Samantha sipped on her wine in her living room while she flipped pages of thetest magazine editorial.


    Her phone rang on the table in front of her. She picked it up and sighed when she saw that Richard was the one calling her.


    “What do you want, Richard?” She asked in a bored tone.


    “The five days ultimatum that you told me to give them is over. What is the next n?” He asked her.


    “I don’t want to beat about the bush anymore. I’m going to reveal myself, I’m going to fight ir face to face. She’ll have no choice but to give up her husband. You can release the pictures after another five days.” She answered.


    “You are stretching this, Sam. It’s so unnecessary, everything that you’ve been doing. Okay, I will dy the release for another five days and after then I will release it.” He said.


    “This doesn’t concern you so don’t you dare question me. I want to make them think that your threat was useless and then release it when they least expect it. Dn has lots of enemies and I’m sure that they’ll be interested in the story. And you will release the other pictures that I prepared.” She said flipping through the magazine.


    “Of course. What do I get from all of this?” He asked.


    “If you’re lucky, ir should go to you. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? You will get her.”


    “Okay, I’m counting on it. Goodbye for now.”  He hung up the call.


    “Stupid.” She muttered.


    Samantha had her own and it did not involve Richard. She was only using him for her gain, she didn’t have any ns topensate him for anything.


    She thought of throwing him in jail if their ns failed somehow.


    ir didn’t seem to know anything about her, so she was safe for the time being. But then she knew that her so-called friend was smart and could find out about everything.


    Sometimes she felt anxious whenever they spoke. That was why she always pretended to be happy anytime she called. ir hadcouldck things from a person’s voice or tone.


    She continued to sip her wine while she thought of more strategies to use against her.


    Samantha thought of sending people to kidnap her but then Dn and her parents might get involved and she probably would get caught.


    She removed that thought and kept thinking of other things. All she knew was that Dn would be here soon enough.


    ~~~~~~


    Dn held ir’s hand and went downstairs. It was already evening and they had not had dinner.


    Donna came back from the market hours ago and was already making dinner for them. Dn was thankful that he had the help again.


    If not ir would be the one doing everything. And he didn’t want to add to her stress.


    “Donna is making dinner already, she should be done by now or almost done,” Dn told her on the way downstairs.


    “Oh shit. I forgot that Donna was around. I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn’t even notice her.”


    “It’s okay, you weren’t yourself. How would you have known? It’s okay. Besides, you can see her now, she’s in the kitchen.”


    “Yeah. I guess so.”


    They walked to the kitchen, Donna was still cooking. The counter was full, tes, pans, a tray of shredded chicken breast, cooked and fried.


    Donna was a home caretaker. She made sure everything was in ce. Her view of the way a typical kitchen should be was different from every other perperson’sShe was everything, a cook, nanny and she was also good at cleaning and doingundry.


    “Donna!” She left Dn and gave her a hug from behind.


    “Oh! Careful my dear! I’m holding something hot.” She eximed in surprise. She kept the pan that she was holding on the ss stove and dried her hands on her apron.


    Then she turned to greet ir properly.


    Dn grinned and went back to his office.


    “I’ll just leave you two to it.” He said but they didn’t answer him.


    “How are you, my dear? You’ve barely been around. Haven’t seen you for months now? Is everything okay?” She asked her.


    “I’m fine, Donna. Everything is okay, I’ve just been busy. How are you? Dn told me that he gave you a break. How was it? You’re looking more beautiful.” Sheplimented the older woman.


    “Alright. Yes, Mr Lancaster gave us a break and doubled our sries. He didn’t see the need to keep us here when you weren’t around. I must say that it was quite strange that I was without a job for almost two months.” The woman exined.


    “I understand. I feel that way sometimes, especially when there’s nothing to do.” ir said.


    “I had to find other things to do to keep me busy and kill time. I’m d you’re okay.”


    “That is good. I’m happy to have you all here again. I’m guessing Aaliyah and ra aren’t around?” ir asked.


    “No, they are doingundry. I sent them to do theundry, they should be done by now.” The woman said.


    “Oh okay. What are you cooking? It smells delicious. I see rice and lots of shredded meat, I see rice noodles too.” ir stretched towards the counter.


    “Yes, ir. I’m making enough food for everyone. I must say that you have lost weight, the kitchen was almost empty when I arrived and the store was worse! I had to go get food from the market.” Donna eximed.


    “Oh really! I thought I was already gaining some weight. Woah! The kitchen is always empty when you’re not around.” irughed.


    Donnaughed as well.


    “Well, you are indeed glowing but so people might not notice that you lost weight but I know that you did.”


    “Oh well, who cares about what anyone says or thinks? I missed you, Donna.”


    ir hugged her one more time. Donna smiled and patted her back.


    ir couldn’t help the smile that lit her face. Donna was like her home buddy. Sometimes they hung out and made dinner together. They talked about small things and went food shopping too.


    ir sat on the counter stool and watched as she cooked.


    “Do you need my help?” ir asked.


    “No, I don’t. I’m fine and I’m almost done so you can just rx.” She answered.


    “Alright then. I’ll be in Dn’s office.” ir stood up and went to Dn’s office.


    She walked the hallway and turned to the right.


    She didn’t knock, she just opened the door.


    “ir? I know it’s you.” He was on the other side of the room, so he couldn’t see the door.


    “Yes, it’s me.” ir went behind him and held his waist. She ced her head on his back.


    “Everything okay?” He asked. He was going through a spiral-bound document.


    He had his reading sses on, making him look more professional. He looked like a nerd to ir.


    “You look like a nerd with your sses on.” She giggled.


    “Oh? You have said that countless times already.” He answered in a bored tone.


    ir blew silent raspberries behind him.


    “What’s that?” He asked.


    “Oh, nothing.” She replied.


    She removed her hands from his waist and walked towards his table.


    “That reminds me, you said you wanted to talk to me about something? ” Dn asked her.


    “Uh, what’s that? When did I say that?” She asked.


    “When we had dinner at my godmother’s.” He reminded her.


    “Oh, that? I’m not ready to discuss it yet.” She answered quietly.


    “Why? Is there any problem?” He asked.


    “No, no, it’s just that I’m still thinking about it. I haven’t finished my ns.”


    “You don’t wanna talk about it?”


    “No, not yet.”


    “Okay, fine then. Whenever you’re ready, yeah.”


    “Yeah. I should go check on Donna.”


    ir got up to go but Dn stopped her.


    “What?” She asked him.


    “Is everything okay?” He asked once again.


    “Yeah, sure. Why wouldn’t it be?”


    “Hmm, okay then. I will be going back to the office tomorrow.”


    “Yeah, okay.” She pressed her lips into a thin line and walked out the door.


    Once she closed the door, she leaned her back on the wall and sighed deeply.


    She didn’t know what to tell Dn. The ns she had were about a new business venture. ir was tired of staying at home and being a housewife, she wanted something more.


    She went to her father’spany often before and she saw how everyone worked. She just wanted to do something for herself.


    Her problem was Dn. She didn’t know if he would support the idea of her working or running her business.


    She didn’t want to be pushed aside and she also wanted to tell him something reasonable. At the same time, she wasn’t sure of her ns and that was why she kept quiet.


    ir went back to the kitchen to meet Donna.


    When she got there, the ce was already cleaned and there was no cooking in progress.


    “Donna?” She called.


    “Yes, Mrs Lancaster?” Donna answered from the dining area.


    “Oh, you are in the dining area.”


    ir walked towards the dining area, she saw her arranging tes and tters of food.


    It wasn’t a lot of food but it would fill every one.


    “I didn’t see you there again, that’s why I called your name. You are done cooking?” ir asked.


    “Yes, ma’am. I’m done cooking. I was arranging the tes and tters on the table.” Donna answered.


    “Oh? Okay. They look delicious, I can’t wait to eat them.” ir rubbed her palms together in excitement.


    Donnaughed out loud.


    “I see you don’tpletely hate food.”


    “What would I gain from that?” She asked sarcastically.


    “Exactly.” Donnaughed.


    “I’ll get Dn.”


    ir went back to Dn’s office to call him to the table.


    She knocked once and opened the door.


    “Dn? Dinner is ready. Can youe, please?”


    “Alright.” He dropped everything he was doing and followed her to the dining.


    “Woah. Donna, Donna, you are something else with food.” Dn whistled as he took his seat.


    “I know right. She’s such a foodie and it’s rubbing off on us.” irughed.


    “Should I serve you?” ir asked him.


    “Yes, please. Thank you, love.” He said.


    “Alright.”


    ir took his te and served him, bits of almost everything on the table.


    Then she served herself, Dn waited for her to finish so that they could eat together.


    “Why are you waiting?” She asked as she sat down.


    “I was waiting for you so that we can eat together.” He said.


    “A, you are sweet. Thank you, let’s eat now. I’m starved.”


    “Sure.” Dn chuckled.


    They dug into their food, ir had one more serving before she finally agreed that she was filled.


    Dn could not finish his portion of the food and it was a mystery because he always had more than one portion of Donna’s food.


    “You are a foodie, ir. Who would have thought such an amount of food could fit inside your stomach?” He asked in shock.


    “I’m on a journey to grow thicker.”


    “You, that is very good news. I’d love that.”


    “Shut up. You justined about the amount of food I eat.”


    “I’m sorry. That was just a moment of ignorance.” He raised both his hands in surrender.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    “Better.” Sheughed.


    ra came to the dining room while they were cracking jokes.


    “Good evening, Mrs Lancaster. Good evening, Mr Lancaster.” She greeted them.


    “Oh! ra! I haven’t seen you today! How are you dear?” ir asked.


    “How are you, ra?” Dn asked.


    “I’m very well. I was busy with Aaliyah a while ago. I’m here to clear the table.” The girl said.


    “Oh alright. We’ll leave you to it.” ir said.


    They got up from their seats and walked towards the kitchen.


    ra started to clear the table.


    “Thank you for dinner, Donna. It was delicious.” ir grinned.


    “My pleasure.”


    “It was an amazing dinner. Thank you.” Dn said.


    The older woman nodded in response, with a smile.