ã€Š100 Days With Mr Romeroã€‹


 CHAPTER 1

    *****

    PROLOGUE

    Pregnancy was a joyous thing they say. A thing to be happy about. But why was I having mixed feelings towards this bun in my oven?

    I always expected to get pregnant yes, but that was not in my n when I had slept with him. It was supposed to be a one night stand. It hasn¡¯t been in my ns to have a baby.

    How was he going to feel about this baby? Would he ept the baby? Would I-would we raise the baby together? What was to be expected of me? But still, I didn¡¯t regret sleeping with him. What I regretted doing was getting to carried away and forgetting to use the protection.

    But then the way he had rubbed, licked, sucked¡­., no Emily,  You shouldn¡¯t be thinking of things like that.

    First, I had to get something in my stomach. I stood up, my handbag in my hand as I vacated the shelter of the warm cafe. Whatever was going to happen, I was keeping the baby-my baby.

    *****

    The breeze blew in an alignment into the room as I prepared the outfit I was nning to wear out tonight. Today had been the end of school, my graduation from college and taking a big step into my life. There was no better way to celebrate than to go to a club. Not just any club but the most popr club in the whole of New York.

    I had moved to New York few years back, leaving my family in another country-miles away to study and help my parents and assist them. I was now a step closer to assisting them. I just had to get myself a perfect job and relieve them of a little stress.

    ¡°Emma, don¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t dressed yet?¡± Lily, my best friend of two years walked into my small apartment with irritation. She was dressed in a short tight purple dress with ck stilettos toplete her look. Her hair was packed in a messy bun on her head as her bright earrings dangled on her ears.

    She had put on a light make up and the lipstick she had gone for this night was a red one. I looked at her, staring confusedly as I tried to gauge why she would be ready to attend the club at 6pm in the evening.

    ¡°Lily, I get that you don¡¯t like beingte but this is just too early for my sake.¡± I rolled my eyes at her, leaving her irritated face and walking into the living room.

    I ced myself on my small red couch with throw pillows scattered around it when Lily walked in,

    ¡°Bitch, I¡¯m aware it¡¯s early but we aren¡¯t going to the club first. I told dad of our outing and he suggested we go out for dinner before clubbing.¡± She rubbed her nape as she spoke to me, slowing down her words like she was exining to a six year old.

    I looked up at her, this time it was my turn to get irritated, ¡°Then you should have called me beforeing here. Where do I want to start from? I¡¯m still on my Pjs, with a messy hair and fuck, sometimes I could just strangle you.¡± I pushed my hands on my head, massaging my brte hair, rubbing my scalp along.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I forgot. Daddy was hell bent on sending me here sooner. He wanted to be sure I came along with Tony. Tony had been working for the Taylor family since Lily had been little.

    Lily¡¯s father was a well known billionaire in New York. He was involved in men underwear¡¯s manufacturing and suffice to say his business was booming well. If it hadn¡¯t been for the connection Lily had, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to make it to the club, BLING.

    ¡°Alright I¡¯ve heard you. You just have to help me with my make up, that¡¯s the least you could do.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you girl.¡± Lily said as she immediately dragged me by my hands, leading me to my room and getting right on to work.

    It had taken us forty five minutes max for the makeup and the dressing. I stood in front of the mirror as I examined my outfit. I was in a purple gown, simr to that of Lily¡¯s only mine was armless. I had paired it with a ck stiletto . Lily had also gone simple with my makeup, making it light as she had focused more on my eyeshes which had made my light brown eyes pop out.

    ¡°Look who¡¯s looking smoking hot.¡± Lily gushed from beside me, using her hands to signal me to turn around. I did as I was told as I made several silly poses.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go girl, I¡¯ve called Tony to bring the car up front.¡± She called out to me as she grabbed her silver clutch and I also grabbed my ck one.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Time to party!¡± I yelled as I locked the door, securing my keys right under the flower pot as I walked after a half twerking Lily screaming her heads off.

    BLING stood high and mighty as we walked into it after showing our VIP passes at the bodyguard standing in front of the VIPS stand. I alongside Lily walked hand in hand, slightly tipsy as we entered into the powerful club.

    Immediately, we were engulfed by loud music and loud cheering as the stage was half way  cleared, making way for the two couple that were in the center of the stage, creating entertainment for themselves and the crowd.

    ¡°What are you doing Emma? We are going up to the VIPs.¡± Lily yelled, using her fingers to signal to the ceiling, indicating we were going up.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I yelled back as we continued our journey up.

    Unlike the regr bar down, the VIP was quieter than the noisy one we had left downstairs. Different men in suits sat on ck leather cushions as women entertained them. Laughters of men could be heard from a part and I resisted the urge to cower back and shrink.

    This was what always happened with me, I wasn¡¯tfortable in Lily¡¯s world but I hadn¡¯t ever breathed an air and told her that. It would make her feel so horrible and she might start to think the fault was from her.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have some tequ please,¡± Lily¡¯s sweet voice announced to the bar man busy cleaning a cup when we arrived at the bar.

    ¡°Coming right up.¡± His deep voice resonated as he got to work, preparing our drinks for us. A cup turned to two, three, till I lost count of and just continued to gurgle all down.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go dance!¡± Lily yelled as we went to downstairs to the dance floor, grinding on each other. We were together till we got separated by a hard body.

    I looked up to the tall frame of a guy, he was in a dark tight jeans with a ck tight ck shirt, muscles straining and budging toe out of the shirt.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I said as I moved close to him, grinding him. His hands went on my waist as he puked me closer to him, his hard on rubbing my ass straight. I bent as I rubbed my ass on him, twerking the more on him. He let out a slight ¡°fuck.¡±

    His hands began creeping up my body and I realized it was time to put a stop and also, I had to use the bathroom.

    ¡°Dance is over, I¡¯ve gotta use the bathroom.¡± I removed his hands grasping tightly unto my waist.

    ¡°Awmon, you silly bitch.¡± He grumbled as he walked past me, immediately finding another dance partner and winking at me. I gave him the middle finger as I found my way further into the bar, stumbling around, looking for the bathroom.

    I hadn¡¯t realized how drunk I was as until I stumbled and almost fell t on my face on the stairs. I had been rescued and put back on my feet sessfully by something, or rather someone.

    ¡°Hey, careful there.¡± A deep voice spoke through and I raised my head up to register the face. It was blurry, I couldn¡¯t see well except the trimmed beards and deep blue eyes or was it green?

    Everything became blurry, everywhere faded as Inded back against the floor, this tome, banging myself on the hard floor.

    I muttered a low wince as darkness consumed me with the voice of someone cursing, ¡°Oh shit.¡±

 CHAPTER 2

    Sticky. Everywhere felt sticky. I moved about, sticking my face into the soft cotton of the bed. It smelled really nice and I inhaled voluntarily as a delicious tingle spread within me like a nket. The low moan that escaped me couldn¡¯t be helped and I continued to move about the bed.

    ¡°I guess you are awake.¡± A deep vice resonated my sweet sleep and I rose, frantically. It was still dark, from the looks of outside, it seemed like it should be around 5am?

    I remembered this man, of course I did! I wasn¡¯t the type  to forget everything that happened while drunk. Sadly. I could pass for that right now.

    ¡°Sorry, you are?¡± My voice was a mutter,ing out rough.

    ¡°The man who saved your drunk ass.¡± He closed the portfolio he had been reading and threw it without care on the desk. That was when my brain finally decided to wake and I gazed around the surroundings. We were in an office. Inside the office was big and cold, a ck wooden desk shared an emptymon area with the plush looking ck chair resting behind it.

    Red lights bedazzled in specks around different areas of the room. I could still have been convinced I was still in the club if not for theck of music, the low hum of the booming air conditioner, and lifeless paperwork¡¯s gathering on the table.

    I almost groaned again, ¡°Oh, thank you for your rendered help, but I think I need to get going  now.¡± I wobbled up slowly from the office couch, and for the first time, out of many other regrets, I regretted wearing a short gown. Still, I was prepared to do the walk of shame, no doubt even mistaken as a one night stand.

    ¡°I should probably get to the bathroom.¡± I added again, gazing briefly up at his profile but he just continued staring at me even as I rounded him, and blindly made my way to the bathroom.

    Oh my gosh, I looked like a sicko. And he had seen me like that! Fuck my life.

    Quickly, I sshed water on my face for better pronouncement, rubbing it as fierce as I could to get rid of the drool. My appearance wasn¡¯t expatriating too much on my beauty at the moment, and for a countless time that day, i key out another groan.

    ¡°Fuck my life,¡± I muttered, hitting my slightly aching head slowly but continuously on therge bathroom mirror. Situations couldn¡¯t be helped as my dirty mind flowed like a calm

    river towards the fine specimen I hade across. Imaginations jammed like a truck in ident and a low heat pooled at my body as dirty positions of me and him  filled my thoughts.

    My next priority concentrated on how to escape away from the room without raising any cause of notice by him. I held unto the poor excuse of my remaining dignity and walked out of the bathroom, heading straight for the door with determined strides, only toe to a slow stop when my gaze dropped in on the manly feet in front of me, my eyes dragging up to a beautiful face.

    ¡°So, uh uhm-he cleared his throat. ¡°I know this could be totally weird of me right now. But it can¡¯t be helped by me, and I believe you are grown up of course, so I¡¯d like to make a suggestion. We are both adults and I want us to treat it as one.¡±

    I stood there, disconcerted and wondering where he was moving on to.

    ¡°I want to im you.¡± His words disrupted my thoughts and I inhaled in a sharp breathe.

    ¡°When you fell on my hands before practically falling on the floor, I knew I just had to have you.¡± His deep voice reverberated throughout the empty room. He was sounded confident-no he was confident. ¡°Even if it¡¯s for a night.¡±

    Well Emma, what are you waiting for? This is an opportunity to smash him.. it¡¯s not like you would ever meet him again. My subconscious whispered to me, a cup of coffee in her hands as she stared up at him, excitement brewing in the expression on her face-

    Arghhh

    I nodded my head in return, seeming drunk on nothing as lust clouded my mind out of the blue.

    ¡°Words, um?¡± He raised an eyebrow in question.

    ¡°Emmlimy. call me Emma, or Emily,¡± I quickly put in for him.

    ¡°Emma, I¡¯m Gideon.¡± He whispered as he walked towards me, heat ming through his eyes. Gideon¡¯s eyes a held a  promise of pleasure toe. I could feel it.

    He was an epitome of beauty, standing right in front of me, hands on his waist. His sharp jaw traced horizontally to pointed nose  as my gaze once again dropped to his very red lips. I let in an audible gulp. I stifled    moan as he bent slowly to my neck, inhaling me and letting out a low groan. His tongue skidded out as it came out slowly to lick and trace the veins of my neck. This time, I let out a loud moan.

    ¡°If you want us to do this which I¡¯m sure you want, it¡¯s better you make a decision¡­.¡± his speech was interrupted by the ring of a cell phon and he picked it immediately.

    ¡°Alright, see you in an hour.¡± He ended the call.

    I stood still there, my brain foggy as I tried to reminisce what it was that was happening.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got an hour to you. But we can¡¯t have sex. An hour isn¡¯t enough for the things I want to do to you.¡± He said and I let out a sharp inhale.

    He moved closer to me, breaths fanning my face, ¡°But I can¡¯t let you go out like this. I¡¯ve had a taste of you and I want to taste the inner you. I want to trace my tongues into the depths of your heat. Would you? Would you let me do that?¡± He asked and I could only nod since that was the only motion I could implore.

    ¡°Baby¡­¡± he groaned, pulling the me closer to him. What was I thinking right now? This guy was a total stranger. Someone I¡¯ve never met. This shouldn¡¯t be happening and yet, here I was. Craving his touch in ces I shouldn¡¯t be.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°Are you having doubts baby girl? Because if you are, we could just go on ahead and not do it. I can¡¯t make you do what you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s simple. I need your total and full consent before we go deeper in this.¡± His voice remained cool and collected apart from the little edge to it.

    ¡°Uh-no, no. I¡¯m not having any doubts. Let¡¯s just get to it.¡± I was a confident woman who knew what she wanted. So what if he was a a stranger? It was not far from what I had expected when I had walked into the club earlier. At the back of my mind, I had been expecting a one night stand. This was also not far from my expectations.

    Only this man standing right in front of me, was a wet dream walking I wouldn¡¯t mind having for breakfast lunch and dinner.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to it my darling.¡± He raised his hands to my chin, caressing from the side of my face right to my temple,

 CHAPTER 3

    ¡°If we are going to get to it, you would have to take a deep breathe and rx. You have to trust me on this, Emma.¡± Gideon¡¯s voice boomed huskily in the heated room and I shivered involuntarily.

    He grabbed me by my waist, moved me across the room and pushed me gently on the couch. His hands came to rest on my nape, caressing me and putting on switches in me.

    ¡°Take a deep breathe in love, take another out.¡± Hemanded, his eyes running azy but sexy gaze around my face.

    I heeded to hismand, taking full breathe in and out, and involuntarily causing a raise of my straining breast to sh against his chest.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it baby girl. Breathe in and out, feel the rhythm, rx. I¡¯m going to take good care of you.¡± With each and every word, he moved closer to me, his breathe fanning my ears with each wording out of his mouth.

    And then Gideon did something unexpected and thrilling. He blew airing directly from his mouth into my ear and unto my neck. Goosebumps like never before made a run in into my body, creating small  sizes of small rounded armies sending heat directly to my core.

    ¡°Ah-what was that for?¡± My voice advanced out as a breathy moan. I was already breathing hard and fast and he hadn¡¯t even touched me already.

    ¡°That my dear, was to make you rx fully.¡± He whispered unto my mouth and cutting me short of words as hended his lips on mine.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Sparks of fire works ignited in horizons, sending a maic and electrocuted friction in between my thighs, and pooling directly into my panties. The hairs at the back of my neck rose, disying in sizes of lengths as soon as Gideon ced his hand on my neck, choking me a little bit, and also kissing the life out of me at the same time.

    Short of breathe, I pulled away from him to catch a little bit of air. His hands still remained on my neck, asionally ording a little squeeze onto it. As soon as he realized I¡¯ve inhaled enough air, he rushed down in on me again, this time predating and bruising my lips like an animal.

    A suck, a bite, another rampage of holy hell kissing. His other hand that wasn¡¯t too busy squeezing my neck moved slowly towards the back of my neck, and pulling the hair band I had used to pull my hair together while in the bathroom. I shed my to tongue with his hypnotizing ones and also simultaneously biting his lips at the same time. That seemed to drive him crazy as he groaned into my mouth, massaging my scalp and ying with my hair.

    His right hands left my neck, grabbing my breasts and ording it a deep squeeze. My feet¡¯s left the ground, toes curling into high heeled shape. His mouth swallowed my moans as he moved on, caressing my navel, belly button, till it stopped to right above my pussy.

    With his four fingers, he grabbed me above my clothes, his thumb massaging the skin above my stomach, and I pulled away from him, searching pleasure hooded gaze at his eyes as he began to move his fingers, still cupping me and touching ces it found reach cloth covered.

    ¡°Gid-eo¡­.. oh, ah.¡± I was trashing this time, looking for many ways to reach my peak and I think Gideon got the point because he rose fully above me, and signaled me to take off my gown.

    As soon as the cotton material pooled unto the ground, he grabbed me behind my head and rushed in down for another kiss.

    ¡°Spread your legs baby girl, and no matter what, don¡¯t close your thighs okay?¡± He instructed at me. Barely getting myself together, I nodded my head in return.

    Slowly, he bent down to the ground, his face right I front of  my vagina.

    ¡°Oh god, it¡¯s so pink.¡± He groaned as he continued to stare at me in that intimate part. My pulse began to pour out just by a look from him and he nced up and awarded me a heart warming smile.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to know how it tastes.¡± He said. Just as I was about to scream out of frustration for him to get to it, I choked in on air as his tongue parted the lips of my pussy. My head fell back to the couch, and I began to make little trashes around.

    Gideon fully got to work, his tongues touching the deep inner ces they could reach in my walls. I felt his tongues there, inside me, at the tip of my insides and the pleasure began to boom in loud rhythmical music in me. His lips came out to hold my pussy lips in between them as he began to massage my clit, my walls and everywhere with his tongue.

    I was beginning to trash, my thighs had almost closed in on him and buried him. But he still continued working, ignoring my trashes for him to stop.

    ¡°You have to ask for what you want now baby girl.¡± Gideon murmured against my pussy, rushing the vibrations through me.

    ¡°Suck Gideon, please suck my pussy. Please suck it.¡± At this point, I was almost sobbing. My voice was hoarse already.

    Gideon dly sucked on my pussy and my eyes rolled in behind my head. I gave on breathing as I rolled my pussy as he sucked on. Tentatively, he sipped in a little bite on it and I finally copsed in my high, my orgasm shooting out from me like a rushing tornado destroying ces. Still, Gideon continued to take slow licks from my pussy.

    Even as I hade down, it was almost as if he couldn¡¯t part with it. He continued to lick in on me again and I was starting to jolt a little, twitching and turning slightly when his phone rang and disrupted us.

    He rushed to his feet quickly, taking his suit jacket in his hands.

    ¡°Drop the address of your house on my desk, I¡¯ll find you this night and we are finally going to continue what we stopped.¡± He disposed to me as Iy there, useless on the couch.

    ¡°Okay.¡± I muttered, still trying to regain energy. He walked passed me and towards the door, o my for him to stop and turn back.

    I was about to question him when he bent down to my still opened wide pussy. He gave it a lick, a suck, and finally a bite, while I let out any ¡°Uhmm¡± due to the unexpected intrusion.

    He rose to my face and pressed a quick kiss on my lips before walking out and leaving me to relish in the memory of what had just happened.

 CHAPTER 4

    My thoughts were scattered and haywire as I zipped my dress up. My back was twisted and arms turned diagonally to reach the zip point. That, that had been the best orgasm I had, had in my whole entire life and I couldn¡¯t help but look forward to tonight.

    I walked shamelessly past the elevator leading to the entrance of the bar, my hands raised to set up a cab. A long shadow leaned in right in front of me, blocking the early morning sun which was previously reflecting through my eyes. I raised my eyebrow.

    ¡°I was instructed to get you to wherever you are going ma¡¯m.¡± A deep voice resonated and I blinked twice at the face of the man. His eyes were covered by deep back sun shades, wearing a luxurious suit

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think I ordered an¡­.¡± my speech was cut off my the man, ¡°yes ma¡¯am. I know. Big boss ordered me to do so.¡±

    ¡°Big boss? I don¡¯t think I know anyone called that.¡± I spoke, doing a quick survey through my memory.

    ¡°Uhm, the owner of this club, Mr Gideon.¡± I could almost hear an eye roll in his tone.

    I stood there, tongues twisted, nose ring as I almost opened my mouth agape. ¡°You.. you uhm, you mean Gideon is the owner of this bar? This bar?!¡± I tried my best to control my erratically beating heart.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Now, shall we?¡± He opened the back door of the white SUV and I tried my best not to swoon. But that¡¯s didn¡¯t stop me from feeling and inhaling the soft leather chair as it¡¯s unique scent wafted into my nostrils.

    Gawd, this is life!

    My room still remained the same way as I had left it. Clothes were scattered around the beds, makeup kitsying out hopelessly out of the tool box. Soft cool air blew in alignment right from the hallway, passed the open doors and into the room. Suffice to say, it was scattered.

    But that wasn¡¯t my main concern as I threw myself on the soft bed. My body bobbed and bounced up and I let out a loud squeak. Oh my gosh, Gideon. The Gideon Brunch had just bent before me and eaten me out like I was the only food he could gurgle down the whole day.

    Oh my gosh, I could be screaming out loud if I wasn¡¯t subconsciously worried I¡¯d faint due to too much excitement. Worse still, he wasing over today. Oh wait, he wasing over tonight. And I was still freaking digesting what had just happened.

    The ringtone of my phone cut me out of my day dream and I almost rolled my eyes when I peeped the caller ID.

    ¡°Firstly, you should learn to always say goodbye when leaving. I was bat shit worried you had been kidnapped yesterday before a man in ck approached me  of your safety. He as hot though.

    Secondly, spill the dirty all the dirty secret you little slut.¡± Lily gave me no chance to speak as her voice reverberated through the phone, allowing all the words tumble out of her mouth without pause.

    ¡°I¡¯m still having a lil¡¯ bit of hangover here woman. I¡¯d appreciate if you could keep your voice low.¡± I groaned into the phone.

    ¡°Spill the damn thing.¡± I could hear her puff of frustration right from the phone and i smiled a little. Right now, I could imagine how she would look. Her cheeks would be puffed out in frustration, her eyes almost rolling to the back of her head and her eyebrows crinkled in disgust.

    ¡°Okay fine, fine. He ate me out. Took me to ninth heaven.¡± I sighed into the speaker, leaning my head against the headboard and adjusting into afortable position.

    ¡°Did you just say ate out? Wait, who ate you out?¡± Lily¡¯s squeal of excitement enabled my eyes to roll automatically on their own.

    ¡°The owner of the club. Gideon Brynch. Although, when he was bent in between my thighs, I had no idea who the fuck he was. I had just concluded deeply within me that he was the manager or sum¡¯n.¡±

    ¡°Wait what? You mean to tell me you met Gideon Brynch?¡± Lily questioned into the phone.

    ¡°Yup.¡± I popped out.

    ¡°And he ate you out?¡± She asked again.

    ¡°Wiped me off clean.¡± I finished.

    ¡°OH MY FUCKING GOSH EMMA! You had that hot breed lick your pussy like a flowing river? He took you to ninth heaven I see.¡± Lily was now almost aweing.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Don¡¯t put it like that.¡± I lowly muttered, feeling heat creep up onto my face and resisting the urge to cover my face with both my hands.

    ¡°Ouuu, don¡¯t tell me little Emma is feeling shy?¡± Lily wasn¡¯t helping matters. I swear, I could feel my cheeks getting red at the moment. Where the unwanted feeling has creeped in from, I was praying it deted back in.

    ¡°Argh, stop it. One more thing though.¡± I said.

    ¡°What is it? Did you get eaten out by a model this also?¡± Lily now wasughing her head off and I only wished I could pass my hands through the phone and pinch her ears. Just one pinch would do for me. A little pinch and the satisfaction to watch her ear go pink from pain.

    ¡°Gideon is kind of like, um,ing over tonight. We agreed to like yunno, do the deed at my apartment. I guess?¡±

    ¡°Oh my fucking gosh, and you tell me this now?¡± She screamed spat at me through the phone.

    ¡°Well, if you would have had patience to listen to what I had to say without interrupting me every second, you would have heard that little information.¡± I was starting to feel sleepy now. It had been an exhausting morning if you know what I mean.

    ¡°In my defense, no one hears that and behaves normal. Anyways babes, I¡¯ve gotta go. Papa calls.¡± She grunted out the papa.

    ¡°Alright love, I¡¯ve gotta get a little sleep before cleaning up also.¡±

    ¡°Okay love, bye.¡± She yelled.

    ¡°Bye Lily,¡± I yelled back and falling into a deep nap.

 CHAPTER 5

    Everything was prepared already. I had bathed myself with women perfume, shaved every nook and crannies there was to clear. It¡¯s not like he hasn¡¯t seen it but still. After making sure the coast was clear, I put myself in a short white gown, apanying it with light blue earrings. If he wasn¡¯t to mind, we could grab some dinner.

    Panic settled in me, washing and rushing past my mind like a glow of river. What if he refused toe? What if he decided I wasn¡¯t worth his time and decided to pass? I mean, he was Gideon. What if breeze blew away the address from the table and he couldn¡¯t find it? Something told me though, he would have still been able to track me down.

    And so I waited, an hour passed, two hours passed. There wasn¡¯t a specific time and I thought that maybe I had dresses too early. I had been ready since 6:00pm. And so I went on and on, waiting for the time when he would finally arrive.

    Like an expected event, Gideon didn¡¯t show up at all. I got up from the living room couch  when it was passed midnight, using a little bit of annoyance to eat the already cold dinner I had prepared. I slid off my pretty gown, throwing it on the floor and putting myself in my sulky PJ¡¯s. A big T shirt and shorts.

    I justnded on the bed when my ringtone suddenly interrupted me. I did a little search party before finding the phone where it has been hiding, underneath the bed. I briefly used my right hand to hold my hair up from obstructing my view while I bent down to pick it.

    ¡°Hey babe.¡± I grunted into the phone, slightly disappointed it wasn¡¯t who I was expecting. The caller ID had showed Lily¡¯s name. Didn¡¯t she have something to do?

    ¡°What happened?¡± Lily asked, her tone dropping to that of an affectionatedy she could prove to be, sometimes.

    ¡°He didn¡¯te. Didn¡¯t show up.¡± I don¡¯t know why I was already emotional but I guess it hurt my pride and prejudice and ego to realize he had found someone better. And just maybe he hadn¡¯t been pleased with what he saw.

    But then, he was eating my pussy like a starving man!

    ¡°Hey love. If he didn¡¯t show up, then that¡¯s his loss. He just missed a big opportunity to bury himself with a heat full of sweet things and heaven.¡± The fact that she was actually serious made meugh out loud.

    ¡°Oh Lily, you are such a gem.¡± I whispered.

    ¡°So baby girl, don¡¯t feel bad okay? It¡¯s his loss. And I¡¯m sure there are better and hotter guys out there.¡± She confirmed, her voice set in determination.

    ¡°You think?¡± I snorted and sheughed. ¡°Okay, maybe not too many people but we would have find. Eventually.¡±

    ¡°Probably. I¡¯m going to bed right now. I think I¡¯d just sleep it off. I am go job hunting tomorrow also and see what it looks like.¡± I informed her.

    ¡°Alright baby girl, I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow. Take care of yourself and don¡¯t think too much. If you do that, I¡¯ll visit you in your dream and set you out right.¡±

    ¡°Yes mummy, goodnight.¡± I ended the call. I guess I¡¯ll have to sleep now. Why he hadn¡¯t showed up though, still had me curious.

    Emma, you should sleep now. You have to look for a good paying work, and think about helping your family. Yes, I¡¯ll do that.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    I was about dozing off when a doorbell rang. Was that my doorbell or my neighbors? But I was hearing it in my house so that had to mean it was mine? But who would visit me at this hour of the day? Maybe it was Lily. She had the ability to worry too much for her liking.

    I waddled out of my room, past the hallway and to the front door. Opening the door, I was met with a shiny ck suit. My heart skipped a beat. Slowly, I traced my eyes from the suit covered chest to the beautiful face of Gideon.

    I stood there, mouth opened and trying to process why and how he hade to see me.

    ¡°Hi,¡± I almost choked out. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What do you mean what am I doing here? Didn¡¯t we have an agreement?¡± He almost growled. I stood there, perplexed and baffled as to why he was angry with me.

    ¡°But¡­ but I thought you were no longering and don¡¯t you dare raise your voice at me.¡± I finished, pinning him with one of my strong gaze.

    ¡°Are you letting me in now or now? I¡¯m happy to have this conversation with you when we are in the safety of your apartment and I could spank your if you there much do what I- he signaled to himself ¡°wouldn¡¯t like.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, but you can just stand in front of my apartment and threaten to spank me when you- I signaled to him ¡°are the one that showed upte.¡±

    His right eyebrow twitched a little and he raised his right hand to push me inside. His fingers briefly brushed my boobs as he let himself in, shutting the door after him.

    He grabbed me by the neck, hurled me to the wall. His hands still remained on my neck, squeezing and applying a little pleasure when he leaned down to the whisper in my ear, the heat of his mouth fanning my ear. ¡°Now, what was my littledy saying?¡± He whispered.

    My brain was on overdrive already, my thoughts were jumbled up together and messed up already. I begged my brain, pleaded and wait it it for me to remember what I had been saying. It was har, really hard as he was still bent over me with his hands still on my neck.

    ¡°I thought so.¡± He mumbled. ¡°Now let¡¯s get to business.¡±

 CHAPTER 6

    ¡°How do you want it? Do you want us to go straight ahead or you need a little time to cool off?¡± Gideon¡¯s deep voice reverberated throughout the entire room.

    Suddenly, I was nervous and I was beginning to feel sweat trickle into the inside of my palm. Maybe it was because I had canceled all ns of ever sleeping with him in my mind, whatever it was, was resulting to uncontroble nerves. I pushed my fingers together to try to control my nerves a little.

    I felt my fingers shake a bit, and I cleared my throat. ¡°I think it¡¯d be better to cool off before diving into it. Except you have somewhere to go?¡± I asked more of stated.

    Gideon raised his hands to his chin, he was in a white suit and brown leather shoes. His lips were pinched together in thoughts and I was starting to have wild thoughts about them. Slowly but discreetly, I clutched my heating thighs together, briefly gazing out the window.

    The horizon of an iing storm was shaped haphazardly on the sky. Tinges of pink and light green colors blended and flowed richly with the blue darkness of the sky. The few trees surrounding the neighborhood flowed in a left right manner, causing more excitement to the iing air.

    Dogs from neighboring houses barked in their highest tune, probably excited or scared even about the position the storm was about to dance into.

    ¡°Diving,¡± Gideon¡¯s voice interrupted me. ¡°I like the sound of that, but not as much as I wish to dive into you.¡± He finished, basking out a slow seductive wink. At that moment, if there had been anything liquid in my mouth, I could swear I would have spat it out.

    Unbothered by myck of response and sudden muteness, his gaze raked me from the toes, moving slowly. I felt the heat in me when his eyesnded directly on my V shape covered by the shorts I had put on before retiring to bed. My nipples were starting to harden underneath the big shirt.

    ¡°You know, when I meant cool off.. I was actually talking about leading you to rx. There are many many things I want to do with you. But you have to be rxed and since we only have once to do it, I¡¯m going to have to cover it all.¡± He was still starting at me, or rather my now hardened nipples.

    ¡°Take a deep breathe in Emma. Push in, push out.¡± He instructed lowly and I followed hismand brusquely. As I breathed in and out, he walked towards me with purposeful strides.

    He passed me and stopped right at my back. His big hands came to settle at the back of my shoulders. He had taken his jacket off now and his muscles were now straining under his almost transparent white dress shirt. Those arms bulged up, down as he moved freely with grace. There was no hint of nervousness in his strides on his stance and I took another breath in again. You can do this Emma.

    Gideon reached my position in just a few step. His gaze trailed me right from the tip of my toes, it rose slowly, in a defined slow seduction to my almost drunken eyes. I was drunk by him. Oh dear.

    His hands moved from my shoulders, caressing and making soft pinches at my skin and making a slow trail to my neck. Heat struggled through me like a sinking ship, the hairs at the back of my neck and ear strained full force on my skin and I could feel my heart elerate out of order. It should be illegal to have this kind of effect on someone.

    ¡°I want you to close your eyes now Emma.¡± He whispered into my ears, making sure just the tip of his tongue made contact with my ear. That sent a continuous shooting of tingles right from the blood that had rushed into my ears, straight into my core. I moaned.

    I felt a warm fabric move over face and settle on it. The silky form covered half of my face as a bit of darkness engulfed me. I was blindfolded by Gideon¡¯s tie. He had blindfolded me and suffice to say, I was enjoying every part of it. Or what was to happen.

    ¡°You trust me baby, don¡¯t you?¡± He asked out loud, nipping my ears with his teeth this time. ¡°Yes. Yes I do.¡± I gasped out, almost choking on thin air. Everything I could feel was a burn. A hot burn on the whole of my body that only a release could take away.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    I could almost feel myself hyperventting. His hands were making soft dismissing touches on my skin, making me writhe in pleasure.

    ¡°I only want to listen to your moan and cries. Nothing else. And also, when I ask you questions, I want a yes or no answer.¡± His deep voice reverberated and I nodded my head in response.

    His hands trailed down to my stomach softly, he was back hugging me in a way as he signaled for me to raise my arms. I helped him out in pulling out my shirt and now I was left bare to him.

    This time, I could feel the heat of his body. Everywhere his fingers skimmed through, it vibrates with electricity of want and need. I didn¡¯t even think I had a ever wanted something like that before in my life. I did not even think I had been so desperate for someone¡¯s touch that bad. Yet, here I was, waiting to be devoured by his fingers, tongue-him.

    He was still back hugging me as his hands trailed my arms, moving onto my stomach and caressing my navel. I shuddered a little in his hands, as they made a soft trail to my rib cage. His fingers took their time to circle the outlines of my breast and I moved a little in his hand, desperate for his touch in the needed ce.

 CHAPTER 7

    ¡°I know what you want baby,¡± as soon as he spoke, both his hands grabbed my breast separately. He mashed them into his hands and giving them a through massage. My head dropped on his neck, curse words flying out of my mouth at the same time. Slowly, he sat on the couch and I was now seating on hisps. His fingers grabbed both of my nipples at the same time, giving it a soft pinch and I arched on hisps, my hands came out to hold his hands as a result to too much sensations but I had no use for it as his hands weretching into my breast. And so, I ced my hands on his own, following his hands as they managed my breast. The sight alone could have led me toe.

    Desperate, Gideon turned me around and immediatelytched onto my right breast while his fingers toyed painfully sweet with the other. He grabbed my boobs, mashing them together and rushing both nipples into his mouth at the same time. I had now turned into a moaning mess on hisps.

    ¡°You like that don¡¯t you? The way I rub andtch on your nipples. I see the twist on your face as you bask in pleasure.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ah yes.¡± I screamed out loud. Gideon¡¯s head bounced around as I grabbed his hair and rocked in pleasure. Slowly, I began to grind on him, working my heat to his hard on with his mouth still suckling my breast like a starved human.

    His caresses became more urgent as he pushed one of his hands past my boobs and under my shorts. He rubbed me through my panties and I was already shaking in pleasure. If he continued like this, I wasn¡¯t going tost long.

    He pushed his hands inside my panties and gently grabbed my clitoris. I mewled out as whispered a, ¡°yes, right there. Grind on me baby. Be a desperate slit for my fingers. Cream my fingers.¡±

    I was going mad already and I began to grind on his fingers. He inserted his fingers inside me and began to rub my G spot continuously. My hands are were all over the ce as I felt the beginning of an iing pleasure build.

    His mouth went back to my neck and he pushed me downpletely on the couch. My breathes came in loud pants as he began kissing his way down and  I turned and wailed in pleasure as I realized what wasing.

    ¡°I told you right, I could eat your pussy all day. I love making that pink pussy cream my mouth with your special milk. Your clitoris drives me crazy baby girl.¡± He finished this as soon as he got on eye level with my pussy.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    On its own, my pussy pulsed with pre cum just by the way he stared at it. I was about to get up and push his mouth directly there. Where I needed him when he suddenly leaned down and gave me a long lick.

    ¡°Ahhhh¡± my moan  was very long as I allowed Gideon to direct my legs to the position he wanted. Now my legs were open, on their heels. Completely bare and served like a te about to be devoured.

    ¡°Oh, you are about to be devoured,¡± Gideon groaned like he heard my thoughts and dived back down. His sucklings were desperate and gentle with enough care administered to my clitoris.

    He pulled me up, got me me on my knees and arched me as he continued to eat me out from behind. His haves dragged my hair as he pulled me up and grazed his hands on my nipples. I came. Hard on him and creamed his mouth. My legs were about to give up and I was about to lean down when I was suddenly grabbed and turned on my front.

    With extra gentleness, Gideon slipped inside me. I almost jumped out of the couch immediately he removed himself and mmed back into me. His cock plunged my G spot as he continued to ram into me. Pitter patters of pping sound resounded through the room as our skinned pped and mmed together.

    ¡°Take it, take all of it.¡± Gideon groaned out, grabbing my body as he continued to m in me. Our moans collided in rhythmic sound of pleasure and I continued to gasp out loud. His cock rammed continuously on my sweet spot and I was beginning to feel the build of a pleasure sweetly deep in me.

    Suddenly I was turned on my back with him still in me. The fiction that collided with being turned with a hard cock debt a pulsing pleasure to my raging pussy and my eyes rolled to the back. My throats were sore from too much screaming and I was beginning to sob in too much pleasure when Gideon suddenly grabbed me and kissed me.

    His fingers ran hastily to my pussy and pinched my clit. And I came. I came undone as Gideon continued to m in me, prolonging my weakening orgasm. After a shaky thrust, he also came. Maybe it was because of the writhing pleasure. Perhaps, it was because I was pre upied but it totally escaped my mind that Gideon hade in me. Without protection and I was far from myself these days.

    ¡°That was¡­ wow.¡± He whispered as hey down next to me on the bed, dragging me closer to him.

    ¡°I know right?¡± I mumbled something that sounded close to that.

    ¡°You look used.¡± He whispered as he turned me to look at him. His arms came around me to push me closer to him and he positioned me in a sweet cuddle. His fingers left my thighs to trace along my neck and to my hair. Long manly fingers yed tango with the tangs of my hair that I could bet was looking pretty much like that of a mad woman¡¯s.

    ¡°I feel used.¡± Iughed a little and I also joined him in using my fingers to y with his soft brte hair. His hair felt like a soft feather like rug and the texture caressed my sensitive fingers. He let out a moan as he pushed down and positioned his head right in front of my boobs. I continued to y with his hair and after a while, he pushed away the light material of clothing I had used to cover myself and revealed my breast to him.

    Slowly, he raised his head up and administered me a wink beforetching his mouth on my still sensitive nipples. I continued to y with his hair and he continued totch on my boobs. We remained like that for over an hour, with him ying and tickling my boobs to his satisfaction.

    We moved positions, slept off and exchanged vague informations about one and another. He finally informed me of how he was the owner of the club. Like I didn¡¯t know. He also told me a little about his rare asions to use the front foot of the club. Meeting him that day had been a lucky coincidence. Or, who knew? It could have been fate. But I wasn¡¯t going to kid myself and think we were ever going to be something.

    So, we made love several times during the middle of the night till the early mornings with himing in me.

 CHAPTER 8

    It had been two weeks. Two weeks since I hadst seen Gideon. I had fallen into a normal routine without a memory of Gideon. Except he was still in my head. It was hard really, to forget a face like his, a skill like his.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    That morning, when he had dressed back into his suit. A silent agreement has been passed between the both of us. We had both agreed, it was going to be a one time thing. We were going to fall back into the life we had before knowing each other. He had ced a long sweet kiss on my mouth, mumbling incoherent words as he left the house and without a goodbye nce.

    It was the rule. The normal one night stand rule. Maybe I should have convinced him to be my friends with benefits? Would that have quenched the eversting hunger of him in me? Gideon followed my every touch. I got so familiar with his cologne immediately I smelt what the same type in the mall, i had jumped at it and picked it. Although it had caused a dent in my pocket.

    I smiled at the next customer that entered into the coffee shop, smiling professionally at them. It was a woman, probably in her early forties with a young boy grabbing unto her hands. She was in a yellow sundress, silver sandalsplementing her summer look. She has cute chubby cheeks which she puffed out as the little boy began whining again.

    She bent down to his size, picked him up andughed when the boy pouted his red lips and smiled at her. The sight was one to behold and it made my heart beat faster. Being a parent could be cute at times. Probably in the next five years, I should have my own baby. After meeting The One of course.

    Are you sure you haven¡¯t met him?

    ¡°Good day ma¡¯am, what may I order for you?¡± I smiled at thedy just as she got to where I was. My hands were folded above my mini apron.

    ¡°I¡¯d like a cappino please, and a fruit juice for this young boy.¡± She smiled back, still carrying the boy in her arms.

    I got to work immediately, using the coffee machine to make her, her order.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a young boy mummy, I¡¯m a big boy.¡± He told her and she justughed.

    The day flew by quicker than I expected and I was already preparing to resume in my other part time job, which was working at a bar. Getting a job hasn¡¯t been easy as I had thought and the only way I could at least feed myself without using my parents money was to get varieties of part time jobs.

    Of course, Lily and even her dad had volunteered to help me countless of times and I was starting to think the decision of epting their offer. I mean, if I was also in Lily¡¯s position I would do the same thing from me.

    I stumbled out of the coffee shop, after throwing a quick goodbye at Warner, our head waiter while smiling at other part time workers. Most of them were high school students and at times, I felt insecure around them.

    ¡°Hey Ems, you arrived early today.¡± Olivia, the girl who worked the afternoon shifts at the bar hollered and I just smiled. Anything would have done it to get out of there. I was getting so distracted and I needed a little time to think. I couldn¡¯t risk going back home as I woods dy too much time if I were to return back.

    ¡°I wanted to chill, you know? Make a bit of time for myself. Heaven knows I really need a short break.¡± I groaned, cing myself on the bat chair.

    ¡°Go for a vacation¡­ and catch a little fun.¡± She winked at me.

    ¡°Vacation? That would have been a good way to rx if I had enough budget ns for that. I just started part time shifts and I¡¯ve only saved a little amount of time. And as for fun, heaven  knows I¡¯ve had one tost me for a long, long time.¡±

    Olivia paused a bit, a teasing look crossing her face, ¡°ouuu, gimme the dirty gist. Who tickled your pickle?¡±

    ¡°What? What do you mean? No one tickled whatever. Pftt.¡±

    ¡°Now, you are just acting all suspicious and asking for an interrogation from me.¡± She dropped the napkin and focused her full attention on me.

    Damn, this girl really could be persistent if she wanted to be.

    ¡°Fine, fine. Remember the outing I went with Lily?¡± I asked her and she nodded a little bit. From the on start, I had tried to merge her with Lily but their personalities shed so they both werefortable to be acquaintance.

    ¡°Well, I met this guy when I was drunk. I was barely conscious but I remember seeing a blue kinda green eyed man. And then, I passed out. To cut the long story short, I woke up in an office. The man¡¯s office to be precise and i was embarrassed but hot and bothered at the same time.¡± I paused a little. Olivia signaled her head for me to continue to my tell tale.

    ¡°I went to the bathroom, got out and he kinda like asked both of us to do it. Yunno, with my consent of course. I was already wild down there and as we were about to start, his phone rang and he got distracted. Weter ended up meetingter that night and we had sex, lots of it. He treated me like a romantic partner and I don¡¯t know maybe because I¡¯ve read a lot of romantic books, my heart melted. The next day, we both went out separate ways as we had decided it was going to be a one night stand kinda thingy.¡± I finished whole Livvie¡¯s mouth was wide open.

    ¡°You mean to tell me, all that happened and I wasn¡¯t even informed. Back to the important things. How big is he? Did he go hard? Oh, oh, did he break the bed? Muscles..  does he have nice ones?¡± She all but rushed out all the question which led to myughter.

    ¡°Girl, chill. He¡¯s big I guess. He also has nice muscles.¡± I said to her, almost blushing even.

    ¡°Youuu hoeee.¡± She eximed and I couldn¡¯t help butugh after her. Quickly, she grabbed a napkin before swiping it over the table again before Max, one of the head of staff caught her and decides to punish her and deduct out of her paycheck.

    Ever since Livvie started working in the bar KINGS, Max had been disturbing her and asking her out on so many dates. Which she refused of course, I think his ego got insulted and now he¡¯s like a predator always  trying Livvie set her hands on.

 CHAPTER 9

    ¡°Still watching out for Max?¡± I asked her whilstughing.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s be so much of a bother these days. He cried in front of me yesterday, only to go to the locker room, arrive back and begin to bark orders at me like I¡¯m his ve. At the end of the day, when I¡¯m going he thinks I don¡¯t usually see him but he would walk me till I get to my street junction beforeing back. To be honest, he¡¯s just giving me different vibes. And I¡¯ve told him countless of times,¡± Livvie folds the napkin, sighed and leaned on the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told him times without number even, that i am not interested. Would never be interested. I¡¯m not even interested in being with a man at the moment. Is it that hard for him to digest?¡± I could tell she was frustrated by the matter already.

    ¡°A darling, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯d try my best to talk to him and tell him to back off.¡± I ced my hands on her shoulder in encouragement.

    ¡°Thank you, I really hope that works. I guess it¡¯s time for me to vanish now. I¡¯m so hungry and I¡¯ve prepared to Netflix and chill this night. Tomorrow is the first off day I¡¯m getting in months. I¡¯ve gotta use it to the fullest.¡± She smiled and kissed my cheeks.

    I just stood  there and watched her, lost in thoughts as she pulled of her mini apron and grabbed her bags. I could also see Max peeping from the  door leading to the staffs locker room and I could almostugh. He was like an innocent stalker.

    ¡°Alright Emma, see youter.¡± Olivia called out to me as she passed by me and began her journey to her home. I saw Max step out after her. At least, he could make sure she was safe. I was going to have a word with him though. After he came back from his journey.

    Sighing, I banged my head against the hardwood table for a while. I still had few minutes before resuming my shift.

    I had avoided searching anything about Gideon ever since we parted ways that early morning, things hadn¡¯t been the same again. I was constantly having an inner battle with myself if I should look for hispany number or maybe I could go back to his club and act like I had no idea he owned it. Anything to just see him for a little bit.

    I was running out of my mind. I needed to do something about this branded feeling I had in me. I was starting to get crazy bit by bit. Like the way I always sniffed my still unwashed shirt of that night. It smelt of him and only his smell could drive me fucking crazy.

    I got up from the bar chair and got myself to the back of the table. Yes, i was going to distract myself and not think about anything that had to do with him. At least, I needed my own fine without thoughts of him swimming in it every hour.

    I had been working for a long time already, maybe 4 hours when I thought I had seen someone that looked like him. It must have been an hallucination. Even now, he was making me hallucinate.

    ¡°A martini,¡± ady in a short, red,cy gown ordered and I nced at her. She was easily beautiful. Elegant in every way, and i could not help but snort. It was always the red gown.

    ¡°Coming right up,¡± I just finished sliding the bottle to thedy when a voice thundered,

    ¡°There you are darling, I was starting to worry where you had disappeared to.¡± That voice, that voice, oh my gosh that voice.

    I stopped whatever I was doing, daring myself just to take a look to confirm if it was just my imagination. But I knew, I knew deep down that it belonged to him.

    That was why when I looked up, and our eyes met, and when he didn¡¯t look surprised to see me, I looked away and pretended I had never met him before. I attended to another customer even when my hands were shaking and my heart was clenching when I continued on o feel his gaze on me..

    Everything passed by a blur, Gideon and his woman left the bar minutester and I couldn¡¯t wait but to be back home. I was tired already. It was for the best for acting like I didn¡¯t know him. I mean, what was I to say?

    ¡°Hey Gidds, do you remember ourst meeting? Well, I was on the desk while you ate me out. Fun stuff right?¡±

    Or,

    ¡°Gideon. How has your sexual life been since that day? Cant seem to get it out of your mind like me?¡±

    It was too embarrassing to acknowledge. I felt like bashing my head as I walked past the back door of the bar, leading my way to my home. More so, if he had wanted to see me, he knew my house. He could have juste for a visit. What I did was best.

    I was barely paying attention which was why when i jumped on thin air, almost fall and have a mini heart attack when I saw a tall figure standing behind the shadows.

    The figure stood tall over the various trash cans as it walked forward and into the light.

    ¡°Gideon?¡± I questioned when he stopped not too far from me.

    ¡°Oh wow. Looks like she remembers me after all.¡± Gideonughed out loud but I could tell, I could sense it was a coldughter.

    I could only let out a tight lipped smile as all I wanted to do was to get out of the freaking ce. Sensations were already running through me and all I just wanted to do was to push his head down and award him with a beautiful kiss. While punishing his lips and dancing beautifully with his tongues.

    Snap out of it!

    I cleared my throat, ¡°I think I¡¯d be going right now. See youter bud.¡± Really, all I had to say was bud! Out of all other things to have said.

    Briefly, I heard a low groan before he let out an ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t .¡± Before I could process  what was happening, I was grabbed by the wrist, dragged my to my toes and immediately soft lips came down on me.

    It hade as a shock to me but I hadn¡¯t bothered with it. I kissed him back with all might. My hands dragged on his head and into his hair, massaging both his scalp and head. He let out another groan as his hands on my waist tightened and he positioned my head well for a better angle. I didn¡¯t know how long we stood there, but we kissed for a long time. A really long time.

 CHAPTER 10

    It¡¯s been 3 months. Three painful months since I had escaped from Gideon¡¯s ws. Apparently, I had also wed at him. It¡¯s been three months since I had snatched my hand  away from his and had run like an animal was hot on my tails. Why I had ran like that, I still didn¡¯t understand. The intensity of the kiss had reminded me of what I couldn¡¯t have even if I wanted.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    It¡¯s been two months precisely, since I had found out I was carrying a bun in me. It hade as a whish because out of all the surprises I had been expecting for even the whole year, pregnancy hadn¡¯t been a part. And it didn¡¯t take me long to piece it together, Gideon was the father of my baby.

    How would I have approached him that he had gotten me pregnant? Although I knew, Lily always reminded me that we were both in that together. The fault came from both of us. And since those two months, I had always chickened out anytime I wanted to call him. Of course, before I ran, he had squeezed his card into my bag and I had been staring at that same card for the past two months.

    The edges of the card had now formed into a rumpled squeeze due to too much holding. I gave up in trying to call him, today again and decided it was best I went for my night shift. It was cold as winter was arriving yet she I ssed myself in blue jeans, white one at sweater top and a ck oversized jacket. Anything to keep me cool. And my baby.

    I closed the door to my apartment in an hurry, walking down to my car. I had gotten a job at a paperpany two months ago and the pay was going well. Most times, the only reason I worked at the bar was because of my family. I wanted to have extra after sending monthly allowances to them even now that I had a baby.

    ¡°Are you still going to ignore my existence?¡± A deep voice reverberated and I knew who it was immediately. What was he doing here? Oh no, oh no, this was bad. I wasn¡¯t ready yet.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, trying to ying dumb as I snatched up my full hair in a bun. That thing was starting to disturb my life already.

    ¡°Wait, Emma.¡± Gideon groaned at me as I made my into my car. I needed to get to work. That was the only thing that was capable of distracting me and I needed to get away from Gideon as soon as possible.

    ¡°What?¡± I mumbled as I reached my car. My hand got interrupted arge ones circled around it bringing my attention back to the man that had been haunting my dreams for months. I really didn¡¯t want to let him see my baby bump. He was going to know. There was no escaping it, which was why I was trying my best to get away from him.

    Gideon grabbed me by my waist, and I quickly jerked his hands first. My eyes were shootingsers at him as I turned back to look at him. He could have felt the bump, has I not pped his hands away.

    ¡°What? What Gideon? I really need to get to work and you are kind of dying me right now.¡± I sighed, now resigned as I leaned against my car.

    Gideon cleared his throat, adjusting his form so his right leg was carrying most of his weight. ¡°Firstly, why did you run away that night? Why have you been avoiding me? You see, I think about you a lot. And I don¡¯t really think I can stick with the just a one time thing. Believe me, I tried to stay away. I didn¡¯t want to just walk into your life without knowing a good ce in it. Seeing you at that club, it had been purely coincidental.¡±

    I cleared my throat and looked away, refusing to be trapped by his eyes. They held beautiful memories and it would have hurt to see it. Concluding the fact that I was also hiding away my growing baby bump away from him. There was no exnation I could give to that.

    ¡°Okay, I understand it was purely coincidental so may I leave now? I seriously need to get to work and you are really holding me back.¡± I bare mumbled and he moved away. Finally giving up on trying to get me to talk to him.

    I had just passed near him and opened the door to the car when my coat got stuck by the door, fully exposing my baby bump to him. I could only curse silently as he inhaled sharply.

    ¡°Emily, are you? You are pregnant.¡± He proimed and I could do nothing but keep mute.

    ¡°If the baby bump has grown to this extent¡­. is it my baby?¡± He asked and I just closed my eyes. I knew he would figure it out. He had to, of course. He was a smart man controlling a big club house. How dumb could I ever be.

    A little bit nervous, I quickly spoke up, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take responsibility. Still more, you weren¡¯t supposed to have an idea. I know how much this would tarnish your image so I¡¯ll keep it secret of course, not only for you.¡± Although it hurt to say that, it was the right thing I had to do. For me and my baby.

    ¡°What the fuck are you even talking about Emily? Aren¡¯t you even ashamed?¡± He asked and I nced up at him, shocked at his question. I was about to speak up when he cut me off.

    ¡°You want to hide a baby from its father and you think? What kind of asshole do you even portray me to be? You think I¡¯m going to let go of my baby! My first fruit for the sake of the public eye? Ridiculous¡±.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you?¡± My question remained hanging as he nced at me, his eyes hit and infuriating on me.

    ¡°Get in my car Emily, we are going to have a long, long talk.¡± He instructed and I knew i could not, not answer him. I guess i would just have to ditch work and call in sick.

    And so I entered the car.

 CHAPTER 11

    ¡°Marriage? The idea of that is absurd. I¡¯m not even ready for marriage yet. And my family? What would they say? No, Gideon that won¡¯t happen.¡± Gideon and I had been battling with words for over an hour since we had arrived in his penthouse.

    ¡°Emily, you have to calm down and look at it in a more reasonable way. Marriage is the only thing that can save our reputation and still allow me be with my kid without any stress. How do you want the baby to feel because of your foolishness? You want iy going all round in school being called an illegitimate child? You have to think of the future instead of the present because the future matters for this child.¡± Gideon remained cool and collected as usual and I immediately pondered on his words.

    This was for my baby. There was no way Gideon was ever going to let me go with the baby except I decided to run away-which wasn¡¯t an option. I could do this for my baby, for it.

    All this while, as I sat and pondered, Gideon  had already gotten up from where we were seated in the living room. I watched him from where I sat, finally allowing myself to admire in the many ces I had been dreaming long ago about.

    His long fingers with neatly cut nails surrounded the ss cup as he picked it up. His long legs drawled after the other as he walked by and I could not help but be impressed by his height. Slowly, with juice in a cup, Champaign in the other, he walked over and I almost let myself smile. He was already behaving like a responsible father and I could not figure out what to feel about that. I watched as he made his way over to me, his blond hair flying above his head due to the breeze escaping into the house.

    He stopped by me and sat down with a sigh, right in front of me. His long legs stretched out widely almost colliding with my small ones. I watched him as he swallowed his drink, the little drop that escaped and remained on his lips, his Adam¡¯s apple as they moved to and fro like he had been thirsty  starved for a long time. And without myself realizing, it could be influenced by the pregnancy hormones but I found myself turned on by that simple act.

    He removed the cup from his mouth and I almost begged him to keep on drinking. He nced at me and I knew he had caught me staring at him already. I cleared my throat and looked away.

    ¡°So, I hope you have decided now? What¡¯s the next step from here?¡± He asked and I could almost sense the amusement in his tone. Fucking bastard.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s regarding the future of our child, I would suggest we go with that BUT, he will no longer be illegitimate if we decide to divorceter on. It would be known to the public that he¡¯s your legal son and maybe his parents just fell out of love. I¡¯ll say after the marriage we could divorce and go our separate ways.¡± I finished, gazing up at him. Irritation sat on his face.

    ¡°What do you mean divorcing? What¡¯s the point of all these, Emily?¡± He asked and I was almost confused. Did he not want to go separate ways? Did he want to be tied down to a woman he doesn¡¯t even love?

    ¡°I mean, divorce and go our ways. To the man I¡¯m interested in, and you the woman you are.¡± I cleared my throat again. He was starting to get me ufortable.

    ¡°Emily, do you have a man you are interested in?¡± At that moment, the question weighed on me. Of course, I had a man I was interested in. That was him but he didn¡¯t have to know that so I just nodded my head and replied, ¡°yes, I do.¡±

    Waves of what seemed to sh like anger rotated through the air and i felt like a wrath was about toe down on me. A total contrast, he spoke calmly. ¡°I think you¡¯d have to let go of that man because your sones first so think again before thinking of going back to him. It might never be.¡±

    ¡°And how would you know that?¡± I was also starting  to get pissed by his behavior. He was all hot and cold, confusing as hell and it was getting on my nerves. How could a man be so confusing andplicated in a simple way? It was absurd.

    ¡°I would know that because I won¡¯t let you.¡± He snapped back.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to watch you try to stop me.¡± We stared each other down and at that point, my hormones decided to remind me they were perfectly working and alive. I watched his gaze drop to my lips and back to my face and his Adam¡¯s apple swallowed. Oh, the attraction was still full on there. My heart had increased in its heartbeat and tingles danced all over my skin. I could almost hear the pump of my heartbeats and I could feel my pulse move behind the back of my head, right by my ear. I was hot all over, bothered.

    I watched his hands move like he was trying to control himself from trying to reach out to me and I kept staring at him. I was pulsing down there, wet and all I could crave at that moment was his head in between my legs.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    I swallowed a bit, wishing myself to remember our situation. And like a switch, my emotions reced the other and I became sad. We could not even  end up together if it wasn¡¯t a baby binding us. I think he noticed the switch in my emotions.

    ¡°Emily, are you good?¡± He asked and I could almost cry at the sound of his voice. Everything was starting to piss me off. But I nodded my head, ¡°excuse me, I need the air.¡± I said and walked out of the living room.

 CHAPTER 12

    As I gazed by the window of the balcony, I could not help but let out a sigh. What was all these? What was I doing? How was I to exin to my parents that I was getting married, more so, about to have a baby in nine months. It was all just too much. For me, and my hormones.

    ¡°The view is really nice. I alwayse down here whenever I feel stressed.¡± Gideon spoke lowly as he rested on the wall, facing me. I chided myself internally not to blush. It was all just so simple to get myself riled up by him.

    ¡°Good for you. I guess I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡±  I said, trying to walk past him and into my room. I moved into the penthouse with him few weeks ago and together; we were nning to travel down to my parents by the weekend.

    ¡°Emily, wait.¡± I was grabbed by my arms and I immediately looked up at him with raised brows. ¡°What?¡± I questioned and he looked away. That only made me raise my brows the more.

    ¡°What?¡± I questioned again.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going ahead to say this.¡± He said and continued, ¡°I want to taste you.¡±

    My heart choked and aches painfully sweet in me. Like he just controlled all my hormones, I felt myself get wet. I could only resist the urge to rub my thighs together.

    Even as my body and even mind protested, I said, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it wouldplicate things.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have any problem with it before,¡± I heard him say.

    I bit my lips looking away, I couldn¡¯t stare into those eyes of his, it¡¯s one of the things I fell for months ago. ¡°Well, that¡¯s before you got me pregnant,¡± I said quickly and walked away before he tried to stop me. I could feel his gaze on my back, but I ignored it, not letting it affect me so I won¡¯t misce my steps and hurt myself, or my unborn child.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I heard him say and immediately I felt all muscles in my body freeze at hismand. ¡°We do need to discuss¡­ n for the wedding.¡± I turned to face him. ¡°A friend of mine will being tomorrow, you twodies could discuss.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t you be there?¡±

    ¡°I have business to attend to,¡± he said, his voice cold. With that he walked past me in powerful strides not sparing me another look.

    Why the sudden change? I decided to ignore it, I was the one who just pushed him off, but still, the tone he had used has given me a cold skin.

    I brought out my phone and dialed my mother, dying wouldn¡¯t help.

    ~~~

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant? Do you know who the father is? And what do you mean you¡¯re getting married!¡± I jumped a little at the anger in her voice, though I was now a full grown woman, my mother still held a iron grip on me, to her, I would forever be her baby.

    ¡°Calm down mum,¡± I said quietly, looking round the living room to see if anyone was close by.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    She scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to calm down, are you listening to yourself? How could you have gotten pregnant? First youmitted fornication and fine, even if you wanted to sleep around, have you never heard of condom? They say if you¡¯re going to do it, do it right.¡±

    That was one thing my mum would always tell me whenever I met a new man. If you¡¯re going to have sex with anybody, always use protection. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of protection at the time, I guess-¡±

    I could hear her sigh. ¡°Did he fuck you so hard you couldn¡¯t think correctly?¡±

    ¡°Mum!¡± I snapped, my cheeks heating furiously. My mother has always been free with her words, never holding back. ¡°Please this is already hard for me, if anything I need your support, I didn¡¯t call to get scolded, I feel horrible enough.¡±

    I got no reply for awhile. ¡°How do you think your father will react to this?¡± She asked quietly.

    My father would have a huge fit if he knew, pregnancy outside wedlock was a big no in his book. To him, I would forever be that little Emily, it was best if he didn¡¯t know about the pregnancy, at least, not yet. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to know about the pregnancy yet, he can find outter, I¡¯ll just inform him of the wedding.¡±

    ¡°Wedding?¡± she gave a heavy sigh. ¡°You do know that marriage is no joke, right?¡±

    ¡°I know that mum, it¡¯s not like I n to stay married to him forever, it¡¯s for our image and my unborn child.¡± I rubbed my growing tummy, it wasn¡¯t so t anymore.

    ¡°I want to meet this man Emily,¡± she said. Of course she will want to meet him, I have thought of this before I called her. If Gideon is willing to get married for the sake of the unborn child, then he should have no problem meeting my family and ying along, though I fear what would happen if he meets my father.

    ¡°You will, soon.¡± I ended the call with my mother minutester, to be honest, it had gone better than expected, I honestly thought she would smack me through the phone. I heard steps approaching behind me, turning back to find Gideon. He was looking down at his phone, dressed in a ck suit. ¡°Are you going out?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I have to go take care of something at the office.¡± He looked up at me. ¡°I¡¯ll be backte at night, if you¡¯re hungry or need anything, meet Estelle.¡±

    ¡°My mother wants to meet you!¡± I blurted out.

    He froze, looking surprise and confused for awhile, but they seem to clear from his eyes almost immediately as they had appeared. ¡°Your mother? You told your mother already?¡± He sounded surprised.

    ¡°I had to, if we¡¯re really going to do this, I should be getting ready right?¡± He didn¡¯t say anything just kept staring at me. ¡°I¡¯m tired, I¡¯m going up to rest my head.¡±

 CHAPTER 13

    I woke up to the disturbing ringtone of my phone, I had tried to ignore the call and keep on sleeping, but whoever was calling wasn¡¯t ready to give up. Without looking at the caller ID I answered. It was Lily.

    ¡°Hey girl, where are you?¡± Her cheery voice came off.

    ¡°Lily?¡± I croaked out, my eyes widening at how horrifying I sound.

    ¡°Girl, you sound like you have a dick down your throat!¡± Lily said in betweenughs.

    I rolled my eyes sitting up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with having a dick down my throat?¡± I gave a heavy yawn.

    ¡°Crazy! Anyways, I just called to remind you that you have something called work, you know, the thing you do to earn money.¡±

    Fuck, I had totally forgotten about that. ¡°Lily I can¡¯te in today, please cover up for me.¡±

    ¡°Cover up for you?¡± I heard her mutter. ¡°Girl wake up!¡± she screamed into the phone. ¡°What happened to you, where are you?¡±

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯m up, no need to kill my ear drums.¡± I rubbed my eyes, the fact that I don¡¯t work at the bar again hitting me. I scrunched my eyes as I look round the room, trying to remember where I was.

    Gideon.

    ¡°Emily? Where are you?¡±

    ¡°At Gideon¡¯s.¡±

    I screeched, nearly throwing my phone away from the loud scream that came from Lily. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± she shouted. ¡°Fuck, did you two have sex again?¡±

    I groaned in pain, Lily could be really loud. ¡°Lily, I can¡¯t speak now, my head is throbbing badly, how about we meet upter?¡±

    ¡°Can you at least give me an address so I cane meet you?¡± I thought about it for a moment, the wedding nner would being today, it would be best if I went to meet her instead. ¡°Emily?¡± she called when she didn¡¯t get a reply from me.

    ¡°Uh, how about we meet up at the coffee house, there, I will tell you everything.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°I have to go, be there by eight.¡±

    I sighed stretching my legs with a loud yawn,tely the only thing I¡¯ve been best at doing is sleeping. My tummy grumbled and I got up to go get some food, I can¡¯t sleep peacefully on a empty stomach. I grabbed some fruits, chips, chocte and orange juice from the fridge then went up to my room quickly before anyone else who might be in the house saw me. There was no one in the house though, it was just the house help I had seen so far.

    I started a marathon on drama series Teen Wolf, one of the reasons I had started watching the series was to thirst on Tyler Hoeclin, but after two episodes, I had gotten really engaged in the series. After few episodes, I began to feel really sleep and decided to rest my eyes for awhile.

    Estelle who was Gideon¡¯s help had been the one to wake me upter in the afternoon, she hade to tell me the wedding nner was waiting for me downstairs. I had jumped up excited, rushing into the bathroom to freshen up. It was only after I stepped out from the bathroom I remembered I was supposed to be at work.

    I shrugged, I will call the officeter with some stupid excuse, hopefully they will pardon me because of my baby. I threw on arge sweater and sweatpants and hurried downstairs. I saw ady standing by the door. The first words that coulde to my head when Iid eyes on her was ¡®stic Bimbo¡¯. She probably wasn¡¯t even stic, but she just gave off this Barbie vibe. She was busy with her phone, her long blonde hair packed in a ponytails, her nails were super long and I just wondered how she typed so fast with it. She wore a crop top with short mini skirt, definitely not something a ¡®wedding nner¡¯ should be wearing for business. But I was thought never to judge someone because of their appearance, so I shoved down any negative feelings I might have about her.

    ¡°Hi,¡± I greeted with a smile walking over to her. ¡°You must be the wedding nner Gideon talked about?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, her eyes eyeing me from head to toes. I coughed nervously, looking down at myself also, to check if there was something on me. ¡°You¡¯re the new girl?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    New girl? I don¡¯t understand what she meant by that. ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Ciara.¡± She stepped forward stretching her right hand forth for a handshake. ¡°Gideon¡¯s ex.¡±

    My entire insides froze. ¡°What? His ex?¡± seeing that what she said got to me, she gave a cynical smile and nodded.

    The bastard brought his fucking ex to be my wedding nner!

 CHAPTER 14

    ¡°Gideon didn¡¯t tell me he was bringing¡­ Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anyways, I have no problem w-with this.¡± I gulped heavily. Of course I had a problem with it, I mean Gideon and I barely had what we could call a rtionship before we went on with a marriage n and maybe he feels nothing for me but lust, but still, bringing his ex as the wedding nner is just out of it.

    ¡°Well, even though Gideon and I broke up, we are still really close.¡± She cocked her head watching me, probably trying to get a certain reaction for her satisfaction.

    ¡°Oh.¡± I nodded my head slowly and took a step away from her. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. So, how does this work?¡± I decided to move away from topic. ¡°I haven¡¯t actually had any wedding before.¡± I chuckled nervously, but she didn¡¯t even offer a smile at my poor joke.

    ¡°Well,¡± she gave a small pause. ¡°Obviously.¡±

    Biting my lips to hold back my snappy tongue, I smiled. This bitch was getting to me, it was obvious she didn¡¯t like me. From the way she spoke and the look she was giving me right now screamed that she hated my guts. I wouldn¡¯t say I like her, but at least I tried being nice. ¡°OK, uh-why don¡¯t you have a sit so we could talk. Gideon isn¡¯t in at the moment.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± she walked over to the sofa closest to her. ¡°He called me when he left.¡±

    She was trying to annoy me, pushing my buttons to see how far she could go. I smiled and sat down at the sofa facing her. I might be pregnant but if she pushes one more red button, they I will show her my taekwondo skills from high school. ¡°Will you like anything before we start?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± she shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not really a visitor around here, if I need anything, I know where to get it. But that¡¯s not important, let¡¯s focus on your wedding.¡±

    We talked for hours, she asked a bunch of questions on the style I had in mind for my wedding, location, how many I ¡°nned on inviting. I didn¡¯t answer thest one though, didn¡¯t know how many people Gideon nned on inviting.

    ¡°OK.¡± she closed the book before her. ¡°I have to go now.¡±

    ¡°Will you be back tomorrow?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let Gideon know if I will being,¡± she said standing up, taking her bag along with her.

    I gave her a fake cheeky smile. ¡°OK!¡± I said cheerily, she gave me a side nce and began to walk out. ¡°Bitch,¡± I said the moment she was out of earshot. ¡°Urggh!¡± I groaned in frustration, I don¡¯t care who she is to Gideon, but she¡¯s not going to be nning my wedding.

    ~~~

    ¡°OK, Now tell me everything,¡± Lily said as soon as the waiter went to go get our order. ¡°And don¡¯t even think of holding anything back, I can smell lies.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, I don¡¯t know who gave her the idea, but Lily would always call herself a physic. ¡°OK,¡± I raise my hands up in mock surrender. ¡°So, Gideon found out.¡±

    She gasped her mouth dropping open. ¡°What? How? Where? When? How do I not know this information?¡±

    ¡°Calm down,¡± I looked round the coffee shop, noticing that her outburst had gained us some attention. ¡°We don¡¯t want to rm the whole world.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, her voice lower this time so it¡¯s just our two ears with the words. ¡°But you don¡¯t expect me not to freak out.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I looked away from her. ¡°Try not to lose your tongue by what I¡¯m about to say next.¡±

    Lily raised an eyebrow suspiciously. ¡°What could be more rming than Gideon finding out about your pregnancy.¡±

    ¡°Gideon and I getting married.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t freak out, we¡¯re in public.¡± I sighed rubbing eyebrows. ¡°We thought marriage would be the best option, for my child and our reputation.¡±

    ¡°Emily, are you hearing yourself? You want to get married to this man?¡±

    ¡°Not forever, once my child is out and all, I will file for a divorce.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, if you¡¯re willing to get married to him because of your child, I can bet that you aren¡¯t going to file for a divorce.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    She rolled her eyes and leans forward. ¡°Are you in love with him?¡±

    In love with Gideon? ¡°No, I¡¯m not, it was just for the sex, all lust and I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t have feelings for me, he will want a divorce after the baby.¡± My mind went back to few days earlier, remembering that Gideon seemed to be against the idea of us getting a divorce after the child.

    ¡°Are you sure about that, this man is willing to get married to you because of the baby, what makes you think he will want a divorce when the baby is out?¡±

    ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t exactly up to him like I said, I have a mouth in that decision though.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know girl, this is messed up. How did you go from single and free to pregnant and about to get married. So, when is the engagement party?¡±

    ¡°Lily, we are trying to rush this wedding before my tummy gets any bigger, of course there isn¡¯t going to be any engagement ceremony.¡±

    Lily was going to say something, but stopped when we saw the waiter approaching, we both offered a smile as he dropped our drink. She watched him walk away, her eyes trained on his ass, she then turned back to me with a smirk. ¡°He¡¯s cute right?¡±

    ¡°Get your mind straight young woman and he¡¯s probably too young for you, he looks like a college student.¡±

    ¡°Bleh.¡± she showed me her tongue childishly. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to sleep with him or something.¡± Her eyes went back to the young waiter who wants already back at his desk. He seemed to notice someone looking at him and raised his head to meet Lily, then he gave a shy smile and went back to his work. ¡°At least not yet.¡± she smirked.

    ¡°Lily!¡± I smacked her head. ¡°What are you, horny all the time?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but back to what I was saying. Emily, you do understand that marriage isn¡¯t a joke, and to Gideon Brynch? Girl, are you hearing yourself?¡±

    ¡°I know it sounds crazy, but it¡¯s just for nine months right? How bad can it be?¡±

    Lily kept quiet, just looking at me. ¡°Well, I will always be here for you. I hope you know what you are doing.¡±

    But that opens the big question, Do I really know what I am doing?

 CHAPTER 15

    ¡°There are thousands of wedding nners out there, and the one person you brought in was your ex? You brought your ex to be our wedding nner?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    He said nothing for awhile, watching me quietly. ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±

    I blinked twice. ¡°What? Did you hear anything I just said?¡±

    ¡°I heard everything you said Emily and I asked if you have had dinner?¡± He walked over to me, his eyes watching over me. I gulped and looked away-this wasn¡¯t the time to be turned on.

    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± I bit my lips, cursing myself for stuttering in the first ce.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to touch you right? Well, I wouldn¡¯t, not till you ask me to or till we get married.¡±

    I scoffed. ¡°What makes you think you can touch me even after we are married?¡±

    He gave a smirk. ¡°Surely, a man is allowed to touch his wife, right? Or will you deny me that pleasure?¡± He raised his hands slowly to my face, I held my breathe as he brought them closer, brushing his fingertips across my cheeks. ¡°You have such smooth skin,¡± He muttered and almost immediately snatched his hands back.

    I took a step back, looking anywhere but at his face. Deep down all I wanted to do was throw this stubbornness away, and just give in to my desires, but I was angry and I wouldn¡¯t. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me earlier.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°Ciara is really good at what she does, I brought her in before she¡¯s a good friend and I don¡¯t want someone who will inform the whole public about the wedding.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s your ex, not like I care, but don¡¯t you care about her feelings? Who brings their ex to n their wedding?¡±

    ¡°Well, she offered and she has a boyfriend now, so we have moved on from that.¡± My mind went back to the meeting with Ciara earlier, she didn¡¯t seem like she had moved on from Gideon. ¡°How do you know she¡¯s my ex anyways?¡± Gideon asked.

    ¡°Uh,¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°It came up while we were conversing.¡± I looked away from him. ¡°I should go now. My head hurts, I need to get some sleep.¡±

    He nodded his head. ¡°OK.¡± Before I could utter another word, he had leaned down and swept me off my feet, carrying me in bridal style.

    ¡°Gideon.¡± I called rmed. ¡°What are you doing? Put me down, I can walk by myself!¡± I tried to shake myself off, but I was helpless to his strong hold.

    ¡°You said you¡¯re tired, I don¡¯t want you falling down the stairs and hurting yourself, or our unborn child.¡± I was going to protest, but he was right. I was really drowsy and didn¡¯t even have strength to climb the flight of stairs leading up to the room. I kept quiet and rxed into his hold, leaning my head closer to his chest.

    I could feel his heart beating softly, matching each step he took. He walked over to the room I slept, pushing the door open with his shoulders, he walked in, using his legs to close the door behind me.

    ¡°You can drop me now,¡± I said. ¡°I can put myself to bed.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense.¡± He paid no attention to me, walking over to my bed andying me down gently. ¡°I¡¯m not going to bite me Emily, well, unless you want me to.¡±

    ¡°How was your work?¡± I said instead moving away from the topic.

    He gave a smallugh. ¡°Are you already ying the wife?¡± He asked as he brought the duvet up my chin.

    ¡°I just wanted to make small talk.¡± I gave a small smile. Watching as he made sure I was tucked in properly.

    ¡°There are other things I would really love to do rather than make small talk.¡± He looked at me. ¡°As for your question, it was the same as usual, nothing new or surprising. I spent most of the day with fee friends at a bar nearby.¡±

    ¡°OK,¡± I nodded my head weakly. I¡¯ve never felt morefortable than I did at the moment and there was something about Gideon talking that brought sleep closer. ¡°Keep talking,¡± I said.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Your day, childhood, food, anything.¡± I gave a small yawn, burrowing my head deeper into the pillow with a smile. And he continued, he talked about a man he had met few years back who had walked into the men¡¯s room at a restaurant fully clothed, but came out wearing only panties. Apparently, ady who he had entered the men¡¯s room with had made him take off all his clothes, and he had done so, in hope for sex, only to have her run off with his clothes as revenge for breaking her friend¡¯s heart months back. Gideon talked about how he had offered the man his coat to at least cover his nakedness.

    Later I felt himy a small kiss on my forehead and mutter, ¡°Sleep well.¡± with that I finally fell into a deep slumber.

    I was surprised when I woke up to find out I wasn¡¯t resting my head on my pillows, but rather Gideon¡¯s chest. ¡°Gideon?¡± I raised my head up looking down at his sleeping face.

    ¡°Mmmmh,¡± He grumbled rolling away from me and pulling the covers up to his chest. Gideon might be a ¡®macho¡¯ man, but that little act was so cute. I didn¡¯t know he had slept on my bedst night, after putting me to bed, I expected he would go back to his room.

    I reached for my phone which gave a low beep signaling an iing message, I was more surprised to see five missed calls from my mother. The text read.

    ¡®If you¡¯re free today, your father will like to meet the young man you wish to marry.¡¯

    I choked on my spit as I read the message, my father will like to meet Gideon? I mean, I was expecting it soon, but not almost immediately. How do I tell Gideon this? Would he agree toe with me? If he doesn¡¯te, do I drug him and carry him over to my parent¡¯s house.

    I looked down at my tummy, the budge wasn¡¯t so big that I couldn¡¯t hide it, so that was the least of my concern. ¡°Gideon,¡± I called his name tapping his shoulders.

    ¡°Do you need my help with something?¡± he asked sleepily.

    ¡°No, Gideon my parent wants to meet you.¡±

    ¡°I know, you¡¯ve told me this before.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean like today, my Dad wants to meet you today.¡±

    ¡°OK,¡± he said rolling over to face me. He smiled, his eyes still closed. ¡°I would love to meet your father also.¡± He raised his arm up touching my face. ¡°Smile, I can feel the frown on your face.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not-I¡¯m just worried. Can you wake up?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

 CHAPTER 16

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± The young man greeted. I stood up confused, I¡¯ve never seen him before. He had a gentle smile on his face, so that put me at ease-a little bit.

    ¡°Afternoon,¡± I stood up. ¡°Sorry, who are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m Stephan, Gideon¡¯s driver.¡±

    ¡°Driver?¡± I eximed. He looked nothing like a driver, if I had met him on the roads any other day, never would I have thought he was a driver.

    He gave a smallugh, scratching the back of his head nervously. ¡°Gideon asked me toe get you.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I stood up quickly. Here I was thinking Gideon woulde get me himself. ¡°Where is he by the way?¡± I asked Stephan.

    ¡°He¡¯s waiting in the car,¡± Stephan said, he helped me with my bag, together we walked out of the room together. I couldn¡¯t help ncing at Stephan as we walked to the car, he was handsome, with those baby brown eyes and curls that brushed up his ears, he also seemed really nice.

    ¡°OK.¡± As he said, Gideon was sitting in the car, I could see him through the rolled down windows. He seemed to be typing away on his phone. As he heard our steps approaching, he looked up, staring at me through the rolled down windows, for some strange reason I couldn¡¯t seem to break of eye contact and it was only when Stephan pulled the door open for me that I realised that I had been holding my breathe.

    ¡°Hi,¡± I greeted as I sat in.

    ¡°You look beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Also, thank you for agreeing to see my parents.¡± I added. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°No need for that, they¡¯re not just your parents, they¡¯re also my inws right?¡±

    I gave him a side nce before looking out the window and giving a small nod. ¡°Right,¡± I muttered. I was really nervous, I¡¯ve never brought a man home to meet my parents, I didn¡¯t know how they will react, and then how will the dinner conversations go on. I wish for nothing more but to skip this moment.

    ¡°Are you OK?¡± He came closer, wrapping his arms around my shoulder, his other grabbed my right palm. ¡°Your hands are cold,¡± he pointed out.

    ¡°Eh, must be the weather.¡± The ride to my parents home was smooth, the cold air drove me quickly to sleep. I woke up to a gentle nudge and Gideon calling my name.

    ¡°We¡¯re here Emily.¡± I blinked twice as I stared up to his face.

    ¡°Really?¡± I sat up straight, blushing when I saw I had been resting on Gideon chest. ¡°That was fast.¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t, you slept through most part of the drive.¡± We got out of the car, Gideon ordered Stephan to drive around for awhile ande back few hourster. I watched as the car drove off, knowing that was myst aid to escape, but it was hopeless, I was the one who dragged Gideon here, I couldn¡¯t run, beside they are just my parents, I shouldn¡¯t be nervous. I shouldn¡¯t be, but Gideon on the other hand- I turned to look at him, but he looked calm.

    ¡°Are you OK?¡± He asked as we stood before the door, I nodded my head and pressed the doorbell, since Gideon right hand held to my waist and the right was holding wine and flowers in a small basket for my parents, I had suggested the flowers for my mum.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just the cold getting to me.¡± That wasn¡¯t really a lie as the air was chilly. The door was pulled open by my Father which really took me aback, I was expecting my mum, seeing her face would have calmed me down a little.

    ¡°Dad!¡± I gave a nervousughter. ¡°Long time no see.¡± But he wasn¡¯t looking at me, he had his eyes on Gideon, he looked confused for a moment, then slowly, his eyes brightened.

    ¡°Mr Johnson?¡±

    ¡°Mr Brynch?¡±

    What was going on? I frowned, really confused. ¡°Do you two know each other?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± My father said with a big smile, stepping back as he ushered us in with excitement. ¡°Mr Brynch here is a good friend.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Well, fuck my life, it¡¯s a small world after all.

    My mum came out from the kitchen wiping her hands clean behind her apron. ¡°Wee,¡± she greeted with a warm smile.

    ¡°Good afternoon Ma¡¯am,¡± Gideon greeted my mother with a charming smile. ¡°I can finally see where Emma got her beauty from.¡± My mother giggled and I almost spit at the blush I saw on her cheeks.

    She moved forward to collect the gifts Gideon was offering her. ¡°Thank you and please call me Anne.¡± My mother only lets close friends call her by her real name, so it means she likes Gideon already, well, that¡¯s good for me.

    It turns out I had been terribly worried over nothing, Gideon and my parent got along real good. In fact, like my father had said he had Gideon had been friends for month after my Dad had helped him in awsuit filed against him, helping to prove Gideon¡¯s innocent. He was filled with all smiles during the dinner and it turned out they had a lot inmon, I let myself free of worries, everything was going to be fine.

    Monday was the worst day ever and also the slowest, Monday stood for one thing I wanted to delete from my life so badly, work. I believe the only reason people do work is because of money, if only everyone had a magical genie to give us money every week it would make things so much easier, but then if everyone quit working, it only means the world wasing to an end.

    This job was boring, no drama, everyone always kept to themselves and minded their business, back in the coffee shop we got something to eitherugh, shout and talk about all day, I do miss my old coworkers and if not for money, I would still be there.

    Gideon had suggested I quit my job and stay home, but it was something I wasn¡¯t going to consider. We weren¡¯t even married yet and I wasn¡¯t going on training to be a stay at home wife, he had start budging when he saw that I wasn¡¯t going to listen. I haven¡¯t even been back at my apartment for weeks now, he didn¡¯t want me to stay alone, because it wasn¡¯t ¡®safe¡¯.

    Thomas the office messenger winked at me as he passed by, and I gave him the bird. He was the office flirt, for some strange reason he thinks he¡¯s ¡®all that¡¯, when he¡¯s even lesser than the average looking man. ¡°How are you today?¡± He asked with a smirk he deemed sexy, if only he had a mirror before him so he could see how he looked with the expression on.

    ¡°Fuck off, go jerk off or something.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be-¡±

    ¡°Fuck off Tom, or do I need to call Andrew on you?¡± Andrew was our supervisor.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m gone,¡± he raised his arms up in defeat walking away. ¡°Bitch.¡± I heard him say.

    ¡°Dickhole!¡± The guts of the bastard, now I was definitely telling Andrew about him. How long was I going to keep enduring this, I picked up my phone and dialled Lily.

    ¡°Hey bitch,¡± She greeted the moment she answered, immediately putting her smile on my face.

    ¡°I¡¯m bored and hungry.¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡± she asked.

    I sighed. ¡°The office, work.¡±

    ¡°E, when do you get off, who could stop by the bar to meet Olivia when you¡¯re done?¡±

    ¡°OK.¡± Work seemed to move on even slower after I ended the call, it wasn¡¯t like they was anything left to do, but I couldn¡¯t still leave till seven. When the time finally reached I bolted out of my sit faster than sh. Lily was already waiting for me outside. ¡°Fuck, I barely do any work there, but somehow it still stresses the hell out of me.¡± Was the first thing I said to Lily as I got into the car.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like the job, why don¡¯t you quit?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t quit, I need the money.¡±

    ¡°Girl, you are going to get married to Gideon Brynch, isn¡¯t he like what, a billionaire? I haven¡¯t even been to that house you stay in, I bet the room is made of gold.¡±

    ¡°Get your mind out of there, I don¡¯t need Gideon¡¯s money, I can handle myself also, there is nothing so special about the penthouse, it¡¯s no different from yours.¡± Sometimes it¡¯s like Lily forgot how rich her family was.

    When we got to the bar, we were greeted by Livvie. ¡°Long time, no see, I thought you girls hadpletely forgotten about me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, I¡¯ve just been really busy?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, she¡¯s been getting the dick.¡± Lily told her, if only she knew Gideon and I haven¡¯t gotten involved since he found out I was pregnant. ¡°You should the see the size of the dick she¡¯s working.¡±

    ¡°You talk like you¡¯ve seen it,¡± Livvie said to Lily

    She shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t, but I¡¯ve got my imagination. Emma¡¯s vagina has probably been stretched to it¡¯s limit-¡±

    ¡°Shut up you talk too much.¡± I hit her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go, drink, and find someone-¡± My eyes caught someone familiar.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lily asked when she noticed something-more like someone- else had caught my attention. She followed my eye till she saw the person I was looking at.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Livvie asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s Ciara,¡± I told them. ¡°She¡¯s Gideon¡¯s friend and his ex.¡± She was dancing with someone, a man. ¡°Who is she with, I thought she had a boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°Wow, a bitch and a cheat?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s a friend, they could just be here to have-¡± I swallowed my words, as the man she was with leaned down to kiss her.

    ¡°Just friends you say?¡± Olivia said. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I sure don¡¯t kiss my friends like that.¡±

 CHAPTER 17

    Ciara showed up the next day, except this time, Gideon was around. I felt morefortable with him being beside me, not like I couldn¡¯t handle Ciara myself, in fact, this time I was prepared for her. She dressed a little more decent than thest time in a blue gown, it stopped just above her knees. I wondered if it was because she knew Gideon was going to be home.

    In fact, the Ciara before me wasn¡¯t the one I met few days ago or sawst night, this was a whole different person. The bright smile I saw on her face was one I thought impossible to ever be on her face. She carried a cheery mood with her this time unlike the cold shoulder she gave me thest time. I was more surprised to hear her speak so sweetly.

    ¡°Gideon!¡± She said excitedly when she saw him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were going to be around today.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°I told you on the phone I was going to be around, remember? Anyways, it¡¯s going to be my wedding after all, I should be around for stuffs like this.¡± He pulled her in for a hug, whichsted far more longer than I wanted. ¡°How is the boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Timothee is fine, he said to greet you,¡± she said as she pulled back looking at me with a small smile.

    ¡°Timothee?¡± Gideon said looking confused. ¡°I thought his name was Thomas? Or did I get that wrong?¡±

    For a moment she looked like a deer caught in headlight. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I mix them up sometimes,¡± She gave augh I found really weird, but seriously, who forgets the name of their boyfriend.

    ¡°Anyways, I believe you¡¯ve met Emily. I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t here to introduce you two properly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. I met her thest time, we got along real good.¡± I gave a fake smile when she looked at me.

    Bitch.

    Today we talked about the venue, designs and decorations, we all went through magazines Ciara had brought with her, scrolling through them for ideas. It was hard to decide though because I would see one and fall in love with it instantly, but after seeking the next page, I would change my mind instantly, soon I was done with the whole book and didn¡¯t have anyone in mind.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    I looked up to find Ciara and Gideon looking at me, it seemed they had finished going through theirs minutes ago.

    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Gideon asked. ¡°See one you fancy?¡±

    I bit my lips nervously, I didn¡¯t just fancy ¡®one¡¯, I want them all. ¡°Eh, let me go through it again.¡± I went back to the magazine, flipping through the pages quickly. I looked up when I felt a presence approaching, it was just Gideoning to sit beside me.

    ¡°Maybe we could go through it together and decide?¡± He suggested and I nodded, that was a better idea. I wished Lily was here, she would know the best one to choose.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Gideon cleared his throat. ¡°My throat is dry, I¡¯ming, let me call Estelle to get me a ss of water.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t bother, why don¡¯t you two lovebirds keep looking at magazine while I go get you a ss of water.¡± she stood up before Gideon could say another word and walked out of the room quickly, too fast, she almost lost her steps and fell down. I wished she had fallen down, and hit her head on the hard floor, then she would go round with a big bump on her forehead for days, if I am lucky, weeks.

    ¡°Thanks for not making a big deal with Ciara,¡± Gideon said the moment she was gone.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like her Emily, you make it obvious enough, but I¡¯m d you¡¯re cool with all this.¡±

    ¡°Well, I realized there was nothing to be jealous about, you¡¯re with me and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Ciara came out minutester with a ss of water and walked over to offer it to Gideon, but just as she was about to hand it over to him, she ¡®tripped¡¯ and spilled most of the content on Gideon.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, I twisted my ankles.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, you did that on purpose.¡± I was getting tired of her nonsense. ¡°And what exactly did you trip over, the air?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to yell at me,¡± she feigned a hurt face. ¡°It was an ident.¡±

    ¡°Yes Emma,¡± Gideon said. ¡°It¡¯s not that big a deal, Ciara can be really clumsy.¡±

    I don¡¯t know why she did that or what she aimed to achieve by doing that, she probably didn¡¯t want to see Gideon and I sitting down so close together, or she probably just wanted to piss me off. I can¡¯t help but think every action she does has a hidden agenda. Here she was acting all sorry, but I can see beyond the facade she was putting on, what just happened was no mistake.

    ¡°Stop it.¡± I suddenly got angry. ¡°OK, she acts like an angel whenever you¡¯re around, but she¡¯s nothing but a bitch, why can¡¯t you see this?¡±

    ¡°You know you¡¯re being really mean to me,¡± Ciara said. ¡°Gideon all I wanted to do was to help, but if you don¡¯t need my help anymore I¡¯ll leave.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go Ciara,¡± he said and turned to me. ¡°Emily apologize to her, she didn¡¯t deserve all bad words from you.¡±

    ¡°Apologize?¡±

    ¡°Ciara has been my friend for years Emily, thest thing I want is bad blood between my wife to be and a friend. What exactly has Ciara done to you?¡±

    I opened my mouth to speak but closed it back. ¡°She knows what she¡¯s doing Gideon and you¡¯re letting her. Just look what she did to you!¡± I pointed at his drenched clothes.

    ¡°Emma calm down, you¡¯re making a big deal out of nothing.¡±

    ¡°A big deal?¡± I looked back to Ciara to see the victory smirk on her face. ¡°You know what, excuse me, I need to clear my head.¡±

 CHAPTER 18

    My head was still reeling from what had just happened, I was angry, jealous, and didn¡¯t even have the time to deny it. First, he had brought her in to be our wedding nner, than had the guts to defend her. It annoyed me the more when he said I was making a big deal out of nothing.

    Nothing my ass!

    Did I ask to get pregnant? No. Did I ask for the wedding? No. He got me pregnant, he wanted the wedding, the least he could do was respect me. I stormed down the stairs angrily, I needed to get out of this house, any moment here and I felt I would suffocate to death.

    Maybe I was overreacting, Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have stormed out, Gideon and I had been getting along well and now-whenever I think of Ciara it just seems to fuel my anger more.

    ¡°Miss?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I shouted angrily as I spun round to see who had called my name. It was Stephan. He looked taken aback, startled by my outburst. ¡°Oh sorry, I thought it was someone else.¡± I gave a nervous chuckle, a bit embarrassed.

    ¡°Uh.¡± He looked round like he was looking for someone. ¡°Is everything OK? Do you need me to drive you somewhere?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I just need to¡­ I need to clear my head, I¡¯m feeling really stressed at the moment.¡± I offered him a weak smile, hoping be would take the hint and leave me alone to vent peacefully.

    He looked torn for a moment. ¡°Do you want me to drive you somewhere? I know a ce downtown, it¡¯s quiet, I go there whenever I want to clear my head.¡± I was about to refuse the offer, but there was something about Stephan¡¯s kind smile, I do need to rx my head, since I couldn¡¯t drink because of my child, the best thing to do was rx.

    ¡°OK.¡± I nodded my head, that will be nice. ¡°Is it far?¡± I asked as we got in the car.

    ¡°Not really,¡± he said.

    We rode in silence for about fifteen minutes before Stephan parked the car at a spot. The road was quiet, no one was walking around, but there were many cars packed at the ce. ¡°Where have you brought me to?¡± I asked as I unbuckled my seat belt looking round the vicinity, I can¡¯t lie that a little part of me was scared for my safety. The area was really dark and quiet.

    He seemed to notice this and gave a kind smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I brought you to hear Mira y.¡±

    ¡°Mira? Who¡¯s Mira?¡± We got down from the car and after making sure he had locked doors, we proceeded into the clear bushes.

    ¡°She¡¯s a flutist, one of the best I¡¯ve ever seen. Every Saturday, shees to y for everyone here. It¡¯s really soothing, rxing and helps to clear my mind, will probably do you some good.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I will love to hear her.¡± I¡¯ve never been one for anything musical, but the way Stephan talked about Mira with excitement, I really looked forward to hearing her y.

    Just as Stephan had promised, it was truly rxing, in fact I didn¡¯t know when I nodded off and only woke up to Stephan¡¯s call. I rubbed my eyes, slightly embarrassed to be caught asleep. Mira wasn¡¯t ying anymore, in fact, most people had already left the ce.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°You fell asleep,¡± Stephan said. ¡°I suppose it was rxing after all.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, thank you.¡± I nodded my head. We walked out and proceeded back to the car. ¡°Can we stop by a restaurant to grab some food, I¡¯m starving.¡± I was eating too muchtely, even Lily had pointed it out saying I¡¯m adding a little more cheeks, she had jokingly prayed that all the fat went to my ass.

    ¡°OK,¡± he said before starting the car. Stephan took me to this restaurant name ¡®Manny¡¯s¡¯. It was small and looked really cozy, I couldn¡¯t even tell it was a restaurant till I worked in, there was country music ying and the people in there talked like they have known each other for a longtime.

    ¡°Youe to this ce often?¡± I asked Stephan as he led me to a sit.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he nodded his head. ¡°My uncle owns this ce.¡± He raised his hands to greet an elderly looking man who was wearing a chef outfit. ¡°That¡¯s my uncle Manny, he makes the best chicken sandwich in the whole world.¡±

    His Uncle came over to wee us. ¡°Stephan!¡± He called cheerily, his Italian ent thick. ¡°How¡¯s your mother?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fine Uncle,¡± Stephan said.

    Manny¡¯s eyes fell to me, he looked back to Stephan with a smile. ¡°Who¡¯s the youngdy, your new woman?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Stephan was quick to say. ¡°She¡¯s Mr Brynch wife to be, I¡¯ve brought her here just to eat.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my apologies,¡± Manny said to me. He led us to a table, taking out orders before he left.

    While we waited for our food I decided to invite small talk with Stephan. ¡°So, how long have you been working for Gideon?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s been three years now.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow, that¡¯s long. You must know him pretty well then?¡± He nodded his head. I decided to use this opportunity and ask some questions. ¡°Where you here when he was going out with Ciara?¡±

    ¡°stic Bimbo?¡± He nodded his head. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I remember when they started dating, also remembered when they ended it, shortest rtionship I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I was surprised, I used to think they must have been dating for months or maybe years. From the way Stephan had addressed her, I could tell her didn¡¯t like her very much also, it felt better knowing I wasn¡¯t the only one on that boat. ¡°Why did they break up?¡± My curiosity got me asking.

    ¡°Mr Brynch said he didn¡¯t feelfortable going out with her anymore, he would alwaysin to me about the littlest things she did that annoyed him, in just two weeks he had ended things with her.¡±

    ¡°Two weeks? Wow, that¡¯s short, really short.¡± Even my short rtionship with Eugene Muller in ninth gradested longer than that.

    ¡°Yeah, you know, I thought she would go crazy with anger, but she had actedpletely calm, I¡¯m sure she feigned that just to remain close from with Mr Brynch. He¡¯s never had a stable rtionship since then.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s never had a stable rtionship because of Ciara?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she always ruin everything.¡± His eyes softened. ¡°Are you OK? I hope I didn¡¯t say too much. Sometimes I talk and forget when to stop.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her get to you though, you seem like a good woman and I can see Mr Brynch genuinely cares for you. If he didn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t ask to marry you right?¡±

    I gave a small smile not answering, I didn¡¯t know if Stephan knew I was pregnant. ¡°What about hisst rtionship?¡± I asked instead. ¡°How long ago was it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been long since Mr Brynch dated anyone, maybe a year or so. After thest girl left, he didn¡¯t seem to want to date anymore, until, well, here you are.¡±

    Once we finished eating, we headed back home, Stephan followed me up the stairs, he said he wanted to tell Gideon he would be taking his leave. I thought back to the whole day, though it started out horribly, the small moment I had with Stephan made up for it. He was really fun to hang out with and I hope he and I would be good friends, someone to talk to would be nice.

    ¡°Thanks for today,¡± I said to him as we walked inside the living room. ¡°I truly would have lost it if it weren¡¯t for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s nothing, just helping out,¡± he said with a kind smile. At that moment I didn¡¯t know what it was, was it the atmosphere, the kind smile on his face, or gratitude for what he had done for me, but I found myself leaning over to kiss him.

    He didn¡¯t pull back, but his eyes widened as I moved closer to him, our lips touched just for a moment, his was soft, really nice, but then what I was doing hit me. I was kissing Stephan, Gideon¡¯s driver, before I could pull back, I heard a gasp.

 CHAPTER 19

    ¡°What the fuck is going on here!¡± A voice thundered. Stephan jumped back in shock the moment he heard Gideon¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°Mr B-Brynch,¡± He said shakily. ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like I swear.¡±

    ¡°I knew it,¡± Ciara said with a victory look. ¡°She isn¡¯t to be trusted, this is the woman you¡¯re willing to spend the rest of your life with? She¡¯s finally proven to be nothing but a slut.¡±

    ¡°Quiet Ciara!¡± He thundered clenching his fist tight, I was afraid he was going to punch Stephan or break something. Saying I was terrified would be an understatement, I¡¯ve never seen him look so angry before, rage seemed to flow through him likeva, I had caused this, what have I done? ¡°What were you doing?¡± He looked to Stephan and then to me again. ¡°How long has this been going on?¡±

    ¡°Nothing has been going on Gideon, this is all just a misunderstanding.¡± I tried to calm him down.

    ¡°Oh,¡± He gave a dryugh. ¡°So I didn¡¯t just see his lips on yours?¡±

    I shook my head trying to exin. ¡°I was the one who came on to him, Stephan did nothing Gideon, and it was barely even a kiss, it was just a peck, it meant nothing really.¡±

    ¡°Are you defending him? Do I look stupid? I¡¯m sure if I hadn¡¯t walked in here, it would have developed into something more, what, do you want to fuck him?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous Gideon.¡± That was probably not the best thing to say at the moment, but I couldn¡¯t believe he would say something like that.

    ¡°Oh, am I? Am I the one being ridiculous? You don¡¯t see me going around kissing other women, especially not when my wedding is approaching, did you think of that, your wedding? Before you go round kissing men.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t insult me Gideon!¡± I was starting to get really angry. ¡°You are not so innocent yourself, don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t see you and her!¡± I shouted pointing at Ciara. ¡°You say there is nothing going on, but I¡¯m not dumb and I¡¯m definitely not blind.¡±

    ¡°What are you even saying?¡±

    ¡°I-I think I¡¯ll leave now,¡± Ciara muttered and hurried out of the room, Stephan looked really nervous, probably wondering if he should stay or leave, with a wave of dismissal from Gideon, he hurried out also.

    I crossed my arms before me. ¡°You said I was overreacting earlier when she did that earlier, you trust her so much you don¡¯t see she¡¯s the demon in sheep¡¯s clothing and then the way you hugged her when she arrived.¡±

    ¡°A hug? A hug shared between friends was what pushed you to kiss my driver.¡±

    ¡°Stephan only helped me find rxation, I was just showing appreciation-¡±

    ¡°Do you show appreciation to all men by kissing them?¡±

    ¡°It was a mistake!¡± I groaned out loud. ¡°How many times do I need to say this?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t drunk, you weren¡¯t half-asleep, you did it with your

    clear head, you were thinking right when you did it. Or what, was this just to hurt my feelings? Because of Ciara?¡±

    ¡°No, OK, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t even look at you now, not without seeing you kissing him, I need¡­¡± He didn¡¯tplete his sentence, but just stormed past me.

    ¡°Gideon!¡± I called walking after him. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°None of your business!¡± He shouted mming the door right in front of my face, I jumped back surprised at the impact.

    Gideon and I werepletely fine few days ago and we were finally agreeing on things and getting along, where it had all gone wrong, I couldn¡¯t point it out. Should I go after him? That would be pointless, with the mood he was in at the moment, he surely wouldn¡¯t listen to me, or hear my pleas.

    Is this how it was going to be? When Gideon and I got married, is this the life I¡¯m going to be living, from one fight all because of misunderstanding and jealousy. Sure the sex want good, but marriage or any rtionship shouldn¡¯t just be based of sex. Gideon was stubborn and so was I, if we didn¡¯t learn to control our temper, we would surely kill each other someday.

    ¡°Are you OK?¡± Someone said just from behind, pushing me out from my thoughts. I turned round to face Estelle, she was dressed in her cleaning outfit, an apron tied around her body and a bo on her head. She held a broom in her hands, she must have been cleaning. ¡°Sorry, I heard shouting.¡±

    She probably heard everything though, our voices were loud enough to be heard miles away. ¡°Yeah, sorry about that,¡± I muttered. ¡°Gideon and I had a little fight.¡± The fight was barely little, though we had little arguments, never had it escted to this. This was something bigger and wouldn¡¯t just resolve in one night.

    ¡°Because of the Bimbo?¡± she asked. I had a feeling she was referring to Ciara, that¡¯s what Stephan called her also, so I nodded. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let her get under your skin. She¡¯s always been like that, acting like a sweetheart whenever Gideon was around, but a total Demon when he isn¡¯t.¡± She walked further into the room and looked round, when she didn¡¯t see anyone but me, she continued. ¡°Yunno, this is how she has always been.¡±

    ¡°Ciara?¡± I asked.

    She nodded her head. ¡°Whenever Gideon finds a new girl, she¡¯s always quick to create disruption. I¡¯m sure she must have been furious with anger when Gideon told her about you, she covered it up with a smile, but she wasn¡¯t deceiving anyone-maybe Gideon though, but not me.¡±

    ¡°But she has a boyfriend right? Thomas? Why is she bent on destroying Gideon¡¯s rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she said she has a boyfriend, ording to her he¡¯s oversees on some business trip, Gideon has never seen him, just believing her words. She knows she can¡¯t have Gideon, but she¡¯s bound on making sure no one else has him and Gideon can¡¯t see that because¡­ well, though he may not give off that vibe to most people, he¡¯s a nice man, always willing to see the good in people.¡±

    ¡°Even when there¡¯s no really any good there.¡± I sighed rubbing my head. ¡°Do you know where he might have gone to?¡± I asked, I had a feeling he would be back this night.

    Estelle shrugged. ¡°Probably a friend¡¯s house, to cool off. I should go now, the Bimbo made a mess in the kitchen when she tried to make simple coffee, all this over-pampered dummies.¡±

    Iughed. I don¡¯t understand why I¡¯ve never had a real conversation with Estelle, she seemed nice and she hated Ciara so we had one thing inmon. ¡°Thank you, I feel much better now and I know better than to let Ciara get to my head.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°I better go now, Gideon might be back anytime soon, don¡¯t want him to meet the kitchen as messy as it is.¡±

    After Estelle had gone, I stood staring at the door, will Gideon be home this night? My eyes widened as what I had just said hit me, when did I start thinking of Gideon¡¯s house as home.

    The next day came and Gideon still wasn¡¯t home, I had called him many times and although the phone rang, it never got answered, that only means he still doesn¡¯t want to talk to me. I decided not to think about it too much, maybe he just needs a little time to cool off and then he will be back.

    I prepared for work early today, my supervisor had called me with a warning and I was afraid he would report me to the head. ¡°Emily, Sarah wants to see you,¡± Abigail, personal secretary to Sarah, who was the head manager said as she passed by.

    ¡°Do you know what for?¡± I asked standing up quickly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± she shrugged. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t look to happy.¡±

    I knew what this was about, I have beeningte to work and some days I don¡¯t even show up, Andrew must have reported me to her, not like I would me him though, if I were to be in his shoes, I would probably report myself. I brushed my gown down, trying to look as presentable as I have ever looked. I didn¡¯t want to lose this job, I had enough on my head and can¡¯t bear the burden of being unemployed.

    I gave a small knock and only went in when a voice from inside answered. Sarah sat behind her desk, typing away on the desktop before her, huge sses sat on her nose which was scrunched up in concentration. I wish she had called me at a time when she would have been less busy rather than keeping me standing, it would have been better if she had offered me a sit, but she hasn¡¯t even looked up since I arrived.

    I greeted her and waited awkwardly by the side, minutester which actually felt like forever, she finally raised her head up. ¡°Yes, you are Emily right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded my head, my arms sped together behind my back.

    She stared at me for awhile, I wondered if she was judging my appearance or if there was something on my face. She cleared her throat. ¡°Your supervisor hasid someints about you, he said you haven¡¯t been showing up to work, and when you do show up, you are never punctual. Do you have anything to say to that?¡± she cocked her head a little to the right.

    What was I supposed to say, I had no excuse to give because I was truly at fault. ¡°Uh, nothing. It won¡¯t happen again, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said simply. It was better to be honest and apologetic, that would help earn me pardon.

    ¡°I remember when you came here for an interview few months ago, I also remember telling you that we don¡¯t tolerate tardiness here. If you¡¯re tired of this work, you¡¯re always free to drop your resignation letter, no one is going to hate you for that.¡±

    I took a step forward. ¡°No Ma¡¯am, I really need the job. Stuffs have just been happening, this won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°It better not, you may leave now.¡± I nodded my head and exited the room quickly. I was relieved that I wasn¡¯t fired, but more worried that I may not be able to keep with the promise I just made.

    Estelle and I ate dinner together, Gideon still didn¡¯t return. ¡°How long do you think he ns to stay out, I mean, he can¡¯t ignore me forever.¡±

    ¡°Just give him time, he will probablye back today.¡± But Estelle was wrong, Gideon still wasn¡¯t back by the time I went to bed. I couldn¡¯t help thinking of the time he had talked me to sleep, his voice was so rxing and smooth. I found it hard to sleep thinking about him and ended up staring at the ceiling for a long time before sleep finally came.

 CHAPTER 20

    I haven¡¯t seen Gideon for three days now, he has refused to pick my calls, he didn¡¯t even answer Estelle¡¯s own when I had tried to call him with her phone. I haven¡¯t also seen Stephan around, I fear that Gideon might have fired him, I need to exin to Gideon that Stephan did nothing, I was the one that came onto him, I will feel terribly guilty if Stephan lost his job because of me. I decided that if Gideon did fire him, I would do anything to try and get Stephan his job back, he really was a good man, at the moment I hated myself for repaying him such with the kindness he has shown me.

    I also hated myself for the kiss, it was barely even a kiss, just a tiny peck and I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. I wish I could me it on being drunk, except I wasn¡¯t drunk, I haven¡¯t even tasted alcohol for months now. I don¡¯t know if Gideon would still like to go on with the wedding, if he decides not to go on with it, I won¡¯t argue.

    I needed to speak to someone, and not just anyone, someone who would help me feel better. I thought of calling Lily, she always knew what to say in every situation, but I felt too ashamed, I knew Lily wouldn¡¯t judge me, but still. I need to go see my mother, hear her speak and not just over the phone, she would know what to say.

    I went up to my room to pack few clothes, I could spend the night there. I put in a my pajamas, two baggy jeans and extrarge shirts, anything big enough to hide my growing bulge. My father will probably think I have just put on a little weight. It will be wise to phone my mum first, let her know I wasing.

    ¡°Mum, are you home?¡± I spoke into the phone as I waved down a Taxi.

    ¡°Yeah, why do you ask? Youing over?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve to go now, see ya.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    It was just two hour drive to my parents house, stepping my feet on thy familiar soil would forever bring nostalgia running. From the little swing, still out on the front porch where my siblings and I would always fight to get on, to my mother¡¯s little garden, the little bell my father had put on just because my little sister said the little jingles reminded her of fairies. She once said she saw one, but then Raven has always had a wild imagination.

    ¡°Emily!¡± My mum called, she was already standing out by the door, an apron wrapped around her, she probably saw me from the kitchen window, which gave way to the front yard.

    ¡°Mum!¡± I broke out into a small run, stopping before her to hug her. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been so long.¡±

    ¡°So long?¡± she pulled back from the hug. ¡°Girl, weren¡¯t you here the other day with that handsome man of yours?¡± My parents had taken a liking to Gideon, and I wouldn¡¯t me them, he had found a way to charm his way through their already soft heart. My mum can be strict, but she was probably the nicest woman you will evere across.

    ¡°Is Dad home?¡± I asked as I stepped in, taking a big sniff, I could already smell her special meatball sauce. ¡°Oh, I came right on time. I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°Your father isn¡¯t home, he¡¯s at the office,¡± she said locking for doors as she stepped into after me. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she asked as soon as she turned to face me. ¡°You don¡¯t look happy.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I asked like I didn¡¯t just hear what she said.

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± I cursed at the tremble in my voice.

    ¡°Well, you were here just the other day and it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to see my daughter, but it¡¯s unlike you to just visit home again. Is it the wedding, work or-¡± she took a pause, ¡°the baby?¡±

    ¡°I did something bad and now Gideon is angry with me, I haven¡¯t seen him for days now.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Oh Emily, what did you do?¡± she asked softly. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been that bad?¡±

    ¡°I kissed someone mum and Gideon-Gideon saw. He¡¯s angry and he left the house, I haven¡¯t seen him for days.¡± I didn¡¯t know when the tears started to fall till my mother came over to wipe my cheeks clean.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the tears honey?¡± she asked concerned. ¡°Is things that bad? Come sit down, I¡¯ll get you a cup of tea while you tell me everything.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    Minutester, I sat with my mother beside me, I had just finished rying the whole story.

    ¡°Well honey, I¡¯m sure he will be back soon. This Stephan guy you don¡¯t have feelings for him right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, I¡¯ve never even thought of him in that way. It¡¯s all that Ciara fault, she caused everything.¡±

    ¡°Now,¡± My mum shook her head. ¡°You are my daughter and I love you, but this is partly your fault. Ciara might have pushed you, but you were the one who handled things your way, she didn¡¯t force you to kiss another guy did she?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I mumbled honestly.

    ¡°This girl you told me about sounds exactly like the type that would love to wreck happy homes, even homes that haven¡¯t beenpletely built like yours, it¡¯s your job not to let her get to you.¡±

    ¡°I understand ma, but Gideon isn¡¯t making it easy for me, to him she means no harm, aplete angel, she acts like she genuinely cares for him when he¡¯s around when all she does is try to ruin his rtionships.¡±

    ¡°Well, she should expect a huge change now that you¡¯re around, I¡¯ve seen the way that man looks at you, I can see he genuinely cares for you, you also have that silly smile on your face when you look at him-¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯re getting a divorce after the baby, you know this already mum. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a forever marriage because I do want to spend the rest of my life with someone who genuinely loves me.¡±

    ¡°What you two decide to do after the baby is up to you, but I do hope you have a happy marriage, I do pray you guys get along good and this marriagest for a very long time.¡±

    I retired to my bedroom early that night, I just needed a good eight to ten hours sleep to be able to think well again, hopefully things get better tomorrow.

 CHAPTER 21

    I woke up in a ce I didn¡¯t expect to, not in my childhood bedroom, rather I found myself back in Gideon¡¯s penthouse. I sat up quickly, rmed and confused. I was sure I had gone to visit my mother yesterday, I remember the taste of her meatballs on my buds, I remember cuddling my teddyst night in bed, so what exactly was I doing here, or was that all a dream?

    ¡°I brought you homest night,¡± I heard the familiar voice of Gideon say as if reading my thoughts. ¡°Your mother let me into your room, she allowed me bring you back home.¡±

    ¡°Gideon?¡± I called his name wondering if I was seeing or hearing right.

    ¡°I read your note,¡± he said. ¡°Why did you leave?¡±

    I got up slowly, sitting down on the bed. Why did I leave? What answer does he want me to give to that, I couldn¡¯t stay so I left. ¡°I don¡¯t know the answer you want to that Gideon, if you¡¯re just going to scold me like a little child again, I might just leave again.¡±

    ¡°You had no right to leave!¡± He thundered, then his eyes widened, regret showing in them. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that Emily-¡±

    ¡°No excuse me?¡± He was starting to get on my nerves. ¡°Who are you to make rights over my head? I said I was sorry ok, the kiss with Stephan was a stupid mistake, but if you¡¯re not ready to move past that, then we might as well forget this stupid wedding.¡±

    ¡°Emily you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re-¡±

    ¡°Oh please, weren¡¯t you at Ciara¡¯s ce? Your ex-girlfriend, why did you guys do, fuck? Was the sex good?¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re being ridiculous, I told you I was done with Ciara, that¡¯s why I broke up with her. She has a boyfriend, why the hell would I sleep with her, when I have you?¡±

    My heart weakened at that, when he had me? Does he mean that he has true feelings for me, feelings more than lust, or is it just about the good sex. ¡°Well, you are wise man Gideon. You know she still has feelings for you, it isn¡¯t fair bringing her here to n things wedding, not to me or to her.¡±

    He rubbed his forehead, shaking his head. ¡°How many times do you want to hear this? I said she offered.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± The room went in silence as we both stared at each other breathing heavily. I twisted my palms into the duvet, trying to calm myself down.

    ¡°I want to kiss you Emily,¡± he whispered, his voice heavy, the low baritone sent shivers running down my spine. He took a step forward.

    ¡°Don¡¯te close to me Gideon.¡± I was quick to say, l rolling out of bed. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to shower.¡± I went into the bathroom, deciding to brush my teeth first. Gideon said he wanted to kiss me, nothing I don¡¯t want, but I wouldn¡¯t want to chase him with my morning breathe.

    I brushed my teeth quickly, and went to the little fridge in the bathroom. I don¡¯t know what Gideon was thinking cing a fridge in a bathroom, but the fact that I could easily reach a bottle of juice or fruits easily was satisfying. I always take a bottle of orange juice whenever I was done brushing, I don¡¯t like the taste of toothpaste mint on my tongue, it was far from pleasing.

    I took a long bath in the tub instead of the quick shower I had nned, it wouldn¡¯t kill to be a littlete to work today, I will me it on the baby. I got out of the tub feeling fresh as I breathed in the sweet vani fragrance of the body wash. I wrapped myself in soft towels stepping out of the bathroom finally only to find Gideon sitting on my bed.

    ¡°Gideon?¡±

    He raised his head up the moment he heard my voice. ¡°Finally, I thought you had slipped and broken your neck.¡± He stood up taking fast strides towards me.

    ¡°Gideon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve held back too long, I want you.¡±

    ¡°Gideon, I have t-to go to w-work.¡± My voice trembled as heid feathery kisses on my neck.

    He raised his head up slowly, ¡°Work can wait.¡± With that, his lips mmed against mine. The kiss was hard, demanding, wet and sweet, he had always known how to make me go weak, but I didn¡¯t want it like this, this was just sex, all he wanted with me was this. As if reading my mind, Gideon pulled back, resting his forehead against mine.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°You mean so much to me Emily, I know it¡¯s crazy, I know you think your body is the only reason I pursue you, but that¡¯s not true, I¡¯ve grown to really like you, which may sound crazy since we have barely had any proper conversation, but please, you need to believe me.¡±

    How could I not, this was all I ever wanted to hear, this, and everything would have gone smoothly. ¡°I believe you,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I added.

    Gideon looked confused by what I just said. ¡°What for?¡± He asked.

    ¡°For kissing Stephan, for pushing you away for so long and being stubborn.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be, I¡¯m the stubborn one. You didn¡¯t push me away, I was the one who came on too strong. Let¡¯s move past everything and just focus on our future, our child, the mistakes of the past don¡¯t matter.¡± He leaned down and ced a peck on my forehead, then another on my nose, I smiled when onended on my lips.

    The next thing I knew he was carrying me over to the bed, I wrapped my hands around his neck, our eyes intact as he slowlyid me on the covers. He was about to pull back but I didn¡¯t let go, pulling him down with me, I missed his touch.

    This time, the love making wasn¡¯t rough, no dirty words and when he was done, I didn¡¯t feel used, I felt loved.

 CHAPTER 22

    ¡°How about we y twenty questions,¡± I said as Iid my head on his shoulders, ying with his chest hairs.

    ¡°What are we, teenagers?¡± He chuckled, I smiled at the vibrations that rumbled in his chest.

    ¡°Come on, it wouldn¡¯t kill. We barely know anything about the other and we n on getting married next week.¡±

    ¡°I know some things about you.¡±

    I looked up at him. ¡°Really?¡± I moved from him and rested my elbows on the bed, using my palm to support my chin as I stared down at him. ¡°What¡¯s my favorite color?¡±

    ¡°Pink?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I nudged him gently with a littleugh. ¡°Why do men think all women like pink, my favourite colour is blue.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s close.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± I shook my head andid back on his chest. ¡°What¡¯s your favourite color?¡± I asked.

    ¡°ck,¡± he said simply. ¡°But not because I¡¯m trying to be mysterious, or give of a certain kinda vibe, but because I truly like the color.¡±

    ¡°I think ck suits you.¡± I gave a small yawn. I liked this position, just Gideon and I in bed, it felt really nice. For some reason I imagined putting my kid to bed or dropping him at a friend¡¯s house, thening back toy with Gideon like this. ¡°I like strawberries, and watermelons,¡± I said sleepily.

    He chuckled. ¡°OK? They are good fruits I guess.¡±

    ¡°Have you thought of names yet?¡±

    ¡°Names?¡±

    ¡°For our child, do you have any name in mind?¡±

    He kept quiet for awhile. ¡°How about¡­ Eh, oh, there are lot of options, I don¡¯t know, how about we decided when hees.¡±

    ¡°He?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s going to be a boy, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°No no, I¡¯m the mother, I¡¯m the one carrying the child, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a girl.¡±

    ¡°You want a girl?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Fine, then we better start working on another child.¡± He rolled over, suddenly over me. My eyes widened when I started down to see his monster rod hitting my lower abdomen.

    ¡°No! Get away from me you monster.¡± I hit at his chest yfully as he attack my neck, his hand quick to grab my breast.

    ¡°But I want to give you a girl,¡± he said in-between kisses.

    ¡°That¡¯s not how pregnancy works-¡± My words were covered with a moan when a wet finger slipped into me. ¡°You¡¯re evil.¡±

    After rounds of the most satisfying sex, Gideon had to go, Ciara wasing over with a tailor for the wedding gown fitting. She arrived an hour after Gideon was gone, luckily I was already clothed and not still lying naked in bed.

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± The elderly woman greeted as we shook hands. ¡°You must be Sophia, the soon to be bride. I am Naomi.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s actually Emma or Emily, not Sophia.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she apologized. ¡°I was told Sophia,¡± she said ncing at Ciara, who was quick to give an innocent smile.

    ¡°Oh, forgive me.¡± she shrugged. ¡°I seem to be mixing up names a lot, Sophia was Gideon¡¯s ex, yunno, before you came.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, please do remember that I¡¯m Emily, not Sophia and unlike Sophia I am not going to be an ¡®ex¡¯, I¡¯m going to be his wife and the mother of his child.¡± She seemed taken aback by the firmness in my tone, that made me smile, it was best she knew I was letting any of her stupid antics get to me again. ¡°Also, how is you boyfriend, what¡¯s his name, Thomas? Timothy? Forgive me for not remembering, since you don¡¯t seem to remember things clearly yourself.¡±

    ¡°His name is Thomas, and he¡¯s fine,¡± she replied with a hard voice. ¡°Is Gideon home?¡±

    ¡°No, my fianc¨¦ went to work,¡± I said with a smirk, purposely calling Gideon my fianc¨¦ just to piss her off. ¡°He will be backte in the evening.¡± I turned back to thedy who was standing awkwardly at the side. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the living room, I can¡¯t wait to see what you have nned for me.¡±

    I was actually supposed to go to the shop for the fitting, but Gideon didn¡¯t want me to, said he didn¡¯t want to put me under stress, but I suspected that it was because he didn¡¯t want me and Stephan in the same car, he didn¡¯t fire him, but had warned me to stay clear away from me.

    Lily arrived few minutester, I had called her toe over, there is no one I wanted beside me at this moment than my best friend, only she would say the truth about the gown.

    ¡°Lily!¡± I hugged her excitedly. ¡°Thank God you¡¯re here,¡± I whispered into her ears before I pulled back. ¡°This is my best friend,¡± I said to Ciara and Naomi.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know someone was going to be joining us,¡± Ciara said.

    ¡°Why? Do you have a problem with my here?¡± Lily asked.

    ¡°No I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Lily said. ¡°Now,¡± She turned to me. ¡°Are you going to go try out dresses or stare at me all day.¡±

    At the end, we finally settled on a dress, it was a cream coloured gown, long sleeves, it had a turtle neck, with a small opening by the chest which showed my cleavage a little bit, the chest part was time holding my breast firmly, but the rest was lose, the front came down stopping just above my knees to showoff my legs, while the back was long enough to touch the floor.

    ¡°This is the one Emma,¡± Lily said excitedly, pping her hands. ¡°Oh, that day you are going to y like the hoe you are.¡±

    ¡°Shut up Lily.¡± Iughed. Only Lily was allowed to call me a hoe, any other person and I would smack them right across the cheeks. ¡°Well,¡± I turned to look at myself in the mirror. ¡°What do you think Naomi?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect,¡± She said. Ciara who hasn¡¯t said one word just nodded her head in agreement.

    ¡°Well then, this is going to be it, my wedding gown.¡±

    ¡°Yay, now let¡¯s pop some champagne. Where does Gideon keep the expensive wines?¡±

    ¡°Lily, I can¡¯t drink wine, remember?¡±

    ¡°Who said it was for you?¡±

    After the fitting and Ciara and Naomi had left, Lily and I decided to go to a restaurant down the street to receive from fresh air and catch up. ¡°So, tell me everything, what¡¯s been going on in your life?¡± I asked Lily, I feel really guilty because we haven¡¯t sat down to have a full four hours chat, mostly because I¡¯ve been tozy to get up, or Gideon has me trapped between his legs, not like I wasining though.

    ¡°Nothing much, just that cute guy asked me out,¡± she said with a smirk.

    ¡°Cute guy?¡± I was lost. ¡°Who? Did you meet someone?¡±

    She sighed and palmed her head. ¡°You forget too much Emily. Remember that guy we met at the restaurant the other day, the one who served us coffee?¡±

    ¡°The one with the nice ass? Oh, tell me everything. When did this happen, why are you just telling me?¡±

    ¡°Calm down girl, it¡¯s not been so long. But the other day, while you were busy with Gideon, I decided to go check out this new club that opened down the street and I saw him there.¡±

    ¡°Go on, don¡¯t stop, tell me everything!¡±

    ¡°OK, so I was dancing with this girl right, we were both drunk and wasted, then I got tired and decided to go grab a drink at the bar and there he was.¡±

    ¡°He works at the bar also?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he says he works there part time. Anyways we talked for hours, his name is Damon, he¡¯s in hisst year in college studying Law and he just does random work to pay off his rent. So you should have seen him at the bar, there was nothing cute about him, just sexy, like raw sex in human flesh.¡±

    ¡°OK, calm down tiger. You guys didn¡¯t do it right?¡± I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they actually did it, Lily could get really freaky when she was in those kind of mood, I¡¯m just surprised she didn¡¯t jump the poor guy.

    She let out a huge sigh. ¡°I wish Emma, I fucking wish. But no, we haven¡¯t even shared one single kiss, we just flirted for hours, he¡¯s such a tease. You should have seen me, I was practically begging for him to have me, but no, he actspletely oblivious, he¡¯s aplete tease Emily.¡±

    I doubled overughing at the look on Lily¡¯s face. She was the professional tease, I¡¯ve seen her twist guys around her fingers and now she had found herself in the same pot she had thrown other guys in. ¡°Whenst did you getid.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a really long time OK, and you know, I don¡¯t really fancy sleeping around, but this is one guy I will bend over for everyday.¡±

    ¡°OK, hold on. Last time I checked you just found him cute, now you want to bend over for him?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand Emily, you¡¯ve got Gideon¡¯s dick to satisfy you, you would be desperate if you were in my shoes.¡±

    ¡°This Damon looks like your match, you guys are a perfect fit. So, how did he ask for your number.¡±

    ¡°Well, I got tired of waiting and I told him straight up, ¡®Ask for my number.¡¯ and he did.¡±

    ¡°Nooooo girl!¡± I covered my face having secondhand embarrassment for Lily. ¡°Are you that desperate?¡±

    ¡°Yes and I¡¯m not shy to say it. Anyways, enough of me. How¡¯s your rtionship with Gideon going?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going well¡­¡±

    ¡°Spill, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just I¡¯ve been thinking, trying to understand what I really feel for him and I think I might have truly fallen for him?¡±

    ¡°Durrh!¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Did you just realise that now?¡± Lily scoffed. ¡°Girl, I can already tell you¡¯re in love with him, are you so oblivious, even to your own feelings??

    ¡°What? What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Oh, You should see the way your eyes light up whenever he¡¯s around, somehow you always find a way to bring him up in every conversation we have, the other day I was talking about my Father¡¯s birthdaying up and somehow you managed to bring Gideon up, till now I don¡¯t see how finding a gift for my father rtes to Gideon¡¯s dick.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± I felt my cheeks heating up. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I talked about him that much.¡±

    ¡°See what I¡¯m saying,¡± she chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to apologize for darling, you should see how your skin is glowing from the good sex, he makes you happy and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    ¡°He does make my happy,¡± I agreed. ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how he truly feels about me. I mean, I know he cares about me, but what about love. I know this marriage is mainly for our unborn child, but now I wish it was something more. I want to hear him say he loves me and not just because of our child, maybe because he truly does.¡±

    She gave a small smile. ¡°I think he does already Emily. Probably scared too say it because he¡¯s afraid of how you may react just like you, if love him, but you can¡¯t tell him that right?¡± I nodded my head. ¡°Just give him time, he will soone forward with his true feelings.¡±

    Lily was right. Here I was even afraid to admit how I really feel to myself, I decided I wasn¡¯t going to try to push Gideon or get impatient trying to get him to open up. We had time, when he¡¯s ready, he would tell me. I decided to change the subject. ¡°Anyways, so you were telling me about Damon? When¡¯s the dateing up? Do we need to go get a dress?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s this Friday, and no I don¡¯t need a dress, we¡¯re going to a shooting range,¡± She said with a smirk on her face.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Oh wow.¡±

    ¡°After that, I pray he invites me to his apartment for a cup of coffee, from there, who knows, someone might be gettingid.¡±

    ¡°Lily, don¡¯t you want to take your time to know who this guy really is, or do you want to end up pregnant like me?¡±

    She leaned forward and flicked my forehead. ¡°I won¡¯t get pregnant, I¡¯ve got the pills. Besides, he¡¯s really nice OK, I haven¡¯t known him for so long, but ever since then we¡¯ve been talking on the phone for so long and he¡¯s really nice.¡±

    ¡°Do you like him?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Maybe, I don¡¯t know, I think I do, not sure yet. But enough about me, let¡¯s talk about your wedding. So, I¡¯m going to be your maid of honor no doubt about that, we just need to get-¡± I drank my ice tea, watching Lily as she ranted.

 CHAPTER 23

    It was a week before our wedding and we were done with sending out invitations, we didn¡¯t invite much, since we had prepared sits for only fifty people, so it was just families and few friends. It was going to be an indoor wedding, because we wanted privacy.

    Since Gideon was free for the day and I had taken leave from work because of my wedding, we had decided to go shopping. My cravings had gotten really weirdtely and Gideon was getting tired of running to the supermarket just to get me almost about anything he didn¡¯t have in his fridge.

    I had given Gideon a list and sent him off, while I had take another list. I was getting random things, mostly snacks I¡¯ve never heard of but looked really yummy. I had just grabbed a packet of some strange looking chocte when a couple passed before me, any other day I wouldn¡¯t care but seeing Ciara with a man who I was sure was Timothee or Thomas, whichever one was is real name got my attention.

    Who was he to her?

    He had his arms wrapped around her waist and she seemed reallyfortable with it. It was probably not my business, but that doesn¡¯t mean I wasn¡¯t going to approach, I want to hear what she had to say.

    I hurried, pushing the shopping cart, I took a turn to where I had seen them enter and we had almost bumped into one another. ¡°Ciara! Wow, what a coincidence!¡± I said in a really loud voice, a pleasant smile on my face. I could see the guy now, I recognized him, he is the same guy I saw her with at the bar.

    ¡°Emily?¡± She looked really rmed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Gideon and I came to get some-¡±

    She didn¡¯t even let me finish. ¡°Gideon is here?¡± Like she noticed how suspicious her tone was, she cleared her throat. ¡°I mean, what are you guys doing here?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯vee to buy stuff silly, what else do people do in supermarkets?¡± I shook my head and nced to the young man beside him. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Emily,¡± I said offering a handshake.

    He smiled and epted it. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Ss.¡±

    Exactly as I had suspected, this was someone else and not Timothee who was oversees on some ¡®business trip¡¯. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I said. ¡°I must leave now, I don¡¯t want Gideon looking for me.¡± Speaking of the devil, I sighted Gideon approaching, Just few feet behind Ciara and her boyfriend-if that¡¯s what he really is to her. ¡°There he is.¡± At that point I had never seen someone¡¯s face lose color faster than Ciara¡¯s.

    ¡°Ciara? Emily? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I was grabbing some stuff when I ran into Ciara. Ss, this is my fianc¨¦.¡± Ss gave a small wave.

    ¡°Uh G-Gideon,¡± She looked nervously at Ss, then back at Gideon. ¡°This is my friend, Ss.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, your friend?¡± Ss questioned. I bit my lips as I held back augh that struggled to escape, the drama before me was too good to be true. ¡°You¡¯re going to introduce me as a friend.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gideon asked really confused. Ss didn¡¯t say anything, just turned to walk away, with panic written in her eyes Ciara hurried to follow him. Gideon still looked really lost. ¡°What just happened?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go home, we will talk about it on the way.¡± I told Gideon everything on the way home while stuffing my face with chocte. ¡°You should have seen her reaction when she saw me, it looked like she was going to piss her pants, I wish she actually pissed her pants, that would have been really fun to watch. I would get it on video and share it to the whole world.¡±

    Gideonughed. ¡°God, the woman I¡¯m marrying is just evil, I love you.¡± My insides froze when I heard that, I know I heard right, Gideon had just said he loved me. I turned to look at him slowly and the look on his face made me know he realised what he had just said.

    ¡°You love me?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You just said you loved me Gideon.¡±

    He cleared his throat and kept on driving not looking at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I love you for you to say it back to me Emma, I said I loved you because I did and-¡±

    ¡°I love you too,¡± I said shutting him up. ¡°And before you say anything, no, I didn¡¯t say I love you because you said it to me first, I said I love you because I really do love you.¡± Gideon didn¡¯t say anything, in fact I got no reaction from him. ¡°Gideon did you hear what I just said, I said I¡­¡± I stopped when I noticed he was slowing down and moving into a parking space. ¡°Gideon why are you parking the car.¡±

    ¡°Because I can¡¯t kiss you while driving or we¡¯ll probably end up having an ident,¡± he said. ¡°Now, say it again.¡± he says after parking the car.

    I pretended to look lost. ¡°Say what again?¡± I had an idea what he wanted me to say, but I had to hear it from his lips.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°Tell me you love me again.¡±

    I giggled, my heart beating with joy. ¡°I love you Gideon, I love you, just as you love me.¡± His eyes slowly lowered to my lips, I smiled almost tearing up at the moment. We moved closer and closer to each other, till our lips were just inches apart and right before I could take in another breath, he imed my lips. My heart pounded in my chest as my knees got weaker, if I was standing I would sure have lost it. I could only focus on how soft his lips felt against mine, how he invaded all my senses, the warm feeling of his breath was inviting, he drew me in closer, pulling back toy a chaste kiss on my head. I wasn¡¯t making a mistake, I was sure of it.

 CHAPTER 24

    The day has finally arrived, my wedding day, it felt really weird saying it, felt really weird thinking it and just living it was almost fictional. The fact that everyone was out there waiting for me only increased my anxiety the more. I could barely sleepst night, I was up filled with thoughts.

    Last night Gideon had gone out with his friends for a little bachelorette party they were throwing him, while Lily and Olivia hade over for somedies time.

    ¡°Oh, Lily I¡¯ve got chills.¡± I finally voiced out.

    ¡°They¡¯re multiplying!¡± she replied in a singsong voice. ¡°And I¡¯m losing control, cause the power you¡¯re supplying, it¡¯s electrifying. Sing along babe!¡±

    ¡°No Lily stop.¡± Palming my head, sometimes I ask myself where how she ever got to be my best friend. ¡°I am not singing the song. I really have got chills. I can feel all the hairs on my skin standing, I¡¯ve got cold feet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re serious.¡± She got up from the chair which she had been sitting on by the door and walked over to me. ¡°What for darling? You look beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Not my looks Lily.¡± I sighed, looking back at the mirror. My makeup was done by a professional, but my hair was done in Lily, she had packed braided, rolled and pinned it at the top of my head, letting two little curls down at each side of my head. I had gone for a nude makeup, nothing too much, so ites off looking natural. ¡°Look at me dressed up like a princess, in few hours I will be tying the knot with Gideon. It all just seems so surreal to me. I¡¯m excited, yet scared at the same time, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just the pre-wedding jiggles.¡± she gave a low chuckle rubbing my shoulders gently in a circr motion. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you, chill.¡±

    ¡°Pre-wedding jiggles?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°Yeah, yunno, I see it all the time in all this ro movies, where you start to question if you¡¯re making the right decision, the tickling feeling in your fingers that brings up worries? Don¡¯t let it get to you, shove all those feelings up your ass, just ignore it, it¡¯s normal, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± she assured.

    ¡°You sure?¡± I didn¡¯t feel fine to be honest, but people do say the human mind is really powerful, keep saying it till you believe it.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m sure,¡± she said in a ¡®Durrh¡¯ manner. ¡°Now wipe that look off your face, this is your wedding day, be happy, smile.¡± she poked my side.

    ¡°OK.¡± I smiled brightly at the mirror, showing my full set of teeth.

    ¡°Urrgh! Don¡¯t smile too much, what are you, Pennywise the dancing clown?¡± she made a silly face behind me which I could see from the mirror. ¡°Or you might scare your groom away.¡±

    ¡°Ha ha, very funny Lily.¡± I rolled my eyes.

    A light knock was heard by the door and it was pushed open, Ciara poked her head in. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± she said. I thought she would walk out, but she stared at me for awhile. ¡°Uh¡­ You look beautiful.¡± She added and walked out.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Lily said. ¡°Did the Devil¡¯s mistress just give you apliment? Should I be worried?¡±

    I was surprised myself, but there was something about Ciara¡¯spliment that made my feel ten times better, something about it that pushed my confidence up. ¡°Well, you heard her.¡± I could hear the intro tune already. ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m really getting married today. It feels so weird, but in a good way.¡± I smiled and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯m ready.¡±

    The procession would start from the bridesmaids, who will go out first, Lily leading them, then I would follow behind with my Dad.

    I could see my mother at the front pew, with my brothers and little sister, Gideon¡¯s parents were sitting up front to, my eyes moved slowly to Gideon. He stood before the priest, dressed in a ck tuxedo, looking more handsome than ever, once our eyes locked it was hard to look away, he smiled as I slowly approached with my father.

    The procession seemed to take forever even though it wasn¡¯t even up to a minute, my father handed me over to Gideon with a bright smile on his face, before walking back to take his position back at his sit.

    I smiled up at Gideon, but looked down immediately blushing, something about the way he looked at me made me feel like the most beautiful woman. His loving gaze made me ten times feel better about myself, I felt beautiful, to be admired so strongly by the most beautiful man I have ever set my eyes on was a heavenly feeling.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°Brethren, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Miss Emmalia Johnson and Mister Gideon Brynch,¡± The priest announced.

    Soon, it was time to exchange wedding vows.

    ¡°I, Emmalia Johnson, take thee, Gideon Brynch to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, ¡¯til death do us part, ording to God¡¯s ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my troth,¡± I said as I held his hands, slowly putting the ring in his ring finger. I could hear Lily give a low whistle behind me, we had practiced the wedding vowsst night and I just thank the Lord I didn¡¯t forget the lines.

    ¡°I Gideon Brynch, take you Emmalia Johnson, to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you,ugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.¡± By the end of his vow I was nearly in tears,pared to his vow mine looked like ¡®in Betty¡¯. His voice had carried so much emotions, I was touched.

    ¡°I now pronounce you husband and wife,¡± the priest said. ¡°You may kiss the bride.¡±

    ¡°Finally,¡± Gideon said making everyoneugh. He moved forward grabbing my cheek gently, he lowered his lips to mine. Everyone stood up in cheers and before I knew, I was swept off my feet as Gideon carried me out. My eyes crossed Ciara as Gideon carried me out, she had a sad smile on her face, and I suppose I should have a little empathy, but today was my wedding day, I wasn¡¯t going to worry.

 CHAPTER 25

    FIVE MONTHS LATER

    ¡°He has my looks,¡± Gideon whispered in my ears as we looked down at our sleeping child.

    ¡°He has my nose,¡± I said back with a chuckle.

    ¡°He has my mouth!¡± Lily who was sitting at a corner in the room said in between mouthful of popcorn. ¡°What?¡± she asked as we turned to look at her. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± she rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine, I will give you guys space, but I¡¯ll be back in five minutes to hold my godson.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma,¡± I teasedughing as she stormed out the room, her elbows swinging. I turned to Gideon once Lily was out. ¡°You know, we still haven¡¯t decided on a name.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± A mischievous look came on his face. ¡°How about Timothee?¡±

    ¡°Lord no.¡± I was not going to name my child after Ciara¡¯s imaginary boyfriend, if it wasn¡¯t the case, Timothee was actually a really cute name I would have considered. Speaking of Ciara, she had finally decided to move on after the wedding, Gideon told me she had decided to go live with a friend in California, to be honest, I do wish her the best, I hope she learns to be a better person and treat people right.

    ¡°Thomas?¡±

    ¡°Gideon.¡± I hit his chest yfully. ¡°Be serious.¡± I looked down at the little human in my arms, my child. A year ago, never would I have believed I would be holding him in my arms, with the man I love beside me. I watched as his chest rose softly, with each breath he took, his tiny fingers was wrapped around Gideon¡¯s, father and son. Though, he is barely a day old, I could already imagine them arguing over a game of football

    ¡°How about Grey?¡± Gideon suggested.

    ¡°Grey,¡± I repeated confused. ¡°Is that even a name? Do you really want us to name our child a color?¡±

    ¡°Because of his eyes,e on, it¡¯s a cute name.¡±

    ¡°So you want to name him Grey because that¡¯s his eye colour? OK, how about we also name him Pink because he has pink lips, or ck because of his hair, those are cute names too right?

    ¡°Fine, fine, what do you suggest?¡±

    Finally, he asks for my opinion. ¡°How about Derek?¡± I said with a smile.

    ¡°Derek? Is this because of the Teen Wolf drama? I knew you had a crush on that guy.¡±

    ¡°Tyler has nothing to do with this, but Derek is a cute name don¡¯t you think, in fact, it¡¯s a Ladies name.¡±

    He raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are you saying?¡± Heughed. ¡°Ladies name?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, names that are famous with thedies. You know our son is going to grow up to be really sexy and lot of girls are going to run after him, he needs a name befitting his status, well-unlike yours.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong with my name? Wait are you trying to say ¡®Gideon¡¯ isn¡¯t a famous name amongst Ladies?¡± He looked offended, but I was having my fun annoying him. ¡°Gideon is a sexy name.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say if I was to go on a blind date and the options were between a Gideon and a Derek, I¡¯m definitely going with Derek. I mean Gideon is a nice name, but Derek? Derek is sexy, Derek is Daddy.¡± I added thest part just to tease him further.

    He gave a low growl. ¡°Let¡¯s just get back home and I¡¯ll show you who is Daddy.¡± At that moment, the door opened and Lily walked in, but it wasn¡¯t just Lily, my parents were with her.

    ¡°Mum, Dad.¡± I greeted with a smile as they walked in.

    ¡°I met them down the hall,¡± Lily said. She held a big bucket of ice-cream in her hands, one she nned to use and stuff her face.

    ¡°Oooh, let me see my grandson,¡± My mother rushed to me. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m a grandmother,¡± she said already tearing up. ¡°Lord, he is beautiful.¡± she brushed her hands across his cheeks gently. ¡°He really is a spitting image of his father.¡±

    ¡°Congrattions,¡± My father said to Gideon, they shared a hearty handshake.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Few minutester, Gideon¡¯s parents also arrived, the whole crew gathered around, staring adoringly at the sleeping child.

    ~~~

    It¡¯s been two days since the birth of Rayn Brynch, we decided to name our child after Gideon¡¯ste grandfather. It¡¯s also been two days of sleepless night, we haven¡¯t been able to do much around with Rayn cries, he was very attached to me and would cry the moment I or his father weren¡¯t holding him, luckily sometimes he didn¡¯t care who was holding him and just kept quiet.

    After putting him to sleep, we finally retired to our rooms

 CHAPTER 26

    Emily had been leaving the best life she could ask for, she had with her the best of friends, a supportive family, and an amazing partner who provided an equally amazing time in bed. Their son Rayn was almost clocking a year now. The past months have been a joy ride, more than she ever imagined she would be living, but they have also been little bumps here and there.

    ¡°You know he¡¯s started going to the office every day¡­ he¡¯ll be back soon though. Why do you ask, need his help with something?¡± It was her mum, who had phoned that morning.

    ¡°No, not at all,¡± she said. ¡°I just¡­ holding a party to celebrate the opening of the new shop. I was wondering if you two will be able to make it, but if Gideon is busy, it will be nice if you showed up.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I mean, it¡¯s not like I have somewhere to be. I¡¯ll be there with Rayn.¡±

    ¡°Great. I should go now, your father¡¯s having a little trouble in the garden. Uh¡­ things are going well over there right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, everything is fine. Gideon has just been busy nowadays¡­ we have hardly seen him at home ever since he went back to work. But we¡¯re fine, it¡¯s nothing too serious, we will work things out.¡±

    ¡°OK dear, I have to go. Talk to youter.¡±

    ~~~

    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe with us to the club tonight,¡± Roderick decided to ask again, making a frustrated sigh escape Gideon¡¯s lips. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time he was trying to get him to go out with the guys. ¡°And before you bring Ellie up again, I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Rick you have to understand now that I¡¯m a married man and I have a son.¡± He chuckled at the pout on his friend¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I need to get home to the wife and son.¡± He winked at his friend whose face immediately squeezed in irritation.

    ¡°Eww, you sound like an old man. Well,¡± Rick sighed and pushed himself up. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to do¡­ whatever those files contain. You¡¯re not going to listen to me.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye Roderick, you should go get a wife, it would do you good. I may sound like an old man, but you are the old one. Aren¡¯t you way past thirty already? Soon, you¡¯ll be clocking forty, and you are not exactly Greek god material to attract all the girls, your hairline is not to write home about and you-¡±

    ¡°I get it, enough with the insult, I won¡¯t bother you again.¡± Gideon smiled, but he knew Roderick would be back the next day, it had be like a daily ritual. Roderick ended his rtionship of five years with his ex-girlfriend, Cynthia, a few months ago. Ever since he saw that she had gotten a new boyfriend, he had turned to clubbing and drinking and just needed Gideon beside him to be his drinking buddy once again. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Sure, take care.¡± The minute Roderick left, he reached for his telephone, phoning the front office for his PA.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    A knock came a few minutester and the door was pushed open. ¡°Good afternoon sir,¡± the youngdy greeted timidly. Gideon frowned, eyeing her for a moment. He had asked for his assistant, but he was facing someone else. ¡°I brought the files that you asked for.¡±

    ¡°What files? Who are you, where is my PA?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± She looked around the room awkwardly, avoiding the intense-looking eyes Gideon had on her. ¡°Sir you might have forgotten but I¡¯m signing in for Anne, she¡¯s on a vacation, remember?¡±

    ¡°Oh right, I forgot about that¡­ sorry. Drop the files over there¡­¡± He pointed to a table at a far corner of the room, where some books were dumped. They were neatly arranged on the table, next to a picture frame of Gideon, Ellie, and little Rayn. ¡°I¡¯ll get to itter¡­ is there a problem?¡± He asked when he noticed the way she was staring at the frame in shock.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she apologized, jumping a bit, her face was flushed in an embarrassment of being caught staring. ¡°This woman, is she your wife? I¡¯m sorry for asking, it¡¯s just that she was a very good friend of mine back in secondary school.¡±

    Gideon rxed a little after hearing that. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Emilia right?¡± Gideon nodded. ¡°Help me extend my greetings to her.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± he muttered watching her leave. Minutes after she was gone, Gideon still found himself staring straight at the door, at the sound of the long hand striking two, he was pulled out of his thoughts and slowly his eyes moved to the picture frame. He pushed his chair back getting up.

    Unlike Ellie who makes it known every day how great her life was, Gideon couldn¡¯t say the same. He loved his wife very much, and this feeling had nothing much to do with her, but having a family came with responsibilities. They¡¯re both so dedicated to these responsibilities they barely had time for each other. They hadn¡¯t gone on a date in months and whenever he suggested it, Emilia was always worried about Rayn although Estelle was around to take care of the child. He also wished she would try more in taking care of herself. Before she was someone he could show off proudly and he wasn¡¯t ashamed of his wife but nowadays she was always looking wild and untamed, nothing like the woman he remembered marrying.

    She was in the kitchen when he arrived, Estelle was nowhere around, but there was something on fire. She smiled when she saw him walking in, and immediately reached behind her to take off the dirty apron. ¡°Hey, how was work? You¡¯re home early.¡±

    ¡°Well, since there¡¯s no one who could fire me, why not use the sweet privileged.¡± Heid a kiss on her forehead and went on to pick up Rayn who had been drawing with crayons beside Emmalia¡¯s leg. ¡°How is the little prince doing today?¡±

    ¡°He misses his Dada,¡± Emmalia muttered, watching them y around. ¡°I¡¯m still surprised you¡¯re home by this time. Lately, your work seems to be the only thing you consider important.¡± She frowned, crossing her arms before her. Though she had been excited at first when Gideon decided to start going to the office daily and she had supported this, but after the first few months she regretted ever doing that and she didn¡¯t fail to sleep this known to him.

    Gideon sighed, looking at her from Rayn¡¯s chubby cheeks. ¡°Where is thating from?¡±

    ¡°Oh please Gideon, don¡¯t act like I¡¯m throwing you a serious usation here, it¡¯s the truth.¡±

    ¡°I saw a friend of yours at work today,¡± he decided to say instead.

    ¡°A friend?¡±

    ¡°She said you two attended the same high school? Her name is¡­¡± Gideon paused as he remembered he didn¡¯t know the name of his new PA.

    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡±

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. She¡¯s uh¡­ really pretty.¡± Emmalia crossed her arms before her, cocking her head a bit to the right. ¡°Calm down, I¡¯m not good at describing people,¡± he said quickly before she sent him an using look. ¡°Long hair, one of the brightest green eyes, and freckles over her face. She had this Australian ent and uh¡­ a really big breast.¡±

    ¡°Judy?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her name.¡±

    She cocked her head to the side in disbelief. ¡°You don¡¯t know the name of your PA, but you know she has a big breast? You are unbelievable Gideon.¡±

    ¡°Hey, they were really big, you should have seen them.¡± But she was already walking away, not listening to anything he had to say.

 CHAPTER 27

    Emmalia sighed in frustration, cing the tin back. ¡°Rayn they don¡¯t have your milk here¡­ we¡¯ll have to visit yet another store.¡± He let out a little burp as a response, but honestly, it looked like he couldn¡¯t care less the type of milk his mother bought. ¡°Come on, we have to get home and help your aunt Estelle before your father arrives.¡± Gideon didn¡¯t like her doing chores since she dedicated all her time to the table, he hired a youngdy who came every day. She helped with the shopping and dishes, whole Emmalia took care of Rayn, but today she had decided to have a little exercise and went out shopping herself.

    ¡°Do you need help with that?¡± The driver who had been following her around asked, referring to the stroller she was struggling to push. It wasn¡¯t a problem for her at first, but she really bought lots of unnecessary things that she may never use and soon she had a mountain of goods before her. ¡°Eh¡­ you take care of the little boy, I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said gratefully, d that he had insisted he followed her when she asked that he waited in the car. ¡°Here,¡± she handed him the card. ¡°Go pay for that, I¡¯ll be with you shortly.¡± He nodded, taking the card and pushing the stroller away.

    When he left, Emmalia heaved a sigh of relief. She needed to make sure she had gotten everything she needed and proceeded to do another walk around the whole supermarket. ¡°Emmalia!¡± A female voice called her name. She paused turning around slowly, a youngdy with bouncing bosoms ran to her, waving her arms excitedly in the air. ¡°Oh my gosh, it is a small world.¡± She chuckled, pausing a bit to catch her breath. ¡°Who would have believed I woulde across you here.¡±

    ¡°Judy?¡± Emmalia asked in disbelief. ¡°Is this you?¡± She let out a shortugh. ¡°Oh wow, I-¡± The words froze in her mouth as Judy pulled her in for a hug.

    ¡°It¡¯s me. You look good girl,¡± sheplimented, eyeing Emmalia up. Though Emmalia smiled, she doubted it, knowing Judy was only trying to be nice. Butpared to Judy, she could say she looked like her maid. ¡°What is the almighty wife of Mr. Gideon Brynch doing here?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me almighty.¡± Emmalia rolled her eyes yfully. ¡°I came to do some shopping¡­ how about you?¡±

    ¡°Same¡­ same. Did your husband send my greeting the other day?¡± Not waiting for Emmalia to reply, she continued. ¡°You know, it is a dream to work for your husband, I¡¯ve had a huge crush on him for years.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Emmalia didn¡¯t know the response to give that. ¡°That¡¯s surprising information.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, then I heard he was married and I remember cussing his wife with my friends.¡± Sheughed. ¡°But seeing that it¡¯s you, I take back everything I said a year ago. I¡¯m so happy for you, you¡¯re one lucky person, Gideon is everydy¡¯s dream man.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Emmalia grinned nervously. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for years, but all it took was just one encounter and all the memories she shared with Judy came rushing back. They weren¡¯t the best of friends back in high school, but they were in the same friend group. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Judy, I¡¯m afraid I must go now. I need to bath Rayn-¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Judy let out a loud sigh. ¡°Forgive me, I was so excited to see you, my eyes didn¡¯t see this little cutie over here.¡± She reached out to pinch his cheeks, she paused in the action and instead asked. ¡°Can I hold him?¡± Emmalia smiled, handing a squirming Rayn over to Judy. The moment he was safely in her arms, he rxed, though he kept staring at her like she was some alien. ¡°He looks exactly like his father.¡± She grinned, pinching Rayn¡¯s cheeks gently. Emmalia rxed, feeling there was nothing to be worried about. She had felt conscious with Judy seeing her in her current position. Her nails weren¡¯t tidy. Her hair, she knew, was looking very rough and she was well aware of the little weight she had added. She was reminded of it whenever she tried to put on a pair of jeans, or a gown she would have yed in the past.

    Not all old friends mean well,  she had met a few in the past and although they said nice things to her face, there was always more to say behind her back. ¡°He does look like his father. Listen, maybe we could meet up someday for a drink? Or dinner? We could catch up on other things¡­ that¡¯s if you aren¡¯t too busy.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, we should. OK, I¡¯ll give you my card, just give me a call whenever you  are free and we could make ns?¡±

    ¡°OK.

    ~~~

    ¡°Emmalia won¡¯t be happy about this,¡± Gideon said to Roderick as they walked into the club.

    ¡°Come on, just one drink. Also, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re going out of town, this is your club Gideon,¡± Roderick said waving to someone in the crowd then he turned to Gideon. ¡°It¡¯s not like you are going to cheat on her or something. Don¡¯t get too drunk and do something stupid.¡±

    ¡°I should be telling you that, you¡¯re the lightweight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m free to do stupid things. I don¡¯t have a girlfriend or wife waiting for me at home.¡±

    ¡°Roderick are you going to let me have this one drink or keep reminding me of reasons why I shouldn¡¯t be here¡­ Isn¡¯t that Judy?¡± He whispered as his eyes caught sight of someone that bore a strong resemnce to his PA. ¡°It¡¯s Judy?¡±

    ¡°Who is Judy?¡± Rick asked, his eyes searching through the crowd, till itnded on the woman who was now staring back at them. ¡°Oh, Judy.¡±

    ¡°You know her?¡±

    ¡°Yes, shees here every weekend¡­ she¡¯s a wild one.¡± He added, sounding a little cautious.

    ¡°She¡¯s my PA and a friend of Emmalia.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Judy greeted when she got here. ¡°You¡¯re thest person I¡­ Oh sorry, this is your club after all. I just wanted to stop by and greet, also I hope this won¡¯t be awkward when we go back to work on Monday?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just not bring work up. I have no control of your life when it isn¡¯t working hours.¡± She nodded with a smile, but thinking that she would leave, she stayed behind inside still staring straight at Gideon. Roderick who was standing beside Gideon suddenly felt invincible, and like he was interrupting or a third wheel to something going on as Judy didn¡¯t even acknowledge his presence.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± She nced to Roderick like she was expecting him to leave, he took this hint, and without a word to Gideon, Roderick turned to walk away. Gideon moved to follow but Judy¡¯s arm stop him. ¡°Sorry to disturb you, but would you like to get a drink with me?¡±

    ¡°A drink? Judy that wouldn¡¯t be appropriate, I¡¯m your boss.¡±

    ¡°I know, but you are also the husband of my friend and you did say when it isn¡¯t office hours, you aren¡¯t my boss anymore,¡± she reminded him. ¡°Come on, we will just be like two friends having a drink, there¡¯s no harm in that right? And I¡¯m sure Emmalia wouldn¡¯t mind.¡±

    Gideon was about to refuse, but then he thought about it. He decided it would be best to hang out with Judy than Roderick who he was sure would get him drunk to stupor. He knew Emmalia would be very angry if he came back home too drunk to count his fingers. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s have a drink¡­ that wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She beamed. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the bar.¡±

    ~~~

 CHAPTER 28

    ¡°He¡¯s still not answering his calls?¡± Estelle asked, watching a pacing Emmalia from where she sat, rocking Rayn to sleep.

    ¡°No, still no answer,¡± she told her. ¡°Gideon promised that he would be home early today. He said he was finishing up with work and will be home early, so what¡¯s holding him back?¡±

    ¡°Calm down, maybe he had something to finish up at work, he¡¯ll be back soon-¡± She paused Emmalia raised her hand.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me¡­ I wanted to ask, is my husband still in his office? My husband? My husband is your boss¡­ Mr. Brynch!¡± Emmalia snapped after the secretary kept asking her questions which only provoked her. ¡°This is Emmalia speaking,¡± she said, this time in a much gentler tone. ¡°He already left? When?¡± Her tone went back to its high pitch. ¡°Hours ago? Ok, thank you¡­ No, no problem, it¡¯s fine.¡± After that, she ended the call, an annoyed look on her face.

    ¡°Is he on his way home?¡± Estelle asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Emmalia shrugged. ¡°But I doubt it. ording to his secretary, he left hours ago. It¡¯s a thirty-minute drive from the office to home, even the traffic wouldn¡¯t hold him for hours, he has gone to only God knows where and that¡¯s why he isn¡¯t answering my calls,¡± when she finished she was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling in anger.

    ¡°Calm down Emmalia-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not even angry, I¡¯m just disappointed. I was hoping he would be home early, then we could watch a movie or something. He used to make time beforeing home early, buttely¡­ I hardly even see him nowadays, he is out early in the morning and returns when I¡¯m off to bed. Give me Rayn, you should go sleep, I¡¯m heading up.¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± Estelle muttered, handing a sleeping Rayn over to her. ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°Night.¡±

    When Gideon returned home that night Estelle was waiting for him in the living room, looking worried. She didn¡¯t see him at first, so he used that moment to check himself out in the mirror ced at the entrance of the living room. He ran his fingers through his hair to make them a little less rough-looking before he proceeded. ¡°Hey, why are you still up by this time, it¡¯s alreadyte.¡±

    ¡°Gideon, where have you been?¡± She rushed to him. ¡°Emmalia has been worried sick about you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He apologized. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have waited.¡±

    ¡°Go apologize to her, not me. She was looking forward to you two spending the evening together. She even baked some cookies in excitement and you disappointed.¡± She raised her hands to stop him before he could provide any exnation. ¡°Any exnation you have, go give it to your wife. I¡¯m going to sleep, goodnight.¡± She pinched his arm on her way out.

    ¡°Ouch, that hurt.¡± He sighed. ¡°Goodnight Estelle.¡± After she was gone, he proceeded upstairs. The passage was dark, but a bright light seeped from the small space under the door of the master bedroom. ¡°She¡¯s still up?¡± The moment he opened the door, Emmalia¡¯s eyes flew open, scaring Gideon.

    ¡°He finally returns,¡± she muttered, sitting up while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. ¡°I thought you nned to stay out till the next morning. Did you have fun, wherever you went?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Sorry, I had a busy time at work. I had to stay back.¡± He let out a yawn. ¡°You should go back to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Had a busy time at work? That isn¡¯t what your secretary said when I called.¡± Gideon froze, he turned around slowly to face Emmalia who was now fully awake. ¡°What, cat got your tongue?¡±

    ¡°You called my secretary?¡±

    ¡°Of course I did, I wasn¡¯t supposed to? You said you would be back early yesterday yet you weren¡¯t and to make things worse¡­ excuse me.¡± She pushed the duvet back, turning to see the time clearly on the big clock behind her. ¡°It¡¯s a few minutes to two, you came back even past your usual time. So, are you going to continue with the lie or you¡¯re going to tell me where you¡¯ve been? And please don¡¯t lie to me again, you¡¯re already making me sound like an insecure wife.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I lied, I¡¯m sorry. I went out for a drink with the boys. It¡¯s been a while and I decided I would go out with them tonight. We stopped at the club, had a few drinks, got to talking, and here I am. I wasn¡¯t with my watch so I didn¡¯t check the time.¡±

    Emmalia softened after that. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you say so at first? Why did you have to lie? I¡¯m not your mother Gideon, I won¡¯t beat you if you decide to go clubbing with your best friend. You shouldn¡¯t hide stuff from me, I¡¯m your wife.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry. Am I forgiven?¡± He took off his tie, walking over to her slowly.

    A smile pulled at Emmalia¡¯s lips, but she shook her head and said in a firm voice, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, you stink of alcohol. Also, my mouth is bitter, you can¡¯t kiss me.¡±

    ¡°Urrgh,¡± he grumbled. ¡°I have missed you. We should go out sometime Emmalia.¡±

    ¡°We could go on a date this Friday?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°No.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I was thinking more like a week at Hawai? Just the two of us, we could leave Rayn with your parents and Estelle?¡± He suggested.

    ¡°No, no, we don¡¯t need to do that. I agree that we need to make out more time for each other, but we don¡¯t have to travel the whole way to Hawaii for that. Whenever you¡¯re free, we could go out with Rayn, have a little pic at the park. OK?¡± Gideon let out a low grunt as a reply. ¡°Will you be free on Friday? My mum is holding a small party for the new shop, she wanted to know if you¡¯ll be able to make it.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll be too busy, you go with Rayn.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would be busy,¡± she muttered. ¡°Anyways goodnight,¡± she said and rolled to her side. ¡°Off the light whenever you¡¯re done.¡± Gideon sighed, wishing he could say more so they wouldn¡¯t just go to bed with her being disappointed.

    ¡°Goodnight,¡± he said instead.

    ~~~

    Gideon sighed in relief as no news of him came out in the papers, that has been the only thing on his mind that morning. He was extra carefulst night and had taken Judy to the VIP section for privacy, but sometimes they still managed to catch a little snippet of him. Nothing happened between him and Judyst night, but it almost did. It was why when he felt the sudden urge to kiss Judy he knew he had to get the hell out of there. Judy was a beautiful woman, he hade across hundreds of beautiful women, but since he met Emmalia he had never been attracted to a single one, till Judy.

    She entered his office that morning with a bright smile. Her smile wasn¡¯t the only different thing, Gideon was well aware of her dressing that day. Usually, she wore a decent-looking gown and always had her hair straight, but that morning it was obvious that she had gone the extra miles in her looks. Her hair was curled and styled to the side now, which did justice with the aid of the makeup she had on in helping to pop her eyes out. Her body was wrapped in a gown that was a little on the inappropriate side for what one should wear to the office. The ck gown was short and tight, it also didn¡¯t help that she wasn¡¯t wearing any bra and he could see her nipples. ¡°Good morning,¡± she greeted in a cheery voice. ¡°How was your night?¡±

    He cleared his throat. ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to thank you forst night. I¡¯ve always wanted to enter the VIP section, but it¡¯s always fully booked whenever I try. Also, I had funst night, I can¡¯t believe I got to party with Mr. Brynch himself. I know it¡¯s crazy, but whenever you are free, if you want, we could go out again?¡±

    ¡°No, no Judy, stop. This isn¡¯t the club anymore, we¡¯re back at work, you can¡¯t speak ofst night.¡±

    She pouted, but it was quickly reced with a smile. ¡°Oh, I understand.¡± She opened her bag which hung from her shoulders and brought out a ck tie. ¡°I just wanted to give you your tie, you left that in the club yesterday before you hurried away. I was calling you back, but you were in such a hurry you didn¡¯t hear me.

    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s where I left it. Listen, Judy, can you not tell my wife aboutst night?¡±

    ¡°Last night?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she wouldn¡¯t like that much, so can you not tell her?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Gideon left out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good, you may leave now.

 CHAPTER 29

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t, sorry.¡±

    ¡°Come on Emmalia, we¡¯re just going to get our nails done and have a good time. I¡¯m not asking you to run away with me to Mars.¡± It¡¯s been two weeks since Emmalia ran into Judy, and they had been talking since then. They had be close friends, and with Lily away, Judy was bing the closest thing Emmalia now had to a best friend. That afternoon, Judy decided to visit and wasn¡¯t nning on leaving till she had sessfully dragged Emmalia out of the house. ¡°You could bring your son if you want, or you could just leave him with Estelle. You have to let little Rayn learn to live on his own. If you keep sticking to him like glue, what then will happen when he finally goes to school. He is going to be so used to being with you, it would be hard for him to cope with the new surrounding, you have to start now.¡±

    ¡°OK, I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Emmalia said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Estelle we are going out. Rayn is asleep at the moment, so everything should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Exactly¡­ what of your husband, is he in?¡±

    ¡°No, Gideon left with his friends. Come on,¡± she grabbed hold of Judy¡¯s wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s get these nails done, it¡¯s been ages.¡±

    ~~~

    ¡°Things must be hard for you. I don¡¯t think I want to get married anytime soon,¡± Judy saidter at the salon. They were both resting on saloon chairs with a neck massager on their neck, while the salon girls tended to their nails. ¡°I can¡¯t handle a kid and a husband is thest thing on my mind. You are so strong, juggling both.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t that difficult,¡± Emmalia chuckled. ¡°And things aren¡¯t hard for me. It was a little too much at first, but you get the hang of it after the first few months. It is nice to be out, I haven¡¯t had time to take care of myself in ages.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± thedy who was painting their nails interrupted. ¡°Which would you like?¡± She asked holding out color samples.

    ¡°Red,¡± Emmalia said immediately. ¡°Gideon loves red on a woman¡­ It¡¯s his thing,¡± she said thest part to Judy. ¡°It¡¯s why I mostly wear red when we go on dates.¡±

    ¡°Really? I¡­ I would like red too.¡± She told thedy handling her. ¡°We could twin, just like we did back in high school.¡± Emmalia nodded, not thinking much of that.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°So, how are things like at the office between you two? He did mention things were a little awkward at first when he found that we were friends.¡± The first day Judy came to visit, she had met Gideon at home and they had both avoided each other like the gue. Emmalia had suspected that it was because they weren¡¯t used to seeing each other in other environments than the office. It also hasn¡¯t escaped her how Gideon always came up with excuses of things that he had to do when she told him Judy wasing over.

    ¡°We get along well now.¡± Judy giggled. ¡°But your husband is amazing, he¡¯s the best person I¡¯ve ever worked for. It has always been my dream to meet him, never did I think I would one day be working for him.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Emmalia smirked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think my friend was such a huge fan of my husband.¡±

    ¡°Oh, she is. But he is taken now, so of course, he¡¯s off-limit. But remember I¡¯m single, if he has any rich cousins or friends, don¡¯t fail to bring them to me.¡±

    ¡°No problem. So where are you going after this?¡±

    ¡°To meet up with a friend at the club.¡±

    ¡°A friend? Male or female?¡±

    ¡°Male.¡± Judy grinned. ¡°He¡¯s married actually,¡± she added.

    Emmalia gave a side-look. ¡°But he¡¯s just a friend right?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Emmalia frowned but decided not to get involved. She didn¡¯t know much about Judy¡¯s personal life and didn¡¯t want to get involved, though she would have liked to advise Judy not to try anything with the married man, she didn¡¯t know the full story so she kept quiet.

    Gideon was filled with guilt, going to the club was supposed to be a once in a blue moon thing. After the birth of his son, he had tried to focus more on his business. He knew the time hase for him to be responsible and focus more on his family, that¡¯s why he had abandoned his old life. He could only imagine how angry Emmalia would be when she found out that her husband was going out clubbing with someone she called a friend. He didn¡¯t know, but her anger wouldn¡¯t bepared to how betrayed she would feel when she found out the desires this friend was arousing in him.

    ¡°Will you like to dance?¡± She asked again.

    ¡°No, no, I have to go.¡± He removed her arm from his. He wanted to, but he didn¡¯t know who was watching. Someone from the news could be around and he didn¡¯t want a picture of him dancing with Judy to grace the papers tomorrow. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at work tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Did I do something wrong? Maybe we could just go straight to my apartment and grab that coffee?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should have coffee together. Judy¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°What are we doing? What¡¯s this, Emmalia is your friend, I¡¯m her husband and your boss, we shouldn¡¯t be here together.¡±

    She was quiet for a while but spoke up before he could walk away. ¡°But we aren¡¯t doing anything wrong.¡±

    He scoffed, rolling his eyes. ¡°Really? Judy if Ie to your apartment for coffee, is that all we are going to have?¡± The blush on her face gave him his answer. Gideon hissed. ¡°I have to go, this can never happen again.¡±

    ¡°Wait, before you head home, can you at least give me a ride to my house? I can¡¯t catch a cab, I¡¯m drunk and I don¡¯t want to be taken advantage of. It¡¯s an ugly experience I never wish to experience again.¡±

    He didn¡¯t think about his reply twice. ¡°Sure,e on, I¡¯ll drop you home.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The ride home was really quiet, Judy had tried to start a conversation but Gideon didn¡¯t entertain her, instead, he turned on the radio, but turned it off after only Romantic songs seemed to be the theme of the night. ¡°Uh¡­ so Liam, the guy who you used to see, you never exined why you two aren¡¯t together anymore.¡±

    ¡°He¡­ we broke up. His fault, not mine,¡± she said in a nonchnt tone, reaching forward to tune off the radio.

    ¡°Really?¡± Gideon said once they were in silence. ¡°What happened between you two, I already know you aren¡¯t together, that doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±

    ¡°He cheated on me with some woman from work. I went on a little vacation with y family, came back to find him canoodling with her on our bed.¡± Though she tried to sound like she didn¡¯t care, Gideon couldn¡¯t hear the hurt in her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t even care about him cheating on me, it¡¯s the woman he did it with. She was no Angelina Jolie, and I just asked myself what exactly he could have seen in her, or what she gave him that I couldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he muttered. Gideon couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Judy could have experienced being cheated on and still it seemed like she was encouraging him to cheat on his wife. He remembered how hurt he was when Emmalia had shared one kiss with his driver. Being cheated on was not a good feeling, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t understand why she would want that for her friend, his wife.

    She shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t be, you¡¯re not the one who cheated. If you ask me, good riddance to bad rubbish right? I was looking for a reason to end the rtionship, and he gave me a strong one. Also, he got a taste of his own medicine a few months ago, after she cheated on him with his best friend.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting story.¡± He cleared his throat and focused back on the road.

    ¡°Yeah, how about you, how did Emmalia get her hands on someone like you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. We met at the club also¡­ had one night together, she got pregnant for me, things happened and soon we were getting married.¡±

    ¡°Just like that?¡± She sounded surprised. ¡°You two met in the club?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Look, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Gideon slowly drove the car to a stop, just beside the mail-stand before the apartment building. ¡°Now, you know where I live.¡± She giggled, reaching for her bag at the back of the car. ¡°It isn¡¯t much, but it¡¯s nice andfy. You should try out my bed sometimes, it¡¯s really-¡±

    ¡°Judy.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stop. But if you ever need anything, you know where to find me.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t need anything.¡±

    ¡°You sure about that?¡± She leaned close to his neck, taking a light sniff. ¡°Why are you so stiff, do I make you nervous?¡±

    ¡°Goodnight Judy.¡±

    Sheughed in pure delight, enjoying herself. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave Mr. Brynch, you don¡¯t want to keep your wife waiting.¡± The second she left the car, Gideon sped away immediately.

 CHAPTER 30

    NEW YORK CITY:

    To say Emma was furious would be an understatement, she was beyond furious, maddening even. What business did Gideon have dropping  Judy home? Had he been with her most of the night? Why was he even with her at the first ce? Emma didn¡¯t know what to think of the pictures that were currently resting on her palms. She really didn¡¯t want to think too much into it, Judy was her friend after all. But the picture were saying otherwise, the first one looked as though her husband and Judith were going to share a kiss, the second was of him pulling away. When Judith has gushed about how much she admired Gideon, Emma had only seen it as apliment, she didn¡¯t think she would actually think of trying to have something with him. She shuddered at the thought. Gideon could never do such a thing to her. But deep down inside her, she was having doubts. The door to the shower room flung opened and Gideon steeped out with only a white towel wrapped around his waist. On a different day she would have stopped to admire the way droplets of water cascaded his body. But not today, first thing first.

    ¡°I got a delivery¡± she began. Gideon¡¯s attention turned to his wife, his face showingplete confusion but his body went rigid as though he was was scared of what the delivery was. Emma noticed his reaction and decided to press on

    ¡°They were pictures¡± at this statement, Gideon became scared shitless. Of course nothing had happened between him and Judy at the bar but he knew exactly how Emma would react, over exaggerate, that¡¯s what she would do and that is exactly what  is going to happen now. Gideon swallowed down the saliva and asked

    ¡°Pictures? What pictures?¡± He knew exactly what she was talking about and in some way he knew she knew, but then again what if she was talking about something else, that was the prayer coursing through Gideon¡¯s mind as he watch a sinister smile grace his wife¡¯s face. Before he could react, Emma sprung up suddenly from the bed, two sets of pictures in each hand. She walked furiously towards him, eyes filled with extreme anger as she shoved the pictures against his chest. With trembling hands he took the pictures and was bbergasted at what he saw. How could this happen? He thought he was as discreet as he could be when he dropped Judy homest night. He watched literally every second if the press was around to take any incriminating pictures and yet look how unsessful he was about it. Clutching the pictures with absolute disbelief and distaste, Gideon started back at his wife with wide eyes

    ¡°Emma, darling, it is not what it looks like, not all all, you have to believe me¡± Gideon tried to exin, his voiceing off panicked and rushed. Emma just starred at him, honestly not knowing what to think of it. After two minutes of maddening silence. Gideon spoke up again.

    ¡°I met her at my bar, she was drunk and requested I take her home, I swear Emma that¡¯s it¡± he further exined making sure to leave out the part of him sharing a drink with Judy, he didn¡¯t know how the situation was going to end, he¡¯d rather not worsen it. Silent Emma was an unpredictable and dangerous person all at once. For some reason Emma believed him. Gideon used it as an advantage to convince her that he¡¯d never do such a thing to her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you seeing Judy anymore, not outside the office not even at work¡± Emma dered, she thought Judy was her friend but obviously she had though wrong. She is a risk to her marital life and she doesn¡¯t want her around her husband anymore. Gideon on the other hand was not in support of this. He saw no reason why he should fire Judy because she was making sexual advances towards him which he knew would never lead to anything. He wouldn¡¯t allow it. He understood where his wife wasing from but she needed to trust him and keep her insecurities in check.

    ¡± I honestly don¡¯t second that¡± Gideon voiced out. Emma¡¯s attention shot to her husband.

    ¡°You don¡¯t second it? Why can¡¯t you second it!?¡± Emma practically screamed at disbelief. Gideon just sighed, he knew this was going to happen anyways no matter which angle he took.

    ¡± Look Emma, Judy is a good secretary and I can¡¯t let her loose because of some stupid pictures, yourck of trust for me and insecurities¡± Emma¡¯s jaw was practically on the floor now. Did he just say that? She could feel the tears brimming at her eyes but she held them in.

    ¡°Or because you have something going on with her¡± Emma murmured her voice sad. Gideon was in no mood for her drama. He was being an ass right now and that he knew but at this point he was angry frustrated because he was beginning to realize that he indeed was feeling attracted to Judy.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Maybe if you could dress like the woman I met at the barst night, I wouldn¡¯t want to sleep with my secretary¡± The words were out before he could stop them, of course he didn¡¯t want to sleep with Judy and he had no reason why he had said that. The words were like a blow to her face, she sunk down on the bed and said nothing, the possibility of Gideon actually having an affair with Judy surfacing. She watched as Gideon picked up a pair of shirt and shorts and headed back to the shower room to put it on. Emma closed her eyes trying to stop the migraine that was starting to form and control the tears from slipping out of her eyes. Gideon came out of the restroom fully clothed and left the room without even sparing her a nce or telling her where he was off to. Once he was out, Emma lied t on the bed and let the tears freely out of her eyes.

 CHAPTER 31: ALLIES

    ¡°Are you sure all the red ones I picked are exactly the ones  you¡¯ve stuck up there? ¡± Judy asked the attendant of Prada¡¯s lingering store who stood in front of the counter. The plumpdy gave a half smile and said ¡°Your partner sure loves red huh? ¡± Judy giggled without a word. ¡± It¡¯s obvious.  Everything here is red. ¡± the plump attendant added handing over the package to Judy who smiled and left the store. ¡®I can¡¯t wait to put it on for Gideon. ¡® she thought. ¡®He loves red, I¡¯ll give him red. ¡® she muttered to herself.

    ¡°Come in. The door is open. ¡± Judy replied after her door bell rang. It was few minutes past 10pm. She had just taken a bath and had a robe around her. ¡°I¡¯ve been expecting you. ¡± she told her guest who crashed into her sofa. ¡°I had a long day. Atst I am here. ¡± he replied after giving out a loud groan. ¡°You know thefort I derive from my hectic day? ¡± he asked her and continued. ¡°I get to drive her all day at her beg and call yet don¡¯t get tired. Those sparkling eyes of hers. The soothing fragrance that just lits the car sets my heart on fire and¡­ ¡± ¡°Okay man. ¡± interrupted Judy. ¡°It¡¯s obvious Emma has charmed you to the core. ¡± she said. He grinned and replied. ¡°She had always charmed my boss not me. I am just her driver. Meanwhile, I don¡¯t mind driving her all my life till my guy gets to drive into her. ¡± he dered with a twinkle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act all saintly here. You are more obsessed than I am Judy. ¡± revealed Mel. ¡°Yes Mel. I am obsessed. I want Gideon more than I want any damn thing in this life and I swear I¡¯ll get him no matter what it takes. ¡± she dered adjusting her robe. ¡°Coffee? ¡± she asked Mel who nodded in approval.  ¡°Your curtains. ¡± he began as Judy went to get the coffee. ¡°It has changed. You used grey ones right? I can bet they look exactly like  the ones we have at Gideon¡¯s Mansion. ¡± said Mel whose eyes were rolling round Judy¡¯s living room.

    Judy smiled and handed Mel¡¯s coffee to him. ¡°You bad girl. ¡± said Mel with a smile while collecting the coffee. ¡°You are willing to do anything to drag this man out of his matrimony right? ¡± She sat opposite Mel and said. ¡°This body will do it¡¯s work but the structures need to be suiting too. I don¡¯t just want Gideon in my bed. I want his senses, his demands, his ideology and all his entirety. ¡± she professed. ¡°So the sooner we take out the garbage, the better for us Mel cause I am running out of patience man. ¡± she said after cing her empty cup of coffee on the stool beside her.

    ¡°Careful mate. You might go insane. ¡± Mel warned.¡± She chuckled really loud and said. ¡°I¡¯ll go insane at all cost for this man.¡± ¡°I want him and that¡¯s it. ¡± she said. ¡°And the garbage? ¡± Mel retorted requesting for an answer. ¡°We will get rid of her. We are just at the friend zone now as she assumes. I can¡¯t wait to get into the maniption phase. ¡± Judy told Mel. ¡°In as much as you are fighting for your interest, I am struggling for guy¡¯s interest too. Hence Judy. That garbage is scared to the guy am working for. ¡± Said Mel staring directly into Judy¡¯s eyes. She nodded. ¡°Chill. We have an understanding. ¡± she said. ¡°We always do. ¡± she added.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s talk. ¡± said Mel after sitting up properly. ¡°The n still stands.¡± Judy said. ¡°I seduce Mr. Perfect, You tip your guy with info to win over Mrs. Vulnerable. ¡± she added. ¡°I know but your hot body can¡¯t do the whole work. ¡± Mel protested. ¡°Wait till he gets a taste of this model. ¡± she boasted. ¡°Ohe on Judy. I live in that house and I know the depth of the bond this two share.¡± Mel argued. ¡°Oh shut up and don¡¯t go weak on me. ¡± Judy screamed. ¡°Weak?  Oh you are calling me weak now? ¡± said Mel who was standing up and screaming. ¡°Easy Man.. Hey!  Stay Calm. It¡¯s okay. ¡± she said in a calm voice trying to cool down his already burning temper. It worked. Mel sunk back into the sofa while Judy crossed her legs feeling high over her ability to tame wild men.

    ¡°You know I left my well paying job and became a pauper right? ¡± said Mel. ¡°I know. ¡± Judy replied while nodding. ¡± It¡¯s not everyday youe across a man who chose to be a driver to the woman his brother is hopelessly in love with. ¡± He said sounding broken and Judy was afraid she could experience a torrential flow of tears by this man. ¡®Is his cousin the only one hopelessly in love here? Does he know how crazy she¡¯s going for Gideon? ¡® she wondered.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°You know? ¡± began Judy. ¡°I almost had him. ¡± she stated resting her back against the sofa shutting her eyes as if she was mind_traveling . ¡°Yea You told me. Emma ruined it all. ¡± said Mel. ¡°I deserve to be Mrs. Gideon not her. I saw him at that g before her and next thing i found out, they were getting married in a week. ¡± she said with bloodshot eyes scaring Mel for a while. ¡°You¡¯ll have him. You¡¯ll have the love of your life soonest. ¡± Mel assured her. ¡°You will all get what you deserve  Judy. he added. ¡°As long as we keep all hands on deck and go with the n. ¡± she said. ¡°In a week, Gideon will be all mine. Mine alone. ¡± she said smiling and licking her lips as she imagined the life she¡¯s been tirelessly plotting to create.

    ¡°My cousin will have that woman no matter what it takes. I¡¯ll make sure it happens even if it¡¯s thest thing I do for him¡± Mel said to her. ¡°Good.¡± replied Judy. ¡°It¡¯s time to get our hands dirty. ¡± she added.

 CHAPTER 32: DOUBLE THOUGHTS

    Gideon hurried into his office leaving the key inside the door lock. He had woken up veryte that morning. In fact, he even skipped breakfast which obviously made Emma mad that morning. ¡®He will make it up to her. ¡® he told himself. He had some business partners to meet that morning and he needed to get to the office that morning  as soon as possible and get his papers ready. He even forgot to kiss Emma hat morning. Not even a peck on her cheek, forehead or neck. He always tells her she is his good luck charm and every morning kiss from her brightens his day especially when he had business meetings or deals to strike.

    Gideon had once med his wife after he lost a court case over the rights of one of his clubsst year. That time, they quarreled and weren¡¯t on speaking terms for the period of one week. She never went with him to the court. Throughout the hearing period of the case to the final verdict, Emma wouldn¡¯t talk to him and for a week he didn¡¯t give her the usual morning kiss. After he lost the case, he jokingly med it on her which she in turn med in on pregnancy hormones. He was d they finally made up even though he lost the case. His wife¡¯s happiness supersedes the case. ¡°To hell with the case. ¡± he had told her.

    He quickly sat in his chair and began fiddling the neatly ced file on his table which his secretary had ced earlier. Gideon immediately lifted up his head after he heard the door mming. Judy had entered his office and locked the door from the inside and before he couldprehend what was going on, she had ced the key inside her bosom which were protruded before him. Gideon was stunned with his mouth wide opened. He quickly turned the other way averting his gaze from Judy¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Well we are both adults here¡­ So.. ¡± began Judy. ¡°What are you saying? ¡± asked Gideon. He was marveling at Judy¡¯s audacity. He stretched his head and was looking from left to right in a tensed manner. ¡°Calm down. Gideon. No one is here. The key is with me or should I say in me. You can take it out. ¡± she said chuckling presenting her bosoms to him. ¡°You are insane Judy. What are you doing? ¡± hemented. ¡°Well. ¡± said Judy as she came closer to him. ¡°Stop. ¡± he screamed. ¡°Hey calm down else you¡¯ll pull a crowd in here. ¡± she said. I¡¯m not going any further. ¡± she assured him then sat by the edge of his table.

    ¡°Listen Judy. I am expecting some business partners in less than fifteen minutes. ¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for games. ¡± Gideon told her. ¡°Fifteen minutes is enough time to get a quickie done. ¡± she replied while Gideon looked at her in amazement. ¡°What is wrong with you? ¡± he asked. ¡°I am not interested and that¡¯s it. Now get the hell out of my office. ¡± he ordered her but she sat there without moving an inch. ¡°Gideon. ¡± she called out to him. ¡°Mr. Gideon. ¡± he corrected her. ¡°I am your boss. ¡± he added.

    ¡°Ok Sir. Gideon. ¡® she said lifting her hands up. ¡°Sir. ¡± she began after licking her lips. ¡°I see you Mr. Gideon. I see right through you. ¡± she told him staring directly into his eyes. ¡°You may not want me but your little man does. ¡± she told him. Gideon immediately lowered his head. She was telling the truth. His heart leapt the moment he saw her chest which was barely covered. When she sat by the edge of his table, her bareps made him hard. ¡°I am not a whore Mr. Gideon. ¡± she said. ¡°Fine then quit acting like one. ¡± he told her. ¡°My wife is your friend. For God sake do I have to remind you? ¡± he added.

    ¡°I am just responding to natures call. ¡± she said. ¡°I want to ease your tension because I believe it is rising as the day goes by. I need to help you. I want to release you from the shackles of sexual starvation. ¡± she said in a low erotic tone while bending over to him to an extent that her breast nearly felt out. Her nipples stood firm. They weren¡¯t strapped by a bra.  Gideon got more harder and cleared his throat. ¡°I am not sexually starved. ¡± he managed to say. ¡°Why do your pupils dte when I look into them? Why did your temperature rise the moment I stepped in here? Why do you stutter when I touch you? ¡± she asked him. Gideon didn¡¯t say a word. She smiled. She must have caught him. She thought.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I know you want me as much as I want you Mr. Gideon. Stop prolonging this and quit straining our desires. ¡± she said while getting up. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. I¡¯ll be at the conference hall. You need your Personal Assistant in that meeting after all.¡± She said with a smile. ¡°I want you to know that I¡¯ll be there whenever you need me. ¡± Gideon wasn¡¯t sure whether he was dumbfounded or marveling over Judy¡¯s act. He never imagined she could pull out such a wild act. ¡°When you get home and no one cares about how hard you get at night, know that my nipples are waiting to devoured by you and I¡¯ll be waiting for those orgasms from you.¡± She said. Judy then ced her hands in between her bosoms and brought out Gideon¡¯s key then went to unlock the door. Gideon stared at her back and closed his eyes. She is hot. Hotter than Emma. He knew it.

 CHAPTER 33: THE GENESIS OF INFIDELITY?

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t even sure whether Gideon will make it or not yet I made his special butter cake. ¡± Emma mother said. Emma stared at the beautiful cake ced on the kitchen table. ¡°I am so sorry mother. I wanted Gideon toe but I guess duty calls. ¡± Emma aid. ¡°It¡¯s okay my child. He is a man after all. He has to work to pull resources. ¡± her mother said. Emma gave a faint smile. Gideon can choose not to work for a full year and yet they¡¯ll feed and afford all thefort they desire. He is rich after all. ¡°Hope his schedule isn¡¯t so tight. ¡± Emma¡¯s mother said as if she read her daughter¡¯s mind. ¡°Hope it doesn¡¯t interfere with his responsibilities and your personal life. ¡± her mother said. ¡°We are fine. ¡± Emma lied.

    They weren¡¯t fine. In fact that morning, they had an argument before Emma left to her parent¡¯s ce. Her mother had invited them earlier for a house warming party. Emma had told Gideon about it and she was disappointed when he revealed to her that morning that he had an emergency to deal with in the office. She tried to convince him but Gideon wouldn¡¯t oblige. It got to a point that she used him of being insensitive and cing his job before her family. They argued and Gideon mmed their bedroom door and left after using her of being the insensitive one since she wouldn¡¯t understand at the moment. She dressed little Ryan up and Mel drove them to her parent¡¯s house.

    In as much as she loves the mansion she lives with Gideon and Ryan with, Emma  missed staying with her parents. Her father¡¯s jokes which never got old, her mothers culinary skills and the chit_chat the three of them always had. ¡°Emma get the cup cakes here. ¡± her mother screamed from the backyard which was decorated for the hangout. She arranged the cup cakes in therge bowl and went outside.

    At the backyard, Ryan was on his grandfather¡¯sps. Neighbors had started upying the vacant chairs around. Peter, Emma cousin was handling the barbecue spot. She ced the bowl of cookies on therge table facing everyone and sat close to her father. She winked at Ryan who smiled at her. ¡°Such a cute baby. ¡± a slim womanmented. ¡°Thanks. ¡± Emma replied. ¡°Where is your husband? ¡± the slimdy further asked.  ¡°Uhmm. ¡± began Emma ¡°He had an emergency in the office. ¡± her mother quickly replied. ¡°She looked at her mother and they both nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Look who is here¡± Emma¡¯s father announced while pointing towards Will. Emma¡¯s heart began to beat faster than usual. Thest time she saw Will was about a year ago. Before she had Ryan. Will is her childhood friend. He was fired by Gideon after he kissed her. But that was history now. However, Emma till felt awkward seeing him. She told her parents Will had gotten a better job so he had stopped being her driver. No one knew about the kissing incident aside Gideon, Will and her.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hey Little guy. ¡± Will said to Ryan after taking him from his grandfather. He didn¡¯t say a word to Emma.¡±Meet Will. He is Emma¡¯s childhood friend and best buddy I guess. ¡± Emma¡¯s father said introducing Will to the guests around. Thank God Gideon isn¡¯t here. ¡® Emma said in her heart. ¡°Emma get the soda from the refrigerator.¡± said her mother. She quickly got up as if she was waiting to be sent. She grabbed about ten bottles and ced it in a basket. She turned around and nearly fell. Will quickly pulled her.

    ¡°Thanks. ¡± she said holding on to the basket. ¡°Where is Ryan? ¡± she finally asked Will after they stood there silently for some seconds. ¡°Uhmm he¡¯s with Peter. ¡± Will replied. ¡°She nodded and just when she was about to leave, Will said ¡°How are you? ¡± ¡°I am fine. ¡± she said then smiled while shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a long time you know? ¡± he said. ¡°Yea. ¡± she said while nodding. ¡°I was around the neighborhood few days ago so I visited your parents and they invited me toe today. ¡± Will told her. ¡°That¡¯s nice. ¡± She replied.

    ¡°How is Gideon? ¡± he asked her. ¡°He¡¯s fine. ¡± she replied. He had some work in the office that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯te over. ¡± she replied. Will nodded. Emma was prepared to exit the kitchen for the backyard when Will held her arm and said. ¡°Emma I am so sorry I didn¡¯t get the chance to properly apologize to you when Gideon sent me out. I am deeply sorry for hurting you. I.. ¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay Will. Everything is fine. That was a long time ago. It¡¯s by the way. ¡± she said. ¡°I am d it is. ¡± Will replied. When Gideon caught Will kissing his wife, he nearly killed him. Will was so injured that Emma cried her heart out to Gideon to let him go. Will had no job then so Emma suggested him to Gideon. Gideon made him her driver and paid him more than he deserved after all, he was his wife¡¯s childhood friend. She wished Gideon had given Will the chance to exin. The kiss me at nothing to her and was a product of a moment of weakness. But that was history. Her husband and her had sort it out.

    Emma phone suddenly made a sound signaling the arrival of a text message. She checked it and held her mouth. She was shaking violently as if she had just been electrocuted. Will was sacred over her certain mysterious act that he snatched the phone from her. She just received a picture of Gideon kissing Judy.

 CHAPTER 34

    TERRIFYING REVELATIONS

    Will stared at Emma¡¯s phone screen in absolute shock, he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing at the moment. His eyes darted back and forth from the screen to Emma¡¯s face, once, twice, till he couldn¡¯t take it anymore.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill that bastard¡± Will screamed, if not that everyone was in the backyard, he could have gained their attention. Will did want to kill Gideon but as he stared at Emma who had been in that same position since she saw the picture, he knew he had to be with her. She was in the pain all because of fucked up Gideon. Quite frankly, Will never liked him or his guts. There was something always off about him. Emma was still shaking from the shock. How could Gideon do such a thing to her?

    ¡°Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God¡± Emma screamed, her hands reaching to her hair trying to pull it off from her scalp but Will¡¯s hands shot to hers stopping her before she could do any damage and pulled her into aforting hug. Emma wept frantically in his arms, she felt betrayed. She kept asking herself what she had done wrong, where she had gone wrong.

    ¡°I-i can¡¯t be-believe he¡¯d d-do such a thing to me, what did I do wrong Will?  ¡± Emma asked between sobs. If two years back someone had told her this would happen, she would haveughed at them and said. ¡®Who? Gideon? My husband? Now that¡¯s the funniest shit I¡¯ve heard all year¡¯ now here she was crying in the arms of another man all because of her husband. This was all Judy¡¯s fault. She had trusted Judy and all she got in return was a picture of her being intimate with her husband. And Gideon what had he done? After calling her insecure and saying she didn¡¯t him, he went right back to Judy¡¯s arms. A few momentster, Emma could hear her mom calling out to her and her footsteps approaching  the kitchen. Quickly she detached herself from Will and tried to wipe the tears off her face. Her mother, Pearl¡¯s head popped into the kitchen before she entered, and immediately her eyesnded on Emma, she knew something was wrong. She walked to the side of her daughter and without asking any questions pulled her in for a hug. For the fifth time that day, Emma broke into sobs. Her world was slowly crumbling before her and there was absolutely  nothing she could do about it. The signs were there, theing homete, the attitude, the leaving every time he gets back home from work, to ¡°hang out with the boys¡± yet anytime she called Roderick and asked if Gideon was with him, he always said no. Emma had seen thising she honestly had, the possibility of him having an affair with Judy was more than the words of assurance he had given her. Her nightmare had turned her reality. As Emma cried in the arms of her mother, her mind went back to the incident that happened on Monday¡¯s afternoonN?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    shback:

    The curtains to the windows of Emma¡¯s Office were surprisingly left open. Emma sat on the arm stool behind her office table flipping through the vogue magazine. She hummed to ¡°under the influence¡± that had been stuck in her head since she heard itst night. Suddenly, the door to her office flung open and in came a man dressed in absolute ck looking like nothing short of a ninja or an agent perhaps. Emma¡¯s attention on the magazine didn¡¯t waver. It was as though she had been expecting someone.

    ¡°I have been expecting you Agent¡± Emma said as she finally took her attention off the magazine and unto the petite man who sat before her.

    ¡°I had to be as discrete as possible, we both don¡¯t want anyone finding out about this meeting¡± the agent said as he flung his leg onto the table of Emma. She looked at the said leg on her table with disgust but decided to let it be, after all, she needed his services and even though he had unnecessary guts, he was the best man for the job.

    ¡°Well said¡± Emma agreed ¡± I already exined what you need to do didn¡¯t I?¡± she asked him. She needed this job to be done as soon as possible. She was exhausted with Gideon¡¯s change of attitude. Coming homete, ignoring her entirely, all he talked about was work, work, work, nothing else. But she felt there was more to it than that, hence she hired an agent to do the things she couldn¡¯t on her own.

    ¡°Yes I am very much aware of the n, I have to follow your husband as well as the popr model Judith Alia around, and anytime I see them together, I should capture evidence.¡±The agent said with a bored tone. Emma ignored him and asked him to take his leave and reminded him that they never for once had this conversation.

 CHAPTER 35: CONFLICTING HEARTS

    As Emma drove through Graig school route, she tried not to think about the scenario her mind had been haunting her with sincest night. She was taking Ryan to his creche ss. Last night, she ced a call to the driver to help her get few things she described after handing him the key to her bedroom. He brought her Ryans school uniform, a bag of Ryan¡¯s clothes and some stuffs she needed. The shock she gotst night was unbearable and she was sure she could pass for a traumatized victim. She wouldn¡¯t pick Gideon¡¯s calls neither did she reply his text messages. She now hated him for all she knew. Gideon had created a vacuum in her heartst night and the ache resulted to the tears that never stopped flowing from her cheeks.  She wept and vowed never to step foot in that mansion again.

    When she woke up that morning and decided to drive Ryan to school, her mother was shocked because she had expected Emma to be secluded and probably hopeless. However, she knew how determined her child is so she wasn¡¯t really bothered when she saw her daughter fully dressed and set to take Ryan to school.

    Emma parked the car in the open arena where cars were normally parked in the school area and heaved a deep sigh; not of relief but severe agony. She looked at cheerful Ryan protectively strapped to his chair in the car and graced his face stroking his cheeks. He giggled and said ¡°mama. ¡± she smiled at him and vowed in her heart and felt a sudden wave of re_invigoration enveloping her. She would give Ryan the world. At least, her baby boy is something to live and die for if his father isn¡¯t, not anymore. She thought.

    She carried Ryan on her shoulder with his bag pack in her left hand. Someone held her arm pulling her as she was about to take a step into the school. It was Gideon. ¡°What are you doing here? ¡± she thundered.

    ¡°Let go of me. ¡± she screamed at him pulling his hand violently from her arm. ¡°I¡¯ve been calling you and¡­ ¡± began Gideon with his eyes welling up with tears. He went closer to Emma who immediately drifted away.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? ¡± he asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me. ¡°she warned him cing Ryans bag pack on top of the car.

    ¡°You son of a bitch. ¡± yelled Emma Her face was stiff and her red eyes scared Gideon. ¡°Listen to me. ¡± Gideon said. ¡°No. ¡± she yelled at him throwing spit on his face. ¡°Henceforth, don¡¯t you daree close to me. You can¡¯t cheat on me and expect me to wee you with arms open. ¡± she said. Gideon stood there dumbfounded. The parents taking there children to school were beginning to stare. ¡°Listen Emma you¡¯ll create a scene. Why don¡¯t we get into the car and sort things out. I didn¡¯t cheat. I promise I.. ¡± he was saying trying to touch her but she turned away.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t avoid me. ¡± beckoned Gideon. ¡°I came here because I knew you¡¯ll be dropping our son in school. ¡± Gideon told her. Emma quickly went into the group of parents taking their children to ss while Gideon raced towards her catching up to her. ¡°Emma listen to me. I swear to God I am innocent. I don¡¯t know how it happened.. ¡± Gideon was saying while aughter broke out from Emma He immediately recognized thatughter. Sheughs that way when she is bitter, full of rage and unwilling to give in. Gideon decided not to say anything. He knew she wouldn¡¯t listen to him. They¡¯ll sort it out. They always do. He thought. Later, he will convince her and they will be one happy family again. He assured himself.

    Emma noticed Gideon¡¯s withdrawal so she let the cat out of the bag. ¡°I¡¯m leaving town. ¡± she announced. She had thought about thatst night and is willing to go away from Gideon. ¡°I¡¯m moving with Ryan. ¡± she revealed to make Gideon realize that she wasn¡¯t just bluffing. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me Emma. You can¡¯t take my child away from me. ¡± hemented. ¡°Mama. I want Dada.¡± Ryan blurted to the amazement of both parents. The boy turned around and stretched his hands towards his father beckoning to be received. Gideon immediately grabbed the boy and hugged him emotionally. He was beginning to sob. ¡°My son. ¡± he said patting the boys back. ¡°I love you Dada. ¡± Ryan said. ¡°I love you more. ¡± Gideon replied.

    Emma knew it was impossible to break a father¡¯s bond with that of his child. However, she was determined to carry out her n. She had promised herselfst night that she won¡¯t let Gideon manipte her. She will go far away from him taking her son with her. She could actually flee with the boy without his notice but she felt it was better to let him know. At least the pain will be more severe. Knowing that she left him together with their son and he could do nothing about it despite being told. ¡°Please Emma. ¡± Gideon said. ¡°For the sake of our baby. Listen to me. Give me one chance to exin. ¡± he said. ¡°Okay. ¡± she replied.  Even though Gideon was hoping to be forgiven and given a chance to exin, he was surprised when Emma said ¡®Okay. ¡® especially after thatughter.

    ¡°Can Ie and pick Ryan from schoolter? ¡± asked Gideon. ¡°Please. I want to spend the afternoon with my boy. I know we¡¯ve been apart for just a day but I miss my boy so much. ¡± he added. Emma nodded. Gideon heaved a sigh and said ¡°Thank You. ¡± He will pick Ryan up from school then go to Emma parents ce to bring his wife home no matter what. He thought. Deep down, Emma knew she wasn¡¯t going to follow through her words. She will send him the divorce paperster. Gideon can spend the day with the boy. She will be taking him away for good after all.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 CHAPTER 36

    TRAGEDY (2)- EMMA (0)

    The little kids gathered at the yground ying with the swings and the sand. One kid, in particr, stood away from the park not interested in ying with his ssmates. All he wanted was his Dada which up till now was nowhere in sight. Ten minutes passed and still no sign, the yground was bing vacant. Mrs Shaw came out from the school building and was more than surprised to find the little kid whose mother took nothing less than two minutes to pick him up from school standing close the park with tears in his eyes. She decided to walk over to him.

    ¡°Hey little one, where is your mother?¡± the little kid looked up at her with sad eyes and said ¡°dada¡±. Mrs Shaw was confused, it was usually his mother who picked him up from school, so why was he saying ¡°dada¡±. She hoped in her heart that his mother was okay Mrs Shaw picked up her phone from her purse and dialed Emma¡¯s number but it went straight to voice mail she tried again three more times but it was the same reply. She began to panic. She knew nothing about his father or any other person she could phone toe pick him up. While she was busy thinking of a way to get him home, the little kid¡¯s attention was at the car parked at the house across the school. ¡°It looked a lot like dada¡¯s own¡± he thought. When he saw a familiar face, that of the driver, he ran right across the busy street. It all happened too fast, the diver in the truck that was heading full speed wasn¡¯t able to hold down the break on time and the child got knocked over. Every where went dead silent until the only sound that could be heard was Mrs Shaws terrified screams.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Astra took off the remote control from the kitchen counter, she wondered how the hell it had gotten there in the first ce. She was feeling bored out of her mind and nothing she¡¯d tried so far was taking her mind of yesterdays events.  She had locked up her phone in the lock safe and flushed away the keys. She was expecting Nichs¡¯ call any moment from now and she honestly didn¡¯t want to pick it up so she locked up the phone. She was afraid of what would happen if she agreed to go out with him and their son. He could be very maniptive at times, he could use their son as an excuse for them to get back together. Fucking bastard! Why did he have to go and cheat on her. Emma had made up her mind, she will leave this town and go far away from here with Ryan. This was thest time Gideon would see their son, she¡¯d make sure of it. He should have picked up Ryan by now and heading towards here, she thought as she nced up at the clock perched up on the wall. She had an uneasy feeling she couldn¡¯t describe but decided to ignore it and help clean up her parents home. It was a mess. She started off by tiding up the pallor and moved upstairs to handle the bedrooms. Thirty minutes after and yet no sign of Gideon. Maybe he had decided to take Ryan straight from school to hang out but something in her guts was telling her other wise and once again she decided to ignore it.

    Emma had learnt a few baking skills earlier on that week and since there was practically nothing else to do, she decided to give her skills a shot. She quickly stepped out to the grocery store across her parents house and got every ingredient she needed and came back home to bake. One hourter, a cake, brownies and even hot dogs were decorating the kitchen counter. Her father was a lover of brownies, he¡¯d be more than thrilled when he gets home and finds his favorite snackying around waiting for him. Emma was satisfied with her baking, they had turned out amazing. She quickly cut out a slice of cake and was about to ce it unto a te when a sharp pain shot through her, the piece of cake fell unto the floor. She clutched unto her tummy, something was wrong terribly wrong and she could feel it. Ryan, that was the first thing that crossed her mind, something was wrong with Ryan. Instantly she dashed upstairs to the safe and tried prying it open but it wouldn¡¯t bulge. Her heart was beating inhumanly fast. All that was on her mind was Ryan Ryan Ryan, she sent a prayer to God to keep her baby save as she dashed back downstairs into the pallor, quickly picking up the remote she flipped through channels. She didn¡¯t know what exactly she was looking for but she was just listening to her instincts. She stopped flipping when she came across a channel that was disying Ryan¡¯s school. A reporter stood in-front of the school with a look of sadness across her face. The next words she spoke, tore Emma¡¯s heart apart.

    ¡°Here at Graig Infants School, Ryan Romero, son of popr bar owner Gideon Romero and wife Emma Romero was involved in an ident and died instantly. The said child wasst seen trying to cross over the road without any guidance whatsoever when he got hit by a truck and died instantly. Witness Mrs Shaw¡­¡± Emma froze at those words, the remote dropping from her hands. ¡® No no no¡¯ she thought, it couldn¡¯t be. Not her Ryan, not her baby. The remains words said by the reporter were unheard as Emma¡¯s focus was on the screen currently disying the lifeless body of her son now crushed to pieces. Thest thing Emma remembered seeing was her parents walking in until darkness weed her.

 CHAPTER 37: A LEAP

    The 9th of June. Two weeks after the death of Ryan. Emma stood in-front of the open window releasing her hand out to the cold breeze that brushed her tender skin. She shut her eyes trying to derivefort from the overbearing heat that was burning her up from the inside that morning. It would have been Ryan¡¯s birthday today. He would have turned three today. Emma quickly cleaned the tears streaming down her cheeks with her left palm. She must be strong. She said. She had vowed to be strong even though thest two weeks had been the most difficult stage of her life. Her days became darker and she med fate for being unfair. She was dealing with the fact that she had been cheated by a husband and death snatched her son afterwards. It was almost as if hell was unleashed on her.

    As she stood by the open window, she imagined how Ryan would look in the next seven years, who would have been a big kid? Would he had been the chubby lively kid she knew?  She thought. Would his dark hair still be long? She would have braided it. She always wanted to that. He would have been in Pre_School now and she would have introduced him to the junior library and made him fall in love with literature. Oh how well she has nned for her boy. It¡¯s quite tragic. Death came and took him away or rather Gideon let it happen. She would have flew away with her Ryan the next day and he wouldn¡¯t have died. Why did she allow Gideon to spend the day with Ryan? She wondered. If only she knew, She would have showed up to pick him that day instead. Shemented.

    She went to her bed andid on it. Her face on the bed. When Ryan died, she felt as if her entire life had crumbled. If there was one good thing about her damned marriage to Gideon, it was Ryan and when he died, she felt worthless ;she couldn¡¯t protect her child she kept saying and wailing at his funeral. Her anger towards Gideon metamorphosed to a hatred and she will make him pay. She always wanted to make him pay for all the hell he made her go through. Wherever Ryan was, she¡¯s sure he is resting but she wished he was resting in her arms even though he would have been bigger now. Sometimes she wished death took her instead.

    Gideon sat at his dining table holding the portrait of Ryan. Ryan was two then and was smiling from ear to ear in the picture. Throughout thest two weeks years, Gideon kept ming himself for the death of his son. ¡®I am an irresponsible father. ¡® he would say. He med himself for being carless. It was his fault Ryan died he always thought. He got up, holding the portrait very tight and made his way to his bedroom. His breakfast was untouched. Sometimes, Frankie the chef he hired felt utterly useless because Gideon barely ate and would prefer to drown himself in the ocean of liquor. Frankie shook his head from left to right feeling sorry for the thinly built Gideon who walked his way to his room.

    Gideon¡¯s business was barely doing well. He lost a lot of clients and some of his board of directors resigned because the revenue the clubs were generating were very low. Gideon barely came to work and when he did, he hardly stays long. However, he had managed to keep his business above trouble waters but his progress was slow and the business is obviously struggling to stay put. He came to work when depression was overshadowing him. There were times Gideon would ck out during business meetings and Stare nkly at the wall during conferences. He stuttered a-lot now and barely spoke. Despite his friends encouragements and counsel, Gideon was still a shadow of himself. He tries to look practically fine during the day even when he looked thinner but would cry his heart out at night. He missed Ryan. He missed Emma more.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Throughout thest two weeks, he wasn¡¯t in touch with Emma. He felt guilty for all that happened and he came to the conclusion that his absence from her life might grant her sor. He loves her so much that if staying away from him meant she will be happy, he was ready to let go. Sometimes, he wished she was beside him. He wished she listened to him and allowed him exined everything but it doesn¡¯t really matter now. He has to work hard and prevent his business from crumbling for it is the only thing he could term dear. If they were together, Ryan¡¯s death would have been a bit bearable for they wouldfort each other he always thought.

    It was clear that Judy always wanted Gideon but Ryans death came as a shock to her. She sometimes felt guilty but will console herself with the fact that she didn¡¯t kill the child after all. She always thought Gideon wille to her since he was broken and with Emma out of the picture, she was sure that her spot was secured but her fantasy didn¡¯te true. Gideon drifted further from her and since he barely showed up in the office they rarely met or spoke. When she visits his home, he would send her out or shut himself inside till she gets tired and leaves in frustration. All her efforts proved abortive. ¡°Who yearns over a woman that leaves him at such a time of need? ¡± Judy willin to Mel. Gideon has proven to be a hard nut to crack she always thought.

    Gideon¡¯s mood seem to lighten uptely and he came to the office more often than usual. Judy is convinced that he was beginning to crack out of his shell and her hopes are bing higher. Now that he was concentrating more on the business and attending meetings and conferences, she was sure the old Gideon will be back in no time. She can¡¯t wait to tame him and make her hers. This time, for good.

 CHAPTER 38: A NEW BEGINNING

    Emma adjusted her ck facing cap as she dragged her luggage behind. She never thought the casual outfit she was wearing could be thisfortable. After having Ryan three years ago, her body size increased and she often felt wide. She almost hated her body butter appreciated it as one of the gifts thate with motherhood. She hasn¡¯t gone back to her former shape since then. Her fitting clothes became ufortable and her tummy would bulge out of a dress. The brown sport trousers andrge ck sweater she now wore made her feel light. Her body felt rxed and all she had to do was carry it along.  She doesn¡¯t have to struggle to feelfortable after all she thought.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Thest time she was in an airport was about a year ago when she, Gideon and little Ryan went to Brazil for a family vocation. The vocation was quite eventful as they had fun and enjoyed it as a one big happy family. She had loved Brazil since then. Even though Gideon had promised to take them on international vocations twice a year, they only had it once since then. Gideon ever since had resolved to work and nning a vocation will alter his schedules. She also had Ryan to take care of then. She was nning for them to go to Hawaii. ¡°There will be no more family vocations now Emma.¡± She told herself.

    She sat on the vacant airport permanent seat awaiting the calling of the flight she had boarded. She rested her back on the luxurious chair and connected her ear pods to her phone. Music had seem to make her feel bettertely. Sometimes, she would listen only to the solemn piano tunes ying from her phone. It was better than the tracks that made her feel guilty or miserable. She deleted the love songs for it mocked her;Gideon never really loved her. She thought. The lyrics from songs about heartbreak and death pierced her heart and reminded her so much of Ryan. Hence, she only listened to the piano, no lyrics, just an emotional sound that she somehow found soothing.

    Emma checked her wrist watch. Her flight will be boarding in forty five minutes. 45 minutes for her felt like five hours. She was in a hurry to get out of the town, the town that took so much away from her. There was nothing to live for she had thought and after Ryan¡¯s demise, she needed to leave at all cost. She couldn¡¯t stay in the same space with the person who made her lost her only child. She will miss her parents. Her father¡¯s jokes and her mother¡¯s delicacies. She will miss Peter her cousin too. She felt staying back will prevent her from healing. She needed to evolve. She had promised her little Ryan after he died that she would be strong and a new space she thought would grant her the healing and strength she requires.

    Emma turned to her left with the ear pods still connected to her phone and her eyes captured a young couple. The man and his wife had a baby of about three years just like her Ryan. The baby was chubby too. He smiled at her and she waved at him. Unlike her Ryan, the baby was alive and was surrounded by his parents. She pondered on her fate and felt she would have been happy at least as a single mother not as the mother of a dead child. As she turned to her right, she saw another family ying with their little girl. There were too many families around her today she thought. Unlike her, they were all happy.

    She will be happy too. She promised herself. When she gets to Chicago, she will begin on a new te even though she will be going with few luggages, Ryan¡¯s pictures and some of her savings. She didn¡¯t carry a dime from the millions Gideon had been saving for her in her bank ount. She left behind his gifts and documents to the assets he purchased in her name. The clothes she packed were outfits she bought for herself. She ensured she left behind anything that will remind her of Gideon be it the lingeries, perfumes, clothes or shoes among others. They were done after all and he owes her no damn thing she thought. Henceforth, she had vowed to work to cater for herself. She had always wanted to work. It was Gideon who felt she deserves all the luxury in the world so he relegated her to being a housewife but that was then.

    She knew her flight would be called any moment from now so she stopped the piano melody from ying so that she wouldn¡¯t miss her flight. Few minutester, it was time to board. Emma dragged her luggage and after being cleared, she made her way to the ne. She wanted to turn around and gaze at the city that gave her the best and worst  moments of her life but she didn¡¯t look behind. She will never shed a tear henceforth she had promised herself. She met Gideon in this town, she will be leaving him there. Once she steps on that ne, there will be no Gideon.

    Her luggage was kept on the luggage section of the ne as she was looking for a ce to seat. There seemed to be few people on the ne but that was not her problem.  Her ticket had the inscription SEAT 12 so she scanned around with her eyes and when she found it, she hurried and sat. She didn¡¯t even look at her seat mate who smiled at her. A young man of about thirty five. Emma didn¡¯t wait for the flight attendants or air hostesses to brief them and dash out safety precautions. She quickly fixed her safety belt and yed her piano tune as she felt the ne leaving the ground with her eyes shut.

 CHAPTER 39

    MEMORIES TO FORGET

    It was exactly 7pm and Gideon Romero held the ss of whisky firmly against his palms. If only he could have held unto his family as firm as this, then maybe they would still be together. Ryan wouldn¡¯t be dead, Emma wouldn¡¯t have left and Gideon wouldn¡¯t look like shit. He honestly didn¡¯t care how he looked at this a point. All he cared about was how many bottles of whisky he could drink to forget. He was on his second bottle and it was working hours. It¡¯s the good thing he owned thepany. He had specifically told Judy not to allow any visitors into his office, absolutely no one. He wanted to drink till he passed out. He was about pouring more whisky into his already empty ss when the door to his office opened.

    ¡°I thought I told Judy no one was allowed innnnnn¡± Gideon slurred, his eyes fixed on the ss cup.

    ¡°I¡¯m not ssified as anyone man, I¡¯m your best friendddd¡± Roderick said mimicking Gideon. He was here for a reason. He had to get his best friend back, he was sick and tired of seeing him act this way. Emma was gone and that was it. He had to move on, there were countless women in this world. As for Ryan¡¯s death, that was extremely terrifying. He loved that little kid and no parent deserved to lose their child. It was a pain Rick knew he wouldn¡¯t understand but knew how unbearable it was nheless. Gideon still hadn¡¯t looked up from his ss of whiskey and Rick used that opportunity to ess him, his friend looked at absolute shit. Not the handsome billionaire that owned over 30 bars and clubs across the globe. Rick was more than a friend to Gideon, his brother even and as his brother he needed to help him get his shit back together, but first he needed to convince him toe downstairs to the bar. Rick was very much aware of the fact that Gideon had cancelled all appointments today even the one he so badly wanted to have since early August with Aria¡¯s Whine and whisky. He had called thepany back and apologized on Gideon¡¯s behalf and the appointment was tonight. In less than twenty minutes.

    ¡°Your attention is needed downstairs man, stop acting like a pussy ande and handle business¡± Roderick started, trying to talk some sense into his friend. Gideon¡¯s attention didn¡¯t waver, he stared at the ss as though it was the most exquisite thing he had everid eyes upon.

    ¡°I cancelled all appointments today¡± Gideon tried to exin unaware that Rick already knew that. Rick knew what he was about to say would piss Gideon off, but he decided he would say it anyway. Yes yes yes, he knew he was going through a tough time but that was life, it would throw things unexpectedly your way and you just have to bounce back.

    ¡°I called back Aria¡¯spany and you have a meeting with them downstairs in the next 20 minutes¡± Gideon finally looked up, his eyes bloodshot and clear irritation on his face. If Rick wasn¡¯t his best friend he would have pped the hell out of him, beaten him even. He was in no mood for a meeting especially not with Aria¡¯spany, he was barely prepared.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°I have all preparations in this file¡± Rick said as though he had read Gideon¡¯s mind and dropped the file into his table. Gideon nced down at the file then at Rick, his mind seemed to be in some sort of turmoil . Rick prepped him trying to make him see reason as to why he should have the meeting and he was able to win him over. The two friends headed down to the bar with ten more minutes to spare before the meeting would be held.

    ¡°So you never really told me what happened between you and Emma, I thought I was your best friend¡± Rick asked feigning hurt as the two friends sat at the VIP section watching as bar tenders poured ss upon ss of alcohol unto sses and served them to people who hade to forget. Gideon sighed at the question how was he to exin that he cheated on Emma without any remembrance on how it had happened. Of course he had confronted Judy on it and she even swore she didn¡¯t know how it had happened. She looked genuinely shocked when he had showed her the picture and honestly he believed her.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t want to talk about it, I¡¯m trying to forget not remember¡± Rick nodded his head in understanding and patted Gideon¡¯s back as an indication that he understood. The two friends buried the matter and used the opportunity to catch up on each other¡¯s life. They talked about their life¡¯s before marriage, childhood experiences they could remember. The first time Gideon has ridden a motorcycle and fell off of it. They avoided conversations that brought up Emma or Ryan or anything rted to them. Gideon just wanted to forget about the terrible pain he had been going through for over two weeks.

    It was over twenty minutes when they both realized that the representatives of Aria¡¯spany had not showed up.

    ¡°They must have been held in traffic¡± Rick voiced out, he had gone through a lot of enable that meeting got held, there is no way they could not just show up. In that moment, they saw Judy rush across the floor trying to get through the swam of people into the VIP section. After so many agonizing minutester, she seeded and passed the phone that went unnoticed unto Gideon mouthing the words ¡°from the representative of Aria¡±. Gideon understood immediately and talked to the person on the other end. His facial expressions went from happy to confused to irritated and both Judy and Rick were curious as to why. Finally the call ended  and all Gideon cared to tell them was

    ¡°We lost the deal¡±

 CHAPTER 40: Gala Encounters

    shback:

    To say Judith Alia was not the star of the night would like be calling the universe in. False right?  As Judith walked into the ball room wearing thetest design by Saint Laurent. The gold gown clung to her like a second skin as though it had been made specifically for her. Her blonde hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall and her legs graced the almighty Nappa silk strappy heels. Of course all she wore had been customized, it had to be, Judith Alia was a well known global model, she has modeled Dior, channel, Versace, Prada and even Gi so it was no surprise that the beautiful blonde was the star of the night. Julia was here sorely for one thing, more like one person: Gideon Romero. Sure she hade here to party, and have fun but most importantly she hade here for a pleasurable business. Ever since she hadid eyes on Gideon on that vogue magazinest week, he had been rent free in her head. Now that she had had a look, she wanted to taste and im. Judith was a woman of power, she always found a way to get what she wants, no was never a response to give to a woman like her.

    Other than how all attention shifted to her, Gideon was the first thing she had noticed once she stepped foot into the ball room. His 6¡¯3 body graced a baby blue tuxedo thatplimented his body, his hair was perfectly gelled back and the first three buttons on his white shirt? Not buttoned. Signature look if I may. Judith licked her lips as she did a once over on Gideon, once, twice, three times and yet his beauty still refused to click. Gideon stood at the far end of the ballroom watching everyone, his eyes scanned the entire ballroom and yet nothing seemed to catch his interest, until he saw her, standing right at the entrance of the ball room, her lemon eyes were the first thing he had noticed, they seemed alive and looked as though, they were calling out to him. She wore a mask, everyone was asked to, but he was Gideon and if he wasn¡¯t okay with a rule, he didn¡¯t oblige. Though Judith wore a mask, he was more than convinced that she was an exquisite specie so he smiled, his signature smile that did more than make a nun sin. It worked, Judith began working towards him in slow, sensuous movements, his eyes bulged out at how captivating she looked in her gold gown, how it graced her shape. Her hips swayed as she moved, as though they were creating a rhythm that only they could understand. Finally she was before him, she stretched out her hand for him to take a she obliged, cing his warm lips against her knuckles while staring into her lemon eyes. She was the first to speak and her voice sounded like absolute music to him, the mixture of piano and violin, emotional and peaceful.

    ¡°I hear you are a lover of wine, Pinot noir or merlot?¡± and that had done the trick, they had conversations about wines, champagnes, alcohols. Judith had done her research, the best way to win a man¡¯s heart? Over take his passion and make it yours. The two danced in each other¡¯s arms for held different conversations. Nichs had learnt her name was Judith Alia, he had heard a lot about her but never for once had he thought, he¡¯d have her in her arms. He had heard how much she loved her privacy and how much of a thief she was, oh but not of the bad kind, she could steal your spotlight and your heart all at once. The media had portrayed Judith to be a bitch and other terrible things. But as Gideon danced with her and looked into her lemon eyes. He knew she was different from what she had been portrayed. She was beyond beautiful in and out. If only he knew the actual Judith.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Judith was more than impressed with herself tonight. She had wooed the almighty Gideon, he was the only reason why she was at this g. He was so impressed with the amount of knowledge she had on alcohol. He was so not aware of ho much she hated to drink. Now she was done with step one, she had four more steps to go and Gideon Romero and all 36 bars of his would be hers. She did adore Gideon though, he and her would make a powerful pair. That was what Judith was, a maniptive bitch. Hidden underneath that beauty was ws and thorns and that was what she was going to use against him. Now to seal the deal

    ¡°How about we go somewhere quiet¡± Gideon could have never grinned so hard in his life, happy with the fact he didn¡¯t even request it. He gave hers dashing smile and the pair were about to make their way out when Gideon¡¯s phone suddenly buzzed. He frowned down at the screen and excused himself from Julia with the promise that they shall meet again.

 CHAPTER 41: FAMILY TIES

    ¡°Is there anything else you will need Ma¡¯am? ¡± Will asked Emma¡¯s mother who sat on the couch sipping the tea he just made for her. She wrapped herself in a shawl and declined Will¡¯s offer. The man had done more than enough for her and her husband since Emma¡¯s departure. ¡°Thanks for everything. God bless you my boy. ¡± Pearl told William as he stood in the parlor, looking around to see if there was still anything left to be done.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention Ma¡¯am. ¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ll check whether the guys I asked to clear the shrubs behind are done. ¡± Will told Emma¡¯s mother before dashing out of the living room.

    ¡°Such a good young man. ¡± she acknowledged. Ever since Emma left, he had stepped in acting like the son or rather son inw they never had. Pearl missed Emma terribly but she knew her leaving town was the best and fastest way for her to heal yet it didn¡¯t stop her from feeling the way she did. Her husband Emma¡¯s father had tried to console her exining how important it was for their daughter to go but Pearl never obliged. Her husband was positive she will get over it but Pearl might be taking too long to. Ryan¡¯s death obviously fueled the whole sadness around her.

    Will had always been there for Emma¡¯s parents especially now that Peter their nephew had gone to college. Will showed up once in a while and sometimes made breakfast for the aging couple. Pearl barely cooked and Will knew how much she hated junk food which leaves the supplies her husband gets for her lying around the kitchen.

    One day, Will popped in and saw a rotten loaf lying on the table next to the refrigerator. The Pizza and burgers were untouched. So Will made egg sauce and coffee for the couple. Since then, he showed up frequently and helped them cook. Pearl is a chef so she never really hired a chef. Will had been a life saver for the couple. Aside doing small chores, he also kept Pearlpany. They¡¯ll talk about past experiences, fun childhood memories of Emma and him and Pearl will smile when Will reminded her of how she spanked them for running the bathtub, how she scolded them for painting her white wall and soiling the carpet with flour.

    Will is d over Catherine¡¯s responsiveness recently. Unlike before when she was always indoors, she now came out to watch TV and Will made her y games like scrabble, chess or monopoly. While ying the games, he will steal chances to tell her why it was important for Emma to be wherever she was. Will tried to make her understand that with Ryan out of the picture and Emma¡¯s crashed marriage, her daughter needs all the space she could get. Pearl fears are Emma¡¯s survival in a strangend with no family especially in her broken state. Will reminded her of how strong her daughter is and he¡¯s 100% sure that Emma will be just fine. Will also took Catherine to feed the pigeons in the park at evening and they once went to the cinema nearby. One time Pearl blurted to the hearing of her husband and Will how she wished her daughter married William instead of Gideon who ruined her life. Emma¡¯s parents were never a fan of Gideon after all their marriage was as a result of Emma getting pregnant with Gideon¡¯s baby.

    ¡°The shrubs have been ttened ma¡¯am. ¡± Will told the woman.

    ¡°Thank you very much Will. ¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough for all you¡¯ve been doing for us. ¡± she added. Will smiled and said.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing ma¡¯am. You guys are like my family. ¡± he added.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Pearl smiled to this and said to  ¡°That¡¯s true. We are family. ¡± shortlyter, Will had cooked rice and warmed up the sauce. He carefully ced it in the kitchen. ¡®It will serve as lunch.¡¯ he presumed. Pearl walked to the kitchen and saw will turning off the cooker. ¡°You are so homely. ¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I learnt it from you. ¡± he replied. He was right. Pearl taught him and Emma how to cook. She introduced them to recipes and made them fall in love with the kitchen. Emma¡¯s family had a great influence on Will. He always looked forward to spending time with them.

    ¡°When are you leaving? ¡± Catherine asked him. He knew she wasn¡¯t asking when he was leaving the house. She wanted to know when he was leaving New York. Will had been away for sometime now. When Gideon fired him for kissing Emma, Emma lied to her parents that Will had secured a better job elsewhere and had to leave.

    ¡°Uhm. ¡± he stammered. ¡°I won¡¯t be leaving. ¡± he finally replied.

    ¡°And your new job? ¡± she asked. Will can¡¯t leave his better paying job to help her ovee her grief. That is a sacrifice too grave to make abs she knew it.

    ¡°I had quit that job beforeing here. ¡± he revealed. ¡°Really? ¡± she retorted. ¡°Yea my homeboy who happens to be a cousin told me toe home. He had secured a spot for me around here in a deliverypany. ¡± said Will. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. ¡± replied Pearl ¡°I¡¯ll be starting in a week. ¡± Will said. ¡°So for now, get used to my annoying shadow casting over this home. ¡± he said while chuckling. Catherine giggled and they both left the kitchen.

    After Will left the city when Gideon fired him, he moved about a thousand kilometers further from them. Neither Emma nor his parents ever saw him till he showed up at Emma¡¯s parent¡¯s house warming. While he was away, Emma thought of him once in a while and wished him well wherever he was. Above all, she wished the kiss never happened.

 CHAPTER 42: FRIENDSHIP ZONE

    Judy examined the well sealed tomatoes in their  transparent pack. They looked perfect and their freshness was evident. Every ingredient must be perfect. She thought. She ced some vegetables in her shopping basket alongside a salmon and some spices. She ensured she left the grocery store after getting everything she will be needing.  She carefully selected the ingredients paying attention to their freshness and she checked the expiry date of the packaged items she bought. She had never been so cautious while shopping until now.

    ¡°Good morning. ¡± She greeted Frankie after he had opened the door for her. His attention quickly drifted to the stic bags she held.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t let me in them help me at least. ¡± she told him with a smile  and Frankie quickly collected the bags from her. They got to the kitchen and Frankie was soon cing the things in order.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it from here Frankie. ¡± Judy said. Frankie stood staring in confusion without uttering a word to her.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You can go Frankie. I¡¯ll make the breakfast. ¡± she said and he left reluctantly.

    In little or no time, Judy had the whole house covered in the aroma of her meal. Gideon woke up and rubbed his eyes with his left palm. He looked on the wall clock above his head. It was past 9:am. His head was slightly aching. He must have drank too much the previous night. He thought. He sniffed his room making light sounds with his nostrils as the scent of Judy¡¯s meal filled the air.

    ¡°What is Frankie up to this morning? ¡± he asked himself, thinking it was Frankie in the kitchen. He quickly got out of bed in his shorts and dashed to the kitchen.

    ¡°Judy! ¡± he called out in surprise. ¡°What are you doing here? ¡± he asked. He was standing before Judy in his boxers without realizing it. His figure caught Judy¡¯s eyes as her eye balls wondered in between his thighs. ¡®Not now. ¡® Judy she told herself. ¡°Rx Gideon. ¡± she began and immediately turned around to stir the sauce. ¡°I am making breakfast. ¡± she said sitting on the kitchen counter. ¡°Look Judy. You don¡¯t have to. ¡± Gideon told her. ¡°I have a chef. Where¡¯s Frankie? ¡± he said looking around the kitchen. ¡°I excused him. ¡± Judy replied. ¡°Look Gideon. It¡¯s not a big deal. You are my boss. I¡¯ll make the breakfast and leave. ¡± she added. Gideon said nothing and she continued.

    ¡°Gideon I know you and I started on a wrong foot. ¡± she said. ¡°I am terribly sorry. There is no justification for all the terrible things I did. ¡± she maintained. ¡°It¡¯s okay. ¡± Gideon told her and turned around to leave. ¡°No wait Gideon. It¡¯s not okay. ¡± she said. ¡°I feel terrible for my past actions. Seducing you was an irresponsible act and I take me for my mischief. ¡± she pleaded. Gideon stared into her eyes and was convinced she felt ashamed of all she did. What could have triggered such behavior? he thought and as if she had just read his mind, she continued to speak.

    ¡°When my boyfriend cheated on me, ¡± she said then went to turn off the cooker. Gideon hopped on the kitchen counter and sat. ¡°I lost control of my emotions. I was so mentally drained that I felt nothing mattered. I wanted to please my insecurities at all cost. ¡± Judy revealed. ¡°I felt worthless because I use to think no man will walk away from a model like me but I was wrong. ¡± she said lowering her head in disappointment. ¡°I understand. ¡± Gideon said after being silent for a long while. He spoke so she would know he was paying attention.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. I was emotionally drained. My mental state was in jeopardy and I reacted foolishly instead. ¡± she told Gideon. ¡°Emma is my home girl and what was I thinking going after her husband. ¡± Judymented shaking her head. ¡°I am terribly sorry Gideon. I promise you it won¡¯t happen again. ¡± she vowed and Gideon nodded. ¡°Can you please forgive me? ¡± she beckoned. ¡°Sure why not? ¡± said Gideon with a smile. ¡°Henceforth it¡¯s business straight. ¡± she dered and Gideon smiled again.

    ¡°So what did you make? ¡± Gideon asked her changing the topic. ¡°Well.. ¡± she said while opening the pot. ¡°I made Salmon sauce. ¡± she added then inhaled the steam that rose from the open pot. ¡°Sounds nice. ¡± Gideonmented. ¡°Tastes nice too. ¡± she retorted. ¡°Wait till you taste it. ¡± she added. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Let me clean up ande back immediately. ¡± he told her. She nodded and Gideon left the kitchen for his room. After having his bath, Gideon came back to the kitchen fully dressed. Meanwhile, Judy had already ced the dishes on the table after serving them. ¡°Coffee. ¡± she said pointing to the cup of coffee she ced beside his te. He sat opposite her and began eating. ¡°This is delicious. ¡± he said after tasting the meal.  ¡°You cook well. ¡± I give you the credit. ¡± he added. She smiled and replied ¡°Thank You. ¡±

    ¡°You are taking tea instead? ¡± he asked her after noticing she was emptying a tin of milk in her cup. ¡°Yea I¡¯ll have tea instead. ¡± she told him. ¡°I like coffee too but I¡¯ll prefer to start my day with tea. Coffee works better at night for me. ¡± she told Gideon. ¡°Really? ¡± he asked slicing a chunk of salmon on his te. ¡°For me, Coffee ces me in the mood for business and I think it boosts my immune system too. ¡± he said. ¡°Then before retiring to bed, I have tea. It keeps me rx. ¡± he added. ¡°I guess we both know what works for us. ¡± Judy said after sipping her tea. ¡°Hurry you¡¯ll bete for work. ¡± she said. ¡°Or maybe you can never bete. You are the boss after all. ¡± she told with then winked. He smiled and said ¡°we might both bete actually. ¡°

 CHAPTER 43: BROS

    Will woke up earlier than usual. He was already up before his rm clock could sound the signal.  It was the day he will be reporting for duty at the Dan Delivery Services. He freshened up and was soon dressed in his work uniform with the inscription DDS boldly written in the back. He ced his wallet in his pocket and a DDS identity card with his name on it was around his neck. He made noodles and ate it before mounting the delivery bike given to him a day earlier.

    As Will drove to the Dan Delivery Services main office, he wondered how his first day at work will turn out. He recalled his first day at work in Emma¡¯s house. He wasn¡¯t bothered because all he had to do was drive his friend around whom he was well ustomed with. Sometimes, he drove the few domestic staff on errands in Gideon¡¯s mansion. Today, he will be driving supplies instead. He prayed in his heart that his first day turns out easy as he intends to please whichever receiver he was delivering to. He pulled his bike in thepany garage and headed to his assigned unit.

    ¡°Morning William. ¡± replied his Supervisor. ¡°Your first task this morning is huge. ¡± his supervisor told him. Will nodded not knowing what he had to deliver that morning. ¡°You¡¯ll be needing the van. ¡± his Supervisor said. ¡°Ok sir. ¡± Will replied. ¡°Address please? ¡± asked Will. Charles his Supervisor handed him a card containing the delivery details and asked him to follow him. Will¡¯s excited mood which brightened his face earlier suddenly went dim when he realized he was to deliver the package to Gideon Romero his former Boss who kicked him out.

    As Will drove to Gideon¡¯s office, he kept praying and hoping that Gideon doesn¡¯t pull out a scene. He will be fired if this delivery goes wrong because being unable to please Gideon will make Dan Delivery Services seem ineffective. When he was offered the job, Charles the supervisor attached to him had warned him to ensure he pleases the customers and doesn¡¯t ruin the hard earned reputation of thepany. Will Pulled in front of Gideon¡¯s office and went to Gideon¡¯s office after receiving directions from the receptionist. Gideon will check the supplies and clear them then have his workers empty it from the delivery van.

    ¡°You cane in now. ¡± Gideon¡¯s secretary told Will who was pacing to and fro outside Gideon¡¯s office sweating profusely. William entered the office after knocking lightly on the door. ¡°Let me sign this quickly. I¡¯ll be with you shortly. ¡± Gideon said with his head lowered while signing some documents. After he was done, he lifted his eyes and behold William was standing before him. Will wanted to shiver but he stood his ground. Will had expected Gideon to yell at him and kick him out of his office but instead Gideon offered him a seat opposite him. What¡¯s going on?  Will thought as he slowly descended on the chair opposite Gideon. Was he really standing before Gideon Romero? ¡± he thought.

    ¡°Good morning. ¡± Will managed to say with his voice shaking. ¡°Morning William. ¡± replied Gideon. He was dressed in DDS uniform so Gideon knew he was the one that brought the package. ¡°The supplies are in the van sir. ¡± Will said. ¡°Okay then. ¡± Gideon replied. He brought out his phone and contacted someone toe and get the van key from Will then go and check the package. The man came, received the key and left Gideon and Will in the office. ¡°He will check it, clear the goods and you¡¯ll leave after I sign. ¡± Gideon told Will. Will nodded and said ¡°I am so sorry about Ryan¡¯s death. ¡± Gideon nodded and say ¡°it¡¯s fine. ¡± ¡°Have you spoken to Emma? ¡± Gideon asked Will. When Emma left New York for Chicago, she told no one aside her parents and that was how Will got to find out where she fled to. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from her since she left the city. ¡± Will lied to Gideon.

    Pearl had made Will promise her that he won¡¯t let anyone know Emma¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°I am so sorry Gideon. I don¡¯t know where she is. ¡± Will said. Will immediately came to the conclusion that Gideon¡¯s reserved and cold attitude towards him is due to Ryan¡¯s death and Emma¡¯s exit. ¡°Poor Gideon. ¡± Will thought. ¡°You think she wille back some day? ¡± Gideon asked will who didn¡¯t expect the question. ¡°I.. I don¡¯t know.. Maybe someday.. I don¡¯t really know. ¡± Will stammered. ¡°Wherever she is, I just wish she is happy. ¡± Gideon said. ¡°Me too. ¡± replied Will.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    The guy Gideon had asked to clear the goods then came back to the office saying he cleared the goods, they were intact and Gideon could sign the papers. Gideon signed and before Will left his office, he turned around and said ¡°Gideon if you don¡¯t mind I¡¯ll love to apologize for what transpired between us a long time ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay will. That¡¯s by the way.¡± Gideon said then resolved to checking the documents on his table. ¡°Yea I know it¡¯s in the past and I feel I should do this. ¡± Will insisted. ¡°You did so much for me. You gave me a job, a ce to stay and I disrespected you. I am terribly sorry Gideon. ¡± Will said.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine Will. ¡± Said Gideon extending his hand to Will for a handshake. Will hurried towards him and shook hands with him. ¡°Thank You sir. Thank you so so much. ¡± Will said. Gideon nodded and said ¡°I wish you all the best. ¡± ¡°And you too Sir. ¡± Will replied then left Gideon¡¯s office feeling as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He pulled the car out of the premises of Gideon¡¯s office and drove back to the main office feeling relived.

 CHAPTER 44 : DEAREST MOTHER VISITS

    Gideon flipped through the files on his table, trying so hard not to think about Emma and his little son he had lost because of his negligence. He was more than devastated after Emma¡¯s departure and Ryan¡¯s death. He¡¯d been staring at this particr page of his document yet he couldn¡¯t understand the words written there, his mind was far far away from work.

    Suddenly the door to his office was open and in came a woman, she had her grey long hair tied in a bun, sses covering her almond eyes and a hand bag was slung over her left shoulder.

    ¡°Mom?¡± Gideon asked surprised to see his mother at the entrance of his office.

    ¡°Mom!¡± He yelled again as he got up from his seat and rushed to embrace his mother. Catherine hugged her son briefly and detached herself from him, stylishly removing imaginary dust from her Christian Dior customized gown. If Gideon noticed this, he didn¡¯t show it. He was used to theck of affection from his mother. This incident was nothing new. But each time his mother visited, the little boy in him would hope she¡¯d hold him and tell him how much she had missed him but he knew better than that anyways. Catherine had failed as a mother.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°You forgot to pick me up from the airport Romero, cabs here are very hard to find, I¡¯m not supposed to even board a cab when my son, my son is the number one richest bar owner in all of New York¡± another thing Catherine loved to do? Nag and unt Gideon¡¯s position to anyone who cared to listen. She dwelled  in wealth, loved money more than she loved her own son and herself even. Gideon had totally forgotten about his mother phoning him about her visiting him soon. He has been so caught up with his grief.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mama, it won¡¯t happen again¡± Gideon spoke, his voice emotionless. Catherine muttered a ¡®it better not¡¯ as she made herselffortable in his office. She sat on the chair directly across Gideon¡¯s. Gideon walked over to the table and sat on his chair.

    ¡°So what brings you here mother¡± Gideon asked. Knowing his mother very well. She could never visit just because, it was either to torment him or torment even more. Catherine looked at her son as though she was wounded by his question.

    ¡°What do you mean by that Romero, can¡¯t a mother visit her only son anymore¡± Gideon rolled his eyes at this. Always the dramatist. Gideon said nothing to this, he knew without her even knowing it she¡¯de to state her main reason for visiting. He closed up the file in front of him and payed attention to his mother who was currently looking at his office with a lot of disgust on his face.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you chose to own bars instead of continuing in your father¡¯s business Romero¡± there is was, the torment toe. Gideon¡¯s hands balled at this and he tried so hard not to scold his mother. Instead he got up from his table, went to her, took her hands in his and suggested they go home.

    Gideon and Catherine were weed into a surprisingly quiet house. Catherine called for the servant Alda to take her luggage to her room.

    ¡°Ryan isn¡¯t home, and what about your wife, what¡¯s her name again¡± Catherine asked, the word ¡®wife¡¯ filled with venom. Gideon froze at this, he hadn¡¯t informed his mother about the death Ryan¡¯s death nor Emma¡¯s departure. He had thought as his mother, she would have noticed how thinner he had gotten, how swollen his eyes were from excessive tears and drinking and how his once bright eyes were now very dull. But she hadn¡¯t, she never notices anyway. He wasn¡¯t even surprised that is mother hadn¡¯t heard the news of Ryan¡¯s death. It could be disying on television her eyes even though focused on the screen would be counting how much money she would bill her son, Gideon to get a new jewelry set.

    Catherine turned around when after five seconds of her question and she still hadn¡¯t gotten a reply. She saw Gideon looking stiff and saw a lone tear fall down his left cheek. She rushed to him and quickly wiped the tear away then pulled him into a hug. It wasn¡¯t the usual 2 seconds hug Gideon got from his mother. He was surprised at this and decided to bask in the moment. Mother and son stayed that way for three minutes before Gideon broke up the hug.

    ¡°What is it that has you so down Son?¡± Catherine asked Gideon as she led him to the couch in the parlor and the two sat down. She began to run her fingers through his hair, something she had never done. Catherine was scared, in all her years, she had never seen Gideon she¡¯d a tear except when he lost his father at a young age. Once he got to the age of ten, he had never shed a tear from that age until now. So she knew whatever that had him so down must be terrible.

    Gideon detached himself from his mother¡¯s warmth. His mind clouded with so many thoughts. He for once, did not know how he was to tell him mother that she had lost her grandson, her only grand child. He honestly didn¡¯t know how he could say these words without breaking her heart and breaking down again. He didn¡¯t even n on telling her about Emma¡¯s departure, she¡¯d be more than happy about that. After all she had never liked the woman, she only tolerated her because she bore her grandson, she hadn¡¯t even shown for their wedding.

    Catherine could tell that an internal debate was going on within Gideon, so she ced her palm against his back and began to rub in circles as a way tofort him.

    ¡°You know you can tell me anything Romero¡± She pushed trying to coo him into telling her. His silence was killing her and her mind had thought of so many things as to what was tormenting her son but the next words that came out Gideon¡¯s mouth was too painful for her to bear

    ¡°It¡¯s Ryan mama, Ryan is dead.¡±

 CHAPTER 45: HOT GUY

    CHICAGO:

    Emma adjusted the rope that held the apron around her neck.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to choke to get the work done.¡± She muttered as she reduced the tightness of the rope a little bit. She looked gorgeous and had packed her blonde hair in a dough form.  In her bar attendant uniform, she gazed around the busy atmosphere and her mind travelled to days spent at Gideon¡¯s bar in New York. It was always filled up and the noisy environment was as exciting as the club she was now working at. Just like Gideon¡¯s club, this ce was lit and the warm expressions spread on the faces of the customers proved how much they loved the ce. She smiled at Ellie her co-worker and now friend who was passing by with some tray of shots. She cleaned her forehead with her hand towel and resolved to clearing the empty sses spread around the table before her.

    She was d she had taken this job. Not only will the ie help her fend for herself, she will also save to further her studies which she stopped halfway after being put in the family¡¯s way by Gideon. She was determined to make her life work again and her history is her history as she has been acknowledgingtely. She could swear she had moved on. Being with Gideon and spending little time in his club had equipped her with the skills required from a bar attendant so, she got the job. Meanwhile, who would have thought the wife of Gideon Romero would one day work as a bar attendant? It didn¡¯t matter now anyways. She was on her own and this was Chicago.

    She noticed a devilishly handsome man who just walked in. He stood 6 foot 3 and his body graced a blue tuxedo. His hair was gelled  back and he wore a sunss.

    The man began approaching the bar stools opposite her and Emma watched him keenly. He smiled as he walked towards her and she looked away nervously. He pulled the stool in the center and sat still smiling at her. Is this man always smiling? she wondered as her eyes drifted onto his face. Emma knew he was a handsome man. Everyone around could testify to that. His jet ck hair and blue eyes apanied with his well built stature made him a sight to behold. He could pass for a model or a greek god Emma thought then finally asked.

    ¡°What can I offer you?  She immediately lowered her eyes averting his gaze which made her feel rather ufortable. The man wouldn¡¯t stop staring at her. In his shy suit, he sat cing his hand embroidered with a Rolex watch on the table.

    ¡°You look beautiful. ¡± heplimented. Emma ignored hisment and asked again.

    ¡°Will you have whiskey or beer?¡±

    ¡°You should have said thank you instead. ¡± he retorted. ¡°It¡¯s not everyday youe across a man whopliments you at first sight.¡± he added.

    ¡°How will you know when you demand an appreciation from everydy you admire.¡±

    Emma said back. The wordsing out meaner than she had wanted but she didn¡¯t apologize for that. She was tired of men walking into this bar and hitting on her just because they had money, they felt they could win her over. Arrogant assholes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t givepliments often actually, so the least you can do is say thank you and let me buy you a drink. ¡± She wasn¡¯t surprised at this suggestion, giving from how he had been staring not so discreetly at her. Another arrogant one to deal with.

    ¡°You should count yourself lucky. ¡± he added with a smile. Emma frowned and said.

    ¡°You can take your leave if you won¡¯t make any orders Sir. ¡±

    ¡°You sound rude. ¡± he said.

    ¡°No I am trying to be nice hear mister. You are the rude one. ¡± she countered looking the other way as she felt his eyes all over her body.

    ¡°Customer care services. What happened to that?  Who hired you? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°None of your business. ¡± she fired back and sat on her chair pressing her phone. Few minutester, the handsome man left the spot.

    ¡°They think everyone is the same. ¡± Emma muttered.

    ¡°How was today? ¡± Ellie asked Emma as they were clearing the ce.

    ¡°Not bad. ¡± Emma replied.

    ¡°Did you see the guy I was talking to earlier? ¡± Emma asked her.  Ellie shook her head from left to right signaling  ¡®no¡¯

    ¡°What happened? ¡± she asked.

    ¡°The man is a brute. ¡± Emma replied.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably one of the rich men who think they can have their way with anyone.¡± She added.

    ¡°You should have yed along ¡± said Ellie recing the wine bottles. ¡°He would have tipped you I guess. ¡± added Ellie.

    ¡°If he¡¯ll belittle me then hand me some peanuts then I¡¯m never in for that shit. ¡± replied Emma.

    ¡°You should have seen him by the way.¡± He¡¯s quite handsome you know? ¡± she told Ellie while giggling. Though the man was aplete ass, Emma could not deny how attractive he was

    ¡°Oh I see. Mr. Arrogant isn¡¯t bad after all.¡± Ellie told her tapping her back. Emma giggled and they both left the bar after signing out indicating the end of their day¡¯s shift.

    ¡°What will you be doingter tonight?¡±Ellie asked Emma as they walked down the street heading home.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I have no idea. I might just watch TV or read a book before going to bed. ¡± Emma said.

    ¡°Come on that¡¯s what you do everyday. ¡± whined Ellie, since she had met Emma she had never for once seen her go any other ce other than work or do anything other than read or shop for groceries.

    ¡°Well I am notining. ¡± replied Emma with a sheepish smile on her face

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we hang out tonight. ¡± Ellie suggested, already tired of seeing her friend live a boring life

    ¡°Since we are done for the day, why don¡¯t we get dressed ande have fun at the club tonight. ¡± Ellie persuaded.

    ¡°Well.. I.. ¡± Emma was saying and she was quickly interrupted by Ellie.

    ¡°It¡¯s on me girl. All you have to do is look good and have fun. Okay? ¡± Ellie said convincingly.

    ¡°Fine then. ¡± Emma said agreeing to Ellie¡¯s demand.

    ¡°Yea. ¡± screamed Ellie excitedly like a child who just got his favorite toy.

    ¡°But we won¡¯t stay till dawn right? ¡± Emma charged pointing a finger at Ellie.

    ¡°We will see about that I guess. ¡± Ellie replied with a smile.

    ¡°Wait for my call at 9 sharp. ¡± she told Emma who nodded and smiled back.

 CHAPTER 46: A NIGHT AT THE CLUB IN CHICAGO

    Emma looked at the mirror and kept marveling at the image projected by the ss. Her recently acquired t belly and tender skin coupled with the thin figure she had, made her marvel over the wonders that could be achieved in a month at the gym. Sincest month, she had taken her work outs seriously and went to the gym daily. The diet also helped. She knew it. She wondered why she hadn¡¯t visited the gym or ced herself on such diet after having Ryan.

    ¡°In few months toe, I¡¯ll be the Emma I used to be¡±. She assured herself and smiled in the mirror feeling her tender skin and rubbing her t belly. She was practically looking hot and sexy and of course, she won¡¯t she promised herself not to relent in her exercises.

    She slipped into her skimpy brown sleeveless dress and thought of releasing her hair. ¡®Always in a dough¡¯ she muttered  as she loosened her beautiful blonde hair which fell unto her shoulders. She oiled it andbed it and her hair was soon glowing. She reddened her lips the way she loved it and sat on the edge of her bed putting on her red heels. Her make up was light and beautiful.  She grabbed her purse and stuffed in some money, a pepper spray and her credit card.  Her phone suddenly began to ring. She checked her wrist watch : it was exactly 9 pm. She knew it was Ellie calling. Ellie hade with a taxi and was waiting for Emma to quicklye outside so they could head for the club. Emma grabbed the door knob and quickly ran to the mirror to look at herself one more time before dashing out. She locked the door and ced the key in her purse then jumped into the taxi and they sped off.

    ¡°You look hot. ¡± Ellieplimented Emma. She¡¯s never seen Emma dress this way before and she was d she was able to convince Emma to leave the house tonight

    Emma and Ellie walked into the club alongside few others. The ce was more filled than it was earlier when they left and the resounding music kept the people in the mood. A group of elderly men were ying games at the centre surrounded by heavily built man and prettydies. The bar stools were all upied. A couple was sharing a kiss by the corner while arge group of people were dancing. Some in twos, others alone. Emma managed to squeeze herself in a sofa which was already upying twodies while Ellie went to get them some drinks. Emma had missed the usual club atmosphere and was beginning to forget what it looked like after having Ryan. She was at home all day and resting at night. She missed the games, the shotspetition and she missed dancing too. Ellie was taking too long to return Emma thought as she looked around stretching her neck. Then, her eyes fell upon the arrogant customer whom she met earlier. She quickly turned her attention the other way but the unrelenting man began walking towards her.

    Before Emma could realize it, the man was standing before her while the people she shared a sofa with were up, surprisingly vacating their seat for the man. I would never give up my seat in such a tight space for anyone here Emma thought. The man quickly sat beside her and moved rather too close extending his left hand for a handshake. She ignored him and stared the other way pulling her skimpy dress which was barely covering her thighs. The man chuckled loudly and said.

    ¡°People are meant to have fun here not crash in some dumb couch with nopany. ¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have fun my way. ¡± she said stretching her neck trying to get a glimpse of Ellie who had wandered off.

    ¡°You came here with someone? ¡± the man asked. Emma didn¡¯t utter a word. Meanwhile, she was wondering over his sudden change of act. Earlier, he was an arrogant fellow and now, he sounded nice? Emma looked down and her eyes were greeted by his well polished leather shoes. She had seen one of those shoes on Gideon. They are very expensive. She looked up and his blue eyes were staring directly into her brown eyes. His eyes were so intense she had to look away.

    ¡°Are You Okay? ¡± the man asked. She nodded marveling over his now concerned behavior. She wanted to remind him of how rude he was earlier but she didn¡¯t. He must be ying games with her. She thought.

    ¡°So tell me something. Your name, Where you live and your new job. ¡± the man said sounding interested in her affairs. Did he just say new job? How did he know she just got hired recently she thought. He noticed her confusion and said

    ¡°I know all the staff around here. ¡±

    ¡°You are new. ¡± he added.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You seem a regr customer here. ¡± she stated her observation.

    ¡°Or maybe more. ¡± he replied with a smile. Emma didn¡¯t read too much into what he had said

    His fragrance had covered the whole spot and Emma was scared she might start smelling like him in a short while.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk to me ? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you. ¡± Emma lied pointing towards the spot where the resounding music was emanating from. The man knew she was lying. Emma needed no one to tell her this strange man liked her. She could read his bodynguage.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you be now. ¡± he said then got up. Emma nodded. Finally he is leaving she thought and heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m so sorry for all that happened earlier at the bar stand earlier on today. ¡± the man apologized. Emma was dumbfounded for she never saw the apologying. The man leaned over and kissed her forehead while Emma was left stunned. She turned around hoping no one saw what just happened and luckily no one did. The people around were so engrossed in their business to notice. With her mouth wide open, Emma marveled at the man¡¯s audacity as he went upstairs.

 CHAPTER 47: FRIENDSHIP

    Emma walked into the clothing store downtown. She felt she needed new dresses especially now that her body was altering exactly the way she wanted it. She wandered inside the store and suddenly her attention was drawn to a sleeveless red top which hung on one of the clothing hangers by the corner. She quickly grabbed the top and went to therge dressing mirror in the store. She imagined how beautiful it would look on her and suddenly someone whispered into her ears saying ¡°It will look perfect on you. ¡± She was immediately frightened and turned around to see who it was that made her feel this jumpy. It was Mr. Arrogant as she had been referring to himtely.

    ¡°You scared me to death. ¡± she revealed panting heavily.

    ¡°Did I?¡± He asked still standing so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face. She quickly took few steps back.

    ¡°What are you doing here? ¡± she inquired. ¡°Are you following me? ¡± she further asked then resolved to check him out. He wore a ssy blue jean trousers on a ck tee shirt. He had a leather jacket on and his blue shoes were perfect. He has his way around colors. Emma noted, something only few men had.

    ¡°So are you going to use me of following you around or you¡¯ll prefer to check me out. ¡± he said. Emma hissed and immediately took her eyes off him.

    ¡°And yet I was checking you out few days ago and you wanted to rip my eyes out. ¡± he told Emma. Sheughed and he grinned. There was no doubt she loved the way he looks. His hair, blue eyes well built stature and owing to the fact that he dresses well was beginning to make Emma assume he was actually a gentleman.

    ¡°Did you have fun at the clubst night? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Yea.¡± replied Emma while trying to hang back the top from where she picked it from.

    ¡°Hey don¡¯t! Take that top back. ¡± he protested while snatching the shirt from her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it anymore. ¡± she lied.

    ¡°You do.¡± he said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take it back because of what I said. It will look good on you.¡± he maintained.

    ¡°Fine. ¡± she said taking back the top from him. Before he could utter a word, Emma was already hurrying to the counter so he fastened his steps towards her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± he told the cashier who nodded with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s my dress so I¡¯ll pay for it. ¡± Emma said to the cashier who stared at them in confusion.

    ¡°Listen. ¡± began the man while whispering into Emma¡¯s ears. ¡°Take the dress as a gift from me. ¡±

    ¡°Okay then. ¡± Emma told him. He smiled and offered his credit card to the cashier. He thought Emma might object but she epted the gift instead.

    ¡°Dinner tonight? ¡± he said as they walked out of the clothing store.

    ¡°I am not sure¡± Emma hesitated.

    ¡°Come on your shift isn¡¯t tillter tonight so you can still make it to the dinner. ¡± he revealed.

    ¡°How did you know? ¡± asked a surprised Emma.

    ¡°What if I told you I was tailing you. ¡± he said with a wink. Emma giggled and replied.

    ¡°Guessing and asking questions here and there huh? ¡± heughed and said

    ¡°Deal? ¡±

    ¡°I will try. ¡± Emma told him and turned around to leave.

    ¡°Wait! ¡± he called out to her.

    ¡°Bravado hill restaurant. 7pm sharp. Call me when you get there. ¡± he said handing over to her a tiny in paper with his phone number boldly written on it.  Shouldn¡¯t a man like this be handing over business cards instead?  Emma thought while epting the card.

    ¡°Like I said earlier, I am not sure.¡± she warned.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± he replied and turned the other way. Emma smiled and walked away pondering on the fact that they¡¯ve met severally but didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s names.

    It was eleven minutes past 7pm and Emma was still in bed. She had taken her bath an hour ago and was undecided about having dinner with Mr. Arrogant. I told him I wasn¡¯t sure if I coulde right? She thought as she roamed endlessly from one edge of her bed to another. How was she supposed to move on if she¡¯s unwilling to make new acquaintances she thought. She got up and got dressed. It was few minutes to 8pm so she wasn¡¯t sure if he would still be there. She brought out the in paper which had his phone number on and dialed it immediately.

    ¡°Hello.¡± came her voice.

    ¡°Tell me you are on your way. ¡± he said. How did he figure out I was the one Emma wondered.

    ¡°Uhm are you still there? ¡± she asked.

    ¡°Of course am still at Bravado sitting tight as a rock and expecting you.¡± he replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly. ¡± she said and heaved a deep sigh of anxiety.

    ¡°Wow You look amazing. ¡± he confessed as Emma sat opposite him. He had booked a VIP site in the restaurant and directed her to the spot on phone. He stared at Emma intently and she cleared her throat loudly. He quickly lowered his head saying ¡°sorry¡± slowly. She smiled and he said.

    ¡°I told you the top will look good on you. It looks perfect on you. ¡± heplemented. ¡°Thank You. ¡± she replied. Emma worn the top he earlier paid for.

    ¡°Hello ma¡¯am. Menu card please¡± said the plump waitress to Emma while handing her the menu card.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± replied Emma after collecting it. She whispered her orders to the waitress who kept nodding.

    ¡°You sir? ¡± the waitress told Emma¡¯s date after moving to his side.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have whatever she orders. ¡± he replied looking directly into Emma¡¯s eyes. The waitress smiled while Emma looked the other way shyly

 CHAPTER 48: MOOD SWING

    ¡°You don¡¯t like the sd.¡±

    Emma told Mr. Arrogant. He smiled halfway and nodded in affirmation. Emma was right. He despises sd.

    ¡°You should have ordered something else. Why must you eat what I ordered in the first ce? ¡± asked Emma after sipping her ss of wine.

    ¡°I was just trying to be a gentleman. ¡± he said.

    ¡°So you¡¯ll deny yourself pleasure to satisfy a woman? ¡± she asked him starring into his eyes. He rxed his back on the chair and said

    ¡°It depends on the woman. ¡±

    ¡°Or maybe women. ¡± retorted Emma which heughed lightly.

    ¡°What gave you the conviction that I will show up tonight Emma asked him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know. My hopes were kinda high and I believed you will show up. ¡± he said wiping his mouth with a napkin.

    ¡°And you turned up. You didn¡¯t disappoint. ¡± he added.

    ¡°And if I didn¡¯t turn up? ¡± she asked again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll reschedule and might turn up at your gym ss tomorrow with a new invitation. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Jesus! ¡± marveled Emma. ¡°You¡¯ve been tailing me for quite a long time weren¡¯t you? ¡± ¡±

    You know my schedules. ¡± she added. He smiled and lifted his ss of wine to her face smiling brightly.

    ¡°Your name? ¡± Emma asked him. He coughed and said

    ¡°We¡¯ve gotten to the spot right? ¡± ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t ask. ¡± he added with a smile.

    ¡°Well since you didn¡¯t bother to find out mine, I guess knowing yours wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Emma replied.

    ¡°Since you are Emma, I am Sam. ¡± he blurted.

    ¡°You know my name? ¡± Emma asked surprised grasping for breath. Sam smiled and folded his arms. They were done eating now.

    ¡°Tell me. ¡± Emma said. ¡°How much more do you know about me? ¡±

    ¡°Nothing other than the usual¡± Sam replied.

    ¡°So back then at the bar stand, you¡¯ve done your homework all along and yet acted strangely? You are a drama king you know. ¡± revealed Emma. She wouldn¡¯t let him speak but continued talking.

    ¡°Hello!  I am Sam. Hey Emma pleased to meet you. Would that have hurt?¡± she asked him. He had been staring at her all along and kept smiling from ear to ear.

    ¡°I never knew you could talk as much as this.¡± he told her. Sheughed and wiped her eyes.

    ¡°Few minutes to 9pm. ¡± Emma announced. ¡°I should be going now. My shiftmences at exactly 9pm. ¡± she added.

    ¡°Okay then. ¡± he said while getting up. ¡°Ladies first. ¡± he told Emma paving the way for her with his hands as they exit the building.

    Emma looked around hoping a taxi would pulled by but a limousine pulled over instead. She tried walking away from the fancy car hoping Sam was behind her but as she turned around, she noticed he was not behind her. The limo¡¯s window screen was pulled down and Emma saw Samfortably sitting like a king behind. ¡°Hope in. ¡± he said to her and she stood staring while his driver got out and opened the car door for her. She reluctantly went inside the car and sat opposite Sam. Of course the car belonged to Sam. She didn¡¯t need to be told he was rich. She had noticed that the moment he first walked up to her at the bar stand.

    ¡°We will drop you at the club. ¡± he said.

    ¡°I have to get home first. ¡± she insisted.

    ¡°I need to change into my uniform first.¡± she added.

    ¡°Well we can drop you at home, wait for you to change then drive you to work. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Just drop me at home. I can manage from there. ¡± insisted Emma.

    ¡°I am a stubborn man. You should have known by now. ¡± Sam said and smiled. He then ordered his driver to get moving.

    Emma woke up veryte the next morning. Her shiftsted tillte night. She needed to get some groceries so she slipped into a maxi dress and grabbed her purse. Before entering the grocery store, Emma noticed Sam¡¯s limousine parked outside the grocery store. Even though she only rodest night in it, She was certain it was the car. Was Sam following her?  She thought. How could he have known she would being here? she wondered. It could be a coincidence she thought then walked into the grocery store. Immediately she entered, she saw Sam picking up stuffs randomly. She hurried towards him with a smile and said ¡°Hey Sam!  Good morning.¡±

    ¡°Morning. ¡± he replied barely looking at her face. Emma didn¡¯t only feel strange but was ashamed that Sam had just shunned her in arge grocery store filled up with customers who had witness the incident. She hurried towards him and tried to speak but he looked at her without a word and left the grocery store.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    As Emma walked home after shopping, she recalled her meeting with Sam in the grocery store that morning and how withdrawn he was towards her. What came over him?  She thought. Maybe he was in a bad mood but shunning her like that made her feel different. She went back to her home and made lunch. Later in the evening, she was dressed in her bar attendant uniform serving the customers when Sam walked him. She was sure his mood must have lightened now since its been almost ten hours  after the incident. ¡°Sam. ¡± she greeted him with a smile but Sam walked upstairs ignoring her like some dumb fool seeking attention.

 CHAPTER 49: MYSTERIOUS TEXT

    NEW YORK CITY:

    Meanwhile in New York Gideon and Judy were at the cafe behind the office having lunch. They walked in after Gideon offered to pay for Judy¡¯s lunch that day because they¡¯ve been having series of business meetings all through.  Judy ced her phone opposite Gideon and was checking the menu card the waiter handed over to her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the usual. ¡± Gideon told the waiter who nodded with a smile. Lately, Gideon had been having his lunch daily at the cafe making Frankie his chef feeling unwanted most of the time. As far as Frankie was concerned, his pay kepting. Soon, Judy and Gideon were having lunch and conversing. Gideon was having orange juice and burger while Judy was having potato chips and egg sauce. ¡°Will that be all you¡¯ll have as lunch? ¡± Judy questioned Gideon pointing at his meal. He smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Come on, That¡¯s a mere snack. ¡± Judy said.

    ¡°I am okay Judy. ¡± he told her.

    ¡°If you say so. ¡± she replied and continued eating.

    ¡°So tomorrow, I¡¯ll turn upte. I have to meet with Stephen to see if there¡¯s any progress regarding the partnership. ¡± Gideon said while Judy nodded.

    ¡°So your appointment with the new club band will be rescheduled then. ¡± Judy said. ¡°Yea I will meet with them after tomorrow instead. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Noted. ¡± replied Judy. ¡°I¡¯ll text their leader and inform them to drop by the day after tomorrow. ¡± she added.

    ¡°I just hope I don¡¯t forget or maybe I¡¯ll do it right away. ¡± she added and went for her phone.

    ¡°You can do thatter Judy. ¡± said Gideon while Judy smiled halfway.

    ¡°You are actually doing great. ¡± he praised her while she lowered her head smiling brightly.

    ¡°You are a personal assistant and secretary to me. ¡± he added.

    ¡°I am d I am doing great sir. ¡± she said. He nodded and went for his orange juice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. ¡± Judy announced in between the meal. She quickly got up and headed to the rest room. Maybe she was too pressed. Gideon thought. He immediately began thinking about Emma. Throughout the past few months, he had tried to move on but all his efforts proved abortive. He would work himself to death hoping the stress will make his mind drift from his sorrows but he returns home tired and broken. At times, he will caress Emma¡¯s photographs and smell her clothes. He had been resisting the urge to go to her parents and demand for her whereabouts. He missed her a-lot and he knew he was struggling to survive without her. Wherever she was, he hopes she¡¯s doing okay and how he wishes she misses him too. Now if Emma was here,  what would she think? He was having lunch with Judy who ushered their problems. It was purely a misconception. He assured himself. Was he doing the right thing by hanging out with Judy? He thought. Judy is changed now and as far as he is concerned they had no attachment towards each other .

    Suddenly, Judy¡¯s phone which was facing him began to ring. He didn¡¯t bother and the phone kept ringing non stop. He took a nce from his position and the name Will popped out as the caller. Was it the Will he knew? Will;Emma¡¯s childhood friend? There are lots of Williams out there. It might just be a coincidence. He thought shoving off his thoughts. Then an iing message from Judy¡¯s phone popped up from the screen. It was from Will. Gideon was grabbing the phone and the text read ¡®How far?  Have you gone out with the n? ¡®After reading the message from the phone screen, Gideon was convinced that it wasn¡¯t the Will he assumed. Will was now working with Dan¡¯s Delivery Services and had no business with Judy. Suddenly, Judy appeared. She walked and sat on her chair. Gideon immediately felt guilty for viting her privacy.

    Meanwhile, Gideon remembered seeing a figure with a  face like that of Will¡¯s the other day when Ryan died. It must be alcohol ying with his mind that day he thought. Judy then said

    ¡°So sorry I took so long. I needed to clear my bowels. ¡± she then grinned.

    ¡°Do you know Will Adams? ¡± Gideon asked Judy out of curiosity.

    ¡°What? ¡± she blurted feeling ufortable which made her drop her fork the moment the question came from Gideon.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know him. ¡± she said and grabbed her ss of water smiling falsely.

    ¡°I am deeply sorry for checking your phone. It wasn¡¯t intentional. ¡± Gideon exined. ¡±

    ¡°Why on earth will you leave your phone here Judy? ¡± she muttered to herself . The caller kept calling and a message shed so I kind of read it. ¡± he told her.

    ¡°I am so sorry. ¡± he added.

    ¡°No that¡¯s fine. ¡± she replied cleaning her sweaty forehead with a handkerchief.

    ¡°The caller was Will and I happen to know one Will Adams so I thought maybe he¡¯s the one. ¡± Gideon. Said.

    ¡°But there are thousands of Wills out there right?. ¡± he quickly added.

    ¡°Exactly. ¡± retorted Judy.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°This Will is different from yours. ¡± she added

    ¡°Will is my manager from the modeling agency. ¡± began Judy.

    ¡°We have a project we are working on currently. ¡± she said. ¡°he has been trying to reach me since morning. ¡± she added. ¡°Wow that¡¯s great. ¡±mented Gideon.

    ¡°He is a good manager it seems. ¡± added Gideon. They were done having lunch and were rxing. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to ask you. ¡± Gideon said. ¡°Why would you leave your job at the modeling agency and take up a job as my personal assistant? ¡± asked Gideon.

    ¡°I mean a popr global model like you should be somewhere else not here. ¡± he added.

    ¡°If only you know Gideon Romero. ¡± she said in her heart.

 CHAPTER 50: CRUEL MOTHER?

    ¡°So the report we will be sending to Stephen Wales will bear just your signature right? ¡± Judy asked Gideon in an attempt to seek for rification on the business document he had ask her to draft. They had been working on trying to secure a partnership with Wale¡¯s club.

    ¡°Yes just my signature will do Judy. ¡± said Gideon.

    ¡°The General manager¡¯s signature is not necessary. Just the Chief Executive Officer¡¯s which is mine. ¡± Gideon admonished. Judy was seated on the sofa in Gideon¡¯s office with her legs crossed. She nodded. She held a pen with one hand and a file containing some documents in the other hand.

    ¡°I think that¡¯ll will be all sir. ¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll draft the document right away and bring it to you for review. Also is

    there any other thing else you¡¯ll need Sir?¡± She inquired.  ¡°Nothing Judy. Please get to work. Remember, we need it urgently. said Gideon. ¡°You can trust me sir ¡± replied Judy with a smile. Gideon returned the smile. Judy had been working really hard these few months and Gideon could attest to that. She had been handling his appointments well and scheduling meetings professionally. He could say was proud of her.  Also after they had settled the issue of Judy trying to seduce him, she really had stopped. Gideon guessed she wasn¡¯t lying about doing all that out of insecurities.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Recently, Gideon had been devoting his time to his work and had been able to secure contracts and partnerships. He seemed to be moving on. His marriage failed. His business will not fail. He had been assuring himselftely. He knew how hard it was for him to build this empire and he needs to put all hands on deck to run his business especially now that intion was heating up. The market isn¡¯t favorable as it was and Gideon knew he dare not ck.  After Ryan¡¯s death and Emma¡¯s  departure from his life, Gideon became miserable and lost focus. His vulnerable state had exposed his business to loses, lost of deals and the pulling out of investors since the normal expected revenue to be generated dropped drastically. He had promised himself that it won¡¯t happen again. He knew he needed to restructure.

    ¡°Once I get back with the document, we will then begin the¡­ . ¡± Judy was saying when the door to Gideon¡¯s office was suddenly pushed opened in a rude way and a woman walked in.

    ¡°Mom? ¡± Gideon called out to her in a surprised manner.  Judy was still seated on the sofa. The woman looked around and Judy immediately felt the eyes of Gideon¡¯s mother all over her body. She immediately began pulling down her mini skirt which was barely covering her thighs. Gideon¡¯s mother had a nasty look on her face as she looked at Judy and Judy felt insulted. She immediately looked the other way. Gideon¡¯s mother must be rude. Judy concluded. How on earth did Emma manage to handle her?

    ¡°What are you doing here? I am busy mother. ¡± began Gideon. ¡°You should have told me you wereing. You didn¡¯t.¡± Gideon said while his mother stood staring at him intently. Gideon¡¯s mother barely showed up in his office so he was surprised over her sudden appearance.

    ¡°Romero. ¡± the first thing she had said to him. The tone in which she had said it

    ¡°Mother. ¡± he replied calmly. ¡°Mother I am not saying you can¡¯te here¡­ I was saying it will be appropriate if you informed me earlier. I¡­ I was hoping may you¡­ . ¡± Gideon was saying and his mother interrupted. ¡°How dare you reprimand me Romero. ¡± she said in a loud tune and Gideon lowered his head feeling sorry. ¡°Do I need permission beforeing into my son¡¯s office? ¡± she asked. ¡°Mother please don¡¯t misunderstand me. You cane here anytime. ¡± he said. ¡°It will be better if you informed me earlier so it wouldn¡¯t interfere with my work. ¡± he added. His mother frowned and said ¡°It¡¯s obvious I need permission to get into my son¡¯s office right? ¡± she asked him. ¡°It¡¯s obvious you have no regard for you mother again. ¡± she dered while Gideon tried to exin to her but she wouldn¡¯t oblige. Meanwhile, Judy was still seated on the couch witnessing the little family drama which was heating up. Gideon¡¯s mother had expected Judy to excuse them but she didn¡¯t.

    Gideon¡¯s mother turned around and looked at Judy in disgust. ¡°Good morning ma¡¯am ¡± Judy managed to say getting up and shivering a bit. Gideon¡¯s mother hissed and went for the door. ¡°Mother you didn¡¯t tell me why you were here? ¡± Gideon told her. ¡°You didn¡¯t wee me Romero. You made me feel like a stranger so I¡¯ll take my leave. ¡± she said. She went for the door knob and came back to the spot she stood and was ranting earlier. She eyed Judy who cowered away. ¡°Romero I came here to let you know that I¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow. ¡± she said. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll leave for Florida. ¡± she revealed. ¡°But mother you should have told me earlier. ¡± protested Gideon. ¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow and you are just informing me now? ¡± he asked her. ¡°Well I don¡¯te her often and since I did, it meant I had a valid reason. Nevertheless, have a great life. We will keep in touch Romero. ¡± she said and moved closer to Judy who was rolling her eyes all over.

    ¡°Now listen to me attentively. ¡± she told Judy was looking down, staring a the woman¡¯s shoes. Judy was almost shivering while Gideon was feeling ufortable. He knows his mother so he dares not intervene. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you are to my son. A secretary, personal assistant or mistress I don¡¯t care. ¡± Gideon¡¯s mother said staring right into Judy¡¯s eyes whose face was lifted up now. ¡°I don¡¯t like you. ¡± the woman continued. ¡°Henceforth, I don¡¯t want you near my son. ¡± she warned. ¡°Do you understand? ¡± she said. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am¡± nodded Judy even though she wanted to hurl insults at her and put her in her ce. Gideon¡¯s mother mmed the door after walking out while Gideon and Judy dwelt in a momentary silence. His mother was leaving for Florida. Gideon knew he wouldn¡¯t see her in a long while. She should have kissed his forehead or hugged him. He thought.

    ¡°Are You okay? ¡± Judy asked Gideon after he felt back on his seat. Gideon is astonished and remains silent. ¡°I am fine Judy. ¡± he finally spoke. ¡°You just got insulted by my mother. I should be asking you whether you are okay. ¡± he told her. She smiled and said. ¡°She is your mother Gideon. She is concerned about you and I understand. ¡± Judy replied then left the office to draft the document they¡¯ve been talking about earlier.

    .

 CHAPTER 51: CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

    FLASH BACK:

    The snow was falling, it was a cold morning and little Gideon ran to the living room. He was the first to wake up that morning. Last night which was Christmas Eve, he had prayed to Santa to fix his family. Nanny Grace walked pass the living room and saw little Gideon admiring the well decorated Christmas tree. Poor Gideon she thought as there were no gifts below the giant Christmas tree. Mr. and Mrs. Romero could not get Christmas gifts for the boy? Little Gideon¡¯s nanny Grace an elderly woman of about fifty asked herself. She went back to her room and came back hiding a package behind her. ¡°Merry Christmas Romero junior.¡± She whispered from behind. He turned around, gave a cheerful smile and said ¡°Merry Christmas Nanny.¡± He sat facing her. ¡°I have a gift for you Romero.¡± She said handing him a small package. ¡°I know its small but it will containrge beautiful things.¡± She had told him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Romero. I am sure your parents have something special for you. Let theme down first.¡¯ She assured the boy even though she wasn¡¯t sure if his parents actually got something for him. ¡°I don¡¯t need any gift from them Nanny.¡± Little Gideon had told her. ¡°I just wish mommy, daddy and I get to spend more time together and I hope they get to attend my school shows too. Santa will take care of that.¡± He confidently stated leaving his nanny marveling.

    And after Christmas, little Gideon was disappointed in Santa for failing to work the magic. His parents became more distant from him and he barely saw his father. When he had an Easter party at school, Gideon wasn¡¯t sure whether his father would turn up but he was sure his mother would and she will admire him in his egg dress he thought. But none of them showed up except for Nanny Grace who came immediately after the y ended. When they got home, he confronted his mother trying to register hisint but she screamed at his face yelling because she was pissed after the quarrel she had that day with his father and thus, he became a victim of transferred aggression that day. Gideon ran to his room and locked his door wetting his sheet with tears and after much plea from his nanny, he opened the door and she hugged him telling him everything will be fine but rather things became worse.

    When he went out to y with the kids in the neighborhood, Little Gideon will always wished he had a little one to call a sibling. Someone he would protect from the older kids, someone he could share his toys with, and someone who would be his best buddy. Sometimes, little Gideon will wonder what his young life will be without Nanny Grace. She bought him birthday presents, cared for his broken ankle and helped him fix his toys whenever they were broken. One day little Gideon asked his nanny ¡°Do you think mommy and daddy will ever have time for me?¡± of course my boy.¡± She told him but they didn¡¯t. He remembered following his father to events during the day when he would be pulled out from behind for a formal introduction. ¡°Meet Gideon Romero jnr.¡¯ His father will say and his father¡¯s friends and colleagues will pat him on the back, flip his hair and smile but inwardly, he never really felt like a son.

    Gideon¡¯s childhood agony took a deferent dimension when his father died. Gideon was nine back then and he was told his father had gone to heaven never to return again. Of course Gideon knew what death was and he cried uncontrobly at his father¡¯s funeral. Then, his mother became something else. She would lock herself in her room and cry all day. Gideon would knock and when he started to sob in front of her door, Nanny Grace wille and take him way and cuddle him.  His mother became thinner and her bloodshot eyes whenever she came downstairs made Gideon ufortable. She began to drift farther away from the boy till she became out of reach.

    Sometimes, his mother will stare nkly at the wall and his nanny wille down with his mother¡¯s meal untouched. Then Gideon never got to know why but Nanny Grace didn¡¯t show up one day, then for weeks and he never saw her again. One day, his mother told him his nanny will nevere over again and Gideon cried all night. His heart was broken and his mother wouldn¡¯t tell him why the nanny was gone for good. Sometimes, he wondered whether she died and no one told him. Shortlyter, Gideon was sent by his mother to a boarding school. He then thought of how he overcame bullies in high school, how he almost drifted from his study during his university days and how he built his business. He wouldn¡¯t take a penny from his mother to establish his business. He took loans, worked hard and became the man he dreamt of.

    After Gideon had Ryan with Emma, he had vowed to give his child all the fatherly affection he was robbed off.  He promised himself that his son will be his best friend in life and he was looking forward to guiding him through life. Gideon would drop Ryan at school when he got the chance and feed him at home. He yed with Ryan and will dress him at times. Ryan¡¯s first words when he began speaking were Dada and he and Emma will joke about how he stole the baby¡¯s love from her. When Ryan tells him ¡°I love you dada.¡± Gideon will smile with dness because he never told his dad he loved him that often. Ryan is now no more and Gideon continues to grief over the fact that he lost his child, his only child without giving him half the life he had nned for.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 CHAPTER 52: KISSED BY MR ARROGANT

    CHICAGO:

    Emma had been writing a lottely. Writing constituted one of her hobbies and she cherished it because it gave her the liberty to create characters and manipte fate. As a teenager, she would write poems and fictions and Pearl her mother always loved her writings. She stopped writing few years ago and would me her schedule. Now that she had moved to Chicago and was leading a new life, she had been writing whenever she got the chance. As shey of her bed thinking of words that will rhyme, she decided to read out the content to herself. She loves reading out loud to herself as her content take the first person in narration and it was almost as if she was speaking to herself. She was writing a poem and she titled it ¡®YOU DON¡¯T NEED ANY MOTIVATION. ¡® She began reading it out loud to herself.

    ************************************¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±*****

    Do you need to be reminded of how prominent sess is to your career?

    Do you need to be lectured on the concept of personal growth and self motivation?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Do you need to be told to activate precautionary measures towards inevitable cmities?

    Must you be triggered to embrace the call to Spiritual awakening and devotion?

    You need no motivation.

    No one owes you anything.

    You don¡¯t have to be told to desist from life draining ventures.

    You need no awakening from the dangers creeping to haunt your infant dreams.

    You don¡¯t need to be told to fight with all you have to get what you should have.

    You need no seer to prophesy to you about the dynamic nature of people and society.

    You need no motivation.

    No one owes you any damn anything.

    Set the stage. Walk the pace.

    Defer the norms. Eliminate the stereotypes.

    Motivate yourself to metamorphose your dreams to reality.

    Believing in motivation and being the motivation is not the same. The difference is results.

    No one owes you any damn thing.

    Be your own MOTIVATION.

    Suddenly, her door bell rang interrupting her beautiful narration. Who could that be?  She wondered. It was definitely not Ellie because Ellie was having her shift at the bar that moment. Was it the delivery guy?  She had ordered a pizza earlier. She reluctantly pulled the door open and was shocked to see Sam standing at her door with a bouquet of flowers. She instantly recalled their previous encounter, how he shunned her in public. He can¡¯t disgrace her before a crowd ande here at her ce like a gentleman clinging to the bouquet and so she tried to shut the door at his face but Sam quickly held the door preventing her from mming it. She left him standing outside and went to her sofa. ¡°Can Ie in? ¡± he pleaded.

    ¡°What do you want? ¡± she retorted with anger in her voice.

    ¡°Can I pleasee in? ¡± he requested again and after noticing he was insistent, she invited him. He came in and she noticed his hair is rough and he looks kind of moody.

    ¡°Your ce is great. ¡± he told her looking around her small butfortable apartment. She had two sofas, a table at the center, a wardrobe squeezing itself by the corner and afy bed upying arger space. The kitchen and bathroom were beside. ¡°it¡¯s a small ce. ¡± she told Sam showing him the other empty sofa indicating he could sit. ¡°Small andfortable. ¡± he replied still clinging to his flowers. ¡°What can I offer you? ¡± she asked. ¡°No i¡¯m actually good. ¡± he replied. ¡°I remember dropping you here the other day after dinner so I decided toe and see you. You weren¡¯t at the bar today. ¡± He said. ¡°Today is my day off. ¡± she said pulling the hand of her sweater. ¡°Are You okay? ¡± Emma asked Sam who looked restless and his eyes seemed sore. ¡°I think I am fine. ¡± he replied. ¡°Well I don¡¯t know you for long but I can bet you are not fine Sam. ¡± maintained Emma.

    ¡°I am deeply sorry for my actions these past days. I was kinda. ¡± he began rubbing his sore eyes then moved to adjust his rough hair. ¡°What¡¯s the matter Sam? ¡± asked a concerned Emma. ¡°Nothing serious. ¡± he told her lowering his eyes. The Sam she recently met wore his confidence like a garment and would always stare directly into her eyes while speaking. She knew something was wrong. ¡°You are not Okay Sam. ¡± she said. ¡°You either tell me what¡¯s the matter with you or leave with your apology. ¡± she added. ¡°Fine I¡¯ll tell you. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Few days back. ¡± he began finally looking at her. ¡°I got a call from my baby sister. She was crying over the phone. ¡± narrated Sam.  So I hurried home and met my dad assaulting my mom. ¡± he said while Emma held her mouth. ¡°Seeing blood gushing out from her lips, I wasn¡¯t thinking so I grabbed a spat andnded it on his head and¡­ ¡± he was quiet and was cleaning his eyes with his handkerchief. He was beginning to sob and at that moment Emma didn¡¯t really know what to do. ¡°Hope he is not dead. ¡± she asked. ¡°He is in a hospital. ¡± he replied.  ¡°By the way these are for you. ¡± he said standing up. He went closer to Emma and presented the flowers. She took it and before she could realize, he pulled her head and kissed her lips.

 CHAPTER 53: DONéˆ¥æ©³ KISS AND TELL

    Emma quickly got up and took few steps backward from Sam. Sam kissed her and she didn¡¯t see iting. She was surprised and somewhat furious. She wanted to yell at him for the act but she caught a nce at his shivering body, his sore eyes and rough hair and felt pity for him instead. However, it was not an excuse for him to kiss her like that. She thought. She stared at him intently and he was rubbing his palms vigorously. He must be sorry she thought or probably afraid of what her reaction will birth. ¡°I am very sorry Emma. ¡± he said shaking his head indicating he was truly sorry.  ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ I¡­ ¡± he said and instantly remained silent. ¡°Leave Sam. ¡± Emma blurted. ¡°What? I.. ¡± Sam was saying. ¡°I said leave Sam. ¡± Emma said again. He nodded and said ¡°Fine I¡¯ll go but I am deeply sorry. ¡± He went for the door and was still apologizing while Emma followed him and mmed her door after he got out.  She went back, fell on her bed staring at the ceiling in confusion.

    Sam just kissed her and she didn¡¯t really know how she felt. Is she surprised or angry?  Was she feeling sorry or disappointed in him?  Emma thought. She didn¡¯t know what to do next. She can¡¯t remember sharing a kiss with anyone other than Gideon. ¡°Gideon. ¡± she blurted and immediately sat up. Thest time she kissed someone without thinking clearly was William and he paid for it. This is Chicago, she thought. There was no way Gideon will find out she kissed someone or someone kissed her rather. ¡°And so what? ¡± she said out loud. Gideon is her ex husband and it didn¡¯t matter whom she shared a kiss with. As far as she was concerned, she would hang out with anyone or more still kiss anyone. But deep down, Ema felt awkward and guilty. She cleaned her eyes countless times and ced her face in her palms. ¡°Stop feeling guilty Emma. You owe Gideon no damn loyalty. ¡± she told herself and dragged herself to the bathroom. Perhaps a warm bath will lighten her mood she thought.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    During her shift at the bar that night, Emma kept peeping towards the door hoping to get a nce of Sam. Was she too harsh on him? She thought. She had wanted to tell Ellie about the predicament but she didn¡¯t. Ellie will be shocked she was hanging out with Mr. Arroganttely and it will raise questions she wouldn¡¯t want to answer. Her shift will be done in an hour yet Sam didn¡¯t show up. Maybe he needed some time alone she thought. He looked stressed and needed to clear his head from the guilt of hurting his father. She wouldn¡¯t judge Sam for being kind of irrational. It proved he cared and loved his mother and his father had no right to assault his mother. Had Sam been drinking to stupor?  She thought because when he came to her apartment with that bouquet of flowers, he was looking shrunken, broken and she could swear he was ill. Could a mere guilt be responsible for the state she saw him in? She thought. Sam is not her problem she told herself and continued clearing the table. She felt she was beginning  to care for him too much.

    After Emma got home that night, she was stressed. She quickly showered and rolled into her nket. Her phone was on silent mode and Sam kept calling while she slept like a baby. When she woke up the next day, it was past 8am. ¡°Oh my God. ¡± she mumbled after seeing the countless calls Sam gave her. She tried his line but his phone was off. She quickly got dressed and hurried to the gym. All through her workout, Emma kept thinking whether Sam will appear the way he had been doing but he didn¡¯t. She remembered him telling her about her workout sessions so she knew he could find her here if he wanted. ¡°Could he be angry?¡± she thought as she walked home. She felt maybe he was pissed because he called her severally and she didn¡¯t respond which was not intentional. She was the one who is supposed to be angry after all,  he kissed her without her consent. May be he¡¯s at work she thought then dialed his number which was unreachable. She heaved a deep sigh and hurried home.

    Emma missed her mother¡¯s chicken sauce so she decided to make it that afternoon. While in the kitchen, she almost cried because it was Ryan¡¯s favorite meal. She was sad so she threw the packed meal inside the refrigerator and  began crunching some biscuits. She wondered how her parents were doing even though they spoke regrly on the phone. During herst phone conversation with her mother, she inquired whether Gideon ever came over and she was told he never showed up. Sheter felt stupid for asking in the first ce and was convinced that Gideon had moved on. There was no denying that she missed him but his exit from her life is necessary she thought. Suddenly, her door bell rang. Sam she thought and rushed to the door. She peeped through the key hole and saw Sam standing.

    Emma opened her door and smiled at Sam without even knowing why. ¡°Can Ie in? ¡± he asked her. ¡°Sure. ¡± she replied paving the way for him with her hand. He went inside and sat on the couch. He was looking dashing. His Jet ck hair was well draped and his shoes were glittering. Emma was certain he was fine now. ¡°How¡¯s your dad? ¡± she asked sitting opposite him. ¡°He is good. He has been discharged. ¡± Sam replied with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying your line. It was unreachable. ¡± Emma pointed out. ¡°Sorry I had to switch it off due to some reasons. I needed to clear my head. ¡± he said. ¡°Meanwhile, ¡± continued Emma. ¡°I slept like a big babyst night. My phone was on silent mode. ¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. ¡± said Sam. ¡°So what can I offer you? ¡± she asked him. ¡°No am good. ¡± he quickly replied. ¡°Are You sure? ¡± inquired Emma. He smiled and nodded. ¡°Emma I want us to talk about yesterday. ¡± he began. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take what happened as a moment of weakness from you. ¡± replied Emma firmly,  staring directly at Sam. ¡°Its all my fault. ¡± he said. ¡°I want to assure you that it won¡¯t happen again. ¡± he promised while Emma nodded. ¡°Okay. ¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°So we are good now? *he asked with his palms open. *Yea we are good. ¡± Emma said.

 CHAPTER 54: A COMPROMISING POSITION

    NEW YORK CITY:

    Gideon sat in the conference hall alongside Judy. He was expecting Stephen Wales and his legal team. He had a deal to strike that morning. Judy had earlier drafted a document containing a proposal and the contract rights which was signed by Gideon. If the contract works, Wales will be supplying whiskey to Gideon¡¯s bar and Wales whiskey will ce Gideon¡¯s business in a high ce because the brand is popr and associated with the rich and ssy in New York. Gideon was tensed and Judy could sense it. She knew how important the contract is to him and she prays it clicks so they¡¯ll get to celebrate and she will love to see Gideon happy. She was tensed too. ¡°Everything will be fine sir.¡± Judy assured Gideon who gave a dry smile. Shortlyter, Gideon¡¯s messenger hurriedly walked into the conference hall. ¡°Stephen Wales and his team are here.¡± he announced. ¡°Show them in. ¡± Gideon said and sat up properly clearing his throat loudly while rubbing his palms together. Stephen Wales walked in and saw Gideon and Judy standing out of courtesy. ¡°Have a seat.¡± Gideon said pointing to a spot saved up for him. He smiled and his team sat close by.

    ¡°Good Morning Gideon Romero. ¡± greeted Stephen. ¡°Morning.¡± Gideon replied. ¡°This is Judy my personal assistant.¡± he said pointing at Judy who bowed her head. Stephen nodded. Soon, Gideon¡¯s messenger walked in with some soft refreshments and ced it in front of the guests. ¡°Let¡¯s get to business.¡± Mr. Wales dered. ¡°Of course please. ¡± Gideon said knowing how Wales took business seriously. There is a narrative around that Stephen Wales doesn¡¯t joke with business and a chunk of his conversations were said to be purely business. He is unmarried and people say he is single because he doesn¡¯t know how to talk to women other than business and ie. ¡°I read your proposal. ¡± began Stephen. ¡°If the terms spelt out are what it is then I will be d to work with you.¡± He announced. Judy and Gideon instantly smiled. ¡°However,¡± countered Mr. Wales. ¡°You will decorate your clubs with no other brand of whiskey but mine.¡± Gideon smiled and said ¡°Of course Stephen. There will be no rival brand of whiskey here as long as you will be our sole supplier.¡± ¡°It is a deal then Mr. Romero. ¡± announced Stephen. ¡°Wow. ¡± eximed Judy with a smile. Gideon immediately got up from his chair and shook Wales with a smile. ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Judy said to the people Wales came with. ¡°Have some drinks please¡± which they had and left the conference hall.

    Immediately Stephen Wales and his team left the conference hall, Judy joyfully ran towards Gideon and they were caught up in an embrace.  Judy immediately noticed theirpromising position and she tried pulling away but the silver button of her top was hooked to Gideon¡¯s neck chain. She tried pulling backwards and the button ripped open her top exposing a part of her bosom. Gideon immediately looked away. ¡°Sorry. ¡± she mumbled and began freeing the button from Gideon¡¯s neck chain. She then went back to the spot she was sitting earlier. ¡°We finally got the deal sir. ¡± Judy said in an excited tune. ¡°Yes we did Judy. I am so happy. ¡± he said smiling brightly. ¡°congrattions sir. ¡± Judy said. ¡°Congrattions to us Judy. I couldn¡¯t have done it without you. ¡± attested Gideon. ¡°You are a reliable personal assistant Judy.¡± hemented while Judy smiled. ¡°You bring out the best in me sir.¡±  Judy told Gideon. ¡°We should celebrate. ¡± suggested Gideon. As if he read my mind Judy thought. ¡°I need to meet with the power supply unit. ¡± said Gideon. ¡°We will meet by 7pm to celebrate. ¡± he told Judy then walked out of the conference room. Judy giggled and fell back on her chair.

    While Gideon was getting ready to go and pick Judy up from her ce, he had mixed feelings. Was he doing the right thing? He thought. When his former personal assistant scheduled a meeting with a client he was dying to meet, he took him out and when Sandra his former secretary carried her duties excellently, he took her shopping which Emma was aware of. Therefore, he felt there was nothing wrong with taking Judy out for dinner even though they were both once used of cheating. He had texted Judy an hour ago that he will show up in her ce to pick her up and Judy was so excited and she was d Gideon wasn¡¯t there to see the excitement spread across her face. In her room, Judy kept throwing dresses and tops from her wardrobe to one angle of the room to another. She knew it wasn¡¯t a date but she needed to look good too. After much consideration, she finally decided to wear a floral gown. She had been on Gideon¡¯s right pagetely and she wouldn¡¯t ruin it. Now that Gideon assumed she was changed and there were no presumed feelings attached, she wouldn¡¯t throw off the second chance he had just given her. She is determined to present herself before him as perfect as ever.

    Gideon wore denim on denim. Those were the outfits he loved to wear before he and Emma got married. After their marriage, Emma  would tell him that he was married now and needed to start looking like one. She will make him wear in trousers, cotton shirts and suits more often. Whenever Gideon stood in the mirror after dressing, she willplement him telling him how handsome he was. He believed Emma knew best. After Ryan¡¯s birth, she told him the outfit suit his daddy personality and Gideon gradually stopped wearing denim but that was then. He got into his favorite sport car and zoomed off to Judy¡¯s ce. When he got there, he horned and gave her a call. Few minutester Judy walked down in her floral ck gown with t shoes on. She carried only her purse and her mobile phone. He opened the door for her and ushered her into the front seat. She smiled and sat. ¡°Where to?¡± he asked her. ¡°Anywhere.¡± she said. ¡°No.¡± retorted Gideon. ¡°You worked hard on this deal and now that it has clicked, I will want you to pick a ce of your choice and there we shall dine tonight. ¡± Gideon stated while Judy blushed.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 CHAPTER 55: THE LOSS OF A FATHER

    FLASHBACK:

    Little Gideon woke up and made his way to the kitchen. At nine, he was used to making his own tea then he¡¯ll proceed to grab biscuits from the drawer in the kitchen. It was a Saturday and Nanny Gracees at noon every Saturday. So little Gideon will have his breakfast, rush to his room to y with his toys and keep waiting for his nanny toe soonest. Sometimes, his mother will show up in his room and help him with his homework and when he wanted to go and y with the other kids in the neighborhood, she¡¯ll give him an hour or more. That Saturday morning was longer for Gideon. He kept waiting on the door bell to ring so he could run and open the door for his nanny and she seemedte. So, Gideon carried his school bag and went to his mother¡¯s room since she didn¡¯te to check up on him. Maybe she forgot or was still asleep he thought. ¡°Romero is that you? ¡® she asked after he banged on her door. ¡°Yes Mommy. ¡± he replied. She opened the door for him and when Gideon walked into her room, she was well dressed and reading a magazine. ¡°You didn¡¯te to check on me. ¡± he told her. ¡°You nanny is yet to arrive? ¡± she asked him. ¡°Yes. ¡± he answered. She threw the magazine on the table adjacent her and opened her arms to the boy. ¡°Come let¡¯s see what you have there. ¡± she told him. He quickly climbed the bed and brought out his assignments.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Romero the assignments are already done. ¡± she told him cuddling him. ¡°I did it about an hour ago after you didn¡¯t show up. ¡± Little Gideon said. ¡°Wow Romero you are such an intelligent kid. ¡± she praised him while he smiled. ¡°The arithmetic is correct and you draw beautifully too. ¡± she added. ¡°So I drew a family tree. ¡± he showed her pointing to his work of art. ¡°My creative teacher said we could draw anything that appeals to us and caption it. ¡± he said. ¡°And you drew a family tree. ¡± his mother said with a smile. ¡°Who is that? ¡± she asked him pointing to a tiny figure which was standing close to Gideon in the art. ¡°My sister. ¡± he told his mother. ¡°You don¡¯t have one Romero. ¡± his mother saidughing out loud. ¡°Well maybe I¡¯ll have one. ¡± he said. ¡°I want one. ¡± he told her. ¡°Well, if your daddy returns from his trip, I¡¯ll tell him about your wish. ¡± she said. Little Gideon got up and jumped happily while sheughed at the funny dance steps he made. Then, the door bell rang. ¡°Nanny! ¡± screamed Gideon while running out of his mother¡¯s room.

    Gideon ran downstairs and opened the door to the living room. His nanny was standing outside waving at him. ¡°You arete Nanny Grace. ¡± he told her. ¡°I am sorry my boy. ¡± she told him. ¡°I had something to take care of urgently. ¡± she added closing the door. He held her hand as they walked upstairs. Nanny Grace will always see Mrs. Romero first and take the day¡¯s order s on the boy¡¯s schedule. While they were heading to his mother¡¯s room, an excited Gideon revealed to her that he will be having a baby sister. She smiled and hugged him saying ¡°I am so happy for you Romero. ¡± and the smart Gideon said ¡°We will need to wait for my dad first before we celebrate. ¡± ¡°My mom said she¡¯ll talk to him once he returns from his business trip so they could bring my sister home. ¡± he said. Nanny Grace held her mouth and chuckled. When Gideon ran out to open the door for her, he didn¡¯t close the door to his mother¡¯s room so they walked in to an open room. ¡°Mrs. Romero. ¡± Nanny Grace called out after she noticed Gideon¡¯s mother lying on the floor staring nkly at the wall. Her cell phone was in her hand.

    ¡°Is she asleep? ¡± The nanny asked Gideon. ¡°No I left her on the bed when I ran out to get the door for you. ¡± little Gideon replied. Nanny Grace quickly rushed to the woman¡¯s side and shook her violently. Her face was nk as sheid and Gideon became instantly terrified. ¡°Quickly go get the driver. ¡± Nanny Grace screamed at Gideon with her voice shaking. Gideon ran downstairs to get the driver while his nanny kept doing her best to resuscitate the woman from her shock. What could have happened? the nanny thought. The driver immediately showed up with Gideon behind who was already crying. Nanny Grace and the driver carried the woman, ced her in the car and they sped off to the hospital. On their way, Gideon wouldn¡¯t stop crying and his nanny kept assuring him that his mother will be fine. Later on, it was discovered that the news of his father¡¯s ident was made known to his mom via a phone call which left her in total shock. Mr. Romero Snr. had died instantly in a ghastly car ident.

    Little Gideon was told that his father had gone to heaven to never return again. Little Gideon knew back then that people who went to heaven were dead. He cried and his nanny cried with him. She was always by his side. In few days, people started trouping into their home and Gideon barely got a nce of his mother who waster discharged before his father¡¯s burial. His distant cousins came and the uncles he always heard of but never met. He saw several of his father¡¯s friends whom he was introduced to at events. ¡°Romero Jnr. Will carry on with his father¡¯s legacy. ¡± he heard someonemented and he couldn¡¯tprehend what it meant then. Few weeks after his father was buried amidst tears and sorrow, the people began to depart and Gideon noticed how strange his mother was beginning to look and act. Then Nanny Grace stoppeding and he waster sent to a boarding school.

 CHAPTER 56: THE BOSS

    CHICAGON?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Emma had just finished talking to Sam on the phone. He told her he would being to the bar where she works tonight. Lately, Emma and Sam had been hanging out and going out on what she wouldn¡¯t necessarily consider as dates. She even introduced him to literature and he sometimes joined her to work out in the gym. He had informed her that his father had fully recovered and there was no bad blood between them. Emma was d. Sometimes, Emma will call Sam and his voice will sound shaky and other times normal. Other times he will look tense and suddenly act cold and the next minute,  he is burning around with energy. He will always me it on his mood swings and Emma never further asked about the details because she wouldn¡¯t want to invade in his privacy. However, one fact kept bothering Emma. Sam never told her what he does for a living other than mentioning to her that he was a businessman. One day she tried to inquire more about his work, Sam brushed it off and she never asked again. Tonight Sam, will be showing up at the bar to drink and have a chit chat with her.

    Emma was seating in the barfortably. She was gorgeously dressed in her bar attendant uniform. It was her shift period. There were less customers around as the day was still young. She was reading a book. While she was reading, she kept looking at her wrist watch because the club general manager had informed her that Austin Mc. Bryan will hit their club at exactly 7pm and she knew what it meant. In her few months of service as a bar attendant, she knew how important it was to maintain mutual rtionship with customers and Austin Mc. Bryan she knew was a top customer. Whenever, Mc Bryan showed up in their club, regr people will exit the club for he was regarded as a VIP. Emma never liked the idea of people being asked to leave because a VIP wanted to hang out but it wasn¡¯t Gideon¡¯s club after all and she had no say. The business must go on and she needed her pay. She took a nce at her watch one more time, it was seven minutes to 7pm. She closed the book and sterilized her hand. Any moment from now, Mc. Bryan will show up and she needed to give all her attention to his service.

    The General manger walked in and Emma greeted him. He walked in with a young man of about twenty years. ¡°This is Larry. ¡± he said to Emma pointing to the man. Emma looked at Larry and knew he was new. She had never seen him around before. He was dressed in their uniform. ¡°Larry Meet Emma. ¡± the General manager said. ¡°Hi. Emma. ¡± Larry said nodding. ¡°Hello. ¡± she replied waving. ¡°So Emma, ¡± continued the General manager. ¡°Larry will be your assistant tonight. ¡± ¡°He is new. ¡± he quickly added. Emma stared at the General manager in confusion. ¡°I will be needing all the guys on duty tonight. ¡± he said. ¡°All? ¡± asked Emma. ¡°Yes. But they will be back in about two hours. ¡± the general manager said. ¡°There is a g at the tourism center and our club got hired to serve drinks there. It came at a short notice and the event is prettyrge so I¡¯ll be leaving with all the guys right away. ¡± he said. Emma nodded and said ¡°Okay. ¡± ¡°So Larry just got hired this morning and he will assist you in serving Mc. Bryan. ¡± he told her. ¡°Okay then. ¡± she said. The general manger then turned to Larry and said ¡°Emma will brief you and your first task tonight will determine whether you will work here or not. ¡± Larry nodded. ¡°Brief him. ¡± the general manger said then went away with the four bar attendants on duty except for Emma.

    ¡°Now listen. ¡± began Emma in a matter of fact voice. ¡°Any moment from now,  Austin Mc. Bryan will be walking in. He is a tough guy but don¡¯t you worry okay? ¡± she told Larry with a smile and he nodded. Larry immediately reminded her of her cousin Peter who lived with her parents. ¡°Rx and be yourself. ¡± she told Larry. ¡°Stay sharp and follow my lead. ¡± she added. Larry nodded yet again and Emma wondered whether his neck might ache. Suddenly, Austin Mc. Bryan walked in with his crew and the few people around began to exit the club. They had been earlier informed that Mc. Bryan will being. ¡°Wee Sir.¡± Emma greeted him with a smile and ushered him to the VIP lounge while his boys crashed on the seats around. Mc. Bryan came with a lot of people today Emma thought. ¡°Larry. ¡± she called out. ¡°Take his guy¡¯s orders. I¡¯ll speak to their boss and know what he wants. ¡± she said and she and Larry swung to action. In a few minutes, Larry was serving the guys under Emma¡¯s supervision and guidelines. She had served Mc. Bryan.

    Sam immediately walked in but Emma wasn¡¯t around. She had gone to the rest room and left Larry in-charge at the moment. She came back from the rest room and saw Sam exchanging pleasantries with Mc. Bryan in the VIP lounge. She was surprised because they seemed to be well acquainted with each other. Mc. Bryan is a business tycoon and Sam ims to be one too so probably they know each other she thought and walked away. Sam didn¡¯t see her pass. ¡°I need some Vodka. ¡± screamed Mc Bryan from the VIP lounge. ¡°I can handle it. ¡± Larry told Emma when she made the move to respond to Mc. Bryan¡¯s call. ¡°Are You sure about this? ¡± she asked. Larry nodded and pulled a bottle of Vodka. Emma was watching Larry as he walked into the VIP lounge. Mc. Bryan lifted his ss for Larry to pour some drink into it then one of his boys from behind screamed in excitement which frightened Larry a bit and he was already spilling Vodka on Mc. Bryan. Emma quickly rushed to the spot and before she could intervene, Sam hadnded a p on Larry which sent him crashing on the floor. ¡°What is wrong with you? ¡± a surprised Emma growled at Sam then moved to Larry¡¯s side. ¡°How dare you Sam. Who the hell do you think you are? ¡± she screamed at him. ¡°I am the owner of this damn club and I will not tolerate any misconduct. ¡± Sam screamed back while Emma moved backwards in surprise.

 CHAPTER 57: A QUARREL

    ¡°You¡­Sam!  You are the boss? ¡± Emma stammered with shock spread across her face. She had never thought that Sam was the owner of the club she had been working at all this while. He never told her and now she¡¯s stunned. No wonder he barely talks about his business. She thought. ¡°Listen Emma. Listen to me. ¡± Sam said trying to calm her down demonstrating with his hands while she ran outside leaving Larry and Mc. Bryan in the VIP lounge. ¡°Wait Emma. ¡± Sam called out while hurrying after her. She stood outside the bar rubbing her body. It was a cold evening. ¡°You never told me. Why? ¡± she screamed at him. ¡°There was no need to. ¡± he said. ¡°No need to? ¡± she queried. ¡°So if you didn¡¯t attack Larry you wouldn¡¯t have revealed to me who the boss was? ¡± she screamed. ¡°Ok. ¡± she continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know why or what your reason was and I don¡¯t want to know why you hid your professional identity from me. Right now, you need to apologize to Larry. ¡± she said. ¡°You are not serious. ¡± Sam told her chucking loudly. ¡°Why will I apologize to that clown? ¡± he protested. ¡°He is a new guy Sam. He messed up. It wasn¡¯t his fault that the rattling sound from one of the guys scared him. ¡± Emma tried to exin. ¡°He almost ruined my business. ¡± Sam argued. ¡°Do you know what would have happened if I wasn¡¯t there to intervene? ¡± he said pointing to the VIP lounge.

    ¡°I am sorry one of your top customers got his clothes ruined with vodka but Sam let¡¯s be rational here. ¡± Emma insisted. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to apologize to him then fine don¡¯t do it but note that I will quit from this day. ¡± revealed Emma. ¡°What? ¡± Sam said in a surprised tone. ¡°You¡¯ll resign because some random guy poured Vodka on my top customer and I wouldn¡¯t apologize? Come on Emma you must be joking. ¡± said Sam. ¡°Sam. I am not joking. Apologize to Larry or I quit. ¡± she maintained. ¡°What is wrong with you? ¡± asked Sam. ¡°I can¡¯t work for a man who has no sympathy or good human rtions. ¡± Emma dered. ¡°Listen Sam. Apologize or I quit. ¡± she added. ¡°I know why you want to quit. ¡± Sam said. ¡°You are quitting not because of Larry but because I kissed you right? ¡± added Sam looking into her eyes. ¡°You must be crazy man. ¡± she said. ¡°Who do you think you are? ¡± she thundered. ¡°That kiss meant nothing after all you were the one that kissed me. I will never wish for such to happen. ¡± She barked at Sam.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Listen Sam. ¡± Emma said in a lower tone trying to maintain her cool. ¡°You can manage your business whichever way you want it. I don¡¯t bloody care. I am leaving this job and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. ¡± she said and turned to leave while Sam stood in her way. ¡°You can¡¯t leave. ¡± he said in an authoritative tone. ¡°You won¡¯t. ¡± he added. She giggled and said ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? My husband?  ¡± ¡°You are not even my boyfriend. ¡± she added and pushed him away. She went inside the club, grabbed her bag and hurried outside after giving some directives to Larry. Sam stood by the corner without uttering a word. Suddenly a cab pulled over, she hopped in and left.

    When Emma got home, she ced her bag on her bed, took off her clothes and hurried to shower.  She believes showering makes her feel light. After that, she made some noodles and went to bed. She wasn¡¯t expecting Sam to call her. She knew he wouldn¡¯t especially after their little drama. She tried to sleep but she couldn¡¯t. She pulled out the book she was reading earlier but she found it difficult to make sense of the pages. She fiddled the pages aimlessly then ced the book on her table.  She wondered why Sam never told her he was her boss. No wonder he knew her shifts so he popped out at the right time. He must have known her name by checking the staff list because the bar attendants in his club had no name tags. She recalled Sam saying it was the kiss that made her quit but she was certain it wasn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t stand the sight of inhumanity. If only Sam knew. Meanwhile, Sam was in his bathtub at home drinking liquor. He didn¡¯t know whether he was mad at Larry or Emma. Such an issue is not enough reason for her to quit. He thought. Was he right to have brought up the kiss issue after they thrashed it? He wondered burying his head in the warm water.

    The next day, Ellie hade to Emma¡¯s ce because the news of her resignation had spread around like wildfire. Ellie and Emma were seating in a restaurant few steps away from Emma¡¯s home. They were having coffee. ¡°They said you quarrel with the boss. ¡± Ellie told her. ¡°And then you quit. ¡± she added. Emma nodded in affirmation. ¡°They also said the boss didn¡¯t ask you to leave but you got angry and left. ¡± Ellie said. ¡°And didn¡¯t they tell you the boss was cruel to someone? ¡± Emma retorted. ¡°Emma when Elephants fight:the grasses suffer. ¡± Ellie said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t your issue to deal with. ¡± Ellie told her. ¡°I did what I had to do. All he had to do was tender an apology to Larry. ¡± Emma said. ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve girl. You want the boss to apologize to some dumb bar attendant who should be working in library. ¡± Stated Ellie. ¡°Whatever you guys think. Sam was wrong and I needed to let him know. ¡± insisted Emma. ¡°You sure got some nerves girl. You addressed the boss? ¡± Ellie said in a surprised manner. ¡°They say that man is brutal. ¡± she added. ¡°Did I tell you the boss is Mr. Arrogant? ¡± Emma said. ¡°Oh my God. ¡± marveled Ellie with her hands covering her lips.

 CHAPTER 58: THE NEW NEIGHBOR

    Emma woke up feeling tired. She stretched her self and yawned. She had made up her mind to miss the gym that day. She had spent the whole ofst night watching movies after all, there was no work for her to go to. It¡¯s been two days since she had stopped working at Sam¡¯s club. She spent thest two days eating, reading, watching movies and hanging out with Ellie. She had made up her mind that she will be out looking for a new job today. As far as she is literate, she knew she would easily secure a job in town. She had lots of ces in mind. She will apply in the street library, she will try the restaurant and also themercial store. Even though she stopped studying halfway after getting pregnant, she knew she still knew her onions. She was a financial ounting student after all. After showering,  she cleared her room and grabbed her phone. Sam didn¡¯t call. He hasn¡¯t called throughout the past two days and neither did she. He was the one at fault so he owes her an apology she thought. She ced her phone in her purse and stormed the street. She was on a job hunting mission

    ¡°Good morning. ¡± she greeted the librarian with a cheerful smile. ¡°Morning Emma. ¡± he replied smiling back. They were familiar with each other for Emma was used to borrowing books there. She carefully ced the book she had borrowedst week. ¡°Done? ¡± he asked her. ¡°Yes. ¡± she replied nodding . ¡°You¡¯ll be needing a new book then. ¡± he concluded and turned around. ¡°Wait. ¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be needing something else. ¡± she quickly added. ¡°Okay then. ¡± he said cing his hands on the counter where she was standing. ¡°I want to know if you¡¯ll need any hands here. ¡± she began. ¡°I mean it¡¯s a prettyrge ce and I¡¯ve never seen you taking shift  so I was wondering if I could work here¡­ Maybe assist you. You know. The thing is, I am job hunting. ¡± she finally revealed. ¡°Uhm actually. ¡± the librarian began scratching his head. ¡°I am the only one running this ce. It¡¯s more like amunity library and the remuneration is more of a token. ¡± he said while Emma nodded getting his point. ¡°But. ¡± he continued. ¡°I will speak with my boss and see if we could introduce the shift thing. Drop your contact here so I can notify you if there¡¯s any progress. ¡± he said cing a in sheet before Emma. She wrote down her phone number and exited the library. She knew she wouldn¡¯t be called.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    From the library, Emma went to themercial store and clearly stated her mission. She even told the manager there she had knowledge on financial ounting thus the sales won¡¯t be a problem. He pointed out to her that there was no vacancy but collected her contact promising to call her when the need arrives. Emma also went to the grocery store, Zeemah¡¯s clothing store and the restaurant in her street. Some told her they couldn¡¯t employ  her because they were not in need of any staff while others vowed to keep in touch. She walked back home exhausted and hungry. She checked her mobile phone, Sam didn¡¯t call. She doesn¡¯t need his call after all she thought. On her way back home, Emma imagined the chaos job hunters face daily. Just a day out there on the streets almost made her crazy. You¡¯ll need to hustle to get a job then hustle to keep it she thought. And the ones with connections around needed not to hustle she knew. If she was in New York, at the mention of Gideon Romero, she knew her employment will be guaranteed especially if the employers knew she was his wife. Now ex_wife she told herself.  Maybe, she wouldn¡¯t have to be a library assistant, a salesdy, bar attendant or cleaner she thought but circumstances can change people¡¯s fate as her case seemed.

    Emma walked home and saw arge van parked in front of her t. She was the only tenant upying that part of the house and she wasn¡¯t expecting a visitor. She hurried towards the house and saw two men lifting out luggages from the van into the t opposite her¡¯s. She needed not to be told she had gotten a new neighbor. The men brought out sofa¡¯s, arge bed, some bag of clothes, cooking utensils and other household equipments from the van. She greeted them:they waved at her and she proceeded to unlock her door. As she was in her apartment, she kept peeping outside hoping to catch a glimpse of the new neighbor but she saw no one other than the two men who were emptying stuffs from the van. She was hoping the new tenant should be ady or a family so they could get to visit each other and hang out on the terrace. The only visitor she gets was Ellie and Sam whom she is certain will never show up again. Or maybe the men carrying the luggages were the new neighbors she thought then entered her kitchen.

    Emma was already fast asleep when she was awakened by the consistent ringing of her door bell. She reluctantly woke up grumbling and staggered to the door. She didn¡¯t check who it was via the key hole. She opened it cleaning her drowsy eyes. It was almost 5Pm. ¡°Hello. ¡± greeted a dashing young man. ¡°Sorry I woke you up. I didn¡¯t know you were asleep. My apologies. ¡± he quickly added. She looked at his braided hair trying to recall if she saw him somewhere but she was uncertain if she had ever seen him in her life. ¡°My name is Mike. I am your new neighbor. ¡± he told her with a smile. ¡°Hello Mike. ¡± she said smiling back. ¡°Sorry I woke you up. I needed some groceries and I don¡¯t know any grocery store around so I felt I should ask my neighbor. ¡± he said with a smile and Emma immediately noticed his twin dimples. ¡°Why don¡¯t to give me a minute. I¡¯ll be needing some groceries too. I¡¯ll change then we go together. ¡± she said. He nodded and she went back inside. Mike is such a dashing young man she thought.

 CHAPTER 59: ALL MEN ARE BOUND TO CHEAT

    Emma wore a tight jean trouser with a sweater on. She grabbed her purse and hurriedly dashed out because she didn¡¯t want to keep Mike waiting outside. She locked her door, slipped the key in her favorite purse and soon, she and Mike began walking down the street. ¡°You will get ustom to the whole environment in a short while. ¡± she told Mike after noticing how he kept looking from left to right. ¡°I hope so. ¡± he replied. ¡°Am just months old here and am beginning to get hold of the entire city so am sure in little or no time, you¡¯ll get along too. ¡± she assured him. ¡°You just moved in? ¡± he asked her. ¡°Yea from New York. ¡± she said hoping he wouldn¡¯t ask why and luckily he didn¡¯t. ¡°I hope I won¡¯t be a bug because I will be needing guide in essing essential areas for the main time. ¡± Mike requested. ¡°No it¡¯s cool. I will help as much as I can. ¡± Emma told him.

    On their way to the grocery store after walking for few minutes, Emma noticed Sam¡¯s limousine parked across the street in front of Dreville restaurant.  She was familiar with the vehicle so she had a strong conviction that it was Sam¡¯s. After Emma and Mike took more steps further, she noticed Sam seating in the car with ady opposite him. The windows of the car were pulled down exposing Sam and thedy. Immediately, Emma noticed them, she lowered her steps and stretched her neck to get a clearer vision which Mike noticed. Emma looked intently and confirmed that it was Sam sitting in the car with a strangedy. Thedy was scantily dressed in a red dress and high boot heels which was revealed because her legs were crossed. They wereughing out loud and seemed to be enjoying each otherspany.

    Emma could feel her heart clenching and she kept wondering why. And so what if Sam was being intimate  with a hot lookingdy? It didn¡¯t matter to her after all they weren¡¯t dating. Why was she feeling so ufortable? She wondered. Her mind drifted to New York. She recalled the clip of Gideon and Judy in theirpromising position. She fumed and told herself that all men are bound to cheat. Was thedy Sam¡¯s girlfriend?  She thought. Was he seeing anotherdy while wooing her? Or maybe she¡¯s just a business ally she concluded. Whatever the case may be, it wasn¡¯t her business after all. She and Mike were moving away from the limousine but Emma still turned around. Meanwhile, Mike had been talking all the way and Emma had been mute. ¡°Are you sure you are okay? ¡± he asked sounding a bit louder than usual. ¡°Yea. ¡± she quickly replied. ¡°You seemed lost a moment ago.¡± He told her and she said nothing.

    Meanwhile, Sam had opened the car door and his business partner stepped down. He looked down the road and caught a glimpse of Emma who immediately turned around and their eyes met. ¡°Oh my God! ¡± he mumbled. ¡°Are you okay? ¡± asked his business partner. ¡°Yes I am okay. ¡± he replied. In his heart, Sam prayed Emma didn¡¯t have a different idea of him and Stacy his business partner. He likes Emma and wouldn¡¯t want her to assume he was ying around. Hope she didn¡¯t see him he thought because he was chatting andughing with Stacy in the limousine and his windscreen was down. Who was that heading to the grocery store with Emma?  He thought. Sam then drove away to his club.

    ¡°Thank you very much. ¡± said Mike after they had returned from the grocery store with Emma.  ¡°Feel free to let me know if you will be needing anything. ¡± Emma told him and he smiled exposing his twin dimples which Emma found fascinating. ¡°I am Emma by the way. ¡± she said extending her right hand for a handshake. ¡°You can call me Emma. ¡± she quickly added. He shook her smiling. ¡°I am Mike. I guess you know that already. ¡± he said and she nodded. ¡°So I¡¯ll leave you now to rest while I¡¯ll go make dinner. ¡± he told her. ¡°Ok then. ¡± she said heading for her apartment while he headed for his.

    Emma sat on her couch licking ice cream but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was really too sweet or too cold. Her senses were drawn back to thedy in Sam¡¯s car. Sam never even bothered to call her. She thought. Maybe he didn¡¯t really care or never actually did. Was his n to get her and toy with her? she wondered then shook her head from left to right. Henceforth,  she told herself. She will have no emotional attachments towards any man. Moreover, all men are the same she thought. If Gideon whom she loved and adored and who in turn imed to love her more than anything will hurt her, then who was she to assume good men still exist.  Suddenly, her door bell rang. She opened it and saw Mike standing with a bowl in his hand. ¡°I brought this for you. ¡± he said presenting to her a bowl of hot potato chips and eggs. She was a bit surprised because she had not expected such kind of gesture. She collected the bowl carefully and thanked him while he smiled, waved and left.

    ¡°I just hope he doesn¡¯t like me. ¡± Emma said out loud. Because if he really liked her, she was sure she will disappoint him especially with her current ideology on men. She dropped the cup of ice cream on the table and was soon crunching the well fried potatoes. They were well dried and oil free just the way she loved it. He cooks wellmented Emma in her mind. In few minutes, Emma had cleared the bowl of potato chips and was licking her fingers. Tomorrow, she had made up her mind toplement Mike and tell him how well he cooks. She grabbed a copy of Robert Green¡¯s Law of human nature and began reading. Tomorrow, she will continue her job hunting. ¡°To hell with Samuel. ¡± she cursed.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 CHAPTER 60: THE DAY ALIES MET:

    FLASHBACK:This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Judy sat in her office staring directly at Gideon¡¯s office. What was Roderick telling him? She wondered as she strained her eyes to look further than it could see. She hated Gideon¡¯s appearancetely and there was nothing she could do about it.  The atmosphere at work was clouded with grief and sorrow. The people seemed moody and were careful with theirughter and jokes. Ryan was dead and Emma had vanished. Gideon was at the early stage of his grief and his terrible state had spread amongst the staff inflicting them like an infectious disease. Suddenly, Judy¡¯s phone began to ring. She looked around mischievously, grabbed her phone and hurried to the reception.

    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Judy screamed over the phone. She was standing in the reception. ¡°We can¡¯t meet in the office.¡± she said. ¡°It is too risky. ¡± she added. She lowered her tune then entered a vacant corner by the reception. ¡°You know what? ¡± she suggested to the person she was having the conversation with on the phone. ¡°Why don¡¯t we meet in our usual spot instead. ¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be there at exactly 6pm she told the caller while nodding. She then walked out of the corner. She looked around as if she was scared of people eavesdropping but the people were entering and exiting the building doing their thing. No one heard her she thought then heaved a deep sigh and made her way to her office.

    Even though there was not much to do in the office,  Judy didn¡¯t want to leave. She needed to prove to Gideon how responsible she was especially at such a difficult stage of his life. She stopped scheduling meetings and sometimes did nothing the whole day. After closing for the day, Judy hurriedly left the office area after stopping a cab that had just dropped someone in the office area.

    As Judy sat in the cab, she kept biting her lower lip and hitting one foot which was producing a rhythmic sound. She felt the driver was driving too slow or maybe she felt so because she was in a hurry. She was the only person seated inside the cab. The driver adjusted his mirror and caught a glimpse of her tensed mood from behind. ¡°Are you okay? ¡± he asked her and Judy pretended not to hear. The man still went ahead and asked her again. ¡°Are You okay ma¡¯am? ¡± he said. ¡°Just shut up and drive. ¡± she thundered making the driver a bit shaky. ¡°Sorry. ¡± he managed to say. Such a cruel beautifuldy he thought and drove her to the outskirt of the city. He had seen more rude customers after all. When they reached the outskirt of the city, Judy got down, paid him and began walking towards the man waving towards her. Before the cab driver left, he had waved and smiled at Judy who smirked instead.

    ¡°You arete. ¡± the man Judy went to meet told her after she walked to meet him. ¡°I was in the office when you called. I had work to do. ¡± she answered. ¡°What were you thinking? ¡± she said staring at him while his hands were folded across his chest. ¡°You wanted to show up in the office? Are you this dumb? ¡± she screamed at him. ¡°Judy I am not a child so talk to me with respect. ¡± he argued. ¡°If you want some respect and you are iming to be a man then stop acting like a child. ¡± she replied looking the other way and sounding harsh. ¡°You are one nasty bitch but I will put up with all your drama. ¡± he assured her. ¡°You know why? ¡± he asked and Judy knew he wasn¡¯t requesting an answer. They had the same goal after all. ¡°Gideon is grieving after all . ¡± He said. ¡°So I am sure no one will suspect us. ¡± the man added and Judy nodded.

    ¡°So for now, we lie low. ¡± the man further said. ¡°Yea I know what next to do. ¡± Judy replied. ¡°I want this more than you do. ¡± she added. ¡°I just came to town. I needed to talk to you before I leave. ¡± he said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure whether you could make it here that¡¯s why I offered to turn up in your office instead.¡± he told her. ¡°Well henceforth you can¡¯t mentioning to the office again. ¡± Judy warned. ¡°Rx Judy. ¡± he said smiling wryly. ¡°Our chance of getting caught at this moment is very slim. ¡± he assured her. ¡°That¡¯s right but we can¡¯t take our chances. ¡± she replied pulling her jacket to cover herself properly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk. ¡± Judy said. The man lead her to an eatery at the outskirt of the town. Judy could swear not even a soul there was familiar. They start and began conversing in low tunes.

 CHAPTER 61: A SHOCKER

    CHICAGO:N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    They say life throws some nasty shits at you when you least expect it. Who would have thought that a one time billionaire¡¯s wife would be a waitress.  Emma had managed to secure a job as a waitress in Dreville restaurant around her street. Even though she will be paid lesspared to what she earned from Sam¡¯s club,  her new job had it¡¯s advantages. She doesn¡¯t have to pay for transportation but just walk down there and back home when her shifts end. Also, she got to spend more time during the day at the library because she was ced on the evening shift at the restaurant which runs from 4 to 10pm daily. Emma seem to love her new job. She always had this broad smile on which cheers the customers. She is always cautious of her words and used the word ¡®please¡¯ and ¡®thank You¡¯ as courtesy demands. In a short while, the steady customers had gotten acquainted with Emma and her cheerful gestures. Rather than the phrase ¡®Waitress, ¡® Some customers called out to her by her name when they needed to ce others.

    In thest two weeks, Emma had introduced Mike to the library around. She came to realize that he was a more lover of books than she was. She will tell him ¡°Mike I initiated you into the coven of literature and now you offer sacrifices more than I do. ¡± Basically, it took Emma a while to finish reading the book Mike will have read twice. Mike is a blogger so he barely left home.  Emma  and Mike had been hanging outtely. She was starting to enjoy Mike¡¯spany and his exquisite taste in literature. However, Mike hated going to the gym so he will wave at her Emma whenever she was storming the gym in her gym clothes. Sometimes, they¡¯ll cook together in each other¡¯s apartment. Mike had introduced Emma to new recipes and she taught him how to make her mother¡¯s special chicken sauce.

    ¡°Two cups of smoothieing up shortly. ¡± Emma told two teenagers with a smile. They had just ced their orders. Shortlyter, Emma had returned with their smoothie. ¡°Why don¡¯t you help us suggest a snack? ¡± one of the girls asked her. The other was going through the menu card and a wave of confusion was spread across her face. ¡°Sure. ¡± Emma quickly replied while pulling a chair closer to them. ¡°Okay how about an apple pie? ¡± she asked them. ¡°I don¡¯t like apples. ¡± the thin girl quickly replied. ¡°So I don¡¯t kinda know if I will love apple pie. ¡°she quickly added. ¡°Well, an apple pie might not exactly taste the way an apple fruit does. ¡± exined Emma to the thin girl with a smile. ¡°we might as well try it. ¡± replied her chubby friend. ¡°Ok I¡¯ll get two apple pies for you. ¡± said Emma while getting up. ¡°And if you don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s on me. ¡± she quickly added while the girls giggled.

    It was few minutes past 10pm. Emma had closed for the day and was walking to her apartment. She saw Mike dressed in a suit. He must have probably gone out and returned from a meeting. He stood still awaiting Emma. ¡°Hi. ¡± she said waving at him. ¡°Hi Emma. ¡± he replied waving back at her. ¡°How was work today? ¡± he asked her. ¡°Hectic and fruitful. ¡± she replied smiling and he smiled back. ¡°You look stressed out. ¡± he told her as they made their way to the elevator. ¡°Yea. She replied yawning. ¡± They were in the elevator. ¡°Too many orders huh? ¡± he said. ¡°Yea. ¡± she replied. ¡°I am so hungry you know. ¡± Emma said. ¡°I know Mike. You will tell me I work in a restaurant yet am always hungry right? ¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Of course Emma.¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll prefer to cook your meal don¡¯t you? ¡± he saidughing out loud. They both chuckled. ¡°Can Ie over and make you some fried potatoes and eggs? ¡± Mike requested pointing to Emma¡¯s apartment. ¡°Sure. ¡± Emma quickly replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll peel the potatoes first. ¡± Mike said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll manage. ¡± Emma told him and asked him to sit. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to ruin your suit would you? ¡± she asked with a smile while Mike chuckled. ¡°You read African literature too? ¡± he asked her grabbing a copy of Things Fall apart by Chinua Achebe from her table. ¡°Of course. ¡± she replied while peeling the potatoes from the kitchen. Emma was done with the peeling so she came out and sat in the living room with Mike. ¡°I don¡¯t judge a book by it¡¯s cover. ¡± began Mike. ¡°I don¡¯t care who the hell wrote it as far as the title appeals to me, I go ahead and read it. ¡± Mike said while Emma nodded and smiled. They talked about the themes in the books they¡¯ve read and Emma marveled at Mike¡¯s intelligence, his level of literal analysis and understanding of ssical literature.

    Emma noticed Mike scratching his neck line. Her air conditioner was faulty and hadn¡¯t been fixed yet. ¡°The heat is so unbearable. ¡± Emma confessed while Mike nodded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take off your suit? ¡± Emma suggested to Mike after noticing his difort. He quickly took it off and Emma instantly got to nce at the tattoo below his cor bone. She was a bit surprised because she never taught Mike was a tattoo person. Emma then got up to check on the potatoes she had been deep frying. She came back taking off her jacket exposing her arms and  her breast skin which attracted Mike. Emma¡¯s door bell immediately rang and she quickly went to open the door. She was shocked when she saw Sam standing in front of her door at such an ungodly hour. She stared at him in amazement and Sam made his way into her apartment . ¡°Sam! ¡± Mike called out while Emma looked at both guys in confusion.

 CHAPTER 62: HOT GIRL AT HOME

    NEW YORK CITY:

    ¡°Feel free Fiona. ¡± Gideon¡¯s mother told the beautiful youngdy she walked into her son¡¯s mansion with. Fiona was pulling a box of luggage behind her. She wore ck heels and a skimpy red dress. With herrge breasts and curvy waist, no one needed to be told she was sexy. Frankie stared at them as they walked into the living room and greeted them ¡°Good morning. ¡± ¡°My boss is at work. ¡± he quickly added. ¡°And you are? ¡± Gideon¡¯s mother retorted eyeing him from his hair down to his soles.  ¡°Frankie. ¡± he quickly said with his voice shaking. ¡°You must be one of the domestic staff I guess. ¡± she told him. ¡°The only one. ¡°replied Frankie. ¡°So what do you do around here? ¡± interrogated Gideon¡¯s mother. ¡°You just lie around on the sofa wasting my son¡¯s resources? ¡± she screamed while Frankie lowered his head. He was almost shaking.

    Fiona who was wearing a skimpy dress had already crashed on therge sofa in the living room exposing her thighs. ¡°I am the chef. ¡± Frankie told Gideon¡¯s mother. ¡°So who drives, cleans the ce and run errands around here? ¡± Fiona finally spoke. Frankie immediately found her voice charming. ¡°No one does that. Mr. Gideon drives himself and I am new here. I.. ¡± Frankie was saying. ¡°Oh shut up! ¡± Gideon¡¯s mother hushed him. ¡°Romero fired all the domestic staff. I don¡¯t really know why but I guess it has to do with my grand baby¡¯s death, that bitch leaving and him being sorrowful. ¡± she told Fiona. But not to worry. You¡¯ll get things running around here in a short while. ¡± she told Fiona who smiled. ¡°Let me show you around. ¡± Gideon¡¯s mother told Fiona who then stood up and tailed her all the way upstairs.

    Gideon¡¯s mother never really liked Emma in the first ce. She will tell Gideon she can never ept her because she believed Emma was a gold digger who tricked Gideon into getting her pregnant. She stopped visiting Gideon¡¯s house after he married Emma and dropped by once in a while to check on Ryan. She had always wanted her son to marry Fiona because Fiona is her god daughter who she finds more sophisticated than Emma. She took Fiona to the main kitchen, showed her the art gallery, the library, the guest room thereby giving Fiona a tour of the mansion.

    ¡°Wow this ce is veryrge and ssy. ¡± Fionamented Gideon¡¯s room the moment they walked in. She saw the golden ited clock, the luxurious bed and furniture which made the room look like a five star hotel suite. ¡°I told you my son has a good taste. ¡± Gideon¡¯s mother told her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make yourselffortable. I will be downstairs incase you need anything. ¡± Gideon¡¯s mother told her. ¡°Thank You so much Mrs. Romero. ¡± Fiona said hugging Gideon¡¯s mother. ¡°Well you are the next Mrs. Romero so we might want to reserve that title for you. ¡± Gideon¡¯s mother said ying with the tip of Fiona¡¯s nose. ¡°Whatever be the case. You are Mrs. Romero Snr. ¡± Fiona told her. She smiled and left Fiona in her son¡¯s room. Shortlyter, Gideon en made his way upstairs and found his door wide opened. What was Frankie doing there? he thought because only Frankie had the key to his room. However, Frankie will never settle into his room he was sure of that. He hurried inside and was shocked to find Fiona sprawled naked on his back. Sheid with her face facing the bed while her butt was bared and it caught Gideon¡¯s eyes the moment he walked in. Gideon became transfixed and immediately began rushing down and he collided with his mother downstairs.

    ¡°Mother! ¡± he said panting heavily and looking surprised. He pointed to his room and struggled to bring words out of his mouth. His mother smiled and asked ¡°Do you love the surprise? ¡± ¡°What? ¡± he screamed and came to the realization that his mother had gone to Florida to bring Fiona there. ¡°What the hell is she doing in my house? ¡± Gideon screamed. ¡°Shut the crap up and stop acting like a child Romero. ¡± he mother stated. Gideon hurried down the stairs and went to the living room while his mother followed ed him. ¡°You are still sulking over that woman who dumped you? ¡± she yelled at him but Gideon didn¡¯t say a word. All he wanted was Fiona¡¯s exit from his room and his house. Fiona came down fully covered. She wore a in trouser with a crop top on. ¡°Why are you guys screaming Mrs. Romero? ¡± she asked. ¡°I hope everything is fine. ¡± she added. ¡°Of course my child. ¡± replied Gideon¡¯s mother.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°Hello Gideon. ¡± she said walking to the spot where Gideon sat and he immediately turned away. ¡°Are you okay? ¡± she asked him. ¡°Of course I am not. ¡± he barked at her and she immediately shook as a result of fright. ¡°Behave like a gentleman Romero.¡± Cautioned his mother while Gideon ced his hands on his face. ¡°I want you out of my house right now. ¡± Gideon said to Fiona starring directly into her eyes. ¡°She goes no where. ¡± his mother quickly retorted. ¡°Fiona leaves, then I leave too. ¡± she threatened  and Gideon looked at her in astonishment. Fiona starred at Mrs. Romero who signaled her to go upstairs. As she walked upstairs  she wondered whether Gideon hadn¡¯t seen her entirety yet. She smiled halfway as she thought about the seduction techniques she had outlined for him.

    ¡°What are you doing mother? ¡± Gideon asked his mother immediately Fiona went upstairs. ¡°I  am doing what¡¯s best for you my child. ¡± she told him sounding emotional. She quickly began wiping the tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Are you crying mother? ¡± he asked her. She wasn¡¯t crying; she was pretending to sob with the attempt of awakening the emotional side of Gideon.

 CHAPTER 63: THE MENTALLY UNSTABLE ONE

    CHICAGO:

    ¡°You know him? ¡± a surprised Emma asked Mike after he called out to Sam the moment he walked into her apartment.

    ¡°Of course I know him. ¡± retorted Mike, disgust clear in his voice.

    ¡°We used to be friends in high school.¡± added Mike. Sam stood at the the entrance of Emma¡¯s door, shock evident on his face as he saw Micheal. Seeing him after so many years especially at such an unexpected ce brought back too many memories he had tried to forget over the years. The two men continued staring at each other not knowing how exactly to react without making Emma think something was up.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe in and have a seat.¡± offered Emma to Sam whose feet were still glued to the passage right outside Emma¡¯s apartment. Sam entered into the apartment and his eyes did a once over at Mike then at Emma¡¯s apartment. Mike had on a shirt who¡¯s three buttons were opened up, his ck suit was left resting on the arm of his couch and the belt of his trousers no where to be seen. Sam shuddered at that, not liking the thought of Mike and Emma being together and hating the thoughts of what he would do to Mike if he daredy a finger on Emma. He wondered where the sudden territorial behavior over Emma wasing from. The tension in the room was as thick as a fog. Emma didn¡¯t know why, but she felt there was bad blood between the two men. Clearing her throat, she asked Sam to take a seat which he ignored his eyes still focused on Mike who was in turn ring at him.

    ¡°What are you doing here Micheal¡± questioned Sam, his hands in a tight fist beside him. Mike just ignored the question and finally took a seat on the couch while and angry Sam just kept throwing daggers at him.

    The room was suddenly filled with the smell of something burning. Emma dashed into the kitchen crying ¡®my potato chips¡¯ leaving the two men alone. Sam

    fell down on the couch beside the one Mike was on, his eyes still on Mike.

    ¡°I asked you what you are doing here Michael¡± Sam asked again trying to keep his voice low so that Emma wouldn¡¯t hear him. Mike turned his eyes to Sam, clear anger and hurt could be seen swirling in his brown pools.

    ¡°What am I doing here? What am doing here? I should be asking you that Samuel. After what you did, you disappeared, you never even cared to ask how she was doing!¡±. Mike was beyond angry with the question. He should be the one asking Sam all these even throwing punches at his face. After so many years after that day¡¯s incident and Sam¡¯s disappearance. What he had expected was at least an apology and an exnation. Sam diverted his eyes from Mike to the floor, his body beginning to shake

    While in the kitchen, Emma kept wondering why Sam showed up. If he came to make amends then she will dly tell him she had gotten a new job and he shouldn¡¯t bother about her anymore. Meanwhile, she never thought Mike and Sam would know each other. She could feel something had happened between the two, something bad. She grabbed the potato chips and guacamole alongside a bottle of wine and heading to the parlor. The two men looked ufortable, she noticed. Announcing her presence she dropped the chips and guacamole on the table for them to eat. Sam still had his head down, paying no attention to Emma or Mike. His legs hitting aggressively on the titles floor of Emma¡¯s apartment.

    ¡°You need to leave bro. ¡± Mike told him.

    ¡°What? Why?¡± a confused Emma asked. Sam finally raised up his head and red at Mike for the hundredth time that day and said

    ¡°I am going no where.¡± his tone menacing  and his hands still fisted. Emma didn¡¯t understand why Mike wanted Sam to leave so she tried to intervene.

    ¡°Mike what¡¯s the matter? ¡± she asked .  Mike went to her, held her hand and said

    ¡°I think Sam is not currently in a good state so I feel it will be better for him to leave now.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it, why isn¡¯t he in a good mood? Are you sure there isn¡¯t something you guys aren¡¯t telling me?¡± she said expressing herck of understanding. Sam turned towards them and caught a glimpse of Mike holding Emma and before both of them could realize it, Sam ran towards them, pulled Mike away from Emma and pinned him to the wall.

    ¡°How dare you? ¡± growled Sam while Mike tried to free himself from him. Fear could be seen in Mike¡¯s eyes, he saw thising that was why he had asked Sam to leave

    ¡°You were telling her I was a maniac huh? ¡± Sam yelled at Mike as his hand was wrapped around his throat. Emma then realized the calm, handsome Sam was soon reced by a manic. She looked into his eyes and saws terrifying storm in them.

    ¡°What is wrong with you Sam? ¡± she screamed at him rushing to mike¡¯s aid. Sam pushed her violently and shended on the hard floor in agony crashing into the tes. She screamed which attracted Sam and he immediately ran towards her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. ¡± she screamed at him as he moved closer and she kept backing away.

    ¡°I am so sorry. ¡± pleaded Sam while breathing heavily. He wanted to kill himself right now for what he just did. First her now Emma, he¡¯s never forgive himself if something happened to Emma too. Mike who was at the corner trying to catch his breath, ran to Emma¡¯s aid.

    ¡°Leave my house and don¡¯t you ever show your face here again. ¡± Emma yelled in tears as she held her ankle which was hurting. Sam wanted to run to Emma and apologize for his gross misconduct but he knew it will be like adding more fuel to the fire especially at her current state. She must be disappointed in him he thought and walked away biting his lips.

    ¡°Are you alright Emma?¡± Mike asked as he stooped beside her trying to lift her up

    ¡°My ankle hurts but I¡¯ll be fine. ¡± she said cleaning her teary eyes with her palms. Mike then helped her to sit by the edge of her bed.

    ¡°What happened to Sam? ¡± she asked Mike. Her apartment was already in a terrible state. The potatoes and  guacamole were scattered around and the ss of wine broke the moment Sam rushed to pull Mike away from her.

    ¡°I knew it might result to this that¡¯s why I beckoned on him to leave earlier. ¡± Mike said looking hesitant to spill more.

    ¡°What? Has something like this ever happened before? ¡± Emma asked trying to push him to give her the answers she desperately needed.

    ¡°Yea I know Sam. Remember I told you we were buddies in high school right? ¡± Mike said while Emma nodded then he proceeded.

    ¡°Sam got kicked out at the end of our senior year because he assaulted the hall monitor. ¡± Mike revealed. Emma looked at him dumbfounded.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°How do you know him? ¡± Mike asked her.

    ¡°He used to be my boss, I once worked in his club as a bar tender before I left the ce. ¡± Emma added.

    ¡°Meaning you don¡¯t know then. ¡± Mike concluded.

    ¡°Know what? ¡± she inquired, wanting to know more about what Mike was thering about concerning Sam.

    ¡°That Sam has bipr. ¡± confessed Mike and Emma¡¯s eyes immediately lighted up in realization. She thought about his shaky voice sometimes, his rough appearances, his exciting and sometimes cold moments and it all summed up to one word ¡®Bipr¡¯.

 CHAPTER 64: FIONA

    NEW YORK CITY:Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Fiona woke up that morning before any one else in the Romero mansion. She wore a sweater on a skimpy denim short that barely covered her ass. When Frankie went to the kitchen to make breakfast, he was shocked to see Fiona looking quite sexy with her hands soiled with flour. What was she up to?  he thought.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be in the kitchen ma¡¯am. ¡± Frankie told her before proceeding to say ¡°Good morning.¡±

    ¡°Morning Frankie.¡±  she told him ignoring his first request.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it from here. ¡± Frankie said after walking up to her trying to snatch the bowl of dough from her hand

    ¡°Let it go man! ¡± she scolded Frankie. ¡°Henceforth, you¡¯ll cook when I ask you to. Do you understand? ¡± she said while Frankie nodded. Her charming voice made her sound less authoritative but Frankie knew she just given him an order. He bowed his head and walked out of the kitchen recalling how Judy once made breakfast for Gideon the other day. He shook his head from left to rightughing at the women¡¯s desperate nature to make Gideon theirs and his boss¡¯s constant cold attitude towards them.

    Gideon¡¯s mother went to the kitchen and saw Fiona baking. She smiled and said ¡°You know your onions. ¡± Fiona smiled back and turned around so the woman could check her out.

    ¡°You look hot. ¡±mented Gideon¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Thanks aunt. ¡± she replied lowering the intensity of the oven.

    ¡°Is he up yet? ¡± Fiona asked Gideon¡¯s mother.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t check up on him? ¡± the woman asked her.

    ¡°No. ¡± Fiona replied shaking her head. After Gideon¡¯s outburst yesterday, she had resolved to letting things flow naturally. Fiona had promised to use her charm and wit on Gideon by stealing up on his weakness to get to him. Last night, Gideon slept in the guest room because Fiona was lodging in his room. That morning before she went into the kitchen, she had taken her stuff out of Gideon¡¯s room and had relocated to a vacant one. She wouldn¡¯t force herself on him she had promised herself.  Slow and steady wins the race.

    ¡°I¡¯ll shower and join you at the table. ¡± said her godmother.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you serve Mr. Romero breakfast in bed? ¡± suggested his mother. Fiona smiled liking the idea while Gideon¡¯s mother exited the kitchen.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Gideon screamed at Fiona pushing the tray of breakfast she had ced on the edge of his bed. Before waking him up, she had ran her fingers through his hair and imagined how waking up next to him every morning would feel. She tapped him and he was awakened to the breakfast she had made. Freshly baked cookies and coffee. Fiona was shocked after Gideon pushed the tray away which resulted into some of the cookies falling into the floor. She went to his left side where two of the cookies fell and bent over in an attempt to pick them up with the desire to expose her butt to him. She turned back around and Gideon was already getting out of bed.

    ¡°Wait Gideon. ¡± she said trying to stop him.

    ¡°Fiona please.¡± he told her folding his hands like people did whenever they wanted to pray.

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to ill treat you but I guess you need to know this, whatever you and my mother nned will not work, never. ¡± He said standing in the middle of the room in his boxers. Fiona stared at him and marveled at his physical endowment. I can wait to get down there. she thought biting her upper lip.

    Before Gideon could realize it, Fiona fell on the couch next to his bed and began sobbing.

    ¡°I am so sorry Fiona.¡± Gideon pleaded but she wouldn¡¯t stop crying. Out of sympathy and the need to console her, he moved closer to her and tried lifting her head which was buried in her palms. She quickly pulled him closer the moment he came closer and began crying. She folded her hands around his waist as he stood while she sat on the couch. Gideon found the act very ufortable so he quickly broke out from the embrace. He bent down and picked  the cookies scattered on the floor. Fiona got up, cleaned her teary eyes with her left palm and began walking out of the room. Gideon grabbed the cup of coffee and sipped it which she saw with the tail of her left eye. She smiled and walked away while his mother watched from a distance.

    Gideon reluctantly ate the breakfast Fiona made and hurried to the bathroom. He needed to get to the office immediately. Frankie knocked on the door of Gideon¡¯s bedroom but no reply emanated from it so he pushed it open and grabbed the particr suit Gideon had instructed him to bring. When he returned to the guest room with the suit, he informed Gideon that Fiona had packed out of the room and he could return to his safe heaven. After Gideon got dressed and hopped into his car, his mother came out running to him which made him halt the car. Behind her was Fiona dressed as a professional business mogul.

    ¡°She will be going with you to the office. ¡± His mother revealed while Gideon sat in the car speechless.

 CHAPTER 65: UNEVENTFUL CHILDHOOD

    FLASHBACK:

    After his father¡¯s burial, Gideon came to terms with the fact that he will he sent to a boarding school. His notion of a boarding school was tough, uneventful and draining and of course it was for him especially during the first period of his junior year. ¡°Boarding school will make you tough Romero.¡± his mother once told him and to an extent Gideon felt it did. However, he had vowed that he will never subject Ryan to that kind of torture. Later on, he was informed that other boarding schools were well run but as far as Gideon was concerned, boarding schools aren¡¯t meant for broken children especially at tender ages when they needed to experience ideal childhood.

    ¡°This is Gideon Romero. ¡± introduced the science teacher to the ss. He was introducing little Gideon who had just been enrolled into the junior high school, a boarding school. Gideon was staring at his shoes shy of lifting his head up or maybe he was afraid. It was his first day at the boarding school. Few weeks after Nanny Grace¡¯s departure from his life, his mother had told him he will be going to the  boarding school the next week and little Gideon wept pleading with his mother but she wouldn¡¯t oblige. He was barely ten then and was an introvert. As an only  child, he will speak to his toys when Nanny Grace didn¡¯t show up or camete and when his mother acted busy, he will lobby his way to y with the kids in his neighborhood. ¡°Say hi to Gideon¡± his science teacher Mr. Wellbereck told the kids and they chorused ¡°Hi. ¡± he waved at them and immediately lowered his head before he was asked to seat.

    Back at his dormitory, Gideon was attached to a senior student who was to serve as his guardian but it got to the point that his guardian was haunting him. Griffin his senior guardian will forcefully collect his stuffs, take part of his lunch and made him massage his feet at times. When Gideon tried toin to the school counselor, Griffin threatened to make his life a living hell and poor little Gideon had no option but embrace the bullying he received from Griffin. Sometimes when he called his mother as they were allowed to once a week, she will call him a nagging child and shut him up when he dared toin. ¡°You are a man Romero.¡± She will scream at him and the the poor boy will weep. During their monthly visit at the boarding school, his mother only showed up once during the four months of the term. She sent the driver instead with stuffs, money and supplies which arge portion Griffin took away from him.

    When his ssmates and the only two friends he had will seat with their parents and converse during open day activities or monthly visits, Gideon will look at them craving to take their ce. After the first term of his first junior year ended, Gideon couldn¡¯t wait  for the driver toe pick him up and he jumped into therge vehicle excitedly. When he got home, he narrated his ordeal at the dorm to his mother who he thought will finally remove him from the school but instead, he got a shocking reply. ¡°Stay strong Romero. It¡¯s life. ¡°she told him. He wanted to see his Nanny very badly but his mother told him he couldn¡¯t and she didn¡¯t exin why.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Gideon found the holiday very brief and to an extent boring. He spent most of his time watching cartoons and ying video games. He spoke less with his mother who always seemed upied with one thing or the other. In a short while, the holiday ended which Gideon found too quick and soon, he was back to his high school. Gideon gradually got ustomed to the way of life around the school and bothered less when his mother didn¡¯t showed up. He became more friendly with Jack and Daniel and gradually he found himself talking among his peers. He was a genius especially at mathematics and his homeboys now will tell him he had always had what it takes to be a business man.

    When he finished from high school and secured admission to study Business Management at Harvard, he was already a well formed youth who had seen enough torture. He graduated top of his ss, obtained a loan because he wouldn¡¯t take a penny from his inheritance and he gradually established his chain of clubs which marvels his mother till date. Gideon¡¯s mother will brag to people with the false fact that she raised her child, made him a man and now he¡¯s better than his dad but Gideon knew the truth. The truth was that he raised himself when she was taking forever to ovee her grief forgetting that her absence from his life was plunging grief into him which somehow motivated him.

 CHAPTER 66: MOTHER AND SON

    Gideon knew if he doesn¡¯te out of the car to address the issue, he will bete for work that morning especially when Judy had just texted him that clients were on their way for a business meeting.

    ¡°What exactly do you mean by that mother? ¡± he asked hering out of the car. Fiona went and stood beside his mother holding her bag firmly.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t listen to me yesterday would you? Instead you choose to flirt around with that secretary of yours instead of hearing what your Mother had to say¡± Catherine used her son, as she ced both hands on her hips with the hope of intimidating Gideon. He stood motionless without a word.

    ¡°Now listen Romero. Fiona has been employed from this day as one of your staff henceforth, consider her an employee. ¡± his mother told Gideon whose expression depicted shock. Gideon knew he will bete for his business meeting and he had no time to spare for some drama so he left the two women standing, got into the car and sped off to his office. His mother wasn¡¯t surprised at all by this.

    ¡°Good morning Sir. ¡± Judy greeted Gideon after she went to his office and stood by the door.

    ¡°Morning Judy. ¡± he replied adjusting his necktie. ¡°The clients are here right? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Not yet but they¡¯ll be here at exactly 11am. They called to inform they¡¯ll be a bitte. ¡± she replied with a smile.

    ¡°Great!¡± dered Gideon rubbing his palms together after ncing at his wrist watch. He had about 20 minutes before the clients will arrive. At least he will go through the meeting agenda before they show up because he didn¡¯t get the opportunity to do that.

    ¡°Are You okay sir? ¡± Judy asked him. She was holding his door knob. ¡°You look stressed out and it¡¯s barely noon¡± Judy said, staring at Gideon with a worried

    expression on her face.

    ¡°Yea I am fine.¡± answered Gideon with a false smile.

    ¡°Alright then. I will see that the conference hall is ready and ensure everything we will be needing for the meeting is set. ¡± said Judy turning around to leave.

    ¡°Wait Judy. ¡± Gideon called out to her and she turned around immediately.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Thank you so much Judy. ¡± he said to her smiling brightly. ¡±

    I am just doing my job sir. ¡± she replied smiling back.

    ¡°You are doing more than expected. ¡± said Gideon. ¡°I appreciate that. ¡± he quickly added. I wish I could do more. Judy thought.

    ¡°Will you be free for lunchter? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Of course. ¡± she replied with a nod and left.

    Immediately Judy walked out of Gideon¡¯s office, she headed to the conference room. Shortlyter, Gideon¡¯s mother arrived with Fiona. Gideon was going through the business meeting agenda he will be having in about ten minutes when his mother barged in with Fiona walking closely behind her. He looked at both women in astonishment and wondered what exactly their problem was. He said nothing and continued going through his agenda ignoring them like a disease. His mother walked to his table and snatched the file from him.

    ¡°What do you want Mother? ¡± he asked her fuming. ¡°I have a meeting to attend in about ten minutes. I don¡¯t have time for mischief. ¡± he quickly added. Fiona had settled in one of the couch in his office and was looking around.

    ¡°Mischief? ¡± yelled his mother. ¡°How dare you call your mother mischievous? ¡± she screamed almost spiting on his face. ¡°Please mother. ¡± he beckoned. ¡°I need to work. ¡± he said totally ignoring Fiona¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Fiona will work here henceforth. I told you earlier this morning and I don¡¯t know if you heard me correctly or chose to ignore me by driving away.¡± said his mother.

    ¡°Since when do you get to take decisions concerning my business? ¡± he questioned his mother even though he felt he went a bit too far with his words.

    ¡°Since when do you question your mother¡¯s decisions? ¡± she yelled at him. ¡°Now listen Romero. You will take Fiona as your staff from today and so will it be every other day. ¡± said his mother on a final note. Fiona quickly got up and said ¡°I can work as your personal assistant. ¡± and Gideon looked the other way.

    ¡°Listen mother, take Fiona and get out of my office. I have a meeting to attend please and I don¡¯t have time for you both.¡± he dered sounding annoyed.

    ¡°You are asking me to leave? How dare you Romero? ¡± his mother screamed. Gideon rubbed his forehead in frustration. He needed his mother to disappear that moment so he could briefly go through the business meeting agenda before the clients show up but his mother seemed to be on his nerve at the moment.

    ¡°Why are you bent on ruining my life? ¡± Gideon asked his mother.

    ¡°I will continue to ruin your life as long as you don¡¯t heed to me. ¡± she boasted. ¡°You can¡¯t just show up anytime and tell me what to do? ¡± Gideon screamed. He was totally pissed and was now yelling at his mother.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare raise your voice at me young man. ¡± countered his mother. ¡°And if I do so? ¡± he retorted. ¡°I am your mother. You will treat me with respect. ¡± she yelled back.

    ¡°Then act like a mother. ¡± replied Gideon while standing up. His hands were shaking furiously and Fiona was d the door was shut and Gideon¡¯s ssy office was soundproof. At least no one will have an insight of the mother and son outburst she thought and continued watching them keenly.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just show up one day and try to act like an ideal mother. Where were you when I needed you the most? ¡± Gideon asked his mother staring directly into her eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me how to live my life and who I choose to live it with. ¡± he added.

    ¡°I will tell you what to do Romero and you will abide by my wishes. ¡± she professed.

    Gideon looked at his wrist watch. It was exactly 11:00am and time for his business meeting. He knew arguing with his mother will do him no good and with business clients awaiting him in the conference hall, he left his mother and Fiona in the office and walked to the conference room breathing heavily.

 CHAPTER 67: MIKE AND SAM

    CHICAGO:

    The night Sam attacked Mike, he couldn¡¯t fall asleep. He tossed from one end of his bed to the other feeling guilty and ashamed. He felt terrible and couldn¡¯t stop regretting over what he did and the longsting torturous impression he must have inflicted on Emma. What must Emma be thinking? he wondered. In a bid to prevent Mike from presenting him to her as a maniac, he had revealed to her, a part of him which he was trying to protect. He quickly got out of bed, pulled a bottle of Vodka from his bar in the living room and crashed on his couch. He was a mess at that moment and he knew it but what was he to do? The next day, he woke up to an empty bottle of Vodka with his head banging and he was having blurred visions. He drank too muchst night; he knew it. He staggered upstairs and managed to take a shower. With a towel around his waist, he fell on his bed dialing Emma¡¯s number. He called her severally but she wasn¡¯t picking. He was aware she was ignoring him because he had been tailing her few days ago. He knew she had secured a job at the restaurant down her street and her shift was not now till 4pm. He had a strong conviction she was close to the phone and didn¡¯t answer his calls intentionally.

    ¡®I am deeply sorry Emma. ¡® he texted her. ¡®I didn¡¯t intend to hurt you. ¡® he texted again. ¡®Can we please talk? ¡® he asked her via a text but there was no reply from Emma. He felt weak and let out a loud groan. He suddenly felt the need to bang his head on the wall or tear his room apart. Emma won¡¯t like that he thought thenid on his bed staring at the chandelier looking defeated. He must see Emma at all cost he told himself but he knew he couldn¡¯t show up at her ce looking like a piece of shit with bloodshot eyes. He decided to sleep so he could wake up feeling more rxed and then present himself before Emma. He pulled his pills from the drawer which he hadn¡¯t taken in a long while and swallowed two capsules following them up with water. Soon, he was dozing off.

    When Sam woke up from his slumber, it was past 6pm. He had slept for 5 hours and didn¡¯t blink once. He felt more rxed and was now ready to see Emma, so he showered again and dressed very smartly, gelling  his jet ck hair backwards He heaved a deep sigh and made his way to Emma¡¯s home feeling a bit scared. She might send him away he thought but he needed to see her, to apologize to her and make things right. Sam knew thest time he felt concerned over someone who wasn¡¯t his family was a long time ago and now Emma has opened that closed part of his heart. The thought of Emma nursing a grudge against him made him weak.  He would never let that happen.

    Sam kept pressing Emma¡¯s doorbell but there was no reply. His attention then drifted to the door closely and he realized it was locked. He failed to notice that earlier. Emma wasn¡¯t in. He sat in front of Emma¡¯s apartment for over an hour hoping she will show up soon but Emma didn¡¯t return. He decided to leave and try his luck the other day. As he made his way out of the premises, Mike approached him.

    ¡°What are you doing here? ¡± Mike said after hurrying towards him.

    Sam looked at Mike and said nothing but Mike kept speaking.

    ¡°Stay away from her. ¡± he ordered Sam. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? ¡± Sam asked Mike,  his voice loud.

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me who to say away from! ¡± Sam said still raising his voice at Mike.

    ¡°I know you care about Emma. ¡± Mike told him. ¡°Please you need to protect her by staying far away from her. ¡± pleaded Mike.

    ¡°Oh shut the crap up Mike. ¡± retorted Sam. ¡°You can¡¯t just show up one day and teach me how to handle my affairs. ¡± he added.

    ¡°I am not meddling with your affairs Sam. I am just looking out for my friend Emma. ¡± Mike screamed back. ¡°Look at what you did the other day? ¡± continued Mike. ¡°You want to hurt her the more? ¡± growled Mike at Sam whose temper was raging but he was trying to maintain his cool.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Listen Mike. ¡± said Sam. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hurt Emma. I didn¡¯t mean to. What happened the other day was purely an ident. ¡± exined Sam.

    ¡°Are you sure it was just an ident Sam? ¡± yelled Mike. ¡°What would have happened if she didn¡¯t intervened. You would have assaulted me exactly the way you did with that hall monitor in high school huh? ¡± thundered Mike. Sam immediately felt the desire to punch Mike right in the face but he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I won¡¯t stay away from Emma and that¡¯s it. ¡± dered Sam. ¡°Why don¡¯t you keep being a good neighbor and stop dictating who Emma hangs around with¡± said Sam. ¡°I am being a good friend Sam. That¡¯s why I am protecting her from you. Can¡¯t you protect her too? ¡± asked Mike.

    ¡°What are you saying Mike? ¡± asked Sam. ¡°Leave her alone. Don¡¯t show up up. Just let her be. ¡± replied Mike.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. ¡± replied Sam swinging his head from left to right.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how you feel or what you will do about it but I am not staying away from Emma and that¡¯s it.¡± said Sam on a final note and he began walking away.

    ¡°Sam. ¡± Mike called out to him and he turned around facing Mike. ¡°Stay away from Emma else you will ruin her the way you ruined Natalie. ¡± Mike told Sam then left him standing there on the ground floor of the building with clenched fists

    .

 CHAPTER 68: WHEN EMOTIONS ARE HIGH

    ¡°What do you want? ¡± Emma yelled at Sam after she opened her door and met him standing there motionless. He had called and texted her severally but Emma wasn¡¯t willing to listen so he showed up at her door even after she had warned him never to step foot in her apartment especially after his previous violent reaction. He was looking tensed. Emma immediately tried to m her door at his face but luck wasn¡¯t on her side that morning. Sam quickly held the door and forced himself into her home. Emma groaned in frustration. Sam went inside and stood beside her TV set looking at her.

    ¡°I am sorry I forced myself in. ¡± he apologized.

    ¡°Have a seat. ¡± Emma said after all he was already in and there was nothing she could do about it.

    When Mike revealed to Emma Sam¡¯s mental condition. There was no denying that she felt sorry for him. No one deserves such a fate she thought. However, she was mad at Sam for hiding such information from her. She sure didn¡¯t expect him to walk up to her saying ¡®Hi Emma I have bipr.¡¯ but a little hint could have been just fine. She wasn¡¯t expecting too much, was she? More so, she was still mad at him for lying about his professional status. She knew bipr couldn¡¯t have made him that secretive. She was also mad at him for harassing the new bar tender the other day.

    Sam sat on her big sofa and Emma went to the refrigerator and pulled a bottle of water. She poured the cold water in a little ss cup and handed it to Sam who took it immediately and gulped the water as if his life depended on it.

    ¡°I am sorry. ¡± he said while cing the empty ss on the table by his side. ¡°I am deeply sorry Emma. I just couldn¡¯t control myself¡­ It happens all the time¡­ ¡± he was saying.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were bipr?¡± Emma asked, clear hurt in her voice. Sam lowered his head and began swinging his head from left to right mumbling ¡°I am so sorry.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you owned the bar? ¡± she queried further.

    ¡°I thought if I told you I was your boss then you would see me differently. ¡± replied Sam looking at Emma. ¡°Differently? ¡± she asked even though she knew what he meant.

    ¡°I thought maybe you wouldn¡¯t befortable around me or be my friend anymore if I was your superior. ¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Or maybe you wanted to toy with me huh? ¡± she said and smiled immediately. Sam chuckled and replied ¡°Never. ¡±

    ¡°We started on a foot I was veryfortable on so I didn¡¯t want to ruin the flow. ¡± Sam said. Emma noticed that he was now more rxed and his back was resting on the sofa and his earlier tied fists were loosen. She smiled inwardly.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What you did  to that bar tender ant the other day was wrong. ¡± she said. He couldn¡¯t me his disy of inhumanity on bipr at the moment and Sam knew it.

    ¡°I am a business man and I think being a businessman has made me to forget my manners. ¡± Sam said.

    ¡°I was concerned over loosing a valuable customer like Austin Mc Bryan. ¡± said Sam.

    ¡°I was wrong. ¡± he quickly added. Emma smiled because she could see how sorry he was and to her surprise, he said

    ¡°I have apologized to the little guy. We are cool now. ¡±

    ¡°Wow! ¡± eximed Emma.

    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again. ¡± he promised.

    ¡°I hope so. ¡± replied Emma. She knew it was an impossible endeavor for a bipr victim to swear allegiance to orderliness.

    ¡°You need to apologize to Mike too. ¡± Emma told Sam who nodded even though he wasn¡¯t sure if he would really do that. Emma didn¡¯t want their whole conversation at the moment to dwell on apologies but Sam had something in mind. ¡°I inherited it from my father. ¡± he blurted. ¡°I have generic bipr. ¡± he quickly added leaving Emma dumbfounded.

    ¡°I am so sorry.¡± was all she could tell him. ¡°As a child.¡± began Sam looking at the nk wall.

    ¡°I had terrible mood swings. I will be happy right now and few minutester I am sad and devastated. ¡± he said with tears welling in his eyes.

    ¡°What did you do to feel better? ¡± Emma asked him.

    ¡°I went to therapy. Series and series of therapy.¡± he said.

    ¡°Did it help? ¡± Emma asked with her eyes downcast to avoid his teary eyes.

    ¡°It did help but you know bipr can¡¯t be treated right? ¡± he told Emma and she nodded in understanding.

    ¡°As a child, I was bullied for being violent. Kids will leave the yground the moment I walked him. Their parents told them I was a manic and they fled from me.¡± revealed Sam with tears streaming down his cheeks. Emma didn¡¯t utter a word.  ¡°I tried Emma. I am always trying to ovee this eternal damnation but¡± he said crying out loud. Emma quickly went to his side, ced her right hand on his back in a bid to calm him down.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Sam. ¡± she consoled him while he nodded cleaning his eyes with his palms.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want this¡­ I can¡¯t Keep hurting people. I just can¡¯t strike a bnce between my highs and lows. ¡± said a broken Sam.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. ¡± Emma assured him. ¡°Please forgive me Emma. ¡± beckoned Emma.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Sam. ¡± she said.

    Few minutester, Sam had managed to stay put and Emma had served him coffee. His eyes were dried though his voice was shaking.

    ¡°Thank You Emma.¡± he said after drinking the coffee.

    ¡°I want to ask for a favor. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Sure¡±  replied Emma sharply.

    ¡°Will You please resume work at the bar¡±?  he pleaded.

    ¡°I¡­ ¡± stammered Emma.

    ¡°Please Emma.¡± he begged.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sam. I already took a job at the restaurant down the street.¡±  she replied. ¡°Can you leave the job please? I¡¯m not saying you must but I will feel better and forgiven if you return to my club.¡± He said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Emma said to him.

 CHAPTER 69: EMMA IS BACK

    ¡°I am deeply sorry sir. ¡± Emma pleaded with the manager at the restaurant she has just secured a job with. She was resigning. She had thought about returning to Sam¡¯s bar after his plea the other day. She knew Sam is in a vulnerable state right now and returning to work in his bar will mean a lot to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Emma. ¡± the restaurant manager replied her with a half smile. Emma had just revealed to him that she will be resigning from her work as a waitress.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my intention to leave halfway sir. ¡± she said cleaning her forehead with her left hand.

    ¡°The circumstances at hand is just something I can¡¯t overlook.. I am terribly sorry sir.¡±  Emma begged folding her hands before the manager who was sitting in his office. She was standing opposite him.

    ¡°The customers will miss you Emma. ¡± he said grinning.

    ¡°I know sir. I¡¯ll drop in once in a while. ¡± she promised smiling as brightly as ever. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now. ¡± she said cing her name tag and badge on his table. She took a bow and made her way out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to meet Dennis. ¡± the manager told Emma as she was leaving.

    ¡°I will sir. ¡± she hinted with a nod. Dennis is the cashier and he will he sorting Emma for all the services she had rendered in the past few weeks.

    ¡°We will miss you Emma. ¡± one of the waitress in the restaurant said looking at her. The bar tender in the restaurant giggled and told them ¡°Everyone will miss Emma. ¡± and Emma couldn¡¯t help but smile. During her brief time at the restaurant, she had spread a lot of love and warmth around and her cheerful smiles and gestures were often talked about by the customers. As she exited the building, she thought about her first day at work in the restaurant. She had already checked in with the restaurant and there was no vacancy. Few dayster, she went back again after trying several ces which weren¡¯t quite fruitful. That day, she was told there was still no vacant spot and as she was about to leave, she helped a little boy get rid of the orange juice that had spilled on his shirt and the manger witnessed that kind gesture and immediately employed her. ¡®I am ready to resume work fully. ¡® she texted Sam as she walked back home. He immediately called her uttering phrases of gratitude.

    When Emma went home, she immediately headed to Mike¡¯s apartment. He opened the door for her and ushered her in. He was in a white short trousers and blue vest. His sses stood firmly on his face and he adjusted it after offering Emma a spot to sit. Hisputer was on and pieces of papers were scattered across the room.

    ¡°Seems like you are busy. ¡± Emma told him while ncing at the space. ¡°I cane backter. ¡± she told him.

    ¡°No it¡¯s fine. You can stay. ¡± he quickly replied and began arranging the papers lying around.

    ¡°I just quit my job at the restaurant. ¡± Emma said to him and she immediately noticed his changed mood. He dropped the papers on his table and sat on the stool beside the table.

    ¡°You are returning to Sam¡¯s club? ¡± he asked even though he knew the answer was yes. Emma nodded and Mike nodded too.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t want to tell you what to do but I hope you know what you are doing. ¡± he said to Emma who tried to feign a smile.

    ¡°You are a smart woman Emma. I trust you will do fine. ¡± he said smiling.

    ¡°I will leave you to work Mike. ¡± Emma told him and quickly got up.

    ¡°Thanks for everything. ¡± she added extending her right hand to him and he shook her and winked. Emma left Mike¡¯s apartment knowing fully well that her decision to return to her former job doesn¡¯t appeal to him and he wouldn¡¯t want to meddle with her affairs.

    A fact about Emma is that she will always want to see the good in people no matter their shorings. She believes there is always something to write home about: even about the darkest minded people. As she walked into the club, she noticed nothing has changed even though she wasn¡¯t expecting anything to change. The resounding music, the cheerful and noisy customers, the dedicated bar tenders and ssy ambiance. She headed to the bar and met Larry serving some customers. He immediately recognized her and shed his teeth at her.

    ¡°Wee back Emma. I am so d you are back. ¡± he said looking at her cheerfully.

    ¡°How are you? ¡± she asked him. ¡°Larry right? ¡± she quickly added.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± he replied nodding. Emma sat on one of the vacant stools while Larry quickly pulled a ss to serve her a drink. ¡°No i¡¯m fine.¡± she told him.

    ¡°I was very guilty when I heard you resigned. It was all because of what I did the other day. ¡± Larry confessed to Emma with his eyes downcast.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Larry. ¡± she told him. ¡°I am back now so we are good. ¡± she said giggling and he chuckled too.

    ¡°I can see you are catching up with Larry already. ¡± came Ellie¡¯s voice. They shared a hug and Ellie told Emma she is d to have her around once again. They¡¯ve got different schedules and barely hanged out. Ellie is d Emma is back now.

    ¡°I have some customers to attend to. ¡± Ellie said to Emma who quickly caught a nce at the serving tray she held with her left hand.

    ¡°Sure we will catch upter. ¡± Emma told her. Sam immediately walked in and dashed to the bar.

    ¡°Hello Sir! ¡® Emma greeted him after he sat close to her on one of the vacant bar stools.

    ¡°Sir huh? ¡± he chuckled. Emma nodded. ¡°I am d you are back. ¡± Sam said collecting the ss of wine from Larry. ¡°And this time, back for good. ¡± he told Emma pointing a finger at her face. She smiled at that.

 CHAPTER 70: THE FIANCEE

    NEW YORK CITY:

    ¡°He will be here shortly. ¡± Judy assured the business clients who had just arrived for the meeting.

    She wondered why Gideon hasn¡¯t showed up yet. The guests they were expecting  had already graced the seats of the conference hall awaiting Gideon Romero their host.

    As Gideon headed to the conference hall, he wondered if he went too far with his mother over the whole Fiona issue.  He yelled at her and questioned her motherly role. He felt she provoked him and his outburst was justified. However, Gideon felt bad for screaming at his mother like that and he was bothered what her reaction might turn out to be. She must be disheartened. He thought. He heaved a deep sigh and entered the conference wall.

    Meanwhile in  Gideon¡¯s office:

    Gideon¡¯s mother Catherine Romero fell back on the couch opposite the chair Gideon sat earlier. She was taken aback by Gideon¡¯s retaliation which she didn¡¯t expect. Gideon is so ungrateful she thought.

    All Catherine ever wanted is the best for Gideon. She has always wanted him to be this perfect gentleman. She knew she had been strict with him and she is not going back or yielding to his resistance.

    When Gideon finished high school years back, Catherine had already outlined a n for his life. He will go to Harvard, study business management, take over his father¡¯s business and do exploits. Part of her n was that Gideon will marry Fiona : her sophisticated god daughter.

    She noticed that Gideon began swaying from the track she had set for him after he took a loan to establish his business rather than take after his father¡¯s business. Her heart was shattered when she discovered that Gideon was marrying a random girl he had a one night stand with who ended up with a pregnancy.  She didn¡¯t wish for Ryan to die and since Emma has vanished, she is determined to fix Gideon¡¯s life and this time for good.

    In the conference room:

    ¡°I am deeply sorry gentlemen. ¡± Gideon apologized to the business clients who were already seated in the conference hall.

    He pulled a chair and sat in the spot reserved for him cing his both hands on the round table.

    ¡°I forgot my file. ¡± Gideon said after noticing he walked in without it.

    He had  forgotten the file and left in a hurry after his quarrel with his mother.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go get it from your office Sir. ¡± Judy volunteered and immediately dashed out heading to Gideon¡¯s office.

    ¡°Are You okay aunt? ¡± Fiona asked Gideon¡¯s mother after she noticed how lost in thought and devastated the woman was. Catherine didn¡¯t reply Fiona.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you were a bit harsh on him? ¡± Fiona asked Catherine who was looking more pissed than earlier.

    ¡°Are You crazy Fiona? ¡± she retorted in a harsh tone. Fiona noticed she still wasn¡¯t calm.

    ¡°You think I am being harsh? ¡± she fired again at Fiona.

    ¡°Aunt calm down. All I am saying is that you are pushing this  too far. ¡± replied Fiona crossing her legs and at the same time flipping her hair.

    ¡°Listen Fiona. ¡± began Catherine facing Fiona and staring directly into her eyes.

    ¡°Everything I am doing, I am doing it for you. ¡±

    ¡°So believe me. I know what I am doing. ¡± concluded Catherine.

    ¡°I know aunt but maybe we are doing it the wrong way.¡± Fiona argued. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your actions but aunt we might ruin this if we go the wrong way. ¡± maintained Fiona.

    ¡°Listen aunt. ¡± Fiona continued. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you but I feel we are going too far. ¡±

    Catherine red at Fiona and shook her head. Fiona must be a fool she thought. She was certain taking things easy with Gideon will bear no fruits. She will prefer to handle him the gruesome way.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry aunt. I¡¯ve got a n. ¡± Fiona told Catherine with a twinkle.

    As Judy approached Gideon¡¯s office, she noticed the door to the office was left open.  He must have left it open while hurrying to the conference room she thought as she entered into the office. She was shocked to see Catherine. She immediately recognized her as Gideon¡¯s mother who had ridiculed her some time ago.  Thest time Catherine was in Gideon¡¯s office, Judy remembered how she threatened to leave to Florida for good. What then was she doing here? Judy thought. She looked around and caught a nce at Fiona who was resting on the couch, her thighs were opened like a slut seeking attention. Judy would have asked her who she was but with Gideon¡¯s mother around and the file she needed to get, Judy said nothing.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Good morning. ¡± Judy greeted and quickly approached the table to grab the file which was lying on Gideon¡¯s table.

    Judy lifted the file and as she turned around to leave, her eyes narrow down on Fiona  once again and Fiona red at her. Catherine sharply noticed Judy¡¯s prying eyes so she seized the opportunity to cause more mischief.  She smiled devilishly and approached Judy who was about heading out of the office.

    ¡°Judy right? ¡±  Catherine asked even though she clearly remember who Judy is.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± Judy replied.

    ¡°Where are my manners? ¡± Catherine said smirking inwardly. She smiled at Judy and Judy knew it wasn¡¯t genuine.

    Catherine wanted to irritate Judy and step on her toes. She hated Judy from the first time she had set eyes on her. As far as Catherine Romero is concerned, Judy and Emma are birds of the same feathers. She believed they are gold diggers hovering around her son¡¯s wealth. Now that Emma is out of the picture, she will ensure she stops at nothing to take Judy out too. She moved closer to Judy who was standing by the door.

    ¡°Meet Fiona. ¡± Catherine said to Judy pointing at Fiona who quickly got up, projected her face and smiled.

    Catherine noticed Judy¡¯s difort and decided to add more fuel to the fire.

    ¡°Fiona is Gideon¡¯s fiancee. ¡± she said smiling inwardly and jubting over Judy¡¯s disy of shock.

 CHAPTER 71: TENSION

    Fiona couldn¡¯t hide her surprise the moment Gideon¡¯s mother referred to her as her son¡¯s fiancee. Catherine was d Judy didn¡¯t notice Fiona¡¯s weird reaction so she winked and moved her head a little higher signaling to Fiona to y along.

    Fiona being an uing actress and having acquired some acting skills, immediately put on her acting shoes and swung to action. She headed towards Judy.

    Meanwhile, Judy was behind Gideon¡¯s desk holding the file she hade to pick. Her  hands were wrapped around the file and she was fighting so hard to keep the nk expression on her face. She couldn¡¯t believe Gideon had a fiancee all this while.

    Judy knew Catherine Romero never liked her and disying an act of weakness before this woman will send her off bnce and she will be conquered. She managed to stand her ground hiding the storm that was growing in her.

    ¡°Well I don¡¯t need any formal introduction again. Do I mother inw? ¡± Fiona said directing the statement at Catherine who cleared her throat loudly and replied ¡®of course not.¡¯

    Fiona was standing few steps away from Judy. Catherine was d Fiona was ying along and irking Judy the more is what she was bent on doing at the moment.

    Judy began biting her lower lip in frustration. Gideon has a fiancee? She wondered? She didn¡¯t want to believe that, it couldn¡¯t be true. Sure it¡¯s been over six months he had lost Ryan and gotten a divorce from Emma. He wouldn¡¯t want to get into marriage that quickly? But what if he did? ¡®No¡¯ Judy said boldly in her head. She chose not to believe that Fiona was Gideon¡¯s wife to be. She hadn¡¯t even seen her around until now. She stood before both women holding the file firmly and struggling to get a grip on her emotions. Keep your calm Judy she kept telling herself.

    ¡°What are you doing in my husband to be office? ¡± Fiona asked Judy looking at her from head to toe in a manner that was quite demeaning.  Judy instantly felt like smashing Fiona¡¯s head against the wall but she knew it was important to calm this raging storm rising in her.

    ¡°I came to get this. ¡± she replied projecting

    the file to Fiona¡¯s face.

    Judy could feel the crack in her voice so she cleared her voice loudly and stared directly into Fiona¡¯s eyes. She felt it was necessary to proof to Fiona that she is not a woman who can be scared easily.

    ¡°Congrattions on your uping wedding darling. ¡± Judy said to Fiona with a fake smile. She quickly extended her left hand to Fiona for a handshake which Catherine found shocking. Fiona who was also acting quickly smiled back at Judy and shook her in return.

    In her mind, Judy cursed Fiona and wished she could disappear like Emma did. There palms were still tied into each other¡¯s which made Catherine think the hand shake was taking too long.  Congrattions on your uing death Judy said inwardly and took out her palm from Fiona¡¯s.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now. ¡± Judy announced to the women and gave another fake smile before exiting the spot.

    ¡°Bloody slut. ¡± Catherine cursed Judy immediately she walked out of Gideon¡¯s office. She quickly sat and Fiona noticed how fast her breath increased.

    ¡°Calm down aunt. We can handle this. ¡± Fiona assured Catherine and headed towards Gideon¡¯s refrigerator. She pulled a bottle of water and handed it to Catherine who quickly grabbed the bottle without noticing it.

    ¡°Sorry I took so long to get the file. ¡± Judy apologized to the audience at the conference room.

    She passed the file to Gideon and sat.

    ¡°I almost went after you myself. ¡± Gideon told her after she had pulled out a chair and sat.

    ¡°The file was lying there and I was looking elsewhere. ¡± she lied rubbing her hands vigorously.

    Of course she wasn¡¯t going to tell them she was having a dramatic encounter with Catherine and that she had just been introduced to Fiona, Gideon¡¯s fiancee.

    Meanwhile as Judy, read out the meeting agenda, Gideon looked at her hoping his mother had left before she went into his office. He knew how blunt his mother could be especially since her first encounter with Judy wasn¡¯t friendly. Judy was done reading the minutes and immediately, she lifted her eyes, she caught Gideon staring at her and he immediately looked away.

    The business meeting finally began and during discussions and financial reports that didn¡¯t require her to speak, Judy¡¯s mind kept drifting back to Gideon¡¯s office and how Fiona was introduced to her by Catherine.

    Gideon had a fiancee?  She asked herself and sat up properly fixing her gaze on Gideon whose full attention was into the meeting. When did he meet Fiona? She asked herself and looked around to ensure non of the clients might catch her stealing a nce at Gideon. She was d no one could read her mind.

    Throughout the whole meeting, no one noticed how tensed Judy had been. She had masked her difort and kept smiling and contributing to the entire endeavor.

    ¡°Before we leave gentlemen. ¡± Gideon said cleaning the sweats dripping from his forehead with a in handkerchief.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°We will take a review of our budget and make final rmendations. ¡± he said cing the handkerchief beside his scattered file on the table.

    ¡°Of course. ¡± one of the clients said with a pen in his left hand and a notepad in the other.

    ¡°Excuse me please. ¡± Judy said and got up with a smile. She adjusted her jacket.

    Gideon nodded indicating she was excused. They had been in the conference hall for over two hours so Gideon was certain Judy needed to go to the rest room or get  some air.

    Immediately Judy left the conference hall, she felt like screaming out loud. She had managed to stay calm throughout the business meeting but the storm in her wouldn¡¯t stay calm. She felt as if something was choking her.

    Judy entered her office, locked it from the inside and sat on her chair with her face in her palms which almost seemed as if she was meditating. She pulled out her cell phone from her purse.

    ¡°I want to book an appointment with Mathew please.¡± she requested via the phone with her left hand hitting the table.

 CHAPTER 72: ON A CLEAN SLATE

    CHICAGO:

    Emma had fully resumed work at the club. Her name was ced on the night shift. Emma knew there were lot¡¯s of gossips that traveled among the staff while she was away. She was aware that some believed she harassed  Sam in front of Austin Mc Bryan. Others may think Sam hired her back to prevent mouths from running seeking to ruin his reputation.

    Emma didn¡¯t care about whatsoever the people in the club felt or think.  All she knew was that she was back and her return meant a lot to Sam. Even though Emma never wanted to leave the restaurant the way she did, there was no denying that Sam¡¯s club paid her twice what she was to earn in the restaurant as a waitress.

    All Emma prays and wishes for is a transformation in Sam even though she knew his ailment is an incurable one. Perhaps he could moderate it she thought. She wanted to advice Sam about going out more often, visiting people, ying games and reading but she knew Sam must know about these technique and many others. After all he is rich and could afford any therapist in town and she wouldn¡¯t want to overstep her boundaries.

    Emma also promised herself that her discussions with Sam will rte to business and she wouldn¡¯t pry into his private affairs. When Emma finished her shift that night, she carried her bag hurrying away. Few steps out of the building, she saw Sam in front of his limousine smiling as she came closer.

    ¡°Care for some ride home? ¡± he finally spoke but was still smiling.

    ¡°No I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll get a cab.¡± Emma said refusing his offer and wrapping her leather jacket around her.

    ¡°Ohe on Emma its just a ride. ¡± Sam said waving the car keys at her.

    ¡°I thought we are good now. ¡± he told her folding his arms around his chest.

    Emma is certain they are good but taking favors from Sam is what she wouldn¡¯t oblige to. She will love to keep their rtionship professional and maybe a bit friendly too.

    ¡°So hop in. ¡± Sam stated and hurriedly went to open the car door for Emma.

    Emma noticed that his driver wasn¡¯t with him. She admired his glossy tea shirt and brown in trousers. She might not know much about Bipr but a certain fact she hade to terms with was that Sam¡¯s appearance depicts his emotional state and at that moment, she knew he was okay.

    She went inside the limousine and sat parallel to Sam who would be driving. Sam noticed she was catching cold so he turned off the car¡¯s air conditioner immediately. He put on his seat belt and Emma followed suit. In a short while, they were driving away from the club heading to Emma¡¯s apartment.

    ¡°How was your first day at the club like? ¡± Sam popped the question at Emma who was staring at the distance from the window.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it was like a conventional first day. ¡± Emma answered and Sam chuckled.

    ¡°It was good though.¡± she quickly added focusing her attention on the speedometer.

    Sam was driving at a moderate speed which Emma really adored.

    ¡°Do You love the shift you were ced at? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Of course I do. ¡± she said with a nod.

    They were caught up in traffic and Sam had to stop driving but the car was on and still.

    ¡°Well if you don¡¯t like the night shift, I can have them ce you on the day¡¯s shift. ¡± said Sam with his back resting on the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°I appreciate all you are doing to make mefortable but I¡¯ll be fine. ¡± Emma replied looking at Sam.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Then I guess you are cool with your nightshift. ¡± Sam said.

    The cars in front of them were gradually moving now and Sam began driving too.

    ¡°If you need anything Emma. Do tell me. ¡± he said looking briefly at Emma and his attention on the gear.

    Emma nodded saying ¡°I will. ¡±

    Meanwhile, Emma knew in her heart that she might not ask Sam for any favor because she wouldn¡¯t want to take anyone¡¯s kindness for granted.

    ¡°Hope you didn¡¯t have much trouble with the management at the restaurant.¡± Inquired a concerned Sam.

    They were out of the traffic and on the route to Emma¡¯s ce. He was driving faster now.

    ¡°Not really. We have an understanding. ¡± Emma told him with her left palm on her forehead.

    ¡°But no doubt, I¡¯ll be missing the atmosphere there. ¡± she quickly added.

    ¡°I am so sorry for the inconvenience. ¡± pleaded Sam while taking a sharp turn.

    ¡°Nothing to worry about. Am good. ¡± she said with a cheerful smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been selfish huh? ¡± Sam asked her looking at his mirror. ¡°I made you quit. ¡± he said adjusting the mirror.

    ¡°I had a choice and I chose to quit. ¡± maintained Emma.

    ¡°Do you think I manipted you into leaving the restaurant? ¡± he asked then turned to gaze at her.

    ¡°No. ¡± Emma quickly voiced out.

    ¡°I came back because I wanted to and I needed you to have a clear conscience too. ¡± she said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel guilty Sam. ¡± she said calmly and he nodded.

    They were approaching her apartment.

    ¡°Can we start on a clean te? ¡± he suggested.

    ¡°I thought we were on that te already. ¡± Emma replied and giggled.

    ¡°We are and I will want us to make it official. ¡± he said parking the car in front of Emma¡¯s apartment.

    ¡°No more tailing games or mischief from me. ¡± he promised lifting up his right hand which made Emmaugh.

    ¡°Yes Sir. ¡± she immediately replied and heughed out loud.

    ¡°So now Emma. ¡± he said extending his right palm to her. ¡°Meet Samuel Smith. The C. E. O of Smith Clubs.

    ¡°And I am Emma Phillips your bar tender.¡± she saidughing making Samugh too.

    Of course she wasn¡¯t going to reveal to him that she is a divorc¨¦e , she just lost her child and fled to Chicago to pursue a new life. Even though they had agreed to start on a fresh te, there are things Emma just can¡¯t talk about.

    She got out of the limousine, waved to Sam and made her way while Sam sped off.

 CHAPTER 73: OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

    NEW YORK CITY:

    Judy had booked an appointment with Dr. Mathew whom she will be seeing in the next two hours. Meanwhile the business meeting was over and the clients had dispersed.

    ¡°Thank you so much Judy. ¡± Gideon told her with a bright smile after she had returned to the conference room. She nodded and feigned a smile then began clearing the documents on the table.

    ¡°I guess we are done for today. ¡± she said to Gideon after collecting all the documents in one file.

    ¡°Lunch? ¡± Gideon asked lifting his eye bro.

    ¡°Some other day. ¡± she quickly replied. ¡°A cousin of mine showed up in town unexpectedly. I need to go pick her up from the airport immediately. ¡± she lied flipping her hair.

    ¡°Alright some other time then. ¡± Gideon replied. He tapped her shoulder and left while she shut her eyes and took deep breaths which she felt will calm her nerves.

    ¡°Come in. ¡± Dr. Mathew said to Judy after she gave a light knock on his door before pushing it open.

    It was 3pm and time for her appointment.

    ¡°Sit Judy. ¡± he told her adjusting his spectacles which Judy always felt was toorge for his face.

    ¡°My secretary said you needed to see me urgently. ¡± he said as Judy sat facing him.

    Dr. Mathew closed the open file on his table and pulled out a pen and notepad from his drawer.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been seeing you in a while. You stoppeding. ¡± exined Dr. Mathew looking at Judy was looking at him too.

    ¡°I felt maybe we¡¯ve made progress since then and when my secretary said you called, I had to ensure we see soonest. ¡± he said crossing his hands.

    ¡°Thest time you were here was about a year ago Judy. ¡± he said after checking through the note pad.

    ¡°How are you? ¡± he quickly added then took off his sses and ced it on the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been good. ¡± Judy said staring at his white curtains.

    ¡°Are you sure? ¡± he inquired. ¡°You are hitting your left leg on the floor repeatedly. ¡± he pointed out and Judy immediately stopped.

    ¡°Tell me how today went? ¡± he asked her cing the pen and notepad on the table.

    ¡°This woman. ¡± began Judy while stamping her leg on the floor again.

    ¡°She pissed me. She and this damn Fiona made me so mad. I wish I could smash their faces against the wall that instant. ¡± Judy revealed to Dr. Mathew and she burst out into a dryugh.

    Dr. Mathew,  Judy¡¯s therapist knew thatugh. During his sessions with Judy, she hadughed like that when she imagined the cruel things she could do to people.

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t hurt them. Did you? ¡± he asked her casting his eyes on her.

    She shook her head signaling no.

    ¡°Impressive. ¡± he said and quickly jotted down something.

    ¡°I can see we are making progress. ¡± he told her with a smile.

    ¡°I wish I could get rid of Catherine and that bitch Fiona for good. ¡± Judy professed demonstrating with her hands.

    ¡°Do you hate them that much? ¡± Dr. Mathew asked her calmly.

    ¡°I hate anyone whoes in my way. ¡± she blurted and broke into yet anotherughter which made her sound like a psychopath.

    ¡°Deep breaths Judy.¡± Dr. Mathew said moving his palms up and down.

    ¡°When was thest time you had yoga? ¡± asked Dr. Mathew.

    ¡°I stopped doing that shit when i began feeling better. ¡± she replied in a harsh tone.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°What about your medications?  Have you been taking those pills? ¡± he queried further and put back his spectacles.

    ¡°Why do I need some dumb medication when I can just handle people my way. ¡± boasted Just with her back on the chair.

    ¡°And what did we say about handling people? ¡± Dr. Mathew asked.

    ¡°We let them be Dr. Mathew. I get it. I walk away from anyone who pissed me off or anything am obsessed with. ¡± she said smiling which made Dr. Mathew wonder whether she was smiling genuinely.

    ¡°Who is Catherine and Fiona? ¡± he asked.

    ¡°Gideon¡¯s mother is Catherine. Fiona is his fiancee. ¡± she replied hitting her left leg the more and staring all over the ce.

    ¡°Gideon! ¡± Dr. Mathew called out.

    ¡°We agreed you were staying away from him right? ¡± he asked her opening his right palm widely.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t. ¡± Judy confessed and immediately stood up. ¡°I just can¡¯t stay away from that man. ¡± I want him and that¡¯s it. ¡± she maintained.

    ¡°Does he want you? ¡± asked Dr. Mathew.

    ¡°I will make him like me.  I can right? ¡± she asked Dr. Mathew seeking for an answer.

    ¡°I can¡¯t lie to you Judy. I am here to help you. ¡± he said. ¡°You can¡¯t have what is not yours. ¡± he added and Judy immediately stood up scattered the whole content of his table aggressively.

    ¡°If I can¡¯t have Gideon, No one else can. ¡± she thundered and went for the door.

    ¡°Listen Judy. You can¡¯t afford to make the same mistake twice. It will haunt youter my dear. ¡± advised Dr. Mathew.

    Judy pushed his door and stormed outside.

    ¡°Poor Judy. ¡± he muttered to himself.

    He knew his worst fears about her wereing true. She wouldn¡¯t listen he thought and he bent over to pick his things which she had scattered across the office.

    Judy left Dr. Matthew¡¯s office and fell on her knees in a corner outside the building. She began to weep profusely.

    She recalled her ordeal with Tonia. She had always considered Tom to be the love of her life back then in high school until she caught him kissing Tonia by the swimming pool. The image of that event kept haunting her till she could take it no more.

    She told Dr. Mathew about it and he advised she stayed away from Tom and Tonia but the shes of the kissing scene kept ying in her mind and when she saw Tonia sitting by the pool alone one day, she dragged her into the pull and almost drowned her to death. The security camera¡¯s revealed the ordeal and the security on guards rushed to Tonia¡¯s rescue.

    Judy waster jailed for few years andter released on the grounds of Obsessivepulsive disorder. Since then, Dr. Mathew had advised her to stay away from anything or anyone she is obsessed with.

 CHAPTER 74 :FIONA OUT OF THE PICTURE.

    ¡°I want every god damn detail on her. ¡± Judy yelled over the phone.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Follow her and give me every report about her dealings. Do you understand? ¡± she yelled again and nodded afterwards.

    She ced the phone on her table and rubbed her palms together. She knew it was paramount to stay calm so for the first time in a long while, she took out two tablets from the pack Dr. Mathew had given her and swallowed it.

    She fell on her bed and shut her eyes smiling. She couldn¡¯t wait to dream about Gideon.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever barge into my room again. ¡± Gideon barked at Fiona after she came to his room dressed in a revealing lingerie.

    She had nned to seduce him, make him have sex with her then She¡¯lle up with a fake pregnancy issue which she feels will draw him more closer to her till she finally takes in subsequently.

    Gideon had just asked her out of his room and Fiona couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of man will resist a hotdy as her.

    ¡°Please leave Fiona. ¡± Gideon said to her. He was sitting on his bed bare chested with a nket covering his below.

    ¡°We can make this work Gideon. ¡± Fiona said and began pulling her dress down.

    Before she could lower her silky lingerie down,  Gideon was already out of the room. He spent the night in one of the guest rooms.

    The following morning,  Fiona left the house very early. Judy hurried into the clothing store after she noticed Fiona. It was Sunday hence, a work free day and Judy was told by one of the trackers she had ced on Fiona that she was heading to Gravy¡¯s shopping mall that morning.

    ¡°Hi Fiona. ¡± Judy said and ran to embrace her. Fiona quickly took few steps back. ¡°Hey don¡¯t be such a bore. ¡± Judy told Fiona while smiling.

    Fiona knew Judy was ying games with her and her friendly gestures weren¡¯t genuine. Catherine had told her that Judy is herpetition and she needs to take her off Gideon¡¯sne.

    ¡°What do you want Judy or whatever you call yourself? ¡± Fiona said turning around.

    As an actress, Fiona needed to ensure she wasn¡¯t creating a scene in such a public space. So, she went further into the store where there was no customer and Judy hurried after her.

    ¡°Stay away from me. ¡± Fiona turned around warning Judy but Judy smiled instead and pulled Fiona¡¯s fore finger down which was facing her.

    Fiona marveled at Judy¡¯s audacity and stared at her in astonishment. Judy smiled, went closer to Fiona and whispered ¡°Rx. ¡±

    ¡°I came here to inform you that Charlie is in town. ¡± Judy said with a wink.

    At the mention of Charlie, Fiona¡¯s heart leapt instantly and she was breathing faster.  Charlie is the producer from the series she was working on. Why would Judy mention to her that Charlie was in town she wondered. Of course Judy didn¡¯t know about her entanglement with Charlie she assured herself then summoned courage and spoke.

    ¡°Do I look like a hotel or lodge room? ¡± she asked Judy opening her hands. ¡°And so what if Charlie is in town. ¡± she said.

    ¡°Calm down princess. ¡± Judy told her after she giggled with her back resting on one of the show sses.

    ¡°Why do you need to lodge Charlie in a room when you both can lodge inside one another. ¡± Judy said and bursted outughing.

    ¡°Shhh! ¡± countered Fiona with her hand.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about so mind what you say in public ces Judy. ¡± she told her and turned to leave.

    ¡°I am not done. ¡± Judy said while pulling Fiona¡¯s hand bag.

    Fiona fumed and felt like sending a p across Judy¡¯s face but she had her reputation to protect. For Fiona, her career meant a lot to her and she wouldn¡¯t risk it for anything.

    ¡°Gideon is a good man. ¡± continued Judy while checking out some dresses which hung close to her.

    ¡°What could Gideon Romero¡¯s fiancee be doing in the arms of Charlie Gale? ¡± Judy said to Fiona gazing up with her hands on her waist.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. ¡± Fiona lied and lowered her gaze from Judy.

    ¡°Liar. ¡± Judy said and beganughing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Fiona. I don¡¯t meddle into people¡¯s affairs. ¡± Judy said while opening her bag .

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll just forward this pictures and video clips I got here in my phone to one of these blogs in town. They¡¯ll appreciate it. ¡± Judy said to Fiona shing her phone at her and Fiona caught a glimpse of her and Charlie kissing.

    Fiona knew at that moment there was no excuse she could make to im Judy¡¯s usations were baseless. Judy had facts and those pictures are real. Fiona and Charles Gale her producer were having a secret affair. Now it wouldn¡¯t matter to the world if Charlie wasn¡¯t married. She knew she was done for. Her career will soon be in the mud.

    ¡°What do you want Judy? ¡± Fiona said.

    ¡°Now we are getting along right?  Judy mocked her and she grinned.

    Bloody bitch. Fiona cursed Judy in her heart.

    ¡°You know what to do. ¡± Judy told her and left the shopping store leaving Fiona bbergasted.

    Fiona hurried outside the mall, got into the car she came with and zoomed to Gideon¡¯s mansion. When she got there, she hurried upstairs and stuffed her clothes in her big luggage bag. She was sweating and a wave of tension and fear was gripping her. Fiona knew the longer she stayed, the more she was provoking Judy. If Judy sent those pictures out then she is done for.

    ¡°To hell with Gideon Romero. ¡± she blurted and pulled her luggage bag downstairs and she collided with Catherine who was heading to her room. Catherine looked at Fiona and noticed the bag behind her.

    ¡°What are you doing? ¡± she asked her.

    Fiona adjusted her luggage, cleaned her forehead with the edge of her palm and said

    ¡°I am leaving to Florida for good.¡±

 CHAPTER 75: AN EMOTIONAL MOTHER

    Catherine tried to stop Fiona from leaving but Fiona seemed determined. She saw how tensed and in a hurry Fiona was. She kept wondering what must have triggered this sudden reaction in her god daughter.

    ¡°I am very sorry aunt. ¡± Fiona told Catherine in a sincere tone. She pulled her skimpy dress down to cover her thighs.

    ¡°Come on Fiona. ¡± Catherine said trying to snatch Fiona¡¯s luggage bag but Fiona hesitated and pushed the bag farther from Catherine.

    ¡°We can fix this. ¡± Catherine insisted but Fiona kept swinging her head from left to right signaling she had given up and is bent on leaving.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Gideon my dear. We can resolve this. ¡± Catherine said to Fiona casting her eyes on the luggage but Fiona wouldn¡¯t give in.

    Fiona knew she couldn¡¯t reveal to Gideon¡¯s mother that she was leaving because Judy was ckmailing her and also, coupled with Gideon¡¯sck of interest in her, Fiona is determined to take this bold step of leaving for Florida. She won¡¯t let anything hinder her acting career from reaching it¡¯s peak.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°I am very sorry Ma¡¯am. ¡± Fiona said lifting up her bag in an attempt to drag it further.

    ¡°We will keep in touch. ¡± she told Catherine and pulled her luggage downstairs while Catherine hurried after her sobbing and screaming. Fiona didn¡¯t look back.

    Catherine crashed on the stairs and began weeping profusely after Fiona left. She got up, ran to her room, got her phone and called Gideon¡¯s number.

    Catherine sounded broken on the phone which made Gideon¡¯s heart freeze for a moment. Shortly, he was at home after driving as fast as he could. While panting like a cheetah, he went to his mother¡¯s room in a hurry.

    ¡°Mother! ¡± he screamed as he entered her room.

    Catherine was seated on her bed, her legs folded and she was sobbing.

    ¡°Are you okay. ¡± Gideon said and quickly moved to her side. He noticed how sore her eyes were and he knew she had been crying. What could have made his mother cry?  Gideon thought.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter mother? ¡± Gideon asked turning around as if the problem was in his mother¡¯s room. ¡°Why are you crying? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Fiona. ¡± she said in between sobs. ¡°Fiona is gone. Gone to Florida for good. ¡± she revealed to Gideon cing her back against the bed and crying loudly.

    ¡°Ohe on mother. Is that why you are this devastated? ¡± he asked her cing his right hand on herp.

    ¡°Look how sorrowful you are. ¡± he said to her and she immediately pushed his hand away from herp. His handnded on the bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault Fiona is gone. ¡± she screamed at him and bursted out crying again.  ¡°It¡¯s all your fault Romero. You wouldn¡¯t listen to me. ¡± she insisted turning her eyes away from him. ¡°Now Fiona is gone. ¡± she said making the statement sound like it was Gideon who caused it.

    Gideon knew arguing with his mother will do him no good especially considering her broken state. Meanwhile, he was d Fiona had gone even though he didn¡¯t see her sudden exiting. He looked at his mother who kept sobbing and cleaning her teary eyes.

    Gideon¡¯s attention wondered to the dark days when his father died after his mother was discharged from the hospital. When he went to her room to see her back then, she was sorrowful and much more worse than she was before him at the moment.

    When he kept crying pleading to see her after his father¡¯s burial, Nanny Grace will carry him away from his mother¡¯s shut door telling him his mother was grieving. When she became better, Gideon felt she grew worse because she sent him to a boarding school afterwards.

    Gideon quickly moved closer to his mother on her bed andid his head on herps as he did when he was a boy.

    ¡°I am so sorry Fiona left. ¡± he told her.

    ¡°You never wanted her right? ¡± she asked him stroking his hair.  Gideon said nothing. She was right. He never liked Fiona.

    ¡°I have always wanted the best for you Romero. ¡± she said clearing her throat.

    ¡°I know mother. ¡± Gideon replied even though he often find his mother¡¯s way quite questionable.

    ¡°I wanted you to marry Fiona. She is the ideal woman for you Romero. ¡± Catherine said and Gideon immediately got up from herps and sat on the bed close to his mother.

    ¡°But you prefer that gold digger called Judy huh? ¡± she said staring into his eyes. Catherine had stopped crying now.

    ¡°Oh Mother stop insulting her. ¡± he said.

    ¡°I have nothing to do with her anyway. ¡± he added stretching his leg further on the bed. ¡°She¡¯s my personal assistant and sometimes secretary. It¡¯s strictly professional. ¡± he confirmed to his mother.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know this women Romero. ¡± Catherine exined with her palms shaking.

    ¡°They identify a target, work their way to him with suiting techniques and when you least expect, they strike. ¡± Catherine hinted.

    ¡°I am not getting any younger Romero. ¡± Catherine said lowering her tune. Gideon knew where she was driving at so he lowered his head.

    ¡°I need a grandchild. Lot¡¯s of them. ¡± she expressed facing Gideon who was staring at the frame on the wall instead of his mother.

    Gideon knew Catherine was right and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell her that he wasn¡¯t ready for any sort of romantic rtionship or rather still marriage. How will he exin to his mother that since Emma left, a part of him left too. How can he inform her that it is impossible for him to love anyone. As far as Gideon is concerned, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could love ever again.

    ¡°You will move on Romero. You will marry Fiona. ¡± Catherine dered and left Gideon in her room sitting shocked on the bed.

 CHAPTER 76: THE PAST

    CHICAGO:

    ¡°I need to be take two weeks off from work¡± Emma pleaded with Sam while they were having lunch.

    ¡°Okay that¡¯s fine with me. ¡± Sam had assured her without finding out why she needed to take the weeks off.

    ¡°I¡¯ll speak with the General manger. ¡± Sam had promised her after sipping his wine from the ss.

    ¡°You will be off the duty list for two weeks. ¡± he told her and she nodded with a smile.

    After she was granted the two weeks leave, Emma had shut down her cellphone and stayed indoors all through. She was d Mike had gone to spend some time with his grandparents in the city so she wouldn¡¯t have to exin to him why she had been home, sad and devastated all through.

    While Emma was way from the bar, Sam dropped by once in a while to see whether he could catch a glimpse of her but Emma never showed up. He tried calling her phone severally but it was always off. He fought the burning desire to check on her at home because he thought maybe she needed some privacy.

    He was right. Emma needed some privacy. She spent the first week of her leave relieving fond memories of her lost Ryan. The next week was his death anniversary. Her Ryan died a year ago and there was no single moment that Emma never thought of him.

    Sometimes at night when she was alone, she will imagine Ryan ying with her hair screaming Mama. The thought of him ying in her arms, his infectious smile and chubby cheeks were fond memories Emma always had in her mind.

    Ever since she moved to Chicago, Emma had be an expert in masking her grief especially when she encountered moments that reminded her of her Ryan. One time when she was working as a waitress in the restaurant down her street, she had hid in the toilet and cried when she saw a boy of Ryan¡¯s age running around the restaurant. The tears began to flow ceaselessly when she heard the 3 year old asking for Chicken sauce which was Ryan¡¯s favorite.

    For the past two weeks, she had been ming fate for bringing her closer to Gideon Romero. He caused the death of her son, an act she considered a sin which she had promised to avenge. She med fate for giving her Ryan only to steal him from her away afterwards. She cursed the night she met Gideon.

    It was the 1st of July : The day Ryan died. Emma sat in her nk apparel gazing at the nk wall. Her face was gloomy like a ntation that had been robbed of rain forever. She was seating on the carpet of her living room, her legs wide opened and she held a portrait of Ryan across her chest. These past days, she had been crying a lot so much so that the tears weren¡¯t flowing at that moment. She was grieving to the core.

    Suddenly, Emma had her door bell ring. In fact, it has been ringing consistently for over thirty seconds which Emma didn¡¯t hear. Her senses were withdrawn from her body. She sat there on the floor un moved. Suddenly, the door was pushed open and Sam walked in. Emma had forgotten to shut the door after she went to dumb the garbage in the van that arrived that morning.

    Sam quickly went to her side and sat opposite her. He was shocked at how shrunken she had suddenly be. Her face was swollen and her eyes went deeper into her face. His eyes narrowed down to her hands where a portrait of Ryan was. He carefully took out the picture from her hand and examined her dark apparel.

    Emma was grieving bitterly and Sam needed not to be told for it was evident.

    ¡°I am so sorry. ¡± he said slowly caressing the picture of Ryan he had collected from Emma and at the same time wondering who the cute little boy was.

    ¡°Emma Can I do anything to help? ¡± he asked cing his left hand on her shoulder.

    Emma shook her head signaling no.

    ¡°Who is he? ¡± Sam finally asked pointing to the portrait of Ryan in his hands.

    ¡°My Son. ¡± replied Emma and Sam was immediately taken aback.

    ¡°Your son? ¡± he asked expressing his shock.

    ¡°He was my son. Ryan was my baby ¡± answered Emma with her eyes staring at the ceiling.

    ¡°He died a year ago. ¡± she said and pulled her legs close to one another.

    ¡°I am so sorry for your loss. ¡± Sam said cing back the portrait into Emma¡¯s hands.

    Sam wanted to question Emma. He wanted to know what happened to Ryan, how he died and whether Emma was married or a single mother.  He looked carefully at Emma and realized what she needed the most was constion not an interrogation.

    ¡°Wherever Ryan is, I am certain he is doing okay. ¡± Sam assured Emma then he got up and headed to her kitchen.

    Few minutester, Sam had returned with a cup of coffee and handed it over to Emma.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± she said while collecting the cup from him.

    ¡°I am sorry I invaded  your privacy. ¡± Sam said to Emma while seating next to her.

    ¡°Your line wasn¡¯t going through. You never showed up at the gym so I got a bit worried and I came here. ¡± said Sam. Emma nodded appreciating his kind gesture.

    ¡°If you need more days to sort yourself then fine I¡¯ll talk to the General manger. ¡± Sam said to Emma who was now getting up from the floor. She went to the bathroom and returned with her face a bit brightened. She had cleaned herself.

    ¡°My leave ends tomorrow. I will resume work tomorrow Emma dered while sitting on the sofa adjacent her TV set.

    ¡°Are You sure? asked Sam. You can take your time. ¡± he said to her.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I will be fine Sam. I need to work so I can get back and handle that son of a bitch. ¡± she said with a bitter tone.

    ¡°Who is that? ¡± inquired Sam. He was referring to the son of a bitch that Emma mentioned.

    ¡°My ex husband. ¡± Emma revealed while applying the lotion she had poured into her palms on her hands.

    ¡°He cheated on me,  caused the death of my son and ruined my life. He is the reason I lost my poor baby. ¡± she said with her voice quaking.

    Sam was shocked over Emma¡¯s sudden revtion. He had never imagined that Emma was ever married or even had a baby.

 CHAPTER 77: BONDING

    To help Emma ovee her griefpletely, Sam had been doing all he could to ensure Emma was in the right mood. He would cheer her up consistently even though at times Emma felt he needed more cheering than her.

    Ever since she revealed to him about her past, Sam kept wishing he knew earlier so he would have helped her. He took it upon himself to ensure Emma was okay and Emma was always careful not to take his kindness for granted or misuse the liberty he will always want to give her at work.

    Sam considered Emma a brave woman who left a life of bliss and transcended into the  life she was now leading. Hemended Emma for being so strong and vowed to give her his full support when she narrated to him the circumstances surrounding Ryan¡¯s death and what lead to the termination of her marriage.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    At his parents house when he went to visit them for the weekend one day, Sam¡¯s mother kept reiterating the fact that he had been calmer than before and she could swear his temperament was in check. She joked about how he must hurry and marry the woman responsible for his happinesstely.

    Meanwhile, Emma had fully resumed her work as one of Sam¡¯s bar tender and she was being as efficient as ever. She will visit the library during the day and focus on her shift at night and when she was on duty during the day, she sometimes went to the movies with Sam or spent time reading and writing.

    Emma was also aware that gossips of her and the boss seeing each other was beginning to fly around in the club and since she has a clear conscience, she didn¡¯t bother to hear more to the issue. She wasn¡¯t sure whether Sam heard about it and she didn¡¯t confirm from him because she felt it wasn¡¯t necessary.

    One Sunday morning, Sam pulled his range rover in front of her apartment and called her to join him. Emma had already outlined how her Sunday will turn out. She will sleep to get enough rest, read a book and take a walk by evening in  the park. When Sam requested that she joins him in the car, she obliged because she knew he had been doing a lottely to take her out of her shell.

    She changed into a fitting blue gown and worefortable heels. Whileing down to join Sam in the car, she adjusted her hair holding unto her purse and Sam kept admiring her. She entered the car and they drove of.

    First, Sam took them to a music festival that morning which Emma hadn¡¯t attended in a long while. She marveled at the little kids ying the piano and loved the way the jazz was presented. After that, Sam took her to one of the best restaurants in the area for lunch.

    At the restaurant, Sam treated her to a delicious and luxurious cuisine. She remembered how such dishes formed her menu while she was Mrs. Gideon Romero. Before they left the restaurant, Sam gifted her a bottle of champagne. Emma was so pleased and grateful but Sam wasn¡¯t done yet. He then drove Emma to the spa and while she was rxing in the women¡¯s lounge, he was getting his own special treatment in the men¡¯s lounge.

    After that, he drove them to the shopping mall even though Emmained that it was enough, he had done much already and they could go home. Sam refused to yield At the shopping mall, Sam picked out dresses for Emma and when she disyed ack of interest in a certain dress he had picked, he will hang it back and immediately pull out another one.

    Sam crowned the special Sunday outing with a movie night at the VIP cinema in town which houses a few elites. But before their movie session they had dinner.

    While they were having dinner, Emma kept appreciating Sam for giving her a wonderful treat. She told him it was her best day ever since she moved to Chicago.

    On their way back to her home, Emma shared with Sam her n toplete her studies and establish her own business. She told him how ambitious she was and how her marriage to Gideon Romero had tied her down whichter led to a detrimental end.  Sam was d when he noticed the wave of re_invigoration that was surrounding her and he was willing to give her all the support she could ever need.  Before he drove her to her ce he made her a proposition which he asked her to think about.

    When he drove her to her ce and left, Emma showered andid on her bed. She was right when she told Sam that he just gave her the best day of her life in Chicago ever since she moved in a year ago.

    Sam had been supportive and she hasn¡¯t noticed any disy of violence and hasn¡¯t caught a glimpse of him acting moody or feeling too high. She prays he was getting better as she assumes and hopes he isn¡¯t covering his scars to help erase hers.

 CHAPTER 78:THE PROPOSITION

    She sipped her tea and fondled the surface of the cup lost in thoughts. Emma was thinking about Sam¡¯s proposition. She took one more sip from the mug and ced it on the stool beside her. She stretched herself on herrgest sofa wrapping herself in a shawl her mother had given her.

    She pondered more on the proposition debating with her inner subconscious whether to ept the offer or not. She knew what epting the offer Sam had proposed to her meant.

    She turned to the right, facing the nk wall while adjusting her shawl. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Sam¡¯s offer and asked herself severally whether to ept the offer or not.

    Meanwhile, Emma had been taking online courses in the quest toplete her education. She had registered and began schooling months ago. She devoted arge chunk of her time to the studies because she is bent on achieving her goal.

    Emma thought that if she gives in to this proposition, it will either make or break her and she wasn¡¯t sure which one to go with. She quickly remembered she needed to take out some of Ryan¡¯s clothes which she came to Chicago with.

    While leaving New York, she had stuffed few belongings of Ryan in her bag alongside his portrait. Whenever she missed him, Emma will take out his clothes, sniff it and weep. This act reminded her of her lost child. After his death anniversary, she had promised herself that she will do away with those stuffs because she felt it was necessary for her healing. She had made up her mind to get rid of all Ryan¡¯s belongings.

    She quickly jumped out of the sofa leaving the shawl behind. She went to her bedroom and headed to the section of the drawer where Ryan¡¯s clothes were. She brought them out and wanted to sniff them but after the anniversary of Ryan¡¯s death, she had promised herself not to weep again. She shook his Christmas overall covered in red and she was shocked when a picture fell out from it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    She quickly took the picture from the floor, turned it around and her eyes were greeted by an intimate picture of her and Gideon. They had taken that photograph on a Christmas morning and when the photographer brought it home, Ryan recognizing his parents snatched the picture from the photographer and wouldn¡¯t give it to anyone.

    He kept screaming  ¡°Dada Mama. ¡± which Emma clearly recalled at the moment. Ryan must have stuffed the picture in his overall pocket and it was since stuck to the overall which remained un noticed. Emma went and sat on her bed ring at the photograph before her.

    Emma caressed the picture and she couldn¡¯t help but imagine Gideon¡¯s smile that day and how it always came to life.

    ¡°Gideon! ¡± she said while cing her head against the bed.

    Deep within her, Emma could feel the thoughts of Gideoning to her mind. She began to miss him instantly. I thought I had moved on she told herself while staring at the photograph which was bringing up buried emotions to life.

    Still holding unto the picture, she thought about her wedding night with Gideon. They say people had the most eventful wedding night but hers was rather dramatic and quite eventful too.

    She smiled on her bed as her senses drifted to that day. They had just gotten married after Gideon found out she was expecting his child after a one night stand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get some sleep now. ¡± she had told him that night as she took off her wedding dress. It was a hectic day and she was tired.

    ¡°Do you have any expectations? ¡± Gideon had asked her as she was about to retire for the night after showering.

    ¡°No. ¡± she had replied him that day even though she had always imagined what her first night with her husband would be. When she married Gideon that day, she knew it was impossible for her to have the wedding night she had always imagined especially with the circumstance surrounding the event.

    She wore afortable lingerie andid on the bed opposite Gideon. They were both facing the ceiling until Gideon finally spoke.

    ¡°I know both of us didn¡¯t see thising but I will try to make this marriage work for the sake of our baby. ¡± Gideon had told her while cing his hand on her belly.

    She had smiled,  turned around to face him and didn¡¯t utter a word.

    ¡°You looked perfect in your wedding dress.¡± Gideon had told her while staring directly into her eyes. She blushed and shut her eyes.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me how you will want this night to be and I promise to make it eventful. ¡± Gideon had whispered into her ears as his breath fell on her face.

    Emma then led his hands on her body and when Gideon mounted on her, she was moaning in few minutes. That night when Gideon made love to her, she kept marveling on the way he had handled her, how he mastered her body even though that was just the second time they were having sex.

    Emma then thought about Ryan¡¯s death and Judy immediately crept into her thoughts. She imagined whether Gideon and Judy were together now.

    Were they married now?  she thought and she began to burn with anger form the inside. She instantly hated Gideon and thought about hispromising position with Judy in the clip she had received. She tore the photograph she was holding at that moment into pieces and threw the pieces all over the bed with a loud groan of frustration.

    Why was she thinking about Gideon a moment ago if he was the one that unleashed hell on her she thought. He might be with Judy now she thought again. They were probably having dinner or in each other¡¯s arms or rather making love.

    Then the thought of going to New York crossed her mind. She will return to New York. She smiled halfway and thought of something. She will be epting Sam¡¯s offer. She will be epting the proposition she told herself. ¡°To hell with Gideon Romero, first things first, an empire, my empire to be created¡± Emma muttered to herself.

 CHAPTER 79: A TOAST TO AN ALLIANCE

    Sam had invited Emma for a little time_out at the beach that morning. It was a sunny day and before her shift that night, Emma felt she needed the time-out. Sam had ordered for some orange juice while they stretched themselves on the camp beds facing the sea.

    ¡°So what¡¯s your take on this beach? ¡± Sam asked her while directing the waiter towards her to hand her a ss of orange juice.

    ¡°I like this ce. ¡± she replied collecting the ss of ice filled orange juice from the waiter.

    ¡°You know¡± she said while taking a sip. ¡°You are making Chicago quite eventful. ¡± she told Sam who immediately smiled.

    ¡°I am d I am helping. ¡± he replied cing his almost empty drink beside his camp bed.

    ¡°There is so much to write about here. ¡± she told Sam. ¡°The ocean precisely. ¡± she outlined.

    Emma could feel the effect of the sea breeze on her skin.

    ¡°Well I brought you here to rx but it seems your senses have started to work already. Rx Emma. ¡± Sam said with a smile.

    Emma giggled and said ¡°My inspiration is mostly driven by rxation and recreation centers.¡± She was ying with the straw in her drink.

    Meanwhile, Sam had been reading some of Emma¡¯s content which she made avable to him.

    ¡°How is business? ¡± she asked him centering the discussion on him now.

    ¡°With ourtest aplishment and partnership, I¡¯ll say business is blossoming. ¡± he said and went for his ss.

    ¡°You are doing well Sam. ¡± shemended him and he nodded with a smile uttering ¡°Thanks. ¡±

    ¡°I have thought about your proposal. ¡± Emma said after sitting up.

    At the mention of epting his proposal, Sam sat up too. He couldn¡¯t hide the excitement on his face.

    ¡°I am in. ¡± dered Emma and Sam immediately smiled.

    The proposition was for sam to teach Emma all there is about owning a bar and stuffs centered around building her own business.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have lunch in the cafeteria nearby then we start work immediately. ¡± Sam said to Emma and she nodded in approval.

    After they had eaten Lunch, Sam drove Emma to the outskirt of the town and she kept wondering why they were driving there. He parked the car in front of a bush bar with a bold inscription on top titled  ¡°SMITHS. ¡±

    ¡°Wee to one of my bars. ¡± Small said pointing at the bush bar to Emma.

    The ce was  zinc roofed which gave it a unique feature. The customers could be seen from the outside because there were no windows just a door. It was an open area and the vicinity had the settings of a conventional club except that it was made of bricks and roofed like an old building.

    ¡°Wow! ¡± Emma said marveling at the sight before her.

    ¡°Come with me. ¡± Sam said inviting her to take more steps further which she did walking closely behind him.

    ¡°Mr. Smith. ¡± said the waiter Emma and Sam first came in  contact with.

    ¡°You are wee sir. ¡± the waiter greeted taking a bow and waving at Emma after lifting his head up.

    Emma took more steps after Sam as they entered into a different section of the bar which was disintegrated from the whole building. Emma knew it was the office building. It was small and uniquely built.

    ¡°Mr. Sam. ¡± greeted the man they had met seating inside the first office they went into.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    The man immediately stood up and offered to shake Sam who reciprocated. Emma and Sam sat in the two vacant wooden chairs before the man. Emma looked around and noticed the traditional equipments that were used to decorate the ce.

    ¡°How¡¯s work? ¡± Sam asked the short plumb man which Emma assumed to be the manager there.

    ¡°Everything is good sir. ¡± the replied cing his hands on his desk. ¡°I¡¯ll send my report of the weekter. ¡± he added and Sam nodded.

    Few minutester, they were out of the office and were taking a stroll around the bush bar.

    ¡°I never knew you had another bar outside the city. ¡± Emma told Sam.

    ¡°I have two other more. ¡± he replied adjusting his Rolex watch.

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive. ¡± Emmamended.

    ¡°Sit. ¡± he said to Emma while pointing to arge chair carved out of wood in the VIP lounge of the bush bar. Emma was surprised that a VIP lounge was carved out in the bush bar. She and Sam were seated in it. Shortly, a waitress dressed in the  exact uniform the waitresses wear at the bar in town ced a bottled of wine before them.

    ¡°In business Emma. ¡± Sam began opening the bottle of wine the waitress had just ced before them.

    ¡°You need to expand and that is why it is important to create branches around but only when you are strong enough. ¡± he said to her while handing a ss of wine to her.

    ¡°Before I opened this branch, I had ensured my presence was dwelling among the people. ¡± Sam said while returning the cap back on the bottle.

    ¡°Capital, Passion and partnership is what you need to grow a business but all this without expansion will take you no where. ¡± he exined while Emma paid keen attention.

    ¡°In business. ¡± continued Sam while taking a sip of wine from his ss.

    ¡°There will always bepetition. ¡± he continued. ¡°There are thousands of clubs and bars scattered across Chicago but Smith¡¯s club has the farthest reach.¡± narrated Sam while Emma nodded. He is right.

    ¡°Don¡¯t loose focus in business Emma. Approach yourpetitors in the market by snatching away their targets and use their weakness to form your strength¡± he exined with his hands while Emma kept nodding.

    ¡°You must involve the people in all you do and don¡¯t you dare joke with investors and your sponsors. ¡± he warned as Emma drank from her ss.

    ¡°Do you understand why I was mad when Larry spilled Vodka on Mc Bryan the other day? ¡± he asked and Emma watched his eyes.

    ¡°te your customers,  pamper your investors and they shall carry you to a greater height. ¡± Sam said rxing his back on the wooden chair.

    ¡°So are you ready Emma ?¡±  he asked staring directly into her eyes. She heaved a deep sigh and nodded.

    He smiled and said ¡± I¡¯m happy to help you work on your business and most importantly get revenge Emma¡±  Sam said and they shared a toast.

 CHAPTER 80: CELEBRATING A VICTORY

    NEW YORK CITY:

    ¡°I will be there in an hour. ¡± Judy said before hanging up the call. She just got a call from someone. She had an appointment by 10pm at Frankston eatery and it was already 9pm.

    Ever since Judy learnt that Fiona had left, she had been smilingtely to the astonishment of everyone around her. Her gestures changed and the neighbors could swear she greeted them for often. She had considered visiting Dr. Mathew to boast to him of how she took Fiona out of the picture without exercising any act of violence.

    Dr. Mathew wouldn¡¯t listen to you Judy. She told herself. She knew if she visited him for another therapy session, he will bore her with talks of exercise, forgiveness, yoga and rest. Dr. Mathew will then give her some dumb pills to swallow. To crown it all, he will advise her to let go of  situations and people she couldn¡¯t control or is obsessed about.

    Who is Dr. Mathew to tell her how to live her life anyway she said deciding never to visit him again. She felt it was rather unnecessary to have those boring sessions when she could handle things her way and as far as she was concerned, Gideon will soon be hers. Making Gideon hers is her ultimate goal after all.

    Judy stood before the mirror appreciating her looks. She smiled at herrge standing mirror which rested on the wall and she shed her teeth before it. She turned around and moved to and fro before the mirror. She recalled her days on the runway and missed the ambiance and apuse. She knew she missed being a model but unlike Fiona, she will risk everything for Gideon even her career.

    She applied some lotion on her palms and massage it on her legs up to her thighs. She missed wearing her revealing clothes especially the skimpy ones. She pulled her short brown jumpsuit and ced it before her body imagining how good she will look in it. She decided she will be wearing it for her appointment tonight after all, she wasn¡¯t meeting Gideon Romero so she don¡¯t have to pretend.

    Lately, Judy had been working really hard to impress Gideon so much so that she had to alter her physical appearance. She bought more floral gowns, more maxi dresses and loose trousers.

    She showered and returned back to the mirror. She powdered her face and applied her favorite red lipstick. She sprayed several perfumes and slid her feet into a high boot heels. She grabbed her purse and dashed out. The person she had the appointment with had texted and was already waiting for her in the eatery.

    ¡°Keep the change. ¡± Judy told the taxi driver who just dropped her in front of Frankston eatery.

    She smiled and waved at him before he sped off.

    ¡°You look ravishing. ¡± the man she came to meet  told her.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± she said with a smile and sat facing him. She ced her ck purse on the table.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m a bitte. ¡± she apologized while crossing her legs after sitting.

    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you for that seeing how bright and morous you are now. ¡± he told her making his right hand run in circles. He then lifted his left hand to call the attention of any avable waiter.

    After going through the menu, Judy ordered for a french wine with some samosa while the man ordered for a te of Chinese rice.

    ¡°Tell me about the progress you can¡¯t stop ranting about on the phone. ¡± he told her after the waiter had taken their orders and left.

    Judy smiled, flipped her hair backwards and spoke.

    ¡°The bitch is out. ¡± she boasted and chuckled afterwards.

    ¡°I can see! ¡± eximed the man.

    ¡°This exins the recent glow all around you. ¡± he professed with a smile.

    ¡°That Fiona was so on my nerves and I had to clear her from my path. ¡± Judy said to the man.

    Two waiters suddenly came out with trays containing the orders Judy and the man had ced. They decorated it on the table and left after Judy mumbled a ¡®Thank You. ¡®

    ¡°That Fiona girl wasn¡¯t a tough bone to crack. She gave up too easily.¡± Judy said while pouring some wine into her ss.

    ¡°I dug up some dirty secrets from her past, scared her with it and she went running like a fool. ¡± Judy said.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s a victory for you. ¡± The man said with his mouth full of Chinese rice.

    ¡°Gideon Romero is mine. Only mine. ¡± Judy professed while opening the te of samosa from her tray.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°If we can take out Emma the love of his life from the picture then we can take out anybody. ¡± said the man while cleaning his mouth with a napkin.

    ¡°That man is so gullible. ¡± he said then continued devouring his meal. ¡°He believed every damn thing I told him months ago. ¡± he added.

    Judy smiled and said ¡°Emma is the more gullible one. ¡±

    ¡°You have a way of making these women leave the city huh? ¡± the man praised Judy and sheughed over how she sent Emma to Chicago and Fiona back to Florida.

    ¡°They are lucky the weren¡¯t sent to the morgue instead. ¡± Judy said biting a piece of samosa she had picke at d from her te.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do that Judy. ¡± he told her with a firm look.

    If only he knew Judy thought. If only he knew she was determined to go to the ends of the earth and do what it takes to have Gideon Romero.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. ¡± Judy said feigning a smile.

    If only the man she was sitting with knew what she did to Tonia she thought. If only he was there when she threw hot sauce on the face of their chef at home who scolded her for ruining the sheets. she was only six then and as far as she was concerned, killing anybody won¡¯t be a big deal as far as Gideon Romero will be eternally hers.

 CHAPTER 81: NATALIE

    Mike cleaned the sweats dripping from his forehead with one hand as he moved the steering wheel with the other hand. He was driving to Sam¡¯s office that morning.

    He pulled the car in the parking lot and headed to Sam¡¯s office while adjusting the sleeve of his brown shirt. He smiled at the janitor and asked for directions to Sam¡¯s office and he was directed.

    Mike barged into Sam¡¯s office and Sam was shocked to see him. It was the early hours of the day. 9am to be precise.

    Sam immediately closed the open file before him and folded his arms across his chest. He began to wonder what made Mike barge into his office especially since their previous encounter wasn¡¯t friendly.

    ¡°Why are you here? ¡± Sam blurted hitting the nail on the head because he knew Mike didn¡¯t barge into his office that morning for a friendly reunion.

    ¡°What are you still doing around Emma? ¡± demanded Mike.

    Sam was taken aback by Mike¡¯s audacity as Mike stared directly into his eyes.

    ¡°You barge into my office this morning to talk about shit? ¡± confronted Sam. His voice grew thicker and he sat up immediately.

    ¡°I thought I told you to stay away from Emma¡± Mike yelled.

    Sam is surprised by Mike¡¯s audacity and he quickly stands up from his chair and shouts

    ¡°Who do you think you are barging  into my office to yell at me?

    Mike didn¡¯t  say anything about that instead he moves up and down the office frantically and said

    ¡°Do you want to ruin Emma like the way you ruined my sister?¡±

    ¡°oh shut the fuck up. ¡± Sam growled at Mike.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened to Natalie. It was never my intention to hurt her. ¡± apologized Sam.

    ¡°Listen Sam. ¡± Mike stated pointing a finger at him.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t stay away from Emma, I¡¯ll reveal to her what you did to Natalie. ¡± concluded Mike.

    He stormed out leaving Sam terrified.

    Sam crashed into his chair, cupped his face in his hands and shook his legs. He let out a loud agonizing groan even though he tried to suppress it.

    Sam knew Mike¡¯s desire to protect Emma was justified especially after what he did to Mike¡¯s sister Natalie. Heid his back on his chair and stared at his office as an emptiness overshadowed him.

    Emma and Sam had nned to meet that evening. She sat down in the cafeteria and texted him after realizing he didn¡¯t show up which was unlike him. In fact Sam was barelyte which Emma can proudly attest to. Few minutester, he showed looking all gloomy.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Are you okay? ¡± Emma questioned him as he pulled the chair next to her and sat.

    He nodded indicating he was okay and Emma could tell he was lying because he was looking somehow pale and sorrowful.

    ¡°I could spank you for keeping me waiting you know. ¡± Emma joked trying to cheer him up but Sam was unyielding.

    ¡°You had a bad day? ¡± suggested Emma with her hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m cool. ¡± Sam lied again and Emma noticed he was barely looking at her.

    Emma noticed Sam was acting odd and a bit weird so she decided to inquire about his state of mind.

    ¡°Sam are you sure you are fine?  we could.. ¡± she was trying to say while Sam screamed at her face leaving her in total shock over his sudden outburst.

    ¡°I said I am fine. ¡± he barked at her which made some of the people in the cafeteria to turn around and stare.

    Emma tried to speak but no words came out of her mouth. She was terrified by Sam¡¯s sudden outburst.

    ¡°I am deeply sorry Emma. ¡± he beckoned pping his palms before her.

    Sam then ced his palms on his facepletely ignoring Emma. He was having visions of Natalie at that moment.

    Natalie hade to see him at his dormitory back in high school. She opened the door and walked in.

    ¡°Sam!  Sam! ¡± she kept calling out to him.

    He was in the corner of his room on the cold floor shaking and biting his lips. It was just after he had assaulted the hall monitor. He ran to his room. Natalie his girlfriend learned about the attack so she ran to meet him after Mike her brother warned her not to.

    ¡°Go away. ¡± Sam had pleaded with her but Natalie was hesitant.

    If only she knew Sam had always pondered since the incident whenever he had shes of the gruesome event. She went to his side and knelt beside him. When she ced her arms around his shoulder, Sam had pushed her violently and her head hit the wall fracturing her skull. Sam cried out loudly and soon people came to the rescue and Sam vanished.

    Since then,  Sam had never attended a single school reunion ever since he vanished from the high school. He knew it will bring dreadful memories and the waters of his guilt will be stirred .

    A notification was sent to him and Sam shoved it off telling some of his mates he was busy. Sam wasn¡¯t busy when he got the notification of the high school reunion. In fact, the notice came when he was taking two days off from work and it was scheduled to hold at night.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving. ¡± announced Emma. Sam didn¡¯t stop her.

 CHAPTER 82: STAY AWAY FROM SAM

    Sam lifted up his head and saw Emma walking away. She was leaving the restaurant. He sat back on the arm chair without running after her as she had presumed.

    Emma walked away from Sam while he looked at her from a distance. He wanted to run to her, stop her and plead with her for his unexinable behavior but he didn¡¯t shake a leg. Instead, he watched her walk away.

    The disturbing shes he was having at that moment coupled with a feeling of lowliness made him unable to react and so,  he sat back gazing at the eatery wall which was beginning to look blur to him.

    Sam¡¯s eyes were shut. He was still seating in the eatery. He pondered on Mike¡¯s visit earlier to his office and he began to fear what Emma might think when she learns about Natalie from Mike. He quickly got up and left the spot.

    ¡°Why am I so mad? ¡± Emma told herself in a low tune  after walking away from Sam.

    She was pained that Sam failed to tell her what the matter was with him. Maybe he didn¡¯t trust her that much she thought.

    ¡°I thought we had gone past this phase. ¡± she muttered to herself again while trying to stop a taxi with one hand.

    As far as she is concerned, her friendship with Sam had gone pass little secrets which made her mad when he wouldn¡¯t tell her what was wrong with him or maybe she was mad because she was starting to care too much for him. A taxi pulled over and she hopped in.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± she said to the taxi driver after handing him his fare when he dropped her at her destination.

    She traced her way to her apartment trying to take her mind off her annoying experience with Sam. As she was about to head upstairs to her apartment, she saw Mike¡¯s caring  from down the street. He was driving home. She stood still waiting for him.

    After he got out of the car, she greeted him with the usual friendly neighbor smile without uttering a word.

    ¡°Hello. ¡± Mike greeted her avoiding her eyes which Emma immediately noticed.

    However, she decided to start a conversation.

    ¡°Hi Mike. How¡¯s work.. ¡± she began while walking towards him.

    ¡°Hello Emma. ¡± he replied cutting her short.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Emma yet again noticed Mike¡¯s awkward behavior.

    What is wrong with this people today?  Shemented in her mind. First it was Sam acting all moody and he wouldn¡¯t tell her what the issue is and now, Mike is avoiding her by acting all strange.

    Emma turned around and Saw Mike sharply heading upstairs. She followed behind him wondering what she had done to get him upset with her. Is it because she went back to work for Sam? she questioned herself. And so what if she is working for Sam again. It¡¯s none of her business if Mike is angry about it she thought. She thinks Mike is acting childish about it.

    Mike and Emma were about to enter their apartments at the same time then Mike turned around and warned Emma.

    ¡°Stay away from Sam, Emma it¡¯s for your own good¡±

    Before Emma coulde to terms with what Mike had just stated, he had entered his apartment and shut the door. She slowly opened her door and walked in. She took off her shoes, turned on the light and sat by the edge of her head rubbing her forehead with her left palm.

    Mike had just warned her to stay away from Sam and she is beginning to feel Mike is overeacting. She appreciates him caring for her especially after Sam¡¯s outburst the other day which led to the dislocation of her ankle but perhaps Mike was going too far.

    Emma went to the shower, came out and wrapped herself in herrge nket stirring her cup of tea. She pulled a pillow and supported her back while she sipped her tea. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Sam¡¯s reaction at the eatery earlier and Mike¡¯s recent warning . She decided to read a book. Perhaps she might feel better she thought.

    The more pages Emma fiddled from the book she was reading, the more less the sense she could make out of it. She finally closed the book, ced it by her bed and decided to sleep. Suddenly, her phone began to ring.

    Who could it be? she thought while reaching to the phone on the table close to her bed. It was an unknown number calling her.

    ¡°Hello! ¡± she said after answering the call.

    There was no reply from the caller and at that moment, Emma felt she had encountered more strange events that day and wasn¡¯t prepared for another one. She ced the phone back on the table and after about two minutes, it began ringing again.  It was still the unknown caller. She ignored the phone turning the other way. Then the phone stopped ringing. She heaved a deep sigh closing her eyes.

    After few minutes,  her phone began to ring again and Emma angrily turned around, grabbed the phone without looking at screen and yelled at the caller after picking the call.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me again. ¡± she screamed.

    ¡°Emma? ¡± came her mother¡¯s voice.

    Emma immediately took out the phone from her ear and checked the screen. She had answered her mother¡¯s call thinking it was the unknown caller.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry mother. ¡± apologized Emma. She then went on to exin to her mother how an unknown caller kept disturbing her thus the reason for her outburst.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay my child. ¡® assured her mother.

    ¡°How have you been? ¡± inquired her mother.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you Emma. It¡¯s been two years since Ist saw you. ¡±mented Pearl.

    Emma closed her eyes and quickly prevented the tear that tried to run down her cheek.

    ¡°I miss you too mother. ¡± sniffled Emma.

    ¡°And dad too. ¡± she quickly added.

    ¡°How are you guys? ¡± she further asked.

    ¡°We are fine my child. ¡± replied her mother.

    ¡°Will you evere back to New York again? ¡± demanded Emma¡¯s mother.

 CHAPTER 83: DEADLY OBSESSION

    ¡°Judy! ¡± Daniel the chef angrily called out.

    Judy was six years old then and had just ruined the kitchen table cloth will milk right after ruining the sheets.

    ¡°You little bundle of mischief. ¡± cried out Daniel while pulling her by her dress.

    ¡°Let me go. ¡± she kept screaming.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. ¡± barked the chef.

    Daniel was infuriated over Judy¡¯s consistent disy of mischief around the house. In fact, he was fed up at the rate at which the little brat kept ruining things around.

    He had reported her severally to her mother but Mary will nod and say ¡°I¡¯ll talk to that kid.¡±

    Daniel was sure Mary never reprimanded Judy and he sometimes felt  the girl needed some proper spanking or grounding but her parents were reluctant.

    ¡°Why wound you ruin the table cloth? ¡± he pointed out to her showing her the table right after he had dragged her by her dress to the kitchen.

    Judy chuckled and blurted ¡°let me be. ¡± then she beganughing really hard which Daniel the chef found demeaning.

    Her parents had gone out and Daniel was asked to look after six year old Judy. It was a Sunday.

    To show his dissatisfaction with Judy¡¯s act coupled with herck of remorse, Daniel went and turned off the television in the living room which and left with the remote .Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    Daniel knew how obsessed little Judy was with Tom and Jerry cartoons so he felt there was no suiting punishment than denying her that pleasure.

    ¡°Give me the remote. ¡± she beckoned running after him all the way to the kitchen.

    ¡°Never. ¡± he insisted turning around to her, lifting the remote farther than her reach.

    ¡°Apologize kid. ¡± he advised.

    Little Judy wouldn¡¯t apologize instead she began to limp up hoping to snatch the remote from the chef. Danielughed over her pointless attempt and resumed to his work.

    Judy angrily left the kitchen. Daniel brought down the hot sauce from the cooker, turned the cooker off,  then he poured the hot sauce into afortable stic te. He then went to use the rest room.

    Thest thing Daniel remembered since returning from the rest room that day was him screaming for help as he could feel his eye balls popping out of their sockets while the flesh on his face was peeling off.

    Judy had sneaked into the kitchen when he went out and when he returned, she emptied the whole content from the stic te he had earlier kept on the table. Judy had climbed the table, grabbed the hot sauce and stood on a chair by the corner of the room waiting for him to show up so she could manifest her evil n.

    The moment he walked in, Little Judy poured the whole sauce on his face. Daniel had squirmed in so much agony that day while Judy was behind the door,uding herself for her effort.

    When her parents found about the attack she hadunched on Daniel, they scolded her, denied her ess to the TV for weeks and sheter apologized to Daniel whose face had forever been damaged.

    That was the beginning of the manifestation of Judy¡¯s obsessivepulsive disorder before her parentster found out. Before their discovery at the hospital, Judy¡¯s mom had observed how difficult it was for her daughter to let go of toys or stuffs she liked even when they were damaged.

    No matter how Mary her mother scolded her, Judy will always do the things she was prohibited from doing. Her father excused the obsession for stubbornness but if only they knew and when they found about her disorder, she started visiting Dr. Mathew who ced her on medications and psychotherapy.

    Judy had been getting better since then until high school when she met Tom.

    For Judy, Tom was her first love. She liked him a lot and they got along fine. They will go out on dates, visit recreational centers and the movies together. She told her friends that Tom was the love of her life.

    Then Tom began to notice a weird change in Judy. She became mad when he was hanging around other girls even Sofia her best friend. As far as Tom was concerned, it wasn¡¯t a big deal for them since their mates knew they were going out. So he will always tell Judy there is nothing to worry about.

    Judy began to monitor him which Tom found ufortable. When he was out with friends, she will call and keep calling. Tom thought it was pure jealousy till she began to irritate him. Most of the times, she wanted to be in control of their rtionship anding from a family that detests concepts like feminism, Tom began to drift away from Judy.

    He called her one day after school and ended their rtionship. Judy had pleaded with him but Tom had made his choice. Her mother ensured she saw Dr. Mathew more often during that period which she did. Dr. Mathew had advised her to ignore Tom but Judy couldn¡¯t. She was already heels in love with him or  rather far too obsessed.

    Then the worst happened. Judy learnt that Tom was seeing another girl Tonia. She always had shes of them holding hands, kissing or patting each other on the back. At home, she will wail and shatter her room at the thought of them together. Dr. Mathew had told her to assume they were not existing even if they were right before her. But how could he understand the hatred she had been conceiving towards Tonia she had thought.

    That afternoon she saw Tonia by the pool, she was driven by rage and she would have controlled it but Tonia had to gloat at her thus fueling her hatred towards her and before she could realize it, she was burning with rage and the only thing she could think about then was ending Tonia¡¯s life.

    She pulled Tonia by her pony tail right into the pool. Tonia was a short damsel and Judy being tall and strong had an advantage over the poor girl. Tonia cried and begged Judy but Judy dragged her into the pool mercilessly.

    The timely intervention of the security officials on duty via the school camera saved Tonia¡¯s life. They men ran to Tonia¡¯s rescue who was suppressed underwater by Judy. Judy had almost drown her to death but luckily she was pulled out.

 CHAPTER 84: RECONCILIATION

    Emma picked her cell phone that had been ringing consistency for a minute now after a good thought.

    Sam had been calling her and she was mad at him for his behavior the other day. She wondered what his thoughts will be if she fails to answer his calls so she decided to answer.

    Knowing about Sam¡¯s bipr and how emotional he could be, she picked the call to avoid furtherplications since she is bent on making him feel bettertely. She reminded herself that he had been a good friend who always wanted to see her cheerful therefore, she can¡¯t afford to let him suffer.

    ¡°Hello Sam!¡± she responded.

    ¡°Can we meet at Frankston? ¡± he suggested.

    ¡°Sure. ¡± she quickly replied as if she was waiting for him to ask.

    ¡°Time? ¡± he asked

    ¡°7pm. ¡± sharp she replied.

    At exactly 7pm,  Sam was already seated in a brown suit with a white inner shirt. His white shoes were glowing as they always had. Emma smiled after recognizing him from behind. She adjusted her wristwatch while ncing at it. It was eleven minutes past 7pm. This is the Sam she knew. Neverte and always on time.

    ¡°Hey! ¡± she greeted him with a smile while facing him.

    ¡°Hi. ¡± he said then quickly got up to pull a chair for her.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± she said after seating.

    ¡°You look dashing. ¡± heplemented her.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± she replied and bowed while he chuckled.

    Emma was wearing a simple wine colored short dress with ck heels.

    Emma knew the essence of their meeting that night was for Sam to plead for forgiveness and apologize for his weird behavior the other day.

    ¡°This will do please. ¡±  Emma pointed out from the menu card to the waitress who was standing beside her with an empty tray.

    The waitress nodded and shifted to Sam¡¯s side who gave his orders too.

    ¡°I am very sorry Emma for the other day. ¡± Sam begged folding his palms before Emma.

    ¡°How are you? ¡± she asked instead.

    Sam smiled.

    ¡°I am very sorry Emma. ¡± he maintained.

    ¡°I¡¯m good. ¡± he quickly added.

    ¡°We are good then. ¡± she said smiling.

    The waitress had arrived with their orders and Emma was helping her to set the table.

    ¡°It will not happen again. ¡± Sam promised after the waitress left.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Sam. ¡± Emma assured him.

    Meanwhile, Sam had expected Emma to ask for a specific reason on why he was acting weird the other day but she didn¡¯t. It was evident Mike hadn¡¯t spill the beans yet he thought.

    ¡°How¡¯s work? ¡± asked Emma while pouring wine into her ss.

    ¡°Good. Good Good! ¡± replied Sam while nodding. he was struggling to cut a part of the salmon on his te.

    ¡°Ah! ¡± eximed Sam while dropping his cutlery.

    A thought just stroke him.

    ¡°There¡¯s an annual General Meeting of  SMITH¡¯s bar and associate tomorrow morning but we are convening outside town tonight¡± he revealed while Emma nodded.

    ¡°All branches and units of my clubs across Chicago will be meeting to give a report. ¡± he exined picking his knife.

    ¡°It¡¯s a business meeting and in line with your goal, I will like you to attend. ¡± Sam demanded.

    ¡°Of course. ¡± replied Emma after gulping wine from her ss.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°We leave tonight. ¡± announced Sam.

    ¡°Tonight? ¡± she inquired falling back on her chair.

    ¡°Yea. Sorry for the short notice. ¡± apologized Sam.

    ¡°You can drive with me. So we can leave immediately after this dinner. ¡± he requested.

    ¡°Of course. ¡± agreed Emma.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get few things and then we will leave. ¡± said Emma and Sam nodded.

    After their lunch, Sam drove Emma to her home then he waited for her to get some stuffs. Shortlyter, she joined him in the car and he drove them outside town where the Annual General Meeting is to hold.

    The AGM meeting of Sam¡¯s clubs for the year was to hold in Davida Home: A five star hotel. Sam drove for almost 3 hours before they got there. After they alighted from the hotel in the parking lot, a group of note attendants rushed towards Sam and Emma. They helped them with their luggage.

    After they got to the hotel reception, Emma stood by the corner of the ce while Sam was at the counter. Emma noticed how he ced his right hand on his forehead disying a sign of regret.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? ¡± Emma asked after tapping him.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Emma. ¡± be said carefully pulling her to the corner she earlier stood.

    ¡°We booked this ce to lodge our partners and head of branches for the meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning. ¡± he began.

    ¡°Seems like the whole ce is already choked up coupled with the day¡¯s guest. ¡± he further stated cleaning his face with his palms quickly.

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t leave a slot to secure a room for you owing to the fact that I just gave you a short notice. The administration unit are not aware that you are part of the meeting so there was no reservation for you. ¡± exined Sam.

    ¡°I get it. ¡± admitted Emma.

    ¡°We can share your suite. ¡± she dered while Sam stared at her in amazement.

    ¡°If that¡¯s okay with you by the way. ¡± she said folding her hands.

    ¡°Of course. Of course Emma. ¡± Sam agreed.

    Shortly, Sam and Emma were led to afortable suit by the hotel attendants.

    ¡°This ce is lovely. ¡±mented Emma while Sam was tipping the hotel attendants.

    ¡°And thankfully the bed isrge enough. ¡± he joked and Emma giggled.

    The hotel attendants were gone already. It was past 11:pm.

    ¡°We should get some rest now. ¡± Sam said heading for the bed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a shower. ¡± Emma told him

    ¡°And I¡¯ll take mine immediately you are done. ¡± he replied.

    Emma showered and came out with a towel tied around her chest. Sam got up and headed for the bathroom and his eyes red at Emma. Their eyes met and Emma quickly lowered her gaze while he headed for the bathroom.

    Sam showered and came out in his boxers. Emma was already on the bed in her night gown. Sam went to the other side of the bed she had left out for him.

    ¡°We should sleep now. ¡± suggested Sam while Emma nodded.

    ¡°Good night. ¡± she said then turned the other way.

    She couldn¡¯t afford to sleep facing Sam especially with the heat she could feel emanating from the bed.

    An hourter, Sam was screaming from his sleep which awakened Emma.

 CHAPTER 85: NIGHTMARE

    ¡°Sam!  Sam! ¡± Emma yelled while shaking him violently.

    Sam was having a nightmare and he was shaking and screaming like a victim of severe electric shock.

    He was shouting ¡°Natalie.  ¡± while gasping for breath and Emma woke him up.

    ¡°Sam listen to me.¡± began Emma with her hands going up and down.

    ¡°Can you hear me? ¡± she said to his face as he stared at her nkly.

    ¡°Calm down. ¡± sheforted him.

    Sam had woken up already but his body was still shivering. His mouth was shaking and Emma could hear his teeth ttering.

    She quickly got out of bed, pulled therge sheet underneath his pillow and wrapped it around him. After switching on the lights, she went to get him a ss of water.

    ¡°Here. ¡± she said presenting the ss to him.

    Sam collected the ss and hurriedly gulped the water. He drank as if he had just concluded a marathon race.

    ¡°Are you okay? ¡± Emma asked again after ensuring he was now breathing moderately.

    Sam nodded and ced the ss on the little stool beside the bed.

    He nodded again,  cleaned his face with the towel Emma had just brought andid his head against the wall.

    ¡°You had a nightmare. ¡± Emma told him.

    Of course he just had a nightmare which he wished Emma never got to witness. Emma had just witnessed one out of the torturous nights of his life. He wished he could have prevented the nightmare from haunting him that moment before Emma.

    ¡°Am so sorry. ¡± apologized Sam while Emma watched him in amazement.

    ¡°You are sorry? ¡± she asked.

    ¡°Come on Sam. We all have nightmares once in a while. ¡± she maintained.

    Sam knew people had nightmares once in a while but his was different. His nightmares weren¡¯t dreams but shes of events he wish he could forget.

    His body temperature was normal now so he took away therge sheet around him and ced it on the bed.

    ¡°Who is Natalie? ¡± Emma blurted from the edge of the bed.

    ¡°She.. She is thedy in my nightmare. ¡± confessed Sam.

    ¡°You have nightmares and it turns out to be visions of thisdy? ¡± demanded Emma.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    She climbed the bed and properly sat on it.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± replied Sam after coughing out loudly.

    ¡°And since when do you have visions of this Natalie? ¡± asked Emma.

    ¡°Almost every night. ¡± replied Sam.

    ¡°For twelve years now. ¡± he revealed.

    Emma immediately covered her mouth with her palms demonstrating shock.

    ¡°Wow! ¡±  she eximed.

    Emma moved closer to Sam on the bed and said ¡°Would you mind to share your nightmare with me? ¡±

    Sam adjusted his legs and nodded in affirmation.

    ¡°So tell me. ¡± began Emma.

    ¡°Who is Natalie? ¡± she asked.

    ¡°She was my high school girlfriend. ¡± replied Sam.

    Emma chuckled and quickly apologized.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. ¡± she pleaded with a a half smile.

    ¡°If you and Natalie were sweethearts then why do you have ugly visions about her? ¡± asked Emma.

    Judging by Sam¡¯s manifestation that night, Emma doesn¡¯t need to be told the nightmare was ugly.

    ¡°What happened? ¡± she further asked folding her legs on the bed. Her hands were before her folded legs.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t find sharing the story an easy thing then you don¡¯t have to recollect anything. ¡± Emma assured Sam.

    ¡°Natalie and I were seeing each other. ¡± began Sam. He was staring at the door.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t know I had bipr. No one did back then in my high school. ¡± he stated.

    ¡°Until.. ¡± he recounted then stopped.

    Emma didn¡¯t want to rush him so she kept mute and he continued.

    ¡°Mark,  the hall monitor harassed me. I lost my temper and I pounced on him. ¡± recollected Sam with his voice quaking.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop. I just kept punching him and I just couldn¡¯t stop. ¡± he said to Emma sounding regretful.

    Emma didn¡¯t know whether to nod her head or shake it. Sam turned towards her and their eyes met.

    ¡°Am so sorry. ¡± she slowly said.

    ¡°The incident happened in the hall way downstairs. ¡± continued Sam.

    ¡°When I turned around and saw those students terrified and staring at me like a psychopath, I got frightened and headed upstairs. ¡± he said.

    ¡°I was panicking at that moment. Mark was already bleeding. ¡± he quickly added.

    Emma listened to him with keen attention.

    ¡°Then Natalie ran after me. Her brother tried to stop her but she wouldn¡¯t oblige. She followed me upstairs. ¡± narrated Sam with his face cupped in his hands.

    Emma ced her left hand on his shoulder. She patted him and quickly took her hand away.

    ¡°She kept calling out to me. ¡± he continued. I told Natalie to go away but she kept running after me up the stairs. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Then she reached out for my shirt. ¡± he said slowly and stopped talking.

    ¡°What happened Sam? ¡± requested Emma.

    Sam¡¯s eyes were already welling up with tears.

    ¡°I pushed her. ¡± he revealed and bursted out crying.

    ¡°Oh my God. ¡± Emma eximed and moved closer to him on the bed. She hugged him while he cried like a child in her arms.

    ¡°I pushed Natalie. ¡± he kept screaming with tears running down his cheeks.

    He was already soaking Emma¡¯s night dress.

    ¡°Shhh!  It¡¯s okay Sam. ¡± Emma consoled him still hugging him.

    Poor Sam she thought.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. I just couldn¡¯t control myself that moment. ¡± regretted Sam.

    Few minutester, Sam had dried his eyes and was sitting on the bed.

    ¡°I am so sorry for all you¡¯ve been through. ¡± Emma professed.

    ¡°When I pushed her down the stairs . ¡°recounted Sam again.

    ¡°She rolled over. ¡± he said while Emma opened her mouth and quickly closed it.

    ¡°She got down to the  floor and hit her head. ¡± he said with eyes blurred by tears.

    ¡°Then blood started to gush out of her head and everyone that was in the hall witnessed it. ¡± he narrated cleaning his teary face with his palms.

    ¡°They rushed to her while I  ran away. Natalie ended up ina. ¡± he finally revealed leaving Emma speechless.

    ¡°Up till now, she still is ina. ¡± he stated.

    ¡°Oh my God! ¡± dered Emma.

    ¡°Natalie is Mike¡¯s sister. ¡± he then confessed.

 CHAPTER 86 :NATALIE IS BACK

    ¡°Natalie is Mike¡¯s sister? ¡± Emma said in a surprised tone.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    Sam nodded and ced his left palm on his face.

    ¡°Now I know why Mike warned me to stay away from you. ¡± Emma stated to Sam¡¯s hearing.

    ¡°What? ¡± he asked and Emma didn¡¯t utter a word.

    ¡°Maybe you should understand Mike now added Sam.

    ¡°Emma if you need space I understand. ¡± Sam further stated.

    ¡°We can put our n on hold. ¡± he suggested while staring into Emma¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°We can¡¯t put the n on hold. ¡± disagreed Emma.

    ¡°And I don¡¯t need any space. ¡± she further said.

    Sam watched Emma from the tail of his right eye while pretending to focus on the door.

    She drifted backwards on the bed and ced her back on the wall. She began to think about the warnings Mike kept giving her about Sam.

    She always felt Mike was being over protective but she never knew Mike had a reason to. She wondered how Mike felt the first time he crossed paths with Sam in her apartment.

    She instantly felt sorry for mike. She turned to Sam¡¯s side and saw him looking restless.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get some sleep. ¡± she suggested.

    ¡°We have a busy day tomorrow. You can¡¯t afford to look all gloomy at the meeting tomorrow. ¡± she hinted.

    Sam nodded and stretched his legs. He pulled the nket and covered himself from the sole of his feet way up to his head.

    Emma faced the other side thinking about the existence of differentplexities in life which people had to deal with. She thought about her life and wondered which was moreplex. Was Mike¡¯s life more difficult than Sam¡¯s or was her life easier than theirs she pondered.

    She  wondered whether Sam had fallen asleep now and she finally fell asleep after much effort and tossing.

    The next morning, Sam and Emma were awakened by a disturbing sound from Sam¡¯s phone. It was his rm.

    ¡°Good morning. ¡± Emma greeted him while yawning.

    ¡°Morning Emma. ¡± he replied scratching his nose.

    ¡°You barely slept. ¡±mented Sam.

    ¡°Am terribly sorry for the troublest night. ¡± he said to her.

    ¡°You barely slept too Sam. ¡± replied Emma while yawning.

    ¡°Its okay. ¡± she quickly added.

    Emma got out of the bed and headed to the bathroom while Sam opened his wardrobe,  brought out some clothes and began putting some documents in order.

    ¡°The warm water in there was everything I needed. ¡± Emma told him while pointing to the bathroom after she came out with a towel across her chest.

    Sam quickly headed to the bathroom with a towel across his waist while Emma quickly began to dress the moment he walked into the bathroom.

    She hurriedly applied her lotion, wore the outfits she had picked for the event and was wearing her heels when Sam came out from the bathroom.

    ¡°I forgot to brush my teeth. ¡± she lied and made her way to the bathroom.

    She wanted to give Sam the space to get fully dressed. After all it was his room she told herself.  Sam understood and smiled at her while she was heading to the bathroom.

    She stood there for a while until Sam said.

    ¡°You cane out now. Am all done. ¡±

    She chuckled and came out.

    ¡°Breakfast. ¡± suggested Sam as Emma folded the sheets.

    ¡°My domestic staff will handle that. ¡± he told her pointing to the sheets she was folding.

    So what will we have this morning? ¡± she asked Sam with a smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see. ¡± he answered pulling his mobile phone from the drawer.

    After few minutes of indecision, Sam and Emma decided to have tea, toast bread and dessert that morning. Their breakfast was brought to them in the room by Sam¡¯s chef.

    Sam pushed the tray to the corner immediately they were done.

    ¡°The meeting will start soon. We need to be at the hotel¡¯s conference room. ¡± Sam said after ncing at his wrist watch.

    ¡°The driver will take us there. ¡± he quickly added.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you prep me before the main event? ¡± requested Emma.

    She pulled the long chair beside the table and sat while Sam was on the left side of the bed.

    ¡°So what should I be expecting? ¡± she began. ¡°Who are those involved? ¡± she asked.

    ¡°My branch managers across Chicago will be there as well as all head of units. ¡± exined Sam.

    Emma nodded in understanding.

    ¡°They¡¯ll all give their reports and the ountants of each unit will give a report too. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Then we will meet with the board of directors. ¡± outlined Sam.

    ¡°And who forms the board of directors? ¡± inquired Emma.

    ¡°Mostly people I don¡¯t know. ¡± he replied.

    ¡°The administrative department handles staff recruitment and other stuffs rting to that. ¡± he said.

    ¡°I guess we are good to go now. ¡± he dered and Emma nodded.

    Emma and Sam got into the limousine and soon, Sam¡¯s driver was on the route to Los Angeles.

    ¡°You will love the meeting. ¡± Sam told Emma.

    She smiled saying ¡°I hope so. ¡±

    ¡°Lest I forget. ¡± warned Sam with a smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fall asleep when the actors start presenting their reports. ¡± he told her with a smile.

    Emma bursted outughing.

    The driver took them to Los Angeles and to the hotel room the meeting was to hold and he parked the car in the parking lot.

    Emma and Sam alighted from the vehicle  and Sam was assisted with his suitcase by an assistant awaiting their arrival in front of the building. They exchanged pleasantries while the man ushered them in.

    Emma noticed Sam hurrying so she realized they might bete. They got to the conference hall and sat. Emma sat by Sam¡¯s left side. Her eyes wondered across therge room amodated by Sam¡¯s branch managers, head of units, sponsors, business associates and board of directors.

    ¡°The chair person board of directors is here. ¡± announced someone from the gathering.

    ¡°Natalie! ¡± blurted Sam the moment she walked in.

 CHAPTER 87:A SECOND CHANCE?

    Did Sam just say Natalie?  wondered Emma. ording to Sam¡¯s revtionst night, Natalie was still ina so Emma thought how possible it was for Natalie to show up as the chairperson board of directors.

    Natalie was directed to a seat kept for her by a staff. She smiled and went to the chosen spot while Sam stared at her as if he had seen a ghost. Emma was lost in thoughts.

    Immediately Natalie sat, she ced her file on the table before her. She lifted her eyes up and she twisted her neck rightwards trying to remember where she had seen the person opposite her before.

    Sam was seating opposite Natalie and he was the one she was struggling to catch a glimpse of. It¡¯s been twelve years since the deadly incident urred. They¡¯ve never set eyes on each other since then.

    ¡°Sam! ¡± she screamed finally remembering who he was.

    Natalie instantly became terrified and she was shocked to the bone marrow. Before the people in the gathering could ascertain what was going on, Natalie ran out of the meeting as if she was chased by a wild dog.

    ¡°Wait Natalie. ¡± screamed Sam while running after her.

    Natalie fastened her steps when she realized Sam was trying to catch up to her. Sam ran the more and managed to grab her from behind.

    ¡°Let me go. ¡± Natalie cried out while struggling to free herself from Sam¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Hold on Natalie.  Please calm down. ¡± Sam pleaded.

    ¡°Let me go. Please don¡¯t hurt me. ¡± she begged.

    Sam instantly felt as if a spear had pierced right into his chest. It¡¯s been twelve years and Natalie is still scared. Maybe he isn¡¯t the only one having shes of that event since then he thought then turned Natalie around to face him.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me Sam. ¡± she pleaded with her hands trembling and her eyes shut.

    ¡°Look at me. ¡± Sam said almost screaming at her.

    ¡°Please Natalie look at me. ¡± he beckoned.

    She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Sam. Her eye lids were shaking likewise her hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Natalie. ¡± apologized Sam still holding on to her hands tightly.

    ¡°I am deeply sorry for all the agony I put you through. ¡± hemented looking directly into her eyes.

    ¡°I have since that day been haunted by the hell I unleashed on you. ¡± he told her

    Natalie noticed the tears ganging around his pupils  and she knew he meant all he said. Her eyelids were no longer shaking and her hands were no longer trembling. Sam began to let go of her hand.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Please Natalie don¡¯t run off ever again like that. ¡± he pleaded almost shedding tears.

    ¡°I can¡¯t plead enough. I hurt you. I¡¯m sorry. Forgive me. ¡± he begged her finally letting go off her hand.

    Sam then pulled Natalie to the corner of the building and they spoke extensively.

    ¡°Can we please return back to the conference hall now? ¡± he demanded and she agreed with a nod.

    Sam and Natalie walked into the conference room while the people stared in confusion. They were all lost except for Emma who had an insight of what was going on.

    ¡°I am very sorry for my silly act a moment ago. ¡± Natalie apologized to the gathering after carefully sitting down.

    ¡°That was so unprofessional of me. ¡± she admitted looking directly at Sam and Emma noticed.

    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen I assume we are all good. ¡± concluded Sam.

    ¡°Let the meeting officially begin. ¡± he dered looking back at Natalie.

    The people knew there was something fishy but it wasn¡¯t their business so no one asked after all, they conveyed for a business meeting and ady running out of the conference hall in a strange manner was the least of their concerns except for Emma.

    Emma stared at Sam whose attention was fixed on Natalie ever since they walked in. Emma wondered what kind of argument had transpired between them outside. It¡¯s been twelve years since the gruesome encounter and she thought about how quickly they had forgiven each other.

    ¡°The head of the board of directors will brief us now. ¡± Sam¡¯s secretary who was moderating the meeting announced after several branch mangers gave their reports.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± acknowledged Natalie with a nod.

    Emma quickly noticed how slender  Natalie looked and how her pointed nose could be easily spotted.

    ¡°I just got my appointment letter a month ago as the head of the board of directors. ¡± she revealed while fondling her pen.

    ¡°I see. ¡± Emma muttered to herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m still learning the ropes and I will appreciate it if the heads of all units and parastatals give me all the support I will need. ¡± stated Natalie while staring at Sam.

    Emma could tell her voice was no longer terrified as it was when she called out to Sam earlier after recognizing him.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± she maintained.

    An apuse was made by the people. Sam took his eyes off Natalie and immediately fixed it on Emma while Natalie red at him.  Emma didn¡¯t know what to do at that moment. She could feel Natalie¡¯s eyes all over her body.

    After several more reports were taken, the ountants from different branches gave their reports as well. Matters from the agenda were thrashed and suggestions were offered. Observations were made too.

    Throughout the whole meeting period, Emma kept noticing how Sam and Natalie kept maintaining eye contacts. It got to a point where Emma felt lost.

    The meeting ended and the people began to disperse after exchanging pleasantries. Others went to meet Natalie the new head of the board of directors. Emma heard some persons congratting her on her new appointment.

    Emma stood at the corner holding tight to her handbag while patiently waiting for Sam to round off his discussion with one of his associates. Finally, Sam was done and Emma was d they could leave now. She heaved a sigh of relief and walked towards him.

    ¡°You guys stay back we need to talk¡± came Natalie¡¯s voice right after Sam and Emma were about to walk out of the conference room.

 CHAPTER 88: FORGIVENESS

    Emma and Sam immediately exchanged nces right after Natalie asked them to stop. The conference room was cleared now as all the people had gone except Sam, Natalie and Emma.

    Sam cleared his throat and ced one hand on the table while Emma looked around in confusion. Natalie smiled.

    Emma was confused because as far as she knew, Natalie was still ina and seeing Natalie right before her made her mind to keep wondering.

    As though sam had read Emma¡¯s mind,  he voiced out her thought.

    ¡°I thought you were still inma¡± he said looking at Natalie.

    Natalie smiled and said ¡°Do you want me in Coma forever? ¡± her hands were folded across her chest.

    ¡°No¡± screamed Sam.

    ¡°Of course not. ¡± he quickly added and Natalie smiled again.

    Emma could notice how the tension in the conference room  at that moment was getting high between them.

    Natalie then looked over to Emma and asked what her name was.

    ¡°You are? ¡± she directed the question at Emma pointing at her with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m Emma. ¡± replied Emma sharply.

    ¡°Emma for short. ¡± she quickly added.

    Natalie walked up to Emma and greeted her smiling brightly and then they shook hands. Emma smiled back while Sam watched the two women.

    Natalie went and sat on one of the chairs  in the hall and Sam knew they had some talking to do so he sat back and so did Emma.

    ¡°I was out ofa a year ago. ¡± Natalie began narrating.

    ¡°Then I had amnesia after that. ¡± she continued exining with her hands in circles.

    Poor Natalie Sam thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. ¡± he quickly voiced out.

    Natalie nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve forgiven you Sam. ¡± she said with a half smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ve forgiven you since a long time ago. ¡± she added cing her hands before her.

    Emma looked at Sam and smiled. She was d to hear that Natalie had forgiven him.

    ¡°I got treated for Amnesia and when I had fully recovered, I took over my father¡¯s business. ¡± exined Natalie.

    Emma and Sam nodded.

    ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve been working really hard to set myself in a high ce. ¡± she told them.

    Sam smiled feeling proud of her.

    ¡°And when I heard SMITH¡¯S was looking for a new head for their board of directors, I decided to apply and I guess it worked when my appointment letter came a month ago. ¡± she said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Sam owned SMITH¡¯S. ¡± she revealed swinging her head from left to right.

    ¡°I just wanted to work my way up to something different from my father¡¯s business. ¡± professed Natalie.

    ¡°Impressive. ¡±mented Sam.

    Emma agreed with a smile.

    ¡°Everyone deserves a second chance Sam. It¡¯s not your fault you have bipr. ¡± she told Sam looking into his eyes. He lowered his head.

    ¡°My shocking reaction earlier was unprecedented. ¡± she continued rubbing her forehead with her right palm.

    ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t expect to see Sam here and I couldn¡¯t help recollecting the past. ¡± she exined.

    ¡°However I have been mad at Sam for not caring a damn about me. He never looked for me. ¡± shemented.

    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for that . ¡± apologized Sam.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave now. ¡± she announced and stood up.

    ¡°We will keep in touch I guess. ¡± she said with a smile.

    Sam nodded, Emma smiled and Natalie walked out of the conference room. Sam fell back on his chair and heaved a deep sigh of relief. Emma smiled at him.

    ¡°I just felt like a huge burden had been ¡°lifted off my shoulders. ¡± confessed Sam.

    ¡°I understand. ¡± agreed Emma.

    After hearing from Natalie, Emma felt d and she was certain Sam¡¯s mental state will improve especially after Natalie attested to forgiving him.

    ¡°Lunch? ¡± requested Sam.

    Emma nodded. She was very hungry especially after those long hours of tireless reports and presentations.

    ¡°Ladies first. ¡± said Sam pointing towards the exit.

    She smiled and walked out while he followed suit.

    Emma and Sam were seated having lunch. Sam was pouring water from a bottle into his ss.

    ¡°Natalie is a strong woman. ¡±mented Emma.

    ¡°Of course she is. ¡± agreed Sam.

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what she went through. ¡±mented Emma while taking the cover off her meal.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you check on her since the incident? ¡± she queried Sam.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know where she was? ¡± Emma further asked.

    ¡°My conscience wouldn¡¯t let me. ¡± replied Sam with his mouth full of sd.

    ¡°I get it. ¡± confirmed Emma with a nod.

    ¡°I¡¯m d she is okay now. ¡± said Emma after sipping her orange juice.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I think I like her. ¡± Emma professed.

    Sam smiled and said nothing.

    Maybe he would sleep well now Emma guessed and smiled inwardly.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to therapy? ¡± Emma directed the question at Sam who was cleaning his mouth with a napkin.

    ¡°I did. ¡± he attested.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t work. The nightmares persisted. ¡± he added.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. ¡± uttered Emma looking at him.

    ¡°it¡¯s fine. I think I¡¯ll feel better now especially after my discussion with Natalie today. ¡± confirmed Sam.

    Emma smiled at him. Sam was focused on his meal while Emma admired him. Ever since Natalie left, she had been feeling happy for Sam and she had a deep conviction that his nightmares will soon fade. She was d and she kept smiling inwardly.

    They had finished eating and were rxing with their backs against their chairs.

    ¡°Whats your take on today¡¯s meeting? ¡± Sam asked her.

    ¡°Quite eventful especially the beginning. ¡± she replied and bursted outughing.

    Sam joined her in theughter. He knew she was referring to the drama with Natalie.

    ¡°It was productive though. ¡± she said in a serious tone.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t first picture what the whole thing was but from the reports your branch managers and head of units gave, its evident your business is doing wonders Sam. ¡± she told him rubbing her palms together.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± Sam replied and then bowed.

    ¡°I have a surprise for youter tonight. ¡± he further said.

 CHAPTER 89: A KISS

    ¡°A surprise?¡± Emma asked Sam and he nodded.

    What could Sam have in store for her? Emma wondered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t drift your mind farther than it can reach.¡± Sam told her with a smile.

    ¡°You can¡¯t guess it .¡± he added and she giggled.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait for me around here. ¡± Sam beckoned Emma.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go somewhere. I¡¯lle pick you here by 5pm so we can leave. ¡± he told her.

    Emma was still in the hotel where the conference meeting took ce. She slept and woke up around 5pm. She remembered Sam telling her to get ready by 5pm before he went out so Emma quickly jumped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. After showering, she wore a colorful emerald gown . it was short and ssy. The hem of the dress was decorated with flowers which looked as if they were falling off.

    ¡®Meet me downstairs when you are ready.¡¯ Sam texted her.

    Emma read the text message with a smile and quickly got ready after putting on herfortable brown heels and she grabbed her purse. Beforeing downstairs to meet Sam, she stood before the mirror admiring herself while smiling from ear to ear.

    While ncing at the mirror, Emma noticed how slender she had be. Her tummy was t and she rubbed her palms around it. She loved the way she look. In thest two years, she had transformed into a model figure and this transformation was all she ever wanted.

    ¡°You look beautiful as always.¡± Samplemented her as she carefully walked down the stairs to meet him.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She replied after walking down to meet him.

    He smiled and was soon lost in her eyes. Her face was glowing and Sam wondered why Emma rarely had make up on if it always looked good on her.  Her outfit was perfect and so did she look thought Sam.

    ¡°Are we good to go?¡± Emma said snapping her fingers at Sam¡¯s face.

    He smiled and rubbed his palms down his face. He was lost in her face and Emma sensed it

    ¡°Sorry.¡± he managed to say.

    Sam held Emma by the arm and led her to his car. He opened the front door for her and she gracefully sat uttering ¡®Thanks.¡±

    She wrapped the seat belt around her and Sam did the same the moment he sat. Emma noticed there was no driver. She knew Sam will be driving them.

    ¡°Where to?¡± She asked

    Sam said nothing and began driving. He was smiling while Emma wondered where he was taking her too.

    Sam drove Emma outside the city and Emma almost thought they were leaving Los Angeles. He then parked the car in front of a beautiful pent house.

    ¡°Wow¡± marveled Emma the moment they alighted from the car.

    The pent house was built by a seaside. It was colored grey and it¡¯s features could be seen from the outside. The windows and doors were made of ss. The house wasfortably standing on a concrete and below it was a huge collection of water. Emma had never seen a beautiful and uniquely carved house like that before.

    ¡°Wee to my pent house in this city.¡± announced Sam while Emma kept staring at the unique architectural work before her.

    ¡°You own this?¡± she asked Sam as if she didn¡¯t hear him say his pent house.

    ¡°Yes.¡± he replied smiling at her surprised expression.

    ¡°Come with me.¡± he demanded.

    Emma followed Sam and they climbed the way up the house stepping on a strong woodendder which was considered the stairs. Emma kept looking around in astonishment.

    ¡°This ce is beautiful.¡± she confessed and Sam sniffled.

    They then got into therge living room. The living room was sorge that at that moment Emma couldn¡¯t help but scream ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you around.¡± Sam offered and she walked closely behind him.

    Small took Emma to the beautiful sections of the house. She looked around noticing how the walls were made of ss as well as the doors and windows. She knew the property must have cost a fortune.

    Sam took her to the rooms, the spacious art gallery and even the terrace. While Sam took her on the tour, Emmaplemented every part of the pent house that drew her attention.

    She also noticed Sam¡¯s art collection. She  didn¡¯t need to be told they were expensive. The well drawn portraits and portraits caught her attention too.

    Sam then took Emma to his Kitchen and she met Bryan his chef.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Sam said leaving the kitchen. He hurried upstairs excitedly.

    ¡°Hello. Wee Ma. Bryan greeted her with a warm smile which she reciprocated smiling back.

    Shortly afterwards, Bryan had prepared a sumptuous dinner and ce it on the table. He invited Sam and Emma to the table.

    They were done eating dinner and were sharing a ss of wine in the living room.

    ¡°Tonight we shall rx and have fun.¡± Sam said to her.

    ¡®Tomorrow we shall begin business proper.¡± he added

    ¡°I will give you a tour of Los Angeles before we leave the city.¡± Sam offered and Emma epted with a nod.

    ¡°We can even have a cinema moment right here. ¡± he suggested

    Sam then proceeded to turn on the t screen television screen which took a huge part of the wall. He told Emma to rx and watch the movie.

    While watching the movie, Sam stole nces at Emma which she noticed.

    ¡°Business requires patience Emma. ¡± he told her.  The were seating opposite each other on the couch.

    ¡°I started with one bar and gradually I expanded it. You need patience and financial discipline Emma. ¡± he stated with his fists tied.

    ¡°You need to set a target and master the act of wine tasting. ¡± he further said and Emma nodded.

    ¡°Tomorrow, I shall take you out and you shall practically see what this business is all out. ¡± maintained Sam.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯ll also show you my wine collection and teach you how wine tasting works. ¡± he promised.

    ¡°Thank you very much for today.¡± She told him.

    Sam had invited her to his business meeting earlier and now to his penthouse. Tomorrow, he promised to take her on a practical endeavor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention.¡± he hinted

    Sam led Emma into the penthouse and ushered her into one of the guest rooms.

    ¡°You need to rest.¡± he told her after she got into the room.

    Sam was standing beside the door and Emma was few meters away from him.

    ¡°Good night Emma.¡± he said slowly.

    He quickly moved closer to her and kissed her lips and he began to shiver over the act. Emma pulled him and kissed him back.

 CHAPTER 90: BUSINESS LESSONS [1]

    Emma fell on her bed and smiled immediately Sam left the room. She had just kissed Sam and she couldn¡¯t exin how she was feeling at that moment.  She shut her eyes and was soon fast asleep.

    Before Sam ushered Emma into one of his guests rooms,  he gave a book meant for amateurs in business. He hopped the piece will increase her passion and equip her with the necessary skills she needs to establish a business.

    That morning when Emma woke up, she grabbed the book Sam had gifted her and began reading.

    ¡°I now see why Gideon keeps investing in bars. ¡± Emma muttered to herself.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Gideon!  she said in her mind and immediately remembered him.  She thought about New York. She knew she missed the ce and needed to see her parents.

    She will go there right after building her empire she thought and continued reading the book.

    Sam woke up that morning and made his way to Emma¡¯s room. He knocked on her door and she invited him in.

    He pushed the door open and smiled at Emma who was reading the business book he gifted her earlier.

    ¡°Morning he greeted her. ¡± waving his left hand at her while his right hand was on the door knob.

    ¡°Morning. ¡± she replied bringing the book down to her chest.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you freshen up then join me downstairs for breakfast. ¡± he requested.

    ¡°Ok. ¡± she replied closing the book.

    ¡°We will start our practicals today. ¡± he said before shutting the boor. Emma kept the book on the table and headed to the bathroom.

    ¡°Bryan! ¡± Emma called out after walking to meet him in the kitchen.

    ¡°Morning Emma. ¡± he greeted her with a smile.

    ¡°Morning Bryan. ¡± she smiled back at him.

    ¡°Breakfast is served. ¡± Bryan announced to Emma pointing to the table. Sam was already seated there so she joined him.

    Emma was wearing a beautiful silky gown and Sam was dressed in denim trousers and in white tea shirt.

    ¡°So where are we heading to this morning? ¡± inquired Emma.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast first. ¡± replied Sam while stirring his cup of tea which he just threw cubes of sugar into.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait. ¡± stated Emma. She was stering her loaf with butter.

    Sam nodded and sipped his tea.

    ¡°I have an emergency business meeting in five minutes. ¡± announced Sam immediately after picking his phone which just vibrated.

    ¡°Well,  we can have our practical session and business lessons when you return. ¡± replied Emma.

    ¡°You¡¯lle with me. ¡± stated Sam.

    ¡°What? ¡± blurted Emma.

    ¡°You areing with me and today¡¯s meeting with determine whether you are fit to run a business or not. ¡± offered Sam while sipping his tea.

    ¡°I love challenges. ¡± dered Emma.

    ¡°We leave soonest. ¡± he told her and she nodded.

    Emma hurriedly finished her breakfast and joined Sam inside his car.

    ¡°We will be meeting with some clients in one of my bars this morning. ¡± be began after starting the car.

    ¡°Ok. ¡± replied Emma.

    ¡°The clients want to partner with a rival brand in town. They are meeting at exactly 9:30am sharp. ¡± he said while adjusting the car gear.

    Emma was listening attentively.

    ¡°It¡¯s 10 am and do you know why we are going there earlier? ¡± he demanded.

    Emma swung her head from left to right signaling no.

    ¡°We are going there to steal the show. ¡± professed Sam.

    ¡°You will walk in there and convince them in twenty minutes to abandon the rival brand and partner with us. ¡± he told Emma.

    Emma knew it wasn¡¯t an easy test but since she is determined on learning the ropes and proving to Sam her capabilities, she took the offer.

    Sam drove them to the bar where the meeting was to take ce. He parked the car.

    ¡°Remember. ¡± he cautioned her.

    ¡°You have twenty minutes to convince them before the people they came to meet with show up. ¡± he exined.

    ¡°I get it. ¡± affirmed Emma with a wink.

    They stepped out of the car and made their way into the bar.  Sam was walking behind Emma.

    ¡°Those are the guys. ¡± he said to her pointing to a table upied by two men.

    Sam sat on one of the vacant bar stools close by while Emma walked up to them.

    ¡°Gentlemen. ¡± Emma greeted them smiling brightly.

    She pulled a chair from their center and sat.

    ¡°Hello. ¡± greeted one of the men.

    ¡°I¡¯m Emma from SMITH¡¯S. ¡± she began extending her hand for a handshake.

    ¡°SMITH¡¯S? ¡± the other man said while shaking her.

    ¡°We are here to meet with GROVER and SON¡¯S instead. ¡± the thinner man said.

    ¡°I know. ¡± confirmed Emma.

    ¡°Before theye in, why don¡¯t I tell you about SMITH¡¯S. ¡± volunteered Emma with a smile.

    ¡°Three cups of tequ please. ¡± she shouted to the hearing of the bar tender who quickly swung into action.

    Sam was listening and watching from his spot.

    ¡°Do you know that children of all the business associates of  SMITH¡¯S are ced on a life insurance policy? ¡± she began.

    The men stared at her in astonishment.

    ¡°At SMITH¡¯S,  we offer weekly delivery of wine to all our partners out of courtesy. ¡± she told the men while sipping her drink.

    ¡°Wow! ¡± marveled one of the men.

    ¡°Yes continued Emma. ¡±

    ¡°We also offer free annual courses to our staff so they improve on their units. We seek to promote expertise. ¡± she said then decided to get up.

    ¡°Am not preventing you from partnering with GROVER and sons but I believe everyone deserves the best services only which SMITH¡¯S clubs and bars offers.  They are known everywhere. They even offer local services in bush bars across local towns. ¡± she concluded.

    ¡°The drink is on me. ¡± she added and turned around to leave.

    Sam stood up and began pping while the men joined him in apuding Emma.

    ¡°That was beautifuling from a new agent. ¡±mented the thin man.

    Emma immediately realized the men were acting the whole period.

    ¡°She almost had me. I almost forgot I was acting ording to the  boss¡¯s directives. ¡± the other man said pointing at Sam who bowed before Emma.

    ¡°Oh my God! ¡± she mumbled realizing Sam had tricked her. The guys were fake clients.

    ¡°They work for me. ¡± Sam told her with a smile.

    ¡°You did well Emma. Bravo. ¡± heuded her.

    She smiled and turned to the men saying  ¡°why don¡¯t you guys give me more business lessons. ¡°

 CHAPTER 91: WINE TASTING

    The fake clients left the bar leaving Emma and Sam behind.

    ¡°Thank You guys ¡± Sam appreciated them while they were heading out.

    ¡°Well done Emma¡± Sammended Emma again.

    ¡°You did above average. You performed excellently. Am impressed. ¡± he praised her.

    Emma was so excited. She immediately ran towards Sam who carried her up unconsciously.  Their eyes locked and they kept staring directly into each other¡¯s eyes until Emma felt a tingling in her eye balls which made her cast them down.

    ¡°I¡¯m d I met you. ¡± professed Sam while staring into Emma¡¯s eyes which were downcast.

    ¡°I¡¯m d I met you too. ¡± she replied in a low tune.

    Their minds immediately drifted to the kissing scenest night and Sam quickly let go of  Emma.  she adjusted her dress and he cleared his throat and looked the other way.

    He came closer to Emma who instantly began to shake slowly.  Emma was now feeling his breath on her face. He stretched his hand to her head and ced a strand of her blonde hair behind her ears.

    ¡°Unto the next CHAPTER. ¡± he whispered into her ears and Emma cleared her throat loudly taking few steps backwards.

    ¡°Wine tasting. ¡± announced Sam while Emma nodded.

    ¡°Are You ready? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± she replied with a nod cing her bag on the bar table.

    Emma looked around and noticed the ce was empty. The bar tender who served her tequ with the fake clients earlier had vanished.

    ¡°Follow me. ¡± Sam told Emma.

    She followed him closely and they went into a building behind the bar.

    ¡°This is the warehouse. ¡± he told her while unlocking the door.

    Sam pushed therge door wide open and turned on the lights.

    ¡°We keep all kinds of liquor here. ¡± Sam told Emma as they walked into the warehouse.

    Emma looked around and saw different sizes of barrels in different colors.  She also saw a section which housed varieties of champagne in arge refrigerator.

    ¡°So all the suppliese from here? ¡± Emma asked.

    ¡°All bars have a warehouse. ¡± began Sam while walking farther into the warehouse.  Emma followed behind him closely.

    ¡°Small bars and Units can share one warehouse. For instance, the club you work at in Chicago has it¡¯s own warehouse while this particr one supplies liquor to about five small bars in this town. ¡± exined Sam.

    He pulled a jar from the corner of the warehouse and began lifting off the covering of the barrels.

    Emma noticed how he carefully selected the barrels.

    ¡°This.¡± he said pointing to the smallest barrel.

    ¡°The wine herests more than therger ones. ¡± he told her.

    ¡°Really? ¡± asked Emma in a surprised manner.

    ¡°The smaller the barrel, the less the air that gets into it. ¡± exined Sam while opening the barrel

    He scooped some wine into the jar he had picked.

    ¡°So we ensure that the wine we supply to our branchese from therge barrels first. ¡± Sam outlined.

    ¡°Do you know why? ¡± he asked Emma handing to her the jar of wine.

    ¡°So you can get rid of the wine that is liable to spoil first. ¡± replied Emma.

    ¡°Good.¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Now taste it. ¡± he told her.

    Emma quickly emptied the whole content she had drank on the floor.  Sam giggled.

    Sam collected the jar from Emma and brought out two more jars. He poured different types of wine into the jars and ced it on the table in the warehouse. There were two stools already in the bar so Sam and Emma sat.

    ¡°That wine tastes like shit. ¡± stated Emma pointing to the content she emptied from her mouth on the floor.

    ¡°Not all wines are pure and that is why they  get refined.¡± said Sam.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°look at this. ¡± he pointed to the one in the center.

    ¡°This is pure wine so we don¡¯t mix it with any content. ¡± revealed Sam.

    ¡°How do you preserve it? ¡± Emma asked him stretching her eyes into the jar.

    ¡°We keep it as it is. ¡± he said.

    ¡°This is the most expensive wine. We package it, brand it and sell it. ¡± said Sam.

    ¡°This is one of the most expensive wines on earth. ¡± Sam added.

    ¡°Wow! ¡± Emma marveled.

    ¡°Since we can¡¯t preserve it with chemicals to ensure it doesn¡¯t loose it¡¯s taste, we sell it as soon as we can for the longer it stays, the more it reaches to it¡¯s expiry date. ¡± he exined while Emma nodded.

    ¡°Original Wine is expensive. ¡± affirmed Emma.

    ¡°So use it to attract the elites. ¡± Sam told her.

    ¡°Brand it and it will sell for itself. ¡± he added while Emma nodded.

    ¡°The particr wine you tastedsts longer than the original wine.  It tastes horrible but when refined,  it turns out well. ¡± exined Sam.

    ¡°This is the wine we sell at conventional ces and use it at shots. ¡± he told Emma.

    ¡°It is cheap and itsts longer so,  we advise that it should be serve with caution. Moderately. ¡± advised Sam.

    ¡°This. ¡± he said pointing to thest wine he is yet to talk about .

    ¡°This is a mixture of both original and treated wine. ¡± he said then got up to tighten the lids of the barrels.

    ¡°In business Emma. ¡± he told her as they were walking out of the warehouse.

    ¡°Don¡¯t joke with your main product and ensure you never run out of supplies. ¡± he maintained.

    ¡°The bars and clubs I have across towns sell liquor and every liquor served is targeted at a specific customer. ¡± he said locking the warehouse.

    ¡°So the elites take the original wine. The average people  take the mixed wine and the fully refined wine is consumed by locals? ¡± demanded Emma.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Agreed Sam.

    ¡°When running a bar business, never joke with the wine you serve your customers. ¡± Sam warned as they moved to his car.

    ¡°A bad drink can give your brand a bad name so in as much as you want to maintain the environment, the entertainers and workers, do not neglect the main product. ¡± hinted Sam.

    Emma nodded in understanding.

 CHAPTER 92: CUSTOMER SERVICE

    Sam and Emma returned to the penthouse after leaving the warehouse.

    ¡°Wee! ¡± Bryan greeted them with a cheerful smile.

    ¡°Dinner is ready. ¡± he announced.

    ¡°Thanks Bryan. ¡± Sam replied and Bryan nodded and left.

    ¡°Bryan is doing well. ¡± Emma pointed out as they sat in the dinning table.

    ¡°He sure is. ¡± agreed Sam.

    After having the dinner,  Sam bid Emma goodnight and headed to his room. Emma also retired to her room. She had a wonderful experience with Sam today and before going to bed, she read more chapters from the business book Sam had gifted her.

    ¡°Good morning. ¡± Emma greeted Bryan  while making her way to the dining table the next day.

    As usual, Bryan had already prepared a heathy breakfast for them.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Sam? ¡± she asked Bryan while grabbing an apple from the fruit basket on the table.

    ¡°He is still upstairs. ¡± replied Bryan who was still setting the table.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t woken up yet? ¡± she asked biting the apple.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. ¡± Bryan replied then exited the spot.

    Emma pulled a chair and few minutester,  Sam joined her.

    ¡°You arete today. ¡± Emma joked as Sam was approaching the dining.

    ¡°Good morning. ¡± he greeted her instead with a smile.

    ¡°Morning. ¡± she replied throwing an apple at him which he caught.

    ¡°Always start your day with an apple. ¡± she hinted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll always remember. ¡± Sam said then went ahead to take a bite from the apple.

    ¡°After breakfast, get dressed. We are going on a new adventure. ¡± Sam told Emma.

    ¡°I am beginning to love this business adventures. ¡± dered Emma while stirring her cup of coffee.

    ¡°I¡¯m d. ¡± Sam said with a nod.

    After about an hour, Emma was dressed in a tight blue jeans trousers and broWn

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± she told Sam.

    ¡°No. ¡± he declined.

    ¡°No?  Why? ¡± she demanded in confusion.

    ¡°You are not ready. ¡± said Sam.

    He was standing beside his car with the car key in his right right hand.

    ¡°We are going on a business meeting.¡± he said.

    ¡°Yea. I know and why do you think am not ready? ¡± argued Emma with her hands around her waist.

    ¡°Your outfit. ¡± he said pointing at her.

    ¡°When undertaking a business trip or participating in a business event, your looks must depict business. ¡± he told Emma while folding his hands. His back was resting on his car.

    ¡°I get it. ¡± Emma affirmed and she quickly ran upstairs.

    In less than five minutes, Emma had returned dressed in a ck suit with high heels.

    ¡°Now you are ready. ¡± Sam said and quickly opened the door for her.

    ¡°You look good by the way. ¡± heplemented her and she nodded and sat.

    Sam started the car and they drove to one of his bars in the city.

    ¡°Wee to one of SMITH¡¯S club in Los Angeles. ¡± Sam said presenting the bar to Emma pointing at the bold inscription.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get in. ¡± said Emma excitedly.

    Sam was d Emma was taking the business lessons and practicals he was introducing her to seriously.  He loved her earnest sense of enthusiasm and desire to learn more.  He quickly followed her into the bar.

    ¡°We will sit over there. ¡± he told her while pointing to a spot that had been reserved for them.

    ¡°Today, we will focus on customer service. There is no business meeting anyway ¡± he told Emma while pulling a chair for her.

    Emma stared at her outfit and chuckled.

    The bar tender quickly attended to them, bowed out of courtesy and left.

    ¡°Customer Service. ¡± Emma uttered staring at the whole ce.

    ¡°Listen.¡± Sam called her attention.

    ¡°They say in business, the customer is always right. ¡± stated Sam.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard so. ¡± Emma agreed with a nod.

    While in New York, Gideon will always tell her the customers are always right.

    ¡°From this spot, I want you to sit tight and observe. Can you do that? ¡± Sam requested of her.

    ¡°Of course. ¡± she quickly replied adjusting the chair she sat on so she could get a clearer view.

    ¡°I want you to have one thing in mind while you are observing. Customer service. ¡± highlighted Sam.

    Emma nodded and fixed her eyes on the ce.

    Few minutester, a middle aged man walked in and all the bar tender began to smile at him which Emma noticed.

    He ordered for a bottle of whisky and was given two.

    ¡°Thank You. Thanks a lot. ¡± the man kept saying happily .

    Emma wondered why he was giving two bottles of whisky when he only paid for one.

    ¡°The man is a regr here. ¡± Sam interrupted her thought.

    ¡°You must seduce your customers and make them addicted to your brand even if you¡¯ll run at a loss at times. ¡± exined Sam while Emma nodded.

    ¡°Their trust in you counts and through them, you will attract more customers who will cover up the loss. ¡± he told her.

    Emma nodded in understanding.

    Another man walked in. A young man of about twenty five years of age.

    ¡°The usual. ¡± he said while sitting on one of the bar stools.

    ¡°The bar tender filled a ss with wine and handed it to him.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± he said while collecting the ss.

    ¡°Put my name down.¡± the man said then got up and left without paying for the drink.

    Emma watched keenly as the bar tender pulled a record book from the drawer below and jotted something down.

    ¡°Learn to trust your customers. Approach them from the human angle. It¡¯s not always business and money. ¡± Sam said while Emma nodded with a smile.

    ¡°The man will pay for his drinkter. ¡± Sam added.

    ¡°However, ¡± Sam warned.

    ¡°Do not establish amon ground for your customers. They¡¯ll trample on you. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Learn to control them. ¡± he added

    ¡°That guy will pay for his drink in a week.  The credit limit for his category of drink is a week. The higher the price of the drink obtained on credit,  the longer the payment deadline. ¡± he confirmed.

    ¡°Wow! ¡± eximed Emma.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we offer credit services in the bar in Chicago? ¡± She questioned Sam.

    ¡°The bar in Chicago is thergest bar I have. That ce is a huge clubhouse and it attracts those whose avatar fit into it. Here, the customers are mostly peasants. ¡± exined Sam.

    ¡°Remember what I said about target market and audience attraction? ¡± asked Sam.

    ¡°I do. I get it now. ¡± Emma sharply replied.

    ¡°Next lesson. ¡± He told her.

 CHAPTER 93 :BUSINESS LESSONS : Business Associates.

    ¡°So what shall our next lesson be? ¡± Emma wondered out loud while rolling her eyes around the bar.

    ¡°Before then. ¡± began Sam.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°The role of business associates in any business is fundamental. ¡± he said.

    ¡°When your business partner falls, you go down with him hence the need for you to strengthen one another. ¡± hinted Sam to Emma.

    She nodded.

    ¡°I think I should be jotting these points down. ¡± Emma told Sam after chuckling.

    ¡°You are a smart woman. ¡± Emma he professed.

    Emma blushed and lowered her head.

    ¡°Herees our next lesson. ¡°announced Sam pointing to a chubby short man who just walked into the bar.

    The man approached the bar tender who directed him to the spot Emma and Sam sat.  Sam waved at him and he quickly began walking towards them.

    The man then pulled a chair next to Emma and sat.

    ¡°Hello Sam. ¡± he said extending his right hand to Sam.

    Sam immediately shook him and responded.

    ¡°Hello Tom.¡±

    ¡°This is Emma. ¡± Sam introduced Emma to Tom while pointing at her.

    Emma bowed and silently uttered  ¡°hello.¡±

    ¡°Emma this is Tom. ¡± Sam said to her facing Tom.

    Tom smiled at her brightly and Emma immediately noticed his cigarette infested teeth.

    ¡°I got your text message Tom. ¡± Sam began still facing him

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m in the city that¡¯s why I suggested we meet here today. ¡± he told him.

    ¡°What can I offer you? ¡± Sam asked him.

    ¡°No am good. Am fine. ¡± objected Tom.

    ¡°Are you sure? ¡± Sam asked him and he declined again.

    ¡°If you say so. ¡± Sam maintained.

    ¡°You can go ahead Tom. Emma is a friend. ¡± Sam said.

    Meanwhile, Emma had been looking intently at Tom from the moment he sat close to her. He wore a tight shirt and she could see the different folds of his fat belly from it.

    ¡°Thank You for inviting me Sam. ¡± Tom began after heaving a deep sigh.

    ¡°Sam if I don¡¯t get this money I¡¯ll perish. My wife and kids Sam. Who will take care of them? ¡±  Tommented.

    Emma noticed how the cheerful fat man who just walked into the bar a moment ago had transformed to this emotional broken personality before her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Tom. ¡± Sam consoled him with few taps on his shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll have the check signed and sent to your office with immediate effect. ¡± Sam promised.

    Tom immediately cheered up and his sudden gloomy face began to light up.

    ¡°Thank you so much Sam for this act of kindness. I¡¯ll never forget this. ¡± Tom swore and left the ce after shaking both Sam and Emma.

    ¡°Tom is one of my business associates in Los Angeles. He texted mest week requesting for two million. ¡± Sam revealed to Emma.

    ¡°What for? ¡± she inquired.

    ¡°The man has a terminal diseases and he needs all the money he can get his hands on for an immediate surgery. ¡± Sam replied while pouring more wine into his almost empty ss.

    ¡°Oh my God that¡¯s bad. ¡± Emmamented with a sad expression.

    ¡°Tom owns one of the vineyards that farms and supplies wine to us in Los Angeles.¡± Sam further exined to Emma while extending to her the bottle of wine. She took it from him.

    ¡°He got ill and it seems his ie can¡¯t cover up for his health demands so he reached out to me. ¡± he said.

    That¡¯s sad Emma thought.

    ¡°And you just loaned him some money? ¡± Emma asked Sam after pouring wine into her ss.

    ¡°No. ¡± replied Sam.

    ¡°But you just did. ¡± she pointed out.

    ¡°Later, I¡¯ll  call him after sending him the check to inform him that it isn¡¯t a loan but a gift instead. ¡± Sam revealed.

    ¡°Oh my God Sam. ¡± Emma said slowly.

    He winked at her and sipped his wine. Emma looked at Sam and smiled inwardly at his act of kindness. Sam is such a generous man she thought.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me that way. ¡± chided Sam.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the first man to gift out two million to someone. ¡± Sam told Emma.

    She smiled and said ¡°I love how your business operates Sam. ¡±

    He smiled back and lifted his ss to her.

    ¡°Cheers. ¡± they chorused shing their ss together.

    Before they got into the car and headed for the penthouse, Sam educated Emma more on the concept of customer service and working with business partners. He gave her practical examples and rified her on issues she had problems with.

    After that, he taught her how to different passionate business partners from the cheats and opened her eyes to the realities of fraudsters.

    Emma¡¯s prior knowledge from Gideon¡¯s business about the bar and her theoretical knowledge of financial ounting made her easilyprehend how the business works within a short while.

    After they got back to the penthouse, Emma offered to assist Bryan in the kitchen which he found pleasing. Together, they made lunch and Emma ensured Bryan joined them at the table.

    ¡°What¡¯s up forter?  ¡± Emma asked Sam after they were done eating and were rxing in the living room.

    ¡°That¡¯s all for today. ¡± Sam replied while operating the remote.

    ¡°Ohe on. I want to learn more. ¡± insisted Emma.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you focus on the book I gave you. ¡± suggested Sam.

    ¡°With time, you¡¯ll learn more. ¡± he told her while supporting his head with a pillow.  Emma was seating adjacent him on the carpet.

    ¡°There are some things you will only learn when you start running a business. ¡± Sam outlined while yawning.

    Emma realized Sam was dosing off on the sofa.

    He must be stressed out she thought.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some rest. ¡± she offered turning down the volume of the Television.

    ¡°You sit here and enjoy your movie. ¡± Sam told her.

    He immediately got up and stretched himself lifting his hands up to the sky.

    ¡°I¡¯ll rest inside. ¡± he said then started hurrying upstairs.

    Emma smiled and watched him as he made his way upstairs.

 CHAPTER 94: HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA

    ¡®Meet me in Royal Cafe at 10 ¡® Emma read Sam¡¯s text the moment she reached for her phone after waking up that morning.

    She yawned and cleaned her drowsy eyes before dragging her self to the bathroom.

    After showering, Emma wore a beautiful long ck gown and decorated her hair around her shoulders. She applied a light make up on and came outside the penthouse.

    She looked around oughting for Bryan who seemed out of reach. A range rover pulled in front of the penthouse and Bryan stepped out of the car.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be your chauffeur today. ¡± Bryan dered and smiled.

    Emma chuckled and moved to the car. Bryan was smartly dressed.

    ¡°To Royal Cafe ma¡¯am. ¡± Bryan said then started the car engine.

    Few minutester, Bryan had parked the car in front of Royal Cafe and helped Emma get out.

    ¡°My boss is waiting for you inside. ¡± Bryan told Emma pointing to the cafe.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± Emma said and walked into the cafe.

    When Emma pushed the door knob, the lights began to illuminate the whole ce one after the other. While Emma marveled at the spectacle before her,  arge cake was standing in the middle of the room and the whole ce was decorated with natural flowers.  A well decorated inscription with the tag ¡® HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA. ¡® hung on the wall.

    Emma was shocked and she stood motionless. Her eyes were wide open and her jaw dropped. Before she coulde to terms with what was going on,  Sam popped out of nowhere handing over to her a bouquet of flowers while two men from the end of the cafe yed a birthday tune from their saxophone.

    Emma epted the flower bouquet from Sam and for a moment said nothing. She was stunned.

    ¡°Happy birthday Emma. ¡± Sam wished her with a hug.

    ¡°What a surprise? ¡± she finally spoke while staring at the whole ce.

    The saxophone yers left while Sam led Emma to a table of delicacies.

    ¡°Oh my God Sam. ¡± she marveled cing her hand on her chest.

    ¡°Sit. ¡± he told her while pulling out a chair  for her to seat.

    ¡°How did you know? ¡± Emma asked Sam after she sat.

    Sam knew Emma never told him about her birthday so he smiled while she wondered how he found out about it.

    ¡°I did my research well. ¡± he said presenting the cake before her.

    ¡°Happy birthday once again. ¡± he wished her.

    ¡°Make a wish. * he told her.

    Emma immediately shut her eyes and blew off the burning candles on the cake. She pulled the knife stuck to it downwards while Sam pped and cheered for her.

    ¡°Where are the customers here? ¡± asked Emma while looking around the cafe.

    ¡°I booked the whole ce today. ¡± replied Sam and Emma blushed.

    ¡°Here. ¡± she said while extending arge piece of cake to Sam whose mouth was wide opened.

    He ate it then cut out a part of the cake and fed her too.

    ¡°Dig in. ¡® he told her shoving the cake to the side.

    Emma was confused on which meal to try first while Sam observed her smiling inwardly.

    On the table before her were a collection of fruits, some baked snacks, a box of chocte, some sea food, a te of well cooked salmon, chicken sauce and more.

    ¡°Thank You very much Sam. ¡±mended Emma after they were done eating.

    ¡°This is the tip of the iceberg. ¡± Sam said while handing to Emma a sealed envelope.

    ¡°What¡¯s that? ¡± she asked after collecting the envelope from him.

    She carefully opened it and shook the well folded piece of paper.

    ¡°What? ¡± she screamed after reading the single document.

    ¡°You must be joking. ¡± she quickly added cing the paper before Sam.

    ¡°I can¡¯t take this. ¡± she maintained.

    ¡°You will Emma.¡± stated Sam.

    He must be joking she thought and chuckled.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this Emma and believe me I have no better recement than you. ¡± he said shifting the document to her side.

    ¡°Sam you can¡¯t just sign your business to me. What are you thinking? ¡± she yelled at him.

    ¡°Please Emma. ¡± begged Sam.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this and I have no regrets. If you don¡¯t ept this, I will hurt terribly. ¡± he argued staring directly into her eyes.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this. I can¡¯t manage your business Sam. ¡± hesitated Emma.

    ¡°And where will you be by the way?¡± she further asked him.

    ¡°Australia. ¡± he sharply replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going to Australia to secure a spot in the market and live there. I will like you to take over my business henceforth. ¡± he told Emma slightly hitting the table.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. ¡± Emma disagreed while shaking her head.

    ¡°There are lots of people qualified for this position. I barely have an experience. I am not qualified for this task. ¡± she exined.

    ¡°Will you reject my birthday gift to you? ¡± Sam asked her.

    ¡°Come on Sam.¡± She said.

    ¡°Please Emma. Do this for me. I have a strong conviction you can handle this.¡± dered Sam.

    ¡°I can never think of any other person in the to take this while am away in Australia. ¡± he added.

    Emma couldn¡¯t say a word.

    ¡°So Emma. I will entirely hand over my business to you. ¡± he announced looking into her eyes

    ¡°I¡¯ ept the offer and I promise to do my best. ¡± agreed Emma.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± replied Sam.

    He quickly ran to her side and hugged her.

    Sam and Emma got out of the cafe and Bryan drove them home. When they got there, there was a private jet already parked in front of the pent house.

    ¡°We are set for take off sir. ¡± the pilot told Sam immediately they got out of the car.

    ¡°Are you leaving now? ¡± enquired Emma.

    ¡°Yes. Right away. ¡± replied Sam while Emma held her mouth.

    He went closer to her, hugged her tightly and whispered to her ears ¡°The penthouse is now yours.¡±

    Emma took few steps backwards and her lips began to tremble in astonishment.

    Sam then made his way into the private jet and waved at Emma and Bryan. Emma barely lifted her palm up. She was still in shock. Few minutester, Sam had vanished from sight.

    ¡°Unto new beginnings. ¡± Emma said and went into the penthouse.

 CHAPTER 95: NEW BEGINNINGS

    Seven monthster, Emma was seated in the conference room awaiting some clients.

    She was well dressed in a in trouser with a matching jacket on. Her shoes were high andfortable and her expensive hand bag established its presence on the table.

    ¡°They are here. ¡± announced the messenger.

    ¡°Show them in. ¡± she told him while adjusting her jacket.

    Few secondster, the messenger had led a group of three men and ady into the conference room where Emma was seating.

    ¡°Wee! ¡± she said to them the moment they walked in.

    ¡°Sit please. ¡± she added pointing to the vacant chairs in the conference room.

    Soon, the men anddy were seated while Emma sent for light refreshments for them.

    ¡°I went through several proposals. ¡± began Emma while fiddling the pages of the stapled documents before her.

    ¡°I must say you guys have the best proposal. ¡± shemended them.

    They smiled at one another.

    ¡°However, countered Emma. ¡± while closing the file.

    ¡°Thispany operates on the basic principles of efficiency and loyalty among others. Therefore, give me reasons why thispany should sign this deal with you. ¡± she stated with her hands stretched on the table.

    ¡°We have something for you. ¡± said one of the men which Emma assumed to be their leader.

    He opened his bag and presented a bottle of wine to Emma. The bottle was green and not branded.

    ¡°This is a product of our harvest. ¡± he continued after Emma collected the bottle from him.

    ¡°Our grapes are fresh and you can see photographs of our fertile farnds and healthy fruits attached to the proposal. However, a taste will work better. ¡± the man said pointing to the table before her.

    ¡°We will produce more grape fruits and thus more wine for you as long as thispany will cover up staff sries and production expenses. ¡± exined the man.

    Emma immediately opened the bottle and sipped the wine.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste bad¡± she attested and returned the cap back on the bottle.

    ¡°Your farnd has a lingering court case with VD vines. ¡± Emma pointed out while the men stared at each other. They didn¡¯t expect Emma to bring up that issue.

    ¡°I am the businesswyer of thepany. ¡± thedy amongst them finally spoke and immediately stood up.

    ¡°Sit. ¡± Emma told her and she sat.

    ¡°Go ahead. ¡°offered Emma.

    ¡°The major reason for the lingering court case is finance. ¡± thewyer continued .

    ¡°If we can get enough finance, then we can take the case to the state high court and im right over our  property soonest. ¡± assured thedy.

    Emma ced her back on the chair and said.

    ¡°If LIAS offers you money to clear the court case by getting a quick hearing from the state high court, what will your payback constitute? ¡±

    ¡°Also. ¡± continued Emma without giving them a chance toment on the first issue she pointed out.

    ¡°If LIAS facilitates more wine production and pays all the staff you¡¯ve been owing sries of about three months, what will your pay back be? ¡± she asked them.

    They stared at each  other and Emma read their minds. They were wondering how she discovered they were in a financial mess.

    ¡°I have a proposal for you people. ¡± she said fondling the tip of her pen.

    ¡°We will finance your court case and ensure it gets cleared and we will also finance more wine production and clear your debts. ¡± offered Emma.

    ¡°In return, ¡± she continued.

    ¡°Your farnds will supply us with a thousand barrels of wine each year till the end of the contract period which willst for three years. ¡± she exined.

    ¡°Do we have a deal gentlemen or should we allow the ountant finish his work first.¡± she pointed to the guy in the middle who was punching numbers and writing down figures on a in sheet.

    ¡°Give us some minutes please. ¡± thewyer suggested.

    ¡°Of course. ¡± Emma agreed.

    ¡°Take your time. ¡± she told them and left the conference room.

    Emma stood outside the conference hall and smiled inwardly. When she tasted the wine they offered her,  Emma could swear it was the best grape wine she had ever tasted in her life instead, shemented that it was average.

    Before inviting them for the meeting, she had researched on all the proposal offers sent to thepany and she discovered that they were the weakest clients but she praised them in the conference room as the best.

    They were wallowing in debts and Emma knew their desperate state was good for business.  She chuckled over the way she had been smartly handling the business for the past seven months and she knew she was doing excellent.

    Tom had died. He didn¡¯t survive the surgery and they were running out of wine since Tom¡¯s vineyard crashed after his demise.  Emma began oughting for proposals and didn¡¯t show the public how desperate thepany was for original wine.

    Meanwhile, she had ced Tom¡¯s two daughters on thepany¡¯s life insurance policy.

    ¡°Tick tock. ¡± Emma said after ncing at her fancy wrist watch.

    ¡°Time to sign a deal. ¡± she added and dashed into the conference room.

    ¡°We ept the offer. ¡± the team leader said after Emma walked back into the conference room.

    She smiled knowing they would ept it. She had already calcted it and counted the cost and sorted the expenses and profitst night before presenting the offer to them.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sign here. ¡± Emma said presenting a contract document to their leader.

    He signed and Emma appended her signature too.

    ¡°You will hear from our ountants soonest. ¡± Emma assured them and they left the conference room feeling excited.

    Emma sat on the table and smiled proudly over hertest achievement. She can¡¯t wait to share it with Sam.

    Suddenly her phone began to ring.

    ¡°Mother! ¡± she excitedly called our after picking the call.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine mother. ¡± she said with a nod.

    ¡°And Dad? ¡± she further asked.

    ¡°Yes I¡¯ll being back to New York tonight. ¡± Emma told her mother.

 CHAPTER 96: NEW YORK

    ¡°Have an incredible stay in New York ma¡¯am.¡± the pilot wished Emma after the private jetnded in the airport in New York.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± she replied with a bright smile.

    She  held her hand bag firmly and carefully walked out of the private jet.

    Emma was looking entirely  differentpared to how she was three years ago when she left. It was as if she had been re-created.

    She traced her steps down the jet. Emma¡¯s  hair is now very long and its length was around her waist. Her long hair is  straight and wavy at the tip. Emma now looks like a model .

    She was as curvy as ever. Her skin glowed and her teeth were sparkling more than ever.  She took more steps further away from the jet after stepping out of it. She was still in the airport area.

    She wore a skimpy purple dress decorated with diamond stones scattered around it. Her glossy ck shoe and designer hand bag could qualify her for a movie star.  She carefully flipped her beautiful hair and her hazel eyes were looking around the airport of New York.

    Such an incredible transformation around here she thought as she observed the recently constructed features and newly erected buildings. She was certain the ce wasn¡¯t like that when she left three years ago for Chicago.

    Three years ago,  Emma recalled how she had left this town devastated, very  angry and she left feeling betrayed. When she was leaving the airport, feelings of grief and sadness haunted her and she never thought she could ovee it.

    ¡°That was then Emma. ¡± she muttered to herself.

    Now, she was here feeling like she owned New York city which she nned to do very soon. She smiled inwardly over the thoughts she have for this beautiful city. As far as she is concerned, she hade to establish her presence and show the business side of her.

    After moving farther away  from the jet,  Emma then headed to the ck polished Benz awaiting her arrival outside the airport area.

    ¡°Wee Ma¡¯am. ¡± greeted her driver with a smile.

    ¡°Hello. ¡± replied Emma smiling back.

    Her driver opened the door and they plunged into the car, then set out to her parent¡¯s home. Emma was smiling. She brought out her phone and texted Sam.

    ¡®I¡¯ve  arrived in New York.¡¯ she messaged him and didn¡¯t get a reply.

    Emma looked through the Benz window and she could tell how the city had change. For her, the change was rapid. She kept swinging her head from side to side through the window looking at the city. The driver noticed this act and he spoke.

    ¡°For how long have you been away ma¡¯am? ¡± he asked her while they were stuck in traffic.

    ¡°Three years. ¡± replied Emma.

    ¡°I left three years ago. ¡± she added.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite long. ¡±mented the driver.

    ¡°And since then you didn¡¯t step into the city even once? ¡± he asked her while driving.

    The road was clear now and they were out of traffic.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never showed up since thest three years. ¡± she admitted resting her back on the chair.

    The driver nodded and adjusted the front mirror.

    Emma knew probably the driver must be thinking she loved Chicago so much that she didn¡¯te to her hometown even once since thest three years.

    If only he knew the injuries this city inflicted on her. But that was then. She assured herself and smiled halfway celebrating her healing.

    In her mind,  Emma admitted  how much she had missed New York and how different it looks. She wondered whether the recreational centers she knew were still the same or perhaps more colorful now.  She thought about the restaurants and shopping malls she loved in the city and wondered what kind of alterations the had now.

    She then thought about Mike. Emma knew that she would miss him. Mike made her stay in Chicago more eventful. He introduced her to different recipes, new books and always looked out for her. Emma always felt Mike is the neighbor everyone needs.

    Last week while she was still in Los Angeles, Mike had informed her that he was heading back to Florida with his sister to make up for lost times. Emma was meant to understand that Mike needed to catch up with Natalie to make up for all the lost years thus the need for some family reunion.

    ¡°I will miss you Mike. * Emma had told him when he called her.

    ¡°I will miss you more Emma. ¡± he had replied.

    He had also told her to take care of herself promising they would stay in touch and she wished him well before ending the call.

    ¡°Are we there yet? ¡± Emma asked her driver sitting up properly.

    ¡°Almost. ¡± he replied.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°We will be there in about three minutes. ¡± he promised and Emma nodded.

    Emma fell back on the chair. She had missed her parents and couldn¡¯t wait to meet them. Even though they spoke consistently on the phone, Emma was yearning to see them, touch them and professed to them how much she had missed them. She also missed Peter her cousin and who was staying with her parents. She heard he was done with college now.

    ¡°We are here. ¡± announced the driver after parking the car in front of her parent¡¯s house.

    Emma quickly got out of the car and marveled at the change which urred in her street. Her house was no longer pink. It was renovated and painted blue.

    Emma couldn¡¯t wait to get into her parent¡¯s house.

    ¡°Mom! ¡± she screamed from the outside while the driver was getting her luggage from the car.

    ¡°Dad! ¡± she screamed.

    Her parent¡¯s came out running towards her. Emma ran to meet them and the three hugged each other for a long time.

    *I¡¯ve missed you my child. ¡± her mother said amidst sobs.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you guys more. ¡± Emma replied and immediately cleaned the tear running down her cheeks.

    ¡°No tears Pearl. No tears. ¡± cautioned her father.

    The two women chuckled while the driver walked pass them taking Emma¡¯s luggage into the house.

    ¡°And Peter? ¡± Emma asked after they broke away from their emotional embrace.

    ¡°He is in the kitchen cooking a storm. ¡± told her father with a smile.

    ¡°Wee home Emma. ¡± her mother said hugging her again.

 CHAPTER 97: FAMILY REUNION

    Emma¡¯s mother led her into the house which was almost filled up with guests and well wishers.

    ¡°Wee home Emma.¡± the people chorused.

    A delighted Emma smiled and thanked them for  their warm wee and kind gesture.

    ¡°Emma will freshen up and join us soonest. ¡± her father told the guests.

    Emma nodded and made her way to her room. She collided with Peter her cousin who had a tray of freshly baked cookies in his left hand.

    ¡°Wee back Emma. ¡± he smiled and rushed to hug her from his right side.

    ¡°Thank You Peter. ¡± she said with a smile.

    ¡°You look amazing. I mean I couldn¡¯t almost recognize you. ¡± he confessed while Emma chuckled and replied ¡°Thanks Peter. ¡±

    ¡°You are not looking bad either. ¡± shemended him and he smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll freshen up and join you downstairs shortly. ¡± she said to him pointing to her room.

    ¡°Of course. ¡± he quickly replied and as Emma walked away,  Peter turned around to stare at her, marveling over her incredible transformation.

    Emma walked to her room and stared at the space. Aside it¡¯s blue walls, nothing has changed. It had been her room since she was a child and after marrying Gideon, she left but checked on it any time she dropped by to see her parents even though she didn¡¯t sleep in it. When she and Gideon fell apart. She returned to her parent¡¯s house, stayed in her room for a while before leaving for Chicago.

    She quickly headed to the bathroom after recalling that family members and well wishers were waiting for her downstairs.

    She showered, wore a morefortable gown and joined the people downstairs.

    As Emma was making her way to the living room, she felt the eyes of the people all over her body. She knew they were admiring her new dashing figure while others pondered whether it was the Emm they had always known.

    She slowly moved to her father¡¯s side and sat beside him.

    ¡°Stop staring at my princess like that. You guys might as well tell her how gorgeous she looks instead. ¡± her father said.

    The people rumbled inughter and Emma stifled. Peter had already served them the freshly baked cookies and was arranging the drinks on arge tray. He reminded Emma of the bar tenders in Chicago.

    ¡°To Emma my dearest. ¡± her father said standing up with a ss of wine.

    He was making a toast.

    ¡°To Emma. ¡± the people chorused and cheered.

    The people took turns to briefly greet Emma. Some asked where she had been and what her experience had been in thest three years. She gave them slight details and smiled very often.

    Emma identified her distant cousins, aunts and step uncles from the people present. Some of the guests were her parent¡¯s neighbors and friends which she doesn¡¯t recognize.

    After about an hour of well wishing, wining and dining, the people left after her mother thanked them.

    Emma was left in the living room with her parent¡¯s and Peter who was cleaning the ce.

    ¡°I must say you look hot. ¡±mended Pearl.

    Emma broke outughing and so did her father and Peter.

    ¡°I could barely recognize her.¡± hinted Peter as he moved to the kitchen with the dirty dishes.

    ¡°Chicago treated me well. And so did Los Angeles, the Bahamas, Rome and other ces I¡¯ve been to in thest three years. ¡± boasted Emma.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Wow! ¡± eximed her father folding his arms on his seat.

    ¡°I told you your daughter had been evolving. ¡± Pearl said facing her husband.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been working hard towards building my empire dad. ¡± Emma replied.

    Her father nodded feeling extremely proud.

    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you my child. ¡± professed her father.

    Emma nodded and smiled while her mother patted her shoulder.

    Suddenly, Emma¡¯s cellphone which was beside her on the sofa began to ring.

    ¡°Hello! ¡± she responded after answering the call.

    Her parent¡¯s noticed how she kept nodding.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in thirty minutes. ¡± she told the caller and immediately stood up.

    ¡°You just came to town Emma. ¡± outlined her father.

    ¡°Where are you heading to? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°I need to go and see the bar I¡¯ll be opening soon. ¡± she told her parents who disyed a surprised face.

    ¡°The first bar I¡¯ll be opening in New York. ¡± she quickly added.

    ¡°You just came to town and you are opening a bar already? ¡± asked her father.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made contacts before I stepped into town dad. ¡± replied Emma with a smile.

    ¡°All the best my child. ¡± said her mother.

    Emma got up, hugged her parents and went to her room upstairs. She dressed smartly and went out of the house. The driver took her to the bar where she was to meet with her caller.

    Emma walked into the bar and was greeted by the man who called her.

    ¡°Jerome. ¡± she greeted recognizing her.

    ¡°Wee. ¡± he told her after standing up.

    ¡°This is the ce. ¡± he told her presenting the bar to her.

    Emma began taking a tour of the little ce. She examined the sofa¡¯s and went to the main bar.

    ¡°This ce needs to be lifted a bit higher so the customers canfortably rest on the stools. ¡± she told Jerome pointing to the bar stand.

    ¡°Once the deal is signed, you can effect all the changes you want. ¡± he assured her.

    She smile and headed into the little office. She came out and  examined the game tables then she climbed the stage where performers entertained the customers.

    She ced her hands on the bar tables and examined the sses, wine collection and serving trays.

    ¡°I love the ce. ¡± she said.

    ¡°It needs some renovation though. ¡± Emma pointed out.

    The man took out a file from his bag and ced it on the bar counter. He opened the file and ced a pen on the document he had opened before Emma.

    Emma took the pen and singed on the document. She closed it and handed the file back to the man.

    ¡°The ce is yours. ¡± he dered and smiled.

    He then left.

    Emma stood behind and smiled at her  first bar in New York city.

 CHAPTER 98: A LOSS

    Gideon stared at the documents before his table in confusion n. In fact, he was frustrated.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    He had sent a proposal to ZINOX bar a month ago after they dered that they were letting out one of their bars. Gideon¡¯s proposal waster sent back to him. He lost the deal.

    Gideon was furious when the news came because he was more than certain that the right of the bar will be granted to him thus expanding his ownership and branches but his hopes got shattered when the news came.

    Now, on the table before him was another rejected deal he wanted to sign a week ago with BIGONS cafe. They sent him a letter announcing the canceling of the deal stating in the statement they sent that they were going for another brand who had their interest in mind.

    Gideon fumed and was repeatedly hitting  his table. He loosened his neck tie and clean the sweat dripping from his face even though the air conditioner was on.

    Gideon couldn¡¯t remember loosing out any deal or contract untiltely when investors started turning him down and his proposals were sent back. He didn¡¯t see iting and he wondered where the problem was emanating from.

    As far as he is concerned, he is the talk of the town in respect to his chain of clubs and bars and he is not bent on relenting. He had been working really hard sincest year to expand his business and own New York City but it seems his dreams are heading for the mud.

    Gideon dialed Judy¡¯s phone number summoning her in his office immediately. Judy instantly got up and headed to his office after hanging up the call.

    ¡°Come in. ¡± he told her after she knocked.

    ¡°Good morning. ¡± she greeted him and sat on one of the chairs opposite him.

    Judy¡¯s attention was drawn to Gideon¡¯s table and she noticed the scattered documents. She saw how Gideon¡¯s neck tie was falling off and he was sweating. She looked up and saw that the air conditioner was still on.

    ¡°Are you okay? ¡± she voiced out.

    Gideon rubbed his forehead, he finally took off his neck tie and ced it on the table before him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not okay Judy. ¡± he yelled at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to scream at you. I¡¯m terribly sorry Judy. ¡± he apologized scratching his head.

    Judy nodded in understanding.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Sir. ¡± she replied feigning a smile.

    ¡°Look at this. ¡± he called her attention to the papers on his table.

    He then turned the documents around and moved it closer to Judy who quickly picked them up.

    ¡°Oh my God! ¡± proimed Judy with her eyes rolled up and down the file she was holding.

    ¡°This is a mess. ¡± she dered.

    Gideon agreed with a nod.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening Judy? ¡±mented Gideon.

    ¡°We lost a deal. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Again. ¡® he hinted.

    ¡°Calm down Sir. ¡± Judy said demonstrating with her hands.

    About a month ago. ¡± began Judy while Gideon watched her paying full attention.

    ¡°When we lost that deal with ZINOX bar,  I conducted a research trying to figure out who snatched the deal from us. ¡± narrated Judy.

    ¡°Any results? ¡± inquired Gideon who sat up.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± she replied.

    ¡°There is this new brand in town sir who is into the exact kind of business we do. ¡± revealed Judy.

    ¡°Of course there have always been rival brands Judy. ¡± Gideon interrupted her.

    ¡°Listen Sir. ¡± she said.

    ¡°This is a new brand that moved to town few months ago. ¡± exined Judy.

    ¡°The brand took the deal from ZINOX away from us. The brand I am taking about is currently making waves in the city and from all indication, it is rapidly making a name for itself thereby attracting more partners and investors. ¡± Judy further exined with her hands stretched forth on Gideon¡¯s table.

    ¡°So who is this brand taking over my glory? ¡± questioned Gideon.

    ¡°From my research, the brand is called LIA. ¡± Judy replied.

    ¡°Lia? ¡± demanded Gideon.

    Judy nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard about it. ¡± confessed Gideon.

    ¡°It is new and it is stealing the show. ¡± stated Judy.

    Gideon fell back on his chair and heaved a deep sigh while Judy observed how tensed he looked.

    ¡°We need to re -strategize. ¡± hinted Gideon.

    ¡°I willmunicate with our research unit and give them an Intel of what is at stake. ¡± Judy assured Gideon.

    ¡°They need to put all hands on deck and they need to be fast about it¡± Gideon stated.

    ¡°We can¡¯t afford more loses. ¡± he added.

    ¡°I assure you sir we will get to the root of this matter. ¡± said Judy.

    ¡°Meanwhile, I will do my part to get more information on this Lia brand. ¡± she further assured Gideon.

    ¡°We need more information about the brand. ¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°Judy you need to find out who owns the brand, their branches, business associates and investors. ¡± assigned Gideon to Judy.

    ¡°I will Sir. ¡± she promised and nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave now. ¡± Judy announced her exit and left Gideon¡¯s office.

    Gideon cupped his face inside his palms pondering about the possibility of his business crashing in New York.

    He knew how important his business is to him. After refusing to ept funds from his mother which she imed he inherited from his father, Gideon obtained a loan which he repaid in due course. He knew he could stand anywhere and boast that he started his business from a scratch and that is why he always ensured he worked hard and invested into it.

    After Ryan¡¯s death and Emmalia¡¯s exit from his life, his business crashed and Gideon bore the loss but he promised himself that it won¡¯t happen again. He then vowed to make his business flourish no matter the odds.

    With this LIA rival brand making waves in the city, Gideon knew he needed to ce all hands on deck. He began arranging the scattered documents on his table.

    Meanwhile, Judy was in her office recollecting the state in which she had seen Gideon earlier.  She hated how sorrowful and worried he looked.

    She made up her mind to uncover who the owner of theirtest rival brand is.

 CHAPTER 99 :JUDYéˆ¥æ©² OBSESSION

    Judy stopped a taxi and asked the driver to drop her in a restaurant at the outskirt of the city. She crossed her legs in the car and rested her back on the chair as the taxi driver drove her.

    ¡°We are here Ma¡¯am. ¡± the taxi driver announced.

    Judy felt the drive was too short or rather her mind was so upied that she didn¡¯t realized she had reached her destination. She stepped out of car and paid her fare.

    ¡°Where are you? ¡± she inquired after cing a phone call.

    She nodded and headed into the restaurant cing her phone bag into her purse.

    ¡°Hello. ¡± she greeted the man she came to meet.

    ¡°Hello Judy. ¡± he greeted back with a smile.

    ¡°You look worn out. ¡± he pointed out while she sat.

    The man was having a ss of lemon juice when Judy walked in.

    ¡°Any orders? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°No I¡¯m fine. ¡± she replied shaking her palms dering herck of interest in the menu.

    ¡°Come on Judy. Have something. ¡± insisted the man.

    ¡°No thanks. ¡± she disagreed.

    ¡°Not even water? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Okay fine. ¡± she finally yielded and the man asked the nearest waitress to get a cold bottle of water for Judy.

    The man looked at Judy as she emptied the bottle water into the ss before her. He noticed how worried she was and he knew something was wrong. The Judy he meets with once in a while is always bold, cheerful and full of master ns.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter Judy? ¡± he asked her after she was done drinking the water.

    ¡°You look worried. ¡± he hinted as she was keeping the empty ss on the table.

    Judy cleared her throat, adjusted her jacket and said

    ¡°There¡¯s a problem in the office. ¡±

    ¡°Problem? ¡± asked the man.

    ¡°Yes and we need to tackle it else thepany will go down. ¡± she told him.

    ¡°Listen Judy. ¡± he called her attention with his hands on the table.

    ¡°I understand you care about Gideon but remember the n. Do not divert from our path. ¡± he warned.

    ¡°What do you mean? ¡± Judy almost screamed at him.

    ¡°Gideon is the focus. ¡± he replied.

    ¡°Focus on him. ¡± he further told her.

    ¡°How am I supposed to focus on him when he isn¡¯t focusing? ¡± she argued.

    ¡°Listen! ¡± Judy said staring into his eyes.

    ¡°I know the n. Don¡¯t you trust me? ¡± she demanded with her palms wide open.

    She beganughing at the man.

    ¡°The n still stands. I marry Gideon and you take over thepany. ¡± revealed Judy.

    ¡°It seems like you loosing focus. ¡± he said to her.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not. ¡± she assured him with a smile.

    ¡°You can¡¯t take over a crumbling business. ¡± she said to him resting  her back on the chair.

    ¡°There is a rivalpany in town making waves in the city. ¡± began Judy.

    ¡°The brand is called LIA and it has managed to secure more deals in it¡¯s few months of existence. ¡± she exined.

    ¡°Who owns the brand? ¡± the man asked her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know and it is frustrating. You see why I am looking all fucked up? ¡± she asked him lifting up her brows.

    ¡°Thispany is taking over our target investors and associates. In fact, it is our mainpetition. ¡± Judy proimed.

    ¡°We have incurred losses in thest month. ¡± she continued.

    ¡°We have lost deals and this is having a huge effect on Gideon¡¯s state. ¡± she said looking at the wall.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all the shit going on in the office. ¡± the man sympathized with her.

    ¡°Nevertheless Judy do not divert from the original n. Stealing thatpany is our main priority. ¡± confessed the man.

    ¡°Oh please don¡¯t remind me. I know what we must do. ¡± she replied smiling.

    ¡°Wait till I am Mrs. Gideon Romero. Once am married to him, everything he owns will be yours. ¡± professed Judy.

    ¡°Then focus and get more closer to him than ever. ¡± advised the man.

    ¡°Of course I will. I am trying my best ¡± she replied.

    ¡°Once I uncover more information about that LIA brand and put them in their ce, Gideon will be so delighted and this act will usher me into his heart. ¡± she said then began biting her lower lip.

    Whenever Judy mentioned Gideon, the man always noticed how her pupils dte, how her smile widens and how enthusiastic she is when talking about him. He knew Judy has strong feelings for Gideon and he keeps hoping these obsession of her¡¯s doesn¡¯t ruin their long time n. He always knew Judy loved Gideon but he was scared the love was turning into an obsession.

    ¡°You know I have no interest in Gideon¡¯s business right? ¡± she told the man while looking at him.

    ¡°Why do you think  I am his personal assistant and secretary? ¡± she asked him.

    The man knew the answer but didn¡¯t voice it out.

    ¡°So I can be around him all day long. ¡± Judy responded and startedughing out loud.

    ¡°I can¡¯t take my eyes off him. When am away from him for a minute, I feel lost. His presence has a way of making me feel good and those sparking eyes of his turn me on. I just can¡¯t wait to have him inside me ¡± she dered while the man watched her in astonishment.

    Her eyes met with the man and she beganughing like a psychopath which the man found weird.

    ¡°I want Gideon more than I¡¯ve ever wanted anything in my life. His fragrance sets my heart on fire and when he smiles,  I can watch him do that for a long while.¡± she continued revealing her fantasies to the man who kept looking at her without a word.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to make him mine. I can¡¯t wait to be his wife. ¡± she stated staring at the sky with her back on the chair.

    She broke outughing again.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Stop it! ¡± the man screamed at her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough. ¡± he added.

 CHAPTER 100: THE GRAND OPENING

    ¡°Hurry up Emma. ¡± Pearl gave out a friendly scream to her daughter who was getting dressed upstairs. It was around 10am.

    ¡°In a minute mother. ¡± Emma screamed back at her mother who smiled and decided to wait by seating on the couch in the living room.

    Ever since Emma returned to New York, she had been busy scheduling meetings and attending conferences. Her parents always marveled at her new love for business and her desire to invest and earn more.

    Last night, Emma told her mother that she was taking a day off. They decided to tour the city, go shopping and have a mother daughter hangout.

    Emma had missed her mother and she felt the day off was necessary. It will enable them catch up on lost moments she had thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready mother. ¡± Emma said while running down the stairs.

    ¡°Careful,  you might fall. ¡± warned her mother.

    Emma looked at her boot heels, smiled and carefully joined her mother in the living room. She was wearing a tight ck beans trousers with a navy blue crop top.

    ¡°You look beautiful as always Emmalia. ¡±plemented her mother.

    She smiled again and replied saying ¡°Thanks. ¡±

    ¡°You guys have fun. ¡± screamed Emma¡¯s father from upstairs.

    They chuckled, promised to have fun and went out to meet the driver who was waiting for them outside.

    ¡°Where to? ¡± asked the driver after both women were seated in the car.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Take us to thergest shopping mall in the city. ¡± requested Emma while her mother smiled.

    ¡°I know just the right ce. ¡± the driver said and started the car engine.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need any shopping Emma. ¡± her mother said.

    ¡°Ohe on mother. ¡± hesitated Emma.

    ¡°I will personally pick dresses for you today. ¡± volunteered Emma.

    ¡°Once we go into that shopping mall, you just leave everything to me. ¡± offered Emma while her mother broke outughing.

    She missed shopping with Emma. She recounted how Emma will prefer to choose dresses for her rather than allow her choose herself. Sometimes, they will argue over the choice of a dress and Pearl will remind Emma who would be wearing the dress.

    The driver parked the car outside the mall and opened the door for the women who quickly stepped out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting inside the car. ¡± he told them before they headed to the shopping mall.

    Pearl held her daughter¡¯s left hand while Emma held her Louis Vuitton purse in the other hand. Together, they entered the shopping mall.

    Just as Pearl expected, Emma selected dresses for her and all she did was try them on and check it out before therge show ss. Pearl enjoyed every moment of the activity and Emma made herugh really hard when she offered her a sexy lingerie.

    ¡°I¡¯m too old for this please. ¡± she told Emma chuckling.

    After that, they shopped for some groceries and bought two pairs of designer shoes for Emma¡¯s dad.

    ¡°He¡¯ll love it. ¡± attested Pearl.

    They came out of therge shopping mall after spending about two hours. The driver ran to them and collected the shopping bags. He carefully ced it in the car trunk.

    ¡°Where to next? ¡± he asked after they were seated in the car.

    ¡°Raspberry Spa. ¡± replied Emma¡¯s mother and he drove them there.

    Emma and Pearl excitedly walked into the spa and in few minutes, they wereying faced down side side getting a massage.

    ¡°Aghr! I needed this. ¡± eximed Emma while the massage was ongoing.

    ¡°Thanks mother. ¡± she said closing her eyes and feeling rxed.

    Pear smiled and replied.

    ¡°You are wee. We all needed this. ¡±

    After their massage session,  Emma and her mother had their finger nails well manicured. They bought some skin care products and left the ce.  It was noon already.

    ¡°We should head back home now. ¡± suggested Pearl.

    ¡°Remember your grand opening ister today. ¡± she reminded Emma.

    ¡°There¡¯s enough time for that. Why don¡¯t we visit the park first. ¡± Emma requested and the loyal driver immediately took the route to the recreational park.

    Emma and her mother identified a spot in the shade and sat on the clean natural grass carpet. Francis the driver had bought them some snacks and drinks. He then set it before them and returned to the car.

    Emma and her mother ate and talked about lots of things. They talked about the weather, how the park has changed and how eventful Emma¡¯s grand opening might be. They left the spot and headed back home. It was almost evening and Emma needed to prepare for her grand opening scheduled for 7pm.

    The bar Emma had just secured was renovated to her taste. It had a bold inscription titled LIA¡¯S BAR on the entrance. The whole ce was decorated with gantry and guests were already arriving.

    Emma finally arrived with her parents and Peter. She greeted some of the guests, waved at some and stood in front of the bar.

    She was feeling proud and excited that she is officiallyunching her own bar. Her assistant passed to her arge scissors and Emma cut the huge ribbon tied around the bar entrance. The crowd pped and cheered while Emma smiled and bowed. She then hugged her parents and invited the people inside the building.

    Emma first walked in and the people followed her.  The bar staff were neatly dressed in their new uniform and the people began to settle. Some were ying games in the round table, others were busy at the bar stand taking shots while some exchanged pleasantries. A soft music was ying in a low tune.

    Emma climbed the stage and the loud conversations began to wither immediately.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± she told the bar tender who passed the microphone to her.

    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen. ¡± she began.

    ¡°I wee you all to the official grand opening of LIA¡¯S bar. ¡± she said and they pped.

    ¡°Today, entertain yourselves and have fun till dawn. It¡¯s all free. Courtesy of the grand opening. ¡± she told the people who screamed and cheered in excitement. Some stood up and apuded her.

    ¡°LIA¡¯S bar will offer best services that no bar can ever give you in this city. There will be more branches to be opened. ¡± she assured the people.

 CHAPTER 101: CHILDHOOD FRIENDS

    While the guests at the new bar Emma justunched were having fun, She made her way upstairs to her new office.

    She carefully opened the door and smiled after seeing the office. Her assistant had designed the ce and arranged the room exactly the way she demanded.

    She walked gracefully to the table and moved to the right. She fell on thergefortable chair and shut her eyes. She is now a boss she told herself.

    Even though Sam gave his bar to her back in Los Angeles, Emma never really felt that was hers but now, she was feeling on top of the world.

    She ced her phone on the table then got up to examine the curtains. She ran her hands through it and checked inside the refrigerator which was stocked with different kinds of expensive wine.

    Suddenly, her phone began to ring and Emma hurried to the table and picked it.

    ¡°Hello! ¡± she responded after answering the phone and cing it on her left ear.

    ¡°Hello. ¡± repeated Emma but there was no response.

    She waited for the caller to speak but nothing was said. She ended the call and just when she wanted to ce the phone on the table, it began ringing again. She answered and yet there was no reply.

    She held the phone and continued surveying her office. Then her phone rang again for the third time. The anonymous caller thought Emma.

    She smiled after recognizing the caller. It wasn¡¯t the anonymous caller.

    ¡°Hello William. ¡± she called out excitedly.

    ¡°Hi. ¡± he replied from his end.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you. ¡± he told her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. ¡± she replied.

    ¡°Of course we can meet up. ¡± she agreed then ended the call and smiled.

    Emma went back to her chair and sank in it. She shut her eyes and for the first time in a long while, she was thinking about Gideon.

    If there was one thing that fueled Emma¡¯s desire to get established in the business world, it is her revenge towards Gideon.

    Even though she wanted to work and earn, she never imagined for once in her life that she wille this far.

    Gideon had pushed her into bing the woman she now is and he will pay for the results she thought.

    Ever since she stepped into New York, she had been targeting Gideon¡¯s clients. She went after his investors and sponsors. She convinced his  investors by offering them more than what Gideon could offer and took away his sponsors from him.

    She smiled inwardly imagining how frustrated Gideon must now be seeing that he was loosing clients and investors. She had just began she told herself.

    Emma had targeted all the partners of Romero bars and won them over.  So far,  she had pulled five out of the seven business partners Gideon has in new York.

    ¡°Two more partners to win over. ¡± she dered to herself.

    Her agents were doing well with their research and reliable information.

    Emma immediately remembered she was to meet with William her friend that night so she got up from her chair, lock the door and headed out to meet him.

    Will was already seated in the cafe he was to meet with Emma that night. Their eyes met the moment he turned around and he quickly ran to meet her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you Emma. ¡± he said hugging her tightly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too Will. ¡± she said.

    ¡°Sorry We couldn¡¯t keep in touch since you moved into the city. I¡¯ve been quite busy. ¡°Apologized Will after they broke out from their embrace.

    ¡°No it¡¯s fine. ¡± replied Emma.

    ¡°You look hot and dashing. ¡±plemented Will while Emma giggled.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± she said and they went to the table Will earlier sat.

    ¡°I must confess that I love this transformation of yours.  ¡± he told her after they sat.

    ¡°Thank you Will. ¡± Emma responded with a smile.

    ¡°I must say you are looking very handsome. ¡±mented Emma.

    Will chuckled. He was dressed in a fine wine color suit and ck leather shoes. His neatly well carved hair was glowing and his sparkling wristwatch was just perfect.

    ¡°Thanks for theplement. ¡± replied Will.

    ¡°I must say Chicago has treated you well. ¡± hinted Mike while Emma was pointing at the dishes she had selected from the menu card to the waitress slightly bending beside her.

    ¡°You look like a model. ¡± he added.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    Will wanted to remind Emma that she had gone back to the figure she was before having Ryan but he knew talking about such events could raise calm seas so he chose his words carefully.

    ¡°What have you been doing in Chicago? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Lot¡¯s and lot¡¯s of stuffs. ¡± she replied then proceeded to help the waitress in setting the dinner she was to have with Will.

    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you Emma. ¡± Willmended her.

    ¡± You look way better than when you left and I¡¯m certain you will do lot¡¯s of unimaginable things in the city. ¡± he added.

    ¡°Yes. Lots of unimaginable things. ¡± affirmed Emma with a nod.

    ¡°Thank You so much for everything Will. ¡± Emma said folding her palms before him.

    ¡°What for? ¡± he asked looking surprised.

    ¡°My mom told me everything. ¡± she replied.

    ¡°Ohe on Emma. What are friends for? We are like family right? ¡± Will told her.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± agreed Emma with a nod.

    ¡°Nevertheless, thank you. ¡± she added.

    After Emma fled to Chicago, Will had been dropping by at her parent¡¯s house to check on them. While Peter was away for college and knowing fully well how Pearl hated eating outside, Will showed up once in a while to cook for Emma¡¯s parents. He also helped them fix some things around the house, ran errands and conversed with Pearl for long house to ease her worry.

    ¡°Tell me about your job at the deliverypany. ¡± Emma requested.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have dinner first. I¡¯ll tell you all about it. ¡± replied Will.

 CHAPTER 102: FINDING LIA

    Gideon walked into his office looking gloomy and pale. He left home without having breakfast that morning even though his chef Frankie prepared his favorite meal.

    The staff in his office were aware of how theirpany was incurring lossestely. The rumor spread round the office like a wild fire.

    When some of the workers greeted him and he failed to reply, they knew what he was dealing with.

    ¡°Good morning Sir. ¡± Judy greeted him smiling from ear to ear.

    ¡°Morning. ¡± he slowly replied without looking at her. He walked pass her and entered his office.

    Judy slowly sat back on her chair and stared at the disappearing figure of Gideon.

    ¡®Is he angry with me because I couldn¡¯t figure out the owner of LIA bars? ¡± she wondered.

    ¡®What if he fires her. ¡® she thought and quickly dismissed the thought.

    She pulled a handkerchief from her hand bag and cleaned her sweaty face.

    Throughoutst week, she had been trying all she could to figure out who owned LIA¡¯S but to no avail. Her investigations lead to a dead end and all efforts to uncover who owned the rival brand proved abortive.

    ¡°Well,  one more agent. ¡± Judy muttered to herself and lifted the phone on her table.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to exchange pleasantries please. ¡± she told the agent she just called.

    ¡°Find out. I  need results. ¡± she said almost yelling.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting. ¡± she concluded and hung up the call.

    She tried stretching her head further to get a glimpse of Gideon in his office but his door was shut. She stood up and began pacing to and fro in frustration then went back to her chair after remembering she had a business document to draft that morning.

    Meanwhile in his office, Gideon was staring at the nk wall wondering how he had lost five out of his seven partners in few months. He bit his lower lip and scratched his head in frustration.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    He had tried implementing new strategies but it seemed LIA bars was always ahead of him. He felt ipetent and rested his back on the chair thinking of what to do next. He knew he was running out of options and with the identity of this rival brand uncovered, he felt like screaming.

    An hourter, Judy¡¯s phone started ringing. It was the agent she had contacted earlier.

    ¡°He better have good news for me. ¡± she muttered before picking the call.

    ¡°Fine I¡¯ll meet you right outside. ¡± Judy said and ran out to meet the agent who was outside the office building.

    He waved at her in his ck suit and she hurried towards him after recognizing him.

    ¡°What do you have for me? ¡± demanded Judy.

    She went straight to the point without exchanging pleasantries with the agent.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find out who the owner was. ¡± revealed the man.

    ¡°What are you saying? ¡± Judy yelled at him.

    ¡°I offered to pay you a reasonable amount you¡¯ve probably never seen. All you have to do was find the damn owner of LIA¡¯S? ¡± Judy yelled again.

    ¡°Calm down Ma¡¯am. ¡± he told her.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying my best but this nut is one though one to crack. ¡± he pointed out.

    Of course Judy knew the nut was a though one to crack. All the agents she hired for the job came up with nothing. Judy scratched her forehead and asked him.

    ¡°Any leads? ¡±

    ¡°None. ¡± he replied swinging his head from left to right.

    ¡°You are all so ipetent. ¡± uttered Judy and the man felt like telling her to do the job herself but if only he knew how she tried and failed.

    ¡°I think I can help though. ¡± he offered.

    Judy¡¯s heart immediately leapt.

    ¡°Yes go on. ¡± she encouraged him.

    ¡°I can schedule a meeting for Romero¡¯s to meet with LIA¡¯S. ¡± he stated.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± screamed a now excited Judy.

    ¡°At least if we couldn¡¯t find the owner, we might as well find a way for Romero¡¯s to meet with LIA¡¯S. ¡± Judy said jumping  in excitement.

    The agent smiled.

    ¡°Schedule the meeting. I¡¯ll talk to my boss. ¡± Judy told the agent who smiled and promised to do so as soon as possible.

    How he was going to do so, Judy didn¡¯t care. All she knew is that Gideon will finally be meeting with the rival brand and it will help them uncover who the owner is.

    Judy happily went inside the office building after the agent left. She headed to Gideon¡¯s office and barged in without knocking on the door.

    Gideon¡¯s head was ced on the table the moment she walked in and he didn¡¯t even noticed her barging him.

    She knocked on his table and he woke up. She smiled at him.

    *We have good news sir. ¡± she dered while Gideon sat properly and rubbed his eyes with his palms.

    ¡°We will meet with LIA¡¯S. ¡± Judy announced while Gideon found it difficult to believe.

    He kept staring at Judy who quickly intervened.

    ¡°One of the agents I¡¯m working with will schedule  a meeting between Romero¡¯s and LIA¡¯S. ¡± she exined.

    Gideon¡¯s face was brightening up now.

    ¡°when is the meeting? ¡± Gideon asked.

    ¡°Soonest. The agent will inform me as soon as the meeting is scheduled. Judy said and her phone instantly vibrated.

    ¡°Oh my God! ¡± dered Judy with a bright smile.

    ¡°The meeting has been ted for this evening at dinner. ¡± she told Gideon shing before him the text message the agent just sent to her.

    Gideon smiled and it pleased Judy. She hasn¡¯t seen him smile that much in a long while.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to sort things and get all you¡¯ll be needing for the meeting tomorrow morning. ¡± she said then turned around to leave.

    ¡°Wait. ¡± Gideon stopped her.

    ¡°Thank You for your effort Judy. You are an excellent personal assistant. ¡± he told her.

    Judy smiled, nodded and exited Gideon¡¯s office feeling on top of the world.

    it was 6pm. Emma began packing up her things. She had a dinner meeting with Romero bars that evening

    .

 CHAPTER 103 : GIDEON MEETS EMMA

    ¡°Scheduling that meeting was the perfect thing to do. ¡± Emma said before hanging up the call.

    It¡¯s time to finally meet them after these years. Emma thought.

    She had finished packing her things in her handbag and was waiting for her driver to arrive.

    So Judy wouldn¡¯t back off? thought Emma as she sat waiting for her driver. She knew Judy had been working really hard to discover her identity and her agents informed her.

    The driver will take her home then she will dress and join Gideon for the dinner meeting at exactly 7pm. She had changed the venue. She wouldn¡¯t be meeting them in her office.

    Ever since Judy started her quest of uncovering who owned LIA¡¯S,  Emma was aware of it. She had been preventing Judy from getting to her and with expert agents and researchers at her service, Emma has been giving Judy a though time.

    In fact, the agent that scheduled the meeting was working for Emma and was working based on her directives unknown to Judy and Gideon.

    ¡°The driver is here. ¡± announced Emma¡¯s assistant after knocking on her door.

    She grabbed her handbag with some documents and hurried downstairs. She left the office and was seated in the car with Francis her driver who was taking her home.

    She wondered what Judy was still doing around Gideon and couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether they were together. She med Gideon for being insensitive and a cheat. Why will Judy still be working for him when he knew that she was the genesis of their failed marriage .

    That¡¯s none of my business Emma assured herself and stepped out of the car after the driver pulled over in thier garage. She quickly got out and hurried inside.

    ¡°Hi guys. ¡± she greeted her parents and raced up the stairs.

    After taking a shower, Emma stared at her wardrobe aimlessly. She was trying to figure out what to wear for the business dinner that night.

    After several thoughts, She pulled out a fancy lc dress she bought from the Bahamas when visited a year ago and selected a glossy heel.

    She decorated her lengthy hair, powdered her face, carved her brows and oiled her lips. She knew she was looking really breath taking. She smiled and anticipated Gideon¡¯s reaction when he sees her.

    She smiled again pondering on the fact that she will be meeting Gideon and him on other hand wasn¡¯t aware he was meeting her.

    She had instructed her agent to text Judy the new meeting address. They were having the business dinner in the auditorium of a five star hotel in the city.

    In his office, Gideon kept flipping one file after the other. Judy was with him in the office helping him arrange the documents they will be needing for the business meeting.

    ¡°The agent had just texted me the address Sir. ¡± announced Judy while swiping her phone screen.

    ¡°What¡¯s the address? ¡± Gideon asked.

    ¡°Auditorium of the New York five star hotel. ¡± replied Judy.

    ¡°What? ¡± marveled Gideon.

    He was shocked at the address picked for the meeting. Who schedules a meeting for barely four people in thergest auditorium in New York city. Whoever, the brand owner of LIA¡¯S was,  Gideon was certain the person had ss.

    ¡°What else do we need? ¡± he said presenting the file to Judy.

    She epted the file and looked at Gideon. She had never seen him as tensed as this. He walked aimlessly around the office with his hands across his waist.

    ¡°Check thoroughly Judy. What else do we need? ¡± he asked Judy who wasn¡¯t sure whether the documents they had piled up in the file were all they needed.

    ¡°ording to the agent. ¡± began Judy while sorting the files one after the other.

    ¡°We are meeting with LIA¡¯S for a dinner and business meeting.  The agent told me he scheduled the meeting informing LIA¡¯S that ROMERO¡¯S needed to speak with them and so, we might set an agenda.¡± she exined.

    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to loose this opportunity. We will go in there and confront the management of LIA¡¯S over the recent pulling away of our partners. ¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°I can sense sabotage here and I won¡¯t tolerate it. ¡± dered Gideon.

    ¡°I think we have the right documents. ¡± Judy said and began cing the documents back into the file.

    ¡°I believe we are ready sir. ¡± Judy told Gideon who nodded even though he wasn¡¯t sure if he was actually ready or not.

    When Judy informed him that LIA¡¯S was inviting them for a dinner and business meeting after they requested for it, he became restless. He had always wanted to meet the owner of the brand and when Judy came with the news, he had mixed feelings. Deep within him, he knew he was a bit scared especially since the brand had been gradually taking over the city in a short while which made Gideon almost feel incapable.

    Judy left Gideon¡¯s office and came back almost immediately.

    ¡°The car is ready. ¡± she announced.

    Gideon nodded and she went to carry her hand bag in her office. Gideon adjusted his neck tie, tightened the belt holding his trousers and brushed off his jacket. Judy was already seated in the back seat waiting for him.  She was carrying the file.

    He joined her in the car, seating next to the driver in the front seat and they sped off. It was three minutes to 7pm.

    ¡°Everything will be fine sir. ¡± Judy assured him

    He grinned and nodded.

    Judy and Gideon quickly got out of the car and hurried to the meeting venue. They entered the spacious auditorium and met a woman sitting backwards.

    She was nodding with a phone ced on her left ear. Her long hair spread across her back and down to her waist.

    Gideon and Judy were in the hall awaiting the woman to turn around after she must have finished answering her call.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    Meanwhile, Gideon was astonished that the person who owns LIA¡¯S is a woman. She had finished answering the call which Gideon and Judy detected after she lowered the phone down.

    ¡°Good evening. ¡± greeted Gideon.

    She didn¡¯t say anything but stayed that way for about some minutes making Gideon and Judy to wonder and nce at each other.

    She then turned around and smiled. Gideon¡¯s jaw immediately dropped and Judy dropped the file on the floor.

    ¡°Well, look who we have here¡± Emma said.

 CHAPTER 104: THE FACE BEHIND LIAéˆ¥æ©²

    ¡°Surprise! ¡± professed Emma.

    ¡°You guys weren¡¯t expecting to see me. Were you? ¡± she asked them.

    Gideon was still transfixed to the spot and so was Judy. They were speechless. Emma smiled and gradually stood up.

    Gideon couldn¡¯t believe the sight before him. Was he really seeing Emma or is his mind ying games with him?

    Emma smiled the moment she stood up and Gideon knew she was real. His whole body felt as if it was soaked in ice and he filled chills down his spine. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak neither could he move a brow. He was shocked to the bone marrow.

    Judy on the other side of Gideon was as shocked as he was. Unlike Gideon who stood firm like a rock, Judy¡¯s eyes rolled all over Emma and she felt like running out of the room but her feet were stuck.

    Emma who was already standing up was enjoying the spectacle before her and she was gloating in her mind over thier shocking reaction. She smirked inwardly and decided to walk up to them.

    Emma started walking towards them and her hips swayed rhythmically. Her lc expensive dress was hugging her tightly and she was looking gorgeous.

    The more steps she took further towards them, the more Gideon marveled in disbelief. She was taking his breath away while Judy couldn¡¯t stop rolling her eyes over Emma¡¯s morous figure.

    Could this really be Emma? ¡± Gideon thought again as her fragrance took charge of his nostrils. Both Judy and Gideon wondered over Emma¡¯s magnificent transformation.

    She went to Judy¡¯s side, bent over to the floor, picked up the file and ced it back in Judy¡¯s hands. She then proceeded to Gideon and tilted his dropped jaw closing his mouth.

    Turning around, she went back to her seat swaying her hips and unting her lengthy hair. She sat and pped her hands together creating a loud apuse.

    Gideon and Judy finally moved quivering a little bit and she smiled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there gazing aimlessly. ¡± Emma told them.

    ¡°Have a seat please. ¡± she stated further.

    ¡°We have a meeting right? ¡± she reminded them.

    As Gideon made his way to the vacant seat opposite Emma, his gaze was still fixed on her. Judy followed him and alwaysnded on the floor. She slipped while pulling a chair out. Thanks to Gideon¡¯s timely intervention, Judy didn¡¯t fall. He caught her arm right on time and they sat.

    Emma red at them and inwardly smirked. Gideon still couldn¡¯t believe the spectacle before him. He had never imagined that the owner of LIA¡¯s will be Emma. How on earth did Emma get hold of such a brand?  he thought looking at her in amazement.  Judy was also staring at Emma wondering over her transformation.

    Emma was enjoying the attention their eyes were giving her. When did Emma return? Judy thought. How did she manage to get this far? She thought again before Emma spoke again.

    ¡°Seems like I¡¯m the only one doing the speaking here. ¡± Emma said crossing her legs.

    ¡°I thought you requested a meeting with LIA¡¯S? ¡± she requested and Gideon managed to nod.

    ¡°Then start talking. ¡± she told them.

    ¡°Em.. Emma. ¡± stuttered Gideon and she smirked at him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t understand this.. You? ¡± he asked with his voice quaking.

    ¡°Yes I am Emmalia. The owner of LIA¡¯S brand Mr. Romero. ¡± she replied then flipped her hair.

    ¡°Now let¡¯s talk business.¡± she stated.

    Judy was silent or rather still in total shock.

    Gideon kept staring at Emma without looking at another direction as if Emma had grown a second head.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    She looks different and breath taking. Gideonmented Emma in his head. His eyes narrowed down to her lips which were now looking plump and soft.

    Emma noticed how they kept staring at her and were barely speaking. She nced at her Rolex watch and said.

    ¡°You guys actually look so great together, but we didn¡¯te here to talk about that, we came to talk about business, but first let¡¯s eat, shall we?¡±

    There was no word from Gideon nor Judy.

    Emma lifted the little bell on her side of the round table and shook it making it to ring. Shortly afterwards, some stewards entered the auditorium with food trays and ced it on therge round table before them.

    Gideon¡¯s eyes were still on Emma and so were Judy¡¯s. They were still looking at Emma who started to think their shock was taking too long to wane off.

    ¡°How?¡±

    Gideon managed to say.

    He wanted to know how Emma turned out to be the owner of LIA¡¯S.

    ¡± It doesn¡¯t make any sense. ¡± he uttered.

    Emmaughed at Gideon¡¯s statement and didn¡¯t say anything. Judy¡¯s head was lowered.

    Emmaughed really hard again and if Gideon could interpret thatughter, he knew it had promises attached to it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk business now. ¡± she said slightly hitting the round table.

    Judy immediately lifted up her head and ced the file in her hand on the table. She began opening the file and Emma noticed how Judy¡¯s hands were shaking.

    ¡°So tell me Mr. Romero. ¡± began Emma while pouring wine into her ss.

    ¡°What can LIA¡¯S do for you? ¡± she asked after sipping the wine.

    ¡°You guys might as well eat if you are finding it difficult to speak. ¡± Emma said pointing at the food arranged before them.

    ¡°We are concerned about the pulling away of our partners recently. ¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°Okay and how does that concern mypany? ¡± Emma replied sounding harsh.

    ¡°I.. Actually. ¡± stuttered Gideon and he stopped and for the first time took his eyes off Emma and lowered his head.

    ¡°Your partners are pulling away? ¡± asked Emma.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± replied Gideon his voice sounding unsure. Gideon remained mute.

    ¡°Look guys. ¡± began Emma while ncing at her watch for the second time.

    ¡°You guys have wasted your time and mine as well. ¡± she said with her hands resting on the round table.

    ¡°You can leave. ¡± she said showing them the exit.

    They stood up and before they left,  Emma dered.

    ¡°I will ruin you guys one by one,  take all your clients and investors till no one is left and make you as broke as a church rat¡±

    Gideon was shocked at Emma¡¯s promation and he quickly went out of the auditorium with Judy behind him.

    Emma broke outughing immediately they left then dered

    ¡°It¡¯s revenge time Mr Romero¡±

 CHAPTER 105: MEMORIES

    Emmalia woke up that morning earlier than usual. It was 7am and she goes to her office around 9am on weekdays. With two spare hours, she decided to read a book. Sho showered and remained in bed dressed in afortable maxi dress.

    Emma could attest to how reading financial books and business materials had helped her in establishing LIA¡¯S. With a cup of coffee beside her bed on the stool nearby, Emma began fiddling the pages of the book she held.

    She was in the early pages of the book when her mind drifted tost nights event with Judy and Gideon. She remembered the shocking priceless reaction in their faces the moment had she turned around to face them in the auditorium.

    She smiled recalling how Gideon¡¯s jaw suddenly dropped, Judy¡¯s eyeball which kept rolling around her in circles and she giggled remembering how Judy almost fell.

    She wish she could get a glimpse of Gideon¡¯s reaction after he and Judy left her in the auditorium. She knew he was still tense and restless especially after her deration for revenge.

    Before allowing her agent to schedule the meeting with them,  Emma had really thought about it and mastered her guts. She had promised herself that she will not let out any show of weakness or flow of weak emotions whenever they came in contact with each other. She lowered the book she was holding from her face down to her bust andmended herself for a well disyed actst night.

    Emma felt proud of herself but couldn¡¯t deny how seeing Gideonst night for the first time in three years made her feel.

    The moment she turned around and her eyes met with Gideon¡¯s, she felt weak but pretended by shifting her eyes away from him turning her attention to Judy.

    Throughout the whole period that Gideon kept staring at her like a ghost, she felt her heartbeat racing and her body temperature red up. She however managed to mask these emotions and acted like a boss.

    She ced the book on the stool,id t on her bed and began looking up to the chandelier. She thought about Gideon and Judy standing side by side and wondered whether they were together now.

    She couldn¡¯t deny the fact thatst night at the auditorium, she still felt betrayed by Gideon even though they had parted ways a long time ago. She was infuriated the moment she shifted her gaze from Gideon and fixed it on Judy. Instead, she feigned a smile and walked up to them.

    After deciding toe back to New York, Emma was certain that she will one daye face to face with Gideon and she had promised herself to never disy any act of weakness when that happened.

    She had consoled herself with the fact that she was done with Gideon and his presence before her will mean nothing to her. But she was wrong,st night when Gideon walked into that auditorium with Judy, she felt as if she was sinking. However, she managed to step up and act as if he meant nothing to her.

    She loved the way Gideon kept staring at her and how lost he was in her eyes. She knew she mesmerized himst night which was evident in the way he stuttered and how he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.

    Emma adjusted her pillow and tossed to the other side of the bed. She shut her eyes and still thought about Gideon but she wasn¡¯t recounting their little dramast night. She was recollecting the beautiful memories they had in the past.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    She remembered how Gideon will wake her up with a morning kiss. Gideon always found kissing her delightful and he will always tell her how magical her lips tastes on his. She inwardly smiled on the thought of that.

    She remembered how they exchanged text messages with Gideon when he was at work while she nursed Ryan at home. She will call him in between meetings to tell him how much she missed him.

    Back at home, Gideon will always check up on her in the kitchen even though he had no idea about cooking. Then he will lift her up and ce her on the kitchen counter. They will share a kiss and she will send him away telling him he was distracting her.

    She also thought about how she storms into Gideon¡¯s office with lunch once in a while when he will inform her that he was busy and couldn¡¯t make it home for lunch.

    She also remembered their date nights and how they made love on every date night. She recalled how Gideon will whisper sweet nothings into her ears after every intercourse. He will then y with strands of her hair while his breath warmed her face. They will cuddle each other, talk tillte night before finally falling asleep.

    Emma thought about their un family vacations and parties. She thought about the first time Gideon changed Ryan¡¯s diaper and she giggled on her bed.

    She remembered Gideon praising her and adorning her neckline with a gold ne on their second anniversary. That day, Gideon had promised to be by her side forever and vowed to love her till hisst breath.

    Emma barely thought about Gideon while in Chicago. She knew these memories of him that she was having on her bed were fueled by their meeting yesterday. She knew her thoughts of him were as a result of them seeing face to face for the first time in three year.

    If only Gideon hadn¡¯t betrayed her. She thought then sat up.

    Her phone began to ring. Sam was calling her.

    ¡°Hello. ¡± she responded with a smile.

    ¡°Hi Emma. ¡± came his voice.

    ¡°How have you been? ¡± Sam asked her.

    ¡°Fine Sam. ¡± she replied.

    ¡°And you? ¡± she quickly added.

    ¡°I¡¯m good Emma. ¡± responded Sam.

    ¡°How¡¯s New York treating you? ¡± he inquired.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯ve been quite busy. ¡± he further said.

    Emma then went on and told him how she hadunched her new bar and is nning onunching more soonest.

 CHAPTER 106: A BROKEN GIDEON

    Gideon sprawled on hisrge couch in the living room. Beside him was a bottle of Vodka. He had already consumed half of its content.

    Gideon¡¯s eyes were sore and weary. He hardly shut his eyes throughoutst night. He had been thinking about Emma ever since thier encounter at the auditorium.

    After Gideon and Judy left the auditoriumst night, he stepped into the car and didn¡¯t utter a word to Judy nor the driver and Judy on the other hand said nothing to him.

    After dropping Judy in her home, Gideon went to into his mansion and the first thing he did was dismiss Frankie.

    ¡°Take two weeks off. ¡± he had instructed Frankie who didn¡¯t really know why but left reluctantly.

    Gideon went to his room that night and fell on his bed. He didn¡¯t take a bath sincest night and was still wearing the trousers he wore to the meeting that night. He only took off his neck tie and jacket then flung it in frustration. He then began recounting how Emma dered to ruin him and he could recall how vengeful she was towards him.

    Gideon sat up on his couch and gulped more vodka directly from the bottle. He maintained his former position, still sprawled on the couch thinking and continued thinking about Emma.

    He remembered how dashing Emma looked and he wondered where she had been all this while. He recalled how stern her look was towards himst night and he was convinced she hated him with so much passion.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    He pondered on the fact that Emma being the owner of LIA¡¯S had snatched almost all his partners and investors and he was sure that her hatred towards him was justified. He thought about her desire to make him go bankrupt and he shut his eyes feeling miserable. He was broken.

    Gideon decided to see Emma from another dimension. The soft spoken Emma who always smiled suddenly transformed into this bossy audacious being he couldn¡¯t understand. She had really changed Gideon thought.

    Gideon remembered the Emma he always knew. His Emma wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly: Gideon was sure. He remembered how Emma will break down at the slightest arguments and make up for her mistakes quickly.

    Emma would advise him to smile more often, pay more attention to the welfare of his staff and flee from brute business rivals.

    Gideon recalled Emma telling him to pull away from investors engaging from shaddy deals and build his empire on the fabric of honestly.

    ¡°What happened? ¡± Gideon muttered to his almost drunk self and immediately stood up.

    He began strolling round the living room aimlessly.

    When Gideon saw Emmast night, he felt weak. He could barely speak to her and never took his eyes off her. She had awakened a part of him that he had buried a long time ago. Last night, Emma stirred the calm waters of his emotions and kept his heart racing.

    He fought so hard to speak to her but the words weren¡¯ting. He wasn¡¯t only mesmerized by her sudden transformation, he was caught off bnce by her sudden show up in town as the owner of the brand pulling his hard earnedpany to the ground.

    Meanwhile, Judy was yet to recover fromst night¡¯s shock. She tried to figure out how Emma turned out to be the brand owner she had been trying to uncover  and all her efforts were futile. The least person she had expected to own LIA¡¯S was Emma.

    Judy didn¡¯t only felt surprisedst night but she felt weak too. After she was dropped at home by Gideon¡¯s driver, she spent the whole night recalling the encounter. She barely slept.

    When Judy learnt that Gideon didn¡¯t show up at work that morning, she decided to go check up on him at his house. She left the office and headed to his home.

    When Judy reached Gideon¡¯s home. She noticed how quiet the whole ce was. It was as silent as a grave yard.  She wasn¡¯t sure whether Gideon was really inside but after spotting all his cars parked in the garage, she knew he was in. The entrance to his mansion was left wide opened.

    Judy entered the living room and called out to Gideon but there was no reply. She hurried to the  kitchen hoping to inquire from Frankie where his boss was but there was no one there.

    She made her way to his room upstairs but he wasn¡¯t inside. She finally saw him at his balcony staring idly at the view. He was lost.

    Judy went towards Gideon and hugged him from behind without him realizing. He quickly turned around drifting father away from her detaching himself from her. Gideon immediately red at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? ¡± asked Judy.

    ¡°Gideon. ¡± she continued.

    ¡°I need you to help me help you. ¡± she pleaded looking into his eyes.

    ¡°Together, we can defeat Emma. ¡± she added.

    Gideon broke outughing like a maniac. Judy stared at him in confusion.

    ¡°Are you crazy? ¡± Gideon yelled at her and she was startled.

    ¡°You want me to fight Emma? ¡± he continued yelling.

    ¡°Look Gideon. ¡± protested Judy trying to calm him down.

    She walked towards him and he drifted backwards stoping her with his hands.

    ¡°Emma ising after you. We need to join forces and bring her down. ¡± suggested Judy.

    ¡°You are talking nonsense Judy. ¡± Gideon disagreed.

    ¡°How dare you? ¡± he screamed at her.

    ¡°You are upset Gideon. You need to calm down first.¡± Judy pointed out.

    ¡°Take a look at you. You look like shit. ¡± she said pointing at him from head to toe.

    ¡°We need to sort things please. ¡± maintained Judy.

    ¡°We are not sorting anything Judy. ¡± Gideon said still yelling.

    ¡°You are the cause of everything happening between Emma and I. ¡± he stated and Judy¡¯s jaw dropped.

    ¡°If Only you didn¡¯te into my life, Emma and I will still be together. ¡± regretted Gideon.

    Judy was taken aback. She felt hurt. She made her way downstairs and stormed out of Gideon¡¯s mansion.

 CHAPTER 107: THERAPY

    Judy was seating in Dr. Mathew¡¯s office. They were few meters away from each other, sitting opposite one another.

    ¡°You left the other day in a fury. ¡± began Dr. Matthew putting on his spectacles which was on the table when Judy walked in.

    Judy gave him no reply and so he continued speaking.

    ¡°You must learn to control your emotions Judy. ¡± he told her in a calm voice.

    ¡°Anger is sometimes inevitable. You don¡¯t want to let it rule you. Do you? ¡± he asked her cing his hands on the table.

    Judy shook her head hinting no.

    ¡°Good. ¡± he replied with a nod then brought out his notebook and pulled a pen from his drawer.

    ¡°We were discussing Gideon the other day.¡± Dr Mathew said after  fiddling few pages of the book he brought out.

    ¡°Tell me about Gideon. ¡± he said adjusting his sses and Judy nodded reluctantly.

    Dr. Mathew noticed a sudden change in Judy. Whenever they were talking about Gideon, she will giggle more often and smile at the mention of his name. Talking about Gideon made her feel rxed and Dr. Mathew always sensed the strong emotional attachment she had towards him. And now when he told her to talk about Gideon, she nodded reluctantly. He knew there was a problem.

    ¡°She is back. ¡± blurted Judy.

    Dr. Mathew was monitoring her bodynguage.

    ¡°Who is back? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Emmalia. ¡± she said angrily.

    ¡°We are talking about Gideon Judy not Emmalia. ¡± Dr. Mathew pointed out.

    ¡°Emma is Gideon¡¯s ex wife. ¡± she retorted breathing heavily.

    ¡°I see. ¡± Dr. Gideon said then wrote briefly in his book.

    ¡°Are you scared? ¡± Dr. Mathew questioned Judy.

    He immediately took off his sses and look directly into her eyes examining her facial reaction.

    ¡°Of.. Of course not. ¡± Judy stuttered.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared of nobody. ¡± she barked.

    ¡°Calm down. ¡± Dr. Mathew told her pitting back his spectacles.

    ¡°She will ruin everything. That bitch will ruin everything. ¡± professed a bitter Judy.

    She immediately brought down her crossed leg, sat up properly and said

    ¡°Could you believe Gideon yelled at me because of her? ¡± she asked Dr. Mathew.

    ¡°What triggered that? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Because he wouldn¡¯t join forces with me to pull her down. She came back after three years acting all mighty and rich. ¡± Judy exined with her palms while Dr. Mathew paid keen attention.

    ¡°She now owns this brand that is taking over Gideon¡¯s glory in the city. She is feeling so untouchable and could you believe she vowed to take everything away from Gideon?¡± Judy exined to the Doctor who didn¡¯t say a word.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°All his business partners and investors are on her side. ¡± she added then continued speaking.

    ¡°I know ! Dr. Mathew. ¡± she said nodding.

    ¡°You told me to stay away from Gideon and all that concerns him but I didn¡¯t. ¡± she confessed.

    ¡°Everything would have worked if only that Emma didn¡¯t show up now. ¡±ined Judy.

    ¡°If it didn¡¯t work out in thest three years. Do you think it will work out now? ¡± Dr Mathew asked her.

    Judy didn¡¯t respond. When Dr. Matthew noticed how obsessed Judy was bing with Gideon, he had advised her to stay away from him or even leave the city but one day, Judy came running to him that Gideon¡¯s wife had fled the city and she will finally get the chance to make Gideon hers.

    Whenever she visited Dr. Matthew once in a blue moon, she will rant about how she kept trying to get Gideon but it wasn¡¯t working. Dr. Mathew had advised her to let go but Judy wouldn¡¯t listen.

    ¡°How do you see Gideon? ¡± Dr Mathew asked her finally breaking the brief silence between them.

    ¡°I can¡¯t really exin. ¡± she began with her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

    ¡°Gideon is different. I think he is perfect and I am crazy for him. No man had ever made me feel the way Gideon makes me feel. ¡± professed Judy.

    ¡°I will do anything to have him. Absolutely anything. ¡± she dered and brought her eyes down.

    ¡°And how does he see you? ¡± asked Dr Mathew.

    ¡°I need you to be honest Judy. ¡± he demanded taking off his sses and cing it on the table.

    ¡°He probably sees me as this hard working assistant who is devoted to helping him build hispany. ¡± she said then sniffled.

    ¡°How would you rte your rtionship with him on a personal level? ¡± Dr. Mathew asked her again.

    ¡°He obviously sees me as a friend. ¡± she sadly replied.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you worry Dr. Mathew I will make him mine. ¡± she quickly added lifting a finger from her right hand.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking too much time to make him yours? ¡± Dr. Mathew reminded her.

    ¡°You employed seduction, human rtions, friendship and even changed the way you look to get him. Yet it isn¡¯t working Judy. ¡± he reminded her again.

    Judy immediately fumed. She felt Dr. Mathew was gloating at her.

    ¡°What did we say about situations and people we can¡¯t control ¡± Dr Mathew demanded from her opening his palms wide.

    ¡°Let them go. ¡± she forced the words out of her mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t You think you should let Gideon go? ¡± advised Dr. Mathew.

    ¡°Never. ¡± Judy thundered, stood up immediately and sat back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have him. ¡± she swore.

    ¡°And what about his ex_wife? ¡± Dr. Matthew asked her.

    Judy broke into her weirdughter which Dr. Mathew was now ustomed to.

    ¡°She hates him. ¡± said Judy.

    ¡°If she hates him then why does her sudden presence in town scare you? ¡± confronted the doctor.

    ¡°Are you scared they could work things out? ¡® he said.

    ¡°Never. ¡± Judy thundered again.

    ¡°I made her leave once. I¡¯ll make her disappear again. ¡± boasted Judy.

    ¡°Are you sure? ¡± asked Dr. Mathew after observing theck of confidence in her tone.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me she¡¯s now better than she was? ¡± he asked again

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. ¡± Judy replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get rid of her no matter what it takes. ¡± she dered and stormed out of Dr. Mathew¡¯s office.

 CHAPTER 108: STEALING THE SHOW

    Emma wore a beautiful floral green gown that morning. She stood in front of therge mirror in her room admiring thefortable outfit she wore. She moved to her shoe section and scanned her eyes all over the collection.

    She finally pulled a ck heel and beganbing her hair.  She applied a little make up on and oiled her straight lengthy hair which had waves on the tip. She began hurrying downstairs to have breakfast with her parents who had been waiting for her for quite a long time.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She apologized to them and sat.

    Ever since Judy had a little fight with Gideon the other day, they have not met or sat together to converse. Gideon barely came to the office and Judy was aware that he had been avoiding her like a gue.

    He should be the one to apologize to me she thought. Since the incident, Judy felt that she did nothing wrong to Gideon after all she wanted to help him but he turned her down making her feel like some desperate bitch even though deep down she knew she was one. However, she had missed seeing his face around and hopped he wille in and he walked in.

    Judy immediately stood up at the sight of Gideon and began smiling brightly. Gideon walked pass her and her smile gradually faded.

    ¡°Good morning sir.¡± She managed to say and Gideon replied with a nod.

    He was ignoring Jud and she knew it. The fact that Gideon was mad at her made Jud feel sad. She sat back on her chair and began hitting her leg slightly on the hard floor. Shortlyter, Gideon walked out of his office hurrying as if he was being pursued and Jud wondered why.

    ¡°Take me to ZINOX¡¯S main office now.¡± He instructed his driver who nodded and immediately swung into action.

    Gideon had just been informed that  ZINOX was letting out theirrgest bar in the city because the owner was moving out of town for good. After incurring lots of losses in the past few months, Gideon knew that securing that bar will lift his business higher above the trouble waters.

    One of Gideon¡¯s personnel from the research team had texted him that ZINOX had invited different brands running bar businesses for some sort of bazaar. The highest bidder with the most promising strategy will be handed the bar over to alongside its partners and investors.

    ¡°Drive faster.¡± Gideon ordered the driver and he immediately increased his pace.

    Gideon was tensed and he kept checking his wristwatch. ording to the text message he got, the meeting was to begin by 11am and it was seven minutes to the time. He needed to be there on time so he could be part of the activity.

    If prominent bar owners in the city were invited to the event, Gideon wondered why he never got a letter. He must attend this event and convince ZINOX to sell the bar to him he promised himself and the car immediately came to a halt.

    Gideon immediately ran out of the car brushing off his blue suit with his hands.

    ¡°Your suitcase sir.¡± The driver said running after him with his suit case. Gideon had left it behind in the car.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± He said while snatching the bag away from the man. He then ran into the building.

    Gideon was directed into the conference hall of ZINOX and he stood outside the door, heaved a deep sigh, looked at his appearance and carefully pushed the door open after knocking

    He went inside the hall and saw lots of business moguls some of which he knew. He immediately sat on thest row.

    ¡°Shall we begin.¡± said the General manger of ZINOX who was standing in the middle of the conference.

    Gideon thanked his stars that he was there on time.

    ¡°One minute.¡± came Emma¡¯s voice as she walked into the conference room. Gideon began to feel as if his heart will pop out of his chest. Emma made her way to the front of the conference hall and sat.

    ¡°Sorry I amte.¡± She apologized.

    ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± Said the man sitting next to Gideon.

    ¡°Why?¡± Gideon asked him.

    ¡°You see thatdy.¡± began the man while pointing at Emma.

    ¡°She is the owner of LIA¡¯S. The talk of the town.¡± He stated then got up.

    ¡°I can¡¯tpete with her.¡¯ He surrendered and left.

    ¡°How many brand owners are here?¡± asked ZINOX general manager and four persons raised their hands including Gideon.

    ¡°Mr. Romero.¡± The man called out after noticing Gideon from behind. Gideon was expecting Emma to turn around and stare at him since she quickly walked in without noticing him but Emma didn¡¯t turn around and Gideon felt pained.

    ¡®I¡¯m so sorry Mr. Romero. We forgot to send you a letter. ¡± the man beckoned while Emma chuckled to the hearing of Gideon.

    One of the staff from ZINOX stood up and went to the General manager. He whispered something into his left ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry gentlemen anddy. ¡± he said.

    ¡°We have a buyer already. ¡± he announced.

    ¡°What? ¡± blurted one of the prospective buyers.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even check our proposals or listen to us. ¡± heined.

    ¡°I thought we were supposed to bid. ¡± the other man said.

    ¡°Am so sorry gentlemen. ¡± maintained the General manager folding his palms before them.

    The two men angrily left the conference hall leaving Gideon and Emma behind.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Emma stood up, turned around and waved at Gideon who was biting his lower lip.

    ¡°My ountant general will get in touch with you shortly. ¡± Emma told the general manager who smiled.

    The general manager of ZINOX then presented to Emma the rights of the bar and she collected the document and smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check the ce right away. ¡± she said.

    ¡°I might effect some changes. ¡± she added staring at Gideon who was rooted to his spot.

    She left the conference hall ignoring Gideon who felt like hitting his head against the concrete wall. He had lost yet another deal.

 CHAPTER 109: LOOSING BUSINESS PARTNERS

    Gideon reluctantly left ZINOX conference room. Not only was he defeated, Emma treated him like thrash by ignoring him. He felt ipetent and he slowly made his way to his car taking off his necktie.

    His driver noticed his gloomy expression and he immediately opened the door for Gideon to step in. Gideon stepped into car, ced his both palms on his face and took them out after few minutes.

    ¡°Take me home. ¡± said a broken Gideon to his driver.

    ¡°Yes sir. ¡± replied the driver and he sped off.

    When they got home, Gideon ran up the stairs and headed to his room. He loosened his waist belt and fell on the his bed. He got up immediately and screamed in agony and banged his fist on the hard wall.

    Few minutester, Gideon had scattered his room breaking things and crashing structures. He was mad with rage. If Emma wanted him to loose his mind, then she is gradually getting her wish he thought and let out a cry of agony yet again.

    Gideon¡¯s cell phone began to ring. Without checking who the caller was,  Gideon grabbed the phone and smashed it against the wall. He ran downstairs to get his bottle of vodka.

    Gideon screamed again after realizing he was out of alcohol. He fell back on the couch and began shedding tears. Not only was he broken, he was totally hopeless.

    Meanwhile in her office, Emma ced her head on her table. She had just secured another bar in town which all the business moguls into bar business will kill for. At that moment, anybody in her shoes would be throwing a party now but Emma was sitting in her office with her head on the table lost in deep thoughts.

    Why am I feeling sorry for him? she thought. She was thinking about Gideon even when she didn¡¯t wanted to. When she received the rights of the property she had just acquired from the general manager of ZINOX earlier, she saw how miserable Gideon looked but she smiled instead pretending to gloat.

    Deep down, Emma knew that she didn¡¯t really wanted the bar but she must achieve her aim she vowed.  Gideon had hurt her therefore she will unleash hell on him. She pulled her cell phone and dialed someone¡¯s number.

    ¡°Hello! ¡± she said.

    ¡°Have you informed him? ¡± she asked scratching the tip of her nose.

    ¡°We must strike while the iron is hot. ¡± she dered and immediately ended the call.

    Emma carried her back and left her office in a hurry.

    ¡°I have some documents for you to sign ma¡¯am. ¡± said her assistant after they collided outside her office.

    ¡°Drop them on my table. I¡¯ll sign themter. ¡± she said then dashed out.

    ¡°Who is that? ¡± Gideon asked after his door bell rang.

    The door bell kept ringing and Gideon got up, adjusted his loose trousers and headed to the door. He dried his eyes and sniffled. He wasn¡¯t expecting anyone.

    Who could that be? ¡± he thought while opening the door.

    ¡°Michael! ¡± he called out then paved way for the man to walk in. Gideon quickly adjusted his shirt and brushed down his rough hair with his hands.

    ¡°Have a seat. ¡± he offered and Michael sat on the couch parallel Gideon.

    ¡°What can I offer you? ¡± Gideon asked.

    ¡°No I¡¯m good. ¡± declined Michael.

    Gideon felt ashamed that Michael saw him in such a terrible state. Michael wouldn¡¯t stop staring at him.

    Michael is one of Gideon¡¯s business partners. He supplies whisky to Gideon¡¯s bars all over New York. Michael  is one out of the two remaining business partners of Gideon who didn¡¯t pull out. He had lost five out of the seven to Emma and he was yet to get recements.

    ¡°I brought something for you. ¡± Michael said presenting a sealed envelope to Gideon.

    Gideon collected it and unsealed it immediately.

    ¡°What? ¡± yelled Gideon whose face suddenly went cold.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Gideon. ¡± apologized Micheal while staring at his shoes. He couldn¡¯t look at Gideon in the eyes.

    ¡°Why did you do this to me Micheal? ¡± asked Gideon whose eyes were welling with tears.

    In the envelope Micheal handed to Gideon was a letter dering his interest to pull out from Gideon¡¯s business as a partner.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Who made you do this? ¡± Gideon asked almost screaming.

    ¡°It¡¯s business Gideon. We are all after the same thing which is profit. I saw my chance and I took it from LIA¡¯S ¡± replied Michael.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Gideon. I did what I had to do beckoned Michael.

    ¡°Please Micheal. ¡± said Gideon almost kneeling in front of Michael.

    Micheal immediately stood up.

    ¡°We can fix this. ¡± Gideon cried out.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ve already epted the offer from LIA¡¯S to supply whisky to them from next month. ¡± replied Micheal who was still standing up.

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a month notice as thew of partnership demands to get a recement before the month ends. ¡± added Micheal.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. ¡± he said then left Gideon¡¯s house.

    How could you do this to me Emma cried Gideon in his heart. Today, she snatched the deal from ZINOX from his grasp and now she had seeded in making one of his partners to pull out. He has lost six partners out of the seven he had and Gideon knew he doesn¡¯t have to be reminded to know that he was doomed.

    He wanted to phone his mother and cry to her about his predicament but he knew his mother will hate Emma the more which he never really wanted.

    He med himself for caring about Emma despite the fact that she was hurting him and tearing his senses apart. He fell back on the couch like a looser and a thought struck him immediately.

    He quickly went upstairs, took a shower, wore clean clothes and drove to the grocery store down his street. He bought a bouquet of flowers and went back into the car.

 CHAPTER 110: TWO GRIEVING HEARTS

    ¡°Take me to the children cemetery. ¡± Emma told the driver who nodded and wondered why she needed to go there at such an hour of the day. It was few minutes past 2pm.

    As Emma sat in the car, she fought so hard to prevent the tears in her eyes from running down her cheeks but her effort was futile. The tears flowed ceaselessly and her driver noticed it from the mirror. He wanted to ask her whether she was okay but he felt it was better to let her be. She was different from the cheerful woman he drove around daily. She was now looking sorrowful and defeated.

    ¡°We are here ma¡¯am. ¡± announced Francis.

    ¡°Give me a moment. ¡± requested Emma and he stepped out of the car.

    Emmaid her back on the car seat and cried profusely. She then dried her eyes with some sheets stuffed in her back and finally stepped out of the car.

    She headed into the cemetery and was shocked at the spectacle before her. Gideon was cing the bouquet of flowers he bought from the store earlier on Ryan¡¯s grave. It was Ryan¡¯s third death anniversary.

    ¡°What are you doing here? ¡± demanded Emma from Gideon who didn¡¯t noticed her the moment she walked in. Gideon didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°What are you doing at my son¡¯s grave? ¡± she asked again.

    ¡°You are not the only parent Ryan had. ¡± Gideon replied her.

    He was wearing dark sses on.

    ¡°Leave this ce immediately. ¡± ordered Emma while pointing at the exit.

    ¡°You have no right to tell me what to do. ¡± Gideon fired back.

    ¡°I care about my boy and I will visit him whenever I please. ¡± he yelled pointing at Ryan¡¯s grave.

    ¡°You never really cared about him Gideon. ¡± acussed Emma while shaking her head from left to right.

    Her eyes were getting teary.

    ¡°You son of a bitch. You are responsible for the death of my son. ¡± Emma screamed at Gideon pointing a finger at him.

    ¡°Get out. ¡± she screamed while Gideon took off his shades off.

    Emma noticed how swollen his eyes were and she felt weak but yet again pretended.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to harm Ryan. I will never harm my son. ¡± Gideon professed and stormed out of the cemetery almost crying.

    Emma fell on her knees and cried till the tears stopped flowing. She dried her eyes, promised Ryan to bring his murderers to book then she went back into her car. Gideon had left already.

    While driving back home, Gideon thought about the usations Emma rained on him and his heart ached. He didn¡¯t exin to Emma what happened on the day that Ryan died because she wouldn¡¯t listen. She had never listened to him since that day.

    He parked his car by the vacant side of the road, ced his head on the steering wheel and cried. He missed Ryan. He missed the way his little boy called him Dada and how he will run to meet him whenever he was back from the office. He missed Ryan¡¯s chuckles, his smooth skin and tender hands.

    Gideon thought about the first day he took Ryan to school. How happy the little boy was and when he first brought Ryan to his office, everyonepleted the boy pointing out their striking resemnce. He remembered the first day he changed Ryan¡¯s diaper and how Emmaughed at him. If Ryan hadn¡¯t die, they would have been one big happy family.

    In her own car, while the driver was still away, Emma was grieving too. She missed Ryan and wished he was still alive. If he was alive she thought, he would have been six today and she would have thrown a big birthday party for him. They would have danced and ate cake.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    Emma wished Ryan was still alive while she sat in the car. She imagined him being bigger, way taller and handsome. She would have taught him how to read and ride a bike. She recounted fond memories of him and cried the more.

    Gideon will make her pay for loosing her baby she swore in her heart.

    She then texted Francis who immediately showed up and drove her home. When she got home, Emma walked to her room looking all gloomy and wearied and her parents didn¡¯t utter a word when she walked passed them in the living room. They knew it was Ryan¡¯s death anniversary and they understood Emma¡¯s current state of mind.

    Her mother hurried after her while her father went go the kitchen to get her a cup of coffee. Emma sat by the edge of the bed staring nkly at the wall when her mother walked in. Pearl went to her side and hugged her. Few minutester, her father showed up with a cup of coffee.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine Emma. ¡± assured her father while patting her back.

    ¡°Be strong my child. ¡± said her mother and Emma nodded in affirmation.

    ¡°I saw him mother. ¡± she told her mother while sobbing.

    ¡°I saw Gideon at the cemetery. ¡± she confessed still sobbing and clinging to her mother¡¯s chest.

    ¡°That man had the guts to visit my son¡¯s grave. ¡± sheined to her parents who said nothing.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you shower and rest now. ¡± suggested her mother who then hinted to her father with her head that they should excuse Emma which they did. Later in the evening, Pearl took Emma¡¯s dinner to her room while she had fallen asleep. She ced the food on the table, caressed Emma¡¯s face and left.

    Meanwhile, Gideon was sprawled naked in his bathtub. He sunk his head into the cold water and brought it out. He emptied the bottle of whiskey into the ss beside the bathtub and drank it like an animal.

    Not only was Gideon feeling devastated, he was feeling lonely too. He recalled Emma swearing to deal with him and at that point, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised  if his only standing business partner pulled out like the rest.

    He felt Emma wasn¡¯t only dealing with his finances and brand but also with his mental state. He took the whiskey and drank the whole content from the bottle. He dipped his head back into the water.

 CHAPTER 111: ALMOST DEAD

    ¡°Sir! Sir! ¡± a teary Frankie kept shaking Gideon¡¯s almost lifeless body.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    Frankie showed up at the mansion and after checking everywhere for his boss, he didn¡¯t see him. He decided to go to his room. He met the door to Gideon¡¯s bathroom wide opened and the tiles were soaking with water which flowed from the bathroom down to the bedroom.

    Frankie hurried inside the bathroom and saw Gideon fully submerged inside the water: his head was covered with water and he was almost drowning.

    Frankie arrived just when Gideon¡¯s soul was about leaving his body. He immediately screamed and pulled Gideon out of the bathtub.

    He ced him on the cold floor and began pressing Gideon¡¯s chest with his palms aggressively. What if Gideon was dead? Frankie thought with tears in his eyes. He was terrified because Gideon was so cold. He managed to get the driver and together they rushed Gideon to the nearest hospital.

    Gideon was ced in an emergency unit and he was unconscious. Frankie being restless kept pacing aimlessly around the hospital praying for the life of his boss. If he hadn¡¯t showed up at then, Gideon would have been history.

    What could have pushed Gideon to such a state? Frankie thought as he paced around the hospital reception scratching his head with two fingers. While pulling Gideon out of the bathtub, Frankie noticed the empty bottle of whiskey beside the bathtub. Gideon must have been drunk thought Frankie.

    Frankie turned around and saw the doctor that was attending to Gideon in the emergency unit walking out of the  unit so he ran to him.

    ¡°You brought him here right? ¡± asked the doctor after Frankie approached him.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± he quickly replied with a nod.

    ¡°Come with me. ¡± said the doctor directing Frankie to his office and  he followed suit.

    ¡°Are you a rtive? ¡± the doctor asked Frankie after showing him a ce to sit.

    ¡°I¡¯m his chef. ¡± replied Frankie after he sat.

    ¡°How is he? ¡± a distressed Frankie asked.

    ¡°Uhm he will fine. He is stable now. ¡± announced the doctor and Frankie immediately heaved a deep sigh of relief.

    The driver had returned back to the mansion to get some of Gideon¡¯s things.

    ¡°You guys saved him. ¡± the doctor told Frankie while taking off his gloves.

    ¡°If he had spent one more minute in that tub, he would have died. ¡± said the doctor while seating.

    ¡°It¡¯s a miracle he is alive. ¡± he continued.

    ¡°The water went into his lungs but there was no severe damage. He would have suffered an urate respiratory distress syndrome but thanks to your timely intervention. ¡± exined the doctor to Frankie who was feeling d.

    ¡°So far, none of his organs are damaged because drowning causes multi system organ failure. ¡± maintained the doctor.

    But all his organs are in good condition. His kidneys, lungs, liver and heart are good. ¡± assured the doctor and Frankie finally smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear this doctor. ¡± he said rubbing his palms on his forehead.

    ¡°He will be transferred back to the main ward in few minutes and you guys must let him rest. ¡± the doctor hinted and Frankie nodded in approval.

    ¡®I¡¯ll be right there. ¡± promised Judy and she hung up the call.

    She carried her bag from the table and raced out of the office.

    Frankie had called Judy and informed her that Gideon had been hospitalized. Judy was the only person Frankie could think of at that moment after he called Roderick who was out of the city on a business trip.

    ¡°Drive faster. ¡± Judy yelled at the taxi driver.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you drive yourself. ¡± the man fired back.

    You son of a bitch. Judy cursed him in her heart and kept squeezing the bag she clung to. She felt like disappearing from the cab and appearing at the hospital instantly.

    What if anything happens to Gideon? she thought and shook her head dismissing the thought. Immediately the taxi pulled in front of the hospital, Judy stepped out of the car and started running inside.

    ¡°My money. ¡± the taxi driver screamed while she was running.

    She turned around, dipped her hand inside her handbag and flung the money at him.

    ¡°Have you told him? ¡± Emma asked Andrew after he picked her call.

    ¡°Yes I did and I must confess it broke him. ¡± replied Andrew.

    Emma was silent.

    ¡°Are you there? ¡± came Andrew¡¯s voice from the other side.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± she replied.

    ¡°We will keep in touch. Wee to LIA¡¯S. ¡± Emma said and hung up the call.

    ¡°Come in. ¡± she said after someone knocked on her door. It was her assistant.

    ¡°I came to congratte you ma¡¯am. ¡± he said with a smile after walking in.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± Emma replied with a faint smile.

    ¡°Seems like Mr. Romero¡¯s partners are now transferring to ourpany. ¡± he said.

    ¡°No wonder the man is an emergency unit. So sad! ¡± her assistant said shaking his head.

    ¡°What? ¡± Emma screamed and stood up immediately.

    ¡°I heard he almost drowned and was rushed to St. Martins hospital. ¡± the man revealed.

    ¡°What happened to Gideon? ¡± she demanded.

    ¡°I just heard about it now¡­ I.. ¡± her assistant was still saying and Emma ran out of the room leaving the mind looking around in confusion.

    Emma drove to St. Martins hospital and ran into the building.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Mr. Romero. ¡± she told the hospital receptionist panting heavily.

    ¡°You are? ¡± asked the unfriendly receptionist.

    Emma stood there saying nothing.

    Emma turned to her right and saw Gideon being taken to the main ward from the emergency unit on a stretcher.  Meanwhile, the receptionist was speaking to an elderlydy who just walked in.

    Emma took to her heels running after the stretcher. Judy and Frankie were already seated in the private ward assigned to Gideon awaiting his transfer from the emergency unit.

    The nurses pushed the door open and walked into the room with Gideon on the stretcher while Emma lessened her steps behind them.

    She stood outside and saw how Gideon was taken from the stretcher by the male nurses and ced on the bed. He was looking like a log of wood and Emma felt scared.

    She took more steps closer and saw Judy backing the door. Judy was adjusting the pillow so Gideon could liefortably.

    Emma¡¯s body went cold. She turned around and started walking out of the hospital. Gideon slowly opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of Emma¡¯s disappearing figure.

 CHAPTER 112: GUILT

    Gideon shut his eyes and opened it immediately. Emma was no longer there and it was as if she vanished into thin air. Was it Emma that he just saw walking away?  he thought. He was certain she was the one that just walked out of his sight.

    Could he be hallucinating? he wondered and began struggling to get up from the bed. Judy immediately noticed him and she drawed Frankie¡¯s attention telling him to call the doctor quickly.

    The doctor ran into the ward and met Gideon already seated on the bed. He smiled at Gideon and said.

    ¡°Hello Mr. Romero how are you feeling? ¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine Gideon replied. ¡± rubbing his eyes vigorously.

    ¡°I need to go home now. ¡± said Gideon.

    Frankie and Judy immediately exchanged nces.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you are fit to be discharged Gideon. ¡± suggested Judy.

    Gideon ignored her casting his eyes on the doctor.

    ¡°Can I leave? ¡± he requested.

    ¡°I feel fine doctor. ¡± he added.

    ¡°We will run some tests on you shorty and discharge you when we are satisfied with the reports. ¡± the doctor replied calmly cing his left palm on Gideon¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Therefore, we need you here for a little while. ¡± the doctor added and smiled.

    Gideon nodded andid back on the bed. Three hourster, he was discharged from the hospital.

    Gideon¡¯s driver took him and Frankie home. After they helped him up the stairs and ced him on the bed, Gideon thanked them for saving his life.

    Gideon felt his body aching and so was his head. Then the door bell began to ring. Frankie rushed downstairs to open the door and when he opened it, Judy was standing outside.

    She waved at Frankie and walked in. Judy then climbed the stairs making her way into Gideon¡¯s room. Gideon was seated on his bed trying to get the ss of water on the table from his seating position but the ss seemed out of his reach.

    After Judy walked in, she noticed his struggle and quickly ran to get the ss of water for him.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± he said after collecting the ss from her.

    ¡°What are you doing here? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to check on you Gideon. ¡± she said.

    ¡°Thanks Judy but I¡¯m fine. ¡± he replied then drank the water.

    Judy felt hurt but she wasn¡¯t ready to back out.

    ¡°Gideon I can stay here for the mean time and take care of you till you are fully recovered. ¡± she offered sitting on the edge of his bed.

    ¡°Frankie is here. ¡± hinted Gideon.

    ¡°He will take care of me so you don¡¯t have to stay. ¡± he told her staring at his open door.

    Judy knew Gideon was still mad at her. He wasn¡¯t even looking at her.

    ¡°Frankie needs to  handle the kitchen. He needs to run errands too. He will be needing all the help he can get. ¡± exined Judy.

    ¡°Like I said Judy. ¡± insisted Gideon.

    ¡°Frankie will handle it. ¡± he maintained.

    ¡°Thank you but you can leave. ¡± he told her.

    Judy nodded reluctantly and stomped out of his room.

    When Emma returned to the office after leaving the hospital, she couldn¡¯t concentrate. She recalled Judy taking care of Gideon in the hospital and she felt hurt. Her mind kept haunting her with the image of Gideon lying lifeless on that hospital bed.  She tried dismissing the thought of him but it wasn¡¯t working. She was feeling guilty. She left her office, got into her car and began driving to Gideon¡¯s mansion.

    Emma reached the street Gideon¡¯s mansion was loacted at and remained seated in her car. She stamped her feat repeatedly inside the parked car and med herself for putting Gideon in such a mess.

    Gideon almost died because of me she told herself regretting over all the hell she made him go through. She knew stealing away his business partners and snatching his deals triggered his drowning scenario.

    How could you be so stupid Gideon shemented in her heart. Did she go too far in her quest for revenge? She thought.

    While still seated in the car, Emma looked around the area and noticed how much it has changed. New structures were erected and a park was built near Gideon¡¯s house.

    Judy walked out of Gideon¡¯s house angrily. After taking  few steps away from the house, she stumbled on Emma who was heading into the mansion.

    They colided with each other and both women reed at each other smirking inwardly.  Emma smiled falsely at Judy.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°How are you doing Judy? ¡± she asked  still feigning a smile.

    ¡°Looks like you are not fine. ¡± she added and Judy immediately loosened up.

    Judy giggled and said

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m fine. ¡±

    ¡°You know seeing Gideon in such a horrible state is heartbreaking. ¡± said Judy cing her hand on her chest.

    ¡°But I know Gideon. He wille out stronger. ¡± she said and flipped her hair.

    ¡°I never knew you knew him that much? ¡± replied Emma.

    ¡°Well it¡¯s been three years Emma. Things happen. ¡± Judy said and smirked.

    ¡°I should take my leave now. ¡± Judy said pretending to be in a hurry.

    ¡°You should replied Emma. ¡±

    ¡°Seems like you need to rx right?  You don¡¯t look good. ¡± Emma pointed out eyeing Judy from her hair down to her toes.

    She smiled, waved at Judy and headed into Gideon¡¯s home.

    Emma met the gate wide opened so she walked in. She noticed how the flowers she nted a long time ago had withered. The house was quiet. She looked around and noticed how dry and dusty her once perfect garden was. She took more steps further and wondered whether to turn around or not.

    Gideon hade out of his room after Judy left and joined Frankie in the living room. The door bell rang and Frankie ran to open the door.

    I thought I asked Judy to leave Gideon said in his mind as Frankie went to get the door.

    After Frankie opened the door, Emma walked in. Gideon immediately stood up in surprise.

 CHAPTER 113: THE VISIT

    Gideon was shocked to the bone marrow immediately Emma walk in. He stood there looking at her in surprise. He stood there looking at her without a word.

    ¡°What are you doing here? he managed to ask her.

    ¡°Excuse me sir. ¡± said Frankie. He walked away from the spot leaving them alone in the living room.

    Emma looked at Gideon and noticed how frail he was looking. His eyes were swollen and red and he was barely standing. She felt sorry for him.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to check up on you. ¡± she finally replied.

    ¡°I heard about the ident and so I decided toe and check up on you. ¡± Emma added with her eyes fixed on the floor.

    Gideon smiled inwardly. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Emma had reallye to see him and it dened his heart.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. ¡± announced Emma.

    ¡°I can see you are doing okay. ¡± she added and turned around to leave.

    ¡°Emma. ¡± called out Gideon and she halted.

    She slowly turned around and faced him..

    ¡°Yes. ¡±  she responded and their eyes met.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± Gideon said looking into her eyes and Emma kept staring at him for a while.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    She nodded, turned around and left. Emma went back into her car, heaved a deep sigh and drove home. She felt relieved that Gideon was okay.

    Immediately Judy got to her house after Gideon sent her away, she ran inside her room mming the door really hard. She was feeling very angry and she yelled out in frustration flinging her bag on the bed. Tears were already streaming down her cheeks. Why does Gideon keep pushing her away she thought.

    She was sitting on a chair in her room with her face burried in between herps. She recalled her encounter with Emma after she was walking out of Gideon¡¯s house. She recalled Emma gloated at her telling her she wasn¡¯t looking okay.

    She angrily pushed the sttern resting  on her table and it crashed on the floor ssplitting into bits. She pushed the well arranged books on the table and they fell on the brokenntern.

    She began to weep then suddenly, she broke out into a dryugh. She stood up and went to the bathroom to clean her face. She came out, lifted her handbag from the bed and stormed out of her room leaving the mess she created behind.

    A week earlier, Judy had received a phone call from someone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there right away. ¡± she promised after answering the call.

    ¡°Take me to BASH game reserve. ¡± she told the taxi driver who just pulled up in front of her after she went out of her house to meet the caller.

    She hopped in and he drove her then he parked the car at the entrance gate of the game reserve.

    ¡°I¡¯m at the gate. ¡± she said after calling the person she came to meet.

    ¡°Stay there. I¡¯ll be there shortly. ¡± he responded and hung up.

    Soon, the man came out from the reserve and waved at Judy who began walking towards him.

    ¡°You look terrible. ¡± he told her as they headed into the reserve.

    Judy smirked and fumed over the man¡¯sment.

    ¡°Your eyes are swollen. ¡± he said immediately they sat on the locally weaved chairs in the lounge of the reserve.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. ¡± Judy lied.

    It was the day after she and Gideon came in contact with Emma at the auditorium.

    ¡°Emma is in town. ¡± she told him.

    ¡°I know. ¡± he agreed with her.

    ¡°Have you seen her? ¡± Judy asked .

    ¡°That bitch has transformed. ¡± she said.

    ¡°And do you know the exploits she¡¯s doing in the city? ¡±

    ¡°Tell me. ¡± the man said.

    ¡°Do you know that she is the face behind LIA¡¯S? ¡± asked Judy.

    ¡°What? ¡± blurted the man.

    ¡°Yes. She is snatching away Gideon¡¯s business partners, taking over his investors and making him feel ipetent.¡±ined Judy.

    ¡°She looks hot, her hair is engthy and gush I hate her. ¡± Judy screamed in frustration.

    The man smiled and Judy felt mocked.

    ¡°Do you want some water? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Are you crazy? ¡± she yelled at him

    ¡°Easy Tigress. ¡± he said trying to pacify her.

    ¡°Listen man. ¡± began Judy while facing him.

    ¡°ROMERO BARS is incuring losses and I tell you if we don¡¯t work hard, thatpany will go down and it will hurt you the most. ¡± Judy exined.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that dumbpany. ¡± she said falling back on the chair.

    ¡°It¡¯s Gideon that is keeping me there and you know it. ¡± Judy admitted.

    ¡°Back to that bitch. ¡± she continued.

    ¡°We need to take her out. ¡± she professed.

    ¡°Careful Judy. ¡± warned the man.

    ¡°Fine.¡± she stated with a nod.

    ¡°They are divorced Judy so I guess we don¡¯t have an issue. Focus on distracting Gideon and we will both have what we want. ¡± he told her.

    ¡°Are you scared? ¡± he aksed her after noticing how restless she looked.

    While sitting opposite the man in the reserve,  Judy was recollecting her experience with Emma. She couldn¡¯t get that thought off her mind.

    What if they eventually make upter on? She thought . No way she said in her mind.

    ¡°Judy! ¡± the man called out after noticing she was lost in thoughts.

    ¡°They won¡¯t make up. ¡± she finally voiced out.

    ¡°How sure are you? ¡± the man asked interrogating her sudden certainty.

    ¡°Emma hates Gideon with so much passion. ¡± replied Judy with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s good news for us. ¡± he said smiling back.

    ¡°You should have seen the way she proimed how vengeful she is towards him. ¡± narrated Judy.

    She quickly stood up and demonstrated to the man.

    ¡°She threatened to ruin him and you need to see how my Gideon was scared. ¡± Judy said sadly and fell back on the chair.

    ¡°Your Gideon? ¡± hinted the man.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make him mine I swear to you. No matter what it takes. ¡± Judy swore.

 CHAPTER 114 :PARTNERSHIP

    It¡¯s been two weeks since Gideon¡¯s ident. He had fully recovered and returned to work. Ever since he came back to the office, he had been working really hard to find recements for his business partners who pulled away.

    ¡°Good morning Sir.¡± Judy greeted him after she knocked on his office and he let her in.

    ¡°Morning Judy. ¡± he replied focusing on the open file on his table.

    ¡°Come in. ¡± he told her after she stood outside clinging to the door knob.

    ¡°You sent for me sir. ¡± she told him formally.

    ¡°Yes Judy. ¡± he replied closing the open file before him.

    ¡°I need you to schedule a meeting with FREDDY¡¯S bars. We will be meeting in respect to the partnership proposal soonest.¡± assigned Gideon.

    ¡°Right away sir. ¡± she replied and left the office.

    Judy went back to her office and smiled as she began drafting the meeting invitation letter on herputer. She felt d that Gideon had recovered and was now ready to restrategize. However, she wasn¡¯t really sure if he had forgiven her.

    After Judy had the letter dispatched, she told Gidoen about it and he told her to keep her eye out for a confirmation letter.

    Meanwhile, Emma was officiallyunching the new bar she got from ZINOX weeks ago.

    The ce was decorated with flowers and illuminating bulbs. She cut therge ribbon tied to the entrance and the people pped and cheered.

    She thanked her guests, made them feel wee and announced that the bar was now officially hers. The inscription ZINOX was reced with LIA¡¯S on the building¡¯s wall.

    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you Emma. ¡± her father told her after they returned home.

    ¡°How does it feel building an empire? ¡± her mother asked while setting the dinner table.

    ¡°Fine. ¡± was all Emma could say.

    She then hurried to her room upstairs. An hourter, her mother went to her room.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°The door is open. ¡± Emma responded from the inside after her mother knocked on her door.

    Her mother walked in, ced a food tray on Emma¡¯s  table and went to her side on the bed. Emma sat up and feigned a smile.

    ¡°Are you happy? ¡± blurted her mother.

    ¡°Yes. Of course. ¡± Emma lied.

    Her mother smiled and said

    ¡°You are not happy my child. ¡±

    ¡°This is not you Emma. ¡± her mother said cing a finger on her chest.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want this do you? ¡± her mother told her.

    ¡°The fame, the brand and money. ¡± added her mother.

    ¡°I want this. ¡± replied Emma with a voice of uncertainty.

    ¡°You want it maybe but not this way. ¡± hinted her mother.

    ¡°True happinesses from within my child. Do what makes you happy Emma. ¡± advised her mother.

    Emma nodded.

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t make you happy then it¡¯s not worth it. If you work for it ande back feeling empty then it¡¯s not worth. Don¡¯t allow grief and revenge blind you. ¡± continued her mother while Emma listened.

    ¡°Don¡¯t allow anybody to set a path for you. Set your own path. ¡± concluded her mother.

    ¡°Your dinner is on the table. ¡± she told Emma.

    ¡°Thanks mother. ¡± Emma told her and hugged her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get cold. ¡± said her mother while pointing to the food on the table. She then stepped out of the room.

    The following day, FREDDY¡¯S BAR was meeting with Gideon in his office over his proposed partnership.

    ¡°They are here. ¡± Judy announced to Gideon in his office.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly. ¡± replied Gideon while getting his file.

    Gideon went into his conference room and greeted the two men that formed a part of FREDDY¡¯S board of directors.

    ¡°we¡¯ve received your proposal Mr. Romero. ¡± began one of the men.

    ¡°I must say your proposal is good Mr. Romero but we are having second thoughts. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Second thoughts? ¡± asked Gideon.

    Judy was seating next to Gideon.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± the thinner man amongst them replied.

    ¡°We are concerned about the recent pulling out of your partners. ¡± he added.

    ¡°How does it correspond with your brand partnering with us? ¡± Judy asked.

    ¡°Mr. Romero. ¡± the first man called out.

    ¡°Is there something we should be worried about? Maybe the reason for them pulling out? ¡± he further asked.

    ¡°Are you doubting the credibility of mypany? ¡± retorted Gideon.

    The men said nothing. Gideon knew   where their worries wereing from. He knew that the men were doubting his reputation and the rate at which business  partners pulled out from hispany was questionable.

    ¡°Madam Emmalia is calling. ¡± announced the thin man while picking up his phone which was vibrating.

    Gideon¡¯s heartbeat immediately stopped for a while at the mention of Emmalia.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. ¡± he said after picking the call.

    ¡°Are You sure? ¡± he asked Emma.

    ¡°If you say so ma¡¯am. ¡± he replied then hung up the call.

    Why was Emma calling FREDDY bars board of directors thought Judy. Was she trying to snatch another partner from them again? she wondered and smirked inwardly.

    ¡°If seems luck is on your side Mr. Romero. ¡± the man who answered the phone when Emma call said.

    ¡°LIA¡¯S brand is taking off their proposal from the table. ¡± he stated.

    ¡°What do you mean? asked Judy.

    ¡°We also got a proposal for partnership from LIA¡¯S brand a week ago. ¡± revealed the other man.

    ¡°Our C. E. O.  suggested we get a fair hearing from both sides so we came here  and will be going to her office immediately after here but it seems the n has changed. ¡± he narrated.

    ¡°She just called to inform us that she is no longer interested. ¡± the man who answered the call said.

    Gideon¡¯s eyes were wide opened as if it will fall off it¡¯s socket.

    Why will Emma back out suddenly? Judy thought. Could she be ying games with them? she pondered.

    ¡°Congrattions Mr. Romero. ¡± said the thin man.

    ¡°We are now officially partners. ¡± he said to Gideon with a smile extending his right palm for a handshake.

    Gideon reluctantly shook him.

    ¡®We will leave now.¡± said one of them.

    ¡°You will receive an official document sealing our partnership. ¡± the other man said and Gideon smiled halfway.

    They walked out of the conference room being led by Judy. Gideon fell back on his chair trying to fix the puzzle before him. Why would Emma suddenly back out? he thought.

 CHAPTER 115: FORGIVENESS

    Judy returned back to the conference room after leading the men from FREDDY¡¯S outside the building. Gideon was still seated there marveling over the fact that Emma took away her sent proposal.

    ¡°Congrattions on your new partnership with FREDDY¡¯S sir ¡± Judy said extending her palm towards him.

    ¡°Thank you Judy.¡± he replied shaking her.

    Judy smiled inwardly.

    ¡°Thank you for all your effort. You did great drafting the proposal. ¡± said Gideon.

    Judy smiled inwardly again. She missed the way Gideon alwaysplemented her. She decided to take advantage of his brightened mood.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the other day at the balcony in your home. ¡± she began.

    She was standing and she lowered her head.

    ¡°I feel so ashamed of myself. I wanted to help but I got it all wrong in my head. ¡± she pleaded.

    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again. Please forgive me Sir. ¡± she promised.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Judy. We are good. ¡± Gideon replied.

    Judy immediately lifted up her head. She couldn¡¯t hide her smile.

    ¡°Thank you Sir. ¡± she said and nodded.

    She left the conference room feeling like she had just won a lottery. She took her phone out of her handbag and headed to the restroom. After ensuring she was the only one there, she ced a phone call.

    ¡°Gideon and I are good now. ¡± she said excitedly.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. ¡± replied the mam she had called.

    ¡°Be careful not to step on his toes again. ¡± the man advised.

    ¡°Of course. ¡± agreed Judy.

    ¡°I¡¯m running out of patience. We need to act. ¡± the man said.

    ¡°Calm down. ¡± she told him then heard footsteps thundering towards the restroom.

    ¡°We will meetter tonight. ¡± she said then ended the call.

    It was past 10:pm and Gideon was with Roderick hanging out in one of his clubs. They were seated in the VIP lounge. Roderick had just returned from his business trip.

    ¡°When Frankie called me.¡± said Roderick  with a ss of wine in his left hand.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do. I was very scared man but I¡¯m d you are okay now.¡± he said.

    ¡°Thanks Rick. ¡± replied Gideon with a nod.

    ¡°I owe Frankie my life. That guy saved me. ¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°It¡¯s always good to have someone around. ¡± Roderick outlined.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± agreed Gideon with a nod.

    ¡°So what¡¯s this I¡¯m hearing about Emma in the city? ¡± asked Rodderick staring at Gideon who had finished taking the wine from his ss and was pouring more from the bottle.

    ¡°Have you seen her? ¡± Gideon asked him.

    ¡°No I just came to town bro. You tell me.¡± replied Rodderick.

    ¡°She has transformed Rick. ¡±mented Gideon.

    ¡°She is this hot brutal woman. ¡± he said.

    ¡°What? Emma brutal? ¡± disagreed Rodderick and he broke out into a dryugh.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious bro. ¡± confirmed Gideon

    ¡°I never thought it was possible Rick till she took six of my business partners and stole away my investors. ¡± Gideon replied cing his empty ss on the table.

    ¡°So she¡¯s into business too? Is it that serous? ¡± inquired Rick.

    ¡°Yes. I wanted you to return so I could exin better. ¡± replied Gideon cleaning his forehead with a handkerchief.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°She owns this brand called LIA¡¯S and I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s doing it but she¡¯s having everyone on her side and it¡¯s almost as if she is after mypany¡¯s growth. ¡±mented Gideon.

    ¡°She¡¯s mad at you bro and never underestimate an angry woman. ¡± warned Rodderick.

    Gideon ced his face into his palms and took it out immediately. He grabbed his ss of wine and gulped the whole content.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry bro. You¡¯ll be fine. ¡± assured his friend cing a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°You are Gideon Romero right? You can handle this. ¡± Roderick said giving him a slight punch on the left arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can handle this Rick. ¡± confessed Gideon while shaking his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure of what I can do again.¡± he told Rick.

    ¡°Was that what led to the ident in the bath tub? ¡± questioned Roderick.

    Gideon didn¡¯t reply but lowered his head and Roderick knew it was true.

    ¡°Damn Gideon.¡± screamed Rick.

    ¡°She swore to bring me down. I¡¯ve never seen Emma react like that ever before and I¡¯m sure she wouldn¡¯t back out. ¡± exined Gideon.

    ¡°She is driving me insane and I don¡¯t even know how to feel or what to do anymore. ¡±mented Gideon.

    He went for the bottle of wine and Roderick immediately pulled it away from him.

    ¡°You are drinking too much my friend. ¡± warned Roderick after taking away the bottle of wine from Gideon¡¯s side.

    ¡°However, continued Gideon. ¡± while rxing on therge sofa.

    ¡°She called the people from FREDDY¡¯S dering that she was no longer interested in partnering with them. ¡± he said.

    ¡°And why are you sounding worried Gideon?  That¡¯s good news. ¡± hinted Rick.

    ¡°At least you got the deal now. ¡± he added.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. ¡±ined Gideon.

    ¡°What if it¡¯s a scheme to take me down?, what if she¡¯s nning to do something by pulling out? ¡± Gideon asked looking at his friend in confussion.

    ¡°Then take her out? ¡± suggested Rodderick.

    ¡°Are you crazy? ¡± Gideon barked at him.

    ¡°How dare you? ¡± Gideon yelled again.

    ¡°Sorry man. Calm down. ¡± Roderick told him.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Rick. ¡± apologized Gideon

    ¡°Have you tried speaking to her? ¡± demanded Roderick.

    ¡°oops! ¡± I remember she is brutal now. ¡±  said Roderick.

    ¡°She came home the other day. ¡± Gideon told Rick.

    ¡°What for? ¡± he asked.

    ¡°Right after I left the hospital, Emma came to see me. She said she wanted to see how I was fairing. ¡± Gideon said with a smile.

    ¡°You know what Rick, seeing her standing in that spot made me feel better instantly. Her eyes were just¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Hey! ¡± interrupted Roderick.

    ¡°She¡¯s your enemy. ¡± he hinted to Gideon.

    ¡°I might be her enemy but she¡¯s  not my enemy. ¡± Gideon maintained.

 CHAPTER 116: A DAY WITH DR. MATHEW

    It was 10:am, a work free day. Judy decided to schedule an appointment with Dr. Mathew. She knew hospitals operate 7 days a week.

    Meanwhile, when she had phoned Dr. Mathew, he was resting at home but offered to meet her in the hospital.

    ¡°How are you feeling Judy? Dr. Mathew asked her after she decided to see him that Sunday morning.

    Judy was standing by his window with her hands running through his curtains. She was excited and Dr. Mathew could sense it.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to offeer me a seat? ¡± she asked him after turning towards his direction.

    ¡°You know your way around here Judy. ¡± he told her with a smile.

    ¡°Where are you eye sses? ¡± she asked him after noticing he wasn¡¯t putting it on.

    He smiled and asked her to seat. She sat opposite him on the bigfortable chair.

    ¡°I hope you wouldn¡¯t storm outside here angrily today. ¡± he told her while trying to locate his pen.

    Judy smiled and swung her head from left to right signalling she won¡¯t.

    ¡°There will be no questions today Judy. ¡± he outlined.

    ¡°You just talk to me. ¡± he offered crossing his legs.

    ¡°So what shall we talk about? ¡± she asked him.

    ¡°Anything. Tell me anything on your mind. ¡± he replied.

    ¡°You seem very happy today. I like that. Why don¡¯t you tell me why you are so excited. ¡± he added.

    Judy smiled and said ¡°I think I¡¯ll love today¡¯s session.

    ¡°Gideon and I made up. I¡¯m back to his good page now. ¡°said an excited Judy.

    ¡°Was there any fall out in the first ce? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Yes. He became grumpy all of a sudden. He wouldn¡¯t talk me. ¡± she said then smirked.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of Emma.¡± she added.

    ¡°And you guys are okay now? ¡± demanded the doctor.

    ¡°Yes. He apologized and I think we are fine. All I need to do is keep that bitch away from him. ¡± she replied.

    ¡°You are not taking notes today? ¡± she questioned Dr. Mathew who smiled and didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°So where do you take it from there? ¡± he further asked.

    ¡°I think this issue has been lingering for quite too long. Don¡¯t you think so? ¡± Judy told Dr. Mathew while cing a finger on her jaw.

    ¡°Since your whole drama with Gideon is taking so long, why don¡¯t you let it go? ¡± suggested the doctor.

    ¡°Why do you keep telling me to let go? ¡± she yelled.

    ¡°Because I care about you. ¡± replied Dr. Mathew in a calm manner.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I won¡¯t. ¡± protested Judy.

    ¡°Or maybe you can. You don¡¯t want to. ¡± he argued.

    ¡°We are talking about me remember? ¡± she reminded him.

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me how to feel. ¡± she said and he nodded.

    ¡°So where were we? ¡± she said.

    ¡°I remember! ¡± she hinted raising her left palm.

    ¡°I wasining on how Gideon wouldn¡¯t heed to my demands. ¡± she said.

    ¡°So tell me Dr. Mathew. Am I not attractive enough for Gideon?¡± she said pointing to herself from head to toe.

    ¡°I can make any man trip. Why is Gideon acting so difficult?¡± Shemented.

    ¡°Maybe Gideon isn¡¯t  meant for you. ¡± answered Dr. Mathew.

    ¡°He¡¯s mine. ¡± she screamed and Dr. Mathew was forced to keep quiet.

    ¡°Wait till we strike. ¡± she boasted.

    ¡°We? ¡± Dr. Mathew asked.

    Judy immediately began scratching her hair with one hand and was looking all over the ce.

    ¡°What do we say about hurting people Judy? ¡± Dr. Mathew asked her.

    ¡°But I¡¯m the one who is hurt here. ¡± she protested.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t anyone concerned about my feelings? ¡± she retorted.

    ¡°Maybe you are the one who is not concern about your feelings. ¡± he pointed out.

    ¡°Bullshitt. ¡± was her reply.

    ¡°What happened to the pills I gave you? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°I flushed them down the toilet. ¡± she replied and broke outughing.

    ¡°Of what use are some dumb pills if I can handle things my way? ¡± she said.

    ¡°When was thest time you meditated? ¡± he asked again.

    ¡°How am I suppose to meditate when that bitch is all around the city taking over everything? ¡± she fired back.

    ¡°Breathe in and out Judy. ¡± advised the doctor and she did.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s high time you consider medication? ¡± he offered.

    ¡°What do you take me for? Some crazy bitch? ¡± she replied.

    He was quiet. After few seconds of silence, Dr. Mathew spoke.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go back to your highschool. Back to the day you hurt Tonia. ¡± he suggested.

    ¡°No. ¡± screamed Judy.

    ¡°The day you pulled her into the pool. * continued Dr. Mathew.

    Judy immediately tightened her fists and shut her eyes. The doctor was observing her.

    ¡°How did you feel while you were drowning her? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. ¡± Judy said with her eyes shut.

    ¡°I just wanted to get on with it. ¡± she added.

    ¡°And do you remember her pleading for mercy? ¡± he asked.

    Judy said nothing. She opened her eyes and Dr. Mathew saw how teary her eyes were. He pulled out his notebook and wrote something down.

    ¡°How would you have felt If she died that day? ¡± he probed her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. As long as I have want I want, I don¡¯t care how anyone feels. ¡± dered Judy.

    ¡°Maybe you should start paying attention to your feelings now. ¡± he replied.

    ¡°Would you want to hurt Gideon? ¡± he asked her.

    ¡®Never. ¡± Judy replied with a sincere tone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never hurt Gideon. I love him more than my life. ¡± she professed.

    ¡°What if you do something that hurts him. Maybe hurting Emma? ¡± the doctor said.

    ¡°Are you suggesting he still cares about that bitch? ¡± Judy yelled at the doctors face.

    ¡°How will you feel when you and Gideon don¡¯t eventually work out? ¡± asked Dr. Mathew staring into her eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that again. ¡± screamed an angry Judy.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 CHAPTER 117: A BOLD STEP

    Frankie knocked on the door to Gideon¡¯s room with a careful sense of uncertainty.

    ¡°Come in Frankie. ¡± responded Gideon from the outside as if he was expecting him.

    ¡°Good morning Sir. ¡± Frankie greeted the moment he walked in.

    ¡°Your breakfast is ready. ¡± he said.

    Frankie wasn¡¯t sure whether Gideon will have the meal yet he tried his luck. Throughoutst month, Gidoen had been skipping meals and when Frankie ces it for him on his table, he barely touches it.

    This is as a result of the crises he was having with his business. Since after the ident in the bat tub, Frankie noticed a sense of cheerfulness radiating around Gideon so he decided to try his luck with the breakfast that morning.

    Gideon was seating on his bed reading a book when Frankie walked in to invite him for the breakfast.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly. ¡± replied Gideon and Frankie smiled and nodded.

    Few minutester, Gidoen had joined Frankie in the living room.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have the breakfast together? ¡± suggested Gidoen while pointing to the dining table.

    ¡°No sir. I¡¯ll have my breakfast in my room. ¡± declined Frankie.

    ¡°Come on Frankie. Sit and eat with me. ¡± insisted Gideon with a smile.

    Frankie nodded and epted the offer. He sat opposite Gideon and when he reached for the spoon, his hands were shaking. Gideon chuckle and told him to rx.

    After having breakfast that morning with his chef, Gideon drove himself to the office.

    ¡°Good morning Judy. ¡± he greeted her while walking pass her office to his.

    ¡°Morning sir. ¡± she replied witg her eyes all over him.

    She quickly stood up and hurried after him with a file. He took off his jacket, ce it around his chair and sat.

    ¡°There¡¯s an invitation letter here sir. ¡± began Judy taking the letter out of the file.

    ¡°It came from the city museum. ¡± she said handing the letter to him.

    Gideon collected it and opened it. He smiled and instantly stood up.

    ¡°This is good news Judy. ¡± he said shing the letter before her.

    Judy smiled even though she didn¡¯t know what the good news was.

    ¡°The museum is requesting for ourpany to be part of their event tonight. They are booking all our bar tendants for their annual event this night . ¡± exined Gideon.

    ¡°We will also be supplying all the wine needed at the event tommorow night. ¡± he added.

    ¡°Wow! ¡± dered Judy.

    ¡°Send a confirmation letter immediately and seal the deal with them. ¡± ordered Gideon.

    ¡°Right away sir. ¡± Judy replied and walked out of the office smiling.

    ¡°What a way to start the morning. ¡±mented Gideon.

    Judy called the museum and confirmed their eptance of the offer. She went back to Gideon and reported to him that the deal had been officially sealed.

    ¡°However sir. ¡± Observed Judy when she went back to his office.

    ¡°The museum will be needing fity two bottles of Roaming dog wine and we just have twelve. ¡± she said.

    ¡®What? ¡± blurted Gideon.

    ¡°Call the warehouse immediately. ¡± he ordered her.

    ¡°I did sir. We are all out. ¡± confirmed Judy.

    Gideon stood up and began pacing around his office.

    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to loose this deal Judy. We can¡¯t. ¡± he said hitting his palms.

    ¡°We have two options here. ¡± began Judy.

    ¡°Either we call the museum and cancel the deal or.. ¡±

    ¡°Never. ¡± interrupted Gideon.

    ¡°If we cancel this deal, they¡¯ll never give us another one when another opportunityes. We will be tagged as ipetent. ¡± he almost screamed.

    ¡°What¡¯s your other idea? ¡± he asked her after seating down.

    ¡°We get another brand, buy the wine from them and supply it to the museum

    since our bar tendants will be the one¡¯s handling the drinks. ¡± said Judy.

    ¡°That way, we can safe our face.¡± exined Judy.

    ¡°Genius! Your a genius Judy. ¡± Gideon screamed in excitement.

    Judy smiled feeling proud.

    ¡°Get me the contact list of all bars in the city. We need to start calling them immediately. ¡± Gideon instructed her.

    ¡°Yes Sir. ¡± Judy replied and went out.

    An hourter, Judy was back in Gideon¡¯s office with a paper containing the list of contacts of bar owners and wine sellers in New york.

    ¡°I¡¯vepiled a list sir. ¡± she said presenting the paper to Gideon.

    ¡°First on our list is FREDDY¡¯S ¡± Gideon said bringing out his mobile phone from the drawer.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    He dailed their official contact number and got a negative response.

    ¡°They are out of Roaming dog. ¡± he told Judy and immediately dailed the next contact on the list.

    ¡°Tommorow? I need it tonight. ¡± Gideon said then hung up the call after nodding.

    Gideon had ced his phone on speaker so Judy was hearing everything.

    ¡°Next? ¡± said an impatient Gideon.

    ¡°ZINOX. ¡± Judy said.

    Gideon dialed their number and someone picked the call.

    ¡°Hello this is Mr. Romero. I need about fourty bottles of Roaming dog wine please? ¡± Gideon asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry we don¡¯t take orders now. We only offer bar services. ¡± replied the woman who answered the call.

    ¡°You can contact our main office. They take orders. ¡± she suggested.

    ¡°Who is in charge of your main office? ¡± Gideon asked.

    ¡°LIA¡¯S BRAND. Our new management. ¡± replied the woman.

    Judy¡¯s eyes immediately popped out of its socket.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you their official contact adress right away. ¡± the woman stated then hung up the call.

    Gideon fell back on his chair allowing the words to sink in. He hadpletely forgotten that EMMA took over ZINOX months earlier. His phone then vibrated. The official contact adress of LIA¡¯S Brand was sent to him.

    ¡®Seems like we have to cancel the deal. ¡± concluded Judy.

    Gidoen didn¡¯t reply. He dialed the number sent to him instead.

    ¡°Hello. ¡±  he said.

    ¡°Do you have roaming dog wine? ¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± replied the person who picked the call.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be needing forty bottles. ¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°Okay. ¡± he nodded then kept the phone on the table.

    ¡°This is a bad idea. ¡± hesitated Judy.

    ¡°If Emma finds out we are the ones requesting for this, I doubt if she will sell to us. ¡± outlined Judy.

    ¡°We can¡¯t make such a huge transaction anonymously. ¡± Judy said.

    ¡°I know Judy. ¡± replied Gideon.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be going there myself. ¡± revealed Gideon.

    Judy¡¯s jaw immediately dropped.

 CHAPTER 118 : A FAIR DEAL

    ¡°You mean you are going to Emma for a transaction? ¡± Judy asked.

    Gidoen nodded.

    ¡°Ohe on Gideon. That woman is after you. ¡± argued Judy.

    ¡°She will kick you out I bet. ¡± she added.

    ¡°I might as well try. ¡± maintained Gideon.

    Judy left his office angrily. What on earth could she do at the moment to stop them from meeting? she thought.

    Back in his office, Gideon was pondering. If he goes to Emma¡¯s office, she might shut him out? he thought. Since she was after his downfalltely, he was sure she wouldn¡¯t assist him yet he still felt the need to try.

    He got up quickly from his chair, alerted his driver and they were soon on their way to her office. As he sat parallel the car, he kept dismissing the thought that was seducing him to go back. If he doesn¡¯t prove to the museum management that he could handle the deal, he might never be contacted again and after all the loses he was makingtely, he needed this deal to click.

    ¡°We are here sir. ¡± his driver announced parking the car outside the building.

    ¡°You can wait here for me. ¡± he told the driver and stepped out.

    He went inside the building, introduced himself as Gideon Romero and was linked up with Emma¡¯s secretary.

    ¡°She will call you in soonest. ¡± said the young secretary of about twenty years.

    Gideon had told her to let Emma know that he was there to see her urgently. While he sat on thefortable sofa close to the secetary outside waiting for Emma to invite him in, Gideon¡¯s heartbeat quickened and he was beginning to sweat. He wasn¡¯t sure whether he was anxious or scared.

    When Emma¡¯s secretary informed her that Mr. Gideon Romero hade to see her, she immediately dropped the pen she was holding.

    ¡°Why? ¡± she asked the secretary who had no idea why he was there.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when to let him in. ¡± Emma said and dismissed the secretary.

    What could Gideon be doing here? Emma thought. Then, the secretary¡¯s telephone rang.

    ¡°Hello. ¡±  responded the secretary.

    ¡°Ok Ma¡¯am. ¡± she said and turned to Gideon.

    ¡°You can go in sir. ¡± she told him and Gideon immediately stood up, heaved a deep sigh and pushed Emma¡¯s door open after knocking slightly.

    ¡°Hello. ¡± Gideon said after walking in.

    ¡°Seat. ¡± she replied pointing to the two vacant chairs opposite her.

    Gideon quickly sat on one.

    ¡°I heard you needed to see me urgently Mr. Romero. ¡± began Emma while crossing her legs.

    Gideon¡¯s eyes drifted to her barely covered thighs and when he tilted his gaze upward, her bossoms were before him.

    ¡°Mr. Romero? ¡± she said after noticing how lost Gideon was.

    ¡°Yes Sorry. ¡± he said staring at the floor.

    Emma was smiling and when he lifted up his head, she instantly stopped smiling.

    ¡°I¡¯m here for a business transaction. ¡± Gideon stated.

    ¡°Tell me about it. ¡± Emma replied.

    While seating put in her chair, she was fighting to pretend that she was tensed.

    ¡°My bad. What can I offer you? ¡± she aksed him.

    ¡°No I¡¯m fine. ¡± he said.

    ¡°The business transaction. ¡± he continued.

    ¡°Yes yes. ¡± responded Emma.

    ¡°I need forty bottles of Roaming dog urgently. ¡± Gideon said.

    Emma could sense the tension in his eyes.

    ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t want to help but I need to make this delivery Emma. ¡± pleaded Gideon.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but please can you help me? ¡± he asked her and immediately lowered his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m a business woman Mr. Romero. ¡± Emma said cing both hands on the table.

    Gideon was staring directly at her chest and he could see the line that separated her breast.

    Focus Gideon.  he told himself in his mind.

    ¡°You are buying the wines aren¡¯t you? ¡± she asked him.

    ¡°Yes of course. ¡± Gideon replied nodding.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll sell them to you. ¡± she said viting Gideon¡¯s expectation.

    ¡°You could have just made the transaction with my management. You didn¡¯t have toe here. ¡± she said fondling the tip of her pen.

    ¡°I felt maybe you wouldn¡¯t permit the transaction if you knew it was from ROMERO¡¯S that¡¯s why I came myself ¡± confessed Gideon.

    ¡°I¡¯m after the numbers Gideon. ¡± Said Emma.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care who I¡¯m dealing with as long as I get my money. ¡± she stated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about yourpany. ¡± she blurted.

    Gideon nodded and asked her

    ¡°Do you care about me? ¡±

    He was looking into her eyes and she couldn¡¯t take her¡¯s off him. There eyes were locked in one another¡¯s and Emma felt the sudden desire to pull him closer and kiss him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about you either Mr. Romero. ¡± she lied and Gideon¡¯s heart leapt in agony.

    She could sense how broken he was after she dered herck of care towards him.

    ¡°I thought you came for business. ¡± she reminded him and he nodded.

    ¡°Fine. Meet my marketing department and get the products. They¡¯ll handle the transaction with you. ¡± she said staring at her door.

    ¡°Thank you so much Emma. Thank you for saving my reputation. ¡± Gideon thanked her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything special Mr. Romero. We had a fair deal. You get your wine, I get my money. ¡± she exined.

    ¡°Thanks once again. ¡± Gideon said while standing up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave now. ¡± he said then walked out of the office.

    Emma shut her eyes and heaved a deep sigh.

    Gideon went straight to the financial department and made the transaction. His transfer van will be sent to pick the wines he told them after leaving.

    Back in the office, Judy was hoping that Emma will kick Gideon out and deny him acess to the wines so he could finally see how bitter she was towards him.

    Judy felt if Emma maltreats Gideon, it will make him hate her and as far as she is concerned, that is all she ever wanted.

    ¡°Good afternoon Mr. Romero .¡± Judy heard someone greeting Gideon. She rushed out of her office.

    ¡°Where is Martins? ¡± Gideon asked the janitor who greeted him.

    ¡°I need him to take the van and pick forty bottles of wine from LIA¡¯S right now. ¡± ordered Gideon.

    Judy stood still inplete shock.

 CHAPTER 119 :JEALOUSY

    After ordering Martin to get the wine from LIA¡¯S, Gideon went back to his office and sat. Judy followed him.

    ¡°We got the deal Judy. ¡± he told her with a smile.

    Judy gave a false smile.

    ¡°Get the necessary things in order. Ensure the best bar tendants are sent there. I¡¯ll be present at the event. ¡± Gideon hinted.

    ¡°Yes sir. ¡± Judy replied and walked out of his office.

    Judy wanted to ask Gideon what transpired between him and Emma, how he convinced her to sell the wine to him and how he was able to make the transaction quick but she didn¡¯t wanted to make it obvious to him that she was anxious. She went back to her office and continued doing the work he assigned to her.

    Immediately Gideon left Emma¡¯s office, she got a phone call from the museum management.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll be there sir. ¡± she promised her caller and drove home.

    Emma stood in front of her standing mirror trying different outfits on her.

    ¡°Finally. ¡± she said examining the long fitted red dress she held in front of the mirror. The dress had a slit on the left side down to her leg.

    ¡°You look gorgeous. ¡±mented Pearl after she walked downstairs dressed in the long beautiful red grown. Her shoulders were bare and an expensive gold pendant was around her neck. She wore a ck velvet heels and a ck purse to match. The slit by the left side of her dress was perfect exposing her left thigh.

    In his room, Gideon was getting ready. He wore a ck suit with a red tie. He had a hair cut that afternoon and Frankie barely recognized him when he stepped downstairs from his room.

    ¡°You look clean sir. ¡±mented Frankie.

    ¡°Thank You. ¡± Gideon replied with a smile and asked him to get the driver.

    It was 7pm and guests were already trouping into the New York main museum. The guestsprise of high profile individuals and business moguls. Emma was already seated in the front row.

    When Gideon arrived, the event had already begun and his bar tendants in thier neat uniforms were discharging thier duties efficiently. Gideon was pleased and and he sat.

    ¡°Ladies and Gentleman. ¡± began a man who climbed the stage of the museum hall where the event was holding. He was neatly dressed in a blue suit and was about fifty years of age. He was hitting his ss with a fork and the crowds attention was fixed on him.

    ¡°I wee you all to this years Aannual Museum festival. ¡± he said and there was a round of apuse.

    ¡°Thank you all for honoring this invitation. Our tour guides are all over the ce. ¡± he said pointing to some people in brown uniforms.

    ¡°They will take you through various sections of the museum and will answer your questions. Feel free to explore this ce and I bet you guys can¡¯t wait to sew the new artifacts we¡¯ve collected in thest year. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Before I step down. ¡± he continued.

    ¡°I will like to appreciate the main sponsor of today¡¯s event. She had shown hermitment towards the promotion of art and I must say I was impressed when she dered her interest to sponsor this years event. ¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you Miss Emmalia. The C. E. O of LIA¡¯S bars. ¡± announced the host.

    ¡°What the hell?  blurted Gideon from his seat behind.

    Emma stood up and made her way to the stage. The man quickly went towards her and offered her his right hand. She took it and climbed the stage as the crowd kept pping and cheering.

    Gidoen couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Emma was looking like a goddess on the stage. He kept admiring her in his mind.

    ¡°That woman is as hot as hell. ¡±mented the man seated next to Gideon.

    ¡°Hey! ¡± the man continued touching Gideon¡¯s arm.

    ¡°I heard she¡¯s single. I¡¯ll try my luck tonight and maybe I¡¯ll get her in my bed tonight. ¡± the man dered and winked.

    ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± Gideon screamed at him so much so that the man was frightened.

    Emma waved and bowed before the guest. The crowd pped and she stepped down with a smile.

    Few minutester, the ce became busy. The museum tour guides were showing the people around. Gideon¡¯s bar tendants were serving the people courteously and he kept moving around observing them.

    Emma was talking with the host and some group of people close to the stage. When Gideon looked around, he didn¡¯t see her. He was pressed so he decided to locate the rest room. When Gideon came out of the male toilet, he collided with Emma walking out of the female toilet.

    She smiled at him briefly and he nodded. When she turned to leave, Gidoen noticed that her hair was caught in the zip of her dress.

    ¡°Hold on. ¡± he told her and she stood still.

    She slowly turned around.

    ¡°Your hair is locked in your zip. ¡± he told her pointing at her back.

    ¡°Oh my God. ¡± she replied and tried to turned around but it was impossible for her to see the zip behind.

    ¡°I can help you if you don¡¯t mind. ¡± Gideon offered.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Okay. replied Emma. ¡± after a brief silence.

    She turned around and Gideon walked to her. Her heart began to race faster and when Gideon¡¯s hand touched the zip of her dress, she felt warm and shut her eyes.

    He slowly opened the zip leaning behind her. Emma could feel his breath on her neck and Gideon felt the desire to kiss her neck the way he always did.

    She was slightly shaking and Gideon slowly detached her hair from the zip. He zipped back her dress and she quickly turned around.

    ¡°Thank you. ¡± she said and ran out immediately.

    Gideon  smiled and followed her down to the museum hall. When he got there, he sighted Emma talking and giggling with the man who sat close to him earlier. The man who was lusting after her earlier before him. Gideon kept staring at them, he was jealous he won¡¯t deny it. Emma used tough at his jokes. Before he knew it, he began approaching them, when he got to where they stood he ced his hands around Emma¡¯s waist in a possessive manner. Emma tensed at this, somehow she knew it was Gideon¡¯s hands wrapped around her waist and the surprising thing was that she didn¡¯t push him away. The man whom Emma had been speaking to recognized Gideon from earlier on as the man who had shouted at him when he made a sexualment towards Emma. Without being told, he gave a somewhat frightened smile to Emma¡¯s walked away.

 CHAPTER 120 :A FRESH START

    Emma turned to Gideon with her perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised. She walked closer to him.

    ¡°Why did you do that for? ¡± she aksed him.

    Gideon immediately grinned at Emma and looked left.  She began to smile and Gideon didn¡¯t notice her.

    ¡°I just saved your life ma¡¯am. ¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°What? ¡± blurted Emma and she giggled.

    Then she bursted outughing and Gideon smiled. He loved the way she wasughing. He missed the sound of herughter.

    ¡°I miss this. ¡± Gideon told her staring directly into her eyes.

    ¡°I miss our usual fun filled banter. ¡± he said and Emma nodded.

    She missed it too.

    ¡°You remember how I helped you fix your tie that day? ¡± began Emma.

    ¡°I do. ¡± agreed Gideon with a nod.

    ¡°I was so tensed and that I day if u recall, I was to sign a huge partnership with DIVINE whiskey. ¡± recollected Gideon.

    ¡°You were so restless that you forgot how to fix a tie instantly. ¡± Emma reminded him and bursted outughing.

    ¡°The whole Gideon Romero couldn¡¯t fix his tie. ¡± she joked.

    ¡°Shh! ¡± countered Gideon cing a finger on his lip.

    ¡°Yea and you helped me and then you¡¯ve been teasing with that all my life. ¡± he said and grinned.

    Emma was stillughing.

    ¡°Well you ridicule me once in a while too Gideon. ¡± she told him.

    He smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Do you still sleep with the lights on or you are scared of ghosts. ¡± he said.

    ¡°The whole C. E. O of LIA¡¯S bars. ¡± is afraid of the dark. he said almost screaming.

    ¡°Maybe I should get a microphone. ¡± he hintedughing at her.

    ¡°Come on. Stop that. ¡± she saidughing.

    ¡°You always told me you¡¯ll take me back to pre_school when I missed Ryan¡¯s sum once. ¡± she said.

    ¡°Do you remember? ¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Yea. ¡± Gideon replied with a smile.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t miss the numbers when making business transactions. ¡± he said.

    ¡°Who fixed this tie for you? ¡± she said pointing towards his tie.

    Gideon smiled and replied.

    ¡°Ohe on you want to start that now?¡±

    ¡°I actually missed this. ¡± confessed  Gideon again.

    Emma smiled sadly. They were silent for a while until Gideon broke thefortable silence.

    ¡°Do you really hate me? ¡± he asked .

    ¡°No. ¡± Emma replied shaking her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t. ¡± she professed.

    Gideon instantly felt light and he smiled at her. He was feeling very happy. Did Emma just say she doesn¡¯t hate him?  He asked himself.

    ¡°Ladies and Gentleman. ¡± the host called out returning back to the stage.

    ¡°Music is art and so is dance. Remember we are here to celebrate art therefore, let us dance. ¡± he said then bowed and left the stage.

    A slow music immediately began ying in the museum hall.

    Gideon stretched out his right hand to Emma.

    ¡°Can I dance with you? ¡± he requested.

    Emma hesistantly ced her hands in Gideon¡¯s and they began dancing.

    Emma¡¯s mind drifted to thier wedding day. That was the first time she danced with Gideon. When they were asked to dance that day, Emmamented to Gideon stating how she couldn¡¯t dance and Gideon was surprised.

    ¡°Follow my lead and let my body guide you. ¡± he had told her.

    She remembered that day and smiled.

    ¡°Why are you smiling. ¡± Gideon asked her while they were slowly swinging from side to side.

    ¡°I remembered the first time we danced.¡± she revealed.

    Gideon smiled and said

    ¡°Do you want to thank me for teaching you how to dance years ago? ¡±  he joked.

    Emma smiled and slightly pinched his back. He smiled and turned her around.

    ¡°Do you remember the first time we visited Florida? ¡± Gideon asked her when she had turned facing him.

    ¡°Of course. The first time we visited your mother. ¡± she replied.

    ¡°Your mom told me to my face at the g that she wasn¡¯t sure if I could dance amongst the crowd. ¡± narrated Emma.

    ¡°She¡¯s a cruel woman. Don¡¯t take her seriously was your reply. ¡± continued Emma.

    ¡°I remember. ¡± Gideon nodded and smiled.

    ¡°But we did give her a show. I remember the crowd cheering and giving us a standing ovation. ¡± said Gideon with his hands on Emma¡¯s waist.

    ¡°Yea we were the talk of the g that night. The power couple. ¡± recollected Emma.

    ¡°You should have seen my mother¡¯s reaction when we were making those moves. ¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°She¡¯s your mother. Don¡¯t make fun of her. ¡± Emma warned him with a smile.

    Gideon couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Emma while they were dancing. He couldn¡¯t remember feeling happy as he was feeling at the moment. She lifted her head and smiled at him.

    Emma on the other hand was feeling relieved as Gideon held her. She could feel her resentment towards him fading away. When he turned her around and she twirled, she felt a wave of peace hovering around them and she smiled.

    Gideon suddenly felt the need to apologize to Emma.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Emma. ¡°he apologized while they were still dancing.

    ¡°I¡¯m deeply sorry for everything I made you go through. ¡± he pleaded staring directly into her eyes.

    ¡°I can¡¯t make up for the lost times. I just wish you can forgive me. Please don¡¯t be mad at me Emma. ¡± he begged.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine Gideon. ¡± Emma replied lowering her eyes.

    Gideon was so happy. He smiled brightly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve forgiven me? ¡± he asked finding it difficult to believe what he heard from Emma.

    ¡°Yes Gideon. We are cool. ¡± Emma confirmed and nodded.

    ¡°To new beginnings and friendship. ¡± dered Gideon.

    Emma smiled and nodded.

    Then the music stopped ying. The crowd pped and cheered.

    ¡°Thank Youdies and gentlemen. ¡± appreciated the host.

    Then a man walked into the museum and stood by the corner. He was wearing an overall ck jacket and a hat covered his face. He was putting on dark sses. His whole attention was fixed on Gideon and Emma who were dancing.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

 CHAPTER 121: FURY

    After the event at the museum, Gideon apanied Emma to her car and waved at her.  Then, he got into his car and his driver Mel took him home.

    In her room, Judy held her phone, staring at the photo of Emma and Gideon taken at the museum that night by the strange man who walked in.

    Tears were streaming down Judy¡¯s cheeks and dripping on her phone which she was managing to hold still. Her hands were shaking and she was boiling with rage.

    She felt her heart aching and her head felt as if it was on fire. She began to shake violently. She tightened her fists, hit it against the wall and she began to bleed.

    ¡°No. ¡± Judy screamed in agony and broke into a torrential overflow kneeling on her bed.

    She hit the phone on the wall and the screen came off. She tore the book beside her on the bed into tiny bits and scattered it across her room. She ced her back against the wall and cried her heart out.

    How could Gidoen do this to me? She thought and the the image of them dancing together shed before her eyes. She stood up and screamed out loudly then broke into her unusualugh.

    She folded her legs on the bed and kept nodding repeatedly. She will make Emma pay she swore and kept nodding like a manaic.

    Judy¡¯s mind drifted back to two years ago. Emma had already left New York back then. At the office, Danielle one of Gideon¡¯s receptionist had a huge crush on him.

    Danielle will always profess how much she loves and admires Gideon. She told the people in the office that she wants Gideon and won¡¯t mind staying single till he starts noticing her.

    Then the news spread around the office like a wildfire. Gideon heard the story but dismissed it feeling it wasn¡¯t a big deal but to Judy, it was a big deal.

    Judy was walking around the reception one day and she overheard Danielle telling her co-worker that Gideon is the reason shees to work everyday.

    The next day, Danielle didn¡¯t show up at work and word came to the office that she was attacked by thugs who broke her spine. People sympathized with Danielle over the assault especially over the fact that she would never be able to walk again.

    No one knew who the thugs were even after series of detectives were hired to uncover the issue.

    Judyughed really hard pping her hands. If only they knew she was the one behind the attack she thought.

    It was Judy who hired the men to attack Danielle. She specifically told them to break the poor girls spine.

    ¡°Let me see how she¡¯ll walk to that office and crush on Gideon. ¡± Judy had said.

    She remembered the incident andughed as a psychopath would.

    She got up, headed to the bathroom and sat in the empty bath tub. She brought out a cigarette,  lighted it and began smoking it.

    Sheid her head on the sink and began recollecting the horrible things she had done. She thought about how she dragged Tonia into the pull that day.

    ¡°Served her right. ¡± Judy said.

    ¡°Dr Mathew is such a fool. ¡± she continued talking to herself.

    ¡°Why would I ignore people who piss me off if I can just handle them my way? ¡± she said and beganughing.

    She continued smoking.

    ¡°I¡¯m never going to see that doctor again. ¡± she proimed.

    Then she thought about the chef she poured hot sauce on when she was six.

    ¡°Served him right too.  ¡± she uttered and nodded.

    She remembered how she had once locked up her highschool ssmate in the locker room because the girl wouldn¡¯t let her join the base ball team. The girl was the captain then.

    Judy lured the girl into the locker room and shut her inside. The girl kept hiting the locker repeatedly but Judy wouldn¡¯t open it. Instead, she stood outsideughing at the girl¡¯s misfortune. When she saw the hall monitor walking around, she let the girl out.

    ¡°I¡¯m such a lucky bitch. ¡± professed Judy. She felt smart over how she had been managing to get away with all the havoc she had caused.

    The next morning, Judy woke up and cleaned herself. She was looking different than she was st night. She carefully powdered her face and concealed her sore eye lines.

    ¡°Meet me at the game reserve. ¡± Judy said after cing a phone call.

    While seated in the taxi on her way to the game reserve to meet the person she had called, Judy shut her eyes and the image of Emma and Judy dancing kept shing before her eyes. She stamped her feet very hard in the car.

    ¡°Are you okay? ¡± the driver asked her after adjusting the front mirror.

    ¡°Shut up and drive. ¡± she yelled at him.

    She angrily stormed out of the car and walked into the game reserve. She walked up to the man she came to meet after recognizing him from behind. She sat facing him.

    ¡°Why will you send me those picturesst night? ¡± she screamed at him while cing her handbag on the round table before them.

    ¡°You could have greeted me instead. ¡± he told her and grinned.

    ¡°I needed to show you how much you have failed. ¡± he told her.

    ¡°You sent those pictures to torment me? ¡± she yelled at him again.

    ¡°Stop screaming. ¡± he alerted her and looked around.

    ¡°You had one job to do Judy. Just one job and you failed. ¡± he mocked her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare piss me off. ¡± Judy warned pointing a finger at him.

    ¡°Three years Judy. You had three years to make Gideon yours and you failed. ¡± he stated while Judy boiled with anger.

    ¡°You should have seen themst night. ¡± he continued taunting her.

    ¡°They got close Judy. They were close.¡± he exined bringing his palms together.

    ¡°Enough. ¡± Judy yelled stamping her feet on the hard floor.

    ¡°Shhh! ¡± he told her and she took a deep breath.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°We are loosing them. ¡± Judy said.

    ¡°We need to restrategize. ¡± she added.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time.¡± dered the man.

 CHAPTER 122: THE KIDNAP

    Gideon walked into the office that morning smiling like a high school boy who had just fallen in love. He greeted everyone he came in contact with that morning which his members of staff found shocking.

    During the usual weekly briefing they have in the office on mondays, Gideon kept smiling throughout the whole period and his staff wondered whether he had found new recements for the business partners who pulled out.

    While the weekly briefing was ongoing, Gideon kept thinking about his dance with Emma and the jokes they crackedst night. He was d she had forgiven him.

    After he returned back to his office, Gideon made up his mind to invite Emma for lunch in a restaurant of her choice. What if she thinks he was flirting with her? he thought but still decided to try  his luck.

    Meanwhike in the main head office of LIA¡¯S bars, Emma was having goose bumps. She thought of how Gideon held her waist while they danced and she blushed.

    She remembered resting her head on his shoulder as they swung from left to right. She recounted how they made fun of each other. She smiled and opened the file before her.

    Emma¡¯s phone began to ring. She smiled after seeing the phone screen. Before they parted ways fromst nights event at the museum, they had exchange contacts and now, Gideon was calling her.

    ¡°Hello. ¡± she responded after picking the call.

    ¡°Hello ma¡¯am. ¡± came Gideon¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am? ¡± she asked.

    ¡°Yes. ¡± he replied and they bursted outughing.

    Gideon then cleared his throat and went straight to the point.

    ¡°Will you be free this afternoon? ¡± he demanded.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I think so. ¡± Emma replied after ncing at her wristwatch.

    ¡°2pm precisely. ¡± Gideon stated.

    ¡°That¡¯s lunch hour. I should be free by then. ¡± confirmed Emma while drawing circles with her fingers on the table.

    ¡°I will like you to have lunch with me? ¡± suggested Gideon.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind. ¡± he quickly added.

    Emma smiled.

    ¡°Sure. ¡± she replied.

    ¡°Take your time and pick an address then you text me the name of the spot you¡¯ve picked. ¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°Okay then. ¡± Emma agreed.

    Gideon ended the call and jumped out of his chair screaming ¡°Yes! ¡±

    Emma had some clients to meet with that afternoon by 12pm and when they came, her personal assistant ran to inform her.

    During their meeting, Emma kept ncing at her wristwatch and wished she could rush thier presentations for them. The meeting seemed to be taking too long. It was  twenty minutes to 2pm.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we pause and continue after lunch? ¡± suggested Emma.

    ¡°Sure. ¡± one of the clients agreed and the two others nodded in approval.

    Emma hurried to her office and texted Gideon the spot she had chosen for the lunch.

    ¡®Mel my driver wille pick you up shortly. ¡® Gideon texted her back.

    Emma held her bag and kept observing her outlook. Is this outfit okay? She asked herself. Stop it Emma she told herself and smiled.

    Ten minutester, Emma¡¯s assistant knocked on her door.

    ¡°Come in.¡± she invited him in.

    ¡°Someone by the name Mel came to pick you up. He said he was sent by Mr. Romero. ¡± said her personal assistant.

    Emma nodded, grabbed her bag and left the office after locking her door. She stepped out and met Mel standing by Gideon¡¯s car.

    He waved at her and introduced himself as Mel. She entered the car and they zoomed off.

    ¡®I¡¯m on my way.¡¯ Emma texted Gideonwho was already seated at the chosen restaurant.

    Gideon smiled after reading the text and rested his back on the chair.

    After driving for few minutes, Mel parked the car by the road side.

    ¡°I need to ease myself. ¡± he told Emma who nodded.

    Mel came out of the car and went inside the shrubs nearby. Few secondster, a police officer showed up.

    ¡°Hello Officer. ¡± Emma greeted him with a smile.

    ¡°Hi ma¡¯am. Are you okay?¡± asked the officer.

    ¡°Yea my driver needed to ease himself. ¡± she exined pointing to the shrubs.

    ¡°Ok ma¡¯am can I see your particrs? ¡± demanded the police officer.

    Emma looked into the shrubs but Mel wasn¡¯ting out. How could she tell the officer that it wasn¡¯t her car,  that she was just picked and knew nothing about the particrs. Her attention quickly went to the drawer-like section of the car where she keeps her own particrs.

    ¡°Your particrs ma¡¯am? ¡± said the impatient police officer.

    ¡°Just a minute. ¡± Emma told him and pulled out the particrs from the ce she had assumed they will be.

    ¡°Here. ¡± she said handing it over to the officer who was standing by the window outside.

    While pulling out the particrs, an envelop fell off.

    ¡°Here. ¡± the officer said handing back the documents to her. He left the spot.

    Emma noticed the envelope while trying to return the particrs. she immediately took it and opened it.

    Immediately Emma unwrapped the envelope, she went nk.

    In the envelope where thepromising pictures of Gideon and Judy which was sent to her three years ago. She felt something inside the envelop and shook it. An empty pack of Triazm fell off. Emma examined the empty satchet. The drug had expired three years ago. In between the pictures was a note.

    Emma held her mouth after reading the note. The note states ¡®The drug wasn¡¯t suppose tost longer than it did. It was only meant for the purpose of taking the pictures. It¡¯s unfortunate the baby died. ¡®

    Emma fell back on the chair and was shaking violently. What could Gideon¡¯s driver be doing with the evidences that she just stumbled on.

    She came to the realization that Gideon was drugged so that the pictures sent to her could be taken and her poor Ryan  died as a result of that act.

    She immediately began dailing Gideon¡¯s number with her hands trembling.   Someone suddenly appeared and tied a handkerchief across her mouth which he had dipped in a liquid to deepen her sleep. He drove with her to the outskirt of the city.

 CHAPTER 123: REUNITED AT LAST.

    Emma woke up and began coughing out loudly. The handkerchief tied around her mouth was loosened and she could feel how sore her throat was.

    She carefully opened her eyes. She was seated on a the bare floor and both her hands were tied behind her. She slowly opened her eyes but everywhere seemed to be covered with fog.

    Emma then spotted a man sitting at a desk looking right at her. She tried to see his face from where he was but she couldn¡¯t.  She forced her eyes open and felt that her kidnapper looked familiar.

    Then the man gradually stood up and approached her. Emma immdeately recognized him and she gasped in surprise.

    ¡°Will? ¡± she called out to him.

    He walked closer to her, smiled at her then bent down to where she was on the floor and caressed her face.

    ¡°What are you doing here? ¡± she asked him looking around the whole ce. She was in a ce that seemed like an underground.

    Will immediately broke outughing and Emma stared at him in confussion.

    ¡°My beautiful Emma. ¡± he began while seating on the chair close to her.

    ¡°We could have sorted this the simple way but I ran out of patience. ¡± he yelled.

    Emma was lost. Why was Will acting like that? she wondered.

    ¡°What are you saying William? ¡± she asked struggling to free herself.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you begin from the genesis. ¡± suggested Judy whileing out of the shadows.

    ¡°Judy? ¡± screamed Emma.

    ¡°You bitch drugged my husband and it led to my son¡¯s death. You murderer. ¡± Emma screamed in tears.

    ¡°Your husband? ¡± mocked Judy.

    Judy startedughing, moved closer to Emma on the ground and began ying with her hair.

    ¡°Seems like we don¡¯t have much revtion to do. The woman found out everything. ¡± Judy said facing Will.

    ¡°What are you doing with her Will? Call the corps now. ¡± suggested Emma.

    ¡°Or maybe she didn¡¯t really find out everything. ¡± said Judy.

    ¡°Shut up Judy. ¡± Will barked at her.

    ¡°Just tell her that you are with me and have been my ally all the way. ¡± requested Judy while seating on the chair next to Will.

    Emma was speechless.

    ¡°Will? You¡­ How could you.. ¡± she stuttered.

    ¡°I thought you are my friend. ¡± Emma said looking at him disappointed.

    Judy wasughing.

    ¡°Tell her every damn thing. She¡¯s gonna die anyway. ¡± blurted Judy.

    ¡°Shut the fuck up. ¡± Will yelled at her.

    ¡°No one is dying. ¡± he added.

    ¡°You could at least tell her you drug Gideon and Ryan¡¯s death was never part of the n. ¡± revealed Judy.

    She lifted her palms up and crossed her legs.

    ¡®We would have been happy. ¡± began Will.

    ¡°Gideon ruined everything. ¡± he stated.

    ¡°What are you saying? ¡± Emma asked in agony. Her hands were hurting.

    Will went to Emma¡¯s side, bent over and caressed her left cheek. She immediately turned away when his palm touched her.

    ¡°I have always loved you Emma. Since we were kids I¡¯ve always wanted to be with you. You are the love of my life. ¡± he professed.

    ¡°You are crazy. ¡± Emma replied and spat on his face.

    ¡°That Gideon took you away from me but I still had hope. I would have made you mine but he fired me as your driver but don¡¯t you worry my love we shall go somewhere far away. ¡± he told her with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m going nowhere with you Will. ¡± shouted Emma.

    ¡°Wait till Gideon gets his hands on you. ¡± she boasted.

    ¡°Oh shut the fuck up. You irritate me. ¡± Judy fired back and stood up.

    ¡°Gideon would have been mine until you showed up and made up with him. Why didn¡¯t you stay where you were? ¡± Judy yelled at Emma.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you worry. William will take you somewhere far away and Gideon will finally be mine. ¡± dered Judy.

    ¡°Gideon will never love you. ¡±  Emma mocked Judy then she turned to Will and said ¡°I will never love you. ¡±

    Will instantly got irritated and hit his fist on the dirty wall.

    ¡°Gideon! Gideon! ¡± I¡¯m tired of hearing that shit.

    ¡°I will take you far away from him and I will make you mine till you learn to love me. Judy will make him hers and hispany will be mine. I¡¯ll be rich Emma. ¡± Will said beating his chest.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it do you? ¡± Emma said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t love you. I only love Gideon. ¡± she proimed.

    Will rushed to her with his hands as if he will strangle her but he immediately turned around and screamed. Emma was crying while Judy smirked.

    ¡°My baby died because of you and Judy Will. I hate you and I swear both of you will pay. ¡± Emma swore.

    ¡°Look at you ¡± Judy said pointing at Emma.

    Will was pacing to and fro.

    ¡°You can¡¯t even move yet you are swearing to make us pay? ¡± Judy said then broke outughing.

    ¡°You are hopeless. ¡± she told Emma.

    ¡°Not entirely hopeless. ¡± responded Gideon while walking into the scene to the amazement of Will and Judy.

    ¡°Gid¡­ Gideon! ¡± Judy stuttered and began shivering.

    Will was looking for the nearest exit but before he could turn around, there were policemen scattered around the area.

    ¡°Not so far. ¡± Gideon told Will.

    When Emma dialed Gideon¡¯s number before she cked out, he kept trying her phone number and it was suddenly unreachable. He tried calling Mel but his number wasnt also going through . Gideon sensed something was wrong so he immediately contacted the police.

    Emma¡¯s phone was traced through her GPS and it brought the police to the location.

    The policemen immediately arrested Will and Judy and then handcuffed them. Gideon immediately rushed to Emma¡¯s side and set her free.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

    She hugged him and bursted out crying uncontrobly saying

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Gideon. It was never your fault.. I.. ¡±

    ¡°shh! ¡± Gideon interrupted her.

    ¡°I heard everything.¡±  he told her then kissed her forehead.

 CHAPTER 124: LOVE CONQUERS ALL

    The police officers arrested Will and Judy on the crime scene and cuffed them. Judy kept apologizing to Gideon while she was taken away by the corps.

    Emma and Gideon repeatedly apologized to each other as Judy and Will were taken away. After hearing the confession from Judy and Will while she was tied, Emma realized that Gideon had always been innocent and she felt guilty for never trusting him all this while.

    Both culprits wereter tried in court and sent to jail as spelt out by thew. Gideon was d that the were finally out of their lives and he was thankful that justice waster served.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    After making up, Gideon and Emma made a decision to start their rtionship on a clean te. They promised to take their time and fall in love even though they¡¯ve been hopelessly in love with each other. They decided to build friendship first and know each others desires and expectations.

    As time went on, they went out on dates to luxurious restaurants, visited recreational centers, took each to the movies, yed games and enjoyed one another¡¯spany. After a year of being friends and understanding each other, Gideon finally proposed to Emma on one of their date nights.

    While showing the engagement ring to her parents, her parent¡¯s weren¡¯t pleased. They thought about the horrible things she underwent and wasn¡¯t willing to let her marry Gideon again. Emma then pleaded with them to ept Gideon and give him a second chance to be a better son inw. Her father wouldn¡¯t give in but Pearl convinced him stating how paramount thier daughter¡¯s happiness is . After much consideration, Gideon was finally epted into Emam¡¯s family.

    After confirming her parents approval of him, Gideon showed up in Emma¡¯s parent¡¯s apartment and apologized to them for all the mistakes of the past. He vowed to cherish thier daughter and never allow anything happen to her. Her parents dered their blessings on the love birds and wished them a perfect ending.

    Catherine Romero came to town from Florida and showed up in Gideon¡¯s  mansion. She met Emma and Gideon cuddling one another on the couch in the living room. On sighting her, Emma immediately stood up and began shaking violently out of fear. Gideon went closer to Emma and held her hand proving to his mother that he wasn¡¯t willing to back out.

    Catherine walked up to them and hugged both of them tightly to thier surprise. She pleaded for their forgiveness afterwards and apologized to Emma for ill treating her in the past.  She pointed out that through the whole period while Emma was away from Gideon she came to the realization that no one can make her son happy andplete other than Emma. She also apologized to Gideon for forcing Fiona on him.

    She further apologized to her son for being a terrible mother. She pleaded to him pointing out how she had always pushed him away as a child and how she took too long to ovee his father¡¯s death. She also pleaded for always expecting too much from him and requested for a second chance to be a better mother. To her amazement, Gideon told her he had forgiven her a long time ago. She sobbed, hugged him and wished them well. She dered her interest to personally organize their wedding in order to make up for the lost times.

    Catherine Romero seded in nning a perfect wedding event for Emma and Gideon. The event was attended by high ranking officials in and outside the city. To Emma¡¯s surprise, Sam showed up at her wedding. He came with Natalie. They were married and were expecting a child. The wedding was graced by distant family and Ellie was Emma¡¯s chief bridesmaid.

    Emma and Gideon¡¯s wedding was the talk of the town for weeks. Emma¡¯s expensive wedding dress decorated in diamonds and their castle cake made the headlines. People kept talking about how sophisticated the event was. Catherer sponsored the couple to a grand honeymoon in Hawaii.

    During their honeymoon period, Emma and Gideon stayed in one of the most expensive suites. They toured the city during the day and at night, they cuddled, made love and talked about their future. Gideon showered Emma with gifts and kept reminding her of how much he loves her.

    When they returned back to New York after a month, LIA¡¯S bars was merged with ROMERO¡¯S and they called it LIA-ROMERO¡¯S bars. They became co- managers.

    The LIA_ROMERO¡¯S brand became a force in New York city. They attracted lots of customers, business partners and investors. Their bar services was always requested for during grand events. They expanded their reach and set up branches in different ces. Their empire flourished and so did thier lives.

    A year after their wedding, Emma delivered a son whom they couple named Philip. The boy was Gideon¡¯s replica. They vowed to stick to each other and give their son the best in life.

    As Emma stood on the balcony with  Philip clung to her chest, she thought about the previous years and all the hell she and Gideon went through. She was d Will and Judy were in a ce they deserved. If there is one thing Emma  is certain of, it is Gideon¡¯s love for her and her love for him is as sure as death. She felt grateful for the beautiful life they were living.

    She promised herself that she wouldn¡¯t let any onee between her and and husband, and neither will she give up on their marriage.

    She caressed Philip¡¯s smooth face and felt that life have given her another chance and this chance, she won¡¯t take for granted. She hugged her baby boy tightly and shut her eyes.

    Gideon walked up to her in the balcony and hugged her from behind. She opened her eyes and smiled. He kissed her neck and whispered to her ears how much he loves her. She smiled again and with his hand around her, they held Philip and stared into the distance.

 CHAPTER 125: A FUTURE AT LAST.

    Three years after thier wedding, Emma and Gideon weed a set of female twins after Philip who is now two years old. They named the girls Pearl and Catherine after their grand mothers. The new babies were the most adorable set of twins and their full hair made them look like little goddesses. Their cheeks were beautified with dimples and they were the perfect little girls anyone could wished for.

    Philip was always hovering around the three months old twins and Emma and Gideon always admired thier bond affirming how Philip will be a good big brother. Whenever, the twins, broke out crying, Philip will run to his mother and pull her by the dress to the babies cradle. Gideon will always tell Emma how their twins looked like her and how he can¡¯t wait to see them grow to be as beautiful as their mother.

    On weekends, Gideon took Philip to the park, kids shows and flew him to Disneynd once in a while. With their striking resemnce, the father and son always wore matching outfits when stepping out and people adored them.

    Mel waster apprehended in an airport  while trying to leave the country. He was arrested, tried in court and found guilty. He confessed to coborating with WIlliam and Judy in carrying out their evil acts. Mel waster discovered as William¡¯s distant cousin who had been working for the Romero¡¯s as a driver with the aim of aiding his brother to achieve his plot.

    The strange man Judy had always been meeting with was William. Their plot was for Judy to seduce Gideon, marry him and help William take over the business. Just like Judy was obsessed with Gideon, William had always been obsessed with Emmalia.

    Frankie Gideon¡¯s chef was made a part of the family and Ryan loves him because he made local sweets and snacks for him. Gideon and Emmater hired a new driver who reced Mel.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    Emma carved a library inside her home and stocked it with different genres of books. She took out time to read and can¡¯t wait for her children to grow up so she could introduce them to literature. She took her writings seriously and published lots of content as time went by. She also worked on her garden, nted new flowers and the ce was as beautiful as it once was.

    The LIA_ROMERO¡¯S bars expanded it¡¯s reach and established branches across the city. They also established new bars in other countries and had been attracting new customer, partners and investors. Their chain of bars flourished and they acquired lots of assets.

    Gideon and Emma started a foundation which they called THE LIA-ROMERO FOUNDATION which is aimed at sponsoring orphan children in school. They also partner with non-governmental organizations and fund essential projects across New York city.

    Once a while, the family nned vacations and travel to prominent cities where they rx in expensive suites and inds having a good family time. Catherine Romero and Pearl went shopping once in a while and in Emma¡¯s father, Gideon found another father.

    Sometimes, Philip was sent to his grandparent¡¯s home for weekends. Emma and Gideon¡¯s home is always filled with bliss,ughter and they were living hapilly with their three children, surrounded by supportive grand parents and faithful domestic staff.

    Ellie, Emma¡¯s friend from Chicago was made the general manger of one of the LIA-ROMERO¡¯S BARS established in Chicago.

    Judy and William were sentenced to life in prison ording to thew after being tried and found guilty in court. In prison, Judy was being bullied consistently. A certain group of women formed a gang and tortured her. The group leader of the gang that tortures Judy in prison made her clean their cell rooms, wash their clothes and sometimes took away her meals. They were making her life miserable.

    Judy¡¯s mother showed up during visiting days in the prison but Judy never agreed to see her: not even once. Her mother will weep and go away. Judy was feeling ashamed and guilty so she couldn¡¯t bring herself to face her mother.

    Before going to bed on most nights, Judy will recollect her sessions with Dr. Mathew and wished she heeded to his advise of letting things go. If only she knew: she always thought. Judy came to the realization that being obsessed with certain things and trying to im them is a terrible decision. Her pillow was always soaked with tears of regret.

    William on the other hand wasn¡¯t finding life easy in his prison. Just like Judy, he was having a though time. One time, the prisoners had a riot and William almost lost his life. He was beaten mercilessly and was taken to a hospital. His left leg was broken and after it was fixed and he got discharged, he was sent back to the prison to wallow in his misery.

    Will always pondered about his life when he was a free man. He knew he made a terrible mistake by allowing greed to blind him. He knew he was better off as a delivery man than he was now. He wishes he didn¡¯t meet Judy in the first ce. He came to the conclusion that love can not be force and he was better as Emma¡¯s friend than he was now.

    Unlike Judy whose mother visited once in a while, no one came for Will. When his family members heard what he did to Emma, they abandoned him concluding that he was a dissapointment to them. They were infruriated with the fact that  Will kidnapped his childhood friend Emma, caused her separation with her husband a long time ago and tried to steal her husband¡¯spany. As far as they were concerned, Will remains a disgrace to them.

    Sam and Natalie were blessed with a daughter whom they called Marylin. They were living happily. With Natalie¡¯s newly acquired expertise in business management, she and Sam were doing exploits with their business in Australia. Mike had forgiven Sam and they became cool brother inws.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!