to me when it was ring on my face that I wasn¡¯t interested.

    But I didn¡¯t want to give her a cold shoulder, and for someone who was trying hard to be my friend, she was very persuasive. I finally agreed after giving it much thought and told the others about it.

    They epted it with no qualms, then we held a bridal shower in my room which was fun.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    Presently, her sudden disappearance baffled me since we were about to leave. She couldn¡¯t just vanish into thin air when we needed her, I thought.

    My phone chimed with a notification that got my cheeks flushing. I read the text and almost burst intoughter.

    -Where are you already? Are you sure you don¡¯t want me toe over and drive you here?

    I could sense his frustration, but I wanted to teach him how to be patient. Apparently, he wasn¡¯t taking the lessons very nicely.

    A Porsche cayenne S rolled to the facade of the hotel with ribbons tied from the booth to the bo. It had the same theme with the venue-pink and white with a tinge of grey.

    Dante stepped out in a ck suit thatpped well on his muscr frame. Looking so formal, no one would tell that he was a bodyguard. He could pass for a handsome Ceo.

    ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am.¡± He said quietly and opened the right car door for me to get in.

    I sighed in disappointment. Why did I expect that he would try to say anything else than a mere greeting? Drake was supposed to be my driver, not him.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Drake?¡± I asked after we all settled in.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be driving Mr Hemmingway to the venue.¡±

    Great! I muttered under my breath. ¡°Let¡¯s move then. We¡¯re alreadyte.¡±

    The car glided slowly along the road, increasing my anticipation with each passing minute. I was almost tempted to ask him to drive faster.

    ¡°Why is this car so slow?¡±

    Victoria, who was sitting beside me,ughed. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re so eager to be with your hubby. Just rx, alright? Soon you¡¯ll have your prince charming all to yourself.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t me her. I feel the same way.¡± Ste chipped in and I gasped before I could catch myself.

    ¡°Drake¡¯s finally knocked you up, huh?¡± I wriggled my brows as she rolled her eyes and turned away her face, returning her gaze to the road since she was sitting with Dante at the front.

    Not only was I happy about my wedding, but I was ecstatic, knowing that a rtionship was budding between the both of them. Maybe we¡¯d have another wedding sooner than we expected.

    My eyes returned to my phone screen then I realised that the journey to the beach was taking longer than I expected. I nced at the roadside and realised that he had steered off the path to the venue.

    My pulse quickened, my brain became on high alert as I straightened on the seat. Putting up a serious face, I trained my gaze on him. ¡°This isn¡¯t the normal route, Dante. I thought I told you that we were runningte.¡± I scolded him then he stopped the car abruptly and pulled out a mask from the cup holder.

    My heart stopped beating and flew to my throat, but before I could realise what was going on, his fingers had closed around a bottle spray and then he pressed the nuzzle.

    Victoria was horrified. Ste turned to me, her eyes unable to hide her fear.

    I pushed against the car door but it didn¡¯t bulge. Then I heard a deep chuckle, followed by a few mortifying words by the man who was supposed to keep us safe. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t escape.¡±

    ¡°Oh no.¡± I quickly reached for my phone but my hands had be as heavy as lead.

    My eyes came blurry, everything in front of me appearing in twos and maybe threes. I couldn¡¯t tell. I opened my mouth to talk but it only produced a wheezing sound. Slowly, I felt my energy slowly leaving my body with my eyelids meeting each other.

    And when my head collided with the head rest, the world turned ck. No noise at all.

 The truth in bits

    Lorraine

    My eyes fluttered open, a sharp pain thawing in my head then I felt beads of liquid trickle down my skin; probably I was aroused from my sleep by it.

    I made to stand up, then I realised that my movement had been restricted by a strong rope which was tied around my ankles.

    I jutted my chin up and my eyesnded on a familiar face that caused more throbbing pains in my head.

    Dante held a pail in his hands, shing a cynical smirk that could make almost anyone jittery. I shook my head, pleading with my eyes that he should reconsider but he only looked away and retreated to the iron door.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Dante? I¡¯m supposed to be at my wedding!¡± I hollered at him in exasperation, but my angry outburst had no effect on him as his fingers closed around the door knob.

    I bit my lower lip to keep myself from wailing, my body trembling in anguish. I couldn¡¯t believe what was going on. How could my life turn around for the worse in less than¡­ I couldn¡¯t even tell the time.

    My eyes widened as I remembered the scenario, then I averted my gaze to my sides. Ste and Victoria weren¡¯t here which meant that he might have done something bad to them.

    ¡°No!¡± I screamed at the top of my voice, not minding the repercussion. ¡°Where are my friends?¡± I seethed, wrestling with the strong knots that kept my hands and feet bound.

    My veil had been taken away and even without taking a nce at the mirror, I could tell that my make up had been ruined. All of that didn¡¯t matter anyway because my life was in danger, and unfortunately, Dexter didn¡¯t even know where I was.

    Who knew what he was going through and how he¡¯d been feeling right now.

    I jerked backwards when the door flew ajar and two people who I couldn¡¯t identify because of their masks came in, though I could tell that they were of different genders. I was scared earlier, but on seeing them, fear heightened.

    ¡°Who are you people and what have you done to my friends?¡± I wasn¡¯t screaming, rather, I was dishing out orders like I wasn¡¯t the victim.

    A familiar male chuckle resonated in the air, causing shivers to run down my spine. I knew that voice and I could remember it any time.

    It was the same voice thatughed at me while beating me up and telling me that I was a sore loser and no one loved me. It was the same dark eyes that zed with nothing but hatred each time he looked at me.

    ¡°Leonardo?¡± My voice cracked as I called his name.

    His eyes flickered with sly amusement as he took off his mask. ¡°I knew that you¡¯d figure it out quickly, smart ass.¡±

    My throat ran dry as I red at the mistake of a man my mother married out of loneliness. She should have stayed single and or waited till she met someone better, instead of rushing into another marriage since I was the one bearing the pain.

    ¡°It feels so nice to see you again, Leonardo. I didn¡¯t know that I was so important that you¡¯d have to kidnap me on my wedding day.¡± I snickered, my tone filled with sarcasm.

    My ass was already hurting from sitting for too long on the tiled floor, but I couldn¡¯t let my difort show.

    My statement made him smile and I wondered why he bothered with such a gesture because it only made him look like the devil. ¡°Oh, sweetheart, I had to look for you. Didn¡¯t your husband tell you that I was going to get you if you didn¡¯t give me what I wanted?¡± He growled, plopping down a chair while his minion stood behind him.

    My heart skipped a beat, knowing that he had spoken to Dexter and I was in the dark about it. For how long would he continue to hide things from me.

    But I couldn¡¯t wear my disappointment on my face. ¡°Dexter will never have anything to do with you so stop talking about him.¡± I spat, wishing that I wasn¡¯t bound by these strong cords so that I¡¯d finally vent all my anger on him.

    He roared inughter, throwing his hands and feet into the air like a maniac. ¡°You¡¯ve always been stupid, but I didn¡¯t know that your dumbness increased with age.¡±

    His insult stung me deep within, just like it used to do, but my anger overrode his nasty words. Then I made a decision that from henceforth, I wouldn¡¯t give him control over my emotions.

    ¡°I think the same goes for you.¡± I retorted sharply.

    One¡­ Two¡­ Three¡­ The back of his sturdy palm connected with my right cheek, but I held back the painful scream that his ears would be itching for.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    He loved it when I reacted vocally to his abuse. He once told me that it was the bane of his existence.

    ¡°How dare you speak to me in such a manner, bitch?¡± He red up, ring murderously at me.

    Eight years ago, I¡¯d have been terrified to my bones, but now I wanted nothing more than to taunt him, make him feel bad about himself even though I might not walk out of this alive.

    ¡°I wonder why you¡¯re using me of being bitchy when I was raised by a narcissistic skank. The apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree, huh?¡± My lips formed a snicker as his eyes sparkled with pure indignation.

    He could kill me if he wanted, I didn¡¯t care. This was too much fun to pass on.

    ¡°You!¡± He clenched his fists tightly till his knuckles turned white.

    I blinked myshes at him, waiting for another punch or maybe a hard kick on my stomach. It will be too easy for him since he had me all tied up.

    Then he crouched to the ground, our faces at the same level. I returned the same deathly re he fixed on me, enjoying the look of surprise on his face. ¡°You¡¯re baiting me, Lorraine. That won¡¯t be good for you if you want to survive here.¡±

    I was tired of the chase. ¡°Why am I here?¡± I sighed, rolling my eyes.

    ¡°You owe me something.¡± He grinned deeply and then I knew that it wasn¡¯t a joke anymore. ¡°Your mother didn¡¯t tell you before I killed her.¡± He announced.

 True colors

    Lorraine

    My mother!

    He killed my mother.

    My body went cold, my eyes trained on the man who snickered at me with satisfaction. I didn¡¯t know what to feel, how to feel. My brain had gone numb, or maybe it was processing the nerve-wracking information and searching for the perfect way to react.

    I tried to speak, but the words remained stuck in my throat. Then my emotions began to seep out of me-a roller-coaster of pain, sadness, anger that I didn¡¯t search for this loathe-worthy man and kill when I had the chance.

    It would be the number one thing on my bucket list if I ever survived this situation.

    ¡°You killed her?¡± I asked through a whisper, searching his eyes for any flicker of remorse and trying toe to terms that I was sitting in front of a murder.

    He didn¡¯t disappoint me because if there was anything I saw, it was greed, hatred and maybe lust. Thest one got me shivering because I¡¯d never allow him to touch me again.

    I¡¯d rather die.

    ¡°Of course, I did. She was too trusting and loving and she was a very rich woman, but she never allowed me to ess her money even though I was her husband.¡± He said nonchntly and returned to his chair.

    I let out a gasp, horrified at how normal he thought it was to kill not just anyone but my mother.

    He wasn¡¯t just an abuser and a drunkard, he was a murderer. A heartless one.

    Tears sprouted in my eyes and I didn¡¯t bother to blink them away. ¡°My mother loved you, Leonardo. Even though I was young, I saw how heavily she spent on you and treated you well. If she didn¡¯t allow you to be a part of her business then it was because you didn¡¯t prove yourself worthy. Obviously, you aren¡¯t even worthy of anything good.¡± I snarled at him, surprised at the calmness of my voice.

    I was supposed to be yelling at him not scolding him like a kid.

    His body wrecked withughter as threw a you¡¯re-so-dumb nce at me. ¡°Yes, your mother loved me but she was too weak. I didn¡¯t want her to continue giving me peanuts when I could have some shares in thepany. I¡¯m the man of the house.¡± He scoffed as if we were still in the past.

    ¡°Man my foot!¡± I huffed. ¡°I know that my mother was very smart and she knew that you just wanted to be reckless. I¡¯m sure that she already regretted marrying you before you killed her.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    ¡°Watch your mouth, bitch. A bullet from my gun can end you in a fleeting second. I wonder how Dexter will feel when he realises that his beautiful wife is gone.¡± He feigned a pitiful face as I held back my sob.

    Dexter would be mad with frenzy and I could only hope that he would find me before this sociopath tried to kill me.

    I shook my head vehemently, the tears sliding off my face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead and kill me? I¡¯d like to go and meet my mother over there.¡± My teeth rattled as the thought of dying shed in my head.

    His yellow teeth became visible as he brandished it at me with a shit-eating grin. ¡°You¡¯ll die for sure, but there¡¯s something you have to do for me first.¡±

    My eyes widened as the woman beside him produced a big brown envelope and gave it to him. He brought out a file and showed it to me.

    I squinted my eyes in confusion then he dropped it on my thighs. ¡°What is this?¡± I snarled in irritation.

    ¡°Since you are acting dumb, I¡¯ll just exin it to you. Your mother didn¡¯t leave you penniless as we both thought.¡± He dropped the bombshell as I ducked my head in greater confusion.

    After my mother died, I resented her for dying without leaving anything for me. Even if it was just some money to help me through college.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± I asked in annoyance.

    ¡°Apparently, she left a huge amount of money for you, but you can¡¯t have ess to it until you¡¯re twenty-five and by my calctions. You¡¯ve hit the age¡­¡±

    Impatience ate at my guts as I red at him. If he thought that I¡¯d sign away my inheritance to him just because he had me caged up like a rabbit then he was in for a big joke.

    ¡°So you want my inheritance?¡± Iughed and he snapped his fingers.

    ¡°Vi! Smart ass! You got the point. It¡¯s a simple thing to do. I drafted a document saying that you¡¯re willing to hand everything to me because you aren¡¯t interested in the money and all I need is your signature.¡± He smirked confidently, crossing his leg over.

    I couldn¡¯t hold back myughter so I let it flow,ughing hard at his stupidity. How could he be so delusional? Why didn¡¯t his father use a condom while having a good time with his mother? Because if they had taken precautions, he wouldn¡¯t be alive to bber such words to me.

    ¡°You¡¯re wasting my time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I am, Leonardo. Do you know what I¡¯m going to do?¡±

    His eyes lit up with expectation. ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t sign the document. I¡¯d rather give all the money to charity than to have an undeserving mistake of a man sign this paper.¡± I spat at him.

    His face reddened, and his eyes followed suite as he lurched at me with a heavy punch on my stomach. His fingers gripped a handful of my hair so tight I thought my scalp woulde off.

    My stomach churned at the pain that burned within me, my mouth tasting like copper. I felt like throwing up but nothing came out which was disappointing because I wanted to have my nausea on him.

    ¡°You would do as I say, you loose bitch.¡± He grabbed my hair harder and my eyes saw red.

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it, Leonardo. You¡¯d better do it and free yourself from the stress of forcing me.¡± I countered.

    His grip loosened as he took his hands off me and pped me. My lower lip broke with a thick warm liquid forming a small pool at the corner of my mouth.

    ¡°You¡¯re so selfish, Lorraine, just the way you¡¯ve been since childhood. Now you¡¯re putting others in pain as well.¡± He sighed and tossed on a stoic expression that got me wondering if he wasn¡¯t ring at me earlier.

    The selfish part caught my attention. ¡°I¡¯m not putting anyone in pain.¡±

    His dark chuckle resonated in the room. ¡°Of course you are. I mean whose going to pay for your disobedience?¡±

    My heart mmed against my chest as realisation dawned on me. ¡°Ste and Victoria! Don¡¯t you dare do anything to them!¡± I hollered at him.

    ¡°Like I said, your selfishness is doing more harm than good. So, are you going to sign the document willingly or do you want to watch them die because you aren¡¯t willing to let go of some little money Dexter can give you?¡±

    Oh God! Imented.

    The tables had turned and there was no way I¡¯d risk the lives of my friends because of the money, but I was going to hurt Leonardo in the worst way possible.

    With clenched teeth and a hard decision taken I took a deep breath.  ¡°Hand me the pen. I¡¯ll sign it.¡± I forced the words out of my lips as a triumphant smile covered his face.

    The door pushed open, and Emilia trudged in with her bridesmaid dress, shing a scathing look at me. I blinked hard to be sure I wasn¡¯t imagining things but when I opened my eyes and gaped at her, she was still there and this time she had gotten close to Leonardo.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Emilia? We were searching for you.¡± That wasn¡¯t the main issue. ¡°Look, Emilia, Victoria and Scarlet are in trouble. We need to save them.¡±

    She grimaced the rolled her eyes, then nted her attention on my stepfather. ¡°Hi, dad, has she signed the papers already?¡±

    Dad?

 Tricks

    Dexter

    I tapped my fingers restlessly on a table beside me, creating a troubled rhythm. For the umpteenth time, I checked my phone. It was past three in the evening and the wedding was supposed to begin by twelve pm.

    Arnold strode towards me, his eyes bearing concern. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Have you heard from Lorraine?¡± His eyes scanned through the crowd.

    That was the worst part. She wasn¡¯t picking my calls or returning them and when I decided to call again, her phone was switched off.

    I¡¯d dialed Victoria¡¯s line but it was unavable as well. They couldn¡¯t all be having issues with their phones at the same time.

    ¡°Not reachable. Dante who was supposed to bring them here isn¡¯t picking my call and I¡¯m more than worried. I¡¯ll have to leave the venue.¡± I sighed, running my fingers through my hair in frustration.

    Where the hell was Dante anyways?

    ¡°But what about the guests? Most of them are bing impatient and I can¡¯t me them.¡± He noted.

    I mmed my fist on the table, ignoring the questioning nces some of the guests around threw at me. ¡°Without the celebrant there¡¯s no guest and somehow I feel something has gone wrong. I need to leave right now.¡± I reiterated with a stronger conviction.

    He raised his hands in surrender when he saw that I wouldn¡¯t change my stance. There was no way I¡¯d do that when Lorraine might be in danger.

    Speaking of danger, my mind reverted to the discussion Leonardo and I had some days back.

    He made threats¡­ Did he actually go through with them?

    If that was the case then I¡¯d kill him with my bare hands if I ever set my eyes on him. But before going all James Bond on him, I had to be sure that my woman was fine so I called Drake.

    In no time he appeared ready to receive orders. ¡°We need to find, Lorraine. Her phone isn¡¯t going through and I don¡¯t feel good about it.¡± I admitted.

    At this point, I need to have someone by my side or I¡¯d go mad with anxiety. Drake was one of the men I trusted and I knew he wouldn¡¯t betray me, but Dante¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure about him anymore.

    ¡°Where do you want us to begin the search?¡± He replied earnestly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any idea, but let¡¯s get moving first.¡±

    He led the way but with the swift stride of my legs I overtook him. He quickly got to the front seat and ignited the engine. The car rolled out of the parking lot and hit the road.

    I scrolled through my phone to call the only person that could help me out with locations. I could only hope that he wouldn¡¯t be busy.

    ¡°Wyatt,¡± I said after he picked on the first ring.

    ¡°Hello. Wyatt isn¡¯t avable right now. Can you drop a message?¡± came a female voice.

    ¡°Why is he unavable?¡± I demanded, transferring my agitation to the poordy who had no idea of what was going on.

    She took in a deep breath like she was trying to control her temper. ¡°He¡¯s in aa. He had an identst week and we are just praying that he wakes up.¡± She rasped, her breathing hitched.

    I palmed my forehead as I let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what¡¯s going on. I didn¡¯t know that something bad had happened to him. I¡¯ll visit soon.¡± I assured thedy who I thought might be his girlfriend.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She said and I dropped the call, my hope shattered.

    I didn¡¯t have all the time to look for another private investigator who was as good as Wyatt so I had to depend on my instincts.

    My phone rang and an unfamiliar number disyed on my screen. ¡°Hemmingway on the line.¡± I replied curtly.

    ¡°Dexter, I¡¯ve been trying to reach you. Where¡¯s everyone?¡±

    Recognition lit up in my mind as I rolled my eyes. ¡°Why are you calling Emilia? I thought I asked you to give me some space? I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with you.¡± Anger fueled my frustration.

    She ignored my reply. ¡°I¡¯m at the venue and you¡¯re nowhere to be found. I can say the same for Lorraine because I couldn¡¯t find her at the hotel.¡±

    My eyes widened, my grip tightening on my cell. ¡°What hotel? How did you know where Lorraine was going to be?¡± I screamed at her.

    She blew off a snort. ¡°Because I¡¯m one of her bridesmaids. I stepped out of the hotel room in the morning and when I returned I couldn¡¯t find her. Why are you surprised? I thought she told you.¡±

    Damn it! Why did Lorraine have to be soft all the time?

    I didn¡¯t know what to think anymore, but if what I felt was true then hell would be less hot than what I¡¯d give her.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me because you aren¡¯t important.¡± I ended the call and let the phone slip off my hand. ¡°Stop the car!¡± I ordered Drake.

    We were moving in circles and nothing was adding up. I didn¡¯t know who to suspect because Lorraine had several enemies.

    There were so many people who were ready to hurt her if given the chance and if she had agreed to stay with me as I suggested, she wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Due to Drake¡¯spetence, we were already out of Malibu, headed to Hawthorne. But of what use would it be when we didn¡¯t have the slightest idea of how to find her?

    I peeled off my jacket and dropped it on the chair then hopped out of the car. Drake did the same and we stayed in silence, both of us thinking on how to proceed.

    Finally one of us spoke up. ¡°I think Dante has a hand in this.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think so?¡± I probed, knitting my brows.

    He didn¡¯t get the chance to respond as a buzzing sound resonated from his pocket. I watched him frown when he started scrolling through the screen.

    ¡°Is everything alright?¡±

    He passed the phone to me while I swallowed, my body taut with tension. I clicked the y button and watched the video keenly.

    Anger surged through me when I saw Lorraine¡¯s battered face, but I froze when I noticed a shotgun in her hand. My eyes trailed along the direction of her target and the phone nearly fell off my palm when I saw Victoria crying profusely and pleading with her not to shoot.

    ¡°No¡­ No¡­ This couldn¡¯t be happening.¡± I muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± I cried when I saw her index finger close around the trigger, her eyes void of any emotion.

    Maybe I was hallucinating, but it cleared off when the shot was fired at Victoria¡¯s chest, a gasp escaping her mouth and her eyes bulging in shock.

    Everything went so fast and immediately there was a ckout. My brain became foggy as I almost dropped the phone; Lorraine pointing a gun at my sister without any remorseful look, then a shot ringing out and my sister dropping to the ground.

    There was no way she would survive it.

    Apparently, Lorraine jilted me to murder my sister while I searched for her.

 Bad plans

    Lorraine

    Dad?

    ¡°Emilia,¡± I called her attention huskily, afraid of what wasing to my mind. ¡°What are you doing here and how do you know Leonardo?¡± My heart thumped hard against my chest as I awaited a usible response that would put my fear away.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    She couldn¡¯t be all that bad, could she?

    She threw an amused nce at her father then chuckled. ¡°You are yet to catch the memo, aren¡¯t you? I just called him my father. What makes you think I¡¯ll be here if we don¡¯t share biological rtions?¡± She replied sassily like I¡¯d insulted her.

    I shook my head vehemently, hoping that the growing headache would go away. ¡°How¡¯s he your father?¡± I whispered in a daze.

    She tsked, giving me an angry onceover. ¡°Because he slept with my mother and they formed me, duh. You are so dumb, Lorraine. Did you think you could have everything to yourself? My man and the inheritance. You don¡¯t deserve anything good.¡± Sheshed at me, taking a few steps away from Leonardo and traipsing towards me.

    My hands were shaking with anger and I tried to clench my fists and maybe punch her, but I couldn¡¯t get myself to do anything as a blinding realisation rode through me.

    I sucked in air and braced myself for the next response I¡¯d get to my question. ¡°Were you behind everything that has been happening to me?¡±

    She shrugged, then propped her arm against her waist, shing a you¡¯re-supposed-to-know look at me. ¡°Took you so long to get it. I don¡¯t know how you were able to survive the poisoning even though I¡¯m happy that some of your vital organs might have ruptured. I actually wanted death for you.¡± She replied nkly.

    My knees almost gave out, but something wasn¡¯t clear at all. ¡°You ate that pizza with me, yet nothing happened to you. How was that even possible?¡±

    She snapped her fingers. ¡°The wonders of science, baby.¡± The sarcastic endearment was repulsive because Dexter used to call me that and I enjoyed it.

    I wish I could escape from here, but I needed to get all the answers first. ¡°Meaning?¡± If she wanted me to y dumb, I¡¯ll give her a show after all they all saw me as stupid.

    ¡°I took an antidote before poisoning it so that no one would trace your death to me since someone might guess that she saw you with me.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hold back my temper as I flung myself on her, digging my fingers into her scalp. She was a weak little bitch so hauling her onto the floor didn¡¯t pose any problem for me.

    She yelped as I mmed her head on the ground, hoping to hear a crack. Her manicured nails wed at my back but it didn¡¯t deter me from throwing hard punches on all parts of her body.

    Her face was a mess by the time I was hoisted away from her by her useless father who pped me hard. Iughed amidst the pain, watching the weakling cry to her father.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done, Emilia! You¡¯ve destroyed my life because I can¡¯t even have children. Dexter warned me not to have anything to do with you, but I didn¡¯t listen because I felt he was too harsh and you had changed. I should have known that changing a serpent¡¯s name won¡¯t have any effect on its behavior.¡± Ished out.

    She whipped her disheveled hair backward and scowled at me. ¡°Dexter is a big fool, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to make sure that I bring him down. He has caused me so much pain and refused me because of worthless trash like you.¡±

    On hearing Dexter¡¯s name, my protectiveness reared its head. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare hurt him, alright? If you didn¡¯t cheat on him, you¡¯d have been in my ce by now.¡± I roared as she waved off my words with a scoff.

    ¡°And who told you that I was in love with him in the first ce. He has a lot of money and I want it. I¡¯ve been with Dexter for a long time and I know how to get him. He would have forgiven me if you didn¡¯te back into the scene, but once you¡¯re out of the picture he¡¯ll be all mine again.¡± She winked at me, her confidence soaring over the roof.

    I was losing my courage because they were probably going to kill me and I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. ¡°What do you n to do to him, Emilia?¡± My voice was showing my dread and I didn¡¯t bother to cover it up.

    Right now, I was ready to do anything for the people I loved and Dexter topped the list.

    ¡°Break him slowly, paint a bad image of you in front of him-¡± She slurred.

    ¡°He won¡¯t believe you!¡± I argued.

    She smirked, lowering her brows. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±

    Then it hit me. Emilia was a maniptor, apparently she was the one who leaked our video at the party so that I could be embarrassed. If she could do that while I was still alive, how much more after my death?

    I entered a dialogue mode. I was supposed to save my face and stand tall, but what use would it be when the people you care about are hurt?

    ¡°Look, Emilia, I¡¯ll do whatever you want. I¡¯ll sign the document and even talk to Dexter to settle you with arge sum of money but don¡¯t hurt him.¡± My strong voice mellowed.

    She picked up the document thatid on the floor and produced a pen. ¡°I¡¯m happy that you aren¡¯t acting all bratty anymore so take it and sign.¡± She ordered.

    I furrowed my brows as my fingers closed around the pen. ¡°You won¡¯t hurt anyone?¡±

    ¡°Just sign it!¡± She snarled.

    Having no choice but to do as she wanted, I went ahead and signed it. ¡°Now let me go.¡± I stated.

    She stared at me like I was crazy then burst intoughter with her father joining her. My eyes darted to both of them as I discovered what I¡¯d just done.

    ¡°What a dumbdy. She signed it so easily because she thought I¡¯d agree to her terms and let her go.¡± She grinned and the door pushed open.

    A tired and weary Victoria was pushed into the room with her hands tied up. My eyes widened as I made an effort to embrace her, but a strong grip on my arm restricted me.

    ¡°Not so fast.¡± Leonardo warned.

    ¡°Lorraine, what have they done to your face? I don¡¯t even know where Ste is¡­¡± Her eyes averted towards Emilia and her lips fell agape. ¡°You¡¯re behind all of this? You¡¯re supposed to be my friend!¡±

    Emilia said nothing as she pulled out a shotgun from her ck sling-over bag. She strolled towards me, her eyes darkened and her expression unreadable which was annoying because I could tell her next action.

    She stretched her arm, silently asking me to take the gun.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m taking it.¡± I nted a look at Victoria who was visibly trembling, shaking her head while at it.

    An evil smirk crawled to her lips. ¡°You will take this gun and shoot her because if you don¡¯t, she¡¯ll still die and you¡¯ll die as well.¡±

    ¡°But why don¡¯t you want to kill her yourself?¡± I screamed.

    ¡°Because I have ns of painting you badly, remember? So take this and shoot her.¡± She ordered.

    I snatched the gun from her and pointed it at Victoria who pleaded with her eyes that I shouldn¡¯t go through with my ns. An idea was brewing in my mind and I just needed the right time to put it to action.

    Even though I had a n, my hands couldn¡¯t stop shaking.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t shoot, I can teach you¡­¡± Emilia offered as I took a cursory nce around, my heart skipping a beat as I realised that two other armed men were pointing their guns at me.

    One of them even had a camera!

    I couldn¡¯t afford to make a mistake.

    My finger closed around the trigger as I counted to ten in my mind. I¡¯d rather shoot Emilia than kill Victoria.

    One¡­ Two¡­ Three¡­ A shot rang out but it wasn¡¯t from me. Then the gun slipped from my grip when I saw Victoria drop to the ground, with blood gushing out from her chest.

    A loud scream flew out from me as I ran towards Victoria whoid on the floor lifeless. ¡°You killed her!¡± I yelled at the top of my voice as I red at Leonardo who rolled his eyes.

    ¡°You were wasting time.¡± He grinned widely, like he had just won a lottery.

 The urge to survive

    Lorraine

    Like Victoria¡¯s death didn¡¯t matter to any of them, I was shoved away from her and dragged out of the room like amon criminal.

    I stumbled through the daze of seeing my friend killed, my wedding dress smeared with her blood as I wondered how Dexter would receive the news.

    Obviously, I won¡¯t be able to tell him because they¡¯d probably kill me too.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Leonard¡¯s husky voice cut through my trance-like-state then the man who held me let go, while I slumped on the ground, my body bereft of energy. ¡°You all can leave.¡± He ordered and they left except for Emilia who scooted to the ground.

    She jutted my chin towards her with a snicker. ¡°How the mighty have fallen.¡± She mocked. ¡°It¡¯s time to go get your man, honey, and by the time he¡¯s done watching the video that¡¯s if he hasn¡¯t gotten it already, he¡¯ll be all mine.¡± She taunted me.

    I gave off no reaction as I didn¡¯t see the need to. They have seeded. My once bubbly day had been drowned with bad events from all angles.

    As Emilia¡¯s heels faded away while she trotted out of the hallway, I remembered that I wasn¡¯t alone. Leonardo was still here.

    ¡°You can kill me if you want. I promise that I won¡¯t struggle.¡± I said in resignation, leaning against the wall with every part of my body aching.

    The numbness that I¡¯d been feeling was beginning to slip away, and all the pain that was inflicted on me slowly sprang up, including the tear on my lip.

    He grunted, tucking my hair behind my ears while I shivered in irritation and shook his hand off. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    ¡°Right now, you don¡¯t have the right to tell me what to do because you¡¯ve lost it. ¡± He bent down, his eyes boring into mine. ¡°All the times you were with Dexter, did you think that I wouldn¡¯t be able to get you?¡± He asked, but since I wasn¡¯t in the mood for a discussion, I left his question hanging.

    When he saw that I was silent, he pinched my chin. ¡°When I ask you a question make sure you respond. It will make our activity for this evening less painful and maybe you¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± He wriggled his brows, and my skin crawled in repulsion as his fingers trailed along the bodice of my dress.

    I hoped that it wasn¡¯t what I was thinking because he¡¯d have to kill me first. I doubted I had the strength to fight against him but I¡¯d rather die trying.

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know how to answer your question, but there¡¯s a question that has bothered me for the longest and I hope you¡¯re kind enough to give me a good response.¡±

    He seemed to be enjoying our little chat even though I was presently regretting why  I didn¡¯t shoot him when I had the gun with me.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening. I mean, it won¡¯t be bad to have your nerves eased before the long night¡­¡± He had that suggestive tone that irked me to my bones but I didn¡¯t give a slightest reaction.

    My brain was still working on how to escape from this trap even though it looked almost impossible.

    ¡°Why do you enjoy hurting me?¡± I asked simply.

    His eyes dimmed, thrown aback by my question. ¡°Well, you make it all fun. At first you struggle so hard like you stand a chance against me, thenter you cave in because you know that I¡¯m the one you want.¡±

    Was this man mad?

    Fury reced the cold aloofness I felt.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, Leonardo. The biggest mistake myte mother ever made was meeting you. I guess her body would be tossing restlessly in her grave in regret.¡± I spat and he averted his gaze from me.

    He slowly rose to his feet without saying a word, then he yanked me up with less effort and dragged me into another empty room. Unlike the other room I found myself in, this one had a bed and a little window.

    Anxiety creeped in as he mmed the door and began to work on his belt. I scanned through my dress, my heart beating in a stato rhythm, checking the thickness of the severalyers of fabric. It would be intricate enough to keep him confused until I fight him off¡­

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked harshly when he took strides towards me, d in just his briefs and zers.

    He stretched his arms as I retreated, avoiding the bed. ¡°Come on, baby, don¡¯t make this any harder. I want to feel you. I¡¯m even horny, don¡¯t you see?¡± He pointed at the rock hiding underneath his briefs while I shuddered at the disgusting sight.

    If it had belonged to someone else-Dexter, I¡¯d have been all shades of horny, but I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of Leonardo talking more about the rod between his thighs.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you have me!¡± I refused vehemently. ¡°I am not your whore.¡±

    Thankfully, the bed was king-sized and it wasn¡¯t close to the wall so we could run around in circles.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure about that¡­¡± He leaped forward, his eyes zing with the need to fulfill his mission as they darkened whileI moved back swiftly.

    The movement caused his head to collide with the hard wood and he began to curse under his breath. I found a broken metal at the edge of the bed and my heart leaped for joy, then I bent down and stylishly picked it up.

    ¡°You wench!¡±

    He dragged me onto the bed and I let him. My back collided with the hard foam and Iid t, watching him tear my dress aggressively while I shut my eyes.

    I wouldn¡¯t make a mistake this time. That, I promised.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Please, Leonardo, don¡¯t do this.¡± I pleaded with him softly, but my pleas fell on deaf ears as he busied himself with undressing me.

    The moment his fingers got to my underwear I made my move. With one strike on his crotch, a painful groan resonated from his throat. I stabbed his arm and rolled him over, dashing out of the room without looking back.

    His yells and slow footsteps alerted me that he was chasing after me, but I had an advantage since I¡¯d rendered him indisposed.

    He wouldn¡¯t be able to run with blood gushing down his thighs except he was immune to pain.

    Freedom stared at me as I ran out of thepound without anyone following me or so I thought.

    I didn¡¯t bother to stop and see if they actually didn¡¯t notice that I¡¯d escaped as a great deal of adrenaline surged through my body.

    The primal need to survive was imprinted in my mind.

    ¡®Keep running.¡¯ I chanted within myself as I got to the highway, wishing that anyone would be kind to get me out of here.

    Blinded by fear and survival hormones, I defied the traffic rules and jumped into the highway where cars sped off like they were in a race. Most of them blew their horns at me but I ignored them, wading through cars until I wasn¡¯t so lucky anymore.

    I heard my name behind me and fear welled up again as I spun around and found Dante beaming towards me. Like I decided earlier, I¡¯d rather die than have him get me. So I did the craziest thing and ran against a BMW X 4.

    I felt my body being lifted into the air and a barrage of memories flooded my mind; the first time I had an ident after finding out that Eden was cheating on me, then meeting Dexter and creating a lot of memories with him.

    Hot tears cascaded down my cheeks when my head collided with the ground, the sound of cars jamming into each other reverberated.

    My eyes were bing blurry and a wheezing sound resonated in my ear. I couldn¡¯t feel, I couldn¡¯t think, so what was the use of living?

    My body began to shut down and I readily epted my fate, closing my tired eyes and allowing death or whateverid in wait for me to take over.

 Cutting her off

    Dexter

    I was broken beyond repair.

    Lorraine just killed my sister without any form of remorse like a trained killer. She jilted me to exact revenge.

    I spun around and my fist connected with the window of my car which had an immediate crack at the impact. Drake watched me quietly after collecting the phone, but he didn¡¯t interfere which made me happy.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I thought she loved me.¡± I rasped, sliding down my car as my voice cracked.

    Drake interfered this time and crouched beside me. ¡°Things happen for a reason, boss and she might have acted under duress.¡± He added, then snapped his mouth shut when I sent him a scathing look.

    There was no need to find her or maybe there was, but not today. It was gettingte and going ahead to find my sister¡¯s body would prove abortive because I had no idea where Lorraine took her to.

    ¡°Take me home.¡±

    He opened the car door for me without saying anything then drove off. The car rolled into the facade of my empty house and I pulled myself in.

    I didn¡¯t know when he left even though I heard him mumbling some words earlier. It felt like I¡¯d been detached from my world and floating in a different space.

    It felt good being there, at least I wouldn¡¯t be reminded of my anguish.

    My eyes darted at my wine cer and I remembered a scenario that took ce the first night after I forced Lorraine to be my wife.

    I offered to have a drink with her and she epted. The memory was still very fresh in my mind but the reminder that she was a heartless murderer shoved it aside.

    Walking through a daze, I strolled towards the cer and picked a bottle of Macan with a wine ss. I loosened my tie and sank onto the floor with a sigh.

    The silence wasn¡¯t just unbearable, but it kept reminding me that the home I once enjoyed returning to everyday had been shattered and would never be repaired and so was my heart.

    I¡¯d loved Lorraine for the longest time and she decided to hurt me like this. Even though she was trying to retaliate for forcing marriage on her, she should have dealt with me instead of Victoria.

    I banged my fist on the floor and clenched my teeth, my body raking with unshed tears. Not wanting to be overwhelmed by my pain, I quickly opened the bottle of Macan and poured a very generous amount into the cup.

    A knock sounded on the door, causing me to hiss at the unwanted visit. My appearance was shabby, not good enough to reveal to outsiders, but the knock was persistent just like my throbbing headache so I groggily asked the person toe in.

    Heels clicked on the tiled floor as I downed the Macan and dropped the cup. ¡°Just say what you want and leave.¡± I spat bitterly.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Dexter? Where¡¯s Lorraine? Have you been able to get to her?¡± Her series of questions fueled my anger, but I reined in my emotions as I lifted up my face and red at Emilia who wore a worried look.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from her and I don¡¯t care where she is.¡± I said curtly.

    She sighed and lowered herself onto the floor. ¡°Something isn¡¯t right, Dex. Your wife is missing and all you¡¯refortable doing is to drink? Don¡¯t you love her anymore?¡± She scolded me, but that only irked me further.

    ¡°And who are you to tell me what to do?¡± I roared, causing her to jerk backwards in fear.

    She caught her breath, her eyes bulging but not straying away from me. At a point I felt sorry for her because she was here when everyone deserted me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for not minding my business.¡± She scurried away from me and picked up her bag. ¡°I think I should leave.¡± Sadness was evident in her tone.

    I caught her wrist before she could make it to her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± I breathed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being harsh. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± I trailed off. ¡°A lot has happened today that sharpened my perception about people, especially Lorraine.¡± I couldn¡¯t even bear to call her my wife.

    ¡°How do you mean?¡± She asked with a low tone that showed she was ready to listen.

    There was no better way to announce it than pushing the words out so I went ahead. ¡°Victoria is dead.¡± Emilia¡¯s gasp was unmistakable, but I continued. ¡°Lorraine killed her.¡±

    Her palm flew to her mouth as she drew closer to me with empathy masking her face. ¡°How do you know about it?¡±

    I told her about how she had been unreachable before the wedding, then the video that was sent to Drake¡¯s phone. By the time I finished, my body was vibrating with renewed anger and disappointment.

    ¡°Oh my. I can¡¯t believe that Lorraine would do such a thing. She was so nice and sweet to me.¡± Emilia replied, horrified. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡±

    I shrugged and averted my gaze from her because I wasn¡¯t sure of my ns yet, but all I knew was that I had to get the body of my dead sister then track Lorraine down. She had to pay for her crimes, wife or not.

    ¡°Tomorrow will tell.¡± I answered shortly then shed a nce at her. ¡°Do you care for a drink?¡± I offered and she smiled, nodding her head.

    ¡°Why would I reject a drink from you? It¡¯s like a peace offering.¡± She chuckled and I got up to get another cup for her, but my view became muzzy and I staggered.

    I couldn¡¯t believe that just one ss of whiskey was messing with my bnce, but then nothing about my life presently was under my control.

    As I headed to the cer, my steps continued to waver until I missed a step and nearly fell if not for the small hands that held my arms. ¡°Be careful, Dexter, you will hurt yourself.¡± Emilia came to my aid.

    ¡°I¡¯m hurt already.¡± I peered at her face then my eyes lowered to her parted lips which looked a bit inviting.

    Once upon a time, I¡¯d have been repulsed by her presence, but right now I needed a distraction that could help me forget about Lorraine, and she availed herself.

    ¡°I want to kiss you,¡± She murmured and I blinked hard, contemting on my options.

    She was avable yet something held me back. Then I realized that Lorraine still had a strong grip on my life that had to be cut off.

    I wrapped my hand around her neck and lowered my head due to the difference in heights. ¡°Do as you wish.¡± I urged her on.

 Thrills of revenge

    Lorraine

    The path I was headed to was lonely. Not just lonely but scary as well.

    It gave me the creeps, but I dared not take a backward nce because of the thick darkness lurking behind me.

    ¡®What was I doing here?¡¯ I thought aloud and fear coursed through my body as I got a response in the form of an echo.

    ¡°My child,¡± came the shrill voice my brain refused to acknowledge as I wrapped my arms around myself, hoping that my scaredy mind was cooking up voices.

    But the voice came again, stronger than the first and I was forced to halt my steps. Summoning courage, I turned around and a woman dressed in immacte white which had a golden glow smiled at me.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Her smile was warm and kind, and her eyes were filled with sympathy and an endearing kind of love that only one person could give me.

    My mother, I realised, was standing here with me.

    My heart skipped a beat as I took a step backwards in fear. ¡°W-Who are you?¡± Terror was evident in my shaky voice.

    Her smile didn¡¯t falter, instead it became brighter. ¡°You know who I am, my child.¡± She advanced towards me slowly but I didn¡¯t move because I couldn¡¯t.

    It felt like my feet were stuck to the ground with a strong glue, ensuring that I wouldn¡¯t run away. ¡°Mother?¡± I called gently and she stretched her arms, then the invisible glue that held my feet bound to the ground loosened.

    I ran towards her and melted into her embrace, burying my face on the crook of her neck. After everything I¡¯d been through, it felt good to be with a familiar person, especially the woman that I¡¯ve missed for a long time.

    ¡°I missed you, mama,¡± I sobbed loudly without holding back my emotions.

    Her fingers trailed through my head, her touch soothing to my headache. ¡°I missed you too. I¡¯m so sorry for failing you.¡± Her voice crack unmistakably.

    I pulled away and held her hands. ¡°You didn¡¯t fail me, mama. You only fell in love with the wrong person, that¡¯s what happened.¡± I countered.

    She palmed my face, wiping my tears. ¡°Leonardo was a sweet man when we met. If I¡¯d known that he harbored so much evil in his heart, and he was after my money then I¡¯d never have married him. He thinks that he has won, but you will go back to the world and take your revenge.¡± Her lips were pressed with determination.

    My eyes widened with a startling discovery as I passed a cursory nce around the lonely dark ce.

    Was I actually dead?

    Like my mother knew what I was thinking about, she nodded.

    ¡°Your body is presently lying lifeless in the hospital bed and they are about to take you to the morgue but I won¡¯t allow it, that¡¯s why I¡¯m sending you back. Everything they took from you, you will take double without mercy and anything you need to show them pain will be avable for you.¡±

    I was utterly speechless as I listened to her instructions, but I couldn¡¯t ignore the mes of revenge that she ignited in my heart with her words.

    Leonardo, Emilia, Liam and ke. I¡¯d hurt them so much they wouldn¡¯t know what hit them.

    ¡°Are you ready to go back?¡± She asked firmly and I swallowed.

    Having made my decision with our eyes locked, I agreed. ¡°Yes, mama. I promise I¡¯ll avenge your death. They won¡¯t go unpunished.¡±

    Even without being told, I knew that something within me had changed. I hugged her again, knowing that we didn¡¯t have much time together again.

    Gradually, I felt her skin bing flurry. Her fingers were turning to white dust and I saw myself being pushed farther away from her. Was this how our discussion was supposed to end?

    I tried to run after her but instead of going forward, my body retreated backwards and began to float, my name resonating in the darkness.

    The voice sounded strong and filled with terror-motivated enthusiasm that could be likened to a man¡¯s.

    ¡°For God¡¯s sake, wake up, please!¡± The intensity of his desperation dragged me away from unconsciousness as my eyes opened to the brightness of the room.

    My throat closed up when I tried to swallow, but that wasn¡¯t all because I realised that I couldn¡¯t even move. Then my mind shed back to the dream I had, or whatever it was.

    Mother said I¡¯d died and she¡¯d send me back.

    Was this what she was talking about?

    I was interrupted from my train of thoughts with screams of joy. I frowned as my eyes flew towards Mr Rogers who was jubting with the other doctors and nurses.

    ¡°She¡¯s alive!¡±

    My lips formed a small smile as I took note of the room. Painted in white, it reminded me of the time I met Dexter after the ident. Shivers surged through my spine as I sighed.

    Mr Rogers ran towards me, stroking his fingers fondly on my cheek. His gesture drew out strange feelings within me that had nothing to do with romance. There was this fatherly bond I felt whenever he was around me.

    For some unknown reasons, I knew that I was safe around him and he wouldn¡¯t hurt me.

    ¡°I thought¡­ I thought I¡¯d lost you.¡± He burst into tears and I almost did the same.

    What amused me was how he took my concerns personally, like I was his child. ¡°How did you get to find me?¡± I managed to ask, ignoring the acheing from my dry throat.

    He shook his head and held my hand. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you all about it, but not yet. You have to rest and regain your strength.¡± He said, his expression revealing relief and peace.

    My mind reverted to what my mother had said. She told me that people would be avable to aid my n. Was she referring to him as well?

    A fine young doctor came to him and they chatted a bit. His face was filled with smiles and dness as they conversed while I turned to the side.

    I didn¡¯t know the extent of my ident but I was sure that it was very bad, but why didn¡¯t I feel any blinding pain when I turned to my side?

    The conversation between Mr Rogers and the doctor ended and he returned to me, looking ecstatic. ¡°There¡¯s good news.¡± He announced.

    I gave him a side nce, encouraging him to go ahead.

    ¡°The doctor is surprised at the speed of your recovery because you¡¯ve been out for a month and you weren¡¯t responding to treatment until this afternoon, but the shocking part is that after the tests, your body healed miraculously.¡±

    I smirked, knowing how it happened. Mother had a hand in my speedy recovery but I couldn¡¯t let him know.

    The thrills of revenge simmered in my innards and I was so ready to dish it out.

 Can I call you father?

    Lorraine

    Late in the afternoon in Monterrey, Mexico, I decided to take a stroll around William¡¯s gigantic house. At the hospital, he told me to stop calling me Mr Rogers when we left the hospitalst week since he had already taken me as his daughter.

    I was d in my skinny blue swimsuit that matched the color of the pool, but I had ace white robe covering my scantily covered body.

    Being away from all the chaos in California was like taking a breath of fresh air. I really liked it here, but the hollow Jess at the pit of my stomach just couldn¡¯t be filled up.

    ¡°Can we take a swim together?¡± I flinched but I didn¡¯t bother to look back because I knew who it was.

    My lips twitched as I took off my robe. ¡°Sure you can, William. It will be nice to have a dip while the sun baths us.¡± I replied and headed for the pool.

    Before I could take a dip, he¡¯d already thrown himself in, the effect causing a heavy ssh on both sides. I did the same and we both burst intoughter and started swimming after each other.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be going to work today?¡± I started a conversation.

    His eyes danced with amusement. ¡°Today¡¯s Saturday. Shouldn¡¯t I be resting?¡± He joked as I palmed my forehead.

    ¡°I forgot. I¡¯m used to being around people who wake up early in the morning and head to work.¡± My smile faltered as I remembered the startling news I saw on television which made William take me out of the country.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    He had gone to work that morning and since I¡¯d recovered, there was no need for me to keep staying in the hospital. Feeling bored with no one to talk to, I turned on the television and decided to keep myself busy.

    But I regretted my action immediately because the news that greeted me was thest thing I expected. Apparently, Dexter had sued me for the death of his sister and he was willing to pay any amount to anyone who found me.

    I quickly passed a call to William and he rushed home from his supervision, made quick arrangements with his jet and in less than four hours we got to Mexico, and ever since I¡¯ve been indoors thinking about the present direction of my life.

    Some things had to be set right, but that would be after I¡¯d put some things in ce.

    ¡°You are still thinking about Dexter?¡± He asked quietly, though I couldn¡¯t deny the slight surprise in his voice.

    I nodded and swam to the edge of the pool. ¡°I know he hates me right now, but I miss him so much. Assuming I didn¡¯t love my life, I¡¯d have ran back to California to exin things to him.¡±

    William snorted, his expression darkening. ¡°You¡¯d better not ponder on that too much or you will be making a big mistake.¡±

    Our conversation was bing serious and the pool wasn¡¯t the right ce to have such discussion, so I climbed out through the rail and he did the same. We both wiped our bodies with towels then headed to his living room.

    It was one of my favorite ces in the house because of the floor-to-ceiling see-through window that faced his beautiful garden. I liked Dexter¡¯s penthouse but it couldn¡¯t bepared to William¡¯s beautiful mansion.

    Every nook and cranny of the house, including the furniture screamed luxury, and I wondered if he was just a businessman because he looked too simple to be this rich.

    I plopped down on the sofa and he did the same too, ready for the conversation I¡¯d been subtly evading.

    ¡°What¡¯s your n, Lorraine?¡± He held my gaze while sitting across me.

    I lowered myshes and fiddled with my fingers. A n had been brewing in my head since the kidnap, but remembering that I wouldn¡¯t have Dexter by my side for the execution hurt me badly.

    It was worse when I remembered that Emilia would be digging her maniptive ws into him, and I wouldn¡¯t be there to fight her off.

    The thought triggered my anger as I clenched my fist. If I couldn¡¯t fight her as Lorraine, then I¡¯d have to do it as another person.

    I sucked in air and raised my head proudly. ¡°I¡¯ll return to California.¡± I said tersely and his brooding eyes popped, his forehead creased as he got to his feet.

    ¡°You will do no such thing!¡± He countered and I smiled, crossing my leg over.

    ¡°I will,¡± I replied firmly, ¡°As Melissa Rogers.¡±

    His brows became furrowed as he processed my response. ¡°What are you talking about? Who is Melissa Rogers?¡±

    A triumphant smile crawled to my lips, my mind reeling with ideas. Yes, I¡¯d been craving for revenge, but I was confused on how to go about it, now it looked like a flood of ideas had poured into my mind, bringing rity along.

    ¡°I will be Melissa Rogers, William, so can you rx, let me exin to you?¡±

    He sank down on the armchair beside me, giving me a serious look. Boldness engulfed me as I gave him a run down of my ns. I would have to take things one after the other, including changing my identity, but I had a feeling that it would be worth it.

    All I needed was his support financially since my ount was frozen and I couldn¡¯t take the risk of showing up. That would be signing my own death warrant.

    I nced at his face and sighed at the worried expression so I held his hand. ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, William, and you have every right to be, but you know I have to do this.¡±

    He exhaled and raked his fingers through his hair. ¡°That night I saw your body lying in its own pool of blood, I knew that something had gone really wrong. And after you exined what they did to you, I knew that you would have to take revenge, but presently I see you as my little girl whom I¡¯ve grown to love, and the thought of seeing you get hurt again fills me with terror.¡± He admitted and I didn¡¯t even know when I began to cry.

    He pulled me closer to him and let me sob on his neck.

    ¡°Can I call you father?¡± I sniffled.

    He palmed my cheeks and gazed at me lovingly. ¡°I¡¯d like that very much.¡± He replied and nted a kiss on my forehead.

 The return

    Part Two

    Life they say is not just a bed of roses but it has its bouquet of thorns. However, Lorraine had more thorns in her life than roses.

    Several attempts were made to end her life just because¡­ And the man who was supposed to protect her turned his back against her, leaving her to the wicked ws of death.

    Fortunately, she met a good man who made her his priority and after having a good conversation with herte mother, she decided to return to her past to take revenge on those who enjoyed inflicting pain on her.

    She will return as Melissa Rogers, an elegant and charming model who¡¯s not just talented but a wealthy business woman as well. She¡¯s happy to meet her husband after two years, but her heart is broken into shards when she discovers that she wasn¡¯t just betrayed by her friends, but also by the man she loves.

    They thought it was over, but it¡¯s just the beginning and they are yet to feel the true meaning of pain.

    PS: Melissa Rogers will be the new Lorraine Hills. Since she¡¯s returning to take revenge, she had to change her look to be unrecognizable.

    Melissa.

    The weather which was previously bright and sunny suddenly turned dark and gloomy, causing me to sigh heavily inside the car. But nothing prepared me for the kind of heavy downpour that drenched me the second I hopped out of my car.

    Standing by the side of my car, I waspletely perplexed and unsure of what to do next. Returning to my car wouldn¡¯t make my clothes dry or produce an umbre. Shit! Why did I have to forget my umbre in my penthouse?

    So I decided to take the bull by the horn and head in. I hid my brown leather bag underneath my sleeveless beige knee-length jacket and ran into Hemming corporations.

    Amidst the cold, a nostalgic feeling hit me as I darted my eyes around the building. After two years, everything was still the way they used to be. It was January so the walls looked like they were retouched, but that was just the only difference.

    I stopped at the reception and frowned when I realised that a new person had reced the former receptionist. Dexter hardly dismissed his staff and that could only mean that some things might have gone wrong in my absence.

    ¡°Good morning. I have an appointment with Stefan Adams. Can you ring him for me?¡± I asked politely as she gauged me with a sympathetic look.

    I was freezing and the air conditioner wasn¡¯t making things any better, but I couldn¡¯tin. The meeting was all that mattered to me as it would be the first step to setting my ns in motion.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± She called him immediately and ryed the message to him. ¡°Can I get you a cup of coffee?¡± She said and after ending the call. ¡°You look like you¡¯re about to freeze.¡± She joked and I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself.

    This wasn¡¯t how I nned to step into thispany, but at least no one could tell it was me; not by my hair which I¡¯d dyed to a light auburn color or my face which had undergone stic surgery.

    I was a new person in every sense of the word and I felt safe in the knowledge.

    The coffee came and I sipped it slowly, basking in the unique vor of the coffee. I made a mental note to ask what kind of coffee it was because I really liked it.

    Confident footsteps traipsed towards me and I took my attention from the coffee and jutted my face up. Stefan flinched when our eyes met but I wasn¡¯t fazed by his surprise. Maybe my gray eyes reminded him of the former Lorraine but that would be the only link.

    Melissa was different. I was different.

    He steered himself out of his reverie and cleared his throat while I bit back a smirk. It was good to know that he hadn¡¯t changed.

    He stretched his arm while I stood up and received it, the cold dissipating slowly. ¡°Hi, Miss Rogers. I¡¯m d you were able to make it.¡± He gave my drenched jacket a once over, then touched his chest. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the inconveniences.¡± He apologised.

    I gripped his hard firmly then broke the hand shake with a polite smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologise for something you have no control over.¡±

    His lips parted slightly as he tucked his hair behind his ear. ¡°That¡¯s so nice of you, ma¡¯am. Let me take you to the CEO¡¯s office. He¡¯s the one that wants to meet with you.¡±

    Dexter?

    My eyes narrowed in slits as I arched my brows in fake displeasure. ¡°I thought the meeting was with you? How does it concern your boss?¡±

    He evaded my gaze, settling his lower lip between his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if you¡¯re disappointed, but since you¡¯ve already gone through all the stress to be here, why don¡¯t you see him? I promise it¡¯s for a good reason.¡±

    I smiled within me while rolling my eyes outwardly. My number one rule was to make everyone know my worth and be assertive about what I wanted.

    Never again would I allow anyone to trample on me because I was an orphan. Now I had a father who loved me to death, and enough money from the investments I made from my father¡¯s loan tost me for a lifetime.

    ¡°You¡¯re making a point. Let¡¯s go then.¡± I urged him on and he smiled in satisfaction.

    It was funny how one¡¯s life could turn around within a fleeting second. Two years ago, he was my boss but now, he is doing everything possible to make sure I meet his boss.

    I liked the change.

    His secretary cleared us, but she kept her eyes filled with awe. I ignored her stare and trotted into Dexter¡¯s office with an intimidating gait.

    My body became taut as soon as I saw him, fixed behind therge mahogany desk that seemed like it was custom made for his huge frame. His head was bent, engrossed on the tablet on the table.

    My fingers tightened on my leather bag, but I kept quiet while waiting for Stefan to alert him of my presence.

    ¡°She¡¯s here, sir.¡± He announced nervously while I shed a surprised gaze at him.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Stefan was never nervous around Dexter so what caused the change of attitude?

    It didn¡¯t take much time for the answer to surface. Dexter finally dragged his eyes away from the tablet and gave me a piercing look.

    Recognition shed in his brown eyes then disappeared instantly. A scowl crossed his features as he stared at me from head to toe with disapproval.

    ¡°I heard Miss Rogers is smart and beautiful. Why is she looking like she just came out from a pool?¡± He asked with irritation.

    Stefan made to exin but I stopped him with my hands raised in the air. There was no need to defend me. I could hold my own.

    I cleared my throat and quickly whipped up a goodeback. ¡°Mr Hemmingway, I believe your ears are still working. Or even if they are on break, you should have noticed with your organ of sight that it suddenly started raining, hence my wet clothes.¡± He massaged a cute stubble that formed in his chin, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

    ¡°Are you insulting me?¡± He asked calmly and I almost scoffed at the audacity he had to ask such a stupid question.

    ¡°It¡¯s not actually nice to be insultive to someone you just met for the first time, but since youck manners, I might as well leave immediately and attend to other urgent matters.¡± I concluded with a deep frown and spun around, ready to leave.

    His deep sigh resonated in my ears, causing a slight bolt of electricity, but I ignored it and reached for the door knob.

    ¡°Wait! Miss Rogers!¡± He mumbled an order and strangely, I halted on my steps.

 A baby?

    Melissa

    I sucked in air and straightened my spine before turning around to face him. He was already on his feet with his brooding eyes trained on me.

    His lips were pursed and his eyes darkened as he kept staring at me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave.¡± He said gently and I shrugged.

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I? I¡¯ve just been here for less than ten minutes and you¡¯re already talking down on me¡­¡± I paused to control my temper. There was no need for us to banter words when we could talk like mature adults.

    He snapped his finger and Stefan scurried out of the office, leaving the both of us alone. The room immediately became charged, so tense that I nearly lost myposure.

    I clutched onto my bag tightly, hoping that I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling the tension.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss Rogers. I shouldn¡¯t have spoken to you like that,¡± He strolled away from the protection of his table and crossed over to where I stood by the door. ¡°But you are feisty and I like that.¡±

    His smirk yed on and I frowned, angry that the change in his expression affected me. It shouldn¡¯t matter, after all, he sent the police after me. He was the main reason I had to change my identity.

    My mind had better register the fact that Dexter left me alone without giving me a benefit of the doubt.

    Putting up a mandatory stoic mask, I moved away from the door. ¡°Well, life has taught me that you need to be feisty to survive.¡± I replied tersely.

    ¡°You know the right words.¡± He acknowledged, ¡°Let¡¯s dive into the reason you¡¯re here.¡± He stopped in front of me, putting just a little distance between us.

    I could raise my chin up and our lips would meet.

    A curse flew out of my lips at the thought of kissing him. I was here for business, not to get trapped in a sexual situation.

    ¡°Mr Hemmingway, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s proper to be standing with your prospective business partner like this. We aren¡¯t a couple.¡± I reprimanded him harshly but he chuckled, warding off my reproof like it was nothing.

    His strong palmsnded on my shoulder and I couldn¡¯t help the shiver that coursed through me. ¡°I know, but I won¡¯t befortable seeing that you¡¯re likely to catch a cold while we are discussing the growth of mypany, so can I help you with it?¡± His request was pointless because he had already started talking the jacket off my body and I stood still, enjoying his feathery caress on my skin.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I whispered, my cheeks heating up.

    He didn¡¯t answer until I was left in my white camisole and beige suit pants. He hung it on the wall rack then entered an adjoining room and brought out a ck coat.

    ¡°Take this. It should warm you up.¡± He gave it to me and returned to his seat.

    I shook off the haze he intentionally put me in and wore the jacket. A whiff of his musky scent hit my nose, some nostalgic feelings finding its way to my mind.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I muttered and sank onto the chair. ¡°Business now?¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    He nodded and passed a document to me. I threw him a questioning nce then scanned through the paper. A smile crept to my lips when I finished reading through the uses.

    My body was giddy with excitement, knowing that I was on the right track. Father was right when he told me that returning to my modeling job would pave the way for me to be noticed and it did just that, else I wouldn¡¯t be sitting in front of Dexter and reading a contract that would bind me to hispany as a brand ambassador.

    ¡°Are you fine with our terms?¡± He asked with a business-like tone.

    I couldn¡¯t show off my excitement so I said. ¡°I¡¯ll give this to mywyer so that he can go through it. Once he has made the necessary adjustments, I¡¯ll give you a response.¡±

    He sped his palm together and rxed on the back-rest of his executive chair. ¡°That would be great.¡±

    Sure it would be, since I¡¯d be having more reasons toe over and upset Emilia. This would be really fun, I thought.

    ¡°I have a question to ask.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡±

    ¡°You could have reached me through your personal assistant or anyone else but you chose to speak to me directly. Why?¡± I couldn¡¯t stop myself from asking.

    His eyes became cold like my question stung him but I wasn¡¯t deterred. Somehow, I wished he could just know it was me even with my change of identity. Wasn¡¯t it what soul mates were all about?

    Knowing a person just by his or her presence.

    ¡°There are some questions that shouldn¡¯t be asked, Miss Rogers. I¡¯m the boss here and I can do whatever I want.¡± His voice bore annoyance so I crossed my leg.

    Arrogant, much.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking that personal question even though I think it¡¯s nothing close to personal.¡± I got to my feet, ready to leave as the tension was gradually beginning to eat me up.

    That wasn¡¯t how I wanted to speak with him, but it seemed like a lot of things had changed since I left, except for the kindness that was etched deep in his soul.

    The ck jacket he gave me was a reminder.

    As if he noticed my difort, he got up as well. ¡°Your jacket will be sent back to you whenever you send your response.¡± He said confidently.

    ¡°And what if I send my response through an email?¡± I pushed on just because I enjoyed our stuck up-beating-around-the-bush kind of conversation.

    He folded his arms, his muscles flexing enticingly from his ck shirt. ¡°You wille back physically to give me a reply. I¡¯m very sure of that.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that-¡±

    The door swung open and the babbles of a child reverberated in the office. Stunned by the intrusion, I turned around and was greeted by the most heartbreaking sight.

    Emilia traipsed towards Dexter, holding a little girl in her hand. They both beamed at Dexter who didn¡¯t look too pleased to have them around.

    My heart leapt out of my chest, my breathing hitched. It couldn¡¯t be what I was thinking. Maybe she just came for a visit, I hoped.

    But my hopes crashed when the girl called him daddy. That was all she had to do for Dexter to sweep her off her feet and pepper her face with kisses.

    Suddenly, I felt like the third wheel and if I didn¡¯t leave any time soon, I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold back my tears.

    They didn¡¯t even notice that I¡¯d left and I hissed. What was I expecting?

    That he would run after me and exin what was going on? I shouldn¡¯t even be expecting anything from him apart from a court case if he realised that I was alive.

    Bile rose to my throat while the scene continued to rey in my head. Emilia wasn¡¯t supposed to be smiling happily with him like that after destroying my life.

    And Dexter, he shouldn¡¯t have gotten so close to her to the extent of having a child with her. Did I really mean nothing to him that he could stoop so low to be with Emilia?

    The romantic feelings I held onto even in death disappeared, reced with deep hatred.

    It was time to take a new step so I tossed off his jacket, got into my car and headed to myte mother¡¯spany. I had an important friend to meet.

 Old feelings

    Dexter

    Staring at those beautiful gray eyes ignited a deep feeling that I¡¯d buried for a long time. She reminded me of the woman I loathed so much.

    Myte wife, Lorraine.

    Her alluring lips that revealed her feisty side snapped shut when Emilia barged in. I quickly hid my displeasure in her intrusion seeing that my beautiful daughter was around. She was the only reason I wouldn¡¯tsh out at Emilia.

    My eyes darted to miss Rogers who seemed to be awestruck on seeing me with a child. I wasn¡¯t sure, but it felt like the sight broke her heart and the urge to go after her when she stormed out of the office overwhelmed me.

    Emilia ced her palm on my chest, reminding me of her presence while I shoved it off. ¡°Why are you staring at her like that? All your attention should be on me and your child.¡± She pouted.

    I ignored her and nted kisses all over Lilly¡¯s body. Due to how busy I was, I couldn¡¯t visit her frequently, but I made sure that they were properly taken care of, especially my daughter.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving my attention to the person that really deserves it so stop whining unnecessarily.¡± I scolded her and carried Lilly to my couch.

    She began to y with her teddy and I left her to it, satisfied with how engrossed she was with her toys. Then I faced her mother squarely, who had plopped down on my chair.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have brought her here without calling me,¡±

    She raised a brow and rolled her eyes nonchntly. ¡°I can bring her to meet her daddy whenever she wants to see you, besides, you¡¯ve been distant these days. She couldn¡¯t stop crying when I picked her up from school because she said she missed you.¡± Hershes were lowered while she talked and I didn¡¯t need any soothsayer to tell me that she was lying through her teeth.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    I propped my arms against my waist, slightly frustrated. ¡°Lilly, here, doesn¡¯t look like someone who has been crying, Emilia. What if I was in the middle of an important meeting? I¡¯m sure my secretary told you.¡± I seethed, wondering why I was getting really riled up.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time she brought Lilly over, but being with that hot model whom I¡¯d do anything to make sure works with mypany, did something to my brain.

    Her eyes kept reminding me of Lorraine, and the more annoying part was that I was still in love with Lorraine. Even though she killed my sister and I filed awsuit against her, I still wanted to look her in the eyes and ask why she did it.

    But I guessed she never really loved me, if not she wouldn¡¯t have absconded so easily. The reminder hurt me badly, and having to see a woman with almost the same kind of eyes worsened the pain.

    Emilia sprang to her feet. ¡°What¡¯s wrong if the secretary tried to stop me but I ignored her because my hunch was right?¡± She fired back.

    I scoffed angrily, ring hard at her. ¡°What hunch?¡±

    ¡°I knew that you were with another woman and I was right about it.¡± She banged her fist on the table and Lilly let out a shriek.

    We both rushed towards her but I was quick to carry her and pat her at the back. ¡°I hope you learn to keep your voice down when you¡¯re with my daughter.¡± I growled and kept patting her back until she becamex in my arms.

    That was one thing I loved about Lilly. She rxed easily whenever I was with her, and I reveled in the fact that staying in my arms could make her calm.

    After Lorraine jilted me and ran away, I lost all hope. My sister was dead, I had no friends and the woman I loved with all my heart cut my heart into pieces without batting an eyelid.

    Loneliness became mypanion, and my life had no meaning any more until Emilia came one evening and announced that she was pregnant.

    At first, I thought she was joking until she showed me the test results. I couldn¡¯t deny being the father because we had a one night stand once which I regretted badly. But every action had a consequence and I wouldn¡¯t be a man who ran away from his responsibility.

    And having Lilly in my life was the best thing that happened to me.

    I lived for her.

    Each time the pain from the past reared its ugly head, I held onto the fact that I had a daughter who would want me to y with her whenever I visited, or buy her favorite strawberry ice cream.

    But seeing that beautiful woman with captivating gray eyes made me feel like I could have more.

    Just maybe.

    After I ced Lilly on the couch and covered her up, I returned to my desk and opened myptop. There was a lot of work to be done and I couldn¡¯t keep bickering like a jobless person.

    As I stared at theputer, my mind reverted to the discussion I had with Miss Feisty and I chuckled.

    She was witty and smart, but she also had an intimidating aura that could make anyone do her will. Although something told me that she wasn¡¯t the kind of woman who¡¯d oppress others just for herfort.

    ¡°You¡¯re smiling so hard, Dexter. What has that woman done to you?¡± She red up and when I met her gaze, I saw the desperation in her eyes. ¡°Have you forgotten what Lorraine did-¡±

    I raised my hand sharply and she mped her mouth shut immediately. ¡°Do not mention that name in front of me again.¡± I warned and she swallowed visibly. ¡°The only reason we are having this conversation is because of Lilly, but that doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t know your ce.¡± I warned her, my tone growing cold.

    Her eyes sparked with anger. ¡°And what¡¯s my ce?¡± She asked through gritted teeth.

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to know. You are just my baby¡¯s mother.¡± I forced out.

 The first step

    Melissa

    Within the confines of my car, I let it all out. The hot tears, the sobs that clogged my throat tightly and waited for me to be alone before erupting.

    I fought back the tears, angry that I was doing little in obliterating the emotional part of me. I disliked the fact that little things could still affect me when I was supposed to just shove it off and move on.

    Maybe it was because I had high expectations which Dexter had sessfully shattered.

    I dug into my bag in search of my phone so I¡¯d call the only one who genuinely cared about me. Simultaneously my phone rang with his name popping on the screen.

    ¡°Dad?¡± My lips trembled as I held back a sob.

    ¡°Melissa, are you alright? You sound broken. Didn¡¯t the meeting go well?¡± He asked worriedly.

    He stayed back in Mexico, where his headquarters was situated, then made sure that everything I needed to have a sessful stay here in California was provided for.

    I didn¡¯t want to attract attention to myself by living extravagantly, so I chose a well furnished condo in Beverly Hills which wasn¡¯t too far from Dexter¡¯s house. I could see myself joining him for a run every morning just to make Emilia mad with jealousy.

    ¡°It did, dad, but I just discovered that he has a child with Emilia¡­¡± I trailed off, gripping my phone tightly as though it was the cause of my problem. ¡°While I was fighting for my life and anticipating meeting him again, he was busy making babies with her.¡±

    Father said nothing, but I could tell that he was finding it difficult to stay calm. After living with him for some time, I got to learn some sides of him. And one of the things I loved about him was how protective he was about the people he cared about.

    ¡°Honey, why don¡¯t you allow me to deal with these people by myself? They aren¡¯t worth the stress.¡± I could hear the concern that was mixed with anger in his voice, but I didn¡¯t want him to meddle.

    This was my fight.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    I wanted to see their empires crumble. I wanted them to gnash their teeth in pain and regret. I wanted to do it by myself because that was the only way I would heal.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad, it¡¯s not your battle. I just called you for emotional support.¡± I told him and he sighed in frustration.

    ¡°I wonder why you can¡¯t allow me to do things for you. You are my daughter.¡± He whined.

    I smiled, wiping the tears off my face. ¡°At least, you¡¯ve made me smile. That should be enough.¡± I joked, then spat out the phlegm that had piled in my throat because of my runny nose. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I need from you, I promise I won¡¯t hesitate to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? Because I¡¯m holding onto this promise.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure, dad. Have a good day and take care of yourself.¡± I said and blew him a kiss.

    The depression was beginning to wear off and I was so ready for my next meeting. I flung my phone to the other chair and it fell on Dexter¡¯s jacket.

    I grabbed it immediately and made to wring it, but my fingers couldn¡¯t go through with my intended action. Instead, I brought the jacket closer to my nose and began to sniff it, enjoying the familiar musky scent that followed suit.

    My heart began to ache, knowing that I couldn¡¯t have him the way I wanted. And it hurt badly because Emilia was already seeding in snagging him to herself.

    I wasn¡¯t going to fight for Dexter because he had made his choice, but I could definitely have some fun while dishing out revenge to both sides..

    With that decided, I started the car and drove off. My car rolled up at the parking lot of Hills jewelry, then I floored the engine and wore Dexter¡¯s jacket.

    It gave me an extrayer of confidence I needed to waltz into this building that once belonged to my mother. I didn¡¯t need to stop by the reception because the secretary told me that the receptionist had been informed of mying.

    I¡¯d never been to Hill¡¯s jewelry because I didn¡¯t know my mother had apany like this until my informant told me about it. Apparently, I hadn¡¯t only signed my mary inheritance, I¡¯d signed away my legacy, hoping that it would be enough to save Victoria.

    The memories from that day still haunted me and it was my motivation for whatever step I was about to take right now.

    ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you.¡± His secretary said quietly, pointing at the door adjacent to her cubicle.

    I inhaled deeply and counted from one to ten which helped to control the surge of fury I felt for the man. Then I knocked once and went in without hesitation.

    Just as I thought, he was scrolling through his phone, his back resting on the back-rest. He didn¡¯t even look like someone who had an idea of what to do in an office, and that was why I had made ns of kicking him out and sending him back to abject poverty.

    ¡°Hi, Mr Jones.¡± I greeted him icily even though I tried to sound formal.

    This murderer deserved nothing short of cruelty, but I had to hide my hatred for the meantime.

    As if he was jerked out of his reverie, he quickly sprang to his feet and stretched his hand with an embarrassed smile. ¡°Oh, miss Rogers, you¡¯re wee to our office. I didn¡¯t know you had arrived.¡±

    I shook his hand as firmly as I could, holding his gaze coldly. He couldn¡¯t even fathom what I had in store for him.

    ¡°Yes, I got in a few minutes ago and I didn¡¯t want to disturb you since you were so engrossed in your phone. Tell me, is this how you run thepany?¡± I smiled, though the mockery in my tone was audible enough.

    He lowered his gaze as I took a cursory nce of the office. It was just as boring as his secretary described. No office decor or anything that showed it was a workce.

    There had been no new innovation since he became the CEO.

    Just some squeaky brown table and an old executive chair that should have been reced long ago. This man was doing nothing with the money he stole from me.

    Well, this was the main reason for my visit. To see how ipetent he was and keep it as evidence.

    A frown crossed his face then vanished almost immediately. He couldn¡¯t afford to bear his feelings openly when he knew that I wanted to invest in the business or I¡¯d put it correctly.

    I was here to take back what belonged to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, ma¡¯am. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± He apologised and I waved it off with my hand then settled on the chair.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡±

 An accidental meeting

    Melissa

    By the time I finished discussing with him, I was drained and furious. Leonardo had no idea of how to run a business well. All he knew how to do was spend money on frivolities, including the numerous women he partied with every weekend.

    I kept track of his lifestyle and from what I¡¯d seen it was very appalling. I could say without a single doubt that every dime he spent was from thepany¡¯s purse.

    That was the money made from the jewelry sold and it was to be used to run thepany. Apparently, he was busy running his life as he pleased.

    Having confirmed my suspicions, I stopped by his secretary¡¯s office to pass a brief information to her. She was one of my numerous informants I employed to watch Leonardo and since I was already at the office, I just felt that it would be more efficient to tell her what I wanted in person rather than sending a text.

    Before I returned to California, I called his previous secretary and paid her to quit her job. The tip off was huge so she agreed willingly which made it easier for me to bring someone else.

    ¡°How did the meeting go?¡± She asked politely, her eyes darting at Leonard¡¯s door because we couldn¡¯t have him watching us.

    ¡°It went well. We¡¯ll have a meeting this evening at our usual spot so get there before five, please.¡± I informed her and walked away. I didn¡¯t need to tell her about the location since we had a fixed meeting ce.

    The feeling of being at home once again wasforting as I could easily toss off Dexter¡¯s jacket and have a rxing shower.

    Wrapped in my bathrobe, I heard a knock on my door and paused picking up a dress for my meeting with Ericater in the evening. I wasn¡¯t expecting anyone since I didn¡¯t really have friends.

    Could it be my neighbor? I thought.

    I quickly strolled to the door and hissed when I took a peek of the visitor and realised it was one of those unimportant people that I made the mistake of showing my apartment to.

    My fingers tightened on the door knob as I wriggled out every ounce of self control within me and opened the door.

    ¡°Hi, sweetness.¡± He smirked, stretching his arms for a hug while I rolled my eyes and folded my arms.

    I shut the door, but I was careful not to lead him into the living room. We were better off standing by the door. ¡°What do you want, Riel? Why are you here?¡± I asked sternly, ensuring that he didn¡¯t miss the irritated edge of my voice.

    He popped his gum carefreely and shrugged. ¡°I missed you so I decided toe over and see you. You know, have some amazing time while I make you feel really good.¡± He wiggled his brows, a dirty smile ying on his lips.

    I stared at him nkly, wondering why I actually slept with this kind of man. We met at a club a few days ago and I was yearning for some release.

    He was down for it and I just wanted to satiate my urge so we had it in my condo, and the next morning I sent him out and told him never toe back. I never slept with a man twice.

    Or maybe I did, but he wasn¡¯t just the man I wanted it with.

    ¡°Sorry to burst your bubbles, Riel, but I don¡¯t miss you at all. As you can see, I¡¯m getting ready to leave and I don¡¯t need any disruption from my preparation.¡±

    He pushed forward into the living room, but I kept my feet rooted firmly to the ground and red hard at him which restricted him from taking any other step into the room.

    His face revealed his displeasure, but I didn¡¯t care. And at this point I¡¯d decided never to bring any man to my house again, especially these horny buddies.

    ¡°It will be easy, you know¡­¡±

    I lurched at him furiously and pushed him through the door. ¡°Forget my address alright? If you evere back here again, I swear I¡¯ll get you arrested.¡± I yelled and mmed the door.

    My eyes strode to the clock and I let out a yelp. It was past five already.

    The meeting!Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    Since I¡¯d already figured out what to wear, I didn¡¯t spend much time dressing up. Ten minutester, I was dolled up in a ck jumpsuit which had a cross back strap, then a pair of stilettos.

    My light auburn hair was trimmed down to a bob, giving me a more serious look that I liked. My phone beeped and I didn¡¯t need to check to know who it was.

    ¡°I¡¯ming,¡± I muttered under my breath and scurried out from my condo.

    In a rush I inserted the key in and the car roared to life, then I drove off. A wave of relief washed through me as I stopped at the Golden bar.

    Erica had me rushing over because even though she worked for me as an undercover secretary, she firmly stated that she was going to remain a frencer. It was either I agreed or looked for someone else, and knowing how good she was at her job, I had no choice but to agree.

    The bar wasn¡¯t as crowded as it usually was so I didn¡¯t have to start searching for empty tables. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t sitting at any of the empty tables I saw, which was unlike her.

    I reached for my phone, my fingers grazing the metallic frame, then I saw the message and sighed. She¡¯d texted that she wouldn¡¯t be able to make it because of an emergency.

    My hopes were dashed but I couldn¡¯t return back home immediately, so I plopped down on a chair and waited for the waiter toe over.

    I¡¯d probably have some drinks then go back home to loneliness. The reminder caused me to shudder, but there was nothing I could do than to get wasted.

    Engrossed in my thoughts, I didn¡¯t know when another person joined me. The familiar musky scent wafted into my nose and I darted my gaze to my side, my eyes squinting in surprise.

    ¡°Dexter? What are you doing here?¡± I scolded myself inwardly for speaking to him so informally.

    He furrowed his brows, his eyes scanning my smitten face quietly. ¡°You just used the first name basis with me. I think it¡¯s a good thing.¡± He chuckled, then strode to the seat opposite me and held it by the edge, causing my innards to be jittery.

    Gosh! He wanted to sit with me.

    God help me to stayposed because this was thest thing I expected.

    Then his deep soothing voice caught through my dilemma. ¡°Can I join you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± My heart began thudding faster against my chest. ¡°You want to sit here?¡± My voice was shaky and going by the wicked smile on his lips, I knew he was having so much fun toying with me.

    ¡°Yes, I want to or do you think it¡¯s a bad idea?¡±

    My fingers reached for the crook of my neck as I weighed my options. If I turned his request down, I¡¯ll sound too uptight and give him the impression that he had an effect on me which wasn¡¯t a lie. And if I requested, I¡¯d be going back on my decision of getting close to him.

    But with those brown eyes fixed on me with azy stare, challenging me to pick the right option, I went with thetter.

    ¡°You can sit with me. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be a bad idea provided you keep your annoying side to yourself.¡± I said nonchntly and heughed.

    Hisughter was genuine and free. I wasn¡¯t sure I was ready for the kind of feelings hisughter ignited, but I managed to shrug it off.

    ¡°This is going to be a good evening.¡± He pushed the seat backwards and settled down.

 My heart accepts you

    Melissa

    My palms became mmy with sweat as I avoided his unsettling gaze. It didn¡¯t waver, instead he fixed it on like I was the only one who mattered. The only woman in the bar.

    I cleared my throat since I was bing more jittery by each passing second. ¡°What would you like to have?¡±

    His stoic gaze turned puzzled. ¡°You want to get me something? I think I should be the one doing that since I barged into your privacy.¡±

    ¡°Well, you did.¡± I chimed in and we bothughed at my snide remark. Then I signaled the waiter toe over. ¡°Why are you in a bar? You should be with your family right now.¡± I forced the difficult question out of my mouth, while gauging his reaction.

    The atmosphere was already tense even though we didn¡¯t act like it, and I didn¡¯t want to further heighten it.

    ¡°Lilly is my only family.¡± He spat coldly.

    I cocked my head to the side, maintaining a straight look and ignoring the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. ¡°Just Lilly? What about the woman that came with her? Seeing how close they were, I suspect she¡¯s Lilly¡¯s mom¡­¡± I didn¡¯t mention Emilia¡¯s name intentionally to keep my cover up.

    He kept a low profile and talking about his personal life like that would surely raise some suspicion.

    Anger shed in his brown orbs, his lips pursed tightly. Watching how uneven his breath was, I knew that it would be hard for him to talk. ¡°Emilia is just a baby mama to me, and I regret sleeping with her. If Lorraine hadn¡¯t hurt me the way she did, then nothing would have me tied to that witch.¡± The bitterness in his tone was very obvious, and strangely, I was happy that he didn¡¯t love her.

    I clenched my fists and shook my head. I shouldn¡¯t be happy about it. My focus had to remain on my revenge.

    ¡°What did Lorraine do?¡± I asked carefully, eager to hear what he had to say about me.

    The waiter waltzed to our table, causing a break in our discussion. One nce at him and I could see the relief on his face.

    Did he really hate me that much?

    He uncorked the bottle of Pinot Noir and poured the content into our wine sses silently. I tried to look away, but my eyes were fixed on his long and capable fingers that were wrapped around the bottle, causing a throbbing sensation between my thighs.

    He raised the cup with a little smirk. ¡°Cheers.¡± He said, his lips closing on the rim of the ss.

    ¡°Yeah. Ch-Cheers!¡± I smiled nervously and gubbled the wine down.

    ¡°So you were saying something about her?¡± I reminded him again.

    He dropped the cup and rxed his spine. ¡°All I know is that she is a corny and cruel woman who didn¡¯t think twice before taking the life of my sister. Do you want to know the worst part?¡± His voice shook with unhinged anger.

    I sucked in air and took another gulp, hoping that he wouldn¡¯t sense my tensed state. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to know.¡±

    ¡°She did it on our wedding day.¡± He whispered and if I didn¡¯t know Dexter well, I¡¯d think he was about to cry. ¡°She left me alone at the altar and killed my sister.¡±

    I sighed tiredly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that she might have her own side of the story?¡± I asked gently and he whipped me a look that said I shouldn¡¯t repeat such again, but trust me to be stubborn so I continued. ¡°Maybe she was kidnapped and forced to kill her. Besides, you should have known if she had enemies that were willing to scuttle her happiness.¡± I suggested with a bored tone but I deeply wished he would see it from my point of view.

    Unfortunately, I was alone in my analogy. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I saw her pull the trigger. It was so clear.¡±

    Alright. That only meant that I had to get theplete video from that day and show it to him. It would be the final straw to break the camel¡¯s back.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± My voice cracked because I was actually sorry to see him in so much pain. It was very obvious that he hadn¡¯t moved on and somehow it gave me hope.

    He nodded, the scowl slowly disappearing from his face. ¡°Can we talk about something else?¡± He suggested.

    ¡°Like?¡±

    ¡°Like how a woman can be so feisty and undaunted at the same time.¡± He drawled with a flirtatious edge.

    As Lorraine , I was jealous, but right now, I¡¯d forget all about my vendetta and have fun with this handsome man who was looking for a way out of his problems.

    ¡°Do you like me?¡± I asked without mincing words and his eyes widened in surprise.

    He roared in a fit ofughter while I rolled my eyes. ¡°Maybe I like you. You match my personality and I feel relieved just by staying with you for a few minutes. Only Lorraine made me feel that way.¡± His countenance became sullen as he struggled to keep his expression unreadable.

    ¡®You feel that way because she¡¯s staring right at you.¡¯

    The words remained stuck in my throat because telling him that would only end my ns before they even began.  ¡°I¡¯m happy you feel better and I think the red wine is helping as well. Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    He leaned closer to me and my body became taut with anticipation. ¡°Melissa,¡± He called softly while I shivered, enjoying the sultry manner at which my name rolled out of his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to drag this on.¡±

    ¡°What am I dragging on?¡± I asked, totally encapsted by the sexual atmosphere he unintentionally created.

    ¡°I want you to agree to my terms. Be mypany¡¯s brand ambassador.¡± His eyes pleaded with me.

    I nearly scoffed in disappointment. My heart had already skipped a beat, hoping that he would ask me out on a date but he just had to talk about work.

    For sure, I wouldn¡¯t pass up on his offer. It was a means to end, and the bonuses were really good, but I wanted more.

    ¡°I told you that I¡¯ll give a reply once mywyer is done reviewing the contract.¡± I stated nkly.

    He pulled backwards. ¡°I just want to make sure you don¡¯t change your mind.¡±

    A thought struck my mind. ¡°You¡¯re overly persistent about me working with you, why is it so?¡±

    His gaze became intense. ¡°It¡¯s simple. My heart epts you and I know you will deliver even if it¡¯s the first time you¡¯ll be working with us.¡± He replied honestly and my eyes burned with unshed tears.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    The memories of how he supported me in the past flooded my mind without restraint. I couldn¡¯t hold it anymore, so I picked up my bag abruptly and left since I couldn¡¯t trust myself to keep my emotions in check.

 A bombshell

    Melissa

    It was three days after I walked out from Dexter at the bar and I was overwhelmed with guilt. The urge to call him and apologize for being rude gnawed in my chest, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it.

    Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I consoled myself with the fact that I¡¯d see him again to sign the contract. Then I¡¯d use a stone to kill two birds by apologizing once we were done.

    Wearing an Armani dark blue skirt suit added to my confidence as I traipsed out of my condo and headed for hispany. My heart beat with anticipation, knowing that Emilia would be present.

    It was time for the head to be the tail.

    I got to the building in no time and I stopped by his secretary¡¯s office. Since it was a decision that affected the reputation and finances of thepany, the board of directors had to be avable for the meeting.

    The boardroom was on the third floor so I headed for the elevator in the hallway. I pressed one of the floor buttons and it dinged open, but that wasn¡¯t all. My number one enemy was already inside the elevator, probably wondering why she had to be whisked away from her pretty moment, to be at work.

    ¡°Hi,¡± I greeted sweetly and immediately, her face formed a frown.

    She didn¡¯t respond but I wasn¡¯t satisfied with her silence. Riling her up before dropping the bombshell on herter on looked like a kind of fun I couldn¡¯t ignore.

    ¡°I greeted you, miss. It¡¯s only right that you respond.¡± I said harshly, acting offended.

    An irritated hiss slipped out from her lips. ¡°No, Melissa. I don¡¯t respond to women who have their eyes on other women¡¯s boyfriends.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked innocently and she scoffed, moving away from my side to stand in front of me.

    If res could kill, I¡¯d be lying six feet below because she was so ready to murder me. Something struck my mind right there. I was never her problem, she was just an evil person who didn¡¯t hesitate to hide her personality from people who couldn¡¯t stand up for themselves.

    ¡°I think my boyfriend likes you.¡± She spat and this time I couldn¡¯t hold back a chuckle. At least she was honest about what she observed.

    I arched my brows and whipped up a perplexed expression. ¡°Who¡¯s your boyfriend?¡±

    She gave me an are-you-serious gaze then folded her arms, nearly pushing her cleavages out of the skimpy dress she wore.

    Didn¡¯t anyone tell her that she wasing for a board meeting and not a club party?

    ¡°Do you really not know who he is?¡± She asked exasperatedly. ¡°His name is Dexter Hemmingway, and if youe any inch closer to him, then you¡¯ll have me to contend with.¡± She snarled while pointing her index finger furiously at me.

    I shoved her aside and stepped out of the elevator when it dinged. ¡°I don¡¯t snatch people¡¯s husbands, darling. That¡¯s your job. I think you should be more interested in resuscitating your dead career back to life before your reputation will be swept under the carpet.¡±

    Blood drained from her face as I shed her a triumphant smile and walked towards the board room.

    I was punctual as usual, though they were a few others who were already seated. Previously, I would have felt out of ce but with the awestruck nces they passed at me, I knew that I was right where I should be.

    Some of the older men kept leering at me, their eyes zing with undiluted lust which got me disgusted. They were old enough to be my father so they¡¯d better kept their horny machines between their thighs.

    Dexter sat in the middle, while I took a seat close to him. Emilia barged in with a sassy gait and plopped down lousily on an empty chair beside me.

    I tried to make eye contact with him but he kept his gaze fixed on hisptop. I raked through my well permed hair in frustration. I couldn¡¯t understand why his silence got to me, but it would have to end after today.

    After I¡¯d served Emilia a little taste of her own medicine.

    ¡°We can begin now since we¡¯re alreadyplete.¡± Dexter said and his secretary began with the formalities.

    Minutester, my mind hadpletely switched from sulking over Dexter¡¯s intentional ignorance to focusing on the main reason I was her.

    My body became giddy with excitement the moment he stood up to convince the other directors about why they had to contract me as their brand ambassador. I didn¡¯t know he had so much knowledge about me until he started listing the huge milestones I¡¯d achieved as a fashion model.

    A snort resonated from my side but I overlooked it, after all, I wasn¡¯t the one with the dead career.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°At this point, I think it will be a good investment if we put her on board.¡± He concluded and they all apuded him.

    My face beamed with pride as I took a cursory nce at all the people seated with us. They respected Dexter, not only because he was thete CEO¡¯s son, but he had worked really hard to bring thepany to where it was presently.

    It was time for me to sign the papers so thewyer whose expression was already tense, called on the attention of Dexter.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s a use in the contract that I think we all have to be aware of.¡± He raised his hand, while I held back my smirk.

    ¡°What could that be?¡± He asked curtly.

    Thewyer swallowed nervously, his throat bobbing up and down as he flipped through the pages. ¡°The model wants Emilia Jones to work for her as an assistant.¡± He summarised.

    Emilia let out a deafening scream that almost sent me running from my seat. Then she sprang up like an angry tiger, ready to tear me to pieces, but the good part was that she didn¡¯t have any ws.

    ¡°Her assistant?¡± She thundered. ¡°Are you joking?¡± She fumed at me while I kept shut, enjoying the conflict disying on their faces.

    Most of them knew that Emilia was Dexter¡¯s baby mama and they wouldn¡¯t like to hurt him, but at the same time, they needed my services.

    This was going to be a tough one.

    I decided to butt in. ¡°I think my condition is as clear as day and that¡¯s the only thing I want, so it¡¯s either she bes my assistant or I walk away.¡± I replied cockily, tapping my fingers on the ss table while waiting for them to make a decision.

 A small win

    Melissa

    Silence reigned in the boardroom but I already knew what the answer was going to be. Resignation red in their faces and I reveled in it.

    It was nice being the reason for everyone¡¯s silence. Till now, I never believed such a day woulde when everyone would try to please me.

    Whispers went around, while Emilia looked to Dexter whose expression was unreadable for help. I kept a passive look, then began scrolling through my phone to bid time.

    ¡°We¡¯ve made a decision.¡± Dexter announced while I dropped my phone aside. ¡°But we¡¯ll also like to know why you want Emilia to be your assistant.¡±

    Great.

    It was time to employ my phnthropic mode. One that would make me look like the helper and Emilia the true bitch she really was.

    ¡°My reason is simple. As you all know, I like to offer help in any way I can and I¡¯ve observed that Emilia is in true need of it. Her career is dying and by taking her to shows and having her work with me, I believe that it will have a great influence on her career.¡± I exined, then nted a look at Emilia whose lips hung open in the air.

    She obviously didn¡¯t buy my story, but her opinion didn¡¯t matter because the directors who had the final say nodded with admiration at my exnation.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good idea, but I think we should ask Emilia what she really feels about it.¡± Dexter suggested and I nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You can go ahead and do your thing.¡± I said calmly.

    I was almost pissed that he cared about her opinion, but I couldn¡¯t me him for trying to be careful. He had to ask before I signed the papers, so that he wouldn¡¯t be sued for coercion any time Emilia decides to go overboard.

    ¡°Can I speak to you in private?¡± She asked through gritted teeth and Dexter who looked like he didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near her grudgingly got up.

    They moved to the far end of the room and judging by the scowls on their faces, I knew that they weren¡¯t having an easy conversation. Emilia would always like to make Dexter happy, and as long as I was concerned, the case already settled.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    They both returned to their seats in no time, while we stared at them expectantly.

    ¡°After all the back and forth, Miss Emilia Jones has decided to work with you, which means that we have agreed to your terms. I hope you don¡¯t dy in signing the contract.¡± He said with a bored tone, my lips stretching with a victorious smile.

    ¡°Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to work with you. I hope that this coboration yields fruits for all of us.¡±

    I signed the contract and I shook hands with all of them, then gradually, they exited the room until it was just Emilia and I left.

    Perfect timing.

    She didn¡¯t even wait for the door to be jammed before she began to vent at me. ¡°What¡¯s this pity show of yours all about?¡± She seethed.

    I folded my arms, masking my satisfied face with an innocent expression. ¡°I don¡¯t get it, what do you mean?¡±

    She iled her arms in the air, tilting her head to the side in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯d better stop ying with me, because it isn¡¯t funny, you skank. Stop trying to paint yourself as some miss goody two-shoes because it won¡¯t work on me. Do you get that?¡±

    I ced my hand on my chest, lowering myshes with a sour expression. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention, Emilia, I was only trying to help.¡± I croaked, my voice bing soft like I was about to break into tears.

    ¡°Help, my foot!¡± She fired at me. ¡°That discussion we had at the elevator didn¡¯t sound like you were trying to help me, bitch.¡±

    I was at the edge of breaking into a smirk but I kept it in and stood up. I was about to achieve my aim so I had to y dumb till the end.

    ¡°Look, Honey, I¡¯m sorry if it felt like I was too forward at the elevator, but your sassy attitude really got to me and I wasn¡¯t having it. Right now, I¡¯m trying to help you, I really hope you take my offer.¡± I snatched my bag and stormed out of the room.

    Satisfaction coursed through me when I heard her heels clicking on the floor behind me. I kept up my pace, keeping my expression sullen while I headed for the exit door.

    ¡°Come back here, Melissa! You don¡¯t get to embarrass me and get away with it.¡± She lurched at me, her fingers digging into my scalp as she pulled my hair.

    My head became hot as blinding pain seared through my scalp. ¡°Let go of my hair!¡± I screamed loudly, my bag dropping on the floor as some of the workers came outside of their offices.

    Bright lights from their cameras started shing at us and then I knew that the game was already in motion.

    I dropped to my feet, acting powerless and oppressed as I began to plead with her. ¡°Please, stop, Emilia, you¡¯re hurting me.¡± Beads of tears cascaded down my well made up cheeks as I groveled before her.

    Then suddenly, she let go of my hair, her eyes darting around the workers who had gathered around with their phones. I sobbed harder, my loud cries turning into a bawl.

    She started waving at them furiously. ¡°Delete those videos. She was the one who came at me.¡± She yelled out at an exnation, screaming at them like a mad woman.

    I bent my face in fake, my roughly tousled hair, covering the side of my face while pretending to be grossly embarrassed.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± Dexter¡¯s harsh voice thundered from the crowd and immediately  everyone scampered to their cubicle.

    Mission aplished!

    He didn¡¯t even utter another word when Emilia began to make up lies to save her face. ¡°Why did you allow this thief to work with us? She¡¯s going to steal you from me.¡± I almost chuckled.

    Oh no, darling. You stole him from me after framing me for murder.

    He drew closer to me, ignoring her ims then crouched low beside me. He caught my chin with his fingers then tilted it up so I could stare at him. ¡°Are you hurt? Do you want me to take you to the hospital to be checked?¡± The tenderness behind the question had me melting like butter in a heated te.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I just want to go home. It¡¯s been a long day.¡±

    It was half truth and half lie.

    I wanted to go home and celebrate my small win, then think of how to make Emilia¡¯s life more miserable, but at the same time, spending some time with Dexter didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea.

    He sighed, and the next thing he did was picking up my bag and sweeping me up my feet. Then he fixed his worried eyes on me. ¡°I should have known that you are stubborn. Let¡¯s get you checked.¡±

    With that said, he waltzed me out of the building, his eyes solely on me. Even Emilia¡¯s tantrums couldn¡¯t hold him back.

 Boyfriend?

    Melissa

    We had almost gotten to the passenger¡¯s seat when I decided to intervene. ¡°I¡¯m not sure Emilia will like this. She might be hurting.¡± I uttered softly, knowing that I was stirring up his emotions.

    ¡°As if,¡± He scoffed and dropped me on the ground then opened the car door. ¡°First of all, she hurt you first and I¡¯d have to talk to her about itter. Secondly, I don¡¯t really care about her, alright? So stop worrying about trivialities and allow me to take care of you.¡± He grumbled, my heart racing faster.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I replied sarcastically, my body giddy with suppressed excitement and went in.

    No lies, I was hurting. She¡¯d pulled my hair too hard and if not for the trap I¡¯d set for her, I would have faced her squarely. But this wasn¡¯t the time to go physical on her. Using my emotions and acting weak would get more reactions.

    I silenced my phone intentionally because of the notifications that threatened to cause a malfunction in my device. I¡¯d take care of revengeter, but now, I had to allow my husband to take care of me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for walking out on you the other day.¡±

    He huffed, his attention fixed on the road. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t bear grudges.¡±

    It was at the tip of my tongue to tell him that if he didn¡¯t bear grudges, he would have forgiven Lorraine already, but I swallowed the words and watched him drive stealthily to a nearby hospital.

    We went in and the doctor did a general check on me. The pain in my head had reduced but Dexter wouldn¡¯t believe it except the doctor said so.

    ¡°Do you want to have lunch? I know a good ce where we can do that. It¡¯s the least I can do to thank you for taking care of me.¡± I offered.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± He started the car. ¡°I took care of you because someone had to take responsibility for Emilia¡¯s actions.¡± He said and drove off.

    His sharp admittance stung in a kind of way, but I didn¡¯t want him to start having the wrong idea so I let it slide. We didn¡¯t say anything to each other apart from when he asked me for directions to the eatery.

    The silence was bing unptable with each passing minute and having him act like I didn¡¯t exist irked me further. The urge to nag like an abandoned wife enveloped me, so I yielded to the voices in my head.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°Can you stop this bullshit?¡±

    He swerved from the road and parked the car at the side. ¡°What is going on with you?¡± He sounded displeased, but I didn¡¯t care anymore.

    I squared my shoulders and unbuckled my seat belt. ¡°You¡¯re making me go nuts.¡± I confessed, my voice climbing a high pitch.

    My little confession was a tip of the wall of frustration I had to go through and seeing him around Emilia without recognizing that it was his wife affected my sanity in every hurtful way.

    Assuming I hadn¡¯t decided to stretch Emilia¡¯s suffering, I¡¯d have found a way to end it all myself.

    ¡°How?¡± He asked innocently, further increasing my irritation.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk to me and you¡¯re even making it harder for me to start a conversation. I thought I told you that I was sorry.¡± I exploded at him, but as usual, he took it all in with a slice of calmness.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m giving off a wrong vibe, I didn¡¯t just want to say something that will hurt you.¡± He rumbled and I massaged my chin to assuage the forting headache.

    A scoff flew out of my lips as I rolled my eyes. ¡°You lied when you said you don¡¯t bear grudges. What happened that evening-¡±

    He raised his hand sharply, training a rxed gaze at me. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I¡¯m the one at fault for not knowing when to shut my mouth and I get it, so let¡¯s forget all about it so we can have something for lunch.¡±

    I let out a relieved sigh and tightened my seat belt once more, happy that the tension in the car had fizzled out and we were back to normal.

    ¡°That seems like a good n.¡± I agreed and off we went to the eatery.

    The aroma that greeted us as soon as we got in was enticing. My mouth watered as I sank onto an empty table Dexter picked for us.

    One of their waiters didn¡¯t waste much time in attending to us and we both made our orders.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to dive in. I feel so hungry,¡± I remarked.

    Then Dexter propped his elbows against the table, his palms sliding against each other. He leaned forward then did a little scrutiny around us. ¡°One of these days, I¡¯m going to show you how much of a good cook I am.¡± He smirked confidently.

    ¡°I know you are. I can¡¯t wait to eat your sour cream cornbread. It¡¯s been a while since I ate that¡­¡± My lips snapped shut immediately I got a grip on myself.

    What the hell did I just do?

    His puzzled gaze didn¡¯t make things better. ¡°My sour cream cornbread? I¡¯ve never cooked for you before.¡±

    I chalked it up with a nervousughter. ¡°I guess it didn¡¯te out the way I wanted. I was just saying that if you were going to cook for me, don¡¯t forget to add sour cream cornbread. It¡¯s my favorite dessert.¡±

    He nodded absentmindedly while I hoped with everything within me that he would buy my exnation.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then I¡¯ll prepare it for you.¡± He agreed with a wry smile, the rxed atmosphere vanishing slowly. ¡°That used to be Lorraine¡¯s favorite dessert, though.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Never mind, I didn¡¯t say anything important.¡±

    He didn¡¯t have to respond because our meal was brought almost immediately. A tray of steaming Lasagna and grilled chicken for myself, then a te of Mac and cheese for himself.

    We ate in a tolerable silence . My hunger slowly began to dissipate, as I filled myself withrge chunks from my chicken.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to go back to work after having something this heavy.¡± I joked.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t n on going back. I¡¯ve had enough work for today.¡±

    My face brightened with excitement, my cheeks heating up without hesitation. ¡°If you say so.¡±

    He dropped his fork suddenly and stared at me intently before asking me a question I never expected him to ask in the middle of lunch.

    ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡±

 An undeniable attraction

    Dexter

    Primal possessiveness stirred up within me while I patiently waited for her response.

    ¡°What if I said I have one?¡± A flirtatious smile crept to the crook of her lips as she batted hershes at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll like that.¡± I stated as a matter of fact.

    Her eyes widened as she wiped her lips with a paper towel. ¡°Why won¡¯t you like that? You are not even my friend, yet.¡± She dragged on which only fueled my jealousy-no, not jealousy, maybe it was something else.

    I couldn¡¯t harbor such feelings that could make any man unreasonable. But I definitely didn¡¯t want any man around her and I certainly didn¡¯t want to be just her friend. I wanted to be much more than that.

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want you having one.¡± I growled and a spark flickered in her eyes, her sensuous lips parting slightly as she averted her gaze from me.

    Her tongue ran over her lower lip while I took note of every action. One thing was sure, I¡¯d made her ufortable in a good way.

    ¡°You¡¯re very blunt.¡± She remarked and I leaned backward, folding my arms.

    ¡°And that¡¯s why you like me.¡±

    She flinched, her fingers straightening her short hair which she did a good job of arranging whileing to this ce for lunch. ¡°H-how do you know that¡­?¡± She stuttered.

    ¡°I can feel it.¡± I decided to change the subject, seeing that her atmosphere was getting tense.

    Thest thing I wanted was for her to walk away like she did the other day, and strangely, I was more concerned about protecting the feelings of this woman than any other thing.

    I wasn¡¯t supposed to feel this way. My failed marriage with Lorraine should have taught me a lesson, but here I was, caring for another woman even though I shouldn¡¯t.

    My phone vibrated in my pocket, dragging me out from my trance-like state. A scowl formed on my face when I saw who the caller was.

    ¡°I have to take this call, please.¡± I told her and she nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She said and I headed for a more quiet ce where I could speak with Emilia.

    I clicked on the answer button and waited impatiently for her to start talking. After a long breather, her harsh voice came on the line.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never pick up.¡± Her angry voice reverberated in my ears while I sighed in frustration.

    ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m busy right now.¡± I asked through gritted teeth and she hissed.

    I could imagine her ring daggers through the phone. ¡°I can imagine how busy you are with her. It might be under the sheets where you¡¯ll fuck her brains out then minutester, you¡¯ll return to your miserable and lonely life, and you know what, I¡¯ll be right here to sit you through it.¡± She fumed.

    My throat tightened with suppressed fury, but I couldn¡¯t yell over the phone the way she did. ¡°I¡¯m going to ignore all you said right now because I don¡¯t have the energy to deal with you, so why did you call me?¡±

    ¡°Lilly is sick and she needs to be taken to the hospital,¡± Her voice dropped and my heart churned with worry.

    ¡°She¡¯s sick? How did that happen?¡± Nervousness washed through me as I raked through my hair. ¡°I¡¯ming right away, just tell me where you are.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re at the house. My car suddenly stopped working and I don¡¯t know what to do right now.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Just make sure that her body doesn¡¯t get too hot.¡± I dropped the call and raced to my car, then I remembered the woman I left in the restaurant.

    I couldn¡¯t leave like that, knowing fully well that she¡¯d be stranded. Her car was in mypany¡¯s parking lot and returning there bymuting would be stressful for her.

    A slight headache throbbed at the back of my head, but I ignored it and went back in, my gaze flitting around the room.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Your face looks pale.¡± She observed the moment I went back to our table.

    If I wasn¡¯t worried about Lilly, I¡¯d have kissed her right now, but I¡¯d do that soon, when we were in a more rxed condition.

    ¡°Lilly is sick and I have to take her to the hospital¡­¡±

    She wrinkled her brows. ¡°Then go to her. I can find my way back home.¡± She said softly, weakening my resolve not to kiss her. Why should I even be thinking of kissing her in this situation?

    ¡°But your car?¡±

    She shed an understanding smile at me. ¡°I¡¯m a grown woman, and I can find my way back home so just take care of your daughter. That¡¯s more important right now.¡± She said, her voice calm and without any tinge of bitterness.

    I stared at her long and hard without blinking. When it was obvious that I couldn¡¯t say anything, I thanked her. ¡°I really owe you one.¡±

    ¡°Just go already.¡± She urged me on and I raced out without thinking twice.

    Getting home was like a breath of fresh air because several crazy thoughts kept flying into my mind, and if anything happened to Lilly, I wouldn¡¯t forgive myself.

    The door was opened so I went in, my eyes darting around the room in search of Lilly.

    ¡°Lilly? Emilia?¡±

    I got no response, instead, gentle footsteps from the stairs drew closer to me. My mouth fell open as Emilia cat walked towards me in a ckce lingerie.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    I was doused with confusion as I tried to ess the situation. ¡°What¡¯s going on and where is Lilly? You said she was sick.¡± I asked carefully, my eyes searching around the house.

    She released a chuckle and yed with her damp hair. ¡°Lilly is with the nanny.¡±

    My brows furrowed as I moved away from the door and advanced towards her. ¡°I don¡¯t think I understand what you¡¯re saying. You told me that Lilly was sick, hence, the rush back home, and all I¡¯m seeing right now is a woman trying to seduce me instead of looking for a solution.¡± I said in exasperation, even though I was ovee with the need to break something into pieces.

    Her fingers moved away from her hair andnded on my chest as she batted hershes innocently. ¡°Fine, I lied.¡± She spat nonchntly.

    ¡°Emilia,¡± I growled and she flinched immediately, scared at the deep intensity of my scary tone. ¡°Don¡¯t joke with my emotions, I won¡¯t tolerate it just because you are Lilly¡¯s mother. So tell me what the hell is going on.¡± I barked.

    ¡°I lied about her health. Nothing happened to her. I just wanted to get your attention after you left with that loser and I¡¯m happy I got it.¡± She slowly slid her tiny thong down her thighs, running her tongue over her lower lip. ¡°The truth is that I¡¯m really aroused right now and I want you badly.¡± She drawled.

    I spun around, clenching my fists tightly. If she was the light auburn haired woman that had captivated my senses, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to have her in my bed, but the woman standing behind me disgusted me without a reason.

    Unable to control my temper, I took a leap towards her, pushing her onto the armchair. Her face lit up with an expectant smile as I lowered my face closer to her.

    ¡°Kiss me already!¡± She demanded, sliding her finger down my crotch. Then a frown appeared on her face when she realised that I wasn¡¯t reacting the way she wanted.

    ¡°The next time you disrupt my busy schedule just for your own selfishness, I will forget that you are Lilly¡¯s mother and treat you like a criminal.¡± I warned her without an iota of unwavering confidence in my voice, then stormed out of the room.

 Rain! Rain!

    Melissa

    ¡°Hi, dad,¡± I greeted as soon as he responded to the call.

    I was leaning over the window, my eyes trained on the high rising buildings that stretched out of Beverly hills.

    This was one of the few times I had to admire the city.

    ¡°Good morning, Melissa. How have you been?¡± He replied enthusiastically, his warmth creating a sense of rxation around me.

    Just by speaking with him, I felt better already, but today, I wasn¡¯t on the phone with him just to find sce. I needed a huge favor from him; one that I¡¯d never asked for before.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright, dad. Well, I called because I need a favor from you.¡±

    ¡°Tell me what you want.¡±

    I took in a deep breath with my eyes shut, then spewed out the words. ¡°I want you to buy up the majority of the shares from Hill¡¯s Jewelry.¡± I requested. Silence ensued, increasing my anticipation. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, I won¡¯t bother you, dad.¡± I said in a rush and he chuckled.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that, Mel, I was just going through thepany you want me to buy shares from. Your revenge n is in motion, already?¡± He got the memo.

    A smile crossed my features. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s myte mother¡¯spany and Leonardo is running it terribly. There¡¯s no growth or any new innovations from what I saw thest time I went there. So I¡¯m going to buy up the majority of the shares and when it¡¯s time for a new CEO to be re-elected, I¡¯lle out to contest for the position.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s brilliant, honey.¡±

    ¡°Yes, father. I¡¯m going to have a conversation with some of his staff and know how they are really fairing before election day. And I¡¯ll attend all of the meetings to know his ns, although I have someone who¡¯s ready to give me all the information I need.¡± I informed him and a pping sound resonated from the background.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t put the ns into motion yet, but I¡¯m really proud of you. All of them who hurt you without remorse need to go down, and if not for your refusal, I¡¯d have done it for you.¡± He uttered and my heart churned with affection for him.

    ¡°Thank you, dad.¡± I croaked, trying hard to hold back my tears.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. How many shares do you want me to get?¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    The overwhelming sad emotion I felt earlier transcended subtly one of satisfaction as I thought of his request. ¡°Buy up enough shares that will be able to get me the position even if the other directors object to me being their CEO.¡±

    I could imagine the horror that would be on Leonardo¡¯s face the day I began to contest for CEO. He won¡¯t know what hit him. I also wished I could find a lead on how to get Dante as he would be key in bringing the video for me.

    My father and I talked some more, then I disconnected the call and prepared for my meeting with Lorraine. Her text came in while I was talking with my father but I ignored it, knowing that it would be filled withints.

    I was teaching her a lesson and she was yet to learn it; patience was a big part of it.

    Dressed in a ck jean shirt dress, I checked the news about the weather and a creepy n shed in my mind. I wondered how hurt Emilia will be when she gets drenched all because I¡¯mte.

    It was about to rain, and I¡¯d chosen an open space cafe for our meeting. The dots were already set in my mind so I skidded out with an umbre and entered my BMW and drove slowly to the cafe which was just within the city.

    The sky was overcast with dark clouds and the thunder rumbled loudly. My phone chimed with another notification popping in but I ignored, counting the seconds till when it would begin to rain.

    Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take much time till the patting sounds resonated on the roof of my car. With a satisfied smirk, I reached for my phone and called Emilia.

    ¡°Where in God green¡¯s earth are you?¡± She hollered into her phone.

    I rolled my eyes, searching for any signs of her. ¡°I¡¯m outside the parking lot. You¡¯ll see a ck BMW before the walkway, meet me there.¡±

    She began toin about how impossible it would be to get to me under the heavy rain, but I ended the call and flung the phone into my bag. With the downpour, she¡¯d have no choice but to run to me for help even though it was thest thing she wanted.

    I didn¡¯t have to wait for long as the sound of a persistent knock got me lowering the window and opening the car door. ¡°Come in.¡± I said tly and she scurried in, her arms wrapped around her body.

    ¡°Was that your n?¡± Her teeth rattled against as she spoke. Her clothes were drenched and her body shivered terribly, but it didn¡¯t stop her from leering at me.

    Another opportunity to act dumb again.

    ¡°Oh! dear, I¡¯m so sorry for not getting here on time. The traffic was really bad and I was unable to reach you to cancel the meeting.¡± I feigned a pity expression as she continued to scowl at me. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you, alright?¡± I pleaded with my palms sped.

    She scoffed in irritation and shook her head. ¡°Why am I here?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to give you the description of your job as an assistant.¡± I said with ring enthusiasm.

    She balled her fists but she couldn¡¯t go through with her intended action. Her video was already on air and if she hadn¡¯t learnt to control her anger before, the video would teach her properly.

    With the hideous and nerve-wrackingments that were made on the video, I doubted if she¡¯d have the chance to model again. She was once the people¡¯s sweetheart, but now they didn¡¯t even care about her.

    The ratings on most of her social media ounts had dropped, but that was only the beginning. I would take so much more than she took from me.

    ¡°Are you really serious about making me your assistant? I thought I made it clear yesterday that I won¡¯t bow to you?¡± She sneered.

    ¡°You agreed to do it and I¡¯ve already signed the contract, and have it at the back of your mind that Mr Hemmingway will do everything possible to have me as thepany¡¯s brand ambassador, including ensuring that you do as I say.¡± I replied tersely and she banged her clenched fists on the glove department.

    ¡°You are a slimy bitch, Melissa! Remember this, I¡¯ll make you pay for humiliating me in this manner.¡± She seethed, pointing her fingers at me while I stared at her nkly.

    Her threats were like the shrieks of a baby. All noise and no actions.

    And since I knew her like the back of my palm, I¡¯d always be a step ahead of her.

    There¡¯s nothing you can do, honey.

    ¡°Meet me here at nine am tomorrow. We have a shoot to attend and I won¡¯t tolerateteness. You can leave.¡± I said harshly, and opened the door for her to leave.

    Her face turned red and her cheeks puffy with subdued anger. Her eyes slid from my head to my toe in disgust, but that didn¡¯t matter because she¡¯d be running under the rain and looking for shelter until the weather became clear again.

 Do you know your father?

    Melissa

    Being at Hills Jewelry once again filled me with a sickening surge of resentment. Any time I remembered that Leonardo was still presiding as CEO, a strange kind of anger burned within me.

    After taking some deep breaths and calming myself, I walked straight into his office. Erica told me beforehand that he was free, but even before she told me, I already knew he would be.

    He was just a mistake of a CEO and soon, I¡¯d have to speak with the directors that voted him in.

    He rose to his feet as soon as I walked in, a wry smile stered on his annoying face. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Miss Rogers. It¡¯s such a pleasure to have you here once again.¡±

    I did an invisible eye roll and shook his outstretched hand, my attention slightly fixed on his seat. Soon, I¡¯d take over his position.

    Soon.

    ¡°I decided to stop by because I have a business proposal for you. Trust me, it will bring more benefits for both of us.¡± I informed him a bit enthusiastically.

    At the mention of business, his face lit up with a grin. I knew that with my proposal, all the attention I needed from him would be given. I just had to convince him carefully.

    ¡°I like the sound of that, Miss Rogers, but you said it¡¯s going to be between us, does it mean that you don¡¯t want the other board members to know about it?¡±

    I nodded with eagerness zing on my face. ¡°Yes. You know,¡± I pushed my chair closer, increasing his curiosity as he moved away from his executive chair and came to sit opposite me. ¡°I¡¯m very interested in the jewelry business and I have an idea that would really interest you.¡±

    He pped in excitement. ¡°Please, spill the tea. I¡¯m tired of sitting behind this boring desk all day without doing anything meaningful.¡± He said with a bored tone.

    I almost scoffed, but I held it back and stylishly brought out my phone. Knowing how loose-mouthed my stepfather was, I knew that it wouldn¡¯t be hard for him to leak all his secrets when he had a listener.

    ¡°How do you mean?¡± I asked, wearing a serious expression, leaning closer to him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you, Melissa,¡± The way he pronounced my middle name, made my skin crawl.

    My full name was Lorraine Melissa Hills, but I didn¡¯t go by my first name and surname anymore because of the ident and my new identity, so I decided to use my middle name which Leonardo had no knowledge of.

    ¡°Being a CEO is boring. There¡¯s nothing to do aside froming here, taking some cash from the ountant then having some funter in the day. Thepany is running low on funds, but I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± He confessed with a chuckle, his tone tethering on ackadaisical note.

    I lowered my head, my face twisting in anger. My heart churned with bitterness at the mess he made of my mother¡¯s legacy and I began to wonder why my mother never told me about herpany.

    The only thing I saw her do before she died was to go to work everyday. How would I have known that she had a freaking jewelry business?

    ¡°Are you listening to me?¡± He asked tersely when he noticed that I¡¯d gotten silent.

    I quickly jutted my face up to keep up my cover. ¡°Yes I am.¡± I swallowed, closing my eyes briefly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here to help you. There are lots of innovations that can be done to take thispany to greater heights.¡±

    He huffed, rolling his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡± I quickly clicked on the record button. ¡°All I want is for the work to be done and then we share the money between ourselves.¡± He shot me his signature greedy smirk that got me clenching my fists.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    I had to keep up my fake excitement so I smiled at him as well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Leonardo. I¡¯m a hard worker.¡± I assured him.

    He beamed at me, apparently giddy with excitement as he stretched his arms for a hug. I squinted my eyes and remained glued to my chair.

    I raised my hand to stop him. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary.¡±

    He dropped his hands and gave off a nervous chuckle. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if I overstepped my boundaries.¡±

    I got to my feet and scrutinised the office once more. ¡°We¡¯ll speak more on this matter over the phone.¡± I walked out immediately and went to one of the empty rooms where Erica had prepared for me to meet one of the oldest staff of thepany.

    Being away from that ruthless man helped me to get a grip on my emotions, and my tranquility returned slowly.

    Few minutes into rxing and waiting for the woman, a knock resonated on the door. I sat up and switched to my work mode gait.

    The door creaked open slightly, and a grey haired woman traipsed in with wrinkles on her tired face. She bore no pleasure in taking a break from her work anding to meet with a visitor. The frown on her face told me so.

    ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am.¡± She greeted politely, folding her hands behind her.

    I quickly gave her a once over and honestly, she didn¡¯t look the parts. Her grey pants were worn out and her chiffon blouse looked like it was bought from a low grade thrift store.

    ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am.¡± I replied and sprang to my feet to wee her. Then I set the chair properly for her to make herselffortable. ¡°Please sit, and I promise not to take much of your time.¡±

    Her eyes darted from me to the chair then gradually, she lowered herself onto the chair.

    ¡°The secretary said you had something important to discuss with me.¡± She had that wary expression that showed that she didn¡¯t trust me.

    I dragged in a deep breath, then shifted my chair closer to hers. ¡°I just want to ask some questions about thepany. I also want to know how you¡¯re faring and if thepany is treating you well.¡±

    She arched her brows in disapproval then jumped to her feet almost immediately. ¡°What right do you have to ask me that?¡± She hollered.

    I knew that it woulde to this and that¡¯s why I prepared myself for whatever would be the oue of this meeting.

    ¡°I amte Mrs Hills¡¯ daughter and I¡¯m here to take back my rightful ce as the legal owner of thispany.¡± I announced and her lips fell open with surprise, her eyes widening in shock.

    Her palms stretched to her mouth as she stared at me intensely. ¡°A-Are you really¡­ Are you really her daughter?¡±

    I nodded vehemently, hoping that she believed me, but the next thing that happened was what I didn¡¯t envisage.

    She slumped on her seat which made a creaking sound then held onto her chest. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡± She broke into a quiet sob which I was thankful for, then I moved closer to her and began to console her even though I didn¡¯t really understand why she was crying.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you cry,¡± I said softly and she shook her head, caressing my hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, dear, I¡¯m just so happy to meet you after so many years.¡± She wiped her tears and motioned for me to sit down, then she trained a serious gaze on me and said. ¡°We have a lot of things to talk about.¡±

    I nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here, ma¡¯am.¡± I replied with relief.

    ¡°Did yourte mother tell you who your father is?¡± She blurted and I froze immediately, unable to utter a word as no one told me that my meeting with Mrs Rose Gonzales would metamorphose into knowing who my real father was.

 A kind heart

    Melissa

    The room suddenly became too hot for me to stay in, but the desire to hear about my father overwhelmed the need for me to get some air.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know anything about him.¡± I admitted, my heart racing faster than normal. ¡°Can you tell me his name?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure about what I¡¯d do with his information. I couldn¡¯t even begin a journey of finding a man that didn¡¯t care to reach out to me, and there were other important things begging for my attention, but at least I¡¯d get to know his name since myte mother never told me about him.

    She sighed and held my hands. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you a story. It will be lengthy but you¡¯ll get all the answers to your questions if you are ready to listen to me.¡±

    ¡°Just go on, ma¡¯am, I have all the time.¡± I encouraged her and prepared myself for what she was about to say.

    ¡°Yourte mother was my friend and we ran this business together. She was loving and caring, and knowing that I didn¡¯t have much money, she gave me a job when she finally started her business as a jewelry designer. Things weren¡¯t all that great at the beginning because there were other bigpanies that had infiltrated the market, but your mother was a determined woman and slowly we began to get noticed.¡±

    A smile crawled to my lips as I listened to her intently. It felt good to know that my mother wasn¡¯t a heartless bitch I once thought her to be.

    After she died, I loathed her because I thought that she fell in love with Leonardo and forgot all about me. But when I discovered that she actually left a huge inheritance for me, my perspective about her changed.

    And having Mrs Gonzales talk about her in this manner increased my respect for her. ¡°I really wish we weren¡¯t having this conversation.¡± I whispered and she caressed the back of my palm with her thumb.

    ¡°Two yearster, I found out that your mother was pregnant with you and we were ted, but she never mentioned anything about your father. When I asked her if she would try to tell him that she was carrying his child, she told me that she wouldn¡¯t because it didn¡¯t matter. Then something happened a few monthster¡­¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked out of unbridled curiosity.

    ¡°Your father traced your mother and visited her here. He asked her why she didn¡¯t tell him about the pregnancy, but Sarah spoke rudely to him and told him to forget all about you. Your father never came back after that day, and it hurt me to see that Sarah had tobine taking care of a newborn, growing herpany and hurting from rejection at the same time.¡± Her countenance fell as she withdrew her fingers from me.

    Fresh resentment sparked in my heart for my father. Now I understood why I didn¡¯t have the urge to look for him. The man never cared about me, so why should I care?

    But the one question I needed an answer to still gnawed in my chest. ¡°What is the name of my father, Mrs Gonzales?¡± I asked with a chill tone.

    She inhaled deeply and massaged her forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t know his surname, but I heard her call him William.¡± She replied.

    Streaks of surprise surged through me as my eyes widened, the name ringing a bell. There was only one man who bore William around me but he couldn¡¯t be my father.

    My biological father was heartless, but dad was caring and loving. He saved me countless times from overwhelming situations and he was always ready to help me out.

    My mind skidded back to the conversation we had at the cafe the first day we met, but I shoved it aside. I recalled how he observed my resemnce to myte mother and I shivered visibly.

    ¡®No, he can¡¯t be the one.¡¯ I muttered under my breath.

    Rosa stared at me intently, her gaze questioning. ¡°Do you know him?¡±

    I quickly masked my conflicted expression with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think I do,¡± I waved off her question, my innards jittery with fear. ¡°And even if I ever get to see him again, I¡¯dsh out at him for being a wicked father who never took responsibility.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that, Miss¡­¡± Her eyes lit up in realisation as I chewed on my lower lip. ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name and I told you everything aboutte Mrs Hills. What if you have been lying the whole time?¡± She said without mincing words.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you know deep down that I¡¯m her daughter. And as for who I really am, we¡¯ll fix a day to talk about it. Is that fine with you?¡±

    She didn¡¯t look convinced, but there was no way I¡¯d tell her all about my new identity while Leonardo could be gallivanting around. It would only upset my ns and return me to zero level.

    ¡°Alright, but you¡¯d better be her daughter.¡±

    ¡°Back to the other reason for this meeting, how¡¯s Leonardo treating you all?¡±

    She snorted and began to tell me how thepany was on the verge of copsing. They had lost most of their buyers because they weren¡¯t producing, and most of them that wereing to work everyday did it because of the love they had for thepany.

    My ears burned with irritation as I wondered if he had no one challenging him. ¡°What about other directors? Aren¡¯t they saying anything about it?¡±

    She kept quiet, then darted her gaze around. ¡°Look, Miss, rumors have it that our boss bribes the other directors to keep electing him each time there¡¯s a new contestant. At this point, I hope someone wille and buy off thepany, but I¡¯m scared that my friend¡¯s legacy will die.¡±

    I understood her conflict and I wanted to tell her that she shouldn¡¯t worry about the affairs of thepany, and assure her that thepany will be back in the hands of the rightful owner in no time, but this wasn¡¯t the right ce and time to tell her all that.

    ¡°Thank you for giving me your time. I hope we meet again.¡± I said and dipped my hands into my bag to bring a bundle of notes.

    I gave it to her but she stared nkly at me like she didn¡¯t understand what I was doing. ¡°Are you giving me money just because I spoke to you?¡±

    I shook my head, surprised at her outright disapproval. ¡°No, I just want you to have it.¡±

    She smiled and held my shoulders. ¡°There is no need to give me anything. I¡¯ve been holding up fine before you came and I¡¯ll continue to do my best. All I ask is that you find a way to help us with thispany.¡± She said and left the room.

    Feeling satisfied with the oue of the meeting, I strolled happily to my car and drove off to the house. I needed to get ready for my presentation at the next board meeting, then have a good night¡¯s rest.

    I¡¯d gotten to a street to get some ice cream when I found a little girl toddling across the street. My heart clenched in fear as I stepped on the break and raced out of my car.

    She flung her arms against me the moment I scooped her up, but I held her tightly, massaging her back. Then I scrutinised her face and saw a striking resemnce.

    This had to be Emilia¡¯s daughter because they had the same blonde hair and piercing gaze. But what could she be doing outside of her house all alone?Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

 A conflict

    Dexter

    I held the bag of choctes and cookies that I bought for Lilly tightly then knocked at the door. Surprisingly, the door gave way and then I observed that it wasn¡¯t closed.

    My eyes caught the sight of a ck bralette hanging on the knob of the door, then a rumpled dress on the floor. Irritation swelled within me when I found a ckce thong at the edge of her armchair.

    I sighed in annoyance and marched to her room. How could she have brought someone into her house while Lilly was around?

    Even though I lived alone, I never brought a woman into my house. Each time the urge came to mess around, I either went to a bar or a hotel, so this was uneptable.

    I banged furiously on her door and heard cusses flying out from her mouth. The sound of her footsteps scurrying towards the door told me that she had detangled with her lover.

    She opened the door slightly and stretched out her head which I observed to be disheveled from the moment of passion. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She moaned as whoever was behind her pped her ass.

    I wrinkled my nose in disgust and turned away, not after telling her to meet me immediately in the living room.

    Ten minutester, she joined me downstairs, wearing a white robe. Her hair wasn¡¯t tousled as roughly as I saw it earlier and she looked like she had taken a quick bath.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Emilia? How could you bring a man over with Lilly around?¡± I scolded her harshly.

    She shrugged and plopped down on her couch with a nonchnt expression. ¡°First of all, Dexter, I won¡¯t have you dictate to me how to live my life, alright? I¡¯m a woman and I deserve good sex, and since you weren¡¯t ready to give me what I wanted I had no choice but to get it somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°You are not getting the point, Emilia. I know how loose you are, and I¡¯m sure that this isn¡¯t the first time men are trooping into your house just to have a taste of you. Lilly is too little to witness such scenes and I don¡¯t want her to grow up without morals just like you.¡± I spat and her eyes grew red as she sprang to her feet.

    ¡°And you think you have morals, huh?¡± She fired back, ring hard at me. ¡°Who leaves his baby mama for a model he doesn¡¯t know anything about? Don¡¯t you bring women over?¡±

    A furious chuckle erupted from my throat as I folded my arms. ¡°You were at fault for hitting her and I suppose you have learned your lesson already. And I¡¯d like to let you know that I don¡¯t bring women into my house. If I want it, I¡¯ll get it outside.¡±

    The young man she just had an intense session with strolled down the stairs leisurely, his hands tucked into his pocket as he headed for the door with a casual gait.

    Fortunately, I didn¡¯t feel jealous; just disgusted.

    He left without a word then I resumed scolding Emilia who was already pouting her lips.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Lilly? I¡¯ve not seen her since I came in,¡±

    She looked around as if she was searching for her. ¡°I left her with my neighbor¡¯s kid. I¡¯ll go get her now.¡± She ran out of the house while I did nothing but sigh.

    One of these days, I¡¯d have to bring Lilly over to my house. I knew that watching over her would be hard because of how hectic my work was, but I¡¯d find a way around it.

    I waited patiently to hear my daughter¡¯s happy shrieks on hearing footsteps approaching, but I was disappointed as Emilia rushed in, her face pale and her lips trembling.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost.¡± I asked carefully.

    She pointed at the house adjacent to hers, blinking incessantly without making a proper sentence. ¡°They¡­ They c-can¡¯t find her¡­¡± She managed to say.

    My heart thudded faster as I sprang to my feet. ¡°Lilly? My Lilly?¡±

    She nodded vehemently, breaking into a fitful sob. ¡°Oh God. How could I have been so careless?¡±

    Her tears irritated me, and I was at the edge of apportioning me on her, but I held back as we both had to work together to find her. ¡°What happened? Tell me everything!¡± I thundered.

    Her lips kept trembling, but when she saw the murderous re on my face, she began to talk. ¡°Like I said before, the children of my neighbor came over and since I was busy, I let them take her. I didn¡¯t know that she had strayed off¡­¡±

    She raked through her hair, her face puffy and red while I reached for my phone and tried to make some calls. Emilia leaned on the wall, whimpering.

    I tried to make a call but it didn¡¯t go through which heightened my agitation, then I realized that there was an iing call with Melissa¡¯s name ring on the screen.

    I swiped to the red button as I wasn¡¯t ready to talk to her in such a mood, but she didn¡¯t give up as she called again.

    I clicked the ept button. ¡°Can you stop calling already?¡± I seethed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hang up, Dexter, I have something really important to tell you.¡± Her voice had a note of urgency I couldn¡¯t ignore.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I snarled.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Are you looking for your daughter?¡±

    My eyes widened as I nced at Emilia who was pacing to and fro in the room. ¡°Yes, I am. I came to visit her but we couldn¡¯t find her.¡±

    Knowing that I was talking about Lilly, Emilia gazed at me with anticipation.

    ¡°Ummm, I¡¯m with her presently. You cane and pick her up.¡± She said and waves of relief gushed through me.

    I didn¡¯t even know what to say to her. My mouth was heavy, but I knew that I¡¯d have to thank her properly for saving my daughter. I couldn¡¯t even imagine what would have happened if she had fallen into the hands of unscrupulous people.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Melissa. Text me your location and I¡¯ll be there in a few minutes.¡±

    The line went dead immediately and I stormed out of the house with Emilia behind me.

    ¡°Has she been found?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied tly.

    ¡°I want toe with you.¡± She pleaded, sping her hands together.

    ¡°You can, but that¡¯s because I want you to see her onest time before I take her. She¡¯ll stay with me for some weeks until you return to your senses.¡± I informed her.

    The woman I thought was broken and repentant became furious immediately. ¡°No, Dexter, you can¡¯t do that to me!¡± She disagreed. ¡°You can¡¯t take my daughter away from me.¡±

    ¡°Our daughter, Emilia.¡± I corrected her. ¡°And let me remind you that I¡¯m capable of taking her away when you begin to ck on your responsibilities. Don¡¯t even bother dragging this issue with me because you will lose.¡± I headed to the driver¡¯s seat and started the car, while she stood quietly.

    She coulde along if she wanted.

 A night visit

    Melissa

    ¡°Your dad ising to get you, alright?¡± I said softly to the little girl who looked like she was about to burst into tears at any moment.

    She babbled incessantly, her words unclear, but I didn¡¯t want to see her cry so we got into the car, and I drove off to an ice cream shop.

    My mind reverted to the first time Dexter and I went to an ice cream parlor. My lips stretched into a smile as I remembered how we sang carefreely like we had no problem.

    Lilly¡¯s little fingers grazed my chin and I peered down at her with a reassuring smile, but my heart ached for what could have been.

    If not for the poison, I¡¯d have had a beautiful daughter like Lilly with Dexter. I was already looking for solutions, but I haven¡¯t gotten any good feedback from my doctor.

    We stopped by the counter and immediately she pointed at a strawberry-vored ice cream, pping in excitement and shing her little set of teeth.

    ¡°Do you want that?¡± I chuckled.

    She nodded with a giggle, and then I paid for two tes and went back to the car. I opened our tes of ice cream and fed her and myself at the same time while waiting for Dexter to show up.

    I¡¯d long sent him the address and I was beginning to wonder what kept him back. Dexter was prompt and disliked dys, except Emilia decided to make a fuss and keep him from getting his daughter.

    A Cadic drove towards the shop and then parked behind my car. I didn¡¯t need a soothsayer to tell me who it was.

    Simultaneously, Lilly¡¯s ice cream had just finished. ¡°Daddy is here,¡± I announced and she leaped for joy.

    The happiness on her face couldn¡¯t be described as I heard a knock on the window. I opened the car door and Dexter took his daughter into his arms.

    Lilly¡¯sughter was melodic, charming and exhrating in every way. There was no way anyone could have such a beautiful child and not want to keep her happy.

    After having some quiet time with his daughter, he turned his attention to me. ¡°Melissa, I don¡¯t know how to thank you for saving my Lilly. I almost had a heart attack, thinking of where to find her.¡± He spoke from his heart, his eyes turning misty.

    I almost gasped as I¡¯d never seen Dexter being so emotional. It felt so strange but I couldn¡¯t understand where he came from.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Dexter, I didn¡¯t do what every other person would have done,¡± I replied modestly, but he shook his head in disagreement.

    ¡°Not everyone would have been kind enough to keep her safe. As time goes by, my enemies increase, including the ones I had to ruthlessly push out of business and they are all looking for ways to hurt me. They know my wife is nowhere to be found and Lilly is their only shot at revenge.¡± He exined.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Dexter. You have to stop thanking me or I¡¯ll drive off. Besides, where¡¯s Emilia?¡± I asked.

    His eyes darkened in anger as expected, but he motioned for her toe over. She strolled towards my car, only covered in a bathrobe. Her eyes were red, same as her face and by merely looking at her, I knew she had been crying.

    She fiddled with the seam of her robe, unable to look at me and that was what I wanted. I wanted her to be overwhelmed by the shame of her irresponsibility, her wickedness and her crimes.

    When she finally drew her gaze to me, she muttered, ¡°Thank you.¡± Her voice was shrill and emotionless.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee, but please be careful with Lilly and always watch over her. These kids tend to go wild when no one watches over them.¡±

    She nodded and took Lilly from Dexter, hugging her tightly. Pity swelled in my chest because I knew that the little girl wouldn¡¯t be having such closeness with her mother soon.

    I was too tired to watch them bond like a real family, so I started the car, waved at them and drove off.

    *********

    My fingers ached from having to type the lengthy presentation, but I reveled in the satisfaction that came with being extra prepared. I¡¯d done some market surveys and I was already searching forpanies that Hills Jewelry could partner with once I became CEO.

    I yawned tiredly and my stomach grumbled, reminding me that I hadn¡¯t eaten anything tangible aside from the quick toast I had in the morning and the ice cream I had with Lilly.

    My eyes darted to the clock on the wall and a horrified gasp escaped my lips. It was past 7 pm and I was still caged in between my work desk and my chair.

    I had to get something to eat so I picked up my purse and trotted towards the door. I¡¯d barely opened it when a knock resonated. Curiosity lurked around and quickly I checked through the peephole to see who could be visiting me at such a time.

    My heart skipped a beat when I saw Dexter, waiting patiently for a response, and it skipped two beats when he knocked again. My palms became mmy with sweat, my breathing hitched as I tried to maintain a rxed pose.

    I opened the door and met the most mesmerizing smile from the man whom my heart constantly beat for. ¡°You¡¯re here, Dexter¡­¡± I nearly chewed my lips at the sound of my fretty voice. ¡°How did you know where I live?¡± I sounded more confident with this question.

    He shrugged, propping one of his arms against the wall, then looked down at me. ¡°I¡¯m a billionaire, Melissa. Don¡¯t you think it will be weird if I can¡¯t find the woman I¡¯m interested in with my resources?¡±

    The part of being interested got to me, but I hid it behind my usual serious mask that was already beginning to crack. ¡°Are you always this cocky?¡± I asked with fake irritation like I didn¡¯t know.

    He smiledzily. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± He ignored my question and strolled in without getting my permission.

    His eyes did a quick scan around my apartment with approval etched in his expression. ¡°You¡¯ve got a nice crib.¡± He said, then handed a paper gift bag to me. ¡°Since it¡¯ste already, I decided to get us some pizza and a bottle of wine.¡±

    I collected it from him and dropped it on the table. ¡°That¡¯s thoughtful of you because I was actually on my way to get something for dinner. I¡¯ve been working since I got back from work and I can¡¯t prepare anything right now.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    He crashed into one of my armchairs and folded his leg. ¡°Then I came at the right time because you won¡¯t work while I¡¯m here and I¡¯ll be able to feed you.¡± He smirked, his eyes zing with untamed desire.

 His unexpected support

    Melissa

    My body tingled with excitement as I bit back an encouraging smile. ¡°You want to feed me?¡±

    He winked, massaging his temples. ¡°If you want me to.¡±

    My insides throbbed with heat, a pool of wetness forming between my thighs. I waved it off with a nervous chuckle and took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll go and get us some sses.¡±

    I quickly did something akin to a race to the kitchen then banged the door shut. My breath was uneven and I hoped that Dexter wouldn¡¯t notice my uneasiness.

    How could his mere presence evoke such raw emotions from me? If I could be aroused by a brief flirtatious conversation, then I wondered what would happen if he decided to kiss me.

    My body shivered at the thought as I remembered all the nights I had to touch myself to orgasm with his memory stuck in my brain. I craved him like a drug and now that he was here, I was shying away.

    On remembering the reason I came into the kitchen in the first ce, I picked out two wine sses from the cabs, did a quick rinse and headed back to the living room.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking so long,¡± I said and sat down on a chair opposite him. No matter how aroused I was, I wouldn¡¯t sell myself cheap by flirting back at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He picked up the wine bottle from the bag and opened it.

    Like the gentleman he was, he poured out the wine for the both of us and I opened the pizza box. I took out a slice while thinking of the most normal conversation we could have.

    ¡°How¡¯s Lilly?¡±

    His countenance fell as he took a sip from his cup, his eyes broody. ¡°She¡¯s alright. My mother and I have decided that she¡¯d have to stay in my house for some time, while she meditates over her mistake.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re a busy man. How will you cope with taking care of her and work? It¡¯s not an easy job.¡± I warned him.

    ¡°Yeah, I know, but I don¡¯t want to imagine what I¡¯d have done if anything had happened to Lilly. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to recover from it.¡± His voice was hard and I could tell that he was speaking from a ce of fear and love.

    An idea popped into my head as I bit into my slice. ¡°You know, having a nanny could save you a whole lot of stress.¡±

    His eyes lit up warmly in gratitude for my suggestion. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that but thank you. I¡¯ll just look out for a nanny who will take care of her in the meantime.¡±

    I nodded and averted my gaze from him when he asked an unexpected question. ¡°Why are you interested in buying shares from a dyingpany?¡±

    My body became rigid as I froze with the rim of the wine ss fixed between my lips. No one was supposed to know what I was up to, especially not him.

    I ignored his question and dropped my ss on the table, fury coursing through me. ¡°How dare you go through my stuff without my permission?¡± I hollered at him as he squinted his eyes in confusion.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°You were taking so long in the kitchen and I got bored, and I also wanted to know what made you so busy that you forgot about lunch and dinner.¡± He said but I was too furious to make sense of his excuses.

    ¡°No, Dexter!¡± I disagreed. ¡°You don¡¯t go about intruding into other people¡¯s privacy, especially not mine!¡± I yelled at him.

    His warm smile disappeared, and it was reced with a stoic mask. Guilt washed over me because deep down I knew my reaction was too extreme, but I wouldn¡¯t admit my wrong. I was being defensive.

    He got to his feet and tucked his hands into his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you feel that way. I should have minded my business and I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡± He had already gotten to the door, and my heart mmed hard against my chest in realization of what he was about to do.

    At that point, all my anger vanished and I stood up as well. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Home,¡± He replied casually. ¡°I don¡¯t think you want me around for now.¡± He stated and my conscience pricked me.

    I took in a deep breath and raked through my hair with a sigh of resignation. This wasn¡¯t how I wanted the night to go and even though Dexter was wrong to invade my privacy, there were better ways of correcting him.

    And above all, I was hoping that we could have more than just a conversation.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true, Dexter, I want you to be here,¡± I admitted it because it was the truth.

    His brows arched against each other as he moved away from the door, igniting some rays of hope. ¡°You yelled at me, Melissa and I¡¯m kind of hurt. I know I was wrong but I was just concerned about your health.¡±

    I closed the distance between us and reached for his hands. ¡°I overreacted for reasons I can¡¯t exin, but I want you to know that I didn¡¯t mean any of the harsh things I said.¡±

    He did the unexpected and pulled me closer for a hug. I buried my face in his arms, enjoying the mixture of his minty deodorant and woody perfume that wafted into my nostrils.

    I broke the hug, needing to let the cat out of the bag, and then I sank onto the floor. He did the same and I began to tell him all about my ns for Hills Jewelry, excluding my true identity and the real reason I wanted thepany back even though the Dexter I knew wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with my rushed exnation.

    ¡°You have a great business acumen and I admire that.¡±

    I beamed at him, feeling proud that someone like him could see me in such a light. ¡°Thank you very much. I learned from the best.¡±

    ¡°And who is that?¡± A dark undertone of jealousy followed his question.

    ¡°You,¡± I replied.

    He grinned. ¡°We haven¡¯t known each other for a long time so how have I been able to mentor you?¡±

    I¡¯d shot myself in the foot again. I had to be more careful. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, I studied from afar.¡±

    He nodded, but I knew he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy some shares in thepany as well so I can vote for you.¡± He dered and I gasped.

    My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as I tried to process what he had just said.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Dexter.¡± I stared at him, looking for traces of unseriousness but I found none.

    Just a gorgeous man, gazing at me like I was the only one that mattered.

    ¡°I¡¯m very serious.¡± His chill tone had me panting because I realized that he wasn¡¯t bluffing. He meant every word he said, which also meant that Leonardo stood no chance against me whenever I decided to contest.

    I flung myself at him, holding him tightly. ¡°Thank you so much for this. What can I do to repay you?¡± I cried, my throat burning with barely suppressed sobs.

    He lowered his face to my ear and I shivered as my mouth ran dry. ¡°I want to kiss you.¡±

    I flinched like I wasn¡¯t expecting him to tell me that. ¡°You¡¯ve always been like this anyway.¡±

    He pulled away with a questioning look. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Replying to him wouldplicate matters, and right now I wanted nothing else but to feel him; every part of him, not minding what would be the oue.

    My fingers grazed his cheeks and my lips spread into a smile, and without thinking, I did what I¡¯d been yearning to do for days. I pressed my lips against him and sparked the mes of pleasure.

 In his arms

    Melissa

    His lips were warm and soft, locked against mine. After two years, I finally had him all to myself and it felt just perfect.

    He kissed me back desperately, his tongue sliding into my mouth as we both fought for control. I knew that I¡¯d soon relinquish my control because that was the only way to get the pleasure I desired, but it didn¡¯t hurt to have a little fun, right?

    His fingers trailed to my ass cheek, then he squeezed it hard like he had been waiting to do that all day. I wanted to torture him as well so I reached for his shaft which felt like a rock in my hands, and teased the tip from his pants.

    He broke the kiss, his eyes dark with pure lust as he panted heavily and secretly, I was d that I wasn¡¯t the only one affected. ¡°Do you want this?¡± His deep growl sent sparks down to my walls which were soaked with my proof of my need for him.

    ¡°Touch this,¡± I ordered softly, guiding his

    hand to my drenched panties.

    He groaned when his hand found my slick nub, but my moan overshadowed his groans when he began to tease me through my underwear.

    ¡°You¡¯re wet for me, Mamacita.¡± He stated, his thumb making little circles around my little lips.

    I nodded, my eyes shut tightly as my fingers dug into his shirt.

    ¡°Do you want to know what will happen tonight?¡± He breathed against my ear.

    I shook my head and my eyes fluttered open. ¡°Yes¡­ I do.¡± I whispered.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    His fingers slithered towards my wet hole, then his middle finger tapped it slowly while his other hand cupped my breast through the fabric of my dress.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you countless orgasms with my fingers, my tongue, and my dick until you forget your name. You will writhe under me in pleasure while screaming my name because you can¡¯t get enough of me. Do you want that?¡± He bit my ear and I rewarded him with a moan. ¡°That wasn¡¯t clear.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I slurred and then he plunged his finger into me, thrusting in slowly while he took off my dress.

    ¡°Good. And I¡¯m going to do this too.¡± His lips closed around my sensitive are which he gave a painless bite.

    My body vibrated as I dug into my hair, writhing just as he wanted. I missed Dexter, but I¡¯d underestimated how much I wanted him. Being with him and having him pleasure me in my living room was divine.

    The only thing that mattered.

    The intense stare he fixed on me was mesmerizing and it heightened the sensations that surged through me. I was on a different kind of high and after two years, I realized that I was still addicted.

    ¡°Dexter¡­ Can¡­ You¡­¡± The words remained stuck in my throat as he added another finger, filling me up while his thumb stroke my overly aroused clit.

    With his lips doing wonders on my breast, and his ministrations on my pussy, I knew that I wasn¡¯t far from giving off an exhrating release.

    I arched my waist closer, hoping that he got the memo and stopped teasing me, and fortunately, he pitied me as his strokes became faster and harder. I couldn¡¯t get enough so I kept rotating my hips until we got to the crescendo and then my body erupted like a volcano.

    He continued to draw out my release, pinching my swollen clit which vibrated as he caressed it until my body becamex again.

    ¡°Dexter,¡± I called without any reason while he smirked in satisfaction.

    ¡°That¡¯s the first one and I¡¯m not done yet.¡±

    I shivered in anticipation as he spread my thighs, propping both of them against the floor while he knelt in front of me. I wondered if he would recognize my body by merely looking at it.

    After all, I only changed my face without tampering with the remaining parts of my body, and if he suspected that my body looked like that of Lorraine¡¯s, I¡¯d be done for.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I jerked away from him immediately and mped my thighs together.

    He remained on his knees, his smirk growing wider than before. ¡°Are you scared of what my tongue is going to do to you?¡±

    That wasn¡¯t my reason but what excuse could I give, because as much as I wanted to be careful, the urge to have him eat me was too good to pass up on.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    He sat beside me and leaned so close that I wouldn¡¯t be able to run away. ¡°We are both adults, Melissa, and I know you¡¯re scared ofmitment, but I¡¯m not going to talk you into being my girlfriend because I don¡¯t think I want that myself.¡±

    My heart split into two at his words, but I shouldn¡¯t expect more, right? He was still mad at me(Lorraine) because of what Emilia did and he had a child to think of.

    Maybe I should focus on my revenge and stop expecting too much from him. We were both having fun and if I couldn¡¯t have the whole of him to myself, I could at least permit myself some pleasure.

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    He sighed and held my hands. ¡°Tonight is going fine already and I¡¯m so happy to be here even without the sex. If you don¡¯t want us to go further, I promise I¡¯ll keep my hands to myself.¡±

    I shook my head vehemently, surprising myself. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to keep your hands to yourself. I want you, do you want me back?¡± I searched his eyes for rejection but I found none.

    He chuckled and led my hands to his length just like I did before. It was still as hard, if not harder than when I first touched it. ¡°Is this enough answer?¡±

    I smiled, biting my lower lips. ¡°Then do what you want.¡± I spurred him on.

    He didn¡¯t need to be told twice as he returned to his previous kneeling position, and then he spread my legs gently. My insides clenched with need as his lips drew closer to my pussy and when he finally touched it, I realized that it was all I needed.

    He sucked me desperately, his tonguepping off the wet juices I eagerly produced. He groaned while at it, his teeth grazing my nub.

    I pulled his hair, needing something to keep me on the edge. His fingers held my ass cheeks to ransome and thebination of his rough squeeze and his intense suck brought me to another orgasm.

    The second is greater and longer than the first. My breath became uneven as my body shuddered to the remnants of my release.

    ¡°I think I should pay you back,¡± I suggested when he began to take off his pants.

    Amidst my daze, I still helped to unbutton his shirt and when it came off, my eyes locked with the bracelet I gave him. The fact that he still had it gave me hope, and it strengthened my resolve to bring those criminals that separated him from me to book.

    A few secondster, his clothes were tossed aside to different parts of the room.

    He lowered his body to mine, nting kisses all over my tense body and gradually, I rxed. His fingers found my pussy which he caressed until I was ovee with undiluted desire again.

    I wrapped my thighs around him, encouraging him to dive in. He guided his huge length to my entrance and slid in till my walls were filled with nothing but his huge shaft.

    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± I screamed when he made his first thrust.

    He pulled out till he was out, then plunged in again. His thrusts came in hard and rough like he was trying to make a im.

    I enjoyed it as I rocked my hips against his waist. His thrust went deeper, hitting a sweet spot that made my body hum with pleasure.

    His balls pped hard on the crook of my ass as he fucked me hard and rough. Dirty words flew out of my lips while he steadied my shaky body with his firm hands on my thighs.

    ¡°Dexter, please, don¡¯t stop fucking me!¡± I cried in desperation.

    He chuckled, biting my earlobe and whispering sweet words into my ear. ¡°I love how hot and slick your pussy is for me, and your scent is refreshing and addictive. I don¡¯t want this to be a one-time thing.¡± He rumbled with a dirty tone and I nodded to everything he said.

    I was close to my release as he drove further inside of me, his tip furiously grazing my sweet spot. His groans became uneven, the same as his thrusts.

    ¡°I¡¯m almost-¡± My words stopped halfway as a ball of pleasure pushed through my walls.

    With a guttural groan, he sputtered his hot semen inside of me with his body jerking uncontrobly. I thought my craving would be satisfied after this, but it had only increased and knowing what it meant, I¡¯d have to stay away from him.

    He kissed me briefly, his expression filled with satisfaction as his fingers raked through my disheveled hair.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t use a condom,¡± I informed him after a brief silence.

    He shrugged like it was nothing. ¡°Well, I¡¯m clean if that¡¯s what you¡¯re scared of.¡± Then he faced me with his eyes lit up in realization. ¡°You could be-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I can¡¯t get pregnant if that¡¯s what you¡¯re scared of.¡±

    I got up, my limbs shaking due to the aftermath of our passionate lovemaking. The thrills of pleasure had faded off and my ugly reality set in, filling me with disappointment.

 An agreement

    Melissa

    A meeting with my doctor was one of the things I tried to avoid, but after indulging my cravings and enjoying a passionate night with Dexter, it became paramount to see Doctor Swan.

    She was my gynecologist and the only woman I wasfortable with telling one of my few secrets which excluded my past. I couldn¡¯t stand the risk.

    ¡°Miss Rogers, it¡¯s good to have you here again.¡± She gave me a warm hug and I lowered myself onto the chair opposite her desk.

    I smiled in return and let out a sigh. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d be back so soon,¡± I confessed.

    Her eyes narrowed with a questioning stare. ¡°Something happened?¡± She probed and my cheeks got heated.

    ¡°I had sex and we didn¡¯t use protection.¡± I replied with a rush, my body heating up at the reminder of how he poured his seed inside of me without fear.

    I was beginning to think that he did it on purpose, but what could that mean if he also didn¡¯t want a rtionship with me? I shoved the thoughts aside as thinking about my situationship with Dexter caused me a headache.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be nervous.¡± She noted.

    ¡°It¡¯s surprising, right? I just have a tiny bit of hope that something good cane out of what happened.¡± It wasn¡¯t embarrassing to tell her the truth because she was invested in making sure that I got better.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    She leaned closer to me after ncing at herputer. ¡°After ourst appointment, I went through the tests we conducted on you and I can record some improvements in your organs, Miss Rogers.¡±

    I became alert, my chest drumming with anticipation. ¡°What exactly are the improvements?¡± I cried almost desperately.

    ¡°You can have a child even though the odds are not really on the bright side. But if it eventually happens, you will have to protect it from every form of stress because it¡¯s risky to have one when your womb is still undergoing repair.¡±

    My eyes churned with happy tears as hope seared through me. I couldn¡¯t hold it in so I got up and paced around in her office.

    My eyes reeled inside my head as I recalled her words over and over again. It felt like I was in a different world and someone had performed a miracle in my body.

    ¡°Are you being serious, Doctor Swan? I can have a child?¡±

    She raised her hand, her face tight with a serious smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to raise your hopes too high, I was just saying that there is a slight possibility and if you ever get pregnant, you¡¯ll have to be careful.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me because I¡¯ll surely be careful.¡±

    She nodded and brought out a jotter. I watched her scribble furiously on the pad while I tried to calm myself.

    After a while, she tore out a piece of paper and passed it to me. ¡°You¡¯ll need to get more of these drugs from the pharmacy because they are vital to your system¡¯s recuperation.¡±

    The drugs she talked about actually cost a fortune to those who didn¡¯t have the money, but to me, it was like a drop in the bucket. What mattered to me was that I¡¯d be able to have a child.

    ¡°I won¡¯t hesitate to get them.¡± I slipped the paper into my bag and got to my feet. ¡°Thank you so much, Doctor.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡±

    I left the office with excitement and relief and found myself heading towards a cafe where Mrs. Gonzales and I were to meet. I needed her help and for her to give it to me, I¡¯d have to earn her trust.

    The cafe wasn¡¯t too far from the hospital so I got there some minutester and parked my car. I went in and searched for Mrs Gonzales who told me that she was already waiting for me.

    Gone were the days when I enjoyed some peace at home after concluding a modeling job. Now my life rotated around one thing. Revenge.

    We both exchanged pleasantries when I got to her then made our orders.

    ¡°You wanted to know who I am and I¡¯ll tell you everything you need to know, provided that whatever we discuss remains between us until I¡¯m ready to reveal the truth to the whole world.¡±

    She nodded, her expression still wary. I didn¡¯t me her because I¡¯d feel the same way if I were her.

    ¡°I¡¯m too old to be sharing people¡¯s secrets, and I¡¯d like to know why you¡¯re suddenly interested in Hills Jewelry.¡±

    ¡°I never knew about my inheritance until the day Leonardo kidnapped me,¡± I confessed and a very loud gasp escaped her lips.

    ¡°Sarah never told you? Why did she do that?¡± She whispered harshly as if she was speaking to her friend.

    It was the same question I kept asking myself. Why didn¡¯t she take me somewhere serene and tell me about what she had? Why did she allow me to suffer when I had arge amount of money that could take care of my needsfortably?

    Completing high school was a struggle and getting a college degree was the hardest challenge I had to go through, but I did it out of resilience and thank heavens it paid off.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why she did it, but what matters is that I¡¯m going to get back what he stole from me, together with his daughter.¡±

    I spilled the details of how he connived with his daughter to kidnap me at my wedding, then made me sign a document, transferring all my inheritance to him. I skipped Victoria¡¯s story and Ste¡¯s disappearance since it wasn¡¯t important.

    ¡°You go by the name Melissa but your mother named you Lorraine. I still remember that even though I didn¡¯t get to see you that much.¡± She pointed out and I wondered again why Mother was so secretive.

    I admired Rosa¡¯s bluntness and quick wit. Having someone like her around meant that she would always catch up on little details.

    ¡°Melissa is my middle name and I had to change my face so that I¡¯d be able to plot my revenge without being noticed.¡±

    I scanned her face for any iota of doubt and I found none which made me satisfied because I knew that I¡¯d gotten another helper.

    ¡°I believe you, my child and I¡¯ll help you with anything you need for Leonardo to be out of thepany.¡±

    ¡°I want to ask you a question and I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears, child.¡±

    I took in a deep breath and held her hands. ¡°Did you know that my mother was married to Leonardo?¡±

    She looked away, her eyes flickering with hurt. ¡°I didn¡¯t know who she got married to because it was all hushed, but I knew deep down in my heart that she married the wrong man.¡±

    I became rmed. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Her work ethic changed and she becamezy. She even stopped me froming to visit her. Each time I tried to warn her, she trivialized it and told me that she had everything under control until she died. I didn¡¯t even know that she was dead.¡± Tears were already flowing from her misty eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what caused her death because I knew that she wasn¡¯t ill, but I couldn¡¯t investigate further because the case was closed. I tried to get to you but since you already had a stepfather I had to mind my business.¡±

    With a dark smile, I said. ¡°Leonardo killed my mother. She killed your friend.¡±

    ¡°Oh God,¡± She melted, sobbing heavily at the revtion.

    ¡°He knew that my mother was rich and had apany but he didn¡¯t know how to ess it so he killed her out of greed, hoping he¡¯d have the chance to take over. My mother did well to hide the documents for some time from him, but she wasn¡¯t sessful because heter discovered them and that was when all hell broke loose.¡± The exnation left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth and recalling the past filled me with nothing but undiluted fury.

    She sniffed and dried her eyes, her expression switching from hurtful to determined.

    ¡°I told you earlier that I¡¯d do anything to get Leonardo out and it was mainly because I saw him as a bad leader, but now I want him out because he killed my friend.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, ma-¡± My words were cut short as my phone rang out in my bag.

    My fingers grazed the metallic device and I smiled when I saw who the caller was. ¡°Hello, dad.¡± I greeted.

    ¡°Hi, Mel. Where are you now?¡± He probed.

    ¡°I¡¯m in a meeting.¡± His question came as a surprise because he rarely asked for my location. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m in front of a ck door with the room number on the lintel and the door is locked.¡± Realization set in after he described the front of my condo and I sprang to my feet.

    ¡°Are you trying to say that you are in California?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± He affirmed proudly. ¡°Because I¡¯m here to see my daughter.¡±

 Clearing off obstacles

    Dexter

    Going to pick Lilly should have gotten me excited, but here I was thinking about the mind-blowing love-making session Melissa and I engaged in a few nights ago.

    Heaven knew how much I wanted to forget about it after she left me coldly and retired to her room, but I couldn¡¯t. It proved difficult as every reminder of her caused me a fresh hard-on.

    Her fruity scent drew out funny feelings within me and reminded me of the simrities with Lorraine¡¯s scent. I couldn¡¯t get over how she got me to touch her and make here with her subtle touches and loud moans.

    I liked how she obeyed my everymand. I enjoyed how wet she was for me, and how she matched my hunger for more of my pleasure.

    ¡®Shit!¡¯ I cussed and pressed the brakes.

    If I continued to fantasize about her like this, then I¡¯d be sure to meet an ident, because who drove around with a boner? Even the nights of jerking off couldn¡¯t satisfy my hunger for her.

    She had officially made me an insatiable man.

    But something struck me and it was the feeling of familiarity that surged through me when I drove into her that night. She was just as tight, weing and vulnerable as Lorraine. Thrusting into Melissa felt like I was doing the same with Lorraine.

    I smacked my head against the steering wheel because I thought myself to be crazy, but I couldn¡¯t deny that Melissa was just like Lorraine.

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with me?¡± I ruffled my hair.

    For now, I didn¡¯t have any close friends that I could bear my feelings to apart from Wyatt who had be more of a workaholic after he woke up from his scarya. Maybe I needed to fuck another woman so that I¡¯d forget about her, but then I knew that I was fooling myself.

    I had this particr pattern of falling for someone and forgetting about the rest of the women that existed. Even after Lorraine left, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to have casual sex and Melissa was the only woman who aroused raw emotions within me.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    I always wanted to be with her and even though she was avoiding me, I¡¯d find a way to tie her down with me.

    My hands reached for her phone and I dialed her number patiently, hoping that she would pick up again. My body flushed in disappointment when the call went straight to voicemail.

    I ignited the car and began driving again with a clear head, but I couldn¡¯t stop wondering why Melissa feltfortable with giving me a cold shoulder. She couldn¡¯t deny that we had the best night of our lives, yet she moved on like she didn¡¯t beg me to fuck her.

    Then I remembered finishing inside of her and gasped. Could that be the reason she avoided me? Was she scared of getting pregnant?

    For some unknown reason, I wasn¡¯t scared of getting her pregnant. Hell, I wanted to see her get round and chubby with my child growing inside of her. The image brought me satisfaction and the need to bring my imagination into reality overwhelmed me.

    But for that to happen, I had to clear up some obstacles.

    I called my financial secretary and she picked up in one dial.

    ¡°Good morning, Mr Hemmingway. How are you?¡± She asked with a formal tone.

    She was a married woman with kids and a husband who doted on her, so I knew that she wasn¡¯t trying to flirt with me each time she asked about my well-being.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright and I hope you¡¯re doing the same.¡± I cut down the chase as I didn¡¯t have any time to waste. ¡°I need you to get a good amount of shares from Hills Jewelry.¡±

    ¡°How huge?¡± I could see her typing away on herputer. Which was one reason I liked her. She was efficient.

    ¡°Something around forty percent,¡± I announced and silence ensued.

    She couldn¡¯t argue with me because she knew that I wouldn¡¯t listen, so she took a deep breath and said. ¡°Alright, sir. I¡¯ll work on it, but how fast do you want it to be done?¡±

    Right question.

    ¡°Before twenty-four hours,¡± I stated and we rounded up the conversation.

    My mind reverted to the reason she gave me for trying to acquire Hills Jewelry. It sounded convincing but something was missing. The story didn¡¯tpletely add up and even though I knew that she was embarking on a good business venture, it still felt like she had a personal drive to be the CEO.

    I hated being left in the dark and I was going to find out the missing piece, no matter how long it took me.

    Thirty minutester, my car rolled into Emilia¡¯s apartment and a feeling of exasperation settled in the pit of my stomach. I took in deep breaths and chanted some calming words then headed for the door.

    I knocked once, then again, but just like thest time, no one came to the door which pissed me off.

    I barged in and was greeted by unmistakable voices of people arguing; one that included Emilia and someone else I didn¡¯t give a shit about.

    Lilly, who noticed my presence, dropped her toys and dashed towards me. That alone melted my anger and lightened my mood. I took her up in my arms and ced a light kiss on her forehead.

    ¡°How are you, my little angel?¡± I asked with a smile, tucking her ruffled hair behind her ears.

    She beamed at me and yed with my chin. ¡°I¡¯m.. paiinee¡± She babbled, giggling uncontrobly as I perked her whole face.

    Emilia trotted down to the living room, her scowl disappearing as she saw me with Lilly. ¡°Oh, Dexter, you¡¯re here already. I thought you¡¯de in the evening.¡± Her eyes lit up in surprise.

    I dropped Lilly but she didn¡¯t let go as she wrapped her arms around my legs. ¡°Unlike you, I care very much about my daughter,¡± I replied with a clipped tone. ¡°Where¡¯s her bag?¡± I asked, darting a cursory gaze around.

    She sighed in defeat. Did she think I¡¯d back out of my ns?

    ¡°I¡¯ll go and get it.¡± I didn¡¯t bother to ask who came because I didn¡¯t care.

    She could leave her life the way she wanted as long as it didn¡¯t affect Lilly in any way. And bringing Lilly to my house meant that I didn¡¯t want Emilia to have ess to my apartment any time she wanted.

    ¡°And one more thing,¡±

    She halted when she got to the stairs. ¡°What?¡± She spat.

    ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to tell you this but because of Lilly, I will. The keys to my house will be changed because I don¡¯t want you to have ess to my house, so make sure you inform me ahead of time beforeing to pick up Lilly for the weekend.¡± I announced and her face turned red with displeasure.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± She seethed but I didn¡¯t react. ¡°How can you do that to me?¡±

    I shrugged and picked up Lilly again as she kept asking me to carry her. ¡°It¡¯s my house. Are you getting her bag or not?¡±

    She hissed and turned away while I let out a relieved sigh. I¡¯d taken care of Emilia¡¯s case. Now I¡¯d be free to go after the woman my body yearned for and even a little bit of my heart.

 A stroll to the past

    Melissa

    ¡®I¡¯ve found yourte mother¡¯swyer. I can send you his address if you want it.¡¯

    The words of the private investigator I hired echoed in my ears as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My body shuddered with a feeling akin to fear as I contemted either going ahead to visit him or looking for anotherwyer to draw up the documents concerning myte mother¡¯spany.

    The urge to get back mypany enveloped me and any time I remembered that Leonardo was still running thepany as he wanted, I became ovee with anger.

    I reached for my phone after making a decision. I was the one who started this, I¡¯d surely put an end to it.

    With my fingers trembling in slight trepidation, I dialed the P. I.¡¯s number and listened to it ring. He picked up the phone before the second ring, his voice as professional as usual.

    ¡°Good morning, Miss Rogers. How are you today?¡± He drawled formally.

    Bile rose through my throat, but I shut my eyes and swallowed it. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I paused and took a deep breath. ¡°There¡¯s a reason I called.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± He urged me on.

    ¡°I want thewyer¡¯s address, I have to go and visit him,¡± I informed him.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem, Miss Rogers. Once we are done with this conversation, I¡¯ll send you the address.¡± He stated and dness filled my heart immediately.

    I thanked him profusely and ended the call. Just like he said, my phone chimed with a notification sound and when I checked, it was the address of Mr Manor, mom¡¯swyer.

    I snatched my bag from the vanity table and traipsed out of my condo without thinking twice. Mr Manor¡¯s ce was quite a distance and I¡¯d have to drive like I was in a race if I wanted to make it back home today.

    No one knew about my n to visit him, not even my father. If I¡¯d told him, he¡¯d interfere with the whole process and this was what I wanted to clear between thewyer and myself.

    My phone rang loudly with an unknown number ring on the screen. I swiped to the right and then put it on a loudspeaker. ¡°Good morning. Who am I unto?¡±

    Silence ensued, then a deep sigh. ¡°So I had to use a different number to reach you, right?¡± Dexter¡¯s voice came through, his deep voice igniting the quenched mes within me.

    Even though my stomach had turned jelly and my throat was clogged with emotions, I wouldn¡¯t let him know how much he affected me. ¡°I cklisted your number so that you wouldn¡¯t have to call me again. I thought you¡¯d have gotten the memo by now.¡± I managed to sound displeased, even though there was a tingling sensation in my chest all because he called.

    ¡°I got the memo, but I¡¯m not the kind of person to give up.¡± He challenged and I scoffed.

    ¡°Typical,¡± I muttered under my breath and slowed down because of the traffic. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°You. Melissa, I want you and I¡¯d have you no matter how much you run away.¡± He said with so much arrogance I felt like hurling a brick at his head.

    Heat unfurled in my core because no matter how much I tried to deny how I felt, I knew that with just one look at him, I¡¯d be throwing myself his way and that¡¯s why I decided to stay away, at least until I was done with what I came for.

    ¡°Stop dreaming, Dexter.¡± My eyes darted to the traffic light as the cars started to roll down the road. ¡°Green says go, Dexter, which means that I¡¯m off.¡± I dropped the call without waiting for a response and turned off my phone.

    Thest thing I wanted was to be distracted and with Dexter whose mere image makes my insides melt like butter on a heated pot, I¡¯d lose focus.

    Just like the P. I described in the message, a bungalow with cracked walls stood in front of me, and the painting faded. The iron doors looked old and rusty and I wondered if I¡¯d find anyone inside.

    I grabbed my bag and rechecked for the pepper spray I put inside. In this kind of situation, one could never be too careful.

    My legs ached due to the effect of sitting in one position for a few hours, but I ignored it and headed for the shabby-looking building. I knocked on the door and as expected, I got no response except for a squeaky sound I heard,ing from within the house.

    I straightened my spine and listened intently for any other noise until I heard a manly yell behind me.

    Within a fleeting second, I dug into my bag and produced the pepper spray without thinking. I spun around to meet a grey-haired man with wrinkles scattered all over his face and a huge stick in his hands.

    The deadly scowl he shed at me almost made me regret why I came here alone. Dexter would have liked to escort me here, but I didn¡¯t dare to tell him after treating him like he didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± His croaky voice sent chills down my spine, and I began to wonder if the private investigator hadn¡¯t made a mistake with the address because he certainly didn¡¯t look like awyer.

    If I was going to have it easy and achieve my aim with this man, then I¡¯d have to tell him the truth.

    Amidst the knot that furled at the pit of my stomach, I still managed to put up a confident front. ¡°I¡¯m Lorraine Melissa Hills, the daughter of Sarah Hills.¡±

    His eyes lit up with realization then he moved away from me, dropping the stick in his hands and shaking his head vehemently.

    ¡°No!¡± He took another step backward with a shudder, his refusal leaving me confused. ¡°No!¡± He repeated.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr Manor?¡± I tried to sound calm even though my heart was already in my mouth.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be you. Mr Leonardo told me that you were dead and I had to hand over the documents to him.¡± He sobbed and I froze, the revtion hitting me hard.

    Leonardo came to him?

    How was that even possible? When did that happen?

    That man was more sneaky than I thought and if Mr Manor handed over the papers to him, then it had to be under coercion because Leonardo was never diplomatic about anything.

    I returned the pepper spray to my bag while thinking of how to convince him that I never died. ¡°Sir, Leonardo lied to you. I don¡¯t know how he got you to hand the papers over to him but I¡¯ll prove to you that I didn¡¯t die.¡±

    Tears cascaded down his cheeks as he sank onto the ground, palming his head. Something bad must have happened for him to be this broken and I hoped that it wasn¡¯t what I was thinking.

    ¡°That bastard¡­ That bastard killed my family.¡± He forced out of his trembling lips and I stilled, my chest tightening with indignation.

 The lonely road

    Melissa

    I lowered myself onto the ground where he crashed down as pain surged through me. I lost my mother because of Leonardo so I understood his pain, but this man lost his whole family.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you how it happened because I don¡¯t want you to recall all the hurtful events, but I just want to say I¡¯m sorry for what happened. I understand your pain-¡± He cut me short with a re.

    ¡°No you don¡¯t understand my pain,¡±  He said harshly.

    I sighed and plopped down beside him, my eyes covered with tears. ¡°He killed my mother¡­¡± My voice cracked, and his expression softened.

    Together we sobbed our hearts out, side by side without restriction to our tears, just the both of us pouring our emotions out until our eyes turned red and I was sure our tear ducts had stopped producing tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you how it all happened even though it¡¯s the most difficult thing I¡¯d be doing.¡± I opened my mouth to tell him that it wasn¡¯t necessary and that he didn¡¯t need to relive his pain, but he raised his hand to stop me. ¡°I¡¯ve never shared my grief with anyone, and having you here after two years of their deaths feels like a blessing.¡±

    My heart swelled withpassion for this man as I decided that I¡¯d find him justice. No matter what, Leonardo must go down.

    We satfortably on the porch, his hands folded while I rested on the wall.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sarah used to be my close friend from college, and one day she came to me and told me that she wanted to write her will. She told me that I had to give it to you when you turned twenty-five.¡±

    I sighed at the realization that my mother was never careless about her will, Leonardo was just very smart.

    ¡°She sounded desperate but she refused to tell me what was going on until I heard that she was dead. Honestly, I wanted toe and get you, but then I remembered her telling me that she was married which meant that her husband would take care of you, so I didn¡¯t need toe and find you until your twenty-fifth birthday. I was preparing to do just that when I returned from work on a good Monday evening and found my wife and daughter tied up together on our armchairs.¡±

    I gasped, my chest hammering with pain when I saw how his jaw tightened in anguish. ¡°Take it slowly, Mr Manor. I don¡¯t have anything else nned.¡±

    He inhaled deeply and steadied himself before continuing. ¡°Leonardo came with two other men and said that he heard about the will, and I¡¯d have no choice but to hand the will that entailed the legal documents of your inheritance¡­¡± His voice cracked, and a lone tear streamed down his cheek.

    ¡°I swear I tried not to give in, but then he said he¡¯d shoot my wife. So I rushed in and went to get the will. I couldn¡¯t even make a call or even use my phone because of the men monitoring my movements.¡± He wiped his face and sniffed while I wrapped my arms around him.

    Each time I realized how much of a devil Leonardo was, the hunger to murder him cruelly would ignite again, but if I went down that road I might not evere out.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to bring him down,¡± I assured him firmly, but he shook his head in doubt.

    ¡°How are you going to do that? That man is a beast. I made the mistake of handing the document over to him because he killed themter on and left me alive to mourn over them. I¡¯m still surprised that I didn¡¯tmit suicide because I¡¯m like a walking corpse without any purpose. My life from that day onwards took a downward trajectory and I haven¡¯t recovered from my losses.¡±

    His story reminded me of mine. I lost Victoria which led me to lose Dexter, whom I loved dearly. I might have lost the will to leave if not for the man I called my father.

    He was the one who encouraged me to go ahead and fight for what was mine. He gave me a reason to live, and I¡¯ll be forever grateful for that.

    ¡°I agree that he¡¯s a beast and you¡¯ve lost a lot. Trust me, I¡¯ve lost a lot of things to him as well, but we won¡¯t watch him live his best life while we sit in anguish all our lives. We are going to make our losses count, but I can¡¯t go on without your help, Mr Manor. We have to work together and bring down Leonardo and every other person who caused us unforgettable pain.¡±

    His eyes darkened and I could tell that my words had gotten to him. He rose to his feet, his sullen countenance reced with bright rays of hope.

    He swallowed and I watched his throat bob in a vertical movement. ¡°How can I help you, Lorraine?¡± He asked coldly and I stood up as well, a scary kind of excitement washing over me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it.¡±

    ***********

    By the time we were done with the meeting, I was already exhausted, but I was fulfilled. Solid ns had been made, and he didn¡¯t look as depressed as when I first met him, and I was one hundred percent assured of his assistance.

    My body ached badly and remembering that I¡¯d go home to an empty bed increased the aches. I turned on my phone, knowing that my father would have been trying to reach me.

    I knew that it was unsafe to hit the road by this time of the night, but I had to be at Hills Jewelry¡¯s board meeting the next day, so I shoved down my skepticism about the lonely road and drove off.

    The drive was smooth, even though my eyelids were bing heavy with sleep. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn¡¯t had anything to eat since morning, and then the memory from the night that Dexter appeared in my house without invitation shed in my mind.

    And if I told myself the truth, I was wishing that it would happen again.

    I didn¡¯t bother to nce at the sides of the road because of how scary the tall trees looked, but then my car stopped suddenly. The engine went off which immediately sent me into panic mode.

    My heart mmed against my ribcage as I finally nced around my location. A shudder rolled through me as I realized that I was alone. Since the gas was floored, I couldn¡¯t even turn on the car¡¯s light.

    I quickly reached for my phone and called my father.

    ¡°Please, pick up.¡± I prayed, my voice shaky with fear. It heightened when it kept ringing over and over again without any response.

    I waited for a few seconds and dialed his phone again, banging my fist on the steering wheel in frustration when the call didn¡¯t go through.

    I couldn¡¯t even afford to sleep in my car because I was terrified of what could happen. There was no hotel in sight, neither was there a patrol van making its way towards my car so I was practically stuck in a lonely road.

    As I scrolled through my call logs for the day, my eyes stopped at the number that had called me earlier that afternoon. Dexter would have a full day teasing me for making him my knight in shining armor, but right now I didn¡¯t have a choice.

    I¡¯d almost clicked on his number then I remembered that his daughter would be around, and I didn¡¯t want to disturb their bonding time. I held back and began to think of someone else when I heard voices echoing towards my car.

    My body froze, and my breathing hitched as I did the only thing I could.

    Calling Dexter.

 Knight in shining armor

    Dexter

    ¡°So what story do you want me to read to you?¡± I ced two books in front of Lilly who was peering at me with her huge ck eyes.

    Before bringing her over here, I got books that I¡¯d be reading her to sleep and some other helpful toys. I didn¡¯t want my precious daughter tock anything, as long as I could provide it.

    ¡°Tell me, daughter,¡± I urged her gently.

    Her little fingers closed around a big colorful book and I chuckled. Kids would always be kids. If only she knew that the other one besides the one she chose was more interesting, she¡¯d have gone for it.

    ¡°I¡­ I yike this one.¡± She babbled, shing her little set of white teeth at me.

    She was so adorable and charming. I don¡¯t think I could ever be mad at her one bit.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go with this then,¡± I said and began to read a story about Jack and the Beanstalk. I read to her slowly and watched her eyelids meet each other, her face turning to the side as she slept off.

    A smile spread on my lips as I shook my head. Some minutes ago, she asked me to read her a story and now she was resting peacefully.

    What more could I ask for, apart from having Melissa with me?

    I recalled our horrible conversation that happened during the day and hollowness sank into the pit of my stomach. I wonder why she wasn¡¯t consistent with what she felt for me.

    I knew that she was deeply attracted to me, but then, there was an invisible wall standing between us and if it wasn¡¯t pulled down, I doubted I¡¯d ever have ess to her heart.

    There was no point denying that I felt something strong for the auburn-haired woman. Being around her brought peace to my demons, and at the same time, she stirred up feelings that had been buried within me for a long time.

    Only one woman wielded such power over me and she was gone. I wasn¡¯t even interested in cing charges against her anymore.

    I just wanted peace with the people I loved.

    As I strolled to the living room, my phone rang in my sweatpants. I groaned, wondering who could be calling me at past 9 pm.

    My eyes widened when the name red on my screen. I picked it up without hesitation, but the sound of her uneven breathing made me alert.

    Something was wrong.

    ¡°Dexter,¡± She called without her usual confident tone, her voice lower than a whisper. ¡°I-I need your help.¡± She stuttered and something within me snapped.

    She was in danger and there was no way I¡¯d let anyone hurt her. ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked, taking the stairs in twos as I headed for my bedroom.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ can¡¯t talk. I¡¯m scared.¡±

    ¡°Sweetheart,¡± I said to calm her down. ¡°I know that you are scared, but can you share your location with me? It will be faster that way.¡± I asked in the most gentle tone I could muster as I armed myself with a shotgun and abat knife.

    With a deep sigh, she said. ¡°I can do that.¡± Then the line went dead.

    I jogged back downstairs, my heart bing more unsettled by the minute. Every second I wasted here brought her close to danger, but then I remembered Lilly who was sleeping all alone in her room, and a conflict of interest arose in my mind.

    Fortunately, the new nanny I employed was just already packing her things and getting ready to leave, so I was in luck.

    ¡°Can you wait, Mrs Madeline?¡± I asked politely and she halted.

    ¡°What can I help you with, sir?¡±

    I quickly exined the situation to her and pleaded with her to stay back with Lilly and watch over her till I returned. I also warned her that if any ugly situation arose in my absence, she could run to the basement and hide.

    I wasn¡¯tpletely satisfied with leaving my daughter all alone with her, but it was all I could do if I wanted to save Melissa from danger.

    My phone beeped with her location popping on my screen and I let out a gasp. She was still far away from Beverly Hills at such an odd hour.

    I couldn¡¯t get there on time even if I wanted to, which was frustrating, but went ahead and started the car and drove off slowly as I thought of who to call, then I remembered that Wyatt lived around that area.

    My tension eased as I sent a text to him, then switched gears and raced to save my woman.

    MELISSA¡¯S POVThis content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Though my eyes were itching to shut off and my body wished to be oblivious of the world, I couldn¡¯t allow it because I didn¡¯t want to be chopped up by these strangers.

    Dexter had informed me that he was already on his way, but I doubted that he¡¯d get to me on time.

    The wind howled, and the sounds of footsteps traipsing towards me got me moving to the backseat.

    I couldn¡¯t stay holed up in here, but I couldn¡¯te out at the same time so I decided to call Dexter again and inform him of my dreary situation.

    If I eventually got out of it, I¡¯d have to make it up to him for being a bitch.

    The phone slipped off my hands when the headlights of a car shed at me. The car steered towards the direction of my car while I watched it keenly from within. Thankfully, the windows of my car were tinted so I had the advantage of quickly calling Dexter to get to me fast.

    The lights went off and I quickly picked up the phone and began to dial his number. Whatever car stopped right now couldn¡¯t be here for my safety, maybe the person had a w hammer which would make it easier to smash my windows and attack me.

    I shivered at the thought, my heart melting into a puddle when he didn¡¯t pick up. Then a knock came on the car window, causing me to jerk in fear. I wrapped my arms around myself and muttered a quick prayer that I could remember.

    My spine stiffened in agitation. I mped my trembling lips shut as I didn¡¯t want anyone to know that I was in, but it seemed that my mission had failed because the knocks became insistent.

    Dexter¡¯s line became unreachable and then I realized that I was done for. Fortunately, my phone vibrated on the floor and I picked it up to read a relieving message from him.

    I sighed when I saw him smirk at me through the window, but not before he nced around meticulously. Fear had blinded my eyes from seeing that he hade to save me.

    As soon as I opened the car door, I flung myself at him without holding back. His muscr arms snaked around my back and his familiar musky scent reminded me that I¡¯d be alright.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Dexter. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done if you hadn¡¯te.¡± I sobbed while he caressed my back, holding me gently like I was a precious substance that could get spoilt if rough-handled.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sweetie. Let¡¯s get you home. You¡¯ve been through a lot today.¡± He said tenderly and my heart nearly exploded with love for him.

    How could he still be this sweet to me when I had done nothing but treat him badly?

    Then I resolved in my heart, one that would decide if we were still going to be together.

 Caring but cold

    Melissa

    Relief washed through me when we finally arrived at his house, which used to be my house as well. Cold chills ran down my spine as a nostalgic feeling hit me hard in the chest.

    The building was still the same including the type of flowers that bordered around the facade of his beautiful penthouse. The pool glittered under the rays of light reflecting from the incandescent bulbs.

    Like the gentleman he was, he opened the car door for me and waited for me toe out before closing it.

    ¡°I miss this ce,¡± I muttered under my breath before I could stop myself, but my voice wasn¡¯t that inaudible because he gazed at me with a curious expression.

    ¡°Have you ever been here before? How can you miss a ce you¡¯ve never been to?¡± He asked in amusement and I quickly let out a nervous giggle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take my words seriously. This ce just reminds me of a ce I¡¯ve been to before, that¡¯s all.¡± I let out the words in a rush and gave myself a mental p for not keeping a leash on my tongue.

    He said nothing else then led me in, our fingers entwined. His gesture was soothing, but it also aroused the calm butterflies in my stomach.

    I liked how he took care of me, but when I looked into his eyes, I could see how much he hurt.

    And I was the cause of it.

    I plopped down on the couch of his living room and passed a cursory nce around what used to be my living room. We had made a lot of memories here.

    I could still remember how he made me drink coffee with him after I became his contract wife, and I also remembered our conversation about having children.

    ¡°Would you like to have a cup of coffee?¡± He asked curtly, intruding into my thoughts.

    I nodded and mped my thighs together as I shuddered. His kindness wasn¡¯t new to me, same as his curt behavior. The fact that he wasn¡¯t even teasing me about the situation he saved me from told me that I was in a deep mess and he didn¡¯t care.

    His tall frame hovered over me when I opened my tired eyes, then he stretched the steaming cup of coffee to me. ¡°This should help relieve you of the cold. Are you hungry?¡±

    Having dinnerte at night wasn¡¯t good for me, and I was about to decline when my stomach grumbled in protest. His lips formed a small smirk then without breathing a word, he spun around and headed for the kitchen.

    Tension reigned thickly in the atmosphere. I wanted to tell him the few things I could, but his stoic expression wasn¡¯t even encouraging me to say a word.

    I missed our passionate nights.

    The beautiful conversations we used to have kept popping into my head and I wondered if I could sleep in this house, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be beside me.

    Again, he returned to the living room with a te of scrambled eggs with a side of fruit, and a little sd with nuts.

    ¡°This is the leftover from the dinner Lilly and I had. It¡¯s not much, but I don¡¯t want you to go to bed hungry. So eat this while I go and prepare your room for tonight.¡± He said calmly and I raised my brows.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t sleeping together?¡± My heart thudded as I anticipated his response.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should.¡± He said with disapproval then left immediately.

    The scrambled eggs smelt nice, but they tasted nd in my mouth and I knew that it wasn¡¯t because of the preparation. Whoever cooked this was good, but why couldn¡¯t I get the food down my throat?

    Maybe it was because he had never rejected me outrightly.

    But if he didn¡¯t care about me, why did hee to get me out of that lonely area?

    A lot of questions kept rising as I thought deeply about our situation, but I didn¡¯t know how to ask him.

    Not wanting to annoy him by leaving the food untouched, I dug into the eggs and scooped some fruits into my mouth as well. The appetite I thought had eluded me returned and the te became empty in less than a few minutes.

    I didn¡¯t want to bother Dexter so I quickly headed for the kitchen and washed the dishes. I dried my hands with a towel that dropped to the ground as soon as I turned around and found Dexter leaning against the door frame, his gaze piercing and his eyes unreadable.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have bothered to do the dishes. You are my guest.¡±

    I swallowed and sighed in appreciation when he didn¡¯t ask about how I knew where his kitchen was.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been trying to make mefortable since I came so I just thought I should help out,¡± I replied tly and bent down to pick up the towel.

    His distressed groan resonated in the kitchen then I realised what I¡¯d unintentionally done. My dress had a low neckline and bending down made it more visible.

    I held back a smile, satisfied that he was still attracted to my body.

    He coughed and swallowed visibly. ¡°I kept a shirt that you can change into when you¡¯re done having your bath. The room is ready. Good night¡± He said without sparing me a backward nce.

    My heart sank at the cruel way he dismissed me, but I deserved every reaction I got from him.

    I couldn¡¯t chase after him yet, not when I wasn¡¯t sure of what I was going to tell him, so I took it as my cue to go to bed. I sent a text to my father, telling him that I was fine and that I¡¯d speak to him in the morning.

    Then I took a quick shower and put on his shirt. The moment his scent drifted into my nose, that was when I decided that I wasn¡¯t going to sleep alone. No matter how hard he pushed me away.

    I brushed up my hair with my fingers and undid some of the buttons until I was sure that he¡¯d have a perfect view of my tits.

    I dragged in a deep breath and summoned thest streaks of courage within me, then headed for his room.

    The hallway was quiet, but the sound of pages pping couldn¡¯t be mistaken. I was emboldened by the fact that he couldn¡¯t sleep just as I couldn¡¯t.

    After staying in front of his door for a while, I knocked, biting my lower lip hard while hoping that he wouldn¡¯t give me another cold shoulder. I knocked again when he didn¡¯t respond, this time harder than the first.

    ¡°Open the door, Dexter. I know that you can hear me.¡± I demanded.

    His heavy footsteps trailed towards the door. The door knob twisted and the next minute, he was frowning at me.

    ¡°You are supposed to be in bed by now. You¡¯ve had a long day.¡± His tone was calm, but I could hear the angry edge behind it.

    ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t sleep,¡± I admitted, his brows furrowing in amusement.

    He folded his hands and leaned against the door, waiting for me to exin myself but my throat felt tight. I couldn¡¯t make out a single word. ¡°You¡¯ve had dinner and I¡¯m sure you have had a night bath as well, so why can¡¯t you sleep?¡±

    I shut my eyes, clenching my fists in frustration. He was going to make this hard for me.

    ¡°It¡¯s you. I don¡¯t want to sleep alone, but I don¡¯t know how to tell you because you¡¯ve been giving me a cold shoulder since you brought me here. Why did you act like you care when you can¡¯t even stand my presence?¡± I seethed, letting my annoyance flow through.

    He scoffed and shook his head. ¡°Are you throwing the me back at me?¡± He chuckled and propped his arms against his waist, moistening his lips. ¡°You were the one who started giving me could shoulders after I fucked your brains out, and when I tried to reach out you block me out, so what¡¯s your point?¡±

    Several responses gathered in my head, but the words couldn¡¯t even form in my mouth.

    He ruffled his hair and then shrugged. ¡°I thought as much.¡± He spun around and mmed the door.

 The mask of pain

    Melissa

    I couldn¡¯t let him go back in like that so I knocked again. ¡°Look, I know you don¡¯t want to talk to me and I deserve it, but I beg that you give me a chance to exin everything to you.¡±

    His door flung open almost immediately and then he did the unexpected. One moment I was pleading to get in, the next month I was being swept off my feet and tossed on the bed like a pack of cards.

    His eyes darkened as he lowered himself over me, his hands forming a cage by my sides, with me in between.

    ¡°What are you doing to me, Melissa?¡± He growled and brought his lips closer to the nape of my neck. ¡°Why can¡¯t I stop thinking about you?¡±

    His guttural groans cause my body to spike with pleasure. I was ready for anything he nned to do to me and I didn¡¯t want him to hold back.

    We could have the conversationter.

    ¡°The feeling is mutual, sweetheart,¡± I said, locking my gaze on him.

    He trailed his fingers around the fabric of his shirt which came off with one rip. I was naked underneath him and I liked it. A pool had already formed between my thighs and my core ached for his touch.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to punish you for treating me this way.¡± He rumbled and I let out a moan as he fondled my tits roughly.

    ¡°I¡¯m down for anything¡­¡± I rasped and tried to touch his hair, but he whipped a hard re at me.

    He spread my thighs, his fingers trailing from my aching nub to my wet hole and then he thrust in without warning, eliciting a gasp from me. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to touch me except I permit you to.¡± He warned and added another finger, pumping in and out of me so hard that I saw stars twinkle behind my eyes.

    My hands stretched to the sides of the bed, but I dared not touch anything. I writhed uncontrobly under him, my body craving for more than just his skilled fingers.

    How much I missed his cock.

    ¡°Just fuck me already!¡± I screamed as my release threatened to break forth.

    He spanked my ass hard, the painful sensationbined with the pleasure I felt in my core and threatened to wreck me apart. ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do.¡±

    My breathing had be ragged, I wasn¡¯t sure I¡¯d be able to hold off my release. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it back. I¡¯m so close.¡± I screamed at the top of my voice, grinding against his fingers.

    He pinched my nipple and scowled. ¡°Number two rule, you won¡¯te unless I ask you to.¡± He ordered and I hissed in exasperation. ¡°My cock is in charge of giving you a mind-blowing orgasm for today. Do you hear me?¡± He demanded with a dirty tone.

    I nodded, knowing that I had no say anymore. I¡¯d relinquished my control and he wasn¡¯t going to give it back. His thumb grazed my clit and I shuddered again, biting my lips to suppress the urge to scream.

    He pulled down his baggy pants and his hard cock sprang free. ¡°You will be mine, no matter what.¡±

    I was already his. He just didn¡¯t realize that yet.

    His strong hands settled on my thighs as he guided his shaft into me and began thrusting in with every streak of anger and resentment he might have had for me.

    He grabbed a fistful of my hair, his body forming an arc over mine as he rammed into me with all his strength. I thought I¡¯d break, but I didn¡¯t because my body began to hum with pleasure again.

    ¡°Can I touch you?¡± I whispered, my hazy eyes pleading silently.

    He smirked and spanked my ass. ¡°You can¡¯t, baby. You¡¯ll have to bear it without doing anything, alright.¡±

    I¡¯d never seen this side of Dexter before, not even when I was still known as Lorraine. He seemed to be ovee by his angst and if he kept going this way with me, I might get hurt.

    Though my body enjoyed it, betraying me and producing more juices, my heart was splitting into two.

    ¡°Tell me that you are mine, Melissa.¡± He took me aggressively.

    My eyes turned misty but I fought off the tears. I asked for it anyway.

    ¡°Say it, goddammit!¡± He hollered.

    ¡°I¡¯m yours, Dexter. I belong to you and I¡¯m not going to hurt you again.¡± I said softly and he halted, his eyes softening as if he just realized what he had been doing.

    He quickly pulled out, his dick returning to aid state. He quickly palmed my face, forcing my eyes to meet his. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± His voice shook with uncertainty as he searched my face for an answer.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    ¡°Maybe you did, but I deserved it,¡± I replied tiredly.

    He moved away from me and banged his fist on the drawer. ¡°Oh God. I shouldn¡¯t have done that to you. I lost my control and I took out my frustrations on you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the cause of your frustration, Dexter,¡± I said, trying to make him feel better.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, sweetheart.¡± His broad palms covered his face again and I could feel the turmoil brewing within him. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Melissa. I¡¯m never like this.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡± He asked and I rolled my eyes, mping my thighs since the show was over.

    ¡°I just happen to know that you are a good man and you don¡¯t hurt people on purpose. Agreed you went a bit overboard, but I liked how rough you were. And I also want to say that I¡¯m sorry for cutting you off. You don¡¯t deserve what I did.¡±

    He slid back into the bed. ¡°I know that, and I have some questions for you.¡± He was already returning to his normal self which made me feel better.

    ¡°Bring it on.¡±

    ¡°What is your main reason for trying to be CEO of Hills Jewelry?¡± I batted myshes, trying to feign ignorance, then he added. ¡°I know it¡¯s not because you just feel like investing. When you talk about your goals, I see angry sparks in your eyes so tell me about it. ¡±

    I sighed and tilted my face to the other side, contemting on telling him the whole truth or not. There was no evidence to prove that I didn¡¯t kill Victoria so I decided not to tell him yet, but it wouldn¡¯t kill me to tell him the real reason for trying to reim my inheritance.

    ¡°Thatpany belongs to my-¡±

    A loud shriek reverberated from the room close to us and we both scrambled out of the bed. I quickly tossed on Dexter¡¯s shirt while he put on his pants, and then we hurried to the room the noise emanated from.

    Dexter pushed the door open and we found Lilly on her feet, rubbing her eyes with her face puffy and red. He carried her and gasped in surprise.

    ¡°She¡¯s burning up.¡± He said worriedly while I ced my fingers on her forehead to confirm.

    ¡°I think she has a fever. Do you think we can go to the hospital right now?¡± I suggested.

    ¡°I have to.¡± He almost broke into a run, then he halted in his tracks when he noticed that I wasing behind him. ¡°You can stay back and rest. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±

    I shook my head and ced my hand on his shoulder. ¡°Lilly is sick and I¡¯m worried about her as well so I¡¯lle with you. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    He smiled and nted a kiss on my lips. ¡°Thank you for being with me, Melissa. I¡­¡± He caught himself right away and veered off, leaving me disappointed as I wanted him toplete his statement.

 Lillyéˆ¥æªš fever

    Author¡¯s POV

    TWELVE HOURS BEFORE

    She made her way to a table arranged for couples only, with a disapproving expression at his distasteful choice of venue. She felt like throwing a punch at him for deciding to ruin her perfect day, but she knew better than to go physical on him.

    ¡°Why am I here, Liam?¡± She snarled as she stopped by the seat opposite his, while his lips stretched into a grim smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much, sweetness. You don¡¯te to visit me anymore. Am I that bad?¡± He asked, his eyes almost undressing her as she sank onto the chair.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use that name on me, Liam.¡± She challenged, ¡°I¡¯m not your girlfriend.¡±

    He burst intoughter while she rolled her eyes and folded her arms. ¡°Of course, you are sweet down there and thinking about how wet you used to be for me makes me hard right now. If you want, we could go upstairs and I¡¯ll fuck your brains out. I know you miss me.¡± He wriggled his brows at her.

    Emilia stared at him without saying a word, she was tired of having to hide her identity every time she had to meet with him, and right now, she wondered why she fell into his trap in the first ce.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you again, why am I here?¡± She reiterated, her voice icy with irritation.

    He chuckled then leaned closer to her. ¡°I¡¯m broke. I need money.¡± He blurted tly.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    She lowered her head and massaged her temples in exasperation while trying to suppress her anger. She couldn¡¯t yell at him since they were in public, and she couldn¡¯t have the paparazzi taking pictures of her and making her trend for the wrong reasons.

    So she decided to tread cautiously.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have any money.¡± She replied nonchntly.

    Liam let out a doubtfulughter, but it disappeared when he saw how serious Emilia¡¯s expression was. ¡°You are serious, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Yes, I am. I don¡¯t have any money to give you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business, Emilia. I need some money to sort myself out, and you are the only one who can give it to me so make it avable.¡± He said and tried to stand up when she grabbed his wrist and fixed a deadly re at him.

    ¡°You will sit down and listen to me because we aren¡¯t done with this conversation.¡± She said through her tightly clenched teeth and he shoved her grip off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use that tone on me. You know what I¡¯m capable of.¡± He replied, glowering at her.

    The both of them engaged in a ringpetition until Emilia decided to break it. ¡°When I say that I don¡¯t have any money, then I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t have any money? I thought Dexter ced you on a monthly allowance. Isn¡¯t that more than enough to take care of you and even spare some for me?¡± He probed.

    Beads of sweat began to trickle down her forehead as she wiped them off and adjusted ufortably on her seat.

    ¡°It used to be sufficient until I ran into debts, and since I had that fiasco with that bitch Melissa, my modeling career further descended into oblivion. I lost most of my ambassadorship deals and some of my modeling contracts, so this is what I mean when I tell you that I¡¯m broke.¡± She sighed, her lips forming a pout.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your losses, but you have to find a way to get me this money, alright? You can use Lilly to get some money from him. You know that he doesn¡¯t joke with her needs.¡±

    She raked through her hair and shook her head in disbelief. ¡°Dexter took her away from me after Lilly went missing due to my carelessness so I can¡¯t even use her.¡± She exined.

    Liam stood up and she didn¡¯t bother to stop him again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about what happens to you because it¡¯s none of my business, but I¡¯d like to warn you ahead of time that you shouldn¡¯t y with me. I¡¯ve got your secrets in my palm and if you make a mistake, the cat will be let out of the bag.¡± He threatened her so calmly that anyone who nced their way would think he was professing his love to her.

    She sprang up to her feet furiously, annoyed by hisckadaisical response, but she couldn¡¯t do anything as he walked out, leaving her to think of a way out of her problems.

    ******

    TWELVE HOURS LATER

    Dexter¡¯s POV

    ¡°How¡¯s she doing now?¡± I asked the pediatrician who was in charge of Lilly¡¯s treatment for the umpteenth time this morning.

    We rushed her here early this morning and they began treatments immediately, but they stopped us from seeing her so I wasn¡¯t at rest. And the fact that the doctor kept giving me vague responses heightened my fear.

    ¡°She¡¯s stable now, at least, her temperature is back to normal and the other symptoms that came with the fever are gradually leaving. It¡¯s good you brought her here on time or it would have gotten moreplicated.¡± She exined and I suddenly felt at ease.

    ¡°Thank you so much. Can we go and see her now?¡± I asked and she nodded.

    ¡°Yes, you can, though she¡¯s still sleeping. The nurses will being in to check on her at intervals.¡± She informed me and walked away.

    My gaze was trained on the door, but my mind had wandered far away. I was so scared for my daughter. The doctor had assured me that she was fine but I kept imagining what would have happened to her if I wasn¡¯t attentive.

    If I hadn¡¯te to my senses and realized that I was hurting Melissa. I know that I asked Wyatt not to bother picking her up after I sent him the text, but still¡­

    Maybe nature was trying to punish me for what I did to Melissa through my daughter.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Melissa¡¯s warm voice jerked me back to reality. ¡°She¡¯s fine already. Stop overthinking.¡± She scolded me gently, wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

    I gave her a once over and almostughed. She was wearing the shirt I almost ripped apart, but she still looked beautiful even though her nudity could be seen if she didn¡¯t hold tightly onto the seams.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for ripping out the shirt.¡± I chuckled.

    She pped my back and we both giggled. After the storm settled, I¡¯d have to ask her out.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go and see Lilly.¡± She said and I nodded in agreement.

    However, my phone decided to ring and I hissed when I saw who the caller was. ¡°Why would she be calling me in the wee hours of the morning?¡±

    ¡°Pick it up, you don¡¯t know why she is calling.¡± She urged me.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I went straight to the point.

    ¡°Dexter,¡± She cried and I rolled my eyes. ¡°My house has been broken into and my properties including my money were carted away.¡±

 Leonardo

    Melissa

    My eyes fluttered open and I nced at the wall clock. I quickly scurried out of bed as a sense of urgency arose within me. It was almost 8 am and I was to attend the board meeting today.

    Dexter, who had woken up because of the little noises I made stared at me with a puzzled expression.

    ¡°Where are you rushing off to? Is there any problem?¡± He asked, rubbing his eyes which already had dark patches underneath them.

    I pitied the man. He had gone through a lot to save mest night, now his daughter was under the weather. I wished there was a way I could make him feel better.

    ¡°Work. I have to be at the meeting.¡± I replied, and then a realization of the mistake I made hit me hard.

    I shouldn¡¯t have allowed him to get some shares in thepany, because he¡¯d be a stakeholder and that would allow him toe for meetings. And if he saw Leonardo there¡­

    Oh no. What have I done?

    ¡°The meeting? I¡¯m supposed to be there as well.¡± He said in regret.

    I settled down beside him. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, Dexter. Your daughter is your utmost priority and I¡¯m sure the meeting won¡¯t take long, so just watch her while she recovers.¡± I had to make sure he never came to any of the meetings, not until I¡¯d revealed my identity.

    He held my hands and stared at me passionately. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to thank you enough, but you don¡¯t know how much your presence has eased my fear. I¡¯m d that I didn¡¯t have to do this alone.¡±

    I nced at the beautiful child who was having a peaceful sleep and pecked her forehead. I didn¡¯t understand the connection I had with her, but I loved the girl so much.

    ¡°And I¡¯m happy that I was able to help.¡± The time ticked eight on the dot and I sprang to my feet. ¡°I¡¯d be reallyte if I don¡¯t leave now.¡± I said.

    ¡°Have a good day, Melissa, and inform me if anything happens. I won¡¯t be going to work today and I¡¯d like to have you around.¡± He offered and my heart skipped a beat.

    A blush crept to my cheeks. ¡°I¡¯d like toe over as well.¡±

    I blew him a kiss and left, feeling excited and pumped up to start the day.

    ********

    The boardroom went still with silence as soon as I entered. I did a quick search around and waved at my father who gave me a thumbs up. There was an empty chair, saved for me beside Leonardo.

    With my chin up and my shoulder straightened, I trotted to my seat and shed a smile at Leonardo who looked more than excited to see me.

    If only he knew how close he was to his doom.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte. I¡¯m not usually tardy.¡± I apologized and they nodded, silently telling me that they approved of my apology.

    Leonardo got up from his chair and the screen came on behind him. He gave a formal acknowledgment and began to talk about how he nned to grow thepany and bring up more deals with us.

    I was tempted to ask him what he had been up to since he assumed the seat of the chairman, but he would be suspicious since I¡¯d already proposed a fake business n to him.

    After he finished his presentation, one of the other board members raised his hand. I¡¯d done some research on him and I got to know that he had a personal beef with Leonardo.

    If he was going to challenge him during the meeting, it meant that convincing the other members that I¡¯d be a sessful leader wouldn¡¯t be a herculean task anymore.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a question, Leonardo and I hope you answer honestly.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    This was going to be fun.

    Leonardo red at him secretly, though a fake smile was stered on his face. ¡°This is a board meeting, Mr Han. I¡¯m ountable to everyone here.¡±

    A scoff rose to my throat.

    The man was so good at acting, but soon I¡¯ll gather all the evidence I need and reveal his evil nature to the world.

    ¡°For the past two years that you¡¯ve been the CEO of thispany, what have you been able to achieve?¡± He asked with a deadpan stare and everyone directed their nces at Leonardo who looked smitten.

    For a moment, it felt like he wasn¡¯t able to bring up a response because he had nothing to say in his defense.

    ¡°Ummm¡­ I-I¡­ have been able to¡­¡± He snapped his lips shut, his jaws clenched while I chuckled silently. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for your question, huh? Is that why we are here?¡±

    ¡°I think his question is profound and we¡¯d like to know what you¡¯ve been able to achieve. We don¡¯t know how thepany¡¯s fund is being spent, there¡¯s no growth and it seems like the business has declined since you took over. Do you have anything to say to this?¡± Another man added.

    Leonardo nced at me for help but I signaled him to rx. I thought that I¡¯d have to be the one to keep him on his toes, but fate was working for me so that I wouldn¡¯t have a hard time dishing out my revenge.

    ¡°Why are you all asking me these questions?¡± Leonardo fumed.

    Because you¡¯ve been bribing everyone to do your bidding, but they are fed up, idiot. I itched to tell him that, but I held back.

    ¡°Because we¡¯ll be re-electing a new chairman soon and you have two months to prove to us that you are capable. There¡¯ll be arrangements for other members who are interested in the position topete, so brace up because it won¡¯t be easy for you.¡± Mr Han said and I gave him a mental fist-pump.

    Leonardo banged his fist on the table as he realized that business wouldn¡¯t be as usual anymore. ¡°This is crazy.¡± He argued.

    ¡°It¡¯s just the truth. You are destroying Mrs Hills¡¯ legacy, and the only reason we are still here is because we feel that thepany is redeemable. As soon as the election is over, there¡¯ll be an internal audit. I hope you are ready to be truly ountable.¡± Mr Han concluded, picked up his suitcase and stormed out of the room.

    I had to meet Mr Han and thank him for stepping in and cutting Leonardo¡¯s wings.

    I wondered how he¡¯d feel when he got to know that I was contesting for his position.

 Heéˆ¥æªš my father

    Melissa

    ¡°I was able to speak to myte mother¡¯swyer,¡± I said to my dad as we crossed the waiting area and headed toward the parking lot.

    He didn¡¯t look too happy, but I didn¡¯t give it much thought. ¡°Why did you have to go there alone? What if something bad had happened to you?¡± He asked, his voice harsh with concern.

    The change in his tone got me rmed, but I just summed it up to the fact that he cared for me and didn¡¯t want me to get hurt.

    ¡°I¡¯m a grown-ass woman, dear father. The meeting went well and I¡¯ve got everything under control. You don¡¯t have to be worried, alright?¡± I tried to assuage his fear, and I guessed it worked because he smiled at me and wrapped his arm around me.

    ¡°I just care for you so much, that¡¯s why I¡¯m so bothered. I know that I encouraged you to fight for what belongs to you, but I think I made a mistake.¡± His eyes zed with regret.

    ¡°No! No!¡± I argued. ¡°Don¡¯t say that¡­¡±

    We had already gotten to his car since he wanted to take me out for lunch. Ever since he returned to California, we had never gone out together. I was always upied with one meeting or the other and it was the same at his end.

    My name rang loudly behind me and I turned around to see Mrs Gonzales striding towards us. ¡°One minute, Dad.¡± I excused myself and walked away from him then headed to her.

    ¡°Hi, ma¡¯am.¡± We hugged each other.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯d being here today. I¡¯m guessing the meeting didn¡¯t go well because Mr Jones is livid right now. He has ordered that we make new designs, but how are we going to do that when we don¡¯t have enough resources?¡± She asked in exasperation.

    Since I was no longer caged in the confines of the board room which needed me to conduct myself properly, I burst into a fit ofughter which she joined in.

    ¡°He¡¯s so confused.¡± I managed to say amidstughter. ¡°And you are going to help him stay more confused because he doesn¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    Myughter died down gradually when I noticed that her attention was no longer on me. I trailed the direction of her eyes to my father who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡± She gasped, pointing at him.

    My eyes were squinted in surprise as I kept darting my eyes from my father to her. Suddenly the atmosphere which was filled with joy became thick with tension.

    ¡°That¡¯s my adopted father. He was the one I told you about.¡± I informed her.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± She whispered under her breath, getting me more confused.

    I couldn¡¯t keep up with the coded stares and the ufortable silence so I decided to break the tension. ¡°I¡¯m lost here, Mrs Gonzales. What¡¯s going on? Why has your face turned pale?¡± I turned to my father whose grip tightened on the handle of the car door. ¡°And why are you quiet too?¡±

    She took a deep sigh, her palm covering her mouth. ¡°You are Williams, right?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s Williams-¡±

    Then I realized what she was on about and for a second, I froze. My breathing became hitched as reality dawned on me, my palms bing mmy with cold sweat.

    It couldn¡¯t be. I prayed that what I was thinking wouldn¡¯t be what I thought it was.

    I moistened my lips and mustered the courage to ask her the question that I presently dreaded. ¡°Is he the man you told me about?¡± I could hear my heartbeat in a stato rhythm, my body growing hot.

    She nodded slowly, her eyes still trained on my father-my real father.

    ¡°Yes, he is the one.¡± Her voice cracked as she tried to hold back her tears.

    I was certain that I might not be able to hold back the dam of tears that would flood my face if I talked, but dammit! I was going to demand the truth from him and I hoped that he wouldn¡¯t lie to my face.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Dad, is she¡­¡±

    With a few quick strides, he closed the distance between us, his countenance sullen. But I took note of something, and that was the admittance in his eyes.

    Oh God. I finally let the dam breakthrough.

    How could he do this to me?

    How could fate treat me this harshly? How could the man I regarded as my father be my real father?

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, honey. I tried to tell you but I was too selfish to tell you the truth. I was scared that I¡¯d lose you.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t even as strong as it used to be.

    His eyes pleaded with me silently to give him a chance, but I just couldn¡¯t stand the betrayal.

    He was right about the fear of losing me because he had just lost me. He should havee clean to me earlier than now.

    ¡°Tell me about it, Dad-Mr Rogers.¡± I quickly corrected myself and his eyes shone with horror. ¡°When did you find out that I was your daughter?¡±

    I was d that most of the staff weren¡¯t nosy because I was sure that my voice had climbed a higher crescendo and I was causing a scene.

    ¡°On the night of the ident. The doctor said that you needed a blood transfusion so I agreed to donate mine. Fortunately, it matched, and then he told me that he had discovered something rming. I asked him what it was and he said that he¡¯d like to conduct a DNA test with my permission to confirm his suspicions and I let him. It turned out that you were my daughter and that exined the connection I felt the first day I saw you.¡± He was also crying, but I wasn¡¯t moved. ¡°God, you looked so much like your mother.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my mother.¡± Ished out. ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to talk about our simrities when you never gave a hoot about me. You are the reason I¡¯m in this mess.¡± I poked his chest with my middle finger.

    I nced around and noticed that a little group was beginning to form and if Leonardo got wind of what was going on, my ns would be squashed.

    ¡°Darling, give me a chance to exin.¡± He pleaded.

    I shook my head and wiped my face. ¡°I don¡¯t think you deserve it, Mr Rogers. Do have a nice day.¡± I said and rushed into my car and drove off.

    My fingers trembled on the steering wheel but I had to be strong. I had to talk to someone about the recent revtion and since I didn¡¯t have any friends, myst bet was on Dexter.

    I shouldn¡¯t be telling him anything rted to my personal life since it would onlyplicate things, but I damned the warnings ringing in my head and dialed his number.

    He picked at one ring which I was happy for, his voice jovial and rxed.

    I sighed, beating myself for being so selfish. He had a sick daughter and here I was, trying to burden him with my problems. I shouldn¡¯t have called at all.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything, Angel?¡± He asked sweetly and I sniffed. ¡°Hold on a sec, are you crying?¡± His voice had switched from sweet to intense.

    I bit my lower lip and shut my eyes, trying to control my emotions. ¡°I just need someone to talk to, Dexter.¡± I croaked.

    ¡°Where are you right now? I¡¯ming to pick you up.¡±

    ¡°What about Lilly?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring her along with me. Just tell me where you are.¡± He demanded, his tone bearing a note of urgency.

 Letting it out

    Melissa

    I was at his house, just like we¡¯d nned in the morning, but now, there was a difference behind my reason for being here.

    He ced a ss of chilled water in front of me which I gulped without taking a break. I wanted to ask for alcohol, but then I knew that I would be wasting my time because once the effect wore off, I¡¯d be reminded of my ugly problem again.

    ¡°What happened, Melissa? Your face is puffy and your eyes are swollen like you have been crying for the whole day. Tell me who made you cry.¡± He growled.

    I gazed at him and shivered. His eyes darkened and the way his jaw was set told me that he was ready to go out there and hunt down anyone who caused me pain.

    Though I was mad at Mr Rogers, I didn¡¯t want him dead.

    ¡°I want us to have a deal, Dexter¡­¡±

    He shook his head in disagreement. ¡°If the deal means that I¡¯ll have to spare anyone who hurt you, then have it at the back of your mind that I won¡¯t agree.¡±

    A smile crawled to my lips, my heart melting at how deeply he cared for me. The fact that he wanted to fight for me was enough to dissipate the gnawing pain in my chest.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that, Dexter. The deal is that I don¡¯t want you to ask me any questions. I just want you to listen to me.¡±

    ¡°That sounds difficult,¡± He whined. ¡°But I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°I found my father today.¡± I blurted out as there was no easy way to put it.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    His expression softened and then he took me into his arms. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and allowed my emotions to run free again.

    His fingers raked through my hair as he massaged my scalp gently. His touch was soothing, and for a moment, I forgot all about my problems.

    I liked that he didn¡¯t ask any questions, just as I requested. Right now, I didn¡¯t want to think, I just wanted to be numb to the pain.

    ¡°Do you want to eat anything?¡± He broke into my reverie.

    I sniffed and shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stomach any food right now. I just want to forget about everything.¡± I said honestly.

    He raised my chin and looked into my eyes. The warmth shimmering in his eyes drew me in, assuring me that I wasn¡¯t alone. He¡¯d always be by my side.

    ¡°Melissa, I know that you want to stay oblivious to the situation, but that isn¡¯t going to help. If you don¡¯t tackle your problems, they won¡¯t go away, instead, they¡¯llpound ande back at you.¡±

    ¡°You are right, Dexter, but can you not remind me of my reality? Please?¡±

    He kissed my forehead and then stood up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being insensitive. I was just trying to look out for you, but since that isn¡¯t working, I¡¯d like you toe and watch me cook. I promise you¡¯ll feel a lot better or we could go for a swim.¡± He suggested and I weighed both options.

    Cooking with him would only stir up old memories and what I needed was to channel my energy into something that would make me lose my breath.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go swimming.¡±

    He bit his lips with a shrug and the mere gesture sent shivers through my body.  ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea. Let¡¯s go then.¡±

    For someone who was crying a few minutes ago, I was energetic. I hurriedly stepped out of my suit pants and worked on taking off my jacket at the same time.

    My white camisole went off next and I remained in my push-up bra and thong.

    A loud whisper erupted behind me. ¡°Girl, you are hot.¡± Hemented with a devious smirk.

    I giggled and stood on the deck of the pool, ready to jump in. ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Mr Hemmingway.¡± I dived in, the impact causing a heavy ssh around the edges.

    The water was exhrating and I sank deeper, my mind going nk as I only focused on surviving inside the water. Unfortunately, I was distracted by another dive that went into the pool.

    Suddenly, I felt strong arms around my waist, pulling me upward even when I struggled to stay inside the pool.

    ¡°Do you want to kill yourself?¡± He fired at me.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I said and pped my hair on both sides.

    If he was mad at me, I couldn¡¯t tell because the way he looked at me spoke volumes of what he wanted. His eyes were covered with pure lust, the bulge poking at my ass was enough proof.

    ¡°If you weren¡¯t so hot, I¡¯d be punishing you right now.¡±

    ¡°The pool is perfect for it.¡± I flirted, then he put distance between us and swam back to the deck.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to take advantage of you.¡±

    I scoffed at his reason and rolled my eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what¡¯s good for me and what¡¯s not. I need a distraction and you are the best person for that.¡±

    ¡°No, honey. You have to stop looking for easy ways out of your problems because you won¡¯t find it.¡±

    ¡°And who gave you the right to lecture me, huh?¡± My temper was rising and there was every possibility of me directing it to the wrong person. ¡°Everything about me has been a lie, but you won¡¯t understand because you¡¯ve always lived with a silver spoon in your mouth. I might have had the same experience if the man who calls himself my father hadn¡¯t decided to be selfish.¡±

    I expected a bacsh but his lips remained mped together so I continued.

    ¡°I went through hell because the people who were supposed to care for me deserted me. Maybe I¡¯m cursed or I just don¡¯t deserve to have anything good. And just when I¡¯m in the process of picking up the pieces of my life, he shows himself as my father. What did he expect me to do?¡±

    Dexter swam towards me, his expression stoic and unreadable and I hoped he wouldn¡¯t scold me because I wouldn¡¯t stand it.

    ¡°Just let it all out, sweetheart. I¡¯m here for you.¡± He brought me close for a hug and my guarded sobs turned into an uncontroble bawl.

 Father and daughter

    Melissa

    My fingers trembled as I nted a knock on Mr Rogers¡¯ door. It felt weird to regard him by hisst name when I¡¯d taken him to be my father, but what could I do?

    If Dexter hadn¡¯t convinced me toe and see him, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered. My father-Mr Rogers had been calling me since yesterday, even till now.

    I wondered how relieved he¡¯d be when he saw me at his door. Speaking of his door, it moved open, with him behind it.

    It took him some seconds to register the fact that I was standing before him. His eyes lit up and his lips stretched broadly into a smile.

    My heart almost melted but I shoved off the fluttery feelings. I wasn¡¯t here for reconciliation. I just needed to get some exnations that would help me get closure.

    ¡°Oh, Melissa, you finally came.¡± He tried to hug me, but I stiffened and subconsciously took a step backward.

    The smile crashed when he realized that I didn¡¯t want any form of closeness from him. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± I knew that I sounded rude, but he deserved it and more.

    ¡°Of course you can. My house is also your house.¡± He chuckled, trying to lighten the situation, but I wasn¡¯t buying it. I just wanted to have the discussion and be out of here for good.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true, but I¡¯ll go straight to the point. I¡¯m here because a certain someone wants me to give you a chance to exin yourself, and I also hope that you have something reasonable to say to me.¡±

    ¡°Is that someone, Dexter?¡±

    He didn¡¯t have to guess too hard because he knew that only one man wielded such strong influence over me. I didn¡¯t know how it happened, but it did and I didn¡¯t regret it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask if you already have the answer.¡±

    I was going too hard at him, but I couldn¡¯t help the resentment that spiraled within me each time I tried to be diplomatic. The urge to punch something really hard or break things into pieces was slowly oveing me.

    ¡°Melissa,¡± His voice turned shaky, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what happened-¡±

    The chair suddenly became too hot under my ass so I sprang to my feet. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe for me, huh? Mrs Gonzales told me that you came once to visit her at the office so you knew that my mother was pregnant. Why didn¡¯t you ept it?¡±

    His lips parted widely, his eyes gleaming with horror. ¡°Is that what you were told, Melissa?¡± Surprise rang hard in his voice.

    ¡°Just answer the damn question!¡± I demanded impatiently.

    ¡°Your mother never told me that you were my child.¡±

    Though I was raging, his response sounded daft and funny to me so I burst into an angryughter. ¡°I¡¯m twenty-seven years old, Mr Rogers. Please, don¡¯t take me for a fool.¡±

    He shook his head and crossed over to me in slow strides. ¡°I¡¯m not taking you for a fool. I met your mother alone in a club. Though she tried to act happy by dancing carefreely to the song, I could see right through the fake smiles. I approached her and we connected immediately. One thing led to the other and we had a one-night stand.¡±

    His eyes were bing misty and my heart was softening, but I wanted to know where he was going with the story.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°I wanted tomit to her, but she told me that she wanted to take things slow. I agreed and we got into the talking stage. I wasn¡¯t living around since I was running myte father¡¯s business in Mexico, and the meeting at the club was because I came to visit a friend. Gradually, our conversations became monotonous. She wasn¡¯t eager to speak with me anymore and every time I called her, she always came up with an excuse to keep us from talking.¡± He paused and took a deep breath.

    The scales were slowly falling off from my eyes and his situation became understandable.

    ¡°So what happened?¡±

    ¡°I flew back to California to see her and talk things over with her, but I met the shock of my life. She was pregnant and I was so ted because I felt I¡¯d finally found a reason to be closer to her, but she dashed my hopes and told me that the pregnancy didn¡¯t belong to me.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it, but she said that she had reconciled with her ex who was responsible for her pregnancy, and that was why she distanced herself from me. I was broken and I had to take a flight back to Mexico the next day and I buried our memories. A few yearster, a friend of mine confessed that she had told your mother that she was my girlfriend because she was in love with me and she didn¡¯t like that I didn¡¯t give her any attention. Then I got to understand your mother¡¯s attitude, and why she might have denied me of being your father.¡±

    I sank onto the floor, clutching my chest as I broke into tears. All the while I thought my father hated me, it was because my mother misled him out of jealousy.

    And the bitch that imed to be his girlfriend cost me a lot. She cost me the beautiful rtionship I would have had with my father.

    She took away parental love from me. Her stupid act caused me a lot of pain, including being abused by Leonardo and losing Victoria.

    If she hadn¡¯t stepped in, my mother and Mr Rogers would have probably been together.

    He continued. ¡°I returned to find your mother, but my heart was shattered when I was informed of her demise. I asked after you and they said that they didn¡¯t know where you were presently.¡± He lowered himself beside me and squeezed my palms with pain and remorse in his eyes. I couldn¡¯t even shake him off because he wasn¡¯t at fault. ¡°God, Melissa! I searched for you everywhere, but it seemed like you were gone with the wind. Then I saw you again at the cafe and it felt like I¡¯d regained a lost treasure.¡±

    The pain I¡¯d been feeling since yesterday vanished as I threw myself at him

    He loved me. I was the one who got it all twisted.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for how I spoke to you. I thought you abandoned me intentionally,¡± I rasped, holding him tightly as I cried my eyes out. ¡°I¡¯ve been through a lot, and if you were with me I¡¯m sure my life would have been a lot better.¡±

    He tucked my hair behind my ears and gently cleaned my cheeks with his handkerchief.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry, Honey. I¡¯d have done the same if I were in your shoes, but this isn¡¯t the time to cry for what is gone. The universe has brought us back together and we are going to celebrate our reunion. I¡¯ve always seen you as my daughter and being my real daughter is a plus.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, father. I love you.¡± I stated, breaking into a smile.

    ¡°I love you too, my precious daughter. I will never allow anything toe in between us again.¡± Behind the softness of his smile, I could see the firmness that followed his words.

    I¡¯d never be alone again.

 His babyéˆ¥æªš mother

    Dexter

    Why did I feel like going to Emilia¡¯s house was a bad idea?

    It was because of this same thought that I didn¡¯t bother to visit her when she told me that her house was broken into. Knowing how deceitful she could be, I didn¡¯t see the need to go until she called me again this afternoon.

    Presently, I was standing in front of her apartment, contemting on going back or seeing through my ns.

    I chose the former and knocked on her door. It opened and she came out, training a scowl at me. ¡°It took you ages to get here.¡± She whined while I rolled my eyes.

    I rolled my eyes incessantly when I was with her because she was very annoying. ¡°Are we going to have the conversation out here or do you want me to get home?¡±

    ¡°Come in,¡± She saidzily and I did, running a quick scan around the living room.

    The walls were still intact, the same went for the odd windows. If there was a break-in, the first ce they¡¯d think of exiting would be through the window except they were skilled thieves who knew how to pick locks.

    My eyes darted to her upholster which was also torn apart. I furrowed my brows in irritation, realizing that she had made it up and there was no real break-in.

    If there was, the so-called thieves would be smart enough to know that searching the chairs would take their time and they could get caught.

    ¡°There was no break-in, Emilia,¡± I stated as calmly as I could and she huffed, trying to fake an offended expression, but I could see right through it.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    I watched her fool around.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to say that when you didn¡¯te here as soon as I informed you of my dilemma. How dare you make me feel like I¡¯m telling a lie?¡± She seethed while I plopped down on her armchair.

    She refused to keep eye contact with me but I didn¡¯t care. It wouldn¡¯t even be hard to prove her wrong.

    ¡°My dear, Emilia, how did you get into the house?¡±

    ¡°I opened the door with my key and found my properties disheveled. Even my flower vases were smashed and the shards littered on the ground.¡± She blurted without thinking.

    I felt likeughing. ¡°The lock of the door was perfectly fine?¡±

    She darted her eyes around then bit her lips, realizing her mistake. ¡°What¡¯s your point, Dexter?¡± She yelled.

    ¡°My point is that you aren¡¯t so good at lying, and I¡¯d also like to ask you the same question. What¡¯s the point of making up a story that your apartment was broken into when there¡¯s no real evidence backing you up? Did you even alert the police of your predicament?¡± Ished out at her and she shook her head.

    ¡°I was waiting for you toe because I was confused¡­¡±

    ¡°No, Emilia. You didn¡¯t alert the cops because there was no story to tell. Your house was never broken into, so can you exin to me why you lied?¡± My formerly calm voice gradually rose in exasperation.

    She fiddled her fingers when she knew that I¡¯d caught her.

    ¡°I¡¯m broke, Dexter,¡± She confessed and flung herself on my feet. ¡°I need money badly.¡±

    ¡°I remember remitting your monthly allowance early this month so how can you be broke already? Lilly, whose expenses take most of the money, isn¡¯t even here with you, so what are you talking about?¡±

    She fell silent and grabbed my legs. Her silence was irritating because I knew that she had a usible exnation for her actions.

    I rose to my feet when I saw that she wasn¡¯t going to say anything. ¡°Don¡¯t ever call me without any good reason, Emilia,¡± I warned and shoved her hands off my legs.

    I¡¯d almost gotten to the door when she said, ¡°I¡¯m in a huge mess, Dexter. I incurred some debts and my creditors are on my neck.¡±

    The urge to yell at her and caution her for spending extravagantly gnawed in my chest, but I wasn¡¯t going to do it. I only saw her as my responsibility and no baby mama of mine would suffer under my watch even if I didn¡¯t love her.

    ¡°How did that even happen?¡± I asked with a tired tone.

    ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t tell. But you know that my lifestyle is really expensive and ever since my modeling career went down the drain, it has be extremely hard for me to make ends meet.¡±

    The fact that she was wrong and didn¡¯t know it was appalling. Emilia spent frivolously without thinking of how it would affect her.

    Maybe it was because she had other men footing her bills, but after she gave birth to Lilly most of her boyfriends jilted her. They began to see her as worn out and I¡¯m sure that was yet to register that knowledge in her brain.

    Emilia was a talented model, but she allowed the fame that came with it to distract her from her career. Unlike Melissa who was sold out for her career and business.

    Thinking about her reminded me of her meeting with her father. She hadn¡¯t sent me a message and I was getting worried.

    ¡°How much are your debts?¡± I asked casually and she grinned at me.

    ¡°Over five hundred¡­¡± She drawled nonchntly as if it were normal to be a debtor.

    I brought out my phone and sent the money to her. I returned the phone to my pocket and folded my arms, waiting for her to receive an alert.

    It didn¡¯t take time as she pulled me close for a tight hug. ¡°Thank you so much, Honey. I¡¯m so d to have you.¡±

    I pushed her away, unable to suppress my annoyance.

    ¡°Have you ever asked about your daughter since I came in?¡±

    Shame washed over her face as she lowered hershes. ¡°Oh, how is she? I miss her so much.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t. You only miss using her to extort money from me. Do you even care about her? Ever since I took her away, it felt like I did you a huge favor by taking a heavy yoke off your shoulders.¡±

    She dramatically held onto her chest as if my words could break into her dead conscience. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Dexter, I love my daughter as much as you love her.¡± She said in her defense but it only got me more angry.

    ¡°Better make sure that this is thest debt you¡¯ll incur because I won¡¯t be avable to save your ass next time,¡±  I warned and turned away.

    I scoffed as I crossed over to the door. I¡¯d already gotten into the car when I saw someone alight from a Chevrolet Trailzer. His head was inclined with a face cap on it as though he was trying to hide his identity.

    And his eyes had a pair of sunshades on them. I wondered where he was headed since he parked his car close to the neighbor¡¯s fence. Then he jumped over the iron bars separating both houses and knocked at Emilia¡¯s door.

    My body went taut with adrenaline surging through me. Though I couldn¡¯t stand Emilia¡¯s annoying gut, it didn¡¯t mean that I wanted anyone to hurt the mother of my child.

    I hopped out of my car and quickly ran back to her house, barging in so that I could catch him red-handed, but I met the surprise of my life.

    The man who I thought was a thief was Liam and the most annoying part, was that he was straddling Emilia on the chair.

    ¡°What the fuck are you doing here?¡± I thundered and dragged him away from her roughly.

    Emilia quickly covered herself properly, her hair tousled and her cheeks flushed. ¡°Take him away, Dexter, he¡¯s a thief. He came here to steal from me.¡± She screamed, her body visibly trembling.

 Annoying Emilia

    Dexter

    Liam struggled to get off my grip but he couldn¡¯t as I made sure that my grip on his shirt didn¡¯t cken.

    ¡°You thought you could run away from me after all the havoc you wrecked, right?¡± I snarled, ring daggers at him.

    I still couldn¡¯t believe that he was right in front of me after searching for him for so long. Later I¡¯d ask him what rtionship he had with Emilia that made hime over to her house, but that would be after the police had picked him up.

    ¡°Let go of me, Dexter. It¡¯s not what you think.¡± He pleaded, his eyes zing with so much fear when he realized that I wasn¡¯t joking around.

    ¡°What makes you think that I¡¯ll let you off the hook that easily, huh? And while we are at it, you¡¯d better call your aplice because the both of you are going to rot in prison.¡± I threatened and a visible shudder surged through him. ¡°Call the cops!¡± I said to Emilia who scurried around in search of her phone.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where ke is and I came here because Emilia asked me to. I¡¯m not a thief, I swear. She knows me!¡± He cried.

    Hisst statement got to me and he used it to his advantage as I freed him. ¡°What do you mean by that? You¡¯ve never met her before.¡± I argued.

    I took slow steps backward and stopped by the door. If he thought that I¡¯d let him off the hook easily just because I was trying to process what he said about Emilia, then he was joking.

    Emilia returned to the living room with her phone in her hands, her eyes darting to Liam who red at her.

    Why did I feel like Liam was telling the truth?

    I turned to Emilia who averted her gaze from him and stared at me. Her expression was quite unsettled, and even though she tried to act calm, I could see through the facade that she wanted to be anywhere but here.

    Silence reigned in the room, but I was also itching to know the truth. If they knew each other then it wouldn¡¯t be for a good reason at all.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you a question, Emilia and I hope that you answer truthfully,¡± I said, my voice as cold as ice. She swallowed nervously and nodded. ¡°Do you know this man and do you have any rtionship with him?¡±

    Her face went pale, and her spine stiffened. Every one of her reactions pointed to the fact that she knew him.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t,¡± She dragged in air and cleared her throat. ¡°I don¡¯t know who he is. Like I said, he was a thief and he tried to attack me after you left, but thank God you came back on time to save me from him.¡± Her voice wasn¡¯t so confident for someone who was saying the truth, but I overlooked it.

    Several optionsy on my table on how I was going to extract the truth from her. What mattered now was having Liam arrested for what he did to Lorraine.

    Coincidentally, a siren wailed loudly outside Emilia¡¯s apartment, and then a knock followed. I quickly checked who it was and a shit-eating grin appeared on my face.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± I snickered and ushered the cops in.

    A few minutester, they were dragging Liam out of her house while he kept pleading to be listened to. I¡¯d never listened to him because he didn¡¯t after making a video of Lorraine and me having sex, he also didn¡¯t listen when he tried to have sex with her twice together with ke.

    I couldn¡¯t wait toy my hands on that one.

    ¡°You can go back in, he won¡¯t disturb you anymore,¡± I assured Emilia and veered off to my car.

    ¡°Dexter!¡± I heard behind me and halted in my tracks.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± My tone was as sharp as a whip since I didn¡¯t want to talk to her.

    She looked back at the house, a cloud of fear covering her face. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone. I¡¯m scared.¡±

    I sighed, knowing what she wanted. ¡°So what do you want me to do? Take you to my house? You know that I don¡¯t want you there.¡± I replied harshly, but that didn¡¯t stop her froming close to me.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    She ced her hand on my shoulder which I shrugged off. ¡°Even though you can barely tolerate my presence, can¡¯t you help me because of our child? I¡¯m really scared right now and I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to your baby¡¯s mother.¡±

    I ruffled my hair with a sigh of resignation while thinking of what to tell Melissa. I didn¡¯t want her to be jealous and I didn¡¯t want both women to meet each other, not in my house.

    The both of them acted like they had an existing beef between themselves, especially Melissa.

    ¡°Hop in. Lilly is alone with the nanny.¡±

    *********

    I watched Emilia y with Lilly after she settled down. But one thing I realized was that there was no connection between the both of them.

    Emilia¡¯s actions towards our daughter looked fake, and it irked me to know that Lilly might never experience the true love of a mother.

    Then I remembered how Melissa adored Lilly, and it wasn¡¯t because of my influence. It was because she truly loved her.

    My thoughts were disrupted by a knock on the door and before I could get to it, Melissa had already let herself in with a huge grin on her lips. I hurried towards her and blocked her view.

    ¡°The meeting went well, Dexter. Thank you for encouraging me to visit him.¡± She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face on my neck.

    Due to our difference in heights, she had yet to notice that someone else was around.

    She pulled away and scanned my face with a puzzled expression. ¡°You seem like you don¡¯t want me to be here. Did anything happen when I left? Did I do anything wrong-¡±

    Trust Emilia to butt in at the wrong time. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t do anything, darling. It just happens that I¡¯m around and he has to give me all the attention.¡±

    Melissa gasped and pointed at her with disbelief in her eyes. ¡°Is this why you felt stiff when I announced the good news to you?¡±

    For the first time in a while, my brain couldn¡¯t produce a statement to my defense and even if it did, I wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything because my tongue was tied.

    ¡°No¡­ Mel, it¡¯s not¡­ what you think.¡± I managed to say but she raised her hands sharply, retracing her steps.

    ¡°I made a big mistake bying here. Thank you for everything, Dexter.¡± She let herself out of the door and raced to her car.

    ¡°Of course you did. Good riddance to bad rubbish.¡± Emilia shouted after her and it took me all my self-will not to hit her.

    I spun around, jerking her roughly. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now to find that woman, and by the time I return, you should be out of here or I¡¯ll throw you out.¡± I hollered, picked up the car keys and went after Melissa.

 Are you jealous?

    Melissa

    Three empty bottles of beery in a scattered pattern on the counter, but I wasn¡¯t even started. Dexter had caused me to break my no-drinking rule.

    Even when I left him for two years, I never harbored the thought of dabbling in alcohol. Finally, I¡¯d broken my rule and I felt like a bag of shit.

    Why didn¡¯t he call me beforehand to tell me that she was around? I would have stayed back at my father¡¯s and spent more time with him.

    But like the fool that I was, I headed straight to his house because I wanted to share the good news with someone who didn¡¯t deserve to be in my life.

    I thought he didn¡¯t love her. Heck! He even took their daughter away from her because he was scared that she would influence Lilly with her bad manners, so why would she be in his house, dressed like they were having their honeymoon?

    I ordered two extra bottles of beer, and leaned on the bar counter, my heart clenching with pain. The bartender served me the drinks, his eyes filled with pity for me but I sneered at him with a scary scowl on my face.

    He should learn to mind his business.

    ¡°Hello, beautiful. What are you doing all alone?¡± A baritone voice cut into my drinking spree, and then he took the seat beside me, wearing a grin.

    ¡°How¡¯s that your business?¡± I spat and rolled my eyes.

    I took a swig from the bottle and mmed it on the counter, gripping the bottle¡¯s neck so hard I thought it would crack.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of grip you have on the bottle,dy.¡± He adjusted ufortably on his chair, his face tight with nervousness.

    My lips curled into a grim smirk. ¡°And that¡¯s how I¡¯m going to wriggle your neck if you don¡¯t get the hell out of my face!¡± He flinched and I smiled inwardly, happy at his frightened reaction.

    He hid his fear with a fake undaunted mask. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything, woman. You are almost drunk.¡±

    ¡°Tsk, Tsk, Tsk,¡± I massaged my aching forehead. ¡°Like you said, I¡¯m almost drunk but if you need proof, I can show you right now.¡±

    He opened his mouth to respond, but the words never made it out of his lips as he slowly slid off the chair and scoffed. ¡°Slut.¡± He muttered in disappointment

    I felt a quick movement behind me, and then the next thing I saw was Dexter throwing a punch at the strange man. Hended on the ground with a loud thud and I quickly ced myself between them to salvage the situation.

    ¡°You¡¯d better leave before my boyfriend beats you silly.¡± He didn¡¯t need to be told twice as he scampered away, holding his broken chin. I sent a re to Dexter who was still scowling at the man and folded my hands. ¡°And what are you doing here? Isn¡¯t your girlfriend good enough to keep youpany?¡±

    In a fleeting second, the scowl he wore disappeared and he gazed at me tenderly. The calmness in my chest was disrupted and my heart gradually began to melt.

    Where went the anger that burned within me like an inferno some minutes ago?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He rasped.

    ¡°The fuck you are! What was she doing in your house, looking like a trophy wife who has sessfully gotten the most eligible bachelor in the country?¡± I yelled and he chuckled.

    ¡°Sweetness,¡± My innards tingled, ¡°Thest time I remembered, I was married even though that marriage would be dissolved once I found Lorraine, which would take me off the eligible bachelor¡¯s list. But there¡¯s something that I find intriguing, do you want to know what that is?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied sharply.

    ¡°It¡¯s the fact that you are jealous.¡±

    My cheeks went up in mes as I lowered myshes. The conversation wasn¡¯t going the way I wanted. Trust Dexter to steer it in his direction.

    ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m jealous? I¡¯m not.¡± I patted my hair and pouted my lips while wondering why I couldn¡¯t keep my emotions in check. ¡°I was only surprised to find her in your house, nothing more.¡±

    He closed the distance between us, using his thumb to jut my chin up. ¡°Surprised, huh? Your actions showed that you were more than surprised. You were furious, livid and ready to set the house aze, but thank goodness you chose the safer option and left. So tell me, were all those reactions rted to just surprise or will you admit that you were jealous?¡±

    I kept mute, knowing that he had caught me by the tail. I spun around to walk away, unable to bear the heat he exuded, but his arm quickly found my waist and pulled me back to him.

    ¡°You won¡¯t run away from me, princess. Not now, not ever!¡± The seriousness in his voice couldn¡¯t be mistaken, but I still had to make things hard for him.

    ¡°That¡¯s your business.¡±

    He dropped to his knees, holding onto me while my eyes darted around the bar which was filled with people encouraging Dexter to continue, thedies asking me to forgive him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, my jaw clenched in embarrassment.

    ¡°I¡¯ll only get up if you forgive me.¡± He pestered on.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    The clicksing from the cameras resonated and it would only be a matter of time before we started trending again on the inte, and I didn¡¯t want to trend for the wrong reasons.

    ¡°Get up, please.¡±

    ¡°Have you forgiven me?¡± He probed, batting hisshes at me in a childish manner.

    I threw a nce around and sighed in disappointment. The customers still had their attention fixed on us. ¡°Please, get up, I¡¯ve forgiven you already. Just save me from this embarrassment.¡± I pleaded desperately and hissed when I saw the hidden smirk at the corner of his lips. ¡°You are having fun with this, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    He finally got to his feet and leaned closer to me. ¡°This is going to be more fun.¡±

    I didn¡¯t understand what he was referring to until his lips locked with mine, my refusal was shoved aside as I found myself melting into the hot kiss he initiated.

 Broken relationship, good friendship

    Melissa

    I broke the kiss, my breathinging in hitches as I tried to get a grip on myself. My panties were already soaked, but Dexter didn¡¯t have to know about it.

    He was enjoying himself knowing that he could always get a reaction out of me.

    ¡°What are you doing, Dexter? We are in public for crying out loud!¡± I rebuked him, but he shrugged and led us to the karaoke session of the bar.

    My eyes widened when I realized what he was about to do. ¡°Come on, Dexter. We are giving the inte more reasons to trend. I don¡¯t want that.¡± I said worriedly.

    ¡°Are you ashamed of me?¡± He asked tersely, causing me to flinch.

    I¡¯d never be ashamed of a hot piece of meat like him. My admiration for him ran deep and not liking him could be akin to not breathing. He was almost every woman¡¯s dream so why would I be ashamed to have someone like him?

    I felt like telling him all of that, but I chose a simpler answer. ¡°No, Dexter, I¡¯m not ashamed of you.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± He climbed onto the tform and stretched out his hand for me to join him.

    My sense of reasoning told me not to try it because, at the end of the day, it would bring bad publicity to us, but who cared about that? This is what I¡¯ve wanted for the longest time, so I took his hand and joined him.

    His eyes sparked as he stared at me. I¡¯d never seen him so happy and alive in a while, and I enjoyed knowing that I had such an impact on him, but I wondered how he would feel when he got to know that I was Lorraine.

    My heart also tinged with pain because it was easy for him to be this free with another woman(me). How could he say he loved Lorraine, yet it was so easy for him to move on?

    ¡°I¡¯m happy that we are on the stage right now, but there¡¯s a twist.¡±

    My brows furrowed. ¡°What twist?¡± I asked, wondering how he even got on the stage when others were yet to get a chance to perform.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any song ideas. What are we going to sing?¡± He whispered to me while I spared a nce at the people who stared at us expectantly.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you prepare a song before deciding to go on this adventure?¡± A song had alreadye to my memory and that was the song we sang along to the first time we joined a karaoke session.

    ¡°Just help me out here. I owe you one, I promise.¡± He said desperately and I rolled my eyes.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    I suggested the song in my mind, and the smile on his lips disappeared. Immediately I knew what came into his mind.

    I wanted him to remember every memory he had with Lorraine, and maybe that would make him forgive me easily.

    That was why I slept with him because I wanted my body to remind him of the woman he loathed. And I hoped to God that it worked.

    ¡°Can we change the song?¡± He asked quietly.

    I quickly held his hand and led him backstage so that the anchor could introduce other people who wanted to participate. ¡°Look, Dexter, I don¡¯t know why you want to change the song, but I¡¯m one hundred percent sure that you don¡¯t have any idea of what you want us to sing along to. Also, we are making memories here.¡±

    ¡°This was the same song Lorraine and I sang when I was beginning to realize that I had feelings for her.¡±

    My heart sank, but I kept up my facade and shrugged. ¡°Does that mean you have feelings for me?¡± I asked to lighten up the situation and I hoped that he wouldn¡¯t say yes.

    I was scared that if he fell in love with me, it would be hard for him to ept me as Lorraine when I finally revealed my identity.

    ¡°What if I say yes?¡± His eyes zed with a burning anticipation that sliced my heart into two.

    I blinked hard to keep the tears from falling. ¡°Let¡¯s just go and sing. We¡¯ll talk about thister.¡±

    He agreed and we returned to the stage, ready to sing even though my body felt like several needles were piercing it. I had to be quick in getting the evidence if I wanted to save my rtionship.

    We were introduced and just like the first time, we sang our hearts out. Dexter gazed at me lovingly all through, his arm snaked around my waist. I couldn¡¯t deny that it was the most romantic moment ever.

    I couldn¡¯t hold back the tears that flowed down my cheeks as soon as the song ended. I ran out of the bar and headed to the secluded backyard which was dimly lit with a few incandescent bulbs hung on the wall.

    My body quaked as I sobbed hard, letting all my emotions out. His scent filled the ce and I didn¡¯t need to be told that he had joined me.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sweetness? Your emotions did a huge flip within seconds. Tell me, did I do anything wrong?¡± His tone was soft and breezy, and almost persuasive enough to get the truth out of me.

    I wiped my face with the back of my hand and sniffed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you should be worried about. Just crazy hormones ying with my mental health.¡± I chuckled lightly and he nodded.

    ¡°If you say so, but I want you to know that I don¡¯t feelfortable with you crying. I don¡¯t even like that you have to stain your beautiful face with your tears.¡± He said to me, raking his fingers through my hair. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a walk?¡±

    Wanting to be out of the ce that reminded me of my past and filled me with pain, I agreed with a nod.

    With our hands entangled, swinging with each step, we strolled along the walkway in silence until I decided to break it.

    ¡°Are you sure that Lorraine is capable ofmitting murder?¡±

    He inhaled, a sigh escaping his lips. ¡°I used to think she was, but now, I don¡¯t know what to think anymore. I just want to see her one day and ask her if she did it.¡±

    ¡®Soon, you¡¯ll get to meet her again.¡¯ I thought to myself.

    ¡°What is going to happen to me if you eventually find out that she¡¯s innocent?¡± I asked him.

    He released my hands and then I got my response. ¡°Be my girlfriend, Melissa. I don¡¯t want to have to think about what happens in the future when I¡¯m with you.¡±

    My lips parted and my eyes narrowed into slits as his words caught me by surprise. I let out a gasp of exasperation and raked through my hair.

    ¡°Are you for real? How can you even ask me to be your girlfriend when you haven¡¯t moved on from your wife? What the hell do you take me for?¡± I itched to scream but the words left my mouth as a whisper.

    ¡°Melissa-¡± I raised a finger and took in a deep breath as I tried to regainposure.

    ¡°Dexter,¡± His name slipped through my lips slowly, ¡°I like you a lot, but until you find Lorraine, fix the mess in your life and maybe divorce her, then we can talk about having a rtionship. But for now, let¡¯s just enjoy the friendship that we have.¡±

 Liaméˆ¥æªš threat

    Author¡¯s POV

    She nced sideways then headed into the police cell after tipping the officer on duty to keep his mouth shut. It wasn¡¯t hard to get anyone to do what you wanted as long as you had the money.

    Again, her head was covered with a veil and she donned a pair of sunshades even though the weather wasn¡¯t too sunny. She had to be extra careful if she wanted everything to go smoothly.

    Liam, who sat shirtless inside the cell, sprang to his feet the moment he saw his visitor. He already had a scowl, but it became more vicious when he realized who was visiting.

    ¡°Hi, Liam.¡± She greeted rather quietly, as she didn¡¯t even want his other cell inmate to guess she was the one. ¡°How are you faring?¡±

    Liam chuckled deeply, then continued frowning. His nostrils red as he red daggers at her.

    ¡°Are you asking me that?¡± His voice bore a proof of barely suppressed anger. ¡°It¡¯s because of you that I¡¯m stuck in this shit-hole and you are asking me how I¡¯m faring? Why don¡¯t we switch ces so that you can truly know how I¡¯m doing?¡±

    She signaled for him to rx and sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t raise your voice at me, Liam. You are locked in here because of your foolishness and not because of me. If you hadn¡¯t pestered me with your silly calls, I wouldn¡¯t have asked you toe over. And howe you appeared almost immediately after I called you, even with a mask?¡±

    He snorted and licked his lower lip. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, but you¡¯re lucky that you came without me asking you to because you are going to get me out of here.¡± He demanded, balling his fists.

    She tilted her head backward and gave him a condescending once-over.

    ¡°What makes you think that I¡¯m going to do that? I¡¯m not your errand girl, you know, so fix it!¡±

    ¡°Then why are you here? Isn¡¯t it because you know that I can get whatever I want even though I¡¯m behind bars?¡± He sneered, his fingers closing around the iron bars.

    If it were possible, he would break through the metals and force her to do his will. But if that could happen, he wouldn¡¯t be there in the first ce.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to solidarize with you because of what we have and nothing more. Don¡¯t expect anything from me again and enjoy your stay here. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be so much fun.¡± She smirked and blew him a kiss.

    She made to walk away when he stopped her with his words.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t get me out of here in two days, I¡¯ll make sure Dexter gets to know the truth about the paternity of his child.¡± His face darkened with an evil smile when he saw the effect of his words on her.

    Emilia¡¯s body stiffened and she slowly turned around, her face pallid and her lips widely parted.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± She whispered.

    He leaned closer to the iron bars and shrugged. ¡°You heard me, Emilia. Get me out of here within two days or Dexter will know who the real father of the beautiful daughter he dotes on is.¡± He caressed the stubble on his jaw and winked at her triumphantly. ¡°And slowly, I¡¯ll tell him every secret you¡¯ve managed to hide from him all this while. I can¡¯t wait to see how he¡¯ll tear you apart when he finds out that you are a murderer, a liar, and everything other evil things any human can be.¡±

    She blinked and swallowed,ing closer to him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare threaten me!¡± She barked, but even her ordercked conviction as her body shivered visibly.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not, darling. I will do exactly what I said if you don¡¯t get me out of here.¡± He took his hands off the bars and retracted his steps. ¡°Two days, honey, or everything goes out.¡± He said and sank onto the floor, silently dismissing her.

    She stomped her foot on the ground, unsure of what to do. She couldn¡¯t yell because it would bring unwanted attention to herself so she spun around and ran to her car.

    **********

    She stormed into her father¡¯s office and found Melissa giving her father a side hug. She hissed loudly, alerting them of her presence.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t the whore herself,¡± She muttered under her breath, though anyone who stayed close to her could hear.

    Leonardo broke off the hug and waved Melissa goodbye, who shed a fake smile at Emilia and left.

    ¡°What are you doing with that bitch, dad?¡± Emilia whined, slumping onto the chair and flinging her designer¡¯s bag carelessly on his table.

    She had always been untidy so acting thoughtlessly wasn¡¯t strange to her father anymore, after all, they were the same with evil etched in the fabrics of their hearts.

    Leonardo¡¯s eyes shone with surprise as he lowered himself on the chair opposite his daughter. ¡°Melissa is a bitch? What has she done?¡± He asked worriedly and right there she broke into a sob.

    ¡°She¡¯s the woman who¡¯s trying to take Dexter away from me, father. I hate her so much and I can¡¯t wait to do to her what I did to Lorraine. She reminds me so much of Lorraine.¡±

    He nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, she reminds me of Lorraine in several ways. Sometimes, I have to stop myself from referring to her as Lorraine but I don¡¯t think Melissa is bad at all because she¡¯s helping me to bring thispany back to life.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± She rolled her eyes and massaged her forehead. ¡°As if you ever cared about thepany. You are here for the money and you are going to get all of it, but that isn¡¯t why I¡¯m here, though.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Liam is in prison.¡± She announced to her father.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be your problem, Emilia. I never liked him from the jump.¡±

    She ruffled her hair in frustration. ¡°What I¡¯m about to tell you will make you hate him more.¡±

    ¡°Tell me all about it.¡±

    She exined how he ckmailed her into giving him money and how Dexter got him arrested. She also told him how he threatened her at the cell and by the time she was done, Leonardo was already livid.

    He paced around his office, throwing curses without restraint.

    ¡°How can you be so dumb, Emilia? If Dexter finds out that he¡¯s not the father of the child, you¡¯ll be dead meat, and you know how much we need his money.¡± He reminded her, propping his arms against his waist in disappointment.

    Emilia inclined her head and sped her hands together in shame. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, father. I¡¯ve seeded in keeping Dexter with me for this long, I don¡¯t want to lose him at all.¡± She rasped, her eyes ssy with unshed tears.

    He returned to the chair and ced his hand on her back. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to lose him.¡± He said firmly and she raised her head.

    ¡°How?¡±

    His lips stretched into a cynical smirk as he folded his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve got a pretty good idea that is going to solve all of our problems.¡±

 The pain of rejection

    Dexter

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you are still pining for a woman that rejected you? I thought you wouldn¡¯t be capable of falling in love again, but here you are, sulking like a breast-starved baby.¡± Wyatt made a jest of me as he twirled his chair around yfully, raising his eyebrows at me in disbelief.

    If he wasn¡¯t genuinely concerned about my situation, I¡¯d have thrown him a punch. But right now, he was the only one I could bear my feelings to without getting judged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s happening, man, and please, don¡¯t make a jest of me. My life is in shambles and right now I don¡¯t even know what to do.¡± I confessed.

    My mind reyed the conversation Melissa and I had, and my heart skipped a beat. I knew that I shouldn¡¯t be thinking of getting into another rtionship when I hadn¡¯t even gotten out of my failed marriage with Lorraine, but I didn¡¯t know what to do.

    ¡°Why did you ask her out anyway? We haven¡¯t even found Lorraine yet,¡±

    I threw him a hard re and he made a zip-up sign, pressing his lips hard to contain hisughter and if he eventually let it out, I¡¯d punch him.

    ¡°The words slipped out of my mouth. It was unnned and I thought that she loved me so I risked it. She admitted to her feelings for me, but Lorraine is going to be the big barrier between us. I can¡¯t move on when I¡¯m still tied down to the woman who is holding me in chains. It¡¯s sad, man.¡±

    He sighed and pulled his seat closer to me.

    ¡°Dexter, I know that you are my friend and we¡¯ve been through thick and thin together, but I¡¯ll have to tell you the truth.¡± His tone wasn¡¯t yful anymore, instead, it sounded bossy and fatherly.

    ¡°And that is?¡± I replied curtly.

    I knew that my response was uncalled for, but I was teetering over the edge. Since the rejection, I¡¯d be very cranky to everyone around me.

    My heart tripped with guilt when I remembered how I yelled at my nanny for a trivial matter this morning. Melissa was driving me insane.

    ¡°You are confused about your feelings, Dexter.¡± He said bluntly and I snorted, tilting my head to the side while trying to stop his words from sinking into my heart.

    I couldn¡¯t be confused. I knew what I felt even though it wasn¡¯t right, but no one would understand my predicament.

    ¡°I¡¯m not, Wyatt. I just need to see Lorraine once again.¡± I said in my defense, feeling my temper simmer gradually.

    ¡°And what happens if she¡¯s cleared of her crimes? Because that is the only reason you despise her. You think she killed your sister, but you are forgetting that it didn¡¯t happen right in front of you. Someone sent you a video with an anonymous number that I¡¯ve not been able to track till now. And I¡¯m surprised that you haven¡¯t asked yourself who might have sent you the video. And why did Lorraine, who bore all your excesses patiently, decide to wake up one beautiful morning, jilt you on your wedding and murder your sister?¡±

    I exhaled, knowing that he was making a valid point. The whole issue was driving me crazy and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I finally lost my sanity.

    It became worse when Melissa came into my life again. She reminded me so much of Lorraine and that could be the reason for my attraction towards her.

    I mmed my fist on the table and jumped to my feet, raking through my hair. I was too tense to stay still so I paced around, my mind saturated with several thoughts.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Wyatt.¡± My voice cracked. It was really hard for me to admit how I felt, but if I was to move on, I¡¯d have to let it out. ¡°My feelings are so conflicted right now and I feel like a big fool. I¡¯ve thought about those reasons you mentioned, but I keep asking myself why she went into hiding if she nevermitted the crime. If she was innocent as you im, she wouldn¡¯t have run away.¡±

    He raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Yes, I agree. She didn¡¯t do the right thing by running away, but if you knew the woman you had feelings for since high school, you would give her the benefit of the doubt.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    I rolled my eyes angrily. How could my friend make sense and have his words annoy me at the same time?

    ¡°Is there any way we can find her?¡± I asked almost desperately.

    He turned back to hisputer and leaned on the backrest of his chair. ¡°I¡¯ve tried, bro, but it seems like she went with the wind. She hasn¡¯t used any of her cards ever since she went into hiding, and her fingerprint hasn¡¯t been recorded in any biometrics. There¡¯s no picture of her anywhere that was taken mistakenly on the inte which technically means that she vanished.¡±

    I smirked, nodding to everything he said. Damn everyone who said that she was innocent.

    The heck she was!

    ¡°Maybe you can believe now that she isn¡¯t the saint I thought she was,¡± I stated with an annoyed tone.

    He shrugged but I could tell by the nonchnt expression on his face that he was still standing solidly on his opinion.

    ¡°If shemitted the crime we think she did, then she¡¯s a criminal that needs to be brought to book. Not everyone is capable of going into hiding without making a mistake.¡± He said, clicking away on hisputer.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy that you get the point-¡± I got interrupted by a beep from my phone.

    I pped my forehead when I read the message from my secretary, who was reminding me about the meeting at Hills Jewelry.

    I¡¯d forgotten about it because, for the past few days, my mind had been saturated with the depression that stemmed from Melissa¡¯s rejection.

    And speaking about her, she was going to be a part of the meeting, which meant that I got to see her again.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± I cursed and dragged in a deep breath. I wasn¡¯t going to be jittery because of that singr incident, and missing the meeting would make her see me as weak.

    ¡°I have to be somewhere, Wyatt. Please continue to search for her.¡± I said and sprinted out of his office while heughed mockingly at me.

    ¡°You need to getid!¡± He yelled behind me while I showed him my middle finger.

    He was really lucky that we were good friends.

 Sheéˆ¥æªš pregnant

    Melissa

    The past few days have been hectic for me. My emotions took an immediate roller-coaster ride the moment I rejected Dexter¡¯s proposal.

    Sometimes I became overwhelmed with guilt, but standing my ground was the only way I would forge ahead undistracted. Dexter didn¡¯t love me, he was attracted to me, but I could tell that he was confused and he was trying to run away from his reality.

    And that could only be possible if he was no longer on this earth.

    I bent down to pick up my hairb and regretted taking that action because I felt dizzy instantly. I quickly held onto the edge of my vanity table, leaning on it till I felt better then I gently copsed on the bed.

    This wasn¡¯t the first time I felt like this and I couldn¡¯t tell what it was. My doctor had cleared me of any illness thest time I went for a check-up so I couldn¡¯t be sick.

    My eyes flitted toward the clock and I quickly got up with a gasp. Just like thest time, I¡¯d be runningte for the meeting. I wouldn¡¯t even be able to give a good apology, because it was already looking like a habit.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    How would I convince them that I wasn¡¯t usually this way?

    I pinched my forehead as bile rose to my throat and dizziness strongly washed over me. I took a ss of water from the bed stand which helped to control the nausea.

    Luckily, I got there on time, letting out a sigh of relief. Today¡¯s meeting was very crucial because Leonardo and I would be submitting the fake project I¡¯d told him about.

    He wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything without me since I was the mastermind of the idea.

    As I stepped out of my car, I caught a glimpse of Dexter walking into the building. My heart skipped two beats as I mmed my car door and nearly broke into a sprint.

    Since ourst conversation at the bar, we had avoided each other. The urge to call him and tell him how hectic my day went was always there, but instead of going on with my intended action, I¡¯d just walk away and leave my phone behind.

    It helped tremendously, but it did nothing to extinguish the burning mes within my soul.

    ¡°Dexter!¡± I shouted and he halted in his tracks, sparing me a backward nce.

    His face lit up not so brightly, but I was d that he didn¡¯t scowl at me. ¡°Good morning, Melissa. How are you doing?¡± He asked, his eyes searching my face with a disapproving look.

    My tongue became bitter and I felt saliva gathering in my mouth. A knot twisted in my stomach and the dizziness reappeared.

    ¡°I¡¯m.. doing great,¡± I managed to say and lowered my face.

    He advanced towards me and tilted my chin up. ¡°You don¡¯t look good, Melissa. I¡¯m not referring to your dress, it fits you perfectly, but your facecks color. You look like you are very ill and pale. Are you alright?¡±

    His detailed description of my outlook caused my heart to melt. I didn¡¯t expect him to see through theyers of powder I doused on my face to cover up for my less glowing skin.

    I wanted to reply but my mouth became full, and I quickly ran towards the end of the parking lot and emptied my bowels. His footsteps rang behind me as I retched out the omelet I¡¯d forced down my throat early that morning.

    Dexter¡¯s gentle massage at the small of my back helped to soothe my difort, but now it was clear that I had to see a doctor. He helped me up as my strength failed me.

    My body was as light as paper and I wasn¡¯t even sure that I would join the meeting. The only good thing I liked about it was the fact that Dexter wouldn¡¯t have to meet Leonardo.

    ¡°Do you want water?¡± He asked gently, leading me slowly to the back seat of my car.

    I nodded, unable to say anything. My lips were heavy and my eyes too. I just wanted to lie on the bed and have a proper rest. He produced a bottle of water and opened the cap. I took it in small quantities until I couldn¡¯t anymore.

    ¡°For how long have you been feeling this way?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Not too long, the symptoms only intensified this morning,¡± I exined.

    He held my hand and amidst the chaotic state of my health, his touch still sent some sparks that electrified my body. ¡°I know how important this meeting is to you because of your ns, but you also have to consider your health. I¡¯m going to drive you to the nearest hospital where you can be checked and it¡¯s non-negotiable. If your health isn¡¯t important to you, it is to me.¡± He said sternly and I nodded, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t listen to me even if I tried to persuade him.

    ¡°Take me to the hospital then.¡± I agreed and my eyelids, which were heavy the whole time, snapped shut.

    I felt a light tap on my shoulder and slowly opened my eyes. Dexter was right in front of me, and then I recalled everything that happened.

    ¡°We have gotten to the hospital.¡± He informed me and helped me with my bag. I hopped out of the car with a stagger and thankfully he ced himself right beside me so I wouldn¡¯t miss a step. ¡°I can carry you if you want.¡± He offered and I smiled at him.

    He held my hands with a firm grip, apparently scared that he might let go and I¡¯d fall. His caring and sweet nature was messing with my decision, and I wondered how long I¡¯d be able to hold it off.

    We got into the waiting area where I met other patients waiting to be attended to. My eyes stopped at some pregnant women whose stomachs bulged out heavily.

    I wanted to be in this situation as well.

    I wanted to be pregnant.

    Dexter led me to a chair and disappeared into one of the offices after informing me that he¡¯d be back soon.

    My hand instinctively went to my stomach and I caressed it gently. An expecting mother who was sitting beside me gazed at me in surprise.

    ¡°Are you expecting as well?¡± She smiled.

    I opened my mouth to answer when Dexter appeared beside me.

    ¡°The doctor is waiting for us.¡± He announced and I gave him a quizzical look. ¡°Don¡¯t ask anything. I have my ways,¡± He smirked, reminding me of how cocky he could be.

    I waved the woman goodbye, smiling as we entered the doctor¡¯s office. Luckily for me, she was a female. I wasn¡¯tfortable with male doctors asking me some kind of questions, even though I knew that they had oaths binding them to keep our conversations confidential.

    She asked me some questions and told me that she¡¯d have to run some tests. I agreed as I was willing to do anything that would help me feel better.

    I was taken to a different room where I was supposed to be alone with her, but Dexter insisted on going with me. After the tests were done, she left, giving Dexter and me some privacy.

    ¡°You are going to be fine,¡± Dexter assured me after she left to run the tests.

    ¡°Thank you for being here with me, Dexter. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯d have juggled through my illness and driving to the hospital. Who knows, I might have run into an ident.¡±

    ¡°Well, I told you that I¡¯ll always be there for you. I¡¯m just fulfilling my promise.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what this is all about?¡± I asked carefully and he shrugged, training a flirty smirk at me.

    ¡°Do you want it to be about something else?¡± He countered and I felt my cheeks heat up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about that and wait for the results of the tests.¡± I ended the conversation and his face fell.

    The door to the room swung open and the doctor came in with a brown envelope. Her expression was quite rxed but the brightness of her eyes couldn¡¯t be mistaken.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem with her, Doctor?¡± Dexter asked while I squeezed his arm. He had to learn how to be calm.

    She fixed her attention on me, her lips curling into a small smile. ¡°She¡¯s very fine, Mr Hemmingway. There¡¯s no cause for rm because what is happening to her is a normal phenomenon with every expectant mother.¡±

    My eyes widened as I nced at Dexter whose face was void of any emotion. My throat ran dry but I wanted the doctor to put it in clear terms.

    ¡°So what are you trying to say, Doc?¡±

    ¡°You are pregnant. Congrattions.¡± Her smile widened as she handed the envelope to me.

    My hands trembled as the room suddenly became hot. My head felt heavier than normal and my vision became blurry. Everything they said to me sounded whizzy in my ears and in a fleeting second, a cloud of darkness was cast over my vision.

 Father of two

    Melissa

    Waking up to meet Dexter pacing to and fro in front of me added to my nausea, but I felt better knowing that someone other than my father was genuinely worried about me.

    I couldn¡¯t wait to tell him about my pregnancy. He¡¯s going to be so happy about being a grandfather.

    Dexter halted his little parade and scooted over to scrutinize my face. ¡°Thank goodness, you¡¯re finally awake. I¡¯ll go and get the doctor.¡± He eximed when he saw that I was awake and made to leave but I was quick to grab his wrist.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere, Dexter. I¡¯m fine. I fainted out of surprise because I couldn¡¯t believe that I could get pregnant with the present state of my organs.¡± My throat was parched and my tongue felt like I hadn¡¯t taken any liquid in days so I made a request. ¡°Can you get me a ss of water?¡± I asked to evade the inevitable conversation.

    There was a mug filled with water on the bed stand, so he poured it into a ss and handed it over to me without asking any questions.

    I drank the water slowly, my heart thudding fast as I contemted telling him who the father was. Doing that would make us closer because I knew that he had been searching for any opportunity to stay around me, but at the same time, I couldn¡¯t deny him the right to be a father to his child.

    He gave me the baby even when I didn¡¯t believe it could be possible, so I would tell him the truth no matter what would be the result.

    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± He asked nervously, covering my forehead with his palm to check my temperature.

    ¡°I¡¯m good, Dexter, and knowing that I¡¯m pregnant makes me feel perfect. I just want to go home and rest, though.¡±

    ¡°We can do that right away if that is what you want. You don¡¯t need to be stressed in your condition.¡± He said.

    I sighed and sat up straight. It was either now or ever.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking me any questions?¡± There was a slight tremor in my voice because I was scared. ¡°You don¡¯t even know if you are the father.¡±

    He pushed closer to me, his palm on my arm. ¡°I¡¯m not scared, Melissa, and the paternity of the baby isn¡¯t the problem here. What I want to know is why you are so happy about this child. I¡¯m not disregarding the fact that having a child is a blessing, but you seem so fulfilled.¡± He observed and I felt my eyes churn with tears.

    I tried to talk but the words stayed put in my throat, so I took a deep sigh and began to wait for my emotions to settle.

    ¡°I was supposed to be infertile till death even though my gynecologist told me that I was getting better.¡±

    His eyes popped as he cocked his head to the side with a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I was poisoned by someone I thought to be a friend, and that affected my womb. There and then, I was told that my reproductive organs were damaged so I had to forget about having a child.¡± My fingers moved to my stomach again and this time, I felt a sense of fulfillment. ¡°This baby is a miracle, Dexter. I¡¯m yet to believe that I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Tears of happiness gushed out of my eyes and I let them flow freely, not bothering to wipe them off.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    This was the best news I¡¯ve had in a while and I just wanted to run to a secluded ce and scream my lungs out.

    It would have been more satisfying if Dexter knew that I was Lorraine and he was able to get me pregnant.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, Melissa. You don¡¯t know how much.¡± I searched his eyes and I saw the sincerity in them, though some glints of fear appeared behind his happiness.

    ¡°Thank you for your support, Dexter.¡±

    He nodded and let out a sigh. He stood up and I knew the next question he was going to ask, so I got ready to respond, knowing that my answer could create a dent in our friendship.

    ¡°Melissa, I don¡¯t intend to spoil your joy but I can¡¯t stop myself from asking who the father of your unborn child is.¡± He asked gently and I felt the difficulty that apanied his question.

    I lowered my head and went into deep meditation. Dexter was the only man I¡¯d slept with without using protection. I rarely had casual sex but each time I did, I made sure to be extra careful.

    It was a different case with Dexter because I didn¡¯t see the need to protect myself from him. I believed that he wouldn¡¯t hurt me on purpose so I threw caution to the wind.

    Besides, I never expected to get pregnant.

    ¡°Even if I¡¯m not the father, have it at the back of your mind that I¡¯ll always be around to make sure that you are fine. I won¡¯t allow you to go through this alone.¡± He added when he noticed that I wasn¡¯t saying anything.

    It was time to tell him the truth.

    ¡°Dexter¡­¡± I paused and reached for his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to hold you down and I¡¯m not sure you will believe me, but you are the father of this child. You are the only man who made me throw caution to the wind, and I don¡¯t regret it because we¡¯ve made this miracle.¡±

    His arms instantly went around me and he held me tightly, but not to the extent of me losing my breath.

    ¡°Oh God, Melissa. You¡¯ve made me the happiest man on earth.¡± He gushed at me, his also bing teary.

    ¡°Have I?¡±

    He smiled and pulled away from me, then covered my hand with his on my stomach. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you understood how I felt when you told me that I couldn¡¯t be with you. I was heartbroken because I thought I no longer stood any chance of being with you, but now I have and I can¡¯t wait to drive you around for your ultrasound session, and clothes shopping. We are going to make a nursery together.¡±

    The zeal burning through him was infectious and I hoped that he would maintain the same energy when he found out the truth.

    ¡°You sound more happy than I am. I¡¯m already jealous that our child might love you more than you love me.¡± I pouted my lips even though I was giddy with excitement.

    ¡°Emilia and I didn¡¯t have the chance to do all the fun things that came with expecting a baby. I don¡¯t love her so everything we did was boring. The only reason I stayed with her was because I¡¯d already decided that I would never turn my back on any woman who bore my child.¡±

    Having him talk about Emilia slightly dampened my mood. ¡°How are you going to cope with taking care of Lilly and being with me? It¡¯s not gonna be easy and Emilia will get to know about our baby someday.¡±

    I dreaded the day Emilia would find out about it, but I wasn¡¯t the dumb woman she could poison. I was always five steps ahead of her.

    ¡°We can tell her now if you want us to.¡± He suggested but I shook my head vehemently in disagreement.

    ¡°Not yet. Let¡¯s keep it a secret until it can¡¯t be hidden anymore but I¡¯ll have to tell my father about it.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, mydy. I have a question to ask though.¡± I encouraged him to ask. ¡°You talked about getting poisoned, and that was the same thing that happened to Lorraine as well. It sounds like a coincidence but I want to know what year it happened.¡± He requested and I flinched in fear.

 Who is Leonardo?

    Melissa

    Why would he be asking me such a question?

    Was already feeling that I was his estranged wife?

    I had to give him a wrong answer if I was to sail through this, after all, there¡¯d be no way for him to detect that I was lying to him.

    ¡°Four years back. It was done by a friend that I didn¡¯t know envied my sess. That¡¯s the reason I withdrew from having friends. These days you can¡¯t tell the person who¡¯s real with you or not.¡± I said softly, hoping that he¡¯d buy my exnation.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for reminding you of the past, it¡¯s just that your story reminds me of Lorraine. And each time I look into your eyes, I can see the uncanny resemnce between the both of you. It¡¯s crazy.¡± He admitted and I scoffed, feigning anger, even though I was happy that he could feel the familiarity.

    It was good to know that he hadn¡¯tpletely forgotten about me, my new face confused.

    ¡°Do you have to talk about her all the time? I thought you liked me? Or are you around me because I¡¯m your safe option?¡±

    His lips parted, his eyes flitting around the room in confusion, then he sighed and kissed my forehead. ¡°You remind me of her a lot, but I think you are your own person.¡± He replied fluidly and I rolled my eyes at how quickly he was able to save himself from my interrogation.

    Since he believed that I was capable ofmitting murder, then he¡¯d have a hard time finding Lorraine.

    ¡°I want to go home. Can you call the doctor toe andplete her check-up so that I can be discharged? I hate hospitals.¡± I whined and he burst intoughter.

    I hissed and turned to the side so that I could lie properly. The doctor came in almost immediately and began the necessary check-ups.

    ¡°Do you have a gynecologist?¡± She asked and I nodded.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I do. Can we go now? I¡¯m starving and I feel so tired.¡± I admitted.

    ¡°You look strong enough, but if you copse again then your husband would have to admit you here. Do take care of yourself.¡± She patted me on the shoulder while I nted Dexter a quizzical look.

    I waited for her to leave, then I sprang to my feet and red at him. ¡°Husband? Are you for real?¡±

    He shrugged and a triumphant smirk disyed on his lips. ¡°I had to tell her that so that she would attend to me immediately.¡± He said and the reality of his words dawned on me.

    That was why I was attended to without much stress. Though Dexter could be a jerk when it came to love, he was a ruthless businessman who barely took no for an answer. He might have employed that side of him to get her to attend to us and it did yield results.

    A lot of people rumored that he had no feelings and I was almost tempted to tell them that they had no idea of what they were saying.

    ¡°I¡¯m not your wife, Dexter and you¡¯re still married so take me out of here, please,¡± I said for the umpteenth time and this time he listened.

    Since we came in my car and he wasn¡¯t returning to work today, he had to get his car back to the house. I wanted to return to my condo, but it felt like he was bent on making me do everything he wanted, so we headed to his penthouse.

    As our car rolled into the driveway, Lilly who was ying around the little garden ran to her father. Their father-daughter time was admirable, and I wondered how Lilly would feel when she found out that she¡¯d have another sibling who wasn¡¯t from her mother.

    Lilly¡¯s affection wasn¡¯t only directed to her father as she struggled to get down on her feet. Dexter stared at her with hesitation, but when she spread her hands for me to get her, we immediately understood what she wanted.

    The act had my heart melting into a puddle as I didn¡¯t know that she was beginning to bond with me.

    ¡°Oh, Lilly, I can carry you as long as you want.¡± I giggled like a child as I tried to straighten her disheveled hair with my fingers. ¡°Should we go in?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yass!¡± Her lips stretched into a smile.

    She was so adorable. I could stay with her for hours without getting tired. Her nanny collected my bag and greeted the both of us.

    Then Dexter announced that he wanted to prepare lunch for us, and left Lilly and me together.

    My phone simultaneously rang that moment and a knot furled in my stomach when I saw who the caller was. Leonardo had never called me before, then I remembered that I was absent from today¡¯s meeting.

    ¡°Hi,¡± I tried to talk to him with the calmest tone even though anger mmed through me each time I talked to him or even saw him.

    My dream moment was throwing him in jail and having him realize that he didn¡¯t seed in taking away my life.

    ¡°How are you, Melissa? Are you alright?¡± He asked almost sweetly and if we didn¡¯t have a past, I¡¯d be charmed.

    That could be how he charmed my mother and killed her when she didn¡¯t want to do as he wished.

    I dragged in a deep breath and let Lilly y with her toys. I couldn¡¯t be having the conversation where Dexter could easily hear us so I veered towards the garden and leaned on the wall.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Leonardo. I know that you are disappointed by my disappearance, well I fell ill and I couldn¡¯t make it. I¡¯m sorry for bailing out.¡± I exined the rest of the situation and left out some.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, your health is more important.¡± I held back a scoff. ¡°Are you feeling any better now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am. Thank you.¡±

    We talked about the project and when he began to talk about the research he had made concerning what would be our profit, I quickly turned on the recorder. I liked that he wasfortable with me all because he thought I¡¯d help him tounder thepany¡¯s money.

    I wondered how he¡¯d feel when he discovered that the real heir hade to take back her inheritance.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon so we can talk about it in detail, but I hope the other board members weren¡¯t angry?¡± I hoped they were.

    The call went silent then he sighed audibly. ¡°They were mad at me. They see me as ipetent and right now I¡¯m really scared of losing my position. All of them are out for me and I wonder who¡¯s doing this to me.¡± Hemented.

    I held back the urge tough and pressed my lips hard. Every bad thing that happened to him was orchestrated by me, and not too long from now, he¡¯d be losing every valuable property he had.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared of them, alright? I¡¯ll make sure that you retain your position.¡± I assured him.

    ¡°Thank you so much, Melissa. I feel so relieved to have you as my friend and the next time youe, I¡¯d like to introduce you formally to my daughter. I want her to know that you are a very good person.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a bad idea, Leonardo. We¡¯ll talkter.¡± I said and ended the call, taking a deep breath.

    I spun around and found Dexter gazing at me with an unreadable expression. His arms were folded behind him and his stance didn¡¯t look friendly.

    Did he listen to our conversation?

    I advanced towards him with a charming smile, hoping to disarm him. ¡°I thought you were preparing lunch,¡± I said but his expression didn¡¯t crack, instead, the lines on his face hardened.

    ¡°Madeline told me that she had already prepared lunch so I asked her to serve it while I get you, but you were busy speaking with one Leonardo. There¡¯s only one Leonardo I know and I want to ask if he¡¯s that you were talking about.¡± His voice was cold, leaving no room for any argument.

    He was baiting me and I had to keep up with my cover.

    ¡°What Leonardo are you talking about?¡± I threw back and he took another step closer.

    Fortunately, we were distracted by the clicking of heels that approached us. We faced the source of the distraction and I frowned.

    What on earth did she want?

 Emilia and Liam

    Author¡¯s POV

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t the cheap whore,¡± She scoffed and approached Dexter with her fake sweet smile that I itched to p off her face. There were two reasons I didn¡¯t make a move at her: I was pregnant, and she also saved me from having to exin who Leonardo was.

    ¡°Honey, you¡¯ve got to stop calling me cheap if you want to get your sry for this month. And after you¡¯re done with whatever reason you came here for, youe to me. I haven¡¯t used your services in a while.¡± I concluded my statement with a smirk and her eyes turned red.

    She had forgotten that I intentionally made her work under me so that I could make her life miserable. The only reason I loosened the iron grip I had on her was because I¡¯d been overwhelmed with work.

    ¡°Call her a whore again and you¡¯ll join Liam where he is.¡± He thundered, averting his attention from me.

    I liked that he stood up for me. I liked how his nose red, and how his eyes darkened into a deeper shade of brown because he was angry.

    His fists were clenched, yet, he suppressed his anger, and that reminded me that I was married to a man who respected women. He was just confused.

    But what got me was knowing that Liam had been thrown into jail and I didn¡¯t know about it.

    I needed the full details and if Emilia knew about Liam then they had something together. I wondered if she already knew about him before poisoning me, or if she helped them to escape.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dexter.¡± She flung herself at him like the real whore she was, pushing exposed her cleavages toward his midriff.

    What made her think thating half-naked to visit her baby¡¯s daddy would make him listen to every whim of hers?

    A sickening knot of jealousy twisted in my chest as the urge to punch her face surged through me, but it wasn¡¯t my ce to do that.

    Dexter gently pushed her away, his face still locked in a scowl as he folded his hands. ¡°Today isn¡¯t your visiting day, so why did youe without calling?¡± He growled.

    She pouted her lips and red at me, but I remained unfazed as we waited for her response. ¡°I came to see you for a private matter, Dex, and I¡¯d like us to discuss it without her.¡± She referred to me and I almost burst intoughter.

    He told me almost everything, so at the end of the day, I¡¯d still get every detail of whatever they discussed.

    Dexter spared a nce at me and winked. His face cracked with a calm smile which connoted a message I immediately understood. My heart leaped for joy when I realized that he didn¡¯t want me to go anywhere.

    ¡°You can say whatever you want in front of her, but she isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡± Dexter informed her and she gasped in surprise.

    ¡°But that isn¡¯t possible, she isn¡¯t even your wife. How will Lorraine feel if she returns and finds out that another woman has taken her ce?¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Dexter took a step further, his shoulder visibly tense. ¡°And how do you think Lorraine will feel if she finds out that the woman she called her friend before her disappearance slept with her husband?¡±

    Emilia¡¯s face was a typical description of the word ¡®gobsmacked¡¯. Her lips parted as she darted her eyes around everywhere but the both of us.

    She regainedposure and snapped her lips shut, then swallowed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll just say whatever I have to and I hope you listen to me.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± He replied with a bored tone.

    ¡°I came to make a request concerning Liam. I don¡¯t think he deserves to be in jail for trying to steal from me.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± He hollered, ¡°I thought you said you didn¡¯t know anything about him. Why are you pleading on his behalf?¡±

    She raked through her hair, biting her lower lip as she realized that she had shot herself in the foot. I was right about them knowing each other and now I had to know what their rtionship was.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know him. I just felt guilty that he was arrested for no just cause and decided to plead on his behalf. Can you let him go for my sake?¡± She sped her palms together, batting hershes at him.

    Dexter kept silent, flitted his eyes sideways then chuckled darkly. ¡°If Liam was a thief, I wouldn¡¯t have been that rough with him, but he did more than steal. Do you want to know what he did?¡± He asked and she nodded, apparently discovering that she wouldn¡¯t be getting the favor she wanted from him. ¡°He tried to rape my wife together with his friend. The second time, they sent another man who would have seeded if her stepfather hadn¡¯te in. If you were in her shoes, would you expect me to forgive someone like that?¡±

    She scratched her neck and pressed her lips together in thought while I stared at him proudly. How could he make me resent him and admire him at the same time?

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like that.¡± She finally admitted.

    ¡°Good, so go back there and tell him that he should get ready to be transferred because I won¡¯t be letting him out, and if I find out that the both of you know each other, you will exin your rtionship in court.¡± He threatened with a condescending tone.

    Knowing that she couldn¡¯t win the argument, she stormed off but I was quick to stop her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave yet, Emilia. We have unfinished business.¡± I veered to the sitting room while she mumbled angrily behind me.

    Since the nanny who also doubled as the help sometimes had already made the table, we all sat down aside from Emilia whom I asked to eat in the sitting room.

    ¡°Does she have to eat there?¡± Dexter asked when she sulked to the couch to have her lunch and I shrugged.

    ¡°She called her boss a whore, don¡¯t you think that the punishment is less?¡± I asked and he kept shut.

    A wave of satisfaction rolled within me when I saw the humiliation on her face. I¡¯m sure she was already wondering why I hated her so much. If only she could think hard, she might remember that she did something simr to an innocentdy a few years back.

    Just when I thought that Dexter had forgottenpletely about the question he asked me earlier, he brought it up again.

    ¡°So tell me, who¡¯s the Leonardo you were speaking with?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hide it anymore because he was bound to find out soon. ¡°His name is Leonardo Jones.¡± I prayed that he wouldn¡¯t do more digging and discover that he was the ex-wife of Sarah Hills.

    I needed to be around him.

    ¡°You can¡¯t have anything to do with that man, he¡¯s Lorraine¡¯s wicked stepfather.¡±

 Ending Liam

    Author¡¯s POV

    She decided in her heart that Melissa would go through the same fate Lorraine went through, all she needed was time to sort out Liam¡¯s case.

    Since Dexter couldn¡¯t give her a listening ear, she had to go on with her father¡¯s n or her secret would be out.

    She dialed Leonardo¡¯s number and stomped on her foot on the ground, waiting for him to pick up. He finally answered the call at the second ring.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Did he listen to you?¡± Leonardo asked almost nonchntly.

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. That Melissa bitch was there with him, maybe that was why he didn¡¯t give me a good response. I¡¯ve told you that we need to eliminate the witch because she has disrupted my rtionship with him.¡± She said and Leonardo chuckled over the phone.

    ¡°You have my permission to end Liam, but in your quest to keep your secrets hidden, do not hurt Melissa until I¡¯m done with her. Do you get me?¡± He warned her, his voice stern and void of any hint of yfulness.

    She didn¡¯t like his decision, but she had to go through with it if she still wanted to be protected by him. Her father was the reason she was still a free woman to this point.

    With all the atrocities she hadmitted, she should have been caught and sentenced to death if she didn¡¯t have someone cleaning up after her. And if she still wanted things to remain that way, then she¡¯d have to do everything he said.

    ¡°Alright, father. I¡¯ll go in there tonight and do as we nned. We don¡¯t have much time anymore.¡±

    ¡°Be careful, Emilia. Don¡¯t mess this up. I already have a lot on my te and I¡¯m on the verge of losing my position in this fuckingpany. If you get caught, you¡¯ll have to take responsibility for it.¡± The line dropped dead as she shivered subconsciously.

    She had to get it right, so she forgot about Melissa¡¯s embarrassment and headed to an unknown pharmacy where she could get the materials for Liam¡¯s elimination.

    ************

    It waste in the evening when no one paid attention to their family members who were locked up in the police station, and that was when she decided to strike.

    She was d in a ck body-con jumpsuit that hugged her curves, and a blue denim jacket. She wore a blowout burgundy wig to cover up her natural hair and a ck mask to cover her face.

    Her heart elerated faster than usual, not because it was her first timemitting murder, but because she had to be meticulous about it or she¡¯d get caught right there.

    She doused the cup of whiskey on her vanity table and dragged in a deep breath. The syringe in her hand was filled with the potent chemical that would destroy his organs slowly while he burned silently in pain.

    In his next life, he would know better than to mess with her.

    She got into her car and drove to the station, hoping that he hadn¡¯t been moved yet, like Dexter said. Fortunately for her, she got there right before most of the inmates got moved.

    She stopped at his cell and signaled for him toe over.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, but why am I not out of here yet?¡± He snickered and she rolled her eyes, closing the distance between them so that just the iron bars would be the only barrier.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be out soon, Liam. You need to learn how to be patient. I¡¯ve told you this over and over again.¡± She said, patting his shoulder with a grim smirk.

    He licked his lips and trailed his fingers across her face. ¡°I miss you, Emilia. You don¡¯t know how much I do. Do you want to know what keeps me going?¡± His had turned slurry and seductive, his eyes filled with glints of lust.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±She asked tly.

    ¡°The thought of you and our daughter.¡± He stated and she glowered.

    A scoff fell off her lips as she folded her arms. ¡°You¡¯d better stop saying that before someone else hears our conversation, and stop saying that Lilly is your daughter because she¡¯s not. You are just a sperm donor while Dexter is the real father.¡±

    Liam¡¯s grin switched into a frown. ¡°How dare you say that to me? Aren¡¯t you the one that never allowed me into her life in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you are broke and whatever happened between us was a mistake. Thankfully, that act helped me to achieve something that I¡¯d been craving for years.¡±

    ¡°And you know that a simple DNA test can make him have negative feelings for you. I wonder how you¡¯d cope if you were in my situation. It¡¯s not easy to dress in this annoying two-piece with your freedom taken from you. You won¡¯t be able to eat what you want and for someone like you that depends on make-up to look good, I think you¡¯ll be looking like a stuffed dull.¡± He messed around with her, apparently enjoying how her breathing came in hitches.

    She poked at his chest and clenched her teeth, a red hue cast over her cheeks. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have spoken to me in this manner, Liam, because I¡¯m your only way out of here.¡± She smirked cynically and he tilted his head in surprise.

    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve sent a text to Dexter and if you don¡¯t get me out of here now, he¡¯ll get to know about all the dirty secrets you¡¯ve been keeping from him.¡± He threatened and she burst intoughter.

    ¡°This is one of the reasons I never gave you ess to my daughter because you are so dumb, Liam. The number one rule of being a real criminal is learning how to keep your mouth shut. You¡¯ve told me your ns and you think I won¡¯t do anything about it?¡± Her eyes darkened and his face formed a scowl.

    ¡°What are you on about?¡±

    Emilia gave the hallway a thorough scrutiny and stylishly produced the syringe from the pocket of her denim jacket.

    ¡°What makes you think that I¡¯ll soil my hands and get you out of here when you are only going to create more problems for me?¡± She allowed her words to settle before continuing. ¡°You won¡¯t get the chance to say anything to Dexter because I¡¯m going to-¡±

    Liam¡¯s eyes widened in realization and in a fleeting second, he snaked his arm around Emilia¡¯s neck, pressing her to the bar so that he could strangle her.

    His other fingers closed around her neck and he gripped it tightly while she let out a muffled sound. Her eyes were bing misty as she panted, then she allowed herself to get close to him.

    Using his anger as a distraction, she jabbed the syringe at the side of his stomach. He let her go in an instant and held onto his stomach as he yelped in pain.

    Emilia massaged her neck and panted heavily as she tried to even her breath. ¡°Sorry, baby daddy, but you just have to join Sarah¡¯s mother wherever she is.¡± She snarled and put the syringe into her pocket.

    She walked out of the cell, her steps fluid and fast as she didn¡¯t want anyone to notice what she had done.

    In the process of hurriedly getting out, she nearly bumped into a female officer who was heading toward the hallway she juste from.

    ¡°Watch your stepdy!¡± The woman hollered.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She apologized as she had grazed the officer¡¯s shoulder, causing the syringe to fall off her pocket unnoticed.

 A great feat

    Melissa

    I walked into the dimly lit room where the meeting I¡¯d made arrangements for was to be held. I was impressed to see Mr Han, Mr Manor, and Mrs Gonzales, sitting patiently and waiting for me.

    The meeting was a secret one, that was why we used one of the hotels that belonged to my father.

    ¡°Good evening, everyone. How are you all doing?¡± I greeted them, receiving their warm handshakes.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine and excited to be here.¡± Mr Han said with a formal tone.

    Mrs Gonzales hugged me and I patted her on the back. She had a certain way of looking at me as if she had so much to make up for. I itched to tell her that it wasn¡¯t her fault, but that was after the meeting was over.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to the topic for the evening. First of all, I¡¯d like to apologize for missing yesterday¡¯s meeting. I suddenly fell ill when I got to the venue and I had to be rushed to the hospital.¡± They didn¡¯t need to be exined to me since I was their boss, but if they were to fully believe in me, then I had to be ountable.

    ¡°I hope you are fine now, my daughter?¡± Mrs Gonzales smiled and I nodded.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be bothered about me, ma. I¡¯m more than fit.¡±

    Presently I felt strong, but the reverse was the case in the early morning. I threw up thrice and barely had anything to eat untilter in the afternoon.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    I could guess how far gone I was, but I needed my gynecologist to give me a precise date. I was still surprised that I was able to attend the meeting, but what I discovered was that the saying ¡®When there¡¯s a will, there¡¯ll be a way¡¯ came into y in my life.

    ¡°How far have you gone with the fake designs, Mrs Gonzales?¡±

    She quickly produced her phone from her handbag and scrolled through it for a few seconds. She passed it to me and a crooked smile appeared at the corner of my lips.

    I recognized the design. It was very simr to what one of the top rivals of our brand had designed. We were supposed to create something different, but one of the ways we were going to employ in pulling down Leonardo was by defaming him.

    ¡°This is really amazing, Rosa. You are so good at this. I hope you have prepared beautiful designs for our jewelry brand once I take over?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Sure, Melissa, I¡¯ve been waiting for this for so long and we are all happy that you are back.¡±

    Mr Manor cleared his throat, then raised his hand. ¡°I have a question to ask about the fake design.¡± I permitted him. ¡°How will imitating other brands¡¯ designs help to bring Leonardo down?¡±

    I propped my elbows on the desk and pressed my palms together. This was the question I¡¯d been waiting for as Rosa was the only one who knew my n.

    ¡°I¡¯d have asked you to wait and see, but since you are a part of my special team, I¡¯ll have to tell you.¡± I brought out myptop and ced it in front of him so that he could see the jewelry exhibition banner ced in front of it. ¡°Hill¡¯s Jewelry has been invited for a jewelry exhibition and we are supposed to showcase something raw and fresh, but that won¡¯t be the case because we¡¯d have to present anotherpany¡¯s design and Leonardo will mistakenly im that it is his,¡± I exined and his eyes lit up in admiration for me.

    Mr Han gave me a round of apuse, sharing the same expression with Mr Manor.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that a woman could be this brilliant, and even though I¡¯ve not told you this before, I¡¯m rooting for your sess. I can¡¯t wait for you to be the CEO and send that scallywag out of thepany. He knows nothing about leadership.¡±

    A blush rose to my cheeks as I allowed his words to sink in. Mr Han was one of the most difficult people to convince. After seeing how he confronted Leonardo boldly at the board meeting, I was moved to make him a part of my team.

    I already knew about their beef so I would use it to my advantage while watching out for any sign of betrayal from him. I was extra cautious and I had to station men who watched every one of their activities.

    Until my real identity was revealed, I couldn¡¯t have anyone scuttling my ns.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be out soon,¡± I assured him, happy that all my ns were slowly falling into ce. I cast a nce at thewyer who was arranging some documents. ¡°Is there any update from you, Mr Manor?¡± I asked and he shook his head.

    We deliberated on more issues and I felt satisfied, knowing that we were finally on track. I checked the time which showed that it was gettingte, so I released them.

    I had yet to tell my father about my pregnancy since the day I found out, and it caused guilt to eat up my heart as I wasn¡¯t used to keeping secrets from him.

    I was already on my way out when Mr Manor stopped me.

    ¡°Is there any problem?¡±

    ¡°Not really. I had an update but I didn¡¯t want to say it in front of Mr Han because I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s aware of your real identity.¡±

    How smart of him, I admitted under my breath.

    Thank God he was nice enough not to mention it. He didn¡¯t know my past so I liked it to remain that way or he¡¯d want to use it against meter on.

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I didn¡¯t tell you the day you came to my house.¡± He confessed and brought out the documents he was going through earlier.

    His confession piqued my curiosity. ¡°What could that be?¡± I asked, my tone hinged with desperation.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t give the original documents to Leonardo the day he came for it. Seeing how yourte mother was scared for her life, I had to draw up the original copy and duplicate it as well. And that means-¡±

    I cut him short as I became overwhelmed with excitement. I couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. ¡°It means that once I¡¯m able to sign the original document and prove that Leonardo forcefully took the fake one from you, I¡¯ll be the true owner of Hill¡¯s jewelry.¡± I interpreted and almost jumped on him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at me, Melissa. I was ovee with grief and I had forgotten all about the documents until I went through my shelf this morning.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much, Mr Manor. You don¡¯t know what this news has done for me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, Melissa. I¡¯m doing this for yourte mother, and to get justice for my family who were murdered in cold blood. The documents will remain with me until you¡¯re ready for it.¡± He informed me and I nodded.

    ¡°Thank you, once again,¡± I said and waved him goodbye.

    A phone call came through immediately after he left and seeing the caller¡¯s name filled me with more joy. ¡°Is it done?¡±

    His deep voice rumbled. ¡°Yes, it is. Everything is under control.¡±

    I ended the call and tossed the phone into my bag, walking out of the hotel with a confident gait because I¡¯d just achieved another hard feat.

    I was so enjoying this game.

 The wrong corpse

    Dexter

    My fingers grazed over Lorraine¡¯s number and I smiled. The urge to call her almost all the time, just to know how she was doing was slowly consuming me but I didn¡¯t mind.

    She was carrying my child and I had to make sure that she was safe, no matter what.

    Just when I thought that fate was against us, it proved me wrong by bringing us back together again in the most unexpected manner. I could imagine her stomach growing bigger and popping through her dresses.

    I could imagine her swapping the well-tailored suits that made her look chic and bossy at the same time, for nice-looking maternity dresses that she¡¯d need to feelfortable.

    My mind gradually created pictures of how chubby she would be when her stomach got bigger. Since I returned from work, I decided to relieve myself of stress by watching pregnancy videos and I¡¯d learned more than I did when Emilia was pregnant.

    At least I¡¯d have the opportunity to lift her stomach when it gets really big and heavy and give her a nice foot massage. I couldn¡¯t wait to start attending to all her cravings.

    Then I remembered our limitations and sighed. With Lilly¡¯s presence, I couldn¡¯t keep driving over to her ce so I had to find a way to convince her to live with me until the baby was weaned.

    Knowing how stubborn Melissa could be, I knew that I¡¯d have to move the heavens to make her believe me, but if that was what it took, then I¡¯d do it.

    I was about to drop my phone when a message popped on my screen. My eyes squinted when I saw a number I couldn¡¯t recall.

    Filled with curiosity, I clicked on the message and then I realised who sent it. I snarled in exasperation at Liam¡¯s request. What made him think that I¡¯de over to see him after all the crimes he hadmitted with his friend ke?

    I made to keep the phone aside when my eyes stopped at thest message. He said that he had a secret to share about Emilia.

    This time I dropped the phone, but my mind was troubled as I found it hard to differentiate between a lie and the truth. I¡¯d always known that Emilia had something to do with him, but what if he wanted to bait me?Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    There was only one way to find out and that was by going there. I quickly sent a message to Melissa telling her where I was going.

    Luckily, the ride to the station was smooth since there wasn¡¯t heavy traffic. I rolled into the parking lot and cleared myself at the receptionist¡¯s desk, then strode towards his cell.

    I¡¯d almost gotten to his cell when I heard my name behind me. I spun around and found an office approaching me.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Inspector James.¡± He stretched his hand for a handshake which I received firmly.

    ¡°I¡¯m Dexter Hemmingway,¡± I said and he released my hand.

    ¡°Are you here for Mr Liam Garcia?¡± He questioned, his countenance turning mncholic even though he tried to hide it which caused me to suspect that something had gone wrong.

    ¡°Yes, I am. Is there any problem?¡±

    His expression was conflicted as if he was hiding something from me. He swallowed, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing in an up-down pattern. ¡°We lost him this morning.¡± He announced and my knees turned into jelly.

    I froze. My heart stopped beating as I felt blood drain out of me.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I whispered, my brain still struggling to process the painful news. How could he be dead?

    ¡°Apparently, he was poisoned. It was his cellmate that alerted us when he started writhing in pain and coughing out blood. We took him to the hospital, but it was toote because the poison had already eaten deep into his organs and nothing else could be done.¡±

    I turned to the wall, suppressing the urge that rose within me to throw a punch at it. Melissa wouldn¡¯t like that my hand was wounded, so I thought against it.

    ¡°Who dares toe in here and poison him without anyone knowing about it?¡± I growled.

    ¡°We have gone through the security cameras stationed in front of every cell, and we found out that a woman visited him before he started having theplications.¡± He exined.

    A woman?

    I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration, wondering who harbored any negative feelings towards him aside from me. Then I remembered the message he sent me earlier and the secret he said he wanted to share about Emilia.

    He wasn¡¯t joking about it, and I was too slow to understand that his life was on the line.

    And what woman would have wanted to kill him to keep him from revealing a secret to me?

    Only one name came to my mind.

    Emilia.

    ¡°Inspector, can you describe her physical features and were you able to see her face?¡± I asked hopefully as anger surged through my veins.

    It had better not be her.

    ¡°Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t. She was smart enough to keep her face hidden with a mask. Her hair was a blowout burgundy color and she had a ck jumpsuit on. She¡¯s around 5¡¯7 in height on the slim side.¡±

    His description wasn¡¯t strong enough to convince me that it was Emilia. I might have had more reasons to suspect her if her hair was blonde.

    ¡°So where¡¯s his body? How can I see him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in the morgue, Sir. Do you want to visit him right away?¡±

    I halted and had a rethink of my options. I had a deep resentment for Liam and I wasn¡¯t sure that I¡¯d forgiven him yet, but he used to be my friend and even though I was going to make him face thew, I didn¡¯t wish him death.

    After taking a deep breath that helped to regte my emotions, I made a decision. ¡°I¡¯d like to see him right now.¡±

    ¡°That will be fine. We are still making investigations, and all the fingerprints found around the bars have been taken to the forensics department. Once we get the results from them, we¡¯ll inform you.¡±

    I thanked him profusely and he led me to the morgue where his body was. His body was still on a stretcher, covered with a in white cloth. My fingers shivered, but I forced myself to stay strong.

    My eyes became ssy as I strode towards his body which remained stiff. The reminder that one¡¯s life could be taken away without warning was scary.

    A feeling of nostalgia trooped into my memory as I remembered ourst meeting together before I realized how wicked they were.

    I couldn¡¯t stand still all night so I summoned courage and lifted the cloth off his face. It fell off my hands as I blinked incessantly.

    My eyes scanned the face that had slight changes on it, but what didn¡¯t resonate with me was that his face was unrecognizable. I knew that being dead came with some mutations, but that didn¡¯t mean his face had to changepletely.

    Who could be ying such a sick joke on me?

    How could he get poisoned and his body go missing at the same time?

    And howe the officer showed me the wrong corpse without realizing that he had been switched?

 Her fatheréˆ¥æªš reaction

    Melissa

    My father strode across the living room to wee me. Every time I visited him, he acted like he hadn¡¯t seen me in ages, hugging and nting kisses all over my face.

    Though we were separated from each other, I liked that years of separation didn¡¯t affect our bond. I loved him so much and I couldn¡¯t wish to have another man as my father.

    ¡°I missed you so much, Honey.¡± He pressed me hard to his chest and nted a kiss on my forehead. ¡°You forgot about your old man, huh? I¡¯m not happy.¡± He whined, pouting his lips.

    His cute method of guilt-tripping me cracked me up. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, daddy. I¡¯ve been so swamped with work and today I made a decision that I would visit you, and here I am.¡±

    I was still contemting when to tell him about my pregnancy. I didn¡¯t even know if I should tell him that Dexter was the father, but then I figured that he would put two and two together.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait for you to expose those bastards so that we can have a father-daughter vacation. We¡¯ve not had that in a while, you know. I can still remember how fun ourst trip was.¡± He reminded me and I nodded.

    After all the hassle, I¡¯d need to take a break. I wanted Leonardo and Emilia to be in jail before I even started showing or things might get moreplicated.

    ¡°It will all be over soon, Dad. Just be patient with me.¡± I said and plopped down on the chair as a sudden wave of exhaustion hit me.

    I didn¡¯t bother going home to take a nap as I knew that I might oversleep and forget about meeting my father.

    ¡°Dinner is ready, but you look tired and that brings me to the question I¡¯ve been wanting to ask. Why were you absent from the meeting yesterday?¡±

    Maybe I should have gone ahead to tell him the real reason, but I didn¡¯t want to present the news just like that. Beforeing, I¡¯d peed on a stick and cross-checked the result, then ced it inside a gift box.

    I anticipated his reaction so I wanted to make it all worth it.

    I gave him the same response that I gave to the others and I was d he didn¡¯t ask anymore questions.

    We were ushered to the dining area where a feast had been prepared for us. I took a peek at the ss bowls and my mouth watered.

    ¡°This looks delicious,¡± Imented and served myself a portion of mashed potatoes, a little bit of vegetables and some grilled chicken.

    There was a bowl of spinach soup by the side which was apparently for my father, but strangely, I began to crave it so I scooped some into my te, ignoring the surprised nce my father threw at me.

    ¡°I know you might not have had much to eat at work, but you are eating so much more than you used to. Is anything the matter?¡± His eyes gleamed with surprise and so much worry that I couldn¡¯t help but tell him the truth.

    My lips curled into a shy smile as I dug into my bag and produced the gift box. ¡°You¡¯ll get the answer in the box, Daddy.¡± I passed it to him and he received it with slight hesitation.

    I bit into the well-grilled chicken while waiting for him to unwrap the box.

    The wrapper came off quickly as he was ovee with curiosity, then he opened the box and a loud gasp escaped his lips. I dropped the chicken and my cheeks heated up immediately.

    The look on his face was priceless as he kept gazing at the stick. ¡°Is this real, Melissa? Are you pregnant?¡± He asked, his voice shaky as if he expected me to debunk the news.

    I got up and went to him. ¡°The news is as real as it gets, Dad. I¡¯m so pregnant.¡± I giggled and wrapped my arms around him.

    He held me, his sniffs resonating in my ear and that was when I realised that he had broken down in tears. I joined him, crying happily as I kept singing to myself that I had a child.

    I made a vow there and then to protect him or her with myst breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy, Melissa. Your mother would have felt the same way too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she would have been very happy.¡± I blinked hard to suppress the tears that threatened to roll down my cheeks. ¡°Thank you, Dad, for always being here for me. You gave me reasons to live again and now I have more. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done if you didn¡¯te into my life.¡± I confessed as he straightened my hair with his fingers.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, sweetheart. I still bless the day I met you at the cafe, and I¡¯m so d that I offered to take you to eat somewhere else. Honestly, a few days before I met you, I was making ns on adopting a child, since I couldn¡¯t bring myself to fall in love with another woman and have a child with her when I haven¡¯t found you. After our meeting, I decided to drop the idea of adoption and try to get closer to you because you reminded me so much of your mother.¡±

    I smiled, ¡°And look at where that meeting has brought us.¡±

    I returned to my seat and prepared myself for the next question, but it didn¡¯te, instead, he decided to dive into a teasing session.

    ¡°Now I understand why you chose such a weirdbination. And I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s also the reason for your glow, or haven¡¯t you noticed that you¡¯ve be extraordinarily beautiful?¡± He smirked, wriggling his brows.

    ¡°You really have to stop now, Dad. It¡¯s not my fault that the baby wants to eat that.¡± I said in my defense, then faced the mashed potatoes.

    My heart thumped fast when he finally dropped the question. ¡°Does Dexter know about it?¡±

    My eyes popped and my spoon slipped off my fingers, making a ttering sound. ¡°How do you know that he is the father?¡± I asked, getting nervous.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got eyes, Melissa and I know that even though he messed up, he¡¯s still the only man you¡¯d want to have anything with. So how did he take the news?¡±

    ¡°He was surprised at first, but I guess he is more excited than I am,¡± I said tersely, deciding that I wouldn¡¯t add the remaining details.

    He sighed and entwined his fingers, wearing a brooding expression. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand how fast it was for him to forget about the woman he married. What if you were another person?¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

    I lowered myshes, knowing that his temper was rising. I wasn¡¯t sure my father would ever approve of Dexter once this issue was over.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this now, Dad. We should be happy about the news I just shared and make ns on the names my child would bear.¡± I said to lighten the slightly tense atmosphere.

    His smile returned and I felt better.

    My phone rang and seeing that it was the inspector, I excused myself and headed to the living room. ¡°Hi, Inspector James. Is there any update?¡±

    He cleared his throat and then waited for some seconds before responding. ¡°There is. We found a used empty syringe lying on the floor close to Liam¡¯s cell. And I guess it was used by the woman we saw in the security camera to stab Liam.¡± He announced and I chuckled, knowing who was responsible.

    ¡°Thank you for informing me, I¡¯ll begin my investigation now.¡±

    I was about to hang up when he added. ¡°Dexter was here to see Liam today, but I had to tell him that he had passed on. Just thought of telling you.¡± He said and the line went dead, leaving me to wonder why he went to visit Liam.

 What is the secret

    Author¡¯s POV

    Her triumphant smile widened the moment she got to her father¡¯s mansion. She couldn¡¯t wait to share the news of her sess with him as it was the first time she had done something so perfectly, apart from the time she poisoned Lorraine.

    She barged in and ran to her father, hugging him in excitement. He patted her back and she slid off his body and rxed on the upholster.

    ¡°I take it that your mission was sessful, right?¡± He grinned widely while she nodded in agreement.

    ¡°You trained a smart ass. Did you expect less from me?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t, Emilia. We need to celebrate this.¡± He said and headed to the wine cer, and brought out a bottle of red wine with two sses.

    Now that she had sessfully killed him, she would proceed to Melissa who had be a thorn in her flesh. Never again would she allow anyone to get close to Dexter.

    She had framed Lorraine because she wanted to be with him, she murdered Liam because she didn¡¯t want her secrets getting out in the open. And now, she was already plotting Melissa¡¯s death.

    Her father wouldn¡¯t be allowed to step in, neither would he even be notified about it. She had to take care of the issue by herself.

    Her father had poured the wine into both sses. He picked his and she did the same as they cheered for their sess. ¡°Congrattions, honey.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, father. You are the best teacher.¡± She folded her thighs and fiddled with her nails when her father dropped the ss on the table and sat beside her.

    ¡°Did you make use of gloves? You can¡¯t have the forensics capturing your fingerprint, you know.¡± He asked her and her face turned pallid.

    The wine ss slipped off her grip and shattered on the ground, the wine spilling on the center rug as the shards flew in different directions. Her fingers trembled and her breathing came out in quick pants as she realized her mistake.

    Leonardo¡¯s eyes darkened as he processed her silent response. He banged his fist on the table, flinging the ss across the room in anger.

    ¡°How dumb can you be, Emilia? How could you have forgotten to use gloves? Do you want to get caught?¡± He thundered, his nose red as he propped his arms against his waist, pacing restlessly.

    ¡°I-Ipletely forgot,¡± The words managed to leave her mouth as she battled with the emotions that clogged her throat. ¡°I was so eager to get the deed done because time was no longer on my side. Everything was set on my vanity table, including the gloves and my mask.¡±

    She raked through her hair as she wondered how she didn¡¯t forget to take her mask, butpletely ignored the gloves on the table. She could still remember how she ced them side by side.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, father. I¡¯ll try to clean up-¡±

    Her words were interrupted Leonardo raised his hand against her. His palm was close to her cheek, but it remained in the air as she flinched. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t forget to wear your mask. I just hope that no one recognizes you.¡± He snatched his hand away and she fell on her knees.

    ¡°I brought back the syringe and I¡¯m very sure that Liam is dead and ready to be buried by now¡­¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the syringe?¡± He interrupted her again as he was barely able to cage his anger.

    She gasped as she remembered taking off the jacketst night, and was unable to produce the syringe. Since she was tired and eager to rest, she waved it off and decided that she would search the next day.

    Then she recalled the scenario where she grazed the female police officer.

    ¡°Could it be?¡± She muttered under her breath as a dam of tears broke and cascaded down her tears.

    Leonardo¡¯s eyes widened, then he chuckled darkly, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Emilia,¡± His scary growl resonated loudly in the living room. ¡°I need you to leave right now before I do something that I¡¯ll regret. And I don¡¯t want to set my eyes on you until you can clean up the mess you created out of your stupidity. Do you hear me?¡± He barked and she nodded, scurrying away from him.

    In all the years she knew him as her father, he had never been that harsh with her. If her fingerprints were found on the bars which was very possible, she¡¯d be done for.

    As she got out of his house, her phone rang into the night and she hurriedly picked it up without checking who the caller could be.

    ¡°Why the hell are you calling me? My life is already frustrating as it is!¡± She yelled.

    ¡°You had better stop yelling at me, Emilia, I¡¯m not the reason for your frustration.¡± Dexter snapped at her and she mped her lips shut.

    The anger that simmered within her vanished as she didn¡¯t expect Dexter to be the caller. She couldn¡¯t even remember thest time he initiated a phone call. It was always her and it excited her to know that he had her in mind.

    She tucked her hair behind her ear and nibbled on her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry forshing out at you. I didn¡¯t even know that you were the one calling.¡±

    ¡°I want us to meet immediately-¡± He informed her and she giggled.

    ¡°At your house or mine?¡± She flirted with anticipation.

    ¡°None of those ces are suitable for the meeting we are about to have. I¡¯ll text you a location once I hang up and ensure that you don¡¯t waste my time, for the benefit of both of us.¡± He said sternly and ended the conversation.

    She darted her eyes around in confusion, wondering why he was so harsh with her. Her phone beeped and she quickly went through the message, hissing in disappointment.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that he wanted them to meet in an open-roof restaurant.

    Not wanting to grate on his nerves further, she got into her car and headed there. She parked her car by the around and came out, her eyes searching for Dexter who sat at the far end of the restaurant.

    She strolled towards him while gushing over him silently. ¡°Good evening.¡± She greeted him when she got to his table and he took his attention off his device.

    ¡°Sit.¡± He ordered tly.

    His tone annoyed her and she didn¡¯t even know when she began to vent her frustration at him. ¡°I¡¯m not a child that you should order around, Dexter. You are the one who asked me toe here and I did because I respect you, so don¡¯t insult me in this manner.¡±

    He scoffed with a scowl and gave her an angry once-over. ¡°What¡¯s the secret you ¡®ve been hiding from me?¡±

    Her rxed pose became tense as she shrank backward, darting her gaze from me. Her breathing became uneven though she tried to act unaffected.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Dexter.¡±

    Dexter let out a doubtful chuckle, his frown returning. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that cliche line, Emilia, because you very well know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    ¡°Stop using me, it¡¯s offensive.¡± She debated.

    He ced his hands on the table and leaned closer to her. ¡°Liam sent me a surprising text yesterday and even though I didn¡¯t want to see him, I still went ahead and visited him to know what the text was all about.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how is he doing?¡± Her voice dripped with nervousness that even a toddler could detect.

    He gauged her expression, locking his gaze on hers while she blinked surreptitiously, unable to stare back. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± He announced coldly and her lips parted.

    ¡°He¡¯s dead? How did that even happen?¡± Her tone became mncholic as her eyes immediately glistened with tears. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have died.¡±

    ¡°Or he should have died because he knows your filthy secrets.¡± Dexter snickered, riling up her emotions on purpose.

    She pushed her seat backward and sprang to her feet. ¡°I won¡¯t sit here and have you insult me!¡± She fumed.

    ¡°Well, you will, because we¡¯re not done with this conversation.¡± He countered and folded his hands with an unsmiling expression.

 A rethink

    Dexter.

    She gently sank onto her chair, knowing that she was ignorantly giving herself away. How could I have been blind to not see through the innocent facade?

    ¡°What are we still talking about, Dexter? I want to go home and rest.¡± She whined, but I wasn¡¯t going to give in to her demand.

    I made her ufortable and I liked that she was reacting the way I wanted. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how it happened?¡± I asked almost quietly and she nodded with hesitation.

    ¡°I¡­ I think I deserve to know what happened to him.¡± She shrugged, her eyes fixed on the table.

    ¡°ording to what I was told by the inspector, he was stabbed to death probably by thest woman who came to visit him. She was caught on camera, about the same height as you. Unfortunately, her face was hidden and she wasn¡¯t blonde so I¡¯m forced to believe that it was someone else.¡± I stated calmly and she sighed in relief.

    ¡°Oh, so you know that and you keep using me of murder? I might be crazy but not enough to take someone¡¯s life and if we are done with the conversation, I¡¯d like to go home.¡± She sneered.

    I leaned on the backrest of my chair and massaged my chin. ¡°Why are you in a rush to leave? I thought you always wanted to be in mypany, why is today different?¡±

    Unlike Emilia who would try to seduce me or implore me to take her home with me, she was very eager to be on her way.

    ¡°You have insulted me by using me of what we both know that I didn¡¯t do. If you were in my shoes, how would that make you feel?¡±

    ¡°First of all, I will never be in your shoes because I¡¯m not the one keeping secrets.¡± I got up, as the conversation was beginning to stretch more than I wanted. At least I¡¯d ascertained that she was keeping a secret that Liam knew about from me, and I couldn¡¯t stop wondering what it was all about. ¡°Emilia¡­¡± I drawled, my voice taking a dangerously low tone. ¡°I just hope that I don¡¯t have to find out that secret from someone else. Because if I do, being Lilly¡¯s mother won¡¯t count.¡±

    She gulped and blinked hard, her previous confident gait shaken.

    **********

    My eyes were glued to the screen of myputer, but I¡¯ll be damned if I said I was concentrating on what was before me.

    Suddenly, work became boring as the desire to be with Melissa clouded my mind. It hurt more because she was so busy with work and didn¡¯t have any time for me.

    How could a pregnant woman be that busy?

    If I¡¯d stepped up my game and allowed her to stay with me, then I¡¯d have convinced her to work from home while I took care of her. Even though I didn¡¯t like that she could be obstinate sometimes, her stubbornness still fascinated me.

    I liked a woman who could hold her own.

    The telephone rang, invading my thoughts in a way I didn¡¯t quite appreciate. My secretary¡¯s voice came on and as usual, she asked me if I was fine.

    Not wanting to transfer my grumpy attitude to someone who genuinely cared, I gave her a t response and told her that I was fine. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± I went ahead to ask.

    ¡°A certain ¡®Mr Williams Rogers¡¯ wants to see you. I¡¯ve informed him that it would be difficult to get a session with you since you don¡¯t have any appointment with him, but he said he won¡¯t leave unless you agree to see him.¡± I could sense that she was in a dilemma, and since I wasn¡¯t really busy there was no need to keep a visitor waiting.

    ¡°Send him in.¡±

    The door was pushed open and a good-looking middle-aged man walked in. I passed a cursory nce at him and realized that he was no ordinary man.

    He wore a designer suit which spoke volumes of how wealthy he was. An average man couldn¡¯t afford something as expensive as that.

    ¡°Good day, Mr Hemmingway.¡± He greeted me coldly.

    I quickly stretched my hand for a handshake and he gripped my hand firmly. ¡°Mr Rogers, is it? Your name rings a bell.¡±

    We broke off the handshake and he brought his hands together. ¡°If Melissa talks about me all the time, then you should probably know who I am.¡± He said as his eyes smothered me with a disapproving stare.

    I returned the gaze, silently telling him that he couldn¡¯te to my office and try to intimidate me, except he was¡­

    He said he was William Rogers, and Melissa¡¯sst name was Rogers. Oh shit!

    ¡°Are you Melissa¡¯s father?¡± I asked carefully and he shed me a guarded smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you figured that out. I¡¯ll be brief about the reason I¡¯m here.¡± He informed in a tone that showed that he wasn¡¯t one to beat around the bush.

    Little wonder Melissa was always straight to the point. Her father¡¯s meticulous attitude had rubbed off on her.

    ¡°Go ahead, Mr Rogers and please have a seat.¡± I offered him the chair opposite him and he slowly lowered himself onto it.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware that you got my daughter pregnant, and I¡¯m really happy because we have both lost hope of her ever conceiving. But I came here because I wanted to be sure of what you want from her.¡± He fell silent immediately and I took it as my cue to reply.

    ¡°I like your daughter a lot, and if she allows it, I¡¯d like to get into a rtionship with her.¡±

    He crossed his thigh over the other and propped his arm under his jaw in a business-like manner. ¡°So you like her, but you don¡¯t love her.¡± He noted as if he was trying to take points for a debate. ¡°You are still married and your wife is nowhere to be found. Don¡¯t you think you should stay away from my daughter until you can settle things with your wife?¡±

    I nearly groaned as the limitations of being married to Lorraine hit me hard. Why couldn¡¯t she just show herself and let me be?

    ¡°I think that decision is mine to take and you shouldn¡¯t be bothered with the affair of two grown adults.¡± I hoped that I sounded polite because the man was grating on my nerves.

    He shrugged and cast a nce at Lorraine¡¯s picture on the wall. ¡°I would have minded my business if I didn¡¯t remember how you treated Lorraine poorly. Have you ever conducted a thorough investigation on her whereabouts?¡± He fired at me.

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried to find her but she has decided not to be found,¡± I replied tly and he hissed.

    ¡°Nonsense! Dexter. That woman called me on the night she was kidnapped and said that she was trying to reach you¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, what? Lorraine was kidnapped?¡± I interrupted him as my heart stopped beating for a moment. ¡°I never got any call from her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, Dexter, but what I¡¯m trying to say is that, if you didn¡¯t fight for your wife and love her enough to stay single until she was found, what makes you think that you¡¯ll be able to take care of Melissa?¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    He rose to his feet as his words shed my heart like a whip. The only thing that kept resonating in my mind was that Lorraine was kidnapped and there might have been a setup.

    What if Melissa and Wyatt were right? What if someone framed Lorraine?

    As I kept pondering on those thoughts, he leaned closer to me, his eyes unreadable and void of emotions. ¡°Stay away from my daughter, you don¡¯t deserve her.¡± He said and stormed out of the office, leaving me alone with my troubled thoughts.

 Let us be friends

    Melissa

    Returning home to find Dexter standing in front of my apartment was thest thing I expected, but I couldn¡¯t deny how sexy it felt to find the man you loved surprising you with a visit.

    ¡°Good evening, Dexter. Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you wanted toe over? I¡¯d have canceled my appointments.¡± I scolded him gently.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mel, I came to see you since you have decided that you want nothing to do with me.¡± He replied, his countenance sullen.

    My heart was struck, but I kept my expression stoic as I didn¡¯t want him to know that he was getting to me. ¡°I didn¡¯t do that on purpose, Dexter, I¡¯ve just been so busy with work but I promise to make it up to you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s alright, but my visit is going to be brief.¡±

    I dipped my hand into my bag and produced the smart card and swept it over the fob. ¡°We won¡¯t have this discussion outside. I¡¯m already filled with guilt that you had to stay aside till I returned, so don¡¯t add it, please.¡±

    He hesitated, but then I knew that he wouldn¡¯t want to hurt me so he followed me in. His reluctance and coldness sent chills down my spine as he didn¡¯t even care for physical touch.

    The man I knew would have caged me between the wall and made sure he kissed me, instead, he was keeping his distance.

    ¡°Do you care for anything?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    I pouted, folding my hands. ¡°Please, do not turn a pregnant woman down. It¡¯s going to be bad for her health.¡±

    He chuckled lightly, the timbre of his voice igniting sparks within me. ¡°A ss of water will be fine, but we need to have this conversation so I can return home to Lilly.¡±

    Right, Lilly.

    I wasn¡¯t jealous, I was just surprised at the fact that he used her as an excuse. I said nothing else and headed to the kitchen to get him a ss of water.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    He nibbled over the rim of the ss and then dropped it after he was done.

    ¡°So what do you want us to talk about?¡± I sat beside him casually.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been a fool, Melissa.¡± He began and I shrank backward as I didn¡¯t expect his harsh choice of words. I opened my mouth to debunk the statement, but he raised his hand to silence me. ¡°Please allow me to tell you how I¡¯ve made stupid decisions and be theplete opposite of myself.¡±

    ¡°Dexter¡­.¡± I drawled, but that was all I could say as his frown shut me up.

    ¡°I got married to my high school sweetheart most unconventionally. It was a contract marriage.¡± He said and I gasped as if I didn¡¯t know it all. ¡°She resented me because I used her situation against her, but what she didn¡¯t know was that I shared in her resentment and I wanted to punish her for the usations I heard about her until I discovered that they were all lies. Liam and ke, who masterminded the evil acts, disappeared until I caught Liam at Emilia¡¯s house and sent him to prison, but sadly, he¡¯s dead.¡±

    My hands flew to my lips instantly and I let out another gasp to solidify my fake acting.   ¡°May his soul rest in peace.¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°I can¡¯t say the same because I realized how wicked he was, and the only thing I regret is that he took the easy way out.¡± He straightened on the couch and linked our hands together. ¡°What I realized from all of these is that you were right. My friend was also right, and I¡¯ve been the only obstinate one because I was driven by my feelings.¡±

    I knew where he was headed, but I didn¡¯t like it even though I¡¯d been encouraging him to take the route. ¡°Why does this feel like a breakup when we aren¡¯t even dating?¡± I let out a sad chuckle.

    ¡°If I couldn¡¯t show Lorraine that I could be a good and supportive husband, how would I do the same thing with you? It was so easy for me to discredit her without knowing her side of the story and now I feel so ashamed of myself.¡± He admitted and took a deep breath as his eyes watered.

    ¡°You were confused, Dexter, you did what any man in your shoes should do. What makes you a better man is that you have realized your mistakes and you¡¯re willing to learn from them.¡± I advised him, my heart breaking at the sight of his tears.

    I drew closer to him and wrapped my arm around him. He yielded to my touch as he buried his face on my neck, sobbing silently. I caressed his back softly until he became calm.

    ¡°You speak like Lorraine a lot.¡± He confessed and I smiled genuinely because I realised that he was still very much in love with me. His feelings were only misled to the wrong identity I created.

    I couldn¡¯t wait to clear it off soon so that we could be together again.

    ¡°So what do you n to do now?¡± I asked the most dreadful question, but it was very important if we were to meet again.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to find her and talk to her, then we can begin from there.¡± His thumb grazed my chin and he darted towards him. ¡°For certain reasons, I don¡¯t regret having my seed inside of you, but we can¡¯t continue like this. I¡¯m punishing you by allowing you to drag the yoke of my past along with me. This is something that I have to do alone, but I¡¯ll also need all the support I can get. Can you give me that?¡± He asked penitently.

    This was the moment I should have let out the truth, but I just couldn¡¯t say anything yet, so I agreed to help him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been the one pushing you to do the right thing, so I support you wholeheartedly and I hope that you find¡­ her.¡± My voice cracked and thankfully, he didn¡¯t notice the conflict in my eyes.

    He stood up and dug his hands into his pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s be friends?¡± He stretched his hand and I gazed at him.

    I embraced him and nted a kiss on his cheeks. ¡°Friends aren¡¯t informal with each other.¡± I corrected him and we burst intoughter.

    His face turned serious as his eyes lowered to my stomach. ¡°This arrangement doesn¡¯t mean that I won¡¯t take responsibility for our child, I hope you understand that.¡±

    ¡°I know. We¡­ we¡¯ll make the best parents.¡± I stuttered.

    ¡°Have a good night.¡± He said and headed for the door while I followed him.

    ¡°Tell Lilly I said hi as well,¡± I said and shut the door.

    Once I¡¯d ensured that he was out of the vicinity, I shut the door, turned off the light and let the painful tears flow out.

 Her plan unfolding

    Melissa

    ¡°Remind me why we arete again?¡± I asked my father with a cranky tone as soon as we arrived at the event center where the exhibition was being held.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, princess. I thought I¡¯d apologized before?¡± He said and I rolled my eyes.

    I got out of the car, a little pissed that I had to bete to the exhibition because of my father¡¯s car that strangely developed issues on the road.

    The story would have been different if I hade directly from my apartment, but the big man gave me no breathing space as he became unnecessarily overprotective. ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± I said when he got down as well.

    The lights, emanating from the cameras of most journalists, who hade to air the program shed at me.

    I knew that I looked the part, dressed in a mermaid ck velvet dress with long sleeves that stopped at my wrists. My auburn hair was curled into bouncy waves and gathered to my side, but what I didn¡¯t expect was being fawned over by men and women alike.

    Funny enough, I hadn¡¯t taken any modeling jobs recently because of other important engagements.

    My father and I parted ways as I went in search of Mrs Gonzales whose presence was crucial for the sess of my ns. The aim was for Leonardo to go down today, but if everything wasn¡¯t in ce, it would be a case of wasted effort.

    Fortunately, she was waiting inside the arena. I nced around and when I noticed that Leonardo wasn¡¯t present yet, I followed her to the convenience room.

    ¡°Good afternoon, Mrs Gonzales. I hope you are ready for this?¡± I asked expectantly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been more ready. The guests are being introduced and once we are asked to present our best designs, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll showcase the imitated version of Troy Golds.¡± She said and immediately, I gave her a high-five and we both giggled.

    I allowed her to leave so that she could continue with her work, while I straightened the crease on my dress.

    I couldn¡¯t ce why I was excessively going through my looks when I knew that my stylist had done a good job with my looks.

    ¡°Someone looks gorgeous today.¡± I heard behind me and footsteps followed, his body reflecting from the mirror.

    His unexpected presence should have made me flinch but I felt at peace with him. ¡°What are you doing in thedies¡¯, Dexter? You shouldn¡¯t be caught here, you know.¡± I chuckled and we engaged in a brief hug.

    ¡°I sighted you and an olderdy entering this ce, so I waited for her to leave beforeing in.¡± He exined and I nodded absentmindedly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you¡¯d make it today. How¡¯s Lilly doing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fine. I left her with Madeline, but I¡¯ll return home soon because I have a meeting with a friend and I can¡¯t dodge it anymore.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I think we should leave right now before someonees in and finds you here. We don¡¯t want a scandal on our necks.¡±

    My warning was a bit toote because Emilia barged in, her eyes widening as they flitted from Dexter to me. She scoffed and folded her arms, blocking the door.

    ¡°Your house isn¡¯t enough anymore? You want to do it in a public ce. What¡¯s your problem for heaven¡¯s sake?¡± She hollered as Dexter and I exchanged knowing nces.

    If she wanted a show, she was going to get one.

    In a fleeting second, I pulled Dexter¡¯s face closer and he wrapped his arms around my waist for a passionate kiss. Damn, the tonic friendship he wanted and the scandal I was trying to avoid, I liked how that somebody¡¯s heart was getting broken.

    ¡°Stop!¡± She yelled and Dexter¡¯s tongue drove deeper into mine, his hot breath mixing with mine. How I loved the taste of him.

    It wasn¡¯t until we heard the door m loudly that we broke off the kiss and startedughing. ¡°That should silence her and make her mind business for good,¡± I stated amidstughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but I can¡¯t deny that I liked the kiss.¡± He licked his lips and I chuckled. ¡°What made you do that, though? That was humiliating and I will be on the receiving endter on.¡± He whined.

    If Dexter knew who Emilia was, he wouldn¡¯t be saying such.

    ¡°We have to go now before my father starts searching for me.¡± I dragged him out, ignoring how his happy countenance fell at the mention of my father.

    Something might have happened between the both of them and no one was ready to tell me anything.

    The introduction of important guests was over by the time we came out of the convenient room, so we headed towards my father. I spun around when I noticed that he had stopped following me and I sighed.

    ¡°Are you scared of my father?¡±

    ¡°Nothing scares me, Melissa, I just don¡¯t want to talk to him right now.¡± He admitted.

    I couldn¡¯t force a grown man to do what he wasn¡¯tfortable with, so I let him off the hook and headed to my father who was already scowling when I got to meet him.

    ¡°What were you doing with that man?¡± He fumed.

    ¡°Rx, Dad, he¡¯s the father of my unborn child and you¡¯ll have to respect him,¡± I said sternly.

    He scoffed but said nothing else as we passed through each section, viewing different beautiful designs of wristwatches, nes and earrings that were ced inside the show ss. Now I understood what my mother loved about jewelry, it made one stand out and it gave anyone who wore it an elegant look.

    My eyes spotted the section that belonged to us and Mrs Gonzales, who was exining to the guests that came by our table, locked her gaze on me, and gave me a secret thumbs up.

    There were other designs on the table but I knew that Troy¡¯s signature best-selling wristwatch would soon be noticed, and I just couldn¡¯t wait for the chaos that would follow.

    ¡°Did my mother ever tell you about her passion for jewelry?¡± I probed as that was one of the questions I¡¯d been wanting to ask him since I heard his story.

    ¡°Yes, she told me the night we met at the club, and that was how I got to know that she had already started a jewelry business and I traced her to herpany.¡±

    ¡°What would you have done for her if she was still alive?¡±

    He inhaled deeply and I saw the reluctance and emptiness in his eyes. It was obvious that he still missed my mother.

    ¡°I¡¯d have done the same thing I¡¯m doing for you right now, which is offering my support. When you genuinely love someone, you¡¯d like to see the person win no matter what. The person¡¯s concerns be yours and you begin to ce the person¡¯s needs above your needs.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really sweet of you, Dad, but don¡¯t you want to remarry? I mean you¡¯re still young and handsome and rich too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see the need for that, Mel. I have you and my future grandchild. That is enough for me.¡± He replied honestly and I hugged him.

    Even though I raised the question, I secretly wanted him to stay unmarried, but then I wouldn¡¯t stand in his way if he ever found love again.

    Our beautiful conversation was interrupted by the murmurs that went round. Gradually, people began to leave other sections for our table.

    I didn¡¯t join them as I watched their reactions to the realization that a mix-up had urred. What they¡¯d never know is that the mix-up was intentional.

    An invisible drum rolled in my head as I waited for the judges and hosts toe and investigate the situation. Leonardo, who was deeply engrossed in a conversation with Emilia, got wind of the rowdiness and walked towards our section.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Leonardo asked.

    ¡°You stole a popr jewelrypany¡¯s design.¡± One of the judges said and he cocked his head to the side in surprise.

    He frowned, passing a surprised nce to Mrs Gonzales who shrugged. ¡°How¡¯s that even possible, Rosa? I thought all the designs you made were originally ours?¡±

    Her expression turned pitiful as she went on her knees while I tried hard to hold back myughter. ¡°We didn¡¯t have much time to make new designs, and even when I told you about it, you told me that I could go ahead and copy another person¡¯s design which was exactly what I did. I just saw it online and I didn¡¯t know who it belonged to. I¡¯m sorry for not doing my research.¡±

    Blood drained from Leonardo¡¯s face as he red hard at her. His lips remained parted as he palmed his forehead.

    ¡°Is this a part of the n?¡± My father asked with a knowing look.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    He chuckled and acknowledged, ¡°You¡¯re just as brilliant as I am. Let¡¯s see how this will unfold.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Daddy, everything will go as I nned. He won¡¯t escape this one, because he justmitted a crime and his ignorance won¡¯t count for anything.¡± I smiled confidently as Leonardo tried to plead his way out of it.

    From the disappointed looks on the faces of the guests, I knew that he was done for.

    The anchor climbed onto the tform. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to announce that the exhibition is on hold because of the brief investigation that will be carried out now. If Hills Jewelry is found to have defaulted, they¡¯ll be disqualified from this exhibition.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 Mrs Gonzales

    Dexter

    I¡¯d just ended the call with Lilly who decided to be clingy today and got a surprise of my life.

    Leonardo was the CEO of Hills Jewelry? I thought.

    How could such an evil person attain such an enviable position? Did Melissa know about his past and decide to get shares so that she could take over? I wondered.

    But what could be her motivation?

    He looked ufortable, his eyes coated with worry, and when I asked around, I realized that he had allowed the cunning side of him toe to y.

    While the judges did their thing, I pushed through the crowd and approached him. He flinched when I patted his back and streaks of uncertainty shone through the veil of fear when our eyes met.

    ¡°Dexter, what are you doing here?¡± He looked agitated and tried to sound calm, but I didn¡¯t care.

    He should be feeling more than that.

    ¡°I should be asking you the same question. How on earth did you get the chance to be a CEO?¡±

    He shrugged and smirked at me, reminding me of how evil he could be. ¡°All I¡¯d say is that the lines fell for me in pleasant ces, and the board members deemed me fit to be the chairman. Are you satisfied with my exnation?¡± He asked nonchntly.

    ¡°If some of the board members reasoned like me, they won¡¯t be stupid enough to vote in someone like you.¡±

    He gasped, realizing what I meant. The confident smirk vanished from his face immediately. ¡°Are you also a shareholder here?¡± He croaked.

    ¡°A passive one, because I thought that thepany was in good hands but I won¡¯t be repeating that mistake,¡± I admitted and he tried to cover his panic with an eye roll.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to act all bossy on me, Dexter. Your shares in thepany aren¡¯t even enough to scare me.¡±

    Iughed at his high level of ignorance. How could he not know that his position was slowly slipping off his hands? But then, he wouldn¡¯t know because he had no idea about running a business.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised when you get kicked out of thepany. You¡¯d better be watchful.¡± I warned and I was about to leave when Emilia advanced towards us.

    The moment our eyes met, she looked away and faced Leonardo. ¡°Dad, I think we should leave now because they are gathering evidence against you.¡± She told him, ignoring me.

    I¡¯d have left if I didn¡¯t recall that she called him ¡®Dad¡¯.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    Wait a minute. Leonardo was the father of Emilia? What kind of sick joke was that? Howe Emilia never told me about him? Why did she hide their rtionship if nothing was wrong?

    The fact that a lot of secrets were hidden under my watch without me noticing startled me.

    ¡°Is Emilia your daughter?¡± I questioned, hoping that he would deny it.

    ¡°Yes, she is. Why do you care?¡±

    ¡®Calm your horses,¡¯ I muttered under my breath.

    ¡°Does this mean that Lorraine and Emilia are sisters?¡±

    He shrugged, but Emilia was quick to respond. ¡°That bitch will never be my sister. Thank God she¡¯s out of the way.¡± She stated with hatred and I left, unable to stand the both of them.

    Now, I¡¯d ascertained that both of them had something to do with Lorraine¡¯s disappearance. Even Melissa¡¯s father mentioned that she had been kidnapped.

    What if they plotted to kidnap her then killed my sister and framed Lorraine so that we could be separated at our wedding?

    I raked through my hair in frustration and tried to calm myself, but I couldn¡¯t, not with the devils standing behind me. And knowing that I¡¯d been more than the fool I called myself infuriated me further.

    I was in dire need of Wyatt¡¯s help.

    AUTHOR¡¯S POV

    ¡°After all the evidence gathered, we have ascertained that Hills Jewelry imitated a design and imed that it was theirs. We¡¯d be vindictive with the punishment because Troy Golds is not a brand to be toyed with.¡± The judge said and murmurs broke out.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, don¡¯t you guys get it?¡± Leonardo barked. ¡°We were running out of time.¡± He said in his defense but no one was ready to listen to him.

    ¡°We don¡¯t appreciate your tone, Mr Jones.¡± He warned him sternly.

    Leonardo hissed, palming his mouth in shock as he wondered who might have tried to set him up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He said tly.

    ¡°We are sorry to announce that you have been disqualified from this exhibition and whatever Troy Golds decides to do with you isn¡¯t any of our concerns. We¡¯ll advise you to pack up your samples and leave so that the program can resume in earnest.¡± The judge said to Leonardo and stepped down from the tform.

    The security men strode over to his Hills¡¯ section, causing their staff to pack up fast as they didn¡¯t want to be embarrassed further, while Leonardo asked Mrs Gonzales to follow him outside.

    ¡°What is the meaning of that stunt you pulled out there? Do you know the degree of embarrassment you just brought to ourpany?¡± He thundered, ignoring the attention he attracted to himself.

    At that point, he didn¡¯t care about the bad publicity that came his way, all that mattered was putting Mrs Gonzales in her ce.

    If only he knew that it wasn¡¯t a mere stunt as he said.

    ¡°But boss, I asked you not to join the exhibition since weren¡¯t notified on time, but you were so eager to be a part of it. Why does all the me go to me when I only carrying out your orders?¡± She asked softly, getting close to tears.

    He growled and clenched his fist, pacing around in a fully livid state. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this, Rosa. Soon you¡¯ll be out of thepany for good. I promise you.¡± He threatened and snarled at the cameras shing at him.

    Mrs Gonzales, who was visibly terrified. She bowed her head as she headed out of the venue to meet Mr Manor who was already waiting for her.

    ¡°That bastard has to leave thispany immediately.¡± Mrs Gonzales uttered after settling in.

    ¡°Soon he will, because he doesn¡¯t know what has hit him.¡± He said and passed a cursory nce at Mrs Gonzales who fixed her attention on the road.

    ¡°Why do you keep looking at me?¡±

    ¡°I just realized that you are the bravest woman I¡¯ve evere across, and I¡¯d like you to do me the honors of getting you lunch.¡± He said, barely keeping his gaze on her as she frowned.

    She shrugged, her stiff shoulders slowly rxing. ¡°I¡¯m starving and angry so lunch won¡¯t be a bad idea.¡± She chuckled.

 Itéˆ¥æªš Lorraine

    Dexter

    I fiddled with the wristband Lorraine had gifted me before she went MIA, and gradually, I realized that I missed her. That would exin why I couldn¡¯t take the wristband off no matter how tempted I was.

    The sex on the beach drink I ordered, stayed still on top of the counter with no urge to take a sip from it. My life was a mess, made by the people I¡¯d undermined.

    How could it be possible that I was just getting to know about the rtionship between Leonardo and Emilia?

    It felt surreal, but it was just the truth.

    ¡°Hey man,¡± Wyatt said and took the empty chair beside me. ¡°You look so down. You didn¡¯t get a proper suck beforeing here?¡± He chuckled and made his order as I rolled my eyes to his annoying joke.

    ¡°If that was my problem, I wouldn¡¯t have called you.¡± I hissed and finally downed the shot. ¡°And I¡¯d have you know that when I finally get sucked again, it will be from the only woman who I know can take me to heaven and back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you have realized that you weren¡¯t so right after all?¡± He teased me and when I nced at him, I saw how he enjoyed making fun of me.

    I had to drop the act and be real. ¡°Yes, I wasn¡¯t right. It has been confirmed that I¡¯m a foolish billionaire, who thinks with his anus and not his brain. It¡¯s even worse that I didn¡¯t listen to the people that offered sound advice to me.¡± I admitted, waiting for a taunting remark but I got none.

    He sighed and leaned on the counter.

    ¡°Hearing you sound emotional feels so weird, but I¡¯m d that you know the truth.¡± He acknowledged and raised his ss for an imaginary toast. ¡°What shook you up, though? I thought you were head over heels for Melissa. Where did all those feelings go?¡± He smirked knowingly.

    ¡°Can you stop being annoying, Wyatt?¡± My fist itched to meet his face, but I suppressed the urge and looked away.

    ¡°I was having a good time with my girlfriend, and I even thought you had forgotten about the meeting, so if you don¡¯t spill now, I¡¯d return to her. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m getting anything from you anyway.¡± He scoffed as I held back a chuckle.

    There was no easy way to admit it, so I decided to be quick about it. ¡°Lorraine was kidnapped, and I¡¯m having a hunch that the perpetrators are no one else but Leonardo and Emilia who I found out to have a father and daughter rtionship.¡±

    He sighed and tapped on the countertop, his expression casual and knowing. ¡°That¡¯s no news, Dexter. You just decided to turn a blind eye to everything.¡±

    A horrified gasp flew past my lips as my heart hammered in my chest. Again, I asked myself how long I¡¯d been in the dark.

    ¡°You had such information within your grasp and you bothered not to tell me anything? Do you know how important this is to me?¡± I yelled.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t turn this on me, Dexter.¡± He chided strongly. ¡°You were the one who acted like the facts didn¡¯t exist, just because of one fake video you watched. You were literally in your world and I decided to let you stay there until you came back to your senses.¡± He retorted as his tone became higher than usual.

    Guilt washed over me immediately as I discovered how much of a selfish bastard I was. I¡¯d truly been living in my imaginary castle without caring about others.

    At this point, there was no need for the back and forth, so I went ahead and said the only word that would restore our friendship.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man.¡±

    He nced at me from the corner of his eyes and then sighed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t angry at you, Dexter. I was just pissed at what your situation had made you be, but it¡¯s fine. You are my good friend and tolerating your excesses is a part of the journey.¡± He patted my back.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    If I had the mncholic temperament, I¡¯d be crying by now, because it was almost impossible to find someone who could take my shit, and correct me without getting intimidated by my wealth.

    ¡°Thanks, man. Now to the reason why I called you. I feel like we¡¯ve been walking on eggshells without making much effort to find her.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°It feels weird, but my instinct tells me that Lorraine could be around us and we aren¡¯t aware. If she¡¯s insecure about her safety, she¡¯d never show up and that would make it harder for us to find her.¡±

    He folded his arms, his gaze trained on me. ¡°So what you are trying to say is that we should find her abductors and send them to jail so that she will reveal herself?¡±

    I pped, excited that he got my point.

    ¡°The issue is gathering substantial evidence against whoever took her.¡±

    He massaged his chin as if in thought then an idea dropped into my mind. ¡°Dante!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±

    ¡°He was Lorraine¡¯s driver and after she was kidnapped, I didn¡¯t see him again.¡±

    ¡°What if he was killed?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°And what if he wasn¡¯t?¡± I countered. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to find him as well. If he¡¯s alive, he¡¯ll be hiding somewhere as well, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I think I know how we can find him.¡± He stated and a ray of hope flickered within me.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Who was he close to when you still had the men around?¡±

    That was a difficult question he threw at me, since I wasn¡¯t usually around them, and Dante was the quiet type, less chatty than Drake, but I¡¯d seen the both of them have conversations with each other.

    ¡°Drake, I guess,¡± I answered reluctantly, wondering what the question-and-answer session was all about.

    ¡°Vi! Are you still in touch with Drake because we are going to use him as bait?¡±

    Without saying another word, the sketchy n he hadid out became solid and I understood what he was on about. ¡°Are you sure it will work?¡± I asked doubtfully.

    He shot me an annoyed look and sipped his brandy. ¡°I don¡¯t like your pessimistic attitude, but if it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll use other means to find him.¡± He assured me.

    His phone rang and he waved it at me with a smirk. ¡°Home¡¯s calling. I have to be with my woman. Pray to find yours so that you can exert your revenge.¡± He jumped down from the stool, patted my back and left.

    The relief that came with talking to him disappeared as he left, and loneliness overwhelmed me once again. I felt like talking to Melissa, but she would be resting by now, and I was too ashamed to call her after leaving abruptly.

    Wyatt had ordered a bottle of brandy, so I ditched my cocktail and poured myself a cup. I¡¯d barely lifted the ss to my lips when a call came through.

    It was a strange number and I hissed,cking the energy to speak with someone I couldn¡¯t identify. I ignored the calls until they became persistent and offensive.

    ¡°Hello, don¡¯t you have any etiquette?¡± I snapped. ¡°If someone ignores your calls, doesn¡¯t it mean that you are causing a nuisance?¡± Ished out, allowing my crankiness toe into y.

    Silence ensued and just when I was about to drop the call, after concluding that the caller might have some mental issues, she spoke up.

    ¡°I just wanted to hear from you again.¡± She stated nkly.

    I squinted my eyes, my brows creased in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Who are you?¡±

    The sound of her inhtion was heavy as if she found it hard to give a brief description of herself. ¡± Lorraine.¡± She confessed with a shaky voice, then ended the call.

 Twins

    Melissa

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be brusque with our decision, everyone makes mistakes.¡± I pleaded on behalf of Leonardo, whose face was filled with beads of sweat cascading down his pale cheeks.

    The board members of Hills Jewelry had called for an impromptu meeting with just one aim, and that was to bring Leonardo down.

    Troy Golds was dealing with us decisively and if Leonardo didn¡¯t evacuate his position as CEO, we¡¯d be facing a heavywsuit that we might not be able to evade.

    Once again, everything was going my way and it was really fun, having Leonardo plead with me to defend him when I was the one plotting his downfall.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Miss Rogers. This man here is a scallywag who knows nothing else aside from spending thepany¡¯s funds ridiculously, at the expense of the stability of someone¡¯s legacy. Is that the person we need to be lenient with?¡± Mr Han thundered.

    If he wasn¡¯t working for me, I¡¯d think that he was mad at me so I kept shut, silently proving to Leonardo that I¡¯d yed my part.

    ¡°Look, I know that we have a beef, but that doesn¡¯t mean you should defame my name in such a manner, Han. I¡¯m not that heartless. ¡± He argued.

    Another member shot up to his feet, ¡°You think you aren¡¯t heartless?¡± He asked with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°You¡¯re the most cruel person I know for withholding staff sry in exchange for living avish life. Do you even care about the welfare of the people working under you?¡±

    Leonardo inclined his head, his lips sealed as he realized that his secret was out in the open. If he was sensible enough, he¡¯d apologize and convince everyone that he¡¯d do better, but that was why he was who he was.

    He didn¡¯t know how to apologize, so the only thing I knew would be going on in his head would be how to murder anyone who opposed him.

    ¡°As Miss Rogers said earlier, everyone makes errors and I¡¯m no exception. And I¡¯m sure the staff members are making things up because I approve sries each month.¡± He said nonchntly and I almost scoffed.

    ¡°The sries that go to your pocket?¡± Mr Han asked and he shot him a murderous re.

    When he lifted his head, his scowl reminded me of how evil he could be whenever he was denied what he wanted. His brows arched against each other and his eyes darkened.

    ¡°I swear to God if you don¡¯t stop talking¡­¡± He growled through his clenched teeth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare threaten me!¡± Mr Han fired.

    The next thing that happened was like in a movie as Leonardo climbed over the table instantly, his fistnding on Mr Han¡¯s jaw unexpectedly.

    The sound of a bone crack was heard, as he slipped off his seat and fell on the floor. I scrambled away from my seat to avoid getting hit, while the security buzzed in, dragging Leonardo, who kept kicking and throwing punches in the air out of the room.

    I quickly rushed to Mr Han and checked his face. Blood gushed out from the crack slowly, the boardroom bing rowdy.

    ¡°Get the ambnce!¡± I yelled as I took off my jacket and dabbed his jaw with it in a bid to keep the blood from pouring out further.

    The sight reminded me of my kidnap, and fresh anger was aroused within me. Leonardo had to be locked up in jail as soon as possible.

    Since we had no paramedic around, we had to wait until we heard the siren of the ambnce. The door flung open and they rolled in a stretcher, ced Mr Han on it and wheeled him out.

    My jacket was beyond smeared with blood, and my heart palpitated in fear while I prayed that he wouldn¡¯t lose more blood than that.

    Without any announcement, we already knew that the meeting was over and everyone had to return home, but how could I attend my doctor¡¯s appointment in ace camisole?

    I sighed in confusion as I picked up my phone that was ringing, and my lips spread in a smile when I saw that Dexter was the caller.

    ¡°You missed the meeting,¡± I whined.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Melissa. I¡¯ve been busy with work, but I promise to be there on the day of the election to throw my support.¡± He promised and I rolled my eyes.

    I quickly narrated Mr Han¡¯s ordeal to him and asked him toe over.

    ¡°My God, Melissa! Did that maniac hit you as well?¡± The concernced with barely suppressed anger caught me unaware.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything to me. I wasn¡¯t the one who opposed him verbally. I just want you toe with me for our first ultrasound.¡± I informed him and paused, knowing that it wasn¡¯t the right time to give him such information. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for telling you this now.¡±

    He let out a breath. ¡°This sounds like an afterthought, but I¡¯ll clear my desk and pick you up.¡±

    *********

    Iid on the bed stiffly, as my camisole rode up to my midriff. The sonographer massaged my stomach with a gel, with Dexter holding my hand tenderly.

    His eyes shone with care, but I could see the glints of annoyance behind them. It was my fault anyway, I should have told him beforehand about the ultrasound.

    ¡°You requested to confirm how far along you are, and after this, you¡¯ll be given aprehensive result. The ultrasound will also help you know how the baby is faring. Alright?¡± The sonographer said carefully and I nodded.

    She ced the transducer on my belly and I writhed in slight difort. Dexter patted my shoulder, then brought his face forward and kissed my forehead.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m here with you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I squeaked.

    After his kiss, I became ready for the ultrasound so I nudged the sonographer to continue. She rotated the transducer around my stomach and signaled that we stared at the video monitor.

    My eyes watered when I saw the monochrome frame of my womb. A pea-sized object became visible and I squeezed Dexter¡¯s hand tightly, unable to hold back a sob.

    ¡°That¡¯s our baby!¡± I pointed at the monitor gleefully.

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± He kissed my forehead again, this time with more affection and longing.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    It felt like seeing our baby had helped to clear the little barrier that obstructed our friendship.

    ¡°Wow!¡± The sonographer gasped, her eyes fixed on the screen with a crease on her forehead. She stopped rotating the transducer for a second, then continued while I nced at Dexter with slight panic.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The fear in my voice couldn¡¯t be mistaken.

    She gasped, her lips spreading with a bright smile as she darted her gaze from me to Dexter. ¡°Nothing is wrong, ma¡¯am. I think you should take a closer look at the monitor.¡± She urged me on.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to spill it?¡± I cried almost desperately.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be d at the end of the day-¡±

    She couldn¡¯t evenplete her statement as Dexter released my hand and palmed his face. ¡°Oh my God!¡± He screamed, ¡°Is it what I think it is?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t bear the suspense anymore, so I stared at the monitor intensely, and then I saw it. Two pea-sized objects-babies, lyingfortably in my womb.

    My lips parted and a scream broke out. ¡°We are having twins!¡± I eximed.

    ¡°Yes, Honey. We are.¡± He hugged me, raking his fingers through my hair while I let the tears down my cheeks.

    I couldn¡¯t believe that this was happening.

    Twins.

    Two little humans were growing in my stomach.

    Even after the painful ordeal that made me give up on childbearing, I wasn¡¯t justpensated with a child but with both of them.

    ¡°Congrattions, ma¡¯am, sir. As you have both seen, you are having twins. Please don¡¯t ignore your doctor¡¯s appointment. It¡¯s very important that you attend for your safety and that of your babies. Congrattions once again, I¡¯ll get you the sonogram before you leave.¡± She said and the door mmed shut.

    My mouth was heavy, hence, I couldn¡¯t affirm that I heard everything she said. But with these precious gifts inside of me, I wouldn¡¯t dream of missing the doctor¡¯s appointment, or even joke with my health.

    I broke off the hug and palmed Dexter¡¯s cheeks, our gazes locked on each other and together we chorused, ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Dante and the truth

    Dexter

    ¡°Lorraine called me two nights ago,¡± I informed Wyatt after settling inside his car where we would finalize Dante¡¯s setup.

    His eyes popped as he gazed at me. ¡°Are you serious? You should have told me immediately so that I¡¯d track the number she called you with.¡± He said and I pped my forehead.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but I was overwhelmed with the nostalgic and joyful feelings that came with hearing her voice once again, that I didn¡¯t even remember to do the proper thing.¡± I ced my head on the headrest, as I remembered wishing and praying that she would call again. ¡°I tried to call her back, but her it couldn¡¯t connect. I¡¯m guessing she used a burner phone.¡±

    ¡°And if she used a burner phone, it means that she didn¡¯t want to be found.¡± He interpreted as I sighed in disappointment.

    If I were in her shoes, I wouldn¡¯t want to be found after all I¡¯d put her through.

    ¡°What will happen now? Is Dante close by?¡± I asked and he nodded, his eyes glued to his phone.

    It pissed me off that my life, especially the one about rtionships, was in a mess. What I felt with Melissa was surreal and knowing that she was carrying my children nearly blew me off the roof.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Once Dante gets here, I¡¯ll notify you. The both of us would be discussing the bar where I¡¯ll convince him about the new job I have to offer him. Have the teaser ready as well because you¡¯re going to knock him out.¡± He prepped me.

    His phone beeped and he gave me a knowing look.

    ¡°He¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Put on your earphones so that you can listen to whatever we discuss. We have to be quick about this because Mira and I are going to check out a wedding venue.¡± He smirked.

    Then I realized that I hadn¡¯t told him about Melissa¡¯s pregnancy. ¡°You don¡¯t have to rub it in my face, because I have myeback.¡± I stuck out my tongue and he shoved his middle finger at me.

    ¡°Whatever helps you sleep at night.¡± He taunted me and mmed the door before I could respond.

    I watched him enter the bar, and a few minutester, someone dressed in a ck hoodie with matching ck pants trotted in as well.

    By his lean outline and gait, I could tell it was Dante. So I waited for a few seconds before tuning in to listen to their conversation.

    Drake surprised me by how eager he was to get a job, and Wyatt was so good at getting answers from him. I knew that it was his job, but he was extra.

    Some minutester, my phone beeped. Another notification that he was done and they were heading over. I moved from the front passenger¡¯s seat and rxed at the back, my face covered with a ck mask.

    I watched them stroll out of the bar, and then Wyatt knocked on the window.

    ¡°The prospective bodyguard is here. I¡¯ve interviewed him and I think he¡¯s the best man for the job.¡± He said through the window, while I suppressed theughter that threatened to burst out of my throat.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss with whom I want to employ while we are heading home.¡± My voice sounded muffled because of the mask covering my mouth and it was to my advantage so that Dante wouldn¡¯t overhear our conversation.

    Wyatt winked at me and then asked Dante to hop in. I moved to the far end as the door swung open. He swept in while I kept my gaze fixed at the front.

    ¡°Good evening, sir.¡± He greeted me with a half-calm tone as his voice was slightly jittery.

    ¡°Good evening,¡± I replied and darted my gaze to him.

    Our eyes met, and he shrank backward on recognizing who I was. He swallowed, then nced at Wyatt, who had started the car.

    ¡°Mr Hemmingway?¡±

    I took off the mask, a wide smirk spread on my lips. ¡°It used to be Boss. What happened to that?¡±

    He looked away and rubbed his palms against the other, his face turning pale. ¡°Ummm¡­ I¡­ Hi, boss.¡± He stuttered and I scolded myself for not searching for him.

    He had a lot of skeletons in his cupboard.

    ¡°How have you been since you disappeared on my big day?¡± I probed, the smirk still stered on my lips.

    He opened his mouth, snapped it shut, and then dragged in air. ¡°Mr Durand, this wasn¡¯t the agreement.¡± Dante argued. ¡°You said that you were going to bring me to my new employer, what am I doing with him?¡±

    ¡°I fulfilled my end of the bargain and right now, you are speaking with your new employer. So why are you whining like a kid, huh?¡± Wyatt fired back at him.

    ¡°What do you want from me, Boss?¡± He asked grudgefully.

    ¡°The whole truth, Dante.¡±

    He quickly masked his scared expression with a veil of aloofness, but I could see right through the facade and the gleams of fear were evident in his eyes.

    He didn¡¯t even want to be anywhere near me.

    ¡°What truth are you talking about?¡± He murmured.

    ¡°I want to know who killed my sister?¡±

    He shut his eyes, shaking his head with balled fists. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to her.¡±

    The memory of the uncertain circumstances surrounding her death reopened hidden feelings that were painful enough to infuriate me.

    ¡°No, Dante,¡± I said with a warning tone. ¡°Don¡¯t try to act ignorant with me because the end won¡¯t be funny. I know that Lorraine didn¡¯t kill Victoria, and you might know what happened because you were with her the whole time-¡±

    ¡°Can you stop using me?¡± He shot back, his brows furrowed. ¡°Yes, I drove her, but it wasn¡¯t my fault she got kidnapped by Emilia and Leonardo. I was only doing the job they paid me for¡­¡± He mped his lips shut, realizing that he had spilled too much. ¡°Oh shit!¡±

    I chuckled darkly. ¡°Shit is what you¡¯ll feed on if you don¡¯t follow my instructions. And don¡¯t take my words as a joke because I know where your mother is right now. One wrong move and she¡¯s gone.¡± I threatened and he gasped. ¡°You¡¯ve worked with me before, and I¡¯m sure you remember that I¡¯m not to be messed with. So what do you say?¡± I asked as if he had the option of not doing what I wanted.

    He tilted his head downward for a while, and when he raised his face, he asked. ¡°What do you want me to do for you?¡±

    I patted him on the shoulder with a grim smile. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking. Let¡¯s get you fed first, then you tell me how everything happened from scratch.¡±

 A deal with the inspector

    Melissa

    There were two reasons I came to the police station, none of which I wasfortable with- to visit Leonardo, who was arrested after the assault against Mr Han, and to have a word with Inspector James.

    ¡°Thank you for visiting, Melissa. You don¡¯t know what this means to me.¡± Leonardo said after I waved at him.

    I almost chuckled, because if he had any idea of the real reason I was here, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to strangle me to death. If not for theyout of my ns, I¡¯d have liked him to stay here for a longer time. But I could always achieve that.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me, Leonardo. I came here as soon as I could.¡± I replied, putting up a sympathetic facade that I hoped he wouldn¡¯t be able to see through.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be here anyways, it¡¯s just that Han doesn¡¯t know how to keep his stupid mouth shut. How could he use me of spending the staff¡¯s sry on myself?¡± He red up, and I rolled my eyes as he looked away.

    My recorder was on as I needed every evidence I could get against him. Knowing that I¡¯d gained his trust by being kind to him, it wouldn¡¯t be hard for him to spill his secrets to me. At least the less dangerous ones.

    I advanced closer to him even though the iron bars stood as an obstruction. I darted my gaze around, then signaled for him toe closer as well.

    ¡°Leonardo, you know that I¡¯m the only one that can help you out of here. So tell me, did you do all those things you were used of?¡± I whispered.

    His eyes narrowed into slits as he stared at me intently. ¡°Before giving you a reply, I want to know if you¡¯re truly on my side.¡±

    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t on your side, I wouldn¡¯t be here looking for a way to get you out of here. The fact that you doubt my sincere intentions is quite offensive.¡± I feigned anger and hissed.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I just have issues trusting people, that¡¯s why I asked.¡±

    I rolled my eyes as if I was genuinely pissed, but I liked that he was scared of getting on my nerves. It would be easy to manipte him.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just tell me the truth.¡±

    ¡°Look, being a CEO was thest position I expected to attain after myte wife tantly told me that she didn¡¯t want me to have anything to do with her business. I wanted to work. I wanted to be in control, but the bitch didn¡¯t allow me all because she had this stupidpany.¡± The words rolled out of his mouth freely, but within me, a volcano was threatening to erupt at the degrading choice of words he used against my mom.

    ¡°So when she died, you got the opportunity?¡±

    He shot a surprised gaze at me, then shifted to the other foot ufortably. ¡°How¡­ how did you know that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s general news. Wasn¡¯t I supposed to know about it?¡± I shot back, making him feel unnecessarily queasy.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. So after I took over, I discovered that the business wasn¡¯t as yielding ie as before, and a lot of money had been squandered already by the previous CEO. I didn¡¯t know much about running a business, so I just went ahead to take a fair share of what was left.¡± He exined nonchntly.

    Bastard. He spentvishly at the detriment of people¡¯s hard work.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do the right thing, Leonardo, but you have the chance to make things right, you know,¡± I suggested.

    He huffed and leaned closer to the bar. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ns of doing that. The reason I¡¯m still holding onto my position is because I¡¯m yet to finalize thest big n.¡± He grinned cynically.

    ¡°And what could that be?¡± I asked gently, hoping to God that he would spill it.

    He shook his head and let out a dark chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ll see it soon, just help me get out of here. This ce stinks and I feel like shit.¡± Hemented, sniffing his crisped shirt and trotted back to his little bench.

    Ripples of shock jolted through me, but Iposed myself so that he wouldn¡¯t see how shaken I was.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ll get you out of here as soon as I can.¡± I turned away and headed to Inspector James¡¯ office.

    It was too much of a coincidence that Leonardo was in the same cell that Liam had stayed in for the duration of his arrest, but I guess fate made it that way.

    ¡°Hi, inspector.¡± I greeted him after getting his permission toe in.

    He looked away from hisputer, his eyes lighting up after he saw me. ¡°Good day, Miss Rogers. You came quite on time.¡± Hemented. ¡°Were you around the premises?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Yes. I came to visit Leonardo, who¡¯s in Liam¡¯s former cell.¡±

    ¡°Emilia¡¯s father?¡± He asked and I nodded.

    ¡°I wish he could rot here for a while, but it will be against our ns.¡± I sighed and dropped my phone on his table, which started ying the recording.

    He listened to it raptly, then paused it after he was done. ¡°You mean he said all this?¡±

    I shrugged with a smirk. ¡°Why are you so surprised? You thought that I was joking when I told you that Leonardo wasn¡¯t as innocent as you thought.¡±

    ¡°I see that you are right, but what made you think of him in that light? Have you both had issues before?¡±

    ¡®Yes, he¡¯s my stepfather and he killed my mother. He also killed my sister-inw and separated me from my husband with the help of his useless daughter.¡¯ I wanted to tell him all of that and demand that he swung into action, but I held back as my emotion wasing into y.

    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m just a board member fighting for the workers who worked day and night to push thepany to where it is right now.¡±

    He said nothing but nodded absentmindedly to my response as if he didn¡¯t believe me. I hoped that he did because I didn¡¯t want to draw attention to myself.

    ¡°We¡¯ll begin some investigation on him and I hope that the board members of thepany have arranged for a thorough auditing because that will help a lot in the investigation.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have,¡± I replied tly, though I was already giddy with excitement. ¡°So why did you call for a meeting?¡±

    He shut theptop and propped his folded arms on the desk. ¡°We¡¯ve discovered the person who tried to kill Liam.¡± He announced and I froze.

    ¡°Who could it be?¡±

    ¡°Emilia. We found her fingerprints on the syringe she stabbed him with, lying carelessly on the floor just after Liam fell.¡± He stated.

    ¡°That means I was right all along.¡± I smiled.

    ¡°Yeah, you were. But what I want to know is how you were able to know that Liam would be attacked that night by Emilia. I want to know how you got such urate information.¡± He probed sternly, his expression stoic. ¡°And don¡¯t give me that bullshit about instincts, because I have them too, but it doesn¡¯t work just like that except you¡¯ve had a negative experience with the person you suspect.¡±

    ¡°I happened to overhear some conversations, so I put two and two together.¡±

    He banged his fists on the table, springing to his feet. ¡°I want the truth, Miss Rogers or we¡¯ll start an investigation on you as well.¡± He threatened and I swallowed.

    Though I was nervous, I still kept my gaze locked on him.

    If he wanted the truth, he would get it. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you everything, but that¡¯s if you promise to help me get back everything that I lost,¡± I said, jutting out my chin defiantly.

 Who saved her?

    Dexter

    ¡°Start talking!¡± I thundered, my voice echoing in the empty warehouse after I doused his body with a bucket of cold water that stirred him up from his sleep.

    He shook his head and tried to wipe the water off his face, but he couldn¡¯t as the chains that Wyatt wrapped around his body and connected to the iron chair, kept him bound.

    His eyes fluttered open as he panted. ¡°I thought that I¡¯d agreed, what¡¯s the use of this torture?¡± He croaked, struggling to break off from the grip of the chains.

    I scoffed at his stupidity. What made him think that I¡¯d let him off the hook that easily?

    ¡°Insurance, Dante,¡± I smirked. ¡°So start talking before your mother leaves this earth for good.¡± I barked as he bit his lower lip and took a deep breath.

    ¡°A few days before the wedding, Emilia told me that I was going to drive Lorraine and the other women to a certain address she would send to me. At first, I refused to help her, but my mother got sick and she offered a huge sum of money-¡±

    ¡°She offered you a huge amount of money and you epted? Did you ever tell me about the state of your mother¡¯s health and I refused to help?¡± My temper simmered gradually, as I glowered.

    I made sure that anyone who worked under me was well taken care of, and they earned a good sum of money for working as my guards. He knew how generous I was so the story about being tempted by Emilia¡¯s offer wasn¡¯t convincing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss, you had just paid us for the month and I didn¡¯t want to disturb you for anything.¡± He murmured an apology, and I couldn¡¯t help but scoff.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that bullshit, Dante!¡± I barked, ¡°If you wanted toe to me, you would have done that, but that¡¯s all in the past. Keep talking, I want to hear the remaining story.¡±

    The remnant droplet of water cascaded down his forehead so he shook it off, breathing unevenly. ¡°I took her to an abandoned building where she was beaten up badly. I wanted to leave, but I needed insurance so I pretended to be on my way, then I went to the backyard and made a video of everything that happened.¡± He confessed.

    ¡°What. Happened?¡± I took the words one after the other as I was seconds away from punching the life out of him.

    He lowered his head, in a bid to avoid my gaze so I crouched down and gripped his chin, tilting it toward my direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your response.¡±

    If he was this hesitant, then it only meant that I wouldn¡¯t like what I was about to hear.

    ¡°Lorraine was forced to sign some documents in exchange for her supposed freedom, and also to save Victoria and Ste, but after she signed and handed the documents over to Leonardo, he gave her a gun to shoot Victoria.¡±

    I jerked to my feet, raking through my hair while pacing restlessly in the room.

    ¡°Rx, Dexter,¡± Wyatt said calmly behind me.

    ¡°How do you expect me to rx? I¡¯ve been deceived all these while and they made me think that Lorraine was a murderer, whereas everything that happened was their making. I¡¯m going to kill them all, I swear.¡±

    ¡°It was Emilia¡¯s idea because she wanted to paint Lorraine badly, and since she was taking time to pull the trigger, Leonardo went ahead to shoot her.¡±

    ¡°And in all of this, you did nothing to intervene? You couldn¡¯t even find a ce to hide and get a call across to me, huh?¡± I hollered at him, my fist connecting to his cheeks and my fury unleashed.

    He groaned, his voice infuriating me the more as Inded another punch on his nose.

    Fury surged through me like blood did in my veins and I unleashed the blinding rage on him until his face was battered and my fists were covered in his blood.

    Fortunately for him, Wyatt was quick to block the next punch I aimed at his eyes. He dragged me away forcefully and then punched my face.

    I snarled at him, but I didn¡¯t retaliate because I understood his motive. If he hadn¡¯t intervened, I might havemitted my first murder.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop, man! He¡¯s not the one you should channel your anger to.¡± He reminded me. ¡°What we have to do is get the video from him as evidence, then get him to testify once we file a case against Emilia and Leonardo.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I agreed with a husky tone, ¡°I need to get his face cleaned up and treated, but I have onest question to ask him.¡± I spun around and headed towards Dante, whose neck was bent.

    Wyatt stopped me almost immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t hit him again.¡±

    I shrugged off his arm angrily. ¡°You aren¡¯t my father.¡± I rudely replied.

    As soon as everything was over, I¡¯d apologize to him, but right now I needed to get this issue over with.

    ¡°So, Mr cameraman, do you have the video?¡±

    He managed to open his bloodshot eyes, as he gasped heavily for air. ¡°I-I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Your mother is still critically ill and on mymand, the oxygen that she¡¯s depending on can be disconnected.¡± I threatened him and he shook his head vehemently.

    ¡°Don¡¯t. Do. That.¡± He pleaded. ¡°I¡­ I still have it.¡± He was finally admitted after having a painful cough.

    ¡°That¡¯s good because I¡¯m going to get you cleaned up and treated, and then you¡¯ll hand over the video to me. You will be ced under twenty-four hours of surveince while the case is on, which means that your cooperation is mandatory. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± He squeaked.

    I ignored his apology as it only fueled my annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you onest question. Did Leonardo kill Lorraine after killing my sister?¡±

    He turned to the other side and tried to rest his head on the edge of the chair, while I wished that Leonardo could rece Dante.

    ¡°He almost seeded, but¡­¡± He snapped his lips shut and closed his eyes.

    ¡°But what?¡± I snapped.

    ¡°She sessfully got Leonardo off her back, then ran into an ident. A man saved her.¡± He said the words in a rush.

    I furrowed my brows in confusion.

    Which man could have saved her?

    And if the man truly saved her with good intentions, why didn¡¯t he help her search for her family so that she could return to them?

    Or could she have amnesia?

    Several thoughts sprang up in my mind and none of them seemed to make any sense.

    ¡°Tell me, Dante. Did you see the man who saved her and can you recognize him?¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer immediately, and I continued pacing, silently regretting that I had to batter his face. If I¡¯d restrained myself, he would have had the energy to respond promptly to me.

    ¡°I know him¡­¡± He admitted, then added, ¡°And you know him too.¡±

    My eyes widened as I nced at Wyatt who gave me a surprised look. ¡°I know him? What the hell are you talking about?¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°He¡¯s quite¡­ popr, b-but I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t remember his name.¡±

    ¡°So are you saying that if I get someone to sketch his portrait with your descriptions, I¡¯ll be able to recognize him?¡± I asked hopefully.

    ¡°Y-Yes.¡± He stuttered.

    I quickly dug into my pocket, produced my phone and called the one person I knew was good at this kind of craft.

 Another wicked plot

    Author¡¯s POV

    She crouched close to the iron bars, wishing that she could bring them down and get her father out of there. ¡°How are you doing, father?¡± Emilia asked, her eyes zed with tears.

    Leonardo shrugged, apparently tired of the situation. ¡°How do you expect me to feel?¡± He replied, his tone cranky. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for almost two days just because I lost my temper with a man who deserved it. How can they allow their CEO to rot here like an ordinary man?¡± He whined bitterly.

    ¡°You mean that no one has visited you?¡±

    Leonardo lifted his face, his gaze meeting hers. ¡°I¡¯m sure your ears are not ced on the sides of your head for fancy. Didn¡¯t you hear what I¡¯ve been saying? The only person who came around today was Melissa, and she promised to get me out of here.¡±

    Emilia rolled her eyes and muttered inaudible words as she sprang to her feet. ¡°And you believe that she¡¯de through for you?¡± She asked, her face forming a frown.

    ¡°I believe she will because she¡¯s the only one who cares.¡± He answered and hissed. ¡°Look, I need you to stop bothering me with your numerous questions. It¡¯s pissing me off already. Juste closer. I have a task for you.¡± His voice lowered as he passed a cursory gaze around.

    ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t think we can say much to each other here. This was the same cell that Liam stayed in.¡± She exined to him and the officers didn¡¯t even know that I was there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that, but there¡¯s someone you¡¯re going to help me with. He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m here and I want him gone.¡± He whispered as Emilia listened intently to his instructions.

    She sighed, massaging her forehead and leaning forward on the bar. ¡°Do I have to do it by myself?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m yet to forgive you for what you did with Liam¡¯s case, but I¡¯m offering you another second chance. You¡¯ll have to scratch my back if you want me to scratch yours.¡± He said sternly.

    Knowing that her father wouldn¡¯t change his stance, she had no choice but to agree to his wishes. Now that she wasn¡¯t sure if Liam¡¯s death was being investigated, she needed her father¡¯s support to escape the eyes of thew.

    ¡°Alright, father. I¡¯d do as you said.¡± Her voicecked conviction, but it didn¡¯t matter. She¡¯d do it no matter what.

    Leonardo¡¯s face lit up with a crooked smile. ¡°You have to do it tonight and make sure that it won¡¯t be traced back to you. Now leave here and get to work!¡± He barked and she raised the mask to her nose and left.

    Her body trembled slightly as she went through the exit without encountering any cop, who tried to check her. If Dexter suspected that she had a hand in Liam¡¯s death, then she should have been arrested already.

    Everything felt so weird.

    Her guts told her that something was wrong, but she silenced the little voices in her head and hopped into her car.

    ********

    Melissa¡¯s POV

    For the first time I came to Mr Han¡¯s house, it wasn¡¯t for a good reason. Emilia and her father were nning to strike again, and I¡¯d never forgive myself if I watched something bad happen to Mr Han and his family.

    His wife opened the door for me after I knocked, wearing a bright smile on her face. She was beautiful with a warm aura I didn¡¯t expect her to carry; she was the opposite of her husband.

    ¡°Good evening, ma¡¯am,¡± She greeted me sweetly.

    ¡°Good evening, Mrs Han. I came to visit your husband. He isn¡¯t expecting me but I have to see him as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Oh,e in then.¡± She opened the door wider and ushered me to a plush upholster. ¡°Please, make yourselffortable while I get him.¡± She disappeared into an adjoining hallway, while I scanned the bright living room.

    For someone who looked grumpy all the time, the interiors were quite different as the furniture and the curtains had golden hues that matched the brown tiles and the creamy-painted walls.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    A strong white jasmine scent emanated from the diffuser, making the house inviting and rxing to be in.

    Footsteps rang out, and I darted my attention to the direction to find Mr Han approaching me in a pair of grey cks and a white vest.

    ¡°Hi, Mr Han. It¡¯s good to see you once again. How¡¯s your jaw?¡± I closed the distance between us as he gave me a brief embrace.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting better.¡± He said and touched the ster that bordered his chin to the wounded jaw. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you, Miss Rogers. What could have brought you here so abruptly, that made you not call ahead of time?¡± He asked lightly.

    ¡°You and your family are in danger. Leonardo ising for you.¡±

    If he heard me, I couldn¡¯t tell because his face remained unreadable. Then he surprised me and let out a chuckle. ¡°Miss Rogers, you are blowing things out of proportion. Leonardo is in the police station and he won¡¯t be getting out until I decide to withdraw the case. I was the one he assaulted.¡± He retorted, clearly pissed.

    I knew he wouldn¡¯t believe me, that was why I made sure that I brought evidence along. No matter how strong-headed he tried to be, I wouldn¡¯t leave without an assurance that he would do as I said.

    ¡°Here¡¯s a voice record of the conversation between him and his daughter.¡± I passed my phone to him, and he collected it, shooting a skeptical nce at me.

    He listened to it and I smiled, watching his expression switch from doubtful to surprised. His lips parted subconsciously and his body trembled visibly.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. How were you able to get this information?¡±

    ¡°I have my ways, Mr Han.¡± A smirk yed on my lips. ¡°You are a just man, and I won¡¯t allow Leonardo and his daughter to hurt you like they did to me. So I¡¯ll advise you to take five steps ahead of them. Take your wife and your daughter far away from here for the meantime, until the dust dies down.¡± I instructed him while he nodded, and got to his feet.

 Becoming CEO

    Melissa

    The meetings were bing exhausting as I began to count the number of modeling jobs I had to miss. Modeling was my first love, but presently, getting back myte mother¡¯s legacy is my priority.

    ¡°Today, we are here for the election of an interim CEO.¡± Mr Robert announced and my heart skipped a beat.

    No one told me that we¡¯d be taking votes today, if not I¡¯d have informed everyone about it, including Dexter who was willing to help me out.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it impromptu?¡± I asked calmly, hoping that other members would also add their input.

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. We¡¯ll need someone who we know canfortably run thispany while we focus on our jobs. So we¡¯ll pass our votes around and anyone with the highest number gets to be the interim CEO.¡± He said and I couldn¡¯t deny that my body¡¯s temperature spiked.

    My palms became mmy with sweat, as my breathing rapidly increased. ¡°Alright then.¡±

    I hoped that I was the only one contesting for the position, but what made it more interesting was the fact that no one knew about my intentions.

    ¡°Let¡¯s pass the votes around.¡± He said and a basket was passed around until it had circted and everyone had voted.

    After the voting session, I got to my feet. I excused myself and headed to the restroom where I leaned on the cold wall. My temperature had stabilized, but I wished that I¡¯d win as well.

    Having nothing else to do, I quickly washed my hands and returned to the board room.

    All eyes darted to me as I sat, causing me to be more ufortable than I was. If they had found out anything, it would be better if they told me than staring at me nkly.

    Mr Robert stood up, ncing at every one of us then stopped at me. ¡°Can Miss Melissa Rogers stand to her feet?¡± He politely requested and I obliged with a scared knot furling in my stomach. ¡°The votes have been counted and it¡¯s quite surprising that everyone wants you to take over Leonardo¡¯s position.¡± He dered.

    A gasp escaped my throat as I averted my gaze to all the members who nodded to what he said. It was a confirmation that the result wasn¡¯t manipted and they all threw their weight around me.

    ¡°Why is that so?¡± I had to know.

    ¡°Because they¡¯ve seen that you are a capable leader. I like how you took charge of Mr Han¡¯s situation days back, not minding how rowdy the situation was.¡± He smiled and the screen came on with the results of the votes showing on it.

    My eyes zed with tears as I quickly scanned the votes I got. There were over fifteen present and five absent, but neen of them supported me.

    I almost hissed at the only person who didn¡¯t vote for me. I needed to find out who the person was and what his or her intentions could be.

    ¡°Thank you all so much. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.¡± I gushed, feeling an air of relief circte within me. ¡°I have great ns for thispany, and I¡¯d like to make a brief presentation if you can spare me a few minutes,¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    ¡°We can do that. The stage is yours.¡±

    I pulled out myptop from its bag and turned it on, as my heart beat so fast I thought it would explode from excitement.

    It was the same presentation that Dexter had bumped into that made us fight. If only he was here to see his wife make such an exploit and achieve her dream¡­

    ¡°My ns for thispany can be curtailed to just one word.¡± I began after taking a deep breath. ¡°Growth.¡± Some of them creased their brows in confusion, causing me to quickly continue. ¡°We all know how the previous leaders messed things up because they were out for money, but I can beat my chest and say that it isn¡¯t the end game for me. Once I¡¯m settled in, I¡¯ll start calling out for partnerships with other brands that are more established. There won¡¯t be a need to employ other people to do the job because we have them already, they just need to be brushed up.¡±

    I kept talking until they interrupted my speech with a standing ovation.

    ¡°I guess we didn¡¯t make a mistake by electing you as the newest CEO. You can call the auditors as we all discussed so that we¡¯ll be aware of the level of damage Leonardo caused.¡± He said,

    A scoff lingered in my throat as I rolled my eyes inwardly. Half of the people seated here aided and abetted Leonardo¡¯s crimes, and if they thought I¡¯d be lenient with them because they voted me in, then they were the biggestedians of the century.

    Thepany belonged to me anyway; this was just one way of getting it back.

    The meeting had almost ended when noises from the hallway infiltrated into the boardroom. The ss door flew ajar as Leonardo stormed in.

    I hadn¡¯t paid for his bail yet, so I wondered who helped him.

    ¡°What is going on here? Why is she on my seat?¡± He barked and strode wildly towards me, but the security guards were quick to restrict him from getting any closer. He struggled to get out of their grips, but what chance did anky man have against thick-muscled guards?

    ¡°Mr Jones, I won¡¯t have you interrupt our meeting in this manner. If you want to be a part of it, then I implore you to be calm.¡± I said with a bossy tone.

    He blinked hard, his eyes widening. ¡°Are you saying this to me, Melissa? I thought you were on my side. You even visited me two days ago with a promise to get me out of the cell.¡± He hollered.

    Trust the idiot to bring up my visit, but I wasn¡¯t scared as I already had a response for him. ¡°I came to know how you were doing and that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Bitch! You¡¯re a liar.¡± He fumed with his breathing uneven.

    ¡°Call me that one more time and you¡¯ll return to where you came out from,¡± I warned with an unsmiling expression.

    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this. I promise you.¡± He yelled at the top of his voice as they dragged him out like he weighed nothing.

 Mr Rogers

    Dexter

    The artist I sent for arranged the canvas on a in table, and then ced the color pallet beside it while I watched Dante closely.

    He mped his lower lip between his teeth, and his eyes kept darting around. I could tell that he was nervous, but I didn¡¯t care. His open disy of anxiety got me wondering how I employed him.

    My guards were supposed to be fit all the time and able to hide their fears.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Luke asked after setting up a little studio in the warehouse.

    We were still in the warehouse as we couldn¡¯t afford to go to the hospital because I wasn¡¯t in the right frame of mind to go through their draining question-and-answer session.

    Wyatt had left already, as his girlfriend kept blowing up his phone with numerous calls. I¡¯d sent a text to Melissa to congratte her on her new position.

    It was the only news that cheered me up after hearing the real truth from Dante.

    ¡°Do I have any other choice?¡± He replied, his finger grazing the ster that covered his head wound.

    ¡°You can start with the description now,¡± Luke informed him, and I took a chair and sat opposite the both of them. I didn¡¯t want to look at the final picture until he was drawn.

    Dante described slowly, while I sat impatiently, stomping my foot silently on the ground. With each adjective that left his lips, I was only reminded of one man.

    Two people couldn¡¯t share the same structure of the chin, nose, or even the same shade of eyes.

    An hourter, it was all done and I rose to my feet with a tinge of anxiety. But I wanted to make sure that he wasn¡¯t fooling around, so I strode to his table and squeezed his shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯d better be right about every description because I won¡¯t hesitate to punch your face again if the picture doesn¡¯t ring a bell.¡± I threatened him.

    He shrugged my grip off and scowled. ¡°You¡¯ve already held my mother and I to ransom, do you think I¡¯ll be that stupid to lie to you again?¡± He scoffed.

    I ignored his rude reply and finally took a look at the picture.

    I stilled, my eyes narrowing into slits as I recognized the familiarity between the person on the drawing and Melissa¡¯s father. It was the same grey hair with the same hairstyle. Even the folds on his cheeks and his brooding eyes.

    ¡°William Rogers?¡±

    My body shook with fury upon remembering thest conversation we had about Lorraine.

    How could he do this to me when he knew that I¡¯d been relentless in my search for her? Was this why he could tell me point ck that she wasn¡¯t kidnapped because he helped her to escape?

    I picked up my phone and patted Luke on the back. ¡°Thank you so much for honoring my call, and I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯d have to leave now.¡±

    He passed a nce at Dante whoy on the bed, pretending to be asleep. ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± He said and I nodded in agreement.

    I couldn¡¯t leave the both of them, knowing how desperate Dante was to escape. He could stab him and another death would be on my head.

    But I wasn¡¯t stupid enough to keep him holed up without thorough surveince. I hired some security personnel from Wyatt¡¯spany to help me watch him.

    *********

    Knocking gently on Mr Rogers¡¯ door was the hardest thing to achieve because of how infuriated I was. What annoyed me further, was how he acted like I was the only one with secrets.

    I knocked again and when I got no response, I ended up banging continuously until I saw the knob twisting.

    ¡°Good day, sir.¡± The horrified housekeeper greeted with a visible shiver, hiding the rest of her petite body behind the door.

    ¡°I want to see your boss,¡± I ordered and she shed a petrified nce at me.

    She shook her head, apparently about to tell me that he wasn¡¯t around when I heard his voice. ¡°Oh no.¡± She cried, but I was beyond reasoning.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll have to go in.¡± I pushed my way through a bit gently so that I wouldn¡¯t have to shove her to the ground.

    I folded my arms as I watched him settle onto one of the dining chairs with his tablet in his hand. The housekeeper quickly ran to him and whispered into his ear, informing him of my presence.

    He dropped the tablet and nced in my direction. His eyes darkened and his face hardened, showing no trace of fear, which was one thing I admired about him.

    His fearlessness.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Lorraine?¡± I asked without wasting time and he chuckled.

    ¡°It¡¯s rude to appear in someone¡¯s house without permission, and it¡¯s more annoying that you didn¡¯t even bother to greet them.¡± He tried to scold me, but I¡¯d be damned if I said that I¡¯d listen to his nonsense.

    He had already gotten to the middle of the living room, so I joined him there, ring hard at him.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the answer to my question, Mr Rogers.¡± I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, then counted to ten and continued. ¡°I held you in high esteem because you helped to remove the scales from my eyes, but what I didn¡¯t know is that you are a liar.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your idea of me, it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± He huffed and sank into an armchair.

    ¡°You saved Lorraine from that ident, didn¡¯t you?¡± I fired back and he flinched.

    A smirk formed on my lip at his reaction. He cleared his throat and cocked his head to the side to evade my gaze. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I did my research just like you asked me to, Mr Rogers. I found a witness who watched the whole scene, and he¡¯s going to testify once the case is reopened, but none of that will make any sense if Lorraine isn¡¯t around to see how she¡¯s been vindicated.¡± My tone had dropped, hoping that I¡¯d be able to get some cooperation through that mild approach.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    He sprang to his feet and headed for the door, pushing it open. ¡°Just like you said, I¡¯m happy that you have realized your mistakes and you are working hard to right your wrongs, but I can¡¯t tell you where Lorraine is because I don¡¯t know where she is.¡± He paused and drew in a deep breath. ¡°She ran away after recovering, and since then, I haven¡¯t heard from her, so stoping to my house because you won¡¯t find her here.¡±

    My shoulders drooped and the energy to continue the debate vanished within me. I couldn¡¯t even tell if he was lying or not, but I wished that he wasn¡¯t because I¡¯d never trust him again.

    ¡°If you say so.¡± I sighed in resignation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for barging into your apartment. It was rude and I won¡¯t do it again.¡± I apologized, gave him a backward nce then left.

 Are you Lorraine?

    Melissa

    Having the original documents of Hills Jewelry sparked bubbles of excitement within me. Just like myte mother advised me in the dream, I was taking charge and bringing doom to everyone who hurt me.

    I dropped the file on the table and crashed onto the chair, feeling fulfilled. A slight pain seared through my abdomen, causing me to groan, then I smiled upon remembering that two babies were growing in there.

    Twins.

    My eyes flitted to the wall clock and I gasped, wishing that the time would go faster so that I¡¯d be able to know the sex of my unborn babies.

    A gentle knock resonated on the door. I got upzily, my body feeling like a bag of lead. I dragged myself to the door and I was rewarded with Lilly¡¯s squeal.

    ¡°Hi, Mel.¡± She stretched out her little arms and I picked her up for a hug.

    Seeing her after a long time brightened my day, as I liked to be in herpany.

    She was so adorable.

    My eyes met with Dexter¡¯s and I noticed the sadness that formed underneath his eyes. His lips spread into a smile as he nted kisses on my cheeks, but the tension that surrounded him couldn¡¯t be ignored.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that you¡¯d being here today. Although I¡¯m happy that you brought Lilly over.¡± I quickly added.

    ¡°I just returned home this morning and she kept repeating that she wanted to see you. She wouldn¡¯t let me rest, so I had to do her bidding.¡±

    I giggled and smothered Lilly¡¯s face with light kisses, while she giggled and picked the strands of my hair in return.

    I dropped her on the couch and headed to the kitchen to get her a bottle of juice and a stic cup. Then I sensed Dexter¡¯s presence behind me.

    ¡°Congrattions.¡± He murmured.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I turned the orange juice into the cup and ced it on a tray, then stared at him intently. ¡°You don¡¯t look good, Dexter. What is the matter? Are you having problems at work?¡±

    He shook his head and let out a soft chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m a brilliant CEO, you don¡¯t expect me to have issues with my business, do you?¡± He replied with a cocky smirk while I rolled my eyes.

    ¡°But your eyes say something different¡­¡± I moved closer to him, itching to touch him intimately and assure him that everything would be fine. But I knew they wouldn¡¯t be until some people were out of the way. ¡°You don¡¯t look so bright.¡±

    He reached for my hand and put on a smiling face that could have fooled me if I didn¡¯t know him so well.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Melissa. I¡¯ll deal with my problems like I¡¯ve always done, I just want to ensure that you and our babies are fine.¡±

    I snorted, slightly angry that he ignored my question, but what did I expect?

    We agreed to be friends and nothing more. Our only connection to each other was my pregnancy, and he didn¡¯t know that I was Lorraine so I suppressed my wifely instincts and pretended that I understood him.

    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s go back to Lilly before she makes a mess of the living room.¡±

    He took the tray from me, led the way, and stopped just at the door. ¡°I forgot to tell you that I want the three of us to go out and eat. You are celebrating a new position, and Lilly and I haven¡¯t been able to go outtely because of other engagements. So what do you think?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°A few hours of celebration doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea. Let me get changed, then.¡±

    DEXTER¡¯S POV

    ¡°Stop that, Lilly.¡± I ran towards Lilly who was about to make a mess of the file on the table.

    I dropped the tray aside and then collected the file gently as her grip was too firm for her age. I made a mental note to warn Melissa to be careful with her belongings.

    She couldn¡¯t have them lying around carelessly in the presence of a toddler.

    ¡°Have your drink and sit.¡± I kissed her forehead and handed the cup to her.

    I wanted to keep the file in a safer ce when my eyes caught a familiar name. LORRAINE MELISSA HILLS.

    My heart stopped for a second, my mouth running dry as my trembling fingers flipped the pages contained in the file. Then I saw the subject of the document and my knees turned into jelly.

    Legitimate owner of Hills Jewelry?

    Daughter of Sarah Hills?

    What could such an important document be doing with her if she wasn¡¯t the owner? And the name, Lorraine Hills, that was the name of my missing wife¡­

    I dropped the file and raked through my hair in confusion. My insides began to hurt as I tried to process what I¡¯d seen.

    Then everything began to make sense: The zeal to take Hills Jewelry away from Leonardo, the uncanny simr eyes she shared with Lorraine, and her rtionship with William Rogers.

    But why did she have a different face?This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    Several questions that needed urgent answers kept straying into my mind, leaving me bereft of strength.

    I already felt like I was losing my mind, but I kept calm until Melissa strolled down, wearing a ck strapless silk dress that hugged her curves, with a long slit running from her mid-thigh downwards.

    I scanned her beautiful figure, and it dawned on me that I¡¯d ignored the same waist dip that she and Lorraine shared and the same confident gait.

    She was a model, just like Lorraine.

    Her eyes shone as she smiled brightly at me, and then it hit me hard that I¡¯d been with my wife all along and I didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°L-Lorraine?¡± I stuttered, and her eyes popped, her glittery silver clutch bag dropping to the ground as she confirmed my suspicion.

    She swallowed, then quickly retracted her bag and put on the same smile. ¡°Why did you refer to me as Lorraine, Dexter? Did I remind you of her in any way?¡± She chortled, her eyes blinking incessantly.

    ¡°Yes, you remind me of her in every way.¡± I picked up the file and held it out for her to see. ¡°You remind me of her because you are her. You are Lorraine Hills.¡±

    For some unknown reason, she kept her eyes fixed on me even though she tried to look away. ¡°I am not her.¡± She denied with a deep pant.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t?¡± I questioned quietly, as beads of sweat decorated her modestly made-up face. ¡°Then tell me why you are with a document that belongs to her. I can¡¯t recall you being awyer, you know.¡±

    She flung her arms in the air, a disy of defense. ¡°Look, Dexter, you can¡¯t keep checking my things¡­ I¡¯ve warned you before.¡±

    ¡°Lilly would have torn it if I didn¡¯t intervene, and I was about to tell you to keep your things carefully when I identally saw what I should have seen a long time ago.¡± My temper was rising and I wasn¡¯t going to hold it back. ¡°How can you exin having the same gorgeous gray eyes? Or being a model just like her? How can you exin wanting to be CEO in a shabby ce like Hills Jewelry when there are other sessful jewelry brands you can model for and make twice the money? How do you exin the instant hatred you have for Emilia if she hasn¡¯t hurt you before.¡± I thundered and she gasped, leaning onto the wall.

    ¡°Leave now, Dexter. Please, leave.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t even disputing any of the facts, instead, she wanted me to leave.

    ¡°I won¡¯t leave this ce until you confirm that I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± I retorted.

    ¡°I owe you no exnation, Dexter. Just get out-¡± She screamed at the top of her voice which trailed off as she held her stomach and copsed onto the ground.

    I rushed towards her to keep her head from hitting the floor, then I carried her and ran to her room.

    Her eyelids slowly lowered, and then her fingers grazed my cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Dexter.¡± She whispered and her body went limp.

 A cover

    Dexter

    Fortunately, doctor Luca came a few minutes after I called him. Melissa had already slumped on the bed and I was doing everything possible to keep myself from freaking out.

    I stood still, hands propped against my waist as I watched him ce the stethoscope on her chest. He jotted down something I couldn¡¯t read on his little pad, then proceeded to check her blood pressure.

    ¡°How¡¯s she doing, Doc?¡± I approached him, unable to stay in one ce anymore.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. Her temperature is normal, the same goes for her blood pressure. She¡¯s just stressed.¡± He said tly and I pinched my forehead in regret.

    How could I have allowed my emotions to get ahead of me, knowing that she was pregnant?

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I asked her some questions that riled her up.¡± Doctor Luca folded his arms, squinting his eyes at me in confusion. ¡°She¡¯s carrying a set of twins,¡± I announced and his eyes lit up for the first time I knew him.

    He stretched his hand for a handshake and I epted it even though my attention was fixed on the sleeping Melissa.

    ¡°Congrattions, Dexter. Please take care of her. This is her first trimester and she needs to avoid anything that will trigger emotional unrest. She also needs to take a break from work for the next few weeks.¡± He advised me.

    I sighed as I spared a nce at her. Melissa would never listen to me as long as it concerned her job. She was a workaholic, and staying at home without doing anything was like taking away the essence of her being.

    I wished she was awake to listen to Doctor Luca¡¯s advice. I could only pray that I¡¯d be able to convince her toe and live in my house.

    ¡°Thank you foring over, Doctor. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done without your help.¡± I said as he packed his instruments into his suitcase.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. I¡¯ve been working for the family for a long time.¡±

    I walked with him to the door and when he left, I carried Lilly to Melissa¡¯s room as she fell into a deep slumber. The house was unusually quiet, causing the argument from before to haunt me afresh.

    Though I was trying to be calm, the urge to wake her up so that she could tell me the truth gnawed in my chest. I shook it off and headed to the kitchen to prepare our dinner.

    Her fridge was filled with groceries so I went ahead to prepare chicken soup.

    ********

    Thirty minutester, I was done preparing the chicken soup. I served it on a te and returned to her room.

    The tray nearly slipped off my hands when I saw her sitting up. She wiped her face and tried to stand up.

    I quickly rushed to her and dropped the tray on the bed stand. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I held her.

    ¡°I wasing to look for you.¡± She replied calmly. ¡°When I woke up, you weren¡¯t here. It was just Lilly and I. You also didn¡¯t respond when I called out your name.¡±

    Her hair was tousled over her face, entuating her wild beauty. I tucked the straying strands behind her ears, then helped her rx on the bed.

    ¡°I was preparing dinner for the three of us. I¡¯m sorry for not noticing that you called.¡± I apologised and she nodded. ¡°Do you want to eat now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so hungry. I just want us to talk. My heart is heavy.¡± She admitted.

    Her bright gray eyes took a duller shade as she peered at me. I was supposed to be giddy with excitement at her willingness to trash the issue, but I wasn¡¯t happy. Her health mattered and till I got a full assurance of that, we wouldn¡¯t have the conversation.

    ¡°No, Melissa. Have your dinner then we can talk.¡± I said, my voice firm, leaving no room for argument.

    She shook her head, her stubborn streaking into y. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to enjoy what you prepared if we don¡¯t talk about this.¡±

    I had to be gentle with her, at least it worked with Lorraine. ¡°I¡¯ll feed you.¡± I wriggled my brows with a yful smirk on my lips.

    She retracted her hands from mine and palmed her face, sniffing continuously. Her body shuddered as the sound of her sobs filled the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Dexter.¡± She croaked, lifting her tear-stained face.

    My hands covered her cheeks as I pulled her closer to me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize to me. I¡¯m not offended.¡± I exined to her.

    Then she rose to her feet abruptly and heaved a sigh. She pinched her lips, pacing to and fro while I watched her with heightened curiosity. Her expression was so sullen but her eyes remained unreadable.

    But nothing prepared me for the bombshell she dropped. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± She uttered with the lightest tone I¡¯ve ever heard her speak to me.

    I stood up as well and ced my hands on her shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything you aren¡¯tfortable with.¡±

    She drew in a deep breath and then released it.

    ¡°You were right all along. I¡¯m Lorraine Hills, your contracted wife. I ran away because you were after my-¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    I didn¡¯t allow her to finish as I crashed my lips on hers, wrapping my arms around her fragile waist and bringing her close as if she would disappear if she wasn¡¯t held so closely.

    She responded to my kiss with the same intensity, her fingers gripping my arms strongly. The chemistry between us became aroused like it never left, and the only thing that restricted me from making love to her was that I wanted to hear theplete truth from her.

    She broke the kiss and buried her face on my neck while I kept my arms on her, vowing to never let her go.

    My eyes burned with tears as the realization that Lorraine had always been here with me, and I couldn¡¯t recognize her caused my heart to plummet.

    She had returned and made her presence felt, but I still didn¡¯t get the memo. I noticed the simrities, but I didn¡¯t take it seriously because of my misdirected resentment toward her.

    I remembered how she kept trying to convince me that she wasn¡¯t the murderer, but I didn¡¯t want to listen to her just because I wanted to be with another woman who ended up still being her.

    Life had yed me, and I fell for its tricky game.

    ¡°Can you forgive me, Lorraine? I messed up.¡± I choked on my words as uncontroble tears slid down my cheeks. ¡°I was so stupid. I know that I promised to love you no matter what, but I failed you. I let you down and I¡¯m too ashamed to even ask for your forgiveness.¡±

    Though I was taller, she still reached for my hair and ruffled it. I watched her scan my face with her eyes zing with nothing but love.

    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up, love, I forgave you a long time ago.¡± We sat down on the bed, our attention simultaneously diverted to Lilly who mumbled some words inaudibly in her sleep.

    ¡°How could you forgive me so easily? I didn¡¯t even trust you.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I let go of my resentment when I realized that you weren¡¯t the enemy. Emilia and her wicked father wanted to use you against me, and they almost seeded.¡± She rxed on the backrest and ced her legs on mine. ¡°Tell me, how did you know that I¡¯m Lorraine?¡±

    It was the same question I kept asking myself. Melissa was so good at masking her identity and I guess the only reason I found out was because she allowed me to.

    ¡°I can say that you dropped a lot of pointers, but that¡¯s not it.¡± I caught her chin and tilted it up. ¡°From the first day, you stepped into my office for the modeling contract and stared at me confidently with those gray eyes of yours, I instantly recognized them. But the face and names were different, so I discarded that clue and held onto my anger until your father made me realize that you were innocent.¡±

    My stomach made some noise, but I ignored it as the appetite to eat wascking. Reuniting with my wife was far more satisfying than the delicious chicken soup I¡¯d prepared.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d have done without my father. He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m still alive.¡±

    Remembering the argument I had with her father earlier this afternoon sparked some guilt within me, and I hoped that I¡¯d be able to prove to him that I was worthy of having his daughter.

    ¡°Why is your face different though? Did you have a huge scar?¡± I questioned, but I didn¡¯t care about her response.

    She¡¯d always be beautiful to me.

    ¡°It was a protective measure. Leonardo and Emilia are still after my life, and if I¡¯m to exact my revenge on them, then I have to keep up this cover.¡±

    Cover?

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I rasped.

    She smirked then patted her cheeks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡±

 Revelation and reconciliation

    Melissa

    This was a secret I kept from everyone including my father. He thought that I went to a stic surgeon to have my face changed, but what he didn¡¯t know was that I dropped our initial arrangement at thest minute.

    Since my face wasn¡¯t marred by the ident, I decided to hold onto it while I put up a facade.

    I pleaded with the surgeon to make a face mask that would fit my facial structure. He agreed since it was my desire, and the only time I was tempted to take off the mask was when I saw Dexter again after two years.

    ¡°What are you up to?¡± He shifted ufortably as I shut my eyes and peeled the mask off, revealing my true identity.

    He gasped, shrinking backward as his hand flew to his lip.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t undergo any surgery?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, I didn¡¯t. I was too much in love with my face to have it redone.¡± I replied nonchntly.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this, Lorraine. Why didn¡¯t you just tell me the truth?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t because you wouldn¡¯t believe me. I tried to do that several times but you held onto your anger.¡±

    She was right, and no amount of apology would be enough.

    ¡°I found Dante and he confessed to being a part of their team. He¡¯s under my detention presently, and I n to sue Leonardo and his daughter for what they did to you. For what they did to us.¡±

    ¡°How did you find him?¡± Anger whirled up within me at the sound of his name.

    That idiot watched me go through the most horrible moment of my life without lifting a finger to help me. All he could do was stare at me like a robot.

    Seeing how tense Dexter was by merely speaking about him, I could tell that Dante had gone through a lot of torture.

    He exined how he baited him with the help of Drake, who pretended to have a job opportunity. I liked that he fell for every trap they set for him.

    Then I decided to reveal another secret that I¡¯d been holding back for a while.

    ¡°Liam is still alive,¡± I informed him.

    ¡°How do you know that? I know that he¡¯s not dead because he wasn¡¯t the person I saw at the morgue, but how can you be so sure that he¡¯s still alive?¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Because I nned everything. I knew that Emilia was going toe for him after you caught the both of them together, so I acted fast and got him out just before the poison took effect on him.¡±

    He kept silent, his gaze away from me as I tried to decipher what could be going on in his mind.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed so much, Melissa.¡± He noted.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°The timid woman I used to know has been reced by a bold and daring woman, who crushes anyone that dares to cross her path. She has turned into a lioness who fights fiercely for whatever belongs to her. And you know what?¡±

    His face beamed with pride.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, babe. The fact that you achieved all these without anyone¡¯s help is admirable. You are the strongest woman I know.¡±

    My body tingled with delight as he referred to me with the endearing name. I never thought a time woulde when we would both be together like this, just how I imagined it.

    He wouldn¡¯t struggle to stay away from me because of his search for me. We were back together and I would never let him go again.

    ¡°Thank you. I fought hard because of the love I have for you. Emilia wanted to bring us apart so that she could step in and get your wealth to herself¡­¡± I stopped myself from talking further as it wasn¡¯t in my ce to reveal the heartbreaking news.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    I nodded and snaked my arm around his neck. ¡°I¡¯m just happy that we can be intimate without guilt. We are still married, so our babies will have a stable home.¡± I gushed.

    He touched my belly, then rubbed it gently. ¡°Yeah, they will with Lilly. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be a wonderful big sister to our sons.¡± He kept caressing my stomach as his eyes zed with desire. ¡°I want to make a request, Melissa.¡±

    ¡°What could that be?¡±

    ¡°I want you toe back to the house. I¡¯d been thinking of the right way to convince you, but since we have reconciled, don¡¯t you think it will be safer for you to live with me?¡±

    ¡°Ummm¡­ I don¡¯t think I can do that.¡±

    He silenced me with his index finger on my lips. ¡°Of course you can, Melissa. Doctor Luca was here earlier to check on you and he advised that you take a break from work. After everything you¡¯ve been through, you deserve to be watched over and taken proper care of. I¡¯d never forgive myself if anything happens to you and our babies.¡±

    His genuine concern struck me, causing me to rethink my decision to stay alone.

    ¡°This could attract unwanted attention towards us, Dexter. We don¡¯t want Emilia and Leonardo to begin to suspect us, you know.¡±

    He reached for my hand.

    ¡°I know that you are quite skeptical, but at one point we¡¯ll have to face them, and we won¡¯t look back when we decide to. Right now, your safety matters to me and I won¡¯tpromise it for some vendetta.¡± His tone became harsh, but I didn¡¯t count it against him since I knew his motivation.

    ¡°So what are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°That I want you to give me the chance to be a real husband to you. We¡¯ve been away from each other for more than two years, Melissa, don¡¯t you think we have a lot of things to make up for?¡± He asked penitently and I scoffed, knowing that his words had gotten to me.

    I raised my hands in surrender. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll move back in with you, but we¡¯ll have to keep our rtionship a secret. And I¡¯ll also be wearing the mask until the truth is revealed.¡±

    He sighed in relief. ¡°Thank you for giving me another chance.¡± He ced his head on my chest, smothering my breasts with sensual kisses, and when he raised his head, I instantly knew what he wanted.

    ¡°Make love to me,¡± I muttered under my breath and he gave in to my request by merging our lips.

 His approval

    Melissa

    ¡°Everything will be fine.¡± I squeezed Dexter¡¯s palm assuringly after we showed up at my father¡¯s house.

    He had filled me in on the argument they had a few days ago, and I couldn¡¯t deny that my father would be pissed at him. But knowing that my father would always choose my happiness over anything, I convinced him to join me.

    We were a team, and my father¡¯s influence would be pertinent in bringing Emilia and her father downpletely.

    ¡°I hope so.¡± He replied nervously and the housekeeper weed the both of us.

    Her eyes lingered on Dexter with a puzzled expression, then she disappeared into the hallway almost immediately.

    My father strode down the stairs, a dazzling smile appearing on his face as soon as he saw me, but when his gaze crossed to Dexter, it disappeared.

    He returned his gaze to me while I pressed my lips, giving him a knowing look.

    ¡°Does he know?¡± He asked quietly, closing the distance between us.

    I nodded slowly and stood up.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t hide it from him anymore, Dad. He realized that I was Lorraine and I didn¡¯t see the need to keep deceiving him anymore. He¡¯s a man with feelings and I¡¯m sure that what he feels for me is genuine.¡±

    My dad shook his head and retracted his steps.

    ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t have done that. Did you get distracted just because he knocked you up?¡± He used me, his words creating a sharp ache in my chest.

    How could he say such hurtful words to me?

    ¡°Dad!¡±I eximed, my eyes glistening with tears. ¡°I¡¯m not dumb. I know what I want, and maybe I made a mistake bying to visit you.¡± I yelled, picking up my purse as I stormed out of the house.

    Footsteps rang behind me, but I ignored them as I just wanted to be out of his house and be in the safety of others.

    ¡°Melissa!¡± He shouted when I got to the car. ¡°Please, stop!¡±

    My breaths came in quick pants and I suddenly felt tired. Dexter was right. My body presently had an aversion to any form of stress, and I tried to avoid anything that would make me unsettled, including my father¡¯s displeasure at my reunion with Dexter.

    I leaned against the car door, unable to do any other thing like even opening the car. I spun around slowly and peered at him as he wrapped his arms around me.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for talking to you that way, cupcake. You shouldn¡¯t be at the receiving end of my frustration.¡± He darted a re towards Dexter who stood by the door. ¡°He should be.¡±

    A scoff escaped my lips as I rolled my eyes.

    ¡°About him, Father, I¡¯d just let you know ahead of time that I won¡¯t allow you to do that to me.¡± I shook my head, my expression unsmiling.

    He furrowed his brows and folded his arms. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He feigned ignorance.

    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to separate me from the one man that makes me happy.¡±

    ¡°Someone that slept with another woman when you went MIA? He couldn¡¯t even hold back or search for you.¡± He argued and I huffed, pping my forehead in resignation.

    His reminder was painful, but I¡¯d learned to keep the past behind me, including what had happened before.

    ¡°No one is a saint, Dad, including you. You knew that he was set up and he fell for it. You are aware of everything that took ce, so why are you using it against him?¡± I vented my displeasure without holding back.

    He looked away without saying a word.

    I was spent, and gradually I regretted why I decided to bring Dexter along to visit my father. Maybe I should have updated my father about the new development between us alone.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to have a word with him.¡± He broke the silence and my cheeks heated up.

    I held his arm, inwardly giddy with excitement. ¡°Don¡¯t be harsh with him, Dad,¡± I warned him with a frown.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to.¡±

    DEXTER¡¯S POV

    Melissa/Lorraine¡¯s father was one of the men that could make even the strongest man bow to him, because of the intimidating aura he had.

    Since I had a daughter, I could rte to how he felt. If the story was changed and Lilly and I were the characters, I¡¯d probably do worse than what he was doing.

    I¡¯d already given up and was about to tell Melissa not to worry about me when her father strode towards me with his face as cold as ice.

    His lips thinned, and tension saturated the atmosphere, but I wasn¡¯t scared of him. I only admired how he tried to protect his daughter from me.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that I¡¯d always been there for her, and he didn¡¯t have the power to separate us.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you about my daughter.¡± He rumbled.

    His straightforwardness was another thing I liked about him. Just like me, he hated beating around the bush.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve charmed your way back to your heart, what is next?¡± He asked coldly.

    ¡°Our lives will return to how they used to be, and I¡¯ll try to make up for every mistake I made. She suffered all by herself, and I was so stupid for allowing myself to be used against her. The guilt will continue to eat me up and I will allow it because that is the price I have to pay for my stupidity.¡± I said bitterly, folding my hands behind me. ¡°But, what I¡¯d like to tell you is that I can¡¯t live without her. That woman,¡± I nced at Melissa who was watching the both of us intently, ¡°Holds my sanity. If anything happens to her again, I mightpletely lose it.¡±

    His shoulders sagged, a silent disy of his resignation.

    ¡°I felt the same when I realized that her mother was dead. We never dated, but the connection we had at our first meeting held me bound and I couldn¡¯t even date anyone else. What you did broke her, and she really had arge heart to decide to take you back.¡±

    ¡°So are you giving me your permission?¡±

    He gave me a once-over and advanced closer, his eyes staring almost condescending. ¡°As a man, I understand what you went through, but as her father I don¡¯t care. I will give you another chance to prove yourself because you make her happy, even though I don¡¯t understand how. If she sheds as little as a single tear because of you, I don¡¯t care how much of a billionaire you are, I¡¯ll personally send you to jail.¡± He threatened with a scowl.

    It was official.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    I liked him, and once the dust died down, I¡¯d ask him to mentor me on fatherhood.

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to, Mr Rogers.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me by that name. I¡¯m your father-inw, remember?¡± He said yfully then signaled towards Melissa toe over.

    He went inside while I scooped her up and kissed her. The front door swung open with his head popped out.

    ¡°Are youing in or not?¡±

 Your daughter

    Melissa

    ¡°Where is this ce?¡± Dexter asked, passing a cursory nce around the old-looking building.

    I didn¡¯t want to tell him ahead of time because I didn¡¯t know what his reaction might be, but since we¡¯d driven all the way here, I wasn¡¯t sure he would think of returning home after discovering the reason we were here.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon. Just be patient and don¡¯t ask too many questions.¡± I slid out of the driver¡¯s seat, recalling how he made a fuss over the fact that I wanted to drive.

    He thought that being pregnant with a set of twins meant that I wouldn¡¯t do anything for myself, but what he didn¡¯t understand was that I wouldn¡¯t stay put in the house, feeling useless.

    I didn¡¯t me him though, because he was yet again, the sweetest man I¡¯d ever been with. Even though I hadn¡¯t gotten bloated yet, he took it upon himself to give me a full body massage almost every night which usually transcended into long hours of passionate lovemaking, that made me breathless and fulfilled at the end of it.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard not to ask, Lorraine.¡± He whined, his lips stretching into a pout. ¡°I¡¯m not a huge fan of surprises.¡±

    We had an agreement on what he¡¯d call me. If it was just the both of us, he¡¯d call me Lorraine, but when we were in public, he¡¯d switch to Melissa.

    I didn¡¯t find it strange since they were both my names, what I was tired of was the mask that hid my true identity.

    We crossed through the silent hallway, our heels clicking on the tiled floor as the sounds resonated loudly. It smelled of dust as if no one had stayed there for a long time.

    It wasn¡¯t until we stopped at a room with two guards in front of us that Dexter got the memo. The door was specifically made to reveal whoever was inside the room, while the part facing inside the room was opaque, making the person inside oblivious to whatever was going on outside.

    ¡°You brought me to see Liam without even asking if I was ready for that?¡±

    I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose. ¡°If you weren¡¯t ready to see him, you wouldn¡¯t have gone to the cell to visit him and then discovered that he was missing. You have to see him, Dexter, I¡¯m sure he has some things to tell you.¡± I tried to convince him.

    He scoffed, his nose red up in anger which I knew wasn¡¯t directed at me.

    ¡°What if I changed my mind about going to see him, huh?¡± His voice rose a bit, causing the guard to nce at us. ¡°I have you and Lilly, and our unborn kids. I¡¯m satisfied with that.¡±

    I shook my head again, drawing in the air to summon the patience I needed to make Dexter see another important fact.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy that we have each other, but if we don¡¯t take out the people who separated us from each other, we¡¯ll never have peace, and once they discover that I¡¯m still alive, what happened before might ur again. For that to be avoided, we need to be on the offensive and take the bull by the horns.¡± I could see the hard lines on his face reclining, then I went ahead to cup his cheeks. ¡°Cupcake, I¡¯ve always known you to be courageous and brave, and they are some of the traits that turn me on when I¡¯m around you, so don¡¯t turn me off and get in there so we can have that conversation,¡± I smirked at him.

    He wrapped his arm around my neck and ruffled my hair. ¡°You really know how to make me do things I don¡¯t want to do.¡±

    I made a sign to the guard on my left. He understood immediately and plunged the key into the keyhole, letting us into the room.

    Liam, whose face was covered with the book he was reading, straightened and dropped the book, his jaw-dropping.

    He pushed backward and swallowed nervously.

    ¡°You found me.¡± He muttered in disbelief, his pupils dting.

    Dexter scoffed and approached him while I sought for a chair to sit on. ¡°She brought me to you. I didn¡¯t find you.¡± He corrected with a curt tone.

    ¡°Who¡¯s she to you anyway?¡± Liam probed quietly.

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business, but have it in mind that anything you have to say would be said in front of her.¡±

    I liked that Dexter was able to make me feel important without having to let him know who I was.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking, but in case you don¡¯t know. She saved my life-¡±

    Dexter raised his hand sharply, interrupting him with a hint of irritation on his face. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to know what happened. I don¡¯t care. So let¡¯s get straight to the point. Why did you want to see me?¡±

    ¡°I want to ask you for your forgiveness because I¡¯m a terrible person.¡± He rasped.

    His legs were chained to the bed on my suggestion, so he couldn¡¯t take much aside from turning to the side. He could only be set loose with someone watching him whenever he wanted to use the bathroom.

    Inspector James ensured that there were hidden cameras all over the ce so that whatever he did would be noted. He couldn¡¯t afford to run away, because there were other cops stationed in every escape route of the building.

    Dexter hissed loudly. ¡°If this is what I came here for, then I made a very big mistake.¡±

    ¡°Emilia and I were lovers.¡± He blurted and I froze, including Dexter who had almost gotten to the door.

    He spun around, darting his gaze from Liam to me. ¡°Lovers?¡± He repeated like he didn¡¯t hear Liam clearly. ¡°What do you mean by that? How do you even know each other?¡±

    ¡°Emilia came to me when I was on the run. I knew that you were searching for ke and me, and we both knew that we wouldn¡¯t see the light of the day if you found us. I don¡¯t know how she found me, but she did and things got messy between us¡­¡± He inhaled deeply and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I found her hot and alluring so we had engaged in some wild intimate moments, which was in exchange for my assistance¡­¡±

    ¡°What kind of assistance?¡± Dexter cut in.

    ¡°She wanted me to eliminate Lorraine by myself, but I couldn¡¯t so I sent someone who did the job, unfortunately, you caught him.¡±

    I clenched my fists, trying hard to suppress the urge to manhandle him. Initially, I was happy that he didn¡¯t know that I was Lorraine, but after his recent revtion, I was having a hard time maintaining the facade.

    ¡°You sent the kidnapper?¡±

    He inclined his head, and mouthed a ¡°Yes.¡±

    Surprisingly, Dexter didn¡¯t lose it and threw him a punch which I appreciated. Since we were being watched, I wouldn¡¯t have the cops running in to detain him for physical assault.

    Dexter went closer to him and propped his arms against the bed, his jaw clenched in anger.

    ¡°You were my friend, Liam. What did I ever do to you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± He tried to sound nonchnt, but I could detect the regret in his eyes. ¡°I was just greedy and jealous.¡± He admitted and sniffed. ¡°You know, when I wasn¡¯t able to do as Emilia wished, she came up with another option. She keptining about how you rejected her because of Lorraine, and then she came up with a n that I resonated with. Emilia never loved you, she was just after your money, and so was I.¡±

    Dexter raised his fist and I quickly ran towards him and gripped his arm to stop him from going ahead with his intentions.

    ¡°Get a grip on yourself, baby, we are being watched,¡± I whispered into his ear.

    He nodded and sprang to his feet.

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave now. I¡¯m losing my mind with each second that passes.¡± He seethed.

    ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s go.¡± I replied with hesitation, knowing that Liam wasn¡¯t done with what he wanted to tell us.

    There was still more news on the way.

    If only Dexter could be patient enough to listen.

    ¡°How¡¯s Lilly doing?¡± Liam questioned with an obvious glint of concern.

    I¡¯d never seen him concerned about anyone in his life. He was a narcissistic bastard who only cared about himself.

    ¡°And how do you know my daughter¡¯s name?¡± Dexter raged.

    ¡°Because I was the one who asked Emilia to name her that.¡± He replied.

    I gasped, clutching onto my chest while shaking my head. It had better not be what I thought it was.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about, Liam?¡± Dexter barked.

    Liam rubbed his palms and nibbled on his lower lip.

    ¡°Lilly¡­¡± His breathing became ragged. ¡°Lilly isn¡¯t your daughter.¡± He announced.

 She is not

    Dexter

    ¡°She is actually¡­¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°Lilly is my daughter.¡± He revealed.

    My breaths burst in and out as my lips parted. My heart raced, nearly exploding while my brain did an extra job in processing the heart-wrenching secret Liam just exposed.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me, right?¡± I asked casually, trying to dete the impact of the news.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, Dexter. I didn¡¯t mean for any of this to happen. I was broke at that point and her suggestion sounded so good that I couldn¡¯t reject it.¡± He tried to defend himself, while I was milliseconds away from snapping his neck. ¡°You had it all, and my life had gone down the drain because of my stupid decisions.¡±

    His words sounded coherent as I sank onto the floor. My eyes became dizzy as I gulped down breaths to keep quiet. I was caught between crying and screaming at the top of my lungs, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    The image of Lilly¡¯s beautiful smile shed in my mind and my heart twisted with hurt. I couldn¡¯t exin how I felt.

    My head reeled with several thoughts and my palms became mmy with sweat.

    A light pat on my shoulder which proceeded to a massage reminded me that I wasn¡¯t alone, but right now, I didn¡¯t even want anyone around me.

    I just wanted to understand how my little adorable daughter wasn¡¯t mine anymore. I watched her grow from a beautiful tiny baby to the gorgeous toddler that she was, with the satisfaction that I had a child, not knowing that I¡¯d been fooled all along.

    ¡°Get up, Dexter, please,¡± Lorraine whispered to me, but what was the point of getting up?

    I did as she said because I wanted to look Liam in the eyes and ask him why he was so cruel to me.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t caught you in Emilia¡¯s house and got you arrested, would you havee clean to me?¡± My voice was cold and distant, and beneath theyers of the nonchnce I tried to disy was a volcano threatening to erupt.

    He rubbed his neck and looked away, a sign of concurrence.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Dexter.¡±

    ¡°Stop apologizing and answer the damn question!¡± I thundered, causing him to shrink backward.

    ¡°The truth can never be hidden, so you were bound to find out soon¡­¡±

    ¡°When I¡¯m old and gray, and unable to do anything for myself?¡± I snapped. ¡°Or when Lilly is all grown and maybe married, then she brings my grandkids over and we all realize that she was never from my loins in the first ce?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Dexter. Yea, you¡¯re right I never had ns of telling you because we wanted to take out the both of you, but life had other ns.¡±

    I roughly raked through my hair, grabbing the strands tightly so that I could feel a different pain from the one spreading throughout my chest.

    ¡°What did I ever do to deserve this from you, Liam? Right from high school I¡¯ve always loved you and took you as a brother. I believed every word you said which almost cost me my rtionship with the only woman my heart beat for. If anyone had told me that it wasn¡¯t worth it, I might have used the person of being a liar, but here you are, proving to me that no one can be trusted.¡± By the time I was done pouring out my pain, my shirt was already drenched with my tears.

    Liam¡¯s eyes were puffy as well and when I nced at Lorraine, she quickly inclined her head while a tear dropped from her eyes to the floor.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably thinking that I don¡¯t have a heart, but that isn¡¯t the truth. You might not believe me but I never expected my life to turn out this way¡­¡± He trailed off and wiped his eyes. ¡°I grew up with a mentally deranged mother, and she decided to transfer her frustration to me by sexually assaulting me. The woman was crazy and when it started at first, I was irritated because she was my mother and I was just ten, but she was the only one I had, so I gradually adapted to the situation and began to enjoy it.¡±

    Goosebumps appeared on my skin as he narrated his story. How could I have missed this?

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you speak up, Liam?¡±

    ¡°Because no one was going to believe me.¡± He snapped, drawing in a gush of air. ¡°Do you remember when I asked you and ke what you thought about incest, especially between mother and son? And you both said it didn¡¯t exist. If you guys were ignorant of its existence, then how would you believe that it happened to a friend of yours?¡±

    Guilt gnawed in my chest as I remembered the scenario, but it disappeared as soon as I remembered everything he did to Lorraine and me.

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough excuse, Liam. You were wicked because you wanted to be. You hurt people who were innocent and made them question the reason for their existence because you allowed your deranged mother to get to you.¡± Ished out at him.

    Nothing he said would lessen the gravity of his sins. He was going to pay for everything he did, including the bitch Emilia, who thought it was right to break me like this.

    ¡°I¡¯m not defending myself. I just wanted to let you know that I was under a lot of pressure, and at that point, I only felt better when other people were hurt because of me.¡± He bowed his head in shame.

    I guess I wasn¡¯t the only one mad at him because Lorraine traipsed towards him, giving him a piece of her mind.

    ¡°You are evil, Liam!¡± She hollered at him. ¡°And I curse the day I decided to save you. You are going to pay for everything you did to her.¡± She fumed, her breathsing in quick pants. ¡°Every. Freaking. Thing.¡± She stormed out of the room, the door mming hard behind us.

    I was barely keeping it in, but seeing Lorraine worked up because of the revtion further tugged at my self-control.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a DNA test to prove that what you said is true because I don¡¯t trust you.¡± I informed him.

    He raised his head with a sad smile. ¡°She¡¯s my daughter, Dex. Emilia was already pregnant before she came to you that night.¡±

    My heart shattered into pieces as my mouth hung open. With his previous exnation, I knew that he was telling the truth about Lilly¡¯s paternity, but confirming that I had no chance of being her biological father caused my heart to plummet.

    More tears streamed down my eyes as I wondered how my rtionship with Lilly would be from then onward. She would be a reminder of the people who only brought pain to my life.

    How could I live with that?

 A gradual recovery

    Melissa

    Lilly rushed to me as soon as I returned from workter that evening, her countenance sullen. I nted a kiss on her forehead and smoothened her hair while her nanny came to me.

    ¡°She has been crying to see her father since you left, but Mr Hemmingway shut himself in since morning and he doesn¡¯t even want to have anything to eat.¡± She exined and my heart sank.

    Dexter had been that way since the awful revtion came in. With each passing day, he got more withdrawn and cranky. Unwilling to speak to anyone, including Lilly and I.

    I understood how he felt so I let him be while attending to all our needs alone. But Lilly was already beginning to sense that something was wrong, and I didn¡¯t want that to happen.

    ¡°Daddy,¡± She muttered and I sighed, and plopped down on the couch.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring Daddy to you so that he can y with you and you¡¯ll both get some ice cream, alright?¡± I promised.

    She nodded, a sweet smile spreading on her lips. I loved her so much and I would never let her go even though Dexter decided to.

    Lilly didn¡¯t deserve her biological parents, and if Dexter didn¡¯t see that he was the best father that she could have, then I¡¯d make him see it myself.

    ¡°Stay here and keep ying with your doll. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± I calmly said and patted her head.

    ¡°Yes, Mel.¡±

    I traipsed to the kitchen and found a tray with covered tes on the countertop. I uncovered the tes to confirm that it was his abandoned lunch, then ced them inside the microwave and set the timer for them to be heated.

    My eyes darted to the fridge and I began to recall all the times he prepared dinner for me. He was a good cook and a good man. He was just as unlucky as I was.

    The timer went off and I brought out the tes and arranged them on the tray. My heartbeat raced as I climbed the stairs to our room.

    I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I saw him eat properly or recall when we even had a proper conversation.

    I pushed the door open, flitting my eyes around in search of him. Then the bathroom door went ajar and he came out, his chest bare as he wore in ck sweatpants.

    His eyes had bags of exhaustion underneath them, and his chin was covered with beards that weren¡¯t even trimmed.

    I ced the tray on the bed stand, watching him sink on the bed in a bid to lie down.

    ¡°When will you stop mourning over the loss you never had?¡± I began, my voiceced with a tinge of irritation.

    He didn¡¯t bother to say anything as he ignored me and turned to his side like he usually did whenever he didn¡¯t want to speak to me.

    The urge to yell, nag, and scream at the top of my lungs was threatening to consume me, but I held them back, forcing out every droplet of understanding that remained inside of me.

    ¡°You can¡¯t remain like this forever, Dexter. You¡¯ve been skipping your meals. You don¡¯t even go to the office or receive any work-rted calls. And the worst of it all is that you don¡¯t even care about me or your daughter.¡±

    At the mention of ¡®daughter,¡¯ he sat up with a huge frown on his face.

    ¡°Is she my daughter?¡± He rumbled, his nonchnt tone grating on my already rattled nerves.

    ¡°Are you asking me such a question?¡± I scoffed. ¡°You watched her grow, and deep down I know that you love her. So why are you beating yourself up over this issue?¡±

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t know what it means to be lied to, Lorraine! Lilly was my rock after the ordeal from two years ago. Though she didn¡¯te the way I expected, I was happy to have someone from my loins. Victoria died and you were kidnapped. She was my only family and now she¡¯s not¡­¡± He admitted and I palmed my face.

    I understood his pain, but I hoped that I would be able to convince him that Lilly would always be his daughter. Biological or not.

    ¡°Dexter,¡± I sat beside him and ced my hand on his shoulder. ¡°I want to ask you a question and I request your honesty.¡±

    He shrugged, a silent way of telling me to go ahead.

    ¡°Do you think Liam is good enough to be a father to Lilly?¡± I asked intently and he flinched.

    ¡°No one is going to love Lilly like I do, and definitely not Liam. He doesn¡¯t even give a hoot about her.¡± He snapped.

    A smile crawled to my lips. ¡°That means you¡¯re just scared of losing her.¡± He nced at me and bowed his head. My heart fell, seeing him so defeated and resigned. ¡°But you can always fight for her. Your withdrawal towards her is because you don¡¯t want it to hurt if Liam ever decides to ask for custody, but that won¡¯t happen because he¡¯s going to be in jail. You can adopt Lilly legally and you won¡¯t have to be scared of losing her anymore.¡± I advised him and his shoulders sagged.

    He bobbed his back and pinched the bridge of his nose to keep himself from crying.

    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you, Lorraine¡­¡± His voice cracked as he trailed off.

    ¡°Let it out, honey. You are human and I¡¯m not going to look down on you just because you decided to be vulnerable.¡± I caressed his back and hugged him.

    His body vibrated as he sobbed silently. I cried along with him, letting out the pain with a flicker of hope hovering over us. After everything, we were going to start life afresh, in a new ce where new memories would be made and the hurtful ones would be thrown into oblivion.

    After what seemed like an eternity, we pulled away from each other and stared at our puffy faces, bursting into giggles.

    ¡°You look like a chicken that was taken out of the freezer.¡± He teased with a chuckle. Crying isn¡¯t good for you right now.¡±

    I pped his arm yfully, happy that the invisible cold wall that grew sporadically between us had crumbled, and he was back to being the man I fell head over heels for.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Keep teasing me and I won¡¯t talk to you anymore.¡± I pouted and rolled my eyes.

    He inhaled and stared at me passionately. ¡°Thank you, sweetheart.¡± He said.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°For always being there. For having arge heart. Not every woman can be amodating and loving to the child that came from the person who caused her pain. I guess you¡¯re one of the fallen angels, not as fallen, but what I mean is that you fell in the right ce which is my life. I won¡¯t promise not to annoy you or be grumpy sometimes, because that¡¯s what makes me lovable, you know,¡± He winked, ¡°But I¡¯m sure that I won¡¯t abuse the second chance you offered me to take care of your heart. I will treasure you for the rest of my life till death do us part.¡±

    Both of my cheeks had heated beyond red, and my eyes glistened with unshed tears, but I was happy.

    My wishes had finally been granted.

    ¡°Why does this sound like wedding vows?¡± I giggled.

    ¡°Because I never said this the day I coaxed you to marry me and I don¡¯t regret making you my wife. I¡¯m just sad that I didn¡¯t do it the right way.¡±

    ¡°We never had an official wedding, remember? I was kidnapped so we are going to n another wedding ceremony after those people have been put behind bars.¡± I said and a light knock sounded on the door, followed by Lilly¡¯s shrill voice.

    Dexter rose and picked a ck vest that was hung on the hanger. He stretched his hand and helped me up. While staring at me tenderly, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go get our daughter. ¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°We better do, because I promised her that I¡¯d bring you to her.¡±

 The beast in him

    Melissa

    I changed into a ck two-piecece lingerie, my hair dripping from the shower I just had. I smeared my lips with red lipstick andpleted my seductive gait with a spritz of my favorite perfume.

    Dexter and I hadn¡¯t been intimate for a while as several issues kept rearing their ugly heads. Coupled with the fact that he didn¡¯t want me to be stressed.

    As if making love to my man was stressful.

    I wanted him badly, and if he didn¡¯t want to make any move, then I¡¯d take the bull by the horns and get my craving satisfied.

    Emboldened by the sultry appearance I saw in the mirror, I put on a transparentce robe and headed to his study room.

    After we had dinner and put Lilly to sleep together, he decided to check up on the updates he had missed from work which was a good thing, and it also gave me the time to get ready.

    I had no footwear on as I didn¡¯t want him to hear my footsteps. My strides were silent, and then I opened the door and took a peek into the quiet room.

    His arms were propped against his desk, his back facing me as he trained his attention on theptop before him. A smirk found its way to my lips as I watched his capable fingers swaying through the keys.

    Then I sneaked in, almost walking on my toes until he sighed and rxed on the backrest.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to sneak in like a thief, you know.¡± He chuckled, spinning his chair towards my direction, while I halted on my steps.

    I tucked my damp hair behind my ear and shrugged shyly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to see me. How did you even know that I was here?¡± I asked with a tinge of disappointment.

    ¡°Your scent gave you away¡­¡± He admitted, his eyeszily scanning my semi-nude body that wasn¡¯t covered by the robe, with glints of lust zing in them. ¡°Are you here to seduce me?¡±

    I walked towards him, settling on his thighs. His gaze returned to theputer, but it was for a good reason because he clicked on a button and the device went off.

    ¡°I want you, Dexter. A lot has happened that affected our intimacy. I know that you are worried about my health, but I was told that good sex is of great benefit to a pregnant woman.¡±

    He tapped his chin as if in thought, his lips pressed together. ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°My gynecologist.¡± I said in a rush, ¡°I don¡¯t listen to just anyone and if she rmends that, then we have to do it more often.¡±

    He said nothing but kept his lust-filled gaze on me. His expression was almost stoic so I couldn¡¯t tell what was in his mind. I ground his thighs backward, my ass rubbing his bulge which grew harder at the slight connection.

    ¡°I¡¯m just worried, sweetheart. I know that she might have said that, but your body is delicate-¡±

    I didn¡¯t wait for him to finish as I tossed away the robe, revealing what I wore underneath it. A gasp escaped his lips, encouraging me to continue.

    My fingers trailed to my corbone and I caressed it slowly till I got to my breasts. His face hardened, giving away no reaction but I could see the tension on his shoulders.

    I undid the straps of my bra, and a smile touched my lips as he watched it fall to the ground. My breasts were perky with need and they ached for his touch, but I had to be more persuasive so I tugged at my nipples as pleasure shot through me.

    He groaned, his fists clenching as he ogled at me.

    ¡°Is this persuasive enough?¡± I teased him and dropped to my knees.

    His brows arched in confusion, then his eyes widened when he realized what I wanted to do.

    A pool had formed between my thighs, wetting myce panties. I didn¡¯t take it off, rather I slipped a finger in and stroked my nub as a moan poured out of my mouth.

    ¡°Ahhhh¡­ Dexter¡­ I-I want you to take me.¡± I moaned, adding another finger as I tweaked my painful sensitive clit.

    The next moment, I found myself behind his desk with my panties being ripped away from my body. He pped my ass hard, which further heightened my arousal.

    ¡°I¡¯m the only one allowed to make you moan this way,¡± He growled, pping my ass harder than the first time.

    My walls clenched with need as I gasped, sucking in air then I heard the zip of his pants snap open. Without warning, his warm phallus found its way into my drenched pussy with a rough trust.

    I was bent over, so his dick went deeper than I fathomed, but I liked it. Once again, I felt alive and then he pulled out only to thrust in so hard the desk I leaned on shook.

    His fingers grazed my scalp, interlocking with my hair. He pulled it but not with so much force that I¡¯d have liked. I frowned as his anxiety wasing into y.

    I wanted him to be rough with me, but I couldn¡¯t ask for it because I wouldn¡¯t get it, so I went along with what he offered. Half-bread was better than none.

    His other finger found my clit and he pinched it as I hissed in delight, while a shiver ran down my spine.

    ¡°Will youe for me?¡± He grunted as he arched over, his length grazing my sweet spot.

    My eyes became dizzy immediately out of pleasure as my orgasm drew closer. Each thrust went harder than the first, intense and mind-blowing.

    And the magic he performed on my clit was enough to make me breathless. I gasped, panting heavily while my knees went weak with anticipation.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    The thrills of my impending release shot forward as he gave a final thrust that collided with my G-spot. The waves of my release rode through me as my body quaked without control.

    We rode together through my release, my walls clenching tight on his dick, and in a few seconds he shot his hot semen inside of me with a guttural groan.

    He kissed my earlobe, his dick limp inside of me.

    ¡°That was worth it,¡± He muttered with a sultry tone, then pulled out and swept me off my feet.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I rasped, my body tingled with excitement.

    ¡°You just aroused the beast in me, and this isn¡¯t the right ce to unleash it.¡±

 Payback I

    Dexter

    My heart thudded faster as I waited patiently in Doctor Luca¡¯s office for him toe with the DNA test result. I knew that Liam imed to be Lilly¡¯s father and he had several ways of proving it, but for some unknown reasons, I hoped that a miracle would ur and the result would be in my favor.

    The door made a creaking sound as Doctor Luca let himself in. I searched his face for a clue, but as usual, his face gave away nothing.

    He sank onto his seat and said nothing for some seconds, then he inhaled and fixed his gaze on me.

    ¡°The result is ready.¡± He announced like I didn¡¯t know already.

    ¡°Can I have it?¡± I asked curtly, getting cranky by the minute.

    He passed a brown envelope to me which I opened. A white paper fell out and I opened it, unwilling to drag the tension further. I scanned through the information, unable to make out what it meant until I got to the end and saw the statement of the result.

    My heart plummeted when I read that the probability of my paternity to Lilly was zero percent, hence I wasn¡¯t her father.

    I mmed the paper on the table, my jaw clenched as I took in deep breaths to calm my temper.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dexter.¡±

    I shook my head vehemently as I didn¡¯t want to be pitied by anyone. Emilia was already on her way to my office.

    ording to what I told her, she would be going on a pic with Lilly and me, while we reviewed our rtionship and talked about how to make things work. I couldn¡¯t wait to see how she would be enveloped with disappointment, because none of that was going to happen.

    It was a day of reckoning.

    A day to set things right. Something I should have done a few years ago.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Doc. Thank you for answering promptly. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± I sprang up to my feet and left his office.

    *********

    My eyes were shut, and my palms mped as I waited patiently for Emilia to buzz in with her disgusting aura. And she didn¡¯t disappoint me as the door went ajar and she flung herself at me without hesitation.

    ¡°Hi, Dexter. It¡¯s so good to see you once again. I thought you had forgotten about my existence because of that witch who doesn¡¯t stop throwing herself at you.¡± She snarled.

    It was hard for me not to react to the names she called Lorraine, but I had to y along just for the fun of it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been so busy with work, Lia, but I¡¯m here for you now,¡± I said calmly.

    She giggled, her lips parted out of surprise. I used to call her Lia when our rtionship hadn¡¯t gotten sour, so referring to her as that would probably raise her hopes again.

    I couldn¡¯t wait to dash them.

    She palmed her face in excitement, dramatically fanning herself with her hands.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you called me by my pet name. What happened to you? Or did you suddenly realize that I was the one for you and that Melissa is just a cheap whore?¡±

    I hid my frown with a fake smile. If she was observant, she would notice that it was fake.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you talk about her without calling her names?¡±

    She smiled coyly while fiddling with her fingers. ¡°She tried to steal me from you after everything I¡¯ve done to keep you, so she deserves it.¡±

    ¡°Mmmm¡­ So can you mention the things you did to keep me? I¡¯d like to hear them.¡± I stood up and walked to the front of the desk, then folded my hands while watching her gobsmacked expression.

    Her lips parted open as she tried to talk, but no word came out.

    I burst into cynicalughter, deeply enjoying her confusion. ¡°Have you suddenly forgotten the things you did?¡± I taunted her with every trace ofughter disappearing from my face.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Dexter?¡± Her voice shook.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve suddenly developed amnesia so I¡¯ll remind you, dly, of course,¡± I said with a dark chuckle. ¡°Where do I start from?¡± I tapped my chin, ¡°Oh, you coborated with Liam one time to kidnap Lorraine, but it failed, so you moved on to the next n which was poisoning her pizza while taking an antidote so that it wouldn¡¯t be traced to you.¡±

    She shrank backward, as blood drained from her face. ¡°How¡­ how did you get to know about all of this?¡± She trembled visibly, retracting her steps.

    What a dumb move.

    Did she think that I would let her go that easily?

    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± I smirked. ¡°When you saw that her barrenness didn¡¯t cause a dent in the feelings I had for her, you made arrangements with your father and kidnapped her on our wedding day. Then you framed her for killing my sister, and used my vulnerability against me.¡±

    Her face turned ashen as she clutched onto her bag, her mouth agape with shock. She tried to take another step but she missed a step, causing her to trip andnd on the floor.

    I crouched before her, staring at her coldly as I was too rxed to re.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do any of that¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± I silenced her with my hand raised. ¡°Don¡¯t even deny it because I have enough evidence to throw you into jail.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    She shook her head, her eyes watering as she dropped her bag and held my shirt. ¡°Please don¡¯t send me to jail.¡± She yelled. ¡°It would break Lilly¡¯s heart, and how do you think she¡¯ll feel when she grows up and finds out that you threw her mother behind bars?¡±

    I raked through my hair and got to my feet.

    ¡°She won¡¯t feel bad because she¡¯ll know beforehand that her mother was a liar, a thief, a murderer and a woman without value. Lilly has Melissa and I, and we will make sure that she never remembers your existence.¡± I said sternly.

    ¡°Lilly isn¡¯t even your daughter!¡± She blurted out of frustration.

    A brief chortle escaped my lips as I returned to my desk, picked up the test result and passed it to her.

    ¡°I know that already, sweetheart. Liam is her father.¡±

    She gasped, her eyes popping as she darted her gaze away from me and scanned through the paper.

    She sprang to her feet, ruffling her hair while pacing to and fro in my office. ¡°You are so sneaky, Dexter. I concur with everything you said, but I won¡¯t allow that whore to raise my daughter. I¡¯ll fight for custody with Liam and Lilly will be taken away from you.¡± She threatened.

    ¡°I thought you tried to kill Liam. How will you be able to fight for custody with him?¡± I dropped the bombshell.

    She swallowed, her eyes darting around with uncertainty, and then she bent and picked up her bag.

    With a sigh, she said, ¡°I have to leave now.¡± She spun around and traipsed to the door.

    I watched her turn the knob, while the door gave way, then I burst intoughter when she met the cops standing right in front of her.

    She whipped a backward nce at me, then returned her gaze to the cops and tried to move away from them.

    ¡°You set me up?¡± She asked with a shrill voice.

    ¡°Yes, I did, sweetie. It¡¯s payback time.¡±

 Payback II

    Melissa

    Seeing that everyone was already seated in the boardroom, including Leonardo and the rest of the staff, I stood up to address them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you are all wondering why I called for this impromptu meeting. It¡¯s because we have an important announcement to make, but before that, I¡¯d like to appreciate everyone who is working tirelessly to ensure that Hills Jewelry is back to the top again.¡± I said and they followed my speech with an ovation.

    I spoke to them with an air of confidence, passing nces at Leonardo who tried to hide his frown.

    If only he knew what I had in store for him today, he wouldn¡¯t be present at the meeting at all. But I found a way to lure him here, promising him that I was going to help him return to his former position.

    ¡°You all showed me love and unwavering support, and in these few days of working together, we have been able to convince Troy Golds to partner with us. The partnership will be more beneficial to us because of their influence in the market, but sadly, I won¡¯t be able to continue as CEO in the meantime.¡± I announced and the previously silent room became noisy with murmurs.

    The members stared at each other, muttering inaudible words of disapproval while I folded my arms.

    I nced at Leonardo who smirked and rxed on the headboard. Since he was sitting close to me, it wasn¡¯t hard for me to see the thumbs-up he shed at me.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Miss Rogers. Ever since you stepped into the leadership position, the fate of thepany has turned around for the better. We make good profits because of how well you¡¯ve been able to inspire the sales and marketing department, and the rate of our stocks has also increased. Please tell us why you want to hand it over to someone else, and who you have in mind.¡± Mrs () said.

    I took a deep sigh and leaned on therge desk. ¡°You all don¡¯t have to be worried about anything, because I¡¯ll be handing over to someone very capable. A lot of things are going on in my life presently, and I don¡¯t want to be inefficient, hence, the reason for my decision.¡±

    ¡°So who is it then?¡± She snapped.

    ¡°Rx, madam, they¡¯ll be here any moment from now.¡± I smiled curtly.

    A tap by my side got my attention, then I gazed at Leonardo, whose face had turned red. He probably wasn¡¯t expecting the twist, and I wished to tell him to sit tight because there was more from where it came from.

    ¡°This wasn¡¯t the n.¡± He muttered through his clenched teeth.

    The door flung open, with Mr Manor and Mrs Gonzales trotting in. I sank onto my chair and locked my gaze with Leonardo who pushed his chair backwards in a bid to run away.

    ¡°You!¡± He pointed at Mr Manor, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He yelled.

    Mr Manor ignored him, going through the copy of the documents I returned to him some days back. When he finished, he darted his gaze towards Leonardo and chuckled.

    I liked how brave he looked. The fact that he was not as broken and messed up as he was the first time I went to visit him, showed that he had gotten his life back on track.

    And I also noticed something else, which was the connection he had with Mrs Gonzales. I didn¡¯t mind any ways, because they both made a great team and they would help each other to heal from their traumatic pasts.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to make a formal introduction of both of them. Mr Manor, and Mrs Gonzales, can you both get up?¡± I asked politely and they did.

    ¡°Mr Manor here used to be my mother¡¯swyer. Miss Sarah Hills.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Half of them chorused simultaneously.

    ¡°How can that be possible?¡±

    ¡°You are Miss Melissa Rogers. How can your mother¡¯s name be Sarah Hills?¡±

    ¡°Miss Hills had only one daughter before she died and her name is Lorraine Hills. So why are you trying to impersonate her?¡±

    A series of questions were asked by some of the board members who were already riled up, so I had toe up with a quick exnation that might lead me to reveal my identity.

    ¡°I¡¯m not impersonating anyone, I¡¯m simply her daughter,¡± I stated casually. ¡°She gave birth to me and died by the hands of this wicked man seated beside me.¡± I pointed at Leonardo.

    His orbs widened in fear as he shook his head vehemently. ¡°I didn¡¯t do that, she is lying.¡±

    ¡°You say I¡¯m lying?¡± I scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of evidence to back up my ims, and I have them ready.¡± The screen behind me came on and the old video that was taken by Dante when I was kidnapped began to y.

    Everything he said, including how he killed my mother and nned to take over herpany was disyed.

    His eyes lit up with realization as he gasped loudly. ¡°How did you get the video?¡±

    ¡°I have my ways, Leonardo. And for your information, Emilia¡¯s pretty ass is locked up in the station. It¡¯s just a matter of time before the case bes official and the both of you will be tried.¡± I informed him, enjoying the horrified look that zed in his darkened eyes.

    I reveled in his fear, just the way he did while I was in pain.

    ¡°Just because of your selfish interest, you murdered Mr Manor¡¯s family in cold blood. He almost lost his sanity because of what you did to him.¡± My statement wasn¡¯t loud, but the hurtful tone behind it was enough to incite his guiltthat was if he still had a conscience. ¡°You bring nothing but pain to everyone around you, and that¡¯s why you aren¡¯t going to leave here without getting the due punishment. I told you that I¡¯d have my revenge, right? Well, here I am.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    His lips were parted as he slid down the wall he leaned on, sinking to the ground with beads of sweat cascading down his face.

    ¡°Lorraine? Are you back?¡± He asked with uncertainty.

    ¡°It¡¯s Melissa now. Only family members are allowed to call me by my old name.¡± I warned him sternly.

    The cops were already around, awaiting my order so that they coulde and whisk him away. Any other thing that I¡¯d say to him would be during his trial.

    I quickly sent a text to Inspector James and immediately, he trooped in with other cops, their guns raised in mid-air which were directed at Leonardo who raised his hands in surrender.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to do anything smart, Mr Jones. We don¡¯t want to do this the hard way.¡± Inspector James said with a very calm voice while approaching him carefully.

    Then he burst into a fit of scornfulughter, and in a fleeting second, he produced a gun from his pocket. My chest tightened as I hid under the table, knowing that I was his target.

    I could hear the chairs being shuffled, and the members scampered for their safety. I didn¡¯t me them, as they had seen firsthand how crazy Leonardo could get.

    ¡°If you people don¡¯t leave right now, I¡¯m going to shoot anyone I see.¡± He rumbled, as he advanced towards them.

    In total, there were about five cops in the boardroom, and I wished that they wouldn¡¯t fall for any game that Leonardo was about to y.

    They could shoot him dead for all I care.

    ¡°Drop your gun, Mr. Jones, this ce has already been surrounded by the American police. There¡¯s no hiding ce for you.¡±

    Leonardo¡¯s voice cracked, and then he let out his signature devilish chuckle that used to send shivers down my spine when I still lived with him. He was the definition of a psychopath who had crazy methods of making anyone do what he wanted.

    A gunshot resonated into the air followed by heavy footsteps headed towards the door. I raised my head and found Leonardo running out with the cops chasing after him.

    I palmed my forehead as fearced with disappointment enveloped me. Then I realized that he was on the loose, so he was still a threat to my family and me.

    Several gunshots rang outside, but they were of no use. He wasn¡¯t going to be caught that way.

    It had to end, and there was only one way to achieve that.

 Leave or fight

    Melissa

    It was over a week since Leonardo managed to outsmart the cops and run away, and I¡¯d admit that I lost my peace of mind ever since.

    He could be lurking around, patiently waiting for the right time to strike and I wouldn¡¯t know.

    I wanted it all to end.

    I wanted to live happily with my family, take a long break from work and just reap all the fruits of my hard work, but all of my wishes wouldn¡¯t happen with Leonardo running freely while his daughter was behind bars.

    Dexter came into the room with a brown envelope in his hands. Once he heard that Leonardo had escaped, he lost his peace as he aided the cops in searching for him.

    He had be a shadow of his handsome self, as he was more interested in keeping Lilly and me safe.

    ¡°Hi, cupcake, how was your day?¡± I asked as he sank on the bed and kissed my lips lightly.

    His hands moved to my abdomen which he caressed fondly. It was still t as the pregnancy hadn¡¯t gotten to three months. It was a good thing because I didn¡¯t want anyone to know that I was pregnant until the case was settled.

    ¡°Stressful, but I¡¯m fine. I can handle it.¡± His reply showed how exhausted he was, and I wanted nothing more than to relieve him of the stress.

    ¡°Do you want a massage?¡± I wriggled my brows yfully.

    He shook his head and passed the medium-sized envelope to me. ¡°I want us to talk.¡± He informed me while I was busy checking the contents of the envelope.

    Two passports slipped out of it; one belonging to Lilly, and another for me. I dropped them as I realized instantly what his intentions were.

    ¡°What are these for, Dexter?¡± I asked calmly, wearing a puzzled look.

    He held both of my hands, peering at me intensely. ¡°You can¡¯t continue to stay here anymore. You and Lilly aren¡¯t safe here and you know the reason. Leonardo is out for you and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll survive it if anything bad happens to the both of you.¡± His voice was soft, echoing his deepest fears, but I wasn¡¯t going to leave him no matter what.

    ¡°We promised to be together, so why are you suggesting that I leave?¡±

    ¡°For your safety, sweetheart.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not leaving. I¡¯m going to stay by your side until Leonardo is caught. This is my fight and I¡¯m not going to shy away from it like a coward.¡± I disagreed.

    He slowly retracted his hands, letting out an irritated sigh. He stood up, pacing quietly for a while then he stopped.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for you to be stubborn, Lorraine. You are carrying our babies, aren¡¯t you concerned about them?¡± His tone was low, but harsh with concern. ¡°Staying here all by yourself or even going to work without my presence is risky. He can barge in and hurt you and I won¡¯t even be here to save you.¡±

    ¡°And you think that I can¡¯t be found in the ce you are sending me to? How did you evene up with this kind of n?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°I met with your father today and he was really worried. He wants you to go to Mexico for a while. I promise it won¡¯t be for long-¡± His shoulders ckened when he saw my reaction.

    My emotions suddenly spiraled over, overwhelming my sense of reasoning. I knew that he was right, but I didn¡¯t want to agree with him.

    He was trying to keep me safe, but it felt like I would never be safe if we weren¡¯t together. I learned my lesson two years ago, and I wasn¡¯t about to allow it to happen again.

    I put on my robe and my pillow.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± His voice was deted as he ruffled his hair.

    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep with Lilly tonight. I just need to process the fact that I won¡¯t be with you for God knows how long because you want to protect me.¡± I said and shoved him aside as I traipsed towards the door.

    ¡°Are you really doing this? We are just having a normal conversation, why can¡¯t you listen to me?¡± He asked gently, his eyes speaking volumes of how hurt he was.

    My heart sank with guilt, but I couldn¡¯t go back on my word.

    ¡°Goodnight.¡± I shut the door and headed towards Lilly¡¯s room.

    **********

    Ever since I decided to break an unspoken rule in our marriage and went ahead to sleep in a separate room, my rtionship with Dexter encountered a rough patch.

    Our conversations were nothing short of mere greetings, then a barrage of monotonous questions and answers. He didn¡¯t even eat breakfast with us, and he always went to work earlier than usual.

    I¡¯d handed over my position to Mrs Gonzales even though I was still the owner of thepany, so I didn¡¯t have any concrete reason to leave the house.

    Most of my modeling jobs were put on hold as I decided to take a break from work. My body took it personally because I began to add weight gradually.

    The silence in the house got to me as Lilly was always engrossed in her toys, and the nanny wasn¡¯t always present. So it was just me and the almost empty house.

    I scrolled through my phone and saw Dexter¡¯s name. The need to speak with him washed over me, but what was I going to say to him?

    A call from my father came in, disrupting my heart-wrenching thoughts.

    ¡°Hello, dad.¡±

    ¡°Princess, you sound depressed. Are you alright?¡±

    I paused, taking a deep breath as I contemted on whether to tell him what was happening between Dexter and me, or if I should keep it to myself.

    I went with the former option as keeping it in felt like having a huge lump in my throat that would continue to make me ufortable until I let it out.

    ¡°Dexter wants me to leave for Mexico, and I don¡¯t want to.¡± I confessed.

    His deep sigh was audible. It was one of the things he did before advising me.

    ¡°You have to leave, Lorraine. I understand that you don¡¯t want to be away from him, but don¡¯t you think that a temporary separation will be better than a permanent one?¡± I stroked my chin in frustration because his words were getting to me.

    ¡°Dad, I-¡±

    ¡°Hold on, darling, I¡¯m not done. I was the one who made the suggestion and I¡¯d like you to listen to the both of us. We care for you deeply, Lorraine, so help us by listening.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to apologize to him because I kinda messed things up,¡± I uttered with regret. ¡°Thank you for calling, dad. Talking to you has lifted my spirit.¡± I admitted.

    We talked for a few more minutes then he hung up, leaving me to think of how to make a proper apology to Dexter.

 The agreement

    Melissa

    He came in, his expression glimmering with pure exhaustion. My eyes intently followed his sluggish movement as I tried to ovee the barrier between us so that I would wee him properly.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that you¡¯ll being back thiste. I¡¯ve been waiting.¡±

    His eyes darted to his wristwatch, then he palmed his forehead with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I lost track of time. Today was hectic, several things had to be put in ce and I wanted to oversee some of the activities by myself.¡± He exined calmly, while I peered at him, my jaws ckened in surprise.

    We were supposed to be having a beef, but here he was, exining how his entire day went even though his body screamed for rest.

    Strings of guilt gnawed at my chest as I fiddled with my fingers. I¡¯d beenpletely selfish, and that was why I couldn¡¯t notice that my husband was slowly losing his mind because of my problems.

    I wasn¡¯t even making things easier for him.

    ¡°Can youe over to the dining table? I made dinner for us.¡± My voice was weak as I expected him to reject my offer.

    The crazy and grumpy Dexter that I knew would snub me, so I expected the same reaction, knowing that I deserved it.

    ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m starving.¡± He admitted and I blinked once-no, twice.

    I was waiting for him to tell me that he had eaten to his fill in any of his favorite restaurants. It would have made me sad, but I would me no one apart from myself because I asked for it.

    He dropped his suitcase on the couch, pushed a chair behind him and settled in for dinner.

    His silence piqued my curiosity because I wanted to know how he could remain calm in the face of chaos. Even though I was supposed to give him a break so that he would enjoy his meal, the urge to ask my questions and tell him my decision enveloped me.

    I picked his silverware and put two pieces of steak, some sauteed mushrooms, a sprinkle of green sd by the side and a little serving of mashed potatoes.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    His steel expression cracked a bit as I ced his meal in front of him, with glints of amusement crossing his eyes.

    ¡°Thank God, I didn¡¯t bother to eat out. You didn¡¯t tell me that you were preparing a feast today. What¡¯s the asion?¡±

    ¡°I think you should dive in first, then we¡¯ll talk about the reason for the feastter.¡±

    He shrugged and dug into his meal. The lump in my throat settled as I watched him munch his food with so much relish. Dexter was a good cook, and I had to be extra careful while preparing his food as I didn¡¯t want to receive bad criticism.

    ¡°You amaze me, sweetheart, I didn¡¯t know that you could cook so well.¡± He stated, his voice sounding vague because of the amount of mushrooms he masticated on.

    I rolled my eyes as if his statement pissed me off, but my body reacted differently as threads of pleasure glided down my spine.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯m cooking for you. You just happen to have a bad memory.¡± I quipped.

    He chuckled, clearing the remaining sd off his te, and then he gobbled it down with a half-filled ss of red wine.

    I stood up to clear the dishes, but he was quick to stop me as he gently took my hands off them with a small smile. ¡°You¡¯ve fed me, please allow me to do this.¡±

    My breaths burst in and out with excitementced with a tinge of anxiety. What if he ignored me while I tried to bring up the issue?

    That would even be the worst scenario.

    I leaned on the door frame, crossing my arms while he washed the dishes. His rolled-up sleeves and the clinging of the shirt to his skin revealed his thick muscles that flexed with each movement.

    I couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore, so I went ahead to let it all out.

    ¡°You asked for the reason behind the feast, right?¡± I approached him with slow and cowardly steps, and then I stopped right behind him, my head inclined. ¡°I-I want to apologize for being childish and causing a rift in our rtionship. My reaction was uncalled for and I ignored all the work you¡¯ve put in to keep us safe because of my selfish reasons. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I muttered in a low voice.

    He heaved a sigh as his chest rose and fell. The ttering of the tes on the sink informed me that he had stopped washing the dishes, so I managed to lift my head.

    ¡°Lorraine, I¡¯m not mad at you¡­¡± He said in his defense.

    I raised my brows with a puzzled look. ¡°But you stopped talking to me and always came backte. I¡¯m surprised that you are willing to engage in a conversation with me today.¡±

    His body gave off a light tremor as he chuckled.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to upset you further by being around you, and work has gotten more hectic. I¡¯ve been signing a lot of deals and even though I¡¯m happy about it, I wish to have a more efficient assistant that would lessen the burden.¡± Hemented.

    An air of relief rested on me as I pushed closer to him and wrapped my arms around him. A whiff of his woody scent, mixed with his sweat wafted to my nose, arousing the throbbing desire to be with him tonight.

    ¡°So are you saying that we are fine, and there are no more issues?¡± I pouted my lips.

    ¡°Yes, but it won¡¯t be this funny the next time you decide to sleep in Lilly¡¯s room because of an argument.¡± He warned, his tone cold but loving. ¡°We are meant to be together.¡± He growled.

    I did a mock salutation and we burst intoughter.

    ¡°And about your suggestion concerning our trip, I think I¡¯m ready to go.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. You can stay here with me, I¡¯ll just make arrangements with Wyatt so he can send some of his security personnel to watch over you.¡±

    I shook my head, taking his hand into mine. ¡°I think we have to leave. I¡¯ve sat down to think about the gravity of our situation and I¡¯ve concluded that you are right. Leonardo can be lurking around without our knowledge, waiting for the right time to strike¡­ So when are we leaving?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°Tomorrow by 4 pm. You¡¯ll go on my private jet with two aides who will watch over you until Leonardo is caught.¡± He replied and tears gathered in my eyes.

    I couldn¡¯te to terms with the fact that we would be separated again.

 Fire in the house

    Melissa

    The sun shone brightly, the atmosphere bubbly and charged, but my feelings were the direct opposite as I worked on packing the rest of my clothes.

    It was past one pm, and it gradually dawned on me that in less than three hours, I¡¯d be leaving California for Mexico. Mexico was a nice country, but I wasn¡¯t sure it would be nice to me if Dexter wasn¡¯t there.

    What could I do about it?

    Nothing!

    The doorbell jingled, so I dropped thest pair of ck shoes I¡¯d selected as I didn¡¯t know what event I might be attending, even though I nned to stay indoors throughout my visit there.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    My chest tightened since I wasn¡¯t expecting any visitors, then I shook away my suspicion, reminding myself that if it was Leonardo he wouldn¡¯t being directly through the door.

    I took a peek at the peephole and found a man standing beside a bike with a box, causing me to frown.

    It was strange to see him because I didn¡¯t make an order and I wasn¡¯t expecting anything from someone else. But then, my eyes caught a glimpse of the bouquet of roses, glued beside the box and excitement swelled within me.

    There was only one person who could pull this off.

    Dexter.

    He could have brought it himself, but I guessed he liked to be spontaneous sometimes, so I happily opened the door and signaled the delivery man toe over.

    He carried the box along and the scent of the roses drifted to my nose. My cheeks heated as I anticipated Dexter¡¯s arrival.

    ¡°Please, sign here.¡± His voice had an eerie familiarity that made my knees weaken.

    My hands trembled immediately, but I refused to let my fear show, so I steeled myself and collected the pen from him. Quickly I signed that I¡¯d received the package, and hurried to get inside but I was restricted by the cold metal that was pressed against my neck.

    The delivery man pushed closer, his breaths which smelled of alcohol fanned my neck, inciting a stomach upset within me.

    ¡°You thought you could escape me, stepdaughter?¡± He growled, his tone mischievous and dark.

    I gulped as rivulets of sweat ran down my face, while I leaned on the doorway.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing in my house?¡± I hollered, hoping that my tone came out stronger than I sounded. ¡°You are a wanted criminal, do you think that this is the best ce to be right now?¡± I questioned as my heart thudded fast.

    ¡°I should be worried about that, not you, my darling, so go ahead and open that door before I do something nasty to you.¡± He threatened and I obeyed.

    If I wasn¡¯t pregnant and Lilly wasn¡¯t at home, I would have fought him. My only hope was in the nanny who was preparing lunch in the kitchen.

    His hold on both of my wrists was painfully tight, as he led me to the wooden chair and asked me to sit. I tried to be stubborn and I regretted it immediately as he sent a punch to my back.

    A wail flew out of my lips which I tried to hold back, but it was of no use because Lilly¡¯s light steps reverberated on the stairs, causing me to hiss loudly.

    Thest thing I wanted was for the psychopath to meet her, but it was happening right now and I couldn¡¯t do anything because he focused on tying me up like amon criminal on a stake.

    He dusted his hands after he was done, shed a sinister grin at me, and then directed it to Lilly who ran towards me. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve got you all tied up, we¡¯ll go into a question-and-answer session. I¡¯m sure it will be fun.¡±

    Anger burned within me as I red at him. Dexter would be back soon, but how long would it take for the man I called my stepfather to hurt me?

    I gritted my teeth, ensuring that my scowl was obvious. ¡°I¡¯m not answering any of your damn questions, and if I were you, I¡¯d run away with my tail between my legs without looking back.¡± I snarled and Lilly flinched. My heart sank as her fear became evident. ¡°Please return to your room, honey.¡± I pleaded, but she shook her head and leaned on my thighs.

    He chuckled mockingly and tapped the butt of his pistol on his palm.

    ¡°There¡¯s something that you are yet to realize, and that is the fact that I did my due diligence beforeing here. You don¡¯t know how hard it has been for me to live, constantly looking out for the cops so that I wouldn¡¯t get caught, and that is all because of you.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t me me for your misfortune, Leonardo.¡± I countered. ¡°You¡¯ve always been a greedy scallywag who doesn¡¯t want to work hard for anything. You are mentally unstable, and till this very moment, I regret the day my mother decided to marry you.¡±

    He bared his teeth at me, his eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. He drew closer to me, his aura threatening and scary.

    ¡°Oh, Lorraine, you shouldn¡¯t have called me unstable.¡± He cackled, walking around me leisurely still ying with the gun.

    I kept my gaze trained on him while working on the knot of the rope he tied me with. Along the line, my muscles began to ache as the knot proved difficult to loosen.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± My voice was sharp and void of fear.

    I was even surprised at my audacity.

    His brows arched as he reached for the box that was supposed to be for me. Then he yanked it open with so much force that the liquid content from a transparent bottle spilled out.

    He hissed in annoyance and picked up the bottle.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want it to happen this way, but you brought this upon yourself.¡± He snickered.

    I stared at him in confusion as my heart plummeted with fear. ¡°What are you talking about, Leonardo?¡±

    ¡°I wanted this to be slow and steady, but you just had to spoil my ns. I¡¯ve got a lot of things mapped out to do to you, and my body is charged with excitement so there¡¯s only one way you can escape from this trap that you set for yourself. Do you want to know?¡±

    Lilly was with me which meant that I had to tread carefully with him.

    ¡°I want to know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, stepdaughter. Withdraw the case against Emilia and me, and I¡¯ll disappear from your life for good.¡± He clicked his finger and I scoffed.

    My lips stretched into a doubtful smile. ¡°You really think it will be that easy to fool me, huh? Emilia is already paying for her misdeeds, and it¡¯s just a matter of seconds before you join her as well.¡± I quipped.

    His snicker transcended into a full-blown scowl as he waved the bottle at me. ¡°Don¡¯t you care to know what is in here?¡± His tone had a chill edge to it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    He shrugged, then uncapped it properly and spilled the content around me. ¡°This is the punishment you get for being so stubborn. In your next life, you won¡¯t joke with me.¡± He smirked evilly and produced a lighter from his pocket.

    I gasped, my eyes popping with the realization of what he was about to do.

    My heartbeat spiked as I struggled to loosen the rope. His cynicalughter filled the air as a me from the lighter flickered.

    ¡°No, Leonardo, don¡¯t do it. You¡¯ll hurt your Lilly.¡± I cried, ¡°I know that you hate me and trust me, the feeling is mutual, but consider your granddaughter.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will. That¡¯s why I¡¯m taking her away after your body is burnt to ashes.¡± He chortled and flung the lighter towards the flowing chemical.

    The house went up in mes instantly, as the pungent odor emanating from the liquid mixed with the smoke brought a choking sensation.

    The thick ck smoke formed a haze and spread around the living room while I coughed. Then I realized that Lilly wasn¡¯t with me anymore.

    My eyes darted around until I found Leonardo dragging her out of the house with her screams resonating to the roof.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take her anywhere!¡± I yelled, fiercely struggling to untie the rope, but it was toote as he had already made his way through the door.

    A warm hand touched my shoulder and I flinched as the nanny cut off the ropes with a razor de.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do something?¡± I hollered at her, my breaths bursting in and out as I fumed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be scared ma¡¯am. The cops are around already-¡±

    I didn¡¯t wait to hear the remaining information as I broke into a sprint, wading through the fire that spread widely. As I ran, the memories of how he hurt me slipped into my mind, fueling my rage.

    I¡¯d gotten to the facade and then I halted as Leonardo¡¯s back was directed at me with Lilly in his grip and a gun pointed at her head.

 Letéˆ¥æªš end it

    Dexter

    ¡°You need toe back home now, sir, Leonardo is threatening to shoot the madam.¡± Mary, my nanny, whispered with a note of urgency as if she was being restricted from talking.

    At the mention of his name, my heart skipped a beat and my palms became mmy with sweat. Not because I was scared of him, but with him in our house, my wife¡¯s safety wasn¡¯t guaranteed.

    I¡¯d gotten her message so there was no need for us to keep talking. I dropped the call and put Inspector James on the line.

    As the minutes passed, my anxiety skyrocketed, threatening to hit the roof. My previously distracted mind was transcending into a state of frenzy and I couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    He picked up after what seemed like an eternity, and if he wasn¡¯t a noble police officer, I¡¯d have thrown a punch at him.

    ¡°Hi, Mr Hemingway. How are-¡±

    I cut through the pleasantries with clenched teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not fine, Inspector James, Leonardo is in my house right now.¡±

    ¡°What? How is that even possible? How did he get in?¡± He threw question after question, fueling my anger further.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the appropriate time to ask such a question. What we should be thinking of is how to save my pregnant wife, inspector. Get your men out of the station, right now!¡± I ordered, ignoring the fact that he held an enviable position. ¡°All roads lead to my house,¡± I added.

    He wasn¡¯t able to reply because I hung up on him immediately and sprang to my feet. The documents the sales department wanted me to sign were left abandoned on the table, as I stormed out of my office.

    I wondered how I got home without running into an ident since I drove like a man on a wild goose chase. As I navigated through the busy road, my thoughts were clouded by just one woman.

    I imagined the kind of pain she could be going through with Leonardo directing his anger, after all, we put him on the run.

    The gate opened in the blink of an eye and I dashed in, hurrying to save Lorraine from him when I met a sight that caused me to halt on my steps.

    Lilly was visibly shivering, her nose runny as she wailed loudly. My eyes darted to Leonardo who had a sinister smirk stered on his face, his grip on Lilly¡¯s neck as he pointed a gun to the side of her head.

    ¡°Let go of my daughter, Leonardo,¡± I demanded, my voice authoritative.

    ¡°Why should I do that? She¡¯s my granddaughter as well.¡± He snickered.

    I nced at Lorraine whose face was covered with some ck substances, her clothes were burnt as well. Then I gazed at the house which was already in mes, the smoke circting in the facade.

    ¡°No sane grandfather would think of hurting his grandchild.¡±

    He rolled his eyes and shoved the front sight closer to her head, letting out a chuckle. ¡°Lorraine has called me that already and I showed her what it meant to be mentally unstable. Do you want proof of my insanity?¡±

    Glints of rage ran down my spine and I made to move forward, but a strong grip on my arm prohibited me from carrying out my intention.

    I spared the person a backward nce, then I realized that the cops were already in my house.

    ¡°Allow us to handle this, Mr Hemmingway. He¡¯s trying to bait you and if you fall for it, you¡¯re going to be faced with several consequences and at this point, he has nothing to lose.¡± He warned me.

    I stepped back as his words resonated in my mind.

    If I interrupted the operation, I stood the chance of getting arrested and giving the loser the chance to hurt my family once again so I had to think it through before taking any action.

    He patted my shoulder and took a step forward, his gun pointed at Leonardo.

    ¡°Mr Jones, this house is heavily surrounded by the police and unlike thest time, we¡¯ve got every loose end tightened so drop your gun and let¡¯s do this the easy way.¡±

    Leonardo scoffed and crouched behind Lilly. He ruffled her hair, leering at her like a pedophile.

    My patience waned, but I remembered Inspector James¡¯ warning so I steeled myself.

    ¡°There are two things I can¡¯t do, and the first one is dropping my gun just to bend to your rules. Secondly, I can¡¯t allow you people to take me to your filthy cell. I¡¯d rather die,¡± He grinned and nced at Lorraine then his eerie gaze stopped at me. ¡°But I won¡¯t be dying alone.¡± He cackled.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I probed angrily.

    ¡°What fun would it be to die without causing you pain?¡± He pointed a finger at me, then at Lorraine. ¡°Or her.¡± He smirked.  ¡°I don¡¯t know why she had to get everything while I got nothing. Thepany has been taken away from me and my house too. Even my daughter has been arrested and you think I¡¯d allow you all to have peace?¡±

    Lorraine trotted towards him, her face veiled with a cold mask and her steps fearless.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we end it now?¡± She whispered, though her voice could be heard by anyone close to her.

    ¡°Stay away from him, Lorraine!¡± I thundered, but she didn¡¯t listen as she kept advancing towards him.

    ¡°Why do we have to be scared of someone afraid of us?¡± She asked, sizing him up through her peripheral. ¡°If you wanted to do anything to me, you¡¯d have done it earlier.¡±

    I sighed, knowing that she was trying to get a reaction out of him.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy that you are smart, at least you know that I¡¯m here to end it. Honestly, I don¡¯t care about the state of Emilia, she could rot in prison for all I care, what matters is doing what I should have done some years ago.¡±

    The direction of his gun switched from Lilly to her.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°If you kill me now, I¡¯ll be very happy because I¡¯m with the people I love, which is something you can never have .¡± She replied.

    The smirk on his face dropped, and he said, ¡°I never nned to hurt you, sweetheart, it¡¯s going to be too easy. So I¡¯ll just go ahead and take away the life of the person you live for.¡±

    His words sounded inarticte until the gun was pointed at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but he has to go.¡±

    Nothing prepared any of us for the next thing that happened as he pulled the trigger, and I felt the impact of the bullet on my chest.

    I staggered backward with a blinding pain searing through my chest. A warm liquid trickled down my body and then I realised that it was my blood.

    My breaths became uneven as dizziness formed a cast over my eyes. My legs suddenly became light, unable to carry the weight of my body so I slumped onto the ground.

    Everything that happened around me felt surreal as I choked on my blood. Lorraine palmed my cheeks, her sobs echoing in my head but my mouth wasn¡¯t able to form words of constion.

    My vision blurred as I slipped into unconsciousness and even Lorraine¡¯s tears couldn¡¯t keep me away from it.

 He didnéˆ¥æª› die

    Melissa

    Blood drained from my face as the bullet went straight to his chest, causing him to slump to the ground.

    Leonardo pushed Lilly away and tried to break into a sprint, but he was gunned down by the cops who opened fire on him until his body was filled with bullet holes.

    If Dexter wasn¡¯t lying on the ground in the pool of his blood, I¡¯d have been rejoicing that the source of all my troubles was dead, but the sight of him in a lifeless state snuffed out any trace of happiness within me.

    ¡°Get the ambnce, please!¡± I roared, my heart plummeting as blood gushed out from his mouth.

    I held his hands, my tears forming a wet mask on my face as I caressed his head. His eyes were shut, but I refused to believe that he was dying.

    I sat on the ground and ced his head on top of my neck, then I tore the hem of my dress and dabbed his chest with him to reduce the rate of the blood flow.

    All the while I did that, my heart skipped several beats and my fingers trembled without control.

    Then I remembered Lilly.

    Lilly!

    She shouldn¡¯t be allowed to see such a gory sight. If she saw her father in this state, it would haunt her forever. Fortunately, Mary had scooped her up and they went to a silent part of the building.

    The firemen and the ambnce came together at the same time. I peered down at Dexter, whose body was turning pale and cold, and a scream burst out of my throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m here with you, cupcake. Please stay strong for your babies and I. Lilly doesn¡¯t want to lose you.¡± I sobbed, clutching tightly onto his soaked shirt until the paramedics came to us with a stretcher.

    I allowed them to do their job, then they wheeled him into the ambnce. They let me in, so I held his hand, speaking softly to him until my mouth couldn¡¯t form any more words.

    As the van drove on, the paramedics went to work, attaching the drip to him and stopping more blood from spilling out of his chest.

    ¡°Is he going to get better?¡± I probed, my voice cracked and edgy.

    The female paramedic who covered up his chest removed her gloves and stared at me sympathetically, then ced her hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Of course, he will be fine.¡± She stated, but her statementcked conviction so I didn¡¯t bother asking more questions.

    She was trying to make me feel better and giving me a reason to hope.

    We arrived at Doctor Luca¡¯s hospital at my direction and the stretcher was brought down and wheeled directly into the hospital while I ran along with them.

    The signature antiseptic scent of the hospital hit me, releasing some nostalgic memories, especially the first time I was hit by a car and went unconscious, then waking up to find Dexter looking all sexy in my ward.

    Fresh and bitter tears streamed down my cheeks as pangs of guilt gnawed in my chest. He didn¡¯t have to pay for the disadvantages that came with having Leonardo as a stepfather.

    Doctor Luca came right out to the waiting arena already geared up in his surgery attire.

    I dashed towards him, unable to hold back my sobs as I sped my palms together. ¡°Please, save him. Do everything you can and if you don¡¯t seed, you¡¯d better tell me so that I can join him.¡±

    For the first time, I saw him wear his emotions on his face. His eyes had darkened and his lips were pressed against each other as if he was stopping himself from letting the true state of his feelings out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs Hemmingway. Dexter will be joking around with you by next week, that¡¯s if he decides to heal fast though.¡± He chuckled, but I could see the fear evident in his eyes.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I muttered under my breath, but it was audible enough for him to hear.

    He gave a curt nod and walked away, leaving me in agony. If I could have my way, I¡¯d be in the theatre while they carried out the operation because I felt like I was going to lose him if I wasn¡¯t present.

    Knowing that I was treading on a dangerous path, I squashed the negative thoughts and locked in my pain.

    ¡°Nothing will happen to my husband,¡± I affirmed despite the little voices in my head that opposed my words.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Dexter is a strong man and nothing will happen to you.¡± I sprang to my feet and flung myself on my father.

    I wasn¡¯t sure the news of Dexter¡¯s attack had spread that far, but I was d that he was around. He was the only support system I had apart from Dexter, and having him with me brought the encouragement I didn¡¯t know that I needed.

    But another thing his presence did was make me vulnerable. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and let it all out, forgetting about my status in society and the fact that people could take my pictures for wrong publicity.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t picked the names for our twins,¡± I croaked with fear ringing hard in my voice.

    His gentle massage on my scalp seemed to take away the burden of the agony I felt. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, princess. He knows that you can¡¯t be a single mother. He¡¯s responsible for three children and he won¡¯t do to them what I did to you.¡± He referred to his past.

    Then I realized that the pattern was repeating itself.

    ¡°No! No! He has to be fine.¡±

    He said nothing and led me to the chair, yet, I clung to him as being alone increased my grief. I had to stop crying because it wasn¡¯t good for my babies, but how could I do that when the life of the man I loved was under threat?

    My father brought out a handkerchief which I used to dab my teary eyes. Then I blew my nose and rested on the backrest, patiently waiting for the surgery to be over.

    *******

    A gentle tap on my shoulder was all it took to rouse me from my troubled sleep. I nced at the wall clock which stated that it was past nine pm.

    I cleaned my eyes and then saw Doctor Luca walking towards my father and me. This time his expression gave nothing away.

    Just cold and stoic.

    Though his expression was unreadable, it meant something else to me. Maybe the surgery wasn¡¯t sessful and he was acting all cold to keep himself from breaking down.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    I didn¡¯t wait for him to get to us as I ran to him. My legs were wobbly, and my eyes ssy but I didn¡¯t stop till I got to him.

    ¡°How. Is. My. Husband?¡± I picked my words one after the other as blurting out the question could make me choke from my suppressed emotions.

    He inclined his head, his shoulders hanging loosely as he let out a deep sigh.

    I grabbed his scrub top furiously, my jaws clenched as I red at him with all the pent-up anger that was meant for Leonardo. ¡°Tell me!¡± I demanded.

    He lifted his face, his jaws ticking as he didn¡¯t bother struggling with me. I got a grip on myself and left his scrub after muttering an apology.

    ¡°We¡­¡± His lips quivered while my heartbeat raced, nearly exploding. ¡°Almost lost him.¡±

    For a moment I was unable to speak as the only words that resonated in my ears was ¡®lost him¡¯. My chest constricted and my throat tightened, then gradually, I recalled that there was an ¡®almost¡¯.

    At the realization, I sprawled on the floor, a scream bursting out of my throat. A warm hand touched my shoulder, a silent reminder that it was a hospital but I was too excited to keep my lips sealed.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t die?¡± My question came out as a whisper.

    Doctor Luca scooted before me, jutting my chin forward. ¡°I made a promise to you before I entered that theatre right?¡± He smirked, and I nodded absentmindedly. ¡°I think I was able to fulfill it, even though the odds were against me and the bullet was one inch away from his heart. Whoever shot him had him good.¡±

    My father helped me up as my knees were almost caving out. ¡°Thank you so much, Doctor Luca. You don¡¯t know what this means to me.¡±

    His cold demeanor returned as he nodded. ¡°Your husband is a fighter.¡± He acknowledged while I threw my arms around my father. ¡°You will be allowed to see him after he¡¯s been transferred to the recovery room where he¡¯ll be monitored closely. He lost a lot of blood and that will require some pints of blood to be transfused into him, but other than that he¡¯ll be fine.¡± He concluded and walked away.

    I did nothing else but sob, as peace saturated my heart.

    The enemy was dead, and my husband was alive.

 A new beginning

    Melissa

    I peered down at Dexter¡¯s sleeping face and sighed. Doctor Luca had constantly assured me that he would be fine, but I had yet to understand why he hadn¡¯t woken up already.

    If Leonardo had seeded in killing him, I¡¯d have resurrected his dead body and murdered him myself. I low-key wished that I was the one who shot him, but it didn¡¯t matter anymore because he was dead and gone.

    Staring at the tubes connected to his body caused goosebumps to cover my skin.

    He was in the situation because of me.

    My mind wandered as several thoughts filtered in and out of my head. Lilly hade earlier with Mary to visit him, but even her presence couldn¡¯t stir him up.

    No! He couldn¡¯t remain this way forever. He had to wake up.

    I took one of the chairs in the ward and sat beside him, entwining our fingers while I used my free fingers to caress his face lightly.

    He was still the most handsome man I¡¯d ever seen, even in unconsciousness.

    ¡°Cupcake, how are you doing today?¡± I asked, silently hoping that he would respond to me. ¡°I just want to tell you that I miss you so much, and I want you to wake up. I feel so lonely because you aren¡¯t here even though your body is. I miss your delicious delicacies and your grumpy attitude. You might be bossy sometimes, but I won¡¯tin anymore because you¡¯ve done something more important than that which isying your life for me.¡±

    Beads of tears trickled down my cheeks as I brushed his slightly bushy eyebrows with my fingers.

    ¡°Just open your eyes, cupcake. We have several appointments to attend, and I can¡¯t go on my own because I¡¯ll be too tired to drive. Don¡¯t you want to get updated on the growth of your unborn babies?¡± I sniffed and wiped my eyes with the back of my palm. ¡°We have a wedding to n, you know, and Doctor Luca said you¡¯ll be ying with Lilly and me by next week.¡± I pouted, then let out a giggle. ¡°You¡¯d better not make him look like a liar because I don¡¯t know if I can go on without you,¡± I admitted and felt his grip on my fingers tighten.

    I jerked in surprise, my eyes widened as I tried to retract my fingers, but he held onto me. His jaws flexed once-no, twice and his lips quivered visibly.

    My mind went into turmoil as confusion washed over me. The alert button was on the other side of the bed and I wouldn¡¯t be able to call the doctor if he didn¡¯t let go of me.

    I patted his shoulder gently, then lowered my face to his. Our lips met and I kissed him tenderly while trying to loosen his grip on my hands, but it didn¡¯t work, rather he kissed me back, his lips locking on mine.

    Excitement seared through my body as I broke the kiss and shrank backward. His eyes fluttered open immediately, and his lips stretched into a knowing smirk.

    ¡°Hi, sweetheart,¡± He grinned, his face pale.

    ¡°You scared me, Dexter¡­¡± I trailed off as the lump of emotions in my throat restricted me from speaking further.

    He gradually brought my hand to his lips and kissed me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Lorraine.¡± He said sweetly, then winked at me. ¡°You know, I underrated your romantic side. Your sweet words brought me back.¡± He admitted and I red at him even though I wasn¡¯t angry.

    ¡°So you allowed me to shed tears when you weren¡¯t unconscious anymore?¡± I fumed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s unhealthy for the baby?¡± I scolded him.

    I snatched my hand from him and folded my arms, looking away.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, honey. I¡¯ll make it up to you, alright?¡±

    My anger faded by the minute as I stomped my foot with an air of aloofness. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to alert the doctor that you are back to life.¡±

    I walked to the other side of the room and pressed the button, then sat beside him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again!¡± My palm was on his face as I tilted his face towards me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, love, but for you, I¡¯ll die over and over again. Because you¡¯re worth dying for.¡± He said and my lips stretched into a bright smile.

    Everything seemed surreal to me. A few minutes ago, I was praying that he would wake up and now my wish has been granted with the assurance that nothing like this would ever happen again.

    ¡°I love you so much,¡± I stated from a ce of sincerity as he raised his free hand to cup my face.

    ¡°And with everything in me, I love you too.¡± He replied and leaned closer for a kiss.

    The sadness and anguish that had been resting heavily on my shoulders for days vanished immediately, and hopeced with relief saturated my heart.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    Our passionate kiss was disrupted by the creak of his door. We jerked away from each other, while I tucked my hair shyly with a blush creeping to my cheeks.

    I spared Doctor Luca a backward nce and I discovered that he was finding it hard to maintain his stoic expression.

    ¡°For the past few days, you kept me on my toes with your unconsciousness, and the first thing I get to see on finding you awake is an intimate moment with her?¡± He tried to sound stern, but his voice came out yful.

    I said nothing, as I was too embarrassed to respond.

    ¡°It was her kiss that brought me back to life anyway, so you should thank her for doing the real work.¡± He joked and I pped his arm yfully.

    Doctor Luca sighed and rolled his eyes. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to have to run some tests on you, then you can continue once I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± He agreed while I stood up. ¡°But she¡¯s staying.¡± He said with a tone that left no room for argument.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, after all, she¡¯s your lifesaver,¡± Doctor Luca retorted with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°So she has every right to be here with you.¡± He said and we all burst intoughter.

    **********

    Just like Doctor Luca promised, Dexter was out a few dayster, and we were on our way back from the first court sitting. Since Leonardo was dead, Emilia would have to bear the brunt of her sins alone.

    Her father took the easy path, and I couldn¡¯t imagine the number of years she would have to serve if the judge decided on that.

    Lilly was munching on one of her favorite chocte chips while going through the picture book I bought for her. Dexter and I had both decided that we didn¡¯t want her to get used to the devices at such a young age.

    ¡°I want us to take us somewhere,¡± Dexter said as I was about to ask him why he took us through a different route from that of our house.

    ¡°Where is it?¡± I probed, then ran a thorough scrutiny on my dress and gasped. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me in advance? What if I¡¯m not properly dressed for the asion?¡±

    He chuckled and pulled over. ¡°You will always be gorgeous in anything you wear; be it a mickey-mouse-square-pants onesie, or an oversized T-shirt. But presently, you look so good that anyone who sees you will have to take another nce, and what you¡¯re wearing is just appropriate for where I¡¯m taking you.¡± He replied and I swatted his cheeks with a blush.

    ¡°You do know how to make me feel good by your words. I feel better now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my job, Mamacita, so hold on till we get there.¡±

    An hourter we stopped at a space ofnd where a chopper was. By merely ncing at his face, I knew it belonged to him so I didn¡¯t bother asking.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t done with the journey?¡± I asked as he helped me out of my seat.

    ¡°Nope, but with the chopper it would be faster.¡± He assured me.

    My curiosity heightened, and my toes curled with the suspense but I trusted that wherever he was taking us would blow my mind.

    The des of the chopper were already in motion and the breeze emanating from it caused my hair to toss around wildly. Dexter carried Lilly and together we got into it.

    It took off and I shut my eyes, resting on the crook of Dexter¡¯s neck. Exhaustion from the long journey slowly crept in so I shut my eyes and gave in to the tempting grip of a good sleep.

    ¡°Wake up, sweetheart,¡± Dexter¡¯s gentle voice disrupted my sleep and I jerked up, ncing around the new surroundings.

    We were in a different ce entirely, and I couldn¡¯t identify where we were. All I knew was that we were standing in front of a grand building that could be likened to a mansion. It stood alone withinwns, with beautiful trees bordering towards the end.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± I whispered and my eyes continued to rove over the beauty of the house.

    ¡°This is our new house.¡± He announced, ¡°I bought it after I found you again.¡±

    My jaws dropped and I quickly palmed my lips to stop myself from drooling. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked with excitement dancing in my voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± His brows were knitted as worry crossed his features.

    ¡°I love it, Dexter. How did you know that I didn¡¯t want us to be in California anymore?¡± My voice quivered so I swallowed and drew in a deep breath. ¡°After everything that happened, I wanted a fresh start, but I didn¡¯t know how to tell you because of your work. Now what I dreamt of has be a reality.¡±

    His thumb caressed my cheek as he stared at me lovingly. ¡°That means I¡¯m not only a good husband but a mind reader as well. We have been through a rough patch, and I want to eliminate the memories from our minds, but for that to happen we need to leave them behind and create new memories.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I love you, Dexter.¡± I croaked with a bright smile.

    He kissed the tip of my nose and said, ¡°I love you too, but you¡¯ll love me more once you see the interior of the house.¡± He winked at me. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±

 Epilogue

    ONE YEAR LATER

    ¡°You look so ravishing,¡± Mrs Gonzales cupped my made-up cheeks and nted a kiss on my forehead.

    ¡°Thank you, aunt.¡± I beamed with a smile as the veil was set on my head while she left the room to attend to something else.

    Aunty Rosa, as I fondly called her, had be a part of the family. I made her the CEO of mypany as she was more than capable of being a leader, and also, I also wanted topensate her for everything she did for my mother.

    I was fine with being a consultant and when she was ready to retire, I¡¯d take over. Since we moved to Colorado, my life with Dexter has been all shades of fun.

    The happiness I craved after losing my mother was restored, and never a day passed without me thanking the universe for granting me my wishes.

    And today, after five months of having my twins; N and Brian, I was ready to walk down the aisle and experience what a beautiful wedding felt like.

    I stood in front of the mirror and stared at how well my wedding dress suited me. It was a hypnotic silver sleeveless mermaid dress with beautiful crystalsced to the neckline. A string of light silver pearls formed a wavy pattern that stretched from under my bust to my hip.

    The matching grayce was hooked to my hip, flowing downwards which gave me a stunning princess look.

    Lilly came in with a wrapped box in her hands, her lips stretched with a cunning smile that she inherited from Dexter.

    ¡°What¡¯s this, mama?¡± I asked gently and bent down to collect the box from her.

    She smacked her lips and folded her arms behind her coyly. ¡°Daddy asked me to give this to you¡­¡± She grinned.

    I giggled loudly and shook my head. Seeing her speak more fluently than before made me proud, as I was almost sure that it would take two extra years for her speech to be more articte.

    Sometimes, I forgot that she wasn¡¯t my biological daughter because I loved her to the moon and back, just like Dexter who didn¡¯t joke with her and the twins.

    ¡°Oh, he did? Let¡¯s check it out, shall we?¡± She nodded and I brought her a little chair for her to sit on.

    I yanked the pink wrapper off and a gasp escaped my lips as I stared at the name of the brand that was boldly written on the box. A few secondster, I was staring at a fascinating pair of ankle-strapped sandals with silver glitters at both heels.

    It matched my dress perfectly and I couldn¡¯t wait to give him a rewarding kiss after we were done exchanging our vows.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Lilly chimed.

    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± I replied and put on the shoes in readiness for the wedding which was happening at the facade of our house.

    Yeah. After what happened thest time, we both decided to get married in our house. And that wasn¡¯t a problem since we had enough space to hold such an event.

    A knock came on the door and Aunt Rosa let herself in. ¡°It¡¯s about time, sweetheart.¡± She announced and covered my face with the veil.

    I drew in a deep breath as pangs of nervousness mixed with excitement seared through me. I picked up my gray and ivory rose butterfly bouquet and stepped out.

    The hallway seemed longer than usual as I traipsed through it, but I didn¡¯tin because it was worth the journey. Lilly walked in front of me as the little bride.

    The front door opened to the spacious front yard that was filled with the few guests we had invited. My eyes caught the sight of N and Brian tugging at each other¡¯s clothes while my father tried to separate them, and a chuckle escaped my lips at the cute struggle.

    I held the bouquet firmly, slowly trotting on the cream rug that wasid out for me to walk on, and my mind drifted back to the day I stormed into Eden¡¯s wedding. That day, I confirmed that I was cursed and nothing good could happen to me.This is from N?velDrama.Org.

    But here I was today, about to be properly married to my former high school bully, who put his life on the line for me, together with my father and myte mother¡¯s friends.

    I had three beautiful kids, two of which came out of my womb and made me aplete woman. My mother¡¯s legacy was still standing and the jewelry business was doing so well.

    Tears of joy spilled from my eyes as I found it hard to keep myself from bawling. Dexter¡¯s eyes met mine and he smiled softly at me with understanding and admiration.

    Then he left his position and strolled towards me, causing me to halt. ¡°What are you doing, Dexter?¡± I chided him gently. ¡°You are supposed to be waiting for me over there.¡±

    ¡°I know, but that is impertinent because you¡¯re minutes away from ruining your make-up. Well, I don¡¯t care because you¡¯re always beautiful to me, I¡¯m just trying to stop that from happening because you won¡¯t be happy if you break down in the middle of your ceremony.¡± He exined.

    I pressed my lips, unable to form words that would exin how much I loved him. ¡°Thank you,¡± My voice came out as a bare whisper, but I was d that it carried the motive of appreciation along.

    He stretched his hand and I reached for it. With our fingers locked, we headed to the tform to exchange our vows.

    ********

    As the clouds of darkness hovered over us, the yellow incandescent lights were turned on, casting a golden hue at the yard. The party went into full swing as I danced to every song ring from the speakers.

    Luckily, I had help with the twins so I didn¡¯t have to worry about taking a break from the fun and having to breastfeed them.

    I felt a bulge behind me and I steeled myself, knowing who it was. ¡°Where have you been, husband?¡± I smirked as he spun me around in this direction.

    His hand wrapped around my waist, and the other hand trailed mischievously to the dip between my ass cheeks. ¡°Around, watching you dance.¡± He whispered into my ears.

    My body shivered with thrills of pleasure as the sexy tone underneath his response resonated in my head. ¡°And you decided not to join me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d have liked to do that, but I just wanted to torture myself a bit, you know,¡± He took his arms off my waist and grabbed my ass. ¡°Contemting on whether to drag you back into our room or allow you to dance further.¡± He croaked.

    I bit my lips and shed a sultry wink at him. ¡°I¡¯m down for anyone you choose. I could rock you hard here, then grind on you upstairster. What do you think, huh?¡± I reached for his neck and circled his earlobe with my tongue. ¡°Dyed gratification won¡¯t be so bad after all.¡± I drawled.

    His grip on my ass tightened, further fueling the heat of passion that throbbed between my legs. ¡°I think I like the idea.¡± He growled with a dark smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m down for both options, but mind you, it¡¯s going to be a long night.¡± He warned.

    I jutted my chin upward and chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not scared, husband, I¡¯m counting down to the second you¡¯ll sweep me off my feet, dump me on the bed and make mad love to me,¡± I replied and wrapped my arms around him.

    ¡°Soon, baby, soon.¡± He replied and without warning his lips crashed on mine.

    THE END.

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