《Taming the Tyrant Young Master: His Feisty Little Angel》


 Chapter 1 - Heartless and Cold

    Tiana stood in front of this man, she was scared. All she remembered was being bundled up and thrown into the back of a van, she and her sister who was standing beside her now. He''s been staring at them not saying a word since they were brought in, and none of them could bring themselves to say anything to him.


    Tiana peeked at him for the umpteenth time, he had a dark aura around him which breathed fear, but that only highlighted his sinful beauty, he looked like he just walked out of a painting. From what her father had described of him, Tiana didn''t imagine that he would be this young;


    ''''your father is dead¡­ ''''


    His voice kicked her out of her thoughts and her gaze fluttered and she gulped; she traced his hand as they drummed on the table slowly as though he was counting every drum of his fingers.


    ''''Do you know what he did? '''' he adjusted on his position on the chair, supporting his head with his hand as he stared at them intently;


    Her father worked for this man, she didn''t know what exactly happened but her father owed him money and he had squandered the money on gambling and now he was dead, leaving the both of them to his accrued debts;


    Tiana bit her lower lip;


    ''''We''re trying hard to pay back the money, please give us more time¡­ ''''


    She spoke for the first time since they entered the room;


    ''''I never said anything about being patient¡­ '''' His voice was malevolent as he stared at them wickedly; Tiana took in a sharp breath.


    This man owed a multi-billion dollar company; surely what her father owed him was nothing to him.


    ''''We¡­ we don''t have the money now, '''' she looked at him with pain in her eyes, how did he want them to get that amount when he knew they didn''t have it? Was he that cruel?


    Nicklaus stared at the women in front of him and the only feeling coursing through him was anger. He gritted his teeth as he tried to appear calm, he could have forgiven anything but not that.


    No¡­ that man betrayed him to his enemies, he would never forgive that. They would surely pay for what he had done.


    ''''Then you have to pay some other way. ''''


    Tiana felt Gwen''s eyes turn to her, fear flashing through her eyes, what other way were they going to pay him?


    Gwen fisted her hands to her sides as she turned to look at him; he stared at them quietly, letting them drown in the fear of what was going to befall them, and then after what looked like hours, he finally spoke;


    ''''One of you would have to stay here with me as my mistress. ''''


    Tiana''s lips fell open and she gazed at him with shock, she could feel her tears threatening to fall but she struggled to hold it back in;


    Why was he this heartless? He wanted one of them to be a mistress for just a sum of money when he was obviously bigger than that? How could someone be this heartless and cruel?


    ''''We would pay back the money; please¡­ we just need time¡­ I promise¡­ ''''


    ''''If you can pay me now, then fine, if you can''t then one of you should prepare to be my mistress for five months. '''' He replied half-heartedly unfazed by the pain on their faces.


    Gwen turned to her sister in fear, she didn''t want to stay with him, no, anyone who was capable of doing this was a beast in the flesh; she thinned her lips as she imagined the hell that would befall her if he chose her.


    Tiana''s head fell as tears gathered up her eyes, it seemed he had made up his mind. She didn''t know what her father did so wrong for him to be this wicked towards them or maybe he was just a wicked and heartless soul? Maybe he just lacked humanity?


    She raised her eyes to him as she swallowed bitterly;


    ''''Who do you choose?''''


    Those were the only words that could leave her lips at that moment. They didn''t have ten thousand dollars and there was no-one to run to for help. They were orphans, their mother died when she was five and Gwen four, and since then they had only their father who had done a few menial jobs to send them to school, it was a few years ago that he began working for this man, and he had slumped to death after a recent gamble which didn''t turn out good and now they were left with not only this debt but a huge lot of other debts he had accrued. A painful smile slanted her lips as she blinked; trying to pull herself together. The last thing she wanted to do now was to cry, she didn''t want to give this man the satisfaction of seeing her in pain.


    Nicklaus stared at the duo in front of him; they looked the same age but one looked stronger. A small smirk slanted his lips as he shifted his gaze to the frail-looking one;


    ''''I want her¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened as he traced the man''s eyes to her sister, Gwen, and just that moment, Gwen fell to her knees, light pants leaving her lips.


    She was done for. Her dreams, her life, this was the end?


    She was going to spend five months with a man who she wasn''t sure would let her live? Five months with a total stranger, five months trying not to die while living in hell? No, no, she couldn''t do it¡­


    Why didn''t he choose Tiana? She was standing right here! She was the stronger of them, why didn''t he choose her?


    Gwen turned to Tiana with tears in her eyes;


    ''''Tiana please, I don''t want to be his mistress, please¡­ help me¡­ ''''


    She begged, tears falling from her eyes; Tiana was the stronger of them both, if anyone should go, it should be her.


    Tiana shut her eyes as she listened to her sister''s cries. She couldn''t let her sister do this, she was the elder, she needed to protect her.


    ''''Please, take me instead. '''' Her head fell as she pleaded, the tears she had been trying to hold in, forcing its way through her lids.


    Nicklaus scoffed; " I sure wasn''t stammering when I chose her; ''''


    ''''Please, I beg you, take me instead, I''ll do anything you want, just let my sister go, please¡­ ''''


    Only pain clouded her heart as she pleaded with him; as long as she would protect her sister, she was fine. she would do anything;


    Nicklaus watched them for a moment, and finally he spoke;


    ''''You can only save your sister on one condition/ ''''


    Tiana lifted her head to him and her eyes stared at him with a mix of pain and hope;


    ''''no matter what happens, you wouldn''t die in these five months, if you give up or you die or you go against our agreement in any way, I''ll have no choice but to take your sister as my mistress. ''''


    Tiana blinked painfully as she stared at the man who had a contented smile on his lips, she wondered how one''s pain would give him so much joy?


    Those were his terms and even when she knew she was about walking into a nightmare, she couldn''t help but nod;


    ''''Okay, I accept your terms.''''

 Chapter 2 - The Dark Room

    ''''Tiana!!!¡­ ''''


    Gwen cried as she watched the two hefty men take her sister away; Tiana turned her head and her sad eyes glanced at her sister, who was standing by the door, tears pouring from her eyes; Gwen wanted to run after her but she was stopped by a deadly-looking man, who dragged her out of the door;


    Tiana stopped moving as she watched her sister being hauled away; the man took her sister out of the house and slammed the door, making her shudder; she swallowed hard, trying not to cry again for something she couldn''t change; screeching her legs across the marble floor, she continued walking forward.


    The two men led her down the hallway and to a room on the right; one man walked forward with a bunch of keys; he looked at the room number and searched for the keys, after a little while, he found it and unlocked the door; before she could say a word, she was pushed inside; she fell to her face as she heard the ringing of keys behind her and she knew she had been locked in.


    She opened her eyes, and she realized that the room was dark; pitch black dark. She couldn''t even see her white hands; it was painful keeping her eyes open in such darkness, so she had to shut them and feel around with her hands; inching to the wall behind her, she curled up herself like a ball, shutting her eyes.


    Life had been so miserable so far. She was just twenty-two and everything, her dreams, ambitions, joy, hope, everything had been ripped away in the blink of an eye. If one had the right to decide one''s fate, she would have chosen to never have been born.


    The tears she had struggled so hard to keep in kept rolling down again; she sniffed as she rubbed her nose with the back of her hand; the air in the room was so stuffy and she was sweating all over but all of that didn''t matter at that moment; she wished it could all end quickly but sadly, her journey just started.


    She didn''t know for how long she lay there, eyes shut, and mind wandering. Because of the darkness, she was sensitive to every sound. She could hear the stomping of feet on the floor above her, the creeping of insects around the darkroom, and even the never-ending pumping of blood by her shattered heart. Soon she slept off.


    She woke up to the ringing of keys on the door; her body instantly sitting upright as she waited for the door to open; the light from the hallway illuminated a patch of the room as the door opened; she didn''t have enough time to look the person who had opened the door because as soon as a bowl of food was pushed in, the door was slammed close again;


    She sat still for a moment as she listened to the retreating footsteps;


    Tiana could not move, she had had nothing since morning but the last thing on her mind at that moment was food; she didn''t even have the appetite to eat anything, not to talk of eating anything that came from that house;


    And that was her routine for two days straight; crying, sleeping, and thinking; every day the door would open and a meal would be pushed in, three times in the day but she touched none of them; they never took away the former plates, thus the stench of the meal from the previous days became unbearable;


    When she couldn''t take it any longer, with the help of her hands, she pushed herself to the other end of the room which had not been contaminated with the foul smell;


    On the third day, she was already too weak; her fingers barely moved and her eyes remained shut for almost the whole day; fresh tears replacing the already dried streaks; she could hear the singing of the birds and she knew it was morning, then suddenly, the lights in the room turned on;


    She had not seen such brightness for three days, thus it was so illuminating that she raised her hands weakly over her eyes; the doors to the room opened, and she heard people walk in;


    Forcing herself to sit up straight, she glanced at them, there was an elderly woman in her fifties, and two ladies with her, the elderly lady watched her for a moment then she waved to the two women and they walked forward and lifted her up; and without waiting for her to stable her feet, they dragged along; Tiana didn''t resist them, she didn''t even have the strength to;


    Her feet scr.a.p.ed the floor as they pulled her limp body forward;


    She heard a door pull open, and she was dragged inside; the sweet scent of strawberry wafted into her nostrils and she lifted her eyes to look at where she was;


    There was a bath filled with water, steam was coming out of it, there was a maid standing beside it as though she had been waiting for her;


    ''''Strip! "


    The old lady commanded, Tiana looked at her and noticed her gaze was firm, there was not a hint of a smile on her face and she knew that if she didn''t strip, she would be forced to.


    She had not been n.a.k.e.d in front of so many people before and the way they watched her made her nervous; before she could raise her hands to her clothes, the old lady, running out of patience, instructed with the slight movement of her head; quickly the two maids who had dragged her in, tore her clothes off her body, one by one they fell, till she was left with nothing but her bare skin;


    Tiana looked down at her body, she hadn''t washed for three days and after being locked up for so long, she stank;


    As though they had already been prepped on what to do, a maid brought a stool and made her sit, another came with a toothbrush and paste;

 Chapter 3 - You do as you are told

    ''''Open your mouth ''''


    The old lady, who had not moved an inch from where she was standing since she entered the room, commanded;


    Tiana looked up at her and she saw that she was gazing down at her with so much ferocity that she knew she didn''t have a choice, her mouth opened immediately and the maid washed it, she was so thorough that Tiana felt blood seeping from her gums; she was still rinsing her mouth when a maid brought two little stools and placed in front of her; her brows creased as she wondered what they were for;


    ''''Place your legs on top of them; '''' the elderly woman''s voice rang in the room again and she did as she was told; suddenly the maid, pushed the two stools apart making her legs open wide;


    Her hands reflexively moved to cover her private part, the old lady seeing this, walked to her and gave her a resounding slap;


    ''''You do as you are told, young lady.''''


    Tiana could swear that she saw stars; she could hear distant echoes in her right ear where the slap had landed, and she blinked severally, trying to hold in the brewing tears;


    No-one needed to tell her to remove her hands; they shaved her private part till it was smooth like a newborn baby''s after they were done shaving her private part and armpits, the old lady pointed to the bath and they helped her stand up;


    The bathwater was hot as she immersed herself inside it; it smelled nice, like strawberry flavor and a bit of lemon; she soaked in the bath for about twenty minutes after which the old lady pointed to the shower area;


    Tiana was helped up to the shower, and a maid washed her body thoroughly;


    After she was washed, she applied a sweet-smelling lotion which made her skin glow almost immediately. After that, she was dressed in a beautiful cotton gown and her hair was blow-dried, after which it was beautifully styled.


    She was taken to a dressing table where she was made to sit as they applied some special lotions to her face; when her eyes met the reflection in the mirror, she felt her heart squeeze.


    If one could describe beauty in five-letter words, it would be Tiana. She was an epitome of splendor and magnificence. Her skin was as fair as the full moon and as beautiful as a twinkling star. She had those eyes, sea blue, and big with long beautiful lashes wafting from under her lids. Her stare could melt a thousand hearts.


    Her lips were every woman''s dream; those small but succulent red lips gave her face its perfection. She was a sight to behold.


    She was not too tall, but she had slender legs that supported her curvaceous body; but all that did not matter now, did they? She was to belong to a demon forever! If she could decide her fate, she would have been a measly beggar sitting by the roadside than to be his mistress.


    Tiana felt tears drop from her eyes and it fell on the maid''s palm. The girl paused for a second but continued applying the lotion.


    Afterward; she was taken to a dining room where assorted food was placed; a seat was pushed out for her and she sat down;


    The old lady sat on the opposite side of the table and watched her;


    The maids took out a plate and placed a lot of vegetables on it before placing it in front of her;


    ''''Eat up. You must be starved. ''''


    The woman said; surely Tiana was famished; and she knew that if she wanted to live for the five months and save her sister, she had to eat, so without grudging, she picked a fork and ate.


    The maids stood by and watched her eat until she was full; after the table was cleared, she was taken to a room on the first floor; and she was finally left alone;


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the door close behind her; she looked around her surrounding; it was an exquisite room, a long curtain covering the floor to ceiling glass window on the east, there was a large mirror just beside a couch, and there was the queen''s bed; the dressing table was filled with varieties of lotions and makeup, from a closer look, she realized that it was the same lotions that were used on her earlier that day.


    Sighing, she walked to the bed and lay down. Before long she drifted off to sleep. Tiana didn''t know how long she slept but she awoke when someone tapped her gently;


    Her eyes fluttered open, and she saw the elderly woman standing with a man who had a white coat on;


    ''''Good day, Young Miss. I''m here to run some blood samples. Would you sit upright, please? ''''


    He said with a small smile and Tiana sat upright on the bed; he opened his little box and took out a needle and syringe; he took twine and tied her left hand before cleaning an area where her bluish veins were most visible with a cotton swab soaked in an antiseptic.


    He pierced her skin and drew out blood, and in a matter of seconds, he was packing up;


    Tiana remained calm after they left; her heart was drumming against her chest. They had taken her out of the darkroom, cleaned her thoroughly, now they were taking her blood for samples; it could only mean one thing, she would sleep with the monster soon.


    The mere thought of that man touching her sent shivers down her spine; when she had agreed to be his mistress in place of her sister, this part did not occur to her.

 Chapter 4 - Seventeen Years Ago

    There was a pin-drop silence in the meeting room, as though there was no-one in, but in reality, there were eleven people seated on the long meeting table; five on each side and one sitting at the end; there was about two feet gap between the man at the table end and the other board members; as though he was infected with some kind of disease.


    He was busy with his phone as they waited for him;


    He was twirling a pen in his right hand; and although he carried a fearful aura, the female board members, couldn''t resist admiring the godlike sight; he wore a quiff hairstyle, but it hadn''t been styled for a while, thus a few strands flopped forward, stopping just below his brows, giving him a fresh messy look. His brows were nicely carved, and although he was looking downwards, his long lashes could be seen. He was putting on a sky blue body-hug shirt which was rolled up at the sleeves, revealing his athletic abs and muscled chest. The first two buttons of his shirt weren''t hooked and there was a visible tattoo on his chest which led downwards; although he was just twenty-five, he commanded an irrefutable aura.


    Suddenly, he dropped his phone and looked at the people in the board room;


    ''''Begin,'''' he said, reclining backward on the seat.


    A young woman in her early thirties, who had lost herself staring at him, staggered up from her seat, she blinked severally as she arranged the files in front of her;


    ''''The stock prices of Hilton Skies had risen by 10%; there was about 25% profit in the last month. ''''


    She said, passing a file to him;


    ''''Next ''''


    ''''The cargo arrived by sea yesterday, the factories had started work''''


    Another man said, standing up;


    ''''Next ''''


    Nicklaus said; still twirling his pen. There was silence; he raised his eyes to look at the board members and noticed that they were in a state of panic.


    ''''Next! '''' He repeated himself, this time, his eyes narrowing at them;


    A woman in her forties stood; her hands shaky; the other members'' heads were bowed because they knew what was to follow her announcement.


    ''''Warren Corporation gained an extra 15% of the¡­ Howells Shares, making them among the top 20 highest shareholders. ''''


    The pen twirling in his hand froze immediately and his eyes glanced at the woman who just made the announcement;


    Her head was bent and her hands holding onto the file for support, her face was already pale with fear and there were beads of sweat forming on her forehead;


    ''''What did you just say?''''


    Nicklaus sat upright in his seat; his brows narrowing;


    There was pin-drop silence in the large room, as the board members held their breaths;


    ''''Who sold those shares?! He asked, his voice ringing in the room; no_one could respond.


    ''''Don''t make me repeat myself; else this would be the last day you set your foot in this company. ''''


    His chest was rising and falling heavily, his eyes were already dark with rage;


    Knowing that he meant every single word he said; they stood up immediately;


    ''''They... they bought the stocks from the lowest shareholders, offering them at almost double the price, which was almost irresistible. ''''


    The Chief Accountant said, his head bent low; Niklaus rage was nearly bursting through his veins, he grabbed a pencil holder beside him and flung it across the table;


    ''''Get out!! All of you!! Get out!''''


    He screamed at them with rage as he stood up from the seat; they instantly scrambled out of the room; leaving him red with rage.


    His assistant was plastered to the wall behind him; he wished he could leave too, but that was not possible, he needed his permission to leave.


    Nicklaus breathed heavily, his head bent, and fists on the table.


    He was so angry, he needed someone to vent it on; turning around he saw his assistant fidgeting, almost hugging the wall.


    ''''Come here! Come here!! ''''


    Frederick hopped to where Nicklaus was standing;


    ''''Did you know about this? Did you?!''''


    He glared at him; riling a file towards him; Frederick narrowly escaped a cut as the file breezed past his face; he turned and picked up the file but didn''t respond.


    ''''I don''t know how you do it, I don''t care how you will do it, buy those shares back! Don''t appear before me until it is done, do you hear me?''''


    Frederick nodded and sauntered out of the room; as soon as he was outside, he heaved a sigh of relief.


    Niklaus fell back on his seat, his hands gripping the sides firmly; his bluish veins popping out to the surface of his skin. The flashes of what had happened seventeen years ago replayed in his mind.

 Chapter 5 - A Horror

    It was a sunny afternoon; he was playing with his sister and they played hide and seek; it was his turn to hide, and he knew the one place where she wouldn''t find him was in his parents'' room; so he sneaked into their room; his parents were taking a nap, his Dad had his hand around his mom; he could still remember the flower petals on the gown she wore; the red roses on the quilt, not a single memory of that day had blurred, they were still inscribed in his memories. Tip-toeing gently, he found his way to the wardrobe and hid; a boyish grin on his face as he thought of a million places his younger sister would look for him in their mighty mansion.


    He could still hear her distant counts; she was almost nearing ten, and he was eager to win this time; when suddenly she stops counting at eight;


    Thinking she might have stopped because she wanted to get him before he finds a place to hide, he smiled to himself; she won''t ever think of their parents'' wardrobe. There was still a grin on his face when suddenly the doors to the room pulled open and he heard footsteps march in; four armed men, wearing all black and a mask over their faces stepped inside, then there was a clanking of heels; his brows furrowed as he wondered what they were doing in his parents'' room and then he saw her;


    Catherine Wills; he could never forget the smirk on her lips when she stepped into the room; she walked to where his parents lay and woke them up; his father stirred and turned to look at her;


    He sat up in shock, his mom followed suit;


    ''''Surprise! '''' She said, her hands in the air and a wicked smile on her lips;


    ''''What are you doing here?! Who are all these people who let them in? '''' his father asked, seriously confused at what was happening;


    ''''Aren''t you happy to see me? '''' She asked, the grin leaving her lips, buried in her eyes was extreme hate and disgust;


    ''''What are you doing here? ''''


    As soon as his father asked again, a thunderous slap landed on his left cheek; making his mother shriek and tears falling from her eyes;


    ''''I''ve always wanted to do that. '''' Catherine said, and she swung her gloved arm in the air;


    ''''What do you want? '''' His mom cried as she rubbed on her husband''s face where he was attacked;


    ''''Can''t you see? Are you blind?! I''m here to kill both of you! ''''


    She said walking to the couch was opposite the bed, she sat down;


    ''''But first, I have to tell you something I want you to take to your graves. ''''


    ''''Catherine, don''t be stupid, you are making a grave mistake'''' His father said, this time his voice was sober;


    Catherine laughed wickedly; ''''that shouldn''t be your concern; you are a dead man already. ''''


    ''''I always wanted to be this woman; She said pointing at his mom; ''''I always wanted to be your wife; Jeffery. I loved you with everything in me; I got pregnant for you, so maybe you would change your mind and marry me; but no! What did you do?


    You chased me and my little boy away and married this filth! Is she prettier than me? Uh? What does she have that I don''t, uh? Why did you have to choose her!'''' She lifted a porcelain vase that was sitting on a table beside her and threw it across the floor. It made a shattering sound as it scattered into many pieces.


    ''''Catherine, you know that is not true, I gave you Warren Corporation as a compensation, and I never intended to have a child with you, you drugged me. ''''


    ''''Shut up!! '''' She blared, standing up from the couch; she paced around the room for some seconds, stabling herself;


    ''''Well, I don''t need you anymore, I have your baby now; and that means, I get to own everything you have! '''' She laughed hysterically; a little tear dropping from her eyes


    And you know how I will do that? I will kill you both now. You may be thinking, oh!, I have two kids, who would take over my companies ha-ha, sorry, I''ve killed them both! So you see, I''m just inches away from achieving my goal!''


    She laughed again, shifting her gaze to his mom; ''''You''ve always wanted to be with her, no problem I''ll let you have her, but that would be in your grave! ''''


    His mother burst out crying when she heard what she just said; Nicklaus was shuddering inside the wardrobe, he could not even move.


    She had killed his sister!! Tears gathered his eyes as he bit the back of his palm trying to force them back, he could feel the metallic taste of blood on his tongue but he couldn''t risk exposing himself.


    He watched her dip her hand into the inside of her coat and took out a small gun;


    ''''This gun right here, it is a paperweight, you won''t even hear a sound, neither would you feel anything, until your blood fills your mouth and you drop dead. '''' She raised it and removed the safety, then aimed it at his mother''s head;


    No matter how much he wanted to look away, he could not bring himself to. Nicklaus sat still, watching the woman aim a gun at his mother; he was helpless, thoroughly helpless.


    ''''Catherine, please, we can talk about this¡­ wait¡­ '''' Not interested in what he had to say; she fired the gun, but it wasn''t on her head, she had shot her in the neck.


    ''''No!! No! What have you done? What have you done! Lily! Lily! '''' His father cried as he held his mom to his chest; his mom was not dead yet, it was as though the woman had intended what had happened; she intentionally shot her in the neck to make her death slow and painful;


    His mom''s blood flowed like the water from a loose tap; splashing on the wall, the rose-colored bed sheets turned dark red in a matter of seconds;


    His father tried to stop the blood flow with his hands but it wasn''t working; his mother gurgled and choked on her blood until she died in his arms;


    Tears flowed from his father''s eyes as he watched his wife''s life seep away slowly;


    ''''My bad; I wasn''t trained to use a gun, but come on, why the tears, wasn''t it epic? ''''


    She asked; her laughs vibrating through the room;


    ''''Kill me and get done with it! You daughter of Satan!'''' His father screamed; his whole body soaked in his wife''s blood;


    ''''Oh yes, baby! I will do that now; '''' She aimed the gun at his head;


    ''''I hope in your next life, you make the right choice, goodbye Jeffery! '''' And poof the trigger went off and his father fell backward; his head fell just below the edge of the bed, which made his eyes stare straight at Nicklaus;


    Blood trickled down his forehead and dropped on the ground;


    ''''Find the boy! ''''


    ''''Yes, boss! ''''


    She stared at the corpses for a moment and then smiled victoriously before walking out of the room, the men following suit.


    If anything should be more damaging, it was the fact that he had to stare at his parents'' dead bodies for close to six hours before the police officers came by the house and rescued him.


    The incident scarred him for life; he lost every person he loved, his sister, his parents, in a single day, and he had watched them die and from then onwards his life became a horror. He didn''t speak for close to two years and when he finally came to himself, he was a shadow of his true identity.

 Chapter 6 - Afar off

    Tiana sat by her window side; staring outside; she loved the view of the huge estate from her window; a gardener was pruning the lawn, and there were three maids, sitting on a street bench under a flower shade, giggling about something; the air was beautiful; it took away her worry for a split second.


    When she had come for the first time, she was in so much panic that she did not look around the estate; it''s been five days since she was taken away from the darkroom, and knowing she would stay there for a long time, she had to get acquainted with her surroundings.


    The estate was a very large one, there were three gates guarding the estate, each of the mighty gates was guarded by over twenty guards, who kept watch, day and night. The estate housed three mansions and the Young Master lived in the Mansion in the estate''s heart, which was where she was staying too.


    The Mansion was very huge and vast; it had three floors; the maids and the house workers stayed on the first floor; on the second floor there was no-one staying; and on the last floor, the Young Master lived, alone.


    She wondered why no-one stayed on the second floor and the Young Master had the last floor to him alone, but then she waved away the thought, it was obvious, no-one wanted to stay close to a dreadful demon like him.


    Nothing had been said to her after the day she was released from the darkroom, she had thought she would meet him that night, so she had stayed awake all night, waiting for a knock on her door, but until morning, nothing had happened. It''s been five days, but yet she had not slept a bit; every night had been torture.


    She was still lost in her thoughts when suddenly; everyone started running; she stood up immediately wondering what was wrong; even the gardener, who was pruning, ran. She wondered if they had been attacked; and she quickly locked her door, her heart panting heavily, although part of her wanted it to be an attack so her terror would be over.


    Coming back to the window, she realized that no-one was in sight, not even the sweet little birds that were chirping on the beautiful blossom flower tree; then she saw a train of cars approach the mansion; she wasn''t acquainted with names of cars, but she knew that they were expensive; they were five in all; all black. The cars approached slowly and stopped at the mansion; the car doors of four cars pulled open and horrid looking men stepped out, they raced to the car in the middle and gently opened it;


    Tiana''s brows creased as she wondered who was so ceremonious that everyone had to run away; then he stepped out, he was looking at something on his phone as though everything happening was natural; he raised his eyes from his phone and said something to his bodyguards and they nodded in unison.


    She hadn''t witnessed him returning to the mansion since she started living there. That was the first time, so she didn''t know that it was the normal routine.


    She wondered how much evil he had done to imbibe so much fear in everyone; he could not see her from her window so she sat there and watched him talk to his guards;


    He looked normal from afar off; his dark eyes, the terror in them, his fearful aura, none could be seen from where she sat; without those features, he looked like a walking god; charming and breathtaking, but it was just afar off, on a closer look, you would see the monster for who he was.


    As though he noticed her stare, he turned towards her window; Tiana''s heart skipped a beat, but she was unperturbed, she had put off her light. There was no how he would know that someone was watching him. As though her instincts were correct, he looked away and started walking into the mansion.


    He had his separate dining room upstairs; in fact, he had everything he needed upstairs, thus Tiana waited for some minutes for him to retire up the stairs before leaving her room. After having dinner, she retired back into her room. She brushed her teeth and took a bath, changed into her nightwear; then lay down to sleep.


    She hadn''t spoken to her sister since she left that day; they had taken her phone from her the day they took her to the darkroom; she hadn''t seen those men since then, so she didn''t know how she would get it back. She wanted to know how she was faring if she was okay.


    Before she left, the people her father owed harassed them; she wondered whether they had come back again. Before long, Tiana drifted to sleep. She hadn''t slept in days, and her eyes felt so weak.


    She hadn''t slept for up-to thirty minutes when she heard a knock on her door; she waited to hear it again, and the second time, it was louder. Rubbing her muzzy eyes with the back of her hands, she stumbled from the bed and unlocked the door;


    The sleep in her eyes vanished when she saw Ma'' Lee standing with three maids on the other side; she had learned from the maids that the elderly lady''s name was Ma'' Lee and she was one of the Young Master''s trusted servants; Tiana wasn''t surprised, she was as wicked as her master.


    As soon as Tiana opened the door; the Elderly Lady pushed the door open and stepped in, followed by the three maids; one maid held a basket in her hand; Tiana noticed that clothes were wrapped inside.


    Her heart began beating against her chest; there was only one thing she could think of at that moment and although she didn''t want it to be true, there was no other explanation for their presence.


    ''''Go take your bath. ''''


    Ma Lee said, not caring to explain why they came.

 Chapter 7 - Take your clothes off

    Tiana''s lips trembled but she could not speak; she stared at the old lady for a moment;


    ''''I¡­ I just took my bath. ''''


    She explained; pursing her lips.


    ''''I''m sure you don''t want me to repeat myself. '''' Ma Lee said, raising her brows. Tiana bowed her head low and turned towards the bathroom; the maids looked at her with pity as though she was a lamb taken to be slaughtered; they could only imagine what evil she must have done to the Young Master to attract his venom.


    After taking her bath; the elderly lady pointed at some specific lotions on her vanity table; and she applied it; after which, a maid dried her hair, and after applying a sweet-smelling oil; let it fall to her back. A light makeup was applied to her face which stressed her beauty, but beauty was the last thing she wanted that night.


    After her makeup was applied, she was given the basket;


    ''''Put those on and follow me. ''''


    Ma Lee instructed; Tiana stared at the basket for a moment; his lips thinned into a straight line; inhaling sharply, she took out the long purple robe. She was already putting on lingerie, so when she tied the robe, it covered her whole.


    A maid helped her pull her hair from under the robe.


    Her heart slammed against her chest as she was led upstairs. When they approached the second floor, the three maids turned and went back downstairs; although they didn''t provide any safety, she was more scared now that she was left alone with Ma Lee. Ma Lee led her to the third floor and Tiana was stunned; it was as though the third floor was a different house altogether. In contrast with the bright colors and furniture in the first two floors, the third floor was monochrome_ black and white; there were dark paintings on the wall which sent chills down her spine;


    Everywhere was so quiet that she could hear the echoes of their footsteps on the floor; Ma Lee suddenly stopped by a large door at the end of the long hall, and she knocked lightly; there was no sound from the other side, she took her time and knocked again;


    ''''Come in.''''


    She remembered his voice, it was impossible to scr.a.p.e the sound of it from her memories. Ma Lee pushed open the door and led her inside;


    As expected; his room was black and white too, and it was vast. There were many partitions in the room; Tiana accessed her surroundings briefly;


    There was a black curtain covering the glass wall which faced the east; he had a mini parlor in his room and there were so many dark drawings on the wall, and in the middle of the large room was the enormous king bed.


    Tiana''s eyes fell on Nicklaus, who was sitting on a couch on the east, just beside the glass wall; he had his eyes glued on her as he inhaled a cigar; she noticed that there were about five cigarette butts on the glass tray sitting on a stool beside him.


    ''''I''ve brought her. '''' Ma Lee spoke solemnly; she was no longer fierce as she was when she spoke to her, even though her face bore no emotions, there was a drastic difference from how she always looked and spoke to the maids and how she was now, in front of him.


    Nicklaus didn''t respond; he tapped on the butt of the cigar in his hand, letting the ashes drop onto the plate. He didn''t say a word, but Ma Lee bowed a little and left. Tiana became more fearful after Ma Lee closed the door behind her.


    She could feel beads of sweat dripping from her face and her hands were fisted behind her as she tried to appear calm; he was far away from her, but his aura permeated every inch of the room. He had not spoken since they entered the room and even now that Ma Lee had left, he still did not speak; keenly smoking one cigar after another; the smell was repulsive, but that was the least of her problems at that moment.


    Nicklaus shifted his gaze from the lighter in his hand to the woman standing right beside the door; she had her hands behind her and from where he sat, he could tell that she was terrified. Who wasn''t scared of him?


    The room was getting too stuffy by the second; the man on the couch hadn''t spoken since she entered the room, his dark eyes kept keen on her body, as though she was a bird he was aiming to kill.


    The light in the room was bright so she could see his face; he looked tremendously angry as though he needed to vent his anger on something or someone;


    ''''Come here¡­ '''' His voice was cold and stern; he continued puffing the cigar as though he had said nothing.


    Tiana stood for a moment before she pulled her legs from the hard tiles underneath her and walked towards him; she stopped seven feet away from him afraid of getting any closer; her heart was pounding against her rib cage, and she could hear each thud on her ear;


    Her hands fell to her sides, but they were still fisted;


    Nicklaus raised his eyes to look at her, she was still far off but he didn''t ask her to come closer;


    ''''Take your clothes off¡­ ''''


    He said, picking a new cigar and lighting it. Tiana''s heart skipped a bit; if she had not heard wrongly, he just told her to take her clothes off.


    He would indeed sleep with her! Just the mere thought of it sent bile rising to her mouth; and she forced herself not to gag.


    Her hands were stiff, and her throat tight, although she didn''t want to do so, she knew she didn''t have a choice, that was what she had bargained for. Nicklaus was still smoking as though he had said nothing; and she was still staring at him, reluctant to do so.

 Chapter 8 - A heartless soul to match his icy heart

    His right brow arched, and his eyes shot daggers at her;


    Tiana stepped backward twice; her head bowed low;


    ''''I''m sorry, Young Master, I''m not prepared for this now, can we do this some other day?''''


    She thought she was strong; she thought she would be able to let herself do anything but she was utterly wrong, it was that moment, she realized how hard it was to give yourself to someone you hate to your very bones!.


    Nicklaus brows eased, and he dropped the cigar on the tray; relaxing back on the couch;


    ''''I didn''t ask for your opinion; I just told you to take your clothes off your body. ''''


    He said in a relaxed tone. Tiana raised her eyes to look at him; if he wanted to r.a.p.e her, he should at least have mercy on her v.i.r.g.i.n soul, and let her mind be prepared!


    He was still staring at her, some venom in his eyes, it was as though she was just a fun toy, as though he derived pleasure from the pain he was causing her.


    ''''Please, I beg you, I''m not prepared. '''' She explained; her brewing tears draining her voice; her throat tightened as she braced herself from crying. Nicklaus didn''t reply to her statement; he just kept staring at her as if to tell her she was wasting his time.


    Tiana looked down at her robe as her lips wobbled, maybe she shouldn''t have accepted to go instead of her sister; maybe he would have treated her sister differently since he chose her himself; just maybe¡­


    Her head filled with different thoughts as her trembling hands held onto the handle of the robe; she loosened it carefully and let it fall to the ground;


    Her white skin came into view; she had never been n.a.k.e.d in front of a man before, and the first man she would show her n.a.k.e.dness was this beast. She wished she wasn''t as vulnerable, she wished her father had made the right choices; she wished he didn''t have to be so stupid to have collected money from this beast in the first place! If he hadn''t, she wouldn''t be in that situation now.


    ''''Take off those too. '''' He said calmly;


    Tears filled her eyes; she stared at him with so much hate and disgust; she had never seen such wickedness in her entire life; but although she wanted to scream brimstones at him, she held herself; her hands fisting at her sides; she wanted to be strong but at that moment, he disgusted her so much that she knew it would mar her soul if he touched her, a tear escaped from her right eye;


    ''''Please, I beg you¡­ ''''


    She pleaded; although he was so heartless that she didn''t want ever want to beg him but she needed his mercy, if he could just let her go for that day, she would put the past behind her and forget everything he had done to her.


    Nicklaus was quiet. There was no emotion on his face; he stared at her trembling figure for a few minutes; then he spoke;


    ''''Do you take so long to remove your clothes, or should I call the guards to come to help you? ''''


    Tiana froze. Although she wasn''t expecting a positive answer from him; she was not expecting him to be so cruel. She had thought there was a little ray of light in his heart, but she just realized that he was in utter darkness. Black as hell; there was really no redemption. And the earlier she strips, the better.


    Taking in a deep breath, she cleaned her eyes with the back of her hands; and she decided in her heart. That would be the last time she would cry before him.


    She put her hands behind her and undid the bra, letting it fall to the ground; her hands fell to the sides of her panties and she pulled them down; stepping out of them.


    Her face was blank; there was no emotion on them; it was as though she was no longer herself; she was staring straight at him and straight into his eyes, but in reality, she was just staring into space.


    Nicklaus gazed at her for a brief second; then he turned to his plate and picked up his cigarette and continued smoking as though she was invisible.


    Tiana stood there, shame clouding her. She wanted to cover her chest with her hands, but how much would she cover? Seconds ran into minutes and minutes to hours, but he did not say another word to her; he smoked till he finished the cigarette box; then he turned to her;


    She was still staring at him with the same blank expression, but her teeth were clenched together as she counted the seconds as they passed by; she tried to think about something else other than her present situation.


    ''''If someone hurt you, what would you do to them?''''


    He asked mildly, staring straight at her face;


    Tiana blinked; ''was he asking her what she would do to him if she got the chance?'' She thought of a million wicked things she could do to him;


    ''''I''ll gouge out their wicked hearts, break their bones to tiny pieces and feed their bodies to wild dogs. '''' She answered staring straight at him, as though she wanted to let him know what she would do to him if she had the chance.


    Nicklaus thought for a moment and nodded; ''''That is good but it is not still wicked enough, put on your clothes. ''''


    He commanded; standing up from the couch and walking towards the large fridge in the mini parlor.


    Tiana''s gaze fell on her n.a.k.e.d body and her hatred for him knew no bounds. He never wanted to touch her; he just wanted to humiliate her beyond comparison. She wore her clothes back on one after the other and stood there waiting for his command; her eyes staring blankly at the black curtains.


    Nicklaus opened the fridge and took out a bottle of pills, he poured some onto his hand and swallowed them; and then he washed it down with a cup of water.


    Turning around, he saw her still standing there;


    ''''Why are you still standing there? Leave! '''' He commanded, his face scrunched up in anger. Tiana glanced at him for a moment before turning around; with gentle steps, she walked away from his room.


    As she walked back downstairs; she thought to herself; if she needed to survive with a beast, she had to become one. And that was what she was going to be, a heartless soul to match his icy heart.


    He just brought out a new side of her; she would see who gives up first.

 Chapter 9 - Playing with her skull

    The next day was Saturday. She had stayed awake for the greater part of the night before she finally drifted off to sleep.


    After taking her bath that morning; she put on a short gown, packed her hair up with a hairband, and left her room. She walked down the hall to the front porch; there were a few people insight and they were all busy doing one thing or the other; everywhere looked serene, so she guessed that he might be at home.


    Since she had nothing to do, she figured she might as well go check up on her sister in the small town and know how she had been faring.


    She passed by some workers and she greeted them politely; they replied with a wave, some with a smile. She knew the news of her being the master''s mistress must have spread among the workers, from the way they looked at her; she knew that they pitied her greatly.


    She hadn''t reached the first gate when she saw him; her heart skipped a beat. She didn''t expect to see him on her way out, so she was nervous, but she regained her stance immediately. He was playing archery, there was a middle-aged man holding his quiver for him; he had just fired a shot at the target when he saw her passing by. Tiana had just glanced at him for a second before continuing on her way; although as a mistress it was proper to let him know where she was headed she didn''t want to draw on his attention, if she knew he was there, she wouldn''t even follow that route.


    When Nicklaus saw her, something came on his mind and he turned and said something to the guard standing by the side; the man nodded and ran towards Tiana. When Tiana saw him approach, her heart skipped a bit.


    ''''Young Miss, the Young Master demands your presence. '''' The guard said and Tiana turned to look at Nicklaus; his expression was aloof, and he was still keenly playing with the bow. Her throat tightened, but she didn''t say a word; she just turned and walked towards him.


    After last night''s humiliation, she knew that he could do anything wicked and thoroughly evil, so if she wanted to stay for the five months and save her sister she had to do everything he said.


    Although she needed to see her sister; she would not ask him to let her go, he might as well find a reason to never let her see her.


    Her face was emotionless as she appeared before him; he didn''t glance at her much more than a second;


    ''''Place the chair in front of the target. ''''


    He commanded, and the guard took a chair and kept in front of the target.


    ''''Go sit there,'''' he said to her, picking up an arrow from the quiver. The middle-aged man was taken aback. Was he about to shoot her to death?


    Tiana stared at him for a few seconds; then she turned around and pushed her legs towards the chair and sat down. Nicklaus held the arrow to the bow; his index finger placed above the arrow, with the middle, and ring fingers below the arrow. He closed his left eye as he aimed.


    Tiana watched him; her heart slamming against her chest. Although she wanted him to kill her and end the torment she was in, but she was still afraid; afraid that she wouldn''t die immediately, afraid that it would hurt too much. He held the arrow pointing to her head. Visibly, Tiana appeared calm but there were visible beads of sweat forming on her foreheads, and her palms fisted on top of her laps.


    Nicklaus held the arrow, closing his left eye, he pulled it backward and after about three seconds, he let it go. The sound caused Tiana''s eyes to shut reflexively; as she braced herself for the impact. She felt something slice through her hair land on the wood behind her, and the next second, her hair came pouring down her shoulders; she had very long hair, so when it fell, it covered most of her face.


    Everyone froze as they waited for him to shoot her; their hearts in their mouths as they watched him let go of the arrow; the middle-aged man shut his eyes, not wanting to see what became of such a beautiful woman. He was Nicklaus''s butler, and he had been with him for years; he knew how heartless he was and he wasn''t expecting anything less; although he had not seen him hurt a woman, he would not be surprised if he hurt her.


    He waited for a scream, but he heard none; after three seconds, he opened his eyes only to see the lady with her hair covering her face. The arrow had cut through her hairband and it held it on the wooden target. Turning to look at Nicklaus, he saw him dropping the bow and going to take out all the arrows on the target and he heaved a sigh of relief. It would have been tragic if he had aimed lower.


    Tiana exhaled a breath she didn''t know that she was holding; she raised her hand to touch her head, but she felt no pain. He must be very good at archery to miss her skull so narrowly.


    ''''Where are you off to? ''''


    He asked, emotionless and with a plain voice, removing the arrows from the target.


    Tiana pushed her hair behind her ear and sat up in the chair;


    ''''I wanted to take a walk in the city; I haven''t been out for days. ''''


    She replied; her tone emotionless;


    Nicklaus took the arrows and walked back to the table; he put the arrows back into the quiver and gave the butler the bow;


    ''''From now onwards, you only leave the mansion when I want you to; and you have to be accompanied by my guards; is that understood? ''''


    He asked; tilting his head slightly;


    Tiana nodded; she thought for a moment, remembering something, she said; ''''your guards took away my phone the day I came here, can I have it back please?''''


    That was the perfect opportunity to ask for her phone, she might not get to ask him for it again.


    Nicklaus stared at her figure for a moment; ''''I''ll look into that. ''''


    He said and walked away, his butler and his guards following immediately.

 Chapter 10 - Young Master is Gay

    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief as she watched him walk away; thinking about it, she would have to remain in her room whenever he was home, to avoid him seeing a glimpse of her. Now, she can''t ever leave the mansion without him knowing about it. Sighing, she stood up, unsure of where to go to.


    She hadn''t taken three steps down the road when two guards approached her;


    ''''Young Miss, we were told to escort you out to the city this way Miss. '''' The guard pointed towards the first gate, as though to tell her to go on first. Tiana stared at both of them for a split moment before walking forward.


    At the first gate, a black car was waiting; the first guard sat in front with the driver while the other, sat with her at the back seat. Tiana was almost suffocating in the car, she would have preferred to go alone but now, there were three men wearing heavy cologne asphyxiating her inside a car! She can''t even breathe properly.


    ''''Where to? Miss '''' The driver asked, and she told him the address of their home. When they arrived, Gwen was hanging her clothes on the dry-line, she looked towards their direction when she heard some screeching sound and her brows creased, her face was in a panic as she wondered if they were among her father''s creditors.


    The car parked by the orange tree which provided a little shade and the engine went off; in the next second she saw someone step out of the car; her eyes widened in surprise;


    ''''Tiana, is that you? Tiana!! '''' she exclaimed happily, dropping the clothes in her hand, she ran towards her sister and flew into her embrace; tears dropping from her eyes.


    ''''I missed you! '''' She cried, holding her tight; Tiana felt tears seep from her eyes as she held her sister in her embrace;


    ''''I missed you too; let''s go in, we''ll talk inside. '''' She said, knowing that his men were there, she could not afford to say something indicting. Her sister got her signal and nodded.


    They entered their small home and locked the door, the guards remaining outside.


    ''''How have you been? How are you? Are you okay? Did he harm you? Tiana, I''m so sorry, I shouldn''t have let you go in my stead. '''' Gwen asked a lot of questions, guilt overflowing her.


    Tiana smiled; her sister was so gentle and harmless, she couldn''t even hurt a fly. Her eyes were scrunched up in fear as she asked a million questions; at that moment, Tiana knew within her she had to do all she could to survive. She wouldn''t let her sister go through what she was going through now.


    ''''I''m fine, I''m okay, Gwen, you don''t cry okay? I''m fine. Everything would be alright, okay? I''m sure he''ll soon tire of me and let me go; and then we''ll be free from the debt. I just have to be alive and sane for five months; then we''ll be free.''''


    Tiana explained with a smile on her lips; she was sad but she wouldn''t tell her sister that, she didn''t want her to worry. Gwen wiped her eyes; ''''You sure? '''' She asked; a hint of doubt on her face.


    ''''Yeah, I am. Has father''s creditors come by? ''''


    Tiana asked and Gwen let out a sigh;


    ''''She sat down on the couch beside her sister as she explained;


    ''''our neighbors heard what happened to us, so they opted to pay some debts, but there were still a few remaining, some came by to ask for their money and I promised to pay before the end of the month. ''''


    Gwen explained, and Tiana''s brows creased;


    ''''How do you intend to do that? '''' She asked wonderingly;


    ''''I work at the local restaurant down the street, I''m looking forward to using my pay, although it''s not a lot, it will go a long way. '''' She explained, and Tiana sighed;


    ''''It''ll be over soon, okay? Now that I''m staying there, I''ll look for a way to get something doing; I''m sure he wouldn''t prevent me from working, he doesn''t pay me, so I don''t see why he would prevent me from getting something doing. ''''


    She explained; although at the back of her heart, she feared that he might not allow her work. No matter how much she didn''t want to ask him for something, there was really no way she could not ask for something in that house. They talked for long before Tiana finally left the house, but not after promising to get in touch if she gets a job.


    When she went home, Nicklaus had left the house; she was relieved.


    She met two maids sitting in a shade and since she was less busy, and she needed someone to talk to, she joined them.


    ''''Hi, I''m Tiana.''''


    She introduced herself with a small smile;


    ''''I''m Bella, nice to meet you. '''' The first maid who was a little chubby with short hair replied with a smile;


    ''''I''m Veronica, nice to meet you too. '''' The other who had red hair said.


    Tiana was glad that they weren''t rude, although they looked at her the same way everyone had been looking at her since she came into the house; she didn''t mind.


    ''''Can I sit? ''''


    She asked, pointing to a spot beside them.


    ''''Sure! '''' Bella replied. She shifted a little, making enough space for Tiana to sit down.


    ''''I hear you are the Young Master''s mistress?''''


    Bella asked, her eyes wide open; Tiana nearly coughed; Bella was so straight-forward, it was as though she had wanted to ask her that question for a while now.


    Although she was surprised by her question, she nodded slightly.


    Bella turned to look at Veronica, as though telling her that their assumptions were true.


    '''' I heard that you were taken to his room last night¡­ ''''


    As soon as she said that, Veronica''s hand moved to cover her mouth as though to telling her she was saying too much; Tiana glanced at Veronica who had on a sorry expression but she didn''t blame Bella; she was just inquisitive.


    ''''Is that what everyone is saying? ''''


    Bella nodded, forcing Veronica''s hands away from her lips;


    ''''Yes, there was a rumor that the Young Master is gay so everyone was surprised when he brought home a mistress, and an exquisite one at that, most people think he is just using you to disperse the rumors,'''' Bella said in a hushed tone;


    Tiana felt like laughing, Bella was really talkative! She couldn''t blame Veronica for covering her mouth, but she had begun to like her already. She was the perfect tool for getting information.

 Chapter 11 - The Message

    ''''Is that so? '''' Tiana asked, her eyes widening in surprise; if the rumors are true, then it was good news for her.


    ''''Yes, the Young Master hasn''t been seen with any woman, so everybody presumed that he was gay, I think the rumors were getting too much so he wanted to silence it. I think his grandfather had got him a woman, but he didn''t want her, so he got a mistress so he could keep his grandfather off his matters for the time being.


    Tiana thought to herself; the explanation really made sense; he could have chosen a million things to do with them but he wanted a mistress; a mistress whom he would never touch. Now she thought about it, he never looked at her body the previous night! The more Tiana thought about it, the happier she became; if he was gay he would never ever touch her, right?


    And when everything had calmed down, he would let her go?


    That was the happiest she had been since she started living in the mansion.


    ''''¡­ and the Young Master is scary at night, how did you both sleep together?''''


    Bella''s question kicked her out of her thoughts;


    ''''What did you say? ''''


    She asked; her brows creasing;


    Veronica sat there, watching them, seeing she could not stop her talkative friend from gossiping.


    ''''You don''t know? The Young Master has a disease, he doesn''t sleep without his sleeping pills, and even at that he cannot sleep peacefully; his night is always troubled by nightmares, that''s why no-one stays in the second floor because sometimes, he sleeps walks and it was heard that he brutally injured a male worker who had gone up to the second floor at night.


    It was then we realized why no-one stays on the second floor. ''''


    Tiana was shocked, there were really many things she didn''t know about him; now she thought about it, she remembered seeing him swallow some pills the night before; so they were sleeping pills?


    ''''Why is he so wicked? Was he always like that?'''' She asked again; although she didn''t want to seem like she was asking too much, she wanted to know what kind of demon she was dealing with.


    ''''Well I don''t know, but I heard that something happened to him that changed him, but no-one knows. ''''


    Bella explained; Tiana wondered what must have happened to him to make him so heartless;


    She wanted to ask another question, but Bella and Veronica stood up;


    ''''Sorry, we have to go; we need to wash the vegetable for dinner. We''ll chat some other time! ''''


    Bella said with a smile as she walked away with Veronica.


    Tiana waved them goodbye, and she watched their backs disappear into the mansion.


    Her mind still on what Bella had said; maybe he was gay, he did not even glance at her body for the second time that night and he had sent her away with repulsion written all over him. Now she thought about it, he must have done so to disperse the rumors. But that didn''t change the fact that he had told her to stripe just to humiliate her! Thinking about it, her throat tightened with disgust. He really was a maniac!


    Tiana was still sitting on the bench when a guard approached her;


    As he drew nearer, she recognized him; he was one of the men who had locked her up in the darkroom, and her brows creased into a frown;


    ''''The Young Master says I should deliver this,'''' he said, handing over her phone;


    Tiana took the phone from him, without a single word to him; the man stood for a moment before he turned around and left; she took the phone and inspected it; it was as they had taken it from her but it was switched off;


    She turned it on and checked through her inbox for any messages; there were a few messages from Gwen and there was a message from a certain someone; someone that hadn''t contacted her for so long;


    Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at the message, reading it over and over again.


    ''Darling, I''m coming back tomorrow and I''ll be coming to see you once I get into the city, I''ll explain everything to you. Love you.''


    She felt a hammering headache as her eyes became blurry; ''How could he come back now?! She had been waiting for him for so long and he was coming back after she had accepted to be a mistress?! Why!


    Tiana''s hands flew to her mouth as she bit the insides of her palm, trying to hold in the tears;


    She checked the date of the message; he had sent the message that morning, which meant that he''ll be coming back the next day.


    Her heart beat against her chest rapidly as she thought of a million things about to go wrong.


    Adrian was her childhood love; he left the country for his studies and had promised to come back for her and she promised to wait for him; they had been in contact for a while then for over five months, he was no longer reachable, her calls could no longer go through and she wasn''t receiving any calls from him, and suddenly, he was coming back the next day?


    What was she going to tell him? That she was someone''s mistress now? How was he going to take it?


    Tiana couldn''t even think straight; she loved him so much and she didn''t want to lose him but if she refuses to be Nicklaus''s mistress, he would take her sister and she wasn''t sure he would let her live either.


    There was no way out; the only solution to her mess was to explain everything to him; if he would wait for her; she would come back to him after the five months is over when Nicklaus has no use for her anymore; since he was gay, there was no way he would want to keep her for too long.

 Chapter 12 - Dinner

    The next day, Tiana woke up early and waited for Nicklaus to come downstairs; the day before she had asked around and she was told that he goes to work by 8 am, so she woke up early and dressed properly and waited for him at the end of the stairs;


    She wanted to leave the estate, and he had told her she could not leave unless she told him about it; although she didn''t want him seeing her often, she had no choice.


    She stood there for about ten minutes before she heard his footsteps on the stairs; her heart beating rapidly as his steps approached, he was someone who couldn''t be comprehended, so she wasn''t sure what his reply would be;


    Nicklaus walked down quietly when suddenly, he saw someone standing at the end of the stairs; her head was bowed low. His brows creased, no-one dared to stay in his path whenever he was home, he wondered what gave that woman such effrontery. Pulling his eyes away from her, he continued down the stairs, but just as he was about to walk past her, she called him;


    ''''Young Master Nicklaus¡­ ''''


    Her voice was unstable, but she managed to ring it out loud; Nicklaus was stunned, she really got the nerve; was she new here, or was she eager to know what he could do to her?


    He turned to her, his brows creased; Tiana knew she shouldn''t waste his precious time, so she hurried over to what she had come for;


    ''''I want to leave the estate today, can I go? '''' She said lifting her head up to look at him; Nicklaus recognized her. She was the distraction he brought for his grandfather, it was just when he saw her, that he remembered that there was a family dinner at the ancestral home and his grandfather had told him to come with her.


    Without replying to her question, he said; ''''I''ll instruct someone to get you ready for dinner tonight, by six I''ll be coming home to pick you up, I want you to look your best. ''''


    He said and turned around and walked out of the house; Tiana was stunned, didn''t she just ask him to allow her to leave the house? How would he issue his own command without even giving her the permission she asked for? Or was that his way of saying that she could leave? And what did he mean by dinner? Was he taking her to meet someone, his grandfather perhaps?


    The more Tiana thought about it, the more certain she became that he was gay; there was no way someone like him would lack women, and for him to take a stranger to meet his grandfather under a pretense could only intensify the rumors.


    At that thought, she became glad, glad that he would surely let her go when the five months are over; a smile washed her lips; she would take his reply as permission to leave so she walked back to her room, a happy smile on her face; even though she was almost suffocating in that house, she would be happy now as long as he would let her go.


    Tiana didn''t have her breakfast, knowing that Gwen might go to her workplace, she needed to there before she left for work, after picking her phone from her room, she told Ma Lee that Nicklaus let her leave for the city; Ma Lee assigned two guards to her; and they escorted her to her home; when she arrived Gwen was about leaving for work, her brows creased when she saw her sister;


    ''''Tiana? What happened? Why are you here so early?'''' Gwen asked, glancing briefly at the guards who had come with her. Tiana walked to her and held her hand;


    ''''Do you have time? Let''s go in for a moment. '''' Gwen stared at her briefly and she let her take her inside the house; when they were seated, she asked again;


    ''''Did something happen? ''''


    ''''Gwen, he''s coming back today! '''' Tiana exclaimed; her lips pursing into a thin line as her brows arched into a sad frown;


    ''''I don''t understand, who is coming back? '''' Gwen asked, a bit confused by her question.


    ''''Adrian! Adrian is coming back today! What am I going to tell him?!''''


    Gwen''s lips fell open and her eyes widened in shock;


    ''''What?! I thought¡­ I thought he stopped contacting you, how? Why... When? ''''


    Gwen asked unanswerable questions; her head in a mess;


    ''''I don''t know, I don''t know why he came now that everything is in a mess!''''


    Tiana lamented, falling back on the sofa;


    Gwen was confused; a lot of things ran through her mind,


    ''''What are you going to do? ''''


    ''''The only way is to tell him what happened, but there is good news; ''''


    Tiana said; a relieved sigh escaping her lips;


    ''''What, what is it? ''''


    ''''I think, the young Master is gay, he cannot touch me. ''''


    Gwen was shocked; she could not believe her ears;


    ''''I don''t understand you, what did you say? ''''


    ''''Yeah, there are rumors that he''s gay. ''''


    ''''Wait, hold on¡­ '''' Gwen blinked severally; trying to comprehend what Tiana just said;


    ''''If he''s gay, why does he need a mistress? ''''


    ''''Well, people knew about his s.e.x.u.a.l preferences and rumors started flying around; and his grandfather heard of it and he got him a woman whom, according to the rumors, he did not want; so he is using me for the meantime to curb down the gossips and let his grandfather out of his matters for a while,'''' Tiana explained;


    Gwen nodded, but then she asked;


    ''''So if he is just using you to curb down the rumors; what did he mean by you shouldn''t die before the five months is over? ''''


    Her question put Tiana off guard; she immediately sat up on the couch;


    ''''That¡­ I don''t know, maybe he was referring to the torment I would go through in his house.''''


    Gwen didn''t want her to overthink it, so she immediately changed the topic;


    ''''all right, I''ll be going to work now, I''m already running late, you know where to drop the keys? ''''


    She said, and Tiana nodded.

 Chapter 13 - Dad is dead

    After Gwen had left, Tiana took out her phone from her purse and tried to call him, but the call was rejected, instead, she received an incoming call; and it was from him. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as she stared at the number, hesitant to pick the call.


    She was still contemplating on whether to pick the call when it ended and he called again; this time she took in a deep breath and answered;


    ''''Hello? '''' She said, unsure of how to start the conversation. If this had happened a month ago, she would have been shouting over the roof with joy, but she could only manage a hello which was still strained;


    There was a little shuffling on the other end and then he spoke;


    ''''Hello, Tiana, are you there? '''' He asked; his voice very sober. Tiana inhaled sharply, her eyes closed; she had missed this voice, so much, that hearing it now, brought nourishment to her sad soul, but her heart squeezed tightly, knowing that she couldn''t be with him now, not yet.


    ''''Tiana?''''


    ''''Adrian, I''ve missed you. '''' Tiana said; tears welling up in her eyes.


    ''''God, I missed you too; where are you? I''m coming over to the house I''ll tell you everything when I get there, are you home?''''


    Tiana nodded, but realizing that he wasn''t seeing her, she said yes.


    ''''Okay, ''I''m coming over, I love you. ''''


    ''''Love you too.''''


    She replied, and the call disconnected. Tiana stared at her phone for some time before tossing it aside on the couch; she wondered how he would react after she told him the news; would he end it with her? Would he wait for her?


    Her heart squeezed at the thought of him ending it with her. She didn''t know if she could handle the shock. But she would not force him to wait for her. What if Nicklaus didn''t let her go at the end? She would have hurt him twice.


    Tiana didn''t know when she slept off, lost in her thoughts; suddenly she heard a knock on the door;


    Her eyes fluttered so did heart; she stumbled up from the couch and walked towards the door;


    Taking in a deep breath, she unlocked the door;


    There he was; the man that captured her eyes from the very first day in high school; she had injured herself on the first day of school and she was limping back home when he saw her and asked her to climb on his back; she had refused because she saw shy and it was still daylight, she didn''t want people talking, but he had squatted down in front of her and pushed her on his back; ever since then, they had been inseparable.


    He always wore a particular hairstyle, but he had changed it now; although nothing much had changed in his looks; he looked more manly and s.e.xier.


    ''''Tiana¡­ '''' he called; a gleam in his eyes as his lips widened into a smile;


    Tiana blinked out of her daze; she noticed the flower in his hands and took it from him, and the next moment he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug;


    ''''I''ve missed you so much! ''''


    He exclaimed, twirling her around; Tiana hugged him around the neck; ''I''ve missed you too, Adrian. ''''


    She exclaimed happily; Adrian dropped her to the ground, but he didn''t let go of her;


    ''''You''ve added some fat! '''' He exclaimed, pinching on her skinny cheeks; Tiana giggled;


    He was used to speaking sarcasm, but she was already used to it;


    ''''Yeah, and you''ve thinned a lot! '''' She said pinching on his chiseled face;


    Adrian laughed, remembering something. He pointed at the car parked by the orange tree;


    ''''Tiana, who are these people? What are they here for?''''


    That was when Tiana remembered that Nicklaus guards had escorted her and they had seen her hug another man so passionately. She immediately held his hand;


    ''''Let''s go in first, I''ll explain. '''' She said, pulling him into the house;


    Adrian''s brows creased as he wondered what in the world would make such fierce-looking men to come to her home.


    ''''Oh Yes, where is Dad? And Gwen?'''' Adrian asked; looking around with a smile; Tiana''s dad was very fond of him; if Tiana told him he would come to the house that day, he was sure that he would wait for him;


    Tiana froze; it was then she remembered that Adrian had not heard about her father''s death;


    ''''Come sit. Have you had anything to eat? ''''


    She asked, tapping on the spot beside her with a strained smile on her face;


    Adrian smiled and sat beside her; he inched closer and pecked her lips;


    ''''Just seeing you have taken away my hunger; ''''


    He tried to deepen the kiss but Tiana stopped him; that was not the time for such things, there was a lot he needed to know;


    ''''Adrian, Wait¡­ '''' She said; pushing against her chest; Adrian stopped and leaned back on the couch. He had never forced her to do what she didn''t want to do, even when she said she wasn''t ready to have s.e.x yet, he respected her wishes.


    ''''We need to talk, there''s something you must know¡­ ''''


    Her face was no longer happy; he wondered what could have gone wrong, so he sat up on the sofa, his eyes keen on her.


    ''''Dad is dead. ''''


    She said, biting her lower lips to prevent her from crying all over again.


    Adrian watched her as though she had said something unbelievable; he wanted to laugh;


    ''''Tiana, I know you joke a lot but can you not joke about this? ''''


    He said, his lips stretching into a grin;


    ''''No, I''m serious. Dad is dead. He''s gone, Adrian. He''s no longer with us. '''' it took Adrian a few minutes to realize that she was not joking.


    ''''What? What did you just say? ''''


    His shockingly sad expression made Tiana cry, she blinked her eyes severally, but the tears kept pouring;


    ''''That''s not all. ''''


    She said;


    Adrian had not recovered from the previous shock, he turned to her wondering what other bombs she would throw;


    Tiana took her time forming her words properly in her head; she fisted her palms as she forced the words out of her mouth.


    ''''I¡­ belong to another man now. ''''

 Chapter 14 - Ill wait for you

    Adrian was beyond shocked when he heard what she said;


    He had not finished recovering from the news of her father''s death and she threw a more shattering news to him;


    He could not believe his ears;


    ''''What do you mean? ''''


    He asked; turning to face her; his eyes red and his face pale; Tiana seeing his expression could not bring herself to go on; she wailed;


    ''''Talk to me, what do you mean by saying that you belong to another man? I don''t talk to you for five months and you''re already in the arms of another man? ''''


    ''''NO!! '''' Tiana blared, trying to justify herself;


    ''''Then what is it! What do you mean by saying that you belong to another man? ''''


    Adrian was almost shaking from the pain; his heart was thoroughly broken; he had not contacted her because of his final medical exams; and as soon as he was through he came back and see her before his graduation, but when he arrives, she tells him this?


    ''''Father owed many people; and one of them is his Boss who is the CEO of Howells Corporation. ''''


    Tiana paused as she waited for him to comprehend what she just said;


    ''''You mean, he owed his boss too? The same one he said that is very heartless? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''He wanted to pay off his gambling debts, so he went to his boss for money because his creditors were on his neck; his boss lent him the money, and he promised to pay back by working for him but when he got home, we didn''t know that he was thinking of gambling again, in case he could double the money, but luck wasn''t on his side and he lost the whole money;


    He died from shock knowing what his boss would do to him if he found out;


    But his boss found out and came for I and Gwen; we didn''t have such money, so we promised to do anything to pay off the debts, there was no way we could have thought he wanted a mistress; we were of a very low status to be wanted by a person of such prominence; but he told us that one of us would have to be his mistress and I couldn''t let Gwen suffer, so I went in her place¡­''''


    ''''No No, why? How could you do this? Don''t you care about my feelings? Tiana, how could you do this to me? ''''


    ''''Adrian, I couldn''t let anything happen to Gwen, she''s my sister, and it''s my responsibility to ensure her safety!'''' Tiana cried, trying to defend her actions;


    ''''But there''s a way out, Adrian, '''' She said, stretching her hand to touch him but he pulled his hand away;


    ''''He''s gay. The CEO of Howell corporations is gay; he cannot touch me. ''''


    She said and Adrian''s eyes shot at her; they were just rumors but at that moment, she knew she needed to tell him something. SHe could not lose him.


    ''''Gay? I''ve seen that man on TV; he''s nothing close to gay, Tiana! '''' Adrian said with rising anger;


    ''''I''m serious; he''s just using me to distract his grandfather, he doesn''t even look at me; he hasn''t touched me. He''s gay; he''s just using me to curb the rumors. '''' Tiana trembled as she explained.


    ''''And so what? You''re still his mistress; someone as beautiful as you, you can turn a gay, straight! ''''


    Tiana shook her head; her hands trembling; she imagined a life without Adrian in it, and she knew it was not worth living; so she immediately threw her arms around him;


    ''''Please! Give me five months; I think he''ll release me after five months, please! ''''


    She cried, she really loved him and if he left her now; she didn''t know how she''ll cope with life.


    Adrian''s body was stiff for a moment before he loosened up and hugged her back;


    ''''Tiana, how could you do this? What if he never lets you go? What are you going to do? ''''


    Adrian asked; pecking her head; Tiana froze; he was correct; Nicklaus had only said that she had to be alive for five months, but he mentioned nothing about letting her go after the five months were over; the more she thought about it, the more afraid she became; she quickly shook the thoughts away.


    He would surely have no use of her then; besides even if he would need a wife for public distraction, it was not someone like her with zero background. People like him married their likes.


    ''''Adrian, he''ll let me go, he won''t have any use of me anymore and I''ll come to you when this is over. ''''


    She kissed his cheeks as she waited for him to accept her request;


    ''''Tiana, you know I love you and I will do anything for you? ''''


    Tiana nodded immediately; her beautiful eyes clouded with tears; Adrian wiped them with his thumb;


    He could not afford to lose her, not for anything.


    ''''I''ll wait; even if it takes five years, I''ll still wait for you, as long as you promise me you''ll come back to me? ''''


    Although he said that; something within him knew that she might not come back to him.


    Tiana nodded and hugged him again; ''''I promise, I love you Adrian. '''' she said; breathing in his scent she had missed for so long.


    ''''I love you too, Tiana. '''' They hugged for a while before Tiana remembered that he didn''t contact her for five months;


    ''''Yes, why didn''t you call or text for five months?'''' She asked; her eyes widening;


    ''''I was writing my exams; I just finished my final papers yesterday, and I hurried back to see you, because I''ve missed you so much. ''''


    Tiana''s heart warmed by his statement; she loved the way he thought about her;


    ''''I missed you too; I thought something had happened to you~ ''''


    She hugged him again; they discussed other random things before Adrian left.


    After he had left; Tiana waited for a while before she stepped out of the house; the guards were looking at her suspiciously but she said nothing to them; she walked to the backside of the car and entered with a straight face.

 Chapter 15 - The Dress

    ''''Miss, Ma Lee wants to see you. '''' A maid approached Tiana as she stepped down from the car; she remembered that Nicklaus had told her to get ready, so she followed the maid; Ma Lee was sitting on a couch in the living room, immediately she saw Tiana come in, she stood up;


    ''''Follow me. '''' She commanded and Tiana followed, walking behind her carefully;


    Tiana was taken to her room; but she could barely recognize it, many clothes heaped on her bed; by the side, she saw boxes of shoes, handbags, purses, pieces of jewelry to name a few; there were two lavishly dressed people in the room; a man and a lady;


    As soon as the door opened, they turned towards their direction;


    ''''Is she the one? '''' The man who had his hair styled like a woman''s asked; Ma Lee nodded and gestured Tiana to move forward; satisfied that she had done her part, she left the room, closing the door behind her.


    ''''Well, good day sweetheart, I''m a makeup artist and she is a fashion designer, we are one of the best in America and we are at your service today. It''s a pleasure meeting you. ''''


    The man said with a girlish smile as he brought out his hand for a handshake; Tiana looked at the hand and shook it lightly, but she did not respond;


    ''''All right! Time for business; our Boss says he wants you to look your best today; we''ve gotten so many beautiful dresses and accessories to go with them; you must try them one after the other; ''''


    He explained, pointing towards the bed;


    ''''You mean, I should wear all these? ''''


    Tiana asked; shock written all over her face; she was sure that those clothes weren''t less than a hundred; she had tried none, but she was already tired;


    ''''Um, if you find one that fits you perfectly, then you may not need to test all of them.''''


    Tiana sighed as the lady picked up a blue gown and gave it to her;


    ''''Start with this. ''''She said as she handed the dress over, Tiana went into the bathroom and put it on; when she came out the two of them were sitting on the sofa waiting for her;


    ''''How is it? '''' She asked; although the dress was too tight, she didn''t want to protest;


    ''''Not bad, but try this one; '''' She gave Tiana a pink gown;


    ''''Tell me if you need a hand in there. '''' She said, and Tiana nodded;


    Tiana continued trying the gowns until her hands ached; some of them the lady put aside and some of them she threw in the bunch; Tiana had tested over seventy, and she was already tired.


    ''''I''m tired; isn''t any of the ones I''ve tested okay? '''' She asked, her brows creased;


    ''''Well¡­ '' The lady said looking through the bunch she had put aside, suddenly her eyes caught a red gown that what sticking out from the pile that Tiana had not tested; she immediately pulled it out and raised it up;


    ''''Wow! Look at this; I think it''ll be perfect; the color is so matching your flawless skin! ''''


    She immediately threw Tiana the gown, and she caught it before it hit her face;


    ''''I think you''ll need a hand on that one, '''' She said and followed Tiana into the bathroom;


    In the next five minutes, they stepped out;


    ''''Wow! Wow! ''''


    The girlish man who was sitting on the seat with his legs crossed couldn''t help but exclaim;


    Tiana looked so drop-dead gorgeous in that red dress; it was a long gown with a small train; it had a low neckline which showed a sumptuous amount of her beautiful b.o.o.b.s; the dress was held to her body by some spaghetti straps which went all the way to the back, covering some miniature portions of her back, which was left bare by the low V cut of the body tight gown;


    Tiana had a beautiful curve which became more defined by the gown; she looked like walking s.e.x;


    ''''Which modeling company did you say you were working with again? ''''


    The makeup asked; she was so stunning that he mistook her to for a model; only models could have such looks and body;


    ''''I knew I got the right dress! Just look at you, you look like s.e.x on heels; I bet the Boss won''t let his eyes off you when he sees you. ''''


    The lady exclaimed, still relishing the wonderful sight.


    Her statement made Tiana smile; nothing of that nature would happen because the said boss does not like women. Although she knew this, she didn''t want to say it out loud; she just let out a small smile;


    ''''And I have the perfect shoes for this gown! ''''


    The lady exclaimed as she went to the pile of shoes and searched through them; when she found what she was looking for, she opened the box and took it out; it was a pair of nude heels, and as she had said, it matched perfectly with the gown on her body.


    ''''Yes! This is it, I just hope it''s your size.'''' She said and squatted in front of her, helping her with the sandal straps, and luckily it was Tiana''s size.


    ''''Wow! Wow! I deserve some accolades for this, just look at that!''''


    She smiled brightly as she admired Tiana.


    ''''Alright, we''ve gotten your dress and shoes, the jewelry are no problem, just leave them up to me.''''


    ''''We still have about two hours to six, so we''ll leave you to get your shower and apply your lotion but do not touch your face; leave that to me. ''''


    The man said with a slight wink and he stood up;


    ''''Okay. '''' She said as she watched them leave the room after they had gone; she locked the door and walked to the large mirror in the room.


    Truly, she was stunning in that dress, but she wished she was wearing them for Adrian and not for some wicked and heartless man, who derived joy in other people''s sadness.

 Chapter 16 - His heart skipped a beat

    Tiana bathed quickly and tied her hair in a towel; after applying her lotion, she tied her robe properly before stepping out of the room; when they saw her step out, they followed her in;


    ''''Now, time for my magic hand! '''' the man exclaimed with a small smile as he rubbed his palm together;


    Tiana sat on a seat as he worked, he first of styled her hair before working on her face; the smile on his face vanished as he worked; he was quick but meticulous and when he was through he shifted away from the mirror for her to see herself;


    ''''Wow! '''' Tiana couldn''t help but exclaim; she looked breathtaking.


    ''''Yeah, that''s my skills, baby! ''''


    The lady stood up from the sofa and smiled when she saw Tiana''s face;


    ''''Well, I''m not surprised; she''s a beauty to start with. Now, let''s get you into your gown and heels; we have less than thirty minutes to go. ''''


    The lady said as she picked her gown from the bed and the man excused them; Tiana wore the dress, and the lady fastened the straps to the back;


    When the man applied her makeup, she had selected some jewelry for her; so she took out the diamond necklace, earrings, and bracelet and helped Tiana with it.


    After that, she helped her put on the shoes;


    ''''Whew! You look ravishing! '''' She exclaimed;


    ''''Thank you '''' Tiana said with a faint smile. If only she knew how much she didn''t want to be there.


    ''''Okay, this is your purse, it goes with the jewelry. '''' The lady said as she gave her a diamond purse. Tiana wondered how much everything would cost; the rich were just so extravagant.


    ''''Oh, it''s barely five minutes; I''ll go check if he''s here. He says he''ll be here by six, just wait a minute. ''''


    The lady said and rushed out of the room, but as she opened the door, she saw the makeup artist standing there, about to knock;


    ''''Oh sorry, he''s here; he says we should bring you out. ''''


    Tiana inhaled deeply when she heard what he said; this was the first time she would be in the same car with him, in the same space with him! She didn''t know if she could withstand his frosty aura.


    Taking silent steps, she walked out of her room;


    Some maids were standing around, but when they saw her, all eyes turned to her; she was a sight to behold. Some wondered if she became his mistress because of her beauty.


    Nicklaus was standing beside his brilliant black Lamborghini Aventador; he wore a royal blue blazer with a black shirt over a black slim-fit suit trouser, his shirt had two buttons unhooked revealing some portions of his tattoo; he was on a call and he had his back turned to the house; when he finished the call, he turned around to know what was keeping the lady; then he saw her;


    Nicklaus''s eyes swept past her for a second, then it came back to her with a speed of lightning; her steps were gentle on the marble floor as she watched where she went; her h.i.p.s swayed from side to side as she approached him; Nicklaus could swear in his entire life, he had not seen someone as stunning as that; without realizing, his heart skipped a beat; something that had not happened in the past seventeen years of his life;


    He watched her approach him, his eyes transfixed, unable to pull away, but just when she raised her eyes to look at him, he looked elsewhere. Immediately, he opened the driver''s side and got in; a guard standing beside hurried over to the other side and opened the door for Tiana; she shot him a little smile, and she got into the car; after the guard had closed the car; Nicklaus zoomed off, not saying a word to her.


    Tiana held onto her purse tightly as he drove onto the road; there was not a single sound in the car, not even the sound of music; everything was just black, black like his devilish soul. She wondered how someone would feel so secure with so much darkness around him.


    Having nothing to do, she began counting the trees as they passed by; she needed something to take her mind away from the suffocating air in the car;


    Suddenly, Nicklaus swerved to a low valley and parked; Tiana looked around and there were no houses there, just grasses and little trees; she turned towards him with a little frown, wondering why he had stopped.


    Nicklaus put on the light in the car and turned to look at her; this was the first time he had really looked at her, she was so beautiful and innocent; her skin was flawless, he couldn''t believe that she had been living with him for over a week and he was just noticing how beautiful she was;


    Tiana blinked nervously as she became uncomfortable with his stare; she immediately looked away from him; her gesture made him come back to himself, he immediately pushed away those thoughts;


    He was someone who never harbored such thoughts; he had seen beautiful women, there was nothing special about her.


    ''''I''m taking you to meet my extended family and I''ll like you to know that my extended family consists of other nuclear families but not all of them are nice so you shouldn''t be friends with everyone.'''' He paused for a moment;


    ''''Now these are the rules;


    When we get to the house; I want you to act like we are a thing, do you understand? ''''


    Nicklaus asked, his brows creased a little; Tiana nodded immediately; although she could not possibly act like she was a thing with that demon of a man, she had no choice but to nod.


    Nicklaus paused for a moment, then he took out his tablet; the first picture was that of an old man;


    ''''This is my grandfather, and this is my grandmother '''' He said swiping across the screen;


    ''''This is Elizabeth and her husband; '''' Elizabeth is my father''s sister,


    You should be nice to these people, now any other person you see there, without my permission, do not have any conversation with them, is that understood?''''


    Tiana nodded; Nicklaus stared at her for a moment before he dropped the tablet and started the engine again;


    Tiana was confused; he just showed her those four people, so what of his parents? Were they his enemies too? ''''


    She wanted to ask, but she kept her questions to herself. They weren''t close enough for her to ask such questions.

 Chapter 17 - Family Hassle

    Tiana was lost in thought but when she felt Nicklaus slow down, she looked up in front of her; she had thought his estate was magnificent but what she saw in front of her was something else; she watched with great awe as the wrought-iron gates with ornate leaf design opened on their own accord; the grass smelt freshly cut and there were some drops of water on the blades as though they were recently watered, Tiana''s jaw dropped as they stopped in front of the exquisite mansion which had a beautiful fountain in front of it. It was at least five floors and it was definitely wider than two Nicklaus Mansions put together; Tiana couldn''t help but wonder how many people lived there;


    There were many other flashy cars parked there, Tiana wondered just how many wealthy people she would have to put up with that night.


    Nicklaus put off the engine and turned to her;


    ''''I''ll do most of the talking, you''ll answer only when it is very necessary, do you understand? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''Wait here. '''' he said to her; remembering that there were CCTV''s around the house and somebody could come out of the house, he needed to create a first impression;


    Stepping out of the car, he stepped around to her side and opened the door for her, he stretched out his hand to her to help her alight from the car, Tiana was shocked by his gesture but she remembered their act, taking in a deep breath, she took out her hand and placed it in his;


    His hand was warm and smooth to touch, contrary to what she had thought. As a cold-blooded soul that he was, she expected his hand to be icy, without warmth like his heart.


    Nicklaus held onto her and helped her alight from the car; after he closed the door, his hand slid around her bare back and Tiana quivered in shock, she really wasn''t expecting him to put his arms around her;


    ''''I''m sorry. '''' She apologized immediately, her eyes looked down in fear;


    They haven''t even gone inside yet and she was already flopping; but she couldn''t blame herself for responding that way; even her body knew that he was a beast, it wanted to avoid him.


    Nicklaus watched her for a moment; ''''As much as I don''t want to touch you, I have to, and like I said if you don''t behave properly and I get bored, I''ll take your sister. Is that clear enough? ''''


    Tiana''s hands trembled at his words, but she was holding her purse so it wasn''t noticeable.


    Her lips straightened into a thin line and she forced a nod;


    Just when Nicklaus was about to say another word, he heard someone speak;


    ''''Nicklaus, you came!''''


    There was a beautiful smile on the old woman''s face as she approached; she was elegant, and except for her wrinkles and her grey hair, she looked in her forties. Tiana recognized her as his grandmother, but she was prettier in person.


    Nicklaus turned to the direction of the voice;


    She walked to him and gave him a warm hug; although Nicklaus''s face was aloof, and with no expression, he didn''t refuse her.


    The woman turned to Tiana who was standing by his side, a sweet smile on her face;


    ''''Are you my grandson''s girlfriend? ''''


    She asked out of nowhere, her eyes wide open and a smile on her lips; Tiana''s cheeks flush red, she immediately faked a beautiful smile;


    ''''Ye...s Ma, I''m Tiana Peters, it''s nice to meet you Ma.'''' Tiana introduced herself.


    ''''Oh wow! Nicklaus said nothing about this, Nicklaus, why do you love to surprise us, and look she''s beautiful! ''''


    Grandma commended; her eyes curved in crescents.


    ''''Thank you, grandma, you look amazing too. '''' Tiana said, and Grandma chuckled;


    ''''Oh don''t flatter me; I''m too old for that,'''' she said with a slight blush on her cheeks;


    ''''Come, come on in, everyone is waiting to meet you. '''' She said and Nicklaus led Tiana into the mansion.


    Grandma trailed behind as she watched as her grandson enter the house with the lady.


    Her mind wandering off;


    Douglas, her second son, was ambitious. Now that Nicklaus had brought a woman home, she wondered what next he would try to do to take over his brother''s company.


    Douglas had told Grandpa that Nicklaus was gay and that being the CEO of Howells Corporation; he would ruin the image of the family and the company.


    He urged Grandpa to let him take over, but Grandpa had refused; instead, he called Nicklaus home and ordered him to bring home a woman unless he would lose control of the company to Douglas, his Uncle.


    The strife between Nicklaus and his Uncle began five years ago when he took over his father''s company.


    After his father''s death, Grandfather assigned Howell''s Corporation to Douglas, telling him to manage it until Nicklaus came of age while Nicklaus was given to Elizabeth, his Aunt, to be taken care of because of how close she was to his father, Jeffery before his death.


    Nicklaus said nothing about his father''s company for twelve years until five years ago; all the while Douglas was under the presumption that he didn''t want it any longer, since he never asked about it and never cared to know how the affairs were run. So when Nicklaus came home suddenly and asked to take control, Douglas refused to hand it over, because, according to him, he had put in so much work in the company and made it bigger and better than how his brother Jeffery had left it, so he could not let his hard work go. And the worst part of it all was that his brother''s company did way better than his, which made it much more painful.


    The last five years were hell for the Howell family before Douglas finally let go, but that didn''t mean that he didn''t have eyes for it. He was still looking for the slightest opportunity to get it back, but Nicklaus made sure he saw none.


    The only reason Nicklaus agreed to get a woman in the first place was because he didn''t want to lose the ownership of his father''s company to Douglas.


    She knew that Nicklaus wasn''t gay and why he was always iced-cold was because of his parents and only sister''s death seventeen years ago, although he had not spoken about anything he saw that day, she knew it had marred him to the very bones.

 Chapter 18 - Shes lovely

    Tiana breathed rapidly as they stepped into the massive living room, she could hear some people chattering in the room but as soon as the guard by the doors pushed it open, their eyes turned to the door.


    Nicklaus carried an eerily quiet air around him, such that when he entered the room with his hands around Tiana, everywhere became quiet. They watched them as though they were some alien.


    What made them quieter was the fact that Nicklaus had come with a woman! Nicklaus has never been seen with a woman before, so the sight was shocking to them. It took about thirty seconds for them to leave the slight daze they were in, but the shock could not leave their faces.


    He barely came for the dinners and whenever he did, he was always quiet and alone; he was so quiet that no-one even noticed him, but today was different, they suddenly couldn''t keep their gazes off him, or more like off the woman that he came with.


    Nicklaus pulled Tiana close to him as they sat down on a couch in the living room. He intentionally pushed some strand of her hair behind her ear, knowing that they were watching.


    Grandpa had two sons and a daughter. His late father, Douglas, and Elizabeth; Douglas is married to Michelle, and they have a son, Richard. He was the heir to the Douglas Corporation. Elizabeth had a daughter, Diana, who was an actress.


    Elizabeth and Douglas weren''t in the living room it was only the children, who sat on a couch saying some jokes but glancing at Nicklaus once in a while; Diana grew up with Nicklaus, but although they lived together for years, Nicklaus barely spoke. Diana could count how many times he talked to her in a whole year, it was worse in the first few years of his living with them, at first she thought he hated her until she knew that he was just like that.


    So even now that he had come in, she still didn''t know how to talk to him, so she remained there talking with Richard.


    ''''Nicklaus, is that you? '''' Elizabeth, Nicklaus Aunt exclaimed as she entered the living room; a brilliant smile on her lips; she had raised Nicklaus after his parents died, although he barely spoke, he was a little different with Elizabeth, he respected her a lot, so when he saw her come into the living room, he stood up from the couch and held a hand to Tiana;


    ''''Auntie, how have you been? ''''


    Nicklaus asked; a clear expression on his face. That was the mildest Tiana had seen him. It was close to a smile but then it wasn''t.


    ''''I''m fine! '''' She replied and looked towards Tiana.


    ''''This is Tiana, my girlfriend. ''''


    He said, putting his hand around her waist;


    Tiana forced herself not to appear nervous but her red ears were almost giving her off; luckily, Elizabeth was more interested because she was his girlfriend than her red ears;


    ''''It''s nice to finally meet you, Ma''am, Nick has said a lot about you. '''' She said with a sweet smile;


    ''''Oh my! She''s so pretty. Where did you see this jewel? '''' Elizabeth pulled Tiana in for a brief hug;


    ''''It''s nice to meet you too dear, hope my nephew is treating you well? '''' She asked, holding Tiana''s palm tenderly.


    Tiana blushed; she noticed that the two people on the couch were keenly watching them;


    ''''He''s trying his best, Auntie. ''''


    She replied; but just when Elizabeth was about to ask another question, grandfather called Nicklaus, interrupting them.


    ''''Nicklaus, you came for the family dinner, hmm¡­ surprising. '''' Grandpa walked into the living room with the aid of a walking stick and when Diana saw him, she hurried over to him and helped him into the living room.


    ''''It''s nice to meet you, grandpa. ''''


    Nicklaus said;


    Grandpa chuckled lightly as he sat down in front of the huge fireplace, Diana stood beside him.


    ''''I see you came with a guest, don''t you want to introduce her to the family? '''' Grandpa asked; Nicklaus sighted Douglas and his wife Michelle walking into the living room; his eyes swept past them but he didn''t fail to notice the shock on their faces when they saw him, well more like when they saw him with a woman.


    ''''She''s Tiana Peters, my girlfriend. '''' He said, leading Tiana to greet his grandfather.


    ''''It''s nice to meet you, grandpa.'''' Tiana greeted with a smile; grandpa nodded with a grin on his cheeks;


    ''''Well, you might be cold and ruthless, but at least I''m happy that you have eyes for beautiful things. Isn''t she lovely Maria love? ''''


    Grandpa asked when he saw his wife walk towards him; she looked at Tiana and smiled prettily;


    ''''Yeah, I said the same thing when I saw her, Nick really has good eyes! ''''


    Grandma commented;


    ''''They''ll make beautiful babies, don''t you think? '''' Grandpa said;


    Tiana nearly choked on her saliva; ''Make what!! Even in her next world she would never marry someone like Nicklaus!!'' but although this was on her mind, there was the most beautiful smile on her cheeks;


    ''''Grandpa! Let''s go eat, I''m famished! ''''


    Diana interrupted when she saw that nobody was talking about the food that was already served; she was the youngest child in the house, so she was naturally doted on and it made her act immaturely sometimes.


    Grandpa and Grandma laughed when they saw her scrunched up expression;


    ''''Okay, let''s go eat then. ''''


    Grandpa said;


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief as the topic shifted away from her. Finally, she could breathe.


    The dining room was very long and different sweet smelling delicacies were lavishly placed on it; the servers were still placing red wine on the table as they walked into the dining room;


    ''''Wow! Italian Cuisine! My favorite! ''''


    Diana exclaimed when she saw the contents of the porcelain bowls as the servers opened them; she rubbed her palms together, swallowing hard.


    Tiana looked at the bowls of food in front of her; there were many assorted foods that she didn''t know the names, but they looked delicious.


    She watched everyone serve themselves as they engaged in a minor discussion;


    She had eaten none of those dishes before, so she didn''t know what to choose, but then she couldn''t disgrace herself in front of so many people;


    ''''What do you want to have? ''''


    Suddenly she heard Nicklaus ask, she turned to look at him;


    His expression was mild, not as frosty as he always looked; she turned back to the table and pointed at the bowl of sausage dipped in pepper and onion sauce. He took a plate and placed some food on it, then placed it in front of her; in the process, his hand brushed against hers.


    Her hand shook reflexively, and she quickly brought them down to her laps. Nicklaus noticed her reaction, but he didn''t say a word. After placing the food in front of her, he took another plate and served himself the same food.


    Tiana waited a moment before she picked up her cutlery and began eating. She was glad that the other members of the family were laughing over something so they did not notice her flinch.


    But someone on the table, who had not spoken since the very beginning, didn''t fail to notice the little exchange.

 Chapter 19 - Clever

    It was Michelle Howell, Douglas'' Wife. She was sitting beside her husband, and although it looked as though she was eating, she was busy studying Nicklaus and Tiana.


    When she saw them in the living room, she was shocked; she knew that Nicklaus had issues with commands, and he barely listened to suggestions, so she was expecting him to disobey grandpa''s command, but on the contrary, he had obeyed him dutifully.


    As soon as she saw them, she knew that they weren''t together; she knew that Grandpa knew it too, but he just wanted to support him. He was always on his side from the beginning!


    Her heart squeezed as she thought about how much her husband had worked to get Howells Corporation to where it was now. And Nicklaus just came out of the blues and demanded to take it back? After twelve whole years! Grandpa just used her husband as a pawn, a pawn to build his first son''s company!


    He had a liking towards Jeffery, Nicholas'' father, and had favored him ever since childhood. His death was the hardest nut to chew; he was greatly pained; he had assigned his company to her husband to manage until Nicklaus was of age and for twelve years, no-one said anything about the affairs of the company, her husband toiled day and night, working on his brother''s company, only for Nicklaus to come up five years ago and demand the company back!


    She couldn''t take it. They couldn''t take it. The Douglas Corporation wasn''t doing as good as Howells. Not knowing what to do, they had gone to grandpa in case he could support them, they even agreed to give Douglas Corporation to Nicklaus as a compensation, but Grandpa had refused, saying that it was his right and he deserved to take it. Ha!


    Now it became his right. When they were toiling their asses off for twelve years, no-one remembered rights; and now that they had a chance to the company, he still paved a way for his grandson as always! But this was just the beginning, as long as she was still breathing, her husband must surely take what is his!


    She stared at Tiana for a while; she studied her and how she carried herself in the room; then suddenly she thought of something;


    ''''Dear, what did you say is your name?'''' She asked, stretching her hand, she held Tiana''s hand, which she had kept on the table;


    Tiana''s eyes looked up at the woman, and seeing that she was not among the faces Nicklaus had shown her earlier, she withdrew her hand carefully from the woman''s grip;


    But it was a bit late, Michelle already got what she was looking for; she held Tiana''s palm so she could feel the insides;


    Although it was soft and smooth; she knew how the hands of the rich felt like; like hands which never knew work or suffering, but Tiana''s hands were a little different and she knew that she was from no rich family.


    Tiana did not respond, she picked her glass of water and drank from it; to let Nicklaus take over the discussion;


    ''''Her name is Tiana Peters. ''''


    Nicklaus said aloofly; he continued eating without looking at Michelle. Michelle ignored him and continued with Tiana;


    ''''Wow! What a nice name, Peters¡­ I think I''ve heard that last name somewhere, oh wait are you the daughter of Anderson Peters, the owner of Dorks Industry?'''' Michelle asked, slightly raising her voice so she could draw the attention of other members of the family;


    Tiana watched her for a moment; well, Nicklaus was correct, some members of his family were bitches! She didn''t know what that woman wanted but she would not let her have her way;


    Nicklaus looked straight at Michelle and the sly smirk was on her face, she had drawn the attention of every other person on the dining table, so everyone was keenly waiting for Tiana''s answer;


    He knew what she wanted but sadly, he hadn''t planned that part out well, he didn''t think about her family, or how they met or even how long they''ve been together;


    What if they ask them? For the first time in the past seventeen years, Nicklaus was nervous, he had never been in such dilemma before; he cracked his brain for what to say but he couldn''t find, and just when he had thought there was no hope; Tiana shook her head;


    ''''No Ma, I''m not the daughter of Anderson Peters, I am¡­ ''''


    Then suddenly she began coughing; her hand quickly flew to her mouth and her face became so red;


    Nicklaus immediately looked at her, she was eating something spicy and it was natural to choke sometimes while eating; and seeing her hint, he immediately put his arms around her;


    ''''Tiana! Are you okay! ''''


    Tiana did not stop coughing; tears gathered up her eyes, and some streaked down her face.


    ''''Give her a glass of water! ''''


    Elizabeth shouted from her end; grandma and grandpa were troubled. She was eating spicy dish and it might have gone down the wrong pipe. Nicklaus quickly took a cup of water and gave it to her; she gulped it down from his hand as he patted on her back lightly.


    After drinking, she coughed a little before she stopped.


    ''''We''re so sorry, dear, I think the meal is a little too spicy,'''' Grandma said, her face scrunched up with worry.


    Nicklaus picked a serviette from the table and used it to dab on her lips;


    Tiana smiled; ''''it is okay grandma, I was talking while eating, that is why. ''''


    She explained, a shy smile warming her face;


    ''''If not for some people who can''t obey simple table manners, this wouldn''t have happened! ''''


    Nicklaus said, rage written on his face as he stared daggers at Michelle; Tiana immediately turned to him;


    ''''Nick, I''m okay, you don''t have to be harsh on her, she didn''t mean for me to choke on my food. Besides, I''m okay now. ''''


    She said, smiling cutely at him;


    Everyone on the table turned to look at Michelle,


    ''''It is okay Nicklaus, she didn''t mean to hurt her, and Michelle, next time, ask your questions after the meal, now apologize to our guest. ''''


    Grandpa instructed and Michelle felt bile rising up her throat; she stared at Tiana for a moment, although it looked like she was staring humbly at her, she could spot a distant smile of victory on her face and she felt like lifting the bowl of food and stuffing it down her throat but she held herself.


    She knew that if she didn''t apologize, it would appear like she didn''t like Tiana; so she swallowed her pride;


    ''''I''m sorry, Tiana; I didn''t mean to cause you harm. ''''


    ''''It''s no problem, Auntie, I''m fine now. ''''


    Tiana replied with a small smile;


    ''''Alright, let''s eat. ''''


    Grandpa said, and everybody began eating again, the question Michelle asked, thoroughly forgotten.

 Chapter 20 - Chamomile Tea

    Michelle knew that she had feigned her cough to avoid her question. She was so clever! Initially, she thought she was easy to get rid of, but after what happened, she knew that she was wiser than she thought her to be.


    She felt her husband hold her free hand which was on her laps and squeeze it lightly. He saw what had happened, but he didn''t say a word;


    Nicklaus was really pushing him, and he wasn''t sure of what he could do once he was over the cliff.


    After the meal, Nicklaus waited awhile before he told grandpa that he wanted to leave;


    ''''Oh no, are you leaving so soon? We haven''t even gotten to know your girlfriend yet.''''


    Grandpa said, looking over at Tiana.


    ''''Don''t worry grandpa, I''ll come some other time, and we''ll spend quality time together. ''''


    Tiana said with a beautiful smile on her cheeks;


    ''''Oh, that''s sweet! '''' Grandpa replied with a smile.


    ''''Nicklaus, I prepared this for you to help with your sleep. Its chamomile tea. ''''


    Grandma said as she walked over with a thermos flask, she gave it to Tiana;


    ''''Make sure he takes it; it''ll help with his sleep. ''''


    ''''Grandma, I''m fine; you need not worry yourself. '''' Nicklaus said, and Grandma turned to him;


    ''''I''m not worrying myself; I''m just taking care of my grandson. Besides, you really need to stop taking all those sleeping pills; they are really not good for your health! ''''


    Grandma warned, her brows creased with worry.


    ''''Don''t worry, grandma; I''ll make sure he takes it. ''''


    Tiana assured, and she nodded.


    ''''Alright then, have a safe trip back home. ''''


    Tiana waved at them, after which she left with Nicklaus.


    She heaved a sigh of relief when they were finally outside. They walked to the passenger''s side and Nicklaus held the door out for her, when she was safely inside, he walked to the other side of the car and entered, starting the ignition, he drove out of the estate.


    Once they were finally out of the estate, Tiana slumped back to the seat. She couldn''t believe that she could pull through to the end, although she made some minor mistakes, it was not noticeable. The farther they drove away from the compound, the colder the car became; and until they reached Nicklaus'' mansion, none of them talked.


    Nicklaus drove to the front of the mansion and finally stopped. He did not put off the ignition, so Tiana thought he was about to say something. He was staring straight at the mansion, his face back to the cold and aloof expression he always had.


    When she saw that he wasn''t saying anything, she figured maybe he was going somewhere, and he needed her to leave the car.


    She looked at the thermos flask in her hand and wanted to say something but then decided against it; she would give it to a maid to give it to him later. When she turned to the car door to open it, he finally spoke;


    ''''I hope you don''t make those careless mistakes ever again, you''re lucky that you didn''t get caught, next time you might not be so lucky and you know what is involved. ''''


    He said, still not looking at her; Tiana''s eyes drooped and her lips thinned into a straight line;


    ''''It won''t ever happen again. '''' She replied. Not looking at him.


    Quickly, she tried to open the door, but it was locked; ''''the door, please ''''


    She was in a hurry to get away from the car, away from him; the air was so suffocating, she couldn''t even breathe.


    Nicklaus unlocked the doors, and she immediately jumped out of the car. Without glancing back at the car, she hurried off into the house.


    Nicklaus watched her retreating figure for a moment; after some time, he took out a cigarette box and began smoking;


    He knew she did her best at the dinner, but he couldn''t bring himself to tell her that. He had never said something nice to anyone; he couldn''t even bring himself to. After smoking to his fill, he came out of the car and strode into the house.


    Tiana pushed open her door and locked it behind her; she slumped down beside the door, her eyes shut tightly. She wasn''t surprised about his attitude, not at all, in fact, she had expected worse. What bothered her was how much longer she had to do this. She was just beginning and she was already tired.


    She sat there for a moment before she stood up and undressed; after changing into her pajamas, she fell on her bed and slept off; her face still filled with makeup.


    The next day; she woke up late, after taking her bath, her eyes fell on the chamomile tea that grandma had put for him, and her jaw fell in shock; she had forgotten to give it to a maid the previous night.


    She quickly picked it from the ground and opened it; luckily it was still hot, so she dressed quickly and came out of the room.


    She searched around for Ma Lee and when she saw her; she explained what happened and gave her the tea.


    Ma Lee stared at her and at the bottle in her hands;


    ''''Take it to his fridge upstairs. '''' She commanded and turned to walk away;


    Tiana''s ears stood erect; she should what? Up where?!


    ''''Ma Lee! please... I can''t go up to his room ''''


    Tiana stuttered before she could stop herself; shock mixed with fear written on her face;


    Ma Lee turned to look at her; her brows creased;


    ''''What did you just say? ''''


    She asked, but Tiana did not reply;


    Ma Lee narrowed her eyes as she stared intently at her;


    ''''You''ll take it up to his room and put it inside his fridge; next time you''ll do what you need to do on time. ''''


    She said without mincing words. Tiana stared at the bottle in her hands, tears gathering up her eyes.


    ''''How in hell was she going to go up to his room!! ''''

 Chapter 21 - Who asked you to leave?

    She watched Ma Lee walk away without glancing back again, her eyes turned to the maids who were standing around but immediately she looked at them, they all looked away from her, busying themselves with chores.


    Tiana looked at the thermos flask in her hands and she knew that she didn''t have a choice but to go up herself. It was almost ten o''clock. He must have gone to work, so there was no much big deal there, was there?


    All she needed to do was walk up the stairs, open his door, walk to his fridge, put the flask in and step out, there was nothing there. Come on, she wasn''t afraid of an empty room, was she?


    She masked up her nervousness with those words and walked towards the stairs; once she was on the second floor, her heart started beating.


    ''It''s an empty room, Tiana! Get a hold of yourself!!''


    She mentally knocked herself as she breathed out heavily. As she approached his doors, the hands that held the flask became sweaty; she rubbed them one after the other on her silk gown;


    It''s just a room¡­


    An empty room¡­


    Nothing to be afraid of¡­


    She repeated the words again and again in her head as she walked to his door;


    Standing in front of his door, she pulled herself together, getting ready to open it;


    Since he had gone out, she didn''t knock, she just pushed open the door and stepped in, closing it behind her quietly.


    She stood still beside the door, weighing her surrounding. When she was certain that no-one was in, she looked towards the parlor and her eyes fell on the large fridge; lifting her feet off the ground, she walked quietly to it.


    There was literally no-one in the room, but she didn''t know why she felt as though he was there, maybe it was his aura, it was still prominent in the room even though he was not there.


    Tiana opened the fridge, and her eyes widened in shock. There were over twenty bottles of pills, and over ten boxes of cigarettes, which were still untouched.


    She couldn''t even move an inch; she just stood there, staring at the contents of the fridge, forgetting her reason for coming there.


    Was he that sick? Mentally sick?


    Tiana wondered what must have happened to him to cause him to take so many pills! After staring for a while, she put in the thermos flask and closed the fridge; just as she was about to leave, her eyes fell on something in the parlor, and she paused in her steps;


    Instead of walking towards the door, she walked deeper into the parlor; there were pictures of people hanging on the wall; Nicklaus looked so much like the woman who had a beautiful smile on her face; she was so pretty. Was she his mother?


    Her eyes fell on another picture. It was a man and there was a third one, a little girl, barely four. There was a huge familiarity between those people and Nicklaus, and Tiana realized that they were his family.


    But if they were his family, why didn''t she see them yesterday at the dinner? No-one even mentioned them?


    Were they dead?


    Her eyes widened as the thought came to her mind.


    Could his whole family be dead? Was it what happened to him to cause him to become so cold?


    She was still contemplating the answer in her head when she heard a door open and feet shuffling into the room; her head immediately turned to the direction of the sound and at that moment she wondered why the ground didn''t open and let her fall in.


    Nicklaus had a towel tied around his waists as he stepped out of the bathroom; his hair was wet, and a bunch fell over his face; his torso was bare, thus exposing a good amount of his chiseled abs, there was a flames tattoo on his left chest and on his ribs inching downwards to his waist line which was incredibly s.e.xy;


    Tiana was scared to her bone marrows, but she didn''t know why her eyes were still checking him out; her face was pale with fear and panic, she didn''t even know what to do.


    Nicklaus was yet to believe what he was seeing; was there a woman in his room? Or was he just seeing things?


    The towel he was using to dry his hair was still hanging in the air as he stared at Tiana shocked, they stood still, staring at each other for over a minute, with the same expression written on their faces before Nicklaus finally spoke;


    ''''What are you doing? ''''


    His voice was deep with authority and his brows creased in anxiousness; he wanted to know what gave her the guts to come into his room when he was taking a shower and walk into his parlor like it was some playground;


    Tiana felt chills run down her spine and huge goose bumps formed on her skin. If she had known that he was there, she would not even think of coming up there, no matter the consequences she might face.


    Now what would she do? How would she explain that she came to put his tea into his fridge when she was standing in his parlor about seven feet away from the said fridge?


    Tiana knew her death was near, she just prayed it would be less painful.


    ''''Young Master Nicklaus¡­ I can explain¡­ ''''


    She said, raising her hands up in the air;


    Nicklaus didn''t speak, he just kept watching her; Tiana took it as a permission to go on;


    ''''I¡­ I forgot to give the maids your chamomile tea yesterday, so¡­ so this morning, I gave it to Ma Lee and she told me to bring it up myself. Young Master Nicklaus, if I had known you were in, I wouldn''t have come, I thought you''ve left the house, I''m sorry for barging into your privacy.


    I''ll be on my way now. ''''


    She turned immediately and dashed towards the door; but Nicklaus voice stopped her before she could reach the door;


    ''''Who asked you to leave? ''''

 Chapter 22 - What were you doing there?

    Tiana bit her lower lip as she stopped in her tracks; she slowly turned around to look at him;


    There was no smile on his face, his face was cold as ever and she knew he was angry; her eyes slowly fell to her already jittery legs.


    ''''What were you doing there?''''


    He asked, taking small steps towards her, his eyes fixated on her;


    Tiana''s heart beat fast as she watched him approach, when he was almost close to her, she started stepping back, she inched backwards until her back was against the door; he was a few inches away from her now, and she was finding it hard to breathe. His fresh breath fanned her face, and she didn''t know why she was suddenly feeling sleepy in that serious situation;


    ''''Do you have hearing issues, or are your lips sealed? ''''


    His eyes narrowed, and he asked with an irritated tone. Tiana gulped down hard and she felt beads of sweat forming on her forehead; she knew she was in big trouble now.


    ''''I''m sorry. After keeping the flask¡­ I saw pictures hanging on the wall and went to look. '''' She answered soberly; there was nothing she would do to evade his wrath, so the best was to brace herself for it.


    Nicklaus paused and his eyes turned to the parlor and he knew what she was looking at;


    ''''So, have you satisfied your curiosity? ''''


    He turned to her, his jaws clenched; Tiana could see anger flash through his eyes and she wished she never came up.


    ''''I''m sincerely sorry for invading your privacy, if you would let me go this time; I promise it won''t happen again¡­ ''''


    If she left there alive, she would never step her feet into that room again without his permission, no matter the consequence; her lips thinned into a straight line, she was almost pale from how fearful she was.


    Nicklaus stared at her trembling form without saying a word; ordinarily he would have punished her by locking her up in the dark room and starve her till she thinned out but he didn''t know why he just couldn''t bring himself to. It was as though something else was controlling his mind. He was not one who forgave or listened to pleas but he just couldn''t do anything to the woman standing in front of him;


    After watching her for a moment, he turned around and walked away;


    ''''Leave¡­ ''''


    He said, but Tiana did not hear him correctly; so she asked;


    ''''Uh? ''''


    ''''I said, get out!! ''''


    He screamed and in the next second Tiana was scooting away from his room, her heart in her mouth;


    She didn''t breathe until she was safely downstairs, back inside her room. She was this close to being punished; if she knew that he was in there, she would never have gone up. After what just happened, she would not enter there ever again without his permission, whether he was in there or not!


    She was still recovering from the shock when her phone started ringing; waking to the phone, she picked it up; she sat on the bed when she saw who was on the line; after some contemplation, she picked up the call;


    ''''Adrian¡­ ''''


    ''''Tiana, I''ve missed you. ''''


    She heard him say, his voice low.


    ''''I''ve missed you too, Adrian. ''''


    She knew it was unfair to him to wait for her like this, she felt a tug on her heart and it was a little hard to breathe;


    There was silence on the other side for a moment;


    ''''Tiana, can you come home? I want to see you. ''''


    Adrian asked with a sober tone that was hard to refuse; she knew she had annoyed Nicklaus, and it was crazy to go ask for permission from him to leave the mansion;


    What was she going to do?


    She thought for a while, she didn''t want to say no to him, she would have find a way.


    ''''I''ll try my best, but if I can''t make it, I''ll let you know. ''''


    She explained;


    ''''Thank you, I''ll be waiting for you, I love you. ''''


    ''''Love you too. ''''


    Tiana ended the call and dropped her phone on the bed, she thought for a while, then she stood up and walked towards the window, shifting the curtain; she peeped outside;


    Nicklaus''s guards were already getting his car ready, which meant that he would soon leave, if she could sneak out of the estate and return before he came home, then there would be no problem,


    Problems will arise only if she gets caught. But how would she leave the gates without getting caught?


    Suddenly, a thought came into her mind and she looked at the three cars that were waiting for him; there were three guards, which meant that each guard would drive a car;


    Nicklaus would obviously use the one in the middle, if she could get herself into the last one and leave the house, then she could find her way from there;


    She smiled at her risky but wonderful thought; turning around, she grabbed her phone and hopped out of her room;


    Her heart raced as she walked out of the front porch; the angry looking guards were standing still, waiting for their boss.


    Her gaze swept through them as she turned right and pretended as though she was walking to the garden;


    She didn''t know how much longer he would take so she needed to act fast; she walked around the cars to the other side; her palms were becoming sweaty; this was the first time she had tried something as stealthy as this!


    She wasn''t even considering the fact that she could get caught or the repercussions that could come with it!


    The guards were facing the house, so they couldn''t see her, and except the door makes a sound, she could get herself safely into it.


    One


    Two


    Three¡­


    Tiana counted to three, and she immediately tiptoed to the car as fast as she could; bending low, she quietly opened the back door and entered it, closing it quietly after her.


    ''So Close!''


    Tiana gasped within her; she didn''t think she could be that brave!


    A triumphant smile warmed her features as she celebrated her victory.


    But something she did not know was that someone had watched her every move.

 Chapter 23 - Monitor her

    When Nicklaus finished dressing up, he walked to the window to check if the guards had the cars ready, when he saw that they were already waiting for him, he turned to leave the room, then something flashed in his eyes; he immediately turned to the window again;


    She was staring at one of his cars intently as though there was something on it, his brows creased as he wondered what she was doing; he waited to know what she would do and suddenly she started walking towards the last car, when she approached, she lowered her head and stealthily go in, closing the door behind her.


    Nicklaus was shocked to his spines. What in hell did she want to do?


    He thought for a moment but couldn''t find a good answer to his question, so he waited to see what she planned on doing;


    ''''Good morning, boss! ''''


    The guards greeted as he approached the cars; one guard rushed to the car in the middle and pulled it open for him; he got in and he closed the door immediately; the guards entered their respective cars and drove out of the compound;


    Tiana scrunched up behind the driver''s seat as she struggled not to make a sound; her heart was slamming against her ribcage as she watched the trees pass by; she waited patiently on her spot for the car to stop moving.


    ''''When we arrive, I want you to monitor the woman in the car behind us and give me feedback on where she goes to and who she meets; make sure you are not caught. ''''


    The guard was confused; how was there a woman in the next car and they didn''t know about it? Did she sneak in?


    He wanted to ask, but he kept his question to himself.


    Nicklaus thought of something and took his phone and dialed a number, then put the phone on his ear;


    ''''Do not lock the car doors when you arrive. ''''


    ''''Yes, Boss. '''' The guard replied without questioning. Nicklaus ended the call immediately.


    They drove into the underground garage at the company and quickly, the guard alighted and opened the door for him;


    Tiana watched him walk away with his guards, a sweet smile on her lips;


    This was the perfect way to leave the estate without taking permission from him. Now talk about being clever!


    She was almost celebrating her victory when a thought suddenly occurred to her;


    THE DOORS!!


    What if the guards locked the doors!!


    Her jaws immediately fell open as reality dawned on her. She had been thinking of getting into the car, but she never thought of how she would leave!


    Beads of sweat dripped from her forehead as she imagined sitting in the same position for five hours or more!


    But she couldn''t be certain, he might have forgotten to lock the doors, just maybe, he was occupied with some random thoughts and forgot to lock the doors.


    Tiana prayed earnestly in her heart as she stretched her hand to the door handle;


    Shutting her eyes tightly, she pulled on it; her eyes opened in shock as the door opened; she was extremely surprised!


    How could he leave the car door open in the middle of a garage, what if someone came in and stole it?


    She wondered, but she didn''t have time to think about cars. Quickly, she hopped out of the car and closed the door.


    ''''You''re a good car; I''ll buy you when I have a lot of money, okay? ''''


    She said to the car with a smile on her cheeks; looking at her reflection in the window, she arranged her hair. When she was done, she kissed the insides of her hand as she placed it on the car, as though telling it thank you before hurrying out of the garage.


    She followed the exit sign and heaved a sigh of relief when she was finally out of the garage; the gentle breeze coming from the east swept past her face, making her eyes flutter. She wished she could be this free and not having to sneak around or seek permission before going out.


    Heaving a sigh, she walked further out of the garage; after a moment, she turned to look at the building, and she awed at the magnificent skyscr.a.p.er. She could barely see the end; she knew the Nicklaus family was damn wealthy, even a maid earned over four digits.


    She knew from the very beginning that she didn''t belong there and that Nicklaus was just using her to buy some time for himself, that was why she could not bring herself to get used living in that mansion;


    She would just stick to the plan and pray that he lets her go after the five months was over, because she couldn''t bear to be a mistress for the rest of her life to a man who didn''t even like women to begin with!


    Turning around, she walked out of the company and into the busy road;


    Adrian''s family were a little rich, so he had a car of his own; so she immediately called him to come pick her up at the company building.


    Walking to a nearby shade, she sat down as she waited for him; and in the next ten minutes she saw his car pull up just beside her, she stood up and walked to him with a brilliant smile on her face;


    Adrian stepped out of the car and walked to her; he planted a light kiss on her lips and opened the door for her to get in;


    Tiana''s lips flushed deep red, and she quickly entered the car;


    As soon as she entered the car, she became scared; she had gone over to his house for dinner and his family members had seen her, what if any of them was around and had caught her kissing another man just in front of her ''boyfriend''s ''company? What was she going to do? Or more precisely, what would Nicklaus do if he found out?


    Tiana''s heart hit against her ribcage as she realized the mess she had put herself in, she wished she had told Adrian that it wasn''t possible for her to get out of the house; in fact, she wished the guard had locked her in the car; because at that moment, she felt like she was in a huge trouble.


    Tiana waited for Adrian to enter the car and she quickly turned to him; a deep frown etched on her face


    ''''What was that for? ''''


    She asked angrily;


    ''''What? I can''t kiss my woman again? ''''


    Adrian asked as though she had asked something abnormal.


    ''''Adrian, we''re in front of his company for goodness'' sake, you could have at least waited for me to get into the car! What if someone had seen us? ''''


    She asked, her eyes filled with fear, fear of what might become of her and her sister if he found out.

 Chapter 24 - Emotions

    Adrian sighed and rubbed on his face;


    ''''I''m sorry okay, I didn''t mean to hurt you, I just missed you so much, I couldn''t help it. ''''


    He apologized; his face filled with emotions, Tiana couldn''t raise her voice at him again; she just slumped back in her seat.


    ''''Let''s just go. I don''t want to be here anymore. '''' She replied as she put on her seat belt; she was still scared, but she didn''t want to tell him, she would just bear the burden alone. There was no need for crying over spilt milk.


    Adrian watched her for a moment, then took her hand in his; he kissed the back of her palm before he let her go, then started the ignition. He knew he was being selfish but some part of him wished that someone had seen them so the deal between her and Nicklaus would be over, and she would come back to him.


    ¡­


    ''''Come in¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus said to the person who knocked on his door. Raising his eyes, he saw that it was his secretary. Fredrick had avoided him like plaque for over a week now. He knew that the next time his boss mentioned the shares, if they were not back; he would face a grave penalty.


    He had toiled day and night, looking for a way to get back the shares, and he did not stop until he got all of them back. So that morning, he held his head up high as he entered his boss''s office.


    ''''Mr. Fredrick Qin, you finally want to see me, hope you brought good news?''''


    Nicklaus asked, not lifting his eyes from the file in his hands;


    ''''Excellent news boss, '''' He said, his lips wide with a smile, placing the file on his hands on the table, he pushed it towards Nicklaus;


    Nicklaus gaze swept past him;


    ''''Bring it on. ''''


    Fredrick cleared his throat;


    ''''Boss, I have¡­ sorry, forgive my manners, we have successfully gained the 15% shares and even an extra 4% of the Warren Shares. ''''


    He said, adjusting his tie;


    When Nicklaus heard what he said, he dropped the file he was holding and looked at him, no expression on his face, but Fredrick could spot the smile in his eyes; he was visibly frowning, but he had worked for him for so long to know when he was pleased about something.


    Seeing that he wasn''t saying anything, he cleared his throat;


    ''''Mm mm¡­ I''ll give a run down on how I¡­ sorry, we carried out everything. ''''


    ''''Why only 4%? ''''


    Nicklaus asked, cutting him off;


    Fredrick''s lips which were about telling a tale of victory fell apart;


    ''''but boss, we gained the 15% percent and¡­ ''''


    ''''And so? Does that mean you would have to get only 4% of their stocks? Aren''t you ashamed to come tell this to me? ''''


    At his boss''s statement, Fredrick''s high spirit was instantly lowered; his boss was a very tough man to please.


    ''''I don''t want to hear your rant, just leave! ''''


    Nicklaus ordered with a wave of his hand;


    Fredrick closed his half open mouth and turned around to leave;


    ''''By the way, tell the finance department to give Mr. Fredrick Qin a 25% salary raise. ''''


    Nicklaus said and Fredrick''s lips widened with a smile; he wanted to thank him but he knew that the only thing that came out of his Boss''s lips was vile, so he decided against it.


    ''''Right away boss '''' Fredrick said and walked away, closing the door behind him.


    As soon as the door was shut, Nicklaus lips slanted a little; he was glad.


    The last thing he wanted was that woman and her son gaining even a percentage of his father''s company;


    They were always trying to buy, but he used both legal and illegal means to get it back. He didn''t mind what it cost, as long as they didn''t have his shares.


    Surely, he would give that woman the most terrible death, that she would not even imagine, not even in a second life, and he would make sure her son was there to watch. She had built her security walls throughout the years but he was going to break it down one after the other.


    Nicklaus clenched his fists as his thoughts drifted to the ugly parts of his mind; suddenly the telephone on his table rang;


    He picked it up and put it on his ear;


    ''''Boss, your guard asks to see you, should I let him in? ''''


    Nicklaus remembered that he had told a guard to watch Tiana;


    ''''Let him in. ''''


    He said and dropped the telephone.


    After about thirty seconds; the door opened, and a guard walked towards his table;


    ''''Did you follow her? ''''


    He asked, creasing his brows;


    ''''Yes, Boss ''''


    ''''What did you find? '''' Nicklaus asked, resting back on his seat.


    ''''Boss, Young Miss sneaked out of the house so she could meet someone. ''''


    He said; not knowing how to continue.


    Nicklaus stared at him, waiting for him to continue; when he saw that he would not speak; he asked;


    ''''Are you going to talk, or do you need a speaking aid? '''' His tone was commanding, and the guard knew he didn''t have a choice. He knew how angry Nicklaus could get; he could only pity the Young Miss and the Man she had sneaked out to see.


    ''''She went to see a man¡­ and I think they are very close; the Young Miss was very mutual with him, she let him touch her. ''''


    The guard explained;


    Nicklaus felt as though he heard something alien. His ears vibrated for a moment.


    ''''What did you just say? '''' He asked, his voice a little deep;


    ''''Boss, the Young Miss sneaked out of the house so she could meet with a man, I think they have a very close relationship. ''''


    Nicklaus was quiet, replaying the words of his guards in his head;


    For the first time in seventeen years; Nicklaus felt everything around him become silent; he was staring straight at the guard, but no words could leave his lips. He could not explain how he was feeling; it was a mixture of different emotions all at once.

 Chapter 25 - Where did this happen?

    The air in the room was becoming unbelievably stuffy; the guard could barely breathe. Nicklaus had been silent for the past one minute since he explained to him what he had seen. He didn''t know whether he was angry at him for talking in the first place or he was angry at the Young Miss, because his expression was too scary.


    Nicklaus could not explain how he was feeling; he felt a bitter taste at the back of his throat and his heart was beating at an unusual pace, something that had never happened to him before. He pulled his hands into fists as he tried to control himself;


    ''''Where did this happen? '''' He asked after pulling himself together. His voice was profound and his eyes were dark.


    The guard stepped back reflexively; he didn''t want to tell him, he was already so angry; he would surely explode if he told him he saw them in front of the company;


    ''''Are you deaf?! ''''


    Nicklaus yelled and his voice vibrated through the room; the man did not wait another second, he quickly answered.


    ''''It¡­ was in front of the company, Boss. ''''


    The words of the man resounded in his ears; it was one thing to sneak to see a man, and it was another to meet him in front of his company!


    Wasn''t she scared? Or did she just want to rile him up?


    ''''Get me the CCTV footage, now! ''''


    ''''Yes, Boss. '''' The guard replied as he scampered out of the office, closing the door behind him.


    In the next thirty minutes, a knock was heard on his door again.


    ''''Come in. ''''


    Nicklaus said, and the guard pushed the door open and stepped in quietly. He walked to the table and dropped a USB drive on the table, and then he stepped backwards. Although he had told him the truth, he had not told him the full truth.


    The truth that she had kissed the man and not just being ''close'' to him. If he was this riled up because of what he said, what would happen when he saw the footage?


    He pitied the young lady and just prayed within him that his boss would not transfer his pent up aggression to him.


    Nicklaus picked the USB flash drive from the table and immediately connected it to his laptop; the guard shut his eyes as the room grew quiet. He could hear the air conditioner loudly in his ears. It was over five minutes, yet his Boss had said nothing; his eyes opened slowly and just when he glanced at him, he said in the most grave tone he had ever heard;


    ''''Get the other guards, search for this woman and bring her back home, make sure I don''t get there before you, else you all are sacked. ''''


    Nicklaus gaze were still fixated on his laptop but the guard knew better than to wait another second; he immediately fled from his office without another thought. Nicklaus sat still, watching the video repeatedly;


    To think she would have the guts to kiss another man in front of his company!


    Didn''t she think of the consequences of her actions if someone had seen her? She had really pushed him this time and she should be ready to face the consequences!


    Nicklaus felt his anger rising in his throat until he could take it no more, he slammed his computer close and stood up from his seat, picking his phone from the table, he took large strides out of the office.


    Fredrick had seen the guard flee from his boss''s office, and he wondered what had happened in there, the next minute, he saw Nicklaus walking out like a wounded lion, and he immediately shrunk into his seat, he wondered what had made his boss that furious.


    ¡­


    Adrian held Tiana''s hand in his as they walked into a restaurant.


    ''''Adrian, you know this is a public place, what if someone sees us? ''''


    Tiana asked, looking around for any familiar face.


    Adrian chuckled;


    ''''There''s nothing to be afraid of, those people are from the wealthiest families, do you think they''ll stoop so low as to come to this low restaurant? ''''


    Adrian asked, arching his brows.


    Now Tiana thought about it, he was right. None of Nicklaus family members could come to such a restaurant. It was fancy though, but not fancy enough for people of their status.


    A light smile warmed her lips; she immediately put her arms around him;


    ''''How did you think of that? ''''


    She asked; her eyes bright and the initial fear were no longer visible. Adrian ruffled her hair with his hands;


    ''''See, anyone could think of that, you just have a slow brain. ''''


    He said amidst little chuckles;


    ''''I don''t have a slow brain! '''' Tiana whined, pursing her lips;


    Adrian laughed at her expression, and he immediately gave in.


    ''''You win; you don''t have a slow brain. ''''


    They sat down on a free table and the waiter came to take their orders.


    ''''I have good and bad news. '''' Adrian said out of the blues, after they had eaten.


    Tiana''s eyes widened when she heard what he said, she dropped her fork on her plate and stared at him keenly;


    ''''What? What news now? ''''


    She asked nervously; wondering what he had to say to her.


    ''''Hey! It''s not so bad; I''ll just be going away for a while.'''' Adrian explained, taking her hand;


    Tiana''s expression grew pale,


    ''''Away? You said nothing about going away, what is going on?''''


    She asked, getting confused by the second;


    ''''Tiana, I''ll be going to another city, we''ll be in touch on the phone, I promise. ''''


    ''''What happened? Tell me what''s going on? ''''


    She asked again, her voice getting louder and her face grew worried;


    ''''It''s the hospital. '''' Adrian sighed, his lips tightened as he formed the words in his mouth;


    ''''They want me to leave. I''ve been transferred to a hospital branch in Amsterdam¡­ ''''


    ''''What? Amsterdam? That''s so far away! God, Adrian! ''''


    Tiana exclaimed, tears clouding her eyes;


    ''''I''m sorry, but I promise to come visit when I have the chance, and when you are finally released from the contract, we can be together."

 Chapter 26 - Angered the Devil

    Tiana was quiet, she knew she couldn''t stop him from leaving, there was no way she could force him to give up his job and stay in California, just waiting for her. But then, it was really a hard nut to chew.


    ''''Okay, when are you going? ''''


    She asked; her eyes sunken. She was almost on the verge of crying.


    ''''In two days'' time ''''


    He said and Tiana''s jaws fell open, she was gazing at him with so much fear written on her face, he knew that she would not be happy but he didn''t expect that she would be so taken aback; he wanted to speak but on a closer look he realized that she wasn''t looking at him but behind him;


    He immediately turned around to know what she was staring so intently at, and the moment he turned, a sharp blow met his nose, which sent him flying.


    Tiana shrieked as she stood up and leapt toward him but before she could touch him; someone had hijacked her little body from the floor;


    She felt herself being placed on a broad shoulder; her head falling over the man''s shoulders and her long hair almost sweeping the floor;


    "Let me go!! Let me go, you moron!''''


    She heard blows, and she knew the other men were beating Adrian;


    ''''Let him go, let him go! He has done nothing! Leave him alone! ''''


    She cried as she hit the man fiercely on his back; but it was as though she was hitting on a hard wood, her hands were weak soon;


    ''''It''s enough; we don''t have time to waste here. ''''


    The man who had her over his shoulder said to the other two guards, and they left Adrian alone.


    The guard carried her out of the restaurant; she heard a car door open, and she was shoved inside. He immediately sat beside her and slammed the door after him; she turned to the other side and saw another guard already sitting down, with a horridly looking expression, and she knew she was in a huge trouble.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus walked into the living room with silent steps; Tiana was kneeling with her head slightly bowed; she was trembling visibly as her hands twisted the sides of her gown. As Nicklaus eyes fell on her, his mind flashed back to the video of her kissing another man and he felt anger boiling within him.


    He fisted his palms so tight that his knuckled became so pale; they looked as though they could pop out any second; he walked to a couch in front of her and sat down; there was a bottle of water on the stool beside the couch, he picked it up and uncorked it; trying to be busy with another thing other than the woman in front of him;


    ''''Who let you leave this estate without my permission? '''' Tiana shook on her spot when she heard his voice, his tone bore great fury, it was as though he was trying hard not to raise his voice and Tiana knew that any moment from now, he would snap.


    But how was she going to tell him she sneaked into his car to leave the estate?


    She thought of the words to say, but she couldn''t find any. Her eyes shut tightly as hot tears brewed within them; if she had been just a little careful, if she had just told Adrian that she couldn''t come, all these would not have happened! Now what was she going to do?


    She knew her crime was unforgivable. She had really crossed the line this time. What if he killed her and took her sister? So she had just suffered for nothing?


    ''''Are you deaf?!!''''


    Tiana flinched when she heard his voice and she inched backwards; she was sweating all over and shaking like a wet rat; before she could find her words, she felt a sharp pain on her head as someone tugged her hair from behind, such that she was now staring straight at him;


    When her eyes saw his expression, she knew she was as good as dead;


    She had seen him cold and icy, fearful and devilish, but at that moment, his expression was much more dreadful than anything she had ever seen.


    Yet she couldn''t answer, what good could her answer do, she was already a dead meat.


    Nicklaus played with the lid of the bottle in his hands as he stared straight at the woman in front of him;


    He could easily slice off her tiny head and let it roll on the floor, but he didn''t know why he couldn''t bring himself to do it. He was exceedingly angry, but he could not bring himself to hurt her, something that he wasn''t hesitant to do before. What was wrong with him?


    ''''You know the consequences of your actions, Tiana Peters? ''''


    He said after a while; raising the bottle of water to his lips, he swallowed some, but when it crossed his throat, it felt so bitter that he immediately threw it across the room.


    Tiana shook as the bottle hit the white wall and made a shrieking noise. She understood the meaning of his words very well, and she needed no other person to tell her she was done for.


    What was she going to do now? How would she tell her sister she had failed her?


    She imagined the miserable look in Gwen''s eyes, and she could not stop the tears from falling from her eyes.


    ''''You dared me! You f.u.c.k.i.n.g dared me!! ''''


    Niklaus stood up and kicked the glass stool, sending it shattering into many pieces;


    Tiana winced at the sound and her eyes shut immediately;


    Nicklaus heaved heavily as he paced across the room, trying to control himself;


    ''''I''m sorry¡­ Young Master Nicklaus¡­ it would never happen again. '''' Tiana finally found a little voice inside her and she spoke; her voice trembling fearfully;


    She knew it would not make any difference, but still she had to try;


    ''''Shut the f.u.c.k up! '''' Nicklaus screamed angrily. At that moment, the last thing he wanted to hear was her voice; he was so mad!


    Tiana bit her lower lip tightly as she felt hot tears seep from her eyes; there was no way she was leaving there unhurt, she had really angered the devil this time.

 Chapter 27 - Bring that man to me

    Nicklaus raised his hand to his face and wiped the sweat that was already forming on his forehead;


    He turned to one of his guards and ordered;


    ''''gather your men; I want you to bring that man to me before sundown. ''''


    Immediately Tiana heard his statement, she quickly raised her head; her eyes filled with terror;


    ''''No, no, please, Master Nicklaus, please don''t hurt him, you can do anything to me but please don''t hurt Adrian, please I beg you! ''''


    Tiana cried, her voice rang through the room as her tears poured down from her eyes like lava;


    It was all her fault, Adrian was innocent; and she just dragged him into this, now Nicklaus would hurt him, she could not let that happen.


    Nicklaus was still contemplating on what he would do to her, only for him to hear her beg on behalf of that man; he instantly turned to her, his eyes as dead as death;


    She had committed a crime and yet she still had the guts to beg for that man''s life; he stared straight at her and he saw it in her eyes;


    The deep affection she had for that man, she was willing to do anything to save his life;


    And at that moment, Nicklaus snapped;


    ''''Take this woman and lock her away in the bas.e.m.e.nt, make sure she doesn''t see the light of day until I say so! '''' He ordered in a grave tone, his body vibrating with rage;


    Tiana shook her head vigorously;


    ''''No, no, no, please, I beg you, don''t hurt him, I beg you! Please! ''''


    She screamed as the guards lifted her from the ground and dragged her away; she tried pulling herself away from their grip but the men held her fiercely; her strength could not match theirs;


    As they dragged her away, she continued to scream at Nicklaus; begging him not to touch Adrian.


    Nicklaus watched them drag her away until her screams disappeared into the distance; he stood for a moment, before he slumped back on the couch; his heart heavy.


    She must really care about that man; for her to not care about her own life and plead for his unflinchingly;


    Nicklaus could not explain the waves of emotions coursing through him; he felt like breaking that man''s skull and feeding his carcass to the birds of the air;


    He could not understand the thoughts in his head anymore;


    What the hell was wrong with him?!


    He should be angry at her for putting herself at risk of being seen by his any of his family members, but why was he here, concerned about her affair with another man?


    ¡­


    Tiana was thrown into the dark room and the door slammed after her; she stood up right away and aimed for the door, banging on it with all her strength;


    ''''Let me out! Let me out of here! Please! Somebody!''''


    She screamed, but she heard the footsteps distancing and she knew the men had left; she banged on the door a little more before she gave up and slumped to the floor; wailing her balls out.


    She was done for! What would she do now?


    She was locked up in a bas.e.m.e.nt and in utter darkness, and with no-one to run to for help. What would he do to Adrian; kill him?


    The thought of him killing Adrian pressed her chest so much that she felt spasms of pain coursing through her;


    No, she couldn''t let that happen, no, no!


    As though a wave of strength coursed through her bones, she flung up from the ground and resumed banging on the door; this time with every muscle in her.


    ''''I beg you, Young Master! I beg you, please! Kill me instead, kill me!! Leave him alone! I beg of you!!''''


    She screamed against the door, banging on it with her fists, she pounded till she felt the skin on her hands peel;


    It was as though the darkness in the room swallowed her voice and knocks because no-one came to her aid; and soon she could barely hear herself; losing all strength, she coiled like a ball against the door; and shut her eyes against the darkness, trying not to think of the evil that was about to befall the people she loved.


    ¡­


    By the time Adrian stood up from the ground; the guards had already left with Tiana. Although he dodged some of their blows, he still had some minor bruises on his face and a broken nose; blood was seeping from his nostrils as he stood up and straightened his shirt. The people in the cafeteria; who had watched what happened, looked on him with great pity.


    The restaurant manager offered him a first aid treatment, and after which he left the restaurant. After what happened, he knew he had gotten on the bad side of Nicklaus and he was coming for him soon;


    It was near impossible to have Tiana again, and the only way to save his life was to leave California that day. So, without a second thought, he drove home; he had already told his parents he had been transferred and he was leaving in the next two days, but when they saw him packing hurriedly, and coupled with the band aid on his nose and minor bruises in his face, they became alarmed and began questioning him, but Adrian was in no mood for answering questions; he just continued packing until he had everything he needed;


    When he had finished packing; he turned to his parents; who were standing beside the door, a shocked expression on their faces; and he quickly apologized;


    ''''I''m sorry dad, mom; something came up urgently and I need to leave right away. I''m very sorry that I have to leave on a very short notice. I''ll call you as soon as I get to Amsterdam. ''''


    And without waiting for their reply; he dashed out of his house and to his car, but he was a minute late, because as soon as he got to his car; two black Hilux drove into the compound and three guards dashed towards him; he tried to escape but before he could move a step, they were already on him.


    They bundled him into the car and slammed the door, their tires making screeching sounds as they drove out of the compound, ignoring the screams from his parents, who immediately chased after their cars like mad people.

 Chapter 28 - Who is this woman?

    Adrian was tied to a chair in the house on the west wing and his eyes were tied with a piece of cloth; he couldn''t see where he was, he just heard footsteps in the room.


    Suddenly, he heard the door open and someone walked in with almost silent steps; he felt the person draw closer to him till he was directly in front of him;


    The person had said nothing; neither had the people in the room; Adrian''s heart was drumming against his chest, his shirt was soaked in his own sweat and he feared for his life.


    Nicklaus was not a person who showed mercy, and if he was the one if front of him, he was really dead meat.


    Just when the thought came into his head; he felt the rag on his eyes being removed and a hard blow met his jaw, sending his face flying to the side. He felt a metallic taste on his lips and he knew his jaw was broken;


    Nicklaus straightened his palms, trying to ease the pressure on them because of the punch;


    ''''Give me one reason why I shouldn''t pop your head with this gun?"


    Adrian was still seeing stars; he shook his head and blinked his eyes as he watched blood drip from his mouth and fall onto the ground;


    When he heard the words from his attacker; his eyes shot up immediately and he recognized the man, the almighty demon in flesh.


    He was holding a pistol and before Adrian could think straight; Nicklaus had aimed the gun at his head;


    ''''You have only one chance to give me a valid reason why I shouldn''t pop this bullet into your skull!'''' Nicklaus voice vibrated through the room as he aimed the gun at Adrian; is glare deathly;


    Adrian''s heart was slamming against his ribcage; he needed to think fast. At that point; with a gun to his head, he had no other option. He really loved Tiana, but he would let her go. She was no longer his.


    ''''Because¡­ I will leave her, I''m going to¡­ disappear from her life and never return; I will make sure she never sees me again. I''ll never ever contact her, till I take my last breath¡­ please, I beg you, spare my life!''''


    Adrian begged; his eyes tightly shut; he didn''t know whether he gave a valid reason to not be killed, but that was the truth. Even if Tiana wanted him, she had given herself as a mistress to this man, and she was his now, he could not even compete with him for her, and even though he ran away with her, Nicklaus would hunt them down to the ends of the earth and rip their hearts out of their bodies.


    So he had no choice. If he wanted to live, he had to give her up because he had lost the fight even before it ever started.


    The room grew quiet; Nicklaus still had the gun pointed at Adrian''s head; his eyes dark and fierce as he stared coldly at Adrian; the guards stood still watching their boss; after a few more seconds; they heard a loud bang;


    Nicklaus had pulled the trigger.


    Everywhere grew quiet as the birds which were on the flower trees beside the house flew away fearfully;


    Adrian felt his soul leave his body; his eyes refused to open; he was dying¡­


    but why wasn''t he feeling any pain?


    He waited a few seconds, then he tried to feel his body; and he could feel it; he raised his hand to his face and felt around it, there was no blood and there was no pain; his eyes opened immediately, and he saw Nicklaus putting the gun back into its case;


    He immediately turned around and he saw the bullet on the wall slightly above his head;


    Nicklaus had shot the wall.


    ''''I hope you live up to your words; because if you ever come close to Tiana, no, if she sees your face ever again, I''ll wipe your whole family from the face of the earth. Take him away!''''


    Nicklaus commanded and the guards immediately bundled Adrian out of the house.


    As soon as they left; Nicklaus fell into a chair;


    ''''Why was he so angry? ''''


    He tried to remember the events of the day and at what point he got so worked up; and he realized that he became so mad when he saw the video of her kissing another man.


    But why was he so angry about that? He wasn''t even thinking about his family and if any of them had seen her, what he was most concerned with was her fondness with that man. How was it his business?


    He had never been this concerned about any person since seventeen years ago; even if he was angry, it should be because what she had done was risky because it was in front of his company and she was at risk of being seen by any of his family members; why was he bothered because she had kissed another man?


    Nicklaus was feeling hot suddenly; he undid his tie and threw it across the room; standing up from the couch, he paced around the room confusedly, his head in a mess!


    Who is this woman? What the hell is she doing to me!


    Throughout that day, he tried to think of something else, but he couldn''t get her out of his head. And when it was morning and his anger had dissipated, he felt like ordering for her release, but he restrained himself.


    He would not be controlled by his heart; she had done something wrong, and she deserved to be punished.

 Chapter 29 - Determination

    Tiana was locked in the bas.e.m.e.nt for eight days;


    Nobody cared if she was pressed and needed to use the toilet; not to talk of the fact that she had not had a bath for over a week; and with the lack of ventilation in the room; Tiana stank like gutters.


    Every morning she would resume banging on the door. She knocked for hours until she was tired. This continued for three days, and suddenly she stopped.


    Everyone in the mansion was surprised when they heard nothing in the early hours of the morning on the fourth day. If not for the guards who had confirmed her alive when they went to give her breakfast, they would have thought she had committed suicide.


    She did not hit on the door anymore, neither did she make a sound; just eating when served until the eighth day.


    Ma Lee came to the room as usual and ordered her out, but she did not budge; she remained in her spot, head in between her legs and in a scrunched up position.


    When Ma Lee saw that she would not move, she ordered the guards to drag her out; but just when they were about to touch her, Tiana stood up on her own accord and limped out of the dark room.


    She didn''t talk to any of them and just kept hobbling forward, dragging her weak legs on the tiled floor. Ma Lee and the guards followed behind quietly; on getting to her room, she entered and locked the door after her; leaving Ma Lee and the guards at the door, speechless.


    Ma Lee banged on the door, but Tiana did not answer, she was about breaking the door, andon a second thought, she decided to tell Nicklaus.


    The days Nicklaus had her locked in; he had not been himself. He hated himself for thinking about her; he couldn''t explain what exactly was wrong with him. Every day he left for work, he waited for her usual banging on the door and when suddenly she stopped knocking; he became worried.


    He waited the next day and when he didn''t hear the knocks; he called Ma Lee and asked if she was still alive, and when Ma Lee replied in the positive, he was relieved a little but he did well not to show it.


    ''''Is there anything else, Young Master? ''''


    Ma Lee asked, as she saw that Nicklaus was not saying anything;


    Nicklaus wanted to let her go badly; his head was in a mess. He was not one who felt pity or showed mercy. Why was he different with her?


    What was about her that made him so restrained? Was it because he had taken her to meet his family?


    Thinking about it, he remembered that his family had seen her, and if he replaces her so suddenly, it would seem very fishy.


    Nicklaus felt relieved at that thought. Now he knew why he was so reluctant to replace her; it was because he had shown her to his family and replacing her so soon would be very suspicious.


    He immediately shook his head;


    ''''No, nothing else, you may leave now. ''''


    He ordered and Ma Lee bowed and left the room.


    He let her stay in there for another three days before he finally ordered her release.


    It was Sunday, he normally paints on Sundays. He was in his studio painting when he heard a knock on the door;


    He just ordered Tiana to be released, after which she should be brought to see him; and thinking she was the one at the door; he immediately ordered the person in;


    Ma Lee pushed open the door quietly and stepped in, closing it behind her, careful not to make a sound;


    Nicklaus brows creased when he saw that she did not come with her; and without caring about what she came for, he asked;


    ''''Where is she? ''''


    Ma Lee cleared her throat; ''''Young Master; the lady locked herself in her room and had refused to open the door, should I order the guards to break it open? ''''


    Nicklaus stared at her for her moment, and then his brows eased;


    She had been locked up for so long, she needed some privacy; thinking about it, he said;


    ''''Let her be for now; but let her know that I want to see her this afternoon after lunch.''''


    He said and turned around, resuming his sketching.


    Ma Lee bowed and left the room.


    Tiana immersed herself inside her hot tub; her head filled with different thoughts.


    She remembered the text from Adrian she had seen on her phone, which was on the bed when she stepped in;


    ''Tiana, I never thought we would end up this way, but sadly, there is nothing I can do to change it. You belong to another man now. Tiana, I hope you stay safe. Goodbye.''


    It was short, and without emotions. As though she was a stranger to him, as though he never knew her;


    Although she didn''t want to cry anymore, she could not control the tears falling from her eyes at that moment, she raised her hand to her mouth and bit the insides; she felt blood dripping down her palm, but she didn''t reduce the force; it was when she heard a knock on the door that she suddenly stopped; her head tilting towards her room;


    Have they not gone? Are they still waiting for me to open the door?


    Tiana mumbled in her mind as she waited to hear the knock again; but instead of a knock, she heard Ma Lee''s voice;


    ''''Tiana, the Young Master wants to see you after lunch; don''t keep him waiting. ''''


    She heard the words clearly and instantly, she felt bile rising up her throat, her palms folded into fists under the water and her nails dug into her skin;


    Since she left the dark room, she did not want to think about him; but after hearing Ma Lee''s voice, she could no longer control herself.


    He had killed the last humanity in her, broken her to shards till there was nothing left of her being. He took away the very person she cherished the most, and that was the last straw. No, if she could forgive anything, not this.


    Why was she struggling so hard to live, when she could not be with the one person she loved so much?


    Tiana felt her chest squeeze so much that she couldn''t breathe, her lips parted slightly as she forced in air through her mouth.


    But she had one thing left to fight for¡­


    Gwen.


    If she didn''t protect her she had suffered for nothing; so until the four months is over, she would endure anything that he brought her way.


    In fact, at that moment, she wasn''t sure he could break her more than he already did. She was already shattered; there was nothing left to destroy.


    Tiana closed her eyes as she breathed in slowly, trying to stable herself.


    She would behave for four months, but after she had set her sister free, she would feed him his own medicine.


    Her eyes shot open immediately as determination washed through her.

 Chapter 30 - Whatever you want

    After lunch; Tiana walked upstairs; when she got to Nicklaus room, she knocked lightly.


    Nicklaus was sitting on the couch in the parlor working on his tablet when he heard a knock; he turned immediately to the door;


    ''''Come in. ''''


    Tiana pushed open the door and stepped in, closing it after her. She had packed her hair up in a bun, so her face was clear to see.


    Nicklaus felt her footsteps approaching, but his eyes remained glued to his tablet;


    ''''Young Master Nicklaus, you sent for me. ''''


    Tiana said with an obedient voice, a little smile on her lips; Nicklaus lifted his head up immediately to look at her; a bit surprised.


    He had locked her up for eight days and he expected her to be rude, but here she was calm and collected, like an obedient child.


    Although she looked thinner, but that was all; her face was clear, and her eyes bore no emotions, Nicklaus gazed at her for a moment, trying to decipher what she was feeling, but he couldn''t tell, she looked so calm.


    He pulled his gaze away from her and looked at a couch in front of him;


    ''''Sit ''''


    He said, and she walked calmly to the couch in front of him and sat down, her hands on her laps; Nicklaus gazed at her for a while.


    If he had not ordered her to be locked up, he would have doubted that she was locked up; because this woman in front of him did not look angry at all.


    Clearing his throat, he put the tablet aside;


    ''''I hope you''ve learnt your lessons... ''''


    ''''Yes Young Master Nicklaus, I''ve learnt my lessons and I assure you, nothing like that would ever happen again.''''


    Tiana replied, cutting him off. Nicklaus was stunned, his lips was still half open;


    Was she insane?


    Did something happen to her back in the bas.e.m.e.nt?


    Nicklaus wondered as he stared at the small woman in front of him; there was something different about her, it was as though she was no longer afraid of him.


    He stared at her for a while longer, and seeing that there was no obvious anger in her expression, he asked;


    ''''Do you have anything to say? ''''


    Nicklaus asked; why was he suddenly getting uneasy? He wanted her to scream at him or cuss him, so he would have a reason to inflict pain but she was not doing any of those things, rather she was obedient.


    Tiana was quiet for a moment, her eyes blank as though thinking about something;


    ''''I want to look for a job, if you would not mind. ''''


    She said curtly, her voice low. Nicklaus was surprised.


    That was what she wanted to ask?


    Wasn''t she concerned about that man anymore?


    Or did she lose a part of her brain?


    A week ago, she could sacrifice her life for him, but here in front of him, she didn''t even bring him up.


    He gazed at her for a moment, to be sure he had heard correctly;


    Seeing that she would not say any other thing, he leaned back on the couch and asked;


    ''''What do you need a job for? You have everything you need here. ''''


    Tiana thought for a moment; and picking her words appropriately, she replied;


    ''''I''m sure I won''t stay here forever, Young Master Nicklaus, soon, you won''t be needing me anymore, I need to have something to fall back on, if you don''t mind. ''''


    She replied calmly, her body not moving an inch.


    Nicklaus watched her intently;


    If she was pretending to not feel a thing, he needed to push the right button to make her flip;


    And what other way to make someone flip if not by using what she hated the most;


    ''''Okay, if that''s what you want. I''ll pay you to be my personal assistant then; ''''


    Tiana felt her ear stand erect at his statement; her whole body froze at a spot.


    She knew what he wanted;


    He knew she disgusted everything about him and making her his personal assistant, required her seeing his face every time, which would be torturing to her, and there was no way a sane person would agree to that, not after what he did to her;


    But the question is¡­


    Was she sane?


    Tiana stared at Nicklaus for a moment, she did not say a word; and just when Nicklaus thought she would reject his offer, she said;


    ''''Okay, how much is my pay? ''''


    The smirk which was almost on his face paled instantly; he did not think that she would accept his offer, he had expected her to react or disagree but she had shocked him,


    She had not changed her sitting position; neither did her expression show any sign of anger, rather she was smiling!


    Nicklaus fisted his palms, almost on the verge of exploding;


    What is wrong with this woman!


    He cussed in his head, but he did well to hide it;


    ''''You know what you are getting into, right?''''


    He asked, crossing his legs, he raised a brow;


    Tiana''s lips slanted and her eyes narrowed at him;


    ''''Young Master; as long as you pay me, I''ll do whatever you want ''''


    Nicklaus was amazed by her sudden audaciousness; but he was sure she was just trying to seem bold,


    He knew her, she was just a weak, trembling soul, and she was trying so hard to mask it;


    A smirk appeared on his lips as a thought came into his mind;


    ''''Whatever I want? ''''


    He asked again and Tiana replied immediately without a second thought;


    ''''Yes, Young Master, whatever you want. ''''


    ''''Alright then, I want you to strip yourself and go lie down on the bed. ''''


    He did not have any thought of touching her; he just wanted to see her reaction. But what Tiana did next shocked him.

 Chapter 31 - What is she doing to me?

    Tiana watched him for a split second, and then she stood up quietly from the sofa. Nicklaus was shocked;


    Was she really going to strip? He asked himself, but he didn''t interrupt her, he just watched her keenly.


    She held the hem of her dress and in an instant; she pulled it over her head;


    Nicklaus was shocked to his spines. His heart skipped a beat.


    Did she just remove her clothes, without even thinking twice?


    The last time he asked her to strip, she had hesitated. Why was she so different now?


    He was so shocked that he could not even speak; when he had asked her to strip, he never thought she would do it, but she had surprised him; he had no intention of touching her, so when he saw that she had pulled off her dress, leaving her with only a pair of lingerie as the only clothing on her body, he opened his lips to tell her to stop, but just when the words were about leaving his lips, he suddenly froze.


    Tiana held the hooks of her bra and with a slight push she undid them. It made a soft sound as it touched the floor. Her eyes were staring straight at Nicklaus, and she slowly held the sides of her panties and pulled them down slowly, stepping out of them.


    Nicklaus was dumbstruck; his eyes were fixated on her body, and he wasn''t thinking straight anymore. The last time she had stripped in front of him, he had barely glanced at her because of how angry he had been earlier that day, but right now, he couldn''t keep his eyes off her body.


    She had the curves in the right places and her skin looked so soft, Nicklaus felt his throat tighten, he was suddenly getting hot. He had never felt this way towards a woman before. What was happening to him?


    Tiana raised her hand slowly to her ponytail and eased the band; she shook her head lightly, letting her hair fall down her back;


    "Young Master, should I go to the bed now? ''''


    Nicklaus lifted his eyes from her body and to her face, as he struggled to keep them there;


    He swallowed hard as his palms fisted. The sweet smile on her face was not helping matters;


    ''F.u.c.k! What spirit enchanted this woman? Has she always been this tempting?''


    Nicklaus cursed in his head, as he struggled to keep his body in check;


    Tiana was surprised by the little change in his countenance; the last time she had stripped in front of him, he had barely looked at her, now he couldn''t even keep his eyes off her body, wasn''t he gay?


    Or was he bis.e.x.u.a.l?


    BIS.E.X.U.A.L!


    She panicked as the thought entered her head, but she did well to hide it. She had stripped in the first place without thinking twice because she knew that he would not touch her, but she did not think he might like both men and women. What if that was the case?


    She hastily asked him the question to make him stop gawking at her; her heart slamming rapidly against her chest but only she knew that, because she had masked it with a sweet smile.


    She prayed to all the gods of the earth and the creators above that he would not tell her to go lie on the bed, because she wasn''t sure she would hold herself back from breaking his skull with the porcelain vase on the stool by his side if he did that.


    Nicklaus stared at her expression for a moment, and he immediately pulled his eyes off her.


    ''''Put your clothes back on and leave. ''''


    He said with an irritated tone; standing up, he walked to his fridge and took out a box of cigarettes; picking up the lighter on the stool, he lit a stick and placed it on his lips.


    Tiana heaved the tiniest sigh of relief;


    The last thing she ever wanted to imagine was his hands on her body; just the thought of it was nauseating.


    Nicklaus puffed out smoke as he walked back into his room, leaving her in the parlor. His head in a mess; this was the first time he was clueless on what to do; that woman was shattering him to pieces.


    It took him a great restraint to let her wear back her clothes, because f.u.c.k, she was s.e.x on toes!


    He had never been with a woman before, and seeing such a gorgeous sight, he nearly couldn''t control himself.


    What is she doing to me!


    He was getting frustrated by the second. Then suddenly he heard her voice;


    ''''Young Master, when do I start work?''''


    Nicklaus froze; he slowly turned around to look at her,


    She had put on her clothes and she had those bright blue eyes staring back at him;


    ''Was her voice always this sweet to the ears?''


    Nicklaus asked himself.


    On a closer look, his eyes traced down her face to her lips, and at that moment, she licked it sweetly;


    His throat hitched;


    Did she always have those s.e.xy lips?


    Realizing his thoughts, he immediately pulled his eyes away from her;


    ''Why was he paying attention to her looks now, was he the one crazy?''


    Nicklaus dragged from his cigarette, trying to ease his tension.


    ''''Tomorrow, and let me not be out before you, now get out!''''


    He commanded frustratingly and Tiana tiptoed diligently out of his room; as soon as the doors closed, Nicklaus clutched his hair infuriatingly.


    He didn''t like the way he was feeling¡­ weak. He never felt weak; he had never lacked the right words to say. He had never been dumbfounded in his entire life!


    Something had gone wrong somewhere!


    Who is this woman!!


    He thought he was concerned about her because of his family, but at that moment, he realized that that was not the case. It was a lot different from that!

 Chapter 32 - Never see her cry again

    Tiana closed the door quietly behind her; she waited a moment before she continued downstairs; she knew he wanted her to oppose or maybe cry like before but she was no longer that person who cried at the tiniest peeve, he made sure of that.


    There was one way to tame a devil, and it was by denying him the satisfaction of seeing his prey in pain.


    And as far as she was concerned, Nicklaus would never see her cry again. Never!


    After what happened in his room, she knew he was very mad and he would surely get back at her, but she was never going to let that happen.


    This was the first time she had defeated him, and she knew she hurt his ego and he would get back at her, but she would ever be prepared for him.


    She would always be one step ahead; she would make sure of that.


    That night, after dinner, Tiana searched her wardrobe for some good work clothes; she selected a silk blue shirt and high waist suit trousers, with heels. After trying them and seeing that they were her size, she quickly ironed them.


    After ironing, she took her bath and lay down on the bed, just when her eyes closed, they shot open immediately and she rolled to the side of the bed to her alarm clock on the drawer and she set the alarm to 6 am.


    After that afternoon, she didn''t want to take chances. Nicklaus always went to work by 8am, but after what happened; she had a feeling that he would come out earlier just to find a reason to punish her, so she would be out by seven waiting for him on the front porch.


    The next day, she woke up to the alarm clock; she had not had a decent sleep in a while so her eyes were still groggy but she struggled to pull herself from the bed. Hurriedly, she took her bath and applied her cream and wore her clothes.


    Just when she looked at herself in the mirror, she realized that the clothes were so fitting that it showed a sumptuous amount of her curves.


    Her cleavage was even peeking out of the blouse.


    She didn''t even apply makeup, but she was already too beautiful.


    No, she didn''t want to look like this, drawing more attention to herself; but it was too late to change clothes, so she thought of what to do.


    She stared at the mirror and her eyes fell on her hair, which was falling down her back, and a thought entered her mind. She immediately took a band and packed it up into a tight bun.


    But she was still too pretty; the hairstyle had exposed her neck and defined her round babyish face. She bit her lower lip as she thought of what to do but then her eyes looked towards the wall clock and she saw that she was already a few minutes to seven, so she quickly hurried out of the room, she would plan well for other days when she comes back, because there was no time for that now, she was already late.


    She sat on the couch in the parlor, going through her phone and peeking at the stairs once in a while. At exactly forty-five minutes to eight, she heard some footsteps on the stairs. Quickly, she stood up and walked out of the house and to the front porch.


    The guards were already waiting for their boss, and when they saw her, fully dressed, walking towards them, they were surprised.


    Tiana didn''t speak to them; she just stood by the side as she waited for Nicklaus to approach. Nicklaus was putting on a suit with his jacket in his hands, and his prodigious coldness etched to his face.


    His eyes scanned his guards and when it fell on her, it stayed there for two seconds before he looked away.


    A guard quickly held open the car door for him to enter, and he hopped in without a word. Tiana was puzzled;


    He had not said a thing to her. Did he want her to trek on her feet to the company?


    Tiana felt anger rising in her throat;


    Well, she wouldn''t be surprised if he let her trek to the company; there was nothing he would do that would surprise to her anymore.


    She folded her hands as she watched him enter the car.


    The guard closed the door and opened the driver''s side to get in; Tiana watched without saying a word. She wanted to know what he was up to.


    The other guards walked to the other cars and got in; but just when they started the ignition, Tiana saw Nicklaus hands come out of the window and order her to come to him.


    She stared at the car for a few seconds then swallowed her rising anger, before walking to the car;


    Nicklaus gaze was on his tablet and without glancing at her, he said;


    ''''Enter the car behind. ''''


    Tiana did not reply to him, she just walked to the car behind his and entered the back seat.


    She really hated his guts. But she just had to put up with him for four months.


    Just four months more.


    When they got to the company, Tiana walked behind Nicklaus, taking her steps slowly, one after the other.


    The employees in the company were shocked when they saw him with a woman.


    They gawked at them, shock written all over their faces.


    They held their gossips in their throats as they waited for him to walk past; and immediately he entered the elevator with the woman; the whole place exploded.


    Who is she?


    Why is she following the boss?


    The boss is gay, right? Or is he not?


    Is she a client? Or his girlfriend?


    They asked a million questions that none of them had answers to, and when they were tired, they returned to their posts, but the shock of that morning never left their minds.

 Chapter 33 - His PA

    No-one dared come later than Nicklaus, thus by the time he arrived, everyone was already in the company. Fredrick was going through some doc.u.ments he would show to him when he heard some footsteps approach;


    He raised his eyes and when he saw his boss, he immediately greeted, but his greeting hinged on his throat as his eyes fell on the person behind him.


    Fredrick froze instantly;


    Was that a woman beside his¡­ boss?


    He raised his hands and wiped his eyes immediately to be sure he wasn''t seeing things.


    Who is she?


    He was sure it wasn''t a client because he arranged the meetings himself, so who was she?


    He was lost staring at both of them and he didn''t hear when Nicklaus ordered him to follow him into his office.


    Tiana stared at Fredrick, who had his mouth half open; she wondered if she had a stain on her face;


    ''''Fredrick! ''''


    Nicklaus blared when he entered his office and realized that Fredrick wasn''t following behind.


    ''''Yes, Boss! ''''


    He replied and quickly stumbled into the office.


    Tiana was standing by the side as he approached; she had her hands to her side as she watched him walk to Nicklaus table;


    ''''Go tell the Legal department to prepare a contract; ''''


    Nicklaus said, as he scribbled something on the paper in front of him;


    ''''With this ''''


    He handed the paper to Fredrick, who read the contents and his eyes shot at Tiana immediately;


    HIS PA?!


    He was already his PA. Why did he need another, or was he sacking him?


    Fredrick was shocked to his marrows;


    Did something happen to his boss over the weekend?


    He recently gave him a salary raise now he was getting another pa, what did he do wrong?


    Fredrick ransacked his head, as he tried to remember where he had gone wrong;


    ''''Fredrick, did you hear me or not? ''''


    Fredrick was kicked out of his thoughts by his boss''s stern voice; he immediately bowed a little and walked out of the office.


    As soon as Fredrick was out of the office, Nicklaus put on his computer and started going through his emails and reports, ignoring Tiana who was standing in front of him.


    Tiana was on heels so after standing for a long while, her legs ached, but she did not say a word to him; she just continued standing.


    Although Nicklaus didn''t want to pay attention to her, he found his eyes darting towards her once in a while; he noticed that she was shifting her weight from one leg to the other. He tried to ignore her, but he could no longer concentrate on his work;


    He sat upright on the chair and narrowed his eyes trying to keep her out of his head but it was not possible with her standing right in front of him.


    Angrily; he turned to her;


    ''''Will you keep standing there dancing like a fish out of water or are you going to find somewhere to sit?''''


    Nicklaus blared but Tiana didn''t even flinch. She watched him for a moment before taking a seat in front of him.


    How would she sit when he had not offered one?!


    She mumbled in her head; as she sat down, his eyes involuntarily flickered over her b.o.o.b.s and her outlined cleavage which the blouse had exposed generously, and reflexively he remembered what she looked like the day before, n.a.k.e.d in front of him. Instantly his throat tightened;


    ''''No, not here, go over there. ''''


    He pointed to the mini parlor in his office and Tiana quietly stood up and walked towards the parlor.


    Nicklaus rubbed his face with one hand; why was he thinking of her n.a.k.e.d?


    This was really getting out of hand. How was he going to work with her, with the pictures of her n.a.k.e.d body engraved in his head?


    He wondered as forced his eyes to remain glued to the computer in front of him.


    He was the one who asked her to be his pa, he could not possibly go back on his words; else he''ll look like a big joke!


    He was still fighting with his thoughts when a knock came on the door, and he quickly sat upright;


    ''" Come in. ''''


    He said and Fredrick walked into his office, his face a little sullen, knowing that he had lost his job.


    He walked to Nicklaus and placed the contract in front of him.


    Nicklaus picked it from the table and went through it; after reading through he instructed Fredrick to go call Tiana over.


    ''''Go through it and sign; ''''


    He said to her as she sat down in front of him; tossing the doc.u.ment to her front. Tiana picked the doc.u.ment and opened it. There was a lot of gibberish written in small letters that she couldn''t understand neither did she want to, what she was more interested in was her pay;


    She flipped through the pages and her eyes scanned through the letters until they stopped on the numbers she was itching to see;


    ''''25,000 dollars!!!! ''''


    Tiana''s heart skipped a beat. In her entire life she had not seen such a huge sum. If she worked for four months, she would have a hundred thousand dollars, which was enough to pay off her father''s debts and even have enough to spare.


    She could take good care of her sister and herself comfortably and even start something doing!


    Maybe everything was a blessing in disguise after all.


    Without a second thought she took a pen from the pen holder and signed her name sweetly on the blank spot, then pushed the contract doc.u.ment across to Nicklaus.


    Although she was excited about the money, she did well not to show it.


    Nicklaus flipped through the pages and signed on his spot.


    ''''Make photocopies and give her one, I''ll keep the original.''''


    He said, handing the contract to Fredrick.


    ''''When do I start work? ''''


    Tiana asked as Fredrick turned around to go do what Nicklaus had asked;


    Nicklaus glanced at her briefly but he didn''t reply to her statement;


    Tiana watched him and his forever-aloof -expression and she rolled her balls;


    It was not as though she forced him to make her his pa. If he would not reply to her questions, he shouldn''t have asked her to work for him in the first place!

 Chapter 34 - The Maze

    When she saw that he would not say anything she stood up and walked back to the mini parlor and sat down. After about fifteen minutes, Fredrick came back into the office with the photocopies.


    When she saw him, she stood up and walked back to the table.


    Nicklaus handed one photocopy to Tiana and kept the original and others to himself.


    ''''Fredrick, you''ll take over the office of the Chief Financial Officer, I have already sent him a transfer letter to another branch earlier today but he''ll work until the end of the week, so until then, you must coach her and teach her the basics of the job, understood? ''''


    Fredrick''s lips could not stop smiling. He had thought Nicklaus was about to sack him, not knowing he was just promoting him! And to the office of the Chief Financial Officer, that was a dream come true.


    ''''Yes, boss! I''ll do just that! Thank You, boss ''''


    Another thing that made Fredrick so joyous was the fact that he was finally liberated from his tyrant boss, who was never pleased with anything.


    He was a hard man to work with and he just pitied the lady who was taking his position. In fact, he would wholeheartedly teach her everything she needed to know and more.


    Nicklaus knew he could trust Fredrick with that position; he had worked with him since he took over the company from his Uncle and he had never had a single complain about him.


    ''''Go get the reports for today. ''''


    Nicklaus ordered;


    ''''Right away! ''''


    Fredrick replied, and Tiana followed him out.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus left the company earlier than usual; although he barely said anything to Tiana, when he was about to leave he uttered curtly;


    ''''Let''s go. ''''


    As they walked out of the company together, the workers still gave them the same stare as they had given them earlier that day.


    Immediately they were out of the company; the female employees, who couldn''t endure their hunger for gossip instantly raced to the elevator and to the last floor to go inquire from Fredrick who the woman was.


    ¡­


    They arrived home by a few minutes past twelve in the afternoon. Tiana retired to her room and flung her shoes across the room. She massaged her legs after which she fell back on the bed and in a few minutes she had drifted to sleep.


    She woke up a few minutes past two in the afternoon; rubbing her eyes, she pulled herself from the bed and changed into something comfortable. She left the room to go have lunch.


    After taking her food from the kitchen, she walked to the dining room and saw Bella eating her meal slowly;


    Her lips curved with a smile;


    '''' Bella? ''''


    After that day, she had not seen Bella and Veronica again; well that was because she had spent a good amount of time locked away in the bas.e.m.e.nt.


    Bella raised her eyes from her food, and when she saw her, she smiled brightly.


    ''''Tiana? How are you? I haven''t seen you since that day!''''


    ''''Yeah; '''' Tiana replied, placing her plate opposite Bella and pulled out a chair to sit down.


    ''''The Young Master locked me up, you must have heard. ''''


    She said with a faint smile; Bella sighed sadly;


    ''''I''m really sorry, that is the Young Master for you, he''s a very hard man to please. You''re even lucky that you''re alive. ''''


    Bella said as she dug into her food;


    Tiana chuckled; ''''Well that''s over now, I''ll try as much as possible not to get on his bad side again as long as I am here.''''


    Bella nodded; ''''That''s good; I hear you went to the company with him today, what happened? ''''


    Tiana chuckled; Bella was really a blabbermouth, but she had this feel around her, like someone with a good heart.


    ''''Well, he offered me a job to be his pa for now. ''''


    ''''Oh, that''s scary! You''ll get to put up with him every minute, I wish you luck. ''''


    Bella said with a gentle smile. Tiana laughed it off.


    She didn''t want to think about it, she just wanted to think about the money and that was all.


    They resumed eating and after a minute, Bella looked up at her;


    ''''So, what do you do for fun? ''''


    Tiana raised her eyes at her suddenly;


    ''''What? ''''


    ''''Yea, you''re always in your room, it''ll be nice to make friends and have some fun since you''ll be staying here for a while. ''''


    Bella opted; Tiana thought for a moment and a giggle escaped her lips;


    ''''Okay, what do you guys do for fun? ''''


    She asked;


    ''''mmm, telling funny stories when we''re bored, swimming, celebrating birthdays and partying but not in the main building, we do this in the other building by the east. ''''


    ''''Wow, that''s interesting, didn''t know there was so much fun here, everyone looks so moody. ''''


    Bella laughed;


    ''''Yeah, that''s because of the Young Master, his presence brings an unusual darkness that makes everyone look solemn.''''


    They both burst out laughing;


    ''''Say, do you know there is a maze in the estate? ''''


    Bella asked and Tiana shook her head;


    ''''No, really? Where is it? ''??


    She only saw a maze in the movies; she had never seen one in real life.


    ''''Wow! That means you haven''t even checked out the estate, there is a maze constructed with huge flowers in the south end of the estate after the little pond. They say it''s very complicated, that once you''re in, it takes up-to 8 hours or more to find your way out. And sometimes you might never find your way.


    They say it''s only the Young Master that knows the way round it. ''''


    Tiana was thrilled by the revelation. A real life maze! She really wanted to see it.


    ''''Come on, what are we waiting for, let''s check it out. ''''


    ''''What? '''' Bella laughed;


    ''''Not going anywhere, what if we get lost, who will find us? And it''s'' already past two, even if we make it out, it''ll be in the middle of the night! ''''


    Tiana giggled; ''''Who says we will get into it, I just want to see, that''s all.''''

 Chapter 35 - A Stubborn Little Miss

    ''''We''ll just look at it? ''''


    Bella asked, and she nodded;


    ''''Yes. ''''


    ''''Alright, finish eating your food, and we''ll go. ''''


    ''''No, I''m done eating; I''ll just keep the plates in the kitchen. ''''


    Her eagerness to see the maze filled her up. She couldn''t even eat again. Standing up, she took their plates and kept them in the kitchen.


    ''''Alright let''s go. ''''


    She said to Bella as she stepped into the dining room and they both walked out of the house.


    ''''It''s a little far from here and quiet. It kind of has an eerily feel, I don''t like going there. ''''


    Bella explained, her face scrunched up in displeasure.


    ''''Oh my, I just love the sound of that!''''


    Tiana exclaimed excitedly; Bella turned to look at her;


    ''''What? ''''


    ''''Yea, it sounds like a horror movie! I love horror movies, it''s exciting! ''''


    Bella watched her eagerness and at that moment, she knew that it would be hard preventing her from entering the maze.


    They walked past the pond and into a little pathway which had tall trees planted on both sides; as they walked down the pathway, it grew quiet, just the chirping of birds were heard which slowly died out into the distance as they walked further in.


    ''''I told you, this place is scary, let''s go back.''''


    Bella said and Tiana immediately shook her head;


    ''''Come on, we''re almost there, we shouldn''t turn back now. ''''


    She pleaded and Bella sighed;


    ''''Fine, but we shouldn''t go in, ''''


    ''''Alright ''''


    Tiana replied, but she knew that nothing would prevent her from entering the maze.


    Bella continued walking forward, and she followed eagerly.


    ''''Wow! ''''


    Tiana exclaimed as a beautiful sight met her eyes.


    ''''It''s so tall! You can''t even climb!''''


    She exclaimed aweing at the sight in front of her;


    ''''Yeah, that''s the more reason you shouldn''t go in because you can''t even climb your way out. ''''


    Bella explained and Tiana chuckled;


    ''''mm, let me take a closer look. ''''


    She said and walked closer to the maze.


    ''''Tiana, don''t go in, ''''


    Bella warned, and Tiana nodded right away;


    ''''I know, I''m just going to take a closer look, that''s all. ''''


    She said and inched closer to the maze;


    ''''Wow! This is amazing! ''''


    Tiana exclaimed, walking around the maze and touching the thick bush of flowers.


    ''''Yeah, very! Now, it''s time to go. ''''


    Bella said;


    ''''Argh, so early, let''s stay a little more. ''''


    Tiana whined, but Bella shook her head;


    ''''No, we can''t. Let''s go now, I know you want to get in but we''ll come some other time, maybe in the morning, so before it''s late you have found your way out. ''''


    Tiana heaved a sigh; ''''Okay, let''s go. ''''


    She replied and Bella turned around and started walking forward;


    ''''It''s exciting if you go in during the day but it''s scary at night and it''s already past three¡­ ''''


    Bella stopped talking when she did not hear any footsteps following behind; she immediately turned and her face paled when she did not see any trace of Tiana;


    ''''Tiana!! ''''


    She exclaimed as she ran back to the maze and when she got to the entrance she stopped, her eyes fell to the ground and she saw fresh footmarks then she knew Tiana had entered the maze.


    ''''Tiana! Tiana, you need to come out!''''


    She screamed, but she did not hear any reply.


    If she knew Tiana was this stubborn, she wouldn''t have brought her here in the first place. Now she would have to wait for her to come out of the maze. Bella angrily walked to a nearby column and sat down. She was not even with her phone, making the wait more boring.


    6 hours later¡­


    Tiana had not come out of the maze and it was already late into the night; there was no-one in sight and the quietness of the place made everything scarier.


    Bella was already sweating from fear, she hated the darkness and coupled with the creepiness of the place, she was almost peeing in her pants.


    She had walked around the maze screaming Tiana''s name but there was no reply, she was already nervous. She had warned her not to get into the maze, now who would find her?


    She couldn''t go into the maze because she would get lost too, and she was the only one who could get help. She waited another one hour but Tiana did not come out. Giving up, she turned around and ran back towards the mansion, to find help.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus was working in his study since he had come back early; suddenly an email popped up on the screen, he clicked on it and scanned through the contents;


    It was a doc.u.ment he needed to review, he wanted to forward it to Fredrick but on a second thought he decided to print it out and let Tiana review it. Quickly he sent it to the printer, and in the matter of seconds, the doc.u.ment was printed.


    He stood up and took the doc.u.ments, stapling them together; walking to his room, he dialed on the house telephone;


    It rang a few seconds; then Ma Lee picked up;


    ''''Send Tiana upstairs ''''


    He said and dropped the telephone, walking back to his study.


    Nicklaus looked towards his door, his brows creased; thirty minutes had passed, yet she was not yet up.


    Just when he stood up to inquire what was keeping her, the telephone started ringing;


    He strode towards the bedside and picked up the telephone, placing it on his ear;


    ''''Young Master¡­ The Young Miss is nowhere to be found. ''''

 Chapter 36 - In the maze

    After Nicklaus had sent for Tiana, Ma Lee went to her room but did not find her; she asked a maid to go look for her around the estate but after ten minutes she returned saying she did not see her. She asked the workers if anyone had seen her, and they all reported negatively.


    After waiting a while, she sent a few more maids to go find her but they all returned saying that they didn''t see her. The last option was to tell Nicklaus that his mistress had gone missing.


    Nicklaus was quiet for a few seconds after Ma Lee spoke; he turned to his clock and saw the time; it was fifteen minutes past seven and his brows creased;


    ''''Are you sure of what you are saying? ''''


    He asked; there was no way she would get missing in the mansion, she could not have possibly run away.


    ''''Yes Young master, I''ve searched everywhere, she is nowhere to be found. ''''


    Ma Lee explained and Nicklaus grew quiet;


    ''''Have you asked the guards if she left the estate? ''''


    ''''Yes Young Master, they said she did not leave the estate, but still we can''t find her. None of the maids know where she had gone. ''''


    Nicklaus brows creased; where in hell did she go to?


    He wondered, after a few seconds he spoke;


    ''''Continue your search. Since she didn''t leave the estate, she must be around somewhere. Make sure you find her. ''''


    He said and dropped the telephone. He walked back to his study to continue with his work, but he could not concentrate anymore.


    His eyes remained on a particular line for over ten minutes, his thoughts disoriented.


    Where is she?


    Had something happened to her?


    Nicklaus thought of a million places in the estate that could make her so occupied for hours, but he could pinpoint any;


    A thought flickered into his mind and he sat upright immediately;


    ''Wait¡­ Am I bothered about her right now?''


    His eyes widened as he realized he was thinking about her; he immediately shook his head as though shaking away the thoughts of her from his head;


    Rubbing his face with his hand, he narrowed his eyes and tried to concentrate on his work;


    He read a few lines but after a few minutes, his mind swayed again;


    ''What if something had happened to her?


    Or she fell into the swimming pool and can''t swim?


    Or she got lost and can''t find her way back to the mansion?''


    Nicklaus mind was filled with many terrible things that could have happened to her and he suddenly became troubled;


    He didn''t have an interest in working anymore; he was just so uneasy. As much as he didn''t want to think about her, he couldn''t keep her away from his mind; he struggled some more, and in the end, he lost;


    ''Fine!''


    He exclaimed in his head; picking up his phone from the table, he dialed the leader of his guards;


    ''''Gather your men, search the estate upside down and bring Tiana to me. ''''


    He instructed when the call connected;


    ''''Yes, Boss.''''


    The man replied curtly, and Nicklaus ended the call.


    He felt a little relief after he had told his guards to find her, but that didn''t last long;


    Nicklaus stared at his phone for over thirty minutes, yet there was no call; it was already a few minutes past nine and yet she had not been found; he became apprehensive.


    Standing up, he walked towards the window and looked down; he saw his guards gathered in front of the mansion talking to one another and his brows creased angrily;


    What were they standing there doing?


    He ordered them to look for her and they had the time to stand idly when she was still missing?


    He felt bile rising in his throat, and he angrily turned and walked towards the door;


    In less than two minutes he was downstairs;


    The maids were whispering amongst themselves but when they saw him approach; the whole place grew quiet;


    Nicklaus expression was dark and icy as he walked towards them; when his guards saw him, they walked towards him;


    ''''What are you guys doing here? ''''


    He asked, his voice grave;


    ''''Boss, we''ve found her. '''' The leader explained;


    Nicklaus eyes scanned the crowd, but he did not see her;


    His eyes reverted to the guards and the maids; and he saw they looked shaken and gloomy; and instantly his heart skipped a beat;


    Did something happen to her?


    Was she dead?


    The thought of her dead made Nicklaus heart slam against his ribcage, something that had not happened in the last seventeen years of his life.


    He felt his throat tighten and he couldn''t say the words; his eyes paled with fear as he forced the words through his lips;


    ''''Where is she?''''


    He asked slowly;


    The guards were surprised at his demeanor; that was the warmest they''ve ever seen him since they started working for him, did something happen to him earlier that afternoon?


    ''''Boss, she¡­ she is in the maze. ''''


    The leader explained modestly; his head a little bowed.


    At his words; Nicklaus felt a bucket of relief wash through him; so they were looking so pale because she was in the maze?


    And they had made him worry for nothing?


    He closed his eyes briefly as he calmed himself;


    When his eyes opened again, it had returned to its normal deathly glare;


    ''''And what are you guys still doing here?''''


    He glared, and the guards quickly scampered towards the location of the maze. They had not gone over five feet when Nicklaus called out;


    ''''Wait! ''''


    On a second thought he stopped them; even his guards did not know the way around the maze, sending them there would just complicate matters, since some of them would even get lost.


    Nicklaus thought for a moment and then he began walking towards them;


    The guards watched their boss approach, shock written all over their faces;


    ''Did their boss intend to find the woman himself?''


    They could not believe their eyes;


    They watched him approach them and walked past them towards the maze, and they instantly followed behind, still shocked.

 Chapter 37 - Fresh Mint

    Tiana sat on the floor, her back against the huge flowers; she was worn out; it was over six hours, and she was still walking around the maze. Her legs ached from so much pain and her whole body hurt from walking too much.


    She wished she had listened to Bella when she told her not to go into the maze, now see what had happened; the worst of all was that no-one would save her; if she didn''t find her way out, she would sleep there for the night. She had heard Bella calling her name, and she called back, but it seemed Bella did not hear her because she kept on shouting,


    After a while, she didn''t hear her voice again, and she felt she had left. Tiana didn''t blame her though, it was her fault; she warned her not to go into the maze, but because of her stubbornness and curiosity she had gone into the maze.


    At first, it was thrilling, and then when she was tired of playing and she wanted to leave, she couldn''t find her way out; every path looked the same, she had been walking roundaboutly for hours!


    She sat there tired and hungry; she didn''t eat much that afternoon because of the maze and now she was starving;


    She was still thinking about the worms in her belly when a thought dropped in her head and her eyes shot out immediately;


    Nicklaus! She was his Pa now, and she needed to be out early tomorrow! What if she doesn''t get out of the maze that night? What would she tell him?


    Instantly, Tiana sprang up from the floor; she needed to get out of the maze no matter what; gathering up strength, she began walking forward; she walked around the interconnected paths, but she arrived at the same spot again.


    ''Not again!''


    She cussed in her head; kicking her feet against the flowers; her brows squeezed frustratingly as she winced at the pain coming from her toes; she was still in pain when her eyes suddenly flickered towards the flowers and a thought entered her head;


    If she could climb the flowers one after the other; she could come out on the other side; she traced the height of the flowers with her eyes and her heart sunk when she saw the length;


    But she had no choice; she would still have to climb it if she wanted to get out of that worthless maze. Taking in a deep breath, she stuck her foot into the flowers and held onto a bunch of stems with her both hands; when she was balanced a little, she stuck in her second foot and continued climbing up;


    ¡­


    Nicklaus hands were in his pockets as he strode forward; the guards following behind; when he approached the maze; he stopped;


    Turning to the guards, he said;


    ''''Wait here, ''''


    And with that he walked into the maze. There were illumination from the street lights so he could see clearly in the maze; his eyes fell to the floor, and he narrowed them; he saw footmarks lead into the maze and he followed it;


    He reached a spot where there were many footmarks leading into different pathways and he stopped;


    She must have walked around this part severally;


    He thought n his head; closing his eyes, he listened for any sound; then he heard one; the shuffling of leaves coming from the path on his left and he immediately walked into it;


    His feet made no sound as they stepped on the path; and soon, he saw a body struggling against the flowers;


    She was almost at the top of the flowers but her legs were struggling to get a footing; Nicklaus brows creased as he wondered what she was doing;


    He walked closer, his hands still inside his pockets and when he was directly behind her; he spoke calmly''


    ''''What are you doing?''''


    Tiana was so concentrated in getting to the other side that she did not hear him approach, and when she heard a deep masculine voice behind her suddenly, she screamed in shock and her legs lost balance involuntarily and in a second she was flying backwards;


    The second Nicklaus finished asking, he heard a loud shriek and saw a body falling towards him; his eyes widened in shock and he reflexively stretched out his hands to catch her before she would fall on him;


    Tiana''s eyes shut as she awaited the harsh fall; she had already braced herself for the impact but her body stopped halfway; her eyes remained closed for a few seconds as she waited for her body to continue falling but it didn''t; coming to her senses, she felt hands on her sides and she knew she was caught by the person who had spoken earlier.


    Slowly, the scent of the person behind her wafted into her nostrils; he smelt like he was just out of the shower, so fresh. She could smell his fresh mint cologne on his neck which was almost touching her face, and she didn''t feel like leaving his arms but almost at that moment, she realized that she didn''t know who had caught her and she quickly escaped from his grip; turning around, her face paled when she realized who it was.


    Nicklaus hands grew cold when the warmth of her body left his; he watched her face pale as her eyes fell on him; he didn''t want to admit it but he liked the feel of her body against his; her hair smelt like lavender and another distinct smell, but just when he wanted to discern what it was, she left his arms.


    ''''Young Master Nicklaus¡­''''


    Tiana trembled; why was he here?


    Did Bella go to call him?


    God! She was in trouble now! What was she going to tell him brought her to the maze?


    And to think he caught her ruining his maze!


    ''''I¡­ just came to look, I didn''t know I would get lost¡­''''


    Nicklaus did not reply, his eyes just kept keen on her face;


    When Tiana saw that he wasn''t saying a thing, she thought he might be angry that she had climbed the flowers, so she quickly opened her mouth to explain;

 Chapter 38 - Stranger things

    ''''I¡­ I was just trying to check if I could climb out from this end; since I couldn''t find my way around, I''m sorry for ruining your maze¡­''''


    She stammered, her hand pointing to the flowers she had stepped on.


    Nicklaus gaze had not fluttered since she started speaking; it was as though he was not even listening to her in the first place; Tiana felt sweat break out on her forehead as Nicklaus stared intently at her; she didn''t even know what to say anymore;


    She planned that she wouldn''t fall into his trap, but she didn''t know that she would get in so soon;


    ''''I''m sorry for the flowers, ''''


    She apologized again as she thought it to be the only reason he would stare at her so intently;


    Nicklaus didn''t respond to her, he just turned around and started walking out of the maze;


    Actually, he didn''t even know what to say to her; he wasn''t at all angry at her for climbing the huge flowers, in fact he was even amused; but he could not open his lips to say a word because he just realized that he had come all the way from the mansion to the maze to save her and that was not like him. He was even surprised at himself.


    Normally, he would have ordered his guards to find her, no matter how long it took them, but he had chosen to find her himself; although he made himself believe that it was because the guards didn''t know the way around the maze, he knew deep down that he found her himself because he was worried.


    But he wouldn''t let her know that; so he turned around nonchalantly and started walking out of the maze; he didn''t need to tell her to follow him, since she was lost, she would naturally follow him.


    Tiana was stunned; should she follow him?


    Was he leaving the maze?


    Tiana thought for a moment; then she remembered Bella saying that he was the only one who knew around the Maze and she quickly tiptoed behind him; keeping her distance.


    Nicklaus fought the urge to turn around to know if she followed him; luckily for him, she stepped on a bunch of leaves and his mind calmed;


    After about twenty minutes, the guards watched their Boss walk out of the maze casually, the lady following behind like a little kitten.


    He didn''t say a word to them, his face aloof as he walked towards the mansion. Tiana was surprised when she saw the bunch of guards who were standing in front of the maze;


    What happened!


    She asked herself internally.


    Was she in trouble? Did Nicklaus come to the maze to find her himself?


    She wondered as she continued following behind;


    The guards followed when they saw their boss step out.


    After a few minutes, they approached the mansion;


    The workers were still standing outside as they waited for Nicklaus to return. When they saw him approach, they strained their eyes to know whether he found her and when they saw her, they all stared at her like they''ve seen a ghost.


    Nicklaus did not say a word to any of them, he just walked into the mansion and up the stairs. Once he was upstairs, the whole place erupted with gossip of how the Young Master had gone to find her himself.


    Tiana walked towards her room, her head bowed a little;


    She had wronged Nicklaus, now she would have to apologize to him.


    She didn''t want to make mistakes that would demand her begging him, but this;


    She didn''t have a choice;


    She was almost at her door when she heard a familiar voice call her name;


    ''''Tiana? ''''


    Tiana froze instantly, and she turned around to see Bella walking towards her;


    ''''Bella, I''m sorry. I didn''t know it would take so long ''''


    Tiana apologized, a remorseful expression on her face.


    Bella was angry at first but it had been a long while and her anger had dissipated;


    She sighed;


    ''''It is okay, now you''ve seen for yourself, I''m sure you won''t ever go there again. ''''


    She said with a light chuckle and Tiana laughed;


    ''''Never; not even in my dreams!'' remembering something, she asked immediately;


    ''''How did Young Master find out, did you tell him? And why is everyone gathered outside, did something happen?''''


    She asked, her eyes glanced at the workers who were now retiring back into the house.


    Bella shook her head.


    ''''Not exactly. By the time I came back to the mansion, everyone was already looking for you. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes shot up in shock;


    ''''What? Looking for me? Why?''''


    ''''Well, I think Nicklaus sent for you but you were nowhere to be found, so he sent the workers to look for you. When I arrived, I saw the Young Master''s guards standing outside the mansion, and I told them;


    They were still asking me why you went there so late when suddenly, we saw Young Master step down with an angry look.


    After they told him you were in the maze, he ordered them to go get you, but just when they were about to leave, he stopped them and headed there himself; that''s why everyone is shocked.''''


    Tiana stood at a spot gazing at Bella, her ears felt foreign from what she heard;


    ''''You mean, the Young Master came to the Maze to find me? ''''


    She asked unbelievably.


    Bella laughed;


    ''''Yea, we were surprised too, but I think he did so because none of the guards knows the way around the maze, so sending them there would be a waste of time; but even at that, the young master surprised us today.''''


    She explained with a light chuckle;


    ''''That means he must be very mad at me right now. He didn''t even say a word to me when he found me, and to think he caught me climbing his flowers!''''


    Tiana face palmed in panic; she even had a greater trouble to deal with.


    Bella chuckled;


    "He might not really be so angry, you know the young master is always frosty, it is hard to discern when he''s angry and when he''s not "


    She soothed but Tiana was not buying it, she knew she was in big trouble.

 Chapter 39 - The man in the Cafe

    ''''Are you going to concentrate in this meeting or are you going to keep staring at my pa?''''


    Nicklaus asked; his eyes glaring at the board members;


    Tiana cheeks reddened at his outrage;


    When they arrived at the company that morning, Nicklaus ordered her to come for the board meeting, so he would introduce her to the board members and she would see what the board meeting was like;


    The board members were stunned to their toes when Nicklaus introduced her as his new Pa;


    A woman!!


    They heard from the employees he had hireda female pa but they didn''t believe it; until they saw her in person. They couldn''t even concentrate on the meeting anymore;


    One was that it was a woman, and the other was that she was stunning!


    After Nicklaus cautioned; they all pulled their eyes from her and concentrated on the meeting.


    After discussing other major matters, the meeting ended.


    Tiana followed Nicklaus back into his office after the board members had all left; she stood in front of his table and waited for him to sit;


    Nicklaus sat down and started working on his computer as though she was not there.


    She didn''t know if he was still angry from last night but she needed to apologize; although it was not from her mind, she would still have to do it, anyway. She couldn''t risk having an outstanding punishment waiting for her.


    ''''Young Master Nicklaus, I''m sorry for yesterday. I promise it would never happen again. ''''


    She said the words and her lips thinned as she waited for his reply; Nicklaus eyes did not move from his computer. It was as though no-one had spoken.


    Tiana waited a while, but seeing that he would not reply to her, she turned around to walk away;


    But just when she had taken one step, Nicklaus spoke;


    ''''Get me a cup of vanilla steamer. ''''


    Tiana stopped and turned around;


    Vanilla steamer? Nicklaus did not seem to be one who drank such non-alcoholic beverages; devilish people like him took only alcohol and smoked; what was he doing with vanilla steamer?


    ''''Anything else? ''''


    Nicklaus asked, raising his brows when he saw that she was still standing there. She immediately snapped out of her daze and walked out of the office.


    It was when she was out of the company that she realized that she didn''t know where to get the vanilla steamer from; she turned around to open the door and ask him, but on a second thought, she waked towards Fredrick''s office.


    She knocked twice and after she heard him tell her to come in, she entered, closing the door behind her;


    ''''Hello¡­''''


    She said cutely as she approached his table; Fredrick raised his eyes and when he saw her, a light smile slanted his lips;


    ''''Hi dear, how was the meeting?''''


    He asked, Nicklaus had introduced him to the board as the new chief financial officer and that he would resume work the next week; the board members were surprised because the news came so suddenly and without prior notice.


    But no-one could say a thing. He was the boss.


    ''''It was fine, at least I didn''t die/ ''''


    She joked, and they both laughed;


    ''''I wanted to ask; how do I get your boss a vanilla steamer? ''''


    She asked, her brows creased;


    ''''Oh, that. It''s at the Starbucks across the street. ''''


    He explained;


    ''''Thank you and how do I pay for it? ''''


    She asked again;


    ''''One minute¡­''''


    Fredrick quickly opened the drawer and took out a credit card;


    ''''With this; and you''ll be using it for these assignments.''''


    He said giving the card to her;


    ''''The card has no limit, so you won''t need another. '''' he said and Tiana smiled;


    ''''Okay. ''''


    When Tiana got downstairs, some workers still gave her that weird look, but it wasn''t like on the first day,


    Seems they were already getting used to her face.


    She left the company and crossed the road to the Starbucks across the street;


    ''''You''re welcome to Starbucks, what''s your order, Ma''am? ''''


    The young lady asked with a professional smile on her cheeks;


    ''''A cup of vanilla steamer; ''''


    Alright, one second;


    The lady walked around to get her order;


    ''''A takeout please ''''


    Tiana said, and the lady nodded. After packaging her order, she brought it to her; Tiana took the bag from her and raised her hand only to see that she wasn''t with the card, her eyes shot open as she remembered she had left it on Nicklaus table.


    ''''A cup of Blonde Caffe Americano please; ''''


    Tiana felt someone walk up to the counter and say; she turned her head to look at the man and she quivered a little from shock;


    The man looked so much like Nicklaus; he looked around the same age as him; if not that she had heard Nicklaus voice several times, and she knew the haircut he carried, she would have mistaken the man by her side to be him.


    ''''Right away sir, Ma''am your card please ''''


    The woman''s voice snapped Tiana from her daze; and she turned to the lady;


    ''''Sorry¡­ ; ''''


    She apologized biting her lower lip as her cheeks reddened.


    God! What kind of embarrassment is this!


    She cursed in her head; how was she so stupid as to forget the card, what was she thinking? And the lady had already prepared her order. What was she going to tell her? ''''


    Tiana''s face paled a little as she ransacked her head thinking of what to do.


    ''''Ma''am? ''''


    The lady called again, and Tiana forced a weak smile;


    ''''I''m sorry, I think I forgot my card but I work across the street, let me go get some cash or get the card. ''''


    Tiana apologized sincerely; something like that had never happened to her before. It was very embarrassing.


    ''''Don''t worry about that, I''ll pay for her order. ''''


    The man who was standing by her side interrupted and Tiana turned to him, a shocked expression on her face.


    The man did not look at her; he just handed his own card to the lady.

 Chapter 40 - Chasing Skirt

    The lady took the card from the man and smiled,


    ''''Thank you ''''


    Tiana said, a little blush tainting her cheeks; she was this close to being disgraced. That man was her savior!


    The man turned to her with a small smile; but he said nothing. He returned his gaze to the lady by the counter as he watched her package his order.


    Tiana figured she should wait back and thank him properly; so she stood aside and waited for the man to take his order.


    He took his drink from the woman and turned to the Tiana with a smirk on his lips;


    ''''I''m Liam, what''s your name? ''''


    He asked courteously; Tiana was surprised; she didn''t expect him to introduce himself.


    ''''Oh¡­ I''m Tiana, it is nice meeting you Liam. Thanks for the help back there.''''


    She thanked again as they walked out of the cafe and Liam laughed;


    ''''Nah, a gorgeous lady like you shouldn''t be left to wander on such a busy street. ''''


    He said and Tiana blushed;


    Now she looked at him closely, he looked like Nicklaus but it was just on a first glance, on a closer look, the differences would be visible.


    Nicklaus had those green eyes, they were very captivating; and he had a very charming smirk, although he rarely smirked, but whenever he did so, it wouldn''t go unnoticed.


    But Liam, he had blue eyes, and his smile was just okay. He was very handsome with a tall body build, but he was not as s.e.xy as Nicklaus¡­


    Wait, a minute¡­ was she comparing a man she just met with Nicklaus?


    Tiana''s eyes shot up in shock as she realized what she was doing;


    She instantly kicked the thought out of her head;


    Fine, Nicklaus was a very attractive man, but that did not mean she should compare him with any man she met! He was a demon to begin with; he doesn''t even deserve to be compared with anybody.


    ''''What''s wrong? ''''


    Liam asked when he noticed her change in expression;


    ''''Oh¡­'' Tiana smiled; ''nothing, it''s just that¡­ you look like someone I know. ''''


    She said with a tiny smile;


    Liam chuckled;


    ''''Yeah, I get that all the time. '''' He rolled his eyes.


    ''''Really? '''' Tiana said, pushing some strands of hair behind her ear;


    ''''Yeah¡­ ''''


    Liam looked forward and his gaze fell on the Howells Company building and he remembered Tiana saying that she worked across the street and his body froze;


    ''''You¡­ you work in the Howells Corporation?''''


    He asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ''''Yeah, I got hired recently. I just came down to get this for my boss. ''''


    Tiana said with a faint smile;


    There was a flash of something in his eyes but she was too slow to catch it;


    He and Nicklaus had a slight resemblance, maybe they could be related; although she didn''t see him at the family dinner, he could still be relations, maybe he was occupied and couldn''t make it, so she asked;


    ''''The person I said you look like is my Boss, Nicklaus Howell, are you two related?''''


    Liam''s throat tightened at her statement and he felt a churn in his stomach; but he quickly faked a smile;


    ''''No, not at all; I wonder why people always say we look alike; I don''t see the resemblance though. ''''


    The last thing Liam wanted was to be compared with Nicklaus. Not after what happened in the past.


    He would surely take his revenge on the Howells, but there was no rush; everything would unfold at the appointed time.


    Tiana chuckled, ''''There is a little resemblance on a first glance though;


    Her eyes glanced at the watch in her hands and she realized she had taken so much time, so she turned to Liam with a smile;


    ''''Liam, thanks again for saving me from embarrassment, but I have to go now.''''


    She said, raising her palm to the side of her mouth, she whispered; ''''My Boss is really scary!''''


    Liam laughed at her childish act and he asked politely;


    ''''Can we hang out sometime? ''''


    Tiana stared at him for a moment; he was handsome but Tiana was in too much already, she couldn''t risk putting her sister in danger again, the last date she went on, she knew how it turned out. She could not see another man until the five months is over.


    Forcing an apologetic smile to her face; she said;


    ''''Liam, I''m really sorry, I can''t. ''''


    She said and his face paled;


    ''" Why? I don''t mean today, anytime you wish, I''m not in a hurry. ''''


    He asked, his tone blue;


    Tiana pitied him, but she couldn''t do anything; Nicklaus would cut her legs if he got to know; and he wouldn''t let him go free either.


    ''''I''m sorry, Liam but I really can''t. It was nice meeting you, thanks once again.''''


    Not waiting for him to respond, she turned and ran across the road.


    Liam stood still, staring at her retreating figure.


    He had been with so many women and no woman had ever refused him; her rejection had piqued his interest, and he suddenly wanted to know her. She was stunning and she looked very innocent; he loved that type of woman.


    He watched her walk into the company gates and through the glass doors before he turned and walked towards a black car which was packed by the side.


    ''''What took you so long?''''


    A woman asked as he stepped into the car.


    The woman was in her late forties but she looked so young; obviously because she took care of her skin very well. She was beautiful, and she looked innocent on the first glance, but on a closer look, her eyes wore extreme viciousness which had been imbedded for years. Liam took her blue eyes, but that was all. He looked very much like his father.


    ''''Nothing; there was many people in the caf¨¦. '''' Liam replied as he handed the drink to his mother. Catherine stared at her son for a moment, but she said nothing. She had seen him talking to a woman, but she didn''t want to pry; but what concerned her was that she entered the Howells Company.


    She had protected him for years; she was not about to expose his identity because of some woman.


    ''''Liam, I hope you don''t forget why you returned? I don''t want you to begin by chasing skirt, do you understand? ''''


    Liam was quiet for a moment before he nodded;


    ''''I understand. ''''


    He said curtly and his mother smiled;


    ''''Good. '''' She said taking a sip of her drink.


    ''''Take us back home, please.''''


    She said to the driver, and he drove off immediately.

 Chapter 41 - See a doctor?

    Liam came out of the car and held out his hand for his mom to come out; Catherine stepped out and clung to her son''s arm.


    It''s been so many years. Seventeen long years!


    After her mission failed and she couldn''t get the Howells Corporation for her son, she had to take him away and change his name. His name was Michael but she had changed it to Liam to protect him.


    And after sending him away, she adopted a son, of the same age and named him Michael. So everyone thought he was her son, and the heir to Warren Corporation, and that was what she wanted. She needed to protect Liam from anyone who might have known about her plot.


    If she had succeeded in killing Nicklaus, it would have been easy to get into the Howell Family and have the Howells Corporation with a simple blood test, but he was alive! He was f.u.c.k.i.n.g alive! Up till that moment, she still hadn''t figured how he managed to escape from her grip.


    After what happened; Nicklaus was protected by guards, and he barely went out or spoke to anyone, that old man, Jonathan Howell, made sure that no harm could come to him. He had no friends and he studied at home which made his protection more impenetrable!


    ''''Michael, you''re back from the company? ''''


    Michael, her adopted son pushed open the front door and stepped out, cutting her from her thoughts.


    ''''Yes Mom '''' He replied, his eyes flickered to Liam.


    Liam had a taller build but Michael looked more intimidating. He had hazel brown eyes, and his hair was brown too.


    Catherine had told Michael that Liam was the son of her late sister and she told Liam not to reveal his identity to anyone for safety reasons. Although their closeness was a little suspicious, Michael had no cause to suspect anything fishy because he didn''t know about the incident seventeen years ago.


    ''''Liam, won''t you say hi to your brother? ''''


    Catherine nudged him when she saw he didn''t greet Michael and he forced a weak smile;


    ''''How was work? ''''


    He asked halfheartedly; Michael didn''t understand why he disliked him when he had done nothing wrong but he didn''t want to take it to heart.


    ''''Work was good;


    Shifting his gaze to his mom, he said;


    ''''Mom, I''ll be out for a while. ''''


    He placed a soft kiss on her cheeks and walked around them;


    ''''Alright dear, don''t stay too long. ''''


    She said with a warm smile as she watched him walk away; when he was out of earshot, she turned to Liam with a stern look;


    ''''I don''t like the way you act around him. You don''t want him knowing about you, do you?''''


    She asked raising her brows; Liam shrugged;


    ''''I don''t like him calling you mom. And you never told me of this type of arrangement, what if he refuses to let go of the company when it''s time?''''


    Liam asked as they walked into the house. Catherine sat down on the couch and heaved a sigh, rubbing her temples lightly;


    ''''Liam, you worry too much. Howells Corporation is what I want for you, but if you still want Warren, you can still have it, Michael is not a problem, but treat him well for now, he''s still very useful. ''''


    Liam rolled his eyes and he walked towards the stairs;


    ''''Whatever, but I can''t guarantee that I would be nice to him. ''''


    He said walking up the stairs.


    Catherine watched her son climb the stairs and to his room and her thoughts drifted back to that day. Everything would have been a lot easier if Nicklaus had died that day. But it was over seventeen years now, and he was a lot tougher and fiercer. He wasn''t easy to kill anymore.


    But one thing was certain; if she wanted Liam to have Howells Corporation; Nicklaus would have to die. She would have to send him where she sent his family.


    She thought as a menacing glint flashed through her eyes.


    She was Catherine Wills. And Catherine Wills never lost a fight!


    ¡­


    What took you so long? ''''


    Nicklaus asked as Tiana walked into his office with the drink.


    ''''I''m sorry, Young Mast¡­''''


    ''''You are always sorry, Tiana, can you ever do anything right?''''


    He asked a little irritation in his tone; Tiana was dumbfounded, she couldn''t even find the words to reply. She just looked down at her feet as she waited for his order.


    ''''Review this file; you can ask Fredrick to help you. '''' He said, passing the file across the table. Tiana walked to the table and kept his drink in front of him; then took the file and left the office.


    As the door closed shut, Nicklaus head fell limply on the table and he shut his eyes frustratingly.


    He was finding it more difficult to explain what was wrong with him as the day passed. Last night. He barely slept because she was there in his thoughts. Now, he just wanted to scream at her although he wasn''t even angry.


    Her scent was still fresh in his memories; that was the first time he held her so close and he was falling deeper into a hole of what he couldn''t understand. Sometimes he felt so angry that he just wanted to squeeze the living life out of her and end it all but just when he set his eyes on her, every piece of anger melts away.


    Maybe he was sick; should he see a doctor?


    His eyes shone as the thought flickered into his mind. He quickly took out his phone and typed on his browser;


    ''Psychologists near me''


    The page loaded instantly; he saw a list of doctors and he selected the one with the most rating.


    Nicklaus couldn''t believe he was doing this. That woman was slowly turning him to a pauper without his knowledge. He raced his hand through his hair as he stared at the screen of his phone, contemplating whether to book a meeting with the doctor or not.


    He was still contemplating his decision when Tiana pushed open the door without knocking;


    ''''Young Mas¡­ Boss, I''ve finished reviewing the file. ''''


    She figured she should address him properly in the work setting. He was her Boss now; it would be awkward addressing him as Young Master in front of other employees.

 Chapter 42 - Theres someone in my head

    As she approached his table, Tiana took in his expression. He was staring at her like she had caught him doing something wrong; she has not seen him with such an expression before and her eyes reflexively looked down to the phone in his hands and Nicklaus instantly turned it over.


    She caught his action, and a blush flushed her cheeks;


    ''''I''m sorry for interrupting, I should have knocked. ''''


    She said as she pushed the file across to him; her eyes flickering over his phone.


    Maybe he was watching p.o.r.n, and she had just walked in without knocking, that explained his shocked expression and why he had turned the phone over as she approached. But what was he watching exactly;


    Gay p.o.r.n? Straight p.o.r.n?


    She wondered, and she pulled her eyes to his face. For him to have been so embarrassed, he must have been doing something very dirty, so it was definitely gay p.o.r.n.


    He has been trying his best to disperse the gay rumors so he must be that shocked because he didn''t want to be discovered. Tiana concluded in her head and she forced herself not to laugh.


    But he should have locked his door if he wanted to indulge in something very dirty!


    It took Nicklaus three seconds to realize that she had misread his actions.


    What was she thinking he was hiding? From the light blush on her cheeks, he knew it wouldn''t be far from something carnal!


    Nicklaus face paled, and he quickly turned the phone over again;


    He picked the file she kept in front of him and pretended to be going through it; after a moment, he raised his eyes to her and saw that she was looking at his phone and he felt extremely relieved.


    ''''Did Fredrick help you with it?''''


    He asked, pulling her attention to him.


    ''''Yes, he did. '''' Tiana replied, shifting her gaze to him. So he wasn''t watching p.o.r.n, but why was he so embarrassed?


    Tiana thought in her head; she had seen the word Clinic, but she wasn''t able to read the full sentence before the screen went blank; was he sick?


    Could he be that embarrassed because he didn''t want anyone know he was sick?


    She thought, but she didn''t even feel an ounce of pity for him; in fact, she wished he would be deathly ill, so her days would run faster.


    ''''Alright, you can leave now. ''''


    Nicklaus said, closing the file, placing it on the table. Tiana nodded and left the office; closing the door behind her.


    Nicklaus heaved a sigh of relief when the door closed. Although he didn''t want her seeing what he was doing; it was way better than her thinking he was doing something nasty!


    Wait, a second¡­ was he concerned about what she thought of him now?


    Nicklaus jaw fell in shock as he realized the issue wasn''t as shallow as he had earlier thought.


    He was a fierce and cold-blooded man. He did as he wished without a second thought and without an ounce of pity. How could a mere woman cause him so many headaches? No, he should really see a doctor; it was getting out of control.


    He instantly picked up his phone and without thinking twice about it, he booked a meeting with the doctor for the next day.


    ¡­.


    ''''You''re welcome to Dr. Perry''s Clinic, what''s your name please? ''''


    The woman in her fifties asked Nicklaus as he sat in front of him. His gaze was dark and there was a frown etched to his brows, his legs were crossed and he stared straight at the wall as though what he wanted to say was written there,


    The woman turned to the wall, but she saw nothing fanciful on it; she turned back to Nicklaus but his frosty aura shut her lips which were about to utter some words;


    She didn''t know the man, but he looked intimidating. She wondered what brought such menacing looking person to her office.


    It was over twenty minutes and he had still not said a thing! She was running out of patience, but she couldn''t speak out of fear.


    Nicklaus was contemplating on how to say the words; a lot of things were in his head, but saying it out loud was difficult;


    Like, how was he going to tell her he was thinking about a woman, and he doesn''t want to?


    Or maybe like this¡­


    Dr., there is someone in my head that I want out; she''s occupying every inch of my being and I don''t like it. She''s f.u.c.k.i.n.g making me insane!


    ''''Whatever the problem is, you can talk to me, I''m a doctor and my patient''s issues are top secret. ''''


    Nicklaus eyes flickered to the woman briefly, but he still did not speak;


    The woman''s lips thinned as the room grew gravely quiet. If she knew that someone like that would come that day, she would have stayed home!


    Just when she was about to politely ask him to leave, Nicklaus spoke;


    ''''Do you have any pills that can keep someone out of your head?''''


    His brows creased seriously as he stared at the doctor in front of him.


    Dr. Perry thought he was joking at first, but when she saw the seriousness of his face, she knew he was serious.


    ''''Okay, but you have to explain your problem better so I''ll know how to diagnose you properly. ''''


    She replied with a small smile.


    Nicklaus blinked and after a few seconds, he elaborated;


    ''''There''s someone I can''t stop thinking about no matter how much I try to and it''s eating deep into me¡­''''


    He paused; ''''I''m not this kind of person, and I don''t like what she''s making me become, so do you have any pills that can stop this?''''


    He concluded with a frustrated sigh.


    ''Oh, a woman¡­


    Dr. Perry thought within her;


    He didn''t seem as someone who would be confused about love; he was very handsome, and he looked wealthy. Women must flock around him. What was there to be confused about?


    That was surprsing!


    She cleared her throat and sat up on her chair, forcing the smile which was pushing its way to her lips back down her throat;


    ''''Okay. You must understand that at some point in your life, you will find yourself in the position of always thinking about one person in particular; this special someone that you just can''t seem to get out of your mind. ''''


    ''Special?''


    Nicklaus brows creased at the doctor''s words;


    He scoffed internally;


    Tiana was nothing special, she was just a woman whom he wanted for the time being and he would soon get rid of when he no longer needed her, there was nothing special about her.

 Chapter 43 - Embrace the feeling

    ''''It will seem weird as first, you can''t really seem to figure out why this person has occupied a permanent spot on your mind and you don''t just understand why your thoughts are always being occupied by this person.


    When you feel this way, there are mainly three things involved;


    You could be madly in love with them?''''


    Nicklaus brows creased harder;


    ''''In what? ''''


    He asked with an irritated tone; that was the last thing he expected to hear. He barely knew Tiana, why was the doctor talking about love? Besides, he wasn''t one who had such weak feelings, he didn''t even have time for that; she must be mistaken.


    ''''No, I didn''t say that is what it is, I''m just giving you the options; can I go on? ''''


    Nicklaus was already boiling, but he figured that he would just let her go on since she hadn''t finished with her talk. What was the worst that could happen anyway?


    ''''Go on. '''' He said, his voice gravelly. His eyes were dark, and he was already looking angry, Dr. Perry swallowed hard before she continued; she was a bit scared because she didn''t know what she would say that could annoy him; everything around him looked terrifying.


    ''''Another case is that you may have started developing fresh feelings of infatuation towards them; or maybe there is no particular reason and you''re just going to accept that that is how your brain functions ''''


    She paused, awaiting his reaction; Nicklaus was staring at her sternly;


    Has she finished speaking? He waited a moment but when he saw that she would not say anything else, he asked curtly;


    ''''are you done?''''


    He raised an eyebrow, his expression doubting; it was obvious he believed nothing the woman said;


    Dr. Perry adjusted on her seat; clearing her throat, she continued;


    ''''There are things you can''t control and you must come to terms with them. From what you''ve told me, all I can say is that you''re beginning to fall for this person. ''''


    She explained, her fingers curling on the table. The expression of the man in front of her was so scary right now.


    Nicklaus couldn''t believe his ears;


    Falling in love? What a joke!


    He was not one of those men whose lives were curled around a woman''s fingers. He had never taken a liking to a woman before and he obviously couldn''t start now.


    ''''Is there no other explanation to this? '''' He asked, unsatisfied by the Dr.''s diagnosis.


    Dr. Perry thought silently; he was really a strange person. Why was he so averse to falling in love?


    ''''I''m sorry, but there is no other explanation. ''''


    Nicklaus stared at her for a moment; then he stood up quietly and turned to the door;


    ''''But I''ll advise you to¡­ '''' Dr. Perry added, making Nicklaus stop;


    ''''¡­ open your heart to what you''re feeling and embrace it, because the more you fight it, the harder it becomes, there''s nothing wrong in falling for someone, it''s natural, everyone gets to experience it at some point in life, maybe your time has come.''''


    Nicklaus turned to her, a menacing glare in his eyes; Dr. Perry inched backwards on her chair, chiding away from his frosty aura. He stared at her for a moment before turning around and walking out the door, banging it behind him.


    Dr. Perry heaved a sigh of relief once he was out of her office. She had not gotten such a scary client in all the years of her practice!


    ¡­


    Nicklaus drove like a maniac on the road, his hands clutched so hard on the steering that his knuckles looked like they could pop any second.


    He regretted ever going to see the doctor, now he was worse than he was the previous day, with the doctor''s last words resounding every minute in his ears.


    What if she was right, and he was falling for her?


    But what was there to fall for? She was beautiful, yes, but he had seen pretty women! What was about her that got him so insane?


    He ran his hand through his head as he stopped on the red light;


    Just when he thought his problems were already too much; his eyes reflexively glanced to his side and he saw two people sucking their breaths out of each other.


    Nicklaus swiftly looked forward; he shifted his hand to the side and wound up the glass instantly.


    Was that what it would be like? Stopping at red lights to bite on each other''s tongues;


    Nicklaus imagined doing that with Tiana and he instantly shook his head; cringing at the thought of it;


    No way, it wasn''t happening; even if the Dr. was correct, he would train his mind to stop thinking so childishly. There was a lot of things at stake at that moment. Having such preposterous feelings would be damaging, he couldn''t risk it.


    ¡­


    By the next week, Fredrick handed everything to Tiana completely. After the day''s work she followed Nicklaus home. He had been behaving indifferently towards her recently; although he was normally like that, but in the past few days, it felt as though he was intentionally avoiding her; he didn''t even send her tasks anymore and only called her to review files or attend client meetings.


    She suspected that it was related to his illness, but she wasn''t even fazed a bit; in fact, he made living more bearable for her. She was happy about it.


    They dismissed early on Friday; so Tiana decided to swim to relieve her stress and stretch her bones; she wasn''t a perfect swimmer, but she was good.


    It was an indoor swimming pool, and there was a door which she could lock to prevent anyone from coming in. She didn''t have a swim trunk, so she wore bikinis to swim; she couldn''t risk the workers walking in and seeing her half n.a.k.e.d, so she locked the doors.


    After packing her hair into a tight bun; Tiana removed her clothes. She was shy from exposing her body in such an open space, it felt as though someone was watching her, wanting to be sure, she walked back to the door to check if it was locked properly, when she was sure that it was, she returned to the swimming pool.

 Chapter 44 - Choking in the water

    She stood in front for a second before taking in air and diving deep into the water; the coldness of the water hit her skin, sending shivers down her spine; she swam for a moment before coming up to water surface; she wiped the water droplets on her face with her palm and she panted heavily.


    The water looked shallow from up there, but it was really deep; it was almost on her neck;


    After stabling herself, she dived into the pool again; it has been a long while since she felt so much relief. She was getting used to staying in Nicklaus home at least. Remembering Gwen, she figured she should go see her, since it''s been a while. She had told her about the job, but she still needed to see her and know how she had been faring.


    After swimming for a while, Tiana decided to practice her breath holding skills before she left the water; so she came up to the surface and took in a deep breath then plunged deep into the water squatted on the floor, closing her eyes;


    After Nicklaus came back from work, he went to the basketball court to play and relieve his thoughts; these days, he had been avoiding her like plaque, although it didn''t stop his thoughts, it left little to his imaginations.


    He figured if he carried on for a while more, he would take her off his mind. And after she completed the second month, he''ll really send her away and get a replacement. He had not felt like this for anyone before; it was just her, so he knew that if he sent her away, everything would return to normal.


    He didn''t have friends, neither did he want to play with any of his guards; he just needed sometime alone; some time to get his head together.


    When he was exhausted; he wiped his body with his towel and stepped out of the court. The entrance to the basketball court was connected to the swimming pool area; when he had come in, he didn''t see anyone in the swimming pool but he was surprised to see a towel and some clothes when he stepped out; his eyes reflexively turned to the pool, and he saw someone squatting in the pool; his brows creased as he wondered what the person was doing in there; he turned to leave but his eyes flickered back to the person again and he recognized her;


    He was shocked for a moment, wondering what she was doing inside the pool; he wanted to walk away but he didn''t know what kept his legs at the spot and his eyes staring at her; and just at that moment, her eyes opened, and she looked up;


    It was as though she was not expecting to see someone there, because her eyes widened in shock;


    Nicklaus realizing what he was doing turned around to walk away; but he had just taken a few steps when he heard splashing in the water;


    Tiana held her breath for one minute and thirty seconds; that was the longest she had ever done;


    She was glad with herself so she opened her eyes as she tried to swim up to the surface of the water; but when her eyes opened, she saw someone standing by the side of the pool and she was startled; her lips fell open, and she unconsciously gulped a mouthful of water which went down the wrong pipe and she instantly coughed inside the water; but just when she opened her lips to cough, another mouthful of water rushed in, blocking the cough and pushing the water down her throat the more;


    She felt her nose go stiff, and she begun suffocating; she had held in her breath for too long and if she didn''t take in air in the next second; she would really pass out;


    Instantly, she aimed for the surface of the water but her brain refused to give strength to her legs because of the alarming obstruction in her throat; Tiana pushed herself, but she couldn''t even swim; her hands flapped through the water, trying to push her body to the surface but she was barely moving; she kept on gulping more water down her throat; till her tummy was full; her ears were constricting and she could barely feel her body again;


    Her survival instincts kicked in and she struggled more, but her strength had failed her. Slowly she let herself give in to the tide and she quietly slipped into darkness; just when she was about to go numb, she felt something tug on her waist then everything went blank.


    Nicklaus turned to the water and his brows creased; it looked as though she was swimming to the surface, but in reality she was not even moving at all. Her hands were just flapping in the water and her face was pale, she looked as though she was struggling;


    Nicklaus hesitated for a moment before he walked closer to the pool; on a closer look he saw that she was really struggling; her mouth opened as though she wanted to say something but it closed again when water filled it;


    Suddenly her body stopped moving, and it began floating towards the surface;


    Nicklaus eyes shot open with fear and the hairs on his body stood straight; without thinking, he lunged into the water; he swam as fast as fast as he could to her; when he reached her, he put one arm around her waist and pulled her up to the surface;


    Pulling her limp body forward; he pushed her to the platform and jumped out quickly. He was not thinking about anything else; his face was deathly pale as he rushed to her;


    ''''Tiana! Tiana! Tiana, wake up!''''


    He shook her body vigorously, but she didn''t budge; her body lay limply on the floor, eyes closed and face blood-drained.


    Nicklaus heart slammed against his chest; he was so terrified.


    Was she dead?


    He felt shivers run through him as the thought entered his mind; and he shook her head the more;


    ''''Tiana! Wake up! Wake up! ''''


    She was still not moving;


    He was panting frightfully as he watched her and without thinking twice, he took in air and leaned closer, covering her lips with his, pushing in air into her lungs.

 Chapter 45 - Caught in a web

    ''''Tiana! Wake up! Come on, wake up!''''


    Nicklaus exclaimed as he pressed on her chest with both hands; she was still not moving, her eyes were still shut.


    He had never felt so much afraid of anything in so long! At that moment, he felt the same pain he felt seventeen years ago in the closet; it was brain chattering. Everything around him disappeared and the only thing he could see was Tiana; memories of that night flashed through his eyes and his hands shook from fear;


    He felt pain coursing through him as his eyes grew dark red from the pain;


    As the seconds passed, her face was getting paler; it was as though she was dying. Nicklaus felt his breath ceasing; he found it hard to take in air. But he was not about to give up; he could not let her slip away the way he watched his parents seventeen years ago; helpless and weak.


    With determination, he took in air again and covered her lips again, pushing it slowly down her throat to her lungs; he didn''t pull away immediately, his lips covered hers as he closed his eyes;


    ''Tiana wake up! You have to wake up now, please!''


    He mumbled in his mind and in that instant he felt her body moving; he quickly let her go and she vomited two mouthfuls of water; coughing strongly.


    Nicklaus heaved a sigh of relief as he watched her stabilize; he raised his hand to her hair which was disheveled now, pushing some covering her face to the back of her ear;


    Tiana brows fluttered open, and she gazed at the person in front of her for a moment; it was as though she did not recognize him at first and when she did, her mouth fell open;


    ''''Young Master¡­ '''' She called meekly; Nicklaus brows were creased as he lifted her jaw with his palm, looking at her properly;


    ''''Are you okay?'''' He asked with a hint of concern in his voice.


    Tiana blinked; was this reality or was she seeing things?


    Nicklaus looked terrified as he watched her; his eyes were red as though he had cried;


    Her eyes glanced up at his hair and she noticed it was dripping water, she looked towards the pool and back to him and she became paler than she was before;


    Did he save her?


    She remembered drowning in the pool; did he pull her out himself?


    She looked around the pool and saw no-one and she knew he had saved her; she was still shocked beyond words, when he spoke again;


    ''''Are you hurt anywhere?''''


    Tiana gulped hard, and she shook her head quietly; she remembered seeing someone beside the pool just before she choked, was he the one?


    How did he get in? She made sure she locked the door. She wondered as she stared at him.


    Nicklaus watched at her for a moment; and as though he thought of something, he stood up from the ground;


    He was putting on a singlet and pants and they were all wet now; Tiana watched his clothes drip water, but she didn''t say a word;


    ''''Can you stand?''''


    He asked with an uncaring tone; a glare had replaced the concerned look on his face; if not that she had seen him clearly, she would have doubted that he had actually looked concerned a minute ago.


    She nodded and stood up from the ground. It was when she stood up that she remembered that she was wearing just bikini; her hands instantly went to her chest. Nicklaus caught her action and looked away;


    ''''Thank you for saving me, I could have died if not for your help. '''' Tiana said appreciatively; but Nicklaus turned to her with a cold glare;


    ''''I did not save you. I just helped someone out of the pool and it happened to be you, it could have been anyone else!''''


    Nicklaus replied; his tone grave. Just when the words left his lips, he regretted them immediately.


    What the hell was he saying? He helped someone out of the pool, and it happened to be her?


    What the actual f.u.c.k was wrong with his brain?


    Tiana''s brows creased at his statement;


    Was that reply necessary? she wondered; can''t he just accept the appreciation and keep quiet, or¡­


    Was he thinking she was thanking him with a romantic thought in mind?


    Ha! He shouldn''t even bother himself about that. She would never think of him that way. that was ridiculous!


    ''''Okay, but still thank you.'''' Looking down at his dripping pants, she said;


    ''''I''ll wear my clothes and go get you a change of clothes if you don''t mind? ''''


    Tiana asked, but he did not reply, seeing that he won''t say a thing; she walked to the bench where she dropped her clothes and put them on;


    ''''I''ll go get them now.''''


    She said and waited a moment but he still said nothing, so taking his silence as permission, she turned and left.


    Nicklaus watched her walk through the door, as it closed behind her. He slumped to the bench in front of him, his hands running through his hair.


    He never knew how deep she had grown under his skin until he saw her dying in front of him. At that moment, nothing mattered to him anymore; all he wanted to do was save her.


    Her lips¡­


    He remembered how they tasted in his mouth; although he didn''t plan to, he had kissed her while resuscitating her and shockingly, he didn''t even feel like letting go.


    It was crazy, but the moment he saw her eyes open, he felt a relief he hadn''t felt in days!


    She looked ordinary, but Nicklaus knew that there was something different about her. He was almost getting her out of his head and now this; she has just pulled him deeper into the hole he had been struggling to come out from.


    And in that moment he knew he was not leaving her web any time soon.

 Chapter 46 - What is special about her

    Tiana pushed open Nicklaus door and stepped into his room. She looked around for a second before she walked to the large wardrobe; she pushed it open slowly and her eyes awed at the magnificent d¨¦cor of a common wardrobe. She was stunned; everything had its place, his shirts were neatly hanged by the side followed by his trousers and work clothes and other casual wears; neatly arranged in the huge wardrobe.


    There were drawers by the side and Tiana opened them probingly; each drawer held different items, one was his underwear, another, his neckties and another his tie clips and cufflinks. They looked so well kept, as though he never touched them for once.


    He must be a neat freak! Tiana wondered as she closed the drawers and went back to the wardrobe to find what she came for;


    Taking out casual pants, she searched through his shirts and took out a loose knitted woolen shirt and closed the wardrobe. The clothes on her hands smelt nice, and she raised them to her nose and sniffed them, the scent was so captivating. They smelt like Nicklaus, in fact, his entire wardrobe smelt like him, she wondered what perfume he used that lingered so long on clothes and everything he touched; but not wanting to keep him waiting at the swimming pool, she hastened out of the room.


    Nicklaus eyes fluttered open when he heard footsteps approach him;


    ''''I brought some clothes ''''


    She said with her hands were outstretched as she waited for him to take the clothes from her hand.


    Nicklaus didn''t say a word to her; he just took the clothes from her hand and stood up from the bench.


    Tiana stood still as though waiting for him; Nicklaus brows creased. Was she going to stand there and watch him undress?


    He waited for her to leave but Tiana didn''t budge, she just kept looking at him. Seeing that she would not leave, he dropped the clothes on the bench and placed his hands to his side, pulling his singlet over his head.


    Tiana gulped as her eyes flashed on his god-like body with the s.e.xy tattoo making its way down his waistline and she instantly looked away, her cheeks flushed.


    Actually, she had stayed back because she thought he would say something to her, she felt it was rude to leave just like that; she didn''t know that he was going to just undress in front of her!


    She coughed lightly as she blinked her eyes, trying to erase the scorching sight.


    ''''Ehem! Thanks for saving me once again, I''ll be leaving now. ''''


    She said and immediately turned to flee from the room, when Nicklaus voice stopped her;


    ''''Wait; ''''


    Uh?


    Her legs paused, and she turned around slowly; he was holding his shirt in his hands, and he was still shirtless. She gulped;


    ''''what? '''' He wasn''t glaring this time and his eyes were staring intently at her as though trying to see through her soul.


    ''''Get ready; we''re going to London tomorrow. ''''


    '''' ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened with shock;


    ''''London?''''


    She asked, a bit confused; why were they going to London?, he said nothing about leaving the country?


    I have to meet with some clients and I need my pa.''''


    Nicklaus replied indifferently;


    Truthfully, he was traveling to London the next day, but he didn''t intend to take Tiana with him. But after what happened, he had a change of mind.


    She seemed like a mystery, something that he couldn''t understand no matter how much he tried. At first, he thought she was normal, but after what happened and the emotions she had drawn out from the darkest part of his soul, he knew that there was something different about her and that was exactly what he would uncover.


    Her face was raised in shock, and her eyes wide. She stared at him as though she had seen a ghost; then she gulped;


    ''''Do you have anything to say?''''


    Nicklaus asked, raising his brows curiously;


    Tiana instantly shook her head;


    ''''No, not at all; I''ll¡­ I''ll go get my stuff ready. ''''


    She said and turned around quickly, racing through the doors. Nicklaus watched her back till she disappeared through the doors, his mind riveting back to the words of the doctor.


    He didn''t believe what she had said, but then, he felt that there was something about her that was pulling him in and the more he tried to fight it, the stronger the force became.


    If there was any explanation to what was happening to him, it was by finding out what was special about her, because without knowing the cause, there was no solution.


    ¡­


    Tiana face was pale as she walked towards her room;


    WTF!


    She would travel with him?! She didn''t see that one coming, not at all!


    That means she would be in the space with him for days!


    How was she going to survive!


    She entered her room and locked the door behind her, dragging her legs to the bed; she slumped on it, her eyes wide as she stared at the ceiling.


    But wait¡­ she was leaving the country for the very first time! London was a dream place. She should think on the bright side!


    She couldn''t afford to leave California, not to talk of leaving the country. Her family lived in Atwater Village, a not too talked about village, tucked away in the northeastern part of Los Angeles.


    Whereas, North Hollywood, where Nicklaus lived was a place of glitz and glam, Atwater village is synonymous with local coffee shops, mom and pop stores, local bookstores and tiny cafes.


    She had not left Atwater Village all her life and if not for her father who worked as a gate guard in the mansion, she would have never left the village.


    She might never get the chance to leave the country again, so she should make use of the opportunity and have fun!


    At that thought, she hopped out of the bed and walked to her wardrobe, pulling it open.

 Chapter 47 - What he has up his sleeves

    It was Mid April; she wasn''t sure how the weather would be London, so she ran back to the bed and picked up her phone, browsing about the weather.


    Oh, very rainy¡­


    She mumbled in her head before walking back to the wardrobe. She didn''t like rainy days, her mom had died on a rainy day. That night was very dreadful and although she was almost forgetting it, she always remembered it when there was a storm; she pulled herself away from the thoughts as she concentrated her eyes on the closet.


    When she was released from the dark room and given that room, the wardrobe was already stuffed with wears, ranging from underwear to work clothes to foot wears. Some of them were her size, while the others were not exactly.


    She just made do with some clothes for the meantime. Her clothes back home were a little shabby, and given that she had begun work, she could not wear them. Although she wasn''t glad about it, she didn''t have a choice but she would surely pay for them when she gets her first pay.


    She didn''t want to be in any debt to Nicklaus. Not even a tiny piece of debt!


    Shrugging, she started ransacking the wardrobe for clothes, and foot wears. In about five minutes, she had piled the couch with a lot of them;


    ''''Humph! '''' She sighed lightly, pursing her lips as she stared at the pile, they were a little too much; they should be staying for days, or maybe a week, she shouldn''t take a lot of clothes. Taking out a small travel bag, she put a few clothes in, making sure not to leave out her cardigan and boots.


    She packed her lotion, undies, toothbrush and paste. After thinking for a while, she figured she had packed all her stuff, so she closed the bag and put the remaining clothes back into the wardrobe.


    When she was through, she slumped on the bed. After the trip to London, it would be just three months left and her sister would be free. She just had to put up some more. Although she wasn''t sure that she would be free, she knew that Nicklaus didn''t like being disobeyed or irked, but that is exactly what she would do.


    She would irk him so much that he would get bored of her and throw her away. She just have to pretend as though she was fine with everything he had done to her until the time is right, he should just wait.


    After dinner that night, she walked up to his room and lightly knocked on the door.


    ''''Come in.''''


    Nicklaus said as he walked into his room; the balcony was open, and he was holding a cigarette stick in his hand so Tiana figured he must have gone out to smoke.


    God! She hated smokers! Her throat hitched, but she quickly eased the frown that was forming its way to her brows.


    Nicklaus creased his brows as he waited for her to speak.


    ''''I came to ask what time we will leave. ''''


    Coughing lightly, she said. Her eyes wavered as she tucked her lips into her mouth girlishly. Nicklaus caught her action and his eyes stayed on her lips for a moment; his mind flashed back to the pool and how supple her lips were in his mouth and he forced his eyes away, swallowing hard.


    Tiana usually bit on her lower lip unconsciously, but no-one had ever told her that; and she didn''t know that she looked really s.e.xy when she did that.


    He dropped the cigarette inside a trash can by the side and walked to his bed and sat down on it.


    Tiana''s eyes fell on a little luggage by the side and she figured he had already packed.


    ''''We should leave by 8. am, the flight is by nine. '''' he had already booked the flight earlier on when he returned from the swimming pool.


    ''''Okay. '''' Tiana nodded and turned around to leave, then suddenly she stopped;


    ''''Oh no '''' her legs stopped at a spot as she remembered something; she had been in a hurry, packing so fervently, but she had forgotten a very important detail.


    ''''What is it?''''


    Nicklaus asked, his brows creased;


    Tiana turned to him, her face pale.


    ''''I think my passport is back home. '''' She replied, gulping hard.


    Would he tell her to stay back? She wondered. It was already past ten and her home was far from the mansion. She could not possibly go to get it by that time. Although she was glad that she would have a few days to herself without having to see his face, she was still sad that she wouldn''t get to go to London anymore.


    Nicklaus stared at her, thinking for a while; then he turned his head to the side and picked up his phone on the drawer.


    He tapped lightly on the screen, and it came on instantly; Tiana watched him with her brows creased, wondering what he was doing. She watched him tap on the screen a few times and put the phone to his ears. After about two seconds, he said;


    ''''Get a few men and get the car ready. ''''


    He spoke curtly and ended the call immediately, dropping the phone casually on the drawer.


    '''' ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened in shock; did he just call his men to take her to her home?


    Her jaw fell as she stared at him unbelievably.


    ''''When you get downstairs, tell them to take you home. ''''


    He said casually and raised the quilt, lying on the bed.


    Tiana was still watching him; she was yet to understand what just happened.


    ''''Is there any other thing? '''' He asked, narrowing his brows. She blinked as she shook her head violently;


    ''''No¡­ I, I''ll be going now ''''


    She stood outside his room, shocked. He could have easily ordered Fredrick to get ready or maybe left without her. Why would he tell her to go fetch her passport so late in the night?


    It was not as though she was perfect in the job, she was still a novice.


    She scratched her head as she walked down the stairs, wondering what Nicklaus had up his sleeves.

 Chapter 48 - Under the innocent face

    When she got downstairs, a few guards were already waiting beside the car outside the house.


    ''''The Young Master says you should take me home. ''''


    She said when she approached, and the lead guard stared her up to down as though in unbelief. She remembered him; he was the guard that had thrown her over his shoulders the day she was with Adrian. He was also the guard that dragged her to the dark room and locked her up. She hated him to her very bones. Well, she was not surprised; he was the same as his master.


    The guard watched her for a moment, as though he was not convinced by what she said. He took out his phone and called Nicklaus to confirm. Tiana folded her hands as she watched him; wondering whether he was stupid, or he just lacked reasoning. How would she just walk up to them and ask them to drive her home without Nicklaus'' command?


    She watched him speak a few words on the phone and then turned to her;


    ''''Get in. ''''


    He said and walked to the front passenger''s seat and sat down. Tiana rolled her eyes and entered the car, a guard entered after her and then the last one drove the car.


    It was about thirty-five minute drive to Atwater; when they arrived, it was already past eleven.


    The guard came out of the car and let her step out; she rushed to the house and knocked on the door lightly; she knocked for a while but no-one opened the door.


    Gwen must be fast asleep. She mumbled in her head, and she knocked harder on the door.


    After a while; she heard Gwen from the other side;


    ''''Who is it?'''' She asked; her voice anxious. It was so late in the night; she was not used to receiving visitors so late.


    ''''it''s me, Tiana.''''


    ''''Tiana? Why are you here so late? '''' she asked again wonderingly, the door still locked;


    ''''Can you open the door, we''ll talk inside. ''''


    Tiana said, and after a few seconds; the door creaked open. Gwen peeked out of the door, a shocked expression on her face; when she saw that it was Tiana, she opened the door wider.


    ''''Tiana, what happened? Why are you here by this time? Did Nicklaus let you go?''''


    Gwen asked as she walked inside, before she locked the door, she glanced outside and she saw a bunch of guards standing there,


    ''''No, not really, it''s a long story, but the conclusion is that I''m going to London tomorrow.''''


    Tiana said, and she rushed into her room to get her passport. Gwen eyes widened in shock and unbelief; and she quickly followed Tiana into her room.


    ''''What are you saying? How are you going to London? Why are you going to London? ''''


    Her brows creased with surprise as she inquired. Tiana was still rummaging through her drawers for her passport, but she turned to her sister briefly;


    ''''I told you Nicklaus made me his pa, right? ''''


    She asked and Gwen nodded; ''''Yes. '''' she continued;


    ''''So, Nicklaus is going to London for an important event, I don''t know, but it''s work related and he says I should come along, so I came to get my passport. ''''


    She explained and continued opening the drawers. Gwen felt shivers run down her spine; she was confused;


    Wasn''t she meant to be punished or something? First it was a job with over 20,000 dollars pay! Now she was going to London?


    Gwen grew silent as she folded her hands, her nails digging into her skin. She watched Tiana rummage through her stuff, but she could not utter another word. She felt waves of bile course through her; her eyes filled with jealousy.


    ''''oh, here it is. '''' Tiana exclaimed excitedly, and she stood up, turning around to Gwen.


    ''''I''m sorry for disturbing you this late. '''' She apologized with a sisterly smile. Gwen''s expression changed instantly and there was a warm smile on her face now;


    ''''Tiana, you don''t have to apologize, this is your home too. You can come home whenever you want '''' Gwen replied with a beautiful smile on her face. ''''But why is he taking you to London with him? I thought he doesn''t like the company of women?''''


    Gwen asked, creasing her brows. Tiana scratched her head as she thought;


    ''''I don''t know¡­ '''' She replied, looking puzzled; ''''Nicklaus is so full of mysteries, it''s too complicated.''''


    She replied, rolling her eyes.


    Gwen watched her intently; her throat tightening;


    Tiana didn''t look like she was suffering one bit. Her skin was prettier and the clothes she wore were branded and they looked very costly; and with her ever radiating beauty; she looked like the women of the high class.


    Am I stupid to have switched places with her?


    Gwen wondered in her head;


    Remembering her daily work from 8am to 5pm and seeing how lavish Tiana looked, she wished she had not given up the opportunity to be Nicklaus'' mistress.


    ''''Thank you Gwen! I''ll be going now, I''ll gist you when I come back.'''' Tiana exclaimed and Gwen forced a smile as she walked her out the door;


    ''''Bye, have a wonderful trip!'''' She screamed and Tiana waved her bye before entering the car and they drove off.


    Gwen stood by the door watching the car disappear in the distance; her eyes filled with envy.


    Her sister was stunning and looked like a model; but her, Gwen was beautiful and had a very innocent look. From the outside, Tiana looked smarter than her, but she was way smarter and crafty, but it was concealed by her innocent looks.


    Ever since childhood, she had played on her sister''s innocence and kind heart. When they were bought things, she would take the better one and pretend to be sad, knowing that Tiana would always leave the best for her because she never liked to see her cry.


    After high school, Tiana let her go to the makeup academy and she stayed home since their father couldn''t pay for them both. She knew this, which was why she was confident that if she cried, Tiana would take her place to be his mistress that day.


    But she didn''t know that the tables would turn this time, and now she had missed out on such a wonderful opportunity.


    What was she going to do?

 Chapter 49 - Unbelievable

    Nicklaus peeked out the window from his room for the umpteenth time;


    They weren''t back yet? Didn''t she say she was getting her passport; did she go to bring her whole house?


    He shifted his gaze to the phone in his hands, contemplating whether to call them, but just when he was about to call, he saw their car driving towards the house and he closed the curtains.


    Tiana stepped out of the car and walked into the house; her eyes glanced briefly at the stairs but she figured she should just sleep; it was already late, she shouldn''t disturb him.


    She quickly retired to bed as soon as she got to her room;


    Nicklaus walked to his fridge and took out a bottle of sleeping pills; ever since his parents died, he hasn''t slept without them. And even after taking them and falling asleep, it was never peaceful. He didn''t even remember what a peaceful sleep felt like.


    His nights were his worst torments; in the day, he looked as though he had gotten over the trauma, but at night, his brain takes him back to the six-year-old boy hiding inside the closet, scared and afraid to die.


    He had tried so much to stop his nightmares, but nothing ever seemed to work. He wanted to stop the pills, but he couldn''t.


    Nicklaus poured some pills into his hand and swallowed, then drank some mineral water before he walked back to the bed and lay down to sleep.


    The next day, he came out a few minutes past eight and Tiana was already waiting beside the car with her stuff; he glanced at her briefly before shifting his gaze, indifferently. A guard walked up to him and carried his luggage to the car; the other guard pulled open the car door for him;


    Tiana knew her place, so she quickly walked to the other car and pulled open the door to enter, when she heard the guard call;


    ''''The Young Master says we''ll use just one car today. ''''


    She turned to him with a surprised look;


    ''''Okay. '''' She replied faintly and closed the door, taking out her luggage from the trunk. She carried it to the car Nicklaus was in and put it inside its trunk; walking to the other side, she opened the door quietly and entered, her eyes making sure not to glance to her side.


    Nicklaus cologne wafted into her nostrils. She recognized it as the one on his clothes the day before. She had thought the high class people normally used choking cologne, but Nicklaus had surprised her; his scent was rather sweet and inviting.


    She sat almost hugging the door and her eyes watching outside; it was as though there was a plague on the seat but she didn''t have a choice but to sit on it. Nicklaus glanced at her briefly; she was stiffly staring outside the window as though her neck could not move, it was obvious she was uncomfortable around him.


    He pulled his gaze from her to his phone. He knew she wasn''t okay being around him; he was a horrible person. He locked her in the bas.e.m.e.nt twice and made her leave the man she loved; she deserved to be mad, but what surprised him was the fact that she had said nothing irate or acted pissed off. It was over two weeks now and she was still calm as ever. It really got him worried.


    Throughout the trip to the airport, he kept on glancing at her once in a while, but until they arrived at the airport, Tiana did not shift her gaze from the road, and as soon as they arrived, she jumped out of the car as though there was something chasing her.


    Nicklaus didn''t know why but he felt his throat hitch at her action. His lips thinned into a straight line but he didn''t say a word. The guard opened the trunk and carried Nicklaus'' luggage, but let Tiana carry hers;


    Nicklaus didn''t see because he was already walking ahead; he walked for a while and turned around only to see Tiana dragging her luggage, his eyes immediately darted to the guard;


    ''''Are you crazy?''''


    He asked in a deathly tone, his gaze fierce; Tiana stopped, her eyes shocked, wondering why he had suddenly said that;


    The guard was stupefied; he did not remember doing anything out of the norm.


    ''''Why did you let her carry that? '''' he asked, his glare intense; the guard turned to Tiana in shock and quickly took her bag from her hand.


    ''''I''m sorry, boss. '''' he replied uneasily; his boss has always been wicked to her, even locking her up in the bas.e.m.e.nt, why was he now concerned about her carrying a weightless bag?


    Nicklaus glared at him for a moment before he turned around and continued walking. Tiana was stunned beyond words.


    What just happened!!


    She rubbed her eyes with her both hands to be sure she was not dreaming,


    Did he just order his guard to take her luggage? That was unbelievable.


    Did something happen last night? She wondered as she hurried up to meet them and then she remembered;


    This was an airport; and open place, any of his family members could be there, it would be questioning for them to see her pulling her luggage herself when there was a guard.


    That explained it; Nicklaus didn''t care for anyone except himself. There was no way he would be concerned about her carrying her luggage herself.


    After checking in; they were led to the first-class cabin; Tiana was shocked as they entered; she has not entered a plane before, a first class was an unimaginable dream;


    ''''You''re welcome to Delta Airlines, have a safe flight. ''''


    The flight attendant who was s.e.xily dressed welcomed them in.


    Tiana walked in after Nicklaus and took a seat at a farthest end from him;


    Her brows creased when she looked around the cabin; there was no one else there, but them.

 Chapter 50 - Really Beautiful

    The first class was tastefully decorated; it looked like a real life room; there was a door connected to the room and just then a flight attendant walked out of the door with a bunch of towels; there was a smile on her face as she walked past them.


    Tiana caught the view of the room before it was shut close; it was an exclusive bedroom.


    Wow! All these luxuries for just a flight! It must have cost a fortune to book this place. She thought and then she heard an announcement;


    ''''Flight attendants prepare for take-off, please. Cabin crew; please take your seats for take-off. Passengers, please fasten your seatbelts. ''''


    Tiana''s brows creased;


    Did Nicklaus reserve the whole first-class cabin?


    Oh right, he was rich. The rich spent their money as they liked. She was poor, that was why she thought it to be a bigdeal.


    She reasoned as she put on her seatbelt; she had never flown before, she thought that it would be a smooth ride in the air when suddenly she felt the plane quake; her eyes widened immediately,


    Were they going to crash? What is happening?


    Her eyes grew with fright and she looked towards Nicklaus; he was calm as an egg!


    Why is he calm? Isn''t he seeing that we are about to crash?


    Tiana wondered as beads of sweat gathered up her forehead; there was a quake again, and this time she shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself for the impact.


    But just when she thought it would be the end, there was calmness. She waited a moment before pulling her eyelids open slowly;


    They weren''t crashing? Was that normal?


    She thought, her eyes glancing towards Nicklaus briefly;


    He was calm as ever and his eyes were gazing outside the window; he didn''t even look as though something had happened.


    She gulped; so much for being lowly! Thank God no-one saw me fidgeting like a fowl without a head!


    Tiana laughed at herself mentally and her eyes gazed outside the window;


    ''" Wow! ''''


    She exclaimed unknowingly; and when she realized what she did, she quickly shut her lips.


    The view outside was beautiful, the houses looked like tiny dots; and the roads were like lines, it looked so arranged from up in the sky.


    ''''You can release your seat belts now if you want to move around, but it''s recommended you keep your seatbelt fastened when you''re seated. I''m your personal flight attendant for this trip, and I''m at your service. ''''


    The female attendant who had ushered them in, said with a radiant smile on her face;


    She''s beautiful. Tiana mumbled to herself as she looked her up to down.


    Her uniform was body-fitting and exposed much of her contours; she had a pair of long legs which she supported with heels; and her face was coated with a lot of makeups, and her eyes¡­ were staring at Nicklaus.


    Tiana instantly shifted her gaze to Nicklaus and saw that he was busy on his tablet; it wasn''t as though someone was speaking;


    ''''I''ll be serving you snack and drinks now, there''s a menu beside your table, please pick your choice. ''''


    She said, her eyes still not wavering; Tiana''s brows creased.


    She just realized that the woman had treated her as though she was not in there; her whole attention was focused on Nicklaus, who was not even looking at her.


    Tiana wanted to laugh; now she understood what was going on, the woman wanted to get Nicklaus attention, because he''s obviously wealthy and very handsome.


    She didn''t blame her though, who wouldn''t want a wealthy handsome boyfriend? Besides, she was pretty too. Too bad Nicklaus did not seem interested.


    The woman waited a while but when she saw that Nicklaus would not speak to her, she turned to Tiana frustratingly;


    ''''Do you have any orders, Ma''am?''''


    Tiana was not angry at her actions; she picked her menu the menu beside her and glanced at it;


    There were a lot of items on the list; she gazed at them for a moment before turning to the lady;


    ''''I''ll have just French fries and orange juice.''''


    She said, and the lady nodded and walked out of the room, her eyes glancing at Nicklaus briefly.


    After about five hours of staying at a spot, Tiana''s butt ached, she wanted to sleep, but she didn''t want to sleep in front of Nicklaus so she forced her eyes to remain open but soon she couldn''t keep them open any longer and she unconsciously dozed off.


    Nicklaus raised his eyes from his phone and glanced at Tiana briefly, and then he saw that she was sleeping.


    He wanted to beep the attendant to tell her to go lie on the bed, but just when he was about to, he stopped; his eyes gazing at her features.


    Her eyes were closed, and she was leaning to the left; Nicklaus supported his head with his hand as he watched her sleep.


    She had packed her hair up earlier but because of her sleeping posture it had loosened, sending some strands to her face.


    Her lips were pink and supple, and although she was sleeping, she looked very tempting. He gulped as his eyes remained on her unwaveringly.


    The more he looked at her, the more he felt himself getting lost.


    She is really beautiful.


    He mumbled to himself.


    As he stared at her, he wished that he had not giving her all those punishments;


    Remembering when she begged him not to strip her clothes, and how he had locked her up in the bas.e.m.e.nt for days, Nicklaus mentally slapped himself.


    Has he broken her beyond repair?


    Just at that moment, Tiana''s eyes fluttered open, and they locked straight into Nicklaus''.

 Chapter 51 - No longer frosty all the time

    Tiana blinked her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming; but the more she blinked the clearer Nicklaus face became. His eyes were unwavering as he watched her intently. That instant, Tiana''s heart skipped a beat.


    He was staring at her!


    She instantly pulled her gaze from him; a deep redness flushed her cheeks.


    How long did she sleep? She wondered, sitting upright immediately. She picked up her phone and pretended to be busy. The air in the room was so tense; Tiana was finding it difficult to breathe. After a while, she lifted her eyes to Nicklaus again, and she regretted doing that instantly;


    He was still staring at her!


    ''''if you want to sleep, you can go into the bedroom. ''''


    Nicklaus said with a calm voice. Tiana glanced at him;


    ''''I''m awake now. '''' She said and dropped her eyes to her phone. Nicklaus did not reply to her and the room returned to its original quietness.


    In about 6 hours more, they arrived at the airport. After taking their luggage, they walked a little before a car pulled up in front of them; the driver stepped out and took their luggage from them.


    ''''You''re welcome, boss. ''''


    He said, pulling the luggage to the trunk of the car and putting it in. Nicklaus opened the door for Tiana to get in but before he could tell her to, she had walked over to the other side and entered. His lips thinned into a straight line, and he sat down, closing the door after him.


    She was still sitting the way she sat when they were going to the airport; Nicklaus glanced at her briefly and quickly pulled his eyes away.


    Tiana cherished the city''s view as the car drove on the busy road. London was a real beauty; everywhere looked magnificent; Los Angeles was beautiful too, but London had a different feel.


    In a few minutes, the car pulled to a stop; Tiana looked in front and she saw that they had stopped in front of a high-rise building, obviously a hotel.


    Nicklaus came out of the car, and she stepped out too. The driver took out their luggage and gave it to them, and they both walked into the hotel.


    Wow!


    Tiana mumbled to herself. There were really beautiful places in the world; the whole place was so luxurious and reeked of money, pounds sterling to be exact!


    ''''You''re welcome sir, your penthouse is ready, this is your card. ''''


    The receptionist said with a beautiful smile as she handed Nicklaus the keycard. Nicklaus took it from her and walked towards the elevator, and Tiana followed quietly.


    A penthouse; does the hotel belong to his family or something? It seemed he was a frequenter because he didn''t even ask for directions.


    Tiana thought as she watched the numbers go up. The numbers stopped after a moment and there was a clinking sound and then the elevator doors opened.


    He walked to a door and placed the keycard on the door, a green light flashed and then he opened the door.


    Tiana stepped in quietly, and she stopped right beside the door.


    Her eyes widened at the magnificent d¨¦cor of the house. The furniture was clear as glass, and it was as though she just entered paradise. At that moment, she didn''t want to go back to California.


    ''''This is your room, you can order anything you want, and we''re meeting a client tomorrow. ''''


    Nicklaus caught her off from her thoughts as he pointed to a door, then he walked into another room, closing the door behind him.


    When he closed the door, Tiana walked deeper into the living room. She wished she could afford a place like this and live there for the rest of her life, away from the problems of the world. Leaving her bag in the middle of the living room, she walked around the house, aweing at the beauty.


    Oh my heavenly! A pool in the sky!


    Tiana''s lips fell in shock as she pushed open the balcony, only to be greeted by a luxurious swimming pool.


    Too bad she would not get to swim in it. She thought to herself as she admired the poo. After a while, she walked back into the house and took her bag to her room.


    Her room was luxurious too, and the bed was king sized. She kept her luggage on the floor and opened it, taking out her pajamas, towel and toothbrush. She pulled her clothes off her body and tied her towel around her chest, then she walked into the connected room;


    There was a Jacuzzi bathtub with blue lights inside it;


    Tiana raised her hands to her cheeks;


    ''''Just when I thought I''ve seen enough! '''' She grinned excitedly and jumped into the bath.


    ¡­


    After taking his bath, Nicklaus wore his clothes and opened his bag to take his pills. He normally placed it in the small part of his bag, but when he put his hand in, he felt nothing. His eyes widened in shock and he searched more, but he couldn''t find any pills.


    He poured his whole box out, yet there was nothing; there were just a few packs of cigarette and a lighter.


    He fell on the bed when he remembered that he had forgotten to put the pills into the box. A frustrated sigh left his lips.


    He couldn''t sleep without them and the hotel was not a pharmacy shop, they could not possibly have sleeping pills, so he had to go buy them himself.


    Quickly, he dressed up and stepped out of the room. Just as he closed the door, his eyes fell on Tiana. She was sitting on the dining, munching on food.


    Her bulgy eyes locked in his, and she immediately looked down to her plate.


    ''''I''ll be stepping out for a moment. ''''


    Nicklaus said calmly as he walked towards the door.


    Tiana squeezed her brows.


    Why was he telling her?


    It was not as though he needed her permission to leave or something?


    And come to think of it, he''s been behaving strange lately;


    She thought as she continued eating her food; remembering what she had seen on his phone a few weeks ago, she looked towards the door;


    Could it be because of his illness, he is no longer frosty all the time?

 Chapter 52 - Very Lonely

    Oh well, that was good. At least I wouldn''t have to bother about him punishing me anymore.


    Tiana thought, and she resumed munching on her food.


    By the time Nicklaus came back, she was lying on the couch and watching Netflix.


    It was past ten in the night and the day had been very stressful, yet she had the strength to watch Netflix?


    Nicklaus thought as he walked past her to the fridge; he took out a bottle of water from it; opening the bottle of pills, he poured some on his hand and swallowed, then drank some water.


    Tiana gaze shifted from the TV to him; his had his back facing her and his head was low as he stared at something on his hand. He had a strange feeling around him, a feeling of loneliness. The more she stared at him, the more distinct the feeling became; and she realized he looked so lonely.


    Nicklaus stared at the bottle for a moment before closing the fridge and walking towards his room. He was tempted to look at her, but he forced his eyes not to.


    Tiana watched him enter the room, and for the first time ever, she felt pity for him. Now she thought about it, he had no friends, no family; he talked to no-one; he didn''t go for parties, neither did he have anything fun in his life, just work! That must be one hell of a lonely life.


    She thought. But instantly, she kicked herself out of those thoughts;


    Why was she feeling pity for him? He was a very terrible person; he deserved nothing good. How would he have friends when he had scared them all away with his icy behavior?


    She rolled her eyes and continued watching the show she was watching earlier, kicking Nicklaus out of her thoughts.


    The next day was Sunday, Tiana wondered why they would see the client on a Sunday, but she didn''t ask questions, and she made sure to wake up early. When she stepped out of her room, Nicklaus was not yet out, so she walked to the glass wall which showed the view of the city and stood there, gazing outside.


    She wished Nicklaus would let her go out and see the city. She really wanted to but she didn''t want to ask him.


    She heard some sound, and she turned around and saw Nicklaus and her brows creased; he was still wearing casual clothes, didn''t he say they would see a client today?


    She wondered as she stared at him; he glanced at her briefly before sitting down on one of the sofa in the living room.


    ''''Why are you all dressed, are you going somewhere?''''


    He turned to her with a blank expression. Tiana''s brows creased;


    Are you asking me that? She mumbled to herself.


    Wasn''t he the one who told her they would meet with someone today?


    ''''You said we will see a client? ''''


    She replied with a calm voice and Nicklaus turned to the television;


    ''''Oh, that is in the evening. ''''


    He said nonchalantly, turning the television on.


    Tiana felt like punching him in the guts.


    They were going out in the evening, and he made her wake up so early! She cussed in her mind, but she did well not to utter a word. Her eyes stared daggers at him as she gritted her teeth, but then she forced a smile;


    ''''Okay, I''ll change and wait till evening then. ''''


    She said and turned to her room, dragging her feet in and shutting the door behind her. She angrily pulled off her clothes and changed into casual clothes, she didn''t like wearing bras so she pulled that off too.


    She did not eat that morning thinking they were going out, but now that they weren''t, she would just order something to eat. After making her orders, she lay on her bed and logged into Instagram.


    It''s been long since she last logged in; after she broke up with Adrian, she had not been on Instagram; but now she was in London, she figured she should post a picture.


    As soon as she logged in, she saw a bunch of new updates from friends, she scrolled down more but found nothing on Adrian; her heart beat against her chest.


    Did he block her from seeing his posts? She wondered and quickly searched his name up; but she didn''t find his profile. Her heart slammed against her chest, and she sat upright, sweat gathering on her forehead.


    Right, Nicklaus scared him away, but there was nothing bad in being friends on Instagram, was there?


    She wondered as tears gathered her eyes, she more she thought about it, the more her anger grew for Nicklaus. She wondered what he must have done to him to make him cut her out of his life like that.


    Quickly, she created a new Instagram profile and searched his name up and it appeared immediately;


    So he blocked me¡­


    Tiana felt her throat squeeze; she suddenly started having a hammering headache, tears gathering in her eyes. She really didn''t want to cry anymore, but the feeling at that moment was so overwhelming that she couldn''t control her emotions. Tears poured from her eyes.


    She tapped on his profile and it opened; he had changed his profile picture from the last one, the present one was him on a lab coat; there was a beautiful smile on his face. He looked strikingly handsome in the white coat. Tiana thought, as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.


    She scrolled down his pictures slowly; watching everyone like it was a movie.


    Most of the pictures were those with his colleagues and he looked very happy.


    Then her eyes caught a picture, and her hands froze.


    It was a picture of him with a very beautiful woman; she had a babyish face, and she was also wearing a lab coat. He had his hands around her waists and their faces were inches apart from each other.


    Tiana hairs stood upright on her skin and her nose refused to take in air.


    But what made her almost faint was the tag on the post;


    ''My beautiful moon, is your girlfriend any more adorable?''

 Chapter 53 - Hes in the past now

    She stared at the post for so long that she lost count of time, when she regained herself; her bed was already soaked with her tears;


    He had moved on already, so fast?


    Tiana mumbled to herself. She had not yet gotten over him and he had moved on as though she didn''t even matter? Did he ever love her at all?


    Tiana wondered as she stared at her phone; her eyes still leaking tears;


    The sight was so painful that she quickly tossed her phone aside and buried her face on the bed, crying out her lungs. Just that moment, there was a knock on her door.


    Tiana froze and instantly turned to the door;


    ''''The food you ordered is here. ''''


    She heard Nicklaus say, and her heart reeked of disgust for him. She hated him! God, she hated him to her bones. If it wasn''t for him, she would have been the one in Adrian''s arms now!


    She couldn''t even bring herself to reply; she just turned around and continued crying. After sometime she wiped her eyes and stood up from the bed; she didn''t have appetite anymore, but she didn''t want to waste the food.


    So walking to the bathroom, she washed her face with water before leaving the room.


    She walked a few steps and stopped;


    Her meal was kept on the dining table, but that was not what made her stop, it was the fact that Nicklaus was sitting on the table too, and eating.


    Her chest squeezed tightly, and she clenched her fists; she didn''t want to stay anywhere close to him now, but just when she wanted to turn around and head back to her room, Nicklaus turned to her;


    She immediately eased the frown on her face and released her fists; he had already seen her, she could not go back to her room anymore.


    Forcing a faint smile to her lips; Tiana walked to the dining table.


    Her food was placed next to Nicklaus, but she didn''t sit there, rather she carried her tray to the farthest end of the dining table and sat down. The last thing she wanted now was to be anywhere close to him.


    She just wished the five months was already over, because she was tired of pretending that everything was okay, when it was not. She was boiling inside and soon she would explode. She just prayed it wouldn''t be now.


    Nicklaus watched her carry her tray to the farthest chair and sit down; his cutlery becoming stiff in his hands.


    She was really avoiding him like a plague. He raised his eyes briefly to her, and he saw that her eyes were swollen and her face was all red and his face paled instantly.


    Did she cry?


    Nicklaus felt a tug on his chest and he felt like asking her what was wrong but he quickly stopped himself; the last time he checked, he caused most of her troubles, he was in no position to ask anything and besides she would never answer.


    But that didn''t stop him from being worried.


    He ransacked his head, checking if he had wronged her recently but he could not think of anything, so why was she crying?


    He wondered in his mind, but he didn''t speak.


    Tiana dug some spoons into the plate and when she couldn''t eat anymore, she stood up and carried the plates to take them to the kitchen but Nicklaus stopped her;


    ''''You can leave them there. ''''


    Tiana stared at her hands that were on the plate for a moment and then she let it go.


    She walked back to her room, her head hung low.


    Nicklaus watched her enter her room, his mind in a mess. His eyes darted back to her plates, and he saw that she had eaten nothing and he got more worried.


    He wished he could ask her what was wrong with her but he couldn''t, he had messed things up from the beginning and he had to live with the consequences.


    When Tiana retired to her room, she slept off immediately. By the time she woke up, it was a few minutes past three. Remembering that they were going out; she jumped out of her bed and hurried out to wash her face. After washing her face, she applied some makeup to conceal her swollen eyes.


    Maybe if she left the house and saw the city again, she would feel better.


    Tiana thought as she dressed up in a red shirt and trousers and wore flat shoes. Since it was an evening meeting, it would be less formal. When she stepped out, Nicklaus was sitting on the couch, he was dressed in a blue shirt and black trousers, the shirt had two buttons unhooked; showing the outline of his tattoo and the sleeves were rolled up a little. When he heard some footsteps; he raised his eyes to her.


    Their eyes met, but Tiana looked away immediately.


    He saw that she was not looking as moody as she was earlier, she looked brighter.


    ''''Are you ready to go? ''''


    He asked when she walked towards the living room;


    Tiana nodded faintly, avoiding his gaze. Nicklaus stood up and dropped the tablet on the table, picking his phone; he walked towards the front door.


    ''''Let''s go. ''''


    He said, and she followed him quietly.


    When they got downstairs; there was a car already waiting for them, when the driver saw them, he walked over to the other side and pulled open the car door for them.


    Tiana recognized him as she stepped closer. He was the same driver from yesterday.


    ''''Good evening, Boss ''''


    He said, but Nicklaus did not reply. Before Tiana could walk to the other side like before, Nicklaus shifted a little, making way for her to enter the car.


    Tiana was stunned, but she didn''t say a word, she just stiffly entered the car and sat on the other side, almost kissing the window.


    There was a lot on her mind now, but she didn''t want to keep killing herself over things she could not change. Adrian was in the past now, and he had moved on. She had to move on too.


    But most importantly; she had to concentrate on London. She shouldn''t let her sadness intrude on such a beautiful trip she might not experience again.


    With that, she heaved a deep sigh as she forced a smile to her cheeks; watching the beautiful houses sweep by.

 Chapter 54 - If you let me have her

    ''''Nicklaus Howell, you''re here already, sorry to have taken too long, I was busy inside.''''


    The man, who had walked out of the huge mahogany doors, spoke with a vibrant smile on his face. He stretched out his hand for a handshake, and Nicklaus shook him briefly.


    The house was very magnificent; just like Nicklaus'' home back in California, except that it wasn''t as quiet. Tiana had counted no less than eight women walk past the living room, wearing skimpy dresses and looking like p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es.


    They had not stayed up-to five minutes before the man came out. He had a huge pot belly and was short; Tiana felt his physique was rather depressing to look at.


    Two of the women she had seen walk past accompanied him to the living room and they sat down opposite her and Nicklaus. When the man saw her, his eyes remained on her body, checking her out. Tiana caught his gaze on her body and she felt like throwing up but she couldn''t show her disgust, he was a client; and although Nicklaus had not told her what they had come for, she knew he was an important person for him to come to his house on a Sunday evening.


    ''''Nicklaus, I see you have company. Who is she? ''''


    The man asked; his eyes still on Tiana. Tiana glanced down briefly at her body but she saw nothing so eye-catchy because her chest was fully covered by her shirt, her cleavage wasn''t even exposed.


    Was he that perverted? How could he have two women by his side and still gape at another?


    Nicklaus'' gaze was frosty as usual, but he forced a simple reply;


    ''''My P.A ''''


    He said, and the man nodded excitedly, as though he had seen a new prey, his eyes wide with glee. Tiana held onto her purse strongly as sweat gathered on her hands;


    ''''She''s stunning¡­ ''''


    ''''I''ll like us to go over to what we''re here for, don''t you think so? ''''


    Nicklaus said, sitting upright on the couch. His statement pulled the man''s gaze away from Tiana, and he turned to him. Nicklaus'' gaze was frosty and his eyes were glaring intently at the man and the man knew that he had overstepped his boundaries; he coughed harshly;


    ''''Yes, yes, we''ll do just that, but first the table has been prepared already, let''s chat over dinner?''''


    The man said, standing up from the seat and pointing towards the dining area. Nicklaus didn''t normally eat with people, but the man was a very significant person so he stood up reluctantly;


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief. She turned to Nicklaus briefly, although she didn''t know why he stopped the man from going further, she was grateful for that; if he hadn''t she would have puked right there in the living room.


    They all sat down on the table, the two women by his side. Tiana sat beside Nicklaus and the dishes were opened by a woman dressed in maid''s wear.


    The smell of the food wafted into Tiana''s nostrils and she felt her stomach growl. She didn''t eat well that morning and had nothing that afternoon, she was really famished. She wanted to eat, but she waited for Nicklaus to pick his cutleries first, and immediately he did so, she picked a plate and served herself some food.


    Nicklaus and the man were discussing something, but she wasn''t paying much attention; although she heard some numbers, and with her little experience in the company, she knew they were talking about selling some shares.


    ''''¡­ I''ve changed my mind, I don''t want to sell the stocks anymore'''' the man said, drinking nonchalantly from his cup of wine.


    Nicklaus dropped his cutlery on the table, his eyes straight at the man.


    Did he pull him all the way from the US to tell him that?


    He felt his anger rising within him and he clenched his fists;


    He wouldn''t have come if it didn''t matter to him. The man had the second largest stocks in Warren Corporation and he wanted to buy all of it. If he did so, he would be the second in command in the corporation.


    The man had called for him to meet and after wasting his time, all he had to say was that he wasn''t interested in selling anymore; does he look like a joke to him?


    ''''Is it the money? I''ll double the price. ''''


    Nicklaus said with a stern tone and the man laughed; ''''No, no, it''s not about the money, it''s just that, I don''t want to sell the stocks anymore. I had a change of mind. ''''


    Nicklaus clenched his jaws, anger emitting from his bones;


    ''''But I can change my mind on one condition. ''''


    ''''What? ''''


    Nicklaus asked, and the man leaned back on his chair, caressing his beards; he pretended to be in deep thought, then he spoke;


    ''''I''ll sell the shares to you if you let me have her.''''


    '''' ''''


    Tiana, who was about to take up her glass of wine, let it go out of shock and it fell from the table; crashing to shards on the floor.


    Her face paled in shock;


    She could not believe what she just heard. He¡­ wants to have¡­ her?


    Her eyes immediately darted towards Nicklaus; her face pale as snow. She was literally shaking, and her palms folded to fists.


    What if Nicklaus agreed to his terms? What Nicklaus came for must be very important; he wouldn''t give it all away because of her. Tears gathered her eyes and her heart slammed against her chest, she turned to the man and nearly gagged when she imagined his hands on her body.


    If Nicklaus didn''t save her, she would kill herself. She would rather die than let that man touch her.


    ''''You say you''re the CEO of Dennis Group?''''


    Nicklaus asked in the gravest voice; his face was so frosty that the man feared a little, but remembering he was in his house and Nicklaus didn''t come with any guards and he could easily be overpowered; he felt relieved;


    ''''Yes; any problem? ''''


    Nicklaus picked his phone from the side of the table and shook his head;


    ''''No, no problem at all, I just wanted to be sure. ''''


    He said and stood up from the chair;


    The man creased his brows,


    ''''You do not want the shares again? ''''


    He asked surprisingly; Nicklaus travelled all the way to London to see him for the shares, and even when he knew it was a Sunday, he still came when he asked him to; he was not backing down because of a mere woman, was he?

 Chapter 55 - He f.u.c.k.i.n.g told him to his face

    ''''See you soon, Mr. Park. ''''


    Nicklaus answered; ignoring his question. He stood up from his chair and without thinking held Tiana''s hand and walked out of the house pulling her along.


    Tiana couldn''t believe her eyes.First, she was shocked that Nicklaus had terminated the deal with that man instead of giving her to him but most importantly is the fact that he was holding her hand!


    He was walking so fast that she had to run a little to meet with his pace. He didn''t let her go until he was outside the house.


    Tiana was stunned beyond comprehension. Nicklaus was so frosty that she felt that he would explode any minute. Was he angry because he had to lose the deal because of her? She wondered.


    When the driver saw them, he stepped out immediately and opened the door for them; Tiana stepped in quickly and Nicklaus followed, slamming the door after him.


    The car was eerily quiet; the driver didn''t know what happened but he knew better than to say a word.


    Nicklaus knuckles were so white; it looked like it would pop any minute.


    He wanted Tiana. He f.u.c.k.i.n.g told him that to his face!!


    Nicklaus couldn''t contain his boiling anger; he raced his hand angrily through his hair.


    At that moment when he heard him sprout those words, his first impulse was to pull him out of his chair and knock off those words from his mouth, but on a second thought, he restrained himself. He was not with any guards and doing that was going to endanger Tiana''s life; he could not risk harming her.


    But that doesn''t mean that he would let him go free. No, he would make him regret ever making that statement so much that he wished he had not woken up that day!


    Nicklaus was still boiling with rage when he suddenly heard a still voice call him;


    ''''Young Master¡­ ''''


    Tiana called, her voice quivering. Nicklaus froze for a second; then he turned to her;


    Her eyes were red and moist and she looked scared as she watched him; the moment Nicklaus saw her face, he felt tranquility wash through him and he suddenly became calm.


    ''''Your hand¡­ ''''


    He didn''t realize that he had broken the screen on his phone from how hard he gripped them until Tiana called him. He looked down on his hand and he eased his grip; some of the glass shards had pierced into his palm and it was bleeding;


    He stared at his hand for a moment, dropping his phone on the seat; he took out his handkerchief and wiped the blood from his hand.


    Some of the shards were still in his hand and he clenched his jaws when he dabbed the hankie on it.


    Tiana watched him in shock; what was really wrong with him? She wondered. There were beads of sweat on his forehead and his eyes were gazing at his hand. Her eyes looked to his hand and she saw the tiny shards of glass on them.


    She didn''t know how to feel; was the deal so important to him that he had hurt himself when he lost it? And because of her¡­ he had lost the deal because he didn''t give her to that man?


    Right, he had shown her to his family, if they knew that he had given her to another man, what would they think of him? That would make him lose the trust of his family even more. That was the only reason why he would help her in exchange of such an important deal.


    Nicklaus did not say a word till they got back to the hotel, and even when they reached the penthouse, he just entered into his room. Tiana watched him walk to his room without a word;


    Was he just going to sleep like that without attending to his wounds?


    Her brows creased with worry; even though she had revulsion towards him, she was grateful this time, although it was for himself, he had not given her to that man.


    So, she turned around and walked out of the room and back to the first floor; she walked to the receptionist with a smile;


    ''''You''re welcome ma''am¡­ ''''


    ''''Do you have any first aid here?''''


    The woman was speaking but Tiana cut her off impatiently; the receptionist paused then continued;


    ''''yes ma''am but it is for the occupants of the hotel, can you tell me your room number please? ''''


    The woman asked professionally; Tiana thought for a moment,


    ''''I stay in the penthouse. ''''


    Tiana replied and the woman nearly burst out laughing; the only person that stayed in the penthouse was their boss, was this woman joking or what?


    Although she knew that, she couldn''t tell her upfront that she was lying, she still had to reply professionally.


    ''''Ma''am, I''m sorry, but we need to see your ID to confirm what you just said.


    Tiana rolled her eyes; she knew that would happen and, she didn''t even look rich enough to afford the penthouse. But what would she do? She couldn''t go back up without the first aid! Thinking for a second, she inched closer to the table and narrowed her brows;


    ''''Listen, the occupant of the penthouse is injured and instructed that I get a first aid box; do I go back up and tell him that you asked for an ID? Never mind, I''ll just go back and tell him that the receptionist¡­ ''''


    ''''Wait! ''''


    Tiana pretended to be leaving but the woman quickly stopped her. She thanked her stars because she knew there was no way she was going to get a first aid if she had let her leave.


    The woman''s glare was intense when Tiana turned to her. She was not certain that the woman in front of her was lying but she didn''t want to take chances; there was no wrong in giving a first aid box after all.


    ''''I''ll order someone to get it. ''''


    Tiana smiled at her;


    ''''Thank you, please be quick. ''''

 Chapter 56 - Barbecued Chicken

    Tiana went back upstairs and after a few minutes, she heard the doorbell ring; she stood up from the couch and walked to the door.


    '''' Thanks'''' she said to the waiter who had brought up the first aid kit. Tiana leaned on the front door for a moment after she had closed it; wondering how she would give the first aid box to him.


    Would he scream at her if she knocked on the door?


    He was already angry about losing the deal because of her; should she still knock on his door?


    Her head was in a mess now, she did not think of this before she went to get the first aid box, but what would she do, she already brought it, she had to give it to him, anyway.


    It was better he rejected it when she gave it to him, than never trying.


    Pushing herself from the door, she walked quietly to his door, and she knocked lightly on it. Her heart pounded against her chest as she waited for a response. She was a little uneasy.


    She was only doing this because she didn''t want to owe him a favor, she wanted nothing to disrupt her plans; she didn''t want to feel any pity when she unleashed hell on him.


    She waited a while but Nicklaus did not open the door; she knocked again, this time a little harder but there was still no reply; she waited a moment and when the door didn''t open, she turned around to leave;


    Maybe he was sleeping, or he didn''t want a disturbance, she wouldn''t dare knock again, he might step out and scream the living life out of her.


    But just when she took the first step, she heard the door open;


    Nicklaus sat on his bed, his mind in a mess.


    Earlier that evening when he noticed that man''s gaze on Tiana, he felt like gouging out those eyes he used to stare so l.u.s.tfully at her. He knew she was beautiful, but he didn''t know she would rile so much interest in other men, at that moment; all he wanted to do was cover her face and prevent any other man from seeing her.


    And when he stood up to leave, he didn''t know what came over him and he had held her hand.


    Nicklaus raced his hand through his hair, fl.u.s.tered. If care was not taken, he would expose his feelings towards her and he didn''t want that. It made him feel weak. He wanted to hide it till he could get over her, but things were getting out of hand.


    Just that moment, he heard a calm knock on his door and his eyes turned towards it, he waited a moment and he heard it again;


    Why was she knocking on the door? Nicklaus thought of a million reasons why she would knock on his door, but he couldn''t pinpoint any;


    Standing up, he arranged his hair before he walked to the door to open it;


    Tiana turned around when she heard the door open and their eyes locked in each other''s; his were fiery and absorbing, and she couldn''t pull her gaze away, she kept staring into his eyes, dazed but just when it would become awkward, she quickly looked down to the first aid box on her hand;


    ''''I¡­ I got you a first aid box for your injury. ''''


    She spewed and stretched out her hand, pointing the first aid box at him.


    Nicklaus stared at the kit on her outstretched hand, and his brows creased,


    What injury? He wondered, entirely forgetting that he had an injury on his hands because of his phone which he had broken; his eyes slowly gazed back at her and Tiana''s bit her lower lip briefly;


    ''''I¡­ you, you injured earlier on your hand so I got the first aid, since it is a glass wound, there may be some shards still in your hand and if it doesn''t get treated, it may get infected.


    She stammered; maybe it was a wrong idea after all; she shouldn''t have bothered herself about him, now, he was staring at her as though she was some maniac!


    Was her voice always this sweet to the ears? Nicklaus wondered as he stared at her,


    Her cheeks were flushed red, she looked fl.u.s.tered, and her eyes struggled to remain at a place,


    God, who created such beauty?


    As he watched her, she looked more and more captivating. Was he ever going to stop thinking about her?


    Tiana waited for Nicklaus to speak but he said nothing, he just kept gazing at her, unwaveringly. She didn''t know what he was thinking, but she knew right away that she had made a mistake by knocking on his door; she slowly brought down her outstretched hand and looked down to the floor.


    ''''I''ll¡­ I''ll just send it back down, I''m sorry for¡­ ''''


    Before she could finish her sentence Nicklaus took the first aid kit from her hands;


    ''''thank you '''' He spoke calmly and then entered his room, closing the door.


    Tiana was stunned; why did he take the kit after staring at her as though she had committed some huge crime?


    She wondered as she walked away from his door.


    Nicklaus leaned on his door as he listened to her footsteps disappear, his heart slamming against his chest.


    What was he thinking? He would really scare her if he kept behaving weirdly. First, he held her hand and now he was staring at her as though she was some barbecued chicken!


    How was he going to think straight at this rate?


    His eyes reflexively looked at the first aid box in his hand and he felt a warm tug on his heart.


    He had been evil to her, but she still cared about the injury on his hand. What kind of person is that?


    He wondered. Should he give in to his feelings for her?


    The thought came to his mind, but just at that moment, he decided against it;


    No, no, he can''t. Not now, he had so many issues to handle, and he had enemies, those that would go to any length to see him fall; he would just be endangering her life if he gets too close to her.

 Chapter 57 - The Affair

    ''''You¡­ you can''t keep calling me like this, my husband is here. ''''


    Michelle whispered to the person on the phone. She had hidden herself in the toilet to pick the call, lowering her voice, so Douglas would not hear.


    ''''I don''t care, Michelle, I love¡­ ''''


    ''''don''t, don''t do that now, please. It''s late, go to sleep, I''m hanging up now. ''''


    She said, grabbing a bunch of her hair frustratingly; and without waiting for his reply, she cut the call.


    She heaved a sigh as she wiped her face with her hands. If he continued calling her, he would really put her into some big trouble. She knew Douglas, he would never let her go free, and he would hunt him down to the end of the world.


    She watched her reflection in the mirror for a moment before she turned to leave the toilet. But just when she opened the door, she saw Douglas standing by the door;


    ''''Arrgh!! ''''


    Michelle screamed as she stumbled backwards in shock; her face paling and her chest heaving heavily as she watched her husband stare at her with creased brows.


    ''''You¡­ You scared me¡­ ''''


    She said and beat her chest with her hand as her eyes struggled to remain at a place;


    Did he overhear her conversation?


    She wondered as she struggled to remain calm. Douglas was a heartless man. If he knew what she was doing behind him, he would never forgive her, in fact, he would kill her himself.


    ''''What? Why are you so startled? Are you doing something wrong? ''''


    Douglas asked in a calm tone, his eyes looking around the toilet.


    ''''No¡­ no, what would I possibly do wrong; I was just shocked to see you by the door when I opened it¡­ I thought you were a ghost or something. ''''


    Michelle explained as she chuckled lightly, trying to ease the tension in the room.


    Douglas pulled his gaze from the toilet to his wife, and he watched her for a few seconds;


    ''''mmm, I know. I just wanted to use the toilet, didn''t know you would step out at the same time.'''' He said and walked deeper into the toilet;


    ''''Alright dear, I''ll be waiting for you in the room. ''''


    Michelle said with a bright smile and walked gently out of the toilet, her heart in her mouth.


    She closed the door behind her and swiftly took out her phone from her pajamas pocket and unlocked it, deleting the call log before quickly hiding it under her pillow and lying down.


    A breath she didn''t know she was holding escaped her lips as she lay down on the bed.


    That was close!


    If Douglas caught her, it would be the end of her. He was a very heartless and calculative man; she had lived with him for 24 years and still she couldn''t still discern what he was thinking. He didn''t hesitate to take a life when it pleases him, and hers was no exception.


    He was hot tempered and had instilled fear into her very bones from the very beginning. No-one dared to go against Douglas, except Nicklaus, who was just playing with fire. She knew her husband well; he would peel her skin from her body like one peeling an orange if he discovered her promiscuity.


    But she couldn''t help it; she wished she never agreed to marry him when her parents forced her. If she had waited, if she waited one more year, she would have been with the man she loved.


    She was cut off from her thoughts when she heard the toilet door screech open;


    Her eyes shut instantly, and she pretended to be asleep. She heard his footsteps approach the bed and his side of the bed deepen; her body stiffened a little when she felt his hands go around her waists and he pulled her closer to him.


    She gulped before she stiffly turned around and hugged him back.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus had a meeting with another person the next day, but he would not take Tiana along; first, he didn''t want her to know what the meeting was about but more importantly, he didn''t want another man gawking so l.u.s.tfully at her, he wasn''t sure he could prevent himself from gauging out their eyes this time.


    When he stepped out of the room the next day, he found her sprawled on the couch, her hair disheveled and she was laughing as she watched the TV.


    He raised his eyes to the TV and saw that she was watching cartoons!


    His brows creased in surprise. How did she find those children shows intriguing? He didn''t even fancy those when he was little.


    As though Tiana felt his presence, her eyes instantly darted towards his room and she saw him watching her. Instantly; she rose from the couch and she stood up quickly, arranging her hair with her hands.


    ''''Boss¡­ you said nothing about going out today? ''''


    Tiana stammered; she was surprised to see Nicklaus fully dressed; he mentioned nothing to her about going out.


    ''''You''re not going with me. ''''


    He said calmly; his gaze still on her.


    ''''Oh.. '''' Tiana mumbled and looked down to her hands. Although she was unhappy that she wouldn''t get to see the city; a greater part of her was glad that she would have the whole day to herself, without ever seeing his face!


    Nicklaus watched her for a moment, his mind wandering. This hotel housed many elites daily and most of them were bachelors. She hated him now, if she met with any of them, she wouldn''t hesitate to leave him. He wanted to tell her not to leave the penthouse, to avoid them seeing her and taking a liking to her, but he didn''t have a reason to say so; it would seem awkward if he told her not to leave without a cogent reason.


    He thought for a moment and then unlocked his phone, tapping on his email icon; he forwarded ten doc.u.ments to her email.


    ''''While you''re at home, I want you to review the files I sent to your email. ''''


    Even if she is a genius, she wouldn''t finish reviewing those emails before he came back. That would keep her in the penthouse till he returned.


    A mischievous smirk found its way to his lips;


    ''''okay. ''''


    ''

 Chapter 58 - Flashes

    ''''Okay ''''


    Tiana replied calmly, although she did not expect Nicklaus to give her any assignment, she didn''t think much of it; it was one file anyway, after that, she had the whole day to herself.


    Nicklaus took in her expression briefly before walking out the door;


    After he left, Tiana slumped back on the couch. Picking up her phone from the table, she clicked on the company email; and the next second, she was sitting up from the couch, her eyes wide open.


    '' 10¡­ 10 files!''


    Tiana gasped in shock. How am I going to review all these files today?!


    She wondered as her brows creased in infuriation.


    Was he angry because of the first aid kit I gave him yesterday?


    Tiana wondered, because there was no other reason why he would want to crush her bones with work. If that was it, then he was pathetic!


    In fact, he deserved nothing good! If he liked, he should break his neck. She won''t even bat an eyelid!


    She cussed as her excitement for the day dwindled.


    ¡­


    ''''It is one million dollars, Mr. Nicklaus. These arms are contraband and you know it, we can''t take such risks with anything below that price.''''


    The man who spoke looked dreadful. He was wearing a singlet and his whole body, apart from his face, was designed with tattoos of different shapes and sizes such that there was no spot without ink on his body. Two armed men were standing by his side and they were as horrendous as their master.


    They were the dealers of arms and ammunitions in the underworld. Nicklaus had been having engagements with them for a year now, but this one was the biggest deal so far.


    From the way things were going, he knew his life would soon be in danger_ that is if it wasn''t already. He needed to be prepared at all times and be one step above his enemies.


    ''''I''ll transfer the money to you now, when do I expect the package? ''''


    The man smiled and caressed his thick beards which occupied a sumptuous amount of his face;


    ''''Expect it in US in one week, Mr. Nicklaus.''''


    The man concluded; a grin on his lips. Nicklaus tapped on his phone for a moment and after a little while; he turned to the man again.


    ''''It''s done, confirm the payment. ''''


    The man grinned audibly and waved to one of his bodyguards, and the guard placed a phone in his hands. He tapped through the phone for a moment and when he saw that the payment had been sent;


    He raised his eyes to Nicklaus; ''''It''s always nice doing business with you, Mr. Nicklaus. ''''


    He said, stretching out his hand for a handshake. After some other brief discussion, Nicklaus left.


    ¡­


    After lunch, Tiana printed the 10 files in the printer in the penthouse; then she sat on the couch in the living room and started reading through them. The writing was tiny, and it made her feel sleepy. She wanted to abandon them and go do something else, but she didn''t want Nicklaus coming back to find a reason to unleash his venom on her. But no matter how much she tried, she couldn''t finish reviewing the third file before she fell asleep.


    By past six in the evening, she heard a loud thunderclap outside, and she flung up from the couch; her eyes wide open. The thunderbolt came with a huge wind, which clapped the windows and curtains;


    She looked outside and saw that the sky had darkened, and she knew it would be a thunderstorm. And she hated the storm.


    Her face paled as she watched the sky darken through the windows, but she could not move; she wanted to go close the windows, but she couldn''t bring herself to approach them. Her heart was pounding and her palms folded into fists;


    There was another thunderbolt and Tiana''s eyes shut instantly; she crunched herself up like a ball on the couch and closed her ears with both hands.


    No¡­ please¡­ not again¡­


    Then there were the flashbacks;


    Her mother died of cancer on that fateful stormy night. Their father had gone with Gwen, while she stayed home with her before the storm started. She held her mother''s hands as she listened to her agonizing cries amidst the thunderclaps. She had no hair on her head anymore and she was so lean because they didn''t have any money to send her to the hospital for treatment.


    Her mother''s eyes were blue and her lips dried from pain as she slowly slipped away. Tiana''s tears were deafened by the loud storm and the wind which blew right into the room, clapping the windows. She held her mother''s hands tightly, crying her balls out. She had not seen a dead body before, so she didn''t know her mom had died already, so she kept on calling out to her, her whole body shaking from terror.


    The most grueling thing about that night was the fact there was no-one home and the storm could not let her go call for help. She lay beside her mom crying till her father returned after the storm and pulled her away from her mother.


    It wasn''t until the next day when she saw a few men carrying something wrapped in a white bed sheet that she knew her mother had died. Ever since that day, the stormy days had been her nightmare.


    Tiana remembered almost every detail of that night, but the most painful sight to remember was the agonizing look on her mom''s face as she struggled for help. She lay on the couch; sweat all over her body, her face was deathly pale as she remembered every scene from that night.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus entered the penthouse, taking off his shoes by the door. His brows creased when he saw that the windows were still open and they were clapping against the window frame because of the wind.


    Was she sleeping and didn''t notice when it started raining? He wondered as he walked to the windows and closed them quietly. Turning around to go to his room, his eyes glanced towards the parlor and he saw a figure shivering on the couch and his brows creased.

 Chapter 59 - Ba Dum!

    Tiana was putting on a short gown and her legs were exposed as she lay on the couch. Nicklaus brows creased as he took in the sight;


    Why is she wearing something as tiny as that when it is so cold? She is shivering, but she can''t even wear some sweater?


    Nicklaus thought for a moment before going closer to her, but he heard something that made his leg freeze at a spot;


    ''''Mommy¡­ mommy¡­ please, don''t leave, I beg you¡­ ''''


    His whole body froze as he heard her whimper. Her face was pale, and she was covering her ears with her hands;


    ''''Mommy¡­ ''''


    She cried again, a tear trickling down her eye and dropping on her hand. Nicklaus did not understand what was happening. Was her mom dead?


    He stood at a spot unable to move for good five minutes before he walked closer and squatted in front of her, he stared at her, not knowing what to do; he had not been in such situation before.


    After much contemplation, he raised his hand to her face, and pushed some hair which was sticking to her face to the back of her ear. He thought for a moment, then he tried comforting her,


    ''''It is okay now¡­ it''ll be alr¡­''''


    Before he could complete his sentence, Tiana leapt from the couch and threw herself into his arms.


    ''''Mommy, please don''t leave me again¡­ I''ve missed you so much¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus body hairs stood straight as her body fell on him. His heart started racing at an uncontrollable pace.


    ''''Mommy¡­ why are you not saying anything? ''''


    Nicklaus was kicked out of his daze when he heard her tiny voice again. She snuggled herself deeper into his neck as her tears dropped on him. Nicklaus gulped; his face flushed red.


    He was not expecting that at all. What should he do? Almost immediately, a thought entered his mind and he raised his hand and patted on her back.


    ''''It is okay, I''m here now. '''' he said calmly, patting softly on her back. If she was calling him mom, that means she thought he was her mom, so he would say what she wanted to hear.


    "''Mommy, I missed you so much, why did you leave me? Why? ''''


    Tiana cried as she hugged Nicklaus tighter.


    Nicklaus ears stood erect when he felt softness on his chest; Tiana was alone at home so she did not wear any bra, thus when she hugged Nicklaus closer, her b.r.e.a.s.ts caressed his chest.


    Nicklaus gulped hard as his already racing heart almost jumped out of its place. His breath became ragged, and he tried controlling his emotions.


    This woman¡­ What is she doing to me?


    He took in a deep breath, controlling the blood surging to his groin.


    ''''Mommy¡­ '''' Tiana called again, and he quickly forced a reply;


    ''''I''m¡­ sorry for leaving you. I will not leave you ever again. ''''


    His voice hoarse as he evened his breath; ''''Really?'''' she asked anxiously and Nicklaus nodded; ''''really''''


    Tiana smiled and stopped crying, her brows easing.


    Nicklaus waited a moment. When he felt her breath even, he raised his hand to release her grip on his neck, but her hold on him was strong. He sighed as he thought for a moment; seeing that she was cold already, he figured he should carry her to her room and tuck her into her blankets, so he put his arms under her legs and lifted her up from the couch. Tiana snuggled deeper into him as her arms wrapped around his neck firmly.


    Her body was light, and her thighs were very soft¡­


    Nicklaus started having wild thoughts, but he quickly pushed it to the back of his mind. He shouldn''t be thinking of her thighs when she was unconscious.


    Kicking the thoughts away, he walked quietly to her room, pushing open the door, he carried her to the bed and laid her calmly on the bed, but when he tried to stand up from the bed, her grip did not ease. His brows creased worriedly;


    Was he going to stay here with her? She was in a trance now, thinking him to be her mom, when she finally woke up and saw him. What would she think?


    Nicklaus didn''t want her feeling bad about what she did, so he tried to ease her grip on his neck, but Tiana started crying again.


    ''''Mommy, please don''t go¡­ '''' His hands froze when he heard her, his eyes staring at her expression. She looked sad as she pleaded with him. Her mom must be dead for her to be this sad, remembering that her father who owed him had died too; he realized she was an orphan.


    She was an orphan, and he had maltreated her so much.


    What kind of person was he? Nicklaus felt his heart squeeze tightly and his hand which were trying to pull hers away eased and he slowly lay beside her on the bed, letting her hug him.


    This was the first time she had been this close to him. Although she was not in her right mind, Nicklaus felt his heart race. She placed her head on his chest as she slept like a baby with a smile on her face. Nicklaus watched her closely.


    This was the closest he has been to her; she was so beautiful up close. Her lashes were long and her face was perfect. Her hair sprawled on his chest and some on her face; he raised his hand and pushed them to the back of her ear.


    As he watched her, he didn''t feel like leaving again. He wished it was real, that she was wholeheartedly hugging him like her life depended on it, but he knew it was just a mirage and if she woke up, she would flinch if she saw him.


    He caressed her face with his fingers. It was so soft. He traced her cheeks, down to her jawline. His eyes flickered over her lips and he gulped. His mind replayed the scene in the swimming pool and his heart, which was almost calm started racing again. Just at that moment, as though she was sent to end him, she licked her lower lips softly.


    ''Oh God¡­'' Nicklaus groaned internally. His body heating up again; he tried to look away from her lips but he couldn''t bring himself to. Does she want to kill him before his time?


    Nicklaus gulped. He didn''t want to be a sleaze, kissing her against her will. Although he had felt her lips in his mouth before, he couldn''t define that as a real kiss, because it wasn''t intentional. He had not felt like kissing a woman before in his entire life, except now. Why was he having all these carnal desires now? Could what the doctor said be true? Was he really falling for her?


    Ba Dum!


    Ba Dum!


    Ba Dum!


    Nicklaus could hear his heart pounding against his ribcage; his whole body was alerted as he stared at the woman on his body. The first woman he had ever held in his arms.

 Chapter 60 - Calling him Mommy

    Tiana stirred in her sleep. The light rays coming from the window hurt her eyes. Turning her head to the other side, her eyes fluttered open. After a few seconds she looked around the room and her heart sunk, there was no-one there.


    Although she knew it wasn''t real, it felt real; she had heard her mom''s voice in her ears; she heard her speak to her; she had told her it was alright and she would never leave her again.


    She didn''t want to accept that it was all a dream; that she had just faked it all up in her head. She was still thinking about last night when suddenly her eyes widened,


    Wait, a minute¡­ she remembered falling asleep on the couch when the storm began.


    How did she get here? Her brows creased as her thoughts wandered.


    Did her mom really come to her? Did she really come to comfort her?


    Tiana eyes widened in surprise, but just when she was about to rejoice, she smelt a familiar scent around her, and her thoughts paused. She raised the pillow by her side to her nose and her eyes widened;


    She knew that smell, there was only one person she had sensed it on before¡­ NICKLAUS!!!


    Her eyes widened in shock and she lifted her gown to her nose and instantly, she felt like sinking into the ground. Everything that happened the day before came back to her in a flash; and instead of her mother''s feminine voice, she realized that she had heard Nicklaus'' deep masculine voice!!


    How did she mistake the two? There were not even alike at all¡­


    She remembered jumping into his arms like her life depended on it and calling him Mommy¡­


    Tiana mentally fainted.


    How was her brain acting as though it lost some nuts? How was she going to face him now with everything that happened the previous day?


    She clutched her hair with both hands and tried pulling them from the root, but quickly let it go when she felt pain surging from her scalp.


    She would just kill herself and get it over with; she cannot face him, not after tabling her insecurities in front of him.


    Tiana clutched the quilt frustratingly; how was she going to leave the room now? And she didn''t have dinner the previous night, she was so hungry, a sad pout found its way to her lips as she rubbed her grumbling belly; at that moment, she wished she locked herself in her room when she saw the storm about to begin; how was she going to face him now?


    Maybe she should just apologize and get it over with?


    Tiana thought and quickly kicked against the idea; if she apologized, it would mean that she remembered what she did, and it would give him a reason to punish her again.


    No, she would just pretend as though she didn''t know what happened; even if he brought it up, she would feign ignorance.


    Her face brightened as the thought entered her mind. She mentally congratulated herself for her wisdom. Heaving a sigh of relief; she closed her eyes to sleep a little more. Her mind wandered back to the events of the previous night once she shut her eyes.


    She remembered him patting her and replying to her like her mom would do; and her brows creased.


    Why would he do that? He could have woken her up, but he comforted her. Why would he do that?


    Tiana''s eyes opened again, as her head was thrown into confusion.


    He was not kind in any way and he thought only about himself. Why would he care that she was crying over her mom?


    Tiana wondered, but yet she couldn''t come up with any reason for his actions. Pushing the thoughts aside, she closed her eyes to sleep.


    ...


    Nicklaus sat on a couch in the living room, his tablet was on his hand as though he was busy with it, but his whole attention was on Tiana''s room door. He had glanced at the door for the fiftieth time in ten minutes.


    The day before, although he didn''t want to leave, he knew that she would be scared if she woke up and saw him by her side, so he waited for her to sleep deeper and then he quietly stood up from the bed.


    His eyes remained on her body for a moment, the way she lay had raised up her gown and thus exposing her smooth legs and almost half of her thighs. Nicklaus felt his throat tighten again. He quickly lifted the quilt and covered her body with it, tucking her in properly before leaving the room before he would so something he might regret.


    It was almost ten o''clock in the morning but she was still not out of her room; he felt that she remembered what transpired between them the previous day and was scared to leave the room. Nicklaus didn''t like that she feared him. His heart squeezed whenever he saw her avoiding him like he was a disease.


    Although he had been wicked to her, he vowed that he wouldn''t hurt her anymore. Even though she might never want them to be friends because of what he had done to her, he would make effort to relax the tension between them. If they could have a normal conversation without her gaze wandering as though she was eager to leave his presence, then he was okay.


    Just at that moment, he heard her door creak open slowly; he saw her stick out her head and glance towards his room, when she saw that it was closed, she stepped out and closed the door behind her. Turning towards the living room mindlessly, her gaze locked on Nicklaus'' and she flinched in shock, her heart pounding against her chest.


    She was not expecting to see him there at all! She had been practicing her pretending skills in the room for over thirty minutes, but she had given herself away on the first glance.


    Tiana mentally slapped herself and quickly looked away from him, her cheeks deep red from embarrassment. As though luck was on her side, there was the beep of the doorbell and she thanked her stars. Quickly, she walked towards the door to accept the meal she had ordered a while ago.

 Chapter 61 - dont want to

    ''''Thank you ''''


    She said to the waiter who brought her meal as he carried the tray to the dining table and placed it on it. The moment of relief Tiana felt dissipated when the waiter left the room. She closed the door quietly and avoided glancing at Nicklaus as she walked to the dining table.


    Sitting down, she began munching into her food. The whole place was eerily quiet; she could feel Nicklaus'' gaze on her as her meal painfully went down her throat; she didn''t want to look at him, but she couldn''t control her wandering eyes, and before she could stop herself, her eyes turned to him and they locked in his gaze, instantly she choked on her meal and coughed, she immediately gulped down a glass of water to stable herself.


    Can he not look elsewhere?!!


    Tiana screamed in her head. Ever since she sat down he had been staring as though there was some strange painting on her body.


    Fine, she had misbehaved the previous day, but staring at her like that would kill her before her time!


    ''''We''re going back to the US tomorrow, do you want to see beautiful places in the city today?''''


    '''' ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened so much that it nearly fell from its sockets when she heard him speak suddenly. She turned to her back to make sure it was her Nicklaus was talking to. When she saw that there was no-one else there, she turned back to him.


    His eyes were not glaring, and his features were very relaxed. He looked like a normal human being, a freakily handsome human being without his iciness.


    Her brows narrowed;


    Did something happen the previous night? Or did he wake up missing some parts of his brain?


    What was he trying to achieve? Did he think because she had mistakenly let her guard down last night, she had put the past behind her? Then he must be utterly mistaken. After everything he had done to her, he expected her to pretend as though everything was okay? And besides, wasn''t he supposed to be mean and arrogant, was he pitying her now? If that was it, then he shouldn''t pity her, the last thing she needed was his pity. In fact, he should continue with his wickedness. She preferred that side of him.


    A hint of annoyance found its way to her face, and she shook her head, rejecting his offer.


    ''''No, I don''t want to. ''''


    She replied curtly. Turning back to her food, she continued eating. Even if she wanted to see the city, she wouldn''t do it with him, not even in her next world; in fact, she would prefer to go out with a guinea fowl than go out with him.


    Nicklaus pursed his lips.


    What was he thinking? That she would put the past behind her just like that, as though nothing had happened?


    He knew that she still bore grudges against him and had been putting up with everything and just her one reply had exposed it all. Although it was just a flash, he saw it in her eyes, her deep hatred for him.


    He wondered just how much she hated him. He wished he could turn back the hands of time and change what happened in the past, but it was not possible, he only had the present to amend.


    How would he get her to forgive him?


    He wondered; his gaze shifted to the phone in his hands.


    Just at that moment, he received a video call from his grandmother and his brows creased; why was she video-calling suddenly?


    Swiping up, he answered the call;


    ''''Grandma¡­ ''''


    ''''Nicklaus! Why did you forget your grandma, you don''t even care to call to know how we are faring, why? ''''


    Grandma was in a spa with a towel tied around her hair, her face was flushed from the treatment she just had on it;


    ''''Grandma, you know I''m always busy. ''''


    ''''I know, but it won''t kill if you call once in a while, would it? '''' She asked, creasing her brows. Nicklaus did not reply, he just stared at her as though waiting for her to tell her reason for calling.


    Grandma seeing that he would not reply replaced her frown with a pretty smile,


    ''''So, is Tiana with you? '''' She asked anxiously; after that time Tiana came by for dinner, she had not seen her again.


    The call was loud, so Tiana heard when Grandma asked of her, and she stopped eating.


    Nicklaus raised his eyes to Tiana briefly;


    ''''Yes, she''s here. Tiana, come say hello to grandma. ''''


    Tiana turned to Nicklaus, and she knew she didn''t have a choice. Quickly, she stood up and walked to where he sat and sat a few inches away from him, forcing an excited smile to her face;


    ''''Grandma! ''''


    She called happily as though she was excited to see her.


    ''''Tiana? I can''t see you well, come closer to the camera so I can see your beautiful face. '''' Grandma said; she was just seeing half of Tiana''s face.


    Grandma had called so abruptly, she didn''t even have time to prepare herself, and given what just happened a few minutes ago, she couldn''t bring herself to close the gap between them. Before she could even find the courage to, Nicklaus put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, such that there was no space between them. Tiana face flushed with embarrassment, but she did well to put on a smile as though everything was fine.


    ''''grandma, how are you?'''' She asked once she could see grandma clearly. Grandma had a sweet smile on her face as she watched them. When her grandson brought Tiana home saying that she was his girlfriend, she doubted him, she knew how frosty he was, he didn''t even have friends not to talk of having a woman but now, seeing Tiana in casual clothes and sitting so close to him, she felt satisfaction wash through her.


    ''''Oh my darling! I''m fine, how is my grandson treating you? ''''


    She asked, still smiling. Tiana giggled;


    ''''He''s the best grandma. I can''t have enough of him. '''' Tiana said and turned to Nicklaus with a smile.


    ''''Uh_uh, that''s so sweet. Oh yes! that reminds me, '''' Grandma exclaimed when a thought dropped on her mind; her gaze shifted to Nicklaus.


    ''''Your grandfather''s birthday is in two weeks, everyone is coming home tomorrow, I know you don''t come back but you have a girlfriend now, don''t you think itll be nice, if you bring her home to spend some time with the family? ''''

 Chapter 62 - Touching her too much

    Tiana''s eyes widened in shock before she could even pretend to be okay; luckily for her, grandma''s eyes were fixated on Nicklaus and she didn''t notice her discomfort. Tiana''s head was on fire;


    Two weeks!


    Staying in the Ancestral home for two weeks meant that they would have to pretend to be real couples for two weeks and they would have to¡­ sleep together in the same room!!


    Her jaws fell as her face grew deathly pale.


    Ha-ha¡­ surely Nicklaus wouldn''t agree to that; he didn''t like people staying in the same space with him, so there was no way he would¡­


    ''''Alright grandma, now I think about it, I haven''t attended grandpa''s birthday in six years, I think we''ll come this time. ''''


    Nicklaus replied indifferently;


    Normally, he didn''t return for the birthdays, he never did, but when Grandma mentioned it, he realized that that might be the opportunity he had been looking for to make things right with Tiana. If they had to act as couples for two weeks, it might bring them closer and make them have real conversations, so without a second thought, he accepted.


    Tiana''s eyes widened as her thoughts were cut short by Nicklaus'' voice; her head instantly turned to him;


    Did he just accept that?!


    She could not understand what was happening; did he know what he just agreed to?


    They would see each other, hold hands, touch¡­ and even sleep in the same room for two weeks!


    Tiana felt her stomach churn as her mind imagined all those stuff and she instantly felt like disagreeing right there but she stopped herself; she was a few months away from achieving her goal, acting rashly now would cause grievous harm and she would have just suffered for nothing. It was two weeks anyway; it wasn''t like they would have to act forever.


    With that thought, she turned towards the grandma with a smile;


    ''''Oh, that''s great; I''ll finally spend quality time with Tiana. I''m so happy right now; I didn''t know you would agree to come. Grandpa needs to hear this! ''''


    Grandma exclaimed happily. If Nicklaus agreed to this, that means he was really dating Tiana. His coming back would finally shush the rumors going about in the family that he had just hired Tiana to pose as his girlfriend.


    ''''I look forward to spending quality time with you too, grandma, extend my greeting to grandpa.''''


    Tiana replied with a ''happy'' smile;


    ''''Yes, dear. Take care of yourself. Bye! ''''


    Tiana''s smile remained on her face till the call was disconnected and she hastily flung up from the couch as though she had been sitting on a hot coal.


    Nicklaus gaze raised to her; her face was red with anger but she didn''t say a word, she just walked to her room and locked the door behind her, forgetting her half-eaten meal on the table.


    She must really hate him.


    Nicklaus thought as he gazed at her tightly shut door. But after two weeks of being close, he wondered if she''ll hate him as much.


    He would surely make her change her decision about him in these two weeks.


    When Grandma said that she wasn''t seeing her he didn''t know what came over him, but he found himself putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him.


    Her body was so close to him that he was barely breathing, his insides were on fire; it felt similar to what he felt when he had her lying on his chest. He didn''t want her to leave, and when she stood up, he felt a coldness course through him.


    He liked the feeling of her body¡­ her touch. Even though he didn''t know why, he wanted to touch her more often. And in these two weeks of their stay in the ancestral home, he would make sure she was always around him. In fact, he would touch her so much that she wouldn''t feel repulsed around him anymore.


    A mischievous glint found its way to Nicklaus lips, but he didn''t care anymore. If this was falling in love, he just realized that no matter one''s physical strength, no-one had power over the forces of love and attraction.


    Maybe giving yield to this new feeling would make him better, who knows? Besides, he had done nothing fun in his entire life, doing this was one hell-of-a-fun!


    ¡­


    Throughout the trip back to US, Tiana didn''t speak, only replying to questions when asked. When they arrived at the airport, one of Nicklaus'' guards was already waiting for them.


    ''''You''re welcome Boss... Milady ''''


    The guard welcomed them and Tiana raised her eyes to him with curious brows; she recognized him as the guard who took them to the airport and got reprimanded by Nicklaus for letting her carry her luggage herself, that explained why he had greeted her. Normally, they ignored her as though she did not exist.


    When they got home, the guard wanted to help her carry her luggage, but she kindly refused.


    There was no need pretending to be nice to her when they really weren''t nice; it made her feel uncomfortable. She preferred it when no-one noticed her; it was easier living that way.


    But just as she was rejecting his offer, another guard walked up to them and greeted and quickly took her luggage from her hand, bowed a little and walked into the house with it.


    Tiana''s eyes turned to Nicklaus questioningly; he must surely have a hand in this. How did his guards, who never cared if she existed and treated her worse than a servant, now respect her? Did he reprimand them?


    She felt her chest squeeze at that thought. Why was he acting like this suddenly? If he was feeling pity on her after discovering that she was an orphan, then he should stop it! She didn''t like being sympathized with, especially from someone like him.


    Just when she opened her lips to tell him to tell his guards to not help her do stuffs that she could handle by herself, he beat her to it.


    ''''We''re going to the ancestral home after work tomorrow; we won''t be coming back to the mansion so get your stuff ready. Okay? ''''


    Nicklaus said with a calm tone; Tiana gazed at him briefly and looked away.


    ''''I understand. ''''

 Chapter 63 - Come to my room, Tonight

    ''''I understand ''''


    She replied indifferently, waiting for his next command, her lips pursed into a thin line.


    ''''Anything else you want to say to me? '''' She asked when she saw that he wasn''t saying anything. Nicklaus shook his head, putting his two hands into his trouser pockets.


    ''''No, you may go in. '''' He said, and she turned around and walked into the mansion, not wasting another second.


    Nicklaus watched her steps'' distance and just at that moment, he remembered something and quickly called her.


    ''''Tiana ''''


    She turned to look at him, her brows creased;


    ''''Come to my room tonight. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened and her face paled instantly at his statement;


    What does he mean by that? Does he want to sleep with her now? So he really liked both men and women?


    Tiana wondered as her heart pounded against her chest; she didn''t know what to do. How would she escape this?


    Seeing her scared expression, it took Nicklaus a few seconds to realize that his words had come out wrong.


    ''''...I have something to discuss with you. ''''


    He completed quickly. Tiana raised her eyes to him and nodded in relief.


    So he didn''t mean it that way. But was she going to escape if he requested to sleep with her?


    Now that they would be staying in the same room for two weeks, would she be able to prevent him from touching her if he wanted to?


    Tiana pondered as she turned back to the house;


    If he tried to touch her, she won''t even be able to scream because everyone thought they were couples. What would she do? Tiana''s heart pounded painfully as she realized that she would face doom soon and there was no-one there to save her.


    ¡­


    After taking her shower, she wore her undies and bra and pajamas before going upstairs to Nicklaus'' room.


    She knocked lightly on the door and when she heard him call her in, she stepped into the room.


    Nicklaus was smoking a cigarette when she stepped in; her throat tightened as the strong odor wafted into her nostrils.


    He smoked a lot. She wondered why his lips were still pink when he smoked so much.


    ''''Sit. ''''


    Nicklaus said to her as she approached him in the parlor. He stood up and threw the cigarettes into a trash can, before returning to the parlor.


    Tiana sat down on the couch opposite his as she waited for him to tell why he had called her.


    Nicklaus watched her briefly;


    Now he thought about it, he rarely saw her on makeups, unlike most of the famous women who relied on makeups for their beauty. She was naturally gorgeous.


    Tiana''s eyes wandered about the room and suddenly settled on Nicklaus when she saw that he was yet to speak, a tiny frown on her brows.


    Nicklaus blinked out of his thoughts when her gaze met his and he cleared his throat.


    ''''Now that we will be staying at the ancestral home for a while, I thought maybe we should go over some details. ''''


    Nicklaus said as he waited to know if she had anything to say, when he saw that she would not say a word, he continued;


    ''''I''m sure everyone would want to know who you are and how we met, so I thought we should talk about it before we go tomorrow. Basically, I want you to say that you''re my personal assistant. Saying that you''re my pa would prevent anyone from prying further into your background and it would solve many questions relating to how we met.''''


    He concluded; Tiana''s expression was blank as she stared at one of the dark drawing on the wall,


    ''''Okay. ''''


    She replied when he finished speaking. It wasn''t as if she had a choice or a say. He just passed the instruction, and all she had to do was obey. Why did he even bother calling her?


    Tiana wondered as she bit on her inner cheek softly.


    Nicklaus stared at her for a moment. He was through with what he called her for but he couldn''t bring himself to tell her to leave. Although she had an aloof expression on her face, her presence in his room gave him some kind of comfort. He didn''t want her to leave, so he didn''t speak.


    ''''Is that all? Should I go now? ''''


    Sadly, even before he could relish her presence for five minutes, she asked with a seemingly angry frown on her forehead. Nicklaus pursed his lips and forced a nod.


    ''''Yes, you may leave. '''' His lips pressed into a thin line as he looked away from her; but Tiana cared less of his demeanor, she just stood up and walked out the way she came.


    Nicklaus did not realize how lonely and secluded his life had been until she walked through the door.


    He felt as though he was in a deep hollow, unable to find his way out; the air in the room becoming too stuffy,


    He stood up quietly and walked to the side of his bed, picking a cigarette box and talking out a stick from it; his forever companion.


    ¡­


    ''''Have you fixed the meeting with the client from Japan?''''


    Nicklaus asked as Tiana dropped a doc.u.ment on his table.


    ''''No, I thought you said I should leave it till next week? ''''


    She asked, her brows creased; he raised his eyes briefly to her;


    ''''No, push it forward, make it on Friday. ''''


    Nicklaus was working on a project with a Japanese firm for the production of new application software that runs artificial intelligence. The software is a human-like chat companion, which interacts with humans more naturally. Millions had been spent in building this application and if successful, it would be one of the biggest investments in Howells Corporation.


    ''''Alright. '''' Tiana replied and turned to leave.


    ''''We''ll be leaving soon. Round up any remaining work you have on your desk. '''' Tiana''s steps faltered a little when she heard him, and then she continued walking forward. Although she had been praying earnestly that that moment would never come, it was finally here.


    It was just two weeks, but she knew it would feel like two years! She didn''t even get enough sleep the night before; she was just imagining how she would stay in the same space with Nicklaus for so long and not faint. She didn''t know if she could do this, but she didn''t have a damn choice!

 Chapter 64 - Beautiful

    Tiana watched the iron gates open on their own accord; this was her second time of being here, but it still felt new, maybe because this time, it was day. Earlier, she got a bouquet for grandma and medicinal tea bags for grandpa, Nicklaus watched her hold the gifts on her laps but he didn''t say a word.


    He never bought anything for his grandparents; he had not even thought about it, but she just did without even caring about the hatred she had for him.


    As the car drove into the compound, her heart slammed against her chest. These two weeks would be hell for her, she knew it.


    Nicklaus stepped out and held out his hand for her to come out; she placed her hand on his indifferently and stepped out of the car; her face up with a frown. The guards took out the gifts from the car and their luggage from the trunk as they waited for Nicklaus'' command.


    As Tiana stepped out of the car, Nicklaus gaze remained on her for a few seconds, suddenly, he pulled her close to him, such that her face were just a few inches away from his; Tiana gulped in shock, her eyes wide.


    Nicklaus raised his hand and shifted some strands of hair away from her face, his gaze locked on hers;


    ''''I don''t think we would need that frown on your face from now onwards. '''' He said, still gazing into her eyes as though searching her inner thoughts;


    Tiana was surprised by his sudden behavior; they haven''t even gone inside yet and she was already feeling repulsed.


    ''''You can let me go now. '''' She whispered curtly with a small smile on her chin; Nicklaus hands weren''t eager to leave her just yet. He liked the feeling of her body against his. Just when Tiana could not take it any longer, she heard someone call from the front pouch.


    ''''Nicklaus? ''''


    When Nicklaus heard the call, he raised his eyes to the person and Tiana used the opportunity to free herself.


    ''''You came¡­ '''' Douglas walked towards them, an unbelieving expression on his face. His gaze shifted briefly to Tiana, at the same time, Nicklaus slid his hand around her waist, pulling her close to him.


    ''''Yes, Uncle, why wouldn''t I come, it''s grandpa''s birthday. ''''


    He replied curtly;


    ''''Beautiful, let''s go in, shall we? ''''


    He turned to Tiana and spoke lovingly as though they had been couples for years.


    Tiana''s ears stood erect at his statement;


    Beau.. beau what?!!


    Her face flushed red, but she knew better than to make Nicklaus'' Uncle know that everything was just a pretense; raising her eyes briefly to Douglas, she nodded slightly and followed Nicklaus into the house, the guards walking behind them with their luggage.


    Tiana needed a private space to breathe, but that was not coming anytime soon because as soon as they entered the house, they met the over-joyous grandma.


    ''''Nicklaus! Tiana! Come on in! '''' Grandma walked to them with her face beaming with smiles;


    ''''Take their luggage to their room, quickly!''''


    She ordered the maids, who were standing by the side, and they took the luggage from the guards.


    ''''Grandma, it''s so nice to see you. '''' Tiana exclaimed as grandma pulled her for a quick hug.


    ''''it''s good to see you too, you''re prettier than the last time I saw you, it seems my grandson is really treating you well!''''


    ''''I think he does, grandma, I got something for you. '''' Tiana turned around and spotted the guard holding the gifts and she took the bouquet and the tea bags from him.


    ''''Is it for me? Tiana, this is so sweet of you! '''' grandma exclaimed as she smelt the flowers.


    ''''I don''t know if you''ll like it¡­ ''''


    ''''Oh, I love it. ''''


    Grandma smiled, she was beginning to like Tiana. Unlike many women she had come across; Tiana carried an innocent aura, devoid of all forms of hate and cunningness; a woman like that was hard to find.


    The house was finally full. Everyone returned the day before and doubted that Nicklaus would come; Douglas and Michelle had concluded that he would never come because he didn''t want to expose his fake girlfriend, but now they were here, she imagined the shock that would be on their faces.


    ''''Brother, it''s nice to see you. '''' Richard, who was sitting on the couch; walked to Nicklaus and greeted, a warm smile on his face. His eyes swept past Tiana and as though he realized something, he turned to her again, his gaze remained on her face for a while; Nicklaus naturally didn''t want to reply, but when he saw that Richard was gazing intently at Tiana, he spoke.


    ''''Nice to see you too '''' Richard jerked out of his trance when he heard Nicklaus'' voice and he nodded briefly. He didn''t expect him to reply, he never did, but he didn''t think much of it though.


    ''''Grandma, mom says I should come pick her from the saloon; I''ll be stepping out for a moment. ''''


    ''''Alright, drive safe. ''''


    Richards gaze turned to Tiana again before he walked out through the door.


    Tiana was puzzled by his stare, but she didn''t think much of it.


    For screaming out loud, there are other women! Why is everyone suddenly interested in Tiana!


    Nicklaus cursed in his head but he did well not to show his displease; he felt like covering her face with a piece of cloth to prevent any man from seeing her. Richard should do well to know his boundaries because he won''t even think twice to deal with him if he comes after Tiana.


    Richard had not given him a cause for concern, but he was still the son of his Uncle Douglas, so he was as deadly.


    ''''Your Aunt Elizabeth stepped out for a moment with her husband; I think they''ll be back before dusk. Diana has a movie shoot tonight, I don''t think she''ll be coming back today and¡­ ''''


    Grandma wanted to continue, but she quickly stopped; there was no need telling Nicklaus about Michelle and Douglas, he probably wouldn''t want to know.


    ''''So, go up and freshen up then come down for dinner and I had almost everything changed in your room because of Tiana; I wanted to welcome her home properly.''''


    She concluded with a smile.

 Chapter 65 - I really hate you

    ''''Thank you, grandma '''' Tiana smiled, but what was in her mind was the exact opposite.


    Welcome home indeed! Who needs welcoming? She would even prefer to sleep in the dog''s pen than to sleep with him in the same room.


    God! How would she survive this!


    She mentally rolled her eyes.


    ''''Okay hurry and freshen up, I''ll send someone to call you when dinner is ready ''''


    Grandma said and Nicklaus led Tiana upstairs, his hands still around her waists.


    When they had gone up halfway, she noticed that Nicklaus arm was still around her waist and she turned to know if anyone was around, when she saw that no-one was in sight, she quickly made to take off his hands but the words that came out of his lips, nearly caused her a nosebleed.


    ''''From now onwards, I want you to always be close to me, do you understand? ''''


    Her eyes instantly turned to him; they were bulging too much that it felt like they would pop any second.


    ''''Wh¡­ what? ''''


    She asked; not able to understand what was going on. What did he mean by her being close to him; did he understand what he just spurted?


    It wasn''t enough that she would pretend to be a loving girlfriend for two weeks. Now she won''t even have breathing space?


    What was his aim?


    Tiana asked herself a million questions with no answers forthcoming.


    Nicklaus did not speak, he just pushed open their room door and stepped in; when they were inside, Tiana turned to him, not caring to even look around the room;


    ''''I¡­ I don''t understand what you just said. ''''


    She said, raising her voice a little. Nicklaus did not still answer her; he walked casually to the bedside and pulled his tie from his neck, throwing it across the bed.


    Tiana''s chest was rising and falling heavily. Her anger was almost at its limit. She folded her palms into fists as her long fingers dug into her skin.


    ''''You know you can''t make me do that. '''' Her voice was not loud, but it bore grave annoyance within.


    Nicklaus turned to her; his gaze remained on her for a moment before he raised his hands to his shirt and began undoing his buttons.


    ''''I hope you watch your words before you say them, beautiful. ''''


    He said with a smirk on his lips. Tiana chuckled derisively;


    ''''Beautiful? Who gave you the right to call me that? '''' She gazed at him with utter contempt,


    Nicklaus chuckled;


    ''''What? You''re my mistress, I can call you whatever I want. ''''


    He pulled his shirt from his body and dropped it on the bed; turning to her with a smirk, he continued;


    ''''You should adjust to seeing my face and not riling up in anger, i think we both know what could happen when I''m bored. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes glared ferociously at him as she realized how weak she was against him.


    She closed her eyes briefly and took in a deep breath. He was really pushing her to the edge. She didn''t know if she''ll be able to hold back for long. She sucked her lower lip bitterly as she slowly opened her eyes, and they locked in Nicklaus''.


    '''' I really hate you Nicklaus; I don''t think I have told you that. Don''t worry, I value my sister''s life, you need not threaten me, I''ll do whatever you wish until I can save her from your deadly grip. ''''


    The smirk on Nicklaus'' lips disappeared instantly as her words hit him like a bomb. He stood speechless as he gazed at her shaky body standing in front of him.


    Does she detest him that much?


    Although he had threatened her a little, he didn''t know it would rile her up so much. This was the first time she had talked back at him, the first time she had opened up about her feelings for him. She must be holding it all it and it must be eating her up inside.


    He wished he could give her relief, but the only relief that she wanted was something he couldn''t give. She wanted to be free from him, but that was no longer possible.


    Tiana didn''t want to cry for him anymore, she had vowed never to; she took in deep breaths to calm herself. When she felt her nerves calm down, she dragged her feet to a nearby couch and lay down.


    Nicklaus watched her lie on the couch dejectedly and he had the urge to take back what he said earlier, but he stopped himself. He already said it. There was no need going back on it again. Besides, he would really love to have her by his side all the time.


    He watched her briefly and then he shifted his gaze to the bed, his eyes flashed across something and he quickly pulled his eyes to the wall above the bed.


    What the hell happened here?


    Nicklaus just noticed that the adjustments Grandma talked about involved turning his room upside down.


    The paintings of his room were white and black and the furniture too; but what he was seeing here was shocking;


    Grandma had painted his room milk and replaced all the furniture and curtains; she even changed the quilt to a red¡­ for goodness'' sake red!! He barely slept with white and black, now talk of all these bright colors, he won''t even get a single day of sleep.


    He groaned angrily and put his shirt back on, storming downstairs.

 Chapter 66 - I meant what I said

    Tiana heard the door open and slam close and she waited a moment before she turned around, when she didn''t see him in the room, she realized he just left. She heaved a sigh of relief and sat up on the couch; her eyes scanning the room.


    It was huge_ a master bedroom. Tastefully decorated but it was not what she had expected of his room, he loved dark colors, the room was rather very bright.


    Just when she thought about it, she heard noises approach the room and the door was pushed open. Nicklaus stepped in, followed by grandma.


    ''''You know I don''t like bright colors; this is way too much, call a painter quickly and get these paintings changed and replace my old furniture. ''''


    Nicklaus groaned as they walked into the room, a displeased frown on his face.


    ''''Oh Nicklaus, I don''t see anything wrong with this, okay, okay, if you want any change, you can''t decide on your own, your girlfriend is here with you now, so both of you have to agree to the change. ''''


    Grandma said and turned to Tiana, who was sitting on the couch.


    ''''Tiana dear, what do you say about the decorations, do you want them changed? ''''


    Nicklaus eyes turned instantly to Tiana, a blue expression on his face; just a while ago, she was raged at him so surely she would not let the paintings to be changed;


    Truthfully, it wasn''t that he didn''t like bright colors; he really couldn''t sleep with them around. So before Tiana could reply, he cut in right away;


    ''''Tiana doesn''t like bright colors too, Tiana am I right? ''''


    He turned to her with raised brows, as though giving her an order, he knew she would not dare say otherwise; Tiana gazed at him for a moment and then she forced a smile, her eyes shifted to grandma,


    ''''Yes, I don''t like bright colors, the black and white is perfect.''''


    She didn''t like dark colors but it didn''t matter, it was Nicklaus'' room, the color of it wasn''t any of her business.


    Grandma sighed; she thought that Tiana would be on her side but she had gone ahead to support Nicklaus. Nicklaus never slept in bright places and she had thought that now he had Tiana, that part of him would change. Maybe she was wrong.


    Grandma smiled faintly;


    ''''Alright, it seems the both of you have the same tastes; I''ll have some workers change everything immediately. ''''


    She said and left the room in silent steps.


    Nicklaus closed the door after Grandma left, and the room returned to its eerie quietness. Tiana pulled her luggage and started unpacking her stuff;


    She walked to the wardrobe and pulled it open, then arranged her clothes on one side of the wardrobe, when she was through; she took a pair of casual clothes and her towel and walked to the connected door, obviously the bathroom and locked it behind her, not glancing at Nicklaus as though there was no-one in the room.


    After about thirty minutes, she stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed.


    Nicklaus was sitting on the couch, his legs crossed on a small stool when she came out. She walked to the couch and picked her phone. She turned around and walked towards the door, when she had almost walked past him, she stopped, her eyes not glancing at him.


    ''''I want to step out for a moment, ''''


    She said to him, her eyes on her phone. Nicklaus has been watching her actions intently; there was a frown etched to her brows that had not eased since she stepped out of the bathroom.


    ''''Can you stop frowning? It doesn''t look good on you. ''''


    Nicklaus, unable to keep it in any longer, spurted. He stood from the couch and walked to her, when he was a few inches from her, he stopped; when Tiana noticed his steps approaching, she turned to look at him.


    ''''I don''t want you to frown in front of me ever again, and what I said earlier, I meant it, ''''


    He paused, walking closer to her, such that their bodies were almost touching each other. Tiana''s breath hitched but she forced her feet to remain at a place.


    ''''I want you always by my side, always within my reach, do you understand me? ''''


    He concluded, narrowing his brows.


    Tiana''s eyes stared directly at him for a few seconds and she pursed her lips tightly as though struggling with herself.


    But the next second, it was as though she was another person, a smile suddenly washed her features and she nodded.


    ''''Yes, Young Master ''''


    They remained like that, staring at each other for almost ten seconds, and then Nicklaus looked away.


    ''''Wait here; let me shower, then we can go downstairs together. ''''


    He said and turned around, walking into the bathroom.


    Once the door was shut, Tiana released the breath she had been holding. She dragged her feet to the couch and sat down.


    She really didn''t understand him. What does he want to achieve by her being by his side?


    Tiana racked her brain, thinking for a possible answer but she could only think of one. Someone like him would only find a means to torture her, there was no other reason.


    He knew she hated him and being by his side was an enough torture already. Besides, he derived joy in inflicting pain, there was no length he couldn''t go to achieve his aim.


    After about ten minutes, the bathroom door creaked open and Tiana''s gaze raised to the door and her eyes regretted the instant she did so because it could no longer look away.


    Nicklaus stepped out of the bathroom, steam rising from his hair. His skin was flushed from the hot shower and his hair was wet. A bunch fell over his forehead as he dabbed on his hair with a towel, another towel tied around his waists.


    Well that was not what caught Tiana''s attention, it was his majestic body.


    This was something she couldn''t resist; she had a penchant for smoking hot body and Nicklaus had it in quantum.


    Although she was greatly angry with him she couldn''t stop her eyes from drooling over his muscles and abs and the s.e.xy ink on his body.


    She traced his tattoo with her eyes mindlessly; her gaze moving downwards until it reached his waistline where the tattoo disappeared underneath the towel.


    ''''Like what you see, beautiful? ''''

 Chapter 67 - Beautiful

    ''''Like what you see, beautiful? ''''


    Nicklaus deep masculine voice rang across the room, kicking Tiana out of her temporary daze. Her cheeks flushed red as she pulled her eyes to his face and they met Nicklaus'' piercing gaze.


    Tiana mentally slapped herself. One second, she was raging at him and another second; she was drooling over his body. What could best define her madness?


    Although she knew that she had been caught red-handed, she didn''t want to give him the satisfaction he wanted;


    ''''What do I see, if I may ask? ''''


    She asked with a slight raise of her brows. The smirk on Nicklaus face dwindled drastically; he did not expect that she would have a reply for him; but then, he wasn''t ready to lose to her yet,


    Chuckling lightly, he continued;


    ''''Well, I''m sure it''s something wonderful to keep you staring for minutes, beautiful. ''''


    Why in hell does he keep calling me that!


    Tiana screamed in her head, but she did well to hide her blush. It wasn''t just because he called her Beautiful that made her mad; it was because of the way his voice sounded when he said it. Normally, his voice was deep and had a hint of breathiness, and when he called her beautiful¡­ it nearly made her squeeze her legs.


    And she shouldn''t be having that kind of feelings because she hates him!


    Tiana coughed lightly; forcing the nasty thoughts to the back of her mind,


    ''''You really think highly of yourself, dear Young Master. But now I think about it, how do you know I was staring for minutes if you weren''t also staring?''''


    Her eyelids widened and a sly smirk washed her lips. The triumphant smile on Nicklaus face disappeared instantly, and he was dumbfounded;


    This woman! How does she have an answer to everything?


    He couldn''t even find the words to reply. It seems his brain was on a momentary shutdown, mainly because what she said was true.


    Nicklaus gazed at her, a little redness in his ears.


    Although he had lost to her, he was a little glad that they just had a conversation. Even though there was a glare in her eyes, she was smiling triumphantly and he felt a warmth in his heart.


    That was the first time she had smiled because of him. He had never been happier. If winning against him would make her smile, then from that day onwards, he would make sure she always won against him.


    Nicklaus laughed lightly and walked to the vanity to blow dry his hair. Tiana''s brows creased;


    Why was he laughing?


    ¡­


    ''''Tiana, it''s so good to see you, come, come over here. ''''


    Grandpa waved and Tiana walked over to him to greet him. It was past seven in the evening when the paintings in the room was completely changed and Nicklaus and Tiana came down for dinner.


    Everyone was sitting at the dining table when they came down.


    ''''It''s good to see you, grandpa. ''''


    Tiana greeted as grandpa patted on her back.


    ''''I loved the tea bags you got for me, how thoughtful of you. ''''


    Grandpa smiled; his gaze turned to Nicklaus, who was still standing, waiting for Tiana.


    ''''I see you grandson, I''m sure it''s Tiana, who forced you to come home, you don''t even bother to send birthday wishes to your old grandfather, such a stubborn boy!''''


    Grandpa fumed at Nicklaus, but he didn''t say a word, his expression unchanging.


    Tiana chuckled; ''''No grandpa, on the contrary, Nicklaus was very excited to come home, I think he''s changing for the better. ''''


    Grandpa knew that she was just trying to cover up for him, but he didn''t want to press on further.


    ''''Alright, go sit down, we''ll chat after dinner. ''''


    Tiana walked to where Nicklaus was standing and he pushed out a seat for her, before taking his seat.


    Her eyes glanced around the table and they fell on Michelle, the woman that tried to make fun of her that day. She was sitting beside the same man from that afternoon, her husband, obviously.


    Just at that moment, Nicklaus Auntie Elizabeth walked in with her husband Charles.


    ''''Nicklaus, Tiana! When grandma said you guys came, I couldn''t believe it; it''s so nice to see you. ''''


    Elizabeth greeted and Tiana smiled at her.


    ''''it''s nice to see you too, Auntie. ''''


    After the meal, the family sat in the living room as they chatted, the television showing a reality show.


    ''''So Tiana, how did you meet Nicklaus?''''


    Grandma asked, and every gaze turned to Tiana, who was sitting beside Nicklaus, his arms around her waist.


    She feigned a blush and glanced at Nicklaus, who was watching the television as though she was shy;


    ''''We met at work, I''m his personal assistant. I have always had a crush on him, but because of his iciness, I tried to hide it. But what I didn''t know was that he had been eyeing me for a while too!


    When he asked me to go out with him, I was so shocked that I fainted. ''''


    Everyone laughed at her story;


    ''''Yeah, I couldn''t believe that my dear grandson, who didn''t have any friends, could have a girlfriend. It was a surprise! ''''


    ''''Mmm, and just after his position as the CEO of Howells Corporation was threatened, it seemed very suspicious, but it''s good to know that it wasn''t just a plan and now, we''re all waiting for the wedding date.''''


    Michelle added quickly.


    The whole place grew awkward at her statement.


    Tiana shifted her gaze to her;


    Although on the face of it, her statement looked innocent; it however carried a deeper meaning.


    The message she intended to pass what that, indeed, Nicklaus had hired Tiana to be his mistress and the proof of it was that he would not marry her.


    Tiana didn''t even know what to reply. She knew that there was no marriage of any sort happening; she was damn speechless.


    One second to everything becoming tense, Nicklaus, whose eyes were on the television, glanced at Michelle, who was sitting beside Douglas briefly and then he turned to Tiana.


    ''''Beautiful, ''''


    He pulled her towards him, her faced inches away from his, his hot breath tickling her lashes, making it flutter;


    ''''I didn''t want to rush it, but now she has mentioned it, let''s get married. ''''

 Chapter 68 - Lets get married

    ''''I didn''t want to rush it, but since she has mentioned it, let''s get married. ''''


    ""


    ""


    ""


    Shock, bewilderment, confusion, surprise, astonishment all washed over Tiana''s face.


    Did he just fake-propose to her in front of his whole family?!


    Tiana didn''t even want to think about the repercussions of what he had just done.


    Michelle dug the pit, but he just made matters worse by pushing them right into it. She didn''t even know how to reply, her throat was so dry from shock.


    ''''Beautiful, will you marry me? ''''


    Nicklaus asked again, pulling Tiana from her daze; if she was thinking she had misheard earlier, his voice resounding in her ears at that moment proved that she had not heard wrong.


    He was gazing at her so intently, deep emotions engraved in his eyes. If she didn''t know that he was just faking it, she would have really thought he meant it. But what was his plan? Tiana wondered, but she knew that there was no time to think about that. She had to play her part.


    Swallowing hard, her tiny hands raised to his face, and she cupped his chin, his stubble tickling her palm as her fingers caressed his face.


    ''''Nicklaus¡­ are you¡­ are you serious now? ''''


    She asked endearingly, her eyes searching his features for any element of falsity in them.


    When her hands touched his face, Nicklaus felt his heart skip a bit. Earlier, when he heard what Michelle said, he had thought of the surest means to save them from that dilemma and proposing to her there was the only way he could think about. Although he was sure that she knew it was a fake proposal; when he felt her hands on his face, and her piercing gaze searching his, he couldn''t help but wish that it was real. That the look she gave him was that of deep love and affection and not of shock and bewilderment.


    ''''Beautiful, I can''t be any more serious; I just can''t imagine myself with anyone else... ''''


    ''''Oh my god, Nicklaus¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s hands went to her mouth, and she covered them as though in shock, her eyes glistening. The next second, her hands flew around his neck like a baby who had just seen her mother after a long day at school.


    Nicklaus was not expecting her to hug him so heartily; for a split second he actually forgot that she hated him. He toppled backwards on the couch before he stabled with her in his arms, her head nestled in the crook of his neck.


    ''''Yes, baby, yes! I''ll marry you. God! I can''t believe this is happening! ''''


    ''''Did he just propose? ''''


    Grandma asked, her voice resounding in the living room. Everyone was gaping at them as though they were some alien who just fell from the moon.


    ''''I think he just did. ''''


    Grandpa completed with a vibrant smile.


    ''''Nicklaus is getting married?!''''


    Elizabeth asked as though she could not believe the exchange that just happened in front of her.


    Everyone was extremely surprised. It wasn''t enough shock that he got a girlfriend, now he was getting married?


    Nobody even expected it in the least. Now that he proposed to Tiana in front of them all, no-one could say that he was a gay or that he had hired her to act as a girlfriend.


    The other occupants of the room were chatting amongst themselves and didn''t notice the exchange going on between Nicklaus and Tiana at that moment.


    When Tiana threw her arms around him, Nicklaus reflexively hugged her around the waists. Her scent enveloped his senses. She smelt so sweet, and he felt himself getting drunk with her scent that he didn''t want to let her go.


    Tiana hugged him for a little while more and then she released her grip around his neck to sit back properly, but when she tried to shift from him, he tightened his grip around her, pulling her further towards him.


    Her brows creased in shock;


    What the hell was he doing?


    She waited a moment and tried again, but Nicklaus didn''t show any sign of letting go;


    ''''what are you doing? ''''


    She whispered in his left ear;


    Her breath tickled his ears, and Nicklaus'' throat tightened.


    He didn''t even know why he was still hugging her; he just didn''t want to part with her scent, as though he was engraving it into his deepest memories. even when he heard her call out to him, his hands tightened even more.


    ''''Alright, lovebirds, you can let go of each other now. ''''


    Grandpa said, and almost everyone in the room laughed. Nicklaus slowly let go of Tiana''s waists when he heard grandpa call, and they turned to look at the rest of the family;


    ''''I think this calls for a celebration, hurry, go get the drinks. ''''


    Grandpa ordered and Richard, being the youngest around, stood up and left the room for the wine cellar.


    Michelle couldn''t believe how the tables turned around. Her heart was slamming rapidly against her chest as her face grew pale.


    She could swear minutes ago that she was sure that Nicklaus had hired Tiana, but at that moment, she was no longer sure.


    Did he know what proposing meant? He would really have to marry her because grandpa and Grandma were involved, and it was a Howells wedding. The entire world would have to know about it.


    Or wait¡­ was he planning to dissolve the engagement later on and claim that it didn''t work out between them?


    Ha! Then he really must be delusional because she wouldn''t let him go away with it!


    Since he had proposed in front of everyone, then rest assured, he would carry on till the end.


    ''''congratulations to the both of you; it''s really a thing of joy to see that you''re working hard to replace your late father. Nicklaus, hope the wedding would be soon? Ah, grandpa, since it''s a Howells Family Wedding, it should be announced to the media quickly! ''''


    Michelle exclaimed, turning to Grandpa with a sweet smile. Just when Grandpa was about to reply, someone, who had not spoken since they sat in the living room, spoke, making everyone turn to him.


    ''''No, don''t you think it''s rushed. They should have enough time to themselves. Besides, Tiana is very new to public eye; she may not cope with it if everything is so fast. They should take it slow and everything should be well planned to avoid mistakes. ''''

 Chapter 69 - Her Resolve

    All eyes turned to Douglas, who was sitting relaxed on the couch; his hand twirling a little pen. He has always been a calculating and smart person. He didn''t speak much, but whenever he did; he chose his words carefully.


    Everyone knew this, so when they heard him, they all had to think on what could be in it for him. Once he spoke, grandpa figured out what he wanted. He didn''t want Nicklaus getting married and quashing his only hope of taking back the company, but then, his words did make sense. Tiana was still new to the public eye; she needs to adjust to being among the rich before she''s married.


    After he met her during the dinner, grandpa made his inquires and found out that Tiana was the child of Nicklaus'' former guard who owed him, and he made his daughter be his mistress in exchange of the debt. He knew everything was a plan, but he wanted to see how far Nicklaus'' would go with it. Maybe he would really give it a thought and marry her, which would as well turn out good. Tiana was a very stunning and sweet person. If Nicklaus didn''t fall for her, it would only mean that the rumors were true.


    ''''Hmm¡­ that''s correct. I don''t think the media should know yet until everything is completed. ''''


    Grandpa said and Tiana shut her eyes as she heaved a slight sigh of relief. Her eyes glanced at Michelle, evilly.


    This woman was a real thorn in her skin! If her husband didn''t interrupt, she would have been forced to marry Nicklaus against her wish! She would have been forced to live fake for the rest of her life!


    She mentally thanked Douglas for saving her ass. But now she thought about it¡­ why would he help her?


    Earlier on, she was sure that Nicklaus had a feud with him, so why did he go against his wife and help her?


    Tiana''s brows creased as her eyes glanced at each person in the room. Each face bore its own distinct emotion; the more she watched them, the clearer she realized that they weren''t the sweet family they looked like.


    She just realized that she was in the dark when it came to Nicklaus family. There was a huge lot going on that she didn''t know about.


    ¡­


    ''''ARE YOU THOUGHTLESS OR ARE YOU JUST STUPID?!''''


    Douglas blared in their room as he flung the porcelain vase sitting on its stand; it dashed on the wall and broke into several tiny bits. He was red with fury as he paced around in the room.


    Michelle coiled up on the bed; her body shaking as though she was immersed in icy water.


    Earlier in the parlor, when she spoke, she was thinking she was doing the right thing, until her husband Douglas interrupted; and then she knew she was in big trouble. He barely spoke, for him to do so meant that she had gone too far.


    She didn''t want to go back to their room, for fear of what he would do to her, but luck wasn''t on her side, because when he stood up, he called her to follow him and she could only obey.


    Douglas turned to his wife, his teeth gritting;


    ''''it was your stupid brain that brought up the idea of them getting married. Why don''t you ever think before speaking? Do you know what you would have caused me? All I have struggled for would come crashing down because of your loose mouth! Can''t you ever keep shut?!''''


    He scolded, visibly angry. Michelle shut her eyes and bit on her lower lip as she felt him draw closer to her;


    ''''I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t mean to¡­ ''''


    ''''Shut the f.u.c.k up!'''' Douglas pounced on her, his hands around her neck. Michelle coughed, he held her a little too tight that she was finding it hard to breathe.


    ''''Douglas¡­ you''re hurting me¡­ ''''


    She stammered as her eyes turned a shade of blue.


    Her words filtered into his ears but he didn''t flinch, his eyes remained adamantly on her,


    ''''Listen woman, I won''t forgive anyone who gets in my way of getting that damn company, not even you! Do you understand?! ''''


    He barked in her face and Michelle forced a nod frightfully. Douglas stared at her weak body, as though he realized that she was no use. He let go of her and she fell back on the bed, sweat drenching her back.


    She heard his footsteps dilate, and she opened her eyes and watched him walk into the bathroom, slamming the door.


    This was not the first time he had hurt her, he usually did, and it was not new to her.


    Throughout these years, although she had made a wrong choice of marriage, she always tried to make it work, but he would never see her as his wife but as a punching bag. Although she was not faithful to him, she was at least thoughtful to not continue with the act for long, but it was clear that Douglas deserved nothing good, he deserved no pity, and therefore she would think of herself more. Although she would still need to support him because of their son Richard, if he gets the company, surely Richard would inherit everything once he dies_ which she would hasten as soon as he becomes the owner of Howells Corporation.


    An evil glint washed Michelle''s lips.


    He shouldn''t blame her for what had become of her. He had pushed her too far.


    ¡­


    Tiana walked into the room after Nicklaus, her hands around her belly. She had made sure not to take much alcohol because of her little control over it. The last time she got drunk was after her graduation, she literally slept under the kitchen sink that night.


    She couldn''t risk drinking too much when she would sleep in the same room with Nicklaus. With the way he had been acting lately, she wasn''t sure he would not touch her if she makes any advances at him. And to think he could be bis.e.x.u.a.l, having carnal knowledge of both men and women!


    Tiana felt her stomach churn at the thought.


    Nicklaus locked the door and turned to the room and his gaze fell on her; she was standing in the middle of the room, hugging her belly as though she was cold.

 Chapter 70 - Sleeping

    She was putting on a light gown and with the cold wind and AC on in the parlor; she sure must have caught a cold.


    He traced her gaze and realized that she was staring at the bed; and that moment, it occurred to him;


    THERE WAS JUST ONE BED IN THE ROOM!!!


    Wait, how did he not think about it all the while! Throughout the trip, even till that evening, it was now he was just realizing that they would share a bed!


    What was he thinking? He had never slept in the same room with anyone before; talk more of the same bed! Why didn''t he remember all these when grandma asked them to come over? He was just thinking of how he would get closer to her and he forgot the most important details.


    What would he do now?


    Nicklaus ransacked his brain and for a moment, his eyes shifted to her;


    She must have thought of all that, that was why she had been uncomfortable all the while; she must see him as a big jerk!


    Why wasn''t he thinking straight all these while! Niklaus mentally slapped himself, but just when he opened his lips to speak, Tiana beat him to it.


    ''''I''ll¡­ I''ll sleep on the couch, its large and very comfy. ''''


    She spoke, her voice trembling, as though she was afraid that he would refuse her. She sauntered to the side of the bed and grabbed a pillow, hugging it to her chest. Her eyes glanced at the couch and at the bed;


    She was cold but there was just one quilt on the bed, she could not take it and leave Nicklaus with none. This was his room to begin with. She would have to change to sweater and trousers, and cover her legs with large socks. That would do.


    Dragging her feet to the couch, she kept her pillow on it. Her eyes glanced briefly at Nicklaus, who was still standing by the door, staring at her intently and her gaze fell to her hands;


    Was he going to tell her to join him on the bed?


    Tiana wondered as she played with her fingers, biting on her lower lip. She wasn''t sure she could do that, she might as well, cut her wrist and die.


    Nicklaus lips thinned; he knew she was scared of him now, and although he didn''t want to let her sleep on the couch, he knew she wouldn''t let him sleep on the couch and it would be awkward if he tries to insist and telling her to join him on the bed would be way too forward and would scare her more, so Nicklaus didn''t oppose to her.


    After staring at her for a while, he walked to the wardrobe and took out his pajamas. Tiana watched him walk to the wardrobe and when she saw him lift his shirt above his head, she pulled her eyes away.


    She stood still until she felt his footsteps walk towards the fridge near the floor to ceiling mirror. She raised her eyes and watched him take out a bottle of pills and pour some onto his hand and swallowed, and then he drank some water.


    She remained still until he walked to the bed and lay on it.


    She waited a moment and when she didn''t hear any movements, she turned to the bed; an uncontrollable joy coursing through her heart.


    He will not tell her to join him?


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief.


    At least, that was another good thing he had done. Maybe he wasn''t so dark after all_ or maybe not, he might just be too tired to argue with her.


    Tiana pouted her lips and quickly waved the thoughts aside. She should sleep soon if she wanted to wake early for work the next day.


    Hurrying over to the wardrobe, she took out her night clothes and entered the bathroom, after changing into them, she opened the door slowly, sticking out her head; she peeked at Nicklaus.


    His eyes were closed, and he looked as though he was sleeping peacefully. Her brows creased.


    Didn''t Bella say that he had troubled nights, wasn''t he sleeping so peacefully now?


    She shook her head as she hung the clothes she had taken off in the wardrobe;


    People really spread a lot of rumors; she thought in her mind.


    After that, she went to the couch and lay down, when she found a comfortable spot; she closed her eyes to sleep.


    After a few minutes, a pair of eyes fluttered open, and they gazed at the figure on the couch.


    Her eyes were closed; it had been a very busy day she must have slept off.


    Although she was wearing huge clothes, she still coiled herself up like a ball. Nicklaus brows creased, and he stood up from the bed; pulling the quilt from it, he walked to her and gently covered her body with it. He watched her body relax and her brows ease as she quickly clung to the quilt. A small smile slanted his lips as he gazed at her.


    She looked very cute when she slept; if he would always see her face every night, his sleep would always be peaceful, no doubt.


    His eyes glanced at her cheeks, clear but a little portion was flushed red;


    He felt the urge to touch her, but he restrained himself. If she woke up to him in front of her, she would really faint from shock.


    Swallowing his urge, Nicklaus forced himself from the ground and back to the bed.


    ¡­


    Tiana''s eyes fluttered open, she stared at the high vaulted ceiling of the bedroom for a moment, then as though a thought flickered into her memories, she flung from the couch.


    Her eyes glanced at the wall clock and she saw that it was past 8! She had over slept!


    She immediately glanced towards the bed but there was no-one on it.


    Did Nicklaus leave?


    Her heart pounded against her chest as she thought of the next punishment she would receive for oversleeping. Quickly, she grabbed a pair of clothes from the wardrobe and raced towards the bathroom;


    Pushing it open without knocking, her eyes met the shock of her life.


    ''''Aaaaaaarrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!''

 Chapter 71 - Forgot my clothes

    ''''Aaaaaaarrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!''''


    Tiana screamed, her hands covering her eyes immediately and with a swift dash, she fled from the bathroom.


    ''''Oh, God! ''''


    She panted; her face red with embarrassment.


    ''''Why are you screaming as though you saw a ghost? ''''


    Nicklaus stepped out of the bathroom, his feet making sounds as he walked into the room, a towel around his waist.


    Tiana''s hands were still over her eyes, and she didn''t dare turn around.


    ''''I¡­ I''m sorry, I was in a hurry since I woke up late, I didn''t realize you were in the shower. ''''


    Tiana stammered, her whole body shaky, her eyes still feeling impure from what she had seen.


    ''''is that why you are so shaky, it''s not as though you saw anything, there was the glass door¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus paused, he couldn''t lie; he was really enjoying the show in front of him. He didn''t expect her to barge into the bathroom, but although he was nude, he was sure she had seen nothing because of the glass door and steam was definitely on the glass. It was the shock of seeing him n.a.k.e.d that got her so startled.


    Holding in his chuckle; he coughed;


    ''''Mm hmm, don''t you want to shower? Or do you intend to go to work on your nighties? ''''


    He asked, lifting his brows as he watched her tensed back. Tiana shook her head and rigidly turned around, her eyes fixed on the floor as though there was something mesmerizing about the tiles.


    Nicklaus watched her amusedly and just when she was about to enter the bathroom, he stopped her;


    ''''Beautiful? ''''


    Tiana froze on the spot.


    Why won''t he let me go! I''m so embarrassed already! Would I need to die from excitement before he realizes that?


    Tiana cried internally, and she slowly turned her head;


    ''''You forgot this¡­ '''' he had picked her towel, which fell in front of the bathroom while she was running away.


    She raised her eyes to him and saw that he was holding her towel in his hands;


    How did he get that!


    Tiana wondered, and she quickly grabbed it and fled into the bathroom, locking it behind her.


    A light chuckle escaped Nicklaus lips;


    She was so cute when teased. He wondered what it would feel like to have that kind of excitement every day.


    Tiana wanted to remain in the bathroom, but she remembered that she had to go to work, so she stumbled out of the shower.


    As she took her towel to dry herself her eyes shot open in shock;


    She forgot her clothes in the room when she ran out!


    Her face paled drastically as the realization dawned on her. What was she going to do?


    Nicklaus was in the room!


    She grabbed her hair with both hands as she wondered what demon she had wronged in her sleep that came after her that morning.


    She didn''t even have a choice at that moment; she just had to come out of the bathroom if she was interested in going to work that day.


    Sucking in a deep breath, she tied her towel around her chest and mentally cried when she realized how short the towel was.


    The towel was a few inches below her bum, and with her curves, her whole contours were highlighted; she tried to pull it down a little but her b.o.o.b.s would be sacrificed. Tiana mentally rolled her eyes and tugged it back up;


    Since she was exposing her legs anyway, she should just cover the one she could properly. Taking in a deep breath, she walked to the door and turned the knob slightly;


    She didn''t hear any sound in the room, so she stuck out her head. Looking around the room, she did not see Nicklaus. Maybe he had gone downstairs.


    Tiana thanked her glorious stars; she would just grab her clothes quickly and hurry back into the bathroom before he came out.


    Quietly, she tiptoed out of the bathroom and walked stealthily to her clothes on the bed; it seemed Nicklaus dropped them there because they were neatly folded.


    But just when her hands were about to touch the clothes, the door creaked open and Nicklaus strode into the room. His eyes were fixated on the phone on his palm. Stepping into the room, he closed the door behind him and looked up instinctively, and instantly his legs froze at a place.


    Tiana was standing with a pair of clothes in her hand, while the other hand went over her chest, holding her towel in place. Her hair was wet, and they trickled water over her flushed face. Her eyes were bright as they stared at him startled.


    Her towel was short, exposing a sumptuous amount of her fair thighs, Nicklaus couldn''t resist staring. His throat clenched as eyes glued to her legs, unable to look away;


    Tiana''s heart nearly jumped out of her chest when Nicklaus walked into the room;


    She knew it. Today just made it into the list of the worst days of her life!


    They stood still for almost thirty seconds, just staring at each other. Tiana traced his eyes, and when she realized that he was staring at her thighs, she tried adjusting her towel.


    Coughing, she spoke;


    ''''I¡­ I forgot my clothes; I came to take them¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus cheeks flushed red as her words pulled him back from his shameless daze. His eyes fluttered, and he quickly pulled his eyes away from her.


    Tiana hugged her clothes tightly as she wished the ground would just open and she would sink in. This was not the first time she was n.a.k.e.d in front of him, but this time felt different because this time he was gazing at her.


    Nicklaus cleared his throat;


    ''''Mm¡­ no worries¡­ take your time¡­ I just came to take this¡­ ''''


    He sauntered to the table and picked a file on it. Not sparing her another glance, he stomped out of the room, shutting the door tightly.


    Once he was out of the room, Tiana rushed to the door and locked it, panting heavily;


    Why did he choose to come in at that time!!


    Coming to this place was a terrible idea, a very terrible one!


    It wasn''t enough that she barged into the bathroom while he was bathing; now she had tried seducing him with a towel!


    ''''Arrgh! ''''


    She groaned, why was everything she didn''t wish for just happening?!

 Chapter 72 - Stop frowning, youll get wrinkles

    Nicklaus held his breath until he was downstairs, when he got to the living room; he raised his hands to his tie and adjusted it, breathing heavily.


    What did he just see?


    He was just halfway down the stairs when he realized that he had forgotten an important file on the table and he turned around to go get it, only to see her with just a towel, standing in the room as though waiting to be devoured.


    Does she even know that she was irresistible? How would she come out tying only a towel? What if he wasn''t able to control himself?


    Nicklaus groaned,


    This woman! What is she turning me into?


    ''''Why are you looking as though you just saw a ghost? ''''


    Elizabeth, who just walked into the living room, asked Nicklaus with a smile on her face. She was sweating and with the towel around her neck, Nicklaus knew she just came from the gym.


    ''''Oh¡­ Mm.. ''''


    Nicklaus coughed; his cheeks flushed more when he realized ''the ghost'' he had just seen;


    ''''Where is Tiana?''''


    Elizabeth asked, looking behind him, when she did not see her, she turned back to him,


    ''''She''ll be down in a bit¡­ ''''


    Just at that moment, the door to the living room flung open, and they both looked towards it;


    Diana stepped in, with another lady clinging to her arm. They were giggling about something and when they saw Nicklaus and Elizabeth, they quickly went to greet them.


    ''''Mom, good morning, '''' Diana greeted and her eyes turned to Nicklaus briefly, he was having an aloof expression on his face as usual; they didn''t have a close relationship, so she didn''t know what to say to him.


    ''''Good morning, Diana. '''' Elizabeth replied, turning to the lady by her side, she smiled;


    ''''Mia, it''s been so long, how is your mom? ''''


    Mia''s eyes were on Nicklaus but when she heard Elizabeth, she quickly turned to her;


    ''''Yes, Auntie, Mom is fine. ''''


    Mia replied with a smile. ''''Is my sister here? ''''


    She asked, widening her eyes a little, and Elizabeth nodded.


    ''''Yeah, Michelle is here, I think she''s upstairs. Dear, how was your shoot? ''''


    ''''Arrgh!! Very stressful, we didn''t even achieve much last night! '''' Diana groaned angrily and her mom chuckled.


    ''''Sorry dear, freshen up and come have breakfast, okay? ''''


    ''''Right away ''''


    Diana replied, dragging Mia along.


    ''''Oh Nicklaus, that is Michelle''s sister, she''s an actress too; I think she''s working together with Diana¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus face was dark as he gazed at his phone; Elizabeth took the cue that he wasn''t interested in what she was saying;


    Just at that moment, Tiana walked downstairs.


    Nicklaus heard footsteps approaching, and he turned around and saw Tiana and his dark expression brightened instantly.


    ''''Beautiful, aren''t you going to feel cold? Your clothes are too light. ''''


    He said as he walked to her, placing his both hands on her shoulders, his brows creased worriedly,


    Why was he acting as though nothing happened upstairs?


    Tiana wondered, her cheeks reddening, but when she saw Elizabeth, she figured he was acting again.


    ''''No, today looks very warm; I don''t want to feel hot later in the day. Good morning auntie. ''''


    She replied, turning to Elizabeth with a smile;


    ''''Good morning dear, hope you slept well? ''''


    ''''Yes, Auntie ''''


    ''''That''s good. You both have a nice day at work, okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded and Elizabeth walked towards the stairs.


    Just when she had disappeared up the stairs, Tiana tried to free herself from his grip but Nicklaus pulled her towards him, his arm around her waist.


    Her eyes shot up in shock as she gazed at him.


    What was he trying to do?


    Nicklaus gazed at her for a few seconds, then he spoke;


    ''''Let''s have breakfast first. ''''


    He said, leading her towards the dining table.


    The table was already set for two and when they approached, Nicklaus pulled out a seat for her to sit down.


    Tiana wondered why he was still acting cute when there was no-one around, but still she sat down.


    Nicklaus opened the dishes and the aroma of the oatmeal wafted into her nostrils. Nicklaus took a plate and put some of the oatmeal into it and placed it in front of her.


    ''''Eat. ''''


    He said; pouring orange juice from the jug into a glass cup and placing it by her side.


    Tiana''s brows puckered;


    Why was he acting nice? Was there a camera here or something?


    She raised her spoon half-heartedly and dug into the food.


    Nicklaus watched her for a moment; then he raised his hand to her forehead and rubbed on it with thumb.


    ''''I told you to stop frowning, you''ll get wrinkles. ''''


    Tiana raised her eyes at him, startled.


    Was it because he saw her almost n.a.k.e.d today? Was he getting lewd thoughts now?


    His eyes were calm and loving as they gazed at her;


    No, this does not look good.


    She coughed and quickly gulped down a mouthful of her drink.


    ''''What was she going to do if he tried to touch her? He was already like this on the second day of their stay; she still had over 12 days together with him!! ''''


    She was still lost in thought, when suddenly she felt her seat shift and she was face to face with him;


    Her brows creased as she wondered what he was up-to.


    Nicklaus pulled her plate towards him and took a spoonful of oats and pointed it towards her mouth.


    ''''Eat. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened so much that she nearly fainted from shock.


    Was¡­ was he trying to feed her now?


    She couldn''t understand what was happening? There was no-one there. Why was he pretending to be a loving boyfriend?


    Tiana gulped as she forced a chuckle;


    ''''Young Master, there''s no-one here, I can eat by myself. ''''


    She said as she tried taking the spoon from him, but he moved his hand away.


    ''''I don''t want you to call me that anymore. ''''


    Nicklaus said and placed the spoon back on the plate. Tiana''s lips fell in shock.


    What did he want her to call him? Oh, boss. Yeah, she was an employee now; she should probably call him boss.


    ''''I''m sorry; I forgot I was an employee now, I should probably call you boss¡­ ''''


    ''''No, ''''


    Nicklaus replied, cutting her off. His eyes carried a fresh glint, one that Tiana had not seen before.


    She gulped;


    ''''What¡­ what then do you want me to call you? ''''


    There was a second of silence between them, before Nicklaus replied.


    ''''I want you to call me my name from now on ''''

 Chapter 73 - Break him

    Call his name?


    Did he wake up on the wrong side of his bed today? What''s with all the strange attitude? Or was he really considering sleeping with her?


    Her face paled so much that it looked like she would faint from shock.


    ''''Are¡­ you serious right now? ''''


    She asked, raising her eyebrows slightly.


    Nicklaus smiled, tilting his head;


    ''''What? You don''t want to do that? ''''


    Tiana thinned her lips. She didn''t say a word.


    When he saw that she would not reply, he pulled her seat closer to his, his eyes locking on hers. Tiana wanted to look away, but his gaze was so captivating that she could only stare right into his eyes.


    ''''I was thinking, '''' He whispered. Raising his hand, he tucked in some loose strands of her hair to the back of her ear. ''''I should start treating you more like my mistress than an employee, ''''


    His words which filtered into her ears made her hairs stand straight on her skin;


    Tiana stared at him like she had seen a ghost.


    As though she was not shocked enough; Nicklaus held her hand lying on her laps and squeezed it gently,


    ''''I know I haven''t treated you well since the past months, I regret my actions and I want us to start off on a new page. ''''


    Nicklaus couldn''t find a better time to tell her that. Although he had done her wrong, he really wanted to change and even though they might be nothing better, they could at least be friends_ good friends, who could have a decent conversation.


    Tiana was stupefied.


    Did he think he could change everything by just holding her hand and telling her how much he wanted to make amends without even directly apologizing for what he did?


    With all his actions today and not even giving her a chance to oppose showed that he would not take a no for an answer, and she couldn''t even imagine what could happen to her if she dared to reject his wishes.


    She knew he just wanted his way with her, but she would show him she was way smarter and wiser than he could ever imagine.


    Instantly, she blinked her eyelids and a sweet smile slanted her lips.


    ''''I¡­ I''ve been waiting for you to say that. ''''


    She spoke quietly, her eyes filled with emotions as though she meant what she said. In the next second, she threw herself at him and hugged him tightly.


    ''''I forgive you, Nicklaus, I forgive for everything, just please don''t hurt me anymore, ''''


    She cried on his chest, clinging onto his shirt.


    Nicklaus couldn''t believe his eyes,


    Does that mean she had liked him too?


    His heart banged against his chest uncontrollably. Did she like him ever since but was just waiting for him to apologize?


    He couldn''t contain the joy that flooded his heart. He never imagined that it would be so easy to win her over.


    He had just been hurting himself when all he needed was to apologize?


    A smile washed his features and his hands hugged her closely;


    ''''I will never ever hurt you again, Tiana. I promise. ''''


    He replied, kissing her hair.


    Tiana chuckled in her heart;


    That''s better. Now she would feed him his own medicine. He loved breaking people, right? She would break him till he wouldn''t find any remains of his crushed soul.


    ¡­


    ''''Diana, where does he stay? ''''


    Mia asked as they walked into her room. Diana turned to her with creased brows.


    ''"Who? '''' She asked, as though oblivious of whom she was referring to.


    ''''Nicklaus, of course! Who else am I here for, your father? ''''


    Mia concluded, laughing mockingly. Diana rolled her eyes at her;


    ''''I told you, he has a woman already and she''s beautiful and Nicklaus only looks at her, he doesn''t even speak to me, so you better keep your ass up and look somewhere else. ''''


    Diana warned as she unpacked her stuff from her bag.


    ''''Too bad that makes me want to chase him more, ha-ha. ''''


    Diana shot her a glare and shook her head. Mia was Michelle''s sister, the last child of her family. She was very beautiful, and she had always thought she could get everything with her looks, well until Nicklaus. She had liked him ever since she saw him. Although she was dating an actor at the moment, she didn''t mind throwing it all away for Nicklaus. He was like her idol.


    Well, it was said that no-one was perfect, because Mia had everything, but falling for Nicklaus was her undoing because it was an unreachable desire.


    ''''Oh well, I heard that he is gay, I think he hired that woman, so they are just pretending. He''ll dump her soon and then I can have him all to myself. ''''


    Mia said, smiling happily as she slumped on the bed, her eyes watching the ceiling;


    ''''Right, you know he''s gay and yet you are still going after him? ''''


    Diana asked, her expression amused;


    ''''Why not? Come on, look at me. Even a gay can''t resist this beauty. ''''


    She exclaimed, sitting upright on the bed and pushing her hair backwards. She arched her back, pushing forward her b.o.o.b.s.


    ''''Mmm, that''s true, but the last time I checked, the woman he''s with is prettier than you.''''


    Diana explained and burst into laughter as she saw Mia''s shocked expression.


    ''''That''s a lie, Diana. I have seen no person prettier than me in years now. ''''


    Mia''s face was red as she sulked; she didn''t like that Diana wasn''t supporting her.


    ''''That means you weren''t even looking well, because, I mean, I''ve been standing right here. ''''

 Chapter 74 - That came out wrong

    Diana burst into laughter as she took in Mia''s heinous expression.


    ''''Wait, do you mean you''re prettier than me? '''' Mia''s eyes flashed open; she could not believe what she just heard, or more exactly, she never believed that anyone was prettier than her.


    Diana was beautiful but Mia had attractive eyes, which highlighted her features.


    ''''Don''t mind me; we both know you''re sleeping beauty, but Tiana is stunning, you need to see her. ''''


    Mia rolled her eyes and fell back on the bed;


    ''''Whatever, I''ll still chase him, anyway. ''''


    ''''Ha-ha, change into something comfy and stop daydreaming, let''s go down for breakfast, I''m famished.''''


    ¡­


    Nicklaus sat in the board meeting, the clerk read the minutes of the former meeting but his eyes were fixated on Tiana, who was sitting beside him. He was staring at her, as though he was in the cinema and she was an interesting movie. The board members shot them weird glances, wondering what had gone wrong with him.


    Even when the clerk finished reading the minutes, Nicklaus did not budge; it was as though there was something on Tiana''s face that he couldn''t stop staring at. Tiana was so red that she was finding it hard to breathe; everyone in the room was staring at her as though she had given Nicklaus a love potion the previous night.


    The board members feared him so they could not call his attention; they were just looking at Tiana as though it was her fault.


    Tiana turned to Nicklaus, her eyes locking in his. He had a tender gaze in his eyes as he stared at her, one that she had never noticed until now. For a split second, her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly blinked;


    He was just being controlled by his desire. If he had his way with her, he would surely toss her away. There was no way someone like him would be truly interested in her.


    She shouldn''t be carried away.


    Forcing a smile, she leaned closer to him;


    ''''Nicklaus, they are waiting for you. ''''


    She whispered loud enough for him to hear her;


    ''''Mmm¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus replied; his lips slanting into a smile, but his eyes were still on her as though he did not hear what she just said,


    Tiana''s brows creased;


    Why was he still staring at her even after he heard what she said? She turned to the board members, and they were all still watching her as though she just killed a lone cat.


    What! Why are you all staring at me like that? I''ve done nothing wrong!


    Tiana whined internally, and she turned to Nicklaus again.


    ''''They are waiting for you, they. ''''


    She emphasized, pointing towards the board members. Nicklaus traced her hand slowly, and he saw his employees staring at him like they just saw a horror movie; his brows furrowed and his cold glare returned instantly.


    ''''begin! ''''


    He spurted coldly, sitting upright in his seat.


    He didn''t know why, but he had been staring at her since they entered the office. After she forgave him that morning, he found everything she did very charming, her smile, her voice, everything.


    God, he was going crazy!


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief when Nicklaus looked away from her; this was just the beginning, but she was already suffocating. How was she going to pull this through?


    After the meeting; she arranged the file and followed Nicklaus into his office.


    ''''These are the files from today''s meeting. '''' She spoke, dropping the files quietly on the table;


    Nicklaus nodded as he sat down on the chair; seeing that he would not tell her anything, she turned around to leave.


    ''''Beautiful¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s feet stopped moving forward when she heard him speak and she turned around with a sweet smile on her cheeks;


    ''''Yes? ''''


    ''''I want you to move your things here; you''ll stay with me in my office from now onwards. I''ll call some workers to move your desk ''''


    Tiana chuckled;


    ''''Why? Don''t you think you''ll get obsessed with this pretty face? ''''


    She showed by cupping her cheeks with both hands, her eyes curving into crescents.


    Nicklaus face reddened instantly; he wasn''t expecting her to reply to him in such a cute manner. Coughing, he adjusted his tie;


    ''''What? No! I''m not telling you to stay here so I can watch you; I just¡­ I just don''t want to have to call you whenever I need you. ''''


    Ok, that came out wrong.


    Nicklaus only realized how ambiguous his words sounded when it came out of his mouth; he cursed internally and quickly corrected himself;


    ''''Ahem! I mean, whenever I need you to do some office task, I don''t have to call you to come into the office, you''ll¡­ ''''


    ''''Okay, okay, I understand. I will really like to stay here with you too. ''''


    Tiana cut him off with a beautiful smile; Nicklaus words stopped on the tip of his lips as she spoke. His heart suddenly started racing. Does she always have to be this cute with everything she did?


    Nicklaus swallowed hard as he stared at her.


    If only she knew how long he had waited to have this type of conversation with her.


    ''''I''ll go pack my things now, okay?''''


    Tiana concluded with a beautiful smile. Turning around, she walked towards the door and at the same time, the smile on her face disappeared like a flash.


    She didn''t believe it when people said it before, but now she thought about it, women were really men''s weakness.


    How the great and mighty had fallen, Ha-ha!


    She never believed that one day Nicklaus would speak to her in such a tender manner, and stare at her without glaring. But he shouldn''t worry, she wouldn''t deal with him yet, she would let him enjoy this fleeting moment and just when he had fallen too deep to come out, she would crush him.


    He should just wait.

 Chapter 75 - You should look elsewhere

    ''''Sorry¡­ ''''


    Tiana apologized as she knocked into someone; she lifted her head from the broad chest to see a pair of bright eyes gazing down at her.


    ''''I''m sorry; I didn''t see you just now. ''''


    She apologized again. After work that day, she returned home with Nicklaus, when they were halfway up the stairs, she realized she had forgotten her phone in the car, so she rushed back to go get it, that was when she knocked into him.


    ''''No, I should be the one apologizing; I was just standing there, and I wasn''t looking, so my lady, forgive this horrible mister. ''''


    Richard apologized jokingly, bowing a little. Tiana caught the pun in his words and she laughed;


    ''''Alright, you''re forgiven. ''''


    ''''Thank you, Milady; my name is Richard, and you''re Tiana. It''s nice to meet you. ''''


    Richard introduced the both of them and Tiana laughed again. She didn''t know him well, but he was already fun to be around.


    ''''Yeah, I''m not surprised, everyone already knows me here. ''''


    She concluded with a cute pout.


    ''''Yeah, and even without that; there''s no way such a beauty like you would be around and you wouldn''t get noticed. ''''


    Tiana smiled at him.


    It seems her period was coming. Lately, she had been attracting the opposite s.e.x quite a lot, and she heard that a lady nearing her period looked a little more attractive than normal.


    ''''You''re funny, Richard, and it''s nice to meet you, I was heading out, so see you later. ''''


    She waved at him and walked around him to the garage to get her phone.


    ''''I wouldn''t look at her like that if I were you. ''''


    A soft voice knocked Richard out of his gaze and he turned towards the direction of the voice, only to see Diana walking towards him with a smirk on her lips and her hands folded in front of her.


    Richard brushed his hair with his hand;


    ''''She''s f.u.c.k.i.n.g pretty. ''''


    He exhaled a deep breath as he stared as the spot Tiana just disappeared from.


    Diana came to stand beside him,


    ''''Mm, why is everyone suddenly after what they cannot have, is there a curse in this house or something? ''''


    Diana had a remarkably soft voice, so he didn''t hear her well; he turned to her with creased brows;


    ''''What did you say? ''''


    ''''Nothing, I was just commenting on her beauty. But dear cousin, I''ll advise you to look elsewhere, that fish is already taken. ''''


    Diana said as she moved closer to Richard, smiling sweetly at him.


    ''''Yah! What''s with all these couple talks? I didn''t say I would chase her, and even if I was going to, it''s not as though they are married yet, and for god knows, they might not even be in a real relationship.''''


    ''''Mm, interesting, they are both adamant too! ''''


    ''''Uh? What did you say? '''' Richard asked again and Diana giggled;


    ''''I was just asking if you want to fence, it''s been long we fought against each other? ''''


    Richard frowned, a disbelieving look on his face. After a few seconds, he pulled his gaze away.


    ''''No, maybe some other time ''''


    He said and sauntered into the house.


    ''''What? You''ve never turned me down! Don''t tell me it''s because of your new found crush!''''


    Diana yelled after him and stifled her giggle when she saw his glare. She watched him walk up the stairs and a desolate expression replaced her smile.


    Tiana took the phone from the back seat and closed the door.


    Richard had a friendly feel to him but he wasn''t as mesmerizing as Nicklaus, although he had good looks and a sweet laugh. She preferred Nicklaus''¡­


    Wait, was she comparing a man to Nicklaus again?!


    Tiana mentally face palmed. The last time it was Liam, now it''s Richard.


    Was it because he was very handsome, she was comparing him with other men?


    Yeah, she wouldn''t deny the fact that Nicklaus was a little too handsome. There was no way he wouldn''t come to her mind when she saw other men.


    Tiana thought as she climbed back upstairs;


    Nicklaus was about to shower when she came back. When he heard the door screech open, he turned towards it.


    ''''What took you so long? ''''


    He asked with a worried frown on his brows. He had wanted to go search for her when he did not see her after a few minutes, but he quickly decided against it. After what happened at the office, he didn''t want to seem too clingy.


    Tiana smiled at him; she didn''t want to tell him she was speaking to Richard, who was his Uncle''s son when she knew he had a feud with him, so she quickly cooked up a lie.


    ''''Did I? I went to have some water in the kitchen before coming up. '''' She explained and closed the door after her;


    Nicklaus nodded and pointed to the bathroom;


    ''''I want to shower, will be out soon, okay? '''' He said and entered the bathroom.


    Tiana nodded as she watched him enter the bathroom and once the door closed, the smile on her face dwindled.


    She walked to a couch and slumped on it;


    ¡­


    Tiana''s eyes widened as she stared at the large screen, her hand dipping into the bowl of popcorn Diana made. After dinner that evening, Diana opted to watch a scary movie since they were bored; the elderly ones were against it, but they didn''t want to argue with them since they didn''t spend much time together, times like this were the only times they had to stay together as a family, so they retired for the night and left them.


    Tiana didn''t say a word because she was a huge fan of scary movies. Nicklaus didn''t want to stay, but when he saw how excited she was, he sat down beside her.


    Diana put off the lights so they would feel the creepiness more; that was the fun of it. After making popcorn, they sat together in the parlor; Diana sitting beside Mia, and Richard by the side, while Nicklaus and Tiana had a sofa bed to themselves.

 Chapter 76 - Melting

    Nicklaus wasn''t a fan of horror movies, so while the movie ''The Exorcist'' played, he concentrated on watching her facial expression; it was a more interesting movie.


    Her eyes were wide as they stared at the screen. Sometimes she would narrow them and her face would scrunch up in disgust. Nicklaus raised his hand to her face and removed the tiny popcorn crumbs on her lips sweetly;


    Tiana turned to him and smiled before looking back to the movie while he played with her hand, oblivious of every other person in the room.


    Surprisingly, he wasn''t only the one not interested in the movie. Richard sat by the side, his gaze fixated on Tiana. He saw the way Nicklaus watched her, and then he began to doubt his initial assumption. At first he had thought Nicklaus didn''t like her, but now, he wasn''t confident of that thought anymore. From the beginning of the movie, Nicklaus had not looked at any other thing, his eyes had been on Tiana as though he was cast a spell or something, and the shocking aspect of it was that he was smiling! He had never seen Nicklaus smile before.


    His eyes were radiant and filled with emotions as he gazed at her; as though she was a fine painting. Richard felt an ugly tug in his heart. He did not like this at all. If Nicklaus was really interested in Tiana, it would be difficult for him to take her away from him.


    Although he thought about it, surprisingly, he didn''t feel like giving up; as though he felt that he had the right to pursue her, and the ball was in her court to choose whom she wanted. He didn''t know why he felt he could win against Nicklaus.


    He had never felt that way before with other women; this woman, she seemed different, more like special. He didn''t know why, but he didn''t want to give up a fight right before he started.


    ''''Do you not like the movie? ''''


    Nicklaus asked tenderly. He noticed that her brows were creased a little as she stared at the television. Tiana shifted her gaze to him, her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled cutely;


    ''''I wouldn''t say I hate the movie, but it''s more gross than scary. ''''


    She laughed and Nicklaus glanced at the screen briefly and turned back to her;


    ''''Do you want to go upstairs? ''''


    He asked, lifting an eyebrow slightly;


    Tiana''s heart skipped a bit as she heard his words;


    Was he saying they should go upstairs so he would¡­


    Her eyes searched his, and she saw the tender gaze in his eyes and she gulped hard, shaking her head vigorously;


    ''''No, I don''t want to sleep now, it''s still early. Let''s watch something else, or play games or something. ''''


    She spoke quickly; she wasn''t ready yet, she didn''t know how she would react if he tried to touch her, she didn''t want him to realize that she had been pretending all along.


    ''''Hmm, I don''t know, what do you want to do? ''''


    Nicklaus asked, wondering; he had never had fun or played games like she suggested, his life had just been a straight boring life.


    ''''Maybe we could play video games. What do you think? ''''


    She asked a little loud, so Richard who had been paying attention to them heard her and he watched them attentively;


    Nicklaus squeezed her hands slightly and smiled;


    ''''Beautiful, I haven''t played one before, maybe you could teach me some other time, but can we go to sleep now? ''''


    ''''You can play video games? I didn''t know women liked those?''''


    Richard interrupted, making Tiana and Nicklaus'' gaze to turn to him.


    Nicklaus brows creased as his eyes glared coldly at Richard.


    Tiana''s lips slanted when she heard him and she quickly turned to him;


    ''''Yeah, I love them, it makes me unique, ha-ha. ''''


    ''''What''s your favorite video game? '''' Richard continued, ignoring Nicklaus frosted expression.


    ''''Hmm, I like a lot, but I think Alien: Isolation is my favorite. I''m a fan of anything horror and mysterious''''


    ''''Oh wow, that''s my favorite too, I really liked layers of fear but I can''t compare it to Alien.''''


    ''''Wait, you know that too? ''''


    Tiana''s eyes brightened in glee. She had finally seen someone with the same tastes as hers.


    Unknowing to them, the movie they were watching had been paused, and every one was watching them.


    ''''I think I know all the amazing Horror video games you can ever think about. ''''


    Richard completed with a sweet smirk; Tiana laughed;


    ''''You can''t be serious I''m a pro at horror games, don''t even compete with me. ''''


    She replied confidently,


    ''''Hmm, interesting, let''s see who can name ten horror video games without thinking, you start first. ''''


    Richard said and Tiana''s eyes widened;


    ''''is that a dare? Alright¡­ Lone Survivor, F.E.A.R, Condemned: Criminal Origins, Fatal Frame: Crimson Butterfly, Little Nightmares, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Until Dawn, Bloodborne, Dead Space, SOMA¡­''''


    Tiana narrowed her eyes as she rapped the names as though she was just reciting the letters, everyone in the room gaped at her;


    How could she know so many horror games, was she a game developer or something?


    ''''Ten and done, your turn, and don''t say anyone I''ve said already, ''''


    She smirked excitedly as she waited for Richard, whose face looked surprised;


    It seemed he didn''t expect her to know so much.


    ''''Ha-ha, you''ve said it all already, I give up. You win.''''


    He concluded with a chuckle;


    ''''We could play a game if you want. '''' ¡­


    ''''Beautiful, let''s go rest, you shouldn''t stay up too late, and you have to go to work tomorrow, I don''t want you waking up late. ''''


    Nicklaus interrupted before Tiana could reply. He was not even finding their discussion funny at all. He didn''t like the way Richard stared at her, or the fact that she was laughing so much because of him. He tried to act as though it was fine, but when he mentioned them playing together, he couldn''t take it anymore, and he interrupted immediately.


    His voice resounded in the room, making everyone turn to him;


    Tiana shifted her gaze to Nicklaus, and she saw his deathly gaze as he stared straight at Richard, as though he wanted to pry out his soul with his eyes,


    ''''Yeah, am so tired, sorry Richard, we''ll play another time. Baby, let''s go to sleep now. ''''


    She replied quickly; standing up, she tugged at his cotton shirt.


    Nicklaus who was almost bursting from anger melted when her words filtered into his ears;


    Did¡­ she just call him Baby.

 Chapter 77 - You cannot have

    Nicklaus who was raging almost a minute ago melted like a lost puppy. His eyes turned to Tiana as a very faint blush appeared on his cheeks and tainted his ears.


    Did she just call him baby?


    ''''Let''s go now. ''''


    Tiana continued; her tiny hands now clasping around his wrist. Nicklaus didn''t know when he stood up from the couch and followed her as though controlled by a magnet; not even sparing Richard another glance, completely forgetting that he was angry earlier.


    Tiana held onto his hand and they walked out of the parlor; the other occupants gazing at them as though they just fell from the sky.


    The parlor was quiet for almost two minutes after they had left before Diana burst into laughter.


    ''''Wow! Interesting! ''''


    She exclaimed; Richard and Mia turning to her with a deathly glare.


    ''''What?! Why are you glaring at me? It''s not as if I didn''t tell you they had eyes for each other? ''''


    Mia, who had not spoken since she sat in the parlor, slumped back on the seat.


    She was so down after seeing what went on in the parlor.


    She had specially applied her natural makeup and wore a s.e.xy nightwear, just for Nicklaus, but he didn''t even spare her a glance, not a single glance. His eyes were on that woman, Tiana.


    She was as beautiful as Diana described but she looked too calm, unlike most girls from rich background.


    She could compare with her in beauty, but she was sure that she was a step above her in charisma and carriage. She wasn''t the least interested in the movie, in fact she hated horror movies, but she remained in the parlor because she wanted to watch him.


    But sadly, as her eyes watched him, he watched someone else.


    ''''don''t tell me you still plan to after her, even after what happened now?''''


    Mia heard Diana''s voice, and she blinked out of her daze. Her eyes turned to Diana, who had a surprised expression on her face.


    ''''There isn''t a ring on her finger yet, I may still chase her, except she tells me she doesn''t want me.''''


    Richard replied and Mia turned to him;


    ''''You like that woman? ''''


    She asked, looking surprised. Although she watched him chat with her, she didn''t think much of it, thinking he was just trying to be friendly, but now¡­


    Richard thinned his lips; he didn''t want to say the reply out loud, yet. Maybe he was just attracted to her because of her beauty, but he knew that there was something pulling him to her, and it was more than just an attraction.


    ''''Well, that is perfect. Can you make her fall for you?''''


    Mia asked, and Richard glanced at her, his brows creasing anxiously,


    ''''What do you mean? ''''


    ''''I mean that you should woo her, she would likely fall for you. Can''t you see that you both have the same likes? Unlike the cold and mean Nicklaus, you are lovelier to spend time with and more fun. I mean, you are handsome too, who wouldn''t fall for you? You just need to take the first step. ''''


    ''''Hmm¡­ I''m still here! '''' Diana cut in before Richard could reply. ''''don''t you think you should have this discussion without me? What if I spill the beans? ''''


    Diana asked, widening her eyes. Mia and Richard glared at her;


    ''''Ha-ha, don''t mind me. Instead of spilling the beans, I would prefer to watch the show, I mean it would be interesting seeing you guys drag over people you could never have. ''''


    ''''What''s with you and people we can never have? And that you say it so assuredly makes me think you''ve chased someone you could never have before. Have you? Did you fall for someone you couldn''t have? ''''


    Mia asked, zeroing her gaze at Diana. For a split second, Diana''s expression looked distressed, but in the next second, she was back laughing.


    ''''What ya saying? How can I fall for someone I cannot have? That''s like digging a grave and falling right into it, just like what you both are doing now. I can''t make such a foolish mistake darlin'' ''''


    She completed with a smirk on her small lips;


    Mia rolled her eyes, ''''Whatever ''''


    ''''So wait, let me get this straight, you like Nicklaus? That''s why you want me to take Tiana away so you can be with him? ''''


    Richard asked, as he connected the dots; Mia turned to him;


    He laughed when he saw her expression, realizing that what he said was true;


    ''''But what if he doesn''t want you still? ''''


    Richard tilted his head as he watched her. He never thought someone as pretty as her could have a one sided love; come on, with her looks, she could get any man she wanted, well except for Nicklaus.


    ''''Leave that to me, Richard. Your task is to make her fall for you. For me to be by his side, she needs to go away. My only mistake was that I didn''t act early; I should have been the one he would gaze so tenderly at. ''''


    Mia pouted her lips in regret. Diana and Richard burst out laughing;


    ''''I thought he was gay, really. That''s why I didn''t tell him, and again, he was always frosty, I didn''t even realize that there was something like a smile in his brains, except now. He was so happy when he looked at her; I wish I was the one sitting in her position. ''''


    Mia heaved a sigh;


    ''''So you would help me, right? ''''


    She turned to Richard and asked again, opening her eyes a little;


    Richard smirked; ''''Not necessarily helping you, but you can call it that. ''''


    A sweet smile washed Mia''s lips;


    ''''We are not doing a bad thing, right? He would just chase her, and if she falls for him, it''s my luck.''''


    ''''Stop being delusional, Mia, what makes you think he''ll even glance at you, knowing you are a sister to Michelle who is a wife to Douglas, who is trying to take his company away? ''''

 Chapter 78 - Somebody to hold

    Diana laughed at her, shaking her head.


    ''''And besides, you''re dating, why don''t you continue with your present¡­ ''''


    ''''Diana, I don''t know why you''re so opposed to me liking Nicklaus, do you hate me? Why won''t you support me for once! And besides, I''m not my sister, we''re two different persons. He wouldn''t judge me for the crimes of my sister. ''''


    Mia tried to defend herself but it seems Diana wasn''t ready to let her off so soon;


    ''''Hmm, interesting, but you forgot that prevention is better than cure. But don''t mind me, anyway; Nicklaus may not judge you that way. ''''


    Mia didn''t even know what to tell Diana anymore, she didn''t know why she was adamantly trying to stop her from chasing Nicklaus.


    ''''You know what I''m going to bed, Richard, we''ll talk tomorrow; Diana, I''m locking you out, go look for another room. ''''


    Mia exclaimed, standing up, she walked towards the stairs,


    ''''Hey! That''s my room, don''t you even dare! ''''


    Dian exclaimed as she ran after her.


    ''''Rich, goodnight, don''t mind my rant, okay? ''''


    ''''Just go to bed already. ''''


    Richard smiled as he watched her walk up the stairs with Mia.


    ¡­


    Tiana led Nicklaus into the room and shut the door behind her. Nicklaus turned to her when they entered the room, a passionate gaze in his eyes.


    He raised his hand to her face, pushing some strands of her hair behind her ear. Tiana''s heart slammed against her chest as she watched him carefully; his touch on her skin sending shivers down her spine. At that moment, there were different sensations coursing through her. She didn''t want him to touch her that way because she hated him, but she couldn''t deny the fact that her body was responding to his touch, and with the way his mesmerizing eyes gazed at her, she was almost falling for his charm.


    ''''Beautiful, ''''


    F.u.c.k¡­


    Tiana clenched her jaws, trying to prevent the blush forcing its way up her neck to her cheeks. He always called her beautiful, but this time she didn''t know if it was her brain playing mind games with her because his voice sounded s.e.xier. She mentally cursed herself for having no control over her body. The soul was willing, but the flesh was weak, very weak.


    Nicklaus closed the gap between them, rubbing his thumb on her cheeks;


    ''''What did you call me earlier? ''''


    He wanted to hear it again, he wanted her to say it again, he wanted to be sure that she called him that, and he was not just hearing things.


    ''''When? ''''


    Tiana asked; even though she knew what he was referring to. She had called him that because she wanted to calm him down; because he was staring at Richard like a wounded lion, she didn''t want to imagine what his next action would be.


    ''''Earlier, downstairs, what did you call me, can you say it again? ''''


    Tiana smiled cutely;


    ''''Baby¡­ ''''


    She spoke with a sweet tone, making Nicklaus face to dye red instantly. Nicklaus looked away from her, trying to control the blood surging to his face.


    What the hell is this woman doing to me?


    A few months back, he would have been repulsed if someone called him that, but now, he didn''t know why he was feeling like a prince who was crowned king to a vast kingdom.


    ''''You don''t want me to call you that? I thought you would like it, but I''m sorry if I overstepped¡­ ''''


    Her words stopped at the tip of her lips as he pulled her into his embrace.


    Tiana''s heart skipped a beat; although she was intentionally saying what he wanted to hear; she didn''t expect him to hug her suddenly, her eyes widened in shock.


    ''''I love it. And I want you to always call me that, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus spoke tenderly; his voice carried a hint of love and tenderness. Tiana could hear his heart beating rapidly against her ears; his masculine scent wafted into her nostrils, blocking her sense of thought momentarily. For a few seconds, she forgot that she was angry with him and she let herself get drunken by his cologne; not wanting to leave his arms.


    ''''Okay? '''' Nicklaus asked again, and Tiana nodded her head. ''''Okay. ''''


    ''''Let''s stay like this for a while. '''' Nicklaus spoke again. This time, his voice sounded sad. His arms hugged her closer and he heaved a painful sigh.


    She was the only person who had seen this side of him, the sad and helpless side of him. She was the only person who had seen him let his guard down. Nicklaus wished she would be by his side forever, he wished she would be the ear that would listen to his ever saddened moments, the person he could tell his story to, the person who would see that he wasn''t as strong as he masks himself to be, the person who would hold his hand when everything was so hard.


    Throughout his life, he had always been alone. Masking his pain alone, it was so f.u.c.k.i.n.g hard but he didn''t have anybody to tell. But now he had her.


    This was the first time he had hugged her and he never knew there was a comfort hugging someone could bring. For a few minutes, it was as though his whole pain was taken away.


    He closed his eyes as he cherished the moment, everything else becoming silent and insignificant.


    Tiana fluttered her eyes as his arms hugged her as though she was his oxygen. She didn''t know what to even think.


    She didn''t know how everything became so sober. She didn''t know why, but the way Nicklaus hugged her, she felt he had so much bothering him, as though he was clouded with so many sad thoughts.


    She wondered what would make him so sad, but she couldn''t think of anything bad that happened recently; not knowing what else to do; she raised her hands slowly and hugged him back.


    The only thing that she could think about was the fact that he was so lonely; that would explain why he was almost hugging her breath away.


    But it wasn''t anyone''s fault, even she. If she was given a chance, she wouldn''t be by his side.

 Chapter 79 - Why do you take them?

    They hugged for a long while, each listening to the other''s breaths, different thoughts racing in their minds. Nicklaus didn''t want to let her go but he knew that her legs would start aching if she continued standing, so he reluctantly let her go.


    Tiana''s lids which were already groggy fluttered open, and she looked at him;


    ''''Let''s go to bed. ''''


    Nicklaus spoke tenderly at her and the sleep that were already clouding her gaze, disappeared instantly.


    Go to where?


    Her eyes glanced at the bed nervously as her fingers clutched around something and she realized that she was still holding onto Nicklaus shirt. Quickly, she dropped her hands to her side.


    She knew that she shouldn''t sleep on the couch anymore since they were now in ''good'' terms, but at that moment, she couldn''t pretend that she wasn''t nervous or afraid.


    Nicklaus noticed her uneasiness and smiled;


    ''''don''t worry, nothing that is going on in your mind would happen, okay? ''''


    Tiana''s eyes lifted to him in surprise;


    Does it mean that he wouldn''t touch her?


    ''''I won''t touch you against your will, and I won''t let you sleep on the couch either. You may sprain your neck and I don''t want that. ''''


    Nicklaus concluded, his soft gaze watching her;


    Tiana didn''t know what to think but at that moment, she believed him, every single word from his lips, she found herself believing as though he had cast a spell on her.


    ''''Okay. '''' She nodded and let him hold her hand as they walked to the bed.


    Nicklaus watched her lie down on the left side of the bed before lying down after her. They were a few feet apart from each other, but Nicklaus did not mind, as long as she was staying on the bed with him.


    Just when he lay on the bed, he remembered that he had not taken his pills so he sat back up. Tiana lay on her side as she peered at him. Nicklaus sat down, pulling the drawer open, he poured a few white pills onto his hand threw them into his mouth, after which he drank from the bottled water on the table.


    Tiana watched him close the drawer and lie back down on the bed. His eyes were closed as he faced the ceiling; he had an elbow over his forehead, his chest heaving lightly. She had seen him take those pills multiple times. Was he really unable to sleep well at night? ''''


    He was quiet, but Tiana knew that he wasn''t sleeping. Although she knew it was personal and she really didn''t care about it, she still wanted to know why and what made him take sleeping pills every night.


    ''''Those pills, why do you take them? ''''


    Her voice was soft but Nicklaus heard her clearly. His body tensed as his eyes fluttered open. He didn''t like to talk about his fears but if he wanted her to trust him, then he would have to open up to her.


    Tiana waited for his reply, but Nicklaus gaze just stared at the ceiling, not saying a single word, and Tiana felt that she had crossed the line.


    ''''I''m sorry; I shouldn''t have said that, I was just worried that it could be bad for your health¡­


    ''''I can''t sleep without them. ''''


    Her words stopped at the tip of her lips when she heard him, her eyes widening unbelievably.


    ''''You mean that if you don''t take them, you can''t sleep at all? ''''


    She was baffled; she didn''t know that he had such disability.


    ''''Yeah. '''' Nicklaus replied. He lay on his side as he peered at her surprised face.


    ''''And even when I take them, my sleep is always a nightmare. I''ve not had a decent sleep in years. ''''


    Nicklaus completed, making Tiana''s eyes widen in worry.


    ''''My God! That''s heart wrenching. ''''


    She exclaimed, her face scrunching up, as she imagined what he must be going through.


    ''''What made you this way, were you born like that? '''' She asked again, unable to curb her curiosity.


    Nicklaus thought for a moment, then he smiled;


    ''''I wasn''t born this way, but I would tell you some other time, okay? ''''


    He replied and closed his eyes; ''''Lets sleep now. ''''


    Tiana observed his expression for a while, then she looked away. Maybe he wasn''t ready to talk about it yet, and she would not force him either, but that didn''t stop her from wondering what must have taken away his sleep.


    Was it what made him cold too?


    She wondered as she closed her eyes; slowly drifting off to sleep.


    Nicklaus eyes fluttered open after a while, his gaze falling on her features. He never believed that she would lay down beside him some day. Although they were a few feet apart from the other, it still coursed warmness through his heart. He didn''t want to tell her everything at once. It would be too overwhelming for her and he wasn''t ready yet. That was his darkest past, and he wanted to tell her at the perfect time.


    He watched her for a long while, resisting the urge to reach over and touch her.


    After a while he closed his eyes to sleep;


    Tiana rolled around the bed normally when she slept; so in the middle of the night, she had rolled over to his side. As she neared him, his scent wafted into her nostrils, making her inch closer to what was generating the alluring scent. Shifting closer once more, her body touched Nicklaus. She pulled her head closer until her nose rubbed against his chest, and she stopped.


    A smile slanted her lips as his scent calmed her nerves.


    Nicklaus forgot what it felt like to have a decent sleep. His mind was never at rest while he slept, and that night it was the same, it was as though his mind struggled with his body while he slept. He was never truly asleep, because his thoughts were awake, but the drug forces his body to shut down. But strangely, in the night, he felt something he had never felt in ages.

 Chapter 80 - Jealous

    It was as though something touched his soul and in a twinkle he felt his whole mind and body calm like still waters. And for the first time in over a decade, he ''slept''!!


    Nicklaus couldn''t remember what happened, but when that thing touched him he clung to it, unable to let go.


    Tiana snuggled deeper into Nicklaus broad chest as his hand went around her waists. He pulled her closer to him as though she was his life source.


    When morning came, Tiana''s eyes fluttered open slowly, and her eyes fell on a strange body with ink on it and she blinked. In a flash, her eyes when she realized what she was staring at. Instantly, she looked up and her eyes fell on Nicklaus'' face.


    How did I get here?


    Tiana asked in her head.


    Since he was still sleeping, she would just roll back to her side and pretend as if nothing happened. Nodding to herself, she tried to inch backwards but her body did not budge. That was when she realized that he had his hands around her waists, hugging her to him.


    Tiana''s lips fell in shock. How did she get into such a dilemma? She turned her head carefully to the other side of the bed and she realized what had happened.


    She had rolled over to his side in the night and he hugged her. How did she forget that she had a bad sleeping habit?


    She mentally slapped herself as she turned to look at Nicklaus again.


    What would he think if he woke up to them in that position? She didn''t even what to imagine his expression. Taking in a deep breath, she placed her hand on his hand around her waists and pulled it away quietly, rolling back to her spot on the bed carefully.


    She immediately closed her eyes as though nothing happened and she pretended to be sleeping. It was morning, so he would wake soon, so she would just pretend to be sleeping and let him wake her.


    In Nicklaus sleep, he felt the object which touched him let go and his eyes fluttered open instantly, his heart slamming against his chest.


    What happened?


    Nicklaus couldn''t comprehend what happened in his sleep, but he knew that at one point, he slumbered. He literally felt his mind sleep, something he had not felt in ages!


    His eyes fell on Tiana, who was sleeping by his side, and his heartbeat plummeted.


    Nothing like this had happened before, and it was happening now that she was sleeping by his side.


    His heart slammed against his chest as the thought ran through his mind.


    Was this what was pulling him to her all along? She was his cure?


    Nicklaus couldn''t believe what was happening. Was she really the cure to his nightmares?


    He could sleep normally again? Was that even possible?


    At that moment, he couldn''t control the wave of happiness coursing through him, but then he had to be sure first that it was because of her. He would have to confirm again that she was the reason he had slept so soundly, and if she was, he was never letting her go.


    At that moment, he wanted the night to come again, so he would sleep again. This was the first ever sign of healing in years, and it was because of her.


    Who was she really?


    Nicklaus wondered as he stared at Tiana. Just at that moment, her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled at him.


    ''''Good morning '''' Tiana whispered as her eyes peered at him. Her heart was racing at the moment, remembering what she had done, but from his expression, she knew that he didn''t remember.


    ''''Good morning beautiful, how was your night?''''


    ''''It was nice. ''''


    ''''We have a meeting today with the client from Japan, shower first. ''''


    Nicklaus said as he sat up on the bed.


    ''''Right away ''''


    Tiana murmured, standing up from the bed. She walked to the wardrobe to pick her clothes.


    ¡­


    ''''Where are you going? ''''


    Nicklaus asked Tiana when he noticed that she was following him to the meeting room.


    Her brows creased; ''''don''t we have a meeting now? ''''


    ''''We do, but you???re not joining me. The client said he would send his assistant who is a female, but he changed his mind and came by himself so you won''t be coming with me. ''''


    Tiana didn''t understand what he was driving at, ''''Why? ''''


    She asked, looking perplexed.


    Nicklaus scratched the back of his head;


    Even if he wanted to let her come with him, he couldn''t do that anymore. She was wearing a red shirt with pants which stressed her curves. Her blouse neckline was low and as he stood in front of her, he could see her cleavage without stress. He didn''t want those Japanese drooling over her body, like how that man did in London.


    But how would he tell her that without sounding jealous?


    ''''Ahem! '''' He coughed; ''''I just don''t want what happened the other day to repeat, okay? You are a little too irresistible right now; I don''t want them looking at you l.u.s.tfully. ''''


    He concluded, his ears tainting red.


    Tiana bit on her lower lip as she held in a grin; her eyes fluttered like a cute puppy as she stared at him;


    Nicklaus quickly looked elsewhere.


    Why was she staring at him like that?


    ''''Say, you don''t want other men to look at me? Are you jealous? ''''


    Nicklaus felt his throat tighten and blood rush to his cheeks as he heard her question.


    Why was she teasing him so early in the morning?


    ''''What are you saying? I''m just protecting you, that''s all! Stay here, when the meeting is over, we''ll go out for lunch. ''''


    He commanded, forcing a serious tone. Turning around, he strode towards the meeting room, leaving Tiana standing with a grin on her cheeks.


    She watched him enter the room and close the door behind him.


    Even though she wasn''t into him, she couldn''t deny that it was fun seeing this side of him. After the birthday, she would have a less than two months to stay with him; she might as well have so much fun before then.


    Gwen¡­

 Chapter 81 - Orica

    She promised to come see her when she came back from London, but she had not. They hadn''t even talked in a while. Once she goes back to Nicklaus'' mansion, she would go to her.


    ¡­


    ''''The developers have completed the last stage of the application; and this is it, the ''Orica!'' ''''


    The Japanese exclaimed; his English with a Japanese accent as he pointed to the large screen where the projection was.


    ''''The app was designed to create a close human connection while communicating with humans. Orica learns about you through asking questions already programmed into the system and learns to be a friend suiting your description. It learns what you want and don''t want to talk about, the things you value, your dreams, and music tastes¡­ ''''


    ''What does she mean by him getting jealous? Does it mean that she sees him to be more than a friend?''


    Nicklaus thoughts were occupied by a totally different issue.


    As the Japanese rapped on, his mind drifted over to the event of the previous night. He could remember that something touched him and when that thing left, he woke up. What was it?


    He wondered, but he could not think of a valid answer to his question.


    ''''¡­we have the application software here, in case you want to try it. ''''


    The man concluded and Nicklaus blinked out from his daze; turning to his side, he tapped on the telephone by the side and after sometime he spoke;


    ''''Tell the IT Director to come see me. '''' he spoke and dropped the telephone. After a while, the door to the board room creaked open and a man in his forties stepped in.


    ''''Boss, you sent for me? ''''


    ''''Send the application to him; I want you to use this app and get a few members of your department to use it too, then send me a constructive review. It''s nice doing business with you, Mr. Minato. ''''


    Nicklaus stood up and shook the man, then left the board room. He was away for just a few minutes, but he was already longing to see her again. Pushing open his office door, he walked in, his eyes falling on her.


    Tiana''s eyes looked up, and they drowned in his deep gaze. A smile slanted her lips, and she stood up from her chair;


    ''''How was the meeting? ''''


    She asked, and Nicklaus nodded; ''''It went well, let''s go have lunch/'''' He said as he walked to her, holding her hand.


    Tiana nodded with a small smile;


    ''''get your things; we''ll go home from there. '''' He said, and she took her bag from the table; before they left the office, his hands holding to hers.


    .


    ¡­


    ''''What are you doing here? ''''


    Mia asked when she saw who was standing beside the Lamborghini; her face scrunching up.


    A sweet smile was on his cheeks as he stared at her;


    ''''What baby, you''re not happy to see me? ''''


    Alex asked as she approached him;


    ''''No, I''m happy, just that you didn''t tell me you were coming. '''' She replied, smiling at him as he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug;


    ''''I''ve missed you, you didn''t pick my calls yesterday, I just wanted to be sure you were okay. ''''


    Mia rolled her eyes as she remembered that she had seen his calls but had intentionally ignored it. Alex was a good guy, handsome and s.e.xy, a model and an actor too. Any woman would want him but sadly her heart belonged to another person.


    He had chased her for a long while, even though she didn''t like him that much, she agreed since the media were already rumoring that she was dating him, and it increased her fame because he was very popular.


    ''''I was sleeping at that time and this morning I forgot to call back. Are you angry with me now? ''''


    Mia asked, as she made puppy dog eyes at him.


    Alex felt his heart skip a bit; even though he wasn''t happy that she didn''t pick his calls, with her staring at him like that, all the anger vanished away, not even leaving a single trace.


    ''''No, how can I be angry with you? ''''


    Alex replied, pecking her lips.


    ''''I thought as much. Let''s go in, come and greet grandpa and grandma. ''''


    A smile washed her features as she and held his hand and they walked into the house.


    ''''Your stubble is growing again. '''' Mia said as she noticed his beards sprouting,


    ''''yeah, it grows too fast; I''m thinking on letting it grow out, what do you think? ''''


    He asked, anxiously waiting for her reply.


    ''''Hmm, it''ll make you more handsome, but it will itch me when I want to kiss you. '''' She replied giggling. Her smile faded when the front door opened and two people walked out;


    ''''Mia, you didn''t tell us your boyfriend was coming by? ''''


    Michelle smiled when she saw Alex;


    ''''Good morning, I came to see her since she wasn''t picking my calls. ''''


    Alex pulled Mia closer to him, pecking her forehead.


    ''''Awn, such love, hope you two plan on getting married soon? '''' Michelle asked jokingly and Alex grinned;


    ''''If only she would agree to my proposal. ''''


    ''''Alex, stop! ''''


    Mia nudged, as a blush crept up her cheeks. Her eyes glanced at Douglas, whose face bore no expression, and she quickly looked away.


    ''''don''t mind me Alex, we''ll be stepping out for a while, hope you have some fun together. ''''


    Michelle suggested.


    ''''Be a good girl, Mia. '''' Douglas spoke, patting her hair before walking towards the garage with Michelle.


    Mia stood on the spot for a few seconds before she turned to Alex with a smile;


    ''''Let''s go in. ''''


    ¡­


    Diana sat in the karaoke room, her eyes bleak and her head muddled as she stared at the picture on her phone; Ed Sheeran''s ''Happier'', playing in the background.


    She didn''t want to cry anymore, but she couldn''t stop the tears from falling as she stared at the picture.


    There was a man standing with a beautiful lady, and their faces were filled with smiles; she swiped to another photo, and her eyes blurred.


    The man had his hands around her waist and kissed her lips; the picture was so perfect, they looked so happy, she should be happy too, but she couldn''t bring herself to feel happy for them.


    Not able to take the pain anymore, she threw her phone across the room, holding her mouth with her both hands, trying to hold in her screams but it refused to stay still and in the next second, she was wailing like a baby.

 Chapter 82 - Unrequited love

    It had always been a one sided love_ crush, until she gathered up courage to tell him and that became her greatest undoing.


    They went to the same high school, and she had admired him from back then. She was pretty, but she never had a boyfriend because she was waiting for him. She was waiting for him to see her.


    It been seven years since she started liking Greg and she had worshipped the path he walked on all these years.


    They weren''t friends in school, but they became acquainted after he graduated from university as a surgeon, during one party held by the elites in the business world. His father was the president of a five-star hotel and he was the second son.


    That day, he had come to the gala with his father and met Diana, who came with her father Charles.


    When he saw her, he recognized her and they chatted as though they had known for long. After the party, they exchanged numbers.


    Greg waved at her as he left with his father, but what he didn''t know was that she had not slept a second that night. Her eyes stared at her ceiling as an uncontrollable joy washed through her. She couldn''t even blink, afraid that if she did, it would all become a dream and she would wake up to reality.


    She had watched him in the dark for years, and this was the first time they had spoken so casually. They were together for only a few hours, but Diana felt as though she had known him all her life. That night, she stared at his number in her phone, her heart fluttering.


    She waited for days for his call, but it did not come. Every day, she would stare at her phone blankly, resisting the urge to call him. Days turned into weeks, and weeks to months, and when she couldn''t take it anymore, she dialed his number.


    Her heart slammed against her chest as she waited for him to pick. She was sweating profusely as she clung onto the hem of her dress for support. After some rings, the call connected.


    ''''Hello? ''''


    She could still remember how his voice sounded. It was the sweetest voice she had ever heard, and for a split second, her tongue tied, she couldn''t even bring herself to reply to him.


    He called again, and she took in a deep breath and forced the words through her lips;


    ''''Hey, it''s me, Diana¡­ ''''


    She could remember how nervous she was. Beads of sweat gathered up her forehead as she pulled her hair, waiting for his reply.


    ''''Diana¡­ ''''


    His voice sounded as though he did not remember her, and her excitement dwindled drastically. He must have not saved her number¡­


    She was here, waiting day and night for him to call her and she didn''t know he did not save her number to begin with.


    She drew in a deep breath as she tried to control her emotions;


    ''''Diana from high school? ''''


    He asked, inquisitively, and she nodded. Realizing that he wasn''t there with her, she voiced out a shaky ''Yes''.


    ''''Oh, my bad, I''m sorry I forgot, don''t mind my carelessness.


    ''''No, not to worry, it''s ok. ''''


    ''''How are you? Sorry I didn''t call after that day, I had a very busy schedule.''''


    '''' I understand, you don''t have to keep apologizing. I just thought of you today and checked up on you. ''''


    She lied. She had practically thought about him every single second since that day, if that was possible.


    ''''Oh, that''s very thoughtful of you, Diana. Say, are you busy tomorrow, we could go out for lunch if you don''t mind. ''''


    Diana literally felt the world beneath her feet spinning;


    Did he just ask to take her out?


    Does he know how many years she had patiently waited for him to ask her something like this?


    Her heart slammed against her chest as she tried to stable herself;


    ''''hey, are you there? ''''


    Greg asked again and without wasting another second, she replied, before he would change his mind and take back his words.


    ''''Yeah, I''ll love to. ''''


    ''''Okay, send me your address, I''ll pick you up by 1 pm, is that okay with you? ''''


    ''''Yeah, definitely! ''''


    ''''Okay, see you tomorrow then. ''''


    ''''Yeah; ''''


    Diana held her phone to her ear even after the call ended, relishing the moment. She had a movie shoot the next day but at that moment, she didn''t care about that, she was going out with Greg, she could sacrifice the world for this!


    Her heart couldn''t stop racing as she thought of what to wear, whether or not he loved girls with makeup. She couldn''t even sleep that night.


    The next day, she got dressed by 11am and waited all the way till 2pm, because he didn''t come on time.


    She was getting anxious but when she saw him step out of his car, her worries disappeared instantly, and a smile washed her lips.


    He treated her well, like a queen. He made her feel wanted; he brightened up her days with his jokes and laughter. She thought he wanted her too, and clouded by her emotions, she confessed to him.


    That night was her worst nightmare, she wished she had not told him anything, then she could continue loving him from the shadows, but it was not possible anymore, she had confessed to him, and lost the right to even be a friend.


    Her heart slammed against her ribs as she waited for his reply. He didn''t know how much courage she garnered to tell him how much she had loved him. Her hands fidgeted under the table as she struggled to remain calm.


    There was almost a minute silence between them before Greg spoke up;


    ''''Diana¡­ I never knew you loved me for so long, and I''m so sorry for sending you the wrong signals. Really, I treat all women nicely, I''m sorry that you had mistaken my gentlemanliness for love. I care about you, Diana; I would be lying if after these few weeks we''ve been friends, I say I don''t. But Diana, my heart belongs to someone else¡­ ''''

 Chapter 83 - How are you so beautiful?

    ''''¡­ and I don''t think we''ll be seeing ourselves like this anymore. I''m really sorry Diana. ''''


    His words left his lips as though it was nothing_ so casually. Does he know how much she had nursed that feeling? How would he dash her seven year-long crush with just a few words?


    Diana watched him stand and walk away without even glancing back at her. She sat still on the chair, tears clouding her gaze. She didn''t know how long she sat there, gazing blankly at the spot he just sat on until the waiter came to tell her they were about to close.


    She didn''t know how she went home that day, all she knew that she locked herself up in her room for days, refusing to leave.


    Every other day since that day became like a nightmare. Before then, she had continued living because she had a cause to live for, but now that her only source of joy had been taken away, what more should she struggle for?


    ¡­


    Nicklaus held Tiana by the waist as they stepped into a tastefully decorated restaurant. He had already booked a private room and as they walked in, a waiter directed them to their room.


    Nicklaus held out a chair for her to sit; before he sat in front of her.


    They picked the menu and selected their meals before handing it to the waiter, who bowed a little before walking out of the room.


    Tiana took out her phone and clicked on her Instagram; now she thought about it, she should just unfollow Adrian, since he had blocked her, there was no need keeping his contact, he had moved on with his life, it was not possible for them to be together anymore.


    ''''How are you so beautiful? ''''


    Nicklaus asked suddenly, kicking Tiana out of her thoughts; her eyes shot up at him, her cheeks tainting red;


    His eyes were gazing affectionately at her, as though she was a fine porcelain doll.


    ''''Ha, I''m sure you''ve seen prettier women. You''re making me blush. ''''


    Tiana replied, looking down at her phone in embarrassment;


    ''''No, beautiful, I have seen no one prettier. ''''


    Nicklaus replied, tilting his head as he admired every inch of her features.


    ''''And I haven''t seen any more handsome, ''''


    Tiana replied sincerely before she could stop herself. Her cheeks reddened the more as she realized what she just said; although it was the truth, she didn''t intend to tell it to him.


    Nicklaus coughed lightly as her words reached his ears; he looked away from her, trying to stop the blood flowing to his ears. The room became awkward, no-one knowing what to reply. Just when the silence was about to get stifling, there was a knock on the door and a few waiters stepped in with trays of food. Tiana mentally thanked the waiters for walking in; she was almost fainting from embarrassment.


    ''''Let me see your phone? ''''


    Nicklaus said in the middle of their meal; Tiana''s brows creased as she wondered what he needed her phone for.


    ''''I want to save my contact on your phone. ''''


    He replied when he saw her confused expression;


    ''''Oh '''' she replied, handing the phone to him. Now she thought about it, she didn''t even have his number; she wasn''t following him on social media either. Well, they were always together, there wasn''t any need to call him, but it was still important, anyway.


    ''''Are you on Instagram, Twitter? '''' She asked as she watched him tap on her phone. He didn''t look like someone who would be on any social media, social media was for fun and a huge lot of gossip, Nicklaus had no time for such things.


    Nicklaus eyes fluttered, and he raised his gaze at her;


    ''''I do, but I only upload company related stuff. ''''


    ''''Hmm¡­ '''' Tiana replied, taking her phone from him. She thought as much, he didn''t even know how to play video games, what would he be doing on social media, but she would still check him up, anyway.


    Her thoughts cut short when she saw the name he had saved his contact with.


    ''''Baby? ''''


    Tiana''s cheeks flushed red, but she did well not to raise her eyes at him; dropping her phone by the side of the table, she dug into her food.


    Even though he appeared cold and arrogant, these days she had been with him, her resolve about him had begun to flutter, but that could not change the fact that he had maltreated her in the past.


    If he was so nice now, how would he melt out such wickedness then? She couldn''t even understand him.


    If only she knew his true intentions.


    Tiana peeked at him briefly before returning her gaze to her food.


    He had locked her up for days, Christ, for two weeks, without light, only to be served food like a dog?


    That was unforgivable. No matter how much he was being kind now, she couldn''t forget what he did to her. He needs to feel what he made her feel, no, she wouldn''t let it go.


    Tiana felt bile rise in her throat as she thought about it and she quickly dropped her cutleries letting it make a sound as it dropped on the glass table.


    ''''You don''t like the food? ''''


    Niklaus brows creased when he saw her drop her cutleries,


    ''''No, I''m okay. '''' Tiana wiped her lips with the napkin and drank from her cup of water.


    Nicklaus didn''t know why but once she said she was done, he didn''t feel like eating anymore. Dropping his cutleries, he leaned back on his chair;


    ''''Alright, let''s rest a little before we leave. ''''


    Tiana nodded as she tried to keep the bad thoughts away.


    ''''So tell me beautiful, what is your dream?''''


    He asked, watching her attentively.


    Nicklaus wanted to know more about her, everything to be exact. Even though he knew it would take a while for her to open up to him, he wanted to start from somewhere. He wanted to make her smile, in the best way he could.

 Chapter 84 - For being my friend

    Tiana creased her lips at his question. He was watching her as though he really wanted to know, but after remembering what he did to her, she didn''t feel like talking about her dreams at all.


    ''''I don''t have any dreams. '''' her dream was to be a makeup artist but at that moment, her biggest dream was to get as far as she could from such a complicated person.


    ''''No-one can say that, everyone has a dream beautiful. ''''


    Nicklaus smirked, his gaze on her not faltering.


    ''''Hmm, if that''s so, what''s your dream? ''''


    She asked, raising her eyelid, and tilting her head a little.


    ''''Mm, I have a lot of aspirations beautiful. I''ll tell you when the time is right, but for now; I''ve always wanted to be a cook. ''''


    '''' ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened and in the next second, she was bursting from laughter.


    ''''What? What did you say? ''''


    She asked; her face all red from laughing too much.


    Nicklaus was puzzled;


    ''''why? You don''t believe me? ''''His brows narrowed at her and Tiana shook her head repeatedly;


    ''''No, I believe you; it''s just that I didn''t expect someone as handsome and rich as you to love to cook, and given that I''ve not seen you cook before, it is rather strange. ''''


    She concluded with an amused smile; she watched his features for a moment and imagined him in an apron in the kitchen. His sleeves rolled up and the heat from the flames flushing his face and she gulped;


    F.u.c.k that would be so hot!


    ''''Hmm, I don''t cook because I''m very busy, but now you''ve mentioned it, I''ll prepare one of my specials for you. ''''


    What Nicklaus didn''t know was that she loved men who knew how to cook.


    Why on earth would he know how to cook!


    Tiana whined in her head because the offer was near irresistible. She should turn down the offer, if she ate his meals, then she was done, she would never be able to resist him anymore.


    ???''Hmm, don''t worry you don''t have to stress yourself¡­ ''''


    ''''I never said that I''m complaining, beautiful; and besides, I haven''t had a meal I prepared myself in a long while, so I think it would be fun. ''''


    Tiana''s lips thinned at his reply, she didn''t even know what to say. Even though she knew it was dangerous, she still wanted to try his meals_ more like wanting to know how good he was.


    ''''Okay, but when did you learn how to cook; you are mostly busy, when did you have time to learn?''''


    She asked wonderingly. Nicklaus thought for a second, he shifted his position on the chair before he replied;


    ''''Well, I''ve always loved cooking right from childhood, and while growing up, I prepared my meals myself. I don''t have time to prepare my meals now because of work. ''''


    ''''Okay. '''' Tiana replied; remembering something, she opened her lips to ask, but then she stopped herself;


    ''''What is it? You can ask me anything beautiful. ''''


    Nicklaus said when he noticed her struggling with herself. Tiana''s eyes rose to him and she smiled;


    ''''I was just wondering, why don''t you have any friends? You don''t even do anything for fun, it''s always work and staying home all day. You don''t even party, go to the beach, movies, nothing. Isn''t it boring?''''


    Tiana''s brows creased as she watched him, her worried gaze changed to that of embarrassment when she noticed how he was staring at her.


    Nicklaus had a smile on his lips as he watched her rant. He had never had friends because he studied from home and he couldn''t possibly party alone nor have all these fun alone but now it was different, he had her¡­


    ''''Who said I have no friends? ''''


    Tiana''s lips fell in shock at his reply. For the few months she had been with him, she had never seen him chatting with any person other than his guards, or employees. Was he having imaginary friends now?


    ''''When I have you here with me? '''' Nicklaus completed his sentence, a passionate gaze in his eyes as he stared at her. Tiana''s heart skipped a beat and for a split second, she found it hard to breathe.


    Why was he calling her a friend? How could he trust people so easily?


    ''''And now you mentioned it, we''ll go to all these fun places you just mentioned. All of them and more, okay? ''''


    ''''What? ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened at his statement.


    Nicklaus tilted his head to the side;


    ''''You don''t want to go with me? '''' He asked, and she shook her head quickly;


    ''''No, no, that''s not what I meant¡­ '''' She raised her both hands as she shook her head;


    ''''Then we''ll have loads of fun together, okay? ''''


    Tiana bit her lower lip lightly; how would she be able to resist him if she wouldn''t have a day away from him? He was filling every part of her that she was beginning to forget who she really was.


    This was not good¡­


    ''''Beautiful, do you know how you look when you bite your lips like that? ''''


    Her eyes widened at his question and she quickly pulled her lips from her mouth, her cheeks tainting red. She had not recovered from what he just said and he was throwing another bomb;


    ''''We should go home now, '''' Tiana picked her bag from the table and stood up from her chair, her gaze on the floor. She normally bit her lips when she was nervous but at that moment, she made sure to keep her lips out of her mouth.


    Nicklaus waited a second before standing up; and he walked to her in silent steps, lifting his hand to her face.


    Tiana held her breath as his hands touched her face, shifting some strands of hair behind her ear.


    ''''Thank you beautiful '''' His voice carried a hint of emotion as he spoke, Tiana''s gaze rose to him and their gazes locked in each other''s. She wanted to ask what he was thanking for, but his next action caught her off guard.


    Nicklaus pulled her into a close hug, taking her breath away, his irresistible scent wafted into her nostrils.


    ''''Thank you for being my friend ''''


    Tiana''s heart slammed against her chest so hard that it hurt, why was she feeling as though she was betraying him?

 Chapter 85 - Soft lips

    She didn''t like this feeling. He was growing on her, and she could do little or nothing to resist it.


    ''''Let''s go home now. ''''


    Nicklaus interrupted her thoughts, as he ended the hug and held her hand lovingly; Tiana sighed lightly as she forced her eyes away from him and looked towards the door.


    When they arrived home, Diana and Richard were playing chess in the front porch. When they saw them, they paused to greet them.


    ''''Tiana, you''re back? ''''


    Richard called, his eyes fixated on her, as though there was no-one by her side.


    ''''Yeah, we are back. I can see you guys are having fun? ''''


    Tiana greeted and a dark shade of red crept up her cheeks when she felt Nicklaus arm go around her waists. She resisted the urge to glance at his face because she was sure it would be icy. Richard glanced briefly at his hand on her waists and looked back up to her face,


    ''''it''s not a lot of fun, but I think it''s better than nothing. ''''


    Richard smiled, and she laughed;


    ''''Alright, we''ll be going in now, it''s been a stressful day, continue having fun.''''


    Diana held her breath until they entered the house before she burst out laughing;


    ''''Rich, did you see the look Nicklaus gave you? Did you see when he put his arm around his woman? That was like marking his territory, you should be careful, I don''t think you want to get on his bad side.''''


    Diana giggle died instantly when she noticed Richard''s cold glare.


    ''''What is wrong with you Diana? Go get yourself a boyfriend, you are getting old! ''''


    Richard blared and stood up angrily form the couch, walking into the house.


    ''''yah, aren''t you playing anymore? ''''


    ''''Play alone, I''m no longer interested. ''''


    ''''Argh! I''m sorry! Come back!''''


    ''''No! Go find a man to play with!''''


    Richard said before he pushed open the door and walked in, leaving the Diana and her chess in front of her.


    ¡­


    Tiana sat on the couch after taking a shower, massaging her legs. Throughout the week, she had been on heels to look professional and her legs hurt real bad; the door to the bathroom creaked open and Nicklaus stepped out with a towel around his waists, his eyes glanced at her and his brows creased when he saw what she was doing;


    ''''Does it hurt? ''''


    Tiana looked towards him, and her eyes fell on his chest with the indulging ink on it and she quickly looked away;


    ''''Yeah, my heels are a little tight. ''''


    ''''Why do you keep wearing them if they hurt that much? '''' Walking to the vanity he used the blow dryer on his hair.


    Tiana''s lips thinned, those were the only shoes she brought to the ancient home and she couldn''t buy another because she was always with him, plastered to his body like a magnet.


    ''''They are the only ones I have here, and I haven''t had time to get another for myself. ''''


    Her words made Nicklaus quiet for a minute before he dropped the dryer and walked towards the wardrobe. He put on his pants and a cotton shirt before walking to where she was sitting on the couch.


    Tiana''s brows creased as she watched him sit down at the other end of the long couch and place her legs on his laps.


    ''''what are you doing? ''''


    ''''I want to help you massage them.'''' He replied, taking one of her pretty foot in his palms;


    ''''No, I can¡­ ''''


    ''''You won''t be able to do it well, let me help you. '''' He replied, holding her legs firmly when he noticed that she wanted to pull it away.


    Tiana breathed out heavily before she let go. He would not let her go anyway, so there was no need struggling.


    She relaxed her feet and let him massage them. His hands kneaded her toes gently before going downwards the palm of her feet;


    ''''Aha ha, oh my god, it''s tickly!'''' She exclaimed trying to pull her legs off him, but Nicklaus pinned them down, his eyes lifting to her face.


    Tiana''s cheeks were flushed paint red. She had felt ticklish when he started touching her toes, and she tried to endure it but when his hands touched the palm of her feet, she couldn''t resist it anymore.


    ''''You''re so red... ''''


    His eyes stared straight at her face making Tiana blush the more, her hands raised to her face instantly;


    ''''Uh¡­? Ehm¡­ my feet are so tickly when someone touches them, I''ll massage them myself, thank you¡­''''


    She was so embarrassed, one thing was turning red and another was him pointing out that she was red! Can''t he just pretend he didn''t see?!


    And now he wasn''t letting her foot go. Does he want to see her in a puddle of tears before he realizes that her feet were a weak spot?


    His green eyes gazed straight at hers and Tiana gulped, trying to look away.


    ''''You are so cute when you''re shy; there are many sides of you I''m yet to see beautiful. ''''


    Nicklaus commented out of nowhere, making her eyes turn back to him,


    ''''So what you''re saying is if I keep massaging you, you''ll keep being this cute?''''


    He asked, a smirk forming on his lips, and his fingers massaging the middle of her foot; Tiana squirmed around on the couch, laughing uncontrollably as she tried to pull her leg away from his grip.


    ''''Aha ha ha, stop please! Oh my god!''''


    Not able to take it any longer, she sat upright and pushed him backwards, making him fall back on the couch, she, falling reflexively on his chest.


    At that instant, their eyes locked in each other as they realized how intimate they had become. Tiana''s hands were on his chest and her face inches away from his face; just a little closer and she would kiss him right on the lips. Nicklaus gaze shifted downwards to her lips, and he gulped;


    Her hair was messy and her lips looked so soft, god¡­ she was s.e.xy as hell. It took him all his restraint to avoid kissing her that minute.


    How had he remained sane with this beauty in the same room with him, when he couldn''t even touch her?

 Chapter 86 - Dont do that, Beautiful

    Tiana''s heart slammed against her chest. She wanted to pull away but every cell in her body was saying otherwise.


    Green eyes, long lashes, carved beards, his lips¡­ oh god¡­


    Tiana''s eyes stuck to his lips, and she swallowed;


    How could a man''s lips look so soft?


    She bit on her lower lip involuntarily; as her eyes gazed intently at his lips, resisting the urge to reach out and feel them.


    ''''Don''t do that, beautiful¡­ ''''


    Tiana watched his hand reach to her lips and take her lower lip out of her mouth; her heart instantly skipped a beat.


    ''''You are already tempting enough, I don''t know if I''ll be able to control myself if you do that. '''' His voice was hoarse and with a deep hint of breathiness. Tiana''s cheeks were almost bursting from redness and not able to take it anymore, she stumbled backwards, away from his body.


    ''''Ehem, I¡­ I think my feet are okay now. Thank you. '''' She stood up quickly from the couch and looked towards the door, ''''I''ll be stepping downstairs for a moment, grandpa asked me to spend quality time with him today, after I return from work.''''


    She explained and quickly walked towards the door. Although chatting with grandpa wasn''t something very fun, at that moment, she would gladly spend five hours chatting with him, than stay another second in that room with Nicklaus, but just when she was about to reach the door, there was a knock on the door and she slowed down her steps.


    Turning the knob, she pulled it open.


    ''''We''re having a meeting in the living room now; and we''re waiting for both of you. ''''


    Tiana nodded at the smiling Diana and she waited for her to go back down the stairs before she turned to Nicklaus;


    ''''I think we are needed in the living room now. ''''


    Nicklaus stood up and walked towards her,


    ''''Let''s go; '''' He said, holding the door open for her and stepping out after her. When they got downstairs, everyone was already seated in the parlor except for grandma and grandpa.


    ''''Tiana, Nicklaus, hurry we''ve been waiting for you. '''' Elizabeth said as she waved them over. She was sitting beside her husband and Douglas and Michelle opposite them.


    They sat down on an empty couch, just opposite Mia and Richard. Diana had a sofa to herself. Earlier, Mia had dismissed Alex right before Nicklaus came back from work. Even though she had made no advances yet, she didn''t want Nicklaus to see him.


    ''''I called everyone here because Grandpa''s birthday is in a few days, we need to have everything prepared, so I called us to share the duties.'''' She stopped, her eyes glancing briefly at Michelle.


    ''''Michelle would share the duties between all of us, already I have sent out the invitations, and we''re expecting about thirty guests, so anything we''re planning should be with this number in mind.''''


    Earlier, she had argued with her on whom to share the duties. According to her, she was Douglas'' wife and reserved the right to do such. Elizabeth was rather a quiet person; she didn''t even have the strength to argue with her. She knew Michelle was just looking for trouble but she was not ready for that.


    Tiana turned to Michelle and her brows creased;


    She could sense that something wouldn''t go well.


    Michelle''s lips stretched into a smile as she sat up;


    ''''Aright, I already made a little to-do list. ''''


    She said picking the book by her side. ''''There are a lot to do¡­ '''' she spoke as she swiped the pages of the book.


    ''I and Elizabeth would handle the decorations. ''''


    She stopped and looked at Tiana and Nicklaus;


    Her gaze locked in Tiana''s briefly and she looked away just immediately. Tiana could swear that she saw a light smirk on her lips before it disappeared;


    ''''Tiana and Nicklaus¡­ no Tiana and Richard would handle the drinks, while Nicklaus and Mia would be in charge of the caterers and the food menu. ''''


    .


    .


    .


    The living room grew awkwardly quiet as all eyes widened in shock;


    Was she joking with what she said or was she being serious?


    For about a minute, no-one spoke.


    ''''ha-ha, is there a problem with the arrangement?'''' She asked, staring at everyone, her eyes widening, as though she did not realize what she did wrong.


    Elizabeth pinched her nose, she knew from time that Michelle was just looking for trouble.


    ''''Michelle, you can''t pair Tiana with Richard¡­ ''''


    ''''I can, besides, it''s just a birthday preparation, it''s not as though I''m pairing them to get married¡­''''


    Mia''s heart slammed against her chest when she heard Michelle pair her with Nicklaus, she couldn''t contain her joy, but when she saw the frosty expression on his face, she knew it would not end well.


    ''''Mrs. Howells, I see you want to take care of the birthday preparations yourself, in that case, we''ll be taking our leave, beautiful shall we? ''''


    Nicklaus expression was as blank as death and the words that left his lips were as sharp as a sword; the whole place grew quiet as he extended his hands towards his beautiful.


    Tiana placed her hands in his and stood up from the couch. He turned around and made to walk out of the room but the words of his Douglas stopped him.


    ''''it''s alright Nicklaus, she made a mistake, she would correct herself now. '''' Douglas turned to Michelle with a frosty gaze and she immediately looked down on the book on her hands.


    He wondered what her IQ must be. How can she be so brainless sometimes? If Grandpa gets to know that she tried to pair Nicklaus'' woman with their son, what would he think of her? Was she that thoughtless?


    ''''No, it''s already too late. If she thinks she made a mistake, she should correct it and work on it herself, and please no-one should call us for this gathering again. ''''


    He spoke in a commanding tone, not even bothering to look at Douglas. Placing his hand around Tiana''s waists, he led her towards the stairs.

 Chapter 87 - Sweltering Puddle

    Tiana watched Nicklaus close the door after they walked into the room, his face frosty as ever, her mind went over what happened some minutes ago.


    She wondered what Michelle was thinking to have paired her with Richard. It was obvious she was just looking for trouble, but if Nicklaus did nothing and left everything to them, grandma and grandpa wouldn''t be happy. She didn''t want them to have issues because of her, so she walked to where he was lying on the bed, sitting down beside him;


    ''''don''t you think we should just do what they said? ''''


    Nicklaus gaze turned to her, his eyes fiery, and she instantly shook her head;


    ''''No, no, I didn''t mean we should continue with the pairing, I just feel we shouldn''t do nothing, since we came for the birthday; we should help out in any way we can. ''''


    She raised her hand to his chest and rubbed him lightly; as soon as her hand touched his chest, his glare disappeared instantly, and he blinked, a tender gaze replacing the frosty expression. He raised his hand and covered her hand on his chest, squeezing it lightly;


    ''''You''ll never leave my side okay?''''


    He spoke tenderly and Tiana''s eyes fluttered; she felt a painful tug on her throat and she couldn''t find the words to reply;


    ''''Okay? ''''


    Nicklaus said again, lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed it lightly, his eyes still fixed on hers, Tiana gulped.


    ''''Okay. ''''


    She forced a smile to her lips as she replied.


    She knew she was lying to him, but at that moment it didn''t matter. She just had to say what he wanted to hear.


    ''''I don''t like the way he looks at you, Beautiful.''''


    Nicklaus murmured, but it was loud enough for her to hear;


    ''''Richard?"


    She asked, even though she knew who he was referring to. Nicklaus nodded slightly; his eyes dropping to her hand in his, and he squeezed it again.


    ''''I don''t like that he can make you smile when I can''t. It hurts. '''' His gaze raised to her eyes and held her gaze in his;


    Tiana''s heart slammed rapidly against her chest, she was finding it hard to breathe.


    The atmosphere was getting very intense. His dazzling gaze held hers and his hand caressed hers. Nicklaus licked his lower lip briefly and Tiana gulped as her eyes fell on his pink lips. At that moment, all atom of sanity had flown out of the window and she knew that if he made any attempt towards her that moment, she was done for.


    As though God was on her side, a knock sounded on the door, kicking her out of her l.u.s.tful daze. Tiana blinked and stood up from the bed.


    ''''I''ll go check the door. ''''


    She said, avoiding his gaze, she walked to the door.


    Turning the knob, she opened the door lightly; her brows creased when she saw the person on the other side;


    Mia?


    ''''Is Nicklaus in? ''''


    She asked softly, her gaze shifting from Tiana to the little opening the door had created. Tiana creased her brows and pushed open the door, letting her walk in.


    Nicklaus turned to see who just stepped in and his eyes turned frosty when he saw who it was.


    Mia''s expression was as soft as a baby''s as she stepped into the room. She raised her eyes to Nicklaus and when she saw his expression, she looked towards her toes,


    ''''I''m sorry for what happened downstairs, please don''t be angry. Everyone has agreed that you two would handle the drinks. I''m really sorry that you both had to leave that way. ''''


    Her eyes turned to Tiana, who was standing by the door pitifully and she shifted her gaze back to Nicklaus.


    Tiana narrowed her eyes at her. She was exquisite and her skin looked very nice. Just once gaze and it was obvious she was from a very wealthy family, unlike her, whose hands had done tedious work to make ends meet.


    Her eyes shifted to Nicklaus and back to her,


    They would suit each other if Nicklaus wasn''t glaring at her right now as though she had killed a lone cat.


    Nicklaus did not say a word, his lips thinned as though he was preventing himself from saying something;


    Tiana watched them for a moment and when she saw that he would not reply, she smiled at Mia.


    ''''Alright, we''ll do that. ''''


    She spoke tenderly and held the door open for her to leave. Mia''s eyes reluctantly shifted to Tiana and when she saw the door open, she swallowed.


    She didn''t want to leave, but it was obvious she had overstayed her welcome, and she did not want Nicklaus to be angry with her, so she smiled.


    ''''Thank you, I''ll tell everyone that you agreed. '''' She said and walked out of the door, but not without glancing at Tiana for the last time.


    After they left, Douglas made Michelle redo the list and Elizabeth opted to go tell them about the change in the function but she had told her she would do it. This was her opportunity to show herself to him. Ever since she was in the house, he had barely glanced at her, now she would go up to the room; there was no way he would not look at her.


    Even though he was glaring, she was glad his glare was on her, she didn''t mind, as long as he had seen her. She had not been this happy in a long time.


    Tiana closed the door after she left and turned to Nicklaus, who was still with a poker face. She knew he was angry because she didn''t ask for his opinion before accepting to do the function.


    Walking to his side of the bed, she sat down and placed her head on his chest lovingly.


    ''''We shouldn''t get grandma and grandpa worried, okay? Although she made a mistake, let''s be the bigger person and do what is right, okay?''''


    If Nicklaus was feeling anything now, it was the swell of her chest rubbing on him; his annoyance vanished the second she lay on his chest.


    How does she have the control to his emotions? Just one touch and he was already a sweltering puddle?

 Chapter 88 - Do i look gay?

    ''''Okay?''''


    Tiana asked again when she did not get a reply from him, her head turning around, so she could peek at his face.


    Nicklaus arms went around her and he pulled her closer to him, hugging her tenderly.


    ''''Let''s stay like this for a while. '''' He said and closed his eyes, leaning his head on the headboard;


    ''''So you''re no longer angry? '''' she asked, wanting to be sure he wasn''t just averting the topic;


    ''''Mm ''''


    ''''We''ll do the function? ''''


    ''''Yeah, we''ll do it. ''''


    Tiana smiled and relaxed on his chest, her eyes gazing at his features. Even though she was just pretending, she could not deny the fact that she liked the warmth of his arms. In fact, if not that she had some dignity; she wouldn''t even want to leave his arms. He smelt so nice, and he was very handsome, definitely, his hug would be nothing less than intoxicating.


    Tiana''s eyes blinked as she admired him;


    How could a man''s lashes be so long?


    She wondered as she studied his features. A pout formed on her cheeks as she realized that he was really too handsome. Too bad he had a sad personality; he would have been a perfect match for any woman.


    ''''I''ve hugged no one like this before. '''' Nicklaus spoke suddenly, pulling Tiana out of her daze;


    ''''Mm? '''' Tiana''s eyes widened unbelievably;


    Was he saying he had never hugged a man or woman before?


    ''''Are you surprised? '''' Nicklaus asked, but Tiana did not reply, she just stared at him, obviously not believing what he said.


    ''''I''ve hugged no woman before, you''re the first, beautiful. ''''


    Okay, now she gets it. He had not hugged any woman before but he had hugged men. Tiana gulped, her body cringing at that thought. The warmth she felt in his arms became repulsing that instant and she felt like pulling away but she stopped herself.


    ''''Well, it''s not surprising. Most gays are very handsome. ??'' She commented with a slight sigh and Nicklaus eyes which were shut flung open instantly.


    ''''Wait¡­ what?! ''''


    Nicklaus felt his stomach churn at her words and his face paled instantly;


    Tiana''s brows creased when she heard his question and she lifted her head from his chest, her eyes gazing at him;


    ''''I know you don''t want your family to know, I will not tell anyone, your secret is safe with me.''''


    He was still shocked of what she just said and she was sprouting another. He had heard the rumors about him being gay but he didn''t pay much attention to them because they weren''t true, but now that someone he cared about thought he was gay, he couldn''t help but feel disturbed.


    ''''Beautiful, who¡­ who told you that?''''


    Nicklaus asked, his expression getting worried;


    Tiana sighed lightly; she knew he felt shy that she found out about his s.e.x.u.a.l preferences, but he shouldn''t worry about it, she wouldn''t judge him for it. She wasn''t even in the position to.


    ''''It is okay, really. You don''t have to be shy about it, I won''t tell anyone. ''''


    She smiled, placing her hand on his chest; Nicklaus grabbed it immediately and kissed it.


    ''''No Beautiful, I''m not gay. What the¡­ '''' Just the thought of him with a man made his stomach churn. And to think she had thought of him like that for so long!


    Nicklaus swallowed hard as he squeezed her hand again;


    ''''Really, those were just rumors because I''ve never been seen with any woman; I didn''t try to address it because I didn''t see a need to. Christ, for how long have you thought of me like that? ''''


    Nicklaus couldn''t help asking; his face paint red.


    Tiana''s eyes widened in surprise as she stared at him;


    Was he saying that he wasn''t gay?


    That she was the only woman that had been this close to? Did he really mean everything he said to her?


    Tiana''s heart slammed against her chest as she found all the things she had believed crumbling to pieces.


    ''''Do I even look like a gay? Have you seen me intimate with any man before? God, I can''t believe I''m even saying this! ''''


    Nicklaus chuckled lightly. Before then, he didn''t mind what anyone said about him, but with her, he wanted to prove himself. He just realized he was concerned about what she thought about him.


    Tiana didn''t know why she was feeling relieved after hearing that he wasn''t gay as she had thought. Maybe because she wouldn''t feel repulsed when he hugged her again;


    ''''Well, '''' She laughed; ''''you do look gay; most of them are a little too handsome. ''''


    Nicklaus cheeks flushed red at her statement;


    ''''So you''re saying that I''m too handsome? ''''


    He asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Tiana realized what her statement meant, and she blushed, her eyes looking away from him;


    ''''No, no¡­ that''s not what I meant¡­ ''''


    She stammered trying to defend herself but her red cheeks gave her away; Nicklaus laughed heartily, his voice resounding in the room. Tiana felt her heart skip a beat, she had not seen him laugh so sweetly before, and he was even s.e.xy while laughing;


    She gulped;


    ''''Well, I know I''m very good looking, but when you say it, I feel like the handsomest man alive.''''


    He grinned, catching her glare, making him laugh a little more.


    ''''So, where are we going tomorrow? ''''


    He asked, changing the topic immediately;


    Tiana thought for a moment and she remembered that she promised to go fun places with him.


    ''''Mm¡­ Let''s go to the movies, I haven''t been to the movies in so long, what do you say? ''''


    She tilted her head, as she waited for his reply;


    ''''wouldn''t there be so many people?'''' Nicklaus asked, his brows creasing;


    Tiana laughed; ''''don''t tell me you''re afraid of people? ''''


    She asked, her brows narrowing at him;


    ''''No, I''m not. It''s just that I haven''t been amid so many people before. ''''


    Nicklaus explained, and she nodded;


    ''''Not to worry, before the month runs out, you''ll get used to being with so many people, cause we''ll be going to places with many people.''''

 Chapter 89 - Discovery

    ''''yeah, Grandpa, I hope it will be a great success.''''


    ''''Hmm, that''s good. It''s good to see you go out of your way and do something huge for the company, I never doubted your competence, but now, I''m very proud of you. '''' The old man drawled with a satisfied smile on his face.


    He was really old now. These days, he couldn''t talk loudly anymore and he was pushed around in his wheelchair; after dinner, everyone rested in the parlor and Grandpa had asked Nicklaus about Orica. He was very proud of Nicklaus after hearing what he was doing, although he wasn''t surprised that he would take such a huge risk, he was very pleased.


    Nicklaus was very much like his father, determined, goal-oriented, and focused. He had never regretted handing the company over to him_ never.


    As they sat in the parlor, a certain man''s face was blank but his mind was filled with different thoughts;


    He had really underestimated Nicklaus.


    He had died down the rumors of him being gay, if he made this project a success, Grandpa would never have a second doubt about him again and he would lose the chance to the company forever. How smart¡­


    Douglas eyes blinked slowly and shifted to Nicklaus whose lips were moving as he explained his concept to Grandpa, and his head tilted to the side as he studied him.


    Nicklaus boy, i liked you a little, but you tend to bite more than you can chew. Tsk tsk, you''re really leaving me with no choice, no choice at all.


    He heaved a sigh, pinching his brows as his eyes shut close.


    ''''You''re really the son of your father, boy. I''ll love to see the outcome of your great plan. ''''


    ''''Thank you, grandfather ''''


    Nicklaus lips slanted to what looks like a smile and he squeezed Tiana''s hands a little, as though wanting to be sure she was still there with him.


    ¡­


    Tiana stepped out of the toilet, after she finished easing herself. Nicklaus was lying on the bed and tapping on his phone when she came out. She walked to the fridge and drank some water before going over to the other side of the bed. She had almost lain down when she remembered what happened the previous night and she stood back up immediately.


    There were up-to six pillows on the bed, if she kept a few in the middle, it would prevent her from rolling over to his side, with that thought, she picked a few pillows and arranged it in the middle of the bed.


    Nicklaus noticed her actions and turned to her, his brows creased. Tiana noticed his questioning gaze and chuckled lightly;


    ''''Ah '''' She exclaimed waving her hand; ''''I have bad sleeping habits, when I sleep, I roll over, I''m just keeping them so I wouldn''t kick you off the bed in the night, ha ha.''''


    She explained with a smile, her eyes curving into crescents. Nicklaus eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat instantly.


    Wait¡­ does it mean that she had rolled over to his side in the night, and when she woke up in the morning and realized what she did, she went back to her position?


    Does it mean that¡­ the object that touched him in the night was her?


    Nicklaus heart slammed against his chest as he watched her, unable to speak.


    Tiana was getting confused, why was he staring at her like that, was there something strange on her face?


    ''''I''m serious, it''s not because I''m scared¡­ of anything happening, I really mean it, even last night, I rolled over and¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened instantly as she realized that she had just exposed herself. She cursed internally biting on her lower lip.


    At her statement, Nicklaus eyes widened in surprise, he sat up on the bed and swallowed hard, his eyes fluttering; he could hear his heart slamming against his ribcage as the question he was about to ask reached his lips.


    ''''Beautiful, did you just say that you rolled over last night? ''''


    His voice resounded in the room, making Tiana tremble a little. He looked as though she had done something unbelievable and Tiana felt that she had crossed the line this time.


    She had already exposed herself; it would do more harm if she tried to lie. Her hands clutched around the pillow in her hands as she bit on her lower lip nervously.


    ''''Beautiful, answer me. ''''


    His voice rang again and Tiana swallowed hard.


    ''''Yeah¡­ it was in my sleep, I didn''t know when I rolled over and when I woke up in the morning, I went back to my spot immediately. I promise¡­ it will never happen again, I''ll sleep well from now on¡­ ''''


    Her words stopped at the tip of her lips when she noticed Nicklaus expression.


    Instead of the anger she had presumed, Nicklaus was laughing like a maniac. Her brows creased as she wondered what had gone wrong with him.


    ''''Beautiful, why did I meet you so late? Why? ''''


    He asked tenderly, rubbing his face with both hands.


    Tiana was stunned. What just happened?


    She watched him stand up from the bed and walk around to where she was standing, a cheerful smile on his lips.


    ''''Beautiful, where have you been all my life? ''''


    Nicklaus asked, closing the gap between them and hugging her like his life depended on it.


    Tiana was stunned.


    Was he not angry that she had hugged him last night? What is he saying all of a sudden?


    ''''Oh God, now I know why I couldn''t get you out of my head! ''''


    Nicklaus exclaimed, his blood pumping out of his veins like a loose tap.


    Why had she taken so long to come to him? If she had appeared earlier, then he wouldn''t have suffered all those years alone.


    ''''Hey, what is wrong? Are you not angry with me? ''''


    Tiana shifted her face away from his broad chest so she could speak; she could not understand a thing of what was happening.


    ''''Angry? How can I be angry with you beautiful? I''m so happy. I feel so joyful, that my insides feel like exploding. I haven''t felt this way in a long while, and it''s all because of you beautiful.''''

 Chapter 90 - Where have you been?

    ''''God, where have you been? ''''


    Nicklaus exclaimed as he felt stings of tears clouding his gaze. He never thought he would ever live like a normal human being, but she had come into his life like a light at the end of a tunnel. And to think he had hurt her so much? What the hell was he thinking to have locked her up in that dark room for days?


    What if she had died in there? What if she had killed herself? He had hurt her so much, yet she had forgiven him without thinking twice. He was really a bad fellow.


    Nicklaus smile dwindled as he thought of all the wrongs he had caused her.


    ''''Beautiful, I''m very sorry. I''m so very sorry, for everything I''ve done to you, for the pain I''ve caused you. I wasn''t in my right mind then, I''m really sorry, I can''t even imagine that I did those things to you. God, what have I done? ''''


    Nicklaus raised his hand to his eyes as he tried to hold in the tears forcing its way to his eyes. His legs became weak and he slumped on the bed, covering his face with both hands.


    Tiana''s head was on fire, she felt all the anger, pain and hatred she had for him crumble into tiny pieces. She was trying to find a reason to hate him but she couldn''t hold unto any.


    No, she didn''t like this! Why did he have to apologize? Why? Now she couldn''t be angry at him anymore.


    Does he know how much she wanted to make him pay for what he did to her? Does he know? Now she didn''t have the right to be angry anymore.


    ''''I''m sorry, God, I''m a terrible person. '''' Nicklaus cried, clutching his hair with both hands, he just remembered when he told her to strip in front of him and she had pleaded with him but he was so adamant, what the f.u.c.k was wrong with him?


    His heart squeezed so much that he felt it would burst any second; he hit his chest with his right hand as he tried to hold in the pain. God, it hurt like hell!


    Tiana''s hands trembled as she watched him, her eyes clouded with tears as she realized that she was no longer angry with him. She couldn''t even remember what he had done wrong anymore, the only thing that clouded her mind was the fact that he was crying helplessly in front of her right now.


    Inching closer to him, Tiana raised her hand slowly and patted on his back.


    She would be no different if after he had apologized sincerely, she ignored him and continued hating him. She didn''t know if anyone could do it, but at that moment, she knew she couldn''t bear to do it.


    ''''It''s alright, I forgive you. Stop crying now, you''re making me feel bad'''' Tiana yelled as she rubbed her teary eyes with the back of her hands. Seeing that he wouldn''t raise his head, she squatted in front of him''


    ''''I said I''ve forgiven you, okay? It''s in the past now, we have a present and a future to worry about. ''''


    Nicklaus raised his head slowly to look at her, his face red with guilt. When he saw her face, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her so tight that Tiana felt her soul seeping away from her body.


    ''''Ah, I''m not breathing¡­ '''' She alerted, and when Nicklaus eased his grip, she chuckled lightly.


    ''''Thank you Thank you so much. You''re the best thing that had happened to me. ''''


    He spoke passionately, kissing the side of her head.


    ''''Aish, stop, you''re making me blush; '''' Tiana replied tenderly as she slowly put her arms around him, hugging him back.


    ''''I feel so relieved right now. '''' Nicklaus said, snuggling his head in the crook of her neck, his lashes tickling her skin.


    A warm smile washed Tiana''s lips. Now she could feel without having to think back on the things he had done to her. It sounded strange, but Tiana knew that after being close to him for a while, she never really hated him; it was more like she was finding a reason to not like him.


    ''''I don''t know why I feel so complete when I''m around you, my worries, pain, anguish, I don''t feel any of them with you. You take them all away beautiful. ''''


    Nicklaus raised his head so he could look her in the eyes, her gaze locking in his, making her heart skip a beat. His gaze was deep and she could read the desire in them, he raised his both hands to her face and shifted her hair away from her face so he could have a closer view of her features.


    Tiana gulped, her cheeks burning as his thumb drew circles on them; she bit on her lower lip as she gulped hard, her lower abdomen reacting to his touch.


    ''''Beautiful '''' Nicklaus groaned, his hand slid to the back of her neck and his other hand cupped her cheek; ''''Do you know how crazy you drive me when you do that? ''''


    Tiana felt her core clench at his words, her heart slamming against her chest and she knew her face was terribly red. Her eyes fell from his eyes to his lips, only to see him lick his lower lip slowly;


    F.u.c.k¡­


    She groaned internally as she struggled to take her eyes away from his wet and seducing lips.


    She didn''t want to but her brain started imagining lewd thoughts as they forced her eyes to remain on his lips. They looked so soft; she gulped as she imagined how soft his lips would feel in her mouth.


    Her eyes looked up to his eyes after a while and her lips parted when she saw the fiery gaze in them. They weren''t speaking but their gazes had said it all, and at that moment, they both knew what they wanted.


    Tiana swallowed again when his head tilted towards her, his gaze falling to her lips. Tiana didn''t realize that she was leaning towards him until she had closed the gap between them.


    It was like a sparkle, a bolt of electricity, a wave of shock, every other thing silenced around them. Their ears could hear nothing but the slam of their hearts against their chests and in a split second, their lips touched.

 Chapter 91 - My Soul Mate

    Tiana could hear their hearts beating loudly, so much that she couldn''t tell which beat was hers. When their lips brushed against each other''s, she felt butterflies squirm in her stomach. Her whole body trembled as he held her still, making her lips stay on his. They remained there for a few seconds, not breathing, as though they could not believe what had just happened.


    Tiana''s eyes fluttered after a few seconds and she opened her eyes slowly. His eyes were shut and he was unmoving, she swallowed, regaining some snippets of her consciousness. Was he regretting kissing her? Was that why he wasn''t continuing with the kiss? Her heart slammed against her chest, but this time for a different reason.


    If he was going to apologize, she should rather beat him to it. It would be more bearable if she apologized than for him to do it. Pursing her lips, she slowly withdrew her body from him and opened her lips to apologize, but just when she was about to say the first word, she felt Nicklaus hand slide down to her back and pull her towards him, causing her lips to crash into his, taking her breath away.


    Nicklaus hand slid back up to her neck and he tilted his head just little enough to caress her lips softly with his. Tiana''s eyes closed as she felt her sanity seep out of her body. For a split second her whole body went numb and she could feel nothing except for his hands on her body.


    His scent wafted into her nostrils, taking her remaining sanity away; this was the first time she was kissing him but she didn''t know why she was brave enough to brush her hand through his thick hair pulling him closer.


    Nicklaus had felt a lot of things with her before, but what he felt at that moment was entirely new.


    His stomach was burning with God knows what, his heart slamming rapidly against his chest, and the tiny fingers clutching his hair blowing his mind away. Every cell in his body was responding to her touch; his mind clouded with her scent, strawberry and lavender wafting into his nose, sea blue eyes and long hair in his mind.


    He had wanted to kiss her for so long but he never knew that it would feel this good. Her lips felt like an addiction, and when she responded to every kiss, he literally saw stars behind his closed eyes.


    Tiana pulled his closer to her, sucking on his lower lip, kissing him with the same strength as he kissed her. Her fingers pulled on his hair while her other hand caressed his strong chest, before finally resting on his shoulders. She could hear the m.o.a.n at the back of his neck, and she knew she was doing it right, but just when she leaned forward to deepen the kiss, she felt him let go of her lips.


    Tiana''s brows creased for a second and when she felt him kiss her forehead, she opened her eyes, their gaze locking in each other''s.


    He was looking down at her with fiery eyes and she knew he was fighting with himself. His eyes fell on her lips but as though it was a plague he looked away immediately. Swallowing hard, Nicklaus pulled her into his arms, hugging her closely.


    Midway into the kiss, Nicklaus knew that if he didn''t stop, they would go too far, and she would be too carried away to stop him but the next day she might regret it. He didn''t want to spoil what was between them; he wanted her to be sane before delving into something so deep.


    Tiana swallowed hard as she listened to his heart beat in the same rhythm with hers, and she knew that everything would change from now on.


    Nicklaus leaned down to peck on her cheeks lightly, taking a deep breath, he spoke;


    ''''Let''s stay like this for a while¡­ ''''


    His voice was tender and Tiana''s eyes fluttered but she didn''t say a word.


    How did everything turn around in a blink of an eye?


    A few weeks ago, she hated him so much that she wanted to puke, but now she was hugging him like he was her breath.


    What was she doing? By any means, was she falling for him?


    At that thought, Tiana''s eyes widened.


    Was she falling for him or she was just attracted to him because he was irresistible?


    Her throat tightened as reality dawned on her.


    She couldn''t be in love with him¡­ no...


    Apart from the fact that he was handsome, there wasn''t any characteristic she liked about him.


    God, what had she done?


    Her heart slammed against her chest as bile rose up her throat.


    She had kissed him, when she wasn''t sure of herself. What would she do now?


    She didn''t want to lead him on, and at the end leave him? But at the same time she didn''t want to be with someone she wasn''t sure she loved.


    Why in hell has she kissed him?


    Tiana bit on her lower lip as she realized that she was in a big mess. Now, everything would be awkward between them.


    What was she going to do?


    She sighed as she folded her hands into fists, her mind filled with a million thoughts.


    Nicklaus caressed the back of her head with his hands as he drank her sweet scent. He knew he cared about her, but he didn''t want to rush her into things. He would take everything slow.


    ''''Beautiful, I don''t think I''ll ever let you go, again. ''''


    Tiana''s heart skipped a beat at his words and she gulped; her heart sinking into her stomach.


    ''''¡­ and from now on, I''ll sleep hugging you. ''''


    Tiana''s brows creased at his words, and she raised her head to look at him, her eyes filled with different questions;


    ''''Why? ''''


    She asked confusedly, why does he need to sleep hugging her?


    Nicklaus smiled, raising his hands to her hair, he caressed it;


    ''''because, you''re my soul mate¡­ ''''


    He wanted to explain everything to her at the right time; he would tell her everything, all his pains, struggles, and vengeances when he was ready.

 Chapter 92 - Wake up!

    Soul mate?


    What did he mean by that?


    Tiana didn''t understand a word of what he said but she did not ask for an explanation. All she wanted was to sleep and probably wake up the next morning and pretend like all these did not happen.


    ''''Don''t worry; I won''t do anything you wouldn''t want. '''' He continued and Tiana''s brows fluttered. If only he knew what she was thinking at that moment?


    She wished she hadn''t yielded to his kiss, at least she could sort out her emotions, but right now, her head was in a huge mess, she couldn''t even decipher if she loved him or not.


    ''''let''s go to bed now. '''' Nicklaus spoke, standing up and holding her hand. Tiana felt pins and needles on her feet as she stood up, realizing she had been squatting for so long.


    Nicklaus watched her lay on the bed before he lay down beside her and tucked them both into the quilt. His hand went around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Tiana held her breath until she was nestled in his arms like a little baby.


    His eyes were shut and there was a beautiful smile on his lips. Her eyes fluttered as she peered at his features.


    She wouldn''t deny that he was very good looking, but there was a difference between being attracted to someone and being in love with them.


    She pursed her lips; her eyes still gazing at him.


    Although she was not sure about her feelings for him, she couldn''t deny that he was irresistible.


    He was the hottest guy she had ever seen. His smile, eyes, laugh, body, lips, every goddam thing about him was smoking hot.


    She wouldn''t blame herself for giving in to the kiss. No woman could resist those s.e.xy lips of his.


    Just at that moment, as though Nicklaus felt her gaze on him, his eyes opened and they locked in hers.


    Tiana nearly fainted when she saw his eyes open, and without thinking she shut her own, her cheeks reddening.


    Nicklaus grinned when he saw her cute act, but he did not stop staring at her,


    Tiana waited a while and opened her eyes slowly to check if he had slept but they met his piercing gaze again, this time she shut it so fast that Nicklaus couldn''t help laughing.


    He pulled her close to him and pecked her forehead before he closed his eyes finally to sleep.


    ¡­


    Tiana woke up the next morning to the sun seeping in through the curtains. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand as her eyes and stretched her legs, she tried to turn around on the bed, but she felt an arm around her waist and her brows creased, the details of last night seeping back into her mind.


    A deep blush tainted her cheeks when she remembered she had kissed Nicklaus. Looking upwards, her eyes landed on his beautiful face. His eyes were still shut and his breath fanned her face faintly.


    Why was he still sleeping? She turned her head and glanced at the huge clock on the wall and her brows creased;


    It was past ten, and he was still sleeping?


    Her lips fell in shock.


    She raised her hand and waved it in front of his face and she realized he was really asleep.


    Nicklaus had never woken up this late before, was he sleeping this much because of the kiss?


    Tiana grinned as she mentally slapped herself for thinking so childishly.


    She pulled out of her thoughts as she watched his face. He looked peaceful as he slept.


    How could a man''s lashes be this long? His lips were literally s.e.xier than most women''s.


    Tiana gulped as she remembered how soft his lips felt in her mouth last night.


    Contrary to what she had expected, he was very gentle, kissing her lips softy, as though relishing the taste of them. She didn''t think he would be that gentle with her, but she was very grateful that he had stopped himself, because she knew if he had made any attempt to go on, she wouldn''t be able to resist him.


    She raised her hand to his face and traced his features with her hands,


    His brows, pointed nose, lips¡­


    Just when her fingers were about to touch his lips, she retracted her hands.


    If she felt his lips, she would get wild thoughts again, and she wasn''t sure if she would resist the urge to steal a kiss.


    Wait¡­ he is still sleeping!


    Tiana''s brows creased as she wondered; he complained of not being able to sleep properly but here he was dozing like a log of wood.


    It was already past ten, how long would he sleep for?


    Tiana nudged him lightly to wake him up but Nicklaus did not budge. She exerted more force, but he did not even flinch.


    Seeing that he would not wake up, she tried to release herself from his grasp but she realized that he was hugging her tightly and she could barely shift.


    Her lips fell open in shock;


    What the hell?


    If he would not wake up at least he should let her go!


    ''''Hey! Wake up! ''''


    She cried, shaking him harder, but Nicklaus wasn''t even moving, if not that his chest was rising and falling she would have thought he was dead.


    How long would he sleep for?


    Tiana bit her lower lip as she wondered how long she would remain in that position.


    Once Nicklaus closed his eyes, the previous night to sleep, he felt his body, mind and soul shut down. He slept so soundly that he didn''t even dream.


    He didn''t want to wake up; he didn''t want it to end.


    He hadn''t had so much rest in a long while.


    After a long while of sleep, his eyes fluttered open finally.


    At first he couldn''t see a thing, then his sight cleared and his gaze fell on a pair of eyes, staring daggers at him.


    He blinked twice and his brows creased;


    He remembered that she had slept by his side,


    Why was she on top of him?

 Chapter 93 - an Angel?

    Nicklaus blinked again, his eyes falling on her pale cleavage which was visibly exposed as she lay on him. He swallowed hard as he felt the warmth of her b.o.o.b.s seeping through her clothes and burning his chest. His Adam''s apple bobbled, and he gulped


    How did they get in that position? And why was she glaring at him, did he do anything wrong?


    ''''Good afternoon, so much for not being able to sleep! ''''


    Tiana glared at him and Nicklaus lips fell open, his eyes darted outside immediately;


    ''''Whoa! Did I sleep for so long? '''' He asked as he realized that the sun was almost in the middle of the sky.


    ''''I think that question should be, did you hug me for so long? ''''


    Tiana narrowed her brows at him and that was when Nicklaus realized that he had been hugging her all the while. Now he understood why she was lying on top of him.


    Quickly, he let her go and Tiana rolled over and fell limply on the spot beside him, breathing out heavily.


    She could barely feel her limbs.


    After trying countless of times to pull herself out of Nicklaus'' grip all to no avail, she gave up and stayed still, waiting for him to wake up. After about an hour of waiting, he stirred, Tiana thinking he had woken up, raised her head to look at him but she was shocked when instead of opening his eyes, Nicklaus turned around with her in his arms, cradling her on top of him.


    Her cheeks tainted red as she realized how intimate the position they were in was, if not that his brows weren''t fluttering, she would have thought he was doing it intentionally.


    She wanted to yell at him but when she saw how peaceful he was sleeping, she let him be. She only got frustrated when after thirty minutes later; he had not still woken up.


    God! Would he sleep forever?


    She wondered as she rested her head on his chest, listening to his pumping heart. When she felt him stir, she raised her head and realized that he had woken up.


    ''''Wow! I haven''t slept for so long in over a decade, I feel so refreshed! '''' Nicklaus exclaimed happily stretching his limbs and turning over to look at Tiana, lying on his side;


    ''''And that''s all thanks to you, beautiful. '''' He continued, raising her hand, he pecked the back of her palm, his gaze piercing as he rested his head on his elbow and watched at her, a beautiful smile on his lips. Tiana blinked,


    What was he saying?


    ''''You''re saying that hugging me like that makes you sleep? ''''


    Tiana asked unbelievably. How would hugging someone induce sleep?


    That was hilarious to even think about!


    ''''Tish, that''s what I thought, but it is true, which means you must be an angel? ''''


    He smirked, his lips slanting seductively which instantly brought back the memories of what happened the previous night to her.


    Tiana blinked and in the next second the jumped out of the bed.


    ''''Right! I''m going to shower now!''''


    She exclaimed as she ran into the bathroom, but not without him catching a good portion of her reddened face.


    ¡­


    ''''Oh my God¡­hmm¡­ ahh¡­ ''''


    Michelle screamed as the man above her pounded her harder, she raised her hand to her mouth to stifle her m.o.a.ns, her eyes rolling backwards, her other hand digging into his shoulders.


    ''''Sweetheart, if you keep shouting like that, we''ll get caught. '''' The man spoke, his thrusts not reducing one bit.


    ''''You''re going to kill me¡­ '''' Michelle m.o.a.ned as the man turned her around and drilled her from behind.


    ''''I bet your husband doesn''t f.u.c.k you this way. ''''


    ''''Don''t remind me of him when you''re inside me, will you? ''''


    Michelle spoke, her hands clutching around the quilt of the bed. The man grinned;


    ''''If only you had chosen me years ago¡­ ''''


    ''''Are we going to discuss this now? ''''


    She asked, her head turning around to look at the man behind her, in reply, the man thrust harder making her face look forward instantly and her hair falling over her face;


    ''''You''re still as sweet as when you were eighteen, I don''t think I can get enough of you, sweetheart. ''''


    ''''You should hurry, unless you want us to get caught. '''' Michelle spoke, her eyes glancing at the door.


    The man ran his hand through his head before he held her waists with both hands and took them over the edge.


    They slumped back on the bed as they breathed heavily.


    The man pulled her closer and pecked her face all over before kissing her b.o.o.b.s.


    ''''I wish we can stay like this forever. ''''


    He m.o.a.ned in her neck and Michelle sighed;


    ''''You know we can''t, we don''t want anyone looking for us, and this is the ancient home, getting caught here is highly unforgivable.''''


    She replied sadly;


    ''''After the party, let''s go to a villa, I have one at the outskirts of the city, we can meet there secretly whenever we want, okay? ''???


    She turned to glance at him, raising her hand to his face, she stroked it lightly.


    ''''You know I love you right? ''''


    He asked, taking her hand from his face, he kissed it.


    ''''I know you do, now get up and get dressed. ''''


    Michelle said and stood up from the bed, picking her clothes littered around on the floor, she began putting them on one after the other.


    The man lay on the bed, his hands behind his head as he watched her dress up;


    ''''How are you still looking so hot after so many years? ''''


    He asked, his eyes not leaving her body.


    Michelle smirked as she bent down to wear her panties, making sure to show him a good portion of her backside.


    ''''because I take good care of my body, handsome ''''


    The man on the bed groaned, blood surging downwards;


    ''''I hate that your husband gets to see this every day. ''''


    A visible frown appeared on his forehead and a glint of hate passed through his eyes.


    Michelle felt her throat tighten, but she did not reply to him.


    ''''Get up and get dressed and wait a while before you come out of the room. ''''


    She said, putting on her gown, she walked out of the room without glancing back at him.

 Chapter 94 - Familiar

    ''''Hmm, very interesting. ''''


    Catherine exclaimed as the man in front of her gave her the details.


    ''''Let me see the pictures you have. ''''


    Catherine spoke, stretching out her hand to the man, and he handed a file to her;


    She dipped her hand inside of it and took out a few pictures; they were pictures of Nicklaus and Tiana in the company property. Her brows narrowed when she saw the picture of the woman beside Nicklaus.


    ''''I think I''ve seen this woman before¡­ where have I seen this face¡­ '''' Catherine shut her eyes and thought trying to recall when she had seen her face. Suddenly, the door to the study opened and Liam walked in with a towel around his neck. He looked like he just finished a run, as he was sweating all over.


    His steps dilated when he saw that there was another person in the room.


    ''''Mom? ''''


    ''''Son, come over here, this face, have you seen it before? '''' Catherine spoke when she noticed Liam walk in; he strode over to where she was standing and peeked at the photo and he froze instantly;


    ''''I don''t know, but I feel I''ve seen this face somewhere¡­ '''' Catherine continued still staring at Tiana intently;


    Liam felt a painful tug on his throat as he stared at Tiana together with Nicklaus,


    ''''How did you get the picture? '''' He asked, avoiding his mother''s initial question.


    ''''I made someone capture them, Nicklaus is going out with this woman, and I wonder who she is¡­ have you seen her before?'''' She asked again, raising her eyes at her son.


    Liam waited a moment and then he shook his head;


    ''''No, I don''t. '''' He replied, forcing himself to appear cool.


    When did she start going out with him?


    He felt his heart squeeze so painfully;


    Since that day he had met her at the coffee shop, he had not gotten her out of his mind. Sometimes, he would intentionally drive past Howells Corporation to know if he would see her again, but his attempts had all been futile.


    To think she was seeing Nicklaus!


    Would he fight with him over a woman too?


    Liam wondered in his head but he did well to hide it.


    ''''Mom, I''ll be heading out for a while, won''t be back till late in the evening. '''' He said and began walking towards the door, not wanting to remain there for another second.


    ''''Alright, drive safely. ''''


    She spoke as she watched Liam walk through the door,


    ''''is he serious about the relationship? '''' She asked the man after Liam had left, her eyes scanning through the many photos.


    ''''I don''t know, but I think he has a soft spot for her. ''''


    ''''You know or you think? Investigate properly and report back to me, I don''t work with uncertainties. ''''


    ''''Yes Ma''am ''''


    The man replied, bowing a little before he left through the door.


    As the room returned to a still quietness, the woman on the couch smiled wickedly;


    It seems Nicklaus did not realize that his enemies were out to destroy everything he cared about. It would have been better he had never looked at her because once his affection for her is confirmed; she would forever be in danger because she would become his downfall.


    But Nicklaus barely talked to people, it might just be a mere assumption but then, she can''t let it slide without investigating.


    If the investigation turned positive, then her success might not be far from achieving after all.


    A wicked laugh left her lips, and she stretched her limbs happily.


    Her skin was still brilliant after so many years; if only his foolish father valued what he had!


    Well, it was too late now. He chose that stupid woman; I hope they enjoy the rest of their life in the grave!


    She fisted her hand angrily before laughing out like a maniac.


    Soon, they should expect their son too, it''s been so long; they must have missed him so much.


    ¡­


    ''''Oh my God, Ha ha '''' Tiana laughed as she watched the movie, she never knew a movie could make someone laugh so much. Her eyes were already teary from so much laughter.


    ''''The Trip to Greece, she didn''t even know how they went from looking over horror movies to selecting such a laughter filled movie, and she wasn''t regretting it one bit.


    Half way into the movie, she turned to look at Nicklaus and saw that he was resting on the seat and staring at the large screen, his lips stretched into a smile; it seemed she wasn''t the only one enjoying the movie.


    She thought as she turned back to the screen, dipping her hand into the bucket of popcorn that was already half empty.


    ''''Did you enjoy it? ''''


    Tiana asked as they stepped out of the theatre, her eyes wide as she waited for his reply.


    ''''Yeah, I think so. ''''


    Nicklaus replied as he scratched the back of his head;


    ''''Aish, can''t you just say I loved it, what is ''Yeah, I think so?'' '''' Tiana asked, mimicking his tone. ''''I literally caught you laughing a few times!'''' She continued, her lips forming a slight grimace.


    Nicklaus gaze turned to her and he smirked;


    ''''That means, you were watching me? ''''


    He leaned closer to her such that their lips were almost touching; Tiana''s eyes widened and she inched backwards instantly;


    ''''What?! How could I be watching you, I just noticed a few times when you laughed?! '''' She replied embarrassedly and Nicklaus laughed, his eyes forming crescents.


    ''''Ah, I only laughed a few times, and you caught them, that means you were watching me throughout. ''''


    He replied with a grin, making Tiana glare at him.


    ''''Fine, we''re not watching a movie together again! ''''


    She exclaimed and began walking forward,


    ''''Ha ha ha, wait Beautiful, I''m sorry. I was only joking, don''t take it to heart. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed as he walked after her, catching up to her steps; he put his hand around her arm, holding her to him.

 Chapter 95 - call me Daddy!

    ''''Let me go, now. '''' Tiana glared at him as he took hold of her arm, Nicklaus pouted.


    ''''You brought me here and now you want to leave me? Do you want me to get lost?''''


    Tiana''s lips fell open as her cheeks tainted a shade of red, embarrassed by his shamelessness.


    ''''Ha! How could you get lost? Are you a baby or something? ''''


    ''''Well '''' Nicklaus grinned, scratching the back of his head lightly; ''''I''m your baby¡­ ''''


    To think she wasn''t embarrassed enough, her lips fell open at his statement and her eyes widened in shock. Nicklaus was grinning from ear to ear making it harder for her to respond.


    M... my what?!


    Tiana''s face reddened so much that it looked like it would bleed. Her lips closed and opened again but she couldn''t even think of anything to say, turning her head forward, she began walking towards their car, not even saying a word, leaving Nicklaus laughing at her embarrassed expression.


    Nicklaus only let one guard stay with them at the ancestral home, and he drove them to places, so as they approached the car, he pulled the back seat door open for them to get in.


    It was thirty minutes past seven in the evening when they left the ArcLight Cinemas. When they arrived home, it was already past eight. Tiana was exhausted, so they just retired to bed without having dinner.


    The next day was Sunday; Nicklaus woke up before Tiana and watched her quietly until her eyes fluttered open;


    ''''Good morning¡­ ''''  Nicklaus greeted and she yawned, stretching her limbs, her eyes dilated as her gaze fell on Nicklaus;


    ''''Good morning, '''' Nicklaus greeted again.


    ''''Hmm, how was your night? '''' She asked cutely.


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''Can it be anything less than beautiful with you by my side?''''


    His hand went up to her face and brushed her hair to the back of her ear; Tiana smiled at his actions but just when she was about imagining things, her eyes widened,


    Was that what she was thinking?


    She instantly looked downwards and realized that one of her thighs was lying on his legs, and her eyes shot open so much that it looked like it would pop. In a flash she pulled her leg off him and jumped out of the bed, her face red.


    Did she stay like that all night?


    Nicklaus burst out laughing when he saw the embarrassment written all over her face;


    ''''What is chasing you, beautiful?'''' he asked, grinning from ear to ear. He was really enjoying this early morning show.


    ''''Why¡­ why did you let me sleep like that? ''''


    She asked, glaring, Nicklaus laugh amplified, thundering in the large room,


    ''''Beautiful, who said I was complaining? I''ll even love it if you sleep like that every night. ''''


    Tiana lips fell open as she watched him smirk.


    When did he become so shameless?


    She wondered, thinking of a way to get back at him;


    Suddenly a thought came to her mind and her face paled instantly;


    ''''Nicklaus¡­ ''''


    ''''What is it, Beautiful? ''''


    ''''There¡­ there is a spider behind you. ''''


    ''''Yahh!!! ''''


    In the next second, Nicklaus jumped out of the bed and dashed to where she was. Tiana was not expecting that reaction at all; she couldn''t even hold her laughter when she saw his red face.


    ''''Ha haha. '''' She laughed, pointing at his red face, tears almost falling from her eyes.


    ''''Where¡­ where is it?'''' One thing Nicklaus detested was creeping insects, and to think it was just behind him, he couldn''t help but feel shivers run down his spine, goose bumps washing his skin.


    Tiana didn''t know that he was scared of spiders; she just said that to make him irritated, she didn''t know she would get a more hilarious expression in return.


    ''''Ha ha, there was no spider, I was just kidding¡­ '''' She explained, as she continued laughing at him.


    Nicklaus lips fell, realizing that he had just been tricked. He blinked his eyes, watching her laugh so heartily.


    Suddenly, he started walking towards her;


    ''''Ha ha, Nicklaus, I was just joking, I''m sorry. ''''


    Tiana laughed as she ran away from him but before she could escape, Nicklaus grabbed her, his arm going around her waists, her eyes widened in shock as he lifted her up bridal style and took her to the bed.


    ''''Yah! What are you doing? ''''


    Before she could say another word, Nicklaus had dropped her on the bed, his both hands going to her sides and he began tickling her.


    ''''Ah! Haha haha haha! ''Oh God, I''m sorry! Nicklaus haha! ''''


    Tiana sides where very sensitive to touch, so as he tickled her, she laughed like a maniac, squirming around on the bed, trying to escape but the laughter made her weak.


    ''''Do you want me to stop? '''' Nicklaus asked, as he reduced the tickle but he did not stop it entirely.


    ''''yes, yes! '''' Tiana breathed as she was given a little relief.


    ''''Will you do whatever I say? '''' Nicklaus asked and her eyes widened,


    ''''What?! No! ''''Her mind imagined dirty things and without thinking twice, she refused, but before she could say another word, Nicklaus increased his speed again and no one needed to tell her to agree to his terms,


    ''''Yes! Yes! I''ll do whatever you say! ''''


    Nicklaus smirked as he watched her;


    ''''Really? ''''


    ''''Yes! '''' Even if he told her to do anything dirty, she would accept, but once he lets her go, she would run as fast as she could; thinking that, she agreed to him.


    ''''Call me Daddy. ''''


    ''''What, No! '''' Tiana''s eyes widened in the middle of her laugh, Nicklaus had decreased his speed, so she could think, but that only lasted two seconds cause as soon as she declined, he tickled her harder.


    ''''Daddy! Daddy!! ''''


    She exclaimed in between her laugh, if he continued, she was going to pass out.


    ''''Good girl '''' Nicklaus grinned, finally letting her go, but still hovering over her, his both hands supporting him up from the bed as he stared at her wasted state, a smirk on his lips.


    Tiana panted heavily as she found her breath.


    She could not even move a muscle as her limbs were weak from so much laughter. When she got a little strength, she shot her eyes at him, shooting daggers straight into his, Nicklaus smirked victoriously, but what happened next caught him off guard.

 Chapter 96 - So feisty!

    Tiana wrapped her hands around his neck, and pulled him towards her, biting him on the shoulders, her teeth digging into his skin.


    ''''Ah, Ah, Beautiful, I didn''t know you were so feisty! Ah, wait, wait, I''m sorry, ah! ''''


    Nicklaus pleaded, his whole face turning red and the smirk on his face nowhere to be found.


    Tiana held his skin in her mouth for a moment before she released him, sending him scampering backwards.


    ''''Aish, beautiful! Your teeth are so sharp!'''' Nicklaus exclaimed, his face scrunched up in pain as he stared at Tiana, who was now sitting with a wide grin on her lips.


    ''''I never lose, ''Daddy''! '''' She laughed victoriously. Nicklaus stared at her; he wasn''t even a bit angry. Contrary to what he had told her, the bite was rather pleasing, in fact, it tickled him, but he wanted her to feel victorious.


    He was so happy that her lips had touched another part of his body, right now; his shoulders had become his most favorite part of his body.


    Scrunching up his face as though in pain, he walked to the large golden mirror by the window side to examine the bite; Tiana watched him for a few seconds and she felt that she might have taken it a bit far. Quickly, she stood up from the bed and scampered over to where he stood;


    ''''Does it hurt? '''' her voice was sober as she stood beside him peeking at his chest,


    ''''yeah, it hurts. '''' Nicklaus feigned a sad frown and Tiana couldn''t help but feel guilty.


    ''''I''m sorry, let me see. '''' His heart fluttered but he forced himself to keep up with the act, shifting a little, he let he stand in front of him, such that she was standing in between him and the glass windows.


    Tiana was busy scrutinizing the bite that she didn''t even notice how intimate their position were.


    The spot was a little red and just a few bite marks could be seen, but it didn''t look like what would cause so much pain. Tiana raised her eyes at him, but when she saw that he was still feigning to be in pain, she sighed;


    ''''I''m sorry, ''''


    She apologized but Nicklaus face was still squeezed. Watching him, she hesitated a little before raising her hand to rub him on the bite spot.


    ''''Does it still hurt now? ''''


    Okay, that was the last straw, he couldn''t pretend anymore. The second her fingers rubbed his skin and her puppy eyes stared at him, his cheeks reddened and he shook his head.


    ''''Not anymore '''' He replied with a grin and Tiana felt her lips slant with a smile.


    Why did she like that he was being too cute for her?


    Coughing a little she stepped out from in between him and the mirror and walked towards the bathroom.


    ''''I''ll shower first. ''''


    ¡­


    Tiana sat on a couch near the glass wall as she watched the workers load the wine cartons into the van. Their function was the easiest, after this, they won''t even bother about any other thing. And she didn''t even get to raise a finger; Nicklaus practically did all the work.


    She raised her wine glass to her lips as she watched them from the wide glass wall. After a few minutes, her eyes shifted from the workers to Nicklaus, who was standing in a shade.


    His expression was mild, not frosted, but not smiling either. Now she thought about it, these days he had been with her, he rarely got mad like he used to.


    He was really changing¡­


    She felt a tug on her heart as she gazed at him, admiring his handsomeness,


    As she stared at him, her mind started imagining strange things;


    What if he asked her out?


    She swallowed hard as she thought about it, her heart beat increasing;


    She wasn''t sure if she was in love with him now, but gracious god, if he asked her out, she won''t even think twice. He was visibly too handsome to resist. Maybe she would force herself to tell him the normal;


    ''Uhm, let me think about it'' but the next day she would fly into his arms, it didn''t matter if she loved him or not, he pampered her now and he was very sweet, she would eventually grow to love him.


    A smile washed her cheeks as she thought of the couple tees they would wear and the couple dates they would go to and ¡­


    Tiana''s cheeks tainted red as her mind drifted over to dirty thoughts, and that instant Nicklaus turned to look at her.


    Her eyes widened as Nicklaus piercing gaze met hers, and as though struck by electricity, she looked away from him, butterflies squirming in her tummy when she remembered the dirty little things she was thinking about.


    ¡­


    ''''Let''s get grandpa some birthday gifts? ''''


    After the van had driven away, Nicklaus waved at her to come out and she stepped out.


    ''''Isn''t he too old for that? ''''


    Nicklaus asked as they walked to their car;


    Tiana turned to him, a shocked expression on her face.


    ''''Huh? No one is too old for birthday gifts. So you''re saying that your parents don''t give you any now? ''''


    She asked absentmindedly, not thinking. At that instant, Nicklaus froze at a spot, his feet refusing to move. Tiana laughed as she walked a few steps only to notice that he was not walking with her anymore.


    Her brows creased and she turned around, and her lips fell when she saw his expression. He looked like he had just been brought out of a freezer; his face was so pale that Tiana thought he was reacting to an allergy. She was scared at first, but she summoned courage and spoke;


    ''''Nicklaus¡­ what¡­what happened? ''''


    Tiana didn''t know of his past, she only knew that his father was dead because Michelle had mentioned it, but with his expression like that, she realized that they were both dead and she had touched on a sensitive subject. She really didn''t intend to, she didn''t even remember that his father was dead, if she did, she wouldn''t have said that.


    Tiana gulped, her eyes falling to her toes;


    ''''I''m very sorry, I didn''t know that¡­ ''''


    ''''What? '''' Nicklaus asked with a slight chuckle, Tiana looked up at him with creased brows only to realize that his expression was back to normal.

 Chapter 97 - Very thoughtful

    ''''Why are you apologizing, did you go anything wrong? '''' Nicklaus asked, his lips widening into a smile before striding to her and taking her hand, walking her to the car. Tiana was surprised, his expression flipped so fast that she even doubted what she had seen a minute ago.


    Nicklaus held the car door open for her to get in before walking over to the driver''s seat, today he was driving; he didn''t come with the guard, so it was just the two of them.


    Tiana sat down and watched him quietly; the frosty expression she had seen earlier had thoroughly disappeared, he was even smiling a little.


    She swallowed; she was sure he was just pretending, because she knew what she saw earlier. Maybe he wasn''t ready to talk about it, so she wouldn''t ask him.


    ''''Are you hungry? Let''s grab something to eat first before we get the gifts okay? ''''


    Nicklaus said and Tiana nodded. During the meal, they talked about what to get for grandpa, Tiana suggested Ugg Slippers and a cozy robe. The slippers were made to be very soft and cozy and would keep the feet warm no matter the weather. The robe was comfortable too and made with one hundred percent cotton, Tiana was sure that Grandpa would love it.


    Nicklaus suggested they get him a cell phone screen magnifier, for his smart phone and a chess set. All the ideas were good, but at last they settled for the slippers and robe and the cell phone magnifier. After lunch, Nicklaus drove to the Hollywood and Highland shopping mall.


    ''''Wow! '''' Tiana exclaimed as she stepped out of the car. The place was exquisite. She hadn''t been there before, and if not that she was with Nicklaus, she wasn''t sure she would ever go there.


    ''''Let''s go. '''' Nicklaus spoke, as he held her hand.


    Tiana looked around but made sure not to appear dumb as she did so. I mean, she was pretty, and she was standing beside Nicklaus, who could practically buy this place, she shouldn''t disgrace him. They walked into the large mall which had different sections, seeing an attendant, Nicklaus told him what they came for and he directed them to where to get them.


    After getting the items, Tiana told them they were birthday gifts and they should wrap them separately, and they did so. Nicklaus paid for the items and Tiana held the bag containing the slippers while Nicklaus carried the other bags.


    They put the items in the back seat and left the mall. Tiana closed her eyes briefly, knowing that it would be a long ride back home, but in the next ten minutes, the car came to a halt.


    Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked ahead, wondering why they had arrived so fast.


    ''Shoe Palace?''


    She read the inscription in red on the high glass building and her brows creased, she turned to Nicklaus, a little confused;


    ''''You want to get shoes for him too? '''' She asked, wonderingly but Nicklaus shook his head.


    ''''You complained that your shoes hurt, so I thought we might get some before we go back home. ''''


    Tiana froze for a second when she heard him. How could he remember that?


    She had said it in passing; she never thought he would keep it in mind.


    Her heart melted at his words, and she smiled;


    ''''You didn''t'' have to, we''re going back home soon¡­'''' Before she could complete her sentence, Nicklaus had stepped out of the car and walked to the other side, holding the car door open for her.


    Tiana''s heart couldn''t help but flutter, no man had ever treated her like that. Adrian was loving but he wasn''t as thoughtful, he didn''t pay attention to small details like this. This was the first time someone had paid attention to every word that came out of her lips and she couldn''t help but feel grateful.


    ''''Thank you '''' she whispered as she stepped out of the car, raising her puppy eyes cutely to him. Nicklaus smiled and coughed lightly, he liked her facial expression right now; but he would tease her a little.


    ''''Who said I''m paying for them? ''''


    The smile stretching her lips dwindled drastically, and Tiana''s lips fell.


    ''''Wait, what? ''''


    Her eyes widened at his statement. No, no, she had a lot of plans for her money, she needed to send her sister to school and pay for her apartment, and feeding and save a lot too. She had a lot of shoes back home, how would he make her spend her money on new ones!


    Tiana''s eyes widened, and she opened her lips to speak but before she could say a word, Nicklaus held her hand and started walking into the building.


    She bit on her lower lip and followed him, buying one or two pair of shoes wasn''t that bad was it?


    Tiana consoled herself and followed him quietly.


    Nicklaus was VIP, so when he approached an attendant and spoke to him, he took them to a room, which was exquisitely decorated;


    Tiana sat beside Nicklaus as they waited for someone to attend to them.


    After a few minutes, five attendants walked into the room with bags of shoe boxes in both hands;


    They greeted them accordingly and one of them started explaining the shoes.


    ''''This is Air Jordan 1 Mid Women''s lifestyle shoe; it comes in different colors, of white, black and pink. And this is Nike AF1; and this is¡­ '''' The man, who had a little gap teeth rambled on.


    Tiana thought they had come to buy professional shoes; she never thought it would be something casual.


    Does it mean that he was letting her wear sneakers to work?


    Tiana felt a warm tug on her chest. Sneakers was more comfortable than wearing heels, and he knew that; so thoughtful! Tiana blushed as she watched him.


    He was slowly paving his way into her heart.


    ''''What''s your shoe size?'''' Nicklaus turned to her, making her blink out of her thoughts and she replied;


    ''''Size 7''''


    Nicklaus smirked when he heard her answer; ''''hmm, so tiny. ''''


    He whispered and turned to the attendants and continued speaking to them.


    Tiana pouted her lips when she heard what he said;


    Her feet were small, but they were very pretty; so she wasn''t even bothered.


    ''''These are the shoes of that size. ''''


    The man, who spoke earlier, brought over fifteen boxes and placed them in front of them.


    Tiana looked over them; she would just take the ones she liked;


    ''''select the ones you like. '''' Nicklaus spoke tenderly and Tiana sat up on the couch, taking the boxes and looking at them, one after the other.


    She undid her sandals and tried the shoes one after the other. After looking through them, she selected ten and put aside the rest.


    Just when she turned to pick just two out of the bunch, Nicklaus voice rang in the room.


    ''''Package them all. ''''

 Chapter 98 - Dont even dare

    Tiana''s head turned to him and her eyes widened,


    Package all what?


    Was he being serious right now, Nicklaus wasn''t even looking at her, he watched them put all the shoes into a large bag and he took out his credit card and gave it to one of the attendants.


    ''''Thank you for your purchase sir, have a nice day. '''' The attendant greeted as put the bag of shoes in the trunk of the car. Tiana didn''t speak until the attendant had gone, then Nicklaus turned to her with a grin,


    ''''Why are you glaring, beautiful? '''' Nicklaus asked, leaning closer to her face. Tiana didn''t move she just continued watching him, then suddenly she raised her hand and pinched his cheek. Nicklaus drew backwards immediately and burst into laughter;


    ''''Ha ha beautiful; such strength! '''' He laughed as Tiana glared at him, not even speaking. She opened the car door and sat in, feigning annoyance, when in reality, she was happy.


    ''''You know, you''re so cute when you''re angry; I need to take a picture of your face right now.''''


    Nicklaus spoke as he sat down in the car, dipping his hand into his pocket, he took out his phone;''''


    ''''don''t you even dare! '''' Tiana''s frown turned into a light chuckle as she tried to take the phone from him, when she couldn''t get the phone, she slumped back on her seat.


    ''''Thanks. For the shoes. '''' She said, staring at her hands.


    Nicklaus watched her for a second, a sweet smile stretching his lips, then as though he thought of something, he leaned closer to her, and in the next second, he took a picture of both of them, and it was at the same time Tiana looked up, making their eyes look towards the camera.


    ''''Yah! '''' Tiana yelled when she realized what Nicklaus had done.


    Nicklaus grinned as he stared at the picture; ''''So beautiful. '''' He commented as he gazed at the picture, piquing Tiana''s interest.


    ''''Let me see. '''' Tiana leaned closer to see the picture, but Nicklaus smirked, raising his hand up;


    ''''No. '''' He laughed at her expression, and then put his phone into his pocket, starting the ignition.


    ¡­


    ''''Happy birthday grandpa! ''''


    The family exclaimed as Diana held grandpa''s hand as they walked into the parlor. There was a visible smile on his face as he laughed heartily.


    This was his best birthday celebration because all the members of his family were home. His eyes scanned through the faces, and his joy knew no bounds.


    ''''Wow, when did this place get decorated, I''m sure I didn''t see this last night? ''''


    Grandpa asked; when he realized the changes in the interior design of the house.


    ''''It was a surprise. '''' Diana said, a smile on her face. It was his seventieth birthday; each year they get to see him smile brightly was a blessing to them. Grandma was sixty six, but she didn''t even look that, given the kind of treatment her body underwent. She looked more like a forty five year old woman.


    ''''Happy birthday darling '''' Grandma walked to him with a beautiful, kissing him on the lips, and hugging him closely,


    ''''Awnn '''' Diana exclaimed by the side, and the others laughed;


    ''''This is for you. '''' She said, handing him a package.


    ''''Wow, darling, thank you, I''ll open this later. ''''


    He said, walking to a couch and sitting down.


    ''''Grandpa, happy birthday '''' Michelle and Douglas presented their gifts, the package was very large, Tiana wondered what was inside. The next was Elizabeth and Charles her husband, and then the children.


    ''''Happy birthday Grandpa '''' Tiana smiled as she leaned, giving him a warm hug. She took the gifts they had bought earlier and gave it to him.


    ''''Thank you, thank you all of you, I''m so touched; I don''t think I''ll die anytime soon. '''' He exclaimed with a wonderful smile and everyone laughed;


    ''''I''m so happy I have such a wonderful family, Diana, carry all these to my room; I want to open them when I''m alone, for my eyes only. ''''


    He spoke and everyone burst out laughing.


    After breakfast that morning, everyone went to their rooms to prepare for the party.


    ''''Is Alex coming? '''' Diana asked Mia as she looked at herself in the mirror, she sighed when she heard her question,


    ''''Yeah, I don''t even know how to tell him not to, I''m so scared that Nicklaus will see us both together. ''''


    Diana chuckled mockingly at her reply;


    ''''What do you mean? He wouldn''t even notice you. '''' Mia''s face paled when she heard her reply; she turned to her with a ferocious glare;


    ''''Why don''t you ever say something nice? ''''


    She asked angrily; and Diana laughed. ''''Because I''m realistic maybe?''''


    Mia rolled her eyes; ''''that woman looks nice though, I would have liked her if she wasn''t seeing Nicklaus, too bad. ''''


    ''''Tiana? ''''


    Diana asked as she applied her touched her makeup on the vanity.


    ''''yeah, she''s pretty, but I hate her. ''''


    Mia thinned her lips and then pouted them as she spoke; checking whether there were any lines on them, she felt satisfied when she saw none. She was wearing a limited edition Beyonc¨¦''s secret red lipstick; she would be disappointed if there were any lines.


    ''''Oh God, can we just enjoy today without being hateful, it''s grandpa''s birthday for crying out loud!''''


    Diana exclaimed her eyes widening, standing up from the couch, she walked towards Mia by the mirror.


    ''''If you don''t want Alex again, you can put in a word for me, I like him. ''''


    She whispered in her ear. She was only joking but she wanted to see Mia''s reaction. Mia turned to her with a ferocious glare;


    ''''You! Don''t even think about it! ''''


    She scolded angrily and Diana burst out laughing;


    '''' You see yourself, you don''t want him to be with another woman and yet you have eyes for another man, you are very silly!''''


    Mia rolled her eyes at her;


    ''''Whatever, I like Alex too, so I won''t let you have him. ''''


    ''''Tsk, you''re so selfish! I''m going downstairs. ''''


    ¡­

 Chapter 99 - Who is there?

    Tiana dressed up in the bathroom again, but this time she was in trouble. The gown she had chosen to wear to the birthday, a knee length blue body fitting gown, had straps that should be tied behind and she needed Nicklaus help.


    She had been standing in the bathroom for minutes now, wondering how she would step out and ask for his help. Summoning up courage, she pulled the door handle and stepped out.


    Nicklaus, who was standing in front of the mirror, doing his cufflinks, turned to her; he wanted to speak but when he saw how she was holding her gown with her both hand on her chest his words stopped on his tongue.


    ''''Hey¡­ ''''


    She called with a forced smile; Nicklaus blinked;


    ''''Hey¡­'''' He replied, watching her confusedly;


    ''''Uhm, can you please help me with these straps, I can''t reach them with my hands'''' She spoke with a smile, and Nicklaus nodded;


    ''''Okay; '''' He walked over to where she was standing, and Tiana turned around, holding her hair with one hand, she pushed it to the side, making Nicklaus see her back properly;


    Nicklaus throat clenched as his eyes fell on her pale back, he hesitated a little before taking the straps and doing it for her, as he tied it, his fingers brushed against her skin and Tiana shook lightly, her eyes shutting reflexively.


    ''''Done. '''' Nicklaus spoke when he was through and she turned around.


    ''''Thank you ''''


    Nicklaus eyes fell on her dress and he smiled; ''''you are very beautiful, beautiful. ''''


    Okay, that was supposed to be a comment on her dress, but why was she feeling he meant something else?


    Tiana cleared her throat as she felt her face burn at his words;


    ''''Thank you, and you look amazing too. '''' She commented. He was putting on a royal blue shirt with flames design on the chest front, and matching black pants which highlighted his handsome features.


    He looked literally good in everything he wore.


    Tiana thought as she admired his outfit with a small pout. After a moment, her eyes raised up only to catch Nicklaus gazing at her with desire in his eyes.


    Tiana gulped; instantly she turned around and started walking towards the vanity;


    ''''I''ll pack my hair now; you can go downstairs. ''''


    She said, sitting on the chair and gazing at her flushed cheeks on the mirror.


    ''''I can wait for you, let''s go down together. ''''


    ''''No, I''ll take a lot of time, and you''ll need to meet the guests, you should head downstairs. ''''


    Tiana cut in quickly and Nicklaus head sunk;


    ''''Okay, ''''


    Remembering that the relationship was still a pretense and she might not want to be introduced as something she was not, Nicklaus let her be.


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief when he left the room. Their relationship was complicated already; she didn''t want him to have to say something wrong when she wasn''t ready and when they hadn''t defined their relationship yet.


    After combing her hair, she applied a little makeup and put on her heels, she didn''t like them but she didn''t have a choice, this was an important occasion.


    Tiana walked down the steps slowly, her thoughts wandering.


    What if grandpa wanted to introduce her to his guests, what would she do?


    Tiana thought as she approached the first floor, she could already hear the soft music in the background, as she neared the scene, she could see the exquisitely dressed people in the parlor, some were outside drinking and chatting with one another, she did not see grandpa but she knew he must be somewhere.


    Just when she came down, her eyes fell on Nicklaus, and her feet stopped moving, he was speaking with an elderly couple, and they were smiling at him, although he wasn''t smiling, his face wasn''t frosty.


    She forced her eyes away and turned to walk the other way, when she heard a voice call her;


    '''' Tiana? ''''


    Her legs stopped moving and her eyes widened,


    Grandma?


    Tiana''s heart slammed against her chest and she turned around slowly, forcing a smile to her cheeks.


    ''''Grandma, I didn''t see you just now. '''' Tiana smiled and walked to her,


    ''''Where is grandpa? I can''t find him anywhere. '''' Tiana asked, trying to make Grandma forget that she was supposed to be with Nicklaus at that moment.


    ''''oh, grandpa is outside, he''s greeting his friends, he''ll come in soon. Tiana, I was looking for a waiter, but since I''ve seen you, can you go up to the fourth floor, there are special bottles of wine in the first room by the right, can you get one for me? ''''


    Tiana''s joy knew no bounds;


    ''''Right away grandma! ''''


    Now she had a reason not to be there in the party, turning around, she immediately walked upstairs.


    Grandma watched her climb up the stairs and her lips straightened, as she remembered what Grandpa had told her the night before.


    She really wanted to believe that they were both in a real relationship, but she was really disappointed when Grandpa told her that Nicklaus had forced her to be his mistress and she shouldn''t be the first to introduce her to the guests, she should let Nicklaus do it first, if he really wanted something with her, but when she saw Nicklaus alone earlier, her fears were confirmed.


    They really looked good together; it was a pity that everything was a pretense, but then, she wanted to see how far Nicklaus would take it.


    Tiana walked up the stairs excitedly; she had never been this happy going an errand before.


    When she reached the fourth floor, she walked to her right and entered the first room, her brows creased when she realized it was a completely furnished room and there was no dust on any furniture, as though someone had just used it recently.


    The rest of the family stayed on the third floor downwards, who was staying up there?


    Tiana wondered as she stepped into the room. She looked around but she did not see any wine,


    Walking to a connected room, she stepped in, and heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the bottles of wine.


    She wondered why Grandma had to keep the wine so hidden; raising a bottle up, her lips fell when she realized it was over a 100 year old.


    She awed as she gazed at the bottle, turning around, her hand reached for the door knob but her hand stopped just when she reached it,


    Who is there?

 Chapter 100 - Dirty little secret.

    ''''Mmm mmm, ha ha; easy baby, I''m not going anywhere!''''


    ''''How do I take it easy when you''re leaving today? ''''


    The man m.o.a.ned against Michelle''s lips as he kissed her to the bed.


    ''''ha ha, you''re so petty! Alright, hurry before someone comes in, did you lock the door? ''''


    She asked and he nodded quickly as he riled her gown upwards.


    ¡­


    Tiana froze, her bodily hairs standing erect when she saw the scene unfold before her. Slowly, she shut back the door and panted heavily, her eyes still wide open, realizing that she couldn''t unsee what she had just seen.


    She recognized the two people; the woman was Michelle, undoubtedly; but the man with her, Tiana''s hand flew to her lips when she realized that the family wasn''t as simple as they appeared.


    How could Michelle be having an affair with her brother in-law?


    How could she sleep with Elizabeth''s husband and still have the guts to see her every day?


    How¡­ how could he cheat on his wife with her brother''s wife?!


    Tiana held her head as she felt a piercing headache seeping in,


    What kind of family is this?


    She wondered as she remembered all the family dinners and sit-together, although she knew their smiles were pretentious, she never thought something like that could be going on.


    God! You won''t even suspect a thing!


    Michelle barely spoke to Charles, and she had never seen Charles alone with her. Wow, such top-tier concealment!


    He was always sweet to Elizabeth and he barely spoke, how would she have known that she would hear him speak so much in a matter of seconds?!


    And Michelle, could she get any lower?


    To think they were even doing that in the ancient home, all atom of morality flown out of the windows!


    Tiana stood against the wall as she thought, suddenly a thought entered her mind, and she turned to the door again. Dropping the wine bottle quietly, she turned on her camera, making sure to remove the flash and put it on silent; raisin her hand to the door, she opened it quietly.


    Tiana stuck out her head and took a look, seeing that they were still engrossed in their love-making, she took a few shots with her phone and closed the door quietly. She waited a moment and when she did not hear any footsteps approaching, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    This was clearly not any of her business and she shouldn''t get involved, but it was a trump card against Michelle, that woman was a very sly person, she wasn''t sure of what she would want to do in the future, so having these pictures, she would be able to control her without even raising a finger.


    Tiana smiled as she imagined the look on that her proud face when she tabled her secret.


    Tiana waited a few more minutes before the duo completed their mission and left; she put her ear against the door and when she didn''t hear any sound, she opened the door a little and after she confirmed that they had really left, she stepped out of the other room.


    She waited a while, before she finally left the room and walked back downstairs.


    ''''Tiana, where have you been, I''ve been waiting, didn''t you see the wine? ''''


    Grandma asked, her brows creased, seeing that she had taken a lot of time.


    ''''I''m sorry, '''' Tiana said, handing her the wine, ''''I forgot the floor, so I had to look a while, before I got the correct floor. ''''


    Grandma inspected the drink and when she saw that it was the right one, she smiled;


    ''''Okay dear, Nicklaus is outside if you are looking for him. ''''


    Grandma pointed out with a sweet smile on her slightly wrinkled face;


    ''''Oh, okay,'''' Tiana replied, looking outside briefly. '''' I want to use the restroom first; I''ll be out in a minute. ''''


    Tiana, who didn''t know that Grandma knew of their pretense tried to find a reason to hide away, and turned to go back up but grandma, stopped her;


    ''''You don''t need to go all the way back; there are restrooms on the first floor. '''' Grandma replied sincerely. Although she knew she was trying to run away, she didn''t want her to have to trek back up just to ease herself, when she could equally do it downstairs.


    ''''Oh, ha ha, I forgot. '''' Tiana smiled and turned around, walking towards the restroom.


    But just when she walked into the long passage of the restroom, a hand held her arm and turned her around;


    Tiana''s brows creased in shock when she noticed who he was;


    ''''Richard? ''''


    ''''You and I both know you don''t want to ease yourself? '''' he asked with a slight smirk and Tiana''s eyes blinked;


    ''''What are you doing here? ''''


    She asked, tactfully avoiding the question.


    Richard laughed happily, as though he had won a Grammy, his hand coursing through his hair;


    ''''I knew it! I knew it was all fake! ''''


    ''''What the hell are you talking about, Richard? ''''


    Tiana asked, getting slightly irritated; when Richard saw that she was not finding his joke funny, he stopped laughing.


    ''''You look amazing, by the way. '''' he spoke commenting on her dress.


    Earlier, he had watched her and grandma speak and he saw her uneasiness, his fears were confirmed.


    If they were really in a relationship, she should have been with him at that moment, but there she was trying to run away.


    Tiana rolled her eyes at him, and then turned around to continue to the toilet.


    ''''Well, I think you should know that everyone knows about you guys already, we''re just enjoying the show. '''' Tiana''s steps faltered and in the next second she turned around;


    ''''Earlier, I thought we could be friends, but now I see, you are¡­ ''''


    She wanted to say ¡­no different from your mom,'''' but she stopped herself just in time. Thinning her lips tightly, she continued; ''''I''ll like it if you mind your business, this is our last day here, '', sure you don''t want to end it getting on people''s bad sides. ''''


    With that she turned around and entered the restroom.


    The apple really doesn''t fall too far from the tree. Michelle stuck her nose into other people''s businesses and so does her son. What a bad trait to inherit!

 Chapter 101 - Stuffy right?

    Tiana stepped out of the toilet after she finished washing her hands, her eyes gazed at the pictures she had taken earlier and a grin appeared on her cheeks, locking the screen, she raised her eyes up and her feet came to a halt when she saw who was in front of her, her smile faded quickly,


    ''''Tiana, I''m sorry for earlier, i didn''t intend to get you annoyed, I was just trying to start up a conversation. ''''


    Richard realized that Tiana wasn''t at all thrilled by his previous statement, so he stayed back to apologize.


    Tiana wasn''t even in the mood to keep grudges; she had a birthday party to avoid.


    ''''That''s okay. I''ll be heading out. '''' She said and started walking forward;


    ''''We could go away if you want to hide. '''' Richard said, raising his brows.


    This was the perfect moment for him to be alone with her without Nicklaus interrupting, his heart raced as he waited for her answer.


    Tiana shook her head politely; ''''Thanks but I don''t want to ''hide'', thanks for the offer though. '''' With that she turned around and walked out, leaving Richard sunken in the passage.


    She knew he was just suspecting that she and Nicklaus were faking their relationship, and she was very careful not to say anything incriminating. If she agreed to his request, it would mean that she was saying that there really wasn''t a relationship between them, and not now that Nicklaus was getting better. What would he do if he found out that she went out with him alone?


    Although he was kind to her now, she didn''t know how his temper would be if he found out, and after warning her about him? Heaving a sigh, Tiana took silent steps out of the restroom. Stealthily, she walked to the backyard, where there was a small garden and sat on a bench, watching the sprinklers, water the garden beautifully.


    ''''Hi ''''


    Tiana nearly fainted when she raised her head and saw Diana sitting in front of her. Her lashes blinked as she wondered the many things that she must be thinking about her and Nicklaus, after seeing her sitting there dejectedly.


    ''''Oh... hi! Diana, I didn''t see you just now. ''''


    Tiana greeted with a sweet smile. Diana was sitting a few feet away from her and there were flowers around her, unless you look closely, you won''t be able to see her. She was eating an ice cream and Tiana wondered why she was not inside.


    ''''It was stuffy right? ''''


    Diana asked out of nowhere, making Tiana''s brows crease.


    ''''I mean, inside, it was too stuffy, and you came out to breathe, right? Me too ''''


    Diana asked, taking a spoonful from her cup, Tiana sighed in relief.


    She had just saved her the stress of thinking about a lie to tell.


    ''''Yeah, so stuffy, so many people in there ''''


    Tiana replied with a smile; realizing where she was sitting was a bit exposed and anybody passing by could see her, she smiled at Diana.


    ''''Care if I join you? ''''


    She asked; and Diana nodded; ''''Sure. '''' She said tapping on the spot beside her.


    Tiana stood up and walked towards her, sitting down beside her, there was enough space for two on the bench.


    ''''You know, fifty percent of everyone there are fake, they are all trying to curry favors, but you know that''s life? No-one has all true friends, and even though they are fake, sometimes, that''s what keeps you going. ''''


    Diana spoke, taking another spoonful of her ice cream.


    Okay, why was she sounding so sad?


    Tiana didn''t know why, but she felt like Diana had a hidden meaning behind her words.


    ''''I know if I''m in there, grandfather will try to make me get acquainted to one of their sons, and I''m not ready for that. So I''m here hiding. ''''


    Tiana''s lips thinned and she turned to look at her;


    Although she was just eating ice cream, her face looked really sad; her eyes were clouded with many thoughts which she wasn''t saying.


    Tiana knew better than to interrupt her, she just listened to her speak.


    ''''You, why are you here? ''''


    She turned to Tiana and asked, Tiana''s eyes widened at her question but she did not respond.


    ''''It''s okay, you don''t need to tell me, it''s obvious anyway. Tsk, life is so unfair sometimes. ''''


    She smiled at Tiana and just when Tiana was about to respond, some hurried footsteps into the garden interrupted them.


    ''''I''ve told you, I don''t like him! Where are you getting all those thoughts from? ''''


    Mia screamed; her face red as Alex held her hand, leading her into the garden, when they got to a safe spot, he let her go, facing her.


    "Mia, you don''t have to lie about it, I clearly saw how you looked at him and you always tried avoiding me when he was around. You can''t keep lying to me Mia; do you think I''m a fool? ''''


    Alex blared angrily,


    Mia was taken aback for a second then instantly, she replied;


    ''''Alex, I love you and you know it. Why are you getting those strange assumptions from?'''' Mia asked, tears clouding her gaze, she reached out to touch Alex but he backed away;


    ''''don''t touch me if you''ll keep lying like that Mia! Let me see your phone? ''''


    Alex asked and Mia''s face paled.


    ''''Why¡­ why do you need to see my phone? ''''


    ''''you shouldn''t be asking that question of you have nothing to hide, let me see your phone or I''m going to walk out believing all my assumptions. ''''


    Alex asked, but from his tone it was obvious that he wanted her to prove him wrong.


    Mia''s hands trembled lightly and she bit on her lower lip;


    ''''I''m sorry Alex; I really love you, I¡­ ''''


    ''''That''s not what I asked you Mia! Let me see you goddam phone, what''s so hard? ''''


    There was sadness in his eyes and Mia felt pain lounge at her heart; she trembled and tears fell from her eyes;


    ''''I¡­ ''''


    ''''Don''t, don''t say it Mia. I don''t want to hear it. ''''


    Alex bit his lower lip till he could feel a metallic taste on his tongue. After a moment, he looked towards the sky and laughed;


    ''''You know I really loved you right? ''''


    ''''Alex, please¡­ ''''


    Before she could complete her sentence, Alex turned and walked out.


    ''''Alex¡­ Alex, I''m sorry. Wait¡­ please. ''''


    She cried and ran after him.


    Diana chuckled sadly;


    ''''You see why life is so unfair right? ''''

 Chapter 102 - Ill Wait

    Tiana''s eyes blinked at Diana. From what she saw in front of her, Mia was seeing that man but she liked another.


    ''''don''t mind me, okay! I tend to talk a lot sometimes, ha ha. ''''


    Diana smiled and she stood up; ''''I think I''ll go to my room now, are you coming in now? ''''


    Diana asked, standing up from the bench, Tiana smiled and shook her head.


    ''''No, I think I''ll stay here a while more. ''''


    ''''Alright then, see you later. ''''


    Diana smiled and turned around, walking back into the mansion.


    Nicklaus face was looking distraught, he had seen Tiana when she was speaking with Grandma, but after he finished greeting the guests, he could not find her again. He asked grandma and she told him she had gone to the restroom, quickly, he hurried there but he didn''t find her there.


    He went back to their room but she was not in, his face was sullen as he walked down the stairs; he wondered where she must have gone to.


    Diana''s steps faltered when she saw Nicklaus looking like a baby who was deprived milk, and she knew he must be searching for Tiana.


    She waited until he reached her, Nicklaus did not notice her, he was about walking past when he heard her speak;


    ''''Tiana''s in the flower garden. ''''


    His steps stopped and he turned to see who spoke, but Diana was already walking up the stairs.


    Nicklaus quickly turned around and hastened out of the house, he saw a waiter carrying two glasses of wine on a tray and he took them, walking quickly to the flower garden.


    His eyes searched around uneasily, and he nerves calmed when he saw a figure sitting on a bench, her eyes gazing downwards; he watched her for some seconds before walking to her and sitting down beside her.


    Tiana''s eyes rose up immediately when a familiar scent wafted into her nostrils, she didn''t even need to look to know who he was.


    ''''Have some wine. ''''


    Nicklaus spoke, his eyes turning to her tenderly. Tiana peered at him, wondering how he found out she was there.


    Her eyes fell to the glass of wine in his outstretched hand and she took it, raising it to her lips, she gulped and coughed instantly when the alcohol hit the back of her throat, her face burning reflexively.


    Nicklaus patted on her back until she stabled;


    ''''You don''t drink? ''''


    He asked when he saw that she was okay.


    Tiana shook her head; ''''I drink but, it''s not a common practice and even on the occasions when I do, I take little because of my little tolerance to it, ''''


    She explained; and Nicklaus chuckled; '''' that simply means, you don''t drink. '''' Tiana turned to him, her brows creased as she explained herself;


    ''''I do! I just don''t drink often. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; ''''Okay, okay you win. '''' She smiled and raised her glass to her lips again;


    The atmosphere turned quiet as the two of them sipped their wine.


    ''''You know, I really wanted to show you to everyone today. ''''


    Nicklaus broke the silence, but his eyes were still fixated on his glass,


    Tiana gulped as she turned to look at him, and she did not say a word.


    ''''But I won''t force you okay? '''' he turned to her with a smile;


    He took her free hand in his and squeezed it a little;


    ''''I''ll wait for you beautiful, no matter how long it takes. I''ll wait. ''''


    He gazed passionately at her, and Tiana couldn''t look elsewhere, her heart beating rapidly against her chest.


    Was he saying that he wanted her in his life? And that he would wait till she accepts him?


    Why was everything happening so fast?


    She gulped and pulled her hand from his grip, forcing her eyes away from him, she breathed heavily.


    The atmosphere became awkward as the both of them stared at their glass silently;


    What if he was in love with her? Tiana thought;


    He kissed her; it should have meant something right?


    Her cheeks reddened as she thought about it, another thought came into her mind and her eyes widened, and the blush on her cheeks disappearing completely;


    He''s never said he loved her! Is he trying to sleep with her?


    Tiana asked, but she quickly rejected the idea.


    They''ve been sleeping together for days and he had not made any advances.


    But if it wasn''t it, what then was his intention?!


    Tiana screamed in her head as she was thrown into utter confusion.


    ''''We''re leaving after the party, let''s go up and pack our bags, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus words cut her from her thoughts. Standing up, he stretched his hand to her and Tiana held it, standing upright. She quickly let go of his hand once she was standing.


    Blinking her eyes, she turned and began walking forward, Nicklaus watched her for a moment before he followed behind.


    The party was almost over as people were already leaving after seeing Grandpa, they were really busy people and given that it was a Monday, they had a lot of other things to do.


    Nicklaus stopped to bid some of the guests'' goodbye as they left, and Tiana continued walking to the mansion.


    When Nicklaus got upstairs, she had almost finished packing her bags;


    ''''Are you done? ''''


    He asked as he stepped into the room,


    Tiana shook her head; ''''Just a little more. ''''


    Nicklaus pulled out his boxes and began neatly packing his clothes back into them, when Tiana finished with her bags; she came to him and helped with his and In the next few minutes, they were done.


    She had already kept a spare dress she would put on after the party, so as soon as she finished packing, she went to the bathroom to get changed;


    They wouldn''t leave till the party was over, so Nicklaus pulled his shirt and lay on the bed to get some rest.


    ¡­


    ''''Please pick up the phone, I''m sorry! ''''


    Mia cried as she dialed Alex''s number for the fiftieth time. It was past eight, and the party was already over. Diana lay on the bed and watched her quietly; she didn''t want to interrupt with her hurtful truths, knowing that it was no time for that.


    Seeing that he won''t pick, she tapped on her message icon and sent him a text;


    ''I''m sorry, I really love you, can you forgive me, we can start all over!''


    She had had a crush on Nicklaus but she didn''t know she had been growing feelings for Alex until he turned his back on her for the first time ever, her heart couldn''t take it.


    She wasn''t sure she could be with Nicklaus; she couldn''t lose Alex whom she knew loved her sincerely.


    God, what would she do now?


    Mia hung her head low as her mind raced through different thoughts, her eyes closing; almost immediately, her phone vibrated on her handand she glanced at it, but her face paled blue drastically when she saw who the caller was.


    Her hands shook as she stared at her phone, then after a few seconds, she picked the call.


    ''''I''m waiting for you outside the gate, make sure you come alone. ''''

 Chapter 103 - Ill move

    Mia stared at the screen of her phone for a few seconds, all color draining from her face, after a few minutes of mental silence, she stood and walked out of the room, not saying a word t Diana. Diana''s brows creased as she watched her leave;


    Did Alex come back for her?


    She wondered but she did not ask.


    Mia stepped out of the gate and walked down the road, her head turning, checking to know if she was followed, after a few more steps, she saw the black car packed by the road side and her strides narrowed.


    Her heart rammed against her chest as she approached the car, a million thoughts going through her mind.


    When she reached the car, she hesitated a little before she pulled open the back door and sat in;


    She recognized the familiar scent. She didn''t even need to look to know it was him. Mia sat close to the door, her eyes watching the street lights. Her soul drenched with sorrow. She didn''t even know who to target her pain to, the man sitting beside her or Alex, who had refused to talk to her.


    ''''Hope you had a good time? ''''


    The man asked, his husky voice resounding in the car. Mia sucked in a deep breath and bit on her lower lip till she tasted the blood on her tongue. She couldn''t even bring herself to reply this monster, she just wanted him to say what he had to say and then she would be on her way.


    Seeing that she wasn''t going to reply, the man stretched his hand to touch her hair but Mia, sensing his hands approaching; leaned forward, such that he couldn''t touch her. She could not bear to feel his filthy hands on her again.


    The man''s hand hung on the air and then he pulled it back; his lips thinning in anger; but it seemed that she didn''t care;


    ''''Alright, since you''re in a bad mood today, come to the villa tomorrow, I''ve really missed your body. ''''


    Mia cringed as his words fell into her ears, she shut her eyes instantly trying to hold in the pain, but coupled with what just happened that night, she couldn''t bear it anymore, tears poured down her eyes.


    ''''I ¡­ I can''t¡­ '''' She stammered but it was coherent enough for the man beside her to hear; his body tensed at her words but he did not move;


    ''''I can''t do this anymore. I want my life back; I can''t continue being your puppet anymore. ''''


    Her emotions took a toll on her making her voice out her pain, she clutched her hands by her side as she held herself back from reaching out to the man and strangling him, knowing it was futile because his butler was sitting in front and would prevent her.


    The man was quiet for a few seconds, as he listened to her weep; then he spoke;


    ''''Hmm, the last time I remember, I could end your career and your dreams with the snap of my fingers, and I could shred your life into pieces if I want to. So tell me, little angel, what did you say just now? ''''


    The man asked; his voice as domineering as ever. Mia shook violently when his words reached her ears, for a split second she forgot that he had her trump card in his hands,


    For three years she had been his puppet, for three years, he had used her as he wanted because he had something that could ruin her entire life, and because of it, she couldn''t do a thing.


    But she was tired now, wasn''t it time for him to let her go?, he had used her enough, what more did he want!!


    Mia screamed in her head as hot tears poured from her eyes.


    She shut her eyes briefly; taking in a deep breath, she replied sadly;


    ''''I''m sorry, I misspoke, please forgive my stupidity, it would never happen again. '''' Mia apologized, her head fallen, this was never the kind of life she had envisaged for herself. Never!


    The man smiled in the darkness and then raised his hand again to her hair, this time Mia did not move, she shut her eyes and stayed stiff till it was over;


    ''''Now that''s better. '''' he said, patting on her hair.


    ''''6pm at the villa, you may leave now. ''''


    Mia sucked in a deep breath and swallowed before she turned to the door and stepped out without a word.


    The two men in the car watched the frail body walk limply back to the house; when she was far gone, the man at the back seat spoke;


    ''''What do you think?'''' he asked, his hands playing with his beards lightly;


    His butler waited a moment before he spoke;


    ''''I think it''s time, Boss. She had lasted way too long, from her words this night, it won''t be long before she says something and I''m sure you don''t want that. ''''


    He explained and the man sitting behind heaved a light sigh;


    ''''You''re correct. I liked her though, too bad. Let me have my last time with her before you take care of things. ''''


    ''''Yes, Boss. ''''


    He butler nodded before he started the ignition and drove off.


    ¡­


    After Tiana and Nicklaus finished biding grandma and grandpa farewell, they left for Nicklaus'' home.


    The workers had awaited their arrival because they''ve been briefed by Ma Lee. Although they weren''t at all excited that the tyrant had returned, and it was the end of their freedom, they were a little happy that Ma Lee wouldn''t behave like she owned the house anymore. She was a real pain in the ass!


    They all stood outside; their heads bowed a little as they welcomed them.


    Nicklaus and Tiana arrived a few minutes past seven. As soon as they stepped out of the car, the guards greeted them and began taking out their luggage.


    Nicklaus slid his hands around Tiana''s waists as they stepped down from the car; her face reddened instantly when she realized that the guards and maids were just in front of them and that they would see, She tried to wriggle away herself from his grip but his hold was strong.


    Seeing that he wouldn''t let her go, she let him be.


    ''''Take all her belongings to my room; she''ll be staying with me from now on. ''''


    Nicklaus spoke to the maids and all the workers raised their eyes to them as though they had just witnessed as Alien fall from the sky.


    Tiana''s eyes widened and she turned to him in shock, he was gazing down at her, with a little grin as though he had predicted her reaction.


    She couldn''t believe her ears;


    Staying¡­ staying with who?!


    What the hell is going on!!


    Tiana gulped trying to figure out what was happening,


    How was she staying in his room now?!


    ''''No, I''m not staying in your room. '''' She retorted without thinking;


    She was able to bear for two weeks. Two weeks of dressing in the bathroom, of not having her personal space, and now he was saying they were going to be staying like that for a long time?!


    Nicklaus thinned his lips and then turned to the maids with a light sigh;


    ''''Alright, if she doesn''t want to move, I''ll move then. Take my belongings to her room. ''''


    ''''  ''''


    ''''  ''''


    '''' ''''

 Chapter 104 - Who was that?

    Tiana''s lips fell open; she couldn''t believe her eyes, her gaze turned to the workers in front of her and she realized that they were watching her with the same shock written on their faces.


    She gulped; grabbing Nicklaus hand, she dragged him past the workers and into the mansion, her head looking downwards, in embarrassment. Nicklaus grinned as he let her pull him, watching her walk forward with heavy strides as though her tiny fingers could actually pull him forward;


    He didn''t realize she was taking him to her room until she opened the door and stepped in;


    ''''Wow, this place is very beautiful, now I really want to stay here. ''''


    He grinned as he looked around the room;


    Tiana glared at him, her eyes wide;


    ''''Nicklaus, I''m serious. ''''


    She narrowed her eyes at him, her hands folded in front of her chest,


    Nicklaus turned to look at her;


    ''''What is it, beautiful? You don''t want to stay with me? ''''


    He asked, raising his brows.


    Even though his hug was like a nice warmer in the night, she really needed her privacy. ''''


    ''''No, I don''t want to stay with you. '''' She replied firmly, her gaze staring right into his.


    Nicklaus grin dwindled drastically and he blinked, all color draining from his face.


    No-one had ever rejected him right in his face before, and to think she was the first, he was finding it hard taking it in.


    He swallowed, his eyes wandered a little before it rested back on her;


    ''''I thought¡­ ''''


    ''''It''s not that I don''t like to stay with you. It''s just¡­ '''' Tiana stopped as she thought of how to say it without hurting his feelings;


    ''''It''s just that I don''t want to continue dressing in the bathroom or have to check if I''m wearing something exposing, or be cautious all the time¡­ ''''


    She spoke calmly, trying to make him understand his fears.


    ''''And you have weird tastes, I don''t like blank colors, and I don''t like horrific paintings, your room is really scary, I don''t think I can stay there¡­ ''''


    She concluded, biting on her lower lip. The room grew very quiet as Nicklaus watched her, after some seconds, he inched closer and with his thumb, took her lower lip out of her mouth.


    ''''Okay, if I change the paintings and take away the horrific pictures, will you stay? We don''t need to stay in the same room as long as you can stay upstairs with me, and we can sleep together at night okay? ''''


    Nicklaus held her cheeks with both hands as he pleaded, his eyes falling to her pink lips which were pouted towards him;


    Tiana blinked her eyes, ''''You don''t have to go through all that, I ¡­ ''''


    ''''Beautiful, I can''t sleep without you by my side, can''t you see? ''''


    Tiana had not heard a funnier joke. She knew he was just pulling her legs so he would sleep hugging her.


    Tsk!


    She rolled her eyes;


    '''' you don''t have to flatter me, okay? ''''


    She watched him; ''''Okay, I''ll move, but we won''t stay in the same room, and you''ll still take away all those horrific drawings. ''''


    But I''m not flattering¡­


    Nicklaus thought but he did not say it out loud;


    ''''Are they that horrific? I drew them myself you know?''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened at his statement;


    ''''What? You drew those? They are really good, wow! I didn''t know you drew them. ''''


    Nicklaus grinned; ''''you just said they were horrific drawings just now? ''''


    ''''Yeah, they are dark arts, but that doesn''t make them any less amazing.'''' Her eyes watched him in admiration;


    '''' Wow, what are you not good at?''''


    Nicklaus grinned and scratched the back of his head;


    ''''Well, isn''t it obvious, ''m good at everything. ''''


    He replied with a smirk and Tiana rolled her eyes;


    ''''Tsk, so proud ''''


    ¡­


    Later that night, Tiana lay on a couch in the parlor, watching TV. They had finished moving her stuff to the room opposite his, since she had insisted she won''t stay with him. He promised to have the workers change the paintings and take down the drawings, the next day, since it was already so late.


    They had dinner before Tiana went to her room to take a shower.


    When she returned, he was in the bathroom, so she lay on the couch in the parlor and watched Netflix.


    Remembering Gwen, Tiana picked her phone from the table and called her.


    They spoke sparingly these days; she needed to know how she was doing.


    After a few rings, Gwen picked up;


    ''''Hello Tiana? ''''


    ''''Gwen! It''s been a long while, how are you? I couldn''t come since ''because I''ve been busy, I''m so sorry, but I''m coming tomorrow and we''ll talk a lot okay? ''''


    ''''Ah, don''t worry, I''m fine. Hope you''re doing well? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I''m doing very well. Nicklaus has changed a lot; I''ll tell you everything when I come to the house''''


    Changed a lot?


    Gwen paused as she thought about what Tiana just said, whisking the thought aside, she replied;


    ''''Alright that''s good, thank God it''s less than a month and then you''ll be free forever. ''''


    Gwen replied intentionally, her tone inquisitive and her heart racing rapidly.


    She had a bad feeling that something was going on between the two of them, something she really didn''t want to happen.


    She should be the one getting such lavish life, she was the one Nicklaus chose in the first place, if she wasn''t going to get it; Tiana shouldn''t too.


    Tiana did not realize it was just a few weeks more and her deal with Nicklaus would be over, then what would become of them then?


    Would their relationship progress or would he let her leave?


    ''''Tiana? ''''


    Gwen called, cutting her off from her thoughts. ''''


    ''''Oh, yes! And you''ll finally be free, we''ll be free. ''''


    She spoke half-heartedly.


    Why was she feeling bad that she was going to leave?


    ''''Yeah, I''m really happy that you won''t have to do what you don''t want to anymore. Come by past twelve tomorrow, I won''t be home earlier than that, okay? ''''


    More than anything, Gwen didn''t like that Tiana was staying there any longer. She wished the days would run so fast and she would leave him. She just didn''t want anything to happen between them.


    ''''Alright then, I''ll¡­ ''''


    ''''Beautiful, did you see my phone?''''


    Nicklaus stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with his towel, he thought he had dropped his phone on the bed, but it wasn''t there.


    Gwen froze instantly, her eyes widening as she heard a deep voice on the phone .


    ''''Who was that? ''''

 Chapter 105 - I think I like you too

    ''''Oh, it''s Nicklaus; I''ll explain everything when I come over tomorrow okay, take care. '''' Tiana whispered quickly and ended the call.


    Gwen heard the phone beep signaling that the call had ended and her lips fell in shock;


    She brought the phone down and when she confirmed that Tiana had really ended the call on her she chucked derisively.


    She was here making herself believe there was nothing going on between them, who could have thought they were already sleeping together?!


    Gwen had never felt that amount of anger and envy in her whole life, at that moment; she wished she could squeeze the living life out of Tiana.


    From the moment he offered her a job paying $20k, she suspected that things would not be the same between them, she just wanted to avoid the truth, she didn''t want to believe that her sister was finally greater than her; she didn''t want to accept that she was dating the CEO of Howells Corporation!!


    Ha!


    Gwen exclaimed her face pale blue and great hate flashed through her eyes.


    She felt a sharp burn on her chest, and she walked to the fridge and took out a bottle of water, gulping it down in an instant, but the pain didn''t disappear, rather, it worsened.


    If only she hadn''t switched positions with her. If only! Gwen shook her head,


    No, this wasn''t happening, how did she let this opportunity slip out of her hands, what was she thinking?


    Wait¡­ did Tiana think of this?


    Her brows creased as a thought entered her mind.


    Was she smarter than her this time? Did she foresee that she could get into his bed?


    Gwen raised her hand to her hair and gripped it hard;


    She had thought Tiana was a fool, but she was mistaken, she had been the fool all along.


    She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath,


    Breathe¡­


    She just needed a plan, a good plan¡­


    Think¡­


    She was smart, she had always been smart.


    She raked her brain and instantly her eyes opened when a thought entered her mind, and a wicked smile washed her lips.


    Tiana sister¡­


    Gwen laughed lightly, evil flashing through her eyes.


    Everything would have been fine if she had not switched places, but now it was like this, she left her with no choice, than to be selfish one more time.


    And it was simple; she would just play her card on her at the right time.


    She was not being wicked; she was just claiming what was hers from the beginning, right?


    A wicked laughter left her lips as though she was a maniac, and she walked out of the kitchen with slow steps.


    ¡­


    ''''It''s over here. ''''


    Tiana said pointing at his phone lying on the center table.


    ''''Okay¡­ '''' Nicklaus exclaimed walking towards her, he took the phone from the table and unlocked it,


    He stood in front of her as he tapped on his phone. Tiana eyes shifted from the television and they fell on his bare chest and she gazed at the terrific ink outlining his body.


    It was so beautiful, although Nicklaus was aloof, she wasn''t surprised that he got a tattoo, everything he put on was the latest model and very fashionable so she wasn''t surprised.


    ''''The review for the application is done; we''re having a meeting tomorrow for the final contract signing. ''''


    Nicklaus explained, he was expecting the email that day, he was very busy during the day, so he had not checked it, it was after he stepped out of the bathroom he remembered it.


    ''''Hm, okay. '''' Tiana replied, her eyes shifted briefly to his face but in the next second, it was back to his chest, tracing the ink downwards.


    Nicklaus blinked when he noticed she was staring at his body, and he narrowed his brows.


    ''''Does it look that good? ''''


    He asked with a grin, his hands at akimbo.


    At his words, Tiana''s cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away from his chest.


    ''''Hmm, yeah, it''s s.e.xy. I like guys with tattoo; I will get one myself one of these days. ''???


    She sat up on the couch;


    ''Wait, so you''re saying you like me then?'''' Tiana''s lips fell in shock as she realized that Nicklaus had erased every other thing she said and just picked only a few lines!!


    ''''Th¡­ that''s not what I said, I said I liked guys with tattoo¡­''''


    ''''And I have a tattoo? ''''


    Nicklaus pointed to his chest and her words stopped in throat, how did she shoot herself on the foot?


    But why was her face heating? Does that mean that she likes him?


    ''''Hey! Go wear your clothes before your towel falls off! ''''


    She exclaimed, pointing to the wardrobe frustratingly.


    Nicklaus looked downwards and realized that he still had a towel around his waists;


    ''''Ha ha, I''m going, but just in case¡­'''' he paused, making sure he had her attention.


    ''''I think I like you too. ''''


    With that he turned around and walked towards the wardrobe.


    Tiana''s hands hung in the air as his words resounded in her ears,


    Did he just say he liked her?


    The heat which was almost draining from her face returned with a greater force and her eyes flashed open instantly,


    Did¡­ did he just say he liked her!!!


    Tiana raised her hands to her cheeks to cool her burning face, her heart racing erratically,


    Nicklaus watched her sit on the same spot, her hands on her cheeks, as he wore his clothes. He could imagine the blush on her cheeks at that moment.


    He never thought he could say those words, f.u.c.k, he didn''t even know when he said it, now all that was left was to see her reaction, only that would tell him if she accepted him or not.


    ¡­


    ''''So you wanted to get a tattoo?''''


    Nicklaus sat down beside her on the couch and started a conversation. Tiana''s eyes which were gazing blankly at the television, blinked. Her mind was still filled with Nicklaus words earlier, she couldn''t even contain her blush, her neck and cheeks were still red.


    Nicklaus grinned when he saw her face, how could she still be blushing after so long?

 Chapter 106 - On my b.o.o.b.s

    ''''Yeah, I wanted to get one since high school. ''''


    Tiana swallowed after she replied, making sure not to look at him, his cologne an already enough distraction.


    ''''Hmm, where did you want to get it done? ''''


    Nicklaus asked, and Tiana laughed lightly,


    ''''¡­ on my b.o.o.b.s. I want to get three stars on my b.o.o.b.s and on my ankle too. ''''


    Nicklaus, who was sitting relaxed on the couch, sat up instantly;


    ''''Wh¡­ what? You will let another man touch your b.o.o.b.s? Why your b.o.o.b.s of all places, there are a thousand other places to get a tattoo, you can even get them on your hands, why on your b.o.o.b.s? And tattooing hurts like hell, don''t even do it at all!''''


    Tiana blinked as she watched him scold her as though she was a five-year-old kid. His face was all scrunched up in worry, and his hand was holding her palm as though pleading with her.


    How was he this agitated over another man seeing her b.o.o.b.s? She had not officially accepted to date him and he was already very protective of her body.


    Tiana smiled lightly;


    ''''Uh¡­ it''s just three stars, the pain won''t kill, and it will be just near my b.o.o.b.s not directly on it, and I think there are female tattooists who can do it. ''''


    She explained. Nicklaus frown eased as he realized he had just claimed her as his. His eyes shifted from her and glanced around the room, as he swallowed hard.


    He scratched the back of his hair releasing her hand slowly, lifting his eyes to her, he tried to feign as though nothing happened;


    ''''Still¡­ it hurts a lot, are you sure you want to go through with it? ''''


    He was so carried away with the mention of b.o.o.b.s he had forgotten that there were female tattooists, but even after she reminded him, he didn''t want to make it obvious that he was actually concerned over another man seeing her b.o.o.b.s.


    ''''Mm, I want to. '''' Tiana replied with a little pout of her lips.


    Pretending as though he had lost to her, Nicklaus sighed;


    ''''Alright then, since you want to do it that badly; I''ll invite a good tattooist over when you''re ready. ''''


    Nicklaus offered, and Tiana shook her head immediately; ''''No, you don''t need to go through all the trouble; I can just go to their office¡­ ''''


    ''''No! Why do you always want things the hard way? I''ll invite her over and she''ll do it here, where you would be comfortable! ''''


    One thing he couldn''t risk was her going to the office of a male tattooist. She might really want a female but if one isn''t available, she would just let a man do it and even if a female did it, there was no guarantee that other men wouldn''t be around.


    F.u.c.k, just the thought of another man seeing her chest made his stomach churn.


    Tiana smiled as she watched him act protective over her.


    They looked like a real couple now, arguing over minor details, it wouldn''t be that bad if she went out with him, would it?


    Tiana was still lost in thought and didn''t notice Nicklaus expression change from annoyance to worry until she felt him lift her palm to his lips and kiss it.


    ''''Beautiful, I really meant what I said earlier.''''


    Even though he knew that she heard him, he didn''t want her to feel he had said it in passing so he repeated it, this time seriously too.


    ''''I really like you. ''''


    Tiana''s heart raced rapidly as she watched him, his eyes stared at her like he really meant it and every cell in her body wanted him to, but her lips were yet to say the words back, they were just at the back of her throat but she couldn''t say them out.


    ''''I¡­ I¡­ ''''


    She stammered,


    ''''You don''t have to say anything now; I''m not in a hurry okay? I''ll wait till you are ready. ''''


    He let go of her hand and pulled her closer, pecking her forehead, before hugging her close to him, his eyes shutting.


    I''m not in a hurry, but they''re a lot of things I need to tell you about me, a lot of things that will scare you, Beautiful.


    Even though she wasn''t sure of her love for him, at that moment, she knew she wanted to hug him.


    Raising her hand, she wrapped them around his torso, resting her head in the crook of his neck.


    so warm¡­


    She thought as she shut her eyes. One good thing about sleeping with him was that she got to wrap her tiny hands around this broad chest till day break and drink in his wonderful scent.


    ''''Have I told you, you smell very nice? ''''


    Tiana whispered directly in his ears kicking Nicklaus out of his thoughts, his eyes blinked and he blushed. Hearing that from her, he felt like he had won an Oscar.


    ''''No, do I?''''


    Tiana nodded;


    ''''Sometimes I wish I can just hug you like this forever, I didn''t know a man''s scent could be this intoxicating. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed at her flattery, ''''you can hug me whenever you want, I''m all yours beautiful.''''


    He spoke to her ears, pecking the side of her face. Tiana smiled;


    She was getting comfortable with him. She wouldn''t have imagined that he had this side to him a few months ago.


    And without realizing it, Tiana was falling for the tyrant young master little by little.


    ¡­


    ''''Boss, the Orica was officially released yesterday.''''


    Douglas secretary spoke; he spent all night thinking on how to break the news to his boss, that man who hated anything good happening in the Howells Corporation, how would he tell him that the Orica was a massive success?


    Douglas peeked at his secretary after a while as though waiting for him to continue speaking.


    ''''What else?''''


    His voice rang in the room when he saw that his secretary would not speak,


    The poor secretary inched backwards and used his hankie to wipe the sweat off his face;


    ''''And it was a¡­ success. ''''

 Chapter 107 - Do you love him?

    The room fell quiet instantly and the secretary felt like digging up his own grave and falling into it. It was better Douglas screamed at him because his silence was more frightening.


    The silence lasted over a few minutes before Douglas finally spoke;


    ''''Hmm, I see. He leaves me with no choice then. '''' He relaxed on his chair and picked up a pen from the table, staring at it as though there was something fanciful on it.


    The man standing in front of his creased his brows in surprise,


    What was he planning this time?


    ''''You may leave. ''''


    He said casually and his secretary bowed a little before walking out of his office.


    After the door was shut, Douglas picked up his phone and dialed a number.


    It rang for a few minutes before the person at the other end picked up;


    ''''Yes, you can send the men over now. ''''


    ¡­


    ''''Tiana, you came quiet early; I just came back from work now. ''''


    Gwen exclaimed with a smile as she hugged her. Her eyes scanned outside briefly and when they fell on the black Mercedes with two guards standing beside it, she turned to Tiana with a smile,


    ''''These men are with you today, too? ''''


    Tiana chuckled as she looked outside to see the men she was talking about;


    ''''Yeah, Nicklaus asked that they escort me; he didn''t want me to come alone. ''''


    She blushed as she responded.


    ''''Wait a minute, Nicklaus? The Nicklaus we know? ''''


    Gwen asked, her eyes lit up in surprise;


    ''''Yeah, to be sincere, he has really changed these past few weeks, he''s been so caring to a fault, I think he¡­ he likes me. ''''


    Gwen laughed and pulled Tiana down so they could sit on the couch;


    ''''You don''t mean it? ''''


    She asked, her eyes wide open;


    ''''yes, I think he really likes me. ''''


    ''''This is interesting, so tell me, do you love him? ''''


    Gwen asked, raising her eyelids excitedly;


    Tiana''s eyes fluttered; and a blush crept up her cheeks.


    ''''Gwen! I don''t know, don''t ask me that!''''


    Gwen burst out laughing; she shook her head at her sister;


    ''''it''s too obvious Tiana, you''re falling for him. From a monster to a lover, wow! Interesting!''''


    She grinned; ''''from your expression, I can tell you are madly in love with him, and you''re just avoiding it. Tiana, loosen up and accept him, he is handsome and very rich, and you just said he dotes on you, so what are you waiting for? ''''


    She asked, watching her sister''s expression, waiting to see if she was falling for her words, a sweeter grin washed her lips when she saw the smile that appeared on her lips.


    ''''Gwen! It doesn''t work that way! In fact, end of this talk, so how is work? I''ve told you to quit that job, I don''t know why you insist on doing such hard work when I can fend for you comfortably!''''


    Gwen chuckled;


    ''''Aish, Tiana, I like to make my own money too, when I get my admission, you can pay all my fees, okay?''''


    Tiana laughed and slapped her shoulders lightly;


    ''''Silly girl, don''t worry, I''m saving enough money, you don''t need to worry about that. ''''


    ''''Awnn, I''m so lucky! Let me get something for you to eat, I''m sure you''re very famished! ''''


    Gwen smiled excitedly and stood up from the couch, walking towards the kitchen.


    Once she was inside the kitchen, the smile on her cheeks disappeared without a trace.


    It was just a matter of time and the seed she planted will germinate.


    Let''s see if she would still have that smug smile on her face after that.


    ¡­


    ''''Hello? ''''


    Mia''s eyes shot up in glee for the first time in days, Alex finally picked her call. She had been going through hell for the past few days, but when she saw the call, all her bones reawakened.


    ''''Alex, I''m so sorry, I''ll explain everything to you, let''s meet now, I can come over to your place okay? I really love you Alex, these few days made me realize it, please don''t hate me, please I''m going to die if you do.''''


    She spoke all in one sentence, not even breathing in the middle, fearing that he would end the call before she finished speaking.


    There was silence on the other end before Alex spoke;


    ''''I''m home; you can come over if you want. '''' With that he ended the call. Mia jumped up from the bed and hurried to her wardrobe to change her clothes.


    She knew Alex loved her too much and she knew he was waiting for her to come to him first, but that didn''t even matter to her, if he wanted her to come to the moon, she would. She didn''t realize she was in love with him and Nicklaus was just an infatuation, until she was on the verge of losing him.


    Quickly, she dressed and left her home, she drove quickly to Alex''s home. She knocked lightly on his door; she knocked a few times before he opened.


    Her heart beat fast as she watched him, their eyes locked in each other''s, and it was just then she realized how much she had missed him.


    F.u.c.k!


    Without thinking, she flew into his arms and kissed him passionately, her arms locking around his neck so tightly that even if he tried to get them off, he wouldn''t be able to.


    Alex was taken aback for a few seconds, he wanted to pull her away but he had missed her so much to even think straight, and without thinking, he locked the door and pulled her up, clasping her legs around his waists before leading her to the bedroom.


    They were fast, pulling each other''s clothes, as though they had been starved for days, Mia clung to him as though he was her breath and even when she climaxed she didn''t let him go.


    Alex breathed heavily as sanity returned to him. She was lying on top of him and he raised his hand to her sides, and Mia thinking he was about to put her aside, hugged him tightly;


    ''''I''m sorry, I love you please, don''t stop loving me. I promise, I don''t have any pictures of him anymore, and I love only you from now on. ''''


    Alex hands stopped on her waists briefly before he wrapped them around her and kissed the side of her neck.


    ''''don''t ever look at another man again; I want you to look at only me, understood? ''''


    ''''yes, daddy,''''


    Mia replied with a beautiful smile, shutting her eyes. Now, she could sleep after so many days.

 Chapter 108 - You left my heart hanging

    ¡­


    It''s been over three weeks since Orica was officially released. Howells hadn''t experienced such success in years now, the sales amounted to over $500,000 and counting!


    It was massive!


    Nicklaus and Tiana had been very busy with press conference and interviews once they even had to leave town for a conference.


    They only had time to rest on Saturday. By 2pm, Nicklaus opted to cook for her.


    ''''What!! '''' Tiana jumped from the bed, her eyes wide open.


    ''''What? You don''t want to eat my food? ''''


    Nicklaus asked as he took out a shirt from the wardrobe, his brows creasing.


    ''''no! It''s not it. I¡­ the workers will watch! What are they going to say if they see their boss cooking?! ''''


    She asked, her eyes wide with shock, did he lose some nuts in the night?


    Nicklaus blinked; ''''is there anything wrong with that? ''''


    He asked, as he wore his shirt.


    Tiana blinked, her whole expression shocked;


    ''''What? Can''t you see what is wrong with that? ''''


    ''''What? ''''


    ''''Everyone is afraid of you in this house, if they see you cooking in the kitchen and see me eating the meal afterwards, they might think I''ve gone to see a white witch and cast a spell on you. ''''


    Tiana explained and instantly, Nicklaus burst out laughing.


    ''''O boy! white witch?! '''' he laughed as he walked away from the wardrobe and to the bed where she was sitting, leaning closer to her, he pecked her forehead;


    ''''Well, as long as it''s you who cast the spell on me, I don''t have a problem. So what do you want to eat?''''


    Tiana blinked and pouted her lips, not wanting to speak;


    ''''Okay, I''ll just cook anything that comes to my mind then. '''' He stood straight and started walking towards the door.


    ''''Aish! Wait! Wait for me! '''' Tiana stumbled out of the bed and wore her home slippers and raced after him, seeing that she couldn''t do anything to stop him, anyway.


    ¡­


    All the workers at home, stood outside the huge kitchen, shocked, dumfounded and bewildered.


    Everyone came to see for themselves and now they were seeing, they couldn''t believe their eyes.


    Young Master was cooking!!!


    That was not the only strange thing about the situation, the fact that he was smiling and laughing was shocking to say the least!


    What happened between these two?


    Was the question in everyone''s minds.


    It all started after they came back from the ancient home, Nicklaus had ordered her things to be taken up to his floor, and the wall painting changed to something more lively, he even ordered for all the drawings on the wall to be taken down,


    Although they were suspecting something, they didn''t want to think much of it, but with the sight in front of them, they couldn''t ignore it anymore.


    How did this woman get the young master wrapped around her fingers?


    ''''Beautiful, that''s too much salt! ''''


    Nicklaus laughed as he removed some salt from the chuck roast on the flat board. They had agreed to cook pot roast since it was for dinner.


    Nicklaus had asked Tiana to just watch, but she had insisted on doing something, now she had added too much salt.


    ''''Just sit here okay, I''ll tell you if you need to do anything. '''' He said, pointing at a stool opposite him. Tiana pouted and walked over to the stool, sitting down and cupping her cheeks with both hands and watched him.


    ''''Now that''s better, just watch me. ''''


    He smiled and continued with the beef. She watched his hands work as though he had done this all his life. Soon, her eyes shifted from his hands to his face.


    ''''Ah, so handsome¡­ ''''


    She thought as she gazed at him,


    How could someone be this handsome even when cooking? Everything looks good on him, even an apron!


    She exclaimed as she gazed at him all over.


    To think someone as handsome as this was crushing over her!


    Tiana grinned as a blush tainted her cheeks.


    ''''Wow! Three hours. ''''


    She exclaimed when she saw Nicklaus set the baking time. ''''


    ''''hmm, there are other methods; I think one takes about 8 hours to cook. ''''


    ''''Wow, I''ve never prepared this, didn''t know it took so long to cook. We can tell the chef to serve the meal when it''s ready, let''s go up and shower, okay? ''''


    Tiana held his hand and led him out of the kitchen after he washed them in the sink. As she opened the door, she heard feet scampering, and she realized that the workers had been watching them, her lips pouted.


    ''''See, I told you. They think I''ve done something to you. ''''


    Tiana said as she watched them all scamper away.


    Nicklaus came to stand behind her, and then he spoke to her ear;


    ''''But you''ve really done something to me. ''''


    Tiana turned to him, her eyes wide open;


    ''''Uh, what did I do to you? ''''


    Nicklaus smiled and placed his hand on his chest,


    ''''You left my heart hanging. ''''


    ¡­


    Tiana walked into the room after she took a shower, Nicklaus was on the phone, and when he saw her, he smiled and ended the call.


    ''''Been waiting for you, let''s go eat, I''m famished. ''''


    He said with a smile, Tiana could see the tenderness in them; or rather it had been there all the while but because of what he said earlier, she couldn''t pretend not to see it anymore.


    Her heart had been racing like hell since he said those words, and she knew she couldn''t deny it any longer. She had fallen for him.


    Hook


    Line


    And Sinker!


    Since these past weeks, he had filled her every thought and actions and without her realizing it, he had grown into her every cell. And she wanted him to know this, she wanted him to know she felt the same way towards him.


    Nicklaus watched her, walk towards him in silent steps, her eyes fixated on his.


    His brows creased as he wondered what she was up to but before he could say a word, Tiana walked to him, pulling him by the neck, she kissed him passionately on the lips.

 Chapter 109 - I like you too

    All time stopped as Tiana''s lips met his. Nicklaus was dumbstruck but he didn''t have time to process what was happening because before he could think, Tiana latched her hand onto his hair, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss.


    Her heart was beating so fast that she doubted she was doing it right. This wasn''t her first kiss neither was it the first time she was kissing him, why was she this nervous?


    His lips were soft against hers. Just like the last time, but this time, it felt like an aphrodisiac. The more she kissed him, the more she wanted to kiss him.


    She had never felt this way with any man before. Not even with Adrian. Nicklaus was something else, something new, something wild!


    She wanted him. She had never wanted someone so badly!


    He was like a drug and she was getting addicted!


    Nicklaus was stiff for only a second before his hands went around her waist and pulled her to him.


    He had watched her walk to him in silent steps; her face approaching and not even the slightest did he imagine that she would kiss him.


    He could hear her heart beating_ racing so fast, and so was his.


    Does she know how long he had waited to feel her lips again?


    He had wanted her so intensely that he was almost running mad, but he didn''t want to act rashly, he wanted her to come to him on her own, so he had summoned all restraint in every cell in his body and held himself back.


    But now, she was here, in his arms, kissing him like her life depended on it. He would not hold back any longer.


    His head tilted to the side and in the next second, he was kissing her like she was breath itself. Tiana opened her lips slightly to breathe and his tongue seized the opportunity to enter her mouth.


    Her saliva tasted like mint and it was running him wild, making him deepen the kiss with great intensity.


    Tiana wasn''t doing much anymore; she just tugged unto his shirt so she wouldn''t fall as he kissed the living breath out of her.


    His hand''s caressed her back and inched upwards to her neck and to her hair, holding her still as he delved deeper into her mouth.


    She clutched onto him for support, kissing him back, and not wanting it to stop for anything in the world.


    Nicklaus suddenly broke the kiss, his eyes fluttered open, and they fell on her closed ones. She was panting, as though she just ran a marathon. Her lips were so red that he fought the urge to continue from where he had left off.


    It took Tiana a few seconds to realize that it had ended and her heart sank instantly; she didn''t want it to end.


    She opened her eyes, and they met his hazy and passionate gaze.


    Her hands rested on his chest, and she could feel the pumping of his heart against her hand.


    ''''I¡­ I¡­ '''' She was still panting, so she paused to catch some breath, her fluttering eyes fell to his chest, and her cheeks reddened with shyness.


    ''''I just wanted to say that¡­ I like you too, and I don''t want to keep your heart hanging anymore. I don''t know if it''ll work out between us but I''ll really try my best. I know I''m not the perfect woman, but I''ll try to be¡­ ''''


    Before she could complete her sentence Nicklaus covered her lips again, swallowing her words in his mouth. This time he was very gentle; as though saying a million words with a single kiss.


    Tiana''s eyes shut and her arms went around his neck and she let go, yielding everything to him. She let him kiss her, marking her lips with his soft kisses, but before she could relish the kiss any longer, his lips broke away;


    Her eyes were still shut, but she could feel his thumb on her lips, drawing circles on it.


    ''''Finally! ''''


    Nicklaus sighed and Tiana''s eyes opened and they were caught in his gaze again.


    ''''I''m glad you didn''t keep me waiting for so long, to be sincere, if I waited one more day, I would have gone mad. ''''


    Tiana burst out laughing, her eyes curving beautifully.


    ''??So...'''' Nicklaus said after sometime;


    ''''So?¡­ '''' she asked, gazing at his raised brows and the redness on his ears;


    ''''You are my girlfriend now? ''''


    He asked with a grin, and Tiana chuckled then pushed him lightly, freeing herself from his grip.


    ''''Let''s eat first, we''ll talk about that. ''''


    Tiana turned around to hide the blush to her cheeks.


    It was official!! She was his girlfriend!!!


    ¡­


    ''''How is it? '''' Nicklaus asked after he served her meal and watched her cut a small piece and put it into her mouth.


    Her face was scrunched up as though she was expecting a bitter taste but as soon as the meat touched her tongue, her eyes brightened with glee.


    ''''Oh my god! Are you kidding me? ''''


    She asked unbelievably, eating the meat quickly and taking another piece.


    ''''Does it taste good? ''''


    ''''Are you kidding me right now? This is delicious! Where did you learn how to cook this good? ''''


    Tiana stared at him unbelievably, Nicklaus grinned when he saw she was satisfied with the meal.


    ''''So, you didn''t even believe me when I said I knew how to cook?''''


    ''''No, I believed you; I just didn''t know you would be this good! Wow, when are you going to make me another meal, now I''ve tasted this, I don''t think I can eat any meal prepared by any other person. This is so good, mmm! ''''


    Tiana m.o.a.ned against her spoon as she tasted the sauce, her eyes closing in delight. Nicklaus smiled as he watched her. Just watching her eat his meal gave him delight,


    How could she be so stunning even when there was sauce dripping from the side of her lips?


    Nicklaus chuckled, and he wiped the sauce off with a napkin.


    ''''oh, thank you. The meal is so good that even my face wants to have a taste!''''


    Tiana teased and Nicklaus burst out laughing,


    God, this woman;


    ''''Say, when are you going to cook again, can you make chicken pizza? That''s my favorite. ''''


    Nicklaus tilted his head to the side;


    ''''Hmm, I think I can make that. ''''


    ''''Wow, really? Great! So how about we make some tomorrow?''''

 Chapter 110 - The color of your lips

    ''''Mm, let me see¡­ ''''


    ''''Uh? Are you thinking about it? A while ago, you wanted to make me a meal so badly but now you want to think about it? ''''


    Her eyes widened;


    Nicklaus grinned; ''''Oh well, now I know you love my meals so much, my services are no longer free. ''''


    Tiana''s lips fell open; ''''you are not serious now! '''' she exclaimed but remembering how chicken pizza would feel against her tongue and the fact that he would make it himself, she sighed;


    ''''Alright, what do you want? ''''


    ''''Now that''s better. '''' Nicklaus smirked, and Tiana glared at him.


    ''''First let''s eat; you don''t want our meal getting cold do you? '''' He smirked as poured some wine into a glass then passed it to her before serving himself.


    Tiana was itching to know what he wanted but Nicklaus did not speak until they had finished eating and where sitting in the parlor watching the daily news.


    ''''Okay, so what is it? ???'' She asked for the umpteenth time lowering the volume of the television so she could pay attention to him.


    Nicklaus relaxed on the couch and placed his head on her laps, taking her tiny hands in his, he closed his eyes.


    ''''Let''s see¡­ how about we start from your favorite color? ''''


    Tiana was stunned. Her eyes gazed at his handsome features for a moment and a blush tainted her cheeks.


    She had thought he would ask for something she would find strange like the last time but all he wanted was to know more about her.


    She felt her heart squeeze and her lips slanted into a smile.


    ''''Well, my favorite color is yellow. ''''


    Nicklaus opened his eyes briefly;


    ''''Why is it your favorite color? ''''


    ''''Well; '''' She tilted her head to the side as she thought for a moment;


    ''''Because it''s the color of the sun, and it''s the color of summer, I love summer and I love yellow. ''''


    Tiana smiled as she explained; ''''so what''s yours? ''''


    She asked, her free hand playing with his thick hair;


    ''''Mm,'''' Nicklaus m.o.a.ned lightly as her tiny fingers caressed his scalp,


    ''''I didn''t have a favorite color before now. ''''


    Tiana was surprised; that was not the answer she was expecting;


    Everything in his room before now was black; she was thinking he would say black.


    Nicklaus eyes were still shut but he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it;


    ''''But I think I have a favorite color now. ''''


    ''''What is it? '''' Tiana asked anxiously; wondering what his favorite color was;


    ''''The color of your lips ''''


    '''' ''''


    Her cheeks reddened so much that she feared it would bleed; her mind instantly replayed the kiss scene that just happened some hours ago and she felt the need to go pee instantly;


    The whole place grew silent as she was so embarrassed to even say a word in reply.


    How could say that so casually as if it was nothing?!


    Her eyes glanced down, and she saw that his eyes were still closed, and his chest rising and falling gently as though he had fallen asleep.


    Tiana bit her lower lip and swallowed as her eyes fell to his lips; she gulped.


    Now she thought about it, how could he kiss so well? She had kissed a few times in the past but that kiss was so amazing!


    And yet he said he hadn''t been with other women before, was he born a good kisser?


    She wondered, and then suddenly a thought entered her mind.


    Does that mean¡­ does that mean he was good in bed too?


    Tiana mentally slapped herself at the lewd thoughts she was getting; her face all red from thinking dirty.


    She was about to say something to Nicklaus when a picture on the television screen caught her attention. She had lowered the sound of the TV earlier, but the headline on the screen and the picture together with it made her pick the remote from her side and increase the volume in a flash.


    ''''¡­ ''A RIDE WITH ME STAR'', MIA HARMSWORTH KILLED IN A CAR CRASH. ''''


    ¡­


    ''''Stop crying now, your tears can''t bring back the dead. ''''


    Douglas consoled Michelle as she cried uncontrollably;


    ''''Mia doesn''t drive recklessly; she is a good girl, what happened? What went wrong? My God!! ''''


    Michelle''s eyes were so red that they could barely open anymore. The news had come like a shock, and they quickly rushed to the hospital but she was already unrecognizable.


    Although they had confirmed the car was hers, Michelle insisted that a DNA test be run on her to be sure she was her sister, she didn''t want to believe it, the family didn''t want to believe it, she wished Mia would just walk in through the door and laugh and say that she couldn''t die so easily.


    But it was really her, it was Mia. She was the one lying black as coal and unrecognizable, her heart couldn''t take it and she fainted.


    ''''You should stop crying now, it''s terrible for your health. ???'' Douglas consoled, but she wasn''t even hearing a word that he was saying, her cries rang out in the hospital ward where she was placed after she had fainted.


    Everyone was devastated. The family more especially, she was working on a movie which had aired one season already and she had garnered fame with it, and now she was dead? The internet was in shock.


    Everyone was talking, no-one wanted to believe that she had driven recklessly as the news said, they wanted someone to blame, someone to hold accountable.


    Mia''s family requested for an investigation. Since Mia had never been involved in reckless driving before, and none of her friends had seen her drink and drive, they wanted to be sure that there was nothing suspicious about her death.


    ''''What did the police say? Have they found anything yet? ''''


    Michelle asked, her hand gripping Douglas''s hand.


    He sighed and patted her hand;


    ''''Darling, we''ll go to the police station tomorrow okay? If they''ve found anything they''ll tell us, for now you need to rest. ''''

 Chapter 111 - I want to eat you

    "Lie down now; you need to be sane to go to the hospital."


    Douglas said, adjusting her bed so she could rest.


    Michelle lay down and closed her eyes; she was already weak from crying too much.


    ...


    '''' You''re crying as though you''ve known her your whole life, it is okay, she''s in a better place now.''''


    Nicklaus consoled Tiana, who was still crying like a baby after watching the news. He didn''t know how a wonderful night turned so mournful.


    '''' She was beautiful. How could she die like that? Life is so unfair! ''''


    She whispered, her tears staining his shirt.


    Nicklaus sighed; seeing that she wouldn''t stop crying, he patted on her back.


    Tiana didn''t know when she slept off, the next day, when she woke up; Nicklaus was nowhere to be seen.


    Her eyes squinted as she sat up weakly from the bed, looking around the room, when she did not still see him; she looked at the wall clock and saw it was past eleven.


    She was about standing up from the bed when she heard the door creak open and Nicklaus walked in with a tray in his hands.


    '''' Good morning, did you sleep well? ''''


    He asked as he walked towards her, placing the tray on the side stool, he sat beside her on the bed.


    Tiana smiled when she saw what was on the tray_ buttermilk waffle, Bacon and Egg Sandwich with a cup of orange juice. But her smile dwindled when she remembered what happened the previous night, and she shook her head.


    ''''So sorry okay, I made something for you to make you feel better.''''


    He said, raising the tray and placing it on the bed.


    Tiana couldn''t help smiling,


    '''' Did you make these? '''' She asked, gazing at the contents of the tray, her eyes filled with joy.


    ''''Yeah.'''' Nicklaus nodded, and she blushed.


    '''' So cute! You''re the best. ''''


    She blew him a kiss and started eating.


    '''' God, this tastes so good. Mm. '''' she complimented, giving him a thumbs up.


    Nicklaus smiled; after a while, he spoke;


    '''' You''ll have your tattoo today; the tattooist will come around soon. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened.


    ''''Really? ''''


    Nicklaus nodded;


    ''''God, my boyfriend is so sweet and thoughtful, if you continue like this; I don''t think I''ll be able to live without you''''


    Nicklaus laughed at her facial expression, which looked so cute;


    He leaned closer and pecked her cheeks; ''''that''s right, I don''t want you to live a single day without me. ''''


    Her eyes rose to him and they locked in his piercing gaze; a deep blush washed her cheeks when she saw his eyes fall to her lips and his Adam''s apple bobble.


    ''''Aish, go away, you''re so distracting!''''


    She pushed him lightly and Nicklaus laughed before sitting back in his position, he watched her eat, smiling contentedly;


    Tiana glanced at him a few times and caught him staring at her unwaveringly; her eyes fluttered and she remembered she didn''t invite him to join her;


    ''''Eat with me. ''''


    She said, placing the tray in between them;


    Nicklaus shook his head and shifted it back to its position;


    ''''No, I am not hungry. ''''


    ''''Okay. '''' She replied and continued eating; but when she glanced at him again, he was still watching her with the same intensity;


    ''''Stop doing that. ''''


    Her cheeks blushed as she felt butterflies in her stomach, why were his eyes so captivating this morning?


    ''''Doing what? '''' Nicklaus asked, looking confused;


    ''''Stop staring at me like that. '''' If he kept up with that she would really push the plates aside and kiss him six ways to Sunday!


    Her cheeks were so red now; was her period coming? Why was she craving man''s touch suddenly? And with this Greek god by her side, it was making it impossible to contain.


    ''''How am I staring at you? ''''


    Nicklaus could see the blush on her cheeks and he knew he was affecting her, his head tilted slightly to the side as he asked; his gaze more mesmerizing.


    Tiana pulled her eyes away before she would lose her mind.


    Was he doing it intentionally or was her mind playing games on her?


    ''''Like¡­ like you want to eat me. ''''


    She bit on her lower lip and her gaze wandered; making sure not to look at him;


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''But that''s the truth¡­ '''' His words made her eyes look at him in surprise;


    ''''I want to eat you. ''''


    '''' ''''


    '''' ''''


    ¡­


    ''''Ma, we did an autopsy on the body and there was no sign of an unnatural cause. ''''


    Michelle slumped back on the chair when she heard the police confirmation, her face aghast.


    She had persuaded her husband, but he didn''t take her to the station till the evening;


    Her heart was heavy as she watched the officer in front of her;


    The police officer paused going over the files in front of him.


    ''''But, we found out that the car was hacked; this is uncertain but we suspect proximity hacking. ''''


    Michelle''s face drained of all color and she instantly sat up on her chair;


    ''''What? What did you just say? ''''


    "Ma''am, like I said, we aren''t sure of the details yet but if it really is proximity hacking, it means that the culprit hacked into the deceased car in proximity and only when they are in proximity can they be able to control the car.''''


    Michelle''s heart was beating so fast that she couldn''t breathe.


    She knew there was something wrong. She knew it all along, so there was someone behind this! There was someone behind this all along!


    ''''And from what we see, the killer tampered with the brakes of the car and increased the speed; leaving the victim to no choice that to hit the light pole and thus making the car engulf in flames.''''


    ''''Oh my god¡­ ''''


    Michelle''s tears started falling all over again;


    ''''How would someone do this? What wrong did she do? What wrong did she do to deserve to die this way!! ''''


    Her voice resounded in the room and Douglas did his best to calm her down;


    The police officer watched her for a moment before he interrupted;


    ''''The investigation is still going on Ma so these are the details we have, but we''ll give you feedback on any new development.''''


    ''''Thank You officer, we''ll be on our way now.''''


    Douglas thanked the officer and helped Michelle stand up.


    ''''Pull yourself together okay, if you want to find the culprit you need to be strong. ''''


    He said, pulling her into a brief hug.

 Chapter 112 - Thats more like it

    ''''Ah-ah, ah, it hurts. ''''


    Tiana exclaimed; half laughing and half crying; she clung onto Nicklaus hand as the professional drew on her arm. Nicklaus placed sweet kisses on her face, as though trying to take away the pain;


    ''''Do you want her to stop? ''''


    ''''No! ''''


    Tiana exclaimed even before Nicklaus could complete his question and he laughed;


    ''''Then you have to bear with the pain okay? It''ll be over soon. ''''


    She nodded and bit on her lower lip, her face all red.


    The tattooist had drawn the three stars she wanted on her b.o.o.b.s, it was very pretty but it was still red and hurting so Tiana didn''t want to touch it. After which, she opted to get a purple floral design on her arm, Nicklaus didn''t want her to because she was already red from the one she had gotten but she had insisted.


    ''''Done! ''''


    The lady exclaimed with a smile when she finished with the tattoo, she cleaned it with the wipes before letting Tiana stand up.


    ''"Finally!''''


    Tiana exclaimed as she walked towards the mirror to look at it.


    ''''Wow! It''s so beautiful.'''' There was a beautiful smile on her face as she stared at the tattoo.


    ''''Baby, how is it? ''''


    She turned to Nicklaus, who was still sitting watching her,


    She was just putting on a sweater, long enough to cover half of her thighs, her hair was packed up to a bun but there were a few strands falling here and there,


    She was so f.u.c.k.i.n.g beautiful; if not that the tattooist was a woman, he wouldn''t have let any person see her so s.e.xily dressed;


    ''''Baby? ''''


    Tiana called, seeing that she wasn''t getting his attention;


    Nicklaus blinked and looked towards the tattoo on her arm.


    ''''It''s very pretty. ''''


    ''''Do you like it? ''''


    She widened her eyes and Nicklaus nodded;


    Although what he liked more was the fact that she was leaning to her side, defining her white thighs and straight legs.


    So hot!


    ''''So for three weeks, avoid swimming, or submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub, as it can cause serious damage. ''''


    ''''Okay, thank you. ''''


    Tiana nodded as she continued admiring her new tattoo. She looked all innocent before, but with the ink on her body, she felt like a bad-girl!


    After Nicklaus discharged the lady, he came to stand behind her in front of the mirror, his hands going around her waists; he pulled her close such that her back side was fully resting against his groin, and he rested his head in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent.


    Tiana''s cheeks flushed red and her body started heating up;


    Does he know what he''s doing to me?


    She bit on her lower lip tightly as her hands rested on top of his;


    ''''I love the sound of it on your lips; I want to hear you call me more often. ''''


    His lips murmured against her neck, tickling her and sending shivers down her spine. His voice was deep and hoarse, it was s.e.xy normally, but this time, it hit differently. Her n.i.p.p.l.es were getting hard and a certain part of her almost dripping wet.


    F.u.c.k! This is pure torture!


    She swallowed hard;


    ''''Say it. ''''


    Nicklaus spoke again, his hands around her, caressing her sides;


    Tiana breathed in sharply;


    ''''Baby¡­ ''''


    She stammered, trying to seem okay, but her reflection on the mirror showed that she was clearly not fine.


    ''''mm, again '''' He groaned and kissed her neck;


    Oh god!


    Tiana m.o.a.ned, her eyes rolling backwards; ''''Baby¡­ ''''


    She called again, this time her voice raspy.


    ''''Now, that''s more like it. ''''


    Nicklaus smirked, turning her around so she could face him. His eyes were filled with pure l.u.s.t as he gazed at her.


    She had pulled her sweater low so she could have the tattoo, so it exposed a sumptuous amount of her round b.o.o.b.s, a little lower and her n.i.p.p.l.es would be seen.


    Nicklaus eyes fell to her chest and he swallowed hard;


    Shit! She was getting him out of his mind!


    He watched her chest rise and fall in a rhythmic pattern, the three stars on her b.o.o.b.s still red.


    Tiana could hear the groan at the back of his throat, and she wasn''t finding it easy either.


    Nicklaus throat tightened as his gaze shifted to her eyes; his green eyes staring back at her with utmost desire.


    Tiana swallowed;


    Okay, they were doing it now!


    There was no way he would let her go with that look in his eyes!


    Was she nervous?


    Tiana couldn''t tell because her excitement overpowered any hint of nervousness in her.


    She wished he would touch her already and stop gazing at her like she was some fish in the ocean!


    Nicklaus gaze fell to her lips. Those pink lips, there were slightly red now, and extremely enticing,


    His head leaned closer to her and Tiana''s eyes shut, her heart slamming against her chest.


    She could feel his hot breath on her face, his lips almost on hers, but just when he was about to kiss her, his phone rang in his pocket.


    Tiana''s eyes flung open instantly and their both eyes looked towards the source of distraction.


    F.u.c.k!


    Tiana mentally cursed the phone for distracting them, why was it now of all times!!


    Nicklaus hesitated before he took his phone out of his pocket, when he saw the caller, his brows narrowed.


    ''''Wear something. '''' He said his eyes not glancing at her, he waited a moment before he turned towards the door and opened it.


    They had stayed in her room for the tattoo so when he left, Tiana walked to her bed and slumped on it.


    They were this close!!


    She covered her face and took in a deep breath, getting her hormones in check.


    ¡­


    ''''Where is he? ''''


    Nicklaus asked as he stepped outside.


    ''''We kept him in the T-building, Boss.''''


    The guard spoke and Nicklaus started walking towards the building; his face as frosty as ice.


    There was a man tied to a chair and his eyes bound with a cloth, when Nicklaus walked in, the cloth was pulled from his eyes, he blinked severally and when his eyes fell on Nicklaus, all blood drained from his face.

 Chapter 113 - Baby?

    The man''s face drained of all color as he stared at Nicklaus. He couldn''t even believe who was in front of him.


    He had just gotten into the country for a business deal; he called a driver to take him to his hotel, but he realized that they were going to another venue, he asked the driver where they were heading to but he got no response, just when he wanted to call someone, another man, looking deathly stepped into the car, with a gun pointing to his skull and bound his eyes with a piece of cloth.


    He had been promising tremendous amounts of money since they held him captive but none of them had said a word to him; he wondered who his captor was and what they wanted but he could not pin his head around anything; he didn''t remember anyone wanting to get him, but when the cloth was pulled off his face, and he saw the person in front of him, he knew he was in great trouble.


    ''''Oh Mr. Nicklaus¡­ I didn''t know you wanted to see me; else I would have come to you as soon as I got into the country, my bad ha ha. ''''


    He forced a weak smile to his face, although he was in trouble, he wanted to feign ignorance, but the vicious glare Nicklaus cast him, made his smile turn into grave panic, and sweat started dropping from his face,


    Nicklaus looked away from him and picked up a knife from the table, and that was when the man saw that there was a table of knives and guns right in front of him.


    This is not good¡­


    He was visibly shaking now, almost like a drenched lost puppy. The smug look that was plastered on his face a few months ago was completely gone. Nicklaus scoffed;


    ''''I told you we would meet again, Mr. Park. How was your flight? ''''


    He spoke, his eyes on the very sharp blade in his hands; there was no emotion in his eyes, as bleak as midwinter.


    ''''I''m sorry, I''m really sorry, Mr. Nicklaus. I didn''t know she meant something to you, I regret ever looking at her, ''m sorry forgive me; please don''t hurt me! I beg you! ???''


    ''''Have you wondered why it''s over five hours and your business partner hasn''t contacted you, Mr. Park?" Nicklaus walked closer to him and took a seat in the center of the room, a derisive smile on his lips.


    Mr. Park felt his blood chilling cold, his heart was pumping erratically and his throat dried of all fluid.


    He had heard that Nicklaus was a heartless beast, but he never expected that he could whisk out a plan to get him into the country so he would deal with him. If he was having double minds about being in trouble before, now he was certain that he was not leaving unscathed.


    ''''Now I think about it, should I pluck out those eyes, those eyes used to stare l.u.s.tfully at my woman, or should I cut off that tongue you used to speak those lecherous words? ''''


    Nicklaus thought, resting back on the chair, his eyes closed as though deep in thought;


    ''''Mr. Nicklaus¡­ ''''


    Mr. Park''s face was white now. He was staring death in the face, and he couldn''t even do a thing. He never thought Nicklaus would get back to him for what he did that day, if he had known he would have brought his guards along, but that might not even save him because this was Nicklaus'' territory.


    He was smart¡­ He tactfully brought him into the US, before dealing with him, knowing fully well that his hands were tied here.


    What was he going to do now?


    ''''You invite me to your home, make me sit and eat with you even when it makes me sick, and instead of going on with the deal as planned, what do you do? You bargain on my woman! ''''


    Nicklaus completed bursting into a horrid laughter;


    ''''I didn''t know! I didn''t know she was your woman, Mr. Nicklaus, you even introduced her as your secretary!''''


    Mr. Park tried to defend himself and Nicklaus eyes shifted from his knife to him;


    ''''Now, now, I come with a woman to meet you and without respect for me or the woman whatsoever, you bid on her body, right in front of her and you have the guts to say you were thinking she was my secretary? Even if she is my secretary, does that give you the right to bid on her body?!!'''' His eyes were filled with utmost rage and his veins were already popping out on the sides of his head;


    ''''Now I know what to cut off, hold his mouth open!! ''''


    At his statement, the two guards in the room walked to Mr. Park; his eyes widened as he watched them approach;


    ''''NO, NO! PLEASE I BEG YOU! I BEG YOU! I''LL GIVE YOU THE DEAL! EVERYTHING! ALL THE F.U.C.KIN'' SHARES!!''''


    Mr. Park screamed as he struggled to break free from the chair, his whole body quaking. The guards held him still and Nicklaus stood up from the chair in the center of the room; walking towards him;


    ''''I''ll cut off your tongue so you won''t speak so lecherously ever again. And I advise that you quietly go into retirement, get villa near the ocean or something and never think of coming to this state, because if you try, I promise you, I will wipe your two kids off the face of the earth!! Now, do you have any last words? ''''


    He seethed, walking close to him, making sure he could see the sharp edge of the blade;


    Mr. Park''s eyes widened. He never thought that day was going be the last time he would speak!


    In a few seconds he would be dumb! DUMB!!


    ''''PLEASE I BEG YOU!! I''LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT! OH GOD!! SOMEBODY!! ANYBODY!!''''


    ''''Baby? ''''


    Nicklaus hands which were in the air froze when he heard a soft voice call him; he stopped instantly as though he was electrocuted;


    ''''What''s wrong?''''


    Tiana called again, her feet stepping closer to him;


    Nicklaus turned around immediately, his face looking like he had seen a ghost;


    ''''Beautiful¡­''''

 Chapter 114 - Do you want to kill him?

    Tiana''s eyes fell to the knife in his hands and she froze, all blood draining from her face. She blinked and raised her gaze to the man bound to the chair and she recognized him immediately;


    Mr. Park!


    She couldn''t even forget his name. As her eyes gazed at him, her heart squeezed with contempt.


    One thing she hated was men who didn''t value women. But how was he here?


    Her brows creased as she looked back at Nicklaus, her eyes questioning;


    Nicklaus feared what she would think; he didn''t even know that the door was left open!


    ''''beautiful, it''s not what you think¡­ ''''


    He took a few steps towards her and stopped just when he was in front of her;


    How would he explain that he was pointing a knife at a bound man but was not intending to kill him?


    This could have just been prevented if those guards locked the doors!!


    Tiana opened her lips to speak, but before she could say a word, the man bound to the chair screamed;


    ''''Milady, I''m very sorry! I''m sorry for everything, for even looking at you!! Please!! I deserve to die but please forgive me! I promise never to do such to anyone again!! I beg you! Have mercy!! ''''


    Tiana''s brows creased;


    Okay, what the hell is going on?


    Her gaze shifted between the man who looked like a wet rat and Nicklaus who had a confused panicky expression on his face as he stared at her, not even bothering with what the man was saying;


    Mr. Park thought quickly; if Nicklaus had taken his time to pull him into the states for this woman, she must be very special to him. And if he could get her to forgive him, he might go free. This was his last straw, and he needed to pull it right.


    ''''I beg you Milady!! I''m very sorry!! I''m very sorry¡­'''' He was weeping like a child, his significant potbelly vibrating tremendously;


    Nicklaus cast a glare at the guards and they quickly shoved a rag up into his mouth, stifling his screams.


    Tiana swallowed hard;


    How many people had he done this to?


    She remembered when he had made her kneel in front of him. She was almost in the same state like this man, except that she did nothing wrong. She knew the feeling. Although he had caused her to feel disgusted that day in London, she knew what it felt to beg for one''s life.


    Tiana drew in a sharp breath and turned to Nicklaus; she had forgiven him now, they were on a new chapter. She shouldn''t dig up old dirt.


    Forcing a smile, she stretched her hand to him and held him;


    ''''Let''s go out for a moment. '''' With that, she turned around, taking him with her.


    Nicklaus didn''t even know what to say. He hated that she had seen this, he hated that she had seen this wicked part of him.


    ''''How¡­ how did you know I was here? ''''


    He asked, a little stammer in his words;


    ''''I asked after you and I was told you were here. ''''


    She answered calmly, not even bothered that there was still a knife in his palm;


    Nicklaus was speechless, how would he tell her he was so mad at the fact that that man was gazing at her l.u.s.tfully and he had wooed him with a business deal just to get a revenge on him; that was crazy!


    ''''Do¡­ do you want to kill him? ''''


    Tiana asked anxiously, although she knew it was possible, she didn''t want to believe that he could kill someone so easily without batting an eyelid.


    ''''No! ''''


    Nicklaus replied instantly;


    ''''So¡­ what are you doing with a knife? ''''


    Tiana asked, her eyes widening; Nicklaus swallowed;


    He couldn''t tell her he was about chopping off his tongue.


    ''''I¡­ '''' Nicklaus stammered;


    What would she think of him? He didn''t want to lie to her, but yet the truth was too hard to say!


    Tiana''s heart was slamming against her chest as she watched him; she saw the reluctance in his eyes and she knew she wouldn''t want to know the answer to that question;


    ''''It is okay, I don''t want to hear it. ''''


    If he couldn''t say it, then he shouldn''t say it at all.


    ''''Beautiful¡­ ''''


    ''''don''t harm him¡­ you could force him to close that deal with you, but just let him go¡­ I don''t think I can sleep if you do, okay¡­ ''''


    She said and closed the gap between them, hugging him close.


    Her head was in a mess. Did he really want to kill him?


    She didn''t want to think about it.


    Tiana shut her eyes, and she took in a sharp breath;


    She would give him time; he was like this before he met her, but he had been changing a lot, he was no longer frosty all the time and he was smiling a lot now. He wouldn''t automatically transform in a day, right?


    Nicklaus head fell. He couldn''t even raise his hand to hug her back; he felt so dirty. All the anger washed away and he couldn''t even think straight.


    ''''beautiful¡­ ''''


    He had always had anger issues and because of what happened years ago, he could not get over the thirst of vengeance and now he was at the risk of losing the trust of someone he loved most.


    Tiana cut him off quickly;


    ''''Ah, I don''t want you to stink of blood, and that man''s blood must be very filthy! Let''s just get the deal and let him go, okay? ''''


    Her voice was shaky, as though she was afraid that he would refuse; Nicklaus hadn''t felt that terrible before in his entire life!.


    His hands tightened on his sides and his throat clenched;


    ''''okay, I won''t hurt him. I promise. ''''


    Tiana nodded against his chest before she let him go;


    ''''I''m waiting for you in the room, okay? ''''


    She said with a sweet smile and Nicklaus nodded. Tiptoeing, she pecked him on the lips before walking towards the house.

 Chapter 115 - I have something to tell you

    Nicklaus watched Tiana walk away with slow steps until she disappeared into the building; he heaved a weak sigh,


    What would go on in her mind now? He wondered for a moment before walking back to the T-building.


    Tiana pushed open the front door and stepped in; once she was inside, she slumped against the door, a breath she didn''t know she had been holding, escaping from her lips.


    She couldn''t bear to hear him say it. Although she knew it was his life before he met her, she couldn''t bear to think the man who was smiling sweetly at her about an hour ago was about to hurt someone without even batting an eyelid.


    She raised her hand and clutched her chest tightly, trying not to think about it. She would wait for him.


    He was really putting a lot of efforts to be a better person. Maybe he needed time. She would wait for him to open up to her about his past and insecurities; he couldn''t have been born this way. Something must have happened. Something tragic¡­


    She would trust him.


    ¡­


    Tiana lay on the bed hugging two pillows to her chest and, playing candy crush saga, it''s been about an hour and yet he wasn''t back, what was holding him?


    He had promised he would not hurt him, so what was still keeping him?


    Tiana asked herself for the umpteenth time before she finally stood up from the bed and walked towards the door to go look for him; her steps came to a halt when she pulled the door open.


    ''''Baby¡­ ''''


    She called as their gaze locked in each other''s, her eyes widening in surprise.


    Why was he standing outside?


    Tiana asked herself. From his posture and the shocked expression on his face, she knew he didn''t just get there;


    Nicklaus'' lips fell open as he stared at her. He didn''t expect that she would come out of the room. He had been standing there for over ten minutes wondering what he would say to her if she asked him again;


    He knew that with what happened that evening, she would really find it hard believing anything he said.


    The only way out of this mess was to tell her what happened seventeen years ago. He had told no soul about that night; he had never spoken about it, not even to his aunt, whom he had lived with for a few years or his grandparents.


    They all thought he was having sleep issues because of his parents death, none of them knew that he had witnessed the death and he even knew who the killer was.


    He had wanted to take revenge on them himself. That was why he hadn''t spoken till that day.


    Since childhood, he didn''t have friends, and he had a hard time trusting people. He was always alone, and very sad, but he had masked his sadness with being frosty and wicked.


    Because of his iciness, no-one wanted to talk to him, everyone detested him, and so he inflicted pain to make himself feel important. He wanted to show them they needed him to survive, and with just the snap of his fingers, their life would end.


    He loved when they pleaded for their dear life. He loved the look in their eyes. It made him feel less lonely, less grieved. But he didn''t know that it was slowly growing on him until it became part of him.


    But everything changed when she came along.


    Everything changed the moment she didn''t plead for her life anymore, the moment she showed him he couldn''t hurt her anymore. The moment she f.u.c.kin'' smiled instead of begging for her life.


    At first he was just surprised at her boldness and wanted to know what made her so audacious. But the more he tried to find out, the more he fell for her. And the more he fell for her, the more she broke down his defenses, and finally, after so many years of darkness, he would finally tell someone about his horror.


    ''''Beautiful, I have something to tell you¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s thoughts were cut short by his question and she creased her brows. Before she could say a word, he pulled her back into the room and shut the door.


    Tiana''s eyes watched his back as he walked them to the bed, sitting down and pulling her down with him.


    She swallowed;


    Did something happen? Did he mistakenly kill Mr. Park?


    Her eyes searched his, but she couldn''t even decipher what he was thinking;


    Nicklaus shut his eyes, taking in a sharp breath before pulling them open again;


    ''''What is wrong? Did¡­ did you kill him? ''''


    She asked worriedly;


    ''''No, far from that, I just got the shares I needed and let him go. ''''


    At this juncture, her head was a mess. If he didn''t kill the man, why was he so pale?


    Nicklaus took her hand in his and kissed it;


    ''''There is something you don''t know about¡­ ''''


    His words were cut off by the phone that started buzzing in his pocket and their eyes looked towards it;


    Nicklaus sighed; this was the second time today. This stupid phone!!


    He wanted to ignore it, but the buzzing was so loud that he couldn''t; angrily taking it out to switch it off, his eyes fell on the caller ID.


    Grandfather¡­


    His grandfather had never called him directly in years now, for him to do it now, it must be very serious.


    His brows creased, and he raised his eyes to Tiana who was still waiting patiently for him;


    ''''It''s grandfather, give me one second. ''''


    She nodded, and he picked the call immediately;


    ''''Grandfather¡­ ''''


    Before he could greet, grandpa cut him off.


    ''''Nicklaus, have you seen the news today? ''''


    His voice was firm but there was a hint of anguish in them; Nicklaus brows creased,


    ''''No¡­ ''''


    Tiana could hear grandpa''s voice since the call was loud and her eyes widened in surprise;


    Did something happen?


    ''''Hmm, '''' Grandpa paused before he continued; ''''I think you should check the news now, get back to me after you''ve done so. ''''


    With that, he ended the call. Nicklaus brought the phone to his eye view, his head going over what could have gotten grandpa so agitated, but he couldn''t pin his mind around anything.


    Without thinking twice, Tiana stood up and dashed to the parlor, switching on the TV.

 Chapter 116 - Showing his Wings

    "HOWELLS CORPORATION IN BIG TROUBLE; INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS PULLING FUNDS ''''


    ''''There has been a big fuss over the contamination of the Tee beverage produced by Lorries and Co, a subsidiary company under the Howells Corporation, which produces one of the top selling soft drinks in USA. About a hundred people have been affected in the last day and they have sued the Howells Corporation for damages.


    Many investors have pulled their funds and future investments and from this chart we can see that the stocks of Howells Corporation are falling greatly¡­''''


    '''' ''''


    '''' ''''


    Tiana stood in the middle of the parlor, the remote controller in her hands, her eyes so wide that it felt it would pop.


    What¡­ what just happened?


    Her head turned slowly to look at Nicklaus and he looked deathly calm. So calm that he looked like he had been frozen in time.


    She couldn''t even speak, her tongue refused to move and the only thing she could do at that moment was to switch off the television causing the most piercing torture at the moment.


    Tiana switched off the television and dropped the remote controller on the center table, turning slowly to Nicklaus.


    With the little she knew about stocks and investors, she knew that news was bad, extremely bad.


    The room was silent as graveyard now, but Nicklaus had not still said a word. Tiana walked towards him. His face was calm but as she approached, she saw that his eyes were filled with deep thoughts.


    She stopped a few inches away from him; she didn''t even know how to console him.


    Before she could even find the words to say, his phone started buzzing again, they both glanced at the phone in his hand;


    It was an unknown caller, without thinking, he declined the call, as soon as he ended it, another came in, he ended it again, and another came in right after, angrily, he switched off the phone and threw it across the bed, his head falling.


    Those f.u.c.kin'' reporters!


    Tiana swallowed as she watched him;


    Right now, he looked strong. There were only a few people on earth, who could receive that news and remain calm. If she heard correctly, that news meant that he would lose tons and tons of money and the image of his company would be gravely tarnished. And yet he was this calm.


    She could remember the delight in his eyes when he talked to grandpa about Orica and the plans he had for the company, even if she wasn''t sure of anything, she was sure that he cared deeply about this company, but yet he got this news and forced himself to act strong.


    He was holding it all in. She couldn''t even imagine the pain he must be going through at that moment;


    Tiana took in a sharp breath and closed the gap between them, hugging him tight.


    ''''it will be okay. We''ll get through this. ''''


    She consoled, kissing his hair.


    ''''You don''t have to act strong, it''s okay to be sad sometimes. ''''


    Nicklaus heaved a sigh, his eyes shutting close after a few seconds; he raised his hand and hugged her back.


    He would just stay like this for a moment, shutting everything out but her.


    He hadn''t expected that the news would be this shocking, but he had acted strong, he had always acted strong in front of everyone as though it was okay, but she saw right through him, she saw right through his walls.


    They didn''t speak; they just hugged like nothing else mattered;


    ''''Let''s pretend as though nothing happened for tonight, let''s not think about the news, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus pleaded, and Tiana nodded;


    ''''Okay. ''''


    She said, and they hugged for a while.


    Dinner was calm; although they said nothing about the news, and tried to chat away, it still felt strained.


    After dinner, they sat on the balcony for a while, holding hands and watching the stars before they finally retired for the night.


    Tiana hugged him close, comforting him. She knew everything would be tough from tomorrow, but as for that moment, he needed a good sleep.


    ¡­


    ''''What happened? ''''


    Nicklaus asked the staff in Lorries and Co, who were sitting in front of him at that moment. His face was as icy as death and his eyes glaring daggers at the top staff of the company.


    ''''Am I speaking to myself? What the hell happened here! Do you all want to lose your jobs?!''''


    He blared, kicking out the files in front of him, sending the papers flying in the air.


    ''''Boss¡­ we don''t know who contaminated the drinks, and before we realized this, dozens of the drinks had already been distributed. ''''


    ''''it is impossible to contaminate the beverage except it was done by someone working in the factory, have you guys checked the CCTV?''''


    Nicklaus asked, and the branch manager nodded. He was overseeing the branch where the contaminated drinks were found, so he had to bell the cat.


    ''''We did that immediately, Boss, but¡­ ''''


    He paused, hesitating a little;


    ''''But what? ''''


    Nicklaus creased his brows as his gaze stared pointedly at him;


    ''''The CCTV in the distribution house was broken. ''''


    Nicklaus eyes blinked.


    Distribution house¡­ this means that the contaminated drinks didn''t come from the company, it was brought in and distributed with the other drinks!


    But who could have done this?


    Nicklaus brows creased;


    Catherine?


    No, it wasn''t her, he just gained her stocks the previous night, she would have just gotten head of it this morning and doing this does not benefit her in any way,


    So who could this benefit?


    Douglas¡­


    Nicklaus eyes flashed with rage. He was not expecting anything less, but he didn''t know he would act this soon.


    He wanted to make him look incapable of handling the affairs of the company, so it would be transferred to him.


    What a sick move; because even in his dreams and until he breathe his last, he would never let go of the company.


    ''''Any news from the victims? ''''


    Nicklaus asked; shifting from the topic entirely.


    Now that he had shown his wings, he would be very careful about what he says. A spy might be among the staff in front of him. He would never let him know what he was thinking.

 Chapter 117 - You can do it

    ''''Any news from the victims? ''''


    ''''I think they''re still pressing charges, but we''ve not heard anything from them since today. ''''


    The man explained and Nicklaus nodded, standing up from the chair;


    ''''Okay, investigate further on the broken CCTV, and who tampered with it. For now, the meeting is adjourned.''''


    With that, he walked out of the boardroom.


    He had a meeting scheduled after this, he had gone over to Lorries for the meeting and he had Tiana supervise the affairs in the company for the meantime; as soon as he stepped out of the office, he called her;


    ''''Hey¡­ ''''


    ''''Baby, you need to get here ASAP, the investors are throwing a fuss and I''m doing my best to calm them down but it''s not working, they want to see you immediately!''''


    Tiana blew as soon as the call connected; she had tried calling him earlier, but his phone wasn''t connecting.


    Nicklaus sighed;


    ''''Tell them I''ll be there in a few minutes. ''''


    ''''Okay, I''ll do just that. ''''


    With that, she ended the call.


    Nicklaus heaved a sigh as he walked towards his car; nothing was looking good at all. Now that he was sure that the contaminated drinks weren''t from Lorries, how would he prove it?


    Douglas was a very calculative person for him to make this move; he would have made sure it was fool proof. And the longer he took, the graver the consequences became.


    After the meeting with the investors, he would need to meet with grandpa, after which, he had an interview, which he couldn''t object to. He had to say something about the matter at hand; keeping quiet would be very grave.


    He knew this would come, but he didn''t know it would be this soon.


    Nicklaus sighed as he entered the car, and the guard closed it after him, driving off to the company quickly.


    ¡­


    ''''So what do you want? ''''


    Nicklaus sat on his chair like a king, his face as indomitable as ever; Tiana was amazed as to how he could look intimidating even with the matter at hand, a part of her felt proud.


    ''''I hear that you all made a fuss in my absence. Why is everyone quiet now? Are you all tongue tied? ''''


    His left brow raised questioningly as his frosty expression darkened;


    The angry investors who ranted earlier were now panicky, but then, they were not terrified of him anymore because they knew that he was in a tight corner now.


    One of them cleared his throat bravely;


    ''''The Howells Corporation is in a huge mess now, we are no longer interested in investing; we want to pull our funds.''''


    He spoke but made sure to avoid Nicklaus daring eyes;


    Tiana swallowed hard after he finished talking; earlier, they were threatening hellfire and brimstones earlier, she didn''t expect that they would talk so meekly now;


    Nicklaus was quiet for a moment before he burst out laughing;


    He laughed so much that the investors wondered if something had gone wrong with him; after a while he stopped;


    ''''You see, I''ll like everyone to speak for themselves; I don''t want anyone complaining they were unjustly treated when something happens after this short period of misunderstanding. ''''


    he stopped, making sure they understood what he meant;


    ''''Now, if you want to destroy every relationship, you have with the Howells, I want you to stand and walk out that door, but remember, there is no turning back once you leave through that door, and no matter how much you plead, I would never listen. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened in awe;


    How was he so smart?


    He was telling them to leave and at the same time threatening them to dare!


    Her eyes shifted to the investors around the table and she was stunned. Each one of them was panicky, no-one dared to even stand up.


    They faced indecision at that moment, because his words were very ambiguous,


    He had said a short period of misunderstanding, which meant that he was close to finding a solution. And if they left, they would have severed all ties with the Howells Corporation for life! But what if he was just bluffing? Would they all go down with him?


    ''''I''m going to give you all a minute to leave, you are free to leave no-one will stop you. The time counts now. ''''


    Nicklaus spoke coolly, leaning back on his chair, like the god he was, and closing his eyes casually as though he wasn''t bothered if they left or not.


    The investors didn''t even know what to do, they all cast each other glances, but no one dared to stand up; if they dared to leave and everything got better, he might come after their family businesses, they couldn''t risk that.


    Nicklaus opened his eyes after a minute passed and unsurprisingly, everyone was still seated, even the man who had spoken earlier.


    He smirked and glanced at each one of them;


    ''''Well, I think this meeting is over, am I right? ''''


    He asked in an authoritative tone and they quickly stood up and left.


    Tiana watched them leave one after the other until they had all left; she turned to look at him and almost at the same time, he slumped back in his chair, heaving a sigh.


    Standing up from her chair; she walked to him, she stopped for a second before she leaned down and hugged him.


    ''''You did well. ''''


    She knew what he did; even though the company was in trouble, he had done his best to keep the investors. He might not have had any solution yet, but he made them feel as though they would lose a lot if they left.


    Nicklaus stood up from the chair so he could hug her properly; he needed this hug right now.


    Tiana''s hands went around his torso as he leaned into her, his head falling low.


    She was the only one who could understand how he felt inside, and with her, he left himself be vulnerable.


    ''''The stocks are still falling, Beautiful. ''''


    He didn''t want to check the news, but it was up on the billboard in front of the company, it was f.u.c.kin'' everywhere and he couldn''t even pretend that he didn''t see.


    Tiana took in a sharp breath; he must be passing through a lot;


    ''''it will be alright, you can do it, I trust you.''''

 Chapter 118 - Fallen for the Miss

    ''''I trust you''''


    Nicklaus heaved a sigh of relief when he heard her; he just realized he needed to hear those words. He was very grateful that he had her by his side now; he didn''t know what he would have done without her.


    ''''You didn''t have breakfast, let''s go eat? ''''


    Tiana raised her head from his chest so she could look him in the face; Nicklaus swallowed.


    Eating was the last thing on his mind at that moment.


    ''''I don''t want to eat... ''''


    ''''I know you don''t feel like eating, but you need to eat something, today would be very hectic, I don''t want you fainting from stress. '''' Tiana raised her hand to his cheeks and caressed his chin; her eyes staring at him lovingly; she continued;


    ''''And I couldn''t eat without you this morning, so I didn''t eat at all. So if you won''t eat, I will not eat too. '''' She pouted, staring puppy dog eyes at him, knowing that he would not let her starve. That was the best she could do for him. She would help him in any way she could.


    Nicklaus pinched her cheeks lightly, a weak smile forcing its way to his lips.


    ''''Silly¡­ ''''


    Tiana grinned, seeing that he had fallen for her tricks;


    ''''Let''s go, my tummy is grumbling! ''''


    She smiled as she pulled him along, leaving the meeting room.


    ¡­


    ''''The young master likes the miss a lot, Sir ''''


    The old man who sat on the large cushion creased his brows, taking off his glasses; he dropped it on the table by his side and breathed out heavily;


    ''''What do you mean? ''''


    He asked; if this news came a few weeks earlier, he would have been glad,, but the situation was different now. He needed to save the company he had taken years to build.


    ''''The miss stayed on the first floor and had been treated like a mere servant in the first weeks of her stay, but recently, the Young Master got her moved up to his floor. He lets no one stay close to him, but from the information I''ve gathered, they sleep together in his room. A few days ago, he had prepared her meal himself!


    Sir, to be honest, the young miss has the young master around her fingers now. ''''


    The man explained and Grandpa sighed. He really liked Tiana but his hands were tied now. He had no choice.


    ''''Alright, you may take your leave. ''''


    The young man bowed a little before he turned around and left the room.


    Grandpa massaged his forehead with his fingers, his eyes closed in deep thought.


    Everything was good until now. Why would this happen now?


    ¡­


    ''''Mr. Nicklaus, what do you have to say about the issue at hand? ''''


    The reporter asked with a professional smile; Nicklaus was sitting elegantly on the chair, his legs crossed. His face sculptured like a fine masterpiece and his emerald eyes piercing. For a split second, the reporters in the room wondered if he was really the CEO or he was a model paid to act as one.


    Such a waste of beauty!


    He would have done so well in the entertainment industry.


    Nicklaus gaze rose from the paper in his hands and he looked at the reporter in front of him;


    ''''This matter has been a great cause of concern. I have always ensured that the beverages produced under our name are of the topmost quality, I am as shocked as you are that this nature of damage could occur, but I assure you we are doing our best to look into it. ''''


    The female reporter creased her brows;


    ''''Mr. Nicklaus, several victims have sued the company, do you accept that this injury was caused by your company and are you going to pay for the damages?''''


    Nicklaus was quiet for a second;


    ''''Well, the Lorries has produced one of the best beverages in the whole of USA for over a decade now, if something like this happens in a company with such a good name, I''ll do my possible best to investigate properly and if these damages wasn''t caused by my company, I''ll take legal actions against the persons involved. ''''


    The whole place erupted in muffled whispers;


    Is he saying that it wasn''t a Tee drink that was contaminated?


    Ha! How could he say such when it was clearly a Tee drink that got almost a hundred people affected? Who is he trying to push the blame to?


    Tiana swallowed hard as she listened to the surrounding gossip, her ear aching.


    If Nicklaus could say something like that, it meant that he was sure that the contaminated drinks weren''t from his company.


    But who would be interested in tainting the image of the company in such a manner?


    ''''Mr. Nicklaus, are you saying that the Lorries and Co aren''t responsible for the injury caused to the victims? ''''


    Nicklaus slanted his lips,


    ''''Like I said, we are looking into the matter closely, and we''ll let the public know of any improvement. Thank you. ''''


    He completed and stood from the chair, walking towards the exit. A swarm of reporters raced after him, but his guards did well to block them off from getting to him.


    Once he was outside, he turned around, his eyes scanning for Tiana.


    When he didn''t see her, he became apprehensive.


    Was she still inside?


    He wondered as he watched the security stop the reporters from going after him. They had completely blocked the entrance; there was no way she could leave.


    ''''Baby¡­ ''''


    Just when he was about walking back into the building, he heard a voice call him and he paused;


    Turning around, he saw her panting lightly, and he heaved a sigh of relief.


    He walked to her and his brows creased when he noticed she was breathing quickly;


    ''''Did you run a marathon? ''''


    He asked as his brows rose in surprise;


    Tiana looked behind him and saw that the security was doing their best to hold the reporters back because he was still there;


    Pulling her eyes back to him, she smiled;


    ''''Let''s get into the car first. ''''


    She said, and started walking forward, Nicklaus following.

 Chapter 119 - Twisted stories

    ''''Why are you panting? '''' Nicklaus asked once they were inside the car.


    ''''I had to use the back exit, before I could stand up, the reporters had already blocked the front exit, and I had to run, I didn''t want you to worry about me. ''''


    She explained with a smile;


    Nicklaus heaved a sigh after hearing her explanation.


    ''''I told you to sit with me, now see what happened, ''''


    Nicklaus scolded with a little frown;


    ''''Ah, you know I''m very shy. I''ll just faint from embarrassment.''''


    She laughed and Nicklaus smiled. Remembering something, she asked;


    ''''Oh, why didn''t we go to the family home? Is Grandpa not home? ''''


    ''''Yeah, his pa sent me a text that he wouldn''t be home. It was rescheduled for tomorrow. ''''


    Nicklaus explained, and Tiana nodded.


    She was glad that he could finally rest after a long day.


    Nicklaus closed his eyes and after a short moment, he leaned closer to her and rested his head on her shoulders.


    Tiana turned to look at him and when she saw his eyes were closed, she sighed.


    She didn''t even want to think about the backlash his statements during the interview would bring; just when she thought about it, a voice from the car radio interrupted her thought;


    ''''¡­ the CEO of Howells Corporation has allegedly blamed a foreign cause for the injury caused by the Tee beverage during an interview held earlier today. His statement had caused a big fuss, and the internet has exploded with hate comments. The stocks are not on the bright side either, as prices are declining rapidly¡­ ''''


    ''''Can you turn that off, please? ''''


    Tiana asked the driver calmly, and he turned it off immediately.


    Her gaze turned to Nicklaus instantly and when she saw hat his eyes were still closed, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    Although she knew the news was inevitable, she didn''t want him listening to them. He had blamed no one, he just said that he would look deeper into the matter, but the press had twisted the story to what could best appeal to the audience.


    She knew it was normal for the media to twist stories, but this was the first time she had experienced firsthand what it felt like; and it didn''t feel good at all.


    Nicklaus swallowed; he heard everything, but he had pretended to be asleep. He had noticed she had been worrying herself a little too much, and he didn''t want to add another worry to her. He heard when she told the driver to turn off the radio and he knew she was worried that he would be affected by it.


    And truthfully, the news wasn''t good. He didn''t even have a single clue to what he would do and there was no time on his hands. After a few days, if he didn''t find a credible solution, the investors would be alerted again and this time, he might not be able to do anything about it.


    He needed to act fast.


    If he didn''t, grandpa would be forced to search for an alternative, and Douglas was ready to dive in once the opportunity comes.


    Nicklaus clenched his jaws as he forced his eyes to remain closed, his chest pressing so hard that it was very uncomfortable to breathe.


    This was the company Grandpa took years to build, he wouldn''t let it go down the drain, and as long as he could save the company, he was going to any lengths, even if it means giving it to Douglas.


    ''''Baby, we''re home. ''''


    Tiana''s voice kicked him out of the agonizing thoughts he was having, and his eyes fluttered open. He smiled at her and came out of the car, holding out his hand for her.


    Tiana stepped out and her eyes watched him keenly;


    Nicklaus kept a neutral expression. He knew she was checking if there was any change in his expression, but he would not let her worry again.


    Tiana snuck a peek at him for the umpteenth time as they reached upstairs. Not able to ignore it any longer, he turned to her.


    ''''Beautiful, I know I''m irresistible, if you want to kiss me, all you need to do is ask ''''


    He teased her with a smirk on his lips and she pulled her eyes away instantly, a blush tainting her cheeks.


    ''''I''m going to take a shower! ''''


    She spluttered and quickly turned to her room. Nicklaus forced the smirk to remain on his cheeks until she entered her room and shut the door, before his face turned gloomy.


    His head hung low for a second before he turned to his room and entered.


    ¡­


    After Tiana finished taking her bath, she sat down to blow dry her hair when her phone started ringing;


    She picked it up and when she saw who was on the line, she swiped her screen.


    ''''Tiana! Oh my god, I saw the news! What''s happening? ''''


    Gwen asked, sounding surprised;


    Tiana heaved a sigh; ''''I don''t really know Gwen, he''s really going through a lot right now, I hope it''ll be fine soon ''''


    ''''Oh, I''m so sorry. The news was so harsh, I wanted to be sure you are okay. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I''m fine. Hope you are good? ''''


    ''''I am; just take care of yourself okay, and don''t worry too much. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I will. ''''


    '''' Alright, goodnight. ''''


    ''''Goodnight, sleep tight ''''


    Gwen tossed her phone across the bed and she rolled her eyes;


    She was not very glad about the situation because it would delay her plan, but she couldn''t help but feel a tinge of happiness, knowing that Tiana would not be smiling day and night and getting treated like a queen for a few days at least!


    After wearing her pajamas, Tiana left her room for Nicklaus''. She pushed open the door without knocking and her feet froze at a spot.


    Nicklaus was sitting in the parlor, a bottle of wine in front of him, and a glass cup in his hands. His gaze was very dark and it made her remember the first night she had walked into his room.

 Chapter 120 - I love you

    When Nicklaus saw her step in, his eyes lowered to the cup in his hands; he wanted to smoke, but knowing that she wouldn''t be comfortable, he settled with just drinking.


    Tiana stood for a moment before she walked to where he was sitting in the parlor and sat down beside him.


    Even though it looked like he was casually drinking wine, Tiana knew a lot must be going through his mind.


    He had not said a word since she stepped into the room; he just drank from the glass mindlessly;


    Tiana watched him as he filled the cup for the third time, but just when he dropped the bottle to pick up the glass, she snatched it from the table, and throwing her head backwards she downed three mouthfuls.


    ''''Whut!! This is so strong! ''''


    She exclaimed, half coughing as the drink burned the back of her throat. She didn''t expect it to be very strong given the way he was drinking it casually. Her face was burning already and her eyes glassy.


    ''''Sorry, I didn''t know you would snatch the cup, I would have told you. ''''


    Nicklaus soothed, running his hands along her back to get her stable.


    Tiana pouted; ''''what did you expect, you drank it so seductively, I couldn''t help but want a taste. ''''


    Hearing her confession, he burst out laughing;


    ''''Oh god, this woman, what do I do without you? ''''


    He asked, his gaze turning tender as he admired her; Tiana blushed and looked away;


    She was making him laugh even when he didn''t want to smile; she was a f.u.c.kin'' drug!


    ''''You do nothing without me; I''ll kill you if you try. ''''


    ''''Yes, love, I won''t. ''''


    Tiana pouted, seeing that he was playing along with her joke;


    The heavy mood had lightened tremendously, and Nicklaus could barely remember any of his worries. Just watching her smile was enough to take his worries away.


    ''''I wanted to ask¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s eyes fluttered, and she swallowed.


    ''''What? '''' Nicklaus blinked as he waited for her to speak;


    ''''What do you love about me? ''''


    Her gaze locked on his and her cheeks burned when she noticed how piercing his gaze was.


    Nicklaus smiled;


    ''''let''s see, you go first. What do you love about me? ''''


    Tiana narrowed her brows, ''''that''s cheating, I asked first. ''''


    ''''I know, but I want to hear you first, ''''


    ''''No, I asked first, why are you turning the tables? You didn''t even want to know before now! ''''


    Tiana sulked, and Nicklaus grinned;


    ''''Then you are not even serious; besides you are the one being inquisitive. ''''


    ''''Fine! ''''


    Tiana glared at him. He always had his way around things.


    ''''Just don''t say what I will say.''''


    She pointed and Nicklaus laughed; ''''I bet I won''t. ''''


    ''''Okay, so let me see. ''''


    Tiana hummed lightly, as though thinking; then she turned to him;


    ''''First, I love that you''re so hot and s.e.xy and irresistible_ god, I can''t even think straight whenever you look at me with those mesmerizing eyes of yours.'''' She rolled her eyes and Nicklaus grinned. He loved that he was having such effect on her;


    ''''Stop laughing! '''' She glared, and he apologized immediately;


    ''''Sorry, I will not laugh anymore. ''''


    Tiana sighed as she watched him thin his lips and she continued;


    ''''and I love that you''re caring and sweet and so very thoughtful. And the fact that you only look at me, makes me feel special.''''


    She concluded, a light blush tainting her cheeks;


    ''''Wow! Now I think I''m going to blush. ''''


    Nicklaus teased with a sweet grin on his lips; Tiana smacked his arm lightly;


    ''''Your turn ''''


    ''''Okay, let me see.'''' Nicklaus tilted his head as though in deep thought, then he turned to her, whose eyes were wide with expectation.


    After a few seconds of silence, he replied;


    ''''I don''t know. ''''


    Tiana blinked;


    ''''What? '''' her already wide eyes bulged out the more and her face paled;


    ''''Yeah, now I think about it, I don''t know why I¡­ ''''


    ''''Oh my god, you don''t love me! Why won''t you know why you love me? Uh? I just told you, why can''t you say something? Now I think about it, you''ve only said you like me, you''ve never said you loved me, are you using me as a test object or¡­ ''''


    Before she could complete her sentence, Nicklaus leaned into her and covered her lips.


    She struggled to break free, but he didn''t let her, and just when she opened her lips to scream at him, he seized the opportunity to bite on her tongue lightly;


    As though his bite was a stabilizer, her whole body calmed instantly; he waited a moment and when he was sure that she would not object, he sucked on her tongue lightly before letting go, and tilting his head to the side, he deepened the kiss.


    Tiana was still angry, but she couldn''t help but yield to the kiss. The hands that were pushing against his chest; slid up to his shoulders and to his neck, pulling him closer to her. His mouth tasted like alcohol, and it was making her hazy. She couldn''t even remember the anger anymore, letting him kiss her in every way possible.


    They kissed for God knows how long before Nicklaus finally let go of her lips;


    He breathed out lightly as he watched her eyes flutter; his thumb caressing her rosy lips.


    ''''Beautiful, look at me ''''


    Tiana pouted, stubbornly keeping her eyes down;


    ''''Beautiful, please ''''


    She gulped as she heard him, unable to continue resisting his pleas, she lifted her eyes slowly to gaze at him;


    His emerald green eyes were mesmerizing as they gazed back at her, saying a million words that couldn''t leave his lips.


    ''''I love you. ''''


    Her eyes widened when she heard him, and she swallowed;


    ''''I love you so much that it is driving me crazy because I don''t even know why I do. I love everything about you, your smile, your eyes, your laugh, your voice, every single detail and I can''t get enough. I can''t do without you, and I mean it, and right now, I''m trying my best to control myself and with you staring at me like this, I''m f.u.c.kin'' going crazy.''''

 Chapter 121 - Shh...

    Tiana''s heart was racing so rapidly that she could hear every beat in her ears; her eyes stared straight into his eyes with an intensity that doubled with the passing second;


    At that moment, she didn''t think of anything else but the person in front of her; her mind, soul and body were aching for him, for his touch, she wanted him so badly that it hurt; and abandoning all sense of dignity, she crashed into him, smashing her lips into his, kissing him wildly, until every form of reason seeped out through her pores, and the only thought in her mind was what she wanted at that moment.


    Nicklaus was not given a moment to think, because in the next second, she let go of his lips and she opened her eyes to look at him. Her eyes were fiery with desire as she gazed at him and her chest heaved heavily;


    She bit on her lower lip, the way that made him go crazy; Nicklaus groaned, his eyes becoming hungry.


    Tiana swallowed, and she lifted herself from the couch and straddled him, her both legs going around his sides, her eyes not breaking contact with his.


    Nicklaus stared at her ravenously, his heart slamming against his chest. He opened his lips to speak, but her fingers came over his mouth;


    ''''Shh¡­ '''' She said, stopping him from speaking;


    He swallowed as he watched the sizzling meal in front of him, summoning all restraint to prevent himself from turning her over and f.u.c.k.i.n.g her in every way imaginable with the wild beast she had woken up beneath her.


    Tiana smiled and she let go of his lips, listening to his breath become raspy. She loved the look in his eyes, that hungry and passionate gaze, she loved that she made him feel this way, like she had control over him. In the next second, her hands went to the buttons of her pajamas shirt and she started undoing it;


    Nicklaus eyes widened, and they fell to her chest, his heart slamming rapidly against his ribcage as he watched the shirt give way to the white skin beneath, exposing the soft flesh pulsating beneath the clothes.


    It was just a little opening, but Nicklaus was almost on cloud nine.


    This woman, when did she master the skills of seduction?


    He swallowed hard, unable to take his eyes off her body, the hunger in his eyes becoming very intense, and his hands clasping around her waists holding her firmly;


    Tiana took in a sharp breath when she finished undoing the buttons of her shirt; nervously, she raised her hands to her shoulders, and slowly let the shirt fall off her body.


    Oh god!


    Nicklaus bucked instantly, his throat clenching as his eyes met the glorious sight.


    She wasn''t wearing anything underneath the shirt, so as it fell off her body, her round tempting pair of b.r.e.a.s.ts came into view, the three-star tattoo a little above her cleavage making it impossible to resist.


    Nicklaus eyes were as fiery as a wounded lion. Without thinking, his hands on her waists rose to her chest and he touched her;


    Tiana drew in a sharp breath as his hands rested on her b.r.e.a.s.ts, and when she felt his hands rub her lightly, hot goose bumps washed through her skin;


    Nicklaus swallowed, his hands let go of her b.r.e.a.s.ts and he drank in the sight with his eyes;


    ''''So beautiful¡­ ''''


    He exclaimed huskily, his eyes gawking at the beauty in front of him; her b.r.e.a.s.ts were covered with goose bumps and her n.i.p.p.l.es were already hard, aching to be touched.


    Tiana bit her lower lip again, her body aching with need;


    ''''don''t¡­ don''t control yourself anymore¡­ ''''


    She spoke greedily, wanting to tear his clothes off his body, but trying not to be too shameless.


    Nicklaus eyes rose to her, and he saw the intense desire in her eyes;


    ''''You are irresistible, do you know that, beautiful?''''


    He lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her palm, his eyes not breaking contact;


    Her core clenched as electric bolts travelled from her palm and exploded into butterflies in her stomach; an audible m.o.a.n left her lips, and she bit her lower lip immediately;


    ''''Are you sure about this? ''''


    Nicklaus asked hoarsely; although he knew it was almost impossible to turn back now, he wanted to make sure she was sure of what she wanted;


    ''''Oh god, I''ve never been this sure about anything in my entire life! I need you, I want you¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus pulled her towards him, smashing his lips into hers, making her swallow her words back down her throat; his tongue entered her needy mouth and intertwined with her tongue, tilting his head to the other side he deepened the kiss, his hand caressing her back, wet m.o.a.ns leaving their lips.


    He didn''t want her to regret anything, and once he got the confirmation he needed, he didn''t waste another second.


    His lips left her mouth and kissed her neck hungrily; sucking on every spot, until he latched onto one of her n.i.p.p.l.es and sucked;


    Holy!


    Tiana''s closed eyes saw seven stars as his tongue sucked on her n.i.p.p.l.e. Her back arched forward and her hand clutched onto his hair as he sucked on her with reckless abandon;


    His lips left the first boob, and he kissed the stars just above them before latching onto the second;


    ''''Baby¡­ f.u.c.k, god!! ''''


    Tiana m.o.a.ned loudly; her core pulsating and her whole body trembling with need;


    She was f.u.c.kin'' going crazy!


    Her hands gripped his hair as his mouth explored her v.i.r.g.i.n b.r.e.a.s.ts;


    By the time he let go of them, she was trembling with need.


    He lifted his hungry eyes to her and covered her lips again, this time sucking on her tongue and lips the same way he had sucked on her b.r.e.a.s.ts;


    Damn! Where did he learn that!!


    Tiana felt her whole body floating, her legs were trembling and her core wasn''t helping matters.


    She needed him inside her right now, else she would faint!


    Nicklaus let go of her lips and placed wet kisses over face, nibbling lightly on her ear before his hands went around her waists, lifting her above the ground.

 Chapter 122 - Youre really endowed, I must say...

    He did not stop kissing her until they reached the bed and he placed her gently on it as though she was an egg;


    It was only when she felt her body rest on a soft material, that Tiana knew that they were no longer on the couch; her eyes fluttered, and she opened them, meeting his fiery gaze;


    Nicklaus smiled as his eyes locked in her beautiful ones; his hand lifted to her face, and he caressed her cheeks;


    ''''Beautiful, you''re driving me insane... ''''


    He groaned as his lips kissed her b.o.o.b.s again, and then he lifted his face to gaze at her;


    ''''I love you. ''''


    He whispered; just loud enough for her to hear;


    ''''I love you too, Baby. ''''


    She replied, a smile washing her lips; Nicklaus pecked her cheeks before kneeling and with a swift pull, he lifted his shirt above his head; his strong broad chest outlined with fiery black ink came into view.


    Tiana swallowed as her eyes stared at him greedily;


    She had longed to touch this chest, to trace the ink with her palm, to know how strong his torso would feel against her hands. And finally, he was right in front of her now. She just needed to move her hands closer and she would feel him.


    She gulped; lifting her hands, she felt his chest and rubbed her hands over his ink and torso; lifting her body from the bed, she kissed his chest, her hands went around his back and her lips inched lower;


    When she reached his waistline she stopped. Her eyes stared at the line that stopped her from reaching further and she swallowed;


    Her hand trembled before it reached to pull his pants lower but Nicklaus held her, stopping her;


    Tiana lifted her eyes to look at him; her brows creased;


    Nicklaus smiled and kissed her fingers;


    ''''Beautiful, tonight is about you. Let me love you, okay? ''''


    He asked; not demanding but pleading; Tiana''s eyes blinked, and she smiled;


    ''''Okay ''''


    Nicklaus smiled and kissed her palm again before making her lie down; hovering over her; his hands went under and he held the sides of her pants and pulled it off her legs;


    A groan left his lips as his eyes fell on her pair of thighs; a rush of blood pumping towards his groin


    F.u.c.k, what type of cells produced such beauty?


    The fire burning inside of him doubled as he gaped at her body, and when he lifted his eyes to he face and saw her smiling, he groaned;


    ''''You f.u.c.kin'' know what you do to me, right? ''''


    He asked, not breaking eye contact as he lifted her left leg to his mouth and kissed her toes; Tiana bit her lower lip as she watched him seductively, one hand playing with her b.r.e.a.s.t; he kissed the inside of her leg and inched downwards slowly;


    Tiana m.o.a.ned as he reached her thighs, his hands went under and pulled her panties off her legs slowly;


    ''''beautiful, you''re gonna kill me¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus exclaimed with ragged breath as his eyes stared at the cleanly shaved p.u.s.s.y lying beneath him;


    She was stark n.a.k.e.d now; so beautiful and intoxicating, his eyes ravished her splendor, and he couldn''t get enough;


    Tiana who couldn''t wait to get him inside her pulled her legs apart; a little whimper escaped her lips as she caressed her b.r.e.a.s.t.


    ''''F.u.c.k¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus groaned, his eyes darkening with l.u.s.t and his member so hard that he felt it would rip his pants apart;


    Does she even know how s.e.xy she is?


    Nicklaus asked himself as he stared at her body squirm under him; Tiana''s hand reached lower and she caressed her pulsating bud, a m.o.a.n leaving her lips, her h.i.p.s writhing, and her eyes rolling backwards;


    Nicklaus bucked as he watched the wonderful sight in front of him;


    She sure knows how to kill a man!


    Leaning closer, he took her hand off her core and kissed it, sucking it tenderly before replacing its place on her core with his mouth;


    ''''oh my¡­ oh my god!! ''''


    Tiana''s eyes flashed open instantly, and she latched onto his hair; fireworks exploded in her brain as his tongue worked wonders on her p.u.s.s.y; her h.i.p.s squirmed as she m.o.a.ned; she was not expecting that at all!


    Nicklaus only let go of her when her h.i.p.s bucked with climax and her lips m.o.a.ned in ecstasy;


    He lifted his head to gaze at her;


    Tiana was breathing rapidly, her whole body still vibrating;


    How is this man still a v.i.r.g.i.n?


    She wondered in shock as her eyes fluttered open to look at him. She watched him lick his lips like he had just had a favorite meal;


    Tiana blushed as she watched him helplessly;


    ''''I knew it. You would be sweet on the inside too. '''' He spoke, kissing the insides of her thighs again;


    Tiana bit on her lower lip and she swallowed;


    ''''I haven''t done this before¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus eyes widened as a flash of surprise passed through his eyes;


    He had never asked because she dated that man, the man she had kissed in front of his company. He hadn''t bothered about it and loved her without thinking;


    ''''I thought¡­ ''''


    ''''Yes, I''ve dated someone, but no-one has ever seen me this way¡­ ''''


    She swallowed and watched the look in his eyes; Nicklaus was shocked. He had never expected that a beauty such as her was still a v.i.r.g.i.n;


    ''''So that makes two of us then; '''' He replied as a sweet smile washed his lips. He had never bothered about her being a v.i.r.g.i.n, but at that moment, he felt like a king knowing that he was the first person she was letting touch her and he would make sure he was the only one. He couldn''t even imagine another man marking her body like this;


    Tiana smiled;


    She wanted to say that she couldn''t believe that he was a v.i.r.g.i.n, after his performance that night; but her core was burning at the moment and needed attention, so she would keep that discussion for later;


    She watched him take off his pants and release his little monster from its cage;


    Tiana gulped and her eyes widened;


    ''''Wow! '''' She exclaimed, her eyes peering hungrily as his member dangled in front of her eyes;


    ''''Do you like it? ''''


    Nicklaus asked with a s.e.xy smirk, and Tiana blushed;


    ''''I must say, you are really endowed '''' she congratulated with a grin, her eyes not leaving his member for a second.


    He wasn''t huge, just big and long enough, her perfect size.


    She was itching to touch him but he had said he wanted to make love to her body, so she would just hold it in for now, but after night, she would be utterly shameless with his body.


    Nicklaus leaned in and covered her lips again, kissing her deeply and wildly; her hands went around his torso and caressed his back; m.o.a.ning against his lips.


    She felt him rub his d.i.c.k along her opening and she exhaled;


    Nicklaus planted soft kisses on her neck as he slowly entered her;


    ''''F.u.c.k! '''' Tiana exclaimed, her fingers digging into his back;


    Contrary to what she was expecting, it wasn''t painful at all, it was rather like she was being filled up, and the waves of ecstasy made her squeal;


    Nicklaus waited a moment for her to adjust to him, before he pushed deeper again, his lips crashing into her mouth again.


    Tiana latched onto his hair as she m.o.a.ned in his mouth, her core tightening around him, pulling him further into her.


    Nicklaus let out a groan; pulling out of her and thrusting in slowly again;


    It took him every restraint not to climax, because damn, she was a milking machine~


    Tiana''s hands went around his neck and she bit on his shoulder as he increased his thrusts, and soon she was falling over the cliff.


    Her eyes shut as she felt her whole body calm, seeping into silence, and giving way to sleep;


    Everything she experienced was contrary to everything she had thought it would be like.


    She hadn''t felt so full in her whole life; at this moment, with him above her, she knew nothing could compare.


    And that was because¡­ she was madly in love with this man.

 Chapter 123 - Dont make me miss you

    The next morning was always awkward¡­


    Tiana had been awake for twenty minutes now, but she didn''t want to open her eyes.


    She could still feel his arms around her, and his breath fanning her face; and she was well aware that they were stark n.a.k.e.d beneath the sheets and his member was poking against her tummy.


    Her mind went over the events of the previous night, her face reddening as she remembered what she had done.


    Did she really take off her clothes herself?


    Now she thought about it, that was top tier shamelessness! She never thought she could be able to take off her clothes for a man! Was she that man deprived?


    Her thoughts were cut short when she felt Nicklaus kiss her lips;


    ''''Beautiful, you can wake up now; I know you''re not sleeping. ''''


    He whispered in her ear before nibbling on it with his tongue; Tiana held back a m.o.a.n, shyness washing through her; she couldn''t bear to open her eyes after the rigorous night they just had.


    Even with her eyes closed, she could see the smirk on his lips.


    Nicklaus seeing that she would not open her eyes stepped out of the bed. Tiana heard his feet walk away and after some seconds, she heard a door open and close, and her eyes fluttered open.


    He went to the bathroom¡­


    Did he go to take a shower? She should seize this opportunity and run to her room!


    With that thought, Tiana sat up quickly, but when her eyes fell on her b.r.e.a.s.ts, she yelped. Nicklaus had marked her b.r.e.a.s.ts with several hickeys which stood out. A thought came into her mind and she pushed the sheets aside;


    Just as she had thought, her body had hickeys on every side.


    He wasn''t rough with her, but he knew how to use his teeth quite well.


    Tiana blushed as she ran her hand through her hair.


    She was still lost in thought when she heard the bathroom door creak open, and with a flash, she flew back to her position on the bed and shut her eyes, her heart slamming against her chest.


    She heard his footsteps approach her, and his side of the bed deepen. She gulped when his hand pushed some strands of her hair off her face and he leaned in and pecked her all over the face.


    ''''Are you still going to pretend to be asleep? You don''t have to be so shy, you know? ''''


    Nicklaus whispered against her ear, but she didn''t budge; he stared at her for a second and without warning, he picked her up from the bed, carrying her bridal style to the bathroom. Tiana squealed and her stubborn eyes opened instantly;


    ''''BABY! '''' She shrieked as she tried to bury her face in his chest; her hands clasping around his neck;


    Nicklaus chuckled as he watched her act shy;


    ''''I don''t know why you''re so shy, when I''ve already seen everything. ''''


    Tiana smacked his chest at his statement and he laughed before dropping her inside the bath he had prepared;


    Tiana''s cheeks flushed when she realized that he had gone in earlier to prepare a bath for the both of them; she watched him sit down in front of her in the large bath tub, the heat from the lathered water tanning his skin a little;


    ''''Ouch! '''' Nicklaus exclaimed as he sat in the water; Tiana''s brows creased;


    ''''What is it? '''' He smiled; '''' Let me see your hand?''''


    Tiana creased her brows, but she gave him her hand, anyway;


    ''''I thought as much, my back hurts like hell! ''''


    He exclaimed and Tiana burst out laughing, understanding what he meant;


    ''''I''m sorry, does it hurt that much? ''''


    Nicklaus nodded; ''''were you practicing kung fu on my back? ''''


    Tiana''s laugh echoed in the bathroom;


    ''''So sorry, what do I do to ease the pain? ''''


    She tilted her head as she asked and Nicklaus pouted;


    ''''With all the wounds you''ve inflicted on my back, I''m afraid, I won''t be able to lift my hands; I think you will have to bathe me. ''''


    He replied shamelessly; a grin on his lips;


    Tiana laughed at his pettiness, but then she wanted to touch him, so she didn''t object;


    ''''Okay, baby, I don''t want you hurting your back. ''''


    She said and leaned closer to him, her hand going behind his neck to take the sponge behind him, and her eyes fixated on his. Nicklaus swallowed as her n.i.p.p.l.es tickled his chest;


    She nestled in between his legs and poured liquid soap on the sponge;


    When she was through, she kept the soap and lathered his chest slowly with it. Her eyes still not leaving his;


    ''''don''t give me that look¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus groaned, his throat tightening; Tiana grinned, she knew exactly what she was doing;


    ''''What look? ''''


    She asked, a though ignorant, her hands still lathering him.


    She took the soap and poured a good amount on his hair, then played with it.


    Nicklaus hands reached for her b.r.e.a.s.ts and he squeezed; rubbing circles on her n.i.p.p.l.es.


    Tiana m.o.a.ned lightly, she arched her back as she let him caress her b.r.e.a.s.ts; but suddenly, she stood up from the bath;


    Nicklaus brows creased as he watched her;


    Tiana was just getting into the mood before she remembered that Nicklaus had a lot to do today, she knew if she didn''t let him go, he wouldn''t be able to stop touching her, so as much as she wanted to play all day, they had more pressing issues.


    ''''let''s shower now, we have a lot to do today, we''ll continue when we get back, okay? ''''


    She said with a smile and stepped out of the bath, walking into the shower;


    Nicklaus sighed reluctantly. He was already turned on and she had just stopped midway, but she was right, a place in his heart warmed knowing that she cared a lot about him.


    Standing up; he let the water drain before going to join her in the shower.


    ''''I will see grandpa today, so just stay home and rest, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus said as they washed themselves off;


    Tiana nodded, although she wanted to be with him, she didn''t want to distract him, since he told her to stay back; she would stay.


    ''''Come home as soon as you''re done, okay? Don''t make me miss you much. ''''


    She smiled and Nicklaus kissed her lips.


    ''''I won''t. ''''


    ¡­


    {p.s: make sure to read the author''s note}

 Chapter 124 - Love was stupid

    Tiana went to her room to brush, after which she put on shorts and a loose shirt. When she returned, Nicklaus was already done dressing. He was just buttoning up when she stepped in.


    She smiled and walked to him, helping him to finish buttoning up;


    Nicklaus watched her with affection in his eye, his hands going around her waists; Tiana smiled when she caught him staring at her.


    ''''We look like newlyweds, don''t you think?''''


    Nicklaus asked, his arms going around her waists; Tiana''s blush deepened and she slapped his chest before getting out of his hold;


    ''''Don''t get wild thoughts, get going now, you''re already late!''''


    She scolded, her blush deepening;


    ''''So, I don''t get any kiss? ''''


    Nicklaus pleaded, pouting cutely; Tiana glanced at him before she tiptoed and pecked his lips;


    But just when she wanted to let go, Nicklaus pulled her in, deepening the kiss for five seconds, then he ended it with a peck, making Tiana''s face hot red.


    This man¡­


    ''''I''ll come back soon, okay? ''''


    He whispered against her ear, and she nodded.


    ''''Make sure you eat something, okay? ''''


    She pleaded, he wouldn''t eat at home, and if she wasn''t there, she wasn''t sure he would eat. Nicklaus sighed;


    ''''You know it''s hard to eat without you now, ''''


    ''''Try, I''ll be sad if you don''t eat. ''''


    She pouted, and he nodded; she had really mastered the skill of making him do whatever she wanted and sadly he couldn''t even resist.


    Tiana smiled and pecked him for the last time;


    ''''let''s go. ''''


    She watched them drive out of the compound, it was just a few minutes but she was already missing him.


    Argh! This was bad.


    He had enveloped every inch of her senses. Could she even live without him at this rate?


    ¡­


    Tiana had just finished having breakfast, and she lay on her bed, staring at her phone. She really wanted to text Nicklaus, but knowing that he would be very busy, she decided against it.


    She was missing him to death already but she would wait, it was just a few hours and she would see him again. She shouldn''t be an obsessive girlfriend.


    Tiana thought as she clicked on YouTube and started watching makeup tutorials.


    She might get a chance to go back to doing what she loved most; she had given up on make up when her sister wanted to pursue it too. And because of the limited funds, she let her sister go, but now things were a lot better, she had a lot of money now, and she had him.


    Suddenly Tiana''s eyes shot open as a realization dawned on her;


    With a flash, she scrolled down and her eyes fell on the date.


    Her heart raced rapidly;


    Five months ago_ yesterday, she had made a deal with him to save her sister, it was already June 17th, how did things change so fast?


    Not only had she saved her sister, she had fallen in love with the devil himself.


    It was crazy!


    Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that she would fall for him!


    When did it even begin, her love for him?


    Now she thought about it, she didn''t even know when he started to grow on her, and without even realizing it, she fell in love with him.


    Could she have been stupid?


    Well, love was stupid.


    Without a blink, she had forgotten everything he had done to her, and throwing caution into the air, she flew into his arms.


    Without even a second thought, she had given her all to him.


    What if she regretted it later?


    Tiana sucked in a deep breath and shook her head immediately;


    Love was a risk, and that risk she will take with him.


    Even though it sounded crazy, she will trust him no matter what.


    She will trust that he would never break her heart.


    Never break her heart¡­


    ¡­


    Tiana woke up to a knock on her door, her eyes glanced at the wall clock, it was just past one. Was he back already?


    Jumping up from the bed, she ran to the door with smiles on her cheeks and pulled it open. But the smile dwindled when she saw who it was.


    ''''Veronica? ''''


    Her brows creased, and she looked behind her and her heart sunk when she didn''t see anyone.


    ''''Tiana, guards from the ancestral home are waiting for you outside, get dressed quickly. ''''


    ''''The... the ancestral home? Is Nicklaus with them? ''''


    She asked and Veronica shook her head,


    ''''No, he isn''t. ''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''Okay, let me wear something, I''ll be down in a minute. ''''


    Veronica nodded and Tiana shut the door.


    Why was she having a bad feeling about this?


    Tiana was downstairs in five minutes; as she stepped out, she got a more chilly feeling.


    Hope everything was fine¡­


    ''''Ma, the Young Master asks us to escort you to the ancestral home. ''''


    They were four guards standing by the two black cars; and the first one spoke, pointing towards the car.


    Tiana swallowed, why was she having a bad feeling about this?


    If Nicklaus wanted to see her, he could have sent his own guards. Why must he use the guards from the ancestral home?


    She hesitated a little, but then, it wasn''t as though she had a choice.


    If they could get into the house easily, that means the guards from the first gate recognized them;


    Taking in a deep breath, she walked forward and entered the car.


    When they reached the ancestral home, she scanned around for Nicklaus'' cars but she didn''t see any and she became worried;


    ''''This way Ma''am ''''


    The guard, who had spoken earlier, pointed towards the house and she forced a nod.


    She really didn''t feel good about this, but she didn''t have a choice either.


    The guard took her to a room at the far end of the hall way on the first floor.


    Her brows creased as she realized it was a study. There was a little library stuffed with books, a table and three sofas.


    There was an open newspaper on the table and a half-finished herbal tea in a cup;


    Was this Grandpa''s study?

 Chapter 125 - Except?

    Just when the question came into her mind, the door creaked open and Grandpa stepped in.


    Tiana froze.


    Where was Nicklaus?


    The guard bowed a little when Grandpa stepped in and he left.


    ''''Gra¡­andpa? ''''


    Tiana called as she watched him walk into the room calmly, a small smile on his lips.


    ''''Tiana dear, are you that surprised to see me? Am I that hateful? ''''


    He asked, laughing halfheartedly;


    Tiana felt sweat break out on her back and she gulped;


    ''''No, it''s just¡­ I was told I would see Nicklaus¡­ ''''


    She explained, and Grandpa smiled before sitting on the couch;


    ''''Hmm, sit down. ''''


    He said and pressed on a bell;


    Tiana hesitated a little before she sat down.


    Her mind raced through many thoughts and the only thing she could think about was that he had found out about them.


    But it wasn''t a problem anymore, since they were dating for real now.


    She would just tell him, if he asked. But¡­ wasn''t it a trivial matter compared to what was going on in the company at that moment?


    Couldn''t it wait for later?


    Tiana asked herself, but her thought was cut short when a maid stepped into the room;


    ''''Get two cups of cappuccino coffee. ''''


    Grandpa said to the maid nodded and she walked out.


    ''''Has Nicklaus told you about his past? ''''


    Grandpa asked suddenly and Tiana gulped, shaking her head nervously.


    She remembered him feeling tense when she mentioned his parents. Other than that, he had said nothing much, but she knew his father was dead.


    ''''Hmm, so you know nothing about him? ''''


    Tiana''s brows creased,


    Did she know anything about him?


    Now Tiana thought about it, she really didn''t know. She just knew his now, nothing about his past.


    But she knew that it was dark and he hadn''t been able to talk about it and she didn''t want to force him.


    She knew he would tell her whenever he was ready.


    ''''His family was assassinated when he was ten. ''''


    Grandpa said, taking off his glasses and keeping it on the stool beside him. Just then the maid walked in with a tray in her hands. She placed it on the table and served both of them before walking out of the room.


    Tiana eyes widened in shock; so that was it¡­


    That was what made him cringe that day. She didn''t know he had such a dark past.


    Grandpa took his coffee and sipped from it.


    ''''Since then, he had been in a dark place in his life. Nicklaus could not sleep without pills or any drug for years now, I''m sure you know that? ''''


    Tiana''s brows creased; Grandpa made it sound very serious, but for the past weeks he had not been taking any pills and he had been sleeping just fine.


    ''''No, grandpa, he sleeps just fine. ''''


    She explained with a small smile;


    Grandpa didn''t understand what she meant. Maybe he didn''t tell her this too? But if they slept together, she should know¡­


    ''''Tiana dear, Nicklaus has had this issue ever since childhood and he had nightmares, which only reduced now he was older but not entirely, I thought you knew this? ''''


    Tiana''s face paled;


    She remembered Nicklaus telling her he couldn''t sleep without his pills, but lately he slept fine. He had been sleeping fine for weeks now; he had been sleeping fine since¡­ since¡­


    Since he apologized to her!


    He had been sleeping fine since the day she hugged him in her sleep¡­


    Tiana raised her hand to rub on her temples, trying to recall the events of that day.


    He asked her if she had hugged her while he slept and she nodded and suddenly he was overjoyed.


    He had asked her this¡­ ''where have you been all my life?''


    He had said ''he hadn''t felt this way in a long while¡­''


    Could that mean¡­ could that mean¡­


    Tiana''s eyes shot open as she realized something.


    She had been helping Nicklaus sleep¡­


    Her heart slammed against her chest, and her breath ceasing.


    God, no¡­ please¡­


    Was that why he had apologized to her? He didn''t apologize before, he only demanded that she stayed close to him and only when he found out that she could help him sleep, he apologized.


    That was why he had insisted they sleep together and didn''t even refuse when she told him to change his painting and drawings.


    No, this was not happening¡­


    Did he ever love her? Or had she been a pawn all along?


    Tiana''s face paled so much that she couldn''t even breathe;


    ''''Are you okay? ''''


    Grandpa''s voice brought her back to reality and she took in a sharp breath;


    ''''Ye¡­yes, grandpa. ''''


    ''''Okay. Don''t you want the coffee? ''''


    Grandpa asked, and she picked up the cup and downed it on one go.


    Her whole body was sweaty; she could hear the loud bangs of her heart in her ears;


    Did she fall for the wrong person again?


    She didn''t want to believe it; she didn''t want to believe that he didn''t love her. She didn''t want to believe that she had been a fool and had trusted him blindly.


    Grandpa watched her, his brows creased with worry; he had said nothing yet, and she was already looking scared;


    ''''His Uncle, Douglas has always wanted the company because he managed it until Nicklaus was of age. And there had been a lot of strife in the family because of this. ''''


    Grandpa sighed heavily;


    ''''Every day that passes the situation of the company, worsens and Douglas had offered to help on the condition that he would be made the CEO of the company. Nicklaus doesn''t want this, I don''t want this either, but we don''t have a choice, except¡­''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened as she gazed at Grandpa,


    Except?


    ''''Except he gets married to the daughter of the president ''''


    Everywhere silenced like a graveyard. Tiana could hear only echoes, very distant echoes in her head.


    ''''Nicklaus has already agreed to it, I know this must be hard for you take in but he didn''t have a choice. Tiana, I hope you understand. ''''

 Chapter 126 - Done being stupid

    ''''He¡­ what? ''''


    Tiana''s brows creased as a spasm of shock washed through her, her face as pale as winter. She was yet to recover from the fact that he had been using her all these while and Grandpa just said that he had agreed to marry another woman without a second thought?;


    ''''Tiana; '''' Grandpa called with a long sigh;


    ''''Nicklaus did not have a choice but to agree to it. He had to save the company. This is the best thing for him and the company now, and I trust you want the best for him.''''


    Tiana was dumb stricken. Her eyes stared blankly at Grandpa for a few seconds and as though something came over her, she started laughing.


    She laughed so hard that tears poured from her eyes.


    Stupid, how stupid!


    How could she have been so malleable and thoughtless?


    A man who could lock her up for days without a care, who could make her strip, just to strip her of all dignity suddenly confesses his undying love for her and she stupidly believed!


    What did she do to the heavens to be gifted with such slow-wittedness?


    Tiana stopped laughing suddenly and covered her lips with her hand, biting the insides of her palm, so strongly that it bled against her teeth.


    She took in a sharp breath as the pain coursed through her bones.


    Now she knew why she had never succeeded; now she knew why her sister and everyone around her was one step above her.


    It was because she was slow. Because she didn''t think, because even when she was determined to do something, she couldn''t bring herself to go along with it.


    Because even when she saw the danger signs, she stupidly fell for his charms!


    What a fool she had been, to think she meant something more to him.


    Even if he wanted this, with what they had shared in the past days, couldn''t he at least talk to her before agreeing to it?


    Was she that meaningless to him? Did she not matter even the slightest?


    Tiana took in a deep breath and eased her hand from her lips, swallowing the sour liquid in her mouth; she lifted her eyes to grandpa.


    ''''Did¡­ did he¡­ did he really accept to this? ''''


    She asked, wanting to be sure she hadn''t just heard things. To be sure she hadn''t heard wrongly.


    Grandpa, who had been watching her quietly, sighed, then stood up from the couch and walked to the table, taking out an envelope, he went back to the couch.


    ''''Tiana, I know that he had forced you to be his mistress, and you are indebted to him. But from now onwards, you are free. I liked you, but we don''t have a choice now, and Nicklaus needs this to work, I trust you know he can''t give up the company over a measly romantic affair? Besides, families of our status married this way, i allowed you both because i wanted to be sure he wasn''t gay, and he has proved it to me. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes fell, her lids becoming heavy with tears.


    When did she start living in this fantasy?


    She wondered. When did she start to think that she could mean more than a poor girl from the country side, who had debts to pay?


    How could she have forgotten her place so easily? When did she start dreaming that someone of her class could be able to love him?


    She had been extremely stupid and thoughtless.


    Her heart squeezed so much that she couldn''t bear to breathe;


    He was really a monster after all!


    To watch her fall so deeply for him when he had just been playing with her heart, when she was just a toy which he could fling away without the slightest hesitation?


    Tiana smiled;


    It was her fault. If only she knew her place from the very beginning, it wouldn''t have hurt so much now.


    ''''This is for you, for all the trouble we''ve caused you. ''''


    Grandpa said and placed the envelope on the table in front of her.


    Tiana''s eyes blinked, and they fell to the envelope in front of her.


    Was he paying her off? Her lips thinned.


    Why was this looking like a romance story, where the family tries to pay off the poor girl who had seduced the young master, and she refuses to take the money?


    When did her life become so clich¨¦?


    She chuckled painfully;


    But what did she have to lose when she had nothing to begin with?


    The earlier she knew that he was no prince charming and she was no Cinderella, the better.


    He had taken her as a mistress for the company and he had cast her aside for the same company.


    If he didn''t care about how she would feel, why should she bat an eyelid for him?


    With that, Tiana leaned forward and picked up the envelope in front of her;


    ''''In there is the doc.u.ment to the ownership of a villa in Hollywood, the address is stated there, and there is a check of 5 million USD. Take it all and disappear from his life. ''''


    Tiana paused, and she glanced at Grandpa;


    It was so much money to her, but she knew it was nothing to him; it was as though throwing out a trash through the door, but even at that she would accept it.


    He had always wanted to break her, he got close to her, doted on her and made her fall deeply for him, all so he could get the satisfaction of seeing her cry again, but she would not give him that satisfaction any longer.


    No, she was not going to be his prey anymore.


    She was done being stupid.


    Totally done!


    Tiana took out the doc.u.ment and went through it; putting it back in its place, she shifted her gaze to grandpa;


    ''''Alright Grandpa, I accept. ''''


    Grandpa''s brows creased;


    He wasn''t expecting such a response. Didn''t they say that these two are in love with each other, how could she accept without even a slightest protest?


    His plan was to double or even triple the amount if she rejected the offer, but it seemed that won''t even be necessary.


    Seeing grandpa''s confused expression, Tiana smiled;


    ''''If Young Master Nicklaus chose this, then I accept your offer. Besides, we''re two worlds apart; it''s about time I knew my place. Moreover, it''ll be stupid for me to reject this, for a measly romantic affair when it can change my life forever, more so for someone who doesn''t even care about me? I promise I''ll disappear from his life this minute. You don''t have to worry about me.''''


    She smiled and stood up, then bowed a little;


    ''''I wish you luck grandpa, I hope the wedding goes as planned and everything returns to normal. If there''s nothing else, I''ll like to leave now. ''''


    Grandpa was surprised; he had spent the night thinking about the words he would tell her, he didn''t even know that she would agree so easily.


    ''''Thank you for being so thoughtful; I''ll tell the guards to drop you off at his mansion, so you can get all your things. ''''


    Tiana shook her head immediately;


    ''''No grandpa, that won''t be necessary. Tell them to take me to the bank. ''''

 Chapter 127 - A one night stand

    Tiana stepped out of the car and her eyes glanced at the beautiful bungalow in front of her;


    Even if she worked her ass out for twenty years on end, she wouldn''t still afford such beauty. But it was hers now, all served on a platter; she was lucky, wasn''t she?


    Not only did she get a house, she had over five million dollars in her account, wow! How did she become a millionaire overnight?


    Tiana forced a smile to her cheeks, but she knew how much it ripped her apart to watch the sight in front of her.


    ''''Ma''am, this is the key to the gates; the other keys are on each door.''''


    A guard walked to her and handed her a key, and Tiana''s lips thinned; her hands fisted for a moment before she lifted it and took the key from him;


    ''''If there''s nothing else, we''ll be on our way.''''


    He said and bowed a little before turning around.


    Tiana felt a great wave of loneliness wash through her as they drove away. She had never felt this lonely in her life before, not even when her parents died, not even when she was locked up in the dark room. The pain she was feeling at that moment was miserably excruciating.


    She had vowed never to cry for him again, but at that moment, she couldn''t stop the tears from falling from her eyes, she blinked severally, biting on her lower lip to hold it in, but it poured out without control and in the next second, she was down, wailing like a baby.


    Tiana squatted in front of her gate and cried her eyes out; it hurt so much¡­


    She never believed someone could be able to lie without batting an eyelid, with no atom of remorse. She must give it to him; he was a good actor.


    She wanted to meet him and ask him to the face, what she did so wrong; it wasn''t for the debt, because Nicklaus was way above it, it could only mean that he truly derived joy from inflicting pain, and her doom began the day she tried to deny him that pleasure.


    She wanted to watch him look her in the eyes and tell her it had all been a lie, that she was some delusional woman who thought she could win the heart of a cold-blooded monster;


    But of what use was it? If he said that to her, it would hurt more than it did already; and the last thing she wanted now was to watch him laugh at her miserable state again.


    Why was her fate this way?


    First it was a childhood crush, who left her at the slightest provocation, and without even batting an eyelid, got a new girlfriend in a few weeks, next was a heartless CEO, who swept her off her feet, showered her with love only for her to realize that she had been living a mirage?


    Someone would have thought with such a pretty face, she would have a great luck, but was an irony; her luck was such a piece of shit!


    Tiana didn''t know how long she squatted, but by the time she stood up, her feet had pins and needles all over. She gritted her teeth as she dragged herself to the gate and opened it; pulling herself towards the building.


    As the guard had said, there was a key on the front door, Tiana just unlocked and pushed the door open. She stopped by the entrance as her eyes took in the house''s beauty.


    High vaulted ceiling, sofas, a large television, glass tables, dining and flower vases. She heaved a sigh; everything in here must have cost a fortune, but it was nothing to them.


    Her eyes fell to her hands;


    Truthfully, she didn''t want to accept the house or money. She could have easily gone back to her little crib in Atwater, but she wanted to let him know that he wasn''t the only one playing mind games. If he could throw away everything they''ve shared in a blink of an eye, then she wouldn''t think twice about taking the house.


    To someone as wicked and soulless, it wouldn''t do much, but Tiana was sure it would hurt his pride.


    She dragged herself in and slumped on a couch;


    That was it; she had given up on love. It was a beautiful thing if felt with the right person, but at that moment, she knew her right person was not in this world.


    She shut her eyes tightly as tears fell through her lids, dropping on the cushion;


    Against her will, she replayed every scene they''ve shared;


    How he called her ''beautiful'' like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, how he made her feel so special¡­


    Tiana clutched her palms so tight that she could feel her nails digging into her skin;


    How couldn''t she have seen any signs?


    Tiana thought, smiling at her miserable state.


    She must have been a very interesting plaything for him to play along so well. Tiana raised her hand to wipe her tears, but a fresh one replaced the old one immediately;


    And to think¡­ to think she had given him her first night¡­


    Tiana covered her lips with her hands as fresh pain coursed through her.


    If he was some random guy that came around, he would have been a little easier to forget, but no, he was her first.


    Her very first; there was no forgetting this pain.


    At that moment, she wished he had left her locked up in the bas.e.m.e.nt, feeding her once in two days, she would have preferred it than to be in this state.


    All the time they spent together, came rushing back to her;


    He had told her he loved her¡­


    God, how could he say it so passionately when he didn''t even mean a word of it?


    Was she just a one-night stand?


    The thought of it sent bile rushing to Tiana''s mouth as she remembered how he had made love to her the previous night.


    Her stomach churned as she remembered how he had kissed every inch of her; she swallowed, trying to push back the pain, but in the next second, she was running towards the sink in the dining room.

 Chapter 128 - I wont choose

    Tiana threw up the food she ate that morning; as she watched the half-digested pancakes mess the sink, she felt shivers run down her spine; at this rate she would fall sick.


    She turned on the tap and washed the sink, before moving towards a connected door. She walked down the hallway and pushed open a door, when she saw that it was a bedroom, she dragged herself in and slumped on the bed, her eyes shutting weakly.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus watched Grandpa walk into his office, a visible frown etched to his brows. When he reached the mansion earlier, he was told that Grandpa wanted to see him at the company. Strange, because although Grandpa was still the Chairman, he rarely came to the company;


    On getting there, he was told that he had not arrived yet; Nicklaus was getting impatient. It was over two hours and Grandpa was still not there. He quickly dialed his number, but just when the call went through, his office door creaked open and Grandpa stepped in with his Pa.


    ''''You can wait outside, '''' Grandpa said to his pa, and he nodded and turned around, closing the door after him.


    Grandpa turned to Nicklaus who was looking irked, and he narrowed his eyes at him;


    ''''Let''s sit down over there. '''' He said and started walking towards the parlor in the office.


    Nicklaus watched him walk to the parlor in slow steps, and it wasn''t until he was fully seated that he stood up.


    ''''How do you intend to solve this? ''''


    Grandpa asked immediately Nicklaus sat in front of him; there was a worried frown etched to his face. He didn''t even bother with pleasantries. Nicklaus swallowed; truthfully, he had no lead, the only thing he knew was that Douglas could be the one behind it but he couldn''t tell Grandpa that; it bore no base, since he didn''t have any evidence.


    ''''Did you hear me, Nicklaus Howells? ''''


    Grandpa raised his voice a little; at that moment, every passing second spelled doom for the Howells Corporation. He knew that, and he was sure Nicklaus knew that as well.


    Nicklaus blinked; Grandpa rarely called him by his full name, and whenever he did, it meant that there was trouble.


    ''''We are working on a lead, Grandfather. ''''


    Grandpa sneered; his brows creased in obvious anger,


    ''''Do I need to remind you how important every second is; that as we speak now, our shares are falling drastically? Do you think working on a ''lead'' is enough? ''''


    Grandpa watched Nicklaus for a moment, and then he heaved a long sigh;


    ''''Your Uncle Douglas met with me. ''''


    At the mention of that name, Nicklaus'' eyes widened with shock,


    ''''He says he would save the company on the condition that he would be made CEO. ''''


    Nicklaus hands fisted, his knuckles turning white. He had suspected it was him all along; and this had just confirmed it. He would surely let him taste his own medicine when he gets out of this mess. He should just wait.


    ''''I don''t want to give the company over to him, but you''re leaving me with no choice; Nicklaus. ''''


    ''''Grandfather¡­ '''' Nicklaus sat up on the couch; ''''I am going to solve this, trust me.''''


    ''''How?'''' Grandpa''s eyes darted to him; ''''How are you going to do that? We don''t have time, every passing second is important, you need to act fast, you need to act now!''''


    Grandpa scolded; his face red with anger, leaning back on the couch, he breathed out heavily;


    ''''There''s only one option left for you right now, Nicklaus; ''''


    Nicklaus'' eyes widened, and he watched grandpa intently;


    ''''What is it? ''''


    Grandpa paused for a moment, as though in thought, then he lifted his eyes to Nicklaus;


    ''''You must marry the president''s daughter. He has promised to help us clear up this mess. ''''


    ''''  ''''


    The whole place turned frighteningly calm; for a split second, Grandpa got scared. Nicklaus'' expression was as frosty as the worst winter, his eyes dark with a menacing glare.


    ''''I''m engaged to be married. '''' Nicklaus spoke slowly but menacingly.


    The last time, he remembered engaging Tiana in front of everyone in the family. So why was Grandpa even suggesting something like that?


    Grandpa''s eyes turned to Nicklaus, his left brow rose slightly;


    ''''Nicklaus, do you think I''m a fool? '''' Nicklaus'' brows narrowed;


    ''''I knew of the contract between the two of you ever since, but decided not to talk about it because there was no need to, but right now, there is a pressing need and I think we both know what is best for the company right now. ''''


    Nicklaus watched Grandpa for a moment then he smiled, lifting his dark gaze to him, he spoke;


    ''''Grandfather, I agree that I forced her to be mine, but that is not the case anymore, we''re¡­''''


    ''''In love? '''' Grandpa completed for him, his face looking amused;


    ''''Nicklaus, are you seriously thinking about choosing a woman over the company? ''''


    Nicklaus gaze fell to the table; ''''Grandfather, I do not plan on choosing. ''''


    ''''We both know you can''t have both. It is either you choose the company, or that woman; else you leave me with no other choice than to give the company over to your Uncle Douglas. ''''


    Nicklaus brows clenched; his blue veins popping out of the sides of his face; his insides burned with great anger, and not knowing what to do, he stood up from the couch;


    ''''I''m not going to choose Grandfather, and I''ll find a solution before the week runs out, thank you¡­''''


    ''''It seems this woman is smarter than you after all. She didn''t even think twice to accept the pay off earlier today. ''''


    Nicklaus did not complete his words before Grandfather interrupted him; his whole body froze and as though he had heard something extraterrestrial, he stood still, unmoving for a few seconds;


    ''''What¡­ what did you just say? ''''


    He asked; a tremble in his voice, his ears vibrated as he waited for Grandpa to repeat what he had said;


    ''''You heard me right, I met Tiana just before I came here, Nicklaus, and I told her exactly the same thing I told you now; and without the slightest hesitation, she took the money and house I offered, she even wishes you a grand wedding, what an irony.''''

 Chapter 129 - It wasnt her

    ''''You heard me right, I met Tiana just before I came here, Nicklaus, and I told her exactly the same thing I told you now; and without the slightest hesitation, she took the money and house I offered. She even wishes you a grand wedding, what an irony.''''


    Grandpa completed with a slight chuckle;


    For the first time in his life; Nicklaus felt like a battered dog in the rain; he was utterly shocked; there was no way¡­


    ''''it''s not possible, I don''t¡­ I don''t believe you¡­''''


    His face was as pale as dew, his eyes looking like he had seen a ghost;


    Grandpa shook his head;


    ''''Nicklaus, this is not what I''ve come here to talk about; you can call her and confirm for yourself, so what do you say, do you still want to wager your inheritance for a woman who didn''t even think twice to give you up? Or are you going ahead with the marriage? ''''


    The world around Nicklaus stood still, and he felt it hard to breathe.


    It''s not possible¡­ no¡­ it can''t be¡­


    Nicklaus opened his lips to let in air into his mouth; he pinned his feet to the ground to prevent himself from falling backwards.


    Grandpa must be lying. There was no way she would leave him¡­


    No way¡­ He must say this to make him go with his plans¡­


    Nicklaus felt goose bumps wash his skin as his heart slammed rapidly against his chest. Even though he didn''t believe him, he didn''t know why he was scared; so scared that he might have said the truth.


    Scared that the only thing that kept him going was¡­


    No, it''s not possible; she can''t do that to me¡­


    ''''Give me three days to sort this out; Grandfather. ''''


    Nicklaus spoke; his voice shaky;


    ''''I don''t have that much time, Nicklaus. ''''


    ''''Two days '''' Nicklaus begged, his hands fisting to the sides; his eyes red with panic; he couldn''t even remember the last time he felt this way; like he was about to lose something so dear.


    Grandpa narrowed his brows, but did not speak;


    ''''24 hours, please¡­ give me 24 hours, if I don''t get it sorted out, you can hand the company over. ''''


    Grandpa was stunned. He never believed Nicklaus could actually waiver his inheritance for a woman, a woman, who had given him up without a fight?


    This woman, what had she done to you?


    ''''Please grandfather, I beg you¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus head fell as he pleaded; he needed to run home to her, he needed to see her and ask her if everything Grandfather just said was true¡­


    ''''You don''t even consider marrying the president''s daughter a choice, tsk tsk, what a shame. Alright then, if you don''t solve this in 24 hours, your uncle would be made CEO, you''ve made your choice.''''


    ''''Thank you¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus replied and before Grandpa could raise his eyes to him, he had disappeared from the office.


    Nicklaus ran as fast as his legs could carry him, not minding the peering eyes of his employees. He panted as he raced to the parking lot, when his guards saw him; they ran to the car immediately and opened the back seat;


    ''''GIVE ME THE KEYS!!!''''


    Nicklaus blared, his face drenched of all color; the guard handed the key over immediately and they watched their boss enter the car and drive out with the highest speed possible.


    Nicklaus heart rammed against his chest as he approached his mansion;


    His face was as pale as death as he continually reminded himself that she couldn''t leave him. She had told him not to be late, she told him not to make her wait too long; there was no way she would leave him¡­


    No¡­


    Grandpa was lying¡­


    He panted as he blinked severally, trying to clear his vision;


    His hands tightened around the steering, so much that his knuckled turned white; his face drained of all color and his heart slamming against his chest as he approached the building; without even bothering to park properly; he dashed out of the car and ran towards the house.


    The maids and workers watched their boss run like something was chasing him, but there was no-one behind him; they all cast each other weird glances as they each wondered what was wrong.


    As Nicklaus approached the last floor, his steps slowed; his breath heavy as sweat dropped from his face; when he reached his door, his hands shook; he took in a deep breath and pushed it open, ever so slightly;


    ¡­please be in there¡­ I can''t¡­ I can''t bear it, please beautiful, I don''t want to believe him¡­


    He spoke silently to himself as he pushed the door open, and his eyes glanced into the room;


    Ha!


    Nicklaus gasped as his eyes fell on her;


    How could grandpa joke so expensively?


    A smile washed his lips as he shut the door and walked towards her, she was looking into his fridge and her hair tied up into a bun;


    ''''Beautiful, I was so scared right now¡­''''


    His words caught in his lips and his face drained of all color when the person by the fridge turned around.


    ''''Young¡­ Young Master¡­. '''' Veronica''s face looked terrified as she turned to look at him; Nicklaus felt his whole world crumble in a second.


    It wasn''t her¡­


    ''''I didn''t know you''ll be back early¡­ I came to clean the fridge¡­''''


    Veronica stuttered as she explained;


    She¡­ she was not here¡­


    Nicklaus'' head was in turmoil. The words were at the back of his throat but he couldn''t bring himself to ask it.


    No, maybe she was in her room, right; she should be in her room¡­


    ''''Tiana¡­ guards from the ancient home came to pick her earlier today; she had not been back since then. ''''


    Veronica explained honestly; it seemed that he had mistaken her to be Tiana, so maybe he would want to know her whereabouts.


    Nicklaus felt his entire world stop.


    Right now, even when he didn''t want to ask, even when he didn''t want to know the answer anymore; he was forced to hear it.


    ''???GET OUT!!''''

 Chapter 130 - Why did she fall so hard?

    ''''GET OUT!''''


    Nicklaus blared; his palms fisting to his sides as tried to remain sane, his eyes flashing with rage;


    With a flash, Veronica turned towards the door and dashed out of the room, slamming the door close after her.


    The whole place quieted like a graveyard; the silence deafening.


    Nicklaus stood unmoving for a whole minute, before he slowly slumped to the ground, his breathing ragged;


    He raised his hand to his neck and tossed his tie aside; undoing his first two buttons; it was difficult to breathe.


    His face was red with panic, and his eyes bloodshot; and although the ac was on, the air in the room felt so hot that he was sweating all over.


    She loved him;


    She said she loved him¡­


    There was no way she would leave him, right? There was no way she would leave someone she loved so dearly, right?


    He asked himself a million questions with no-one to answer them;


    Maybe he should call her; he would tell her he was home already. He would tell her he''s been waiting for her;


    She said he shouldn''t take long, right? He was back now;


    She would come home faster if she knew he was waiting, right?


    Nicklaus hands shook as he took out his phone from his pocket and dialed her number; there was a second silence before it rang;


    His heart slammed against his chest as he waited for her to pick the phone.


    Pick up please¡­


    He shut his eyes and prayed earnestly;


    He couldn''t believe his world was about to crumble. The bliss he had lived it was about to become a nightmare.


    Nicklaus swallowed painfully when the call ended and there was no reply;


    His body trembled as he redialed; yet there was no answer. Nicklaus kept calling till his thumbs ached and yet there was still no reply;


    He stared at his phone mindlessly; refusing to think.


    Why?


    That was the only question on his mind.


    Why did she leave him? Was it the money? He could give her anything she wanted under the heavens, all she needed to do was ask; so why would she leave him?


    .


    .


    Drop


    For the first time in a decade, a tear dropped from his eyes.


    His head fell, as he supported his arms with his knees;


    Heartbreak¡­


    he had not felt it before, he didn''t know it hurt so much. God, his heart was almost ripping to pieces.


    Nicklaus didn''t know how long he sat there feeling dejected, by the time he finally stood up, the sky had already darkened;


    He needed to look for her, but he had less than 24 hours to save the company;


    If he didn''t save his company, then everything would have been in vain;


    Breathing out heavily; he called the branch manager of Lorries;


    ''''Send a message across, tell all the staff members to come back to the office, any person who comes in after me, loses his job''


    ''''Yes, Sir. ''''


    The man replied and Nicklaus ended the call abruptly;


    Although grandpa had said so, and she was really not here, he still needed to hear her say it. He needed to hear her say she didn''t love him. That she wanted nothing to do with him.


    That everything they felt_ her smile, her laughter, every single passionate gaze, was a f.u.c.kin'' lie.


    He wouldn''t believe anything until he heard her say it.


    But for now, he had to save his company.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus walked into the Lorries headquarters, his eyes dark as the pit of Hades. The company was as quiet as a graveyard, every single employee was in, but it felt like no-one was in, because of the deafening silence.


    They watched him walk steadily, his hands in his pocket and his eyes glancing forward menacingly;


    As he approached the board room, a hand pushed open the door shakily, and he stepped in;


    The staff members were all seated around the huge meeting table, waiting patiently; no one dared to question why he had ordered them to the company at such an hour; they watched him sit down with a poised gait, and then his eyes glanced at them;


    ''''Alright; let''s begin. ''''


    ¡­


    Tiana woke up to a banging headache and a feverish body; as she had predicted, she was down with a fever. Her body was so weak that she could barely move a muscle.


    Her eyes shut briefly, and she remembered him; and suddenly a painful wave washed through her;


    No¡­ she had to stop thinking about him; he would marry another woman now and would forget her like she never existed; it was miserable to be in that state for a man who cared little to nothing about her.


    Tiana bit her lower lip as she forced herself to sit up on the bed; she took in a sharp breath when the banging on her skull increased; anger coursed through her and she couldn''t help but ask her self;


    Why did I fall for him so much?


    She should have left some part of her heart to herself; maybe it wouldn''t hurt this way if she did. If she had restrained just a little bit, just a tiny little bit, she wouldn''t be as wrecked as she was now.


    She pulled herself from the bed and held her head, dragging herself to the parlor,


    First, she needed Gwen.


    Although she didn''t want her seeing her in this state, she couldn''t stay alone in the house when she was so sick.


    Tiana picked up her phone from the couch and tapped on the screen. Her brows creased when she saw some missed calls, and when she swiped, she froze from head to toe.


    For a split second, Tiana wanted to think he called because he cared, or because he didn''t want her to leave, but sadly reality hit her before she could dine in such fantasy.


    The only reason he could bother was because she was his prey. He must have been mad to know that Grandpa let her go.


    Ha, did he intend to keep her locked up after he gets married, only to release her when he intends to have fun?


    Tiana chuckled painfully; a wicked glint flashed through her eyes;


    Well that would be over her dead body, she would rather die than go back to that mansion to be his toy.

 Chapter 131 - She would come back, right?

    She bit her lower lip as the pain she felt within turned to anger and resentment; at that moment, her whole body coursed with resentment and fury.


    How could God let her meet such a wicked soul?


    She grieved as she dialed her sister''s number; her head was still banging, so she sat down on the couch and shut her eyes;


    ''''Tiana, how are you? Sorry I wasn''t able to check up since I''ve been busy¡­''''


    ''''Gwen¡­ ''''


    Gwen''s words cut off when she heard her sister call her weakly; her brows creased;


    ''''Tiana, what''s wrong? Are you okay? ''''


    ''''No, Gwen, I''m not okay, I want you to come over. ''''Tiana spoke slowly. Her breath hitched.


    Gwen was stunned;


    Fine, she was not feeling well, but wasn''t Nicklaus there, he should be able to take care of her. Why was she calling her, was there a problem?


    Gwen thought, but even though she was having a bad feeling she decided not to ask, she was coming back from her workplace when Tiana called; so she just turned around;


    ''''Okay, I''ll just get a taxi; I''ll be there in a bit¡­ ''''


    ''''No¡­ '''' Tiana cut her off and breathed out;


    ''''no, not there¡­ I''ll text you an address. ''''


    Gwen was too stunned to ask any question. The phone was still on her ear even when Tiana disconnected.


    Okay, it was past 7pm and Tiana was calling to tell her she was sick and she wasn''t at Nicklaus''s?


    Did something happen?


    Did¡­ did they break up?


    Her eyes widened as the thought dawned on her. She blinked her eyes severally as she tried to understand what was going on.


    But why would they break up so soon? According to Tiana, they were very close, and he doted on her, so why would he leave her?


    She felt her phone beep on her palm and she lifted it up to her eyes and she saw there was a message from Tiana. Clicking on it, she saw it was an address.


    She frowned.


    A part of her wanted them to break up, but a part of her didn''t. For the first, she was glad because if they did, then they would both be on the same level, no-one dating some multi-billionaire, and maybe she wouldn''t hate her so much again. But the other part didn''t, because if they did, then she wouldn''t even get a chance with him.


    But then, either way, she had nothing to lose, but she was eager to hear the reason for their separation.


    Smiling, she turned towards the road and waved a taxi.


    Gwen stood in front of the beautiful bungalow with a garden and a gate.


    She turned to the sign post to be sure she was at the right place.


    What was Tiana doing in this beautiful house?


    Did Nicklaus bring her here? She wondered as she pressed the doorbell, but before she could press it, the gate pulled open on its own;


    She did not lock the gate.


    Gwen thought as she stepped in and walked towards the house.


    Tiana slept off after she had called Gwen; her eyes fluttered when she heard a voice call her name.


    ''''Gwen¡­'''' She whimpered, pulling herself up from the couch;


    Gwen walked to her and sat beside her, her hand feeling her forehead;


    ''''Oh my God, Tiana, you''re running a fever! ''''


    Gwen exclaimed; her face looking alarmed;


    ''''What happened to you? Why are you here all alone? Where is Nicklaus? Does he know you''re so sick?''''


    Gwen asked many questions without end, but there was no reply to any of them.


    Tiana shut her eyes, tears brewing under her lids;


    No¡­ she didn''t want to cry anymore. He didn''t deserve her tears.


    Gwen stopped asking when she saw how pale Tiana became.


    Her eyes glanced around the house and her brows creased;


    Who owned this place in the first place?


    She wondered, but she knew Tiana was in no mood to answer questions.


    ''''Just stay here, I will go buy some drugs. ''''


    Gwen said and stood up from the couch, going out through the front door.


    When she came back, Tiana was sleeping; she woke her up softly;


    ''''Wake up and eat, I bought some food and medicine, ''''


    She said as she helped her sit up.


    Tiana sat up and blinked her eyes; Gwen placed the takeaway food in front of her and a spoon, and a bottle of water. She forced herself to take a few bites, although she didn''t even have any appetite because she wanted to get well. She wanted to be strong.


    It was laughable to be in that state for a man who didn''t care a dime about her. She needed to be strong.


    With that thought, she swallowed a few more spoons before taking the medicine.


    Gwen tucked her into the quilt and watched her for a moment before she walked out of the bedroom.


    She was in total confusion.


    Did they breakup? From Tiana''s expression when she asked about him, it looked so. But if they did, why was she in such an exquisite house? Although she got paid, she couldn''t still afford a place like this.


    Or did he use this to pay her off?


    Her brows creased as she thought. No, even if he did, she knew her sister; Tiana wasn''t one to collect such.


    So what the hell was happening?


    She asked herself, her head spinning with confusion.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus dark gaze stared at the men in front of him,


    ''''You''ll be paid handsomely and you''ll be released as soon as the issue dies down. ''''


    ''''We understand, Boss. ''''


    They spoke in unison and he nodded.


    ''''You may leave now. ''''


    He said, and they nodded, leaving through the door. Nicklaus slumped back in his chair, his eyes shut.


    Throughout the night, his head had been filled with thoughts of her; it took his restraint and self-will not to run out and go search for her that night.


    After this was over, he would go to her.


    Even if she didn''t want him, even if she left without hesitation, he didn''t care anymore. He would beg her to come back to him. There was no need to leave, right? She would come back to him now¡­ now that he had solved everything, right?

 Chapter 132 - A facade

    He didn''t want to accept that she didn''t love him. He didn''t want to believe that the only person he lived for, the only person who made him smile, made him want to change; made him want to be a better person was¡­ just a facade.


    His heart squeezed at the thought of it, pain emanating from his bones.


    No, he couldn''t bear it, he couldn''t bear this pain. He would tell her to come back to him. He didn''t care anymore, why she left without a second thought, why she took the money, it didn''t matter anymore, as long as she would come back to him, if she wanted the world, he would give it to her as long as she would be by his side.


    ¡­


    ''''You''re awake. '''' Gwen said, her eyes bright as she stepped into Tiana''s room. Contrary to how she looked the previous night, Tiana looked more lively and energetic now.


    ''''Thank you for coming by, I don''t know what I would have done without you. ''''


    Tiana smiled as she walked towards her sister.


    ''''Don''t mention, what are sisters for? ''''


    Gwen''s lips slanted as they hugged briefly,


    Tiana knew that she had a lot of questions on her mind and even the way she stared at her, so she saved her the strength of asking.


    ''''We broke up. ''''


    Gwen creased her brows; she wasn''t very surprised, but then, she was a little taken aback.


    ''''What... what happened? ''''


    Tiana gulped, fresh tears brewing in her eyes, but she forced it back down.


    ''''It was just a fleeting affair which would have ended eventually anyway; it had to be now because¡­ '''' she swallowed; her heart pulsating with blood and pain.


    ''''Because he needs to marry someone else to save the company, he did the right thing, anyone would do that in his shoes.''''


    Tiana didn''t know if she was trying to make herself feel better by making his actions look right or if she was just relaying what happened.


    She knew if his actions were justifiable, it wouldn''t hurt so much anymore.


    But no matter how much she tried, she couldn''t make herself forget that he had used her all along and that he had agreed to marry another, without even saying goodbye.


    Gwen watched her sister for a second, before closing the gap between them, hugging her close.


    ''''I''m so sorry, it must hurt very much, you don''t need to act very strong in front of me, we are sisters.''''


    Tiana took in a sharp breath, her throat tightening painfully.


    Gwen was making it harder to contain. She had said she didn''t want to cry again but right now, she was almost a wailing mess.


    Gwen patted on her back slowly as she listened to Tiana''s heart race erratically;


    Why was she finding the whole thing amusing?


    She thought as she forced her grin back down her throat.


    Her sister thought she was smart by taking her place with Nicklaus; now it had backfired. He had thrown her away like a used tissue! So funny!


    She couldn''t forget the happiness in her smug voice whenever she called; like she had just caught a goldfish?


    Haha!


    How stupid of her to think she could seduce him with her beauty; she wanted to be with a handsome CEO, ha, not even in her wildest dreams!


    Gwen laughed internally.


    That served her right next time; she wouldn''t dare dream of outsmarting her.


    Now they were back to the same shithole.


    A faint smile washed her cheeks, but it was replaced with a sad frown as she let go of Tiana.


    Tiana hadn''t cried, but her eyes were clouded and red; Gwen knew she was doing her best to hold it in.


    '''' don''t worry, everything would be fine, you would get over him soon, okay? You don''t have to cry over him, he doesn''t deserve your tears, alright? ''''


    Tiana forced a smile to her cheeks; she knew she couldn''t pretend for long, it was Gwen after all, she saw through every fa?ade.


    She smiled slightly and took in a deep breath, calming her nerves.


    She was right. In a few weeks; everything would be forgotten like it never happened. He would forget her as she had never existed¡­ get married and¡­ have kids.


    She shouldn''t think about him anymore. The earlier she began forgetting him, the better.


    ''''By the way, who owns this place?'''' Gwen asked, creasing her brows, did she take Nicklaus'' pay off?''''


    ''''Mine '''' Tiana said, showing her teeth with a weak smile;


    ''''You are kidding me, right? ''''


    Gwen''s eyes widened with surprise;


    ''''The family paid me 5 million dollars to leave him and gave me this house too, so yeah, it''s mine. ''''


    ''''5¡­ 5 million?! Jeez! We''re rich!!!''''


    Gwen exclaimed, looking very excited; she hugged Tiana briefly before her smile dwindled;


    ''''Why did you take it,¡­ '''' She knew her sister well; she wouldn''t have taken the money without a reason.


    Tiana''s gaze fell;


    ''''I didn''t want him to think I was in love with him if he could fling me aside like I was nothing to him, then why shouldn''t I? ''''


    Gwen sighed;


    ''''It is okay, you don''t have to feel sad anymore. Forget about him now, we''re rich! We won''t need to work too hard anymore!''''


    At first, she was jealous that Tiana had all that money to herself, but remembering that Tiana loved her a little more than her self, she couldn''t help smiling.


    She knew she would get even more than half of the money.


    ''''First, we need to go back home and pick some things, after which, we''ll go shopping; we''re not wearing those old worn-out clothes anymore, and we''re living here! ''''


    Gwen exclaimed, not even bothered anymore about Tiana''s mood;


    ''''Brighten up now and don''t think about him anymore, focus on the present, he''s the past! Okay!! ''''


    She exclaimed, happier for the money that she was about to lavish.


    She wasn''t going back to that hut'' of a house anymore, she was staying here!


    ??''I will get my phone so I can order an Uber, wash your face before stepping out, you look like you just walked out of a fridge. ''''


    ¡­


    ''''¡­ the CULPRITS BEHIND THE CONTAMINATED DRINKS DISCOVERED! CEO COMFORTS AFFECTED PATIENTS~ ''''


    ''''¡­ the culprits, behind the contaminated drinks, who have been identified to be dismissed employees of the corporation, have admitted to their crimes. They confessed that they had done the act because they were sacked unjustly by the company, they were pained and so wanted to get back at the company.


    They would be tried accordingly and sentenced to a time stipulated by law. The society is pleased with how the management carried out the investigation and pinned the culprits down in no time. Surprisingly; the CEO, Nicklaus Howells, helps the affected patients and pays for their hospital bills and all accrued costs. Mr. Howells, what do you have to say about this? ''''


    The reporter turned to Nicklaus, who was sitting casually on the couch; his eyes looked like they were in deep thought, but as soon as the reporter asked, he blinked and his eyes turned to her;

 Chapter 133 - You smell...different?

    ''''These people were affected because they took a trusted product; even though it was not from the company, it was packaged as such. It would be unfair to let them suffer when they were innocent consumers of a trusted company''s product.


    In as much as measures are put in place to stop a situation like this from repeating itself, we won''t let them pay their bills and any cost that has been accrued by this mishap, to us, customers come first and we would do anything to uphold their trust. ''''


    ''''This is a very good move, Mr. Howells; I know the victims would be very pleased to hear that. ''''


    ''''I hope so. '''' Nicklaus replied; his lips curving to something that looked like a smile.


    Douglas sat in the parlor, his eyes stared at the television intently, his face appeared nonchalant but on a closer look, there was a troubled frown on his forehead.


    Just that moment, Michelle stepped into the parlor, holding two glasses in one hand and a wine bottle in the other; one look at her husband and she knew there was something wrong, her eyes glanced at the television, and when she read the caption she stiffened.


    Sitting down beside him, she poured some wine into the glass cups; handing him one; Douglas took the cup from her; his eyes not leaving the television for a second.


    ''''Seems he''s smart after all. '''' He spoke calmly, but his voice, deadly. Michelle felt a cold aura emit from him, and she shuddered, he was furious.


    She needed to choose her words carefully; else she would be the one taking his aggression.


    Douglas insides burned with great wrath, he had really underestimated Nicklaus. Just when he thought that the company would be his!


    Grandpa had told him that Nicklaus had agreed to him taking over the company if he does not find a solution in 24 hours.


    He couldn''t hold in his amus.e.m.e.nt after hearing that. How did he intend to find a solution, much less in 24 hours?


    He had made sure the infiltration had been foolproof, so he knew that Nicklaus couldn''t find out, and even if he would, it couldn''t be in a week not to talk of finding it in 24 hours. He was anxious to know how he intended to solve the problem in 24 hours, who could have thought he would be smart enough to create a solution for the problem instead of searching for one?


    He had recruited men to take the blame; how smart of him.


    Now he was back to square one. Why was Nicklaus pushing him so hard? He didn''t want to hurt him but he was really pushing him.


    Michelle drank from her cup; she wasn''t really bothered with Nicklaus or the company, for now, she was more concerned about finding Mia''s killer. But then, if he would be able to get the company from Nicklaus, it''ll still be to her favor, so she turned to him;


    '''' don''t worry husband, let him enjoy victory a little, he won''t be able to survive our next attack. '''' She smiled at him, raising her hand, she rubbed along his arm.


    Douglas was quiet for a moment when he couldn''t keep watching, he turned off the television and turned to Michelle. His eyes stared at her for a second, then he took the cup from her hand and dropped it on the table;


    Michelle was surprised but just when she wanted to say something, Douglas seized her lips with his, taking her breath away.


    He kissed her deeply and ferociously; Michelle clutched onto his shirt, trying to stable herself, suddenly, he stopped and raised his eyes to her.


    Michelle opened her eyes, her brows creased; he was gazing down at her as though there was something wrong;


    Michelle gulped, her heart slamming against her chest; she had taken a bath before she came to see him, did he suspect anything?


    ''''You smell¡­ different?''''


    Douglas spoke, his voice grave as he stared deeply into her eyes, as though searching the deepest part of her soul.


    Michelle gulped; the last thing she wanted was Douglas suspecting anything, she would be as good as dead.


    A smile quickly found its way to her lips;


    ''''I changed my perfume, husband. '''' Thankfully it was the truth.


    Douglas brows creased, as though not believing a word she said, but after a moment, he let go of her.


    ''''I don''t like it. It smells¡­ masculine. '''' he said, his gaze finding its way back to her eyes;


    Michelle''s breath hitched, but she made sure not to blow her cover.


    ''''Alright, I''ll go back to my old brand.''''


    He was always manipulative, even when he didn''t know a thing, he would make you think he did, but she wasn''t falling for it this time.


    Douglas stared at her for a moment; then smiled; ''''Better. ''''


    Standing up, he walked out of the parlor in long strides; Michelle gasped after she was sure he had left, she needed to be very careful now. She couldn''t even imagine what he would do to her if he caught her.


    And to think it was his sister''s husband¡­ she would be as good as dead.


    ¡­


    ''''Hmm¡­ interesting ''''


    Catherine smiled as she watched the television. It seems she wouldn''t have to do all the dirty work anymore. Her eyes glanced at her butler standing by her side, as though telling him to continue.


    ''''Yes, his Uncle is after the company, he was behind the contaminated the drinks, but it seems Nicklaus was a bit smart this time, but I don''t think it''ll last long. ''''


    Catherine''s laugh resonated in the room. She didn''t even need to work hard anymore, she would just let Douglas get rid of Nicklaus and when he thinks he had achieved his aim and his security is weakened, she would get rid of him and take over the company.


    How did God make everything so easy?


    She just needs to cross her legs and watch everything unfold.


    Her biggest rival was Nicklaus, and once he was out of the way, she wouldn''t have a problem going after Douglas. She would strike him when he didn''t even know, how splendid!

 Chapter 134 - Its Him

    Tiana sat in her room, watching her sister unpack the bags; she couldn''t go back to the mansion because everything she had there was Nicklaus''s, she didn''t even own a pen in that house and so she left everything behind.


    They had bought a lot of things, ranging from clothes, to shoes, to jewelry, to underwear, just name it. She wasn''t in the mood to go shopping that morning, but knowing that it would take him out of her mind for a while, she forced herself. And although for a few moments, she forgot the pain, it returned whenever she was quiet.


    ''''Oh Tiana, we didn''t buy makeup sets and bags! How could we forget? ''''


    Gwen''s face scrunched up as she realized they had forgotten some items; Tiana sighed; she didn''t mind Gwen spending the money. In fact, she was the reason she had gone through this hell for, so if she didn''t spend it, who will? But the problem was that she didn''t have the strength to go shopping again, it was tedious.


    ''''You can take my card and get anything you want; I won''t be going with you. I want to rest. ''''


    ''''Oh really? Thank you, you''re the best. It''s late already, so I''ll go tomorrow, okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded.


    Gwen''s face lit up excitedly as she thanked her sister.


    She knew Tiana would let her get anything she wanted, she had always loved her to a fault.


    Gwen grinned as she continued unpacking the clothes, choosing the best ones for herself as usual.


    ¡­


    ''''You have a call, Tiana. '''' Gwen said as she stepped into the parlor. Tiana, who was sitting on the couch, turned to look at her; her eyes wide.


    She had left her phone in her room, and equally, put off the television so she wouldn''t see any news that related to him. She was scared; she didn''t want to hear the announcement of his engagement with another woman.


    She knew it was inevitable, but she couldn''t help feeling hurt again, because she had loved him. She didn''t go to social media and didn???t even put on the television, and she planned on staying that way for a week or two, but as Gwen walked into the parlor, she had a gut feeling that he was the one calling her;


    ''''It''s him. '''' Gwen said, cutting her off from her thoughts. Tiana''s heart slammed against his chest rapidly, her lips parting slightly;


    What was he calling for?


    She swallowed painfully. Has he not hurt her enough, what was he still calling for, to crush the remaining part of her heart?


    The phone in Gwen''s hand stopped ringing but after a few seconds it started ringing again;


    ''''It''s over fifty missed calls, I wanted to ignore it but I just thought I should let you know. ''''


    She said in a calm tone, watching Tiana quietly.


    Tiana''s gaze fell to her palms; she couldn''t even breathe right. Why was he calling her?


    Did he want to drag her back to his house, so he could lock her up over again?


    Maybe he wanted to punish her for hurting his pride.


    Tiana chuckled painfully. At least she finally irked him, even though it was nothing, it relieved a little of her pain.


    ''''Tiana, you have a message. ''''


    Gwen said when the phone vibrated on her hand.


    Tiana''s gaze lifted to the phone on Gwen''s hands and she swallowed; her heart beating faster. She took in a sharp breath, before extending her hand and taking the phone from Gwen.


    ''''Beautiful, I''m outside your house, please I need to see you.''''


    Beautiful¡­


    Tiana''s eyes stared at the ten letter word that always made her heart flutter and her heart squeezed with pain, but even when it hurt so much she couldn''t take her eyes off the word. His acting was top-notch to have made her feel so special.


    Tiana bit her lower lip as resentment washed through her.


    How could he even use that word on her again? Ha! Maybe he didn''t even know her name, right; she couldn''t even remember the last time he called her by her name. It seems she was really beautiful.


    His beautiful prey.


    A thunder strike from the clouds outside made her eyes look towards the window. It wasn''t very rainy in June, it seemed even the clouds pitied her now.


    Tiana dropped her phone by her side and lay back down on the couch, shutting out her thoughts. Gwen creased her brows as she watched her. She had seen Nicklaus''s message earlier, but it seems Tiana wasn''t going to meet him.


    Her eyes looked towards the window when she heard the pitter-patter of the rain drops on the ceiling.


    Was she really not going to see him?


    Gwen walked closer to the couch and sat down beside her, watching her blank face as though trying to read her thoughts;


    ''''Can you hear him out? Maybe he has his reasons. ''''


    She said in a whisper and Tiana''s body stiffened.


    ''''Gwen¡­ don''t make it harder than it already is. ''''


    Tiana spoke through her teeth; her voice carried a hint of irritation. She didn''t want to transfer her aggression to Gwen, but if she didn''t mind her words, she was really going to. Gwen was quiet for a moment before she spoke again;


    ''''You need to see him, not for him but for yourself. If you don''t see him, you''ll never know why he had come, and you''ll never have an answer to your questions. He''s outside waiting for you, all you need to do is go out there, and ask him all the questions eating you up, although you might know the answer, hearing it from him would help you move on. ''''


    Gwen explained; placing her hand on her sister''s arm.


    Tiana was silent, not saying a word.


    Gwen was right; if he wanted to see her, then she should hear him out. The worst had already happened, if he came to see her, then he must have a reason. And she needed answers too. She needed to look him in the eye and hear him say that he had just used her all along. Hear him say that she was just a toy and had meant nothing to him. If he said that to her, then she would hate him with everything in her being and it wouldn''t be so hard getting over him.

 Chapter 135 - Dont call me that!

    Nicklaus leaned on his car, his eyes staring at the building in front of him. He was already drenched from the rain but he didn''t mind, and as though it was nothing, he just stayed there, staring intently at the house.


    After the interview, he had met with some major investors and shareholders in the company, he didn''t know how he managed to stay throughout the meeting because he couldn''t even hear a word they were saying, his whole thought was filled with her.


    As soon as the meeting ended, he drove speedily to her home, his guards following behind. Earlier, he had asked the butler to get the address of the house Grandpa had given her.


    It hurt him to know that she had already moved in like he didn''t even matter at all. And as he stared at her house, pain clouded his heart.


    He had been calling her for hours on end but she did not pick, but he did not stop calling, he even sent her a message, telling her he was outside and waiting.


    He didn''t care anymore about her reason for leaving him, he had solved the issue with the company, he just needed her to come back to him, he didn''t care that she left him without a second thought.


    Nicklaus had not closed his eyes for a second since the previous day. Even though there were no dark lines under his eyes, he looked haggard.


    His guards stood in the rain with him, no-one daring to stay inside the car. They watched their boss with pity in their eyes;


    They had never seen him as vibrant as they had seen him a few weeks ago. He always had that smile on his face and the excitement in his eyes, and it was for this woman. This woman, who he had toiled throughout the night and spent millions of dollars so he could be with her, this woman, who he was standing under the rain for; and for this same woman, he had refused to move from his spot for hours un-end, even when his body ached, and they were sure he wasn''t going to leave until she came to see him.


    How could God be so cruel? They thought.


    Their boss had never known happiness or love in his life; and sadly, the only person he loved, the only person he opened his heart too, shattered it to pieces.


    As they pitied him, they grew afraid. Afraid of what would become of him if this woman didn''t come to him.


    He was in darkness before he met her, now¡­ he might be the darkness itself.


    Nicklaus''s heart stopped for a second when the front door opened and she stepped out. Her long hair dr.a.p.ed down her back and she was wearing a long sleeveless gown.


    He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as she raised her eyes and looked straight at him. He couldn''t even bring himself to move, and it was as though she couldn''t move too.


    They just stood still staring at each other, everything else becoming silent.


    Tiana forced her eyes away from him, parting her lips a little; she took in air, stabling herself. Even when he was so far away, she could feel his gaze piercing into her eyes, and even when she didn''t want to, she felt herself wanting to run to him and hug him.


    As painful as it seemed, even after everything he had done to her, seeing him right now, she missed him terribly.


    Tiana shut her eyes briefly, breathing in sharply;


    How could she still feel this way for him? How could she feel this way after he had hurt her so much? Why was she this way? Why did she still love him even when she hated him so much?!


    Tiana''s eyes clouded and she wanted to turn around and go back into the house, but she decided against it. She had summoned all courage to come out; she should just end it once and for all.


    Stabilizing herself; Tiana took a step forward, standing on the porch. She pressed a remote and the gate opened on its own accord. Nicklaus stood for a moment, before walking towards her.


    Tiana''s heart slammed against her chest with each step he took.


    You can do this...


    She whispered to herself but her fidgeting hands said otherwise. She watched him approach her, his body drenched in the rain. His eyes were staring straight into hers; and there was pain¡­ pain in them?


    Her brows creased; why was there pain in his eyes?


    No¡­


    She shook away the thought;


    If he could fake his love for her, then he could fake anything under the heavens. She wouldn''t trust anything about him anymore, not even the gaze in his eyes.


    Nicklaus was quiet as he stared at her.


    The woman he loved. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and hold her tight. But he couldn''t bring his feet to move.


    He had missed her so much that he couldn''t even think about any other thing, but right now in front of her, he was so sad. What if she didn''t want him anymore?


    What if she didn''t want to come back to him, would he be able to take it?


    He searched her eyes for any sign, any sign that she loved him, but at that moment, there were no thoughts in her eyes. Her eyes were blank.


    How could everything turn around in the blink of an eye?


    Nicklaus'' heart hurt so much that tears brewed its way to his eyes and clouded his gaze.


    ''''Beautiful¡­ let''s¡­ let''s go home, I''ve resolved the issue. ''''


    Nicklaus said with a heavy heart; his voice a little shaky. He didn''t want anything else; he didn''t care about her reasons for leaving. If she would just say yes to him, he would forget it all.


    A peal of piercing laughter caught Nicklaus off from his thoughts.


    ''''Why should I? Oh, I remember, because you need me to sleep. ''''


    Nicklaus brows creased as his face drained of all color.


    How¡­ how did she know that?


    He had wanted to tell her some days ago, but they were interrupted by the company news, and after that, he didn''t remember to tell her again. God, how did she find out?


    If she found out by herself, she would feel¡­ she would feel that he had been using her all along.


    God, no!


    ''''Beautiful¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus opened his lips to explain but Tiana cut him off immediately.


    ''''DON''T CALL ME THAT!!! ''''

 Chapter 136 - I hope you rot in hell

    ''''DON''T CALL ME THAT!''''


    ''''Tiana exclaimed, fume emitting from her nose. For a split second, she wanted to believe that he had not been using her. She would have forgiven him if he had not been a liar and a manipulator. Maybe, she would find reasons in his decision to marry another woman, but when she saw the look on his face when she said that, she realized that there was no remedy.


    Her eyes shut briefly as she tried to stable herself;


    It was true. She was right all along.


    Tiana felt a hitch in her throat; it hurt terribly. She lifted her eyes to look at him, wondering how someone so beautiful could have a dark heart.


    Her eyes glared at him for a moment, and then she burst out laughing, she laughed deliriously, it sounded like she was crying and laughing at the same time. Suddenly she stopped;


    ''''Why are you here? ''''


    She spoke through her teeth, her eyes glaring straight at him, at that moment, she couldn''t even get any trace of the love she felt for him. Only hate permeated from her bones.


    Nicklaus swallowed, at first, he wanted to let her know everything about him on his parent''s death anniversary, he wanted to tell her everything then, but because of what she had seen that day, and how she could mistrust him because of it, he decided to tell her, but unfortunately, the bad news had interrupted them that night, and she had found out herself, she must really hate him.


    ''''Bea¡­ '''' he stopped; if he wanted her to listen to him, he shouldn''t make her angrier;


    ''''Tiana¡­ please I can explain everything, I''m¡­''''


    ''''Hold it. I don''t want to hear it! I am not interested in listening to anything you have to say, Nicklaus. I don''t bloody care. I forgot to tell you, the five months is over, Nicklaus, you cannot take my sister anymore; she''s free from you.


    Grandpa says I can leave, but since you''re here, it''s obvious, you don''t intend to let me go. That is too bad because I would rather die than go back to that house!'''' She paused, her chest, rising and falling rapidly;


    '''' Nicklaus, I never had the chance to tell you this, but hear it now, you have no soul!''''


    Tiana walked towards the rain, stopping just in front of the rain dropping from the roof.


    Nicklaus froze. His eyes gazing back at her.


    Was she this angry because he didn''t tell her about his past? Was it enough to make her this angry?


    ''''Tiana¡­ ''''


    ''''You are utter evil and you deserve to rot in the pit of eternal darkness.''''


    Tiana continued, not wanting to hear a single word from him; she wanted to tell him that he had hurt her, but then it would only make her look vulnerable. So instead, she said;


    ''''I never loved you, Nicklaus, it was all a lie. I hated you from that very day in your house, when you chose my sister as your mistress when you knew the amount owed you was nothing to you and you could easily let it slide, but no, you wanted to wreck us. You locked me up for several days, in darkness, utter darkness, you made me strip¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s words caught in her throat, tears brewing in her eyes as she realized how foolish she was to have fallen for this man. What came over her?


    ''''Tiana, I apologized; I said I was sorry¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus was drenched under the rain, his face red with pain, and his eyes clouded with tears. His hands were fidgeting by his side, as his heart slammed against his chest. He couldn''t even fathom the amount of pain coursing through him at that moment.


    He never knew loving someone could hurt this much.


    Apologized? Only so you could get me to sleep with you! Tiana thought in her mind but she didn''t say it aloud, there was clearly no need.


    ''''I hate you Nicklaus from my very bones; every single thing about you disgusts me!''''


    She shouted, her voice clapping with the rain as her fume riled up.


    ''''Tiana, don''t say that. Please, stop¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus''s hands trembled; he wasn''t sure he could take another hateful word from her.


    ''''Oh, what are you going to do? Kill me? Well, I won''t be surprised; this is not your first time doing that. ''''


    She smiled devilishly; her eyes red with hate.


    Tiana was trying her best not to cry in front of him, although every cell in her body was trembling. She didn''t want him to see her weak. She didn''t want him to know that with him, she was vulnerable.


    Taking in a deep breath, she walked into the rain, and closed the gap between them, stopping just a few inches away from him. The rain dropped into her eyes but she made sure to keep them wide open as she stared at him courageously;


    ''''I''m not afraid of you Nicklaus, if you want to kill me, you can do it right now, but I will never go back to that house.''''


    ''''Please Tiana, we can talk about this. I really love you, Tiana, I¡­''''


    At his words a menacing chuckle escaped her lips as she tilted her head to the side;


    ''''Love, you talk of love? When you are getting... ''''


    She wanted to say getting married to another woman, but she stopped herself immediately. She was really going to wail in front of him if he confirmed it, and the last thing she wanted was for him to see her cry.


    There was always a price to pay for love, it seemed this was hers.


    Tiana swallowed bitterly;


    ''''Goodbye monster, I hope you rot in hell! ''''


    With that she turned around and marched into the house, as soon as she closed the door behind her, she ran towards her room, and fell to the ground, crying like a baby.


    Nicklaus stood unmoving for what felt like hours. He had still not erased the look in her eyes when she called him a monster.


    Monster?


    Was that what he was to her? Was that what she saw him as all along?


    He felt his heart rip into a thousand pieces and he couldn''t breathe. If she really hated him this much, how could she have pretended to love him all these while?

 Chapter 137 - Breath of fresh air

    But she let him touch her¡­ if she truly hated him; she wouldn''t have given him her first night.


    Or was it a ploy to make him fall for her and then crush his heart into a thousand pieces? Has her every smile to him been faked?


    And when she said she loved him, was it a lie?


    Nicklaus stood in the rain, each drop of rain tearing into his soul, but he didn''t move, he just stood still, staring at the spot Tiana walked out from.


    Maybe he was really a monster? He had hurt her so much, how could he think that she could forgive him easily?


    Nicklaus''s head fell and his shoulders trembled;


    He couldn''t even imagine what she went through having to pretend she was in love with him, it must be hell to see his face every morning. It must have been heart-wrenching to kiss him back when all she felt inside was deep hate.


    He wished the rain would keep falling on him and wash him out of existence. Maybe that would make her happy. Maybe it would take away the hatred.


    After everything, he did to her, how stupid of him to think that she would be in love with him. He deserved every pain coursing through him now.


    ''''Boss, the rain is becoming heavy, please get inside the car. ''''


    Not able to watch their boss stay under the rain any longer, one of the guards, brave enough walked to him. When he saw the excruciating look on Nicklaus'' face, his heart sunk.


    Even though his boss was stern and fearful most times, he had stayed with him long enough to know that it was all a camouflage. He was really a kind soul but because he had nearly no-one on his side, he had to mask himself with such fearful aura, and the one person he had let his guard down for, had crushed him to a billion pieces.


    The rain was becoming heavy and Nicklaus couldn''t keep his eyes open anymore, but still, he did not move. After what felt like hours, he suddenly turned around and walked to the car with heavy steps.


    Dan, the guard who had approached him, and the bravest of them all, held open the back seat door for him when he saw that he was about pulling open the driver''s door.


    ''''Boss, I''m sorry, but I can''t let you drive in this state, please get in. '''' Dan spoke pleadingly, but his hands couldn''t help fidgeting, it took him a lot of courage to go against the boss. He could lose his life for that.


    Nicklaus was quiet for a second before he turned to the back seat and got in. Dan was shocked but he knew that Nicklaus had a lot on his mind at that moment; he wasn''t in the mood to argue.


    He waited till he had gotten in and then he closed the door after him, entering the driver''s side, he started the ignition, but just when he wanted to drive out, Nicklaus stopped him.


    ''''Wait! ''''


    He had told himself that if that was what she wanted, he would leave her but at that moment, he couldn''t bring himself to leave. Even though she had said she hated him, even though she wished he would rot in hell, he still loved her, recklessly.


    Dan felt so sad but there was nothing he could do to help, he watched his boss through the rearview mirror, stare at the house with anguish, after what felt like hours, he finally pulled his eyes away.


    ''''Let''s go. ''''


    ¡­


    Four days later


    Nicklaus mansion had been as quiet as a graveyard; no-one daring to make a sound. Nicklaus had not stepped out of his room for three days; his meals would be served, and they would be taken away uneaten. Everyone knew or suspected the reason behind it but no-one dared to talk. After the issue in the company had been resolved, the stock prices had skyrocketed even better than it was earlier. Nicklaus did not go to the company for three days straight, everyone was worried, and even when they tried to reach him; his phone was switched off.


    And when they sent representatives to his home, his guards told them that he didn''t want to be disturbed.


    On the fourth day, everyone in the mansion was going around their normal duties, when suddenly; they saw someone walking down the stairs. His feet barely made a sound as it made contact with the floor, his eyes were dark and his expression cold, the cheerfulness that had been on his face for the past weeks had utterly vanished, and he looked frostier than he had ever been.


    Although he never came down, his guards always waited for him with the cars at the usual time, until it was past twelve, they did this continually every day and today were no exception.


    They didn''t expect him to come, so they chatted away carefreely as they waited for him.


    Surprisingly, at about five minutes past eight in the morning, they saw him walking towards them, Dan was the first to notice him and when he did, he stood upright immediately, the others followed suit instantly. They weren''t expecting him, but they weren''t very surprised either.


    Even though she was the only friend he had ever had, and even though she had broken him, they knew he was strong. But their only fear was what would become of him now, now that the only person he had opened his heart to had shattered it, and when he approached them and they looked at his face, their fears were confirmed.


    In a deathly tone, and without looking at anyone in particular, Nicklaus spoke;


    ''''To the company ''''


    ¡­


    Tiana stood in front of the mirror, gazing at her reflection. She couldn''t keep being like this. She hadn''t stepped out of the mansion for days now; neither had she had a good sleep, she had eye bags and dark circles were visible under her eyes and she looked really worn out. He was gone from her life; it was time she moved on.


    She forced a smile to her face, but it looked weird on her sad expression, so she quickly eased her lips.


    She had many plans with him, but now he was no longer in the picture, it was time she sketched a new plan, but first, she needed to leave this house and get a breath of fresh air.

 Chapter 138 - Nicklaus loved her

    Gwen, who was watching a reality show in the parlor, was stunned when she saw Tiana step out of her room, looking strange.


    Not like strange, but like extremely shocking.


    ''''Gwen, don''t you think we need a car? '''' Tiana asked carefreely as she walked into the parlor.


    Gwen was stunned, for the past few days she had been on her own, moody and crying, but here she was, wearing bum shorts that accentuated her curves, exposing her hot legs, with a crop top stopping right below her rounds b.o.o.b.s, outlining her perfectly shaped stomach. Her hair was let down in waves and she had dark makeup on, and on her feet were heels;


    Okay, what was going on?


    Gwen couldn''t help asking herself. Even before meeting Nicklaus, she had never seen her sister dress so sparingly, was she pushing herself to her limits because of him?


    ''''Why are you staring at me like that, is my makeup not good?'''' Tiana creased her brows, and she turned to the floor to ceiling mirror in the parlor to look at her reflection;


    ''''You don''t look bad, I was just¡­ surprised, where are you going dressed like that?''''


    Tiana pouted her lips and smacked it as she gazed at her reflection, she was surprised at what she was seeing; she knew she looked good, but the person staring back at her on the mirror, was walking seduction.


    She looked at her exposed thighs and she knew that if she didn''t cover up a little, she might not get back home safely;


    ''''Give me a second. ''''


    Tiana turned back to the room and changed to tight-fitting pants; it accentuated her curves in the right places but at least it covered some skin.


    ''''So I was saying, don''t you think we need a car, we cannot keep calling a cab all the time when we have the money. ''''


    Tiana spoke as she walked into the parlor again.


    Gwen was surprised at her abrupt change, just yesterday; she looked like she was going to die any second, but today she was looking like there had been no issue at all.


    Did she get over him that fast?


    Although Tiana didn''t want to hear any news about him, she had checked his updates behind her back and found out that he had resolved the issue in the company, but there was no news of any marriage. She was so shocked that she had to recheck and when she didn''t see any news relating to his marriage or engagement, her eyes widened as she realized something.


    Nicklaus¡­ Nicklaus loved her.


    She had overheard their discussion under the rain that day and after seeing his saddened expression and his reluctance to leave even after she had gone, she knew he liked her but she wasn''t sure, but after seeing the news, her fears were confirmed.


    But that did not mean that she would let her know, on the contrary, she was going to make sure she didn''t know for a very long time. It was already over between them, there was no need opening up old sores; was there?


    ''''Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, but we''ve not had driving lessons, ''''


    ''''That''s not a problem, we''ll go to the driving school, it doesn''t take too long to learn. ''''


    Tiana replied, not looking at Gwen, her eyes checking out her reflection in the mirror.


    ''''That''s great, so we are getting two cars right? '''' Gwen widened her eyes expectantly;


    Tiana chuckled, ''''I''ll get one for you¡­ ''''


    ''''Oh my God, thank you! You''re the best sister in the world!! ''''


    Gwen exclaimed happily but Tiana cut her off immediately;


    ''''After you graduate from the makeup academy. ''''


    She turned to her with a smile, and although Gwen''s face drained of all color,


    ''''No, that''s going to take a while¡­ ''''


    After everything that had happened, Tiana gave up on going to a makeup academy, she decided to just sponsor her sister, and maybe find another thing doing. Seeing her sister become a makeup artist would give her the same measure of joy.


    ''''Gwen, you can drive mine whenever you want but you will only have yours when you graduate, okay?''''


    ''''Tiana¡­ ''''


    Gwen wanted to argue but Tiana''s phone vibrated in her hand and she looked at it;


    ''''Oh sister, my cab is here, we''ll talk about this later, bye!''''


    She smiled, putting her phone into her bag; she walked towards the front door.


    ''''Where are you going, it''s past seven! ''''


    Gwen asked, walking after her.


    ''''I need to party. ''''


    Well that was what was in her mind until she entered the cab. She knew if she got wasted, no-one would be there to take her home and she might get r.a.p.ed by multiple men, so instead of going to a bar as she had earlier planned, she went to the movies.


    After getting a ticket for a movie, she bought a bucket of popcorn and Coca-Cola and entered the theatre.


    She remembered going with him to the movies before, and she quickly pushed the thought to the back of her mind as it began to dampen her mood. Thankfully, the movie she had chosen was funny, so she forgot about it quickly.


    Suddenly she felt someone sit beside her, and she turned to know who the person was, her brows creased.


    He had a smile on his chin, and his piercing eyes stared at her sweetly;


    ''''I see you''ve finished your drink, care for another?''''


    Liam said stretching the Coca-Cola drink in his hand towards her. Tiana gulped and she looked around before settling her eyes on him again.


    ''''What are you doing here? ''''


    ''''Ouch, that hurts. Didn''t know that would be the first thing you would say to me after so many months.''''


    He scrunched up his face as though he was in pain.


    Tiana smiled;


    ''''I''m sorry, I was¡­ I was just surprised. How did you find me here? ''''


    She asked again,


    ''''Oh, I was in a bad mood and I came to watch a funny show to take my mind off it and surprisingly, I saw you sitting in front of me, and then I realized that you were a better show than the movie, so I''ve been watching you keenly. ''''


    Ordinarily, with the piercing eyes gazing down at her and his teasing, Tiana could have blushed, but she was way past that, she had heard enough of men''s fake wooing so much that it wasn''t moving her anymore.


    ''''Oh, okay. It''s nice to see you after a long while, how have you been. ''''

 Chapter 139 - Are you interested in me?

    ''''How have you been? ''''


    Tiana asked, putting a smile on her face. The last thing she wanted now was a company but it was rude to tell him to leave.


    After finding out about her relationship with Nicklaus, he dug in deeper and he got to know that they were really together, and when he found out they had separated, he had not been more joyful.


    He liked her and he wanted her, but his mother had warned him not to make himself known to Nicklaus that was why he had not gone after her, but now it was confirmed that she was no longer with him, there was nothing stopping him from going after her.


    ''''I''ve been good, you? '''' he asked, his gaze still staring at her endearingly. Tiana nodded;


    ''''I''m great. ''''


    ''''So the last time we met, you refused to hang out with me, has that decision changed now? ''''


    He raised his brows, tilting his head as he peered at her;


    Tiana chuckled; the last thing she wanted now was another entanglement. She needed to breathe from all the heartbreaks she had gotten in just a few months.


    Just that moment, everyone started leaving the theatre and she when she glanced at the screen, she noticed that the show was over. Her gaze returned to him.


    ''''No, not at all '''' She replied boldly, her smile not wavering.


    Liam knew she just broke up with Nicklaus, although he didn''t know the facts, from her abrupt rejection he knew she must have been hurt. But he was in no rush; he was ready to give her as much time as she wanted;


    ''''Why? Am I that hateful? '''' Liam asked, his face paling as though in hurt.


    Tiana shook her head; ''''No, not at all. I just¡­ '''' she wouldn''t tell him about her affair with Nicklaus, or anything, but she needed to let him know that she was done with men, at least for now.


    Tiana paused and looked at him;


    ''''Are you interested in me?'''' Maybe if she hit the nail on the head it would be easier to address the issue.


    Liam was taken aback by her sudden question; it took him a moment to come to himself;


    ''''What if I am? ''''


    Tiana smirked; ''''I''m really sorry, but I''m not interested. I don''t want to waste your time, so I''m going to say this now; nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing can happen between us, so just look elsewhere okay? ''''


    Tiana explained with a smile; ''''Now, if you would excuse me, I have a cab to catch. ''''


    She stood up without even waiting for his response; she turned towards the exit;


    ''''Tiana, wait. ''''


    Liam stopped her before she could take a few steps; she turned to look at him;


    ''''I said I was interested in you, I didn''t say I was interested in dating you; my interest is in becoming your friend. Just casual, no strings attached. Besides, I''m in love with another already. ''''


    He explained with a sweet smile;


    He knew he had a way with words. She was in hurt now, and she was going to try her best to push everyone away, if he told her he liked her, she would push him away without even blinking. So he told her that he liked another woman. He slept with women, but he was not interested in them like he was with her, so truthfully, there was no other person.


    If she knew that he had someone else, she might let her guard down, and he would slowly steal his way into her heart, and when he was sure she had fallen for him, he would tell her the truth.


    ''''I just wanted to be a friend, but it is okay if you don''t need one. It''s really nice to see you again. '''' Liam replied and stood up. Like he had expected; her expression eased;


    Tiana''s eyes fluttered;


    ''''Sorry for how I spoke to you, I just¡­ I''m just not interested in any friendship of any sort now. ''''


    She smiled apologetically at him.


    Liam nodded;


    ''''It is okay, no hard feelings. ''''


    She chuckled lightly; ''''Okay.''''


    ''''Are you heading home, I can drop you off if you don''t mind? ''''


    Tiana studied him briefly;


    He looked sincere and there was no wrong in dropping her off, besides it would be a little difficult getting a cab at this time.


    ''''Alright, thank you. ''''


    Liam smiled victoriously as he walked after her. He just needed to take one step at a time and she would be his.


    He held his car door open for her and closed it after she got in. Tiana sighed; he was driving a Bugatti, she didn''t know the model, but she was sure she had seen something like it parked in Nicklaus garage. She didn''t even know he was wealthy, it was nice that he had someone he liked already, the last thing she wanted now was to be entangled with another wealthy guy.


    ''''So, where do you live? ''''


    Liam asked as he started the ignition.


    '''' 539 Irvine Avenue, '''' Tiana spoke through her teeth. She didn''t want to remember him but saying the address made her remember that she had to take the house because of him. It still hurt.


    ''''Okay, it''s just thirty-minute drive from here. So tell me, what have you been up to. '''' Liam asked, knowing that she would be forced to engage in a discussion since there was nowhere to run.


    Tiana swallowed;


    ''''Nothing serious, just living my daily life, '''' She replied shallowly and Liam didn''t want to dig deeper;


    ''''That''s good to know, I didn''t know I would see you here today, I was so surprised. '''' He said smiling;


    Tiana glanced at him and her lips thinned;


    One other thing that made her very uncomfortable was the fact that Liam looked a lot like Nicklaus; he said that they weren''t related but she couldn''t scr.a.p.e the resemblance from the back of her head. No matter how many times she looked at him, she still saw the resemblance there.


    And anytime she looked at his face, she was reminded of him.

 Chapter 140 - I must say, you look dashing!

    "Alright, thank you for the ride. '''' Tiana said as she held Liam''s outstretched hand, stepping out of the car.


    ''''Don''t mention.'''' He replied, closing the door. So, I know you said you didn''t need a friend, but can I leave you with my number in case you change your mind? ''''


    Tiana chuckled. She knew she wouldn''t call him, but she would just take his number since he didn''t ask for hers, at least for driving her home safely.


    ''''Alright, call the digits. ''''


    She smiled as she took out her phone; knowing fully well that his number was going to disappear into the list of contacts she had.


    As she stored his number, her body froze when her eyes fell on Nicklaus'' contact; she stared at it for seconds, before she tapped on it and deleted it.


    Lifting her eyes to Liam she beamed;


    ''''Alright, thanks again for bringing me home safely; I''ll be going in now. ''''''


    ''''Yeah, goodnight; ''''


    ''''You too ''''


    ¡­


    Two weeks later;


    It''s been three weeks since she left and Nicklaus couldn''t fathom how he had been able to live every single day. It was only after she left that he realized how much he loved her. His nightmares returned, not because she wasn''t with him anymore, but because she had hurt him because she had wrecked his soul.


    He smoked nearly every day till his throat hurt. That was the only way he could keep himself from thinking about her.


    He had fought the urge to go after her, but that only made him sicker. When he couldn''t take it anymore, he would drive to her house in the dead of the night and park outside, smoking and watching her house, not daring to step out.


    He would smoke till morning before he would go back home. He had been living like this for weeks now, and he was starting to get used to it. He had changed his paintings back to what it used to be, so at least he could close his eyes at night because, without her, those light colors were like hell.


    He did not remove anything from her room, everything was the same, sometimes, he would go in and lie on her bed, just to remember her scent, it was pure torture but he couldn''t help it.


    He wished he hadn''t fallen for her, but it was already too late to wish that.


    Nicklaus employed another secretary after she left, but he didn''t move her desk back to its place; he rather got the new secretary another desk. He loved to glance at her desk often, to make himself believe that she was still there.


    Sometimes he would fall into a trance and see her sitting there watching him with a beautiful smile, he would stand up and walk to her, but just when he reached out to touch her, she would disappear like a cloud of smoke.


    Hell was too soft a word to describe what he was going through. If he knew loving someone could hurt this much, he would have let her go when he started growing feelings;


    Nicklaus was staring blankly at a doc.u.ment in his hand when he heard an altercation outside his office; his brows creased;


    ''''I''m sorry, you can''t go in, who let you up in the first place? '''' he heard Secretary Kim''s voice shouting at someone or some persons;


    ''''Move, or we''ll be forced to move you. ''''


    A man''s voice was heard;


    '''' don''t you even dare, we''ll sue you for trespassing on private property, don''t even¡­ ''''


    Secretary Kim was still talking when he felt his legs leave the ground and he was transported to another spot; and before he could even open his lips; his boss''s door was pushed open and the lady who had come with the security guards walked in, but they didn''t go in with her, rather they closed the door behind them and turned to him, their eyes glaring''


    Secretary Kim knew there was no need screaming anymore, since she was already in and there was no way he could even fight these deathly looking men, so he just quietly went to his table and sat down.


    Nicklaus'' gaze fell on the person who had just barged into his office, and he was surprised to see who it was.


    A woman? What boldness!


    He was surprised and mad at the same time; was she looking for death or something?


    He narrowed his gaze at her and his whole body emitted a frosty aura, but surprisingly the woman didn''t even flinch, she continued walking towards him and without asking for permission she sat down in front of him.


    Nicklaus was shocked; his glare grew sharper as he stared at the woman, wondering what could make her come face to face with death without a single fear.


    Claire stared at the man in front of her and suddenly her lips slanted into a charming smile;


    What a meal!


    ''''I''ve heard a lot about you, Nicklaus Howells. Sorry for the intrusion, but I really needed to see the man who turned me down and I must say; you look dashing! ''''


    She spoke relaxingly;


    Claire was gorgeous; 23, tall, curves, hot legs, and bewitching eyes. She was prettier than Tiana. Tiana''s beauty was attractive, but Claire, she was seduction. Every man wanted her so she was surprised to know that there was a man alive who could turn her down, so she came to see for herself.


    When her father, the president told her she was getting married to the CEO of Howells Corporation, she didn''t want to, but before she could even air her opinion, her father told her that he wasn''t interested in marrying her. For the first time in her entire life, she was shocked that a man could refuse her, but right now, sitting in front of him, she was in fact thrilled.


    This man was s.e.x on toes!


    It seems she had finally found the man she wants to be with.


    A smile washed Claire''s lips as she admired Nicklaus, who still had a daunting glare on his face.


    ''''Do you have a death wish?'''' Nicklaus asked seething with anger. This woman, what gave her such audacity?


    ''Claire rolled her eyes.


    ''''You don''t have to look so intimidating; I have a father at home who is scarier than you are, so I''ve seen worse faces. Now I''ve seen what you look like, I just want you to know that I''m going to chase you from now on. Have a good day. ''''


    With that, she stood up from the seat, turned around, walking out of the office.


    Nicklaus was super shocked.


    Who let this mad woman out of the asylum?

 Chapter 141 - I didnt kill her

    ''''From our report, Ms. Mia Harmsworth visited your home on the night of her death? Is that true Mr. Alex? ''''


    The female police officer sitting in front of him asked. Alex had not been able to live with himself ever since that night Mia died, she had just stepped out to get some files from her home and suddenly she was dead?


    The news had wrecked him, he couldn''t take it. After a few weeks after her burial, he was starting to cope when suddenly; officers came to his home for questioning.


    ''''Yes, we had a little argument before then and she came over to settle things with me. '''' Alex replied innocently;


    The female cop creased her brows; '''' did you say you had an issue before then? ''''


    ''''Yes, ''''


    ''''What was it about? ''''


    Alex was quiet. He didn''t have any bad feelings earlier, but right now, he started to feel perturbed.


    ''''It¡­ she had a crush on another man, and she kept it away from me, when I found out, I was mad at her. So, she came over to apologize, ''''


    ''''And did you forgive her, Mr. Alex? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I did. ''''


    The cop scribbled something on the notebook on her lap then looked up at him again;


    ''''Mr. Alex, the CCTV footage showed that Ms. Mia left your home that night, and it was the same night she got into the accident, am I right? ''''


    Alex nodded lightly;


    ''''Can you tell us why she left your house in the late hours of the night when you both had made up? ''''


    Alex adjusted on his spot;


    ''''She was to have a shoot the next day, she wanted to go back home to get her script, so she could look through it. ''''


    That night, he had told Mia to stay back. She could revise the next day or she could even call in sick. But she had refused, she didn''t want to slow down the team and she wanted to be done with her scenes quickly, if she called in sick, her scene would be shifted to a later date, and she didn''t want that, so she insisted.


    ''''If you say so, Mr. Alex, why did you not follow her home to get the script when it was so late? Or you didn''t love her enough to let her drive all by herself in the night? ''''


    The cop asked;


    Alex felt sweat break out on his forehead. This did not look good.


    From their questions, it was clear that they were looking for who to pin her death on, and any slightest evidence they got, they would hold onto it tightly;


    That night, he had wanted to drive her, but she had refused; he insisted and walked out with her, but just when he was about to enter the car, he received a call that his father was injured and was in the hospital.


    Mia told him to go on, that she would come to the hospital after she got her script, but the creepy thing about it was that when he got to the hospital, he realized that it was a prank call. How in hell was he going to explain that to the cops without them suspecting that he had sent people to kill her?


    He was quiet.


    ''''Mr. Alex, did you hear my question?''''


    Alex''s gaze fluttered;


    ''''Yes¡­, that night, I wanted to take her home but I received a call that my father was in an accident and was gravely injured; so she said I should go along and she would come later after she got her script, but when I got to the hospital, I realized it was a prank call, and when I returned home, I heard that she was involved in an accident.''''


    ''''A prank call? ''''


    ''''Yes, cop. ''''


    ''''Can I see the number that prank called you? ''''


    She asked and Alex nodded, taking out his phone from his pocket; he could not forget the date, so he scrolled down his call log and stopped on the logs with the date, scrolling slowly, he searched for the unknown number; after a while, a crease crept up his brows, and his face paled;


    ''''What is wrong, Mr. Alex?''''


    ''''I cannot find¡­ I cannot find the number; it was here, it was right here, I didn''t delete it. ''''


    He panicked, sitting up on the couch, his eyes scanning the call log over and over again;


    ''''Mr. Alex, without the number, how do you expect us to believe that there was a prank call? ''''


    The male cop sitting beside her, asked, his brows creasing.


    Alex was pale now, the last thing he wanted to imagine was that there was someone out there trying to pin him as the murderer! What did she do to deserve to be killed this way? And for goodness sake, what wrong did he do to make someone try to ruin his life!!


    ''''Someone hacked into my phone! Someone tampered with my phone! '''' Alex exclaimed, he was scared now. He knew how these things worked, if they didn''t find another credible evidence to deviate their attention from him, he would be taken in as her murderer.


    A murderer! His life would be over, his career¡­ everything! No, no, this was not happening¡­


    The cops silently watched him fiddle with his phone. After a long while, they stood up, and the male cop took out a handcuff;


    ''''Mr. Alex, we''re sorry, but we''re arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Mia Harmsworth. This is necessary to allow the prompt and effective investigation of this offense. You do not have to say anything, but anything said, may be used against you in the court of law.


    Alex felt his heart slam painfully against his chest and cold shivers break out on his back.


    What in hell was happening?


    When did he become a killer? He didn''t kill her! He loved her!


    ''''Wait, you can''t do this, I didn''t kill her! I didn''t kill Mia! I loved her! The killer is out there, you have the wrong person, cop! ''''


    Alex screamed as they handcuffed him and led him outside and to their vehicle.


    Tears clouded his eyes as he continued pleading with the officers, but they didn''t say another word.


    He couldn''t believe that his world was about to crumble into a thousand pieces!

 Chapter 142 - Oh my f.u.c.kin Lord!

    Michelle walked into the waiting room, her face red with rage. He was the last person she thought could hurt Mia. They looked like they were in love, and she loved him a lot. How could he hurt her? Why would he hurt her?


    She was still lost in thought when Alex stepped into the room, his hands handcuffed in front of him, he was wearing prisoner uniforms, and he looked really worn out.


    When he saw Michelle, his eyes glistened, and he sat down in front of her.


    ''''Why? What did she¡­ what did she do wrong to deserve to die? ''''


    Before Alex could defend himself, Michelle asked, painfully. Her eyes staring intently at him, filled with pain and disgust.


    She had cried so much already, but as Alex sat in front of her, she couldn''t stop the tears brewing in her eyes.


    ''''I didn''t kill her Michelle. I didn''t kill her. Please, you have to believe me. The killer is out there, they are trying to pin it on me, and they are going to kill another person and pin it on an innocent person. Please, Michelle, you need to believe me. ''''


    Alex trembled as he explained; his face sweaty.


    Michelle fisted her hands to her sides; her eyes searched his for doubt but there was none, in fact he looked like he was telling the truth, but then again, all culprits said the same thing.


    She swallowed;


    ''''All evidence points to you Alex, don''t¡­ don''t deny it¡­ ''''


    ''''Michelle I didn''t kill her! There is no evidence, they are trying to pin it on me, don''t trust them please!''''


    He pleaded sincerely, tears almost falling from his eyes.


    ''''I shouldn''t trust them? Should I trust you then? ''''


    Alex sighed painfully; he knew he might not have a way out of this but he wouldn''t give up, not yet.


    ''''Michelle, I know it''s painful to lose a sister, but it''s more painful to lose someone you love, someone that means the whole world to you. I haven''t been able to live with that, Michelle. I actually thought it was a mere accident, but not anymore, Michelle. Someone had a hand in her death, someone f.u.c.kin'' killed her, and it isn''t the man in front of you.


    My lawyer is coming soon and we''re going to court, I can be found guilty for a crime I did not commit, or not, but I want to let you know that this is exactly what the killer wants. He wants everyone to think I am the killer, and after the series of court sessions, which would take months or even years, he would be forgotten and it would be swept under the carpet. If I''m found guilty, it''s the end for me and if I''m not, it''s still the end for me, because everyone, even you, would think I''m guilty. I''ll be seen as a killer that got a good lawyer.


    Michelle, I didn''t say you should trust me, but please do not stop searching for clues. There''s really something fishy about her death, I feel it deep inside me. We both deserve to know the truth, and Mia deserves to get her vengeance too, and she would not rest in peace if the criminal is not caught.''''


    Michelle was stunned as she stared at him. She didn''t want to believe a word that he said, but at that moment, her heart was slamming rapidly against her chest. She felt goosebumps wash her skin.


    What if he was right?


    What if the killer was walking the surface of the earth, laughing at how they had fallen into his well-laid trap?


    What exactly happened to Mia? What exactly would make someone kill her?


    If Alex wasn''t the killer, then she would never get her answers.


    If Alex wasn''t the killer, then Mia would forever cry in her grave¡­


    Michelle raised her hand to her handbag and clutched it hard;


    ''''See you in court. ''''


    With that, she stood up and turned around to leave.


    ''''Michelle, please believe me. I didn''t kill her; there was no reason for me to kill her. I loved her!! I loved Mia!''''


    His voice disappeared into the distance as she walked out of the room and past the police officers.


    Her mind was in a mess.


    Just when she thought she had found her sister''s killer.


    ¡­


    Tiana walked into the five-star restaurant in the heart of Hollywood. Today had been very great. She just finished facials and soaking in a hot tub and she felt very hungry, so she decided to eat something nice. As she sat down, the waiter came to take her orders, and after which she scrolled through her Instagram. She didn''t notice that a man had been staring intently at her.


    When her order came, she smiled sweetly and began eating, her eyes staring at her phone.


    ''''Stunning! Can I join you? ''''


    Tiana''s brows creased when she heard a masculine voice and she lifted her eyes to look at the intrusion.


    Not another man...


    Tiana nearly rolled her eyes in disgust but she restrained herself;


    ''''No, I''m busy right now. ''''


    Maybe she should have just ordered a takeaway.


    The man watched the little frown on her brows and he smiled;


    ''''Dear, my name is Leo, I''m a designer. I''ve been searching for a model lately, and when I saw you walk in right now, I knew I''ve found the right person. I know you don''t want company right now, but this is my business card, please call me; I would love it, if you consider my offer, okay? ''''


    Leo said, dropping his card on the table. Before Tiana could form words in her mouth, he had left.


    Her eyes fell on the card in front of her and she picked it and stared at it. It was gold-plated, and his name was engraved in cursive.


    A model? That was the last profession Tiana thought could be available to her. She was beautiful right, but she didn''t even have the skills, what did he see in her? Or¡­ was he a con?


    Her eyes widened as the thought entered her mind, quickly, she searched his name up.


    Her eyes widened as she realized that he was one of the top designers in the most famous Fashion Agency in Hollywood.


    Oh my f.u.c.kin'' lord!!


    ¡­


    ''''Claire guess what just happened right now? ''''


    Leo exclaimed over the phone, his voice high pitched.


    Claire didn''t like anyone waking her up from her nap, she was very mad as she swiped her screen;


    ''''Leo, didn''t you see the time? You know it''s my nap time! ''''


    She scolded, her brows creasing.


    ''''Sweetheart, this is very important. I just met someone that fits that role perfectly. God, you need to see her, she''s a beauty! ''''

 Chapter 143 - Is she prettier than me?

    ''''Ugh, we can talk about this later, why must you wake me up, I need my beauty sleep, call me back in thirty minutes. ''''


    Claire groaned and before Leo could say another word, she had cut the call.


    Leo sighed and he tossed the phone on the passenger''s seat, driving into his compound. His thoughts going back to the woman he met earlier.


    That woman¡­ he knew she would call him anytime soon, only a fool could reject an offer like that.


    ¡­


    Tiana stared at the card in her hand, lost in thought. This¡­this could change her life forever. Jo'' Lapel Fashion Industry was something every upcoming model wished for but could not get; the most famous models of the world were signed under Jo'' Lapel, but here she was, some nobody, getting it all on a platter of gold.


    It seems her fate wasn''t so bad after all!


    This was the best thing that had ever happened to her in years. Just one phone call and her life would change forever.


    Tiana took in a sharp breath, feeling a tingling sensation in her stomach. Everything felt so unreal.


    It''s been two weeks since Gwen left for Christine makeup Academy New York, she had been terribly lonely, so she spent her days watching soap operas and reality shows.


    She had not figured out what to do with herself yet, but she knew the money she had wouldn''t last forever. She had considered working from home, but she didn''t have the skills to do most of the profitable work from home jobs, other ones were very stressful and could take hours to complete and just for a few bucks.


    She did not expect to meet such luck that day, and hell yes, she was doing this. There was no way she was letting this opportunity pass by. It seems not going to the makeup academy, wasn''t exactly a bad choice.


    Tiana''s lips beamed as she dialed his number,


    Leo lifted his phone to stare at it and a smile washed his lips when his eyes gazed at the unknown caller ID,


    Right about time¡­


    ''''Hello, Angel. ''''


    Tiana gulped as she heard the not-so-familiar voice over the phone;


    ''''Have you considered my offer; '''' Leo added immediately; and Tiana nodded, when she realized he wasn''t in front of her she spoke; ''''Yes¡­ I''ll love to; I''ll love to work with you. ''''


    Leo beamed as he nodded; sitting up on his massage chair;


    ''''So when can we meet, tomorrow, is that good by you? ''''


    Did he even need to ask? Any day was perfect; she literally had nothing doing at home.


    ''''Yes, tomorrow would be great. '''' Tiana replied eagerly;


    ''''Alright, that''s perfect! Text me your address, I''ll send someone over to pick you tomorrow. ''''


    ''''No, save yourself the trouble, just tell me where I can meet you and I''ll come over. ''''


    Tiana rejected politely, and Leo understood her fears; so he nodded.


    ''''Alright, I''ll text you an address right away. Welcome onboard, Angel. ''''


    ''''Thank you, Mr. Leo ''''


    Tiana held the phone to her ear for a good five seconds after the call had ended. Still in shock.


    It was so unbelievable. So unreal! Was it really happening? Was it? She would have to wait till the next day to be sure because right now, it felt like she was in a movie.


    She stood up and walked to the floor to ceiling mirror and gazed at her reflection; standing there for about ten minutes, just staring at herself, until reality dawned on her.


    I AM GOING TO BE A MODEL! A F.U.C.KIN'' MODEL~!!


    ¡­


    The next morning


    Claire pushed open Leo''s large office and walked in majestically. She had an aloof face on. Her hair dyed red, and falling down her back, a Louis Vuitton sleeveless gown hugged her body, outlining her curves as she cat-walked towards Leo in her 6 inches Gucci heel shoes.


    ''''Here comes the Volcano beauty. ''''


    ''''Stop with your teasing, bestie, where is she?''''


    Claire''s eyes searched the room and they fell back on Leo when she did not see any other person in the office.


    ''''The meeting is fixed by 12 pm; this is just past 9, sweetheart. ''''


    Leo was handsome and tall, he had a cute face, that any woman would just want to kiss, and bury themselves in his arms, and maybe remain there till forever. Claire had always bullied him about not having a girlfriend, despite being so charming. But then, she loved that he was single sometimes, at least she could take him to dinners or galas, whenever she didn''t have a man available. They became friends when she joined the industry at age 14, he was a model then at age 17, and through the years they had grown fonder and closer. He was the only one that knew her deepest secrets, the only one she was very comfortable with. He was her best friend.


    As soon as he said the word, Claire''s aloof expression changed 360 degrees and she slumped on the couch.


    ''''Oh thank God, now I can take off these shoes! I thought she was here already, thank goodness. Do you have a chocolate bar? I forgot to bring some. ''''


    Leo burst into a fit of laughter as he watched Claire relax comfortably on the couch and quickly undo her heel buckles, tossing it about the room and relaxing her feet in the feathery carpet.


    ''''I was waiting for that. '''' Leo continued laughing hysterically.


    ''''don''t you dare laugh at me; you know I don''t like looking anything less in front of newbies.''''


    She sighed as she stood up and walked towards him on the office table;


    ''''So do you have any chocolate bars? I didn''t even have breakfast, just to look perfect! '''' She groaned. Leo smiled as he watched her; chocolates were her favorite, he never forgot to keep some for her.


    He pulled open the drawer and took out some chocolate;


    ''''Awnn; I knew you would have some! What would I have done without you! ''''


    She exclaimed happily as she bit into the bar, shutting her eyes in ecstasy. Leo watched her unwaveringly.


    ''''So tell me, is she prettier than me? ''''


    Claire asked absentmindedly;


    There were only a few models in the industry that matched her beauty, so she wasn''t expecting a newbie to be prettier, but then, she just asked;


    ''''She is. ''''


    ''''WHAT?''''

 Chapter 144 - Now Im going to pee...

    ''''What? ''''


    ''''Haha, don''t mind me, you are prettier, but trust me, she''s cute. You would love her. ''''


    Leo laughed as he watched her roll her eyes.


    ''''You''ve praised her so much, now I really want to meet her. Hope she would be up to my expectations?''''


    ''''Trust me, she would. ''''


    She nodded, and almost at the same time, a thought flickered in her mind and she widened her eyes;


    ''''Leo, guess what? ''''


    Claire sat up on her chair, leaning towards Leo, her eyes wide open;


    ''''What is it this time? ''''


    ''''Just guess! ''''


    Leo narrowed his eyes at her, but then he could not even think of what could make her so excited.


    ''''You know I don''t know how to guess, what is it? ''''


    '''' I finally met him! ''''


    She exclaimed, her eyes curving in crescents. Leo''s brows creased;


    ''''Met who? ''''


    ''''My prince charming ''''


    Leo laughed unbelievably; '''' don''t tell me you went to meet Nicklaus Howells?''''


    ''''Yes, I actually went to meet him, and gracious, he is drop-dead gorgeous and unbelievably s.e.xy! I wish he hadn''t refused the marriage, I would have loved to f.u.c.k him six ways to Sunday!''''


    Claire groaned as she explained to the quiet Leo, who just watched her in shock;


    '''' don''t tell me you asked him out? '''' Leo asked, although not surprised; Claire was someone who went for what she wanted. He wouldn''t be surprised if she said she walked into this office and begged him to f.u.c.k her.


    ''''Yes, that''s exactly what I did and I also told him I was going to chase him from now on. ''''


    Leo burst into laughter; ''''you must be kidding me. ''''


    ''''I''m not kidding, he was so shocked, so much that he couldn''t even say anything as I walked out. And I think the rumors that he is very cold and frightening are true, he looks scary, but I wasn''t perturbed one bit, I have a father who is ten times scarier. ''''


    Claire chuckled but there was a hidden pain behind her throat. But she did well to cover it up quickly.


    Leo''s laugh disappeared as the atmosphere became awkward; that was a touchy subject.


    ''''And I just got his personal number, f.u.c.k, I almost spent a fortune, I never knew a number could cost this much! ''''


    Claire immediately diverted the topic.


    ''''You''re not serious right now. '''' Leo''s eyes widened;


    ''''I''m serious Leo, I''m going to chase him, don''t worry; he won''t be able to resist me for long. ''''


    ''''Damn! woman, you''re shameless!''''


    ''''Very! '''' Claire nodded, and two of them laughed.


    She had found someone that piqued her interest after a long while; she wasn''t going to let him slip away.


    ¡­


    Tiana walked into the office, a soft smile on her chin. Leo stood up and welcomed with a cheerful smile;


    ''''It''s nice to see you, angel, you''re more beautiful today,'''' he smirked, lifting her hand, he pecked it.


    Tiana beamed; ''''It''s nice to see you again, Mr. Leo. I''m really sorry for treating you badly yesterday, I was¡­ ''''


    ''''Ah, never mind. You don''t need to apologize, no hard feelings.''''


    Leo laughed; ''''Come, come sit. There''s a lot to talk about. ''''


    Leo led her to the comfortable living room in the office, and she sat down on one of the sofas, her eyes admiring the office. There were gold medals and numerous awards hanging in a shelf, large portraits and wallpapers of models, Leo was in most of them. Her eyes fell to the table that was littered with Vogue and many other magazines, which had the same person in all the front covers, her brows creased and she looked up to the wallpapers, the same woman was in most of the wallpapers, her eyes remained on the woman for a few seconds, her beauty was out of this world.


    Her face looked familiar, maybe she had seen her in commercials, she wasn''t sure, but the lady looked exquisite.


    ''''we''re waiting for someone, she just stepped out, she''ll be back soon, but for now, what would you love to take, I have a collection of alcoholic to non-alcoholic drinks? ''''


    Leo stood up and walked to the huge fridge, pulling it open for Tiana to see;


    She laughed lightly; she was already getting comfortable around him;


    ''''A cup of coffee would be fine. ''''


    She requested politely and Leo smiled as he closed the fridge; ''''Okay¡­ ''''


    Just that moment, the door to the office opened and Claire walked in elegant steps.


    ''''Right about time '''' Leo exclaimed as she stepped in and Tiana turned to see who just stepped in, and instantly, he eyes widened in shock;


    Holy Moly!


    The woman who was on the covers of the magazine just walked in like an angel dropped from the skies. If Tiana was a man, she would have been drooling, because this woman was all shades of beautiful!


    Tiana thought she was beautiful, but at that moment, in front of this woman, she felt like a buzzing mosquito. She couldn''t even compare!


    ''''Angel meet Claire. She''s a top model and had won Model of the Year, for three consecutive years. ''''


    Now I''m going to pee¡­


    Tiana thought in her mind as she felt herself shrink into the sofa as Claire sat beside her and her piercing green eyes turned to look at her, a small smile washed her lips;


    ''''Stop with your flattering, Leo; you''re making her uncomfortable.''''


    Oh God! Her voice is so pretty too!


    Tiana groaned internally. She couldn''t even compare to this woman who looked like she was let down from the stars.


    ''''what''s your name? ''''


    Claire asked, her face beaming with a smile. Tiana swallowed;


    ''''I''m Tiana, it''s nice to meet you, Claire. ''''


    ''''Nice to meet you too, Leo had said quite a lot about you, and I''m amazed by your beauty. ''''


    Leo placed the cup of coffee in front of her. Tiana smiled at him but she could not even bring herself to drink it, afraid that she might nervously spill it on herself.


    ''''Tiana dear, can you stand up for a second? ''''


    Claire asked and Tiana nodded, standing up;


    She had taken her time to look her best, although it was nothing compared to how Claire looked, she felt a little confident.


    ''''What an amazing body¡­ hidden behind a lot of calories! ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened in shock as her eyes fell on her body;

 Chapter 145 - Playing hard to get

    Why did she just realize that she gained some weight?


    She mentally saw her self-esteem melt like an ice-cream in the sun.


    '''' don''t worry, you look perfect, you just need to lose some weight and you would be fine.'''' Claire smiled when she saw that Tiana was beginning to feel uncomfortable.


    ''''I told you she was perfect. '''' Leo said coming to sit beside Claire.


    ''''Yeah, I can see that. '''' Claire replied, waving her hand to Tiana to sit down.


    ''''There''s a lot of work to do, a huge lot! You need to meet the other models and staff, and you need to be trained vigorously because this shoot is to be held in a month''s time. Leo, the shoot is in a month''s time right?''''


    ''''No in two months'' time; '''' Claire''s brows creased;


    ''''You told me it was in a month''s time. ''''


    ''''Yeah, because I didn''t want you to travel to France '''' Leo replied indifferently; Claire''s eyes shot open instantly;


    ''" What? How could you do that to me? It was the girls'' outing! ''''


    Her face shone a shade of red as she glared to Leo ignoring Tiana completely;


    ''''Because I wanted you to stay here with me, I would miss you if you left. ''''


    ''''You can''t actually be serious now, how could you!''''


    She blared, and Leo stood up, shifting away from her raging form;


    '''' don''t blame me; I didn''t know you wouldn''t check with the team. I said it jokingly then, didn''t know you would take it seriously. ''''


    He replied; grinning slightly as she glared angrily at him.


    ''''I will kill you, just wait, and don''t even think of apologizing to me, I''ll skin you alive!''''


    ''''Okay. ''''


    Leo replied and Claire scowled at him angrily; he always did this. She didn''t even know why she still trusted him.


    Her eyes reverted back to Tiana who had been watching them quietly;


    '''' don''t mind Leo, he''s always so petty. So the shoot is in two months'' time but still, there isn''t enough time given that you''re still a newbie. Work would start in earnest, be here tomorrow by 9 am, you would need to meet our lawyer and other team members. Leo would brief you on any other important detail.


    And yes, Welcome to the Agency; I really love to have you here. The other models are both nice and not so nice, but don''t worry, you would get used to it. ''''


    Claire chuckled lightly and Tiana nodded.


    She knew how models could be, and for a newbie who just got in to work on this shoot with her, she knew she might have a tough time, but she would do well to help her out when she could.


    Tiana loved her already.


    She was so beautiful and so sweet. She had expected to be treated like trash but Claire had made her feel comfortable and how free she was with Leo showed that she was really nice.


    ''''Alright, Leo, I''m off. Tiana take care of yourself and be early tomorrow. ''''


    ''''Okay, I will.'''' Tiana smiled as she watched her walk out in the same poised steps;


    ''''Where to Beautiful? '''' Leo raised his voice and Claire turned to him;


    ''''I have to meet with the director, he asked to see me. ''''


    ''''Okay.''''


    Tiana''s hands shook as she heard that name¡­ ''Beautiful''


    It was only one man that had called her that, it sounded heavenly coming from his lips; making her heart flutter at every sound.


    Even though she had done everything to forget him, she couldn''t stop herself from thinking about him over and over again.


    It was just a few days ago that she found out that he had settled the issue in the company on his own and had not married the President''s daughter. She was shocked when she saw the news and her heart slammed rapidly against her chest;


    Did he really love her? Was he telling the truth?


    She wondered at that moment, but then she could not forget the fact that he had lied to her. Thinking about everything and trying to connect the points would be very stressful and for what?


    It''s not as though she was going to knock on his door and beg him to take her back?


    Besides, he had never come to her since that day, not even calling for once, so he had obviously moved on, maybe he didn''t marry the president''s daughter because she was ugly and fat. He would surely find someone else soon.


    ''''So Angel, let''s begin.''''


    Leo''s voice cut her off from her thoughts and she nodded with a strained smile;


    ¡­


    Claire lay on her bed, staring at Nicklaus''s number, she was contemplating whether to call him or not.


    Would he find her too clingy? No, she wasn''t even clingy yet.


    Would he be mad? Yes, very!


    Would he cut the call? Maybe; 99% chance; but that didn''t stop Claire from tapping on the call icon.


    She was Claire, after all, a crazy bundle.


    ''''hello? ''''


    After a few seconds, she heard Nicklaus breathy deep voice call from the other end; and she felt a blush creep up her cheeks; at this rate, she would really run to him and ask him to f.u.c.k her. Clearing her throat, she replied;


    ''''Hello Baby, it''s me, Claire. ''''


    Claire replied, her heart racing. She shut her eyes as she waited for him to say something, but for thirty seconds, no-one spoke. Creasing her brows, she lifted the phone to her eyes to be sure he hadn''t disconnected, when she saw that he hadn''t, she placed it back on her ear and spoke.


    ''''I''m sorry, I got your number illegally, but I really meant when I said I wanted to¡­''''


    Claire had not completed her sentence when she heard the phone beep signaling that the call had ended.


    She gazed at her screen in shock;


    Did¡­ did he just end the call on me?


    Claire couldn''t believe her eyes, so she instantly called him again, but all her calls went straight to voicemail.


    ''''I must be dreaming! Did he just block me? '''' Claire hadn''t felt so humiliated in her entire life. No-one had ever blocked her entire life.


    Claire tossed her phone across her bed angrily;


    Why was he playing hard to get? Wasn''t she pretty enough?!!


    She groaned as she buried her head in her pillow, thinking of how to get an audience with him or make him listen to her at least; suddenly a thought flickered into her mind;


    Excitedly, she jumped up on the bed and picked her phone, calling one of her guards;


    ''''Get a few men ready; I have a job for you. ''''


    ¡­

 Chapter 146 - Do you like another?

    Nicklaus sat in the five-star restaurant having lunch in a private room, his face straight and aloof as usual. His guards were situated outside, not letting anyone go in.


    Suddenly, he heard a fuss outside and then a feminine voice; after a few minutes, the door creaked open and Dan stepped in;


    ''''Boss¡­ '''' Nicklaus lifted his eyes to him, creasing his brows. ''''The president''s daughter is here, she says she won''t leave until she is given an audience. ''''


    Nicklaus paused, ''''let her in. ''''


    Dan was surprised but he nodded quickly; ''''Yes, Boss. ''''


    Claire was surprised when the door was pushed open for her to go in; she had not expected Nicklaus to agree to her request. It felt strange, but then she walked in.


    Her eyes fell on the man by the window side, the sun radiating off his face; his exquisite features defined as he ate as though no-one had walked in.


    What a meal!


    Claire thought as she walked towards him in slow steps, taking her time to relish the sight. When she got to the table she sat down and crossed her legs, her lips up with a happy grin.


    This man¡­ does he know how much he makes her heart flutter?


    ''''Since you have stalked me all day, I figured that you had an important thing to say, make it quick, this is the last time I''ll give you an audience, you have five minutes. ''''


    Nicklaus spoke absentmindedly, not even lifting his eyes for a second to look at her.


    Claire sat up on her chair, biting her lower lip, she had especially dolled up herself for him but Nicklaus had not even glanced at her, but she was more embarrassed with the fact that he had caught her men stalking him; she had made sure they were not noticed, how did he find out?


    Claire cleared her throat, she had less than five minutes now, she better start talking.


    ''''Nicklaus¡­ I''m sorry for stalking you, but I really wanted to meet with you and I knew you wouldn''t give me an audience; that was the only way. ''''


    She paused and when she saw that Nicklaus was not going to say anything, she continued;


    ''''I really meant it, when I said I liked you. But I know it''s a two-way thing, and I can''t actually force myself on you, but I want you to give us a chance, if I don''t meet your expectations, we can end it, but I don''t want to give up without even trying. ''''


    Nicklaus lifted his eyes to her for the first time since she entered the room; his eyes stared at her as he lifted a napkin to his lips and wiped it;


    ''''Are you done?''''


    Claire felt her heart skip a beat as his piercing eyes gazed straight into hers; she swallowed, lacking words to say;


    ''''I¡­ I¡­ ''''


    ''''I''ll make it short. I''m not interested in you, not now, and I don''t think I''ll ever be. So don''t waste your time and find someone else. ''''


    He spoke curtly, wiping his hands with another napkin; he picked his phone from the table and walked towards the door;


    ''''Wait! '''' Claire spoke, standing up shakily; no man had ever rejected her in her entire life. Wasn''t she pretty enough? Or did he like another woman?


    ''''Do¡­ do you like another? ''''


    Nicklaus froze in his steps, his back clenched;


    ''''We could be friends.'''' She added immediately, fearing that he would walk away; '''' Let us just be friends, I won''t bug you anymore, let''s just¡­ talk'''' Before she could complete her sentence, Nicklaus had walked out the door;


    Claire stared at the tightly shut door for a second before she slumped back on her seat, her eyes shutting briefly as she took in a deep breath.


    This might actually be the last time he would let her meet him, but why does the urge to chase him increase the more?


    Claire slouched on the table, a sigh leaving her lips;


    Now she doesn''t have a reason to meet him anymore. He had rejected her.


    What would she do?


    Her lips pursed as she thought, how did she reduce to a man chaser?


    ¡­


    ''''Gwen! Guess what?! '''' Tiana exclaimed, twirling about in the parlor with a piece of doc.u.ment in her hands;


    ''''What happened? Did you get the new car? ''''


    ''''No, not yet, ''''


    ''''Tiana, you know I''m not good with guesses, what is it? ''''


    ''''Little sister, you''re talking with the newest model in Californian City!!! ''''


    Tiana screamed jumping around happily; she waited till she had signed the contract with Jo'' Lapel before she broke the news. She didn''t want to start rejoicing too early.


    ''''You must be kidding me right now!''''


    Gwen asked, her tone shaky, but Tiana didn''t notice.


    ''''I wish I was kidding, but I''m damn serious baby, I''m going to be a model Gwen! '''' She exclaimed happily.


    ''''Oh my God!! Tiana! I''m so happy for you, when? How? ''''


    Gwen was confused; how did she become a model overnight?


    ''''Gwen, '''' Tiana called sitting down on a sofa;


    ''''I don''t even know how to explain it, everything happened so fast. Leo, a fashion icon, he saw me at a restaurant, and he walked up to me and asked me to sign with him, I thought it was some joke, but right now, I''m staring at my signed contract and I know it''s not a lie, Gwen. I''m a model!''''


    ''''WHY IS EVERYTHING HAPPENING WHEN I''M NOT HOME!! ''''


    Gwen exclaimed, sounding excited, ''''Tiana! You''re really a model now? I''m going to see you on magazines?''''


    ''''Yes! Yes! ''''


    ''''Oh God, we need to drink to this! When I come back, we''re going to party! ''''


    ''''Of course! I''m so happy Gwen! So happy! ''''


    ''''Me too! Everything is becoming better, my sister is a model, God, I can''t believe this! ''''


    Tiana laughed; '''' you better start to, cause it''s f.u.c.kin'' real! ''''


    They both rejoiced happily; ''''so how are you? do you like your apartment? ''''


    ''''Yes, everything is great! My sister is the best! '''' Gwen exclaimed and Tiana laughed; she had spent a lot to get a comfortable place for her and got it furnished, even though she was staying for only ten months, she wanted her to be comfortable.


    They talked about other random things before Tiana ended the call.


    Gwen''s smile faded instantly as the call ended. She held the phone to her ear for the longest time before she raised it up and hauled it against the wall, sending it crashing into several pieces.

 Chapter 147 - Carnal Dreams

    Just when she thought she was finally better than her!


    How could this happen!!


    Gwen screamed, tossing the pillows away and pulling at her hair. Couldn''t she be the better one for once? Must Tiana have all the good things all to herself?


    She had been happy going to the Makeup Academy, thinking that when she comes back, she would be one step above her, but that had all been an illusion, a stupid fantasy!


    What is a makeup artist compared to a Model?


    Gwen couldn''t control the tears that clouded her eyes at that moment, she felt like cutting herself and letting the pain ease through her blood.


    Suddenly a thought entered her mind and her brows creased;


    Why was it after she left for the academy that Tiana became a model?


    Wait¡­ Tiana had always wanted to be a makeup artist, and suddenly she changed her mind.


    Did she get the modeling contract ever since and was just telling her now, when she had left?


    Gwen''s heart rammed against her chest as the thought raced through her mind;


    She wanted to think that Tiana was indeed innocent but the events unfolding were making her believe otherwise.


    Could she have waited for her to leave so she won''t even stand a chance with her?


    Gwen thought, anger rising in her heart, she was beginning to hate her; How could she want such an opportunity only for herself? Was she so selfish?


    Tiana, she looked like she couldn''t hurt a fly, but who knew what was behind that innocent face of hers!


    Gwen felt her heart clench so much that it hurt,


    This was the last time she was going to be one step above her. The very last, she would make sure of that!


    ¡­


    ''''Mmm...''''


    Tiana tossed around on her bed, her body sweaty; her hair sticking to her face and her cheeks slightly flushed. She m.o.a.ned slightly as she gripped the pillow by her side hugging it to her chest. Suddenly, as though struck by something, she jumped up from the bed with a start, panting heavily.


    Not again¡­


    These past days, she had been having nightmares; well not actually nightmares, but she had been dreaming about him a lot. It would have been fine if they were just dreams, but no, these dreams were filled with e.r.o.t.i.c desires, she was always making out or actually having s.e.x with Nicklaus!


    Tiana clutched her hair with both hands,


    What was happening to her?


    These days she couldn''t stop thinking about him. After finding out that he did not get married, neither was he engaged, she could not get him out of her mind.


    She didn''t want to be like this, but her body had a mind of its own, now it was bringing him to her dreams, as if that was not enough, she always woke up aching in her core, pulsating with l.u.s.t.


    She didn''t want to accept it but she wanted him, badly. How could she hate him and want him so much?


    At that moment, she couldn''t even differentiate what pain she was feeling.


    He had moved on with his life, why was she still reliving the past?


    Every day was worse than the last, and if not that she was a little occupied at the Agency, she might have gone crazy from longing for him.


    No, she couldn''t continue this way. He was not the one for her; he had treated her terribly without remorse. Told her he loved her, so she could help him sleep, watched her fall for him, and even took her v.i.r.g.i.nity without a second thought. This person¡­ this man was not someone she should even dream about. She had to get over her infatuation for him. Tiana raised her hand to her face and rubbed on it;


    She didn''t know why she still thought about him even with all the pain he made her go through.


    He had hurt her beyond measure, and yet she couldn''t stop her heart from racing whenever she thought about him. Tiana shook her head, as a peal of small laughter escaped her lips. He must be happy now, going on with his life like nothing happened, while she was here, having sleepless nights because she couldn''t stop thinking about him.


    But she can''t keep living like this. The earlier she got over her infatuation for him, the better for her.


    But how would she stop thinking about him, when she cannot control her thoughts?


    She slumped back on the bed and heaved a sigh; she had to keep herself occupied to not think about him, and then give herself time. It wasn''t her fault, her body knew only his, and so whenever she was aroused, she would want him.


    That was it¡­ there was nothing else attached.


    She needed time¡­ with time, she would forget him¡­


    ¡­


    At the same time in Nicklaus mansion¡­


    Nicklaus stood in his balcony, a cup of chamomile tea in his hands, his eyes staring at the pitch-black night. He dreamt of her again. It wasn''t enough that he couldn''t keep her out of his head during the day, now she had slowly slipped into his dreams. He sees her, every night.


    Her laughter, her every touch, he could hear the sound of her voice in his ears; it felt so real, so real that he didn''t want to wake up if it could make him see her, then he wouldn''t wake up, but sadly, whenever he reached out to touch her, she would disappear like a puff of smoke.


    And then he would wake up from his illusion.


    He had thought that it would be fine after a while, but as the days passed, he missed her more. And even when he knew it was not the right thing to do, even when she had told him that she hated him, he still wanted her.


    Nicklaus heaved a small sigh and sipped from his cup.


    He would meet her again. Even though she didn''t want to see him, he needed to see her, if she still didn''t want him, then, this time,... he would really move on.

 Chapter 148 - Take your hands off!

    ''''Arch your back Tiana, and raise your chin! ''''


    Leo instructed as he watched her learn how to catwalk.


    ''''Start again. ''''


    Tiana sighed, going back to the start again. It''s been over three hours and she hadn''t yet mastered how to catwalk. She didn''t know that just ''walking'' could be so hard. She arched her back this time and tried again, but when she was just halfway, Leo stopped her;


    ''''Angel, keep your gaze pointed and don''t smile too much, you''re beautiful, yes, but you want us looking at what you''re putting on and not your face. Again! ''''


    Tiana took in a deep breath and went back again; this time she tried her best to do it perfectly, she really wanted to go home. She was damn tired.


    When she reached the end of the aisle, she turned around and walked back to the beginning, before she turned to Leo with a tired smile;


    ''''How was it? ''''


    Leo stared at her for a second; seeing that she was tired and won''t be able to learn much anymore, he nodded;


    ''''Practice more when you get home, we need to go into another training, so I need you to be perfect in this by tomorrow, okay? ''''


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief.


    ''''Thank you, Leo ''''


    ''''And don''t be late tomorrow. ''''


    ''''I won''t ''''


    She smiled in relief as went for her phone and, before going to the changing room. Her steps stopped when she realized that there were three other models in there.


    Tiana swallowed. The last time she had an altercation with some models, Claire was there to save her, but today, Claire wasn''t around; she didn''t know how this would end.


    Tiana pursed her lips and turned away from them before they would notice her, but it was too late as they had already seen her.


    She mentally cursed when she heard their footsteps walking towards her;


    ''''Hello newbie, I''m Larisa, what''s your name? ''''


    Tiana lifted her eyes to see the three of them standing in front of her. She knew they knew her name already but they just wanted her to talk to them, so they can find a reason to intimidate her.


    She didn''t speak to them, she just continued taking out her clothes from her locker, as though they were not talking to her. Tiana looked really soft and meek like a lamb but the last thing anyone wanted was to get on her bad side;


    She turned away from them to go change, but one of the girls, the one that had asked of her name earlier, pulled her back by the dress and it made a ripping sound as the seams gave way;


    Tiana stopped in her tracks and after a few seconds, her eyes turned to the girl''s hand that was still on her dress and when she saw the tear, she frowned.


    ''''Take your hands off. '''' Her voice was calm like a peaceful sea, but only she knew the venom boiling inside of her. The last thing they wanted right now was to get on her bad side.


    The girls laughed as their eyes gazed at her mockingly; they could beat her up if she dared to fight them, she was obviously outnumbered.


    ''''Aish; don''t be so loud, I was talking to you and you walked out rudely; I had to pull you back because I didn''t know your name. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes rose to her and she shot daggers at her; not saying a word.


    The girl smiled, her eyes glaring at Tiana up and down, like she was some rag;


    ''''You know, I was wondering how not only a newbie but a common face and body could model for L''Oreal Paris True Match Makeup Commercial, and now I know why. Tsk, such a shame! ''''


    She laughed, shaking her head.


    Tiana didn''t speak to her, the last time she fought, she was defending Gwen from some stupid guys in her class who were bullying her and that was years ago in high school, she didn''t think she''ll get to beat someone again.


    Her eyes gazed at them, it wouldn''t even take a minute to put them in their places; they were obviously rich spoiled children that haven''t even walked a distance on foot their whole life.


    But the last thing she would do was to touch them first, she wasn''t about to put herself in trouble;


    The two other models laughed at the first one''s statement;


    ''''How is it a shame, Larisa? Being a model is no shame. ''''


    The second one, a little shorter spoke a tinge of sarcasm in her tone.


    The third one chuckled; eyeing Tiana up and down;


    ''''Yes, being a model is no shame, but sleeping with everything with a ''D'' to be one, is quite shameful. Situations like this make me pity the woman who bore such s.l.u.t for 9 months.''''


    The three of them burst out laughing; Tiana''s eyes shone a shade of red, and she fisted her palms;


    Her eyes glanced up and when she saw a CCTV camera, she took in a deep breath; calming herself, she just go this job, she wasn''t about to lose it.


    ''''You know; now I think about it, how would you know I slept my way through if you haven''t done it before? '''' Tiana creased her brows and tilted her head as though in deep thought;


    The girls'' faces paled;


    ''''Wait¡­ how would you even know it''s possible here if you aren''t into it? Oh, my gracious! Didn''t know with all these beauty and body, you still need to sleep your way through every office to get a simple modeling contract, jeez, what a waste! '''' Tiana burst into a mocking laughter, her eyes forming crescents; ''''¡­ I pity the men who would end up with such public restrooms¡­ ''''


    Before Tiana could complete her sentence, a slap landed on her cheek; five fingerprints mapping out evidently, sending her head twisting to the side;


    ''''Shut the f.u.c.k up, you s.l.u.t! ''''


    Larisa, who had slapped her, shrieked angrily, her face turning a shade of red; she heaved heavily as she watched Tiana, whose face was still twisted; her hair covering her face.


    Tiana lifted her palm to her face and smiled; then she turned back to them and without a warning, she pulled Larisa by her hair and gave her two resounding slaps, back, and front.

 Chapter 149 - No dear, it was not a fight!

    ''''Oh my God¡­ '''' the two girls shrieked as they watched what just happened; in the next second, they dashed towards her, but Tiana was faster; pushing Larisa aside, she twisted the first girl''s hand, which was raised to slap her, and pulled the second by the hair, dragging them to a toilet.


    She didn''t even exert much strength because they were wearing heels and they weren''t even strong;


    Pushing them both in, she locked the door, their screams resounding behind her as she walked away.


    Larisa was still on the floor, holding her cheeks with both hands, glaring daggers at Tiana.


    Tiana ignored her and walked to her clothes and purse and picked them up, then she walked back to her. She smiled amusingly as she stared at the girl who was spewing fire and brimstone some moments earlier. Larisa felt tears brimming in her eyes; she couldn''t even say a word, her cheeks burned badly;


    Tiana chuckled as she squatted down; opening her purse, she took out candy and tearing the wrap; she pointed it towards Larisa''s lips;


    ''''Open your mouth! ''''


    Larisa felt the first tear, drop from her eyes as she shook, biting her lips together;


    Tiana widened her eyes;


    ''''Do you want to join your friends in the toilet? ''''


    Larisa shook her head immediately;


    ''''Good, now open your mouth!''''


    Larisa cried as her lips parted slowly, she didn''t think that someone who looked so frail could land such heavy slaps; she could swear her gums broke on both sides. Tiana pushed the candy into her mouth and smiled,


    ''''Now, that''s better. ''''


    Standing up, she walked out of the changing room and went to another to get dressed, but by the time she came out, there were a bunch of models standing outside and the three models in the middle, glaring daggers at her. Her eyes shifted from them and they fell on Leo, who was watching her worriedly;


    Leo walked towards her, his brows creased but before he could say a word, a sweet voice was heard;


    ''''What is going on here? ''''


    All eyes turned to the direction of the voice, and there was Claire, walking towards them with a worried look.


    Tiana swallowed; was she in trouble?


    She didn''t know the rank of those models; and knowing how things worked here, she might really get into trouble for beating them up.


    ''''What happened? '''' Claire asked again as she approached the crowd, Tiana opened her lips to speak but Larisa beat her to it.


    '''' I didn''t know a top-list model like you could sign a hooligan, Claire, I thought you had high tastes?''''


    Larisa asked, glaring intently at Claire.


    Okay hold on, one thing Claire hated was someone tainting her reputation, and in front of so many models?


    Her eyes held Larisa''s gaze for a moment before she turned to Tiana,


    ''''What happened? ''''


    Claire obviously asked Tiana but Larisa beat her to it again;


    ''''This hooligan you signed slapped me twice on the cheeks because I asked of her name; just take a look at my face! She doesn''t even do her manicures, her palms are so rough!''''


    Tiana glared at her, right, she wasn''t born to a rich family, there was no time for palms softening, but she had been taking care of her palms lately and they were really soft now. Larisa obviously wanted to damage her reputation before so many people.


    Claire''s eyes fell on Larisa''s cheeks;


    ''''She did that to you? '''' her brows creased;


    ''''Of course, and not only that, she beat up Eva and Elena too, and locked them up in the restroom, can you imagine?! What type of human does that? Didn''t know you now sign models from the streets!''''


    ''''Wait a minute¡­ you mean, she slapped you to this state and beat up your two friends, after which she locked them up in the restroom? ''''


    Claire asked with a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt in her tone, but Larisa was too stupid to catch.


    ''''Do you think I''m lying? ''''


    Larisa glared, her already red face, turning blue;


    Claire watched her for a second then burst out laughing; she laughed so hard that everyone thought something was wrong;


    ''''Oh my god, I can''t believe this, so you are telling me, that one girl singlehandedly beat the three of you to a pulp, after which she pulled you all into a restroom and locked you up and you did nothing? ''''


    That was when Larisa''s face paled; did she just shoot herself on the feet? She could hear the muffled laughter of the models from behind her and she felt like sinking into the floor. Her eyes fluttered;


    ''''What ¡­ what are you saying Claire? Are you trying to encourage fighting in the industry? ''''


    She shrieked angrily;


    ''''No, dear, it was not a fight; don''t call it that, it was a thorough beating up! She thrashed the three of you and locked you all up, how is that a fight? ''''


    Larisa''s chest rose and fell angrily as the laughter behind her increased; she fisted her hands to her side;


    ''''It was a fight! It was a fight because I slapped her too! ''''


    Larisa angrily vomited and she regretted the instant the words left her lips;


    ''''Oh! Now I see, you slapped her, and then she beat the hell out of you! Christ! ''''


    The whole place erupted in laughter; even Tiana couldn''t stop herself from laughing this time, Claire was one in a million.


    Larisa didn''t know what to say anymore, she bit her lower lip in frustration, when she saw that there was nothing she could do, she turned around and stomped out, the two other girls following behind.


    Claire shook her head as she watched her walk away; she knew why she went after Tiana,


    She was the one to do the commercial before Leo found Tiana to be best suited for the role, so she had been angry since then.


    ''''Alright, everyone back to work! ''''


    Claire exclaimed clapping her both hands, and the models dispersed; till it was only Tiana and Leo left.


    Claire''s smile turned into a frown as her eyes fell on Tiana, as though she was angry with her.


    Okay, now I''m in trouble.


    Tiana put up an apologetic expression, as though pleading with her when suddenly Claire raised her two hands and gave her thumbs up.


    The three of them burst into a peal of laughter;


    ''''Claire, you''re something else!''''


    Leo exclaimed as he walked to her and enveloped her into a brief hug.


    ''''What? I couldn''t let Larisa talk so brazenly in front of so many people; she needed to be put in her place. ''''


    Leo laughed as he held her hand and they walked towards Leo''s office.

 Chapter 150 - Is he not gorgeous?

    ''''Oh my god! '''' Claire laughed as she watched the footage of the incident; she couldn''t believe Tiana could actually beat the three of them, but now she was seeing for herself, she couldn''t help laughing.


    The funniest part was when Tiana returned to give her a candy;


    ''''Tiana, that was epic!'''' Leo exclaimed as he watched Larisa''s expression when she sat on the floor. ''''That serves them right; no-one would dare to bully you ever again. ''''


    Claire added with a grin. She had let down her guards around Tiana after a few days of working together. She even spoke casually with her now.


    ''''That reminds me, we''re going to France for the shoot, now. ''''


    Claire turned to Tiana when she remembered why she had come in the first place;


    ''''Uh? ''''


    Tiana asked, her eyes widening.


    ''''Really? I thought it was here in Hollywood? '''' Leo''s brows creased, when he heard what she just said.


    ''''Yeah me too, but I met with the director before coming here and he said that there was a change of plans, we''ll be going to France, and there were minor changes in the script too. Instead of just me and Tiana, there would be three other models joining us, two from France and one from here. ''''


    Claire explained;


    ''''Okay, I don''t know if this is a good thing or¡­ ''''


    Leo scratched his head as he thought;


    He was just comfortable with Claire and Tiana, Larisa was next in line for the commercial, and after what transpired that day, if she joined them, everything would be really awkward;


    ''''Of course, it''s great news! I get to go to France! ''''


    Claire exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air;


    ''''You''ve been there 13 times Claire, stop rejoicing as though it''s your first time, and that''s not even the point, what if the management chooses Larisa? ''''


    Tiana glanced at Leo; how did he keep count of the exact number of times she''s been to France? Hmm¡­ interesting;


    Claire''s expression thickened at his statement;


    ''''Um; I can make them select another person, it''s no big deal. ''''


    She added casually;


    ''''I think it''s going to be a big deal this time; you see, she was the one to do the commercial before it was given to Tiana, and now there is another slot, you can''t easily select another model. Even the management would be against it, and remember, Larisa is well connected to the higher-ups. ''''


    Claire was quiet as though thinking about what Leo said; truthfully, she didn''t have the strength to go about the offices of the higher-ups just to make sure Larisa doesn''t have the job; she wasn''t that jobless.


    But she knew Leo didn''t like Larisa one bit, which was even the more reason why he pushed for Tiana to take the commercial.


    ''''Alright, then she should have it. It''s not as though she would kill us in our sleep, haha. ''''


    Claire laughed but when no-one joined her, she stopped. Turning to look at Leo she saw that his expression was dark, so she quickly tried to ease the mood.


    ''''Tiana dear, are you free today, do you want to party? ''''


    Claire asked, her eyes filled with glee. She loved to party!


    Tiana smiled; she had never gone to parties, and the last time she wanted to, she later changed her mind;


    ''''Yeah, I would love to¡­ ''''


    ''''Great! Leo, are you joining us? The girls aren''t coming this time; '''' She added with a laugh; Leo didn''t like her friends, he said they made her do bad things. Apart from smoking weed, which she tried only once, and which in return, landed her in the hospital for three days, after which she canceled anything smoking, there weren''t any other bad things they''ve made her do. But Leo wouldn''t hear of that, he was just too protective of her. She was sure that was the reason he made her not to go with them to France earlier.


    Leo shot her a glare;


    ''''Your guards are going with you; I want to rest tonight. ''''


    He stood up from the couch where he sat with her, and went to the fridge to get a can of water;


    ''''Ah, it''s not fair; I''m your best friend!'''' Claire pouted her lips as she made puppy dog eyes at him; Leo held her gaze as he drank from the can.


    ''''No ''''


    He replied again, and then Claire glared at him;


    ''''I''m not going to beg you, Tiana let''s go, have you had lunch yet? ''''


    Claire asked, standing up from the couch and ignoring Leo completely. Tiana smiled; these two were really cute, she was surprised that they were still just friends.


    She shook her head at Claire and she smiled, taking her hand;


    ''''Not to worry, my chef prepares one of the best cuisines in Los Angeles, let''s go to my house¡­''''


    ''''Uhm, I have to go home to change into something else¡­ ''''


    Tiana explained, but Claire shook her head;


    ''''There''s no need for that, I have a collection at home, dressing up is not a problem. Leo! If you call me tonight, I''ll kill you!''''


    Claire screamed as she walked out with Tiana, not glancing back to look at him.


    Leo laughed; he knew she was just telling him to call and check on her that night, ironically, he was going to die if he didn''t.


    ¡­


    The guards pulled open the door of the limousine as Claire approached, their brows creased when they saw a strange face walking together with her, but they did not ask.


    ''''Where to Miss; ''''


    The chauffeur in front asked when they had settled in;


    ''''Home '''' Claire said, her eyes on her phone.


    Tiana looked around the car;


    Claire was a model, but with the security and the kind of treatment she was given at the Agency, she knew she was something more. Maybe she was the daughter of a politician or a high ranking state official?


    ''''So Tiana, tell me, do you have a boyfriend? ''''


    Claire asked suddenly, pulling Tiana out of her thoughts; Tiana swallowed hard as she glanced at Claire who had a bright smile on her lips;


    ''''Mm¡­ no, had one before, but it ended a while ago. '''' Tiana explained with a strained smile;


    ''''Oh, that''s sad, did you love him? '''' Claire''s expression softened as she watched Tiana;


    Did she love him?


    She did¡­ and she still does!


    The thought of it was heartrending.


    ''''yeah, I did, but it didn''t work out, he was way out of my league, I knew I didn''t stand a chance. ''''


    She laughed half-heartedly as she explained.


    ''''Oh, too bad for him because if he sees you right now, he''ll regret ever leaving you; I hate men who go about breaking women''s hearts! Sc.u.ms! ''''


    Claire spat angrily;


    ''''Haha, don''t think too much of it, he''s in the past now. So what about you, do you have a boyfriend? No, that''s a wrong question, there''s no way someone as pretty as you would be single, so who is the lucky man? ''''


    Tiana asked immediately, trying to shift the discussion away from Nicklaus, the last thing she wanted now was a bad mood.


    Claire smiled; a blush tainting her cheeks;


    ''''Well, yeah, I do have someone. ''''


    ''''Yes, I knew it; you''re too pretty to be single. '''' Tiana chuckled;


    ''''Haha, Tiana, no-one is too pretty to be single; '''' Claire explained as she searched for Nicklaus''s picture on her phone; ''''I was single for a while before him¡­ oh yeah, see his picture, is he not gorgeous?''''


    '''' ''''


    .


    .


    .


    /


    \sf rua tia]-r yair s''''''''''''''!!!

 Chapter 151 - The presidents daughter...

    ''''Is he not handsome? ''''


    Claire asked; a brilliant smile on her lips. She was still gazing at the picture and she did not notice the ghastly pale look on Tiana''s face.


    Tiana''s world stopped moving for a second; her heart banging so loud that she could hear it in her ears.


    She took in a deep breath immediately to calm herself;


    ''''He''s¡­ he''s your boyfriend? ''''


    Tiana asked again, to be sure she wasn''t hearing things.


    Claire nodded; well, they weren''t dating per se, but she was in the process. They would get there soon.


    Tiana smiled painfully; ''''He''s gorgeous! Very! '''' Even though she knew how to pretend, this time, her skills were failing her, she wasn''t sure she would be able to keep it up for long.


    ''''Yeah, I think that''s one of the reasons that drew me to him; he''s so handsome. ''''


    Claire blushed; too busy with Nicklaus pictures, to notice that Tiana was almost on the verge of crying.


    A million painful thoughts rushed through Tiana''s mind.


    Why was she sad? It was expected after all. He didn''t love her so he was bound to move on.


    But it still hurt so much, maybe because she was expecting something.


    She was having sleepless nights over a man who had moved on, and with someone so beautiful.


    Tiana''s eyes clouded with tears.


    She couldn''t even compare to Claire, in any way, and the fact that she was her friend now hurt more. She couldn''t even hate her.


    Do you know the most unbearable part? The fact that she would see her every day and be reminded of him every single moment; God, why was it Claire¡­ why must it be her¡­ couldn''t there be someone else, someone she didn''t know. Someone she could hate.


    Claire was so nice; she couldn''t even bring herself to hate her and she hated it.


    Tiana raised her hand to her chest to calm the surging pain.


    ''''Oh right, we''re here. ''''


    Claire exclaimed as they drove into an estate.


    Tiana forced herself from her thoughts and shifted her gaze outside;


    The house was huge and beautiful, but Tiana didn''t even take a good look because of the pain in her heart. She was so sad but she did well to put up a good expression as they walked into the house.


    ''''Miss, your mother is here. ''''


    A guard walked up to Claire as they walked into the house.


    ''''She''s back? I thought she had a meeting in Canada? ''''


    Claire asked rhetorically as she walked into the house. Tiana was still moody but her eyes shot open when she saw the woman sitting poised on a sofa reading a magazine.


    You''re f.u.c.kin'' kidding me¡­


    Sitting there was the first lady in all her graces. Tiana felt her head spinning¡­


    ''''Mom? Thought you were out of the country? ''''


    Claire called as she stepped into the parlor;


    Wait¡­ if the first lady is Claire''s mom, then¡­


    Claire is the president''s daughter!


    And Claire is the woman Nicklaus should have married¡­


    Tiana quickly found support for her shaky legs before she would fall. All the information at the same time was too much for her.


    '''' A very nice way to welcome your mother you haven''t seen in three months. ''''


    Avery lifted her eyes from the magazine to look at Claire, her brows creased when she saw Tiana;


    ''''I see you have a new friend. '''' She added as her eyes accessed Tiana, Tiana felt so little under her scrutinizing gaze.


    ''''Tiana, meet my mom. Mom, this is Tiana. ''''


    ''''it''s nice to meet you Ma. ''''


    Tiana''s voice quaked. Why was she getting involved in Nicklaus''s business? She didn''t want to have anything to do with him or anybody in his circle, how did she become his new girlfriends'' friend?


    God¡­ this was not good.


    Her throat hitched with pain, she didn''t know how she was still able to keep standing.


    ''''Hmm '''' Claire''s mother replied faintly, shifting her gaze back to her daughter; in the next second she stood up and walked to her;


    Claire''s brows creased as her mother approached;


    Avery stopped just when she was inches away from Claire, and she looked at her closely;


    ''''I see you are doing well; I''ll be on my way now. ''''


    Avery spoke after watching her for a moment, and then she turned towards the exit and walked out.


    Claire stood still for a few seconds before she came to herself and turned to Tiana;


    ''''Ha ha, my mom can be scary at times, I think she''s still mad at me for moving out of the house, I don''t know if she still thinks I''m a baby. ''''


    Claire laughed; but Tiana didn''t even hear what transpired between them because she was still immersed in her own thoughts;


    ''''Come on, come take a shower and eat some food, you must be tired. ''''


    Claire exclaimed, taking Tiana up the stairs.


    ¡­.


    Tiana sat in the cab, her eyes swollen from crying. She had thought she would be able to take it, but at the end, she couldn''t. She wanted to push it all to the back of her mind, but the more she looked at Claire, the sadder she became, and when she couldn''t take it any longer, she told Claire she was not feeling too well, that they should party another day.


    Claire understood and wasn''t angry, she told her guards to take her home and Tiana agreed but once they had gone a distance, she told them to stop her and then she took a cab.


    And as soon as she entered the cab, she burst into tears.


    The most painful part was that Claire was a nice person. How could she be the one? If it was Larisa or someone else, then she would be justified in hating her, but Claire, she couldn''t. And the pain of having to pretend that everything was alright when it clearly isn''t is overwhelming.


    Tiana dragged her feet into her house and slumped on her couch, shutting her eyes. Being like this was very bad, she needed to vent out on someone, the pain in her heart was too much to bear.


    Tiana swallowed hard, after a few seconds, her eyes shot open as a thought entered her mind.


    Liam¡­

 Chapter 152 - I cant even hate

    Maybe she should talk to him, he looked like a nice person, and there was really no-one else to talk to. She could have talked to Leo but he was Claire''s best friend; she couldn''t possibly tell him that she once dated his best friend''s boyfriend and she still can''t get him out of her mind.


    Sitting up on the couch, she took her phone out of her bag and searched for his number.


    When she saw it, her hands stopped on it for a second, she wasn''t sure if this was the best thing to do, but she needed a friend right now.


    Tiana held the phone to her ear, her heart banging against her chest;


    ''''Hello? ''''


    Liam''s masculine voice sounded from the other side of the line and Tiana swallowed;


    ''''Hi, it''s me, Tiana¡­ it''s been a while. ''''


    ''''Oh my Tiana, how are you? Never thought you would call me, I''m stunned! ''''


    Liam remarked laughing a little;


    ''''I just thought I should check up on you, how have you been? ''''


    ''''Oh, I''ve been doing great, and you? ''''


    ''''Nice¡­ '''' She paused; contemplating her choice, there was no harm in trying, right?


    ''''Uhm, are you free tomorrow, do you want to hang out? ''''


    Tiana''s eyes shut as she spoke the words, her lips thinning as her ears waited to hear his reply.


    "'' Yes, I''m free. What time? I''ll come to get you. ''''


    Tiana heaved a relieved sigh;


    ''''By 6 pm, is that okay?''''


    ''''Yeah, sure, I''ll pick you from your house. ''''


    ''''Alright, see you tomorrow then, ''''


    ''''Yeah, you too ''''


    A cheery laughter escaped Liam''s lips as the call ended. He had been waiting for her call since that day, but he didn''t want to push it, although the chances that she would call back were very thin, he still had hope. He was so shocked when he heard her voice over the phone. He wondered what would have made her seek him out, but then, he was ready to listen to whatever she had to say.


    ¡­


    The next day after work, Tiana went home straight and took her shower, and dressed up properly, getting ready to go out with Liam.


    She made sure not to look too sophisticated since he already had a girlfriend, she didn''t want to seduce another woman''s man, she just wanted to talk to someone.


    Tiana breathed out as she stared at her reflection on the mirror for the last time before stepping outside.


    Liam was leaning on the car door and when he saw her approach, a bright smile washed his lips.


    She was wearing a nice tank top over a skirt and sneakers, she packed her hair up in a ponytail and there was no makeup on her face but she looked incredibly s.e.xy.


    As Liam watched her approach, he wondered how blind Nicklaus was to let such a beauty go; maybe he just had terrible tastes in women.


    ''''Hi¡­ ''''


    Tiana smiled when she reached where he was standing; truth be told Liam was gorgeous, very handsome, and he had a great smile, but he was not as handsome as¡­


    Okay stop right there, Tiana cautioned her mind before it would begin the comparison between him and Nicklaus; the last thing she wanted to do now was to compare them.


    ''''You look great; ''''


    Liam commented on her dressing and Tiana smiled; she didn''t know if she actually looked great or he was just saying out of courtesy.


    ''''You don''t look bad either. '''' She wasn''t sure but why was did it feel like Liam wore clothes matching his car?


    Today, he wore a sky blue shirt over a white trouser and red shoes, with black goggles; and his car, maybe a Maserati, she wasn''t sure, was blue with some white and red.


    Maybe she was just imagining it, but him standing beside the car, it looked like he was posing for a shoot.


    ''''Alright, let''s get going now. '''' He smiled as she opened the car door for her to get in, and then closed it behind her.


    "Do you have any place you want to go to. '''' Liam asked as he started the car, Tiana shook her head,


    ''''No, anywhere is fine. ''''


    She smiled;


    ''''You look really great, anything new? ''''


    Liam asked; she looked a little leaner and brighter; maybe she had been doing intensive workout sessions.


    ''''Uh, kinda, I signed with Jo'' Lapel Agency, so I have been taking extra care, ever since. ''''


    Liam''s eyes widened;


    ''''Really? Wow! That''s great! I''m not surprised though, you are very beautiful. ''''


    Tiana smiled; she didn''t know if her beauty had been doing her more harm than good.


    Liam stretched out his hand as he helped Tiana step out of the car; her eyes lifted to the venue.


    ''''An amus.e.m.e.nt park? '''' A light chuckle escaped her lips as her eyes looked around her surroundings;


    ''''Well, although you tried hard to hide it, you looked really moody, so I thought this place would lighten your mood.''''


    Tiana smiled at him;


    He really knew how to read expressions because she did her best not to look sad.


    .


    .


    ''''¡­ so the thing is, his new girlfriend is my friend now in the company and¡­ and she''s so pretty. She''s prettier than me in all ramifications. I wished he had ended up with an ugly person, so maybe I would feel relieved, but no, this woman is stunning, I can''t even compare.


    That is not even the worst part; the worst part is that she is nice to me. She likes me a lot and I liked her too, I feel so bad right now because I can''t bring myself to hate her. And the fact that I can''t even hate her rips me apart. I''ll see her every day and remember him every day, yet I can''t even hate, I don''t know why all this is happening to me. There are over a million women in the world, why must it be her? Why!''''


    Tiana cried, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. She couldn''t control herself now she was talking about it for the very first time. Tiana felt more open to Liam, maybe because he was a stranger and didn''t know any of the persons involved;

 Chapter 153 - You still love him?

    Tiana wiped her eyes with her already wet handkerchief, she was thankful that she didn''t have any makeup on; else her face would be smeared with different hues of makeup and mascara.


    Liam stood up from beside her and squatted in front of her; taking her hand in his.


    ''''Does he deserve your tears? '''' he asked, tilting his head to the side;


    Tiana shook her head, hiccupping from crying too much.


    Some strands of her hair had fallen to her face and Liam pushed them to the back of her ear;


    ''''You''re too too beautiful to cry over a man. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened and she looked at him;


    ''''And over someone that left you for another woman; ''''


    Tiana swallowed; she didn''t tell him the details of their breakup, she just told him they had some issues which eventually led to them breaking up.


    ''''I know¡­ but it still hurts; I wish I didn''t love him. '''' She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand;


    ''''You still love him? ''''


    Liam asked and Tiana was quiet; if she didn''t still love him, she wouldn''t be here crying her eyes out, but at that moment, she didn''t want to accept that she was still in love with him, it was pathetic.


    ''''Cry all you want now because after now, you should not cry over him again. ''''


    He said, looking straight into her eyes. Tiana blinked and hiccupped again;


    She had cried enough and she didn''t feel like crying anymore;


    ''''I wish I can move on, as quickly as he did. ''''


    Her lips thinned;


    Liam gazed at her in silence;


    ''''Do you know the fastest way to move on from someone? ''''


    He asked and Tiana raised her eyes to him, shaking her head;


    ''''No. ''''


    ''''By replacing them '''' he paused to study her expression; ''''you know why Nicklaus moved on so quickly? It''s because he replaced you so quickly. The vacuum you created, someone filled it up completely and now he can barely think about you. ''???


    Liam''s words stung her heart; it was the truth but hearing someone say it hurt.


    ''''You''re a very beautiful woman; it wouldn''t be hard getting someone to replace him. Or you can actually wait it out, time also heals the pain, but that process is longest, and it surely isn''t working for you, so you have one choice left. ''''


    Tiana chuckled curtly;


    ''''It''s not easy opening up your heart again, it''s not easy falling in love with someone else when you are still sad and hurt. ''''


    ''''I didn''t say you should open your heart, just get someone to fill the void he has created, and soon you won''t even think about him anymore. That''s how our brain works, it''s like a behavior; if you try to stop it, it feels undoable, but once you get something similar to fill the void of that behavior you won''t ever remember the behavior. ''''


    Tiana smiled at him; ''''Tsh¡­ you speak like a pro, in any way, have you been in this situation before? ''''


    Liam laughed; ''''Not really, I have dated a lot of women, and I liked my time with them, but there is only one woman right now that I like, and I think I''ve liked her the longest. ''''


    Tiana chuckled; ''''your girlfriend must be lucky then...''''


    ''''Not my girlfriend¡­ ''''


    Liam added immediately, stopping her line of words; Tiana''s eyes widened at him;


    ''''Oh, she isn''t the one you like? Was it someone you dated before her? ''''


    ''''No, '''' Liam smiled; ''''She''s someone I haven''t dated, someone that stole my heart the moment I laid my eyes on her; someone some fellow with no tastes let slip out of his palms, someone I wish can let me cherish her. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened and her heart slammed against her chest;


    This was not happening¡­ was¡­ could¡­


    ''''and that someone is sitting right in front of me now; I badly want to reach out and hug her and wipe her tears, only if she would let me. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened at his confession;


    ''''I¡­I thought you had a ¡­ ''''


    ''''I lied. I''m sorry but at that time I had no choice, I had to lie to talk to you. I don''t have any girlfriend. I''m not saying this so you would like me too; I just want to come clean with you. ''''


    Tiana pulled her hand slowly out of his palms; this was not how she planned this night to turn out.


    If she knew he didn''t have a girlfriend she wouldn''t have called to see him.


    Or maybe she would?


    She wasn''t sure anymore, at that moment she really wanted to talk to someone.


    Shit! From one trouble to another; she wasn''t ready to start another entanglement.


    ''''Liam¡­ I''m sorry but I can''t¡­ there''s a lot on my mind right now, I don''t think starting a romantic relationship would be a good idea. ''''


    Tiana explained, feeling awkward that she had just cried in front of him.


    Liam laughed; ''''Hey, hey, Tiana, I''m not telling you to love me or what, neither did I say we should be in a romantic relationship or anything of that sort. I just said I liked you, I never said I was in love with you. For a fact, I haven''t figured what I want with you, I don''t know if I want a romantic relationship or if I want us to be just friends. Let''s start by figuring each other out; in other words, what I''m saying is that I''m giving you permission to use me to overcome your love for him. I won''t force you to do anything you don''t want to do, and I''m not going to force you to remain with me if it doesn''t work out. It''s clear as day, no strings attached. ''''


    Tiana swallowed; ''''How do I trust you when you had lied from the beginning? ''''


    She asked, creasing her brows; Liam kept quiet at her question, as though in deep thought;


    ''''When you want something, you go for it. And that was exactly what I did that night; and I made sure not to overstep my boundaries. I don''t force people to do what they don''t want to do. Even right now, if you don''t want to, I won''t force you. ''''

 Chapter 154 - Letting go

    Tiana took in a deep breath caressing her temples; she couldn''t even think straight;


    '''' don''t worry, you can think about it, okay? I''m not asking you to be my girlfriend; I''m just asking that you give me a chance to be close to you, to help you heal. ''''


    This was too much for one day; Tiana felt dizzy all of a sudden;


    She steadied herself before opening her eyes;


    ''''Liam, I''ll think about it and get back to you, can we go now?''''


    She asked, already tired and overwhelmed by everything that was happening.


    ''''Sure; ''''Liam spoke standing up and taking her hand, aiding her to stand erect.


    When he was sure she was steady, they walked out of the park.


    Tiana didn''t speak for once throughout the journey home. She was in deep thoughts.


    Liam was right, Nicklaus was already seeing someone else, there was no need waiting for him.


    Her throat tightened as realization dawned on her;


    Even though she had refused to accept that she had been waiting for him to come back, right now at that moment, she realized it was the reason she was still sad after all, she had been earnestly and stupidly waiting for him. But there was no need to wait anymore; he had moved on, she should move on too.


    Tiana took in a deep breath.


    Letting go of Adrian was not half as hard as this. Why was Nicklaus different?


    ''''You live alone? ''''


    Liam asked as he stopped in front of her house; Tiana looked towards the house and shook her head;


    ''''I live with my sister, but she''s in New York now. ''''


    ''''Oh, okay. ''''


    He replied and stepped out to the other side, helping her out.


    '''' don''t cry anymore, okay? ''''


    He consoled; gazing tenderly at her;


    Tiana nodded; ''''Thank you for today, I really appreciate it. ''''


    ''''You don''t need to thank me, what are friends for?''''


    Liam smiled and Tiana pursed her lips;


    ''''Make sure to lock your doors, and switch off your lights okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''Okay. I''ll be going in now, drive safely. ''''


    ''''Mm¡­ '''' Liam replied but he did not move from in front of her;


    Tiana raised her eyes to him curiously, wondering why he was still not moving;


    ''''You¡­ do you perhaps need a hug? ''''


    Liam asked boldly and Tiana''s eyes widened; then she looked to her feet;


    Liam acted like he was calm and patient, and he spoke like he was not pushy, but she felt that he was so forward with his actions. Saying one, and doing the other.


    But at that moment, she wasn''t even thinking about all these; the only thing on her mind was the fact that she was going to dream about Nicklaus that night.


    Maybe, just maybe if she hugs him, Nicklaus would not torment her dreams.


    ''''You shouldn''t if you don''t want to; I felt you might want a hug, so I offered¡­ ''''


    Before Liam could complete his words, Tiana closed the gap between them and enveloped him in a hug.


    His words caught in his throat, and he looked at the woman in his arms, after a few seconds he hugged her back.


    Tiana shut her eyes as his scent wafted into her nostrils.


    He smelt nice, his body was warm, but¡­ but it was not Nicklaus''s.


    With Nicklaus, she felt she belonged there, when she hugged him, her world stopped, their hearts would beat at the same rhythm and she wouldn''t want to let go, but with Liam, she didn''t feel all of these things. She wasn''t drunk with his scent, neither did she feel like this was the right thing to do, at that moment, the only thing on her mind was to break free from his hold.


    In the next second, Tiana let him go and looked up to him with a small smile;


    ''''Thank you, I''ll be going in now. ''''


    She smiled and turned quickly to her house, not waiting for his reply. Liam watched her enter her house and lock the door before he entered his car and drove away.


    But what none of them knew was that there was someone standing afar off, watching them.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus drove slowly down Tiana''s street, his mind filled with different thoughts. He wasn''t sure if she would want to see him, but he still needed to try to talk things out. He didn''t care who was at fault, in fact, he would take the blame for everything; these past days without her in his life had been hell.


    Nicklaus parked his car a few meters away from her house and stepped down; his heart raced as he walked slowly towards her house, organizing his words in his head.


    What if she didn''t want to hear him out? What if she slammed the door to his face¡­''''


    Nicklaus stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the figures in front of Tiana''s house. Even if he was asleep, he knew Tiana''s figure, but the man by her side¡­


    His brows creased as he watched them talk but he could not hear what they were saying, since he was far from them.


    Suddenly, Tiana closed the gap between her and the man, hugging him tightly.


    Nicklaus felt the world around him stop and his heartbeat slowly till he could barely hear it anymore;


    His face paled and his eyes darkened; he watched the sight in front of him for some seconds before he pulled his gaze away, it was too painful to watch.


    Nicklaus felt his heart squeeze so much that his feet nearly gave way.


    He couldn''t keep standing there, at that moment, he felt he didn''t belong there, and the only thing on his mind was to turn around and leave as fast as he could.


    Nicklaus did not breathe until he was inside his car; his head fell on his steering and he shut his eyes, pictures of what he had just seen appearing behind his eyes;


    He was having sleepless nights and mourning over a woman who had moved on.


    Did she ever love him?


    Nicklaus asked himself; he didn''t believe her when she said it that day, he didn''t want to believe that she didn''t even have an atom of love for him, but right now, his hopes were dashed, thoroughly.


    He had held onto the last string of hope that she could come back to him, but right now, seeing her in the arms of another man, he knew it was no longer possible; it was time he let her go.

 Chapter 155 - I miss him...

    Tiana shut the door behind her, leaning weakly on it, after some time she slumped to the floor, her eyes gazing emptily.


    She had thought that hugging Liam would quench her thirst for Nicklaus but the reverse was the case, it just doubled.


    Hugging him made her want Nicklaus more, memories of him came flashing back, so much that she felt her insides about to explode;


    Tiana lifted her hand to her chest and rubbed on it, slow pants left her lips as her head fell between her legs;


    I miss him¡­


    This was the first time she had let herself believe it, she had always missed him but this was the first time she had accepted it.


    Tiana sat there for the longest time before she forced herself up and went to bed.


    ¡­


    ''''Hey! Good morning;'''' Tiana held her phone against her ear as she prepared scotched eggs for breakfast;


    ''''Tiana, good morning, how are you this morning? Hope you slept well? '''' Liam asked, his tone energetic;


    ''''Yeah, I did, thanks to you. '''' although that wasn''t exactly true because that night was no different;


    ''''I''m glad you slept well; I hope you are relieved now? ''''


    Tiana swallowed; ''''ye¡­ah¡­ ''''


    ''''Great, I just called to check on you¡­ ''''


    "Thanks¡­ ''''


    Tiana replied and the call grew silent; she stopped cooking and stepped away from the cooker, as though contemplating a decision;


    ''''Alright, I''ll let you prepare for¡­ ''''


    ''''Liam¡­ '''' Tiana cut him off, her hand gripping the counter;


    ''''I thought about what you said last night; '''' She paused, as though wanting to get his full attention;


    ''''¡­ And I''ve decided to go along with it; I don''t love you, but I''m willing to give this a chance, to know if it might work between us. I¡­ I don''t want to lead you on in any way, that''s why I''m making it clear to you, and if it doesn''t work, we''ll call it off if that is okay by you¡­ ''??


    She swallowed; she wasn''t sure if this was a perfect choice but at that moment, she had run out of options.


    ''''Okay, we''ll do that, ''''


    Tiana''s hands fisted and she nodded;


    ''''Thank you¡­ ''''


    ''''Yeah, and right, I have a charity gala to attend tomorrow, can you be my date? That''s if you don''t mind¡­ ''''


    ''''Sure, no problem; ''''


    ''''Alright, I''ll pick you up tomorrow, let me leave you to prepare for work, we''ll talk later. ''''


    "'' Right, bye '''' Tiana held the phone to her ear for the longest time after the call had ended, before she slowly dropped it to the counter.


    Why was she having a bad feeling about this?


    There was clearly nothing wrong in going out with Liam, but why was she feeling like it was not the right thing to do?


    ¡­


    ''''Michael dear, since you''re very busy at the company and there''s still a lot to do, Liam would go to the charity gala in your stead,'''' Catherine spoke as they sat in the dining table having breakfast.


    Michael gripped his cutleries harder as his eyes rose to Catherine as her words filtered into his ears; he stared at her for a moment and then shifted his gaze to Liam briefly;


    Liam was eating casually as though it was no news, it was clear that she had discussed this with him before because he appeared carefree;


    He swallowed; he had been suspecting that there was something wrong about their closeness, although she had said that he was her sister''s son, they looked closer than that. Even though at first glance, there was no resemblance between them, on a closer look, Liam had some of Catherine''s features.


    Maybe because he was her sister''s son; they were bound to have some similar features, but Michael could not get the gut-feeling off his mind, no matter how much he tried.


    Ever since Liam came into the family, Catherine had been very distant with him, treating him more like what he really was_ an adopted child.


    ???''Is that okay with you, Michael?''''


    Catherine called, cutting him off from his thoughts; Michael glanced at her again and his eyes met her pointed gaze, the gaze that said ''I''m asking politely but you don''t have a choice''


    He nodded; ''''Yes, Liam can go, I have a lot to do at the company after all. ''''


    He let out a small smile and Catherine nodded; ''''Good, and I saw that our stocks have been doing well this week; you''re doing a good job, Michael. ''''


    ''''I''m just doing what I have to do. ''''


    Nicklaus Howells had acquired a large number of stocks from their company but surprisingly, she had kept mute about it. It was strange, he knew his mother, in the past, when he did stuff like this, she didn''t waste time to act, but this time¡­ she was strangely quiet.


    He didn''t know why the two companies were at loggerheads, he had asked her and she always swept it under. He knew there was something he didn''t know, something they were hiding from him, from the appearance of Liam to the issue between the companies, everything looked vague and it seemed only him was in the dark about all of this.


    He didn''t know why, but he felt like a pawn in her hands. Like some toy, she was fond of and when she got tired of him, she was going to dispose of him.


    Michael watched Catherine wipe her mouth with the serviette and stand up from the table;


    ''''Liam, come to my study when you are done eating. ''''


    She spoke as she walked out in calm steps.


    The dining room became awkwardly quiet. He and Liam had never had a decent conversation before. Liam only talked to him when it was necessary, he didn''t know why he was sure he had not done anything to him.


    These past days, this house had been very stuffy for him, he had wanted to move out long ago but Catherine had refused; she had told him to stay and keep her company but now, it was obvious she didn''t need his company anymore.


    He was going to leave¡­

 Chapter 156 - Friendzoned

    Nicklaus phone buzzed on the table as he sat in his office and he picked it up, his brows creased when he saw it was a text from an unknown caller;


    ''¡­So I know you''re attending a gala today and you have no date, I can be your date if you want, I didn''t call because I know you would end the call once you know who it is¡­ Claire. ''


    Nicklaus read the text over and over again, his mind going back to what he had seen two days ago and his eyes clouded, he was quiet for a moment, deep in thoughts, when suddenly, he tapped on the unknown number and called;


    Claire knew Nicklaus was not going to call, she just wanted to try her luck but she was not hopeful.


    But suddenly, her phone vibrated in her hands, and her eyes widened when she saw the caller id.


    Nicklaus!


    Her heart slammed against her chest; was he calling to tell her to quit disturbing him?


    Claire was scared of what he was going to say, but still, she swiped, she could hear the pounding of her chest as she waited for him to speak;


    ''''Send me your address; I''ll pick you up by six. ''''


    Her eyes popped out of her eye sockets as she held her phone to her ear, Nicklaus had already disconnected the call but she couldn''t bring herself to move from her spot, afraid that everything might become an illusion if she did.


    Did¡­ Did he just¡­


    ''''Oh my God! '''' Claire exclaimed filled with glee. She didn''t understand what had just happened. What made him change his mind?


    She wondered a thousand things, but she couldn''t even pinpoint any;


    Maybe it was just a date, there were no strings attached but still, she was not expecting it.


    No, this was unbelievable, did he mean it? Should she call him back and ask?


    Claire shook her head immediately at that thought; what if he changed his mind?


    No, she should just send him her address, right.


    Quickly, she tapped open her messages and sent Nicklaus her home address.


    Then she phoned Leo right away.


    ''''Guess what Leo! ''''


    ''''What? ''''


    ''''Nicklaus called me! We''re going to a gala together; do you know what that means? ''''


    She screamed excitedly;


    Leo was quiet for a second; ''''um, it means that you guys are going to a gala together; ''''


    ''''You jerk! '''' Leo burst out laughing at her cuss;


    ''''I''m serious; I think he likes me now, I think he is considering going out with me. ''''


    ''''How are you sure, it might just be all there is to it. ''''


    ''''Leo! Can''t you be positive for once? '''' Claire groaned, he was fond of this, never supporting her love life!


    ''''I''m sorry, don''t mind me, I''m really happy for you. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I''m happy too, I really need this to work, you know? ''''


    There was a pause at the other end; ''''Do you really love him? ''''


    Claire was quiet;


    Was she in love with him or was he just an infatuation?


    She wasn''t sure, but right now, she knew she wanted to be with him. It was too early to know if she was in love with him or not,


    ''''It''s too early for that, but I know I like him a lot. ''''


    She said, pushing some strands of her hair behind her ear,


    ''''Then I''m happy for you; don''t drink too much. ''''


    ''''I won''t, I''ll call you when I''m back, love you. ''''


    ''''Yeah, love you too. ''''


    Leo held the phone to his ear even after the call had disconnected, after some time, he slowly he brought the phone down.


    I love you¡­


    He had always said those words to her, and she had said them back, but each time she said it, he wanted it to mean something more, but his hopes were always dashed, again, and again.


    How had she never seen him?


    He was always right there in front of her, but she never saw him.


    He loved her from the very first day he saw her.


    That day, she walked into the room he was in, and walked up straight to him, with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen and the most perfect smile, she asked;


    ''''Are you Leo? ''''


    For a few seconds he had been dumbstruck, and even when he tried to speak, words couldn''t form in his mouth; he just stared at her;


    It took him a great deal to nod, and the rest of her words couldn''t register because he was lost staring at her.


    He never knew he could love someone so dearly, so much that even after so long, he could not even bring himself to like another person.


    He watched her date, one man, after another, and each time she left them, he wished she could see him, but she had always taken him as a friend, and that was all there was to it, for her.


    It really hurt, but he had tried to live with it, he didn''t know how wicked love was until he tried to stop loving her. It was just impossible.


    It hurt so much that she didn''t even see how much he loved her. Or rather, she did see, but she tried to ignore it because she didn''t want him that way,


    He wished he could summon up courage and tell her that he loved her, but he was afraid, afraid that he would lose his best friend if she didn''t want him that way.


    Leo took the glass of wine on his table and gulped it, as though reliving the pain building up in his throat.


    ¡­


    Claire stepped out to the front porch; her eyes turned to the guard;


    ''''Where is he? ''''


    She asked, trying to look less excited but her expression gave her away;


    ''''He''s in his car, Miss. ''''


    She nodded immediately and continued walking forward;


    Her legs trembled when her eyes fell on the black Bugatti Centodieci sitting beside the water fountain; just at the same time, she saw someone step out of the car and turn to her.


    She had never felt so many goosebumps on her skin from someone''s gaze in her whole life; her legs shook, but she managed to push herself forward; until she was in front of him.


    Nicklaus watched her for a while, as though in deep thought; after a very long moment of staring, he said;


    ''''You look good. ''''

 Chapter 157 - Meeting Him

    ''''You look good. ''''


    Claire''s eyes fell to her shoes, a rush of blood tainting her cheeks;


    She had taken her time to look exceptionally beautiful for him. She was putting on a milk-colored V neck long dress, the V was cut low enough to show her perfect cleavage and the rest of the dress hugged her body defining her perfect figure. Her hair, which was long, was packed up in a ponytail and it fell to her back, she really took her time to please him, and she wasn''t surprised when she saw him staring at her;


    ''''Thank you, you look gorgeous too. ''''


    Her eyes fell to his long black coat which he wore over a dark red shirt that had the first two buttons unhooked in a s.e.xy way, highlights of his tattoo visible; one thing was certain about this man, he knew how to dress, he even looked better than most runway male models;


    ''''Hmm, let''s get going. '''' Nicklaus said, opening the door for her to get in.


    Once they were seated, Nicklaus moved to start the ignition before he thought of something and stopped; then he turned to look at Claire.


    Claire felt her heart race at his scrutinizing gaze; she wondered what was on his mind.


    Nicklaus stared at her; she was a good looking and gorgeous woman, but¡­ she wasn''t Tiana. When she walked towards him, he remembered the first time he and Tiana went out, she was putting on a red dress that day and when his eyes fell on her, his heart skipped a beat and he was temporarily paralyzed. But this woman, although stunning, had nothing more to it. He didn''t feel anything, nothing at all, she was just a beautiful sight.


    ''''Claire; right? ''''


    Claire nodded, her palms fisting on her laps;


    Nicklaus gaze turned forwards before he looked at her again;


    ''''I love someone else, Claire. '''' Claire''s eyes widened at his confession, and her lips moved but it could not utter any word.


    Nicklaus''s head fell, as the car became silent;


    ''''Even right now, I''m still in love with that person. ''''


    Claire felt a tight tug on her chest, she found it difficult to breathe.


    '''' And I don''t know if I can be able to stop loving that person. I don''t want to lead you on in any way, so I''m telling you¡­ ''''


    ''''Do you want to stop loving that person? ''''


    Claire asked, cutting him off;


    Nicklaus turned to her, falling silent; did he want to stop loving her?


    Loving Tiana was the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to him, and even with the pain, he didn''t regret it, but at that moment, knowing that she was with another man and didn''t want him anymore, he wanted to stop.


    ''''Yes ''''


    Claire''s heart warmed at that information; she couldn''t hide her smile;


    ''''I''ll help you, let''s start from somewhere, if it doesn''t work we can end it. ''''


    Her eyes stared at him expectantly, she wanted this to work, even when she didn''t know much about him, just sitting beside him, her heart couldn''t stop racing. She liked him.


    ''''I can''t promise you that I''ll love you¡­ ''''


    ''''I know, let''s just try¡­ '''' she wanted to reach out and hold him, but she stopped herself;


    ''''You may get hurt, Claire. ''''


    ''''I won''t keep my hopes up. '''' Nicklaus glanced at her and found her smiling;


    She didn''t know how much he was in love with that woman, if she did, she wouldn''t be sitting here with him.


    ''''Alright then,'''' He said and started the ignition, driving out of her compound.


    Claire''s eyes widened,


    Were¡­ were they dating now?


    She asked herself but she didn''t dare say it out loud, her eyes peeked at him and she couldn''t help smiling;


    It seems her pursuit wasn''t totally in vain.


    ¡­


    Liam held open the door for Tiana and he stretched out his hand to her. She smiled at him as she stepped out of the car.


    She was putting on a blue strapless dress; her bosoms highlighted as the dress hugged her skin;


    Her makeup was simple but she looked flawless. Liam could not stop staring;


    This woman, how blind was Nicklaus?


    ''''You look amazing. ''''


    Liam complemented for the fifth time that evening; Tiana couldn''t help chuckling;


    ''''Now you''re making me feel self-conscious, this is the fifth time you''re saying that. ''''


    Liam grinned; ''''I''m sorry, it''s just that¡­ I can''t take my eyes off you. ''''


    Tiana''s gaze met his and she smiled; if those words had left Nicklaus''s lips, she was sure going to be blushing too hard now, but at that moment, she only wanted to go in and sit down, and she didn''t find Liam''s gaze mesmerizing at all. Well, he had beautiful eyes.


    ''''Let''s go in now, people are watching. ''''


    She broke the silence between them and looked towards the entrance;


    ''''Right,'''' Liam nodded and put his hand around her waists as they walked forward.


    Tiana held her breath as she was very conscious of his hand around her, he was merely holding her, why was she feeling like he should not be touching her? Like¡­ like her body belonged to another?


    Nicklaus¡­ what did you do to me?


    Since Liam was not known officially, he greeted only a few people he knew before going to sit down;


    Liam held out a chair for Tiana to sit but just when she was about to sit down; she heard a familiar voice.


    ''''Oh Tiana? ''''


    Tiana froze for a second and looked up and her whole world stopped.


    He had not seen her yet because he was talking to a couple. Tiana wished the ground would open and swallow her whole, but when she thought about it, he turned to her and their eyes locked in each other.


    Ba-dum!


    Tiana''s heart thumped so loud that she felt her legs almost give way. Everything around her silenced and the only person she could see was him.


    He was staring back at her with the same intensity, as though seeing through her soul, seeing her intense longing for him. But just when she thought he was going to walk to her, Nicklaus looked away.

 Chapter 158 - True Torture

    Tiana''s lips parted slightly and she exhaled a breath she didn''t know she was holding. Her lashes fluttered over her eyes that were already stinging with tears.


    ''''Tiana, I didn''t know you were coming? Oh, who is he? ''''


    Claire''s eyes shifted to Liam and she smiled brightly;


    Tiana gulped, pulling her eyes away from Nicklaus quickly and looking at Claire, but before she could reply, Liam answered;


    ''''I''m Liam, Tiana''s boyfriend. '''' He said, pulling Tiana closer to him;


    Tiana''s eyes widened at Liam''s reply, and her gaze shifted to Nicklaus, he was still talking to the couple, but she was sure that if he was paying attention, he would have heard Liam.


    She didn''t know why she was feeling bad that Liam said he was her boyfriend, obviously, Nicklaus was dating Claire now, why was she feeling guilty?


    ''''Uh, Tiana, you didn''t tell me about him, he''s very handsome and¡­ '''' Claire stopped and tilted her head to the side; ''why do I feel he looks like¡­ '''' she turned to look at Nicklaus who was now coming to her;


    ''''Oh dear! I was just thinking about you now, this is my friend Tiana, she''s a model and this is her boyfriend, I don''t know, but the two of you have a resemblance, are you related or something? ''''


    Claire asked with a sweet smile on her chin; she was still checking Liam and Nicklaus out and she didn''t notice the prolonged daze Nicklaus and Tiana were in.


    Tiana gripped her chair so hard that she felt her fingers break against it. Her heart slammed against her chest and she could hear their drumming in her ears, she wanted to pull her gaze away but her eyes, against her will remained transfixed in his smoldering ones. Even when he was not very close to her, his familiar and intoxicating scent still made her hazy. Tiana''s eyes clouded lightly, but just when they were about to become noticeable, she turned to Claire.


    ''''Do they? '''' She swallowed, her dry throat hurting much more than she had expected, she wished she did not agree to Liam''s request to be his date. At that moment, all her suppressed emotions had jumped out of the cage she had locked them in and she wasn''t sure if she would be able to control herself for long.


    ''''Yea, they do look alike. Nicklaus, are you guys related? ''''


    Claire asked, oblivious of the tension between the three of them.


    Nicklaus, who was gazing at Tiana turned to Liam, he was about to say ''no'' when suddenly, his brows creased, there was a striking resemblance between his father and this man, and his initial ''no'' hung in his throat.


    Liam smiled as though relaxed, but his heart was beating fast, the last thing he wanted was for Nicklaus to notice him, but he had just walked into the lion''s den; ''''Now I finally meet the man whom everyone has rumored I look like; it''s nice to meet you, Nicklaus Howells, I''m Liam Anderson. ''''


    Liam lied, stretching out his hand for a shake; he never thought he would meet Nicklaus. He thought that Nicklaus wouldn''t be attending the event since he had been absent from events for a long while. His name was Liam Wills, but he had told Nicklaus Liam Anderson in order to ease his suspicion but he wasn''t sure if it would work.


    Shit! It would be horrible if his mother found out.


    It would have been better if he had come to the gala with another woman, but no, standing right there with him was Nicklaus''s ex, that alone would pull his attention to him and now with the facial similarities between the both of them, he was sure Nicklaus wouldn''t let it go.


    Shit! This was so bad!


    Nicklaus observed Liam for a moment before he nodded;


    ''''Nice to meet you; '''' he shook his hand briefly, his eyes still staring at Liam intently;


    ''''Oh, and I''m Tiana, Claire''s friend. '''' Tiana did her best not to sound shaky as she raised her hand to Nicklaus for a shake, but she couldn''t help the painful dryness of her throat, but then, she did her best to conceal it. He had not changed one bit, he even looked like he had been doing great, and it hurt.


    It hurt that this was the reality_ he never loved her. It hurt that while she was heartbroken and crying; he had moved on effortlessly. And it hurt more because he was with her friend and she would be forced to see him again, and again.


    But she was happy for Claire, even though he had crushed her heart to pieces; he made Claire happy so she would not ruin it for her. Claire was a good person, and if Nicklaus was who she wanted, then so be it.


    Nicklaus''s gaze moved to Tiana, and they fell on her outstretched hand; then as though he was really meeting her for the first time, he raised his hand and shook her.


    ''''I''m Nicklaus Howells, it''s nice to meet you. ''''


    Tiana forced a smile and quickly retraced her hand; if she held him a little longer then she would not be able to control the tears brewing behind her lids.


    ''''So you both are not related then, it''s rare to see such striking resemblance between two unrelated people. '''' Claire continued mindlessly;


    Nicklaus''s gaze stirred to Liam again and Liam forced a smile and tried to appear normal but he knew Nicklaus had already suspected something, and it was not going to be good.


    ''''Alright, since we are all here, let''s sit. ''''


    Claire spoke, sitting down first and waving Nicklaus over.


    Tiana gulped; just when she thought she was going to be relieved of her suffering;


    God, how was she going to survive with staring at Nicklaus through the night without breaking?


    Liam held Tiana''s chair for her to sit and then he sat down after her. Nicklaus hesitated a little before sitting. Tiana made sure not to look at him again; she wasn''t sure of her stability if she did. She knew she missed him, but she didn''t know to what extent until that moment. That moment when every cell in her body ached to touch him, to hug him, but she couldnt. She didn''t have the right to anymore, he belonged to someone else. At that moment, Tiana knew true torture.

 Chapter 159 - I wanna catch on fire

    Tiana sipped from her glass in the blue dim lights, Liam was doing his best to keep her company and keep a nice conversation going, but although it seemed like the four of them were engaged in a discussion, it was only Liam and Claire that were actually talking. Tiana and Nicklaus only smiled and spoke only when talked to. Suddenly, a song started playing in the background;


    ''The Arizona sky, burnin'' in your eyes


    You look at me and, and babe, I wanna catch on fire


    Tiana, who had been keenly avoiding looking at Nicklaus all the while, turned to him instantly, and at the same time, as though they were thinking the same thing, Nicklaus looked at her, and their gaze locked in each other''s.


    It''s buried in my soul, like California gold


    You found the light in me that I couldn''t find


    So when I ''m all choked up but I can''t find the words


    Every time we say goodbye, baby it hurts¡­


    Tiana''s hands fisted on her laps as her heart raced; his gaze didn''t flutter, he watched her quietly but smolderingly. At that moment, she felt her emotions rushing to her eyes, her lids fluttered and she quickly looked down to her hands before she gave herself away; the song in the background was not helping matters at all.


    "Dear, you''ve not touched your drink? '''' Claire turned to Nicklaus when she noticed that his glass was still untouched, Nicklaus smiled at her, then picked up his glass but still did not drink from it. Claire noticed that he was a little distracted but she didn''t know why, but then she didn''t think much of it and turned to the MC who just walked up the podium.


    Thankfully, the event began, and the sober mood was lightened. Tiana could finally breathe. She had drunk a lot to ease her tension but she was beginning to feel dizzy so she stopped;


    Nicklaus peered at the cup in his hand for a long while before lifting it to his lips and taking a sip. He did not imagine that he would see her here. When he heard Claire call her name, his whole body froze; there could be over a thousand women with that name, but still he turned to know if she was his Tiana, and at the same time, their eyes met.


    His heart stopped beating for a second as she held his gaze in her absorbing eyes; he couldn''t think of anything at that moment. He never thought he would meet her so soon, and he was not prepared, neither had he gotten over her yet. He knew if he stared at her any longer, he would really lose it and he wasn''t sure of what he would do if he did, so Nicklaus painfully pulled his gaze away.


    He turned back to the couple he was talking to, but even though he was talking to them, his whole attention was on her.


    She looked more radiant than ever, and she was leaner, but in a beautiful way. He wondered what she was up to all these while; he could have easily stalked her, but of what use what that? It wasn''t in any way going to help him forget her.


    ¡­ I''m Liam, Tiana''s boyfriend¡­


    Nicklaus''s breath hitched when those words filtered into his ears; he felt a bitter liquid fill his mouth, and it was hard to breathe. He knew he had lost her, but hearing another man call her his, was heart-shattering. Calming his nerves, he turned and walked to them.


    Claire had introduced her as a model, he didn''t know she would get into the modeling industry so soon but then, he wasn''t surprised; she had the looks and body, now he was looking at her up close, she looked stunning, but although she tried to hide it, he saw the frightened expression on her face;


    Why was she scared?


    He looked down at her waist and noticed how stiff she was in the man''s arms and he turned to him. Instantly Nicklaus froze;


    This man¡­ he looked so much like his father¡­


    The last time he checked, his father had only one child outside wedlock, and that was Michael Wills. Who was this man then?


    ''''¡­ I''m Liam Anderson¡­ ''''


    Liam Anderson? Did his father have another child?


    Nicklaus was confused now, the similarities between this man and his father were too noticeable and he could not bring himself to stop thinking about it. And how was he with Tiana?


    Nicklaus could not put his head around it; he knew there was something fishy, and he needed to find it out.


    ''''Excuse me, I want to use the restroom; '''' Tiana blurted pulling him out of his thoughts. His eyes blinked and he watched her stand up from her seat;


    Nicklaus''s gaze followed her every move, and he noticed her hands quiver as they grabbed her bag on the table; his brows creased, and he immediately looked at her face. Even though Tiana was fast to turn away, he was able to catch a glimpse of her eyes, and he saw that they were teary.


    Nicklaus felt his heartbeat decelerate instantly. Why was she crying?


    Nicklaus''s heart squeezed as he watched her walk away. Even though she said she hated him, he couldn''t help getting worried about her. He wondered what was troubling her so much that she had almost cried;


    Tiana gripped her bag so hard that she thought it would rip; she forced herself to continue walking until she reached the restroom and then she broke down.


    Oh god¡­


    Tiana wept, trying her best not to cry out loud to avoid anyone hearing her.


    She thought she could hold it in, but she had underestimated her love for him. Even though she said she was happy for Claire, she couldn''t help but get jealous.


    Thinking about him smiling at her, hugging Claire as he hugged her; making love to her¡­


    God¡­ she had not felt this shattered her whole life.


    Breathe¡­ breathe¡­


    Tiana took in a deep breath to stable herself; after making sure she was okay, she washed her hands and reapplied her makeup; when she was sure she looked good, and there was no trace of tears on her face, she turned to go back to the hall.


    But as she stepped out of the restroom, she crashed into someone. Quickly she stabled herself and opened her lips to apologize, but a familiar scent wafted into her nostrils; her eyes widened immediately, and she looked up, only to be caught in the most fascinating eyes she had ever seen.

 Chapter 160 - Hold me back

    ''''Nic¡­klaus? ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened with shock; what was he doing here¡­?


    Her lips trembled but she could not form any words; did he see her crying earlier?


    No, he couldn''t have come because of that; he didn''t care about her that much.


    Did he come to tell her not to tell Claire about them? Tiana gripped her bag tightly as her eyes wandered;


    Nicklaus panted lightly, staring deeply into her eyes. He didn''t know how he found himself here, he only knew he had been so troubled that he excused himself and started walking; until he found himself outside the restroom; and he realized that he had come to look for her.


    What was he thinking? He asked himself, his hand running through his hair frustratingly, but just when he decided to go back, she crashed into him. She was looking at him now, with a thousand questions in her eyes but he didn''t even know what to say; it was very awkward.


    ''''You¡­ were you¡­ ''''


    "I''m not going to tell Claire¡­; '''' Tiana interrupted him; her eyes were still lowered and she was a little shaky as she spoke; Nicklaus creased his brows.


    ''''I''m not going to tell her about us, so you don''t need to worry. ''''


    Right, she thought he was here because of Claire. Nicklaus swallowed. He had a thousand things he wanted to talk to her about and that was not even among them. Did she hate him that much?


    Tiana waited to hear his reply, but for the longest time, she didn''t hear a word from him. She creased her brows and lifted her head to look at him, and her breath hitched when she saw he was gazing at her passionately;


    Nicklaus''s Adam''s apple bobbled and he blinked;


    ''''That was not what I was going to say. '''' Tiana''s eyes widened in shock;


    If he did not come to say that, then what did he want to say?


    Tiana''s heart started racing as a million thoughts flashed through her mind. She opened her lips to speak but no words could come out.


    Nicklaus gulped, his lips thinning. With what she said, he couldn''t bring himself to say anything anymore, he felt so weak¡­


    ''''Are you¡­ '''' He paused; Tiana''s brows arched as she waited to hear him, her heart racing rapidly;


    ''''Are you really going out with him? ''''


    Tiana blinked as his words filtered into her ears; his eyes were deep with emotions, but he had pretended so much in the past that she didn''t know what to believe anymore.


    Why was he asking her? Did he not want her to go out with Liam?


    She swallowed;


    If he didn''t want her to be with another person, then why didn''t he come to her all these while?


    Why did he even hurt her in the first place?


    Tiana exhaled; even though she wanted him badly, and she was jealous of Claire, she wouldn''t do anything to sabotage their friendship, her answer would have been different if he had not moved on, but he was with someone now, and that someone was her friend.


    ''''Yes¡­ '''' She did her best not to sound pained, but she knew her emotions were in her eyes.


    Why was he asking her that when he had obviously moved on? Why did he even bother when he hurt her and was with the woman he had dumped her for?


    Tiana could not put her head around it, everything was so blurred. She didn''t even know what to think anymore.


    ''''Why do you ask? You''re with another woman now; don''t you think this is disrespectful to her? ''''


    Her brows creased as she was beginning to feel hurt all over again. He had not looked for her all these while, and now they had met coincidentally, he was concerned about the man she was with?


    Nicklaus felt a knot in his throat, why did he even ask, when he knew the answer already? And he was just going out with Claire because he wanted to get over her, he didn''t love her.


    ''''Tiana, I¡­ ''''


    Tiana shook her head; ''''I don''t think we have anything to talk about, we''ve both moved on with our lives, I don??t think it''ll be nice to dig up old sores. And like I said, I won''t tell Claire anything about us, I value the friendship we have. So, if there''s nothing else, I would like to go back in. ''''


    She completed, her hands fisting by her sides. She didn''t want to hear anymore, she didn''t want to start crying all over. She missed him but she was going to leave it at that. Anything he was going to say was going to hurt and she didn''t want that.


    Although she said that, deep inside of her, she wanted Nicklaus to stop her and say something, and maybe tell her he was sorry, even though he hurt her, if he was sorry, she would really go to him. At that moment, she was desperate, desperate for him; but sadly; Nicklaus stood there, staring down at her, and not saying anything. Tiana waited still, but he didn''t still say a word.


    Tiana''s eyes clouded and she blinked several times, looking away from him.


    She knew he wouldn''t stop her. He didn''t love her; she was pathetic to think that he would even fight for her. Tiana exhaled a breath and smiled painfully;


    ''''Alright then¡­ I''ll be going; you should wait till I''m seated before coming in, so they won''t suspect a thing¡­ '''' With that, she turned around and walked away. Her heart sunk as tears brewed in her eyes again, she wished he would stop her, but he was just watching her leave. This man, why did she still love him¡­


    Tiana''s thoughts were cut short when she felt someone grip her hand and turn her around, her eyes widened but before she could say a word, she was enveloped in a hug.


    The world stopped for Tiana, and her eyes bulged out so much that she couldn''t breathe. His sweet cologne wafted into her nostrils, making her dizzy, she could hear his heart slamming against her ears and her own beating in the same rhythm.


    His arms pulled her closer into him and his breath fanned her neck; Tiana was so shocked that she couldn''t think. Why¡­ why was he hugging her? And why was she not pulling away?


    Even when she knew it was wrong, and she was betraying her friend, Tiana could not help hugging him back. Her eyes closed, shutting away every atom of reason and just relishing the moment.


    God¡­ she missed him, she missed him so much.


    ''''I''ve missed you, I miss you so much. '''' Nicklaus spoke, kissing her hair. Tiana trembled as she hugged him back tightly. She didn''t know how much starved she was until this moment, she didn''t want to let him go, not for anything in the world!

 Chapter 161 - We cant be friends anymore

    Her hands clutched his coat tightly as she buried her face in his chest, at that moment, she felt safe in his arms, her pain, and anger, all gone. She couldn''t even remember all the hate she had for him, all she could feel for him was longing and yearning. She missed him so much!


    They held each other for the longest time before Tiana''s eyes suddenly flashed open and she quickly pulled herself away from his hold; her whole body trembling;


    What had she done?


    Nicklaus walked closer to her but she backed away; '''' don''t come any closer¡­ '''' Her voice was shaky, and her eyes looked scared.


    ''''Tiana, let''s just talk; I''m willing to look past everything, let''s start afresh, please¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s eyes rose to him and her face paled;


    What was he saying? Who should be the one saying that? He hurt her, lied, chose another woman without even a second thought, and yet he was standing there in front of her saying he was willing to look past everything? Was she some kind of joke? Was she still a tool in his eyes?


    What kind of a human being was he?!


    Tiana''s face paled and she shook her head, suddenly she started laughing,


    ''''Oh god¡­ '''' she laughed so much that her eyes became teary, ''''Stupid¡­ I''m still stupid. ''''


    She murmured, laughing at herself; Nicklaus watched her puzzlingly.


    What was she saying? Was she still angry at him because he hurt her? Or was it¡­ was it because of his secret...?


    Nicklaus moved closer to her again;


    ''''Tiana, I wanted to tell you about it, I wanted to explain everything but the issue at the company happened, and I couldn''t¡­ ''''


    What about choosing Claire!! He didn''t even care how she would feel! What about that!! Why wasn''t he talking about it!


    Her eyes lifted to him with a glare. She couldn''t believe how he could still pretend not to know what he had done; he was just overlooking the main fact.


    Tiana fisted her hands on her sides as her eyes stared daggers at him. Suddenly she closed her eyes and calmed herself; why where they still talking about this? He was already with another woman, there was no need digging up the past. Nothing would change, they had their time together and although she still had deep feelings for him, it was time she let go. He wasn''t someone she should be with, he had hurt her more than anyone on earth, she deserved better.


    ''''It is okay, I forgive you. ''''


    Nicklaus''s eyes widened with surprise;


    Tiana took in a deep breath and calmed herself, she turned to look at her reflection in the wall mirror and when she saw she looked good, she turned to Nicklaus again;


    ''''I forgive you, Nicklaus. For everything, for hurting me, breaking me, and tossing me away when you deemed fit. Now I think about it, I don''t think I am in the position to blame you, I was clearly your mistress, you didn''t owe me an explanation, everything was just in my head, and that was my undoing. And besides, I would have done the same in your position, it would be very stupid to choose a mistress over a multi-billion dollar company, so I forgive you, but we can''t be friends anymore if that is what you are looking for. And, I really needed to get this off my chest, so I can be happy for my friend. I hope you treat her well and let''s never meet again. Goodbye Nicklaus Howells. ''''


    Without waiting for his reply, she turned and started walking towards the hall. Nicklaus was dumbstruck.


    What¡­ what did she just say? His eyes widened so much that he felt it would pop any minute.


    She was the one who had clearly chosen money over him, why was she turning the tables around, he turned around immediately to stop her, but she had far gone.


    He panted heavily as his eyes wandered, trying to fix the dots.


    Something was wrong¡­


    His eyes widened instantly and he ran to stop Tiana, but he was not fast enough, for she had sat down by the time he reached the hall. He swallowed hard and he pulled himself together before going back to his chair.


    ''''Oh, I was about going to look for you. '''' Claire smiled as Nicklaus sat down beside her. ''''Sorry, something came up. ''''


    He apologized making sure not to look at Tiana to avoid suspicion. ''''Okay, the event is almost over, you missed a lot. '''' Claire smiled as she briefed him on what happened in his absence. Nicklaus was looking at her like he was really paying attention but in reality, he was thinking about what could have gone wrong somewhere; that morning she was very happy and urging him to come back soon, but suddenly she didn''t want him anymore, and she hated him. In between these two events was¡­ was grandfather¡­


    Nicklaus gulped as his hands fisted;


    What did his grandfather tell her?!


    ''''¡­ and I think it''s time for the auctions. '''' Claire concluded, as she turned to the stage. Actually, she hated these types of events. To her, they were boring, but since she was going with Nicklaus, she didn''t mind. In fact, she would go to a thousand of them as long as they were with Nicklaus.


    Nicklaus suddenly stood up from his seat; the three of them turned to him, with creased brows;


    ''''Claire, we have to go now, something urgent came up. '''' His voice sounded tensed and Claire''s brows creased, she wondered what must have happened so suddenly, but seeing his expression, she didn''t ask.


    ''''Okay¡­ see you guys later. We have to go. '''' Claire stood up and smiled at Tiana and Liam, before walking out with Nicklaus.


    Tiana''s palms fisted as her eyes watched them leave. Why was he leaving so soon? Was he now bored of seeing her face?


    She pulled her eyes away from them and turned to the stage, trying to stop thinking about him.


    ''''Did you meet with him? '''' Liam asked after a long while and Tiana turned to him with creased brows.


    He was looking at the stage and his face expressionless as though he had not said a thing, but she had heard him clearly. She peered at him for a while before she shifted her gaze to the stage.


    ''''No, why do you ask? ''''


    There was no need recounting everything that happened earlier, she had ended things with him properly, it was best to leave it at that.


    ''''Nothing, I just wanted to ask. I''m glad you didn''t. '''' He turned to her with a smile and Tiana gulped, smiling faintly.


    ''''And they looked good together; '''' Liam continued; ''''I think they''ll make a good couple, don''t you think so? ''''


    ...


    Tiana nodded with a strained smile, she didn''t want to think about it earlier, but those two, they really looked good together.


    Throughout the trip to Claire''s house, Nicklaus did not say a word. Claire peeked at him severally but she could not bring herself to ask him what was wrong. She knew if he wanted to tell her, he would have done so.

 Chapter 162 - What did you tell her...

    Nicklaus stopped the car and turned off the ignition. Claire sulked silently, although they did not speak to each other, she didn''t want to leave him soon. Her lips pouted as she watched him walk over to her side and open the door for her;


    ''''Thank you for today '''' Nicklaus said as he slammed the door close. Claire nodded.


    ''''You don''t need to thank me, I had fun too. '''' she blushed, pushing some strands of her hair to the back of her ear.


    ''''Alright, goodnight ''''


    ''''Yeah, drive safely. '''' Claire watched him go back into the car and drive out speedily.


    She wasn''t expecting anything but she had imagined what hugging him would feel like. Pouting her lips sulkily, she turned and walked into her house.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus''s hands tightened against the steering as he drove speedily to the ancestral home. He needed to hear the truth from grandpa. He needed to know what grandpa had said to Tiana that day.


    He knew she wouldn''t hate him that much for not telling her about his sleep issues, he had thought it was because she never forgave him but with what she said today, he knew there was something else he was oblivious of.


    Grandpa¡­ what did you do¡­


    Nicklaus''s fingers drummed impatiently as he watched the wrought iron gates open on their own accord. Driving in speedily he didn''t bother to park properly before jumping out of the car and racing into the house.


    Grandma, who was watching a movie stood up in shock when she saw Nicklaus run into the house like a mad man. Her face drained of all color as she walked to him;


    ''''Nick... Nicklaus, what is wrong? '''' Her heartbeat increased when she thought of the only thing that could make him come over to the ancestral home in the dead of the night.


    Did he find out¡­?


    ''''Where is grandpa? ''''


    Grandma gulped when she heard Nicklaus; ''''what''s wrong? why are you looking like a battered dog? ''''


    ''''I said. where. is. Grandpa? '''' Nicklaus spoke curtly and pointedly, his eyes flaming with anger, Grandma looked away from him. She knew he would find out soon, she had warned grandpa to tell him after he had resolved the issue at the company, but when he found out that Claire was now interested in him, he didn''t want to anymore. At first, she was in support of his decision because it was the best for the company, but when he had refused to resolve the issue between them, she knew he was just being selfish.


    But she couldn''t do anything because he had warned her not to; he wanted to know if it would work out between Nicklaus and the president''s daughter because it would be of a greater benefit to the company. But now Nicklaus was standing right in front of her almost about to explode; she knew it was not going to end well.


    ''''He''s in his study¡­ '''' Grandma stuttered and Nicklaus disappeared immediately the words left her lips.


    She breathed out heavily; just when she thought there was going to be peace at last in her home. She turned and walked to grandpa''s study with heavy steps.


    Nicklaus pushed open the door without bothering to knock. Grandpa who had his eyes closed on the reclining chair, opened them slowly with a slight crease of his brows, wondering who had intruded into his privacy, his eyes flashed with surprise when he saw Nicklaus in front of him.


    ''''What brings you here in the dead of the night? ''''


    Grandpa asked sitting up on the chair, his face looking unperturbed.


    ''''Grandpa, what did you say to Tiana? ''''


    Grandpa froze for a second but he regained his composure immediately; his gaze watched Nicklaus for a moment and then he hummed;


    ''''it''s been so long, I thought you had moved on from her by now. ''''


    Nicklaus''s hands fisted on his sides; ''''Grandpa, that was not my question. I just want to know what you told her, and please do not lie to me. ''''


    His face was as white as frost as he spoke, grandpa watched him for a moment. If he didn''t tell him the truth, he would find it out himself; he sighed.


    Tiana made a promise to him not to come back to Nicklaus; did she go against her promise?


    ''''Does it matter what I said to her, it''s been ages ago. And besides, it''s not like she can ever come back to you, she made me a promise, which she can''t go against''''


    Nicklaus creased his brows; ''''what promise? ''''


    ''''Well, she promised never to meet you again, so what I told her is not going to change a thing. ''''


    ''''I thought you liked her? What did she do wrong? '''' Nicklaus eyes clouded with pain, he couldn''t even put his head around any of this.


    ''''Nicklaus, I don''t hate that woman, I just had to weigh my options and I chose a better one.''''


    Nicklaus gritted his teeth as he forced himself not to say anything wrong, he had not gotten the information he came for yet. Taking in a deep breath, he calmed himself;


    ''''Alright, but can I at least know what you told her? Please¡­''''


    Grandpa sighed; ''''Well, I just told you both the same thing but at different times. That is, I met with her before I met you, and I told her that you had already accepted to marry the president''s daughter, but I think she already had a grievance for you before then, so it was easy convincing her. Nicklaus, you shouldn''t let emotions get in the way of success, I heard that the president''s daughter is interested in you, shouldn''t you use this for your own gain and get married to her¡­''''


    Before Grandpa could complete his words, Nicklaus turned and dashed out of the room, almost knocking grandma down, who was standing outside the door.


    Grandma watched him in fright as he ran out of the house and to his car, driving out with great speed.


    She turned to look at grandpa with a disapproving gaze;


    ''''He''s not going to forgive you for that you know. ''''


    Grandpa laughed; ''''He''s going to come around when he realizes that what I did was for the best. ''''

 Chapter 163 - She wouldnt let him speak!

    Nicklaus heart raced as his lips parted, panting heavily. His hold against the steering wheel was so strong that his knuckles turned white.


    So that was it¡­


    It wasn''t because she hated him¡­ it was because she thought he never loved her. She thought he was just using her¡­


    Nicklaus covered his mouth with his palm as he breathed out heavily. He couldn''t even imagine how difficult it was for her, how unbearable it was to think that the man she loved was just using her.


    And finding out about his secret had made everything worse.


    He increased his speed impatiently, wishing he could just disappear and appear in front of her house. She must have gone through a lot. He imagined the pain in her heart when she saw him with Claire. The pain must have ripped her apart.


    Nicklaus bit his lower lip as he remembered the tears that were in her eyes; could it be that she could not bear the pain, so she had gone out to cry?


    He sighed painfully; just how much pain did grandpa make her go through?


    He remembered they just slept together before all of these happened. She must have thought he made her fall for him so he could just have her.


    Damn!


    Nicklaus slammed his hand against the wheel again. He had a million things to say to grandpa but he needed to see Tiana, he would talk to him later but Tiana was first.


    After a long while of driving, a smile found its way to Nicklaus''s lips. Back then he had thought she didn''t love him. He even began to think he was really a monster, one who didn''t deserve any love or affection, but he was all wrong, she loved him.


    If she didn''t, she wouldn''t have hugged him back when he hugged her and she wouldn''t look hurt when she said his name¡­ she loved him and she still does.


    A gush of happiness washed through Nicklaus, and for the first time in months, he laughed. He couldn''t contain his joy.


    His beautiful¡­ loves him.


    They had gone through pain for nothing; he couldn''t even imagine how many times she cried because of him, all for a simple misunderstanding.


    Nicklaus drove into the intersection that led to her street and when he reached her house, he jumped out of the car without even parking properly.


    Nicklaus ran towards her house but his steps faltered when he saw her locked gate. Panting heavily, he pressed the bell and waited impatiently for her to come out. After about five seconds, he tapped the doorbell again but there was still no reply, he pressed it again and again, but no-one answered. Nicklaus creased his brows and raised his arm, looking at his wristwatch.


    It was a few minutes past ten, the event should be over already, she should be home, or¡­ did she go home with that man?!


    Nicklaus''s eyes widened as jealousy coursed through him. He imagined a million things they could be doing at that moment and he gritted his teeth.


    Cussing, he ran to his car and took his phone, speedily dialing her number. It rang a few times but she did not pick. He groaned in frustration and he called her again but there still was no answer.


    He brushed his finger through his hair frustratingly.


    Why isn''t she picking up!


    Nicklaus sighed, walking back to her gate and peeking into the house; her lights were off, it was either she was sleeping or she wasn''t home. He stared at the house for a moment and then a thought entered his mind. Suddenly, he started climbing the gate. The chances of someone catching him were slim since the neighborhood was a quiet one and it was night. He knew he would be inside her compound before anyone would pass by. But just when he was halfway up, Tiana''s front door creaked open and she stepped out, wearing a long nightie.


    Nicklaus stopped in his tracks and his eyes widened with shock; as though he was glued to the gate, he remained there, unmoving as he watched her approach.


    Tiana was beyond shocked when she saw someone climbing her gate; she wanted to run back in and call the police but on a closer look she recognized the person.


    Nicklaus? Why was he climbing her gate?


    Her brows creased with surprise as she walked to him. She was already asleep when she heard the doorbell; she wanted to ignore but the person kept ringing, so she decided to go see who it was, but never in her wildest dreams did she think that she would find Nicklaus climbing her gate!


    It was amusing but she tried to keep up a stern expression.


    ''''What¡­ what are you doing? '''' Tiana asked, her hands crossed around her torso, peering intently at him.


    Nicklaus swallowed and his hands on the gate eased, then he jumped down back down. ''''Uhm¡­ I was ringing the bell but you weren''t answering, I even called you but you didn''t pick. '''' Tiana frowned; she had put her phone on silent at the gala and she forgot to put it back on the ring, but, that was not enough reason to intrude into her property.


    ''''Why are you here? '''' her tone was curt as she spoke, as though she didn''t even have the time to waste on him.


    ''''Tiana, let me in, there''s a lot I need to tell you, everything was a misunderstanding¡­ ''''


    Tiana sighed; she thought they were through with this already. Rolling her eyes, she turned around and started walking back into the house.


    Nicklaus''s eyes widened with shock as he watched her walk away; ''''Tiana! Wait! I''m serious! It was all a misunderstanding, grandpa lied to you¡­ ''''


    Before he could complete his words, she had entered into her house and locked the door.


    ''''Shit! ''''


    How would he even explain himself when she wouldn''t even let him speak!


    Nicklaus cussed as he ran his hand through his hair. Now that she had seen him, she wouldn''t let him in even though he jumped over. This woman¡­ how was he going to make her listen to him?


    He wondered as he stared at the house in front of him.

 Chapter 164 - Now you can listen to me

    Tiana shut her front door and crashed against it, her breath ragged.


    What did he mean by grandpa lying to her? What part of what grandpa said was a lie?


    He was clearly together with Claire, so how was it a lie?


    Tiana sighed, but she could not help thinking about why he had come all the way to see her. Should she listen to what he had to say?


    She thought but she quickly shook her head;


    What was the use? Nothing could happen between them again, he was with Claire now. Listening to him was just calling pain all over again. She had cried enough, she wasn''t about to start crying all over again.


    Tiana pulled herself from the door and retired to bed, shutting her eyes. She tried to sleep but she couldn''t, her ears were alert as though she was waiting to hear a knock on her front door, but throughout the night, no knock came. Tiana didn''t know when she finally fell asleep after long hours of waiting; she woke up by a few minutes past 10 the next morning.


    She stretched herself on her bed and yawned, still feeling weak, but her eyes hurled open when she remembered something and she jumped up and ran to the front door, pulling it open, she peeked outside.


    He was gone¡­


    Tiana''s heart sank when she saw that he was not there, she pouted with annoyance and pulled herself back into the house. Why did he bother trying to climb over her gate when he could leave so easily without a fight?


    She hissed, slamming her door close angrily.


    Going back in, she hurriedly prepared for work; she had already received a text from Claire saying they would be going over the script by 12 pm, so she needed to be there early.


    Tiana locked her doors and stepped out of the house hurriedly, because of her busy schedule, she didn''t have the time to go for driving lessons anymore, so she had been taking Uber.


    Tiana stood outside her gate as she peeked at her phone, checking if the Uber she ordered had arrived, suddenly, a black van pulled up in front of her. She frowned wondering who it was, but before she could even say a word, the back of the van pulled open and two men in black jumped out and scooped her into the van. She opened her lips to scream, but it was tied instantly with a cloth, her eyes were covered next, and her hands were tied too.


    Tiana couldn''t believe what was happening. Who could have kidnapped her?


    Her mind thought of anyone capable of doing such and she could only think of one person.


    Nicklaus Howells!


    Why was he kidnapping her? Did he want to lock her up again?!


    Her face paled and she felt her breath ceasing; no¡­ she couldn''t go back to that place¡­ no¡­


    ''''Let me go! Let me go now! Please! '''' Her voice was muffled since it had cloth stuffed in it but she didn''t stop screaming. But no matter how much she shouted, no-one spoke to her. Tiana finally shut up when she got tired. There was nothing she could do anyway. Screaming was just going to drain her energy.


    Her closed eyes flung open when she felt the van come to a halt; she heard the men in the car move and push open the van; then jump out.


    ''''Where is she? '''' Tiana''s eyes widened when she heard the familiar voice and she started screaming; she knew it was him all along. Why did he kidnap her? Why won''t he let her go!


    Tiana screamed as she felt a strong pair of hands lift her up and toss her over his shoulders. His scent wafted into her nostrils and shock washed through her.


    Why was he carrying her? He had guards, why was he carrying her himself?


    Tiana could not get her head around any of it, but she didn''t struggle against him; she let him carry her into the house and up the stairs.


    She knew he was going to his room, but she did not fight. What was the use of fighting in the devils'' territory?


    Nicklaus dropped Tiana softly on a sofa in his room, his hands lifted to her eyes and he undid the band over them. Tiana''s eyes fluttered and they opened, locking in his. He was staring at her, passionately, and with great affection, which was a great contrast to the glare in Tiana''s eyes.


    ''''Hmm! '''' Tiana hummed, pushing her mouth forward, signaling him to untie her.


    Nicklaus untied her immediately but he hadn''t even finished taking off the cloth when Tiana burst out in anger;


    ''''How dare you! How dare you kidnap me! I am not going to serve you anymore! You can''t keep me hostage! Let me go now! Let me go at once!"


    Nicklaus stared at her threatening form spewing fire and brimstone and he smiled;


    This woman¡­ you talk too much¡­


    In the next second, he leaned down and covered her lips with his, shutting her up. Tiana''s eyes grew with shock. She was not expecting that at all. Her whole body calmed as though she had just been poured a bucket of water.


    Nicklaus held her neck and tilted his head deepening the kiss. He kissed her wildly without restrain, sucking on her tongue like it was his last breath. Tiana''s hands were tied, so she couldn''t do anything.


    Her eyes shut close as she got drunk in his kiss, unable to resist. She had longed for him so much that her brain shut down every atom of reason and let him take her. Instead of resisting, she found herself arching towards him, and kissing him back. After a long while, Nicklaus let go of her lips, and pecked her cheeks, then straightened himself.


    Tiana''s lashes fluttered and she blinked her eyes open; she looked up to him and her eyes drowned in his intense gaze and at that moment, she forgot how to speak. She just sat there staring at him with ragged breath and a flushed face, like a lost puppy.


    Nicklaus smiled and licked his lips;


    ''''Now you can listen to me. ''''

 Chapter 165 - I love you

    Tiana swallowed hard and she tried to glare at him, but her eyes had a mind of its own, instead of glaring, it stared at him puppy-dog-eyed.


    ''''Why did you kiss me? '''' She finally found her voice and asked;


    ''''I missed you. '''' Nicklaus replied, gazing at her with deep affection written in his eyes and a beautiful smile on his lips;


    Even when she didn''t want to, Tiana found herself blushing; ''''that was not my question; I said why did you kiss me? '''' she tried to raise her voice and sound firm but her voice came out breathy and soft as a result of the kiss, she gritted her teeth at her own silliness. She was really helpless in front of this man.


    ''''I love you,'''' Nicklaus said again, making Tiana''s blush deepen. He smiled and squatted before her, taking her tied hands in his;


    ''''Grandpa lied to you, Beautiful. I never chose to marry Claire. The truth is, he met you first before coming to me, and he told you I had already agreed to the marriage agreement which was only to get you to yield to his demand. And when he finally came to me, he told me you already agreed to leave me.


    I was shattered, I couldn''t believe it, and so I ran home to you. But when I got here, you were long gone. I couldn''t come to you that night because I made a deal with Grandpa to settle in issue in the company within 24 hours, unless the company would be given to my Uncle, Douglas, so I had to work hard to solve the issue because I didn''t want to take grandpa''s offer.


    I came to you right after that, but you didn''t want to see me anymore; you said you hated me, and I didn''t even know where I went wrong. '''' Nicklaus stopped; a smile found its way to his lips as he took her tied hand and kissed them.


    Tiana''s heart was beating rapidly now as all fluid drained from her face, she found it hard to breathe,


    ''''You¡­''''


    ''''I never stopped loving you Beautiful, and I meant it every time I said it, I knew you doubted me the more because I didn''t tell you about my sleep issues; the truth is that I did, but you didn''t believe me, I wanted to explain everything clearly to you that night before grandpa broke the news of the disaster at the company and because of that I forgot. I''m sorry, I''m truly sorry, but I never stopped loving you. Even when you said you hated me, I loved you more. These days without you have been hell for me, I don''t know how I survived up till now without you¡­ ''''


    Tiana shook her head as she tried to connect the dots; if he didn''t choose Claire then why was he with her?


    ''''If what you are saying is the truth, how then are you together with Claire? ''''


    She asked, her brows frowning in confusion.


    ''''I came over to your house a few days ago to see you, I couldn''t take the torture anymore so I wanted to put everything behind and ask that we start over, but¡­ when I got there, I found you in the arms of another man. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened at his words, she remembered she had hugged Liam a few days ago and she cursed under her breath;


    ''''At that moment, the pain was unbearable, seeing you in the arms of another man¡­ knowing that you could never be with me anymore, I was shattered. Before this, Claire had come to me, and although I didn''t love her, I knew I had to let you go. I thought if I got together with another woman, I would forget you, but when I saw you at the gala¡­ Beautiful, I knew, I just knew, there was no escaping from you. I never, even for one second, stopped loving you beautiful. We''ve been forced apart by some misunderstanding but we can start all over. Please, let''s start over, I promise there would be no secrets between us anymore, we can make this work¡­''''


    Tiana gulped; everything was happening so fast that she could not even think straight anymore;


    ''''You¡­ don''t love Claire? '''' She asked, her heart still racing rapidly; she couldn''t believe it was possible for someone not to like Claire; she was a complete package, perfect in all ramifications.


    Nicklaus shook his head; ''''I''ve fallen for only one person in this universe and that is you, beautiful. ''''


    ''''Did you¡­ kiss? '''' her voice trembled, as though she was afraid of what his reply would be, he might not have fallen for her, but he might have kissed her.


    Nicklaus kissed her hands again; ''''Beautiful, we haven''t done any of those things; I have only talked to her and nothing more. ''''


    Tiana''s smiled a little, and looked down on her hands;


    ''''I hugged him because I was so vulnerable, I just got to know that you were dating Claire, and I needed someone to cry to, I couldn''t take the pain, so I called him. I''m not going out with him yet, we just wanted to know if it would work between us, and that hug, that is the most intimate way I have been with him. I''m sorry, I should have trusted you more, I should have asked you, but I was scared. I was so scared of what you would say. I was scared that you would tell me you just used me to my face, I knew I couldn''t take the pain, so I didn''t ask. I''m so sorry¡­ '''' Her eyes clouded with tears, as she remembered all the hurtful words she had said to him that night. She couldn''t imagine how broken he must have felt.


    Nicklaus cupped her cheeks with both hands, shaking his head ''''No, you don''t have to apologize, it was not your fault, Beautiful, it was not your fault, maybe everything happened for a reason. We should let the past go now, and look on the brighter side, okay? '''' his eyes searched hers as though looking for answers; Tiana nodded;


    ''''Okay, God, I missed you, so so much, it was unbearable!'''' She cried and lifted her hands to touch him but realized she was still tied;


    ''''Oh; '''' Nicklaus exclaimed when he saw her tied hands, and he undid it quickly.


    Tiana wrapped her arms around him and kissed him all over the face; ''''I love you, so much! Do you know how hard it was for me without you? '''' She cried as she kissed him, her hands slid up to his thick hair and she pulled.


    ''''I''m sorry, I won''t let anyone or anything come between us again, I promise. ''''


    Nicklaus reassured, pecking her lips, she pulled him closer and deepened the kiss, kissing him like she was starved because she actually was. She had dreamt of kissing him like this, a countless number of times and now she was doing it, she couldn''t get enough. Her hands hugged him tight as she continued to suck on him like he was her last breathe. Nicklaus groaned as he stood up halfway, making her lie on the couch, and he straddled her, all the while their lips not breaking.

 Chapter 166 - Who said you arent enough for me?

    They kissed for the longest time when suddenly, Tiana remembered something and broke away from the kiss, slapping him lightly across the face.


    Nicklaus''s eyes flung open in shock; he looked down at her with surprise,


    ''''what¡­ what did I do? ''''


    The slap didn''t hurt at all, but the glare in her eyes made him scared;


    ''''Why did you kidnap me? '''' She glared at him trying to look angry, but her expression which was flushed s.e.xily was not helping;


    ''''Uh, I tried to talk to you but you didn''t want to listen to me, I''m sorry, I told my men not to hurt you, did they? ''''


    He asked, caressing her cheeks, his eyes hovering over her swollen lips, itching to kiss them again. Tiana pouted, even though they had kidnapped her, they didn''t manhandle her, even the binds they used on her were very light, if she struggled some more, she would have broken free, but that didn''t mean she was going to let him go free.


    ''''You should have sent me a text or something¡­ ''''


    ''''Oh¡­ '''' Nicklaus scratched his head; how did he forget that? ''''Um, I''m very sorry, it won''t happen again, that moment; I wasn''t thinking properly, all I wanted and all I could think of was seeing you. ''''


    Tiana smiled as his words softened her heart, she could not even get angry with him; her hands wrapped around his neck and pulled him closer, kissing his lips again;


    ''''I love you, '''' she whispered, ''''I love you more, beautiful. ''''


    Nicklaus deepened the kiss, seizing her breath such that she didn''t know which air she was taking; after a long while, his lips left hers and slipped down her neck, sucking on every inch of her skin;


    Tiana m.o.a.ned as her hands caressed his back; she pulled at his hair and let him take off her shirt, her full b.r.e.a.s.ts slightly covered in a thin lace bra arched forward, itching for him to touch.


    ''''Damn! '''' Nicklaus groaned as his hands slid up to her bosoms and he caressed her b.r.e.a.s.ts. The ink on her bosoms looked incredibly s.e.xy now, Nicklaus almost lost his sanity. He had dreamed of this body every night; her skin forever implanted in his brain, and right at that moment, he didn''t think anything on earth could quench the flames inside of him. In a flash, his hands slipped under her to take off her bra, but suddenly Tiana stopped him;


    ''''Wa¡­ it. Wait¡­ '''' ''Nicklaus''s motions stopped and his Adam''s apple bobbled; he turned to her, looking frustrated, ''''what''s wrong? ''''


    ''''I¡­ I am on my period. ''''


    '''' ''''


    ''''What? '''' Nicklaus''s face drained of all color as his eyes widened with shock; the woman under his was irresistibly s.e.xy and coupled with the long months of abstinence, Nicklaus almost saw death coming;


    ''''Uh, it started yesterday; I just remembered now, soriee! '''' She pouted as she made puppy dog eyes at him. Due to the excitement, she had forgotten that she was on her period, it was just then when he was about to take off her bra that she remembered. She wanted to make love to him badly, but not when she was on her flow. ''''


    Nicklaus groaned and shut his eyes, calming his nerves; he pulled them open again and looked at her,


    ''''How many days is it? ''''


    ''''Five days, it''s just three days more. '''' She smiled at him, her hands caressing his arms as though consoling him;


    ''''That is not helping at all. '''' He groaned standing up from her and picking her shirt lying on the rug and gave it to her, and Tiana put in back on; her eyes fell on his budge in his trousers and she chuckled;


    ''''Just wait a while more, or I can help you get it off. '''' She smiled sheepishly, but Nicklaus shook his head. They''ve been apart for very long, he didn''t want their first intimate act to be that.


    ''''It''s okay, I can manage. '''' Tiana smiled when she saw how hard he was trying to quench the flames inside of him. Standing up, she closed the gap between them and hugged him;


    ''''I missed you so much! '''' She breathed out heavily, hugging him tightly, not wanting to let go. She missed hugging him like this.


    Nicklaus smiled and hugged her back; ''''I missed you too, Beautiful. I almost went crazy, it was hell without you. ''''


    He whispered, burying his head in the crook of her neck; they hugged for a long time, and Nicklaus froze when he felt wetness on his shoulders;


    ''''beautiful¡­ are you crying? ''''


    He felt his heart squeeze at that thought, and he tried to lift up her head, but Tiana refused, hugging him tighter than before. A painful sigh left his lips and he swallowed;


    ''''Beautiful, I''m so sorry for all the pain you had to go through. I promise you, I won''t let any harm come to you ever again. I promise. ''''


    At that moment, he wished he could take away every pain she ever felt, all the hurt, tears, sadness; he wished he could wash it all away. He could not bear to think that she had cried so much because of him, it was mind shattering.


    He felt her body vibrate against his, and she spoke;


    ''''I love you so much, Nicklaus. I mean it. I don''t know if this would work between us because I know you''re from a different circle and I am not enough for you, but I don''t want to let go, because I can''t. I can''t stop loving you. I wish I''m not like this, but I can''t help it, I can''t¡­ ''''


    Tiana''s words were cut short as Nicklaus covered her lips in a passionate kiss. He kissed her softly, as though telling her how much he wanted her too.


    When they finally broke away, they were both panting.


    Nicklaus gazed at the woman in front of him, his heart softening. He raised his thumbs and wiped her tears;


    ''''Beautiful, you overthink too much. Who said you are not enough for me? ''''

 Chapter 167 - Things she didnt know

    ''''Beautiful, you overthink too much. Who said you are not enough for me? ''''


    Nicklaus held her cheeks with both hands as he stared into her deep blue eyes. Her eyes clouded and she shut them, not wanting to look at him;


    ''''If I was good enough, grandpa wouldn''t have tried to separate us,'''' she replied courageously; that was the truth, if she was actually good enough for him, grandpa wouldn''t have thought of breaking them apart. She was a nobody, from a no-background and she would never be good enough for him because she had nothing to offer.


    Nicklaus heaved a deep sigh;


    ''''Look at me, Beautiful. '''' He said but Tiana kept her eyes down; ''''Beautiful, please¡­ ''''


    Tiana'' throat tightened but she forced her eyes open and looked at him; ''''I alone can say if you''re good enough for me or not, and I''m telling you now that you''re the only one I would ever be with, and no-one can unsay that, okay? I don''t want you overthinking things anymore. If something is bothering you, I want you to talk to me; I won''t let you get hurt anymore, and the last thing I ever wish for is me being the reason for your sadness. I love you beautiful, and i can''t be more honest than this. ''''


    Nicklaus concluded, his breathing a little fast, Tiana raised her hands and held his arms; ''''I''m sorry for doubting you, I love you. ''''


    With all that happened, she couldn''t help feeling insecure, and his reassurance was all she needed. She hugged him again. Nicklaus kissed her forehead as they remained in each other''s arms. Tiana smiled as she realized something, the only time she had felt completely safe was in Nicklaus''s arms.


    ''''What are we going to do about Claire? '''' she asked after a long while. She felt a tight squeeze at her heart, knowing that her friendship with Claire might come to ruins now. She wished it wasn''t Claire, she wished it was someone else she didn''t know, it hurt really bad, how would she even bear to look at her?


    Claire was a sweet soul and from how she spoke about Nicklaus, she knew she liked him. But she was selfish too, even though she valued their friendship, she couldn''t let Nicklaus go, not after she found out that he was in love with her and everything was just a misunderstanding.


    She knew Claire could end her career in the industry, but she would still be happy with just being able to look at Nicklaus, hug him, hold him, and kiss him. It was more than enough for her. He was her world and she could give anything, anything to be with him.


    Nicklaus caressed her back, kissing her temples; ''''I''ll talk to her. ''''


    ''''What if she doesn''t forgive me? '''' Tiana asked, feeling sad. She liked Claire a lot; she wished their friendship would not end because of this. But it was a more selfish thing to ask, she cannot eat her cake and expect to have it back.


    ''''We were just getting to know each other, there''s no way she would hate you so much for something that was not your fault, don''t think about it too much, okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded, heaving a long sigh. How was she even going to tell Liam that she was back with Nicklaus and she was no longer interested in their deal?


    Tiana mentally cursed; if she had met Nicklaus a little sooner, then they wouldn''t be in this complicated mess now. She knew Liam liked her but she wasn''t sure how much, she wished he would be happy for her and let her go, but she wasn''t sure of that either. Even though she hadn''t been with Liam for long, from the little time she had spent with him, he seemed like a complicated person. He wasn''t easy to read, so she didn''t know how he''ll take it.


    ''''Beautiful, how much do you know Liam? '''' Nicklaus asked when he remembered something and Tiana shrugged;


    ''''I met him once a long time ago, but we reconnected again recently, we''ve not really hung out a lot, so I don''t know anything about him or his family yet. Is there any problem? '''' She asked, lifting her head to look at him, with creased brows.


    Nicklaus smiled; '''' did you have breakfast? '''' Tiana shook her head;


    ''''Good, we''ll talk over a meal, let''s go. ''''


    Nicklaus took her hand and led her to the dining table, where the meal was already set. He pulled out a chair and Tiana sat down before he took his own seat.


    ''''Beautiful, there''s a lot you don''t know about me, and I''m going to tell you everything now. ''''


    Tiana gulped, ''''Okay, I hope it isn''t very scary. '''' She chuckled, but Nicklaus smiled, he opened the jar of juice and poured it onto a cup, and gave it to her;


    ''''My whole family was killed in front of me when I was eight. '''' The fork in Tiana''s hand fell and it made a cringing sound as it made contact with the floor. All color drained from her face as she stared at him, wide-eyed and in shock;


    ''''what?! ''''


    ...


    Catherine was standing, staring outside the window of her office, her face looking like she just stepped out of a furnace. Her fingers dug into a picture on her hand, and her jaws clenched with extreme rage.


    Just that moment, Liam walked into the office.


    ''''Mom, you sent for me? '''' He asked, creasing his brows. Catherine turned and walked to him, and with a flash, two heavy slaps on his both face.


    ''''How dare you! ''''


    Liam held his face; his eyes wide open in shock. Before he could ask what he did wrong, Catherine tossed the picture to his face.


    ''''How could you? How could you go after Nicklaus''s woman? As if that was not enough, you sat with him on the same table, are you that thoughtless and stupid? ''''


    Her voice resonated in the room as she scolded Liam, anger written all over her face. Liam lifted his eyes from the picture and looked at his mother;


    ''''Mother, they are no longer together¡­ ''''


    ''''Shut up! Shut the f.u.c.k up! I told you not to let him see you, I told you how important it is to keep your identity hidden, but what did you do? You walked right into the devil''s den and you think he didn''t see the resemblance between the both of you? ''''


    Catherine screamed angrily; ''''Mother, we are outside, you need to stop screaming¡­ ''''


    Liam warned, but what he didn''t know was that someone had already heard them.

 Chapter 168 - A pawn in her hands

    Michael stood outside the Chairlady''s office, his hands shaky. His face looked like he had come face to face with death as it was drained of all color. The last thing he expected to hear was Liam calling Catherine ''Mom''.


    There had always been that connection but he chose to ignore it, he chose not to doubt Catherine even when everything pointed that she had lied to him. At that moment in front of her office, he connected the lines. Liam was Catherine''s son, whom she had kept away because she didn''t want Nicklaus to find out about him, for reasons he didn''t know. She adopted him, in Liam''s stead; she took care of him like her own son and made him the CEO, so any harm that wanted to come to Liam would be borne by him. He was just a pawn in her hands, one that she would surely get rid of when she didn''t need him anymore.


    Michael''s hands fisted on his sides, and he turned around painfully. He knew how wicked Catherine was but he had always expected that she would be different to him, for over 15 years of living together, how did he not know that he was just a pawn? He had worked hard just to please this woman, but every single thing he did was just making a bed for Liam to lie on. He was his shield, a bulletproof, adopted to take every pain that could ever come to Liam, how pathetic!


    Michael''s throat tightened as he walked away from the door and to his office, his eyes clouding. Now he knew why she didn''t want him out of her sight; now he knew why she wanted him to remain in her home. It wasn''t because she loved him, it wasn''t because she cared, it was just to be a perfect cover for Liam. A fool he had been all these while.


    But he couldn''t go to her and tell her what he found out. She was only keeping him alive because she needed him, if she found out he knew, she would kill him. Catherine Wills never showed mercy, she was a ruthless person; he had seen her ruthlessness on many occasions.


    But what would he do? Would he remain a slave to them until they needed him no more? Or should he run away with the money he has and start a life in another country?


    Michael sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. He had always lived his life so freely and casually, not knowing that his life had always been in her hands. Even if he ran to the artic, she would find him there and rip out his soul. That was who Catherine Wills was, once she set her eyes on you, you are as good as dead.


    ¡­


    Tiana covered her face with both hands as she wiped the tears away from it. She didn''t know Nicklaus had gone through so much pain; to watch your parents slowly slip away in front of you, when you could do nothing about it, that was the most painful thing that could ever happen to a child. A child of eight! God, she cannot even imagine how growing up with all those nightmares was. Without anyone to talk to, anyone to lean on, it must have been terrible.


    ''''God, I''m so sorry. '''' She reached out to hold him, and squeeze his hand.


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''It''s okay; it''s a long time ago. ''''


    Tiana hiccupped; ''''Did¡­ did you see the person''s face? Did you see the face of the killer? '''' Nicklaus''s throat clenched as a wicked glint flashed through his eyes; ''''Yes, I did.''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened in shock, ''''who was it? Who were they? '''' her heart slammed against her chest painfully,


    ''''Beautiful, it''s really complicated, but I''ll do my best to explain it to you. The person who killed my parents is still walking free. She was my father''s secretary and when he was alive. She was obsessed with my father and when she got to know that he was to marry my mom, she drugged him and slept with him, so she could have a baby with him and make him marry her. But when my father realized what she had done, he didn''t still want her, rather, he paid her off with a company and a huge lot of money to take care of her baby and never return again. But she was not satisfied, she wanted my father and since she couldn''t get him, she decided to go after his company, and the only way to do that was to eliminate the entire family, which in turn makes her son the next heir to the Howells Corporation.


    But her plan failed when she couldn''t find me, and ever since, she had been under tight security, knowing that her plot must have leaked one way or the other.


    ''''Why is she still walking free? Why didn''t you report her? '''' Tiana asked, rage coursing through her, she couldn''t believe someone capable of such wickedness could still be walking the face of the earth!


    ''''I was scared at that time, and then I didn''t know her, but as I grew up and found out who she was, I knew it would be better to have my revenge myself. The laws would do no justice to the pain and anguish I went through for years on end. ''''


    Nicklaus only knew he was gripping the glass cup hard when Tiana''s palm covered his, caressing it. He eased his palm and tried to calm himself.


    ''''So this is why you find it difficult to sleep¡­ '''' Tiana said to herself, feeling guilty that she had accused him of using her; she even called him a monster.


    She felt like slapping herself on the face. What kind of a person was she?


    Her lips thinned and she hugged Nicklaus comfortingly;


    ''''I''m sorry for all the harsh words I said to you, I wish I knew this earlier, but then it doesn''t justify my actions, I''m so ashamed right now. '''' she buried her face deep in his chest, and Nicklaus kissed her hair.

 Chapter 169 - Im stuck with you!

    ''''You did nothing wrong by acting the way you did, anyone could have done the same in your position, given the circ.u.mstances surrounding it, so I don''t blame you, okay?''''


    After a long while, Tiana nodded. ''''I know, but I still feel guilty, instead of taking your pain away, I doubled it, I''m such a bad person. ''''


    Nicklaus sighed; ''''I''m fine now that you are here. I can''t even remember any of the pain I felt.''''


    Tiana raised her head to look at him, and when she saw that he meant what he said, she nodded.


    ''''Okay. So when are we catching this woman? '''' A smile stretched Nicklaus''s lips and he leaned in and pecked her on the lips; he liked the way she said ''we'' instead of ''you'', like his problem was hers, and she was ready to fight with him to the end.


    ''''I''m not through with my story yet. '''' He said and Tiana nodded, as though telling him to continue.


    ''''So after my parents death, the Howells Corporation was handed over to my Uncle to take care of till I come of age. That was my grandfather''s undoing. His second son was the next in line to be the CEO of the company, should anything happen to me, and he had given it to him to look over. I was little at that time, so I didn''t understand the implications of what he had done until I had come of age. Although he was paid for every single day he spent overlooking the interests of the corporation, it was natural to want more, so the problem came when I was old enough to take back the company. Douglas refused to hand it over and that caused a huge disagreement in the family. Long story short, Grandpa finally made him give over the company, but that did not mean he didn''t still want it. He had been fighting ways to get it back, and he had orchestrated the last havoc that happened in the company, in a bid to do so.''''


    Tiana''s eyes were wide open as Nicklaus explained everything to her in details. There was really a lot she didn''t know. She had suspected that there was something off in the family, but she couldn''t point it out exactly, but it all made sense now, it finally made sense.


    ''''So Beautiful, I''m fighting a lot of enemies, whose only way of getting what they want is by eliminating me, that''s why I''m fully guarded all the time, and even when it seems like I''m alone, my guards are hidden in the corners. Catherine Wills, she wants her son to inherit the Howells Corporation, and that was why she tried to kill every person down to the last on that day, but because she couldn''t find me, her plans were quashed, but that does not mean that she had given up yet. She would use any means possible to kill me, and I''m afraid now that I have you. ''''


    Nicklaus rubbed her cheeks with his thumb, pain in his eyes, I have to protect you with everything in me, and that is why we can''t go public yet. You are my weakness, and if any of them gets my weakness, I''m done for. ''''


    Nicklaus''s throat tightened as he explained to her. He had always been scared of falling for her, but he couldn''t help it, the heart wants what it wants. He couldn''t imagine any hurt coming to her; she was the only person who kept him going. She was actually the only person in his entire world that made him smile, and he was going to wreak havoc on any soul that tried to hurt her;


    ''''Baby, the only time I''m weak is when I''m in love, I do stupid things for love, but aside that, I''m a very strong woman. You don''t have to be afraid, I''m going to stand by you through thick and thin, and we''re going to pass this hurdle together. Okay? ''''


    Tiana reassured with a smile, as her hand covered his that were on her face;


    ''''Alright¡­ '''' Nicklaus smiled, taking her hand and kissing the insides of her palm;


    ''''So this woman, who is she? Do I know her? '''' Tiana asked curiously;


    Nicklaus shook his head, ''''No, you don''t¡­ '''' He stopped for a second, as though thinking about something; ''''Liam, he looks a lot like my father. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened at the revelation; ''''¡­what? '''' Nicklaus frowned as his eyes wandered;


    ''''He says he''s Liam Anderson, but Catherine''s last name is Wills and I know her son, Michael Wills, so I''m really confused, how would someone who is not related look so much like my father, the similarities were too much to ignore. ''''


    Nicklaus said and Tiana nodded; ''''Yeah, the first time I met him, I said the same thing to him, but he told me he wasn''t related to you, and that people said that to him a lot. But then, if he was Catherine''s son, he wouldn''t want you to know, would he? ''''


    Tiana asked, and Nicklaus''s eyes narrowed; Catherine was a smart woman, her son was her only card, it would be stupid of her to let him in the open the way she did with Michael, someone like her would keep him hidden away so no harm would come to him.


    Nicklaus tilted his head to the side, and he thought, after a while, he stood up and quickly rushed to his room, Tiana followed immediately;


    ''Do a thorough investigation on Michael Wills, and look into the man I asked you of yesterday, and check if there are any connections with Catherine Wills.''


    Tiana stood before him as she watched him speak to someone on the phone after a moment; he ended the call and turned to her;


    ''''Beautiful, I''m doing an investigation on Liam; I strongly feel that there are connections between him and Catherine Wills, but I''m not sure. ''''


    Tiana nodded; her eyes watched him for a moment, and when she saw he was looking troubled, she hugged him comfortingly.


    ''''Everything would be alright okay? Don''t worry, I''m never going to leave you again, even if you don''t want me anymore, I''m not going to go, I''m stuck with you now. ''''


    Nicklaus laugh rang in the room when he heard her. This woman, how was she so cute.

 Chapter 170 - Lets start over

    ''''Oh my god, I''m late for work! '''' Tiana exclaimed, jumping out of bed when she realized she had been carried away with everything that happened and had forgotten about going to work.


    They finished eating breakfast and had snuggled in bed, talking about random things. It wasn''t until her eyes swept past the wall clock that she saw the time.


    Nicklaus stood up and helped her put on her shirt.


    ''''Uh¡­ when are you moving in? '''' he asked, not looking in her eyes. Tiana saw the faint blush on his cheeks and she smiled;


    ''''I don''t know, I made a deal with Grandpa not to see you again, so we have to settle with him first, I can''t just move back in like nothing happened. ''''


    ''''That is not a problem, I''ll talk to him. '''' He paused for a second; ''''How much did he give you? '''' His eyes rose to hers as he wondered;


    Tiana raised her hand and showed him her five fingers;


    ''''Five hundred million? ''''


    Tiana''s laugh resonated in the room; ''''What, no!''''


    ''''Okay fifty Million? '''' Nicklaus asked again, surely, she wouldn''t accept anything less than that¡­


    ''''No just five million. '''' Nicklaus''s thoughts were cut short by her words and his eyes widened instantly;


    ''''Wha¡­ what?! You left me for five million?! '''' his face drained of all color as he watched the laughing woman in front of him. ''''Is that my worth?''''


    Tiana shook her head immediately; ''''No, no, far from that. You know I was sad and angry then, so I wasn''t even thinking straight, I just took what was offered and left. Tsh, now I think about it, I should have asked for more, you''re the heir to a multi-billion dollar company, I should have received up-to five hundred million to leave you, I was surely underpaid!''''


    Tiana grinned as she laughed jokingly,


    ''''So¡­ what am I worth to you? '''' Nicklaus asked; walking back to her;


    ''''Uh? ''''


    ''''I mean, all things being equal, how much would you take to leave me? ''''


    Tiana chuckled; ''''Why would I leave for some sum, when I can have all? '''' she asked grinning;


    ''''If someone offers me money to leave you, it means that you''re a very significant person, more important than any amount of money willing to offer, so I''m not gonna leave, no, I''m not that stupid. ''''


    Nicklaus pinched her nose, ''''Silly! ''''


    Tiana smiled, and then reached up and kissed him on the lips briefly and looking into his eyes, she spoke;


    ''''Even if I''m offered all the money in the world to leave you, as long as you want to be with me, I''m not going to leave, what is money worth when you can never be happy? I''ll choose a hundred years with you, than a thousand years without you. ''''


    A faint blush tainted Nicklaus''s cheeks, raising his hand, he cupped her face; ''''you''re making me love you more Beautiful, at this rate, I won''t be able to breathe without you. ''''


    Tiana laughed, looking back into his eyes.


    ''''I love you. '''' Nicklaus pecked her severally on the lips, kissing it finally before pulling away.


    Tiana pouted her lips; ''''I''ll move in today, but I''m going back downstairs. ''''


    Nicklaus''s brows creased; ''''why? ''''


    ''''Because I want us to start all over, I should have asked that I don''t live with you at all, but you''ll be overly worried, so I''ll just go back downstairs. Let''s start all over, you''ll ask me out properly and we''ll go to dates like normal couples do, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''I love that. Let''s do that. '''' He understood her. The foundation of their relationship was badly made, so she was right to want to start afresh.


    ''''we''ll move in when I come back, I have to go to work now, don''t miss me too much. ''''


    ''''Too late, because I''m already missing you too much. ''''


    Nicklaus groaned and she chuckled; '''' don???t worry, I''ll try to come back early. I shouldn''t tell Claire about us yet, right?''''


    Nicklaus thought for a moment; ''''No, let me do it. She should hear it from me first. ''''


    He said and held her hand, taking her downstairs. Nicklaus gave her a final kiss before telling his guards to take her to the company.


    ¡­.


    ''''You''re late,'''' Claire said, trying to sound angry but the smile on her face gave her away. Tiana forced a smile, just seeing Claire made her feel like a bad person;


    ''''I''m sorry, I woke up late. '''' Tiana explained, but she didn''t understand that there was a hidden meaning to her words until Claire exclaimed;


    ''''Oh wow, seems someone was busy throughout the night. '''' Claire grinned, tapping on the couch beside her, signaling Tiana to sit.


    ''''Liam very good looking; you didn''t tell me you had a boyfriend? ''''


    ''''Uh, he''s not my boyfriend¡­ '''' Tiana smiled awkwardly, she didn''t know how to explain the situation to Claire, she would just wait for Nicklaus to tell her herself, they might never be friends again, but at least she would have a free conscience.


    Claire laughed; ''''you don''t have to be shy, he''s good looking, and the two of you look good together. '''' she smiled, trying to make Tiana feel comfortable talking about him to her.


    Tiana felt her stomach churn at Claire''s words; she wished the discussion would just end because she couldn''t take the guilt feeling anymore, thankfully, Leo walked into the office with a file in his hands;


    ''''Tiana, you''re here. '''' He smiled at her, and she apologized immediately;


    ''''I''m sorry for coming late. ''''


    ''''Oh, don''t worry, you''re right on time, the script just arrived now,'''' he said, waving the file on his hand.


    Tiana opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted when the door to the office flung open and Larissa walked in.


    She held her head up high as she stepped into the office, not bothering to greet, she walked straight to a couch and sat down.


    The room turned quiet at her grand entrance, suddenly Claire cleared her throat.


    ''''Tiana, Larissa would be joining us, the director would be here soon, but for now, Leo would brief us on the script. ''''

 Chapter 171 - She wont go scot free

    Larissa didn''t speak; she was eating gum and glaring at Tiana, if her eyes were a gun, Tiana would have been dead meat. But Tiana had a smile on her face, as though she was just meeting Larissa for the first time.


    Leo shared the scripts and they looked through it in silence. Suddenly the door opened again and the director, a short man in his forties walked in.


    ¡­


    Tiana stepped out of the company, a few minutes past three; she was famished but the last thing she wanted to do now, was eating without Nicklaus. Her eyes fell on Nicklaus''s guards, who were standing beside the black car and she wondered if they''ve been there all the while. Just when she was about to enter the car, her phone started ringing. She quickly took it out of her bag and her throat tightened when she saw the caller.


    Liam¡­


    Should she tell him? Tiana wondered as she watched the call ring. Before she could answer the call, it ended. It rang for the second time, and Tiana swiped, picking it up.


    ''''Tiana, how are you? Sorry for not calling earlier, had a tight schedule. ''''


    Liam apologized, ''''I''m fine, it''s okay, you don''t need to worry. ''''


    ''''Alright, I''m just passing by your agency, are you still there? ''''


    Tiana''s brows creased; maybe she should just tell him and get it over with. There was no use dragging it on. It was best she ended things with him early.


    ''''Yeah, I am. ''''


    '''' Oh that''s great, I''ll drive-in. ''''


    ''''Alright; '''' Tiana ended the call and turned to the guards; ''''Give me a minute ''''


    They nodded and she walked away from the car, just then, a black Maserati drove in, and stopped right in front of her.


    Liam wound down the glass and smiled at her; ''''Hop in, let me drive you home. ''''


    Tiana beamed at him, ''''I''m not through at the company, do you have spare time? We need to talk. ''''


    She added immediately and the smile on Liam''s face drained, he suddenly had a bad feeling about what she was going to say.


    ''''Alright ''''


    He replied rigidly, stepping out of the car. Tiana led them to the company''s cafeteria.


    ''''Do you want anything? '''' Liam asked, as they sat down but Tiana shook her head.


    ''''No, thank you, I just ate. '''' She rejected politely.


    ''''Okay, so what do you want to tell me? '''' he asked, a smile on his face.


    Tiana swallowed, she didn''t like how things turned out. If Nicklaus met her a little sooner, they wouldn''t be in such a mess. Now, she wasn''t sure how Liam was going to take the news. She had raised his hopes up only to dash it to the floor. Tiana felt bad but there was nothing she could do about it.


    ''''I¡­ I am back together with Nicklaus. ''''


    Her hands fisted on her laps as she finally said the words. Her heart slammed against her chest and she lifted her eyes to look at him. Liam was watching her quietly, his face devoid of any emotion.


    Tiana gulped and her eyes wandered; ''''I found out that everything was just a misunderstanding, so we''re back together again. I''m sorry for raising your hopes up high, I didn''t think it would happen this way, but it did. I don''t want you to waste your time anymore, so I wanted to make things clear. ''''


    She explained; she didn''t know how she found her courage but she found herself saying the words. Liam raised his hand to his beards and he rubbed on it, his eyes staring intently at her.


    ''''Do you love him? '''' He asked, and Tiana nodded;


    Liam smiled; ''''Then it''s fine. I told you I wanted to be a friend, I just wanted to help in any way I can. I''m glad you''re happy. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened at his reply, she wasn''t expecting him to let go easily; ''''Thank you, thank you, I was really scared by how you would feel about it, knowing that we just started trying if it would work out between us. ''''


    ''''Ah, I''m not that complicated, I care about your happiness, and I''m glad that you have found it. ''''


    ''''Thank you, Liam, I really appreciate this, you''re a nice person, I''m sure you''ll find someone soon.'''' Liam laughed; ''''yeah, I hope so too. ''''


    Tiana waved Liam goodbye when they got outside before she entered the car and drove off.


    Liam watched the car disappear into a distance before the smile on his face disappeared, and his eyes became dark.


    Who did she think he was, Santa Claus? She just used him and when she was done, she left him and walked back into the arms of her lover.


    A hoarse laugh seethed out of his lips.


    Even when his mother raged at him, he didn''t feel any remorse because he thought he had her, but now, he felt like the worst fool on planet earth.


    She had made Nicklaus discover him and then she left him without single remorse.


    No, he wasn''t going to let her go scot-free. A wicked smile slanted Liam''s lips.


    She didn''t know who she was messing with! If she thinks she would ruin him and get away with it; then she was wrong, he was going to deal with her.


    ¡­


    Michael walked into the sitting room with a tray of fruits. His eyes glanced at Catherine who was sitting on a couch, reading some papers; then he took the fruits to her, placing it on a stool beside her;


    ''''Mom, have some fruits. ''''


    Catherine hummed but did not look at him. After some time, her brows creased when she saw that he was still sitting beside her;


    ''''Do you want to discuss something with me? ''''


    Catherine asked, turning to him.


    Michael nodded; ''''Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about moving out. ''''


    Catherine''s face turned dark at his words and she shifted her eyes back to the magazine in her hands;


    ''''I''ll be stopping by once in a while, but I just want to have a place of my own, I''ll make sure I don''t stay very far away. ''''


    ''''Okay, if that is what you want. ''''


    Michael''s eyes widened at her words, he wasn''t expecting her to agree, and so quickly.

 Chapter 172 - Do you want to have s.e.x with me?

    ''''As long as you don''t leave the country, it is fine, I can''t make you live with me forever.''''


    Catherine replied halfheartedly; Michael stared at her for a moment then he nodded ''''Thank you. '''' Standing, he spoke; ''''I''ll be going now.'''' he waited a while but there was no response from her, so he turned and walked out of the parlor, his head low.


    He was glad that she let him leave, but he was sad too. Sad that she didn''t need him anymore, about two years ago, when he had asked her to let him go, she refused and begged him to stay with her, but now she barely glanced at him as she told him to leave.


    He had never felt so unwanted in his entire life. Although he was the current CEO of Warren Corporation, he knew he was just standing in for Liam, he didn''t know what issues they had with Nicklaus but he was sure that once they had resolved it, they wouldn''t need him anymore. Michael didn''t want to think of his fate when they didn''t need him anymore.


    ¡­


    Tiana''s phone vibrated in her bag and she took it out; it was a message on her Whatsapp. She only started chatting frequently on Whatsapp when she joined the company; Claire is a very chatty person, so there was always a message or two from her every day.


    Tiana''s brows creased when she saw it was a message from an unknown contact; she quickly tapped on it.


    ''Beautiful, are you done at the company?''


    Tiana''s lips curved into a smile when she saw that name ''Beautiful'', no matter how many times she heard it, it always made her feel butterflies in her stomach, maybe, it was because of the way he said it; he made it sound as though she was the only beautiful thing on the entire universe.


    Quickly she texted him back; ''yeah, I''m coming back home now, but I would stop by my place and get some stuff.''


    After sending the message, she quickly saved his name with ''My baby''


    Her phone vibrated again and she saw that he had texted her back;


    ''Okay, I''m going to your house, will help you pack up.''


    ''Alright,'' Tiana typed; ''did you have lunch yet?''


    ''No, was waiting for you, so we''ll eat together.''


    Tiana blushed, this man, will she ever have enough of him?


    ''I missed you.'' she texted,


    ''I missed you too, love, waiting for you.''


    Tiana grinned as she stared at Nicklaus''s last text. This time last week, she was crying and hurting, never would she have thought that she would be so happy now. She was madly in love with this man, and there was no remedy, neither did she want to be remedied. If this was what love felt like, then she wouldn''t mind falling for him a thousand times.


    ¡­


    Diana sat in front of the night bar, her eyes dim_ well; she wasn''t sure which was dimmer, the bar she was in or her eyes. Today, the man she had waited her whole life just got married to the love of his life. He had invited her, and she didn''t want to go, but that day, she found herself dressing up and driving to his wedding.


    Throughout the drive, she continually asked herself what she was doing. She knew she shouldn''t be there, but she couldn''t stop herself from driving to the venue, neither could she stop herself from entering the auditorium.


    He was standing there, tears in his eyes as he watched his angel in white walk to him in calm steps. He was looking at only her like she was the only one in there. Even when she didn''t want to accept it, Diana knew he was in love with his bride.


    She stared at them as they said their vows, and as they kissed, she knew she had lost him. She looked down at her hands and she felt her eyes sting with painful tears, she didn''t want to be this sad anymore but she couldn''t help herself.


    She didn''t want to love him anymore, but even when he was with another woman; her heart still beats for him. Diana didn''t know how she finally left there, but she found herself, driving around Hollywood, for hours without end.


    When she was finally tired, she entered a nearby bar and started drinking.


    ''''One margarita on the rocks and two pints of Guinness, thank you ''''


    Michael said, sitting down in front of the bar. He couldn''t remember the last time he came here but today, he really needed to clear his head.


    ''''Here''s your order. '''' The bar attendant placed his drink in front of him, and Michael nodded.


    He raised the cup to his lips and downed a mouthful.


    Suddenly, his eyes flickered to the silhouette by his side. She was staring at the glass in front of her as though there was something captivating on it. Suddenly, she raised her hand and started drawing on it.


    Michael''s brows creased, and he supported his head with his elbow as he stared at her intently;


    He couldn''t see her face clearly, but she looked beautiful from his point of view. He didn''t know why he was just staring at her, maybe because he was too sad that anything fun could pique his interest.


    Suddenly she stopped and turned to him; ''''Can I have that? ''''


    Michael''s eyes widened in shock, who in hell asked strangers for their drink?


    ''''Oh, don''t mind me, I can order mine. Can I have this, please? ''''


    Her voice was groggy as she spoke to the barman, Michael realized she was drunk.


    ''''Ma''am, you already had five shots; you''re going to pass out at this rate. ''''


    The barman spoke, he should have just given her what she ordered but he feared she might pass out, and wouldn''t be able to go home, he couldn''t leave her passed out self here, and he wasn''t ready for the troubles of calling the cops. The best option was to keep her sane.


    ''''I can pay, and I''m not drunk, I have high alcohol tolerance. Get me what I asked for! ''''


    '''' don''t you think you''re too pretty to pass out in this bar? Look around, there are a lot of men waiting to take advantage of you, so don''t be crazy and stop drinking.''''


    Diana''s brows creased and she turned to the man by her side, her eyes locked in his for a moment, then suddenly she started checking him out. He looked handsome and he had broad shoulders, and nice beards, perfect!


    ''''Do you want to have s.e.x with me? ''''

 Chapter 173 - Stop undressing me with you eyes!

    ''''Do you want to have s.e.x with me?''''


    Michael nearly choked on his saliva; his eyes widened tremendously as he stared at the flushed faced woman in front of him.


    ''''I''m beautiful, and I have big b.o.o.b.s. Men like big b.o.o.b.s right?'''' Her eyes curved in crescents as she laughed; ''''and I''m¡­ '''' She leaned closer to whisper to Michael, who in turn drew back in shock;


    ''''¡­I''m a v.i.r.g.i.n, men like v.i.r.g.i.ns, don''t they?''''


    Michael''s lips fell open in shock and he turned to the bar man by his side, the man was as shocked as he was.


    Was she crazy?


    Diana laughed drowsily as she stumbled, almost falling, but Michael held her up.


    ''''Get hold of yourself woman, you''re in a public place! '''' He warned but the woman in his arms wasn''t buying any of it. She lifted her gaze to stare at him, after a while, a smile slanted her lips;


    ''''Wow, beautiful lips¡­ '''' Her hand lifted to touch them but Michael stopped her before she could come in contact with his lips. Diana laughed;


    ''''What? Are they for someone else? ''''


    Michael stared into her eyes not saying a word, he didn''t know what she was thinking but he knew she was in so much pain;


    Diana laughed, slapping him lightly on the arm;


    ''''Tsh, you''re no fun. Since you don''t want to have s.e.x with me, I''m going to find someone who does. '''' With that, she pulled herself away from his grip and stumbled to her feet. Michael watched her walk into the crowd, his heart slamming against his chest, he wanted to ignore her, since he didn''t know her, but he could not bring himself to.


    Shit!


    He cussed, standing up and going after her, she was already talking to another man when he reached her. Quickly, he pulled her by her and twirled her around, causing her to fall into him.


    Diana lifted her eyes and when she saw him, she smiled;


    ''''Oh, beautiful lips, you came back? Have you changed your mind? ''''


    The man she was talking to turned to look at Michael with creased brows;


    ''''Who are you? '''' he asked, wondering why he would pull the woman talking to him away.


    Michael thought for a moment, and then he looked at the beautiful woman in his arms,


    ''''She''s mine. '''' He glared at the man in front of him before holding Diana''s hand and dragging her out of the bar.


    ''''Wow, no-one has ever said that to me, ''she''s mine!'' uwuuu! I feel special!''''


    Diana laughed as she followed Michael, Michael took her to the car park, then he turned to her;


    ''''Do you want to die?'''' He scolded angrily, his eyes glaring down at her. He couldn''t understand how someone so pretty would walk into a bar and try to sleep with any man she came across. What if she didn''t meet him? What if she had met the wrong person?


    Diana pouted her lips as she stared at him puppy dog eyed;


    ''''What? I''m not a baby, and I''m not drunk, I just want to have s.e.x with you! What?! Am I not pretty? Why don''t you want me?!'''' she screamed at him, her voice shaky with tears, she was shouting, so people passing by could hear her, they all looked at Michael with disappointment on their faces. Michael tried to hide his face in embarrassment,


    How did he get into so much trouble?


    ''''Yah¡­ stop crying, '''' He tried to pat her back but Diana cried out more. Frustratingly, he dragged her to his car and placed her in. Sitting in the driver''s seat, he turned to her;


    ''''Where do you live, I''ll drop you ''''


    Since he was already in, he should just finish it up to the end. Diana shrugged;


    ''''Take me to your house. ''''


    Michael laughed; ''''Okay, enough with the jokes, where do you live, I can do you a favor... ''''


    ''''Aish, you talk too much; let''s just go to your house and f.u.c.k, what''s the big deal? ''''


    She creased her brows; ''''or you aren''t man enough?''''


    ''''What?! ''''


    Michael exclaimed in shock when he saw her eyes look down at his groin.


    ''''Woman, stop undressing me with your eyes!'''' He scolded, lifting her jaw up with his index finger.


    Diana smirked; ''''Ow, should I do it with my hands then? '''' she leaned to him and tried to touch him, but Michael held her hands; what kind of trouble did he get himself into?


    ''''Fine, fine, I could have done your wish but I don''t have a house.''''


    Diana frowned; ''''you are homeless? ''''


    ''''Yeah¡­ ''''


    ''''Tsk, what do we do? Let''s go to a hotel? '''' She beamed as she suggested;


    ''''Why don''t we go to your house, don''t you think you''ll be more comfortable there? '''' Diana grew quiet and then she looked at him with tears in her eyes;


    ''''I don''t want to go home. ''''


    Michael''s brows creased with worry; ''''what''s wrong? Hey, what happened? ''''


    He asked a thousand questions but there was no reply from her, suddenly her cries died out;


    She had fallen asleep¡­


    Michael laughed at himself for walking right into trouble. What was he going to do with a passed out woman in his car?!


    He ran his hand through his hair frustratingly, and then turned to look at her. She was very pretty, and she didn''t like a low class woman, from her branded clothes, to how she smelled, he knew she was from a noble family. He wondered what a woman of such class would be doing passed out in a bar.


    Michael thought for a moment, before he leaned in and put on her seat belt. He would take her to one of the company''s hotels, he couldn''t possibly take a passed out woman home.


    Michael carried Diana out of the car, and slammed it close. As his body touched hers, Diana snuggled deep into him, nuzzling her face on his neck, her breath fanning him. He froze.


    This woman¡­


    He knew she was unconscious but he could not help but feel turned on by her actions. She should be thankful he was a gentleman; else he wasn''t sure he would be able to control himself.

 Chapter 174 - How do I love you enough?

    Michael pushed open the door to the presidential suite and carried Diana in. He carried her calmly to the room and laid her on the bed, tucking her in. He straightened himself as his eyes stared at her. She was beautiful in all ramifications; he couldn''t believe someone as beautiful would let herself become so vulnerable.


    What must have made her want to ruin herself? Michael wondered as he watched her. After some time he turned around and walked away from her. Suddenly she whimpered;


    ''''Don''t leave me¡­ '''' Michael froze on his spot and he turned to look at her; her eyes were shut but she was crying. His throat tightened and he hesitated before going back to check on her;


    She was gripping the quilt as tears dropped from her eyes; Michael felt a tug on his heart as he stared at her. He lifted his hand to her face and wiped her tears.


    Diana held his hand to her face and she spoke again; '''' don''t go¡­ '''' She was a stranger, but Michael didn''t know why he wanted to stay. He wanted to comfort her.


    He stared at the woman on the bed for a minute before he sighed, then lay down beside her, supporting his head with his elbow, he watched her sleep.


    Diana''s brows softened and her hold against the bed eased. Michael pushed her hair away from her face as he continued to look at her.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus closed the drawer and turned to Tiana who was smiling at him;


    ''''Welcome home. '''' He drew closer to her and kissed her forehead. ''''I wish we could stay together in the same room, but since this is what you want, I can''t change your mind. ''''


    Tiana laughed; she knew he was indirectly saying that he wanted her to stay with him.


    ''''You can sleep over sometimes if you want to. '''' she peeked at him with puppy eyes and he pinched her cheeks;


    ''''Silly ''''


    Tiana laughed, suddenly she remembered something; ''''Can you still not sleep without me? ''''


    Nicklaus sighed; ''''I don''t know, but I think I can. I think why I couldn''t sleep before was because I was never actually at rest, I was always troubled, but when you came into my life, I had a cause to be happy and that''s why I could sleep, I think I can sleep without you by my side now because you''re here now and I am happy. ''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''I''m happy that you are okay now; I''ll never give you a cause to be sad anymore, okay? ''''


    ''''Okay. ''''


    ''''So, what''s for dinner? I''m famished! ''''


    ''''Follow me, I have a surprise for you. '''' Nicklaus said, taking her hand and leading her out of the room.


    ''''A surprise, what is it? '''' She asked, her eyes wide in expectation.


    ''''Be patient, love. It won''t be a surprise if I tell you. '''' He smirked as he led her out of the house through the back door.


    ''''Alright, I wonder what the surprise is¡­'''' She spoke as Nicklaus led her out to the estate, her words hooked in her throat as her eyes fell on the view in front of her.


    It was past seven and the sky had darkened; in front of her was a beautifully decorated spot. There were flower petals on the floor, making a pathway for her to the venue.


    At the entrance was an inscription, ''Welcome home Beautiful¡­''


    The glitter bulbs sparkled in the dim night, making the place look like heaven. Tiana turned to look at Nicklaus, her hands over her lips;


    ''''Oh my god¡­ '''' her eyes glistened with tears; she was not expecting it at all.


    ''''I wanted to celebrate your coming home, so I made this¡­ '''' Nicklaus had not finished talking when Tiana jumped into his arms, hugging him as though her life depended on it.


    ''''Thank you! '''' She exclaimed happily. This man, where in the world was he all her life?


    ''''I''m glad you like it. '''' Nicklaus hugged her back, kissing her forehead.


    Tiana leaned away from him, ''''let''s go eat, the food is getting cold. ''''


    She smiled as she took him to the tastefully decorated table with dishes on it.


    After they sat down, Nicklaus took a plate and served her;


    ''''Hmm! Did you make this yourself? '''' She asked as the piece of chicken melted in her mouth, her eyes wide;


    Nicklaus nodded; ''''Yeah, I took a day off today. ''''


    ''''Oh, you''re so sweet! how do I love you enough?''''


    Tiana groaned; Nicklaus was showing her sides she had never seen, she wondered what more was in store. She took another piece of spicy chicken and ate; Nicklaus poured her a cup of wine and she downed it immediately. He watched her eat for a while before he served himself;


    ''''I ended things with Liam today. '''' Tiana said; ''''I was surprised he wasn''t angry, maybe he''s not a bad person after all, is there any news about his identity yet?''''


    Nicklaus shook his head; ''''Not yet, but I think there''ll be something tomorrow. ''''


    Tiana nodded;


    ''''So how did you get into the modeling industry? ???''


    Nicklaus asked and she laughed; ''''that''s a really funny story. A fashion designer saw me in a restaurant and boom I was signing a contract in a few days. ''''


    ''''I''m not surprised though, you have the looks and body. I''m proud of you. ''''


    Tiana beamed; ''''Thank you, baby. Oh now we''re still on it, I have a shoot next month in France. ''''


    Nicklaus''s eyes widened; ''''what?! '''' He was happy a few seconds ago, but it wasn''t the case anymore. Going to France meant that she would have to be away for a while.


    Tiana laughed as she saw his shocked expression. ''''It''s just for a few days, maybe a week or so, it''s not as though I''m going to die. ''''


    She tried to calm him down but Nicklaus was not smiling at all;


    ''''One whole week! I just got you back and you''re going to be away for seven days? ''''


    Tiana pouted; ''''I''m sorry, I''ll make sure to come back as soon as I can, okay?''''


    She stretched her hand and rubbed him on the palm soothing him, Nicklaus sulked but suddenly a thought entered his mind and he smirked.

 Chapter 175 - Boy, this tastes good!

    ''''Are you still angry? '''' Tiana asked, still caressing his palm. Nicklaus shook his head; ''''Not anymore, you''re not going to be away forever, so I can wait. ''''


    '''' I''m glad you understand.'''' She smiled; ''''When are you going to talk to Claire? I can''t bear to look at her at work, guilt is eating me up! '''' Tiana groaned, she wasn''t sure she could take another day of seeing Claire''s excited expression; it was killing her.


    ''''You shouldn''t feel guilty, you practically did nothing wrong, but I''ll talk to her tomorrow, is it okay?''''


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief; ''''Yeah, it is fine. I know I shouldn''t feel guilty but Claire is one hell of a beautiful soul, just knowing that she would get hurt tears me apart''''


    Tiana lowered, she forced a smile when she felt Nicklaus hold her hand comfortingly;


    ''''You''re too kind for this world, beautiful; don''t worry, it''s not going to be as bad as you think, okay?''''


    ''''I hope so. ''''


    ¡­


    Nicklaus tucked Tiana into her bed and he stood hovering over her;


    ''''Goodnight '''' Tiana whispered with a smile on her chin. She knew he wanted her to tell him to join her in bed, but she wasn''t going to say it.


    Nicklaus swallowed; ''''Are you hot, should I put on the ac? ''''


    Tiana shook her head; ''''it''s November, I''m rather cold. ''''


    ''''oh, right. '''' He scratched his head; ''''Goodnight then. ''''


    ''''Yeah; goodnight ''''


    Can''t she just tell him to sleepover! This was her first night with him and she won''t even let him hold her!


    Nicklaus sulked and he did not even hide it.


    ''''I''ll be going now. ''''


    ''''''Yeah, close the door after you. ''''


    His eyes flashed at her with a glare and they met her puppy dog ones grinning at him;


    He lowered and marched towards the door sadly; ''''or you can stay if you want¡­ ''''


    She did not even finish her statement when Nicklaus turned around at the same speed and joined her on the bed. Tiana burst into a fit of laughter;


    ''''You silly! '''' He quickly straddled her and tickled her sides. ''''Haha, I was just teasing you, didn''t know you would take it seriously, haha!'''' Nicklaus let her go and watched her flushed face; her body still wriggling under him.


    ''''Never thought I could hold you like this again. ''''


    Tiana''s laugh died as the atmosphere slowly turned intense, his gaze holding hers.


    ''''It feels like a dream, right? '''' She smiled, and he nodded;


    ''''It''s too unreal, I feel like if I sleep and wake up, everything would disappear and you would be gone. ''''


    Tiana pulled him closer to her and whispered, ''''Even if everything else is not real, I know this is¡­ ''''


    Her hands wrapped around his neck and she covered his lips with hers, kissing him passionately but very slowly, as though inscribing every inch of the kiss in their memories. Nicklaus took over from her quickly and increased his pace, driving deeper into her mouth; his hands slid up and caressed her b.r.e.a.s.ts, his teeth biting lightly on her tongue.


    Suddenly he pulled away, his breaths hurried;


    ''''You shouldn''t be tempting me like this; I don''t have a lot of control¡­ '''' He panted and he fell on her side.


    Tiana bit her lower lip in frustration. She had waited so long for this, and now, he was lying beside her, she couldn''t even do a thing.


    ''''How many days left? '''' Nicklaus asked, looking up at the ceiling.


    ''''Three¡­ ''''


    ''''Uh? I thought a day has passed? ''''


    Tiana shook her head, ''''No, we just met today. ''''


    ''''Right '''' he sighed; ''''I think the days are very long¡­ ''''


    ''''Yeah ''''


    The room grew quiet as they watched the ceiling as though there was something especially interesting on it.


    Suddenly Tiana sat up on the bed and straddled Nicklaus, he creased his brows as he wondered what she was up to.


    ''''I''ve always wanted to try this¡­ '''' Her hands went to his trousers and she tugged on it; instantly, Nicklaus held her hand.


    ''''Beautiful, I¡­ ''''


    ''''Shh, I want to do it. '''' Without waiting for his approval she stuck her hand into his boxers and took out his baby-maker. Nicklaus, who was about reaching out to stop her, nestled back into the pillow when he saw that he was already out.


    Tiana grinned; ''''Wow, this should be 6 inches long?'''' She asked, her eyes examining him. Nicklaus laughed; ''''Beautiful, what are you... '''' He tried to take his member from her hand but she held him tighter;


    ''''Relax, we''re just getting started. '''' Tiana laughed; running her hand down his shaft lightly.


    Nicklaus groaned, his throat bobbling, he had been apart from woman connection for a very long time, a little more touch and he was sure he was going to c.u.m on her hands.


    ''''I love the shape of it. '''' Tiana appreciated as her eyes ogled at his d.i.c.k.


    It was long and the head was carved beautifully.


    She licked her lips and slowly bent towards him, sticking out her tongue, she licked him slowly.


    ''''God¡­ '''' Nicklaus groaned


    Her eyes flickered open and they locked in Nicklaus''s l.u.s.t-filled ones, and she grinned.


    The next second, she took him slowly into her mouth, arching her head so he entered deeper into her mouth; she pulled up slowly and repeated the process, this time faster.


    Lord!


    Nicklaus saw stars behind his lids as he bucked against her lips, he felt his climax coming and he tried to pull her head off of him, but as though Tiana knew he was coming, she sucked on his tip, and soon his c.u.m filled her mouth and she swallowed.


    Nicklaus''s eyes widened as he watched her lick every drop of c.u.m off him, so s.e.xily that he felt himself getting hard again.


    ''''Wow, it tastes good, jeez! '''' Tiana exclaimed above him, licking her lips;


    His lips fell open and he gazed at the woman above him, who was showing him a side of her he had never seen.


    '''' I heard that it tasted bad, but boy, this is sweet. '''' Tiana grinned, kissing his d.i.c.k before putting it back in place. She lay down beside him and kissed his lips.


    Nicklaus pulled her up briefly; ''''I can taste myself in your mouth. '''' Tiana chuckled;


    ''''Don''t you taste nice?''''


    ''''Well, I don''t think I want to think about that. '''' Tiana laughed kissing him finally before lying down beside him and hugging him;


    ''''This feels so good. '''' She smiled, shutting her eyes.


    ''''What? ''''


    ''''Hugging you like this, it feels good. ''''


    ''''So, we''re going to sleep together every night right? ''''


    ''''No, we''re not dating yet. ''''


    Nicklaus''s eyes widened and he turned to her; ''''what? ''''


    She peeked at him; ''''Are we going out yet? You''ve never asked me to be your girlfriend, I don''t like jumping into conclusions.''''


    His lips fell when he realized she was saying the truth, he really didn''t officially ask her out,


    ''''Will you be my girlfriend then? ''''


    he asked but just as the question left her lips, Tiana shut her eyes.


    ''''Beautiful, are you asleep already? '''' He shook her lightly but Tiana didn''t budge;


    Nicklaus knew she was just pretending to be asleep but he didn''t force it, kissing her forehead, he hugged her closely.


    ''''Goodnight. '''' He whispered, before closing his eyes and falling asleep.


    ¡­


    Diana stirred in her sleep and she let out a yawn, suddenly her eyes flickered open. She stared at the strange high vaulted ceiling above her and her brows creased,


    Where was she?


    She tried to stand up from the bed but her head ached and she fell back down;


    Lord, what did she do last night!


    Diana held her head as she shut her eyes. With a flash, her eyes widened and she turned to her side. All color drained from her face when she saw that there was a man on the bed with her.


    His brows were relaxed as he slept; he was very handsome, with a sculptured face, perfect lips.


    He was putting on a shirt but it had all the buttons unhooked, Diana''s eyes widened and she quickly looked down at herself, a relieved sigh escaped her lips when she saw that she was still dressed.


    She couldn''t remember how she got here last night, all she could remember was she had gone into a bar to drink. If this man didn''t touch her, then he must be a gentleman.


    Diana thanked her stars, even though she was in love with a married man that was the last time she was going to do anything so stupid.


    Breathing in, she stood up slowly from the bed, making sure not to make a sound.


    Her eyes fell on her purse, lying on the stool and she picked it up slowly, pulling it open, she took out some dollar notes and tore a piece of paper, scribbling something on it.


    Placing them on the stool, she picked her shoes lying on the floor and tiptoed out of the room.


    ''''What a good way to thank the man that saved your life.''''


    ''''Arhhhh!!! ''''

 Chapter 176 - What did I do last night?

    ''''Ahrrghh!!!''''


    Diana screamed when she heard the man''s voice. She had checked on him severally and his eyes were shut as though he was sleeping; had he been awake all the while?


    Her heart thumped against her chest as she watched him stand up from the bed;


    ''''Where are you off to? '''' Michael spoke as he strode towards her in lazy steps, his hand brushed through his hair, arranging the messy locks.


    Diana''s inched backwards and her eyes wandered;


    ''''Um¡­ I, I was¡­ ''''


    ''''You were sneaking out?'''' he continued walking forward and she continued inching backward until her back was against the wall;


    ''''No! That''s not it, I was just going to¡­ to the bathroom. '''' Diana lied;


    Michael hovered over her, as his eyes stared into her large ones;


    ''''The bathroom is that way. '''' He pointed to the opposite direction and Diana gulped;


    ''''Oh, right! Ha-ha, I didn''t know, thank you, I''ll just be quick. '''' With a flash she ran to the bathroom and shut the door, a loud pant leaving her lips.


    He caught her trying to run away, like a miscreant! That was a stupid act to pull but surely, he wasn''t expecting her to wake him up and ask him, oh, how did I get here? Or, oh, did you kidnap me?


    She dropped a note thanking him for not touching her, and some wads of cash, at least that was enough to show that she was grateful, right?


    Diana groaned as she walked to the mirror and peeked at her face. Her eyes widened as she saw her reflection, her face was swollen and she had eye bags, her hair was messy and she looked like she just walked out of a nightmare.


    Gracious lord! Was this how she would have ran out of the hotel, looking like a stray dog? The internet would have exploded with her pictures!


    Talking of the internet, did he take any pictures of her?!


    Diana cursed beneath her breath, just when she thought her worries were over, now this.


    She was scared to even check her phone; she wasn''t ready to stomach what she might see yet.


    Diana took in a deep breath and splashed some water on her face, as the water touched her face, snippets from the night before came back to her, and her eyes widened in shock.


    ¡­ do you want to have s.e.x with me? ''''


    Oh my god!


    Diana''s hands flew over her mouth as her own voice resounded in her head; the f*ck was she thinking! an A-list actress asking a stranger for s.e.x in a bar!


    She could already imagine what the headlines would be about. This was the end, she was done for!


    Diana held her head with both hands as she realized how stupid she had been.


    She remembered she had asked him to sleep with her, and then she told him she had big b.r.e.a.s.ts, she could not remember anything after that; did she try to assault him there in the bar?


    Diana rattled her thoughts but she could not think of what else had happened. She turned to look at the door and she knew she needed to talk to him.


    Brushing her messy hair with her hand she walked out of the bathroom.


    Michael was on a call when he heard the bathroom door creak; he turned to look at her and pulled his gaze away briefly. When he finished with the call, he turned to her;


    ''''I''m sorry for trying to run away, that was stupid of me. I should have thanked you properly for last night. '''' Although she didn''t fully know what happened she felt the need to thank him, at least for not taking advantage of her.


    Michael did not respond to her; he just watched her quietly;


    Diana''s eyes wandered; ''''Um, something happened and I just wanted to let off some steam, I should have done that at home knowing I could get drunk. I''m sorry for being a bother.''''


    She explained but Michael just stared at her; Diana swallowed as she became confused; did she do more than being a ''bother?'' oh god, what exactly happened last night?


    ''''Now I think about it, you are quite stunning when you''re sane, so I''m seriously considering your offer last night. '''' his eyes stared down her face to her big tits and then back to her face;


    Gracious lord¡­


    Diana''s cheeks reddened but she tried to feign ignorance;


    ''''What¡­ what offer? ''''


    ''''You asked me to have s.e.x with you, but you were passed out; ''''


    Diana''s lips fell open, she had thought that he wouldn''t say it, but he just shocked the hell out of her.


    ''''And because I don''t like doing all the work, I didn''t touch you, so now that you are awake, can we proceed? ''''


    Michael spoke strolling towards her and Diana backed away;


    ''''No, no, I was drunk, I didn''t anything I said. I''m really sorry for all the troubles I caused. ''''


    Diana backed away until she was against the wall again and Michael caged her with his hands resting on the wall.


    He stared at her flushed face for a while and Diana instantly shut her eyes, her heart slamming against her chest, suddenly he spoke;


    ''''What happened? ''''


    Her eyes fluttered open when she heard him; and she looked up at him puzzled;


    ''''What made you want to ruin yourself? ''''


    Her lips fell open as she stared into his eyes; she was not expecting him to ask her that.


    ''''It''s¡­ its personal¡­ ''''


    He wasn''t actually expecting her to tell him her private life was he?


    ''''I want to hear it. '''' He demanded in an authoritative tone as though he had known her for a while. Diana creased her brows;


    ''''No ''''


    ''''Take it as a compensation for last night, and don''t you think you''ll be fine ranting it to someone? , besides, we are strangers, it''s not like I know anyone that wants to hear your secret and this might actually be the last time our paths would cross.''''


    Diana watched him silently;


    He was right, she had been holding it all in, maybe if she spoke to someone she might feel a little better.


    ''''I''ll tell you on one condition. ''''


    ''''What? ''''


    ''''What did I do last night? ''''

 Chapter 177 - You took too long, son

    Nicklaus groaned in his sleep, he was feeling an ecstasy twirling in his stomach, although he had dreamt about Tiana a couple of times, this time it felt too real.


    Slowly consciousness began to seep in and his eyes fluttered open; his brows creased when he saw something moving on top of him and then he became fully awake.


    She was sucking him off!


    A grin washed his lips as his hand tugged on her hair and he directed her movements. Her eyes peeked at him and although he was inside her mouth, he could feel her smiling; soon he was hitting climax and panting heavily. Tiana released him with a pop and she licked her lips;


    ''''Good morning baby, how was your night? ''''


    Nicklaus was still intoxicated to even reply; he wished she was not on her period, he would have definitely pinned her under him and pleasure her in ways she cannot imagine.


    ''''You are going to kill me beautiful¡­ '''' he smirked as he wiped his face with his hands; waking up like this was heaven.


    Tiana stuck out her tongue; ''''what do I do, I like the taste of it. ''''


    She chuckled as she stepped down from the bed and turned to Nicklaus;


    ''''It''s past eight and you have a lot to do today, so rise up! ''''


    ''''I wish we could stay in bed all day; '''' Nicklaus stood up from the bed and walked to her, kissing her lips and neck;


    ''''Hmm, me too, thank God it''s weekend tomorrow. ''''


    ''''I''m going to talk to Claire today, hope you''ll be alright? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I will, I just need it off my chest. ''''


    Nicklaus nodded and gave her a lasting kiss.


    ¡­ ¡­


    Douglas stepped down from the car as his eyes glanced at the ancestral home; he stood still for a while before walking towards the house.


    The workers greeted him as he walked past them, everyone becoming silent; he normally gave off a strange cold aura. An aura depicting a strange evil, or wickedness, one that was hard to ascertain; and coupled with how quiet his demeanor was, it was hard to determine what was going on in his mind. He was a strange human being.


    ''''Douglas? What a surprising visit. '''' Grandma, who just came back from her run creased her brows when she saw her second son. It was 9 am in the morning and Douglas, who wasn''t a frequent visitor was here, she could not but be surprised.


    ''''Mom, you look very pretty this morning. Where is father? ''''


    Grandma''s breath hitched; her grandson had come to look for her husband and now her son; this type of visit never ends well.


    ''''He''s taking a walk outside, ''''


    ''''Okay, I''ll join him then. '''' Douglas let out a slight smile and he walked past grandma to the east wing, where grandpa normally took his walk.


    He hadn''t walked for long when he saw grandpa standing and admiring a garden of flowers, his steps faltered as he approached him, and then stood beside him.


    Grandpa didn''t turn to look at him, but he smiled; as though he had been expecting him;


    ''''You took too long, son. ''''


    Douglas smiled; ''''Never knew you were expecting me. ''''


    Silence ensued between them as they stared at the garden as though there was something exceptional on it.


    ''''Why are you here, son. ''''


    Grandpa finally broke the silence between them, but still did not turn to look at him. Douglas was silent for a while, as though in deep thought;


    ''''I''m not a man of many words father, so I want to ask you for the last time; '''' he paused;


    ''''Transfer Howells Corporation to me, I can let Nicklaus be the CEO, but I want you to make me the chairman in your stead. ''''


    Grandpa smiled; Douglas was really forward this time. This was the first time he was asking to be made chairman, what an interesting move.


    ''''Why do you think I didn''t let you have the company, son? ''''


    Grandpa asked, ''''because I don''t love you? '''' he answered his question himself;


    ''''Far from that son, far from that; I didn''t let you have the company because that was the only thing left of your brother. If I let you have it, Jeffery would have nothing to his name. You have your own company and it is doing very well, and I made sure to pay you for every single day spent overseeing the company, I don''t know why you are still greedy. I know the lengths you have gone to get the company for yourself, don''t think I''m a fool for keeping mute. I decided to let it go because it was my fault from the very beginning.


    But I think we''ve settled our scores, so I plead with you, let go. ''''


    Douglas listened to every word his father had said, and then he smiled;


    ''''Do you know what makes the rose stay beautiful, father? ''''


    He asked, but his father did not speak; ''''because they have prickles, thorns to keep out predators.''''


    He paused as though wanting his words to sink in; ''''I''ll think about your request dear father, have a good day.''''


    He bowed a little and turned around, walking back into the house.


    He had always restrained himself from hurting Nicklaus, waiting for his father to change his mind, but it seems that was not going to happen anytime soon. He had been pushed to the end of the cliff, it was time to strike back.


    Nicklaus was not even a competition to him, but because of the blood they shared he had held back, but his father had taken his silence for weakness, so he was going to show him the other side of him.


    The only person who could stop him from hurting Nicklaus was his father, so he was going to take him out first. He gave him a chance to choose but he had made the wrong choice.


    As Douglas approached the door, a guard walked to him, he spoke to him in hushed tones before he nodded and walked out of the mansion and to his car.


    Too bad, this was the last time he would see his father''s face.

 Chapter 178 - Who said you arent pretty?

    Diana held her cutleries in her hands as she peeked at the man in front of her, who was eating as though he had known her for ages.


    He had promised to tell her what she had done last night if she took a shower and ate. She didn''t want to leave the hotel looking like a stray cat, so she obliged.


    They were eating now, and he wasn''t even the least concerned that she was a stranger, he was so relaxed.


    Diana picked her cup of juice and sipped; ''''ehem; so can we talk now. '''' her lips stretched into an obviously fake smile;


    Michael peeked at her, ''''what''s your name? ''''


    Her brows furrowed and she looked behind her, to know if there was someone there, when she saw no-one she turned to him; ''''You mean me? ''''


    Michael frowned; ''''is there any other person in this room? ''''


    Diana laughed; ''''Wait, you mean, you don''t know me? '''' she stared at him unbelievably. Which citizen of America did not know her, did he wake up in a fridge or something?


    Michael tilted his head; ''''um, am I meant to know you?'''' he creased his brows in wonder;


    Diana laughed; ''''No, no, far from that, I thought¡­ I thought I told you my name earlier. Ha-ha. '''' She laughed; ''''don''t mind my manners, I''m Diana. ''''


    ''''Mm; '''' Michael nodded, although he did not believe her, he didn''t want to press on. ''''


    He picked his glass and sipped from it; ''''why aren''t you eating? ''''


    He said, noticing that she had not touched her food; ''''If I wanted to do anything to you, I would have done so when you were passed out, so eat up. ''''


    Diana swallowed; it wasn''t that she was afraid of him, she was just eager to know what she did last night. Smiling, she dug into her food and took a forkful.


    ''''You asked me to have s.e.x with you and when I didn''t, you went to another man, I don''t know what you said to him but I rescued you from there before it was too late. And then you proceeded to assault me in my car before you passed out. ''''


    Michael made sure she was almost done with her food before he spoke. He picked his serviette and wiped his lips.


    Diana peeked at him apologetically with puppy dog eyes, she owed him a lot. If not for him, her career would have been over.


    ''''Thank you so much. I don''t know what would have happened if you hadn''t saved me. ''''


    she felt so guilty for trying to sneak away earlier.


    ''''Mm, so your turn, what made you give up on life. '''' Diana watched him lean back on his chair with his drink in hand as he stared straight at her;


    Diana''s lashes fluttered; now she thought about it, she must be the stupidest human being alive. How would she try something so risky for a man who doesn''t even acknowledge her? she thought.


    ''''The man I loved all my life got married to another yesterday. '''' Diana said, her expression becoming sad and her lips thinned. ''''Now I think about it, how did I not stop loving him even when he didn''t look at me even once? I loved him so much that I lost count but even to the end, he didn''t want me. I''m so stupid. ''''


    Diana laughed at herself, bringing her juice to her lips, she took a mouthful.


    ''''It must have hurt. '''' her eyes turned to him Michael and she saw that he was staring at her with worry. Diana was surprised; she had expected him to laugh at her for making herself so vulnerable for a man who didn''t even love her, but no, he was staring at her as though he was feeling her pain.


    She had been scared to talk to someone because she feared they would scorn her for being stupid and foolish, but now she was glad for speaking up. This man made her want to pour out all her pain, and at that moment, Diana narrated everything to him, from the moment, she first saw him.


    Michael listened to her every word attentively, not wanting to interrupt her until she finished speaking.


    ''''¡­and his wife is so pretty, tch, if she was ugly, I wouldn''t be too sad. '''' Diana pouted as she concluded;


    ''''And who says you aren''t pretty? '''' Michael asked, gazing straight at her, Diana peeked at him;


    ''''I''m pretty and you didn''t even touch me, interesting. '''' Diana laughed;


    Michael creased his brows; ''''is that what you think? '''' ''''Alright, go lie down on the bed and know if I won''t f.u.c.k you till you faint from ecstasy. ''''


    Diana blushed so hard and she quickly looked away from him. She knew she was a beautiful woman, definitely hard to resist, but what was beauty worth when the person you love doesn''t even look at you''''


    ''''Diana, learn to love yourself first. You won''t have waited this long for a man who doesn''t love you if you value yourself. ''''


    Diana swallowed and she looked down at her hands; it was painful but she knew he was saying the truth. If she loved herself a little bit more, she would have let him go long ago.


    ''''I didn''t expect that a pretty woman with big b.r.e.a.s.ts would still be a v.i.r.g.i.n. ''''


    Diana''s eyes flung open instantly at his statement and her face turned a shade of red;


    Gracious! Did¡­ did she also say that?


    She prayed the ground would open and she would fall inside. ''''I was just drunk, that''s¡­ that''s not true. '''' she stammered, and Michael laughed; he didn''t want to press on, knowing it would be uncomfortable for her.


    ''''Alright, but just know you should live your life to the fullest. Your 20''s come only once, I hope you don''t waste it. Have fun, throw parties, get drunk, but in the right places, have s.e.x with someone you are comfortable with and do things you love, okay? ''''


    Diana smiled, at that moment; she felt a huge log lifted off her chest. She had never felt this free in a long while.


    ''''Thank you so much, ''''


    Michael smiled; ''''You''re welcome. ''''

 Chapter 179 - Its too late

    .


    Tiana peeked at the door for the umpteenth time, Claire was not yet here. She guessed she might be with Nicklaus, but as time flew by, she became tenser. She wondered what Claire would think of her after this, she would hate her. But it was definitely for the best. The longer it stayed the greater the pain she would feel. There was no better time than now.


    Just when she thought that; the door flung open and her eyes immediately turned to the door and that second, they locked in Claire''s. No-one spoke but a thousand words were written in Claire''s eyes, and Tiana knew. Nicklaus had told her.


    Claire gazed at Tiana for a moment and as though nothing had happened, she smiled brightly;


    ''''Sorry I''m late, something came up. ''''


    She beamed brilliantly as walked over to where Leo sat, sitting down beside him.


    ''''So, what did I miss? '''' She picked her own script from the table and glanced at it;


    ''''Nothing much, Leo insisted that we wait for you. '''' Larissa, who had not uttered a word since she came in, spoke glaring straight at Claire.


    ''''oh, how sweet of you Leo, right, I''m here now, let''s begin ''''


    Tiana''s heartbeat raced and she found it hard to breathe, she was sure Claire knew about them now, but why was she acting as nothing happened?


    She chatted with her as usual, and laughed like before, did Nicklaus not tell her, or was she trying to pretend as though nothing happened?


    Tiana gulped, more tensed than she had been before. She would have preferred if Claire did not speak to her, or looked at her with disdain. Her pretending as though nothing happened was eating her up.


    ''''Right, we should be here on Monday, this script is short, so we''ll perfect it in no time, by next week we''ll play it out, hope we''re good?''''


    Claire asked and they nodded.


    ''''Right, anything else Leo? '''' she turned to Leo and he shook his head;


    ''''Good, we''re done for the day. ''''


    Larissa was the first to stand up and walk out of the room, and then Claire stood up; her eyes locked in Tiana for a second, and she forced a smile, Tiana wanted to smile back but her lips could only tremble, and she looked away from Claire.


    ''''You should have told me, Tiana. '''' Claire said all of a sudden making Leo turn to her with creased brows; wondering what was up.


    Tiana''s lips trembled and she clutched the script in her hand tightly, her eyes stared at her hands, she could not bear to see the look on Claire''s face.


    ''''I wouldn''t be this mad if you had told me yourself. For once¡­; she stopped, her eyes brewing with tears; ''''For once I thought I was your friend. ''''


    ''''I''m sorry¡­ I''m so sorry, I didn''t know, I¡­ ''''


    Claire shook her head slowly, ''''it is too late sweetheart, it''s too late, you should have told me earlier. Now, I''m mad at you, really mad. '''' She laughed dryly; ''''Leave, I don''t want to look at you¡­''''


    Tiana swallowed hard and stood up from the couch; she turned to the door and without looking at Claire she walked out.


    Leo, who had been watching them as though it was some alien show blinked;


    ''''Okay, what just happened? ''''


    He asked Claire after Tiana had left. Claire stood still watching the spot Tiana just walked out of for a whole ten seconds, before she suddenly walked to Leo and fell into his arms, bursting into a load of tears.


    ¡­


    Tiana stood outside the door for the longest time, her eyes watering. She wiped her face with the back of her palm but the tears kept falling. She wished it didn''t have to be this way, she wished it was another person, someone she wouldn''t feel hurt about.


    Claire didn''t deserve any of this, she was a kind soul but there was nothing she could do about it. Maybe she was right, she should have told her herself, but could she have done it herself?


    She felt a knot on her throat and she opened her lips slightly, exhaling.


    Claire must really hate her now and she knew the last thing she wanted to hear now was her apology, even though she was still going to apologize, she couldn''t do it now when she was still mad.


    Tiana was cut short from her thoughts when her phone buzzed in her bag;


    She heaved a sigh when she saw who it was. She picked the call as she walked to the elevator.


    ''''Baby, I''m so sad! '''' Tiana cried immediately she picked the call, her face reddening;


    ''''Claire is mad at me right now; she doesn''t want to see my face. I knew she would be sad, but it still hurt like hell!''''


    Tiana whined as she walked out of the elevator and towards the exit.


    ''''don''t worry, she''ll come around. ''''


    ''''I don''t know why it had to be her, she''s so sweet. '''' Tiana bem.o.a.ned and Nicklaus let out a light sigh;


    ''''What do I do to make you stop crying? ''''


    Tiana pouted; ''''I would stop crying if you appear before me now, but it is not possible¡­ '''' she stepped outside the company and continued walking forward;


    ''''Look in front of you ''''


    ''''Uh? '''' Her brows creased and she looked forward only to see Nicklaus leaning against his car, a smile on his lips. At that moment, even when she was terribly sad, she couldn''t help the smile that widened her lips;


    ''''You silly¡­ '''' she laugh-cried, and Nicklaus chuckled;


    ''''I''m in front of you now, so will you stop crying?''''


    Tiana held his gaze from afar, as she watched his lips curve into a smirk, she didn''t know how long he had waited there, but at that moment, she felt a wave of happiness wash through her.


    Her legs instantly walked forward and her eyes held his gaze until she stopped in front of him.


    Nicklaus raised his hand to her face and he pushed some strands of her behind her ear;


    ''''Are you still sad now?''''


    Tiana blushed as she shook her head, her eyes fluttering;


    ''''Let''s¡­let''s get into the car, people are watching. '''' She turned and quickly entered the car. Nicklaus laughed at her shyness and entered the driver''s side, once he was in, Tiana pounced on him, kissing him wildly as though her life depended on it.

 Chapter 180 - Cant bear the thought of losing you

    ''''When did you arrive? '''' Tiana asked, caressing his shoulders as she stared at him with dreamy eyes, her lips still swollen from the kiss.


    ''''Not too long ago, finished in the office and decided to stop by and pick you up. '''' Tiana arranged his hair locks, seeing him right now had made her a little relieved.


    ''''What did you say to Claire? ''''


    Nicklaus rubbed her cheeks; ''''Nothing other than what happened; she was hurt but she was not very angry, so I think she''ll come around very soon. ''''


    Tiana sighed; ''''I hope so. ''''


    ''''Have you had anything yet? '''' Tiana shook her head, ''''alright, let''s go grab something to eat. ''''


    After having lunch; Nicklaus held Tiana''s hand in his as they drove back home;


    ''''I''ll meet with grandpa tomorrow; I think he knows we''re together now.''''


    Tiana shrugged; ''''I''ll give back the money and the house, I''ll write a check but I don''t want to meet with him.''''


    She felt his grip her hand tighter; ''''I won''t even let him see you; you''re not going back to that house until everything is settled. ''''


    Tiana caught the painful glint that passed through his eyes before it disappeared;


    ''''Beautiful, I have something to tell you. ''''


    Her brows creased and she held his hand tighter, his expression was dark and she knew anything he was going to say was not going to be good.


    '''' Liam is Catherine''s son. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened with shock, as all color drained from her face.


    ''''Wh¡­ what? '''' She asked, her breath hitched;


    ''''How? No¡­ oh my god! '''' Her hands flew over her mouth as she remembered telling him that she was back with Nicklaus now, which indirectly meant that she had just tabled Nicklaus''s weakness in front of him.


    Her eyes blurred instantly as she trembled; '''' what¡­ what have I done? I told him we were back together! What have I done! ''''


    Nicklaus, who was driving, slowed down a bit so he could comfort her;


    ''''Beautiful, it''s not your fault. He would have found out sooner or later anyway, don''t be too hard on yourself. I always knew a day like this would come. ''''


    He swallowed hard and his throat stung from dryness. From the very beginning, he knew falling for her was dangerous. He knew she would never be safe with him, but he couldn''t help it, he couldn''t help falling in love with her. Nicklaus ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He wished he could just keep her locked up in a golden box away from the troubles of his world, but sadly it was not possible. She was a human being, not a pet.


    ''''Beautiful, you''ll be heavily guarded, from now onwards; you might be seeing a lot of guards following you about, please bear with it, I just don''t want anything to happen to you. I don''t think I can bear the thought of something happening to you.''''


    Tiana watched his panicked expression and she took his hand and kissed it;


    ''''baby, nothing will happen to me, I promise you, you don''t have to worry too much, I''ll make sure I keep myself safe, safe for you, okay? ''''


    She knew her words weren''t going to let him worry any less, but she still had to say them. Things were very rough for them now, but they were going to pull through this.


    ''''I love you; '''' Nicklaus said, his tone heavy with pain and frustration, at that moment that was the only thing he was sure of, his love for her; Tiana''s lips slanted painfully;


    ''''I love you too, baby. We''ll be alright okay? ''''


    ''''Yeah, we''ll be alright, I promise.''''


    ¡­


    Diana gave a last look at the room before Michael shut it. They walked side by side, not saying a word until they got outside the hotel.


    ''''I don''t still know your name?'''' Michael turned to her with a smile;


    ''''I''m Michael. ''''


    ''''Michael¡­ '''' Diana breathed his name as though imprinting it in her head, then she smiled;


    ''''Thank you for everything, Michael, I don''t know if I would be able to repay you for your kindness. Maybe I could buy you dinner some other time? '''' she stretched her phone to him as though telling him to put in his digits.


    Michael scratched his head as though in thought; ''''Alright, some other time then if we ever meet again.''''


    Diana smiled, from the little time she had spent with him; she knew he was not one that liked his favors being repaid, so she was sure he wasn''t going to let her have his number.


    ''''Is that a promise? I f we cross paths again, I owe you a meal? ''''


    Michael smirked; the possibility of meeting her again was slim so he nodded;


    ''''Yeah, I promise. ''''


    Diana smiled, she was about to say something when she saw a familiar car parked not very far from them;


    ''''My chauffeur is here, so we part ways here. Thanks once again Michael, have a wonderful life. ''??? She smiled and stretched her hand for a handshake;


    Michael''s eyes fell on her outstretched hand and he shook it; it felt strangely warm, so warm that he wondered what hugging her would feel like.


    ''''Yeah¡­ you too ''''


    Diana never thought a simple handshake would be that comforting, but strangely it was, sadly it ended sooner than she thought.


    ''''Goodbye,'''' she waved at him and walked away.


    ''''Yeah, goodbye ''''


    Michael buried his hand in his pockets as he watched her car drive out of the complex. He had had multiple girlfriends but he had never felt so comfortable with anyone, and to think he just met her hours ago. He watched her car disappear into the traffic and suddenly he started regretting his decision of not taking her number.


    Michael entered his car and zoomed off, after some minutes, his expression darkened. For a brief moment, he had forgotten all his problems. Listening to that woman rant her troubles made him forget his, but now she was gone, everything came flooding back.

 Chapter 181 - A plan that would crush Nicklaus

    He would get a house within the weekend and move out as soon as possible, away from his toxic foster mother and her son.


    And he needed to make plans for his safety, although he was grateful for her for adopting him and taking him away from the childcare, he wasn''t at all ready to die for Liam.


    Michael breathed out as he stopped at a red light and his eyes closed briefly, reflexively, he looked outside the window, and at that moment, he froze.


    Up in a billboard was Diana''s picture, sitting on a throne with a bunch of men around her, there was a wicked smile on her face; an inscription, ''Bewitched'' was below it;


    Michael''s eyes widened in shock and he remembered when she asked him if he didn''t know her;


    Gracious Lord!


    She is an actress!


    A burst of small laughter left his lips, now he understood why she was so concerned about what she did the previous night, she had even asked him if anyone took pictures, he was puzzled then, but now it all added up. But then, she must be very careless to get drunk in a bar when she knew she was popular. So foolish!


    The traffic lights turned green and Michael took a last look at the billboard before he drove off. When he reached home, he sneaked into his room quietly, not wanting to alert anyone. The fact that he had slept out and his mother had not bothered to call or check up on him spoke volumes, it was best he stayed out of their sight entirely.


    Michael lay on his bed after changing into something comfortable, it was past six already, he didn''t know when time flew so fast. His eyes squinted when he remembered the billboard he saw earlier, quickly he reached for his phone and browsed her name, he just knew her first name, but as he typed it, goggle provided some name options;


    His brows narrowed when he saw the first option;


    Diana Smith¡­


    Quickly he tapped on it and her profile came into view. A small smile tugged on his lips as he scrolled up, watching her pictures keenly; Michael did not when he moved from her pictures to watching some of her interviews to her red carpet shows even some of her movie trailer videos;


    She was a very pretty woman, and all her pictures had her smiling brightly; no-one would ever think that she would even have a single worry in life. She looked perfect. Michael sighed; what a terrible life of a celebrity; no-one cares what shit you''re going through, everyone wants you to be perfect, perfect for their eyes.


    Michael tapped on an IG icon and her profile on Instagram popped up; he was amazed when he saw she had over 55m followers, she must be really popular.


    He adjusted on the bed and resting his head on his arm, he scrolled through her pictures one after the other. She almost had her whole life on the internet, from her waking up to going to sleep, every little moment, was on there. He saw her with a few men and there were a few gossips of her dating them, but with what she said to him yesterday, he knew she was still a v.i.r.g.i.n, so maybe she didn''t date any, or she did date, but they didn''t get to that point.


    Michael didn''t know why, but he felt his lips slant into a smile at that thought.


    In an hour and thirty minutes, he knew almost everything about her. From what he found out, she was a very chatty person, who kept a lot of pain inside. She was more of solving other people''s problems than hers. That was the more reason why she was in so much pain for so long;


    Michael sighed; why was he feeling responsible for her all of a sudden?


    ¡­


    Liam poured his mother wine in her cup and passed it to her; he watched her drink from it without a word. He knew she was still mad at him for what happened a few days ago and he didn''t blame her though, she had worked so hard to keep him under cover; anyone would get mad at what he did.


    She had been giving him the silent treatment for days now, and even when they sat at the table, she didn''t speak to him.


    ''''Did Michael move out? '''' Liam asked, trying to lighten the tensed mood. Catherine who had a little frown on her forehead drank from her cup of wine; she was angry but she couldn''t be angry with him forever, he was still her son.


    ''''I don''t think he has moved out yet, but I gave him permission to. ''''


    Catherine replied indifferently. Liam heaved a sigh of relief, at least she replied, that means that she wasn''t very mad at him anymore. After a moment he frowned;


    Why did Michael want to leave now? Did he perchance find out about his identity?


    He wondered, ''''why did you let him leave? ''''


    Catherine paused for a moment; ''''after what happened; I think he''ll be better away, if he remains here, he''ll surely find out about you, and knowing that you''re a threat to his inheritance, I can''t guarantee that he won''t try to kill you. ''''


    Liam frowned, he didn''t like the idea at all; ''''I don''t think letting him go is the best, now that my identity would soon be revealed, why don''t you silence him once and for all.''''


    Catherine looked at him for the first time; ''''you don''t kill people so carelessly Liam. It would have been easier to kill him if you had not been careless, but now that your identity is no longer a secret; it would be very risky to get rid of him. We have to let everything die down first before making any move. ''''


    Liam nodded, his mother had a point. It would be risky to harm Michael at this point, Nicklaus was already suspecting him, if anything happened to Michael it would be very fatal to them.


    ''''Mom, I have a plan. ''''


    Catherine raised her eyes to her son and she creased her brows;


    ''''What plan? ''''


    ''''A plan that would crush Nicklaus ''''

 Chapter 182 - Dont die

    Diana stepped out of her car, her hand clutching her bag. She walked mindlessly to her front door, pushing it open and walking in, her mind lost in thoughts.


    When she left her house, she had been thinking of the man she had spent her whole life loving, but now she was returning, she was thinking of another man? She did not even remember Greg for one second throughout the ride back home.


    She didn''t know why but she was thoroughly smitten by Michael''s charisma and manliness. Everything about him, from the way he spoke, smiled, or laughed; she couldn''t help but admire him. Too bad they wouldn''t even meet again, in this vast city, the possibility of meeting the same person twice was slim to none.


    Diana changed into something comfy and sat in the parlor with a bucket of popcorn watching Netflix; or rather that''s what it looked like because her mind was deeply engrossed with thoughts of the man she met earlier.


    Now she thought about it, he didn''t mention having any girlfriend, did he not have someone? She thought as her brows creased. No, someone like him could not just be single. He was gorgeous and the way he spoke could sweep any woman off her feet, so surely, he must have someone.


    She pouted; his girlfriend must be very lucky, very lucky to have someone near perfect as him. She thought as she bit into her popcorn. Suddenly her phone buzzed by her side and she picked it, when her eyes fell on the message on the screen, her mood dampened instantly.


    It was a message alerting her of the reshoot of Mia''s scenes by a new actress. Even till that moment, she could not believe that she was gone. Mia was a carefree soul, who had little to no trouble at all; she couldn''t believe that there was someone who wanted her dead.


    She had never appeared tense or looked like she was in trouble so she could not believe it when Michelle said someone had a hand in her death.


    Alex was a suspect, but deep down she knew he was not the culprit. If she wasn''t sure of anything, one thing she was sure of was that Alex loved Mia, to a fault even. But there was no proof of that, and the evidence gathered all pointed to him as the culprit and if no evidence saying contrary was submitted, he was going to be charged with her murder. And the fact that there was no other suspect made it more frustrating.


    She dropped the bucket of popcorn by her side, losing appetite to eat more.


    ¡­


    ''''Never thought you could one day be head over heels for a woman, Nicklaus. This time last year, there were rumors about you being a gay, I''m pleased by the drastic change that woman has on you. '''' Grandpa chuckled as his eyes glanced at the doc.u.ment containing a check and the doc.u.ments to the house he had given Tiana.


    Nicklaus glared at him quietly; did he think this to be a joke? He had been to hell and back because of what he had done and he was here laughing like it was some comedy show.


    ''''it''s just a matter of time and you''ll come back to your senses, I''ll be waiting for you. I''ll let you have fun with her for a while, but you should know that I won''t let you get married to her. ''''


    ''''That''s not your choice to make Grandpa. The last time I checked, I did everything you asked of me, so I don''t see reasons why I can''t get married to the woman of my choice. ''''


    ''''You can still keep her by your side, but you shouldn''t let your emotions get in the way of business. ''''


    Nicklaus sighed, pinching his nose; ''''Grandpa, please just stop.'''' He paused, wanting his words to sink in;


    ''''I''m going to let what you did pass because you are my grandfather, but I can''t say this would be the case if you try to harm Tiana, or make her cry again. I don''t need any marriage alliance to make this company successful, and I''m not going to let you dictate who I get to be with. Grandpa, I have a lot of enemies I''m up against, i beg of you, don''t add to the list, I don''t want to fight with you, if there''s any goal you hope to achieve, tell me, I''ll reach it, but please, don''t hurt the only family I have left. ''''


    Grandpa fell silent as he watched his grandson. Nicklaus exhaled, shutting his eyes briefly;


    ''''If there''s nothing else, I''ll be on my way.''''


    He stood up and turned to the door;


    ''''Nicklaus¡­ '''' grandpa stopped him, and Nicklaus turned to look at him;


    '''' don''t die. '''' Nicklaus stared at Grandpa who had a small smile tugged on his lips, and he nodded before walking out the door.


    Grandpa stared at the shut door and the smile on his face replaced with a sorrowful gaze. After Douglas met him, he knew Nicklaus was not going to be safe anymore. He knew Douglas would do everything in his power to get the company for himself, even if it meant killing Nicklaus.


    From childhood, he had always been this greedy, wanting what belonged to his elder brother and the only reason why he let him handle the company at that time was that he fell ill after Jeffery''s death.


    And that had become his greatest undoing. He wished he could go back in time; he would not have made that costly mistake.


    Douglas would do anything in his power to get the company; Nicklaus would do everything in his might to protect it. He could not imagine the hell that was about to befall his family.


    Just that moment, he heard a knock on the door, and a maid stepped in with a tray in her hand.


    His brows creased because he didn''t order for anything;


    ''''what is this? '''' He asked, as he watched her drop the tray on the table in front of him.


    ''''Grandma asked to get you green tea. ''''


    '''' mm, okay¡­ ''''


    He picked the cup and took a sip; a small smile appeared on the maid''s lips and she turned and left the room.

 Chapter 183 - Perky and Big enough for my Hands

    STEAMY CHAPTER!!


    ''''Baby, you forgot the check, how could you forget it I made sure to put it inside the envelope. ''''


    Nicklaus heard her sweet voice scold at him as he stepped into his room. She was wearing his black shirt, which stopped right under her bum, and damn! She looked like pure s.e.x. He didn''t know that that shirt was that nice until now. She had packed her hair up in a bun, but a few strands had escaped from the bunch, making her look extremely cute and irresistible.


    It seemed she didn''t know what she was doing to him because she was still ranting to him how he had forgotten the check she had written.


    Nicklaus''s breath ragged as he closed the gap between them and frantically kissed her lips; Tiana was caught off guard by his actions and it took her a moment to stable herself. He did not give her any breathing space, as he scooped her up, making her legs go around him, his lips kissing her wildly.


    His hands cupped her bum, and at that moment, he felt sanity flying out the windows; she drew him closer to her, rocking against his groin. Nicklaus panted as he kissed her wildly, not letting her brain form any thoughts. He heard a light squeal leave her lips as her back hit the wall, his lips not leaving hers for a second; she clutched around his broad shoulders as she kissed him back with the same want, her eyes rolling back as his hands slid under her shirt and caress her warm b.r.e.a.s.ts.


    ''''I''m going crazy, beautiful.'''' Nicklaus m.o.a.ned against her ears with frantic breaths; Tiana pulled at his hair, letting go of his mouth and kissing down his neck.


    ''''I''m not bleeding right now; we could¡­ do a quickie¡­ '''' She whimpered as she kissed him back up covering his lips again; she was turned on so much that she felt her core dripping; there was no way she was letting him go without having an orgasm.


    ''''You¡­ sure? '''' Well he needed to ask, but sincerely, he didn''t know if he could even let her go; he wanted to be inside her so bad that he was almost losing sanity.


    Tiana nodded frantically; she didn''t have heavy periods and she was almost on her final day, so they could have s.e.x.


    Her hands undid his belt quickly and she took out his already hard d.i.c.k, Nicklaus panted as he carried her to the bed, lifting her shirt up and pulling down her panties quickly; she widened her legs, rubbing on her clit as she watched him take off his trousers;


    ''''F.u.c.k!'''' he m.o.a.ned watching the sight in front of him, his d*ck leaking of pre-c.u.m;


    He quickly held one of her legs up, pulling her waist towards him, a yelp escaping her lips. In a second, he thrust in with reckless abandon, making her m.o.a.n out loud. Her hands clutched her b.r.e.a.s.ts in ecstasy as she felt her core stretch with pleasure. Nicklaus groaned as he rammed into her without pause, his breaths desperate.


    Tiana''s face reddened all over as she let herself feel the pleasure coursing through her; she watched him lean down and covered her lips again, his pants hurried as he felt his climax approaching, not wanting to end without her, his hand slid underneath them and rubbed on her clit, in the next second, she was bucking against him with loud m.o.a.ns, her fingers digging into his hair. Soon she felt him tremble against her, and finally slumped on top of her; their breaths rapid.


    ''''I love you; '''' Nicklaus whispered, kissing her neck. Tiana hugged his neck, her chest heaving against his; ''''I love you too, baby.''''


    ¡­


    Tiana lay in between Nicklaus legs, her head nestled on his chest as they watched Netflix in the parlor. After some time, his hands sn.a.k.e.d into her shirt and rub her b.r.e.a.s.ts;


    Tiana smiled, a blush forming on her cheeks. She adjusted her position on his chest to give him more access to her b.r.e.a.s.ts.


    ''''I love your b.r.e.a.s.ts; '''' Nicklaus said suddenly, making her ears redden; ''''perky and big enough for my hands;'''' he teased, his hands cupping her both b.r.e.a.s.ts and caressing them, Tiana bit in a m.o.a.n; her cheeks reddening, she felt his hand brush across her n.i.p.p.l.e making it hard.


    ''''You don''t want to talk about what happened with Grandpa? '''' Tiana asked all of a sudden, releasing the tension in the room. She felt Nicklaus''s hands slide out of her and hug her around her tummy;


    ''''He won''t trouble us anymore. '''' Nicklaus said and Tiana turned to look at him with creased brows;


    ''''Really, does he approve of us now? '''' She asked, her eyes gleaming; Nicklaus smiled and kissed her pink lips; ''''Mm, '''' Grandpa did not outrightly approve of them but he did not want her to worry anymore.


    ''''Really! I''m so happy, what made him change his mind? '''' she asked, finding it strange that Grandpa would let them date without even the slightest rebuttal.


    Nicklaus pulled her close and pecked her cheeks; ''''Maybe he''s remorseful for breaking us apart. ''''


    Tiana''s lips widened into a smile and she said; ''''Thank God, at least we have one less thing to worry for; yes, I told you that you didn''t take the check, what did you tell grandpa? ''''


    Her brows knitted together when she remembered what she was telling him when he walked into the room; Nicklaus scratched his head;


    ''''Ehm, when I found out, I wrote another check for grandpa, '''' he had intentionally left the check, he didn''t want her to pay for it.


    Tiana pouted; ''''Okay, so you take the check then; ''''


    ''''Eh, actually, I want you to use it for me. '''' Tiana''s brows creased in confusion;


    ''''Uh? ''''


    ''''Yeah, i don''t need it; I have a lot of money already, so you should use it for me. ''''


    Tiana frowned; '''' I don''t want it. ''''


    Nicklaus''s brows creased with worry; ''''Why? ''''


    ''''Because it''s the money I was paid to leave you, I can''t take it. ''''


    ''''No, take it as a gift from me; ''''


    ''''Oh, so you left it intentionally? '''' Tiana darted her eyes at him and Nicklaus coughed;


    ''''No, no, it wasn''t intentional¡­ ''''


    ''''Then I don''t want it; ''''


    She pouted and folded her hands in front of her, her eyes staring at the television.


    Nicklaus smiled; since it was a check, he would just tear it, there was no need arguing with her.

 Chapter 184 - Give up the company

    Nicklaus''s phone buzzed on his table as he sat in a meeting and a smirk tugged on his lips when he saw the message on it;


    ''My period ends today, I can''t wait for you to come home tonight, and I forgot to tell you, I loved the way you f.u.c.k.i.e.d me yesterday.''


    A groan formed at the back of his throat when he read the last lines of her message; his mind going back to how smokingly hot she looked yesterday under him; purely mouthwatering. Nicklaus felt himself getting a hard-on as he imagined the sight of her n.a.k.e.d body again; he didn''t know why, but every time he looked at her, she still looked like a cute innocent cinnamon roll, and he couldn''t help but fall over and over again.


    Ignoring the staff in front of him, he typed back; ''I want to see you in one of my shirts with no panties on when I get back''


    He grinned; leaning back on the chair as he waited for her reply;


    A blush washed Tiana''s cheeks as her eyes fell on the message on her phone, her legs reflexively clasped together as she felt her core starting to get wet. Just reading his message was turning her on; she liked the way he f.u.c.k.i.e.d her yesterday; she liked him slow and passionate, but being a little rough was something else, it took her to the galaxies and back.


    ''Okay baby, I''ll do that, love you.''


    ''Yeah, love you too.''


    Her eyes glanced at the time and it was just past eleven, they hadn''t even started the practice properly, Tiana sighed, she wished the day would just end, so she could run home and get ready for a crazy night. Her lips pouted when she remembered that he didn''t bother to ask her out again, after that night.


    She didn''t tell him yes then because he asked her right after she reminded him that he had never asked her to be with him. She had expected him to ask her the next day, but strangely he had kept mute about it, Tiana couldn''t help but feel pouty, but then she waved it off, maybe he didn''t want to make it official yet, knowing that they couldn''t go public because of the issues on ground.


    Her thoughts were caught short when a message from Claire popped up in their group chat, telling them that practice was starting in a few minutes. Tiana''s spirits dwindled immediately. Today, Claire did not speak to her, not even sparing her a glance. She was still mad at her but the fact that she had not replaced her for the shoot showed that there was room for reconciliation.


    She was going to give her a few more days, then send her a long message of explanation and apology, she might not want to speak to her, but she was sure not going to avoid reading her message.


    ¡­


    ''''Sir, he has security men guarding her strictly, kidnapping her is almost impossible.'''' Liam sat on the chair; his eyes staring blankly into space as he listened to the man in front of him give the details.


    ''''what of her home? ''''


    ''''Information getting to us is that she moved back to Nicklaus''s estate immediately after they reconciled, and his home is one of the most heavily guarded private properties in Los Angeles, with security guards situated at every corner of the estate and about three gates if I''m not mistaken. I''m sorry but it''s quite impossible to penetrate his property.''''


    Liam shot the man an angry glare seeing how he was magnifying the problem in front of them instead of proffering a solution.


    ''''You have to find a way, keep guards on watch, make sure to find the time she is the freest and strike, I don''t care how you do it, I want that woman in my custody before this week runs out. ''''


    The guards glanced at themselves in shock; it seems Liam did not understand what they were talking about yet. Nicklaus hired men directly from the military, trained reinforcements, who knew trouble when it appeared; going after her before the week runs out was just signing a death wish.


    ''''Sir, a week''s time is not enough to understand their strategy, not to talk of an attack, if we go in too quickly we could all be killed. ''''


    The man, who had spoken earlier said again, looking a little disturbed. Liam thought for a moment; he was right, Nicklaus was a very smart person, he would want to guard Tiana now more than ever after finding out his identity, so going in too quickly would just smear trouble for them. He had told his mother to let him handle this case to make up for his carelessness and his mother had entrusted him with it so he had to take extra care about it.


    ''''How long would it take? '''' he asked, glancing at the men in front of him;


    Their leader, who had spoken earlier thought for a moment;


    ''''A month is enough. '''' Liam nodded; ''''Alright, you can leave. '''' He waved them off and after they had left, his hand palmed into fists.


    His main reason for suggesting her kidnap was just to get back at her for leaving him. Not only was he going to kidnap her he was going to sleep with her and send the video to Nicklaus. She felt she could toy with his emotions and go free, ha! she must be delusional. No woman had ever dumped him before, not now and not in the next world. He would make sure to break her so much that she would get disgusted by her own face.


    Nicklaus loved her right? Let''s see if he would be able to give up the company for her.


    An evil smirk tugged on his lips and his hands rubbed on his jaws; when she finds out that he wouldn''t save her, then she would have no other choice than to go on her knees and beg him to take her.


    His smirk grew into an irksome laughter and it resounded in the room.

 Chapter 185 - A brother and nothing more

    Leo walked into the room where Claire lay sleeping like a baby; his steps faltered as he approached the bed. She had cried throughout the night and had refused to eat a thing. She did not want to go home so he took her to his house and stayed by her side till she fell asleep.


    Watching her cry yesterday tore him apart; he wished he could stop her pain but all he could do was hug her and hold her and listen to her whimpers. From what she told him that happened he knew it wasn''t Tiana''s fault, they had a misunderstanding and they came back together, but he understood why she was sad, she liked Nicklaus and the fact that Tiana did not tell her about it hurt.


    Leo couldn''t say if he was happy or sad about the whole issue. A part of him was sad, sad because he didn''t like to see her hurt, but another part of him was a little glad. He had already bashed all hopes of getting together with her, but now there was a slither of hope. He had kept his feelings hidden away for the longest time, but he wasn''t going to let her go to another man without letting her know how he felt about her. Even though she rejects him, at least he would stop guessing a thousand things that could have happened in his mind, and maybe he could finally move on.


    Claire m.o.a.ned in her sleep and opened her eyes slowly; her eyes glanced at the strange lights and she creased her brows when she remembered she had slept over at Leo''s place, she blinked.


    ''''Good morning sleepyhead, it''s past eleven. ''''


    Leo said, sitting down on the bed beside her. Claire''s eyes glanced at him and she smiled, sitting upright on the bed; ''''Eleven? I slept for too long, why didn''t you wake me up? '''' she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, stretching her limbs,


    Leo dressed her tousled hair with his hands; ''''you were very exhausted after yesterday so I didn''t want to disturb you. '''' Even when she had cried and slept for over ten hours, she still looked very cute. He didn''t know how someone could still look so stunning even after a terrible day. She could do a runway looking like this and nobody would tell she just woke up from sleep.


    ''''Thank you for yesterday; '''' Claire smiled when she remembered how she had been a cry baby but he had put up with her all through the night.


    '''' don''t even mention, what are best friends for? Now get ready, let me prepare your bath. '''' Leo stood up from the bed, kissing her temple before turning to the bathroom to prepare her bath. Claire smiled as she watched him leave. She didn''t know what she would have done without him. He had always been there for her, through her hard times, and through her pain, it was rare to find someone with such a pure heart.


    When Leo stepped out of the bathroom, his whole body froze; Claire was tying a towel, which stopped just underneath her bum when she heard the door creak, she turned to him.


    ''''Leo, I didn''t see my body towel? Do you know where it is? '''' She asked with her cute baby eyes staring at him with a light frown, oblivious of what she was doing to him.


    Claire slept over at his place sometimes, so she basically had her room in his house, but when she went to take her towel, she didn''t find it where she left it the last time she was there.


    Leo forced his eyes away from her luscious legs and brought it to her face;


    ''''I¡­ I had it washed, forgot to bring it back, will go get it now. ''''


    He spoke hurriedly and walked out of the room with the quickest speed he could muster. Claire watched his reddened expression, a puzzled look on her face.


    What was wrong with him?


    She wondered as she stepped into the bathroom, closing it behind her.


    Leo panted heavily once he was out of her room, he never thought that she would wear something so revealing in front of him. What did she think he was, some log of wood?


    Does she even know what she does to him? Even looking at her when she was fully dressed, made him want to kiss the life out of her, not to talk of when she was half-n.a.k.e.d.


    He ran his hand through his hair; she was making it harder controlling his urges for her, he didn''t want to make a mistake with her, he had held on for a very long while, he wasn''t about to ruin things now.


    Leo took in a deep breath calming himself; before going to get her towel. Now he thought about it, she acting like that in front of him only meant that she saw him as a brother and nothing else. She didn''t even think twice because she firmly believed that he had no feelings for her whatsoever.


    Leo''s heart sunk for a moment; even if that was the case, he was going to change what she thought about him. He was going to make her see how much he loved her, and then he would confess to her. If after everything she still didn''t want him, then she was never his, to begin with.


    Claire''s eyes fell on the towel lying on the bed when she stepped out of the bathroom, and a smile tugged on her lips; Leo had always been so sweet and thoughtful. Although she had always warned him not to, he always did her laundry and made sure she didn''t do a thing whenever she slept over. It''s been over three years now and still, he hadn''t changed a bit. She wondered why he didn''t have a girlfriend yet, he was the perfect gentleman any woman would ever want, or maybe he had a childhood sweetheart he was waiting to come back so they could get married, Claire chuckled lightly at that thought. As she stepped out of the room, the sweet aroma of beef made her lips stretch into a beautiful smile.

 Chapter 186 - Ill make you scream my name

    Nicklaus''s breath hitched in his throat as he stepped into his room; his leg rooted to a spot. He had imagined a thousand different sights of her in his mind but at that moment, the view in front of him sent his di*k pushing against his pants, his body becoming unbearably hot.


    Tiana was lying on the bed, with her legs crossed, the shirt she wore stopped right on her bum, such that her hot thighs were exposed, she wore nothing underneath, and Nicklaus could vividly see her hardened n.i.p.p.l.es pushing against the shirt; when she saw him, a smile coursed through her cheeks and she stepped out of the bed like a cute little baby, walking towards him s.e.xily, making sure not to break eye contact.


    ''''I''ve been waiting for you¡­ '''' she closed the gap between then, her hands grabbed his tie and pulled him closer to her, Nicklaus swallowed hard as her breath fanned his face;


    ''''My insides are scorching with need; I can''t wait for you to get inside me¡­ '''' she whispered seductively in his ears, earning a groan from him, Nicklaus grabbed her by the waist and rubbed her against his crotch, his other hand caressing her bum.


    ''''I''m not going to let you rest tonight¡­ '''' he m.o.a.ned against her ears, feeling his insides surging with l.u.s.t; ''''I don''t want you to¡­; '''' she grinned at him and her hand grabbed his d.i.c.k which was hard against his pants and rubbed on it. Nicklaus m.o.a.ned, picking her up from the ground and crashing his lips into hers; he kissed her fiercely and she kissed him back with the same savagery, so much that she didn''t know which tongue was hers anymore; her hands pulled off his tie and began undoing his shirt,


    Their raging pants filled the room as they moved towards the bathroom, kicking everything on the way, all the while still kissing. Tiana cursed beneath her breath when the shirt wouldn''t come off, frustratingly, she pulled it apart, sending the buttons flying across the tiled floor; a light chuckle escaped his lips as he took off the shirt, tossing it on the floor; he had never seen her so horny before; with a single pull, he took off the shirt she was wearing, sending her n.a.k.e.d b.r.e.a.s.ts, dangling in front of him;


    ''''F.u.c.k baby, you''re killing me¡­ '''' he spoke hoarsely, pushing open the bathroom door with one hand and arching her back towards his mouth with the other, taking her n.i.p.p.l.e in his mouth.


    ''''ah¡­ f.u.c.k, '''' Tiana m.o.a.ned, pulling at his hair, her back arching forward, letting him devour her in every way possible; she squirmed against him, her hands hugging him tight as he sucked the hell out of her b.r.e.a.s.ts. She didn''t know they were already in the shower until she felt the cold torrent hit against her back, and a yelp escaped her lips;


    Nicklaus let go of her b.r.e.a.s.ts and licked up her neck, covering her lips again, sucking on every inch of it.


    This woman drove him crazy, every single time felt like the first time, her lips so familiar and yet so foreign, and each time felt so overwhelming that he didn''t want it to end.


    Finally, he let go of her lips, and they panted heavily; the water drops obstructed her view a little, but she could see the intense desire on his face. This man, made her feel whole in ways she had never imagined; he filled every aspect of her being like she had been incomplete before him; words can never do justice to how much she loved this man. Staring at his sparkling face in the shower, and the eyes that gazed back at her with raging l.u.s.t, she knew, to hell, she couldn''t this with another man, not now, and not even in her next world.


    With a smile, she dropped to her knees; using her fingers she undid his belt before leaning forward to pull his zipper down with her teeth;


    Damn!


    Nicklaus groaned in desperation as he watched her pull down his boxers and sticking out her tongue she licked the tip of his c.o.c.k as she took it out of its cage; glancing up to peek at him, she wrapped her hand around the base of his c.o.c.k and sucked the head into her mouth, savoring the taste of his prec.u.m. Nicklaus palmed his hands against the wall, desperately;


    Gradually, she took more of him into her lips, her lips meeting her hand where it was wrapped around him at the base, this was the first time she had gone this far, as she could feel his tip almost reach the back of her throat;


    She felt his hand grab a handful of her hair as a groan left his lips and she knew he liked what she was doing to him; twirling her hand around him, she motioned her head, sucking him harder and faster;


    She didn''t want him to c.u.m just yet, if anything she wanted him to c.u.m inside her, so when she felt he was hard enough to f.u.c.k her to the high heavens, she pulled her lips off him;


    ''''Get up. '''' Nicklaus commanded; intense l.u.s.t written in his eyes; she obeyed like she was under some spell, Tiana didn''t know how far she went with his c.o.c.k until he was slamming her against the wall, and pulling her legs up;


    ''''I''m going to make you scream my name, beautiful; '''' she gulped at the sound of his voice. She had never heard him this hoarse, it was as though something else had taken over him, and strangely she loved it; that night, she didn''t want him to be anything slow, in fact, she wanted to be f.u.c.k.i.e.d in everywhere possible.


    ''''Ah!'''' A loud m.o.a.n escaped her lips when she felt his c.o.c.k ram into her without warning; her hands gripping his shoulder; she could feel him stretching her insides and it burned a little, but pleasure came coursing through her, enveloping the pain.


    He rammed into her again, making her m.o.a.n louder; her chest heaved as she rocked against him; she shut her eyes as she awaited the next thrust but Nicklaus pulled out slowly, torturing her with the slow drag of his c.o.c.k against her inner walls;


    ''''Oh god, baby¡­ '''' she shrieked, her fingers digging into his skin as her core clenched around him;


    ''''Beautiful, we''ve not started yet and you''re already screaming;


    He smirked as he watched her; thrusting in again and pulling out ever slowly;


    heavy pants left her lips as she moved against him, trying to quicken his steps, but Nicklaus held her h.i.p.s stopping her movements; he rubbed his c.o.c.k along her opening, making sure to tease the swollen bud above it;

 Chapter 187 - Marry me

    Tiana m.o.a.ned out loud, her h.i.p.s squirming around him; her l.u.s.tful gaze stared at him in desperation, if he did that again, she was sure going to push him to the floor taking his c.o.c.k her herself;


    ''''Baby, please, f.u.c.k me¡­ '''' she spoke breathlessly and a smirk pulled his lips; he saw the desperation in her eyes and decided to give in; holding her h.i.p.s firmly he thrust into her; stretching her past her limits;


    ''''Oh god¡­ '''' Tiana screamed loudly, taking the pleasure he was giving; Nicklaus started moving faster, riling her up the glass wall, his stroked becoming uneven as he pounded into her, suddenly she yelped, her eyes rolling backward, f.u.c.k, he just hit the right spot;


    ''''Yes, yes baby, don''t stop, yes¡­ right there¡­'''' she m.o.a.ned in ecstasy, her fingers digging into his skin; Nicklaus had no intention of stopping; he rammed on the particular spot that made her scream until she went rigid as pleasure reached its climax and she bucked against him.


    Nicklaus kissed her slowly this time, holding her in his arms until she found strength on her knees;


    Tiana panted as she hugged him around the waists, getting her stance, she squatted and took him in her mouth again; she sucked him for less than five minutes before he exploded into her mouth and she milked every single drop of it. When she was done, she gave his head a last lick before standing up and kissing his mouth passionately;


    They hurriedly took a shower and came out of the bathroom. They dried their bodies and blow-dried their hair and Tiana lay on the bed as she waited for Nicklaus to join her;


    ''''Do you know when I started falling for you? '''' she asked out of the blues and Nicklaus shook his head;


    ''''No; when? ''''


    ''''When I first saw those tattoos; '''' she signaled, her eyes gaping at his body, she had a thing for tattooed skin, and this man was not only handsome but had the body of a Greek god and devilish markings, gush, his body was something else!


    Even though she hated him at that time for what he did to her, if he had made any advances at her, she knew she wouldn''t be able to resist.


    Nicklaus laughed breathily; ''''I like looking good you know? '''' he smirked, his eyes snaking down her sumptuous body lying on the bed;


    Tiana smiled; ''''I know, you seem to take extra care, and you smell so nice; god, what is there not to love about you? ''''


    Nicklaus laughed at her confession; ''''you smell like lavender and strawberry, but these days you smell like me. '''' Tiana grinned; ''''Well that''s because you have been in my skin lately;


    She beamed as she watched him come to her on the bed; she widened her legs as she let him come in between her; Nicklaus entered her immediately without warning; seizing her lips and kissing her roughly, his lips left hers for a moment and he arched her waists, making his length go in deeper;


    Tiana m.o.a.ned, her hands grabbing her b.r.e.a.s.ts for support;


    Nicklaus held one of her legs up as he slammed into her; all of a sudden he said; ''''Marry me. ''''


    Tiana, who was pitching with pleasure shot her eyes open immediately;


    ''''Wha¡­ what? '''' she stared at him wide-eyed with m.o.a.ns leaving her lips as he continued to f.u.c.k her;


    ''''Marry me, beautiful, I promise to always make you happy. '''' he thrust in deeper inside her, making her lips open in shock;


    How could he propose to her all of a sudden and when he was deep inside her! This man!


    ''''Will you marry me beautiful? '''' Tiana could not think straight; she thought that he would ask her to be his girlfriend or something, not in her wildest dreams did she expect that he would ask her to marry him. Wasn''t it too early? There were a lot of issues, getting married now¡­


    ''''We could just register our marriage after everything is over, we can have a wedding; '''' As though Nicklaus read her mind, he spoke, still pounding her;


    ''''Is?? is it okay? Can we do that? '''' she asked, her eyes getting watery, both from pleasure and shock; Nicklaus nodded and a smile washed her lips;


    ''''Yes, Yes! I''ll marry you; '''' She couldn''t believe this was happening, getting married to the man of her dreams! It felt too unreal.


    Nicklaus smiled brightly and leaned, kissing her passionately, his thrusts slowing; ''''God¡­ thank you, thank you beautiful, you don''t know how happy you''ve made me, I love you, love you so much. ''''


    ''''I love you too, baby. '''' she kissed him back, her hands wrapping around his neck; suddenly, Nicklaus turned her over, making her drop on her fours; a light squeal escaping her lips;


    He held her waists, and resumed his thrusts, he could feel his climax coming, but he held on for her to reach first;


    ''''Oh f.u.c.k¡­ '''' Tiana felt her whole body tremble as he filled her in a different way; she arched her back, m.o.a.ning loudly with each thrust he gave.


    ''''¡­I''m¡­ I''m coming¡­ '''' her whole body grew stiff as she felt herself go over the cliff, at the same time Nicklaus bucked against her, falling limply on the side of the bed, their pants filling the room.


    Tiana turned and hugged him close, kissing his chest;


    ''''We are getting married, for real? '''' she asked, unbelievably;


    ''''Yeah, we are. '''' he kissed her passionately on the lips, before pecking her forehead.


    At that moment, staring at her under him, he knew, he just knew there was no other person on the planet earth that could complete him the way she did, and he wanted to be with her, in every way possible.


    Nicklaus stared at his soon to be wife, snuggled in his arms, sleeping like a baby and he smiled happily; this was suddenly the happiest moment of his life.


    He listened to her breaths until it became even, then he stood up and walked to his drawer, pulling it open, he took out a small box, a shiny ring shone as he pulled it open;


    Turning to the woman on the bed, he smiled and walked to her. Carefully, he took out her left hand and placed the ring slowly on her ring finger. It fit perfectly. Nicklaus stared at the beautiful ring on her hand and he couldn''t help but kiss her hand.


    He never knew bliss could be this overwhelming until now. This woman made him forget every pain he had ever felt in his life.


    And he f.u.c.kin'' loved her.

 Chapter 188 - Sketching Her

    Tiana stirred on the bed, her eyes fluttered open, the sun was already up and the rays hit on her face, she turned to the other side and she realized that Nicklaus was no longer on the bed; her brows creased and she sat up on the bed, sending the duvet falling down to her waist, exposing her perky b.r.e.a.s.ts;


    ''''Morning, beautiful '''' she turned to the window side and she smiled when she saw him sitting there with some brushes and pencils; there were other containers on the table but she could not see the contents;


    ''''Morning baby, what are you doing? '''' she asked as she came down from the bed and  held the duvet over her b.r.e.a.s.ts, walking lazily to where he sat;


    ''''I''m drawing you¡­ '''' her lips fell open when she saw the masterpiece on the drawing board;


    ''''Oh my god¡­ '''' Her hands covered her lips in shock; ''''wow, it''s so pretty.'''' Nicklaus had drawn her while she was sleeping, she had one of her legs out of the duvet and the other one in, her long hair cascaded down her back as she faced the sun; Nicklaus has sketched her so perfectly that she thought it was a photo shoot.


    ''''DO you like it? '''' He asked and she turned to him, staring at him unbelievably; ''''Are you even asking me that? I love it! Wow, this is so pretty, thank you. '''' She laughed excitedly, falling into his arms and hugging him around the neck, that was when she saw the foreign thing on her finger.


    Tiana''s eyes widened as her gaze fell on the ring on her left hand; ''''Oh my god¡­ '''' this morning was so full of surprises; she pulled out of his embrace and stared at the ring on her hand, her gaze turning to him;


    ''''When¡­ when did you get this? '''' she asked, her eyes wide with shock. Last night, when he  proposed to her, she had thought that he had said that in the spur of the moment, but if there was a ring on her hand that means he had thought about it for a while. Tiana could not help but feel so special, her eyes watered;


    ''''I have been thinking about it for a while, even before you told me that we aren''t officially dating, do you like it? '''' Tiana''s hands flew over her lips, and she became emotional.


    ''''I love you, I love you so much. '''' she cried, hugging him tightly; Nicklaus patted on her back;


    ''''I love you too, so much more. '''' Tiana held him tight, her body shaking lightly.


    ''''Hey, don''t cry okay, don''t cry, I don''t want you getting wrinkles. '''' He kissed her neck, standing up from the chair and pulling her close to him.


    ''''It''s so pretty! '''' She exclaimed, still holding him tight. The previous month, she was bem.o.a.ning herself and crying so much, never did she in her wildest dreams think that she would be getting a ring today and from the man she had fallen deeply in love with.


    ''''You''re so pretty. '''' Nicklaus whispered back, making her cry aloud. This man, how could he be so perfect?


    ''''When did you start drawing? '''' Tiana asked, sketching took a while, she wondered if he had stayed up for most of the night sketching her. Nicklaus had indeed woken up a little early to draw but he didn''t want her to continue being sober.


    ''''Just an hour ago, '''' Tiana smiled; ''''you must be a pro, to draw me so perfectly in an hour. ''''


    ''''I''m taking a day off from work, we don''t have anything much to do today; I''ll go with you to the company. '''' she said confidently as though her life depended on it.


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''you want to be clingy uh? '''' He pinched her cheeks and she nodded; ''''I wish I can be more than that. Wait for me, let me take a shower. ''''


    His hair looked well-kept and he was dressed so she figured he must have taken a shower. Tiana hurried up into the bathroom, once she was out of his sight, a broad smile broke out on her lips and she lifted her hands in the air; the ring fit her fingers so perfectly, she wondered how he knew her perfect size.


    It was a diamond ring and Tiana knew it must have cost a lot, and knowing who he was, she knew he must have spent a lot to get it; she exhaled, not wanting to think of how much the ring was.


    Her eyes glanced at her reflection on the mirror and she smiled; Nicklaus had marked her a lot on her chest and neck, but surprisingly she was glad about it. In fact, she wished it wouldn''t even go away; as long as it was from him, she didn''t want it to fade.


    When she stepped out of the room, her clothes were already set, and she smiled at Nicklaus who was getting dressed now;


    A blush formed on her cheeks as she walked to the vanity to apply her lotion;


    ''''we''ll go to the civil affairs today, okay? '''' Nicklaus came to stand beside her, picking the hair dryer and blowing on her hair;


    Tiana blushed; hearing him wanting to get married to her as quickly as possible made her feel like a queen.


    ''''Okay, but if you''re very busy today, we could go tomorrow. ''''


    ''I''mthe CEO of my company; I''m only busy when I say so. '''' Tiana laughed at his words, her eyes curving into crescents;


    ''''Okay. So are we going for a honey moon? Um, not really a honey moon, but you know, out of the house, alone, together? '''' She peeked at him in the mirror and he smirked;


    ''''don''t worry, I got everything planned; '''' He leaned and kissed her neck, making Tiana squeal.


    She was so excited, dressing up quickly and helping him with his tie; she smiled at him as they walked out to have breakfast.


    In the car, Tiana kept peeking at her hand, which didn''t go unnoticed by Nicklaus, it made him glad. Seeing her this happy made him want to do more as long as she would smile so beautifully.


    "Should we let your family know about us?" Tiana asked as they drove out of the civil affairs.


    When they got to the company earlier, he just spoke with his secretary, and in less than thirty minutes, he was walking back to his car, holding her hands as though she could disappear any moment. His excitement surprised her.


    Registering their marriage took a while but in a few hours they were done.


    Tiana held their marriage certificates in her hands and she smiled excitedly, her joy knew no bounds, Nicklaus Howells is her husband! What could beat that! She screamed inside of her, not wanting him to see how excited she was;


    Given the issues at hand, it would not be safe to tell his family about them yet, but she had asked him to know his opinion on it;


    "Let''s keep it calm for now, okay? We''ll tell them after everything is settled, and then we''ll have a grand wedding and start making babies.'''' His hand caressed her laps lightly, and she beamed unable to hide her blush.


    Suddenly her eyes shot open,


    ''''Talking of making babies, we''ve never used protection!!'''' Her eyes widened drastically as she turned to him with a terrified look. They had s.e.x a couple of times and she never used protection, what ... what if she was pregnant?


    Tiana gulped as she stared at him, Nicklaus hit his hand against the steering, "f.u.c.k! How could I forget!!" He scolded himself, his face looking scared.


    Something bad happening to her was his greatest fear, not to talk of harm coming to her and their unborn child, it was going to break him. At that moment, even though he wanted to have a baby with her, he prayed that she was not pregnant. If anything happened to their unborn child, it was going to shatter him, and he didn''t want to imagine how it would break her.


    Nicklaus slowed down and took her hand in his, kissing it;


    "We''ll be fine... I promise.'''' that was the best he could do at that moment, he had been so f.u.c.kin'' careless and he wasn''t going to forgive himself if something should happen to her.


    Tiana gulped, her palms fisted on her laps, she prayed to the high heavens that she was not pregnant, he was already very worried thinking about keeping her safe, not to talk of when there was a baby growing inside of her, it was going to wreck him.


    "Symptoms would show after two weeks, but I don''t think I''m pregnant, our baby wouldn''t want to come now, trust me.'''' Tiana comforted him holding his hand tightly. She said that to comfort him but in her mind, she was terribly scared.


    Throughout the trip, the car was eerily quiet, she knew he would blame himself on the inside, she wanted to comfort him but there was nothing more she could do. Suddenly her eyes widened,


    "Baby, there are pills to take after s.e.x, the morning after pills, oh, how did I forget?" Tiana beamsd in excitement, a tinge of hope flashing through her eyes, "we should stop at a pharmacy. ''''


    "Really? Morning after pills? Didn''t know about that, but we had s.e.x a few days ago,would it be able to work?.''''


    Nicklaus turned to her and she was glad when she saw a little relief in his eyes;


    "It works for s.e.x not upto five days, It''s not been up to five days, right?" Her heart slammed against her chest as she quickly calculated the number of days; "It was on Saturday and this is Tuesday, oh thank God, it''s been four days", she exclaimed in relief.


    Nicklaus sighed lightly; he would never put her in such danger ever again.


    A smile washed through Tiana''s face and the tensed mood in the car eased, it was quickly replaced by the former joyful mood.

 Chapter 189 - The pain unbearable

    Nicklaus stopped by a nearby pharmacy and walked in with Tiana;


    ''''Do you have the morning after pills? '''' Tiana asked, as they stood in front of the counter;


    ''''Yes Ma''am, '''' the female pharmacist, replied; peeking at Nicklaus who was standing beside her;


    ''''How many days has it been ma''am; '''' the woman asked as her eyes turned back to Tiana,


    ''''Um, four days? ''''


    ''''Alright. '''' the woman nodded and left, after a few minutes, she returned with a pack of tablets;


    ''''This would do. '''' She said passing it across the counter to Tiana.


    ''''Add some pregnancy test strips too; '''' she said, although she was going to take the drugs, it was best to be on the safe side.


    ''''And ten boxes of condom.'''' Nicklaus added immediately and a thick blush flushed Tiana''s cheeks, her eyes widened in shock, she instantly felt people''s gazes on her body;


    ''Ten!'' Couldn''t he have said two or even five, jeez!


    The woman smiled at them with a knowing nod, and Tiana felt like fainting, okay, she just got married but she still felt her cheeks heat up with the way Nicklaus had said it;


    The drive back home was a little quiet, Nicklaus stopped at a five-star restaurant and they had lunch before going back home.


    Quickly Tiana took the medication as prescribed and she lay down to rest; Nicklaus lay in bed with her for a while before he went to his study to continue with work.


    Tiana woke up by half-past four and she turned on the bed but did not see him. She let out a light yawn and stretched herself on the bed, a sweet smile stretched her lips when her eyes fell on the ring on her finger; it still felt like a dream, but then it was f.u.c.kin'' real, she was married!


    She leaped out of the bed, in Nicklaus''s shirt again, and went to look for him.


    ''''Hubby¡­ '''' she called and a light chuckle left her lips when she heard herself; damn! She couldn''t believe she was saying that;


    ''''Hubby! '''' she increased her pitch as she pushed open the study room and saw him sitting at that office table, he was talking to some persons on his laptop and Tiana knew he was in a conference meeting;


    Nicklaus peeked up at her when he saw the door open and he smiled; Tiana pouted, crossing her hands in front of her;


    Tch, he was so relaxed earlier as though he had nothing to do, but here he was, busy in a meeting;


    Nicklaus''s gaze sleeked down her body as she leaned on her h.i.p.s; he felt his throat tighten.


    The members of the board paused as they watched their boss stare ahead with a smile on his lips;


    Since they had known him, Nicklaus Howells never smiled, does he perhaps, have a woman? They wondered in their mind, but none could say it out loud; Tiana, not wanting to distract him, waved at him, and closed the door quietly;


    She walked to the floor to ceiling mirror and stared at her reflection, a smile stretched her lips as she realized she was strangely excitingly beautiful, maybe because she was married now?


    She grinned and suddenly her eyes widened;


    Lord! She hasn''t told Gwen yet!


    She had not talked with her for a while now and it had actually skipped her mind by how fast things turned out. Quickly she walked to the bed and took her phone from the drawer by the bedside;


    She tapped on Gwen''s Whatsapp and took a picture of her ring and sent it;


    ''Guess what, little sister¡­, she texted with an excited smiley emoji''


    Gwen wasn''t online, so she quickly called her;


    ''''Sister! Finally, she called! For a moment, I thought you had forgotten me¡­ '''' Gwen laughed over the phone and Tiana chuckled; she could hear some voices on the phone and she knew Gwen was with some friends.


    ''''haha, sorry dear, I''ve been caught up with some stuff lately, how are you? ''''


    Gwen smiled; ''''I''m good, very good. What about you? ''''


    ''''Everything is fine, Gwen, go check my message on Whatsapp. ''''


    Gwen''s brows creased, she was at a birthday party, but it had not started properly yet, so she could talk;


    ''''What is in there? '''' She queried;


    ''''Oh go and check it already, call me back when you''re done. '''' Tiana giggled and ended the call immediately; she smiled as she stared at her phone waiting for Gwen''s call to come in. As expected, in less than a minute, her phone buzzed in her palm;


    ''''TIANA! IS THAT A RING! ARE YOU ENGAGED?!'''' Gwen screamed, making Tiana pull the phone away from her ear, laughing loudly;


    ''''Uhm, yeah, I am, '''' She replied, her hand playing with her hair, there was no need telling her that they were married already since they had not done the wedding proper.


    ''''WTF! HOW DID YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME!'''' Gwen exclaimed, ''''WHO IS HE? WHO IS THE PERSON?''''


    Tiana smiled; knowing that she was about to sound unbelievable; ''''Uh¡­ Nicklaus¡­ '''' she shut her eyes, waiting for Gwen''s outburst;


    There was a moment of silence on the other side before Gwen asked; ''''you''re kidding me right? ''''


    ''''No, I''m not kidding, we''re engaged. ''''


    ''''How, how did it happen, I thought you guys broke up? When did you get together? ''''


    ''''We got together last week when we found out that everything was a misunderstanding, it''s a long story, will brief you when you come back home; and then yesterday, he asked me to marry him. ''''


    ''''Oh my Jesus! Tiana! You''re getting married! For real! '''' Gwen exclaimed making Tiana laugh out loud. That was Gwen, she was way dramatic.


    ''''When is the wedding? I''m gonna be your chief bride''s maid, you know that right? ''''


    ''''Yeah, of course, no-one is taking that from you. '''' Tiana laughed; ''''but it''s not happening immediately though, you know it''s a very big family wedding, so there are a lot of preparations to be made; '''' Tiana didn''t want to tell her all the stuff happening, it was better to keep it away from her for now, telling her about it, would just make her worry unnecessarily.


    ''''Oh, that''s true, but, YOU''RE F.U.C.KIN'' GETTING MARRIED! I''M SO SO HAPPY FOR YOU TIANA!'''' Gwen screamed again making Tiana laugh.


    They talked about other random things before Tiana ended the call.


    ''''Who was that? '''' Katy, Gwen''s friend, who was a fashion icon and was at the birthday party too, asked when she heard her excited screams.


    Gwen who was almost pale with rage instantly forced a smile to her face;


    ''''Oh, that was my sister; she is getting married; ''''


    Katy smiled brightly; ''''Wow, that''s good news! '''' she exclaimed and she glanced at the phone in Gwen''s hands, and her eyes fell on the picture of a hand with a ring;


    ''''Oh, is that hers? ''''


    Gwen glanced down at her screen and realized that she had mistakenly tapped on her Whatsapp icon, she swallowed painfully;


    ''''Yeah... it is,'''' she replied, trying to keep her calm, but the rage inside of her was burning terribly;


    ''''Holy Mezus! '''' Katy''s eyes widened as she stared at the rare blue 9.6-carat diamond ring; ''''who is her fianc¨¦? ''''


    She turned to Gwen, who''s brows were creased with confusion now;


    ''''Um, is there anything wrong with the ring? ''''


    ''''Wrong? You must be kidding me! there''s only one of that ring in the world and it cost $10 million dollars girl, a whooping 15million dollars! Her fianc¨¦ must be stinkingly wealthy to get that for her.''''


    She was a fashion icon, so she knew a little about rings;


    Gwen''s eyes widened and she felt her face drain of the remaining color in it; ''''10¡­ 10 what? ''''


    ''''10 million dollars! Who is she getting married to? '''' Katy asked inquisitively, ''''Wow, the man must love her a little too much to get her that ring!''''


    To think she was not raged enough, a simple engagement ring on her sister''s hand could last someone a lifetime, Gwen found it hard to breathe, she instantly stood up from the couch she was sitting on;


    ''''Um, I don''t think she would want it to go public yet, haha, excuse me for a second. '''' Unable to take it any longer, Gwen turned and walked out speedily from the hall.


    She couldn''t breathe until she was outside, suddenly her body felt too hot and she panted heavily;


    How was she moving far away from her reach? How was this happening?


    She was here, working so hard to be the best, so then she could compete with her, but Tiana was never in the competition, to begin with, no matter how much she tried, she was never up to compete with her.


    "Ha! '''' Gwen exclaimed, her hand gripping her chest so hard that she felt her fingers dig into her skin,


    People like Nicklaus didn''t fall for people from their class, except in fiction, but this one in a lifetime opportunity came and she let it slip out of her hands?


    Gwen quaked, gritting her teeth painfully; she would never be up to her level, not to talk of being greater.


    Finally, she had lost to her.


    For the first time, Gwen felt tears well up in her eyes. All her life she had always been the best, and she had gotten used to winning every single time, this was the first time she had actually lost and it tore her into shreds.


    The pain was unbearable.


    ¡­


    ''''Hubby, let''s go swim in the pool¡­ '''' That was the first thing Nicklaus heard as he walked into the room. When he heard her call him that earlier, he couldn''t help the smile that tugged on his lips, he loved the sound of it on her lips.

 Chapter 190 - Unexpected of someone as cold as you

    .


    He walked to Tiana who was lying on the bed, dressed in a bikini with her bum facing upwards; and his eyes drunk in her gorgeous body as he sat down and kissed her back, cupping her bum with his hands, Tiana giggled in the pillow and she wriggled her bum, her eyes peeking at him lovingly;


    ''''Wifey, your bum is shaped liked an inverted love, and it''s so squishy, I love it.''''


    He caressed her bum, smacking it lightly, which in turn made her squeal; ''''it''s all yours hubby¡­ ''''


    She m.o.a.ned in a s.e.xy manner, arching her bum upwards into his hand earning a groan from him;


    This woman, she made it completely impossible to stop falling for her.


    ''''How was your meeting? '''' Tiana asked, she felt his hand go into her panties and squeeze her ass cheeks;


    ''''It was fine; you said wanted to go for a swim? '''' Nicklaus raised his brow and Tiana nodded;


    ''''Alright, let me get changed; '''' he said, kissing her cheek before walking to the drawer to wear some swim trunk;


    Tiana rested her hand on her elbow as she watched him;


    ''''Are you going out like this? '''' she asked, her eyes gazing at his bare chest;


    Nicklaus creased his brows; ''''Yeah? '''' he was wearing a swim trunk, stopping a little above his knees, and his chest was bare;


    Her eyes traced his broad shoulders, and down his abs and imagined the female workers in the house ogle at him, because obviously he was a sight to behold and she quickly shook her head;


    ''''No, no, you''re not going down looking like that. '''' She immediately stood up from the bed and walked towards him;


    Nicklaus laughed; ''''How do I look? ''''


    She glared at him and walked to the drawer, taking out a fresh bathrobe, passing one to him;


    ''''This body is just for my eyes, I can''t let other women see it. '''' she pouted, glaring at his body, earning a deep laughter from him; he loved how she acted jealous, it made him feel special;


    Pulling her close, he pecked her lips;


    ''''Wifey¡­ '''' He called, making sure to draw it at the end; ''''mm, I love it, wifey¡­ '''' He called again, as though registering the sound of it on his mind;


    Tiana slapped him lightly on the chest; ''''Silly! '''' she said before kissing him on the spot she had slapped him;


    Nicklaus cupped her face with his palm, peering into his eyes lovingly;


    ''''When are you leaving for France? ''''


    ''''Next month, '''' she said;


    ''''Hmm, okay, since you''ll be very busy now, let''s have our honey moon after your trip, okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''okay, so where are we going? '''' her eyes peered up at him in delight;


    ''''I have plans for Spain and Greece, but we''ll go anywhere you want. ''''


    He replied pinching her cheeks lightly; Tiana''s lips widened with a beautiful smile as she felt her legs go giddy;


    ''''Anywhere I want? '''' Her eyes peeked up with glee; Nicklaus nodded;


    ''''Mm, now I don''t want to rush it, I''ll take my time and think it through, let''s go swim first. '''' She exclaimed elatedly, taking him by the hand and walking out of the room.


    The workers in the house had noticed the drastic change in Nicklaus since Tiana came back to the house, since he was a little vibrant and bright, they could now talk and have fun when he was home;


    They were going about their daily function when they saw Tiana holding his hand as they walked down the stairs; they were chatting and laughing like some newly wedded couple. Nicklaus didn''t have a frosty expression on, which highlighted his handsomeness, and Tiana, she was stunning, so as they walked down the stairs the workers couldn''t help but gape.


    The couple walked past them as though they weren''t even there to begin with, their eyes glued to each other; the workers couldn''t help but admire them, throughout their stay in the mansion, Tiana was the most beautiful thing that has happened to their boss and they were glad that she was back.


    Nicklaus had his private pool, and he had the water heated before they got in; they swam for a while, then Nicklaus remembered something;


    ''''do you remember that day you nearly drowned?'''' Tiana wiped her face with her hand and she laughed when she remembered that day; ''''yeah, damn, that was so scary; what actually happened? ''''


    She asked, narrowing her brows;


    Nicklaus chuckled, and they swam to the end of the pool; ''''I was coming out of the basketball pitch when I saw someone sitting inside the pool, I was surprised at first but it wasn''t my business, but when I turned to leave, I saw you struggling, then all sanity flew out the window and I found myself jumping right in after you, ''''


    Tiana grinned; ''''Interesting, that''s really unexpected for someone as cold as you. '''' she replied, gazing at him;


    ''''Well,'''' Nicklaus paused for a second; ''''I had started having feelings for you at that time. ''''


    Tiana''s smile froze instantly and she blinked; she had drowned just one month after she began living with him, so how could he say he had liked her since then?


    Nicklaus laughed lightly when he noticed her surprised expression;


    ''''Now I think about it, I think I actually fell in love with you the day I saw you in that red dress, the night of the dinner at the family home. ''''


    Her lips fell open in shock; ''''you must be kidding me¡­ '''' she voiced unbelievably; he had locked her up right after that and he was saying he liked her ever since, now she was more confused;


    ''''That day when you walked towards me, I felt my heart skip, something that had never happened before; I tried to ignore it and push it aside, but the more I tried, the greater the feelings became. I even had to go see a doctor to take it all away, I hated it, I hated feeling vulnerable. '''' he paused, staring at her, and when he saw that she was listening, he continued;


    ??''In the heat of things, you kissed a man in front of the company... ''''

 Chapter 191 - I know how much you love me

    Tiana felt her throat tighten when he said that, it happened a long time ago, and she did not love him at that time, but now he said it, it made her feel like she cheated on him;


    ''''Beautiful¡­ you cannot imagine how chattered I felt; I haven''t yet come to terms with my feelings for you and yet I could feel waves of jealousy course through my spines; I tried to control myself and think straight but when I sent for you, you knelt in front of me and pleaded on his behalf; at that moment I could see the intense love and affection you have for him and I lost it; ''''


    ''''And you had me locked up¡­ '''' she pouted, although she didn''t want to think about it anymore, remembering it now, hurt a little.


    ''''That was my greatest undoing, if I could turn back the hands of time, I would rather burn my own hands than let you undergo such torture.'''' His eyes were filled with pain as he spoke, and his lips thinned;


    Tiana knew he was blaming himself on the inside and she didn''t want that; it was past now, and besides, he was that way because of his terrible past, so she swam closer to him and patted on his shoulder;


    ''''It''s okay, you don''t have to berate yourself, the most important thing is that you are changed and everything is in the past, and remember you were that way because of what you had to go through, so I fully understand; ''''


    Nicklaus lifted his eyes to look at her, and at that moment, Tiana saw the intense pain written in them;


    ''''Beautiful, no matter what I went through in the past, that does not justify my actions, I wish that day never came, I can''t bear the thought of it, everything you had to go through in there¡­ ''''


    Tiana closed the gap between them and hugged him close; ''''It''s okay, let''s not think about the past, I told you I forgive you and I mean it, you''ve proven to me in a thousand ways how much you love me, so anything you did in the past does not count; this is the man that I fell in love with, and this is the only side of you that I care about, okay? ''''


    She placed her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat;


    One thing she knew was that Nicklaus loved her, and to a fault, and even though he didn''t want to accept it, she knew he did the things he did because of his terrible childhood.


    ''''I love you, beautiful; '''' Nicklaus sighed; ''''I don''t know how to say it anymore. ''''


    Tiana angrily lifted her head from his chest and glared at him; in the next second, she covered his lips with hers, kissing him roughly. His lips tainted deep red when she let go of him and he licked it with his tongue, staring at her in surprise;


    ''''I said we should swim not talk about sad stuff; stop berating yourself, and stop saying you love me like you want to prove to me how much you do, I have eyes and I can see, I have a heart and I can feel!; '''' her eyes watered as she screamed at him, she hated him feeling that way like he needed to prove his love for her like he couldn''t forgive himself for hurting her in the past; '''' I know how much you love me Nicklaus from the way you look at me to the way you call me ''Beautiful'' so endearingly that I feel my heart skip every single f.u.c.kin'' time, even to the way you hold me like you needed only me in this entire world, Nicklaus Howells, I know you love me, and I have never ever doubted your love for me¡­ ''''


    Her words hung in her throat when Nicklaus pulled her close, seizing her lips fervently; he kissed her intensely and wildly until she felt her legs give way, falling into his arms;


    When he let go of her, they were both panting;


    ''''Thank you '''' Nicklaus whispered, hugging her close; those were the most passionate words he had ever heard and from his most favorite person in the world, he felt his heart become peaceful and the pain in it fading away.


    Tiana hugged him back, finding her breath from the kiss;


    ''''Let''s not talk about the past again, okay? '''' she whispered lovingly, she hated him feeling pain, he had been through a lot and he deserved to be happy.


    Nicklaus nodded, kissing her hair; ''''Okay. ''''


    She snuggled in his arms some more before she let him go and dived into the water, changing the topic into something more livelily.


    ¡­


    Tiana walked into the elevator leading up to Leo''s office, her mood dampening. Knowing that she was going to see Claire today dampened her mood, she needed to clear the air between them and soon.


    She took out her phone to tell her husband that she had arrived at the company but just when she tapped her WhatsApp messenger, his message popped up;


    ''Beautiful, I''ve arrived at the company, I have three meetings to attend today, I think I''ll be home late, send me a text when you''re done, okay? Love you.''


    Tiana smiled when she saw the text and she texted him back before putting her phone into her bag; just that moment, the elevator doors opened and she lifted her eyes, and they instantly locked in Claire''s.


    The smile on her lips disappeared immediately. Claire''s brows creased as though she was not expecting to see her, but immediately she pulled her eyes from her and walked into the elevator. Tiana watched the door close slowly, leaving both of them in the same space.


    She watched the numbers go up slowly as her heartbeat increased from the suffocating tension in the elevator; suddenly she spoke;


    ''''You were already together with him, and I didn''t want to ruin things, that''s why I didn''t tell you. I''m sorry. '''' Tiana spoke quickly, making sure she said the most important details in a single sentence.

 Chapter 192 - Rare blue Diamond

    Tiana held her breath as she waited for Claire''s reply but Claire did not say anything; she just kept mute as though Tiana was not talking to her;


    Tiana swallowed; ''''I''m sorry for not telling you and causing you to hurt, it was never my intention¡­ ''''


    Her words cut short when the elevators pulled open, her throat tightened as she watched Claire walk out of the elevator without glancing back.


    Tiana''s head fell low as she glanced at her feet, sadder than she had been before she said a word, the door of the elevators were about to close but Tiana did not feel like stopping it, but just when the doors were about to fully shut, someone'' hand stop it;


    ''''Are you going to continue standing in there or are you coming out? '''' Tiana''s eyes widened when she heard the very sweet and familiar voice;


    Claire stood in front of her, one hand, stretched blocking the door from shutting, Tiana could not believe her eyes, she stared blankly for ten seconds before her gaze fluttered and she jumped out of the elevator.


    Claire turned as though nothing had happened and walked forward to Leo''s office.


    Tiana walked into the office right after Claire and she watched her walk to Leo''s table with a toothy smile and take a bar of chocolate from him;


    ''''Tiana, you''re here, come on in, do you want some? ''''


    Leo asked when he noticed Tiana, ''''No, thank you. I had breakfast before coming. '''' she rejected politely;


    She was quite amazed at Claire though, she eats chocolates every morning she stopped by Leo''s office but she never had any significant body increase.


    Tiana''s thoughts went back to the elevator episode; she had come back to talk to her, does it mean she was no longer angry with her?


    Tiana asked herself, maybe she was no longer angry, but she would not be too pushy with being friends again, maybe Claire didn''t want that anymore. Forgiving her was more than okay, she shouldn''t test her luck.


    Her eyes peered at the duo chatting in front of her and after a moment, she frowned, why was she feeling that the look in Leo''s eyes when he stared at Claire was more tender than normal? She wanted to ignore it but his stare was too distinct like she had seen it in someone else before¡­


    Nicklaus¡­ Nicklaus had that gaze when he stared at her.


    Tiana''s eyes widened as realization dawned on her; Leo¡­ Leo was in love with Claire.


    Her heart raced as she connected the dots, the first time she came in here, Claire''s magazines were littered on his table, and on his wall were her wallpapers.


    Was it that Claire wasn''t seeing it or she was pretending not to see?


    Just at that moment, Leo leaned in and wiped a stain of chocolate from her mouth with his hankie, pushing her hair away from her face lovingly; they continued the discussion as though nothing had happened;


    Tiana tilted her head to the side, by chance, was Leo still single because he was waiting for Claire?


    ¡­


    After practice, Tiana went into the restroom to ease herself, when she came out, she saw Claire by the sink, washing her hands; Tiana hesitated for a second before she walked to her;


    ''''Do you wanna have lunch? '''' Her eyes locked in Claire''s in the mirror, after some time, she pulled her gaze away;


    Tiana''s lips thinned when she saw she won''t speak; then she turned to leave.


    ''''I don''t like the meals prepared here, we can go out if you want; '''' Claire added before Tiana could take a few steps. Tiana''s legs stopped immediately and she couldn''t help the smile that forced it way to her lips; with a flash, she closed the gap between them and hugged her;


    ''''Oh, I''ve missed you and I''m so sorry for not telling you, at that time, I didn''t think we could ever come back together, so I didn''t want to ruin your relationship, I''m really sorry it turned out this way. ''''


    Tiana apologized, not letting her go. Even though she knew it was not her fault, she didn''t want the bad blood between them to continue.


    Claire, who was stunned by her sudden action, patted her back;


    ''''It is okay, I''m no longer mad at you. '''' Tiana raised her face to look at her; ''''really? ''''


    "'' Yeah'''' she replied; ''''I was just mad because I was having hopes that something could work out between us but it had to end so soon, and I couldn''t have imagined that it would be you, so yeah, I was a little hurt. But I''m fine now; I wasn''t so deeply into him though. ''''


    Claire smiled and Tiana heaved a sigh; ''''Gush, I''m so relieved; I couldn''t even bear to see your face. ''''


    ''''Haha, you didn''t expect our friendship to end because of a man, do you? Baby girl, I don''t fight over men, I''m too stunning for that. '''' they both laughed as they walked out of the restroom. Claire sent a message to Leo quickly, telling him she was going out with Tiana for lunch.


    ¡­


    ''''Wow, is that an engagement ring? '''' Claire''s eyes widened when her eyes fell on Tiana''s fingers over lunch; she was just seeing the ring now, and hell, she knew which ring it was;


    Tiana''s eyes peeked at her hand and she smiled; ''''yeah, he asked me to marry him, ''''


    Claire''s eyes brightened, ''''Oh my god, he gave you the rare blue diamond as an engagement ring? Wow, Nicklaus must really love you.''''


    Tiana''s brows creased in confusion, ''''rare blue diamond? ''''


    ''''You don''t know what ring it is? '''' Claire asked when she saw the confused look on Tiana''s face. Tiana shook her head;


    ''''Oh wow, that ring cost over 10 million US dollars baby girl, so just know you''re $10 million dollars richer. '''' Claire said with a beautiful laugh. Tiana was beyond shocked;


    She knew it was not cheap but 10 million! She had not expected it at all! Her eyes fell on the ring on her hand.


    ¡­

 Chapter 193 - The unknown truth

    How could he do this and not tell her? Buying a 10 million dollar ring for her as though it was nothing? Tiana felt her eyes cloud; he was making her fall in love with him the more.


    She swallowed hard before she looked at Claire with a smile;


    ''''Claire can we keep the engagement a secret, we don''t want the public knowing about it for now.''''


    Tiana smiled and Claire nodded; ''''Okay no worries, congratulations though; I''m really happy for you. ''''


    ''''Thank you, Claire, I''m glad we''re good now. ''''


    ''''Tch, I can''t keep a grudge, that''s my weakness,'''' Claire said and they both laughed;


    ¡­


    Tiana held the door for Nicklaus to come in, a smile on her lips;


    ''''How was work? '''' she asked, hugging him briefly and helping out with his tie like a dutiful wife.


    ''''was a little stressful today, what about you? '''' It was past 6, the latest he was back home since they got back together;


    ''''Today was very good, Claire''s is no longer mad, we spoke today, we even had lunch together,'''' she replied with a huge grin on her lips;


    ''''That''s interesting; I told you she would not be angry for long. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I''m glad she isn''t, '''' she said going to get his towel; ''''I prepared a hot bath, i knew you would be stressed out.''''


    Nicklaus smiled, pulling her for a brief kiss. ''''What a loving wife, let''s bath together? ''''


    He asked, kissing her neck repeatedly; Tiana giggled, ''''I just had a bath, don''t worry I''ll just watch you. ''''


    She heard the dissatisfied groan at the back of his throat and she laughed;


    She walked him to the bath and sat beside him after he sat in.


    Nicklaus stared at her smiling face for a moment; ''''Beautiful, why don''t you come in if you''re just going to sit there. ''''


    Tiana shook her head cutely; ''''No, I just want to watch you like this, it makes me happy. '''' she grinned. After some time, she poured soap on her hand and rubbed on his hair, massaging his scalp;


    ''''tell me about you, your family. ''''


    Tiana''s hands paused in his hair when she heard his question and after a few seconds, she resumed; ''''what do you want to know? ''''


    ''''Everything, I want to know everything about you; ''''


    Tiana swallowed, she really didn''t like this discussion because it touched on a critical subject, but he was her husband now, she would have to talk about it sooner or later.


    ''''My father worked for you, and you know he''s dead. '''' She felt Nicklaus''s body tense for a second; ''''and my mom is dead too, she died when I was a kid, I have a younger sister who is in New York, I think you have seen her too. ''''


    Nicklaus kept mute for a while, and then he turned to look at Tiana;


    ''''Beautiful, I didn''t want to tell you this, but I think you deserve to know the truth. ''''


    Tiana brows creased; ''''what is wrong?'''' Nicklaus stared at her for a moment, as though contemplating his decision.


    ''''The money your father owed wasn''t actually the only thing he did. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened at his statement as she waited for him to continue;


    ''''I wouldn''t have gone as far as coming after you both if it was just the money, ''''


    Her face paled; did her father do something else she didn''t know about?


    ''''He revealed a top secret of the company to Catherine Wills, which led to the loss of a large number of stocks, I could have let it go if it was another company, but it was Warren Corporation, I couldn''t let it go.''''


    Tiana felt herself freeze at a spot. At that time she had thought that he wanted to hurt them just to satisfy himself, but no, it was way more than that. ''''


    She felt her heart slamming against her chest; how she had blamed him for being heartless and wicked when actually he had a cause.


    ''''I''m sorry for inflicting pain on you, but at that moment there was nothing else I could think of. Catherine Wills killed my family and I can''t forgive anyone that sided with her.''''


    Tiana fisted her palms on her laps; after knowing his past, she could not bring herself to blame him for his actions. If she were in his shoes, she would have done way worse.


    She raised her eyes to look at him and a low sigh left her lips;


    ''''I''m sorry. '''' For the first time, she found a reason to apologize. She knew her father could do anything for money, but she never thought he would go to this extent. ''''I''m really sorry for everything he did¡­ ''''


    ''''It is okay, you are different from him, so I don''t blame you for his actions. ''''


    Tiana swallowed; ''''Why did you let me believe it all these while, you let me hate you. ''''


    She asked, creasing her brows; Nicklaus smiled; ''''I didn''t have a reason to tell you the truth; I didn''t want you to think that I was making excuses. ''''


    Her eyes clouded as she watched him, ''''I''m so sorry. ''''


    ''''Beautiful, you don''t have anything to be sorry about, it''s in the past okay?''''


    Nicklaus spoke, caressing her palm softly.


    Even though all these happened, Tiana was glad, if he didn''t take her to be his mistress, then she would have never met someone like him and she would have never fallen for him.


    ''''Your mom is very pretty, I wish I met her. '''' His family''s pictures were hanging in the parlor, so she saw how pretty his mother was. It''s sad that she did not live to see her son grow into such a wonderful person.


    ''''She would have loved to meet you too. ''''


    Tiana sighed; she could not imagine how lonely it was growing up without parents. She had lost her mother when she was young, but she had a sister and a father.


    ''''Next week is their anniversary, do you want to go with me? ''''


    Tiana''s eyes lit up at his words and she nodded; ''''I would love to. ''''

 Chapter 194 - Son... dont die

    Tiana helped Nicklaus blow dry his hair; once in a while she would peek at his reflection in the vanity mirror as though contemplating something, after some time she finally spoke;


    ''''Hubby, my ring is so pretty. ''''


    Nicklaus raised his eyes to look at her in the mirror, his brows squinted a little; ''''is it? ''''


    She nodded with a sweet smile; ''''I want to get you something like it, where did you get it? ''''


    She asked, her lips smiling brightly;


    Nicklaus stared at her reflection on the mirror and a smile stretched his lips, he knew she was suspecting something, maybe someone had recognized the ring at work; he thought but he did not give in;


    ''''It''s a common ring, you can find it at any shop; '''' Nicklaus replied casually;


    Tiana stared at his reflection for a while and without a warning, she pulled at his hair playfully;


    ''''You don''t know how to lie, dear husband. This ring cost over ten million dollars! Why would you spend so much for a mere ring!''''


    She scolded him, a fistful of his hair still in her hands;


    Nicklaus chuckled, holding the hand on his hair and bringing her to sit on his lap;


    He pinched her cheeks and she glared at him; it was clear that he wasn''t seeing she was mad at him for being so extravagant.


    ''''Beautiful, if I don''t spoil you, why do I have money? ''''


    Tiana glared at him; ''''buying a ten million dollar ring is not worth it, it''s¡­. ''''


    ''''shh¡­ '''' he stopped her, his hand covering her lips; ''''you''re worth every single dime and more, beautiful. I''ve not started yet and you''re complaining already'''' he chuckled, rubbing her red cheeks, ''''beautiful, you''re my wife now okay, and I have to spoil my wife the way I want. ''''


    He leaned and kissed her pouted lips and Tiana couldn''t help but kiss him back, his kiss, no matter when it happens, was irresistible.


    Tiana knew nothing she said would change his mind about spoiling her, and she couldn''t blame him though, he had always been this rich and spending wasn''t new to him, but it was different for her because she was from a poor background, she couldn''t automatically adjust, it would take time.


    Suddenly Nicklaus''s phone rang on the bed, interrupting their make out session; Nicklaus groaned as she stood up to get the phone, internally cussing the person who interrupted them.


    ''''Oh, it''s grandma. ''''


    Tiana said when she saw the caller id; Nicklaus walked to her and took the phone from her hand;


    ''''Hello, grandma¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus''s calm expression darkened after a few seconds, Tiana''s brows creased worriedly as she watched him gulp;


    ''''I''m coming right now. '''' Nicklaus said with a husky voice, and he ended the call.


    ''''Is anything wrong? '''' Tiana asked, his expression looked like he had seen a ghost and it made her really worried;


    Nicklaus''s eyes clouded, and he bit his lower lip, lifting his gaze to look at the woman in front of him, he struggled to speak;


    ''''Grandpa¡­ grandpa is dead. ''''


    Tiana felt her whole world stop;


    ''''what¡­ what did you say? '''' she asked, she could hear her heart banging against her ears and the ground underneath her twirl;


    She didn''t want to believe it, but the man in front of her, whose expression was looking downcast, told her that what she just heard was true;


    ''''Oh god¡­ '''' Her hands flew over her mouth and she turned away from Nicklaus to stable herself, her eyes clouding with tears;


    Grandpa was dead¡­


    The words resounded in her ears over and over again, and Tiana couldn''t help the pain that stabbed at her chest;


    Although grandpa had separated them and causing her pain unimaginable, the last thing she wanted was for him to die;


    He was very kind and loving, and even though he didn''t want her to be with his grandson, she knew he had done it because he felt it was for the best;


    Why would he die suddenly? Why?


    Tiana asked herself a thousand questions, all without an answer.


    Tears dropped from her eyes without control, and she fought hard to stop them, she had a very fragile heart, but she knew she needed to be strong to console him.


    Taking in a deep breath, she turned to Nicklaus and hugged him tightly; her hands patting his back;


    ''''It''s going to be okay, it''s going to be fine. '''' she spoke tenderly, trying her best not to cry.


    Nicklaus hugged her back, burying his head in her neck, and shutting his thoughts from the world.


    He remembered grandpa''s last words when he saw him a few days ago;


    ''son, don''t die¡­'' if he had known it was his last words then maybe he would have stayed back and had a drink or two with him. If he knew those were going to be his last words, then maybe he would have visited more often, if he knew those were his last words, then maybe he would have told him how much he loved him.


    Nicklaus felt his heart shatter,


    Grandpa was the strongest force he had against his enemies, now he was gone, what would become of him?


    ''''It''s fine okay, we''ll get through this. '''' Tiana rubbed on his back, comforting him the best way she could. At that moment, with him in her arms, she didn''t know why she felt that this was the beginning of their war.


    ¡­


    The car was eerily silent as they drove to the ancient home that night; the streets were bustling with people, but the serenity in the car felt like it was only them in the world.


    Nicklaus''s eyes stared at the road and Tiana knew he was in deep thoughts; she knew this was not the right time to speak so she did not say a word. After sometime, he took her hand in his and squeezed it a little;


    She looked at him; his eyes were still on the road but she could see the little comfort holding her hand gave; gently, she squeezed his hand comfortingly and caressed it with her other hand as though telling him it would be fine.


    The mansion was cold and quiet as midwinter; if not for the lights in the house, she would have thought it was a deserted mansion.


    Tiana held Nicklaus''s hand as they walked into the house. She didn''t forget to take out her ring in the car before coming in,


    When the front door pushed open, the occupants in the living room turned to the door;


    Tiana gulped when she saw the full house, it seemed they were the last to arrive, no¡­ Douglas was not yet here; she thought as they walked to grandma, who was sitting with Elizabeth and Michelle.


    Nicklaus''s expression was dark, but it was clear that he was sad, he was just used to hiding his feelings. Letting go of Tiana, he leaned down and hugged grandma; she held him close, bursting into tears;


    ''''He wasn''t sick, he just died, he just left me. '''' Grandma wept on Nicklaus, her eyes already stung from crying too much;


    ''''It''s going to be fine; he''s gone to a better place. '''' Nicklaus let go of her and held her hand;


    ''''Auntie, take her in, let her get some rest.'''' he spoke, and Elizabeth nodded, taking Grandma, who was still crying to her personal room, different from the one she shared with grandpa. Although he said that, he knew rest was impossible, but sitting down here was going to make her cry the more.


    Nicklaus turned to look at the other people in the room but did not see Douglas but just at that moment, Douglas stepped in, and their eyes locked together.


    Douglas held his gaze for a moment before shifting it from him casually; Michelle walked to him and gave him a brief hug; they talked for a moment before Douglas walked towards Grandma''s room.


    ''''Come, let''s go up; '''' He said to Tiana and took her up to their room; he waited till she changed and snuggled in bed with her for a while, when he felt she was asleep, he stood up and left.


    ''''How did he die? '''' Nicklaus asked Elizabeth as they sat outside in the cold night.


    She sighed; ''''He wasn''t sick, he just died like that, father was a strong man, he wouldn''t want to leave us that way and without saying goodbye. '''' Elizabeth mourned, using her hankie to wipe her eyes;


    Nicklaus was quiet for a moment, his mind in deep thoughts;


    ''''Are we going to run an autopsy, to know the cause of death? ''''


    Elizabeth grew silent, from Nicklaus''s tone, it seemed as though he did not believe he had died naturally;


    ''''Um, I don''t know, mother didn''t talk about that, I don''t know if she''ll want that. ''''


    Nicklaus grew silent, not saying a word; his brows creased as though in deep thought;


    ''''What has Douglas said about it? ''''


    ''''Oh, Douglas went with the ambulance to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. ''''


    Nicklaus felt a pit form in his stomach; ''''and he didn''t say anything about an autopsy? ''''


    ''''No, no-one has mentioned it, but we''ll suggest it tomorrow. '''' Elizabeth said, patting his arm; she knew there was strife between him and Douglas but she didn''t want any trouble now, not when her father just died.


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''Okay, go in and have some rest okay?'''' He hugged her briefly and she nodded;


    ''''Yeah I will. '''' Elizabeth watched him walk into the house and she sighed; although she had a feeling that someone had tried to kill their father, she didn''t want to think about it. She didn''t want think that someone in her family would be heartless enough to kill their father .

 Chapter 195 - Dont hurt yourself Beautiful, hes not worth it.

    ...


    Nicklaus pushed the door open slowly and stepped in; Tiana was still lying down, but now she was facing the other way. He stared at her posture for a moment before going to lie down beside her;


    Tiana, who was half asleep, felt the bed beside her deepen and she turned and hugged him close, snuggling in his chest.


    Nicklaus wrapped his arms around her, his eyes staring at her peaceful face, he removed some strands of hair away from her face and a sad sigh left his lips;


    If he failed to protect this woman, there was no reason to fight anymore. At first, it was about the company, but right now, it was about this woman in his arms. If he failed to protect her, then the fight was not worth fighting.


    Nicklaus kissed her hair, and turned to look at the lonely night; he wasn''t sure grandma would let Grandpa be operated on, but he knew that grandpa didn''t die a natural death. Grandpa was a strong man, and he paid extra care to his health, so if he was going to die soon, there should have been a sign.


    If what he was suspecting was true, then, this was the beginning of unending war.


    ¡­


    When Tiana woke up the next morning, Nicklaus had already woken up; she rubbed her eyes and quickly hopped out of bed; pushing open the bathroom, she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw him standing in the shower;


    Nicklaus wiped the soap from his face; ''''Good morning, didn''t want to wake you up, want to join me? ''''


    Tiana smiled and shook her head; ''''No, take your time; I was just checking If you''ve left. ''''


    She shut the door and walked to the window, pushing the curtains aside, she looked outside;


    As she had suspected, there were a lot of cars in the compound, Grandpa was a very significant person, so it was expected; she wondered what the headlines would be right now.


    She wasn''t sure if she should go with Nicklaus, maybe he wouldn''t want to introduce her yet;


    ''''Beautiful, I''m done; you can go take a shower. ''''


    Tiana turned when she heard him speak, he was tying a towel around his waists and was looking a little brighter than yesterday, she was happy he was getting himself together.


    ''''Okay, '''' she changed into her towel and turned to the bathroom, her steps hesitated for a second and she turned to look at him;


    ''''Uhm, are we going to be together? '''' She asked, raising her eyebrows;


    Nicklaus''s brows creased at her question as though thinking about it; when he understood what she meant, he nodded;


    ''''Yeah, we''ll go together, we''ll just keep the marriage a secret for now. ''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''Alright, I''ll go take a shower now. ''''


    Nicklaus sat on the couch as he watched her dress up; her phone rang for the third time on the vanity;


    ''''You should pick it; '''' Nicklaus said and she sighed; ''''I''ll call them later, now isn''t the best time. ''''


    Claire had called twice and her sister, once. She knew they must have seen the news about grandpa''s death and were calling to sympathize with her; but this morning was very busy for Nicklaus, she didn''t want to waste his time, knowing that guests were waiting; she would call them when they came back.


    As she had expected, the living room was filled with a number of guests, all with gloomy expressions on their faces. Her eyes fell on grandma, she was sitting with a couple and they were speaking quietly.


    This was the second time she had experienced guests as the ancient home, and this time was a huge contrast to the first.


    Tiana accompanied Nicklaus to greet the guests; when the saw her, they gave her the questioning glances but none of them was bold enough to ask Nicklaus who she was.


    Soon, the guests began leaving one after the other, until it was just family left, then Tiana saw Diana, she just bid a guest farewell and was returning back to the mansion. It''s been long they spoke, and last night, she did not have the chance to talk to her. She whispered something in Nicklaus''s ear before she walked to her;


    ''''Diana, been a long while. '''' Diana smiled when she saw her.


    ''''Tiana, it''s been a while, you look pretty. ''''


    ''''Yeah, you too; I''m truly sorry for your loss, '''' Tiana said, her face looking apologetic and Diana smiled; ''''thank you dear, but don''t think too much of it, you should save your strength for Nicklaus.'''' They laughed faintly.


    Diana didn''t seem like she was very sad, but Tiana knew that she was; she looked like one who would mask her pain from the world.


    ''''Tiana, long time no see. ''''


    They both turned to the direction of the voice and saw Richard walking towards them; Tiana mentally rolled her eyes, but she forced herself to look calm.


    ''''Yeah, long time. Sorry for your loss. '''' she forced a smile, which obviously appeared fake. That moment, the only thing on her mind was turning around and going back to Nicklaus''s side.


    ''''wow, do you get prettier by the day? You are more beautiful than the last time I saw you. ''''


    Tiana felt a bitter taste on her lips and she gulped; ''''you don''t look bad yourself, alright, take care, I''ll be right inside¡­ '''' she said, turning quickly to escape from him, but before she took the first step, Richard grabbed her wrist;


    ''''Hey, hey, wait¡­ we''re not done yet. ''''


    Diana''s eyes widened and she glanced at Richard in shock, did he just grab Nicklaus''s woman?


    Tiana turned to look at him, all color draining from her face;


    Did he just hold her hand?


    She had not felt this disgusted in her entire life, and more so, from the son of her husband''s enemy?


    Instantly, she tried to pull her hands away, but just when she was about to exert strength, Nicklaus appeared from nowhere and held her hand, stopping her from exerting force on it.


    ''''Don''t hurt yourself beautiful, he''s not worth it. ''''

 Chapter 196 - How can he love without holding back?

    The three of them turned to look at Nicklaus, who had his eyes fixed on Tiana like they were not there. He smiled at her sweetly but when his eyes looked at the hand on his woman, it turned deathly.


    Without a single word; he held Richard''s hand and twisted it so much that he screamed in pain, letting go of Tiana instantly. Diana''s lips opened in shock;


    ''''Next time, I won''t have to remind you not to touch my woman.''''


    Nicklaus spoke, still not looking at Richard. Ignoring his screams; he held Tiana''s hand and led her into the house.


    Diana watched him take her upstairs like an egg and she was beyond shocked; okay, she knew he liked Tiana, but she didn''t know it was to this extent.


    After some seconds, the elders in the house came running out;


    ''''what happened? '''' Michelle asked with a deathly look on her face when she saw her son writhing in pain; her eyes turned to Diana pointedly;


    ''''What happened? '''' she asked again, looking angry;


    Michelle had come out with her mom, Elizabeth and they were staring at her as though she was the cause of Richard''s predicament. She chuckled lightly;


    ''''Richard grabbed Tiana''s hand, and Nicklaus had to take his hand off,'''' Diana replied in the most sarcastic manner, making Richard glare deathly at her. She held in her grin;


    Michelle turned to look at Richard; '''' did you hit her? ''''


    ''''Mom, I didn''t, I just held her hand to talk to her, and he almost wrung off my hand like a wild beast!''''


    Richard writhed in pain. Michelle was very protective of her son ever since childhood and even up to this point, so without even asking another question, she flared up;


    ''''How dare he? How dare he hurt you, is he a mob? ''''


    Michelle screamed angrily, turning around to charge into the house, ready to go and cause a fight.


    ''''Auntie, I wouldn''t advise you to do that; your son has a woman waiting in his room but goes to grab another man''s, and you want to go fight for him?''''


    Diana''s words made Michelle stop in her tracks and she turned to her with a deathly glare;


    ''''How dare you speak to me like that? '''' Michelle scolded, turning to face her;


    ''''Hold on auntie before you say another word, grandpa just died, so I think we need a moment of silence, that said, I''m just going to go back to my room, you guys can continue with whatever you are doing, mom, I''ll be upstairs. ''''


    Diana rapped in a single sentence and walked upstairs.


    Michelle watched her walk past her and an angry sigh left her lips. At that moment, she didn''t know who she was mad at anymore, Nicklaus for trying to hurt her son or Diana, who just spoke to her like she was a five year old.


    Elizabeth wanted to laugh, but she made sure to hold in her laughter else she would be the next to receive Michelle''s venom.


    ''''Michelle, do not mind them, they are just kids, Richard, does it hurt that much? ''''


    She turned to Richard, looking concerned but all she met was an angry glare;


    ''''Right, so I''ll be going in now, take care of your hand. '''' not wanting to put herself in more trouble, she smiled and turned back to the house.


    ¡­


    Tiana watched Nicklaus clean her hand like it was a porcelain vase; there was no reason to, but she did not stop him;


    ''''You know, he didn''t kiss me or anything, he just held my hand¡­ ''''


    ''''he f.u.c.kin'' touched you¡­ '''' Nicklaus seethed, his eyes becoming dark; Tiana gulped;


    Earlier, she had not expected him to flip that way, it seemed she was underestimating the lengths he could go to protect her.


    She didn''t interrupt him anymore, only watching him clean her hand over and over again, as though wanting to wipe every print of Richard''s fingers from her skin. She knew the more reason he was angry was that Richard had made little advances at her in the past, so she let him vent.


    ''''Its all clean now, see, '''' Tiana said, and Nicklaus examined her for a moment, lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed on the spot severally.


    Tiana couldn''t help but smile. He just finished wiping out every trace of Richard and replacing it with his kisses. This man, how could he love with everything in him, without holding back? It was not healthy. But who was she to scold him; she loved him with everything in her too.


    ''''Hubby, I have something to show you. ''''


    Tiana said all of a sudden, pulling Nicklaus''s thought from her hand; she stood up from the couch and took her phone from the vanity where she had left it in the morning;


    Going to her video folder, she searched through it, ''''Right¡­ '''' she tapped on it, and gave the phone to Nicklaus,


    ''''What is it?'''' He said, tapping on the video; Tiana watched his expression change from shock, to surprise to bewilderment;


    ''''How did you tape it? '''' Nicklaus asked, lifting his eyes to her;


    "Grandma sent me to get wine from upstairs on grandpa''s birthday, and I was in the room when they came in. ''''


    Nicklaus didn''t know what to think; he could not believe what he had just seen.


    He had lived with Elizabeth and Charles for years and he had not had a reason to suspect that he was having an affair with another woman, and with her brother''s wife, wasn''t it heartless?


    Nicklaus shut his eyes briefly; how much more shit was he about to get involved in?


    ''''Why didn''t you tell me? ''''


    He asked after some time, looking worried;


    ''''Um, at that time, I wasn''t sure of us, and I forgot about it later, it was today when I saw Michelle that I remembered;


    ''''I''m sorry, I know she''s your auntie, I should have told you. ''''


    ''''It''s okay, we''ll just duplicate this, and take it out of your phone, I don''t want you getting in trouble.''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''okay. '''' she waited a moment;


    ''''what are you going to do? ''''


    Nicklaus sighed; ''''I don''t know. ''''

 Chapter 197 - Thinking about her

    .....


    ''''I don''t know. '''' Nicklaus sighed; at that moment, that was one of the hardest decisions he had been faced with. He was torn between telling his Auntie about her cheating husband and holding onto the information in case he needed it in the future.


    Tiana took one look at him and saw he looked troubled, she knew he was faced with indecision; his auntie Elizabeth was a good person and she deserved to know the truth but was it the best decision to take?


    Thinking for a moment, she rubbed his arm; ''''we can keep the information, for now if Elizabeth knows about it now, we would have given up any shot we could have had against Michelle and Douglas, and I''m sure she would support your decision when she finds out. ''''


    Tiana said, trying to make his decision easier. Nicklaus sighed; ''''I could never have thought that he was capable of that. ''''


    ''''Me too, he''s the quietest of all, he didn''t seem like he could hurt a fly,'''' she said.


    There was a moment of silence between them; ''''let''s go have lunch, okay?'''' Nicklaus said, trying to change the topic.


    Tiana nodded; ''''give me a second, let me call my friends back, they must be really worried. ''''


    ''''Alright, ''''


    ¡­


    Michael sat in his office, his eyes reading the news over and over again; the news was about the death of the Chairman of the Howells Corporation, but that was not what caught his fancy. The fact that Diana smith was related to him came like a shock.


    He could not believe his eyes. She was the chairman''s granddaughter, how had he missed such an important detail?


    Michael wondered as he scrolled up, reading the news over and over again.


    After some seconds, he flipped to her IG page and he saw that she had posted about his death already.


    He withdrew into his chair. Even though he was not Catherine Wills'' biological son, he was the current CEO of Warren Corporation and both companies had a strained relationship; he never thought that the only woman who finally caught his fancy was a part of that family. Yes, strangely, he had not stopped thinking about her ever since that day. He found himself going to her IG page every single time he was less busy, as though that was not enough, he binge-watched her movies and TV shows, just to see her laugh, smile or cry. He wanted to see how she looked when she did those things, and without him knowing, he was slowly falling for her and now he could not get the thoughts of her off his head.


    He had been with a lot of women, but with this woman, he felt something he had never felt before, a strong connection that he could not ignore.


    He wanted to stop thinking about her, hell, they just met once, but his mind would not give in. And right now, knowing that she was from the Howells family, he should finally crush all thoughts of her, but surprisingly, he felt drawn to her more.


    Michael ran his hand through his hair; this was pathetic;


    He had a lot of issues to worry about, why was she invading every single aspect of his thought?


    He forever regretted not taking her contact when she asked, now he was going to rely on luck to meet her again.


    Michael groaned tossing his phone across the table, laughing at himself.


    Why was he killing himself over a woman that might have forgotten him?


    Or has she not?


    Diana lay on her bed, her eyes staring at the pictures of a man named Michael on IG, her face scrunched up in disappointment.


    She couldn''t even place what made her think she could find that Michael in a million other people with the same name. She wished he had told her his last name; it would have made her task easier.


    Diana sighed. Ever since that day, she had not stopped thinking about him, she thought it was something temporal until she realized he occupied her mind almost every single moment.


    She did not realize that Greg was slowly seeping out of her thoughts and getting replaced with Michael until she found out she did not think about him once for three days straight! It came as a shock to her. She had loved Greg for the most part of her life, she even got wasted in a bar because of him, how she could forget him in a blink of an eye was baffling. Well, the saying, getting over a lover is made quicker by getting another was true all along. But wasn''t she crazy?


    How could she not stop thinking about a man who clearly didn''t want to have anything to do with her; he had rejected her number as beautiful as she was, and didn''t even offer to give her his. Diana pouted sadly;


    Maybe he had a girlfriend who he was heads-over-heels for?


    She felt her heart sink at that thought. Maybe that was the reason why he had made no advances at her and didn''t bother with her number.


    A sad sigh left her lips;


    His girlfriend must be really lucky to have someone like him, a perfect gentleman.


    She should stop thinking about him now, thinking about him this way would push her back into the pit she had struggled to come out of, the difference was just the person involved. Besides, he must have forgotten about her by now, it was stupid having these thoughts for a total stranger.


    Diana thought, her eyes closing briefly.


    Suddenly she heard a knock on her door. Standing up, she opened the door, it was Richard and he had a glare on his face. Diana bit back her laughter;


    ''''Come downstairs, the lawyer is here. '''' He said and turned around to leave. Diana''s grin faded and her mood dampened instantly.


    Even though she had pretended not to see, it was clear that her family was in a mess.


    If grandpa''s will was read today and it didn''t go in favor of anyone, there would be great chaos. They had been fighting a silent war, pretending that everything was fine because of Grandpa and now he was gone, she knew there was nothing that would hold them back anymore.

 Chapter 198 - Feelings

    ''''Are you tensed? '''' Tiana asked Nicklaus as they walked down the stairs. They were going to read Grandpa''s will and for a certainty, it was going to draw the war line, he appeared composed, but she couldn''t help but ask since he had a degree in masking his emotions;


    ''''why? '''' He turned to look at her; ''''I''m only sad at what would happen after this. I don''t want to fight my Uncle but I would be forced to. '''' Nicklaus sighed, holding her hand. He would never give up the company and so would Douglas, and therefore they must fight.


    When they walked into the living room, everyone was already seated. Nicklaus could feel the shrillness in the room, and it was expected.


    Tiana''s eyes fell on Douglas briefly, he was sitting beside his wife, his gaze dark.


    The lawyer in his mid-fifties greeted everyone in the room, commiserating with them for their loss. After the brief introduction, he placed the suitcase on the table;


    ''''A member of this family has the code to the lock of this suitcase, please if you are the one, come forward. ''''


    The lawyer said, his eyes glancing at them. Everyone turned to Grandma, she was his wife so she should be the one with the code; they were expecting her to stand up when shockingly Diana stood up and walked to the suitcase.


    Everyone''s eyes shot open in surprise, no-one would the least have suspected it to be her. Did she already know the contents of the will?


    They wondered as they watched her turn the lock until it clicked open.


    She went back to her spot, and the lawyer took out the will and began reading.


    ''''If you''re reading this, it means that I''m already dead¡­ ''''


    Grandpa wrote something to every one of them; apologizing for making wrong decisions and not being the best dad. Elizabeth wept silently as she listened to the words, grandpa''s voice resounding in her ears;


    Douglas slouched on the couch as he waited for the most important parts to be read, he didn''t care about all those frivolities;


    The will was very long as grandpa took his time distributing his properties, Douglas''s brows etched as he was growing impatient.


    Finally, the lawyer paused; ''''¡­ the Howells Corporation is the family company and would continue to be run by Nicklaus. Nicklaus dear grandson, so far you have taken good care of the Howells Corporation, and to the best of your abilities; I cannot be more proud of you. Your father would be very pleased; I hope you continue to take care of it as you have always done, and¡­


    ¡­please, don''t die. ''''


    Nicklaus felt goosebumps wash his skin and his gaze darkened; those were the exact same words Grandpa had told him the last time they met. Even if he didn''t say any other thing to him, those words were enough to tell him that he loved him, and wanted him to stay strong. Grandpa didn''t say much to him, but every single sentence of his carried a deeper meaning.


    Grandpa knew Douglas would go to the extremes to take the company, and the only way to keep the company from him is to be twice as strong and crafty. He trusted him, he trusted him to be strong, and he was not going to disappoint him.


    Douglas''s expression was calm as though he was expecting the outcome, but at the back of his mind, he had a slither of hope that Grandpa would have said something different.


    The lawyer closed the will and said some other words before he left.


    The living room was thrown into quietness, after some minutes; Grandma spoke;


    ''''Now we have to plan the funeral. ''''


    ¡­


    Claire walked into the private room, her lips wide with a grin. Leo had asked her to dinner and she didn''t know what the celebration was about, her eyes widened with surprise when she saw how tastefully decorated the room were.


    ''''Oh wow, Leo, what''s going on? '''' she asked, her eyes taking in her surrounding;


    Leo stood up and pushed out the chair for her to sit; ''''nothing is going on, I just want to have dinner with you.'''' He said, sitting down after her. Claire chuckled;


    ''''Okay, great because I''m famished '''' She laughed and that moment, a waiter stepped in to take their orders.


    ''''I like to eat here, their meals are great,'''' she exclaimed, eating a spoonful of her rice.


    ''''I know you like this place, that''s why I chose it. '''' Leo gazed at her tenderly making her smile;


    ''''you''re the best. '''' she grinned, her eyes curving into crescents.


    ''''your eyes are pretty, Claire.'''' he complimented and she laughed;


    ''''are you seeing them just now, tch, they have always been pretty, thank you! '''' she joked. Leo watched her; he wished she could see the look in his eyes when he said those words. His lips fluttered to speak but he stopped himself, digging into his food.


    They ate quietly, talking about other random things.


    ''''Thank you for the meal, Leo; '''' Claire smiled as they stood in front of her car;


    ''''I''ll drive you home¡­ '''' he said, a gust of wind blowing past them, pushing her hair to her face. He closed the gap between them, pushing the strands to the back of her ear. Claire gulped; she didn''t know why his touch felt strange all of a sudden, her eyes looked away from him shyly.


    ''''No, don''t worry, I''ll be fine on my own. '''' she laughed;


    ''''You didn''t come with your guards; I can''t let you drive¡­ ''''


    ''''Aish, you worry too much, my house is just a five-minute drive from here, I don''t need babysitting!''''


    She pouted and Leo finally gave in but he didn''t move away from her, instead, he said;


    ''''Can I hug you? ''''


    Claire''s eyes widened at his words and her cheeks burned;


    Why was he behaving strangely today, was something wrong?


    ''''Leo, did something happen? '''' she asked, her brows creased with worry;


    ''''No¡­ I just want to hug you. ''''

 Chapter 199 - Its been lonely

    ''''I just want to hug you. ''''


    He swallowed gazing scorchingly at her. Claire''s gaze wandered;


    ''''Okay,'''' she muttered silently, taking a step forward she embraced him, her arms going around his waists. Leo hugged her back, holding her closely and lovingly, not wanting to let go.


    Claire''s heart raced against her chest, he was hugging her in a very strange way; what was wrong with him today? she wondered.


    ''''Alright, call me when you get home, okay?''''


    Leo whispered; fighting the urge to kiss her hair; Claire nodded, her cheeks rubbing against his chest and after a moment of silence, he let her go.


    Her face burned with shyness and she quickly turned to her car, not wanting to look at his face.


    ''''Get home safely; '''' she said and entered her car quickly and started the ignition, driving off speedily.


    Leo watched her car disappear into the distance and a light sigh left his lips; at that moment, he couldn''t say if he was progressing or not, what he was sure of was that he had succeeded in making her uncomfortable, she couldn''t even look him in the face anymore;


    Leo turned, walking to his car. What if she didn''t want him? What if she only liked him as a friend?


    He couldn''t help asking a thousand questions; it was eating him up, he wanted to tell her how he felt and get over it quickly but he didn''t want to get her scared; saying it all of a sudden could chase her away, he wanted her to adjust to him liking her first.


    Claire''s heart slammed against her chest as she drove with great speed, the wind sweeping into the car and fanning her face;


    Why was she feeling this way?


    She asked herself, her hands gripping the steering ever tightly; Leo had hugged her a countless number of times, but this night, why was her heart racing?


    He had held her more tenderly, it felt like it was more than a friendly hug, and the way he whispered in her ears made her skin flush, or was she overthinking it?


    Claire panted lightly''. she loved Leo a lot but she had never viewed him to be something more, he was her best friend, and she had never looked at him any other way. her brows creased after a moment;


    Did he perhaps¡­ like her?


    She shook her head quickly as she thought about it. No, there was no way he liked her, they''ve been friends for years and he never said anything, so she was probably overthinking things, and besides, she took him as just a friend and nothing more.


    Claire breathed out heavily as she diverted into her estate.


    ¡­


    The funeral service was held five days later, grandma didn''t want to keep him in the morgue for too long. It went as planned; the guests were limited to family and closest of friends, Grandma fell ill after the burial and the family doctor was called to attend to her.


    Nicklaus held Tiana''s hand as he drove to the cemetery for the first time in seventeen years. Throughout the ride, she noticed that he was not calm, beads of sweat gathered on his forehead and he gripped the steering once in a while.


    She rubbed on his arm; ''''Baby we can go back if you''re not ready, we can come some other time; '''' she said, gazing at him tenderly. Even last night, he was just tossing around on the bed, unable to sleep.


    His parent''s death anniversary had coincided with Grandpa''s burial and it was too much for one to take in. She wished he would listen to her;


    ''''Don''t worry, I''m okay; it''s just¡­ the memories keep rushing back, but I''m fine, you''re here with me,'''' he said, kissing her hand. This was the first time he was going back to his family''s grave in seventeen years. He never found the courage to, he could not bear to look at their graves, although he could never forget the date, 21st of November, he couldn''t bring himself to go there. But he was with Tiana now, she was his rock, and these days with her by his side, he has been able to overcome the fears inside of him. He was able to come out of the dark hole he has been in for years and he knew it was time to go see them.


    He needed to tell them how much he had grown; to show them the man he had become, to tell them how he was working very hard to make them proud; and finally to show them the woman he had fallen in love with; the woman that made him see the world differently; the woman who had become his only family.


    Nicklaus drove into the Judy Garland''s Pavilion and parked in the garage. The car was quiet for a moment as he looked ahead, as though preparing himself; after some time he stepped out and Tiana walked to his side, holding his hand comfortingly as they walked into the cemetery.


    It''s been long since he''d last been here and Tiana wondered if he still knew where they were buried but she didn''t ask; they walked for a while before Tiana saw three beautiful gravestones standing side by side and she felt her heart squeeze,


    Nicklaus''s steps faltered as they approached the grave, his throat tightening. On the way, he thought he could do it, but at that moment in front of his family''s grave, he felt like breaking down.


    His heart slammed painfully against his chest as he approached the grave, he didn''t know how fast he was breathing until he felt her hands hold his arm tightly. As though her hold was a stabilizer, Nicklaus felt his whole body calm.


    She was here; he was going to be okay.


    Tiana''s eyes fell on the three gravestones with names carved in gold; the gravestones looked very new like they were tended to on a regular basis. Her eyes read the names on the gravestones and her heart squeezed painfully; why would one be so heartless as to end an entire family because of greed? Why?


    Her gaze fell on his sister''s little gravestone and her eyes clouded with tears; she was six years, she was only'' six! Why should her life end so early? What did she do to deserve such pain?


    ''''Mom¡­ '''' Nicklaus''s voice cut her off from her thoughts and her eyes turned to the gravestone in the middle with the name, Lily Howells'' carved beautifully on it;


    ''''Mom¡­ I''m sorry I couldn''t come quickly, I''m sorry I took too long. '''' His voice quaked and Tiana knew he was trying very hard not to break down;


    ''''I''ve been bad son, please forgive me¡­ '''' he paused; ''''I miss you, I miss you so much; it''s been hell without you mom; I wish I can see you soon, but I know you would not want that, so I''m going to stay strong, I''m going to stay strong for you. I hope you''re happy there, I''m sorry that she''s still walking free, I''m sorry that you''re still in pain¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus didn''t know when tears began rolling down his eyes; it was so painful that he wished it would just end, flashes of that day came back to him, how he had watched her blood fill the bed without pause, how he had watched life slip out of her ever slowly, watching her wanting to live but not able to, every single detail came back to him.


    ''''I promise you, mom, I''m going to kill her, I''m going to f.u.c.kin'' kill her in a thousand ways more unbearable than what she did to you¡­'''' he wept silently before he turned to his father''s grave;


    ''''Dad¡­'''' the pain in his chest was so unbearable that he wished it would just end; his heart squeezed so much that he felt he would faint any moment;


    ''''I miss you, dad, so very much. I wished we had not decided to cancel on the vacation, maybe you all would still be here. It''s been so lonely without you, but I''m going to fight hard for you all. I know you''re watching me from up there; I just want to let you know that I''ll always make you proud. ''''


    Nicklaus blinked as his eyes turned to the little gravestone at the end, and he bit his lip tightly;


    If he could forgive any other thing; he would never forgive Catherine for killing his sister. She was just six! Six-year-old!


    Nicklaus fisted his palms tightly; his knuckles turning white;


    ''''Little cinnamon roll; I can''t imagine how much you have grown now; you were so little yet you wanted to protect me from the bullies at school, and the only time I should have protected you, I failed. '''' Tears blocked his words from coming out, and he lifted his hand to his face, wiping his eyes;


    ''''I wanted to tell you¡­ that day, I was hiding in Dad''s wardrobe. I wish I wasn''t there, then maybe I could have protected you, I''m so sorry, I''m so sorry for letting you die, I''m so sorry for not being the elder brother I should have been. ''''


    He wept silently; Tiana was quiet, letting him pour his emotions out. For him to cry, meant that he had been holding it all in, she couldn''t imagine what it felt like.


    ''''I wanted to show you the woman I fell in love with; '''' Nicklaus said, taking Tiana''s hand and kissing it;


    ''''Her name is Tiana, she''s the most beautiful person on earth and she''s been the only one keeping me going. I wanted to tell you that I love her so much and that I''m going to spend the rest of my life with her...''''

 Chapter 200 - Unless theres someone else on your mind

    A week later...


    Diana dug into her food in her dining room, her face sullen. The Hollywood Film Award show was coming up in a few days and she had no date yet; she knew she could not take just anyone because rumors might start spreading around, and she did not want that.


    She sighed, standing up from the table and dragging her feet to her bed; she had lost appetite to eat anything.


    Her bed was cold as she lay on it, Diana didn''t realize how lonely she was until now. Everywhere was quiet and serene. She could hear the distant drops of rain outside and the light steps of Mary as she walked to the dining to carry out the plates;


    She was in her mid-twenties and she hadn''t even had s.e.x yet; and if not for the kiss scenes in movies, she was sure she wouldn''t have had her first kiss too. Michael was right; she had lived a boring life and talking about Michael, she finally found his profile on IG. She was shocked when she found out he was the son of Catherine Wills and the CEO of Warren Corporation. Warren Corporation was one of the enemy companies of Howells Corporation and she was sure that he would not want anything to do with her, so that chapter was officially closed.


    She didn''t know why there was much strife between the companies but she had seen a lot of business news about the companies and they weren''t at all nice. Diana pulled her duvet over, her head sinking into the pillow, she closed her eyes to sleep, but her mind drifted back to Michael again.


    Maybe he has known who she is now. Her billboards were all over Hollywood, so surely, he must have seen some; a light chuckle left her lips;


    She could not even imagine a thousand names Michael would call her in her mind;


    He was so mad that she got drunk all alone in a bar, what would he say when he found out that she is an A-list actress.


    Diana couldn''t help but laugh. The little time she spent with him was nice, too bad it was never going to happen again.


    ¡­


    ''''Corn Tortilla with melted cheese, saut¨¦ed baby greens, salsa, and fried egg; a bottle of cabernet sauvignon; ''''


    Diana spoke out loud as she ticked the meals on the menu, passing it to the waiter.


    ''''Anything else ma''am? '''' he asked and she shook her head;


    Her eyes glanced at her side and she saw two girls, obviously fans, taking pictures of her. Diana mentally rolled her eyes; that was one thing she hated about being popular; you can never go out peacefully; but then this was Hollywood, there wasn''t much of the trolling around here.


    One thing was taking her pictures sneakily and another was asking for a picture. She wouldn''t have denied them any pictures if they had asked, but they were taking pictures of her secretly, maybe other celebrities would appreciate it, but she didn''t and there was only one way to make them stop;


    Diana picked her phone from the table and raised it up, positioning it as though she was taking pictures of the girls, the girls who were a bit excited suddenly looked at her with shock written on their faces and they quickly brought down their own phones, looking away in shyness;


    '''' didn''t think you''ll be paying attention to fans so much. '''' Diana heard a manly voice speak from in front of her and she looked up from her phone immediately;


    ''''on my god¡­ '''' her eyes widened as they fell on the person who had a slight smirk in front of her; Michael was sitting across from her on the table, his face fresh and his eyes staring straight at her; he had a new hairstyle on and Diana could swear he looked twice as handsome as he was a few weeks ago; without even realizing it, her heart slammed against her chest;


    ''''How¡­ how did you find me? '''' she asked, looking about her, her cheeks flushed;


    Michael smiled; ''''clearly, you are in a public restaurant, anyone can see you. ''''


    Diana''s blush deepened; she didn''t know why she felt like reaching out and hugging him tight, but she controlled herself;


    ''''It''s nice to see you again, Michael didn''t know I could see the same face again in the whole of Los Angeles. ''''


    Her legs felt giddy as she could not stop herself from smiling;


    ''''Mm, so you promised me a meal¡­ ''''


    Michael spoke elegantly, waving over a waiter.


    The truth was that he had trolled her; very shameful to admit. Now he thought about it, he was really petty. He didn''t want her to know that he wanted to see her badly, so he had pretended he just walked in on her. He was sitting here, poised and all but only he knew how much he was grinning at himself on the inside.


    Diana smiled excitedly; ''''I''m happy I get to pay for your meal. '''' well she was surprised that he had come to sit with her though, by now he should have found out that she was from the Howells family, or has he not? She wondered;


    ''''I''m sorry for your loss, heard your grandfather died. '''' Michael said, passing his menu to the waiter; the first one returned with Diana''s meal but she did not touch it yet. She swallowed;


    He knew¡­


    ''''oh; '''' she blinked, looking away from him; ''''thank you. '''' Maybe she shouldn''t be very excited after all, but if he knew, why was here?


    '''' don''t worry; I don''t take company issues personal. '''' Michael spoke, making her gaze turn back to him, her eyes widening;


    Why did it seem as though he could see through her thoughts?


    She chuckled lightly; '''' me too. ''''


    ''''You look way prettier than the last time I saw you; it seems you are done with your crush. ''''


    Diana laughed, pushing her hair to the back of her ear; ''''Way done, I don''t even remember him anymore.''''


    ''''Wow, didn''t think you''ll get over him so fast unless there''s someone else occupying your mind? ''''


    ....


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 Chapter 201 - Certainly

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    .....


    Diana''s eyes widened instantly and her cheeks reddened; did he know that she was thinking about him?


    ''''No¡­ ha-ha, far from that; I just took your advice and decided to work on myself first, and then I realized it wasn''t my fault that he didn''t like me, he just wasn''t meant for me. ''''


    Michael smiled, nodding; ''''Interesting¡­ '''' the waiter placed his meal on the table and he sat upright.


    There was something with the way he spoke, as though he could see right through her and tell when she is lying, this man¡­


    Diana swallowed;


    ''''let''s eat; you don''t want your food getting cold. ''''


    Diana nodded and began eating, stealing peeks at him once in a while;


    ''''So how about you; you didn''t speak much of yourself the last time we met,'''' Diana said, starting a conversation and eating very slowly; she didn''t want to finish her food, because it meant that he was going to leave and she wasn''t sure she was going to meet him again.


    Michael glanced at her, taking a sip from his glass. ''''what do you want to know? ''''


    He asked and Diana glanced outside the window;


    '''' well, '''' she cleared her throat; she wasn''t sure if what she was about to ask was in any way appropriate but hell, the question was on the tip of her tongue itching to be said;


    ''''Do you have any girlfriend, or have you had any? ''''


    Her cheeks flushed as she peered at her food taking a spoonful, trying to look as relaxed as she can be.


    Michael smiled, ''''I''ve had a lot of them, from different races and countries, you name them. ''''


    ''''Oh, wow. '''' Diana faked a smile and she ate again; she was right, after all, there was no way he would be single, but then he was quite too good to pass as a playboy, or was this also one of his strategies?


    She gulped;


    ''''But I''m single now. ''''


    Diana''s eyes looked up at him immediately, excitement in her eyes; why did she feel like she was drowning, and then someone just threw a log of wood to her?


    Michael gazed at her. The more he looked at her the more he wondered if he actually liked her, or he just wanted to sleep with her.


    He leaned his head to the side, scratching his head;


    Right, he had been thinking about her a lot and he could not seem to get her out of his head, but right now that she was sitting here, he wasn''t sure what he wanted with her.


    She was beautiful but she was so f.u.c.kin'' hot and very innocent; was it her innocence that interested him?


    Diana smiled cutely; '''' didn''t think someone as handsome as you are can be single. ''''


    Michael laughed; '''' don''t be fooled, handsome men are mostly single because every girl thinks they just want to get into her pants. ''''


    ''''Yeah that''s true, but you''re not the same, '''' she replied mindlessly drinking from her cup of wine;


    ''''What makes you say so? ''''


    Diana laughed; ''''A man who could stay with a woman in a room without making advances is surely not one who wants to sleep with everything with a v.a.g.i.n.a.''''


    Diana laughed at her choice of words; ''''sorry. ''''


    ''''Oh don''t be, you can be free around me; well, you shouldn''t trust people that easily, love. I didn''t touch you that day didn''t mean I didn''t want to. There were many factors hindering me. ''''


    Diana smirked; she cleaned her hands with the towel and cupped her cheeks with them;


    ''''factors like what? ''''


    ''''Well for one, you were drunk, I don''t take advantage of drunk women, and secondly, I didn''t know you, I don''t sleep with random girls I meet in the bar, and thirdly, I don''t have s.e.x.u.a.l interactions with any woman without running a thorough body check on her. ''''


    ''''Wow, that''s very interesting; so you are saying, if I wasn''t drunk and I don''t have any diseases, you would have slept with me? ''''


    She asked she watched his eyes leave her face and move slowly to her exposed cleavage; making it burn suddenly;


    ''''Certainly ''''


    Her legs slammed close immediately, her core aching. Jeez! How could mere words from him make her so wet, she was already imagining scenes of them doing the dirty in her head.


    ''''So don''t trust people easily, '''' Michael said, bringing her back to reality, he noticed her flushed cheeks and dreamy eyes and he looked away;


    She was making it hard to think of what he actually wanted with her, right now, l.u.s.t was overcoming his reasoning.


    Diana watched the waiter take out the plates and she turned back to him;


    ''''Um¡­ are you free on Friday?''''


    She asked; she wasn''t sure if he was going to agree, but there was no harm in trying.


    ''''I don''t know how my schedule would be, but for now, I don''t have any meeting fixed any problem?''''


    Diana adjusted on her spot; ''''Um, I was wondering if you could be my date for an event on Friday, don''t get me wrong, no strings attached, I just want a date that''s all.''''


    Diana explained, her heart racing, even if he didn''t want to, she wouldn''t feel bad, she shouldn''t feel bad¡­


    Her heart raced as she watched the man who was staring at her blazingly;


    '''' what if I want strings attached?''''


    He tilted his head to the side, his lips slanting into a smirk, his eyes not leaving hers for a second, Diana''s cheeks burned and she quickly looked away from him.


    ''''oh¡­ ''''


    What is he saying? Does he want to sleep with me?


    She felt butterflies in her stomach; sometimes he was so gentlemanly and the next second he would be extremely very flirty.


    '''' don''t mind me, just kidding, I''ll be your date. '''' Michael laughed at her flushed face, and Diana glared;


    It seemed he enjoyed what he was doing to her;


    ''''Thank you, I would have gone with a random person, thank god I ran into you. ''''


    She beamed.


    ''''You''re welcome; give me your digits. '''' He passed the phone across the table to her and Diana quickly put her number in and gave it to him;


    ''''You call me now, so I can save yours. ''''


    Michael called and Diana saved his number when she saw his call pop up. They talked for a while before they finally left the restaurant.

 Chapter 202 - You can come over

    Throughout the ride back home, Diana could not stop smiling; she refreshed her whatsapp page severally just to check if he was online. Although she wasn''t sure if she would be chat him up, seeing him online made her feel like he was a bit close to her. Finally at night, he came online, Diana felt her heart leap out of her chest as she stared at his name expectantly, waiting for his text. But the longer she stared, the less hopeful she became.


    Throughout the day, she kept on looking at her phone but he did not chat her up; and then the next day and till Wednesday. Diana was sad, she wanted to put all pride aside and call but she felt she might seem too forward;


    Maybe she should just wait till Thursday and then ask him if he was still going for the event. Later in the evening, she dipped in her Jacuzzi hot tub, trying to keep her thoughts off him. They ended on a good note, he should just send a ''hi'', it wasn''t going to kill. Diana bem.o.a.ned;


    Or maybe he didn''t know she was on whatsapp, should she post a status update? He saved her number right? So he would see it.


    Excitedly, she picked her phone from her side and took a selfie; the shot stopped right above her cleavage, just the swell of her b.r.e.a.s.ts was seen. The water was hot so it made her skin flush and her face cuter than normal. Diana grinned at herself as she forwarded the picture to her status, adding a caption;


    ''A hot dip for a chilly weather, how do I look?''


    She waited a few minutes before she checked her views, over a hundred people had viewed already, and her phone was vibrating with messages but the person she was waiting for had not viewed it. Diana had not felt so frustrated in her entire life;


    Her eyes read one of the messages popping up on her screen and she frowned with disdain;


    ''the heck! I didn''t post it for you!'' she bashed the man in her heart, flinging her phone to the side, a sigh leaving her lips.


    If he could see the frustration she was going through at that moment; maybe he really did not care, it was all in her head.


    Diana pouted, her eyes closing. Besides she said no strings attached, so he was not thinking of her that way.


    But wait¡­ why was she even bothered about it?


    Diana''s eyes shot open. Did she want something more with him?


    Her hands flew to her cheeks,


    If Michael wanted to sleep with her would she be able to tell him no? Diana''s heart raced as she realized she was falling for this man already; ''No,'' she shook her head; she wasn''t ready to fall for another person just yet, someone who she was not sure felt the same way about her.


    She nodded to herself and breathed in swiftly, immersing into the water and blocking her thoughts from him.


    Michael sat with two friends; the noise in the party was too loud he could not even hear a word they were saying, except they screamed. There were girls with them but Michael was alone.


    ''''Hey, you have to keep that phone aside, man. We came to party, work can wait. ''''


    One of his friends shouted, but Michael''s interest was fixed on his phone, he didn''t even blink.


    Noticing that his gaze was fixated on something, Matthew leaned closer and peeked at his phone;


    ''''Wow, bro, didn''t know you were also crushing on Diana. Ha ha; ''''


    Matthew laughed, nudging Michael who quickly shut his screen and glared at him;


    ''''I''m not crushing on her, ''''


    ''''Clearly you are, been calling you since but you were staring so fixatedly at her picture. She''s not so out of your league though, you can try your luck.'''' Mathew laughed but Michael just glared at him;


    Japheth had a woman on his laps but when he heard Matt mention Michael crushing on someone, he turned to him; ''''really, like for real?'''' His eyes widened as he shouted in the room; Michael mentally rolled his eyes, he should have stayed home like he wanted to, these friends of his were something!


    ''''She''s pretty, ''''


    ''''Ho ha ha¡­ '''' His friends laughed ''''Michael, you never change though, I knew you just wanted to sleep with her, Diana''s hot, but celebrities these days date themselves.''''


    Michael didn''t reply; he needed time to think of what he wanted with her, right now the only thing he was sure of was being around her again.


    ''''You guys come back later, something came up. '''' Michael smiled; standing up from the chair and dropping one of his credit cards, ''''Bills on me.''''


    His friends, who already opened their mouths to speak, shut it up as soon as he dropped his card. They were wealthy sons of politicians who just lavished their parents'' wealth on parties and women.


    Michael walked up his stairs, his hands typing on his phone; he didn''t want to stay in the party anymore, this night, he was just not in the mood.


    He had been staring at her picture in the party, he didn''t know why, but anytime he looked at her, she seemed prettier. He typed a reply as he went up to his room;


    ''Stunning¡­ your eyes seem bigger, did you use a filter?


    No, deleting it, he typed again;


    ''Is this what you do to keep that flawless skin?''


    No, no,


    ''wow, you should have asked me to come soak with you''


    Michael groaned, tossing his phone on the bed, and taking off his clothes. This was the first time he was this confused about how to reply to a woman.


    Suddenly his phone buzzed on the bed and he picked it up, his eyes bulged out of its sockets when he saw the message on his screen;


    He had unknowingly sent his last message and Diana had replied;


    ''''haha, such a tease, don''t worry I''ll invite you over next time. ''''


    Michael felt like fainting; he fell down on the bed, his hand clutching his hair;


    What did he just do?!


    He laughed at himself as he stared at the message she just sent. Quite alright, she took it to be a joke but the last thing he wanted was for her to think that he just wanted to take advantage of her.


    How would his first sentence to her be so flirty, shit!


    Michael groaned, thinking of what to type back.


    Diana was eating noodles when her phone vibrated. She had waited the longest time for his text and she had lost all hope so she didn''t even bother to check who it was, but after some seconds, she found herself picking up her phone again, unable to hold her curiosity.


    She didn''t expect it to be him, but right before her very eyes was his message! She leapt in surprise and the smile that stretched her lips reached her ears as her cheeks flushed red;


    ''wow, you should have asked me to come soak with you''


    .She read his message over and over again, her head imagining a thousand thoughts; he was being flirty but she knew he was just joking; she was so happy he had texted back. She quickly sent him a reply and waited patiently for his answer. ''''haha, such a tease, don''t worry I''ll invite you over next time. ''''


    After about a minute, he replied;


    ''''Haha, I''ll be looking forward to that; how are you? ''''


    Diana blushed; God, how would a mere text make her blush so much, was it because she was reading it with his voice in her head and imagining him staring at her with those smolderingly piercing eyes?


    ''''I''m good and you, how was work today?''''


    ''''It went well, just a little stressful. What color of dress are you wearing on Friday?''''


    A smile stretched Diana''s lips when she saw his reply, she was actually looking for how she would tell him about it, she was happy he brought it up himself;


    ''''Red¡­ with a touch of black; ''''


    ''''Okay, so you send me your address, I''ll come pick you up, the Hollywood film Awards right? ''''


    ''''Yeah, thanks for going with me; ''''


    ''''No worries, it''s better than sleeping at home doing nothing.''''


    ''''Your profile pic is a dog, is it your dog? '''' Diana asked; the dog in his profile was golden and huge, she loved dogs but hers just died recently, she was yet to get another.


    ''''yeah, it''s mine, his name is Caesar, do you love dogs? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I love dogs, mine just died, I still miss her. Gush, your dog is so huge, and he has a lot of furs, I feel like running my hands through them!'''' Diana didn''t realize they had started talking as though they''ve known themselves for a very long time.


    ''''So sorry about that, you can come over whenever you like, I''m sure Caesar would want a friend. ''''


    Diana''s eyes shot open instantly; ''''did¡­ did he just ask her to come over?''''


    Her hands trembled lightly as she held her phone; she didn''t think he''ll ask her to come over this soon.


    Hmm¡­ they were progressing!


    ''''Wow, I would love to, maybe anytime I''m free. ''''


    She rolled on her bed, a blush not leaving her cheeks. She liked how he spoke to her, replying her every word quickly like he actually cared about her opinion. With Greg, she would wait hours before he would even reply her text.


    It was good to have such a friend, even if they would not have something more, talking like this with him, made her glad.

 Chapter 203 - Deal or no deal?

    Diana stood in front of her floor to ceiling mirror, admiring her reflection.


    ''''You look beautiful Diana, very beautiful.'''' Her makeup artist emphasized for the thousandth time. Diana had kept on asking her how she looked, she didn''t know why she was feeling very skeptical about her looks, the previous times she had gone for events like this, she had always been confident, she didn''t know why today was different.


    ''''What of my hair, should I let it down?'''' Mirabelle rolled her eyes, what in hell was wrong with her today?


    ''''No, it''s perfect this way¡­ ''''


    ''''Did a car just pull in? '''' Diana asked, cutting Mirabelle off, her eyes wide with excitement.


    She just heard a car pull up in front of her house and her heart slammed against her chest. Damn, why was she so excited for a man who hasn''t even taken interest in her yet?


    ''''I think so¡­ '''' Mirabelle walked to the window and peeked outside; when she saw there was a car parked outside, she turned back to Diana, ''''yeah, he''s¡­ '''' her words caught in her tongue when she realized that Diana was no longer in the room; in shock, she turned back to the window to know who had made Diana so excited. Ever since she knew her, Diana had never been this excited about any man;


    Diana walked out of the front porch in calm steps, her eyes filled with eagerness. The man standing beside the car had his hands in his pockets and his eyes were staring piercingly at her. Diana couldn''t help the blush that tainted her skin.


    Her steps faltered as she approached him and when she stood in front of him, she smiled;


    ''''wow¡­ '''' That was the first word that left his lips as his eyes scanned her body; her blood-red gown hugged her skin and her perfect figure coming in view; her huge b.o.o.b.s were well sculptured in the gown as her perfect cleavage stuck out beautifully. Michael gulped, pulling his eyes to her face;


    He closed the gap between them and took her right hand, kissing it;


    ''''You are¡­ enchanting right now, I''m really struggling to keep my eyes off you. ''''


    Diana felt heat radiate from the spot he had kissed on her hand and upwards to her face, exploding into a patch of redness, she bit her lower lip as her eyes fluttered;


    She had indeed taken her time to look especially good; a lot of men had complimented her in the past but this was the first time someone she liked complimented her, and she couldn''t help but feel loved.


    ''''Thank you, '''' she said shyly; she didn''t fail to notice his outfit; he had worn a matching outfit; a black suit with intricate red flames designs on it; they looked like a real couple. ''''You look ravishing, I must say.''''


    She smiled as she commented on his clothes; Michael chuckled lightly, his husky voice ringing in her ears;


    Diana m.o.a.ned in her heart, why was she falling for every single thing about him, even his voice? Lord, she was in trouble.


    '''' didn''t know you were this shy. '''' Michael said, smirking; Diana turned her eyes to him, her cheeks blushing the more; ''''I''m not shy! ''''


    Michael laughed; ''''Okay, let''s go, '''' He held her hand as he led her to the back seat.


    ''''m serious, I''m not shy! '''' she whined, trying to defend herself as she watched him open the door for her to get in;


    ''''Did I say anything? '''' Michael asked, raising an eyebrow; Diana pouted in frustration, he didn''t say anything but his silence and curt laughter meant that he believed she was shy;


    ''''say I''m not shy. '''' Diana demanded with a cute glare in her eyes; Michael couldn''t help but melt in her gaze; jeez woman; How can you be so cute?


    There was no way he would resist that stare; he didn''t realize he had a weak point until now;


    Michael leaned into the car and caressed her cheeks, his eyes moving from her eyes to her pinkish plump lips; ''''you''re not shy. '''' she gulped when she realized where he was looking at, and she quickly looked away; ''''Okay, let''s get going now. '''' she replied hurriedly, snapping Michael back to reality.


    Michael cleared his throat, straightening himself; he walked over to the other side and got in, sitting beside her, he signaled the driver to drive.


    The ride was barely quiet because once Michael got in, he took her hand in his and admired it;


    ''''soft small hands¡­ '''' he said, holding her hand up in his palm; Diana bit her lower lip; did he know a mere touch from him made her insides burn?


    ''''I can just cover them with mine. '''' He said, fisting her hand and covering it with his manly palm, even though it did not fit in, his hand covered most part of it;


    ''''was a spoilt little baby when growing up. Didn''t do much with my hands, that''s why it''s this soft. ''''


    Diana spoke, trying to appear normal; she didn''t want him to see the effect he was having on her. Michael released her but did not let go of her, instead, he held her hand, placing it on his legs;


    ''''So tell me, what are you going to do if there are rumors about us tomorrow? ''''


    Diana gulped; there were actually going to be rumors, but she didn''t want Michael changing his mind now;


    ''''Haha; why should there be rumors, it''s just a date for an event. ''''


    ''''Well, we should be making headlines by tomorrow because you''re not dating anyone at the moment, and now you come to an event with the CEO of Warren Corporation; surely someone must talk about it.''''


    Diana cleared her throat; ''''well, I''ve been going on events with dates too, and the rumors were easy to die down, you don''t have to worry about it; ''''


    Diana tried to explain to him, she didn''t want him to get worried about his face being on headlines, but¡­


    ''''But you should have known that this might happen, didn''t you? ''''


    She felt Michael stiffen by her side but she didn''t turn to look at him;


    ''''I knew, that''s why I''m concerned about what you''re going to say if it becomes news. ''''


    Diana took in a sharp breath;


    ''''Well, we mean nothing to each other¡­ so I''m just going to tell them we are friends¡­ nothing more, that''s if it gets to that.'''' Each word that left her lips tore at her heart; she wished she didn''t have to draw a line between them, heck, she wished he would just tell her that he wanted something more with her, but everything was just in her head.


    Michael stiffened for a second; what was he expecting to hear though? That was the truth, there was nothing between them, but he could not help but feel sour as though he was expecting her to say something else.


    ''''Caesar, how old is he? '''' Diana asked, trying to divert the discussion since the car was getting stuffy for her.


    ''''Five years, ''''


    ''''Wow, he''s very big for a five-year-old. He looks like a golden retriever, is he? '''' Michael nodded;


    ''''Yeah, he is. ''''


    Diana smiled; '''' mm, I noticed, that is the breed of our family dog. ''''


    Michael turned to look at her; ''''Seems you like dogs a lot. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I love dogs, I''m going to get another one soon.''''


    ''''Boss, we''re here. ''''


    The driver cut them off, pulling into the driveway. As expected, the place was filled with reporters and journalists, but they were kept off by the security;


    Diana turned to Michael in the car;


    ''''Are you ready? '''' She smiled at him and he stared fondly at her; ''''whenever you''re ready; ''''


    Diana blushed; ''''okay. ''''


    The driver stepped out and opened the car door for them; Michael came out first and held out his hand for Diana. The cameras were still clicking as they wondered who he was with; suddenly Diana stepped out and that instant all cameras turned to them;


    They were wearing matching clothes and with their drop-dead beauty, they were like a power couple. Most of the reporters turned to them as they stood for their pictures to be taken; Michael''s hands were around Diana''s waists as they smiled for the pictures; after a few pictures, they walked up to the red carpet to take pictures.


    Unexpectedly, Michael pulled her close to him, staring into her eyes, he whispered something into her ears which made her eyes grow wide and her cheeks flush; they were just staring and laughing at themselves oblivious of the thousands of pictures being taken of them; or maybe they knew, they just didn''t care.


    Michael sat on his chair with Diana by his side as they watched the awards being given one after the other;


    ''''what if you win an award? ''''


    Michael leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, Diana shook her head; ''''I''m not winning any, I was nominated but the other persons with me have a greater chance at the award, and besides I won Hollywood''s best actress last year, ''''


    ''''Hmm, you seem very sure, can we bet on it?''''


    Diana''s eyes widened as she turned to him with an amused grin on her lips;


    ''''you''re joking right now, right? ''''


    Michael chuckled; ''''No, I''m damn serious. ''''


    ''''Alright, what''s the bet? ''''


    Michael thought for a second; ''''I''ll kiss you if you win and I''ll do anything you ask if you don''t?''''


    ''''oh my god; '''' Diana laughed, her cheeks reddening, she wasn''t expecting that kind of a bet; ''''you''re gonna lose you know, I''ve been in the industry for a very long time; '''' If she had any chance at the prize, her manager would have given her heads up earlier.


    ''''Deal or no deal? '''' Michael asked confidently and Diana couldn''t help but laugh;


    ''''Alright, deal. ''''

 Chapter 204 - I believe in you

    Diana laughed; she didn''t even understand why he was so sure that she was going to win the award. She accepted the deal because she knew she was not going to win anyway, she could just imagine the thousand things she would make him do. It would be fun.


    ''''Okay; '''' Michael replied, turning back to the stage;


    Diana stared at him surprisingly;


    ''''why do you even feel I would win? '''' her brows creased with wonder, he had betted with her as though he was the one who summed the votes;


    ''''I just believe in you, even if you don''t win, I want you to know that you were good enough for the prize, don''t let anyone make you believe differently. ''''


    Diana''s heart softened as she watched the man by her side; he didn''t know her too well, but he was cheering her up even when she had already told him the odds were not in her favor. This kind of man was what any person would wish for;


    ''''And the Hollywood Actress Award goes to¡­''''


    Diana''s eyes turned back to the stage, her heartbeat calm, she wasn''t expecting anything, so she wasn''t apprehensive at all. ''''


    ''''Diana Smith! ''''


    Diana''s eyes bulged out in shock, and she jumped up from her chair, her hands flying over her lips; ''''Oh my god! Oh my god! ''''


    She turned to Michael with surprise, he was smiling brightly as he stood up, and without thinking, she embraced him in a tight hug,


    ''''Oh my god!! '''' she kept screaming, she could not believe it; last year when she won it, her manager had said that she had narrowly won, and the results were even contended but this year, she wasn''t expecting to win at all, but she had won effortlessly.


    ''''You owe me a kiss love; '''' Michael whispered in her ears, and she laughed out loud before she let him go. Hugging other actresses and actors, who were close to her briefly, she walked up the stage where ''Temptress'', the movie she was nominated for, played her best scenes in the background. As she walked up the stage she could not believe she was the one up there, now she looked at herself on the large screen, she realized that she was indeed good; she should give more credit to herself.


    ''''oh my god! '''' she breathed out heavily as she held the award in her hands, her eyes becoming teary;


    ''''I wasn''t expecting this, at all! '''' she shook her head severally and then laughed, the audience joined her.


    ''''I''m so grateful guys for making this possible, without you all, I won''t be standing here, I''m grateful for my family, my diehard fans, my manager, who keeps making me work harder; I love you all. '''' She paused, waiting for their applause to die down; ''''and I specially want to thank a good friend of mine, I know he is watching me now; '''' she smiled, her eyes locking in Michael''s amidst the multitude in front of her;


    ''''I just want to thank you for believing in me, even when I doubted myself, you believed in me, thank you for coming into my life. '''' She waved to the audience amidst their thundering applause, as she walked down the stage.


    ¡­.


    Nicklaus sat down on the couch, his face looking very down as he worked on his laptop. Earlier, he didn''t make an issue about her going to France because he planned to go with her, but when he told her he would come with her, she refused. He pleaded and pleaded but she had abruptly said no;


    Nicklaus had not spoken to her for an hour now; although a married couple was in a room, it looked like the gathering of two strangers. Tiana glanced at her husband who had his laptop on his laps, his brows creased a little; she had never seen him angry with her, well, not exactly angry but this was the first time they had engaged in an argument since they got married.


    She would have loved him to come with her to France but that was going to be selfish on her part. She didn''t want him to leave his job and everything just to go with her to France. Tiana didn''t even understand why he didn''t want to see things from her point of view. He said he wasn''t complaining, but she didn''t want to hear a word of it. She knew him; he would not tell her about the work load but later would sneak out of bed in the middle of the night to go work in the study.


    She zipped up her luggage and pulled it to a corner, then came to him on the couch; standing in front of him for a moment, she spoke;


    ''''Baby, my back hurts, I need a massage; '''' although she had cramps on her back, it wasn''t as bad as her face looked right now;


    Nicklaus raised his eyes to look at her, her eyes were staring at him cutely, and her hands were massaging her neck as though in a lot of pain;


    Nicklaus kept the laptop by his side and stood up from the couch, without glancing at her, he said; ''''let''s use the massage room. '''' Tiana grinned behind him and followed; when they got to the room Nicklaus took the massage oil, and she quickly took off the short gown she was putting on causing her b.r.e.a.s.ts to dangle in front of him. She walked to the table and lay on her stomach, watching him as he poured the oil on his hands, then rubbed it on her back; keeping the oil, he used his both hands to knead her back. A m.o.a.n left her lips as she closed her eyes, letting him work on her back;


    ''''Hubby let''s not quarrel okay?'''' Tiana said after a long while but Nicklaus did not say a word, he just continued massaging every part of her back. Tiana pouted at his silence, he was just acting petty, how would he do what she asked and yet not want to talk to her?


    She opened her eyes and glanced at him, he was expressionless as he massaged her evenly.


    ''''it''s just one week, I don''t want you stressing yourself out.''''


    Nicklaus did not reply, after some minutes Tiana burst out laughing; ''''you''re being childish right now, hubby.''''


    ''''you''re laughing at me?'''' Nicklaus finally spoke but Tiana shook her head immediately,


    ''''no, no, far from that, I''m just glad that you love me this much and don''t want to be apart from me. I understand we just got together and you''ll miss me very much but I promise to keep in touch, okay? We''ll FaceTime, chat, call every single time I''m not at work, just don''t miss out on work because of me.''''


    Tiana pouted sitting up on the massage table, with him standing in between her legs.


    Nicklaus stared at her lovingly, his eyes falling to her lips, the next second, he seized it with his, kissing her deeply. Tiana gripped his shirt firmly, kissing him back with the same want. She felt his hands cup her b.r.e.a.s.ts and her hands went swiftly to his UGG pants, pulling it low, her hand massaged his member inside his shorts as she felt it getting hard in her palm, Nicklaus groaned against her lips, his lips leaving her swiftly and kissing down her neck to seize her n.i.p.p.l.e in his mouth, Tiana m.o.a.ned arching her back towards him, her hand digging into his thick curly hair. She bit her lower lip and her eyes rolled back as she felt him bite lightly on her hard n.i.p.p.l.e.


    Tiana''s hand pulled his member out and stroked as she felt him get rock hard in her palm,


    "Wait, let me get the condoms, ''''


    Nicklaus spoke, stopping her hand as their ragged breath fanned their faces; she nodded and let go of him, Nicklaus stared at her flushed face as he wore back his pants. He gave her a kiss on the lips before walking out the massage room.


    Tiana stepped out of her panties and sat back on the table, her eyes flickered over the oil on the table, and she smiled;


    Surprise flashed through Nicklaus''s eyes when he came back to the massage room. His wife lay on the table n.a.k.e.d with the massage oil on her hand; her eyes turned to him, and she grinned;


    ''''Baby, my whole body hurts right now, I think I need a full body massage.'''' she spoke with an alluring voice, her hand rubbing on her b.r.e.a.s.ts.'''' Nicklaus groaned as he walked to the table where she lay, he leaned and kissed her mouth deeply, sucking on her tongue, his hand taking the oil from her hand.


    ''''A full body massage cost $5000, are you in?'''' Nicklaus whispered in her ear making her burst out with laughter,


    "That''s too much for a massage session. '''' Tiana grinned playing along with him.


    ''''My skills are top-notch wife, and I can promise you full satisfaction.''''


    Tiana chuckled, how did their never-ending silence turn to a s.e.x play?


    ''''Alright I''ll pay. Get to work.'''' she grinned as she dropped her hands to her sides, giving him a full view of her body.


    Nicklaus stood upright and opened the bottle of oil, pouring it on her b.r.e.a.s.ts and tracing downwards to her belly, he kept the bottle by his side and began working on her b.r.e.a.s.ts. His hands massaged her b.r.e.a.s.ts slowly, concentrating on her n.i.p.p.l.es, until she was writhing from pleasure on the table.


    His hands left her b.r.e.a.s.ts and massaged down her shoulders and to her hands, he took each hand, massaging every spot judiciously. When he was done, he kneaded down her stomach to her thighs, a m.o.a.n escaped her lips as she felt his hands part her legs and rub the insides of her right thigh. Tiana squirmed on the table as her core pulsated, she arched her h.i.p.s forward, wanting him to touch her there, but Nicklaus did exactly the opposite.

 Chapter 205 - Ill miss you

    Guys, I''m crying right now, i dont know how the dummy chapter duplicated into three, and now i have to write over 5k words this night, I feel like fainting. It was a system error and now i cant even delete it. I''m so sorry, please be patient with me to get the chapters done, thanks for supporting.


    ....


    His hands glided closer to her v.a.g.i.n.a but just when he was about to touch it, he pulled his hand away making Tiana groan in desperation, her hands fisted by her side as she watched him l.u.s.tfully, wanting him to touch her there, but he intentionally didn''t, she took in a sharp breath as her chest heaved heavily. Nicklaus massaged her down her leg, rubbing on every spot down to her ankle, then he took the second leg and did the same to it, Tiana thought he would touch now but instead, he told her to turn over, a desperate m.o.a.n left her lips as she turned over on the table, Nicklaus massaged her back this time very slowly and then her bum, feeling every inch of it with his hands, earning sweet m.o.a.ns from her lips, he slid his hands slowly down her thighs, massaging her legs before going back up slowly.


    Tiana whimpered as his hands slid down the surface of her v.a.g.i.n.a, rubbing on it slowly with no signs of backing down. She arched her bum upwards, her legs parting to give him access but Nicklaus did not oblige. Tiana squirmed frustratingly and when she couldn''t take it anymore she cussed, '''' jeez, how long are you going to keep tormenting me? Touch me already!! '''' she whimpered her face all red.


    Nicklaus laughed huskily and she glared angrily and at the same time l.u.s.tfully at him.


    "turn over," Nicklaus said and she turned over on the table again, parting her legs and her hands rubbing on her bud, Nicklaus took out her hand, replacing it with his, he stroked her bud for a second before his index finger dipped inside her, a loud m.o.a.n leaving her lips. Tiana''s toes curled as his finger moved inside her, his thrusts not relenting. Suddenly, a second finger joined the first and his speed increased, Tiana gripped her hair as she squirmed against his hand, a pant leaving her lips when his other hand cupped her b.r.e.a.s.ts.


    In a few seconds, she was bucking against his hand and m.o.a.ning in pleasure. Nicklaus held her waists and turned her body vertically, such that she was leaning against his groin, her legs wrapped around him. He leaned down and kissed her lips fervently, Tiana''s arms wrapped around his neck as she kissed him back, ''''I''ll miss you." she whispered sadly against his lips, Nicklaus let go of her mouth, staring into her eyes, he could see the desire in them and he caressed her cheeks," it''s just for one week, you aren''t going to be away forever.''''


    She pouted," you know I want you to come with me right? It''s just that I don''t want you to be stressed out because of me, I''ll make sure I come back as soon as possible, okay?"


    Nicklaus held her face, gazing into her eyes,"I love you.''''


    "I love you too baby," she whispered, covering his lips in a fervent kiss. Her legs wrapped against his waists as her fingers pulled at his hair, Nicklaus kissed down her neck, to her b.r.e.a.s.ts, leaving soft kisses on her belly before standing up. He reached over to the condom pack on the table and tore the wrap fixing it on him.


    ...


    That night the couple cuddled outside on a reclining chair, Tiana''s hands wrapped around his body, holding him for the longest time to make up for the one week she would be unable to touch him. When it was late, Nicklaus opted they go to sleep but she refused, knowing that once she closed her eyes it would be morning and she would be leaving. She didn''t realize how much she would miss him until the time drew near and for a second she regretted not letting him come with her.


    Tiana didn''t know when she slept off in his arms, when she woke up, it was morning and she was tucked in bed, her eyes glanced at the wall clock speedily and she saw that it was past 8, a sigh of relief leaving her lips. Claire said they were leaving by 12 pm, so she still had a few hours more with him.


    Tiana lifted her eyes to her husband who was lying down beside her, his eyes were shut and he had his arm around her. She stared intently at his face inscribing every inch of him in her mind. After a while, she lifted her hand to her face, feeling his skin, his lips, his hair, his stubble which was beginning to grow. An inaudible sigh left her lips, she would miss him so much.


    "good morning..." Nicklaus said, his eyes still shut. Tiana snuggled closer to him; "good morning baby, how was your night?"


    Nicklaus kissed her forehead, sniffing her hair; "dreamt of you all through." Tiana smiled, "what did you dream about?"


    "mm... when I was touching you like this..." Tiana squealed when she felt his hand cup her bum and squeeze, a laugh leaving her lips.


    "Let''s stay like this for a while," he said after a moment of silence and she nodded against his chest. They stayed like that listening to their heartbeat, Tiana wished that moment would not end but sadly, after the longest time, Nicklaus whispered in her ear,"let''s shower." She swallowed hard as she realized that she would be leaving him soon, her eyes glanced at the time and she saw it was past 10, she felt her eyes sting with tears as she pulled herself up from the bed.


    Tiana didn''t say a word as they showered together, she knew she would burst into tears once she opened her mouth to speak. She dressed quickly avoiding his gaze. By the time they were through, it was past almost 11.


    Nicklaus had been watching her quietly, not saying a word, but when he saw her walk towards her luggage, he spoke; "aren''t you going to have breakfast? '''' Tiana shook her head,"I''m not hungry." She went to take her bag but Nicklaus held her hand, stopping her, "beautiful, you have to eat something, I can''t let you leave here without having anything," Tiana''s eyes gazed at her feet as her face turned hue,


    "beautiful, are you crying?" Nicklaus''s brows creased painfully as he lifted her face to look at her eyes but she quickly turned away, '''' no, I just want to go, let''s just go. "


    Her voice quaked and Nicklaus knew she was crying.


    She had vehemently refused him to go with her yesterday and today she was the one crying. Tiana turned away from him, using the back of her hand, she wiped her face. Nicklaus watched her for a moment before pulling her close and giving her a back hug, his arms going around her. That singular action made the tears which she was trying her very best to hold in burst out of her eyes.


    She cried and quickly turned around, burying her face in his chest, her hand gripping his shirt tightly. Nicklaus hugged her back, kissing her hair. "I miss you already!" she whimpered, her body trembling.


    "It''s okay, it''s just one week, alright?" Nicklaus consoled her but she couldn''t stop crying;


    "call me every time, okay?"


    He nodded, "I will." Tiana pulled him close and held his face, kissing him passionately, Nicklaus held her waists and tilting his head, he kissed her back. They kissed for the longest time before they finally let each other go.


    Tiana agreed to eat but only after he said he would feed her. They sat in the dining, her face sullen as she took in every spoonful of her oatmeal.


    Finally, it was time to leave, she held his arm as he carried her luggage with the other hand. When the guards saw them, one quickly took the luggage from his hand and put it in the trunk. Tiana didn''t leave Nicklaus till they arrived at the airport. Claire had been calling but she wasn''t in the mood to pick, when they reached, she took out her phone and called Claire.


    "Tiana where are you? ''''


    They were flying with a private jet, so it was a small airport.


    "I just arrived, is everyone here already?" It was 11:56 am by her time,


    "Yeah, come into the building, everyone is waiting for you, we leave in a few minutes. ''''


    " Okay, " Tiana ended the call and turned to Nicklaus by her side, hugging him tightly.


    "Call me when you get to France, okay?"


    She nodded and they kissed for the last time before she painfully pried herself away from him.


    "Get going now, if you stay here any longer, I won''t be able to let you go."


    She said, taking her luggage from him,


    "I''ll go as soon as you enter the building."


    Tiana thought for a moment, and then nodded "okay."


    She turned around and started walking towards the airport, everything in her wanted to turn around and look at him, but she forced herself to move forward, she knew if she took one glance at him, she was not going to let him leave.

 Chapter 206 - BestFriends

    "Tiana, we''ve been waiting for you. Everyone, Tiana is here!" Claire exclaimed as she led her in to greet the rest of the crew.


    Tiana forced a smile to her face as she greeted everyone. It was just Leo, Claire, Larissa, the director, and three staff members. After talking for a while, they all walked out to the jet.


    She felt her heart fall into her stomach when she glanced at the spot Nicklaus was standing a few minutes ago and he was gone.


    Tiana twirled the ring on her finger, her mind lost in thought. They just got up in the air but she already felt as though she had stayed a whole day away from him. Everything around her felt stuffy and Tiana wondered if she could even go the whole week without him.


    Claire''s laughter made her look up from her hand, she was talking to the director and they were both laughing; Tiana''s brows creased when she turned to Leo and saw that he was sitting alone. She supported her head with her elbow as she watched him; once in a while, he would stare at Claire then after a moment, he would look away. Tiana''s brows creased when she saw an emotion in his eyes, were they fighting? She wondered. After a moment, she stood up from her seat and walked to where Leo was sitting down beside him.


    Leo turned to her with a smile; ''''Tiana? Came to keep me company? '''' Tiana laughed and nodded;


    ''''Mm; feeling bored, since you were alone, thought maybe we should chat''''


    Leo chuckled as he watched her stretch her limbs before putting on her seatbelt.


    They were quiet for a second before Tiana spoke; ''''are the two of you fighting? ''''


    Leo turned to her with creased brows; ''''why should we be fighting? ''''


    He asked, looking surprised that she had noticed; was it that obvious?


    ''''Well, '''' Tiana said, turning to look at Claire who was smiling now; ''''the Claire I know would have been sitting here, and laughing with you and not the director. Since I arrived, she has barely spoken with you, so I noticed, but don''t worry, it is okay if you don''t want to talk about it. ''''


    Leo was quiet for a moment, ''''we''re not fighting; she''s just, she''s just avoiding me. ''''


    ''''why? '''' Tiana asked, her eyes staring at him keenly.


    Leo swallowed unable to think of a reply; ''''because you like her? ''''


    Leo''s eyes widened and he turned quickly to look at Tiana; with the question ''how did you know'' inscribed on his face.


    Tiana laughed; ''''Ha-ha, it''s obvious that you like her; I think everyone sees it, but since you guys are best friends, they don''t see a need to talk about it. ''''


    Leo brushed his hand through his hair;


    ''''Did you tell her? '''' Tiana asked and he shook his head;


    ''''No, not yet; I think she''s avoiding me because I''ve been a little more caring recently and she''s suspecting that I would tell her, she''s avoiding me so she doesn''t give me the chance to.''''


    His gaze darkened as he took a peek at Claire;


    Tiana thought for a moment; ''''if she''s avoiding you, then she''s afraid of what you would say. She doesn''t want to be put to a corner, where she would be forced to choose. In other words, she doesn''t want to destroy the friendship you both have if she doesn''t give the reply you want to hear. ''''


    Leo felt a hitch in his throat and he looked out the window briefly;


    ''''how long have you loved her? ''''


    Tiana asked and a light chuckle escaped his lips; ''''from the first day I set my eyes on her, seven years ago.''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened in shock and she turned to look at Claire;


    How in the hell did he love her for so long and she couldn''t see it?


    ''''When we became close, I wanted to tell her on several occasions, but I couldn''t bring myself to, and one day, she invited me over for dinner, and I planned I would tell her that day, but when I came to her home, she was with another man, and she introduced me to him as her best friend.'''' He paused, chuckling lightly;


    ''''From that day onwards, I bottled up my feelings for her and became the best friend she wanted. I thought after all these years, she would love me but it seems it was all in my head; after so long, she still doesn''t feel the same way. ''''


    Leo laughed painfully.


    ''''you can''t conclude until she says so. Maybe she actually has feelings for you, but she doesn''t know about it yet. You need to ask her, tell her how you feel about her. You can''t continue like this forever. And you surely can''t give up without a fight. Because if you don''t tell her, in a few years, after you both have moved on, you''ll always have that doubt in your heart that things might have gone differently.''''


    Leo nodded; ''''and what if she doesn''t want me? ''''


    Tiana paused for a moment; ''''you''re a full package Leo, any woman that doesn''t want you is missing out on a lot. ''''


    Leo burst into laughter;


    ''''if she doesn''t want you, then it is fine. It''s not your fault, and it''s not her fault either. You''ll have to accept the hard truth that you both are meant for someone else. And maybe you were truly made to be just friends. You work on moving on, and if she truly loves you as a friend, she would give you the space you need to heal. ''''


    ''''Tiana, didn''t know you were a good therapist, wow! I feel good now I have heard this, thank you.''''


    Tiana laughed, ''''you are welcome. ''''


    '''' don''t tell her about this, okay? '''' Tiana nodded; '''' don''t worry, I''ve forgotten about it already. ''''


    She smiled at him and her eyes turned to look at Claire. Claire cannot be happier with any other person. She wished she would accept Leo. Their bonding, their connection was more than what friends would feel, he was someone who would have her back, any time and any day and she wished she would see that.


    ¡­


    Diana''s hands fondled with her hair as she sat in her parlor, eating cheesecake and staring at a book, pretending to be reading it. It was a Saturday morning, so she didn''t have to go to work. She had finished her morning jog and taken a shower and there was nothing to do. As she sat in the parlor, her mind replayed last night''s events over and over again.


    After the party, Michael had taken her back home.


    ''''Thank you for the night; I don''t know what I would have done without you. '''' she smiled thankfully;


    Michael put his hands into his pocket and smiled; '''' don''t mention. ''''


    Diana looked down to her feet and then coughed lightly; her mind could not get over the kiss she had promised him, but she could not bring it up first.


    ''''Okay, I''ll be going in now, call me when you get home.'''' She smiled and turned around to leave but she felt Michael hold her hand and pull her back to face him; her eyes widened with surprise;


    ''''you are forgetting something¡­ '''' he whispered, his eyes staring burningly at her; Diana could not forget the wetness she felt in-between her legs as he stared at her; she quickly looked away,


    She felt his hand bring her face to look at him, and his gaze trail down to her lips, she swallowed;


    ''''you promised me a kiss, love, did you forget so soon?''''


    His fingers pushed some strands of her hair which had left the bunch to the back of her ear; Diana gulped;


    ''''Oh¡­ '''' Her eyes fluttered, as her cheeks burned; ''''can I do another favor? ''''


    She asked, her voice shaky, although she would love to kiss those beautiful lips of his, she didn''t want to be too forward.


    ''''No; '''' Michael breathed, taking a step forward, closing the gap between them;


    Her eyes lifted to his involuntarily and she drunk in his mesmerizing gaze; god, if he kept staring at her like that, she was really going to pull him in and devour those lips of his.


    Her eyes widened when she felt him begin to lean closer to her, his eyes falling to her lips; she thinned her lips tightly as her eyes shut close. She could feel his breath fanning her face now and she knew she was finally going to get a real kiss for the first time in her life. Her heart slammed against her chest as she waited for his lips to meet hers.


    His lips were just an inch away from hers when she suddenly felt him stop moving, and instead of kissing her, he leaned to her ear and whispered; ''''goodnight. ''''


    A small pant left her lips as her eyes fluttered open, she raised her eyes to look at him but she could only catch a glimpse of his face because he turned around immediately and entered the car, zooming off immediately.


    Diana shook her head, bringing herself back from her thoughts.


    That moment, she couldn''t even place if she was happy or sad for not getting kissed. She was happy that he didn''t kiss her because if he had, their relationship would have become awkward, they weren''t even that close yet, if he had kissed her, she might not be able to chat with him freely anymore. She was really thankful for that, and she was sad on the other hand because she really wanted to feel his lips against hers. To know what it felt like to be kissed, not from a movie script but for real, too bad she didn''t get to experience it.

 Chapter 207 - Sick

    As expected, the internet was buzzing with their headlines and some paparazzi were already sending her messages, asking her if she was in any relationship with Michael, she had said no, but only a few of them had gone on to publish the truth, the rest went on with the lies.


    She didn''t care though, this wasn''t the first time she was involved with another man, in fact, she had been paired with almost every actor her character had liked in a movie, she was only concerned about Michael, this was the first time he was involved with an actress; everything might be new to him.


    Picking her phone from the couch, she decided to call and check up on him. His phone rang twice before he picked up;


    ''''Hey! '''' she said, curling on the couch;


    ''''Diana, how was your night? '''' Michael asked, his voice a little weak; Diana''s brows creased with worry;


    ''''It was fine, are you okay? You don''t sound well. ''''


    ''''oh, I think I caught a fever, and I have a migraine, but I''ve taken medications, I should feel well in an hour or two. ''''


    ''''oh my god, so sorry, when did it begin? '''' Diana asked looking very concerned;


    ''''I woke up in the middle of the night with a tearing headache; and then a fever. ''''


    ''''I''m so sorry, should I come over? '''' Diana asked unconsciously, she only realized what she had said when it left her lips;


    Michael was quiet for a moment, he wanted her to come over, but he didn''t want to agree quickly;


    ''''Don''t stress yourself, I have a house help; ''''


    ''''oh¡­ '''' she replied and a silence ensued; Michael groaned internally when she didn''t say anything else, he instantly regretted telling her not to worry.


    ''''but I can come to see you, as a friend, and I want to see Caesar too;'''' Diana added after a while and Michael heaved an inaudible sigh of relief;


    ''''Okay; I''ll send someone to come pick you up; '''' he replied immediately.


    ''''Alright, let me get dressed,'''' she said and quickly ended the call. She went to her room and pulled off the crop top and shorts she was putting on and wore her bra, she threw a loose short gown over her body and brushed her hair, and then went to the mirror to look at her reflection. Letting her hair fall down her back, she put a little lip gloss on her lips. She was beautiful, so with a little or no makeup, she still looked stunning.


    She sat down in the parlor impatiently as she waited for the driver to arrive, after about twenty minutes; she heard a car pull into the driveway. She hurriedly left the house after shouting to Mary that she would be out for a while.


    The driver stepped out and held the door open for her, closing it after she got in. It was the same driver from last night but it was a different car. The drive was about fifteen minutes; Tiana looked forward when they drove into a compound.


    Her eyes glanced around as she stepped down from the car. His house was made mostly of glass and there were a pool and fountain with a little garden in front.


    It was quiet, so Diana imagined he lived alone with his dog and maybe the house help and the driver;


    ''''This way, Ma''am; '''' the driver called and Diana followed him into the house;


    The man led her down a corridor and stopped at the room at the end;


    ''''You can go in, Ma''am. ''''


    He said and Diana nodded before he turned around and left. She turned to the door and stood still for a moment before she knocked, she waited for a second and then pulled the door open; ''''Hi¡­ ''''a grin broadened her lips as she stepped into the room, Michael was lying on the bed, and when he heard someone call, he turned to the door; he smiled when he saw her.


    ''''Jeez, you look so pale! '''' Diana exclaimed as she sat beside him on the bed; she raised her hand to his forehead to feel his temperature; he was no more running a fever, but the strained expression on his face showed that he was still in pains from the migraine.


    ''''Are you feeling any better?'''' she asked, looking very worried;


    Michael nodded; ''''yeah, I''m feeling better now. ''''


    ''''have you had anything to eat? ''''


    ''''Mm; '''' he said, his head hurt so he was unable to nod;


    ''''so sorry, hope you didn''t fall sick because of the event? ''''


    Her eyes looked guilty as she stared at him, she couldn''t help but feel that it was her fault that he was sick.


    Michael laughed lightly; ''''No, I''ve been working my ass off in the company so a momentary breakdown can happen. ''''


    Diana nodded; ''''okay, thank God tomorrow is Sunday; you can stay home and have enough rest. You should have gone to the hospital by the way.'''' She pouted worriedly;


    ''''My doctor came to check up on me earlier today, and he had prescribed the medications, so I''m okay.''''


    Diana opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a knock on the door, it was pushed open after some seconds and a lady in her forties walked in with a tray of fruits. Her eyes glanced at Diana and surprise flashed through her eyes; Diana knew she recognized her.


    The lady placed the tray on the stool by the bedside and walked out of the rom, closing it behind her.


    ''''Tsh, one thing about being a celebrity is that you can''t do a thing in secret, '''' Diana pouted and Michael laughed sitting up on the bed;


    '''' don''t worry, she won''t say a thing. '''' he assured her, taking the tray of fruits from the stool.


    ''''Oh, let me help you, you are sick, so you shouldn''t strain your arms; '''' Diana said, taking the tray from him, Michael didn''t know why, but he didn''t want to stop her. He watched her keenly as she dug the fork into a cube of apple bringing it to his lips;


    Michael stared at her eyes which were fixated on his lips waiting for him to open up before he slowly opened his mouth and let her feed him.


    It was awkward at first then they relaxed. ''''where is Caesar? '''' she asked after a while;


    ''''he''s in his room, he was here all morning, but just retired a few minutes before you came. ''''


    Diana pouted, ''''okay, ''''


    ''''Don''t worry, I''ll take you to see him after eating, '''' Diana''s eyes lifted to him;


    '''' don''t worry, I''ll see him when I''m about to leave, you don''t need to stress yourself.''''


    ''''He might bark at you, he doesn''t like strangers, but if I''m there, he won''t be so riled up. Don''t worry, I can stand, I''m not so weak. ''''


    Michael chuckled and she nodded and then resumed feeding him;


    ''''So tell me, why is there strife between you and Nicklaus? ''''


    Michael was not expecting the question but he was not surprised either, he blinked;


    '''' my mom is the Chairlady, so I actually take some orders from her. I don''t really know why both companies are in constant fight, but I''m sure my mother knows. ''''


    Calling her mom made his heart squeeze, even this position he was occupying was not his, and he knew he would be kicked out sooner or later; it was just a matter of time. His eyes stared at Diana for a moment, she looked like someone he could trust but he wasn''t sure yet, and he wasn''t sure about what he wanted from her, so he decided to keep his secret to himself, maybe if they became closer, he might open up to her.


    ''''Hmm, I wonder what she did to get on his bad side, Nicklaus is cold, but he doesn''t have issues with a lot of people except you strike at him first. ''''


    Diana replied mindlessly; Michael did not reply. He didn''t know Nicklaus too well but he was sure that his mother was not someone nice and she was capable of doing dangerous things. He couldn''t even imagine what she must have done to Nicklaus to make him come after her so severely.


    And he had overheard her that day saying that Liam had exposed his identity to him, why was she even hiding him in the first place? Michael wondered in his mind.


    Diana kept the tray on the stool when she was done feeding him the fruits. They talked about other random stuff before Michael stood up from the bed;


    ''''Let me take you to him; ''''


    Diana stood up from the bed, taking the plate with her; now he was standing he wasn''t looking so sick;


    ''''Does he really hate strangers? ''''


    She asked and Michael nodded, ''''he barks at them a lot, but don''t worry he won''t hurt you; or are you scared? ''''


    Diana shook her head instantly, ''''No, no, I''m excited, all the dogs I''ve met are sweet, so I think I want to meet one that will bark at me. ''''


    Michael laughed, stopping at a room; he turned to look at her, and in truth, she was really excited;


    Pushing open the door, he called; ''''Caesar!''''


    The room was decorated beautifully; one would think it belonged to a human, except that the bed was a little smaller. Diana''s eyes searched the room for him, but he was not there;


    ''''Did he go out? '''' she asked, but as the words left her lips, she heard loud barking and a huge dog came running towards them.

 Chapter 208 - Because I like you?

    Caesar ran towards them but his steps faltered when he saw there was someone he did not know standing beside his master. He stopped for a moment, staring at Diana intently.


    ''''he''s wondering who you are and what you are doing in his room¡­ '''' Michael said and they laughed as they watched Caesar peer at Diana, after a few seconds, Caesar turned back to Michael and trotted towards him, panting and wagging his tail.


    ''''Big boy! '''' Michael squatted, ruffling his hair with his hands, Caesar played with him, licking his face with his tongue.


    ''''Oh, so cute, will he let me touch him? '''' Diana asked, squatting beside Michael, she raised her hand to touch his hair but Caesar avoided her touch, running back into his room and hopping on his bed. They both burst into laughter;


    ''''At least he didn''t bark at me, that''s a good sign. '''' Diana chuckled, he was bigger and cuter than what she had seen in the picture, and she already liked him, too bad he won''t let her touch him . Caesar was staring at her quietly now as though wondering who she was, after some time; he jumped out of his bed and ran towards his balcony.


    ''''Next time, I''ll bribe him with gifts. ''''  Diana said and they laughed as they closed the door and went back to Michael''s room;


    Michael picked his phone from the bed and they went towards his mini parlor; Diana lay on a comfy couch, curling up; Michael sat opposite her,


    '''' Oh my, I totally forgot, did you see the headlines? '''' Diana sat up on the couch when she remembered why she had even called him in the first place.


    ''''oh that, yeah, I even got some messages from paparazzi, but I didn''t reply to them. ''''


    ''''I''m so sorry, don''t worry everything will die down soon. '''' Diana apologized,


    ''''I know, don''t worry too much about it. ''''


    They talked about other random things then a knock was heard in the room again and it was the house help telling them that their meal was ready.


    ¡­.


    Tiana and the rest arrived in France ten hours later; as soon as they got to the hotel and checked in; Tiana quickly videocalled Nicklaus on Whatsapp; it was past one am by her time, and California was 9 hours behind, so it was still evening there; it didn''t ring for up to three times before Nicklaus picked the call;


    ''''Baby!! '''' Tiana screamed, pulling her luggage into her room and closing the door;


    ''''Are you swimming?'''' She asked when she saw his outfit and the water on his body;


    ''''yeah, came out for a swim, I miss you already. ''''


    ''''god! I miss you too; wish I can pry you out of this phone! ''''


    ''''ha ha, me too, you checked in already? ''''


    Tiana nodded, leaving her luggage in the middle of the room, she fell on the king sized bed, a relieved sigh leaving her lips;


    ''''Just came in now, I''m so exhausted, ''''


    ''''Sorry dear, just take a shower and sleep okay? ''''


    ''''Mm, after this call; '''' Tiana replied and Nicklaus smiled;


    ''''Alright, Iet me leave you to rest. ''''


    ''''Wait! Let me look at you one more time. '''' Tiana pleaded cutely and Niklaus laughed and they just watched each other smiling and not saying a word; after a long moment of silence, he said; ''''Alright, go and have some rest now, love you. ''''


    ''''Love you too. ''''


    ¡­


    Claire and Leo walked to their room; their rooms were opposite each other, so they walked down the corridor together. Claire''s heart slammed in her chest as she approached her door, she prayed earnestly that Leo would not stop her. Hurriedly, she pushed open the door and slammed it close quickly. Leo turned to look at her shut door, his eyes darkened, after a moment; he opened his door and walked in, closing it after him.


    Claire lay on her bed after taking a shower; she could not stop thinking about him. She didn''t like that they weren''t talking, in fact, it was killing her but she didn''t know what to do. His behavior towards her recently had been so suffocating, well not really suffocating but like, she could not take it. He was becoming too caring and loving and then the stares he gave her, made her feel weird. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she knew he was beginning to have feelings for her; and she was not sure she felt the same way about him.


    She knew he would tell her very soon, but she didn''t want to hear it. She didn''t want him to tell her, because she was going to disappoint him and she didn''t want to see him hurt. When did he start feeling this way about her?


    Claire ransacked her mind but she could not place when he started liking her. He had always been so loving, so caring, he was just the best but love could not be forced, she just liked him as a friend and nothing more.


    She just wished he would understand that she needed them to be just friends, but she knew that once he told her how he felt about her, their relationship would not remain the same.


    ¡­


    The next day, they agreed to go sightseeing; so they went to the Louvre museum and Manoir de Paris. Tiana was the most excited because it was a house of horror. Claire was scared to her wits and when they finally made it out of there; she vowed never to go into any scary place in her entire life.


    Later they ate lunch at Le Chateaubriand, one of the best restaurants in the world; Tiana didn''t forget to take pictures she would show to Nicklaus. At night, they drank and sang in the director''s suite before everyone retired to bed to get ready for work the next day.


    Claire pushed open her room door but before she could walk in, she felt someone grab her hand, she turned around and her gaze fell into a familiar pair of blue eyes; she gulped;


    ''''Let''s talk¡­ '''' the words she had dreaded to hear just left his lips and at that moment Claire wanted to disappear. She was about to lose her closest friend and her best friend and she could not do anything about it.


    ''''O...okay¡­ '''' she stammered; walking with him to his room;


    Claire stood on a spot, unmoving as though she was in a room with a stranger, Leo could not help but feel hurt at her stance. Without even telling him, he knew she didn''t feel the same way about him, but he didn''t want them to continue that way, he was still going to tell her how he felt and end it once and for all.


    ''''Do you want to drink anything? '''' Leo asked, walking to the fridge,


    ''''No, haha, had a lot to drink already. '''' Claire replied nervously, her gaze wandering in the room.


    ''''okay. Let''s sit,'''' he said and Claire followed him to the couch, sitting down after him;


    Her eyes didn''t stay at a place as she did her best to avoid his piercing gaze. Leo watched her for the longest time;


    ''''Claire, why are you avoiding me? ''''


    His question made her freeze at a spot and she turned to him with a guilty expression;


    ''''I''m not¡­ I''m not avoiding you. '''' she stammered as she looked at him for the first time since they walked into the room.


    ''''Something is bothering you, Claire and you know it. We are best friends you know and best friends tell each other stuff unless you don''t want to be my friend anymore. ''''


    ''''no, no, I want to be your friend, it''s not what you think. '''' she sat upright on the couch, trying to explain herself;


    ''''Then what is it? '''' Leo continued as he watched her heave a light sigh and look away from him;


    ''''Is it because I like you? ''''


    Claire wasn''t expecting him to say it that easily, her eyes widened as she turned to look at him;


    Leo saw that she was not surprised so his fears were confirmed. She was indeed avoiding him because she found out that he liked her. He felt a deep squeeze at his heart and his eyes stung. Leo turned away from her;


    Claire was quiet as her hands fisted on her thighs. She had prayed for this day not to come but sadly it was here and she had to face it. She couldn''t choose to be with him out of pity, because she would be hurting him and hurting herself too. The best choice was to tell him the truth; even though they''ll not be best friends anymore, he''ll be happy that she didn''t lie to him.


    ''''Leo¡­ ''''


    She called, her voice sad; Leo turned to look at her, the gloomy look in his eyes showed that he already knew what she was about to say.


    ''''I really love you. You''re the best thing that had happened to me, but I''ve never seen you that way. I''ve never seen you as a love interest. I genuinely love you as my best friend and I''ve been avoiding you because I didn''t want you to say it. It hurt me because I may lose my best friend in this entire world, but I have to tell you the truth. I''m very sorry.''''


    Claire was crying now, her face all red. She wished it didn''t have to come to this, she wished he didn''t love her the way he did. The pain cut through her heart, it was unbearable.

 Chapter 209 - back to being best friends

    Leo felt his heart shatter as he watched Claire cry; although he loved her, he didn''t want her to feel uncomfortable because of his love for her.


    ''''Please don''t cry; I''m so sorry. '''' Leo pleaded, closing the gap between them; he enveloped her in a hug. Claire wept in his arms; ''''I''m sorry. I''m so sorry.''''


    She cried, her hands gripping his shirt tightly; ''''God, Claire, please don''t apologize; it''s not your fault. I was the one who fell for you, and I''m sorry for making you cry, I''m so sorry. ''''


    Leo patted her back; although he would have wished for her to feel the same way about him, he didn''t want it to be at the detriment of her own happiness.


    They hugged for the longest time before Leo let go of her;


    ''''I''m sorry for making you uncomfortable, I promise it would not happen again.'''' Leo apologized sincerely. Even though she didn''t love him back, he didn''t want their friendship to end.


    ''''Stop apologizing, you''re making me feel bad, '''' Claire whined, and Leo chuckled;


    ''''Okay, okay, I won''t apologize again. So we''re good now? '''' he asked with a smile and she nodded;


    ''''Yeah, we''re good '''' Claire nodded.


    ''Alright, let me let you go, tomorrow''s going to be really stressful, you need your sleep. '''' Leo smiled standing up from the couch, Claire stood up after him;


    ''''Thank you, I don''t know what I would have done if you didn''t want to be my friend anymore.''''


    ''''How can I not want to be your friend anymore, it''s no possible. Come here. '''' Leo opened his arms and Claire embraced him in a hug; even without saying anything, Claire knew the hug was just a friendly hug. No strings attached.


    ''''Alright, goodnight now, will see you tomorrow; don''t want to keep you up for long, today has been stressful '''' Leo smiled and he walked her to the door.


    ''''Goodnight; '''' Claire bade him with a smile before walking out the door. As the door closed behind her, she couldn''t tell how she felt. Everything was settled now, but why was she still feeling a pang in her heart?


    Leo fell on the back of the door after she left, his eyes clouding with tears. He crouched down to the floor, bending his head over his knees. It was done now. She had told him to his face that she didn''t love him. A light sigh left his lips;


    He wasn''t sure if he was glad or saddened by the news, but he was sure he felt sadness than any other feeling. He had waited years, watching her from the sidelines, suppressing his emotions for years unending, wishing that one day, she would see him, but until the very end, she did not. It was finally time¡­ finally time to let her go.


    Claire woke up a few minutes past eight, after taking a shower, she dressed up quickly, getting prepared for work. After doing her makeup and making sure she looked good, she picked up her phone from the bed, tapping on the screen to check if there were any calls from last night, her brows creased when she saw she had a message.


    Bestie¡­


    When she saw the sender, her heart fell into her stomach. She stared at her phone for the longest time before walking to her bed and sitting down;


    ''Claire,


    I know you would be surprised to see this message, haha, don''t worry, it isn''t a terrible message wanted to let out the so many things in my heart, so I can finally let go of you.


    You remember the first time we met? It was in the meeting room; you had walked up to me and asked if I was the newbie? Claire; didn''t know if you noticed, but when you walked up to me I was dumb stricken, I couldn''t bring myself to even utter a word. That was the day I fell in love with you. I never believed in love at first sight or any of that shit until I met you. I thought it was a mere infatuation that would fade away but as days turned into months, and months into years; it only multiplied.


    I always planned to tell you, but I couldn''t bring myself to, I don''t even know why now, maybe because I knew you would reject me. lol. And then finally when I summoned the courage to tell you, you introduced me as your best friend to Drake, your first boyfriend. I had to bottle up my feelings and be the best friend you wanted, it''s been hell, Claire. Seeing you with different men, it''s been hell.


    But I''m really grateful for tonight, thank you, Claire. You''ve just taken a heavy log of wood off my heart and I can finally move on. Every day I''m always stuck with the question ''what if?'' but right now, I have no regrets. You''ve been the closest person in this entire world to me, and I don''t want to lose our friendship for anything, so let''s pretend as if this never happened, And I promise you won''t even notice that I ever had feelings for you, I would never make you feel uncomfortable. Goodnight Claire.''


    Claire held the phone in her hand, her eyes becoming cloudy, why was she feeling sad? This is what she wanted right?


    She felt her throat dry up as she read the message over and over again. He had liked her from the very first day, how had she not noticed? Was she that dumb or did she not ever see him as a man?


    Now Claire thought about it, she had never seen Leo as someone she could have any romantic affair with. She bit her lower lip shamefully as she remembered all the times she had been half-n.a.k.e.d in front of him, even the days she would snuggle with him in bed, hugging him tight; because she was cold.


    She could not even imagine how terrible it was for him, having to suppress his emotions. Now she understood why he had always been single, and she had queried him time and time again for it, when she was the cause of his singleness. The every morning snack in his office, her countless pictures on his wall, or even his interests in every little detail about her, how did she not notice?


    Claire grabbed her hair with both hands as she groaned; was she that dumb?


    Well, that was because she didn''t love him in that manner, else she would have noticed. Claire couldn''t help but feel that things would not remain the same even though Leo had said he would not make her uncomfortable.


    That day they met with the French models and the L''Oreal Commercial team, there was a lot to discuss and plan out but she was thankful that the staging won''t take more than three days and before five days, they should be back in the states.


    Claire was thinking that things would be awkward between them but Leo proved her wrong, in fact, he made her feel like a younger sister. Random hair rubs, or shoulder hugs, nothing special or extra. Everything was just platonic. Claire didn''t know how she felt about it anymore;


    If she didn''t know he had feelings for her, she wouldn''t have been paying attention to it, but because she knew, she couldn''t help but feel that he was just drawing a line on their friendship. She was even sadder than before. He still cared for her like before, they talked like before but that extra closeness, he withdrew it completely, Claire couldn''t help but feel empty on the inside. This was what she wanted right? Why was she so sad about it?


    Claire sulked as they ate together with the crew after the day''s work;


    Everyone was laughing and eating but she couldn''t even bring herself to contribute in the discussion.


    Okay for example; if it was before, he would take his meat from his plate and place it in hers'', pushing some strands of her hair to the back of her ear, he would say, ''eat up, you are so thin!'' but now, even though he couldn''t let go of his years-long attitude , he didn''t take it from his plate anymore, instead he took it from the bowl and placed it on her plate, and instead of pushing her hair to the back of her ear, he just patted on her hair; saying, ''eat a lot, there''s so much work to do, you don''t want to be stressed out.''


    God, why was she overthinking things? Was she being selfish?


    How would she want him and still not want him at the same time?


    Claire groaned internally; he was doing his best not to give her any wrong signal but that on its own was killing. She shouldn''t be this way, it was for the best, but Claire could not help but feel bad.


    ''''Claire, you haven''t even touched your meal? '''' Leo noticed her mood and how she was just twirling her fork on her food. Claire smiled and sat up immediately; ''''Sorry, I just spaced out.''''


    She chuckled and began eating. After the meal, she just excused herself and went to her room, sulking. She was being petty but she could not help it, maybe everything would return to normal when they got back to carlifornia. Maybe she was just feeling this way because it was in the heat of the moment and she was still in the same space with him. She''ll be fine once they got back to Carlifornia.

 Chapter 210 - Just a sneak peek!

    ''''Tiana, do you want to hang out later? '''' Leo asked as they went back to their hotel rooms, Tiana remembered what they had discussed a few days ago and she suspected that it was what he wanted to talk to her about. So she nodded;


    ''''Sure, call me when you''re done. '''' She smiled and he nodded. After taking a shower, she quickly video called Nicklaus;


    ''''Baby! '''' She called; supporting her the phone with her pillow;


    ''''What time is it? '''' she giggled when she noticed that he still looked sleepy;


    ''''6 am, I''. just waking up. ''''


    ''''Uh, so sorry, I hope I didn''t wake you up? '''' She smiled cutely at him, Nicklaus leaned on one of his arms as he watched her; ''''No, you didn''t, I''ve already woken up before you called. When are you coming back? ''''


    Tiana chuckled; ''''Well, I have good news, we aren''t staying for one week anymore, from the meeting we had today, I think we can round everything up in three days. ''''


    ''''Wow, that''s great, I can''t wait to kiss those lips again. ''''


    Tiana blushed; ''''Silly! I was home all these while, you should have taken all the kisses you needed for the week.'''' She teased, making him laugh;


    ''''Oh don''t worry, when you come back. I''ll kiss you for all the times I missed kissing you. ''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''Okay, I''ll be waiting. So has Douglas done anything yet, anything fishy happening? ''''


    Her eyes creased as she stared at him worriedly; ''''No; '''' Nicklaus shook his head; ''''I''m being very careful, but I don''t think if he wants to harm me, he''ll do it openly, I know he''s a very calculative man, so I''m being extra cautious as not to fall into any laid trap. ''''


    Nicklaus explained and Tiana heaved a sigh; ''''I wish I was there with you right now; I''m just so worried.'''' she stared at him worriedly and Nicklaus smiled;


    '''' don''t trouble yourself too much, I''m doing fine. Now that you''re not here, for now, I am a little relieved that they cannot get to you. ''''


    Tiana sighed; he was not even bothered about himself.


    ''''Alright, just be safe for me okay? ''''


    Nicklaus nodded, ''''I will. ''''


    ''''Alright, '''' Tiana nodded, and in the next moment, she pulled her light cardigan off her body, making her b.r.e.a.s.ts dangle in his eyes;


    ''''Woahhh! '''' Nicklaus exclaimed as he was not expecting her actions at all; the small sleep left in his eyes flew through the window as his eyes widened immediately; he sat up instantly on the bed;


    ''''I want to grace your eyes with this beautiful sight, '''' Tiana said seductively, cupping her b.r.e.a.s.ts with both hands, her fingers circling her n.i.p.p.l.es; ''''f.u.c.k! '''' Nicklaus groaned, feeling a hardness in his pants;


    ''''Damn, beautiful, do you want to kill me? '''' Nicklaus cussed, his breath getting raspy;


    ''''Alright, done.'''' She squeezed her b.r.e.a.s.t for the last time before wearing back her shirt; ''''just wanted to refresh your memories on what your wife''s b.r.e.a.s.ts look like. ''''


    A light chuckle left Nicklaus''s lips; '''' damn, now I''m seeing it from a phone, it looks so f.u.c.kin'' beautiful, can you show me the rest? ''''


    Nicklaus asked expectantly and Tiana laughed, shaking her head; ''''you''ll see more next time, for now, get up and get ready for work, and be safe for me, love you. ''''


    ''''No, don''t go, let me take a sneak peek, please, just a second peek; ''''


    Nicklaus pleaded and Tiana laughed out loud; ''''you''ll take that sneak peek next time, I''m hanging out with Leo, Claire''s best friend this evening. ''''


    ''''who? '''' Nicklaus had not heard her mention him before, so he was surprised;


    ''''Um, Claire''s best friend, Leo. ''''


    ''''alone? only the both of you? '''' His brows creased with jealousy; Tiana chuckled; ''''yeah, the both of us, but don''t worry, he''s in love with Claire, we talked about him telling her, I think he wants to tell me how it went, will gist you in full when I get back.''''


    Nicklaus heaved a sigh of relief when she said he liked Claire; '''' don''t stay out too late, okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''Alright, will send you a text when I''m back, love you, baby. ''''


    ''''Love you too. ''''


    ''''Bye, talk later; '''' She waved at him before ending the call.


    Tiana couldn''t take off the smile on her lips. She didn''t now being married could be this sweet and wonderful. Well, it was only if you got married to the right person.


    She snuggled in bed and had a good nap; sweet cool music playing in the speaker; when she woke up, it was past six, she quickly searched for her phone, only to see three missed calls from Leo.


    ''''Oh my! '''' she exclaimed; calling him back immediately.


    ''''Hey, Leo; sorry I was asleep, where are you now? ''''


    ''''No worries, I just stepped out now; I???m at the Lulu bar just outside the hotel, ''''


    ''''Okay, I''ll be down in a minute. '''' Tiana said and ended the call.


    In about five minutes she was walking into the bar; her eyes scanned the area and when she saw Leo she turned towards him. He was sitting alone and he was looking crestfallen, Tiana didn''t need anyone to tell her what the outcome had been.


    ''''Sorry Leo, I slept off and there was a very calm song playing in the background, I couldn''t help but sleep more.''''


    She groaned as she sat beside him. Leo laughed; ''''No problem, I just arrived even, do you want a drink?'''' Her eyes glanced at the alcohol in front of him and she shook her head;


    ''''I''ll just have something non-alcoholic. ''''


    A waiter came and she told him she wanted a non-alcoholic drink and he showed her a menu of non-alcoholic beverages and Tiana just picked one from the menu.


    ''''So you told her?'''' Tiana asked as the waiter left to get her order;


    Leo nodded; ''''Yeah, told her last night. ''''


    ''''Hmm, did it go well? '''' she asked; although it was already clear that it didn''t. Leo shook his head, gulping down a mouthful of alcohol.


    Tiana swallowed hard; if anyone knew exactly what he was going through at that moment, it was her. She had gone through rejection and she wouldn''t even wish that for her worst enemy, it was hell.


    ''''I''m so sorry. '''' Tiana empathized with him. She knew he must be going through a lot right now;


    ''''Ha-ha, don''t apologize, it''s not much of a big deal, I''ll get over it.'''' Leo laughed, trying to hold the pain in; like the man he was.


    Tiana knew he was trying to shut that part up, she had tried it before but it only worsened the pain;


    ''''She said she didn''t like me in that way and me telling her I liked her, and she rejecting me, made her feel like a bad person. Even though I like her a lot, the last thing I want is for her to be uncomfortable around me because of my feelings for her; so I told her to treat it like it never happened and I would never let her be uncomfortable because of my feelings for her, feelings I''m already killing now. ''''


    Leo chuckled; Tiana paused as she watched the waiter keep her drink on the table; she waited till he left before turning to Leo again;


    ''''Do you think you can forget her when you both still stick together as best friends, is it even possible?''''


    Leo chuckled; ''''I don''t know if it is, but the difference between then and now, is that she doesn''t love me. I am free now; no longer wondering what her answer would have been. I''ll really try to move on now; I have no reason to wait on her anymore. ''''


    Leo smiled; ''''It''s hard to stop having feelings for someone, but I''ve been pretending I don''t for years; I''ll just make it a reality. ''''


    ''''It''s going to be fine really. I hope you find someone that will love you as much. ''''


    Tiana consoled him, her face watching him with worry;


    Leo frowned at her; ''''Hey; I''m not a newborn baby, I''m a grown man, stop looking at me like I''m going to break anytime soon. '''' he laughed;


    ''''No, it''s just that I''ve been there before, I know how it feels, loving someone who doesn''t love you back.''''


    ''''Nicklaus? '''' Leo creased his brows;


    The last time he checked; Nicklaus was in love with her or was there another person;


    ''''well yeah, him. There was a misunderstanding, and I thought he did not love me. God! it was hell. I couldn''t even breathe, I was a shadow of myself. People go through pain differently, people heal faster than others, but I''m very weak at heart, haha, I think that was the reason. But you''re very strong! I know you''ll get through it. ''''


    Tiana smiled and he laughed; ''''yeah, I will. I think I''m happy. I finally got to tell her how I felt about her if I hadn''t I don''t think it''ll be possible to move on.''''


    Tiana smiled and they talked about other stuff before going back to the hotel.


    ...


    Larissa sat in front of her vanity, applying her lotion; she took extra care of her face, she didn''t like to have any blemish on it.


    Suddenly her phone rang on the table; her brows creased when she saw it was an unknown number. As a celebrity, unknown calls were a norm, so she swiped her screen, ending the call. The person called again and she angrily picked the call;


    ''''Hello, who is this? ''''


    There was a silence on the other side for a second, before the person spoke; ''''Larissa... ''''

 Chapter 211 - Dont look at another woman

    Three days later¡­


    In three days everything was rounded up. Tiana couldn''t believe it when she watched the short clip of the campaign video. It felt like a dream when she saw herself there The main model was Claire, then one of the French models, she and Larissa were merely supporting but to her it was a very big role.


    She knew she might not be noticed but seeing herself on TV and billboards was something she could never have imagined.


    Their flight was the next day, and damn she could not wait to go home. She had missed Nicklaus so very much. Although she made them talk through the nights, and even leaving the call connected while she slept, it could not compare to being with him physically. She wanted to hug him and feel him wrap his arms around her again.


    She packed her bags slowly, humming a beautiful song. Everything had been going fine lately, and even though she was happy; she couldn''t help the feeling that something bad was about to happen. Tiana took out the gift she got for Nicklaus from the drawer, a smile washing her lips; she could just imagine the smile on his face when she gave it to him.


    When she was through packing her bags, she lay on the bed and called him.


    ''''Baby; '''' she smiled as the call connected; this man right here was her joy giver.


    Nicklaus was having breakfast; ''''what are you eating? '''' she asked;


    ''''Macaroni and cheese with sausage and uh hash browns. ''''


    ''''Hmm, tasty, ''''


    ''''Come eat with me¡­ '''' Nicklaus smiled and Tiana pouted;


    '''' don''t worry; we''ll be eating together in less than 24 hours. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I can''t wait, I''m so going to kiss the hell out of you,'''' Nicklaus replied with a slight groan at the back of his throat. Tiana grinned as her toes curled, imagining a thousand things they would do when they got back.


    ''''I''m going to eat you alive baby, just make sure you take enough carbohydrate for energy before I get back because I''m not going to let you go until you are wasted. ''''


    Nicklaus burst out in laughter, his voice echoing in the room.


    ''''beautiful, you know you are a bad girl right?''''


    Tiana''s cheeks reddened, and she rolled over on the bed, such that she leaning on her arm;


    ''''As long as it''s with you, I can be a bad girl. Just know I''m not going to spare you a minute of rest. ''''


    ''''This woman¡­ '''' Nicklaus laughed; he didn''t know why, but he just liked it when she was being shameless and possessive.


    ''''be safe at work okay?''''


    ''''Okay; ''''


    ''''And make sure you have your lunch, okay?''''


    ''''Okay. ''''


    And you should go to the salon your hair is getting thick. '''' Tiana advised like a dutiful wife taking care of her husband.


    ''''Yes wifey, anything else you want me to do?'''' she chuckled;


    ''''And don''t look at any other woman. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed;


    ''''But I can''t control where my eyes go¡­ '''' he teased her and Tiana glared at him;


    ''''I don''t care; just don''t look at any other woman, even if your eyes tempt you to look, close them right away! '''' she said, Nicklaus didn''t know if she was joking or not, but the look in her eyes showed a slight seriousness.


    ''''Beautiful, you know I only see you, right? ''''


    Tiana paused, then she nodded; ''''I know, it''s just¡­ '''' her eyes fluttered;


    ''''It''s just that you''re handsome and hot, any woman would want you, and there are some crazy women who go after what they want, and even if you only see me, these women can go to any lengths to have what they want, I''m not saying anything would happen, I just don''t want¡­ ''''


    Her words hitched on her throat;


    Nicklaus watched her for a second, ''''are you scared of what happened with my parents? ''''


    Tiana didn''t want to say it, but that was her fear. It could happen, no-one knew the future, neither did they have any superpowers to change it; if something like that happened, whether she liked him or not, there would always be the other woman.


    Arghh, maybe she was just overthinking things. But then, she couldn''t help but get worried, the last thing she wanted was to share him with another woman.


    ''''Beautiful, look at me¡­ '''' Nicklaus called, she was staring at her thighs , not wanting to see his face;


    ''''Beautiful, please¡­'''' Tiana couldn''t help but lift her eyes to him when he pleaded;


    ''''I''m sorry, I know I''m overthinking things; let''s forget about what I said. ''''


    Her heart raced, would he see her as a nagging wife? Men didn''t like nagging women.


    ''''No, you''re not overthinking anything. Things like that happen, it happened to my father when he was least expecting it which brought us to where we are now, it can happen to anyone, no-one is above such unforeseen circ.u.mstances. I''m glad you reminded me, I''ll make sure not to let any woman come that close, okay? ''''


    Seeing the concerned look on his face, Tiana felt like a spoilt baby, did she go too far?


    ''''I''m sorry, I trust you very much, I just¡­ ''''


    '''' Shh¡­ it is okay, will see you tomorrow alright? ''''


    Nicklaus quickly changed the topic; he didn''t want to drag it on.


    Tiana nodded; ''''Take care of yourself, okay? And call me when you get back. ''''


    ''''I will; love you. ''''


    ''''Love you too. '''' Tiana replied before she ended the call.


    ¡­


    Claire pulled her luggage out of her room and at the same time Leo stepped out; she paused in her tracks when she saw him. She was about to say something when he beat her to it;


    ''''Claire, you haven''t gone down yet? '''' his eyes glanced at her bag, it didn''t look heavy, so he offered;


    ''''Let me help you with that. '''' He said, stretching his hand forward to take the bag from her;


    ''''No, it is fine; it''s not heavy besides, you have yours to carry already. ''''


    She smiled at him, holding the handle of her bag firmly;


    ''''Alright, '''' Leo nodded; ''''let''s go. ''''


    Claire''s lips thinned; truly everything had changed; before he would have insisted and even taken the bag from her, but now when she turned him down he agreed. Her heart squeezed.


    Fine, she didn''t like him; must he make it obvious that he was not going to be too loving anymore?


    Claire cussed in her heart as they walked into the elevator; her teeth biting the insides of her lower lip tightly.


    But thinking about it, he didn''t do anything wrong; in truth, if he had insisted, it would seem as though he was being too close, so he was just being careful and keeping up to his words of not making her feel uncomfortable about his feelings for her, so what the hell was wrong with her!


    ''''Claire! '''' Leo called when he stepped out of the elevator and saw Claire still spaced out. She shook slightly and quickly hopped out of the elevator before it closed;


    ''''what''s wrong? Is there any problem? '''' Leo asked, his brows creasing worriedly;


    She had been spacing out a lot recently and he had noticed; did something happen?


    ''''Oh, am I?'''' She asked; her voice shaky. The last thing she wanted was for him to know that she didn''t like his recent behavior, she had clearly asked for it.


    ''''No¡­ it''s just¡­'''' she paused, thinking of the perfect lie; ''''Mom''s anniversary is on Friday, I''ve just been thinking about the past recently. ''''


    Leo paused; he remembered her real mom''s anniversary but he didn''t want to talk about it until that day, it was a very touchy subject.


    Well, true her mom''s anniversary was on Friday but that was not why she was moody, but then it was the perfect lie.


    ''''I''m so sorry; hope it''s not weighing you down? '''' Leo asked looking seriously concerned; he didn''t want her to be alone these trying times, but she might feel troubled with his closeness if he was to stay around with her and comfort her. It was messed up but he would do the best he could as a friend.


    Claire shook her head, ''''No, it''s fine. ''''


    '''' don''t think about it too much okay? And make sure to call me if you need anything. ''''


    She nodded as they walked out to the black van waiting for them.


    ¡­


    The ride was not as hectic as it was when coming, Tiana couldn''t stop smiling, she spoke to Nicklaus just before getting into the jet, and she told him he was the first person she wanted to see when she got into the country.


    She could not wait to be in his arms again; and to take away her edginess, she laughed and chatted with the others as the time passed by.


    Larissa stared at Tiana intently, her head resting on the headrest. Why would someone offer such an amount just to know her whereabouts, she didn''t pass as someone so important neither did she seem like someone who could have gotten in the bad graces of a high profile person.


    Her eyes fell on the ring on her finger and her eyes widened when she realized what ring it was;


    She quickly looked back at her face; who was she really?


    The rumors said she was scouted by Leo, but the ring on her finger, worth over $10 million dollars said differently. Well, that wasn''t her business, as long as she would get back at her for what she did to her, she was fine.

 Chapter 212 - Obsession

    Tiana walked down from the private jet, excitement written on her face, she was finally going to see him; she couldn''t contain her joy. She quickly called him as she walked away from the rest, her eyes scanning around, the call was not connecting and she pouted.


    Peeking at her phone, she saw that there was no network service, and her brows creased. How was there no service at all?


    She groaned angrily as she walked further, raising the phone high, looking for a connection, but just when she was about to lose it, she heard a familiar voice call her and she turned towards the voice instantly;


    He was standing on the other side of the road, his hands in his pockets and a beautiful smile on his lips. Tiana''s lips stretched into an excited smile and she leaped forward, running towards him.


    Nicklaus started walking forward, but suddenly everything stopped. It happened so fast, and for a split second, it felt like a trance. Nicklaus watched her run towards him, and abruptly, a van drove in front of her making her stop, but when the van passed by, she was no longer there.


    Nicklaus world stopped in a beat, and he shook his head as though he was not seeing clearly, he lifted his eyes back to the spot she was standing but she was no longer there. For a second, he didn''t want to believe that he had seen her at all; he thought everything was an illusion until he saw the sling purse in her hand on the ground.


    In a split second, five black Hilux raced after the van with great speed, but Nicklaus could not move from his spot, he just stood there staring blankly at the spot she was standing as though he just watched a horror movie. After a few seconds, he walked to the other side of the road and picked up her sling purse from the floor and as though struck by lightning, his legs got weak and he fell on his knees, his eyes staring at the purse;


    They took her¡­


    Those words resounded in his head, as though trying to understand what just happened;


    They took her¡­


    His throat felt dry as he hummed the words again. He had done his possible best to protect her, but just in a split second of ease, she was pried out of his sight. Nicklaus stood up from the floor, stabling himself. He did not want to think of the thousand things that could happen to her, because it would f.u.c.kin kill him, he needed to muster all courage he has to think straight.


    Nicklaus turned around to his car, getting in, he called the gang leader;


    ''''who was that? '''' his voice was deathly as death could be and his eyes dark as he stared ahead;


    ''''Boss, we have not confirmed yet. ''''


    Nicklaus took in a deep breath as his hands fisted;


    ''''the only task I gave you, you could not do¡­ ''''


    ''''I''m sorry boss, we''ll get her back this night; ''''


    ''''Yes, you''ll be sorry when I wipe your whole family from the surface of the earth by the time I call you next and she''s not with you.''''


    Nicklaus ended the call, he breathed in heavily, and the next second, he was slamming his fists against his steering; gripping his hair with both hands, he screamed painfully.


    The only person he vowed to protect was taken in front of him.


    He could not protect the person he loved, how could he say he loved her?


    Nicklaus felt a thousand needles pierce at his heart; his head fell on the steering as he shut his eyes, thinking.


    He had two enemies who would dare to touch her, Douglas and Catherine, which one was it?


    Nicklaus rattled his brain on who would try to strike first. The only person who would strike now was Douglas and if he was with her, it was a little easy to get her back, but if it is Catherine?


    Nicklaus paused, taking his phone out of his pocket; he called the ring leader again.


    ''''Boss, we lost them. Twenty vans with the same plate number hit the road and when we caught up to the few, they were on autopilot. But not to worry, the IT team is tracing them this instant, we''ll strike immediately we get the address. ''''


    Nicklaus gripped his phone firmly in his hand, his throat becoming dry,


    '''' don''t do anything, just let me on if there''s any news, I don''t want her getting hurt. ''''


    He spoke quietly, feeling his eyes getting wet. If anything happened to her, he wasn''t going to forgive himself.


    ¡­


    Tiana felt a cloth go over her nose, she struggled to breathe but as soon as she took in air, she felt her head go blank and she passed out.


    She didn''t know how long it was, but when she woke up she was tied to a chair. She struggled to free herself but her body was tightly bound, and as she struggled, she hurt herself. A light whimper left her lips when she tried to pull her hands and realized it was tied behind her back with ropes so strong. She could feel her blood seizing on her wrists,


    Tiana bit her lower lip tightly as she remembered Nicklaus. She could imagine how much he must be blaming himself right now.


    She wished she could tell him it was not his fault; she wished she could tell him not to blame himself for anything. Tears gathered up her eyes as she thought of who could have kidnapped her.


    Suddenly, she heard the door creak open and she lifted her eyes to look; and that instant all blood drained from her face.


    ''''Darling, you are awake. ''''


    He had a devilish smile on his lips and the wicked look in his eyes was a sharp contrast to anything she had ever seen on him.


    ''''Li¡­ Liam?'''' Tiana called weakly, now she opened her lips, she realized how dry she sounded, how long has she been passed out?


    A peal of mocking laughter left his lips as he walked towards her.


    ''''Tiana, oh Tiana, never knew seeing you again could cost me this much. ''''


    He walked to her, pushing strands of her hair away from her face.


    ''''Liam? Why are you doing this? What''s wrong with you? '''' Tiana asked, her voice shaky, she wouldn''t in her wildest dreams imagined that it was him who had kidnapped her.


    Liam laughed again, ''''Save your strength, love, you would need it later. ''''


    ''''Liam, what did I do to you?''''


    Liam turned to her with a deathly glare, '''' did you just ask me that?''''


    his voice resonated in the room, making Tiana tremble on the chair; '''' did you just ask me what you did? Ha ha''''


    Liam chuckled huskily, then he walked to a chair, dragging it to her, he sat down in front of her;


    ''''I liked you, I liked you very much but you didn''t feel the same way about me, and instead of telling me that, you used me as a shoulder to cry on, and after getting back to the love of your life, you dumped my ass. And you sit there and ask me what you did to me? ''''


    Tiana''s lips fell open in shock as her heart slammed against her chest;


    Did Liam perhaps inherit his mother''s obsessive trait?


    She gulped, but her throat was too dry to swallow any saliva; ''''Liam, I told you I didn''t have any feelings for you at that time, I didn''t use you in any way, I just needed a friend, how can you say that? ''''


    Tiana''s eyes watered as she watched him, she could not even believe this was even happening;


    ''''And you said that you didn''t have a problem with trying to know each other, and even when I got back with Nicklaus, you said you were fine, why then are you saying all these?''''


    Liam chuckled; ''''how foolish of you I must say. Did you expect me to tell you I wasn''t fine with it? Listen Tiana, no woman, and I repeat, no woman on earth has ever said no to me, and you aren''t going to be the first. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened in shock; ''''what¡­ what do you mean? ''''


    Liam smiled then he pushed some strands of her hair to the back of her ear,


    ''''I''m going to make you mine, Tiana, in every f.u.c.kin way possible. I''m going to mark you so much that Nicklaus would not want to glance at you. I''m going to taste every inch of your skin, and video every single step of the way, then send it to him. You think he loves you right? Let''s see what he would do when he realizes that I''ve taken his woman in every way possible. ''''


    Liam burst out in laughter, and Tiana couldn''t control the tears that fell from her eyes;


    ''''Liam, you''re going to regret this. Let me go now that you still have the chance. ''''


    ''''Oh, really? Do you think he''s going to save you? Haha, the only way I''ll release you is if he hands over the company to me, '''' Liam burst into laughter again;


    ''''Let''s see how much he loves you then if he''s willing to hand over the company, then he truly loves you, but if he''s not, then you made the wrong choice by choosing him. '''' Liam stood up to walk away;


    Tiana bit her lower lip tightly; ''''Nicklaus would f.u.c.kin'' kill you. '''' She spoke through her teeth as her eyes brewed with anger;


    Liam turned around with mocking laughter; ''''Hmm, I''ll love him to try, but before then, let me start by marking your lips first, ''''


    In a flash, Liam closed the gap between them, clasping her hair, he kissed her lips fiercely.


    ...read the author''s note!!

 Chapter 213 - Ill kill you myself, I promise.

    Tiana felt bile surge upwards into her mouth as his lips made contact with hers. She had never felt so repulsed all her life; reflexively she opened her mouth to bite on his lips but before her teeth could make any contact with his lips, he let her go.


    A burst of mocking laughter resonated in the room as Liam inched away from her, licking his lips;


    ''''Wow, I''m already addicted, can''t wait to get my hands on your body, this is what that motherf.u.c.ker of a brother has been enjoying all these while, haha; ''''


    Tiana felt goosebumps wash her skin, and nausea take over her; in the next second, she turned her head to the side and vomited on the tiles;


    ''''You¡­ kissed me¡­''''


    The mere thought of it made her sick. She never in her whole life thought that she would kiss another man other than Nicklaus, other than her husband. God! Tiana fought back the tears brewing in her eyes; she didn''t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her in pain;


    ''''Oh sweetheart, I''ll do more than just kissing when I come back, that is after I get you cleaned up and taken to the master bedroom; ''''


    Tiana felt her stomach churn at his words, and she bit her tongue so tight that she felt the metallic taste of blood in her mouth;


    Nicklaus¡­ where are you¡­ please come to my rescue, please don''t let this man touch me¡­


    Tiana cried in her heart but she did her best to put up a relaxed expression; after a second of silence; she chuckled''


    ''''Liam, I''ll kill you myself, I promise.'''' Tiana seethed in a calm but terrifying tone, her eyes dark with grave hatred; for a second, Liam got scared, but remembering she was tied to a chair, he smirked;


    ''''I''m going to kiss that smug off your face soon, just wait. '''' he laughed and turned around, walking out of the room. Tiana breathed in sharply as he left the room and the tears on the back of her eyes pushed out instantly and she cried;


    She felt so dirty; she never thought she would kiss another person other than Nicklaus and to think after so long, the first lips she kissed was another man''s, God!


    Her breath ragged as the scene of his lips on hers replayed in her mind, she turned to the side and spat again;


    Being weak wasn''t going to help her in any way. The fact was that she was caught and she was tied to a chair; she wasn''t sure if Nicklaus''s even knew who the enemy was yet and if he knew where they were, so before this maniac would touch her she needed to help herself;


    Tiana took in a deep breath and looked around the room;


    The room was dark with only one bulb casting a little light in the room; she looked around the room which looked like a workshop and her eyes stopped at the table a little away from where she sat;


    There were work tools on it and her eyes squinted when they fell on something that looked like a knife.


    Tiana gulped as her eyes turned to the door, her heart slamming against her chest. At that moment, she had only one choice, to drag herself to the table and take the knife, because sitting here and doing nothing, and trying but getting caught would still lead to the same end.


    She wasn''t going to let Liam touch her again; even if it took her last breath, she wasn''t going to let him touch her.


    Taking a deep breath, Tiana started moving on the chair; that was the toughest task she had ever done because as she pulled herself, the ropes tied to her hand scr.a.p.ed her wrists; she breathed, holding in the pain as she continued pulling herself towards the table.


    Tiana breathed out heavily when she got to the table, but there was no time for rest, she had to get the knife and go back to her spot before anyone would come in. The table was a little higher than her so she had to stand to reach the knife, tears stung against her eyes as her fingers shook behind her, she had already exerted much pressure on them, but right now she had no choice.


    Closing her eyes, she turned around on the chair, such that her hands were facing the table, and she tried to stand up with the seat;


    ''''ahh¡­ '''' a painful groan left her lips as she felt the skin on her hands give way and blood seep down her hand, ''''god¡­ '''' her eyes blurred and she sat back down on the chair, the pain was unbearable.


    Pants of hot breath left her lips as she gathered her strength again, she needed to get that knife because this pain would mean nothing if someone walked right through that door and caught her.


    Standing up again, she shut her eyes tightly as she stretched her hands to the table and felt the knife; sliding it slowly, she heaved a sigh of relief when it got into her hand, she sat back on the chair and without wasting a second, started moving back to her spot in the room.


    She was a few inches away from her position when she heard footsteps approach; Tiana''s eyes widened as she looked towards the door, and she quickly increased her pace,


    ''god¡­ please¡­'' she cried in her heart as she moved faster, adrenaline taking over. Immediately she reached her spot in the room and turned to face the door, the door flung open and a huge man in black stepped in.


    Tiana was sweating all over and she kept her head low, her hair pouring over her face. The man stood in front of her for a moment, his eyes looking around the room;


    Tiana''s breath ragged as she shut her eyes, quickly hiding the knife in her pants;


    ''''I thought I heard some noise here. '''' The huge man spoke as his footsteps approached her. Tiana didn''t utter a word; she just kept her head bowed low.


    The man walked to her but his steps stopped immediately when he saw the puke by her side;


    He sneered and immediately turned around, slamming the door close after him.


    Without wasting her second, Tiana picked the knife from her pants and started working on the ropes. Her hands were bleeding too much but it seemed luck was on her side because the knife was quite sharp.


    In less than five minutes, she was done with her hands; she quickly cut the ropes on her body and the ones on her feet, standing up quickly. She felt her bones stretch as she stood up from the chair, her heart pounding.


    She had never been in this type of situation before, her brain was so muddled, but she stabled herself, she needed to think straight.


    First, one thing she was sure of was that they would not kill her, because she was the only leverage they had against Nicklaus, so even if she got caught, she would still be safe_ maybe with some beatings, but she would be alive.


    Even if she didn''t succeed in running away, she would have bought herself some time, so this was the best idea.


    Tiana looked around the room as her eyes glanced at the window and she ran towards it; she peeked down and she saw that they were one story high and below was a little garden of flowers. If she jumped, she would surely get injured but she did not have a choice unless she wanted to be r.a.p.ed. Fixing the knife into her pocket, Tiana raised the window up and sat on it, her legs on the other side. One thing was jumping and the other was making little or no sound when she did it; tears brewed in the back of her eyes as she thought of the pain that was about to hit at her. At the count of three, she jumped over, landing on her feet.


    Crack!


    Tiana felt the bones on her legs dislocate and she fell to her knees.


    Mmm..!


    She bit her lower lip holding in the pain, not wanting to make a sound. Tears poured down her face. Whether she liked it or not, she needed to get up and get going unless she wanted to be caught. Putting herself together, Tiana struggled up to her feet, biting in the pain surging from her knees.


    She limped forward as she dragged herself into the darkness.


    ¡­


    ''''Hello Nicklaus Howells; ''''


    Nicklaus stood distraught, his hair disheveled as he watched his men aim their guns at the old dilapidated building in front of him. She was right in there but he could not do a thing in fear of her getting hurt.


    Nicklaus held the phone against his ear, his eyes falling to the ground;


    ''''what do you want? ''''


    A mocking laughter left Liam''s lips when he heard Nicklaus''s voice.


    ''''Haha, that is sure a nice way to speak to your half-brother, but never mind, no ill feelings, I''m really happy to hear your voice, haha ''''


    Nicklaus gripped his phone tightly; holding in his anger, he didn''t want to say anything that would endanger her life.


    ''''Nicklaus, in a few minutes, I''ll be ravishing your beautiful wife''s body, oh that ring is so pretty, I should have taken it but I wanted her to wear it while I take advantage of her, but that can be avoided though if you do all I say right now. ''''

 Chapter 214 - Im sorry I took too long

    I wanted her to wear it while I take advantage of her¡­


    The words tingled in Nicklaus''s ears and his grip on the phone tightened;


    '''' don''t touch her¡­ '''' Nicklaus''s eyes darkened as he looked towards the mansion, his hand tightened into fists as anger riled inside of him;


    ''''I don''t have any issues with you, it''s with your mother, don''t make yourself the most wanted on my list. ''''


    A loud laughter resonated in the room and Liam shook his head; ''''Oh dear, you make me laugh, what are you going to do? If you do anything funny, I promise to return her head on a platter, you can choose to have her head on a tray, or have her head on her neck, the choice is yours. ''''


    He laughed mockingly. Nicklaus shut his eyes, pain brewing at the back of his lids, he would never forgive himself if anything happened to Tiana.


    ''''What do you want? '''' Nicklaus spoke after a moment of silence. Nothing was worth losing her for, even though he had sworn to protect the company, if it was what it takes to get her back then he would give it away. What was the company worth knowing that the woman he lived for was no more?


    ''''Hmm, I like that. '''' Liam chuckled; in truth even if Nicklaus does according to his wishes, he was still going to sleep with Tiana before he let her go. He was going to make her pay for leaving him.


    ''''I want you to transfer the ownership of Howells Corporation to me, before dawn. ''''


    Nicklaus knew that that was what he was going to ask for, he was not surprised;


    ''''It doesn''t work that way, Liam. Even if I transfer it to you, it still needs approval from the board. ''''


    ''''what other approval do you need? The last time I checked I was your elder brother, or am I not? you just need to introduce me to them as your elder brother and the rightful heir to the company ''''


    Nicklaus gulped, the scene of his parents'' death flashing in his eyes.


    What would they think of him now, a coward? He was unable to protect the woman he claimed he loved and now he was about to give up the company he had sworn to protect.


    Nicklaus''s lips thinned as his head fell, there had to be another way¡­ there had to be another way¡­


    Suddenly he heard a loud noise on the phone, and then a man shouted with a fearful tone;


    ''''Boss, the miss, she''s gone! '''' Nicklaus''s eyes widened as the words of the man filtered into his ears; without wasting a second, he ended the call;


    ''''Everyone, move in! She has escaped! ''''


    Nicklaus shouted at the men and in an instant, about fifty men hiding in the woods, stood up and raced towards the building, with their guns;


    Nicklaus corked his gun and ran towards the building, his heart panting;


    Beautiful, please be safe¡­


    He prayed he would get to her before they did; and to the heavens, he was going to pop Liam''s brains out of his skull. He stopped for a second as he looked around the building, if she was escaping, she would not go through the front, it was definitely the backyard. Without a second thought, he ran towards the backyard.


    A phone crashed against the wall, the parts flying across the room.


    FIND HER IMMEDIATELY~!!


    Liam screamed, his body vibrating. He felt his veins popping out of his skin and he took in a deep breath to stable himself. Even if Nicklaus overheard him, he wouldn''t be able to get to her before they caught up to her. And to hell, she was really going to pay for trying to run away.


    Angrily Liam picked a gun from the table and dashed out of the room.


    Tiana heard footsteps above her and she knew they had found out she was missing; with her injured legs, it wouldn''t be long before they caught up to her. If Nicklaus didn''t come to get her, then she was doomed. Tears fell from her eyes as pain radiated from every inch of her body. She wished she would just wake up and all of these were just a dream.


    Nicklaus¡­ where are you¡­


    Tiana cried in her heart as she pulled herself forward. Suddenly she heard footsteps approaching and she quickly hid behind a pillar in the darkness, biting her lower lip to hold in her cries, her eyes shut when the footsteps drew closer. If she got caught after all these, then all the pain she had would have been a waste! Tears flowed freely from her eyes; and at that moment, she wished she could just shoot herself on the head and end this nightmare.


    The footsteps were very close now, and Tiana knew if she didn''t move from her spot, she would be caught. Quickly, she put her leg forward to move, but before she could take a step, she felt an arm pull her and she fell into a warm embrace; a familiar scent wafting into her nose.


    Nicklaus¡­


    She had been crying before but at that moment, the tears that flowed from her eyes were unending.


    ''''You came for me¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus''s hands shook as he held her in his embrace, his eyes clouding with tears. He couldn''t see her face in the darkness but he knew she was in so much pain from her voice.


    ''''I''m sorry I took too long. '''' He apologized painfully, his heart tearing into a thousand pieces. Maybe he could never protect her. Maybe he did wrong by being with her, she would always get hurt because of him.


    ''''I''ve been waiting for you¡­ '''' those were her last words before her legs gave way. Nicklaus held her up in his arms, tears falling from his eyes. No matter how much he tried to protect her, as long as she was with him, she would never be safe.


    His heart squeezed so hard that it was impossible to breathe; he had endangered her by falling for her. And as long as she was with him, she would continue to get hurt.


    He took in a deep breath, as he carried her up, towards the exit.


    When he got to his car, the driver opened the door immediately and he carried her in, placing her in the back seat. He really wanted to go back and kill that fool himself but she needed him now more than ever;


    Taking out his phone, he called the gang leader;


    '''' make sure none of them leaves here alive, but bring that fool to me, alive. ''''


    ''''Yes, boss; '''' the gang leader replied before he ended the call. Putting on the car light, Nicklaus gasped when his eyes fell on the woman in his arms.


    ''''god, beautiful¡­ I''m sorry! I''m so sorry! '''' Nicklaus cried as his eyes fell on her bleeding hands and purplish knees; the pain in his heart unbearable.


    ''''To the hospital immediately! '''' He screamed at the driver, his eyes not leaving her for a second, her eyes were tightly shut and there were still tears on her lids, she looked like she had cried a lot. Nicklaus not able to hold the pain looked away from her, his heart was completely shattered.


    Because of him, she had gotten hurt, because of him, she was in this state, and yet, he claimed to love her?


    What kind of a person was he?


    Tears flowed freely from his eyes as he blamed himself thousand times over.


    Maybe he shouldn''t have fallen in love with her¡­


    She wouldn''t be in so much pain if he didn''t love her¡­


    He used his hand to wipe the tears off his face; would she ever forgive him?


    He told her he would protect her, but he couldn''t, would she ever forgive him?


    ¡­


    Nicklaus carried her like an egg out of the car as she was placed on the stretcher and driven into the emergency ward; he wished he would go with her, but he was told to stand outside.


    He paced around the corridor his mind in a mess; her hands were bleeding and her knees were purplish, did she injure them when she tried to escape?


    He felt a knot tie on his throat as guilt overwhelm him, he wasn''t sure he would be able to forgive himself for what happened to her. What if he had come a minute late and she was caught, what would be the story now?


    God!


    Nicklaus pulled at his tie. Before she passed out, she said she had been waiting for him. He wondered how much she called for him in her heart but he didn''t come to save her. And he had the guts to say that he loved her?


    He shook his head painfully, his eyes blurring again;


    He didn''t deserve her. No, she deserved someone better, someone, who could protect her, someone with whom she wouldn''t be afraid of walking the streets alone. Someone she wouldn''t be afraid of calling hers. Keeping her with him was just pure wickedness, and she didn''t deserve such. Therefore, he would let her go¡­


    She deserved to be happy¡­


    Nicklaus Howells?


    A doctor stepped out of the doors and called, snapping Nicklaus out of his thoughts.

 Chapter 215 - Beautiful, Im a mess

    ''''She had few injuries on her wrists and elbows, mainly from being tied with strong ropes; and her limb bones were injured but we''ve done our best to fix it, no other major injuries were seen. ''''


    The doctor completed and Nicklaus''s head fell;


    ''''Can I see her now?'''' He asked and the doctor nodded; ''''sure, but she''ll be moved to the ward first, she''s still asleep now, but I think she''ll be up in a few hours. ''''


    Nicklaus nodded, and the doctor walked past. A sigh left his lips as his eyes turned back to the emergency room.


    Tiana was lying calm like a baby when he walked in; his throat tightened as he approached her bed. Her wrists and her knees were wrapped in a white bandage; and her face looked so pale. Looking at her lying on the bed, made him feel terrible; for a moment, staring at her made his eyes hurt.


    He pulled himself to the side of the bed and sat down on the couch beside her, watching her intently;


    ''''I''m so sorry?? '''' His words were heavy as they left his lips, intense guilt clouded him and he couldn''t help but look away from her with pain in his eyes.


    ...


    Tiana''s eyes fluttered and her brows creased when she looked up to the unfamiliar ceiling.


    Where am I?


    She asked herself, trying to lift her head from the bed, but she was met with a splitting headache which made her fall back on the bed;


    ''''Beautiful¡­ you''re awake. ''''


    Nicklaus who was sitting with his head bowed asked when he heard a slight shuffling on the bed, Tiana turned to him and a smile washed her lips when she saw him;


    ''''Baby¡­ '''' she called, trying to sit up from the bed but Nicklaus stood up immediately and stopped her;


    ''''Just lie down now, you are not feeling too well. ''''


    Tiana blinked as the memories of what happened earlier came flooding back to her, she looked at him and when she saw the guilt in his eyes, she knew he was blaming himself for everything.


    ''''Are you okay? '''' he asked, shifting her hair away from her face, Tiana nodded;


    ''''I''m fine, how long have I been asleep? ''''


    She peeked out the window and saw it was sunny,


    ''''Up to ten hours, you must be starved, let me get you something to eat; ''''


    Tiana swallowed as she watched Nicklaus turn and leave the room quickly as though he was avoiding her. Her hands glanced at her wrists and her knees and she sighed. All her body hurt right now, but the most important thing was that she was safe, Tiana felt a bitterness fill her mouth when she remembered that that psycho had kissed her lips;


    She raised her hand to her lips and rubbed on it irritatingly, goosebumps washing her skin. She felt like killing Liam at that moment, but that was not what bothered her the most, it was her husband. She was feeling physical pain right now, but she knew the pain he was feeling on the inside was a thousand times worse. She saw how he tried to avoid looking at her eyes; he was blaming himself for everything that happened to her.


    The door opened and Tiana''s eyes turned to see who walked in; a male doctor, followed by Nicklaus and an attendant carrying a tray of food;


    ''''Tiana, you''re awake. '''' The doctor spoke as he approached her bed; ''''how are you feeling? ''''


    He asked and Tiana nodded; ''''I''m fine, ''''


    He nodded, and checked her temperature; '''' do you feel pain anywhere? ''''


    ''''No, well except the obvious injuries. '''' they both laughed;


    ''''You slept for a while; you should eat something, okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''I''ll come back to check on you later. Nicklaus, can I see you outside for a minute. ''''


    Nicklaus acknowledged and Tiana watched them leave; her eyes widened when she saw the number of guards standing outside; oh boy, this was the end of freedom.


    After some time, Nicklaus came back into the room, he walked to her side and helped her sit up on the bed; Tiana watched his every move, he sat down beside her and rolled the table towards him;


    Even without saying a word, she could feel the tension between them;


    Nicklaus filled the spoon with food, bringing it towards her lips;


    Tiana stared blankly for a second, ''''give me the wipes; ''''


    She said and Nicklaus looked at her confused; he took the wipes but he did not give it to her, knowing her hands were injured;


    ''''what do you want to do with it? ''''


    Tiana thought, he was already drowning in guilt, if she told him that that fool kissed her, it would not help him get out of the torment he was in.


    ''''I just¡­ I just want to clean my lips, it feels bitter. ''''


    Nicklaus''s brows creased with worry but he did not pester, leaning close to her, he cleaned her lips with the wipes. Her eyes stared into his as he leaned close to her, all the excitement from wanting to see him after so long, gone. Right now, they could barely even have a conversation.


    ''''Did he touch you. ''''


    Nicklaus asked as he cleaned her lips ever slowly, Tiana gulped; she was about to lie, but she could not help it right now; she was going to tell him the truth later, but not now.


    She shook her head and Nicklaus nodded, putting away the wipes.


    He resumed feeding her, and Tiana ate quietly like a hungry little baby.


    ''''I''m sorry. I''m so sorry. ''''


    When the words left his lips, she was not surprised. She knew he was battling within him on how to tell her how much he was sorry.


    ''''It''s not your fault, baby, it''s not your fault, don''t blame yourself, '''' Tiana tried to pacify him, but it seemed her words made it worse. Nicklaus placed the cup of water in his hands back on the tray and he gripped his hair with both hands.


    ''''I couldn''t protect you¡­ Beautiful, no matter how much I tried I couldn''t still protect you. ''''


    She felt her heart sink into her stomach; ''''it''s not true, please look at me, '''' her brows creased sadly as she turned his face to stare at him;


    ''''it''s not your fault, listen to me, it could not have happened any other way. See, I''m alive, I didn''t get hurt, don''t hurt yourself over something you cannot change. ''''


    Nicklaus sighed, holding her palm on his face and kissing the insides;


    ''''what if they had hurt you? What if something happened to you? Beautiful, you would never be safe with me, I''m a mess. ''''


    His Adam''s apple bobbed as he explained with pain in his eyes; Tiana''s lips fluttered but she could not say a word;


    ''''Do you know how much I want to keep you by my side every single time? I can''t bear the thought of losing you beautiful, it''s killing me. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes clouded with tears as she watched him painfully;


    ''''Baby¡­ ''''


    She tried to hold him, but Nicklaus stood up from the bed and paced around the room, his hand brushing through his hair.


    ''''Beautiful, can''t you see that I''m going to ruin you? ''''


    Nicklaus turned to her, the frustration in his eyes evident. Tiana gulped painfully;


    ''''What are you trying to say? '''' her voice quaked, as tears gathered up her lids. Nicklaus was quiet but she wasn''t having it; this time she was angry;


    ''''You want us to break up? You don''t want me anymore? '''' her voice rang through the room, and pain washed through her eyes;


    ''''No, beautiful, I¡­ ''''


    ''''I''m your wife! Your f.u.c.kin wife! We promised to be there for each other, through the good times and through the storms, why are you making a big deal out of this? I told you it''s not your fault, why are you still blaming yourself? What is wrong with you? ''''


    Nicklaus stood at a spot as he watched his wife bark at him like never before;


    ''''You keep saying you can''t protect me, do you think anything is going to change if we break up? Why don''t you understand that some things are definitely out of your control no matter how much you try to prevent it?


    You came to me, that is enough. You saved me, can''t you see it? Why do you keep blaming yourself? ''''


    Tiana was crying now, and Nicklaus who was standing in the room felt like a wet rat in the rain. Now he felt guiltier for making her cry,


    ''''Beautiful, I''m so sorry¡­ '''' He apologized, walking towards her bed;


    ''''Get out! ''''


    Tiana shouted, pointing towards the door. Nicklaus''s lips fell open;


    ''''uh? ''''


    ''''I said get out! I don''t want to see your face! '''' She screamed angrily; and Nicklaus bowed, turning to the door.


    ''''And don''t you dare come back here, or I''m going to kill you myself! '''' she screamed;


    Nicklaus wanted to go back and apologize, but knowing that she would flare up, and get a headache, he decided to just leave.

 Chapter 216 - I missed you

    Tiana burst into tears after the door closed and she was left alone in the room. She didn''t like it when he blamed himself too much and to think he was actually thinking of breaking it off with her. Was that even an option?!


    She lay back on the bed and tried to move her legs for the first time. It hurt but she could move it a little, seems she didn''t break a bone after all. Sighing, she lay back on the bed and closed her eyes to sleep.


    She was awoken by some sounds in the room and she turned to see a male nurse fixing her drip bag.


    ''''you''re awake, '''' he smiled and she nodded, her eyes looking around the room to know if Nicklaus was there and when she did not see him, her heart sank. She turned to the nurse and forced a smile;


    ''''How are you feeling? '''' he asked her as he put the bag on the stand; Tiana nodded;


    ''''I feel better now. '''' ''''Mm, that''s good. '''' the nurse took her hand and connected the drip, then checked the speed and when he confirmed it was okay, he nodded;


    ''''When will I get discharged? '''' Tiana asked and the nurse smiled;


    ''''Why? this is the best ward in the hospital, you don''t like it here? ''''


    Tiana shook her head; well no-one liked to be in the hospital but that was not why she was asking;


    ''''No, I just wanted to know; ''''


    ''''''Okay, I''m not sure about that, but you''ll be here for a while, a week or so. Your bones need to be examined and be kept on close observation so you don''t hurt it again. ''''


    ''''Okay; '''' Tiana nodded;


    They spoke briefly before the nurse left. Tiana lay back down on the bed and listened to the drops of the liquid; her eyes turned to the door and she watched it for a moment, after a while, she pouted.


    Even though she told him to leave, does that mean he should leave?


    She felt like throwing things but all her body hurt and there was a syringe in her hand so she stayed put.


    She peered at the door for the longest time praying that he would push it open and walk in but he did not. Tiana pouted sadly. Now, she regretted telling him to leave.


    She wanted him to hold her, but she had chased him away and now she was lying all alone in this huge hospital ward. She looked around the room to know if her phone was anywhere but it was not.


    Wait¡­ where is her phone?


    She remembered being dragged into the van forcefully, maybe her phone slipped from her hand, it was either crushed right now, or it was lying on the floor of the van. Either way, she was not getting the phone back.


    Tiana sighed as she felt sleepy again, maybe a side effect of the medicine she was taking.


    When she woke up, she felt an arm hugging her, and head nestled in her chest. A happy smile filled her face when she saw Nicklaus sleeping soundly hugging her around her tummy. She raised her hand to his hair and ruffled it, kissing his forehead. She was already feeling bad for sending him away like that, and when he didn''t come back after so long, she thought he was mad at her.


    Seeing him hugging her like this as though his life depended on it made her heart melt;


    She just lay still watching him quietly not wanting to wake him up. Her eyes glanced at her hand and she noticed her drip was removed while she was asleep. After sometime Nicklaus opened his eyes and looked at her and she smiled at him;


    ''''I''m sorry for chasing you away. '''' Tiana said when his eyes met hers,


    ''''I''m sorry for everything. ''''


    Nicklaus apologized; ''''I was just so scared of you getting hurt; it didn''t occur to me that I was hurting you in the process. ''''


    ''''It is okay, I forgive you. '''' She added with deep affection in her eyes; '''' don''t ever mention leaving me again, we''re in this together forever, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus nodded; ''''I missed you, ''''


    ''''I missed you more. '''' He sat up on the bed and kissed her lips;


    '''' do your legs still hurt? ''''


    He asked, pushing some strands of hair away from her face; Tiana shook her head;


    ''''No, I think it''s healing pretty quickly. ''''


    ''''Do you need anything? Are you hungry? ''''


    Tiana shook her head; ''''I''m not hungry, but I really need to take a bath. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed and helped her out of the bed; Tiana stood on her feet and tried to walk by herself, it hurt but at least she could take a few steps. Nicklaus finally carried her to the bathroom, placing her on a seat.


    ''''The doctor said you shouldn''t wet your bandages, so I''ll have to clean you up. ''''


    He brought a towel and soap and filled a bucket with warm water. Helping her take off her hospital gown, he tied her hair up in a bun.


    ''''What happened to him? ''''


    Tiana asked as she watched him clean her up slowly and carefully;


    ''''Liam?'''' He looked at her with a flash of anger in his eyes;


    Tiana nodded;


    Nicklaus paused for a second; ''''when they realized we''ve surrounded the area, he escaped through an underground channel, he should thank his stars he was able to escape because I would have given him the most painfully slow death he could ever imagine. ''''


    Tiana swallowed and the scene of him kissing her flashed through her eyes; he was a maniac just like his mom;


    ''''They''ve struck first so I''m going after them now. I sent my men to their home, but they could not find him nor his mother, they''ve gone under hiding. They should never come out from wherever they are because I''m going to chase them to the ends of the earth. '''' Nicklaus scoffed;


    ''''they dared to come after my woman¡­ ha! ''''


    Tiana rubbed on his arm bringing him back, Nicklaus breathed out heavily, stabling himself,


    '''' don''t worry, we''ll get them, okay, for now, let''s not think about them.''''


    He was already so angry about this, what if she told him he kissed her? Tiana didn''t want to imagine the look on his face.


    After what looked like hours, Nicklaus finished cleaning her up, he dressed her up in another hospital gown and lay her on the bed like a baby;


    ''''what do you want to have for dinner? ''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''I don''t know, I''ll have whatever you want to eat. ''''


    ''''Tch, okay. '''' Nicklaus called the attendant line on the telephone and in a few minutes, she walked in.


    ¡­


    Three days later¡­


    ''''Leo did you hear Tiana is in the hospital? ''''


    Claire asked as she barged into his office as usual.


    Leo looked up at her with a worried expression; ''''what? What happened? ''''


    ''''I don''t know, I think she was injured or something, I''ve been trying to reach her, but her phone has not been available, she just called to tell me today.''''


    ''''Oh, that''s so sad. We''ll go see her later today. ''''


    ''''Yeah, we should. ''''


    She sighed as she sat down on the couch; her mind zoning out for a moment.


    ''''Tomorrow is mom''s anniversary, are you coming? '''' Claire asked after much hesitance. With their current strained relationship, she wasn''t sure what his reply would be, everything that left her mouth these days was after much thought.


    ''''Yeah, haha, Claire, do you need to ask? ''''


    Claire smiled and nodded; ''''Thank you; I would really need a friend. ''''


    ''''Claire, I''ll always be there for you no matter what, okay? '''' Leo said, sitting down beside her on the couch and passing a hot cup of tea, it was cold outside.


    ''''Thank you; '''' she smiled; ''''and thank you for the tea ''''


    Her mother died when she was five. The memory was still evergreen in her mind. That fateful night, her father returned drunk again. They always fought but that day was more extreme than any other day they had ever fought because that was the first day her mom raised her voice back at him. Now she was all grown up, she understood how much her mom had to hold her pain in.


    Her mom kept her locked away in her room during these times but that day she had forgotten to lock the door and she sneaked out;


    And to this day, she wished she never did.


    Her mom was standing at the end of the stairs screaming and crying at the same time, her father was throwing things around angrily, and then it happened so quickly.


    She remembered her mom saying something that irked her father and he dashed towards her, pushing her over the stairs.


    The glass in her hands shook slightly as she blinked back into reality. Funny how her dad changed so much after that; every single time she looked at his face, she wondered what her mom did so wring to deserve such wickedness.


    He had asked her for forgiveness but how could she bring herself to forgive someone that killed her mom, quickly married another woman and treats her like a queen? haha.


    Sometimes she wondered if it was her mother''s fault, but no matter how she thought about it, it wasn''t. Her mom was just unfortunate to marry the wrong person.


    ''''I''m meeting the director, did he send for you too? ''''


    Leo asked, snapping Claire out of her thoughts;


    ''''Yeah he did, that''s even why I came. ''''


    ''''Alright, let''s go.''''

 Chapter 217 - I love you, Wifey

    ''''Hey, Tiana! '''' Claire exclaimed as they walked into the ward, her arms open wide.


    ''''What happened? '''' she asked embracing her in a hug; Nicklaus had stepped out earlier, so they did not meet him.


    Tiana chuckled; ''''It was an accident, but it''s nothing serious, I''m getting better now. ''''


    "Oh, I''m so sorry, was that why your phone wasn''t reachable?''''


    ''''Yeah, it got crushed, but Nicklaus got me a new one. '''' Tiana beamed, pointing at her phone;


    ''''Oh, where is he? '''' she asked, looking around,


    ''''He stepped out for a while, he''ll be back soon. ''''


    ''''Okay, ''''


    ''''So sorry dear, we got you something to read while staying here; ''''


    Leo walked to her side of the bed and handed her a book; ''''Oh that''s so thoughtful of you¡­ A Billion Dollar Exchange; thank you, I love romance! '''' Tiana smiled brightly;


    ''''You''re welcome. ''''


    ''''And guess what? Our commercial would air next week! ''''


    Tiana''s eyes brightened at her words; ''''really? That''s so great! Too bad I won''t be in the company. ''''


    ''''You don''t have to worry; you can still view it from here, okay? ''''


    Claire soothed and Tiana smiled. They talked for a bit before they finally left.


    Tiana started reading the book they got her and she didn''t know when she slept up, when she woke up Nicklaus was sitting on the couch, working on his laptop.


    ''''you''re awake? ''''


    He smiled when he noticed she had woken up.


    ''''Yeah, Leo and Claire came by earlier today. '''' she said; walking to where he sat on the couch. She could walk now, but she still limped a little. Since she could walk, she had pleaded with Nicklaus to let her go home, but he had refused; he said she wouldn''t leave until she could walk properly on both feet without limping.


    ''''That''s very thoughtful of them; ''''


    ''''Yeah, they even brought me a book to keep me busy, what are you doing? ''''


    She sat down beside him; ''''working. '''' Nicklaus replied, kissing her on the lips briefly.


    They haven''t had s.e.x since her injury and plus the one week she had spent in France, it was almost two weeks and they haven''t had s.e.x. Nicklaus wasn''t even looking troubled at all, but Tiana was almost losing it. The worst was he didn''t even make an attempt to initiate it; the highest they had done was only kissing and cuddling.


    She knew he wouldn''t touch her since she was injured, but she was so horny!


    And it wasn''t even helping that she was forced to gape at his gorgeous face and body for almost 24 hours in a day.


    Tiana pouted, her arms going around his torso.


    Nicklaus hugged her briefly kissing her forehead, and then continued with work. When Tiana saw he wasn''t going to do anything; she raised his shirt up and hugged his bare skin.


    A small groan left his lips but he did not do anything else;


    Tiana grumbled, her hands caressing him as she tried to touch him everywhere, she took her hands out of his shirt and started unbuttoning it, her gaze dark with desire. She pulled him down by the neck kissing his lips;


    ''''Beautiful, '''' Nicklaus chuckled, holding her hands in place. ''''your hands are injured and your legs are broken, how do you want me to touch you?''''


    He laughed, kissing her lips and putting the laptop aside;


    Tiana whimpered; ''''it''s been two weeks! ''''


    That means he was planning on not touching her till she was fully healed? He must be joking!


    ''''Just wait a little more, okay? You don''t want your injuries reopening. ''''


    Tiana whimpered; ''''we could do little things; we must not be rough, okay? I miss you so much. ''''


    Tiana kissed his neck upwards to his lips; Nicklaus tried to resist but she was not having it, she used her tongue to pry open his lips, kissing him deeper;


    Nicklaus gave in to the kiss, holding her neck and sucking deeper into her mouth;


    Her hands tugged on his shirt, pulling it off, she savaged his body with her hands;


    Nicklaus lifted her up and carried her to the bed, their lips not breaking; when they reached the bed, he placed her gently on it. His lips left her mouth and traced down her neck then up to her ears; and then he whispered;


    ''''We have no condoms, so we can''t do a thing. ''''


    With that he kissed her lips and stood up from the bed, walking back to the couch. Tiana''s lips fell open in surprise, just now she was thinking he was going to do something; angrily she turned to him with a glare; ''''you can get some if you want to, you just don''t want to. ''''


    ''''Beautiful, I don''t want to hurt you '''' he had already hurt her enough, he wasn''t about to add to the pain;


    "Wait¡­ do you not find me attractive anymore? I''m no longer beautiful to you? ''''


    Nicklaus lips fell open at her sudden emotional blackmail.


    He didn''t want to injure her and this was a hospital ward too, the doctor could come in at any time;


    ''''Beautiful, I find you recklessly s.e.xy, right now; I''m trying my best not to touch you¡­ ''''


    Tiana wasn''t even listening to him; ''''so that''s it. This is where it ends, my husband doesn''t love me anymore.''''


    She threw her hands in the air, faking a cry, Nicklaus couldn''t help but feel amused by her actions. He wanted her badly but he wanted her to be safe more. They could wait.


    ''''You are so cute when you do that, ''''


    Tiana turned to him with a glare; ''''just know you''re sleeping on the couch from now on. ''''


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''you know I love you right? ''''


    Tiana tried to glare, but the tone of his voice when he said it made her cheeks flush and she turned away from him, hiding her blush;


    ''''don''t talk to me. ''''


    She turned to the other side; trying to look angry even though she knew she was failing woefully at it.


    ''''I love you, wifey. ''''

 Chapter 218 - I see you

    Nicklaus continued to tease but she did not reply to him.


    ''''Where do we go for our honeymoon? ''''


    Tiana turned around instantly as his words filtered into her ears, her eyes wide;


    ''''Are we still going? '''' she instantly forgot that she was angry with him moments ago;


    Nicklaus chuckled; ''''yeah, as soon as you are good and on your feet, so have you decided where you want to go yet? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''Let us go to Singapore. I heard it has beautiful places to visit. ''''


    ''''Alright then, we''ll go as soon as you''re well.''''


    She smiled; as though she remembered something, her eyes widened;


    ''''where is my bag? ''''


    She asked she was just remembering the gift she bought him.


    ''''Uh, I sent it home, what''s wrong? Do you want to get anything from it? ''''


    Tiana shook her head; ''''No, I was just wondering where it was, I thought you left it at the airport since I haven''t seen it;''??? she didn''t want to spoil the fun, so she just told him that;


    ''''Okay; let me hurry up with this so we can have dinner ''''


    One week later¡­


    Tiana was super excited; she was finally leaving the hospital. She had pestered Nicklaus day and night but he didn''t listen to her until she was perfectly healed.


    She was happy she was leaving but she was more excited because she would finally get to f.u.c.k him. She could not believe he actually held himself from touching her in the hospital even with all the temptations she threw at him. She even faked quarrels with him but he didn''t even give in, he was so mean!


    ''''Let''s go already! '''' Tiana grumbled as she stood by the door, she had not left the four corners of the hospital for two weeks and he was still dillydallying.


    ''''Alright, I''m done, let''s go. '''' Nicklaus walked to her, kissing her lips lightly, before holding her hands as they left the ward. Guards stood in front of them and behind them, about fifteen of them if not more. Tiana had not seen this number of guards around Nicklaus before, but she wasn''t surprised, after what happened earlier, she knew Nicklaus would not take chances anymore.


    But she actually got surprised when she saw the train of cars waiting outside and she turned to Nicklaus n shock'';


    ''''you must be kidding me right now. '''' she had thought it was just the men that were with them, but boy, there was another dozen waiting outside for them;


    ''''Can we get into the car before we argue? ''''


    Nicklaus whispered in her ears softly as they walked to the car. A guard opened the car in the middle of the convoy and shut it after they were settled in.


    ''''aren''t they too much? '''' Tiana asked as they settled in; ''''would they follow us everywhere? ''''


    ''''No, just in open places; beautiful, I know this must be new, but I can''t risk losing you again. ''''


    Tiana sighed but she could not say anything else; after what happened she knew Nicklaus won''t take chances anymore.


    ''''They won''t be going with us to Singapore right? ''''


    ''''Um, a few of them, the most trained among them, not all. ''''


    She breathed out in relief; ''''Okay, it''s just that, I don''t like the attention they are bringing, but it''s fine, we won''t be this way for long. ''''


    She smiled at him; '''' my commercial is airing today; '''' she said, changing the topic completely;


    ''''That''s great; I would love to watch you on TV. ''''


    ''''haha, it''s just a short commercial clip and my role isn''t even a major one, you might not even notice me. ''''


    '''' I still want to watch you, and if you''re good even though it''s a minor role, you would still be noticed and besides, I''ll always notice you. ''''


    Tiana chuckled; ''''Silly. ''''


    ¡­


    The whole house was there to welcome them. Tiana was surprised at the expression on their faces, they really looked happy to see them. The house was even beautifully decorated for her arrival; she couldn''t help but feel touched.


    '''' did you plan all these? '''' Tiana asked Nicklaus as they walked into the house;


    ''''No, maybe the workers like you a little too much. ''''


    Tiana chuckled; she was finally home. As soon as they got to their room, she slammed the door close, pulled Nicklaus down, she assaulted his mouth.


    An hour later, they were n.a.k.e.d on the bed, the smile on Tiana''s lips permanent.


    Nicklaus caressed her cheeks; ''''why are you grinning? ''''


    She laughed; ''''I''m just happy. ''''


    ''''why? ''''


    ''''Happy to be with you, you don''t know how happy you make me. No matter what happens, don''t ever leave me okay?''''


    Nicklaus breathed out heavily; ''''I won''t, I promise. ''''


    Tiana''s phone rang on a couch where she had left it and she stood to get it;


    ''''Oh, Claire, ''''


    '''' did you watch it, the commercial? ''''


    ''''No, is it up now? Thought it was in twenty minutes, ''''


    ''''No, it was a few minutes ago, you did great! Check it online, you were good, congrats. ''''


    Claire commended her, ''''thank you, I''ll check it now. ''''


    ''''Is it up already? '''' Nicklaus asked


    Tiana nodded; quickly checking it on her phone; she walked back to bed and lay with Nicklaus as they watched the clip;


    Tiana was silent as the peered at herself on the screen. She didn''t have a major role, but there was something with the way she smiled that made her stand out, well maybe it was because it was herself, that was why she noticed.


    ''''The only person I see here is you.''''


    Tiana chuckled at his words; ''''that''s because you are my husband. How can you see anyone else? ''''


    ''''Well yeah, but you killed your role, even though you were just an attendant, you did it marvelously, and in five seconds, you showed off your skills. I'' not trying to tease you, I''m just saying the truth.''''


    Tiana was quiet; ''''thank you. ''''


    ''''hmm, and you''re too beautiful. I hope this wouldn''t make all these pot-bellied old men chase you?''''

 Chapter 219 - Spoiling him

    Tiana burst into thunderous laughter; ''''you can''t be serious right now. What am I going to do with a potbellied old man when my husband is young and super gorgeous? ''''


    ''''I just don''t like the thought of them wanting to have you; what do we do? Do we make our marriage open then? ''''


    ''''Are you sure about that?'''' Tiana asked with creased brows;


    '''' Well, we kept it a secret because of grandpa, but he''s gone now, there''s no reason to keep it hidden anymore. We would leave the wedding for later when everything is settled. I just don''t want these men coming close to you. ''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''Alright then. Let''s get back from our honeymoon before you announce it okay, I don''t want any distractions now. ''''


    ''''Okay; ''''


    ''''And yes, I got something for you. ''''


    Tiana walked to the closet and wore a shirt, then opened her traveling bag; she searched the bag and then took out a wrapped item;


    Nicklaus creased his brows; ''''what is that? ''''


    He asked, looking surprised, she didn''t mention getting anything for him all the while in the hospital.


    ''''Why do you want to spoil the fun? Open it and see. '''' Tiana smiled when she saw how excited he was for the gift.


    Nicklaus pulled the wrap off and his brows creased when he saw the two little boxes inside; tearing open the first wrap he beamed when he saw the Richard Mille''s watch inside of it.


    ''''Wow, ''''


    ''''Okay, I''m not wearing any other watch anymore. '''' He said in excitement as he wore it on his hand;


    ''''It''s perfect, thank you wifey. I''m so f.u.c.kin happy right now; ''''


    ''''You had other brands of watches, so I got this since you didn''t have any of this brand, I''m glad you like it, hurry, check the other one. '''' Tiana said excitedly as she could not wait for him to open it.


    Nicklaus opened it slowly and his eyes widened;


    ''''Beautiful; '''' he called; his eyes turning to her in surprise. He had suspected that it was a ring, because of the box size but he wasn''t expecting it at all. And just one look at the box and he knew that it was a real diamond.


    ''''Do you like it? '''' She asked, with excitement in her eyes;


    Nicklaus stared at her for a long while, short of words; finally, he pulled her close and covered her lips, kissing her tenderly.


    ''''I love it, jeez, beautiful, I''m so short of words.''''


    Tiana laughed; the roller-coaster of emotions on his face made her feel special.


    She quickly took out the ring and put it on his ring finger;


    ''''Wow, it fits perfectly, ''''


    It was a male ring, so there were no many designs on it, but it looked really good on him.


    ''''I wanted these women to know you are taken, so I got it for you. ''''


    Tiana said shamelessly; Nicklaus laughed; this woman was super jealous.


    ''''Thank you love; '''' his eyes turned to the ring again, and knowing diamonds a little; it must have cost a lot;


    ''''Hope you didn''t spend your whole savings on this? ''''


    Nicklaus raised his lids; even if she had gotten a cheap ring he wouldn''t even mind,


    ''''Uh? No, how can I? I just got it from a jewelry shop in France, didn''t even cost much.''''


    Nicklaus tilted his head; ''''Beautiful, you don''t know how to lie. These types of watches cost a lot, I have a collection, so I know it a little too well, and this ring¡­ ''''


    ''''Ha ha ha, hubby, how can I spend so much money on a mere watch? It doesn''t cost that much okay? Besides even if I did spend that much, my husband is a billionaire, so why should I worry? ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; ''''now I like that, make sure you buy anything you like, don''t worry about the cost. Your husband is rich. ''''


    Tiana laughed;


    ''''Alright, time to start packing!''''


    She exclaimed, jumping down from the bed. Actually, both gift items had cost a total of 4million dollars. She had not spent that amount in her whole life, but she wanted to give him something. Although it didn''t matter what it cost, he was someone that used the best, so she didn''t want to give him anything less.


    She did not want him to be the only one doing the spoiling, if he would spoil her without blinking, then she would spoil him too.


    ¡­


    ''''Leo, I''m thinking of cutting my hair short. ''''


    Claire said all of a sudden as they sat on the couch in his house watching a movie. It was a showing a scene of the female lead cutting her hair, so she teased him; Leo turned to her in shock;


    ''''Don''t even try that, you''ll look really weird. ''''


    She laughed; ''''No I won''t, I would just look different, I''m not going to shave it off completely, just going to cut it to my shoulder-length, maintenance is a complete work.


    Although it was work, she was just joking, she wouldn''t cut her hair for anything.


    ''''you really wanna cut it though, or you''re just trying to pull my legs? ''''


    Claire laughed; ''''If the company would pay me maintenance allowance then I won''t, if not, you won''t see it this long the next time I come around.''''


    Leo thought she meant what she said asked; ''''how much do you need for maintenance? ''''


    Claire tilted her head with a grin; ''''just ten thousand dollars, monthly; ''''


    ''''If I pay you that, you won''t cut your hair? ''''


    Claire laughed when she saw he was looking serious now; ''''haha, don''t mind me, I was just kidding. I''m not gonna cut my hair, you want me to lose my jobs? ''''


    In the industry, some modeling contracts needed women with long hair, and she got most of them because her hair was super long.


    ''''You got me scared for a minute; '''' Claire giggled but they were interrupted by a beep on the door;


    She frowned turning to the door, are you expecting someone? ''''


    Leo nodded, smiling; ''''yeah, it''s a surprise; ''''


    He stood up and quickly went to open the door;


    ''''Hi, baby, '''' A sweet feminine voice rang in the room and a pair of hands hugged Leo.

 Chapter 222 - Sleep with me

    ''''what are you thinking about?'''' Michael''s voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she blinked;


    ''''Nothing, was just wondering¡­ ''''


    ''''what? ''''


    ''''those women, didn''t they fall for you at some point? ''''


    Michael chuckled; ''''it was just s.e.x; we knew what we were getting into. We didn''t even let ourselves be that attached to actually have feelings. ''''


    ''''You never liked any of them? ''''


    She was surprised; to actually sleep with someone a countless number of times and not have any feelings.


    ''''Why would I sleep with someone I don''t like? I actually liked them, they were good buddies and had nice bodies but I wasn''t in love with them, it was just s.e.x.''''


    ''" Wow, interesting '''' Diana laughed, feeling a little overwhelmed by the discussion;


    Maybe this was how he was with every woman, nice and caring, and super attentive, it didn''t mean that he liked you in that way. She should really put her head together. The last thing she wanted was to return to the hole she just came out of.


    ''''You can stay in the living room; I''ll wash the dishes quickly. '''' Diana stood up to clear the dishes but Michael stood up with her, packing the plates together.


    ''''I won''t let you cook and wash after I eat; '''' he said as he stacked the plates;


    '''' don''t worry, you''re a visitor, I don''t mind. ''''


    ''''I don''t mind either, where is the kitchen? '''' He asked and when Diana saw that he actually meant what he said, she led him to the kitchen.


    ''''Wear this so you don''t stain your shirt. '''' She gave him an apron to tie over his shirt; her eyes drinking in his hot body as he rolled the sleeves up to his elbow, she imagined what his body would look like under the shirt.


    ''''You can actually ask if you want to feel, I don''t mind. '''' Diana''s cheeks burned when she realized she had been caught gaping at him and she quickly looked away from him. She never felt so embarrassed all her life.


    Quickly she tied her apron and helped him rinse the plates.


    The kitchen was quiet, only the sound of plates and water was heard.


    Suddenly there was a thunder strike, and then a heavy downpour.


    ''''Wow! '''' the both of them laughed at how sudden it was; well it was December already, the rains happened almost every day;


    ''''You will sleep with me, right? You can''t go home in the rain. '''' Diana said quickly without thinking. When she realized how she sounded, she quickly waved her hand;


    ''''I mean, we don''t know when the rain would stop and it''s already late and freezing cold. It''s dangerous driving in the rain and I have spare rooms, it''s clean, you can use it for the night. ''''


    Michael chuckled, ''''Ok, ''''


    ''''yeah; '''' she gulped, taking a plate from his hand and their hands brushed accidentally.


    Diana felt goosebumps wash her skin/ It was an accident, but she was feeling hyperactive to every little action of his. After a long while of silence, her eyes shot open;


    Wait, did she just ask a man to sleepover?


    ¡­


    ''''So freaking cold!'''' Diana breathed, turning up the heater.


    ''''Cover yourself with these¡­ '''' She passed him a blanket, as he lay on the couch, watching Netflix.


    Diana sat away from him on another couch, wrapping herself up.


    ''''You can come and lie with me if you''re feeling too cold, I can warm you up. ''''


    Michael suggested after a long while, seeing how she wrapped herself up in the blankets. Her eyes turned to him and they widened. From everything she knew about him, it was obvious that he was just naturally kind and a little overly caring. He might not have any bad thoughts in mind as he said the words, but she couldn''t help but feel squirmy in her tummy.


    Diana knew it was the wrong move, but she couldn''t stop her legs from standing up and walking towards him as he lay on the couch.


    She wanted to know what it felt like, being hugged by a pair of big arms. Even though she knew he might not have such thoughts in his mind, she just wanted to let her guard down and do what would make her happy at the moment, damning all consequences.


    Michael adjusted on the couch, opening his blanket for her to lie down, her lavender scent wafted into his nostrils pulling him in. His hands wrapped around her tummy as he held her close to him, and then he threw the blanket over them.


    ''''Feeling better? ''''


    ''''Mm¡­ '''' Diana nodded. Why was she strangely comfortable? His body was warm and comforting. It made her feel safe and away from the world. Everything in her wanted to turn around and breathe in his musky scent but she held herself and pinned her eyes on the television, suppressing all wild thoughts pushing their way to her mind.


    Michael tried to concentrate on the show but the woman in his arms was impossible to resist. She smelt good, and he felt like leaning in and breathing from her hair, but he held himself. His hands around her torso itched to explore, but he did not want to make her uncomfortable so he pinned it to a place.


    About thirty minutes later, the movie was over but Diana did not say a word.


    ''''You wanna go to sleep now? '''' He peeked at the wall clock and saw it was past 9. Diana didn''t budge and when he looked at her face, he saw she was sleeping.


    A smile tugged at his lips and he lifted his body from the couch and watched her sleep soundly. She was cute with an innocent beauty. Now he thought about it, that was what drew him in in the first place.


    His eyes hovered over her pink little lips and his throat tightened. Everything in him wanted to lean in and kiss those lips but he controlled himself.


    She was a little too innocent to actually trust that she could fall asleep beside him and he would do nothing to her.

 Chapter 223 - Wallpaper

    He brushed her hair away from her face and tapped her lightly on the chin.


    ''''wake up. ''''


    Diana''s eyes fluttered open and they locked in his. ''''Oh, did I sleep off?'''' She smiled sitting up on the couch. Michael nodded;


    ''''I didn''t want to wake you up, but I couldn''t leave you alone on the couch.''''


    Diana laughed; ''''I''ll go to sleep now, let me show you to your room, you can come in when you''re done'''' her voice was groggy; Michael smiled as he watched her stagger up from the couch. She rubbed her eyes and picked up her blanket that had fallen to the floor, walking down the hallway, Michael followed behind.


    ''''Everything you need is in here, my room is next to yours, you can call if you need anything, alright, goodnight; '''' She smiled weakly, turning to her room.


    ''''Yeah, sleep tight. ''''


    ¡­


    Nicklaus woke up to Tiana on top of him kissing his face;


    ''''Hubby, our honeymoon begins today¡­???'' she whispered in his ears, nibbling on his lobe. Nicklaus m.o.a.ned, his hands wrapping around her.


    ''''Good morning¡­ ''''


    ''''good morning baby, let''s go shower. ''''


    ''''No, let''s cuddle for a while; '''' Nicklaus groaned, pulling her down and hugging her tight.


    ''''Ah, this man! We''ve been cuddling all night! '''' She giggled as she felt his arms go around her bare belly, tickling her.


    Nicklaus breathed in her scent; ''''I don''t feel like rising, can we postpone our travel till tomorrow? ''''


    He teased and burst out laughing when he heard her vehement response;


    ''''what? Hell no! In fact, get up, flight time is over 16 hours, you have enough time to sleep on the plane ''''


    She couldn''t even sleep properly last night because her mind was on the trip, there was no way she was staying here an extra day.''''


    She finally succeeded in pulling him out of the bed and into the shower. Tiana didn''t know why he was just intentionally dillydallying, but finally, she got him to dress and they had breakfast and then left for the airport.


    This time they were traveling in Nicklaus''s private jet. The last time they couldn''t use it because it was under maintenance. 17 long hours was tiring, Tiana couldn''t remember how many times she slept off.


    When they finally arrived it was night.


    ''''Wow, here is so pretty!''''


    Tiana exclaimed as she viewed the city from the limousine taking them to Marina bay Sands. She was overly chatty; talking about every beautiful thing they passed by. A smile plastered on Nicklaus''s lips as he watched her, seeing her happy made him smile. He could give the world to keep her this happy.


    ''''Hubby, let''s stay till the New Year; I''m so in love with this city! '''' She turned to her husband and made cute eyes at him.


    ''''Okay. ''''


    Her eyes brightened at his response.


    ''''We can? ''''


    Nicklaus nodded;


    ''''Thank you, love you so much. ''''


    She beamed, kissing him on the lips. The hotel was just as she saw in the pictures; it was a sight to behold. Words could not do justice to it.


    Tiana awed at the magnificence as she held Nicklaus''s hand and the guards carried their luggage up to their room.


    She was just so excited about this trip. She had seen beautiful places, but she didn''t know why this place made her so excited, maybe because she was with Nicklaus.


    After arranging their luggage, they had dinner and soaked in a hot bath for hours before retiring to bed in each other''s arms. It''s been a long day.


    ¡­


    Hazel put her head into Leo''s office; a smile slanted her lips when she saw him;


    ''''Hi! ''''


    She grinned entering the office completely and closing the door after her. Leo smiled when he saw her;


    ''''How did you know my office? '''' although he had told her where he worked he did not show her his office.


    Hazel giggled; ''''I just asked around, you''re popular so it wasn''t a task. '''' She came to him and kissed him briefly on the lips.


    ''''Mm¡­ '''' Leo m.o.a.ned as she pushed the minted candy in her mouth in his;


    ''''your office looks fashionable¡­ just like you. '''' She said standing up and looking around. Her eyes stopped briefly on the wall, and she frowned.


    ''''Your best friend is really pretty. '''' A small pout found its way to her lips as she stared at the wallpaper on the wall. Everything on the wall was literally Claire''s pictures.


    ''''Yeah, she is. ''''


    Hazel folded her hands; ''''why is her wallpaper on your wall? '''' she turned to Leo looking concerned; fine they were best friends but wasn''t it a little excess to have so much of her pictures?


    ''''it''s been there for a while, Hazel. '''' Leo replied not looking up from his laptop.


    ''''Seems you both are very close then, you don''t even have any other model''s picture on your wall¡­ ''''


    She said, feeling jealous. Leo didn''t reply.to her.


    ''''Am I not pretty? ''''


    ''''You are very pretty? ''''


    ''''why don''t you want me on your wall? '''' Hazel asked, a little nagging;


    Leo sighed, finally looking at her; he leaned back on his chair and stared at her;


    ''''you don''t like her pictures on my wall? ''''


    Hazel pouted, if she said she didn''t like it, it would seem as though she hated Claire, but she really didn''t want another woman''s pictures on his wall, even though they were best friends.


    ''''you want your pictures on my wall? '''' Leo asked, seeing that she didn''t want to answer the initial question.


    Hazel nodded slightly; ''''I know I''m not as pretty as Claire, but I really want to see my face on your wall, I want everyone to know you''re mine ''''


    Leo stared at her for a second and then he smiled; ''''Okay. ''''


    The sadness in her eyes disappeared and was replaced with a gleeful smile; ''''really? Thank you, I love you.''''


    She leaned and embraced him, giving him a sweet kiss on the lips.


    ''''If you''re not busy, we can go to the studio to have your pictures taken. ''''

 Chapter 224 - Karma

    ''''Yes, yes, I have all the time in the world! '''' she exclaimed happily.


    Leo felt his throat tighten, but he quickly pushed away from the pain before it would overwhelm him.


    Deep down he wished those words left the lips of some other person, but that was a forlorn hope.


    He was really ready to move on. Hazel liked him very much and he was going to love her as much. Even though it hurt him to take Claire''s wallpaper off his wall, he knew it was the best thing to do. If the woman he was with didn''t want it, then he would take it off.


    Hazel was beautiful; she was a mixed-race, half Vietnamese and half American. She had red hair and brown eyes, although she wasn''t model-beauty, she was cute enough to make heads turn. She was sweet too and he knew he would grow to love her. He just needed time to heal.


    ¡­


    Claire ticked what she had accomplished for the day on her schedule. A sigh left her lips when she saw she had almost accomplished all she had to do. She was about leaving the company when she remembered she had not seen Leo for a few days. They talked on the phone but she felt he might feel weird that she wasn''t stopping by his office anymore.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to stop by as usual; she didn''t know how to look in his eyes, knowing that she actually has feelings for him. Claire contemplated for a while before she turned around and walked to his office.


    Her hands wanted to push open the door as usual but they hung in the air and instead she knocked;


    '''' come in '''' She heard him call before she stepped in with a smile.


    ''''Oh Claire, I can''t remember the last time you knocked on that door. '''' Leo laughed as she walked to him;


    ''''Haha, I''m trying to learn proper manners. '''' Her smile faded instantly when her eyes flashed on the wall, her legs stopping at a spot.


    ''''You changed¡­ the wallpaper? ''''


    Her throat clogged but she managed to voice the words, her hands gripping her bag tightly.


    ''''Oh, yeah '''' Leo glanced at the new wallpaper on the wall. Hazel was lying down with a scarf over her body, it was a dark theme but Claire couldn''t deny that it was beautiful.


    ''''Hazel made a fuss about it; she said she wanted her pictures on my wall, so I just let her have her way. Hope you don''t mind? ''''


    Claire swallowed painfully and forced a smile to her lips;


    ''''No, I don''t mind at all. I understand, haha, I''ll feel the same way if I were in her shoes. It is beautiful, she''s very pretty.''''


    She said; her grip on her bag tightening as she pulled her eyes away from the wallpaper and walked to a couch sitting down.


    ''''Yeah, Hazel is a very jealous type, she suspects every little thing, she even thinks there''s something going on between us. God that girl, she even made me change what I saved your name with, '''' Leo laughed briefly, and even though Claire was practically dying from the pain, she managed to force a chuckle;


    ''''Hope she isn''t going to take away my best friend? ''''


    ''''haha, no way, I''ll always be here for you.'''' Leo smiled, ''''yeah, that reminds me, the CEO''s party is this weekend, are you going? ''''


    It was a birthday party, and it was most appropriate to go with a date. Leo was dating now, so he was going to go with Hazel, and she?


    She could not tag along with them, or go with a random person and have to pretend everything was fine and it would be unfair to want him to go with her when he had someone. God, she was in a mess.


    Claire couldn''t hold the pain coursing through her heart.


    ''''I don''t know, let''s see how it goes, I might just want to snuggle in bed and watch Netflix, haha. ''''


    Leo stared at her pointedly; ''''you know the CEO is fond of you; you don''t want to miss his birthday party. ''''


    ''''Alright, I''ll think about it. I''ll be on my way now, I want to stop by the white house, father says it''s important. Extend my greetings to Hazel. '''' Claire stood up quickly and turned to the door, she couldn''t wait to leave that furnace.


    ''''Claire, you forgot your chocolates today; '''' Leo smiled, taking out a bar of chocolates from his drawer;


    Claire turned; ''''oh thank you, I would really need these.'''' She was in so much pain that she forgot what she always asked for whenever she stopped by his office.


    A miserable sigh left her lips as she walked out of the office and trotted towards the elevator.


    Now she knew what it felt like to love someone that didn''t love you back, she couldn''t imagine being like this for years. It must have been hell for Leo. Was this karma coming back at her?


    Claire thinned her lips as she stood in the elevator, her heart in so much pain, it felt like exploding. Would she be able to watch them together? Watch them get married? Have children? Would she stop loving him before then?


    If she was just a friend, she would be able to escape, but she was his best friend! She needed to be by his side all the way. God, this was unbearable.


    What would she do?


    Just that moment, the elevator doors clinked open and Hazel stood on the other side. That was the last person she wanted to see right now.


    Hazel''s eyes widened when she saw her, panic flashed through her eyes as though she had done something wrong, but she quickly hid it with a smile.


    ''''Claire, didn''t think I would meet you here. '''' She beamed as Claire walked out of the elevator.


    ''''Yeah, was just leaving Leo''s office, told him to greet you, but it seems I''ll be doing the greeting myself.'''' She laughed; Hazel''s eyes wandered,


    ''''Sorry, I had the wallpaper changed, I hope you don''t mind? ''''

 Chapter 225 - Lets get drunk

    ''''Hope you don''t mind? '''' Hazel asked, a sweet smile on her lips. Claire stiffened; she didn''t know if the smile was real or not. Hazel looked very sweet but she couldn''t help feeling as though her actions were intentional.


    ''''No, don''t worry. It is fine, as long as you''re happy. ''''


    ''''Oh, thank God. I was thinking you were going to be mad at me for changing it. The thing is, I''ve dated someone who had a best friend and after I found out that he was screwing his best friend, I became really skeptical about female best friends. But I''m so glad that you''re not the same.''''


    Claire stiffened at her words, and she forced a chuckle.


    ''''Haha, don''t worry; Leo and I aren''t like that. You have nothing to worry about. ''''


    '''' Thank you, Claire, I''m glad to hear that. Alright, will be going up, see ya '''' She beamed as she pressed on the elevator button.


    ''''Yeah, bye '''' Claire waved as she watched her enter the elevator. Her hands hung in the air before it finally fell to her side, tears blurring her eyes.


    ¡­


    ''''Wow! '''' Tiana''s lips gaped as she stared at the infinity pool. They just came back from a trip to the shopping mall. Nicklaus had said she should pick anything she wanted, from clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry.


    Tiana already had a lot at home, so she just picked a few and then she shopped a lot of couple wears for them. Couple tees, couple night wears, matching slippers, and bracelets which she made him put on as soon as they bought it. They finally ate a sumptuous meal at the Bread Street Kitchen and after resting for a while, Tiana opted to see the infinity pool.


    ''''This is gorgeous but damn scary!'''' She laughed as her hand found his and she gripped it tight.


    Nicklaus chuckled; ''''yeah, and the city view is pretty too; ''''


    ''''Yeah, I just can''t put my head around how this was built. '''' Her eyes stared in wonder as they walked along the pathway;


    ''''Wanna swim? '''' Tiana turned to him in shock;


    ''''Hell no, not getting into that. '''' she laughed shaking her head. Nicklaus chuckled;


    ''''Would be a shame to come here and not swim in the pool, don''t you think? ''''


    ''''What shame? I''m not getting into the pool, no way. And besides, it''s going to be cold, so I would just freeze. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; ''''well yeah, but the human body warms up the pool, and the sun is out today, so it''s not going to be too cold. ''''


    ''''whatever; I''m not getting in. It''s wonderful by the way. ''''


    ''''Mm, let''s take pictures if we''re not going to swim. ''''


    Tiana smiled as Nicklaus pulled her close to him and raised his phone to take a selfie,


    ''''Tch, how can you be prettier than me, see those lashes! '''' Tiana groaned when she saw Nicklaus looked prettier than her in the photo.


    ''''Beautiful, this face is yours and besides I''m not prettier, I just have longer lashes. ''''


    ''''and cuter lips; '''' she pouted;


    ''''No, yours is cuter, ''''


    ''''and a s.e.xier smile¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus laughed, ''''wifey, stop overthinking, you''re gorgeous, come here¡­ ''''


    He drew her to him and kissed her lips, taking a picture in the process.


    ''''This one is hot; '''' she blushed as she peered at the picture he took. The way he kissed her made her blush, it was so endearing.


    ''''Let us take another; '''' she said and they took many more. When they were done, they strolled to the ''Gardens by the Bay''. Marina Bay Sands was quite a huge place, so finding the gardens took quite a while.


    They went to the cloud forest first. It was a sight to behold, from the beautiful intricate flowers to the indoor mountain, from where they could see the mystical foliage, vibrant orchids, and even carnivorous plants. But the most beautiful feature of the dome was the waterfall, towering 30 meters high. Tiana couldn''t help being awed by the sight. She made sure to take pictures of every place. When they were exhausted, they retired for the day.


    They ate dinner by 6, but two hours later, Tiana was bored again.


    ''''Let''s go to the bar. ''''


    She said to Nicklaus as she leaned on the bathroom door, watching him shave his overgrown beards;


    ''''aren''t you tired? '''' Nicklaus asked, he thought she might want to sleep after the long day, but he was surprised when he heard her.


    Tiana shook her head, walking to him; she wrapped her hands around his torso.


    ''''No, I want to get drunk¡­ and f.u.c.k you tonight.''''


    She said, whispering the last part, her head placed against his back. Nicklaus chuckled; one thing about her was that she wasn''t shy with words. ''''alright, let me get done with this. ''''


    ''''Okay, ''''


    In a few minutes, they were walking into a bar. They ordered drinks and sat down;


    ''''Jeez! This is so strong! ''?? She coughed after she took her first shot, her face turning a shade of red.


    ''''Haha, beautiful, you''ve not started drinking yet and you''re already so red; '''' Nicklaus chuckled. Her flushed face made her look too cute so he took out his phone and took a picture.


    ''''ah, no, don''t take a picture! '''' Tiana covered her face with both hands, trying to hide her face from him.


    ''''Come on, you look cute. '''' Nicklaus laughed and he switched to the video recorder, ''''


    ''''Are you done? '''' She asked after a while and Nicklaus nodded, ''''yeah I''m done, ''''


    Tiana brought down her hands, but she quickly put it back when she saw his phone was still up;


    ''''baby, stop! People are watching! '''' she laughed, turning away from him;


    Suddenly she heard some applause in the room and she brought down her hands and was surprised to see a man, with a line of workers, standing beside him;


    ''''This night concludes our anniversary week and as we said earlier, we are presenting a gift to the best couple of the night. ''''


    Tiana turned to Nicklaus, surprise in her eyes, she didn''t know that they just walked into an event, but they were not winning anyway, they were just coming in.


    ''''This wine is dated hundred years, and it has the spice to take you to your dream world and back. The perfect wine for a steamy night; ''''

 Chapter 227 - Bitter Reality

    Suddenly Michael''s phone rang from the counter and since his hands were occupied, Diana brought the phone to him;


    ''''who is it? '''' He asked, turning to her; '''' your mom. '''' She said, as she stretched her hand to him. Her eyes rose to his face and her brows creased when she noticed he looked a little tense. Michael stared at the phone for a second, and he turned to the sink, washing his hands;


    ''''Continue with this; ''''


    He said and took the phone from her walking out of the kitchen. Diana was surprised;


    Wasn''t it just his mom? Was there a need to leave?


    She stared at the door for a moment then she turned back to the cooker.


    Michael walked away from the kitchen and to the end of the hallway before he picked the call.


    ''''Mom; '''' his throat tightened as he forced the words through his lips.


    ''''Michael, '''' her voice was authoritative as usual as though she owned him, there was a long pause on the other side of the phone before Catherine spoke again;


    ''''I''ll be away for a long while, keep the company in order till I come back, and if there are any pressing issues send me an email, do not call me, understood? ''''


    Michael was surprised by her words, but he knew she wouldn''t tell him anything even if he asked, so he just nodded;


    ''''Yes, understood. '''' she paused for a second;


    ''''And I know you''ve been going out with that girl from the Howells family;''''


    Michael froze as her words filtered into his ears; he didn''t know she kept an eye on him to that extent.


    ''''I hope she''s just one of your numerous flings and there is nothing serious between you two, ''''


    he swallowed and his eyes darkened as he was unable to reply;


    ''''you should know you can''t have anything to do with her unless you don''t want her alive anymore.''''


    Michael fisted his hand by his side, his fingers digging into his palm;


    He wanted to ask her why he can???t have anything to do with her, but that was going to tell her that he actually has something more with her, and the last thing he wanted to do was put Diana in danger.


    ''''She''s just a fling, there is nothing serious. ''''


    He breathed out. It was just a matter of time, and she would not be able to control him anymore. He just needed time;


    ''''better, because you can''t have any dealings with that family. Alright, I''ll leave you now. Enjoy your day. ''''


    Michael held the phone against his ear for the longest time before he brought it down, stabling himself, he turned back to the kitchen.


    ''''I''ve set the table¡­ ''''


    Diana called from the dining when she saw him pass by, Michael turned to the dining with fear in his eyes as he wondered if she overheard their conversation, but she had a smile on her face, and she didn''t look tensed in any way so he heaved a sigh of relief.


    They talked and chatted as they ate and no matter how much he observed her, she didn''t look annoyed or angry, so he knew she didn''t hear him.


    After breakfast, he rested a little before he finally left.


    Diana bade him farewell as she watched him drive out of her compound, after a while, the smile on her lips fell and her eyes flashed with pain.


    For a moment, she had been a little ahead of herself. How would someone like him be capable of loving? She was stupid, stupid again.


    He just saw her as someone who was vulnerable because of her past, easy to take advantage of, and sincerely she didn''t blame him. She was indeed vulnerable. If he had made any attempt to touch her, she would have yielded without a second thought.


    She didn''t blame him for anything, the truth is, he never told her he liked her in any way, she had just been overthinking every at of kindness or care. If he had lied to her, then it would be different.


    Now, she was back to her senses. Even though she had loved foolishly the first time, she wasn''t about to be that foolish again. The bitter truth was that not everyone was lucky to find someone they love and loved them back and maybe she was just one of the unlucky persons.


    She wasn''t going to dream anymore, it was time to face reality.


    ¡­


    ''''Hey, are you the couple that won at the Club 99 yesterday? ''''


    Tiana turned to the direction of the voice and her eyes fell on a woman in her twenties, she was very pretty and had a red hair, there was a man by her side, maybe a husband or boyfriend.


    Tiana smiled at her; ''''yeah, we are, were you there? ''''


    She asked. Today, they spent the whole day indoors, it was by 8 pm they decided to come out and have some fun;


    ''''yeah, we were! This is my boyfriend; we''re here on a vacation. '''' She smiled sweetly as her eyes turned to Nicklaus;


    ''''Hi, you both look very good together. ''''


    Nicklaus raised his eyes for the first time, ''''thank you. ''''


    ''''you from the states? ''''


    ''''Yeah, we''re on our honeymoon '''' Tiana replied;


    ''''Oh, that''s beautiful. I''ve just visited the United States, just once. We stay in Canada, though I''m half polish. ''''


    ''''I see, '''' Tiana nodded, realizing why she had red hair. Her boyfriend was quiet only talking when asked. Tiana was comfortable with them until the woman left her completely and started to talk to Nicklaus.


    At first, Nicklaus replied indifferently, but the lady knew how to pull people into a conversation and suddenly Nicklaus was talking with her.


    She was an artist, and Nicklaus draws too, and soon they were engrossed in a conversation.


    At first, Tiana wanted to ignore it, but she couldn''t take it anymore when her husband, who never smiled or laughed with any other woman, was laughing right now with this woman.


    She supported her head with her hand as she watched them, her eyes glanced at the woman who was giggling so sweetly and she felt a bitter taste in her throat.

 Chapter 229 - Damn, youre beautiful

    The next morning, they woke up a little late; when Tiana opened her eyes, Nicklaus was tracing the tattoo on her back with his nails; she smiled as she turned around and kissed his lips;


    ''''Good morning; '''' she said, standing up from the bed,


    ''''How was your night? '''' Nicklaus asked as he watched her stand and her n.a.k.e.d body with an abundance of hickeys came into view.


    '''' Dreamt of you, '''' she grinned; ''''I want to pee; '''' she said and walked to the toilet n.a.k.e.d.


    After a few minutes, she stuck her head out of the door;


    ''''Let''s shower/ ''''


    Nicklaus joined her in the shower, and after long minutes, they were done. He helped her dry her hair and afterward she dried his. Her eyes stared at his facial features as she blew his hair and she couldn''t help but shake her head in admiration.


    '''' damn, you''re beautiful. ''''Nicklaus''s eyes opened and a light chuckle left his lips; ''''am I? ''''


    ''''So beautiful; your beauty could be distributed to ten men and they would all still be handsome; ''''


    Nicklaus couldn''t help bursting into loud laughter; did she wake up with an urge to flatter him?


    ''''stop laughing, I''m not joking, I actually wish I can lock you up in my cage so no other woman would see you, '''' Tiana pouted seriously, but Nicklaus couldn''t help laughing the more.


    ''''I want to lock you up too, have you ever looked at yourself closely, you''re stunning, just look at yourself in the mirror, '''' Nicklaus said, turning her to look at the vanity mirror; a blush tainted Tiana''s lips when she saw their faces;


    '''' damn, we''re gorgeous. '''' she laughed, kissing him on the cheeks;


    ''''I can''t wait to make babies with you; '''' Nicklaus said as he stared at their reflection in the mirror. Tiana sighed and dropped the dryer on her hand, then sat on his laps;


    ''''Our baby would be so beautiful; '''' she said, ''''I want him to have your eyes; '''' she turned to look at him;


    ''''who said it''s a boy? '''' Nicklaus smirked pinching her nose;


    ''''you want a girl? '''' she asked, with raised brows; Nicklaus nodded;


    ''''Mm, a girl that will look like you; '''' Fathers connect more with their daughters and mom with their sons, so Tiana wasn''t surprised when he said he wanted a girl.


    ''''Alright, since I want a boy and you want a girl, we would just wait till we have the child then. ''''


    Tiana smiled; her hands going around his neck as she stared into his eyes;


    ''''I''ll make sure it''s a girl then; '''' Nicklaus said with a grin on his lips, Tiana laughed;


    ''''Baby would listen to mommy first, don''t you think? ''''


    Nicklaus laughed and leaned in for a kiss; ''''I can''t wait for all these to be over; '''' He said, placing his forehead against hers, a sigh leaving his lips;


    ''''Me too, we''ll just have to wait a little more. ''''


    She hugged him, nuzzling her head in the crook of his neck; everywhere grew quiet as they listened to each other''s breath, ''''I love you; '''' Nicklaus said after a long while, kissing her on the neck.


    ''''Love you too, baby. ''''


    ¡­


    Claire stepped out of her house, she had stood in front of the mirror for long minutes, practicing how to fake a smile and not look bothered. If she could scale through that night then she was sure going to survive any other day.


    Leo was handsome and Hazel very beautiful, she could already imagine how they would look in matching dresses, even when she didn''t want to think about it she couldn''t stop her mind from wandering over to the thoughts of them.


    She didn''t want to go for the birthday but the CEO had called her himself and invited her so she knew she wasn''t going to miss it for anything. Sluggishly she dragged herself outside the house where her guards were waiting for her with the car;


    She wanted to go with someone from the company but she didn''t want to make the situation more complicated than it already was, with having to answer if they were a couple or not.


    Thankfully when she got to the venue, the CEO welcomed her especially and she sat with him in the reserved area, so the number of people she would greet would be few. She greeted a few people but her eyes were keenly searching for Leo, he had not arrived yet.


    A few minutes after the event started, they were still not there. Claire brought out her phone to call and ask him where he was but after some thought, she decided against it. Hazel was already suspecting them having an ambiguous relationship, she might be with him now and might likely be the one to answer the phone, and she didn''t want to give her a reason to suspect them the more, so she decided against it\.


    After a few minutes, she was chatting with one of the guests when the woman''s eyes widened;


    ''''oh, is that not Leo? '''' Claire turned to the direction of the voice and she froze when she saw them;


    They were wearing a red matching outfit; Hazel was putting on a red short gown and Leo, a black suit with a red shirt on the inside, and his first two buttons were unhooked; they looked so perfect together. Claire''s eyes hurt as she stared at them and she quickly pulled her eyes away;


    ''''Yeah¡­ '''' she mumbled to the woman, swallowing hard;


    ''''Oh, is that his girlfriend? She''s so pretty!'''' The woman exclaimed and Claire nodded;


    ''''She is, '''' she wanted to end the discussion but she didn''t want the woman to suspect anything so she forced herself to act cool''


    The woman stared at them for the longest time then she turned to Claire;


    ''''Do you know, everyone thought you both were dating, damn, you both looked perfect together, were you guys dating before or something? ''''


    The woman asked, and Claire breathed in sharply; the night was just starting and she was already feeling like fainting.

 Chapter 230 - We are just friends

    ''''No, we weren''t dating, we are just friends. '''' she stretched her lips into what looked like a smile;


    ''''Hmm, but¡­ '''' The woman was about prying the more but thankfully, Claire''s phone started ringing in her bag; Claire heaved a sigh of relief; ''''excuse me, I have to take this. ''''


    She smiled at the woman and turned walking away from her; she peeked at her phone and saw it was Leo calling; staring at it for a second, she picked the call;


    ''''Hey, Leo; ''''


    ''''Claire, where are you? I just arrived.


    ''''Oh, I''m at the VIP section, I''ll see you when the party is over. '''' She said before Leo would ask her to come to him. The last thing she wanted now was a truckload of questions about why she wasn''t dating Leo and how they looked perfect together.


    ''''Alright, we''ll see when the party is over. ''''


    ''''yeah; '''' Claire nodded and ended the call, she heaved a sigh of relief then turned back to her seat, feeling sick all over, she wished she would just disappear and appear on her bed. This was already hell for her.


    Thankfully, the guests that sat around her weren''t prying on her private life; rather they talked about other random things. After a few hours, the party was finally coming to an end, and the guests began bringing their gifts to the CEO and his girlfriend who was sitting beside him. Claire had already given her present earlier so she excused herself and walked away from them, but as she walked past, she came face to face with Leo and Hazel.


    Leo was talking to someone, so he had not seen her but Hazel did and she smiled at her. Claire could not escape, so forcing a smile to her lips, she walked towards them,


    ''''Hazel, you look gorgeous. '''' she beamed, embracing in her in a quick hug. Leo instantly turned when he heard the familiar voice;


    ''''Claire, '''' his eyes admired her outfit and he smiled; ''''you look pretty; ''''


    ''''thank you;'''' Claire pushed some strands of her hair to the back of her ear;


    ''''you don''t look bad either, both of you are just gorgeous. ''''


    Hazel laughed; ''''you can say that again; '''' she inched closer to Leo and pecked his chin. Claire traced her actions with her eyes and quickly looked away. Hazel was very excited to be here, it was all over her face, she was happy that Leo was introducing her to his friends and business circle as his girlfriend. The smug smile on her lips was irreplaceable.


    ''''I''m tired, so I''ll be going home¡­ ''''


    ''''Wow! Who do we have here? '''' Claire was about finding an excuse to leave when she was interrupted by a voice from behind her, her eyes turned to the direction of the voice and her lips fell slightly when she saw who it was;


    Larissa walked towards them in dignified steps, making sure her h.i.p.s were emphasized with each step she took.


    ''''Leo, it''s been while¡­ '''' she smiled brightly as her eyes turned to Hazel and she looked her up to down;


    ''''Is she your girlfriend? '''' Larissa asked; they didn''t have that kind of relationship so it was clear she was there to make trouble. Claire swallowed hard, wondering what she was about to do.


    Leo stared at Larissa for a moment, but not wanting to make things awkward before Hazel, he just replied;


    ''''Yeah, she is. Um, Hazel, this is Larissa, and she''s a colleague. ''''


    Hazel smiled sweetly at her; ''''I''m Hazel, it''s nice to meet you. ''''


    ''''Uh-uh, she''s so sweet! '''' Larissa commented as though she already liked Hazel. Claire''s eyes wandered as she planned her exit, but before she could bring her thoughts to actions, Larissa turned to her;


    ''''And I thought you were dating Claire all along, you guys were so damn close, anyone would mistake you for a couple; ''''


    Not only did she say that but she also voiced it a little loud, so people around would hear, and those interested in gossip would come and join, and obviously almost everyone in the entertainment industry was interested in gossip.


    ''''Wait, Claire isn''t dating Leo? '''' A woman who was standing by the side asked, her eyes wide in surprise when she said it, others turned to them too with surprise. Larissa beamed in her heart, she was going to let her have a taste of her own medicine, and next time she wouldn''t dare mess with her;


    Claire felt like a bucket of water was emptied on her but she laughed lightly, trying her best to keep a composed expression; ''''No, ha-ha, we weren''t dating, we are just best friends; '''' She tried to placate the situation but Larissa wasn''t going to let her have her way.


    '''' Uh, Best friends? Didn''t know best friends could be that close, it was clear Leo liked you a little too much, everyone thought you both were dating ''''


    Larissa said in a mocking tone, light laughter leaving her lips.


    ''''Oh wow, didn''t know everyone kept a tab on me, but anyway, you all were mistaken. There''s nothing going on between us, and as you can see there''s a pretty woman by his side, who is his girlfriend, so don''t go around spreading rumors. ''''


    Claire laughed and some others laughed with her;


    ''''They really look good together, '''' another woman said and others nodded. Larissa''s smile dimmed when she saw that the topic had changed and they were now talking about other things. But she was happy anyway; she could not get over the tense look on Claire''s face when she said that Leo liked her.


    The truth was that she knew Leo liked Claire; no he was in love with her. The little time she spent with them during the shoot was enough to see. Since she was no friends with any of them, she had enough time to watch them closely and it was obvious with the way he stared at her and treated her. Leo really liked Claire but it seemed the feelings weren''t reciprocated in that way since he was dating another woman now. She just said those things so the Hazel would hate Claire, and it was working because Hazel just gave Claire a glare.


    Larissa smiled to herself and sneaked out of the crowd as they engaged in another discussion. As long as Hazel knew Leo liked Claire, she would always suspect her and that was enough punishment for Claire, she should deal with that.

 Chapter 231 - Suspicions

    Claire had been avoiding looking at Hazel. Even without saying it, she knew she was hurt by what Larissa had said. She had wanted to leave immediately but she decided to stay back and apologize for what Larissa said. Even though she had feelings for Leo, the last thing she would do was to come in between them. She was given a chance but she didn''t take it, she wouldn''t be so black-bellied as to destroy their relationship because of her newly discovered feelings.


    Claire engaged in the discussion until everyone dispersed, and then she smiled at Hazel;


    ''''Hazel, I''m so sorry for what that lady said earlier, I and Leo were a little close in the industry, I think that was the reason she said those things, there''s really nothing between us. ''''


    Hazel smiled, but Claire couldn''t discern if she was faking it or not.


    '''' don''t worry, ha-ha, rumors fly around in the industry, so I don''t take everything I hear seriously. ''''


    ''''yea, Leo, I''ll be going home now, see you at work. '''' She waved at them;


    ''''Alright, call me when you get home. '''' He said and she nodded; ''''Okay.''''


    Claire heaved a sigh as she walked out of the hall and to her car. Even though Hazel said she didn''t take what Larissa said to heart, she knew she was going to be quite attentive to them now, and she was bound to realize something as long as they were still this close.


    Pain tugged at her heart as she looked out the window; she would have to give them space. If she was in Hazel''s position she wouldn''t even want the man she was dating to have a female best friend, she wondered how it must be for her to pretend that she was fine with it. No woman was fine with it, so she had to do the needful. It would be bearable if she created the space herself than Leo doing it, she wasn''t sure she would bear it if he did it first.


    ¡­


    Hazel was quiet through the ride home, her eyes gazed outside. Leo had not said a word about what happened at the party and she didn''t want to be the first to bring it up, but that didn''t mean she was not bothered.


    She would have overlooked it if it was just about what the lady said, but no, she had been seeing some other signs.


    Since they started going out, Leo had not initiated any intimacy. The highest they had done was to kiss and they barely lasted because he would always end it as though there was something on his mind. She didn''t want to think about it too much but what made her concerned was the fact that he would mistakenly call her Claire sometimes.


    When he realized himself he would apologize and say that he was a little too used to calling her name and it was already a habit. She didn''t want to think much of all these until today when that woman mentioned him liking Claire a little too much.


    They were best friends but wasn''t it too much? They couldn''t stay a single day without him mentioning Claire at least once, she had asked him if he had anything with her in the past and he had denied, so what was all these, or was she overthinking?


    Leo peeked at Hazel a number of times as he drove her home, even though she was not saying anything; he knew she was mad about what happened at the party. She was right to be mad, any woman would, but telling her that he once had feelings for Claire would just be pouring salt on the injury. It wasn''t going to help in any way; rather it was just going to make her suspicious of everything.


    He drove into her street and stopped on the roadside, turning off the engine.


    ''''Hazel, '''' he called but she did not reply to him;


    ''''I''m sorry for what you heard back there, I and Claire were close at that time so a lot of people misunderstood our relationship, there''s really nothing going on¡­ ''''


    ''''Don''t say that Leo! Don''t lie to me! If you had anything with her in the past, say it and let''s get it over with. I don''t want to always think about every action you do, or am I just a stand-in? What''s actually wrong? ''''


    ''''Hazel, you''re not a stand-in, no¡­ ''''


    ''''Oh really; then tell me, why don''t you do anything intimate with me? The only thing you''ve done was kiss me, and halfhearted kisses at that, as though you can''t wait to be done with it. Leo, I love you but I''m tired, I can''t do this anymore, I just can''t¡­ ''''


    Her words hung in her throat when she felt softness on her lips, and as though a bucket of cold water was emptied on her, her whole body stilled. Leo tilted his head to the side and deepened the kiss. He leaned closer and pulled her forward, kissing her intensely.


    Hazel''s hands which were on her laps raised to him and tugged on his hair, pulling at it as they kissed each other wildly; after what seemed like hours, Leo finally let go of her lips and they panted.


    His eyes opened and they fell on her flushed face. He stared at her for a minute before he brushed the hair away from her face;


    ''''I''m sorry for making you sad; ''''


    Hazel''s eyes fluttered open and they locked in his; she was mad right now, but one kiss from him, and she was melting like a puddle.


    ''''Don''t make me worry again, okay? '''' she peeked at him with puppy eyes and Leo shook his head.


    ''''I won''t. '''' She smiled and kissed him finally on the lips before opening the door;


    ''''Call me when you get home. ''''


    ''''Yeah, goodnight ''''


    ''''sweet dreams; ''''


    Leo watched her walk into her house and shut the door, then his head fell against the steering;


    He was f.u.c.k.i.e.d up¡­

 Chapter 232 - Ex

    --So guys, I know some of you are backlashing Leo for dating Hazel when he still has feelings for Claire, um, remember no human is perfect, everyone is bound to make mistakes, just take it as a normal human being making mistakes, but that does not mean you are not allowed to eat him up, haha, backlashing is allowed! I just wanted to clear it up.


    ...


    He was so f.u.c.k.i.e.d up!


    How could he think of Claire when kissing Hazel? He tried to shut her out and concentrate but no matter how much he tried she kept appearing in his eyes. Even today at the party, when he saw her, his heart still skipped a beat. What was wrong with him? Why did he still have feelings for someone who didn''t love him?


    He thought dating someone else would take away the feeling but no, anytime he saw her, he still felt that pang in his chest. Maybe he needed more time to get over her. Maybe he just needed to get more intimate with Hazel then maybe he would stop thinking about her.


    Leo slammed his hand against the steering, a frustrated sigh leaving his lips. It was his fault for waiting this long, if he had given up on her a long time ago, his love wouldn''t have grown so deep and taken roots in his heart. But it is fine, he was progressing with Hazel, if he spent more and more time with her, surely, his love for Claire would diminish. She was a sweet soul and it hurt him that he didn''t love her the way he should. It hurt him that he had lied to her, even though he knew it was for the best. She didn''t deserve this and he was going to try his best to treat her better.


    ¡­


    ''''Tiana? ''''


    Tiana''s footsteps stopped when she heard a familiar voice call and she turned around in shock; her eyes shot open when she saw the last person that could ever come into her mind;


    ''''Ad¡­Adrian? '''' The name sounded strange on her lips, she couldn''t believe that someone whom she loved so deeply and even imagined a future with could feel this alien.


    Her brows creased as she watched him, not saying another word. Logically, she should have turned around and walked back to their table where Nicklaus was waiting for her, but she didn''t know why her legs pinned to a spot.


    Adrian''s face filled with surprise and shock, first, this was Singapore, what was she doing here? This was the last place he had expected to see her. He stood reluctantly for a minute before he walked towards her,


    ''''Tiana, it''s been a long time. '''' He smiled as his eyes admired her, Tiana couldn''t say, but she saw a flash of surprise in his eyes as though he was stunned at how she had turned out.


    ''''you look more beautiful than ever¡­ '''' he said, his eyes flicking down the length of her body before stopping on her face again.


    Tiana was quietly staring at him; now she thought about it, what even attracted her to this man in the first place?


    Was she so blind in love that she didn''t even notice the flaws on his face? Come'' on, how didn''t she see his almost bald hair?


    Tiana held in her chuckle and smiled; ''''you don''t look bad either; it''s been a long time. ''''


    ''''Yeah, really long, didn''t know I''ll meet you here in Singapore. What are you doing here? ''''


    To think he was acting as though he had done nothing to her; as though he did not leave without a second thought and got together with another person in less than a month.


    Tsk! Tiana couldn''t believe she actually fell for this person. Was she cast a love spell or something?


    ''''I''m here on a vacation, you? '''' She asked, with a sweet smile on her lips. Contrary to expected, she wasn''t even feeling anything for him, not even the slightest anger. In fact, she was happy things ended that way; else she wouldn''t have married Nicklaus.


    ''''Wow, I''m on a vacation too, with my girlfriend. ''''


    Oh, she''s still a girlfriend. Tiana held in a chuckle as she thought;


    ''''Wow, that''s great, where is she? '''' She looked behind him as though searching for his girlfriend.


    ''''She''s at the table; I came to use the restroom when I saw you. ''''


    ''''Oh, okay, extend my greetings to her. '''' she grinned at him;


    ''''Yeah, I will. '''' Adrian said, his eyes still staring at her like she was some very cooked meal.


    ''''Are you staying around for long? Let''s exchange contacts so we can meet some other time and hang out or something?''''


    It was over 6 months; she should be done with the contract with Nicklaus Howells, and Adrian knew Tiana loved him a little too much. He just needed to tell her that he didn''t contact her because of Nicklaus and he had to get a girlfriend in other to prove that he really had nothing to do with her anymore, and she would come running into his arms.


    Damn, how did he let such a beauty slip away from his hands? He couldn''t believe he had such beauty and he let her go.


    Tiana laughed lightly; how stupid did he think she was? That she would want to have anything to do with him after so long? Now she thought about it, how did she ever forgive him after five months of not communicating? He said he was writing his final exams but that did not mean that he wasn''t with his phone?


    Damn! He must really see her as a big fool!


    Tiana chuckled, and then peeked at her phone as though someone was calling;


    ''''My bad, my hubby is calling me, I need to go now. '''' She smiled sweetly at him, making sure to catch the shocked expression on his face before she turned around with a satisfied smirk.


    ''''Bye; '''' she said walking away without glancing back.

 Chapter 233 - An asshole

    ''''What took you too long? '''' Nicklaus asked as Tiana sat down in front of him.


    She shook her head; ''''oh, I didn''t know I took too long. '''' She smiled at him, her eyes flickered when she saw Adrian walk towards a table a few feet apart from them, and her eyes fell to the girl sitting on the table, and surprisingly, it wasn''t the girl from the photos she had seen a few months ago; Tiana laughed, she couldn''t hold it in anymore. Adrian was really an asshole!


    ''''What''s funny? '''' Nicklaus wondered when he saw her laugh all of a sudden; Tiana shook her head;


    ''''Nothing, don''t mind me, I just remembered something. '''' Even if she would tell him about Adrian it wasn''t going to be here, she still didn''t know what he told him that made him leave without a single word, she would ask him when they got back to the room.


    Her eyes shifted to the duo again and at the moment, her eyes locked in Adrian''s and she smiled; she liked the look of shock on his face, she can''t even imagine what he would look like when he saw whom her said ''husband'' is.


    After a moment, Tiana turned to Nicklaus; ''''Baby, let''s get going now, I''m tired. '''' she said, standing up from her seat; Nicklaus nodded and picked his phone from the table, taking her hand, he walked out of the restaurant. He didn''t see Adrian, or even if he did, he could not remember him, so it was just Tiana who enjoyed the petrified look on his face as she watched him stare at them with shock.


    She felt very satisfied watching his face drain of all color, he was an ass. Even if Nicklaus threatened him to leave, he was already an ass before then, she was so grateful for how everything turned out, if not she might have realized what an ass he was a little too late.


    ''''Hubby, guess who I saw today? '''' Tiana finally said when they got to the hotel. Nicklaus slouched back on the couch and shifted his eyes from his phone to her; ''''who? ''''


    Tiana slid into the duvet and turned to him with a grin; ''''Adrian. ''''


    His brows creased as though wondering who Adrian was; ''''who is that? Do I know him? ''''


    ''''My ex; ''''


    Nicklaus blinked as he remembered the man who kissed her in front of the company, and he swallowed;


    ''''where did you see him? ''''


    ''''At the restaurant, I met him when I left the ladies restroom;


    ''''Oh, that was what kept you for long? '''' he asked and she nodded;


    ''''Okay¡­ '''' Nicklaus said and turned back to his phone; Tiana lay lazily on the bed as she stared at him with a grin, waiting for him to ask what they talked about because she knew it was eating him up inside;


    And after the longest time, he finally asked; ''''so what did he say? ''''


    She laughed out loud, clearing her throat; ''''well, we talked about a lot, but first, what did you tell him to make him leave? ''''


    Nicklaus brows etched at her question and he blinked;


    ''''Nothing much, I just told him never to meet you again, it seems he doesn''t value his life much. ''''


    Nicklaus replied, a frown forming on his forehead. Tiana laughed; ''''I trust you aren''t as jobless as to go after him because he met me coincidentally, we have a lot of other things to worry about okay, leave him, he is in the past, it''s not like I even want to have anything to do him, I really wonder what I was doing with that kind of a person.''''


    Her reply irked his interest and he turned to her with a grin; ''''why do you say so? ''''


    Tiana shook her head in surprise at her choice of love interest; ''''Well, I just realized that I had been a fool in the past. '''' She sat up on the bed, placing a pillow on her thighs;


    ''''You know, Adrian didn''t contact me for five months until he was back from med school; when I asked, he said he was busy with exams but now I think about it, even though he was writing exams, it didn''t stop him from using his phone, did it? I can''t even believe that actually believed that story and took him back and then when that issue happened, he quickly got together with another person as though I didn''t even mean anything; and as if that was not enough, today when he saw me, he was trying to get back to me as though I''m some old abandoned clothes, like hell! He acted as though he didn''t do anything wrong! How foolish he must think I am!''''


    Nicklaus laughed as he watched her seethe in anger; ''''so what did you do? ''''


    Tiana scoffed; ''''Trust me, I slapped his stupid guts on his face when I told him my husband was waiting for me; you needed to see the shock on his face when he saw you. I can''t even imagine that I was stupidly in love with him, he isn''t even attractive at all, baby, he even had bald hair, bald hair! ''''


    Nicklaus burst into a fit of laughter; he held his stomach as he laughed. Her reaction as she said that was epic;


    ''''God, beautiful, cut him some slack he is a human being; ''??? Nicklaus was happy hearing her talk about her ex like that; at first he was scared that there was some lingering feelings but now he was glad, there was no need going after him again, she didn''t even want to have anything to do with him.


    ''''Tch, strange people do exist. I''m so happy I ended things with him then; I can''t even imagine being married to such a person, I would have cried for the rest of my life. ''''


    Tiana laughed at herself; right now, the best decision she had ever made was being his mistress, even if she was taken back in time, she would choose to be his mistress over and over again.


    ''''How is your sister? ''''


    `

 Chapter 234 - Brown Hair

    ''''How is your sister? ''''


    Nicklaus asked suddenly making Tiana turn to him with surprise. This was the first time he was asking about Gwen;


    ''''Oh, Gwen, she''s doing fine, she''s in New York, practicing to be a makeup artist. ''''


    ''''Mm¡­ '''' Nicklaus nodded; after a moment, he said;


    ''''I met her once, one of the days I waited for you at your house; ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened, ''''really? '''' Gwen didn''t say anything about meeting him. She was quite stunned when he said that;


    ''''Yeah, she told me you didn''t want to see me anymore, and that I shouldn''t come to you again, I tried to talk to her, but she didn''t even want to hear me out. ''''


    ''''Haha, '''' Tiana laughed; ''''she was just being protective of me, that''s how Gwen is. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; ''''Alright, I''ll like to meet her, when will she be back? ''''


    ''''Um, this time next year, but if we have our wedding before then, she''ll surely come back. ''''


    ''''Alright ''''


    Three weeks later


    ¡­


    Today was a rush, there was an important meeting with the CEO and Claire was already late, her phone was buzzing with calls and she cursed under her breath as she ran towards the building. Her steps slowed when she saw she wasn''t the only one late, many others were running towards the elevator as the meeting was to be held upstairs.


    Claire ran to the first elevator but it was filled already and she couldn''t wait so she ran to the second, thankfully it was still half-empty, as she got in, she froze as she stood face to face with Leo.


    She had been avoiding him for weeks now and the first time she was seeing him after so long was in an elevator with no escape. She blinked severally and quickly pulled her eyes from him, going to stand by his side.


    Just when the elevator was about to close, it flung open and a large number of people flooded in; and in the blink of an eye; Claire was stuffed in between two people. She turned her head to the side so she could breathe properly. A woman was in front and a man behind her, she was very uncomfortable because her backside was rubbing against the man, but she couldn''t help it, she just prayed for them to get off quickly.


    Leo clenched his fists as he tried to stop himself from thinking about the woman by his side. She was trying to shift but there was little or no space for that, and the man behind her was having his fill of her backside; he wanted to ignore, but he could not bring himself to, he forced his eyes to look forward and not think about her, but when he heard her short frustrated sigh, he couldn''t help it, and in a second, he pulled her towards him, making her face him. The people in the elevator turned to him with an angry glare but he didn''t mind them.


    Claire''s eyes widened in shock at his action, and she looked up at him;


    ''''Stay like this; we''ll soon get off,'''' he said, his eyes still looking forward as though she was not the person he was talking to.


    Claire gulped and her head fell, she couldn''t help the pounding of her heart against her chest, it was so loud that she wondered if he could hear it. Suddenly the person in front of them shifted making her slam into him, her hands involuntarily gripping his shirt;


    Quickly, she let go of him as though she touched a hot object; ''''sorry; '''' she immediately apologized. Leo kept mute as though he did not notice her actions; his eyes still stared indifferently.


    Claire could not control her pounding chest and a thousand thoughts that raced through her mind, she prayed the elevator would open quickly and they would get out, why the hell was everyone going to the last floor?!


    ''''you dyed your hair?''''


    She was kicked out of her thoughts when she heard his voice ask in a whisper; she had dyed her hair brown a week ago, but he was just seeing it now;


    ''''yeah; '''' she replied meekly, her head still down. Wasn''t he offended that she had been avoiding him for a while now?


    He was quiet for a moment;


    ''''It suits you; ''''


    ''''Thank you; '''' she said, involuntarily breathing in his scent. He smelt so nice and so manly; she imagined what it would feel like to hug him. Her heart sank when she remembered the night he had begged to hug her and she felt so awkward. Right now, she could die to be given a five seconds hug.


    Sadly, the elevator clicked open and everyone started to leave. Claire badly wanted to linger but she couldn''t. Biting her lower lip, she turned around painfully and walked out of the elevator.


    ''''you got time this weekend? ''''


    Leo asked as he walked out of the elevator. He knew she had been avoiding him, even going as far as sending all his calls to voicemail; but it was his birthday this weekend, and he really wanted her to be there.


    Claire stopped in her tracks and she turned to him; she knew why he was asking, but she pretended as though she didn??t know,


    ''''No, I don''t, I won''t even be in town, I have a shoot in Texas. ''''


    Leo nodded painfully, ''''Okay; wish you a safe trip. ''''


    ''''yeah; '''' Claire nodded and turned around, continuing to the meeting room.


    Leo stood at a spot staring at her walk away. Even after so many weeks, just one look at her and all his feelings came flooding back in. He knew she was avoiding him, ever since that night. He knew it might be because of what Larissa had said, knowing her, she wouldn''t want Hazel to misunderstand them, but if they continued like this, they might never be friends anymore.


    Leo sighed, running his hand through his hair;


    He cared about Claire and valued their friendship a lot but if this was what she wanted then so be it. He wouldn''t want to force her to do things she didn''t want to do. Surely, as long as they were with different people and he once had feelings for her, they were bound to get distant. Maybe this was for the best; it would help him forget her.


    .

 Chapter 235 - Disappointed

    '''' Hey ''''


    Diana answered her phone after the fifth missed call. It wasn''t intentional; she was shooting a scene when he called.


    ''''Hi, I''ve been calling you, '''' Michael spoke when he heard her voice;


    ''''So sorry, just saw your missed calls now, I was shooting a scene. ''''


    ''''No worries, I''m outside the venue.''''


    Diana''s eyes widened; ''''really? '''' they were shooting a scene at a hotel, a little far from the central city, although she told him about it, she was not expecting him to come, so she was surprised;


    ''''Are you serious right now? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I''m outside, it''s raining heavily, I''m inside my car. ''''


    Diana peeked outside, it was raining heavily. He had come all the way here in the rain just to see her, wasn''t it a little¡­?


    ''''I was meeting someone around the area, so I figured I should stop by, and maybe drive you home if you want, you mentioned coming in the crew''s van; ''''


    Right;


    Diana looked down at her feet, and the little excitement that was about bustling inside of her died before it could even ignite;


    He was just being thoughtful as usual;


    A smile slanted her lips as she thanked him immediately; ''''Oh, thank you. That was so thoughtful of you. I''ll be out in a moment; give me a second. '''' Diana cut the call and turned to the others. She had finished her shoot for the day, so she was free to leave; after telling the director that she was leaving with a friend, she turned to the exit.


    Diana stood at the entrance, and she looked around the parking lot for a familiar-looking car, suddenly a car door pulled open and Michael stepped out with an umbrella in hand. He walked to her and put it over her head; his eyes glanced at her body and he frowned;


    ''''The weather is too cold, and you wore something so light? '''' He scolded, his eyes looking over what she wore;


    Diana gulped; she was wearing a sweater but it wasn''t thick, she did not know how cold the weather was because they were inside a heated room. It was when she stepped out of the hotel that the cold air hit her ribs.


    ''''I didn''t realize the cardigan was this light, haha ''''


    Michael watched her for a second then took out the long coat he was putting on and dr.a.p.ed it over her body.


    ''''There, you should take care of your body more, unless you want to fall sick. ''''


    Diana''s eyes widened in shock at his gesture, and she quickly looked away from him. He gave her his coat and he was left with a wooly shirt, which was nothing to the colds of early January.


    ''''Don''t worry, I''m fine, we''ll get home soon and now you''re more n.a.k.e.d than I am; you might catch a cold. ''''


    She said, trying to take off the coat but Michael stopped her with his hands;


    ''''I''m fine, now let''s just go and don''t argue, okay? ''''


    Diana''s lips opened to say something but she decided against it and followed him peacefully to the car; he held it open for her and closed it after she got in.


    Diana couldn''t help being confused; what was his plan?


    Even if he was naturally this nice, did he not think for one moment, that she would actually start falling for him?


    Did it not cross his mind even the slightest?


    Her heart squeezed when she remembered what she had overheard a few weeks ago; he didn''t like her obviously, so why was he being too nice? If he wanted s.e.x, he could just ask, she might sleep with him just for the fun of it, but trying to get her to fall for him this way, was just not sitting well with her.


    ''''What are you thinking? ''''


    Diana was kicked out of her thoughts when Michael leaned to help her with her seatbelt. His face was a little too close, and she felt her body stiffen until he was back in his position;


    '''' nothing, just blanked out for a moment; '''' she smiled, her eyes turning to the window; he seemed like a nice guy in the beginning but now all she could think of him was a disappointment. Before she would be excited to be in the same space with him, but now, she was sad whenever she was with him.


    She stared out the window silently as she watched the trees go by;


    If he was been straight with her it would be better, doing it this way was not going to work, especially now she knew his true feelings.


    Why was she so unlucky with friends?


    Diana pouted; maybe she hurt the friendship goddess in her past life.


    '''' do you wanna have dinner before going home?''''


    Diana turned to him when she heard him speak; she wanted to say yes, but knowing she would just lose appetite eating with him, she shook her head;


    ''''No, I''ll eat at home tonight, thank you. '''' she smiled and leaned back on the chair. Maybe she should cut him off entirely? Was that the best?


    Diana thought for a moment.


    For a moment, she really thought she found a friend, how could someone who looked so nice actually nurse those bad thoughts?


    If he wanted to use her, he should have done it that night when he found her drunk, why until now?


    She bit her tongue sadly; Men were indeed surprising!


    Michael stared at the road uncomfortably;


    Diana was just too quiet; well she had been this way for some time now, but this night was very obvious. It was as though she could not wait to get out of the car.


    His throat tightened as he wondered what he must have done wrong recently but he couldn''t think of anything.


    ''''How was shoot today? '''' He asked, wondering if she was having a bad day at work.


    Diana nodded; ''''it was perfect. '''' her reply was curt as she kept her eyes on the road.


    Michael gulped; ''''okay; ''''


    If it was before, she would have asked about his day, but she didn''t even care, it was obvious she didn''t want to keep the conversation going. Michael couldn''t help but feel a pang in his chest.

 Chapter 236 - Cute Hubby

    He was really bothered by how she was acting;


    ''''Is anything bothering you? '''' He asked, his brows creasing with concern.


    Diana sat up immediately, realizing that he had noticed her sad demeanor.


    ''''No haha, I''m sorry if I''m too quiet, I''m just feeling a little sleepy that''s all, I just want to get home and have a nice rest, today had been stressful.''''


    ''''Oh, okay. '''' Michael knew that it wasn''t what was bothering her but he did not pry anymore, it was obvious she didn''t want to talk about it.


    When he got to her home, the rain had stopped falling; he opened the door for her to step out.


    ''''Thanks for today, at least I get to come back home early; '''' She smiled, taking off the coat and giving it to him; ''''and thanks for the coat too. ''''


    ''''You''re welcome. ''''


    Michael took the coat from her but did not move.


    Diana stared at him for a moment; ''''um, drive home safely, goodnight. ''???


    She said and he nodded then she turned to leave, but then she stopped and looked at him.


    Should she ask him about it?


    Should she ask him about what he said over the phone? Diana''s throat dried at that thought and her lips opened but she quickly shut it and smiled, ''''goodnight; '''' she said instead and walked away briskly.


    What use was it? If she asked him, he was just going to manufacture a lie; so there was no need asking him. She would just reduce their closeness so there was no need for him to come to see her often as he used to. She would keep him distant; he was not worth having as a close friend, not at all.


    Diana felt sad at that thought. It hurt her that she was going to do this but she didn''t have a choice, he was not a friend. If she kept him by her side, she would just be digging her own pit.


    Michael stared at the figure walking away from him as though he was a pest and he blinked painfully. Even without saying, he knew he was the reason for her soberness. Right now, she wanted to say something to him, but she had stopped herself, he wondered what was so bad that she had stopped herself from saying it.


    Michael stood still wondering where he had gone wrong, but he couldn''t even think of anything, all he had been to her was caring and kind. Or was she thinking he was playing with her?


    Michael''s eyes turned to the building. He didn''t want to believe it himself, but he actually liked this woman. Whether it was her innocence, her face, her smile, her laughter, every single thing about her made him happy. And he just wanted to be close to her all the time.


    Earlier, he didn''t have any meeting around the area; he just went to pick her up because she mentioned she didn''t go with her driver. He realized he liked her a lot but he did not want her to feel he was too forward or that he just wanted to take advantage of her, so he took it slow. He wanted them to be on the same page before he told her how he felt, but right now, he didn''t know where this was heading to.


    Michael heaved a sigh and entered the car driving out of the compound.


    ¡­


    ''''congrats baby!! Jeez! The whole internet is exploding! Congrats dear, I''m so happy for you. ''''


    Claire called Tiana to congratulate them on their marriage announcement. They came back to the states a week ago, and Nicklaus announced it a day ago. Tiana''s following that was just a measly 5k skyrocketed to 100k in just one day, and the next day she was topping 500k followings.


    The internet was hot with the news because Nicklaus was one of the most handsome bachelors in California (*guys, I want you to picture someone a little more handsome than Zayn Malik, author just started crushing, haha* );


    Some congratulated her, while some just followed to troll on her; and before long, they had already dug out her past and how she was from a poor background and called her a gold digger. Tiana expected it, so she didn''t think much of it; she just kept away from reading the comments and checking the news.


    Many companies were offering her contracts already, media stations asking for interviews, Tiana didn''t want to go to interviews or come out to the public now, so she just stayed indoors, ate, and face time with her husband when he was at work.


    ''''Thanks, dear, everything is happening so fast. ''''


    ''''yeah, I can see, just hold up okay, when is the wedding going to be, girllll, I can''t wait! ''''


    ''''Haha, it''s going to be very soon, we haven''t fixed the date yet. ''''


    ''''Alright take care of yourself okay? ''''


    ''''Yeah, you too, bye ''''


    Tiana ended the call and slumped back on the bed, her phone has been buzzing with calls since that morning, her lips hurt from smiling and saying the same thing over and over again.


    She clicked on her gallery and scrolled up slowly, she smiled when she saw the photos she took of Nicklaus last night while he was sleeping. In the picture, he was hugging her around her torso, and his head resting peacefully on her stomach. He looked very cute as he slept and she couldn''t help taking a picture of him.


    A thought came to her mind and she clicked on her IG and posted the picture with a caption;


    ''Hubby is so cute while he sleeps, I just can''t get enough of this face'' and with a blushing emoji, she tagged him to it and quickly posted it;


    She grinned at herself and she clicked on his profile;


    He had 5.2 million followers but he was following only her. Tiana''s face reddened when she saw it. It made her feel so damn special. He didn''t post much, she wondered while he had so many followings.


    Suddenly her phone vibrated in her hand and she laughed when she saw it was Nicklaus calling;


    She quickly swiped up and switched it to video call;


    ''''Baby! ''''

 Chapter 237 - Grandmas visit

    Tiana laughed when his face came to view; she knew he called because of the picture she posted.


    ''''When did you take that? '''' Nicklaus smirked;


    ''''While you were sleeping and hugging me like I was going to disappear the next minute. '''' she grinned at him. '''' do you not like it? should I delete it?''''


    ''''No! no, I love it, don''t delete it, it''s cute. '''' he smiled,


    ''''So what are you up to? ''''


    ''''Just finished with a meeting, about going in for another.''''


    ''''Oh, so sorry, you have a lot of work to do today. '''' Tiana pouted sadly; it''s been very stressful for him since they came back from their honeymoon.


    ''''yeah, I think I''ll be back late today, don''t wait up for me, okay? ''''


    ''''Hmm, you know it''s not possible but do not worry, take your time, don''t stress yourself out too much. ''''


    ''''Alright, talk to you later. ''''


    ''''yeah ''''


    Tiana flung the phone to the other side of the bed and shut her eyes, a tired sigh leaving her lips. Finally, she was done with calls; she would sleep a little before having lunch. But before she could even call sleep, she heard a light knock on the door. She tried to ignore but the knock came again and she dragged herself from the bed, going to open the door;


    ''''Bella, '''' Tiana smiled when she saw Bella standing on the other side of the door.


    ''''It''s been long; I''ve not really seen you around. ''''


    ''''Yeah, my mom was very sick took a leave to go look after her. ''''


    ''''Oh, so sorry ''''


    ''''I''m happy for you, seems things have changed a lot for you, ''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''yeah you can say that. ''''


    ''''Mm, that''s great. Um, Mr. Nicklaus''s grandmother is waiting for you in the living room. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened; ''''oh, okay, I''ll be there in a minute. ''''


    ''''Alright,'''' Bella nodded and walked away. Tiana shut the door, her eyes wide open. Why was grandma here? Was it because of the news? Was she in support or against it?


    Tiana wondered. His grandma was very nice to her, but she was must have supported her husband right? Tiana wondered as she wore something good and hurried downstairs.


    Her steps faltered when she saw Grandma. She was eating from a plate of fruits and when she saw her she smiled sweetly;


    ''''Tiana darling, come, come over here. '''' She called standing and opening her arms for a hug. Tiana was surprised but she walked to her and let her embrace her.


    ''''No-one told me about the marriage, and where is that arrogant grandson of mine!'''' Grandma faked annoyance as she looked behind Tiana.


    ''''He''s at work. '''' Tiana smiled, alright, it''s settled, Grandma was in support of them.


    ''Alright, I''m so happy to hear the news! But family should have been informed first, it isn''t good to hear this first on the TV, we were so shocked. ''''


    Grandma smiled, bringing Tiana to sit beside her.


    ''''We''re so sorry, we''re still planning on visiting home, I''m sorry we didn''t do it sooner. '''' Tiana apologized as Grandma held her hand.


    '''' don''t worry, I''m no longer angry now I''ve seen you. '''' She beamed, and her eyes fell on Tiana''s tummy;


    ''''So how are you? I hope you are eating properly? ''''


    Tiana''s cheeks flushed when she realized what Grandma meant;


    ''''Oh, haha, we''re not trying for a baby now, it''ll be after the wedding. ''''


    ''''Oh, the wedding, when is it? ''''


    Tiana scratched her head; ''''I don''t know for now, but we''ll inform you of the date as soon as we fix it. ''''


    ''''Hmm, it''s still far then, you should eat properly and get your body fit in case a baby comes before then, see your cheeks you''re so thin! ''''


    Grandma pinched Tiana''s chin. ''''Tsk tsk, Nicklaus isn''t feeding you properly, does he even know what it means to have a baby? ''''


    Grandma''s brows creased with worry and as though she thought of something, she took out her phone and dialed someone;


    ''''Grandma, haha, don''t worry yourself, we''re not going to have a baby now. ''''


    Tiana tried to reason with grandma but it was too late since she was already speaking with someone on the phone;


    ''''... send me a balanced nutritional diet list for a woman wanting to have a baby¡­ alright, thanks. ''''


    ''''There, I''ll make sure you eat properly from now on, I don''t want my great-grandchild to be skinny. ''''


    Tiana heaved a sigh when she saw that persuading grandma was just pouring water on stone, so she let her have her way.


    "'' Oh right, he has sent it. '''' Grandma beamed as she clicked on the list and scrolled,


    ''''Yeah, where is the chef? '''' she called, and a worker passing by went in to call the chef. In a few minutes, the chef walked to them;


    ''''yeah, I want you to make all these items available and make sure she''s well-fed with them, get a pen and paper. ''''


    Tiana slumped back on the couch as she watched Grandma call the items out excitedly. For a moment, it made her remember her mom. She tried to picture the excitement on her face seeing her married and praying that she would have a baby soon.


    The joy she was feeling now, would have been more. But then, no matter how much she imagined it, it would never be a reality. Tiana blinked forcing herself out of those thoughts;


    ''''We''ll start with a plate of fruit salad; get her a plate of fruits salad, she needs to be nourished; ''''


    ''''yes ma''am. '''' the chef nodded and walked away, Tiana rolled her eyes, this was going to be a really long day.


    By the time Nicklaus came back home, Grandma was gone. She had waited for him, but Tiana told her that he would be home late and they would come to see her soon, so she left.


    Tiana was sprawled out on the bed when Nicklaus walked in.


    ''''Beautiful, I''m home. '''' He said, taking off his socks; his eyes fell on her body sprawled out on the bed and he chuckled;


    ''''what''s wrong? ''''

 Chapter 238 - Promise me

    ''''Grandma came; she made me eat a lot. '''' Tiana groaned as she lay on the bed.''''


    ''''Grandma? '''' Nicklaus asked, walking into the room; ''''where is she? ''''


    ''''She left a while ago; she wanted to wait for you but I told her you were not going to be home soon, so she left, but not before I promised that we would come to visit. ''''


    Nicklaus smiled, going to the bed and kissing her cheeks; '''' missed you; ''''


    Tiana pouted and she shifted on her position so she would kiss his lips; ''''have you had dinner? ''''


    She asked looking concerned and Nicklaus shook his head; ''''no, not yet. ''''


    ''''Alright, go take a shower, I''ll have your meal ready before you come out. ''''


    ''''Alright; '''' Nicklaus kissed her chin before he stood up and undressed.


    Tiana watched him; today, while she spoke to Grandma, she asked him about Nicklaus''s birthday, and she was surprised when Grandma said it was in the next two weeks. When he came back, she wanted to ask him about it, but after a second thought, she decided to surprise him.


    She watched him enter the bathroom before she stood up to go get his meal.


    By the time Nicklaus came out of the bathroom, the table was set.


    He dressed quickly and came to sit on the dining, Tiana sitting down beside him;


    ''''aren''t you going to eat? '''' Nicklaus asked when he saw that she was just sitting and not eating;


    She shook her head;


    ''''I told you, Grandma made me eat a lot, my tummy still hurts; '''' she rubbed on her tummy, showing how full she was already;


    ''''Why did she make you eat so much? '''' he asked, looking at her amused;


    Tiana pouted; ''''she says she didn''t want her baby great-grandchild to be skinny, so she fed me, she said she would send food supplements every week to keep my body healthy for a baby, ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; '''' didn''t you tell her we aren''t getting pregnant yet; ''''


    ''''I did! I even told her we aren''t even trying for a baby yet but she would not listen, she says she wouldn''t want us to be caught unawares, so it''s better safe than sorry. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; Grandma had always been that way, sweet and caring, he didn''t blame her.


    '''' don''t mind grandma okay? She can''t help being that way, ''''


    ''''Yeah, I know, '''' Tiana smiled; she knew grandma was like that because she had to act like a mom, and a grandmom for Nicklaus because Nicklaus''s mother was no more so she didn''t think too much of it. It was just what anyone would do in that position.


    ''''I''ll start work properly next week; '''' Tiana said after a while; ''''I''ve rested so much that my body feels numb ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; ''''okay, it''s fine as long as you are well guarded, ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''yeah¡­'''' she said and thought for a while; ''''Douglas has been eerily quiet; I''m getting very worried now. ''??


    Nicklaus grip on his fork tightened but then he continued eating;


    ''''Heard he was out of the state for a while, I think he''s back now. ''''


    ''''Oh¡­ '''' Tiana breathed, if he was back does that mean¡­


    She watched her husband silently, and for a moment she imagined something happening to him and she quickly shook her head, no, no, if something happened to him, it would wreck her soul. Right now, he was what kept her moving, if anything happened to him, she wasn''t sure she would be able to survive it.


    Raising her hand, she rubbed on his arm;


    ''''Take care of yourself for me, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus turned to her and his heart melted when he saw the sad look on her face.


    He smiled and kissed her hand; ''''Nothing will happen to me, don''t look so sad. ''''


    He smiled at her and Tiana heaved a sigh; ''''I just can''t help getting worried. I feel like something bad would happen soon; '''' She was having those woman instincts again; the same she felt the day she was coming back to the states from France, no matter how much she tried to ignore it, it was still there.


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''for something bad to happen, is a given, our concern is being able to survive it and surely, we will so don''t bother yourself about the unknown.''''


    Tiana pouted; ''''I''ll really be sad if something happens to you, it''ll wreck me. ''''


    Nicklaus sighed; she was just worrying herself too much; ''''Love, I''ll make sure nothing happens to me, I''ll be very careful ''''


    Tears gathered in Tiana''s eyes, she was just imagining the worst things right now;


    ''''Promise me? ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; ''''I promise, now if you say another word, I''m gonna make you eat more food. ''''


    Tiana quickly shut her lips; she did not even want to dream of eating another spoon of food, her tummy would literally explode. That night, she held him close as they talked for a long while. Nicklaus listened to her talk about her childhood, the happy moments, and the sad times. When she was done talking, she made him talk about his too and how his life was living with Elizabeth. After the longest time, they finally slept off snuggled in each other''s arms.


    ¡­


    Diana peeked at her phone vibrating on the table and her lips thinned;


    She had been avoiding his calls for a while now; not because she didn''t want to pick but because she didn''t know what to talk with him anymore. After contemplating for a while, she swiped the phone;


    ''''Michael, hi, ''''


    ''''Diana, how are you, it''s been a while; ''''


    "'' Mm, I''m fine, hope you''re good ''''. Diana was surprised that he wasn''t asking why she had not been picking his calls; maybe he already got the hint that she was avoiding him now.


    ''''Are you done with work?''''


    She was about to leave for home but she knew if she said yes, he was going to ask to pick her, so she replied; ''''No, not yet, still have a lot to do. Today''s been very stressful. ''''


    ''''Oh, so sorry, don''t overwork yourself, okay? ''''


    ''''yeah, I won''t; thank you. '''' Diana gulped, it''s been a while she told a lie, she wasn''t sure if she sounded convincing.


    There was silence for a moment on the other side, after a while Michael spoke;


    ''''When do you have time? We need to talk. ''''

 Chapter 239 - We need to talk

    ''''When do you have time? We need to talk. ''''


    Diana''s heart missed a beat at his words and her throat felt dry suddenly. What did he want to talk to her about? Did he not want the friendship anymore? Obviously, that was it, there was nothing else they would talk about, except maybe he wanted to ask her why she was acting the way she was.


    Her hands scratched on the table as her heart raced a little; did she not want the friendship anymore?


    That question, she wasn''t yet sure of the answer.


    ''''Um, this weekend, I''ll be free this weekend; we can meet at a restaurant,'''' she said, breathing in. to stable her heartbeat.


    ''''Okay, I''ll text you the venue. '''' Michael replied and she nodded;


    ''''Alright then; take care. ''''


    ''''Yeah, you too ''''


    Michael held the phone to his ear even after he heard the beep; after a moment, he dropped the phone to the passenger''s seat and turned on his ignition. He had stopped by her workplace in case she was done with work, he knew she was avoiding him so he wasn''t sure if she was still avoiding him or she was telling the truth, either way, he couldn''t force her.


    For three days now, she had been this way and even ignoring his messages. He was not the type of person to force someone to do something they didn''t want to do but with Diana, he couldn''t help himself. Even when he said a thousand times that he wouldn''t do it, he found himself calling her again.


    He tried to let go but she was there in his thoughts clinging to him like he was just falling for a woman for the first time. He had thought about how she was acting and the only reason he could find, was she thinking he wanted to take advantage of her, given what he told her about his past; that was why he needed to talk to her, he wanted her to know that he really meant good towards her and that he was trying to be close to her because he wanted something serious, not just some one nightstand.


    Michael stopped at a red light, his head falling back on the headrest.


    But before he mentions this, he would tell her about himself first. The last thing he wanted to do was rope her into something she wouldn''t have agreed to at first.


    The red light turned green and he was kicked out of his thoughts by the honking of vehicles behind him and he drove quickly;


    Now he thought about it, he never wondered if she would want to be with him after he revealed his past to her. First, he was an adopted child, with no inheritance to his name, except some properties he had gotten secretly which was no match to the status of Diana or her family.


    He was rich on his own but compared to Diana, he was nothing. A thought flashed through his mind and Michael gripped the steering tightly;


    Catherine had threatened to hurt Diana if he had anything to do with her. He had told her that she was just a fling and there was nothing else to it, but if she found out that he had been seeing her quite often, she might actually carry out her threat.


    Knowing Catherine Wills, she didn''t warn more than once, and she never took chances. He wasn''t sure what the issue was between her and Nicklaus but he was sure that she would never want him to have anything to do with Diana because it meant automatically siding with the enemy, and she wouldn''t want that.


    A long sigh left his lips when he realized that he was in a bigger mess than he had earlier imagined.


    What would he do?


    Michael thought as he drove into his compound, his eyes still staring blankly. Turning off the ignition, he stepped down from the car and at that moment a thought came to his mind;


    Should he tell Diana the truth and side with Nicklaus against Catherine Wills?


    Michael''s eyes widened when the thought seeped into his mind, how did he not think about this all these while?


    That was it! The only way out of Catherine''s den was siding with her enemy. If he remained silent, it was a matter of time before he would be declared dead by some strange illness or a car accident. Catherine would never keep him alive because he was a living threat to her son''s inheritance.


    The only way against that beast of a woman was being one step ahead of her. He knew he was under great scrutiny in case he said anything against them, so he would be extra careful. But the fact was, he was done being her dog, he wasn''t going to live for them anymore.


    Michael''s heart filled with hope as he walked towards the building, he wished the weekend was just the next day but sadly it was still three days away.


    There was a lot they needed to talk about.


    ¡­.


    Michelle jumped up from the bed, her whole body sweaty. She wiped her face with her hands as she looked around the room, a sigh left her lips when she saw she was still in her room. Douglas turned by her side and he creased his brows when he saw his wife sitting on the bed looking pale as though she had just seen a ghost.


    ''''Darling, what is wrong? '''' He asked and she turned to look at him; she wanted to speak but she quickly shut her lips and shook her head instead;


    ''''Nothing, I think I had a nightmare but I can''t remember what happened. ''''


    She rubbed her face with her both hands, her eyes looking around the room again, she was still scared;


    Douglas watched her for a moment, and then he said;


    ''''Drink some water and you''ll be fine, and cut down on coffee. '''' He scolded and she forced a smile and stepped down from the bed with a nod, going to the water dispenser in the room to have a drink.


    As she filled her cup, her mind went back to the dream she just had.

 Chapter 240 - Trust no-one

    The last thing anyone wants to see is a dead loved one in a dream and when that person is crying at that. Michelle felt goosebumps wash her skin when she remembered how tearful Mia looked in the dream. She was crying bitterly but no matter how much she opened her lips to say a word, nothing could come out of it. She was just standing there crying and moving her lips.


    Michelle was stunned; she screamed at her and asked her why she was crying but Mia could not reply. She just stared at her painfully; after a while, as though like some spell, Michelle''s feet were rooted to the ground and she saw Mia start to walk towards her. She tried to move but her legs could not let her, her heart slammed against her chest until Mia stopped in front of her.


    ''''What is wrong? Why are you crying? '''' Michelle asked, a little scared. Mia stared at her quietly and suddenly she leaned to her right ear and whispered;


    ''''Trust no-one ''''


    And that was when she woke up. She still felt chills on her body. What did she mean by that?


    What did she want to tell her?


    Michelle wondered as she went to lie on the bed, covering herself with the duvet.


    For a minute, she felt she knew why Mia was crying. She gulped as her throat felt dry. The court ruled that the evidence found on Alex wasn''t enough to indict him for the murder of Mia so he was set free. And that meant that there was no killer.


    Her brows creased as she wondered;


    Was Alex really the killer? Or was there another person Mia was trying to tell her about?


    She said she should trust no-one, was her killer someone she trusted?


    Michelle was thrown in confusion. One thing was sure, for Mia to come to her in tears, someone must have killed her. So she must begin the investigation again, but this time, she wasn''t going to tell anyone about it. She would do it secretly.


    A light sigh left her lips as she gazed at the white-colored wall. Why would someone want Mia dead?


    She wondered for a long time but she could not think of anything. Maybe Mia knew that person''s secret and they didn''t want it to be exposed?


    At that thought, her eyes widened;


    Secret¡­ secret¡­


    If there was a secret, Mia would have written it down somewhere. Goosebumps appeared on her skin and she gulped; she would go through her things, thankfully, they didn''t throw them away, they had moved all her personal belongings back to her room in the family home. She would go there as soon as it was morning.


    Michelle''s heart ran fast as she finally saw a slitter of hope after so long. She closed her eyes but she couldn''t bring herself to sleep anymore.


    ¡­


    ''''Where are you off to? '''' Douglas asked when he saw his wife dressing up by 8 am in the morning. Michelle smiled; ''''I want to go see my parents, it''s been a while. ''''


    He was her husband but Mia had said she shouldn''t trust anyone, so she didn''t tell him her real purpose for going.


    ''''Mm¡­'''' He nodded, pulling his gaze away from her.


    When she was done, she picked her bag from the couch and turned to him;


    ''''I''ll be back in the evening, ''''


    ''''Alright ''''


    Michelle drove herself to the family home. Right now, she was scared of everyone around her, what if her driver knew the killer? What if they were monitoring her? She couldn''t help but think a thousand things, so she better be safe than sorry.


    When she got there, she greeted her parents and sat down for breakfast with them, after resting for a while, she asked her parents for the key to Mia''s room, they asked her what she wanted, and she said she just wanted to check something.


    Thankfully, they didn''t pry and just gave her the key. She walked upstairs to Mia''s room, her heartbeat increasing as she approached the door. Unlocking it, she pushed it open and stepped in; it seemed they cleaned it regularly because there was no dust on her floors.


    She dropped the bag on the bed and looked around. Her eyes stopped on Mia''s pictures on the wall. So beautiful and vibrant, the person who killed her did not deserve to live.


    Michelle gulped as she pulled her eyes away from the wall before she would start crying all over again. Breathing in, she locked the door behind her and began what she came for.


    She started with the bookshelf, searching every book one after the other, then the drawer, she lifted the bed, searched every single corner in the room but she could not find anything tangible.


    Michelle sat on the bed exhausted.


    Maybe there was no secret, she thought, but she couldn''t remove the pang in her chest, as though there was really something. Her eyes widened when a thought flashed through her mind and she went downstairs to her mom;


    When she was sure there was no-one around, she asked her;


    ''''where is Mia''s phone?''''


    Her mom''s brows creased in worry; ''''what do you want to do with it? ''''


    Michelle shook her head; ''''nothing, I was just wondering, I didn''t find it in her room. ''''


    ''''It was burnt in the car crash. ''''


    ''''oh, right '''' Michelle remembered but then her brows creased; ''''Mia had three phones, and I can remember, it was just one burnt phone that was recovered. ''''


    Her mom''s eyes widened at her words, as though they were thinking the same thing;


    ''''And she had a laptop, I can''t find it anywhere¡­ ''''


    She could see a shocked expression on her mother''s face and she was sure at that moment, she had the same expression on her face.


    ''''Who moved her property? ''''


    She asked after a moment of silence, and her mom''s eyes wandered;


    ''''We hired some workers to move them; I didn''t think at that time that there was something. ''''


    Michelle facepalmed. Now, she knew someone really had a hand in her death. And she was going to find that person even with the last drop of her blood.

 Chapter 241 - Lets end it

    Diana walked into the private room in the restaurant, her eyes fell on the person sitting by the window side and she forced a smile;


    ''''Hi¡­ ''''


    She said, sitting down beside him. She dropped her handbag by her side;


    ''''How are you?'''' Michael asked and Diana smiled;


    ''''I''m doing good; thanks for asking. ''''


    ''''Order anything you want. '''' Michael said and she nodded, picking the iPad, her eyes skimmed through the menu and she just ticked on red wine.


    The door creaked open after a moment and the waiter walked in with their orders; he placed the glass cup in front of them and filled it with wine.


    They were quiet for a long moment after the waiter had gone. Diana didn''t even touch her drink.


    ''''Did I do anything wrong? ''''


    Diana''s hands shook slightly as the question filtered into her ears. She had partly expected this but she didn''t think that he would ask it so suddenly.


    Did he do anything wrong?


    He did not lie to her outrightly, neither did he ask her to get drunk, so literally speaking, he didn''t do anything wrong. Diana shook her head;


    ''''No, you didn''t do anything wrong,'''' she replied not looking at him.


    ''''I''m sorry. '''' Diana''s eyes flickered and she raised her eyes to him;


    ''''I''m sorry, I don''t know what I did, but I didn''t mean to hurt you. I know you''re not someone to get angry without a cause so I''m sorry if I caused you to be mad.''''


    Diana felt her heart squeeze at his confession and the sincerity she saw in his eyes, and she quickly looked away before he would get to her. It is a lie; everything he was saying is a lie. He didn''t mean it.


    She remembered the words she heard months ago and she felt a bitter taste on her tongue. How could he lie so perfectly? Right now, she regretted why she even agreed to come to see him.


    Her eyes fell to her thighs again and she felt tears blur her lids. Did she look that malleable and cheap? Why was he going through all these just to have her?


    He could have just asked if he wanted s.e.x, it wasn''t hard for him with other women? Why was he persistent in breaking her?


    Diana could not even put her mind around any of it. What exactly did he want with her?


    She bit her lower lip as she thought;


    ''''I really care about you, and I don''t want you to judge me based on my past. I would never hurt you and that is why I was sincere with you about myself from the beginning. I don''t want us to grow apart, if there''s anything I''ve done wrong, please can you tell me? ''''


    Diana felt a chuckle brewing in her mouth and she shook her head in wonder; men will shock you finally.


    That was it; if she continued with this friendship, she was going to dive headfirst into a rock the repercussion would be worse than anything she had ever experienced.


    Breathing in; she raised her eyes to the man sitting in front of her and said;


    ''''I want us to end this. I don''t want this friendship anymore. ''''


    Michael felt the world around him pause. For anything, he wasn''t expecting that, and not after he apologized. It took him a moment to come to terms with what she had just said.


    ''''What¡­ what do you mean?''''


    He asked, a shiver in his tone;


    ''''I meant what I said, Michael, I don''t want to be your friend anymore. Let''s just return to being strangers as we have always been. I''m really grateful for everything you''ve done for me, but from now onwards I don''t want to see you again, please do not contact me anymore. Thank you. ''''


    She said and grabbed her handbag on the table and was about to stand up;


    ''''Wait¡­ Diana wait¡­ '''' Michael held her hand stopping her; his eyes were filled with pain as he stared at her, and for a second Diana actually felt that those emotions were real but she quickly looked away before it would get to her.


    ''''What did I do wrong? Please, just tell me where I went wrong? ''''


    She swallowed with a chuckle;


    ''''It''s really funny when I hear you apologize like this; don''t worry about what you did wrong, nothing you say now is going to change anything, please let go of my hand. ''''


    She said, trying to pull her hand away from his grip but he did not let go of her.


    ''''Diana¡­ if you don''t want this friendship, at least I deserve to know what I did wrong; I know it won''t change anything but I deserve to know. ''''


    Diana thought for a moment; he was going to say another lie once she told him what she had overheard, but that would change nothing because she had already made up her mind.


    ''''Let go of me first, '''' once she told him what she heard, she would leave, she wasn''t sure she would be able to hold herself from breaking down in front of him.


    Michael hesitated for a second before he finally let go of her. She sat back down on the chair and lifted her gaze to him.


    ''''Michael, nothing I say now would change anything, I know you''re going to tell a lie to cover it up, but don''t bother, because I won''t believe you. ''''


    Michael''s heart raced as he thought of what he had done that was so outrageous but he couldn''t think of any.


    Diana paused, taking her bag from the table and placing it on her thighs;


    ''''That day, when you were at my house, I overheard your call. Every single thing you said¡­ and when you called me a fling. Michael, I could have understood if you just told me what you wanted from me, but not wanting to take advantage of my sincerity.'''' She paused; ''''no, I will not forgive that, so, goodbye. ''''


    Michael''s eyes widened at what she said, and before she could take a step to the door, he flung up from his chair and caught her, twirling her around, he hugged her.


    Diana was furious; did he actually want to continue lying after everything! This man was crazy!


    ''''Let go! Let go of me this minute!''''

 Chapter 242 - Im going to scream

    ''''Please, Diana, stay and hear me out, you heard wrongly. ''''


    Exactly what she had expected him to say. The anger in her heart tripled and she struggled to get herself out of his embrace but to no avail;


    ''''Michael let go of me this minute or I''m going to scream. '''' She scolded angrily but it seemed Michael was not having any of it.


    ''''Diana, please listen to me, I promise you''ll understand once you listen to me. ''''


    Michael said in a calm voice but all it did was triple her anger.


    ''''I don''t want to hear anything you have to say! I told you it will not change anything, I know you''re going to tell another lie, so I beg you, let me go, I won''t listen. I won''t! ''''


    ''''I''m an adopted child; Catherine is not my real mom. '''' Michael cut in before she would actually scream; and as though a bucket of water was just emptied on her body, Diana stilled instantly.


    ''''Catherine has a son, Liam, whom she had been protecting from Nicklaus for a cause I don''t know of. She adopted me to stand in his place, so in case Nicklaus comes after her son, he would only be coming after me. I was a lamb for the slaughter but I didn''t know. ''''


    Diana''s eyes widened and her ears still vibrated from what she just heard;


    ''''I just found this out when I overheard their conversation, but I kept mute about it, because the moment Catherine knows that I know, she would end me. And once she is done with whatever she has with Nicklaus she would still kill me because I''m a threat to her son''s inheritance. ''''


    Diana''s heart was slamming against her chest now; she couldn''t believe that he was in so much trouble but always looked so calm;


    ''''That day when she called, she said she had noticed that I have been going out with you a lot; and she asked me if I was having anything serious with you, and that if there was anything, I should end it quickly before it got out of hand unless I didn''t want you alive anymore, and that was why I lied, I told her you were a fling and nothing more so she would not come after you, because I know Catherine Wills, she''s no human, and coupled with the fact that she feels I don''t know anything about her son, she did not think too much about it.


    I''m sorry for even using that word to describe you even though I didn''t mean it. I''m sorry for making you worry all these while, it was never my intention, if I knew that it was the reason you were sad, I would have told you sooner. ''''


    Diana gulped as she felt guilt overwhelm her. Even when she tried to find a lie in this, she knew it was the truth. He wouldn''t lie about being an adoptive son. She felt a pang in her chest as she wondered how confused he must have felt with her actions;


    What if she had walked out that door without telling him the cause of her decision? She would have lost a friend?


    Diana remembered all the times he had cared for her and how he continued to check up on her even when she was acting distant and she couldn''t help feeling sad.


    ''''I''m sorry¡­ '''' she apologized, her voice meeker than a lamb.


    ''''I''m sorry for not being communicative and wanting to end things without even talking about it. I didn''t want to look weak, but ironically it showed how weak and shallow I am. I''m really sorry. ''''


    Her hands raised and she hugged him back.


    ''''It is okay, you''re not weak and shallow. You just did what anyone would do in your position. And I''m really happy that you told me, I was really scared that I was about to lose you. ''''


    Michael hugged her closer, nestling his head in the crook of her neck.


    Diana didn''t even realize how intimate they were, she just let herself enjoy the moment.


    ''''I was sad, every word that left your lips stabbed my heart, anytime I look at you, I become angrier. And now when you apologized, I couldn''t take the pain anymore. I''m so happy I talked things with you; I would have lost a friend now. ''''


    She heaved a sigh of relief. She didn''t realize how happy she was with him until now she found out that what she had overheard was not true. Every bitter emotion had vanished away and she was so happy. It was just then she realized why she had been moody for weeks and kept getting ''NG'' in almost all her scenes, he had been in her heart.


    ''''Yeah, I''m happy that you told me. ''''


    Naturally, he was meant to let her go at this juncture, but Michael didn''t want to. He liked how she smelt, like peaches; intoxicating, he just remained there, breathing in the scent of her hair.


    Diana didn''t want to let him go either; this was the first time she had been hugged so dearly in real life. She didn''t know a hug could give so much comfort until now.


    ''''You need to talk to Nicklaus about this; you need to side with Nicklaus in order to win your step mother, there''s no other way. You can''t fight what you don''t know about. ''''


    Before Michael could think of how to say it, Diana beat him to it. He lifted his head to stare in her eyes;


    ''''I need your help Diana, I don''t know if Nicklaus would even want to speak with me, I''ve been in the warfront of a fight I know nothing about, but that does not change the fact that I was there. I need you to make him understand that I knew nothing about it, please. ''''


    He wasn''t sure if she wanted to get tangled with all these, so he was a little scared that she would turn him down.


    ''''don''t worry, I''ll speak to him. What are friends for? '''' She smiled brightly, and Michael didn''t even know when he leaned close and kissed her forehead, then hugged her tightly;


    ''''Thank you, thank you so much Diana, you''ve just solved a huge part of my problem. ''''

 Chapter 243 - I dont want this to end

    ''''It is fine, what are friends for? '''' she chuckled lightly before they finally let go of themselves and sat back on the table.


    Michael sat across from her and smiled when he saw that she was now beaming brightly, to think that she actually knew about it and just pretended all these while. He thought he knew her, but it was obvious she was just a Rubik''s cube, he was just getting started.


    ''''Do you want to eat something? '''' She had ordered wine, but now they were good, maybe she would want to eat.


    ''''Yes! Yes, I''m starving! '''' They both chuckled and ordered again; to think she also lost appetite because of him. This man had really gotten into her skin.


    She ate happily and to her fill, Michael placed food on her plate as he watched her eat, she was so happy and was now talking about everything that happened in the week.


    He couldn''t help but chuckle as he listened to her jokes; he remembered all the times he asked her about work and she would reply with ''nothing'', but now she chatted about almost everything that happened during filming.


    He liked this part of her a lot, she actually kept him going; he had not felt his happy and relaxed in ages.


    ''''You changed your hairstyle? '''' she said, well, she noticed his hairstyle when she walked in, but she was angry with him so she didn''t care to acknowledge it.


    ''''It''s so gorgeous, I love it. '''' She beamed at him, a slight blush forming on her chin. The hairstyle made him look c.o.c.ky in a s.e.xy way and the way he gazed at her made her feel warmth in the middle of her legs. Okay, she was officially attracted to him, but who cares!


    ''''Thank you, I changed it last week. ''''


    '''' mm, it suits you. '''' She looked away from him gulping from her wine cup to hide her blush, she could feel his piercing gaze on her skin and she knew he was still staring at her.


    ''''Mm mm, so when do you want me to meet with Nicklaus? '''' Diana asked immediately trying to shift the topic, ''''


    ''''Anytime you are free, but I really need you to meet him soon, Catherine cannot be trusted, she can strike at any minute. ''''


    ''''Alright, I''ll meet with him tomorrow; I''m free tomorrow. ''''


    ''''Alright, thank you. ''''


    They talked for another thirty minutes before they finally left the restaurant. Diana did not want them to leave yet, she had missed out on him for weeks, she didn''t want to leave him so soon, but she also didn''t want to look like she was all over him too, so she held herself. They walked to the parking lot as the cold wind blew against their faces.


    She was a little absent-minded that she did not realize the car driving towards them with speed, Michael quickly pulled her away from the road, hugging her tight. Her eyes were wide in shock as the car swept past them with great speed, her heart pounding on her chest.


    ''''Are you okay? '''' Michael raised her face to look at her, fear written in his eyes; he looked down her body as though searching for where she was hurt.


    ''''I''m fine. I''m not hurt. '''' Diana was still scarred from the shock, that was the first time she had been in a near accident.


    Michael heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that she was fine.


    ''''You got me scared for a minute, what were you thinking? '''' He asked, pushing some hair away from her face, and cupping her chin.


    Diana shook her head; his hold on her face was making her nervous, she could not even organize thought in her head. He stared at her for a moment and then held her hand, walking her to her car.


    ''''Can you drive home yourself? '''' Michael asked as they stopped by her car;


    ''''Yeah, I can. I''m fine, haha. '''' she laughed.


    He sighed; ''''I am worried if you didn''t hear the loud honk, how would you be able to concentrate on the road? ''''


    Diana looked down to her feet, her chin reddening. She thought for a moment and then she said;


    ''''I was thinking about you. I was really happy, didn''t want the day to end at all. That is it, um, I''ll be going home now, goodnight. ''''


    Diana had been shameless a couple of times, but today was the height of shamelessness. She couldn''t believe she actually told him that she was thinking about him, gosh, her heart pounded against her chest as she turned to the car to escape, but before she could enter her car, Michael turned her around and pulled her into his embrace;


    ''''Me neither, I don''t want today to end. '''' He whispered as he hugged her close. Diana''s eyes widened as the words passed through her eardrums and exploded in her heart. This was the first time he had said something intimate to her, her body automatically froze.


    They hugged like that for a long while before Michael spoke again;


    ''''I''ll love to be in your mind every single second but don''t think about me while you''re driving. It''s dangerous. ''''


    Diana chuckled and she knew she was blushing hard right now. He let go of her and opened the car door for her; she grinned as she entered the car;


    ''''Drive safely. ''''


    ''''yeah, you too; Goodnight ''''


    Michael smiled as he watched her car drive out of the parking lot. He had not been this happy in a long while. When he turned her around, it took all of his restraint not to kiss her lips. He didn''t want to be too forward. Even though it was obvious she liked him, he didn''t want to rush things, they had time, he would be slow with her.


    Michael scratched his hair and turned to his car and got in, he started the ignition but before he could move, he felt cold metal on his temple;


    ''''Drive. ''''


    His whole body froze as he looked at the rearview mirror, the car was dark but he could see the silhouette of the person and it was a man. Not saying another word, he drove out of the restaurant.

 Chapter 244 - Smart but smarter

    The man led him to an abandoned building that he didn''t know existed.


    ''''get down! '''' he said and Michael stepped down from the car. He didn''t need anyone to tell him why they had taken him.


    ''''Kneel! '''' The man commanded and Michael fell to his knees, his head bowed.


    After a few minutes, Catherine stepped out of the house and walked to him in a catwalk, her h.i.p.s arching as she moved;


    ''''Oh my, why is he on the floor? '''' she asked with a hint of mockery which only Michael could catch.


    ''''Please stand, I told you to get him, didn''t tell you to make him kneel. '''' She smiled as she watched Michael stand up. She was a tall woman but Michael was a few inches taller, so she stared up to his face with a grin on her chin.


    ''''Son, what have you done? ''''


    Catherine asked, raising her hand to his chin. Michael''s heart slammed against his chest; did she know everything he told Diana?


    God, he was done for if she did. He was actually going to die now if he made the wrong move. Michael breathed out slowly, stabling himself. Catherine was smart, he had watched her interrogate her prey, and some of the time she didn''t have any tangible information, but she made them give themselves away with the way she spoke.


    He wasn''t sure if this was the case but he wasn''t about to fall into a perfectly laid trap.


    ''''Mom, I''m sorry for meeting with Diana again, but how would you send armed men to come to get me? What exactly is happening? ''''


    Michael asked as though oblivious of anything. Catherine stared into his eyes, searching for any sign that he was lying, but Michael gave nothing away.


    He stared back at her looking as sincere as he could. When Catherine saw that he wasn''t lying, she faked a sad sigh;


    ''''I was scared I had lost you; I''m in a fight with Nicklaus, and you make friends with someone from his family, how do you want me to feel son? '''' She asked, rubbing his chin, and faking a sad gaze.


    Michael stared down at the woman in front of him. How gullible he was all these years to have fallen for this act. Every single time she had pretended to care, pretended to love him as her own but all the while it was just an act. She was indeed devilish.


    ''''Mom, I''m sorry. I won''t ever meet her again. I didn''t know you would be this hurt about it, I''m very sorry, but you shouldn''t have sent armed men, you got me scared for a second. ''''


    Michael laughed, turning to the huge man who was still standing behind him.


    Suddenly Catherine feigned ignorance.


    ''''armed? '''' she turned to the man behind him with rage;


    ''''Did you point your gun at my son? '''' She left him and walked towards the man as though she meant it, before he could reply, she raised her hand and slapped him across the face, her silver bangle hitting his face and giving him a cut;


    ''''Mom, it''s alright. Don''t take it out on him, it''s not his fault. ''''


    Michael quickly pulled her back, holding her from slapping him again. He didn''t realize he could act so flawlessly until now.


    Catherine stared at the man for a second and she turned back to Michael;


    ''''I''m so sorry, did he hurt you? '''' she peered at his face and Michael shook his head.


    ''''No, not at all ''''


    Catherine heaved a sigh of relief; ''''Thank goodness, I won''t even survive it if anything happens to you, come, come; let''s go in and eat. ''''


    She said, taking Michael''s hand and leading him into the house.


    Although Michael had eaten, Michael ate with them, Liam was not there and he wondered where he was. For a moment, Michael wondered how stupid Catherine was to actually bring him to her hideout.


    Now he thought about it, if he had slipped just a bit, he would have been dead by now. He couldn''t help the shivers that ran down his spine.


    ''''Mom, I''ve been wondering, what exactly is the issue between you and Nicklaus? ''''


    Michael asked in the middle of the meal; ''''I really don''t like to see you so stressed out. ''''


    Catherine paused and smiled at him; ''''Michael, I don''t want to bore you with the details, just know everything would be fine soon, I promise.''''


    Michael nodded and continued eating as though he actually believed her. He kept on the fake smile until he bid her farewell and entered his car to go home. Catherine stood on the front porch as she watched him drive out.


    As soon as his car disappeared into the distance, the smile on her chin eased and was replaced with a menacing look.


    She heard footsteps behind her, and when she felt the person stand beside her, she said;


    ''''He doesn''t know anything yet. '''' She paused; ''''sorry, for the slap, I had to make it look real. ''''


    The man rubbed on his chin as he stared at the spot Michael just disappeared from.


    ''''I don''t believe that I''ve always known you as someone who doesn''t take chances. Why don''t you just end him already? He''s no longer needed; ''''


    The man did not like Michael at all; he just received a hot slap because of him. Catherine thought for a moment;


    ''''I would have killed him at this moment if he knew anything he shouldn''t know. But it seems he is still oblivious. He''s going to die anyway, why the rush? Besides, I still need him in the company now. ''''


    She said and turned back to the house;


    ''''Keep an eye on him still, report to me if he still contacts that woman. ''''


    The man stared at his boss''s retreating figure. She wasn''t one to take chances, she had warned Michael about meeting Diana but he still met with her, how did she just believe every word that came out of his lips without a second thought?


    Something did not just fit in. The man thought, but he could do nothing about it, he just prayed it would not be too late when they found out.

 Chapter 245 - Bad feeling

    Michael''s hands gripped his steering tightly as he drove away from the dark path with great speed. He only breathed properly when he was kilometers away. If he had said just one wrong word, he would have been dead by now.


    He raised his hands to rub on his face as his whole body was overridden with shock; now he would be careful on how he spoke with Diana. What if they were tracking his phone too?


    His knuckles turned white as rammed his thoughts on what to do. Thankfully he had a spare phone at home, and there were no CCTV cameras in the bas.e.m.e.nt, so in case she hacked his CCTV, she won''t be able to know what he was doing in the bas.e.m.e.nt.


    Michael''s heart pounded louder; things were going to be bad real soon and he needed to very careful.


    He pulled up in his garage and walked into his house quietly; taking his CCTV remote, he disconnected the cameras and took his spare phone to the bas.e.m.e.nt and then connected the cameras back;


    Quickly he switched the phone on, and dialed Diana''s number;


    ''''Hello? It is Michael. ''''


    ''''Hey, been calling you, your phone has been switched off, what happened? ''''


    Diana asked worriedly; there was a sound of water as though she was in the bathroom.


    ''''Diana, Catherine kidnapped me. ''''


    ''''What! ''''


    Diana''s eyes widened in shock;


    ''''yeah, I would have been dead now if I had taken a wrong move.'''' Michael turned on the light to the bas.e.m.e.nt and sat down on a chair;


    ''''when? How? When? '''' Diana could not even process her thoughts properly. She just left him some hours ago, how did he get kidnapped?


    ''''As soon as I got into my car, a gun was pointed at my head and I was taken to her hideout. I was so lucky to escape with my life. I''m being seriously monitored. Right now, I''m in the bas.e.m.e.nt calling you with another phone in case my phone is monitored too. ''''


    Diana felt chills in her body and she turned off the tap; ''''this is getting serious. '''' although she knew how serious it was, she didn''t think anything would happen soon. ''''


    '''' don''t meet with Nicklaus for now, I think they''ll be on alert. I wanted to get guards but I don''t want it to seem very suspicious, it would seem as though I know something. I made her believe I''m ignorant of everything, so she let me go, but I know she would still be on the lookout. ''''


    Diana felt goosebumps wash her skin. She had never been this scared all her life.


    ''''I''m so sorry for getting you into this mess. '''' Michael walked to the end of the room, brushing his hair with his fingers in frustration;


    Diana took in a deep breath; she couldn''t even bring herself to move from a spot, she was scared to her wits.


    ''''It''s okay, it''s not your fault, and now is really not time to blame yourself, we need to be very cautious and smart. ''''


    ''''yeah, just be on the low for now, if you wanna tell me anything, text this number okay? I''ll be leaving it in the bas.e.m.e.nt, I''m not sure if my CCTV is not hacked, I can''t take chances. I''m sorry that we would not be communicating frequently; ''''


    Diana shook her head; ''''oh, it''s fine. Just stay safe, okay? ''''


    ''''Yeah, you too ''''


    ''''goodnight; ''''


    ''''Yeah, goodnight¡­ ''''


    ¡­


    Tiana lay on Nicklaus''s chest, listening to his heartbeat. She didn''t know why she was feeling sad today. In the next two days was his birthday, yet she was so sad. She tried to make herself happy but she couldn''t. She had been awake since three am in the morning, and she had been staring at him. She hated these instincts of hers, but today the feeling was too overwhelming to ignore.


    ''''Good morning; '''' Nicklaus whispered, kissing her hair and turning to the side such that he wrapped her in his arms.


    Tiana raised her head from his hold and peeked at him;


    ''''How was your night? '''' He didn''t like when she got unnecessarily worried so she tried to keep the thoughts to herself;


    ''''Beautiful; '''' He said and she smiled;


    ''''let''s stay like this for a while before I prepare for work; '''' Nicklaus groaned not wanting to leave her soon;


    Tiana bit her lower lip at his words, she didn''t know why but she did not want him to go to work today;


    Her hands gripped the back of his shirt but she did not say a word.


    They stayed like that for a while chatting about random things before Nicklaus finally stood up to shower. Tiana felt dryness in her throat as she watched him walk into the bathroom; she wanted to ignore the pang but she couldn''t.


    Standing up, she paced about the room in frustration, how would she make him not go to work today?


    She bit her finger as she thought of a way to make him stay home. After a moment, a thought flashed through her mind and she sat on the bed.


    A few minutes later, Nicklaus walked out of the bathroom, with a towel around his waists; his eyes glanced at Tiana on the bed and he was about to say something when he noticed she was crying;


    Nicklaus froze for a second and walked to her immediately, squatting in front of her, he asked with shock on his face;


    ''''Beautiful? What''s wrong? ''''


    Tiana raised her eyes to look at him, and when her eyes met his, she could not help but cry the more.


    His heart wrenched when he saw her weep and he held her chin, wiping her tears with his thumb;


    ''''beautiful, please, I can''t bear to see you cry, what is it, please talk to me? '''' He could not understand how someone who was chatting a few minutes ago would be crying this minute, did anyone die?


    ''''Did anyone die? ''''


    He asked and she shook her head;


    ''''Are you on your period? '''' She shook her head. He was helpless; he stared at her for a moment, and then pulled her into his arms.

 Chapter 246 - How to hold a gun

    Tiana hugged him close, burying her head in his neck.


    ''''you can talk to me, okay? What is the problem? ''''


    She was quiet for a second and then she whispered; ''''can you not go to work today? ''''


    Nicklaus was dumbfounded at her request; he raised his eyes to look at her, a shocked expression on his face;


    ''''uh? ''''


    Tiana gulped, looking down at her fingers; ''''I just don''t feel good today, can you stay here with me? I don''t know why I feel like something bad is going to happen¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus smiled, then he raised his hand to wipe her tears; ''''come here;'''' he said, hugging her again;


    ''''you could have just asked me to stay, you didn''t have to cry. ''''


    He chuckled when he felt her arms go around him and hug him like he was going to disappear the next minute;


    ''''I thought you wouldn''t listen, I''ve been worrying so much lately, so I thought you would just tell me not to worry. '''' Tiana said meekly, her head in his chest.


    ''''Haha, I''ll always listen to you, if you have a bad feeling about today, then I''ll stay home, I don''t want you getting unnecessarily bothered, okay? ''''


    ''''thank you, I love you. '''' Tiana smiled and hugged him again;


    ''''Love you too, now go shower so we can have breakfast. '''' Nicklaus said and she nodded, standing up from the bed she hurried into the bathroom happily. Now she felt so relieved. After the shower, they had lunch and Nicklaus offered to teach her how to handle a gun.


    ''''Wow, I can''t believe this is happening! '''' Tiana giggled as they walked outside, with him carrying the gun bag;


    ''''you seem very excited; it''s not as easy as you think. '''' He laughed when she saw how anxious she looked. The last thing he wanted was for her to handle a rifle but right now, he did not have a choice.


    ''''tch, I''ve watched it in movies; it can''t be scarier than that. ''''


    Nicklaus chuckled as he placed the gun bag on a table in the field as the guards set the targets''


    Tiana stood by his side as she watched him take out the gun from the case;


    ''''Woah!'''' she exclaimed, this was actually the first time she had seen a gun up close;


    ''''This is a semi-automatic pistol, when you fire, the recoil energy moves backward, in the opposite direction of the bullet''s travel, and that recoil energy is captured and used to extract the spent case, re-c.o.c.king the pistol and loading a new cartridge into the magazine. ''''


    Tiana didn''t understand what he meant by the cartridge and magazine but she figured it might mean the bullet holder and maybe the case for it;


    ''''Now the problem comes with how you hold the gun; hold it; ''''


    He said giving her the gun; Tiana took it from his hand, her eyes wide open;


    ''''Wow, quite heavy¡­ '''' she commented, aiming it as though she was about to shoot;


    ''''See, you got that wrong; '''' Nicklaus said, stopping her hand mid-way; ''''if you hold it like this, your hand will definitely get cut when the slide moves back during cycling. You have to grip the pistol so that you don''t cross your thumbs across the back of the gun. '''' Nicklaus stood behind her showing her how to hold the gun;


    ''''your support-hand thumb should be on the same side as your support-hand fingers so that it''s out of the way. ''''


    ''''Wow, my husband is so smart! I think I''m tripping all over again; '''' Tiana grinned, rubbing her backside on his groin; Nicklaus felt his stomach heating up;


    ''''Wife, can you concentrate; '''' He wasn''t even sure if she was listening to anything he was saying; she would be more serious if he told a guard to teach her but she wouldn''t even hear of it.


    ''''Okay, okay, I''m serious now, what were you saying? '''' She said, turning back to the gun;


    ''''What did I say last? '''' Nicklaus asked;


    ''''Um, you said¡­ uh, can you come again, I didn''t get you. '''' Tiana grinned sheepishly at him and Nicklaus sighed; she wasn''t even listening to him, today was going to be a long day.


    He started all over again and taught her everything she needed to know. She joked most of the time but when she became hungry and Nicklaus said she wasn''t going to have anything to eat until she had learned the basics, she became serious and learned it in minutes.


    After lunch, he taught her how to unload and load a cartridge, it was a critical step so he begged her to pay attention and thankfully she listened. Then he taught her how to fire; Tiana was so scared that she was actually shooting with a real gun.


    She screamed once the first bullet came out; now she really believed Nicklaus when he said it wasn''t as easy as it seemed.


    After much practice, she was a bit learned. Now she could fire with one hand. When Nicklaus saw she was good, they went back inside.


    Night came quickly and they retired to bed;


    Tiana woke up the next day before Nicklaus. And again, she wasn''t feeling good about the day, but this time she held herself, there was no way she could continue preventing him from going to work simply because she had a feeling that something bad was going to happen to him.


    When he woke up, they showered together; she didn''t have anything to do at the company so she was staying home again.


    ''''Be safe, okay? ''''


    Tiana said as she helped him do his button;


    ''''Okay. ''''


    She became silent for a moment;


    ''''If possible order lunch, I don''t want you going out unnecessarily. ''''


    ''''Alright ''''


    ''''And don''t leave your guards, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus sighed and pulled her into his arms; ''''Wifey, you worry too much; nothing is going to happen to me. ''''


    He kissed her severally on the neck and then kissed her lips; ''''I''ll be back early today, before you fall sick from excessive worry. ''''


    Tiana laughed; ''''haha, don''t mind me; just come back when you''re done with work. ''''


    ''''Hmm; '''' Nicklaus said, kissing her deeply before they finally let go of each other.

 Chapter 247 - Take me to him

    ''''Alright, let''s have breakfast now. '''' Tiana nodded and they went to the dining. After eating she followed him outside and waved him goodbye as he left.


    The next day was his birthday, she didn''t know what she would give him as a birthday gift; he had almost everything money could buy. She figured she would just bake a cake and organize a little party in the house with the workers and the guards for a surprise and get him his favorite perfume brand.


    Tiana nodded to herself and went back into the house, she called the chef and told him her plans, thankfully there were cake items in the house and she accompanied him as they did the baking. She told him what to write on it and when they were done, it looked wonderful. They put it in the fridge, after which she cleaned up and went upstairs to order the perfume.


    When she was done she logged in to WhatsApp and texted Nicklaus; it was past two, so she wanted to know what he was doing.


    ''I''m in a meeting now, will call you when I''m done.'' Tiana stared at the text then she threw her phone across the bed. She was disturbed a while ago but seeing his text now, she knew he was safe.


    She wanted to go get the decorations herself but it wasn''t very safe now and she didn''t want to trouble the guards to accompany her, so she sent the workers. After eating lunch, she lay on the bed, watching Netflix for a while before she fell asleep. She didn''t know how long she slept but suddenly she flung up from the bed with a scream. She was sweating all over and her heart was beating fast.


    Something was wrong¡­


    Tiana looked around the bed in panic and she grabbed her phone immediately, there about five missed calls from Nicklaus, she quickly dialed his number, her hands shaky.


    God¡­ please pick up¡­ please pick up¡­


    Tears rolled down her eyes as she shook fervently, she felt something really bad has happened;


    Sorry, the number you''re trying to call is currently switched off¡­


    Tiana panted heavily, no, this was not happening; he said he was going to be back early¡­ he said he was going to be safe;


    She stumbled up from her bed, dialing his number again.


    "Please baby, I beg you, pick up your phone¡­ '''' She was already crying out loud, this was not happening, right? Nothing bad has happened, right?


    Her throat felt dry and she quickly called grandma; she was not the best option to call right now but she didn''t know what to do.


    ''''Grandma¡­ '''' Her voice quaked and she continued without pleasantries; ''''I''m trying to call Nicklaus but his phone is not reachable, do you know his whereabouts? ''''


    ''''No dear, it''s still past five, maybe he''s in a meeting, that''s why he''s not picking up, just wait a few more minutes, then you can call him back, you know how busy work can get. ''''


    Tiana gulped and nodded; ''''Yeah, okay; '''' she said ended the call, slumping on the couch. Even when he was in a meeting, Nicklaus never missed her calls. They spoke about an hour ago and he said he was going to call her when he was done, but now his phone was switched off?


    Tiana breathed in and out repeatedly to calm herself.


    No, maybe the battery was low and got switched off. She was just overthinking, he was going to be back soon. She nodded to herself, standing up; she walked to the window and peeked outside; everywhere was quiet as though nothing was happening, so it was all good right?


    Everything was good. Tiana nodded to herself, trying to be positive. Her eyes flashed on the television and she was tempted to put it on but she decided against it. She would just sit here and wait for him to walk through that door and tell her his battery died and he didn''t have the time to charge it.


    Tiana sat on the couch, staring at the clock fixedly, watching the time tick by, suddenly, she heard a ruckus downstairs and she jumped and quickly ran downstairs;


    Her heart pounded when she saw a number of guards running out of the house;


    ''''What is going on? '''' She asked, as she approached them, she wanted to look calm, but she couldn''t hide the frightening look in her eyes. The guards paused in their steps as they turned to look at one another, as though contemplating on what to tell her.


    ''''Did you not hear me? I asked, what is going on? ''''


    Tears fell from her eyes as she watched them, even if they didn''t want to tell her, the sad look on their faces already told her something bad had happened to him,


    ''''Ma''am, Boss was in an accident.''''


    Tiana froze at a spot as she stared at the men in front of her for a whole minute. They were afraid of how quiet she was.


    ''''take me to him¡­ '''' she said and started walking to the car. The guards cast worried look at themselves as pain-filled their eyes, none of them could bring themselves to tell her¡­


    ¡­


    2 hours ago.


    Nicklaus walked out of the company, his phone in his hand. He''s been calling Tiana, but she was not picking. Putting his phone back into his pocket, he entered the car.


    They had just gone a few meters when the driver started racing too fast. Nicklaus creased his brows and turned to him;


    ''''What''s wrong? ''''


    ''''Boss, I don''t know, the brakes¡­ they don''t seem to be working and the car is accelerating on its own; '''' the driver said in a panic as he tried avoiding hitting the cars in front of them. Nicklaus sat up on the seat immediately;


    The car was indeed driving on its own, it was obvious that it had been hacked but their cars were guarded even in the garage, so how did it get hacked?


    Nicklaus didn''t want to be tensed, being tensed at that moment wasn''t going to solve anything; he needed to concentrate;


    ''''Move to the passenger''s seat! ''''

 Chapter 248 - What will happen to Beautiful?

    ''''Move to the passenger''s seat! ''''


    He ordered and the driver''s face paled in shock; ''''Boss¡­ '''' this was a critical moment and the only thing he needed to do now was to be in a safer place and he was telling him to move? Did he want to die?''''


    ''''Are you deaf? '''' Nicklaus roared at the driver and he quickly moved away and Nicklaus replaced him on the steering;


    ''''call the others; tell them what is going on. '''' He said and the man nodded, and he quickly called others who were driving behind them. At this juncture there was really nothing they could do; they could not save someone in a racing vehicle, but they tried to race after them and maybe ram into their car, and stop it from moving.


    Nicklaus gripped the steering as he stared forward; avoiding the cars in front of him, all the while, the only person he could think of was Tiana.


    He remembered she had told him she didn''t feel good about him going to work, even that morning, she looked sad as she waved him bye, she was right after all.


    A painful chuckle left his lips as he imagined the tears in her eyes if anything should happen to him, it would break her in two. He promised he would come back soon so she wouldn''t worry but he wasn''t sure about that anymore


    ''''Boss, we''re heading for the bridge¡­ '''' the driver who was sitting by his side stuttered, he was so scared. Nicklaus''s hands gripped the steering and for the first time, his heart started pounding.


    He couldn''t die now. No, there were a lot of things left to do. He couldn''t leave Tiana here, all alone¡­


    Pain flooded his heart as he imagined how broken she would be. It would tear her soul apart.


    Was he going to die like this? Were his enemies going to have the last laugh? Nicklaus asked himself as tears clouded his eyes.


    What would happen to his beautiful if he died?


    He could already imagine her crying face, wailing and pleading that he should come back, it broke him.


    The car was almost flying now, and the driver had already said his last prayers. There was no going back from here, he knew it.


    The guards raced after Nicklaus with great speed, seeking how to overtake but no matter how they tried, they were just behind him.


    ''''Boss, what are you doing? '''' The driver asked when he noticed that Nicklaus was driving straight towards the river, was he calling for death?


    ''''We are lucky to choose how we are going to die, some people weren''t. ''''


    Those were the last words Nicklaus said before the car dived headfirst over the bridge and into the river.


    Ba-dum¡­ Ba-dum¡­


    He could hear his heart pounding against his chest as the car immersed into the water. He quickly pushed against the door and forced himself out of the car and tried to swim but the water waves pushed against his body.


    He struggled for a while but after a moment, he got weak and let the water move him. His eyes shut as the last thought in his mind before everything went blank was Tiana.


    ¡­


    ''''Ma''am; '''' One of the guards called, and Tiana turned to look at him;


    ''''he''s not there,'''' he said, looking pained. Even though their boss was strict they couldn''t deny the fact that he had treated them well. So they felt the pain of loss too.


    ''''What do you mean by he is not there? He was not in the accident? ''''


    Tiana asked, the pain in her heart was doubling into intense anger and she was going to unleash it on them if they didn''t stop beating around the bush.


    ''''Are you deaf!! '''' She spat in anger, her hands fisting on her sides, if they knew how pained she was right now, they would start talking.


    ''''We¡­ we couldn''t find him, we couldn''t find his body. ''''


    Tiana stared at the people in front of her for a moment;


    ''''How do you mean? ''''


    ''''His car crashed into a river, and when it was pulled out we couldn''t find him, the body of the driver with him was recovered but we are yet to hear anything concerning him.''''


    Tiana watched them, her heartbeat slowed; she pulled her eyes away from them, a thousand thoughts rushing through her mind at the same time. As though controlled by a machine, she turned around and began walking towards the car, she had only taken three steps when suddenly she slumped to the ground and fainted.


    ''''Ma''am!! ''''


    ¡­


    Douglas stood beside the window watching outside when he heard a knock on the door.


    ''''Boss¡­ ''''


    ''''Is it done? ''''


    The man was quiet for a while and then Douglas turned to him with a raised brow;


    ''''His body is not yet found, but the other man with him died so we are assuming he is dead. ''''


    Douglas frowned; he had specifically wanted a clean death, he didn''t like complications.


    ''''what do you mean, his body was not found? ''''


    ''''He did not crash against anything as we had expected, rather he drove into the river, and thus the car did not explode, ''''


    Douglas heaved a sigh. ''''I don''t like this type of mess, I told you not to let him come out alive. ''''


    ''''I doubt he is alive, it''s been six hours and he has not been found, surely he must be dead or he has been eaten by some fish. ''''


    Douglas smirked at that thought and sat down on the couch. He had not felt this happy in a long while;


    ''''So which method did you guys finally use? ''''


    ''''We had to use the proximity boss, the accident couldn''t work because he drove in between four other cars, so even if we had used that, he might not be affected, but we made sure there were no links, so there''s no need to worry. ''''


    The man said and Douglas rubbed his temples, he looked a little disturbed.


    ''''Alright, you can leave. ''''


    He said and the man bowed a little walking out the door.


    What if they became suspicious and link the two deaths? Douglas was worried a little, but he quickly shoved it away, he had a way around it even if they linked it.

 Chapter 249 - Lost the will to live

    ''''Has she woken up? '''' Grandma, who was sitting with Diana and Elizabeth outside the emergency ward stood up from the chair when they saw a doctor come out of the ward.


    The doctor''s eyes scanned through their dismayed faces and he sighed and shook his head;


    ''''No, she''s not awake yet. ''''


    She slumped back to the bench; she had cried so much that her eyes ached, but she couldn''t stop the tears from flowing.


    How would she lose two children in one day? No, no, this was not happening to her.


    Her head twirled but she forced herself to remain sane, Elizabeth held onto her hand, telling her it''s going to be fine,


    ''''Nicklaus has not been found, it''s been a whole day and he has not been found, is he dead? Nicklaus¡­ my baby¡­ ''''


    The pain was too much to bear, she didn''t want to dwell on the pain but she didn''t have any control over her thoughts.


    Diana was sitting opposite them; her head supported with her both hands as she stared blankly on the floor. She knew trouble would begin soon, Douglas was very sly and wicked, she wasn''t surprised that he would go to this extent just to get the company from Nicklaus; she knew right from the beginning that to get the company, one person had to die but she didn''t want it to be Nicklaus.


    This was so bad. If Nicklaus was really dead, what would happen to their family? What would happen to Michael when Catherine didn''t need him anymore?


    Diana''s heart squeezed painfully, her eyes widened suddenly; when she remembered something. Nicklaus was married to Tiana and obviously, there was no prenuptial agreement, they loved each other so much that they won''t even think about that; the company was hers now right?


    Does that mean¡­ Douglas would come after her too?


    Tears clouded Diana''s eyes as her heart slammed against her chest; things were worse than it seemed, no, Nicklaus cannot be dead, he should not be dead!


    This was terrible! This was terrible!


    She stood up immediately from the bench and turned to the guards; ''''get as many guards as you can to guard Tiana now! ''''


    There were just three guards there but they were not enough, Tiana was the most wanted person in the whole of America right now and even a dozen guards wouldn''t be enough to guard her.


    ''''what is wrong? ''''


    Grandma asked when she heard Diana''s command and the disturbed look on her face; Diana''s eyes swept past grandma and her mom and she shook her head;


    ''''Nothing, '''' she said and sat back down on the bench. Douglas was going to come after Tiana soon, and she didn''t want to think of how that would turn out. He was the devil himself.


    ''''Is she still alive? '''' Elizabeth asked the doctor, now very worried. Tiana was transferred to her ward and they were allowed to come in and stay with her. The guards had taken Grandma home to rest because she was almost falling sick from her incessant cries. Elizabeth and Diana had been with Tiana throughout the day, and it was dark now, but she wasn''t awake yet. She just fainted; she should be awake after a few hours, what was wrong?


    The doctor sighed; ''''She is, but I think she doesn''t want to wake up, she has lost the will to live, she is not dead yet, but she''s pushing against life. ''''


    Diana''s eyes clouded and she looked away, she could imagine what Tiana was going through. If she was the one, she wouldn''t want to wake up. Wake up to what? To a life without the only person, you loved?


    A life of misery and emptiness, she understood what was going through Tiana''s mind right now; at that moment, sleeping like that was better than being alive.


    ''''You can try to speak to her, I''m not sure it would bring her back, but try to give her a reason to live, because right now, she is slowly slipping away. ''''


    The doctor said with a sad tone. They''ve checked if she was hurt anywhere but she was not, and they realized that the patient they were trying hard to save didn''t want to be saved.


    ''''I''ll leave you both now; you can call if there are any complications. '''' He said and they nodded.


    ''''Mom, this is bad. '''' Diana said after a long while of silence. Elizabeth looked up at her;


    ''''It''s worse than bad, '''' she replied; her hand brushing through her hair.


    ''''what if Nicklaus doesn''t come back, what would happen to Tiana?'''' Diana asked in hushed tones, as though there was another person among them who could hear the conversation.


    Elizabeth drew in a deep breath, ever since yesterday, she did not want to believe that Nicklaus was gone. It was still like a dream to her, so she refused to cry. She didn''t want to believe that he was dead until she saw his body. She knew Nicklaus, she knew his will. He wouldn''t just die like that, and not now that he has Tiana. No matter what anyone said, she would not believe he was dead until she saw his body.


    ''''Let''s not think about it, Diana. Let''s just be positive. His body was not found, it must be somewhere right? We should have seen at least a body part if he was devoured by a fish? ''''


    Diana nodded; she knew her mom was trying to be positive and she let her be. She had a soft spot for Nicklaus so her denial was as expected.


    ''''Mom, you need to rest now, go home, the guards are keeping watch on her and I''ll send help over in case I need to leave. ''''


    Elizabeth was very tired so she stood up; ''''I''ll be back tomorrow, make sure she isn''t left alone. ''''


    ''''Sure. ''''


    Diana turned to Tiana on the bed after her mom had gone. She stared at her calm body for a moment and then she walked to the bed; sitting down beside her, she took her hand.


    ''''Tiana¡­ '''' She called in a calm voice.


    ''''you have to wake up, please, we need you, okay? Nicklaus needs you¡­ ''''

 Chapter 250 - Sorry, I cant

    Claire''s phone rang in her pocket, and she took it out and when she saw the caller she hesitated for a moment then she swiped the screen;


    ''''Leo? '''' she guessed he must have called because of Tiana and Nicklaus;


    ''''Claire? Did you hear what happened? I heard that Tiana was hospitalized because of the news; ''''


    ''''Yes, I just left the hospital now. It''s sad, she doesn''t want to wake up, the doctors say there''s nothing wrong with her, ''''


    ''''Damn, I''m almost there, can you wait for me? Have you left? ''''


    Claire''s hands which were about to open her car hung in the air. They had not spoken, neither had she seen him for three weeks now, Leo tried contacting her but when she didn''t respond to his calls, he guessed she wanted to give him space, so he quit.


    Today, she only picked the call because of Tiana; she didn''t expect that he would ask her to wait. Her hands trembled and she fisted them.


    To hell, she wanted to see him badly; she had missed him so much that right now, every pulse in her body was telling her to agree but her sense of reasoning was saying otherwise. She took in a deep breath and opened her lips to reject him; this was for the best, seeing him now would bring back all her suppressed feelings,


    ''''Sorry, I can''t. ''''


    There was silence on the other side for a moment before Leo spoke;


    ''''Please, I''ve not seen you for a while, let''s just meet today, I promise I won''t do anything rash, I''ve missed you. ''''


    Claire''s heart fell into her stomach and her eyes blurred. His words broke every stronghold she had against him and she couldn''t bear to refuse him anymore.


    ''''Okay, ''''


    ''''I''ll be there in a minute, thank you. ''''


    Her hand holding the phone dropped to the side as she leaned her head against her car, would she ever be able to overcome this? If she saw him now, she would fall back right in, what would she do?


    Claire heaved painfully, should she tell him she had feelings for him?


    No, no, she can''t do that. He has moved on, if she did, it just meant that she wanted to destroy a relationship and that was being unfair on Hazel''s part. And for the most part, he might have fallen in love with her.


    Claire was kicked out of her thoughts by the vibrating of her phone in her hands.


    ''''Hey are you here?'''' she asked, composing herself immediately,


    ''''yeah, just arrived, oh, I see you standing beside your car. '''' Claire turned around to see Leo drive into the parking lot and park his car. She straightened herself quickly and put a smile on her face as she walked towards him;


    ''''Claire; '''' Leo called, his Adam''s apple bobbled as he watched her approach him; he missed her so much, so much that he wanted to close the gap between them and hug the living life out of her, but he held himself back.


    ''''Leo, it''s been a while. '''' Claire smiled brightly as she stood in front of him. He wore a new hairstyle, some of his hair covering a portion of his forehead, making him look irresistibly hot, how did she not realized the Greek god of a human that had been by her side all these while?


    Leo gazed at her face, and he smiled;


    ''''Yeah, it''s been long. It seems you''re doing great. ''''


    Claire nodded, a pain in her throat; ''''I''m great. What about you? '''' She asked blinking as the setting sun behind him flashed on her eyes. She wouldn''t tell him about the sleepless nights she had, the times she would cry herself to sleep. Times she would lock her phone away and give a guard the key, telling him not to give it to her even if she asked just so she wouldn''t call him. She wouldn''t tell him that,


    Leo beamed; ''''I''m fine, I''m doing well; '''' he wished that was the case. To think he had issues with Hazel now because he couldn''t stop thinking about her. He had tried to touch her intimately but aside from kissing, he couldn''t go further, no, not with Claire in his mind.


    Claire hesitated for a moment and then she asked; ''''what about Hazel? '''' her smile was fake but she didn''t know if he noticed, she couldn''t make it feel real anymore, it was already her reality.


    ''''she''s good, um, are you busy later today? '''' Leo asked. Claire''s fingers clutched her purse, she wanted to say yes, but her body was saying otherwise, she bit her lower lip as she shook her head, knowing that she was treading a road of no return.


    ''''We could go for a drink later if you don''t mind? '''' Leo''s heart raced, what was he even doing? He couldn''t believe he was actually asking her that and worse of all he couldn''t believe his eyes when she nodded with a smile.


    ''''come pick me at home, just coming from work, need to shower and rest. ''''


    ''''Alright, I will. Let me rush in to see Tiana ''''


    ''''Yeah, see you. '''' Claire licked her lower lip as she watched him go into the hospital to see Tiana. Even when she knew she was doing something wrong, she couldn''t deny the happiness coursing through her. The truth was that she wanted to be around him. She wanted him to hold her, to hug her, even if it was for a minute, she wanted him badly, and it was making her crazy.


    Maybe she should be selfish? Just this once, she would let herself be selfish.


    Swallowing hard, she entered her car and zoomed off to home. She showered and rested then dressed up for the outing.


    She packed her hair up in a ponytail. She applied her red lipsticks and smacked her lips. She was putting on jeans and a shirt, not anything flashy, just normal. She was already beautiful so he would look good in anything she wore.


    She heard a car pull up in front of the house and she stepped out. It seemed he went home because he was putting on different clothes from what he wore earlier.

 Chapter 251 - Damn it

    Leo was stunned when he saw her, and she was so s.e.xy in that outfit; damn, even her smile was gorgeous, maybe it was because they''ve been apart for a while, anything she did seemed gorgeous.


    ''''let''s go; '''' Claire said as she walked to the passenger''s seat and got in. Leo entered the driver''s side, and turned on the ignition; he peeked at her in the car, she was looking a little too happy about this, was she eager to hang out with him?


    ''''Where do you want to go to? ''''


    He asked as he drove out of her house, Claire stretched herself on her seat, ''''anywhere you want, ''''


    Leo smiled and hit the road.


    Before long they drove into a famous bar in the city. She smiled as they stepped out of the car and walked into the bar.


    ''''A bottle of Johnnie Walker and two glasses please; '''' Claire ordered and Leo sat beside her, it was obvious she was out to get drunk.


    The bar attendant brought her order and placed it in front of them;


    ''''Your new hairstyle fits you; '''' Claire smiled as she poured the drink onto the glasses and passed Leo his.


    ''''Thank you; '''' she watched as the hair bangs he had brushed backward fall forward again in a s.e.xy way; it made her gulp and look away, every single time she looked at him he appeared more irresistible than the last.


    ''''I was surprised when you agreed to go out since you''ve been avoiding me for some time now; '''' he said, drinking from the cup.


    Claire sighed, licking her lower lip which was already red from the alcohol; ''''you can''t blame me, right? ''''


    Leo understood what she meant but it still hurt when she said it;


    ''''I didn''t want her to think we''re doing anything so I had to step back; ''''


    Claire''s hands clutched on the glass and she swallowed three mouthfuls;


    ''''Take it easy, you don''t want to get drunk; '''' the last thing he wanted now was her drunk, so he shifted the bottle from her;


    '''' don''t worry, one bottle of this isn''t enough to get me drunk, and not when we are even sharing it.''''


    Leo nodded but still didn''t place the bottle in front of her;


    ''''you know, I really missed our friendship a lot, but it was for the best, I didn''t want Hazel to feel uncomfortable because of me.'''' She bit her tongue to stop herself from telling him how much she wanted to reach out to him. She made her tone platonic enough so he won''t feel the pain in her voice. She missed him.


    ''''You don''t know how much it broke me when you stayed away, when you out rightly avoided me, it hurt me, but I couldn''t do anything because I didn''t want to make you uncomfortable, I figured that if this was what you wanted, then so be it. ''''


    Who said this is what I want¡­


    Claire bit her lip to stop herself from saying these words; she immediately raised her glass and drank from it, gulping the words back down her throat.


    ''''Things are fine between you two, right? '''' She stretched her hand and took the bottle filling her cup again;


    Things were not fine; they fought every day because he couldn''t be intimate with her. He told her to give him time but she wasn''t having it anymore. After this night, he was going to tell her about Claire. He didn''t want her to feel used, so he would tell her how it all started and how he left her because she didn''t feel the same way he did. It might be tough to take in, and if she wanted to leave him, it was fine but it was better than having to fight for the same thing every single day.


    ''''Yeah, things are good. I''m going to see her parents this weekend. '''' Claire''s body froze and the hand that was holding the glass shook.


    ''''you said what? '''' she didn''t want to sound sad but the alcohol betrayed her, her voice trembled as she spoke but thankfully Leo did not notice;


    ''''Her family wants to know who she''s dating, so we''re going to her home in the weekend. ''''


    '''' Oh; '''' Claire turned forward, her eyes blurred and her chest hurt. Why was she still hurting too much?


    ''''What about you? Are you seeing anyone now? ''''


    Claire shook her head; ''''no, been too occupied for that now, ''''


    ''''I heard that you are going to cast in Hustle in Paris? ''''Leo asked and Claire laughed;


    ''''No, just a guest character with three scenes, nothing huge;'''' she was thankful that he changed the topic; she couldn''t bear another dose of those painful words.


    ''''Wow, that''s great, if you do well, you can have a career in acting too. ''''


    Claire shook her head, ''''no, I doubt, but if I have time, I might do that. ''''


    They chatted for a while before they finally decided to go home. When they stepped outside it was already past 9.


    ''''How time flies; '''' Leo commented when he noticed it was dark already. Throughout the trip to her house, they talked like never before.


    Claire hasn''t felt this happy in a long while. She wished this day would not end but sadly they pulled up in her home.


    Leo stopped in front of her house and she watched him walk to her side and pull open the door;


    ''''Thanks for today; I''m happy we finally talked after all these while. ''''


    Claire smiled; ''''yeah, me too. '''' the lights in the garden highlighted his features in the night and she didn''t know why he looked so irresistible. His eyes, lips¡­ the way he stared at her; Claire pulled her eyes away.


    ''''Goodnight; '''' If she went in now, she might never have this chance again, maybe she should let herself be selfish, maybe she should be greedy just this once.


    Claire swallowed hard as she struggled with herself;


    ''''Yeah goodnight; '''' Leo replied with a small smile on his lips''


    She nodded and turned around against her will, walking towards her house, she had not taken up to five steps when she turned around and walked to Leo


    ''''Damn it¡­''''


    She breathed in frustration before she pulled him down and kissed him like she was starved.

 Chapter 252 - It was a mistake

    And indeed she was starved; her hands went around his neck and pulled him closer, prying open his lips as she kissed him deeper. Leo was shocked, but he didn''t have the time to think, his hands went around her automatically and pulled her close deepening the kiss; they didn''t know how hungry they were for each other until she was up against the car, her legs around his waists.


    They were panting as they ravaged each other''s mouths, Claire''s eyes watered as she kissed him back with every emotion she had piled up for months. She didn''t know kissing someone would feel so good and ye so painful, God, she wanted him; she needed him badly. What she was doing was wrong but she could not stop herself, not now.


    Her hands started unbuttoning his shirt, right in the compound against the car. Her face was flushed and her breath still raspy, she would just do it and get it over with. He was someone else''s; she couldn''t have him forever, so she would let herself be selfish today. Leo was shocked by her action and he quickly held her hands;


    ''''Claire, '''' His breath was hot and his eyes were filled with l.u.s.t and desire but that didn''t mean that he didn''t have any atom of reasoning, he couldn''t let her do something she didn''t want to do, she might have been influenced by alcohol, so she was not thinking straight. Suddenly as though reasoning came over her, she stopped, her eyes looked up at him and she quickly got down on her feet.


    ''''Oh my god, what have I done?'''' Her face looked so scared as it paled from every color;


    ''''I''m so sorry¡­ '''' she said and quickly ran into the house. Leo ran after her but she was faster and she locked the door before he could get inside.


    ''''Claire please let''s talk. ''''


    ''''No, , I''m so sorry, it was the alcohol, I''m so sorry, it won''t happen again. ''''


    She cried as she trembled on the other side. What did she just do? Was she about to have s.e.x with Leo?


    Her hands gripped her hair when the realization of what she had done came over her.


    ''''I know¡­ I just want to talk, please¡­ ''''


    ''''Please, just go, I don''t want to talk to you. '''' She trembled and quickly ran to her room, locking the door behind her.


    Leo heard the loud bang of her door and his head fell against the front door. After sometime he turned and walked to the car leaving her house.


    Throughout the ride, Leo couldn''t get the kiss out of his mind. He still remembered how her lips tasted, like alcohol; he had kissed Hazel a couple of times but he had never felt anything like what he felt today.


    He still remembered how her fingers felt against the scalp of his head as she brushed her hands through it and pulled at the locks of hair, how she kissed him deeply and desperately; like she was starving.


    It was too intense to ignore, he knew what it felt like to kiss someone you didn''t have feelings for because he had kissed Hazel, but how Claire kissed him¡­ was out of this world.


    That was why he wanted to talk to her.


    What if she loved him?


    His heart pounded against his chest as he thought about it. What if she liked him? He bit his lower lip tightly as he tried to think straight.


    She wasn''t drunk, he was sure about it because she walked herself to the car and they chatted normally all through, so why did she kiss him?


    Did she love him?


    Leo couldn''t help the shock on his face, his heart was racing too fast that he felt it might explode any minute. If she liked him, why then did she refuse him?


    Leo''s brows knitted with worry. If she liked him, why did she not tell him all these while even when he was going out with Hazel?


    She let him be with someone he didn''t love while she liked him?


    Leo couldn''t even understand it; he wanted to turn around and go back and ask her all these but he stopped himself. She wouldn''t even listen to him now; he would talk to her the next day.


    He drove into his house and closed the door behind him, thankfully, Hazel wasn''t around, he wasn''t sure he would be able to sleep on the same bed with her, not after kissing Claire this night.


    Maybe she realized she liked him after he got together with Hazel. Leo thought as he changed into casual clothes.


    And she didn''t want to end their relationship so she didn''t tell him. Leo paused as he connected the dots that were the only tangible reason he could find. Otherwise there was no way she would love him back and not want to be with him.


    He lay on the bed as he felt a different dose of happiness wash through him.


    He couldn''t even believe that she actually kissed him. He had lost all hope in her but suddenly she ignited his hope and now, he couldn''t quench the fire burning inside of him.


    His phone vibrated on his side and he opened it immediately, it was a message from Claire.


    ''''Leo,


    I''m very sorry for what happened this night. I didn''t know when I did that, it was the alcohol and I haven''t had s.e.x for a while, so I was just s.e.x starved. I''m so sorry for using you, I''m a really bad person for doing this, please find a place in your heart to forgive me. I can''t face you like this so I''ll be leaving for a while, when I get over what I''ve done, I''ll come back. Goodbye. ''''


    ''''No, no, no '''' Leo screamed and dashed out of his room and out of the house without his slippers to the car; he quickly drove out with speed to Claire''s house, on the way he called her severally but she was not picking.


    ''''Damn it; pick up the damn phone; '''' he cussed; It kept on redirecting him to her voicemail and he finally left a message;


    ''''Claire! Don''t leave, please stay where you are, we need to talk, please I''m coming for you. ''''

 Chapter 253 - Tell me you dont love me

    Leo drove as fast as he could; beads of sweat broke out on his forehead;


    He knew Claire, even though she appeared strong and calculated she was one who ran away from issues she couldn''t solve and the last time she did that, she didn''t come back till after five months. He had waited for so long and now she was almost within his reach she wanted to run away?


    He wasn''t sure what would be the state of things he next time he would see her if he let her go. No, he had to talk to her, now. Her house was a twenty-minute drive from his, he prayed she had not left already; it was going to shatter him all over.


    Leo drove speedily into her compound, jumping out of the car without parking properly. Just that moment, he saw Claire hurrying out of the house with her luggage. His feet froze at a spot as he panted, his hair looking messy and his eyes staring straight at the woman in front of him.


    Claire''s eyes widened when she saw him and she turned around instantly to run back into the house but this time Leo was faster; he quickly grabbed her hand stopping her.


    ''''Let go of me!'''' Claire screamed as she vibrated as though he was a serial killer, the only thing she wanted now was to be as far away from him as possible. She didn''t want to look at his face, no, no ¡­


    ''''Claire, please listen to me; ''''


    ''''What do you want?'''' she cut him off; ''''what the hell do you want! I''m going to scream if you don''t let me go this minute;'''' He knew what she was trying to do, she wanted to scare him away, but he wasn''t going to let her.


    ''''what do you want? I told you, the kiss did not mean anything if that''s what you are here for. It was a mistake, that''s all; let me go now. ''''


    Leo stared at her for a brief moment, her eyes were shaking and all the while she spoke she couldn''t look him in the eye;


    ''''If it didn''t mean anything, why are you trying to run away? ''''


    Claire''s face drained of all color; no, this was not happening, what did he come to do to her? Did he want to scold her for kissing another woman''s boyfriend whom she had rejected without even giving a chance?


    Her lips trembled as tears fell from the side of her eyes;


    ''''Just let me go please¡­ ''''


    ''''If it didn''t mean anything, why are you so scared? ''''


    Claire bit her lower lip tightly; ''''I''m scared because I did something wrong, it was a mistake and I didn''t know if you would misunderstand it, I didn''t want¡­''''


    ''''I love you¡­ ''''


    Leo''s words cut her off and her mouth hung open in shock;


    ''''I still love you Claire; I haven''t stopped loving you even for one minute. I thought being with another person would change the way I feel about you, but no, Claire, right now, my heart is still racing the same way it was the first day I saw you. '''' Leo swallowed hard, his throat very dry. Claire''s pupils dilated as the left part of her chest beat too fast that she thought she might faint;


    Suddenly Leo let go of her; Claire was shocked but she did not move, she just stood still staring at him.


    ''''Now, I want you to look me straight in the eyes and tell me you don''t love me back. ''''


    Leo breathed heavily, his eyes staring piercingly at Claire. Claire''s eyes shook at his words and she tried to look away from him but his gaze held hers so piercingly that she felt hypnotized. She opened her lips to speak, but they could only flutter;


    ''''I¡­ I¡­ ''''


    Leo stared at her, his eyes watering. The first time he told her this she was quick to reject him, but now, she was staring at him, but the words could not leave her lips.


    ''''I love you; '''' Claire said out of the blues and Leo shook lightly, shock overwhelming him. He didn''t expect her to reply, but he was shocked to hear her say that. His lips trembled as he stared at the trembling figure in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak but no words could come out.


    Claire stared at the man in front of her, her body shook and her heart raced. Her eyes dropped from his eyes to his lips and in the next second, she closed the gap between them and kissed him.


    Leo''s hands went around her reflexively and he deepened the kiss. In a matter of seconds, they were struggling against each other, all the pent of love, l.u.s.t, passion, frustration, they all wanted to vent it all at once.


    Claire didn''t realize she was against his body now, her hands gripped his shirt and tore it away from his body, hurried pants leaving their lips; Leo jacked her up, her legs going around his waists, and their lips not breaking as he led them into the house.


    They were not saying a word, but their actions said everything not said; Claire didn''t know how many things broke but she could hear some crashing of glasses as he carried her into her room; by the time they got there, they were almost n.a.k.e.d, with only what they wore below on.


    Leo''s eyes flashed on her b.r.e.a.s.t, and a wave of l.u.s.t gripped him; his mouth came latching onto them, Claire m.o.a.ned in ecstasy as her hands struggled to get his pants off him. Damn, she needed him inside her badly. She was almost dying from need.


    Thankfully she was wearing a skirt, so when she was done with his pants, she hurriedly lifted her skirt up, not patient enough to take it off, though it later came off later in the night.


    The next morning Claire couldn''t believe what happened, she thought it was a dream until she felt someone drawing something on her back, her cheeks heat up as she remembered the events of the previous night.


    Leo pulled her closer and kissed, more like licked her shoulders, down to her neck.


    ''''Good morning, ''''

 Chapter 254 - Loved you since forever

    ''''Good morning; ''''


    Hell no, she wasn''t waking up! Last night, she surprised herself, even when he got tired, she kept on kissing him, she didn''t know how many times they did it last night but she knew by the time they were done, she couldn''t even move a muscle.


    She didn''t want to imagine the smug look on his face right now, so she kept her eyes shut, she''ll just sleep till he went into the bathroom.


    ''''It still feels like a dream Claire, that you''re here with me. ''''


    She heard his voice, soft against her ear and it made her heart tingle and she couldn''t help smiling, he knew she was awake. His hand brushed her hair softly as he gazed at her pearly skin, it still felt like a dream, Claire was in his arms right now, and she said she loved him. Right now, all the pain he had ever felt washed away, only happiness coursed through him.


    Claire turned around; her eyes fluttered open and her lips smiled, Leo was gazing at her with love written in his eyes; her hands itched on her side and she raised it to hold his face, his beards tickling her palm;


    ''''It''s real Leo, I''m here and I love you. I think I''ve loved you since forever, but I didn''t realize it was love until you started seeing¡­ '''' the words hung on her throat when she realized she they just cheated on Hazel, or rather, he just cheated on Hazel. Her hand shook and she quickly retracted it from his face but Leo stopped her and brought it back to his face, his hand over hers. Claire''s eyes looked to him;


    ''''I''m going to end things with her today, I''ve been lying to her but she deserves better. ''''


    Claire gulped, ''''you¡­ you don''t love her?''''


    ''''No; '''' Leo answered vehemently, he had not been surer about anything else in his whole life. A faint blush stained her cheeks;


    ''''I''m sorry for rejecting you the first time; I wish I didn''t let you go through all that pain¡­ ''''


    ''''Shh, it''s okay, you''re here now, I can''t even remember any of the pain I felt, all I can feel now is unending happiness bubbling inside of me. Claire, you''ve made me so happy. '''' Leo brushed away the hair on her face, and he kissed her lips, short but passionate, making her eyes close involuntarily.


    ''''I love you; very much. '''' His eyes searched hers as he said sincerely; she exhaled.


    ''''I love you too Leo, '''' she pulled him down and kissed him again, this time she didn''t let go, his hands inched down and cupped her butt and pulled her upwards, making her straddle him. In a few minutes, they were m.o.a.ning in ecstasy again.


    They showered together and prepared breakfast together, all the while grinning at themselves; Leo could not remember the last time he saw her smile so sweetly, he didn''t realize he was the reason for her moodiness until now.


    During breakfast, Leo''s phone rang and it was beside Claire, so her eyes reflexively looked to it. The smile on her lips paled when she saw who the caller was;


    ''''who is it? ''''


    She took the phone and passed it to him; ''''Hazel ''''


    Leo took the phone from her hand, he stared at the caller ID for a moment, he didn''t want to lie to her again, so he rejected the call, put it on silent, and turned the phone over on the table.


    Claire looked at him in shock; ''''why didn''t you answer it?''''


    Leo sighed; ''''I''ve lied to her enough, I don''t want to lie again, I''ll explain everything to her today. ''''


    Claire''s hold on the cutlery tightened; even if Hazel was an angel she wasn''t going to take the news lightly;


    ''''She''s going to be mad; '''' she said calmly, her eyes staring blankly at her plate. It was her fault, if she had not rejected Leo in the first place without even giving him a chance, they won''t be in this mess right now. Hazel would be shattered if she loved Leo. And people took rejection differently; she didn''t know how Hazel would take it.


    Leo''s eyes turned to her and he saw that she was beating herself about it; he exhaled and rubbed on her arm;


    ''''Claire, it''s okay, everything would be fine. Hazel, she''s going to be hurt but she''s going to get over it soon. ''''


    Claire forced a smile; ''''yeah, but she''ll be hurt really bad. I told her we had nothing a number of times so I feel guilty for this now, I feel like I''ve betrayed her. '''' she pouted, looking at her meal and losing appetite to eat. She imagined being in Hazel''s shoes now, it would hurt a lot.


    ''''let''s not think about it until we get there, I''ll make sure I make her understand. I know I should have been clear with her, but I didn''t think that you would ever love me back. ''''


    Leo breathed; brushing his hair with his hands.


    ''''Right, but she''s not going to be angry with us forever, would she?''''


    Claire grinned trying to ease the tension;


    ''''Yeah she won''t, let''s eat now, we''ll worry about that later. ???''


    ¡­


    Tiana''s eyes fluttered and she looked at the ceiling of where she was lying confusedly. It was a matter of seconds before everything came flooding back to her;


    Her eyes widened and heaved heavily on the bed, tears pouring from the side of her eyes;


    Diana was sleeping on the large couch and when she heard a voice in the room she opened her eyes and she quickly dashed to the bed where Tiana was.


    ''''Tiana! Thank God, just wait for a second, I''ll call the doctor now '''' quickly, she dashed out of the room and she returned a few minutes later with a doctor.


    ''''Nick¡­ Nicklaus¡­ '''' Tiana''s hands shook on the side of the bed as her eyes watered;


    ''''He''s fine, he''s fine, everything is fine; '''' Diana replied. She just came back alive, if she told her that he was still missing, she might die.

 Chapter 255 - Hes dead right?

    The doctor did some minor checks on her and confirmed she was fine.


    ''''She''s fine; she just needs to eat something and rest. '''' the doctor said, and scribbled something on a book.


    ''''where is he? Nicklaus, where is he?'''' her voice shook as she asked, pain in her eyes. Diana swallowed painfully, but the last thing she wanted now was Tiana to know what was really going on.


    ''''He stepped out for a while, he''s fine, I''ll call him now and tell him you''re awake. ''''


    Tiana gazed at Diana as though checking if she was lying, but Diana was an actress, her lie was impossible to detect.


    ''''Tiana? ''''


    The door creaked open and someone who looked like her stepped in; Diana didn''t know Tiana had a sister until yesterday when she came. They looked much alike; the only difference was that Gwen had a more subtle and innocent look. It''s hard to tell what she''s thinking, unlike Tiana.


    ''''Gwen? '''' Tiana''s eyes widened when she saw her, and a smile broke out on her lips; ''''you came? ''''


    Gwen strode to the bed and embraced her in a hug; ''''why wouldn''t I come, I''m so sorry. ''''


    ''''I''m fine, how are you? Have you seen Nicklaus? ''''


    She was happy that Gwen came but she was happier because Nicklaus was alive, that was the only reason she tried to talk even when she was still weak.


    ''''Nicklaus? '''' Gwen asked, a light crease of her brows; ''''he stepped out¡­ he was here all day; he just went out to have dinner, he''ll be back soon. ''''


    Diana had already told her what to say peradventure Tiana woke up; they would only tell her the truth when she was well enough to take it.


    The doctor watched them pitifully but he didn''t say a word; ''''l will get someone to bring you something to eat, make sure you have enough rest okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded, she was eager to see him, so she agreed to everything the doctor said;


    ''''have you called him? ''?? she turned to Diana after the doctor left.


    ''''oh, let me do that. '''' Diana said, and quickly left the room before Tiana would ask to speak with him.


    Once the door was closed behind her, she heaved a painful sigh and walked away from the room.


    Her hands went around her torso, hugging herself as she walked to the glass window in the tall hospital building, her eyes peering outside.


    She stared quietly outside the window, shutting every sound around her.


    He was dead.


    She couldn''t still believe it. She remembered growing up with him, one beautiful boy who was older by a few years staying in the next room. He was so quiet, he didn''t talk to anyone. She got to know her Uncle and his wife, his parents were killed and he was the only one that survived. She tried to talk to him but he never responded to her, not even a word.


    She watched him grow up with them and the only person he talked to was his aunt, her mother. Soon she got used to his quietness. And then, years later, he took over the company, she didn''t know he was capable of managing the affairs of the company until he increased the profit of the company in two years by 200%.


    She admired him because he was strong, focused, calm, and brave. Even though she didn''t want to think about it, between the two of them, Douglas and him, if it came to life and death, she wanted him to win.


    But he was gone. Tears gathered in her eyes as the vision of the lights of the city blurred in her eyes;


    He was gone. Evil won.


    Her teeth bit her lower lip painfully. This was real life, no matter how bitter and painful it was to the ears, evil won most times, and only a fraction of the times, does good prevail and sadly Nicklaus was not among the fraction of the good that prevailed.


    She didn''t know what she would tell Tiana who was still waiting expectantly for him to come in; she could imagine the look of pain in her eyes when she finally told her, he was dead.


    Diana gulped, taking out a hankie; she wiped her eyes thoroughly, not leaving any hint of tears on it. Breathing in severally, she turned to the room with a bright smile.


    ''''Tiana, I just called him now, he went home to get some files, he''s on his way.''''


    Diana smiled, and Tiana lifted her eyes to her, staring at her for a few seconds and she returned her eyes to her meal, eating some more but this time her excitement slowed after a few seconds, she spoke;


    '''' where is my phone, let me call him? ''''


    She said her eyes searching around for her phone;


    ''''Oh, it''s at home. '''' Diana said.


    ''''Oh; '''' Tiana thought;


    ''''How many days have I been asleep? ''''


    ''''Two days and a half¡­ '''' Diana replied rather quickly, not thinking about her reply, and that moment Tiana stopped, she was eerily quiet for a moment then she turned to Diana.


    ''''He''s dead right? '''' her voice trembled as she spoke, staring straight at Diana. Diana was caught off guard and her eyes glanced at Gwen who was sitting pitifully by the side;


    ''''No, Tiana¡­ ''''


    ''''You can tell me, I''m not going to die¡­ ''''


    Diana''s lips fluttered and she thinned them, slowly walking to Tiana on the bed and taking her hand;


    ''''Tiana, he''s not dead¡­ ''''


    ''''He had an accident and fell into the river and in two days he''s going home for some files, Diana you can lie better¡­ ''''


    Tiana said, tears clouding her gaze, but she did her best to not let them fall. Diana''s lips quivered;


    ''''He''s not been found still¡­ he might still be alive¡­ ''''


    ''''alive, where? In the river? ''''


    Diana''s lips quivered and she shook her head painfully; ''''I''m so sorry. ''''


    Tiana was quiet as though she was in a world of her own; after some time she spoke''


    ''''Leave, I just want to be left alone. ''''


    Diana''s eyes widened in shock and she turned to Gwen;


    Was she planning to kill herself?


    ''''I just need to be alone; I''m not going to kill myself. '''' Tiana said as though she just read her mind.


    That''s exactly what someone who wanted to kill themselves would say. Diana thought but she still stood up from the bed.

 Chapter 256 - Bleak and Pain

    The song in this chapter is ''say you won''t let go'' by James Arthur. **


    ''''We''ll be outside if you need anything; '''' she said but Tiana did not reply, her eyes stared straight at her plate.


    ''''get me my phone and earphones. ''''


    Diana nodded and she and Gwen left the room, but they stood by the door watching her through the transparent glass in case she wanted to do anything. When she resumed eating, Diana spoke to one of the guards and he quickly called home and asked them to bring her phone over. Gwen stood by the door watching her sister, after some time she smiled faintly.


    It seemed they were both back to square one, but the difference was that this time, she was greater than her.


    She had not felt happier after she heard of Nicklaus''s accident. She was so happy that she couldn''t even eat. She already lost hope of being better but luck finally shone on her. The billionaire husband was finally dead.


    Even though she was his wife, she would be left with little or no assets since she didn''t have a child yet and Howells Corporation was family-owned, the most she would get was Nicklaus''s assets. That was if she was wise enough to know how to get them before some greedy family members stole it from right underneath her nose, or maybe kill her to get it for themselves, she was a weakling already.


    Too bad, she was always trying to be higher, but she was constantly pushed back to the mud where she belonged. She had rushed back to see her because she wanted to see the sad and frustrated look on her face knowing that she had nothing left.


    But she didn''t want her dead though, she was sad when she found out she was not waking up.


    Firstly, she was her sister; the last thing she would want was for her to be dead, although it crossed her mind sometimes because of how she won her most times, yet, she didn''t want her to die. And more importantly, she didn''t want to stop competing with her, she wanted to win and watch the look on her face, knowing that she had finally won.


    ''''Gwen, how is she? '''' Diana asked, kicking Gwen out of her thoughts. Gwen blinked and turned back to the room. ''''She''s been eating as though nothing is wrong. '''' Diana peeked into the room and as Gwen had said, she was eating normally as though there was nothing wrong, that only made them worry the more.


    If she cried, at least they knew what was in her mind, her silence was frightening.


    After eating, she squeezed herself on the bed; lying quietly without a word.


    Diana badly wanted to know what she was doing, so she was so thankful when a guard came to her with Tiana''s phone and the earphones she had asked for. She slowly pushed the door open and walked to her on the bed.


    Diana stood beside her for a moment, watching her. She wasn''t moving neither were there any sounds of crying; Diana became scared;


    ''''Tiana, I''ve brought your phone¡­ '''' She spoke, walking closer to the bed, but before she could reach it, Tiana stretched her hand to take the phone. Diana paused and placed the phone in her hand.


    ''''I want to be left alone, Diana. '''' Tiana said, her voice was bleak, it was clear that she was trying her best to mask the pain she was feeling inside.


    She heard Diana''s footsteps walk away and the door click and everywhere became quiet. A few seconds passed and then she turned her phone on, she tapped on her music icon and searched for a song, her eyes stopped on one and she tapped on it, putting her earphones on;


    ¡­


    ''I met you in the dark, you lit me up


    You made me feel as though, I was enough


    We danced the night away, we drank too much¡­


    But I wanna stay with you until we''re grey and old


    Just say you won''t let go


    just say you won''t let go''


    Tiana wasn''t crying, she was weeping. Her tears flowed freely from her eyes. She didn''t have the strength to scream, she couldn''t shout. She could only listen to her pulsating heart, beating with nothing but pain and agony. Every memory they ever shared came rushing back to her, she shook on the bed as sweat broke out on her forehead.


    ''I''m so in love with you


    And I hope you know


    Darling, your love is more than what it is weight in gold


    We''ve come this far my dear, look how we''ve grown


    And I wanna stay with you until we''re grey and old''


    Just say you won''t let go


    just say you won''t let go


    Tiana''s body vibrated with pain as she wept helplessly. He was gone; the only man she loved was gone. They had so many things they were yet to do, he promised they would make babies, he promised to be there for her, he promised to always make her laugh even when she was so sad¡­


    Baby, why did you leave me¡­? I was waiting for you¡­


    ¡­


    ''I wanna live with you, even when we''re ghosts


    ''Cause you were always there for me when I needed you the most


    I''m gonna love you till my lungs give out


    I promise till death we part, like in our vows??''


    Tiana listened to the lyrics of the song, unable to move. She still couldn''t believe he was no more. He had so many things he wanted to do; she couldn''t believe that his enemies ended him.


    She lifted her hand to her mouth and she bit on it painfully.


    ''Just say you won''t let go¡­ Just say you won''t let go¡­''


    He wanted her to be happy, but in the end, she could only find sorrow. She knew she would never have a reason to smile anymore, he was her light, and he was gone leaving her in utter darkness.


    She didn''t know how time passed as she listened to the song over and over again until it was morning. When the door opened, she pretended to be asleep.

 Chapter 257 - You hurt me, Leo

    ''''where were you? ''''


    Hazel was standing in the middle of the living room when Leo walked in. Her eyes stared at him pointedly as she folded her arms in front of her. Leo''s steps faltered when he saw her.


    ''''Hazel, I was at a friends'' '''' he swallowed, he could see the look of betrayal on her eyes and the way she bit her lip made him know that she knew who the ''friend'' was but she didn''t want to say it, afraid that it might be true.


    They stood still staring at each other for a while and then Hazel breathed; '''' I came over last night and you weren''t home, been calling you ever since and you weren''t picking my calls. '''' She swallowed, staring at him as though waiting for an explanation.


    Leo breathed out in frustration, he wished he could turn back the hands of time; he wouldn''t have lied to her in the first place.


    ''''Hazel, we need to talk. '''' Hazel''s eyes searched his expression and the look on his face told her that what he was about to say was not anything good. She watched him walk to the couch in the living room and sit down,


    ''''Hazel... ''''


    Leo palmed his face, his hand brushing through his hair. Hazel watched him for a moment before she walked slowly to the couch and sat down beside him a little far way.


    ''''What is it? '''' whether it was what she wanted to hear or not, she would still hear it, it was clear that she didn''t have a choice.


    Leo palmed the sides of his head with both hands as he thought of how to tell her. He wished it didn''t come to this; Hazel was such a good person.


    ''''Hazel, I like someone else. ''''


    The room reduced to pin drop silence after the words left his lips. Hazel could hear her lashes blink. She had always suspected that he was in love with that person but he denied it over and over again;


    '''' It is Claire right? '''' she asked after a few minutes of silence, Leo did not respond but he did not deny it either. Hazel took in a deep breath, her hands fisting on her thighs.


    ''''I asked you several times¡­ ''''


    ''''I''m so sorry, I didn''t think I would ever be with her, I never wished to hurt you this way, I''m so sorry. ''''


    Hazel stared at him for a long while, and then she chuckled; ''''so why are you telling me now? You should have just ended things without telling me, it would have been easier to deal with, Leo. ''''


    Leo''s heart shattered, he wished he didn''t have to hurt her this way,


    ''''Hazel, I''m so sorry; '''' that was the only thing he could say, that he was sorry, nothing else.


    Hazel did not speak, she just watched him as though he was a television screen, after a moment, she smiled;


    ''''Okay; '''' Leo''s eyes widened in shock;


    ''''Okay? ''''


    ''''Yeah, do you think I''m going to fight with you? Or fight Claire because of a man who doesn''t love me? '''' she laughed.


    ''''You hurt me Leo, not because you love Claire, but because you lied over and over again, because you just used me to get over an infatuation. ''''


    ''''I''m very sorry Hazel, I never wished to hurt you¡­ ''''


    ''''But you did; '''' she cut him off, and smiled; ''''and to think I asked Claire and she told me to my face that there was nothing going on between you two¡­ '''' There was a flash of anger in her eyes but she masked it immediately;


    ''''because there was really nothing going on, we''ve never had anything intimate before I met you, it had always been a one sided crush, until she realized she liked me too, but then I was already together with you so she stayed away, it wasn''t until yesterday, when we met¡­ ''''


    ''''Its fine, I don''t want to hear the details; '''' Hazel said, standing up from the couch and made to walk out the door, then she remembered something;


    ''''Right, I left some of my stuff here; I''m just going to get it now. '''' Hazel went into the room and came out after a few minutes with a small bag;


    ''''Have a nice life, Leo. '''' she smiled and walked out the front door.


    Leo didn''t know he was holding his breath until she left. He heaved a sigh and slumped back on the couch. It was over now?


    He didn''t expect her to take it lightly, given the number of times she had queried him about Claire and he lied. He knew Hazel liked him, even if she wasn''t drunken in love, she liked him to an extent, so he was a little shocked that she took everything lightly.


    His hands reached to his phone from his pocket and he called Claire;


    ''''Hey; ''''


    ''''Hey; '''' The question was on the tip of her lips but Claire didn''t want to ask it, she was scared of what the outcome was.


    ''''I''ve told her¡­ '''' Leo''s voice sounded on the other side of the line and Claire breathed in sharply;


    ''''what did she say? '''' her heart raced nervously, if Hazel wasn''t having it, then she might go meet her herself.


    ''''She''s gone. '''' Leo said and Claire''s brows creased;


    ''''Gone? ''''


    ''''Yeah, she was mad but she said she wasn''t going to fight over a man, so she left. ''''


    ''''Just like that?'''' Claire was surprised; she didn''t expect it to be this easy.


    ''''Yeah, I think so. ''''


    ''''Wow, I didn''t think she would be so forgiving. ''''


    ''''Me too ''''


    ''''Should I meet her, apologize in person? ''''


    ''''Claire, she wouldn''t want to see your face. ''''


    ''''Yeah, that''s true. '''' No matter how sorry she was it would seem as though she was mocking her if she went to apologize.


    ''''She''ll be fine. ''''


    Claire breathed out from her lips; ''''I pray so; ''''


    ''''You are coming over after work, right? '''' Leo asked, changing the topic.


    ''''Yeah, I just left the house now, about to get into the car.


    ''''Alright, talk to you later, I love you. ''''


    Claire felt a blush stain her cheeks, she didn''t think she would ever feel mushy hearing those words from him; ''''Love you too. ''''

 Chapter 258 - Im afraid that decision cannot be made

    Hazel drove out of Leo''s house, her face expressionless. It was hard to tell what she was thinking. After a few minutes, a derided chuckle escaped her lips.


    He took her to be a fool. Too bad he just messed with the wrong person. She didn''t want this to happen that was why she asked him over and over again if he had any relationship with Claire but he denied every single time.


    And now they were back together he wanted to toss her out like some used trash? Haha, he must be ridiculous to think that she would let him go just like that. Right, she didn''t complete the story of her ex who cheated on her, he was found dead in an abandoned reservoir. Too bad, she actually began to like him.


    She picked up her phone and dialed a number, it rang for a few seconds before the person on the other side picked;


    ''''baby, where are you? I want to come over. '''' She said in a cute tiny voice that was impossible to resist, the man on the other side made a mumbling sound;


    '''' I''m at work; let''s meet later in the evening. ''''


    Hazel groaned; ''''No, it''s important, please¡­ '''' the man paused for a second;


    ''''Alright, ''''


    ''''Thank you, baby, I''ll be there in a minute, love you,'''' she said and ended the call.


    Dropping her phone on the seat, a smirk tugged on her lips, she would teach him a lesson, so next time he wouldn''t mess with people''s feelings.


    When she got to the company, she walked straight to the elevator, the guards already knew her so they allowed her in when they saw her. They only stopped her when perhaps their boss''s wife was around.


    Hazel pushed the door open without knocking, a brilliant smile on her lips;


    ''''Baby, I''ve missed you! ''''


    Douglas rolled his eyes; she never had manners, ''''why don''t you ever knock, what if I was with someone? '''' he asked, trying to look angry, but he couldn''t since his eyes were fixated on her b.o.o.b.s which she had purposely propped up.


    Hazel bit her lip as she walked to him, kissing his lips;


    ''''You would have told me if there was someone here; '''' she grinned and turned his seat, then squatted to her knees;


    Although Douglas had a son, he got married quite early, so he was still young, and he took care of himself, so he looked in his thirties, although he was in his forties.


    Her hands came to his zipper and she pulled it down, taking him in her mouth.


    His head fell back in pleasure as he held her head and guided her, she knew how to work with her mouth, that''s why he took a special liking to her, and she was also very cute, quite impossible to resist. Douglas groaned as he jerked on his seat, his climax washing through him.


    Hazel stood up and took some tissue paper from his table; wiping him clean, she tossed it into the bin.


    Douglas sighed as he buckled himself; his eyes peering at her as she leaned on the table with a smirk on her lips. He knew her; she wouldn''t be here like this without a demand.


    ''''What is it? '''' A light chuckle left her lips when she heard him;


    ''''Baby, what do you mean; I cannot come to visit you without a demand? '''' she asked with a coquettish grin;


    Douglas leaned back on his chair, ''''well, you can''t be looking at me that way without a demand. ''''


    Hazel laughed; ''''Oh well, you know me a little too much.'''' The smile on her face disappeared instantly and was replaced with a wicked glare; ''''the thing is, I want you to kill someone for me.''''


    ¡­


    Two weeks later¡­


    Tiana was discharged a week ago. When the workers saw her, they all gave her a sorry look, but they were surprised that she wasn''t looking sad; rather there was a smile on her chin. Strangely, she didn''t lock herself up as they had expected, she even went for a swim and ate to her heart''s content.


    Some started gossiping, they said she might have planned the accident, and she was happy now since she would inherit all his wealth. Others said that they loved each other too much and that people dealt with losing a loved one differently, maybe this was how she dealt with hers.


    Nicklaus hadn''t been confirmed dead although there were speculations that he was since his body had not yet been found. The company needed to be overseen in his absence, so a meeting was called in the family house and they were to decide who to oversee the affairs of the company prior to when Nicklaus''s body was found;


    ''''If he has not been found after so long it would only mean that he is dead; ''''


    Tiana''s eyes flashed at Douglas when he said that, and her eyes brimmed with hate;


    ''''why are you so sure that he''s dead?''''


    Douglas turned to her, a little surprised that she had the effrontery to cut him off, his eyes gazed at her up to down and he smirked;


    ''''If he isn''t dead, then he should be home by now, I know it is hard to take in¡­''''


    ''''and how is that a thing of joy? ''''


    She cut him off, anger flashing through her eyes; Diana was sitting beside her, so she held her hand, as though telling her to stop. Tiana gulped, coming back to herself,


    ''''She''s mourning; I understand the pain of losing someone you hold dear, now back to why we are here¡­'''' Douglas was eager to get to the point, he knew he was the next in line, he didn''t know why they were wasting time about it.


    Grandma shut her eyes briefly, taking in a deep breath;


    ''''Douglas, you''ll oversee the affairs of the company for now, till Nicklaus is found; ''''


    The room was cold, although he was the next in line to the inheritance; no-one wanted him to have it.


    Suddenly, the door barged open and a woman walked in with a smile on her lips;


    ''''I''m afraid that decision cannot be made Mrs. Howells. ''''


    She chuckled lightly as she walked into the living room and sat down without any invitation.

 Chapter 259 - Im not so sure

    The room was thrown into utter confusion, everyone glanced at each other in surprise, they all knew who she was_ the chairwoman of Warren''s Corporation but why she was here was the question;


    Catherine smiled; ''''Liam dear, can you come in now; ''''


    All eyes turned to the door as they watched a man, who looked almost like Nicklaus walk into the parlor, the only difference was the color of their hair.


    ''''Who¡­ who is this? '''' Grandma was the first to speak as she was more shocked than surprised;


    ''''This is Liam Wills, or maybe now he is Liam Howells, the first son of Jeffery Howells and the rightful heir to the Howells Corporation, you can run a DNA test if you want, but I mean, it''s quite obvious that he''s a replica of Jeffery; ''''


    Liam greeted the elders and came to sit down beside his mother. Everyone was confused, well except for Tiana; she just watched the whole drama unfold.


    ''''where has he been all the while? I thought Michael Wills is your son? Why did you keep him hidden? ''''


    So many questions flew in the air but none of them could get a reasonable reply;


    Catherine rubbed her forehead; ''''I adopted Michael Wills, and I kept him hidden until now because I knew someone was after Nicklaus and if he knew about my son, he would try to kill him too, '''' her eyes turned to Douglas who was staring back at her murderously, this was the first time he had ever been taken unawares.


    She chuckled; ''''but now I see he has finally killed Nicklaus, I decided to show my son to the family, ''''


    The room erupted in chaos again;


    ''''how sure are you that he killed Nicklaus? Don''t place accusations you aren''t sure of! '''' Michelle exclaimed, venom seething through her nose, even if she didn''t like Douglas, she already had a plan of her own, so she didn''t want one strange woman destroying her plans;


    ''''Well, who knows, don''t you want an investigation done? Perhaps, something can be found? '''' She tilted her head to the side and stared at Douglas pointedly as though she was extremely sure that he was the one that killed Nicklaus.


    All this information at once was too much for Grandma to bear, she held her head with both hands as she tried to calm her pounding head.


    ''''Everyone quiet! ''''


    Grandma raised her voice to calm everyone in the room, and they all turned to her. She was quiet for a while before she turned to Catherine;


    ''''it''s a waste of time doing any tests on your son, it''s clear that he looks very much like my son, Jeffery. But I want to know, how did you get pregnant with his baby? ''''


    Catherine thought for a moment; ''''I was his secretary, we had an affair. ''''


    Grandma sighed, this news was quite shocking to her; Jeffery was the last person she had expected to have an extra-marital affair with, so she found it hard to believe. ''''


    ''''And you stayed hidden, why? ''''


    Catherine swallowed; ''''because¡­ ''''


    Wait, she could not say she stayed hidden all the while because Douglas was out to get Nicklaus, that would be shooting herself on the foot;


    ''''I hid him to protect him; I didn''t want any harm to come to him since Nicklaus was already born; ''''


    ''" And you''re here with him now, because you want to take the company? How are you so sure that harm wouldn''t come to him now? And how are we sure that you didn''t kill Nicklaus so you would take over the company?''''


    Blood drained from Catherine''s face as Grandma''s words reached her ears; how did she not think of this before coming? Right now, she was the stranger here and the most likely to want to hurt Nicklaus.


    Catherine swallowed; ''''If I wanted to hurt Nicklaus I would have done it a long time ago, you can carry out your investigation, I''m open for anything, all I want is for my son to have a name and be accepted into this family. ''''


    Everyone watched her quietly, each in their own world of thought;


    ''''Right, as you said, we''ll carry out an investigation on the accident, and if any lead is traced to you, both you and your son will go down for it.''''


    Grandma paused and turned to Tiana;


    ''''For now, since we are in doubt of who to manage the affairs of the company, we''ll leave it to Tiana, Nicklaus''s wife to decide. ''''


    All eyes turned to Tiana who had been watching them quietly, and she smiled faintly;


    ''''Tiana between Douglas and Liam who do you want to be the acting CEO. ''''


    Catherine''s face paled, she knew Tiana would never choose Liam; he had kidnapped her so there was no way she would choose him.


    Tiana''s eyes moved from Douglas to Liam who was sitting on a distant couch, he could not look her in the eyes, it only made her chuckle. She pulled her eyes from him again and turned to Douglas as though contemplating her decision;


    ''''Grandma, can you let me think about this, I''m not sure. '''' Her face looked sincere as she pleaded;


    ''''Liam is my husband''s half-brother, and Douglas is his uncle, it''s quite difficult to choose. ''''


    Liam was shocked at her reply; was she thinking about choosing him? After everything, he did to her?


    Grandma nodded; ''''Okay, but you have to make your decision quick, ''''


    ''''Yeah, we''ll have another meeting in two days. ''''


    ''''Alright, ''''


    Douglas was the first to stand up and leave the room, followed by Catherine and Liam. Today was the most shocking day of their lives. Tiana sat on her spot watching everyone talk about what just happened; she saw Elizabeth walk to her and a smile stretched her lips;


    ''''Tiana; '''' She called sincerely as she sat beside her, ''''Did you know? ''''


    Tiana knew she was asking if she knew about Liam and Catherine, but she shook her head;


    ''''No, I didn''t know, I''m just as shocked; ''''


    Elizabeth sighed and pulled her into a close hug; ''''it''s going to be fine, okay? ''''


    She nodded, ''''Alright, I''ll be going home now.''''


    Tiana retracted from the hug and stood up from the couch;


    ''''Be safe okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''I will. ''''

 Chapter 260 - Kidnap

    Tiana walked out of the house and to her car, her driver held the door open for her and closed it after she got in.


    He was surprised by her actions today, was she calling for death? On a normal, she used about five cars to go to places, but today she had particularly told them to go with one car even when she knew she would be the most wanted person in the whole of California, he didn''t know how she reasoned, but then, she was the wife of their boss, they couldn''t go against her orders.


    Tiana closed her eyes as she listened to the song playing on the radio suddenly she heard a screeching sound and her car came to a halt. Her eyes looked outside the window only to see that their car had been cornered in a lonely path.


    ''''Ma''am, should I alert the others? '''' The driver asked when he saw that they''ve been surrounded;


    ''''No, it''s okay. '''' The man turned to her, shock was written on his face, maybe the rumors were true, she was actually mourning but pretending not to and maybe secretly looking for a means to get killed so she could join her husband, and now she had seen one, she wanted to grab it, but he won''t let her, not under his watch.


    ''''Ma''am I can''t let these people hurt you, I''m alerting the others now; ''''


    ''''Do you have a death wish?! '''' Tiana seethed through her teeth as she glared at the driver through the rearview mirror. Her voice was very authoritative making him coil on his chair. A man stepped out from one of the cars around them and knocked on the driver''s window;


    ''''unlock the car; '''' Tiana spoke, he didn''t know what was on her mind but it was too late now, they were going to get killed anyway.


    The driver unlocked the car and Tiana wound down her window;


    '''' do you want to come with us or do you want us to make you? '''' The man said mockingly as he stared at Tiana intimidatingly;


    ''''what do you want? ''''


    ''''We don''t have time for questions missy, we''ll kill your driver and take you with us if you don''t comply.''''


    Tiana was not scared, she knew they wouldn''t hurt her, but she was afraid for her driver; ''''I''ll follow you, but don''t harm him. '''' She said, stepping out of the car.


    ''''Right, we won''t but he is coming with us. '''' The man said and Tiana breathed but she did not refute. She just came out of the car and followed him got into one of the cars and they drove off.


    Tiana came out of the car as they held the door open for her, her eyes glanced at the building and her brows creased as she wondered who lived there_ Douglas or Catherine Wills?


    She was led into the house and to a beautiful room; ''''stay here. '''' one of the guards said and left the room, locking it behind him.


    Tiana walked to the couch and sat down, her eyes looking around the room. Although she was kidnapped, they didn''t treat her like a prisoner, and well, she wasn''t surprised, she already knew what the kidnapper wanted. They wouldn''t dare mess with her, she knew that and that was why she wasn''t too scared. After about five minutes, a maid walked in with a plate of fruits and kept it in front of her.


    Tiana''s eyes glanced at the plate and she felt her stomach churn, the last thing she would do was to eat here. She was getting impatient but finally, the door clicked open and Douglas walked in. Her eyes rose to him and she smiled, he was quite a fast thinker to kidnap her before his rival does.


    A smile broadened his lips as he walked into the room;


    ''''Tiana, we haven''t officially met, have we? '''' Douglas said with a light chuckle as he walked to where she sat and sat down beside her. Tiana fisted her palms on her thighs, to think he had the guts to speak as though they were good.


    ''''Douglas, how dare you? ''''


    Her eyes flashed with hate and animosity, she wanted to reach out and tear the smug out of his face with her bare hands; ''''you kill my husband and you have the guts to kidnap his mourning widow? ''''


    A laugh resounded in the room as her words reached his ears, ''''you amaze me, Tiana. Mourning you say? '''' His eyes gazed her up to down, ''''you don''t look anything like mourning, dear, more like celebrating. ''''


    Tiana thinned her lips but she did not reply; ''''let me go this minute; '''' they had taken her bag so she wasn''t with her phone, and there was no way she would call anyone.


    ''''We haven''t even started yet and you''re talking of leaving, '''' he laughed dryly ''''here, have some fruits; ''''


    He extended the fruit tray to her but Tiana did not look at it.


    ''''What do you want? ''''


    Douglas smiled at her then his smile was replaced with a serious look; ''''I want you to choose me as the acting CEO. ''''


    Quite straight to the point, Tiana thought.


    ''''How in hell, do you think that after killing my husband I''ll choose you to take his place. ''''


    ''''Because I''m not asking, it''s a command. ''''


    Tiana took in a sharp breath; ''''you know you can''t hurt me right? There is a tracking device on my phone and the last place it was seen was here, so no matter what you do, you''re not going to get away with it.''''


    Douglas was quiet, although he didn''t intend to hurt her, he made sure they switched off her phone right before they took her, but she was smart enough to put a tracking device.


    ''''You''re quite smart I must say; '''' he laughed;


    Tiana smiled; ''''smarter than you can ever imagine, '''' she paused, then she laughed; ''''anyway, I would still choose you, Catherine and my husband were at loggerheads before he died, so I can''t choose them, so can I go now? ''''


    Douglas stared at her for a moment, she looked like she couldn''t hurt a fly but at the same time, she looked like she could bring a thousand buildings down, this woman¡­ there was something strange.

 Chapter 261 - His feisty little angel

    ''''Not only an acting CEO, after he is confirmed dead, I also want you to support me to become the chairman.''''


    Tiana stared at him for a minute and then she smiled; '''' I will support you. '''' She paused; ''''Douglas, I don''t want to fight with you, I just want peace. If it''s the company you want, then you can have it. ''''


    She said with a sincere smile; ''''Is that all, can I go now? ''''


    Douglas didn''t believe a word she said, what he was sure of was that Nicklaus must have told her about him, so saying she supported him now, was quite hard to believe.


    ''''what do you want? '''' He asked, there was no way she would be that stupid and gullible, maybe she wanted something in return.


    ''''Your head on a platter; '''' Tiana said looking serious but suddenly she laughed, ''''Oh don''t mind me, I just want peace. ''''


    Douglas was confused for a brief second, this woman¡­ she was a little strange.


    ''''How do I believe you? '''' He asked and she smiled;


    ''''Because I know you killed my husband. '''' Douglas was quiet; he didn''t accept it but he didn''t refute it either.


    ''''You killed him and I don''t like you, but I don''t want any more bloodshed either, if it''s what you want then you can have it, as long as you don''t shed another innocent blood. ''''


    Douglas adjusted his tie on his neck; ''''I killed him because he didn''t know his place, if he had just reasoned with me, then he would not be dead now. But it''s good that you''re more understanding than your husband, people who love peace, never get into trouble.''''


    Douglas smirked, and then he stood up from the couch; ''''I would have let you go but Catherine Wills might come to you with a more enticing offer, so you''re going to stay here till next tomorrow, rest assured you would be treated well and no harm would come to you. I''ll send a guard over to take you to your room. ''''


    He said and turned around walking out the door. Tiana kept the pitiful look on her face till he closed the door and then her gaze turned deadly;


    She never thought he would be so stupid as to fall for a few words, too bad she got what she wanted but the thing is, she couldn''t stay here for two days, she might be caught if she stayed for too long, she must leave now. ''''


    Tiana stood up but just when she was about walking to the door, the door flung open and Michelle walked in with elegant steps. When Tiana saw her she smiled brightly, just the right person she was looking for.


    ''''Why are you smiling? '''' Michelle seethed as she walked to her. Her husband just told her the outcome of their discussion and she came to laugh at her that the only man who gave her a voice was gone, and now she would return to the slums where she came out of, but Tiana just smiled when she saw her, did she take her for a fool?


    Tiana walked back to the couch and sat down; ''''Michelle, were you always this loud and a trouble maker? ''''


    Tiana asked with a hint of mockery in her words, Michelle''s face turned a shade of red;


    ''''How dare you? ''''she blared with anger, fume seething through her nose. She never liked this woman, right from the first day Nicklaus introduced her to the family she hated her. Douglas told her to watch her tongue in order not to make her change her mind, so she closed her lips and forced a smile;


    ''''Well, that loose tongue of yours would soon be cut off as soon as your so-called husband is confirmed dead. I thought he was strong? I thought he had a lot of guards around him? But a simple accident sent him to his grave; he died like a puppet, haha, what a shame! '''' She laughed; ''''you rejected my son, right? You''re going to watch him take over the company while you are tossed out of the family like the piece of trash that you are!''''


    Michelle wanted to see her cry, she said all manner of hurtful things to break her, but Tiana right now was looking at her as though she was a clown.


    "Are you done? '''' Tiana asked; ''''I mean you stopped talking, so I wanted to know if you were done? ''''


    The anger brewing inside of Michelle increased so much that she instantly raised her hand to slap Tiana;


    ''''Uh uh, stop there; I wouldn''t do that if I were you. '''' Tiana didn''t move from her position but she exuded an aura of fear that made Michelle stop;


    ''''You seem like a tigress but you go around screwing your brother-in-law like a loose cat. ''''


    Michelle''s face drained of all color and she shook on her spot, all the elegance she had walked in with washed away and she looked like a wet puppy;


    Tiana laughed; ''''Oh, weren''t you going to slap me just now? Did your hands get broken? ''''


    Michelle couldn''t utter a word; she just stared at Tiana like an obedient grade 4 student.


    Tiana shook her head as she laughed at Michelle scornfully; ''''I know right now, what must be going on in your head is_ how am I going to kill her to shut her up?


    I'' m going to kill her before she leaves this room and tells my husband, haha '''' Tiana laughed and turned to Michelle with an authoritative glare;


    ''''If the tiniest hair gets missing on my body, your s.e.x video would be released to the whole world and even before Elizabeth hears of it, you would be torn apart by the devil you call a husband. ''''


    Tiana smirked intimidatingly, making Michelle shudder.


    She had underestimated this woman, lord, she had underestimated her. Nicklaus did not just marry a woman; he married a tigress who was going to tear them all down with her bare hands.


    Michelle''s eyes watered; ''''what¡­ what do you want? '''' she asked, stuttering. Her husband was a devil, if he hears of this she was as good as dead.


    Tiana beamed like a sweet girl as though she did not just break Michelle''s legs with her words;


    ''''I want you to sit down. ''''

 Chapter 262 - We both know who killed my husband

    ''''I want you to sit down. '''' Tiana said and Michelle''s eyes widened;


    ''''Sit¡­ sit down? '''' she asked, a little confused.


    Tiana chuckled and then tapped on the spot beside her, ''''yes, sit down here.''''


    Michelle gulped as she sauntered to the spot she pointed and sat down shakily.


    ''''Now, now, that wasn''t too hard, was it? '''' Tiana laughed but Michelle couldn''t even say a word.


    She prayed no-one would walk in and see her in this pitiful position.


    ''''What do you want? '''' she asked again when she saw that Tiana was just watching her and grinning.


    A peal of laughter left Tiana''s lips; ''''no rush dear, we have a lot to discuss. ''''She paused, then suddenly she became serious; '''' where is your husband? ''''


    Michelle looked up at her in fright; did she want to expose her?


    Tiana laughed; '''' don''t worry, I''m not going to tell him, he''s as bad as you and even worse, so what''s the use of telling him, I just want to know where he is. ''''


    Michelle breathed out in relief; ''''he said he was leaving for an important event, don''t know where or when he would be back.''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''perfect, now listen carefully;'''' she paused making sure she had Michelle''s attention;


    ''''I want you to get my car and my driver ready, I want to go home.''''


    Michelle''s lips paled; ''''Douglas instructed that we shouldn''t let you go¡­ ''''


    ''''Shh¡­ did I ask of what your husband said? I just told you what I want, are you in or out? ''''


    Tiana asked with a tone of finality and Michelle bit her tongue. She knew who Douglas was and right now, Tiana staying here was the topmost priority to him, but in comparison with what could happen to her if she didn''t let Tiana go, she didn''t have a choice. ''''


    ''''Promise me you won''t tell Douglas about my affair, please¡­ ''''


    Michelle''s eyes watered as she pleaded with Tiana. Tiana watched her amusingly; right now she looked like a fish taken out of the water, a 360-degree contrast to what she looked like when she barged into the room to scream at her.


    She was no different from Douglas, just different people with the same ambitions. She wanted her husband to take the company no matter who went down and not minding whether it was right or wrong so she did not deserve mercy, and besides, there was no way she would hide the secret and let Elizabeth continue to live with the mistake of a husband that she has, but for now, she had to put up with her;


    Tiana smiled sweetly;


    ''''I will not tell him, besides if I wanted to do that, I would have done it a long time ago because I caught you both screwing in the family home, so don''t worry, your secret is safe with me. ''''


    Shock flashed through Michelle''s eyes; so all these while, Tiana knew her secret but was quiet, to think that she let her wag her mouth but didn''t even say a word. What kind of a witch was she?


    She felt like disappearing into the ground, she didn''t trust Tiana but at that moment, she didn''t have a choice.


    ''''Thank you, I''ll get your car ready now.'''' She said, staggering up from the couch;


    ''''And make sure I''m not followed, understood? ''''


    Michelle nodded and walked out of the room. Tiana fell back on the couch laughing out loud; she never thought she could be that intimidating, just seeing Michelle shake like a puppet cracked her ribs.


    After a few minutes, the door opened again and Michelle walked in; ''''the car is ready, and I''ve given command that you should not be followed, please I''m going to tell my husband you threatened me so I let you leave, please cooperate with me.'''' Michelle pleaded, she didn''t want to get into trouble with Douglas.


    Tiana watched her amusingly and then she smiled; ''''Okay; ''''


    ''''Thank you;''''


    Tiana stood up from the couch and walked to the door where Michelle stood, but just when she was about to walk past, she stopped and turned to Michelle;


    ''''Perhaps, have you found your sister''s killer? '''' Tiana raised one eyebrow, inquisitively.


    Michelle frowned, she wondered how her sister''s killer correlated with anything they were saying now, but all the same, she shook her head;


    ''''No, ''''


    ''''Mm, '''' Tiana paused with a smile; '''' do you know who killed my husband? ''''


    Michelle''s eyes flashed with uneasiness, she knew her husband had a hand in Nicklaus''s accident but she didn''t want to admit it, so she kept quiet.


    Tiana watched her quiet stance for a second, then she closed the gap between them and placed her hand on Michelle''s shoulder, ''''just know that what caused Mia''s accident was the same thing that caused my husband''s, and I think we both know who killed my husband. ''''


    Michelle''s eyes widened in shock as they stared at the woman smiling sweetly but mischievously,


    ''''You''re slow Michelle, very slow. '''' Tiana muttered with a chuckle as she walked out the door leaving Michelle stunned and dumbstruck on a spot.


    Michelle''s heart slammed against her chest as the earth underneath her feet shook,


    No, Tiana was lying; she was just looking for a means to tear them apart.


    Michelle didn''t want to believe a word she said, but the more she thought about it, the more she suspected that it might be true. She tried to remember all the times Douglas was with Mia. They were vague in her memories, but all the moments she could remember, Mia was always trying to avoid him. She stopped visiting their home and she didn''t attend any of their parties.


    She had always thought that she was busy and couldn''t attend but what Tiana said now was making her actually think that Douglas did have a hand in her death.


    Michelle held her head with both hands as she shook on the couch;


    ''''No, no, this is not true. ''''


    Why should she trust Tiana, she had never liked her even for one bit, and now all of a sudden she wants to solve her sister''s murder?


    No, she just wants to create discord, she just wants to break her family apart, the way hers was broken but she would not let her, no she would not let her use her weakness against her.


    Michelle took in a deep breath to calm herself. Tiana was a liar and all she did was tell lies.

 Chapter 263 - Little Witch

    ''''Ma''am, what happened? Are you okay?'''' The driver, who felt they had walked through hell and out unscathed, turned to Tiana and asked, looking shocked.


    Contrary to what he had expected, she did not look perturbed; her eyes stared straight at the road.


    ''''I''m fine, I hope they didn''t hurt you?'''' The driver shook his head, and turned to the road, driving speedily out of the street. Something was definitely wrong with his Boss''s wife but he could not even put his head around it.


    When Tiana got home, she locked her room and took out the tiny video recorder and placed it in a chest, then got out of her clothes and soaked in a bath, closing her eyes. She wasn''t sure if what she told Michelle would work but if she wanted to tear Douglas down she would do it in a grand style. He wanted the company right? She would let him have it, but she would make sure she tormented him like burning coals, so much that he would want to run but he would have nowhere to run to. Since he wanted Howells Corporation she would let him know that he would not shed innocent blood and expect to go free, he should just wait.


    Just when she was about to sleep, her phone rang. It was an unknown number, so she stared at it for a minute before picking up.


    ''''hello? ''''


    ''''Tiana, I heard you forced your way out of my house? ''''


    Tiana chuckled when she heard Douglas''s voice; ''''Douglas, do you even believe those words you said? Like, how can I, an unarmed and petite woman, force my way out of your house, with the zillion guards you have? Is that even possible? '''' Tiana asked, with a mocking chuckle;


    ''''Just so you know, your wife threw me out of your house, and do you expect me to wait at the gates for you? I had to leave, ask her, she knows the truth. But don''t worry, I''m going to choose you no matter where I am, you don''t have to trouble yourself about that, um, sorry I have to go, I need to sleep, today had been quite stressful. '''' she said and cut the call, throwing her phone across the bed, a chuckle leaving her lips.


    What a family of clowns, she thought.


    She wondered how he got her number, but she did not think much about it, if he could hire people to hack into the latest Maserati there was nothing he could not do.


    Douglas ended the call and before Michelle could say a word, a slap landed on her chin. She stumbled backward to steady herself, her eyes seeing stars.


    ''''How dare you? '''' He didn''t bother asking her if it was true or not, because he knew what she was capable of.


    Michelle bit her lower lip but she could not even defend herself. When he came back, she told him that Tiana had threatened to go against the deal if she wasn''t let go, she told him that because she knew how he would react if he knew that she was the one that let her go; she had told Tiana earlier to cooperate with her, and she had agreed, but it seemed she just made a fool out of her.


    ''''Get out! '''' Douglas blared and Michelle sauntered out of the room before he would descend on her. She stood outside the door and she tried to touch her cheeks but it stung badly so she retracted her hands, it fell weakly to her side, as her head bowed. At that moment, she didn''t know who she hated more_ the witch of a woman, Tiana, or her demon of a husband.


    Tears stung in her eyes as she realized they were in trouble. Tiana didn''t mean good for them, not now and not in the next lifetime. Who on earth would forgive a man who killed their husband?


    Tiana was just playing them like chess and she was very surprised that her husband was falling for it. She didn''t believe that she wanted to give the company to them without a fight, but at that moment, she couldn''t even think of anything she could be planning.


    Maybe she was just trying to sow discord between them to ruin them since she could not have the company?


    Michelle''s thoughts were hazy because the slap was already giving her a headache.


    ''''Mom? '''' Richard''s voice kicked her out of her thoughts and she looked up in shock;


    ''''Richard¡­ you are back? '''' she was not expecting to see him home; her eyes lit up but when she saw the horrid look on his face, she remembered she probably had five fingerprints on her face, so she instantly raised her hand to cover her cheeks, but it was too late because he had already seen it.


    Richard''s face paled drastically as he approached his mother;


    ''''Dad hit you again? '''' His eyes flashed with rage and he turned to the door to barge in but his mother stopped him before he could reach the door.


    ''''Mom¡­'''' He called, pain in his voice, but she put her hand over her lips, signaling him to keep quiet, and took him to where she was sure no-one could hear.


    ''''Just be patient okay? It''s just a little while and we''ll be able to smile again, I promise you.''''


    She tried to smile but her cheeks hurt, so she kept it in place.


    ''''Mom, you let him hit you again.'''' Richard was broken, he had watched his father beat up his mother while growing up and he waited for a day he would be able to take revenge on him, but every single time, she had stopped him.


    He hated this feeling, watching his mother in pain but not able to do anything.


    ''''This is the last time, I promise. '''' Michelle thinned her lips and she hugged her son, cooling him down. They were almost there now; she didn''t want any rash decision to destroy what they had waited for, for years.


    She closed her eyes when she felt his arms go around her, and after a few seconds, her mind went back to the words Tiana said earlier that day. s

 Chapter 264 - Mias Diary

    Two days later¡­


    ''''¡­I want Douglas to manage the company, he has years of experience in business management and let''s not forget that he has already managed the Howells Corporation for years. I think he is in the best position to handle the company. '''' Tiana said.


    Liam and Catherine weren''t surprised that they weren''t chosen but what surprised them was the fact that she was energetic in choosing the man that murdered her husband. And the fact that she wasn''t even looking sad any bit was disturbing; where they being led into a trap and they didn''t know?


    ''''Alright, it seems this is the best option we have; Douglas you''ll manage the company until investigations have been duly carried out on Catherine Wills and her son. ''''


    Grandma said and Douglas smiled and nodded; ''''Alright. ''''


    She stared at him for a few seconds and then she turned to Catherine;


    ''''I''ve filed a case, so the police would be investigating you both soon, if you''re innocent, then your son would be welcomed into the family, but for now, everything stays as it is. ''''


    Douglas did not like the idea of Liam coming into the family, and surely, they didn''t kill Nicklaus because he was the one who did it, so they might actually take everything he had worked for. He gritted his teeth as he watched them; just when he thought the company was finally in his hands, it became so far away from his reach.


    He didn''t want to do anything to them. For one, everyone was already suspecting him for killing Nicklaus, if he did anything to them; he was going to go down for it. He didn''t like being pushed to a corner, but at that moment, his hands were tied.


    After the meeting, everyone went back to their various homes.


    Michelle''s mind had not left what Tiana told her a few days ago. No matter how much she tried not to think about it, she found herself going back to it over and over again. Finally, she gave yield to her thoughts and decided to search through Douglas''s stuff.


    She was scared but then, it was the only way she could get her mind of those thoughts. If she checked his things and didn''t see anything relating to Mia, then it would be clear that Tiana was just trying to sow discord between them, but if she found anything¡­


    She didn''t want to even think about that.


    Her heart raced through the ride home, thankfully, Douglas had things to attend to, and he wasn''t going to come back immediately, so she had time to check through his stuff.


    She didn''t want to search his stuff, not because she was scared of him, but because she didn''t want it to be true.


    She knew who she married, and she had lived with him for years, so she knew what he was capable of. But what she wasn''t sure of was if he was wicked enough to kill her own sister.


    When she got home, she went into his study and locked herself in. Her heart pounded as her eyes looked through the books properly arranged in shelves and the table in the center of the room with the laptop on it;


    She took two steps forward and then her eyes looked up at the CCTV camera and she stopped; thinking for a second, she walked out of the room and disabled the CCTV in the whole house then went back to his study.


    She sat down on his chair and tried to guess the passcode to his system but all her guesses were incorrect; she searched the shelves, drawer, table, under the carpet, everywhere that looked like something could be kept but she could not find anything reasonable.


    Michelle slumped back on the chair and placed her head on the table. Even though she was eager to know who killed her sister, part of her was glad that she did not find anything. Heaving a sigh of relief she stood up arranged everything back to how it was and walked out of the study, she had just taken a few steps when her phone vibrated in her trouser pocket.


    Her brows creased when she saw it was her mom and she picked the call, placing it on her ear;


    ''''Michelle¡­ '''' Her mom''s voice sounded with fright over the phone,


    ''''Mom, what''s wrong? ''''


    ''''Michelle, come over to the house now, we found Mia''s diary¡­''''


    Michelle dazed out for a few seconds before she replied slowly; ''''Okay; ''''


    She blinked as she placed her phone in her pocket and turned to the front door. Her heart pounded as she drove out of the house. In a few minutes she might find out who killed her sister, she had been waiting for this moment for a very long time, but at that moment, she was scared, so much that sweat dripped from her forehead.


    It should be anybody, but not Douglas. Michelle prayed silently.


    She didn''t love him, but she didn''t want to believe that the man she had lived with for so many years and even had a child with, could kill her sister. She wanted to believe that there was a little humanity left in him. Her hands gripped the steering tightly as she drove speedily to her family home.


    She didn''t even switch off her engine as she hurriedly ran into the house, her heart almost jumping out of her ribs.


    Her steps came to a halt when she stepped into the living room and saw her parents sitting down, looking aghast.


    Michelle''s eyes stared at her parents and then it turned to the book lying on the table and without a word, she walked to it and picked it up''


    Her eyes fell on the words written in cursive;


    ''''Mia''s Diary ''''


    One glance at the letters and she recognized it as her sister''s handwriting.''


    ''''where did you find it? '''' Michelle didn''t realize how dry her throat was until she tried to speak; her mom looked up at her, her eyes were still red, it looked like she had cried a lot.


    ''''It was hidden in the bas.e.m.e.nt; we found it when we were packing out some old stuff. '''' Her mom''s voice quaked as she spoke, tears gathered her eyes and she looked away from Michelle.


    Michelle pulled her eyes back to the book, from her parent''s expression, she knew they already knew what was inside the book, but she didn''t want to ask them, no, she wasn''t prepared to know the killer just yet.

 Chapter 265 - Devil for a husband

    Michelle stood for a while staring at the front page intently, finally mustering up courage she walked to the closest couch and sat down. Carefully, she opened the first page;''


    The first page was dated five years ago_


    ''Today was great, got my first acting job, I''m so happy!


    She swiped through the pages slowly, reading every detail and trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.


    She read each page until she stopped at a page with red ink;


    Michelle''s heart skipped a beat as her eyes fell on the words;


    ''He r.a.p.ed me ¡­ I wish I never went there¡­ God, I feel so dirty¡­ I don''t know who to talk to¡­ he''s the devil¡­ I''m so broken¡­''


    Michelle breathed out heavily as her eyes read through the lines quickly; Mia didn''t say the name of the person, so she quickly swiped to the next page;


    ''How could he do this? He recorded me while raping me and now he''s threatening to expose it if I don''t sleep with him¡­ what do I do? ¡­ I can''t talk to anyone¡­ he''ll kill me¡­''


    Michelle''s hands went over her mouth as she read the lines, she couldn''t even believe what she was seeing; she couldn''t believe that her sister went through all these alone but was always with a smile as though she was fine.


    Michelle tried to breathe but her heart hurt too much; she turned to the next page painfully;


    ¡­I thought it was just going to be once, but now he doesn''t want to let me go¡­ I wish I can talk to someone about this¡­ this is so f.u.c.k.i.e.d up¡­ I hate myself¡­


    ¡­I told him I can''t do this anymore, I think he''s going to come after me¡­ I don''t want to die¡­ I don''t want to die¡­ D


    My sister doesn''t know she is living with the devil, I wish I can tell her that man she calls a husband r.a.p.ed me¡­ he has no soul¡­


    I''m hiding this in case something happens to me, I don''t know how long it will take but whenever you find this, please make sure he doesn''t go free¡­


    No matter how she wanted to deny it now, those lines told her that the person, who killed her sister, was the man she called her husband. Michelle closed the diary weakly and covered her face with her both hands, weeping profusely. What did she do so wrong?


    She just married the wrong person that was the only wrong she did, why would she be tormented this way? How could her husband r.a.p.e her sister and kill her and still had the guts to sleep on the same bed with her and even console her while she wept? What part of hell did he come out of!!


    Michelle couldn''t even believe herself. She knew Douglas was wicked but she never knew the extent of his wickedness.


    Her parents watched her quietly as she cried and cried. They couldn''t say a word because they were the ones who forced her into an arranged marriage with Douglas, so it was their fault. They had ruined their two daughters with their own hands.


    Michelle didn''t know how long she wept but when tears could not leave her eyes anymore, she staggered up from the couch and turned to the door;


    ''''What are you going to do? '''' her father asked when he saw that she had turned to leave. Michelle stopped for a second;


    '''' don''t tell the police, I''ll handle it myself,'''' she said and walked away.


    This pain in her heart would never go away if Douglas was still breathing, and she was sure, he had connections with the police and if the case is taken to court, he may likely go free for want of evidence. No, she would not let him go free for this. He was a beast and she would show him how beasts are being dealt with. She would torture him with her own hands and watch him struggle for air till he breathed his last. That was the only death befitting for someone as wicked and heartless as him.


    ¡­


    ''''Mom, I don''t think we should be rejoicing yet,'''' Liam said as they walked into their house, Michael was nowhere to be found ever since Nicklaus went missing and Tiana was happily giving the company over to her husband''s killer. Even though he wanted to feel happy that he would soon be accepted into the family, he could not bring himself to.


    Catherine didn''t reply, she just walked to her room and Liam followed her;


    ''''I''m very worried about Michael''s disappearance, how could he disappear all of a sudden, just when we should have killed him. '''' One thing Liam wasn''t comfortable about is the fact that Michael was still breathing somewhere on the surface of the earth, they''ve tried to find him, but they couldn''t.


    ''''You should be more concerned about the look on that girl''s face when she looks at you, she knows about what happened 18 years ago but why she is keeping quiet is beyond me. ''''


    Catherine said sitting down on a couch and taking out her shoes;


    ''''Maybe because she has no proof, I mean even Nicklaus had no proof, so no matter what she says, no-one would believe her. ''''


    Catherine sighed; she wanted to believe what her son said but there was something with the way Tiana looked at them that just didn''t sit right with her.


    ''''I wish we had killed that fool when we had the chance; '''' Liam breathed; he remembered all the times they had eaten together on the same table, he wished he had poisoned him one of the days, had he known that he would go into hiding now.


    '''' don''t worry about him, I''m sure he knows about you that''s why he''s hiding so he doesn''t get killed, he can''t do anything, you should be more worried about how to get your inheritance from Douglas, get me a cup of water, I''m already having a headache from overthinking. ''''


    Catherine watched Liam walk away and she slumped back on the couch. Deep down, she regretted why she didn''t kill Michael when she had the chance. Even if he is in hiding now, she was his son, and he had an inheritance in the company, whether she liked it or not. Catherine fisted her hands angrily; she didn''t like making mistakes, but this was the biggest mistake she had ever made.

 Chapter 266 - I didnt kill him

    ''BREAKING NEWS! INVESTIGATION ON THE PRESUMED DEATH OF NICKLAUS HOWELLS''


    Tiana ate the cake on her plate slowly as she watched the news on the television with a smirk on her lips. Catherine knows she isn''t the culprit, so she''ll submit herself for investigation, Douglas doesn''t think that he would ever be suspected since the prime suspect is Catherine Wills, but what happens when she is deemed not guilty? The law has to look for the next probable suspect to accuse of the murder, and the next probable suspect here is Douglas.


    Too bad he wasn''t as wise as she thought him to be. How could he be that gullible?


    She got him to attest to the murder of her husband and she recorded the gallant victory speech.


    It was just a matter of time before she would drag him down to the hell he came out of. He didn''t know what was coming for him yet. A light chuckle left her lips as she switched to a more entertaining show.


    ¡­


    Catherine and Liam sat on a couch in the parlor as they watched the police officials search around their house for evidence. Surely, they weren''t going to find anything but just in case they saw anything that would implicate her, she had the house thoroughly cleaned of every indicting file whatsoever.


    A female cop walked to the duo after the long hours of search. Her eyes turned to Liam and indeed, he looked like Nicklaus. The truth was that they had a probable cause to want him dead. He had remained in the dark all these while and suddenly, he is claiming an inheritance as the son of his father. Every sane person would think they killed Nicklaus to take him out of the way of his inheritance, so that was why, even when they didn''t find anything, she didn''t want to let them off easily.


    '''' You would have to come with us to the station for questioning; ''''


    Catherine nodded; and they followed them out to the station. She was a little excited about this, firstly because, she didn''t kill Nicklaus, someone did it to her favor, and secondly because she was about to make Douglas the next suspect.


    He had the company now, and even if they were accepted back into the family, he wouldn''t want to let go of the company that easily, so she was going to make him go in for murder so he would get out of the way. Everything was working out finally, she thought to herself.


    When they reached the station, they were taken in one after the other for questioning. Liam was first followed by Catherine. When he came out, she raised her brows as though asking if it went well, Liam gave a small smile and nodded briefly.


    ''''Your turn, Miss. Catherine; '''' She nodded and stood up from the bench and went into the room. The two policemen were staring at her as though they caught her in the act of murder.


    ''''Ma''am, we didn''t find anything at your house, probably because you had already taken everything away, we have no choice but to charge you for the murder of Nicklaus Howells because you have every reason to want him dead. He was the only one standing between your son and the Howells Corporation. How do you want us to believe that you didn''t kill him when you kept your son hidden for so long and immediately he is dead, you come after the company; it''s quite glaring what your intention had been all along. ''''


    Catherine shook her head; ''''I didn''t kill Nicklaus, and I kept my son hidden because of this same reason'''' the policeman''s brows creased;


    ''''what do you mean? '''' he asked, looking surprised;


    ''''Because the person that killed him might want my son dead too;'''' Catherine said;


    ''''Yes, I only came out now, but Nicklaus is not the only one standing between my son and the company, there is his Uncle, Douglas Howells. '''' she paused when she saw she had piqued their interest;


    ''''Ever since the beginning, there had always been a fight between him and Nicklaus over the company. Mainly because he managed the company for years until Nicklaus came of age. But when Nicklaus wanted to take the company back, Douglas refused to give it over; it was a long fight, before his father, Nicklaus''s grandfather, who is late now, forced him to hand it over.


    But that didn''t end like that because Douglas still wanted to take the company back and had always sought a means to get it back, even if it meant Nicklaus dying. ''''


    " Be careful what you say here Ma''am, don''t lay accusations you aren''t sure of! '''' The policeman blared, slamming his hand on the table.


    Catherine laughed lightly; ''''Oh, I''m sure about this. You are questioning the wrong person right now, and no matter how much you question me you aren''t going to get anything from me because I''m not the killer and even if you go ahead and charge me, I''ll be acquitted because all the evidence you have now is merely hearsay, and circ.u.mstantial, so I implore you to channel your grievance to the right person. '''' Catherine concluded in one breath, leaving the police officers staring at her speechlessly.


    She spoke confidently as though she was sure of what she was saying. And she actually made sense, but they weren''t going to conclude until they looked into it.


    ''''No further questions, you can leave now. ''''


    Catherine smiled and stood up from the chair, she had just taken a few steps when the voice of the policeman who had been silent all through spoke;


    ''''How do you know all these? It seems quite fishy that you know so much about him. '''' Catherine stopped in her tracks and turned to him with a smile;


    ''''When you are accused of a murder you did not commit, you''ll be forced to make your inquiries do have a good day. ''''


    She said and walked out of the room.

 Chapter 267 - Let the dead bury the dead

    ''''How did it go?'''' Liam asked once they were outside the police station.


    ''''I just gave them another more enticing suspect. '''' She grinned as they got into the limousine waiting for them.


    Liam''s eyes widened; ''''you implicated Douglas? '''' he asked, looking surprised. He didn''t think Catherine would want to drag Douglas into it knowing how dangerous he was.


    ''''Implicate? How? He committed the crime so he should go in for it. Besides, we were being charged for a crime we didn''t commit so I didn''t have a choice. You should be happy, this is in our own interest, if he gets indicted, the company is all ours. Catherine chuckled heartily;


    ''''Mom, Douglas can''t go down that easily, he does dirty things, do you think he has no one in the police?''''


    Catherine shrugged; ''''at least we succeeded in getting them off our backs, even if he maneuvers his way, he''ll be under public scrutiny so he cannot dare come after us, because if he does, his connections in the police can''t save him.''''


    Liam breathed out in relief; the last thing he wanted was something happening to any of them now, not when they were so close to achieving their goal.


    ¡­


    Michelle drank from a cup of red wine as she sat with Douglas watching a show. He placed his right hand on her lap as they watched the TV. Michelle felt like puking, but she held herself. Everything in her wanted to set that hand on fire and watch it burn to ashes but she had to put up with him for now.


    She wanted to kill him but she wanted to live too so she didn''t want to be rash with anything she did, even though seeing him irritated her to her very bones. Now she thought about it_ that dream she had, Mia had told her that she shouldn''t trust anyone.


    Now she understood it, Douglas was the last person she expected to kill her, but what happened? He had been the one all along. A wife-beater, a rapist, a killer, he was the worst of evils comprised in one body.


    Michelle gulped, coming back from her thoughts as Douglas''s phone rang on the stool beside him; before, she didn''t pay attention to anything he did, but right now, she didn''t let any of his actions leave her sight. Even though her eyes were on the television, her whole interest was on his call.


    Douglas''s brows creased when he saw the caller, after thinking for a second, he picked the call.


    '''' hello? ''''


    ''''Douglas, it''s been a while. ''''


    Douglas adjusted on his seat, this person never called, except there was trouble. ''''yeah, it''s been a while, how is family? ''''


    ''''All is fine, but we have a problem; '''' he paused; ''''you''ve been made a suspect in Nicklaus''s murder case.'''' Douglas stiffened, but he did not say a word.


    The man on the other side was quiet for a second;


    ''''Is there anything you need to tell me before the police come to you? '''' He asked, in a sober tone. He had been the one covering up his numerous crimes, so he knew what Douglas was capable of.


    Douglas swallowed; ''''let''s meet at your place this evening, what do you say? ''''


    ''''That''s good. ''''


    ''''Great, see you later. '''' He said and ended the call, placing the phone on the stool. He knew this might likely happen, but he always had a way around it. Nicklaus was dead; he shouldn''t be tormenting him from his grave.


    That evening, he met with the Chief of Police in his home and they sat over drinks in his garden;


    ''''I know you, and I know what you can do, so just tell me if you did it or not? ''''


    The COP asked and Douglas breathed; ''''I didn''t have a choice; he didn''t want to let go, so I had to do the needful. Just cover it up, as usual, he''s dead already, I don''t want him messing things up from his grave. ''''


    Douglas sighed, drinking the wine from the cup. The man chuckled;


    ''''But why isn''t the family conducting a memorial service yet, don''t tell me they still think he is alive somewhere? ''''


    Douglas laughed; ''''I think his wife is still waiting for a miracle to happen, she doesn''t want to accept he is dead until she sees a body, too bad because she''ll be waiting forever.'''' They both laughed.


    ''''Douglas, you never change, do you? He was your nephew, you should have thought about your brother though. '''' Even though he was still going to cover up his tracks, he couldn''t help feel that he was quite too wicked;


    Douglas shifted his eyes to him;


    ''''Let the dead bury the dead. ''''


    ¡­


    Hazel sat on the bed with a pout as she watched Douglas put on his clothes. She told him to do something for her, and ever since then, he had pretended as though he did not hear her. But she wasn''t taking it anymore.


    Douglas saw the scrunched-up look on her face and he smiled; ''''what is wrong? '''' he knew why she was mad but he didn''t want to say it.


    ''''Are you seriously asking me that!''''


    She fumed angrily; ''''I told you something a week ago and you left me hanging just like that! You don''t even ask me who it is; you''ve just kept mute like I don''t matter at all.


    Douglas sighed; ''''you know that I''m already being questioned for a murder case, do you want to worsen my situation? Don''t worry; once I''m done with this, I assure you I''ll look into that, okay?


    Hazel gazed at him for a second and she shook her head; ''''Never mind, I''ll just do it myself. ''''


    She said and came down from the bed, putting on her clothes.


    Douglas was surprised; ''''Hazel, I said I''ll ask my men to do it for you, can you just be patient?''''


    ''''I can''t bear that that person is happy and breathing, so I can''t wait for your perfect time. ''''


    She seethed and walked out the door, slamming it close behind her.


    ¡­


    Two days later¡­


    Catherine was sleeping when she heard some footsteps in her room; she creased her brows and pushed her sleep mask from her eyes, turning the light on in the room; all color drained from her face when she saw the person sitting on the couch in front of her;


    ''''Hello, Catherine; ''''

 Chapter 268 - Hello, Catherine

    ''''Hello, Catherine; ''''


    His voice as cold as midwinter breezed through the room kicking every atom of sleep from Catherine''s eyes; she shook on her bed, her face as pale as the snow. He was wearing all black with black gloves on his hands, if not that she didn''t believe in ghosts she would have thought he was a ghost.


    ''''You are dead¡­ you¡­how are you alive¡­ '''' she stuttered in shock as she stared at him, not even in her wildest dreams did she imagine that he would be alive.


    ''''Yea, I am dead. And you know one thing about dead people? Murder can never be traced to them. ''''


    A cold smile slanted Nicklaus''s lips as he stared at Catherine with a cold and deathly glare. His right hand picking up a gun from the side stool.


    ''''God! '''' Catherine screamed as she jumped up from the bed, shaking like she had seen a ghost.


    ''''Why are you screaming? You can''t tell me you haven''t seen a gun before, I mean, 18 years ago, you killed my parents with one, so why are you looking scared? ''''


    Catherine rubbed her face with her shaky hands; ''''Nicklaus, I''m so sorry, I didn''t mean to¡­ It was a mistake, I regret every one of my actions; please don''t¡­ don''t kill me¡­ '''' she pleaded as tears fell from the sides of her eyes.


    Nicklaus watched her silently for a moment and suddenly he burst out laughing. He laughed for a minute before he turned to her;


    ''''Why did you kill them? '''' Nicklaus asked, crossing his legs,


    Catherine swallowed saliva down her dry throat; so many questions ran through her mind. How did he get here? Who let him in? Her eyes flashed open instantly when she remembered that Liam was sleeping at the end of the hallway and she turned to him in shock;


    ''''Li¡­am, my son, what did you do to him? '''' she asked, looking scared;


    ''''You haven''t answered my question Catherine;'''' Nicklaus said absentmindedly as though he did not hear what she said;


    ''???Oh God!! '''' Catherine cried out loud; ''''please you can kill me, you can do anything to me but please let Liam go, he doesn''t know anything. I beg you¡­ '''' He was the only reason she was still strong and had not lost her mind. She did not get married, spent her years fighting and trying not to get killed for all the evils she had done, sometimes she nearly lost it, but when she remembered she had him, she continued pushing; but now, no, no, she didn''t want to think about it.


    Nicklaus watched her cry dejectedly; she was staring at the door as though waiting for Liam to magically appear but he did not.


    He waited until she had put herself together, she was going to die anyway; he would let her know what her tears tasted like before she joins the dead.


    ''''I''m still waiting Catherine, you haven''t answered my questions, or we could stay here all day, don''t worry, no-one is coming to save you. '''' He smiled wickedly, sending shivers running down her spine.


    Catherine bit her inner lip, ''''How could he make me fall for him and then marry another woman? He didn''t want me and yet he wanted to keep me close? He knew he could never marry me because I was from a poor background, but he flirted with me until I had fallen hook, line, and sinker and then he went ahead to marry that woman!


    I couldn''t take it! I tried! I really tried! '''' Catherine laughed derisively, she didn''t want to remember, she had locked this part of her memories off but today, everything came rushing back''


    ''''You know the worst part, after sleeping with me, he tells me to abort the baby! How can he do that! How! ''''


    Catherine shook on the bed, as her veins popped from the side of her face.


    ''''And I refused and had the baby, because I loved him, and do you know, at that time, he was still engaged, I thought¡­ I thought he would marry me since I was having his baby, but your father did not, instead, he paid me off with some meager company, which I toiled day and night to bring it up to what it is now.


    And you expect me to just move on and watch him raise his kids in a home, while my son can''t even call him father. I couldn''t let that happen and that''s why I killed him. ''''


    Nicklaus''s fingers dug into his palm as he listed to Catherine holding back the anger raging inside of him.


    ''''You killed my mom and my four-year-old sister too; ''''


    Catherine paused; '''' the initial plan was to kill just him, but you see, when I realized I could get the Howells Corporation, I decided to kill all of you, haha. It was a fool-proof plan, but everything came crashing down when you went missing that day, God! I searched everywhere, I searched everywhere for you! How did you leave the house? You were just an eight-year-old! '''' Catherine gripped her hair with her both hands, if she had just killed him that night, everything would have been fine,


    ''''I was there, I was in the house. ''''


    Her eyes flashed to him in surprise; ''''no, I made sure we searched everywhere¡­ ''''


    ''''I was there and I saw you, Catherine, I saw you kill my both parents. I watched you shoot my mom on the neck and watched her blood fill the sheets, I watched her struggle for breath as her life slipped away from her slowly;


    I stared at my father''s eyes as blood dripped from his head. He was staring straight at me as his life was forcefully taken away. I heard your derisive laughter resound in the room, as you walked away victorious, so I was here. ''''


    Catherine gulped as realization dawned on her. That day, the only place they didn''t search was the master bedroom; they never thought that he could be there.


    Her lips fluttered but she could not say a word. Nicklaus watched her for a moment and then c.o.c.ked the gun in his hand, standing up from the couch;

 Chapter 269 - Rot in Hell

    ''''You are going to die but first, you''ll watch your son die, knowing that you brought this all on yourself. You are selfish, wicked, and even when you know with one c.o.c.k of this gun I can take your life away, you are unremorseful, ''''


    Catherine skidded away from the bed as she watched Nicklaus stand up; she had a gun in the drawer, she would distract him until she reached it, she was Catherine, she wasn''t going to go down just like that.


    ''''I said I''m sorry, please I beg you, I regret everything I''ve done, my son doesn''t know anything, please don''t bring him into this; '''' her voice trembled as she spoke.


    ''''You tell me, you should have thought of that when you were killing a 4-year-old who could not even hurt a fly. You looked at a four-year-old little girl and you didn''t even bat an eyelid as you shot her little brains out, so don''t expect me to think twice as I kill your son. He''s going to die, and you''re going to watch him die.''''


    She was almost close to the drawer, she just needed to distract him some more;


    ''''what did you expect me to do? I wanted him but he tossed me away like some piece of trash, I couldn''t let him use me and throw me away like that! ''''


    ''''And your way of getting back at him is killing his whole family? Don''t you see you are sick? ''''


    Catherine''s hand reached to the knob of the drawer and she unlocked it, and with a flash she took out the gun inside of it, quickly c.o.c.king it, she pointed it at Nicklaus; a burst of derisive laughter resounding in the room.


    ''''Oh, you''re stupid, again! '''' She laughed so much that tears gathered in her eyes;


    ''''You should have killed me when you had the chance, Nicklaus, too bad I''ll be doing that first. Not only will I kill you, but I''m also going to take your company too, you see, the villain wins! Not every story has a good ending. I killed your parents and that beautiful little girl and I''m about to kill their little boy who had loved his whole life to avenge them'''' she laughed wickedly,


    ''''I never regretted sniffing the life out of your parents, not even for one minute. My only regret was not killing you that day, my plan would have worked out perfectly, but no, you bastard-son-of-a-mediocre-thing chose to live, but don''t worry, I''m about to right all my wrongs and I mean no one would suspect me because everyone thinks you died in the river; too bad, you should have just died, it''s a pity that the person who killed your parents is going to kill you too. Extend my greetings when you reach the other side; ''''


    Catherine laughed and immediately shot him; she prepared her ears for the sound of the gun but instead a light funny sound came out. Her face paled as she pressed the trigger again but nothing happened; this gun was always loaded for emergencies like this, so how¡­


    Her eyes turned to him and the relaxed expression on his face told her that he had unloaded it;


    ''''You¡­ you¡­ '''' She shook with the gun in her hand as she let it fall to the ground;


    ''''You really have no remorse in you, Catherine. '''' Nicklaus chuckled at her pitiful state, shaking his head;


    ''''You want the company so bad, but it''s a pity you aren''t going to come close to it because you''re going to die soon, like a weakling. See how far you went just to have what does not belong to you, too bad, not only are you not going to have it, you''re going to watch from hell how Michael takes everything you have, '''' He smiled devilishly making her pale the more.


    ''''Mi¡­ Michael¡­ '''' she said her chest heaving. Had she known, had she known she would have killed him when she had the chance; there were so many signs, his moving out, and he''s talking to Diana even after she asked him to stop. God, she was a fool, a big fool. Even that night when he was helpless in front of her, she should have killed him but she let him go, and now it has become her greatest undoing. She didn''t change the password to the house, and she was sure he had told Nicklaus.


    Right now, Catherine was really scared. She had worked so hard for this, how would she lose everything, her life, her son, and even her company. Her hands held the wall for support as her legs were already shaking.


    ''''You see the reward of the wicked? Misery and death and those are all you would ever have, misery and death. Bring him in! '''' Nicklaus said and the door opened, a few feet walking in, Catherine''s eyes widened when she saw her son being led into the room with a gun pointing to his head;


    ''''Liam¡­ '''' She called him shakily and she made to walk towards him but Nicklaus raised his gun to her, stopping her.


    ''''Mom¡­ '''' Liam called, his face was pale and his eyes were red with fear.


    ''''I would have spared your son if he was any good, but he kidnapped my wife and wanted to r.a.p.e her, there''s just no good in any of you. ''''


    ''''Wait¡­ Nicklaus please, we can talk about this. Please¡­. '''' Catherine was scared to her wits right now. Earlier, she had hoped on the gun but now, she was thoroughly helpless. She didn''t want to die, and she didn''t want her son to die.


    ''''I''ll leave the company, I''ll do anything you want, I''ll¡­ ''''


    Before she could complete the sentence she heard a gunshot making her words stop on her tongue. The gun was pointing at her all along so her eyes shut reflexively to embrace the impact, but after five seconds nothing happened, her eyes opened slowly and they turned to Liam;


    ''''Mom¡­ '''' those were his words before he dropped to his knees and fell to the ground.


    ''''Li...Liam¡­ '''' she stuttered as she watched blood pour from the side of his mouth, her legs moved forward and she walked to him, he was still spitting blood as he lay on the floor.


    ''''Liam, don''t die¡­ don''t die, please, wake up, '''' she cried as she placed his head on her thighs, her tears flowing from her eyes. He was dead, he was dead already, her hands turned cold as she held his head and wept.


    ''''Nicklaus! You''ll rot in hell! You''ll rot in the deepest parts of hell! '''' She screamed, rage coursing through her.


    ''''Maybe I will, but you''ll be there first. Goodbye Catherine. ''''

 Chapter 270 - You are stubborn

    Nicklaus walked out of Warren''s family house, his feet stopping when he stepped on the front porch. Finally, he has avenged his family, but why did he still feel the hollow in his heart. A light sigh left his lips as he looked towards the sky.


    Truly vengeance doesn''t take away the pain; it doesn''t bring back what you lost; it only made you stop fighting, it only made you see that no matter what you do, you can''t change what has happened.


    ''''Boss, we have to go now, the sun will rise soon, '''' Dan, his chief guard walked to him, kicking him out of his thoughts.


    Nicklaus nodded; ''''alright; let''s go. ''''


    They drove out of the house and as Dan hit the road, he asked;


    ''''Boss, where to?''''


    He has not been home since everything happened, but they had everything in place to bring Douglas down so it was safe to go home now, but he wasn''t sure if he wanted to;


    ''''Let''s go home, '''' Nicklaus said and Dan nodded with a faint smile. His wife had seen him just once and every single minute she was asking him about him, Nicklaus had said they shouldn''t contact each other till everything is done because he didn''t want any leaks. So he had been the middle man between her and him, he could imagine how happy she would look when she saw him.


    Dan drove into the compound, the two other cars following behind. It was just a few minutes past 6 am in the morning, and the sun was yet to rise. Nicklaus stepped down from the car and his eyes looked towards their room window reflexively, the lights were off, she was obviously still sleeping.


    He turned to walk to the house, but his feet stopped reflexively when he saw the figure standing in front of the porch.


    Tiana was shaking slightly from the morning cold, her hands around her torso. Her hair looked disheveled and her chest heaved as she watched him.


    His heartbeat slowed when he saw her, he had missed her so much but he had held himself back from reaching out because he didn''t want to ruin their perfect plan, but now¡­.


    Nicklaus took a step forward, but before he could walk to her, Tiana ran towards him, leaping up, she embraced him in a hug, her arms going around his neck.


    ''''I''ve missed you, so so so much! '''' she cried as she held him tightly,


    ''''I missed you too, jeez, I nearly died; '''' Nicklaus laughed as she released him a little and kissed his lips hungrily. God, she had missed this, she missed him. It had been terrible sleeping alone these weeks, and she couldn''t wait for all these to finally be over. Her hands gripped his hair, as they deepened the kiss not minding the guards who were still standing around, well it wasn''t long before they awkwardly walked away giving the lovebirds some privacy.


    After the longest time, they let go of each other. Tiana took her time to admire his face as he held her in his arms.


    ''''You look prettier, '''' she smiled at him, rubbing his face with her hands. The workers who had stepped out for their morning functions were shocked to see Nicklaus. They rubbed their eyes with both hands to be sure that they weren''t seeing ghosts. Nicklaus was alive! They felt like running to embrace him in a hug, but they held themselves back and jubilated within themselves.


    ''''And you became skinny, you skipped your meals, right? ''''


    Nicklaus asked with a worried look on his forehead. He had hugged her countless times in the past, so immediately he held her; he knew she had lost weight. Tiana lost the appetite to eat these past weeks they had not spoken but she didn''t realize that he would notice the moment he held her.


    ''''I didn''t have an appetite for food, but now I''ve seen you, I think my appetite is back. Baby, you don''t know how much I''ve missed you; I''m not letting you out of my sight ever again. '''' Nicklaus laughed and brought her down to her feet.


    ''''Alright, let''s go inside, we have a lot to talk about. ''''


    Tiana nodded and clung to his arm as they walked into the house. She grinned when the noticed the shocked expression on the workers'' faces, it was like a dream.


    Tiana closed the door behind her and followed him into the room, helping him take off his jacket


    ''''Did it go well? '''' the question had been on the tip of her lips since she saw him, she was afraid it did not work out as they had planned, and that would be a mess.


    Nicklaus walked to the couch and sat down, taking off his shoes.


    ''''Yeah, it''s done. '''' Tiana''s eyes widened in shock and she walked to him slowly sitting down beside him. She took his hand and squeezed it.


    ''''Catherine¡­ Liam, they are ¡­ dead? '''' she looked a little shocked, it seemed unreal.


    Nicklaus watched her for a moment, even though she tried to mask it; he saw the fear in her eyes as she held his hand. He leaned towards her and pushed some strands of hair away from her face.


    ''''Mm, they won''t trouble us anymore. '''' Tiana breathed out. She wasn''t feeling any pity for them; they were the wickedest people she had ever seen, that is, not forgetting Douglas.


    Even though killing was wrong, he didn''t have a choice. If he didn''t, they would kill him. Catherine killed his whole family, so she didn''t deserve an ounce of mercy; Tiana was relieved that they would never trouble them again. Just a little more and she would never have to worry about going out again.


    ''''Dan said you got the recording, '''' Nicklaus said making Tiana turn to him with a remorseful look then she grinned;


    ''''I got the recording and I''m safe, you don''t have to be so mad. ''''


    Nicklaus stared at her as she made puppy dog eyes at him, and suddenly he pinched her cheeks;


    ''''You are stubborn, ''''

 Chapter 271 - Three weeks ago

    THREE WEEKS AGO (in the hospital)¡­


    Tiana''s eyes were closed as she lay on the bed. She had tried to sleep but the pain in her heart was too much to bear, she couldn''t bring sleep to her eyes. She would be lying if she said she didn''t think of committing suicide, at least all this pain would go away.


    She didn''t even know where to start her life from, everything had turned upside down. How would she go back to that house knowing that she would never see Nicklaus again?


    When morning came, Diana and Gwen made sure she had something to eat and made sure she took her medications, but no matter what they said to her she didn''t say a word to them. She just stared mutely into space.


    Finally, they left her alone in the room but made sure the guards were there to guard her. It was 8pm in the evening when Tiana heard someone walking around in the room; she had switched off the lights because she didn''t want to see anything, it felt safer in the darkness. She looked into the darkness and to the source of the sound but she didn''t see a thing.


    ''''Who is there? '''' her brows creased, wondering if Diana or Gwen had stepped in. Turning to her side, she switched on the lights but she didn''t see anyone. Tiana looked around for a moment before she put off the light and lay back on the bed.


    There was no-one, it seemed the pain has started messing with her brain, she had started hallucinating.


    After about five minutes, she heard the noise again but this time before she could do anything, a hand came over her mouth, Tiana''s eyes widened when she felt a hand on her mouth, she tried to scream, but the voice she heard next, made her freeze on her spot.


    ''''Beautiful, it''s me. '''' Her face paled with shock.


    Nick¡­ Nicklaus? Nicklaus was alive!


    He slowly let go of her mouth and she turned to him in shock.


    ''''Baby¡­ '''' Her hands held his face as she felt him in the darkness, even if she wasn''t seeing him, she knew what he felt like, and just one touch of his face, she knew it was him. ''''you''re alive, oh god, you''re alive. ''''


    Tears flowed from her eyes and she leaned to him, kissing him all over his face;


    ''''Do you know how worried I was? You made me cry! You made me cry a lot! '''' Tiana whimpered as she kissed him. Nicklaus hugged her, kissing her cheeks.


    ''''I''m so sorry; I wish I could come earlier, but I just woke up this afternoon in a little house, owned by an old man. He had saved me from the water, while he was fishing, i don''t think he knew who I was, that is why no-one knew I was still alive. ''''


    Tiana turned to put on the light so she could see his face but he stopped her hand;


    ''''I don''t want anyone to know that I''m alive yet. '''' The window blinds were open, someone passing could see;


    Tiana''s eyes widened in the darkness, ''''why? ''''


    Nicklaus paused; ''''I have a plan, a plan that would take Catherine and Douglas down for good. ''''


    Tiana''s ears arched; ''''really? ''''


    She asked but just when he was about to reply, the door to the hospital ward clicked open and Diana walked in;


    ''''Tiana, oh, why did you switch off the lights? '''' she asked walking towards the bed. Her feet stopped instantly when she perceived a different scent in the room;


    Tiana was lying on the bed, and she looked like she was sleeping, but that scent was very distinct as though someone had been there.


    She switched on the lights in the room instantly and looked around but she saw no-one. Her brows creased and they fell on Tiana on the bed but she was fast asleep_ or so she looked.


    She was about to walk out of the room when suddenly she paused and looked to the bathroom door, it had a slither of opening on it, her brows creased and she walked to it, pushing the door open.


    Diana''s lips fell open when she saw the person leaning on the sink, with his arms crossed in front of him;


    ''''Nick¡­ Nick... '''' she was about to scream when she saw him place his finger over his mouth as though telling her to keep quiet.


    Diana gulped down her scream and turned to Tiana on the bed and that moment, she saw her sitting upright.


    She didn''t say a word, but the words ''what the hell!!'' was written all over her face.


    ''''Shut the blinds and lock the door '''' Nicklaus said and Diana nodded, walking to the window she did exactly what he said and she turned back to them,


    Nicklaus walked out of the bathroom and sat down beside Tiana on the bed,


    Diana was still in shock.


    ''''How¡­ how are you alive? '''' she asked after a moment of confusion,


    ''''I just woke up from a coma, a poor old man saved me and he couldn''t take me to the hospital thankfully, so I have been sleeping in his little house.''''


    Diana''s eyes widened, how is that anything to be thankful for?


    But anyways she was very glad that he was not dead, at least she would not worry about Tiana killing herself anymore.


    ''''Thank God you are alive, but you need to run some tests to be sure that there''s nothing wrong in your system. ''''


    She said but Nicklaus shook his head; ''''I don''t want anyone to know that I''m alive yet, ''''


    Diana''s brows creased with worry; ''''um¡­ Douglas would come after the company soon and Tiana might be in danger, ''''


    ''''I have a plan, just don''t tell anyone that you''ve seen me, ''''


    Diana stared at him for a second and then she nodded; ''''Okay, I won''t. '''' She wasn''t sure what his plan was but she knew it was nothing else than to take down Douglas.


    Her eyes widened when she remembered Michael.


    ''''Nicklaus, this might not be the best time, but I really need to tell you something. ''''


    She said, going to sit down on an empty spot on the bed. She wasn''t sure she was going to see him again.


    ''''What is it? '''' Nicklaus asked, creasing his brows.


    ''''it''s about Michael Wills, I think you really need to know something''''

 Chapter 272 - Needing his help

    Nicklaus''s brows creased when he heard her,


    ''''What about him? '''' he was surprised she knew about Michael Wills.


    ''''Nick, he was adopted by Catherine as a cover for her son, I don''t know what happened between the two of you, but Michael says he doesn''t know a thing; he had just been fighting you on Catherine''s orders. I think she plans to kill him off when she is done using him because his being alive is a threat to her son''s inheritance.''''


    Nicklaus was quiet for a second; ''''you know him? ''''


    Diana nodded; ''''yeah, we are friends; he just told me this recently, ''''


    Nicklaus thought for a moment; Michael would know details about Catherine, so if he wanted to defeat Catherine, he would need his help.


    ''''Can you call him to come over tomorrow? ''''


    Nicklaus asked and Diana nodded. ''''yeah, he would love to. Will call him now; '''' she smiled excitedly taking out her phone, then she remembered Michael asked that she doesn''t call him, so she quickly sent a message,


    Tiana watched Diana''s excitement with a light crease of her brows;


    She was a little too excited for someone that was just a friend. Or maybe she was just being too sensitive.


    ''''Catherine tracks his phone, so I can''t call, I''ve sent a message to his other phone, he''ll call me when he sees it. ''''


    Nicklaus nodded; Diana''s eyes turned to Tiana and then back to Nicklaus;


    ''''Alright, I''ll leave you two alone; '''' she said, standing up from the bed, she walked to the door;


    ''''I''ll make sure to keep it locked, don''t worry. '''' she grinned at them, implying that they could do anything they wanted to do.


    Tiana blushed when they were finally left to themselves. She came down from the bed and embraced Nicklaus.


    ''''I was so scared, '''' her voice trembled as she spoke. God, she nearly died from the pain, it was unbearable;


    ''''I''m so sorry for coming late and making you cry; '''' Nicklaus hugged her back, bringing her to sit on his lap;


    Tiana sighed; ''''and I warned you not to go out that day, now I''m sure, you would never doubt my instincts anymore. ''''


    Nicklaus shook his head; ''''Definitely, I''ve learned my lessons. '''' He chuckled and kissed her lips;


    ''''I won''t be coming back home; '''' Nicklaus said as he let go of her; her brows creased with worry;


    ''''what? why?'''' she asked with sadness in her eyes;


    Nicklaus held her hand and squeezed it; '''' I''m sorry, but I don''t want anything to go wrong, in case there is any spy among the workers, I didn''t even tell all my guards, only the most trusted ones know that I am alive.''''


    Tiana pouted as tears gathered in her eyes; ''''I miss you too much already, I don''t think I can stay without you, can I go with you? ''''


    She pleaded, but Nicklaus sighed; ''''Beautiful, I really wish you would, but you have to stay at home to make it look real. I miss you already, and I don''t even want to stay away from you for a single second, but this is the last straw to defeating these people, and then we live the rest of our lives, happy.


    If we defeat them, we can have our wedding, and we''ll make beautiful babies, we can go anywhere without so many guards, don''t you want that?''''


    Tiana smiled just had to hold on for a while and everything would be fine, they won''t have to worry anymore.


    ''''I want that. I want it. '''' She nodded hugging him around the neck; ''''if his plan worked then they would be safe for the rest of their lives. Tiana sighed;


    ''''I can wait, let''s do this. '''' she let him go they kissed briefly.


    ''''Wow, I''ve been sick this whole time because of you, don''t ever disappear like that, ever again, okay? ''''


    Nicklaus nodded; ''''I won''t, ever.''''


    They spent some time together, talking about the plan he had before Nicklaus finally left. He had disguised himself, so no-one would recognize him, and except for the few guards whom he had contacted; no-one knew it was him.


    Tiana was feeling a lot better now that she knew he was alive. She was no longer gloomy and she instantly wanted to get discharged but Nicklaus said she should wait till she completed her medications.


    She was still smiling when the door clicked open, and Gwen stepped in, Diana following behind.


    ''''Was that Nicklaus? He''s alive? '''' Gwen''s eyes lit up with excitement as she asked Tiana. Diana had told her that Nicklaus was alive, well she was family, and she was staying with Tiana so she was bound to know.


    Tiana smiled; ''''yes, Gwen, he''s alive, I''m so happy! '''' she exclaimed in excitement, her initial gloominess had all disappeared.


    Gwen was still in shock; ''''how, how did he survive it, where has he been all these while? ''''


    She asked; she was still shocked by the news.


    ''''Well, he said an old man saved him, and he just woke up from a coma today. I''m so glad that he is alive, but Gwen, don''t tell anyone about this, okay? ''''


    Gwen creased her brows but she didn''t ask why, she just nodded.


    ''''Okay. ''''


    ''''he wanted to meet with you but you didn''t come in, but he''s coming over tomorrow, you should have come inside when he was here. ''''


    ''''Oh, haha, I didn''t want to spoil your moment, but since he''s coming tomorrow it''s fine. '''' Gwen smiled, but inside of her brewed with anger.


    She wasn''t happy at all with the news. He was alive. Why was it that every single time she was almost close to winning Tiana, everything would turn upside down?


    Her heart squeezed with anger and the smile on Tiana''s face only made her angrier.


    She wished she could scratch that smile off her face with her both hands.


    No matter what it was, Tiana always won. Gwen couldn''t continue seeing the smile on Tiana''s face, so she stood up;


    ''''Let me get you guys some snacks, I''ll be right back.'''' She just needed an excuse to leave there; it was getting too hot for her.

 Chapter 273 - She wants him

    The next day, Tiana woke up early. She had her breakfast and took her medications without any nagging. Nicklaus was coming today so she didn''t want him to complain about anything. She was very excited that she would see him again but her excitement turned to worry when by half-past twelve he wasn''t yet there, unfortunately, Diana and Gwen became the receiving end of her nagging.


    ''''Didn''t he say he would come? He isn''t here yet, where is he? ''''


    ''''he is coming, maybe something came up. ''''


    ''''Okay. '''' She paused; ''''but it is past 1 already, he should be here by now. ''''


    Diana sighed falling back on the couch; '''' maybe if you sleep and wake up, he''ll appear. ''''


    Tiana pouted, maybe she should calm herself down for a moment, she was getting too worked up. Resting back on the bed, she decided to watch a movie, when suddenly there was a knock on the door; before Diana or Gwen could even look towards the door Tiana had dashed towards it, she opened it immediately but the smile on her lips dwindled when she saw who was on the other side;


    ''''Hi¡­ '''' Michael greeted with a smile on his lips;


    ''''Hi, you must be Michael; '''' Tiana pulled herself together and welcomed him into the ward, making sure to mask her disappointment.


    ''''Yeah, and you must be Tiana. '''' his eyes fell on Diana and he gave her a sweet smile, making her look away with a faint blush.


    The woman sitting beside Diana looked a lot like Tiana so he guessed she was her sister.


    Tiana walked back to her bed; ''''this is my sister, Gwen,'''' Tiana introduced and Michael smiled at her;


    ''''it''s nice to meet you, Gwen. '''' Gwen nodded.


    ''''Nice to meet you too; ''''


    Tiana had briefed them on the whole issue yesterday, so she knew what Michael was there for. Michael''s eyes turned to Diana who was sitting on the farthest end of the couch, her eyes transfixed on her phone as though she didn''t know who he was.


    He watched her for a moment and then shifted his gaze to Tiana.


    ''''He has not come yet? '''' he asked and Tiana shook her head;


    ''''No, he''s not yet here, you''ll have to wait for a little, '''' she explained with a small smile and Michael nodded, and then he went to where Diana was sitting and sat down beside her.


    ''''Hey; '''' Michael whispered just loud enough for her to hear. Diana''s cheeks reddened, he had this s.e.xiness in his voice that almost made her squeeze her legs.


    ''''hey; '''' she replied trying to sound indifferent. ''''you came earlier than I expected; ''''


    ''''yeah, had to close from the office early, ''''


    ''''Okay, ''''


    Michael was about to say something when the door opened and they all turned to see who walked it.


    Finally; Tiana breathed as she stood up and embraced him in a hug, kissing him briefly on the lips.


    ''''What took you so long, been waiting since morning. ''??


    ''''Sorry, I was a little occupied, but I''m here now. ''''


    ''''Okay, Michael is here already. '''' She said, turning towards the duo on the couch.


    Michael stood and greeted him; Nicklaus saw Gwen and he smiled;


    ''''Gwen, nice to meet you again, how have you been? ''''


    Gwen beamed; ''''I''ve been doing great! It''s nice to meet you too, I''m sorry for how I treated you the last time we met. '''' she apologized with a beautiful smile, and Nicklaus shook his head.


    ''''No worries, I didn''t take it to heart. Heard you are in New York for your studies ''''


    ''''Yeah, I''ll be rounding up this year. '''' Gwen explained;


    ''''That''s great. ''''


    They talked for some while more and then Diana and Gwen gave them space to discuss the important issue, they sat on a couch away from them, watching a movie.


    Gwen seemed as though she was watching the movie, but her whole concentration was on Nicklaus. Her eyes glanced at him once in a while.


    Gosh, he was so freaking handsome.


    To think that she let someone as handsome as that slip from her hands, how did she not see how drop-dead gorgeous he was then?


    Gwen bit her lower lip. They had met twice in the past and it was just today that she realized what she really missed.


    Not only was he so rich, but he was also caring and too damn handsome, and with the way he held Tiana as they talked, occasionally kissing her cheeks even when they were saying something serious, Gwen wished she was in her place.


    Seeing how radiant Tiana looked with him, her heart grew sour. He chose her first but Tiana intentionally took her place because she knew how handsome and wealthy he was. She had been crafty all along.


    Gwen regretted the moment she pleaded with Tiana to take her place, she wished she could go back in time; she would never have done that.


    Tiana had always been like this, being crafty but at the same time looking as though she was a saint. She was no saint!


    Her eyes turned to Nicklaus again; his brows were creased, and it gave him a cold s.e.xy look. Jeez! What did she just let slip from her hands?


    The more she looked at him, the more he appeared irresistible in her eyes. Gwen realized that she wanted him.


    She turned to the television when a thought entered her mind.


    Nicklaus chose her first that day that must mean that he liked her, right?


    She could rekindle his love if she tried, Tiana took her place, she took what rightfully belonged to her, so it was not wrong for her to want it back.


    Nicklaus wanted her, he had always wanted her, Tiana was just preventing him from seeing it, but she would make him see it, soon.


    A mischievous smile washed her lips as the thought came into her mind.


    Now, she didn''t want him dead anymore, she wanted him to be hers, and she would make him hers.

 Chapter 274 - Capable of anything

    Tiana had been awake all through the meeting but now, she was getting tired, so she lay on Nicklaus laps as she slept. His hands played with her hair as he listened to Michael speak.


    ''''I was ignorant of all these. I knew Catherine was wicked, but never would I ever have thought that she would have done that, and to think she went to the extent of raising me just for a stand-in for her son. So this was her grand plan all along, get the Howells Corporation and kill me off so I don''t get any part of her son''s company. ''''


    Michael voiced in shock. He had imagined a trillion wicked things she must have done to Nicklaus, but he never imagined that she was capable of that. At that moment, he felt chills run down his spine; to actually be alive was is a miracle.


    ''''I don''t even want to think about the wickedness living inside of that woman; the important thing is that we finally have a way to take her down. You know, now she thinks that I''m dead, she''ll come after you before she reveals her son to the public. ''''


    Nicklaus said and Michael nodded; if she told everyone about Liam while he was still alive, they would be skeptical if he dies soon after. That was why she would want to kill him before she reveals her son.


    ''''So, you have to stay hidden, you can stay with me in my underground house for this period of time, you won''t make use of any phones or gadgets, we don''t know how advanced her tech team is, and we for sure that she terribly wants you dead, so she would go to any lengths. ''''


    Michael nodded; ''''Thanks, I really appreciate it. '''' Contrary to what he had expected, Nicklaus had treated him nicely, not minding everything that had happened with them in the past.


    ''''You''re welcome. ''''


    ''''Yeah, you mentioned you were investigating your accident secretly? '''' Michael asked, Nicklaus had mentioned at the start of the conversation but he didn''t delve deeper.


    ''''Yeah, I was just looking on how to connect Douglas to the case, but the detectives think there is something more, I don''t know about it, but I''ll receive more information on it soon. ''''


    Michael nodded;


    ''''Okay. I''m grateful for everything, I was uncertain about meeting you given our past experiences, ''''


    Nicklaus laughed lightly; ''''It''s fine, I knew something was fishy once I found out that you were not her biological child.''''


    Michael was about to say something else when Tiana turned and woke up;


    ''''You guys aren''t done? ''''


    She asked as she sat up from his legs and leaned on his shoulder;


    ''''We were almost rounding up; '''' Nicklaus said; ''''you know what you have to do if the issue arises on who to take over the company, don''t argue with Douglas, just let him have the company. ''''


    Tiana nodded;


    '''' Catherine would want to kill Michael before revealing her son, but when she doesn''t find him, she can''t keep waiting, and that''s exactly what we want. When she does that, everyone would turn to her because it seems fishy that right after my death, she comes with her son, so she might likely be investigated.


    And knowing who Catherine is, she would like to push the blame to someone else and so she would try to make Douglas the killer. Even when Douglas finds out about this, he wouldn''t be rash to act because he would be suspected of her murder, but that doesn''t matter because whether he acts or not if anything happens to Catherine or her son, he would be the prime suspect. And that''s when we strike, after which the blame would go to Douglas, and when coupled with the evidence I''m about to gather on my accident, he goes down. ''''


    Tiana was quiet for a second;


    ''''What if I make him confess he killed you? ''''


    Michael and Nicklaus turned to Tiana reflexively; ''''How? ''''


    ''''If I can make him feel I''m on his side, he might confess that he killed you and I can record the confession, I think it would be more credible as evidence. ''''


    ''''No! '''' Nicklaus exclaimed before she could complete her sentence;


    ''''you''re not sitting with that man alone, don''t even think about it. '''' He warned, he couldn''t even believe that she was thinking about doing something like that, did she have a death wish?


    Tiana wanted to argue but she decided against it, if she talked more about it, he would know that she was persistent in doing something and he would make sure he stopped her, so she kept mute.


    But one thing she was sure of was that if such an opportunity arose, she must be prepared.


    The next day, Gwen went back to New York since she had some practical, Nicklaus came in the next two days and Tiana was shocked to her wits with the news that he came with.


    ''''You mean¡­ Douglas had been the one behind Mia''s accident all along? ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened in shock, she couldn''t believe what she was hearing.


    ''''Yeah, the cause of the accident is unique and the gadget was traced to his company, in the past five years only two accidents have been caused that way, which is mine and Mia''s, so it''s most likely that he is the one. He doesn''t produce it but it was imported along with some raw materials for his company. I think it couldn''t be traced during the investigation because Douglas blocked it off, I just can''t fathom why he would want to kill her.''''


    Nicklaus explained, shocked to his bones.


    ''''Well, maybe she knew something that she wasn''t supposed to know, or ¡­ he was having an affair with her? ''''


    Nicklaus turned to Tiana with a surprised look; '''' Beautiful, he can''t possibly¡­''''


    '''' don''t say that Douglas who tried to kill you can do anything; he is the devil himself, who knows if he wasn''t the one that killed your grandfather too. ''''


    Nicklaus pinched her chin; '''' maybe or maybe not. But what is important is that he is going down for his crimes. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I really want all these to be over, so we can be happy again. ''''


    Nicklaus smiled and they stared at each other for a few seconds before his eyes fell to her lips and he leaned in and he kissed her. ''''Me too '''' He said, biting lightly on her lower lip. His hands went to the back of her head, pulling her closer; he deepened the kiss, their tongue intertwining.

 Chapter 275 - Wanna get us pregnant?

    Tiana lay down on the bed as he placed kisses down her neck, earning a m.o.a.n from her, her hands fondling with his shirt.


    ''''I''ve missed you. '''' she pouted as his lips glided over her mouth, his hands raised her clothes and cupped her bare b.r.e.a.s.ts earning a squeal from her;


    ''''Is the door locked? '''' Diana was out, but she might come back any minute.


    ''''I think so. '''' Nicklaus breathed, kissing her b.r.e.a.s.ts through her clothes,


    ''''Check, I don''t want to be caught humping off on a hospital bed. '''' They both laughed as Nicklaus came down and checked the doors. As he walked back to her, Tiana''s eyes looked up to the CCTV above and her lips fell open;


    ''''Babe, there''s a CCTV camera; '''' she whispered, her eyes wide, they must have seen Nicklaus!


    Nicklaus smiled; ''''I had the CCTV cameras disconnected. ''''


    Tiana heaved a sigh of relief; ''''thank goodness. '''' she said as she reached out to him and pulled him to the bed;


    ''''The next time we''re doing this would be in our bedroom; '''' Tiana breathed as she kissed him, her hands undoing his zipper.


    Nicklaus laugh sounded at the back of his throat; ''''I can''t wait. ''''


    ¡­


    Three weeks later (in the room)


    ''''You''re stubborn; '''' Nicklaus pinched her cheeks and Tiana laughed.


    ''''What? I knew you wouldn''t let me if I told you, besides I never planned for it to happen, I just didn''t want to miss the opportunity if it ever came by, but I''m sorry for making you worry. ''''


    She grinned as she leaned close to him, Tiana''s eyes fell to his lips and she gazed at it wantonly. Nicklaus swallowed as he waited for her to kiss him but instead, she took out her tongue and licked his lips;


    ''''I missed you, ''''


    Flames of l.u.s.t burned in his belly instantly as he wasn''t expecting that. His hands went around her waist and pulled her to him;


    ''''You know how to get around things, don''t you? '''' Nicklaus breathed against her lips as he lifted her off the couch, earning a squeal from her.


    Tiana''s legs went around him and she brushed his hair with her fingers;


    ''''I''m happy. '''' she smiled as Nicklaus let her down on the bed and hovered over her;


    ''''Me too, ''''


    ''''Everything would soon be fine, and we don''t have to worry anymore. ''''


    She smiled sweetly, just a little more and they can finally be happy. They kissed again as her hands took out his belt tossing it away on the floor;


    ''''I want to see the look on Douglas''s face when he sees me, damn! It would be epic. ''''


    Nicklaus said and Tiana laughed;


    ''''He would surely cough blood when he finds out that I recorded every single word he said that day. It was stupid of him to trust the woman he killed her husband, alright, let''s not talk about the baddies anymore. '''' Tiana breathed, trying to concentrate on what they were doing currently.


    They kissed deeply when suddenly, Tiana raised her hands to Nicklaus''s shoulders and she pushed him to the bed and straddled him.


    ''''Did I tell you? '''' Tiana asked, as she helped him take off his shirt, and with one pull she took off her gown, making her b.r.e.a.s.ts dangle in front of him.


    Nicklaus''s eyes fell to her b.r.e.a.s.ts and he raised his hands to them, caressing them with his fingers.


    ''''What? ''''


    ''''I actually fell for you because of your looks; you''re one hell of a beautiful man. You don''t get to see such beauty every day. '''' Tiana grinned, pulling down his zipper, Nicklaus laughed at her words;


    ''''Well did I also tell you? ''''


    He asked as he helped her take him out and guided himself inside her; her lips curved as his member entered her slowly, her insides tightened as she felt him grow bigger inside her;


    ''''What? '''' she asked, but her words came out more like a m.o.a.n when she felt him start to move.


    ''''I knew you couldn''t resist my charm even when you hated me; ''''


    Tiana laughed, slapping him lightly on the chest. ''''tsh, such ego; ''''


    Nicklaus held her waists as he moved faster, light pants leaving his lips;


    ''''Do you realize we are having s.e.x without any protection? '''' Tiana said between m.o.a.ns, light laughter leaving her mouth;


    ''''I know. ''''


    A flash of surprise crossed her eyes and she smiled;


    ''''You want to get us pregnant? Isn''t it too early to jubilate? '''' she laughed;


    ''''Douglas will be gone before this week is over. ''''


    ''''You''re very confident, hubby. But whatever, I can''t get pregnant though, today is likely my safest day.''''


    She laughed when she saw the disappointment on his face.


    '''' don''t worry; we have enough time to keep trying, okay? ''''


    She smiled but Nicklaus replied by thrusting deeper inside her making her scream a m.o.a.n. In a few minutes, she was down against his body.


    Nicklaus carried her to the bathroom and they had a long shower together after which they ate breakfast and snuggled in bed, chatting about everything that went on these past few weeks.


    ''''I didn''t tell you something. ''''


    Tiana said when she remembered something she had left off;


    ''''What is it? '''' Nicklaus asked; entwining their fingers together.


    She thought for a second; ''''promise me you are not going to be mad. ''''


    Nicklaus creased his brows, he wondered what was so bad that she was making him make a promise.


    ''''It depends¡­ ''''


    ''''please¡­ '''' Tiana turned to look at him, with a sad expression;


    Nicklaus searched her eyes; he wondered what it was that she was so keen about him promising.


    ''''I promise I won''t be angry with you for long no matter what it is; ''''


    Tiana groaned; ''''No, that''s not what I asked for; ''''


    ''''Beautiful; '''' Nicklaus pushed her hair aside; ''''I don''t want to lie to you. ''''


    Tiana''s eyes locked in his for a moment and then she looked away; should she tell him?


    ''''What is it, don''t worry, I won''t be very mad at you, I love you too much to get mad, if it''s that bad, I might just be angry, so tell me, what is it? ''''


    Tiana was quiet for a moment;


    ''''That day Liam kidnapped me¡­ he kissed me. ''''

 Chapter 276 - Youre crazy

    ''''That day Liam kidnapped me¡­ he kissed me¡­ ''''


    Tiana could hear the breezing sound of the heater in the room as the room grew cold and quiet. Nicklaus was leaning on his elbow as she spoke and even though she had not said a word, the terrifying look on his face told her he was not just angry, he was mad.


    She shouldn''t have told him. She should have just kept it to herself. Damn, were they going to fight now? He just came back to her, she didn''t want to fight with him, what did she do?


    Tiana''s heart raced as she watched him, the quietness in the room becoming unbearable.


    ''''He did what?''''


    Nicklaus asked, as though he had not heard her. Tiana swallowed hard;


    ''''I''m sorry that I didn''t tell you earlier, I was scared and ashamed, I wanted to forget it, but I just find myself remembering it over and over again. '''' She looked at him with teary eyes, was he mad at her for keeping it away from him?


    She bit her lower lip as her eyes fluttered, why was he not saying anything?


    Nicklaus was quiet for the longest time, staring at her with different emotion in his eyes when suddenly; he pulled Tiana to him, and hugged her. Her eyes widened with surprise, was he not angry?


    ''''are you scared of me? '''' Nicklaus asked in a calm voice which made her gulp. Tiana shook her head;


    ''''No, I''m not, it''s just¡­ I didn''t want you to worry, and you were already blaming yourself terribly at that time, I didn''t want to make the matter worse by telling you. But as time passed, I realized maybe I should have told you earlier. I''m sorry for keeping it away from you. ''''


    ''''Was this why you were so scared? How can I be mad at you for this? '''' Nicklaus asked, letting her go and staring into her eyes.


    ''''I''m mad, really mad but not at you. Never; you should have told me; '''' he caressed her cheeks with his thumb lovingly;


    Tiana looked away; ''''I couldn''t; felt¡­ dirty¡­ '''' She said in a soft tone, loud enough for only him to hear.


    ''''He kissed me Nicklaus, and I couldn''t do anything. I watched him laugh at how pitiful I was and all I could do was stare at him, it broke me, I let another man touch me, I felt used. I wanted to kill him myself I promise, but I knew you wouldn''t let me go with you. ''''


    Nicklaus sighed as he held her head with both hands making her look at him;


    ''''You should have told me before I killed him; I would have given him a more befitting death. Now I regret the one shot I gave him; ''''


    Tiana pouted; ''''I''m sorry; ''''


    Nicklaus stared at her eyes and he saw the sadness in them, he imagined how it felt for her, being vulnerable with that man, watching him kiss her, without being able to do anything, it must have been scary.


    ''''I''m sorry, '''' Nicklaus apologized with a heavy voice. ''''I''m truly sorry for everything you''ve gone through because of me, I''m sorry for not being able to protect you. Beautiful, you don''t know how much it breaks me to know that you were in so much pain. I wish I can turn back the hands of time, then maybe I''ll be able to stop certain things from happening. ''''


    Tiana shook her head; ''''Even though it makes me want to bite my tongue thinking about his face close to mine, I don''t regret going through everything that happened, as long as it would bring us here, where we are now.


    And I''ll go through every single pain again for this moment with you.''''


    She said with a smile on her chin and Nicklaus pinched her chin; ''''you''re crazy ''''


    Tiana laughed; ''''yeah, I''m crazy over you. ''''


    Nicklaus smiled, and he rubbed on the spot he pinched lightly; ''''I love you. ''''


    He said the words with a light crease of his brows as though shocked by how much he actually did love this woman.


    ''''I love you too. '''' Tiana raised her hand to his hair and caressed him; they stayed like that for a long while lost in each other''s gaze, Nicklaus broke away from her eyes with a smile and he looked to her lips,


    ''''He was very lucky because if you had told me earlier, I would have personally chopped off his lips, so even in his next world, he would not be able to kiss any woman. ''''


    Tiana laughed at his words, it was funny, but he looked very serious.


    ''''don''t worry, it''s behind us now, I just wanted to make sure I''m not holding onto anything from the past.''''


    ''''Yeah¡­ but I think there''s one more thing left. '''' He said, his eyes still on her lips. Tiana''s brows creased;


    ''''what is left? ''''


    ''''The memories, I''m going to make you forget that sad thought of his lips on yours, ''''


    Tiana chuckled; ''''How? '''' although it didn''t matter if she remembered it, now she had told him about it, she felt a lot better.


    ''''I''ll kiss you till you won''t remember it anymore. ''''


    Tiana smiled; ''''I don''t care about not remembering, but as long as I''m kissing you I''m all in. ''''


    She grinned pushing him down on the bed; leaning down, sucking on his lower lip;


    ''''I said I''m going to kiss you, not the other way round; '''' Nicklaus groaned against her mouth;


    Tiana laughed when she felt him flip them over, and he was on top of her. Her eyes lit up at him and when she saw the hunger in his eyes, she grinned;


    ''''This is really going to be a long kiss session. ''''


    ¡­


    ''''CATHERINE WILLS AND HER SON, LIAM WILLS HAVE BEEN FOUND DEAD IN THEIR HOME!''''


    Michelle watched the news quietly, her eyes wide with shock. She couldn''t believe what she was seeing. Did Douglas kill them too?


    No, Douglas was not that stupid, he wouldn''t want to implicate himself this way, not after he was almost caught for killing Nicklaus, but that did not matter, did it? This was all to her favor.


    She smiled and was about to turn off the television when the channel showed another headline;


    ''''NICKLAUS HOWELLS, ALIVE! ''''

 Chapter 277 - He is alive

    NICKLAUS HOWELLS, ALIVE!


    ''''As shocking as it may sound, Nicklaus Howells is back!'''' the TV presenter announced; Nicklaus Howells had been presumed dead due to a recent car crash which claimed the life of his driver, but it seemed we were wrong all along.


    Nicklaus Howells, the CEO of Howells Corporation is alive and healthy. He didn''t die during the crash, and according to him, he was rescued by an old man. It''s a joyous moment for everyone especially his family, and we''ll wait to hear more details from him.''''


    Michelle''s grip on the remote controller loosened sending it falling to the floor. What did she just hear?


    Nicklaus¡­ Nicklaus is alive?!


    Her chest heaved heavily that she nearly fainted from shock.


    Oh, God! Now it was coming back to her, Tiana was super confident; she didn''t look like someone who was mourning not to talk of looking like someone who had lost her dear husband; did she know he was alive all this while?


    Wait¡­ did he also know about her affair with Charles?


    Michelle was worried that she wouldn''t be able to have the Howells Corporation for her son but she was more worried about the fact that Nicklaus wasn''t going to cover what she had done because he was close to Elizabeth.


    What would happen to her?


    Michelle breathed in sharply standing up from the couch, she paced around the parlor. But why did Tiana let Douglas take the company?


    Her brows creased as her feet came to a halt. Had they perhaps been planning something? Michelle''s eyes wandered as she thought.


    Had they been leading them into a trap all along?


    She knew something was wrong the moment Tiana agreed to let Douglas have the company but she didn''t want to believe it, but with the appearance of Nicklaus, she knew she was right all along. Well, the worst that could happen to her now, was that she wouldn''t be recognized as part of the family anymore because of her scandal with Charles, it was shameful but right now, that was not the most important issue, the more pressing issue was how to kill Douglas,


    She promised herself she would kill him herself. He was too wicked for the mercy of prison sentence; she wouldn''t let him get away with this, not this time.


    Even if she was caught, she didn''t have anything to lose anymore; she had been fighting for Richard all along, and thankfully he doesn''t know anything about her plans, so he would be safe. He would take over the Warren''s Corporation, and he would be fine.


    She would face whatever punishment came her way. It was her fault; she had married the wrong person. If she, for once, went against her parents'' wishes, she wouldn''t be in this mess right now. Maybe now, they would regret forcing her into this marriage. Not only did they lose their daughter, she was about to bring shame to them.


    Michelle sounded a bitter laughter, shaking her head. What a sad wasted life she had lived. The door swung open, kicking her out of her thoughts, she blinked when she saw Douglas.


    ''''Did you see the news? '''' she asked and he nodded, for the first time Michelle actually saw fear flash through Douglas''s eyes.


    ''''How is it possible? '''' She asked, walking to him as he sat on the couch;


    ''''Tiana fooled us all. '''' Douglas explained, his hand brushing through his hair.


    ''''How? ''''


    ''''That woman... I told her I killed Nicklaus, and she might have taped it, '''' He was visibly scared. It was rare for him to be scared. He always had things under control.


    ''''Calm down, you kidnapped her; it wasn''t as though she knew you were going to kidnap her. ''''


    Douglas shook his head; ''''No, no, what if she was ready in case I would come after her, what if¡­ ''''


    ''''don''t assume things, if she did, she would have released it a long time ago. Don''t worry, everything is under control. ''''


    ''''Control? Control you say? Nicklaus is back and alive, I''m losing the company can''t you see! '''' Douglas blared at her like a deranged person, Michelle stiffened for a bit.


    ''''And Catherine and Liam Wills are dead, I didn''t kill them, I don''t know who did, but right now, if Tiana has any evidence of my acknowledgment of killing Nicklaus, then I would be blamed for their death. How did I lose my guard so easily? ''''


    ''''don''t be too alarmed, nothing has happened yet, besides even if she tapes you, the worst that can happen is that you would leave the country through your connections, after a few years when everything dies down you can come back. This is no big deal, okay? ''''


    Douglas was still worried, but he calmed himself, even if he was caught in the act and taken to prison he could still smuggle out of the country, but the problem was that he was never going to get the Howells Corporation, yesterday he had everything in his hands, but right now, he could barely grasp unto the shadows.


    It was his mistake, he should have made sure he saw his dead body, but he had trusted that Nicklaus had died and now he was back. Who knows what he has planned. Douglas kept a tab on the news, but there was nothing new said about the matter. Well, even if he were caught, he would go into hiding for the time being and come back stronger, and this time he would make sure he buries Nicklaus himself and make sure not even his shadow can torment him.


    The next day, he was scared to check the news, he didn''t know why, but he felt a strong premonition that something very bad was going to happen,


    Michelle watched Douglas after breakfast as he sat on the couch in their room, he was looking through a magazine but she knew his mind was not there at all; this was the first time he had looked so disturbed since she married him and knowing him, he might try to run out of the country if he sees that there''s no way out, but she wouldn''t let him leave. This was her chance to strike, if she missed him now, she might never get this chance again.

 Chapter 278 - Holy poison

    She walked to where he sat and sat down beside him;


    ''''Darling, why do you look so troubled? you don''t have to worry too much, okay? This is a mere misunderstanding; it would clear up very soon. The worst that would happen is that you would lose the Howells Corporation but you will still have yours, and besides, do you think that slow-witted woman could think of anything as intelligent as to record your conversation, you burden yourself too much. Wait here; let me get you tea to calm your nerves. ''''


    She said, kissing his chin sweetly she walked out of the room. She had bought the poison earlier and hid it under a tall flower vase that was rarely moved in the hallway; she made sure no-one saw when she took it out and walked to the kitchen. It wasn''t going to starting working till about ten minutes after consumption, so she had enough time to tell him everything she wanted him to hear before he met his father the devil.


    The cook was not in the kitchen when she walked in, so she quickly prepared the tea and sprinkled the poison on it. Mixing it perfectly, she placed it on a tray and hurriedly carried it to the room.


    She feared that he might have left and she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw him.


    Placing the tray on the stool beside him, she handed him the cup of tea.


    ''''Here, take this, it would help calm you down. ''''


    Douglas turned to her, taking the cup, he placed it back on the tray,


    ''''thank you '''' he said and continued flipping through the pages of the magazine. Michelle bit her lower lip tightly when she saw him keep back the cup; what if he didn''t drink it and something came up and he needed to leave?


    Her heart stammered as she watched the vapor rise from the cup, damn it, maybe she should have gotten an injection and injected him while he slept, now it was too late, if he didn''t drink this, she might not have another chance.


    Michelle became restless as the clock ticked, she was tempted to remind him about it, but she stopped herself, if she was too pushy, he might suspect there was something inside of it.


    Just when she had almost lost hope, Douglas picked up the tea and brought it close to his lips; her eyes widened as her gaze traced his movement, her heart plummeting as she gripped her dress, waiting for even just a drop to touch his tongue, the poison was very effective, even a drop could do the magic.


    His lips finally opened and she watched the liquid seep into his mouth. A relief sigh left her lips as she fell back on the couch. He took a few more gulps before he placed the cup down on the tray.


    A smile tugged on her lips as she watched the wall clock in front of them tick; after about five minutes, she turned to Douglas.


    ''''Husband, have you ever wondered why I married you? ''''


    Douglas glanced to her weirdly, why was she asking such a question all of a sudden?


    ''''No? ''''


    ''''To please my parents; '''' She answered, and he turned back to the magazine as though he wasn''t surprised.


    Michelle chuckled; '''' you are not surprised, right? Well I didn''t tell you but that was the worst mistake I ever made in my entire life, and I regret, I so much regret the day I agreed to marry you. ''''


    Now Douglas was annoyed; ''''is something wrong with you? '''' he asked, this was the first time since they got married that she talked back at him, he had an intimidating aura that even when she was wronged she would only cry, he wondered what made her so brave now.


    ''''Shut up, I''m not done talking. '''' Douglas''s lips fell open at her words, was he dreaming or something?


    ''''I should shut up? '''' He couldn''t believe his ears;


    ''''right, shut up;''''


    He was already mad about what was happening and she was there looking for trouble where there was none; maybe he should slap her and bring her back to her senses.


    Douglas lifted his hand to slap her but strangely, his hands hung in the air, he tried to move it but it could not; a light chuckle left Michelle''s lips and she helped him bring down his hand;


    ''''Yeah, that''s right, I just poisoned you; ''''


    Douglas''s eyes widened with shock and he opened his mouth to scream at her but no words could leave his lips;


    ''''Ah, don''t bother trying, you can''t talk too; '''' she laughed standing up from the couch, Douglas could only move his eyeballs, every other part of him was paralyzed.


    ''''Very soon, your insides will start burning, you''ll boil from inside out and yet you can''t even scream, you''ll die slowly but gruesomely, yes, I got the most gruesome poison you can ever imagine, I wanted to give you the most painful death because you don''t deserve anything less. ''''


    ''''Tsk what a shame! A whole you, the wicked devilish Douglas, about to die like a puppet; '''' Michelle laughed hysterically and walked to the door to make sure it was locked.


    Walking back to him; ''''I don''t have much time, dear husband, in less than five minutes, you would be dead, and there are so many things I want you to hear; ''''


    She smiled, seeing him like this was refreshing; he was finally the weaker one, and she was the stronger.


    ''''You abused me, physically, emotionally, mentally, you cheated on me, and as if that was not all, you r.a.p.ed my sister! My own sister, how dare you?! ''''


    All the anger that she had been suppressing rushed like adrenaline through her bones, and she felt bile in her mouth. She saw surprise flash through his eyes and she knew he was wondering how she knew;


    ''''I''ve known for a while, you don''t know how hard it is for me to pretend everything was fine, you don''t know how hard it was for me to sleep on the same bed with you, letting your body touch mine, when all I wanted to do is tear you apart. I hate you, Douglas, I''ve always hated you. ''''


    She smiled and walked to him, squatting in front of him; ''''Ah, I didn''t tell you, I''ve been cheating on you with your sister''s husband. ''''

 Chapter 279 - How the mighty has fallen

    A devilish smirk appeared on her lips when she saw the deranged look on his face. She knew his insides were burning now, the poison must be kicking in, but she didn''t mind, as long as he was sane enough to hear what she was saying.


    "I f.u.c.k.i.e.d him in every way possible, and I didn''t regret it one single bit, in fact, I enjoyed it, every single second of it was bliss. '''' she laughed;


    ''''And do you know the worst thing about knowing this? Even though you want to squeeze the life out of me right now, you can''t even lift a finger. '''' Michelle laughed mockingly, ''''how does it feel? Knowing that you are going to lose everything you have to your killer? '''' she laughed,


    ''''Ah, know that when you die, you''ll be buried and forgotten, no-one is going to know what happened to you because I''ll tell everyone you committed suicide because you couldn''t take the shame of losing everything to Nicklaus and going to jail. And it doesn''t matter if they believe me or not, I''m going to go scot-free! Yes, that''s because even when my DNA is found on you, no-one can do a thing because I''m your wife and it''s most likely that I touched you today before you killed yourself. '''' She smiled sweetly. If not anything, she wanted her face to be the last face he saw before he died.


    ''''Oh, how the mighty has fallen; '''' Michelle laughed as she stood up;


    He was foaming and shaking now, but she didn''t even have an ounce of pity. Just remembering that he roasted her sister alive after abusing her for years made her even want to stab him; her eyes eyed him as he struggled for breath;


    ''''Hell is too merciful for you Douglas; I hope you rot in anything worse than it. ''''


    With that, she turned around and walked out, locking him in. She quickly went to the kitchen and took the poison wrap from where she hid it and went back to the room, by the time she reached, he had already died. She walked to him and made him touch the poison, then place it on the table beside the drink,


    Leaving the room, she walked to the security room and cleared all the files on the CCTV, and then she left the house.


    She didn''t want to announce that he was dead, it was better if someone called her after seeing him dead, and she needed to be on the scene before the police got there, so she could tamper with the evidence in case they asked her why her DNA was found on the poison, so she stopped by a nearby mall, and pretended to be shopping.


    It was almost time for them to have lunch, so the maid would go call him for lunch anytime from now. And just as she thought, five minutes later, her phone rang, it was the butler.


    Michelle stared at it for some seconds, preparing herself on how to act, she picked it up;


    ''''Ma''am, the Boss, the Boss is dead! ''''


    Before she could even say anything his voice rang through the phone;


    ''''What? What did you say?! '''' Michelle screamed in the mall, attracting some onlookers;


    ''''Tell me you''re joking, tell me you are joking right now! ''''


    ''''He''s dead Ma''am, he''s dead! We found him too late, I think he was poisoned, how could he get poisoned?!'''' Michelle breathed in harshly as though she was having a heart attack,


    ''''I''m coming¡­ I''m coming now¡­ '''' she stammered and she quickly ended the call. Tears filled her eyes as she ran out of the mall, leaving the things she had shopped in the trolley. She raced back home like someone who had lost their loved one. She pulled into her house and didn''t even park properly as she jumped out and raced into the house.


    A lot of guards and home workers were gathered in front of their room, her steps faltered as she approached;


    ''''where¡­ where is he? '''' She asked, sounding scared, and her eyes glistening;


    ''''He''s inside; '''' the butler said and Michelle opened the door and walked in. He was the same way she had left him, except now, his foams were drying up.


    ''??Oh my god! '''' her scream sounded in the room as she walked to him, without even looking at him, she first touched the cup and the poison on the table, then she turned to him;


    ''''Douglas¡­ Douglas¡­ you can''t do this¡­ no, no, you can''t die¡­!'''' she screamed on top of her voice, tears pouring from her eyes as she shook him.


    ''''We have a lot of years ahead of us; we have a lot of things we haven''t done, how? How can you die now! How can you leave me to this world all alone! Somebody, please call the ambulance! Why is no-one doing anything! ''''


    She cried, shaking miserably. The butler walked to her and tried prying her away from her husband''s dead body, but she held onto him tightly.


    ''''The police and ambulance are on their way, they would be here soon, just get up, okay? ''''


    Right, now she had touched him, she needed them to see her with him, to solidify her proof, so she didn''t stand up. Thankfully, she heard their sirens in the background, and in a few minutes, they were inside the room.


    ''''Ma''am stand up from the body'''' only when she heard the police officer speak did she stand up grudgingly; the doctors who had come with them inspected the body, and when he was confirmed dead, they placed him on the stretcher and rolled him away.


    ''''What happened? '''' he asked, and the butler explained how they found him.


    ''''Hmm, did he perhaps commit suicide after watching the news today? ''''


    ''''What news? '''' Michelle asked, standing up from the ground where she was crying.


    ''''A video was released of him confessing to killing Nicklaus, but investigations will be carried out properly before anything can be said.''''


    The policeman said and Michelle''s cries increased in the room; no-one would ever suspect that she was actually the one that killed him; her face was so red and swollen.


    The guards all stood outside as they watched the ambulance drive away, once they were out of sight, Michelle slumped to the ground, and ''fainted''.

 Chapter 280 - I didnt kill him

    Before she got to the house, Michelle had taken some peanuts, she was allergic to peanuts and she knew if she consumed it, she was going to pass out. So when she passed out, she really fainted but it was because of her allergy and not because of Douglas.


    They had a family doctor, so when she fainted, she was carried into a separate room and the doctor was called quickly. By the time she woke up, she had a drip on her arm. When Michelle woke up and saw the doctor, she burst into fake tears; the doctor consoled her and she calmed down after some time.


    ''''Where is my son? '''' she asked, Richard did not come home often, but she knew he must have heard the news by now and so he must have come.


    ''''He is not yet here, '''' the doctor breathed but before he could complete his sentence, the door was pushed open and Richard walked in, looking crestfallen.


    ''''Mom¡­ '''' he called as he walked to his mother on the bed,


    Michelle turned to the doctor sitting beside her, and she smiled faintly''


    ''''Can you give us some time alone? ''''


    ''''Sure; '''' the doctor nodded and stood up from the couch, walking out the door.


    Richard didn''t say anything till he was out of the room, then he turned to his mother and peered at her scrutinizing. Even if he wasn''t sure of anything, the one thing he knew was that his mother didn''t love his father, so when he heard his mother fainted after she heard the news; he had a feeling that she must have done something.


    He did not want to believe that she was capable of killing someone, so he came to ask her himself and hear her tell him the truth while looking her in the eyes.


    When Michelle saw the look in her son''s eyes, she knew what he wanted to ask but she waited for him to say it.


    ''''How are you? ''''


    Richard asked as he sat down on the empty couch in front of her.


    ''''I''m fine; it was just a minor breakdown, that was all. '''' She replied weakly, sitting up on the bed.


    ''''How did he die? '''' He didn''t want to ask directly, so he beat around the bush, waiting for her to tell him herself.


    Michelle sighed;


    ''''They said he consumed poison, no-one knows if it was suicide or homicide. Richard, he is gone¡­ your father is gone¡­ ''''


    Tears clouded her gaze as she spoke; Richard was surprised, was she crying for a man she had cursed for over 20 years?


    ''''Mom... did you do it? You can tell me the truth, ''''


    Seeing that she wasn''t going to talk, he asked her straightforwardly. Even if Douglas was butchered into tiny pieces, with everything he had done to her, she would not flinch, not to talk of brewing tears.


    Michelle looked at Richard with surprise in her eyes;


    ''''Do what? '''' she asked with a shaking tone,


    ''''Mom, '''' Richard breathed; ''''you know you can trust me, please, '''' He wasn''t going to blame her if she killed him, damn, he had not seen someone as wicked as his father in his entire years of existence, but what he didn''t want was her lying to him.


    ''''Did you? ''''


    Her jaw tightened as she watched her son for a few seconds; ''''No, I did not. I didn''t kill him. ''''


    She reached out to hold him as she spoke looking hurt and sincere; Richard was surprised, did she really not kill him?


    ''''I didn''t, don''t you trust me? '''' she asked, looking hurt by the fact that he did not trust her.


    ''''I¡­ I do, I just wanted to know. '''' Richard said after a few seconds.


    Michelle smiled and opened her arms; ''''Come, let me hold you. ''''


    He hesitated before he leaned and hugged her.


    ''''I''m sorry; '''' She said, patting his back. Although she was sure that he wouldn''t hurt her, she didn''t want to tell him anything that would implicate him, peradventure she got caught. Therefore she would lie to him. If anyone had to live with that, it should be her.


    They hugged for a while before Richard sat upright;


    ''''Are you feeling alright now?'''' He asked and she nodded;


    ''''I''m fine now, just that, I wasn''t expecting him to die so soon; ''''


    Richard did not reply,


    ''''Did you see the news?''''


    ''''What news? ''''


    Richard paused; his eyes drooping;


    ''''It seems father was behind Mia''s death too. '''' He said, sounding really pained; even though he knew his father was wicked, he didn''t expect that he was that wicked. He killed his wife''s sister and watched her cry all day and night and didn''t even say a word. That was heartless.


    Michelle pretended that she was just finding out for the first time;


    ''''what? How? '''' She asked, looking aghast,


    ''''that''s what the media says and they have proof to support it. Maybe that''s why he killed himself, he couldn''t take the shame. ''''


    Michelle kept mute as she stared blankly into space.


    ''''This has been one hell of a horror marriage; ??'' She breathed after some minutes of silence, tears dropping from her eyes. Richard consoled her;


    ''''it''s going to be fine from now on, he''s gone now. '''' He said, patting her arm. She had wasted a huge lot of her life with him, but she wasn''t dead yet, so she should be thankful.


    Michelle wiped her eyes and she looked at Richard when she remembered something;


    ''''Rich, there''s something I need to tell you;''''


    ''''I''m all ears; '''' there was nothing he would hear now that would come as a shock, he had gone through the worst of nightmares, so nothing could shock him anymore.


    ''''I don''t want you to be surprised when you hear this, because soon, it won''t be a secret anymore. ''''


    She paused as she waited for him to say anything but he didn''t speak;


    ''''I had an affair with Charles. ''''


    His brows creased with worry; there was only one Charles he knew but he didn''t want to think that it was even possible;


    ''''Which Charles? ''''

 Chapter 281 - All shades of wrong

    ''''The Charles you know, Elizabeth''s husband. '''' She was no longer ashamed of anything; worse things had already happened to her, so this was nothing.


    ''''Mom¡­ how could you? '''' Richard was disappointed. Even if she wanted to cheat on her husband, she could have done it with any other person, why would she cheat on him with Charles! It was all shades of wrong and besides, Elizabeth was a very nice person; he didn''t even want to think about how broken she would be when she hears the news.


    ''''I know it''s wrong, I regret it, but I can''t change a thing, it has already happened. He was the one I was supposed to marry, but; '''' she paused, remembering how her parents forced her into this sick marriage, ''''your grandparents wouldn''t hear of it, they wanted a Howells'' in-law, I think they should be glad now, they have gotten exactly what they wanted. I wish I followed my heart, I wish I didn''t listen to them. ''''


    Richard heaved a long sigh and fell back on the couch. To think that something like that has been happening under his very nose! And the worst part was that he didn''t even suspect them, Charles barely talked to his mom; they didn''t even act like they knew each other. Who could ever think that they were screwing behind the scenes? This was so f.u.c.k.i.e.d up, how will the family take this?


    Richard was drained, he was yet to swallow the pill that was his father''s death and now his mother was revealing her deepest secret.


    ''''I love him, Richard; he was the one keeping me sane all these while, if not for him I would have snapped a long time ago because your father was a difficult person to live with. ''''


    Richard''s eyes lifted to her; ''''Love him? '''' He asked, it was in the present tense so he wanted to be sure he wasn''t hearing things.


    Michelle was quiet for a moment;


    ''''Yes, I love him and I still do, but it''s not important, I already made the mistake from the beginning, so I''ll have to live with it. Nicklaus and Tiana know about it, so they''ll be telling everyone once everything is settled. I''m already prepared for anything that''s going to happen like right now, I don''t even care anymore, I''ve already been through a lot, I just want all these to be over.


    Once we put that man six feet underneath, I''ll leave for Singapore, thankfully, I bought a penthouse last year, you can come visiting whenever you like. ''''


    His family was never an exciting one, but at least they could pretend to be happy, but right now, he couldn''t even pick the crumbs, everything was shattered.


    ''''I''m sorry. '''' He said to his mom, and Michelle stared at him in surprise;


    ''''I''m sorry that you had to go through all these, it must have been hard. '''' Richard stared at her; she was a very strong woman to be able to live with such pain all these years.


    She smiled; ''''yeah, it was really hard, but I don''t regret it, I don''t regret marrying Douglas, because if I didn''t marry him, I wouldn''t have had you. ''''


    Richard smiled and Michelle took his hand;


    ''''Be strong okay? '''' she said; ''''Just stop carrying women about and settle down, I want to see you wed before I leave, your father was greedy, but I know you aren''t, leave everything about the Howells'' Corporation unless you want to end up the way your father did. ''''


    ''''I can''t even fight, it''s exhausting. '''' he said and they both laughed; ''''yeah, very. Your father spent most of his life fighting for something that is not his, and now he couldn''t even enjoy the one that was his, too bad. ''''


    The room became quiet as they sunk into deep thought;


    ''''Mom, I always got your back no matter what; I want you to know that. '''' Michelle nodded with a small smile and she squeezed his hand;


    ''''Thank you, ''''


    ¡­


    ''''Do you believe that? '''' Tiana asked Nicklaus as they drove to the family home. Nicklaus thought for a second;


    ''''I don''t, not even the least. I know that man, Douglas isn''t one to kill himself even if he didn''t have anywhere to run to, and in this situation, he actually could have escaped, so I don''t believe he killed himself. ''''


    ''''I think Michelle did it. '''' Tiana added immediately he finished speaking;


    ''''Why? ''''


    ''''Cause I told her he was the one who killed her sister; '''' Nicklaus turned to her in shock;


    ''''when? ''''


    ''''Well, when I was at their home, Douglas wanted to keep me there till the day I announce his taking over of the company, but I knew it would be risky, so I thought of a way out, and luckily, his wife walked in, and started to laugh and ridicule me, I shut her up by telling her I know about her affair¡­ ''''


    ''''What the hell! '''' Nicklaus exclaimed, making Tiana laugh out in the car;


    ''''Well you can''t blame me, I didn''t have a choice, as soon as I told her, she instantly became mute, and then I ordered that she let me out, on my way, I told her that her husband might have been behind her sister''s death, I think she fixed the dots herself. ''''


    ''''Beautiful¡­ you are really stubborn. What if she killed you so you won''t tell anyone? '''' Nicklaus asked, looking worried.


    ''''Nah, she couldn''t cause I told her if anything should happen to me, everyone would know about her affair. ''''


    Nicklaus sighed and pinched her cheeks;


    ''''I''ll punish you when we get back home; ''''


    Tiana m.o.a.ned when she heard him, she didn''t know why his voice suddenly sounded so flirty, turning to face him, she arched her full chest;


    ''''I want to be punished, babe,'''' she said in a s.e.xy tone, her fingers tracing his arm;


    Nicklaus smirked when he realized how flirty the discussion has become;


    ''''I''ll spank you really; ''''


    ''''Damn, I want that, '''' Tiana groaned, her hands slid down and she grabbed his manhood.


    A groan formed at the back of Nicklaus'' throat as he wasn''t expecting that;


    ''''I''m driving, wife. ''''

 Chapter 282 - Lets stop fighting

    ''''I''m driving, wife. ''''


    ''''and I''m horny, husband; '''' Tiana grinned, running her hands down his crotch, she laughed when she felt him getting hard against her hand,


    Nicklaus adjusted on the seat, trying to concentrate on the road;


    ''''Do you realize that someone died and we should be mourning? '''' He asked jokingly and Tiana giggled;


    ''''M.o.a.ning, you mean? I can do that all day. '''' She teased making him laugh;


    ''''gosh this woman; ''''


    Tiana grinned as she undid his belt and sipped her hand into his pants; grabbing him with her hand she stroked him slowly;


    ''''We''re going to have an accident at the rate, beautiful, wait; we can do this when we get home, okay; ''''


    He pleaded in a soft tone and Tiana stroked him for the last time before she let him go and zipped his pants up.


    They didn''t need to go out with a dozen of guards anymore, Tiana was so happy. She was not afraid to go out alone anymore.


    ''''We''ll have our wedding as soon as he is buried. ''''


    Nicklaus said taking her hand; just thinking about her wearing a sparkling white dress brought a smile to his lips.


    ''''Let''s not have our wedding immediately so it won''t seem as though we are happy that he''s dead; '''' She laughed;


    ''''Ha ha, yeah, but I still can''t believe that he''s dead; I thought it was going to be hard getting rid of him''''


    ''''Me too, and most importantly, I wanted him to see you; I wanted to see the shock on his face when he sees that you''re alive, too bad. But it is fine; he should be roasting in the fires of hell now. '''' She concluded with a laugh;


    Soon they were in front of the iron gates, as it pulled open; Tiana''s thoughts went back to the first time they came there;


    ''''I remember the first night you brought me here, hell; I was so scared of you then. '''' She chuckled and he smiled;


    ''''I didn''t tell you, but you were stunning that night in that red dress. ''''


    ''"Really, so you noticed; '''' Tiana''s eyes widened when she heard him, that night he had pretended as though she was a walking carton, she was surprised that he even remembered the color of the dress she wore.


    ''''I didn''t even see how beautiful you were all those times, until that night, you made my heart skip. ''''


    Tiana laughed, she was surprised he was saying this, because he talked to her coldly and barely spared her a glance that night. Men had a way of hiding what they really feel.


    ''''Interesting; so you mean, you started liking me that night. ''''


    Nicklaus chuckled; ''''no, not really, but i think it was then I started noticing you. ''''


    He placed a soft kiss on her lips, then came down from the car. Before he could walk to her side, Tiana had already stepped down.


    ''''So many things have happened here; '''' she said as they turned to the house. It was huge but so solemn and quiet as though no-one was in.


    Nicklaus sighed; ''''yeah, we just hope only good things will happen from now onwards. ''''


    The front door opened and Grandma walked out with open arms;


    ''''Oh dear; '''' she exclaimed hugging Nicklaus tight; ''''you made me worry so much, '''' She cried as she felt his face with her palms, making sure he was okay.


    ''''I''m sorry grandma, I''m so sorry; ''''


    Grandma hugged him tight, patting on his back;


    ''''I''m so glad you are alive. ''''


    Tiana watched the duo hug for what seemed like hours. Grandma had gone through a lot, from losing her first son, to losing her husband and now her second son, she looked emaciated. She could see the joy in her eyes knowing that Nicklaus was hale and hearty.


    ''''Come, come here; ''''


    Grandma called Tiana, opening her hands so she could join in the hug,


    ''''At least I have both of you, so I''m happy. '''' She smiled as she patted on their backs.


    When they went inside, everyone was moody, Richard and Diana sat together, she was consoling him, it has been a while since they sat and talked together.


    Tiana''s eyes flashed at Richard and she felt pity for him. Even though he was a pain in the ass sometimes, he was still a human being and he just lost his father.


    Her eyes swept past him to Elizabeth who was walking towards them now;


    ''''Nicklaus, you got everyone so worried! But I''m so happy you are alive. '''' she smiled and hugged him.


    ''''Have you gone to the hospital for checkup? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I did, I''m completely fine, ''''


    ''''that''s great, sit down; there''s a lot to talk about. '''' Elizabeth smiled as she pointed at a sofa beside them.


    Grandma cleared her throat in the room, getting everyone''s attention;


    ''''We''ve recorded so many deaths in this our small family; '''' she started and the room became oddly quiet.


    ''''Sometimes I think, maybe if we weren''t this wealthy, everyone would have been alive.'''' She paused; ''''I miss my sons, I miss my husband more, but we cannot change what has happened, we can only amend the future, ''''


    She stopped, her eyes looking at everyone;


    ''''Please, I plead with you, can you all live in harmony? Fighting will only bring pain, and death, and I don''t want to lose any other person. I''m tired of burying my children, so I plead with you, stop fighting. You have everything you need and you can buy anything money can buy, so please, don''t let greed ruin you all.''''


    Grandma''s voice shook as she spoke, she was gravely pained.


    ''''Let this funeral be the last we''ll have in a long while, I beg of you. ''''


    Nicklaus looked down at his hands, grandma was right, if they weren''t as rich as they were, all of them would have been alive.


    Catherine would not have been in the picture in the first place, and his parents would not have died, neither would Douglas have a reason to be greedy, nor want to kill anyone. The saying, money isn''t everything was really underrated.


    ''''Um, before we conclude, I have something to tell everyone; '''' Elizabeth said, making everyone turn to her.


    She smiled brightly and then said; ''''I want to divorce my husband, Charles. ''''

 Chapter 283 - I want to divorce my husband

    ''''I want to divorce my husband Charles; ''''


    All eyes turned to Elizabeth in surprise as the room became pin-drop silent.


    ''''Well, Charles has been having an affair with Michelle for years now; I think almost everyone here knows. '''' Only grandma was shocked.


    Diana turned to look at her father with pain in her eyes; her gaze shifted to Michelle who was just staring at her hands, not saying a word.


    Her parents told her about their divorce the day before. She didn''t even know they were having issues in their marriage. Even though her father was not lovey-dovey, he tried his best to provide for the family and be the best husband to his wife. She was shocked when she heard that he was cheating on her mom with Michelle of all people.


    ''''And although I loved him at the onset of the marriage, I don''t love him anymore, not because he cheated, but because I like someone else. ''''


    Elizabeth had a small and youthful figure, so even when she was in her early forties she looked very young.


    ''''And I don''t want everyone to live in pain, so I''m letting him go so I can be with the one I love. The feeling is mutual, so there''s no bad blood. ''''


    She smiled but the look on everyone''s faces was the opposite. Grandma was beyond shocked. Her eyes searched through everyone''s faces and it seemed she was the only one oblivious of everything going on in her family.


    ''''You all won''t kill me before my time; '''' after the longest time, she shook her head as tears clouded her eyes. Elizabeth stood up and walked to her, hugging her tight.


    ''''I''m so sorry mom, I didn''t plan for this to happen; things just happen and we have to live with it. ''''


    She patted grandma on her back.


    Michelle, who was quiet, finally found her voice.


    ''''I did the unthinkable and I''m sorry, I wish I didn''t hurt everyone this way, I regret my actions and I know I don''t deserve forgiveness. I''m most sorry to Elizabeth, I cheated on her brother with her husband, this act is unthinkable, and that is why I''ve decided to disappear from your lives. I know this is not enough to pay for my crimes, but I''ll try to make it up to you in any way I can. I''m very sorry, everyone. ''''


    She didn''t even look up as shame clouded her. Charles was a very quiet person, so no-one expected him to do something like that;


    ''''I don''t even have the right to sit here in front of all of you or ask for your forgiveness. '''' he paused;


    ''''I made mistakes, irreversible ones at that and I regret it, every one of it. I regret putting my wife in so much pain, I regret making my daughter so sad, I regret bringing shame to this family; I wish I can right my wrongs but the deed has already been done. I''m so sorry, for everything. For every pain I''ve caused everyone sitting here, I''m very sorry. ''''


    The room became quiet after he finished talking as everyone sank into their own thoughts.


    ''''Michelle, it''s not going to give me any joy if you disappear and abandon your son. As I said, there''s someone I love so much and he loves me the same way, I wish I had found him earlier, so maybe I wouldn''t have married Charles but it is fine, everything happens for a reason. I''m going to get married to him once all this is behind us and I want you both to be happy, you can get married if you want. ''''


    Michelle''s eyes lit up and she stared at Elizabeth in shock, did she mean what she just said now?


    She didn''t want to believe her but the bright smile on her face was telling her that she meant every word she said.


    ''''Like Grandma just said, let''s all stop fighting and be happy, so I''ve put every hate behind me, if it''s not for you, it''s stressful carry hate about for me, I''m happy and I want everyone to be happy too. ''''


    Grandma could not even believe what she was hearing. She had watched movies with family drama but never in her life did she imagine that her own family would have the worst drama ever imagined.


    Elizabeth laughed when she saw the look on her mother''s face.


    ''''Is everyone happy now? ''''


    Elizabeth laughed alone as they all stared at her in surprise.


    The meeting ended on a good note with everyone sharing hugs. Diana was not happy but there was nothing she could do.


    She was still yet to recover from the fact that her cousin was about to become her stepbrother.


    They agreed that they''ll have the funeral in a few days so they''ll close that chapter and carry on with their lives.


    ¡­


    ''''We came in person to be sure that we weren''t hearing things; '''' Claire said as they sat down on the sofa in the living room.


    Tiana laughed as she sat down in front of them.


    ''''Nicklaus will be here in a minute, '''' she said and she picked the glass of orange juice and sipped from it.


    Her eyes shifted from Leo to Claire and then back to Leo, they were sitting strangely close, and it was impossible to ignore.


    ''''Say, do you have something to tell me? '''' she asked with a grin and Claire laughed;


    ''''What do you want to hear? ''''


    When Tiana swathe blush forming on her cheeks she knew they were together, so she laughed;


    ''''Interesting, so when did it happen? ''''


    ''''The thing is, she asked me out, and I had no choice, I couldn''t turn down my best friend; '''' Leo said, making Claire''s face turn bright red;


    ''''What? That''s a lie! '''' she hit him lightly on the arm making him laugh.


    ''''you don''t believe him right? '''' she asked Tiana when she saw her laughing.


    Tiana cleared her throat,


    ''''Well, I would have not, but I know you are so much in love with him; so my answer is shaky. ''''


    Claire''s lips fell open;


    ''''Tiana, what about women supporting women? ''''


    Tiana and Leo burst out laughing;


    ''''Oh don''t mind me, I know it''s not true. '''' Claire wanted to say something but that minute, she saw Nicklaus walking towards them.

 Chapter 284 - Isnt this going to be fun to watch?

    ''''Wow, so it''s true, you are back from the dead! '''' Claire exclaimed with a smile when she saw him approach.


    ''''Claire; '''' Nicklaus called; ''''It''s been a while, how have you been? '''' he sat down beside Tiana taking her hand.


    ''''I should be asking you that, you just returned from the land of the dead! ''''


    They laughed at her joke and Nicklaus'' eyes glanced at Leo; Claire remembered she had not introduced Leo yet;


    ''''Oh, this is Leo, my boyfriend. '''' She said with a smile. Tiana blushed seeing how shameless she was; she thought she would introduce him as her best friend and let Nicklaus fix the dots, but it seemed she was more shameless than she had thought.


    ''''It''s nice to meet you, Leo, I''m Nicklaus Howells; ''''


    Leo chuckled; ''''do you need to introduce yourself, everyone knows you already. '''' he said and they laughed.


    They talked about random things and had dinner together before they decided to leave.


    ''''Tiana, see you at work, there''s a huge deal coming up, but I don''t want to spoil the fun and tell you yet,''''


    ''''Ah, Claire, that''s not fair, if you aren''t going to tell me why bother letting me know about it, now, you''re going to make me think about it all day. ''''


    ''''ah, I didn''t know, okay, I take what I said back, pretend you didn''t hear anything; ''''


    Tiana glared at her; ''''Tsh, as if that''s possible, just make sure you call me when you get home. ''''


    ''''Haha, okay I will, bye! '''' They waved them goodbye and waited till they were out of the gates before they went in.


    ¡­


    A smile was plastered on Leo''s face as he drove to his house; he was reminiscing about what happened earlier that day. When Claire introduced him to Nicklaus, he had expected her to introduce him as just a friend, but she said he was her boyfriend, and she didn''t even mince words. It made him so proud;


    ''''what are you thinking about? '''' Claire asked when she noticed that he was smiling sheepishly to himself.


    ''''Ah, nothing, I was just thinking about today,''''


    ''''which part? Which part is so funny? ''''


    Leo glanced at her and cleared his throat; ''''eh, nothing, forget it. ''''


    ''''tsh, '''' she laughed and watched outside the window; she was happy. Everything was falling into place now.


    Claire was jerked from her thoughts when her phone rang in her bag,


    She took it out and the smile on her lips paled;


    ''''who is it? '''' Leo asked when he noticed that she was not picking her call;


    ''''Um, it''s my father; '''' she swallowed; what did he want now?


    Sighing, she swiped her phone and answered the call.


    ''''Hello? ''''


    ''''Claire, how are you? '''' when she heard his voice, she felt a bitter taste on her tongue. He had tried to be a better father but she could not forgive him because he killed her mom, none of his changes could bring her back, so it was no use.


    ''''Good, is there a problem? '''' they didn''t have any father-daughter relationship for him to call at any time to ask how she was, if he had anything to say, he should as well get straight to the point.


    There was a silence on the other end and she knew he felt bad with the way she had responded to him, but she was unfazed.


    ''''Come home, we have an important dinner; there''s someone I want you to meet. ''''


    ''''Who is it? ''''


    ''''A possible suitor, he''s the CEO of Guildon Group and you know how much I have wanted an alliance¡­ ''''


    Claire''s hand gripped her phone hard as every other thing he said became blank in her mind, the only thing she could think about was ''how much I have wanted an alliance''.


    Perhaps, did her father try to be better simply because he wanted to use her for a marriage alliance?


    Even though she could not forgive him, the fact that he had been pretending all along just opened old wounds, rage-filled within her but she held herself back and quietly ended the call, putting the phone back into her bag.


    ''''what did he say? '''' Leo noticed her tone when she spoke and how she had abruptly ended the call and he wondered if something was wrong.


    ''''Just the normal¡­ he just wanted me to come to dinner, I didn''t want to listen to him bicker. ''''


    She said with a strained smile;


    Leo smiled and took her hand, kissing it. ''''don''t let him get to you too much, okay? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I won''t. ''''


    Their car drove into the house and parked, after a few minutes, they were inside the house.


    A black sedan was parked on the other side of the road and the person sitting inside was staring at a gun and listening to audio.


    Her eyes flickered towards the house as she played with her gun.


    She had come to shoot one of the two but who would have thought that she would be met with a juicer offer?


    Hazel worked for Douglas and she knew a lot about hacking and radio transmitting, so she hacked into their car and listened to their discussion, she was just listening in passing as she waited for them to come back, but who would have thought that she would hear the conversation between Claire and her father, the president?


    It seemed the father didn''t know that Claire was seeing Leo. Leo was good looking, and wealthy, but Mr. President wouldn''t want his daughter marrying someone whom he would not benefit from, and from the conversation it seemed that he had someone prepared for his little princess already.


    If she sent their pictures to her father, what would be his reaction?


    A wicked chuckle left Hazel''s lips. Mr. President wouldn''t let them be together. Leo was not what he wanted for his daughter, he wants an alliance, but sadly, Leo has none to offer.


    He just has a good-paying job and a handsome face. Hazel laughed again.


    Now, isn''t this going to be fun to watch?

 Chapter 285 - Did you think of me?

    ''''Come outside, I''m waiting for you. ''''


    Before Diana could say a word, the person on the other side beat her to it and that instant, sleep flew from her eyes.


    Michael¡­


    She had been worried shitless since he was called for investigations immediately after Liam and Catherine''s death.


    She wanted to go see him but Nicklaus had advised her not to because of the media. She was famous and it was going to cause an uproar if she was seen with him, so she held herself.


    She had been checking online for news of him but after the death of Douglas, the reporters stopped with the articles on him and went on to the juicer topic.


    She was sleeping when she heard her phone ring from beside the bed. Groggily, she answered the call without checking who the caller was, and that was when she heard the voice she had been longing to hear for days now.


    ''''Mi¡­ Michael¡­ ''''


    Diana jumped up on the bed and peeked at her phone, her eyes widened, it was him;


    ''''Michael, how are you, did they hurt you? '''' she had a trillion questions on the tip of her lips as she ran towards the front door without her slippers;


    ''''Yah, come outside and see for yourself, it''s chilly here, hurry before I freeze¡­ ''''


    Before he could complete his sentence, the front door slammed open and Diana ran out, her feet stopped when she saw him, she watched him hesitatingly and suddenly she ran to him and hugged him;


    Michael was shocked; they saw a few weeks ago, why was she acting like he was just coming back from the land of the dead.


    ''''Do you know how worried I was? You should have called me! ''''


    Diana scolded him as she slapped his chest lightly;


    ''''Sorry, I didn''t have your number, I''m sorry for making you worry. ''''


    ''''Did they hurt you? Are you hurt anywhere? '''' She asked, her hand searching his face seriously. Michael shook his head;


    ''''No, they just detained me to be sure I didn''t kill them because I''m the next in line to inheriting everything she owns, but they let me go after the evidence of Douglas'' hand in Nicklaus'' accident was exposed and his suicide. ''''


    Diana sighed; ''''thank goodness. ''''


    Diana smiled, and that was when she realized she was still holding him tight, quickly she released him.


    ''''Oh, sorry; '''' she was embarrassed but that embarrassment was nothing compared to what she felt when she found out she was not wearing anything on her legs.


    ''''Oh, it seemed you were in a hurry. '''' Michael said when he saw her legs. Diana''s face turned beet red; his words looked plain but it was very ambiguous, and with the grin on his lips, she knew what he meant.


    Diana turned instantly and started walking into the house;


    ''''Come inside, it is cold outside. ''''


    Michael held in his chuckle as he let her heal from her embarrassment. Diana locked her door and swallowed;


    He must be thinking she was so worried and thinking about him that she couldn''t even wear her slippers as she ran out to meet him.


    She felt like hitting her head against the wall, but suddenly her eyes flashed at the clock and she grinned; it seems she wasn''t the only one itching to see each other.


    ''''Uh, it''s past twelve, why are you here so late? ''''


    Michael who was enjoying watching her red face swallowed as his eyes lifted to the tall wall clock. Did he just drive all the way from the police station immediately after he was released to her house?


    He gulped; ''''uh¡­ that is¡­ ''''


    ''''It seems you were in a hurry too. '''' Diana grinned as she stared at him.


    Michael coughed, his ears turning red; ''''I didn''t realize it was so late, ''''


    ''''Ah, okay. Since it''s late, why don''t you stay the night and go tomorrow, or do you want to drive back? ''''


    She asked and he shook his head;


    ''''No, it''s fine. I can stay here. ''''


    Diana nodded; she was glad that he wanted to stay with her.


    ''''Have you had anything to eat yet? '''' She asked and Michael felt his stomach churn;


    He was hungry;


    ''''No, I haven''t, and I''m so hungry. '''' his hands went over his belly. He didn''t even think about food as he raced to her house. Even though he didn''t want to admit it, he knew he had come because he missed her.


    ''''Okay, you can wait here; let me quickly get you something to eat. ''''


    Diana smiled and walked off to the kitchen but she was surprised when she saw Michael following;


    ''''Wait in the parlor; ''''


    ''''I''ll be lonely, let''s prepare something together; ''''


    He said and she smiled.


    It was very late, so they prepared salad, the kitchen was quiet, and only the sound of plates was heard, they weren''t talking but it wasn''t awkward, it felt refreshing.


    ''''I missed you; '''' Diana would have thought she heard things if she did not see him smiling at her;


    Michael scratched his head; he wasn''t used to being this soft.


    ''''I missed you that''s why I came all the way here as soon as I got released, did you think about me? ''''


    Diana stared at him for a moment and then she nodded;


    ''''A lot ''''


    The smile on his lips warmed her heart.


    ''''Me too, I regretted why I didn''t memorize your number. ''''


    Diana laughed; they weren''t dating but why was she feeling like a girlfriend who just reunited with her boyfriend after a long while.


    ''''Say, are you free tomorrow, I want to take you somewhere.''''


    Diana smiled but she shook her head; ''''No, ''''


    ''''Oh; '''' she saw the disappointment written on his face and she chuckled;


    ''''But I''m free on weekends if that is okay with you. ''''


    Michael''s face lit up; ''''yeah, yeah it is. ''''


    Diana blushed and turned away; ''''so where are we going?'''' she asked;


    ''''It''s a surprise. ''''


    ¡­


    ''''Sir, you have a package; ''''


    The president''s secretary walked in after he had waved him in. He walked to the table and placed the envelope in front of him.


    ''''Mm, I''m not expecting any package, did you check it? ''''


    ''''''Yes sir, it''s safe. ''''


    He noded and tore it open, putting his hand in, he took out the pictures inside of it

 Chapter 286 - You sent for me?

    He jerked a little on his seat when he saw the pictures in the envelope.


    ''''Wh¡­ what is this? '''' Claire was standing intimately close with another man in the first picture and in the second, he was kissing her chin and there was a sweet smile on her lips.


    His hand on the pictures tightened as rage filled him. He thought she refused the dinners because she didn''t like the men he chose for her, but little did he know that there was someone in her life already.


    Howard squeezed the photo in his hands till his knuckles turned white.


    ''''Call my daughter home; tell her it''s an order. ''''


    ''''Yes, sir ''''


    ¡­


    Claire''s feet stopped the moment she stepped out of her house; she recognized the men in front of her, they were from the white house.


    ''''What do you want? '''' she asked with an irritated tone;


    ''''The president asked us to escort you home; please get into the car ma''am. '''' the guard said, pulling open the door beside him. Claire''s eyes glanced at the car and then she turned to the guards;


    ''''Tell him I''m busy, will come when I have the time.'''' she said and without waiting for their response, she started walking towards her own car.


    ''''It''s an order ma''am and we were told to apply force if you do not comply, it''ll be to your own best interest if you follow us calmly; ''''


    Claire stopped in her tracks, shocked and dumbfounded. Did her father think that he was going to force her to talk with him?


    She scoffed, even if he locked her up, she won''t even bat an eye at him.


    Gritting her teeth, she turned to the opened car and got in and the guard slammed the door close.


    As they hit the road, she put on her earpiece and called Leo;


    ''''babe, I''m going to the white house, dad sent for me.''''


    ''''why? Is there any problem? '''' His voice sounded worried;


    ''''No, I don''t think so; maybe he just wants to see me since I didn''t come to the dinner; ''''


    ''''Alright, text me when you''re done, love you.''''


    ''''yeah, love you too. ''''


    Claire ended the call and put her phone back into her bag, they drove to the airport and they took her in as though she was some prisoner.  Sighing, she played a song to keep her busy.


    When they finally arrived at the white house, Claire walked towards the east wing of the building where her father usually stayed, she didn''t want to waste much time here so she wanted to see him immediately and hear whatever he had to say.


    Walking into the living room, her eyes searched around. He wasn''t there, so she walked straight to his study. Her father was not there too.


    Frustrated, Claire stomped out of the house; her eyes glared at the guards as she approached them;


    ''''Where is he? '''' she asked, and the one standing in front replied;


    ''''The president has an important meeting to attend; he requested that you stay in your room till he comes back. ''''


    Claire scoffed; ''??are you f.u.c.kn'' kidding me right now? You kidnap me and now you tell me that he''s not here. Do you think I have all day? '''' she was visibly mad but the guards were not even moving an inch.


    ''''Take me back, right now!''''


    ''''Ma''am, the president asks that you remain here, it''s an order, and we were told to apply force if you resist. ''''


    Claire could not believe her ears, she stared at the guards in disgust and then she laughed angrily; if she knew this would happen she wouldn''t have gone with them. Heaving angrily, she stomped off to her room.


    Claire waited all day for her father, but he did not return. Leo called and she explained everything to him, he told her not to worry and they spoke for hours before they ended the call.


    She had refused to eat anything but he made her promise him that she would eat, so as soon as she took her shower, she sat down to have dinner.


    She was still in the middle of eating when a guard walked to her;


    ''''Ma''am, the president requests your presence, and he asks that you dress properly, you have a visitor. ''''


    Claire blinked; did he perhaps bring over one of his numerous suitors?


    She was already angry but the thought that he kidnapped her only to make her meet some strange man, made her mad. The meal she was eating felt sour in her mouth and she quickly dropped her cutleries. Drinking water from the cup by her side, she stood up from the chair;


    She was putting on a short nightie, and the only reason she didn''t wear it to meet him was because it showed too much flesh, she didn''t want any other man seeing so much of her skin so she went back to her room and changed into something else, but very casual, she intentionally wanted to annoy her father.


    When she got to his side of the house, she met them in the living room. Well, it seemed that he was well prepared because everyone was seated, from a young man in his early thirties to his parents, obviously, and the first lady with her husband.


    Claire gulped and then forced a smile;


    ''''I didn''t know there was a party happening, good evening all, '''' she said with an obviously strained smile as she walked into the living room.


    The parents of the boy were the first to respond with a smile on their faces;


    ''''Wow, she is so much prettier in person, how are you dear? '''' His father asked. Claire looked to him with a hidden glare as she bit on her tongue.


    He was sizing her up like she was some commodity and the worst part of it was that her father was part of it all. Could she hate this man any more?


    Chuckling she smiled; ''''I''m great and you? ''''


    ''''We''re all fine. '''' Claire nodded. They had expected her to look at their son or talk to him, but instead she turned to her father.


    ''''Father, you sent for me? ''''

 Chapter 287 - You cant be with him

    ''''Father, you sent for me? ''''


    Mr. Howard looked at her, there was a glare in his eyes but Claire ignored him. When she saw he wasn''t going to say anything, she smiled;


    ''''Alright, since I''ve already had dinner, I''ll be going back inside, have a nice day,'''' she said and without waiting for their response, she turned to walk out;


    ''''Stop right there!'''' Mr. Howard had had enough; his voice rang through the room sending chills down Claire''s spine. She stopped on her spot;


    ''''Please it''s my fault, don''t mind her. Claire, we''ve been waiting for you so we could have dinner together. '''' Mr. Howard said to her, more like ordered.


    Claire glared at him for what seemed like minutes and then she forced a smile and walked to the dining.


    Their voices sounded like terrible music in her ears, she wished she would just disappear from there, but she just had to keep cool, she had already told them her mind with how she behaved earlier, so she did not expect them to think of going ahead with the marriage, she would at least let them have a nice meal before leaving.


    Claire made sure not to contribute in the conversation, her fork just poking her meal once in a while, a visible frown on her forehead. She didn''t know how long it took but finally, the excruciating dinner was over.


    She watched her father see them off as she went and sat down in the living room. She would have gone back to her room but she needed to tell him something first.


    Mr. Howard returned with an angry glare on his face;


    ''''What has gotten into you? ''''


    Claire raised her eyes to him, surprised, what was he thinking? That he would pop out of somewhere and dictate how she would live her life? If that was what he thought then he must be delusional.


    ''''I don''t understand your question? ''''


    Her father took in a deep breath clenching his fists; ''''we had important visitors and you couldn''t even compose yourself? What¡­ ''''


    ''''we? '''' She chuckled; ''''the last time I checked, you had me bundled and imprisoned against my own will, so I don''t understand how your visitors became ours¡­ ''''


    ''''Claire! '''' Mr. Howard screamed in anger,


    Claire watched him for some minutes, quietly. ''''well, that was not what I waited back to discuss with you, can you sit down I have something to tell you. '''' Maybe he was still stuffing suitors down her throat because he thought she was still single, if she told him that she was seeing someone, he would let her be.


    Mr. Howard suspected what she was about to say, but he just walked to the couch and sat down. He didn''t want to conclude yet. She had dated men in the past and whenever he asked her, she always said it was not serious, maybe this time was part of it.


    ''''What do you want to say? ''''


    Claire kept quiet as she arranged her words in her head.


    ''''Father, I''m seeing someone; '''' she said, making her father stared at her in surprise.


    ''''What did you just say? ''''


    Claire didn''t catch his tone and she continued; ''''I''m sorry for how I behaved today, I was just angry that you had to kidnap me just to meet them, but you can stop with the husband hunt now. I''m already dating someone and we are so much in love. ''''


    The room fell quiet after she finished talking.


    "'' Tsk tsk, Claire; '''' Mr. Howard called in an amused tone; ''''you don''t mean what you just said now, do you? ''''


    Claire creased her brows; did he think she was joking or what?


    ''''I''m very serious, his name is Leo and I have pictures of us together if you think I''m lying to you. ''''


    Mr. Howard smiled;


    ''''Leo¡­ what a nice name, what does he do? ''''


    ''''He is a fashion icon and he works with many labels in the industry; ''''


    ''''Mm, interesting, and what do his parents do? ''''


    It was when he asked that question that Claire realized what he was driving at; her heartbeat increased;


    ''''They¡­ they are dead; ''''


    ''''Hmm, and who are you? ''''


    ''''Dad, what are you trying to do? '''' ''''just answer the question Claire, who are you? ''''


    Claire''s sharp eyes locked in his aged ones and for a second, she thought she was dreaming. Not even in her next life did she imagine that her father would one day force her to be with someone against her will all for his own selfish interest and not forgetting all the pain he had caused her, this man was the devil''s incarnate.


    She stared at him for the longest time before she stood up from the couch;


    ''''I''ll be going to my room; '''' she turned to run, the air in there was too stuffy, she needed to breathe.


    ''''You can''t be with him. '''' Mr. Howard said, making Claire''s feet stop at a spot.


    Her ears vibrated as though she had heard a strange sound; for a long while she stared into space, then she turned quietly to look at him;


    ''''What did you say? ''''


    ''''I said; '''' he continued with an authoritative tone; ''''you can''t be with him. Children of our type of families don''t marry for love, we get married to strengthen alliances, for future benefits and¡­


    ''''STOP!'''' Claire screamed, stopping him from continuing with his excruciatingly painful words.


    ''''You don''t get to decide how I live my life, Mr. President. You don''t. How dare you? After everything, you''ve done? Aren''t you ashamed? '''' she glared angrily at him, her veins popping out of her forehead.


    ''''I''m not going to do anything you say, if you want an alliance, then go get married to them yourself. Wait, was that why you killed mom and married that woman? ''''


    ''''CLAIRE! ''''


    It seemed she hit the right point because he was raging right now, but she didn''t care;


    ''''you are pathetic; do you hear me? Wicked and pathetic, if I could change this lifetime, I would give anything to not be your child. ''''

 Chapter 289 - I liked what I saw

    The ride back home was quiet; Diana was feeling cold as a result of the ocean water so Michael put on the heater.


    When they reached her house, he held her door open for her.


    ''''Thank you for today, I''ve not had so much fun in a long while; '''' Diana said with a smile as she stepped out of the car.


    ''''I''m glad you are happy. '''' He said staring blazingly into her eyes, Diana could not help but look away.


    ''''Alright, goodnight; call me when you get home. ''''


    She said, but still stood on the spot, and she wasn''t the only one hesitating to move.


    Finally, Michael replied; ''''sweet dreams. ''''


    Diana nodded and turned towards the house, just that moment, Michael saw the two guards ahead and his eyes widened;


    ''''Diana, wait!'''' Diana was surprised when she saw him walk to her; he took out his coat and dr.a.p.ed it over her body.


    ''''Wear this; '''' her brows creased;


    ''''why? ''''


    Michael leaned towards her ear and whispered;


    ''''you''re all wet and your b.r.e.a.s.ts are visible, I don''t want those men staring. '''' Diana''s eyes widened so much that it nearly popped from her sockets; her eyes flashed to her chest immediately and she quickly covered them with her hands;


    ''''Why are you telling me now! ''''she didn''t even know whether to be annoyed or fl.u.s.tered, but what she was sure was that her cheeks were bright red;


    Michael grinned as he walked towards his car;


    ''''Because I liked what I saw, but I don''t want them staring too; goodnight; '''' without waiting for her response, he entered the car and zoomed off.


    Diana stood fl.u.s.tered as she watched him drive off.


    Her hands held the edges of the coat and she gripped it, she didn''t realize that she was smiling until her chin ached.


    When she got inside, she tried to resist the urge to smell the coat but finally she gave in;


    Drr! It was not like he was watching her.


    He didn''t smell like all those men with strong cologne, hugging him felt nice, he had strong arms, and a chiseled body¡­


    Diana was lost in thoughts as she hugged the coat when suddenly her phone rang on the bed, sending her heart almost jumping out of its ribs''


    Diana rubbed her chest, calming her heart as she took deep breaths and answered the call, it was Michael;


    ''''Hey, are you home yet? ''''


    ''''Nah, I''m still on the way, I just wanted to make sure you got inside safely. ''''


    Diana laughed; ''''Of course, what could possibly happen. Thanks again for today, I didn''t realize how stressed out I had been.''''


    ''''I was happy too, thank you. ''''


    There was silence on both sides, each of them listening to their breaths.


    ''''What are you going to have for dinner? ''''


    ''''I''m not hungry, but I''ll check my fridge for something light, what about you? ''''


    ''''I don''t know, I just got home now. ''''


    Diana smiled as she listened to him drive into his garage and turn off the engine;


    ''''Here''s so damn quiet, everyone must be asleep. '''' Michael whispered as he walked into the house. Diana liked how he spoke to her through the way; it made her feel as though she was part of his life.


    ''''Caesar must be so happy to see you, '''' she said remembering his dog.


    ''''yeah, but he should be sleeping now¡­ or not; he added when he saw Caesar running towards him from the other side of the hall;


    The dog jumped on him and Michael ran his hand through his fur and led him back to his room, putting him back to sleep.


    When he came out, the house help greeted happily. She was glad that he was back and safe.


    Diana listened to him open another door;


    ''''where are you? '''' she asked;


    ''''I just entered my room; '''' she nodded as the call became quiet; after a few seconds she asked;


    ''''what are you doing now? ''''


    ''''I''m taking off my clothes; ''''


    Diana''s cheeks flushed red as her brain started imagining a thousand n.a.k.e.d pictures of him;


    How would he say something like that so brazenly!


    ''''Um, I''ll be going then, I need to wash off the sea water from my body, goodnight. ''''


    Michael laughed silently when he heard her reply; from her tone he knew she was blushing hard.


    ''''Alright, sleep tight. ''''


    ¡­


    ''''what are you doing? '''' Tiana asked when she saw Nicklaus by the window side as she woke up from sleep;


    ''''I''m drawing; ''''


    ''''What? '''' she was n.a.k.e.d on the bed, with numerous bite marks from last night and her hair was thoroughly disheveled.


    Nicklaus'' eyes fell on her body and he pulled it away slowly; ''''you; ''''


    ''''Pft; '''' Tiana laughed; ''''how can you keep sketching me every day?''''


    She stood up from the bed and she picked up her cotton nightie that was kicked off the bed the night before, and wore it;


    Walking to him, her eyes fell on the picture and she smiled; he was sketching them sleeping together;


    ''''aish, why do you look prettier than me here? '''' Tiana pouted, he was incredibly handsome on the picture and looked like an idol as he slept, well that was how he looked real life.


    ''''do i? If I''m prettier than you, then I should model start modeling for vogue, don''t you think? ''''


    Tiana slapped his chest lightly; ''''you''re not that handsome, I was just saying!''''


    Seeing that he was feeling himself, she decided to hurt his ego;


    ''''My heart; hearing that from you hurts; '''' Nicklaus held his chest as though he was really in hurt.


    ''''So don''t go around modeling for any company, you''re not that handsome, you''re just handsome enough for me.''''


    Nicklaus laughed and grabbed her waists, making her sit on his laps;


    ''''Wifey, do you know you''re very jealous? ''''


    He said, biting her earlobe;


    ''''I''m not, I was just stating the facts! ''''


    Nicklaus chuckled and kissed her chin; ''''we''re getting our rings today. ''''


    Tiana smiled when she remembered they were getting their wedding rings that day. She was so happy. It''s been two weeks since Douglas'' funeral and everyone was already going on with their lives. They already fixed the date for the wedding but they didn''t want to announce their wedding date yet to avoid unnecessary media attention.


    ''''After our wedding, you''re mine forever. ''''


    Tiana laughed; ''''I''m already yours forever. ''''

 Chapter 290 - Case closed!

    Tiana smiled and became quiet. It''s been weeks now and although she shouldn''t be anxious already, she couldn''t help worrying. Why was she not pregnant yet?


    They had s.e.x almost every day and yet she wasn''t pregnant. Was something wrong with her?


    Nicklaus'' fingers caressed her lips and his eyes flickered over her face;


    ''''what are you thinking about? '''' he asked when he saw she was staring blankly.


    ''''Uh? Nothing, nothing important; now pack all these up as I shower quickly; '''' she smiled and kissed his chin, tossing the nightwear she was putting on, on the bed, she walked into the bathroom n.a.k.e.d.


    Tiana closed the door and leaned on it, a sigh leaving her lips. She was just overthinking right now, she knew it, the thing was she always thought once anyone had s.e.x without protection they would get pregnant 98% of the time, and for these weeks, they''ve not had s.e.x with protection, and yet nothing was happening.


    Tiana sighed and stomped into the shower, letting the warm water pour over her face. She knew Nicklaus would be mad at her for worrying over so little a thing, so she did not tell him. Tiana prayed that she would just get pregnant soon; they were already through a lot she didn''t want to worry about not having kids.


    ¡­


    ''''Michelle Howells, you know what you are here for? ''''


    Michelle who was sitting in front of them silently looked up at the investigator staring at her as though she was caught killing her husband right in the act.


    ''''I don''t.'''' It''s been almost three weeks since that man died and she had waited every day for them to come for her, but they didn''t and just when she relaxed, a bunch of officers pulled over at her house.


    The man stared at her for a moment and then he said;


    ''''Your fingerprints were found on the deceased and on the cup of poisoned tea and also on the bag of tea, how do you explain that? ''''


    Michelle stared at him quietly;


    ''''what do you think? '''' The man was puzzled by her question.


    ''''Let''s say, you lost your husband to suicide and the police is trying to blame you for it, what would you do? ''''


    ''''Ma''am, the question is for you¡­ ''''


    ''''You ask me why my DNA was found on him, don''t you see how stupid that question is? I woke up with my husband that morning, talked with him for a while before stepping out to do some shopping only to be called back home to my husband''s death, do you for one second think this has been easy for me? ''''


    Michelle asked, her brows creased as though she was in pain;


    The policeman stared at her doubtingly.


    He dropped his eyes to the doc.u.ment in front of him and read through it;


    ''''Mrs. Michelle, you said you went out for some shopping right? ''''


    Michelle thought before answering; ''''yes. ''''


    The man tilted his head; ''''You own a multi-million dollar company and you live in a house full of workers and guards, so it begs me to question, how do you shop by yourself? ''''


    Michelle''s breath hung in her throat as she struggled to remain calm, she knew that if she did one wrong thing, she was going to be pinned down, and she wasn''t about to go to jail for that devil.


    ''''No more questions, I''ll need to talk to my client privately¡­ '''' Michelle''s lawyer, who had been quiet all the while, cut in when she heard the question, they had prepped before now, but she didn''t her ask that, and she wasn''t sure Michelle knew what to say;


    ''''No¡­ '''' Michelle raised her hand stopping her; ''''I''ll answer that. '''' she smiled.


    ''''yes, I am filthy rich and yes, I have a lot of workers, but I do some shopping myself, like buying my lingerie and sanitary wears, do you want me to go on? ''''


    The policeman couldn''t reply and Michelle smiled;


    ''''Officer, you can investigate me all you want but I''m not going to jail for what I did not do, if this interrogation is over, I''ll like to take my leave. Anything else you want to say can be said in court, thank you. ''''


    She completed and stood up from the chair walking out with her lawyer.


    The policeman stared at the door which just slammed close. He didn''t know what to believe. It was strange that her DNA was both on the poison and on the cup and stranger that the CCTV had no records of the event but he had nothing else to prove apart from that.


    Clearly, she had an alibi proving that she wasn''t at the place of death at the time of death and reasons why her DNA was found on the body. If he took the case to court, it would likely be struck out for want of evidence.


    The officer sighed; if he continued digging, he might find something, but the man in question, did he deserve justice at all?


    He killed an innocent girl and tried to kill his brother''s son, anyone who tried to kill him must have had a reason for that.


    The man''s eyes fell on the file in front of him, after some seconds, he slammed it close.


    Case closed!


    ¡­


    ''''You did well. '''' Michelle smiled as her lawyer congratulated her in the car,


    ''''I don''t think they would want to push on with the case, and even if they do, they won''t be able to prove anything in court. ''''


    Michelle''s eyes stared outside the car, not saying a word. Killing him did not bring Mia back, but at least she wouldn''t be so sad over there anymore.


    Michelle dropped her lawyer in her firm and drove home. She didn''t sleep in their room anymore, and she was planning to sell the house, it held so many memories, memories she didn''t want to remember.


    She had not taken up to three steps when her phone rang in her bag, she took out her phone and her feet stopped when she saw who the caller was.

 Chapter 292 - He wants to hurt you

    ''''My father¡­ '''' she paused, her tears drowning her voice.


    ''''He doesn''t want us to be together. '''' Claire''s eyes shut as she held his shirt, her lips trembling.


    ''''I don''t know what to do¡­ '''' she cried, her eyes so heavy. There was a minute silence and then Leo laughed as though he did not know the weight of what she just said;


    ''''haha, is that why you''re so sad? He''s just being concerned, he doesn''t mean it. '''' He said, pulling her close so he could hug her,


    ''''No, he meant it¡­ he meant every word. '''' Claire tried to pull away from him so she could stare in his eyes and tell him how serious the matter is, but Leo held her put;


    ''''It''s okay, it''s okay, stop crying now. '''' Leo patted on her back, trying to console her. She struggled for a moment before she finally calmed down, even if she cried from now till the next day, nothing would change. She needed to be sane to know what to do.


    Although Leo had laughed earlier, in truth, he was greatly troubled. Her father was not an ordinary person, he was the president, and if he didn''t want him to be with his daughter, there was nothing he could do about that because he had the power to trace him to any part of the world even if he decides to run away with her.


    For a while, he had been so happy that she was his. He had waited for her for years and finally, she loved him back, never did he think that there was a bigger obstacle other than his one-sided love.


    ''''he said¡­ he said I have one week to decide, unless¡­ '''' Claire swallowed;


    ''''Unless what? ''''


    Claire bit her tongue, she could not bring herself to say it;


    ''''you can tell me, I''ve already heard the worst. ''''


    Tears filled her eyes when she heard his broken voice, it was filled with pain.


    ''''Unless¡­. He''ll harm you. '''' she trembled as she said it, her eyes staring straight into his. Leo was quiet for a few seconds, then he caressed her cheeks with his palms; there was so much fear written in her eyes, seeing her like this hurt him;


    ''''We have so much time then; '''' he smiled faintly trying to lighten the mood but Claire didn''t find it funny;


    ''''it''s not funny;'''' she cried slapping his chest,


    ''''I''m sorry for joking about it. Right now, I don''t want to think about it because it would tear me apart. Let''s not think about it this night; maybe tomorrow but just not this night. Okay? ''''


    Claire held his hand that was over her face and she nodded; ''''okay. ''''


    They showered, ate, and snuggled together as they watched Netflix. Leo put a funny show that would lift Claire''s mood and make her laugh, but she just stared at the TV absentmindedly. He knew she was not saying anything because he asked that they don''t talk about it.


    When it was bedtime, she changed into her nightwear and hugged him tight as she slept. Leo held her close and listened to her breaths until it became even, then he opened his eyes.


    He didn''t know how long he stared at her; all he knew was that he blinked only when his eyes stung. Without realizing it, this woman had become his world, he yearned for her like the air he breathed.


    She was scared, he knew it. She feared that her father would harm him, but if being with her was risking his life, then that was the risk he was willing to take.


    He couldn''t imagine the thousand thoughts that must be going on in her mind, she must be so worried, worried about him being hurt, but he didn''t mind what happened to him, because even if he was going to die loving her, then he would.


    ¡­


    ''''Hello sister; ''''


    Richard greeted jokingly as he walked into Diana''s living room and sat down without seeking her permission.


    ''''You''re not my brother; '''' Diana glared as she placed a plate of cake on the stool in front of him.


    ''''Oh, you''ll be soon, '''' he grinned as he picked up the plate; Diana glared at him but did not reply, she sat down opposite him, placing a soft pillow on her laps.


    ''''It''s been a while; '''' Richard spoke with a mouthful of cake;


    ''''Because you''ve been silly; ''''


    He laughed; ''''Really, I''ve changed. I need to be responsible now he''s dead; mom needs someone to care for her. I don''t want to add to her pain. ''''


    ''''Wow, wow, that is the most intelligent thing I''ve heard you say since you were born. '''' Diana laughed as she clapped her hands for him. Richard rolled his eyes;


    ''''I''ve always been mannered; I just intentionally behave silly just to prick my father, he acted like an ass sometimes, so I wanted to show him that he could not control my life, but now he''s no more, there''s no need behaving stupidly. ''''


    Diana laughed; ''''you got a lot of energy, man. A huge lot; '''' she smiled.


    ''''Now I think about it, being siblings won''t be bad, don''t you think? '''' Richard joked;


    ''''Just shut up; ''''


    ''''Well, my mom has been crying every day, she thinks I don''t know because she does a good job of applying makeup whenever I''m home.''''


    ''''Why? ''''


    ''''Because she doesn''t want to accept your dad''s proposal; ''''


    Diana stared at him with a puzzled look; ''''that''s strange; '''' she said, giving that they were having an extramarital affair and now that she was given a chance to be with him, she was turning it down.


    ''''Well technically she wants to, but she can''t. ''''


    ''''Why? ''''


    ''''Because she doesn''t want to disappoint me, she doesn''t want to disappoint us. I overheard her conversation with your father. She says she wants to be a good person, and she cannot do that knowing that she destroyed someone''s home.


    To be constantly reminded of what she had done whenever she sees you, us; ''''


    Diana chuckled; ''''this is funny, why is everyone turning a good leaf? No, I don''t like this; I want to have baddies around! ''''

 Chapter 293 - Who was it?

    ''''You''re crazy; '''' Richard joked and Diana laughed;


    ''''Really, everything would be boring if everyone becomes good, so what are you suggesting? ''''


    Richard leaned back on the chair;


    ''''The thing is, they are hurting themselves because of us, we need to tell them that we don''t mind them being together. ''''


    Diana creased her brows; ''''but I mind? ''''


    Richard glared at her; ''''so you want your father to stay sad all his life because of one mistake he made?''''


    Diana shook her head with a small chuckle;


    ''''I don''t care. If he wants to kill himself, I don''t bloody care. My mom didn''t want to tell anyone but she actually knew he was cheating on her. She had known for a while, that was why she found solace with another man. He could have ended things amicably without cheating, but he hurt my mom, lied to her, and pretended to be the perfect father for years, so yes, I don''t care if he stays sad and single and die a miserable single life. '''' she completed in one breath making Richard stare at her bewildered.


    ''''But your mom said she supports them being together¡­ ''''


    ''''She forgiving him and moving on does not mean I have too; I don''t care if she''s happy, he hurt her so he must get a dose of his own pain, I''m not going to forgive him, not now, and I don''t think it will ever happen in the near future, wait, is that why you came to see me? ''''


    ''''Ah¡­ no, ha ha, ''''


    ''''Tsh, and I was here thinking you were paying me a visit.'''' She rolled her eyes.


    ''''I really came to see you, but I won''t deny I had that in mind, so what do you have video games? Chess?''''


    Richard took off his watch and dropped it on the stool, stretching his limbs.


    ''''I don''t play video games; we''ll have to play chess. ''''


    She stood up going to get the chess board; ''''yeah, that reminds me, how did you even think of going after Tiana? '''' When he mentioned video games, it made her remember that night he was having a game naming battle with Tiana.


    ''''Well; '''' Richard laughed; ''''she''s cute and has a sweet voice, what is there not to like about her? And besides, I wanted to annoy Nicklaus, he behaves like he''s a perfect god, I just wanted to make him mad a little and it worked perfectly. ''''


    ''''yeah, and you ended up with a broken arm, ''''


    Richard glared at Diana who was now laughing;


    ''''I haven''t forgotten that you abruptly sided with him that day, but don''t worry, I''ve forgiven you, I don''t have much strength to keep enemies now; ''''


    ''''Haha, I can''t even be your enemy; '''' she laughed as she placed the chess board in front of them. They played for a while and ate, watched Netflix before Richard got up to go. Diana saw him off but as he drove out, another car drove right in and she recognized it immediately;


    With a sweet smile she ran to him as he stepped out of the car;


    ''''you didn''t tell me you were coming? '''' she smiled as she gave him a quick hug;


    ''''I wanted to surprise you; ''''


    ''''it is so cute; come in; ''''


    Diana held his hand as she led him into the house, Michael looked back to the car he just saw drive out but it was no longer in sight. When they got in, a different scent breezed into his nostrils. Michael had spent time with Diana and so he knew what she smelt like, so when he perceived that, he knew that someone was here and it was probably a man because the cologne was masculine.


    He didn''t know why, but he felt a wave of jealousy course through him; she didn''t have any sibling, so the person who had stopped by was definitely not related to her.


    Knowing that another man spent some time with her alone, made him a little annoyed; his eyes fell on the chess board on the table and he sulked; they even played chess!


    ''''Sit, sit, make yourself comfortable, let me get you something to drink;'''' Diana said and left the parlor.


    Michael contemplated whether to ask her about it or not, the question was at the tip of his tongue, but he held himself back from saying it. What if she didn''t want to tell him? She must have known that he saw the car drive out, if she wanted to tell him, she should have done it by now.


    Michael sulked.


    ''''Alright, here you go. '''' Diana smiled and placed the tray of juice and cake in front of him.


    ''''Was someone here? '''' Michael asked before he could stop himself, and only when the words left his lips did he realize what he just did.


    Diana paused and peeked at him; ''''Oh, yeah, why do you ask? ''''


    He cursed internally; he should have just let it go;


    ''''I saw a car drive out when I was coming, so I thought someone came by, and besides, there is another scent in this room, so¡­ ''''


    ''''Wait, you know what my house smells like? '''' Diana was excited as she asked, her interest piqued. Only when she asked that, did Michael realize he indirectly just told her he was paying attention to every little detail about her.


    ''''Well, '''' he cleared his throat; ''''I know what you smell like, and I just knew someone was here cause I know the cologne, a friend of mine wears it. '''' he lied; no-one he knew wore that cologne!


    Michael could see his mind-self laughing at him;


    ''''Ow, is that it, okay. '''' Diana smiled and sat down; Michael watched her in surprise, he was expecting that she would tell him who stopped by but she wasn''t even saying anything.


    ''''I have an upcoming movie and I''m the producer, do you want to star in it?''''


    And now she was trying to change the topic!


    Michael swallowed the piece of cake in his mouth dryly. All her actions were making him sulk the more.


    ''''Who was it? ''''


    Diana creased her brows; ''''uh? ''''


    Michael swallowed; damn, this woman!


    ''''I mean, who was the person that came to see you? ''''

 Chapter 294 - Does that mean, you want to chase me?

    Diana blinked;


    ''''Are you jealous? '''' she asked out of nowhere with a small chuckle; Michael''s ears turned red like a child caught red-handed in the act of stealing;


    ''''No¡­ '''' He replied abruptly; ''''I was just wondering¡­ I haven''t seen you around friends, so I wondered who was so close to you to come to your home to see you. ''''


    Shit! He should have just held himself back from asking! This was so embarrassing!


    Diana smiled; ''''well, it was Richard, my cousin. ''''


    ''''Oh; '''' Michael nodded, as he felt relief course through him even though he was still a little embarrassed, he was not used to being vulnerable.


    ''''So you were saying something¡­ ''''


    Diana laughed; he had acted like what he was saying didn''t matter, but as soon as he knew who had come to see her, he was now fully interested in what she had said earlier.


    ''''I said I am producing a movie, do you want to star in it? '''' Michael''s eyes widened;


    ''''I can''t remember telling you I can act, '''' he laughed; was she joking or what?


    ''''I know, it''s a romance movie, and it''s not the main character role, it''s the supporting character role and not so many scenes, I just want to act with someone I''m close and very comfortable with. ''''


    Michael'' brows creased;


    ''''You''re not taking the lead role? ''''


    Diana shook her head; ''''No, I just want something easier this time since I''m part of the production team, I''m already going to be stressed out, don''t want to add something more stressful. ''''


    Michael smiled; ''''I cannot act, I''ll just mess up your movie; ''''


    ''''I know; '''' Diana laughed; ''''I''ll teach you, your scenes are mostly with me, so we''ll practice together.''''


    Michael still found everything amusing; ''''you must be kidding me, right? '''' he asked, still thinking she was joking;


    ''''No, I''m not. But I''m not forcing you, it''s just a few scenes if you want to do it for fun, but if you don''t want, there is no¡­ ''''


    ''''Are there any kiss scenes? '''' Michael added before she could complete her sentence;


    Diana''s lips hung open and her cheeks flushed; ''''um¡­ a few; ''''


    His eyes traced her face and stopped on her lips, then he replied without tearing his gaze off; ''''I''m in. ''''


    Diana gulped as she felt her skin heating up under his blazing gaze and she quickly looked away; the way he stared at her made her feel as though he wanted to grab her and kiss her that minute. The atmosphere was too hot for her to breathe, and she thought of a way to escape, thankfully, her phone rang on the stool beside her and she grabbed it immediately;


    ''''Hello; '''' she answered without checking the caller;


    ''''Little sister, think about what I told you earlier today, everyone needs closure, okay? ''''


    '''' tsh, '''' Diana laughed; ''''I''m not your sister and I don''t care, goodnight.'''' She said and ended the call.


    ''''It was Richard; '''' she told him this time, she liked the fact that he was interested in her business.


    ''''He wants me to let our parents get married; ''''


    Michael stared at her in surprise; ''''I don''t understand? ''''


    ''''My father cheated on my mother with his mother, and now he wants me to forgive the both of them and let them get married, I can''t do that. ''''


    Michael was stunned; ''''wait, aren''t you both related? ''''


    ''''Yeah, he''s practically my cousin. ''''


    ''''And his mom screwed your dad in the same family? ''''


    Diana nodded; not the least enthusiastic about the story. Michael laughed;


    ''''This is serious; ''''


    ''''Yeah, I nearly passed out when I heard it, and I can''t even believe that they actually want to get married and move on like nothing happened, nah, I''m not going to let that happen, they should feel the pain my mother felt. He didn''t cheat on her with any person, but her brother''s wife! I can''t even believe she let it go so easily, she even moved out of their home already. ''''


    Diana brushed her hair with her hand frustratingly; she couldn''t even understand the kind of person her mother was, even if she forgave them, she was not going to.


    Michael was silent for a while;


    ''''You know, hating someone takes ten times as much concern it would have taken to love; you''ll constantly be reminded of the fact that you hate this person and that you would never forgive them no matter what.


    Don''t think your mother wasn''t hurt, she was, but she chose what would not make her sadder than she already was, which was letting go. Would you have preferred that she wallow in pain and agony all her life just because he cheated on her? ''''


    Diana was silent, she didn''t say anything but she didn''t refute him either;


    ''''I don''t think you would, so I would suggest you let it go too. That is what your mother would want. Just now, when he called and reminded you, you were filled with so much pain and anger, because you can''t stand what they did to you, but once you let them go from your heart, it''ll be much easier, trust me. '''' Michael said and caressed her shoulders;


    ''''One thing you need to know about life is that not everything goes our way and not every evil is punished, sometimes we need to be the bigger person and let go, not for them, but for ourselves and our peace of mind. Just let them do whatever they want, you may not necessarily smile a though you are happy with them, you can forgive them so your heart will be at peace. ''''


    Diana sighed; ''''you talk so sweetly and intelligently; is this how you talk to every woman you come across? ''''


    Diana asked, raising her eyebrows,


    ''''No, not really; ''''


    ''''Good; cause if not, you''ll have a streak of women chasing you about; ''''


    She said without thinking; Michael smirked and he leaned his head on the couch, his eyes staring at her interestingly;


    ''''So, does that mean, you want to chase me? ''''

 Chapter 295 - Wedding Dress

    ''''So, do you want to chase me? ''''


    Diana''s cheeks burned as her eyes turned to Michael who was staring back at her with a grin on his lips; she opened her mouth to defend herself but before she could say a word, Michael spoke again;


    ''''you just said that women would chase me if I spoke like this to them, that would only mean you want to chase me? Am I wrong? ''''


    Although she considered him attractive much, she wasn''t going to accept to his face that she was smitten by him, she still had her pride!


    Glaring at him, she said, ''''I don''t. ''''


    Pulling her eyes away from him, she dug into her cake;


    ''''Ouch, that hurts.'''' Michael held his heart as though her words had hurt her, there was silence between them for a while, then he said;


    ''''I don''t mind if you want to... '''' Diana paused and turned to him to look at him;


    ''''The last time I checked, women didn''t do the chasing! '''' she glared and Michael laughed;


    ''''Okay, if that''s the case, am I allowed to chase you? ''''


    Diana didn''t know if he was joking or not, but either way, his words stirred her heart. She swallowed and looked away ignoring his question. Her eyes fluttered as she filled her mouth with her cake, unfortunately, that was the last bite and she was going to be stuck staring at him unless she found something that would take her out of there.


    Michael watched her quietly when he saw she couldn''t answer because she was uncomfortable with the question, he asked another;


    ''''Tell me about your childhood; ''''


    Diana was lost in her thoughts; maybe she was poor at reading interests, or maybe he was just a little complicated for her. When he stared at her, sometimes she felt as though he was smitten by her, and other times, it felt as though he was talking to her as though she was his younger sister, whom he wanted to protect. She was confused.


    But since he was here, talking to her and wanting to know more about her, he was interested in her a little, right?


    Earlier, he had asked her if there were kiss scenes and when she confirmed that there were, he agreed to play the part immediately. And just now, he asked her if he could chase her, she didn''t know whether he meant it or not, but there was a hint of sincerity in his eyes.


    Diana smiled to herself, they were progressing. Even if he wasn''t madly in love right now, he at least cared a huge lot about her.


    ''''Hey, what are you thinking about? ''''


    Diana blinked back to reality and smiled; ''''nothing, so what did you say? ''''


    '''' I asked about your childhood. ''''


    ''''Oh, it was¡­ eventful, but sometimes it would feel lonely, I didn''t have any siblings and Nicklaus refused to play with me, he was always on his own. ''''


    ''''Nicklaus? ''''


    ''''Yeah, he lived with us after his parents died. He was always quiet and alone, the most he spoke was to my mom, or maybe when he was required to talk to me. So apart from my school friends, who visited sometimes, it was a little lonely. But things became better in high school, I was among the popular girls because I was very pretty in high school, and then we were about the three prettiest girls in class, so we got a handful of attention. So tell me about you? ''''


    Michael smiled; ''''Well, I was a bad boy in school since I was handsome and tall, girls love handsome and tall boys, so I was popular with the girls.


    I''m not proud of it, but I was dating two girls at the same time, well it wasn''t totally my fault because even when I refused them, they didn''t want to let me be, you know how teens behave. I think they knew I was double dating, but they weren''t sure since they weren''t friends and not in the same class. ''''


    ''''You lived such a bad life; '''' Diana shook her head and Michael shrugged;


    ''''It wasn''t entirely my fault, I couldn''t change my face. ''''


    ''''tsh, so proud,'''' her eyes glanced at the window and she noticed it was already dark; ''''are you sleeping over?''''


    Michael looked outside; ''''oh, it''s dark already. ''''


    Diana''s heart raced a little, she didn''t want him to leave but at the same time, she couldn''t ask him to stay. She prayed that he would want to stay.


    ''''Alright, I''ll be going now. It''s always nice spending time with you '''' Michael said and stood up from the couch.


    ''''Yeah, you too; ''''


    Diana''s hopes crashed when she heard him, but she couldn''t do anything.


    ''''You are welcome anytime. '''' she smiled and he nodded.


    ''''Call me when you get home. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I will. ''''


    ...


    ''''You look so gorgeous; ''''


    Grandma smiled as Tiana stood in front of the floor to ceiling mirror, wearing her wedding gown. Grandma had hired the best designers for the gown and the outcome was as expected.


    Tiana looked like she just walked out of an artwork, so beautiful.


    ''''I can''t wait to see the look on that boy''s face when he sees you. '''' she smiled at Grandma''s remark as she stared at herself in the mirror.


    She was getting married in a week''s time, it still felt unreal. Everything was happening so fast.


    ''''Fuji, come loosen here up a little, I don''t want this dress suffocating the baby; ''''


    Tiana turned to grandma with a small laughter; ''''it''s okay grandma, I''m not pregnant yet, and it''s very comfortable like this. ''''


    ''''Are you sure you are comfortable? ''''


    Tiana nodded with a smile and then Grandma let her be. After taking pictures and making short videos of her wearing the dress, Tiana went in to take if off.


    She didn''t want to think about it but Grandma''s words had reminded her that she wasn''t pregnant yet. It''s been a month and three weeks already. The thought of it made her swallow bitterly. What if she was not able to get pregnant?


    Tiana felt goosebumps wash her skin, and her eyes became blurry.


    Was she still overthinking?

 Chapter 296 - Gwen Returns

    It was just one month; they still had a lot of time to try. Besides, this was the first time she was trying for a baby maybe that was the reason.


    Tiana consoled herself; she didn''t like feeling this way, Nicklaus didn''t know that she was so worried about it.


    ''''Your sister is coming back today, right? '''' Grandma asked as they stepped out of the room.


    ''''Yeah, she just completed her course; she''ll be staying with us for a while till after the wedding. ''''


    ''''Oh, that''s great. I wanted to leave now, but it seems I''ll have to wait a while to see her. ''''


    Tiana chuckled; ''''you don''t have to worry yourself, Grandma, we''ll come see you together when she comes back. ''''


    ''''No, no, there''s no problem; grandma waved her hand as she sat down on a sofa; ''''since I''m here already, I as well wait. Tell the chef to get me a plate of fruits. ''''


    Tiana nodded and left the parlor.


    ¡­


    Gwen stood in front of the gigantic gates, her hand holding her luggage as her eyes stared at the beautiful sight in front of her, a sweet smile on her lips. There was no-one by the gate but she could see the guards walking around. She could remember the last time she came here; she didn''t even get to look around the environment then because she was in a panic.


    So this was the place Tiana lived?


    She lived like a queen. Gwen thought. She imagined the maids doing all the work in the house while she would just have to eat and sleep and gaze at the beautiful face of her husband.


    Gwen bit her tongue as she thought of Nicklaus as her husband. She had been a little too slow, if not; she would have realized that even a worker in this place lived like a princess. Maybe that was why Tiana agreed to go in her stead.


    But that was going to change soon. She was back to take everything that belonged to her, even to the last drop of sweat. Slowly but steadily everything would become hers again.


    The door to the living room pulled open and Gwen carried her luggage in;


    ''''Gwen! '''' Tiana exclaimed when she saw her sister and she stood up and embraced her in a hug.


    ''''I''ve missed you! '''' Gwen cried as they hugged for a while.


    ''''Well, ''m not surprised by your beauty, after seeing Tiana, I wasn''t expecting anything less. ''''


    Gwen turned to the source of the sound and when she saw Grandma she smiled;


    ''''She''s Nicklaus'' grandmother; '''' Tiana introduced and Gwen beamed as she embraced her in a warm hug.


    ''''It''s nice to meet you, grandma, wow; you''re so young! '''' Gwen knew that elderly women liked when they were called young, if she wanted to be a replacement for Tiana, she needed to be in the good graces of his grandmother.


    ''''Aw, thank you, dear. '''' Grandma smiled as she touched her cheeks, with all the issues recently, she must have gotten 10 years older, it was warm hearing that she still looked young.


    ''''Come, come sit, and tell me about yourself. ''''As she had anticipated, grandma already liked her. Tiana smiled as she watched the duo talk, she told a guard to take Gwen''s bag into the room she already prepared for her.


    Tiana was relieved a little that Gwen was here to talk to Grandma; at least she had saved her of the stress of listening to her rant about what and what not to eat to keep the ''baby'' safe. Another reason why Tiana wanted to have the baby soon was because of Grandma. She wanted her to be happy.


    She was very ecstatic now, if she didn''t get pregnant after a while, she would start to get worried.


    ''''Tiana, bring her over to spend some time with me, okay? I love her already. ''''


    Gwen chuckled as they saw Grandma off. ''''I would love to. Have a safe trip! ''''


    She waved at her.


    ''''So sister, you look exceptionally beautiful, tell me, is there any good news you would like to share? ''''


    Gwen grinned as she turned to Tiana after grandma had left. Although nothing would change if she was pregnant, it was safer if she wasn''t.


    Tiana furrowed her brows as she turned back to the house;


    ''''I don''t know what you''re talking about; '''' she said even though she knew what Gwen was hinting at.


    ''''Tiana, just tell me! I want to know if I''m having a baby niece anytime soon! '''' She followed Tiana anxiously, and Tiana rolled her eyes.


    ''''I''m not pregnant yet. '''' she knew her sister would not leave her until she heard what she wants to hear, and besides she was her sister so she didn''t have anything to hide.


    ''''Oh, okay. You guys don''t want any baby bump during the wedding? Okay, I get it. '''' Gwen laughed and Tiana smiled faintly as she opened the door to Gwen''s room.


    ''''Well, we''ve been trying, but it''s been a month or so, I''m just worried, you know, I was expecting to get pregnant immediately. ''''


    Gwen laughed; ''''you don''t have to worry about anything, it''s just a month, maybe you''ve been overthinking lately, that''s why. Don''t you know a baby can''t strive in a stressed environment? When a mother is stressed, the w.o.m.b would be a little too hot and can kill the s.p.e.r.m cells, so relax your nerves and you would see the magic. I''m not a doctor, but this is what I think. '''' Tiana laughed at her sister''s theory.


    ''''I sure would take your prescription. '''' They laughed and then Gwen looked around her room. It was beautifully furnished; she stood open and walked to her closet.


    ''''Wow! '''' she exclaimed when she saw the closet was filled with clothes and shoes.


    ''''I selected them specially since you were coming, but not to worry, you can get new ones if you don''t like them, bills on me. ''''


    Gwen smiled and embraced Tiana in a hug,


    ''''what do I do without you? You are the best sister in the world! ''''


    Tiana laughed; ''''stop teasing me! ''''


    She smiled as she watched Gwen start to unpack.


    ''''I got your favorite cookies. '''' Gwen took out a box of cookies and gave it to her.


    ''''Aw, thank you, you sure know how much I love these! ''''


    Gwen smiled and turned to her bag;


    ''''Where is Nicklaus? ''''


    =read authors note=

 Chapter 297 - One step at a time

    ''''Where is Nicklaus? ''''


    ''''He''s at work, he knows you are coming back home today so he''ll return a bit earlier than usual. ''''


    ''''Mm... '''' Gwen nodded as she continued unpacking her things.


    ''''Alright, you must be tired; I''ll leave you to freshen up. When you''re done, come out for dinner. ''''


    ''''Okay. '''' The smile remained on Gwen''s lips until the door slammed shut.


    Her eyes eyed the door and she pulled it back to her bag slowly; look at how she was acting all high and mighty when she had cunningly taken what was hers.


    Did she think she had forgotten so soon?


    Gwen scoffed. It was good as she thought so, so she wouldn''t know what hit her.


    After she finished arranging her clothes in the wardrobe, she took out a short dress. It was too short to be the first sight she would show to Nicklaus. Although she was going to be wearing short things around him soon, she didn''t want the first clothes he would see her on, to be that. It would create a bad impression of her in his mind and she didn''t want that. So for now, she was going to be a good girl and wear something very covering.


    Gwen soaked in a warm bath as she let the hot water knead her nerves. She couldn''t remember the last time she got so much comfort, she was studying away in New York while Tiana didn''t do anything, she just had to breathe and keep herself beautiful.


    She closed her eyes as she imagined what their room would look like if her room looked like this. She must be so happy, knowing that she wouldn''t have to struggle or worry about anything ever again.


    Gwen stepped out of the bathroom and blow-dried her hair, she had long hair which accentuated her beauty. She and Tiana were on the same level of beauty; the only difference was that she had a cute face. It didn''t look like she was capable of hurting a fly, which was mostly to her own advantage.


    Gwen applied her cream and oils, even though there was no makeup on her face, she was already attractive enough.


    When she stepped out of the room, the workers stared at her wonderingly. They knew Tiana''s sister was coming to stay in the house till after the wedding, and although they suspected she was going to be pretty since Tiana was pretty they weren''t expecting such gorgeousness. Some began to compare who was prettier, between Tiana and Gwen.


    Gwen didn''t see Tiana anywhere, so she walked to one of the workers and asked;


    ''''The boss just returned, so she went upstairs with him. '''' Gwen nodded at her statement and sat down in the parlor watching the TV.


    After a while, the doors pulled open and Tiana walked in with Nicklaus.


    ''''Gwen, it''s nice to see you again. ''''


    Gwen smiled and stood up to greet him when she saw them walk in.


    ''''it''s nice to see you too. Hope you''ve been okay? '''' she asked, and he nodded;


    ''''Yeah, I hope your room was furnished to your tastes? ''''


    She nodded; ''''yeah, it was perfect, thank you. ''''


    ''''Dinner is ready, let''s go eat. '''' Ordinarily, they ate upstairs but since Gwen was here, they had to eat together as a family.


    Gwen sat beside Tiana as Tiana sat opposite Nicklaus.


    ''''So tell me, what do you plan on doing now you''ve graduated? '''' Nicklaus asked as they ate.


    ''''Uh, '''' Gwen paused; ''''I plan to apply to some companies in the entertainment industry; I might get a contract along the way. It''s not easy at first, but I''m determined to succeed.''''


    Nicklaus nodded, ''''that''s great. But you don''t have to struggle; I''ll help you get into any company you want to partner with, as long as your skills are great. I have a lot of connections, and I invested a lot in these companies, so it wouldn''t be a hassle signing you with them. ''''


    A gleeful smile brightened her face; ''''Thank you, thank you so much. I''m so grateful. ''''


    ''''Ahem, you all are forgetting that I''m a model and I''m sitting right here. ''''


    Tiana spoke, bringing their attention to her. Nicklaus chuckled;


    ''''Oh, that''s true. I don''t know why I always forget that. Maybe, because you have been a housewife for quite some time now. Beautiful, when last did you go to work? Three months ago? Or was it four? ''''


    Tiana glared at him; ''''It was just two weeks ago, and the last time I checked you were the one that insisted that I stay home and take care of my body, so I don''t think you have the right to complain.''''


    Nicklaus chuckled; ''''I wasn''t complaining, I was just remembering it. Okay, I''m sorry. ''''


    Tiana pouted and dug into her food. Nicklaus turned back to Gwen;


    ''''Do you want to work in the modeling industry? '''' He asked and Gwen sat up on her seat.


    Working in the modeling industry was the easiest way to become a model. With her looks and being Tiana''s sister, she was just one step to success.


    ''''Yes, I would love to. '''' Gwen beamed.


    ''''Alright, I''ll call the director and he''ll get in touch with you. ''''


    Gwen smiled happily, ''''thank you, thank you. I''m so grateful. '''' She thanked profusely. But all the while she didn''t even glance at Tiana once. They continued eating, and she ate with a sweet smile on her lips.


    Everything was working out just fine!


    ''''Beautiful, eat this, it''s good for your health. ''''


    Nicklaus whispered as he placed some lettuce on Tiana''s plate.


    Tiana glared at him since he knew she didn''t like lettuce but she still ate it. It was a whisper but was still loud enough for Gwen to hear.


    Beautiful¡­ such an endearing name, Gwen thought. It wasn''t that he called her that, but the way his voice sounded when he said it, as though she was the most beautiful thing on earth.


    Envy coursed through her heart but she smiled. It was just a matter of time and she would be the one he would be calling that.

 Chapter 298 - Worry

    He was so eager to help her, which meant that he liked her. He didn''t even blink when he stared at her, Gwen felt her cheeks heat up at that thought. If he continued seeing her every day like this he would surely fall for her.


    ¡­


    Tiana and Nicklaus retired back upstairs, as soon as they got into the room; Nicklaus pulled her from behind and gave her a back hug.


    Tiana smiled; ''''what''s wrong? ''''


    It was so out of the blues so she wondered if anything was wrong with him.


    ''''No, let''s just stay like this. '''' He whispered as he buried his head in the crook of her neck, his eyes closed.


    Tiana held his hand around her waists as she listened to his heartbeat.


    ''''Was work stressful? '''' she asked and she felt him nod slightly.


    ''''So sorry, you need to have enough sleep else you might have a migraine tomorrow. ''''


    Tiana turned around to hold his face and stare at him. Nicklaus pouted and hugged her again, sucking her in. She laughed when she noticed he was hugging her as though they just met after five years of being apart;


    ''''Wow, I''m feeling so much fine now. If you let me hug you like this every day, then I wouldn''t be stressed out.''''


    ''''who said you can''t hug me like this every morning? ''''


    ''''When you are passed out and sleeping like a log of wood, do you even know when I leave in the morning? See how fleshy you''ve become since you''ve not been doing anything. ''''


    Nicklaus remarked as he squeezed her ass with his hands. Tiana yelped;


    ''''baby, are you calling me fat? '''' her eyes widened in shock; Nicklaus shook his head to correct her, but she continued immediately;


    ''''I''m fat? How am I fat? Do I look fat?''''


    ''''No, no, beautiful, you are not fat, you''re not even close to fat, you just added some extra flesh that''s all.''''


    ''''that''s it, it''s been confirmed, I''m fat, you are just saying that to console me,''??? Tiana said as her face fell, she let go of him and walked to the standing mirror to look at herself. Nicklaus didn''t know women didn''t like being called fat until now. She wasn''t actually fat she wasn''t even close to fat, she just added some flesh and just in the right places.


    And he even loved it, but maybe he had complimented her in the wrong way.


    Walking to her by the mirror side; he held her by the waists;


    ''''you''re not fat, you''re not even close to fat. You just added flesh in the right places and I love it.


    Tiana pouted; ''''but do you like fat women? ''''


    Nicklaus mentally rolled his eyes; did he just buy trouble for himself?


    ''''Um¡­ beautiful, you''re not fat, okay? ''''


    ''''I know; '''' Tiana nodded; ''''But do you like fat women, what if I become fat after having a lot of kids, will you still find me attractive? ''''


    How did she not think about this all the while? What if she became fat and he didn''t want her anymore?


    Would he cheat on her?


    The thought of it made her heart skip a beat.


    Nicklaus laughed out loud; ''''Beautiful, what is going on in your head? ''''


    ''''I''m serious, stop laughing! ''''


    Nicklaus pulled her close and hugged her;


    ''''Beautiful, even if you''re old and all wrinkly, I would still love you as much as I do now; even if you get fat, which you aren''t even close to, I would still love you, so stop overthinking, okay? ''''


    He kissed her hair and she nodded; they were quiet for a while before Tiana added;


    ''''I''ll resume work now; I don''t think staying at home all day is doing me any good, I want to be slim and s.e.xy, don''t want all your fangirls finding a reason to insult the life outta me. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed; she really had a way of imagining a lot of things.


    ''''don''t overwork yourself okay? ''''


    Tiana nodded.


    Talking about kids, she didn''t even know why he wasn''t even talking about it yet, it''s been months. Was it that he wasn''t noticing or he was just trying to play ignorant?


    It would have been better if he talked about it, then she would know what he was thinking, there was no way she would believe that he didn''t think about it even once.


    ''''Um¡­ babe; '''' Tiana called and Nicklaus replied faintly;


    She didn''t know how to ask it, but damn, she couldn''t bear it all alone anymore. She contemplated for a moment before she finally spoke;


    ''''Um, can we go to the hospital for some checkup? ''''


    Nicklaus raised her head up to stare at her face, worry in his eyes;


    ''''what''s wrong? Are you not feeling too well? Are you sick anywhere? ''''


    Tiana shook her head slowly; seeing his expression she knew he might really not have been thinking about it. Should she still tell him?


    Tiana faked a chuckle; ''''haha, don''t worry I was just joking. ''''


    ''''Beautiful; '''' Nicklaus held her face with his hands so he could stare in her eyes; ''''don''t lie to me, if there''s any problem, you can tell me. ''''


    Tiana was quiet, she shouldn''t have asked in the first place, but now she had already asked, she might as well tell him.


    ''''Maybe there''s something wrong with me. ''''


    ''''How? Where? '''' Nicklaus looked her up to down, she didn''t show any signs of illness lately, he wondered what was wrong with her.


    ''''I''m not pregnant yet¡­ '''' she said in a hushed tone that Nicklaus had to wait a few seconds for her words to sink.


    He was quiet for a moment;


    ''''Have you been worried about that? '''' He asked with a concerned expression. He didn''t even think that she would get worried so soon;


    ''''No, I just¡­ ''''


    ''''It''s not even up to three months, wait, it''s been one month right? ''''


    ''''One month and three weeks; '''' Tiana corrected.


    ''''Beautiful, that''s not enough to know if you are sick, but don''t worry as soon as the wedding is over, we''ll have a doctor come to check on you, okay? ''''


    She nodded with a smile. The thing was that she was actually having a bad feeling that she might not be able to get pregnant.

 Chapter 299 - What are we going to do?

    Claire stepped down from the car slowly, a light sigh leaving her lips. This was the six day, and tomorrow their fate would be sealed. They''ve lived each day as though nothing was going to happen. Making each day count, and being happy in every way they could, but now it was almost time, her heart was not at peace.


    Throughout the day at work, she couldn''t rest; she didn''t even concentrate in anything in work but at the same time she didn''t want to go home. She didn''t want to hear what he was going to tell her.


    Was he going to leave? Or was he going to stay?


    They had two options but practically, they didn''t have any option. There was no way she was going to let him die.


    She stayed in the office till it was past eight before she decided to go home. Claire stood outside his house as the cold breeze cut through her skin, her eyes stared at the house in front of her until her eyes stung and then she blinked. Taking in a deep breath, she walked forward.


    ''''Hello, you''re so late. '''' she gripped her bag as she watched Leo set the table with apron over his shirt. He had rolled up his sleeves and watching him under the dining lights made him look a little too handsome, her heart practically skipped a beat.


    ''''Why are you still standing there? Come in and take a shower so we can eat. '''' Claire smiled and nodded at him;


    He had left work earlier than usual but she didn''t know he was planning on making dinner before she returned.


    She showered quickly and joined him at the table.


    ''''Wow, this is a feast! '''' she exclaimed as she stared at the assorted meals on the table. She should be happy but she didn''t know why she was feeling like they were about to say goodbye.


    ''''Stop staring and take a bite, I can''t wait to know what it tastes like. ''''


    Claire chuckled; ''''don''t; tell me that you didn''t taste what you prepared? '''' she smiled as she picked up her cutlery.


    ''''Nah, I trust my skills, I can''t make anything less than perfect. ''''


    She laughed at his words; ''''I love your confidence, but the taste of the booty is in the eating! ''''


    Leo stared at her amusingly; ''''where did you get such weird theory? ''''


    She opened her lips to reply, but when she remembered who had said that to her, she smiled. Her father used that term whenever they ate together with their mom, when she was still alive and things weren''t bad yet.


    But mentioning that man''s name now was going to ruin their perfect meal, so she just laughed;


    ''''Aish, I can''t even remember where I heard that, but I thought it was quite popular. ''''


    ''''Not at all, I''m just hearing it for the first time. ''''


    Claire rolled her eyes; ''''whatever; '''' she said and filled her fork with rice.


    ''''How does it taste? '''' Leo asked as he watched her chew slowly; Claire glanced at him and scrunched up her face as though she had just taken a bitter medicine.


    ''''Oh my god! '''' she exclaimed as though she was about to vomit;


    Leo''s face fell, he had tried his best to make a very good dinner for her, he felt so bad that she didn''t like it;


    ''''It doesn''t taste good? Is it that bad? ''''


    Claire drank from the cup of water from the table, and she shook her head looking dismayed;


    ''''This is so so so GOOD!!''''


    She laughed heartily seeing that her trick had worked on him, Leo fell back on his seat as he stared at her.


    ''''What? Did I scare you? '''' She laughed as she leaned closer to him, still laughing at him. Leo stared at her for moment and then he closed the space between them, kissing her. It was just a light kiss and before she could think, he had let go of her


    ''''Let''s eat. '''' By the time she opened her eyes he was already eating from his plate. She cleared her throat and sat properly. Even though she wasn''t seeing her face, she knew her cheeks were flushed.


    They ate quietly now, only the sound of their cutleries was heard. Claire did not like the quiet, it made her remember what was ahead of her, and the last thing she wanted to do was remember.


    Leo poured her wine in her cup and she sipped from it.


    ''''Everything on this table is my favorite. '''' she noticed, even to the wine in her hands. He paid attention to every detail about her. She was meant to feel happy but instead pain clouded her heart but she forced a smile;


    ''''you''re making me feel guilty since all I know about your favorites is your favorite home slippers. ''''


    Leo laughed; ''''you have enough time to learn about me and you can ask me whatever you want to know.


    Claire smiled and nodded; ''''yeah, I think I''ll do that. ''''


    When they finished eating, they washed the plates together and went to the bathroom to wash their mouth.


    Claire stared at Leo''s reflection in the mirror as they brushed their teeth. Whenever their eyes met, she would quickly look away.


    He wasn''t even talking about tomorrow, was he planning on leaving in the middle of the night?


    Her heart raced. She didn''t mind if he wanted to leave but at least he should say a last goodbye before he left.


    ''''Tomorrow is the last day. '''' She finally said the words she dreaded the most. Claire avoided his eyes as she placed her brush in its cap.


    Leo watched her quietly; he knew she was trying to hide the emotions in her eyes. He knew that once she looked at him, she was going to cry, and she didn''t want to cry.


    ''''Hmm¡­ '''' He replied nonchalantly and Claire glanced at him confused;


    ''''Fath¡­ '''' she was about to call that man father but he had lost that right when he tried to force her apart from the only person who had stood by her side even when the world felt like it would eat her up.


    ''''He said he gave us a week. '''' Her heart raced as she spoke, she nervously folded her palms as she summoned the courage to look at him.


    ''''What are we going to do? ''''

 Chapter 305 - Because you cant

    Just then, a knock came on her door. She lifted her eyes briefly to look at the door and without saying a word; she turned back to the phone in her hands.


    The person knocked a few more times before he unlocked the door and walked in.


    Claire raised her eyes and when she saw that it was her father, she frowned and turned back to her phone.


    Mr. Howard walked forward and sat in front of her, but Claire did not say a word to him as though he was not even there.


    ''''I''m sorry for locking you up, Leo came to see me today, that was why. ''''


    Claire''s hands froze and she finally looked at him with a worried gaze in her eyes;


    ''''Leo? Why did you send for him?''''


    ''''Because I needed to talk to him¡­ ''''


    ''''We''ve broken up, what do you need to talk to him for? '''' she was visibly angry now; she was doing what he wanted, why would he go to Leo?


    ''''don''t worry, he has gone home now, and nothing happened, we just talked. ''???


    Claire glared at the man sitting in front of her for minutes, contemplating how to vomit the venom building inside of her, but she just bit her lip and said instead;


    ''''My friends'' wedding is in a few days, I have to leave here tomorrow. ''''


    ''''Sure you can leave whenever you want to, I''m sorry for locking you up here and you can call anyone now, your phone is good and your connection has been restored,'''' he replied looking relaxed, a little more relaxed than normal.


    Claire creased her brows, something was wrong.


    ''''What did you do to Leo? '''' he was letting her leave, letting her call anyone she wanted, which included Leo. He wouldn''t give up like that, would he?


    ''''Leo is fine, you can check on him once you leave, I wouldn''t dare hurt him. ''''


    Claire stared at her father; he wasn''t someone she wanted to believe but since he said she could check on him once she left, she didn''t drag it on and stood up from the couch.


    ???''Leave now, I want to pack my things. ''''


    She walked to the drawer and started taking out her clothes.


    ''''It''s late, why don''t you go tomorrow? ''''


    ''''You can''t tell me what and what not to do, you''re not my father. ''''


    There was silence in the room as she spat the words without even looking at him. It seems her words had hurt because Mr. Howard stayed a while before he was able to speak again.


    ''''Alright, '''' he said standing up from the couch.


    ''''When you get yourself together, tell me. There''s someone I want you to meet. ''''


    She had heard him say that a number of times, but whenever he said it, she got angry all over again.


    ''''Why are you letting me leave? How do you know I wouldn''t run and never return? ''''


    ''''Because you can''t; '''' Mr. Howard replied with a small smile. Claire stared at him strangely, what the hell did he mean by that?


    ''''Take good care of yourself, Claire, you look lean. ''''


    She was worried for a few seconds but she instantly pulled herself together.


    ''''You can leave now; you don''t have the right to look after me. ''''


    Mr. Howard nodded and turned to the door. As soon as the door closed, Claire dashed towards her phone.


    Something fishy was going on and she needed to know what it was.


    Quickly she called Leo, her heart racing. She needed to know he was fine, and as he had said, she could reach him now.


    She held her breath as she listened to the beep, waiting to hear his voice, but soon she was directed to his voicemail.


    Her brows creased and she called him again and again and again, yet he did not pick.


    What happened between him and her father?


    Her throat felt dry as she quickly packed up her things and raced out of the house;


    As though her father already told them, the guards were waiting for her beside a black car, and as soon as they saw her, they opened the door. Claire quickly got in and closed the door.


    Throughout the trip back to California, she was not at ease; she quickly called her driver to wait for her at the airport, so she wouldn''t waste an extra second when she arrived.


    As soon as they got down, she didn''t even waste an extra second, she quickly got into the car.


    ''''Leo''s house, quickly! ''''


    She wanted to be sure he was okay, she wanted to know what her father had told him and most importantly, she wanted to see him. She missed him.


    When she arrived, she forgot her bag in the car and ran towards the building, she knew the password to his apartment, so she quickly put it in, but strangely, the door didn''t open.


    Her heart fluttered, what was happening?


    Did she put the wrong code? It was her date of birth, so she could not forget it.


    Thinking that she had inputted it wrongly, she tried again, but the door did not still open. Claire''s throat felt dry and she raised her hand and pressed the doorbell.


    She looked at her feet as she thought of the thousand things that might have gone wrong. What did her father tell him?


    Now she remembered, he looked very confident as he spoke to her earlier, as though he was one step ahead of her. What did they talk about?


    Claire pressed the doorbell again, and again but no-one answered. She was getting scared, Leo would never do such a thing to her.


    He would never hurt her. What did her father tell him for him to treat her this way? Did he tell him that she had agreed to marry someone else? Even if that was the case, he should have asked her before concluding, this was not fair.


    Tears clouded her eyes as she took out her phone to call him again when suddenly the door opened. Her eyes raised and they fell in the deep blue ones.

 Chapter 306 - Six

    ''''Leo¡­ '''' Claire''s voice trembled. He was staring at her as though she was a stranger. No, he was staring at her like he was trying to mask what he was feeling, as though there was someone making him do what he''s doing.


    Claire gulped and walked closer to him;


    ''''don''t¡­ don''t come any further. '''' his voice trembled as he spoke, making Claire stop on her spot.


    ''''Leo¡­ what''s wrong? You can talk to me¡­ please¡­ ''''


    Leo''s heartbeat raced. He saw her when she came, he didn''t know if he could be able to pull it through but he couldn''t risk flopping and most importantly now.


    Her father would be very alert now since he knew she was coming to see him, he was sure he had people watching them, so he had to act the part.


    It broke him in two seeing her that way but he couldn''t do anything.


    ''''Claire, it''s over between us. ''''


    Claire felt her whole body freeze at his words;


    ''''what? ''?? she blinked;


    ''''it''s over, Claire, I don''t want this anymore. You should listen to what your father says, he wants the best for you¡­ I''m no good¡­ ''''


    ''''Stop¡­ please stop¡­ '''' her head was pounding, everything that has happened was already weighing her down, and he was the only one she had hopes to comfort her and now this.


    Leo clenched his fists, why was she not seeing through him? Did she believe everything he said?


    At that moment, he wished he could just open his heart and let her see. Damn, what was he going to do if she didn''t understand?


    Leo felt sweat break out his forehead; she was crying now and it was tearing him apart.


    ''''I know we are not meant to see or talk, but I missed you, can''t you at least be friendly and let me in, this once? ''''


    Her voice broke him, if she continued crying, he wasn''t sure he was going to keep up.


    ''''Are you angry that I didn''t come to see you when you came to the white house? It was not my fault, he locked me up so I wouldn''t see you. If I knew you were going to come, I would have found a way to leave the room, but I didn''t know. I''m so sorry. ''''


    ''''Claire, that''s not it, I¡­ ''''


    ''''Did he tell you anything? Did he say that I''m getting married? It''s a lie, don''t believe anything he says, I''m not getting married to anyone, I haven''t even met anyone, please believe me¡­ ''''


    Her face was red now and she was slightly trembling, all he wanted to do was hug her and tell her everything he said was a lie. But he couldn''t¡­ he would have every right to be with her if he could just wait till the sixth month, but if he failed now before he even started, he would have given up the right to be with her.


    ''''Claire, it is none of those things. I just¡­ I just don''t want this anymore. I know I told you I loved you but there''s a limit to it, I can''t continue to run for my life because I love you, I can''t¡­ ''''


    Claire nearly fainted, for a second, she thought she was dreaming. What did her father say to him to change him so much? Even if he heard that she killed someone was it enough to treat her like a beast without at least hearing what she had to say?


    Claire shook her head,


    ''''No, no, this is not happening; '''' without a second thought, she closed the gap between them and hugged him tight out of nowhere.


    ''''Leo, please, don''t do this. I can''t take it, please. Please, we can talk about it; you don''t have to treat me this way¡­ I love you. ''''


    She cried as she held unto him, he wasn''t going to leave her after everything. How would he give up on their love so easily? He loved her for years, how was he giving up on them without a fight?


    He even refused to leave when her father threatened his life, why was he eager to leave her now?


    She was so confused and angry,


    ''''Claire, let go of me, we are done¡­ '''' Leo said and tried to pull her away, but in the process, he leaned closer to her ear and whispered;


    ''Six¡­''


    He couldn''t risk saying so many words, but at the same time he couldn''t just let her go so hurt. At least she should be smart to figure out what he meant, but what if she wasn''t?


    Claire was confused by what he said, so she let go of him and opened her lips to ask, but knowing what she was going to say, he scolded;


    ''''It''s over between us Claire, it''s over. Find someone else and be happy. Don''t come looking for me ever again and don''t ever call me. Goodbye. ''''


    With that, he turned back into his house and slammed the door to her face.


    Claire was stunned , she was stuck between, what he just said and what he said earlier.


    What was the meaning of ''six?''


    Six what?


    Ignoring it, she started to bang on his door.


    ''''Leo, please, let''s talk! I love you! I love you so much! Please don''t do this to me! Please! ''''


    She cried as she banged on the door. But when he didn''t respond, she finally gave up and left in her car.


    Her eyes were swollen by the time she got home and she knew she was going to fall sick the next morning. She hadn''t felt this hurt in a long time.


    Claire prepared a hot bath and soaked inside as she wept;


    She cried so much that she did not know when she slept off in the bath tub, when she woke up; it was past one the next day. Dragging her limp body out of the water, she dried herself and wore her nighties and fell on her bed.


    She wasn''t feeling sleepy anymore, and her head was a little clear now.


    Her mind went back to what happened the previous night and then she remembered what Leo said.


    He had leaned close to her ears and whispered ''six'' out of nowhere. Was he trying to tell her something? Claire thought as she lay on her back and gazed at the ceiling.


    What did they do that involved six?


    She thought silently, and then suddenly she sat up on the bed.


    Six! Six months!


    Was he trying to tell her to wait for six months? Was that what he discussed with her father?


    Claire tried to connect the dots.


    Maybe her father told him not to be with her for six months, if she wasn''t married then, they could be together. Was that it?


    Her hands covered her lips reflexively. That was the only sane reason she could find in all these.


    Now that defined the look in his eyes. Even though he said one thing, his eyes were saying another. She couldn''t even believe that he was saying all those things, how could he stop loving her in a blink of an eye? That was not how love worked.


    Claire laughed at herself as she imagined having cried for hours for nothing.


    So that was what he was trying to tell her. A smile brightened her lips. Now she knew, she was going to lead her father on and drag it on, till the six months was over.


    Her stomach grumbled and she realized how hungry she was, she didn''t even eat since the previous afternoon. Ignoring the time, she skipped to the kitchen to make herself some cereal.


    Leo just made her day. He was so smart! Claire giggled to herself as she ate. She imagined what must be going on in his mind right now, wondering if she had figured it out or not.


    ¡­


    ''''You''re so pretty, and your skin looks delicate! ''''


    Even though it was an obvious question, Veronica couldn''t help asking.


    Gwen smiled as she covered the pot sitting on the cooker, some maids were in the kitchen with her, when she said she wanted to prepare dinner, they didn''t know she meant it.


    They had accompanied her but they didn''t know how to start a conversation, but when she talked with them, they all became free and starting chatting. Now, they could talk about all the things they had gossiped about her at her back.


    ''''Stop, it''s just as soft as yours, don''t flatter me. '''' Gwen laughed as she felt Veronica''s skin.


    Veronica smiled. Everyone liked Gwen already, she was so sweet and talked to them freely.


    ''''You are so pretty, Tiana is pretty too, but I think you''re prettier. ''''


    One of the maids spoke, and everyone kept mute. They didn''t expect that anyone would openly compare her to Tiana. They didn''t know if she would get annoyed.


    Gwen smiled but she quietly said; ''''I think I''m pretty, but let''s not compare my gorgeous sister I''m not even as half as fine as her. ''''


    She smiled shyly. On the face of it, she was supporting Tiana, but her words carried a hidden meaning.

 Chapter 307 - Messages

    Although she was saying that Tiana was prettier, she just wanted them to see her as someone very humble.


    ''''Oh, you''re so down to earth! '''' one of the maids said again and they nodded and whispered among themselves. Gwen smiled to herself, her second plan was getting everyone in the house on her side, once everyone liked her; there wouldn''t be much angst when she became Nicklaus''s fianc¨¦e in the future.


    They laughed and talked about other things as they waited for the meal to get cooked;


    ''''Say, we heard that you are going to be a model? ''''


    Gwen''s eyes flashed to the person that spoke; wow! She didn''t know they even eavesdropped on conversations here, interesting.


    ''''No, not a model, she''s going to be Tiana''s makeup artist. '''' Another corrected her and Gwen''s smile dwindled. What irritated her most was when she was placed below Tiana, it irked her to her very bones but she pretended to be fine.


    ''''Well, yes, I''m a makeup artist, but no, not Tiana''s. ''''


    ''''Oh thank God, it would be weird to make you her makeup artist when you are her sister. '''' Veronica heaved a sigh of relief and she continued;


    ''''I was even thinking that she would use her influence to give you a modeling job since you are just as beautiful and tall. '''' The other workers grew quiet, even when they wanted to be on the good side of Gwen, that didn''t mean they had the right to disrespect their boss'' wife, so they didn''t say anything in response to what Veronica said.


    When Veronica saw that everyone was silent, she felt ashamed;


    ''''oh, I''m sorry, it was a slip. '''' her head bowed as she apologized. Gwen smiled at her and shook her head;


    ''''It''s okay, but don''t say rash things about my sister. I never said I wanted to be a model; I''ve always wanted to be a makeup artist. They are two different things. '''' She smiled and turned to the cooker;


    ''''Right, seems the food is ready. ''?? She breathed in the aroma as she opened the lid. Soon, they all forgot what Veronica said and busied around with the plates, but it never left Gwen''s thoughts.


    Now, she needed someone brave, who wasn''t afraid of Tiana on her side, and Veronica just proved to be one. She was fierce and at the same time an opportunist and the way she stayed around her, was not because she liked her, but because she was out for something she could gain from her.


    She was the perfect person to use.


    As they put the food in the dishes, Tiana walked into the kitchen and when she saw Gwen she smiled;


    ''''Oh, I''ve been looking around for you, didn''t know you decided to cook today. '''' she smiled as she looked into the several dishes on the long table;


    ''''Wow, did you make all these? '''' Tiana asked, wide-eyed and Gwen chuckled;


    ''''don''t flatter me sis, you''ve always known I love to cook and besides everyone was here to help with the cooking. ''''


    She said as she pointed at the few maids standing beside her and they nodded at Tiana.


    ''''That''s splendid! Finally, I would taste your meal after so many months, I can''t wait. Now follow me, I have something for you, the chefs can continue from here. ''''


    She said and pulled Gwen by the hand, taking her out of the kitchen.


    ''''What is it? '''' Gwen asked as they walked out. Tiana turned to her with a sweet smile;


    ''''Your dress is here, finally! ''''


    Gwen''s lips stretched; ''''really? Where is it, let me try it on! ''''


    ''''it''s in your room. '''' Tiana was excited; they didn''t get a dress for Gwen because they didn''t want to guess her measurements, and they only took the measurements after she returned. She was scared at first that the dress wouldn''t be done before the wedding, and she was so glad it finally came. As they walked to Gwen''s room, she prayed it would fit perfectly.


    ''''Wow! '''' Tiana exclaimed when she saw Gwen on the dress.


    ''''How is it?'''' Gwen asked as she walked in front of the mirror to look at herself. For a second, her breath hitched on her throat, damn! She was gorgeous.


    ''''You are stunning, Gwen. I can''t wait for you to get married, you look so perfect in the dress.''''


    Tiana squealed excitedly. Gwen was her chief bridesmaid, so she told her designers to make her dress very beautiful.


    Gwen smiled; yes she almost looked like a bride to be, except that her dress was color pink. If it was white, she would have imagined herself as the bride.


    ''''Do you like it?'''' Tiana asked and she chuckled;


    ''''Are you even asking that, I totally love it! It''s perfect! ''''


    ''''Yeah it is, now take it off, we don''t want any stains on it. ''''


    Gwen chuckled and hurriedly took off the gown.


    ''''Why do you want a small wedding? '''' she asked as she put her clothes back on. Sometimes she didn''t understand Tiana, she was getting married to Nicklaus, Nicklaus Howells of all Bachelors in California, and she wanted a small wedding, wasn''t she crazy?


    Tiana laughed; ''''I don''t want any fans throwing eggs at me on my wedding dress as I''m leaving the church. ''''


    ''''That''s not possible, the security would be around, and paparazzi won''t even be able to get in. ''''


    ''''Yeah, that''s the point, I don''t want to be cautious of whether the security is tight enough or not. I just want to be free, in fact, I just want to see the people I know and not people who are there because they were obligated to. ''''


    ''''tsh, okay. ''''


    ''''Yeah, after the wedding, the pictures would be released to the public, that''s how we want it. ''''


    Gwen smiled; ''''Alright, let''s go eat, I''m famished. '''' she didn''t like Tiana''s tone when she spoke about Nicklaus. She must give it to her, she was a very good pretender, to be able to pretend that she didn''t take Nicklaus away from her so perfectly and act like the kind and good sister.


    Just now, the way she spoke about the wedding, as though she was telling her that her opinion did not matter at all.


    But it was fine; she was going to take everything she gave to her now, but very soon, everything was going to turn around and, she was going to be the one saying that to her.


    And she was going to have a grand wedding. Every single soul in the city of California was going to know about it. And when she had taken everything back from her, she would make sure she looked her in the face and tell her that she finally won in the end.


    Gwen looked at Tiana who was smiling at her and she beamed;


    As the day passed by, she didn''t know why she hated her more.


    ¡­


    Diana and Michael walked out of the company, his hands were in his pockets as they walked towards their car, suddenly he saw a man almost run into her and he reflexively pulled her to the other side;


    ''''Watch where you are going; '''' he said to the man but he didn''t respond. Diana smiled and looked behind her; she was sure it was a freak because the road was wide enough for five persons, so if he was walking in front of her, it was intentional.


    ''''It''s one of my fans, well not fans, but then I don''t know what to call them, you know, even when there is a rule, they just don''t obey it, and you can''t keep reporting every person that runs into you. They can say it was a mistake. ''''


    Michael sighed; ''''yeah, one of the minuses of being a celebrity. ''''


    He opened the passenger''s seat and she got in, then he got into the driver''s side.


    ''''Do you realize you''re a celebrity now? '''' Diana asked with a chuckle. Sometimes she wondered if he even knew he was a celebrity. Starring in this movie with her after all the rumors were enough to make him a celebrity, plus he was incredibly handsome.


    Michael chuckled; ''''I highly doubt. ''''


    ''''Have you checked your IG recently? '''' Diana asked, ready to shock the hell out of him.


    ''''No¡­ '''' Michael replied as he drove out of the company. They were going to get the contracts for the movie signed.


    ''''Good, do you remember how many followers you had last when you checked? ''''


    Michael laughed; ''''are we doing this now? ''''


    ''''Oh yes we are! I''m just about to prove to you that you are officially a celebrity. So answer me; ''''


    ''''Okay, I think it was 15k or so. ''''


    ''''Wow, that was a lot still, so let''s see how many you have now, let me see your phone. ''''


    Michael handed her his phone and she clicked on his IG app and clicking on his profile she hid the phone;


    ''''Guess how many you have now. ''''


    Michael laughed; ''''I''m not good at guessing, just tell me. ''''


    Diana laughed; ''''just say anything, ''''


    ''''Okay, um, 50k? ''''


    Diana laughed; ''''I officially welcome you to the world of celebrities, make sure you don''t do crazy stuff outside else you don''t know who might be watching. You have 3.1 million followers; I think you need to verify your account now. ''''


    ''''Jesus! '''' Michael laughed, taking the phone from her to be sure.


    '''' You''re serious now; ''''


    ''''I bet 95% of those people are women,'''' Diana said.


    '''' and why so many messages?''''


    He noticed that he had so many direct messages; ''''check them for me.''''


    Diana was shocked;


    Did he just ask her to check his messages?

 Chapter 308 - What took you so long?

    Did he just ask her to check his messages?


    Diana''s eyes blinked at him in surprise, he was staring ahead as he drove quietly; did she hear correctly?


    ''''What did you say? ''''


    ''''check the messages for me, I''m driving, '''' Michael replied.


    ''''Oh;'''' she cleared her throat and sat up on her seat; then she clicked on the first message.


    Men didn''t like women looking through their messages but he trusted her enough to let her see his messages that meant something right?


    She blushed as her eyes scanned through the first message;


    ''Hi, I''m a reporter from Dorin, I heard that you''re taking a role in Diana''s upcoming movie, ''When I Saw You'', is this true? And are you available for an interview? Please get back to us.''


    ''''Interesting, when a reporter asks you this, you don''t even reply, it is best they wait for the official announcement. ''''


    "Noted! ''''


    Diana chuckled and went on to the second message;


    ''Michael, I''m Melody from San Fransisco, I love you so much! I want to meet with you just once, I love you!.''


    ''''tsh, I guessed as much, all these followers are just fan girls. '''' She pouted as she scrolled through the messages looking for which didn''t have a female profile pic, but almost all did, so she closed the screen.


    ''''Uh? What happened? '''' Michael asked when he noticed that she had closed the screen.


    ''''what''s there to read? Almost everything is your fan girls profession of their undying love, I don''t want to see it. When you get home you can read it yourself. '''' She stared ahead with a pout. Michael studied her expression briefly and then he chuckled;


    ''''Are you jealous? ''''


    Diana''s eyes turned to him in reflex, ''''wh¡­ what? Jealous of what? '''' she chuckled dryly, turning forward. ''''why would I be jealous, it''s not as though we are in any relationship¡­ '''' she murmured but it was loud enough for Michael to hear. The car became quiet.


    Diana blinked; what was stopping him from asking her out? Was she not giving him enough signals? She pouted;


    Did he expect her to kiss him before he knew she liked him? Hasn''t she shown him how much she liked him already?


    Diana folded her hands around her torso;


    She didn''t want him to be one of those men she was just going to make out with on set, she wanted this to feel real, but he wasn''t doing anything. Although he was giving her attention and dropping some sweet words here and there, she didn''t want to assume anything.


    The last time she assumed things, it turned out terrible, so she wasn''t going to assume that he was into her when she wasn''t sure if he was.


    ''''We''re here;'''' Michael said as he drove into the company garage.


    Diana wasn''t enthusiastic as she was earlier anymore, she didn''t want to be as shameless as she was in the past, doing shameless things without thinking, so yes, even if she liked him, she was going to hold herself even if her feelings were killing her.


    Michael held the car open as she stepped down from the car and he arranged her disheveled hair with his hands;


    ''''Looks better now; '''' he said with a smile and she murmured a thank you. Ordinarily, she would have been happy about this but this time she was annoyed, if he wasn''t going to go further with her, he shouldn''t make her heart flutter.


    As though that was not enough, he interlocked their hands, holding her tight as they walked towards the company. Diana glared at him with a pout but when she remembered she was outside, she quickly smiled like a cute girlfriend.


    Even though he was annoying her right now, she liked the rumors about them being in a relationship, and then fact that he had not refuted it gave her a little hope.


    ''''Michael Wills, it''s great to finally meet you. '''' The director stood up when they entered the office and he shook Michael as they exchanged pleasantries, the lawyers were already seated waiting for them to arrive, so they greeted them briefly.


    ''''Diana pestered me a lot about giving you the role, I was surprised, because this is the first time she''s going out of her way to do something like this, but now I see you, I''m not surprised. ''''


    ''''Mr. Parker! '''' Diana cried; she wasn''t expecting that he would tell Michael about how she was insistent on him taking the role, and to think he would say it when she was there, she wished the ground would just open and swallow her whole, it was so embarrassing.


    Michael laughed and looked at her face, she was already red from embarrassment and she was glaring hell at the director.


    ''''don''t listen to him, I just asked him once and he accepted. ''''


    ''''Mm, I believe you. '''' Michael nodded as he patted on her back, but that only made her want to disappear, thankfully, the lawyers diverted the topic soon enough.


    After the signing of the contract, it was just past two, so Michael asked Diana where she wanted to go;


    ''''I want to go shopping for a dress for Nicklaus'' wedding, I have a bunch but I still want something new.''''


    ''''Alright, we can go together, ''''


    ''''mm, you want to shop too? ''''


    ''''No, I already did. I want to go with you. ''''


    Diana''s eyes remained on his face for a few seconds, she didn''t want to assume things but it was a little obvious he liked her. His every action showed it, the way he looked at her, spoke to her, touched her¡­ she wondered why he wasn''t asking her out yet.


    Michael glanced at her and she realized that she had stared for too long and she quickly looked away.


    ''''Thank you. ''''


    ''''Where do you want to shop? ''''


    ''''Let''s go to Jovani, it is closeby. ''''


    ''''Okay; '''' the drive was quiet. Diana peeked at Michael once in a while, she hadn''t noticed it earlier, but he looked troubled, he would brush his head back once in a while and adjust on his seat, as though something was on his mind.


    Looking away from him, she stared outside the window. Soon, they were driving into the store.


    Diana was a frequenter, so when they saw her, they quickly attended to her.


    ''''What do you want to wear, a short or a long dress? '''' Michael asked as she looked through the dresses the attendants brought to her.


    ''''A short dress would do, what do you think? ''''


    Michael nodded; ''''it''s perfect, you would be comfortable and won''t worry about tripping. ''''


    ''''Alright, let me try this on. '''' she nodded and took one of the dresses into the closet. Michael tapped away on his phone as he waited for her to come out, they were the only ones there, so when he saw that she was taking a lot of time, he spoke;


    ''''Tell me if you need any help! ''''


    ''''Don''t worry, I''m coming out now. ''''


    Her footsteps sounded on the tiles as she stepped out of the closet. Michael raised his eyes casually, but when his eyes fell on her, he froze;


    Diana turned around with a smile; ''''How do I look? ''''


    The dress was knee-length and pink in color, it had a unique design and she loved it, but she wasn''t sure if he would like it.


    ''''Uh, is it nice? '''' She asked again when she saw he wasn''t saying anything.


    ''''Will you go out with me? ''''


    Michael said suddenly and out of nowhere making Diana stop on her spot. She blinked.


    ''''What? ''''


    ''''Will you go out with me? '''' His voice was more definite now as he stared at her blazingly. He finally said the words he had wanted to say all day.


    He wanted to ask her out, but he didn''t know how to bring it up, there wasn''t a perfect time, but seeing her walk out of that closet looking so beautiful and irresistible, he couldn''t control his thoughts, and he found his tongue moving on their own accord;


    Diana blinked; her throat felt dry. She had waited to hear him say this for so long, but now he had finally said it, she was caught off guard. She stared at him for a good one minute before she shook her head with a sigh;


    ''''What took you so long? ''''


    Closing the gap between them, she held his face and kissed him. Michael held her head reflexively and deepened the kiss, and in a second, his tongue found its way into her mouth; both of them forgetting where they were.


    Diana clutched his hair as she kissed him like her life depended on it; damn, did he know how long she waited for this?


    Suddenly, the door flung open;


    ''''Miss, did you find¡­ '''' The attendant stopped at the door as her eyes fell on the sight before her, her mouth wide open;


    Diana and Michael stopped kissing instantly and turned to her;


    ''''Sorry, I think I came at the wrong time. '''' she smiled and closed the door.


    Micheal''s hands were still around her waists, and she was still holding his shirt.


    And as though in reflex, they let go of each other at the same time.

 Chapter 309 - Hard to get

    Diana stood up and straightened her dress;


    ''''Ehem¡­; '''' she cleared her throat; ''''I think we''re taking this; I''ll go take it off now. ''''


    She said and turned to the closet. Michael watched her enter into the room and close the door, and then he licked his lips;


    He didn''t know a mere kiss could arouse him so much, he had been with so many women in the past, and he had never been aroused so much by a kiss, which didn''t even last up to three minutes.


    His Adam''s apple bobbed as he arranged his pants, calming himself down, he didn''t want her coming out and seeing him hard. Wait, when last did he have s.e.x?


    Since he met her, he had not been with another woman; she was always in his thoughts, he didn''t even find another woman attractive anymore; and now, with one kiss with her, his pent up l.u.s.t was pushing up to the surface but that didn''t mean he was going to jump in and have s.e.x with her instantly, he didn''t want her to think he just wanted to take advantage of her, Diana was a very fragile person, so he wasn''t going to rush her with anything until she was ready.


    After a few minutes, she came out of the closet wearing her clothes, her cheeks were still flushed and when their eyes met, her blush deepened.


    ''''Let''s go now; '''' She said looking away and Michael stood up from the couch, thankfully the man below had calmed down.


    When they stepped out of the room, the attendants cast them weird glances. Diana knew that the attendant who caught them must have told others but she did not mind, as long as it was with Michael, they could think whatever, but she wouldn''t tolerate them spreading such online, because people had a way of changing stories a lot so when the attendant came with her clothes, she leaned closer to her with a smile;


    ''''You know what would happen if I give you all a bad review right?''''


    The woman''s face paled and she nodded slightly;


    ''''Good, make sure no-one says a word of what you saw here, understood? ''''


    ''''Yes, Ma''am '''' Diana smiled and turned to Michael;


    ''''Let''s go. '''' she stretched out her hand and he took her hand as they walked out of the boutique, many eyes on them. Diana had never felt so proud about walking with a man before.


    ¡­


    Michael opened the door and she got in, the grin on her lips couldn''t disappear.


    The drive was quiet, each of them in their own thoughts when suddenly she laughed;


    ''''what''s funny? '''' Michael glanced at her with a grin on his lips, he was thinking about the kiss and he knew she was thinking about it too.


    ''''no, nothing, I was just wondering if you wanted to ask me out all along. ''''


    She murmured as she stared ahead shyly, she walked into the store angry and grumpy but she came out warm and happy. She was not expecting that he would ask her out there.


    Michael cleared his throat, his hands holding the steering wheel firmly;


    ''''Yeah, I wanted to ask you out since that night I came back from the police station, but I didn''t know how to bring it up all of a sudden.''''


    ''''Pft, you should have just asked, do you know how long I waited for you to say it? ''''


    Michael laughed; she was being shameless and he strangely liked it;


    ''''You were waiting for me to ask? You should have just asked me then, ''''


    ''''I was scared and I had so many questions in my head; what if you didn''t like me? What if you saw me as a sister? I didn''t want to be ahead of myself. ''''


    He chuckled; ''''so you love me that much? ''''


    Michael grinned, feeling himself. Diana''s eyes flashed at him and she shrugged;


    ''''No, I like you a lot but I don''t think it has gotten to the extent of love, I just fancy you that''s all. ''''


    Michael felt his ego fall to the ground; ''''but you kissed me first¡­ ''''


    ''''Oh that, '''' Diana shook her head; ''''it was out of reflex, don''t tell me you thought meaning into it already? ''''


    She gazed at him with a light chuckle, and he quickly shook his head,


    ''''No, no, didn''t put any meaning to it, haha, I was just asking¡­ '''' He felt his inner self laughing at him, to think he actually thought that she was heads over heels for him, only to hear that she just fancied him. Even though he knew she was pretending, he didn''t feel as excited as he was before. He actually liked his women being open about their feelings.


    ''''Oh, okay; and you know sometimes we need the hype of being in a relationship to boost a movie, and plus you''re handsome, who wouldn''t want to date you? ''''


    Michael pouted and nodded slightly; ''''so you''re saying you are just using me for exposure? ''''


    Diana heaved a fake sigh; ''''not really, but it is part of it. '''' One thing she learned after chasing her first love for years was that men loved girls that were hard to get, they wanted women they were going to chase and although she had slipped a little by kissing him, it wasn''t too late.


    ''''We can break up if you don''t want¡­ ''''


    ''''No, no, it''s fine. ''''


    She smiled; ''''Okay; '''' her heart actually raced when she asked him that, what if he had said he didn''t want the relationship anymore? Thankfully he did not refuse.


    She smiled and stared forward. ''''Oh that reminds me, can you drop me off at the office? I forgot our scripts, and I need to give yours to you so you would look over it. ''''


    ''''Okay; '''' Michael diverted and stopped by her office, he waited a few minutes before he saw her come out of the office with some doc.u.ments.


    She gave him his script and he made to open it and Diana stopped him immediately;


    ''''Nooo, don''t open it now, you can read it properly when you get home, oh, I''m so hungry, can we go and eat? ''''


    The last thing she wanted was for him to read those hot making out scenes in front of her.


    Michael stared at her flushed cheeks and he nodded with a chuckle;


    ''''Alright ''''

 Chapter 310 - Wedding Day

    ''''Get ready, she''s coming out now. ''''


    Gwen whispered excitedly to everyone as they stood in front of her closed dressing room; they waited excitedly as they watched the closed doors; after a few seconds, the door opened and Tiana walked out majestically in her long wedding gown.


    There was a momentary pause as their eyes fell on the beauty before them. She looked like she was just let down from the sky. Her steps sounded on the floor as her light chuckle brought them back to their senses;


    ''''How do I look? ''''


    Elizabeth and Grandma just walked in and that was the first sight that met their eyes;


    ''''Oh my God! Tiana, you are beautiful, this is too much for my eyes! ''''


    Grandma exclaimed as she walked to her and embraced her in a beautiful hug. She was so happy that her eyes teared up;


    ''''I can''t believe this is happening; I think someone should wake me up. ''''


    Grandma cried and others laughed; the cameramen were there to record every scene of it. Everyone felt so emotional, Gwen was not left out. Even though she wished she was the one, seeing Tiana look so happy, her heart wavered a little, and she decided for that day, she would just be happy for her.


    ''''Tiana, I always knew you were the one for that stone-cold nephew of mine, thank God you didn''t leave him, I''m so happy for the both of you. '''' Elizabeth beamed happily as she hugged Tiana.


    ''''Thank you, thank you so much, everyone.'''' she said, breathing in and out;


    ''''Wooh, this is really happening! '''' Everyone laughed at her exclamation. It still felt unreal. Even last night, she couldn''t sleep; she kept turning on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She knew he wouldn''t be able to sleep too. They didn''t sleep together as Grandma insisted that they wouldn''t, she even made sure they didn''t contact each other for two days, so they would get the real feel of the wedding. They didn''t want to argue with her, so they just let her have her way.


    ''''We need to get going now, everyone is waiting; '''' Gwen said, pulling them from their thoughts, she walked to Tiana and held her hand; she noticed that Tiana was sweating on her face a little and she took out her handkerchief and dabbed on her forehead;


    ''''You can do this. '''' she smiled at her and handed her her flowers;


    Tiana nodded with a charming smile as she took the flowers from her;


    ''''I''m so glad you''re here by my side, Gwen. '''' She said and hugged her, tears gathering in her eyes.


    ''''What do I do without you?''''


    Gwen laughed and patted her back; ''''Alright, there''s no time to be emotional; we''re running late, you don''t want to keep him waiting. ''''


    Tiana let her go with a small laugh and they left to go to the venue.


    Tiana''s heart raced as she sat at the back of the car with Gwen. She didn''t know why she was so nervous, she saw him two days ago but she was feeling as though she was going to be seeing someone new.


    Tiana swallowed as the guard helped her step down from the car, Gwen handing her her flowers.


    We''ll be at the altar, she whispered and hurried quickly inside the hall. Elizabeth and Grandma walked with her to the entrance.


    ''''You can do this Tiana, don''t look at anyone else; '''' Grandma encouraged with a sweet smile and she nodded, and then they left to enter through the other entrance.


    Tiana closed her eyes as she readied herself;


    One


    Two


    Three¡­


    The high doors of the auditorium opened and a calm music started in the air, and as she looked up her eyes locked in the most mesmerizing eyes she had ever seen;


    (Song, A thousand Years, by Christiana Perri)


    Hearts beat fast, colors and promises¡­


    How to be brave, how can I love when I''m afraid to fall


    But watching you stand alone, all of my doubts suddenly goes away somehow¡­


    Tiana''s heart raced fast as she clung unto the flowers with her both hands, her eyes were drowning in his even when they were meters apart;


    One step closer¡­


    She took the first step now;


    I have died every day waiting for you, darling don''t be afraid


    I have loved you for a thousand years; I''ll love you for a thousand more¡­


    The gap between them closed in and even when they''re over twenty people in the hall, she could only see him, time stood still and everything else disappeared, and it was just the two of them;


    Time stands still, beauty in all she is¡­


    I will be brave, I will not let anything take away


    What''s standing in front of me¡­


    Every breath, every hour has come to this


    One step closer¡­


    Nicklaus could hear the loud beating of his heart in his ears. He had many fantasies of how she would look like in his head, but when his eyes fell on her, none of his imaginations could compare. As she walked towards him, in full perfection and excellence, his breath ceased;


    If beautiful was human, she was beautiful.


    I have died every day waiting for you


    Darling don''t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years;


    I''ll love you for a thousand more,


    And all along I believed time would find you,


    Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years,


    I''ll love you for a thousand more¡­


    Tiana stopped in front of him, her chest heaving;


    For a second, she blinked to be sure she wasn''t dreaming. This man right here, as beautiful and gorgeous was going to be hers forever.


    The song died down slowly and Tiana licked her lips as she tried to ease her nervousness;


    ''''Hey; '''' she whispered, her eyes never looked away from him all the while;


    ''''Hey; '''' Nicklaus smirked charmingly and she smiled; tears gathering in her eyes. He had a fresh messy haircut, which made him look more handsome if that was possible, and indeed, it felt like they were meeting for the first time.


    ''''You are dazzling, beautiful.''''


    Tiana beamed tearfully;


    ''''you''re perfect, baby. ''''

 Chapter 311 - Youre stuck with me

    They were still lost in each other''s gaze when the officiator cleared his throat;


    ''''Love is such a beautiful thing. '''' He said and everyone laughed. Tiana''s cheeks flushed and her eyes broke away from Nicklaus; she looked behind him and she smiled when she saw Michael. He was the groom''s man.


    Nicklaus didn''t have any friends, so it was trouble when he was to choose a groom''s man, she suggested Michael since he had become close to them since after the event with Catherine. It wasn''t a bad idea, and when he asked him, he had accepted immediately, and coincidentally, Diana was her bridesmaid too, although she was suspecting there was something between them, she didn''t want to jump to conclusions, but it was rare for her intuitions to be wrong;


    ''''You both look so perfect, like a pair made in heaven. Ah, you make us single pringles jealous. '''' The officiator joked and everyone laughed again, lightening the emotional mood that filled the room from the procession and the slow song.


    ''''Alright, if there''s anyone here against this beautiful union, speak now or forever hold your peace. ''''


    The room was quiet as the officiator watched to see if there was anyone of that nature when he saw that no-one was coming forth; he smiled;


    ''''Alright, you may say your vows. ''''


    Tiana looked at him, they had talked about the vows a few days ago, she didn''t know if he had anything planned, but she didn''t want to ask him, it would spoil the thrill, so she just waited to hear what he would say to her.


    Her eyes curved in crescents as he smiled at her;


    ''''Beautiful, I met you when I was at the worst point in my life, in darkness and alone, and when I thought it wouldn''t ever get better, you walked right in and lit me up. You brought light into my darkness and you calmed my storms.


    Every day I wake up and look at you by my side, I wonder what I had done in my past life to make me so lucky to have you. You''re insanely beautiful; sweet, loving, daring, and babyish sometimes but that just makes me love you more. I can''t explain with words what you mean to me, beautiful, but I promise to always hold your hand, to kiss you to sleep, to make you laugh, and never let a tear drop from your face. I promise to be the best dad to our unborn kids and the perfect husband for you, I''ll forever, truly, and completely love you, till death do us part. ''''


    Tiana''s cheeks flushed, she knew he didn''t memorize any of the words he had said, everything he said just came from his thoughts that moment. But she had spent hours writing a long vow for him, she had it in her head but instead of saying the vows she memorized, she began.


    ''''I hated you so much when I met you,'''' he chuckled lightly at her words, knowing what she meant;


    ''''you were cold, arrogant, frosty, and everything icy, I wondered what kind of human you were, but as they say, never judge a book by its cover. When I got to know you, everything I thought about you changed. Man cannot be perfect, but you were perfection to me, everything I wanted and more. Sometimes I get lost staring at you, cause damn! You''re breathtaking. ''''


    She shook her head, as she complimented him, making everyone aww.


    ''''I never knew I could love anyone so completely until I met you. I wake up with a smile every day knowing that you are lying next to me. You support me in every possible way and I wish I can love you more. I promise to be there for you through it all, I promise to always make you happy, I promise to be a sweet and doting wife to you and the best mother to our kids, and I promise to hold your hands till we are one hundred and fifty. Husband, I don''t know if you know but you are stuck with me for life, and I''m never leaving you, you''re mine now and even in our next world you would still be mine.''''


    Tiana paused as she smiled; ''''you''ve swept me off my feet Nicklaus Howells, and I never want to be on my feet again, I love you and till death do us part, I will be yours. ''''


    The crowd erupted in cheers and the orator finally said;


    '''' Nicklaus Howells, do you take this woman to be your wife? ''''


    ''''I do.'''' Nicklaus replied.


    '''' And Tiana Peters, do you take this young man to be your husband? ''''


    '''' I do. '''' she replied before he could finish speaking, a bright smile on her lips.


    ''''You may now kiss the bride; ''''


    Nicklaus held her face with his hands and kissed her lips amidst the cheers from the crowd.


    Everyone clapped as they turned around and waved to them walking back down the aisle. The congregation stood up and gave them hugs, Tiana soon separated from Nick as she was taken away by Grandma and her friends.


    After greeting them, the single girls gathered for the bouquet toss, Tiana wanted her sister to get it so she checked where she was standing and then tossed it over her shoulder towards her, but when she turned around it was in the hands of Diana.


    ''''Oh well; '''' Diana laughed as she made eye contact with Michael, then she pulled her eyes away shyly.


    Tiana was happy that she got it too, so she hugged her; ''''


    Her eyes fell on Claire behind her and she gleamed happily, then hugged her after.


    ''''Where is Leo? '''' she asked, her eyes searching around but she didn''t catch him;


    ''''I don''t know, we are no longer together, let''s not bring him up now. '''' Claire smiled and hugged her again;


    ''''I''m so happy for you.''''


    Tiana was surprised, what in hell would have caused them to separate? She could not understand what was going on, but since she asked that they don''t bring it up, she decided to leave it, maybe they would talk about it later.


    Tiana''s eyes searched around for Nicklaus, and when she saw him, she walked towards him;


    But before she got to him, Richard walked in front of her, making her stop.

 Chapter 312 - Sing for her

    ''''Richard; '''' she called and stretched her lips into what looked like a smile. Nicklaus wasn''t fond of him, and the last thing she wanted now was to make Nicklaus mad on his day.


    ''''You look pretty; '''' He said, admiring her.


    Tiana nodded and murmured a ''thank you'' and looked above his shoulders; thankfully, Nicklaus had his back to them so he wasn''t seeing Richard, she turned back to him impatiently.


    Richard looked behind him and saw Nicklaus, and he turned to her with a smile;


    ''''I just wanted to say I was sorry for being an ass in the past, ''''


    Tiana nodded, ''''Okay, I forgive you. ''''


    She wasn''t going to have anything to do with him anyway, so she forgave him.


    ''''Congrats on your wedding; ''''


    ''''thank you; um, excuse me,'''' she said with a smile and walked past him to meet with Nicklaus.


    When Nicklaus saw her, he leaned in and kissed her cheeks, then held her hand as he spoke to the people in front of him.


    ''''What are you staring at? '''' Diana snooped up by his side and whispered in his ears, jerking him from this thoughts.


    Richard rolled his eyes when he saw her;


    ''''don''t tell me you are still having a crush on a married woman? '''' she raised her eyes at him with a light chuckle;


    ''''No, I was just wondering what it would feel like to have someone you love and who loves you back. ''''


    He heaved a sigh and Diana laughed out loud;


    ''''Why do you always take everything to be a joke? ''''


    Richard held himself back from pinching her cheeks; she was so annoying.


    ''''Oops, sorry, it''s just that hearing this from someone that has changed up-to 10 girlfriends in one year is quite surprising; ''''


    Richard shrugged, putting his hands into his pockets,


    ''''none of those are real. I was just flirting with them. I''ve just felt it once, and then never again.''''


    ''''oh really, where is she, the one you loved?''''


    ''''she dumped me; ''''


    Diana erupted in laughter, her cheeks flushing;


    ''''I thought as much. ''''


    Richard glared at her, then he remembered something;


    ''''Yeah, our parents are here, can we tell them at once that we support¡­ ''''


    Diana''s face paled instantly; ''''don''t spoil my mood on this joyful occasion, Richard Howells. ''''


    She glared at him then searched around with her eyes, when she saw Michael, she smiled;


    ''''I see you have nothing to say, so I''m leaving you to go meet my man. '''' she said with more stress on the ''man''


    Richard''s lips fell, ''''your¡­ your man? ''''


    Since he knew her, she had never been in any relationship, so he was truly shocked when she said that, he watched her walk forward to Michael Wills and kiss him on the cheeks then hold his arm.


    Oh well, it seemed he was the only single one now.


    After the picture taking, everyone drove to the reception in one of Nicklaus'' hotels. Nicklaus and Tiana went in to change into something more comfortable.


    Tiana wore a short white dress, while Nicklaus a white shirt with his pants.


    They were alone in the changing room and she helped him to button up his shirt;


    ''''I missed you; '''' she said, looking in his eyes.


    ''''Me too; ''''


    Nicklaus leaned down and pecked her cheeks, and then he kissed her;


    ''''I couldn''t sleep last night; '''' he whispered and she laughed;


    ''''Me neither, I thought I was the only one. '''' she raised her hand to clean the stain of lipstick on his lips; Nicklaus bit her finger lightly in the process, making her giggle.


    ''''Why am I looking forward to tonight? '''' he asked with a husky tone, grabbing her by the waists, he pulled her towards him such that she was against his groin and he was holding her backside.


    Tiana giggled as her cheeks flushed, they already had s.e.x many times in the past, but yet she was still feeling giddy at the thought of it.


    ''''Strangely, I look forward to it too; '''' She m.o.a.ned as she felt him kiss her neck.


    ''''mm, I can''t wait, '''' his voice sounded at the back of his throat as he nibbled on her neck, Tiana''s eyes rolled back as her fingers grabbed his hair, but suddenly the door was pushed open, and a surprised-looking Elizabeth walked in;


    ''''What are you both doing here when everyone is waiting for you outside? Don''t tell me you want to start your wedding night this afternoon? '''' she asked, and Tiana laughed;


    ''''No, not at all, I was just helping him with his collar; '''' she lied as she pretended to dress the collar.


    ''''We''ll be out in a second; '''' Nicklaus said and Elizabeth eyed him;


    ''''Quickly, everyone is waiting,'''' she said and closed the door.


    Tiana turned to Nicklaus with a chuckle;


    ''''We should get going now. '''' She said with a s.e.xy smile. His eyes remained transfixed on her; everything she was doing today was just irresistibly s.e.xy.


    ''''Mm. '''' He nodded and instead of leaving, he leaned and kissed her lips again.


    Tiana kissed him back reflexively; '''' alright, let''s go now. ''''


    ''''Just one more; '''' Nicklaus said and kissed her again, when she tried to let go of him, he held her and kissed her again, Tiana laughed;


    He finally let her go and she arranged his hair with her hands, after which they walked out of the room.


    When they walked into the hall, everyone clapped. Tiana was filled with smiles as she waved at them. Today was truly the happiest day of her life.


    They sat down and the MC began the event, a few people gave toasts to the couple including Diana. After which was the couple''s first dance.


    Tiana stood up shyly as everyone clapped them to the center;


    The music ''At Last'' by Etta James, started to play.


    Tiana melted into Nicklaus'' embrace as he held her waists, guiding them on the dance floor. Her eyes closed as she immersed in the song, everyone watching them.


    When the song finished, a more lively song took over and other couples joined them on the dance floor.


    After the dance, Nicklaus was told to sing for Tiana. He was surprised as everyone ranted


    ''''Sing for her!''''


    He had never sung in front of people before but seeing her excited face, he quickly cleared his voice.

 Chapter 313 - Beautiful Crazy

    He didn''t prepare to sing, but thankfully, he knew some sweet romantic songs;


    Nicklaus walked to the stage and took the mic;


    Everybody cheered as they waited for him to start singing; he thought for a moment and then went to the band and spoke to them, Tiana watched them nod to what he was saying, she never heard him sing, not to talk of singing a romantic song, so she laughed when she saw he was actually going to sing;


    She smiled when the band started to play and when she looked at him, their eyes met. She giggled as though asking him if he knew what he was doing;


    Tiana prayed he wasn''t going to disgrace himself;


    The instruments played softly as Nicklaus spoke;


    ''''The title of this song is Beautiful Crazy by Luke Combs. Beautiful, I''m sorry I didn''t think about this, I should have written one especially for you, but I''ve been listening to this one lately, and I''ve always thought about you when listening; so I''m going to sing it for you; ''''


    Tiana wasn''t angry with him at all, in fact, she was glad that he actually stood up to sing;


    ''''I love you! '''' she screamed and everyone cheered at the couple, they were so sweet.


    ''''I love you too.''''


    Tiana beamed excitedly, her ears arched as they waited to hear his voice;


    ''''Her day starts with a coffee and ends with a wine;


    Takes forever getting ready, so she''s never on time for anything


    But she gets that ''come get me'' look in her eyes


    Well it kinda scares me, the way that she drives me wild


    When she drives me wild¡­


    Beautiful, Crazy, she can''t help but amaze me


    The way that she dances, ain''t afraid to take chances


    And wears her heart on her sleeve


    Yeah, she''s crazy but her crazy is beautiful to me¡­


    Tiana started off with a wide grin but as she listened to Nicklaus sing for her, her lips fell open in surprise, and she was lost staring at him.


    Never did she imagine that he would have such a wonderful voice, he had shocked her, and not only her, everyone in the hall. The whole place was quiet as they listened to him;


    She makes plans for the weekend, can''t wait to go out;


    Till she changes her mind, says; ''''let''s stay on the couch and watch tv''''


    And she falls asleep¡­


    Beautiful, crazy, she can''t help but amaze me¡­


    All the while, Nicklaus'' eyes locked in hers and he didn''t mind that there were other people watching them, it was as though it was just them, in their own world.


    Tiana''s heart drummed as her eyes watered, she was getting so emotional and she knew if he continued singing she was actually going to cry;


    ''''She''s unpredictable, unforgettable, it''s unusual¡­


    Unbelievable how I''m such a fool, yeah, I''m such a fool for her¡­ ''''


    Nicklaus was walking towards her now, his gaze transfixed on her. Tiana''s chest heaved, she stood up reflexively as he approached and her legs moved towards him involuntarily;


    She only knew he had finished singing when she heard the audience resounding clap;


    Tiana bit her lower lip;


    ''''You didn''t tell me you could sing? '''' she stared in his eyes as she spoke; not minding that everyone was watching;


    ''''Can I? '''' Nicklaus asked, with one brow raised;


    ''''So well; '''' she said, and then hugged him. Nicklaus hugged her back, after a few seconds, he held her face and kissed her lips and the crowd cheered happily.


    The night was considerably long. After the dance and songs, the elderly retired after bidding the couple goodnight, while the younger stayed back and played games.


    By the time it was all over, it was very late in the night, and she was already exhausted. After bidding everyone bye, they retired for the night. They didn''t go back home that night, as the penthouse was decorated specially for their wedding night.


    Tiana was tired but after taking a shower, she was agile again.


    The room was decorated with roses and sweet-scenting candles, the light was dim and the bed was plush and inviting. Nicklaus was in the shower as she got ready in front of the dresser.


    Tiana opened the box of lingerie on the table; a blush tainted her chin when she saw how provocative it was.


    She wasn''t sure she was going to walk on her two feet if Nicklaus saw her wearing this. Slowly she slid into the lingerie, and put a flannel over her body. Even when they had had s.e.x a countless number of times, she still felt shy being that n.a.k.e.d in front of him, especially when he gazed at her with those smoldering eyes of his.


    Her eyes turned to the door when she heard the shower stop, quickly she hurried to the bed, and lay down s.e.xily, her hair sprawling on the bed.


    Nicklaus walked out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist and another drying his hair.


    His eyes searched the room and they stopped when they fell on her on the bed. She couldn''t see his eyes properly but she could make out the raging l.u.s.t in his gaze from the way he stared at her.


    Tiana gulped.


    ''''Did I take too long? '''' he finally asked as he walked to the table to dry his hair;


    Tiana shook her head; ''''no; '''' she said in a whisper as she sat upright on the bed. Nicklaus picked the hair dryer and dried his hair, all the while looking at her;


    Her gaze remained on his body as her eyes traced his tattoo that ran down his groin; she swallowed.


    She had seen him n.a.k.e.d before, but he still had the same effect on her every single time.


    Tiana blinked as he placed the dryer on the table; her gaze rose to his face and she watched him walk towards her;


    Tiana felt that there was something in the candles because her hormones were heightened a little more than normal. Even though she was sitting calmly, her insides were burning.


    Nicklaus sat down beside her on the bed;


    ''''You did great today beautiful; '''' he said as he touched her face, Tiana''s skin burned on the part that he touched her; she nodded slowly as her chest rose and fell heavily.


    Was she the only one turned on? Why was he so calm?


    Maybe she drank something at the party.


    She tried to remember if there was something different she took but the man in front of her was distracting her thoughts.


    His eyes traced her body as he drank in her delicious body, Tiana watched his Adam''s apple bobble;


    Maybe he was feeling it too, but he wasn''t sure if she wanted it slow or rough. Normally, most brides wanted their wedding night slow and sensual, but that was not what she wanted now. The burning in her body wasn''t going to be quenched with anything slow.


    Her breath raged as she watched him close the gap between them and kiss her gently on the lips;


    Tiana m.o.a.ned and she held his head and deepened the kiss, Nicklaus'' hands grabbed her waist in reflex and he pulled her towards him, he wanted to be slow but his body was taking over his rationality, this was not normal.


    ''''Did we drink something? '''' he finally asked with a husky tone. Tiana laughed, thankfully, she wasn''t the only one with raging l.u.s.t.


    ''''I don''t know, I think it is the candles,'''' she said in between kisses. Nicklaus propped her up from the bed, and she straddled him.


    ''''Damn, this lingerie is making it impossible for me to control myself. '''' he groaned as he kissed her b.r.e.a.s.ts from the light material covering them.


    ''''babe, the last thing I want you to do right now is, control yourself. '''' She let go of his lips and kissed him down his chest, pushing him back on the bed, kissing him down his torso to his groin.


    A husky m.o.a.n left his lips as he felt her take him in her hands, her mouth went over him and his hands grabbed her hair reflexively.


    ''''Fck; ''''


    Tiana moved her hands up and down as she sucked him off. He m.o.a.ned as he guided her movement. Just when he was about to reach his climax he pulled her off of him.


    Her brows creased as she watched him stand up;


    ''''Bend over; '''' a husky voice left his lips and when she saw the hunger in his eyes she knew he wasn''t asking, so like an obedient little girl, she went on her fours and arched her h.i.p.s forward;


    Nicklaus m.o.a.ned as his hands slid down her back, he held her waists, and without warning, he rammed into her;


    Tiana screamed as her hands gripped the sheets and her eyes rolled backward.


    He wasn''t slowing down as he moved in the same rhythm with her h.i.p.s;


    Her m.o.a.ns filled in the room as he filled her insides. She had never seen him this wild before, but she couldn''t deny that she loved it, or maybe it was the drug and she was going to wake up tomorrow unable to walk.


    Either way, she was enjoying every single bit of the moment.


    ''''fck, turn over. '''' Nicklaus spoke huskily with ragged breath and he guided her so she was lying on her back;


    Tiana whimpered as she lay on her back, her eyes gazed at him but he seemed like another person, the l.u.s.t of his body had taken over. Her body was on fire too and she imagined what it was like for him.


    Nicklaus lifted her right leg up and rammed into her dragging her out of her thoughts.


    Her hands grabbed her b.r.e.a.s.ts as she m.o.a.ned loudly. Her eyes shut and she listened to his ragged breath, and she knew she was definitely not going to walk the next day.

 Chapter 315 - You dont want to have s.e.x with me?

    Diana''s lips fell open as she felt blood move upwards to her chin.


    Se..s.e.x what?


    Her mind involuntarily started imagining them n.a.k.e.d under the sheets and she wished she would just disappear into thin air.


    How would he say it so shamelessly! And who was talking about s.e.x now!


    Diana didn''t even know how to reply to him; she stared at the message as she cracked her brain on how to reply him, after a few seconds, she typed;


    ''''Who''s talking about s.e.x? I''m not going to have s.e.x with you! '''' Even though she was actually dying to have s.e.x with him, she wasn''t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that she wanted him badly.


    tsh, that was one of the perks of dating a handsome guy who knew how handsome he was!


    She was still trying to recover from the mental shame he had put her through when her phone vibrated again;


    ''''don''t say that out loud, cause you might actually beg me. ''''


    If her face wasn''t red enough, right now she was bleeding red. Diana scoffed;


    This man was too proud!


    She fumed and typed immediately;


    ''''In your dreams! ''''


    She stared at the phone waiting for his reply, but he didn''t reply immediately, after a long time, it finally came;


    ''''Okay, don''t forget to buy me snacks when you''re coming over. ''''


    She sneered; why was he changing the topic, leaving her hanging like that? Diana bit her lower lip, this man¡­


    She was so angry at his ego; maybe she should scr.a.p.e his brows while he slept, so he would know she didn''t like him because of his looks.


    Diana pouted as she stared at her phone; then she sent him a message;


    ''''I''m not coming over anymore, I''m busy. '''' She pressed the send button and turned her phone over; she wasn''t in the mood to eat anymore, so she took her food to the kitchen. She hadn''t had her morning shower, so she went to the bathroom and soaked in the bath, putting a loud music on.


    She hummed to the music as she let her skin relax in the water, when she was done soaking; she took a shower and stepped out, tying her towel.


    She didn''t want to go out but Mary wasn''t home and she needed some groceries, so she applied her cream and changed into something comfy, walking to the dining, she picked her phone and walked towards the front door.


    Turning her phone on, she saw thirty missed calls, her lips fell open when she saw that Michael had been calling her, he even sent over ten messages, her eyes read through it in shock;


    Why aren''t you coming over anymore? Are you mad at me?


    I''m sorry about what I said, it won''t happen again.


    Babe, are you still there?


    Hey, I''m so sorry, I really mean it.


    Diana, please don''t be angry, I''m really sorry, please come over¡­


    ''''Jeez! '''' she forgot that she sent him a message and she went to take her bath, even though she was annoyed, it wasn''t to the extent of not picking his calls or answering his texts. She quickly tapped on her phone to call him back, but just that second, she heard a knock on her front door.


    She quickly went and opened it and her lips fell when she saw the person standing on the other side;


    ''''Michael¡­ '''' she was shocked. He looked so worried as he stared at her, for a second she thought he was mad at her,


    ''''I didn''t¡­ '''' before she could complete her sentence, Michael walked into the house and pulled her into his arms.


    ''''I''m so sorry. ''''


    Diana was still surprised; what just happened?


    ''''I didn''t know you would be so angry at what I said, I was only joking. ''''


    Diana felt her heart melt in a thousand ways, a cute smile washed her lips and she hugged him back.


    ''''was that why you ran over? ''''


    ''''Mm¡­ '''' Michael replied still hugging her. He was so scared when she wasn''t picking his calls nor replying to his messages. Without thinking he quickly hurried over.


    ''''So you are sorry for what you did? ''''


    ''''yeah, I''m very sorry. '''' He apologized sincerely, Diana stifled a laughter.


    ''''What is that? '''' he asked and she shook her head;


    ''''No, it''s nothing, just that I wasn''t this mad at you. I was mad, but not to the extent of not picking your calls or replying to your messages, I went to take a bath and left my phone in the dining room, that was why. ''''


    Michael let go of her slowly to look at her face, checking if she was serious.


    Diana laughed out loud, he was always in his ego, this was the first time she had seen him so meek and she wished she actually had it on record.


    ''''So you''re not mad? '''' he asked, and she cleared her throat;


    ''''Well, not really. it''s just that none of the things you were saying were true but I didn''t know how to express myself, so I was a little annoyed but that was not enough to get mad at you. ''''


    A soft sigh left his lips,


    ''''So you don''t want to have s.e.x with me? '''' he asked, raising his brows.


    Diana''s cheeks flushed. He was just saying ''s.e.x'' as though it was an easy word; coughing she cleared her throat;


    ''''No, I don''t want to. '''' she tried to be mean as she said it, adjusting her gown.


    Michael watched her, and she wasn''t sure but it seemed she saw disappointment flash through his eyes.


    ''''Okay, '''' he replied, brushing his hand through his hair with his hands,


    ''''I won''t mention it again. '''' Diana''s eyes widened,


    Wait¡­ did he believe what she said?


    She blinked and opened her lips to correct him, but he hugged her instead.


    ''''Sorry for making you annoyed;''''


    Diana''s opened lips shut and she gulped;


    ''''I wasn''t annoyed; '''' she replied quietly.


    Michael let go of her and his eyes fell on the card in her hands,


    ''''Where were you off to? ''''


    He asked and she sighed;


    ''''Mary went home for the weekend so I want to go shopping for groceries. ''''


    ''''Alright, let me go with you. ''''


    They walked to the car and he held open the door for her and she sat down; she watched him walk around to the other side and sit down.


    Should she tell him she was joking when she said she didn''t want him to touch her?


    Diana contemplated in her heart,


    ''''What are you looking at? ''''


    Michael smiled as he drove out of the compound, and Diana blinked, looking away from him.


    ''''Nothing, just thinking '''' or maybe she shouldn''t. If she told him, it would seem as though she couldn''t wait to sleep with him, she would just leave it as it is.


    After shopping, they cooked dinner together and ate together. After washing the dishes, Michael asked for her script so they would look through it.


    Diana could not escape from it now, so she brought out the script and they sat on the couch and looked through it together.


    She had expected him to make funny jokes about the ''s.e.x scenes'' but to her surprise, he had treated everything professionally.


    He didn''t even give her those gazes he used to before, and she instantly regretted what she told him earlier.


    He had actually taken what she said seriously.


    He didn''t even make any side comments or s.e.xy remarks about any of the scenes, he wasn''t doing anything wrong, but everything he was doing was driving her nuts.


    ''''There are a total of 8 kiss scenes, and four bed scenes. '''' he said with a nod, closing the script and keeping it back on the table, his eyes glanced outside and he saw that the sky had darkened already.


    ''''wow, didn''t know it was already dark. '''' he smiled and stood up,


    ''''I''ll get going, will have to go to work tomorrow,'''' he said and Diana nodded, standing up carefully.


    She followed him outside and to his car;


    When Michael reached the door, he turned to look at her;


    ''''I had a great time today; '''' he said, pushing the strands of her loose hair to the back of her ear, tickling her skin.


    His eyes fell on her lips and Diana''s eyes fluttered. Michael stared at her for a moment then he swallowed, leaning towards the side, he kissed her on the cheeks and forehead.


    ''''Sleep tight. ''''


    He whispered in her ears before standing up straight;


    Diana''s eyes fluttered open and she looked at him, her hands gripping the sides of her dress;


    ''''Yeah, drive safely; call me when you get home. ''''


    She said and waved him bye as he entered the car and drove off.


    Her eyes stared at his car until it disappeared into the distance and she bit her lower lip tightly.


    Kissing her lips wasn''t having s.e.x with her, couldn''t he do that at least!


    She fumed angrily, but it was all her fault.


    Maybe he was thinking that kissing her was going to make her feel as though he wanted something more so he didn''t want to annoy her by crossing his boundaries.


    God, what has she done?


    Diana pouted as she turned and walked into her house slowly.


    She just realized she actually liked his c.o.c.ky side than this gentle, sweet man he was trying to be for her.


    What was she going to do now?

 Chapter 316 - Fooling him

    Claire stood in front of the white house, her hands gripping the handle of her luggage a distraught look on her face. She stood there for the longest time, just staring at the house as though contemplating whether to go in or not. After much hesitance, she finally took the first step;


    ''''Claire dear, what brings you here? '''' Mr. Howard asked with all smiles on his face as he walked out of the house, as though he had been expecting her.


    Claire stared at him and bit her lower lip, walking past him into the house, she heard him call her several times, but she didn''t reply.


    Mr. Howard muffled a chuckle; he knew she would come around soon, once she realized those fantasies of hers were not real. Thankfully she had made the right choice, but¡­ wasn''t it too soon for her to come to him?


    He wondered but then he decided to watch her closely, if she knew about the deal, Leo would have lost and he didn''t seem like someone that wanted to take chances.


    Claire snuggled in bed once she got into her room, wrapping herself with a blanket. She wasn''t in the mood to speak to anyone. Mr. Howard came by a couple of times that day but she totally ignored him. He had a meeting in another state so he wasn''t home for a few days, but when he came back and heard she was still in, he was surprised.


    Thankfully, that day, he met her eating in the dining so he joined her. Claire cast him a spiteful glare but she did not say a word. Her eyes fell back to her food and she continued eating;


    ''''If you are going to be giving me those looks at least tell me the crime I committed; ''''


    Claire did not respond to him, she just pretended as though he was not there.


    Mr. Howard watched her for a minute and then he picked his cutleries;


    ''''I''ve done nothing wrong to deserve this treatment from you, ''''


    When Claire heard those words, she scoffed;


    ''''You don''t say? ''''


    Her eyebrow rose in a surprised manner and she chuckled;


    ''''you''re the last person on earth that those words should leave from his lips, Mr. Howard. ''''


    Before she called him father, but now, she was calling him by his name. Mr. Howard squeezed the cutleries in his hands.


    ''''Then what have I done wrong? ''''


    ''''You''ve done everything wrong, Mr. Howard. ''''


    His name again¡­


    Claire drank carefreely from her cup of wine,


    ''''I apologized for everything I did to your mom; I told you I was sorry¡­ ''''


    ''''Please¡­ '''' Claire stopped him, tilting her glass of wine towards him;


    ''''I''ll appreciate if you don''t talk about her, let her just rest in peace. ''''


    Mr. Howard gritted his teeth with a sigh and then he dug into his food.


    ''''I never see your wife when I come around, where is she? ''''


    Claire asked with a mockery in her tone, she knew that woman was just ambitious and just wanted power, the power she could get from him that was why she married him, and now she had gotten the power, she was nowhere to be found.


    His eyes flashed with sadness and although he tried to mask it, Claire caught it. He made a mistake the moment he lost them, and he was going to regret it all his life.


    ''''let''s just eat in peace, Claire, for once. '''' he pleaded this time, not wanting to argue with her again.


    Claire blinked; ''''you know, when you talk like this, you seem like a good person, tsk tsk, now I know how you won your elections, with this face and this voice, you can actually fool anyone. '''' she smiled and shook her head;


    ''''don''t worry, even if I don''t say a word, you will never have peace because there is no peace for the wicked. ''''


    She smiled and picked her glass, tilting it towards him, and mouthed a ''cheers'' then she drank from it.


    Mr. Howard did not reply. He just stared at her quietly, and then his head fell.


    They ate quietly not saying a word to each other anymore, and then suddenly, Claire asked;


    ''''What did you say to Leo? ''''


    The man sitting in front of her smiled inwardly, he suspected that was the reason she was bashing out on him. So she didn''t know a thing after all!


    He looked at her with a crease of his brows;


    ''''Leo? Why are you asking about him all of a sudden, I thought you two weren''t together anymore? ''''


    Claire bit her lower lip,


    ''''You knew we didn''t really break up, didn''t you? ''''


    Mr. Howard leaned back on his seat with an amused expression;


    ''''This is new; tell me, you were pretending to have broken up all these while? '''' he wanted to laugh but he held himself back.


    Claire did not say a word.


    ''''Why are you asking about him now? What changed? What happened? ''''


    ''''don''t ask me that as though you don''t know, you said something to him when he came over and he doesn''t want me anymore. ''''


    She didn''t know she was a good actress until that moment, as she said those words, tears gathered in her eyes.


    ''''Really? '''' Mr. Howard creased his brows as though he was shocked by her revelation.


    ''''What did you tell him? What did you say to him, that made him not even want to see me; ''''


    She vibrated as she spoke making the fork in her hands fall to the floor causing a sharp sound as it made contact with the crystal tiles.


    ''''Nothing, I just told him you would not get married to him and that he should leave you alone, and that no matter what happens, he would never be with you. I promised to get him connected with high profile and gorgeous women with high social status, and that was it. He didn''t even argue, it seems you were the only one in that relationship Claire. Your Leo didn''t value you as much as you thought. ''''

 Chapter 319 - Tempting his little devil

    Diana''s eyes widened as her gaze fell on the statue in front of her. Her eyes blinked and she swallowed hard. He was tying a towel loosely around his waist and his broad chest was bare in front of her. This was the first time she was seeing him n.a.k.e.d, her eyes traveled down his chest, to his defined abs and down to the lower V which disappeared underneath the towel;


    Her lips opened as she watched him transfixed. There was a few seconds of silence between them as each tried to comprehend what they were seeing.


    Michael didn''t know she had firm b.r.e.a.s.ts until now, she was putting on a nightie without her bra, and he could see the outline of her b.r.e.a.s.ts and how her n.i.p.p.l.es poked firmly from it. His groins burned with raging l.u.s.t as he forced his eyes away from her and cleared his throat;


    ''''Um, sorry, forgot I wasn''t wearing clothes; '''' his hand gripped the side of his towel when he saw that she was looking at him, unsure of what to do.


    Diana blinked out of her l.u.s.tful gaze and she looked up at his face;


    ''''Oh¡­ no worries, I¡­ just wanted to give you this¡­ '''' She said handing him the shirt awkwardly;


    ''''There are no clothes in the room, so I wanted to give you this; sorry i came at the wrong time'''' she stretched it out to him and Michael collected it;


    ''''no need to apologize, thank you; '''' Michael said, and Diana turned instantly, walking back to her room without looking back.


    Immediately she got to her room, she locked the door and slumped against the door.


    Did she just see him n.a.k.e.d!


    She gripped her hair as her face burned the more. She knew he would have a nice body but she wasn''t expecting this level of gorgeousness. He had the perfect body every woman wanted to touch, defined abs, chiseled torso, strong and huggable; Diana scrunched down on the floor as she bit her lower lip.


    She had been fantasizing about him, and how his hands would feel on her, but now she had finally put a body to her imaginations and she was sure this was going to be the beginning of endless sleepless nights, just thinking of that body.


    Breathing out, she stumbled up from the ground and slipped out of the nightie on her body, she took a cold bath to beat out the l.u.s.tful thoughts from her mind.


    But as she stepped out of the shower, they came rushing back to her head. Diana knew she wasn''t forgetting it anytime soon.


    As she brushed her hair slowly, she wondered how she was going to face him; she had totally embarrassed herself by gawking at his body l.u.s.tfully after saying to his face that she didn''t want him.


    Diana bit her lower lip, she couldn''t blame herself though, she was s.e.x-starved!


    But what in hell made her tell him she didn''t want him!


    She felt like beating herself up, right now, she would have been taking a shower with him, running her hands down that great body, kissing, touching, and maybe fcking; but no, because she didn''t want to seem easy, she had drawn the line herself.


    What would she do now?


    She pouted as she stood up from the table and wore a large cardigan that covered her body stopping halfway down her thighs.


    Walking out of the room, her eyes glanced towards his room, but it was still closed, she wondered if he was still inside but she wasn''t going to try the devil again by knocking on the door.


    So instead of checking on him, she walked to the kitchen to prepare something for them to eat.


    But as she stepped inside, she saw him standing by the cooker, he was putting on the shirt she gave him and his pants. The shirt looked so good on him that she instantly fell in love with it. He had a great body, he would definitely look good on anything.


    ''''What are you cooking? '''' she asked, letting him know that she had walked in. Michael looked at her and his eyes traveled down her body in two seconds and they stopped on her face;


    Diana felt like he just undressed her with his eyes like she was a delicious meal he couldn''t wait to devour.


    ''''Pasta; ''''


    Michael''s words kicked her out of her thoughts and she dragged her feet towards him, peeking into the pot she smiled;


    ''''Wow, it smells great! '''' she said and leaned on the counter as she watched him.


    ''''How did you learn how to cook? ''''


    ''''I didn''t learn, I''m just smart. ''''


    He grinned at her and Diana rolled her eyes;


    ''''No matter how smart you are, you can''t be smart enough to know something you don''t know. ''''


    ''''Exactly, that is why I checked the recipe online before I started,'''' he said pointing at his phone lying beside her on the counter.


    Diana rolled her eyes at him and he laughed;


    She watched him stir the food properly then dish it into their plates.


    Helping him, they carried the food to the dining. Michael washed his hands and sat in front of her as they ate.


    ''''We have a scene on Wednesday by twelve, do you have time? If you don''t I can push it backward.''''


    Diana said and he shook his head; ''''don''t worry, I''m the CEO, I can make time whenever I want. ''''`


    She nodded; ''''okay, just make sure you don''t stress yourself. ''''


    Michael nodded and continued eating.


    Diana looked down at her food and then she peeked at him again. His eyes were staring at his food, and his lips moved; his hair fell across his face, and he ate like he was modeling for a food company.


    Diana breathed out;


    This man was gorgeous.


    She thought, she wished she could touch him again, brush her fingers through his hair, kiss those lips¡­


    She imagined her lips on those kissable lips as her thoughts went back to the kiss in the boutique. She had kissed a lot of men in movies but she hadn''t felt anything so toe-curling.


    He knew how to pull you in and leave you wanting for more, and right now, she was helplessly dying to have more.


    She bit her lower lip as she gazed at him l.u.s.tfully. Michael didn''t hear her eating for a moment and he raised his eyes, creasing his brows;


    ''''What are you thinking about?''''


    Diana blinked out from her thoughts and looked down at her food instantly, filling her mouth with food, she knew she was blushing from embarrassment but she wished he didn''t see it.


    ''''Why are you red? Is your food too hot? ''''


    At his statement, she got redder, god, she was just embarrassing herself the more.


    ''''No, it is okay, I think it is a bit spicy. '''' she smiled and filled her mouth with food, making sure not to look at him again.


    ''''Sorry, didn''t know you didn''t like spicy foods. ''''


    Diana smiled and continued eating. The rest of the meal went on quietly.


    After the meal, they washed the dishes together, after drying the plates; Michael placed them on the cabinet.


    His phone rang and he picked it; it was one of his friends asking if he was interested in partying, but he turned him down, when the call ended, Diana asked;


    ''''Who was it? ''''


    She had her back to him as she cleaned the sink and Michael''s eyes fell on her white thighs involuntarily, and he felt a knot in his throat.


    ''''One of my friends; '''' he replied, gulping, as he pulled his eyes away from her legs; trying to tame the devil in his groin.


    Earlier when he saw her, he had to do some pushups to get himself in order. If only she knew was she was doing to him. She didn''t want him to touch her, and yet she knocked on his door, half-n.a.k.e.d, with her b.r.e.a.s.ts arched towards him, and as though that was not enough she was wearing only a cardigan which outlined her backside and her curvaceous thighs.


    Michael brushed his hand through his hair as he tried to think of something else. He was really controlling himself from touching her, but she wasn''t even helping.


    Did she think he was a plank of wood or what?


    ''''Oh, when will I get to meet them? '''' she glanced at him with a beautiful smile on her lips,


    ''''maybe in the weekends, when they come around I''ll invite you over, but trust me, they are just a pain in the ass. ''''


    She laughed as she rinsed her hand. ''''done! '''' she said, and Michael walked towards her to close the cabinet, but at the same time Diana saw a spoon on the floor, and without knowing that he was coming, she bent down to pick it, and at that moment, her ass stroked the little devil he had tried so hard to tame.


    Michael froze instantly, his hands that were about to close the cabinet, stopping in the air.


    Diana stood up with a flash and turned to look at him, her cute eyes wide opened;


    ''''oh¡­ sorry, I didn''t know you were coming¡­ '''' that was the truth, she really didn''t know but she wasn''t sure he believed her since she had been giving him signals all day.


    Michael gulped with all the strength he could muster and the hands hanging on the air came down slowly;

 Chapter 320 - Sleep with you

    Diana watched his eyes gaze at her scorchingly, and she swallowed, she tried to think of what to say, but no thoughts could form in her head, she just stood there, heart pounding erratically.


    Michael gulped as his eyes fell on her chest, she was wearing a cardigan but he could see the faint outline of her n.i.p.p.l.es; his teeth clenched as he imagined how n.a.k.e.d she was inside of that single clothing¡­


    Diana''s breath raged, she involuntarily licked her lower lip as her hand clutched the end of her cardigan;


    Was he going to touch her?


    They were standing irresistibly close to each other, and his scent filled her nostrils. She wanted him so badly and she knew if he made just one move, she was going to melt like a bucket of ice in the sun.


    Michael blinked after a moment;


    ''''I''ll be in the living room,'''' he spoke huskily, without waiting for her response, he turned and walked out from the kitchen speedily.


    Diana''s eyes fluttered as she exhaled a breath she didn''t know she was holding.


    This was the first time she had seen his eyes gaze at her so wantonly. That moment, it seemed like nothing would stop him from taking her right there in the kitchen and she was damn ready, every cell and muscle in her body were already singing ''halleluiah, but he had just walked away.


    Diana turned on the tap first and washed her face to calm her raging hormones. She could not even blame him, she brought this upon herself.


    After calming herself down, she went to the living room, he was lying on a couch and looking at his phone. Her eyes glanced at the clock and saw it was past 10, it was late to watch a movie, the next thing to do was sleep;


    ''''Are you going to be staying out for long? ''''


    She asked and Michael raised his eyes from his phone, seeing her, he shook his head and stood up;


    ''''No, I was about going in for the night, goodnight. ''''


    Diana nodded; ''''yeah, goodnight. '''' she wanted to apologize again for what happened in the kitchen but she decided to leave it, it was best to just forget what happened. She watched him walk to his room and close the door, and her eyes turned to her room.


    The night was cold. As she walked into her room, her eyes fell on the empty king-sized bed, and a sigh left her lips.


    Even though they weren''t going to do anything she just wanted to sleep hugging him. Diana sulked as she walked to the bed and covered herself with the duvet, hugging her giant teddy bear tight.


    Before it gave her some comfort, but today, she felt like tossing it out of the window. She had never yearned for human touch so much before. Maybe, it was because he was sleeping in the next room.


    Diana shut her eyes and tried to catch some sleep, but all to no avail. She turned and twisted on the bed until she finally gave up and picked her phone.


    Tapping on her WhatsApp messenger, she went to his contact, surprisingly, he was online.


    She quickly typed a message but before she could send it, his message came in;


    ''''Hey, you''re still awake? ''''


    She read it and replied almost instantly;


    ''''yes, I can''t sleep. What about you? ''''


    ''''Can''t sleep either, was going through social media when I saw you online. ''''


    ''''Oh, okay. ''''


    She sent it, and there was silence. She wanted to ask if they could sleep together, but after what happened that night, she didn''t know if she was being too much.


    A light sigh left her lips as she stared at her phone.


    ''''We have a scene together on Wednesday, so you''ll come over tomorrow or should I come over for a practice? ''''


    ''''No worries, I want to see Caesar, so I''ll come to your place, just call me when you''re done in the office. ''''


    ''''Okay. ''''


    Silence ensued again as there was nothing else to say;


    Diana sulked as she stared at her phone;


    She didn''t have a choice, if she didn''t ask, she was going to stay awake till morning.


    So gathering up courage; she typed the message''


    ''''uh¡­ can I come sleep with you, maybe I might fall asleep? ''''


    Her heart raced as she tapped on the send button. She had said she wouldn''t be shameless, but she was diving headfirst into the ocean of shamelessness!


    What if he turned her down?


    Her heart pounded as she waited for his message;


    Jeez, why was he taking so long?!


    She cried in her head. Was he thinking of how to turn her down politely?


    If he did, she wouldn''t even know how to look at him in the face again. He would have just crushed the remaining part of her pride.


    Her phone vibrated in her hands and she clicked on his message ever slowly;


    ''''Sure¡­ ''''


    A huge sigh left her lips. It was just a single word, why did he take so long to send it?


    Without thinking much of it, she thanked her stars he didn''t turn her down. Standing from the bed, she carried two pillows and scurried over to his room.


    Her knock was light on his door as her heart raced; she was going to sleep with him for the first time.


    She was giddy, but she tried to act cool. The door opened and her eyes looked up at him;


    ''''Sorry, I hope I''m not disturbing you?'''' she spoke tenderly;


    ''''No, not at all; '''' he made way for her to come in and closed the door after her.


    Diana walked carefully to the bed and sat on it.


    Michael lay on down and chuckled when he saw her sitting on the edge of the bed like a kid that was just beaten.


    ''''Are you shy? ''''


    Her eyes widened and she shook her head immediately,


    ''''No, not at all; '''' she kept her pillows and took off her slippers then got into the bed. Michael watched her lie down far away from him, hugging her pillow tight. His eyes glided down her body and he chuckled.


    She was so brave to ask to sleep with him now she was here, she was acting like a shy little kid.


    Michael stretched his hand and with one pull he drew her towards him, leaving no space between them.


    Diana''s eyes flung open and she opened her mouth to speak;


    ''''Shh¡­'''' he shut her up,


    ''''You asked to sleep together, this is what is called sleeping together. ''''


    Her cheeks burned and she looked away from him. Michael brushed her hair away so he could look at her face.


    ''''And relax your nerves, I''m not going to eat you. ''''


    That was when Diana realized she was lying stiffly. Breathing out, she relaxed her bones.


    ''''Good; ''''


    Michael smiled; his hand pulling her closer if that was possible.


    ''''Let''s sleep now. '''' He caressed her back and kissed her forehead before he closed his eyes to sleep.


    Diana opened her eyes after a while and she looked at him.


    She knew she was affecting him a lot, but he must be very strong to hold her this close and still not do anything. Or maybe he just loved her too much not to hurt her? She had told him she didn''t want them to have s.e.x, so he was trying to respect her.


    She knew men had a hard time restraining themselves, and mostly in front of the women they loved, so she knew how hard it must be for him.


    Diana smiled, she was falling more in love with this man.


    '''' What are you staring at? ''''


    Michael asked with eyes still closed and her eyes shut instantly as her cheeks burned. His eyes were shut, how did he know she was staring at him?


    Diana closed her eyes this time, and slowly drifted to sleep. After some time, she lifted her hand from in-between them and hugged him.


    ¡­


    Claire stood outside the company, it was past twelve, and she didn''t know it was going to rain as it wasn''t in the forecast. She didn''t bring her umbrella, so she knew she was going to walk into the rain whether she liked it or not.


    She took in a breath as she got ready to run, she didn''t like heavy rains.


    Suddenly, she felt someone walk up to her side and opened an umbrella, giving it to her.


    Her brows creased when she didn''t recognize the person.


    ''''That man over there said I should give this to you, I think he has a crush on you. ''''


    Claire suspected who it was, so she did not look. Nodding, she took the umbrella from him;


    ''''Thank you.'''' she smiled and walked into the rain, her eyes turned to the direction the man had pointed at when she got into her car and she saw him;


    Leo¡­


    She felt a knot in her throat as her eyes locked in his. She knew he was looking at her even though the rain was obstructing them. After some seconds, he turned and walked away.


    Claire felt her chest swell up. She didn''t know six months could be so hard. She watched him walk away until she couldn''t see him anymore.


    A sigh left her lips as she dropped the umbrella on the passenger''s seat, but something caught her eyes;


    There was a paper tied to it;


    Creasing her brows, she took it out and opened it.

 Chapter 321 - Just tell me if you want me to stop

    Claire opened the paper and she read through it;


    ''''Babe, I hope you weren''t stupid to think I could stop loving you? ''Cause I''d be really mad at you. I made a deal with your father that I wouldn''t speak to you for 6 months, I think he wants to get you married before then.


    I know you are smart but then I didn''t know if you would be smart enough to understand what I said, so I wrote this cause I couldn''t stop worrying about you crying all day. Just play it cool till it is over, okay? ''cause we''re f.u.c.kn'' getting married when this ends. Claire, I miss you so much that it''s driving me crazy, didn''t know, not talking to you could be this hard; I figured they monitored our calls, and I just had to send this cause I couldn''t bear you being hurt.


    You wore light clothes today even when it was cold, do you want to fall sick? Don''t forget to bring your umbrella to work, and make sure you eat properly. I love you. ''''


    Claire''s chin hurt from smiling too much.


    "I''m that smart, silly boy¡­ '''' she laughed as she read the letter over again. She wondered how worried he must have been. But then, even if he hadn''t said anything to her, she would still not marry the person her father wants. But this way was easier; at least they would get him off their backs forever.


    Smiling, she put the letter into her purse and zoomed off.


    Her phone rang as she drove into her house. Claire''s eyes flashed on it and she saw it was her father. She watched it ring as she wondered what he must be calling for. She only picked the call after packing her car in the garage.


    ''''Dear; '''' her father called.


    Claire scowled internally. Whenever he started like that, he had a demand to make. She thought.


    ''''Hello, father; ''''


    ''''How are you? '''' Mr. Howard asked, sounding so caring. If Claire didn''t know she would have thought he meant it.


    ''''I''m fine, just coming back home now, it''s raining. ''''


    ''''Okay, hope you aren''t cold. ''''


    ''''A bit, but I''m fine now, I''m home already. ''''


    ''''Alright, take care of yourself, okay? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I will. '''' For a moment, Claire wanted it to be true. She wanted to believe he really cared when he asked about her, she wished she had a father who would call her and ask if she was fine. But she was kicked out of her fantasy a bit too soon;


    ''''Claire, can you come to the white house on Wednesday, there''s someone I want you to meet. ''''


    Her feet stopped temporarily as his words filled her ears. For a moment, she had thought he actually called to ask after her. Couldn''t he call without having a demand?


    She heaved a sigh. She didn''t know why she let herself hope only to be disappointed over and over again.


    ''''Okay. '''' She replied.


    ''''That would be great. Wear something beautiful. '''' Mr. Howard said, excitedly. He was glad that she agreed without grudging.


    ''''I''m always beautiful, father. ''''


    ''''Yes, yes, that''s true. You''re stunning. Don''t catch a cold okay? ''''


    ''''I won''t, bye. ''''


    ''''Yeah, goodnight ''''


    Claire tossed her phone on the couch in the living room after the beep. Since he wanted her to lie to him, then she would lie. She would have easily reported him to the police for everything he did but he was her father in the end. Even if he hurt her so much he was still her father and she couldn''t bring herself to do that to him. It was not only going to bring shame to him but to her as well, and also to her career, she couldn''t risk it. So she was going to put up with his excesses for the very last time, and when the six months were over, she would tell him to never meddle with her business ever again.


    Sighing she walked to her room and fell on the bed weakly.


    ¡­


    ''''Ehem; '''' Diana cleared her throat;


    ''''This is Karl my best friend and Karl this is Jeffery, my boyfriend. ''''


    Caroline smiled as she introduced the two men. Karl greeted Jeffery but she failed to notice the saddened look in his eyes when he did so.


    Diana laughed; ''''Michael don''t look too angry, you just have to look disappointed. ''''


    She was nearly rolling with laughter. The expression on his face was like he was about to kill the ''Jeffery''_ there was no-one there, they were using an imaginary person to practice.


    ''''Stop laughing, I''m trying my best. ''''


    Diana swallowed her laughter; ''''Okay, okay, let''s try again. ''''


    She cleared her throat and said her part again, this time, Michael got it perfectly.


    They were in Caroline''s house and Karl had come over, well, he came to ask her out finally, as he had been dealing with his feelings for a very long time, but when he was finally able to summon the courage to ask her, she was seeing someone else.


    ''''You didn''t tell me about him. '''' Karl asked with a strained smile.


    Caroline grinned, wrapping her hand around Jeffery''s arm;


    ''''Well, I wanted to surprise you. '''' She beamed; ''''quickly, come to the table, I prepared something special for you. ''''


    Diana paused; ''''wow, you''re doing quite well. '''' she clapped for Michael and sat down back on the couch. They had been practicing all afternoon. She was already tired.


    Michael dropped the script on the table and sat down beside her;


    ''''let''s rest; we can do this later in the night. '''' he sighed as he held her waist and pulled her towards him, Diana snugged in his body as he wrapped his arm around her, picking up the remote controller, he turned the television on.


    Diana smiled. It made her remember how they woke up that morning. She didn''t know how much her body wanted to touch him, until that morning.


    Her hands were wrapped around him but under his shirt. And the fact that she was holding him tight was more embarrassing. He had woken up before her but he didn''t wake her up, he just lay beside her and watched her sleep.


    When she finally woke up, she was so embarrassed that she covered her face with the duvet. Michael tried to talk to her, but she refused to look at him. He just laughed and went to brush his mouth and when he came out, she had gone back to her room.


    He dressed up and knocked on her door to tell her he was leaving. After she had gotten over her embarrassment, she opened the door, and to her surprise, the first thing he did was to grab her and kiss her passionately on the lips.


    Diana was shocked.


    She wasn''t expecting him to kiss her so suddenly, her toes curled as she held onto his shirt and kissed him back, but just when she was about getting lost in the kiss, he let go of her.


    ''''don''t miss me too much,'''' he whispered in her ears and turned around, leaving her standing with red lips and a flushed face by the door.


    ''''Why are you blushing? '''' Michael noticed as she was lost grinning to herself.


    Diana''s eyes widened and she shook her head;


    ''''No, nothing, I just remembered something funny. ''''


    ''''Okay. ''''


    Michael nodded,


    Diana''s eyes fell to his lips after some time and she swallowed, she wanted to taste them again. One thing he knew perfectly well was how to kiss. Damn, he was a good kisser. He kissed her like he was telling her ''these lips are mine'', he made her toes curl.


    She licked her lips involuntarily as she stared at him, suddenly he looked at her and she swiftly looked away from him.


    Michael held her head and turned her towards him so that she could look at him, his eyes locked in her eyes and dropped to her lips, and his adam''s apple bobbled;


    ''''Can I kiss you?''''


    Diana''s cheeks burned; was he asking? Didn''t he see that she was almost dying to be kissed; and besides he kissed her without asking that morning, why was he seeking permission now?


    She bit her lower lip but she didn''t say a word. He should know she wasn''t good at expressing herself.


    ''''Just tell me if you want me to stop¡­ ''''


    Michael said and leaned closer to her mouth; Diana''s heart raced a little as she found herself holding his shirt as he kissed her lips slowly. Michael''s hands caressed her back, lifting them slowly to her hair and he held her put and deepened the kiss.


    Diana m.o.a.ned as she found her chest arching towards him; her hands pulled his hair as they kissed passionately,


    ''''...you''re driving crazy, '''' Michael whispered huskily in between kisses as his lips left her mouth and kissed down her neck. She groaned as her eyes rolled back. She could feel her core contracting as his hands caressed her body, lighting it on fire.


    She was wearing one of his shirts and a bum short, so his hands slid into the shirt easily.


    Diana bit her lower lip as her breath became more ragged. She was whimpering like a baby, the tension in her body looking for release.


    The only thing she wanted now was to get out of those clothes and spread her legs, and just let him fck her, but just when his fingers were as about unclipping her bra, her phone rang from the table, jerking them back to reality.

 Chapter 322 - On the floor?

    Michael''s head was still buried in her neck as the buzzing phone vibrated on the table; he lifted his l.u.s.ty eyes slowly and peeked at it, and as though he was under a trance before and just regained his senses, he lifted his head off her. Diana''s breath was still ragged and it took her a moment to get herself together.


    When she finally did, she looked at him; Michael slid his hand off her and put her shirt in order. Her face was still flushed from the makeout session and she was still clinging onto him.


    He kissed her chin and stretched his hand, picking up her phone;


    ''''You should answer it; '''' the call had ended and it began to ring again. She licked her lower lip and took the phone from him, drawing in a deep breath; she came down from his body.


    Michael brushed his hand through his hair. He looked like he was fighting with himself. She watched him swallow saliva and stand up from the couch;


    ''''Give me a second; '''' he said and walked away. Diana watched him leave and she slumped back to the chair. He could have easily ignored the call.


    She sulked as her eyes fell on the caller ID with a frown, when she saw who the caller was, her eyes widened and she quickly picked up the call;


    ''''Hello, Director! ''''


    She just remembered that he asked them to come to his birthday party, and she was sure he had invited other cast members who might be looking forward to seeing them. How did she forget?!


    ''''Diana, where are you guys? The party has started! '''' The director shouted as there was noise in the background. Diana had already promised him that they''ll be there, so she didn''t want to disappoint him.


    ''''Oh, we are on our way, something came up but we''ll be there soon. ''''


    ''''Okay, see you. ''''


    ''''Yeah, bye ''''


    A sigh left her lips as brought the phone down after the call had ended; her hormones that were raging a minute ago all calm now, she had a greater thing to worry about.


    Walking quickly, she went to Michael''s room and opened the door without knocking;


    ''''Michael, do you remember we have a birthday party to¡­ attend?'''' her words stopped on her lips when she found him on the floor, with his hands propping his body up.


    Michael fell to the floor instantly and pretended to be lying down.


    Diana was stunned;


    ''''What are you doing?''''


    She asked with an amused expression; why was he lying on the floor all of a sudden?


    Michael''s ears reddened but he tried hard to mask the embarrassment,


    ''''I just want to rest for a while on the floor. ''''


    Diana blinked; ''''rest on the floor? ''''


    ''''Mm; '''' he replied, embarrassed. He could not find any other suitable answer to his reason for being on the floor; he couldn''t tell her that he was relieving himself of the tension caused by her irresistible body.


    If the phone didn''t ring at that time, he wasn''t sure he would be able to stop himself from having her right there in the parlor.


    Even though she was responding to his touch, he didn''t want her to do things when she was out of control and just horny. This was her first time, he was sure she didn''t want to have it on a parlor couch.


    ''''Okay. '''' Diana nodded, but her cheeks turned a light shade of red, and Michael knew she didn''t believe him.


    Clearing her throat, she continued; ''''Um, the director just called, we totally forgot about his birthday party. ''''


    Michael stood up from the ground instantly.


    ''''Jeez, that''s true, what''s the time? ''''


    ''''It''s past six, but I''ve attended his birthday before, it''s mostly a night thing. I wanted to tell him we can''t make it, but we promised and then we didn''t inform him earlier. ''''


    ''''Yeah that''s true.'''' Michael thought; ''''we can''t go back to your house, so we have to get you something to wear. ''''


    ''''Okay; '''' Diana nodded, that was the next best thing to do as her clothes weren''t in his house. And talking about clothes not being in his house;


    ''''Should I drop some clothes here in case of these type of situations; you know something like this can come up again and we might not be prepared¡­ ''''


    ''''Or you can move in with me instead¡­ '''' Michael cut her off, making her words stop in her throat.


    Her eyes stared at him bewilderedly;


    Did he just ask her to move in with him out of nowhere?


    Her lips fluttered but she could not reply, was he serious now?


    She waited for him to say it was a joke but Michael just stared at her; Diana''s gaze fluttered.


    ''''Um... '''' she looked at her fingers, hesitating a little;


    ''''don''t mind me, I was only joking. '''' Michael smiled and pinched her cheeks, taking her hand; he led her out of the room. He didn''t want to hear her refuse him, and he didn''t want to make her uncomfortable.


    Maybe she wasn''t sure of her emotions yet, the last thing he wanted to do was force her. He was going to wait, as long as it took, to make her love him wholly, and without a second thought.


    Diana stared at his back as they walked out of the house.


    She wanted to move in with him but not immediately, they were shooting a movie now, and moving in together would affect the response to the movie. It was best that no-one knew they were dating yet, and then after the movie they would move in together. That was what she wanted to tell him before he told her he was joking.


    Michael opened the car door for her and closed it after she got in;


    He drove to the nearest clothes store, and Diana bought a few dresses that were her size, since there was no time to try each of them on, Michael drove to a shoes place, and he got her sneakers, she didn''t want to wear heels. He stopped at a wristwatch shop and bought the director a wristwatch, and got it wrapped.


    When they got home, it was past 7 already. Diana dressed up hurriedly and thankfully she carried a little makeup kit in her bag, so she did a little makeup.


    Michael was waiting for her outside with his hands in his pockets, when he heard footsteps approach, he turned to look at her, and his eyes fell to her legs reflexively.


    The gown was a little short, half way down her thighs, and since it was body hugging, it accentuated her curves in the right places, and as she walked towards him, his eyes followed her h.i.p.s;


    He swallowed;


    ''''Your dress is quite short. '''' He commented, she looked gorgeous but he didn''t want all these men gaping at her body because it wasn''t possible for her to walk past and any sane man wouldn''t look.


    Diana sighed;


    ''''we''re already late, there''s no time to change, don''t worry, we won''t stay long, we''ll just greet him and come back home. ''''


    She made puppy eyes at him,


    ''''Okay, just make sure you don''t leave my side; ''''


    Diana smiled and nodded. She had gone to the Director''s house before so she told Michael the address, when they got to his villa, the party was already heated. There was a loud music in the air, and girls dancing, there were a few people by the pool and most of the people were inside the house.


    Diana was not expecting anything less. The director liked to throw parties a lot. He had mentioned once that he didn''t want to belong to one person who he would have to change his lifestyle for that was why he wasn''t married yet.


    Michael held her hand as they walked into the house; there were so many people walking in and out of the house, so he used his body to protect her, so they wouldn''t grope her.


    ''''It seems he know a lot of people. '''' Michael commented as they finally got into the house. The house was tastefully built, and it wasn''t surprising.


    Diana''s eyes searched around for him and she smiled when she saw him with a woman, he was always with women.


    ''''See him over there; '''' she said to Michael and they went to greet him.


    ''''Happy birthday, Director; we''re sorry for coming late, something came up. '''' Diana greeted with a sweet smile on her face; ''''The director beamed when he saw them;


    ''''Thank you, thank you, if it was important, you would have just cancelled, '''' he smiled;


    ''''There;'''' he said, pointing to a closed door, '''' the cast for the movie are in there, you can go greet them while I finish with everyone here. ''''


    Diana nodded and gave him the package;


    ''''This is for you, ''''


    ''''Oh my, you shouldn''t have, I just wanted you to come get drunk; '''' he laughed, taking the gift from her. He wasn''t lying though; he just liked people attending his parties.


    Diana smiled; ''''alright, we''ll be in there. ''''


    He nodded and Michael led her to the room;


    As they walked in, all eyes in the room turned to them.

 Chapter 323 - Rock paper and drunk

    Michael''s hands were around her waist and even with the probing eyes on them, he didn''t let go of her. They were sitting around a center table that had numerous bottles of wine on it.


    Diana smiled as she greeted the people in the room as they walked past; Michael only greeted the people she greeted, he didn''t even want to stay longer, but as he turned to tell Diana that they should leave after greeting everyone, Caroline walked up to them with a grin on her lips;


    ''''Oh, see who is here! Diana and Michael! '''' she beamed as she approached them;


    ''''You finally made it, the director asked about you guys for almost ten times today, you know how he is.''''


    Diana laughed; ''''yeah, something came up that''s why we are late. ''''


    ''''Okay. Come, come over here, there are seats for you guys. Caroline led them to a sparsely occupied couch around the table and Michael sat after Diana.


    ''''Hi, Michael, we meet again; ''''


    Diana''s eyes turned to the woman who spoke. She recognized her, she was the one who sat down after she left and talked with Michael at the welcome party. She was pretty with a huge chest. Diana wasn''t sure if it was fake or real. If it was real, then that was a hell of a huge chest.


    Unfortunately, she was one of her friends in the movie; Diana wondered how she would be able to act with her when she was already chasing after her man without even acknowledging her. She had signed the contract already; else she would have changed her role.


    ''''Oh, Hi¡­ '''' Michael stared at her as though trying to remember where he met her;


    ''''Melissa, from the welcome party; '''' She smiled sweetly.


    ''''Oh, yeah, Melissa, how are you? ''''


    ''''I''m good, and you? ''''


    Diana scoffed within her, the nerves that she would actually talk to Michael completely ignoring the fact that she was with him. She looked away from them and her eyes locked in another man''s gaze. He was handsome but Michael had more tempting eyes.


    Diana smiled at him and looked away but he greeted,


    ''''Hi, Diana, ''''


    Her gaze turned back to him and she smiled;


    ''''Hello, ''''


    ''''You don''t remember me? '''' he asked with a smirk on his lips. Diana squinted as she stared at him, then her eyes widened when she remembered who he was.


    ''''David! '''' She laughed; ''''so sorry, here is a bit dark so I didn''t recognize you at first glance; how have you been?! '''' he was one of the men she had acted with in the past, and they even shared a kiss scene in a movie.


    ''''I''ve been well, you? ''''


    ''''Doing perfectly fine, what are you doing here? '''' the last time she remembered, he didn''t have a role in the movie.


    ''''Well, some changes were made at the eleventh hour and I''m taking Jeffery''s role. ''''


    Diana''s brows creased,


    ''''What? Didn''t know about that! No-one has said anything to me. '''' she said, looking surprised, a major character was changed and she didn''t know about it?


    ''''Yeah, it has not been finalized yet. The team would look over it tomorrow, which includes you, I was just told about it today though. ''''


    ''''Oh, okay. But what happened with Jeffery? ''''


    She asked creasing her brows; she really liked him to play the role.


    ''''He has a surgery coming up, so he can''t make it to the shoots. ''''


    ''''Oh; '''' Diana sighed, now she remembered, he had talked about having an appendix surgery, he said it wouldn''t affect the movie but it seemed that wasn''t the case.


    ''''Alright, it''s strange finding out from you, but whatever, I''m happy you''re here. ''''


    Diana smiled at him; ''''this is Michael; he is playing the supporting character role, alongside me. '''' she introduced Michael;


    ''''it''s good to see you;'''' David turned and greeted Michael as though he was just seeing him for the first time. They shared a glance and Michael greeted.


    ''''I was surprised when I heard you were taking a supporting role, your career is way past that. ''''


    The man said as his eyes turned back to look at Diana.


    ''''I intentionally chose his role cause I didn''t want something very stressful. ''''


    ''''Mm, that''s good. ''''


    He smiled; ''''I was looking forward to working with you again, too bad¡­ ''''


    Michael was uncomfortable with the way he looked at Diana but when he said those words, he knew his intuition was right. At that moment, he felt bile rise up his mouth, he hated this David already; Diana chuckled;


    ''We still have a lot of scenes together though. '''' she said with a smile and he nodded;


    Diana peeked at the woman who was talking with Michael but she was no longer there, she wondered where she had gone to, well, she was happy to finally have her man to herself.


    ''''Hey guys, can we play a game before we go, since we are already here, let''s have some fun! ''''


    Diana''s eyes looked up and saw that woman in the center of the room, holding a wine glass in her hands, now she looked at her very well, her backside was as curvy as the front, with thin waists, the men in the room could not stop staring.


    ''''What do you propose we do?''''


    A woman asked,


    ''''What about truth or dare? ''''


    ''''No!! '''' everyone screamed, that was a dirty game and they were not about doing things they didn''t want to do.


    ''''It''s fun, come on! '''' Diana stared at her, she knew why she was insisting on truth and dare, but she wasn''t even going to let Michael play that game.


    ''''Melissa, no truth or dare! '''' someone screamed from the room and Melissa rolled her eyes;


    ''''Alright, so what else? Rock, paper, scissors? ''''


    ''''Yeah, that''s better.'''' Everyone agreed, and she nodded;


    ''''Alright, the one who fails must drink a glass of wine, agreed?''''


    ''''Yeah! '''' Diana just watched them; at least this game was better than the former.


    ''''Should we leave now? '''' Michael asked and she smiled;


    ''''Maybe we should leave after the game? ''''


    ''''Okay; '''' Michael agreed;


    ''''Rock paper scissors; '''' she chuckled when the first person on the other end of the couch lost; he filled his wine glass and downed it. The line continued until it was their turn; Michael played with the person by his side first and won, so he turned and played with Diana, who lost;


    She giggled as everyone booed her to drink her wine. Taking the glass, she downed it in one go and raised her glass up.


    The line went another round, and this time she lost again; after drinking her wine, Michael whispered in her ears what he would play next, she didn''t have a high tolerance to alcohol, so he knew she would get drunk if she drank any more glasses of that wine.


    But unfortunately, Michael lost this time, and Diana played with who won and she lost; her cheeks turned a shade of red as she downed the glass. Michael knew she was getting tipsy from how her hands shook as she drank the wine slowly.


    ''''let''s stop playing now,'''' he said to her but she shook her head.


    ''''No, no, I want to win even if it''s once.''''


    A sigh left Michael''s lips as he watched her lose two more times before he called it quits.


    Standing up, he pulled her up with him;


    ''''Sorry guys, we''ll be leaving now. You guys have fun. '''' He smiled at them and Diana waved. Her steps faltered as they walked out of the room, her eyes were already turning.


    ''''It looks like I''m drunk; '''' she laughed as she held his arm.


    ''''Obviously, you are; '''' she swayed and Michael held her waists, propping her up.


    ''''You don''t have any tolerance to alcohol and yet you kept drinking. '''' he scolded her.


    Diana pouted; ''''I wanted to win once. ''''


    Michael sighed and opened the car door, placing her in, and then he closed the door after her.


    Going over to the driver''s side, he got in;


    He should have stopped her when she was still sane, now she was passed out drunk. Michael sighed as he drove out of the parking lot.


    Diana was sleeping and murmuring something; He turned to look at her;


    ''''What did you say? ''''


    She murmured again and then suddenly, she started crying like a baby.


    His lips fell open;


    ''''Diana, what''s wrong? Why are you crying? '''' He was shocked; she was a totally different person when she was drunk.


    ''''I want to bathe. ''''


    ''''Bab.. bathe? '''' Michael could not believe his ears, why did she want to bath all of a sudden?


    ''''Wait, we''re inside the car, when we get home you can bathe. ''''


    ''''No! I want to bathe now, here''s so hot,'''' she whined and began taking off her dress.


    Michael instantly stretched his hand ad stopped her;


    ''''What are you doing?'''' she was driving him crazy. Quickly, he drove to the side of the road and stopped the car, then walked over to her side.


    ''''babe, '''' he called squatting down in front of her. Diana opened her eyes weakly to look at him; she squinted and widened her eyes as though she could not recognize who he was;


    ''''There''s no water here, but just keep your clothes on, you''ll have a bath in less than twenty minutes, okay? ''''


    As though she just recognized him when he spoke, she smiled;


    ''''Michael? ''''


    ''''Yeah, it''s me. Don''t undress here okay? ''''


    Diana smiled and nodded; ''''Okay. We''re still on the road? ''''


    ''''Yeah, we''ll be home in a few minutes. ''''


    She nodded and closed her eyes. Michael heaved a sigh of relief and stood up, thankfully she was back to her senses.


    Or maybe not¡­

 Chapter 324 - I want you

    When they arrived home, she was still sleeping, Michael walked to the other side of the car and lifted her quietly, not wanting to wake her up, it was a good thing she was still asleep, he would just lie her down and let her sleep till the next morning.


    Carrying her into the house, he took her to her bedroom and laid her carefully on the bed. Diana murmured incoherently and turned around, riling up her dress a little.


    Michael tried not to look at her body as he took of her shoes, then covered her with the duvet.


    He should have let her take a shower but she was sleeping and he wasn''t about to tempt his sleeping demons by taking off her clothes himself.


    Turning around, he turned off the lights and left the room.


    A sigh left his lips as he entered his own room and took off his clothes and got into the shower.


    He turned on the tap and lathered his hair.


    Michael didn''t hear the knock on his door and the footsteps that sounded in the room, he only realized someone had come in when the door to his bathroom pulled open.


    His face was still with lather, so when he heard the intrusion, he washed his face quickly and looked towards the door and that instant, his lips fell open with shock,


    ''''Dia.. Diana... ''''


    He tried to form words but his lips could only open and close.


    Diana was standing in front of the door wearing just her pants and bra. Her hair was pushed to one side and she had a pout on her lips.


    '''' you said I would take a shower¡­''''


    She said and pouted like a baby, a drop of tears falling from her eyes. Michael was speechless. He instantly drew his towel and tied it over his waists.


    He was not prepared for such sight, a trillion thoughts ran through his head at once.


    Walking towards her gently, he tried not to look at her sumptuous body.


    ''''Diana, you''re drunk¡­'''' he raised his hand towards her as though stopping her from any further thing she was going to do.


    Diana''s eyes squinted as though trying to understand what he was saying.


    ''''Let me get you to your room, okay?'''' he used his hand to wipe the lather that was falling into his eyes from his hair.


    '''' why? '''' she asked, her voice sounding hurt.


    Michael was stunned. The last time she got drunk in front of him, it wasn''t this bad.


    He still had lather all over him, so he was walking carefully so he wouldn''t slip on the tiles.


    Her eyes left him briefly and turned to the shower area which still had steam on it;


    ''''I want to shower here¡­'''' she spoke and her hands lifted to her bra to unhook it.


    '''' Nooooo¡­. '''' Michael exclaimed and stopped her hands before she would do something she would regret the next day.


    A sigh left his lips as he was standing dangerously close to her now. He was never letting her drink alcohol again.


    Michael''s eyes fell to the swells a few inches away from his eyes and his throat tightened. He blinked and looked away with a pant, this was the first time he was seeing her on lingerie, and they were so damn s.e.xy.


    Her b.r.e.a.s.ts were barely covered by the material hanging over it. And they were heaving with her every breath, itching to be touched.


    He was so hard right now, if only she knew the torment she was putting him in.


    Breathing in, he took her hand and led her out of the bathroom.


    '''' where are we going? '''' Diana asked but he did not reply her. Walking to his closet, he took out a new towel and tied it over her chest.


    He breathed out in relief as he had gotten rid of one distraction.


    ''''babe, can you wait here let me shower first, I have lather over me already? '''' Michael held her face and pleaded, staring into her eyes.


    Diana blinked;


    '''' We can shower together. '''' she pouted, raising her hands, she caressed his body, stopping on his neck.


    A groan left Michael''s throat.


    "You don''t want that¡­''''


    He spoke huskily, the look in his eyes becoming sober.


    ''''I do. '''' Diana pleaded;


    '''' I can''t control myself with you n.a.k.e.d and you''re drunk. ''''


    '''' I''m not drunk and I don''t want you to control yourself. '''' Diana held his hand that were on her face, then she tiptoed and kissed his lips.


    Lord¡­


    All the strength he had gathered melted away and his knees felt weak. Her lips were sloppy and wet, and she tasted like wine.


    He groaned as he held her head and deepened the kiss. Diana m.o.a.ned against his mouth, kissing him back.


    She pulled against his hair as she kissed him harder.


    Michael was almost losing his sanity.


    No no no¡­.


    He fought with himself as he let go of her lips painfully, instantly backing away from her.


    ''''Diana I''m sorry, but we can''t¡­"


    "You don''t want me? '''' her voice sounded pained as she stared at him with her rosy lips.


    Michael turned around and brushed his hair back with his hand,


    ''''You''re so f.u.c.kin drunk¡­'''' he shook his head, he didn''t want to take advantage of her but the more he stayed here and stared at her, the weaker he became.


    ''''But I want you, I''m serious I''m not drunk¡­''''


    Without thinking, Michael held her hand and took her into the bathroom, taking the towel off her, he lifted her off the ground and dropped her in the bath tub.


    Before she could say a word, he turned on the water, turning on the faucet, he poured water over her head.


    Diana''s words stopped in her throat as the water poured over her. He had to do something to shut her up.


    The more she spoke, the more embarrassed she would be when she woke up.


    He turned off the tap when the water filled up.


    '''' you can take of your undies now, this is the soap and sponge, take all the time you need. ''''


    He said and swiftly turned around, walking out of the bathroom.


    He quickly used the bathroom in another room to quickly wash off the lather on his body.


    When he returned to his room, Diana was still in the shower.


    Quickly he dried his hair and changed to his pajamas.

 Chapter 325 - What did she do!!

    Now she had showered, she must have come back to her senses. Michael thought.


    Maybe she was taking a lot of time because she was embarrassed, he would tell her he didn''t see anything when she came out.


    Michael nodded to himself, he dropped the hairdryer on the table and turned to walk to his bed, but he was halfway to his bed when the bathroom door opened and the sight that caught his eyes made his jaws drop.


    Diana walked out of the bathroom_ wet hair, flushed face, dripping wet n.a.k.e.d skin. Her h.i.p.s swayed from side to side as she walked towards Michael.


    Michael''s feet rooted to a spot as he watched her approach him;


    "I didn''t see the towel." Diana spoke with an alluring voice,


    "do you know where it is? ''''


    Michael melted like a puddle.


    He was so dead.


    Her eyes stared at him so innocently that Michael nearly lost his sanity.


    '''' Diana, the towel was hanging right in front of you¡­'''' Michael cried, turning his back to her.


    ''''I didn''t see it. '''' she whined,


    '''' jeez Diana, you''re never tasting alcohol again. '''' he cursed and turned swiftly to the bathroom, in the next second, he walked out with the towel and covered her body with it.


    '''' I just pray you don''t remember this tomorrow. '''' he said as he made her sit down, picking the dryer, he dried her long hair.


    ''''Remember what? '''' Diana asked as she watched him with drowsy eyes. Michael sighed, if he knew he would be tormented like this, he wouldn''t have let her play that game.


    After drying her hair, he walked to his closet and took out one of his shirts and put it over her.


    Diana let him put it on for her like a cute baby, Michael wished she was this dutiful earlier.


    When he was done, he held her hand and made her stand,


    Diana blinked as she stared at him, he wondered if he should let her sleep alone in this state, but again, she was completely n.a.k.e.d and wearing his clothes, if she woke up the next morning beside him, she would be very embarrassed.


    ''''Lets go to bed. '''' Diana said and Michael smiled, taking her hand, he led her to her room.


    After making her lie down, he covered her with her duvet.


    As he tried to stand up, she held his arm, ''''don''t go. '''' she said with a cute innocent voice making him weak.


    Michael stared at her. He remembered her exact words the first night he met her, now he thought about it, it was her innocence that made him fall for her. Brushing her hair away from her face, he kissed her forehead.


    "Babe, you dealt with me today. '''' He said, kissing her cheeks.


    '''' I''m not sure I''ll be able to hold back next time. '''' he whispered, lying down beside her.


    Diana smiled and put her arms around him, resting her head on his arm. Her eyes closed immediately and she slept.


    Michael lay beside her, listening to her breath, when he was sure she was fully asleep, he stood up and walked out of the room carefully, closing the door behind him.


    ...


    Diana stirred up the next morning. She stretched her limbs and looked up, her hands went to her head instantly.


    She was having a headache and she felt like puking.


    Standing up quickly, she rushed to the bathroom and bent over the toilet. Her stomach was empty and she only vomited liquid.


    Standing up with a sigh, she rubbed on her belly as she walked back to her room.


    She had only taken three steps when she stopped and her eyes widened.


    Slowly, she looked down at what she was wearing and her eyes bulged out.


    She instantly felt her body and she nearly fainted when she realized she was n.a.k.e.d.


    Wait¡­


    She came back with Michael from the party, and after that¡­


    She tried to remember what happened after the party but her memory was vague. But seeing that she was n.a.k.e.d and in Michael''s shirt, it was either she had unclad in front of him or he had undressed her himself, either way, he had seen her n.a.k.e.d.


    Stark n.a.k.e.d!


    Diana nearly fainted as she bit her hand holding back the scream threatening to burst out of her lips.


    What the hell did she do last night!!


    Diana didn''t know if she should sit, or stand, or lie down. The headache that she felt when she woke up completely disappeared. She wanted to faint.


    She didn''t even know how to face him. Did he touch her?


    She thought as she looked at her body, she was not feeling pain anywhere, so he must not have touched her.


    Diana heaved a sigh of relief, even though she wanted to sleep with him, she wanted to do it when she was sane.


    But how did she get n.a.k.e.d?


    Michael wasn''t someone to take advantage of her drunkenness, besides she had been drunk in front of him before and he didn''t do anything to her, so she must have done something really stupid.


    Did she undress and beg him to f.u.c.k her?!


    Diana''s hands grabbed her hair as her eyes widened with shock. One''s deepest desires were revealed when one was drunk and her deepest desire was to sleep with him,


    Lord¡­ what did she do!!!


    Diana didn''t even know what to do. How would she look at him? Should she pretend to not know anything?


    But she was putting on his clothes, she couldn''t pretend to be blind?


    Diana fell on the bed and wailed silently. She was never drinking alcohol again!


    She was still contemplating on what to do when she heard a knock on the door. Her eyes turned to it with dread in them.


    Couldn''t he at least let her get over her embarrassment.


    Why would he come knocking so early?!


    Diana cried as she jumped into the bed and covered herself with the duvet, pretending to be asleep.

 Chapter 326 - You wont be able to walk if we did that.

    Michael knocked on the door a few more times but Diana didn''t reply. He knew she was awake because he heard some footsteps in her room a moment ago.


    It was past ten in the morning, and he wanted to see her before going to work.


    Contemplating for a moment, he turned the knob and the door opened. Seems she forgot she the door was left open.


    Diana cursed internally when she heard the door open, she totally forgot to lock the door. She could feel blood rushing up to her cheeks and she knew he would realize she was faking her sleep.


    She heard his footsteps approach and her hands gripped the corners of her duvet.


    Michael stopped by the side of her bed and sat down beside her, his cologne wafting into her nostrils, it seems he was dressed for work already.


    His hand brushed away her disheveled hair from her face, and he leaned down and kissed her cheeks.


    '''' I''m going to work, but I''ll come back early, need to take Caesar to the vet, he''s sick. ''''


    At the mention of Caesar being sick, Diana''s eyes flung open and she turned to him with shock,


    ''''uh? He''s sick? '''' she totally forgot that she was pretending to be asleep. Michael smirked when he saw her expression.


    Diana realized herself and fell back to the bed closing her eyes.


    Michael chuckled, after a moment, he commented;


    '''' I didn''t see anything. '''' That was not possible but he wanted to say something to make her feel better.


    Diana pouted, ''''so how did I get into your shirt?''''


    Michael grinned and scratched his head,


    "Well, I did see but I didn''t look too much. ''''


    '''' ah! '''' Diana cried and covered her face with the duvet, she was so embarrassed.


    ''''your body is so gorgoeus, there''s nothing to be shy ab¡­''''


    ''''stop talking!! '''' Diana wished the ground could open and swallow her completely. She had never been this ashamed all her life.


    Michael swallowed his laugh, it wasn''t funny yesterday but now it was so funny.


    ''''What exactly did I do? '''' Diana asked after a while, she wanted to know how she got into his clothes in the first place.


    ''''You don''t want to know. ''''


    '''' Tell me already!! I can''t even fix the dots, all I remember is leaving the party and then my brain goes blank.'''' Diana peeked at him from the duvet, she tried to pretend that she didn''t notice the naughty smirk on his lips.


    This man... He wasn''t making her situation any better.


    '''' well, '''' Michael cleared his throat,


    ''''you wanted to take a shower badly that you started undressing in the car. ''''


    ''''wh¡­what!'''' Diana''s eyes bulged out.


    ''''but you slept off and I took you to bed, little did I know you would wake up and come to my bathroom while I was bathing, wearing your s.e.xy lingerie. ''''


    Diana''s cheeks burned and she looked away from him,


    Couldn''t he be comforting at least.


    "and then you asked to shower with me. '''' Diana shut her eyes in embarrassment. Michael laughed,


    ''''should I continue? '''' he asked with a chuckle and Diana shook her head,


    ''''No, I''ve heard enough. '''' she gulped. So she must have gotten off her clothes and bathed, so did they shower together?


    ''''Um, did we¡­''''


    Diana gulped,


    Michael''s manly laugh sounded in the room, ''''you won''t be dressed if we did that and you sure won''t be able to walk. ''''


    Diana glared at him, "that''s not what I wanted to ask!''''


    He was the one that said that but why was she feeling embarrassed on his behalf?


    "I just wanted to know if we showered together. ''''


    Michael tilted his head as he stared at her with a grin.


    '''' would you like it if we showered together?''''


    Diana''s eyes locked in his and she looked away immediately. Her cheeks were going to pop from blushing too much.


    ''''I don''t know¡­'''' she murmured.


    Michael laughed, this woman was just so cute.


    '''' so did we? '''' her eyes turned to him expectantly, as she it itched to know the answer to her question.


    ''''Um¡­ I can''t remember anything after that, I think I was a bit drunk too. '''' he scratched his head making Diana glare at him,


    ''''stop joking! Tell me already!" she didn''t like to be kept on her toes.


    Michael laughed and kissed her forehead before standing up from the bed,


    ''''I made tea for you, drink it before it gets cold.'''' Michael smiled,


    '''' There''s sandwich and juice on the kitchen table, eat before you leave for work.''''


    Diana sat up immediately, glaring at him, "stop avoiding the question!'''' she pouted but Michael ignored her,


    ''''I''ll miss you for the rest of today." He smiled,


    Diana rolled her eyes,


    "I want to tell you to come over but that would be selfish of me.''''


    Her eyes stared at him, he was serious now.


    "Call me when you leave."


    "I won''t." she pouted but Michael lowered and kissed her lips in return.


    ''''I''ll call you every five minutes then."


    He smirked and stood up, walking towards the door,


    He smiled at her as he closed the door slowly, Diana pouted and she fell back to the bed after the door shut.


    So, did they shower together or not?


    ¡­


    Gwen ate quietly from her plate of cake as she watched a movie. She was so engrossed in the movie that she didn''t notice when Veronica sat beside her.


    "what''s the name of the show?"


    Veronica asked, drawing her attention to her. Gwen glanced at her and replied, "The Queen''s Gambit."


    "Oh, I''ve heard a lot about it. Quite famous.''''


    "mm¡­" Gwen nodded, not wanting to be distracted.


    Veronica smiled and stared at the wide screen in front of her. She wasn''t interested in the movie at all, in fact she had another reason for being there.


    "when will your sister be returning?" she had had her suspicions but she didn''t want to be too sure, but right now when she mentioned Tiana, the look on Gwen''s face told her she wasn''t wrong at all.


    A smile washed Veronica''s lips.


    "In a few weeks, '''' Gwen replied, filling her mouth with cake. The last thing she wanted to think about now was her sister having her best time.


    "Mm¡­ The boss dotes on her a lot. He doesn''t look at any other woman, it''s like she''s the only woman he sees. So cute.''''


    She watched Gwen grip the fork in her hand a little firmer and her Jae tightened.


    "Do you know, before she came, the boss was very cold, he didn''t smile to anyone and everywhere felt so cold when he was home, but suddenly, like a flash everything changed, we couldn''t believe it. Your sister literally has him around her fingers¡­''''


    Gwen could not take it anymore and she dropped her fork in the glass plate and it made a piercing sound, making Veronica''s words stop in her throat.


    Gwen blinked and turned to her,


    "Can we not talk about my sister? And I really want to watch this movie, can you not talk about anything? ''''


    Veronica smiled when she saw her outburst.


    ''''You don''t like your sister¡­"


    Gwen''s face paled when she heard her.


    "what do you mean by that? '''' she asked with a stern expression. This was no longer funny.


    "I saw the way you looked at them that day they left for their vacation, and it wasn''t a happy look."


    Shock flashed through Gwen''s eyes and she tried to mask it immediately.


    "Veronica, I won''t tolerate you speaking I''ll of my sister or me. You know one word from me and you''re sacked from here, right? ''''


    Gwen arched her brow. Veronica had no concrete evidence, so she could easily get rid of her if she wanted.


    "yeah that''s true or I can help you get what you need."


    She smiled and stood up,


    "I''m on your side Gwen. Come to my room tonight if you need my help."


    Veronica smiled and walked away leaving Gwen dumbfounded.


    Gwen stared at her until she disappeared through a door and she fisted her hands, a vein popping on her forehead.


    ¡­


    Veronica stared at the clock, it was past eleven and Gwen was not yet in her room. She paced from one side of the room to the other, what if she didn''t come?


    That would mean that she would lose her job here, did she make a mistake?


    Veronica bit her fingers as her heart pounded. If she didn''t come, then she would be in a lot of trouble.


    Was she too greedy this time?


    Just as she thought about it, she heard a faint knock on her door.


    Her eyes turned to the door immediately and she smiled.


    Walking to it, she opened the door.


    "Come in." Gwen walked into the room and sat on the bed.


    "start talking." Gwen said, crossing her arms.


    Veronica smiled and locked the door.


    "First I have to know what she did to you and what you want."

 Chapter 288 - Rot in Hell

    Her chest heaved painfully as she turned to leave again;


    ''''Choose wisely Claire, his life is in your hands. '''' Claire''s heart skipped a beat as his words filtered into her ears. Did¡­ did he just threaten to kill Leo?


    ''''You wouldn''t dare¡­ '''' she stared brimstones at him as the words left her lips like daggers.


    ''''You forget that I am the president, he''s going to die and no-one will say a word about it. But it is up to you whether you want to save his life or not, you have one week to decide. ''''


    Her lips filled with bile as she watched the monster sitting with a grin on his lips;


    ''''ROT. IN. HELL!! ''''Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/rot-in-hell_49984865730348529 for visiting.


    Claire didn''t know how fast she ran, all she knew was that she got to her room and began changing her clothes. She couldn''t stay here, no, not even an extra second, unless she wanted to go crazy. Running out of the house, she asked the guards to take her back home and they complied without asking questions, she knew that man must have ordered them to let her leave.


    She did not want to cry but the tears were welling up in her eyes. She didn''t want to think about it, but her thoughts were flooded. Maybe it was a dream; maybe she would just wake up and see that everything was just a terrible nightmare;


    ''Claire, wake up, wake up please!'' Claire pinched herself as she prayed silently but nothing happened. It wasn''t a dream, damn, this was real.


    ¡­


    Hazel looked at her watch, her flight was in a few minutes but she wanted to be sure that her plans succeeded before she left. He should call her anytime soon now; she thought and right as she thought about it, a call came in.


    ''''Is it done? '''' Hazel asked and the person on the other side replied affirmatively;


    ''''The president threatened to kill him if she doesn''t leave him, she doesn''t have much of a choice.''''


    Hazel smiled; ''''good, I''ll transfer the money to you once I get down. ''''


    ''''Yeah, have a safe trip. ''''


    She ended the call and switched off her phone. She didn''t have much left in this country, Douglas was dead and the gang dispersed already. If Leo had liked her, she might have started a new life here but he clearly didn''t, so it was time for her to leave. She had made a lot of money working for Douglas, so she could live anywhere in the world.


    Right now, she was happy. At least she left them with a gift, even if they would be together at the end, they would have gone through hell and back.


    Smirking to herself, she came down from the car and walked into the airport.


    ¡­


    ''''It''s beautiful. ''''


    Diana exclaimed as her eyes watched the ocean waves, she thought of a thousand places Michael wanted to take her but she didn''t think he would bring her to the ocean and in the night at that. There was no-one, just the two of them and it felt romantic.


    ''''I''m glad you like it. '''' He said, a smile on his lips.


    Diana took off her slippers and buried her feet into the soft sand,


    ''''what are you doing? '''' Michael stared at her puzzled,


    ''''we came to the beach; don''t tell me you''re going to go back without feeling the water. ''''


    Before he could say a word, she started running towards the ocean;


    ''''Diana! Stop, you don''t have spare clothes if you get those wet! ''''


    Michael laughed as he watched her run, her legs almost touching the back of her thighs,


    ''''Come on! It''s great! ''''


    She exclaimed and Michael sighed; rolling his trousers, he ran towards her.


    Diana laughed as she ran further into the ocean, letting the waves push her backward.


    ''''I''m free! '''' Diana screamed, and her voice echoed in the distance. She laughed when she heard herself; this was so fun.


    ''''Hey! What are you waiting for? You are going to be very busy from now on; we might never come here again! '''' She said as she sprayed water on him with her hands seeing that he was just standing and watching her.


    ''''Diana, we are going to get all wet, and you are an actress, do you want to make headlines? ''''


    Diana laughed; ''''who cares!! '''' she sprayed him the water again, laughing as she ran.


    Michael smiled, he had not seen her this happy and jovial so he let her have fun.


    Diana sprayed him water till he finally gave in and played with her. She laughed as she ran towards the ocean and he chased her. The water was on her thigh area when she saw the water waves rising; Diana''s eyes widened and she turned back and sprinted towards Michael.


    ''''Stop! '''' He shouted, the best thing to do now was to run towards the water, so the waves would push you out when it falls, but he didn''t have time to explain it to her as she was already sprinting towards him.


    Just when she was about the run past him, he caught her in his arms and hugged her tight as the water fell speedily on them, sending them crashing to the floor.


    Diana''s eyes shut tight as she lay on top of him, she waited a few seconds and when nothing happened she opened her eyes, and that moment, they locked in his smoldering ones.


    Ba Dum!


    That moment, she wasn''t sure whose heart it was that was beating that loud, all she knew was that she could hear nothing else but intense racing of hearts.


    Blink!


    She didn''t know how long they lay there staring at each other, but when she saw him blink she came back to her senses and stood up from him.


    Her cheeks flushed when she realized she had laid on him for a little too long.


    ''''Ehem, we should go now. ''''


    Without looking at him, she began walking towards the car.


    Michael stood up and followed her silently, a grin on his lips; did she blush all over that easily? ''''

 Chapter 291 - You should leave

    Charles¡­


    She had been avoiding him, mostly because of guilt. She still loved him but this was the best thing she could do for herself right now. She wanted to work on herself, become a better person, and going out with Charles wasn''t going to help her.


    Rejecting the call, she blocked his number before walking into her house, but her lips fell open when right there in the sitting room, Charles was standing with his phone in his hand.


    They stared at each other, not saying a word. When Michelle finally came to her senses, she blinked and looked away from him.


    ''''what are you doing here? '''' she tried to sound annoyed but her tone failed her, her voice came out rather needy and she bit her lower lip. She didn''t like being like this, weak and vulnerable.


    ''''Michelle, I¡­ ''''


    ''''you should leave¡­ '''' she cut him in knowing that one more word from him would send her running straight into his arms and she knew she would regret it.


    ''''We''ve waited so long, why are you hurting yourself more by doing this? '''' Charles asked, walking towards her, but Michelle inched away in return.


    ''''I regret everything I did and I truly want to repent of my sins, so please, leave¡­ ''''Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/you-should-leave_50032188753756265 for visiting.


    She saw him stiffen as his hands fisted on his sides;


    ''''Why are you doing this to yourself? You''ve been hurting for so long, why do you want to keep being sad?''''


    ''''because that is the only way I''ll be able to forgive myself and live with everything I''ve done; how do you want my son to look at you? Call you, father? Uh? How do you want your daughter to look at me after everything we''ve done to her mom? '''' Michelle paused;


    ''''Charles, if you can live with it, I''m sorry but I can''t. We should have gotten married when we had the chance, but we missed it, we missed our chance, Charles and nothing can change that. I''m sorry, I truly love you but I can''t, we can''t anymore. ''''


    The words burned her tongue as she said them, she loved this man, she loved him dearly, but she couldn''t do this to Richard. Even if it hurt her, she would bear with it. There was pain in his eyes as he stared at her; it still shocked her how he could love her after so many years, unwaveringly. His eyes still bore the want, the longing, the raging desire she saw in them the first time she kissed him.


    Wow, it''s been over 20 years and yet he had not changed one bit.


    ''''Will you ever give us a chance? ''''


    Charles asked, his voice so broken. Michelle looked down at her legs, she wanted to say no, but her heart couldn''t let her do it. Tears were welling up her eyes and she knew if he continued talking, she would actually cry, and she didn''t want him to see her cry.


    ''''Leave¡­ '''' the word left her lips before she turned and walked out of the sitting room, Michelle didn''t know how she reached her room, but as soon as she got there she dropped down and cried bitterly.


    ...


    ''??? I promise you I can handle it, can you just tell me what''s wrong? '''' Leo''s mouth ached from asking the same question over and over again. He was surprised when she came to his house by past twelve in the night, her face red and teary, she hugged him tight immediately she saw him, not wanting to let go.


    She cried throughout the night and no matter how many times he asked her what was wrong, she refused to talk. He thought of a thousand things that must have happened at the white house but he could not imagine any.


    ''''Claire, you hurt me when you''re like this, tell me what it is okay, a problem shared is half solved. '''' He tried to coax her into talking. If she actually kept crying like this, she was going to fall sick.


    Claire stared at the pretty face in front of her, after a few seconds, she touched him with her hands, feeling his skin. There were a lot of things she still wanted to do with him. They haven''t even done any of those things couples did and she was about losing him?


    What was she going to do?


    Her eyes stung as she blinked; leaning to him, she hugged him tight around the neck. Leo sighed as held her;


    ''''Are you going away? '''' he asked but Claire shook her head;


    ''''Did someone threaten to kill you? '''' she shook her head again.


    Leo exhaled, what then could make her so sad?


    Claire let him go after a few seconds and she smiled painfully;


    ''''Can you kiss me? '''' He was surprised by her question, but seeing that she finally spoke to him, he didn''t ask why and shifting her hair away from her face, he tilted his head to the side and kissed her;


    He took his time to kiss her passionately, making sure she was buried in every moment of it. Engraving his mark on her lips; Claire''s heart welled up as emotions clouded her heart.


    He was not like anyone she had met. He was a passionate and romantic lover when she needed him to be and the next moment, he was so brave and irresistible. He was everything she wanted and she was not about to lose him.


    No, no, she had not even started loving him yet. She wanted to show him how much he meant to her, she wanted to propose first, she wanted to surprise him on his birthday and see him smile so sweetly while staring at her like she was the only woman in the world. She wanted to bear his kids, and hear their laughter fill the room, so they were not over yet. No, she wasn''t going to let her father do this¡­


    ''his life is in your hands¡­''


    The words of her father seeped into her head and Claire couldn''t take it anymore, she broke away from the kiss with a shrill cry.

 Chapter 300 - Ill wait for you

    ''''What are we going to do? '''' she asked, her eyes deep with emotions. Leo was quiet, not saying a word. It scared her.


    ''''Please say something¡­ Anything, please! '''' She pleaded as she fisted his shirt in her hands. Her eyes watered and she buried her face in his chest, her lips trembling.


    Leo''s head fell and he held her head up to look at him; his eyes drowned in her crystal ones and the pain in them broke him.


    His Adam''s apple bobbed as he swallowed;


    ''''I thought about it over and over and no matter how I want to look at it, the answer was still the same.'''' He paused, pushing the strands of her hair away from her face;


    ''''I wanted to tell you that it would be fine, I wanted to say that it would be okay to leave you, I wanted to tell you that it would be fine being with another person, that I would get over it, but I couldn''t because it''s actually not fine.


    I know I''m selfish, but I don''t want to see you with another man, the thought of you being with another man, breaks me in a thousand pieces, so it''s not fine. I know what I''m going to say now may sound very foolish, but Claire, I love you and no matter what it takes, or how long it''s going to take, I''m going to be here with you. I don''t know how much longer I have, but I want my last days to be spent with you. ''''


    Claire stared at him in shock, at first she thought he was joking but then she really saw that he was serious.


    ''''you are crazy. '''' She said, the tears in her eyes rolling down with great speed.


    ''''What about me? How do you want me to live without you! How can you say that! How can you say you want to die! '''' She cried as she angrily slapped his chest, her face swollen with anger. He didn''t even think about how she was going to survive without him. How she was going to live each day knowing that she would never see him again.


    ''''you''re so selfish! You''re so selfish! '''' she cried painfully. Leo pulled her close and hugged her tightly;


    ''''What are we going to do? '''' he said with a heavy heart.


    Claire hiccupped against his chest as she thought silently;


    ''''Give me six months, I promise I''ll come back to you. Only six months, I promise. ''''


    She stared at him, placing her hands over his hands on her face;


    ''''Claire¡­ ''''


    ''''don''t be with anyone for six months, I promise I''ll resolve this before the six months is over. ''''


    Leo sighed; ''''Claire, I can''t even be with any other person even if I want to. '''' he paused;


    ''''I''ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes, I''ll wait for you. ''''


    Claire smiled and then she tiptoed and kissed him. Pulling him close, she deepened the kiss. Leo held her face as he tilted to the side and kissed her back with so much want. Light pants left their lips as Leo lifted her up and her legs went around him reflexively.


    She was so buried in the kiss that she didn''t realize they had reached the bedroom. A sigh left her lips as Leo placed her on the bed gently.


    Claire gazed into his eyes and caressed his face; ''''I love you. ''''


    She said, her words were heavy and carried so much passion. Leo gulped;


    ''''I love you too; '''' As soon as he said that, she kissed him again. This time it was slow, as though she was telling him with a kiss, how much she loved him.


    Her hands fondled his shirt and she pulled it over his head, placing kisses slowly down his body.


    Leo undressed her slowly as his lips relished every inch of her skin. He loved this woman dearly, he didn''t know how he was going to survive without her, damn, it was going to be hard.


    Her fingers dug into his back as he entered her slowly, her lips let out small pants as he moved but he swallowed them with his kisses. Claire felt her tears drop from the sides of her face, knowing that this was the last time she was going to see him in a really long time.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/i''ll-wait-for-you_50208615004428678 for visiting.


    They couldn''t sleep. Leo held her in his arms as he listened to her heartbeat. She was wide awake, praying that morning wouldn''t come, so she would not have to leave.


    A few hours later, Leo''s alarm rang by his side; he stretched his hand and tapped it off. He turned back to hold Claire but his hands froze when he saw that there was no-one there, all the leftover sleep in his eyes vanished instantly and he jumped out of the bed and rushed to the bathroom, throwing the door open, but she was not there.


    Leo panted as he ran to the kitchen and every room in the house, but she was not there.


    Heavy pants left his lips as he brushed this hand through his hair, his face as pale as snow. He thought he was at least going to see her that morning, but it seems she already left before he woke up.


    Leo walked slowly to a nearby couch and sat down; he knew it was going to hurt, but he didn''t know how deep it would be until now.


    ¡­


    Claire stared outside the window as they drove to the airport, she shut her own thoughts off, not wanting to think about anything because she knew once she tried to think, she was going to be a crying mess.


    ''''Ma''am, we''re here. '''' the chauffeur said and she blinked, and stepped down from the car. He carried her bag as she walked towards the airport.


    Throughout the flight, she didn''t say a word, nor talk to anyone.


    She missed him. She wasn''t sure if that was the best decision but she didn''t want to see him that morning unless she might actually want to stay.

 Chapter 301 - Just threats

    She wasn''t going to marry anyone he wanted. Since he wanted to break her, she would show him how much broken she can actually be.


    When they reached the white house, she got settled and ordered a banquet. The chefs stood by the side as she sat on the long dinner table with assorted dishes placed on it.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/just-threats_50229718057805633 for visiting.


    She picked her cutlery casually taking a plate; she placed some food on it.


    ''''Where is the president? '''' she asked, placing some food in her mouth;


    ''''He''s not been home since three days. '''' Claire paused;


    ''''when will he be coming back? ''''


    ''''I don''t know ma''am. '''' she paused and turned back to the food. She barely touched what was on the table when she stood up and left.


    After resting, she went for a swim. She was drying her wet hair as she walked back to her room when she saw her father playing golf. Her feet paused and she turned to where he was standing;


    She saw a surprise flash through his eyes when he saw her;


    ''''Oh¡­ Claire, you are here. '''' he smiled brightly as though he didn''t know why she was there in the first place. Claire stared at his face, quietly and not saying anything.


    ''''You can tell your guards to leave, or you can let them to hear what I want to say to you, the choice is yours. ''''


    Skipping the pleasantries, she went straight to what she had come to say. The smile on his face dwindled at her words and he looked at the guards, signaling them to leave.


    Claire waited till they were out of earshot before she spoke;


    ''''We are no longer together. '''' She said.


    Her father cleared his throat; ''''it''s good that you''ve realized what is best for you. ''''


    Claire laughed at his words;


    ''''No, no, Mr. President, you are getting it all wrong. I never said I''m going to marry who you choose.''''


    His face turned sour when he heard her;


    ''''What do you mean? ''''


    Claire smiled and closed the gap between them, and then she spoke staring straight at his face;


    ''''The last time I checked; you lost the right to police me a long time ago, in other terms, you lost the right to act as my father a long time ago. You threaten to kill Leo, but do you realize that that is all you can do, threaten.


    You can''t force me to marry anyone Mr. President.'''' She said, shaking her head.


    ''''You think it''s just mere threats? ''''


    She laughed when she saw that he was getting red with anger;


    ''''tsk tsk, what else can you do? You can only threaten because you know if you actually kill Leo, I''m still not going to do what you want. ''''


    Her father laughed; ''''Oh you little girl; what do you know? ''''


    Claire''s laugh stopped on her lips;


    ''''If you don''t marry who I choose for you, I''ll actually kill that man. Don''t try me. I''ll do it and you''ll be left with pain.''''


    All the anger she was trying so hard to mask was pushing up to the surface;


    ''''If you dare, I''m going to make sure you go in for it. ''''


    She brewed with rage, her hands clasping by her side;


    ''''Darling dear, you know one thing about revenge? It doesn''t bring back what you''ve lost. You can''t even hurt a hair on my skin, but even if you do, you can never bring him back. You''ll live the rest of your days regretting the choices you''ve made, wishing that you didn''t choose to let him die.''''


    Claire bit her lower lips tightly, and then she smiled;


    ''''At least you would be rotting in jail by then. Have you ever thought about the shame, from the white house to jail? Oh no, I don''t think you''ve thought about that. ''''


    She paused;


    ''''You know sometimes, I wonder if you are really my father. Because you''re so damn wicked! It baffles me. '''' she shook her head as though in shock.


    Mr. Howard stared at her quietly not saying a word, it seems her words hit.


    ''''Oh well, I just wanted to tell you that I''ll be staying around for a while, so get ready to be seeing this face for a really long time. Hope you won''t be having meetings here, because I might be barging in wearing nighties. '''' she smiled and then skipped away.


    ''''Make sure you don''t try to contact him, your calls are monitored. ''''


    Claire''s feet stopped and it seemed that she wanted to say something but then she decided against it and continued walking forward.


    Mr. Howard stared at her till she was out of sight and then his head fell. He had not treated her well; he didn''t even treat her mother well. But he didn''t have a choice, he wasn''t going to remain a president for ever, and he needed her to get married into a strong family and reputable family that would strengthen their alliances.


    She was right though, he was just two years into his first tenure, he wasn''t about to end it all because of some marriage. If he did anything to Leo, she was really going to make sure he went in for it. He had been trying to keep a good record, so he could win his second tenure, he wouldn''t allow something like this to destroy his years long reputation.


    It was sure threatening, but he wasn''t going to let her go easily.


    ¡­


    Claire walked into her room and sat down on the couch dejectedly.


    She had not hated any one so much as she hated this man. How long has her calls been monitored? She thought. Her eyes flickered over her phone and she picked it up, there were no calls from him, even though it was expected, it still hurt her.


    She tapped on his contact and her fingers hovered over the call button, she wanted to hear his voice, no, even if it was just a breath, it was enough. Ignoring what her father said earlier, she called him;


    But surprisingly the call ended before it could connect.

 Chapter 302 - Who wouldnt have a crush on him?

    A frown appeared on her forehead and she tried calling again, but it did the same thing. Her first thought was that he might have blocked her from calling him, but she knew Leo, he would have even tried to call her, and now she wasn''t seeing any calls, she knew it was her so-called father''s doing.


    Rage coursed through her and she stood up to go scream at him but just when she reached the door, she stopped and walked back to the couch, sitting down; she took a deep breath.


    No, he would be expecting that she would come and bark at him, but this time, she wasn''t going to say a thing. The more she spoke the more he knew what she was thinking, so she wasn''t going to say anything. She was just going to deal with him silently until he had no other choice but to let her be with the man she wants.


    ¡­


    Diana peeked at herself in the rearview mirror for the thousandth time. This was the first time she was going to Warren''s Corporation, and she didn''t even tell Michael she was coming. What if he was with another woman?


    She gulped as the thought flashed through her mind. She slapped herself lightly, why was she thinking the worst right now?


    Breathing in, she arranged her dress. These days, she was forgetting that she was an actress, a top one at that. It was surely going to be on all social media that she went to Warren''s Corporation to see Michael, but Diana hadn''t been happier about any rumor, in fact, she intentionally didn''t cover her face with a mask when she stepped down from the car.


    Her guard went ahead and explained to the security, such that as she arrived, they showed her to the elevator leading to the 30th floor while her guard waited for her on the first floor.


    Diana''s heart raced as the numbers read, when she was almost there, she started contemplating going back. What if he didn''t want to see her, or what if there was a woman?


    She wanted to go back but she had already come too far. Maybe if she was still in her car, she would have thought about it.


    Breathing in, she walked out of the elevator, and her eyes fell on a woman by a high counter, obviously his secretary. The woman looked up at her, and when she saw her, she frowned. Diana wondered if they''ve met before. Not thinking much of it, she walked to her with a smile;


    ''''Um, hello, I''m here to see the CEO, is he in? ''''


    She was dressed professionally but damn, she was hot. She didn''t want to, but Diana felt a pinch of jealousy as she imagined Michael seeing this beauty every day.


    ''''he''s in an important meeting, and I don''t think he wants to entertain any visitors. '''' The woman replied indifferently and turned back to her system, Diana felt cold. She stared at the woman quietly, why was she being sour, have they met before?


    ''''Um, can you tell me when he''ll be done? ''''


    Without looking at her, she said; ''''I suggest that you get going, he is very busy. '''' she swallowed; she was sure he wouldn''t ask her to leave when she had come all the way, so she took out her phone to text him since he was in a meeting;


    ''''I''ll just leave him a message¡­''''


    ''''Can''t you just leave? I''ve already told you he is in a meeting, what is wrong with you? '''' Diana was shocked, in all her life; she had never been humiliated this way. Was this woman insane or something?


    Right there, she even lost the zeal to stay, so she turned around to leave, but that moment, a door pulled open and Michael walked out, his steps stopped when he saw Diana.


    ''''Diana¡­ '''' there was surprise and excitement in his eyes for a second but when he saw the sad look on her face, he frowned;


    ''''What happened? '''' he asked as he approached, his eyes turning to his secretary who was looking like she was just poured a bucket of water.


    Just that moment, Diana saw a number of men stroll out of the room; it seemed the meeting just ended. She thought.


    When they saw her, they all stopped to know what was going on.


    Initially, Diana wanted to speak, but when she saw the men, she swallowed her words and shook her head.


    ''''it''s nothing¡­ ''''


    Michael raised her head with his hands and stared in her eyes;


    ''''Tell me, what is it? ''''


    She tried to look away, she was an only child and she was really doted on, so she got really emotional whenever she was yelled at, and so even when she tried to pretend, her eyes became watery.


    ''''It''s nothing¡­ she was just telling me that you were in a meeting, so I was about to leave. ''''Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/who-wouldn''t-have-a-crush-on-him_50229741948561622 for visiting.


    Michael stared at her red face, and then he waved the investors to leave. When they were gone, he turned to his secretary with a glare,


    ''''What did you say to her? '''' his tone was fierce and carried a hint of annoyance.


    The woman looked down at her hands; ''''I''m sorry; I just told her you were in a meeting, that''s all. ''''


    Michael watched her for a second, and then he turned back to Diana. Telling her he was in a meeting was not enough to make her cry¡­


    ''''You''re sacked; clear your table this minute and submit your ID at the counter; '''' He said and Diana raised her eyes in shock, before she could say a word, he held her hand and took her to his office, slamming the door close.


    She was shocked. Did he just sack his secretary because of her?


    Her cheeks flushed as she turned to him;


    ''''You didn''t have to do that, she didn''t do anything wrong¡­ '''' although she didn''t like the way the woman spoke, she didn''t want her to lose her job. She might have spoken to her that way because she had a crush on Michael and it wasn''t totally her fault. Who wouldn''t have a crush on him?

 Chapter 303 - Ill be doing more than holding hands

    ''''She made you cry, I won''t forgive anyone that made you cry. ''''


    Diana''s breath hitched at his words, this man, did he know how much he made her heart flutter?


    She looked away as her cheeks flushed;


    ''''No-one is here, so you can tell me now, what did she do? '''' he was leaning against his office table ad she was in front of him, so he put one hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him.


    Diana gulped when she saw that there was nearly no space between them, but at the same time, he wasn''t taking his hand off her.


    She gulped;


    ''''I asked her if you were in, and she said you were in a meeting and that you wouldn''t be seeing anyone. I decided to drop a message before leaving, but she quickly barked at me, and asked me why I just won''t leave. I didn''t even do anything¡­ ''''


    Diana''s words stopped on her lips when she felt his second hand join the first one around her waist.


    ''''And I asked you what she did and you said nothing; '''' Diana raised her eyes to look at him. He was staring at her scorchingly like she was a nicely prepared meal, she felt her cheeks burn under his gaze but at the same time, she couldn''t ask him to let her go.


    If they stayed like this any longer, she was going to get beet red.


    ''''... I didn''t want to say it in front of your employees; you might never know who is around until you see your name on the headlines. ''''


    Michael smiled and pushed some strands of hair away from her face.


    ''''Well I''m glad I came out at that time, I don''t know how many people she would have acted like that to in the past. ''''


    Diana''s brows puckered; ''''Um¡­ so a lot of women come to see you? ''''


    Michael gazed at her amused; ''''No, I''m talking of anyone that comes to see me, she might have been rude to them.'''' He chuckled; was she jealous?


    ''''oh; '''' Diana nodded;


    ''''And I was so glad to see you, you just made my day. My meeting didn''t end well, but seeing you now, I''m just so happy. ''''


    Michael smiled as he rubbed her cheeks, making it redden the more.


    For a second, Diana thought she was intentionally doing it so he could watch her turn all shades of red.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/i''ll-be-doing-more-than-holding-hands_50257151070890196 for visiting.


    ''''Well, there''s a reason I came; '''' Now she thought about it, it wasn''t enough reason to come all the way there, but then, she couldn''t out rightly tell him she had come to see him.


    ''''The role has been given to you officially; you just need to sign the contract. And the welcome party is next week Saturday. ''''


    ''''Wow, everything is happening so fast. ''''


    Diana smiled; ''''yeah, I''ve looked through the script, you''ll be given tomorrow after the contract signing.''''


    Her ears reddened when she remembered the extra bed scenes she had added to their part. Damn, she was shameless!


    ''''Alright, what time is it? ''''


    ''''Twelve noon, I''ll come here so we can go together. '''' he smiled,


    '''' that would be perfect.'''' He loved how she was ecstatic about them filming together. What she didn''t know was that he wanted it more than she could ever imagine.


    He didn''t know if he could be a good actor, but he was sure he wouldn''t mess anything up as long as she was there.


    ''''Have you had lunch? ''''


    He asked and she shook her head;


    ''''Alright, let''s go have lunch¡­ '''' Michael said, but when he remembered she was a celebrity, he stopped;


    ''''oh, paparazzi might be around, what do we do, should I order? ''''


    Diana shook her head; ''''No, there''s no problem. We can eat out, we are friends, and besides, we are going to be filming together, they can say whatever they want to say. ''''


    Michael smiled; ''''Alright, let me get my keys. ''''


    A smile plastered on her face as they walked towards the elevator. She actually liked this man a lot, a huge lot. She was sure if he made a move at her she wasn''t going to be able to resist. In fact, she wanted him to make a move.


    They stood close to each other in the elevator, their hands almost touching, almost.


    Diana gulped as the tension grew in the elevator. She wanted him to hold her hand but she watched the numbers read and to the last, but he didn''t. She felt bad, but she didn''t think much of it. They weren''t dating, neither was he obligated to¡­


    Just when she thought about it, Michael took her hand in his and walked out of the elevator holding her.


    Diana''s eyes widened but she quickly composed herself knowing that people were watching.


    The people going about their business peeked at them.


    They would have ordinarily minded their business, Michael had been with women in the past, but this was Diana, and there were rumors about them dating.


    Some just looked while a few gossipy ones took some pictures.


    When they got into the car, Diana laughed;


    ''''There''s a lot for the media to talk about now. ''''


    ''''Mm; and there would be a lot more in the future, ''cause I''ll be doing more than just holding hands. ''''


    Michael replied and intertwined their hands. Diana breath hitched as her face blushed;


    Why the hell was she thinking a thousand dirty thoughts!!


    ¡­


    Leo was surprised when he got an invitation to the white house. He read the letter over and over again; to be sure he knew what he was reading.


    The president had invited him over.


    Ordinarily, he should be happy reading this, but the only feeling that overwhelmed him was sadness. It was terrible without her. Every single day was like poison, a slow and deadly poison.


    He had tried to call her, but he couldn''t get her when he tried calling her with other numbers, it disconnects as soon as it connects, he wondered what was wrong.


    He knew she wouldn''t intentionally shut him off, so it must surely have something to do with her father.


    He was still reading the letter when a knock came on the door, he let the person in and he was surprised to see men dressed in suits.


    ''''Good day, Mr. Leo; we''re here to escort you to the white house. ''''


    Leo''s eyes glanced at them briefly, and then sent a message to someone on his phone, in case anything happened to him, but he doubted that.


    ''''Do I have a choice? '''' he asked and they didn''t respond. After a few seconds, the one who had spoken earlier said;


    ''''You do, but you should choose wisely. ''''


    Leo was quiet. He should have chosen not to go, but Claire was there, and he longed to see her. Even if it was just a glance, it was enough for him.


    Standing up, he followed them out.


    When they arrived at the white house, he searched for her with his eyes, but he couldn''t catch even a glimpse of her until he was taken to a room.


    After a few minutes, a maid brought a tray of wine and a wine cup and left. He wondered if they actually thought he would take anything from there.


    Standing up, he walked to the window and gazed outside, perhaps he would see her.


    ''''You''re not going to see her. ''''


    A voice spoke, jerking him around. Leo froze briefly when he saw her father, the president walk into the room and sit down.


    The man smiled at him, which was strange, and he pointed to the couch in front of him;


    ''''Sit. ''''


    Leo''s gaze remained on him for a few seconds before he turned to the couch he had pointed at and he sat down.


    ''''She''s in her room and she rarely comes here, so no matter how much you stare outside, you''re not going to see her. ''''


    Leo did not reply. He just stared quietly at him.


    Mr. Howard''s eyes flashed at the wine in front of him and he smiled when he saw he didn''t touch it.


    ''''You should know, I want the best for my daughter. '''' he went straight to the point since it was obvious that he wasn''t in the mood for pleasantries. ''''


    ''''What do you think is the best for her? ''''


    Mr. Howard paused; he was taken unawares as he was not expecting that question. He opened his lips to reply, but before he could say anything, Leo beat him to it;


    ''''Do you know her favorite dish? Do you know what season she likes most? Do you know what country she likes to visit in summer? '''' he paused with a chuckle; ''''no, this is too much, do you even know the day she was born? ''''


    Mr. Howard''s face paled but he could not form a reply, he just stared at Leo silently; and then Leo smiled;


    ''''You don''t know all these, so tell me, how do you know what is best for her? ''''

 Chapter 304 - Six months

    ''''So tell me, how do you know what''s best for her? '''' he spoke slowly but piercingly that by the time he was done, Mr. Howard was red with fume.


    ''''Shut up! What do you know? '''' Mr. Howard blared; he was angry at this point. His knuckles were already turning white. Leo did not respond he knew that no matter what he said, there was little or nothing he could do because this man in front of him, was not going to change his mind, for mere words.


    ''''I''m her father, and you''re a stranger, so I would always know what is best for her no matter what.''''


    ''''Mr. President, you claim you are her father, yet you are the one who hurt her the most. And even when she thought you were trying to make amends for the past, you shocked her by doing this. ''''


    ''''don''t you speak on my family, when you know nothing about it¡­ '''' Howard seethed and Leo stopped then he smiled;


    ''''Sorry, please forgive my manners. What did you bring me here for again? ''''


    Mr. Howard kept silent for many seconds, studying Leo intently. He was actually going to offer him a huge sum to leave Claire and get married to someone else as soon as possible, but they didn''t even start off on good grounds. And contrary to what he had thought, this man was actually in love with his daughter, so no amount under the heavens would make him leave her.


    The only option he had was coercion.


    ''''I want you to leave Claire and move on with your life. Don''t bother about her anymore, as she would soon be getting married. If you''re seen ten kilometers to wherever she is, you''ll be seen as a threat to her life. ''''


    Leo smiled; ''''the last time I checked, you made sure we aren''t together anymore, so I''m surprised by your demand, is this the only reason you brought me here for? ''''


    He raised his left brow as though Mr. Howard was a joke.


    ''''How much do you want? '''' irritated by his words, Mr. Howard spoke reflexively, his eyes glaring at him. Right now, he couldn''t hurt him, because his daughter was fond of him and if anything happened to him, she was going to make sure he went in for it, so he just had to pretend he was fine with how he spoke to him.


    ''''What? '''' Leo asked as though he did not hear what he had said earlier.


    ''''How much do you want to disappear from her life, $1 million? $5 million, $10 million, how much is it? Name your price! ''''


    Leo was stunned. He didn''t think that he would actually offer him money, but then he wasn''t shocked, he had done worse things already.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/six-months_50279870122476802 for visiting.


    ''''Hmm, I don''t know why you still offer me money to leave a woman that is currently living with you and with whom I have no access to, don''t you think it''s strange? '''' Leo chuckled;


    ''''Mr. President, I''m not here to auction off your daughter, she''s not a commodity to be bought and sold, and I think she has a mind of her own, so she has the right to decide whomever she wants to be with. However, she had asked that we break up and we''ve done that, so you don''t have to worry yourself over that. If that is all, you can tell your guards to take me back to California. '''' Leo concluded in one breath.


    Mr. Howard glared at him for a few seconds, and then he spoke;


    ''''Let''s make a deal. ''''


    Leo creased his brows; ''''A deal?''''


    ''''don''t contact Claire, don''t speak to her, break up totally with her, for a year, if she''s hasn''t wedded by the end of the one year span, then I won''t stop you both from being together. ''''


    Leo was stunned, what was he trying to do? He thought about it for a few seconds and then he said;


    ''''Six months, I''ll not contact or speak to her for six months, if she isn''t married at the end of the sixth month, I would be allowed to wed her. ''''


    Claire had said that he should wait for six months but Mr. Howard did not know about it, he could use it in his favor, but what if Claire misunderstood?


    ''''I said one year¡­ ''''


    ''''I can only do for six months, I cannot wait that long; '''' he stared back at Mr. Howard straightly, even though he wanted him to concede, he wouldn''t show it.


    ''''In six months, you don''t contact her, and she must not know about this. If she gets to know, you have lost the right to be with her, deal? ''''


    Leo stayed quiet briefly then he nodded,


    ''''Deal''''


    ''''You can leave now; the guards are waiting to send you back to the airport.


    Leo stood up and turned to the door, he just took a few steps when he stopped and looked at him.


    ''''Mr. President for once surprise Claire, by being her father. Have a nice life. ''''


    With that, he walked out the door and closed it.


    Leo''s words resounded in his ears as the room turned quiet, and he sunk into deep thought.


    She wouldn''t love what he was doing for her now, but she would thank him for this later. It was what was best for her. She needed someone to protect her, he had so many enemies who might want to come after her when he was no longer in office, she needed a strong family backing which Leo could not provide her.


    This was the only way. Mr. Howard nodded, trying to console himself.


    ¡­


    Claire sat in her couch as she played a game on her phone, trying to distract herself from the fact that she actually came here by herself only to be imprisoned.


    Today, she wasn''t even allowed to leave her room. She screamed and screamed but no-one even answered until she got tired and kept quiet.


    As expected, he had turned off her internet connection, so she wouldn''t tell anyone what was going on, Claire was frustrated but she tried to hold it in and breathe, if she thought about it for an extra second, she was going to run mad.

 Chapter 314 - Youre so mine

    The morning rays hit Tiana''s eyes and she squinted, turning her head so she was backing the sun rays.


    She felt a slow breath fan her face and she opened her eyes slowly and a small smile formed her lips. Nicklaus slept like a baby beside her. His long lashes cast a soft shadow underneath his lids. His hair was pulled from different angles and she raised her hand and quietly brushed it down.


    He looked so peaceful so she did not want to wake him; she just lay there, watching him sleep peacefully. After some time, as if he unconsciously felt he wasn''t holding her anymore, he stretched his hands and pulled her forward, snuggling his head in her neck, all the while still sleeping.


    Tiana laughed silently, he was such a baby. Her hands went around him and she hugged him back. She was surprised she was awake already after the rigorous night, her eyes looked around the room as she took in the beautiful decoration; she didn''t have time to appreciate it last night because of the dim lights and her raging l.u.s.t. And speaking of raging l.u.s.t, Tiana could not remember how last night ended; she couldn''t even remember how many times they did it, when she was limp and thought it was all over, she would feel him turn her over again.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/you''re-so-mine_50439079979974366 for visiting.


    Her legs were stiff and she didn''t try to move them, she already imagined the pain that would shoot up from her core.


    She closed her eyes again to sleep but when she woke up the second time, Nicklaus was still sleeping. Her eyes glanced at the clock and she saw it was past one pm, so she shook him, and instead of waking up, he lay on his back, pulling her along so she was lying on his chest.


    Tiana chuckled; she wondered what he took last night that was making him sleep so much.


    Tiana placed her hands on his chest as she supported her head with them as she watched him sleep soundly.


    ''''Babe¡­ ''''


    She whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.


    ''''Baby¡­ '''' she called again when she saw he wasn''t budging; Nicklaus still did not move, so she called again;


    ''''Babe wake up¡­ '''' This time his brows furrowed and when she called him again he opened his eyes slowly.


    ''''You''ve been sleeping¡­ '''' she laughed as she leaned back on the bed so she could look at his face;


    Nicklaus blinked a few times and turned to look at her; after a few seconds, he seemed surprised''


    ''''Wow¡­ '''' he spoke huskily;


    ''''what? '''' Tiana chuckled; she didn''t expect that the first thing he would say would be wow;


    ''''You''re so pretty; ''''


    Tiana''s eyes widened and she burst out laughing;


    ''''thank you¡­ '''' She didn''t even know what to say. Waking up and calling her pretty, made her cheeks flush so much that she thought it would bleed.


    Nicklaus raised his hands and caressed her chin;


    ''''you''re so mine,'''' he smirked as though he could not believe it; Tiana laughed;


    ''''it seems you dreamt about me? '''' she laughed, placing soft kisses on his chest.


    ''''Yeah, I did, and I did not want to wake up;


    From the look in his eyes, she imagined what the dream was about;


    ''''What was it about?''''


    Nicklaus smiled and brushed her hair with his hands,


    ''''Let''s shower and then I''ll tell you what the dream was about,'''' he smirked and sat up on the bed.


    ''''I don''t think I can move my legs; '''' Tiana groaned with a light chuckle as she watched him stand up stark, her eyes traveled down his legs and she looked back at his face, her cheeks burning.


    When she said that, Nicklaus remembered the events of last night and he ran his hand through his hair;


    ''''Oh, I''m so sorry, I was out of my mind last night; '''' he looked sincere as he sat back on the bed and placed soft kisses on her back;


    ''''Does it still hurt? '''' he asked, pushing the duvet away so he could see her legs; he gulped as his eyes took in her body, Nicklaus wanted to slap himself, he was actually getting hard when she was still complaining of the pain he inflicted.


    ''''I don''t know, I haven''t moved my legs but my core feels a little sore, but don''t worry, it''ll go away after I bath, I think. ''''


    She smiled,


    Nicklaus sighed and stood up; ''''Let me prepare a hot bath, maybe it would help. ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''okay, ''''


    She watched him walk to the bathroom then she looked around for her phone, her eyes sighted it on top of the dressing table and she knew she couldn''t get it.


    Surely rumors would have started circulating about their wedding, she had not shared any pictures on their page but others must have.


    After a few minutes, Nicklaus came back into the room;


    ''''The bath is ready, '''' he said as strode towards her, leaning down, he lifted her off the bed.


    Tiana smiled as he carried her to the bathroom like a baby, he placed her in the warm bath and sat down after her.


    ''''Mm, this is so comforting; ''??? she beamed as she lay on his back, a smile spread across her lips.


    ''''Does it help? '''' he asked and she nodded;


    ''''Yeah, a lot '''' she said, closing her eyes.


    Nicklaus took the soap and lathered her hair;


    ''''So where do you want to go for our honeymoon? '''' he asked and Tiana turned to him with surprise;


    ''''We''re traveling? '''' she didn''t think he would want to take another break since they already took one that year already.


    ''''Of course; '''' Tiana smiled;


    ''''I thought we already had our honeymoon? ''''


    ''''I don''t think it''s a crime if we go twice, and besides we need to relax after all these troubles, don''t you think? ''''


    Tiana nodded; ''''thank you, babe, I was thinking of the same thing, but you know, I didn''t think you would want to leave work. ''''


    Nicklaus laughed as he lathered her hair into a bun;


    ''''I told you we can have holidays whenever and wherever we want, you just have to say the word. ''''


    He concluded by touching her nose with lather.


    Tiana smiled; ''''and that reminds me, who placed those candles in our room? ''''


    ¡­


    Michael''s lips had a permanent smile as he read the script in his hands, when he asked her if there were kiss scenes, he didn''t think that there would actually be a s*x scene(vigorous making out, not real s*x) in the movie.


    Their storyline was simple.


    She was his best friend but he was having a huge crush on her, but she already had a boyfriend which meant that he was forever in the friendzone. But on his birthday, she got drunk and kissed him.


    He had to control himself from sleeping with her that day because they were alone in his house, when she wakes up the next day and finds out, she tells them to forget what happened.


    But that wasn''t possible since she started seeing him as something more.


    They went to her parents'' home for Christmas and as they sat watching tv, they were tempted to kiss again. She asked that they just do it once, as they could not deny the attraction.


    She feels if they did it, she would get over him, but was that possible?


    After the deed, the attraction intensifies, and whenever they met, they were just touching and kissing each other.


    He asked her out, but she refused, telling him she still loved her boyfriend, and he already asked her to marry him and that they had been dating for years already, she couldn''t leave him now.


    He asked her if she was sure she loved him, and she could not reply, she just says it didn''t matter, she was still going to marry him and she asked that they stop whatever it is they were doing.


    He didn''t want to let her go, but he couldn''t force her, so he asked for him to touch her for the last time, and that was when her fianc¨¦ catches them.


    Michael smiled as he read the script quietly; the plot was nice, and even though he wasn''t trained, he could pull it off because he actually liked Diana.


    As soon as he thought about her, his phone rang by his side;


    ''''Hey, how are you? What are you doing? '''' he could hear running water on the other side, and he wondered if she was in the kitchen;


    ''''I''m about to eat, what about you? ''''


    Michael''s eyes glanced on the script in his hands and he smirked;


    ''''I''m going through the script, such an interesting storyline¡­ ''''


    ''''Um, '''' Diana cleared her throat as though she just choked on her food;


    ''''I''ll call you back later, give me a minute; ''''


    Before Michael could ask her to hold on, she had cut the call. A small chuckle left his lips.


    Quickly, he went to his inbox and sent a message.


    Diana heaved as she cut the call; she didn''t want them to talk about it, to think they actually had more kiss scenes than the actual main leads courtesy of her.


    Even though he did not say it, deep down she felt as though he knew she had added extra scenes that weren''t there in the first place. If she wouldn''t be shameless in real life, she was allowed to be shameless in her movies.


    Her thought was cut off when her phone vibrated on the table;


    Picking it up, her face burned when she saw the message;


    ''''you''re so shy talking about a fake s.e.x scene, what would happen when we actually have s.e.x? ''''

 Chapter 317 - Honeymoon

    As he said those words, tears fell down her face.


    ''''It''s not true¡­ ''''


    Her voice trembled as she spoke; ''''Leo would never do this to me¡­ ''''


    ''''You think I''m lying, then call him then, call him and ask him if everything I said is true, I won''t tell petty lies, Claire. ''''


    Claire''s face turned so red and a river of tears flowed from her eyes.


    ''''All my calls are directed to his voicemail, he doesn''t pick them anymore. '''' She cried as her head fell. Mr. Howard smiled and stood up from his seat;


    ''''Oh dear, don''t cry, don''t cry. '''' he walked to her and consoled her;


    ''''I''ve always told you, I know the best for you. When I saw that man, I knew he wasn''t the one for you. Don''t worry, I''ll find someone good for you okay? ''''


    Mr. Howard patted her back and he was surprised when she didn''t push him away as always.


    Finally, he had gotten her.


    A smirk grew on his lips. Leo was very stupid to think he could make such a deal with him and win. No woman would wait for a man that abandoned her that way.


    This was just the second month, by the time the six months were over, she would have been long married.


    After crying for a while; Claire stood up from her chair;


    ''''I''m going inside now, I need to rest, I think I have a headache. ''''


    She said and stood up, turning to go back to her room.


    ''''Sleep tight, I''ll send some guards over if you want anything,'''' he said but Claire did not reply, she just kept walking.


    A smile broadened his lips as he watched her walk away, finally, he had succeeded. The next step was to get the perfect man for her.


    He wouldn''t overwhelm her with it immediately; he would let her heal from her broken heart first.


    There was a lot of time for that; he would take it little by little.


    ¡­


    Claire closed her door and the sad look on her face disappeared instantly.


    Her father was such a funny man. She knew she could deceive him easily. When one was driven by greed they would be so blind to things staring right at them.


    She walked lazily to her bed and lay down.


    Now she would swindle him till the six months were over and before he even knew what was happening, she would be married to Leo.


    Leo had come for Tiana''s wedding but no matter how much she missed him, she tried to hold herself back from talking to him. These days she didn''t want to see him often so she wouldn''t be tempted to talk to him.


    It was hard, but she was going to pull it through to the end.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus zipped up Tiana''s dress as he placed a soft kiss on her neck;


    Tiana smiled and she raised her phone up and took a picture of them in that pose, with him kissing her neck. A beamed as she looked at it.


    She took a few more pictures of them and posted it on IG,


    They were traveling for their honeymoon, and they were staying up-to a month. Tiana was happy she would have him all to herself for that long because she knew he would be very busy with work when they came back.


    Nicklaus'' hand stayed on her back as they walked down the stairs;


    Tiana''s eyes fell on Gwen who just walked in with a towel around her neck, she was wearing her gym clothes and when she saw them she smiled;


    ''''Gwen good morning! '''' Tiana beamed, she was radiating as she walked down the steps;


    ''''Tiana, how are you, honeymoon already? '''' she smiled;


    She had seen the guards loading their luggage in the car, so she knew.


    ''''Yeah; '''' Tiana smiled excitedly; ''''we''ll be back in a month''s time. ''''


    ''''Alright, enjoy yourselves! Get me a Birkin bag when you''re coming back. ''''


    ''''I will. ''''


    ''''Take care of yourself, Gwen. '''' Nicklaus said and she smiled and waved them bye.


    Gwen folded her hands as she watched them walk away, the guard opened the door for them and they entered.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/honeymoon_50485224320072360 for visiting.


    Tiana waved at her as the car drove away and she waved back with a smile, but the smile disappeared as soon as the car was out of sight and a scowl formed on her face.


    One month, one month was enough to get everything ready before they came back.


    Gwen nodded to herself and turned around, walking to her room to wash off her sweat.


    Unknown to her there was someone standing afar off watching her quietly.


    ¡­


    The blinding lights from the cameras flashed on Diana''s eyes as they drove into the venue for the welcome party.


    She hated flashing lights. They hurt her eyes.


    ''''Are you okay? '''' Michael asked, as he stopped the car;


    ''''yeah; '''' she nodded with a smile; breathing out.


    She knew the cast and crew but she hasn''t met most of them in real life. Even the main characters; the female lead was a popular actress too but she had never been on the same set with her.


    ''''Are you ready? ''''


    Diana nodded, and Michael turned to get down from the car so he could open the door for her but that instant Diana stopped him;


    ''''Wait! ''''


    He creased his brows and turned to her;


    ''''What''s wrong? ''''


    She turned to him in shock; ''''I think my zip just snapped; ''''


    Michael''s eyes looked at her back; ''''seriously? ''''


    ''''yeah, seriously. '''' she laughed;


    ''''Okay, let me see if I can fix it; '''' he said and Diana turned around, she didn''t have a choice though. She had a thousand other clothes she would have worn, but she wore this one and it just had to snap. And in front of the venue at that!


    If he couldn''t fix it, then they had to go back;


    Diana adjusted on the seat so Michael could see her back, his eyes fell on her smooth skin and he swallowed; he had been trying to control himself from touching her, but seeing more and more of her skin was not making it any easier for him.

 Chapter 318 - Melting her heart

    The dress she wore was strapless, and so she didn''t need to wear a bra on it, so when she turned her white smooth back came into view, Michael gulped as his head started imaging things against his will.


    Blinking, he tried to concentrate on the issue in front of him. The zipper was up, so he pulled it down slowly, concentrating his eyes on what he was doing so he wouldn''t see the extra flesh exposed, and then he zipped it up.


    ''''Is it done?'''' Diana asked, raising her eyebrows.


    ''''Yeah, ''''


    Diana checked the dress, and it didn''t snap again, she heaved a sigh as she propped her chest area upwards, adjusting the gown. Michael looked away immediately; he had seen enough flesh for one day.


    ''''Are you done? '''' He asked after some time and Diana nodded.


    Coming down from the car, he walked to the other side and pulled open the door for her, Diana held his hand as she stepped out quietly amidst the blinding lights.


    Michael held her hand as he walked towards the entrance as the photographers took unending pictures of them.


    When they walked into the venue, almost everyone was in already; Diana held Michael''s hand as they greeted the people she knew, and a few that she didn''t know. Michael was a really handsome guy and he knew how to engage in discussions, so everyone that came to talk to him loved him instantly.


    ''''Hi, Diana, finally we meet! ''''


    Caroline spoke with a bright smile on her face, she was the female lead for the show and Diana had been looking forward to meeting her. They had many scenes together as they were best friends in the movie.


    ''''Oh my, Caroline! Wow, you''re so much prettier in person. ''''


    Diana smiled; ''''I was so excited when I heard that you''ll be on the show, I''ve been looking forward to meeting you. ''''


    ''''Ha ha, me too. I''m a huge fan of yours, can I hug you? '''' she requested and Diana finally let go of Michael''s hand and embraced her in a quick hug.


    That was when Caroline saw Michael.


    ''''Oh, Michael, wow, he''s really handsome as they say. '''' she smiled and stretched her hand to him;


    ''''I''m Caroline, it''s nice to meet you. ''''


    Michael nodded with a smile and shook her briefly. He had seen her in some movies and billboards, she was really popular. He didn''t expect that she would be so warm and down to earth, most of these A-list actresses were mostly full of themselves, and it was nice to know that there were humble ones among them.


    Just that moment, a man walked to her side, Diana recognized him immediately, he was the male lead and Diana had been on the same set with him before;


    ''''Jeremy, it''s been a while. '''' she smiled and stretched out her hand for a shake.


    ''''Yeah, was surprised to hear that you didn''t want the main character role, this is new. ''''


    He smiled, his eyes glanced at Michael and he greeted him/


    ''''I''m Jeremy, and you''re Michael, don''t be surprised that I know your name, everyone in this hall is talking about you. ''''


    Michael laughed and shook his hand. ''''it''s nice to meet you. ''''


    ''''Yeah, me too, I look forward to being on set with you. ''''


    ''''Me too; ''''


    ''''I see I''m too small for your eyes, Mr. Jeremy Stuart. ''''


    Caroline frowned at him and he rolled his eyes; ''''I''ve greeted you three times already today ma''am because you were in every gathering I walked into. ''''


    Diana and Michael laughed. These two were fun. Caroline had acted alongside Jeremy before so they were friends, many of their fans thought they were together, but Caroline shocked them by dating a singer instead.


    Caroline rolled her eyes at him; ''''Alright see you guys later, I have to greet a few more people before the show begins. ''''


    She waved at them and walked out with Jeremy.


    They greeted a few more people and before long, the event started. She was among the producers so she soon left Michael''s side to sit with the team.


    But soon she regretted it as a small actress took her position immediately and talked to Michael. Michael was a very jovial person, so he engaged in the discussion with her.


    Diana forced her eyes away from him and tried to concentrate on what they were doing. The cast was called up to the stage to introduce themselves one after the other. Michael seemed like the newest person among them, and as he introduced himself, Diana couldn''t help but admire his poise and the way he carried himself when he spoke. One thing she knew was that she wasn''t the only one seeing this, she just prayed he would continue to love her the way he did.


    In the industry, there were women skilled in the art of seduction, and right now, looking at him with the lights above his head, highlighting his beauty, she wasn''t sure if she made the right choice by bringing him in.


    After the event ended, Diana greeted the people she didn''t meet at the beginning of the show, but her eyes secretly searched around for him. And like she suspected, he was surrounded by people_ women.


    She pulled her eyes from him and forced a smile as she talked with the people in front of her. Maybe she was being overprotective, he was a human being and he had a mind of his own and he was capable of making decisions for himself. If he didn''t like her, he wouldn''t have asked her to be his girlfriend.


    She consoled herself as she tried not to feel jealous by everything he did.


    Suddenly she felt a hand go around her waist and she looked up;


    Michael was standing beside her and he leaned down and kissed her chin, then whispered in her ears;


    ''''Why did you leave me with those women? ''''


    Diana blushed and tried to look stern. He had a way of melting her heart to a puddle. Just now, she was so grumpy, but he had held her so endearingly in front of everyone and kissed her, as though telling them he was already taken. No-one had treated her so importantly in her entire life.


    After greeting the person she was talking to, he turned to leave with her but the director, walked in front of them;


    ''''Diana and Michael, '''' he called with a knowing smile;


    ''''Good to see you, Director; '''' they met earlier, but they didn''t have the time to talk.


    ''''Mm, tomorrow is my birthday, and I''m throwing a party at my place, make sure you are there. ''''


    Diana smiled and nodded; ''''Okay; ''''


    They talked for a little while before they finally left.


    A smile plastered on Diana''s chin as they drove back home, she couldn''t get over what happened back at the party. She wished she could see those girl''s faces when Michael kissed her, but too bad they weren''t in front of her. She didn''t expect Michael to do that, but all the same, it had made her very happy.


    ''''Why are you blushing? ''''


    Michael asked, he had been watching her, and she couldn''t stop smiling.


    Diana shook her head; ''''nothing, I''m just happy everything went well today. ''''


    The car became quiet and no-one talked again until they got to her house.


    Diana stepped down from the car before Michael could open the door for her;


    He stood in front of her and his eyes looked down at her body; raising his hand, he caressed her arm;


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    He scolded, he would have given her his jacket at the party, but he didn''t wear a jacket that day.


    Diana smiled; ''''I''m not cold. ''''


    ''''You are, your body is very cold. ''''


    Diana looked down at her feet briefly as she tucked her hair behind her ear.


    ''''What are you going to have for dinner? '''' he asked, he wanted to be sure she would eat something before she slept;


    ''''I have some food in the refrigerator,


    ''''Okay, '''' Michael replied. He stared at her for a short moment, and then he kissed her hair;


    ''''Go in now before you catch a cold. ''''


    Diana bit her lip as she thought;


    ''''Stay the night, it''s already late and your house is far from here. You can go back tomorrow. ''''


    He had stayed over before, so it wasn''t a problem. Michael watched her for a second and then he nodded;


    ''''okay. ''''


    Diana stepped out of her heels as they got into the house, her feet hurt from wearing them for a long while.


    ''''You know your room; you can freshen up while I take a shower before we eat. ''''


    Michael nodded as he watched her walk into her room.


    Diana closed her door and then locked it.


    She walked into the room and started taking off her clothes. She didn''t know why she was feeling like he was in the room, watching her; she didn''t feel this way the last time he was here, maybe because they weren''t together then.


    She thought of what he was doing now, taking off his clothes?


    And talking of taking off his clothes, there weren''t any male clothes in his room to change into; thankfully, she had a few large male shirts, she bought during one of her travels, so she searched for them in her wardrobe and when she saw them, she picked one, and quickly slipped into her nightie and walked out of the room,


    She went to his room and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, the door opened, but the sight that met her eyes stopped the words on her lips;

 Chapter 327 - She took what was mine

    Gwen pursed her lips as she thought for a moment. She didn''t know if she should trust Veronica.


    ''''She took what was mine."


    Ver creased her brows.


    "how?'''' she asked, sitting down on a small cushion in the room.


    Gwen paused, "how am I sure I can trust you? ''''


    A smirk formed on Ver''s lips.


    "I don''t like your sister. When she came here, she was humble and talking to everyone of us, but as soon as she became our boss''s wife, she didn''t even look our way like she was not on our level anymore. I just don''t like her. And I also want to benefit.


    So what did she do to you?"


    Gwen thought for a second,


    "I was chosen by Nicklaus to be his mistress, but she cunningly took my position and pretentiously smiles like she did nothing wrong, that''s what makes me mad the most.


    Seeing her smiling like she did nothing wrong, does she think I''m stupid?''''


    Gwen scoffed, "Maybe she thought I''ve forgotten about it, ha, she must be delusional."


    Ver nodded, "so you''re saying, you should have been the one married to Nicklaus now?''''


    ''''Yes."


    "Okay, so what do you want?''''


    Gwen became silent. She contemplated on what she wanted.


    "I just want to take back what is mine, that''s all."


    Ver was surprised. Was she saying she wanted to get married to Nicklaus?


    Even if Tiana did take what was hers, they were married now, wasn''t it a little too harsh? She had thought she would think of getting a lot of money from them, so she would get her share, she didn''t think it would be about the end of their marriage.


    Her heart raced, this was not what she planned in the first place and she didn''t think Gwen was that wicked.


    Gwen had an innocent look and a beautiful smile, noone would ever think she was capable of thinking of such wickedness.


    "Are you sure that that is what you want?" she asked again, trying to make sure she wasn''t hearing things.


    Gwen arched her brows, seriously? Did she think she was here to play games.


    Veronica blinked and cleared her throat; "okay, I think you know the only way to get to Tiana''s husband is by removing Tiana from the picture. How do you expect to do that?''''


    She wasn''t thinking of killing her blood sister was she?


    "That''s exactly why I''m here, to know how to get her out of the picture."


    Ver was shocked. She didn''t like Tiana very well because she just came in and got married to Nicklaus. She was just jealous of her luck, and when she saw an opportunity to get some money, she wanted to grab it, but this was not what she bargained for. She didn''t want Tiana dead.


    She didn''t want blood on her hands.


    "You want her dead? ''''


    "No," Gwen laughed "Not at all, how can I kill my sister? I want you to make her leave his side."


    "That''s not possible¡­"


    Ver shook her head, "these two are almost inseparable. They are in love, even if you make her leave his side, Nicklaus wouldn''t even see you. He loves this woman, so he would do everything in his power to get back to her."


    "Not if she cheats on him."


    Ver''s lips which were half open twitched,


    "Cheat on him? ''''


    Gwen pressed her forehead, she was right, this girl knew nothing.


    ''''I didn''t come here to explain everything to you like you are a child. Veronica."


    Ver''s eyes wandered. This was not what she bargained for.


    "I didn''t think you wanted to get back at her for taking Nicklaus away from you, I thought¡­"


    "You thought I came here to gossip or what?''''


    This was getting serious¡­


    Veronica felt sweat break out on her forehead.


    "Stop fidgeting like a kid and brace yourself up. You went looking for trouble and you''re in one now, so when I ask for you, you''ll come running."


    Ver swallowed, "Okay, what''s my gain in all of this?''''


    ''''How much do you want? ''''


    Ver''s eyes widened and she thought, ''''Fifty thousand?"


    "Consider it done," Gwen stood up and walked towards the door, but before she could open the door, someone beat her to it and she froze.


    A fat girl was standing in front of her looking surprised. She had the question, what are you doing here?, written all over her face.


    Gwen smiled at her and walked past her.


    Bella turned to Veronica with a frown,


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    She had never seen them together before, so she wondered what she was doing in her room by past 12, or was she¡­


    "She came to ask about tissue paper.''''


    Thankfully Veronica could think of a reason. That day, the tissue paper in the store got exhausted and they forgot to buy, so she thought it to be the best reason to give.


    '''' Oh, okay, that''s what I''m here for too. Do you have any?''''


    Veronica shook her head, going to lie down on the bed, pretending to be deep asleep before Gwen woke her.


    ''''No I don''t, you can ask Maria."


    "Urgh, okay. Goodnight." She smiled and closed the door. Veronica heaved a sigh of relief and fell back on the bed.


    Her eyes stared at the ceiling as she thought.


    What did she get herself into?


    ¡­


    Claire sat in front of the man, her hand twirling her drink, her eyes stared at him occasionally as though trying to understand why someone so young, wanted to get married to a stranger. He had been talking for a while and he didn''t even bother to ask her about herself. It was as though he memorized what he was going to say.


    He was the heir to Fijiu Group, rumor had it that he was the only child. Maybe that was why they wanted to get him married soon.


    Claire didn''t mind that he was rapping, in fact, it helped her enjoy her meal. After a long while, she picked up her phone and glanced at the time, it was past 9, they had talked for over 2 hours, more correctly, he had talked for over two hours.


    ''''We own one of the biggest¡­"


    "I know, you own one of the biggest companies in the world, with branches all over the world and even in the sea¡­ I know." Claire completed mockingly.


    From the little moment she spent with him she knew he was one of this spoilt kids that weren''t exposed and he still behaved like a kid.


    "Let''s end it here, I don''t like you, and I won''t marry you."


    She smiled and stood up.


    "Tell your father that and goodnight."


    Not bothering about the shock on the man''s face, she stood up and walked out of the five star restaurant.


    A sigh left her lips.


    This was the third one within a week. She wondered if she could keep up with this. They were barely two months in and she was already tired.


    Claire leaned her head on the steering of her car and shut her eyes. Her father was really something.


    As soon as she thought about him, her phone rang;


    Her eyes glanced at it and she saw it was him, clenching her jaws, she picked the call.


    "You don''t like your date? ''''


    He didn''t even bother about greeting, he just asked, Claire sighed.


    "Father, he looks younger than me and he bahaves like a kid." She was really holding herself back from giving him a piece of her mind.


    Four months more¡­


    "Your date last week Friday was someone with a tall build and a muscular frame, you didn''t want him, so what do you want?''''


    There was irritation in his tone, and Claire kept shut. She didn''t want to say something that would make him suspect that she was trying to buy time.


    Mr. Howard was angry. Almost two months had gone and she was still delaying. What if it got to the sixth month and she still haven''t made her choice?


    "I''ll keep going on dates, maybe I''ll see someone I like."


    "Claire, you shouldn''t be looking for someone you like, but someone you can be comfortable with."


    Her father tried to not sound mad. Breathing out, he calmed himself. He shouldn''t be harsh on her, if she refused to go to the dates, it would be worse, and he didn''t have anything to threaten her with anymore. He shouldn''t even raise his voice.


    Lowering his tone, he continued,


    "Don''t worry, just take your time okay?''''


    '''' Alright father, I will.''''


    ''''that''s my baby, take care of yourself.''''


    ''''Okay. ''''


    Claire sighed and tossed the phone to the passenger''s seat, this was getting suffocating,


    Would she be able to hold on to the end?


    She bit her lower lip as Leo flashed in her eyes, if for anything, she was going to hold on for him.


    He was waiting for her, and it was hell for him too, so she wasn''t going to screw it up.


    ¡­


    Tiana laughed at herself as she plaited Nicklaus hair while he slept. He looked like a girl with braids, she grinned as she came down from the bed and went to her dressing table, taking her make up kit, she went back to him.


    He was so going to kill her when he wakes up.


    She laughed to herself as she took out her makeup. He was lying on his side so she turned him around so he was facing upwards, thankfully he didn''t wake up.


    Taking out her foundation powder, she coated his face and then she did lipstick and rubbed his mascara. He already had long lashes so the mascara made them thicker.


    She was about applying the finishing powder, when Nicklaus stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes.

 Chapter 328 - Naughty Little Wife

    Nicklaus blinked and looked at her. Her hands were still in the air and it took him a moment to realize what she was doing.


    He held her hand as a smile formed on his lips, ''''what are you doing?''''


    Tiana laughed and she shook her head, "Nothing."


    Nicklaus sat up and his eyes fell on the stool beside the bed,


    "did¡­ did you use that on my face?"


    He asked with a small laughter,


    Tiana giggled, he looked really funny with braids and makeup.


    Nicklaus stood up from the bed and walked to the mirror and his lips fell open when he saw his reflection.


    "Beautiful, you''re so dead! '''' not only was his face caked, he had girly braids too.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/naughty-little-wife_50722156459378198 for visiting.


    Tiana was standing on the other end of the room, her eyes almost teary from laughing too much. Her eyes searched around for her phone and she turned it on and took a few pictures of him.


    '''' what are you doing? '''' Nicklaus asked as he walked towards her, but she backed away,


    ''''I''m taking pictures of you, I''m going to post them online."


    "Don''t you try it¡­" Nicklaus quickly ran after her to stop her, but Tiana ran around the room speedily, he wondered when she became so fast.


    ''''You look very cute though, why are you so shy? ''''


    She laughed, raising her phone to take the last photo of him, but Nicklaus chased her and this time she wasn''t fast enough and he grabbed her and took the phone tossing it on the bed.


    ''''You are very disobedient, wife." He held he waists, pulling her towards him. Tiana laughed,


    ''''Maybe¡­'''' She grinned,


    ''''so how do I punish you? '''' his hands grabbed her butt and he squeezed it. Tiana bit her lower lip, her core pulsed, the only punishment she wanted right now was one that involved her being turned over and f.u.c.k.i.e.d till her legs shook.


    ''''Spank me," She stared at him cutely making his lips twitch.


    "You''re very naughty, you know that right?''''


    She laughed as her hands caressed his chest inched downwards to grab his manhood, earning a m.o.a.n from him.


    Nicklaus held her neck and pulled her close, kissing her lips roughly. Tiana m.o.a.ned against his mouth.


    These past weeks made her realize she liked being handled a bit roughly, the pleasure was out of this world.


    She felt her toes almost curling when he suddenly stopped.


    Tiana''s eyes opened with disappointment and she glared at him, "what''s wrong? ''''


    Nicklaus laughed, "you don''t expect me to f.u.c.k you while looking like a girl, do you? ''''


    That was all they have been doing since the past two weeks, f.u.c.k, eat, sleep, go out, watch movies, play games and more f.u.c.k.i.n.g.


    Tiana was nothing like the cute little wife he married, she surprised him every passing day.


    Even when they have had s.e.x all day, he would feel her hands on him in the middle of the night. She was always ready.


    ''''but you look cute! '''' She said with a chuckle. Looking at him again, she laughed the more. He was very handsome so with the makeup, he looked like a girl.


    '''' and yet you''re laughing,"


    Nicklaus glared at her,


    ''''That''s because you''re too cute."


    She smiled, "alright alright, come sit down let me lose the braids."


    She took him to the bed and made his sit on the floor while she sat on the bed with him in-between her legs.


    She started losing the braids,


    "I can''t believe we''ve spent over two weeks here." Tiana pouted, she felt like stopping time. As each day passed, the day of their return drew nearer. She didn''t want to go back, but they couldn''t have holidays forever.


    "We can have holidays whenever. Don''t worry, we''ll be coming often, here''s our home too."


    Nicklaus bought a house with a private beach in Singapore as a surprise gift for her. He noted when she told him she liked Singapore very much so he had bought the house before their wedding but he kept it away from her.


    When they arrived at the house, and he told her it was theirs, she was so happy. He loved when she was happy and smiling, especially when he was the cause of her happiness. It made him full with joy.


    "Mm, we need to go back to work too. Doing nothing everyday is not good for our body."


    "Are you sure we''re doing nothing everyday? ''''


    Tiana creased her brows, "what are we doing?'''' last time she checked, he didn''t even bring his work pc, so he had been off work for the month. So what have they been doing?


    Nicklaus replied by raising his hand and grabbing her b.o.o.b.s,


    "we''ve been doing this." Tiana realized what he meant and she pushed his hand away,


    "you''re so naughty,'''' She shook her head with a chuckle,


    "I''m still learning from you." Nicklaus replied making her laugh,


    "I''m not naughty," she said,


    "oh trust me, that''s your specialty."


    "Well, I don''t care, that isn''t going to stop me from f.u.c.k.i.n.g you once I''m done losing these braids."


    "Yes wifey."


    Tiana smiled. She was grateful for everyone in her life right now, most especially him. He made sure she was never sad and made her laugh all the time. She loved him, more than words could define.


    "I like you a lot, very very much. ''''


    She said out of nowhere. Nicklaus replied by kissing the insides of her thighs.


    He thought he could stop loving her less, but with each passing day, he was more enchanted by her. She was like a drug, and he was addicted.


    "I''m happy I''m going to spend the rest of my life with you, " Tiana said, she knew no marriage was perfect and she was open to anything but with Nicklaus she wasn''t sure there was anything he would do that would make her very mad. He was nearly perfect. She just prayed nothing would come between them again.


    "Me too."


    ¡­


    "and¡­. Action!"


    "You didn''t tell me you were seeing someone," Karl (Michael) asked, his eyes bore a sadness that Caroline (Diana) was too blind to see.


    "Sorry, I should have told you, I hope you are not mad." She smiled at him, holding his arm in a friendly manner.


    Karl stared at her for a second and then he shook his head.


    "Not at all." There was silence between them for a while and then he asked,


    "Are you happy with him? ''''


    Caroline glanced at him surprisingly and she smiled, "yes, he''s the best thing that has ever happened to me, I love him."


    Her words stabbed his heart but he fought hard to mask it.


    "That''s great to hear. I''m happy for you. '''' He smiled and his hands dipped into his pockets, his right hand clasping tightly around the little box of necklace he had wanted to gift her.


    "Cut!" The director cut the scene and Diana breathed out a sigh of relief. She looked towards the director.


    "How did we do? ''''


    He was all smiles and she knew they did well,


    ''''Strangely too well, I expected some NG, but it seems Michael is a good actor already."


    Michael smiled at him.


    "This is enough for today, you can go get changed."


    Diana exchanged a knowing smile with Michael as she turned towards her changing room.


    "Didn''t know Michael was this good, seems you didn''t choose him only because you liked him after all."


    Diana turned to see Caroline walk in and she creased her brows.


    "who said I liked him?"


    Caroline rolled her eyes as she sat on the couch and waved the makeup artist away,


    "It''s very obvious on your face, babe. Everyone knows, you need to see the way you look at him, " Caroline laughed making Diana''s chin blush red, she didn''t think it was very obvious.


    "Maybe I like him a little,"


    "Oh babe, you like him a lot."


    Diana glared at Caroline making her laugh the more.


    "My heart was in my stomach today, all the cast came by to see his acting, even though they didn''t have any scenes, they just wanted to see if he could even act, I was so happy that Michael pulled it off." Caroline said.


    "Me too, I was scared but he assured me he would be fine and he surprised me, let''s go."


    Diana said as she finished changing her clothes.


    They walked towards Michael''s dressing room but before they could reach they saw him walk out, but there was a woman by his side.


    The smile on Diana''s face paled when she saw her.


    Melissa was walking beside Michael with a beautiful smile on her chin. She couldn''t hear what she was telling him, but Michael smiled at her words.


    Diana bit her lower lip and turned around so he wouldn''t see her.


    ''''Let''s go have lunch.'''' She said to Caroline, who stared at her with surprise, weren''t they going to meet Michael now?


    Not saying a word she followed after her immediately.


    Diana dug into her food, a gloomy look on her face.


    Caroline nearly laughed, was she this way because she saw Michael with another woman?


    Diana''s phone vibrated by her side and she peeked at it, she turned it over when she saw the caller.


    Caroline suspected it was Michael so she asked.


    "Aren''t you going to pick it up? ''''


    '''' No." Diana replied, filling her mouth with food. She didn''t even know why she was mad.


    The next second Caroline''s phone rang and she looked at it,


    '''' It''s Michael,"


    Diana paused, "Tell him you haven''t seen me."


    "Dian¡­"


    Caroline wanted to plead with her but Diana glared at her, making her words stop in her throat, heaving a sigh, she swiped and picked the call.

 Chapter 329 - Softie

    "Hey, Caroline, have you seen Diana? I''ve been calling her phone but she''s not picking."


    Caroline stayed silent as her eyes stared at Diana who was glaring at her in return. Her tongue felt heavy but she couldn''t do anything,


    ''''Um¡­ no, I''ve not seen her, maybe she''s not with her phone, give her sometime and call back again."


    "Okay, sorry for disturbing."


    "Oh, no worries, I''m glad to be of help."


    "Yeah, thanks."


    Caroline dropped the phone back down, a sigh leaving her lips.


    "why are you mad? '''' She asked Diana, creasing her brows. Where they dating already?


    "I don''t even know. '''' Diana replied after much thought. She actually realized she didn''t know why she was mad at him. He was only talking to a fellow colleague. And besides other male actors talked to her and he didn''t behave this way.


    Maybe she was actually childish for behaving that way. She thought for a second and dropped her cutlery.


    "The thing is¡­ I don''t like that Melissa, she''s always in his face, with those super huge oranges in front of her chest and her annoying smile, I tried to overlook it but she is just getting on my nerves."


    Caroline burst out laughing at her wonderful description of Melissa. True, she was very endowed, and she knew how to flaunt it. Men usually fell for those endowments, so she understood why Diana was mad.


    "but you''re curvy too, I prefer your body to hers to be frank."


    Caroline said truthfully. Diana had round b.o.o.b.s and perfect butt, she was a perfect hour glass shape, she wondered why she was feeling low in front of Melissa.


    "Caroline, you can''t compare me to Melissa."


    "Okay, wait, I want to understand, you guys, you guys are dating? ''''


    "Kinda¡­" Diana replied with flushed cheeks. Cause it was actually ''kinda dating'', they were dating but they were barely doing anything couples did, the most was kissing.


    "Mm¡­ interesting. So now I get why you''re jealous. But then, you''re saying that Michael likes you because of your body? ''''


    "No, no, that''s not it¡­'''' Diana shook her head, now she was really feeling bad for not picking his call.


    "I was just jealous that''s all."


    Caroline smiled, "To be frank, Melissa is not even a competition, but if you aren''t comfortable with her, then you should tell him.


    But then, it''s not like she made advances at him, they were just talking," she smiled and patted Diana''s hand which was on the table.


    "I know right, I was just worrying for nothing, ''''


    Diana bit her lower lip and picked up her phone,


    "Give me a sec, let me call him."


    She said and Caroline nodded,


    Immediately the phone rang, Michael picked it up,


    "Babe, I''ve been calling you, where did you keep your phone?''''


    When Diana heard his voice, she instantly felt sorry for ignoring him.


    "Sorry, my phone was in my bag, where are you? '''' she lied.


    "I''m with the director now, in the main building."


    "okay, I''m coming now."


    Diana said and ended the call. She opened her purse and dropped a ward of cash on the table,


    "Sorry I have to go now, the bill is on me."


    She smiled and before Caroline could say anything she had hopped off.


    Caroline laughed mildly and continued eating her food. She couldn''t believe it was the same person grumpy a moment ago that was running to him like her life depended on it.


    Diana walked into the building and her eyes searched around for him but she didn''t see him. She walked back to the filming set and there he was talking with the director and Melissa.


    She watched them for a second and instead of walking away like before, she walked towards them with a smile.


    "Babe, I''ve been looking for you." She smiled and held Michael''s arm, Michael was shocked on how she addressed him in front of everyone.


    He turned to look at her wondering what she was thinking, but her face bore a sweet smile.


    He kissed her forehead and raised his arm, hugging her close to his chest.


    Diana''s eyes flashed at Melissa and she caught the shock in her eyes, she had never felt so satisfied before.


    The director cleared his voice,


    "It seems we are so small now that you can''t see us."


    He said and Diana laugh,


    "Oh sorry director, I''ve been looking for this softie for hours, so I didn''t see you guys,"


    Sof¡­ softie?


    Michael felt his ears taint red, what was she doing?


    Diana''s eyes shifted to Melissa who still didn''t want to acknowledge her. Well, since she didn''t want to, she would make her.


    "What''s your name again, sorry I forgot." She smiled, looking innocent, but she knew Melissa knew she wasn''t even joking with her.


    Melissa forced a smile to her lips,


    "I''m Melissa, I think we have a lot of scenes together." She said to Diana, sounding as sweet as possible.


    So this was the voice she was intending to use to get her man, hehe, in her dreams!


    Diana rested her head on Michael''s chest with a small sigh.


    "yeah, I think your character is best friends with mine."


    ''''Yes, yes. I look forward to acting with you."


    She smiled and Diana nodded


    "Me too."


    "Um, are you guys hungry? Let''s go grab a bite." Melissa said, she was physically uncomfortable standing with Diana in Michael''s arms. So she asked that they go eat,


    Actually she knew they might be a thing because of how he got the role and how close they were, but she was someone that went for what she wanted, so she totally ignored the signs.


    She knew that Diana didn''t like her being close with Michael but she didn''t think she would openly show it.


    "Oh yes, let''s go, I''m so famished."


    The director said,


    Michael held Diana''s hand and was about walking forward when Diana spoke,Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/softie_50745098278855542 for visiting.


    "You both should go ahead, we have somewhere to go now,"


    She smiled and waved at them. Melissa forced a smile and walked away with the director.


    When they were far gone, Michael laughed,


    "Softie?"

 Chapter 330 - Were not doing it in the car... yet

    "Softie? ''''


    Diana''s cheeks burned and she quickly let go of him, clearing her throat.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about." She said and started walking towards the exit.


    Michael laughed and followed after her. When she held him and spoke sweetly back there, he connected the dots, and knew she was doing it for Melissa.


    He didn''t think she would feel jealous because of her. He didn''t even remotely like her, but if it made her uncomfortable, he was going to draw a line.


    Putting his hands into his pockets, he followed her,


    She walked for a moment and she turned back and saw he was following her and she nervously increased her steps.


    "So you think I''m a softie?''''


    Michael asked jokingly,


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "I don''t think you''ll think the same after I get you pinned under me,"


    Diana missed a step and she nearly fell. Turning around she glared at him, did he realize that there were people around?


    "Can you at least wait until we get home? '''' her cheeks were red now, this man, he was so shameless!


    "wow, are we doing it already? '''' Michael smirked at her and Diana felt like entering into the ground.


    She turned around and hurried to the car, Michael opened it before she got to it and she quickly got inside.


    He was slowly coming back to his c.o.c.ky self, even though he made her blush so much, she liked this part of him.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/we''re-not-doing-it-in-the-car...-yet_50745205384603095 for visiting.


    Michael entered the driver''s side and started the car.


    He was about to drive off when he saw that she was not putting on her seat belt.


    Leaning towards her, he tried to help her put it on, but Diana reflexively leaned backwards,


    Michael laughed,


    "Chill, we''re not f.u.c.k.i.n.g here¡­ yet, I just want to put your seat belt on."


    He smirked making her glare at him, Diana relaxed and let him put it on.


    When he finished, his eyes fell on her pink lips and he kissed her before sitting back on his seat.


    Diana''s cheeks burned as she glared at him,


    "you''re so mischievous."


    Michael chuckled as he drove out of the parking lot,


    "trust me, your mind have not yet imagined the many mischievous things I want to do to you."


    Diana''s lips fell open, as her mind thought of a thousand dirty things at the same time and she blushed so hard that she quickly looked away.


    This man, he was surely going to be the death of her.


    Diana didn''t say a word again, but her mind could not stop thinking of the dirty things he could do to her.


    She tried to think of something else but her mind slowly crept back to what he said.


    "Did I make you uncomfortable? '''' Michael asked, making Diana turn to him with a concerned look.


    Was he going to apologize for playing with her again?


    "No, not at all. I prefer you this way. You don''t have to apologize." She said in one breath without thinking.


    Even though he made some dirty comments, she loved how he made her body heat up. She didn''t want him to soften up again.


    Michael blinked, and he laughed,


    "Okay, but that''s not what I wanted to ask."


    "Uh? '''' Diana''s eyes widened.


    "I was talking about Melissa¡­ I know you don''t like her. "


    "Oh¡­" Diana felt like fainting, did she just confess to him?


    Well, it wasn''t bad, at least he knew she wasn''t chasing him away.


    She was embarrassed but she comforted herself.


    ''''yes, I don''t like her." She pouted and crossed her hand around her torso.


    "She didn''t even acknowledge me until today, huh, who does she think she is? '''' Diana was visibly angry now. She didn''t want to be a nagging girlfriend but Melissa was really annoying.


    Michael stretched his hand and rubbed her thighs,


    '''' I''m sorry for making you so angry. I didn''t even know you didn''t like me speaking with her."


    "not that I don''t like you speaking with her, but¡­ she''s just always there, trying to get your attention, it''s annoying."


    "Really? I didn''t even notice."


    Michael replied truthfully.


    "Don''t stop talking to her because of me, it''s just that I wanted to let her know you''re off limits since she didn''t want to notice it herself. There are a lot of single men out there, I wonder why she wants to go after someone else''s man. "


    Michael smiled and he took her hand and kissed it. He loved the way she addressed him as her man. It made him very proud.


    "Don''t be mad okay? '''' He said, kissing her slender fingers severally.


    "and never apologize for saying your mind. Once you feel uncomfortable about anything, do tell me okay? I want us to tell each other everything."


    Diana smiled and nodded, "okay."


    There was something else she was keeping from him,


    "Um, I have something to confess."


    "what is it? ''''


    Diana thought for a second, "you know when you called earlier, and I told you my phone was in my bag? ''''


    "yeah? ''''


    "I lied. The thing is I intentionally didn''t pick your call, I saw you with Melissa earlier and I was so angry, I know it was childish but I couldn''t control myself at that time. I''m sorry." She pouted,


    Michael smiled and interlocked their hands,


    "Diana, do you know what I like most about you? "


    Diana shook her head, "no, what is it? ''''


    "you''re too cute." He chuckled,


    "And you don''t have to apologize for being jealous, it''s my fault, I should have noticed that you weren''t comfortable with her, so how do I make it up to you? ''''


    Michael asked, kissing her hand again,


    Diana cleared her throat,


    "You can start by telling me if we showered together that night I was drunk."


    Michael laughed and shook his head.


    "No, no, that one is off limits."


    "Please, just tell me,"


    Diana pleaded, she was almost going crazy thinking about it.


    "Okay, let me ask, do you think I would shower with you while you''re unconscious? ''''

 Chapter 331 - Make you doubt my feelings

    "Do you think I would bath with you while you''re unconscious?''''


    Diana''s eyes fluttered.


    "Uh¡­" now she thought about it, he was not one to take advantage of others.


    "If I should say, I would say no, but you never can tell, male hormones are something else."


    She laughed, but Michael shook his head.


    "Nah, I''m very serious about you, I can''t do anything that would make you doubt my feelings for you. So no matter what it is, I can''t take advantage of you."


    Diana''s laugh stopped on her tongue as she stared at him,


    It was rare to find someone who was very handsome and at the same time loyal. Her heart warmed as she watched him. Maybe this was her reward for loving someone so recklessly in the past.


    "thank you." She whispered with a smile. He was someone every woman would wish for and she was so lucky to have him.


    "why?" Michael glanced at her amused.


    "Nothing, just¡­ for everything. For coming into my life. I don''t know what I would have done without you, maybe I would have still been pining about my one sided crush."


    He laughed, "let''s go grab something to eat okay?"


    Diana nodded and looked forward.


    "Okay."


    ¡­


    Diana''s phone rang as she was about to enter her house after bidding Michael goodbye.


    She swiped her phone and answered when she saw the caller.


    "what''s up?" she asked as she entered into her house and closed the door, her shoes came off first followed by her handbag which she tossed on the couch in the parlor.


    "Are you home? Wanna take you out. "


    Richard asked, Diana could hear the honking of vehicles and she knew he was on the road.


    "Thanks for the offer and no, I''m not home,"


    "Okay, I''m almost at your place, I''ll wait for you till you get back."


    Diana sighed, "what is it?"


    Richard laughed, he knew she was lying. "come on, I just want to spoil you, it won''t hurt would it?"


    "Sorry sweetheart, but my man is already doing that."


    Diana didn''t think she would one day be proud to call someone hers.


    "Ouch, don''t rub it on my face. Alright alright, just hang out with me, I''m so lonely."


    She thought for a moment. Even though his father was a thorn in their flesh, he was still his father, and with what was going on with his mom, she pitied him a little.


    "Two hours, nothing more."


    "Thank you, I''ll be there in less than five minutes."


    Richard ended the call before Diana would change her mind. Diana rolled her eyes as she had a quick shower and wore a crop top over a high waist trousers, with sneakers on her feet. She did a light makeup and grabbed her purse, quickly sending Michael a text, she stepped out of her house.


    Just that moment, Richard pulled into her compound.


    "Didn''t know five minutes could be so long." She rolled her eyes at him when he came out of the car.


    Richard laughed,


    "Sorry, I''ll take you somewhere nice to make it up,"


    Diana shrugged, "whatever, just know you''ve used thirty minutes of your time."


    She said and got into the car.


    Richard sighed as he started the car,


    "All these bullying just because I want to spoil you."


    "Five more minutes gone."


    Diana said with a poker face and Richard knew better than to keep talking.


    He pulled up at a famous restaurant and held the door open for her.


    "Do you like it here?"


    Diana shrugged and walked past him to the entrance.


    "At least put up a smile, we''re not quarreling."


    "I''m not smiling because I can sense what you want to talk about, but I''m praying that it''s not it."


    She said as she sat down and picked the menu by her side.


    Richard smiled, but didn''t reply her.


    Diana had already eaten with Michael so she just ordered red wine.


    "What about you, Mister? '''' the waiter asked when he saw he wasn''t picking anything.


    "I''ll have whatever she''s having."


    The waiter nodded and walked away.


    When he was out of earshot, Richard turned to her,


    "It seems your man is treating you well, this is the brightest I''ve seen you in like forever."


    Diana smiled, "yeah, he''s the best thing that has ever happened to me."


    "True, I can see it, I''m very happy for you. And you both are filming a movie together, right?''''


    "Yes."


    "That''s interesting. You didn''t seem like someone who would want an open relationship."


    Diana creased her brows,


    The waiter returned with the drinks and placed it in front of them.


    He filled Diana''s glass before Richard''s and left immediately after.


    "How?"


    She asked,


    "Well, after this movie, what next? Will you be comfortable with your boyfriend kissing and making out with another woman on set?


    Don''t get me wrong, I know it''s just acting but, do you think you can take it? What if he starts to like someone else?"


    "Richard¡­" Diana called, stopping him from talking, "I just wanted him on this set with me because I''m most comfortable with him, and besides acting is not his career, I don''t think he wants to pursue it."


    She replied nervously. Even though she didn''t want to accept it, Richard had a point.


    Michael was super gorgeous with a body of a model, after that movie, he would surely get offers, would he turn them down? Most likely... not.


    Her heart raced as her fingers clasped around her glass, did she make a mistake?


    Richard laughed,


    "Yeah, I totally forgot he''s managing a company. But even if he wants to pursue it, it''s not like you can do anything about it. You kiss other men in your movies too, or will you stop acting because of him?"


    Diana swallowed,


    They were dating now, what if he wasn''t comfortable with her kissing other men on set?


    He wasn''t seeing anything wrong with her script now, because he was the one she was kissing, but what will happen after this movie?


    No, she shouldn''t be thinking so much. They would solve it when it got to that point.


    "Yah! Richard, did you come here to make me feel better or worse?" Diana glared at him and he laughed,


    "Sorry, don''t mind me, aren''t you going to have anything to eat?"


    Diana shook her head, "I''m not hungry."


    "Okay."


    Richard nodded and filled his cup for the second time.


    Diana knew what he wanted to talk to her about, and him beating about the bush was annoying her the more.


    "Just say it already, stop staring at your wine as though there''s something else fascinating about it."


    She rolled her eyes as she folded her arms.


    Richard smiled, "don''t get me wrong, I really wanted to take you out, but I won''t deny I also had this is mind."


    "Go on."


    Richard stared at her for a moment and then he sighed and sat up on his seat,


    "All you have to do is tell them you approve of them, nothing more."


    Diana shook her head, "that''s the point, why tell them I do when I don''t?"


    Richard pinched his brows,


    "I know they did wrong but I can''t bear to see my mom hurt so much anymore. Even if she made a mistake, it wasn''t totally her fault. Please let''s just forgive them and let them be together."


    Diana filled her cup and drank it to half empty, dropping it back on the table, she looked at Richard with a frown etched to her brows,


    "what do you want me to do?"


    "Forgive them."


    "Okay, I forgive them." She replied, crossing her arms.


    "Are we good now?"


    "Um, you need to tell them to their faces." Richard scratched the back of his hair, and Diana laughed.


    "you must be kidding me."


    "Please, I''ll do anything you say, please." Richard pleaded, holding her hand which was on the table.


    Diana sighed. If she didn''t do what he said, he wasn''t going to let her be.


    "5% of your shares."


    Richard''s lips fell open,


    "what?"


    "Oh, you don''t want that? Should I leave?"


    "no, no, I''ll give it to you."


    She smiled. "good. So when do you need me to do the acting?


    "Um, tomorrow is fine."


    "Okay, come pick me up when your ready."


    Richard heaved a sigh of relief, then he looked at her,


    "I can''t believe you''ll take my shares for this small favor."


    Diana tilted her head, "tsk tsk, I should have just asked to be the chairman of your company, how about that?"


    She glared at him and he stretched his lips into a smile,


    "Thank you, Mademoiselle. "


    Diana tilted her glass towards him,


    "you''re welcome."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/make-you-doubt-my-feelings_50768333515047174 for visiting.


    ¡­


    "Babe, what are you doing?"


    Diana texted Michael as she snuggled in bed about to sleep.


    "Just took a shower, I have a slight headache, I want to sleep early."


    Diana''s brows creased with worry,


    "Hope it''s nothing serious? Did you take pain relievers?"


    She texted quickly.


    "No, it''s nothing serious, it''ll go away before morning."


    "Okay, but still try to take some, before it gets worse and then you have to see a doctor."


    "Yes, sweetheart. You''re acting like a cute little wife right now."


    Diana''s cheeks reddened,


    Even though he was joking, calling her wife made her heart flutter.


    "Stop teasing me and go to bed."


    "Okay, wish you were here so I could hug you."


    Her eyes stared at the message and she gulped, she didn''t even know what to say back.


    "You''re not feeling too well, stop typing. Goodnight."


    "Okay, see you tomorrow, Goodnight."


    Diana turned the phone over and stared at her ceiling as she thought silently.


    He had said so many cute things to her but he had never told her the three letter words.

 Chapter 332 - Sick

    She pouted as she stared at the ceiling, maybe he wasn''t used to saying those kinds of things.


    Besides she didn''t need him to say it before she knew he loved her. He had shown it in every way possible.


    Nodding to herself, she closed her eyes to sleep.


    The next day, Diana woke up early, and the first thing she did was call Michael.


    He didn''t pick up, so she thought he was sleeping and so she sent him a text.


    ''hey babe, good morning, I figured you might still be asleep, don''t want to wake you up. I''m going for an important event today, will call you when I come back.''


    She smiled and dropped her phone, going off to shower. When she finished dressing up, Michael hadn''t replied her message, her brows creased with worry as she looked up at the time, it was past ten, was he still asleep?


    She tried calling again but he wasn''t picking and she became worried.


    The meeting was ending by 1pm, she would stop by his house immediately after.


    Throughout the meeting she wasn''t herself and the moment it ended, she was the first person to hop out of the room.


    Quickly, she drove to his place. On the way she stopped by a pharmacy shop and bought some meds, fever reducers and pain reliefs.


    When she got to his house, she walked in.


    "Michael?" she called as she walked towards his room.


    Caesar was lying in front of his door and when he saw her, he stood up from the ground and stared at her as though accessing who she was.


    Thankfully, she had come by several times so he knew her already.


    Walking to him, Diana squatted and patted his head,


    "where''s your daddy?" she asked, scrubbing his furs with her fingers.


    Caesar wagged his tail and turned to the room, standing straight, he opened the door.


    Diana''s eyes stopped at the person lying on the bed,


    "Michael, I was so worried, you weren''t picking¡­"


    Her words stopped on her tongue as she approached the bed.


    He was lying shirtless, with his eyes closed. Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead and his breath was slow.


    Diana''s lips fell open and the bag in her hands dropped to the floor.


    "Michael¡­" she called in fright as she walked to the bed, she hadn''t even touched him yet and she was already feeling the heat emanating from his body.


    Her hands touched his forehead and she screamed, "oh my God!"


    She had asked him if he was fine last night and he said it was just a light headache, this wasn''t looking like something that was a light headache at all. He was burning with fever.


    And the fact that he was not waking up send shivers running down her spine, she was so scared.


    Caesar jumped on the bed and lay beside Michael, he looked very worried too.


    This was the first time Diana was in this type of situation, she didn''t think Michael would be this down, thankfully she had gotten some fever reducing pills, but she wasn''t sure if it would be enough.


    Standing up, she quickly picked up her bag and took out the medicine she got from the pharmacy.


    Taking out the pills, she brought water to him.


    But how was he going to take it when he wasn''t waking up.


    Diana was so confused. What was she going to do?Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/sick_50786338571608818 for visiting.


    His breath was becoming slower by the second, she tried to nudge him but he didn''t budge.


    Thinking for a minute, she stood up and ran to the kitchen, pulling open the refrigerator, she took out a bottle of cold water and a bowl and she ran back to his room. Taking a neatly folded face towel from his drawer, she poured the water in the bowl and dipped the towel into it, squeezing out some water, she placed the towel on his forehead.


    Michael''s brows twitched as the new feeling enveloped his body, and after some minutes, his tensed body relaxed.


    Diana sat by his side as she watched him. She had never seen him so weak before. Surely, he didn''t start to feel this way last night, he must have been sick for a while.


    Diana pouted, maybe he was used to fending for himself. His foster mother, just wanted him alive for her son, so he must have been neglected while growing up.


    Diana''s heart squeezed as she imagined how many times he must have sucked it all in and tried to look fine.


    She raised her hand to shift the hair falling over his forehead.


    After some minutes, she felt his neck again, his temperature had reduced, but he was still sleeping.


    Diana''s eyes flashed at the fever reducing pills and she picked it up, taking out a pill, she held his head up and pushed it into his mouth.


    She supported his head with pillows and she opened the bottle of water.


    Filling her mouth with it, she held his face and forced the water into his mouth.


    Thankfully he swallowed. Diana smiled and wiped the water off his lips with her hands.


    Her eyes flashed to her side and she saw Caesar glaring at her with a frown.


    A small chuckle left her lips,


    "I''m just helping him get better, I''m not taking him away from you."


    She smiled and patted his head but his glare did not leave his face.


    Laughing, she stood up and went to prepare something for Michael to eat when he woke up.


    She made chicken soup for him and washed her hands, then came back to check on him.


    Caesar was no longer in the room and she wondered where he had run off to.


    Michael was still sleeping, but his fever had reduced drastically.


    Taking the towel off, she poured the water away and walked to his closet.


    Her eyes searched through his clothes for what to wear and she took out one of his cotton sweat shirt.


    Her eyes flashed at him to make sure he was still sleeping, when she saw he his eyes still closed, she held the helm of her gown and pulled it off her body.


    She was wearing a s.e.xy lingerie inside, and although his eyes were closed she was still feeling like he was watching her.


    Diana wore the shirt quickly and turned around, only to be met with a pair of opened eyes,


    "Nice butt¡­"

 Chapter 333 - Youre sick not a baby

    "Nice butt."


    Diana nearly fainted when she heard that voice.


    Did he see her when she undressed?


    Her cheeks flashed red as her mouth fell open.


    "what did you see?" she asked, her hands went over her chest reflexively.


    Michael smirked and his eyes sn.a.k.e.d down her body.


    "You look irresistible in lingerie."


    Diana glared at him, "I can''t believe you have the strength to flirt when you are so sick."


    She rolled her eyes at him and walked to where he was on the bed.


    Feeling his temperature with her hands, she sat on the bed.


    "You said it was a mild headache,"


    She stared sternly at him,


    "It really was a mild headache, I didn''t know that it would get serious."


    Michael joked but Diana was not finding it funny.


    She was really worried.


    "what if I came any latter? What if something had happened to you before I came? Do you know how worried I was?"


    Her eyes watered as she imagined a thousand things that might have happened to him if she had not come.


    Michael smiled and kissed her hand,


    "you''re worried about me?"


    "Of course I''m worried about you! If you don''t want me to worry, take care of yourself for me. If you had gone to the hospital earlier you won''t be so sick."


    Diana glared at him, but Michael was just smiling.


    "Maybe I should keep falling sick so you would take care of me like this."


    Diana slapped him lightly on the chest, "I''m not joking."


    "I know, I know, I''m sorry."


    She sighed, "don''t keep things from me okay? Tell me whenever you feel sick, okay?"


    Michael nodded, "Okay."


    "I made chicken soup, let me get some, you have to eat so you can go to the hospital."


    Diana said as she stood up to walk to the kitchen.


    "I''m fine already, no need to go to the hospital."


    Diana turned and glared at him.


    "when last did you go for a checkup? " she asked but Michael stared at her dumbfoundedly. Maybe when he was 10, he wasn''t sure.


    "Ha!" Diana exclaimed in shock when she saw he could not reply, "You''re so going to the hospital today."


    She said and walked out of the room.


    When she returned with the tray of food, Michael was in the shower.


    Diana smiled, at least he was strong enough to shower.


    After some minutes, he walked out tying a towel. Her eyes flashed at his body and she looked away,


    "I''ll give you a moment to get dressed," she said and turned to leave the room.


    "wait!"


    Michael called her before she could leave,


    Diana stopped on her feet,


    "I need you to help me dry my hair, I''m too sick to do that myself.


    Diana turned to look at him,


    "but you just showered by yourself?"


    "Cause I didn''t have a choice. You won''t help me shower if I asked you, or would you?"


    Diana cleared her throat. "get dressed already."


    She said and walked back to the bed, her eyes making sure not to look at him.


    Michael grinned and he shook his head,


    "I''ll dry my hair before I get dressed, don''t want to wet my shirt."


    Her cheeks flushed,


    "Oh¡­ okay, sit on the chair."


    She pointed at the chair in front of the vanity and Michael walked to it.


    Diana picked up the hair dryer and turned it on,


    She tried to avoid his reflection in the mirror but the grin on his lips was making it impossible for her.


    "If you don''t stop smiling, you''ll dry your hair yourself." She scolded and he quickly stopped smiling.


    She kept the dryer on the table and returned to the bed when she finished.


    Michael applied his cream and wore his clothes and came back to the bed.


    Diana opened the food and placed it in front of him.


    "Eat up,".


    She said, Michael stared at the food and then her.


    "I''m too weak to eat by myself."


    He pouted, staring at her cutely.


    Diana looked at him, she wanted to argue with him, but she decided against it.


    He might have never been fed by someone in his life before. So she just picked the spoon and filled it with food, then she brought it towards his mouth.


    Michael took the food from the spoon and he smiled,


    She fed him without complaint, till he was done.


    "water," Michael asked and she poured water into a cup and gave it to him.


    "Thank you." He smiled at her and she nodded,


    "you''re welcome."


    After taking out the dishes and washing it. They dressed to go to the hospital.


    In the hospital, he was taken for checkup and he was diagnosed with migraine and fever.


    After taking his prescribed medications, they drove back home.


    "how long have you been having the headaches?"


    Diana asked as they drove home,


    "It''s been a while, it goes away after sometime."


    Michael said, she was driving this time. She didn''t even want him to do anything.


    This was the first time someone had loved and taken care of him so dearly.


    "Don''t be sick by yourself again, okay? Make sure you tell me so I can come over."


    "Okay" he nodded.


    When they got back home, it was already evening.


    Michael lay on the bed, even though he was feeling a little fine, he wanted her to continue doting on him.


    "Come and hug me."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/you''re-sick-not-a-baby_50786535066361483 for visiting.


    He said as he lay down on the bed, stretching his hand towards her.


    Diana chuckled, "stop being a baby, you''re sick not a five year old."


    Michael sighed, she was about to take off her clothes, but he wasn''t taking his eyes away.


    "turn around." She glared at him and he chucked and looked the other way.


    Diana took off her clothes quickly and wore his shirt, when she turned back at him he was grinning at her.


    "you''re so naughty."


    She said and Michael laughed, tapping on the side of the bed.


    "Come here."


    Diana rolled her eyes at him and lay down beside him, hugging him.


    "only because you''re sick." Even though she wanted to hug him, she wouldn''t tell him that.

 Chapter 334 - Did we do it?

    She lay down beside him and Michael pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her.


    "Hmm, this feels so much better."


    He closed his eyes as his breath fanned her neck.


    Diana closed her eyes after sometime and she relished the moment. The way he hugged her made her feel so loved and wanted. One thing he knew how to do well was doting. He knew how to dote on women. This made her wonder how much he doted on the women he had been with in the past.


    She pouted as she felt a tinge of jealousy knowing that someone else had held him like this before.


    But whatever, he was hers now.


    She wasn''t deep asleep yet when she felt his hand start to move


    Michael''s hand shifted under her dress and caressed her back, up and down slowly before he finally stopped on her bra,Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/his-beautiful-addiction_16827899305401905/did-we-do-it_50814743857915416 for visiting.


    "is this not tight?'''' he whispered against her ear and Diana nodded.


    "should I help you take it off?" he asked again and she whispered.


    "Okay,''''


    With one swift click of his fingers, she felt her bra loosen around her chest, her heart pounded as his palm felt the portion of skin the bra hand occupied.


    His breath was hot against her skin and it tickled her, he wasn''t doing anything else but she was anxious.


    Where they going to do it now?


    She wondered. Her heart racing.


    After sometime, Michael leaned and nibbled on the soft spot on her neck, sucking on it lightly.


    Diana''s fingers clasped his shirt as she stifled a m.o.a.n.


    Her toes were already curling.


    Her heart races, she didn''t know what to think. Was his hormones high because of his illness?


    She heard that men wanted s.e.x more when they were sick but she didn''t know it was true until now.


    Her heart beat increased as his lips kissed lower. She held her breath, afraid to breathe.


    She felt him stop when he reached the collar of her shirt and he held her face and kissed her lips.


    "Relax, okay? I won''t hurt you." He stopped when he noticed how stiff she was,


    Diana opened her eyes and looked at him and then she nodded,


    "Okay."


    Michael smiled and caressed her chin with his thumb and then covered her lips again.


    Diana held his hair as she deepened the kiss,


    They were finally doing it, she was finally popping the h.y.m.e.n!


    Diana could not explain how she was feeling. She was excited but at the same time scared, she heard that it was painful the first time.


    She hopped it wasn''t going to be too painful for her.


    His lips left hers as his hands held the helm of the shirt and pulled it over her head.


    Diana''s hands went over her chest reflexively, she felt so shy with him staring at her body so ravenously.


    Michael smiled and held her hands and took it away from her chest,


    "babe, don''t be shy, okay?''''


    He was comforting but that wasn''t enough, hell this was the first time she was undressing in front of a man.


    Well, he had seen her n.a.k.e.d before but this was the first time she was awake and was going to get n.a.k.e.d in front of him.


    Diana gulped and she nodded, taking her hands away slowly.


    Michael smiled and leaned closer to her, kissing her lips, his hands held the straps of the bra and he took it off.


    He sucked on her lower lip, making her eyes roll backward, his lips left her mouth and kissed lower, Diana m.o.a.ned as he sucked on her neck, her back arched as his mouth reached her b.r.e.a.s.ts, then suddenly he stopped,


    Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him,


    "what is wrong?" his eyes looked shocked as he stared at her,


    "your b.r.e.a.s.ts?"


    "yeah, what happened to them?"


    "they are dancing¡­''''


    Diana''s eyes fell to her b.r.e.a.s.ts instantly and she saw them dancing to a tune she hadn''t heard in her entire life.


    A scream left her lips and her eyes flung open immediately.


    Slow pants left Diana''s lips as her eyes stared at the ceiling in the room,


    It was a dream¡­


    Her hands came over her b.r.e.a.s.ts immediately to feel them, and a light sigh left her lips when she saw they were perfectly fine.


    What a weird dream.


    She was still thinking of why her b.o.o.b.s could be dancing when she heard a chuckle beside her.


    Michael propped his head up with his elbow, and his other hand held a red big apple, he had taken a few bites from it.


    "what were you dreaming about?"


    He asked with a smirk on his lips, he bit into his apple as his gaze remained transfixed on her.


    Diana flung up from the bed instantly,


    "Nothing," she said, scurrying into the bathroom to check on her b.o.o.b.s.


    They were perfectly fine so she heaved a sigh of relief.


    She wondered why they were dancing, maybe finally glad that in over 20 years of her life they would finally be sucked.


    Diana laughed at her funny conclusion as she walked back to the room.


    Michael was still in the same position and she cleared her throat.


    "How long have I been asleep?"


    "two hours, forty five minutes and a few seconds,''''


    "Oh," Diana nodded. He had this grin on his lips that made her feel as though she did something weird.


    It was a dream, she wasn''t kissing him in real life was she?


    "Did I do anything strange?"


    She asked as she walked back to the bed, sitting down away from him.


    "Maybe." Michael replied and her cheeks flushed red.


    Oh God¡­ was she this s.e.x starved?


    It wasn''t enough that she dreaming of having s.e.x with him, she also showed it in real life.


    Diana wished the ground would open and swallow her. What would he think of her now?


    Her eyes fluttered and she looked at her fingers,


    "Don''t mind whatever I did, it was just a dream."


    She said, very ashamed of herself now.


    "or maybe not¡­"


    Michael said with a chuckle, making her eyes flash at him.

 Chapter 335 - Baby, Im not fine.

    "You didn''t do anything, but with how red your cheeks are, you''re making me think you actually did something dirty. Tell me, where we doing the do in your dream?" Michael asked with a grin, and Diana''s face reddened, she picked a pillow and threw at him.


    He laughed as he caught the pillow with his hands,


    "Oh, so we were doing it, ha ha, tell me, how was I, you woke up with a start, was I too big?"


    Diana stoned him another pillow,


    "Bi... Big what?"


    Diana couldn''t belive this was the man shivering like a wet dog this morning.


    "I just got a dream where you saw me in the shower that''s all." Well it was an R rated dream, but it was a better explanation to what she actually dreamt about.


    "Oh so that was it."


    "Yes, so stop smirking mischievously and come have something to eat, you have medicines to take."


    She stood up and walked towards the door,


    Diana heaved a sigh of relief.


    At least she didn''t disgrace herself.


    Michael stood up from the bed, following after her, a wide grin on his lips.


    This woman was so much fun.


    ¡­


    Diana sat in front of the two, her father and her soon to be step-mother, even though it''s been months already, she still couldn''t get over the fact that this man right here, the man she grew up thinking was perfect, the man she wanted to be like, the man she wanted her children to be like actually cheated on her mom.


    It still sent shills running down her spine whenever she thought about it.


    The butler filled her glass and she took a sip but it tasted bland on her tongue.


    Could they not just get married without involving her?


    Her eyes shifted to Michelle who was sitting beside her father.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''m-not-fine._50814772580510257 for visiting.


    Even if she wanted to cheat on her husband, must it be with his sister''s husband?


    Couldn''t she choose among a billion other men roaming the planet?


    Her eyes scanned her body and she looked noticeably lean, but Diana did not feel any pity for her. She was fine when her husband was alive and now he was dead she wants to act as though she could not live without her father.


    If she thought looking this distressed would move her, she should cut it because it was making her angry the more.


    Diana felt Richard''s hand hold her leg under the table bringing her back to her senses.


    Right, she was here to tell them she had forgiven them.


    Diana swallowed and her eyes fell on her food, she didn''t think it would be this hard.


    This was her father''s villa. Maybe they were planning to move in here after they got married.


    It was beautiful and calm, and it had a big pool at the backyard, she had been here before... they had been here before.


    Diana felt bile rise up her tongue, never in her life, did she imagine that she would one day come here and see her father with another woman.


    Her hands clasped around her cutlery as she tried to swallow the food that she filled her mouth with.


    She wished it would end soon.


    After the meal, the ''family'' sat in the living room and they watched TV.


    After a while, Michelle stood up with a smile and turned to them,


    "Does anyone care for dessert?"


    Richard and Charles nodded in affirmative but Diana didn''t speak.


    "Diana, do you want some cake?"


    She should have just minded her business¡­


    Diana thought as her eyes flashed at her but just when she was about to reply, Richard beat her to it.


    "Diana is watching her weight, she doesn''t eat cakes, mom."


    He smiled and turned to Diana,


    "right, Diana?"


    Her gaze fluttered and she nodded, "yeah."


    "Alright then," Michelle said and walked away.


    Diana''s eyes turned back to the TV and she scoffed within herself. She already knew the way around the house.


    Maybe he already brought her here in the past, or she was already staying with him, and just needed her to give them a go_ahead for them to make it official.


    Michelle returned with a tray of cakes and she gave to Charles and Richard.


    "I got a glass of juice for you."


    Diana nodded slightly but her eyes did not look at the contents of the glass not to talk of drinking it.


    They weren''t friends, she destroyed her family, she shouldn''t try to be friends with her.


    After Michelle sat back down beside Charles, he cleared his throat.


    "Diana," he called trying to get her attention.


    Her eyes shifted to him, and she tried her best not to frown.


    "I know I''ve hurt you so much that you don''t want to look at me anymore. I''ve been a bad dad to you and I know it.


    I''m truly sorry. I was so glad when I heard you forgave us."


    He said, holding Michelle''s hand,


    "Thank you."


    Charles smiled but Diana''s face was blank. She didn''t even respond.


    When Michelle saw she wasn''t going to say anything she spoke,


    "Diana, I promise I''ll never do anything to hurt you again. I''m really glad you forgave us and support us being together. Thank you so much."


    Richard stretched his hand and tapped Diana.


    She smiled.


    "You''re welcome. You both make a nice couple, and I wish you luck and happiness in your marriage."


    "Thank you so much. Thank you."


    Her father smiled, and she nodded.


    Finally it was over. She could leave now. The air had been so stuffy, she just wanted to stand up and run out.


    Looking at her time, Diana sighed,


    "oh, Dad, I have to leave now. I have a meeting with someone, Richard take care of them okay?"


    Richard nodded and stood up after her,


    "Have a safe trip."


    Michelle said and Diana forced a smile, waving at them, she walked out the front door.


    When she was meters away from the house, Richard held her hand,


    "Thank¡­"


    "shh¡­ I don''t want to hear it, just get my doc.u.ments ready by Monday."


    She pried her hand from him and entered her car.


    Richard put his hands into his pocket and a sigh left his lips.


    He knew the shares weren''t what made her come, as he watched her drive away, he wondered what changed her mind.


    Diana''s hands clasped around the steering as her eyes stared forward. She had been holding in her pain and tears but now she was no longer in the house, they all rushed to the surface.


    She bit her lower lip as tears fell from her eyes,


    It hurt so much.


    She tried to breathe but the air was stuffy and finally when she couldn''t take it anymore, she stopped the car by the roadside.


    Silent cries left her lips as she bent against the steering.


    What she wanted most right now was someone to hug her and tell her everything was going to be fine.


    Just as she thought about it, her phone rang in her bag.


    Taking it out, her eyes flashed on the name and she swiped and picked the call.


    Before Michael could say anything, her muffled cries filled his ears,


    "Diana, what''s wrong?"


    He asked worriedly, he had never heard her cry before.


    Diana hiccupped,


    "Baby,¡­ I''m not fine."

 Chapter 336 - Back home

    "Baby, I''m not fine."


    Diana cried softly as she bent against the steering.


    "where are you? I''m coming to get you now." he sounded panicked and Diana could hear him shuffling things.


    "I''ll text you my location, I don''t know where exactly I am, and call an Uber, I''m driving already."


    "Okay, wait for me, don''t move okay and don''t cry anymore."


    Diana nodded, "Okay."


    After she heard the beep, she peeked up at the nearest sign post and texted the address to him immediately.


    Now she had heard his voice, she felt a little fine.


    Dipping her hand into her bag, she took out her hankie and wiped her eyes.


    After what seemed like a while, she saw an Uber pull up in front of her car.


    Diana pouted and came out of the car slowly.


    She saw Michael jump out of the car and run towards her, he looked very worried as he approached her.


    "Diana, what''s wrong? What happened?"


    She didn''t respond to his questions, she just stretched her arms towards him like a baby itching to be held, with a gloomy look on her face.


    Michael''s steps faltered and without saying another word, he pulled her close and hugged her tight. Diana''s hands went around him and hugged him like he was her breath. She thought she was getting better, but now he was here, she started crying again.


    "It''s okay, I''m here now. Stop crying."


    Michael patted her back and kissed her forehead.


    She wept on his shirt, soaking it with her tears. She didn''t know how long she cried but when she finally stopped crying, the road was almost quiet.


    Michael took out his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her eyes and face.


    "Your face is red and swollen." He commented, and she pouted, she could barely open her eyes.


    "But you still look cute."


    Diana chuckled softly and slapped him slightly on the chest, she didn''t want to laugh in this situation.


    Michael smiled and arranged her disheveled hair.


    Then he held her hand and took her to her car.


    Opening the door, he made her sit and put her seat belt on and then he got in the driver''s side,


    Turning to her, he asked,


    "what happened?"


    Diana pouted, she thought for a moment and then she spoke, "I just realized that my whole childhood was a fake."


    She paused, "my father is getting married to my Uncle''s wife, is that not funny?"


    She laughed, "I just looked into his eyes and I realized what a jerk my mom had lived with for over 20 years of her life."


    She shook her head and stared forward,


    Michael did not interrupt her, he just let her say everything weighing her down,


    "You know, I didn''t want to, but I didn''t have a choice. Even if I didn''t give my support, he would still see that woman. It''s not like I could change what already happened or bring them back together again. But it still hurts badly when I think about it. He made my mom believe a lie. He made us believe he actually cared! "


    "Maybe he does."


    Michael said and her eyes turned to look at him,


    "Imagine you loved someone and you couldn''t be with the person and then you''re given a chance to, would you not take it?"


    "I would, but at the expense of another''s hurt."


    Michael took her hand with a smile,


    "Sometimes, we humans become selfish, even when we don''t want to. Even if we don''t want to hurt the people around us, we can''t help it."


    Diana frowned,


    "Are you supporting him right now?"


    He shook her head,


    "No, no, not at all." He paused, "I''m just giving you a reason to let go."


    He smiled,


    "Since you''re so sober, we''re just going to drive around the city till we are tired, then we go home, okay?"


    Diana pouted and nodded, "Okay."


    Her car was a convertible so he let the roof down so she would feel the cool breeze of the night and it would take her worries away.


    On the way, they stopped by a snack shop and got her some snacks to keep her busy.


    They started off with small talks but soon they were talking and laughing, by the time they got back to her house, she was no longer sad.


    Diana smiled as she stepped out of the car,


    "Thank you for today."


    Michael smirked,


    "You don''t have to thank me, that''s what boyfriends do."


    Diana blushed, "Okay, let''s go in, it''s cold outside."


    Michael nodded and held her hand as he led her into the house.


    ¡­


    Three weeks later¡­


    Tiana stepped down from the plane, inhaling the Californian air, they were back finally!


    Her eyes turned to Nicklaus and she smiled brightly.


    Although she had a hard time falling asleep last night, now they were finally home, she didn''t feel that bad anymore.


    The guards took their bags and Nicklaus held her around her waist as they got into the car.


    "You are smiling a little more than I expected."


    Nicklaus acknowledged when he noticed she was very happy. She had complained that she didn''t want to return so he was surprised to see her so excited. Tiana laughed,


    "Well, because I didn''t expect to be this happy, ."


    When they got home, every one was there to welcome them. Gwen wasn''t home when she returned, it was just the workers. They had everywhere decorated for them and a lavish meal prepared. They went in and took a cool bath, relaxed and ate.


    They just finished eating their meal when Gwen came back. When she heard they were home, she ran quickly to the dining and embraced Tiana in a sisterly hug,


    "Welcome back. I''ve missed you so so much."


    She smiled sweetly and her eyes flashed at Nicklaus and she greeted shyly.


    "Welcome back, Nicklaus, hope you enjoyed your holiday?''''


    Nicklaus nodded,


    "Yeah, hope you''ve been well?"


    He asked and she smiled,


    "Yes, I have."


    He nodded and wiped his lips,


    "Okay, I''ll leave you both to have your sister time."


    Nicklaus smiled and stood up, making Tiana and Gwen laugh.


    After he had gone, Gwen sat on the chair he just stood up from.


    A wide grin on her cheeks.


    She flickered her brows,


    "You look¡­"


    Her eyes looked at Tiana up to down and she laughed,


    "plump."


    Tiana laughed, "well, I''ve been eating a lot and doing nothing, so I should be fat."


    "no, you''re not fat, you''re just robust, and it doesn''t look like it''s from physical food."


    She winked and Tiana laughed,


    "Oh Gwen, when did you get so naughty."


    Gwen chuckled, "don''t mind me, welcome back, did you get my Birkin bag?"


    "Yeah, I did."


    "Awnn, thank you so much sis, you''re the best."


    "So tell me, what''s popping?"


    She leaned closer, as though they were about to gossip.


    "There''s nothing popping." Tiana replied with a slight chuckle.


    "Uh, you''re not¡­"


    "no," Tiana replied cutting her off.


    "there''s no baby in here yet," she pointed at her belly, "and I realized maybe because I''m so worried and thinking about it too much, it has refused to come. So I''ll let it be, besides I still have a whole lot of things I want to do. Having a baby is not really a pressing need right now, besides, I want to be with hubby before any child starts jumping around and taking our attention."


    She laughed and Gwen chuckled.


    "Okay, that''s nice! Come, come let''s go to my room, I have a lot to tell you."


    Gwen held Tiana''s hand as she led her to her room.


    A grin formed on her lips.


    So she was not having any baby yet...


    Thankfully she didn''t get pregnant, now she would make sure she doesn''t get pregnant until she was done with her plans.


    Gwen grinned and opened the door for Tiana and she sat on her bed.


    "So guess what?"


    Tiana sat beside her,


    "You know I''m not good at guessing, just go straight to the point."


    "Stephen Ray asked me out."


    Tiana stopped, "Stephen Ray, the one we know?"


    He was a famous model, so everyone knew him.


    "Yeah, the one we know."


    "oh my gawd, what did you say?"


    Gwen shrugged, "I turned him down, he''s not my type."


    "Uh?" Tiana was confused,


    "how is he not your type, he''s handsome, and tall and rich. Um, you don''t know him character wise, and you need to get close to him to know that, so how is he not your type."


    Gwen laughed, "he doesn''t have the kind of beauty I want."


    Tiana was confused by her reply.


    She didn''t know there were kinds of beauty.


    Gwen laughed.


    "Don''t mind me, I just don''t like the way he talks."


    Tiana sighed, "Okay, but you should look out for any interesting guy, there are a lot of handsome men in the modeling industry, you''ve always said you wanted a handsome man, this is your chance."


    Gwen laughed.


    You know that and you took Nicklaus away...


    Shenthought silently.


    "Don''t worry, I have my eyes on someone already."


    Tiana''s eyes widened with glee.


    "Really? Wow, who''s the person?"


    She was elated. She wanted her sister to be happy and to meet someone she wants to be with, and nothing would make her more happy than to know she had finally found the one.


    Gwen laughed, "Don''t worry, you''ll know soon and trust me you''ll be so shocked."


    "Wow! I can''t wait!" Tiana replied gleefully.


    Gwen smiled,


    If only she knew who she had her eyes on.


    She was going to be shocked when she finds out.


    ¡­

 Chapter 337 - Bed scene

    "Are you ready?"


    Diana asked, as excitement coursed through her but she tried her best not to show it.


    "Yeah," Michael nodded.


    Today, they were going to have a bed scene. She had not been any more excited.


    Even though it was acting, he was going to touch her body, finally. It was meant to be just a kiss scene during Karl''s birthday party, but the director changed it to a bed scene.


    Diana liked the change, so she didn''t even argue with him, but she did well to hide her excitement. When she told Michael, he just nodded.


    Strangely, he didn''t call to practice the scene as he would usually do. Diana waited but he didn''t call, she wondered if he didn''t want to practice the bed scene it in case it went out of hand. She had expected him to call.


    Shaking off those thoughts checked back on her lines.


    "Alright, get ready!" the director shouted to them and Diana exhaled sharply. She had not been more excited about any scene in her entire life.


    They just finished the party scene and took a rest, the bed scene was the last scene for the day and normally most casts who didn''t have any parts would have left, but strangely, every single person was still around.


    Seems it wasn''t only her anticipating the bed scene.


    "And action!"


    The director shouted, and they both got into character.


    .


    .


    Karl placed the last set of dishes on the counter and walked back to the living room. His eyes fell on Caroline, who lay passed out on the couch, he had warned her not to drink too much since she didn''t have any tolerance to alcohol but she wouldn''t listen.


    Heaving a sigh, he walked to her on the couch and squatted beside her.


    How could one be so pretty?


    Karl wondered as he lifted his hands and brushed the hair falling over her face, admiring her with a tender gaze.


    A muffled sound escaped her lips as she sucked in her lower lip,


    Karl smiled, she was damn cute.


    He spent a little while just watching her sleep before he finally tapped her,


    "Caroline, Hey, wake up." He nudged her slightly but she didn''t budge.


    She was so passed out.


    Thinking for a second, he stood up and carried her up from the couch.


    Sensing a new body, her hands went around his neck as she nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck.


    Karl stiffened.


    And against his own will, he felt his body getting hot.


    He had tried his best to quench this feeling he had for her, more especially now she had someone she loved.


    Although it hurt him that she wasn''t with him, he valued her happiness more and if she was happy with that person, then he was.


    Shaking off the dirty thoughts in his head, he carried her into the guest room. Walking quietly to the bed, he placed her on the bed and tried to rise but her hands didn''t leave his neck.


    Karl furrowed his brows and tried to take her hands off but her grip on him became strong.


    Suddenly she raised her eyes to look at him.


    "Oh¡­ Caroline, you''re awake."


    Her eyes were dreamy as she watched his face as though trying to know who it was, a smile broadened her lips when she recognized him.


    "Karl?"


    "yeah it''s me. You were passed out on the couch so I carried you to bed."


    She giggled, sliding down one of her hands around his neck, she touched his lips,


    "Karl¡­ " she murmured.


    Karl froze, what was she doing?


    He held her hand and brought it down to her side,


    "You''re drunk, you need to sleep, okay?"


    "pft, I''m not drunk."


    Karl blinked but before he could say another word, she leaned closer to him and kissed his lips.


    He froze. His heart beat stopping.


    What was she doing?


    Instantly he jerked away from her.


    "What are you doing?"


    He asked, shocked, but Caroline didn''t look like she did anything wrong.


    A pout formed on her lips.


    "What''s wrong?" she asked, staring at him in surprise.


    Karl''s eyes turned to her in shock. Was she mistaking him for Jeffery?


    "Sleep now, I''ll go lock the doors."


    With that he turned and walked out of the room. Karl closed the door and leaned against the door. His eyes closing.


    This was the first time she had kissed him and although it was unintentional, it made him happy, but he shouldn''t dwell too much on it, it was a mistake and it won''t happen again.


    Going back to the living room, he shut the doors, after which, he turned off the lights and walked to his room, but just when he was about to open the door, his feet stopped.


    In front of him was Caroline, she had taken off her clothes and was putting on a flannel over her lingerie and her eyes were filled with l.u.s.t.


    "Caroline¡­ "


    That was the only word he could say before she closed the gap between them and kissed him on his lips, this time she held him tight, prying his lips open with her tongue.


    Karl tried to fight it, but damn, he loved this woman, all the suppressed emotions and want, pumped up to the surface and unable to resist, he shut the reasons within him and kissed her back.


    He held her head and pinned her against the wall, kissing her wildly.


    .


    .


    He was meant to pause for a moment here, but Michael could not stop kissing Diana, and Diana, forgot entirely what she was meant to do. They were lost in each other. The director waited, thinking they had something planned, but after a while, it seemed not.


    "Cut! Cut!"


    The director''s voice rang in the room, stopping them.


    Michael breathed against her skin and Diana''s eyes were still shut. It took her a moment to come back to her senses and she let go of his shirt.


    "Michael, there''s a pause, before she''s against the wall, you should pause and breathe, then she should kiss your neck and lower, understood?"


    Michael nodded, scratching his head.


    Diana''s face flushed. This was the first time in a long while she had gotten an NG.


    "Okay, we''ll begin in a few minutes, get into character."


    Diana nodded and took a deep breath, she looked at Michael and smiled,


    "Are you okay?"


    Michael nodded, "Yes, just wondering how I''ll get myself to stop kissing you midway."


    Diana laughed, "I''ll bite your lips a little when it''s time to stop."


    "I think that would help."


    She smiled and they went again, resuming from where she was standing beside the door.


    This time, Michael stopped but instead of letting her kiss his neck, he kissed hers instead.


    "Cut! Cut!"


    Diana chuckled as her face flushed, they were sure not going home today.


    Director pinched his brows,


    "Michael, I know Diana is pretty but can you please resist her just this once?"


    The rest of the cast watching laughed, Michael brushed his hand through his hair and nodded.


    "It''s hard but I''ll try."


    His eyes stared at Diana l.u.s.tily and Diana looked away.


    ???Okay, let''s go again."


    This time he lifted her off the ground before he paused.


    "Cut!"


    Diana laughed out,


    "You''re doing this intentionally," she whispered and Michael chuckled.


    "I''m taking advantage of this opportunity, when I''m sure you won''t say no."


    Diana''s laugh stopped on her tongue.


    Did he really think she''ll stop him if he made a move on her?


    Her thoughts were cut short when the director approached them with a frown,


    "Michael it''s simple, she kisses you first, you try to stop but she kisses you down your neck, and then you push her against the wall and lifted her legs off the ground."


    "Let me show him how it''s done."


    A male voice was heard in the background and the three turned and saw David folding his arms with a smirk.


    "alri¡­"


    "I''ll do it." Michael cut the director off. And he turned to him with surprise,


    "I''ll make no mistakes this time."


    Diana blinked, was he jealous?


    She wanted to laugh but she bit her tongue and held in her chuckle. It''s not as though she''ll let David kiss her, but then it was a sight to behold.


    Director turned to Michael and he sighed,


    "Okay, let''s get it done this time."


    Michael nodded and they began again. This time he was serious.


    He paused at the right time and Diana kissed his neck downwards, her hands unbuttoning his shirt,


    Karl groaned as he lifted her off the ground and connected their lips again and he let her flannel fall to her waists.


    Quickly opening the door to his room, he carried her to the bed, all the while, his lips not leaving hers.


    Her hands came on his pajamas and she took it off quickly.


    He wanted to stop but at the same time he wanted to continue. Her hands were fondling with his trousers now, and he knew if she continued, he wasn''t going to stop anymore.


    So gathering up his strength, he held her hand.


    Caroline looked up at him, and she smiled,


    "I want you, Karl."


    And that minute, he lost control. If she had said that man''s name he would have been able to let go. But she looked straight in his eyes and told him she wanted him.


    "Cut!" the director said with a smile,


    "that was perfect." He clapped.


    "You could do it perfectly all the while and you kept failing."


    He eyed him with a knowing look, and Michael laughed. Without wearing his shirt, he passed Diana her dress quickly and helped her zip up.


    When he was sure she was covered, he took his shirt and wore it.

 Chapter 338 - His ex

    Diana smiled and stood up from the bed.


    "You all have worked hard today. If you can''t make it home, the company prepared a hotel for everyone."


    They were shooting at night, and they had a shoot the next day, so it was best the stay at the hotel so they could come in time.


    "Alright, thank you."


    Diana nodded. She turned to Michael with a grin.


    "where you jealous?" she asked and Michael cleared his throat and walked away to go get changed.


    Diana laughed as she shook her head, he was so cute.


    As she walked out of the changing room after changing her dress, she ran into David.


    A smile stretched her lips,


    "Oh David¡­"


    "You did well today." He said, crossing his arm in front of him.


    "Thank you." Diana nodded.


    "Are you free tomorrow? Can we hang out?"


    She smiled and shook her head,


    "Sorry, I''m not. I''m going out with someone else."


    "Michael?" David asked and Diana nodded shyly.


    "Ouch, seems I''m a bit late." He laughed.


    She laughed lightly, David paused for a second,


    "You two a thing?"


    Diana looked at him. She would have covered it like she did with others but David seemed to have taken an interest in her so she would tell him the truth.


    "Yeah, we are."


    She caught the disappointment in his eyes and she was puzzled as to why.


    They shot a movie in the past and he didn''t make a move on her, even a week before he joined them, he didn''t even call. Why was he disappointed that she wasn''t single?


    "Oh okay. Seems my shot missed the target."


    Diana laughed, "Sorry."


    She didn''t know what else to tell him. Well at least he didn''t go sticking around her like that Melissa was doing with Michael. But strangely she had been cool these few days, she had respected herself, Diana prayed it would remain that way.


    "See you later then,"


    She nodded, "you too."


    She watched him walk away and then she saw Michael standing a few meters away from her.


    She waved at him and walked to his side.


    "Babe, do we stay at the hotel or go home."


    She held his arm and whispered in his ear.


    "what do you choose?" Michael pulled her to his front, his hands around her waists.


    "Mm¡­ let''s go home."


    She peeked at him and he nodded.


    "Okay."


    After bidding the others goodbye, he held her hand as they walked out of the house.


    "Damn, I didn''t realize how hungry I was until now." Diana pouted as she rubbed her stomach with her hands making Michael laugh,


    "We''ll stop by a restaurant before we get home." He said and she nodded happily.


    "So you were jealous earlier."


    "lord, must you bring it up?" Michael asked, rolling his eyes.


    Diana laughed, "So you were jealous!"


    "I was. Yeah. I was. I don''t like him at all, he paused, "you know he has eyes for you, right?"


    He was not bothered by David, he wasn''t even going to win Diana over, she was his already. But then, he didn''t like that he was chasing her even when he knew she was taken.


    "Yeah, I know."


    Diana replied and Michael raised his eyebrow,


    "Really?"


    "Well, he told me to go out with him tomorrow."


    "what did you say?"


    Diana cleared her throat,


    " I told him I was already going out with you."


    "Everyone on set suspects we''re together, that''s if they don''t already know, I don''t know why he still wants to chase you, tsh."


    "Well, he asked me if we''re a thing."


    Michael looked at her instantly,


    "he did?"


    She nodded, "yeah and I told him that we are. I think he''s a nice person, some guys wouldn''t give up but he did."


    " That''s great news. " Michael smiled.


    Diana squnited at him when she saw the smile on his face.


    "You''re happy?"


    "of course. At least I won''t worry about him coming near you anymore." He chuckled, " To think he had the guts to ask that he show me how to kiss you, that was so damn annoying. "


    Diana laughed, then she remembered what he said during filming. Was he thinking she still didn''t want him to sleep with her? She thought.


    Maybe she should tell him that she wouldn''t stop him if he wanted to touch her, in fact she actually wanted him to touch her.


    She turned to speak to him, but Michael beat her to it.


    "We''re here."


    He said as he drove in a parking space, turning off the car, he walked to her side and held the door open for her.


    Diana smiled and stepped out holding onto his hand.


    "You said something during filming¡­"


    Her words were cut off when a tiny voice called out.


    "Michael?" Diana turned towards the direction of the voice with a crease in her brows.


    "Michael is that you?"


    The woman, in her twenties, tall and slim like a model, she was wearing a top with a short skirt and a thigh high boots on her legs.


    Her smile stretched her lips when she saw it was him.


    "Oh its really you." She beamed happily and walked to him, embracing him in a quick hug and before he could react she had let go of him.


    Diana was surprised. What just happened? Or more correctly what was happening?


    Now she was closer to her, she looked Asian, her long black hair flowed down her back and she was exquisite.


    "Jade, it''s been a while."


    Michael replied, he was surprised to see her as she went back to South Korea because of her sick mother.


    But she made sure to break up with him before she left, it''s been over a year now, he didn''t even know when she got back.


    Jade slapped him playfully across the chest,


    "I missed you! I just came back yesterday, I was going to call but I was so busy with work that I couldn''t call."


    Just that moment, Jade looked beside Michael,


    Diana was a little shorter than both of them, she felt little in front of Jade.


    "HI!" Jade waved with a beautiful smile, her blue eyes shone sweetly as she greeted Diana.


    Michael held Diana around the waists,


    "This is Diana, my girlfriend."


    Diana caught the disappointment on Jade''s face, but she masked it immediately and still greeted with a smile.


    "Hello, I''m Jade Lee, it''s nice to meet you. I''m Michael''s good friend."


    She pointed at Michael when she said it,


    "it''s nice to meet you too, Jade." Diana smiled at her. Her eyes turned back to Michael instantly,


    "I was so glad when I recognized you, you''ve not changed one bit."


    "You too."


    "Um, I''m in a hurry, let''s catch up later okay?" she said,


    "Alright."


    Jade smiled and waved at them before hurrying towards her car. Diana didn''t move until she had disappeared into the road, then she swallowed and turned to Michael with a smile,


    "Let''s go and eat."


    Michael was surprised, he had expected her to ask him who she was but she was not asking.


    After the waiter took their orders, Diana sipped from her glass of wine as they waited for their meal.


    "Aren''t you going to ask me who she is?"


    He finally asked and Diana looked at him.


    "I was, but I wanted to ask when we got home, but since you''ve brought it up, who is she?"


    Michael leaned back, resting his weight on one side of his body as he stared at her.


    "She was my ex."


    She had suspected so. A ''just a friend'' wouldn''t hug so endearingly. Diana thought in her heart.


    "Oh, okay. She was talking about coming back, where from?"


    "Well, she''s a model in South Korea and she models for companies in America too."


    "So how did you both meet?"


    "She''s half American and half Korean. Her father is an American and mom, a Korean. They had a divorce so she stayed with her dad, only recently did she go back when her mom fell sick."


    "Oh," Diana nodded, drinking a mouthful of her wine.


    "so why is she back?"


    "that I don''t know, maybe to continue her career here."


    Diana nodded, just that moment, the waiter returned with their meal and she dug into her food.


    After a few bites of her meal, she changed the topic immediately. Soon, it was as though they didn''t meet Jade at all.


    When they got home, Diana got out before Michael could open the door for her.


    He walked to her side and kissed her on the lips, then hugged her.


    "We broke up before she left and I''ve not spoken to her ever since. "


    Michael said out of nowhere. Diana understood what he was talking about, and she smiled.


    "I didn''t say anything."


    "I know." Michael pinched her chin lightly, "I was just saying."


    "Okay, she''s very pretty though."


    "you''re prettier."


    "pft, she''s tall."


    Michael wanted to say she was tall too but that wasn''t the case, Diana was average heighted.


    "I like short girls."


    Diana laughed, "are we going to go in, or are we going to keep arguing?"


    Michael held her hand,


    "Let''s go in."


    Diana laughed as he walked forward, holding her hand.


    He was just cute.


    After showering, She came to join him in his room,


    Without saying a word, she hopped on the bed and squeezed him in her arms.


    "I''m so sleepy." She yawned, burying her face in his chest, her leg going over him as she heaved a sigh of relief.


    Michael chuckled as he watched her sleep without a care, she was putting on a flannel with nothing underneath and hugging him so carefreely like he was a log of wood.


    This woman, did she think he was a plank with no feelings or what?

 Chapter 339 - Its not going to hurt her

    Veronica''s phone rang on the table and she peeked at it when she saw the caller, she grabbed it immediately. Her eyes checked the other workers to know if they were watching but luckily, they were all interested in the movie they were watching.


    Standing up, she sneakily walked out of the room, and to the garden in the backyard.


    Swiping, she picked up the call. Before she could say a word, Gwen beat her to it.


    "I will send you a list of ingredients to add to her diet, don''t make any mistakes."


    Veronica looked towards the door to check if anyone was coming, and then she whispered,


    "Hope it won''t harm her?"


    Although she loved money, she was more interested in not going to jail.


    "It won''t, she''s my sister, I won''t hurt her. Make sure you''re not caught."


    "Okay."


    Veronica nodded and ended the call, she turned around to enter the room and her heart jumped when she saw Bella standing beside the door.


    "Oh my God¡­, you scared me!"


    Bella creased her brows, watching her intently.


    "why do I feel you''re hiding something?"


    She asked, and Ver rolled her eyes.


    "why do you love poking your nose in other''s businesses? You never change do you?"


    She said and walked past her, Bella following her immediately.


    "I accept I like gossips but you''ve been behaving strangely recently and I''m your friend, I need to know what''s going on¡­"


    Veronica stopped and turned to look at her,


    "There''s nothing going on, I just called my mom because¡­ she fell ill, I''ll be going to see her soon."


    She lied. She knew Bella, she liked gossip and she was sure she won''t leave her until she got what she wanted.


    "Oh, you would have told me rather than behaving like there''s some simmering news." Bella pouted and walked past her.


    "Oh you don''t want to listen to it anymore?"


    Ver asked jokingly as she watched Bella hurry back to the room, as though regretting why she followed Ver in the first place.


    "Sorry for your mom!" Bella shouted as she hurried back to where she came from.


    Veronica shook her head with a light chuckle.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''s-not-going-to-hurt-her_50907574744171030 for visiting.


    She would have to be very careful now. Bella was starting to suspect something.


    ¡­


    "Oh my baby is back!"


    Claire hugs Tiana so tight that she almost lost breath.


    Passerby watched them but Claire screamed the more,


    "My baby, yes, she''s my baby, she''s back!" Claire pointed at Tiana as she jubilated excitedly,


    Tiana felt like sinking into the ground. Claire was such a package.


    "Claire, can we go in now."


    Tiana laughed and Claire released her.


    "Yes, yes, let''s go inside. Look at you, you''re radiating!"


    Claire was so happy to see her. She quickly brewed coffee for her.


    "You look so good, I don''t need to ask how your hubby has been treating you, cause it''s written all over your body."


    Tiana chuckled, "stop teasing me."


    She smiled, and before I forget,


    "I got this for you." Tiana gave her a parcel.


    "Oh my God, my favorite chocolates and a wristwatch!" Claire beamed as she took out the contents.


    "Thank you bae!"


    "you''re welcome, and this is for Leo." Tiana dropped another parcel on the table and Claire''s expression darkened.


    "Is he in the office?"


    Tiana asked but she didn''t speak, after a second, she turned off her phone and sighed.


    "Tiana we aren''t together anymore for now. "


    She told her this before but she didn''t believe her, they just got together, what would make them separate?


    "what happened?"


    '''' Apparently, my dad doesn''t want me to be with him, he wants me to marry someone else, and I don''t want to. It''s a long story but just know I might get back with him in three months, hopefully."


    "Hope you''re okay?"


    "I''m trying my best, I just work a little more harder to get my mind off him."


    Tiana smiled.


    "I hope you''re getting married when all these ends?"


    "Did you just ask that? Definitely!"


    Tiana laughed. "you''ll be fine okay? So tell me, what has been happening all these while?"


    "Well, nothing much, except that your beautiful sister joined the company, and Larissa had a scandal with Mark Lewis."


    "Mark Lewis? Isn''t he married?"


    "Exactly, his wife caught them and she''s not having it. She''s dragging her everywhere online and it''s not been funny. I think she lost a few deals. No management wants to be associated with such scandal, it''s been a bad time for her."


    "Ow, that''s sad."


    "You feeling sorry for her?" Claire raised her brows,


    "No, it''s just that, so many bad lucks at the same time."


    "Tch, I don''t care. I don''t like her and she brought it upon herself."


    Tiana smiled, "Okay. "


    "And back to business, you have a lottt of contract offers and I don''t see how ill be handling this for you, so I got you a manager, she''s been idle for a while now, since you''ve been vacationing."


    Tiana laughed, "I''m back now, and I''m ready to work."


    She''s been organizing your contracts, I didn''t know you were coming in today, I would have asked her to come over, I just asked her to work for the mean time, but if you don''t like her, you can choose another, but trust me, you will like her."


    "that''s so thoughtful of you, thank you."


    "Yeah, let me give you her contact."


    Claire said and picked her phone from the table, sending the manager''s contact to her.


    "Are you free, I want to take you out later in the evening?" Tiana asked,


    "Awnn, that''s so sweet, and I''m so very free!"


    Tiana smiled, "Alright, let me greet the others, I''ll be back."


    "Okay, will be waiting for you."


    She nodded and walked out of the office.


    She walked towards Leo''s office next but he wasn''t in, taking out her phone, she tried to call him but she stopped when she saw Gwen and she smiled sweetly.


    "You look good." She said, stopping in front of her.


    Gwen brought down her phone to her side, turning the screen off immediately, she just finished speaking with Veronica and she wasn''t expecting to see Tiana.

 Chapter 340 - Pretend

    "You didn''t tell me you were coming to the company today."


    Gwen smiled as she walked closer to Tiana.


    "I wanted to surprise you."


    Tiana laughed,


    "Now, come, let me introduce you to my friends,"


    "Arggh, I really would love to tour with you, but I have a makeup session now. So tomorrow?"


    "Okay, no problem, see you later."


    "Yeah, bye."


    ¡­


    "Do you want to marry me?"


    Claire cut the man off, after coming to a conclusion. As he spoke, she contemplated so many things in her heart. Her father was on her neck now, and if she didn''t do something, he was going to find out about their plan soon.


    She wasn''t sure this was going to work, but she decided to try her luck,


    He had normal looks, nothing special. But his voice was deep, which was very nice to listen to, maybe that was what kept her interested in speaking with him.


    The man smiled and leaned to the side,


    "No."


    Although she didn''t want to marry him, she was a little irked by his straight up answer.


    "why?"


    A smirk formed on his lips,


    "I don''t force people to be with me, and from the look of things, you aren''t interested in being with me and I prefer my women shorter."


    Claire reached for her glass with a small laughter.


    "what did you say your name was again?"


    "See? You didn''t even get my name."


    Her lips stretched, "Sorry."


    "Zach."


    Claire nodded, "Zach, that''s a nice name, the thing is, I''m not interested in you either."


    She said and the man did not look surprised.


    "I know, you can''t imagine how much I''ve been praying for this to end."


    Claire laughed, finally she found someone that wasn''t interested in her. But would he agree to her request?


    "I need a favor from you, I''ll pay you handsomely."


    She pleaded, clasping her hands together,


    A light chuckle escaped his lips,


    "How much do you think you can give me?"


    Claire blinked, right, she forgot he owned Morris Entertainment, she couldn''t obviously pay him.


    "Oh¡­" she looked down at her hands,


    "but can I still ask?"


    The man watched her, amus.e.m.e.nt dangling in his eyes,


    "Go on, who knows, I might want to."


    Claire breathed,


    "Can you pretend to agree to this? I mean, can you tell my dad that we are together now?"


    It sounded great in her head, but when she finally said it out, Claire wanted to escape into the ground.


    The man watched her silently and suddenly he laughed,


    "I heard that you''ve turned down other dates you''ve had."


    She nodded faintly,


    "You''re a grown ass woman, why are you being forced to be with someone you don''t want to be with?"


    Claire''s hands fisted on the table,


    "I don''t want to talk about it."


    She was being obedient for the last time. This was the last straw her father had over her.


    The man stared at her quietly,


    "If I agree to this, when will the act end?"


    "In two months, we just have to pretend for two months."


    Claire stared up at him elatedly, she didn''t want to get her hopes high but she had a feeling that he would agree to her.


    "Okay."


    Her brows creased, okay? Just like that?


    "You agree?"


    "Yeah?"


    "You don''t want anything?''''


    "Nope, just take it that I''m trying to punish the person that forced you into this and you have a pretty face so it won''t hurt."


    Claire smiled, "Thank you."


    "You''re welcome. So all I have to do is play along?''''


    "Yeah, and I think we''ll be going for events together for this period, I just need this to get past 2 months."


    "why? Do you have someone you want to be with?"


    Claire hesitated for a second and then she nodded,


    "Yeah, and I can''t be with him until it is over."


    "Okay,"


    "Thank you so much."


    Claire was so grateful, she wished there was something she could do for him.


    "Don''t mention."


    ¡­


    After bidding him goodbye, she entered her car and called her father.


    "Hi Dad," her voice sounded elated as she spoke to him.


    Mr. Howard was surprised for a minute,


    "How are you? How was your date?"


    "I went well, it was rather perfect."


    She heard him sit up on something, most likely a chair.


    "Seriously? Really?"


    "Yes dad!"


    "Wow! This is great!"


    Claire scoffed internally when she heard his excited voice. She wondered how his face would look when he found out he had been deceived.


    "So you both have agreed to get married?"


    "Ahh, not yet. We''re getting to know each other first, but I think I like him,".


    She replied shyly.


    "Oh that''s great! That''s so great! I told you Leo was not good for you. It was just a momentary infatuation, I''m so glad you''re over him now."


    ???Yes dad, I''m so happy you brought me to my senses."


    Mr. Howard had not felt this excited in a long while. Finally!


    At first he was scared that she wasn''t going to get anyone before the time was over, he was planning on forcing the marriage, but thankfully she had found someone by herself.


    "Alright dad, I''ll call you when I get home.".


    "Yes my dear, drive safely."


    "Mm, bye."


    The smile on Claire''s chin disappeared the instant she heard the beep on the other end.


    She sighed, she just hoped this would work.


    Her father may get some articles on their dating online, and she needed to tell Leo it was not real, but how would she do it?


    Claire thought for a second, now she had agreed to this, her father would not keep a tab on them so much anymore, so she would reach out to him.


    Claire shut her eyes briefly,


    To think she had gone months without speaking with him.


    Each day felt like she was leaving her body.


    She wasn''t sure what she was going to do when she saw him.


    She sighed when she thought of how he must be doing without her. They had not stayed apart for this long before, and the last time she saw him, he looked a little skinny, she hoped he was well.

 Chapter 341 - I missed you*

    Leo''s phone rang incessantly on the table but he did not move.


    He had one arm over his forehead as he lay stretched out on the couch.


    His eyes were shut but he was not sleeping, he waited for his phone to stop ringing but it seems the caller was persistent.


    Angrily, he stretched his hand and reached for the phone, without looking at the screen, he swiped up and answered.


    "Leo¡­ it''s me."


    Before be could bark at the caller, he heard the tiny sweet voice he had yearned to hear for months,


    His eyes flung open and he sat up instantly.


    He looked at the phone but it was an unknown number, putting it back on his ear, he cleared his throat and spoke.


    "Claire? Is that you?"


    He asked to be sure, maybe he had started hearing things.


    "Yes, it''s me. I''ve missed you."


    Her voice broke as she spoke, Leo felt his legs weaken. Missing her was an understatement of what he was feeling right now.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #*_50931157621078687 for visiting.


    "Not seeing you is killing me Claire, I''m going crazy."


    His fingers ran through his hair as he spoke. Deep pants leaving his lips.


    "Me too. Me too. I want to see you."


    Leo paused,


    "Is it safe?"


    His brows creased, any mistake and they might be in trouble. They were almost at the end, he didn''t want their waiting to be in vain, but at the same time, his body and soul yearned for her.


    "I think it''s safe for now, I''ll tell you everything when I see you, where can we meet?"


    "You know my villa in Maywood, we can go there."


    Just the thought of seeing her and holding her, took all reason away. Just this once, this once wasn''t going to hurt.


    "Okay, I''ll be there. Let''s go separately, but I don''t think they''ll still be monitoring us now, I can''t wait to see you, Leo.".


    "Me too, I love you so much.".


    "I love you too, so much."


    "Tomorrow then,"


    "Yeah."


    Leo stared at the phone and strength entered him. For so long he had been weak and lost appetite to eat, being without her was living hell, he didn''t know how accustomed he was to her until now.


    His stomach grumbled and he quickly stood up to eat.


    Claire ended the call and rushed to pack a few clothes, she would sleep over and come back the next day.


    She wasn''t sure if this was the best choice but at that moment, the only thought in her head, was thoughts of him.


    She missed him.


    ¡­


    The next day, she told her guards she was out for a photoshoot and she won''t return until the next day, that was in case her father called them, because she was going to turn off her phone.


    When she arrived, Leo was not yet there. Everywhere was clean, seems he paid someone to come by and clean.


    She kept her bag and changed I to something comfortable as she waited for him.


    She lay on the couch as she watched TV. After sometime, she heard a car pull up in front of the house.


    She stood up immediately and rushed to the door.


    Before she got to it, it was pushed open, and her eyes fell on him.


    Claire''s feet stopped at a spot as she stared at him, her breath slow.


    He had a different haircut and he was looking more slender.


    He was staring at her blazingly making her feet root to the ground even when all she wanted to do was run to him and hug him.


    Leo dropped the bag in his hand and it fell with a thud on the floor, and the next second, he walked quickly towards her.


    "Le¡­" Claire called but her words were swallowed by his lips.


    Leo held her head and kissed her.


    Claire''s eyes shut and she felt tears brew under them. She didn''t know how much she had missed his touch until this moment. This moment when she felt the earth stop around her.


    He didn''t move, he just stood still, connecting their lips passionately as though telling her how much he had missed her.


    Her fingers clasped around his hands as tears dropped from her eyes.


    After a some seconds, Leo tilted his head to the side and deepened the kiss. Claire held his neck as they kissed deeper, not saying anything with their mouths but saying a million things with their hearts.


    His hands caressed her back and he lifted her off the ground, her legs wrapping around him reflexively.


    Their lips connected again as they struggled to take each other''s clothes off.


    "I missed you." She breathed, her fingers brushing his hair as she kissed him passionately.


    "missed you more than you can imagine, Claire."


    He moved towards the room, their lips not leaving each other. Everything felt new to Claire, his hands on her body, his every move, the whisper against her ears of how much he had missed her.


    It was as though it was the first time, maybe because they''ve been apart for too long.


    Her back met the cold bed and she exhaled lightly. His eyes were filled with love, l.u.s.t, need, want, each struggling to supersede the other.


    "I thought I was going to go crazy." He breathed as he undid his belt and zipper.


    Blood flushed Claire''s chin as her eyes followed the movement of his hands,


    "me too, four months felt like four years." She said, helping him to take off her dress,


    His hands undid her bra and he groaned when he saw the swells on her chest.


    He had missed this.


    He kissed her lips again as his hands caressed her b.r.e.a.s.ts, his lips nibbling on her lower lip.


    He left her lips with a m.o.a.n and kissed her b.r.e.a.s.ts tenderly.


    Claire fell back to the bed as her back arched forward and eyes rolled back. They had a lot to talk about but that would wait till later.


    Right now, she needed to exhaust this pent up desires that only him could quench.

 Chapter 342 - Wanting him

    Leo groaned as his hands held the sides of her shorts and he pulled it off her, his eyes darkened as they fell on her lace panties, Claire felt her body shudder under his intense gaze;


    He was saying nothing but Claire could read the thousand words in his eyes as he stared at her pale white skin.


    She swallowed a gulp as she saw him bite his lower lip as though containing the demon building inside of him. She wanted him inside her that minute; her hands reached out and rubbed on his d.i.c.k.


    A groan formed in his mouth as he held her hand and pressed it further against him, Claire took out his length and stroked it slowly, after a few seconds, she pushed him down on the bed and took him in her mouth,


    ''''God¡­ '''' Leo panted as his fingers grabbed a fistful of her hair;


    She caressed his length as she sucked him off with her mouth. She loved to hear him m.o.a.n out her name, the way it sounded on his lips as he tried to stop himself from coming on her tongue, felt like bliss.


    Claire felt him reaching his peak but just when he was about to come, he held her head and pulled her off him.


    Pushing her back on the bed, he took off her panties. A whimper passed her lips when he pulled her legs apart. Claire felt feverish as his intense gaze dropped on her pinkish petals. She had shaved a few days ago, and she was still smooth.


    ''''you''re so gorgeous, Claire. ''''


    She heard him say, and even though he was overridden by l.u.s.t, she knew he meant it.


    Adjusting on the bed, she opened her legs further and her cheeks flushed when he m.o.a.ned at the sight in front of him.


    Leo held one of her legs and kissed down her thighs, stopping on the bridge between her s.e.x and her thighs. Her toes curled as she felt his mouth flicker over her bud lightly, before he sucked on it;


    ''''Lord¡­ '''' she bucked against his lips, her hand taking a grip of his hair;


    He knew exactly what she wanted and how she wanted to be touched; he knew her body more than she could ever know.


    Leo held her h.i.p.s firm and devoured her reddish petals with reckless abandon, she was screaming now from ecstasy but he didn''t stop until he had sent her shivering from numerous climaxes.


    Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. Leo kissed up her belly and sucked on her b.r.e.a.s.ts again;


    She was weak, but he was just starting;


    ''''Flip over; '''' she heard him whisper in her ears, but her legs were too weak to do anything, Leo held her h.i.p.s and guided her around;


    Claire''s hands gripped the pillow as she arched her back forward;


    ''''f.u.c.k¡­ '''' he groaned as he grabbed her soft ass cheeks, opening her up the more, he had done nothing yet, but she was already feeling jolts of electricity moving through her body.


    Claire m.o.a.ned as she felt the tip of him rub on her entrance slowly; and then he slid into her;


    ''''oh my god; '''' she m.o.a.ned loudly as her insides clenched onto him; he stopped. Her insides clasped around his length and he knew if he didn''t control himself he would come in less than a second.


    Claire waited for him to move but when he didn''t, she tried to move her h.i.p.s but he stopped her with his hands;


    ''''wait... '''' he groaned and she peeked behind her, his eyes caught a silhouette of her pink face and he swallowed; ''''I don''t want to end quickly, give me a moment; ''''


    Claire chuckled at his response as she knew what she was doing to him, she loosened up a bit and then he moved again,


    His thrusts were slow and then they became faster,


    Claire''s hands grabbed her pillows for support, but that proved fruitless as her hands became weak, he knew exactly where to hit and how to make her a bundle of m.o.a.ning mess.


    Claire whimpered as she felt him turn her around again, this time, grabbing her right leg, he kissed it as he rammed into her again. This time she saw stars, by the time it ended, she couldn''t move a muscle.


    ¡­


    Claire''s eyes fluttered weakly, she stared at the strange curtains for a second before she remembered where she was.


    Her hand felt the arm around her waists and she smiled;


    She turned around to look at him; he was sleeping peacefully, like a newborn. It was already dark and she wondered how long they had been asleep. Seems she wasn''t the only one having sleepless nights.


    Raising her hand, she arranged the hair over his forehead and her fingers traced his brows, nose, lips¡­ when her fingers touched his lips, he bit it immediately making her chuckle.


    ''''You are awake?'''' She smiled as his eyes opened.


    ''''Mm; '''' he murmured, sucking on the finger in his mouth before letting her go.


    ''''I missed you; '''' he said, his warm hand caressing her face;


    ''''I missed you too,'''' she beamed. They spent the next minutes just staring at themselves and smiling.


    They finally stood up and had a shower.


    Leo stepped out to buy dinner, while she changed the sheets on the bed, and watched TV.


    When he came back, they sat in the dining and ate.


    ''''How have you been? '''' she asked, her mind was finally in order.


    ''''Not fine, I missed you so much. '''' Leo whined and she chuckled;


    Taking a piece of her chicken, she fed it to him.


    ''''Me too, it''s just two months left. ''''


    ''''Yeah, I hope nothing goes wrong. ''''


    ''''Me too, and on that, I told you we are safe for now, ''''


    Leo creased his brows; ''''How? ''''


    ''''Well, one of the dates I met decided to play along with me, ''''


    Leo stopped eating; ''''Play along? ''''


    "Yeah, he said he''ll help me deceive my father for the time being.''''


    ''''Are you sure he doesn''t like you? ''''


    Claire laughed when she heard him sound jealous, ''''he doesn''t do tall girls, and I have eyes for only you, so stop being a baby. ''''


    She laughed;

 Chapter 343 - Lets get married when this is over

    ''''Okay, if you say so, so what does he say he wants in return?''''


    ''''He has a lot of money, you know the owner of Morris Entertainment? ''''


    ''''Yeah, he''s the one? ''''


    Claire nodded; ''''yep, he doesn''t need my money, but I''ll get him a gift when this is all over, he knows I have someone I love. ''''


    Leo paused; ''''he''s very good looking.''''


    ''''You are more handsome. ''''


    Leo swallowed; ''''How do I trust he won''t try to seduce you? ''''


    Claire laughed; ''''oh my god, Leo? Stop being childish now and eat your food,''''


    She glared at him; although she understood him, he was right to feel jealous.


    Leo sucked in a breath through his teeth,


    ''''Let''s get married immediately this is over, okay? ''''


    Claire nodded without a second thought; ''''yeah, let''s do that. ''''


    ¡­


    After they ate, they talked about the past months and everything that had happened, although they sat to watch a movie, they spent most of the time cuddling and chatting. After long, they slept off in the parlor.


    When Claire woke up she was lying in bed, it was morning already and she regretted falling asleep last night, knowing she would be leaving anytime soon.


    She pouted as she looked up his beautiful face, trying to engrave it permanently in her head.


    Suddenly, his hands started moving under her shirt.


    Claire laughed, why was he always the first to wake up?


    ''''What are you doing?''''


    She asked with a giggle and his eyes opened, then he kissed her lips and nose;


    ''''I want to eat you. '''' he said kissing down her neck, his hand grabbing her b.r.e.a.s.ts;


    Claire chuckled, as she lay on her back, fondness in her eyes as she stared at him.


    ''''I''m going to f.u.c.k you now;''''


    He paused, hovering over her;


    ''''so much that you won''t forget the shivering of your legs till we meet again,''''


    Claire''s cheeks burned and she opened her lips to laugh but it was replaced with a welp as her legs were thrown apart.


    ¡­


    ''''You aren''t wearing that with my friends coming over are you? ''''


    Michael leaned against the door as he asked the cute little woman standing in front of the dining table;


    She was wearing his jersey and it was stopping on her thighs, she wore shorts inside but it was barely visible.


    Diana turned around with a chuckle; ''''what''s wrong with what I''m wearing? ''''


    Michael''s eyes fell on her braless chest, and he could make out the faint points of her n.i.p.p.l.es;


    ''''Everything is wrong; '''' he said, walking towards her.


    ''''Your thighs are exposed and you''re not putting on any bra, it is okay for me to see, but not any other man.''''


    He grabbed her by the waists, pulling her towards him. Diana could feel her b.r.e.a.s.ts rubbing against his chest, her cheeks heated.


    ''''Okay, I''ll wear something else. '''' she breathed.


    They were so close to each other that she could feel his breath fanning her face, he was gazing at her unwaveringly with an intensity that made her knees weak, Diana looked away but Michael stopped her head halfway and made her stare back at him;


    ''''you''re so damn pretty. ''''


    Diana blinked, why was he saying that out of nowhere?


    She gulped when she felt his eyes fall to her lips. Michael tucked some strands of her hair to the back of her ear and he caressed her chin;


    She chuckled dryly; ''''You''re are making me blush, Michael. ''''


    She blinked as she tried to concentrate on something else rather than the man heating her body up;


    He shifted such that she was leaning against the dining table;


    Diana could hear her heart slamming against her chest. He had kissed her a few times already, but every time he stood this close, he still made her heart flutter.


    He leaned closer and stopped; seeing that she did not back away, he kissed her lips lightly. He loved kissing her, her lips were soft and intoxicating, every single time he kissed her, he didn''t want to stop. His hands went behind her head and her mouth opened, letting him in.


    She kissed him back in the same rhythm, letting him guide her tongue. He m.o.a.nedd against her mouth and her core clenched instantly. She loved his husky m.o.a.ning sound, it was damn s.e.xy.


    Her toes were almost curling when she felt him stop kissing her and he whispered in her ear;


    ''''why are you making me wait so much? '''' ;


    Diana''s eyes fluttered and she stared at him, she gulped;


    Michael''s adam''s apple bobbled and his fingers caressed her lower lip;


    Diana could see the flames in his eyes; she wondered how much restrain he gathered to hold himself back from touching her.


    ''''You just need to tell me whenever you''re ready, I promise I won''t hurt you. ''''


    Diana gulped. She didn''t want to wait anymore either;


    She wanted him as bad as he wanted her, and she knew he loved her. If he wasn''t saying it, he was showing it, in ways more than enough to prove it;


    Her hands reached up his shirt and she smiled;


    ''''I¡­ '''' she could only say the first word when she heard the doorbell ring,


    It rang once then followed by incessant ringing; his phone in his pocket vibrated the next minute, Michael sighed, old habits die hard.


    Even when he lived with Catherine, whenever they came by, that was how they knocked, and even when he had told them to behave themselves since he was having a woman over, they still didn''t.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''s-get-married-when-this-is-over_50954006847087680 for visiting.


    Diana''s lips closed as she peeked outside the window;


    ''''It seems your friends are here. '''' she said, what she wanted to tell him earlier on, completely forgotten.


    ''''Yeah, I''ll go open the door for them, '''' he replied but still did not move;


    ''''Change your clothes before you come out;'''' he reminded and Diana nodded;


    She watched him walk out of the dining and she breathed out.


    She would tell him once his friends left, there was enough time for that.


    Turning to the table, she made sure everything was set before she hurried back to change her clothes.

 Chapter 344 - I really like this woman

    Michael opened the door with a scowl on his face;


    ''''Bro!! '''' the boys screamed as she pushed past him into the house.


    Michael palmed his face; ''''can''t you guys behave at least for once! ''''


    He scolded angrily at his two friends; they didn''t even try to pretend to be good boys.


    ''''When you said you were going to get this girl, we didn''t believe. And we thought we were bad boys, you are the ultimate bad boy, the greatest of all times!'''' Japheth praised, raising his hand in the air;


    ''''She''s not any type of girl, I really like this woman. ''''


    The boys laughed when he said it;


    ''''Okay we believe you; we''ll remind you of this when you guys break up. '''' Mathew who had thrown himself on one of the couch grinned, Michael glared at them;


    ''''Just shut up all of you, and no drinking today, only fruit juice, and behave yourselves for crying out loud! ''''


    This was one of the reasons he didn''t want Diana to meet his friends, they were a bunch of buffalos with blocked ears.


    ''''Okay, okay, we''ll behave. '''' Japheth noted by showing a sign of zipped mouth with his fingers.


    ''''If you don''t behave today, say goodbye to meeting her again; ''''


    He said and they instantly sat up on the couch like good children who were just promised their favorite candies.


    Just that second, Diana came out of the house, Michael''s eyes flashed on what she wore and when he saw she was fully covered; he smiled.


    She wore a jogger pants that accentuated her curves, with a spaghetti strapped top, even though he felt she was still showing skin, she was very much covered than before.


    All eyes turned to her direction when they heard the door open.


    ''''Hi, '''' she greeted with a beautiful smile;


    ''''Hii!'''' the boys waved like reasonable people. Their eyes widened in excitement, well they knew she was there, but seeing her for real still got them surprised.


    ''''it''s so nice to meet you both, Michael told me a lot about you. ''''


    Diana smiled, as she sat down beside them on the curved couch. Michael immediately came and sat in their middle, ignoring the angry glare they cast him.


    ''''he did? I doubt, he doesn''t like us very much. '''' Japheth said with a grin.


    ''''By the way, I''m Japheth, ''''


    ''''And I''m Mathew, it''s so nice to meet you, you''re so much prettier in person. ''''


    Diana blushed, ''''thank you. '''' she said and tucked some strands of hair behind her ear. His friends were as handsome as he was and with deep s.e.xy voices too. They could literally get any woman they wanted.


    Now she wasn''t surprised for the kind of life he lived.


    ''''I heard you guys are shooting a movie together? '''' Japheth asked,


    ''''Yeah, we are, and he is doing quite well, it is just left a few scenes and we''re done,''''


    ''''Oh, I can''t wait to see it. I didn''t know our friend knew how to act.''''


    Mathew laughed, and Diana smiled;


    ''''Any ways, we prepared something for you guys, come and eat. ''''


    Diana stood up and Mathew and Japheth followed immediately standing by her side before Michael could prevent them.


    As they sat on the table, Diana waited for them to take the first bite,


    "who cooked this? '''' Japheth asked as he took the first bite,


    " Michael did." Diana replied.


    Japheth''s eyes widened;


    ''''No, no, Michael cannot cook this good. '''' He shook his head as he relished the taste on his tongue.


    Michael lifted his head from his food;


    ''''Have you eaten my meals before? ''''


    ''''No, obviously because you can''t cook, you always say you hate it. ''''


    Diana laughed; ''''surprisingly, he cooked every dish on this table. ''''


    Diana said and the two men turned to look at her as though she just said something funny.


    ''''You must be kidding me,'''' Matthew said, eyes wide open.


    ''''I wish I was, I can only prepare a few simple dishes, which might not be eatable in the end. I am the only child and was doted on while growing up, I barely went to the kitchen until I was an a.d.u.l.t.''''


    ''''Michael, you''ve betrayed us! ''''


    His friends stared at him in shock; the meal tasted so good, they couldn''t believe that he prepared it.


    Michael did not even respond to them, he just continued eating.


    Japheth turned to Diana; ''''is this the first time he has cooked? ''''


    Diana shook her head; ''''no, he prepares the meals whenever I come around. ''''


    Japheth was quiet, he was actually believing what Michael said about liking this woman. Maybe he really liked her.


    He had known Michael for years, he hated cooking. He didn''t cook for himself not to talk of another person, and he had not cooked for any woman before, she was the first person.


    Maybe he was not joking.


    ''''That''s it! We''re never going to eat out anymore, whenever we come over, you will do the cooking. ''''


    Michael scoffed; ''''In your dreams!''''


    ''''Oh don''t worry, we''ll come over whenever your beauty is around, ''''


    Michael glared at Mathew and he laughed.


    As they ate, Diana asked the questions that had been in her mind ever since,


    ''''So what is he like? ''''


    Diana asked and Michael coughed out his meal;


    ''''babe, you can ask me any question, don''t ask my friends they are no good. ''''


    Diana nodded at him; ''''I know, I just want to know what they think of you.''''


    ''''They won''t say anything good, they don''t like me.''''


    Japheth and Mathew kept mute as they watched the interaction between the two with shock;


    Diana laughed, ''''don''t worry, I won''t still stop loving you. ''''


    Her eyes turned back to his friends and she smiled;


    ''''So what is Michael like? ''''


    They thought it was all fun and games but this was actually serious. Michael always drew his boundaries with the women he was with, except for the last, he was getting to like her before she left.


    But then, it couldn''t compare to what they were seeing now, this woman was special to him.


    And they weren''t going to say anything to spoil this for him.


    Japheth smiled;


    ''''Okay, where do we start? ''''

 Chapter 345 - Feeling better?

    "We all went to the same school. Don''t mind the Michael you''re seeing now, he was a very quiet and shy boy, we made him this outspoken and bad."


    Michael dropped his cutleries and looked up to the ceiling, he knew it was a bad choice inviting his friends over.


    Diana laughed,


    "why was he shy?"


    "Well, he just didn''t like to talk, he loved being alone. We got close to him when we were put in the same group for assignments. And luckily we were in the same class in senior year.


    He was a very smart kid, always coming first in class, so we stuck to him like glue. That was how we became friends.


    We didn''t go to the same Uni as he wanted to study business, but we still kept in touch."


    "So he was a good kid?"


    Her eyes arched and Mathew grinned,


    "Except in matters of the other room,"


    "Christ, can you shut up!"


    Michael stood up now, his friends weren''t visiting him ever again. Diana''s face shone pink.


    His friends were a comolete package of unseasoned tongues. Just like him. They were fun.


    Michael sat in the living room as he watched them talk about him. Diana didn''t even look at him, she laughed her ass off as they said stories that happened back in school and before she met him.


    When they were done, she cleared the table and came to join them in the parlor.


    Michael had a visible frown on his brows and Diana chuckled,


    "Are you angry?" she asked, still laughing.


    His friends were sitting far away from him, but Diana wasn''t afraid of his anger, she just walked to him and kissed him on the lips,


    "feeling better now?"


    She had taken him unawares, so his frown fell instantly as he wasn''t prepared for that. His ear burned.


    He looked at her,


    "you''re so naughty."


    Diana laughed and stood up right, but he pulled her back down to his side,


    "don''t believe anything they said, they don''t like me."


    He said to her, regretting why he invited them over in the first place.


    Diana smiled,


    "Are you sure? Cause they only said good things about you, but now you''re acting this way, I''m beginning to think there''s something more."


    "Ah, no! Don''t mind me, there''s nothing."


    Diana squinted her brows,


    "Okay, I believe you."


    "Aish! Can you both wait till we leave before being so touchy?"


    Japheth said, reminding them that they weren''t alone.


    Diana laughed and turned back to them, sitting apart from Michael.


    There was no way they would be close and not touch each other.


    ¡­


    After playing video games with Michael, they stood up to leave.


    "Take care Japheth, take care Mathew."


    Diana waved at them as she stood by the door.


    Michael who was seeing them off, turned to look at her,


    "You know you can actually bid them goodbye without calling their names?"


    "Stop being so jealous Michael, when I want to chase Diana, trust me I''ll let you know."


    Michael instantly shot a glare at Japheth, who knew well to run before he caught up with him.


    Diana laughed as she stood by the door. Michael said they hated him but these friends actually loved him a little too much.


    She knew he kept a lot of girlfriends in the past but they didn''t once mention them, which meant they had his interest at heart.


    She went back into the house and as she walked past the parlor, Michael''s phone rang on the table.


    She walked to it, and picked it up but when her eyes fell on the name on the caller ID, the smile on her lips disappeared.


    ¡­


    Nicklaus came back home rather early.


    He walked past the parlor and caught the silhouette of a woman, her hair was tied up like Tiana''s and she was wearing a similar dress like Tiana''s, so without looking properly, he called,


    "Beautiful¡­."


    Gwen turned immediately she heard Nicklaus voice, she was surprised at first and then she smiled,


    "Oh, sorry, you looked like your sister from your back view. Where is she?"


    "She''s not back yet. She said she''ll be coming back a little late today."


    "Oh, alright."


    Nicklaus said and walked away.


    The smile on Gwen''s lips did not erase. Even though he had said he thought she was her sister, she didn''t care. He had called her Beautiful and that was it.


    She looked a lot like Tiana, so if he fell for her looks then he would definitely fall for her.


    She always knew she was the first person he set his eyes on, he just needed Tiana out of the way to see it.


    Gwen grinned and turned back to the water dispenser, filling her cup with cold water.


    She was happy today.


    She had not drank half the cup when she saw Veronica walk into the parlor.


    She looked around and when she didn''t see anyone, she pointed towards the garden and then walked out. Veronica waited a minute then she followed her.


    "Did you get the ingredients?"


    Veronica nodded, her hands were shaky as she looked at her feet.


    Gwen glared at her,


    "Buckle yourself up, why being so weak?"


    "Nothing, it''s just I don''t want anything to happen to Tiana."


    Gwen scoffed, "but you wanted to dupe her of some money? You''re not even serious."


    She eyed her angrily, with the way she was behaving, she didn''t know if she would keep her around for long, when she got married to Nicklaus, she would make sure to send her faraway.


    "It won''t hurt her, it''ll just make her w.o.m.b uncomfortable for any baby, that''s all. If you keep behaving like this and get caught, you''re on your own, so the earlier you put your shit together, the better for you."


    She concluded and walked away, leaving Veronica with a bowed head,


    She didn''t know why she had to spoil her joyful mood.


    Gwen smiled as she remembered the way he had called her earlier.


    Just thinking of him calling her so sweetly everyday made her squirm.

 Chapter 346 - Travel

    "We''re traveling again?"


    Tiana asked as she stared at Claire and Vera, her new manager.


    "Not we, you and your manager, but it''s not very far, just San Francisco and you''ll be staying for three days, or more depending on you. All expenses paid."


    Claire winked at her but Tiana wasn''t very excited. She has not forgotten what happened the last time she traveled. And Nicklaus might not want it this time.


    "Vera can you give us a minute alone?"


    She asked and Vera nodded, standing up and leaving, Tiana did not start talking until she heard the door close.


    "I don''t think Nicklaus would be happy about it."


    Tiana said, although this was the highest paying offer with the highest exposure she might have to reject it. Nicklaus wouldn''t want her being away for three days and now when she wasn''t going with Claire or Leo.


    "Um," Claire laughed,


    "I don''t understand, are you a house wife or a model? You have to choose what you want to do. If you want to be housewife, fine, there''s no problem, quit this and face your husband fully and start rearing children. But if you want to be a model, trust me sacrifices has to be made. It''s not about the money, its about the exposure, more exposure means more jobs.


    And trust me, Nicklaus wouldn''t prevent you from leaving, you just don''t want to leave."


    Tiana laughed, "maybe, but I don''t want to leave him alone for three days!"


    Claire laughed, "Lord, you''re such a baby, so how are you going to survive when he goes for long trips? Or will you follow him too?"


    Tiana pouted, "maybe."


    Claire couldn''t help laughing the more.


    She was so funny.


    "Okay, if you don''t want to go, you can leave it, there are a lot of models waiting for his opportunity."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll go.".


    Tiana smiled faintly. Although her husband had all the money in the world, she still wanted to make her own money and build her name apart from him, so she wasn''t turning this down.


    "Good, that''s the Tiana I know, Vera!"


    Claire called and Vera walked back in,


    "Follow the process and help sign the necessary papers. You both are leaving in three days time."


    "three days?!"


    Tiana''s lips dropped,


    "trust me, you should have left tomorrow."


    ¡­


    Tiana stared at the doc.u.ment in her hand as she wondered how to break the news to Nicklaus.


    Although she wanted to go, if he didn''t want her to, she wouldn''t mind staying back at all.


    When she got home. He just finished taking a shower. When Nicklaus saw her, he walked to her and kissed her chin,


    "You look tired."


    Tiana pouted, "Today was a little stressful."


    "Do you want to quit?"


    "No, not at all!" she shook her head instantly. Whenever she complained, his first question was always if she wanted to quit. He didn''t like her to be stressed at all, how would she now bring this up?


    "Okay," Nicklaus said and kissed her lips before walking around her to the dressing table.


    Tiana turned and followed him,


    "Go and shower so we can have dinner."


    Nicklaus said and she nodded, but did not move.


    After sometime he turned to look at her,


    "what''s wrong?" he asked looking concerned, whenever she was like that, there was definitely a problem.


    "I have something to tell you," she said with a pouty face,


    Nicklaus stopped,


    "Is it a bad or a good thing?"


    "I don''t know¡­ a mixture of both."


    "Alright then, shower first, I have something to discuss too, we''ll talk over meals."


    Tiana nodded and rushed off to shower.


    When she came out, she wore a s.e.xy nightie without anything underneath.


    Packing her hair up, exposing her white clear skin she walked to where he lay in the large couch in their room. Maybe if she seduced him, he might let her leave.


    "Let''s eat."


    She said with a cute voice. Nicklaus'' eyes remained on her body for a second before he stood up and followed her out.


    Tiana opened the dishes and served him his food.


    She watched him eat for a few seconds before she started eating.


    "So what did you want to talk to me about?"


    Tiana swallowed the piece of meat in her mouth.


    "You go first, you said you wanted to talk to me about to something."


    "Yeah," Nicklaus stopped eating,


    "Beautiful, I have to leave the country for a few days, you know I''ve been off for a while now and a lot of work have piled up, some meetings which should have been held here were rescheduled and I''ll have to go to their countries, it''s only for a few days, I''ll come back home as soon as I can¡­"


    Nicklaus stopped talking when he noticed she was smiling,


    "which country?" she asked,


    "China."


    "How many days will you be staying?"


    " a week at most."


    "when will you leave?"


    Nicklaus was surprised at her question bombardment and the grin on her lips, but he still replied.


    "In three days."


    Tiana laughed joyfully.


    "Thank Goodness, I was so scared of telling you I got modeling contract that''ll involve me going to San Francisco for some shoots, but hearing you''ll also be traveling, I''m so relieved."


    Nicklaus chuckled,


    "Is that why you''re so happy?"


    "Yes! Cause I wanted to go but I wasn''t sure you''ll support it."


    Nicklaus creased his brows worriedly,


    "You think I won''t let you do what you love?''''


    Nicklaus asked,


    "No, it''s not it¡­"


    "Tiana, I''m always asking about your work because I care and I love you very much not because I want to stop you. As long as you''re happy and doing what makes you happy I would never stop you, okay?"


    Tiana nodded and he caressed her chin lovingly.


    "So when are you going?"


    "In three days and I''ll be staying for three days."


    "Oh, that means you''ll be home before I return?"


    Tiana nodded.


    "That''s good. Just don''t miss me too much.".


    "Nah, I won''t, I have a lot of work now, I won''t have time to miss you."


    Nicklaus smiled,


    "don''t come crying that you want me to come back home."


    "Never I won''t do that, I can survive without you."


    Nicklaus laughed, "Okay, eat up, your food is getting cold."


    Tiana smiled and dug into her food.

 Chapter 347 - Are you two dating?

    "Did you get to work safely?"


    Diana sent a text as she applied her makeup, a reply came almost immediately she sent it.


    "Yeah, just arrived, I have a meeting now, I''ll call you when I''m done."


    "Okay, take care."


    Diana dropped the phone as she pursed her lips, checking if her makeup was properly done. When she saw she looked good, she stood up from the chair.


    She did not take up to three steps when her phone rang again,


    The familiar vibrating sound on the table made her remember what happened a few days ago.


    Jade¡­


    Why was she calling him? And at night at that?


    She had mentioned she wanted to hang out later but shouldn''t she at least respect the late hours of the day?


    She was not yet done with Melissa now his ex was here. Diana swallowed painfully,


    Why was he so handsome?


    The phone rang for the second time, bumping her out of her thoughts, she glanced at the screen and smiled when she saw the caller.


    "Mom!" Diana screamed over the phone. It''s been weeks since she saw her, she had been busy lately,


    "You sound excited yet you can''t call me,"


    "Ah, mom, it''s not like that¡­ I''m so occupied with work, and we''re rounding up a show so it''s been stressful for me, I was planning to come see you today, cause I woke up with you on my mind."


    Elizabeth laughed, "Okay, hope you''re fine, and yes, I saw in the news, mm, he''s quite handsome..."


    Diana''s brows creased, "who?"


    "the man you''re dating? There''s so much news about you both online, it seems so real to be fake, so are you going to tell me about him or not?"


    Diana laughed as her face blushed,


    "We''ll talk about it when I come over, I''m hanging up, bye¡­"


    "Don''t you dare!" her mother screamed jokingly. Diana laughed,


    "I called you, so you don''t end the call, I will end the call myself."


    Diana laughed, "mom, I''m coming over now, we''ll talk about it."


    "Okay, but first, are you two dating?"


    Diana bit her lower lip and nodded shyly, when she remembered her mom wasn''t in front of her she murmured.


    "Yea¡­"


    "Great! Finally! I''m going to prepare something delicious for you now, I''m waiting for you, come quickly."


    Diana laughed as her mom ended the call. That was her mom, every single time there was a dating rumor about her, she would call to hear from her.


    She always wanted the rumors to be true but they were mostly false. Sometimes she would tell her they were true just to stop her from disturbing her more.


    Diana tucked her hair to the back of her ears.


    She was happy this time. She couldn''t wait to introduce Michael to her mom. She was sure she would love him.


    And speaking of Michael¡­


    The smile on her face paled slowly,


    That Jade¡­


    She was pretty and elegant and very outspoken. Unlike her, Jade seemed like someone who wasn''t shy to express or say how she felt.


    Diana pouted. What if she wanted to chase Michael, she sure wouldn''t stand a chance.


    Men had deeper connections with women they''ve had s.e.x.u.a.l reactions with, unlike her, he had slept with Jade.


    Maybe she should seduce him?


    Diana thought and she kicked her leg into the air irritatingly.


    Sleeping with him was no use, she wouldn''t be able to stop him if he decided he wanted Jade.


    And it would tear her apart if he left her after sleeping with her.


    She pouted. Walking to her closet slowly.


    He liked her right?


    He showed her how much he liked her in every thing he did.


    Diana nodded to herself, yes, he likes her a lot.


    She was about to rejoice when another part of her thought,


    But he never said it once, what if he was having double mind about his feelings for her and now his ex has appeared, his heart will waver the more.


    "Arrhh!" Diana cried, why was she having all these bad thoughts. Nothing happened, she just called to check up on him!


    Or not¡­


    That day after seeing the call, she left the phone without picking it or telling Michael Jade had called.


    She wanted him to tell her himself, but he didn''t.


    She had waited to tell him she wanted to be with him now, but when he didn''t tell her Jade called, her heart began to waver again.


    And she just went to sleep that night.


    Everything continued as normal but she couldn''t get it off her mind.


    What if he still had feelings for Jade?


    Diana thought.


    No, no, he had told her that he left his relationsh.i.p.s as platonic as it could ever be, so Jade wasn''t an exception.


    She nodded to herself, trying to convince herself that that was the case.


    Smiling, she stopped thinking about it and took out a beautiful dress, she would meet her mother''s boyfriend today.


    She needed to look pretty.


    ¡­


    Diana stepped out of her car and her eyes widened as she looked around the estate.


    Her mother told her he was wealthy but she didn''t think much of it, but standing in front of his home now, she couldn''t help thinking about who he was. Her mother said his name once but she couldn''t remember.


    "Darling, you''re late."


    Elizabeth kicked her out of her thoughts as she walked towards her with opened arms.


    Diana ran into her embrace and hugged her,


    "I had to eat breakfast. Here''s so pretty."


    She commented. Since her mom wasn''t very young anymore, she thought she would be with a younger man, that was what most divorced women who had a lot of money did, that was why she didn''t pay attention to it, but it seems she caught a big fish.


    "Is it? He''s Henry Davis, you weren''t expecting anything less where you?"


    Diana''s eyes widened and she blinked,


    "Henry Davis? The one we know?"


    Henry Davis was among the top 5 in the billionaires list. His wife died a few years back and she didn''t know he had been seeing her mom.

 Chapter 348 - Especially faithful

    "I told you, why are you acting surprised?"


    "Well, I didn''t know it was someone this big, thought you would get a younger man to warm your bed¡­"


    Elizabeth spanked her butt,


    "ah, mom!" she laughed


    "when did you get so spoilt, this kid?"


    Diana laughed, "Is he home?"


    Elizabeth nodded,


    "Okay, let''s go in."


    Diana smiled and led the way. Henry was famous for his handsome face and incredibly hot body even at 50 cause he did a lot of gym, finally she was going to see him in real life.


    Now she actually regretted all the tears she shed for her parents'' divorce. Now she knew why her mom wasn''t even perturbed about it.


    And she was crying for nothing. Even though she wasn''t happy about them separating, she couldn''t deny she liked her soon to be step father.


    Diana sipped from her cup of wine as she admired the paintings on the wall.


    Magazines toured his home because of the ancient costly paintings hanging around, Diana was glad she could see them for real now.


    "He''s so handsome, I like this one, I hope you two would end up together this time."


    Her mother''s voice drew her attention back to her, and Diana smiled,


    "Mm, me too."


    "So tell me, do you like him?"


    Diana blushed, "I do."


    Elizabeth''s face glistened.


    "Does he like you?"


    "I think he does."


    "Mm¡­ that''s a good start, have you guys done it?"


    Diana''s eyes widened, she told her mom everything, so she knew she was still a v.i.r.g.i.n.


    "Mom!" Diana''s lips opened in shock,


    "What? Just yes or no, it won''t hurt."


    Diana rolled her eyes, gulping down the remaining contents of her cup.


    "Uh, what is it? Has he gone there?"


    Her mom winked and Diana shut her eyes in embarrassment.


    "Not yet,"


    "Uh?" Elizabeth''s eyes widened,


    "What are you waiting for?"


    "we''re still trying to understand ourselves and get comfortable with each other, when we''re ready everything else will follow."


    Elizabeth laughed,


    "Okay, so you both just stare at yourselves, doing nothing?"


    Diana nodded,


    "He sleeps over sometimes?"


    "Yeah,"


    "and he doesn''t touch you at all?"


    Diana scratched her head,


    "We kiss and cuddle, but that''s all. Nothing else."


    Elizabeth shook her head,


    "He''s definitely getting it somewhere else."


    "Mom! He''s not!"


    Diana quickly came to his defense.


    "Tsk Tsk Tsk, with this your beautiful face and what you''re carrying on your chest, no man will be able to stop himself lying on the same bed with you. Except, he is gay or he is getting it somewhere else, or he is especially faithful to you, but I would say with that face I saw online, he is definitely getting it somewhere else."


    With thoughts of Jade, his ex and what her mom was saying now, Diana felt like crying.


    "I''ll choose that he''s faithful to me because he loves me."


    Elizabeth couldn''t help laughing loud at her reply.


    "Oh my God, okay, let''s believe that okay? But make sure you are very comfortable before you sleep with him, make sure you want to do it and not because you are pressured, okay?"


    Diana glared at her,


    She wanted to reply but she saw Henry walk into the living room and her glare was immediately replaced with a smile,


    "Henry!"


    She said excitedly, standing up to greet him.


    He was as they say, very handsome and hot. Hotter than three of her father put in one, haha, now she knew why her mom encouraged them to get married.


    He smiled,


    "I finally meet my baby daughter."


    Diana blushed, his voice was hot too.


    He leaned down and kissed Elizabeth''s chin before turning to Diana.


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you too, Henry. I should have come earlier than now, but I''ve been busy with acting, I could only come now."


    Diana beamed, excitedly.


    She was happy for her mom. She wished they would get married soon. Now she looked at them, they fit each other perfectly.


    "Your mom has told me a lot about you, and you take from her looks, very pretty."


    Diana blushed.


    She liked this step dad.


    "Thank you Henry. I''m glad I came by."


    "Alright, you both have some fun, I have to step out now."


    He said and kissed Elizabeth again,


    "Don''t drive by yourself."


    Elizabeth warned and he nodded,


    "Okay, baby."


    Baby... Aww...


    Diana''s heart melted as she watched them. They acted like newly wedded couples. Now this was what her mom deserved and nothing less.


    This man treated her right and she was so happy for her.


    As soon as he was out of the door,


    Diana turned to her mom,


    "When are you both getting married?"


    Elizabeth laughed, "Isn''t it too soon? We don''t plan on getting married this soon¡­"


    "what? Get married to that man right away! That man is so gorgeous. Jeez!"


    "Daughter, are you in any way crushing on my man?"


    Elizabeth asked jokingly and Diana shook her head,


    "Of course not. Haha . But he''s hot, and I support you, full time!"


    Diana winked at her mom and she laughed.


    "Have you seen your father?"


    Diana''s smile dilated, she didn''t think her mom would be comfortable talking about him, but seeing the bright look on her face she nodded.


    "A few weeks ago, he will be getting married anytime soon."


    Elizabeth nodded,


    "I''m happy for him."


    Diana thought for a second,


    "Does he know about Henry?"


    "Mm, I told him later on who I was seeing and he was happy for me." She paused,


    "Diana, I want you to forgive your father, don''t hold what he did against him¡­"


    "Mom, are you even asking me? After seeing such a hot step father, do you think I''ll think twice about forgiving him? In fact I support them,"


    Her mom laughed,


    "Alright come and eat, the table should be set now."


    "That should wait till later, first, I should take a selfie beside these artifacts."


    Diana said and stood up,


    Every painting was one of its kind, and not everyone was allowed to see it, each cost millions of dollars to acquire.


    And not only the artifacts she would also take a selfie with her soon to be step father.


    He had so many crushes online and no one knew he was seeing her mom, she imagined what would happen when she posted the pictures.


    He he.

 Chapter 349 - I love you...

    When Henry came back she requested some pictures with him, afterwards, she asked if she could post the pictures and he agreed.


    When her mother left them, he told her he was planning to ask her to marry him on month''s end but he hadn''t told her yet.


    He told her to keep it a secret and she agreed. She was very happy for them, finally, her mom would be happy.


    Diana quickly selected a few pictures and posted them on her Instagram page, a grin on her chin.


    She had millions of followers so the response she received was almost immediate,


    In less than a minute, over 5000 comments on the picture,


    She went through the comments slowly,


    ''why is she with Henry, is she not dating Michael?''


    ''didn''t know Diana did sugar daddies, haha, I knew she was just playing with Michael,''


    ''she''s too young for Henry, why is she with him, it can''t be because of money, because she''s super rich.''


    ''Stop eating her up, maybe they are in love.''


    ''This bitch, she''s just playing men. Why would she hurt Michael so much? I knew she was using him all along!''


    ''I support Diana, no matter where she goes, I support her!''


    Diana chuckled as she read through the comments, her phone vibrating over and over again.


    She knew there were rumors about her and Michael on the internet, but she normally didn''t check those, but seeing most of the comments more inclined on her cheating on Michael, she went on the internet and typed,


    Who is Diana Smith¡­


    She did not complete the sentence before Goggle gave her the most possible options and she clicked on one,


    Who is Diana Smith dating currently?...


    Her and Michael''s pictures appeared on the front page. So many pictures of them at restaurants, walking down the street, holding hands.


    Her eyes widened when she saw a caption,


    Diana engaged to fast rising actor Michael Wills?


    It had a picture of her hands with the ring she wore on her ring finger circled.


    "what the¡­"


    She laughed as she read the message. Bloggers really knew how to formulate a whole new story, just for the views.


    She was about to log out when her eyes flashed at another headline,


    ''How many women has Michael Wills dated?''


    Her fingers hesitated on it and in the end, her curiosity won and she clicked it,


    There were about eight women in the blog post, drop dead gorgeous women.


    The first was a model, stunning with hazel eyes,


    Second, a TV presenter, beautiful too.


    Diana read through their biography with a pout on her lips, he never dated a simple looking woman,


    And then her eyes stopped on the seventh woman, Jade.


    Instead of just reading, she clicked on her name,


    The first picture she saw was of Michael holding her around the waists as they stood for an event.


    She was popular so he must have gone out with her to events often, that explained why there were so many pictures of them.


    Diana scrolled slowly and she stopped on another, he was whispering something in her ear at another event, which made her blush a little.


    Diana shrugged and logged off the blog post.


    Even if they were that close, she was a past now, nothing could change that.


    As though reading her mind, her phone vibrated in her hands, and Michael''s call came in.


    "Babe, where are you?"


    "I''m going back home, are you done with the meeting?"


    "Mm, yeah, I got so many messages today asking me weird questions, so I had to check your post."


    Diana laughed,


    "Oh, I took a few pictures with Henry, he''s my mom''s boyfriend, but since I didn''t tag it anything and he said he don''t want to make it public yet, people are saying whatever, don''t mind them, that is normal."


    "wow, he''s your mom''s boyfriend, that''s interesting."


    "Yeah, I didn''t even know. I''m so happy for my mom, she got a hot guy."


    "Mm¡­he''s hot?"Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #..._51023691600946872 for visiting.


    "Yeah, and his voice is s.e.xy too, his pictures definitely didn''t do justice to him."


    Michael was quiet for a second,


    "and he''s s.e.xy too?"


    Diana was about to say yes when she understood the meaning of his question, her hand flew over her mouth.


    "Ah, no, no, he''s just good looking, that is¡­ I wasn''t expecting him to be the one, I''m just happy for my mom that''s all."


    "You''ve never told me I''m hot, or anything like that, and you praise another man¡­ ha, I''m hurt."


    "oh, sweetheart, I''m sorry, forgive me, okay."


    "Okay, I forgive you."


    Michael replied but Diana felt it wasn''t enough.


    "Are you in the office?"


    "Mm¡­ I still have some work to do before I leave, will call you when I''m done okay?"


    "Alright.. "


    The call ended and Diana turned to her driver,


    "Take me to Warren Corp."


    When she arrived, she greeted his secretary.


    It was a man this time, Diana couldn''t help smiling,


    "Is the CEO in?"


    She asked, when she came to the office, the security led her to the elevator leading to his office, and treated her like she was their boss.


    Although she was a celebrity, she didn''t expect the extremely good treatment she received, it was either Michael had told them to treat her properly or they knew they were dating from the rumors online and they didn''t want to get on his bad side by making her wait.


    The secretary stood up and smiled at her,


    "Yes, he''s in, let me tell him you''re¡­"


    "No, don''t tell him."


    She stopped him with a smile, and the secretary nodded.


    Walking to his office, she pushed the door open and put her head in.


    "surprise!"


    Michael''s eyes which were over a file on his table peeked up and a smile formed on his lips when he saw her.


    Diana entered then office completely and closed the door behind her.


    "how is my boyfriend doing?"


    She asked, walking to him on the table,


    Michael held her waists and pulled her to him, hugging her, his head resting on her b.o.o.b.s,


    "Mm¡­ I''m feeling so much better now."


    Diana chuckled, ruffling his hair with her hands,


    "Was today stressful?"


    She asked and he nodded like a cute boy, his eyes closed.


    Diana smiled, after some minutes, he pulled her to his laps, and kissed her lips,


    "I missed you."


    He said, holding her face with his hands.


    Diana pecked his lips, "I''m here now."


    She smiled, caressing his face, she watched his eyes drop to her lips again and he kissed her, this time he didn''t stop, he deepened it a little more.


    Diana''s hands went around his neck as she pulled him towards her, kissing him back,


    Michael m.o.a.ned, his hand riling up her skirt, her white thighs coming in view.


    Diana m.o.a.ned against him, her eyes rolling back as he left her lips and sucked on her neck, her fingers dug into his shoulders and her back arched, as his lips kissed over her little cleavage, and as though he thought of something, he stopped.


    Groaning, he asked, "why are you so f.u.c.kin beautiful all the time?"


    He asked, pushing her hair away from her face, as his eyes locked in hers,


    "You''re stunning Diana. Irresistibly stunning."


    Diana swallowed, his eyes were filled with l.u.s.t but the way he looked at her made her feel like he really meant what he said.


    Her hands came up to his face as she stared deep in his eyes, she wanted to tell him how she was feeling at that moment,


    She wanted to tell him the three words that filled her heart whenever she looked at him,


    But what if he didn''t say it back?


    No, she should tell him even if he doesn''t say it back, at least she had done her part and he would know how she felt about him.


    "Michael¡­" she called almost in a whisper,


    Her heart slammed against her chest, jeez¡­ she didn''t know this was so hard,


    "I love you¡­"


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    She said it.


    She finally said it.


    Diana held her breath as she stared at Michael, who was staring back at her, surprise in his eyes.


    One second


    Two seconds


    Three¡­


    Nothing happened.


    Diana felt sweat break out on her back and she blinked.


    "Do you have a restroom here?"


    Without thinking, she said and stood up from his lap.


    Michael nodded and pointed to his restroom.


    "Oh, okay." Diana smiled and adjusted her skirt, walking into the restroom, she locked the door.


    Her eyes stared blankly into thin space and after sometime her gaze blurred.


    She had mustered up courage to finally confess to him, but he couldn''t say it back.


    Diana felt her heart squeeze so tight that she couldn''t breathe.


    She walked slowly to the water closet and sat on it.


    Couldn''t he at least say it back even if he didn''t mean it?


    Why did he ask her out if he didn''t love her?


    Why was he treating her so good if he didn''t love her?


    Diana felt like crying out loud but she bit her lower lip.


    The pain in her heart was so much. All the words of her mom earlier that day came back to her, coupled with his ex, Jade and now this, Diana wept silently.


    This was so not fair.


    She tried to push back her tears but she was way too emotional at that moment, so by the time she finished crying, her eyes were so red.


    She couldn''t go out like that, he would know she had cried.


    Thinking for a moment, she opened the door and brought out her hand,


    "Michael, can you help me with my bag, please?"


    Thankfully, she sounded as okay as possible.


    "What''s wrong?" she heard him stand up and walk towards her,


    "Uh¡­ I think my period came."


    "Oh, so sorry, are you okay?" Michael asked as he placed the bag on her palm and she murmured faintly.

 Chapter 350 - How much she loved him

    Diana took the bag and murmured a weak ''yes'' then she locked the door.


    Walking to the mirror, she cleaned her face with her little face towel and applied the makeup she usually carried around. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Diana sighed, she still looked like she had cried but thankfully, she told him she was on her period so she would just say she cried because of the pain.


    Taking in a deep breath she walked to the door, and held the handle, waiting for some seconds, she turned it and stepped out, smiling weakly.


    Michael was standing in the middle of the office, his eyes looking worried, when he saw her step out, he walked to her immediately;


    ''''Are you okay? Does it hurt too much?''''


    He took her hand as he asked concernedly; Diana looked at him for some seconds, then she forced a smile,


    ''''It just hurts for the first minutes, and then I''m fine for the rest of the day, so I''m fine now. ''''


    She smiled brightly, prying her hand off him and walking towards the table.


    Why was he still asking her if she was fine and caring as though nothing happened just now?


    Diana was confused, maybe he didn''t hear when she told him that she loved him; just maybe¡­


    For a moment, she wanted to push all sanity aside and believe that he didn''t hear her, but it was not possible, she had sounded as audible as ever and there was no noise in the room, so she couldn''t make that excuse for him.


    Diana''s heart hurt and she quickly pushed that thought aside, the last thing she wanted to do now was cry in front of him. She needed time to comprehend what just happened but she couldn''t do it with him around her.


    ''''Is there anything you need? Anything I can get you? ''''


    Michael asked, he had not been with any woman on her period before, neither did he have a sister while growing up, so he did not know what to do.


    ''''No, I''m fine, it just hurts when it''s about to start, but then it doesn''t hurt anymore. I''m completely fine.'''' Diana smiled at him. Well, she wasn''t on her period, and contrary to what she just told him, her period actually hurts like hell.


    ''''Okay¡­ '''' Michael replied, scratching his head; ''''are you sure there''s nothing you need? ''''


    Diana laughed, ''''No! I''m completely fine, besides you know I''m a baby, if I needed anything you would know. ''''


    She pouted her lips cutely and Michael nodded,


    ''''Right¡­ ''''


    Diana looked around, she was acting perfectly now, but she didn''t know if she would be able to keep it up for long, she really needed to get out of here.


    ''''Oh, it''s past four already, and I need to meet someone, Michael I have to get going now. ''''


    She said, walking to him and kissing his chin.


    ''''Uh? Wait, I''m done with work, let me drop you off. '''' Michael said, walking to his table hurriedly and picking his keys.


    ''''Ah! No! Don''t worry, I came with my driver, I''ll just follow him home, you don''t have to worry. ''''


    She shook her head quickly, the truth was that she already lied that she was meeting someone when she wasn''t meeting anybody, so if she let him take her, he was going to know she told a lie.


    ''''Um, you can tell him to go back home¡­ ''''


    ''''Right, but today has been stressful for you, just go home and have a good rest, okay? Besides, I''m meeting someone I''m not going straight home.''''


    Michael, seeing she had made up her mind, nodded;


    ''''Alright then, but let me walk you to your car. '''' Michael offered and she could not refuse. She watched him close his Macbook and the files in front of his desk, picking his keys, he held her hand and they walked out of the office.


    Diana was very chatty but she didn''t say any word till they got to her car, and then she smiled.


    ''''Call me when you get home okay? ''''


    ''''Alright, who are you going to see again? ''''Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16827899305401905)/how-much-she-loved-him_%!d(string=51046858134447102) for visiting.


    ''''Um, it''s Richard; he says it''s important; I''ll call you when I get home. ''''


    ''''Alright, take care. '''' Michael kissedher forehead briefly and she waved at him and got into the car, he waited until she was out of sight before he walked to his car.


    Michael entered his car and was about to drive out then he stopped,


    Did he do anything wrong today?


    Earlier, she looked very moody, was it her period?


    He thought, right, maybe she was having mood swings, he would call her as soon as he got home. Nodding to himself, he started the car and drove out of the company.


    ''"Stop the car. '''' Diana said to her driver, once they had almost reached home, he peeked at her through the rearview mirror, but without asking questions, he parked by the side of the road.


    ''''Take a taxi home, I''ll drive myself. ''''


    Diana said and he nodded, stepping out of the car, he opened the door for her. Diana got out and entered the driver''s side, starting the car, she drove out.


    Her eyes stared at the road, with no destination in mind. She didn''t want to go home, she knew she would just bundle up on her bed and weep her eyes out.


    This was the best, driving on the road, and letting the cool breeze wash her skin, taking her mind off the heaviness in her heart.


    Diana did not know how long she drove around the city, soon, her eyes flashed on the red blinking sign of an empty fuel tank.


    Filing it up, she hit the road again.


    It was dark now, thick black dark, Diana was getting tired, so she drove back home. She had tried her best not to think about anything but as soon as she left the busy road and drove into the quiet street; everything came rushing back to her.


    Her fingers trembled around the steering wheel, and she breathed out,


    She thought she was strong but she was so damn weak. She didn''t know how much she loved him until now.


    She drove into her house and put off the car, her head falling against the steering,


    She had summoned her entire courage to be able to tell him she loved him even when she was having doubts. She wanted to give herself to him completely but she wanted to be sure he loved her back, so she wouldn''t have any regrets.


    Even though he was caring and loving and everything, it was important to say it, so she would know it was really how he felt.


    So many thoughts ran through her mind, so many doubts, so many¡­


    Diana breathed out as she calmed herself.


    Maybe he needed time to comprehend his feelings for her, maybe he wasn''t sure yet. Yes, she had said it out of nowhere, and he didn''t want to lie to her.


    Diana nodded to herself, she shouldn''t feel bad, it wasn''t like he was forcing her to do anything or something, and besides, it was better not saying anything than telling her he loved her when he didn''t mean it.


    Diana smiled and stepped out of the car;


    Yeah, she should focus on being a better girlfriend and leave him with no doubts that forcing him to say something he wasn''t sure of yet.


    Diana tried to make herself believe she wasn''t making excuses for him, and in the end, she succeeded.


    Accepting that she was just overthinking, she took out her phone to call him, and she saw she had about seven missed calls from him.


    Her lips fell open and she quickly called him back, she had put her phone on do not disturb because of the constant vibration of her phone from incoming notifications.


    ''''Hey, so sorry I missed your calls; my phone was on do not disturb. ''''


    She apologized quickly;


    ''''Oh, no problem, are you back home now? ''''


    ''''Yeah just came back home,''''


    She closed the front door and strode towards her room.


    ''''What are you having for dinner? ''''


    ''''Um, I think I''ll eat something very nice today, Mary is back.''''


    Diana said when she saw Mary walk out of the kitchen with a tray in her hand.


    ''''What about you, what are you having for dinner? ''''


    ''''Pasta, and I just finished making it. ''''


    ''''Mm, that''s great. ''''


    ''''Alright, I''ll leave you to freshen up, are you feeling any better now? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I am. I will chat you up when I''m done, okay? ''''


    ''''Alright, ''''


    Diana ended the call and tossed her phone on her bed. She smiled when she saw her bedsheets were changed, that was Mary for you, she changed her bedsheets as soon as she returned, whether they were neat or not.


    Getting out of her clothes, she soaked herself in the bathtub.


    By the time she got out, she felt a little relief.


    ¡­


    Michael sat in the living room after dinner. He quickly texted Diana on WhatsApp asking her if she was done with bathing; as he waited for her reply, a message came in;


    ''''Hey, Michael¡­ ''''


    Michael''s brows creased, and he clicked the message, wondering who the sender was.


    ''''It''s me, Jade, how are you? ''''


    Michael''s fingers froze as his eyes stared at the message. She had called a few days ago when he was with Diana, and he had ignored the call, and now she was texting him.


    Although he didn''t end on a bad note with her, he didn''t want to be friends with her anymore, because she was an ex, and he didn''t want Diana to think something was going on between them, so after contemplating for a second, he ignored the message.

 Chapter 351 - Ill make you fall for me

    Diana''s message popped up on the screen and he clicked on it,


    "Yeah, I''m done, I''m eating now,"


    A smile crossed his lips and he was about replying, when she sent a picture of her eating, with a caption,


    "Come and join me."


    He smiled and started to type a reply before his phone vibrated with an incoming call.


    Michael''s brows creased when he saw the unknown caller ID,


    Jade¡­


    He suspected it was her, he thought of ignoring the call but it was no use ignoring her, he would just answer and tell her what he wanted to tell her,


    "Hey!" Jade exclaimed in a cute voice the instant Michael picked up.


    "How are you?" Michael asked and she giggled,


    "I''m great, I called a few days ago, you didn''t answer."


    "Oh, I think I was busy at that time and I forgot to call back, sorry for that."


    "Apology accepted,"


    She chuckled lightly, "Are you free tomorrow?"


    Michael kept quiet for a few seconds,


    "Jade, we can''t meet that way any longer, we aren''t together anymore."


    The other side was quiet for a moment, and then she laughed,


    "why?"


    "Because I''m seeing someone else now and I don''t want her to think we are doing something when we''re not."


    Jade laughed out loud when she heard Michael''s reply,


    "Please stop joking right now, it''s not like you do relationsh.i.p.s, I mean it''s always just s.e.x, God, you are sounding like a p.u.s.s.y now."


    She laughed,


    "I''m actually serious about this woman, and it''s not about the s.e.x."


    "Stop kidding me Michael, I know you very much, you can''t tell me you changed over night for a woman, I mean, you''ve met a lot of them."


    Michael sighed, he knew she wouldn''t believe him, his friends didn''t also belief him, so he wasn''t expecting her to,


    "Jade, think whatever you want to think, just know we can''t be friends like before anymore."


    He sounded more serious this time and Jade stopped laughing, she was quiet for some seconds, then she asked,


    "Do you really love her?"


    Michael paused. Did he love her?


    He blinked,


    Earlier that day, she looked at him and told him, she loved him.


    That moment had been the happiest moment of his life. He didn''t know he could feel that happy for mere words. But those words, sincere and from her heart melted him.


    "I don''t know what love is, but if love is thinking about her every single second, wanting to see her smile, wanting to hear her voice every single moment of the day and feeling so wasted when she''s not around, then I''m certain, I love her."


    Jade froze at his reply, and her hand tightened around her phone. She couldn''t believe he was saying those words.


    Michael, who had told her outrightly that she shouldn''t catch feelings for him, that all he wanted was s.e.x.


    And even when she started to fall for him, he reminded her that they were just friends with benefits, but she didn''t give up, she continued to show him how much she loved him,


    Normally, he would have ended their relationship but he didn''t, which made her think he wanted her too but he was just not used to being in love and then her mother fell ill.


    And she had to leave.


    And their relationship came to an end. But she never expected to be back to him deeply in love with another woman, when she had been in his life for almost two years and he didn''t love her.


    "Why didn''t you love me?"


    Jade asked out of nowhere making Michael''s eyes widen in surprise,


    "what?"


    "You know I loved you, but you repeated over and over again that we were nothing but friends with benefits, so what changed? What is different about this woman?


    She''s not prettier than me, and I''m a celebrity too, so what is wrong with me?"


    Michael heard the shiver in her voice as she spoke,


    He swallowed. Maybe that was his mistake, he should have ended it the minute she started falling for him, but he didn''t,


    He just kept her by his side, since she was less trouble.


    "I''m sorry."


    He apologized. That was his biggest mistake, but sadly he could do nothing but apologize.


    "You''re a bad person, Michael."


    Jade cried, "you are a very bad person."


    "You don''t expect to meet me single after a year, Jade."


    "You said you didn''t do love relationsh.i.p.s, I didn''t expect you to change suddenly!"


    "You never called,"


    "I called once and you told me off!"


    Michael stopped talking, after some minutes he said,


    "I''m sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I can''t do anything more than apologize¡­"


    "I don''t need your apology. What I need is you. I love you Michael, I really love you."


    "Jade¡­"


    "I don''t care if you''re with someone and I don''t care who she is, I''m going to come for what I want. Since you''ve changed now, you might fall in love with me.


    Remember you didn''t end our relationship even when I told you I loved you, which means you had feelings for me but you didn''t know¡­"


    "Jade, if I had any feelings for you like you said, it''s gone now. I feel nothing for you, ¡­"


    "Alright then, I''ll make you feel something for me."


    Before Michael could reply, she cut the call.


    Michael heaved a sigh and dropped his phone back on the table,


    Now he was in trouble.


    He stared at his ceiling wondering what to do when his phone rang, peeking at it, he instantly grabbed it when he saw the caller.


    "Babe,"


    "You weren''t replying my messages, so I called," Diana said,


    "I''m sorry, someone called me that''s why, are you done eating? "


    "Yeah, just finished eating now, I''m feeling sleepy, want to go to bed, goodnight."


    "Alright, goodnight."


    Michael sighed after he heard the beep.


    He didn''t want any trouble with Jade now, he just prayed she wouldn''t make Diana doubt him.


    He didn''t want to end things on a wrong note, but it was left for her to understand, else he wouldn''t have a choice.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16827899305401905)/i''ll-make-you-fall-for-me_%!d(string=51070110550513007) for visiting.


    ¡­


    "You are traveling with him?"


    Gwen asked to be sure she heard correctly as she ate with Tiana.


    "No, not together but we''re leaving the same day but to different places."


    "Oh, okay."


    "When will you be back?"


    Gwen asked as she filled Tiana''s glass of wine that she just emptied,


    "Thank you, in three days, but Nicklaus is coming back later."


    "Okay."


    "And yes, I was meaning to ask, do you want to model? I mean, I know you always wanted to be a makeup artist but you have a gorgeous body and looks, it''ll be a waste if you don''t make use of it when you can easily."


    Gwen''s eyes widened with glee, she was so glad, but she concealed it before Tiana could notice,


    "Um, I don''t have any training, I don''t think I can¡­"


    "Don''t worry, you''ll be trained to perfection, you just have to signify interest."


    Gwen scratched her head,


    "Okay, I''ll try my best. But I won''t stop makeup would I?"


    "No, you won''t,"


    "Alright then, I''m in."


    Tiana smiled happily. She and her sister looked alike and although she was the elder, they looked the same age. The two of them modeling with almost identical faces would make them very popular. She wanted to make Gwen as happy as ever, and she would do whatever it takes to do that.


    "As soon as I come back, I''ll tell Claire, you know her right?"


    "Yeah, I do, the beautiful and bossy."


    Tiana laughed, "yeah, she''ll make everything easier for you."


    "Alright, thank you."


    Gwen smiled at her. She wondered why she was kind now, was she feeling pity for her for taking her man?


    Gwen wondered.


    Well this act has touched her heart, she would surely remember this kindness when she got married to Nicklaus.


    Gwen drank from her cup, happiness bubbling inside her. First she would soon be a model and second, they were leaving.


    Finally! This was her opportunity to strike.


    Just a few dollars and she would get everything done.


    Gwen smiled to herself, but she needed to be very careful, any single mistake and her plan would fail woefully.


    And Nicklaus would never forgive her if he found out that she was the one that tried to harm his wife.


    And she would lose everything.


    She needed to tread carefully.


    ¡­


    Claire woke up feeling nauseous, she ran to the bathroom to throw up but as she bent over the sink, nothing came out. She tried again but nothing came out.


    Shaking her head, she walked out of the bathroom and drank some water.


    Going back to the bed, she decided to sleep a little more before she began her day.


    But as she lay on the bed, she dozed off. When she woke up, it was past twelve.


    Sighing, she stretched her limbs. Thankfully, she didn''t have any appointments that day, because she was so weak to even leave her house.


    After stretching her legs, she pulled her nightie over her head and she walked to the bathroom n.a.k.e.d.


    As she passed by the mirror, she stopped and turned back to it.


    Her b.r.e.a.s.ts looked tender, maybe her period was coming.


    Claire thought and then she creased her brows, now she thought about it, when was her last period?

 Chapter 352 - Are you pregnant?

    Her brows creased and she quickly turned to her period calendar on the wall,


    She just missed it for a few days,


    Claire nodded, it was like that sometimes, she might see it a few days later, she would stop by the grocery store in the evening to get some sanitary pads, she already ran out of sanitary pads.


    After taking her shower, she came out to eat, Bonnie, her chef placed the tray of food in front of her.


    Claire smiled as the aroma whisked into her nostrils. Picking up her spoon she took a spoonful of the macaroni but as she brought it to her lips, her stomach churned and she felt like throwing up. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16827899305401905)/are-you-pregnant_%!d(string=51093016953286674) for visiting.


    Just now, she liked the aroma but the second she brought the food to her lips, the scent of the food became extremely bad to her, and she nearly threw up.


    Standing up, she called Bonnie to take the plates away.


    "What do you feel like eating? I can make it quickly,"


    Bonnie said when she saw that Claire barely touched her food.


    "Don''t worry, I don''t feel like eating anymore, just get me a cup of orange juice."


    Her mouth didn''t feel like having anything in it for now.


    Taking the fruit juice from her, Claire went back to her room and placed it on the side stool, lying back on the bed.


    Maybe these were signs of early sickness, she should go to the hospital before it became worse.


    She thought as she closed her eyes, and almost immediately, her phone rang, jerking her out from her dizziness,


    Claire stretched her hand and picked the ringing phone from the other side of the bed,


    When she saw it her dad calling, she groaned, wondering what he wanted to say to her now,


    "Hello, Dad."


    "My dear, how are you?"


    "I''m fine, what about you?"


    "I''m good, I''m good, "


    "Okay, is there any problem?"


    "Not exactly, it''s just the both families are meeting tomorrow. I need you to dress your best."


    Claire shut her eyes, cursing internally.


    "Sure, I''ll call Zach and let him know now."


    "Alright, take care of yourself."


    "Yeah, you too."


    Claire tossed the phone aside and groaned, kicking her legs into the air.


    Breathe¡­


    She tried to calm herself down,


    When she had put herself in order, she picked the phone and called Zach,


    "Hey, how are you?"


    She said immediately the call connected.


    "I''m good, seems you''ve heard the news already, "


    "Yeah, I''m sorry that I''m going to trouble you,"


    "No, there''s no problem. The dinner is by 5pm, I''ll be ready by then."


    "where can I pick you up?"


    "I live in California, so I''ll be coming on my own, you can wait for me at the entrance of the venue so we can go in together, where is the dinner holding?"


    "In my house."


    "Oh..., okay, text me the address."


    "Okay, I''ll send it now."


    "Thank you very much. I''m so very grateful."


    Claire thanked again,


    "You''re welcome."


    She smiled after the call ended. Zach was such a good person, not everyone would go out of their way to help a stranger they just met.


    By the time she woke up again, it was past four, and this time she was very hungry.


    Screeching her feet on the floor, she walked to the kitchen,


    "Chef Bonnie,"


    Claire called when she saw her, the woman was in her fifties, so Claire was very comfortable around her.


    "I think I''m hungry now."


    She said rubbing on her belly. Bonnie laughed and smiled at her,


    "I knew you would be, so I prepared something else for you in advance."


    Claire smiled, "Thank you, you''re the best."


    "Stop with the tease," she smiled as she poured the pasta on the plate,


    Claire sat on the kitchen dining table, watching her with excitement.


    "Do you have stomach ache ?"


    Bonnie asked, seeing that she couldn''t eat earlier in the day. She placed the food in front of her handing Claire her fork.


    "Thank you." Claire smiled,


    "No, I don''t, I just woke up feeling nauseous, and when I tried to eat, I felt like throwing up, but it has calmed down now."


    She said, stuffing her mouth with food. Bonnie stopped with what she was doing and turned around to her.


    Claire blinked as she watched her walk towards her,


    Bonnie leaned closer to her and felt her forehead with the back of her hands,


    Claire couldn''t help laughing,


    "ha ha, what is that? I didn''t say I was running a fever."


    She laughed,


    Bonnie tilted her head to the side,


    "Are you pregnant?"


    "What!!"


    Claire exclaimed nearly vomiting the food in her mouth, her face turning hue.


    "Ah, don''t mind me, you just had early symptoms of pregnancy plus you slept all day, I was just asking. But don''t mind me, it can be any other thing. Just go for a checkup before it becomes worse."


    Claire swallowed with eyes wide open as she watched Bonnie''s smiling face.


    Now she thought about it¡­


    What if¡­ what if she was pregnant?


    She blinked,


    She just missed her period and she had unprotected s.e.x, and she was having early symptoms of pregnancy¡­


    What if¡­


    "Ah¡­ don''t mind what I said, it might be false. Don''t think too much of it."


    Bonnie said when she noticed her staring blankly but that only made Claire tensed the more.


    Blinking severally, she looked down on her plate and resumed eating. She didn''t even say another word as her head was filled with so many thoughts.


    As soon as she finished eating, she changed her clothes and got into her car,


    Her guards came around but she waved them off, the last thing she wanted was someone else knowing what she was going to buy.


    Claire''s heart raced, what if she was pregnant?


    Her hands clasped around the steering wheel tightly as she stared forward, her heart was racing but didn''t know why she wasn''t sad about getting pregnant.


    Even though she wasn''t expecting to have a baby now, she wouldn''t deny that deep down she wanted to carry Leo''s child.


    Having his child, would end the tyranny of her father, and she might not need to wait up the two months anymore, because no sane man would want to marry a woman carrying another man''s child, and who doesn''t even love him.


    Claire smiled, if she got pregnant. It was the end for him.


    When she got to the pharmacy, she got a few sanitary pads, and picked a pregnancy test kit.


    After paying for the items, she went home. Making sure that none of her guards saw her, she sneaked into her room.


    Her heart raced as she took out the test and read the instructions, quickly she went to the bathroom and peed, dipping the test into the little bowl, she waited for 5 seconds, then she laid it on a flat surface for five minutes.


    Her heart banged against her ribcage as she waited for the result.


    When it was time, she took a deep breath and picked it up¡­


    ¡­


    The next day.


    Claire stepped out of her house, a beautiful smile on her chin. She hadn''t looked this radiant about going to meet her father in like forever, and her guards were confused for a moment. They drove her to the airport and by the time they arrived at Zach''s home, it was a few minutes past five.


    Claire smiled when she saw Zach waiting for her outside.


    "Hi..."


    She smiled at him. Zach stared at her in surprise.


    "You look pretty, but I feel you''re a little bit more excited than I expected."


    Claire laughed,


    "Am I?"


    "Clearly!"


    "Let''s just say something good happened."


    "Wow, can you enlighten me on it?"


    "Mm¡­ you''ll know about it in a moment and, forgive my manner, your house is exquisite." She commented,


    "Thank you,"


    Zach nodded, watching her weirdly but he didn''t pry further. Putting his hand around her waist, he led her into the house.


    His parents were already discussing with her father¡­ oh seems her step mother decided to grace the occasion.


    Claire laughed in her heart. Well it was perfect, this was her opportunity to tell them what she had borne in mind for all these years.


    Smiling brightly, Claire walked to the elders.


    "Good evening Mr. Brown, Mrs Brown, I''m sorry to have kept you all waiting,"


    "Ah, you don''t have to apologize Claire, we''re glad you''re here."


    Claire beamed and her eyes turned to her father and the woman sitting by his side, even without telling her, she knew her father had persuaded her to come. The look in her eyes gave her off,


    "Oh come sit down."


    Zach''s mother pointed to the empty couch by their side and she and Zach sat down next to each other.


    "We were glad when we heard that you both agreed to take a step forward in your relationship."


    Claire smiled, "I''m glad you approved of me for your son, Mrs. Brown,"


    "Oh dear, call me Samantha, no need to be formal."


    Claire smiled at her. Seems his parents were as kind as him, too bad she was about to give the them shock of their lives.


    "How is work, hope it isn''t very stressful for you. You can always quit and join us here in Washington,"


    Her father said and she laughed, she knew what he was hinting at.


    "Ah, Dad, you know how much I love what I do. But don''t worry, I''ll move here if we take it further than this."


    Her father beamed when he heard her,


    "Oh yes of course, Zach wouldn''t you want to?"


    "Of course yes, I can''t wait."


    Everyone in the room laughed and Claire smiled shyly.


    "Okay, let''s go eat, the table has been set already, we can talk over food."


    Zach''s father spoke and they all stood up, going to the large table.


    Claire smiled when she saw the lavish dishes, she was going to eat to her fill.

 Chapter 353 - I want to get married to him.

    As they sat on the table, Claire ate to her fill. She barely contributed to the discussion as she was busy eating and nodding only when asked a question.


    Zach wondered what was going on, but he did not ask.


    "Don''t they make a perfect pair?"


    Claire heard her dad speak and she smiled,


    "We do." She replied, smiling brightly,


    "In fact I want to get married to him."


    Zach''s lips fell open, what was she saying?


    Claire saw shock flash through her father''s eyes and he clapped,


    "Oh my this is great news!"


    He exclaimed, clapping excitedly.


    Zach stared at everyone on the table a little confused, what was going on.


    When Claire felt she was full, she drank the remaining contents in her glass, and she wiped her lips with the table tissue, then she turned to her father.


    "We can get everything organized in a few days so you both can get married as soon as possible."


    Her father added excitedly.


    Claire arched her left brow, just how stupid did he think she was?


    She watched their bright jovial faces and then she cleared her throat,


    "I didn''t remember saying who I was getting married to, did I?"


    Everyone stopped laughing and turned to her in surprise, there was no other bachelor there except Zach, what was she saying?


    Claire watched their shocked faces and after some seconds, she laughed.


    "Mr. Brown, Mrs. Brown, I''m deeply sorry for the inconveniences I''m about to cause you now, it is not my intention, but I don''t really have a choice."


    She smiled and then turned to her father and her step mom.


    "You must think I''m foolish father," she shook her head, as she took out her phone from her pocket,


    "You must really think I''m a stupid five year old,"


    She turned the phone on, and then tapped on it and placed it on her side,


    Mr. Howard was yet to understand what was happening when he heard his voice ring out from the phone.


    "¡­Choose wisely Claire, his life is in your hands."


    There was a three seconds pause before Claire''s voice was heard,


    ''''You wouldn''t dare¡­ ''''


    ''''You forget that I am the president, Leo is going to die and no-one will say a word about it. But it is up to you whether you want to save his life or not, you have one week to decide. ''''


    She panted heavily, and she screamed,


    ''''ROT. IN. HELL!! ''''


    Then loud stomping of feet was heard and then the recording ended.


    Her father''s expression turned pale and red and shocked all at the same time. Claire smiled evilly as she watched him,


    "How¡­ how, where did you¡­" he stammered,


    Claire laughed, "Oh dear father, did you think I wouldn''t have a backup when dealing with someone like you?" she arched her brows with a sweet chuckle,


    "You know, I waited for you, I waited for you to change. I waited to see if you still had a slither of humanity in you, I wanted to see if you would surprise me, but you didn''t. You didn''t even try. "


    The room was as quiet as a graveyard, Zach''s father still had food in his mouth.


    "You know, I''m actually ashamed to say that I wanted you to be my father. I waited for you to act like my father for once in your life, but until the end, you didn''t. You have always been controlled by your selfish desires and I just realized that trying to make you change is like searching for a river in a desert. Tsk Tsk, even to the very end, you wanted to push me into a forced marriage, how wicked could you get?"


    "What is wrong with you Clair¡­"


    Mr. Howard busted angrily but Claire glared at him ferociously, stopping his words on his tongue,Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=16827899305401905)/i-want-to-get-married-to-him._%!d(string=51115886295180054) for visiting.


    "I''m not done talking Father¡­ I''ve been doing the listening for the past months, now is your turn to listen to me."


    She spoke authoritatively, making everyone in the room shudder as they watched her silently.


    "You know, now I think about it, the only mistake my mother made was getting married to you, if only she had said no to your devilish proposal, then she might have been alive now and I would have had another father. I hate you so much Mr. Howard, so very much that it tears me apart knowing we bear the same last name, well that is about to change now because I''m getting married to Leo and I''m carrying his baby."


    Mr. Howard nearly fainted when he heard her words, his wife, who had been pretending not to be affected by what she was saying couldn''t help turning to her with shock.


    Claire laughed, "why are you all surprised? I mean, did you expect me to believe that someone who loved me for seven years if not more would give up on me just like that, I mean, that''s quite impossible! And only a baby would believe that. You can''t imagine how many times I wondered how your brains functioned, well, I wasn''t expecting anything less from someone overridden with greed, who knew how much her daughter loved someone and still did everything within his power to separate them."


    Zach''s parents turned to the couple in front of them in surprise, they were trying to understand what was happening,


    "Just so you know, I know about your deal with Leo and everything so I have been fooling you all along. I wanted to wait till the end of the six months to tell you this, but I got a tiny weeny swimming in my belly and I need to be dotted on every single day, oh well, you wouldn''t understand because you didn''t even know when I was born."


    She watched her father''s hands shake as she attacked him from every angle, his face as pale as blue. She had not felt this relieved in months.


    Smiling, she turned to Zach''s parents, "Thank you Mr. Brown, thank you Mrs. Brown, thank you so much for the meal and I''m sorry you had to witness this family drama, Zach, I''m so grateful for you and your support, I owe you one." Smiling, she stood up, "I think I''ll take my leave now, "


    She was about to leave when she remembered something and stopped,


    "Ah, lest I forget, if any harm comes to my baby, or Leo or me, this recording will automatically be sent to the FBI, and you can bid your political career goodbye, I''m sure you don''t want that."


    Claire grinned, "Have a splendid life with your beautiful witch of a wife ." Claire said, her eyes meeting her step mom and with that she turned around and walked out of the house.


    Everyone was quiet as so many thoughts ran through their head as they tried to fix the dots of what just happened. Well, it was obvious dinner had officially ended.


    Mr. Howard was yet to recover from the shock, his face was pale as he breathed heavily.


    Mr. and Mrs. Brown stood up and without saying anything to the couple, they walked out of the dining room, Zach followed.


    "I''ll be waiting in the car."


    Mr. Howard watched the woman he had given up his family for, stand up and walk away like nothing happened and he knew he was finished.


    ¡­


    Claire quickly called Zach after she left his house in the car she had come with. It was her father''s but she didn''t mind, he wouldn''t dare hurt her. His career was something he valued more than his own life.


    "Hi, Zach, I''m so sorry for shocking you today." Claire said immediately the call connected,


    Zach laughed, "Don''t worry, I understand."


    "Thank you so much for your help, I''ll be sending something soon and please, don''t send it back."


    "Ha-ha, you don''t have to."


    "I''m not asking, and send my apologies to your parents, it wasn''t my intention to hurt them."


    "Aish, you worry too much. They are currently watching Netflix and chilling, they''ve forgotten about it already."


    Claire smiled, "I''m glad to hear that."


    "You''re welcome, I''m looking forward to seeing this Leo, who is worth more than a thousand men."


    Claire laughed, "Trust me he is and he''ll be looking forward to meeting you too."


    "Haha okay, yes that reminds me, are you really pregnant?"


    "mm¡­ yeah," Claire blushed, tucking in her hair to the back of her ear,


    "Wow, that''s great news. I''m so happy for you Claire, your father wouldn''t bother you anymore after this."


    "He wouldn''t dare."


    She smiled and they spoke some more before the call ended.


    Quickly she called Leo.


    Her heart raced as she waited for him to pick. It rang severally but he did not pick up.


    Tapping on his ID again, she called. This time he picked,


    "Claire, why are you¡­" Leo answered with a worried tone,


    "Where are you?" Claire cut him off instantly,


    "what is happening?"


    "Where are you already!"


    "I''m at home, what''s wrong?"


    Before he could get a reply she ended the call.


    Before she would get to the airport and get back home it would be up to an hour. Although her lips itched to tell him, it was best she told him to his face.


    Claire smiled as she imagined the look in his eyes as she broke the news to him. She was carrying his child, Claire couldn''t contain her joy.


    When they arrived in California, she couldn''t wait to go to him. She lost count of how many times she shifted on her spot, excitedly.


    Immediately she got to his house, she jumped out of the car¡­

 Chapter 354 - Will you marry me?

    Leo heard a car pull up in his driveway and he came out to know who it was but his feet stopped when he saw her; Claire¡­ what was she doing?


    Before he could complete the question in his mind, he saw her running towards him. His legs rooted to a spot as he stared at her in surprise as she approached him;


    Claire ran as fast as her legs could carry; her heart racing. She didn''t want to think about anything else now, as the only thought in her mind was to hug him. She had missed him so much. Even though they met weeks ago, her heart wasn''t at peace. This was the first time in months she was at peace without a single worry about anything and she just wanted to be in his arms.


    Leo watched her run towards him, and his arms opened reflexively, hugging her back as her hands went around him.


    Claire panted as she stayed in his embrace, her eyes shutting.


    Leo didn''t want to ask any questions as he held her and cherished the moment, his lips kissing her hair.


    Claire breathed, stabling herself. She didn''t speak; she just listened to his heartbeat.


    ''''I love you, Leo. '''' She said after a long while of silence.


    ''''I love you too, more than ever. ''''


    Claire smiled and let go of him to look at his face.


    ''''Did you miss me? Cause I missed you. ''''


    ''''I did, I missed you. ''''


    Claire smiled brightly; ''''Will you marry me? '''' she said out of nowhere and Leo looked at her in shock, so many questions going through his mind.


    Did her father let her go now?


    But it wasn''t over yet, what happened?


    He wondered, but since she was here, smiling sweetly, then something good must have happened.


    He laughed lightly; ''''shouldn''t I be the one asking you? ''''


    Claire laughed, ''''I don''t care, I want you. ''''


    Leo caressed her chin, ''''I will marry you. Let''s get married. ''''


    She nodded and tiptoed kissing his lips.


    ''''it''s over Leo; my father would never disturb us again. ''''


    Leo stared at her in surprise; ''''how?''''


    ''''because¡­ I''m pregnant¡­ with your child.''''


    Leo''s lips fell open, ''''wait¡­ all these goodnews at once is making my head spin. ''''


    He let go of her and looked at her from up to down; then he asked;


    ''''Can you repeat what you just said again? ''''


    ''''I said I''m pregnant¡­ ''''


    Leo laughed, '''' you mean, I''ll soon be a father? '''' His eyes brightened up with excitement, as he laughed excitedly.


    Claire nodded, smiling sweetly.


    Leo laughed and Claire squealed as he lifted her off the ground, twirling her around, then placing her back on the ground;


    ''''you''re not joking, right? '''' He asked again to be sure he wasn''t hearing things and Claire laughed;


    ''''Haha, I''m serious. ''''


    ''''Oh my god,'''' Leo could not contain his excitement; he held her face and kissed her all over, his hands went around her belly and he hugged her.


    Claire laughed, well she was expecting him to be excited, but not this excited!


    ''''Why didn''t we think about this earlier? We should have gotten pregnant in the first month? ''''


    Leo asked and Claire laughed; ''''Yeah, we should. We just stayed apart for nothing, but we are here now.''''


    Leo smiled and kissed her lips; ''''yeah we are. I love you so much, ''''


    ''''I love you too,''''


    Leo smiled and held her hand; ''''let''s go inside.''''


    Claire smiled as they went into the house. Leo led her to a couch and she sat down, he placed a pillow on her back and Claire chuckled,


    ''''Leo, it''s still a little dot, barely visible, '''' she laughed when she saw how he was taking care of her, as though she was already due.


    ''''I know, we should start now to take care of the tiny dot so it would grow into a fat baby boy. ''''


    Claire creased her brows; ''''who said it was a boy? ''''


    She asked, looking at him amused;


    ''''Uh¡­ I just have a feeling.''''


    Claire laughed; ''''I also have a feeling that it would be a girl.''''


    Leo smiled; ''''whatever you want my love; I would also want a girl that looks like you. ''''


    Claire beamed;


    ''''So what exactly happened? '''' Leo asked as he sat down beside her on the couch.


    ''''Well, my father called yesterday saying that we would be meeting with Zach''s family; I agreed. Later in the evening, Bonnie suggested I could be pregnant since I was oversleeping, and feeling nauseous, so I bought a pregnancy test and checked and I was pregnant.


    Before now, I already had a recording of him threatening to kill you, I only planned to use it when the six months were over and he still tried to pry in our lives. I wanted to give him the benefit of doubt as my father but he never saw me as his daughter only as a tool for amassing power and wealth. And till the end that was what I was to him.


    Again, I didn''t want to forward it to the police because our names would be dragged too and I didn''t want that, but till the end, it was obvious he didn''t care. I told him today that he was not my father anymore and I don''t care what happened to him, so I don''t mind turning him over to the police if he dared me.


    It''s officially over. I''m an orphan, and I feel so relieved. I didn''t realize it was a burden waiting to be loved by someone who didn''t care about you.''''


    Leo took her hand and kissed it; ''''It''s fine now. I''m so happy it''s all over. ''''


    ''''Yeah, me too; '''' Claire smiled.


    Leo stared at her for a minute and his eyes fell on her stomach, leaning closer, he placed his head lightly on it;


    ''''Oh Leo, you can''t hear anything yet. ''''


    Claire laughed at him, but he still tried to listen; ''''that''s a lie, I can hear it.''''


    Claire chuckled; shaking her head, seeing that he was very excited, she decided to play along;


    ''''So what does it say? ''''


    ''''Hmm, let me listen¡­ it says, daddy, tell mommy that I love her. ''''


    Claire laughed as she watched him kiss her belly. She was skeptical about having a child now, but seeing him look so happy, she was no longer doubtful; she wanted to have this child.


    ''''We''ll get married tomorrow? ''''


    Leo said, looking at her face and she smiled; ''''in as much as I want to get married to you this instant, we can''t because tomorrow is Sunday.'''' Claire laughed; the court didn''t open on Sundays.


    ''''Oh okay, on Monday then,''''


    ''''Alright, let''s do that. ''''


    ''''We should see my parents tomorrow? ''''


    Leo said,


    ''''I''ve never gone to your family home. '''' Claire said, she had seen his little sister, she came around a few times, but she had never seen his parents, they only talked on the phone.


    ''''I''ve told my parents a lot about you, even when we weren''t together. My mom knows of my one-sided crush. ''''


    Claire laughed as her eyes widened;


    ''''Are you for real? ''''


    She asked, laughing.


    ''''Yeah, whenever you dated another man, I would call her and vent to her. She was my listening ear. Although she advised me to let go, I''m glad I didn''t.''''


    ''''Thank goodness you didn''t either, I would have died from jealousy. ''''


    Leo laughed; ''''Just how jealous were you? ''''


    Claire blushed; ''''I felt like dying when I saw you both together. The thought that your eyes which were once only for me belonged to someone else, it was heartrending.''''


    Leo laughed;


    ''''Stop laughing, it''s not funny.''''


    ''''I''m sorry, continue; '''' Leo bit his lip, he was so glad hearing her talk about how jealous she was. Thankfully, he wasn''t the only one dying for her.


    ''''And do you remember when you took off my wallpaper from your wall? ''''


    ''''Yeah;''''


    ''''you can''t imagine how jealous I was. I nearly fainted when I saw Hazel''s pictures on your wall. I hurriedly left your office, and I don''t remember coming back to your office because I couldn''t stand seeing her picture where mine was, it was as though I had lost you forever.''''


    ''''You could have just told me, did you think I would stop loving you just like that? ''''


    Claire pouted;


    ''''I was so ashamed, knowing I had rejected you before, and now I was having feelings for you. I could have told you if you didn''t have anybody yet, but there was Hazel, I didn''t want to destroy your friendship, so I decided to deal with my feelings.''''


    ''''And thankfully, you couldn''t deal with it,'''' Leo added;


    ''''Yeah, I didn''t know what came over me when I kissed you, I just couldn''t control myself. I didn''t want to but I just saw myself moving towards you and then it happened. When I realized what I had done, I wanted to disappear, everything in me told me it was wrong and I didn''t even know how to look at your face. If you didn''t come at the time you did, you might not have met me.''''


    Leo smiled; ''''I''m so glad I did. ''''


    Claire stared at Leo and then she sighed; ''''I just hope Hazel can forgive me wherever she is, I tried calling her but her phone had been switched off. ''''


    ''''Maybe she left the country. I just hope she''s fine. Maybe I shouldn''t have asked her out, it''s like i just used her.'''' Leo felt bad about himself as he thought about it.


    ''''And I shouldn''t have kissed another woman''s man, it was so wrong. ''''


    Leo sighed and kissed her hand;


    ''''If you hadn''t, we wouldn''t be here now, so everything worked out for good. We just hope she is fine wherever she is. ''''


    Claire nodded; ''''yeah. ''''

 Chapter 356 - Picnic

    Leo''s eyes turned to the door and he waited to hear the knock again before he stood up from the bed and put his pants on.


    Claire laughed at him as she watched as he hurriedly wore his pants,


    "I hope it''s your mom, she''ll know what you just did just by looking in your eyes."


    She laughed.


    "I can''t believe we just had s.e.x before even settling down properly."


    Claire laughed out loud, his mom was sure going to tease them about it if she was the one at the door.


    Leo breathed out as he walked towards the door, pulling it open halfway,


    Nina stood by the door, aloof face, no smile and staring at him weirdly.


    "Why are you shirtless¡­ and sweaty?"


    She asked as her eyes stared at his body.


    "Oh¡­ I¡­ was about to shower¡­" Leo stammered. But, it''s not like they were doing anything wrong, why was he feeling shy?


    "Really?" she arched her brow, as though not believing him,


    "Nina, is that the ''welcome brother'' you should be telling me! Where are your manners?"


    Leo increased his tone as he scolded her to keep her quiet. She shrugged and looked past him to the little space between him and the door as she tried to see into the room but Leo was fast enough to block her view, her gaze turned back to him and she squinted,


    "Dad is back, and he''s looking for both of you, hurry up with your ''shower'',"


    She said and turned around, walking back down the wooden stairs.


    Leo shut the door and turned back to Claire, who was now laughing loudly.


    "I didn''t realize how fast she had grown."


    He said, locking the door and going back to the bed. Leaning close to her he kissed her forehead.


    Claire chuckled,


    "She''s a big girl now,"


    "Yeah,"


    "Alright, let''s go shower for real now, we don''t want to keep your dad awaiting."


    She smiled and hopped down from the bed, Leo following after her.


    ¡­


    Diana walked into the kitchen with an excited expression, she beamed when the aroma of the buttermilk fried chicken hit her nostrils.


    "Oh, this smells so good."


    She exclaimed, walking to Mary on the kitchen table.


    After the final scene of their movie last week, she had been very busy and not had time to meet with Michael. They only spoke on the phone and it was briefly.


    At night when she was finally free, she would doze off while talking to him because of a stressful day.


    It was a Sunday morning and she had woken up with a text from him,


    "Let''s go on a picnic, I''ll come pick you up by 12pm."


    Diana felt her lips stretch into a smile as she read the text. She was happy he didn''t take it to heart that she had not been making time to see him, She was glad he understood.


    Quickly, she sent a text with a heart emoji,


    "Okay, see you!"


    Hopping out of the bed, she brushed her mouth and hurriedly ran to the kitchen,


    Mary was already preparing breakfast when she saw her and she quickly told her to stop and prepare a tasty picnic meal.


    Mary was surprised but she didn''t ask questions.


    After doing her facials, Diana joined her in the kitchen.


    Taking one drumstick she bit into it,


    "wow, it tastes so good."


    She nodded, leaning against the table as she watched Mary.


    "You''re very excited today, is it the man from the news?"


    Diana giggled, she knew she had seen him a few times he came over but she didn''t want to be direct with her question, so it wouldn''t look like she was paying attention to her private life.


    "Yeah, you''ve seen him here a few times."


    Mary nodded.


    "He''s good looking."


    Diana blushed, "Very."


    Mary smiled, "I don''t need to ask you if you like him, it''s all over your face."


    Diana opened her eyes with a chuckle,


    "Really? I didn''t know it was very obvious."


    "Haha, even a blind person can see it, do you want me to make anything else?" she asked after packing the chicken,


    "Mm¡­ let''s make grilled chicken and bacon sandwich, there''s still time."


    "Okay," Mary nodded and walked to the refrigerator to take out some chicken b.r.e.a.s.ts and sliced bread,


    "Let me make it myself,"


    Diana said, taking the bread from her.


    "Are you sure?" Mary arched her brows,


    She nodded, since it was their first picnic she wanted to make him something herself,


    "Yeah, you can prepare fruit salad, I''ll quickly grill the chicken,"


    "Okay,"


    Mary nodded.


    Diana searched for the recipe online and read through it, then she prepared it.


    She wasn''t sure of the taste, but she didn''t want to taste it, she would let Michael be the judge.


    After packing the food and drinks in the containers, she placed it in a picnic basket and went to her room to take a shower.


    Just when the walked into her room, her phone vibrated on the table,


    Diana ran to it excitedly, thinking it was Michael,


    "Oh," she chuckled when she saw the caller,


    "Hey, Caroline, how are you?"


    "I''m good, what about you, you''ve been so busy since the ending of the movie."


    Diana sighed,


    "Yeah, it''s been a hell of work. I don''t think I want to produce another movie, it''s so stressful."


    Caroline laughed,


    "don''t worry you''ll get used to it it''s like this because it''s the first time. How is our lover boy? His fans online are just crazy, they''ve just seen the trailer of the movie and the reviews are just mad, everyone is talking about how hot the second male lead is."


    Diana rolled her eyes, "Right, he''s hot."


    Caroline laughed, "I hope it''s not jealousy I smell?"


    Diana chuckled, "Not at all."


    Caroline laughed, "don''t worry you''ll get used to it. That''s normal for every good looking actor, besides there are so many fans rooting for you guys already."


    "Yeah, I didn''t know he''ll attract so much attention, but it''s fine, nothing major has happened."


    Diana smiled and sat down on the vanity staring at her face.


    "Yeah, once he loves you, there''s nothing that can change that."


    Caroline said and Diana fell silent, her thoughts going back to what happened a few weeks ago,


    Since Caroline had dated a few men, she might have an answer¡­


    Diana contemplated for a moment. She didn''t really want to share their relationship matters but it was eating her up inside, maybe Caroline had an answer, there was no harm in trying.


    "Caroline, I want to ask you something¡­"


    "Yeah, sure what is it?"


    Diana gulped,


    "If you as a woman tell someone you love, that you love him and he doesn''t say it back, what does it mean?"


    Diana couldn''t believe she was taking about this. Saying it out loud made her feel embarrassed,


    She shut her eyes as she bit her lower lip,


    "Uh¡­ " Caroline thought,


    "Well it depends, there are so many factors that can influence the person''s reply.


    Sometimes it can mean that the person doesn''t love you the way you love him,


    And sometimes the person is still processing his feelings for you.


    And again, some people don''t say it back, it doesn''t mean they don''t love you. In this situation, you''ll check their expression to know if they are visibly uncomfortable or upset, if they aren''t, then you are fine. Who is it? Is it Michael?"


    "Haha, no I''m asking for a friend."


    Diana lied immediately. She wasn''t ready to start talking about everything that led to it and the crazy stuff she did after. She would just keep her embarrassment to herself for now.


    "Okay then, I just called to check up on you."


    "Awnn, that''s so very thoughtful of you. Thank you."


    "you''re welcome, see you later, okay?"


    "Yeah, take care."


    Diana dropped the phone on the table and she heaved a sigh,


    So which category did Michael fall under...


    Maybe he doesn''t love her enough to tell her back?


    Diana thought,


    Or he was still processing his feelings for her,


    Or he didn''t want to say it back,


    "Arggh¡­" Diana groaned, clutching her hair, now more confused than she was before.


    Shaking the thoughts off her head, she quickly went to the bathroom to bath.


    ¡­


    Michael stopped by a jewelry store and stepped down from his car.


    Walking into it, he approached the attendant.


    "You''re welcome sir, what do you want to buy?"


    Michael scratched the back of his head, this was the first time he had ever gotten a gift for a woman by himself. The women he dated, he sent his guards to get them gifts.


    This was awkward.


    "I want a necklace for a woman."


    The attendant smiled and pointed forward,


    "This way please," she walked ahead, Michael following behind,


    "We have so many designs, ranging from gold, silver, diamonds, rare stones,"


    She led Michael into a room and his eyes fell on the different necklaces hanging in the glass showcase in the large room.


    "You can make your choice,"


    She said, pointing to the jewelries. Michael nodded and walked towards them,


    They were in their columns, gold, silver, diamond,


    Each one he looked at seemed so pretty that he spent upto 30 minutes making a choice.


    Finally he chose a diamond simple necklace. Something simple and lightweight. What made him love it more was the love shaped pendant.


    "Can I have this please?"


    "Yes, sir." The lady smiled and packaged it for him. Putting it in its box, she gave it to him after he had paid.


    Michael placed the gift on the passengers seat, a permanent grin on his chin.


    Picking up his phone, he called her,


    "Babe, are you done?" he asked as the call connected.


    "No! Are you here already?"


    Michael laughed when he heard her scream,


    "Haha, no, I''m coming now. Look very pretty for me, okay?"


    He heard her tiny giggle which made him smile the more,


    "Okay,"

 Chapter 357 - Tastes like Mayonnaise

    Diana beamed as she stepped out of the house_ finally.


    She had gone back to the mirror over a hundred times to be sure she looked perfect. She smiled as she watched him step out of the car, looking as handsome as ever, just staring at him was enough to make her pull her legs together. Michael stopped in his steps and his eyes appreciated her body; she was putting on a short pink dress, with sandals, and she had packed her hair up, some strands falling here and there which made her look very cute.


    Diana blushed as she looked away from him;


    ''''Yah, stop staring at me like that, you''re making me blush. ''''


    She laughed as she felt her cheeks and ears heat up, her fingers clasped around the basket in her hands tightly.


    Michael smiled his head as he approached her,


    ''''how did I get so lucky? ''''


    He said as he approached her, Diana''s smile caught on her lips, and she blinked at him;


    ''''Uh? ''''


    Michael stared at her speechlessly, and then he shook his head;


    ''''Nothing; '''' he said with a smile and his eyes fell on the basket on her hands;


    ''''Oh, you prepared something; I totally forgot we needed to eat; ''''


    He said taking the basket from her, Diana laughed;


    ''''What did you make? '''' he asked, peering into the basket, trying to see what was inside;


    ''''You''ll know when we get there, let''s go,'''' Diana said and started walking towards the car;


    Michael followed behind; he placed the basket in the back seat and drove out;


    ''''You got a different perfume; '''' Diana noted as they hit the road.


    Michael glanced at her with a smile;


    ''''You noticed. ''''


    ''''Obviously, why won''t I notice the perfume my boyfriend uses? '''' she raised her brow;


    Michael grinned, he liked that she noticed little things about him.


    ''''does it smell nice? ''''


    ''''Yeah, I prefer this one. '''' Diana nodded;


    ''''Uh, the former brand doesn''t smell nice and you didn''t tell me? ''''


    Diana''s eyes widened; ''''when did I say that? I just said I preferred this one, besides you know if it was not nice I would have told you.''''


    Michael grinned; ''''really? ''''


    Diana nodded; ''''of course, I care about you. ''''


    Michael laughed, taking her hand, he kissed it; ''''why are you so cute? ''''


    Diana chuckled when she saw how he kissed her hand and held it tight; ''''it''s not a big deal though!''''


    Michael smiled and looked at her;


    ''''It is¡­ for me, I''m so lucky to have you, Diana. I really am. ''''


    Diana stared at his expression as his eyes watched the road. He really looked happy holding her, maybe he loved her and she had been overthinking every single thing. Well, who cares if he says it back! He made her happy and made her feel loved in a way no man had ever done, and she loved him, and that was it!


    She smiled and looked forward. That was all that mattered.


    When they got to the park, Michael held the basket as they walked to an empty place on the grass. It was a very private park with just a few people. Diana laid out the cloth on the grass and she lay down;


    ''''Wow, this is so pretty. '''' She smiled, looking upwards.


    ''''Have you been here before? '''' Michael asked, taking out the containers from the basket;


    ''''Once with my parents when I was little, didn''t date, so I didn''t go out with anyone.''''


    The cool breeze blew her dress up, and she quickly pulled it down with a chuckle;


    ''''what about you, have you gone to picnics with anyone? ''''


    Her eyes turned to him as she watched him set the dishes;


    ''''No, you''re the first. ''''


    Diana smiled; ''''it''s strange¡­ ''''


    ''''What? ''''


    Diana thought; ''''the fact that I believe every single word that comes out of your mouth without a single doubt. ''''


    Michael lay down beside her, ''''because I say the truth all the time, ''''


    ''''Pft, that''s not possible; '''' The sun was not up, it was just a clear day so they could look at the sky;


    ''''Maybe because I rather not say anything than lie to you; ''''


    Diana swallowed. This man, why was he making her fall helplessly in love with him?


    ''''This is dangerous¡­ ''''


    Michael turned to her; ''''what? ''''


    ''''Uh¡­ nothing¡­ '''' Diana regained her senses and sat up;


    ''''Let''s eat; I didn''t eat this morning because of this. She rubbed her palms together with a smile and opened the covers;


    Michael sat up;


    ''''Sandwich, chicken, waffles, fruits, juice¡­ wow, '''' Michael named them as she opened the covers one after the other.


    ''''You made all these yourself?''''


    Diana shook her head; ''''No¡­ Mary did, but I made these. '''' she said, pointing at the sandwiches. Picking one from it, she placed it on a plate and gave it to him; her eyes widened as she watched him eat it;


    ''''How is it? ''''


    ''''You sure you made these? '''' Michael asked with a little frown;


    Diana smiled; ''''Haha, I''m too good right? Don''t mention, ''''


    Diana grinned, feeling herself;


    ''''No, I mean, it tastes like raw mayonnaise¡­ ''''


    Diana''s smile caught in her throat;


    ''''What? ''''


    Michael laughed; ''''Wait, did you think I was about to praise you? '''' he asked with a chuckle; taking another bite of the sandwich;


    ''''Your chicken is salty too, and what is this? '''' he asked taking out something that looked like cheese;


    Diana pouted sadly; she had taken her time to prepare this, she didn''t know it would taste so bad; maybe she should have tasted it at home.


    Michael laughed when he saw her expression. ''''don''t worry, even if you can''t cook, I''ll cook for the both of us. ''''


    He finished the first one and picked another, Diana stretched her hand to take it from him but he avoided her;


    ''''You don''t have to eat it if it''s that bad, I don''t want you to fall sick. ''''


    Michael laughed; ''''who said it was bad? ''''


    Diana glared at him, it wasn''t even funny, she didn''t know why he was enjoying picking on her; ''''


    ''''You did obviously!''''


    ''''I didn''t, I didn''t even mention it.''''


    ''''You implied it, bring that, let me pack it back, I don''t even want to look at it. ''''


    Michael laughed; ''''But this is what I want to eat. '''' he said, taking another bite.


    ''''I''m not joking now¡­ ''''


    Diana leaned towards him, but he moved away;


    ''''You don''t even like it, why are you forcing yourself to eat it! '''' he was making her more embarrassed by every bite he took.


    ''''Because I love the person who made it; ''''


    ¡­.

 Chapter 358 - I love you

    ...


    The words Diana was about to say caught on her throat and the world around her felt like it paused for a second;


    ''''What¡­ '''' her throat was dry; did he... did he just say he loved her?


    ''''What did you say? '''' she asked to be sure, maybe she was dreaming.


    Michael blinked; ''''I said¡­ I love you, that''s why I''m eating this, besides it''s not that bad, don''t mind what I¡­ ''''


    Diana smiled, her face turning red.


    ''''Do you know how long I''ve waited to hear you say this? ''''


    Her eyes danced as she stared at him, wondering why he made her wait too long. Wondering why he made her have sleepless nights, made her worry, made her doubt him, made her so confused... made her cry when he could have just said it...


    Michael was puzzled; he didn''t know he had to say it to prove he loved her. Wait¡­ did she not know he loved her more than breath itself?


    ''''You didn''t know I love you? '''' Michael stared at her with worry; what in the world had she been thinking all this while?


    Diana smiled as her eyes watered then she hit him on the chest;


    ''''You should say it, dummy! It''s not enough to show it, you should say it! I waited for you, I waited for you to tell me you loved me, but you didn''t. I even said it to you and yet you didn''t¡­ ''''


    At this juncture she could not control the tears that flowed down her eyes; her hands shook as she grabbed his shirt.


    Michael''s eyes stared at her face and his heart broke into a thousand pieces; instantly he tossed the piece of sandwich on his hand away and hugged her tight;


    ''''I''m so sorry¡­ '''' he said in a painful voice;


    Diana hugged him back, crying on his shoulders;


    ''''You make me worry too much Michael, it hurts¡­ ''''


    ''''I''m sorry, I''m so sorry¡­ '''' Michael''s heart broke. He hated to see her cry and the fact that he had caused it tore him apart.


    ''''I love you; I love you to hell and back. Jeez, I''m so sorry! What have I done? ''''


    Michael could not explain how he was feeling at that moment, thinking about what must have been going on in her mind every single time she looked at him, tore him apart. It must have been so hard for her but she had pretended to be fine; Michae felt like beating himself up;


    why was he so slow?


    Diana stabled herself but she was shy to let go of him. She had overreacted in the spur of the moment. It wasn''t her fault though, she had waited too long. He made her wait.


    ''''I''m sorry for being a dummy. I''m sorry for hurting you¡­ Dammit, I''m sorry for making you cry.''''


    Diana let go of him slowly,


    ''''It;s okay, I was just overreacting; '''' she shouldn''t have cried, but she already loved him too much, she couldn''t help it. That was her flaw, she loved with everything in her without holding back.


    Michael held her face; ''''Diana, look at me¡­ ''''


    He said, but she closed her eyes, too shy to look at his face.


    ''''Please just look at me this once; ''''


    Diana swallowed and she looked up slowly until her gaze locked in his;


    Michael breathed out as he stared at her;


    ''''Diana, in my entire life, you''re the only person I''ve ever loved. I didn''t say it to you because I am not used to saying it, I''ve never said it to anyone, and I grew up without love or affection, so it''s hard for me. I''m so sorry, I''m so very sorry for making you worry, for being slow, for making you doubt my feelings for you.


    You''re the first person who had made me smile so much that my cheeks hurt, you''re the only person that makes me want to be a better version of myself, you''re the only person that puts a smile on my face every morning, the only one I want to see in my dreams and think about the moment I wake up and I love you, I love you so much, more than breath itself. Babe, I should be kissing you right now, but my mouth tastes like bread and cheese and chicken, so I can''t do that¡­ ''''


    Diana laughed and slapped his chest jokingly; then she leaned close and pecked his lips.


    ''''I love you too, so so much.''''


    Michael smiled and hugged her;


    ''''I love you, babe, I love you okay? ''''


    Diana nodded and kissed his chin.


    After hugging for what felt like hours, they finally sat to eat.


    Diana bit into her chicken, she chewed on it and peeked at Michael, her eyes locked in his and she pulled her gaze away, blush creeping up her chin.


    ''''I love you. '''' Michael said out of nowhere and Diana coughed;


    Was he going to say it all the time now? She thought, but she liked to hear him say it, she couldn''t help smiling.


    ''''Stop staring at me and eat,'''' she said, stretching a drumstick towards him;


    ''''I can''t stop staring at you; ''''


    Diana held his gaze; ''''why?''''


    ''''Because I love you; ''''


    ''''Lord, you''re going to kill me. '''' Diana laughed, looking away, her cheeks heating up.


    ''''Okay, but eat first, you have all the time in the world to stare at me, ''''


    She said and Michael took the meat from her; ''''you could have just told me, what happened to ''talking to each other about anything''. ''''


    Diana looked away; ''''it''s not something that can easily be said. I had so many thoughts in my head, what if you didn''t like me?


    What if you didn''t want to say it yet? What if you were still in doubt of your feelings for me?'''' she sighed;


    ''''Telling you, was like forcing you to tell me you loved me. I couldn''t do it.''''


    She pouted; ''''do you know? That day I told you I loved you and you didn''t say it back, I nearly fainted, I had to run into the bathroom to catch my breath. I had cried my eyes out there, and I faked being on my period so you wouldn''t ask me why I was taking so long. I felt so bad. ''''


    ''''I''m so sorry; I didn''t know you went through all that. '''' Michael said, looking visibly sad.


    Diana smiled; ''''it''s okay, I can''t even remember the pain anymore, it''s past now. ''''

 Chapter 359 - Childhood

    "And stop with the guilty stare, " Diana laughed when she noticed that Michael wouldn''t stop looking at her like he had done something so unforgivable, if only he knew the joy bubbling in her heart.


    They ate and talked about other things, after eating, Diana covered the containers and placed them back in the basket. Lying down, she placed her head on his legs as she relaxed, letting the cool breeze fan her face.


    Her smile couldn''t leave her face, that day had become one of the happiest days of her life.


    Michael brushes her soft hair with his hands as he gazed at her.


    "Tell me about your childhood."


    Diana said suddenly, and Michael was quiet, she waited a moment and when she did not hear him speak, her eyes opened and she looked at him with worry,


    Did something happen in his childhood?


    Michael blinked and smiled,


    "My childhood was the darkest part of my life."


    He paused for a minute as though trying to recall the memories he had hidden away in the deepest parts of his mind.


    "My parents passed when I was five, in a car accident, and I was taken to the orphanage. Although we weren''t wealthy, we weren''t poor either, so moving to the orphanage was very traumatic for me as a child.


    I was yet to recover from the pains of losing my parents, but no-one cared. The minute I was brought into the room with other kids, I became another orphan child.


    I was forced to become an a.d.u.l.t at that tender age. At night, I would cry my eyes out and at the same time try to hold it in.


    The day I cried out loud, I was mercilessly beaten by the older kids.


    They reminded me that they didn''t have parents too and that I should get used to it. That was the day it dawned on me that my parents weren''t coming back and I was on my own.


    Four years flew by so fast, and then on that day, she walked into the orphanage.


    I had prayed to all the gods I knew to be adopted, but most of the families wanted children between two to five, once a child got to ten, most times they weren''t adopted and the ones who were, were mostly good looking.


    I wasn''t this handsome as a kid and given my very quite and nerdy nature then, no-one noticed me. I had lost all hope until that day,


    She had come asking for a child of nine years, my age exactly. One of the caretakers, came calling us out we were about eight kids, we were brought to her,


    I was very shy and quiet then, so my eyes were glued to the floor as I stood behind other kids who were eager to be adopted, but strangely, she walked up to me and raised my face.


    And then she smiled.


    ''I want this one'' that was what she said,


    I thought I didn''t hear correctly so I blinked, but she was still there holding my hand, and that was when I knew I was leaving the orphanage.


    She was my life saver, she became my god, I didn''t see any wrong in anything she did, I did whatever she asked me to do without a question.


    Now I think about it, she chose me for a replacement for her son because I looked quiet and I seemed like someone who could easily be manipulated. That was what she was looking for, someone she wouldn''t have trouble eliminating and I was her perfect match.


    I was grateful to her for everything, so I didn''t pay attention to the things she said to me."


    "What did she say?" Diana asked curiously,


    "She was fond of reminding me who I was, an orphan and a nobody and that I should never forget my place.


    I would never forget who I was or where I came from, but her constant reminder hurt my heart, but that didn''t stop me from wanting to please her. I even called her mother."


    He paused as though remembering something, he laughed,


    "I can remember one of the days I came back from school, I had gone to see her in her room and I called her mother,


    She had screamed at me and tossed a jar towards me, saying,


    I''m not your mother, you wretched orphan child!


    I was speechless but I quietly turned around and left.


    She never let any of my friends visit,


    I was mostly in my room, or helping her with some chore. I didn''t think much of any of those because it couldn''t compare to sleeping with some bunch of kids who would whip your back while you slept.


    The funny part of it all was how she treated me when we went outside, like she loved me with everything in her, she made sure to treat me like I was her son. It was so different that I got confused at some point. Why was she treating me so nice outside but was utterly different in private? at that time I couldn''t understand.


    I wanted to be a pilot and and I told her, and she stared at me pointedly and told me to study business mamagement, and I knew that I didn''t have a voice, so I studied business management, which led me to managing her company with all my soul for her son.


    I only knew what I was to her after Liam came back to live with us. She was quietly giving everything back to him. I didn''t mind, they weren''t mine to begin with but she wasn''t going to end at giving him everything. She wanted to end my life too.


    Like I was nothing, she wanted to kill me when all I did was want to please her."


    Michael stopped talking, then he looked at Diana with a smile,


    "I didn''t know what it felt like having parents, cause I was very little when my parents died. And I grew up with Catherine who didn''t bother about me. I was never cared for, so I thought it was normal not to care.


    I was never loved, well until I met my friends, those boys made me smile in the hardest times. Catherine didn''t let them come to the house until I took over the company. They were the people keeping me sane... until I met you."


    Diana swallowed,


    "I can''t imagine how it felt¡­ it must have been so sad for you¡­"


    She said as she tried to imagine herself being in that situation and her heart squeezed with pain, she breathed out slowly, pushing the thoughts away. It must have been hell for him.


    "It was sad until I got used to living it, then I felt nothing. It is only sad when you want it to be, if you see it as normal, it wouldn''t feel sad anymore."


    Diana sat up from his legs and threw her arms around his him, hugging him tight,


    "why didn''t we go to the same school? I would have fallen for you early and made you smile, you had to go to another school and I had to fall for someone who barely looked at me."


    Michael chuckled,


    "On the contrary, I might not have seen you because you would have been a short little baby in junior class, and I went with the bad boys so you would have obviously not fallen for me."


    Diana raised her head as she stared at his face,


    "How old do you think I am? And what baby? Didn''t I tell you I was among the prettiest in class?" she glared at him,


    "Babe, you''re 24, your age is pasted on every site on the internet, and I''m older by 2 years so we wouldn''t be in the same class."


    Diana pouted, "I still would have fallen for you though, there''s no way I wouldn''t have fallen for you."


    She said, a blush forming on her chin as she stared in his eyes, her hands on his chest.


    Michael smiled,


    "So you''re saying you fell for me the first day we met?''''


    Diana''s gaze fluttered and she cleared her throat,


    "Well, I was still thinking about my one sided crush, but I was sincerely wondering what artifact you walked out from. You were insanely handsome, and you spoke so sweetly that I didn''t want to leave."


    Michael grinned "interesting¡­"


    " stop smiling like you won a trophy, it''s not like I even remembered you after that day."


    "Says the woman that begged to take me out."


    Diana glared at him,


    "You always win, don''t you?"


    Michael laughed, pecking her lips quickly, making her blush amidst the glare in her eyes.


    "you''re so annoying!"


    She glared at him, helplessly.


    Michael was about to say something when his phone rang,


    After the call, his eyes flashed at the time and he turned to Diana,


    "It''s almost five, didn''t know we''ve stayed so long,"


    "Wow, it''s late already, we should go."


    Diana said, standing up, she folded the cloth, and Michael carried the basket in his other hand as he held her.


    He placed the basket at the back of the car and opened the door for her.


    "Urggh, I don''t want today to end."


    Diana groaned as they drove out.


    Michael smiled,


    "What do you say, let''s go watch a movie?"


    Diana beamed, "Perfect!"


    Diana chose a drive in theater, she didn''t want anyone looking at them in case... well, just in case,


    After buying some snacks, they sat in the car as they waited for the movie to begin,


    "I prefer eating ice cream when watching movies to popcorn, I don''t know why most people prefer popcorn,"


    She said,


    Michael turned to look at her and noticed a stain of ice cream on the side of her lips,


    "Well because they don''t want it to stain their lips, like yours is right now¡­"


    He said and kissed her lips, licking off the ice cream with his tongue.

 Chapter 360 - Its pretty

    Michael licked off the ice cream and sucked her lips before letting her go,


    Her spoon hung in the air as her cheeks burned, they haven''t started the movie yet and things were already happening¡­


    Diana blushed,


    This was going to be a long night.


    The movie started after a few minutes, it was a Korean rom-com,


    Diana laughed so much that her stomach hurt. Michael was enjoying the show too although he was more of an action movie fan than romantic comedy. Her eyes were glued to the big screen when she noticed Michael slide his hand into hers, intertwining their hands.


    Her gaze turned to him and she smiled, holding him back she continued watching the movie.


    After sometime, she noticed his gaze on her and she looked at him,


    "You don''t like the movie?" she asked with a chuckle, he had rested his head on his other hand as he watched her, Diana wondered how long he had been staring at her,


    "Oh the movie¡­ I love it¡­"


    Michael blinked and turned back the big screen,


    Diana laughed,


    "Her father caught him about to kiss her, that''s what''s happening,"


    She explained pointing to the screen,


    "Oh, okay¡­"


    He nodded and they continued watching the movie. When they movie ended it was past 9pm.


    Michael drove his convertible so he let down the roof as they left the theater.


    "Wow, this is so fun."


    Today she was so happy. Her looked at Michael and smiled,


    He was in love with her as she was madly in love with him...


    Diana laughed and turned to the road, her cheeks heating up.


    "why are you laughing?"


    Michael asked when he noticed her face all red,


    "Uh?" Diana looked at him and her eyes fluttered,


    "Nothing... I just remembered something."


    She bit her lower lip as she gazed outside.


    There was silence in the car as Diana thoughts wandered.


    Was he taking her home?


    She didn''t want to go home. She wanted to be with him. Diana sulked, there was no way she was sleeping alone after everything that happened today.


    "I got this for you,"


    His words kicked her from her thoughts and she turned to him. Her eyes fell on the little box in his hand and her eyes widened in excitement as she took it from him,


    "what is it?"


    She asked with a smile,


    "Open it, you don''t want to spoil the fun."


    He said and she opened it,


    Her eyes curved in crescents when she saw what was inside, the diamonds shone in the car as she took it out,


    "Wow this is so pretty! You''re so sweet, I love it."


    She smiled as she gazed at the love shaped pendant,


    This was the first gift he had gotten her, it might seem like any other gift, but it meant so much to her.


    "I''m glad you like it," Michael said, parking by the side of the road,


    "Let me help you put it on."


    Diana gave it to him and turned around, her hair had loosened already, so she held it to the side as he helped her wear it,


    "Thank you," she said with a faint blush on her chin.


    This had become her best necklace.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #''s-pretty_51278979910397546 for visiting.


    Michael stared at her for sometime and then he started the car,


    "Where are we going?"


    She asked,


    Michael was about to reply but as though she was scared of what he was going to say, she cut him off,


    "let''s go to your house."


    This was the first time she had looked him in the eyes and spoken so confidently, for a second Diana was surprised by herself.


    Michael stared at her for a moment and he turned back to the road , his hands clasping around the steering, the dirtiest thoughts running through his mind.


    "Okay¡­"


    Diana swallowed as she stared straight ahead. Her heart was beating so fast and her nerves were awakening as each second passed. The roof was opened but she was feeling hot all over.


    When they reached home, Michael held the door open for her, afte taking the basket from the back, they went inside.


    Diana looked around, the question was at the tip of her tongue and even when she knew it was shameless she couldn''t resist asking,


    "Is your house help home?"


    "No," Michael replied, their eyes met briefly bit she quickly looked away,


    Great!


    Diana jubilated in her heart but let out a soft, "oh¡­"


    Michael placed the basket on the sink,


    Turning to her he said,


    "Let me do the dishes you can go in and take a shower."


    He said but Diana shook her head,


    "No, let''s shower first, we''ll eat dinner still so we can wash the dishes all together."


    Michael thought about it and nodded,


    "Alright then,"


    He said walking towards her,


    "Let me get you something to change into."


    "Right, I don''t have clothes here yet."


    She chuckled as she followed him out to his room. Michael took out a sweater and pants from his wardrobe and gave to her.


    Diana''s eyes fell on what was in his hands and she picked only the sweater,


    "I don''t need this, I''m too short."


    Her gaze held his for a second and Michael gulped, he was about to say something when she turned around and walked out.


    When she got to her room. She groaned. Her body was already too hot to be ignored, she wanted him badly, but why was he trying to hold back?


    She pouted as she took off her dress, walking to the bathroom n.a.k.e.d.


    After drying her hair she wore the cardigan, no panties or bra, she couldn''t wear the panties she wore all day, nor did she want to wear any bra at night.


    Michael was not yet out so she went to the kitchen and began to do the dishes,


    After a while, she heard footsteps approaching and she turned around, she was about to call him when her eyes fell on him and her words caught on her lips,


    His hair was still damp and his lips red, his eyes looked dreamy as he walked towards her, his hands buried in his pockets,


    She gulped and she quickly turned back to the sink. Her hands trembled a little as her cheeks burned.


    What was he doing to her?


    Diana cursed beneath her breath when she felt some moist in between her legs.


    He was standing beside her now, and the sweet scent of his bathing gel filled her nose.


    Her gaze was nearly blurry.


    "You should have waited for me."


    Michael said when he noticed she was almost done with the dishes.


    The sound of his deep voice made her n.i.p.p.l.es harden, Diana grabbed the plates in her hands tightly as she forced a smile,


    "It''s not much, besides I''m already done." She said.


    "what do you want for dinner."


    Michael asked as he walked to the fridge and opened it.


    It was filled with so many packaged food but yet none of them excited him.


    Diana came to him after drying her hands,


    "I''m not really hungry, let''s have cereal?"


    She suggested and he nodded,


    "Alright... "


    Diana sat on the kitchen table as she watched Michael pour the corn flakes into the plates.


    She supported her jaw with her hands as she gazed at him,


    He had a beautiful lip shape, with beautiful eyes, perfect jaw, sleeping clean beards¡­


    She sighed inaudibly, ow could a man look this good?


    Her eyes fell to his fingers and she gulped as she imagined those hands on her body,


    She closed her legs as she tried to control herself, this man was driving her crazy.


    She was kicked out of her thoughts when Michael placed her plate in front of her.


    "Thank you," she smiled and dug into her food.


    "where''s Caesar?"


    Diana asked, she had not seen him ever since they came back.


    "He''s sleeping now, I already fed him for the night."


    "Oh... Okay."


    They ate quietly. Michael looked at her and his eyes caught the necklace around her neck, she had hidden it under the cardigan but he had caught a glimpse of it.


    A smile formed on his lips as he looked away, it warmed his heart seeing that she was still wearing it.


    After eating, he did the dishes this time as she stood by the side.


    Diana gave him the towel to dry his hands when he was done,


    "I smiled a lot today, thanks to you." She said, handing him the towel.


    Michael smiled, and walked towards her,


    "You mean the world to me Diana, and making you happy is all I want."


    Diana gulped. He was standing dangerously close to her now and even though his words were plain, she was feeling hot all over.


    Only him could make her burn even without doing anything.


    Michael smiled and held her face as he made her look into his eyes.


    "I love you very much Diana, and I''ll not do anything to hurt you. I hate that you don''t talk to me about things that are bothering you, I don''t know what would have happened if we didn''t go out today, maybe you would have continued to hurt so much¡­"


    His eyes darkened as he watched her.


    "Promise me¡­"


    "What?" Diana asked,


    "Promise me that you''ll tell me whatever that is making you sad, and no more secrets."


    Michael said, gazing into her eyes. Diana stood transfixed, how could someone so perfect love her this much?


    It felt too good to be true. But he was here and it was true.


    Diana smiled,


    "I promise."


    Michael nodded and kissed her forehead, then he hugged her.


    He had controlled himself all night but when he hugged her and felt her b.r.e.a.s.ts against his chest, his insides burned.


    Diana raised her hands and hugged him back, intentionally arching her back so her b.r.e.a.s.ts caressed him properly.


    Michael''s throat tightened, and he let go of her, but she didn''t seem like she was going to do the same, as her hands were still around him.


    She buried her head in his chest as she bit her lower lip,


    She was about to do something really shameless right now and to hell, she didn''t care.

 Chapter 361 - Let me love you

    Her fingers gripped his shirt tightly and she looked at him with cute puppy eyes.


    Michael swallowed; his right hand resting on the counter behind her; the kitchen was quiet, only the faint sound of the fridge beside them could be heard.


    Her eyes locked in his for a moment, as her breath became raspy; she bit her lower lip and she lowered her gaze to his lips;


    ''''Michael¡­ ''''


    She called with a m.o.a.n, she wasn''t thinking clearly at this point. Her head were fuzzy as the only thing she could think about now was touching him.


    She looked in his eyes again, and she could see the l.u.s.t in his eyes, at least she wasn''t the only one wanting this.


    ''''I want you. ''''


    She said. Her eyes stared at him firmly. She had never been so confident about anything in her entire life. She had thought she knew what love was with her first love, but she didn''t. Everything she had ever believed love was had been a lie, she always thought love was giving without receiving, longing without having, pain without pleasure,


    But with Michael, it was different. With him, she had experienced what it meant to love and be loved, what it felt to have someone hug you so passionately that you feel wanted, what it meant to have someone stare at you so longingly that you know you mean the world to them, and if she had another life after this, she would choose him, over and over again. She loved him so very much.


    Diana stared at him unwavering, this time she wasn''t shy or doubtful, she was sure of what she wanted.


    She could hear his raspy breath as he watched her, speechlessly. His hands which were by his side lifted and cupped her face, his breath fanning her skin.


    ''''I''m not going to stop even if you change your mind, ''''


    She could see the raging l.u.s.t in his eyes and she knew there was no going back from here.


    ''''I don''t want you to. ''''


    The instant the words left her lips, He kissed her. His hands went around her neck as he pried her lips open. She held his hands on her face, kissing him back. His hand caressed her shoulders, pulling her towards him. She could feel goosebumps form on her skin as her chest rose and fell in rhythm.


    He kissed down her jaw and to her neck, her eyes rolled backwards as she tried not to m.o.a.n too loud. His palm slid down her body and he lifted her off the ground, her legs going around his waists.


    He held her firmly, planting wet kisses on her lips as he carried her to the bedroom.


    Diana drew a breath when she her back touched the bed. Michael hovered over her and then he held the helm of her dress and pulled it over her head.


    "God¡­"


    Michael groaned as his eyes fell on her n.a.k.e.d body. He didn''t know she was stark n.a.k.e.d under the sweater. Just the thought of it made him hard.


    Diana gulped when she saw him staring at her stark n.a.k.e.d body transfixed. Her heart raced, she had never been stark n.a.k.e.d in front of him, well she had been, but this time she was awake and she was so shy. She fought back the thoughts of covering her body with her hands, but she couldn''t hold back the blush that formed on her cheeks under his scrutinizing gaze.


    Did she know how beautiful she was?


    Michael thought as his eyes worshipped the sight in front of him. His eyes drank in her perfect b.r.e.a.s.ts, thin waists and the cleanly shaved V that disappeared under her thighs.


    He forced his eyes back to her face and when he saw the look in her eyes, for the first time in his life; he was confused on how to handle a woman. She was so pure, so innocent. He had been with wild women all his life; this was the first time he was with someone so innocent. He could feel his manhood pushing against his pants, all the desires he had suppressed trying to overtake him, he clenched his jaws as he controlled himself from taking her too roughly; she was still a v.i.r.g.i.n.


    Diana watched him take off his shirt. Her eyes fell on his strong arms, and broad shoulders that she had always dreamt of touching and her eyes ogled. When she felt him staring at her, she looked away.


    As though he knew what was on her mind, he leaned towards her, taking her hands he placed them on his chest.


    ''''Touch me. '''' He said and she swallowed dryly. She had watched a lot of movies, but that couldn''t compare to actually doing it in real life. She was nervous.


    She hesitated for a second then she moved her hand over his chest, feeling every curve on his hard body. Their lips met again, this time he kissed her sweetly, mouth closed, velvety and yet filled with passion. Her hands pulled him close as she pressed her b.r.e.a.s.ts against him, a m.o.a.n escaping his lips.


    He kissed down her neck, sucking on every inch he could find, kissing lower, he kissed the swells of her b.r.e.a.s.ts and her back arched when his mouth found her n.i.p.p.l.e. She m.o.a.ned out for the first time as her fingers held his shoulders firmly, her other hand holding his head against her. Her eyes rolled back as he ravished her, taking turns on her b.r.e.a.s.ts. She was m.o.a.ning loudly, surprised by the sounds she was making, but she couldn''t help it. Her toes curled in ecstasy as she bucked against him.


    Michael let go of her b.r.e.a.s.ts and stared at the woman lying in front of him; her lips were swollen from the kiss and her n.i.p.p.l.es red with a few bite marks on her white skin;


    Her long hair spread on the pillow and her eyes, half-closed watched him. His eyes adored her body as she lay before him, She was perfect.


    He leaned closer to her, holding her gaze in his, her breath was deep and he could hear her faint pants. He raised his hands caressed her face with his palm,


    "You''re stunning, Diana."


    She blinked slowly, as she placed her hands on his chest. Michael took her hand and kissed it, a sigh leaving his lips,


    "I''m scared that I''m going to hurt you." He had never been with a v.i.r.g.i.n before. He heard it was painful the first time. He wasn''t sure he would continue if he saw her in pain.


    Her hands went around his neck and she smiled,


    "I want this¡­" she said, pulling him close, she kissed him again, her hands slid down to take off his pants but he held her hand and stopped her,


    "Let me love you first¡­ "


    He said with a smile as he knelt and kissed her legs,


    His eyes stayed on hers as he raised her leg to his lips and kissed her toes, one after the other.


    Diana felt goosebumps spread across her skin as he placed wet kisses downwards.


    Her fingers twisted the bedsheets as she trembled a little. She sucked in her breath when she felt his kisses on the insides of her thighs.


    Her lifted her other thigh and kissed it.


    Diana yelped when she felt her legs spread apart, and her p.u.s.s.y opened up before him. She instantly tried to close them but Michael held them apart. She was not expecting him to open them suddenly.


    Michael laughed,


    "Are you shy?"


    Her face reddened, as she quickly found the nearest pillow to cover her face, could he at least not ask when it was very obvious?


    "You''re perfect, there''s nothing to be shy about."


    Her fingers dug into the pillow. Her legs were still wide apart as he spoke. She wished she would just disappear.


    She heard his chuckle and then the next second his lips were on her p.u.s.s.y.


    She flung the pillow away and quickly bucked away from him but he held her h.i.p.s put, his tongue flicking over her clit.


    Diana squirmed under him, her face turning a shade of red.


    He raised his head and looked at her,


    "Don''t move."


    She instantly felt her body still under his command and in the next minute she was m.o.a.ning loudly.


    Her fingers pulled and pushed against his hair, wanting to pull him off but at the same time wanting to push his tongue deeper into her. She was writhing in pleasure, her gaze hazy and body trembling. He took her to the high heavens and she didn''t want to come back.


    Michael held her legs as he licked every inch of her. He had never gone down on a woman before. She was the first, and she was sweet. His tongue delved deeper into her as he held her squirming h.i.p.s still.


    She was m.o.a.ning his name loudly now and he didn''t stop until she was trembling in ecstasy and utmost pleasure.


    Diana gasped as she tried to catch her breath. Her body was still trembling from pleasure and her legs too weak to move. She had never experienced something so wonderful in her entire life.


    She lay, sprawled on the bed, helplessly, her eyes half open as she breathed.


    She saw him lick his lips and lean closer to her,


    "Are you tired?"


    He asked as he stared at her passionately,


    Diana shook her head, although she was weak from his torture, he didn''t have his release yet, it was torture denying him that.


    But it seemed he always knew what was in her mind.


    He smiled,


    "Let''s sleep for today, we''ll continue tomorrow."


    Diana opened her lips to argue but he covered it with kisses.


    "Sleep now, you have to go work tomorrow, I want you to be able to walk."


    Diana smiled as she watched him pull her close and cover her with the duvet, hugging her.


    She stated at his closed eyes for long minutes before she was overtaken by sleep.

 Chapter 362 - Lets get married

    Diana turned on the bed, her hand falling over the side of the bed, after a few seconds she opened her eyes.


    It took her less than a second to remember what happened last night and she quickly looked beside her,


    Michael was not in bed, a sighed in relief and she quickly hopped down from the bed. N.a.k.e.d.


    Her eyes spotted her sweater and she dashed towards it, throwing it over her body.


    Aiming for the door, she ran but before she got to it, a very familiar deep voice stopped her,


    "where are you running to?"


    Diana''s feet rooted to the ground and she turned around slowly,


    "Uh¡­ good morning¡­"


    She stammered, forcing a smile to her chin,


    He was shirtless, with only pants on, and he stood beside the bathroom door with a smirk, watching her knowingly,


    Diana felt n.a.k.e.d instantly, the details of the previous night flashing in front of her. Her cheeks burned as she tried to look confident like she was the previous night, but the gaze in his eyes was making it impossible. Her legs felt weak.


    "Good morning," he replied, in a hoarse s.e.xy voice, walking towards her. Diana inched backwards until she was against the wall.


    "I¡­ wanted to get¡­ my phone."


    She stammered, her cheeks red,


    She knew he knew she was lying, the grin on his lips was enough to tell,


    He knew how shy she was, he was intentionally teasing her. Diana bit her lower lip.


    "We need to shower first,"


    Diana yelped when she felt his hands go under her sweater and cup her n.a.k.e.d butt, his mesmerizing gaze on her,


    That instant she wanted to disappear into the ground. She prayed to the sun and the moon but none seemed to come to her aid.


    She had unlocked trouble.


    "Why are you screaming?"


    Michael asked, his hands caressing her, pulling her closer to him,


    "Uh?¡­" Diana wanted to cry,


    She thought he was naughty before, but it seemed she yet to see how naughty he could be.


    Michael laughed and kissed her neck, nibbling on it,


    Diana m.o.a.ned involuntarily and she cursed under her breath, how could she be m.o.a.ning in this situation?


    Michael laughed,


    "I told you I wasn''t going to hold back even if you want me to, you''re mine now."


    Her breath caught in her throat when she heard him whisper in her ear.


    Standing up he took her hand and turned towards the bathroom,


    "Let''s shower quickly, you have a busy day, unless you want to take the day off."


    He turned and winked at her but Diana shook her head,


    "No, I have a lot of work to do today." She needed to escape from his space and organize her thoughts.


    "Alright..."


    Her heart raced as she thought of how they''ll shower together. She had never showered with any man before. Now she thought about it, she was surprisingly confident yesterday. Maybe because she was horny she wasn''t thinking straight. Now she was back to her senses, she couldn''t believe all the things she did last night.


    Her eyes raised up to his back,


    She didn''t even know when she slept off last night, to think he held himself back yesterday was unbelievable.


    He must love her a little too much. She smiled.


    Michael pulled her into the bathroom and locked the door.


    His hands held her sweater and was about to pull it off her,


    "Wait!"


    Diana screamed,


    "turn¡­ turn around."


    Michael erupted in laughter,


    "What?"


    Diana blushed,


    "Are you shy?"


    He asked, lowering his head so he was looking in her eyes,


    Diana looked away,


    "I''m not shy, I just need a moment¡­"


    Michael laughed,


    "Babe, I have your body imprinted in my head, there''s nothing to hide. Besides you were so confident last night, I thought we''ve gotten rid of your shyness."


    He smiled, but when he saw she was still very shy, he nodded,


    "Okay, I''ll turn around, but be quick about it, we''ll still shower together, I don''t know what you''re hiding anyway."


    This woman was so dramatic¡­


    He chuckled, but he liked her that way. It was thrilling seeing her blush hard when he touched her.


    Diana held the edge of the sweater and riled it up slowly, pulling it over her head.


    "Are you done?" Michael asked but without waiting for her response he turned around with a grin.


    "Hey, I didn''t say you should turn around."


    Her hands flew over her chest,


    He laughed and with a flash, took off his pants.


    "Jesus!" Diana exclaimed, her hands covering her eyes instantly.


    "Why didn''t you tell me you were undressing already!"


    Michael held her hands and pulled her hands off her face, taking her to the shower,


    "babe, I''ve never seen anyone so cute." He laughed, turning on the shower.


    Diana shivered when the warm water poured on her skin. Her eyes still shut so she wouldn''t mistakenly see.


    "Open your eyes."


    He teased, pulling her close to him, his member poking her lower belly. She tried to move back but he held her still,


    Raising her head, he kissed her in the shower. Deep passionate kiss, taking her breath away.


    Her hands rested on his shoulders reflexively as she supported herself from falling.


    Michael propped her up and her legs went around his waists as they deepened the kiss.


    Suddenly he let go of her,


    Diana panted and her eyes opened, she looked at him. He smiled and pecked her lips for the last time, before letting her on her feet.


    "I can leave if you''re not comfortable." He said, but Diana shook her head instantly.


    "No, it''s okay." She stared at him cutely, taking the liquid soap she poured it on her hand and lathered his chest.


    Michael just stared at her, admiring her cuteness.


    She took the sponge and washed him. Her eyes stayed on his chest, not wanting to look elsewhere,


    "You can look, it doesn''t bite."


    Diana glared at him, he was smirking.


    Although she was still shy, she didn''t want to let him keep teasing her, so she immediately looked down.


    Her lips fell open when her eyes met his length. He was very hard and erect.


    Diana swallowed and looked back at his face,


    Diana reddened,


    He was quite huge and the smirk on his face was enough to tell her he knew.


    "I don''t think it can enter me."


    Michael looked at himself and at her,


    "It will, we''ll practice."


    Diana swallowed.


    "O¡­okay."


    She couldn''t explain how they finished bathing. They talked or more exactly he teased her most of the time.


    He wanted to bath her but she was still very shy for that. He let her lather before him and after washing themselves, he wrapped her with a towel after tying one around his waists.


    Holding her hand, he led her to the vanity table and made her sit,


    Taking the hair dryer, he started to dry her hair.


    Diana looked at his reflection in the mirror.


    He was so attentive as he dried her hair,


    She smiled,


    "Are you going to work today?"


    "Mm¡­"


    "when will you be done in the office?"


    "early, so I can spend the rest of the day with you."


    His eyes met hers on the mirror and she smiled,


    "but I won''t be coming back early."


    "Okay, I''ll come home and make something for you before you get home."


    "who says I''m coming here?"


    Diana teased him, she laughed when she saw the shock on his face.


    "let''s move in together."


    "No."


    Diana replied almost instantly.


    Michael''s face fell.


    "Let''s get married?"


    The grin on Diana''s lips disappeared instantly, she wasn''t expecting the question at the moment, she blinked,


    "I don''t want to get married yet." She said in a whisper.


    Michael was quiet as he stared at her in the mirror, surprised.


    "You don''t want to get married to me?" his voice sounded broken.


    Diana shook her head,


    "No¡­ not because of you¡­ I don''t just want to get married¡­ yet."


    Michael nodded and turned back to her hair.


    The atmosphere became quiet.


    Diana''s eyes fell to her hands, did she get him annoyed?


    Was he serious about getting married now?


    Wasn''t it too soon?


    She gulped.


    She loved him a lot but getting married was a whole different thing. She needed time to think about it, having kids, she wasn''t ready¡­


    Michael''s eyes watched her expression on the mirror and he knew she was concerned about rejecting him.


    "I was joking."


    Diana raised her eyes,


    He was laughing now,


    "but it hurt that you don''t love me enough to want to marry me."


    "No, no, I love you, I love you very much. But marriage is a whole different thing."


    He smiled,


    "Don''t worry I understand; kissing the side of her cheeks he said,


    "your hair is done, get changed, let me dress up quickly so I can take you home."


    Diana nodded and stood up, she was about to walk out when suddenly she turned and hugged him,


    "I love you."


    She said, hugging him tightly.


    Michael smiled and hugged her back,


    "I knew you would be worried about that, don''t worry I''ll wait for you whenever you''re ready. I''m in no rush okay?"


    She nodded, but didn''t let him go.


    Michael laughed,


    "You don''t want to go to work anymore? We can stay home and make love all day." Immediately due heard him, she instantly let go of him and turned to the door.


    He laughed as he watched her skip away.


    When she came back to his room, he was done dressing. Walking up to him, She arranged his hair with her fingers,


    "I''ll come over tonight."


    She said, her eyes falling in his. He had a twinkle in them which made her smile.


    "and I''ll stop by the pharmacy for some condoms..."

 Chapter 363 - Party and plans

    "I have condoms."


    Diana blinked,


    "oh¡­"


    "I mean, I always have condoms around. Not because I''m using them, but just in case¡­"


    Michael quickly explained himself before she misunderstood.


    She smiled, "I know. Let''s have breakfast before we leave."


    ¡­


    "You''re back finally!, I thought you didn''t want to return."


    Gwen smiled as she walked towards Tiana who just stepped out of the car. Instead of three days, Tiana had stays for four days.


    When Tiana heard her she laughed,


    "Something came up and we had to postpone the shoot, and I kinda liked that because I had time to go shopping and sight seeing."


    "I bet. Hope you got something for me in your shopping spree?"


    Gwen asked as her eyes tailed the bags the guards carried inside.


    "Of course."


    Tiana smiled.


    "Nick is not back yet."


    Gwen said catching Tiana off guard, when did she start calling him by the short of his name?


    But not thinking much of it, she shook her head,


    "No, he''ll be back in two days time."


    "Okay."


    "Alright, let''s go inside." She smiled taking Gwen''s hand, they went inside the house.


    After giving her the gifts she bought for her, Tiana took a shower and video called Nicklaus.


    "Honey."


    "My baby, how was your trip?"


    "It was fine,"


    She noticed he was casually dressed so she asked,


    "No work today?"


    "No, we''re going out for lunch, casual but sure, we''ll discuss work related matters over lunch."


    "Okay. But do they speak English? How do you guys communicate?"


    "They speak English."


    "Oh... ."


    Tiana heard the car door open and he entered,


    "Do you miss me?" she asked and Nicklaus laughed,


    "I know you are asking because you miss me already. You can tell me you miss me, it won''t hurt."


    Tiana glared at him,


    "you''re mocking me now because I love you right?"


    "No, no, my sugarplum, you know that''s not true. I love you and I miss you so much that it''s driving me crazy."


    Tiana rolled her eyes,


    "Japanese girls are very pretty, don''t look at them."


    "I won''t."


    She paused,


    "If you feel like looking at a beautiful woman, call me."


    "Ha ha, okay. I can''t even think of any other woman when I have you."


    Tiana smiled,


    "I trust you. Come back as soon as you can okay?"


    "Ah, beautiful, you''re making me want to come back home this minute."


    "Pft, go and have your lunch. Love you."


    "Love you too. Will call you when I''m back from lunch."


    "Okay, that''s if I''ve not slept off by then, bye."


    Tiana ended the call and tossed it to the other side of her bed.


    She had been stressed out from work and everything, and now coming back to the familiar bed, her eyes closed involuntarily and she slept.


    ¡­


    "How do you intend to do that?"


    Veronica, who was sitting on the bed asked.


    Gwen paced around the room, in silent thought,


    "I mean, you can''t just let a man into this house and into their matrimonial bed, there are CCTVs all over the place and the guards are everywhere, so what''s your plan?


    "There are no cctv inside his room and bathroom."


    "How do you know?"


    Veronica asked,


    "because I checked."


    Veronica''s lips fell open in shock. She couldn''t believe she had gone into their bedroom and restrooms. This woman really meant it when she said she wanted her sister''s husband.


    "So what do you plan to do."


    Veronica folded her hands,


    "We have to get her out of the house,"


    "You''ll smuggle her out of the house? The house workers will get you even before the guards does."


    "Can you stop talking like a fool and just listen!"


    Gwen pinched the bridge of her nose. As though she thought of something, she turned to Veronica,


    "I don''t really need your help in this anyway, I''ll sort it out myself."


    Turning to the door she walked out. Gwen brushed her hand through her hair in irritation.


    She had less than two days to do anything she had to do unless she would have to wait for Nicklaus to travel again and she didn''t have that time.


    Her phone vibrated just when she was about to enter her room and when she saw the message, she smiled.


    Turning around she went to Tiana''s room, she opened the door without knocking, Tiana was sleeping on the bed, walking to it, she shook her.


    "Tiana wake up."


    She nudged her a few more times before she woke up.


    "what is it?"


    Tiana spoke groggily as she turned to see who had disturbed her sleep,


    "Stephen Ray is having a party tomorrow, let''s go."


    Tiana groaned and turned the other side,


    "I don''t like parties, especially when Nicklaus is not here,"


    Gwen watched her quietly as she turned to the other side and continued sleeping. She hated when she mentioned him at any given opportunity, it irked her.


    "What are you scared of? Nothing is going to happen, besides I''m there. It''s not like you''re all alone. Please! I want to go but you know I''m not dating and I cannot go on my own."


    Tiana turned to look at her, she had a pitiful pout on her lips,


    "Stephen Ray you say?"


    "Yeah..."


    "Is he not the one who asked you out?"


    "Yeah¡­"


    "Okay, we''re going. Hope he isn''t seeing someone else yet?"


    "No, thank you so much. Love you."


    Gwen leaned close to her and pecked her chin.


    "what time is it?"


    "By 6 pm, don''t worry we''ll be back before 9, we''ll have the guards go with us, if you''re scared of the dark."


    "I''m not scared of the dark,"


    Gwen laughed and stood up,


    "Okay, thank you, you''re the best." She winked,


    "I''ll leave you now to continue your sleep."


    She smiled and walked out of the room. Going back to her room, she locked the door and called a number.


    "It''s tomorrow, get everything ready."


    She said, the person on the other side spoke and she nodded,


    "I''ll text you the address, thankfully it is in a hotel and anyone can get in. I call you when you need to come. "


    The person on the other side spoke and she nodded, then ended the call.


    Throwing her phone on the bed, she blew out air as she paced around the room,


    This would surely work. There was no way he would still bebwith her after seeing her with another man.


    Soon she would take what rightfully belonged to her.


    ¡­


    Diana stepped out of the car and the front door opened almost at the same time.


    She smiled when she saw Michael standing by the door.


    "You''re late." He said, kissing her lips when she walked to him.


    "Something came up and I had to work overtime."


    "It must have been stressful."


    "A bit, but seeing you now had taken the stress all away."


    Michael caressed her chin, when he saw the little bag in her hand, he wondered,


    "Did you go home?"


    "Mm¡­ to get a few clothes and underwear, since I''ll be staying over for a few days."


    Michael smiled and took the bag from her, holding her hand, he led her into the house.


    "You''ll shower first then you''ll come have your dinner."


    Diana grinned when she inhaled the nice aroma as they walked to his room.


    "Wow, what did you make?"


    "Shower first."


    He said taking her to his room, he placed her bag on the ground.


    Diana looked around, seems she wasn''t going to have any privacy anymore.


    "why are you standing, should I help you out of your clothes?"


    Michael asked in a naughty manner, walking towards her, Diana shook her head,


    "No, haha, don''t worry, I can remove them myself. You can leave now."


    Michael smirked and turned to the door,


    "Okay¡­ just call me if you need any help."


    Diana waved him away.


    "Get going already."


    She said and locked the door.


    ¡­


    After bathing,


    She opened her bag and took out the contents. A blush formed in her chin when she saw the bundles of lingerie she had packed. Although she wasn''t seeing any man, she loved to wear beautiful lingerie, thankfully there was use for it now.


    She placed her body lotions beside his. She didn''t think men paid attention to their bodies until she met him. Lotions and moisturizers, cleansers and face masks, Diana smiled as she placed hers beside his.


    After which she put on her lingerie. Standing in front of the mirror, she stared at herself.


    She was beautiful. A smile appeared on her chin when she thought of the look in his eyes when he saw her in these.


    A knock came on the door shaking her from her thoughts.


    "Are you not done?"


    Diana quickly threw a nightie over her body.


    "Coming!"


    She said and opened the door, closing it after she stepped out.


    Michael''s eyes glanced at her body, staying on her b.r.e.a.s.ts for a moment before looking back at her face.


    She smelt so nice that he was considering skipping the meal until later.


    But she was hungry¡­


    Sighing, he held her head with his both hands and pecked her lips severally,


    "what?"


    Diana laughed,


    "why do you have to be so cute all the time?"

 Chapter 364 - Im jealous about you

    "why are you so cute?"


    Diana smiled sweetly;


    "Am I?"


    Michael''s eyes fell to her lips as she bit her lower lip, his Adam''s apple bobbled,


    "Irresistibly¡­"


    His voice became low and husky. Her cheeks blushed when she saw the way he looked at her.


    His hands inched down and caressed her neck, pulling her close, she watched his head tilt to the side but just when he was about to kiss her, her stomach grumbled.


    Michael exhaled, and stood upright,


    "Let''s go eat."


    Diana laughed as he held her hand and walked them to the dining.


    "wow!"


    She exclaimed, her eyes scanning the dishes on the table,


    Michael opened a casserole and her eyes met a large juicy roast chicken,


    Another plate held freshly baked mac and cheese,


    She helped him open the others,


    Tomato and basil rice, strawberry salad with avocado, and the wine bottles.


    "this is¡­ just wow¡­ are we celebrating something?"


    "Is it too much?"


    Michael looked at the table.


    "No, not at all, it''s perfect. Thank you. But¡­ when did you get off work to prepare all these?"


    "Um¡­ I skipped work today,"


    "Aw, you didn''t have to. You''re so sweet, thank you."


    Diana smiled as she took a plate to serve herself.


    "Your friends say you don''t like to cook."


    Michael placed a chunk of meat on his plate,


    "because I don''t like to cook."


    "But you cook for me." She bit her fork with a smile.


    "I''m in love with you. That''s why, now let''s eat."


    Diana laughed when she heard him,


    "say that again I want to hear it. "


    Michael glared at her and continued eating,


    "Uh, please, just once, uh?"


    "I love you."


    She grinned,


    "One more time,"


    She stretched her leg and touched his, sliding it up his calf,


    "You''re turning me on, sweetheart."


    His eyes stared at her smolderingly, his Adam''s apple shook and she instantly dropped her leg, but before she could, Michael grabbed it and placed it back on his thigh,


    His hand caressing it.


    Diana curled her toes as her face burned, she sucked on her fork.


    "Leave it here."


    She swallowed, he was still caressing her.


    "Let''s eat."


    She nodded and cut a piece of meat,


    "Our movie is premiering in three weeks time."


    "I heard."


    "Oh¡­"


    "Yeah, and I''ve been getting many movie offers recently. Some producers even came to the company."


    Diana choked on her meal.


    Coughing, she gulped some wine. She had suspected this would happen but she didn''t think it would be this soon.


    "Sorry, have some water."


    Michael said, pouring water into a cup for her.


    Diana drank a little. When she was fine, she turned to him,


    "did you accept any?"


    "I don''t know¡­ I don''t want to be an actor, but I think I enjoyed doing the movie, so I might give it a try."


    Her fingers gripped her fork and her eyes fell on her food.


    Michael noticed her expression and he asked,


    "You don''t want to me to take the offers?"


    She looked at him immediately and shook her head,


    "No, it''s fine."


    She continued eating casually, trying to look fine but Michael studied her.


    "What did we say about not keeping secrets?"


    Diana swallowed and she looked at him. How would he feel if she told him how she really felt about him taking another acting role?


    He wouldn''t quit because of her, would he?


    Besides he was becoming famous. He wouldn''t quit because she didn''t want him to.


    "You can tell me. It hurts me seeing you like this, you know that."


    She bit her lower lip,


    "Would you not take any acting role if I tell you not to?"


    She asked, raising her eyes to look at him. She sounded selfish, very selfish. What was she thinking?


    "Never mind, I was just joking." Her eyes fell.


    "I''ve not answered your question."


    She looked back at him in surprise,


    "You''re worried that I''ll act with other women and kiss other women, right?"


    There was a smile on his chin as he asked. Diana bit her lip, was she that easy to read?


    "No, don''t mind me. I was just overthinking."


    "No, you''re not overthinking. And you asked if I''ll not take any roles if you don''t want me to, my answer is yes.


    If you don''t want me to, I won''t. So tell me, should I not?"


    Diana''s heart raced,


    Was he serious about doing what she wanted?


    It would be selfish of her to tell him not to act anymore because she was scared,


    "I know I might sound selfish right now, but it''s been on my mind for a while. You''re tall, handsome, sweet, everything every woman wants. So many women want you, and if you act more movies, you''ll attract more attention.


    I''m already scared of us not being together for long because of the women after you, and now if you start taking roles¡­


    You might love me now, but you''ll meet so many beautiful women, kiss so many beautiful women, and any other thing the script says. I know I''m being a nagging girlfriend, but I can''t help it. I''m jealous about you. Very jealous. So even though it''s a movie, I don''t want you kissing or touching other women."


    She concluded, swallowing hard. She frowned when she saw him smiling.


    "it''s not funny."


    "why are you this cute?"


    He asked with a grin.


    Diana stared at him speechlessly.


    "You forgot I''m doing this for fun sweetheart. And I value some things more than others. And there are people I can''t trade for anything in the world."


    He paused, touching her leg on his thigh.


    "Right now, I can''t trade you for anything in the world. You''re the most important person in my life, and I''ll not do anything to hurt you. I don''t think you understand me when I said I love you?"


    Her breath caught in her throat,


    "It is not mere words sweetheart, I love you so very much. And that includes not getting you sad or mad, or making you worry. Besides it''s just for fun, I''m not interested in the fame, so since you don''t want me to, I won''t. "


    Diana''s eyes watered when she heard him,


    "I''m sorry."


    Michael stared at her in surprise.


    "why? You didn''t do anything¡­"


    Before he could complete his words, she was already crying.


    His lips fell open, standing up he walked to her side and held her already red face,


    "what''s wrong? "


    "I''m sorry for being so jealous, and for not trusting you enough."


    "jeez, is that why you''re crying?" he hugged her, patting her back.


    Lifting her up, he sat down and made her sit on his thigh,


    Diana hugged him,


    "Don''t mind what I said earlier, you can act the movies if you want to, okay? I was just being petty."


    "But I don''t want to anymore."


    "I''m serious. You''re making me feel worse now."


    She cried on his shoulders.


    "So you''re saying I should kiss other women, touch other women and have s.e.x with them if the script says so?"


    "No!"


    Diana replied almost instantly making him laugh.


    She was such a baby.


    "what I mean is¡­ you shouldn''t quit totally, if there are movies that interest you but doesn''t involve you kissing or other stuff you can take them. I don''t want you to quit totally because of what I said."


    Michael raised her head to look at her face.


    He smiled,


    "I love how jealous you''re becoming because of me. It makes me happy."


    Diana stared at him. He was too perfect for her. Did she give him a love potion unknowingly because this man was so love drunk.


    "Okay, Let''s do this. You check the movie scripts and I''ll act whatever one you approve, how is that?"


    She smiled and replied shyly.


    "Okay, let''s do that."


    Michael caressed her chin,


    "don''t cry anymore, it breaks my heart."


    She nodded. "Okay."


    "Now let''s eat. The food is all cold."


    He said and turned to the table, instead of going back to his seat, he fed her from her plate, with her sitting on his thigh.


    She was shy at first, but after a few bites she got comfortable.


    Taking another fork, she fed him too.


    "How many kids do you want to have?"


    Michael asked out of nowhere. Diana blinked. She haven''t thought about that before.


    Her eyes stared at him, he was the only one in this entire world she would dream of bearing kids for.


    She watched him take a price of meat and bring to her lips.


    She ate,


    "The thing is, I don''t really want to have kids. The thought of it scares me. I''m afraid my body will change so much and you might not find me attractive anymore. But almost everyone wants kids so I can''t deny my husband that, I might have one or two."


    Michael stared at her with a smile,


    "There''s so much going on in this brain of yours, sweetheart. Someone who loves you will always find you attractive, sweetheart. And besides, if you''re that concerned about your body, you can easily go to a doctor to put it back in shape besides you have a slender figure you won''t really get fat after having a baby."


    "That''s not all¡­"


    Diana pouted,


    "what else?"


    "I don''t want any kids taking your attention away from me. I''m that jealous."


    Michael laughed. "I should be the one bothered about your divided attention, but don''t worry, we''ll worry about that later. Besides, you don''t even want to marry me yet. We''ll think about that when you accept my proposal."


    Diana chuckled,


    "You''re making me feel bad now, it''s not like you''re ready, you''re just asking, no ring, nothing."


    "who said I have no ring?"