ã€ŠBETROTHED TO THE BILLIONAIREã€‹


 CHAPTER 1

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    I get butterflies in my stomach a lot.

    In fact, there are a lot of things that give me butterflies. It doesn¡¯t have to be love or sex that gives me that.

    Clubbing does. Being with my best friend does. Being happy does.

    But this news before me is definitely one of the things that doesn¡¯t give me those butterflies in my stomach, that makes me excited about something I haven¡¯t done before or something that is about to happen to me.

    I never saw thising. I never envisioned my life to be going along this path and I still find it very hard to believe because my jaws are still dropped open in shock.

    ¡°Val, we know this ising as a shock to you but it¡¯s for the best¡±, Mother begins, her hands touching my thighs, jerking me back to reality. Father is sitting opposite me, his face in a deep frown. He looks frailer than ever before.

    ¡°We need to save your father¡¯s dying business. We talked about it at length and we thought it¡¯s high time you knew. I think now is the time for you two to meet so you can get to know each other better.¡±

    Now I can¡¯t take it anymore. Not because I have a boyfriend. But because I don¡¯t want anyone to interfere with my life or make decisions for me.

    ¡°No, mother,¡± I say sharply, startling her. I turn to face her squarely. ¡°I am not meeting anyone and that is final.¡±

    ¡°Valerie¡±, Father calls with a harsh tone. This isn¡¯t about them, this is about me.

    I am 23 years old for crying out loud. How can I be betrothed to some guy all my life without even knowing about it? I have a boyfriend. I have a life that I love. A life that gives me the right butterflies.

    I am not doing this.

    ¡°Dad, I am not doing this¡±, I voice out sincerely. ¡°This is my life and I can choose to get to meet my so-called betrothed or not. I have a boyfriend for crying out loud!¡±

    I didn¡¯t mean for my voice to be raised at my father but here I am doing that.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you speak of my husband that way, you silly girl¡±, Mother scolds me harshly, her hands leaving my thighs.

    Did she just defend her husband? Last night, they were at each other¡¯s throats and I didn¡¯t even bother to ask what the problem was.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    That is their shit, not mine and I have no reason to interfere in their affairs.

    Ever since Father¡¯spany went bankrupt, he has been having issues with my Mother. Mother is finding it very hard to get ustomed to this new lifestyle he is offering us.

    It was hard for me at first but I get used to new things or new ces easily. Getting myself ustomed to being middle ss is one of the easiest things for me.

    ¡°Really?¡± I peer down at her with a scoff.

    ¡°Really. Is this the lifestyle you want for yourself? When was thest time we went shopping, uhn? When was thest time we threw a huge party like we used to? I know this isn¡¯t what you want¡­¡±

    ¡°No¡±, Iugh. This is definitely not what I want. This is what my Mother wants and she wants to use me to continue living that life.

    What I want are butterflies. Always being present.

    What I want is for Fred to stop cheating on me. Getting married at this age and to some strangers is not one of the things I want.

    ¡°You need to help your father, princess¡±, she begins to use that tone on me. That soft, alluring tone she always uses whenever she wants me toply. ¡°Your father needs this help. The Lorenzos won¡¯t help us until we fulfill our promise of having you married to their son. You will like him, just try¡­¡±

    ¡°I have a BOYFRIEND, mother!¡± I shout, rising from the sofa in anger, my chest heaving up and down. ¡°I have a boyfriend, for Goodness sake.¡±

    ¡°The same one who is always cheating on you with other girls?¡± She retorts back sharply, standing up to my height.

    What? How did she know about Fred¡¯s cheating?

    He promised to change and I gave him another chance but I caught him again, two nights ago but this time it was with someone I know. She is one of those who give me those butterflies and who makes me happy.

    She was fucking my boyfriend. I caught them in the act at a party I was invited to by the same girl who I caught with my boyfriend.

    I told them I was runningte and I guess they took the clue to get to the act before I was around. They must have been doing this for a very long time.

    It broke me.

    I cried.

    But I am a strong girl. Fred alwayses back to apologize and I was waiting all night for his calls. It never came until yesterday morning when his text came in.

    He apologized for his mistake.

    Brenda has always been a seductress and I am sure she seduced him. I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with Brenda ever again but I will make sure she regrets having sex with my boyfriend.

    Fred is still my boyfriend. What happened two nights ago didn¡¯t change that fact. Because he was with my best friend doesn¡¯t mean I will let him go. I won¡¯t let her have him. Fred and I are still a thing and I am patiently waiting for him to summon up the courage toe to beg me.

    Here.

    ¡°That idiot that keeps hurting you?¡± My mother¡¯s voice is raised. ¡°Do you even know what you are doing? He always cheats on you yet you keep epting him back?¡±

    Who told her this? I ask within me, tears threatening to fall down my eyes.

    Was it Brenda? Brenda is my best friend but she is close to my mother too and they talk about everything and anything.

    Did she tell my mother about Fred¡¯s cheating? She had always condemned him and wanted me to leave him but now I know why she is so enthusiastic about me leaving Fred.

    She wants him for herself and that won¡¯t be happening.

    ¡°This is a good life we are offering you¡±, she is still talking. ¡°This guy is handsome and wealthy. He is the younger billionaire in New York. What more do you want?¡±

    ¡°What do I want?¡± I ask back, then point my index finger at her. ¡°What I want is for you two to stop interfering with my life.¡±

    She is surprised that I am talking to her this way. Father is silently watching us. Sparing him a nce, I move past Mother to leave when her voice stops me.

    ¡°You are getting married to Ryan whether you like it or not, Valerie. You two were betrothed to each other since you were still a child and I won¡¯t have you make a wrong decision when he is obviously better than your cheating boyfriend.¡±

    I am tempted to go back to her and tell her how Fred makes me feel. This is not just about the butterflies. There is more to it.

    I want to shout out how much I love Fred and how much of a real man he is. He might not be as wealthy as this so-called billionaire but he is a real man.

    Instead of doing what I have in mind, I walk out of the living room to the front door with one intention in mind.

    I am going to have him back.

    Brenda won¡¯t.

 CHAPTER 2

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    I am having ambivalent feelings about what happened tonight. That doesn¡¯t stop me from smiling at the thought of seeing Fred.

    Hugging my jacket to myself, I step down from the car and begin to walk towards his apartment.

    Now that I think of it, I don¡¯t really know if Mother doesn¡¯t want to support my rtionship with Fred because he is not as rich as the man they want me to be married to or because he is cheating on me.

    Fred cheated only twice.

    If Brenda doesn¡¯t have eyes for him, then maybe he wouldn¡¯t have cheated on me yet again. Brenda is a bitch and I am going to prove to her that she is nothing but a bitch.

    Fred and I love each other. He loves me a lot and I feel the same way. He is a passionate and kind lover. He cares for and adores me.

    The love I stopped receiving from home for years since we have been struggling to maintain our status, Fred was able to bring it back. He showed me so much love and I couldn¡¯t help but fall so deeply for him.

    Fred didn¡¯t give up on me when I thought he would. I thought he was going to get tired of me but he didn¡¯t. He kepting back. He kept loving me.

    How then can I give up suddenly when this is what Brenda wants? She wants us to be apart so she can have him to herself.

    I won¡¯t let that happen. Fred is mine.

    The atmosphere is unusually quiet and it dawns on me that I must have spent a lot of time at the clubhouse thinking about everything before I decided toe here.

    Well, I thought Fred would be there too but he wasn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t take any alcohol because I knew I was going to drive to his ce if he didn¡¯t show up.

    I need him. I need someone to talk to.

    If he hadn¡¯t cheated on me with Brenda, she would have been the person I would go to, to confide in him but Brenda is no longer a friend. She is nothing but a betrayer.

    I already miss our friendship but that doesn¡¯t mean I will ept her back as a friend.

    I have been out of the house since noon when mother broke the news of my betrothal to me, expecting me to jump up in excitement for being betrothed to some fucking billionaire and rush to my room to get ready to meet him.

    I am not a kid for God¡¯s sake. I am an adult.

    Why would she even think I would be excited about the news?

    I step on the porch and take my hand out of the jacket pocket to knock on Fred¡¯s door.

    After knocking, I dip my hand back into the jacket, waiting.

    There is no response and I wonder if he isn¡¯t home yet. He usually closes from work at 9 pm and this is 11 pm already. I was at the club from 8 pm waiting for him to show up. I left the club a little after 10 pm.

    I remove my hand and knock again. I am met with silence.

    I sigh deeply and take out my phone to give him a call. It rings for a while but he doesn¡¯t pick either.

    Feeling sudden anger, I knock more loudly and aggressively on the door and it is thrown open immediately.

    ¡°Where the hell have you been? I¡¯ve been¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, babe¡±, he is shirtless as he pulls me into a quick hug.

    When he releases me from the hug, I raise a suspicious brow at him. I have been knocking for over five minutes and there was no reply. But after calling his phone and knocking again, he came to the door.

    Shirtless!

    What is happening?

    ¡°Fred?¡± I call him when I notice him avoiding my gaze. Leaning his side to the doorframe, as though to block me from entering his apartment, I know something is up.

    This is unlike Fred. He loves it when Ie to visit. He loves to cuddle with me.

    I am nning to spend the night out and this is the only ce I wish to spend the night.

    With him.

    In his arms. To console me and assure me that everything is going to be fine.

    ¡°Babe, what are you doing here? I was just about to give you a call¡±, he stares up at me with a huge smile on his face.

    I take out my hands and fold them around my bosom.

    My heart is sinking. Fred is at it again. He is acting strange because he must have done something bad again.

    Without replying to him, I push him back and enter the apartment. I shouldn¡¯t give his betrayal any thought at the moment. What should be my major concern is to spend the night here? I can¡¯t go home tonight. I want my mother to realize her mistake and change her mind about this betrothal shit.

    It isn¡¯t for me.

    ¡°Babe¡±, Fred calls behind me and grabs my arm, spinning me to face him.

    ¡°Fred?¡± I can¡¯t believe he is doing this. Is he stopping me from spending the night here?

    He does not say anything so I wrench my hand from his hold and turn back. This is when I see the reason for his action.

    There are clothes sprawled on the floor in the living room. There are about five pieces of clothing on the floor and a pair of high heels.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    A low gasp escapes my mouth as my gaze shifts instinctively to the staircase leading to the room upstairs, where Fred and I usually cuddle till dawn.

    ¡°Val, it¡¯s not what you think¡±, he shows up in front of me, trying to defend himself.

    ¡°Fred.¡± No word is forming in my mouth. I don¡¯t know what to think of this. I don¡¯t know how to react to this.

    I can¡¯t believe Fred is cheating on me again. After two nights of catching him with my best friend. He isn¡¯t bothering toe to check up on me to know how I am doing. He has been at home having sex with another woman.

    Is this because I told him I wasn¡¯t ready for sex? Is he finding it hard to control his urges? Why didn¡¯t he talk to me about it?

    Just before a tear could roll down my eyes, he pulls me into an embrace.

    ¡°I love you, Val. Believe me. This is just a misunderstanding¡­¡±

    At this point, I can no longer hold my anger in anymore. When I caught him with Brenda, I didn¡¯t shout or p any of them. I left quietly. None of them ran after me and it broke me that they might actually go back to doing what they were doing before I interrupted.

    ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± My numb arm pushes him away. The push is hard because hends on the sofa. ¡°You call this a misunderstanding? Are you crazy? What exactly do you take me for, uhn?!¡± I find myself shouting and crying and also picking up each piece of cloth to throw in his face.

    This shouldn¡¯t be happening. Nothing seems to be going the way I want or n anymore.

    This night isn¡¯t supposed to be this way. I am supposed to be warmly weed by Fred. I am supposed to be in the kitchen with him right now, watching him cook dinner for me because I am damn hungry.

    After eating, we ought to be either kissing or ying a game. We ought to cuddle to sleep too but none of this is happening.

    Fred is a lying and cheating bastard.

    Picking up the heels from the floor, I throw them at him in a fit of anger but he dodges them as he jumps over the sofa.

    Just then, I see someone from my peripheral view appear from the staircase.

    Realizing that it must be the bitch he is cheating on me with, I force myself not to look, pushing back my curiosity to see the face.

    I grab my phone from the table where I dropped it and walk to the door, hugging my jacket to myself and not bothering to clean the tears on my face.

    Before I can turn the doorknob to go out, a voice stops me.

    ¡°Hello, Valerie¡±, a familiar calls out to me and I turn slowly to see the smile of victory on her face.

    Brenda? I almost call out with a shout. Brenda again? How long has this been going on?

    I shift my gaze to Fred but he isn¡¯t looking at me. His gaze is on the floor and he is not man enough to look at me.

    I made the wrong choice by dating him. I thought I could win him over and not give Brenda the pleasure of losing him to her but now I know I have lost this battle.

    I can never win this because Fred doesn¡¯t even deserve it. He has the opportunity to choose me over her right this minute but he isn¡¯t doing any of that.

    For me to win this, there is a different approach to apply. For me to have thestugh, I should probably meet up with this so-called billionaire and have my revenge back at these two people who used to mean so much to me.

    Without a word, I open the door and dash out with tears streaming down my eyes.

 CHAPTER 3

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Five minutes have gone by already.

    Tardiness is one of the things I detest so much. It irks the shit out of me.

    If I am here for another five minutes and she isn¡¯t here, I am leaving. The time I am spending here is going to be enough to do a lot of work in the office.

    Taking a final nce at the door to the restaurant where I have been waiting for almost ten minutes, I sigh heavily, thinking about the huge amount of changes that would happen to me in the next couple of months.

    I initially took it the wrong way.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    Getting to know about the betrothal and the fact that I have to be married soon to inherit my grandfather¡¯s constructionpany.

    That old man knew I was never going to get married and he did this on purpose. My father didn¡¯t inform me all this while and this is why I am infuriated.

    No one forced me toe here. I just thought it would be a nice idea toe to see who I am going to get married to in the next couple of months.

    Even though I don¡¯t like the idea of being betrothed when I am man enough to find a woman of my choice, I need her.

    She is my grandfather¡¯s choice. Mother likes her obviously from the way she was gushing about how good of a girl she is.

    Getting married to her shouldn¡¯t be a big of a deal then. We would be married. We don¡¯t need to be in love with each other. My parents didn¡¯t think of this before betrothing us to each other so getting married out of love shouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    The more I find myself seated alone in this empty ce, the more upset I be and the more I am bing less interested in pulling through with this shit.

    If this is just a trick to get me married, then so be it. Can¡¯t I find someone by myself? I do not want a spoiled brat who won¡¯t be time conscious anytime we need to get out or attend an event.

    Obviously, this girl I am betrothed to is spoiled and not time conscious.

    I hate that attitude already.

    What exactly is the essence of this betrothal when I can be told when to be married for me to inherit thepany?

    I just need to find one girl out of the numerous girls on my table to be married to.

    Honestly, this is bullshit!

    With a stab of anger, I rise abruptly and pick up my phone, turning to leave when the transparent door is thrown open by the guard at the door and ady steps in.

    Ridiculous is not the word for how she looked.

    This is definitely not who I am expecting. My mother described her as a sophisticated beautifuldy which is why I jumped to the conclusion that she is a spoiled brat.

    Is this a f***ing tracksuit? I crease my brow in confusion as I continue to stare as she approaches me.

    Who wears a matching tracksuit to a date with a man you will soon be married to?

    Everything about her is absurd.

    She isn¡¯t beautiful, probably because she has the wrong essories on and bad make-up.

    Am I getting married to a clown? What the hell is this?

    If I wasn¡¯t ill-tempered, this is enough to make me ill-tempered.

    ¡°Hey¡±, she waves shyly at me when she is close by, jerking me out of my reverie and increasing my anger.

    Probably because of my anger, I can¡¯t seem to form a word. The look on my face showed it all.

    She ignores it and it dawns on me that this is nned. The expression on my face isn¡¯t something someone like her should overlook. She ought toe here to impress me, not otherwise and that isn¡¯t what she is doing.

    Apparently, I am not the only one upset about this betrothal. She is too and the only way she can spite her parents and me is to be a clown by dressing this way on our first date.

    When I finally find my voice after blinking severally and looking up at her to be sure she is the one I came here for, I growl loudly. ¡°What the hell is this?¡±

    The shy smile on her face vanishes and turns into a scowl. She doesn¡¯t look timid anymore but confident in what she is doing and what she is wearing.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She asks back innocently but her looks say otherwise.

    She isn¡¯t innocent. She knows what I am talking about.

    Instead of barking at her, and letting out my pent-up anger, I plopped to the seat, making an effort to control my nerves and keep my cool.

    I need her.

    Mother likes her. Father would never go against Grandfather¡¯s wish even though the old man is long dead and gone. They all want me to get married. There is absolutely nothing I can say to them to change this.

    This betrothal is really important to them.

    To Grandfather. If it wasn¡¯t, Father would never bring it up now. He would have suggested I find a girl myself.

    What good wille out of getting mad at this silly girl and running to my father?

    Nothing.

    This just won¡¯t do, I shake my head again. I can¡¯t control my anger. I feel like shouting at the top of my voice. First, foringte and not making it worthwhile buting in a dumb dress like this.

    Does she have no shame?

    Before I can find an answer to the question, she drops to the seat opposite me with another smile on her face.

    It is faked.

    ¡°Hi, I am Valerie Adams¡±, she stretches her right hand for a handshake after dropping her tiny purse on the table separating us.

    My gaze does not waver from her face. She looks funny and I¡¯m sure I would haveughed out loud if this was done by my sister or not the girl I just found out I would be getting married to.

    She is doing this on purpose and this knowledge is upsetting.

    Without taking her hand, I lean backward with folded arms and she drops her hand with a disappointed look on her face.

    It is faked too.

 CHAPTER 4

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    The n worked.

    I almost burst outughing when I first saw the look on his face. It was abination of confusion and anger.

    He is obviously an impatient man. I camete on purpose and I am dressed this way on purpose too.

    I want to spite him. I am only here for a reason, not because I actually want to go ahead with the so-called silly betrothal and marriage preparations.

    No matter how much I think of this, it irks me and I want to do something to defy my parents for taking a major decision like this on my behalf.

    I have every right to go against them. I have every right to make decisions for myself. I am not a child.

    Finding Brenda in Fred¡¯s apartmentst night is the result of my decision toe here. I never intended to.

    I was betrayed by my two best friends and I want to take my revenge on them.

    Mother was right. Fred isn¡¯t good for me.

    At first, I was giving him reasons to justify his actions but now it is clear to the eyes that he wants my friend too. He doesn¡¯t love me. If he loves me, he wouldn¡¯t cheat on me with my best friend.

    That is the height of it.

    ¡°You know what? I am done here¡±, the man before me stands up abruptly, dragging the chair back.

    ¡°Hey¡±, I call back to him before he left.

    He doesn¡¯t look bad. I didn¡¯t expect to meet a good-looking man like him to be my groom-to-be but that isn¡¯t the problem now.

    We need to talk.

    I don¡¯t want him to find me attractive which is why I came up with the only thing that came to my head.

    Dressing up like a clown.

    He must have reserved the whole ce for us because we are the only ones here. It isn¡¯t evening yet and the CLOSED sign has been ced outside of the restaurant already.

    I guess this is one of the powers of being a billionaire. Mother emphasized that. She said he was a billionaire and famous.

    I guess I can take advantage of him and his status too, can¡¯t I?

    ¡°What do you think you are here for dressed this way?¡± He thunders at me angrily, his blue eyes ring at me with ice.

    I almost shudder but I keep my cool. If this is the man I have to contend with to get back at Fred and Brenda, then I have to be brave and not let him intimidate me.

    ¡°Do you think I have time for jokes and¡­¡±

    ¡°Why are we here, Mr man?¡± I cut him short, quickly, my gaze not leaving his. His broad shoulder is raised high up as his frown deepens and he continues to stare at me.

    Now I feel stupid for putting on this ridiculous makeup. Maybe I should have dressed appropriately instead of this. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t be this angry.

    He seems to be searching for answers to the kind of girl I am by merely looking at me. His stares are piercing and cold.

    ¡°Can you please sit?¡± I ask politely, forcing myself to keep calm and not be angry at him as well.

    ¡°Are you truly the woman I was betrothed to?¡± He asks me, doubts filled in his expression and his two arms going akimbo.

    Slowly, I nod my head.

    As I nod, the remorse intensifies and I wish I am my real self.

    He shakes his head and finally sits down. I am thinking he will do the talking since he is the one responsible for this date. He asked for it but he didn¡¯t say a word.

    He is still ring at me coldly and I tilt my head up proudly.

    ¡°Why are we here, Mr man?¡± I repeat my question again, realizing that I can¡¯t remember the name.

    He leans forward and taps his four fingers on the table without a word.

    Before I can ask for his name, he speaks up, his deep husky voice resonating in my head. ¡°Why are you dressed this way?¡±

    I almost look down in embarrassment. I didn¡¯t think this through before going ahead with it. Is this what it means to be heartbroken?

    Doing rational things.

    Acting stupid.

    Bing shameless.

    I would never have had the courage to dress this way a week ago. I care about my looks and appearance. I care about what I wear. I care about what people say but here I am sitting right in front of the man whose fate has been tied to mine, dressed like an idiot just because my heart was broken and I want revenge.

    ¡°I just feel like it¡±, I answer him, careful not to show what and how I feel.

    Tears are springing to my eyes but I am forcing them back, my eyes down.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    ¡°You just feel like ridiculing me?¡± I hear him ask again. ¡°What if the paparazzis get a picture of us and this goes viral, what do you want them to think? How do you expect me to¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that what you care about?¡± I interrupt him again, looking up to meet his gaze.

    ¡°Yes¡±, he answers firmly, almost gritting his teeth. His eyes are still zing red in anger and his cheekbone is raised as he expressed his annoyance at my choice of appearance. ¡°We all have what we care about. I care about my reputation and what people would say about everything that concerns me which includes you. If you care about what people will say, you won¡¯t be dressed this way just to spite me.¡±

    He knows.

    ¡°If this is really going to work, then you have to care about what people would say just like I care and you have to put my reputation first.¡±

    ¡°Is that an order?!¡± I retort back as sharply as I can.

    This should be an agreement between us. Marriage itself is an agreement but ours isn¡¯t the usual type of marriage. We are getting married because our parents want it and because I want to help my father and also to get my revenge back on Fred and Brenda.

    He shouldn¡¯t be ordering me around. I can still decide to be the bad child and tell Father that I am not interested and will never be interested.

    What made me think that this so-called decent man my Mother was on and on about would actually be decent, human, and down to earth?

    This man here is nothing close to humble. He is an arrogant bastard.

    ¡°What if it is?¡± He is daring me to challenge him and I shake my head because he doesn¡¯t know me.

    I listen to no one. No one can order me around, not even my parents. If I don¡¯t want to marry him, nobody can force me to.

    I am here because I want to. I am thinking of our stupid marriage because I need to.

    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are?¡± I find myself voicing out, my attempt to keep cool gone, my anger rising to the highest point.

    He smirks, as though he has seeded in seeing the true me. My angry side.

    ¡°You think I am here because I fancy you?¡± I point an using finger at myself. Before I can continue with my ranting, a waitress appears from nowhere and the scowl directed at the man before me is thrown towards the waitress¡¯s way.

    She is smiling.

    ¡°Good day, what would you like to order?¡± She asks.

    I wonder if she is oblivious to the tension between us or if she chooses to pay a deaf ear and an eye to it.

    Her smile is adding to my rage.

    ¡°I want¡­¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I say in a raised voice, stopping him from ordering. We are not here on a real date. We are here to talk.

    He raises a brow at me and I drop my finger.

    ¡°We are here to talk, aren¡¯t we?¡± I sh him one of my cutest smiles, quickly recing it with the scowl on my face.

    What is the use of letting the waitress know about my anger?

    ¡°Yes, we are¡­¡±

    ¡°We should talk, then.¡±

    As quickly as she came, the waitress leaves but not before shing him a seductive smile.

    Silly!

    Without wasting any more of my time, even though I don¡¯t have a job and I don¡¯t intend to get one anytime soon, I lean forward so we can get this done and I can go home.

    Writing is the only thing I do. It is not a job but a hobby but ever since that night I caught Fred creating on me, I have been creating more time for writing.

    I never had time before now because I was either waiting for Fred toe to take me out or I was in his house, waiting for his arrival from work.

    ¡°About our marriage¡­¡±

    ¡°This is¡­¡± we both say at the same time but I am not here to listen to whatever trash he has to say.

    He is a man and can decide to get one of his numerous bitches to be married to. He must have a tangible reason for wanting to marry me and that is what I want to use it to my advantage.

    ¡°Go on¡±, he urges me like a gentleman will do but I can¡¯t fall for that. No matter how gentle he is from now on, he will remain an arrogant bastard to me till the very end.

    ¡°This thing between us is unusual and it is not the exact type of marriage that I want for myself¡±, I state with full confidence and he watches me intensely. ¡°Therefore, I am proposing that we sign a contract for our marriage.¡±

    He doesn¡¯t blink for a while. He doesn¡¯t say anything either and I am thinking he doesn¡¯t understand my point until he furrows his brow at me and exims. ¡°What?!¡±

    Don¡¯t you understand English? I ask inwardly, wishing so desperately to spill that out.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sign a marriage contract. I do not like you and you do not like me. Let¡¯s get married for a few years and ording to the contract, we will be divorced. That way, our parents will be satisfied and we will be too, especially me because I don¡¯t have to be stuck with you forever.¡±

    He does not say anything again.

    Why is he hesitating? Does he want a forever-deal marriage? Even if he wants, that would never be with me. I am way beyond his league. He might be a billionaire but I am beyond his league.

    ¡°Is that a deal?¡± I ask with impatience.

    He continues to study with me for a while. Just when I am thinking he is about to say something because he slightly opens his mouth, all thates out isughter.

    His deep husky voice produces deep, richughter and I watch in awe, wondering if thisughter is directed at my appearance or the idea of a contract marriage

 CHAPTER 5

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    It sounds ridiculous.

    A contract marriage? What for?

    Iugh for a very long time, wishing it will piss her off but thedy in front of me isn¡¯t ready to be mad at anything I do at the moment.

    She is smiling with a determined look on her face. That sort of I- know-what-I-am-doing look makes me sober up immediately.

    ¡°Are you doneughing?¡± She leans forward, her stupid makeup in clear view.

    I do not reply to her. I just wish I didn¡¯t propose this meeting. I hope this will just end soon.

    Is it this psycho I am getting married to? Why will she even propose a contract marriage?

    As if hearing my thoughts, shements. ¡°Thest time I checked, I had a boyfriend and I was asked to break up with him simply because I have been betrothed to some man. Thest time I checked, we don¡¯t like each other a bit, so tell me what the hell you are thinking about? What the hell is stopping you from agreeing to this? You want us to be married forever?¡±

    I am tempted to let out a loud NO. I am tempted to forbid it. I can¡¯t imagine spending forever with this dramatic woman.

    No.

    This should be for a while. We are going to get divorced as soon as possible. We just need to act as if our parents have seeded in their ns for us to be in love and married for life.

    Come to think of it, the contract seems like a good idea.

    I guess it just sounded ridiculous since it wasing from her.

    We don¡¯t need to be contracted. We are adults and all we need to do is get divorced after some years of being married.

    Why the hell is she bringing up the issue of a contract?

    She tilts her head sideways with a frown. Then she fakes a gasp, her right hand mping her mouth. ¡°Are you falling in love with me already?¡±

    In response, I sneer.

    Fall in love, my foot!

    ¡°You want to be married for life?¡±

    I m my fist on the table in anger. This is what she wants. She wants to provoke me to say something about her stupid idea.

    ¡°Shut the fuck up, woman!¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up, man!¡± She yells back, startled. ¡°Who do you think you are to yell at me that way? Do I look like some girl who will bend to your wishes just because you want them? Do I look like someone you can order around? I know you need this marriage more than I do. I can decide to go back home right now and tell them I am not getting married to you and that¡¯s final. I am doing you a favor so you better tell me if you agree with the idea or not.¡±

    I am surprised at the outburst. I never expected it.

    It almost made me lost for words but I brace myself up. ¡°Who do you think you are to bring rules¡­¡±

    ¡°You need me.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t need me?¡± I question back in anger. Thest time I checked, her father was the one who came over to the house for a partnership. He reminded my dad about the betrothal just because of the partnership.

    We fucking need each other.

    ¡°Nope. I don¡¯t. But my parents do. And you need me, not your parents.¡±

    My anger is at its peak. I am angry that I have to get married to this woman whether I like it or not. And I am angry at her calmness. She doesn¡¯t look a bit threatened or intimidated by me.

    I guess the contract should be the best idea. I can¡¯t live with this maniac for many years.

    ¡°Tell me why you think the idea of a contract marriage isn¡¯t nice?¡± She demands her elbow on the table and a smirk on her face. Before I can answer, she chips in. ¡°Do you want to fall in love with me?¡±

    ¡°Tell me why you think a contract marriage is the best idea¡±, I ask back sharply, my tone a bit raised.

    What is the essence of raising it to the peak when it won¡¯t have any effect on her?

    She smiles and then leans backward, her legs crossed. ¡°A contract marriage is the best because no one would be able to stop us from getting divorced ording to the contract. Not even our parents. They will no longer have a say. Don¡¯t you get it?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    ¡°Why do we have to involve a contract when we can make such decisions on our own?¡±

    ¡°Simply because marriage is legal and a contract is legal too. A contract will annul the marriage without any hassle. We don¡¯t even need to sign the divorce papers.¡±

    ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°Do we need to?¡±

    I hiss.

    ¡°Why do you want to go ahead with the marriage?¡± I find myself asking in a low tone. ¡°It is obvious you have the power to go against it as you mentioned clearly to my ears with a raised shoulder, so tell me. What do you stand to gain apart from the benefits your parents stand to gain from this? You don¡¯t even sound like you want to help them or you are helping them.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to know? You think I trust you enough to tell you?¡± She scoffs, turning her head away and making me view the sides of her face.

    The shape makes it look like those of models. Maybe if she hadn¡¯t gotten this ridiculous makeup on her face, I would have admired her a little but the first impression they saysts forever.

    Even if she doesn¡¯t wear any stupid makeup next time, I will still view her this way.

    A clown.

    An unfashionable, unsophisticated woman.

    ¡°Just tell me already. It¡¯s not like I can use that against you.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±

    I almost curse at her. What the hell are the questions for? Can¡¯t she just tell me?

    Sheughs shortly. ¡°I want to take revenge on my boyfriend and my best friend.¡±

    This is when I remember she said something about her boyfriend earlier. So she has a boyfriend.

    Why does she want to take revenge on him? Did he cheat on her? Who wouldn¡¯t cheat on a crazy girl like this?

    I see no reason why I should ask her any more questions so I keep mute.

    ¡°I need you but I don¡¯t need you the way you need me. I can still get my revenge without you.¡± She states and I nod.

    Noted.

    She wants me to know that she is doing me a favor.

    ¡°So what do you say? Are you in?¡±

    She is referring back to the idea of a contract. She still wants us to go ahead and get a contract signed, stating when our marriage will start and end.

    That way, we can go our separate ways without any hassle or trouble from our parents.

    They won¡¯t be able to force us to be together just like they are doing now for us to get married.

    Now that I think of it, it doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea. Why?

    Because I can make the rules. This agreement should be shared 50%-50%.

    She is bringing the idea and I would be making the rules. She wants her revenge back on her boyfriend and best friend and I can do the same to her for being stubborn with me.

    If I make the rules, then I won¡¯t have any difficulties dealing with her because these rules will limit her capabilities and silliness.

    This way, I will be in control not her. And our limited marriage life will be spent in peace and not in pieces.

    Carefully taking note of the expression on her face, I remark. ¡°The answer to that would be yes, only if I will be the one to make the rules guiding the contract.¡±

    Her eyes beam with happiness. Without thinking, she concurs. ¡°Great.¡±

    She stretches her right hand towards me for a handshake as I would do to a business partner who came for a business meeting.

    d at the fact that she didn¡¯t give my condition much thought, I smirk proudly and stand up to take the exit without taking her hand.

 CHAPTER 6

    A MONTH LATER

    Valerie¡¯s POVThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.

    Life is about turning on different roads and choosing to either face the rock of reality or not.

    This is reality.

    That was the word I wrote down in the dressing room beforeing out here to face my reality.

    This isn¡¯t what I have always dreamt of. This is the opposite of what I want for myself and my future.

    I am a strong believer in love, probably because I have experienced love in beautiful souls. I never believed in getting married out of love but here I am doing that one thing I never believed in or never knew existed.

    Dazed, I let the sound of apuse get drowned in my head as I approach the arbor where the groom of the day is awaiting me.

    His name is Ryan and I am going to be his bride today. Not because we love each other but for different reasons and goals.

    I want my father to be back on his feet. I want him to return to that confident, strong man he used to be and I also want my revenge on Fred and Brenda.

    I am not doing this because I want our financial status to go back to the way it used to be but I guess wanting to help my father recover his business will lead to that which is why my mother is all smiles.

    I do not believe that money solves it all.

    For Fred and Brenda, this is just the beginning. I am going to make sure that theye begging me with their knees, seeking my forgiveness.

    What other life would a woman want other than being married to a billionaire? Not just a billionaire, but the youngest billionaire in the city?

    This is my revenge tactic.

    Fred would be shocked. Brenda would be caught unawares and I will make sure to make their life a living hell.

    The thought of my revenge alone makes me giddy with excitement. It makes me happier than the fact that my father would be happy to have his business back and be partners with the Lorenzos.

    I might be lost in my thoughts but I am alert. My eyes are interlocked with Ryan¡¯s as I carefully step toward him.

    Ever since the date, Ryan and I haven¡¯t met and I am sure he will be so surprised to see my real face and that is if he hasn¡¯t gone on social media out of curiosity to check me out.

    I almostugh out loud.

    I might be getting married to him but I feel like a genius and a boss.

    There are two bosses on a ship. I won¡¯t let him order me around like some illiterate woman.

    That was why I brought up the idea of a contract marriage which would be signed tonight after the wedding ceremony is over.

    He might be making the rules but I have my ns for him too.

    When I am close by, I sh him one of my cutest smiles but his face is hardened without a smile.

    I raise the middle hem of my white wedding dress, the transparent veil still covering my face and my kinky hair with decorative braids and curls.

    Careful not to step on the dress, I take one more step closer to him and face him squarely before dropping my dress.

    The little bride beside me passes the wedding flower to me and I take it.

    The apuse dies down and everyone sits before the priest moves closer to us with a lingering smile on his face.

    I have no bridesmaid and no maid of honor because Brenda is the only female friend I have while Fred is the only male friend that I have. They have other friends too and we hang out together but now that I am no longer friends with Brenda and Fred, then it means I am no longer friends with their friends and that means I have no friends.

    I can¡¯t spot Ryan¡¯s best man either and I wonder if he is doing this because I have no maid of honor or it is because he doesn¡¯t have a friend either.

    ¡°Dear beloved¡±, the priest begins, jerking me out of my reverie and making me fix my gaze on Ryan instead of ncing around.

    ¡°We are gathered here today to join Ryan Lorenzo and Valerie Adams in Holy matrimony before God and man. Marriage is a wonderful thing. It is a sacred vow to spend your life with one person for all eternity and to stick with each other through thick and thin¡±, he turns and takes the ring from the ring bearer who is also dressed like a priest.

    Now I am more than sure that Ryan doesn¡¯t have a friend either. Isn¡¯t the ring bearer supposed to be his best man?

    Stretching the first ring to Ryan, he demands. ¡°You may now exchange the vows.¡±

    Ryan takes the ring with confidence, as though he really wants this marriage and does not need it.

    He turns back to face me after taking the ring from the priest and opens his left palm wide for me to ce my fingers on while the other hand is holding the diamond ring.

    I¡¯m sure that costs a fortune. So much for getting married to a billionaire.

    I am sure this is the time my mother¡¯s breath will be on hold. She knows me so well and she knows how much she had tried to convince me to go ahead with the wedding.

    She might think I agreed because I have ns to humiliate the two families by telling the whole audience that this is an arranged marriage and Ryan and I are not in love but I won¡¯t do that because I have something to gain from this, really.

    Slowly, I ce my left hand on his open palms and he opens his mouth to voice out his vows in a loud tone.

    ¡°In the name of God, I, Ryan Lorenzo, take you, Valerie Adams, as mywfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.¡± He slips the diamond ring into my middle finger and I almostugh.

    Why did that vow sound emotional? Is this the time when I am supposed to cry?

    I am making an effort to suck in myughter and not let it out.

    ¡°Valerie¡±, his harsh tone pulls me out of my thoughts. This is when I realize that it is time for me to say my vows too.

    The priest is watching me intently with the second ring stretched at me.

    Other than Ryan¡¯s voice, the big hall filled with thousands of people is inplete silence and a pin drop can be heard. I don¡¯t know if this is just from my imagination or if it is because everybody is anxious to see us both get married without any problem.

    I take the ring from the priest and my hand shakes.

    Then it dawns on me.

    I am getting married. Whether the contract will be involved or not does not matter right now. I am truly getting married.

    To Ryan Lorenzo.

    A man I don¡¯t love. A man I never thought I would cross paths with or share any ideas with.

    This is not Fred.

    I have always wanted Fred to propose marriage to me. I didn¡¯t want to give him the idea that I want us to get married because I wanted him to think of it himself and propose without anyone¡¯s interference.

    Apart from the fact that I am still young, I wouldn¡¯t have considered marrying anybody but Fred willingly at this age.

    Getting married to Ryan at this age is because I have no choice.

    I am truly getting married to someone who isn¡¯t Fred, the man I have noved with everything in me since I was 20 years old.

    He is my first love and I doubt if his betrayal will ever make me love another man.

    When this marriage is over, I will try dating again, maybe I will find someone who is more honest and ready to give me what I want; a marriage filled with nothing but love andughter.

    By then, I will be old enough, no longer considered young.

    ¡°In the name of God, I, Valerie Adams take you, Ryan Lorenzo, as mywfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death does us part.¡± I slip the diamond ring into his middle finger just like he did to me a few minutes ago.

    I hear a sigh of relief from Ryan and I stare up at him as he yanks his hand from my hold and another round of apuse takes over.

    There are screams of excitement from the crowd and I snap my head toward where my dad is sitting with my mother.

    Mother is waving at me with pride while Father¡¯s face is expressionless. He simply nods at me and smiles.

    When the excitement dies down and I have my gaze fixed on the floor between Ryan and me, my thoughts all over the ce, the priest clears his throat.

    ¡°With the power vested in me, I pronounce you, man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.¡±

    I didn¡¯t remember this part of the wedding process and I lift my head with my eyes almost bulging out.

    Ryan will kiss me?

    No!

    Fred is the only man who has kissed me and I can¡¯t kiss a man I don¡¯t love.

    The whiff of cologne from his tuxedo jerks me back to life as he lifts my veil to reveal my real face.

    My jaws dropped and my heart is pounding hard, wondering if he is truly going to kiss me.

    When he leans forward, I know I have to do something. I can¡¯t let him kiss me. We aren¡¯t in love. We are just married.

    He wants to do this to make it real but I won¡¯t allow that.

    Before his lips will touch mine, the thought of pushing him away jumps into my head but I shake my head to wave it away.

    Instead, I turn my face away, and the cheap kiss of hisnds on my left cheek.

    He pulls away almost immediately, surprised at my reaction as he throws me a cold re.

    And I grin with pride.

 CHAPTER 7

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    The door is locked.

    My hand is on the doorknob still. Then I turn it again but it won¡¯t budge.

    It has been locked from the inside. Without thinking of a single reason why the woman I just got married to a few hours ago is locking me outside my own bedroom, I raise my hand to knock.

    The knock is loud enough to wake the dead. She can¡¯t possibly tell me that she locked the door and slept off. I only spent thirty minutes outside trying to let everything sink into my head and also to think of what to do after this damn thing is over.

    I have been trying to get over how she ridiculed me at the church wedding. She didn¡¯t let me kiss her on the lips. Isn¡¯t that part of the pretense? We are to make believe that we are real and beginning to like each other, isn¡¯t this what she said?

    I felt humiliated. What if someone had seen that?

    Fortunately, no one was quick to observe anything between us. Not even the tension and despise we feel for each other.

    There is no answer.

    ¡°Valerie, open the door¡±, I call her name loudly as I continue to knock.

    Isn¡¯t she going to answer me? Is this woman I call a wife crazy? How can she do this on our wedding night?

    I already know the exact type of personality she possessed when I first met her. She can do and undo. She doesn¡¯t even feel intimidated by me.

    ¡°Val?¡± I call out unconsciously. This is what her parents called her at the wedding reception. She is indeed good at acting. She was all smiles and clingy to me as we took pictures.

    It was irritating the shit out of me, probably because I didn¡¯t like how touchy she was since we aren¡¯t real or because she rejected a kiss from me.

    Me.

    Girls die to have that one kiss.

    Who the hell does she think she is?

    With a mixture of anger and frustration, I bang on the door and it is thrown open instantly.

    My gaze falls on a white towel and a hand wiping her hair.

    Was she in the bathroom all along?

    Without saying anything, I walk in but her face appeared from nowhere and she stops me, blocking my way with her hands spread out wide.

    ¡°Why were you banging the door that way?¡± She questions, her small face in a deep frown, as though the house belongs to her.

    There is another towel wrapped around her bosom showing her smooth skin and her curvy shape.

    ¡°Excuse me¡±, I say and she rolls her eyes without moving away for me to go in.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    This is the penthouse. Mother insisted that wee here for our wedding night and I am sure they think we would consummate our marriage.

    I can¡¯t bring myself to watch her for too long because the first impression of that ugly woman is still stuck in my head.

    ¡°Hey, go out¡±, she utters with a tone of authority and I arch a brow at her, thinking I heard wrong.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°I said go out. First, I need some privacy because I just came out of the bathroom and secondly, this is my room, isn¡¯t it? We aren¡¯t couples, are we? We shouldn¡¯t spend the night together, should we? We can¡¯t share the same bed either.¡±

    She sounds breathless but I know better than to fall for her trick. She is full of pretense.

    Gritting my teeth in annoyance and desperate to get out of this tuxedo so I can get into the bathroom and have a cold shower to ease the stress of the day¡¯s affairs.

    ¡°Move out of my way, woman!¡± I can¡¯t help but shout.

    This isn¡¯t what I nned for. This is why I don¡¯t want to be married. Women can be handfuls and I am not going to let her boss me around simply because I need her more than she needs me.

    I make the rules.

    ¡°No, husband. Go to the other room or find a nice couch to sleep on¡±, she mentions and tries to push me out.

    I grab her hand and shove her away to go in.

    ¡°What the hell!¡± She screams and attacks me from behind. I feel her boobs from behind as she tries to push me back outside.

    I let her do as she wishes but pushing me out is impossible for her. Within minutes, she is breathing heavily like someone who just did a marathon race.

    She lets go of me and when I turn back to face her, the edge of the toweles running down and she squats down quickly with her eyes wide open, to prevent me from seeing her nudity.

    ¡°Get away from here, you pervert¡±, she cries out.

    I would love to make her feel more ufortable by continuing to stare since she can¡¯t get up and find some clothes to wear without exposing some part of her body.

    But I am the better one. I want to be the better one. I am not going to be as childish as she is.

    Turning my back to her, I stroll to the closet to get a towel before going into the bathroom.

    There is no towel where I usually hang it. Then I remember she has two towels with her; one on her body and the other on her head.

    Shit!

    ¡°Jerk!¡± I hear her murmur to herself, still squatting down.

    I take off my jacket and remove my pants, leaving me in shorts only. I have no problem undressing in front of her, she is the one making a big deal out of exposing her body when she is legally my wife.

    Besides, I didn¡¯t give her the impression that she is attractive, so why would she even think I would find her attractive or seeing her naked body will have any effect on me?

    I am not that kind of man.

    I have my ideal type of woman and Valerie is definitely not one of them. The ridiculous way she was dressed and the stupid makeup she had on her face gave me a bad impression of her and I doubt if I can ever look past that appearance she had on that day.

    When I turn back, thinking of asking her to give me one of the towels, she res at me coldly, still on the floor, crouched in an ufortable position with her two hands around her body.

    I am making a mental note to get another towel from the main house.

    I never thought I would be spending my wedding night here so there were no provisions made for spending the night here.

    It just happened.

    Our two families are bent on making this marriage work without knowing that Valerie and I have other ns.

    I onlye to the penthouse to escape from the bustling noises of the main mansion.

    There are two bedrooms but the other bedroom has been turned into a home office which leaves us with just one bedroom.

    I take long strides to the bathroom door without sparing her a nce.

    Whether Valerie likes it or not, I am sleeping here tonight.

 CHAPTER 8

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Determined to get on his nerves tonight, Iy sprawled on the bed fully clothed. The moment the shower goes off, I close my eyes to pretend that I am asleep.

    I can¡¯t let him sleep with me on the same bed. We can¡¯t share the same bed.

    I love my privacy and space. I never had any reason to share a bed with anyone, except Fred and I am not ready to get to that stage with Ryan.

    I know we are supposed to sign the contract tonight but I am seriously not going to give him the chance to sweet-talk me into letting him sleep here tonight.

    The bathroom door opens and I imagine himing out of the bathroom with a bare chest trailing with water from his wet hair and a towel wrapped around his waist.

    I imagine the re he will throw my way when he notices I¡¯m already asleep on the bed, sprawled with my legs apart to prevent him from getting into bed with me.

    Today is our first night as a couple and I want us to stick to the rules of the contract to ease the whole period we will be together. If I allow him to share a bed with me now, he may consider that as a kind gesture or continue to expect much from me someday when we are in a situation where we have to share a bed.

    Besides, I can sleepwalk sometimes and I really do not want him to see that side of me.

    Silence ensues, except for the continued hard beating of my heart.

    Why isn¡¯t he saying anything yet? Is he still in the bathroom? Why isn¡¯t heing to throw me off the bed?

    I am ready to exert the same type of energy. If he wants a fight tonight, I am in for it. I won¡¯t allow him to sleep here and that¡¯s final.

    Deliberately, I open my eyes slowly and ites in contact with a close-range pair of blue eyes.

    Shit! I sit up startled.

    It turns out to be Ryan. Why does he have his eyes a few inches away from mine? Was he trying to see if I was really sleeping or not?

    ¡°So you weren¡¯t sleeping? I guessed so¡±, he mutters, as if hearing my thoughts.

    ¡°I was asleep¡±, I defend myself. ¡°I caught wind of your¡­¡± I trail off, not knowing what excuse to give him.

    Should I tell him I caught wind of his cologne?

    No, he isn¡¯t wearing any clothes.

    A wind of his breath?

    That is too close and stupid.

    He leans upright and turns his back on me as he begins to dry his body. He isn¡¯t wearing a towel like I thought he would. He is wearing shorts.

    ¡°Get down from the bed, youngdy. You are sleeping in the sitting room and on the couch.¡±

    I blink and pinch myself but it is real.

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim loudly in disbelief.

    Did I hear him right? Did he just ask me to go sleep on a couch?

    Me?

    ¡°You heard me right.¡±

    ¡°I thought I didn¡¯t.¡± I retort back sharply.

    ¡°I am making the rules, remember?¡± He reminds me, veering backward to face me.

    I know he is making the rules but this is definitely the dumbest rule ever. It isn¡¯t legal. How can I sleep on a couch and he calls that a rule?

    I shake my head and snicker inughter.

    Ryan is trying to get on my nerves as well. He has no idea what I can do. He has no idea the kind of woman I am.

    ¡°Valerie or whatever your name is, get out of that bed now before I do something rash¡±, his voice is loud and he is standing with arms akimbo, waiting for me toply with his stupid orders and get out like a meek dove.

    Without saying a word to him, Iy back in the bed, my legs apart so as not to provide any space for him.

    I don¡¯t need to argue words with him. He is obviously not a gentleman and I am not a gentlewoman either.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me upset, woman!¡±

    ¡°Val.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me Val? That name is special andes out of people who are special. Call me Valerie.¡± I throw him a harsh re, ignoring his own icy re piercing deep into me.

    He snorts like I just said a funny joke. ¡°Special? Your name is the dumbest name I have evere across.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± My right-hand goes to the second pillow on the bed.

    ¡°Really. You are not special so forget it¡­¡±, I throw the pillow at him to cut him short.

    Within a split second, he strides close and picks me up from the bed. I jerk and try to wrench myself from his hold. I struggle to get out but he is stronger.

    He begins to walk to the door and I know if he steps out, he is going to win this game. So I lean down on his shoulder and bite him hard.

    He releases me instantly and I fall on my buttocks. Not giving the pain a chance to sip through me, I rise and jump back on the bed.

    Fortunately, I am wearing a sleep shirt and trousers.

    I spread my legs over the edge of the bed as I hear him wince in pain.

    ¡°Hey, get down!¡±

    I don¡¯t close my eyes, even though I want to but I want to know what he wants to do next so I won¡¯t be caught unawares.

    ¡°I am warning you now, get down!¡± He is now standing up and I am hugging the second pillow to myself ready to lunge it at him if he tries anything funny.

    ¡°Holy shit! What have I gotten myself into? What sort of woman is this?¡± Heins to himself bitterly and turns back in frustration, raging his hands into his sleek hair.

    When he twirls back abruptly, I know he is going to do something. Before he can get to me, I throw the pillow in his face and rush down from the bed so he won¡¯t carry me like he did the other time.

    He picks up the other pillow and lunges at me too.

    I duck it.

    ¡°Get out of this room!¡±

    ¡°No. You get out!¡± I retort back, going around and jumping on the bed and down as he follows me on my heels.

    ¡°I am your bride and I should take the bride. What sort of man are you?¡±

    ¡°A man who wants nothing but my peace of mind. Why the hell are you tormenting me?¡±

    He looks unhappy all of a sudden but I don¡¯t want it to get to me. He stops following me and drops to the bed with his two hands holding onto his head.

    The weight of the whole thinges crashing.

    The wedding.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    The future.

    We are both unhappy about this.

    He is not the only unhappy one, I am unhappy too. Why is he trying to get my sympathy when we are in this together?

    Breathing heavily, I try to calm down with my right hand ced on my chest.

    I should be the better one.

    But I still can¡¯t share a bed with him. Why is it so difficult for him to leave the bed to me tonight and then by tomorrow, we will have our separate rooms?

    ¡°Fine!¡± I dere openly, raising my hands in surrender. ¡°I have an idea.¡±

    He drops his hands and snaps his head towards me, anger still evident on his face. ¡°What stupid idea do you have?¡±

    ¡°My idea isn¡¯t stupid, jerk. Do you want to hear me out or not?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± He askszily, as though he cares less about my idea or whether it will turn out in his favor.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do a coin toss to decide who takes the bed and who takes the couch¡±, I announce, folding my arms around my bosom.

    ¡°What?!¡± He exims with his face in a deep frown.

    ¡°Yes. That way, we won¡¯t argue back and forth or fight each other since you can¡¯t be a responsible husband and a gentleman. Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    ¡°I am not doing that with you. It¡¯s silly¡±, he remarks with indignation. ¡°I am taking the bed and that¡¯s final.¡±

    With that said, he lies on the bed and I charge toward him again with a wicked grin.

 CHAPTER 9

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    She practically jumps on me, scaring the shit out of me. I sit up immediately, letting her slide down with a big grin on her face.

    ¡°What was that for?¡±

    She shrugs nonchntly like she hasn¡¯t done anything wrong.

    ¡°I need to sleep¡±, I almost add, please. I am already tired of arguing back and forth with her. It is obvious she isn¡¯t going to let me be.

    ¡°Please?¡± She demands, raising her brow. This is when I notice her hand on mine. I yank my hand off immediately.

    Turning back to the bed, Iment. ¡°Please.¡±

    Then, Iy down, hoping she will let me be now.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to sleep yet¡±, she jumps down from the bed and drags me up. Now I am more than convinced that she jumps for a living.

    Why the hell is she jumping like a monkey all over the ce? What does she even do for a living?

    I know I married a stranger but I should have asked her if she had a job so she won¡¯t be aplete liability. Having to help her parents is enough.

    ¡°We need to sign the contract first of all¡­¡±, she pauses to remember what else we need to do since it is our first night together. I didn¡¯t want us to sign the contract before the vows were exchanged so the contract will hold grounds.

    Suddenly, I remember I haven¡¯t written down the rules as I promised.

    I squat beside the side drawers and open it up with a key which was on top of the drawer.

    It opens and I bring out the envelope which contains the contract we are to sign. Mywyer gave me this and I trust him enough not to disclose any of this to either my parents or her parents.

    I am actually doing her a favor.

    ¡°We should sign the contract already¡±, I tell her as I produce a pen from the drawer before closing it and sitting back on the bed.

    She is quiet and I look up to see her face expressionless.

    If only she can be this quiet and gentle all the time, then I will have no reason to wish this never happened. I will have no reason to be pissed or frustrated.

    Then she begins to look thoughtful and I raise the envelope. ¡°Can we sign this now?¡±

    I am really tired and I want to get this done with. Let¡¯s just sign it and go to bed.

    ¡°The rules¡±, she reminds me. ¡°Are they listed in the contract?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°Not really. Just the essential contract guidelines. I haven¡¯t included my rules yet but I n to list them out for you now before we eventually sign it.¡±

    She grabs the envelope from me and flop onto the space beside me. She opens the envelope and lets the contract fall on the bed.

    She picks it up while I go over the rules I have in mind and what else to include.

    After a while, she whirls around to face me. ¡°What are the rules?¡±

    ¡°Are you done with¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±, she cuts me short impatiently with a nod.

    ¡°The rules are as follows¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you write them down?¡± She interrupts me again and I seethe in anger. If there is another thing I hate aside from lies, then it is getting interrupted while talking.

    Without giving a reply, I turn to the drawer and open it to produce a in sheet of paper.

    I sit morefortably on the bed to rx my head on the headboard and to stop her from catching a glimpse of what I want to write. I don¡¯t want any interruptions and when I am done, she can see them.

    Fortunately, she does not say a word till I am done. I stretch the paper to her and her eyes grow wide.

    ¡°What?! Twenty rules?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There is room for more if the need arises¡±, I find myself smiling inwardly. This is where my poweres in.

    ¡°Is this some sort of partnership or what?¡± She snaps at me with a scowl.

    ¡°Technically, it is business. Read them.¡±

    She res at me once more before dropping her gaze back to the sheet of paper. Just like I am thinking, she begins to read the rules out aloud.

    ¡°First, there will be no strings attached¡±, she mentioned and nods her head in agreement. ¡°Second, do not be touchy with me.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± She exims. ¡°Am I touchy?¡± I nod gingerly.

    She hisses and goes back to the paper.

    ¡°Third, this contract will be effective for 24 months¡± She nods, and her eyes go down to the next.

    ¡°Fourth, no lies. Be honest.¡±

    ¡°Fifth, there is no room for termination from you.¡±

    She looks like she has something to say but she keeps mute and continues.

    ¡°Sixth, I am the only one allowed to sleep on the bed in the master bedroom. We are not to share a bed.¡±

    She stares up at me and shakes her head with a smile.

    What is the smile for? Agreement or disagreement?

    ¡°Seventh, you¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait¡±, I stop her from going further. ¡°What was that smile for?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°What smile?¡±

    ¡°The one you had on when you read the sixth rule. Is it a sort of agreement to the rule or not?¡±

    ¡°Disagreement¡±, she mentions just like I expect and I perk up immediately in rm. I am already happy that the contract will begin to take effect henceforth and I can have the bed to myself without having to share it with her.

    ¡°Disagreement?¡±

    ¡°I have every right to agree or disagree which means I will not sign the contract if the content and rules do not appeal to me.¡±

    ¡°You agreed for me to make the rules remember?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°And I took your advice of a contract signing, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with this?¡± She shrugs again, throwing the paper to my face. ¡°Your rules are ridiculous except for the first and third. How can you state such kind of rules?¡±

    She is yelling again and I can feel my uprising anger.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± I yell back in the same tone. ¡°I am making the rules and it is expected of you to do as I say.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± I grit my teeth and reply firmly.

    ¡°I am not signing the contract and that¡¯s final. Until this silly thing is revised, I won¡¯t sign the contract.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sign it, then. We will remain stuck with each other for life.¡± I threaten with a shout.

    She begins tough like a maniac, throwing her head backward and pping her hands. Her hair which is packed in a bun moves around her neck as sheughs.

    ¡°Mr. man¡±, she pokes my chest with her middle finger. ¡°You need me more than I need you. I can decide to give your mom a call and I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to know the kind of lies I am going to feed her with.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Revise the damn rules. In fact, we are both going to make the rules and that¡¯s final!¡±

    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are to raise your voice at me?¡± I rise abruptly, my anger out of control.

    ¡°Who do you also think you are, then? Some billionaire who can boss me around? No! You are just being selfish. We are both into this and it is only right that wee to an agreement and also make the rules guiding the contract together.¡±

    I do not say anything. I begin to pace the room, to calm my nerves and not do something rash to this woman. She has pushed past the limit. I have been patient with her.

    I thought just a while ago that she is going to be reasonable with me and we won¡¯t have any cause to argue anymore or raise voices at each other but this is getting harder than I thought.

    ¡°Now I know you are not just an arrogant jerk, you are also selfish and a narcissist¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey¡±, I rush towards her but the next action surprises me. She dodges my attack and pushes me from behind with all her strength till I am out of the door.

    Before I can recover from the shock of the action and the strength, she ms the door shut in my face and I hear her lock it from behind.

 CHAPTER 10

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    My nose twitches and my eyes flick open, the rays of the sun setting on my skin.

    I sit up and nce around as the memories of yesterday¡¯s evente rushing as well asst night.

    I turn to the curtains to see them open. Did Ryan open them? I look towards the door and it is still locked.

    Maybe the curtains were drawled to their sidesst night.

    I get out of bed and move towards the door, rubbing my two hands on my eyes to rub off the sleep.

    I am damn hungry and I could eat a horse right now.

    I unlock the door and get out. Finding my way to the kitchen, I get to the living room and my eyes fall on Ryan sleeping on the floor with his nket hanging on his leg, half of it on the couch.

    Did he fall from the couch or he purposely slept on the floor?

    I almost chuckle at the sight of him sleeping with his legs apart.

    I know he might want to go to work since there is no talk of a honeymoon and I really don¡¯t want him around for the whole day. Maybe I should wake him up.

    I can¡¯t be bad all the time.

    Strolling to the living room, I bend down slightly and tap him with my right hand, the other hand still rubbing my eyes.

    He doesn¡¯t even shake so I lean forward with arms akimbo, wondering if he is a deep sleeper.

    Why isn¡¯t he waking up?

    Feelingzy to bend down again and tap him, I raise my leg and hit him on the butt and he jumps up with a scream.

    He nces around, probably to see if there is an intruder in the house while I am still standing in front of him with my hands on my waist.

    When his gaze finally settles on me, he frowns deeply and looks down.

    ¡°Did you just hit me?¡± His husky voice asks and the sleep in his eyes vanishes immediately.

    I shake my head innocently. ¡°No, I was waking you up for work.¡±

    ¡°Waking me up?¡± He scoffs and throws the nket over his shoulder, his hand going to massage his forehead.

    Is he having a headache? I shouldn¡¯t have woken him up. Maybe he isn¡¯t going to work and he wants to use the day to rx at home.

    But I don¡¯t think I can stand him.

    ¡°I tapped you but you weren¡¯t waking up¡­¡±

    ¡°So you resorted to hitting me with your stupid legs?¡± He shouts, and I look down at my legs in amazement.

    Thest time I checked, men drool over these legs because they are long and pretty. Ryan will be the first man to consider it not beautiful.

    Well, I shouldn¡¯t have hit him that way. I didn¡¯t do that out of sheer wickedness. I just wanted to help.

    Is helping him a crime?

    ¡°I just wanted to wake you up for work. I was trying to help so you won¡¯t bete..¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± He yells at me, wagging a finger at me in warning as he grits his teeth in annoyance.

    I know I should probably say sorry because what I did is wrong but I can¡¯t bring myself to tell him that.

    I just continue to look at him as he makes an effort to control his rage.

    Without any more words, he brushes past me and storms to the room I just left. I wave the thought away and find my way to the kitchen to make breakfast.

    I should make him some too so he would eat before going to work.

    I honestly do have a conscience but I don¡¯t want to feel bad for what I did because he deserves it for being arrogant and thinking he can control me.

    That was the first impression I had of him even before I met him and when I eventually met with him, the impression was right.

    I hate arrogant men. They piss me off. It is also a turn-off for me as well, no matter how good-looking they are.

    This is probably the reason why I fell in love with Fred. I love men who don¡¯t control women. Men who listen to women. Men who aren¡¯t arrogant or egoistic. Fred was the type of man. He gives me a listening ear and he is down to earth.

    I toast some bread for us while I hear the shower running and quickly make sunny side up and some coffee too. Serving the food on two tes, I ce the coffee on the tray and walk briskly with it to the dining area.

    The penthouse isn¡¯t as big as his mansion but I really do like this ce and I wish we can live apart. If only this is going to be possible, then I would have loved to ask him to give me this penthouse while he stays in the mansion.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    I get to the dining area and drop the te on the dining table. After setting the table, I am about to sit on the second wooden chair to begin eating my portion when hees out wearing a clean suit with a briefcase.

    I guess he has many of these in the closet. Maybe he spends time here as well.

    Without sparing me a nce, he drops the briefcase on the couch and buttons up his inner shirt and adjusts his suit. Then he picks up the briefcase and tries to take the door out.

    I stand up hurriedly from the dining chair and rush to stop him.

    I am not his maid. I wasn¡¯t employed to cook for him but out of goodwill, I did and also to redeem myself for what I did to himst night and earlier.

    Cooking for him means a lot and I can¡¯t allow him to go without eating what I prepared for him. My effort can¡¯t go to waste just like that.

    ¡°Hey¡±, I rush to him before he gets to the door. Spreading my arms out to block him, I sigh loudly. ¡°I made you breakfast.¡±

    ¡°Hey, get out of my way!¡± He is still looking pissed and I wonder if he ever forgives. If I am not sorry, then I won¡¯t make him breakfast but the obnoxious man I have as a husband won¡¯t see that.

    ¡°I said I made you breakfast, you should eat something before you go.¡±

    He does not say anything. He turns round to see the cup of coffee on the table as well as the te of toasted bread.

    He shakes his head and when he gazes up at me, I know the next word that wille out of his mouth won¡¯t be good.

    ¡°You want to poison me?¡±

    I gasp.

    ¡°Frustrating my life isn¡¯t enough?¡± He adds.

    ¡°What?! How could you say that?!¡±

    ¡°Because it is clear to the eyes that this is what you can do. Just get out of the way, woman. I don¡¯t have your fucking time.¡±

    I am hurt.

    He is stupid. I shouldn¡¯t have made him breakfast. I shouldn¡¯t have felt sorry for him. Why does he always make me do bad things to him?

    I shouldn¡¯t be hurt because I am not supposed to expect anything from this jerk. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to the marriage in the first ce. This is not working.

    I drop my hands and step away from the door. Quickly, he walks past me and opens the door to go out.

    I watch him go.

    Lost in thoughts, thinking about everything, the ringing sound of my phone jerks me out of my reverie.

    Thinking it is mom or dad, I rush back into the bedroom to find my phone. I remember sending a text to motherst night before going to bed. Maybe she just saw the text and she wants to know how I am doing.

    I sent her that text because of dad. I don¡¯t want dad to be worried about me so I told them I was fine and everything was ok.

    I didn¡¯t text dad because I know he won¡¯t see it. He doesn¡¯t read his messages since the start of his business problems. He only makes calls and receives calls. He was like a walking ghost and I seriously feel for him.

    He used to be my hero. And mentor.

    But now, I don¡¯t know if he still is.

    The phone is ringing on the side drawers. I jog further to grab it but my heart stills when I see the name that shes across the screen of my phone to reveal who is calling.

    It is Fred.

 CHAPTER 11

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Like an erupting volcano, I burst into my parent¡¯s mansion with anger coursing through me and stormy red eyes.

    I stalk towards the second living room when no one is in sight the moment I enter, except for the maids whom I do not feel like talking to.

    The person I want to see is my mother. And dad.

    They both caused this. If only they didn¡¯t try to force me or ckmail me into marrying that crazy woman in the penthouse, maybe I won¡¯t be this frustrated, angry, and sad, and I would probably be on my way to work, excited for a new day¡¯s challenge.

    They caused this so they should answer for this.

    During the wedding yesterday, I realized mother was the one behind it all. She was the one who reminded my dad about it and pushed him to force me into this.

    This is just unfair. This is unfair.

    This is sheer wickedness.

    Just before I get to the living room, Nita appears. When she spots me, she smiles and waves her hand but I shove her away and enter to see mom sitting on her usual chair, sipping wine with her legs crossed.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± She calls when she looks up to see me standing without a word.

    ¡°Are you ok, Ryan?¡± My sister, Anita who I just shoved away in anger asks me as shees in front of me, with confusion written all over her.

    Anita is still in college. She goes to school in Boston and she only came home because of the wedding.

    Mom examines me from head to toe and finally fixes her gaze on my face, with a curious expression.

    ¡°Are you going to work? What about your honeymoon with your¡­¡±

    This is when I can no longer hold it back in. ¡°Honeymoon my foot, mom!¡± I snarl in anger, pointing my index finger at her. ¡°Why did you let me marry that woman?¡±

    Anita and my mother both look confused but I am not in the mood to tell them what happened and how that woman has been frustrating the hell out of me since we tied the knot. It is just a day but it feels like a year of torture.

    ¡°Do you have any idea what I am going through right now? No, you don¡¯t because of your selfish reasons. Just because she is your friend¡¯s daughter doesn¡¯t mean I should marry her. Just because you like her doesn¡¯t mean I will like her as a wife. If you really wanted me to be married, why didn¡¯t you give me the choice to find a woman myself? Why does it have to be her?¡± I rasp out, ignoring Anita¡¯s wide eyes.

    Silence ensues and mother isn¡¯t attempting to give me an answer. She is calm looking and quiet.

    I explode again.¡±Mom, will you please answer me? Can you give me one good reason why you let me marry that crazy woman? Do you even know who she is? You don¡¯t, yet you let this marriage shit happen despite my protest.¡±

    ¡°You should be on your honeymoon¡±, she says slowly and sips her wine again without breaking eye contact with me.

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim in disbelief. Is she still talking about the honeymoon despite all I have said? ¡°Honeymoon?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That way, you two will get to know each other better. Your flight has been booked¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t f***ing care and I won¡¯t let you control me, henceforth, ok? Just stay out of my life. I no longer care about the f***ing constructionpany, you can do whatever you want to do with that.¡±

    I twirl back to go when she stops me. ¡°Ryan.¡±

    Anita and Mother called my name at the same time. Mother¡¯s own was raised while Anita¡¯s came out as a gasp.

    I have never been this way to my mother. Father and I have always been the ones to argue and fight but Mother and I are the closest. She loves me.

    I know it¡¯s normal for a mother to love her child but the love between us is different. It is unconditional just like every mother¡¯s love but what makes it different is that I am not an only child, yet she directs all the love toward me.

    When we were little, I used to think Anita wasn¡¯t my biological sister because of my mother¡¯s full-swing attention toward me. But as we grew up, I realized there is more to it but Anita didn¡¯t care as she used to when we were much younger.

    Instead of using that against me or hating me for taking away every one of our mother¡¯s love, she tookfort in our dad. She became closer to dad and I was close to mother.

    Mother tells me everything. Every secret. Every truth. Everything thates to her head whenever we are together. And we talk about women and love.

    The only topic I don¡¯t feelfortable talking to her about is sex.

    I hear footsteps approaching behind me and I guess it is mother¡¯s because Anita is just a meter away from me.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    I turn round to face her and she raises her hand in the air to strike my face.

    ¡°Mother?¡± Anita¡¯s voice stops her and her hand hangs in the air. With tears brimming in her white pupil, threatening to trickle down her face, I begin to wish she had actually pped me, maybe she won¡¯t be this emotional.

    I shouldn¡¯t have shouted that way to her. I am just angry that she is involved. She ought to be supporting me. I have my reasons for saying Valerie is not a good woman. I have my reasons for saying I didn¡¯t want her as a wife but they did everything they could to convince me. They forced me, persuaded me.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± She shouts and brushes past me, her shoulder hitting mine. I watch her take the staircase up and disappear into a room.

    Feeling stupid, I sigh. Coming here to shout at her isn¡¯t doing any good. My anger is still very much present and Valerie will still be in my house because we are married.

    If I hade here two days ago to do this, maybe some things would have changed. Maybe they would listen to me and then we will call the wedding off but it is toote already.

    Valerie and I have married already and nothing can change that except the contract we are supposed to sign.

    The contract is the only thing that can give me hope that this will be over soon. Without the contract, I am hopeless.

    All I need to do is just be more patient with her. When she begins to throw a tantrum, I will ignore her. I will only talk to her when necessary.

    Now that we are going back to the main house, I have no reason to have direct contact with her because we have separate rooms.

    I don¡¯t eat breakfast. I don¡¯t take lunch either. Except on special asions when we have a lunch-out meeting.

    This way, Valerie and I won¡¯t meet even at the dining table. At night, I only eat in my room. I don¡¯t go downstairs to eat because most times, Ie back homete from work.

    I also enjoy eating while working and the only way that can happen is when I amfortably sitting on a sofa with aptop in front of me.

    Nodding to myself, determined to make this work till it is finally over, I take long strides the way I came.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± Anita calls to me but I don¡¯t stop until she runs in front of me, blocking me from going out.

    ¡°I need to go to work¡±, I find myself saying calmly without staring her in the eyes. Maybe it is because I feel ashamed for acting immature that way or because my mother almost pped me in her presence.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, Ryan¡±, her voice is breaking and I stare up at her in curiosity.

    What is she saying? I know nothing? What is this about?

    A tear rolls down her eyes and another follows but she quickly wipes them away and smiles at me sadly.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have said that to mom. She is heartbroken¡­.¡±

    ¡°I know but I am frustrated, Anita. That woman is crazy, I know what I am talking about. We can¡¯t work. I don¡¯t even know her. She keeps showing different kinds of behaviors¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop it already, Ryan¡±, she stamps her feet on the ground and begins to cry again. ¡°Stop being selfish.¡±

    Selfish? I am selfish because I said Valerie and I won¡¯t work. Is there more to this? Of course there is, we need each other. Her parents need our money and partnership and I need her to get thepany.

    Now that I am ready to give up thepany if only she would go, will she be ready to give up her vengeance also and let her parents contine to suffer the bankruptcy problem they are facing?

    Should I use that against her, maybe she will be more cool-headed?

    ¡°Valerie is nice. Mother did this for your own sake.¡±

    Now I am sure Anita is also supporting them too. She would never support me, why did I even think of that?

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± I speak up with a voice full of authority. I am done with all this shit. I will do things my way now. If Valerie wants things to be hard, so be it. If she wants a fight, a fight she gets. I won¡¯t let her get to me ever again.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see?¡± She cries out again. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the very reason in front of you? Can¡¯t you see that mother is dying?¡±

    My hand on the doorknob goes still and I squint to be sure I am not imagining things or hallucinating.

    Before I can turn to her, she breaks down in tears, muttering to herself. ¡°She is sick. She is dying.¡±

 CHAPTER 12

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Frederick is the type of man who loves a woman with everything he possesses. He was the exact type of man I wanted; one who loves fiercely and passionately. One who loves me for who I am. One who doesn¡¯t criticize my shorings but epts and loves them as well.

    A man who looks at me and smiles for no reason. A man who loves even my dirtiest moment.

    That is Fred.

    This is the exact definition of Fred. He is that man. And it was so hard not to fall deeply in love with him.

    The way he loves me, the way he smiles at me, and the way he shuts me up with a kiss whenever I am in the mood for an argument always gets me weak in the legs.

    I keep loving him every single day for loving me despite everything.

    But one thing is an obstacle.

    His cheating nature.

    I doubt if Fred would ever stop doing that. Being with Brenda is what broke the camel¡¯s back and I don¡¯t ever want to be with him again, even though it hurts.

    It hurts so much.

    My heart hurts. It feels like a fire is in my heart, impossible to be quenched by anything.

    Seeing his call earlier made the memories I have been trying so hard to erase crash upon me heavily and a small shiver ran down my spine.

    My heart was beating twice its normal rate and it saddens me to know that I still love Fred. Getting married in a short time simply because I want to make him jealous and regret what he did to me won¡¯t let the feelings I have for him go away.

    Whenever I crave his attention and he isn¡¯t there to listen to my rants, I take sce in writing now.

    Being married, I really wish I can create new good memories so they can easily erase the old memories I have of Fred.

    I have been having a hard time letting go. But it makes me pathetic and I don¡¯t like being pathetic.

    I am a strongdy. No man can bring me down. Fred made me cry, he is the first andst man I am going to cry for.

    Brenda might have won but I am going to have thestugh.

    I guess getting his call is enough evidence that my n is already working. I am getting their attention already and I will see how things end up.

    But for now, I have to put my feelings on hold. No man is worth it.

    With grace, I walk into the restaurant where he invited me, making an effort to calm my racing heart and stop the trembling of my hands which is in anticipation of seeing the man I have always loved.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Finally, my heart obliged. The trembling stops too and I spot him. His eyes lock with mine and a nervous smile crawls up to his face.

    It feels like a dream. That I am here and I am not excited to see Fred. It makes my heart break more into the tiniest pieces to know that Fred and I can never be together again.

    I wonder if I can ever find a man like him. I wonder if I can ever get rid of those sweet old memories. I wonder if I won¡¯t feel the gap of his absence. I wonder if I will continue to feel this way; this betrayal, this pain.

    Tears sting my eyes and I quickly get a grip on myself.

    Pinning him with an expressionless gaze, he bolts upright and walks to me.

    I am wearing an elegant sleeveless off-shoulder bodycon gown with block heels. I have a purse strapped on my shoulder too and I feel confident about my look.

    The moment his gaze shifts to my lip which has red lipstick, I know my n is working.

    This is a new dress and I am wearing it because I want Fred to know that I am married to a billionaire and he can go f*ck himself.

    A driver brought me here. If I wanted to go somewhere else, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered about going with a driver so Ryan won¡¯t know but I had to do this because I want a show for Fred.

    He can go tell his bitch at home about this.

    ¡°Val¡±, he calls, stretching his hand for me to take. The way he calls my name reminds me of how I screamed my lungs out at Ryanst night because I didn¡¯t want him to call me what Fred calls me.

    It is like a pet name. Fred calls me that. And dad.

    Mom calls me that once in a while, especially when she wants me to do something for her.

    I take his hand and we walk back to the seat. Like a gentleman, he pulls the chair out for me to sit and I do that.

    I drop my purse on the table and lean upright with confidence.

    ¡°What would you like to order?¡± He asks, taking a hold of the menu.

    Anger courses through me at the smile stered on his face. Is this how he ought to react? Is this it?

    After sleeping with my best friend and breaking up, is this the best he can do?

    I see him sigh deeply and drop the menu, the smile vanishing from his face. ¡°Val, I know¡­¡±

    ¡°Why did you call me out?¡± I ask without taking my eyes off him

    He remains silent for a while before looking up at me. ¡°I heard you got married.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± I raise a brow.

    Is that all?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­I didn¡¯t expect.. you¡­¡±

    I almostugh out loud in annoyance. He didn¡¯t call me for a whole month but after hearing about the news of my marriage, he called me out a day after when I was supposed to be on my honeymoon.

    ¡°Do you realize how much of my time you are wasting?¡± I point out. ¡°I am supposed to be heading to Paris on a honeymoon with my husband, not here listening to whatever rubbish you have to say to me after a while¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Val¡±, he grabs my hand, making my breath hitch and my mouth stop talking. ¡°I was an asshole. I was a jerk, babe. I¡¯m sorry. I wanted to give you space, I never knew you were nning to¡­¡±, he trails off. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable so I wanted to hear it from you, is it true?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡±, I chuckle nervously, jerking my hand from his hold. ¡°I am married to Ryan Lorenzo, the most handsome and richest billionaire in New York.¡±

    Get that into your f***ing skull! I almost scream at him in addition.

    His jaws drop and he looks hurt all of a sudden. Maybe he thinks it was a rumor. Maybe he never expected that I would be married at this age.

    ¡°Val, I¡¯m sorry. You need to believe me¡­¡±

    ¡°How is your girlfriend?¡± I cut him short. I guess this is the reason why I am here in the first ce. I want to know what¡¯s up between him and Brenda.

    Are they together now that I am out of the picture?

    ¡°Girlfriend?¡± He looks clueless and I almost bang my hand on the table.

    ¡°Brenda¡±, I offer to give him a clue. ¡°How is she? Why isn¡¯t she here?¡±

    He leans his head down. ¡°Brenda means nothing to me, Val. What happened was just a mistake.¡±

    ¡°A mistake? Really?!¡± I find myself shouting, uncaring about the other people in the restaurant who must be looking at us right now.

    This is really not the right time to let out all the pent-up anger I feel toward him and her but I can¡¯t help it.

    ¡°You think I am a fool? A mistake happened twice? Forgiving you when it wasn¡¯t her was easy but now it is never going to happen. Go make her your girlfriend and let me enjoy my married life.¡±

    I stand up abruptly, breathing heavily as I grab my purse to leave.

    When I twirl around to take the exit out, he hurries to my side, restricting me from going out.

    ¡°Val, you need to believe me. I love you. I still do. I never stopped loving you. Brenda means nothing to me. I stopped talking to her. She is¡­¡±

    Before he canplete his statement, I raise my hand in the air and it strikes him across his left cheek.

    Gasps arise from the people in the restaurant but I don¡¯t care less. I wish I could p him till my hands feel numb.

    Instead, I take a step sideways and brush past him to take the door out.

 CHAPTER 13

    Ryan¡¯s POVN?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    My gaze darts outside the car window, watching the rain pattering and the droplets sliding down the window as I ignore the fear consuming my insides.

    I left the office before the rain began so I coulde back to my parent¡¯s mansion to see mom or dad.

    But on second thought, I decided to see Anita instead. Mom will never tell me what it is. Dad must have sworn to secrecy never to tell me either and it¡¯s breaking me.

    Curiosity is killing me.

    My mother is dying and I didn¡¯t even notice a strange thing? Is this how much I have distanced myself from my family?

    What exactly is happening? Where exactly is it hurting? Why did Anita use the word ¡°dying¡± instead of sick? Is it something incurable?

    Mother doesn¡¯t even look sick. She looks as healthy as always. She even looks more beautiful recently and the thought of it almost makes me tear up.

    My mother can¡¯t die. No.

    I will do everything in my power to see to it that she survives this but first I need to know the source of the ailment and then I am going to contact my doctor.

    Tonight.

    Everything will be sorted out tonight.

    I am jolted alert when a knockes on the car window and I snap my head to see Anita standing in the rain with an umbre.

    I kept asking her what she meant by dying earlier this morning but she wouldn¡¯t say a word no matter how much I insisted. She cried and left me alone in the living room.

    I went back to work feeling empty and full of grief and fear of what is toe.

    I open the door quickly before my driver can allow her in. As soon as I shift to the other side, she gets in beside me, dropping the umbre at the back of the car.

    She closes the door and we sit in silence for a while, watching the rain.

    Rainfall is something I always look forward to. I love the sight of it and the smell which brings a sort offort to me whenever I am stressed out and frustrated.

    But today, I am not receiving anyfort from this rain. The silence between Anita and me suddenly bes awkward.

    Something is wrong.

    Anita is always full of life andughter. If she was trying to y a prank on me, she would have called me at the office to tell me.

    I turn to her eventually.

    ¡°Anita, what is happening?¡± I can¡¯t hold on any longer. The earlier she tells me, the better. I will find a solution.

    She snorts. ¡°You acted like you didn¡¯t care earlier.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim in disbelief. ¡°Of course, I care.¡±

    ¡°If you do, then you will stick to your marriage and stop rambling on about nothing.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea what I am going through with that crazy woman¡±, I grit my teeth, the anger from earlier back in full force. I didn¡¯t even have time to think about her until now. She is the least of my problems. ¡°That is not the reason why I am here.¡±

    ¡°Of course it is. You got married to her because our mother is dying¡­¡±

    ¡°Mother is not dying. Tell me what it is already¡±, I cut her short sharply.

    She falls silent again. ¡°I am disappointed, you know?¡±

    I want to know what it is.

    ¡°You have always been the apple of her eye, Ryan. I am disappointed that you are doing this.¡±

    I knew this woulde one day.

    ¡°She loved us both, equally.¡±

    She smiles and nods. ¡°Yes, she does.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me already?¡± I ask her again, desperately waiting for her to spill the beans. ¡°How is any of this rted to my marriage with that woman? Isn¡¯t it obvious that it is because her parents need our financial help and also because they want me to be married before giving me Grandpa¡¯spany?¡±

    She shakes her head.

    ¡°Then what is it?¡±

    ¡°Your wife is doing you a big favor, Ryan. She didn¡¯t want to agree to the whole thing until she met our mother. Mother convinced her to marry you.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    What if they met? Why didn¡¯t she even tell me she met with my Mother? Are they plotting against me?

    Why is Anita deviating?

    I am beginning to think that Anita is doing this on purpose, probably because she doesn¡¯t want to tell me what it is. She doesn¡¯t want to tell me what is wrong with Mother and why is she saying that Mother is dying.

    Should I give Father a call? Will he tell me? Should I go and apologize to Mother and ask her to tell me what it is?

    How long has this been going on?

    How did Anita know and I didn¡¯t even suspect a thing?

    ¡°Anita¡±, I call with a tone of desperation. I want to try my luck once more and see if I will seed in getting it out of her mouth.

    ¡°Mother was diagnosed with cancer¡±, she finally reveals and my jaws drop, a gasp escaping from my mouth.

    ¡°Myeloma. We can¡¯t save her. That is why she begged Valerie to marry you. She wants to see your child before her time is up. Mother has just a few months to live ording to the doctors. Telling you that marrying her will give you the license to get the constructionpany is all but a lie. You can getpany whenever you want it but Mother chose her because you were betrothed when you were little. Her mother and ours are friends. Valerie seemed to be the only option. Giving you a chance to bring in another woman will break the betrothal vows and also give room for gold diggers. We do not need them. What we need is for you to make our mother happy by allowing her to see your kids before¡­¡± She trails off

    Her eyes lock onto mine and I know instantly that this is not a joke. Her eyes begin to water as I let everything sink in.

    I didn¡¯t get married to Valerie simply because we need each other¡¯s help. I got married to her not only for thepany but also because I need to have kids before my Mother is gone.

    Anita starts to cry, jerking me out of my reverie. Grabbing a hold of the seat, I sink deeper into it, with weariness and grief.

 CHAPTER 14

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    It thunders continuously and I scramble out of bed with agitation. This is the third time I am getting out of bed because of the scary rambling of the thunder.

    Right now, I am done with the idea of sleeping alone in this goddamn cold room.

    When I was home, whenever it rains and there is thunder, I always run to my parent¡¯s room. Whenever I feel ufortable running over to them, I take sce in Fred.

    That fucking idiot.

    Now I hate him so much for thinking I will overlook what he did with Brenda simply because she was the one who seduced him.

    How could he allow her to do that to him on two different asions and he expects me to take him back?

    If I hadn¡¯t gotten married to a man like Ryan, would he have called me so we could meet?

    Even though my heart still beats for him, I want to get rid of all the memories I had with him and I know the best way to do that is to have good times with someone else so it will be easier to erase the ones I had with Fred.

    It will be quite difficult but I am willing to do that. I will try to move on from him. He is not worth it.

    I rush out of my bedroom to call the maids to help me. I can¡¯t sleep in this room alone. I should probably go to Ryan¡¯s room.

    We don¡¯t need to share a room. I will ask them to take my bed into the room and I will sleep on it before he is back from work.

    I heard hees backte from work and I don¡¯t n to wait up for him. I am usually an early sleeper.

    Fred is the only reason for me to keepte nights.

    I stand by the reins of the staircase after instructing the butler who called two others to help him get the bed out of my room and into the Master¡¯s bedroom.

    At first, I was surprised they aren¡¯t bothered about waiting for what the boss will think of that decision but I guess they aren¡¯t scared that he would be against it because I am his wife and I¡¯m sure they have no idea we are not in love.

    The mansion is magnificent. The artistic paintings downstairs are beautiful too. I got lost in them the moment I entered the building.

    The high chandeliers glow with beautiful colors. The staircase is grand as well but I couldn¡¯t do a tour around the whole ce, except for my room which was already tidy, and Ryan¡¯s room which I visited out of curiosity.

    He is surprisingly fastidious with his belongings. Everything seems to be in an orderly form in his room and I refrained from touching anything so he won¡¯t know that I was in his room.

    I don¡¯t realize how long I have been standing on the staircase and how long I have been lost in a world of my own until the butler arrives with a huge smile on his face and his arms sped behind me.

    ¡°Madam, the room is ready¡±, he murmurs, the smile diminishing slowly as he bows in respect.

    The other two men who helped him also bowed giving me an anticipated look. They want to know what else they need to do before retiring for the night.

    I already had dinner.

    I had pizza for dinner and I¡¯m good to go.

    ¡°That will be all, Mr¡­¡±, I pause, raising a brow at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s Dominion, madam. This is Connor and the young man here is Eric.¡± He points to the first man beside him and then the second young guy.

    ¡°Thank you, Dominion, Connor, and Eric. That will be all.¡±

    They all nod and walk past me. Hugging my body to myself, I walk to the bedroom hoping that I will find sleep with the hope that I won¡¯t be alone in the room.

    If I toss in bed for several minutes, then I will have no choice but to wait up for Ryan. The presence will put me to sleep.

    Signing heavily and wondering when I will eventually get rid of this fear, I find my way to the room.

    It is the Master Bedroom and it is way bigger than the one I was given. The walk-in closet is huge and beautiful. I love the color; white.

    Most of his furniture has this color and I wonder if white is his favorite color.

    His beddings too are white and the bathroom wall is painted. Two of the sofas in the bedroom are white while thest one is brown.

    My bed has been ced a few distances away from his and there is still a lot of space left in the room.

    Without wandering further, I get into bed with another heavy sigh and drag theforter to my chin, hoping for a dreamless sweet night¡¯s sleep.

    I am making a great effort to ignore the desire to think about my failed love life and Brenda.

    I close my eyes, waiting for sleep toe, the sound of the thunder gone. I can barely hear the sound of the rain pattering too and I wonder if this room is soundproof.

    Just then, I hear the door turning open and I squeeze my eyes shut tight so I won¡¯t have to argue with him tonight.

    Pretending to be asleep will be the best. He can¡¯t possibly throw me out when I am already fast asleep, can he?

    Surprisingly, I hear no sound from him, just the sound of his feet approaching after he closes the door. I am tempted to open my eyes a little out of curiosity to peep but I remember what he didst night when I pretended to be asleep.

    His face was inches away from mine and he was trying to see if I was truly asleep or not. Maybe this is what he is doing now too.

    I force my body to go still as though I am fast asleep, yet I hear nothing from him. There is no more sound and I can¡¯t feel his breath anywhere around.

    Suddenly, he flops to the bed and I hear a sound thates out like a sob mixed with a growl.

    Ryan? Is this truly Ryan? Is there an intruder? Ryan would never cry.

    What I am expecting of him is for him to start screaming his lungs off right from the moment he opens the door to see me inside his room when it was obvious that we won¡¯t be sharing a room considering what happened between usst night and the fact that we are not real.

    This marriage is just for our parent¡¯s sake. It is legal but not real between us.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    With curiosity eating up at me, I find myself opening my eyes slowly until I see someone¡¯s back. It looks just like Ryan¡¯s. This was the same suit he wore before leaving the penthouse this morning.

    His head is bent and his hands are over his head.

    I furrow my brows, wondering what happened. Did something happen at work? Did something happen to him on his way home? Was he attacked?

    I gasp at that and almost jump up to touch him and see if he is hurt anywhere.

    Like the speed of lighting, I find myself sitting upright and doing just what I was thinking. ¡°Ryan, are you ok?¡±

    My hand grabs his shoulder as I try to turn his face to me so I can see his face and be assured that he isn¡¯t hurt anywhere but he shoots upright to his feet, startled.

    Standing straight in front of me, he doesn¡¯t look hurt but his intense eyes bore into me with sadness.

    Before I can say anything else, he shouts. ¡°What the hell is happening here? What are you doing here?¡±

    This is when I remember that I am in his room and I realize he didn¡¯t see me when he first came in.

    That exins why the shout I expected from him right from when he entered never came.

 CHAPTER 15

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    I was slightly frightened when she spoke up. I never thought I would meet her up here in my room. It was the least I expected.

    My banging headache, my sorrow and the bad effect the rain has on me today aren¡¯t helping matters.

    I came into the room with my eyes close. I just wanted everything to go back to normal; the way it used to be when I had no problem in the world and even if I do, I always go home to talk to mom about it and it will be resolved. Most of the problems I always had always had to do with mypany. Mother is always ready to help.

    Sometimes, when I need Dad¡¯s help, I indirectly sort out his help by going to my mom. She is my backbone. She gives me a shoulder to lean on. She is my mentor.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    She is a good woman with a heart of gold.

    Why is Valerie in my room? I ask inwardly when she waves a hand at me to jerk me out of my reverie.

    The headache I am feeling is a result of the umted stress and also the thinking I have been doing all morning. I am supposed to go on a vacation with Valerie as a getaway from work because of how hard I have been working but finding myself stuck with a woman as crazy as she is does not make the thought of a break exciting.

    ¡°Hey, Ryan. What is wrong with you?¡± She shouts, her eyes bulging out and her skin pale white.

    As calm as I can, I ask. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    She shrugs and slumps back on the bed. ¡°I was scared of the sound of the thunder so I asked the guards to bring my things here so I can¡­¡±

    ¡°We are not to share a room¡±, I remind her. It will be stated in the contract.

    ¡°We are not to share a bed, not a room. That is why I brought my bed along.¡±

    I can¡¯t share a room with her. Not even in this situation. Not when I have a lot of things going on and I have to find a solution to the problem at hand.

    I really do not have the time and strength for Valerie¡¯s troubles now till the problem is sorted out.

    Anita still doesn¡¯t want to believe that there might be a solution somewhere. I told her to believe that mother can survive it but she won¡¯t believe me. She won¡¯t even allow me to talk to mom and I don¡¯t know what to tell mother when next we meet.

    I haven¡¯t spoken to my doctor yet and I guess it is because of the fear of what I would hear from him. I don¡¯t want him to tell me the same thing Anita is telling me.

    She is a medical student and she knows what she is saying but I don¡¯t want to believe that. Maybe she isn¡¯t experienced enough to know that there will be a way out.

    ¡°It seems you have a lot on your mind. Let me leave you¡­¡±, Valerieys back on the bed, dragging theforter to her chin.

    ¡°The rain has stopped so you can go to your room now¡±, I say to her and grab my briefcase so I can change into something light.

    I don¡¯t feel like taking a shower, probably because of the cold or my confused thoughts.

    ¡°What?! I can¡¯t go back now. The maids have retired for the night¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t care?¡± She snaps at me from behind. I don¡¯t answer her as I take off my suit and drop the briefcase quietly beside my bed.

    There is absolutely nothing wrong with sharing a room with her. It is expected of married couples but Valerie is not someone I want to have in my space.

    Suddenly I remember what Anita told me about Valerie meeting up with my mother. Why didn¡¯t she tell me?

    When I veer around with one hand on my waist thinking, she is watching me with wide eyes, probably expecting me to retract my order for her to leave my room.

    ¡°Why did you meet up with my mother without telling me?¡± I question immediately.

    She looks confused for a while. ¡°Your mother, when?¡±

    ¡°When did you meet with her?¡±

    Realization dawns on her and she shrugs.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± My voice is raised now.

    So they met. And she never said a word to me about it.

    ¡°Why should I tell you? She wanted us to talk and not you, so what are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me she was dying?¡± I growl out in pain, my headache increasing as I stroll to meet her.

    Her jaws dropped signifying that she has no idea about what I am talking about.

    ¡°Dying?¡± She demands with a horrified expression on her face.

    I wonder what they talked about if it isn¡¯t about her ill health and her desire for me to have children and a happy family.

    ¡°Yes. Blood cancer.¡± I answer calmly, stopping in front of her bed. ¡°She has blood cancer.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± I ask, watching her intensely to know if she is pretending or not.

    ¡°Of course not. How did you know? When did this happen? Where is she now?¡± She scrambles out of bed and stands in front of me.

    I stand still, watching.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she shakes my hand to pull me out of my reverie. ¡°Where is she? Is she home? Or at the hospital?¡±

    ¡°Home.¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Anita told me.¡±

    ¡°How long has this been going on?¡± She asks again, helping me to a seat.

    I shrug in ignorance. ¡°No idea. I just got to know tonight.¡±

    Silence ensues. She looks lost in thoughts and the desire to know what they talked about increases.

    ¡°What did you two talk about?¡± My question makes her jerk her head up.

    ¡°She was only persuading me to go along with the ns of the marriage¡­¡±

    ¡°Was it after we met at the restaurant or after?¡± I interrupt her quickly, facing her squarely as we stand in front of each other.

    ¡°After.¡± She replies without thinking about it.

    If they met after us, doesn¡¯t that say something? Valerie and I already agreed to go along with the ns, why will mother meet with her to convince her once again? Was it just to make her believe that it is the best or was Valerie having doubts after we already met and suggested a contract?

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Uhm?¡± Confusion skates her expression.

    ¡°Why did you two meet?¡±

    ¡°I already told you.¡±

    Shit! I curse inwardly and hang my head between my two hands.

    ¡°What is the way out? Is it curable?¡±

    ¡°She wants me to have children. She pleaded with you to marry me because of her health. She wants me to have kids before she dies.¡±

    A low gasp escapes her mouth.

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    Silence creeps in again. Apart from the fact that I am embarrassed to be saying this to Valerie after what happened between usst night and this morning, I am suddenly speechless. But I wonder what she is thinking.

    ¡°Is that why you were acting like a kid who had been deprived of his candy?¡± I hear her say and that makes me raise my head. ¡°No, you are behaving like a kid who has been given a tasteless candy.¡±

    ¡°You are the tasteless candy, then.¡± I retort and stand up.

    Always making a joke out of everything. Is she ever serious?

    ¡°What?!¡± She snorts and snickers inughter. ¡°I am full of taste and¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± I growl and turn back on my heels back to her. ¡°I need a solution. What do we do?¡±

    ¡°We?¡± She acts surprised at the word.

    ¡°Yes. We. We are in this together, aren¡¯t we? You don¡¯t expect me to tell you all of that and also allow you to sleep here for free. Find me a solution, then you can start here till the rain for the year is gone.¡±

    ¡°Are you striking a deal with me?¡± She smirks mischievously.

    ¡°No.¡±

    I turn back to take off my clothes and go to sleep.

    Talking to her is no good. I will give the doctor a call first thing in the morning and whatever he says will determine my next line of action.

    The reason why I am demanding a solution from her is because this is about us. This is what mothers want. I don¡¯t n to have sex with Valerie just because my mother wants us to have children, I just want to know what she thinks of the whole thing.

    That shouldn¡¯t be my major focus. Her treatment should be the first and the second priority is to make her believe that Valerie and I are good with each other.

    Others can follow.

    ¡°Let¡¯s fake it¡±, she voices out from across the room.

    With a puzzled look on my face, I turn back from the closet, speechless to see her standing by the door with a serious look on her face.

    I want to ask what she means by that but I can¡¯t form a word out of my mouth.

    ¡°Let¡¯s grant her wish.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim loudly, letting the towel in my hand drop off to the ground as my mouth drops open in shock.

 CHAPTER 16

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Ryan is good-looking but dumb.

    When I said we should grant his mother¡¯s wish, I didn¡¯t mean having sex but the horrified look on his face says it all. That was his own interpretation of my statement.

    I lived with Fred yet I never had sex with him because I wasn¡¯t ready. What then will make me have sex with Ryan whom I am not even attracted?

    Nothing.

    ¡°I am not talking about sex, silly¡±, I rush forward toward him.

    He sighs with relief and finally nods his head.

    ¡°Why will you even think of that? You are not even my type¡±, I voice out before I can control it. He does not answer and I bite my lips in regret for saying that. ¡°Besides, it is against the contract¡­¡±

    ¡°You are not my type, either¡±, he brushes past me to go to the bathroom. I thought he wanted to take a bath but a secondter, hees out with a wet face.

    Well, we are even now. He is not my type and I am not his type.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you ask me what I meant?¡± I follow him behind as he walks to the bed.

    He slouches onto the bed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    I really can not say if this sudden calmness of an egoistic man like Ryan is because of his mother¡¯s health or because he is too exhausted to argue or fight me.

    I never expected that he would back off like that about me leaving his room.

    I guess both reasons are the factors. He is not in the mood to argue with me about anything.

    I move to face him. ¡°What I mean is that we will fake it. You know we talked about this on our first date. I told you we need to make them believe that we are liking each other gradually and I think I am already doing a great job. You should make your mother believe that this thing between us is working. She is our major focus now.¡±

    ¡°How will this help me? Will this make her survive?¡± He cries out and I see the pain in his eyes. He shakes his head and waves me away.

    Faking it isn¡¯t his problem. But it is to me. We should grant that woman¡¯sst wish. We should make her happy while on her deathbed.

    Myeloma has no remedy. Saying she is dying means it is in thest stage and there is little we can do to help out. What we can only do is shower her with more love and be there for her. We should make her happy too.

    I haven¡¯t spent much time with any of his family members but I like his mother already. The way she spoke about him that day speaks volumes of unsaid words. She loved him.

    If I hadn¡¯t met Ryan before I met with his mom, I would have thought he was the most handsome man ever who is also well-behaved. Maybe I would have liked him a lot but first impressionsts forever they say.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, I stop him fromying on the bed. ¡°We need to make her happy.¡±

    He yanks his hand away and sits up, hugging the big pillow to himself. He doesn¡¯t look like the Ryan I got married to two days ago. He is nowhere close to resembling the same man I went on a date with who was all confident looking and arrogant.

    He looks broken. Heartbroken. Just like how I felt when I saw my best friend with my boyfriend, naked.

    ¡°This is no longer about us, Ryan¡±, I say, sitting in front of him. I want him to get my point. Just hearing about her dying soon brings a sort of sympathy into me for her.

    Scenes of how she made jokes about his childhood and how she managed to convince me to go along with it race through my head and I wonder what it means to lose someone.

    Not just someone. A mother.

    His mother.

    ¡°This is about your mother. She needs us to be there for her. How can we be there for her? By granting her wish. We are already married and stuck with each other for a while but it won¡¯t hurt to grant herst wish, will it?¡±

    ¡°How?¡± He hits his forehead and throws the pillow away, startling me. ¡°How? Tell me. How can I stop her from dying? That is all I want to know not some damn lectures on how to make her happy.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t care if she is happy, is that what you are saying?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t put words in my mouth, woman!¡± He growls in irritation and I can feel my uprising anger.

    Can we just go a day and a night without stepping on each other¡¯s toes? I am not nice but I am trying to be because someone¡¯s happiness and life is involved.

    Obviously, Ryan is not just dumb but also stupid.

    I am helping him. I am helping the idiot yet he isn¡¯t seeing it.

    What a man!

    ¡°You know what?¡± I stand up from the bed. ¡°You are a coward.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± He lifts his head and I see tears brimming in his blue ocean eyes.

    ¡°Yes, you are a coward. Only a coward will act this way. You don¡¯t want to face your fear. What the hell is wrong with you? Is this how you want to help the poor woman? I won¡¯t wallow in self-pity instead of looking for solutions if I were you¡­¡±

    ¡°This is not happening to you¡±, he cuts me short and I shake my head and turn to go to my bed.

    He is aplete fool!

    Angrily, I climb into bed and throw theforter over my head. I shut my eyes tightly because I do not want to see how pathetic he looks right now if I turn around.

    He is selfish. If he isn¡¯t, then he will listen to what I have to say first. If he doesn¡¯t want my help, then fine. I will keep it to myself.

    What an ego!

    At the expense of his mother¡¯s happiness?

    Nothing can be done to save her. Shouldn¡¯t her happiness be his priority now more than ever?

    My chest is heaving up and down in anger. Sleep isn¡¯ting either and I continue to toss with the heavy silence upon us both.

    I almost forgot I am in his room because of the silence. It feels like I was alone in my cold room.

    Suddenly, I begin to feel the urge to use the restroom. Without hesitation, I throw theforter off my body and step out of bed without sparing him a nce.

    I don¡¯t want to see if he is still sitting up in bed or if he is deep asleep.

    I just want to pretend like tonight never happened. I never thought of helping him talk more about getting rejected.

    Who does he think he is?

    I am not some pessimist. I always find solutions to problems immediately they showcase their ugly faces instead of getting drowned in my sorrows.

    This was why I decided to meet up with him the very night I caught Fred cheating on me again with Brenda.

    I made that decision that night even though I told mom I was never going to meet him.

    That is what I do best. Finding solutions to my problems and making sure they are tackled with the right approach instead of sulking and crying all day long without a single remedy or idea on what next to do.

    I use the restroom and clean up still fuming in anger. My anger has many reasons; because he refused to hear me out first and because he is out of my expectation of a decision-making man. He seems weak in making decisions and I wonder how he runs hispany with this weakness. Third, he is acting like a child. He is acting like the woman is dead already.

    I am making a mental note to visit his parents tomorrow. I have no work so it won¡¯t hurt to make her my best friend till her time is up.

    I have ns for her already.

    ¡°Val¡±, I hear a voice that is unrecognizable call me the moment I get out of the bathroom door. It is Ryan¡¯s.

    I close the door quietly behind me and look up to know why his voice changed. Is he crying?

    He hoists his head up at the same time as mine and I see his face is dry. He isn¡¯t crying.

    Just sad.

    I almost think he wants to apologize for waving me away abruptly without hearing me out.

    ¡°What is this idea of yours?¡± He asks with a low tone, more like a whisper. I fold my arms and continue to examine him.

    It is just two days. I have only spent two days with him and I have him analyzed like the lines in my palms.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to sign the contracts anymore?¡±

    ¡°We will.¡±

    ¡°What is your opinion?¡± Before I can say anything, he adds. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for shouting at you that way.¡±

    He is still sitting up in bed and his eyes are wide open with no signs of sleep.

    I nod and walk to my bed.

    ¡°Valerie, can you please¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s fake it, I already told you but you were too lost to get what I am saying. Let¡¯s pretend we are ok with each other then finally, we will announce to them that I am carrying a baby.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± He exims, disbelief skating his expression.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How.. when.. how do you want to do that?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°Leave that to me.¡±

    ¡°What about the contract¡­¡±

    ¡°This has nothing to do with the contract. We are going to y safe ording to the rules of the contract. No one is breaking the rules, we are just going to add more rules to it which will include; faking dating and fake pregnancies. This will exempt us from some certain rules like being touchy with each other like you stated.¡±

    ¡°Does that rule hold grounds? I thought you said it was silly?¡± He arches a brow at me and I shrug.

    Silence remains.

    ¡°Have you revised the rules?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡± He replies nonchntly. I get that this is the least of his problems but I feel we should get it done tonight.

    I wish I can console him but the only way I can do that is by giving him a solution which I have already done. That is the best I can do.

    I stand up and walk towards his bed. I grab a pen from his side drawer and open the first session just like he did in the penthouse to see if there is any sheet of paper.

    There is. I take one of them and go back to my bed.

    ¡°Since you already gave the rules. I will revise for you and also add a few more things..¡±

    ¡°I am making the rules, you have no right¡­¡±

    ¡°We are not arguing tonight, I am not in the mood¡±, I cut him short.

    He snarls at me. ¡°Is there even a day you don¡¯t always feel like arguing?¡±

    ¡°Today is one of those days¡±, I retort back sharply, rolling my eyes dramatically at him.

    He shakes his head and mumbles an inaudible word to himself.

    I don¡¯t care what it is.

    ¡°First rule, no strings attached. epted¡±, I say aloud and write it down on the paper.

    ¡°Second rule, no lies unless when necessary. epted.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. I hateirs¡±, he speaks up. ¡°You can lie to other people, especially now that we want to lie that you are pregnant.¡±

    ¡°epted¡±, I sh him a cute smile and it vanishes almost immediately.

    Idiot!

    ¡°Third rule is not to be touchy with each other. I won¡¯t be touchy with you otherwise unless when necessary. epted.¡±

    ¡°Fourth rule, we need to go on dates to make believe of our marriage. They need to think we are falling in love with each other. epted.¡±

    ¡°You added that yourself?¡± He asks.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Fifth rule, do not invade each other¡¯s privacy.¡±

    ¡°Sixth rule, stop arguing, do not flirt with me, and stop shouting whenever we are having a matured conversation¡±, hements and I almost roar inughter.

    He looks at me expectantly.

    ¡°Not epted. I can¡¯t do without arguing because I know I am smart. I don¡¯t flirt with men I don¡¯t like and I love shouting so it can sink into people¡¯s heads.¡±

    ¡°Are we done?¡± He says instead.

    ¡°These rules I listed are epted by both of us. We can give it to yourwyer tomorrow and if there should be any more addition, we will sit and discuss it. I just want us to sign the contract as soon as we can and please I need a copy of it too so I can give it to mywyer as well.¡±

    ¡°Are you awyer?¡± His question jerks me up as I drop the paper in the drawer beside my bed.

    Do I need to answer him?

    No!

    Without any answer, I get back into bed, and then I remember onest thing.

    ¡°Please drop off your phone number tomorrow morning before you leave for work. I don¡¯t wake up till it is 8 am most times and I¡¯m sure you will be gone to work before then. We need to have each other¡¯s number now that we are fake dating.¡±

    He does not reply.

    I snap my head towards him. ¡°Did you hear me?¡±

    He nods.

    ¡°What will you save my number with?¡± He demands loudly.

    His questions tonight areing unexpectedly.

    I think about it for a while without turning to look at him.

    Finally, I mutter. ¡°Jerk. I will save it as a JERK.¡±

    ¡°And I will save yours as THAT CRAZY WOMAN!¡± He replies as though he knew I was going to say something silly.

    Unconsciously, I smile and shut my eyes.

 CHAPTER 17

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    When she isn¡¯t out after five minutes, I let out a sigh, not out of surprise because I know she is the world wide known definition of tardiness.

    She is never early to anything. Not even our wedding.

    Who am I to even think today will be different?

    That woman is just one out of a hell of bat-shit insane women out there. I used to think I have this sort of effect on women but Valerie is an exemption.

    I never thought I would also be ever cool-headed with a woman but Valerie is that woman who is suddenly turning me into a cool-headed man.

    How can I keep up with my arrogance when she doesn¡¯t even give me room for that? How can I keep up with my stubbornness when she is way more stubborn than I am to the point that I get exhausted and tired of going back and forth with her with words?

    At this point, I think I am just going to let her have her way. I have a lot to deal with and having to put her on my list of problems right now is not something I can afford to do.

    My mother is my priority now.

    Valerie promised to help me talk to my mother.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    Without informing me, she called my mother to tell her that we would being for dinner tonight.

    I wonder how she did that. But I guess it is easy since my mom likes her. Everyone in my family does except of course me.

    Anita called me to inform me. I was surprised. Valerie didn¡¯t even bother to call me after doing her thing.

    I remember dropping off my number at the house this morning before going out but I wonder why she didn¡¯t call until it was 6 pm.

    She called and told me we would be going for dinner at my parent¡¯s. She made it known to me that I needed to leave work early, which was why she felt it was useful to call me.

    If I was someone who leaves work early, maybe she won¡¯t even call at all. She would just expect me to show up at the door and then she would let it out.

    I didn¡¯t leave work early enough. The dinner is at 7 pm but because I got her call ratherte, I had to do some rounding up and I left the office ten minutes before 7 pm.

    On my way here, I told her to get ready and meet me outside the courtyard since there is little time to go in, take a shower, and get changed.

    It is just for dinner.

    I am thinking of giving her a call again to know why she is taking so long. We are ten minuteste already and my Mother¡¯s ce is a twenty minutes drive from here.

    She appears suddenly the moment the front door opens and I heave a deep sigh of relief, instructing John to get the door for her.

    John gets down and runs to the other side to open the door for her. She thanks him with a smile and climbs in beside me, a feminine cologne wafting past my nose and making me snap my head to look at her.

    She is wearing a baby blue long sleeves bodycon midi dress with high heels and her straight hair packed in a low bun, exposing the silver butterfly earring on both ears.

    Elegant is the word. Simple.

    I never thought Valerie could be this pretty. I guess that first impression doesst forever.

    ¡°Do I look good?¡± Her question jerks me out of my reverie and I nod before looking away.

    ¡°Too good?¡± I can sense the smirk in the tone.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the n. Simple but good.¡±

    Thest time I checked, Valerie and I went to bedst night after another argument and she doesn¡¯t expect that I will beplimenting her now like the world¡¯s most beautiful woman when we can switch to our argument mood in seconds.

    ¡°Why are youte?¡± I don¡¯t need to tell John to take off before he does. The car roars to life and he reverses backward to take the gate out.

    The car drives out and I realize Valerie isn¡¯t answering my question. I turn to face her.

    She sees me watching her with a raised brow. She shrugs nonchntly and replies. ¡°Just putting a finishing touch to my look.¡±

    My forehead creased in confusion. ¡°Finishing touches?¡± I have to examine her face more appropriately to be sure I know what I am thinking.

    She doesn¡¯t have borate makeup on. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just lipstick, powder, and mascara, that¡¯s all, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Yes?¡± It sounds like a question.

    I sigh and look away, disinterested in further details. She is alreadyte anyway.

    Silence ensues and I see her from my peripheral view, watching me. She is seatedfortably on the car seat as though she owns the car and the person beside her.

    It looks like I am the one getting a lift while she is the ¡°madame¡±.

    I wonder how her ex-boyfriend coped with her personality. A cool-headed man in his right senses won¡¯t fall for this woman. I guess that¡¯s why they broke it off.

    ¡°I called a doctor¡±, she mentions and it dawns on me that she was watching me, trying to figure out how to raise the topic of my mother¡¯s health.

    It is inevitable. We are going there after all and it will surely be raised. If not by me, her.

    I nod without a word.

    I called a doctor too. Myeloma is incurable. That was what the doctor told me. This is why Anita said she was dying.

    It can only be managed to increase the years of living of the patient through chemotherapy and the rest but it can¡¯t be cured. I got to realize that this must have been going on for years without me knowing.

    My mother has been battling with such an ailment without my knowledge. I didn¡¯t notice any changes and it makes me sad the more I think about it.

    When I contacted the family hospital, I got to know that Mother had always been in and out of the hospital since the beginning of the year and she has given up on the treatments now.

    She has refused to go on with the treatment and I wonder if Father knows about all of this.

    Why do I have to be thest person to know? Why is this happening to her? She is a good woman and she doesn¡¯t deserve to die now.

    Not now.

    But what powers do I have to change that fate? I have no power whatsoever and the more that I think of it, the more tempted I am to get on my knees and cry to the One who created us all.

    I am not religious. I can¡¯t remember if I ever prayed in my life but at this point in my life, I strongly believe that He exists and I want to pray that he spares my Mother.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Ryan¡±, Valerie¡¯s touch on my shoulder jerks me back to life. ¡°It¡¯s incurable.¡±

    ¡°I know¡±, I shut my eyes to indicate that I don¡¯t want to talk about this.

    I don¡¯t even want to talk to her. I am not interested. The silence isforting enough and it is giving me time to reflect.

    ¡°You know what, Ryan?¡± She breaks the silence again. I do not answer nor do I shift my gaze away from the window. ¡°I just realized yesterday that I don¡¯t need to be married to take my revenge on Fred and Brenda.¡±

    Fred and Brenda? Is that her boyfriend¡¯s name?

    She chuckles lightly and leans forward. ¡°I mean I don¡¯t need to be married to anyone to take my revenge but getting married to you is an advantage. You are a fucking billionaire and I can unt our wealth¡­¡±

    ¡°Our wealth?¡± I cut her short, staring at her in amazement. ¡°I thought you were less interested in money?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes but isn¡¯t it our wealth?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± I growl and look away again.

    ¡°Whatever! Just listen to my reason for saying that. I don¡¯t need to be married because Fred and Brenda can¡¯tst, you know?¡±

    I shake my head.

    I am not really interested in the conversation but I am beginning to think that she is doing this because she knows that I want a diversion from my thoughts and the topic of my mother¡¯s health.

    She smiles widely, her eyes shining brightly and I wonder why she just realized she doesn¡¯t need to be married now that we are three days into our marriage.

    Our horrible marriage life.

    ¡°Fred and Brenda can¡¯tst because they are not meant for each other. First, Fred is too cool-headed for a wild girl like Brenda, and second, Brenda uses men like Fred and dumps them after a while when the whole thing bes too boring for her to bear.¡±

    When she finishes, she grins widely like she just won the lottery.

    The way she analyzed it makes it seem like she is teaching me something.

    ¡°So no more revenge?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided.¡±

    I nod and lean backward in the seat, my gaze forward as John overtakes the slow-riding car in front of us, leaving a huge gap between our car and the car.

    I don¡¯t speed but I guess today, it is needed. Within minutes, we are a few meters away from my parents¡¯ home.

    As he honks the car horn to alert the automatic gates to open, my phone beeps to signify a message.

    I dig my hand into my pants pocket to fish out the phone.

    It is a message from someone. A strange number. I open the message to see the content.

    ¡°I saved your number as JERK. Why haven¡¯t you saved mine with THAT CRAZY WOMAN?¡±

    It takes a while for me to realize it ising from the woman sitting right beside me. When I look up, she turns her face away and opens the door before John can get the door for her.

    This is when I realize we are already at the Lorenzo¡¯s mansion.

 CHAPTER 18

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    For the very first time in years, I feel great sympathy for someone who isn¡¯t Fred or Brenda or my parents.

    My life has always revolved around these people; my parents, my ex-boyfriend, and my best friend. They mean so much to me and I loved them without any care in the world.

    I can do anything to make them happy as long as I am also happy and my heart flutters. Seeing them happy invariably makes me happy too, so I make efforts.

    But today, I find myself wishing things are different and Mrs. Lorenzo isn¡¯t sick. Ryan doesn¡¯t look himself. It looks like his real self is out of that body.

    He was just nodding meekly to everything I said with a far distant look on his face. I read people¡¯s actions as well as the words thate out of their mouths.

    Mother calls me a psychic.

    I just love doing that. Thankfully, we didn¡¯t fight today. It feels like we have been married for a hundred years and today feels like one out of the thousand days that we have no reason to bicker words at each other.

    I wish there is something I can do to help.

    The woman seems healthy as a horse and she is all smiles. Whenever she exchanges nces with Ryan, the smile will vanish and Ryan isn¡¯t smiling too.

    That look is still on his face. He seems lost. As though he had been abandoned on the roadside by this woman.

    I can imagine in my head what he might be thinking right now. Probably ming the poor woman for allowing herself to be ill. Or possibly wishing this isn¡¯t happening to her too.

    I can see the bond. He shares a strong special bond with her and her death will leave him broken.

    She doesn¡¯t even look like a woman who is dying. And I am beginning to love her. She is jovial and cheerful. She is also graceful as she hugged me in her elegant dinner gown.

    I was ming myself for not wearing something much more beautiful than my simple dress. I am sure she looks more beautiful than I am.

    After dinner, I held out my hands for her and she took it. I don¡¯t know my way around but I find myself walking out of the house with her into the courtyard, the evening air brushing our faces as we fall silent.

    ¡°How is married life treating you?¡± She breaks the long moment of silence as we approach the tent in the courtyard where there are two chairs.

    I nod eagerly. ¡°Very well, I would say.¡±

    Expecting her to ask more questions, I keep mute but she isn¡¯t saying anything anymore.

    We get to the tent and we sit with crossed legs. She looks calm and peaceful as she stares into space, a little smile on her beautiful face.

    Ryan takes more of his features from this woman. I wonder why I never knew about their existence until the betrothal was brought up.

    My mother ims to be her friend but I doubt that. I don¡¯t believe half of the things thates out of my mother¡¯s mouth. She is like a child that tries to do everything possible to get what she wants. A child would whine, cry, get annoyed at little things, or even be angry just so she can be given that little candy.

    This is how my mother is. She is never content. She always wants more and sometimes, I feel she is responsible for our situation.

    All my sympathy now goes to Father.

    ¡°Why did you stop the treatment?¡± I find myself asking out of the blue.

    I bite my lips instantly, wondering what she would think of my bluntness.

    She snaps her head towards me with a surprised look on her face. She must have thought that I am not aware of her health.

    She smiles widely and looks away without a word. Just when I am thinking she won¡¯t say anything, she mutters. ¡°Is Ryan putting you to this?¡±

    ¡°No¡±, I answer, rather too sharply. ¡°Of course not. I just find myself in pools of questions. When he told mest night, I did some researches and gave my doctor a call. I found out there are treatments¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ok, Valerie. You have nothing to be worried about.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Ryan is a shadow of himself¡±, I say defensively. I didn¡¯t mean to say that but I think it came out well.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    She seems surprised again at my statement, her brows arched and the smile on her face gone. ¡°Ryan?¡± I nod. ¡°I thought you two were not on good terms?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes and no. We always have something to argue about but I have never seen him this distracted.¡±

    ¡°You just got married.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I have him all figured out as if we have been married for many years. I know Ryan already. I know what he wants and what he doesn¡¯t want. I know what he love and what he doesn¡¯t love. I have studied him even before we got married and I can tell when he isn¡¯t in the best of moods.¡±

    She remains silent.

    ¡°He was here yesterday to rant about how bad of a choice you are. With the way he was on and on about you, I thought you two would get divorced in a few days.¡± She murmurs and stares at me.

    I almost stutter but I get a grip on myself quickly. Waving it off with my hand, I say. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. We fought because my ex called.¡±

    ¡°Your ex?¡± Her eyes widen and I nod with a pout. ¡°He got angry because of that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Wow. A jealous freak just like his father¡±, sheughs, herughter tempting me tough too and ignoring the sinking feeling of the effect of my lie.

    Eventually, Iugh too and we fall silent again.

    She leans backward on the chair, the faraway look on her face gone. When she clears her throat, I know she has something to say.

    ¡°I love Ryan¡±, she admits, taking a hold of my hand and caressing it. ¡°I love you, too and I hope you two will work things out in your marriage.¡±

    I shrug. ¡°I¡¯m making enough effort.¡±

    ¡°What about him?¡±

    ¡°He is always off and on so I don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    She leans toward me with a mischievous look on her face. ¡°Make him fall in love with you, silly.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim inughter and she begins tough too till tears begin toe out of her eyes.

    I hug her.

    ¡°Ryan is just afraid of losing you. That isn¡¯t making him concentrate on our marriage. I am too beautiful for him not to fall for me.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± She releases herself from the hug and holds my face between her two palms.

    ¡°Yes¡±, I grin widely in confidence.

    All I want is to make this woman happy and rest assured. I don¡¯t care if we keep up with this lie for as long as possible.

    She drops her hand and sighs heavily. ¡°That boy had a funny childhood, you know?¡±

    I gasp expectantly. ¡°I want to hear them. All of them.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please¡±, I shift my chair closer to her so I can face her while she talks about his childhood.

    ¡°Hold your seat tight or you might fall off inughter¡±, she warns and we both burst intoughter.

    When I sober up, her eyes brighten up with delight at a wonderful memory of her only son¡¯s childhood and she begins to narrate it all to me, exuding that pride of being his mother as well as the happiness contained in her while she watched him grow into the man he has be.

 CHAPTER 19

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    We left the mansion without talking to Mother. She didn¡¯t spare me a nce but was all smiles with Valerie.

    I thought having Valerie talk to her on my behalf will make it easy for her to forgive me and that will make it easy to approach her.

    I am desperate to talk to her and assure her that everything will be fine. I can¡¯t do anything to help her if we can¡¯t talk. We need to talk about how she feels and I need to convince her to continue the treatment.

    She shouldn¡¯t give up. She taught me how not to give up. Why would she give up on the treatment when she can keep it going?

    What confuses me more is the fact that Father isn¡¯t saying anything about it too. When I brought it up during dinner after Valerie and Mother left us, he ignored me.

    Should I go and visit him tomorrow? I feel sad knowing that Anita, who has always been away from home, knows more than I do. She gave me a sign to keep shut but I can¡¯t evenprehend what she meant by that.

    Didn¡¯t she say Father knew? If he knew, why is he acting nonchnt like he isn¡¯t about to lose his wife? If he doesn¡¯t know, why didn¡¯t he act surprised when I talked about her and cancer?

    What the hell is happening? Why the hell do I suddenly feel like an outcast?

    Valerie¡¯sughter pulls me back to life. She is sitting right beside me in the car and there is a wide smile on her face which looks strange.

    I don¡¯t think I have ever seen her smile, have I? It is always something fake or a scowl or a wicked grin.

    She shakes her head again andughs, making me curious to know what is so funny that she isughing this much.

    Before I can say anything, she meets my gaze and smiles.

    Instead of asking her what she and my Mother talked about and why she isughing, I look away.

    I gave her a simple job and she didn¡¯t even do anything. If she did, then Mother would have asked to see me before we left. Valerie was even the one who suggested that we left.

    This woman can never change.

    ¡°Won¡¯t you ask me why I am amused?¡± She asks with anotherughter which sounds different but sweet to the ears.

    My mother is sick. She spoke to her and she is nowughing? What is all of this about? Is this a joke or something?

    ¡°What did you two talk about?¡± I growl out in irritation, wishing I can¡¯t contain my curiosity and not ask.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know¡±, she muses darkly, making me more impatient.

    ¡°Why bring it up when you weren¡¯t nning on telling me, then?¡± There is a frown on my face as I say to her, watching her shake her head.

    ¡°Fine, I will tell you¡±, she signals to me to shut up with her hands. ¡°She told me all about your childhood and how you fell in love with a girl with braces and¡­¡±

    ¡°What?! She told you that?!¡± I lean forward with urgency, my eyes widening and embarrassment creeping slowly to my face. Before she can answer, I dart my face away to hide my humiliation.

    Shit! Why would Mother tell Valerie about that?

    This woman is only going to use it to taunt me for life. What the hell is this for anyway? Is this all they talked about?

    Valerie¡¯s bubblingughter is beginning to get me pissed. She isughing loud and hard as if I said something funny but I feel she is doing this on purpose, just like always, to get me pissed and frustrated.

    I clear my throat, swallow hard and sit straight up without looking at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, darling. I won¡¯t use it against you,¡± she snickers and I ignore her. ¡°Or you want me to?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± I roar but she isn¡¯t scared of me at all. All she does is burst intoughter again, throwing her head backward.

    She continues tough until I force myself to recall the moment and I smile. It turns to a chuckle and I shake my head, feeling stupid to have allowed myself to fall for such a girl.

    ¡°See? You areughing too¡±, she states, pointing her index finger to my face.

    ¡°I am not¡±, I deny and clear my throat again. This is really not the time to talk about my childhood. ¡°What else did you and Mother talk about?¡± I ask her and herughter dies off.

    She seems serious all of a sudden and only gives me a sad smile.

    ¡°Did you try to persuade her to go on with the treatment?¡± I demand with a sudden eagerness.

    Valerie nods without a word. ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Then what happened? Did she agree to¡­¡±

    ¡°No¡±, she cuts me short. ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything and I have a feeling she isn¡¯t going to let anyone persuade her.¡±

    Shit! I curse inwardly, a cold shiver running down my spine in fear.

    My fear. They want to manifest. I can¡¯t bring myself to watch her go away. We should fight this. That will at least give me a ray of hope.

    How will I look at her when I know deep inside that she might be gone in a second? How can I bring myself to be away from her when I know she might leave without forgiving me or seeing me?

    Valerie¡¯sforting touch jerks me back to consciousness. She smiles at me again sadly and shakes her head. ¡°Don¡¯t force it.¡±

    I want to yell at her to keep them shut because she doesn¡¯t know anything.

    ¡°Don¡¯t force her to go for the treatment. It has to be from the depth of her heart. If she wants to fight it, it should be willingly. Don¡¯t force it. Let her do what she wants.¡±

    ¡°But she is going to die.¡±

    ¡°Everyone will, anyway.¡± She shrugs, my nk eyes watching her act as if she cares. This is my mother and she can¡¯t love her as I do. I know what I am going to lose if that woman dies. She is all I have. My backbone.

    Do I need to spell it out to everyone?

    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t get it, if she goes for the treatment¡­¡±

    ¡°I know¡±, she interrupts me from going further. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be your concern, Ryan. I know how much you love her and I know how much she loves you too. If you truly love her, then don¡¯t force her to do what she doesn¡¯t want to. Let her be.¡±

    ¡°Let her be? Can you even hear yourself out? I should let her die?¡±

    ¡°No. I just want you to make her happy, that¡¯s all. I figured out that this is what she wants from you when we spoke tonight. If she is mad at you, she wouldn¡¯t talk about you with so much love andughter. She just wants you to be happy. If you are genuinely happy, she will be happy too.¡±

    Her words hit a spot.

    She talks like she knows everything about me and my mother as well as our bond.

    Did Mother tell her everything in just a night? How much does she know? If Mother isn¡¯t mad at me, then why isn¡¯t she saying anything to me? Should I go back to the house to talk to her?

    Valerie let go of my hand and I feel the absence. ¡°You have to make that woman happy. I want herst moments to be the best. The earlier you ept the fact that she is dying, the better.¡±

    Fear grips me at the statement.

    Making her happy isn¡¯t the problem. I am already doing that by getting married to the woman beside me. What I want to know is if there is something left to do to help her stay alive for as long as she can.

    No one is saying anything to me. Everyone is acting like nothing is happening or changing.

    If Mother leaves us, there will be a huge change in our lives. A big gap.

    And a big hole in my heart.

    ¡°So let me make you happy¡±, she whispers into my ears and I bolt upright.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    She nods with a smile. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t trouble you anymore if you will be a gentleman at least. Let¡¯s keep up with the act and make her believe we are real. That way, she will be happy and she will die happy.¡±

    I hate thest word. Die happy. My mother isn¡¯t dying.

    Before I can say anything, she grabs my arm and entwines her hand with it. ¡°John, drive to Pyramids Club.¡±

    ¡°Club?¡± I turn to her, her face a few inches away from mine. ¡°What is happening there?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡±, John replies calmly.

    Valerie face me squarely with a light smile on her face, her arms still entwined with mine. ¡°We are going to a party.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I blurt out in disbelief.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 CHAPTER 20

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Valerie is still a mystery to me and I can¡¯t seem to figure her out. One minute, she is barking out in a loud voice, making me angry and looking angry as well and the other minutes, she looks like someone who has no care in the work with her nonchnt attitude.

    Sometimes, I wonder if she truly loved her ex because she didn¡¯t look like one who was capable of loving and she didn¡¯t look like someone heartbroken by the one she loved.

    I can¡¯t say what love is, except for one thing. My Mother.

    She made me understand the true definition of love. It is always unconditional. If it is true and pure. She made me know that there are different types of love and there are different things that lead to love.

    Lust and attraction can drive you to the gates of love. Lust and Attraction can also be mistaken for love.

    All my life, all I had ever felt was lust for women who could satisfy my sexual desires.

    There was once a time when I was always frequenting clubs and night parties. The days when I was called a rebel and an irresponsible teenager when all I only wanted was to experience everything my Mother told me about and even those things she never told me about.

    I used toe to the clubs, to get drunk and getid.

    But now, I can¡¯t believe it feels strange like I never had a life in this ce.

    Partying.

    The loud music hits my earlobe, making me cringe and hold my two hands together over my ears as Valerie pushes me in.

    I didn¡¯t want toe. Not because I don¡¯t want to be reminded of that lifestyle I left behind before I seeded my Father.

    I just felt I had no reason toe here.

    My mother is sick and dying and partying should be thest thing on my mind that I should be doing.

    But Valerie never takes a no for an answer. I guess she already influences my workers too because John didn¡¯t even listen to my protest for us not toe here.

    Valerie grinned when the car stopped in front of the club. That sort of grin that exudes victory.

    ¡°Drop your hands, let¡¯s dance¡±, she shouts into my ears, making me drop my hands away instantly.

    The whole ce is crowded and women are dancing. The music is fast and loud and they are keeping up with it.

    I am not a dancer. I suck at dancing. I can¡¯t even remember if I ever tried dancing all my life.

    Despite how much I used toe partying, having the time of my life, and finding a beautiful girl with just a stare, something seemed to be missing.

    Mother said I wouldn¡¯t find love if I kept up with that lifestyle and I never found it. All the girls were interested in the thing beneath the trousers and what is in the pockets.

    This night is really bringing in a lot of memories. Both those I want and those I want to forget.

    I won¡¯t say I am proud of my past. Some are embarrassing and digging them out now will ruin my reputation.

    ¡°What if someone recognizes us here?¡± I grab Valerie¡¯s hand as she begins to dance around. She stops and raises a brow at me. ¡°What if someone sees us and recognizes us?¡± I repeat, someone hitting me behind.

    I turn to see who the hell did that but there is no one. Everyone is dancing. Someone must have mistakenly hit me while dancing around.

    This is really a bad idea.

    If truly she wants to make me happy, then this isn¡¯t the right thing to do to make me happy.

    ¡°No one will see us, darling husband¡±, she throws her arms around my neck region, dragging me closer to her. ¡°This club is a bit far from¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We are still in New York. Even if we are out of New York, someone can recognize me or even you as my wife. Why will that say?¡±

    ¡°You are such a killjoy!¡± She pushes me away lightly. ¡°Can¡¯t you just have fun for once?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need toe here, Val.¡±

    ¡°Shut up and dance!¡± Shemands like a boss as she drags me back to her and begins to dance without letting go of me.

    What the hell have I gotten myself into?

    Instead ofing here, I would have preferred going back home to finish up the work I couldn¡¯t do at the office.

    Suddenly, the music changes into a slow one, and the loud excitement dies down. Valerie jumps up in excitement, her face beaming with happiness and I wonder if this makes her happy.

    Is that why she thinks I would be happying here too? Do I have to be happy with what makes her happy?

    How can she be happy with everything going on? Our marriage, her breakup, and my mother¡¯s health.

    How is she managing to hide it all? Does she even feel any emotions?

    ¡°Shake your body at least, Ryan. Don¡¯t just stand there like a ghost¡±, she steps on my toes and I wince.

    ¡°What the hell is that for?¡± I thunder at her with an angry expression.

    ¡°What?!¡± She pretends not to notice that she stepped on my toes and I am rubbing my hand on the shoes I am wearing.

    F*ck!

    So much for trying to make me happy. What will make me happy is far from this.

    I am done here.

    I take off my suit and try to walk past her but she notices I have the intention of leaving and quickly stops me.

    ¡°Come on, Ryan. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you. I just wanted you to have fun¡±, her hand is holding onto my arm, stopping me from walking away.

    I can¡¯t help it. Seriously, sometimes, I can¡¯t help not being mad at her. Sometimes, I feel it isn¡¯t because of what she is doing to me at that moment but because of all the things she has done to me, including the betrothal that her parents brought up which made my own parents force me into this shitty marriage.

    Now, knowing that her Father isn¡¯t to be med but my Mother for being sick and wanting to see her grandchildren before dying, I still want to me her and her parents.

    I want to me them for my misery. If she didn¡¯t exist, maybe I wouldn¡¯t be married to her. But does that even change anything? It doesn¡¯t change the fact that my mother is sick and she is going to die soon.

    ¡°Let go of me, woman!¡±

    ¡°No, Jerk!¡±

    I yank my arm away from her hold and turn to leave when I bump into a woman.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, I hear Valerie call behind me as I try to catch the woman from falling to the ground.

    ¡°Babe¡±, a lean guy rushes over to take her from me while her face is fixed on mine. She shares a look with the guy and they both stare at me with mouth agape.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, Valerie calls louder as she jogs to my side. ¡°Please stay.¡±

    I face her squarely, wondering if this anger will dissipate if only she would apologize to me for what she just did to me and what she has been doing to me.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°Valerie?!¡± The two couples exim and she snaps her head to see them.

    She seems to recognize them too because the next thing she does is to call their names. ¡°Fred and Brenda?¡±

    I know instantly that these are the people who hurt her and I don¡¯t know why I suddenly feel ted.

    Probably because I want to see how she would react to their presence here or because I want her to disce a few of her emotions here.

    Instead, she grabs my arm, gives me a cute smile, and waves her fingers at them. ¡°Hello to you, two. If you will excuse my husband and me.¡±

    She takes a step forward and they step aside to give her room to pass. While I grudgingly follow her with our arms entwined, Valerie smirks to herself as we take the exit.

    My confusion intensifies.

 CHAPTER 21

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    That idiot is with Brenda.

    He lied to me. He told me they weren¡¯t dating. He told me he had stopped talking to her yet I just saw them together in a club, holding hands.

    What am I supposed to think? Am I supposed to think that they bumped into each other in the club coincidentally?

    I guess I am at fault here.

    Brenda, Fred, and I go to different clubs every week to have fun, and Cart¡¯s Club is one such club. I never gave it any thought that we would meet there. We only went to Cart¡¯s Club once. We had a regr club downtown and we frequent there more, I guess that is why I never thought I was going to run into them there.

    I was only making an effort to cheer Ryan up and make him stop brooding over his mother¡¯s sickness.

    I even thought he was going to act lovey-dovey with me when I called out their names but he didn¡¯t, yet I am always making an effort to make us look real in front of everyone.

    He is such an asshole. We shouldn¡¯t have gone to the party in the first ce. He didn¡¯t even appreciate my effort.

    The moment we get out of the car and he enters the mansion gate, it begins to rain and I run inside to take cover with Ryan running behind me.

    I throw the front door open breathless and fuming in anger.

    I see Ryan peeking at me, his face wet from the sudden rain. He is holding his suit and he doesn¡¯t look angry like he was before Fred and Brenda showed up.

    He has been watching me since we left the club and the ride home was in total silence.

    I was lost in thoughts.

    I always seed to get Fred off my mind but anytime I see him or anything that brings any memory of him, it takes a while for it to go away again.

    Lowering my head down, I begin to amble towards the staircase, suddenly feeling cold.

    I won¡¯t be able to sleep in my room tonight also because the rain mighte with thunder. I don¡¯t think there is any need for me to leave Ryan¡¯s room since we are a couple.

    We aren¡¯t sharing the same bed anyway.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± His voice pulls me out of my reverie the moment I turn the doorknob to enter the room.

    He has creases of worry on his expression and it almost made meugh. What is he thinking? Is he thinking that I might begin to cry after seeing my ex-boyfriend with my ex-best friend?

    Nah!

    I have gone past that stage.

    I am just sad. Sad for being stupid. Sad for feeling this way. Sad for the way my heart fluttered when I saw Fred. Sad for falling too deep in love with him when I shouldn¡¯t have. Sad for letting him cheat on me for too long.

    I am sad about so many things.

    I shake my head with a smile, then enter, leaving the door ajar for him toe in too.

    ¡°Is that your ex-boyfriend?¡± He questions me as I flop heavily to the bed.

    ¡°Yep¡±, I reply, stressing on the ¡°p¡±

    ¡°Uhmm¡±, he nods and stands with hands akimbo, looking thoughtful. ¡°What about thedy?¡±

    ¡°She used to be my best friend. He cheated on me with her.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡±

    He says only and walks off to his bed. I watch him in surprise, wondering why he is asking all these questions if he isn¡¯t going to ask me more or tell me what to do about how I feel.

    What sort of a man is this?

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you help me?¡± I suddenly demand from him.

    ¡°What?!¡± He twirls back with confusion skating his expression.

    ¡°I mean why didn¡¯t you at least try to pretend that we are real? Isn¡¯t this why we are married in the first ce? We are meant to pretend to everyone that knows us that we are a thing, a couple, married and in love!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me? Remember I told you to let us leave before we cross paths with someone we know?¡±

    ¡°So what?!¡± I can¡¯t hold it back anymore. Ryan is an asshole and that is it. He is selfish too. All he thinks about is himself.

    He should have at least helped me out. I was embarrassed by the fact that I was practically begging him to stay in front of the people who used to mean so much to me. I wonder what they will think of me now and our rtionship.

    ¡°I thought you said you were no longer interested in getting back at them? Have you forgotten so soon?¡± He points a finger at me and that gets me even madder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t point fingers at me, you idiot. If only you had pretended¡­¡±

    ¡°What for? You already showed it to their faces that we are married and together¡­¡±

    ¡°You are stupid!¡± I cut him short, my nose ring up.

    His jaws drop and so does his finger. ¡°What?!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    I fold my arms around my bosom. ¡°You heard me right. You are a stupid, egoistic jerk.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you? A proud selfless idiot?¡±

    Arguing with him will do no good. It will still lead to nothing. He is a dumbass who knows nothing about me.

    Absolute nothing.

    I helped him even before he could summon up the courage to ask me for help yet he couldn¡¯t do a single help in return.

    This marriage was a mistake. This man will never understand the kind of woman I am. He isn¡¯t even ready to understand me so why do I expect him to at least understand an aspect of my life?

    ¡°Thank you¡±, I say with a smile and he keeps his shut.

    He looks taken aback by my appreciation. I am not thanking him for calling me a proud selfless idiot. I know I am proud and selfless but I am not an idiot, though.

    I am thanking him for being selfish and recognizing the fact that I am the opposite of him.

    I don¡¯t need him to take my revenge on anyone. I don¡¯t fucking need him for anything.

    If my parents want his help, fine but I will never ask for his assistance. To hell with him and his assistant.

    This marriage will be over anyway in a short while.

    I twirl back and slump on my bed after taking off my shoes.

    Without changing into my nightwear, I drag theforter to my chin and shut my eyes, praying to the heavens for the rain to stop so I can stop feeling cold and also for me to slumber into a deep long sleep with no dreams or nightmares.

 CHAPTER 22

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    For the first time in years, my conscience is judging me for how I acted to Valerie¡¯s usationst night and how she expected something else from me.

    I am not supposed to feel bad for her because she is not a good person but I can¡¯t help not feeling bad for not being there just like she expected of me.

    She was right.

    I am selfish. She helped me but it never crossed my mind to help make her ex-boyfriend jealous and for him to realize what he has lost.

    This might be because I really feel that losing her is a great thing. After all, she is full of trouble and no man might want to be with her.

    I feel this is why he broke up with her. But on second thoughts, it is obvious they both loved each other despite her shorings but they broke things up because he cheated.

    Why do men cheat?

    This takes me back on memoryne and makes me sigh as I sit at the back of the car with a box in my hand.

    I am going home.

    I bought a gift for Valerie to apologize for what I saidst night. If I think about all she has done, I won¡¯t apologize but I need to apologize because she is helping me despite everything.

    She has every right to ruin it all. She can ruin everything for me but she isn¡¯t doing anything.

    She ignored me this morning and even after I told her that the contract has been revised and she needs to sign it.

    She ignored me like a piece of trash. I kept the contract beside her on the bed before leaving for work.

    Now that I am going back home, my mind is filled with her thoughts. I wonder what she is doing right now and if she is thinking about that guy or not.

    Valerie remains a mystery to me and I wonder if I will ever be able to solve the puzzle of her existence.

    I expected her to cry it out after we left the club. But she didn¡¯t and I wonder if she is truly heartbroken.

    Do people not cry when they are heartbroken? Her dried eyes and the smiles on her face made my confusion increase and my analysis of her more jumbled.

    I guess she is pretending. She is so good at it anyway.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    I rub my hands over the box, hoping she will ept my apology.

    The car drives into the courtyard and I quickly dump the box into my briefcase before picking the briefcase up to go out.

    John opens the car door for me and I step out, taking long strides toward the front door.

    We don¡¯t need to fight all the time. This is when we both need each other. I will be there for her now and she will be there for me. If only I can summon up the courage to tell her everything I have in mind but I doubt that she would understand my perspective.

    She seems to have a different view of everything.

    I havee to terms with my Mother¡¯s health. I visited the doctor and spoke to him about her treatment. He told me the same thing Valerie said. We shouldn¡¯t force her. We should just try to make her happy and see how things turn out to be.

    It hurts. The thought of it alone pierces my heart with a dagger but there is absolutely nothing I can do.

    I enter inside the mansion, nodding to the greetings of the maids as I focus on taking the staircase up to our room, my briefcase dangling right beside me.

    Within minutes, I am in front of the door and I turn the doorknob to see that it is locked.

    I furrow my brows. Isn¡¯t she here?

    I quickly dip my hand into the briefcase to fish out the room key. Valerie must have gotten the spare key from the head maid because I know I didn¡¯t give her any key.

    I always lock my room before heading out but that has changed now. She is always in the room whenever I leave for work so I don¡¯t lock the door anymore.

    Realizing that I am currently unlocking the door, I wonder where Valerie has gone. She is always indoors. She is always in the room whenever Ie back from work too.

    The door unlocks and I push it open to enter. My gaze falls immediately on the empty space where her bed was this morning before I left for work.

    She must be in her room then. Maybe she has gone back to her original room. It isn¡¯t raining today after all.

    With a nod at my own thoughts, I turn back to go out and check her room. I just need to give her the gift as a form of apology for what I didst night and then everything will go back to normal. We can start making ns to go on dates ording to the contracts as soon as I confirm with her if she has already signed the contract.

    I find myself in front of her room within seconds and I turn the doorknob. It is also locked.

    My brows are furrowed further in confusion.

    She isn¡¯t in my room neither is she in hers. Where the hell is she then?

    Remembering that I have her number which I savedst night after she pointed it out that I haven¡¯t saved her number, I dial it and put the phone to my ears, standing in front of her door to know if she is actually out or inside sleeping.

    If she is out, where the hell did she go without informing me? It is gettingte already and she shouldn¡¯t be out by this time without a guard or a driver.

    I can¡¯t believe I am worried and angry as the phone goes to voicemail.

    She isn¡¯t picking.

    Why isn¡¯t she picking up? Where the hell did she go? Is she with my Mother? Or her Mother?

    I drop the phone off my ears and try her number once more.

    Still the same.

    I keep redialing her number till it bes unreachable. I feel a pang of disappointment with a mixture of panic.

    Where has she gone? Does this have anything to do with what I said to herst night? Is she ok? Is she brooding overst night?

    Wait.

    Brooding? Is this about her ex-boyfriend? Is she with him?

    What the hell! Why will she be with him? They aren¡¯t together anymore and she is married to me.

    The more questions I ask myself, the angrier I be at myself for not being man enough to handle someone I call my wife.

    She disrespects me and that is why she feels she can leave the house at any time of the day without my consent.

    With a deep frown on my face, I stroll back toward my room. I am suddenly wondering why I had to waste my time and effort by going to get her a gift when it isn¡¯t even sure if she is going to ept it.

    I get to my door and turn the doorknob just in time for me to hear the sound of heels cking on the staircase leading to my room.

    Instinctively, I look back to see Valerie walking slowly up the staircase with her head bowed.

    She looks downcast.

    She gets to thest stairs and finally gazes up to see me standing with my right hand on the doorknob and my left hand gripping my briefcase firmly so it won¡¯t fall down out of shock.

    She is looking like a goddess. Stunningly dressed in a white floral print midi dress that stops below her knees, her pack down, and her lips in red lipstick.

    Where the hell did she go in this dress? Where the hell is sheing from by this time of the night?

    Before I can find my voice, to either ask her calmly or shout at her, she walks past me heading towards her own room. I watch her open the door and enter without sparing me a nce.

    Then, she ms the door shut.

 CHAPTER 23

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Each time I see or think about him, I feel the urge to do something rash; to hurt him for betraying me.

    As much as I don¡¯t want to take any revenge on him anymore, I am tempted to take back my words and do the needful, then maybe I will finally be happy.

    I don¡¯t like how I feel at the moment. The sinking feeling is back, probably because I am disappointed to have seen him today again, this time not with Brenda but with a different girl.

    That jolting is gone. All I feel for him now is pure hatred. I wish I could turn back the hands of the clock and make sure that our paths never crossed.

    I wished I wasn¡¯t that curious to know more about him which made me fall deeply in love with him. I wish I hadn¡¯t said yes to him when he asked me to be his girlfriend.

    Reluctantly, I drop my bag and take off my shoes before sitting quietly on the bed, ignoring my weak limbs.

    I ordered the maids to bring my bed back to my room even though it is still cold but I will manage. I heard the weather forecast today and it might not rain in a few days.

    Besides, I wanted a quiet moment. Staying with Ryan in the same room isn¡¯t the best solution. I am not talking about the silent treatment we have been giving each other. I just want to be left alone with my thoughts today.

    Before I can get up from the bed to change into a towel so I can take a shower, a knockes on the door and I need no soothsayer to tell me who it is.

    Ryan.

    Maybe he is here to ask me why I left his room. I thought he wasn¡¯t ok with the idea of having me sleep in his room, why does he bother now whether I am out of his room or not?

    ¡°Come in¡±, I sayzily without getting up from the bed, my two hands holding onto the sheets of the bed.

    The door is pushed open and hees in with his briefcase. He hasn¡¯t changed yet which shows that he hasn¡¯t gone into his room yet.

    ¡°Hi¡±, he greets, with a wave of the hand.

    I take my eyes off him and reply. ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    His question makes me jerk my head back up in curiosity. Why is he asking me if I am fine? Does he even care? All he wants is to get the constructionpany he was promised if he married me. He is just a selfish jerk.

    He has an anticipated look on his face, as though he is expecting a reply to his question.

    I am really not in the mood for arguments.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering where you went¡­¡±, he trails off andughs nervously. This is when I see his left hand hiding behind him.

    I furrow my brows in confusion. Why does he want to know where I went? We aren¡¯t real so why should I tell him where I went?

    I guess he is tired of the silent treatment. I am good at it. I can go days without saying a word to my mom. She has been the one at the receiving end of my bad and worse moods.

    Curiosity takes over my raw confusion. ¡°What are you hiding?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± He murmurs and brings his left hand into view. He is holding a box. ¡°I got you something.¡±

    A gift?

    This is something I never got from Fred in the years of our rtionship. At first, I didn¡¯t attach much importance to it until Brenda noticed and called my attention to it.

    I couldn¡¯t tell him.

    He never bought me a gift. A single gift. He only takes me out for dinners but there was never a gift. That was what our rtionship was mounted upon.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want it, I will¡­¡±

    ¡°No¡±, I cut him short with the wave of my hand. This is obviously his way of apologizing for what he did. ¡°You can keep it¡±, I say and tap on the space beside me on the bed so he can drop it.

    This gesture is bringing back memories of my rtionship with Fred. Everything was rosy except for two things; no gifts and his cheating nature.

    Fred and I barely had any fights in the years we have been together. He either shuts me up with a kiss or ignores me till I am calm.

    I hate him!

    It still hurts and it makes me extremely sad.

    I didn¡¯t mean to see him today. I would never have chosen to see him but I did anyway. It was too much of a coincidence because I saw his numerous missed calls this morning when I came out of the bathroom.

    He didn¡¯t call back and I have no idea if I would have picked up if he had called back when I was so close to my phone. Instead, he sent me a message, using me of getting married to Ryan so I could make him jealous and also because Ryan is a billionaire.

    I felt bad because he mentioned that he knew I cared less about wealth.

    I didn¡¯t reply but I wish he was close by to hear my own reply.

    ¡°Valerie, are you sure you are ok?¡± Ryan¡¯s touch jerks me out of my reverie. I blink immediately and try to smile but ites out faltered.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m good. I thought you left.¡±

    He shrugs. ¡°I didn¡¯t move an inch until now which shows that you were lost in thought.¡±

    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m just extremely tired.¡±

    I don¡¯t want him to think so low of me. If I tell him I am this way because of Fred, he might think that way of me or even taunt me about it when next we fight.

    I decide to say something else. ¡°I went for a job interview today, though.¡±

    ¡°A job?¡± He seems surprised and I nod with an eager smile.

    This is something I have always wanted. Mom kicked against it saying it wasn¡¯t a reputable job but now that I am married and I feel idle being home all day long while Ryan is also at work, I decided to try my luck one more time.

    Like a brush of air, the news makes me feel lively again.

    I smile at Ryan and he nods, not looking pleased. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to work?¡±

    ¡°No, I just didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±, he pauses. ¡°What type of job is it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be handling the locations of archaeological projects as well as archaeological research in the college. So I am basically a writer.¡±

    He nods. ¡°That¡¯s a good one. You studied archaeology?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I might be considered to go on a research trip too after a while.¡±

    He nods again and looks thoughtful. Suddenly, he rises and begins to walk to the door.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± I call him back. He stops by the door with his hand already on the doorknob.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    He does not turn back and it dawns on me that something is bothering him. Maybe it is because of the job.

    Or is it about the gift he brought? Is it because I didn¡¯t appreciate it?

    The box is sitting beside me on the bed and I wonder what is inside.

    ¡°Thank you for the gift¡±, I appreciate him and he nods too, making me wish he can twirl around so I can read his expression.

    He is still standing by the door so I ask. ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡±

    He remains silent.

    This must be it. He must have something to say to me. Bringing a gift for me after what he did isn¡¯t enough. He is supposed to at least say something about our little fight. This way, I can easily forgive him and let it go.

    I don¡¯t really mind being the only one helping in this marriage but I just really wish it can be reciprocated when needed. I ventured into this with my two eyes open despite knowing that I am going to be helping him to achieve his goal but I can¡¯t help how I feel.

    Should I tell him I am sorry about what happened? Maybe I had gone a little overboard.

    I shouldn¡¯t expect too much from him. He has a lot on his desks already and adding mine to it will break him.

    I still can¡¯t deny the fact that he is still arrogant but sometimes, his behavior amazes me. He acts calmly like a gentleman but I don¡¯t want him to be a gentleman.

    Fred was a gentleman yet he betrayed me. We should probably keep arguing and fighting each other till everythinges to an end.

    Before I can say a word, he twirls around to face me. He mutters firmly. ¡°Let¡¯s start dating. I want us to go to parties and dates.¡±

    Ites as a shock and my mouth drops open for a second before I nod quietly in agreement.

    Our marriage is just beginning.

 CHAPTER 24

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    A candlelight dinner date is what I have nned out for the evening. Frankly, I was looking forward to this evening when I was at the office and I kept wondering if going back home to change was the best.

    I couldn¡¯t go back home and I am thankful I wore something good today. I am dressed in a slim-fit suit with ck suede shoes.

    I look around the empty restaurant and finally at the table filled with candlelight and a bouquet of flowers.

    Valerie was right. There is little we can do to help my mother. This is why we are doing this. It won¡¯t hurt to act for a little while because Valerie and I are getting along well, pretty quickly.

    It will make Mother happy.

    It also will not hurt if we fake a pregnancy just to make her happy.

    I can¡¯t continue to live with this grief. The earlier I ept reality, the better for both of us. Even for Valerie.

    If Mother dies, I see no reason why we should continue with this marriage, except of course for the contract. We already signed it and we have to wait for 20 months before the marriage will be annulled.

    Before then, I will do all that is within my power to make Mother happy.

    I adjust on the table, suddenly feeling giddy and nervous when it isn¡¯t even real. It is just an act. We will keep doing this until Mother hears of this from someone and then we can stay cool for a while, then begin to go to parties or go shopping together.

    I just want her to feel like this marriage is indeed working.

    Before I can shift the flower to the other side so it will be facing her when she arrives, the guard at the door opens the transparent door and I know immediately that she is here.

    Valerie Adams.

    She steps into the restaurant in a sexy off-shoulderce dress hugging her body tightly and exposing her curves.

    The dress stops at her knees and my gaze shifts there down to her long legs. She is wearing strappy ck heels topliment her red dress.

    Her face is as beautiful as ever, reminding me of my first impression of her. To be honest, Valerie is a beautiful woman.

    As she approaches, I notice her full brow which I never observed before probably because I have never had time to examine or admire her properly. Her hair is packed and she is holding a ck purse too.

    She has make-up on and red lipstick, making her lips admirable.

    Then, she smiles.

    I blink and slump back into the seat.

    Fuck!

    ¡°So much for our first date¡±, she utters, without paying attention to my difort.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    I can¡¯t believe I am starstruck by the night beauty in front of me. Last night, when she came back from wherever she went, I was amazed by her looks but today, I am mesmerized.

    This is way beyond my imagination.

    She is fucking beautiful.

    ¡°Is this why you didn¡¯te home to pick me up?¡± She sits down before I can summon up the courage to get up and drag the seat out for her.

    Her eyes are roaming the entire ce, looking from the table to every other ce.

    I force myself to smile.

    I didn¡¯t go home because I wanted everything to be perfect before she arrived. Also, I didn¡¯t want to bete. So I asked one of the guards to drive her down here while John brought me here from the office.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± I finally find my voice and she nods, still looking around with twinkles of amusement in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed¡±, she settles her gaze on me. ¡°You look good.¡±

    I look down at myself in embarrassment. I ought topliment her first.

    ¡°Forgive my manners, mydy. You also look beautiful tonight.¡± I ce a hand on my chest and give her a curtsy bow.

    She snickers inughter. ¡°You actually look cute ying the role of a gentleman. Besides, I am always beautiful¡±, she guts and throws me a flirty wink.

    I shouldn¡¯t let that get to me. This is all part of the act.

    ¡°I am a gentleman.¡±

    ¡°No, you are not, Ryan.¡±

    ¡°I am, Val¡±, I insist and she keeps quiet all of a sudden. Then I remember I called her Val instead of Valerie. She had already told me not to ever call her that and I wonder what difference that will make.

    It¡¯s still her name.

    Is this the reason for the sudden mood swing? Is there more to this?

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± I ask promptly and she nods without a smile. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± I say instantly and she smiles, then looks away with creeps of embarrassment evident on her face.

    ¡°I lied. I don¡¯t like it when you call me that.¡±

    ¡°Val?¡± She nods her head intermittently. Without hesitation, I question. ¡°Why?¡±

    Silence ensues.

    This date isn¡¯t for this. I shouldn¡¯t tread on the path of another argument between us tonight. It is already a miracle that we haven¡¯t had anything to argue back and forth about yet since the break of dawn, probably because she isn¡¯t sleeping in my room anymore and I haven¡¯t had any encounters with her sincest night.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I am¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. That name reminds me of someone I don¡¯t want to remember so I prefer you don¡¯t call me that¡±, she interrupts me from going further. I actually didn¡¯t have the intention of asking more about the topic but now that she just said this, I can¡¯t help the numerous questions popping up in my head.

    Her face is in a deep frown. That sort of frown that tells you someone isn¡¯t happy.

    ¡°Because it reminds you of him doesn¡¯t mean others can¡¯t call you your name. It¡¯s your name, isn¡¯t it?¡± She nces up at me, the frown still etched on her expression. She seems taken aback by my question. Maybe she thought I was going to let it go just like that.

    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful name. I can¡¯t stop calling you that because of him.¡±

    I don¡¯t know why I am suddenly angry at the topic but it makes no sense to me. He is her past. Because he calls her that doesn¡¯t mean others can¡¯t call her that. She should forget him and move on with her life.

    If he had called her Valerie and not Val, would she have changed her name too simply because she doesn¡¯t want to be reminded of the asshole?

    That¡¯s nonsense.

    ¡°Ryan, we aren¡¯t here to fight or argue, are we?¡± She demands, dropping her purse and leaning forward as if to whisper something to me. ¡°I have my reasons for saying I don¡¯t want to be reminded of him.¡±

    ¡°I know and I understand you but I want you to get over him as quickly as possible.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am over him.¡±

    ¡°No, you are not¡±, I counter her back instantly. Trying not to raise my voice, I continue. ¡°If you have gotten over him, then what he calls you shouldn¡¯t have any sort of effect on you. Come on, girl.¡±

    She looks thoughtful for a while before snorting and leaning backward with folded arms.

    We continue to stare at each other in silence until she asks in a loud voice. ¡°What are we having for dinner?¡±

    An unconscious smile finds its way to my face and I call out in the same tone. ¡°Waiter!¡±

 CHAPTER 25

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Impressive is an understatement of Ryan¡¯s behavior tonight. First, he sent me a message for the very first time since we have crossed paths with each other and ended the text with a heart emoticon.

    Second, he was polite enough to tell one of the guards to drive me down here.

    Third, he got me flowers, apart from the ne fromst night which I haven¡¯t brought myself to try on yet.

    Fourth, he is being one heck of a gentleman.

    He is trying to make me forget Fred that easily by insisting on calling me Val. I can¡¯t help it but that name stirs up something in me that I can¡¯t figure out.

    It is not just anger or the remembrance of Fred. It is something unspeakable that I haven¡¯t figured out on my own yet.

    He was right in saying that I haven¡¯t gotten over Fred yet. If I had gotten over the idea, I wouldn¡¯t have criedst night.

    I didn¡¯t particrly cry. A tear actually rolled down my eyes. And I was quick to wipe it off my face because I already made a vow never to cry for him or any other man.

    I am done with them.

    I should get rid of him and everything that reminds me of him. This was the exact thing I said to myself on the day I met with Ryan in that restaurant. I said I wanted to forget Fred but it hasn¡¯t been an easy task.

    Forgetting him is like erasing half of my life away from my memory. Forgetting him means restricting my movement and not going to ces we have been to before.

    Forgetting him means not visiting the orphanage too where he apanied me twice.

    Forgetting him means a lot of things that I can not do without.

    Fred left with those butterflies too but I really can¡¯t live without them, can I?

    Ryan is right. For the first time since I have known him, he speaks with so much wisdom.

    I should get over Fred but not by insisting that I want to stop doing or hearing things that remind me of him.

    ¡°You know what?!¡± His deep voice pulls me out of my thoughts as the waiter serves our meal, taking the bouquet away and dropping them on a separate table.

    My gaze lingers on the flowers until Ryan taps my hand.

    ¡°You look lost in thought¡±, he remarks as he digs into his food. I smile without a word. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    I suddenly lose my appetite. I wish I can tell him that but I am afraid he will get upset after everything he has done tonight, even though they are not meant to impress me.

    I begin to eat too.

    ¡°A day wille when you will think about that man and smile, not because you are still hurt but because you are grateful he left.¡±

    My spoon stops halfway.

    That statement. Where have I heard that from?

    I raise my eyes to meet Ryan¡¯s own. His blue eyes shine brightly and he is nowhere close to someone who is about to lose his mother.

    He looks happy and carefree, like someone who has no care in the world about what misfortune might befall him in the next couple of days or months.

    That statement just hit up something in me. I know it is supposed to make me feel better but it makes me feel strange.

    I think I should call this a wave of deja vu. I have heard this from someone before.

    ¡°Are you a love doctor?¡± I blink toe back to reality, then dump the food in my spoon back onto the te.

    He shrugs indifferently with a wide smile on his face. ¡°I am not.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever been in love, then?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He answers rather sharply.

    ¡°Then how do you know how I feel?¡± I never told him I was heartbroken.

    What does he think of me? That I am broken because of Fred? Of course not, I might be hurt but I am a strong woman.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know¡±, he murmurs, staring into my face and his smile disappearing. ¡°I just want to make you feel better, you know?¡±

    I don¡¯t feel better. I wish I can tell him this. Shout it into his ears.

    But we aren¡¯t here to publicly disy our underwear by fighting like we have been doing since we got married.

    Today should make a difference. That can only happen if I control my emotions because Ryan is an annoying jerk who can¡¯t go a day without making me mad.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are still a lot of men out there who are good and not¡­¡±

    ¡°Can we change the topic? I¡¯m not interested in my man and I don¡¯t n on dating ever again, ok?¡±

    He seems taken aback because his jaws drop open, perhaps out of shock or because I cut him short while talking.

    ¡°Ok¡±, he eventually closes his mouth and looks like he is still interested in pursuing the topic.

    I throw him a cold re and he shut his mouth again.

    I sigh deeply.

    This is more difficult than I thought.

    Calm down, Valerie. You got this. Talk to him freely about Fred, it won¡¯t hurt. You can¡¯t get over him if you avoid talking about him. He is aplete asshole and I want you to prove to these men that you are not as hurt as they think. You got it, right? My subconscious screams at me.

    I shut my eyes, suddenly feeling sorry for Ryan, then I pick up my spoon and say. ¡°You are right, Ryan.¡±

    He gazes up, his expression unreadable for a second.

    ¡°There are a lot of good men out there but I think I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°Why? You can¡¯t be so sure¡­¡±

    ¡°I am sure. I don¡¯t think I can ever fall in love with another man after what he did to me.¡± My voice is a bit raised out of anger. I wish we can just get through this dinner without getting me to talk.

    ¡°Why?¡± He asks again. ¡°Are you stone-hearted?¡±

    I roll my eyes at him and heughs for the first time since I have known him.

    ¡°I am not stone-hearted but if you call me that, then so be it. You men aren¡¯t worth all the stress. Fred is an example. He taught me a lesson and I am f**king done with you guys.¡±

    ¡°So you mean after our contract, you will never date again?¡± I shake my head vigorously and continue to eat.

    ¡°Never?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Never.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bad. Well, I n to start dating again but I don¡¯t n to get married again. Ever since we got married¡­¡±

    ¡°Your women suddenly lost interest in you?¡± I mutter quickly, remembering how he once boasted to me about how women flock around him.

    He looks surprised. ¡°How did you know that?¡±

    ¡°You are still an arrogant asshole so I know. Stop boasting about women to me, it won¡¯t change anything.¡±

    ¡°I am not boasting¡±, heughs out loud. ¡°I am telling you the truth. I don¡¯t know what happened but I guess it was expected since we are married and they won¡¯t know it isn¡¯t real.¡±

    ¡°The marriage is actually real, it¡¯s just that it has a few limitations¡±, I exin in between mouthfuls. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they wille back for you when I am gone.¡±

    He nods and takes a sip of his wine.

    ¡°Are you having sex, though?¡±

    ¡°Sex?¡± He scoffs. ¡°I haven¡¯t had that since I got to know of this thing¡­¡±

    The way he talks about our betrothal makes me feel as though he is the only one who hated the idea. I also hate it too but what do we have to do? We have gone past that stage and all I am waiting for is the annulment period. Then we can go our separate ways.

    He can go back to dating and having sex while I will go back to¡­.

    My family? No.

    I don¡¯t know what else I will do after this. Maybe I will just focus on my work and getting a career.

    ¡°So tell me about this guy.¡± He leans back in his seat, dropping his cutleries.

    ¡°Fred?¡± I look up.

    ¡°Yes, if you do not mind.¡±

    I am not ok with the new topic but I keep reminding myself that I need to do this. This will probably help me heal.

    ¡°Why do you want to know about him?¡± I stop eating too. I didn¡¯t n on eating much after all. I pick up the ss cup and sip the wine, then drop it back to catch Ryan examining me.

    ¡°What?!¡± I ask, looking down at my dress to see if there is a stain or something.

    ¡°Nothing. Tell me all about him.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing much to say¡­.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t avoid the topic, Valerie. If you don¡¯t want to talk about him, can you talk about yourself then?¡±

    ¡°What about me? There is nothing about me you should know about.¡±

    ¡°Why do you like arguing with me?¡± He questions and I burst intoughter.

    ¡°What? Is that the first thing you will ask me? Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±, I continue tough. ¡°I am serious. I want to know why you like arguing and fighting¡­.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t argue or fight. I only try to make my opinions known¡­¡±

    ¡°By shouting?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t shout.¡±

    ¡°You do.¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    He keeps quiet and then takes a hold of my two hands on the table. With his gaze fixed on mine, he rubs his hands over mine like a father would do to a child.

    I raise a brow, wondering what the hell is happening.

    Before I can say a word about it, he raises both of my hands and pecks the back of my right hand, then the left.

    My imagination is running wild.

    All of a sudden, he drops my hand and rises up slowly, not breaking eye contact with me.

    Leaning over the table to my side, he pecks my forehead also and buries his head in the crook of my neck.

    This is when I begin to think that Ryan must either be drunk or about to seduce me to his bed because he hasn¡¯t had sex since forever.

    Before I can push him away and warn him never to try such rubbish with me ever again, he whispers into my ears. ¡°Someone is watching us. Be calm. Don¡¯t look nervous.¡±

    I almost exim loudly in disbelief. Who could be watching us by this time? Is this why he is doing this?

    He stays in the position for 40 seconds before pulling away and winking at me.

    Just then, I hear a click sound of a camera and I turn slightly to the transparent door to see a man in a hood running off.

 CHAPTER 26

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    I keep tossing in bed, unable to find some sleep. The weather has suddenly be cold and I am on alert for rain, even though the forecaster said it won¡¯t fall in the next couple of days.

    I keep thinking about what happened at the restaurant, every single detail of what happened yed itself in my head.

    From my anger to myughter to the show and the cameraman.

    Who is he?

    I asked Ryan but he only smirked. He must be proud of himself for what he did.

    I have two answers to the question about the cameraman. He is either from his mother or one of the paparazzi who would publish that picture first thing tomorrow morning for the public eyes to see.

    I should be happy, right?

    Fred would see it and Brenda too. He might probably boil in anger when he sees the clear affection between Ryan and me and then Mrs. Lorenzo would see it too and she would be happy.

    For no reason, I don¡¯t feel happy or proud about what we did. I thought it was ok with me to act like we are real and in love but for the first time, I am having doubts about this.

    All I feel is guilt.

    For wanting to deceive the public and the poor ill woman who wants nothing but happiness for her son.

    The deed is done. The contract is signed and there is absolutely nothing I can do to change this.

    We just have to keep up with the act.

    I turn to the other side of the bed and thunder rumbles in the distance simultaneously, making me scramble out of bed and racing for the door.

    Holy shit!

    I m the door shut and race to the other side, finding myself in front of Ryan¡¯s door within seconds, barefooted.

    My hair is disheveled and I quickly arrange them in one ce before knocking on the door calmly.

    Without waiting for a response, I turn the doorknob and it opens. I step inside quickly.

    I really don¡¯t know what to do because it iste and everyone has retired for the night. I can¡¯t keep asking these maids to take my bed every time it rains and bring it inside Ryan¡¯s room.

    Should I ask him to help me get another one kept here all the time so I don¡¯t have to disturb him whenever it rains and I want toe to sleep in his room?

    I close the door quietly behind me so I won¡¯t wake him up and then I can go and sleep on his couch but to my surprise, Ryan isn¡¯t on the bed.

    The bed is empty. The bed is still neat looking, making it so obvious that no one has slept in here.

    Where is he? Did he go out after we came back from the restaurant?

    I walk further into the room, looking around to see if he is anywhere in sight.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± I call, hoping he is in here and not out. How can I find some sleep alone in this situation?

    I give up and trot to the bed. Suddenly d that I don¡¯t have to sleep on the couch, I jump into bed andy down, dragging theforter to cover me.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    I close my eyes, praying silently for some sleep to take me away when I hear a door open.

    I flutter my eyes open immediately in fright only to see Ryaning out of his bathroom without a towel.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    ¡°What the hell!¡± I turn away quickly, my face red in embarrassment. I pull theforter over my head so I don¡¯t have to see him till he is fully clothed.

    Why didn¡¯t I hear the sound of the running water in the bathroom? Is everywhere soundproof here?

    I try to stop myself from turning red but it isn¡¯t working. The fact that Ryan also looks shocked to see me makes me more embarrassed. I actually thought I would have the room to myself.

    If it isn¡¯t raining, I would have run back to my room but I can¡¯t.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Are you with a towel now?¡± I ask without raising my head out of theforter.

    ¡°Why does it matter? You¡¯ve seen me already.¡± He sounds angry and I shut my eyes, feeling sorry.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. I swear to you, I didn¡¯t see you.¡±

    ¡°You did.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see the full¡­¡±

    ¡°Length?¡±

    Now I know I am going to die of embarrassment. What am I even thinking when I say full? I shouldn¡¯t say that to him. What I meant to say is that I didn¡¯t see his below. I knew he was naked when I saw his buttocks as he turned slightly to close the bathroom door.

    ¡°No¡±, I say sharply, hoping I find it convincing enough.

    ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you stopped sleeping in here?¡± The anger is gone and his voice is filled with amusement now.

    Does he find this amusing? Well, I don¡¯t.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep¡­¡±

    ¡°So you decided toe to see my naked¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Impulsively, I drop theforter and look him straight in the eyes. When I remember the real reason why I had theforter over my face in the first ce, I look down to see him clothed already. He is wearing shorts.

    A deep sigh of relief escapes from my mouth and I slump back into the bed.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would be here, I wouldn¡¯t havee out of the bathroom that way¡±, he moves away from the door and walks to the dresser to pick something.

    I watch his back and his muscr arms of his,paring them to Fred¡¯s.

    Fred is also muscr but Ryan seems to have more muscles than Fred.

    ¡°I want to sleep¡±, he says loudly and I turn to see him climbing into bed right beside me.

    ¡°What?! Get down from the bed, I want to sleep.¡±

    ¡°I want to sleep too.¡±

    I know I came here to sleep on the couch since the room is his and I have mine but now I wish he can just act like a gentleman that he was at the restaurant during our date.

    Without a word and still in his shorts, heys calmly on the bed beside me and I jump down instantly from the bed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t share my bed with anyone¡±, I say in defense before he can ask me what the problem is.

    Heys on his back with his two hands behind his head and raises a quivering brow.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? I can¡¯t sleep in my room, it is toote to ask the maids to bring in my own bed so let me sleep on your bed.¡±

    ¡°Then what will happen?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean what will happen?¡± I fake a scowl, wishing so desperately for him to understand the point I am driving at.

    ¡°Where do I sleep?¡±

    This is it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe we should exchange our rooms or you can sleep on the couch.¡±

    Heughs. A deep throatyughter that makes me feel embarrassed again.

    ¡°We are sharing the same bed, Val. This is my room and I can¡¯t leave my bed for you.¡±

    I bite my lips in regret. I actually thought he would act like a gentleman but he isn¡¯t doing that for me.

    Such an asshole.

    And then he called me Val again?

    I eye him and walk to the couch to sleep on it. He is such a heartless he-goat. Just after having a great date today, he wants to ruin it with another argument and I am not in the mood for that tonight.

    I stay on the couch for several minutes, thinking he will have a change of mind but the sometimes cold-hearted-sometimes warm-hearted man I got married to stayed fixated on his warm bed.

    I groan andy down eventually.

    He doesn¡¯t have a heart, truly.

    I keep turning until I hear the sound of him getting down from the bed and the sound of his feet approaching. I stay still with a frown on my face.

    ¡°Val?¡± He taps me. I pretend to be asleep. ¡°Valerie?¡±

    I do not reply to him and the next minute, he picks me up and I squeal in fright.

    ¡°Calm down, I¡¯m just taking you to the bed. A woman shouldn¡¯t be allowed to sleep on a couch when there is a bed.¡±

    I rx and smile inwardly. My n worked.

    He gets to the bed and drops me carefully before pulling theforter over me. d for the kindness, I drop theforter down to thank him when I see him getting into the space next to me again.

    ¡°What.. what are you doing?¡± I sit up immediately, my eyes bulging open.

    He pretends not to know what I am talking about. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I thought you wanted to sleep on the couch?¡± I say more like a question, pointing my index finger at the couch.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you bring me here?¡± I demand impatiently.

    Shrugging nonchntly like he always does, he gives me a cocky smile. ¡°Because I can¡¯t allow you to sleep on the couch.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep on the same bed with you¡±, I scream so the words will get into his eardrums and he will understand my point.

    ¡°Why, if I may ask?¡± He shifts and folds his arms as he sits watching me.

    I swallow hard, my breathing bing heavy as I feel an uprising of anger. ¡°Simply because I can not.¡±

    ¡°Now you are shouting, Val.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡±

    ¡°Val. That is what I will call you. I thought we talked about this already.¡±

    Yes, we did but I didn¡¯t agree. The name is adding to my rage.

    ¡°Just stop!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ste, please. Will you stop shouting and just go to sleep? I don¡¯t bite, do I?¡±

    Just sleep on the couch for God¡¯s sake, Ryan.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Stop shouting, Valerie.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t until you get down from the bed.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± He throws me a challenging stare and Ipse in silence thinking of what I can do to irk him.

    ¡°I will continue to shout till you do¡±, I smirk mischievously. He hates it when I shout so I am sure he will sumb to my wish now.

    ¡°Then, I will stop you from shouting too.¡± He doesn¡¯t look a bit challenged as he folds his arms around his bosom.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really.¡±

    ¡°And how will you do that, Mister?¡± I am still smirking in pride because I know it will work. He is going to be down in a few minutes and I can have the bed to myself.

    Instead of doing just like I thought, he grabs me roughly and ims my lips.

 CHAPTER 27

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Having a taste of her sweet lips makes me lose my mind and I find myself leaning in closer for more and expecting her to open up for me to explore the insides of her mouth.

    Instead, she ces her two hands on my chest and pushes me away roughly, her face in a deep frown with her eyes in a depth of annoyance for what I just did.

    Rather than feeling sorry, I ster a wide grin on my face and she pushes me off the bed.

    ¡°What the hell was that for? Are you crazy?¡± She thunders in anger and I find myselfughing on the floor.

    What exactly is amusing to me? I do not know.

    ¡°A practice. We might have to kiss in front of Mother tomorrow¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She furrows her brow, the anger increasing.

    I rise slowly and sit back on the bed. ¡°We are going to meet with Mother tomorrow.¡±

    She remains silent and I try to read through her expression, feeling bad for kissing her without permission.

    But I don¡¯t regret it because her lips were inviting and sweet. She tastes like mint.

    Slowly, she drops her head and rubs her fingers on her temple.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    I am tempted to apologize to her for what I did but I am not saying anything.

    Kissing shouldn¡¯t be a big deal, should it? She brought the idea of acting up and here we are.

    ¡°Ryan, kissing each other should be out of the n, please.¡± She says in a low tone.

    ¡°Why?¡± I demand nonchntly like it is a normal thing to kiss her since she is my wife. Suddenly, it dawns on me that this is the first time we are kissing.

    On our wedding day, she didn¡¯t kiss me. She only pecked my cheeks and made it look like we actually kissed. That was one of the reasons why I was so mad at her that day because I felt humiliated.

    What if someone has seen what she did?

    I look up to see her staring at me with daggers in her eyes.

    ¡°Why?¡± I repeat again. I am desperate to know why kissing me is bad. It is so obvious that she doesn¡¯t like the idea. Valerie isn¡¯t one to pretend. I am beginning to know her bit by bit. ¡°Am I a bad kisser?¡±

    I smile widely.

    She picks up the pillow to throw at me but I evade it by scrambling out of the bed inughter.

    ¡°Do I look like I am in the mood for jokes right now?¡± She is breathing heavily as she drops the pillow.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking, sweetheart¡­.¡± I round the bed, grinning widely like an idiot.

    For no reason, I am actually enjoying this. Taunting her and seeing her angry this way is making me happy.

    ¡°Ryan, please. Don¡¯t let this repeat itself.*

    ¡°Come on, Val. I told you it was just an act. I wanted to see how you would react if the kiss was unexpected and in public. You didn¡¯t do badly, though. I¡¯m sure if it happens next time, you won¡¯t push me away that way or we will be busted.¡±

    ¡°No kisses. Don¡¯t you get it?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I raise a brow in curiosity, standing with arms akimbo.

    Why is she making it a big deal?

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t like it and I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    I pretend to be thinking about it for a while before blurting out. ¡°Maybe that is because your boyfriend was bad at kissing.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± She shouts defensively. ¡°He wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t?¡± I ask to be sure I heard right. Meekly, she nods then she falls back on the bed and covers her face in embarrassment.

    I burst into a fit ofughter, my stomach churning from the action.

    ¡°Stopughing and get out of here. You are so annoying!¡±

    I continue tough at my fill. After sobering up, the smile on my face won¡¯t disappear. I find everything she did right from when she pushed me away cute and sweet.

    There is more to this, though. I can see it on her face. But there is a lot she needs to do to get rid of his memories.

    I wish I can help but I can¡¯t. She won¡¯t even allow me to call her the names he used to call her. So how can I help?

    ¡°We are going to Mother¡¯s ce tomorrow. She isn¡¯t picking up my calls and I¡¯m worried. We haven¡¯t talked since the other day when we had a fallout. So I guess we should visit and then¡­¡±, I trail off. I don¡¯t know what else will follow.

    I just hope the news would have gotten to her about my candlelight date with Valerie.

    I smile proudly to myself.

    I amble back to the bed, about to get in when she shoves me aside.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t sleep here.¡± She spreads her legs over to the edge of the bed so there won¡¯t be much space left for me.

    ¡°Why?!¡± I cry out. ¡°Are you afraid that I will kiss you in your sleep?¡±

    She jumps up immediately with a pillow and hit my head with it. I grab her off the bed and we both struggle with each other. Before I know it, she is on my back, hitting me numerous times and shouting for me to drop her.

    My hold on her bes stronger as I run around the room inughter, relying on her to stop hitting me, or I won¡¯t drop her.

    Finally, she stops. I stop running too. We are both breathless.

    ¡°Drop me.¡±

    ¡°What just happened? Was that a pillow fight?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t. Just drop me, you jerk!¡± She hit my shoulder with her hand, the pillow dropping to the floor.

    ¡°Hey, that hurts. I¡¯m going to drop you, ok?¡± I move close to the bed, tempted to ask her if this is how she beats her ex-boyfriend.

    I drop her off and quickly climb in beside her, holding her two hands so she won¡¯t push me off the bed again.

    ¡°Please, let me sleep here. I promise I won¡¯t kiss you or make you ufortable.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Please. I will do anything you ask of me¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t share my bed, Ryan. Stop making me feel like a bad person. Just go and sleep on the couch. It won¡¯t hurt, will it?¡±

    I pout, hoping she will change her mind like I once did but she is set on seeing me off the bed.

    She wriggles her hand away from my hold and drags all theforter off my body. This is when I know she won¡¯t give in to my demands, no matter what I do.

    If I spend any more minutes here, then she will push me off her with her legs. I am sure she must be counting to ten right now.

    Sighing heavily, I get down from the bed and take a pillow, hugging it to my bosom, still pouting before walking slowly to the couch.

    The moment Iy on it, I hear her sweetughter which sounds like music to my ears.

    Derivingfort from theughter, I turn and toss on the couch till sleep overtakes me.

 CHAPTER 28

    Valerie¡¯s POVText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Ryan is holding grudges against me because of what I did to himst night.

    That is how it seems to me because all through the ride to his parent¡¯s mansion, he was quiet and back to that rude guy I know him to be.

    Well, I thought he was beginning to change but now I am damn sure he has several personality disorders.

    Why the hell will he act like he is cool with me this minute and then the next minute, he is aloof?

    He kissed mest night. I controlled myself from pping him. I have always hated the idea of kissing another man who isn¡¯t Fred but Ryan kissed mest night unexpectedly.

    I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t stop him or p him after I managed to push him away but I think it is because we are legally married and he can kiss me.

    I just don¡¯t like the idea personally. Besides, it was just an act as he said. A practice I mean.

    This way, if he tries to do something simr in front of his parents, I won¡¯t be caught unawares and I won¡¯t do something rash either forgetting the real reason why we are in this situation.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, his mother calls him atst. I have been doing all I can to make them interact like Mother and son since we arrived. I guess he got that aloofness from his Mother. She is hell-bent on making him suffer for what he did.

    He stops eating immediately and looks up expectantly, anticipating something more. ¡°Finish up, I want us to talk about something.¡±

    Finally!

    He shakes his head and drags his seat backward to get up. He picks up the serviette from the table to wipe his mouth too before standing straight. ¡°I¡¯m done eating.¡±

    I have never seen Ryan behave this way. He is acting like how a normal person would do when they are in the presence of their Master.

    Mrs. Lorenzo gazes up, dropping her fork too, her actions slower than usual and a worried expression on her face.

    I feel like there is something on her mind but she doesn¡¯t want to share it with anyone so no one will worry about her.

    She decided to stop the treatments and she has to bear the consequences of her decision.

    I wish she can let it all out. All the pain. I wish it could be shared. But she has it all stocked in. She doesn¡¯t want anyone to share in her pain. She doesn¡¯t want her son to go through any pain of watching her writhe away.

    She nods and rises slowly too and I watch him help her out of the dining room.

    Now, I am left with Anita and Mr. Lorenzo. I don¡¯t know much about Mr. Lorenzo but he has been extremely quiet since we began to eat.

    Anita and I were talking to lighten up the atmosphere.

    Thest time we were here, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t as tense and sad as this and I fear that his Mother¡¯s time is almost here.

    Every one of them is just hiding the pain. Anita reminds me of the younger version of me too. She doesn¡¯t show how she feels, she is lively and full of life despite what is about to happen.

    Suddenly losing my appetite, I push the te away and my phone rings almost immediately.

    It is Dad.

    Excusing myself from my sister-inw and my father-inw, I get up and leave the dining area, taking the door outside to find a quiet ce to receive my dad¡¯s call.

    He has never called since I got married. Mother didn¡¯t call either, but they sent me a message the day after my wedding.

    Before it goes to voicemail, I pick it up. ¡°Dad?¡±

    ¡°Valerie Adams, long time no see¡±, my Mother¡¯s shrill voice booms into my ears.

    I shut my eyes and rub my forehead with my index finger. ¡°Mom?¡±

    ¡°Mom? Now you know I am your mom?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I ask in confusion.

    ¡°What is the essence of having you married to that boy if he won¡¯t help us, then? Is this the way you want to get back at us? So you nned this all along, you went ahead with the marriage so you could get back at us by not allowing him to perform his duties?¡±

    I still can¡¯tprehend what she is talking about. My confusion intensifies and I drop my finger off my forehead.

    I twirl back, the evening air pping me across my face, as I walk towards the swimming arena. ¡°What the hell are you talking about, mom?¡±

    ¡°You want to lie that this isn¡¯t what you nned?¡± She continues to use me and I decide to cut her off.

    ¡°Where is dad?¡±

    She does not respond.

    ¡°Please give the phone to dad¡±, I plead with her calmly. I don¡¯t seem to get this straight.

    She is not just using me. She is also using Ryan of not sticking to his end of the bargain. This marriage is solely based on that; helping my father¡¯spany stand back on its feet while I be his legal wife.

    I am his wife now. We have been married for a few weeks now so I don¡¯t understand what is going on and why he hasn¡¯t done his own part.

    ¡°Give dad the damn phone, mom¡±, I shout, my uprising anger erupting like a volcano. ¡°Give the damn phone to him.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t here.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about then? What do you mean by all of that shit?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t n this?¡±

    ¡°No. I have no idea what you are talking about, mom!¡±

    She sighs deeply and silence ensues, making me feel restless.

    ¡°Ryan isn¡¯t helping your father. I don¡¯t know what is happening, I thought you were behind this. We should have insisted that the help shoulde first before the wedding.¡±

    Now I am more than sure that Mrs. Lorenzo isn¡¯t my mom¡¯s friend. If she is her friend, why can¡¯t she talk to her about it? Why does it have to be me all the time?

    Mom feels more pain about the bankruptcy than my father. She is putting more effort into it than my father is doing.

    Father must be somewhere, hoping Ryan will do something soon but Mother is the one taking the action of calling to use me.

    Who the hell does Ryan think he is? What is the essence of this marriage if he isn¡¯t going to help as he promised? What sort of selfish man is he? Is he crazy to think he can y this shitty game with me?

    My father needs hispany back immediately. Not for my sake or my mother¡¯s sake but for his own sanity.

    ¡°Are you home?¡± I ask her immediately, walking away from the swimming pool so I can find Ryan wherever he has gone with his Mother.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What about Dad?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I stop walking. ¡°I thought you just said he wasn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes. I am making this call from the bathroom while your father is in the bedroom. You know I can¡¯t let him know that I am calling¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡±, I interrupt her. This is how desperate my mother is. ¡°I¡¯ming home.¡±

    ¡°Really? Are youing with Ryan?¡±

    ¡°No, mom!¡± I almost scream in frustration. ¡°I¡¯ming alone.¡±

    ¡°Alright, but can you please give out one of the designer bags your mother-inw got for you on your wedding day? I love that bag.¡±

    ¡°No, mom!¡± I groan and hang up.

    She just reminded me of the bag. I never brought it out since Ryan and I got married. I haven¡¯t used it either. Mother must have seen it when the woman gave it to me that night.

    It was my wedding gift. From my mother-inw and she expects me to give it out to her because she is my mother?

    I should be the materialistic one, not her. I am not going home because of her, I am going home because of my father.

    I need to assure him that everything will be fine and hear the whole details from him. I don¡¯t trust Mother one bit. She might actually be doing this just to get more financial help from Ryan and sometimes, it makes me feel strange.

    If we had been poor right from the start, I would have understood mother better but we were wealthy. We used to be wealthy. Things changed because of the default in thepany¡¯s financial status yet Mother is already selling us out.

    As for that brainless, selfish, egoistic man I call my husband, he is going to hear from me tonight.

 CHAPTER 29

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    The moment we get to the shade and I help her sit down before sitting across from her, she picks up a paper and throws it at me.

    I was expecting a long moment of silence from her before I eventually asks her to forgive me but from the look of things, I have already been forgiven. She is just ignoring me on purpose.

    I take the paper to see if it is actually a newspaper. When I drop it over myp, I see the headlines.

    Ryan Lorenzo, the CEO of Multi-Million Company seen with his newly wedded wife having a private dinner at ¡­.¡±

    I look up to see Mother¡¯s expression. Still unreadable.

    Did my n work?

    ¡°Is it true?¡± She demands weakly, her hands trembling a little. I notice she isn¡¯t as lively as she was thest time we came here for dinner. She seems to be getting weaker every day.

    I nod without a word.

    There is a picture of Valerie and I attached to the news. I don¡¯t understand why she is asking me if it is true.

    Maybe she wants to know if it is indeed Valerie or maybe she thinks it is just an act.

    ¡°Are you being real with her?¡± She questions again, but right now, her eyes seem to be speaking volumes of words and it is shining brightly now.

    ¡°It was just a surprise dinner I organized for her just to get her forgiveness¡±, I say nonchntly like I am speaking nothing but the truth.

    ¡°Forgiveness? You two fought again?¡± Horror and worry crosses her expression and I shake my head with a smile.

    ¡°No. We didn¡¯t fight. It was for thest fight we had¡­¡±

    ¡°The one about her ex-boyfriend?¡± She requests immediately and I jerk up in alert.

    Does she know about her ex-boyfriend?

    ¡°Fred?¡± I raise a brow in curiosity, wondering how she got to know him. ¡°How did you know him?¡±

    ¡°She told me about him. She said you two fought because of him¡±, she mentions to my hearing and I nod, d that she told mother this instead of something else.

    But with that, I keep asking myself how long it will take for her to get rid of him totally.

    Is she still stuck on him for her to talk to Mother about him?

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be jealous. I¡¯m sure she no longer likes him¡±, Mother taps me and I stare back at her, then nod with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy you two are getting along well¡±, she eventually smiles and takes her hand off my body. Then, she stares into space.

    Before I can think of something to chip in to make the story she had already formted in her head real, I see Valerie approaching us, her pace faster than usual.

    Her gait seems different too and she is striding fast like a man who is going to war.

    When she gets closer, my gaze shifts to her lips. I notice she is always in red lipstick and it is reminding me of the few seconds of kiss we hadst night.

    That kiss was brief but sweet.

    I haven¡¯t been able to get my head off the kiss. I didn¡¯t kiss her because I nned to. I did kiss her to shut her up and also because her lips were too inviting to be ignored.

    I couldn¡¯t help it and now I crave more of the kiss, even though she might behead me for that.

    ¡°Valerie¡±, Mother notices her as she gets close to us. Her face is in a frown as though she is wincing from the pain and her step bes slow.

    Mother also observes it too. ¡°What is the matter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡±, Valerie replies and turns to me. ¡°We need to go now, please.¡±

    I stand up quickly and rush to her, my right hand going straight for her waist while the other holds her right hand. ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    She shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯m having pains in my stomach¡±, she responds and mother appears too with worry etched on her face.

    ¡°I will be fine¡±, she smiles at Mother. ¡°I just need to take a rest. If I don¡¯t feel better by tomorrow, I will see a doctor.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mom¡±, I agree with her and face Mom. ¡°I will watch her and see if she gets better. If she doesn¡¯t, I will call the doctor.

    Mother nods with relief. ¡°Please do. If she doesn¡¯t feel better by the time she gets home, please call Julian.¡±

    ¡°Alright, mom¡±, I nod at her and hold Valerie more firmly as we both whirl around to leave. Turning to take ast look at Mother, I say. ¡°Tell dad we are gone. I will give you a call when I get home.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Concern fills her expression still.

    Valerie and I find our way to the garage where our car is packed. I notice she no longer winces like she was doing earlier and I am beginning to feel relieved that she is getting better.

    I begin to wonder why she is having pain. Did she eat something she is allergic to at dinner? Is it cramps?

    I can¡¯t ask her because I don¡¯t want to cause her more pain.

    The moment he opens the door, I help her in and climb in beside her immediately and John drives out of the gate.

    With my hands still on Valerie¡¯s, I utter softly. ¡°Sorry. How do you feel now?¡±

    She no longer looks like someone in pain. She shut her eyes and face me squarely, letting go of my hands.

    A scowl descends on her face and I furrow my brows in confusion.

    ¡°That was all a trick to get us going. Tell me why you haven¡¯t fulfilled the promise you made to my parents?¡±

    I still don¡¯t understand what she is saying but I understood what she meant by a trick. She pretended to be unwell so we could be alone and then she could raise the issue that was bothering her.

    Wow. Really?

    ¡°Ryan, I am talking to you¡±, she snaps at me, her loud voice echoing in my ears and making me raise an angry brow at her.

    ¡°What the hell are you even talking about?¡± I demand with annoyance. She made me disturbed about her health for no reason just for this?

    Why didn¡¯t she just demand us to go home instead of making me and Mother get worried over nothing?

    ¡°The hell I am talking about? Do I look like I am joking with you right now?¡±

    ¡°Maybe you are because you just pretended a few minutes ago to be ill.¡±

    She scoffs and turns away from me, seething in anger.

    I am trying not to get irritated by her actions. It is absolutely uncalled for. I thought we have gone past this stage of arguing with each other. When are we going to act like adults who are married to each other for crying out loud?

    I didn¡¯t even get to seek Mother¡¯s forgiveness for what I did to her. She cut short our discussion all for this.

    ¡°Ryan, I am not going to repeat myself. I just got a call from home now and I was told that you haven¡¯t fulfilled your promise¡­¡±

    ¡°What promise?¡± I don¡¯t seem to be getting what she is saying.

    She stares at me in disbelief. ¡°What promise? You still don¡¯t know what I am talking about? Stop with the fucking pretense, Ryan.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe I wouldn¡¯t be pretending now if you didn¡¯t pretend a while ago.¡±

    She does not say anything but I expect her to. Instead, she looks away again, smiling sadly to herself before grabbing the purse she kept beside her.

    She sits upright and says to John. ¡°Stop the car.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± John and I exim at the same time.

    She has a determined look on her face and I can¡¯t think of something to say to her to stop her from taking such a rash decision.

    Where the hell is she going by this time of the night? It is gettingte already and we are in the middle of a quiet area.

    ¡°I said stop the car. I want to get out¡±, she yells at him and he halts the car immediately.

    I can¡¯t even bring myself to tell John not to stop the car. It will look childish to do something like that and cause another argument in front of him.

    She opens the door instantly and rushes out without a word.

    After mming the car door shut, she begins to race toward the end of the road.

 CHAPTER 30

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    I stare at my mom in horror as she adjusts in her seat with a look of guilt. My Father is also sitting, just like always opposite me, watching her too with an angry expression.

    I shouldn¡¯t havee here.

    My mother will never change from the woman she has always been. She had kept all of these in check simply because Father could provide for all her unnecessary demands. But now that he can barely buy her designer bags, shoes and clothes, she is hell-bent on frustrating his life.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    This man is barely holding up and this is how she wants to help him.

    She stretches her hand to touch me but I stand up abruptly, making her hand drop.

    My anger has increased ten folds. Probably because she made me yell at Ryan for no reason.

    I thought he was being selfish again, just like every other time when he cares about only himself and not me. This time, I was wrong.

    ¡°Valerie, you should go home. It¡¯s gettingte¡±, My dad says after clearing his throat. ¡°Ryan and I have no business together. This is strictly between his father and me. His father made that promise. He said he was going to help after you both are married but he hasn¡¯t done anything. Ryan has nothing to do with this.¡±

    I tear my gaze away from Mother and face dad squarely. For no reason, my heart squeezes painfully in my chest and I am strongly chiding myself not to cry because I feel sorry for him.

    He doesn¡¯t look sad but he is emacipated.

    I got married to Ryan so I could help him be the man he was before he became a shadow of himself but nothing has been done yet.

    I agree that this isn¡¯t Ryan¡¯s fault but he should have at least put in a few good words for my dad to his father so he could help quickly.

    The help is urgent. Not something that can be dyed for too long.

    I am not supposed to be mad at Mother. If only she wasn¡¯t too desperate, maybe I wouldn¡¯t be mad at her. If I was in her shoes, I would have done the same but I¡¯m angry because she made me view Ryan as a bad person.

    She made me hate him all over again tonight because I thought he didn¡¯t help me on purpose while he gets all the help from me.

    I should go home.

    ¡°I will visit Lorenzo tomorrow again and see what he has to say¡±, My Father mumbles and gets to his feet. He approaches me with a sad smile, then pats my shoulder. ¡°I will see you off to the gate.¡±

    My legs betray me. They won¡¯t move because I feel numb in every part of my body.

    When he raises a brow at me, he swings his right arm around my shoulder and moves, making me peel my legs off the ground eventually.

    ¡°Val¡±, Mother calls, making me stop walking with Father. Without turning back, I listen attentively, waiting for what she has to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never knew it wasn¡¯t Ryan. Your Father won¡¯t tell me anything and he won¡¯t let me help him. We are selling everything. This house is the only thing left of us. I thought you wanted to get back at us or maybe Ryan doesn¡¯t want to help and letting you know about the situation will make you talk to him¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan has nothing to do with this, Christabel¡±, My father yells and I close my eyes immediately.

    He rarely shouts at her. She is always the one getting on people¡¯s nerves, acting like a child and not the 42 years old woman that she is.

    ¡°I should go¡±, I say and begin to walk to the door, letting Father¡¯s hand on my shoulder drop off.

    I step out onto the front door, holding onto my purse firmly as tears begin to form in my eyes, threatening to spill.

    I feel sorry for them. Not only dad anymore. I never imagined it woulde to this. I could tell that my dad is also desperate, he doesn¡¯t want to show it like mom is doing. He is good at hiding his emotions just like me.

    I wish there is something I can do about it. Ryan and I got married because of them. I didn¡¯t get married to him because I wanted his money. I agreed to this marriage because I wanted him to help my parents and also help him in return.

    What will he think of me now if I ask him for help? Why isn¡¯t his father helping us already? Why is he dying everything? What is happening? I thought they said they were friends.

    How long is this going to go on? There are no more cars in the garage, only a bike that I used to ride on with my dad around the courtyard.

    I am sure he brought it out so he could use it whenever he needs to go somewhere close.

    At this instant, I can no longer control my tears. They spill continuously till I brace myself up to walk out of the gate.

    There is no security as well. Everything is falling.

    I close the gate behind me still crying, thinking of what to do as I walk down the road without trying to find a cab to take me home.

    Home is still far, though but I need to think about this before getting home and talking to Ryan about my behavior tonight.

    I wonder what he will be thinking now.

    I try to control my tears but they won¡¯t stop. It keeps falling, scenes racing through my head.

    I am letting out all the pent-up pain in my chest, not only because my father needs help but because I am in this situation yet I can¡¯t help them.

    I keep walking with tears streaming down my eyes, deep in thought till I begin to feel cold.

    I hug my arms around my body and look up to see that I am far from my parent¡¯s home already and the whole ce is extremely quiet and getting dark.

    There are no cabs either.

    I can¡¯t get a cab here till I get to the end of the road. Even if I want to call a cab, I will have to get there first.

    I quicken my step, sniffing, and finally, my tears stop, probably because of the fear gripping my heart. I am alert now.

    From a distance, I see a light and the sound of a bike. I stop walking and wave my hand to stop the bike but it won¡¯t stop. It brushes past me into the dark.

    It looks like a delivery bike because the man on the bike is all dressed in ck and also wearing a helmet with a delivery box behind him.

    I sigh deeply and continue to walk, hugging my body to myself. A few meters away from the end of the road where I will find a cab, I hear the same sounding from behind me and I turn back to see the same bikeing towards me.

    Hastily, I move aside so he won¡¯t hit me and my phone falls down to the ground. Cursing under my breath, I pick up my phone to see that it is still in a good condition.

    The sound stops and I raise my head to see the man getting off the bike. He takes slow threatening steps toward me and I back away, wondering if my imagination is just running wild about him being an assant.

    I try to stay calm.

    Maybe he just wants to help me, I say to myself.

    I stop backing away and maintain a brave look. I examine his outfit again and my eyes catch something.

    A knife. A pocket knife.

    My heart begins to thump wildly in my ribcage. What the hell is he doing with a pocket knife?

    When he notices I have my gaze fixed on the pocket knife in his pocket, he dips his hand inside to hide it and I turn round to flee.

    Just like I am thinking, he begins to chase after me.

 CHAPTER 31

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    I am restless.

    I couldn¡¯t follow her because I was dumbfounded till she was out of sight. I never thought she would do a rash thing like that and I wonder where she has gone to.

    The more it gets darker, the more worried I be.

    Is she safe? Where exactly is she?

    The first emotion that struck my heart while she raced away was fear. Fear that she is going. Gone forever and I might never see her again.

    We haven¡¯t achieved our aim yet. Mother is just getting along well with me and there are more expectations from her.

    If Valerie goes away just like that, where do I start from? Valerie is the only one making the fear of losing my mother lessen bit by bit. Unconsciously, she has taught me what it means to ept whatever is toe; both good and bad.

    If we prepare for it and ites, it won¡¯t hurt too much while the unexpected one would hurt painfully.

    I won¡¯t say I am looking forward to my mother¡¯s death. I am just ready to ept the reality when ites to hit me hard.

    Things are supposed to be getting better between us. I don¡¯t like it when we fight but it seems she enjoys fighting me all the time.

    I can¡¯t even sit or get out of my clothes. I keep pacing my room with arms akimbo.

    I am trying to figure out where she must have gone. The only ce I have figured out is her parent¡¯s. She doesn¡¯t have any friends so that is out of the question.

    Should I go and look for her there?

    I don¡¯t want them to know we fought. Mother might get to know.

    Should I just wait till shees back? What if she neveres back?

    I groan in frustration and drop my hands as I stop pacing the room. From nowhere, I begin to feel a headache.

    I watch my phone on the bed, sitting silently, praying for it to ring and for the caller to be Valerie.

    I don¡¯t even understand what she meant by promises. I never made any promises to her parents and I wanted her to expatiate, instead, she got mad and left.

    Valerie won¡¯t call me after what she did earlier, I say inwardly as I take long strides towards my bed so I can give her a call, hoping she would pick up at least.

    Just then, my phone rings, and I stand transfixed for a few seconds before running over to grab it.

    Mother¡¯s name appears on my phone screen and I let out a heavy sigh of disappointment. For a moment, I am thinking it is Valerie calling but I am wrong yet again.

    That woman is full of pride. She always does the unexpected.

    Standing straight, I swallow hard before picking up the call.

    ¡°Mother¡±, I say as calmly as possible.

    ¡°Ryan, how is Valerie? Is she better now? It¡¯s been more than thirty minutes now, have you gone to the hospital with her? Should wee over?¡± She gushes out in concern all in one breath.

    I shake my head. ¡°No, Mother. You don¡¯t need toe, she is better now.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She questions, her breathing heavy from the other side like she has been running.

    I ignore it. I have decided not to bring up the topic of her health. That is part of epting reality. Talking about it will upset her and I don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t want her to be upset with me.

    If she ever brings it up, I will tag along but if it never happens, so be it.

    ¡°Yes, Mother. She is much better now.¡±

    ¡°Can you give her the phone?¡± She asks again and I shut my eyes, thinking of an excuse to give her.

    I can¡¯t tell her that Valerie only pretended to be sick so we could be alone to fight each other and I also can not tell her that Valerie is nowhere to be found.

    That might give her a heart attack. Every one of them loves that woman. Except me obviously.

    ¡°She is asleep already, Mom. Maybe tomorrow, I will call you so you can talk to her, ok?¡±

    She is silent for a while before she answers. ¡°All right. Take care.¡±

    She hangs up immediately and I let out a puff of air that I don¡¯t know I have been holding in.

    I am hurt by what she did. If I am to consider that, I won¡¯t be dead worried about her. I should be on my bed sleeping soundly but here I am. I can¡¯t bring myself to do anything because I am afraid something bad will happen to her. I have been having a dreadful feeling since she ran off.

    That sort of fear that makes you think she might run into a car and get injured or even get kidnapped or fall over a bridge or evenmit suicide.

    Valerie isn¡¯t someone who canmit suicide actually but the other thoughts keeps gnawing at my heart, increasing my fear.

    If I want to go and look for her, her parent¡¯s ce is the only ce I can look. There isn¡¯t even a high possibility that she would be there. Her parents want her with me and they might not amodate her for the night.

    I groan inwardly, my headache increasing as well as my worry.

    I drop my phone and turn my back to remove my suit when my phone rings again.

    I run towards it and grab it.

    It is Valerie.

    Shock runs through me.

    It feels like magic. Like a miracle that she is calling when I have just given up on seeing her call.

    Then it hits me.

    Why is she calling me instead ofing back home? Does she want to call it off over the phone? Is this the reason why she is calling?

    I hesitate from picking up the call, my heart pounding twice its normal rate.

    I really have no idea what she was talking about and I wish she can just give me a chance to listen to what exactly it is and then we can talk about it.

    Before it will go to voicemail, I pick and I hear a piercing scream from the phone.

    In confusion, I take the phone off my ears to see if it ising from the phone or somewhere else.

    I hear her voice atst. ¡°Shit!¡±

    She seems to be running because she is out of breath.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    Fear consumes my entire existence.

    ¡°What the hell is happening?!¡±

    ¡°Ryan, meet me at the Postcard office, someone just attacked me¡±, she mutters quickly and cuts the call while I stand transfixed to the spot with the phone still glued to my ears.

    I jolt upright, the words she spoke a while ago processing in my head.

    I let out a gasp and I dash outside.

 CHAPTER 32

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    He got away with it after his pocket knife pierced my shoulder and someone came to rescue me.

    He fled.

    He is a robber. He wanted to rob me of my belongings; my jewelry, phone, and purse but I didn¡¯t give in easily. He got mad and hurt me.

    Struggling with him helped too. If I hadn¡¯t done that, he would have been off with my things even before someone could appear to save me.

    ¡°Are you ok, ma¡¯am?¡± The stranger demands from me with a smile as he helps me to a seat.

    He hovers above me with arms akimbo waiting for a reply. I can¡¯t find my voice. I am still shaken from what happened a few minutes ago and I can feel the blood oozing from my back.

    There is no need for this stranger to know. Ryan will soon be here. I didn¡¯t mean to call him but I did anyway and he should be here any minute from now.

    I am just worried that I am going to bleed too much before he arrives.

    The guy squats to my height with concern filling his expression. ¡°Are you ok?¡± He asks me again and I nod.

    He seems relieved at my reply. He snaps his head towards the road the thief took and turns to me again with a deep frown on his face. ¡°Do you know him?¡±

    I shake my head, wondering if he is a police officer.

    ¡°Did you see his face?¡±

    I shake my head too.

    I wish I saw his face but I didn¡¯t. The helmet covered everything and I could barely make out his eyes too.

    I am sure he is a youngd because of how he ran. A middle-aged man wouldn¡¯t run that way.

    I was in distress yet he wanted to rob me instead of helping me. This is what the world has turned to. We don¡¯t want to help each other, we just want to derive benefits and that¡¯s all.

    If only everyone would be like me when ites to that. I am not perfect but when ites to helping without expecting any single thing in return, I am good at that.

    ¡°Should I take you to the nearest station?¡± The man¡¯s question pulls me out of my reverie.

    Now, I am sure he is either a police officer or he knows one.

    Before I can tell him not to bother, I hear the horn of a car followed by the headlight. I turn slightly to see the car halting immediately and Ryan jumps out, racing towards me still in the suit.

    I thought he would have changed into his pajamas ready to go to bed but he hasn¡¯t. Maybe he was worried about me.

    ¡°Val, what the hell happened?¡± He grabs my shoulders, breathing heavily and I wince in pain.

    He takes his hands off his shoulders immediately to see his right hand stained with my blood. His eyes widen.

    ¡°You are bleeding?¡± The stranger shouts in fear. This is when Ryan notices I am not alone. He turns to the guy and eyes him. ¡°You told me you were fine, I would have taken you to the hospital¡­¡±, he observes how cold Ryan is staring at him and he pauses. ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡°Her husband¡±, Ryan replies quickly before turning to me.

    ¡°Who is he?¡± He points towards the stranger. I don¡¯t know if I am expected to answer that because I don¡¯t even know his name. ¡°Is he the one who attacked you?¡±

    ¡°No. He saved me from the attacker¡±, I reply, my head spinning, and my shoulders in pain. Unconsciously, a groan leaves my mouth and Ryan picks me up from where I sit.

    ¡°I will take you to the hospital¡±, he mutters as he carries me in bridal style to the car. I almost forget there is someone else until Ryan climbs in beside me and I see him staring daggers at the man again.

    I wave at him, thankful for his intervention and he smiles at me, then waves.

    Ryan snorts and orders John to drive off.

    Iy my head on the edge of the car seat so I won¡¯t stain the whole ce with blood. I thought it was just a small scratch, why am I bleeding this way?

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± His worried-filled expression meets my eyes when I flutter them open. I nod without a word, feeling guilty.

    If I hadn¡¯t gotten mad at him and I didn¡¯t leave the car to go to my parent¡¯s ce on my own, maybe this wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    I can see how much he wants to shout at me. Well, he can do that today because I can¡¯t promise to shout back at him by tomorrow.

    For this guilt, he can shout at me but he isn¡¯t doing any of that.

    A wave of dizziness hits me and I ball my fist. He takes a hold of my hold and I unclench them.

    ¡°Are you in pain?¡±

    Isn¡¯t it obvious?

    John increases the car speed without Ryan¡¯s instructions and I nod at Ryan.

    I am fine and not fine.

    I don¡¯t even know how exactly I am feeling right now. I feel good but the blood is making me have doubts about how I feel.

    The blood isn¡¯t supposed to be this much. It is just a scratch and it can be treated with a first aid box but why do I feel dizzy and I feel like I will soon pass out?

    I stretch my hand at Ryan so he will help me up. He does not take it and I wonder if he is ignoring my hands or if he isn¡¯t seeing it.

    My eyes grow smaller. My teeth hit each other in agony as I force myself to sit upright. This is when I feel the real pain. It hurt like hell just like the first time he pierced me.

    Is it deep? Is this why it hurts so much?

    Then, I begin to tremble. Not because of the cold, I am wearing a jacket. I don¡¯t know why I am shaking like a leaf.

    Ryan notices it too and quickly takes off his suit, then puts it over my shoulder.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    The trembling stop and the dizziness take over. I am about to shout at John to f***ing fly if possible so we can get to the hospital as soon as possible.

    This is obviously not what I thought. This is obviously not something small.

    I am bleeding too much. It wasn¡¯t a piercing, it was a deep cut.

    I try to open my mouth but it fails me. Before I can force myself to open my mouth and say whateveres to my head, my head hits Ryan¡¯s shoulder and I lose consciousness.

 CHAPTER 33

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    I was mad at Valerie but the moment she lost consciousness, my anger disappeared and I found myself shouting at John to drive faster till we got to the hospital.

    The doctor attended to her and it wasn¡¯t really a big deal. She was only bleeding too much.

    I didn¡¯t want her to spend the night there so I carried her back into the car and we left for home.

    Deep in thought, I feel a movement beside me and she flutters her eyes open to see me staring.

    She was sleeping when we left the hospital but the doctor said she is fine.

    ¡°What happened?¡± She groans, closing her eyes and opening them again.

    I was so scared something bad was going to happen to her. But now I am relieved. She might be a handful but I care about her because she is my wife and her safety is my responsibility.

    ¡°We are going home¡±, I reply and look away. I don¡¯t know if she remembers how it all happened and the fact that we are justing back from the hospital by this time or maybe she doesn¡¯t want to talk about it.

    She is quiet.

    After a while, I turn to see her staring. I almost think she has fallen back into a deep slumber.

    ¡°Out with it¡±, she says like amand. If it came out louder than she is speaking at the moment, it would have been heavilyced with authority.

    ¡°What?¡± Confusion skates my expression.

    ¡°What is on your mind? Spill!¡±

    I roll my eyes and look away. ¡°There is nothing on my mind.¡±

    I am no longer angry but if she keeps talking about it and reminding me about what she did, the anger mighte back.

    ¡°Shout at me if you want, I won¡¯t shout back¡±, she mutters, making it sound like a promise and I almostugh out loud.

    ¡°Really?¡± She nods. ¡°Finally, you admit you love to shout.¡±

    ¡°I never said I don¡¯t shout or deny the fact that I do.¡±

    I nod.

    That¡¯s right.

    We continue the rest of the journey in silence. And when the gate opens to allow the car to drive in, I heave a deep sigh of relief.

    It is almost past midnight.

    I carry Valerie without hesitation, while John gets down from the car to pick up her phone and purse.

    The front door is thrown open for me and I enter. I take the staircase up to my room, ignoring how heavy she is.

    By the time I get into the room, I am breathless.

    I move straight to the bed to drop her, careful not to hurt her. She curls up in bed as I drag theforter up to her chin.

    I need to take a shower and then sleep on the couch. I will ask the maids to get a bed here by tomorrow so I don¡¯t have to always sleep on the couch whenever she wants to sleep here.

    Valerie¡¯s hand stops me from moving away from the bed. I raise a brow and turn back slowly.

    ¡°Shout at me already, Ryan. I hate your silence.¡±

    I remain quiet for a while. I wanted to let it go because the deed is done already but then I realize I am still angry about what she did.

    ¡°Where did you go?¡± I ask the first question that pops into my head. This was the first thing that troubled me.

    ¡°Home.¡± She answers sharply as if expecting that to be the first question.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

    ¡°Why in God¡¯s name did you leave that way?¡± I find myself asking her in a harsh tone.

    She shrugs nonchntly. ¡°I wanted to see mom and rify things.¡±

    ¡°What things?¡± I stand with arms akimbo, a scowl on my face mixed with the curiosity eating at me.

    She shrugs again. ¡°I wanted to rify if you are truly the selfish, stupid man that I thought you were.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim in disbelief.

    Is this the reason why she asked me to shout at her? So she could say this to me?

    ¡°Yes. I thought you were selfish.¡±

    I try not tough. I am making an effort to look serious like I ought to look right now.

    ¡°What is this about if I may ask?¡± I demand quickly, expecting her to clear the air and confusion.

    ¡°You and I got married for a reason, didn¡¯t we?¡± She throws a question back at me instead of replying. I nod anyway.

    We got married so I could have thepany of my dreams and so her parents could get the financial help they needed from ourpany.

    Isn¡¯t this it or is there more to it?

    ¡°My father is still stuck at home. I thought you weren¡¯t helping because you are selfish but I realize this isn¡¯t your fault but your dad¡¯s.¡±

    Now I am beginning to understand what this is about.

    She used me of not fulfilling the promise I made to her parents. I didn¡¯t make any promises. My parents did.

    Valerie and I had other reasons to be married but the major reason for this marriage was because of our parents.

    My parents and hers wanted us married for separate reasons while Valerie and I got married for some other reasons too. We wouldn¡¯t have gone ahead with this if we didn¡¯t have other reasons.

    This way, Valerie and I have our ns and we made a promise to each other by epting to help each other and also by signing the contract which will automatically annul our marriage in 20 months while our parents also had theirs.

    ¡°Father isn¡¯t helping?¡± She shakes her head and I let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°You should have told me so I can drive you there, how can you be so stubborn and daft not to know that¡­¡±, I am getting out of line.

    Why is my father not helping him? When I met with Mr. Adams, I knew he needed as much help as he wanted. I entrusted that to Father. He was the one who made the promise, not me. He was even the one who brought all of this up even though Mother did it silently.

    Then why isn¡¯t he helping them?

    Now I understand her rage. If I was in her shoes, I would have been so mad as well. I should probably visit Father in the office tomorrow. I need to know what is happening.

    Valerie isn¡¯t like most of the women out there who will use an opportunity like this to their utmost advantage. Getting married to a billionaire is a big deal but she isn¡¯t making a big deal out of it.

    All she wants is for her Father¡¯spany to get back on its feet.

    ¡°You know what? Henceforth, you will go out with the guards. You are not allowed to leave the house without them.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± She exims in disbelief and scoffs. ¡°I am not a child, Ryan. I can take care of myself.¡±

    ¡°The same way you took care of yourself tonight which got you hurt?¡± I retort back sharply and she res at me coldly.

    I thought she said I could shout at her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need any guard, Ryan. This only happened because¡­¡±

    ¡°Because? You want to justify your actions?¡±

    She does not answer. I see her bite her lower lips and then shut her mouth. I can see how determined she is not to respond to me or give me a rude answer like she always does.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, she blurts out unexpectedly and I raise a brow, thinking I didn¡¯t hear right. ¡°I said I am sorry. Stop acting as if you misheard.¡±

    Instantly, my anger dissolves and I find myself smiling inwardly.

    Valerie apologized to me.

    Wow!

    I pull out a folding moon chair and push it close to the bed before sitting in.

    I hold her right hand. ¡°We might not be real but you are still my wife and my responsibility¡±, I say softly and she nods. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I sounded harsh.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Goodnight.¡± She turns her back to me and my face falls.

    What the hell! I am trying to be sweet and this is what I get in return?

    ¡°I will visit Father in the office tomorrow. I really don¡¯t know what is happening but I guess tomorrow¡¯s visit will let me find out where the problem ising from.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She replies nonchntly.

    Instead of standing up to go take a bath so I can sleep, I sit still on the chair watching her back.

    Even if her parents don¡¯t deserve this, Valerie sure deserves it. I am not supposed to intervene in their affairs but I will do this for her. Then maybe she will think better of me and not continue to call me selfish.

    ¡°Are you asleep?¡± I ask quietly when I see her body heaving up and down slowly. She does not respond so I assume she must have fallen asleep.

    The medicines she took right after the doctor treated her which made her fall asleep instantly must still be working.

    At least, this way, I don¡¯t have to be worried about her or stay awake just to be sure she won¡¯t wake up or start to feel any pain.

    It will make her sleep soundly.

    Smiling to myself, I rise slowly and stroll to the bathroom to take a shower.

 CHAPTER 34

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    A noise wakes me up.

    I flutter my eyes open instantly, to see the lights still on. Ryan didn¡¯t switch them off before going to sleep on the couch and I didn¡¯t do the same before sleeping off.

    Wondering what noise woke me up, I try to sit upright but my shoulders hurt badly. Then, I remember.

    I was attackedst night and I just had a dream. My desire to know who really attacked me led me to have this horrible dream.

    I was seeing faces but three faces were familiar. One was Fred¡¯s. The second was Brenda and the third was nameless.

    I have no idea where I know her from but I am sure she is someone that I know. I was seeing more of these three faces and I was so sure one of them was responsible forst night¡¯s attack.

    Now that I am awake, I am so sure that none of these people are responsible because the culprit seemed to be going his way before he saw a good opportunity to rob me since I was all alone on the empty street.

    Sighing heavily, I step down slowly from the bed, feeling the sudden urge to urinate. My dder feels extremely full and I wonder if it is actually the urge to pee that woke me up or the so-called silly dream I just had.

    Unhurriedly, I saunter to the bathroom door and turn the doorknob to enter.

    I help myself to ease the urge to urinate before washing up and stepping out again, hoping to catch some more sleep.

    Now that I think of it, the dream might be a result of the medicines I was given at the hospitalst night which made me drowsy immediately.

    I remember there was a time I was sick and I was given some drugs which were making me have lots of nightmares for a whole week. The doctor said it was just a side effect and it will stop.

    It stopped but it almost threatened my whole existence.

    I was 15 when it happened and I almost lost that strong-willed, bubbling, bright nature that I had then. I barely got sick and I couldn¡¯tin about the nightmares anymore because my mother wasn¡¯t taking it seriously ever since the doctor waved it away as the side effects of the medicine.

    Within a month, I was back to my normal self.

    Iy back on the bed with my unhurt hand behind my head as I stare at the ceiling, my mind wandering back tost night.

    The discussion I had with my parents kept bothering me. I have a bad feeling about this for no reason and I really hope it isn¡¯t what I am thinking.

    If Ryan isn¡¯t involved in this, then does it mean his father is doing this intentionally?

    If they are friends like I was made to believe, then he should help as fast as possible. I don¡¯t even need to be married to his son for him to help my father but I guess promises are meant to be fulfilled not broken.

    If this is the case, then he should fulfill the promise he made to my father since my parents did a great job at convincing me thereby fulfilling their end of the bargain.

    The noisees back.

    It sounds like a sob and I sit upright immediately, wondering where it ising from.

    I thought I woke up from a bad dream or as a result of my full dder, but now I know it isn¡¯t any of the two.

    A noise actually woke me up and that noise isn¡¯t from me.

    Quickly, my eyes dart to the couch where Ryan isying peacefully with his arms folded.

    I am about to wave it away thinking it is just a figment of my imagination when I notice that his mouth is slightly open.

    Is he the one producing the sound?

    I hate to be wide awake at midnight. I think too wildly for my good.

    I hiss and turn away when the sob hits my ears again, this time louder and obviously from where Ryan is sleeping.

    Ryan? Is he having a nightmare?

    I find myself on my feet, ambling toward him. His arms are no longer folded, they are beside him as he tosses.

    Before I can get close, he begins to struggle with something in his sleep and I rush to his side. He balls his hand into a fist and hits it into the empty air before going sideways and hitting the edge of the couch.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± I call out in fear before I know it.

    Forgetting that I am also hurt, I grab his hands so he won¡¯t hurt himself and I wince in pain.

    Before I can adjust to the pain and hold his hands more firmly, it slips off and his eyes flutter open to meet mine.

    I do not know the kind of expression I have on my face right now but I am sure it is close to the expression someone would have when in pain because Ryan sits up quickly. ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    I nod, feeling embarrassed for being caught holding his hand.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± He asks as he takes his hand off my shoulder, making me wonder if he knows that I just woke him up from a nightmare or not.

    He isn¡¯t acting like he is aware.

    ¡°You were having a nightmare¡±, I reply and stand back up before turning to go back to bed. Now, I am more than sure that I won¡¯t sleep.

    ¡°A nightmare?¡± His questions stop me dead in my tracks.

    I have been thinking inwardly about when he started having nightmares like this and why. I don¡¯t know why I always feel so scared of nightmares but it usually leaves a dreadful feeling in the pit of my stomach, probably because of the nightmares I used to have when I was younger.

    They were horrible. Scary. Unrealistic.

    Sometimes, I dream of being tied up. Other times, I dream of being pursued and after a while, I will find myself stuck in a position till the pursuer catches me.

    I don¡¯t want to remember them.

    Now that Ryan is asking me, I am sure he doesn¡¯t know he had a nightmare. Or maybe this is the first time he is having a nightmare in years.

    I used to think every kid out there was bound to have nightmares. That was my belief because, after a while, I began to ask every single kid that came my way if they always had nightmares.

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± I turn back squarely to face him.

    Confusion skates his expression. I sigh and look away.

    If he goes back to sleep, he might still have the same nightmare. What if he hurts himself?

    ¡°Come sleep on the bed¡±, I say nonchntly and turn back to continue walking to the bed.

    If he sleeps beside me, I will monitor him. If he starts to shake vigorously, I will find a way to stop him from hurting himself.

    ¡°What!¡± The exmation is mixed with a snort of disbelief.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want toe to sleep with me on the bed?¡±

    I already deprived him of his bed. The best I can do right now is let him have thefort of the bed while I monitor him since I won¡¯t find sleep anytime soon.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    My father used to do the same thing with me then. Whenever he was close to me, I don¡¯t have nightmares and I guess the bond between us today was created that year.

    That bond is unbreakable.

    I am not doing this to create any bond between Ryan and me. I just want to help him ovee what is about to start. It shouldn¡¯t even start because it is a terrible feeling that leaves people unsure about their existence or unsure about what will happen the very next day.

    Ryan is examining me with mouth agape. He can¡¯t believe I am offering him the same bed I pushed him offst night.

    I can be stone-hearted when I want to be but in situations like this, it gets softened.

    If he misbehaves, it will go back to its normal position, though.

    I twirl around and climb into bed, my back to the bed, my unhurt hand over my head, and my eyes fixed on the ceilings.

    From nowhere, something jumps right next to me on the bed and I jerk up in fright to see Ryan beside me with a huge smile on his face.

    How the hell did he sneak out to me without making a noise?

    Did he pretend to be having a nightmare just for me to do this? Why is he over-excited about this?

    I shift to the edge to create a huge gap between us as I re at him harshly and the wide grin on his face turns into a smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After saying that, he closes his eyes while he sleeps on his side with a smile still on his face.

    I watch him go back to sleep before heaving a deep sigh of relief.

 CHAPTER 35

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Valerie¡¯s sleeping face is the first thing that meets my eyes the moment I open them.

    She looks peaceful and beautiful. Her full lips are attractive and it reminds me of the brief kiss we shared the other night.

    She doesn¡¯t look close to that iron-fist stone-hearted, the argumentative woman I know her to be. She is like a sleeping beauty goddess.

    My gaze shifts slowly to her exposed cleavage and I gulp and quickly look away. Suddenly, I step down from the bed so I can go take a bath before going to work.

    It¡¯s morning already. Even without an rm, I usually wake up at exactly 6 am or a few minutes past 6 am so I can get ready for work.

    I don¡¯t bother to check the time before going into the bathroom to have a bath. After brushing my teeth, I get into the shower.

    As the hot water grazes down my whole body from my hair, my mind keeps going back tost night and also Valerie.

    I can¡¯t take my head off that exposed skin of hers and alsost night when she held my hands, iming that I had a nightmare.

    I don¡¯t dream at all.

    I know I was really ufortable on that couch but I am so sure she thought wrong of me.

    I didn¡¯t have a nightmare but I guess it was all for good because she allowed me to sleep beside her because of that.

    Unconsciously, I smile.

    There is a huge difference between sleeping on a couch and on a massive bed where I can roll all I want. There is also a huge difference between sleeping alone and with a beauty right beside me.

    The sight of her being the first thing to see is stunning.

    The shower goes off and I jerk back to reality.

    Staring up at it, it begins to pour again and I let out a sigh of relief.

    Just then, it dawns on me that I have been thinking about her since I got here.

    Do I still need to remind myself again and again that we are not meant to admire or be attracted to each other?

    This marriage is meant to end in 20 months so I shouldn¡¯t get over myself. There are a lot ofdies out there that I can get for myself after this is over.

    I shouldn¡¯t let the mere sight of her cleavage get to me. I guess it did get to me because I haven¡¯t had sex in a while.

    If Valerie is fine with me having an affair with someone else, then I can find a random girl to spend the weekend with.

    I spread my arms out, feeling giddy about my newest intention of finally having sex with a girl. The water washes through my entire body and I turn the shower off before taking a hold of the towel to wrap around my waist.

    Raking my hand into my hair to dry out the liquid, I step out of the bathroom to see Valerie still sleeping on the bed in the same position I left her.

    My hands leave my hair unconsciously as I stare at her. From nowhere, the memories of how she came into my room unnoticed to see me nakede to my head and I smirk before shaking my head.

    This is the first time I would see a part of her. Valerie isn¡¯t all righteous but she doesn¡¯t expose most of her skin.

    Most times, it is always her legs that are out. I have never seen her cleavage and now I imagine how full her boobs will be.

    She looks pretty busty.

    I love girls like that.

    What the hell! I almost scream inwardly at the ridiculous thought in my head.

    I love girls that are busty but definitely not Valerie. I specifically told her she is not my spec and she truly isn¡¯t.

    Feisty girls are a huge turn-off for me. I like the submissive ones and Valerie isn¡¯t that girl.

    Hissing silently to myself for harboring such absurd thoughts, I stroll toward the dresser to get my lotion.

    I do that quickly so I don¡¯t have to face her if she wakes up before I leave for work. After drying my hair too, I amble close to the closet to get a dress for the day.

    I have an appointment by 8 am and another out-of-office appointment by 10 am. When I am back at the office, I intend to visit dad at hispany. It isn¡¯t too far from mine so I guess I will go there from the out-of-office meeting.

    If I go straight to the office, I might have a lot to handle, and going back to see him will be a little impossible.

    I want to know why he hasn¡¯t done what he ought to. I might have to visit Mr. Adams to hear his side of the story.

    I pull out a new blue zer I just got from thest shopping my secretary did for me and a white long sleeve t-shirt. I searched for matching shoes before taking out ck pants.

    Within minutes, I am done dressing and as I stand in front of the mirror to check myself out, I wish Valerie will actually see me before I go to work.

    Good-looking is an understatement.

    Smiling to myself, I grab my briefcase and move out. I make sure to close the door quietly behind me so I won¡¯t interrupt her sleep.

    ncing briefly at my Rolex wristwatch, I see it is almost 7 am so I increase my pace down the staircase nodding to the greetings of the maids I meet on my way out of the front door.

    John is already waiting for me by the car.

    ¡°Good morning, boss¡±, he bows slightly before opening the back door for me.

    I get in and smile. ¡°A lovely morning to you too.¡±

    The weather is really nice today and I think it is the reason for my good mood. Apart from the fact that I might soon getid, the weather is cool.

    John climbs into the driver¡¯s seat, buckles the seat belt, and ignites the car engine into action.

    He reverses back and suddenly stops. I am looking out of the window when I notice he isn¡¯t moving backward again.

    Instead of asking him what the matter is, I stare back to see an oing car.

    Valerie doesn¡¯t get any visitors so I am sure this person is here to see me. When the car edges closer, I see it is one of the cars in my parent¡¯s garage.

    A white Range Rover.

    The same one Mother takes out.

    When the car gets fully into the courtyard, John resumes reversing the car and I stop him. ¡°Stop the car!¡±

    He obeys mymand and I open the door to go out myself.

    If this is indeed my Mother, then it is either because of her health since we didn¡¯t have time to talk wellst night or because she is here to know about Valerie¡¯s health since we left earlyst night because of that.

    I take long strides towards the car even before the driver cane out to open the door for her.

    My thoughts are right. It is indeed my Mother and she looks pretty good today.

    ¡°I had toe early so I can meet you at home. I see you are ready to go to work.¡± She steps down slowly from the car with my help.

    ¡°How are you, mom?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Is everything ok?¡± I demand out of curiosity.

    ¡°You are surprised I came early?¡± She raises a brow alongside a half smile.

    I nod.

    This must be about Valerie¡¯s health since she isn¡¯t looking as weak as she wasst night.

    ¡°Is Valerie in?¡± She points to the house.

    ¡°Yes¡±, I say, feeling d that my assumptions are right. ¡°She is still asleep, though.¡±

    A huge smile descends on her face as she nods her head intermittently. She is wearing a pretty long white gown with her hair down.

    She might be sick but she is still as beautiful as I can remember. I loved twirling my fingers around her hair when I was little.

    ¡°Is she the reason you came here?¡± I shift ufortably when she isn¡¯t saying anything.

    ncing up, sheughs and hits my shoulder yfully. ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous. I came here to see you too. I was really worried about her, though.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t jealous but it¡¯s all for good. I love all her assumptions. It will work to my benefit.

    Our benefit.

    ¡°She is good, it was just a slight¡­¡± I am thinking of what to say to make her believe that Valerie was indeed sickst night but then now she is better.

    Should I call it cramps? Menstrual cramps?? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    That should be it. Most women have menstrual cramps and Mother will believe this as soon as it leaves my mouth since it is natural and doesn¡¯t take too long to get over.

    ¡°It is¡­¡±

    ¡°That is why I am here¡±, she cuts me short, her expression bing serious. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be ashamed about it.¡±

    Confusion crosses my expression because I have no idea what she is talking about now.

    Does she know? What does she know?

    I gasp. Did she see me and Valerie arguing in the car and she jumps to the right conclusion that Valerie only faked being sick?

    ¡°The symptoms are clear. I am also a woman and I know how it feels¡­¡±

    ¡°Symptoms?¡± I interrupt her from going further, my head spinning in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Her mouth drops open as she asks me. ¡°You don¡¯t know either?¡±

    ¡°Know what?!¡± Now my curiosity is at its peak as much as my confusion.

    ¡°Am I wrong?¡± She asks more to herself. ¡°Isn¡¯t she preggy?¡±

    Preggy? I think I have heard this word somewhere before but I can¡¯t seem to fathom what it means.

    Is it what some women have? Is it rted to menstrual cramps too?

    The touch on my folded arms pulls me back to life. The serious look is no longer on her face. It has been reced with a mischievous smirk. ¡°Is Valerie pregnant?¡±

    I imagine I heard wrong but then the smirk turns into a wide smile and I can¡¯t help but exim in shock with a loud gasp. ¡°What?!¡±

 CHAPTER 36

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Yawning and stretching, my left hand touches the space beside me and I open my eyes to see that Ryan is gone.

    He was here all through the night and he slept soundly.

    He must have gone to work.

    Suddenly, my stomach rumbles loudly and I groan and get up. My shoulder still hurts a lot and I guess I am this hungry because of the medicines fromst night.

    I wear the flip-flop beside the bed and move out of the room, still yawning loudly without any care in the world.

    Last night, I felt like hell. But today, I feel a lot better even though the pain is very much in existence.

    However, I have decided not to think too deeply about what transpiredst night. I figured out that thinking about it was what made me have that dream.

    A dream is a figment of imagination as a result of human thoughts. This is my dad¡¯s definition of a dream.

    There is absolutely no use thinking about it when the deed has been done already. He is just a mere robber who wanted to rob me of my possessions, nothing more.

    He is nowhere close to being Fred or Brenda or even that otherdy.

    I take the staircase down slowly to the dining room to see if there is breakfast. With my stomach still rumbling and groaning, I find Catherina cing the food on the table right on time.

    I usually eat downstairs.

    I have never eaten breakfast with Ryan at this table. We have had dinner twice, though. Being alone at this table has been a usual thing.

    ¡°Good morning.¡±

    ¡°Please dish it out, Cat. I¡¯m famished¡±, I drag out a seat and flop into it.

    I wince.

    I don¡¯t know why I keep forgetting the fact that I got hurt.

    Breakfast is toast bread, omelet, sunny side up, baked beans, and fruit juice.

    At the sight of the food again, my stomach growls louder than ever before and Catherine smiles at me.

    I almostugh but I manage to roll my eyes at her.

    The moment she keeps the tray in front of me, I dig into it. I ate the two toast bread first and asks her to leave the ones in the other ce because I am not ok yet.

    She leaves the dining table with a smile while I continue to eat.

    Today¡¯s fruit juice is different. I take a sip and another and another.

    Why am I not getting filled up?

    When I am about to eat up the fourth toast bread, footsteps approach with the cking sound of heels.

    With bread stuck in my mouth, I twirl around to see Mrs. Lorenzo approaching the dining area with a big smile on her face.

    I stop eating.

    Ryan¡¯s mother? Yesterday, she was so weak and unhappy and today, she is smiling widely like someone who isn¡¯t ill or someone who is about to die.

    Is she going to die really soon? Is that why she is smiling as a farewell?

    I p myself mentally for such stupid thoughts. When I blink, again and again, she is there, still smiling and striding close to me.

    She is truly here. Maybe she is here to ask about my health since I didn¡¯t allow her to speak to Ryanst night because of the little stunt I pulled.

    Should I tell her what I heard from my parents? Will she be of help too?

    Apparently, Ryan has nothing to do with this so it is definitely the job of his parents. If his father is in control then his mother can also help convince him to do the right thing.

    There is a lot of harm in dying.

    ¡°What a huge appetite, sweetheart¡±, she pulls my cheeks when she is close by and drags another chair to sit on.

    ¡°Mom?¡± I am still dumbfounded to see her this early.

    ¡°Mom?¡± She calls out in disbelief, then she chuckles and holds my hand. ¡°Did you just call me mom?¡±

    I nod. Then I continue to eat.

    ¡°How is your health? Do you feel a lot better now?¡± She demands and I nod with a smile.

    ¡°No more pain? No nauseation?¡± I nod again and she heaves a deep sigh of relief.

    ¡°Have some food¡±, I push the bigger tray to her but she waves it away. There are still two pieces of bread left. When she doesn¡¯t take it, I take one and finish it up with my omelet before drinking thest content of the fruit juice.

    I belch satisfactorily and lean morefortably on the seat.

    When I feel a pain in my shoulder, I try to suck in a groan so she won¡¯t notice a thing. I don¡¯t have to start exining to her how I pulled a stunt back therest night and argued with her son then went off on my own to my parent¡¯s ce which almost got me killed and robbed.

    ¡°Do you usually eat this much?¡± Her eyes hold twinkles of amusement.

    I shake my head. Taking hold of the serviette, I wipe my mouth with it. ¡°To be honest, today is extremely different. I really don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of¡­.¡±

    ¡°Really? Today is different?¡± Her eyes bulge out, not in fear but something different.

    My mouth hangs open from how she cut me short.

    I wanted to say it might be a result of the medicines I tookst night. Maybe this is why I am eating this much. Besides, I didn¡¯t eat muchst night at her ce. The call interrupted my dinner and the news made me lose my appetite.

    ¡°Yes¡±, I reply when I see her still waiting for me to answer her question.

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± She exims promptly. ¡°I knew it!¡± She shifts close to me and pulls me into a tight hug.

    I try to release myself from the hug as fast as possible so she won¡¯t hurt me but she disengages from the hug really fast, her eyes brimming with delight and happiness.

    ¡°I asked Ryan but he wouldn¡¯t say a thing. I¡¯m sure he was too embarrassed to tell me. He wouldn¡¯t even let mee in so I had to drive home and thene back when I am sure he has gone to work.¡± She mutters in one breath, the smile not leaving her face.

    ¡°Were you here earlier?¡± I demand out of curiosity. I still don¡¯t know what this is all about.

    ¡°Yes. He said you were asleep but I wanted to ask you something. I thought he was going to answer me but he didn¡¯t so I had toe to see you now¡±, she expresses with a chuckle.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I lean back on the chair again, my curiosity at its peak.

    She grins widely and blurts out. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±

    I blink, widen my eyes, and exim. ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± Her face falls and the smile vanishes.

    Is this why she is here? Did she mistake the stunt I pulledst night for pregnancy as well as my eating habit today?

    Did she ask Ryan this same question? What answer did he give her?

    Ryan and I haven¡¯t really talked about how to go about the n of faking a pregnancy and I feel it is too early but I don¡¯t want to disappoint the poor woman.

    She was full of life a while ago and now her eyes are filled with sadness.

    This is why she made me marry Ryan. So we could love each other and have offspring. Even if she doesn¡¯t get to see them before her death, knowing that I have conceived will make her smile till death.

    Should I tell her the truth?

    Should I just fake it now? Is it right to do this now? Every piece of evidence from her side is pointing to the assumption that I am pregnant. First, I was having aches in my stomach and second, I just had arge breakfast that I haven¡¯t had in years.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know if you are pregnant?¡± She ces a warm hand on my shoulder. ¡°The same thing happened to me when I was pregnant with Ryan. I didn¡¯t know I was going to have him but these symptoms were evident. I ate a lot. I felt nauseated every morning and evening. I slept a lot too but I guess you should visit a doctor first to confirm my suspicions.¡±

    I watch her speak and a smile creeps to my face. I shake my head at her and she perks up in expectation.

    ¡°I know¡±, I answer calmly as I look down, faking shyness.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    ¡°Really? You know?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am pregnant?¡± I reveal and a moment of heavy silence falls upon us, her eyes wide open and my heart beating twice its normal rate.

    When she stands up, she engulfs me in another big fat hug, her hand grazing my injured shoulder.

 CHAPTER 37

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Father is about to go home when I enter his office without knocking. His secretary had already told me they were going out but I really can not let this wait till some other time.

    I also have a lot to do back in the office which is why I decided toe here straight instead of going back to the office from my out-of-office meeting.

    He steps back to allow me in, his gaze firmly fixed on mine.

    Realizing that I haven¡¯t greeted him, I say slowly. ¡°Good morning, Father.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± He demands instead of replying to my greeting and offering me a seat.

    I take a seat without his permission and without answering his question.

    A lot of questions keep popping up in my head that I haven¡¯t found answers to. Apart from the fact that I want to do this for Valerie¡¯s sake, I am doing this because of the curiosity consuming my whole existence.

    I want to know why. I want to know what is wrong.

    ¡°I asked why you are here, Ryan. I have a meeting in the next thirty minutes and I have to be on my way now¡±, he remarks with gritted teeth.

    ¡°I won¡¯t take much of your time, dad. I just need to ask you a question¡±, I twirl the chair around to face him where he is still standing.

    He is quiet for a while before asking me. ¡°Is this business rted?¡±

    I shake my head in response. ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°You know well enough that I don¡¯t entertain personal discussions in my office, why can¡¯t we do thister tonight?¡±

    ¡°No, dad. Come on. I will be fast about it. Come sit already¡±, his resistance is pissing me off. This is something we can be over with in a few minutes.

    My words get to him as he res at me for a while before walking over to his seat, opposite me.

    ¡°What is this about?¡± He questions with impatience.

    Now that I think of it, Mr. Adams¡¯ need for help isn¡¯t the only thing that I need to know from my dad. There are a lot of things that puzzles me about his rtionship with my mother ever since I got to know about her health issues. He is indifferent and acts nonchnt about it like it has nothing to do with him.

    The one who should be miserable ought to be him. They are in love, aren¡¯t they? He is about to lose his wife yet he has the mind to act like nothing is going to change even if she is gone.

    I sigh deeply.

    One thing at a time.

    ¡°Valerie and I foughtst night. I think she got a call from home about fulfilling some promises which I have no idea about. She thinks I am involved but I am not. Obviously, her father told her this is between you and him and I am not involved so I want to know what is happening.¡±

    His expression doesn¡¯t waver. He isn¡¯t looking shocked, surprised, or angry.

    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±

    I scoff. I thought I just made myself clear. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you helping them?¡±

    ¡°How is this any of your business?¡± His eyes bore into mine, his hands balled into a fist.

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim in disbelief. ¡°How is it my business?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He already said it is between us so why do you want to interfere?¡±

    ¡°I am not interfering¡±, I say with a raised voice. ¡°I just want to know when you intend to help him. It is taking longer than they expected so why aren¡¯t you seeing him and¡­¡±

    His soft chuckle cuts me off.

    That usual wicked chuckle reminds me of something.

    ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡± I ask him, slumping back into the seat when the realization dawns on me.

    I know the kind of man he is. He doesn¡¯t just do anything. He does things that profit him.

    When he asked me to marry Valerie, I opposed the idea because I thought it was something he is going to benefit from financially but then I got to know he isn¡¯t benefiting anything but Valerie¡¯s family will be the ones on the receiving end, seeking our help.

    Why did he do this when he wasn¡¯t going to get any form of benefit from the union? I don¡¯t want to believe that my mother made him do this. There has to be something he wants to get from this.

    ¡°This is between Adams and I, so get lost!¡± He yells at me with zing red eyes which gets me more confused.

    Why is he pissed up with the topic of Mr. Adams? Is there more to this?

    Instead of leaving, my interest intensifies. ¡°Dad, is there something you are not telling me?¡±

    He grips the edges of hisrge mahogany table and leans forward. ¡°This is none of your business.¡±

    ¡°I know¡±, I reply sharply. ¡°I know it is none of my business but my wife is involved. Valerie is my wife and I want to know if everything is fine and why you are not fulfilling your end of the bargain.¡±

    He does not reply. He remains silent, his jaws tightening while I examine him carefully wishing so desperately to read through him to find my answers.

    ¡°Did he offend you?¡± I question softly and his nose res up, letting it sink deep into me that I have hit the nail directly on the wall.

    This must be it.

    This is how he wants to get back at the poor man.

    ¡°As I said earlier, this is none of your business. This is between¡­¡±

    ¡°If this is none of my business, then don¡¯t involve me¡±, I can no longer hold my anger. ¡°Involving Valerie means I am involved. Do what is right for her parents and then I will have no reason to question you about how you do a thing!¡± I yell back at him, pointing an using finger at him.

    He bursts intoughter, throwing his head backward and shaking his head vigorously. I watch him fold his arms while heughs, cross his upper leg over the other and twirl his chair around.

    My chest heaves up and down as adrenaline shoots down my spine.

    This is unfair.

    We got married to satisfy the two families and let them achieve their aim. I really do not know what aim my father has to gain from our union but I am so sure that not allowing Valerie¡¯s family to achieve their own aim will let him achieve his.

    This is totally unfair to Valerie and me. This is lost unfairly to her parents who thought getting their daughter married to someone she doesn¡¯t love will put an end to their problems.

    ¡°See yourself out!¡± His voice jerks me out of my reverie. He has stoppedughing. His face is looking stony and he points to the door.

    Rising slowly, I think of what else to say to him.

    Is this even the right time for all this? His wife is at home battling with an ailment that will soon cost her to leave the world and all he cares about is ruining someone¡¯s life for his own selfish reasons.

    Isn¡¯t he supposed to be looking for ways to save her life or possibly spend more time with her?

    Isn¡¯t he supposed to be making an effort to make herst days be in happiness?Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°That reminds me, I thought you said you don¡¯t love that girl, what¡¯s her name?¡±

    His question piques my interest and I stare at his face.

    ¡°Valerie? Yes, that¡¯s her name. I remember how you were hell-bent on not going through with this¡±, he smirks. ¡°What has changed?¡±

    ¡°She is my wife, isn¡¯t that what you and mom both wanted?¡±

    I throw the question at him, expecting him to fall deep into my trap but my father is way smarter. He does not respond, his grin widens instead and he also chuckles lightly.

    I expect him to shake his head and tell me he didn¡¯t want it to happen too. I expect him to nod and tell me, yes, he wanted it too.

    Both answers will pave the way to finding out what his true intentions are. If he didn¡¯t want me to marry Valerie, then there must be a reason. If he wanted me to marry her truly, then there has to be a reason too apart from the reason of being betrothed to each other or because mother wanted me to be married and have kids before she dies.

    Mr. Adams and my father im to be friends but I have never seen him in our house while I was still staying there.

    Mr. Adams and my father must have a history together and that history will be the answer to all of these questions.

    If it was a good history, then there is absolutely no reason for my father to be doing this. But if it is a bad one, then that says it all.

    He got me married to Valerie for a single reason. And that reason is what I will find out by visiting her father.

    Without waiting for him to say anything else, I twirl back abruptly and walk to the door.

    ¡°Say hello to Valerie. I promise to pay you a big visit pretty soon.¡±

    I turn back slowly to see him getting up from his chair and taking a few things from the table to go out too.

    I shake my head and turn the doorknob to take the exit out.

    I really need to see Valerie¡¯s father. He will be the answer to these puzzles.

 CHAPTER 38

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    The sound of screeching tires snaps me out of my reverie and I stop chewing on the doughnut in my hand.

    I slept this evening after eating an early dinner and I woke up around 10 pm feeling hungry again and also to see that Ryan is not back home.

    He usuallyes backte but not back after 10 pm is extremelyte. He was deeply concerned about mest night so it won¡¯t be bad to be concerned about him today too.

    I called him beforeing downstairs but he didn¡¯t pick up.

    I sit up from the sofa in the living room after dropping the doughnut back on the te on the center table. I approach the front door to see if it is him.

    Before I get there, the front door opens and he walks casually in with his briefcase and his zers hanging on his shoulder.

    He doesn¡¯t notice my presence until I cough slightly. He stares up at me and smiles.

    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± I throw him a cold re with my arms folded across my bosom.

    He shakes his head and walks past me. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Why are you back homete today? Is everything ok?¡± I turn back to follow him.

    ¡°Yep¡±, he mutters nonchntly. ¡°Work.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡±, I say too, wondering what¡¯s up with him. The smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes and I wonder what is wrong with him.

    Did he have a bad day at work? I was waiting for him because I was worried and also because I needed to talk to him about the discussion I had with his mother.

    I don¡¯t know how he will feel, though but I want to let him know that it¡¯s high time we begin to fake the pregnancy.

    He takes the staircase up, his briefcase swinging in his left hand and I follow behind him calmly, staring at his back.

    He isn¡¯t even asking about my shoulder. Has he forgotten so soon aboutst night?

    We get to the room and he enters while I trudge in silently. He does not say anything like I am thinking he will. He just begins to peel off his clothes as I close the door behind me quietly.

    The forecaster is wrong again. It rained earlier so I have to sleep here again.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± I ask him and he twirls back to nod then continues to take his clothes off.

    Why is he snubbing me? I snort and walk to the bed to lie down.

    Does he even deserve my concern?

    ¡°Val¡±, I hear him call me. He is changed into his pajamas, I realize. I thought he was going to take a shower. ¡°I have a question for you.¡±

    ¡°A question?¡± I raise a brow, sitting upright immediately. Now that he is starting up a conversation, I can tell him about his Mother¡¯s visit so he won¡¯t say otherwise when next they meet.

    ¡°I also have something to say too but you go first¡±, I quickly chip in and I raise a brow in curiosity.

    ¡°You have something to say to me?¡± He looks surprised that I have something to say to him and I wonder why.

    ¡°Yes¡±, I reply, stressing on thest letter.

    ¡°Ok?¡± He is waiting for me to say whatever it is but I want him to ask his question first.

    ¡°You go first¡±, I say and he shakes his head.

    ¡°No. You.¡±

    ¡°Go first¡±, I insist firmly but the look on his face says otherwise. His curiosity is eating at him and he is desperate to know what I have to say.

    His head must be twirling in a pool of different thoughts, to figure out what it is I want to tell him.

    ¡°Well¡±, I begin with a light smile on my face. ¡°Your mom came around and¡­¡±

    ¡°Mom?¡± He calls out as if to be sure he heard me right. Disappointment also crosses his expression. ¡°Mom was here?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She came to check on my health.¡±

    ¡°Then, what happened?¡± He seems genuinely interested now unlike how he was a few seconds ago.

    ¡°Well, I told her I was pregnant¡±, I reveal, still smiling and waiting for him to be overjoyed at the news. But he is sitting still, a deep frown descending on his face.

    Isn¡¯t this what he wanted?

    We were supposed to make ns but we didn¡¯t and I decided to use the opportunity of his mother¡¯s assumptions to our advantage.

    Isn¡¯t this a nice idea?

    ¡°You told my mother that you are pregnant?¡± He demands with creases of confusion on his forehead.

    ¡°Yes¡±, I say with eagerness, my eyes brimming with delight. It actually feels good the way it sounds and I wonder what it will feel like to be really pregnant.

    Ryan looks baffled as he narrows his eyes to my stomach and rasps out a quavery breath. ¡°Are you really pregnant?¡±

    The question almost makes me burst into a fit ofughter but I hold back and nod with a serious expression.

    What the hell is he thinking? Do pregnant people get pregnant just like that? Or am I fated to be the Virgin Mary II? I muse darkly.

    Shock runs through him as his eyes widen. ¡°You are pregnant? For who?¡±

    ¡°You, of course¡±, I point at him, the amusement intensifying and I want to keep up with the act.

    ¡°Me?¡± He rises, touching his chest and shaking his head in denial. ¡°We didn¡¯t have sex, did we?¡±

    I look thoughtful for a while and then shake my head. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then, how did you be pregnant?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±, I reply sharply with a nonchnt shrug.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Unable to contain myughter any longer, I let it out, watching him stand with arms akimbo, looking confused as hell.

    Ryan is daft!

    ¡°What the hell were you thinking? I only said that because she thought I was pregnant. Remember we wanted to fake it?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me toe home first so we can talk about it before you tell her?¡± He blurts out with a furious look on his face.

    My face falls and myughter dies down.

    I can¡¯t believe this.

    ¡°She asked me but I didn¡¯t say yes for a reason. The least you could do was to wait for me so we could n this urately before announcing it to her. Why didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan¡±, I stop him with a stretch of my hand. ¡°Are you trying to me me for telling her that I am pregnant when we actually wanted to fake this?¡±

    ¡°We wanted to fake it but we haven¡¯t talked about it. Why did you do that on your own, then?¡± His voice isn¡¯t as raised as earlier but my anger is going up to its peak at that.

    Who the hell does he think he is? Why do I have to take the me for every single thing I do to help his f*cking life?

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie to her anymore¡±, he plops back on the bed and holds his head between his two hands. His voice is breaking. ¡°I don¡¯t want us to lie to her anymore.¡±

    I stare at his back nkly, my hand balled into a fist.

    I am so stupid.

    I shouldn¡¯t have done that. I always do things to please and help him but he doesn¡¯t even appreciate any. All he does is me me for doing this and that.

    The poor woman was excited about the news. How could I have said no? I couldn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t want the smile on her face to disappear. I wanted those smiles to be there till the very end.

    It doesn¡¯t matter if the pregnancy is real or fake. What matters is the joy that it brings to her.

    Ryan faces me and tries to hold my hands but I pull away angrily. As if hearing my thoughts, he mutters between gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to me you, Val. All I am saying is that I would have loved it if we deliberate more on this before announcing it to her. What do we do if she is still here after nine months?¡±

    That is not a question for me to answer. I do not answer.

    He sighs deeply and looks away.

    He is such a fool who doesn¡¯t like to take risks. How does this silly question he is throwing at me sound like a problem? It isn¡¯t a problem and even if it bes a problem in the future, then we will look for solutions.

    Why worry about a problem that hasn¡¯t even started?

    Without saying a word to him, Iy back on the bed, using my right leg to shove him off the bed so I can sleep alone.

    He doesn¡¯t deserve to sleep on the same bed as me tonight. I don¡¯t even care if he continues to have nightmares every night.

    He can go to hell for all I care!

 CHAPTER 39

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Valerie has been ignoring me for over a week now, ever since I told her I wasn¡¯t in support of her telling my mother that she was pregnant without my permission.

    Mother has been over the moon because of the news. Everyone now knows that Valerie is pregnant.

    Whenever I have the intention of resolving this conflict between us, I always find her curled up in bed, leaving the couch for me to sleep on.

    I got the maids to take another bed into the room where I sleep now. I no longer sleep on the couch but I wish I can sleep beside her on the bed.

    Guilt is one of the emotions I feel more ever since she came into my life. I have no idea how she manages to let me feel this way.

    I feel bad for what I said to her which caused her to be mad at me and I really want to apologize to her.

    She is just trying to help.

    Casually, I stroll out of her room and close the door behind me when someone bumps into me.

    It is Valerie and she is raising a brow at me.

    ¡°What were you doing in my room?¡± She scrunches up her face at me in curiosity.

    I never thought I would be caught. I didn¡¯t even sneak out because she is always in my room. I don¡¯t know what excuse to give so I say the only thing thates to my head.

    ¡°I was looking for you¡±, I answer gently, scratching my chin.

    She throws me a suspicious re, not convinced by my reply. She is wearing a short nightgown and it looks like she is ready for bed.

    I just arrived from work. Instead of going straight into our room, I came to Valerie¡¯s room to get something.

    Folding her arms around her bosom, she demands. ¡°Why were you looking for me?¡±

    I expected her to tell me that I was lying. I have met her in my room for three consecutive nights, other times, I met her in the living room watching a movie.

    ¡°We have dinner at my parent¡¯s¡±, I lie perfectly, hoping she won¡¯t suspect a thing. We haven¡¯t even exchanged more than three words at a time for over a week now.

    Sometimes, I want to ask her how her shoulder is doing but I haven¡¯t been able to summon up enough courage to start up a conversation that might lead to another argument.

    I wanted us to make up first. Not argue with her again, endlessly.

    ¡°Tonight?¡± Her eyes bulge open in surprise and I nod, happy that she bought my lie.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Displeasure crosses her expression and I shrug.

    She res at me once more before turning around to go back to our room. I heave a deep sigh of relief, thankful that she bought my lie.

    I thought she was going to insist on knowing what I came into her room for.

    I watch her disappear out of sight before striding towards my room. I just need to change into something light and then off we go.

    When I get into the room, Valerie is going through the closet and I realize thest session of my closet is filled with her things.

    Howe I never noticed?

    The rain has stopped but she isn¡¯t going back to her room. Does she enjoy sleeping in my room better?

    She brings out a brown silk gown with sequins. I am about to tell her to wear it when she moves away from the closet with the dress, not sparing me a nce.

    I nod with a smile, then drop my briefcase on the bed before taking off my suit. I don¡¯t know what to wear yet. When I get closer, I begin to rummage through it to find something simple to wear.

    I find a shirt and chinos ck pants with a ck ssic sneakers. Without hesitation, I pull them out and then quickly change into them.

    By the time I am done, Valerie is making herself up in front of the mirror. I stand behind her, watching in admiration and waiting so we can leave.

    When she stands up, our eyes meet in the mirror and she hurriedly looks away.

    She looks stunning.

    ¡°Shall we?¡± I ask, with a light smile. She ignores me, picks up her brown purse, and walks past me to the door.

    Her heels are making those clicking sounds and her hair bounces up and down as she walks majestically out of the door.

    What a woman! I muse within me.

    I hope she doesn¡¯t get mad at my n, though. It won¡¯t be worth it if she leaves angrily.

    I dash out of the room and catch up with her on the staircase. Walking side by side, we take the front door out to the courtyard where the car is waiting.

    John opens the door for us and we get in. He closes the door before going around to slump into the driver¡¯s seat.

    An awkward moment of silence falls over us. Valerie is ncing out of the window, purposely ignoring me while I watch her, thinking of the best way to strike up a conversation.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to your Mother¡¯s?¡± She suddenly questions as she turns to catch me staring.

    I nod without a word and she looks out of the window again.

    John is driving on a different route. She must have figured it out. I guess the reason why she believed my lie was because my Mother was supposed to invite her over so we could celebrate the news of the pregnancy and Mother hasn¡¯t done that yet.

    The lie is working to my advantage.

    Mother is super excited and I wonder why she hasn¡¯t invited us over yet.

    ¡°This is a different route, Ryan¡±, she snaps her head towards me again, this time with a troubled look on her face.

    ¡°I am not kidnapping you, Val. Stay calm¡±, I try tough but ites out as a snort.

    She does not say anything. She keeps staring at me. She must be wondering if trusting me is right or not.

    I am thinking she has given up on the topic until she mutters. ¡°Why aren¡¯t we taking the other route? Are we going somewhere else?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I reply sharply.

    There is absolutely no use lying anymore. I lied so I could get her out of the house. I am sure she must have learned her lessons now so she can¡¯t possibly ask John to stop the car and jump out like she did the other day.

    The least she can do right now is scream her lungs off at me or be angry.

    ¡°What?!¡± She exims with a tone of disbelief, her lips parting slightly, giving me a clear view of how beautiful they look.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to Mother¡¯s¡±, I say without any more hesitation.

    We don¡¯t need to keep fighting each other. It¡¯s high time we do this thing called marriage responsibly like adults.

    She gawks at me in shock. ¡°Where are we going, then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise.¡±

    The surprise has been ruined already. I have no choice but to tell her half of the truth.

    ¡°Surprise?¡± She questions, sounding a little calmer and I nod. She shakes her head, folds her arms, drops them, then shakes her head again and opens her mouth to talk again when I interrupt her.

    ¡°Here we are¡±, I call out pointing my fingers out of the window to reveal the light illuminating the street the car just drove into.

    Her gaze follows the direction of my finger with her mouth still slightly open. The surprise is still a meter away and I hope she will be patient enough not to question me till the car halts.

    She seems to be in a trance because she doesn¡¯t blink or say a word until the cares to a stop in front of her favorite Chinese restaurant.

    Slowly, I watch her mouth drop open and her eyes bulging out in amazement.

 CHAPTER 40

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    There stands Christine Moore.

    My favorite guitarist.

    My jaws drop open fully and I turn to meet Ryan¡¯s gaze. He is smiling proudly and I find myself running into his arms.

    We are out of the car already. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes so I had toe down quickly to be sure I am not seeing something wrong.

    Christine stands there gracefully, looking extremely handsome in a ck cotton jacket on a white purple shirt. He is also wearing a pair of blue purple trousers with a brown leather belt.

    He is wearing matching ck sneakers too. He has short wavy ck hair that fits his entire outfit as he slides the guitar across his body.

    I realize I am still in Ryan¡¯s arms and I quickly disengage from the hug, a chuckle leaving my mouth.

    I have no idea how Ryan got to know about Christine and how much I love his songs but I appreciate whatever effort he has made to bring Christine here.

    I have always seen him on TV. When my father¡¯s business was still doing well, Brenda, Fred, and I had ns to go to one of his concerts in Paris. I was going to sponsor my trip and that of Brenda¡¯s but things changed and we couldn¡¯t go.

    Fred didn¡¯t even offer to sponsor our trip.

    Live and direct, Christine is staring back at me with a huge smile on his face. There are two men behind him and suddenly, he begins to y the guitar and he starts to sing as well and I feel butterflies in my stomach.

    It¡¯s been so long since I felt them. It feels unreal but it is surreal.

    I thought they were gone with my best friends. I thought my best friends were the only ones who could give me this much happiness.

    I turn to Ryan again. His hands are sped behind him and it suddenly dawns on me that this is his way of apologizing to me for what he did the other night.

    I already forgave him. I was just ignoring him on purpose. But right now, I want to forget everything he has done to piss me off.

    ¡°Thank you¡±, I whisper into his ears and I nod at myself.

    We stand watching Christine y till ites to an end and I walk majestically to hug Christine.

    It feels like a dream.

    ¡°Congrattions¡±, he says with a cute voice that makes me blush.

    ¡°Thank you¡±, I answer before realizing that I don¡¯t even know what he is congratting me for.

    Before I can ask, Christine shakes hands with Ryan and I watch them talk like buddies before a big car appears and they all get into it.

    He has two hefty bodyguards as well, all dressed in ck.

    We watch them get in and the car roars to life. It feels like a short dream. It feels like he was never here and I was dreaming the whole thing.

    When he is gone, I turn to Ryan. ¡°Congrattions?¡±

    He looks amused for a second before asking. ¡°Aren¡¯t you pregnant?¡±

    My mouth is agape. Did he tell Christine that I am married to him and pregnant?

    Oh no! My face falls.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you told him that¡±, I stamp my feet on the floor.

    Heughs to himself and then guides me into the restaurant. ¡°Are you in love with a celebrity?¡±

    ¡°I was going to use you to get to him, why did you have to tell him all of that?¡±

    ¡°Well, I thought you said men are scums?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you all are but Christine Moore is different. Did you see how his eyes sparkled when he saw me?¡± I face him squarely, stopping him from walking ahead.

    Jealousy shes across his face but I don¡¯t want to read meanings into it so I continue to walk ahead.

    I really do not know if I can ever be in another rtionship again but I won¡¯t mind considering Christine. He is more handsome than I thought.

    My marriage with Ryan is just a month out of the twenty months we agreed to spend with each other.

    Argggh!

    We get to the reservation space and he hurries over to pull out the chair for me. I smile and sit down gently.

    He takes the seat opposite me as a waiter approaches us.

    ¡°What would you like to order?¡± He asks us.

    Ryan shifts his gaze from the waiter to me. ¡°What would you like to order?¡±

    ¡°Can we orderter?¡± I ask him and he nods. Turning to the waiter. ¡°We will orderter.¡±

    He nods and walks away.

    I am not hungry because I ate some snacks before Ryan arrived from work. Aside from that, I am dying of curiosity. I want to ask him a lot of questions; how did he get to know that I am a die-hard fan of Christian Moore and how did he get him toe here? I want to know about his rtionship with Christian and if it¡¯s possible to meet up with him again.

    ¡°You look like you have a lot to say to me right now¡±, Ryan mentions and I nod promptly.

    ¡°Of course. How do you know him? How do you know I like him? Are you friends? Why did you bring us here? Where¡­¡±

    ¡°One question at a time, midy¡±, he cuts me short and takes a hold of my hand, just like he did the other day.

    I inhale and exhale deeply before blurting out again. ¡°How do you know him?¡±

    ¡°From someone.¡±

    ¡°How do you know I like him?¡± I can¡¯t stop the questions from rushing out.

    ¡°I found out from someone.¡±

    That someone must be my mother. She loves him as well.

    ¡°Why did you bring us here?¡±

    It¡¯s a Chinese restaurant, one of the biggest, and having to get a reservation here is very hard. I wonder how he did it. Has he been nning this for some days?

    ¡°He happened to have a show here so I reached out to him because I wanted to ask you to forgive me. He could spare me a few minutes and here we are.¡± He exins and I almostugh out loud.

    That exins why he left immediately after singing one of his famous songs about love.

    I can¡¯t believe Ryan went through all of this for me. Just to seek my forgiveness.

    Even though he is an asshole, he does have a conscience.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    Then, I remember he went into my room. I saw himing out of my room when I wanted to get my charger from the room. Did he lie about looking for me? Is this all about his ns to get me here?

    ¡°I could remember vividly how you mentioned to my hearing that you hated lies and that is one of the rules stated in our contract, Mr. Ryan Lorenzo¡±, I cross my right leg over the left, yanking my hands away and smirking with pride.

    He looks amused. ¡°I could also remember how you lied so perfectly to my Mother that you are pregnant when you aren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°50/50, then?¡±

    He shrugs. ¡°I lied so you could be happy. Aren¡¯t you happy to see him?¡±

    I gasp. I am damn happy. ¡°Of course I am. I wish to see more of him, though.¡±

    He does not say anything.

    ¡°Can we order now?¡± I ask him and he shakes his head.

    ¡°I also have a question to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Ok?¡±

    ¡°Would you be offended if I find myself a sex partner?¡± He sounds like the question would annoy me from his tone. Ites out more like a whisper.

    I don¡¯t see anything wrong with that. He is a man but his question is making me respect him more.

    I had a boyfriend whom I loved so much. He imed to love me yet he cheated on me. But here is Ryan, a man I don¡¯t know but married to asking for permission to have sex outside our marriage.

    He is a man.

    I let out a shortugh. ¡°Of course not.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really. I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    We aren¡¯t real so I see no reason why this should be a big deal.

    He seems troubled by my answer as I touch his hand to assure him that I am fine with it. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡±

    Before I can ask if we can order dinner again, he brings out a box from his pocket and stretches it toward me.

    ¡°I want you to be my sex partner, Valerie!¡± He drops the bombshell and my eyes leave the box to meet his serious gaze.

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim sharply with a loud voice.

 CHAPTER 41

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    She is one hell of a woman.

    I thought she would be jealous of my question and throw a tantrum but she isn¡¯t doing any of that and I don¡¯t feel satisfied.

    I really don¡¯t know why I feel this way. The other day, I was so excited about the thought of having sex but here I am asking for permission from her and after getting the permission, the excitement is nonexistent.

    What is wrong with me?

    I watch as her eyes bulge open in surprise. I am as surprised as she is. I didn¡¯t mean to ask her that question but there is something at the back of my mind that I can¡¯t bring to the forefront.

    Something forbidden. Uncalled for. Something that shouldn¡¯t be heard of me.

    ¡°What?!¡± She exims again for the umpteenth time.

    I shrug in genuine puzzlement. I really do not know why I said that too.

    Suddenly, I let out a chuckle and watch her roll her eyes at me, then sigh. ¡°You are kidding, right?¡±

    I shrug again, this time in sheer ignorance of what I am exactly doing.

    She let out a long hiss that gets meughing again, purposely throwing my head backward to hide my embarrassment.

    When I drop my head back to its normal position, she is watching me with those intense sexy eyes. ¡°You are kidding, right?¡±

    I smirk. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    She shuts her eyes, res at me, looks away, and grunts. ¡°I don¡¯t even know whether to take you seriously or not. It seems I don¡¯t even know you anymore.¡±

    ¡°Do you even know me?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do. You are Ryan Lorenzo, the CEO of¡­.¡±

    My groan stops her halfway. ¡°That is a boring topic to have here.¡±

    ¡°What isn¡¯t boring then? The topic of having a sex partner?¡± She questions with sudden interest, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Right now, I don¡¯t know if she really wants us to talk about this topic or not or even if she is doing this just for fun.

    I brought up the topic but I don¡¯t feel like saying anything further about it. I have lost total interest.

    ncing away, I try to think of the best topic to talk about. I remember I brought the ne along so I pick it up again from the table and open it so she can see it.

    I sneaked into her room to get this. Ever since I got her this as a gift, she hasn¡¯t worn it and I wish she would do something like that.

    I always want to read meanings into every one of her actions and speeches. Valerie isn¡¯t one to pretend and she always says what she means.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you worn this since I got it for you? Don¡¯t you like it?¡±

    She raises her eyes to meet mine. ¡°You went into my room to get this?¡± She scoffs and folds her arms. ¡°You are unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worth it, isn¡¯t it? I got you your favorite singer¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was worth it but don¡¯t ckmail me with Christine Moore. He deserves better.¡±

    She ridiculously twitches her mouth and Iugh shortly.

    ¡°You are cute¡±, I blurt out without knowing. She doesn¡¯t seem surprised at mypliment. She waves it away and leans backward just in time for her stomach to rumble loudly.

    She shuts her eyes as her face turns red in embarrassment. Iugh heartily.

    ¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t hungry a few minutes ago?¡±

    ¡°I really do not know what to make of this, Ryan. It feels like I am genuinely pregnant. I don¡¯t understand my appetite these past few days¡±, she murmurs as she grabs the menu.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s the medicine. How is your shoulder now?¡± I ask, remembering that I haven¡¯t been able to do that in a week even though sometimes, I peep and peek at her to know if she is wincing in pain and to see if the shoulder is healing already.

    She rolls her eyes at me. ¡°Now you are asking me that? You are a scumbag.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim with a chuckle.

    ¡°Yes, you are. You told my biggest crush that you are my husband yet you don¡¯t even know how I am faring? You are unbelievable.¡±

    Well, she got me.

    ¡°That was because we were not on speaking terms. I wanted to ask you, believe me¡±, I say, feeling guilty again.

    This is exactly how I feel whenever she uses me of something, even when I didn¡¯t mean to do what she is using me of or I have other intentions.

    ¡°I was ignoring you on purpose. You deserved it.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we done with this? I thought I already apologized?¡±

    She remains silent and I smile and push the box further. Quickly, she picks it up and takes out the shining diamond ne. It sparkles and I am sure it will match her dress.

    Carefully, I take it from her so I can help her put it on.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡±, she tries to resist but I hush her up with a finger on her lips while I am leaning forward over her.

    ¡°This is the beauty of buying a woman a ne. Besides, you are not just any woman but my wife, ok?¡±

    I see her close her eyes briefly and suck in a breath, as though she wants to oppose me and remind me once again that this isn¡¯t real.

    I watch her beautiful face. Her plump lips calling to me. Leaning over with the ne in my hand is allowing me to see her cleavage. It brings a sharp memory of the first time I saw her exposed skin and how smooth they look.

    This will be the second time I will see a part of her and it is doing unimaginable things to me below.

    For the first time since we have been married, I feel hard just watching her.

    I shut my eyes, trying to calm my nerves and do what I need to do, then sit back on my chair so I can hide. Valerie doesn¡¯t need to know the kind of effect she has on me. This is temporary. She doesn¡¯t feel any iota of feelings for me.

    Feelings? What the hell am I saying?

    This is absurd.

    What I feel is just lust because I haven¡¯t had sex in a while and I am seeing her exposed skin, that¡¯s all.

    I shouldn¡¯t read any more meaning to all of this.

    Valerie will be out of my life soon. We decided to do this contract marriage shit because we couldn¡¯t imagine how life could be so difficult for us if we had to spend the rest of our lives together.

    Why then am I having such ridiculous thoughts? Should I still consider finding a partner outside my marriage?

    She doesn¡¯t have any objections to it and all I need to do is to be really careful so Mother won¡¯t suspect a thing.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, her voicees out as a whisper, reminding me of thepromising position and how I am ogling her chest. ¡°Are you done putting it on?¡±

    The position is making her ufortable and I feel a twist in my heart.

    Hurriedly, I unhook the ne and put it around her neck, admiring the region for a while before darting my gaze away, clearing my throat, and sitting down.

    Silence ensues.

    A heavy one that makes the atmosphere tense. I have no idea if she knows what I am feeling right now and why she isn¡¯t saying anything.

    We haven¡¯t even ordered our meal yet. I want to clear my throat once more and ask her what she would like to order since the menu is still in her hands.

    When I hoist my head up to stare at her face, she isn¡¯t looking at me. Her gaze is fixed on someone behind me.

    I actually thought she was staring at me throughout in puzzlement and shock at my reaction just now.

    Slowly, I follow her gaze to see a male figure, and then a female appears too.

    They both approach our table, immense in a chit chat and when they are close by, I see thedy¡¯s face.

    It is familiar.

    Before I can figure out where I know her from, Valerie calls out. ¡°Fred?¡±

    Hastily, I shift my gaze to the guy. It is indeed Fred. The grin on his face slowly disappears and I feel a pang of anger mixed with jealousy.

    After throwing him a cold re, he looks from me to Valerie and from Valerie to me. He opens his mouth to say something when thedy beats him to it.

    ¡°Ryan Lorenzo?¡±

    I turn to her. Valerie also averts her gaze from her ex-boyfriend to thedy who just called my name.

    When I look closely at her, I realize she doesn¡¯t just look familiar. She is someone I know. Someone I grew up with. Someone who used to mean a lot to me.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    ¡°Celina Sebastian?!¡± I call out in total disbelief and she nods with a huge smile on her face.

 CHAPTER 42

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    This must be one of his girlfriends and probably one of the girls he would ask to be his sex partner.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    She looks like a model with her long legs and curvy shape. I am curvy too and I have long legs as well but her outfit beats mine, reminding me of how I haven¡¯t been taking advantage of being a billionaire¡¯s wife.

    Her jewelry is from one of the top stores in New York and her handbag is a designer¡¯s handbag.

    I totally forgot all about Fred until he clears his throat to get my attention. I was shocked to see him, but not as shocked as seeing him with a different girl yet again.

    I keep expecting to see him with Brenda now and then. I keep wishing desperately for the assurance that those two are making my breakup worthwhile by being together but from the look of things, they aren¡¯t.

    It¡¯s either Brenda has already dumped his silly ass or he never loved her the way he loved me.

    Frankly, I felt that emotion again. That pain always strikes my heart, making me feel like something died inside of me whenever I see his face ever since he betrayed me.

    I thought I was doing a great job at forgetting all about him. Well, I am. I haven¡¯t thought of him in a while. I am no longerparing him with Ryan but it suddenly dawns on me right now that I haven¡¯t gotten over him fully.

    Ryan is right. Hees to my head whenever he appears in my sight. Everything keepsing back even when I try hard not to let theme.

    Fred has always been a thorn in my flesh and right now, it is so difficult to shred that flesh off my skin.

    Staring at him now reminds me of a lot of things that we have done together. He looks leaner than thest time we met. His eyes aren¡¯t as bright as they used to be and I wonder what is going on in his life.

    I am not supposed to care. I shouldn¡¯t care. But on second thought, I feel like knowing what is going on in his life will give me the right to smile orugh.

    Is he happy? Is he sad?

    He doesn¡¯t deserve to be happy after what he did to me. I can¡¯t help but wish him anything but sadness. I don¡¯t want him to ever find me in another woman, not even in this goddess standing before me.

    Wait!

    Does Ryan know her? How?

    I turn to Ryan and he is still looking bewildered, his expression unwavering.

    Where do they know each other from?

    When I lift my head to gaze at her smiling face, it feels familiar for no reason. I am so sure I have never seen her before. I am so sure I don¡¯t know her but I have no idea why she looks familiar.

    ¡°Celina?¡± Ryan jerks upright and demands again as if to be sure this isn¡¯t a dream or an imagination.

    Celina? The name sounds familiar too. Is she a celebrity? Have I seen her on TV or somewhere? Is she really a model?

    Wealthy people know each other. Ryan is a billionaire and I¡¯m sure thisdy here is also one or probably she is a daughter of one of Ryan¡¯s business associates.

    ¡°Yes, Ryan. It¡¯s me. Unbelievable, right?¡± She smirks with pride as she twirls around for him to admire her.

    Fred shifts ufortably, dragging my attention back to him as he makes a sound with his legs.

    I am expecting Ryan to rise and embrace her tightly but he isn¡¯t doing any of that. Instead, he scoffs, holding his jaw with his right hand as he watches the two figures in amazement.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    She does not answer. Her smile suddenly disappears too and I begin to wonder what is between them.

    Is she his ex? Is she dating Fred? Our exes are dating each other?

    Abruptly, Ryan stands up straight and drags my seat out to help me up. Quickly, I pick up my purse and phone. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    His tone is filled with nothing but anger. Rage.

    He looks mad too. Like someone who just caught his lover cheating on him. I had this same look on my face when I caught my best friend with my boyfriend. The feeling is horrible and heartbreaking.

    I can remember so vividly that Ryan said he was never in a rtionship, even though he had a lot of girls buzzing around him like bees but right now, I am more than convinced that there is something between him and that girl.

    He isn¡¯t dragging me out but his hold on my hand is firm as we take the exit.

    Why do all of our outings always have to end with dramas? Our first outing ended because a paparazzi took a picture of us. The party we went to ended because we stumbled upon Fred and Brenda at a party and now this.

    I am so sure I would have convinced Ryan to stay that night at the party if only we didn¡¯t bump into them.

    His pace bes fast with each step and I am about to tell him to slow down when the familiar girl calls his name from behind, followed by the sound of her heels.

    Ryan does not answer her. We step out of the restaurant, the guards at the entrance bowing to us and I nod in reply.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± She runs forward and grabs his shoulders as we get close to the car, thereby making his firm grip on me go off.

    She is breathless. She ces her right hand on her chest to calm her racing heart while I look behind her to see if Fred also followed her.

    He is just stepping out of the restaurant like a boss with his hands in his pockets and a devilish smile on his face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk¡±, she mutters, still breathless.

    ¡°There is nothing to talk about, Celina. As you can see, I am on a date with my wife¡±, he says in between gritted teeth.

    The girl¡¯s gaze flies to meet my intense stare, disbelief crossing her expression. Her jaws drop open instantly. ¡°Wife?¡±

    ¡°She married him for his money¡±, Someone chips in from behind. I look behind her as she turns to see Fred walking briskly toward us. ¡°The Valerie I know wouldn¡¯t do this shit just for revenge so I am sure it is for the money.¡±

    ¡°You know her?¡± She asks him, turning back to me, examining me from head to toe.

    I raise my head high up and smile at her. I don¡¯t understand what is happening at the moment but I won¡¯t let anyone¡¯s words get to me.

    ¡°You think you know her?¡± The spite in Ryan¡¯s voice gets to me. He grabs my hand, the furious look still evident on his face. ¡°She is my wife and we got married because we love each other.¡±

    Fred scoffs, turns around dramatically then faces us squarely. He shifts his gaze from me to Fred, then shrieks inughter.

    ¡°Married for love? If she wanted to marry for love, then we would have gotten married¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut the f*** up, you idiot¡±, Ryan balls his hand into a fist, letting go of my hand. His expression is scary. I have never seen him this angry before. It looks like he has been piling up his anger toward Fred and now that they have met, he wants them all out.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. She loves me, not you!¡± He steps forward, a few inches away from Ryan¡¯s. Celina is looking around in total confusion.

    I bite my lower lips, thinking of what to do. I never saw thising. I never imagined Fred and Ryan would meet in this circumstance and I never thought Ryan would be this mad at him. I really do not know if his annoyance is because of thedy or because of me.

    ¡°A real man does not cheat on a woman¡±, Ryan asserts slowly and calmly, as though he is reading the words from a paper. ¡°If you truly loved her, then you wouldn¡¯t have cheated on her. But I guess that is all for good because she became mine the moment you cheated on her.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Celina exims, her attention back to me.

    I don¡¯t even have the time to smile or react to his statement because I am thinking deeply about it.

    He is right. I became his, but not literally. The moment I caught Fred cheating on me again, I made a choice and the decision to ept the betrothal and be Ryan¡¯s wife.

    This won¡¯t be happening if Fred didn¡¯t cheat on me with Brenda. Maybe I would have blindly walked on into the next phase with him simply because I loved him.

    Fredughs shortly, Ryan¡¯s statement not having any effect on him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t know the whole truth, Mr. Billionaire. You are as clueless as f***. If you know all the truth about why we broke up, then you won¡¯t be saying all of this.¡±

    I feel his anger dissipate a little and the urge to turn back to ask me what Fred is talking about.

    But he doesn¡¯t look back.

    Fred points his index finger at me. ¡°Valerie is not the person you think she is. She is nothing but a total¡­¡±

    A blow cuts him shut.

    He stumbles backward and regains his stamina then rushes forward to hit Ryan.

    Celina steps in between them immediately, stopping Fred from attacking Ryan with an animalistic look on his face.

    ¡°Stop this, you two.¡±

    Ryan points towards him again while I stand like a zombie watching them. I feel numb. My head is ck. I don¡¯t know how to react or what to say.

    ¡°Don¡¯t refer to my wife that way, you idiot. I don¡¯t care why she broke up with you. All I care about is her and you are nothing but a piece of shit so get the fuck out of here.¡±

    Celina looks back, her eyes filled with fear. ¡°Won¡¯t you stop them?¡±

    Her question seems to jerk me back to reality because I know if I don¡¯t do something, then Ryan might get hurt or hurt Fred more than he has done. The blow on his jaw is making him bleed from the nose already.

    I am lost in a trance for a few minutes as they exchange more words and the moment Celina steps away from their middle, Ryan charges towards him again and I do the only thing thates to my head.

    I hug him from behind and he stiffens.

 CHAPTER 43

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Her hands circle around my waist as she restricts me from punching the idiot once again.

    I have no exnation for my anger and resentment towards him but I guess the sight of Celina is adding all to this.

    Tingles rush down my spine at her touch, calming my nerves and making me stare at her pretty hands, wishing for them to stay this way.

    ¡°Fred, stop this!¡± Celina¡¯s voice jerks me out of my reverie. Fred is rushing towards me and she manages to push him away. ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡± She shouts at him as he falls on his buttocks.

    I wonder what kind of rtionship they have but I guess I have no business with that.

    I drop my hands and take a hold of Valerie¡¯s two hands. Twirling around, I face her face. She looks frightened and I have never seen her this way before. Even the night she got attacked, she didn¡¯t have this expression on her face.

    Impulsively, I pull her into a hug. This hug is meant tofort her, to reduce the fear but I am also derivingfort from it too.

    I am d she broke up with him. I am d she is with me and not him. I am sure she cares about me and not him. I thought she was going to fight me for punching him but she is obviously worried that I would get hurt as well.

    When I pull away, she is at the brim of tears. I hold her face in between my hands and peck her forehead.

    She is tense.

    Realizing what I am doing, I step away from her and help her to the car without looking back to see what is going on between Celina and Fred.

    In silence, we climb into the car and shut the door. John must have been watching the whole drama because of the surprised look on his face.

    Fred should be d that I no longer go out with my bodyguards. If I was still going out with them, then he would have himself to me for wanting to call my wife names.

    I remember what he said about the major reason why Valerie broke things up with him and curiosity fills me up.

    Valerie tries to wrench her hand away from me, making it dawn on me that I am still holding her hand.

    She has a faraway look on her face as I take my hand off her. My curiosity is getting the better of me, forcing me to ask her questions despite the heavy silence.

    The car jerks to life and we ride in silence until we get home ten minutester.

    Johnes down to open the door for us and she gets out. I follow.

    I wonder why she isn¡¯t saying anything. Is it because of Fred? Why isn¡¯t she asking me how I got to know the girl we saw with her ex-boyfriend?

    We take the stairs up to our room. When she turns the doorknob to enter, her stomach rumbles.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± I ask her as she enters.

    She parts her lips to answer but changes her mind as she closes her mouth again without responding to my question.

    I close the door quietly behind me, feeling guilty for no reason. Do I feel bad for acting like a thug out there when I punched him?

    I was only trying to defend her. I didn¡¯t want him to insult her or call her names. I wanted to prove to him that being with me is a blessing in disguise.

    I don¡¯t know the rtionship between him and Celina and I don¡¯t give a damn about what is between them.

    If they are dating each other, then they deserve each other. Evil befits evil.

    ¡°Who is that girl?¡± A tone dripping with exhaustion reaches my ears and I look up to see her staring with a curious look on her face.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    I duck my head aside to stare at her as she folds her arms. When she isn¡¯t getting any response from me, she waves it away and turns to flop heavily on the bed, the curiosity still etched on her face.

    I want tough. I wish she will be jealous of Celina but I know she won¡¯t be jealous.

    Valerie has no iota of feelings for me. There is no use trying to get her reeled up or jealous.

    I sigh deeply and take off my shirt, revealing my shirtless chest. I walk slowly to the closet to pick up my pajamas when her voice stops me again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry our date was ruined. I just hope there won¡¯t be any pictures of us in the headlines by tomorrow.¡±

    I want to assure her that there won¡¯t be any. The first one was nned by me but this date was a private one. I didn¡¯t make ns for any paparazzi to take pictures of us because there is no need for that.

    Mother is already convinced that Valerie and I are working towards making this work and she already knows that Valerie is pregnant. There is no use causing any more fuse.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry we bumped into him too, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine¡±, I twirl around to take long strides toward her. It is unlike her to apologize like this and it¡¯s surprising to know that she is feeling guilty for the very first time since we¡¯ve known each other. I get close to the bed and sit on it, facing her squarely. ¡°I should be the one apologizing, not you. I didn¡¯t mean to get mad or ruin our date so I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She nods, smiles sadly, and looks down.

    I tilt my head and demand. ¡°Why are you sad?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± She hoists her head up with urgency.

    ¡°Why are you sad?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Is it because of that jerk?¡± She shakes her head with another smile that doesn¡¯t reach her eyes.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not sad because of him. I just don¡¯t like the idea of seeing him now and then. I just wish he would disappear and I won¡¯t have any cause to see him ever again.¡± She says in one breath.

    ¡°Still having a hard time getting over him?¡± I arch a brow with an amused expression.

    It feels good to see her this way. Emotionally worked up.

    ¡°What? No, that¡¯s not what I mean!¡± She tries to deny it but I only chuckle as I watch her struggle with words to defend herself.

    I dig my hand into her hair to ruffle it but it is tightly packed behind so I take off the ribbon and ruffle her hair, making them cover her entire face.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She hits me and Iugh. ¡°Get away from here.¡±

    The more she tries to tuck the hair back, the more I ruffle it and she picks up a pillow to throw at me but I am quick to shove the pillow away and hug her tightly.

    She goes still, her hands hanging in the air. I swallow hard when it hits me that this is the second time I am hugging her in one night. I know how much she hates being this touchy with me but I can¡¯t help it.

    I can no longer resist this, probably because I feel she needs this. But I do need it too. I need to feel her presence now more than ever.

    She is here with me and not with him. He doesn¡¯t deserve her one bit.

    I expect her to hug me back but she isn¡¯t making an effort to so I hug more tightly and stroke her back. ¡°Everything is going to be just fine.¡±

    She does not respond.

    Then she mutters an inaudible word and a sudden idea strikes me.

    I release myself from the hug, her breath hitting my face. ¡°You know what?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She questions with interest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s dance.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Yes. Our date was ruined but we can make up for it here. That will also lift your mood.¡±

    She remains silent for a while and when she looks up, her hair still disheveled, she asks. ¡°I thought you once told me how much of a bad dancer you are.¡±

    I shrug.

    I feel excited about dancing. Thest time we went to a party, I was hell-bent on not dancing but she insisted. Now the tables have turned and I am the one persuading her to dance with me.

    I just want to cheer her up. I love that rebellious and headstrong part of her more than this gloomy look on her face. I love her cheerfulness and smile and I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t have a good night¡¯s sleep if she doesn¡¯t cheer up.

    Having a good time should help cheer her up. I can¡¯t think of anything good we can engage in by this time of the night that can help except a little party here.

    We don¡¯t need drinks or food or anything. All we need is music. I know how much she loves music and dancing.

    I am getting to know more about her gradually. Her mother has been helpful.

    ¡°Ok?¡± It sounds more like a question but I don¡¯t wait for her to stand up before dragging her out of the bed.

    I am still shirtless but I don¡¯t think she minds because she isn¡¯t even paying attention to it.

    I pick up my phone and begin to y one of Christine¡¯s music. Slow music.

    We stand in position and within minutes, she begins to move and I follow her lead. Slowly, the smile begins to creep onto her face, my hand on her waist tighter as I wish we can be more close.

    I wish her body can remain clung to mine forever just like it was earlier and a few minutes ago when we hugged.

    The music changes from slow to fast. When she changes her step, I try to do the same but I step on her toes instead and we both find ourselves falling to the ground.

    She hits the floor with a loud thud and I fall heavily on her, earning a low groan from her.

    The music is still ying but we areying on top of each other on the floor. When she winces, I look up to see her disheveled face covering her entire face once again.

    I am supposed to get up immediately. I am not supposed to be still this way while watching her wince because of my weight but for no reason, I want to stay this way with her.

    She waves her hair again to reveal her face.

    There is a sudden pull of attraction that wants to tempt me to kiss her lips till they look red and swollen.

    The music stops instantly and I feel a throbbing in between my legs. Then it pokes her legs and I jerk upright.

    I want to stand up but creeps of embarrassment fill my expression. When she isn¡¯t making anyment about what just happened, I ask. ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    She nods slowly. Then, she begins tough.

    I watch herugh and within a split second, I find myself joining in theughter too.

 CHAPTER 44

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Ryan¡¯s ex-girlfriend is the third girl I saw alongside Fred and Brenda the other day I had a nightmare.

    I had the same nightmare today and I was able to recognize her better than that day when I found her familiar.

    That isn¡¯t what is baffling me but the fact that she is there with Fred and Brenda and why I keep dreaming about them.

    Who is she to Fred? Does she know Brenda too?

    Summoning up enough courage to get up from the bed, I do so, reminding myself of what happenedst night at the restaurant.

    Everything almost ended badly because Fred and that woman showed up, getting Ryan all reeled up. I still don¡¯t know what to make of his anger towards Fred and why that woman was with him.

    I don¡¯t understand what is going on really and why Ryan is not making an effort to clear the confusion.

    Does he expect me to force him to answer me? Why did he ignore my question when I asked him who she wasst night? Is he ashamed to call her his ex-girlfriend? What exactly transpired between them and why do I find her name familiar too?

    If I find her face familiar, then that should be from the dream but did I also hear her name from the dream I had when I saw her with Fred and Brenda?

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the little drink Ryan and I sharedst night that is making my head bang this way or if it is because of how the numerous questions are spinning in my head.

    I can¡¯t even find any answers to any of the questions and it is irking me.

    Shoving every thought about Fred, Brenda, and Celina out of my mind, I step my foot down and drag myself to the bathroom to take a bath.

    Ryan¡¯s mother and I have ns to meet up today. I don¡¯t know why she insists on me visiting without Ryan. If only she wanted me toe with Ryan, I would have made it tonight when he is back from work and then I can visit my dad back in the house this morning.

    I haven¡¯t heard from him since thest time I visited and I am getting worried again.

    As fast as I can, I wash my hair and take a bath. When I am done, Ie out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my bosom.

    My headache is gone and I feel refreshed after bathing. I sit on a stool across my dresser and begin to rub my body butter on my body with another towel tightly wrapped around my head to drain the water in my hair.

    When I am done rubbing the butter all over my body, I open one of the drawers to bring out a hair dryer and I use it on my hair till I am satisfied with the dryness.

    Standing up straight, I proceed to the closet to find a dress to wear. After pondering for a while on what to wear, I settle for a ck leather skirt and a white top with leather boots and a little purse.

    Within minutes, I am dressed and good to go. Realizing that John must have driven Ryan to work, I decide to give Ryan a call.

    I find my phone on the left side drawer of the bed and I quickly pick it up to dial Ryan¡¯s number.

    With impatience, I wait till he picks up.

    ¡°Hello¡±, his voice sounds a bit different today, a little husky like he is trying to get over a banging headache or his hangover.

    We didn¡¯t drink into a stuporst night, did we?

    ¡°Hi¡±, I ignore his voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to your mom¡¯s ce. Can I use one of the cars in the garage?¡± I ask as politely as I can, hoping he will give a positive answer.

    I am a billionaire¡¯s wife, after all, I shouldn¡¯t be jumping from one cab to the other when there are dozens of cars in the garage and I can drive.

    Jumping out of his car the night I was attacked had taught me a lesson. If only I had a car of my own, that wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    ¡°Can you drive?¡± He demands after a moment of silence.

    I almost scoff at the question. ¡°I won¡¯t be asking for a cab if I don¡¯t know how to drive, Ryan. Stop underestimating me, man.¡±

    He chuckles softly. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a headache? I am battling with one right now. It¡¯s horrible.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    My assumptions are right. I can¡¯t recall everything that happened after he fell on me but I know we decided to drink some wine while listening to the song instead of dancing because his dancing was horrible.

    Maybe I slept off and he continued to drink till he was tipsy.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one¡±, I say indifferently, hiding the fact that I felt a slight headache a while ago before taking a hot bath.

    ¡°Drive safely then¡±, he groans a little from the other side.

    ¡°Take some coffee¡±, I suggest, wondering if he can work.

    ¡°I already took two cups. Don¡¯t worry, I will be fine¡±, heughs again, making me arch a brow.

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you, I¡¯m just being a good wife to you¡±, I roll my eyes, wishing he can see me right now.

    ¡°Whatever!¡± He mutters in dismissal but I stop him right away.

    ¡°Wait. Where are the car keys?¡± I demand softly.

    ¡°There is one beside the drawers and another on the dresser. Use whichever you want.¡±

    ¡°Bye.¡± I cut the call and squat down to find the one in the drawers. When I pull out the first section of the drawer, I spot one and I scoop it up immediately, feeling giddy over driving again after so many months of losing my car.

    Grabbing my little purse from the bed, I walk out, my hair packed in a bun and my phone in the other hand.

    Maybe I will visit my dad after leaving his mom¡¯s ce. Ryan isn¡¯t saying anything about the issue either and I don¡¯t want to bother him about it again.

    His father is the one to talk to. I won¡¯t talk to him yet. I need to see my dad first and after then, if Ryan isn¡¯t making an effort to help talk to his dad, I will do that.

    When I get out of the house, I press the button on the car key so I can easily identify which car I am taking out.

    A soundes from the Toyota Hignder in the courtyard and I squeal excitedly.

    Ignoring the look I am getting from the two bodyguards in front of me, I hurry over to the car, get in and roar the car engine into action.

    Without hesitation, I begin to reverse back toward the gate. It opens and I drive out.

    Surprisingly, I am still as good as I can remember. With my hand expertly on the wheels, I steer out of the neighborhood, feeling the sudden urge to hear some music.

    If Ryan has any of Christian Moore¡¯s songs in here, then I will hug him for being a good man. Having Moore¡¯s song makes him a good man.

    Taking one of my hands off the wheel, I try to click on the dashboard and find some good music to dance to.

    Within a split second, I take my eyes off the road and try to see if he has any music I would love aside from that of Christian¡¯s because I know he wouldn¡¯t have Christian¡¯s song in here.

    Having it on his phone was done purposely. He must have gotten it because he knew I loved Christian and I am a fangirl.

    I am fangirling for him to be more popr than he is right now. Not only known in New York City but in every part of the world. Seeing him y me a song has shown me how down to heart he is and I love him more.

    All of a sudden, the car bumps into a small car in front of me and I jerk upright, my heart racing in fear.

    Why is the damn car on the road? Is parking allowed here?

    I halt the car immediately and step down to shout at the top of my voice at the owner of the car for viting the rules and wanting to put my life in jeopardy.

    I know it¡¯s been a while since Ist drove a car but I know I am still good.

    Ignoring my faults for taking my eyes off the road, I shout. ¡°Who the hell is in there?!¡±

    I fold my arms around my bosom, waiting for the guy toe out of the car with anger coursing through me.

    The car door opens and a guyes out with sunsses. He is wearing clean blue jeans and trousers and a white t-shirt.

    I am about to open my mouth to shout at him again, iming to be a victim when he takes off his sunsses and I see him.

    Again.

    ¡°Fred?¡±

    ¡°Valerie¡±, he smirks with pride like someone who had it all nned.

 CHAPTER 45

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    John continues to horn continuously until I be frustrated and tell him to stop. I open the car door to get out, looking around with arms akimbo.

    Aren¡¯t they home?

    I take long strides to the gate. It isn¡¯t looking like it is locked from behind.

    As I push it to know if my assumptions are right, the small gate opens and I turn to John who shakes his head.

    Apparently, they no longer have guards around the house and even a gateman. They should have at least locked the gate from behind.

    I signal to him to wait for me outside as I open the gate and enter. Everywhere is messy. The flowers are withering gradually, probably because the gardener has been sacked too. The courtyard is in a pitiful state and I wonder if this is part of Valerie¡¯s concern for her parents.

    I ignore the rest of the surroundings as I make my way to the front door with my hands in my pocket.

    This is the third time I will be here. The first time, John horned for several minutes, waiting for the door to be thrown open to allow us in but there was no reply.

    The second time was the same thing.

    The house looks deserted but I want to know if there is no one at home.

    Where are Mr. Adams and his wife?

    If they aren¡¯t home, where are they then? I know Mr. Adams isn¡¯t allowed into hispany anymore because of the bankruptcy case and his wife doesn¡¯t go to her mall any longer too because it has been seized by the authorities.

    While searching for answers to the questions I have been asking myself since I visited my father in his office, I havee to realize a lot of things that have not been disyed in the limelight about Valerie¡¯s father.

    I am so sure she doesn¡¯t know this about him either. The most important one which I found out today is the fact that he is not only bankrupt but his properties have also been seized by the FBI and investigations are ongoing.

    I haven¡¯t found out the source yet and why his properties were seized and that is what I am here for.

    I need answers. I can¡¯t keep up with the questions again. I can no longer provide myself with presumptuous theories to answer the questions when there is someone who can give real answers to them.

    Mr. Adams has all the answers.

    I turn the doorknob and the door makes a creaking sound before I enter inside, everything is silent as a graveyard.

    Is anyone here? If there aren¡¯t, then why didn¡¯t they lock all the doors?

    I find myself venturing fully into the house and not going back to the gate so John can take me back to work since I can¡¯t find anyone here.

    My gut tells me something is suspicious. My instinct tells me someone is here.

    When I get to the living room and there is no one there, I decide I am wrong. I let out a heavy sigh and turn around to leave when I hear the shattering of something on the staircase.

    I hoist my head to see if there is anyone in sight but there is no one. d that my gut is right this time, I race for the staircase, taking two steps at a time.

    I can¡¯t even think properly because I can¡¯t make out what exactly is happening. I feel like I don¡¯t even know who the father of my wife really is and I am desperate to know the kind of rtionship or history he has with my father.

    My father can¡¯t just take interest in just any stranger when it is obvious the poor man is in trouble, without having an ulterior motive.

    Additionally, Valerie and I were betrothed, and that gives it all away. They knew each other for a long time. Valerie and I were betrothed to each other when we were very much younger to know what it actually means to be betrothed.

    I am also curious to know how this happened and I guess knowing about this will also solve some of the puzzles if not all.

    There are several rooms on thending and I run to the first one by the right, turn the doorknob and enter to see a frail figure on the bed, with his back to me.

    With a furrowed brow and my breathing heavy like someone who just did a marathon, I call out. ¡°Mr. Adams?¡±

    He turns back slowly and our eyes meet. I look down to see the shattered flower vase on the floor beside his bed.

    Was someone here with him or he mistakenly broke it himself? Is he sick?

    He doesn¡¯t look good and I doubt if he even recognizes me.

    ¡°Ryan Lorenzo?¡± He calls out too, making me wrong.

    I nod without question. I¡¯m just d he recognizes me. We haven¡¯t met since the wedding but I guess it will be so bad of him not to recognize the man he married his daughter off to.

    It doesn¡¯t matter if this is about money or something else.

    ¡°Are you ok, sir?¡±

    He nods with a sad smile and tries to sit up. I run to his side, careful not to step on the broken vase.

    ¡°I just woke up. I thought it waste already so I wanted to put on themp when I broke the vase. Sorry.¡±

    His smile is contagious because I find myself smiling back at him. Valerie didn¡¯t take her smile from him because her smile isn¡¯t this way. She either smirks orughs to ridicule me. Her sweet smilese once in a blue moon.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    I guess she got her beauty and attributes from both parents. Her father is good looking just like how her mother looks like a youngdy in her thirties during the wedding.

    Beauty runs in the family, I guess.

    ¡°How is Valerie?¡± His weak voice jerks me out of my reverie.

    ¡°She is fine.¡±

    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯te with her¡±, he says and I raise a brow.

    What does he mean by that? He doesn¡¯t want Valerie toe and see him? Is it because he doesn¡¯t want her to know how bad the situation is?

    ¡°Are you ill?¡± I demand from him with impatience. My questions can wait if he is ill. Now I see the reason why my first two visits were in vain.

    No one would have heard the sound of the horn from up here. Not this ill man.

    Where is Mrs. Adam? Why isn¡¯t she here with her sick husband?

    ¡°No, Ryan Lorenzo. I am good.¡± He waves me away as he sits morefortably with his head resting on the headboard.

    He is still smiling at me but I am puzzled at his formality.

    ¡°Why are you calling me that?¡± I ask and his smile vanishes before he questions me.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Ryan Lorenzo. Why are you calling me that?¡±

    If there is anyone apart from Valerie that should be informal with me, then it should be him. He ought to call me son, not Ryan Lorenzo as if we are business partners and not rted by marriage.

    He let out a light chuckle, the smile creeping back to his handsome wrinkled face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Ryan Lorenzo?¡±

    I nod. ¡°I am but I am your son-inw. I¡¯m just surprised¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. I prefer to call you that¡±, he pats my shoulder while I examine him while sitting beside him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like to call me son because you don¡¯t see me as your son-inw?¡± Ites out as an usation because I am disappointed.

    He shakes his head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Ryan.¡±

    d that Lorenzo¡¯s name is missing, I shift on the bed, nce around the room and finally blurt out. ¡°What is your rtionship with my father?¡±

    A heavy silence fills the room.

    If there is nothing between them, he was supposed to gasp or exim or do something that will show his shock but he isn¡¯t surprised at my question.

    Isn¡¯t he supposed to be surprised? Did he know I wasing here for answers?

    ¡°Dad?¡± I call him and he lifts his head to meet my intense gaze. ¡°You are Valerie¡¯s father and she is my wife so that makes me your son and you my second dad.¡±

    His smile broadens and he shakes his head. That sort of you-know-nothing-boy shake of the head.

    ¡°What history do you have with my father?¡± I throw him another question. ¡°How did Valerie and I end up getting betrothed to each other? Were you friends with my father?¡±

    Thest time I checked, betrothal ismon with the royals and the rural areas not in this century when a guy can easily get a girl and ask her to marry him.

    Also, this is something two parents do to cement their rtionship and make their rtionship stronger if their children get married to each other.

    In this case, Mr. Adams and my father aren¡¯t close and there is something fishy about it.

    ¡°How do you want me to answer all these questions? Aren¡¯t they too much for an old man like me?¡± He seems to find me amusing but I am not going to let him evade my question.

    It is important. This is the only way I can help him. I can¡¯t help him if I don¡¯t know what is going on or what has transpired between him and my father.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t he helping you? Why aren¡¯t you going to his office?¡±

    ¡°He refused to see me¡±, he answers sharply. ¡°I guess he doesn¡¯t want to see me.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I question promptly, happy that he is saying something finally.

    He shrugs indifferently andys back on the bed. ¡°That is for your father to know. I know nothing.¡±

    It sounds like a sort of dismissal for me to go away and leave him the hell alone. When he closes his eyes, I know he doesn¡¯t want me to question him any longer.

    Have Ie all the way here in vain again? Should I just go home and tell Valerie everything? Should I tell her to pressure him till he gives me answers?

    I¡¯m sure he knows something.

    Impulsively, I stand upright and walk to the door, thinking he will call me back. Instead, his phone on the bed rings, and I take the exit.

    Right before I can get to the staircase with anger coursing through me for the vain attempt to solve the puzzle yet again, I hear an audible exmation followed by a loud thud.

    With urgency, I whirl around and rush back inside to see him slumped on the floor, unconscious.

 CHAPTER 46

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Fred is ckmailing me to have lunch with him because I bumped into his car. I¡¯ve spent two hours with him already and it¡¯s noon.

    Determined to piss me off, he asked that I take his car to a mechanic. Fortunately, I found some notes in Ryan¡¯s car and after getting the car fixed, he demanded to have lunch with me.

    I know I am not supposed to agree to have lunch with my ex-boyfriend. I am supposed to hate him and spite him so much for trying to hurt Ryan but Fred has be so unfamiliar to me and I guess my curiosity made me give in.

    ¡°You still look beautiful¡±, hements, making me take the straw away from my mouth as I stare at him.

    I didn¡¯t have breakfast this morning before going out. By the time we were done fixing his car, my stomach was already rumbling and that was why he suggested we grab lunch nearby.

    With a proud smirk, I remark. ¡°Just like Brenda.¡±

    He turns his face away and curses under his breath. ¡°Brenda is nowhere close to your beauty, Val and you know it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that ever again¡±, I warn him, adrenaline shooting up my spine. ¡°You think I¡¯m here with you because I want to? Do you think I¡¯m here so we can discuss the bullshit you did? Don¡¯t get me started, Fred.¡±

    I take a drag of the milk shade, turning my face away from him.

    ¡°Hey,e on. I already told you Brenda and I are not together. What happened was a mistake that I will continue to regret for the rest of my life.¡±

    A shortugh escapes my mouth, not because I find him funny but because he thinks I am a fool and I will fall for this again.

    Asshole!

    I should finish up and get out of here.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, right?¡± He points to his chest. ¡°What do I have to do to prove to you that we are not together?¡±

    ¡°Get lost! Never show your face to me again! That¡¯s the only thing I need from you, can you do that?¡±

    My interest in knowing about Celina whom I saw with him at my dinner date with Ryanst night is beginning to go down drastically.

    She is the reason why I am here because I thought I would find my answer since Ryan isn¡¯t ready to tell me who she is.

    ¡°Brenda was your friend, Val¡­¡±

    ¡°Who you cheated on me with¡±, I yell with annoyance, grabbing the attention of others. Trying to calm my nerves, I warn again. ¡°Don¡¯t get me mad, Fred, and don¡¯t call me Val.¡±

    Ryan now calls me that. It should be exclusive to him because Fred doesn¡¯t deserve that honor.

    He falls silent and we continue to eat. When I am almost done, my phone begins to ring and I pick up to see Ryan¡¯s mom¡¯s name shing across the screen.

    ¡°Valerie¡±, she calls out with a sharp voice.

    Feeling guilty for not showing up yet, I shut my eyes. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t shown up yet. I am¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be home today. Can youe tomorrow or next? I want you to meet someone.¡±

    ¡°Ok?¡± I say, expecting her to reveal more about this person¡¯s identity.

    ¡°See you tomorrow, ok?¡±

    ¡°Ok,¡± I say and she hangs up immediately. She doesn¡¯t sound depressed or sad and it reminds me of the fact that I am iming pregnancy. I im to be pregnant and it is also reminding me that I am married.

    Not to this jerk in front of me but someone else worthy to be called a man who respects me despite my childishness and stubbornness.

    The very day Ryan asked me if he could have a sex partner outside our marriage was the day my respect for him increased tenfolds.

    It indicates how much he respects me. Other men won¡¯t bother to ask a woman for such permission. Men who cheat don¡¯t need permission to go out to cheat. Ryan came out clean and told me what he wanted.

    I understood him and gave him the go-ahead. Just because we are married doesn¡¯t mean I should let him stick to me without sex for 20 months. He is a man and men can barely hold up for so long.

    Brenda used to tell me that sex is addictive and I shouldn¡¯t me her for wanting to have sex almost every week. She said if I wasn¡¯t a virgin, I was going to crave it more than she was.

    I wasn¡¯t being judgmental but I wanted her to settle with one man. I wanted her to have a boyfriend. I never knew she had eyes for my boyfriend.

    Even though I haven¡¯t had first-hand experience yet, I believe I know a lot about it. I am not totally naive in that aspect. It¡¯s just because I am not mentally ready for it.

    Besides, I rarely feel the urge. But when ites, Fred is always away and maybe we would have had sex if only he was around on two asions when I had to leave home because I was craving for something more from him, more than just mere kisses and cuddles.

    I left home and went to his apartment. I waited all night but he never came home.

    ¡°Ryan Lorenzo¡±, Fred mentions and scoffs, grabbing my attention and making me lift my head to meet his intense gaze. ¡°You married him for his money, Valerie ¡±

    I do not reply to him. I just want to finish up and leave.

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t care about money but when did you change within a space¡­¡±

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m done here¡±, I interrupt him from going further as I drop the burger in my hand and stand up abruptly from the chair.

    His hand grabs mine as he blocks my way from going out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, finish up.¡±

    That stare isn¡¯t doing anything to me. That puppy look he used to give me.

    Am I getting over him already?

    My heart isn¡¯t beating erratically in my ribcage, probably because I spite him so much now and I wish he would never show his face to me ever again. Can¡¯t he just vanish into thin air so I don¡¯t have to see him and be reminded of our past?

    I have nothing to do at home now that my meeting with Ryan¡¯s mother has been canceled.

    With a deep sigh and a renewed interest in knowing about Celina, I flop back on the seat.

    Without waiting any more time, I fold my arms around my bosom and ask. ¡°Who is Celina?¡±

    His brows crease for a while before it turns into a smile. ¡°Are you jealous?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± He thinks I am asking about her because I saw her with him that night.

    What a crazy fool! He thinks I am still head over heels for him. I might not have forgotten everything that happened between us, both the good and the bad memories but I am sure that I don¡¯t love him anymore.

    I just keep seeing all those underlined arrogance I never saw in him and all those hidden ws that I never knew he had.

    ¡°Ryan knows Celina, that¡¯s why I am interested in knowing who she is.¡±

    His smirk gradually turns into a smile. ¡°Celina is¡­.¡±

    I pay attention to him, waiting anxiously for him to spill. If he hates Ryan that much, then he will know the rtionship he had with the woman we saw him with.

    That might be right, but it wasn¡¯t just for one reason.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°She is what?!¡± I ask impatiently, wishing he will just spill the beans so I can go.

    He drops his hand on the table, leans forward, and whispers. ¡°I will tell you everything about her if you agree to meet up with me next time. You choose the date and time.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?!¡± I am surprised that I am still sitting still and not throwing any curse words at him.

    What a flirt!

    Howe I never knew he was such a big flirt? I always thought it was the girlsing to him because of his looks but now I know he is a flirt and it is the other way around.

    ¡°Come on, Val. I know you don¡¯t love Ryan. I¡¯ve been observing you two and I see the way you look at him. You don¡¯t look at him the way you do with me. Mind you, I was at your wedding too, I saw how you evaded his kiss.¡±

    At thest statement, my heart begins to race as my mouth hangs open.

    I wanted to shout at him and tell him that I love my husband but he got me. I thought no one noticed how I didn¡¯t allow Ryan to kiss me on our wedding day because I didn¡¯t want it.

    ¡°What¡­the¡­the hell are you talking about?¡± I find myself stuttering.

    ¡°You don¡¯t love him. He doesn¡¯t love you either.¡±

    I shoot to my feet so I won¡¯t end up saying what will implicate me. Fred has the foresight and can figure things out if I say more than necessary.

    Picking up my phone and purse, I try to step away when he blocks me again.

    ¡°He can¡¯t love or kiss you the way I do¡±, his breath fans my face, and the next minute, his lips are on mine.

    It makes me lose my willpower because of the scenes racing through my head; how these kisses used to mean a lot to me and how they used to produce lots of butterflies in my belly.

    Frankly, that spark is no longer there and it means one thing.

    I am over him.

    This realization brings tears to my eyes as I try to push him away but he doesn¡¯t budge.

    With all my strength, I push him away and he stumbles backward. I take a step towards him, uncaring about who is watching. Raising my hand in the air, I strike him across his cheeks.

    ¡°I am a married woman. Don¡¯t you ever try this shit with me again!¡±

    His mouth hangs open as his chest heaves up and down.

    Then, my phone rings. I step away from him and walk out with my phone glued to my ears.

    ¡°Where the hell are you? I have been calling you¡±, Ryan¡¯s voice booms into the phone. I was too distracted to check the caller before picking up.

    ¡°Come to the hospital right now. Your father lost consciousness.¡±

    I stop in my tracks as his words process slowly into my brain and I exim loudly. ¡°What?!¡±

 CHAPTER 47

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    For no reason, my heart keeps racing and I am having wild imaginations of what might have happened or what will happen.

    This man isn¡¯t safe. He isn¡¯t healthy either.

    Something is wrong somewhere.

    I keep asking myself if my Father is also responsible for how he fell unconscious right after I left his room or if this is a result of desperation.

    I have been trying to call Valerie all morning. It was ringing but she wasn¡¯t picking up. I was uneasy.

    I had to call my mom to ask her about Valerie and she said she hadn¡¯t seen her too and that did the trick.

    I was on the edge. My emotions were almost bursting out of my chest in fear that something bad had just happened to her too.

    Mrs. Adams is nowhere to be found and this is all too confusing for me to fix.

    When Valerie eventually picked up, she wasn¡¯t sounding tense or like someone in trouble and I hope she will be here soon.

    Her father is in there, the doctors aren¡¯t out yet and I don¡¯t even know what is happening.

    I am pacing to and fro at the reception with my arms akimbo, expecting at least one of his family members to show up.

    I really don¡¯t know where his wife would be now but I hope she will be fine. I was supposed to spend just an hour with Valerie¡¯s father when I visited him because I have an appointment fixed for 2 pm but I had to cancel it.

    My secretary keeps ring my phone up with calls and I had to call her back to inform her that I won¡¯t be avable tillter.

    I just hope Mrs. Woods won¡¯t be mad at the sudden cancetion of our appointment. I can¡¯t help it.

    When some minutes have gone by and Valerie hasn¡¯t shown up yet, I dial her number again but it¡¯s unreachable.

    Shit!

    What the hell is happening?

    When I twirl back to continue pacing, I spot her rushing into the hospital and I run to meet up with her.

    She runs into my wide embrace and pulls away almost immediately. ¡°What happened? Where is he? Where is mom? How did you find him?¡±

    She looks beautiful in her outfit which shows that she had the intention of going out. She told me she wanted to visit my mom and I was surprised when I called mom and she told me she hadn¡¯t seen her.

    Where has she been?

    She told me she wanted to visit mom and she called around 10 am this morning when I was having a hard time going through some paperwork.

    It is almost 2 pm and she hasn¡¯t gone to my mom¡¯s ce yet.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she calls out as she shakes my shoulder, jerking me out of my thoughts. ¡°Where is he?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    She is panicking.

    Without a word, I help her to the reception seat and I sit beside her too. We face each other squarely, her expression curious and expecting some answers while I stare calmly, despite all the conflicting emotions I am feeling.

    ¡°Be calm¡±, I only say and she nods.

    ¡°I visited him because I wanted to know why my Father has refused to stick to his promise. I felt he must know the reason but he wasn¡¯t ready to give me any answers. He was indirectly asking me to leave and I left¡­¡±

    ¡°Then what happened?¡± She cuts me short.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened but I heard his phone ringing and then a loud thud¡±, Iplete.

    She gasps, her hands sping her mouth as her eyes begin to brim with tears.

    ¡°When I ran back inside, he was unconscious¡±, I add again, holding her two shoulders and thinking of ways to calm her down.

    It reminds me of my Mother. How I reacted when I got to know that she was sick and was dying.

    Valerie yed a huge role in letting me ept the reality of her ailment and ept it as my fate but the same thing is happening to her too. Now.

    We don¡¯t know what is going to happen to her Father. We don¡¯t know if he is dead or going to survive it.

    No one ising out of the ward where he was talking to. No one is answering our questions.

    It makes me feel sad. Not at Valerie¡¯s reaction but also because my Father might have been responsible for this. He might not be directly responsible but not sticking to his promise made this man depressed and sick.

    He is indirectly responsible and I hope to get to the root of this.

    For Valerie¡¯s sake and for the sake of the answers I want to get to help them get, I want him alive.

    Valerie¡¯s sobs jerk me out of my reverie. Her head is lowered as she continues to mp her hands over her mouth to suppress the sound of her cries.

    While I watch her, she bursts into uncontroble tears and I hug her tightly, hoping this will help.

    It is unfair and I feel bad that this is happening. I wonder what Valerie will be thinking. Will she me me for this?

    She got married to me for this but nothing has changed. The promises we made have not been fulfilled. This is truly between my father and her father but I also feel responsible.

    We are being used.

    We need to find the answers to these puzzles first before we know the next line of action. Her father needs to tell us all that we need to know about his rtionship with my father.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she calls in between sobs, her body shaking tremendously. ¡°Is he going to die?¡±

    I shake my head and pull away from the hug, my two hands holding her face firmly. ¡°Let¡¯s be positive.¡±

    Her tears continue to fall on her pretty face. ¡°What if he dies?¡±

    I asked myself this same thing when Anita told me my mother was dying. I asked myself how I was going to survive without her in my life. I asked how I was going to cope with everything after her death but Valerie made me understand that I can survive it and this is just part of life¡¯s routine.

    I can¡¯t say the same thing, though. This is a different scenario.

    Valerie will be shaken if he dies. She might look so strong and tough but deep down, she is the most caring person I have ever met. She is soft on the inside.

    ¡°He will be fine¡±, I assure her, caressing her face gently and wiping her tears with my two thumbs.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± More tears roll down but I am not tired of wiping her tears. Being here with her is satisfying. It is as if she had been holding everything in until now and now her tears are unstoppable.

    Without saying another word of constion or assurance, I move closer to her and do the only thing thates to my head.

    I kiss her cheek, hoping it will stop the tear. A taste of her salty tears reaches the tip of my lips and I lock eyes with her.

    Wiping it with my thumb and my lips, it stops eventually but she sniffles, dragging my attention back to the closest thing to her nose.

    Her lips.

    Very full and inviting.

    She has nude lipstick on and they keep calling to me to take them. I try not to heed the calling and concentrate on making her feel better.

    But the sadness locking in her eyes is encouraging me to do what I need to do. That sadness is what I want to wipe out of her mouth and every part of her body.

    With my nose on hers, I peck her lips, our breath mixing. I can taste the vor of her lipstick and it drives me to the edge.

    With trembling hands, I hold her face more firmly, so she won¡¯t pull out without warning.

    It feels like my heart is throbbing painfully for no reason and it will soon burst out of my chest if I don¡¯t do this.

    I want this. To kiss her lips.

    Without any more hesitation, I m my lips to hers, releasing a soft gasp from her and a little groan of satisfaction from me.

    This is heavenly.

    This is heaven on earth.

    Her lips taste like orange. The more I wipe my tongue around it, the more I crave the taste.

    I delve my tongue inside her mouth, wanting so desperately for her to open up for me and kiss me back with much vigor but her lips remain tightly sealed until I push further, determined not to stop till I get what I want.

    I graze my tongue over her neatly arranged teeth before kissing her lips again. I bite the edge of her lips slowly, wishing she can hold me tightly to signify that this isn¡¯t about me alone.

    I want to feel the need from her as well.

    When she touches my back, my whole body arch with need and want for no one else but her. My heart begins to pound wilder than ever before as we forget our worries and pour every emotion into the sweet touch of our lips.

    Then I feel another touch and a tap.

    I open my eyes and see the different look on her face. She disengages from me slowly and I swallow hard, wondering what she thinks.

    I shouldn¡¯t have done this here. Not in this situation.

    Before I can think of something to say, she stands up straight and calls out to someone who just came in. ¡°Mom.¡±

 CHAPTER 48

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Kissing two men in a day is something I never sawing. This is another thing that reminds me of my friendship with Brenda who used to call me a judgmental bitch jokingly.

    Now that I think of it, I¡¯m sure she meant it.

    I always nag her for going out with more than one man in a day and she tells me it¡¯s nothing.

    All my life, I have always wanted Fred to be my only man. Even after he left, I didn¡¯t see the need to want to kiss some other man. I was irritated by the thought of it and now, I did not just kiss Ryan but also Fred in just a day.

    When Fred kissed me, I was mad. Mad at myself for allowing him to do that. And mad at him for thinking he can get me jelly in the legs by kissing me.

    But when Ryan kissed me, I wasn¡¯t mad. Disappointment is the word for what I feel.

    Almost two months ago, Ryan and I could barely stand each other. We signed a contract and he made some rules to ensure that we do not cross the line but he is the one breaking the rules himself.

    I am highly disappointed.

    He thinks kissing me would console me. But he is wrong. I will be inconsble if anything happens to my father.

    I me myself for not being able to help him. I am married because of this yet I feel so helpless and useless.

    Why can¡¯t I use this to my advantage? Why am I even married to a billionaire in the first ce?

    My father is dying there just because he is about to lose everything he has worked his ass off for and here I am getting kissed by two men in a day without a sense of dignity and responsibility on how to take care of him.

    I feel stupid.

    ¡°Valerie, what the hell happened?!¡± My mom yells as she grabs the cor of my top. Gently, I put her hand away, ncing down at her dress.

    ¡°Where are youing from?¡± I attack her instantly, my gaze shifting back to her face.

    When Ryan called me to inform me that my father was in the hospital, I was confused at first as to how Ryan got to know about my father before me. I called my mother and she wasn¡¯t aware either, so I told her the hospital¡¯s address while I drove here.

    Where was she when he lost consciousness? What if Ryan wasn¡¯t there, what would have happened?

    ¡°Mom, where were you¡­¡± she stops me from yelling at her again with her finger touching my lips to shut me up.

    She moves closer and whispers into my ears. ¡°I went to your father-inw¡¯s office.¡±

    I blink and look at her again, from head to toe. She went to Ryan¡¯s father¡¯s office. What for?

    This reminds me of what Ryan said a few minutes ago. He said he wanted to know the rtionship between my father and his and then he will be able to figure out why his father isn¡¯t helping my father as promised.

    ¡°Where is my husband? Where is he?¡± She tries to walk past me with worry and I grab her hand to stop her.

    Before I can tell her how it happened, a man in a white coates out through a passage. When Ryan stands up to meet with him, I know immediately that he is the doctor handling my father¡¯s case.

    Mom and I rush toward him.

    ¡°How is he, doctor?¡± Mom asks him with impatience.

    The doctor smiles lightly and answers. ¡°He is awake now. It was just a mild case of heart attack and blood shortage. He also has a low sugar level. With the right drug prescriptions and enough bed rest, he should be up in a week or two.¡±

    We all heave a deep sigh of relief. I am surprised to see that Ryan is relieved too.

    Why? Isn¡¯t this his father¡¯s fault? Is he trying to remedy his father¡¯s mistake?

    When our eyes interlock, I look away and hold hands with my mom.

    ¡°Thank Goodness!¡± She exhales deeply. ¡°I thought I was going to lose him. I thought I won¡¯t see him again.¡±

    My mother might be the true definition of desperate but she loves her husband. They love each other dearly. Her desperation was what made her leave him all alone in the house and go meet Ryan¡¯s father.

    Did she even meet with him? Now I am more than sure he is doing this intentionally. But why?

    I can¡¯t even get mad at my mother for leaving my father all alone in the house. At first, I was but right now, I am not.

    This is no one¡¯s fault. This was bound to happen even before Ryan and I got married. My dad is depressed about our situation. He has a good way of hiding his emotions. He isn¡¯t like a mother who is too open like a book.

    With a deep sigh, I embrace my mom and close my eyes as I mumble a word of praise to the Almighty for sparing my Father.

    I can¡¯t even imagine what life would be without him. He is a good man and I don¡¯t know why Mr. Lorenzo is doing this to us.

    Didn¡¯t they say they were friends? Didn¡¯t my mother emphasize on how good both families are to each other? Does this exin why I never found any of their faces familiar or why I never saw any of them pay a visit to our house and vice versa?

    What is happening?

    Was this all nned?

    Is this betrothal thing a facade?

    Is Ryan¡¯s father behind it all?

    I don¡¯t even realize the doctor has left until Ryan speaks up. ¡°You should go see him. I¡¯m leaving now that he is fine.¡±

    Mother pulls away from my embrace, wipes her tears, and says to me. ¡°See him off.¡±

    With that, she takes the passage and enters the ward.

    ¡°I¡¯m d he is fine now,¡± Ryanments, staring at me.

    I nod without saying anything.

    My head is spinning with a lot of questions and I am beginning to feel a slight headache again just like I felt this morning when I woke up.

    Everything is so confusing and I don¡¯t know where to start. I don¡¯t know how to solve all of these.

    I can¡¯t help my father if Ryan¡¯s father is responsible for this. This means this marriage was a mistake from the start as well.

    ¡°I should go¡±, he mutters again, shifting ufortably.

    ¡°Yeah¡±, I say with a nod.

    When he takes a step away from me so he can go out, I stop him. ¡°Why is your Father not helping us?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    This issue is about us, not only about my father. If anything happens to him, it will affect my mom and me so we are in this together.

    I won¡¯t support Ryan because he is my husband. My familyes first. Their safety and welfare matters to me also.

    Besides, Ryan and I are not real. This marriage will soon be over.

    Kiss.

    The word jumps into my head again. The first time he kissed me was because he wanted to practice how we would do the same the next time we visited his parents.

    Then why did he kiss me now?

    We don¡¯t need to pretend to be my mom. His mother is the case study here, not my own parents.

    Did he do that because he saw my moming?

    I look towards the door to see that there is no way in the world that he would have seen hering from afar.

    Quickly, with a shake of the head, I wave the thought away.

    ¡°I have no idea either. That was why I visited him. I believe your father knows something.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I ask sarcastically.

    ¡°Yes¡±, he replied without taking the clue.

    If he knows something, then would he have an attack? I ask within me, then I remember Ryan said something about a call.

    ¡°Do you know who called him before he lost consciousness?¡± I interrogate him as he shakes his head in reply.

    I guess I should find out who called him. That is the first thing to do. After that, I will ask him who Mr. Lorenzo really is and if he is doing this on purpose.

    With a re, I wave at him forcefully. ¡°Bye¡±, then I walk away towards the ward.

    Before I am out of sight, I turn to see him strolling out casually as if nothing happened between us. He is acting like we are cool with each other and he doesn¡¯t care if I attach any importance to the kiss or not.

 CHAPTER 49

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    With my tongueced over my lower lip in remembrance of the kiss and how cold Valerie was, I enter through the front door, holding firmly onto my briefcase.

    I haven¡¯t been able to get the kiss out of my head, even though I made a resolution to do that when Valerie began to act all cold toward me.

    I couldn¡¯t escape from the office earlier to go check up on them again at the hospital but I tried to call her and it wasn¡¯t reachable.

    I don¡¯t know if this restlessness is a result of the kiss or worry over her father¡¯s health and the answers we are bound to get at the end of this all.

    I just hope the truth about their rtionship won¡¯t hurt any of us. If our parents aren¡¯t on good terms with each other, I fear what would happen between Valerie and me.

    I hate that side of her, to be honest. I hate to see the disdain in her eyes. We have gone past that stage and I really do not want us to go back to that again.

    I have been trying to sort out my feelings too and the reason why I kissed her but I haven¡¯t been able to think of a genuine reason why I did that other than the fact that I wanted her.

    I can no longer deny it. She is driving me nuts. The attraction I feel toward her is bing stronger with each passing second.

    At first, I thought it was because I wanted a woman. I thought it was because it¡¯s been a while since I gotid and that was why I was attracted to the woman closest to me; Valerie.

    But this is just too much of a normal sexual attraction. I don¡¯t want to go over the line as well but I can¡¯t help it.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    I have made a decision, though.

    Taking the staircase up, I get to my door within minutes. I turn the doorknob and enter to see the empty room.

    I stroll in, closing the door quietly behind me, thinking Valerie must be inside the bathroom. Even if she spent the whole day at the hospital, she ought to be home already because it iste.

    When I drop the briefcase without hearing a sound from the bathroom, I pull off my jacket and take long strides toward the bathroom door.

    We need to talk. We should talk about the kiss. We shouldn¡¯t keep quiet over something I consider passionate. She might not feel the same way but it¡¯s fine. I have a solution that might make me get over her as quickly as possible.

    I ce my ears on the door so I can hear the sounds of the running shower but there is nothing. I knock, hoping to hear her answer so I don¡¯t have to open the door.

    There is still no answer so I twist the knob and it opens. Slowly, I open the door and peep in. I just want to be sure that she is here.

    To my amazement, the shower isn¡¯t running and the bathroom is empty.

    Is she not back from the hospital? Has she gone to her parent¡¯s home?

    I close the bathroom door and let out an exasperated sigh with my hands akimbo.

    Where the hell is she?

    I came home for this and she isn¡¯t here. I let out a disgruntled groan.

    Walking back to the bed to get my phone, I quickly dialed her number hoping she would pick it up this time.

    Fortunately, it rings and she picks up at the second ring.

    ¡°Hey¡±, I say, finding myself suddenly speechless.

    ¡°Hi¡±, her low voice replies, and she falls silent.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± I find my voice after a few breathing in and out. ¡°Are you back from the hospital? I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯te. I just got home and I found¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in the house¡±, she answers, cutting me short.

    ¡°The house?¡± I turn around. ¡°You mean my house?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in my room¡±, she says and disconnects the call.

    Without waiting for a second, I drop my phone and dash out of the room, taking extremely long strides toward her room and wondering why she decided to spend the night in her room instead of mine.

    Is this because of the kiss? Is she ufortable with me now? Should I still go ahead and tell her my decision?

    I knock on her door but I get no reply and I open it with impatience. She is lying on her side on the bed. I¡¯m sure she hears the sound of the door opening but she isn¡¯t turning to see if it¡¯s me or someone else.

    I close the door quietly behind me and walk slowly toward her, feeling giddy with anxiety.

    When I get close, I sit on the ottoman close to her bed and watch her back. She isn¡¯t turning around to face me and she isn¡¯t saying anything.

    She must still be sad about her father¡¯s health. I¡¯m sure this has nothing to do with the kiss.

    ¡°How is Father? Does he feel better?¡± I ask, my heart thumping wildly in my ribcage.

    Slowly, she turns to me and I see how red-eyed she looks. With a rush, I move towards her and grab her shoulder. ¡°What happened? Why did you cry?¡±

    She chuckles and lets go of my hand on her shoulder by sitting upright. ¡°I wasn¡¯t crying.¡±

    An awkward silence falls between us. I don¡¯t know what else to say to her or if I should go straight to the point on the reason why I wanted to talk to her.

    Is this the right time to say this? Won¡¯t I be considered selfish for spilling such a decision at a critical time like this?

    ¡°Hmmm¡­Val¡­.¡± I trail off and she stands upright, clears the books on the table then sits and faces me.

    A lump of dread gets stuck in my throat and I can¡¯t say anymore. No word is forming in my head.

    ¡°Ryan, that kiss was nothing, right?¡± She demands and I hoist my head up instantly, my eyes wide open.

    ¡°You kissed me because you wanted to assure me that everything will be fine, right? Or was it because my mother wasing and you wanted her to think we are good just like we are doing with your mom?¡±

    It takes a while for it all to process slowly in my head and finally I nod, ignoring the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

    Now, I can¡¯t say what I came here for.

    ¡°I knew it!¡± She rejoices with a shortugh. Taking a hold of my hand. ¡°We don¡¯t need to pretend to be my mom, you know? Your mom is enough and my mother doesn¡¯t really care if we are real or not. What she wants is her husband¡¯s financial freedom, that¡¯s all.¡±

    I nod without a word.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± She asks me and I look up to meet her intense gaze. I nod again.

    We fall silent again. I release my hands from her hold and ball them into a fist beside me, ming myself for not being man enough to tell her the truth and kissing her again and again till she gets the message.

    I feel stupid for not summoning up the courage even if she rejects my offer.

    ¡°I¡¯m sad¡±, she mutters, lowering her head down.

    I do notment on her statement, I just continue to watch her, speechlessly.

    With a deep sigh, she gets up and stands in front of me. ¡°Do you have a motorcycle?¡±

    Surprised at the question she is asking me out of the blue, I gaze up to see how serious she is. ¡°Yes.¡±

    I have one.

    ¡°I need some fresh air and a ride¡±, she begins to walk to the door and I get the message that she wants us to go out tonight on a bike.

    Without waiting for an invitation, I rise from the ottoman and rush out to meet her.

 CHAPTER 50

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    With my hands tightly wrapped around him firmly and my head on his back, I let the sound of the motorcycle engine drown my thoughts, concerns, and worries.

    I am also ignoring the suspicion I am having about Ryan lying to me about the kiss. I don¡¯t want to think about anything now. I just want to enjoy the evening air brushing past my face and hair.

    If I wasn¡¯t in a sad mood, I would have loved to shout into the air with one of my hands flying around and the other holding onto Ryan as he drives.

    I don¡¯t know where he is driving me to but I don¡¯t care. I just want to be far away from that cold room and let my worries go.

    My father is still in the hospital. I wanted to spend the night with him but my mom insisted on having me gone. From her persistence, I can see how much she wants me and Ryan to work unlike what I told Ryan a few minutes ago.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    Even with that, I still believe that the person who needs this sort of assurance is his mom, not my mom. My mom is just after the money they promised my father.

    Suddenly, the speed increases, and I let out a yelp as I hold onto him more tightly. He chuckles lightly and I hit him on the shoulder.

    We keep going inplete silence. Now, the silence isn¡¯t as awkward as it was earlier in the room. It isforting. Comfortable.

    The motorcycle was in his penthouse. I saw it there on our wedding night and I have been meaning to drive on it but I couldn¡¯t bring it up because we weren¡¯t on good terms.

    Tonight reminds me a lot about being my father¡¯s princess. Dad used to do this with me whenever he had something troubling his mind when I was still young.

    I was his princess and he prefers going out on a motorcycle with his Princess to his wife. I wish I had his sort of patience. Being with my mom over the years has been a result of his patience. My mom is hard to deal with and hard to live with for years without fighting.

    Realizing that I am still thinking about everything I said I wasn¡¯t going to think about, I turn my head to the other side, my left cheek on Ryan¡¯s back, and I shut my eyes.

    I don¡¯t want to think about anything.

    Nothing. Not about being my dad¡¯s princess. Not about my dad¡¯s situation or ill health. Not about my n to interrogate him after he has been discharged from the hospital.

    And not even about that awkward kiss.

    Ryan seemed like he had something to say to me when he came into my room this night. I guessed it was about the kiss but when I saw the disappointment crossing his expression after I asked him if he did that because of my mother, I concluded that he didn¡¯te to talk about the kiss and I should forget all about it.

    It should mean nothing, right? After all, I am not proud of it happening.

    If I was still friends with Brenda and I told her what happened today about kissing my ex-boyfriend and my supposed husband, she would cackle inughter and smirk in pride.

    Not because she likes the idea but because she will feel I have finally be like her and I have the right to judge or nag her over being promiscuous.

    I sigh.

    ¡°Are you ok?!¡± I hear Ryan¡¯s shout and I nod.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Should we stop for a while?¡± He says and I want to tell him no.

    Before I can do that, he slows down and the bike stops immediately. He takes his helmet off and I step down after taking my hands away from his body.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± He demands again, peering down at me with concern.

    ¡°Yes, I am¡±, I brush my hair away from my face, wishing I had packed them beforeing out.

    Ryan¡¯s finger touches my face and I see him brushing my hair too, tucking the pleats behind my left ear.

    There is a look on his face that I can¡¯t ce. The same look he had on when he kissed me at the hospital reception.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±, he says, jerking me out of my thoughts.

    When I nce around, it is an enclosed garden with a big house behind it. I turn to stare at Ryan and he shrugs nonchntly.

    I want to ask him where we are by this time of the night but he quickly disappears, moving towards the garden while I fold my arms around my bosom, suddenly feeling cold.

    Something hits my face and I take it off to see it is a cardigan. ¡°I was so sure she would need one and now you do.¡± He says to my amazement.

    Where the hell did he put the cardigan all along?

    With no question, I wear it and I see him wearing the same cardigan. It is a ck one with a big hood covering almost my entire face.

    Leaving the house in just my night-long silk trousers and shirt was a rash decision. But I never knew we woulde this far.

    ¡°Come with me¡±, he stretches his hand and I walk closer to hold hands with him.

    With a smile, he begins to walk forward toward the garden again. It is enclosed with lots of strings that form a door and when I look closely, I notice there are not just flowers in there, some living things are going around the ce.

    Ryan produces a torch and switches it on to reveal the beauty that makes my breath hitch for a second and my mouth hanging open in wonderment.

    Tiny butterflies are flying around the garden. It perches on one of the flowers and runs off again.

    They are beautiful and colorful. When we are inside the garden, I feel tempted to touch them but they always escape before I move closer.

    All of a sudden, Ryan whirls me around and there stands one of the most beautiful butterflies ever on the tip of his finger.

    He smirks with pride and signals to me to touch it. Scared that it will escape again, I shake my head.

    He nods at me with encouragement and I finally summon up the courage to at least try. If it flies away, fine. I know I tried my best.

    Shakily, my hands reach out to it but it is still on Ryan¡¯s finger. Finally, I touch it and a profound feeling of joy rains down on my existence and my heart begins to dance for joy.

    The imaginary butterflies in my belly sparks like they always do when I am extremely happy.

    Just then, it flies away and I watch it go to the far end of the strings binding them from going out to their freedom.

    My joy knows no bounds and for a split second, I get lost in them until I begin to tear up, not because I am still sad but because I am too happy to express how I feel.

    The butterflies begin to go around till they surround us, adding to my joy. They keep going around and I keep turning around too to watch the beautiful creatures when I suddenly begin to feel dizzy.

    Iugh as a tear rolls down my eyes without stopping. When I lose my stamina and almost fall, a pair of strong arms catch me and the sniff of his cologne reminds me of the fact that Ryan is with me.

    He is behind this magic.

    He brought me here. He gave me both real and imaginary butterflies.

    Right now, as I stare at him, he is nowhere close to the man I married. He is someone else. Someone I don¡¯t know. A man I never knew existed. A man with a kind heart.

    He did all of this for me?

    Why?

    Wait, was this the reason why he had that disappointed look on his face after I jumped to the conclusion that he kissed me because of my mom?

    Does Ryan have feelings for me?

    I almost snort in regret. Ryan can never have feelings for me. We are two opposite people with opposite ideologies and opinions.

    He doesn¡¯t like me one bit for being too strong-headed.

    I am wrong. He is doing this just to make my sadness go away. I shouldn¡¯t get ahead of myself.

    When his index finger touches my face again, it suddenly dawns on me that Ryan and I shouldn¡¯t be too close to each other.

    No one is looking now. We don¡¯t need to act all lovey-dovey as if someone is looking from somewhere.

    Or is this one of his ways of assuring his mother that we are cool? Isn¡¯t the pregnancy facade enough?

    Before I can try to find any answer to the question, his lips touches mine and I stiffen.

    I am not given a chance to process what he is doing because the next thing he does is to delve his tongue into my mouth to force me to open up as he begins to kiss me roughly.

 CHAPTER 51

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    My chest feels like exploding as he ms his lips onto mine again, kissing me fiercely with his hands grabbing my hair firmly.

    He continues to seek entrance until I can no longer hold it in and stick my teeth together. The moment I open up, he kisses the insides of my mouth, then he begins to trace the outline and his hands make their way to my bosom.

    When he bites me solely at the edge of my lips, I realize what we are doing.

    It is frustrating how I get to ask myself a lot of questions yet I am unable to find any answers to the questions.

    Then the next minute, the question will manifest. Something rted to the question will happen.

    Ryan has never looked serious the way he looks right now. Everything about his expression says that he meant what he said but I still can¡¯t believe he is kissing me again for the second time in a day.

    Quickly, I push him away breathing heavily. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I yell, trying so hard to control the racing of my heart.

    A few minutes ago, he told me he kissed me because my mother wasing. What excuse does he have for this now?

    I can¡¯t see regret shing across his expression. He is watching me intently with his pursed lips.

    He ces a hand on his waist and another on his lips. ¡°When I asked you to be my sex partner during ourst date, I didn¡¯t mean to say that but I guess it came out right¡±, he mumbles under his breath, making it hard for me to hear him.

    Straining my ears, I lean forward.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask with curiosity.

    I remember when he asked me that silly question but then he said he was just pulling my legs.

    Is he doing the same thing now?

    He does not reply. He continues to peer at me, making me feel stupid foring out with him tonight.

    What does he take me for?

    Suddenly, a butterfly perches on my hand and I gasp, shifting my attention from Ryan to the beautiful butterfly and raising my hand slowly so it won¡¯t run off again.

    It stays still, making me forget what just happened with Ryan but when I try to touch it, it flies away.

    A satisfying smile is on my face as I watch it move from one end of the string to another.

    Strong pairs of arms encircle my waist and I turn to meet Ryan¡¯s intense gaze, making me conscious of how I look for the very first time since we have been married to each other.

    ¡°I meant what I said, Valerie. I didn¡¯t kiss you because your mother wasing. I didn¡¯t even know she wasing.¡± He confesses to my surprise.

    I am right. He didn¡¯t see hering. Then why did he kiss me then? What for?

    ¡°I kissed you because I want you¡±, he announce, shocking the living hell out of me. My jaw drops in utter disbelief and I move away from his hold. ¡°I will ask you one more time, Val. Will you be my sex partner?¡±

    He drops another bombshell and a loud gasp escapes my mouth as I stumble backward in shock.

    He grabs my hand so I won¡¯t fall and pulls me closer.

    Unable to push him away, I ask. ¡°You are joking, right?¡±

    I expect him to burst into uncontrobleughter and tell me this is all a joke and there is no way in the world he would fall for a woman like me.

    Instead, he shakes his head and responds. ¡°No, I am not.¡±

    I scoff, then disengage from his hold. Tapping my chest, I demand. ¡°You want me?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±, he asserts firmly with confidence which makes me more confused.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    I don¡¯t know what meaning to give to this. My husband kissed me because he wants me to be his sex partner. After that, what will happen? What about the contract? Isn¡¯t he tired of living with me already? When did this attraction start? Howe I never noticed a thing?

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me a reply now, you can think about it¡±, he takes a hold of my hand but I yank my hand away.

    ¡°There is absolutely nothing to think about, Ryan. It¡¯s a no.¡± I confirm without giving it any thought.

    There is nothing to think about really. How can he be attracted to me? This marriage is a contracted one, simply because he hated my guts and can¡¯t wait to get rid of me, and now he wants me to have sex with him?

    Unbelievable!

    Is this because he wants the pregnancy to be real? Is this it? Is he back to being selfish? He doesn¡¯t care about what I think or feel before making a decision.

    We have a lot on our desks. How do wee up with solutions to the suspected thrift between our parents?

    ¡°You won¡¯t think about it?¡± He questions with a soft voice and I nod my head with folded arms.

    ¡°No. I am not interested.¡±

    He remains silent, his head lowered before he looks up again and nods.

    ¡°You said you wanted a sex partner and I gave you permission to go out and look for one. Why does it have to be me?¡± I can¡¯t help the guilt I feel the moment he locks eyes with me.

    ¡°Because you are my wife¡±, he answers and I snarl in disbelief.

    He wants to have sex with me because I am his wife?

    ¡°I think you have forgotten that this thing between us isn¡¯t real? Have you lost it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    No? No to what?

    I wave it away and begin to crack my head for something else to say as an excuse not to ept this offer. The highest I can do for him is to continue faking this pregnancy but I will never have sex with him.

    I have done enough for him already.

    ¡°For your information, I can¡¯t just have sex with anyone. I can only have sex with someone I love¡­.¡±

    ¡°You loved Fred yet you never had sex with him?¡± He cuts me short and my mouth drops open in shock.

 CHAPTER 52

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Fred and Brenda are the only ones who know that I am a virgin. No one else knows. Not even my mother.

    Because of the wild parties Brenda and I go to and the fact that I had a boyfriend, she must have assumed that I have lost my virginity.

    She never asked me but I know that is what she thinks. She is my mother yet she doesn¡¯t know a lot about me.

    If only Mother knows, I will think she told Ryan this behind my back but Mother doesn¡¯t know so who did?

    ¡°You can¡¯t have sex with someone you don¡¯t love but you never had sex with Fred and you two have been together for years. Don¡¯t you love him?¡±

    ¡°Ho.. w.. how did you know that?¡± I find myself stammering as I ask him with intense curiosity.

    ¡°How I know doesn¡¯t matter, does it?¡±

    ¡°It does¡±, I retort back, desperate for him to answer me.

    Silence ensues, except for the loud beating of my heart which I can hear. I continue to watch him, anticipating the answer to the question I asked him.

    ¡°I will answer you¡±, he drops his hand from his waist and points a finger at me. ¡°if you answer me first.¡±

    What question? I ask within me as I furrow my brows at him.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have sex with Fred?¡± He finally asks. ¡°Didn¡¯t you love him genuinely?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I did!¡± I shout unexpectedly, feeling sad that we are doing this. We are talking about my rtionship with Fred the same day I bumped into him and had dinner with him as well as a silly kiss.

    ¡°I did love you. Don¡¯t use me of leading him on for nothing¡­¡±

    ¡°I am not using you, Val¡±, he interrupts me and I realize I am overreacting.

    My breathing has increased because of the sudden anger I am feeling. I don¡¯t want to talk about Fred. Not with Ryan. I feel ufortable talking about him with Ryan but I guess I have to answer his question for me to get my answer too.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready¡±, I reveal calmly, my gaze down and my arms folded around my bosom.

    He seems surprised at my question but I don¡¯t have anything else to add. He should understand my point.

    ¡°You were not ready?¡± He asks, as though he didn¡¯t hear me right. ¡°Is that why you two broke up?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question¡­¡±

    ¡°I swear I will. Just answer all my questions, ok?¡± He says again, cutting me off from shouting at him to answer me already. ¡°If you loved him, why didn¡¯t you have sex with him?¡±

    ¡°I just told you I wasn¡¯t ready¡­¡±

    ¡°You just told me you can¡¯t have sex with a man you don¡¯t love which means you can¡¯t have sex with me unless you are in love with me!¡± He shouts right back at me, shocking me to the bones.

    ¡°We are not meant to love each other, are we?¡±

    ¡°What if we do?¡± He retorts back in question sharply.

    I open my mouth to say more but nothing seems to being to my head. I am suddenly lost for words because I don¡¯t know where this is going.

    Is he indirectly telling me that he is in love with me?

    ¡°How did you know that I didn¡¯t have sex with him?¡±

    ¡°You told me¡±, he replies as if expecting the question from me.

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim with a shortugh. I am so sure I didn¡¯t tell him that. When did he be a liar? Does he lie often?

    ¡°Yes, you did. You might have forgotten but you told me yourselfst night after we saw him with Celina¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t, Ryan¡±, I deny again, hoping this is true because I can¡¯t remember saying anything of that sort.

    ¡°You got drunk when we got home, remember? You told me you never had sex with him. I didn¡¯t believe it but from your surprised expression when I used you just now, it is obvious you were speaking the truth.¡±

    My mouth hangs open. I did tell him. Why don¡¯t I remember?

    I¡¯m embarrassed, I look down.

    Shit!

    Was I so drunk? I thought it was just a few drinks. What else happened that I can¡¯t remember?

    I can¡¯t bring myself to look up at Ryan, probably because he now knows who I really am or because of how I must have reactedst night.

    Did I also cry? What other silly things did I do?

    ¡°He mentioned that you didn¡¯t break up with him because he cheated¡±, he says, referring back to the statement Fred made.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. He must be talking about sex. I refused him sex and he went out to get it. He wants to use that against me¡±, I wave it away with my hand, realizing how casual I am talking about him now.

    A low chuckle emanates from him and I hoist my head to meet his eyes boring into mine.

    I nce away.

    When his chuckle won¡¯t stop, I open the string door and walk out in anger, wishing I never agreed to drink with himst night. If only I didn¡¯t, then I wouldn¡¯t be this embarrassed and he wouldn¡¯t beughing at me. Also, I will have enough right to be mad at him for proposing such a silly offer to me.

    ¡°Val¡±, he runs to catch up with me.

    When he gets close to me, he rushes over to stop me with his arms wide.

    I examine his expression. He is no longerughing but his eyes hold twinkles of amusement.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯m tired already.¡±  I say and walk past him to continue walking towards the motorcycle so we can go home.

    I have a lot of thinking to do and I have lost total interest in the beauties of the garden. I guess I will have toe here on my own some other time.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    That will definitely be at night so I won¡¯t get arrested for trespassing. I don¡¯t know how Ryan found this ce but his confidence is making me suspect that he knows the resident of the building who must be the owner of the garden.

    Before I get to the motorcycle, something clicks in my head. I suddenly remember I also have a question I need to ask him. If I don¡¯t ask him now, I might not get another chance to ask him.

    After all, this was the main reason why Fred had the gut to kiss me. If only I didn¡¯t have lunch with him out of curiosity, he wouldn¡¯t have kissed me.

    Twirling back abruptly, I almost bumped into him because he is right behind me but he grabs me.

    Without waiting any more seconds, I demand. ¡°Who is Celina Sebastian?¡±

    The amusement in his eyes disappears and his face suddenly goes dark.

 CHAPTER 53

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Celina has been blowing my phone up with calls for days. She never had a reason to call me all this while but seeing me again after so many years with a woman I call wife must be so bothersome for her.

    Valerie does not need to know who she is. Her topic annoys the shit out of me.

    I wonder how she got my number. She never called me once and then all of a sudden, she starts to call.

    When she first called and I heard her voice even before she introduced herself, I quickly hung up and I haven¡¯t been picking ever since then.

    This morning when she called, I blocked her from reaching me. She is too annoying and I me her for Valerie¡¯s recent coldness.

    I have no one to me. I don¡¯t want to believe that my offer is what is making her so cold.

    So Celina is at fault.

    It¡¯s been days already since I took her to the garden and she has been ignoring me on purpose.

    She has been spending the night at the hospital with her dad butst night, she came home and slept in her room.

    I heard her dad will be discharged today and I n to visit him before heading home.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    As I park some files into my briefcase so I can work on them when I get home since I barely get some sleep nowadays, the inte rings.

    I ignore it for a while as I continue to put the files inside and take the ones there from yesterday out. I am working myself to sleep now. This way, I don¡¯t have to dwell much on how silly Valerie took my decision.

    I summoned a whole lot of courage to tell her how I felt but she made it seem like the dumbest thing ever.

    I don¡¯t n to raise that topic ever again.

    The inte rings again and I slump back onto the swivel chair to pick it up. I already asked my secretary to go home and I wonder if she is the one calling.

    We are done for today.

    ¡°Good day, sir. Ady is here to see you but she has no appointment with you¡±, a male voice says from the other end.

    It must be the receptionist at the lobby, I figure.

    ¡°Identity?¡± I demand.

    ¡°No identity, sir¡±, he replies sharply.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her in, then¡±, I reply and ce the receiver back in its position.

    I am done with all my appointments for today. It can¡¯t be Valerie nor can it be my Mother. Those are the only women I have in my life as well as Anita but she is back in college.

    Before I can clear my desk, it rings again. I pick it up with a groan. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°She said she is an old friend of yours and it¡¯s important that she sees you¡±, he replies quickly and I rub my index finger on my forehead, trying to figure out who this is.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she revealing her identity, then?¡± I question immediately. Before he can reply, I tell him. ¡°If she can¡¯t tell you her name, then don¡¯t let her in, and don¡¯t call me again. We are done for the day, ok?¡±

    ¡°Ok, sir¡±, he answers shakily and I hang up.

    Quickly, I rise from the chair and clear the table hastily before grabbing my briefcase and phone to take the exit out.

    When I get to my secretary¡¯s desk, I see it is already empty. I walk past it to the elevator.

    Within two minutes, the elevator door dings open and I get out, walking towards the lobby and not sparing the receptionist a nce.

    I take the moving door out and walk towards the parking lot where my driver is waiting for me.

    Before I can get in, I hear a familiar voice that sends a familiar feeling of coldness down my spine.

    ¡°Hello, Ryan Lorenzo¡±, she mutters, making me feel the smile on her tone.

    Slowly, I turn back to see her, standing as elegant as ever with bold red lipstick on as usual. She is wearing high-pointed heels and an extremely short gown.

    Celina Sebastian.

    The same woman Valerie is curious about. The same woman who she is ignoring me for.

    ¡°I called, but you won¡¯t pick up. I wanted toe to see you but you won¡¯t allow me too. Are we still not on speaking terms?¡± She smiles at me.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I ask promptly, not bothering myself with the revtion that she was the one who refused to reveal her identity to the receptionist a few minutes ago.

    ¡°I came to see you¡±, she mutters softly, trying to touch me but I move away in irritation.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± I yell at her with zing red eyes.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with the attitude? Aren¡¯t you d to see me?¡± She scrunches her face up in frustration.

    ¡°As you can see, I am going home now¡±, I say and turn to leave when she holds me back by grabbing a hold of my shirt.

    I turn back and wrench myself away from her hold. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±

    She does not look remorseful. She has a light graceful smile on her face, then she folds her arms and asks. ¡°Are you truly married?¡±

    I am not supposed to answer her but I feel answering her is needed so she can get the hell out of mypany.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± I ask her, with a raised brow.

    She nods. ¡°I never knew but are you sure¡­¡±

    ¡°Now you know. Can I leave now?¡±

    ¡°Not so fast, baby boy. I have a gift for you and I¡¯m sure you would love it.¡±

    ¡°I am not interested in your gift so get out of here!¡± I find myself shouting at the top of my voice at her.

    Why the sudden appearance, calls, and gifts? She never cared, why now?

    Clenching my jaw in annoyance. ¡°Leave now before I ask the securities to throw you out.¡±

    She bes threatened because she suddenly goes silent, examining me carefully before producing an envelope from nowhere and swinging it in front of me.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious to know what¡¯s in here?¡± She questions me with a little smile.

    I shake my head. I have no business with her so why should I be curious about what is inside the envelope?

    ¡°This is about your little bride and I¡¯m sure you want to know what she has been up to recently¡±, she smirks as she gets to me. She gets my attention, my eyes are wide open in surprise.

    Valerie. What has she been up to?

    ¡°I heard from Fred that you two are not in love. I didn¡¯t believe him at first but from the look of things, it is obvious Fred was right and I was wrong¡±, she pretends to frown in concern. ¡°It turns out she is still in love with her ex-boyfriend.¡±

    ¡°Why are you telling me all this? I didn¡¯t ask you anything, did I?¡± I ball my fist to refrain from either pushing her away so she can vanish into thin air like she once did or to stop me from grabbing the damn envelope from her and tearing it into pieces after checking out what exactly is inside.

    Apparently, this is about Valerie. I can¡¯t deny the fact that I am curious about her and what this is about but I don¡¯t want to be used by Celina.

    ¡°Because I am looking out for you. You don¡¯t even know why they broke up, yet you went ahead to get married to her and¡­¡±

    ¡°Will you shut the f***k up?!¡± I raise my voice at her, pointing my index finger at her usingly. ¡°You have no right to be here and no right to tell me what to do and what not to do. If you ever set your legs in mypany again or anywhere around my wife, I am going to tag you as a stalker and get a refraining order. For thest time, get out now before I do something rash.¡±

    I don¡¯t make empty threats. She knows this.

    Throwing me an extremely cold re, she turns back slowly as though she wants to leave but suddenly halts again.

    Realizing that she mighte back to say more, I move towards the car. John is waiting by the car door and he quickly opens it for me.

    When I flop inside, giving John instructions to drive me to Mr. Adams¡¯s home, I see Celina from my peripheral view, standing by the car door and waving the envelope at me.

    Out of intense curiosity, I wind the ss down but before I can say anything, she throws the envelope at me and twirls back abruptly to walk to a waiting car.

    I watch her get in and the car drives out of the parking lot. Then, I shift my attention to the envelope on myp.

    The movement of the car jerks me out of my thoughts. I have been staring at the envelope without attempting to tear it open like I wanted to do earlier.

    A sudden fear grips me for no reason. I can¡¯t even think of what must be inside the envelope but the fact that this is about Valerie. I pick it up immediately and tear it open.

    Two pictures fall out.

    I drop the envelope and pick up the two pictures. I hold the two with both hands to reveal the most shocking expectation ever.

    My heart clenches tightly as I stare more at the first picture in my right hand.

    It is the picture of Valerie and Fred kissing and it happened the same day I kissed her at the hospital.

 CHAPTER 54

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Father is refusing to answer all my questions. I gave him enough time before bombarding him with the questions but his aloofness shows how much he doesn¡¯t want to talk about it.

    Now, I am sure he knows something. I am sure he is either hiding something or he wants to protect Ryan¡¯s father just because he is my father-inw.

    Just like Ryan said, how can we help him if we don¡¯t know what they had in the past?

    I try to touch him to see if I can persuade him once more when the door opens without a knock.

    I turn to the door to see Mothere in with a huge smile on her face.

    ¡°Guess who is here?¡± She beams in excitement as she stretches her arms toward the ajar door and it reveals Ryan.

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s from my imagination or if Ryan is really looking upset tonight. His jaws are clenched and he is looking at me with a sort of new gaze that I can¡¯t point out.

    He enters fully and closes the door behind him.

    I didn¡¯t tell him that Father would be discharged today but I guess my mom did.

    We haven¡¯t been on good terms since the other night too but even with that, he has never looked this mad.

    Did someone annoy him at the office today? Did he have a bad day at the office?

    Realizing that I am worrying over him again, I mentally scold myself and nce away from him.

    I see that Father is staring at him too and then he smiles at him.

    ¡°How is your health now, dad?¡± He demands as he approaches, going over to the other side of the bed, and holding his hands.

    Dad nods. ¡°I feel much better. I haven¡¯t been able to thank you for helping me to the hospital¡­¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± He exims loudly, the anger disappearing as he smiles at dad. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. If it was someone else, I¡¯m sure that person would have helped too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sure¡±, dad answers but it doesn¡¯t sound convincing to the ears.

    Silence falls and mom begins to move to the door to go out.

    ¡°Val¡±, Ryan calls me as he gets up. When I don¡¯t hear the sound of the door opening to show that she is out, I look back to see that she is standing by the door with a curious expression. ¡°Are you spending the night here?¡±

    His questions pull me back. I would have loved to say yes to his question but I can¡¯t because mom is here.

    I have been sleeping with dad and My mom at the hospital for days because I wanted to avoid him. I am desperately wishing for the 20 months to be over so we can go our separate ways.

    Butst night, mom pushed me out of the room and asked me to go home to my husband. I went homest night because I had no choice.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    If I tell him yes, mom will counter me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet¡±, I reply suddenly.

    Surprisingly, mom isn¡¯t saying anything. Instead, she takes the door out.

    ¡°Can we talk?¡± He asks, the anger back on his face. ¡°Now!¡±

    ¡°Val¡±, Father calls to me and I face him. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be worried about me, I am fine already so you should go home.¡±

    I nod at him, wishing he can figure out why I said ¡®probably¡¯ to Ryan.

    ¡°Can we talk for a second?¡± He asks again and I nod, then rise from the chair. He begins to take long strides toward the door and I follow him.

    When we are out of dad¡¯s room, he turns back to face me. ¡°Where is your room?¡±

    I gaze up at him, still wondering what could be wrong and why he is this upset. Without pointing to the door, I begin to walk towards it and I hear the sound of his shoe behind me.

    The door isn¡¯t locked so I twist the doorknob and it opens. I enter and stand in the middle of the room with folded arms. Ryan does the same.

    Silence ensues again as we both watch each other. I search his eyes for clues on what this is about but I get nothing but more angry vibes from him.

    He is literally fuming in rage.

    Before I can ask him if he is ok, he dips his hand into his briefcase to produce two pictures which he throws at me and I grab them. When I look down at the first picture, my head suddenly goes nk and my breathing bes heavy.

    What the hell! Where the hell did he get pictures of me and Fred kissing? Who the hell did this? Is Ryan monitoring my every movement now?

    He is already shaking his head by the time I lift my head to meet his gaze.

    ¡°Who.. how did you get this?!¡± I can¡¯t believe I am stuttering.

    Won¡¯t he think I did this on purpose? Why the hell am I stuttering like a guilty person would?

    His anger seems to increase because his eyes be red and his knuckles are balled into a fist.

    ¡°Can you exin this?¡± He shouts, making me jerk backward in fear.

    ¡°Exin what?!¡± I finally get a grip of myself and with heads high, I look him in the eyes.

    I didn¡¯t kiss Fred because I wanted to. He kissed me. The idiot kissed me but this picture shows otherwise.

    It indicates that we were both kissing each other and we were enjoying it.

    That damn Fred must be behind this if it isn¡¯t Ryan. Why the hell will he do this? What does he stand to gain from this shit?

    I can never go back to him.

    ¡°Exin what?!¡± He scoffs with a deep frown. ¡°I asked you to exin the reason why you were caught on camera kissing another man when you are with me and you are asking me what you need to exin? Can you even hear yourself out?¡±

    ¡°What are you insinuating, Ryan? Just because you see this does not mean it is real or I am cheating¡­¡±

    ¡°If it is not real, then what exnation do you have for this? How can you exin meeting up with your boyfriend when you told me you were going to meet with my mother? You never met with my mother that day and it turned out you were out dining with your ex-boyfriend and he even kissed you ¡±, he says in one breath, cutting me off.

    Now, I feel guilty. Perhaps, it is because I feel bad. And I can¡¯t even say anything else. I can¡¯t seem to get this.

    ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± He thunders, making me shut my eyes to calm my nerves.

    I won¡¯t let him shout at me when I am not even going to be married to him for life.

    ¡°Stop with the shouting already. Are we even real? Why should this bother you? Our marriage will be terminated after 18 more months so you shouldn¡¯t bother yourself with chips like this¡±, I raise the picture and his jaws drop open in shock.

    He has no right to be jealous. What he is doing right now is jealousy. I gave him permission to be with some other girl and he is kicking against me dating when I am not even doing it yet.

    This is nothing but a setup.

    ¡°So you still love him?¡± He questions and I jerk my head up.

    ¡°What?! Of course not!¡±

    That sounds ridiculous.

    ¡°Because if you are not still in love with him, you won¡¯t act like kissing him when you are married to me is normal. You won¡¯t even remind me of the fact that this is just a facade that will be over soon. It shows how irresponsible you are!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me irresponsible, Ryan!¡± I take threatening steps toward him, anger surging through me. ¡°How dare you? How can you believe such rubbish? Just because there is a picture doesn¡¯t mean this actually happened. How can you not trust me?¡±

    ¡°Trust?¡± He snarls, turning around in an attempt to calm his nerves. Then he faces me squarely again. ¡°I allowed you to exin yourself, Val. You didn¡¯t say anything so don¡¯t you dare use me of taking things the wrong way. These were the clothes you wore out that day. This was the same day your dad was rushed to the hospital and I called you several times to inform you but you didn¡¯t pick up. What do you want me to think, then?¡±

    I don¡¯t respond.

    Thest statement hits a spot inside of me

    I am indeed guilty but he shouldn¡¯t win this over. I didn¡¯t pick up the calls because I never knew he was calling. I was too engrossed in my obsession to know who that bitch was from Fred to even realize what I was doing.

    The fact that I didn¡¯t even get to satisfy my curiosity that day but ended up getting kissed and framed up like this is pissing me off.

    If only Ryan didn¡¯t ignore me when I asked him who Celina was, this wouldn¡¯t be happening.

    ¡°You know what?¡± He says. ¡°I guess I was expecting too much from you, Val¡±, hurt crosses his expression but I look away immediately so it won¡¯t affect me.

    I know I did wrong but he ought not to be upset when we aren¡¯t even real. Is he like this because I refused to have sex with him and then he is seeing a kissing picture of me and my ex?

    He ought to be way more mature than Fred. Throwing these tantrums won¡¯t help a bit.

    ¡°I expected way too much from. I thought all you need is space and then we can work things out but from the look of things, you don¡¯t want this. This is nothing but a contract marriage! Yes, I get it and I¡¯m sorry I overreacted when we are going to be separated in a few months from now. I¡¯m sorry I am acting like this is real. I promise this will never happen again and you can go date whoever you want, whether your ex or whoever it is you want to date¡±, his breathing has be heavy just like how the intensity of my guilt had intensified.

    ¡°I am done here!¡± He strolls to the door before I can think of something to say.

    Why does sorry seem too heavy for me to say? Why is it so hard for me to admit that this is my fault and not Fred¡¯s or Ryan¡¯s?

    I watch him pull the door open aggressively and it reveals Mother¡¯s face. She almost falls down but Ryan grabs her before she can fall.

    She must have been eavesdropping on our conversation. She looks from me to Ryan and from Ryan back to me with her slightly agape mouth, then she screams in disbelief. ¡°A contract marriage?!¡±

 CHAPTER 55

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Finding out a huge part of my life like this is something I never want Mother to know about. I never gave it serious thinking. I just assumed she wouldn¡¯t mind as long as her goals were achieved.

    But seeing her mouth still hanging open, I feel ashamed of myself and I wish she didn¡¯t get to eavesdrop on my conversation with Ryan.

    It is embarrassing.

    It is as embarrassing as letting Ryan know that I am still a virgin, despite all the wild parties and the silly things I have done in the past as well as my strong-headedness.

    ¡°A contract marriage?¡± She demands again, as though she still can not believe what she clearly heard. Finally, she shuts her mouth while I slouch to the bed with my head lowered down in shame.

    We shouldn¡¯t have done this here.

    ¡°Valerie, talk to me. What did he mean by a contract marriage? Did you two sign a contract?¡± She grabs an ottoman and sits on it while she faces me squarely.

    I guess Ryan was still enraged to even answer yes or no to mom when she directed the question at him. He only made sure she was standing upright before taking the door out.

    Now I don¡¯t even know how we are going to act towards each other or how we are going to cope with all of these in the next months left for me to leave.

    I didn¡¯t pay more attention to the excuse I would give Mother if this ever got out. Maybe I never thought it would get out since it was solely between Ryan and me.

    I never imagined this happening and I never thought Mother would ever be interested in knowing why Ryan and I signed a contract for our marriage.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me what is going on?¡± She shouts at me and I shut my eyes, unable to raise my head. ¡°Do you want me to go tell your father right now?¡±

    That does the trick. Her threat makes me jerk upright and face her finally.

    ¡°You signed a contract?¡± She questions again and I nod immediately, avoiding her gaze. ¡°Oh my God!¡± She gasps.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    She must have been expecting me to deny it so she can be rest assured that she didn¡¯t hear right. Obviously, she isn¡¯t in support of the idea of a contract.

    Hitting me on my shoulder, she barks at me. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°You expect me to stay with that man all my life?¡± I wince and retort back sharply, not knowing where the courage came from.

    She is stunned. Her eyes are open in surprise.

    ¡°Val.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t love each other, and we can¡¯t be together forever so I suggested a contract and he made the rules¡±, I fold my arms again, acting nonchnt.

    I have a lot of thinking to do, seriously and I wish she can just let me be. I don¡¯t even know if I have enough courage to go home today.

    How will I face him?

    ¡°You don¡¯t love each other?¡± Her question amazes me and I let out an awkwardugh. ¡°Don¡¯t you see the way he looks at you? Are you sure this isn¡¯t a case of one-sided love?¡±

    One-sided love?

    No matter how much I think about it, I still find it unbelievable that Ryan might have feelings for me.

    It sounds absurd.

    I don¡¯t know why I feel this way but I guess it¡¯s because I don¡¯t feel right for him or I believe he can never fall for a difficult woman like me.

    Apart from how foolish he can be sometimes, he is a real gentleman. The first few days of our marriage were hell because I made it that way. If I wanted everything to be rosy, I would have been able to do that with him but I didn¡¯t because we didn¡¯t want each other.

    We both hated the fact that our parents had to do this on our behalf. He hated my guts too which is enough reason for him to never fall for me.

    I snort.

    ¡°Why did you kiss Fred?¡± Mother interrogates again and it dawns on me that she heard it all. She heard everything we talked about.

    Taking a deep exhale, I reply. ¡°I didn¡¯t kiss him, Mother.¡±

    ¡°Then what happened?¡± She asks, peering at me in curiosity.

    Taking another deep sigh, I answer. ¡°He kissed me.¡±

    I don¡¯t bother to add anything else because she might not even believe me the same way Ryan didn¡¯t.

    As if hearing my thoughts, she mumbles. ¡°I believe you.¡±

    Amazed, I stare at her. My mother has never said something like that to me. She never really understood or believed whatever I said, which is why we never got along well. My Dad knows me more than my Mother does and he believes every word I say to him. He knows I don¡¯t lie unless it is necessary and I admire him so much for the trust he has in me.

    What has happened to Mom?

    ¡°I trust you if you say you didn¡¯t kiss him. But I feel you should have exined everything in detail to Ryan instead of arguing with him, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    I want to agree but instead, I question. ¡°Why are you doing this? Are you trying to take sides with him?¡±

    She smiles. ¡°I ought to be mad at you right now, you know? You signed a contract yet you never told me or your father?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the topic now, Mother. I asked you a question.¡±

    She doesn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°Why should I exin things to him? We are not going to be married forever, it is just a matter of time before our marriage gets annulled and¡­¡±

    ¡°That shows how he feels about you¡±, she cuts me short. ¡°A man would never question you or use you of having an affair unless there is solid evidence and a man who doesn¡¯t love you will never use you of cheating. I believe Ryan is heads over heels in love with you which is why he is acting all jealous and possessive¡±, sheughs out shortly and I find myself smiling.

    ¡°It reminds me of how I always throw tantrums whenever your Father invites some of his female business partners home for dinner. I always study each of their features and try topare their beauty with mine¡±, she chuckles again as she stares into space. ¡°Despite my beauty, I always felt intimidated and insecure.¡±

    I want to ask her if Father never used her and if he didn¡¯t love her if he never did use her.

    ¡°Your father on the other hand was a green snake under the green grass¡±, she smiles at me. ¡°At first, I thought he was one of a kind and he never gets jealous. I never knew he was just hiding it. The fact that I also cut ties with all my male friends after we got married was another factor. He didn¡¯t feel threatened but the day I met with one of my ssmates from the University, all hell broke loose.¡±

    I can imagine what would have happened. I always thought Father never fought with Mother unless she did something extremely wrong.

    I wonder how he reacted.

    ¡°So back to you, Ryan is just jealous to see his woman kissing another man.¡±

    I gasp. ¡°I thought you just told me you believed me when I said I didn¡¯t kiss Fred. And I am not Ryan¡¯s woman. We can¡¯t fall in love with each other.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± She asks and I know she is referring to myst statement and ignoring the others. ¡°Why can¡¯t you fall in love with him? Or why can¡¯t you two be in love? You are married after all.¡±

    ¡°You want us to love each other?¡± I gap dramatically and sheughs lightly and shakes her head.

    ¡°If it works out, I will be happy¡±, she winks at me.

    ¡°Because you will get a lot of money from him, right?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I can still get a lot from him now if I want to.¡±

    ¡°You should apologize to him. You should learn to always do that when you are wrong¡±, she counsels, taking a hold of my hand.

    I try to remember if there is a time my Mother ever apologized to my dad.

    ¡°I might act all stubborn with your dad when we are outside and I might act like I don¡¯t love him but I do and I always apologize to him whenever we fight and I know I am at fault. The best way to do that is whenever we are retiring for the bed¡±, she winks again and this time, I can¡¯t control myughter.

    We bothugh and I shake my head at her. She is indeed a drama queen.

    I guess I also don¡¯t know much about my Mother. If Ryan and I didn¡¯t fight, would this happen? Will I get this much information from my Mother in just a night?

    ¡°Ryan and I can¡¯t be in love because this wasn¡¯t the n from the onset and then our Fathers have their own tussle. I don¡¯t think this will ever work out¡±, I express myself, hiding the fact that Ryan never told me anything else apart from his offer for me to be his sex partner.

    Despite her convincing words, I still don¡¯t want to believe that Ryan is in love with me. If he is, he doesn¡¯t need to hide it, he will tell me how he feels but all he did was ask me to be his sex partner.

    It still makes me annoyed anytime I think about it.

    ¡°The rtionship between both Fathers has nothing to do with you two. They both got you married. You should make it worthwhile and maybe this will bring an end to their so-called tussle.¡±

    ¡°No, mom. We don¡¯t even know what is happening. Dad won¡¯t tell me anything and¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I know one thing you should also know.¡±

    With widened eyes, I grab her two hands and ask in curiosity. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I believe this should be enough to convince you that their conflict has nothing to do with you two. You can choose to fall in love with each other or not. Don¡¯t stop yourself from falling in love with him simply because his father is not on good terms¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it, Mother?¡± I ask with impatience.

    She heaves a deep sigh and leans forward towards me, making me think she will whisper the sacred words into my ears.

    Instead, she says in an extremely loud voice. ¡°He is not Ryan¡¯s biological father and your father knows this.¡±

    At first, I didn¡¯t know how to react. Am I supposed to react to the first news that he isn¡¯t Ryan¡¯s father or the fact that my father knew?

    When it suddenly dawns on me that Ryan might not even be aware of this, I exim. ¡°What?!¡±

 CHAPTER 56

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    The rage that fills me up even after apologizing to her is unexinable. I can¡¯t exin the tightness in my chest and the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

    I can¡¯t even control my anger anymore as I grit my teeth while sitting down in front of the bar counter downstairs and drinking thebination of wine and whiskey in my ss cup.

    I wish this never happened. I wish I never told her how I felt, then maybe this wouldn¡¯t be happening.

    She is still in love with him. He is her boyfriend. Or rather he was her boyfriend before I came along.

    Perhaps, if she didn¡¯t get to know about the betrothal, she would have epted his apology and epted him back.

    I guess it¡¯s not so easy to get rid of her first love. I guess she misses how he used to kiss her.

    ¡°Shit!¡± I voice out, mming my fist on the counter and groaning in pain.

    I never saw thising. I didn¡¯t mean to be attracted but it just happened. I thought it wasn¡¯t a bad thing to be attracted to her since she is my wife. I was even ready to ignore the rules we made guiding the silly contract we signed.

    She still loves him and this thought is troubling.

    Celina was right. I don¡¯t know anything about Valerie and I am also suspecting that there is more to their break up.

    How long have they been meeting up with each other? Where did they meet? Who took the pictures? Was it Celina or Fred himself?

    They seem to be pretty close.

    Taking a hold of another bottle of whiskey, I pour it inside the ss cup then stop when it¡¯s halfway full, grab another bottle of wine and do the same.

    I gulp it all down.

    I m the ss cup down and my head begins to spin.

    I am drunk already but I am not satisfied yet. I am still thinking about her and that picture. I am still thinking about that kiss. I am thinking about how they look so good together.

    Maybe I should just let her go to him. She should have told her she still loves him and it won¡¯t be a big deal to let her go to him.

    The sound of footsteps stops me from pouring more wine into the cup. I don¡¯t turn to see who it is but I drop the bottle and hold my head between my hands.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± Her voice sounds so cool like she wasn¡¯t the one who shouted at me a few hours ago, iming to be innocent for kissing another man when she is married to me.

    I do not raise my head. I don¡¯t need her here. I don¡¯t want to see her either. That dreadful feeling wille back and I don¡¯t really like how pathetic I feel right now.

    I guess this drink will help. I can think about her all I want tonight and then by tomorrow, I will pretend as if none of these happened.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she calls, more loudly as she touches my hand to stop me from grabbing the wine bottle.

    I try to free myself from her hold but she is set on not letting go.

    Finally, I stare at her.

    Whether her hair is down and packed up in a bun, she always looks beautiful. Whether she is mad or cool, she¡¯s still beautiful.

    Why does she have to be this beautiful?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, she apologizes immediately, her expression unreadable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything. I didn¡¯t mean to upset me.¡±

    I was about to think about the real reason for her apology before she said thest statement.

    Is she apologizing for kissing him or for shouting at me or for reminding me about our contract or for rejecting my feelings for her?

    I do not respond and she arches a brow at me. I turn to grab the bottle again but her hand stops me.

    ¡°Ryan, did you hear me at all?¡± She asks. ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t meet up with Fred on purpose, we just bumped into each other by mistake and the jerk tried to kiss me¡­no, I mean he kissed me but I pushed him away. I don¡¯t even know who the hell took that damn picture but it¡¯s not what you think. I can¡¯t possibly go back to my vomit. Fred doesn¡¯t deserve that¡­¡±

    ¡°I. Didn¡¯t. Ask. For. Any. Exnation.¡± I point it out carefully.

    We both fall silent.

    Why did she apologize? Did her Mother put her to this? I know Valerie has always been one hell of a proud woman but tonight, I saw how much pride she has.

    She hates to apologize.

    Since she has interrupted my lone moment and the beauty of my formted whiskey-winebination, I should go to bed. I am feeling dizzy already.

    By tomorrow, everything will be back to normal.

    Pushing the stool backward, I stand up and almost stumble to the floor but she grabs me before I can fall.

    I yank my hand from her hold, I say. ¡°Let go of me.¡±

    ¡°You are drunk¡±, she mentions as if I don¡¯t know I am drunk. Of course, I know I am drunk. Getting drunk was the purpose of drinking. I need no reminder.

    ¡°Let go of me¡±, I repeat, moving away from her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a douchebag and let me help you upstairs¡±, she snaps at me as she grabs my arm and slides it around her neck.

    The dizziness sweeps over me again and I shut my eyes tightly as I allow her to help me upstairs and I try so hard to ignore how her body felt on mine.

    The closeness.

    It makes me feel so hot. Yet still dizzy.

    When she gets to my room, she opens the door and I eventually open my eyes. I take my hand away from her shoulder and begin to walk to the bed myself.

    ¡°You can go to your room now¡±, I tell her before staggering towards the bed.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    When I get there, I slump onto the bed and watch her with my eyes closing gradually as she stands peering at me with a sort of expression I can¡¯t ce.

    I wish things were different. And I don¡¯t have to feel this way.

    I was careless. I should have been more careful about caring for her or even liking her. She doesn¡¯t deserve it.

    Henceforth, I don¡¯t care.

    Eventually, my eyes close on their ord. And sleep eludes me.

 CHAPTER 57

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Netflixing for over two hours with a bowl of tasteless popcorn, I sigh deeply and take the phone and the cone of popcorn away.

    I am bored despite the movie. I have lost interest in almost everything and nothing seems to kill the boredom.

    Not even the popcorn.

    Maybe it¡¯s because it is tasteless.

    I am beginning to feel sick out of boredom. At first, I thought it was because I was in my room so I came over to Ryan¡¯s room so I could at least feel his presence but that only worked for a while because I am now dead bored.

    I need a walk.

    When I was unmarried and in a rtionship with Fred, I barely felt bored but whenever I felt bored, the solution was easy.

    Fred. Or parties.

    I miss my old life. Not the rtionship lifestyle but the enjoyable moments I had without having a cause to worry about anything.

    Now, I am not just worried about Ryan and me as well as our rtionship but also worried about my Parents.

    Ryan is too cold for my liking. He is making me wish I never agreed to this in the first ce. I already apologized yet he isn¡¯t making an effort to forget about that damn picture.

    With a huff, I wear my flip-flop, grab an earpiece from the bed as well as my phone, then take the door out.

    Ryan won¡¯t be back home anytime soon so I can¡¯t even work my magic on him like I did yesterday.

    I tried to start a conversation with the idiot but he bluntly told me he has work to do so I left him alone and went to my room.

    I couldn¡¯t sleep a wink.

    I am not just suffering from boredom but also sleeplessness. All thanks to the douchebag of a man I am married to.

    I take the staircase down and begin to walk towards the front foot, thinking of taking a walk around the courtyard when a sudden idea strikes me.

    I should walk down the street. The evening air outside should help relieve me a little. If only it wasn¡¯t toote, I would have gone home to spend the night with mom and dad.

    Putting the earpiece in my ears, I begin to y Christine¡¯s music on my phone, and then I dip my phone into my cardigan.

    Nodding at the guard, I step out of the gate just in time for a horn to resound from close by. The car is approaching the gate so I wait to see if it is Ryan¡¯s.

    The automatic gate opens and John drives closer, making my gaze interlock with Ryan¡¯s. I am thinking he will ask me where I am going but he is watching mezily before looking away.

    My mouth hangs open in disbelief.

    Is Ryan seriously going to keep up with this bullshit? I already apologize but he is overreacting. Now I am beginning to me myself for apologizing to him. I did nothing wrong.

    Is he this angry because of Fred or there is more to this?

    With adrenaline shooting down my spine, the car drives in and I stomp away in the opposite direction, increasing the volume of the music.

    My eardrums are on fire so I stop walking, and decrease the volume again before I continue to walk slowly this time.

    I still feel guilty.

    No matter how hard I think about what happened between us, I feel guilty. If I was in Ryan¡¯s shoes, I wouldn¡¯t take this personally, though.

    I wanted to see if mom was right when she said he has feelings for me but he doesn¡¯t. He is still as selfish as I remember. All he wants is just my body and he won¡¯t get it.

    Christian¡¯s music manages to soothe my nerves and I stop walking. I don¡¯t want to walk too far away from home but I guess I should walk a little bit more before heading back home.

    I don¡¯t think I can sleep over in his room tonight because of his behavior. Should I just act petty and start to ignore him too?

    I sigh again, then fold my arms.

    When I take a step, I hear a sound from behind and I turn in awe.

    Fear grips me, even though I have no idea if this is just an assumption from my imagination.

    Is someone following me?

    The street is quite secure, I say within me. I shouldn¡¯t be having weird thoughts just because I was attacked a few weeks back.

    That happened because I was careless.

    I continue to walk quietly and slowly with my arms folded around my bosom when someone appears from nowhere.

    I see his face before I can scream for help. He looks familiar and not dangerous.

    With a little smile, he asks. ¡°You don¡¯t remember me?¡±

    I look closely until I recall where I know him from.

    The policeman.

    Or the man rted to a police officer rather. The one who saved me from the bike man.

    ¡°Hey¡±, I wave at him, a smile creeping to my face too. Surprised that he is here of all ces, I look around and ask him. ¡± You live around here?¡±

    He nods.

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡°How have you been?¡±

    ¡°Cool, you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m cool too¡±, I nod and take the earpiece away from my ears. When I look up, he is staring right behind me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two together?¡±

    With a puzzled expression, I question. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    He points behind me and I follow the direction of his finger to see the back of a man in a suit.

    Ryan.

    He isn¡¯t following me. He is going back.

    Was he following me?

    ¡°I guess I should go. See you around¡±, he dismisses me and before I turn back to face him, he is gone.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± I call immediately and he stops walking without turning back.

    I run to meet up with him, strolling forward to face him. He is still dressed in his office wear but without his briefcase.

    Was my suspicion about someone following me right? Why was he following me? Why did he turn back now?

    ¡°Ryan, you were following me?¡± I demand with a raised brow. He does not reply so I take that as a yes. He was following me. ¡°Why are you going back then?¡±

    ¡°I see you havepany¡±, he mentions, then walks past me.

    Company? The police officer who appeared from nowhere? Was he following me to know where I was headed out of curiosity or he wanted me to be safe? Is he jealous?

    I think I just detected a note of jealousy in his tone. He is walking back because I havepany.

    I rush to block his way. ¡°Hey¡­¡±

    Before I can say anything else, it thunders and it begins to rain immediately. Ryan and I stare at each other in surprise and we quickly race toward a shade for cover.

    Another unexpected rain. This is different from the forecast this morning.

    By the time we are safe in the shade, my hair and clothes are already wet. We stand beside each other inplete silence as we watch the rain.

    I have a lot of things to talk to him about and also a lot of questions to ask him. I want to talk to him about his father and my father and I want to ask him about us.

    Our rtionship. Why is he jealous? And also why he wants us to have sex.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    A touch interrupts my thought.

    His touch.

    His suit is off his body leaving him in a white clean long sleeves shirt sticking to his body because of the wetness. He ces the suit around my shoulder to prevent me from getting cold.

    I watch him.

    His expression is still as cold as ever but behind it is a little warmth he is trying hard to hide.

    I wish I can break through the stupid wall of coldness he has built around himself since the other day when he saw a picture of me and Fred together.

    But I can¡¯t think of a possible way to do that. Ryan is bing too hard toprehend and predict.

    When he is done cing the suit on my shoulder, he stands straight and looks ahead as though he wasn¡¯t the one who just did something as sweet as giving me his suit so I won¡¯t be cold.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± I call.

    ¡°The rain won¡¯t stop anytime soon¡±, he mentions without staring at me. ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡± He yells and grabs my hand as we race out of the shade and back into the rain till we get to the safety of our mansion.

    His mansion.

 CHAPTER 58

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    I ache so desperately for the remaining months so she can go and I can be back to my normal self.

    This is what she wants. If she wanted to be gone, then maybe she will be out of my mind as well.

    I hate this pathetic feeling in me.

    With my hand entwined with hers, we run all the way home. As soon as we are inside the massive gate, I let go of her hand and begin to walk faster so I can get away from her and away from the longing I feel.

    When I step inside, I hurry towards the staircase. I need to get rid of these clothes and have a hot shower before going to bed.

    I get to my door, open it and enter before proceeding to remove my clothes. I am halfway done when the door opens again and Valeriees in.

    I hear her locking the door from behind and I turn back. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I want to sleep¡±, she answers indifferently and begins to take off her wet clothes too with her gaze still fixed on mine.

    When she is done taking off the jacket and her top, leaving her in just her bra, I gulp and finally look away.

    I grab a towel from the closet and proceed towards the bathroom door but she stops me from going in when she rushes to block my way.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she calls, searching my face and dropping her wide-spread arms. ¡°Will you please listen to me now?¡±

    I shut my eyes. I don¡¯t want her to talk about it anymore. I am not interested in any topic regarding that damn picture or about her lover.

    ¡°Move!¡± I order with my eyes still closed.

    She doesn¡¯t move and she isn¡¯t saying anything either. I open my eyes to see her still standing and watching me intently.

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, right?¡± She asks, shaking her head sadly. ¡°You don¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t kiss Fred, right?¡±

    ¡°Valerie, move out of my way!¡± I yell and she jerks backward. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you for any exnation, did I?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you did¡±, she shouts back sharply, as if expecting my outburst. ¡°Every one of your actions asked for an exnation. Your silent treatment and that coldness that I haven¡¯t seen since we got married, they are all asking for exnations.¡±

    Tears brim in her eyes.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t kiss him. I swear. Why do you think so lowly of me?¡±

    For no reason, I want to believe her but remembering this kiss, I realize the picture says otherwise.

    She didn¡¯t pick up my calls. Why? She never told me she bumped into him. Why?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t kiss Fred¡±, she cries out again with desperation for me to understand and believe her. ¡°As I told you, I bumped into him on my way to your mom¡¯s ce. He wanted me to get his car fixed and we had lunch because I was curious to know who Celina was to you.¡±

    I stare up at her with a scrunched face. ¡°Celina?¡±

    What has she got to do with this?

    Valerie nods and folds her arms around her half-naked bosom. ¡°You refused to tell me who she is. I thought Fred would tell me a bit but he didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°He kissed you instead?¡± It sounds more like a question than a statement.

    She nods and I huff. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you push him away?¡±

    The relief that crossed her face when I made myst statement is suddenly reced by surprise.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t push him away¡±, I point out. ¡°How..¡±

    ¡°You know what?¡± She cuts me short. ¡°You are nothing but an idiot. I don¡¯t f***ing care what you think anymore¡±, she says and tries to brush past me but I hold her back.

    My heart begins to race twice its normal rate and I don¡¯t really know what else to say or how else to react.

    I want to believe her. There is no reason for her to kiss him except if she is still in love with Fred.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, I apologize instead, making her gaze up with mouth agape. She didn¡¯t expect that I would apologize out of the blue. I wasn¡¯t expecting that too but it came out right.

    I overreacted.

    Taking two steps backward, I face her squarely, holding her face in between my palms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, I whisper again and she nods without a word.

    When she tries to step away from me, I grab her waist and embrace her, wishing for her to hear the erratic beating of my heart.

    I don¡¯t know when all of this started but it feels like it all happened in a day. My feelings for her started in just one day. It was growing daily but it became fully grown in one day and now I can¡¯t go back to when I despised her so much.

    I want every inch of her. I wish I could tell her how much I feel about her but the reminder of how she took myst confession is discouraging.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, the voice that usually sends shivers down my spine calls as calmly as possible. I don¡¯t move away from the hug, I am still hugging her tightly, waiting for her to say whatever it is she has in mind.

    I don¡¯t mind another rejection but what I saw of her a few minutes ago is enough to say that Valerie also likes me as much as I like her too.

    She was almost in tears trying to exin to me that she didn¡¯t cheat.

    I guess this is why I fell in love with her.

    That concern. That care. That selflessness.

    She might be arrogant and proud but her good side surpasses the bad and I can¡¯t help but fall more deeply in love with her.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she mutters, more like a whisper. Suddenly, she ces her palm on my chest. ¡°Your heart¡±, she mentions and pulls away quickly with a confused look on her face.

    Her hand is still on my chest. ¡°Your heart is beating so fast¡±, she says and suddenly gasps, as if she is just realizing a huge secret I must have been keeping away from her. ¡°A¡­re¡­are you in love¡­love with me, Ryan?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    She doesn¡¯t know that I do?

    I want to shout a loud yes or nod my head several times till it sinks deeply into her but a lump is stuck in my throat and I feel numb too, unable to move any part of my body.

    She mps her hand around her mouth and asks again. ¡°Are you in love¡­¡±

    The numbness disappears and the lump goes down into the pit of my stomach. I grab her again and take her lips in a searing kiss, my tongue seeking dominance and my teeth shing with hers.

    My breath mixed with hers produces a familiar scent and I taste every inch of her mouth before pulling away.

    She is still in shock because her eyes are wide open.

    ¡°Does this answer your question now?¡± I demand from her but she isn¡¯t saying anything. She doesn¡¯t look like she is going to respond. She seems like she never figured this out.

    She is too shocked to get the whole message. She never expected that I would be in love with her.

    I guess my request for her to be my sex partner came out wrong. She misinterpreted my words.

    Impatiently, I wait for another five seconds for her to at least say something but her lips are tightly sealed while she stares at me with shock.

    I drop my hand from her face, then walk past her to the bathroom, hoping that kiss will answer her question.

 CHAPTER 59

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Many thoughts are running through my head while he sits calmly beside me, driving the car.

    I still haven¡¯t been able toprehend his confessions. I still haven¡¯t been able to ept that my Mother is right this time.

    I haven¡¯te to terms with what he said. Being nervous around men has never been my thing but for weeks, I have been extremely nervous around him and I try as much to avoid him.

    I know he wants answers but I have nothing to say to him. I just wished he never confessed his feelings to me and I am still as clueless as ever. I doubt if I can ever befortable with him again.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± He demands with a voice thick in concern.

    I spare him a nce. He is watching me with a worried expression while driving expertly with his left hand. I don¡¯t think I have ever seen him drive himself.

    ¡°Yes¡±, I nod and gulp down loudly before looking away.

    He must think I am nervous about the information I got this night which involves my father and his but that isn¡¯t it. I am nervous because he is here, right beside me and we are alone.

    I never knew Ryan was as curious as I am about our Father¡¯s rtionship. He employed a private investigator who came home to find him this evening.

    I thought it was going to be about Celina or some other girl but it was something huge.

    He came with an envelope and asked me to give it to Ryan when he got home. Out of curiosity, I opened the envelope to see what it entails. It was information about both fathers and all the private investigator could gather is a tiny bit of what we wanted to know.

    Without putting a call across to Ryan, I wanted to go out on my own to the penthouse so I can get out with his bike and visit his Father¡¯s office.

    But I met Ryan at the gate.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    He already knew that I saw the contents of the envelope and he asked John to get out of the car so he could drive me.

    And here we are.

    Instantly, he halts the car with his gaze forward and he opens the car door to go out. He turns to the other side and opens it for me toe out too.

    ncing around, I notice thepany is a few meters away. He holds my hand and we begin to run toward it without a word.

    We ought to talk. Not about the feelings but about the n to get into the office and get the file we need without alerting the securities.

    I want to stop him from running so I can tell him my concern but he doesn¡¯t care as he increases his speed, dragging me along.

    Breathlessly, in five minutes, we get there. The whole ce is inplete darkness. Before I can ask if he brought along his phone since I left mine at home, he fumbles with his jacket to produce a tiny torch of light.

    I furrow my brows in confusion. He seems prepared for this. How? He didn¡¯t even see the envelope the guy gave to me. How did he know about this then?

    Did that guy bring me the envelope on Ryan¡¯s instructions? Does Ryan know that I would go through the envelope no matter what?

    I don¡¯t have time to find answers to my questions because the next thing he does is to grab me along once again, the torchlight showing us the path to the lobby.

    How we escaped the securities at the gate is what I have no idea about. Are there no securities at the gate?

    The moving doors stop and we enter, my body very close to his. We start to walk quietly without a word towards the staircase.

    If we take the elevator, it might alert the guards.

    Before we can get to the staircase, another bright light shines toward us and I rush behind Ryan to hide. Ryan does not stop, he holds my hand and begins to race up the staircase.

    The sound of our running feet alerts the guard and hees running too.

    Before I can tell Ryan not to run, he opens a door and we both enter. He ms the door shut and puts off the torchlight.

    I can¡¯t see him but I can feel his minty breath. I am sure he is close.

    We stay this way for two minutes while listening to the guard talking to someone else, asking if he saw anything suspicious.

    The other guard replies with a no and then their feet begin to fade away.

    Ryan and I wait for another two minutes before we speak at the same time.

    ¡°Ryan.¡±

    ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    That concern is still there.

    Why is he doing this with me? I expected him to be angry because I wanted to sneak into his father¡¯spany to get back the file that will save my father and answer all my questions but Ryan is helping me.

    The torch shes on my face, probably to see if I am indeed ok since I am not answering him. I can see the reason why he isn¡¯t holding me. His two hands are on the door, caging me in while my back is to the door.

    I nod with a gulp.

    He takes the torch down and stretches his hand for me to take it again. I take his cold hands, rubbing in my warmth with him.

    He twists the door open but instead of going out, he rushes back in and whispers. ¡°Shit!¡±

    ¡°What happened?!¡± I question behind him in surprise.

    ¡°The guards¡±, he whispers, holding me tighter and beginning to move away. I don¡¯t know where he is going but I feel safe with him, not because he is a man and my husband but because he is the son of the owner of thispany.

    If we get caught, we wille up with a perfect lie that they can¡¯t help but believe.

    He walks through a tiny space and drags me in. This space is too small for us but he manages to hold me to himself. His back is on the wall while I am embracing him.

    We hear the sound of the door at the other end open and the guard begins to search around until they give up and leave.

    Ryan heaves a deep sigh of relief but we still stay this way in silence for a very long time.

    He shines his torch on my face again and I look away. He chuckles.

    ¡°You look cute¡±, he murmurs and I raise my head to his face. I can¡¯t see him well because of the darkness. The torch has gone off again.

    ¡°You are beautiful¡±, he adds and my heart goes still.

    The torches on again and he twirls a lock with his finger to jerk me back to life. His fingers brush my face, tugging the fallen pleats of hair away.

    His breath fans my entire face and I know he wants to kiss me again. Ryan never takes permission to kiss me. He does that anytime he wants and I feel like my answer to his confession won¡¯t stop the kisses, whether it¡¯s a yes or a no.

    The more he moves closer, the more anxious I be. I can¡¯t even think properly but I know I will think about this after the kiss.

    His lips brush mine but before he can deepen the kiss, we hear another sound of the door and a guard shouting. ¡°Who the hell is there?¡±

    This is when we realize our torch has revealed the fact that someone is in here.

    Ryan pulls away, curses beneath his breath, sneaks out of the tiny door, and drags me out too and we run out through the door we came in.

    By the time we are on the staircase, there are tens of guards at our heels but Ryan is running so fast that I can barely catch up with him if he isn¡¯t holding my hands.

    We run out and this is when I see he took a secret passage into thepany instead of the gate where there are guards as well.

    When we get outside, running towards his car parked at a distance, I nce back to see that the guards are no longer following which shows that they must still think we are inside the building and they have no idea about the secret passage or they have no idea the intruder is someone who knows about the secret passage.

    Without giving the fact that I just lost an opportunity to help save my father, I burst intoughter which makes Ryan stop running.

    I yank my hand away from his grip, squat down breathlessly, and begin tough. Ryan watches me for a second before joining in.

 CHAPTER 60

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Valerie seems like one hell of an adventurous woman. Theughter that leaves her mouth gets me reeling inughter too, not because I found the whole running funny but because herughter is contagious.

    When we sober up, I stretch my hand at her where she is squatting to help her up. She stands up with my help and we walk quietly to the car with hands entangled.

    I open the door for her, and she shes me a cute smile and gets in. Suddenly, the tension is back.

    As high as ever.

    I close the door when she is seated inside the car and turn to the other side to get in too.

    It is a failed attempt already so we need to re-strategize ande back next time. Dad is hiding something in there that I need to get my hands on.

    Sometimes, I just feel like I barely know him. Each time, his behavior seems to be different, especially whenever we argue.

    I kick the car engine to a start and it roars to life. Reversing back, I make my way down the path we tooking here.

    There is silence in the car as we ride. All of a sudden, the car jerks forward andes to an abrupt stop.

    Valerie and I exchange nces and I try to put it on again all to no avail.

    ¡°Shit!¡± I curse out loudly, hitting my fist on the wheel.

    Not today. What if those men are still trailing us?

    ¡°What happened?¡± Her soft voice questions.

    ¡°It¡¯s dead¡±, I say indifferently and step down from the car, fishing out my phone to call John. I turn around and open the door for her. ¡°Let¡¯s walk for a while.¡±

    She does not say anything. The way Valerie keeps mute over certain things that I expect her to be sarcastic about is troubling.

    That sassiness is gone. And the forever sarcastic tone too.

    She is more serious than I have ever known her to be for the past weeks since I confessed my feelings to her.

    John¡¯s phone rings for a while before going to voicemail. I redial the number after checking the time.

    He shouldn¡¯t be asleep. This is just 10 pm.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°How will you get your car back?¡± She asks me with her hands inside her cardigan as we walk slowly.

    ¡°I will call someone toe get it tomorrow¡±, I reply to her and silence falls again, except for the beeping of the phone signifying that John isn¡¯t picking still.

    Before I can dial his number again in anger, a calles in.

    ¡°Boss.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you been picking up?!¡± Ish out at him in annoyance. If we were in trouble, is this how he was going to disappoint me when he ought to be alert in case I called him for something?

    Just because I asked him not to drive us here doesn¡¯t mean he should retire to bed already.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss. I¡­¡±

    ¡°Come with a car to pick us up two streets away from Dad¡¯s office. Be fast about it, my car broke down¡±, I say in one breath, cutting him off.

    ¡°Ok, sir¡±, he answers and disconnects the call.

    I let out a sigh and throw the phone back in my pants pocket. When I snap my head towards Valerie in curiosity, she has a smile on her face.

    ¡°What?!¡± I question, wondering why she is smiling.

    She shrugs and looks away. ¡°What you just did reminds me of how we first met and how you always acted like a jerk¡­¡± she trails off andughs. ¡°It was interesting. I loved pissing you off.¡±

    I do not say anything. I barely remember how much of a jerk I was. We were both at each other¡¯s throats. We couldn¡¯t wait to get everything done. I couldn¡¯t imagine living with her for a whole month, not to talk of a lifetime but now everything is different.

    A lot has changed.

    My feelings changed and it is changing everything as well. Maybe this is why she isn¡¯t giving me a chance.

    I clearly told her she was the ugliest woman I have evere across. She also told me she wasn¡¯t going to date any man again after our marriage has been nullified.

    Maybe this is why she isn¡¯t considering me. Maybe she doesn¡¯t feel the same way I feel too. Maybe she is still hurt and holding onto the past. Maybe she needs more time.

    Avoiding her won¡¯t do any good. We need to do some serious talking.

    ¡°You were so secretive, you know?¡± She suddenly says, more like a question, pulling me out of my trance.

    I stop walking, fold my arms around my bosom and ask. ¡°Really?¡±

    She nods. I don¡¯t ask her why because I know the point she is driving at. It suddenly hits me that this might be about Celina again and I seriously don¡¯t want to dampen the interesting mood.

    ¡°How do you know I love butterflies?¡± She demands again, without asking me any more questions about Celina.

    dly, I reply. ¡°Your mom told me how much you loved to keep them hostage in your room when you were little and how she persuaded you to let them go. When you eventually listened and let them go, you would cry all day till you fell sick.¡± Laughter escapes my mouth.

    Her mom was all teary when she told me about it. I didn¡¯t ask her but she chose to tell me a little about Valerie.

    I learned something from that. The fact that she loves butterflies. I have a garden filled with them so I thought taking her there would be the best thing.

    I notice her mouth is still wide agape. ¡°Unbelievable!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Iugh again. ¡°The fact that your mom told me or the fact that¡­¡±

    ¡°My mom is unbelievable. I can¡¯t believe she told you that.¡±

    We remain silent and continue to walk when I feel the sudden urge to bring my feelings up again and hear what she has to say.

    I haven¡¯t brought it up for over a month and she isn¡¯t saying anything about it either. She is either avoiding me or acting like it never happened.

    ¡°Val?¡± I call and she nces up to meet my gaze. I stop walking. ¡°What are the criteria you look for in a man before agreeing to date him?¡±

    She seems lost. Her face is scrunched up in confusion. When she realizes what I am saying, she shakes her head and continues to walk.

    ¡°Hey¡±, I run forward and grab her shoulders in desperation. I know I said I wanted to give her more time and try to get her to like me as much as I do like her but I need to know what¡¯s up before doing anything. ¡°Why are you been so cold to me?¡±

    ¡°Cold?¡± She raises a brow. ¡°I¡¯m not cold, Ryan. The cold one is you, not me. Even though you apologized, you were still cold even after that night.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t cold. I just wanted to give you enough time to process everything and give me a reply¡±, I grit my teeth in frustration.

    A small smile creeps to her face which gets my heart thumping wildly within my ribcage.

    ¡°Ryan, this isn¡¯t something we can talk about out here when¡­¡±

    ¡°Fine¡±, I say angrily and begin to walk forward. We¡¯ve been at home for months after that night but she never said a word.

    Today, we are outside because of a circumstance and she is saying we shouldn¡¯t talk outside when she had the opportunity toe to tell me her decision for over a month that I have confessed my feelings to her, even though we now spend the night in different rooms.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she calls me back. ¡°Don¡¯t be a jackass and listen to me, will you?¡±

    I halt my step and she almost bumps into me because she is close at my heels. ¡°You never said a word for over a month and now this?¡±

    ¡°You needed time, didn¡¯t you? Or do you still want toe up with an excuse for the contract? The contract is ours, we can go against it if we wish to as long as it is consensual¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan, calm down your nerves¡±, she mutters coldly. She is acting nonchnt like this isn¡¯t something we should be talking about or something I should worry about.

    With her two hands on my shoulder, she gazes up at me intently, while I examine her expression, waiting for her to talk.

    I can¡¯t read through her. I wish I can.

    Before she can say a word, a horn jerks us out of our trance and she quickly pulls away, cing a palm on her face to blind out the car light.

    I step away and John drives closer. He pulls over and greets us. ¡°Good evening boss, good evening madam.¡±

    I almost curse at him for interrupting such a delicate moment. Why does he have to show up now with all times when Valerie is ready to tell me what she wants?

    My jaws clench in anger as she replies to his greeting and moves to get the door. I don¡¯t know when she enters the car until she waves at me with her head out of the window. ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting in?¡±

    I avert my gaze from John who has a guilty look on his face back to Valerie who is smiling.

    Relief wash through me and I get into the car and hold hands with her as the car drives off.

 CHAPTER 61

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Everything inside of me is in disarray and I can¡¯t even think properly with him beside me and his hand holding onto mine firmly like I was going to be out of sight the next minute.

    Well, that¡¯s what I n to do. I¡¯m going off.

    The moment John enters the gate and halts in the driveway, I open the door, releasing my hand from his hand, and off I go, walking briskly towards the front door.

    ¡°Valerie?!¡± He calls and I begin to hear the sound of his approaching feet.

    I increase my pace and when I am inside, I rush towards the staircase, taking two at a time.

    ¡°Valerie?!¡± His voice booms from nowhere, louder than before, and I wonder how he managed toe this close within minutes.

    I do not stop. I am too embarrassed to look him in the face and tell him anything. I can¡¯t even think of anything to say.

    I don¡¯t even know what I want. Thest time I checked, I was done with men but with his confession, I am so fucking confused that I no longer know what I want.

    I twist the door in a hurry and rush in but before I can close the door back, something stops it from closing, making me twirl back abruptly to see Ryan sticking his leg in to stop the door from closing.

    With embarrassment creeping to my face as our eyes meet, I leave the door and venture into my room.

    He follows.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the matter?¡± He spins me around to face him before I can get to flop heavily on the bed.

    I know what I¡¯m supposed to do. Either tell him off or ept him but I want none of that. I just want everything to be the way it used to be; when we fight, reconcile, smile, go out,ugh, and piss each other off.

    It¡¯s way more fun than this. What if it doesn¡¯t work out? What if I am still stuck in my past and I don¡¯t really want to move on with another man and definitely not Ryan?

    He deserves better. A better woman.

    ¡°Val, talk to me. I thought you wanted to say something a while ago¡±, he raises my jaw with the tip of his two fingers as he peers at me with curiosity. ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ryan¡±, I answer, unable to recognize my own voice. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    I just need some more time to think this over. I need time to ept the reality I am faced with but I can¡¯t tell him that.

    He sighs deeply, thereby arousing my curiosity.

    Does he love me that much? When did this start? Howe I never knew or noticed he was getting attracted to me? Is he disappointed?

    We didn¡¯t n for this. The deal was to be married for twenty months, fake a pregnancy to make his dying mother happy, and then go our separate ways but his preposition is going to ruin the whole n and deter us from leaving after a few months.

    ¡°I thought we were on to something, Val. Are we¡­¡±, he trails off, sighs again, and then with a determined expression on his face, he raises my jaw higher. ¡°I just need a yes or a no and that¡¯s all. That will determine what will happen next.¡±

    ¡°What will happen next?¡± I find myself asking, wishing I can read through his mind. I want to know everything that goes through his mind each second and also know how serious he really is about this.

    Is this just about the sex? Can¡¯t he get it from someone outside?

    ¡°If it¡¯s a yes, fine¡­¡±

    ¡°And what if it¡¯s a no?¡± I cut him short hurriedly, locking my gaze with him.

    He remains silent for a while and I see his Adam¡¯s apple popping down before he nods. ¡°It¡¯s fine too.¡±

    Lowering my head, I bite my lower lips and shut my eyes, trying so hard to make a decision right away.

    I don¡¯t want to make a decision I would regret. I don¡¯t want to do something that will make me unhappy.

    This was how it all started with Fred. I ventured into a rtionship with him and it ended badly.

    How can I be so sure that this will work out when we are supposed to be separated in a few months? Will he be up to my expectations? What if he can¡¯t keep up with my craziness?

    ¡°It¡¯s a no, right?¡± He asks me, pulling me out of the trance. I stare at him as he demands again firmly. ¡°It¡¯s a no, right?¡±

    I try to look away but he turns my face to him again, firmly yet gently. ¡°Silence is an answer, Val. If it¡¯s a yes, you don¡¯t need to think too deeply about it. Everything about you will scream it out but your silence is saying otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Since you have got it all figured out then there is absolutely no reason for me to say it out again¡±, I retort, mad at him for the assumptions.

    I need no mouthpiece. I wasn¡¯t saying anything because I didn¡¯t want to hurt him but here he is trying to act as if he got me all figured out and he knows every inch about my existence.

    I snap my head away from his hold and turn my back to him. He spins me around again just like I expect and we stare at each other in silence with his hand on my waist.

    Just like I am thinking, he brushes his lips against mine, dragging me closer to himself and exploring the upper part of my lips before finally concentrating on the lower lip.

    It feels like my breath is hitched inside of me and I can¡¯t let it out while his lips are on mine.

    I want to push him away but I find myself caged in between his two strong arms.

    Moving to the edge of my lips, he bites me slowly, making me realize what we are doing. He can¡¯t just kiss me all he wants and then leave and assume that I want something far from this.

    I push him away eventually. We are both breathless and I avoid his gaze.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a no, just like I said, then I will make sure I do everything within my power for you to like me henceforth. We can go on several dates, parties, vacations, pics, or anything you want. Just name it and it¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan¡±, I interrupt him from going further and shake my head in response. I am not interested in any of that.

    I just wish he would stop with all the kisses and let me figure things out on my own. These kisses confuse me so much that I can barely think about him without thinking about his kisses.

    They are so rxing and heavenly. They make me feel alive and active, yet I do not want them.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Ok, then. Good night¡±, he says with a half smile that barely reaches his eyes. His eyes say otherwise. He isn¡¯t happy that I didn¡¯t give a positive response today like he thought I would when he brought the topic up a while ago before John came with the car.

    ¡°Good night¡±, I fold my arms around my bosom and watch him move to the door.

    Without a nce, he takes the door out and I stroll to the door to lock it. After locking the door, I turn my back to the door and facepalm myself with a groan escaping my mouth.

    Each time I make a resolution to stop the kisses, he keeps doing it and I keep finding myself unable to stop him or tell him off.

    What the hell is wrong with me? This isn¡¯t the right way to get my feelings sorted out.

    A loud knock jerks me out of my reverie making me jump upright in fright. Wondering who it can be, I turn to the door and turn the doorknob to open the door.

    There stands Ryan.

    With a devilish smile.

    Before I can ask what he is here for, he pecks me on the forehead and brushes his lips against mine again before dashing off into thin air while I stand there with my mouth agape.

 CHAPTER 62

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Dressed in dark jeans and a white shirt, his hair looks messy and perfect, making me stare at him from my peripheral view as I slide in beside him in the car.

    The car roars to life immediately while we sit quietly without a word till we get to the location, my gaze shifting from the car door to Ryan who has a smile on his face.

    When he told me we were going out, I wanted to protest but he won¡¯t hear any of that. I didn¡¯t expect he would bring me here either.

    Why bring me to a party of all ces? I thought he was going to take me out on a date again as he has done before.

    ¡°A party, Ryan?¡± I ask inplete disbelief with my mouth dropped open.

    He nods and steps down from the car. Before I can process what is happening, he opens the car door for me to get out.

    I step down, excitement filling me up at the thought of partying tonight. After Ryan and I got married, the first time we came to party was because I forced him here.

    I practically dragged him here and the day didn¡¯t end well because we ran into Brenda and Fred.

    Taking ast look at my dress, I sigh heavily, wishing he had told me we wereing here so I am not dressed this elegantly.

    I am wearing a short dinner gown because I thought he would take me to have dinner with his mom or take me out on a date.

    ¡°Shall we?¡± He demands, pulling out his arm for me to entwine my arm with his.

    I nod my head and entwine my arm with his before we begin to walk toward the front door leading to the club.

    This is high ss. Different from the ones we used to go to. I don¡¯t need to worry about bumping into Brenda or Fred. All I need to do is enjoy tonight.

    Ryan produces a ticket and stretches it to one of the bouncers. They permit us to go in.

    The moment we enter, I take my arm away and begin to dance to the music.

    ¡°Wow!¡± I say out loud, twirling back to face Ryan who is silently watching. ¡°it¡¯s been so long since I had fun.¡±

    ¡°Dance all you want¡±, he mutters indifferently with a loud voice. ¡°I need a drink.¡±

    He doesn¡¯t sound as excited as I am and I wonder what is wrong with him. As he brushes past me to walk towards the bar, I follow.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask with concern. When we left home, he was all smiles and now, he is all moody.

    Didn¡¯t he bring us here to have fun?

    ¡°Nothing¡±, he answers. ¡°I just need a drink.¡±

    We get to the bar counter and he drags out a high stool to sit on. Ignoring my desire to go back to the dance floor, I do the same thing and sit beside him.

    ¡°A vodka, please¡±, he requests of the bartender and I raise a suspicious brow at him.

    Did hee here to get drunk? There is a bar in the house, why is he doing this? What the hell is wrong with him?

    The bartender pours a ss of vodka for him before pushing it toward him. Without caring about the burning sensation it brings, he gulps everything down, then pushes it back towards the bartender.

    I watch him.

    I wish I know what exactly is on his mind but I can¡¯t get any single thing from his expression. He is expressionless but I know he is not himself.

    ¡°I need one too¡±, I ask the bartender. We can danceter. If he wants to drink, so be it.

    Ryan spares me a nce. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t drink¡­¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I demand sharply, as though I was expecting the question he is directing towards me.

    He does not say anything.

    I smile at him. ¡°If you want to drink, then let¡¯s do that together.¡±

    ¡°What if someone sees you drinking when you are faking a pregnancy?¡± he whispers into my ears, making me remember that we are faking a pregnancy.

    I forget about that role too much, probably because I barely see his mother so I do not need to pretend to be pregnant when I am not.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    ¡°Well, I am not pregnant and no one will see me¡±, I whisper back into his right ear.

    The bartender pushes a cup towards me and I drink everything in one gulp too, the hotness burning down my throat.

    Ryan does not say anything else as we begin topete on who drinks more of the vodka. It continues to burn down my throat but I keep ignoring it until I feel dizzy.

    I signal to the bartender not to give me any more drinks as I step down from the stool, staggering. ¡°I need to dance.¡±

    I can¡¯te to a party and not dance.

    The loud music sts into my ears and I begin to swing my hips, throwing my hands in the air as I twirl around till my dizziness increases.

    When I stop, my head hits a hard wall and I rest my head on it while I shut my eyes tightly.

    A voice pulls me out of my trance. ¡°Hello, beautiful¡±, it says and a loud unfamiliar chuckle follows.

    I lift my head to meet a pair of green eyes with dirty brown hair. His gaze is intense and he is good-looking but not as good as my husband, though.

    Remembering that I came here with Ryan, I realize I am holding him so I let go and then turn around to search for Ryan when I stumble again, two pairs of hands grabbing me from falling.

    ¡°Hey¡±, he shouts into my ears and I try to wriggle out of his hold all to no avail. ¡°You are drunk.¡±

    ¡°I know, get your hands off me!¡± I snap at him in irritation.

    He does not let go of me like I think he will, instead his grip on my hips bes firmer as we move.

    Before I can say anything else, another hand grabs me from behind and my head hits another strong wall, a familiar cologne hitting my nostril.

    Ryan.

    I don¡¯t need to look up to know that it is him.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡± he growls out loudly in annoyance. ¡°What the hell do you think you are doing?!¡±

    Without hoisting my head up, a smile creeps to my face as a sigh of relief washes through me.

    He slides his hands around my hips, dragging me closer to him as the music changes into a slow, melodious one.

 CHAPTER 63

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    The scowl I have on leaves my face the moment she stares up to meet my gaze. She looks so drunk and cute and I can¡¯t help but let my anger dissolve.

    She is good at getting me mad. Then the next minute, my anger will be gone.

    ¡°Who the hell was that?!¡± I question her. Sheughs and shakes her head.

    ¡°I have no slightest idea¡±, she doesn¡¯t look like she cares about who he is but I do.

    What if I wasn¡¯t here? What if I didn¡¯te to the party with her, what would have happened?

    I know how much she loves parties and I wonder about all the crazy things she must have done before we got married.

    I know she had a boyfriend and obviously, she goes to parties with him but I can¡¯t help but worry about the sort of intimacy between them even after knowing that they never had sex.

    She twirls around with her back to me as she puts my hands around her waist up to her stomach. Suddenly, I feel hard.

    Shit!

    Is she purposely grinding her body to mine?

    Like someone who has no care in the world, she continues to grind her body to mine as she dances wildly with her hands raised in the air.

    ¡°Val¡±, I call. I can barely control the sound of my voice as it bes ragged.

    She does not respond but continues to dance. I move my mouth closer to her ears and call out loudly. ¡°Val.¡±

    She jerks upright and stops dancing. With a scrunched-up face, probably at the displeasure of being stopped from dancing and enjoying the moment, she asks with a raised voice. ¡°What?!¡±

    I swallow hard and tell her firmly. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± she exims, a smile recing her expression, then a shortughter. ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Val¡­¡±

    ¡°We just got here, Ryan¡±, she protests, standing on tiptoe as she ces her two hands on my shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s enjoy the party, please.¡±

    Her cute face is tempting me to say yes but I don¡¯t want to. She is way too drunk and I can¡¯t help how I feel right now.

    Bringing her here is a bad idea. I should have thought of something else to make her happy instead of this.

    Besides, there are a lot of men staring at her and it¡¯s pissing me off. Before I can say another word, she moves away from me and continues to dance, twirling around.

    She stumbles and almost falls but someone grabs her before I can.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    I rush forward.

    ¡°Hey, careful!¡± he shouts above the music as he helps her up.

    ¡°You?¡± Val is up and pointing her index finger at the man with a smile on her face. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±

    I stare at the guy¡¯s face. He looks familiar but I can¡¯t ce where I know him from.

    The guy smirks and holds her hands. Quickly, I grab her and m her body next  to mine. ¡°She is my wife.¡±

    His gaze shifts to me and a sudden frown appears on his face. Pretending to be apologetic, he walks away.

    ¡°Hey, he is¡­¡±, she trails off and belches loudly.

    Shit!

    What if she throws up? I really need to get us out of here. Enough of the dramas already.

    I carry her in bridal style while she struggles with me. I find my way out of the loud club before moving towards the parking lot.

    Coming here was a bad idea. A really bad one.

    The next thing on my list is a pic and a date. If I do all of this and she doesn¡¯t still fall in love with me, then I will let her go.

    I can¡¯t let go without trying to win her over. She was heartbroken a few months ago and that is the only justification for her trying not to ept me.

    I believe she has healed already. All she needs is time to get to like another man and I want that man to be me.

    No one else but me.

    I am her husband after all. Nothing can stop us if the feelings are mutual. The mutual feeling is the most important thing at the moment.

    Valerie is suddenly calm and I gaze at her face to see that she is drifting off to sleep, her hand on my chest with her mouth slightly open.

    John sights using closer and gets down to open the door for me to drop Valerie in. Instead of letting me drop her, she swings her two hands around my face firmly, making it difficult for me to drop her down on the seat.

    ¡°Val¡±, I call softly with my head bent over her. A part of me is inside the car while the other is outside.

    She mumbles and does not let go of her hand around my neck region. Slowly, I take one of my hands off her with a part of herying down on the seat. I take a hold of one of her hands and I seed in taking it off.

    Before I can drop her off immediately, she grabs my head again, startling me. She gets up and our eyes meet.

    With widened eyes,  I watch her stare at me intently with her small sleepy eyes, probably trying to process where she is or what happened.

    ¡°Valerie, we need to go home now. The party is over¡±, I say, shifting my feet on the floor outside the car ufortably. If only she can just adjust a little to provide space for me to get in too.

    She isn¡¯t saying a word and her face is expressionless.

    ¡°Val¡­¡±, I call again to jerk her back to life. I want to tell her that I need her to shift a little so I cane in and then we can go home but the next thing she does surprises me.

    Her finger touches my lips, then her gaze shifts to it.

    A small beautiful smile creeps onto her face. ¡°You are cute.¡±

    This is the result of her drunkenness. The Valerie I know would never say such to me in her right frame of mind. I decide not to take it to heart and shift her to the other side so I can step in.

    I shift her but she pulls me along, making me fall on top of her with a loud gasp escaping my mouth.

    My mouth drops open at thepromising position we are in which isn¡¯t helping matters with my hardened below.

    Before I can say or do anything, she closes her eyes and brushes her lips over mine.

 CHAPTER 64

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Her back hits the door as she wraps her warm soft hands around the back of my neck, pushing me to the edge.

    Her lips collide with mine instantly, making my head go nk. The kiss is awkward as I fumble with her dress, desperate to touch her and feel her naked skin on my body.

    A low moan escapes her lips as we kiss roughly, making me groan and bite her lips softly.

    That sound does a lot of unexinable things to me.

    She moves away from the door and I open my eyes to see that we are approaching her bed. We could barely take our hands off each other as John drove us home. I am 100 percent sure this is because she is drunk but I keep denying it because I feel she feels sure about this. As much as I want.

    She falls on her back on the bed and I fall on top of her, mming my lips to hers again in desperation. The absence of her lips on mine is driving me crazy.

    My whole body aches with the need for her. I feel hot and cold at the same time, wishing this will never end and I will get to spend every night in her arms.

    Her hands dig into my hair. As she ys with my hair, another moan leaves her mouth, prompting me to do the same.

    Finally, I find my way to her naked thighs. Before I can move my hand upward, a sound jerks us back to life.

    Like someone waking up from the dead, her eyes fly open and it goes wide in shock before she pushes me off her.

    I don¡¯t have enough time to think about what she just did because the sound ising from my pocket.

    My phone is ringing.

    Forcing myself to tear my gaze away from her and not let the disappointment I feel sink fully in, I take out my phone.

    It is Mother.

    Why is she calling?

    The call goes to voicemail before I can pick up, making me shift my attention back to the half-naked woman before me. Her spaghetti dress is almost off, exposing most of her cleavage.

    I gulp and look away.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she calls with a shocked tone. ¡°What¡­¡±

    I know what she wants to ask but I wish not to hear ite out of her mouth.

    ¡°Shit!¡± she curses in between gritted teeth and gets down from the bed.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You were the one who kissed me, I thought this was what you wanted and¡­¡±

    ¡°I kissed you?¡± she cuts me short with panic crossing her expression. Her hair is disheveled as she stares at me. The sight leaves a sinking feeling inside of me.

    ¡°Yes, you did. I should have stopped you from doing that. I¡¯m sorry¡±, I apologize again and get up to leave the room. I should probably drink more and go to bed.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Shees in front of me, stopping me from going out with my dejected face.

    I furrow my brows, wondering why on earth she doesn¡¯t remember what happened a few minutes ago in the car and now. She started it.

    ¡°I initiated it?¡± she demands again as if to be sure I know what I am saying and she is hearing right.

    Without a word, I nod.

    ¡°Gosh¡±, she facepalms and turns her back to me. Facing me back immediately, she apologizes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    I step away from her and begin to walk to the door. I won¡¯t even be able to sleep in the room tonight if she ns to spend the night here. Seeing her will remind me of what happened tonight and how it ended before anything could even start.

    I feel terrible.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she calls back. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡±

    I turn to face her. She takes a step forward but stumbles and I quickly grab her. ¡°Do you need water?¡±

    The drunkenness hasn¡¯t faded offpletely. When she is standing upright, she shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°I was stupid, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine¡±, I insist. She shouldn¡¯t me herself. I was already beginning to think that she is actually attracted to me too but this had proved me wrong.

    This is one-sided and I doubt if there is anything I can do to change how she feels. It makes me feel awful and less of a man.

    She is my wife for crying out loud. Why can¡¯t I make her fall in love with me? Why do I have to keep falling over and over again when it is so obvious that she doesn¡¯t feel the same way?

    It breaks my heart.

    She smiles shyly and rubs her hands over the edges of her dress. I view this as a dismissal.

    Before I can summon up the courage to either say something about what happened between us just now or take the door out, my phone rings again, jerking me out of my trance.

    It pulls me out of the trance of watching her beautiful face and the imagination of what would have happened if only that call didn¡¯te in.

    I was damn ready to cross the line, without giving a damn about what would happen tomorrow morning when we are both sober and good.

    ¡°Your phone¡±, she mentions, pointing to the phone and making me wonder if she is really still clueless about how I feel or if this is just part of her presence.

    She is good at it.

    Should I still go ahead with my ns? We haven¡¯t gone on a date yet. And also the pic.

    Will she agree to still go ahead with this? Do I need to force her like I did today?

    ¡°Ryan¡­¡±, she calls again.

    ¡°Do you remember what happened at the club?¡± I find myself asking her. I don¡¯t want to believe that that kiss happened because she was just drunk.

    She can¡¯t kiss me for no reason. That kiss was too intense and passionate to be waved away that way like it meant nothing.

    It means a lot. To me.

    She arches her brow, trying to remember what happened. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±

    I take a step towards her as the ringing sound of the phone stops. ¡°You remember everything?¡±

    She nods  ¡°I think I do.¡±

    ¡°You also remember how you initiated the kiss?¡± I ask her and a red blush creeps to her face in embarrassment.

    ¡°Ryan, can we not talk about this?¡±

    ¡°What about how you grind your hips on my body? Do you remember that?¡± I take another step and she begins to back away.

    ¡°Ryan¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you know how upset I was to see you dancing with another man when I was there?¡±

    ¡°Ryan¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t even know what I am doing anymore or what I stand to gain from these questions. I just want to ask her.

    ¡°Did you feel any reaction from me when you were earnestly grinding your hips on my body?¡±

    ¡°Ryan!¡± she yells. ¡°I told you it was a mistake. I was drunk and I am sorry if I did anything to make you ufortable.¡±

    She is breathing heavily. ¡°Can you leave now?¡±

    ¡°This is my room¡­¡±

    ¡°It is also my room. You can take the other room tonight¡±, she states, anger evident on her face.

    I shut my eyes, turn away from her and my phone begins to ring again. Without sparing her a nce, I take the door out.

 CHAPTER 65

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    With a groan and a banging headache, I step down from the bed, ncing around to see if Ryan came back to sleep herest night or not.

    The other bed is empty and seems untouched.

    Rubbing a finger on my forehead, I walk to the fridge to get some water. Suddenly, I remember I told Ryan to go out of the roomst night which must be the reason why he didn¡¯te back.

    Maybe he is in the other room.

    After drinking a ssful of water, I stroll to the door, the headache still very much present.

    I take the door out and move towards my room, wondering if he slept there or somewhere else.

    I was really harshst night and I feel bad for sending him out of his room. I feel stupid for initiating the heated kiss which almost led to something else and I couldn¡¯t help my rudeness. I just don¡¯t want him to think otherwise.

    But now, I can¡¯t help but ponder over what he thinks of me.

    I know he is doing all he can to make me happy. I was happy he took me to a partyst night but I don¡¯t just know why I had to kiss him to ruin everything.

    I was drunk, yes.

    That is the case. If I wasn¡¯t drunk, I wouldn¡¯t have done such a silly thing. I don¡¯t want something more from our rtionship. I just want things to be the same between us.

    I don¡¯t want us to fight either. We should be able to understand each other now and if possible confide in each other, not fight and reconcile like kids.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    Surprisingly, my room is also empty. The bedspread is neatly arranged and I¡¯m sure no one slept here.

    Where the hell is he?

    I walk back to the room, my thoughts all over the ce.

    Did he sleep somewhere elsest night?

    A gasp leaves my mouth when I remember a call came in for himst night

    Did he spend the night out? Was it a girl who called him? Was he so turned on by that heated kiss that he had to go out and find a girl to sleep with?

    I almost bump into a maid holding a tray but I am quick to step back.

    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am¡±, she apologizes. ¡°Your breakfast is ready.¡±

    The fact that breakfast is ready and has been brought up to me in the room means I woke upte like always and Ryan is either off to work or didn¡¯te home.

    ¡°Where is Ryan?¡± I question her immediately, my brows arched in curiosity.

    She shakes her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see him this morning?¡± I demand, now sure that my assumption is right. ¡°Does that mean he didn¡¯t spend the night here?¡±

    She looks hesitant before shaking her head. ¡°I saw him going outst night and he called the head maid to lock all the doors because he won¡¯t being home.¡±

    I said it!

    My instinct is right this time.

    He didn¡¯t spend the night here. Where did he go? Did he spend the night with a woman or did he sleep in his office?

    I have never seen him with any woman since we got married and even after I permitted him to date if he wants to and it makes me wonder if he has any woman like he once imed.

    Quickly, I go back to the room and the maid follows. Venturing into the room further, I grab a towel while she drops the food tray down on the stool.

    I rush into the bathroom.

    I need to be sure I am 100 percent right. I want to visit him in his office for two reasons; first, to know where he slept and if he is still mad at me.

    I didn¡¯t mean to be that way.

    As I take a quick bath, it dawns on me that I am going there because of my curiosity, not because I want to know if he is still pissed aboutst night.

    Ryan will be back home tonight and I can ask him all the numerous questions I have for him but I am in a hurry to see him.

    I am no longer denying that I am desperate to know if he went out with a girlst night

    Also, I can¡¯t be so sure that he wille back home tonight.

    Waving all the thoughts away, I get out of the bathroom and within minutes, I am dressed. I wear a tank top and a trouser.

    Without bothering to make myself up, I grab my phone and the car keys before going out.

    When I get to the door, my stomach rumbles, reminding me about the food the maid brought for me.

    I turn back to stare at the tray. Instead of forfeiting my desire to fulfill my hunger needs, I turn away and go out of the door, mming it shut.

    I dangle the keys in my hand nervously as I take the staircase down, leading to the front door. I am wearing a sandal to match my simple dress.

    As soon as I get to the front door, I pull it open and step out. Hurriedly, I walk towards the garage to get the car.

    If Ryan is in his office, I can¡¯t be so sure if he slept there or not. But if he isn¡¯t there, then it means he didn¡¯t stay the night there.

    The Ryan I know isn¡¯t someone who would skip going to work or afford to get to workte. I know meeting him there will create more questions that I might not be able to find answers to.

    I can¡¯t be so sure whether he slept there or not if he is in the office.

    The moment I turn the corner to the garage, my eyes catch a red dangling bag which makes me step back to see someone standing by a car.

    It seems like the car just drove in. She is looking up at someone and out of curiosity about who this is, I take another step back to see him.

    The man I am going to look for.

    Ryan.

    I can¡¯t see his face but I know it is him. Apart from the suit he had on before he left my roomst night which makes me recognize him instantly, I can recognize him from his backside anytime and anywhere.

    I can¡¯t see the girl¡¯s face properly.

    Who is this girl? What is he doing with her?

    Before I can interrupt their conversation by clearing my thoughts or doing something to alert them that someone is here, she grabs his face roughly and kisses him.

    My jaws drop open in shock.

    I almost drop the phone in my hand but I manage to calm my nerves and bat my eyes to be sure I am not dreaming or imagining things.

    With a sinking feeling and a huge lump stuck in my throat, I shut my mouth. I am about to turn back to go back into the house when she pulls away from the kiss and our eyes meet.

    Celina.

    She shes me a smile and my mouth drops open again.

 CHAPTER 66

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    With force, I push her away and turn to go back when I see Valerie standing right behind me with her mouth agape.

    I twirl around to face Celina who has a big grin of victory on her face. Now I know why she did that.

    I was too shocked at first to even push her away because I didn¡¯t expect that. We were talking and the next thing she does is kiss me out of the blue.

    I shouldn¡¯t have let here in here. I should have dropped her off before driving in.

    She purposely kissed me because of Valerie. From behind me, I hear the sound of Valerie¡¯s running feet and I know she must have gone back into the house.

    ¡°What the hell is the meaning of that?¡± I bark at her in anger.

    The grin wipes off immediately as she reces it with an innocent look.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she demands, faking ignorance.

    This isn¡¯t her fault. I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Mother when she asked me to help her and also listen to what she had to say.

    ¡°Get out! Don¡¯t ever set foot in here again!¡± I rail at her before storming off towards the front door.

    Valerie is going to think otherwise. I could see that from the expression on her face. She might think I was actually the one kissing Valerie.

    I only helped her.

    When my mother called mest night, she asked me toe home. I went there and was surprised to see Celina there. Mother said she helped her because she was stranded and I have no idea how she could be stranded. I don¡¯t even know if Mother only said that because she wanted me to thank Celina or not.

    Celina asked her to beg me to listen to her and I did. Because of Mother.

    Celina and I grew up together. Our parents were close too. I loved her more than I loved my own biological sister. But she was a hypocrite.

    She wanted to spend the night at Mother¡¯s ce because it waste. She was able to convince Mother tomand me to stay home because it was toote to drive.

    This morning, I woke upte because I kept tossing in bedst night till it was almost dawn. When I got out to drive home so I could take a bath before going to work, I met her beside my car waiting.

    I take the staircase up to my room, wondering if she is there or if she is in her room.

    I knock on my room door and without a response, I push the doorknob and enter to see herying on the bed.

    I close the door quietly and venture inside, biting my lower lips in regret and guilt. I shouldn¡¯t have allowed Celina to stay in the car till I got home.

    I know how I felt when I got the wrong idea of her kissing her ex-boyfriend so I can imagine how she feels right now.

    ¡°Uhmm, Val?¡± I call, expecting her to attack me immediately so I can exin things to her.

    I would never do such a thing. Definitely not with Celina.

    I despise her. I know I am supposed to have gotten over that but seeing her again brought back my hatred for her.

    She does not move. She isn¡¯t saying anything either.

    I saunter closer to the bed and sit on the edge before touching her. She flinches and turns away from me.

    ¡°Hey, listen to me. It¡¯s not what you think you saw¡±, I say in a loud voice, bing pissed that she isn¡¯t even giving me a chance to exin myself.

    I allowed her to tell me what happened when this same thing happened to Fred. She was the one who misused the opportunity by not exining what actually happened.

    Now that the tables have turned, she doesn¡¯t even want to listen to me which is totally unfair.

    Surprised at my tone, she faces me squarely. ¡°Did you just raise your voice at me?¡±

    I shake my head and lower my head down in guilt. ¡°No,¡± I answer. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to raise my voice at you, I just want you to listen to me. Why do you even think I will do such a thing with her?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    Silence ensues.

    Is this a chance to exin?

    First of all, I didn¡¯t spend the night at home and I didn¡¯t bother to call her so she would know that I am noting home.

    I am guilty of that. Because I did that intentionally.

    I thought she was going to be worried about me whenever she notices that I am in the house. She clearly told me to leave and that was what I did.

    Obviously, she wasn¡¯t worried. If she was, she would have called me. But she didn¡¯t. She remains that proud woman I fell in love with.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯te homest night¡±, I apologize finally and she smiles sadly.

    ¡°Is there a need to apologize for that?¡± she retorts sharply. ¡°You can decide to spend the night out with a whore or not. It¡¯s your life¡­¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim loudly, standing upright with adrenaline shooting down my spine.

    ¡°Yes, you heard what I said. You went to one of your whores, I know that already.¡±

    I scoff, my anger increasing. ¡°Whores? Wow, where the hell is thising from? Didn¡¯t you tell me to get a sex partner if I wish to? Why then does this bother you?¡± I shout at her. She turns her face away. ¡°I see. I shouldn¡¯t have even made any attempt to exin things to you if you were already seeing things in a different light.¡±

    ¡°I am not seeing anything¡­¡±

    ¡°Then exin what you mean by what you just said. You are practically using me of infidelity.¡±

    She goes silent for a while as she looks thoughtful. ¡°How do you exin what I just saw then?¡±

    I hit my forehead in frustration. This is what I am talking about.

    ¡°I met Celina at my mom¡¯s cest night¡±, I begin. ¡°She spent the night there and she asked me to drop her off this morning. That¡¯s all. She kissed me because you wereing, didn¡¯t you see that?¡±

    She doesn¡¯t look convinced and I wonder why when it was so ring to the eyes that it was not a consensual kiss. I pushed Celina away before I got to know that she was watching us.

    ¡°You met Celina at your mom¡¯s ce?¡± she asks me and I nod in response. ¡°Where did you spend the night?¡±

    The question catches me off guard. There is absolutely nothing in revealing to her that I spent the night at my mom¡¯s ce but I don¡¯t want her to attach any importance to it since Celina also spent the night there.

    Before I can answer her, she demands with visible anger in her expression. ¡°Who is Celina?¡±

    She looks like she is going to burst out anytime soon and I know I just have to answer her this time around or all hell will break loose.

 CHAPTER 67

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    The darkness of insecurity envelops me as I stare into his blue eyes, watching me intensely before sighing.

    This reaction that I get from him every single time is what makes me more curious about who the damn woman is. If I wasn¡¯t curious about her before now, what happened a few minutes ago is enough to make me more curious about her.

    Celina Sebastian is not a woman I like. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I saw her with Fred or the fact that she had a past with Ryan.

    I keep telling myself that she must have dated Ryan in the past. I called her his ex-girlfriend but whenever I think deeply about this, I keep denying it because Ryan was never in a rtionship which means there is something more to it.

    Ryan seems to dislike her. She seems to like him. What answer does that give me?

    I don¡¯t know. The more I ask these questions, the more confused and curious I be.

    I don¡¯t know why I am pissed even after knowing that Ryan dislikes her but I guess it¡¯s because he might start liking her now. She is beautiful and she could pass for a model. I couldn¡¯t deny the fact that I was envious of her when we first saw her that night.

    His dislike for her might not be as intense as I assumed it is. Ryan needs a woman and Celina won¡¯t hesitate to give him what he wants.

    She kissed him.

    Because she saw meing.

    I know that but the thought of it still makes me so mad that I wish I could scratch my fingers all over her face and pull her hair out for wanting to y such dirty games with me.

    The major reason why I am mad at Ryan is because he spent the night with her under the same roof and he never called to inform me of where he was going.

    ¡°Val, this¡­¡±, he trails off, then scratches his jaws and looks away with guilt.

    I know I promised not to ask him this question ever again since thest time. His reaction every time thises up makes me annoyed and I couldn¡¯t help it tonight.

    Celina is the subject of topic so it won¡¯t be so bad to know who she really is and what she means to him.

    I want to know if she is really a rival.

    Despite my interest in the topic, I take a step and another towards the door, pretending to want to take the door out.

    Like I am thinking, Ryan calls back. ¡°Valerie, wait!¡±

    I stop in my tracks. Why do I have to do all of this for him to tell me who she really is? I might not have told him everything about me but he knows it all because I am transparent.

    Even though he isn¡¯t.

    ¡°Can you sit down so we can talk?¡± he asks, with my back to me. I want to tell him to fuck off because I am not interested in talking about anything else but her.

    He adds quickly. ¡°It¡¯s about who Celina is.¡±

    I twirl back instantly, my gaze locking with his. He looks in pain, as though the topic is bringing back some memories he wants to forgetpletely.

    Who is this woman? Why does he look hurt? Did she hurt him in the past? If they didn¡¯t date, then how did she hurt him?

    Do they know each other from childhood? Is that why his mother knows about her too? Does she like him?

    Obviously, she does. If she doesn¡¯t like her, then she wouldn¡¯t let her sleepover in the mansion and with Ryan. Perhaps, if I wasn¡¯t in the picture, she would have persuaded him to marry her instead of me.

    I take a step back the way I came and finally sit on the bed. I wait for him to start.

    Instead, he moves closer to me and sits on the bed beside me. I hoist my head up to gaze up at him.

    His face is so close that I can see all the emotions. Nothing close to happiness or satisfaction from seeing her again and it makes me wonder if they had any good memories together that he missed.

    All I see is sadness, anger, and hurt.

    ¡°Celina was the girl mother told you about¡±, he reveals after another moment of silence between us, with an unwavering gaze.

    I don¡¯t avert my gaze from his because of the meaning I am attaching to his expression. Suddenly, he darts his eyes away from me, making me lose contact.

    ¡°The woman your mother told me about?¡± I find myself asking with my brows creasing in confusion.

    I don¡¯t know what he is talking about. He nods anyway.

    ¡°The same girl I spent my childhood with, do you remember her now?¡±

    ¡°The only thing I remember was the girl you proposed to when you were young¡­¡±, I pause, realization dawning on me. I gasp and ask him. ¡°Celina was the girl with braces?¡±

    A sad smile touches the corner of his lips as he nods intermittently.

    I mp my hands over my mouth. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    That story was meant to amuse me because I was seriously amused. His mother told me about how he was in love with the girl with braces at a very young age and even went ahead to propose to her with a flower ring. Proposing to a girl at 10 was the amusing part and it always makes meugh but now I understand everything I didn¡¯t pay attention to before now.

    She told me Ryan never liked another girl because the girl told her he was too ugly.

    If this isn¡¯t a serious situation, I would haveughed but my curiosity has the upper hand.

    When I look up at Ryan, he is also watching me.

    ¡°I was head over heels in love with her when we were still little. Mother said it was a crush and it would fade away but it didn¡¯t. Everyone in school didn¡¯t like her because of the braces but I always stood by her. When I told her I liked her, she humiliated me and stoppeding over to y with me. It¡¯s funny because it made me feel stupid but it¡¯s all part of who I am today.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    I swallow hard, yet no word is forming.

    He continues. ¡°Her parents moved and we lost contact. When we became adults, we met again. The feelings were still very much present but the same thing repeated itself. She humiliated me at every slightest opportunity she would get. And my feelings turned into contempt for her. That¡¯s all.¡±

    That¡¯s not all. I want to say this out as loud as I can.

    That is not all. There is more to it.

    I can read it from his expression. From the creases of pain on his forehead and the way he clenches his jaws and fist.

    Does he still love her?

    ¡°Do you still love her?¡± My question makes him jerk upright with wide eyes.

    ¡°What?!¡± he exims in disbelief. ¡°No, of course not.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I ask him to be sure that he doesn¡¯t. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    If he still loves her, I can help him. Yes, I can but why do I feel this way? Why do I not feel happy about this whole story and scenario?

    His hands touch mine, as he holds my two hands, his gaze melting as he shes me a smile.

    ¡°Do you believe me now that I didn¡¯t kiss her?¡±

    I don¡¯t expect the question he is throwing at me. I am thinking of how to help him get her. It doesn¡¯t matter if he has stopped loving her or not, what matters is that he loved her.

    ¡°Yes, I believe you.¡±

    His smile widens. Before I can ask him the question in my mind, he leans forward and pecks my forehead.

    Impulsively, I shut my eyes as his lips linger on my forehead for some minutes before he pulls away.

    I flutter my eyes open to see his intense eyes boring into mine. ¡°The woman I love is right in front of me, Val.¡±

    My heart still goes to the statement. Then it picks up its race again when he remains silent.

    ¡°I love you, Valerie. Do you feel anything for me too?¡± He questions and my heart stops beating.

 CHAPTER 68

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Because I had to devise all ways to persuade her out of the house, I vowed to make our date thirty minutes only.

    Despite having everything ready, I am still as nervous as hell because I don¡¯t know if she will like everything I prepared for her and also because of the limited time we have.

    I am doing everything within my power to please her. I am supposed to ignore her so many times but I just can¡¯t help how I feel.

    Even after confessing my love to her several times, directly and indirectly, she always keeps mute, making me confused about what she really wants and what I need to do next.

    The car stops right in front of the restaurant and I take the door out to meet her.

    As she steps out of the car, her pointed heelse into view before her whole body appears, making me take a deep breath because of how breathtaking she looks.

    Her red beautiful sexy spaghetti strapless gown stops right on her knees. Her hair is fully down and she has full makeup on, different from the one she had on her face the first time we met.

    I have never seen a woman so beautiful the way she looks tonight. Her full lips are so inviting that I can barely take my eyes off them.

    When she shes me a light smile, I blink twice and then smile back at her in response.

    ¡°We have just 30 minutes, remember?¡± she reminds me, twirling her fingers around to jerk me back to life.

    I swallow hard, then nod. ¡°Yes, I remember.¡±

    Like a gentleman, I stretch my hand for her to take. When she takes my hand, I raise it to my lips without taking my eyes off her. Slowly, I peck the back of her right hand which feels so warm on my lips.

    A smile creeps to her face and for the first time, she blushes.

    Remembering that I am here for a reason, I drop her hand and lead her into the restaurant. Our seats are close to the door for a reason too.

    As soon as we are seated, two chefs appear with two different trays of food.

    ¡°Good evening, ma¡¯am. What would you like to order?¡±

    She raises a brow at me, surprised at the special attention the chef is giving her. I made a reservation two days ago. I specifically requested the chef and not the waitress.

    I want her to eat whatever she wishes, even if the restaurant does not have it. This is why the chefs are here. They can make her something quick.

    ¡°Answer them, Mrs. Lorenzo. Remember we have just 30 minutes?¡± I remind her just like she did a while ago.

    She averts her gaze away from me and turns to the two chefs dressed in white aprons and ck bos.

    She shrugs nonchntly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to ask for.¡± Shifting her attention back to the chef, she demands. ¡°What do you have?¡±

    With a smile on their faces, the first chef answers, ¡°We have Chinese meals, Mexican dishes as well as¡­¡±

    ¡°Get me any of the two¡±, I watch her cut them short with a wave of the hand.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I lean forward to ask her and she nods.

    I face the chef. ¡°Come along with that wine too¡±, I tell them.

    ¡°What is happening?¡± she mutters, her face creasing in confusion.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I lean backward, morefortably in the chair, being conscious of the time. We ought to spend at least 10 minutes here before we go to the next ce.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°All of this¡±, she points around, ncing around in awe at the beautiful restaurant. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this.¡±

    ¡°I did it anyway. That is not what matters at the moment. Herees your meal¡±, I mention as the chef approaches with a different tray of food. He sets the table with just a te.

    Before she can ask me why there is just one te, I signal to her to dig in.

    She closes her mouth, sighs, and takes the spoon to eat while the chef takes his leave. There is no appetizer or anything else because we have limited time.

    The second chef appears with a bottle of the wine I asked for. When Valerie sights the bottle, she gasps in delight. ¡°Screaming eagle cabe!¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡± I can¡¯t hide my amazement. ¡°This beauty right in front of me is versatile. You never cease to amaze me.¡±

    He drops the bottle of wine on the table. I grab it quickly and urge her to finish up her food quickly.

    The watch on my wrist beeps in alert of the time we have spent. We have just 15 minutes to go before the end of our date tonight which means we have to get out of here now for us to meet up.

    ¡°Time is up¡±, I rise, grab the bottle of wine with my left hand, then grab her wrist with my right hand before rushing out of the door without a single exnation for our next destination.

    ¡°Hey¡±, she mumbles as I drag her slowly towards the car. ¡°Where are we going? Isn¡¯t this a date?¡±

    I didn¡¯t even let her take some water or a little from the wine but I have my reasons. I love to take this wine in thefort of my home when I ampletely calm and rxed, not when we have a limited time to spend at the restaurant.

    This is my favorite of all.

    ¡°Just follow me, sweetheart¡±, I say without looking back to see how displeased she is at this action right now.

    I practically forced her out. I should probably do this till the very end. The result should be pleasing to her.

    ¡°Ryan!¡± she calls loudly, as we get past the bodyguards at the door and I pull the car door open and help her get into the car.

    If I wasn¡¯t a billionaire, maybe she would have assumed I was running away from paying for our orders. But that isn¡¯t the case.

    Time is the problem here.

    Today is a special day and I want to make it really special for her.

    When she is settled in, I slouch in right beside her, then close the car door before turning to view the curiosity written all over her.

    ¡°John, drive!¡± Imand with imcable authority and in a really loud voice.

    The car engine roars to life and we drive away from the restaurant. My eyes do not leave the beautiful woman beside me as she stares at me with an expression full of curiosity.

    ¡°Ryan, will you tell me what is happening?¡± She is not smiling. She is looking damn serious as she asks the question. ¡°I thought we were here for¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±, I interrupt her from going further, restricting myself from hugging the living hell out of her or crashing my lips to her inviting lips.

    Everything about her is so alluring. I can¡¯t deny how hot and sexy she looks tonight and it isn¡¯t helping matters with my feelings.

    ¡°Then where are we going to?!¡± she questions sharply. ¡°I was having dinner and all of a sudden, you pulled me out like that and I don¡¯t even know¡­¡±

    ¡°Remember we have 30 minutes for the date?¡± I cut her short again. ¡°We have exhausted 15 minutes already. I want to stick to my promise of keeping you out for just 30 minutes¡±, I exin with a calm voice.

    She gulps and nods in understanding before looking away. All of a sudden, she turns to me and asks again. ¡°Then where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Somewhere special.¡±

    ¡°Somewhere special?¡± she repeats with confusion skating on her expression. ¡°Where? Why?¡±

    Now, I can¡¯t hold it back. My right-hand goes straight to her face to tug away the pleats of hair falling on her face.

    She stiffens and I take my hand away. ¡°Somewhere special where I can reveal to you how much you mean to me¡±, I respond and turn away from her, without waiting to see her reaction to what I just said.

    With a deep sigh of relief, I look out of the car window, praying within me that I will be able to keep my promise of a 30-minute date on a special day like this.

 CHAPTER 69

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Warmth spread through my body at the thought of having a special day with him. It reces the displeasure I felt for his actions earlier and I continue to take in his features as he stares out of the window till the car stops.

    Why is he always sweet and kind to me despite everything I have done?

    ¡°Here we are¡±, his deep voice interrupts my thoughts and he gets out of the car to open the door for me. ¡°Close your eyes¡±, he whispers into my ears the moment he pulls the car door open and leans fully in so that I can smell his lovely cologne.

    I do not oblige to hismand but continue to watch him, wondering what it would feel like to be madly in love with him.

    Will he still be as sweet as he is to me right now? Will he be faithful like he is to me right now? Will he love me forever and not stop loving me for a second?

    The way I react to his touch tonight is confusing the hell out of me. His actions keep confusing me too and I don¡¯t know what to do or say to him about how I feel.

    Sometimes, I wish he keeps touching me while other times, I don¡¯t want him to touch me. Sometimes, I admire him so much that I wish I could reveal that fact to him while other times, I just want him to leave me alone.

    Sometimes, I feel insecure while other times, I feel like the most confused human ever because I don¡¯t know what I feel for him.

    I keep reminding myself that Ryan isn¡¯t Fred but I can¡¯t deny the fact that Fred was also sweet to me when we first started. I enjoyed hispany so much that I was already dreaming of forever with him.

    ¡°Val¡±, he calls out, pulling me out of my trance. ¡°We have just 10 minutes to go before the end of our date.¡±

    A reminder.

    I specifically told him it should be for just 30 minutes. I know I was anticipating all the outings he had nned out for us ever since he took me to that party but after his revtion that night, I didn¡¯t know whether going ahead with it was ok or not.

    I didn¡¯t want toe out today. I was really not in the mood. I haven¡¯t been in the mood for anything for two days. All I think of is how he always confesses how much he loves me and the way he just did that to me shamelessly a while ago.

    It makes me wonder why he isn¡¯t giving up.

    Before I can take a step down, he picks me up in bridal style as a low gasp escapes my mouth in surprise.

    ¡°You are wasting our precious time, woman¡±, he points out as I gaze up at him.

    Fred and Ryan are two different people. Fred is my past while Ryan is my present but what I can¡¯t figure out is what I feel.

    He drops me immediately, holding my face in between his hands. ¡°Close your eyes now¡±, he orders calmly with a light smile on his face.

    I oblige, my curiosity at its peak now. What is this about? Where are we?

    ¡°Do not peep, please!¡± he mentions over a raised voice as he twirls me around and slides his hands over my face. ¡°Now, take a step¡±, he instructs and I obey. ¡°Take another and another and another.¡±

    I continue to take the slow steps as he instructs me, my heart almost bursting out of my chest in intense, full grown curiosity that is desperate to be satisfied.

    ¡°Stop!¡± hemands with a tone full of authority.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    The tone works on me because I stop immediately.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asks me and I nod, still feeling his hands over my eyes hiding me from seeing the surprise he has for me.

    ¡°Here we are!¡± he finally takes his hands off me and I blink to bring back the light to my eyes.

    I see nothing. I blink again and nce around. Still yet, nothing.

    Where are we? Where is the so-called surprise?

    I twirl back to face him squarely so I can ask him what this is about when I notice his absence behind me.

    Instead, I see a trail of red roses on the floor with scented white candles. We are inside somewhere.

    A room?

    The light is off but the light from the scented candles are illuminating the whole ce. I turn around again to see three men with guitars.

    Before I can say anything, they begin to y and sing me a happy birthday song.

    Realization dawns on me and I gasp loudly, mping my hands over my mouth as tears spring to my eyes.

    How could I have forgotten that today is my birthday? Why didn¡¯t mother and father call to wish me a happy birthday? If only she had called, I would have remembered that today is my birthday and not let myself drown in self-pity since the break of the dawn for the confusion I feel.

    I look around for the sight of someone familiar but no one is in sight except for the three men and ady approaching with a bouquet.

    I spent all my life in our mansion. I never thought I would spend my 25th birthday somewhere else. My parents alwayse into my room every morning of my birthday to wish me a happy birthday.

    We usually celebrate each other¡¯s birthday by having a special dinner at home with an expensive wine like the one Ryan got from that restaurant.

    Today, no one wished me a happy birthday this morning because I no longer live with my parents. I live with a man who is my supposed husband.

    I never thought he knew my date of birth. I never thought he would do something like this for me.

    Fred never did something like this for me. I always anticipate his text messages every morning of my birthday for the four years that we have been together. He never texts.

    I always remind him. He never buys me gifts even on my birthday but Ryan is doing this for me when our meeting isn¡¯t even up to a year yet.

    ¡°Here, ma¡¯am!¡± Thedy stretches the bouquet towards me with smiles all over her face.

    I drop my hands from my mouth and take the bouquet, a tear rolling down my eyes.

    The song stops and I turn to the men. They all bow with cheerful smiles on their faces before disappearing.

    Now, I am left alone.

    Where the hell is Ryan?

    I spin around, desperate to see him and tell him how happy and grateful I am. Suddenly, music booms into my ears, and Ryan appear from nowhere.

    ¡°A sweet music from your favorite musician¡±, he mutters into my ears as my back hits his body and he slides his hands around my neck.

    I feel the coldness of something around my neck and I gaze down to see the shining diamond ne.

    ¡°Ryan¡­¡±

    He spins me around to face him again. ¡°We have five minutes left. We will talk when we get home¡±, he says with a smile.

    I gulp and nod as we dance. He spins me around and pulls me into his chest, his hands around my waist and my two hands on his back.

    I can barely think of a thing. All I feel right now is the swelling of my heart and the desire to let out my tears.

    Tears of pain I have been holding in. Tears of joy for having a good man in my life. Tears of mixed feeling.

    Ryan spins me round and round and ms me into his chest again. Because of the force with which he ms me against his chest, my two hands rest on his chest as well and I look up at him.

    His face speaks volumes of words as we stare at each other.

    ¡°Our time is up¡±, he mentions before I can say anything. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    He grabs my hand and makes to go out of the door but I stay put, making him halt.

    He looks back with his brows arched. ¡°What¡­¡±

    Another tear rolls down my eyes and I yank my hand off his hold before mming my body into his in a tight hug.

 CHAPTER 70

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    After making a mess of her hair, she stares at me, giving me the impression that she wants to get drunk on purpose.

    I can¡¯t seem to take my eyes off her. She looks more and more beautiful every day and I can¡¯t wait to make her mine.

    Fred is a fool for letting go of her. But I am grateful he left her.

    For me.

    When she embraced me, I almost lost all my sense of thinking by doing unthinkable things to get lips and every part of her body. But she pulled away before I could summon up the courage to do anything.

    We came home and she suggested we drink wine together.

    I asked the maids to set my room and they did so, a round table separating Valerie¡¯s chair and me. There are two sses of wine on the table with the wine bottle. A te of snacks is also on the table, close to her ss of wine.

    When I shift my attention away from the almost empty te, I find her watching me too.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she calls, twirling her hair away with her hand. ¡°You said you love me.¡±

    She gulps the wine, then grabs the bottle to pour more into the ss cup.

    ¡°You are drunk!¡± I say to her, taking the bottle away from her. I just want to enjoy drinking this in thefort of our home. The purpose is not to get drunk.

    ¡°Of course not¡±, she denies and tries to take the bottle away from me. I resist and hold onto the bottle tightly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had enough¡±, I say to her, seeding in taking it away from her. Quietly, I drop the bottle beside me on the floor, then take a sip of the wine from my ss cup.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she points a finger at me, swaying like someone who is about to sleep. ¡°You said you love me, right?¡±

    Her drunkenness and the attitude thates with it are cute and exciting but I don¡¯t want to get my hopes high by her statement tonight. She always behaves this way whenever she is drunk and it makes me get my hopes high for nothing.

    I just want to drink and go to bed.

    There is one more thing to do and that is an afternoon pic. If that is done and she is still aloof, then I won¡¯t do anything anymore.

    I have done my best.

    ¡°Ryan!¡± she screams, rising from her chair instantly, startling me. ¡°Won¡¯t you answer me?¡± she sobs. ¡°You said you love me, right? You said you wanted to show me how much you love me but why aren¡¯t you doing anything?¡±

    I watch her in amazement. First, at the outburst, secondly, at the question, and thirdly at her behavior.

    This is overboard.

    What I did for 30 minutes outside the confines of our home is not enough to show her how much I love her. What then does she want from me? What more does she want?Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    She belches loudly and slumps back into her seat, packing her hair with her hand and letting go of them again. She rxes her head on the edge of the chair and belches again, more loudly.

    A sob jerks me back to life.

    ¡°You don¡¯t love me. If you do, you will show me how much you love me, not by sitting there watching me like a¡­¡± she belches more satisfactorily and suddenly goes silent.

    I almost think she has fallen asleep until she hoists her head up to meet my gaze.

    With a deep sigh, I rise from the chair and walk towards the dispenser to get her some water. She gets drunk so easily and it¡¯s amusing and annoying.

    It¡¯s amusing because she acts funny when drunk but it is also annoying because I don¡¯t want to attach any importance to whatever she says when drunk.

    I go back to where she is sitting with her two hands sitting on her jaw.

    ¡°Here, take this!¡± I tell her as I drop the water on the table in front of her.

    When I move away to go back to my seat, she takes hold of my hand.

    ¡°Ryan, don¡¯t you love me?¡± Her voice stirs up a thing in me and I feel hard watching her struggle to get up to my height without letting go of my hand.

    As she gets up, her firm bes stronger.

    ¡°Show me how much you love me, please¡±, she pouts when she is up to my height. ¡°Please.¡±

    How does she expect me to show her how much I love her? What else does she want?

    Clenching my fist to prevent me from doing something we might both regret, I remember how she freaked out the other day when she got drunk and kissed me.

    ¡°Kiss me¡±, she orders pushing her lips further for me to take. They are full and inviting. I¡¯m sure as hell that they taste sweet just like how attractive they look.

    Sliding a hand around my neck region, she pulls me closer, her chest hitting my upper body but doing a lot of wonders to my below.

    ¡°Please¡±, she pushes her lips further, with her eyes closed.

    With every strength and determination left in me, I try to take her hands off me but she flutters her eyes open, making her hold on my neck stronger.

    Thinking of how best to get her off me, I take a step backward so I can put her back on the chair before escaping.

    Escaping all of this.

    This temptation. This tension. The frustration thates with not having her.

    With a loud hiss escaping her lips, she parts her lips and grabs me closer to her as her body hits the table, making her rest on it, her dress riding up to her thighs.

    My gaze rests on her exposed thighs before I shift them to her beautiful eyes. A blush creeps to her face and I wonder if she is acting up or if she is indeed drunk.

    ¡°Val¡­¡±

    ¡°Hush¡±, she shuts me up with the tip of her index finger, pulls me closer, and hugs me. My face goes down to the crook of her neck because I don¡¯t want to be tempted to kiss her and I want to think of a way to escape this.

    Instead, a whiff of the sweet smell of perfume fills my nostril and I find myself shifting and digging my head more into her neck region to get more of the scent.

    A low moan escapes her and it drives me over the edge as I raise her dress up to expose more of her thighs.

    Waving away the impulse to resist the temptation, I grab her head roughly which is thrown back, and m my lips to hers, tasting the sweetness of her full lips.

    She cradles her legs around my waist, making me move closer. She tastes of the wine.

    I delve my tongue further into her mouth and she responds at the same pace. With my hand still on her jaw as we make out on the table, I slide my hand down her boobs, squeezing it to get a reaction from her.

    She gasps, her mouth leaving mine, making me realize what we are doing.

    ¡°Val¡±, I call out but she grabs me again and takes my lips before I can say move.

    My heart beats faster than ever before and my emotions take over my thinking as I carry her off the table and move over to the bed.

    She wants this too.

    She is drunk, my subconscious mentions and I stop halfway to the bed.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she takes a look at me with curiosity. ¡°Why did you stop?¡±

    ¡°Val, you are drunk. We should stop this already. I should..¡±

    ¡°No!¡± she almost shouts immediately, shaking her head intermittently. ¡°I¡¯m not drunk. I want this.¡±

    ¡°What? You do?¡± I am shocked to the bones. Does she really know what she is doing and what we are about to do right now?

    I shake my head and try to get her down but her legs are still tightly wrapped around me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t drop me, please¡±, she begins to sob again, throwing her head backward like a child throwing a tantrum.

    ¡°Valerie..¡±

    She jumps down from my hold and grabs my tie, unloosens it, then kisses me with urgency, her hands working their way to my zip.

    Her mouth on mine isn¡¯t giving me a chance to say more. I want this more than she does but I don¡¯t want any of us to regret this after the deed is done. This is what I have always dreamt of.

    Her eptance.

    She isn¡¯t saying anything yet and I don¡¯t know what to make of this sudden attraction.

    She falls on the bed and I fall right on top of her, kissing her with more vigor. When she finally unzips my trouser, I look up at her.

    ¡°Do you want this?¡± I question again for the umpteenth time.

    Without a word, she nods vigorously and resumes kissing me as I work my way towards getting our clothes off and doing what I have always dreamt of doing to her.

 CHAPTER 71

    Valerie¡¯s POVN?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Tangled in theforter of Ryan¡¯s bed as my eyes open, a throbbing pain hits my head, reminding me of my hangover and what happenedst night.

    Before I can think too deeply about it, I see a ss of water and two medicine on the side drawer that will help with the hangover. I quickly take it to gulp it down while sitting upright.

    I feel sore and I remember it all.

    I remember how he made passionate love to mest night and how his warm body felt against mine. I remember how he worshiped every part of my body and made me conscious of them. I remember how he kept on muttering my name and how beautiful I am.

    I remember how he was patient enough for me to reach the climax alongside him.

    I feel like I know a lot about sex because I read about it, we talk about it with Brenda but this feels different.

    Despite the bright smile that spread to my face, I feel a bit strange now that I have finally lost my virginity.

    I know it is worth losing it to Ryan more than any other man. Besides, he is my husband. But something doesn¡¯t feel right.

    As I step my foot down on the rug beside the bed, I ponder over what is missing, my headache subsiding till my phone begins to ring.

    This is when I see a note on the side drawer with my hand holding it down.

    I pick both up; my phone and the small piece of paper which has Ryan¡¯s handwriting on it.

    ¡°Last night was amazing. I love you, Valerie.¡±

    I smile and turn to my phone to see his mother¡¯s name shing across the screen. I pick it up immediately.

    ¡°Mother?¡±

    ¡°Valerie¡­¡±, she trails off and coughs, her voice too low for me to hear what she is saying. I rise as fear grips me. ¡°Valerie,e home.¡±

    ¡°Come home? Are you ok?¡± I ask as I move to the closest to grab something to wear.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I just need to see you¡±, she mutters, almost in a whisper.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a jiffy¡±, I say and disconnect the call. When I pull out a nice gown, I drop it on the bed alongside my phone, ignoring the pain in between my legs as I rush to the bathroom.

    I made sure water washes through every part of my body to ease the soreness in my inner body beforeing out of the bathroom. I dry out my hair hurriedly, apply the lotion on my body and wear the gown.

    I find a t shoe to wear, and grab my purse, phone, and car key before running out.

    I don¡¯t know what is wrong with her but I am sure she isn¡¯t fine like she said she is. Should I call Ryan and inform him that I am going to his mother¡¯s ce?

    He must be busy at work. I shouldn¡¯t trouble him since I don¡¯t know what happened. I don¡¯t bother to look for any of the maids before rushing to the front door.

    Within minutes, I am seated in front of the steering wheel and I pull the car engine to action before driving off in the direction of his parent¡¯s mansion.

    I keep counting numbers as my heart races in fear that she is about to die till I get to the mansion. I drive into the automatic gate roughly and park carelessly before jumping down to race for the front door.

    The whole ce is empty, I notice as I nce around for the sight of someone.

    I venture fully into the mansion, taking slow steps as fear grips me, not for her but for me. What is happening? Why do I have an ill feeling abouting here? Did something bad happen to her already? Did she pass out? Why is no one at home?

    When I get to the living room to see no one in sight, I hurriedly take the staircase up to search the rooms. I need to know what the hell is happening before calling Ryan. I don¡¯t want to trouble him for anything; not just based on my assumptions that something isn¡¯t right.

    I search the first two rooms but they are also empty. When I pull the third door open, I see her lying on the bed with her mouth open and her eyes slightly open too.

    ¡°Mom?¡± I rush over to her side and she stretches her hand weakly for me to take with a sad smile on her face.

    ¡°You came?¡± It sounds like a question. Not a statement so I nod.

    ¡°Where is everyone? What happened? Are you ok?¡± I bombard her with questions, relief washing through me that a tiny bit of my assumption is wrong; she isn¡¯t fine but she is still alive.

    She nods and tries to sit up but she begins to cough out blood.

    Goodness! I gasp and quickly stand up to help her sit down in the bed.

    ¡°Water¡±, she mumbles as she hacks a cough, making the veins of her neck region pop up.

    I stare in horror for a while before running to her dresser to grab a ss. There are two empty sses on the dresser but they have two different colors, making me gaze at the two to note the difference.

    They are both white ss cups but there is a darkish color settling at the bottom of the second ss cup while the first one has a small portion of water inside.

    ¡°Water¡±, I hear her say again and I tear my eyes off the ss cups, grab the first one, and rush to the fridge to get a bottle of water.

    I get out another cup and pour out the remaining water in the ss cup into it before rising and pouring water into the cup for her to drink.

    I take it to her and she gulps it down in one go.

    My eyes shift back to the second ss cup and I ask her. ¡°What is that?¡±

    She looks up at me before turning towards the direction of my pointed finger. ¡°Fruit Juice.¡±

    ¡°Fruit juice?¡± I say more to myself. This doesn¡¯t look like fruit juice at all. Instead of asking her more questions, I begin to amble towards the dresser again, my attention on the ss cup.

    This color looks familiar. It feels like I have seen something like this before. For no reason, I feel so unsafe. I also feel she is unsafe for taking some time like this.

    What fruit juice has a color like this?

    Before I get to the dresser, her voice stops me. ¡°Ryan told me the bad news¡±, she says as I turn to her with curiosity.

    ¡°Bad news?¡± she nods and shes me another sad smile.

    ¡°The baby. He told me the baby is gone and you two are trying¡­¡±

    ¡°The baby?¡± I cut her short in confusion before it dawns on me that I am faking a pregnancy and she must be talking about the pregnancy.

    What then does she mean by the baby is gone? What did Ryan tell her?

    ¡°Just take your time to heal, ok? Don¡¯t think too deeply about it and I¡¯m sure another baby wille soon, ok?¡±

    Now I know it. His conscience is still judging him that we lied to his mother about my pregnancy. Maybe this is why he came up with the idea of having a miscarriage to make up for our sins.

    Again, he did this without informing me.

    Without giving it much thought, my attention shifts back to the ss cup as numerous questions pop into my head but I can¡¯t ask her because I don¡¯t want to get her upset or frightened.

    Who gave her this? Who is home with her? Where is everyone? Where are the maids?

    I get close to the dresser and grab the ss cup, lifting it to see more of the darkish color.

    It reflects in the mirror, showing a mixture of darkish and reddish colors, confusing me more as I try harder to figure out where I have seen something like this.

    ¡°Val¡­¡± she calls.

    I do not answer. I don¡¯t want to be distracted. The idea seems to being. Where do I know this from? Or where I saw it from.

    Roses.

    Yes. I saw this in the movie, Roses.

    Realization dawns on me and I gasp when it suddenly hits me what this mixture really is.

    Poison.

    Slow poison.

    Made from flowers.

    Before I can turn back to begin my rounds of questions on how this got here and who gave it to her so I can inform Ryan as soon as possible, something hard hits me from behind and I find myself falling to the ground.

    Darkness envelops my existence.

 CHAPTER 72

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    After a round of handshakes, I finally left the office in a hurry to go home and see how Valerie is doing.

    I have been thinking about her all day and I could barely concentrate on work. I was thinking about how we made lovest night and also what she must be thinking right now.

    As for myst statement, I would call it fear. I am scared she will go back to that cold woman, ignoring me like nothing happenedst night between us.

    I was tempted to call her over the phone this morning but I kept refraining myself from doing so because I don¡¯t want to push her away.

    Obviously, she wants us to take it one step at a time. And that is what I want to do with her. Even though she didn¡¯t tell me she likes me or she epts to be real with me, I feel on top of the moon already because of what happened between usst night.

    I never saw iting. Probably because of how she res up when I talk about having sex with her or whenever I do something close to that.

    I was damn scared she would sober up and push me away like she did the other day but obviously, she wanted me too.

    As much as I think of it, I still can¡¯t believe Valerie will go easy on me that way. I came up with two conclusions. Both make me unhappy.

    First, Valerie might pretend as if nothing happened between usst night and will avoid topics that will result in discussing aboutst night.

    Second, she might have given me the wrong impression that she wanted me when in reality, she gave me herself simply because she feels grateful for all I have been doing, especially what I did to make her birthday special.

    As much as I think about these two conclusions, I desperately wish she wouldn¡¯t think this way.

    The car drives in slowly and my heart beat increases in fear of what I would meet up there when we see each other.

    Will she run to hug me? Will she throw her arms around me and tell me how much she misses me? Will she greet me nonchntly and act all cold towards me again?

    With a deep sigh, I grab my briefcase as John parks the car slowly. Before he can get the door for me, I step out.

    I stride towards the front door with a pounding heart filled with eagerness. I yank the door open and get inside without a word to John.

    I just want to see her. I want to see the look that crosses her face when she sees me.

    If she smiles, it¡¯s a good thing but if she doesn¡¯t, then it¡¯s a bad one.

    My heart sinks at the thought of seeing her in a bad mood. I walk briskly into the house, trying so hard to calm my nerves.

    I climb the staircase, my heart still racing in fear. When I get to the topnding, I move closer to my door, then take a deep breath before twisting the doorknob to enter.

    I am met with heavy silence and emptiness.

    The room is empty. But the bed isn¡¯tid. It looks like she has been in bed all morning and she didn¡¯t bother toy it well before leaving the room.

    Where is she? Is she back in her room? Does this mean she wants to avoid me now because of what happenedst night?

    Hurriedly, I take the door out with my briefcase hanging beside me in my right hand. I race for her door, more desperate to see her.

    When I get to the door, I don¡¯t run inside, instead, I keep calm, breathing in and out before taking a hold of the doorknob and turning it slowly, a smile creeping to my face.

    I should meet her with a smile. This way, she can smile back at me and I will have nothing else to be scared about.

    All I need is for her to smile back at me.

    Just like my room, her room is also empty. It doesn¡¯t look like she hase in here since morning because the bed is wellid and nothing seems out of ce.

    An idea hits me and my heart begins to thump wildly in anxiety.

    Did she leave?

    I race for the closet, to see if her clothes are still intact or missing. I pull it open to see that there are a few of her clothes left in there. Most of them are in my room.

    Without wasting any more time, I dart backward and make for the door again. Within minutes, I am back in my room, tossing the clothes away to be sure none is missing.

    Everything is intact.

    Where the hell is she then?

    Despite the fear consuming me, I breathe a deep sigh of relief that she is still here with me and not gone. Having her belongings here with me means she is here. If only they are missing, then I will have a lot to worry about.

    The Valerie I know is someone who can wake up one day and decide to leave. What happened between usst night is enough reason for her to leave.

    Maybe she went out because she was bored.

    Maybe she went to visit her parents.

    Maybe she is around the house.

    I drop my briefcase, breathing heavily with arms akimbo, thinking of where she could possibly be.

    Is she in the bathroom? I walk towards the bathroom door and shove it open to see no one inside.

    I close it back, then walk back to grab my phone from my briefcase. Instead of getting worked up over nothing, I should call her. When I hear her voice, I will be calm to know that she is fine and still with me.

    I dial her number, still breathing heavily with one arm on my waist and the other hand gluing the phone to my right ear.

    I wait patiently as it begins to ring and ring until it goes to voicemail. I dial it again but it is still the same. She isn¡¯t picking up her calls.

    When I try to call her for the fifth time, my heart almost bursts out of my chest, dreading the fact that my assumptions might be right after all, it says unreachable.

    The phone is no longer ringing but unreachable.

    I toss the phone on the bed in frustration as I rake my hand in my thick hair, twirling around the room and thinking of where she must has gone and where to find her.

    Maybe she is hiding. Maybe she doesn¡¯t want to give me the impression that she is gone.

    I grab my phone again and race for the door immediately, just in time to see a maid walking up the staircase with a tray of food for me.

    ¡°Emma, have you seen Val?¡± I attack her with the first question that pops into my head.

    She looks surprised at the question but shakes her head anyway. ¡°No, sir.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen her all morning?¡± I ask again and she hesitates before answering.

    ¡°I saw her this morning when she was heading out but I didn¡¯t know when she came back or..¡±

    ¡°She came back?¡±

    She shakes her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she did or not.¡±

    Emma spends most of her time in the kitchen, the head maid should know more since she is in charge of the affairs of the house.

    ¡°Call me the head maid¡±, I instruct her as I begin to pace to and fro. She nods immediately and disappears down the staircase with the food.

    I was hungry a while ago but not anymore.

    When I am out of patience, I decide to go down myself to find her when she appears.

    ¡°Good day, sir. Emma said you wanted to see me¡±, she mutters, staring at me intently with her hands on the rails of the stairwell. Emma must have told her I was looking for Valerie.

    ¡°Have you seen Valerie today?¡± I throw the same question at her immediately.

    ¡°Yes, she left this morning in a hurry¡±, she points to the direction of the front door.

    ¡°In a hurry?¡± I demand with scrunched brows. ¡°Was she with any bag?¡±

    ¡°No¡±, she replies sharply.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t look like she was traveling or going to be away for a while?¡± I ask again to be sure it is not what I am thinking.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What was she wearing?¡±

    ¡°A short gown.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you where she was going to? Did she go in the car? Did shee back and leave again or she never came back?¡± I bombard her with the remaining questions left in my head for me to know whether Valerie is indeed gone or not.

    She shakes her head slowly, watching me with a concerned expression. ¡°She went with the car but she hasn¡¯te back since then. Is everything ok, sir?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°You can go.¡± I dismiss her immediately, thinking of giving her mother a call.

    Just before I can find her mother¡¯s number, a calles in and I pick up instantly, thinking it is Valerie and she is stranded somewhere.

    A sob is the first thing that hits my ears. A female sob. But it doesn¡¯t sound like Val¡¯s.

    I take the phone away from my ear to check the number again but it isn¡¯t an unfamiliar one.

    ¡°Hello?¡± I say into the phone, noticing that the head maid is still watching me without moving an inch from where she was standing when I dismissed her.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, a familiar voice calls out, shifting my attention back to the call. ¡°Come to the hospital quickly.¡±

    ¡°Who¡­who is this?¡± a lump of dread gets stuck in my throat that I can barely make out my own words. Dread fills me up instantly as I try to connect this call to Valerie.

    ¡°Valerie¡¯s mother. Come to the hospital now!¡± she cries out before disconnecting the call.

    With the phone still glued to my ears, my mouth drops open as shock courses through me at the thought of Valerie being dead or in critical condition.

    ¡°Sir, is everything ok?¡± she peers down at me, jerking me back to life.

    Without giving her a response, I rush past her, take the staircase down and dash out of the house.

 CHAPTER 73

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    I flutter my eyes open and shut them back almost immediately. My head throbs and my eyes are weak.

    I try to lift my legs and I do so without any hassle. I try to lift my hands too and I did too.

    When I drop them back on the bed, I be weaker.

    Where the hell am I?

    I open my eyes again to see nothing but white ceilings with huge hanging white fans.

    Why is everything full of white? Where am I? Who am I?

    I take a couple of deep breaths, then I feel aforting touch on my hand. Before I can turn to stare at who the person is, a shout of triumph fills the air.

    ¡°Valerie!¡± I hear them shout till I can see their faces. I recognize two of them but one of the faces seems unfamiliar.

    ¡°My baby, please say something!¡± my mother gushes at me. Even if I do not recognize her, her actions alone are enough to give it away that this is my mother.

    What happened to me?

    She takes the hand touching me away and grabs me roughly, making me wince in pain. This is when I notice a cap on my head.

    What the hell is a cap doing on my head here? I barely wear caps because I hate them. Anytime I want to take a shower and I decide to wear a shower cap, I always find myself tearing it off immediately because of the itching effect caps have on me.

    Why am I wearing a cap?

    Unconsciously, ignoring the two men staring at me with concern and my mother throwing a tantrum, I try to take the cap off but it won¡¯t budge.

    Gritting my teeth together inplete irritation, I pull at it again until Mother screams and grabs my hand away.

    ¡°Take the cap off¡±, I growl and frown deeply. It is itchy. I want it off. She knows so well that I hate caps, why is she allowing them to put one on me?

    ¡°It¡¯s not a cap, Valerie¡±, she answers with tears rolling down her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a bandage.¡±

    Bandage? Am I in a hospital? What happened to me?

    Before I can try to remember what the hell happened that led to this, my dad appears with a sad smile on his face.

    ¡°My child¡±, he takes a hold of my hand. It feels soft but not asforting as the first touch. It wasn¡¯t my mother¡¯s touch either, which means the other man was the one holding my hand.

    He was the one who gave thatforting touch.

    I nce around to see him standing beside Mother. When they notice I am watching him, hees closer and smiles lightly.

    He was looking unfamiliar earlier but now I find his smile familiar.

    ¡°How are you feeling now, Val?¡± he asks me in a deep husky voice that is evident of sorrow or sadness for years.

    Did he cry? Who is he?

    Wait, is this Fred? I know Fred and I broke up because Brenda slept with him. Why then did my mother allow him in when she knows clearly enough that I hate him with everything in me?

    When I stare back at him, it turns nk and I ask slowly. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Confusion fills his expression and suddenly, it is reced with panic. Dad and Mom also gape in rm and before I know it, they begin to shout out for the doctor.

    I am also confused too. Obviously, this person is someone I ought to remember but I don¡¯t know why I can¡¯t remember him. I can¡¯t even remember what happened to me.

    The doctor enters in a rush with a petite nurse behind him. He urges them out and begins to attend to me.

    I pay less attention to him because I want to figure out who that man is and how I got here. He ces his hand on my head and I wince. He ces an instrument on my chest and my head but I have no idea what he is doing until he moves away so we can face each other squarely.

    He shes me a bright smile. ¡°How do you feel, Valerie?¡±

    I try to nod but the aches in my head won¡¯t allow me so I force myself to speak. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    I can barely recognize my voice too. Is this how my voice has always been or has it changed?

    ¡°What is this, Valerie?¡± I hold up a pen as he asks with a smile still etched on his face, probably to make me feelfortable and not insulted by his question.

    Well, it sounds ridiculous because I am not a baby and I know what a pen is but I will answer him because I am in the hospital and I hope it will help me figure out who that young man is.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pen¡±, I answer as I feel another weakness grips me.

    He nods in satisfaction and then produces another item. ¡°What is this, Valerie?¡±

    I almost scoff. ¡°It¡¯s a phone.¡±

    ¡°What about this?¡± He produces a white item and I squint to know what it really is before answering him.

    ¡°A sheet of paper?¡± it sounds more like a question but he nods again in satisfaction which makes me heave a deep sigh of relief.

    ¡°What is your name, then?¡± he demands with a cheeky smile and with folded arms.

    I can¡¯t help but snort now. Even if I don¡¯t remember my name, the way he called me a while ago and the way my mother kept calling my name is enough to give me an idea of what name I bear.

    With confidence, I answer. ¡°I am Valerie Adams.¡±

    I am fine. Nothing is wrong with me.

    He nods and gives me a thumbs up before he begins to instruct the nurse on what to do then carries out a few more examinations before heading out.

    Mom, Dad, and the young manes in again. They look calmer than when they exited the room and I wonder what the doctor told them.

    The young man moves closer to me as our eyes meet. He does not tear his gaze away and I don¡¯t do the same.

    He has a lovely mustache with a straight jawline. His pointed nose and red lips give me an idea of who he might be.

    He is definitely my type. Maybe we dated after Fred left.

    No, that is not it, my subconscious opposes it.

    I squint and watch him more carefully, then he touches me again and I feel thefort thates with his touch again.

    ¡°Valerie¡±, he squats down to my height as he rasps out almost breathlessly. When I am not responding, he rises and hugs me on the bed. My head is directly on his chest and I hear his heartbeat.

    Unusual.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    His heart is beating very fast.

    He strokes my face carefully, and then it hits me.

    Ryan.

    I nudge him so he can pull away. I stare at his face once more and I am sure he is the one.

    Without hesitation, I question him. ¡°Are you Ryan?¡±

    Relief washes through him as I see him slide away a lone tear. Mom and Dad also heave a deep sigh of relief.

    He nods intermittently and holds my hand again. It feels so warm and so assuring and it sends a tingle down my spine.

    Then I ask the very next question thates into my head. ¡°Do you know that Mr. Lorenzo is not your biological father?¡±

    What?!¡± he exims sharply in disbelief.

    Silence falls.

    A pin drop can be heard. But then it isn¡¯t a pin drop that I hear.

    It was the chirping sound of a bird.

    Then a phone crashes to the floor. And Ryan takes his hand off me as a horrified look reces his expression.

 CHAPTER 74

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    First, she couldn¡¯t recognize one, and then all of a sudden, she began to splutter out the unbelievable.

    It¡¯s been a week already since her ident but she keeps asking me the same question over and over again, infuriating me. It takes a lot of courage not to ask her to shut the fuck up because the question of my paternity pisses me off.

    When I got to the hospital, I couldn¡¯t believe she wasying lifeless on the bed. Just the day before, she was full of life as she writhe passionately beneath me.

    I was curious to know where she had gone and what happened. When I questioned her mother, she told me Valerie was involved in an ident. Her car was found by the roadside and she was slumped on the wheels with blood oozing out from her head.

    She lost a lot of blood before passersby could know that she was there. By the time she got to the hospital, she had almost slipped into consciousness.

    A portion of her head was stitched.

    Her mom said she was found on the route leading to my office, satisfying my curiosity about where she was going and recing it with the curiosity of knowing what she was headed there for.

    She still has a bandage over her head. The doctor said the bandage will be off once the wound is healed.

    Silently sitting beside me with her eyes closed and her head rxing on the car seat, with folded arms, I look over at her face.

    It looks very peaceful.

    Even though I am happy to have her back home, I feel sad about the one single question she kept throwing at me.

    It makes me so angry. And disappointed. And hurt.

    Why will she think so lowly of the mother? Mother loves her.

    On second thought, I begin to think that this is not her doing. But the doctor clearly stated that she was ok and she can remember everything that happened.

    ¡°Val?¡± I call instantly, making her flutter her eyes open to meet my gaze. My eyes shift to her bandage and linger there for a while before I summon up the courage to ask her again. ¡°Do you remember it all now?¡±

    She stares at me nkly for a while before nodding with a smile on her face. That sort of smile that gives me away and makes me feel like a fool for not believing her.

    ¡°What happened? Where were you going?¡±

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she pauses and sits upright, dropping her folded arms as she faces me squarely. The car keeps going while we stare at each other. ¡°Will you believe me now?¡±

    We are back to this again.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you anything until you vow to believe every word I say¡±, she continues. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been thinking all these while or the sort of look you dart my way?¡±

    ¡°What have I been thinking?¡± I snort in anger. ¡°When did you be a mind reader? And what sort of look have I been throwing your way?¡±

    I can¡¯t help the anger I feel.

    This is about me. This is about my family. How can she just wake up one day to ruin us? If this is true, my Mother would never keep such a big secret away from me.

    We might not be on good terms all the time with Father but that is for a reason. I am stubborn just like he is and as my mother would always say, ¡°two bosses can not stay on one boat.¡±

    He is my father. I am sure of it. I don¡¯t even want to think of the resemnce between us.

    ¡°You are not ready to listen to me. I¡¯m hungry and sleepy¡±, she tears her gaze away from me and begins to look out of the window, ignoring me while I watch in disbelief.

    ¡°Are you seriously doing this? You won¡¯t answer me, right?¡±

    She does not say a word.

    My anger takes over. ¡°If you don¡¯t say a word, give me one single reason why I should believe that rubbish you spilled at the hospital in front of your parents? Do you even know how I felt? Do you know how embarrassed I was? Why would you do such a thing?¡±

    She still does not say anything.

    My outburst isn¡¯t having any effect on her. My breathing is bing heavy as I breathe in and out in frustration.

    I haven¡¯t had any good sleep for a week since she had that ident. I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to think about what happened the night before she was involved in that ident. I kept thinking of how she betrayed me by saying that.

    It hurts me.

    Her mother¡¯s eyes were bulging wide in shock. I was so sure she believed what Valerie was saying but I am sure Valerie isn¡¯t ok yet.

    The car drives into the courtyard and the moment it stops, she steps out and begins to take long strides toward the front door, depicting her anger as well.

    The angry one should be me, not her. I was the one who was humiliated, not her.

    I open the door roughly and race after her without bothering to close the car door.

    ¡°Valerie!¡± I shout after her. She does not stop walking, as the door opens and she goes inside.

    I increase my speed and meet her on the staircase. When I grab her hand to turn her around so she could face me, she wrenches her hand from my hold and continues to walk toward our room.

    The mming sound of the door makes me realize I am standing still.

    Quickly, I rush to the door and throw it open.

    ¡°Val¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up and listen to me carefully¡±, she attacks me immediately, walking slowly towards me with a pointed finger. ¡°You want to know what happened? Well, you will know everything tonight but before that, if I am to consider what happened, then I won¡¯t be here. I will be far away from you and anyone that rtes to you but I am still here with you and you don¡¯t even appreciate that!¡±

    Far away from me? Is Valerie ok? How does her ident rte to me or my family members?

    Is that doctor a quack? Should I fix an appointment with my doctor so he cane to check on her to know if she is ok?

    With her threatening pointed finger, she gets close and grits her teeth. ¡°That man is not your father!¡±

    ¡°Stop this nonsense right this minute, woman!¡± I shut her up with an authoritative tone. I have had enough. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any more of that rubbish!¡±

    From her looks, she seems taken aback. With her pale face and lips, I feel bad for her all of a sudden. If only she isn¡¯t insisting on knowing what she doesn¡¯t know, this won¡¯t be happening.

    ¡°Ryan, I know what I am saying!¡±

    ¡°If you do, then tell me what happened. Where were you going? You had an ident, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I am not insane, Ryan! Fucking listen to me, will you?¡±

    I nod.

    She is not insane. Yes. This is what I am hoping for as well.

    What exnation does she have for being unconscious then if it wasn¡¯t an ident? Did she have a dream about my father not being my biological father?

    ¡°I got a call from your mom that morning¡±, she begins and I almostugh out loud.

    Mother was shocked to hear about her ident. She kept calling to ask how she was faring. If truly my mother called her, she would have told me this before now that Valerie is telling me.

    About my Mother¡¯s call, I am sure that never happened.

    ¡°She sounded sick over the phone and she wanted me toe to see her¡±, she demonstrates with her hands as she speaks, making me so sure that a lot has changed about her in the space of a week.

    She gulps and continues, her chest heaving up and down. ¡°I got there but no one was around, not even the maids. I tried to find her because I was scared something bad had happened.¡±

    She noticed the look of disbelief on my face. ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth, Ryan.¡±

    I nod, then fold my arms with a serious expression. ¡°Then what happened?¡±

    ¡°I found her. She was in the third room, looking extremely tired and weak. She was coughing and she asked me to get her water which I did¡±, her hands shake and she closes her eyes, with a wince, as her right hand goes unconsciously to her head.

    It doesn¡¯t look like she is in pain right now. It feels like she is in pain trying to remember something.

    ¡°That was how it started. I saw the poison in the cup. Then someone hit me hard from behind and I lost consciousness¡±, shepletes.

    The word ¡°poison¡± grabs my attention.

    ¡°Poison? Where is thating from?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I saw it. Someone must have given the poison to her.

    I roll my eyes at the statement, suddenly losing interest.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    How can she take poison and still be alive?

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, right?¡± she questions, her eyes turning watery.

    I shake my head and ask. ¡°You said the mansion was empty. How did 10 maids disappear from the mansion when you were around? Was it a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°No, Ryan. It was nned, I¡¯m sure of it¡­¡±

    ¡°nned? By whom, if I may ask?¡± I shift my feet, dropping my folded arms and waiting for her to give me the usual epic replies to every question I ask her.

    She always says something shocking and totally out of the world.

    ¡°Will you believe me if I tell you who I think it is?¡± She peers down at me intently.

    Her tone almost makes meugh. She isn¡¯t even sure who it is. This whole story is silly. I shouldn¡¯t be listening to her. She doesn¡¯t know what she is saying.

    The mansion is never empty. Mother never stays in the third room. Mother doesn¡¯t cough. She still looks as healthy as a horse. Sometimes, I give myself hope that she won¡¯t die soon. I give myself hope each time I see her that a miracle must have happened and I won¡¯t lose her again.

    Father doesn¡¯t let anyone use the third room because that was where they lost their first child. That room is sacred. It reminds both of them of that child.

    How does all of this even rte to my paternity?

    Isn¡¯t this too much?

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she takes a hold of my white shirt and makes me stare straight into her eyes. Her eyeballs are different. They are not as bright as they used to look. They are filled with something I can ce.

    An emotion rted to fear.

    What is all of this about?

    ¡°Believe me, Ryan. I was never involved in an ident. Someone did that to me. Something nned all of this. He wanted me dead but I survived it. If only he knew I would survive it, he would have done more harm to me and dumped me somewhere else. The whole story of having an ident is fake, this was ¡­.¡±

    ¡°Who is this ¡°he¡± who had it all nned? And who is this ¡°he¡± who is my mother¡¯s supposed attempted murderer?¡± I am tired of listening to her rants already. I want to get this done and go take a hot shower before going to bed.

    She drops her hand from my shirt, takes a step backward, and gazes up to meet my eyes.

    Slowly, her mouth parts and trembles before she mutters carefully. ¡°Your father. Mr. Lorenzo is the ¡°he¡±!¡±

    I jerk backward, reeling inplete shock.

 CHAPTER 75

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    No one believes me, not even my husband or my Father. If Mother didn¡¯t know about this, I would have assumed she doesn¡¯t believe me either because she keeps avoiding the topic.

    This is insane.

    This whole thing.

    Not me. I am fine. Absolutely fine. There is nothing wrong with me except for the bandage around my head.

    ¡°You have to believe me, Father¡±, I point out in impatience. ¡°I know what I am saying.¡±

    He continues to remain silent, without looking shaken or shocked, making me wonder if he knows about this too.

    Where the hell did Mother hear it from? She was the one who told me and I was so sure Ryan wasn¡¯t aware. I was having my doubts about it as well until that incident.

    His Mother isn¡¯t even calling me and not picking up my calls. Everybody is looking at me like a crazy woman and I am desperate to see her now more than ever.

    Getting evidence to back up my im is the only way Ryan can believe me.

    Or something else

    My dad.

    If my father can tell us what is between him and Mr. Lorenzo, I¡¯m sure his true color will be revealed and that way, Ryan will believe all I am saying.

    I didn¡¯t see the face of the person who hit me from behind but I am so sure he is the one, judging from the fact that he didn¡¯t father Ryan.

    From his actions towards my parents too, I can tell how cruel he is.

    He is responsible. He took me to the roadside to make it look like I was involved in an ident. He thought I was dead. He wanted to kill me because I was getting to figure out what was happening in that house.

    ¡°Dad!¡± I grab his hands but he yanks his hands away and stands upright. ¡°Dad!¡± I tell in frustration. ¡°Why is no one believing me? Do you think I am crazy too, just like Ryan? Why won¡¯t you believe me for crying out loud?!¡±

    ¡°I was not involved in any f***ing ident. He nned it all. He wanted to kill me¡­¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    ¡°Why are you still with him?¡± he spins back to face me, confusing the hell out of me.

    Unable to hide my confusion, I ask him. ¡°What?!¡±

    He clenches his fist and jaw, then points a finger at me. ¡°Tell me why you are still with the son of the man who attempted to kill you!¡±

    I gulp.

    This is getting beyond my thinking. Every parent would want the safety of their child first before anyone else.

    I came here to convince dad so he could help me talk to Ryan and then we can save his mother before it is toote. The earlier they believe me, the better.

    They are killing her slowly.

    ¡°If you are this affected by all that happened a week ago, then leave him. Come back home and forget about that family¡±, he shouts inplete anger, shocking me to the bones.

    My Father barely shouts at someone. Except when he is extremely mad.

    He is looking really mad. Is this because of my safety or is it something else?

    ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    ¡°Go back there and pack your things. If what you are saying is true, then you have no reason to stay there anymore.¡±

    This is bingplicated. I can¡¯t leave Ryan, he is my husband. And he needs me now more than ever. We need to save the poor woman from that cruel man.

    I shake my head. ¡°No, Father!¡±

    ¡°Then shut up if you won¡¯t leave!¡± he begins to storm away and I rush to stop him.

    With my arms blocking him from going out, I examine him carefully, as he clenches his jaw and avoids my gaze.

    ¡°Do you believe me, Dad?¡± I question him, hoping that at least someone would believe my whole story. It doesn¡¯t matter if it is made up, I can feel it. He is responsible.

    Anger begins to dissipate from his expression and he nods without staring at me. Relief courses through my whole body and I drop my hands.

    ¡°What do you know?¡± I ask him the next question and he stiffens as he turns to meet my curious eyes.

    He knows something.

    If only he confided in Mother about what this is about, Mother would have told me.

    I¡¯m sure she is behind the door eavesdropping on our conversation and this is why I insisted on talking to dad alone in my room.

    It is high time the truthes to light. This is the only way we can save Mrs. Lorenzo. This is the only way Ryan can believe me.

    But first, we have a soul to save.

    ¡°What do you know about this man? Who is he? Were you also aware that he is not Ryan¡¯s biological father?¡±

    He continues to remain silent until I shift impatiently and he tries to walk past me. I block him again with pleading soft eyes.

    Ryan and I ought to be taking the next step in our rtionship. Not this. I never imagined this to be happening.

    I wanted him toe back from work so we could straighten things out and I could bepletely honest with him. But our ns have been derailed.

    ¡°Let me out, Valerie¡±, he mumbles under his breath, the anger and aloofnessing back.

    ¡°Please, dad. Tell me what you know about him. He might kill¡­¡±

    ¡°That is none of your business. If you can¡¯t do this, leave the damn house ande back home. What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Why are you risking your life?¡±

    ¡°Why am I risking my life? Ryan is my husband, for crying out loud¡­¡±

    ¡°Since when?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim loudly with my brows arched at him in puzzlement.

    ¡°Since when did he be your real husband?¡±

    Mother. This is Mother at work again. Did she tell him about the contract?

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I stammer, rubbing my left hand over my right elbow in anxiety. ¡°What do you mean by¡­¡±

    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know? You are as open as a book and I know all along that you two signed a marriage contract that will be annulled in months. Stop with the pretense already, go get your bags ande back home!¡± he thunders, shoving me aside while my mouth hangs open in the air in utter disbelief as she leaves my room, mming the door behind him.

 CHAPTER 76

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    With curiosity eating at me, I go through each day with pain in my heart. I don¡¯t want to believe that the single word that Valerie said that keeps ringing in my ears is true.

    I am also in pain because I love her. I want her to be fine. I want us to be together. If this turns out to be a joke like I presume it to be, then I don¡¯t think I can be with her.

    She has no idea how close Mother and I are. I admit that I am not too close to Dad but Anita is closer to him than I am.

    But Mother and I share an unbreakable bond. She tells me everything. Every secret. There is no way in the world that she can hide a huge secret like this away from me.

    What Valerie is iming is pure nonsense. I don¡¯t know if she knows the gravity of what she is saying.

    It means Mother cheated on my Dad. It means I am a bastard.

    If this gets out, Valerie will be in big trouble because Dad won¡¯t let her go scot-free for wanting to ruin our prestigious family name.

    I open the door and enter to see a heap of hair that scares the shit out of me.

    ¡°Shit!¡± I curse loudly and the owner of the hair drags it away to reveal her face.

    Valerie.

    What the hell is wrong with this woman?

    There was hair all over her face when I came in. Why is she behaving like a crazy woman yet she keeps insisting that she is fine?

    Is this the time when I have to start losing my trust in that doctor they call their family doctor? Are her parents trying to hide the fact that she is mentally unstable from me?

    The doctor said she was fine. We went back to the hospital but he said she was fine. She refused to go to our family hospital for a reason best known to her.

    I shove the door closed as she stares at me with a sad face before turning away with her head over the sofa and her arms folded.

    She seems to be in deep thought.

    We have been avoiding each other, even though we spend the night in the same room. I have no idea why she hasn¡¯t run back to her room and why she still spends the night here.

    She always does that whenever she wants to avoid me.

    I venture fully into the room, pretending not to see her as I take off my jacket.

    ¡°Wee¡±, I hear her say in a mumble, making me stop in my tracks.

    For three days, we barely spoke a word to each other. Sometimes, I want to talk to her but the way she acts nonchntly like she isn¡¯t affected by it makes me so mad and I always end up not talking to her too.

    She ought to be begging me for the humiliation and for not telling my parents about this.

    I turn back slowly to confirm what I heard but she is still seated on the sofa without moving an inch.

    ¡°How was your day?¡± she asks, without turning back and that confirms my suspicion that she actually weed me home.

    Despite everything, a smile creeps to my face.

    She cares after all. I thought she didn¡¯t.

    Without a reply, I walk to the closet and take my clothes off. I am thinking she would say something else before I am done changing into sweatpants and a clean shirt but she doesn¡¯t say a word till I am done.

    She is still full of pride.

    I doubt if she can ever beg me whenever she needs something from me.

    I stand watching her from afar before I decide to go talk to her.

    I started this malice and she wants to end it but her pride is getting in the way. I should be the mature one.

    I stride close to where she is sitting. When I am close to her, she rises and wants to walk out on me but I grab her hands, stopping her.

    She avoids my gaze.

    She isn¡¯t saying anything either. Her disheveled hair is hiding her face again but I can¡¯t hide my displeasure at seeing her this way.

    She looks better with her hairbed, straightened out, and packed. Not rough and disheveled.

    Finally finding something good to talk about, I pull her back and begin tob her hair back with my hand.

    Suddenly, my hand touches something wet and I stopbing her hair back. My two hands are still on her face and they are both wet. When Ib the remaining hair backward, I find it wet again and I realize she has been crying.

    She is hiding her crying face from me with her hair. She purposely packed all her hair on her face to hide the fact that she is crying.

    Something melts inside of me. And I swallow hard.

    A sinking feeling of hurt sets in.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    I shouldn¡¯t have ignored her. I should have given her a listening ear and tried my best to find a solution to all of this.

    If she believes that he isn¡¯t my father, then I should find evidence to prove to her that he is without bickering words with her.

    I doubt if I have ever seen her in tears and it breaks my heart.

    It dawns on her that I now know she is in tears, she tries to wriggle her way out but I hold her face more firmly, stroking it softly tofort her.

    She shuts her eyes and finally begins to let it out.

    She suddenly burst into tears, leaving mepletely clueless about what else to do now or what else to say.

    Am I supposed to hug her despite everything? Am I supposed to kiss her to assure her that I still love her? Am I supposed to make love to her in this situation to let her know that my attraction for her is still intact despite my malice?

    Am I supposed to ask for her forgiveness for not believing her? Am I supposed to tell her that I believe every word she said so she could stop crying?

    What exactly am I supposed to do? What exactly does this enigmatic woman expect from me?

    Without thinking further, I pull her in for an embrace and she hugs me tightly in response, shivers rippling down my spine at the body contact.

    I miss her.

    I miss this. I miss kissing her. I miss touching her.

    I miss that cold, strong, proud woman I fell in love with. I miss arguing sweetly with her. I miss watching her get drunk and telling me sweet words.

    I miss her confidence too.

    I miss everything about her.

    She disengages from the hug but before she can say anything, I take her lips in a searing kiss, as she stares at me through her longshes.

    A familiar feeling builds inside of me as she finally closes her eyes and responds to the kiss. I drop my right hand from her face and begin to trail it down her thighs, loving how she reacts to my touch.

    When I get to her thighs, I grab her with possessiveness and a grunt. She lets out a gasp, her lips leaving mine.

    I feel the absence.

    The absence of her lips on mine and I try to push my lips further to kiss her again when she stops me with her hand over my mouth.

    I let go of her legs and move away with an embarrassed look.

    She isn¡¯t smiling and I don¡¯t know what is on her mind.

    ¡°Good night¡±, she finally smiles, her face dry from the tears. She walks past me to leave the room but I stop her.

    ¡°Val?¡± she halts in her step and turns back to face me. For the first time in months, I see her looking nervous. She is biting down on her lips in nervousness.

    I guess she is trying to avoid the topic of our recent arguments. She wants to leave the room because she knows this is something we need to talk about after the kiss we just had.

    I stalk towards her with a dark look, imagining all the dark things I will do to her once this is all over.

    I sigh deeply, thinking of what to say to lighten the mood.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a crybaby, will you?¡± My attempt at humor works a little because she flushes in embarrassment and turns away, giving me the chance to hug her from behind.

    I love this position. I wish we can stay this way and forget about my Dad being my dad or not.

    But we need to talk about this. We need to clear the air.

    ¡°I still love you, Val, and I will always do no matter what happens or what happens to you or what you say about my Dad not¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan!¡± she twirls around, breaking free from the hug.

    My second attempt at humor is whack. I didn¡¯t seed.

    Her eyes twinkle with anger and seriousness. ¡°This is not something we should joke over. Your mother¡¯s life is at stake here.¡±

    We are back to square one.

    ¡°I see you still don¡¯t believe me. What was all that for then?¡±

    The kiss, you mean? I want to ask her. I didn¡¯t mean to, it just happened.

    I find myself not saying anything.

    ¡°I should go¡±, she says and turns to go.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go have dinner at the mansion tomorrow¡±, I dere openly without stopping her from going out.

    Without indicating whether she heard me or not, she takes the door out.

 CHAPTER 77

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    She is either pretending orpletely unaware of what happened in her presence that day.

    I won¡¯t take this as a yes to the doubt about my mental health. Don¡¯t crazy people know they are crazy?

    I am fine. Absolutely doing fine. There is nothing wrong with me or my brain. My brain is in perfect condition.

    Just like her usual self, she smiles at me sweetly as we are having dinner, passes me the salt, stretches the jug of fruit juice at me, and even pats my hand simply because she feels sorry for the bandage that is still over my head.

    I forget most times that I still have this damn thing on my head. The way it makes me so ufortable sometimes is what makes me remember while other times, it is when people sh me pitiful looks just like Ryan¡¯s mother is doing right now.

    I am picking at my food because I can¡¯t help the confusion I am feeling right now. I know I am right but I still don¡¯t know what else to think about all of this.

    I thoughting here would resolve everything because I was so sure Ryan¡¯s mother will reveal the truth and tell her son that I am right but the woman before me isn¡¯t saying anything. She isn¡¯t even acting like I was here that day.

    Didn¡¯t she like me? Is she just pretending to save her husband from suffering for his actions? Is something wrong with her memory? Did she call me here on purpose that day?

    As much as I want to hate her for doing this, I can¡¯t. The look she darts my way at intervals shows how much she is worried about me because of the bandage.

    I barely feel any pain now. It wasn¡¯t like this two weeks back. I could barely turn my neck without feeling intense pain.

    ncing around the room, Ryan is still chatting with his father which is kind of unbelievable to me. They are never on good terms.

    Anita on the other hand is silent, just like I am while their mother asionally chips in their conversation with either a shortugh or a single word of agreement.

    I have no idea what they are talking about.

    My attention is slowly shifting away from Mrs. Lorenzo and back to her daughter. Mrs. Lorenzo is as healthy as a horse just like Ryan said and I am so sure it is impossible to fake being healthy.

    Something is definitely wrong somewhere and I am going to find out what it is, with either Ryan¡¯s or my Father¡¯s help or even none.

    Anita wasn¡¯t this quiet thest time we saw each other. She was giddy with excitement on our wedding day, giving me the impression that I was going to have another friend soon.

    Does she know something? Should I ask her if she knows what is happening?

    When did shee back from college?

    She is always away in college and Ryan never mentioned that she was back and we would be having dinner together.

    Our eyes interlock for a second and she looks away. I continue to watch her until she pushes her te away and drags her wooden chair backward.

    ¡°Excuse me¡±, she mutters as she leaves the dining room, my eyes following her.

    Nobody notices her absence. They are still talking about nothing and everything. This is probably because I have zero interest in what they are conversing about.

    I shift my chair backward too, making Ryan look up in curiosity.

    I smile at him. ¡°I need to use the bathroom. I will be back in a jiffy.¡±

    He nods and his mother smiles at me before I leave the room, going in the direction Anita took.

    I am not going to use the bathroom. I just want to see Anita and ask her some questions. Maybe she is the key to this puzzle. Maybe she will be able to satisfy my curiosity and help me talk to Ryan so he can at least believe me before anything else.

    I can¡¯t find her. There are several rooms along the path she took and I begin to wonder which one she is in.

    Why did she even leave the dining table just like that? Why is she acting all strange? Is there something wrong with her? Is he unwell?

    Before I can begin to peek into each room, I hear the sound of a ss breaking and a low growl.

    My guess is Anita and I run over towards the room where the sound ising from. Before I can burst in, I decide to calm down and think of the first thing to say to her so she won¡¯t hurt herself.

    My guess is right. Something is definitely wrong with her.

    I turn the doorknob when I am calm and begin to open it slowly when she rises instantly and goes to the dresser.

    She grabs a ss cup and I see it.

    It is a ss of fruit juice.

    What broke? Curiosity fills me up. Did she mistakenly break a ss while trying to get some fruit juice to drink?

    Before I can figure that out, she produces a bottle and turns it down so the content can spill into the ss cup.

    My eyes widen.

    Then a gasp follows.

    Quickly turning away, I leave the doorway so she won¡¯t notice someone is watching. With a pounding heart, I find my way back to the dining room, my head filled with more questions.

    Anita?

    Was it Anita?

    It wasn¡¯t Mr. Lorenzo? Is this the reason why she is acting all strange? Is she this way because she is guilty of seeing me alive or hurt?

    They all look up when I enter and I ster a nervous smile on my face. Instead of going back to sit on my chair, I continue standing, my two hands holding onto the hem of my gown.

    They are sweaty.

    If Anita is doing this to her Mother, then no one is safe. Not even Ryan. It means she can harm him too.

    Without thinking, I blurt out. ¡°Ryan, can I see your dad in private?¡±

    His mouth drops open as he shares a look with his Mother who turns back to me with an equally shocked expression.

    Ryan nods, getting over the shock. ¡°Should we excuse you two?¡± he demands from me and I shake my head.

    I move towards the door again without a word and I take it out, moving slowly to the front door.

    We should talk in the courtyard. I don¡¯t know what exactly to say to him but I want us to talk. Maybe talking to him will give me some ideas about what is happening.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Does he know about it? Is this Anita¡¯s work or are they working together?

    Before I can walk further away, I hear his hurried feet behind me. ¡°Is anything the problem?¡±

    I twirl around to face him, almost bumping into him. He takes a step backward with his hands in his pocket and stares at me with curiosity.

    He isn¡¯t showing any fear or remorse.

    This ought to be my Father-inw, a man I should consider my second father but I despise him.

    Not only because he is not on good terms with my father and is not willing to help him but because he isn¡¯t a good father to Ryan and a good husband to Mrs. Lorenzo.

    Even though I saw Anita a few minutes ago with that content, I still have a strong belief that this man is behind it.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°What is the rtionship between you and my father?¡± I demand sharply, startling him. He isn¡¯t expecting me to start from there. He must also have figured out that I know what he is up to.

    Funnily enough, I am not scared of him. My fear is about that poor woman and about Ryan who isn¡¯t believing a single thing I say.

    A smile creeps to his face and he takes his hands out of his pocket to fold them around his chest.

    ¡°Your father and I?¡± he asks with amusement written all over him. ¡°You really want to know?¡±

    If Father isn¡¯t going to tell me, someone else should. This secret is between the two of them only. If I can convince either of them to tell me, then everything will be sorted out.

    I know I am just trying my luck. This man before me won¡¯t tell me a thing. But I guess I should use that to derail him.

    If I act strange, he must think it is because I am curious about his rtionship with my father and not about my ident.

    I don¡¯t know how Ryan and my mother ended up with a fake story of my ident but it should work to our benefit. I will pretend as if I don¡¯t remember anything while I do my findings.

    ¡°You should ask your father that. I believe he is going to tell you¡±, he smirks and throws me a wink before turning back to leave.

    ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t want to stick to your end of the bargain? Isn¡¯t that why your son and I got married in the first ce? I thought you two said you were long-time friends?¡±

    He spins around to face me again, a strange expression on his face which turns into another cheeky smile.

    He nods. ¡°Of course, we are friends. Very good one. From way back. But it¡¯s better if you hear it all from him. He is your dad, right?¡±

    He shes me a dirty grin and I decide to whine. ¡°He isn¡¯t saying a word! He won¡¯t tell me a thing!¡±

    He fakes being hurt as he ces a hand on his chest with a frown. ¡°Really? I¡¯m so sorry, dear.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t tell me either, right?¡± I question again, my patience almost fading off.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. Ask your father, not me¡±, he replies sharply as if expecting the question. This time he has a dangerous angry look on his face.

    We stare at each other in silence for a while before he points to my head. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about your ident, dear. Be well.¡±

    A wide grin spread across his entire face after saying that. He drops his hand and dips it back into his pocket as I watch him walk away with a back gait I find strangely familiar.

 CHAPTER 78

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Mom is as curious as I am because of how she keeps darting her gaze toward the door Valerie and my father took.

    Trying to think of something to say to light up the atmosphere and take her mind off them, I clear my throat. ¡°You ok?¡±

    She fixes her gaze on me and nods with a smile.

    I am not asking her if she is ok now, I am asking if she is fine and healthy. There is no sign of being unhealthy and it keeps confusing the hell out of me.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s about the promise we made to Adams? Is that why your wife wanted to see your father?¡±

    I didn¡¯t think of it that way. At first, I was scared Valerie wanted to see him because of her belief of him being her attacker but I trust her to y safe.

    That will endanger her. My Dad can sue her without considering the fact that she is his daughter-inw. He doesn¡¯t take issues like this lightly and I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t do the same for the daughter of his enemy.

    There is nothing to categorize his rtionship with her father.  Since they are not friends as they im, then it means they are enemies.

    I won¡¯t let anyone hurt Valerie. Not even him.

    The conflict should be between them. The two of us should be exempted from all of this.

    To be honest, a part of me wants to believe Valerie¡¯s story but I keep telling myself that Mother can never keep such a thing from me for years.

    I trust her more than I trust myself.

    I want to believe Valerie because I know what Father is capable of. I know how cruel he can be and I also know how he treats his mother sometimes.

    But the part about him not being my biological Father or trying to poison my Mother is enough reason for me not to believe her.

    They love each other. He can treat her badly but not kill her. Father might have once cheated on my Mother before but definitely not my Mother cheating on him.

    It¡¯s impossible. I know what My Mother can do too.

    ¡°Ryan?¡± her touch jerks me back to life.

    I look up with a question in mind but before I can ask her what I have in mind, she beats me to it by repeating her question.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s about the promise we haven¡¯t fulfilled?¡±

    Mother is ming herself too for this. I didn¡¯t want to inform her because I thought I could handle this on my own. But when it became apparent that I needed her help, I had to tell her and she promised me she wouldn¡¯t let Dad know that I told her.

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    She sighs. ¡°Are you still going ahead with what we nned?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mom. It¡¯s in ce already¡±, I assure her and she heaves a sigh of relief before resting her back morefortably on the chair, looking rxed.

    Everything Valerie said keeps ringing in my ears, taking me back to the question I want to ask Mom.

    I know I didn¡¯t n for it to be now. Not this soon but this is an opportunity. We are still in the dining room.

    Should I ask her?

    ¡°Mom¡­¡±, I trail off and shut my eyes to summon up enough courage to ask her what I have in mind. I don¡¯t believe it is true but I want assurance that it is indeed false.

    When I look up, I meet her intense gaze. If Mother isn¡¯t showing any signs of being sick for over an hour that we have been here, then it means Valerie¡¯s belief of seeing someone poisoning her is false.

    What about her belief that my Dad isn¡¯t my biological Dad? Is that also false? Did she see that in a dream?

    ¡°Ryan?¡± she calls, arching a curious brow at me.

    ¡°Is Father my biological Dad?¡± I find myself asking with my eyes tightly shut.

    A loud gasp leaves her mouth, making me flutter my eyes open. She is stunned by my question but I can¡¯t see the fear shing on her expression out of guilt or anything.

    What I see there is nothing but anger. ¡°What?!¡±

    I fakeughter after a while as she continues to stare at me with wide eyes and in disbelief. ¡°I was just kidding. Come on.¡±

    She does not look convinced so I say again. ¡°You were looking so worried about her and I needed your attention.¡±

    I take her hand and kiss the back before cing it back on therge table separating us.

    She sighs angrily and looks away. We remain silent because I don¡¯t know what else to say to convince her that I wasn¡¯t serious.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    I knew it.

    Mother wouldn¡¯t hide such a thing from me.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about her. I have a feeling she was involved in that ident because she was depressed about the baby she lost.¡±

    That reminds me. I told her we lost the baby. I couldn¡¯t keep up with the pretense. And the guilt I was feeling each time she brought the topic up was intense.

    So I decided to add one more lie to my already long list of lies. Now that Valerie and I are real with each other, we can start thinking of making babies.

    There is absolutely no need to fake a pregnancy anymore.

    ¡°When I asked her about it, she didn¡¯t look like she was hurt and I remember how you told me she took the news. She is indeed a strong woman and I admire her for that¡± She, sighs and I know she remembers her experience of losing a child too. ¡°When your father and I lost our first baby, it was hard for me to live like nothing is missing. It was so hard for me to pretend as if I never carried him in my stomach for almost nine months. It was indeed hard for me to let go of him too.¡±

    ¡°She will get through it just like you did, Mother¡±, I assure her but before I can continue, something dawns on me.

    I told Mother about the baby a day before Valerie¡¯s ident. How then did she tell Valerie?

    Valerie and Mother haven¡¯t seen each other since the ident either. Mother didn¡¯t visit the hospital but Dad did.

    Did Valeriee behind my back to see Mother?

    If Valerie was being honest abouting here a day before she had an ident, then it means that was the day Mother asked her about the baby.

    I stand up abruptly, my head spinning with a lot of unanswered questions.

    ¡°Mom, I need to go now. I just remember I made a reservation for Valerie and I¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, you should go.¡± She dismisses me without asking me anything else.

    I grab my phone and turn around to peck her forehead just in time for Dad toe in. The way he chatted with me so freely tonight at Dinner is surprising. The way he is smiling at me right now is surprising too.

    Where is Valerie? I almost voice out.

    Instead, I find myself running towards the entrance and badding him goodbye at the same time.

    I run inside the living room and further towards the front door. When I pull it open, Valerie is standing there, shaken and confused.

    ¡°Val?¡±

    ¡°Ryan?¡± she looks up at me, as though she can¡¯t wait to start bombarding me with the questions in her mind.

    I also have something to ask her.

    I grab her hand and begin to walk toward the parking lot so no one would hear us.

    Before we get there, she yanks her hand away from my hold and then to me. ¡°I know who is behind this, Ryan.¡±

    ¡°I also have a question, Val, can we get home first?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± she replies sharply. ¡°Ask your question.¡±

    I nod in impatience. ¡°Did Mother ask you about the baby?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±, she answers rather sharply, making me furrow my brows at her.

    ¡°When did she ask you about the baby?¡± I ask her again, curious to know why she didn¡¯t make an issue out of it. I know she doesn¡¯t like it when I do something that involves us both without informing her first.

    ¡°When I came here that morning¡±, she replies, then rolls her eyes dramatically. ¡°before my so-called ident. Why?¡±

    My mouth drops open as I begin to put the puzzles together. Something is still missing, but I can¡¯t figure out what it is.

    How can I believe the whole story when some parts are impossible?

    ¡°Ryan, will you listen to what I have to say now too?¡±  she isn¡¯t showing interest in what I just asked her. She is less bothered about that.

    I blink and watch her. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Has she discovered something new?

    ¡°Anita¡±, she mentions and I stiffen in fear. ¡°Anita is the one poisoning your Mom.¡±

    I blink several times to be sure I hear her right and that I am not dreaming. When her expression is unwavering and the words sink deeply into my system, I exim loudly in disbelief. ¡°What?!¡±

 CHAPTER 79

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    About my contract with Ryan, I am hundred percent sure my mother is responsible for telling Father. She can barely hide things from him even when he hides almost everything about himself away from her.

    If Mother knows the secret between him and Mr. Lorenzo then I won¡¯t bother myself so much just for him to tell me what it is.

    I won¡¯t be here again, determined to do whatever it takes for him to tell him the truth. This is the only way Ryan can believe me and this is the only way we can save his Mother.

    When I told him Anita was involved, he went ballistic with anger. I thought he was going to ask me why I said that or what I saw so I could exin but he became furious, he wouldn¡¯t even speak to me as we rode home in silence.

    Slowly, I am beginning to get tired of everything. I can¡¯t take any action so I won¡¯t jeopardize my life, my parent¡¯s life, and even Ryan¡¯s. He isn¡¯t seeing the efforts I am making in all of this.

    Butst night, he was calm and back to his normal self. He asked me a question. A part of him wanted to believe me but the other part was still in denial of what his so-called Father is capable of. Maybe it was because I told him his Mother told me about the fake miscarriage. Maybe his Mother also said something about it.

    If that is the case, then I also need to visit her. I need to question her about a lot of things. I need to ask her about that day.

    Something is definitely fishy. Maybe she wants to protect her husband and daughter but what I can¡¯tprehend is why a daughter would want to harm her Mother.

    I can never do that to my Mom, even though she is so annoying sometimes that I can¡¯t help it.

    The door creaks open and I adjust to my seat. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s dad.

    I have beening here for days to see him but he is always absent. I asked mom where he went but she said she didn¡¯t know either.

    Father is hiding a lot from us and it¡¯s unfair. We need to know what he¡¯s up to.

    I have been sitting here deep in thought and thinking of what to do to convince him to tell me what it is for almost 2 hours.

    Ryan might be home soon but my phone is on silent because I don¡¯t want any interruption during my conversation with Father. I also told Mom to give us privacy with the promise that I will tell her everything if he tells me.

    I don¡¯t n to tell her everything, though. Just a part of it. I just told her that because I wanted her to cooperate and let me be till hees back.

    ¡°Valerie?¡± I hear his surprised voice call me. I pretend to jerk upright and look back to see him.

    ¡°Dad?¡± I say in a small voice.

    Worry creases his face and I examine him carefully. He is wearing one of his office dresses and wonders what he is up to.

    He takes long strides toward me and squats to my height. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    I shake my head. Before I can think of something to say, tears spring to my eyes and I begin to cry.

    My tears areing right on time and I feel so grateful. This is the only way I can get him to talk. This is the only way I can get him to support me and listen to me.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did someone hurt you?¡± his concerned voice speaks up as he holds up my face again with his two hands firmly on them.

    I still have the bandages on even though the doctor asked me toe to take them off today but I wanted Dad to see me with them one more time as a way to convince him to help me.

    I can¡¯t find my voice. I don¡¯t even know what to say. I don¡¯t want to lie that something happened just to win his sympathy.

    ¡°Is it Ryan?¡± he demands, his tone changing into that of anger.

    That gets my attention. I look up and shake my head intermittently. ¡°No, Dad.¡±

    He nces around before resting his gaze back on my face. ¡°Are your things here? Are you back home?¡±

    Is he still on this issue ofing back home?

    I shake my head again. ¡°I love him, Dad. I love my husband and he needs me now more than ever.¡±

    With a furious look on his face, he rises and begins to walk away.

    ¡°I thought you loved him as well, Dad?  I thought you permitted him to call you Dad? Why do you hate him all of a sudden? Why did you let me marry him if you didn¡¯t want me to fall in love with him? Why did you persuade me into this marriage if this wasn¡¯t in your ns?¡±

    That makes him stop in his tracks without turning back.

    ¡°I love him already. I can¡¯t just leave him now that he needs me the most. His mother is dying slowly because of that man. You know so well that he isn¡¯t his Father so why are you mad at him?¡±

    ¡°I am not mad at Ryan, I just want you toe home so you can be safe¡­¡±

    ¡°And leave my marriage?¡± I cut him short and rise slowly. ¡°Did Mother leave you when you were having issues with thepany? She might not be the best wife in the world because of her love for wealth and material things but she stood by you despite that. Now you want me to leave the husband you got me married to? You shouldn¡¯t have coerced me into this then if this was going to be the end anyway.¡±

    He does not say anything and I continue to sob while standing, cleaning my tears with my two hands. I really do not know if these tears are fake or real. I just want them to keeping.

    I know he can¡¯t stand it for too long.

    I hear him sigh deeply before turning back to face me squarely.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asks. I don¡¯t need to think twice about the question. I don¡¯t need anything but the truth. ¡°You want to continue staying with him? Fine, go.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I say sharply. ¡°I want the truth. About the rtionship between you and his Father.¡±

    ¡°Why? What has that got to do with any of this?¡±

    ¡°It has a lot to do with it. I almost died, Father. That man almost killed your only child and all you can do is sit back and watch? Is it until he kills someone before you tell the world about who he truly is?!¡±

    I didn¡¯t n for my voice to be raised at him but I can¡¯t help the anger creeping slowly into my system, even though I know he hates it.

    ¡°This has nothing to do with him, Val¡­¡±

    ¡°It does. Because you know his true identity¡­¡±

    ¡°How do you know that I do?¡± he interrupts me from going further.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±

    He remains silent, watching me with a worried face. ¡°How do you know he is responsible for all of these?¡±

    I gulp silently.

    This is the same question that Ryan keeps asking me. I can¡¯t tell my Dad the same answer I gave Ryan.

    ¡°Because he isn¡¯t Ryan¡¯s biological father¡±, I answer with all honesty.

    All I told Ryan is that I can feel it. I told him it¡¯s my instinct and my instinct is never wrong.

    But now for the first time, since all of this started, I ask myself what will happen if I am wrong? Even after seeing Anita, I feel he is solidly behind it all.

    If I didn¡¯t know he wasn¡¯t his biological Father, maybe I wouldn¡¯t feel this way. Maybe I won¡¯t be using him of all these but the sad truth is that he isn¡¯t Ryan¡¯s Father and to be honest, I am d Ryan didn¡¯te out from such a cruel man.

    ¡°You are judging him based on that?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I deny it but the real answer is yes. I am being judgemental. I have no evidence to show for it.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    I need evidence.

    When he shakes his head, I know he is disappointed in me and he will dismiss me, so I rush towards him and bend down to hold his legs as I start to cry again.

    I continue to cry for minutes before he eventually holds me up with a tender expression.

    ¡°I beg of you. Help me.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, Val.¡±

    ¡°Please.¡±

    ¡°What exactly do you want to know about him?¡± he demands with a tone of firm authority. I ignore the tone and answer.

    ¡°Everything. Why isn¡¯t he helping you? Who is Ryan¡¯s biological Father? What is your rtionship with him?¡±

    ¡°You really want to know?¡± he demands for the umpteenth time.

    ¡°Yee¡±, I reply with full confidence. ¡°I do.¡±

    I wipe my tears dry and wait for him to start but he is still silent. He doesn¡¯t look as if he is ready to spill the beans but I am more than determined to get my answers today.

    ¡°Wall has ears. Let¡¯s meet at Stanford Avenue tomorrow morning. I will tell you everything that you need to know.¡± he asserts firmly and I nod while he pats my shoulder and walks off to the bathroom.

    I thought I would get to know everything tonight but I guess I have to leave it till tomorrow. I should go home now before Ryan begins to get worried.

    I walk slowly to the door, utterly exhausted. I touch the doorknob and twist it open to reveal Mother by the door with wide open eyes filled with curiosity.

    She was eavesdropping.

 CHAPTER 80

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Valerie¡¯s courage coupled with her obsession with this same topic that has been going on for weeks fuels my anger every single time I remember it all.

    How it all started and the question of where this is going.

    This is definitely an obsession. Involving Anita has confirmed my suspicion of her obsession and her unstable mental health.

    I won¡¯t let her do this to me anymore. These are my family members and I love them. Anita can never hurt Mom. She is our mom and I can never believe a single thing about her trying to hurt mom.

    Valerie is unbelievable.

    First, it was my Dad. Then she imed Mother called her home and now Anita? Isn¡¯t that absurd?

    With my head banging, I pace to and fro the room, waiting for her to say something at least to dissipate this rush of adrenaline.

    I can¡¯t even think of a possible solution to all of this anymore. This is getting out of hand already.

    I twirl around to face her. She is usually quiet and calm. The anxious expression on her face the other day, when she told me my Father was her supposed attacker, isn¡¯t there on her face right now.

    Is Valerie trying to get back at me? Is this because of her Dad? Is she doing this because of her Father¡¯s rtionship with mine? Is she pretending to like me?

    ¡°Do you have any idea what¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she cuts me short as usual, her hand going up as she lowers her head down. I am trying so hard to contain my anger. If I give it a chance, I might ruin it all.

    We need to act maturely and discuss this like adults, without letting our emotions or love for family members interfere.

    ¡°I know you might not believe this too but it¡¯s fine. I just want to tell you¡­¡±

    As much as I want to try to understand or keep the rush in me low, I can¡¯t help it. Her im of being right is annoying.

    And the pause in her statement too.

    ¡°Henceforth¡±, I assert firmly with gritted teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to ever bring this topic up ever again!¡±

    She blinks, her eyes growing wide in surprise and disappointment.  ¡°Ryan¡­¡±

    ¡°I mean what I said¡±, I interrupt her from going further, hoping to show my seriousness. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to talk about this topic ever again, ok?¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    I expect her to nod. But that will be so unlike Valerie.

    She does not nod. Her expression is unreadable.

    Gulping loudly, she takes a step further and stops. ¡°I know what I have been telling you is unbelievable but you have to try to believe me, Ryan. I know what I am saying. I can¡¯t lie to you. I can¡¯t frame your father or your sister up for nothing¡­¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I take a step back and move around, in rage. ¡°How can I be so sure that you are not doing this for a reason?¡±

    ¡°Ryan¡­¡± she calls with a tone of disappointment.

    ¡°We are not discussing this again, is that clear?!¡± I raise my voice at her, expecting her to agree to this so we can close the chapter.

    ¡°No, it is not.¡±

    At first, she was extremely calm and it was disturbing but now she is beginning to talk with a loud voice, disying her obvious annoyance.

    ¡°Are you using me of making this whole thing up?¡± she questions with a tone of disbelief.

    I stand with arms akimbo, with no intention to answer her. When I said I wanted us to close this chapter, I meant it. I have no more interest in this topic and I would love it if we could pretend as if nothing happened.

    ¡°Tell me¡±, she takes another step towards me with a defiant look on her face. ¡°What would I achieve from making this stupid story up, then? Tell me!¡±

    As much as I do not want to say a word, this question is tempting. ¡°Who knows? You could be doing this for your Dad or for some reasons obvious to you alone, who knows?¡±

    The moment the wordse out of my mouth, I regret them.

    I shouldn¡¯t have said that. This was what has been on my mind ever since it all started but I avoided saying it.

    Now, it is out.

    Her face drops and my heart sinks at the expression on her face.

    Her right hand flies to her mouth to hide the low gasp that escapes from her as she squats down.

    Everything happening to us these past few weeks is indeed unbelievable. What she has been wanting me to believe and what I just used her of.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    ¡°No!¡± she screams and rises slowly. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine?¡± I ask in surprise, catching a glimpse of a wicked glint.

    ¡°Yes¡±, she nods with a light smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You are right. I am doing this for obvious reasons. I am doing this because of the same reason you think I am doing it. I am also crazy, I made it all up. Are you ok now?¡±

    I shake my head and facepalm myself.

    I don¡¯t know how I feel right now. I don¡¯t know if it is disappointment or just pure regret.

    ¡°And you know what?¡± her question jerks me back to life as I drop my hands. ¡°My father was right.¡±

    It picks up my curiosity. I wonder what her dad was right about.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be involved with you. I shouldn¡¯t have said what I saw if I didn¡¯t want you to be safe and for your Mother to be. I should keep quiet and pretend as if nothing happened. But I couldn¡¯t help it. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what you would think if it eventually gets out that I knew all along and I never told you a thing. How would you feel?¡±

    Silence ensues.

    I am totally speechless.

    ¡°We got married for a reason, Ryan. We couldn¡¯t achieve that reason so I see no reason why I should still be here with you. My Father was right again. He told me to leave but I told him I couldn¡¯t because I love you. But now I guess love is not enough if you can¡¯t trust me. I¡¯m sorry for making up a story like that, Ryan but I hope you will find answers to all the questions gnawing at your heart that you aren¡¯t brave enough to ask.¡±

    It didn¡¯t dawn on me that what she meant was that she was leaving until she moved to grab a bag.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I demand with a sudden surge of energy. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    She doesn¡¯t reply. Instead, she let go of the bag and move to the bedside to grab her handbag.

    Her Dad asked her to leave me. Why would he do that?

    ¡°Hey¡±, I grab her arm but she yanks her hand away from my hold immediately.

    ¡°We are done!¡± She affirms confidently with a solemn look on her face.

    ¡°What?!¡± I watch her move away from me with that serious look which indicates that she isn¡¯t joking. My mind continues to drift till she gets to the door and I am still standing still, not running after that.

    I find it hard to believe.

    She must be joking. Or maybe it is a dream.

    Valerie can not leave just like that, can she? It was just a little argument? Getting rid of our contract means we have to stay together till the very end, right? She agreed to this then why is she leaving?

    Does she want me to put her above my family?

    The mming sound of the door jerks me back to life and I realize this isn¡¯t a joke or a dream.

    I rush to the door but before I can pull it open, my phone begins to ring. I want to ignore it but I find myself hurrying back to get the phone before heading out so I can stop Valerie from going wherever she intends to go.

    Mother¡¯s name shes across the screen of my phone which makes me halt in my tracks right after I step out of the door.

    Quickly, I pick up the call.

    ¡°Ryan,e home¡±, Mother¡¯s broken voice reaches my ear before a cough follows and the call gets disconnected immediately.

    I drop the phone and stare at it for a while as an imaginary scene races through my head.

    Without waiting any further, I race out of the mansion, not to stop Valerie from going but to save my Mother.

 CHAPTER 81

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    His annoying optimism for the topic is irking. Not just the way he shows his disbelief in me but the fact that he keeps hoping and thinking it is nothing but a framed up story.

    I might be a bad person and a rebel but I would definitely note up with a story like that just for me to achieve something.

    Ryan is an idiot.

    I meant what I said when I told him I was leaving but my heart irks so badly that I almost changed my mind and go back inside to tell him it was just a joke.

    But it is impossible. He would never take me seriously if I did that.

    I don¡¯t want to leave because I know how worried about him I would be. But I have no choice.

    With hisck of trust in me, I really do not know what else to do anymore. I don¡¯t know if I should just give up on this issue and begin to pretend like it never happened as he suggested.

    As the cab stops right in front of my parent¡¯s house, I catch a glimpse of a huge car right in front of the gate.

    Before I can get down from the cab, the car horns and the gate is thrown open. I watch the car drive in.

    Curiosity suddenly reces my worry and deep thoughts.

    Without hesitation, I move swiftly towards the gate so I can enter before the gate is closed. I see a man right behind the gate when I enter. He is wearing a security uniform just like the guard we had before everything crumbled.

    I raise a suspicious brow at him and he smiles. ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Someone gets down from the car and walks to the front door, with a briefcase swinging beside him.

    The gait looks just like Father¡¯s.

    Instead of replying to his greeting, my curiosity runs to its peak.

    Dad? I almost say out loud. What the hell is happening? Does he have a car now? Has he started going to work now? Is that why I never met him at home all this while? Even when he promised to meet up with me at the avenue so he could tell me all that I needed to know about Ryan¡¯s father, he didn¡¯t show up and I haven¡¯t seen him ever since then.

    My legs begin to move toward the car. His figure has already disappeared into the house.

    When I am close, I examine the car to see if it is brand new. This is because he recently got the car.

    What is happening? My legs begin to move again, this time more quickly in restless anticipation to get my answers.

    I enter the house and almost bump into Mother who is wearing a fancy dinner gown with borate makeup on her face.

    ¡°Mom?¡± I call out, expressing my surprise at her appearance and everything else.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    There is something else about the house. Something is missing. Or something which iscking is back.

    Not just the car. The interiors of the house and almost everything is present now. It is now brimming with life unlike how quiet and cold it has been for months.

    ¡°Valerie, what are you doing here by this time of the night?¡± she grabs my hand, with wide eyes. Her reaction makes me wonder if she is shocked to see me here thiste or if she is shocked to go see me here when she doesn¡¯t want me to have an idea of what is going on.

    ¡°What is happening? Where are you going?¡± I ignore her question and ask mine.

    ¡°We have a party tonight¡­¡±

    ¡°A party?¡± I cut her short with furrowed brows. ¡°With who?¡±

    She smiles brightly and drops her hands off my shoulder, then asks again. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Her gaze leaves my face and settles on my dress. I am not properly dressed and that is not the issue now. I just want to go to bed and drown in my sorrows till God knows when.

    Everything can onlye back to normal when Ryan sees things from my perspective and I hope that happens soon.

    If it doesn¡¯t, then it means we are going to be getting a divorce soon. Our parents can¡¯t be at loggerheads and then we are also not on good terms too. Our marriage can¡¯t work this way.

    I guess this is what it was meant to be anyways. After all, the marriage was supposed to be for a few months and not forever.

    With a sigh of defeat, I resolve to take whatever happens in a good way. I won¡¯t get hurt if we don¡¯t get back together. I can easily go back to my former life and do things that bring me butterflies.

    ¡°Valerie?¡± Mother shakes me again to remind me of her question.

    ¡°Ryan and I broke up¡±, I dere openly without shame and she gasps loudly, her eyes almost popping out of her socket.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    I thought the exmation would nevere but here it is.

    ¡°Yes, I need to go to bed¡±, I say, and want to walk past her when she blocks my way. ¡°Where is Dad?¡±

    Then I remember the car outside and the man who walked in a minute ago with a familiar gait like my Dad¡¯s.

    ¡°He is inside¡±, she answers, then holds my face in between her two hands. ¡°What happened, dear? Did you two fight?¡±

    I really do not feel like saying anything about what transpired between us. Not now. Maybeter. Or tomorrow.

    I am in a shit mood right now and all I want is to sleep it out.

    ¡°Yes, mom. Can we talk tomorrow, please?¡±

    She does not look like she is ready to let me go but after a while, without tearing my gaze away from her, she nods.

    ¡°Whose car is that outside, mom?¡± I mention it so I won¡¯t forget to ask her before going into my room.

    The party she is going to is the least of my problems. This has always been her type of life. My father¡¯s financial situation made her stop going to parties every week.

    The smile on her face widens. ¡°Your Dad¡¯s.¡±

    I watch nkly for a while before asking to be sure I heard right. ¡°Dad?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He got it two days ago¡­¡±

    ¡°What? How? Where did he get the money from? Did you make him do this instead of sorting out thepany¡¯s issues first?¡±

    I know this is what Mother can do. Material thingse first on her priority list.

    Her smile turns gradually into a grin. ¡°I had the intention of visiting you tomorrow. Everything has been sorted out so you have nothing to worry about anymore.¡±

    I blink.

    Everything has been sorted out? How?

    ¡°If that is why you and Ryan fought, I think you should resolve it as soon as you can.¡±

    Ryan? Is this about Ryan?

    ¡°Ryan did this?¡± I ask suddenly, my heart thumping wildly in my ribcage.

    She does not answer but from the expression, it is obvious this is Ryan¡¯s doing.

    Before I can ask her if this is Ryan¡¯s work, Father appears. ¡°Val?¡±

    ¡°Dad?¡± I shift my gaze away from Mom to meet him.

    ¡°What are you doing here at this time¡­¡±

    ¡°She broke up with Ryan¡±, Mother replies to him before I can do that.

    His eyes bulge open too just like hers. He was the one who asked me to leave Ryan so I can be safe but here he is acting like he never said that.

    Maybe if he didn¡¯t tell me that, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of leaving this night after the argument with him.

    His words were hurting me.

    Just then, my phone rings. I bring it out of my bag to see Ryan¡¯s name shing across the screen.

    I exchange nces with Mom and Dad, thinking of what to do.

    ¡°Is that Ryan? You should pick. Your Dad and I will be back in an hour¡±, Mother moves back to entwine hands with Dad.

    With reluctance in his expression, he moves closer to me and pecks my forehead before walking out.

    My phone continues to ring, making me feel a sudden headache.

    I don¡¯t feel like talking to him so I reject the call and begin to take the stairs up in weariness. The past few weeks have been stressful and exhausting for me. I wish I could just sleep it out and wake up tomorrow to realize it is all a dream.

    My phone rings again but this time, it is Mrs. Lorenzo calling.

    Why is she calling me at this time of the night? Did Ryan visit her to tell them what happened between us? Did she visit us and realize I am not home?

    I pick up immediately with little interest in what she has to say to me.

    ¡°Valerie¡±, Ryan¡¯s loud voice booms into my ears. There are loud background voices, making me take the phone off my ears for a while.

    I was right. Ryan is with her. But why is there so much noise?

    ¡°Valerie¡±, he calls again but this time with a crying voice. I stop on thest staircase, my heart racing with fear of the unknown, my head spinning with questions. ¡°Mom¡­It¡¯s mom.¡±

    What the hell happened? Has Lorenzo seeded in his ns of killing her?

    Oh, shit!

    I turn back abruptly, almost losing my footing as I take the staircase down.

    ¡°What happened? Where are you? Where is Mom?¡±

    I bombard him with questions but instead of answering me, all I hear is low sobs and heavy breathing from the other side.

    ¡°Ryan, where the hell are you guys?!¡± I shout in frustration.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Val. I¡¯m sorry. Mom is dying, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Where the hell are you?!¡± I interrupt him from going further. This is no time for apologies. We need to save her first.

    ¡°We are at the hospital¡±, he answers, then remains silent as I run out of the house to see the courtyard empty.

    My parents are gone.

    ¡°Mom is in the ICU.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim. ¡°What the hell happened to her?¡±

    ¡°She was poisoned¡±, he responds and disconnects the call.

    I stumble backward in agitation as the reality dawns on me that I am right all along and I don¡¯t need to doubt myself and any of the words I have been saying to Ryan or anyone else.

    I am right about her poisoning. This means I am also right about Mr. Lorenzo being the one behind it all.

 CHAPTER 82

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    My fists are shaking with rage, my whole body trembling with fear and my heart is pounding hard inside of me.

    My rage is because of Valerie. She was right about the poison. Not all she told me was unreal. The poison is real.

    I am scared because my Mother is on the brink of death. She was already lying lifelessly and pale white on the floor of the third room when I got home to meet the empty mansion.

    I didn¡¯t bother to think much about the simrity of tonight¡¯s incident with that of Valerie¡¯s description of the morning she was involved in an ident.

    I just carried my mom and rushed her here to the hospital. That fear and rage led me to call Valerie.

    She is the only one I can call. Now I don¡¯t know who to trust and who not to trust. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to call my Dad even though I still don¡¯t want to believe that he has a thing to do with this.

    We can sort that outter. I just want mom to be fine first.

    Guilt fills me at the thought of seeing Valerie again. This was the reason why we fought an hour ago and now I feel like the most stupid person ever.

    The whole truth was right in front of me but I didn¡¯t see it because I thought she wanted to get back at me for what reason?

    I don¡¯t even know. I just didn¡¯t want to believe her, probably because it involved my Father and my sister.

    How could I believe such a thing when it involves a whole lot of things about my family¡¯s supposed secret and my doubts about my real paternity?

    Why is this happening? Who is behind this? Is Valerie saying the whole truth? Should I trust her?

    Before I can give it much thought, someone calls my name.

    I look up to see her running in, still in the same dress as before. Her face is creased in worry and her eyes too, just like mine.

    Unconsciously, I open my arms to embrace her. I open my arms so she could run into them andfort me. To make me feel everything will be fine and good and everything will go back to normal.

    This is what I need desperately. That normalcy. The one that existed before her ident.

    She does not run into my arms. She stands in front of me, reluctant, acting as though something is holding her back from hugging me.

    I want this so fucking much.

    Her hug.

    In just one hour, I miss her so much.

    The thought of losing her makes it feel like my heart is being sliced with a knife and I am bleeding a lot from the cut.

    I won¡¯t let her go anywhere. She is going nowhere. We agreed to stay together till eternity. That was the vow we took and this issue shouldn¡¯t cause a rift between us.

    ¡°What happened?¡± she demands with curiosity skating her expression, even though I already told her what happened over the phone.

    I do not answer her.

    My need is still very much in existence. I want her.

    I step forward towards her, then embrace her tightly as if my life depends on it.

    Well, it does.

    I am not just hugging her because I want to. I am doing this because I also feel sorry for what I did and said to her earlier.

    Do I need to always speak up to express how I feel? I have always been so good at showing them, not by speaking up. And I hope she gets the message.

    ¡°Ryan, what happened? How did you find¡­¡±

    ¡°She called me¡±, I break up her conversation without disengaging from the hug.

    As though knowing about my intention not to let her go, she pushes me backward to move away from the hug.

    ¡°She called you?¡± curiosity fills her expression as she asks me and I nod. ¡°Then what happened?¡±

    I want to brace myself up and tell her the simrities between today¡¯s incident and that of hers which she experienced and I didn¡¯t believe. But I can¡¯t summon up the courage to tell her what I saw.

    I can¡¯t summon up the courage to tell her how my heart jumped into my chest when I saw the darkish stain on the ss cup and how I needed no soothsayer to tell me it was indeed the poison she spoke to me about.

    I can¡¯t tell her how I saw my mother sprawled lifeless on the floor with blood oozing out of her mouth and her face pale white.

    I can¡¯t tell her how scared I was as I scooped her up and ran all the way to the car. I can¡¯t even tell her how little my hope is about her survival.

    ¡°Ryan¡­¡±, she taps me, jolting me back to reality.

    ¡°Mr. Lorenzo¡±, a familiar voice calls from behind and I whirl around to meet the doctor¡¯s gaze.

    I rush towards him, grabbing his two hands, my eyes not leaving his so I can read his expression and know if my Mother has survived this or not.

    ¡°My mom¡­¡±

    ¡°She is conscious now¡±, he points out with a smile and relief washes through me at the instance, my hands finally leaving him.

    ¡°Can I see her now?¡± I ask him when he isn¡¯t saying anything else.

    He nods. ¡°But I need to see you afterward. Alone¡±, he mutters with another assuring smile before averting his smiling face to stare at Valerie who is right behind me.

    ¡°Ok¡± I only say with an intermittent nod, waiting for his direction to the room.

    He asks one of the nurses who appears to take us to the room and we follow her in silence.

    Now, I will know the truth.

    I want to believe that Father isn¡¯t responsible. He is capable of every other thing but definitely not this. Even if he does, Anita would never assist him in such an act.

    She is our Mother.

    My heart keeps hammering in my heart as we get to the room. I am desperate and anxious to hear from the horse¡¯s mouth.

    Whateveres out of her will be nothing but the truth, I am sure of this. She can¡¯t possibly deny it because he was her husband when she almost lost her life.

    A nurse is hovering over her when we enter. Her head moves on the bed and I hurry over to hold her hands. ¡°Mom.¡±

    She turns to me and a weak smile spreads to her face. ¡°Son.¡±

    ¡°How are you? How do you feel? Do you feel any pain?¡± I rush the questions at her in one breath, not bothered about giving her room to answer one at a time.

    I need all the answers. And I have more questions too.

    Before she can reply, I add. ¡°Who did this?¡±

    Shock runs through her. I can see it from her expression. Then it is suddenly reced with confusion.

    Valerie clears her throat, making mom shift her attention to her.

    She opens her mouth to talk and I lean forward in anticipation. But then she closes her mouth again, the confusion still very much present as she gulps and opens her mouth again.

    ¡°Why am I here? What happened?¡± she demands from me and I gaze up at Valerie in amazement.

    Does this mean she can¡¯t remember what happened? She called me, how can she not know what happened in just a few minutes? It¡¯s not up to two hours yet.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Is this why the doctor wants to see me?

    Without hesitation, I rise and begin to make for the door so I can go and get answers from the doctor.

    Mother is the victim here. She can¡¯t possibly miss out on her assault. Her answers will supplement Valerie¡¯s story and we can start our investigations immediately.

    I am thinking Valerie will follow me but I realize I am alone when I am outside the room.  I find myself strolling to the doctor¡¯s office. Fortunately, there are no waiting patients, probably because it is alreadyte so I knock on his door just in time for the door to be pulled open from behind.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t remember a thing?¡± I say more like a question. This is why I am here anyway. I want to know why she isn¡¯t remembering how she got here.

    Is she doing this purpose to save someone from getting punished for their crimes?

    The doctor isn¡¯t saying anything but the smile on his face has vanishedpletely.

    ¡°Is this because of her ailment or is it the poison¡¯s doing?¡± I ask again, pointing toward the direction I took on my way here.

    With each passing second and the heavy silence, my interest grows as well as my rage.

    ¡°Say something, doctor¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to tell you this but your mother has no ailment as the records imed. She is fine except for the damage of the poison which is why she can barely remember how she got here¡±, he exins but it takes a while for me to swallow and assimte his words.

    When it dawns on me that we have been living in deceit all along, I strain my ears so he can repeat what he said to be sure I did not hear wrong.

    He repeats the same word as before and I can¡¯t help but exim in total disbelief. ¡°What?!¡±

 CHAPTER 83

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    The sadness lurking around his expression when he left the room to see the doctor is no longer there. It has been reced with something unreadable but much more intense than the sorrows I could feel within him.

    Just from the fact that his Mother couldn¡¯t remember how she got here, I am beginning to put the puzzles together.

    At first, I thought it was all a pretense but now I see the reason why she never remembered my visit to the house and why she did not im to have called me over.

    I see the reason why she never act as if I was there as a witness that morning.

    Something is definitely wrong somewhere. Something is fishy.

    I had slipped out of the room without her knowledge when the nurse signaled me to leave. I wanted to wait outside so I could ask Ryan all the questions I have.

    Suddenly, he looks straight into my eyes and I see it.

    This time, it isn¡¯t sorrow or sadness.

    What I can see behind his eyes is nothing but fear.

    And denial.

    Quickly, I move in to hug him. I know I should have done this earlier but I feel we both need this. This confusion is bing too much for me too. I can¡¯t seem to wrap my head around what is happening so I don¡¯t want to me him anymore for not believing a thing I say.

    Refraining from asking him what the doctor said could be the cause for her forgetfulness, I hug him more tightly.

    But he moves away before I could think of what else to do. He grabs his head in between both hands with a heavy sigh as he spins around.

    ¡°Hey, Ryan¡±, I drop his hands and hold them tightly, staring at him intensely. ¡°What did the doctor say?¡±

    He does not answer. He isn¡¯t looking straight at me either. He seems to be avoiding me and the question too.

    Or probably he is ashamed to tell me what it is. If this is the case, then he shouldn¡¯t have called me here.

    I really do not know if I am here as his wife for the moral support he needs or as a person who is a supposed witness.

    ¡°Ryan, are you going to say something?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±, he answers with more confusion skating on his expression.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± I almost shout at him in frustration. ¡°I am asking what the doctor said.¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t remember a thing¡±, he points to the door. I nod. ¡°And she has no cancer.¡±

    That does the trick. I thought it was going to be something I know or something I am aware of. I have been trying to figure out why she forgot incidents that have to do with her poisoning while she remembers others and I have concluded that it must be one of the side effects of the poison.

    But this. This news right here is something I never expected in my wildest imagination.

    Unconsciously, my jaws drop open. ¡°What?!¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    ¡°Yes¡±, he holds onto me too as he replies. ¡°I am as confused as you are. I don¡¯t know what the doctor is saying and I don¡¯t even know what else to believe. First, she was diagnosed with cancer, now she is poisoned and then she has no cancer¡­how is that even possible¡­what is¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan?¡± I cut him short from his ranting, pulling him beside me and moving towards a seat.

    He is restless and his body is trembling. I make him sit before facing him squarely so we can continue our discussion.

    ¡°Calm down, ok?¡± I say and he nods vigorously even though he is still shaken.

    We shouldn¡¯t dwell too much on the discovery. We should rather find out how and why it happened and who is responsible for all of this.

    ¡°Is this doctor trustworthy?¡± I demand from him and he jerks upright sharply in shock.

    I nod at him, urging him to say what he thinks. If the doctor is trustworthy then it means this has nothing to do with the doctor but if he isn¡¯t, then it means he is coborating with the culprit, and this big news is meant to take us off the trail.

    This is a good distraction.

    ¡°Of course he is¡±, he responds firmly, his brows furrowed in anger. I don¡¯t know if this anger is towards me or my question.

    ¡°Was he the same doctor who diagnosed her with cancer?¡± I ask again and he shakes his head, his creased brows released.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take her to the family doctor?¡± I question him the very next thing on my mind.

    Without hesitation, he replies. ¡°Because I thought of trying someone else.¡±

    I know what he is thinking. Ryan is still in denial but he knows the truth now. He did this because he feels his father might have won the family doctor over.

    That same doctor diagnosed his Mother with cancer which means one thing; the diagnosis was fake and his Mother isn¡¯t dying.

    We remain silent, his breathing bing heavy gradually while I continue to stare at his hard face, pondering over the next line of action.

    What do we do next?

    Since his Mother can¡¯t remember what happened before she got here, then it means his Father will rest assured that we won¡¯t be able to trace anything to him.

    ¡°Are you still trying to say that my Father is behind this?¡± he asks me, his two hands shaking.

    I do not bother to hold his hands. Instead, I nod confidently. I don¡¯t care whether he believes me or not. I was right about the poisoning and he will be a fool not to believe me again.

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± he turns away from me, with rage.

    Silence ensues.

    I am waiting for him to say something that will enrage me as well so I can leave.

    I didn¡¯t n for us to meet again tonight but it happened anyway because he called me. If he didn¡¯t think I was right, he wouldn¡¯t have called but I guess he is still a fool for not believing.

    ¡°What has Anita got to do with this?¡± his question is directed at me, even though he is gazing at the wall opposite him.

    Apparently, he isn¡¯t having too much difficulty believing that his Father is responsible. What he is having difficulty believing is that Anita is involved and Mr. Lorenzo isn¡¯t his father.

    This brings me to some questions I have no answer to.

    Why is Anita helping him? If Mr. Lorenzo isn¡¯t Ryan¡¯s biological father, then who is? If he isn¡¯t Ryan¡¯s father, is he Anita¡¯s?

    Is that why she is helping him? Why will she take sides with her Father instead of her Mother?

    ¡°How old is she?¡± I find myself asking instead of replying to his question.

    He turns slowly to watch me with a look of disbelief. ¡°I asked you a question, Val.¡±

    ¡°You think I still care if you believe me or not?¡± I retort back sharply but not with a raised voice which is surprising to me too. ¡°She is your Mother, you decide what you want to believe. So just answer the damn question. How old is your sister?¡±

    ¡°What does her age got to do with this?¡±

    ¡°Everything, Ryan. It has everything to do with this but if you don¡¯t need my help, I can leave¡±, I stand up abruptly from the chair. He looks up immediately with pleading eyes. ¡°Are you going to answer me or not?¡±

    He sighs. Then rakes his hands into his hair while I wait patiently.

    ¡°She is 25 years old¡±, he replies.

    I snort. ¡°25 years old and still in college?¡± he throws me a cold re and the smirk on my face drops. ¡°If your brother was alive, how old will he be now?¡±

    ¡°What? What has that¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan, I will leave if you don¡¯t answer me now!¡± I threaten but it isn¡¯t empty. I meant it. I am tired of his silliness. He is annoying the shit out of me.

    ¡°He ought to be 20 years old by now¡±, he mumbles under his breath.

    ¡°How old are you, Ryan?¡± I ask with folded arms. He stares at me with a hard look with no intention of answering me. ¡°You are 26 years old, right?¡±

    He does not reply.

    I p my hand with a smile creeping to my face at the discovery. ¡°You will be 27 years old in August and Anita will be 26 years old next month, what does that tell you?¡±

    His confusion has intensified. He shifts in his chair and mutters. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it? You are just a few months older than Anita which means she is not your sister!¡± I shout it into his ears so it can sink deeply into his system.

    I guess this is the answer to his question now.

    His question of why Anita is involved in all of this.

    Impulsively, he shoots to his feet and yells. ¡°What the hell!¡±

 CHAPTER 84

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    This time, I believe her.

    I believe every word she says. Everything from the beginning till the end. Even those I had doubts about. Everything is beginning to make sense to me now.

    This has served as an answer to the numerous questions and doubts I had about Anita.

    I am beginning to put the piece together and the scene before me is making me nauseated.

    Quickly, I rush out. Blinded by anger and filled with a rush of adrenaline, all I want to do right now is see that man I have called Father for years so I can punch the living hell out of him for keeping me in the dark and doing this to my mom.

    Mom doesn¡¯t keep secrets from me. I am sure she did this because of him.

    I never had the cause to openly think whether he is really my father or not because of how we grew up. This is because I always take sce in my mother¡¯s chest.

    He has always been a violent man but I thought he has changed. Thest time he hit me was when I was 17 years old and I also raised my hand to retaliate.

    The expression on his face was that of pure shock that I could ever do something like that to him. Mother brought me back to my senses, by reminding me of the fact that he is my father and he deserves all the respect.

    I defy her that day. I told her to tell him never to raise his hands at me ever again or I won¡¯t mind doing the same.

    He has never raised his hands on me since that day but we make up for it through argument. We are always opposing each other. His views are always not right to me and vice versa.

    I never gave it much thought that this man is not my Father and what he feels for me is pure hatred, not the possessiveness my mother calls it.

    Anita.

    Now I see it. The way Valerie spelled it out that she is not my sister is as if a blindfold has been lifted off my face for me to see the truth.

    Everything has always been in front of me but I was too blinded to see it.

    Anita isn¡¯t my sister. Howe I never thought about our birth dates? Is this why Mother doesn¡¯t remember her birthday yet she always remembers mine? Is this why I am closer to mom while she is closer to Dad? Does this mean that he is not my father but hers? How did this happen?

    I didn¡¯t know about Anita¡¯s real age until I stumbled upon her birth certificate while I was taking her to the airport on the day she was to resume college.

    Howe I never noticed and gave much thoughts to the closeness of her birthday to mine? Howe it didn¡¯t even cross my mind to check the birth year? Maybe that would have given her out.

    Is she really in college?

    Last year when I went to Boston, I wanted to visit her in school but she lied that she was on a department excursion. I knew she lied because I saw the Dean the next morning and he said nothing about the excursion. I just thought she lied to me because she went to see her boyfriend or a friend of hers.

    I don¡¯t even know if she has a boyfriend or not.

    Now that I think of it, how can she still be in college at 25? Wasn¡¯t she iming to be 22?

    My head spins and I halt.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, someone grabs me from behind. Her hands go around my stomach as she hugs me from behind.

    I need to do this. I know Valerie won¡¯t let me do what I want to.

    I take her hands off me before running to my car. I jump into the driver¡¯s seat, roaring the car engine to life before driving off.

    ¡°Ryan!¡± she screams my name from my parking lot but I don¡¯t intend to let her prevent me from doing what I want to do.

    The truth is out now. Anita¡¯s pretense is the height of it.

    Is she even his daughter? Are they lovers?

    Anita and I grew up together so that puts my assumption about them being lovers wrong. Most people call us twins. I thought it was because we were of the same height but now I see it isn¡¯t the height but the age.

    They must have thought we were the same age.

    Maybe not.

    I don¡¯t even know what else to do. The more I try to think or figure out more about why this is happening, the more confused I be and the more my head keeps spinning as I drive at a high speed.

    I need to let it all out tonight.

    I cried.

    I prayed.

    I got married and faked a pregnancy. I did all I could just to make my mother happy in herst days. I never knew it was all a facade.

    They wanted her dead so they came up with the idea of cancer while poisoning her slowly. If she died, I wouldn¡¯t have thought it was something else other than what she has been diagnosed with.

    A tear drops.

    A lone tear and alsoughter leaves my mouth.

    What an excellent way to kill someone!

    When Valerie told me that he wasn¡¯t my father while she was lying on the hospital bed, I thought she meant my mother cheated on him and that I have a different father. That was my understanding of the statement and it got me mad.

    I should have read through the lines.

    Valerie wouldn¡¯t have gone over to the house that morning if mother didn¡¯t call her. She always lets me know whenever she wants to visit my mother.

    I should have known.

    The truth res wickedly at me and I hit my fist on the steering, not bothering to reduce my speed.

    I want to get there as fast as I can. First to see if the house is back in its full wing and to see that father of mine.

    I wonder what he is thinking right now.

    After two turns and halts because of my overspeeding, I finally get to the mansion. Roughly, I drive into the gates and jump down. I race for the front door, without bothering to close my car door.

    I burst into the house and nauseation hit me again, followed by a wave of nostalgia as I see the very opposite of what I saw when I came here two hours ago to save my mother.

    The lights are not turned off. The chandeliers are shining brightly, streaming light to every corner of the house. The artistic paintings are back in their original position.

    A maid strolls past me. She halts when she sees me standing by the door with my jaws dropped.

    ¡°Mr. Lorenzo?¡± She peers at me and I see it is the head maid. She is in charge of the affairs of the house and she usually has the key to every room here. She is also in charge of locking all the doors when it is time to sleep.

    The bunch of keys is dangling in her hand.

    I take two long strides toward her. ¡°Where were you two hours ago?¡±

    I don¡¯t want to let the darkness consume me. It tried to consume me the moment I entered but I won¡¯t let it.

    My hands are shaking. More tears roll down my eyes. Not at the betrayal from my father but for the truth. The truth from Valerie.

    What she said was true. I used this against her. I told her the whole house couldn¡¯t be empty and my mom couldn¡¯t be in the third room. But the same thing happened today.

    But right now, it looks like it didn¡¯t happen and I was just hallucinating.

    I know I am not hallucinating. I saw it all. I noticed the emptiness. No one was around, not a single soul.

    She trembles when she sees the deadly look I throw her and she backs away.

    Quickly, I grab her by the neck and she falters. ¡°Where were you?¡±

    While backing away and hacking a cough, she replies. ¡°I was away. I just resumed work tonight. I was away.¡±

    How can I trust her? If she was away, then who was in charge?

    Remembering that I came here for my Dad, I let her go. The police will do their job tomorrow morning with the maids. They must confess what they did and where they went.

    I push past her before heading for the stairs. Before I can get up, Father appears in his sleeping silk shirt and pants.

    He indicates how surprised he is by spreading his arms out as he asks. ¡°Is everything ok? Why are you here by this time of the night?¡±

    I stand still.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± he takes another step toward me and I lose it all.

    I rush towards him and punch him right on his jaw, making me fall back. I climb over him and begin to punch him several times the more I remember everything he has done to me from childhood and also to my Mother.

    He has been so unfair. He treated us wrongly but Mother always defended him and made it look like he was doing his responsibility as a father.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    She loved him.

    ¡°What the hell have you done to my Mother?¡± I find myself shouting as I keep punching him and crying out my eyes.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, a familiar voice calls from behind, making my hand hang halfway from punching his teeth off. His face is already messy and he isn¡¯t trying to defend himself.

    I don¡¯t need a soothsayer to tell me who it is. But I still turn around slowly to see the maids around, watching with horror and Valerie appears with her hands together, pleading with me.

    The fact that she had to go through a tough time when she came here made me furious. She was almost killed by this monster. She had her head wrapped in bandages for weeks. She tried to save my Mother despite her condition.

    Out of the blues, I find myself being raised in the air. I look forward instantly, my heart beating twice its normal rate.

    ¡°Ryan!¡± Valerie screams at the top of her voice.

    I don¡¯t know what she wants me to do. I am up in the air and I can¡¯t even see what is taking me up.

    The hand holding me releases me instantly as another piercing scream escapes my woman¡¯s sweet mouth as I roll down the stairs with my father at the top of the stairs with a look of defeat.

    My head hits the stair as I continue to roll down till I get to thending and Valerie runs to my side.

    I want to tell her that I love her so much that it hurts. I want to tell her that I am sorry for not believing in her. I want to apologize for not trusting her. I want to apologize for putting her in danger.

    I want to hug and smell her fragrance. I want to hear her shout at me once again for not listening to her when she told me to calm down.

    But I can¡¯t do any of that.

    I can¡¯t even hear her anymore. Her mouth keeps moving but I can¡¯t hear a word.

    This is when it dawns on me that I have to die in ce of my Mother because this man won¡¯t stop until someone dies.

    The darkness from earlier finally envelops my existence.

 CHAPTER 85

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    He was blinded.

    At first, blinded by denial. Now he is blinded by rage.

    My sobs wake him up. I feel his hand moving and I quickly raise my head to see his eyes open. He isn¡¯t looking at me. He is staring at the ceiling while he is stillying on the hospital bed with an expression I can¡¯t ce.

    He is still as pale as ever.

    I thought I was going to lose him. The thought alone made me mad and full of sorrow.

    I was also ming myself. If I hadn¡¯t put everything to him that way, maybe this wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    If I hadn¡¯t said all those things which were painting his whole family as ck, maybe he wouldn¡¯t be filled with so much rage and hatred for the man he has called Father for more than two decades.

    I should have tread slowly and carefully with him. I should have stopped him from running out that night.

    What happened two nights ago broke my heart and also made me realize how attached I am to Ryan.

    I have realized how much he means to me. When I told my father that I can¡¯t leave him because I love him, I said that out of courtesy. I said that because I wanted to be a loyal wife to him. I never knew he meant the world to me.

    Now I know his worth. Now I know how lucky I am to have him.

    Having him unconscious for more than a day has made me realize that. It made me remember all the efforts he made just to win me over. All the efforts he made just to make his mother happy because we thought she was dying.

    It brought tears to my eyes.

    And I prayed for the very first time in years for God to bring him back to me.

    Who would have thought this thing between us would be real? If I was told I would fall head over heels for another man apart from Fred, I would have rejected it orughed mockingly at the person suggesting such a ridiculous thing.

    But now, it has happened.

    And I can¡¯t believe it.

    Abruptly, he shoots upright, dragging theforter I cedst night on his unconscious body away.

    Without sparing me a nce, he looks sideways and begins to search for something while I watch agape.

    He finds it.

    His phone.

    He begins to dial a number and I know what he wants to do. The anger is still very much present but I don¡¯t know if it is the guilt about how he treated me concerning this issue that is making him ignore me like I am not here.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, I call out, making my presence known and holding his hand to stop him from calling whoever it is he wants to call.

    He avoids my gaze but his breathing has be so heavy with anger.

    He just woke up after a long sleep and the first thing he wants to do is continue what he did that led him to be a patient in the hospital.

    He acts too irrationally for my liking.

    His mother is still in the hospital preparing for surgery because the poison affected an organ.

    He is in the same hospitalying down here because of the same person who almost killed his mother and he wants to keep up with the irrational behavior.

    Mr. Lorenzo isn¡¯t a fool. He knows what he is doing. He has been nning to do this for years. He won¡¯t give up just like that and he won¡¯t stay put just because Ryan finally knows the truth.

    I know the kind of person he is. Father eventually told me everything when he came to visit Ryan this morning. I didn¡¯t bother to ask him but he told me everything he knew about him.

    I know Ryan will be more pained if he gets to know the whole truth about his parents.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I demand softly, grazing my hand over his arm.

    He does not respond and does not stare at me.

    ¡°Ryan¡­.¡±

    ¡°Did you call the police?¡± his gaze finally rests on mine. His eyes are zing red in anger and the color is back to his face. It is not as pale as it was when he was asleep. But his lips are still white.

    ¡°No¡±, I reply, wondering why he is asking me such a question when he ought to be worried about other things.

    ¡°Then I am doing that¡±, he mumbles before he shifts his attention back to his phone.

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim in disbelief. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± I hold his hand again to stop him.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call the police so they could question every single soul in that house, then? Isn¡¯t that what the first thing you were supposed to do?¡± he retorts at me angrily and my jaws drop.

    ¡°What? Really?¡±

    He looks away.

    ¡°Is this what you are supposed to be worried about? I should have called the police instead of rushing you down here to the hospital, right? I should have watched you die because making the call to the police is a priority?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±, he affirms with confidence as he watches me with a cold re.

    I never thought we would be back to this stage. The stage of arguing back and forth about everything. I thought we have gone past that stage but I guess we can never outgrow the attitude.

    He always acts irrationally and it annoys me. On the other hand, I can¡¯t ignore his silly behaviors. I can¡¯t let him jeopardize his life and that of the mother who births him.

    ¡°You think rescuing me was the best decision? Do you think giving them more time after revealing the fact that I already know everything is the best? Do you think he will stop at that? What if he ckmails them into telling different stories? You should have called the police first so they can investigate all the domestic staff in the house, my father¡­¡±, he trails off, beads of sweat dripping off his forehead while I continue to stare in utter disbelief and amazement.

    Ryan will never cease to amaze me.

    He gulps with guilt shing across his expression before turning back to his phone. Surprisingly, he isn¡¯t dialing the number anymore.

    If I want to talk about his behavior, then I will me him for every single action he took right from when I told him Anita wasn¡¯t his sister. He acted rashly and that was so stupid of him.

    I didn¡¯t think of that stupid act before risking my life by taking a cab thatte to his parent¡¯s home just for me to stop him from doing what is unheard of.

    Not only did he reveal the fact that he knows almost everything now but he also had a fight with his Father.

    Not just a fight.

    He was beating up the man he has called father all his life. If there is anything else more stupid than this single act, then I really do not know what that is.

    I am tempted to spill it all out but I am refraining from doing so, to avoid annoying him further.

    ¡°I¡¯m calling the police, they should arrest everyone and have them interrogated¡±, he states and begins to dial the number.

    I do not say anything until he drops the phone. I am wondering why he isn¡¯t calling anymore until I see that his phone has suddenly gone off.

    Then I speak up. ¡°You act rashly sometimes that it tempts me to hit you.¡±

    He turns to me with a look of disbelief. I nod.

    ¡°I mean what I said, Ryan. You are so silly and obnoxious. This is the man you have always called Father, how could you raise your hands at him? Do you want to takews into your hands? Go shoot him then. I shouldn¡¯t have rescued you, right? Then shoot your brains out too. Your Mother is fighting for her life and all you can think about is how to pour out your anger. Do you think he will be quiet about this? Do you think he is as stupid as you are? Do you think he is going to remain calm after you openly made it known that he is responsible for your Mother¡¯s poisoning? You think¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut the fuck up and get out of here!¡± he shouts, cutting me from going further.

    I didn¡¯t care if he got extremely angry but I don¡¯t expect he will send me out.

    Why can¡¯t he just read between the lines?

    Did he just send me out of his room? Really? After spending two nights by his bedside, my reward is having myself thrown out.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    ¡°What did¡­¡±

    ¡°I said shut up and get out. I am stupid, aren¡¯t I? Then get out, you wise woman. You aren¡¯t in my shoes so you have no idea how I feel and you have no fucking right to tell me not to beat that man up. So get out!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I can¡¯t believe my mouth has been hanging open in extreme shock at his choice of words.

    I know I was harsh but that was done on purpose so he could understand my point. Now he is throwing me out when I have been so worried about him.

    I even cried because I thought I was going to lose him and will never have a chance to scold him for his stupid behavior.

    I gulp down my pride, pick up my phone from the bedside table, and give him ast look before heading toward the door.

    I should have left when I had the chance. The night he fell unconscious was the same night I told him we were done but I found myself running back to him because he wanted me with him at the hospital where his Mother was rushed to.

    I shouldn¡¯t have gone there. Maybe this won¡¯t be happening. Maybe he won¡¯t be so mad at me and his family members. Maybe he won¡¯t be this new man I am seeing in him.

    Even if I had gone there to give him my moral support and also told him about my discovery which led to all this, I shouldn¡¯t have spent two nights here because they are obviously unappreciated.

    If only I wasn¡¯t here when he woke up, then he wouldn¡¯t have the guts to throw me out.

    Maybe this is revenge for what I did.

    I did a lot.

    I broke up with him and ruined his family ties.

    I thought it didn¡¯t matter but now I know it is and I know my worth.

    Thinking he will stop me by the door, and apologize so I can still leave with my pride intact, I turn the doorknob but Ryan is silent.

    The room is so silent that a pin drop can be heard.

    With a sinking feeling, making my throat and heart hurt badly, I open the door and walk out, throwing to the winds whatever is toe after this.

 CHAPTER 86

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    When I woke up again, I see ady seated beside me. But it isn¡¯t her.

    It is Celina.

    And she has a bright smile on her face.

    My emotions are still all over the ce because of what happened between Dad and me and also Valerie.

    I wonder why I still call him Dad. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be called that. I don¡¯t even need to ask him the truth. I don¡¯t need to ask him if he is my Father because apparently, he isn¡¯t.

    I wonder how Celina got to know and why she is here.

    As if hearing my thought, she clears her throat and ces a hand on my arm. ¡°Your mom called me. How are you feeling now?¡±

    I do not reply.

    Valerie of all people should understand me. She doesn¡¯t. She always opposes every single thing I say or do and it is extremely annoying.

    She was acting like my Dad. The way he condemns everything I do and I couldn¡¯t help but let her out.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    I need to think about everything and let it sink in me that I really do not have a Father. My mom has a lot of questions to answer when she is fine.

    ¡°Erhmm, I hope you don¡¯t feel any pain?¡± she demands again but I do not respond. ¡°Why did you use this hospital instead of the family¡¯s hospital? I almost lost my way but¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you please keep quiet?¡± I cut her short in anger.

    I know I am just being aggressive but I do not care. Thest person I want here with me is her. I might still be very much mad at Valerie but her presence is much preferable.

    Why does she have to act like she has me wrapped around her fingers? Is there even a single thing I have done that she really appreciated and expressed it with words?

    Nothing.

    Absolute nothing!

    She has been of great help, no doubt but she is really annoying.

    ¡°Sorry¡±, Celina mutters under her breath before falling silent.

    Asking her to keep them shut was an indirect way of asking her out but she isn¡¯t getting it.

    ¡°I saw Fred with Valerie earlier, are they friends now?¡± she breaks the moment of silence and my thoughts with the question which jerks me back to reality.

    Fred?

    Did hee to the hospital? Did Valerie call him right after I sent her out? Did she do that to spite me or what?

    As much as I want to ask Celina what else she saw, I keep mute. After all, this is what she is good at.

    Speaking ill of Valerie. Or acting like we are more than friends so Valerie can get the wrong idea.

    I know Celina might be doing the same thing by bringing up the topic of Fred. She wants me to get the wrong idea and start to imagine Fred and Valerie being together and chatting like friends.

    I might not want to believe that but I know Valerie and I know what she is capable of.

    She will do anything to spite me or take her revenge back on me for what I did to her. Involving Fred is definitely the wrong move because I won¡¯t forgive her for that if the same mistake of kissing each other thest time happens again.

    I don¡¯t even know where we both stand at the moment but I am sure we both need our space. After all, she broke up with me two nights ago for a silly reason.

    I didn¡¯t ask her out because she broke up with me. I was just mad at her. I didn¡¯t want to end up shouting or arguing with her and I wanted to be alone to think things through.

    ¡°Fred and I are not on speaking terms anymore so I couldn¡¯t ask him why he came to visit a married woman but obviously they still have a thing for each other and I¡¯m sure you are still in the dark about all of that.¡±

    She pauses.

    I expect her to go on. I don¡¯t n to stop her. For two reasons.

    First, to hear all I need to hear.

    Secondly, I don¡¯t have the strength to tell her to shut the fuck up again.

    Suddenly, my stomach rumbles and our eyes meet. I look away in embarrassment.

    I don¡¯t know what time of the day it is and I can¡¯t remember thest time I ate but I am extremely hungry.

    ¡°Poor boy, are you hungry?¡± She teases me with a smile. ¡°I saw the food sk here when I came. I think your wife dropped it and left with her boyfriend.¡±

    I turn my eyes to the stool beside the table as she grabs the food sk.

    Valerie came back to drop off the food.

    My heart almost melted but I have no idea why my anger toward her is this intense. I am not supposed to be mad at her, she has been so helpful and caring.

    We will sort this out. Once I am out of here and Mother is safe to go home, we will sort out our differences.

    Before I can sit upright so I can eat, Celina scoops some of the food out on a te and my stomach grumbles again at the sight of it.

    With a smile stered on her face, she takes the spoon offering to feed me but I shake my head weakly and try to take the cutleries from her.

    ¡°Please, eat. I just want to be of help. I can see you are still weak¡±, she tells me with that usual innocent look on her face that gives people the wrong idea about who she really is.

    I am still weak. I have no idea what the doctor gave me. I only fell. Why am I still here in the hospital after two nights?

    She scoops some of the meal and stretches the spoon toward my mouth. Impulsively, I open my mouth and she begins to feed me.

    All of a sudden, I feel thirsty and I signal to her to help me with the water on the stool. She gets up from her chair, drops the food, and grabs a cup to pour in some water for me.

    Shees close to my bed and sits beside me, tilting my head so she can help me with the water.

    She refuses to let go of the cup so I can drink it myself. Giving up, I let her raise the cup to my open mouth and I gulp it all down.

    I expect her to stand up and go back to her seat so she can continue to feed me but she sits still, staring at me with loving eyes.

    ¡°Can you¡­¡±, I pause due to the creaking sound of the door.

    We both look towards the door to see Valeriee in. Shock skates her expression and I realize Celina is still sitting beside me on the hospital bed with her well-manicured hand on my head like a woman taking care of her husband.

    Before I can say anything to defend myself and stop her from having the wrong idea, she steps out and ms the door shut.

 CHAPTER 87

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    I can¡¯t breathe.

    There is a huge lump stuck in my throat, stopping me from breathing properly. I try to open my mouth and take in as much breath as I can and it works.

    Finally, I exhale, my nose stiff and cold.

    My breathing isn¡¯t steady. It is beating wildly and heavily within my rib cage in rage. My head is pounding so hard and my eyes brim with tears.

    I am not thinking about Ryan now. I am thinking about Fred. I am thinking about how Fred and I got separated and how I ended up being a wife to Ryan who is now obviously cheating on me with his first love.

    Fred and I got separated because he cheated on me with my best friend and the same thing is happening again but this time with a man I vowed to love months ago even though I didn¡¯t mean to keep to the vow.

    I shouldn¡¯t have fallen head over heels for him but how can I not when he always acts so sweet and tells me how much he loves me?

    This isn¡¯t part of the n but it happened anyway. Obviously, he didn¡¯t love me as much as I thought he did. He still wants her. It was Celina. He lied to me that he has no feelings for her anymore but he still does.

    She is a fucking hot blonde, how can he not be in love with her still?

    I am so stupid not to have known this. His Mother approves of her. He still likes her.

    He sent me out of his room just to amodate her. I thought he was joking when he asked me out but when he didn¡¯t call me back, I knew he wasn¡¯t joking. I thought his pride was getting in the way which was why he refused to call me back.

    I couldn¡¯t ignore him. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about him and his mother. I couldn¡¯t stop worrying about their health and safety and that made me go there again.

    This is devastating.

    My heart is broken.

    I find myself breathing harder with each passing second, making my anger get heightened.

    I sit up in bed and ce my head in between my thighs. I shouldn¡¯t be affected by this. I shouldn¡¯t let him get to me.

    I deserve this, don¡¯t I? Is this why he is doing this to me? Was it because I was harsh to him right from the start? Has he been nning to take his revenge on me all this while?

    With my head spinning, I roll back onto the bed. Just then, a knockes on the door.

    I do not respond to the knock because I am so sure it is mom. I told her on my way up that I needed to be alone. I told her that so she wouldn¡¯t disturb me but I know she won¡¯t listen. Her curiosity won¡¯t let her be and she is here to interrogate me to know what happened between Ryan and me.

    The knock persists until I be irritated and grab a pillow to bury my face in the bed and to stop me from hearing the annoying sound of the door.

    Before then, another loud knockes and a male voice.

    A familiar one.

    Ryan?

    I find myself sitting upright again with the pillow in my right hand and my heart thumping wildly in my rib cage.

    Ryan came all the way here this night?

    ¡°Val, please open the door¡±, I hear him say loudly.

    Did he get discharged already? Why is he here? To tell me that what I saw was nothing? To tell me that there is nothing between him and Celina just like he has been iming, yet he sent me out and let her stay.

    That bitch was feeding him.

    ¡°Val¡­¡±, he pauses, as if thinking of the right word to say to me so I can allow him in.

    A rush of adrenaline spines down and I find myself tossing the pillow away and walking to the door. I throw it open to see him talking in low tones with my Mother.

    The sound of the door makes them stop and they both turn to look at me.

    I wanted to ask him to leave me alone. I wanted to tell him to go back to his sweet Celina and forget about me but the fact that my mom is here won¡¯t make me say a word.

    I don¡¯t intend to let her know what is going on between us. She has known enough.

    ¡°I will excuse you two¡±, she mutters with a half smile at me before turning on her heels back to the stairwell.

    With arms akimbo, I let my gaze shift back to the man before me. He is wearing one of his usual home shirts and trousers and I wonder why he left the hospital in the first ce.

    The doctor wouldn¡¯t have discharged him sote.

    ¡°Hey¡±, he tries to touch me as he takes a step towards me. Flinching in irritation, I step back, making his hands drop and a look of disappointment sh across his expression. ¡°Babe, it¡¯s not what you think.¡±

    I want to scream.

    But I can not.

    Mother might still be close by, trying to see if she can eavesdrop on our conversation.

    I close my eyes to calm my nerves and stop myself from acting rashly.

    ¡°Val.¡±

    ¡°You sent me out of your room, remember?¡± I find myself saying in a low tone. ¡°What does that say, Ryan? You don¡¯t know that it means a lot? It means you don¡¯t want to ever see me again because I am annoying. It means you hate me. It means a lot. But you let her stay. You let her sit beside you. You let her feed you, yet you want to im there is absolutely nothing between you two?¡±

    I raise a suspicious brow at him as he sighs, raking his right hand into his hair while the other hand stays inside his pocket.

    His posture annoys the shit out of me. I don¡¯t want to see him at the moment. Seeing him isn¡¯t doing any good in calming me down.

    ¡°It. Is. Not. What. You. Think!¡± he says between gritted teeth, as he faces me squarely. ¡°There is nothing between us.¡±

    I nod, my arms folded now. ¡°I see.¡±

    Silence falls between us.

    He is breathing heavily while mine is a bit calm now.

    ¡°What were you doing with Fred too?¡± he questions, jerking me back to life as I frown lightly, trying to figure out what he means.

    He notices my confusion. ¡°You were with Fred, weren¡¯t you? What were you discussing with him? When did you two be friends again?¡±

    I can¡¯t help the snort thates out of my mouth.

    Really?

    So this is it. He came here for this.

    ¡°I see your informant must have told you something new¡±, I reply nonchntly. There is absolutely nothing there for me to deny. He can believe whatever he wants to. ¡°Did she tell you that so you could make her stay?¡±

    I am hurt beyond measure. He isn¡¯t making any effort to make me feel better.

    He is a jerk.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t about Celina, Val. Just answer the damn question!¡±

    ¡°Ryan¡±, I am finding it hard to take it in now. ¡°If you raise your voice at me one more time, I am going to throw you out¡­¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± he looks mad. ¡°The same way I threw you out a few days ago? This is about taking revenge for every single thing I did to you, right? I should have known¡±, he spurns around before stopping right in front of me, staring down at his feet.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Were you with Fred or not?¡± he asks again, staring back at one with intense eyes that seem like they could read through me to get the answer.

    I find this amusing.

    He is not just here to clear up the misunderstanding about how I found him and his first love in apromising position but also here to know if I did the same thing he was doing.

    ¡°Why are you bothered about that?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± he exims in utter disbelief at my question. ¡°Why am I bothered? You are my¡­¡±

    ¡°We are done, aren¡¯t we?¡± I interrupt him from going further because I know what he is about to say next. ¡°Aren¡¯t we, Ryan? If we aren¡¯t, then you wouldn¡¯t have thrown me out the way you did.¡±

    His jaws drop open slowly. He blinks several times before folding his arms around his bosom, his mouth still slightly open in amazement.

    He thinks so badly of me. He doesn¡¯t trust me. How then can this work?

    He nods.

    I am thinking he will keep on arguing about Celina and Fred and also try to justify his actions for throwing me out but he isn¡¯t.

    A part of me is d that we are done with this conversation and a part is disappointed.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t havee, then¡±, he mentions, more to himself as he keeps nodding like a lizard. He gazes up at me. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t havee here. Forgive me, will you?¡±

    With that said, he turns back and begins to go down the same way my Mother took a few minutes ago without turning back to give me ast look or any apology for his misbehavior.

 CHAPTER 88

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    She was right again.

    Calling the police on him, having them interrogate him and every one of the domestic staff was useless.

    The investigation went on for just a day and everything died down. They imed to have found no evidence to back up my im that Mother was indeed poisoned and left to die alone in that house.

    No one believes my story. They aren¡¯t even considering my status.

    They believed Father over me. He presented them with a record of her medical history. That did the trick and theypletely stoppeding to the house and the chapter was closed in two days.

    Everything annoys me.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    This has been a n right from the onset. How could I have not seen this? How could Mother not have seen thising? Did she? Did she choose to ignore it? Did she know she wasn¡¯t really sick with cancer? Did she know how much of a monster her husband is? Did she know that Anita isn¡¯t hers?

    If she knows all about this, then why didn¡¯t she confide in me? Why did she make me believe that being on the same page with him and not arguing all the time like rivals was always the best?

    Who is my real Father?

    I sit watching him act nonchnt. Piling up some files on the table and dropping them carefully inside the drawer before locking the drawer with a key. He takes out a wallet and drops the keys inside.

    I don¡¯t know what to say or how to start a conversation with him after everything.

    He is not my Father and we both beat each other up the other day. He is attempting to kill my Mother. These are all the crimes he has to pay for.

    Plus, he is using Anita to realize his aim of killing my Mother. Anita is his real daughter and he is already teaching her how to be a murderer.

    Should I be d that he isn¡¯t my Father? If he was, maybe I would have inherited the gene of killing and I would be as cruel as a devil.

    ¡°How may I help you, gentleman?¡± he speaks up without sparing me a nce. He is holding a pen now while looking over a green file.

    I wonder if he is really busy or doing this on purpose.

    I don¡¯t know how to start. Why am I even here? To know why he wants to kill her? To know why he is using Anita? To know why he isn¡¯t my Father?

    Anita isn¡¯t picking up any of her calls. I haven¡¯t seen her since that night we had dinner together and I wonder where she is.

    I am not allowed into the mansion anymore so I can¡¯t say if she is in there or back at her supposed school.

    I clear my throat and gulp down the thing stuck in my throat stopping me from having a mature conversation with him.

    ¡°You are not my Father, are you?¡± This is the first thing thates out of my mouth. I don¡¯t know why this has to be the first and I don¡¯t even care. I just don¡¯t like the way it came out like I am pleading with him to deny the fact that he isn¡¯t.

    Amusement fills his expression as he raises his head up to lock eyes with me. I am thinking he will say a sharp no then turn back to his work and ignore me like I don¡¯t exist or even ask me out but instead, he begins tough like a maniac.

    ¡°Why are youughing?!¡± My voice is a bit harsh. I am irritated by his response. Fortunately, that makes him stopughing.

    ¡°If that is all you came for, you can leave now. You know the truth already¡­¡±

    ¡°What truth?!¡± I retort back sharply like that statement was expected. Well, it was expected. I knew he would end up throwing me out. We¡¯ve always been like this; arguing all the time and asking each other out. ¡°The truth about you not being my Father? Or about you trying to poison the woman you call your wife? Or the truth about you having Anita as an aplice? What is the truth? Tell me!¡±

    ¡°Impressive!¡± he mutters with a p. He looks really impressed with his eyes shining brightly with twinkles of amusement. ¡°You know it all so get out!¡±

    ¡°I am not here for that shit, why aren¡¯t you letting me into the house? It¡¯s my Mother¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Did your Mother tell you the house is hers or mine?¡± he cuts me short, making me furrow my brows in confusion.

    ¡°The house is mine and I chose who stays or who leaves, ok?¡± he peers down at me.

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim in total disbelief. ¡°Are you throwing her out?¡±

    ¡°When you are done with your interrogations, use the door¡±, he dismisses me by shifting his gaze back to the file he was previously working on before I stopped him with my conversation.

    I stare with my mouth agape at the cruel man before me. I knew he was cruel quite alright but I never knew he was this heartless. He is indeed a monster and I hate him with everything in me.

    He has done enough harm.

    I know we ought to go our separate ways now, especially now that Mother is safe after the surgery but I can¡¯t help but feel bad for not doing anything to hurt him back in return for what he has done to me.

    To us.

    He deserves to be locked up in prison for life.

    As if hearing my thoughts, he looks up, smirks and throws me a flirtatious wink. ¡°Don¡¯t get too curious. You can¡¯t do anything to me, ok? The earlier you stop wasting your efforts over this case, the better.¡±

    ¡°Finally, you admit¡±, I mumble with a smile. ¡°Now you admit you are indeed guilty of all the crimes. Valerie was right after all. She is never wrong. Howe I never saw this before now? That monstrous part of you and¡­¡±

    ¡°The monstrous one is your Mother. Ask her why I did all of that, I¡¯m sure she will be able to satisfy your stupid curiosity. And as for that woman of yours, I have nothing to say.¡±

    He looks away while I watch fuming in anger. I want to say more but it will do no good letting out my anger at the moment.

    He is a monster and I need to get to the root of this. First, I need to know why he did all of these and then find solid evidence to back up my im about him being Mother¡¯s attempted murderer.

    This means I still need Valerie. I can¡¯t find any evidence without her. She is a victim and that is good but finding something else to supplement it would be good.

    She might be headstrong but I still love her. Mother and I need her now more than ever. She sacrificed her life for me and Mother and this is enough to make me forgive her over and over again for always saying the wrong words at me or annoying the shit out of me.

    Finally, conceding to the fact that I do not have a Father, I rise up abruptly and begin to walk to the door without a word.

    ¡°See you around, son¡±, he says with a tone of amusement. I know this is meant to irk me. He is seeding but I won¡¯t fall for his trap once again. In fact, I do not wish to ever set my eyes on him again until I find evidence to throw him in jail.

    ¡°Goodbye, Monster¡±, I say without looking back as I take the exit out and m the door shut angrily.

 CHAPTER 89

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    mming my fists on the steering, I let out a growl of frustration as my head drops to the wheel.

    I hate him with all my being.

    I hate him for pretending to be my father all these years. I hate him for everything.

    After letting out several puffs to calm my nerves, I finally step down from the car. I close it back and walk straight into the hospital.

    I wonder when Mother will be finally discharged. Even if he wanted her back into the mansion, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed it. I have ns of keeping her with me till everything is resolved.

    After making ns to keep her in my house, I was a little scared she might want to go back home but now that he is throwing her out, it will work to my benefit. I can never let her take him again and I need to know what exactly is happening and why all of this happened.

    After all, he asked me to demand questions about this from her. I only hope she answers me this time and does not lie to me.

    I step into the ward and open the door to her room. The first thing I see makes me halt in my tracks.

    The back of a woman.

    If I had never seen her in these

    clothes, I would have thought it was Celina again because I never thought she wouldn¡¯te to check up on Mom ever again because of her anger.

    The sound of the door opening must have alerted them both because she turns back immediately to meet my gaze. Mother has a light smile on her face like they have been discussing something funny about me behind my back.

    That amusement in her expression says it all.

    Abruptly, she rises from the chair.

    She is wearing a pleated two-tone knitted white and red mini dress and carrying a red leather bag. She has golden red stud earrings on and leather sandals.

    Her dress makes me raise a brow, tempted to question where she is headed or where she ising from.

    We have had our fair share of arguments and disagreements but that doesn¡¯t stop me from admiring and respecting her so much. I can¡¯t deny that she gets me really upset sometimes but her absence makes me miss her and know her worth more than anything else.

    If we keep up with this, then our marriage might not work out but I want it to work. Father must have thought it won¡¯t work out but I am sure it will.

    I guess the bulk of this lies in my hand. If Valerie isn¡¯t ready to back down and let go of some of her silly attitude for us to work, I will. This is how much I love and miss her. I will learn to overlook a lot of things about her behavior and I will learn to always apologize for my mistakes.

    I just hope she realizes all of this and does her part.

    ¡°Ryan¡± Mother calls, her voice a bit louder than ever before. I close the door behind me with a little smile ying on my lips as I approach them.

    Valerie looks like she is about to leave but I don¡¯t know if she will since Mother doesn¡¯t know about our fight.

    ¡°I should go now¡±, she turns back to peck Mother on the forehead as I stop behind her with folded arms.

    ¡°Why?¡± I question with my brows furrowed.

    This means she must have told Mother about our fight.

    ¡°I need to go back home now, I¡¯ve been out all morning and I don¡¯t want to get Mom worried about me¡±, she replies calmly, making me more confused.

    She just talked about going home, not my home which means Mother knows she is no longer staying with me.

    ¡°Valerie, sit. I want to talk to you both¡±, My mom utters indifferently, as if hearing my thoughts.

    Valerie sits back immediately and I go to the other side to grab a chair to sit on as well. While staring at her beautifully made-up face, I wondered where she went.

    Valerie is definitely not one to go back to her vomit. She would never go back to Fred and I wonder why the hell I believed Celina. I knew she did that to make me mad but I still went ahead to use Valerie.

    If Valerie still wanted Fred, she wouldn¡¯t have married me. She stopped loving him long ago, why then should I keep bothering myself about him being a threat to our marriage?

    ¡°Valerie¡±, she takes a hold of her hand still smiling. Valerie smiles back and it melts something in me. I realize just how much I miss seeing her smile orugh. ¡°I want you two to sort out your differences as soon as possible. The earlier, the better. If this keeps up for a long time, it will be too hard to resolve. Please forgive Ryan for whatever he must have done to hurt him. Please forgive him for my sake, ok?¡±

    She shakes her head.

    Now I am so sure she must have told Mom something.

    Why is she shaking her head, though? Has she given up on us? I was beginning to get excited that there is a third party to help us resolve our differences since we seem not to understand each other again. Why is she shaking her head, then?

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at him anymore, Mom¡±, she squeezes my Mom¡¯s hand reassuringly and I smile with my head down. ¡°It¡¯s just that I need space.¡±

    My face falls and I hoist my head up immediately.

    Our eyes meet.

    ¡°I need a bit of space to know if this is going to work or not. I can¡¯t be with a man that doesn¡¯t trust me. I can¡¯t be with a man that doesn¡¯t believe every word I say. Ryan¡¯s recent actions have shown me that he doesn¡¯t trust or believe me. He sees me as a liar and an unfaithful¡­¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I cut in sharply. ¡°I never called you that.¡±

    ¡°Your actions did, Ryan¡±, she retorts back quickly, as if expecting that outburst from me. ¡°Your actions did. I never lied to you and I have never been with any man since our marriage, except of course that stupid picture of Fred and I which you saw. I would never do anything to hurt you purposely but you don¡¯t seem to see beyond the first impression you made of me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie, Val. I don¡¯t see you as any of that. I love you so it¡¯s a little normal for me to act jealous if¡­.¡±

    ¡°Jealous? You weren¡¯t acting jealous, you were using me of sleeping with my ex.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim loudly. ¡°Of course not. I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t, why then did you believe Celina over me?¡± Pain shes across her expression and I know I have hurt her. Suddenly, I feel like apologizing again and stop the argument.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You did.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, I finally apologize. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t meet with Fred that day. I haven¡¯t seen it since the other time¡±, she utters slowly. ¡°I also got the wrong idea when I saw her with you, on your bed, feeding you. I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    That sounds like a question to me.

    I look down and smile at myself.

    Remembering that we are in the presence of Mom, I gaze up to meet her smiling down at me before shifting her attention to Valerie.

    She stretches out her hand for me to take and I do so. ¡°This is what makes a great couple, you know?¡±

    Without any more words, she brought Valerie¡¯s hand closer and entwines it with mine. ¡°You barely knew each other before getting married. It takes a lot to know each other within a space of half a year so I guess you two are still getting to know each other better. Give room for more to learn about yourself. ept each other¡¯s shorings and ws and know that there are certain things you both have to work on to make this work. First, you have to admit some of your shorings and then try to adjust. That makes you better.¡±

    Silence ensues.

    Valerie isn¡¯t looking at me and I guess she is still upset about everything. Suddenly, Mother sighs deeply and lets go of our hands. Valerie pulls away.

    With my gaze fixated on Mother, I know she is thinking about him. That monster she called a husband.

    The sudden anger I am beginning to feel again is reminding me about the questions I have for her but I wonder if this is the right time.

    Before I can decide on whether to ask her now or when Valerie is gone, the ringing sound of a phone pierces the silence of the room.

    It is Valerie¡¯s phone. It must be her mom because of how she stands up to go again. Maybe her mom is worried that she isn¡¯t home yet.

    Instead of bading Mom and me goodbye, she picks up the call and glues the phone to her ears.

    ¡°Mom?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    I was right.

    A gasp leaves her mouth immediately and I almost shoot to my feet in fear of what must have happened this time again.

    That monster is still out there, walking freely instead of being locked up like the criminal that he is.

    So no one is safe.

    ¡°What?!¡± her phone crashes to the floor as she exims. I jump up from my seat and rush to grab her before she can fall.

    ¡°My dad¡±, she mumbles before falling to the ground despite my hold on her.

 CHAPTER 90

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    I knew it.

    I knew this would happen but I never thought it was going to be my Dad. I never thought he was going toe for my Father instead of me.

    I have been envisioning how he wille for me again and I know this time, he won¡¯t spare me. I got spared the first time probably because he thought I was dumb and I would never figure out what happened or it was because he thought I was already dead which I doubt so much.

    How did he get into the house without the security¡¯s knowledge? Is my Dad going to survive it this time?

    Words fail me as well as tears as Ryan drives at a very high speed to the hospital Mother said she rushed him too.

    Where was my Mom? What is the rtionship they have? Why did hee for my Dad? Is it because of me or it is because Dad knows a lot and he is afraid he will spill the beans?

    The moment the car stops, jerking me out of my reverie, I rush out before Ryan coulde down from the car. His Mother wanted toe with us but we insisted that she stayed back.

    I run inside to meet Mother halfway.

    ¡°Mom?¡± I run into her arms. When I pull away, she has a smile on her face. A wave of relief washes through me at that moment.

    I almost thought he was going to die. It took me a whole lot of courage to regain my strength and follow Ryan all the way here because I thought he had killed him.

    ¡°He is fine, right?¡± I ask her to be sure and she nods, tears rolling down her face amidst her smiles.

    ¡°Where was he shot?¡± Ryan asks her.

    ¡°On his chest. The doctor said he has to be operated on immediately to remove the bullet. Let¡¯s keep praying that he survives this.¡±

    I don¡¯t know how or where it came from but I find myself breaking down eventually. Not in fear but in relief that he is fine.

    I was already ming myself for jeopardizing their lives. He warned me not to get too involved but I didn¡¯t listen. I was ming myself for not listening to him but a part of me feels like this happened because of that thing unknown to us which is between both men.

    I believe there is more to what he told me about Mr. Lorenzo.

    There is more to this.

    A strong pair of arms hold me from behind and I twirl round to see Ryan opening his arms for me toe in.

    I hug him without hesitation, my sobs louder and my tears increasing.

    God knows how many times we have had to frequent the hospital these past few months.

    Ryan rubs his other hand over my back in a soothing manner. It isforting but I find myself still crying.

    I was so scared. I don¡¯t want to lose him. He doesn¡¯t deserve to die.

    He deserves to get back all he lost. He is a good man and I love him.

    Remembering that I haven¡¯t asked Mom about what happened and how it happened, I disengage from the hug and turn back to Mother who was cleaning her tears with a tissue.

    Ryan beats me to it. He takes a hold of my Mom¡¯s hand and questions calmly. ¡°What happened?¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who came in but I heard a gunshot when I was in the kitchen. By the time I ran to where I heard the shot, he was already in a pool of his own blood¡±, she replies, her eyes red from crying too much. She sniffles and continues. ¡°I left him just for a minute to get his lunch and that happened. I was so scared. I didn¡¯t know what to do. The security guard at the gate was nowhere to be found and I suspect him to be¡­¡±

    ¡°He is not the real killer, Mom¡±, I chip in quickly with arms akimbo after drying my tears. More are still threatening toe but I don¡¯t want to cry anymore. Since he is fine, the next thing to do is to find out how it happened and get evidence to nail him down.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ryan demands from me as they both turn to me with curious-filled expressions.

    Hesitating voicing out my thought, I stare at Ryan, wondering what he will think of this too. I always use his Father and he always takes it the wrong way until an evidence shows up.

    ¡°Tell me¡±, he insists, touching me softly to persuade me to talk as though he knows what exactly is on my mind.

    ¡°I believe your Father is the real culprit and I believe the security guard was there as a spy and he went there because of me¡­¡±

    ¡°First, he is not my Father¡±, he almost barks at me in annoyance. ¡°Second of all, how can you be so sure he went there because of you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he went there because of me actually or he went there because of the rtionship they had.¡±

    ¡°Then how did you know he is the one? You can¡¯t tell that to the police without a solid backup, or can you?¡±

    I remain silent, thinking of how to tell him.

    The silence continues for a long time before I finally break it with a short cough to clear my throat. ¡°Actually, I believe there should be evidence¡­¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± his face beams in delight. ¡°Where?¡±

    I bite my lower lips, unsure about this whole thing. What if the camera has been tampered with?

    I installed a small camera in my parent¡¯s room and also mine. I didn¡¯t install the camera in their room because I thought this would happen, I only did that because I thought there was more Father wasn¡¯t telling me and I wanted to get it all out.

    I installed the camera in my room because I was suspicious about himing for me. I just did that just for the fun of it because I wasn¡¯t sure what exactly was going through his head; whether toe in to get me or wait till I decide to go out so he can take advantage and kidnap me to finally get rid of me.

    ¡°Val, where is this evidence? If the evidence is intact, then this whole case will take a new turn. If it isn¡¯t, we are back to square one. You need to talk so we can get it as soon as possible.¡±

    I smile at Mom. ¡°I will be right back, Mom. Will you be fine alone?¡±

    She nods intermittently, waving Ryan and me away without any questions. Surprisingly,  she isn¡¯t even curious to know what the evidence is and where it is.

    I take hold of Ryan as we step out of the hospital. I am d he isn¡¯t pressurizing him into telling him anything about the evidence yet.

    As soon as we are seated right in his car, he turns to me and I know I need to satisfy his curiosity first.

    ¡°What did you do, Val?¡±

    I roll my eyes in annoyance. ¡°I did nothing.¡±

    ¡°What is this evidence you are talking about then?¡± he asks again, his left arm on the steering wheel and the other holding my left hand.

    I let out a loud puff, shut my eyes, inhale deeply, and finally exhale before opening my eyes back to meet his intense curious gaze. ¡°It¡¯s a camera and I installed it inside my room and Dad¡¯s.¡±

    His mouth drops open in shock as he exims. ¡°What? A camera?¡±

    I nod gingerly with mixed feelings.

 CHAPTER 91

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    The nces I was stealing at her did not make me realize we were being followed until I turned the next corner and saw the ck big van behind us trailing us from a distance.

    Intentionally, I took another turn to see if the van would follow or not and they did follow us at a safe distance, to avoid arousing my suspicion.

    Valerie is sitting next to me while I am driving. She is slumped in the seat looking exhausted, probably from too much crying or the information that my supposed Father tried to hurt her Dad.

    She saw thising and this was the reason why I was stealing nces at her.

    It was in admiration for her intelligence. She is beautiful whether exhausted or not and it makes me think of where we are in our rtionship at the moment.

    I thought we would resolve everything tonight since Mother already brought the issue up but that will no longer be possible because of what happened.

    What I have to be worried about now is the men trailing us.

    We are going to her parents¡¯ mansion to get the cameras she installed in her room and her parent¡¯s room but we can¡¯t do that with these men behind us.

    I curse under my breath as I continue following the right path to her parent¡¯s home. I was thinking of going straight to the police station so they can stop following us but I don¡¯t want to risk it. We need to get the camera out as soon as we can. They might have figured out we have evidence or maybe heard it when Valerie said it out at the hospital reception.

    My Father must have imnted lots of spies around the hospital.

    I wonder why I still call him Father.

    Without hesitation, I tap Valerie up from her daydream. She sits up with a sigh and I wonder what is inside that head of hers.

    Thankful that these people aren¡¯t trying to catch up with us, I continue with the normal speed. This means they just want to trail us to wherever we are going. They aren¡¯t here to kill us yet.

    ¡°Call your mom. Tell her to call the police she said your Father is friends with.¡±

    Valerie¡¯s eyes widen in shock. ¡°What happened?!¡± she exims with panic, skating her expression.

    ¡°Nothing. I just want them to be safe. I will only be rest assured if there is someone there to protect them in case something happens¡­¡±

    ¡°What will happen?¡± she demands urgently, her eyes still wide open while I ponder within me whether to tell her we are being followed or not.

    I¡¯m just scared that her parents aren¡¯t safe now that they know we areing from the hospital.

    ¡°Do as I say, woman¡±, I snap at her, then take an unexpected turn, increasing my speed to lose them.

    She obeys me surprisingly but bes agitated with my speeding. She looks back with her phone glued to her right ear. When she stares ahead without a word, I know she didn¡¯t figure out we are being followed yet.

    I take another turn which isn¡¯t the usual route to her parent¡¯s home as she speaks to her Mother on the phone and another till I am so sure we have lost them.

    I heave a deep sigh of relief, then turn to meet her staring at me suspiciously.

    ¡°What was that all about?¡± she inquires with a deep frown on her face.

    I turn away, looking straight ahead with a serious expression. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°That strange behavior, the unusual speeding, and the snapping¡±, she adds, making me wonder if she is just worried or majorly bothered about my snapping.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡±, I say as I get close to the gate. I stop immediately we are in front of the gate and Valerie goes down to open it for me.

    The guard is nowhere to be found. He has fled.

    I drive in and we both close the gate before going inside. My pace is a bit faster because I want us to get it done before those fools realize we fooled them and thene here to find us.

    We go upstairs in silence. When we get to the rooms, I speak up. ¡°Get the camera in your room while I get the one from your parents¡¯ room.¡±

    ¡°No. Let¡¯s do it together. Besides, you don¡¯t know where the camera was installed ¡±, she disagrees with my n not knowing the reason behind it.

    Arguing with her will be a waste of time so I nod hurriedly. ¡°Let¡¯s get the one in your Father¡¯s room then.¡±

    She nods and leads the way. She unlocks the door and we enter. I look around until my gaze falls on the big cab above the bed. Something is hanging below the cab and I am about to tell her the camera is there when she makes another turn in the opposite direction, drags a stool, and climbs on it to get the camera hidden from view.

    Wow!

    Before she can get it done with, I hear a loud gunshot and my heart skips a beat, knowing full well what that means.

    Shit! I curse as Valerie almost loses her footing because of how she panicked and turns back in fear. I grab her and the camera is quietlyying in between her palms.

    There is no time to get the other camera. This is the real evidence. We should get out of here.

    Before I can help her up, the shots be louder and closer.

    ¡°What the hell is happening, Ryan?¡± she flinches from my touch with a deadly re of you-knew-this-would-happen-look.

    ¡°We need to go now. There is no time¡­¡±

    ¡°No time? You knew we were being followed and you didn¡¯t deem it fit to tell me?¡± she shouts at me.

    ¡°What good will telling you about it do?¡± I shout back.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t havee here today, we should have just¡­¡±

    ¡°You think we will meet the cameras here if we had skippeding today because of them? Do you think we will meet them intact if wee tomorrow? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. They are obviously here for these reasons because they must have overheard our conversation from the hospital¡­¡±

    ¡°How?¡± She interrupts me. ¡°How did they get us? Are you bugged or something?¡± she furrows her brow, making me look down at my outfit.

    Am I bugged?

    Another shot rings out, making me grab her hand instantly.

    Whether bugged or not, we need to get out of here first.

    ¡°You need to get out of these clothes if you are bugged¡­¡±

    ¡°Is there a back door? We need to go out but not through the front door?¡± I cut her short, as I begin to peel off my clothes without any further argument.

    Left in just my pants, I spread my arms out and shrug. She res at me coldly, turns back and before I know it, she throws a big pair of trousers towards me and a shirt. Before I can manage to put them on, we hear a sound on the door and she grabs my hand.

    With the new trousers and shirt managing to remain in my hand, we make for another door; her parent¡¯s bathroom. When we are inside the spacious bathroom, she moves close to another door and uses a tiny nail to unscrew the door while I wait in impatience looking back asionally in fear that we will get caught.

    We won¡¯t be spared. Same with the camera. It will be ruined never to be seen again.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    Unfortunately, we didn¡¯t tell Mrs. Adams that we wereing here for the camera. If something happens to Valerie and me, there is no way in the world that she would get to know what the evidence was about and why we came here.

    We need to make it out alive.

    Out of the blue, the door is plunged open and I realize she is holding my hand again, this time more tightly. She goes out through the door and from outside, she fixes the door back to its position.

    I am already breathing heavily, waiting for her to get it done so we can flee.

    She spins around, her expression deadly and serious, making me realize she is trying to hide something.

    I yank the ck cloth hiding the object to see what it is.

    A ck shiny gun.

    My jaws drop open and I stagger back in awe.

    Before letting it sink in or even questioning how she got it or if she knows how to use it, she hits my bare chest to jerk me back to life.

    I blink, still staring at her with my mouth agape.

    She goes behind to push me forward toward the open wilderness and we begin to run to nowhere in particr.

 CHAPTER 92

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Realizing that I left my phone in Ryan¡¯s car is one great mistake I have made today. If only I wasn¡¯t so bent on questioning Ryan after making the call to Mom, maybe I wouldn¡¯t have kept it in the car.

    The more I think about what would happen to my phone, the more I want to start all over again with my questions of why he didn¡¯t tell me we were being followed but I see no good in doing that.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    The deed is done already. I just hope those idiots won¡¯t get their hands on it.

    Ryan on the other hand was prepared for this rush. I never had a reason to use the back door of my parent¡¯s room but I discovered it when I was little. I have no idea why that door is there and why it leads to a bushy area like this.

    It took almost an hour before we could get to the main road and get a cab. I don¡¯t know the address Ryan is giving the cab man but I hop in with him nevertheless.

    I sitfortably, letting my weak limbs get rxed from today¡¯s stress. I haven¡¯t had any rest since I left home this morning. I was bored at home so I had to start checking out job vacancies for my course of study.

    I applied for two and I was invited for an interview today. I don¡¯t know if I did well or not but I hope to get the job.

    I don¡¯t know if the mansion will remain the same now that those thugs are in there. Mom and I as well as Dad can¡¯t go to the house at the moment.

    After making sure that the police friend had asked some of his men to guard my Dad at the hospital, I made sure Ryan did the same for his mother.

    At first, he was nonchnt about it and I wonder if something is guarding her there. It looks like it.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me where we are going?¡± His breath fans my ears, making me open my eyes to see his face a few inches away from mine.

    He is fully clothed now.

    ¡°No¡±, I replied indifferently.

    Actually, I am not curious about where we are going, but I am supposed to be curious, right?

    ¡°Wow! This is so unlike my wife. The Valerie I know would have bombarded me with thousands of questions about where I am taking her to or still arguing with me about not telling her¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hold grudges, Ryan¡±, I cut him short, opening my eyes again with my arms folded around my bosom.

    ¡°Not anymore¡±, he grins, making me wonder what he finds funny in this situation.

    We just narrowly escaped death and I am scared shit for our parents. I ignore him. I don¡¯t have time to bicker words with him when I have other things to be worried about.

    He sighs deeply and silence ensues.

    Suddenly, the cab driver turns on the FM, and loud music sted from his board.

    I open my eyes and groan in irritation. He is interrupting my meditation but I can¡¯tin. Ryan notices my difort and then tells him to reduce the volume of the FM which he does with an apology.

    I spare him a nce and catch him staring. Quickly, I avert my gaze away from him and he chuckles.

    ¡°I am more worried than you are, Val. I¡¯m just trying to hide it. I wonder what more harm this man would do¡±, he utters firmly, adjusting the big shirt he has on. It belongs to my Dad and I was trying so hard earlier not tough at how he looked.

    Despite the situation, now it seems impossible not tough.

    ¡°I still can¡¯t wrap my head around everything happening. Everything is happening so fast that it feels like I am dreaming or something.¡±

    If I was in his shoes too, I would think I was in a dreand too.

    I seriously understand how it feels to be kept in the dark for years. I understand how it feels for him to feel Fatherly love from a man who isn¡¯t his biological. I believe I know what it feels like to wake up one day and realize the man you have known all your life as your Father isn¡¯t your Father.

    I wish I can tell him this. At least to console him. Or make him feel he isn¡¯t alone but words fail me.

    I suddenly feel the urge to lighten the mood. If I had known this was what he was dreading; this discussion, I would have let him keep up with teasing me.

    ¡°You look so big in that outfit, you know?¡± I smile lightly. ¡°It reminds me of my childhood and how big my Dad¡¯s clothes used to look on him. But funnily, those days, he was cute in the big clothes but I don¡¯t find you cute at the moment. You look ridiculous.¡±

    He doesn¡¯tugh. He is just watching me with his mouth parted lightly.

    ¡°Is that a joke?¡± he demands and I roll my eyes dramatically. I guess that came out wrong.

    Heughs and then raises the hem of the shirt from the shoulder which makes meugh too.

    Silence falls again till we get to our destination.

    My curiosity kicks in instantly as wee down from the cab and stand in front of a huge gate. Before we got a cab, Ryan made a few calls but I was too preupied to listen to his conversation.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± I finally ask him as we stand next to each other.

    ¡°A friend¡¯s ce. Let¡¯s go in¡±, he entwines his hands with mine as the gate opens automatically and we walk in.

    The house is big but not as big as his parent¡¯s home. There is a beautiful fountain in the middle of the courtyard with water flowing from every angle.

    Before I can ask him any more questions, someone appears. A young handsome dude with a butterfly tattoo on his arm. His long sleeve shirt is folded, giving me a view of the small tattoo.

    He shakes hands with Ryan and then shes me a cute smile in greeting. Before I can begin to look around awkwardly, he invites us in.

    The interior design is beautiful as well. The living room is full of beautiful artistic paintings, making me conclude that these people are lovers of the arts.

    He leads us to the dining area where his parents are seated. The old man stands up immediately as we appear.

    His wife smiles at me and hugs Ryan. Ryan shakes hands with the man while his friend disappears.

    The man leads us to another area where there are several white couches.

    ¡°You can sit¡±, he points to one of the couches for me to settle in. Ryan sits on the next couch beside me.

    My curiosity is at its peak now. What exactly are we doing here? Are we here to hide for a few days? What about our parents? Who are these people? That guy looks too young to be Ryan¡¯s friend, is he lying to me?

    ¡°Ryan Lorenzo, it¡¯s been a while¡±, the old man shes us quick smiles and Ryan nods. The man clears his throat, leans forward and looks serious all of a sudden. ¡°Who is this man?¡±

    ¡°My Father¡±, Ryan replies sharply, as if expecting the question.

    The man¡¯s eyes go wide in surprise. ¡°Your Father?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Lewis. He is the man I have called Father for years but then I discovered he isn¡¯t my biological father a few days ago.¡±

    Now, I get it. We are here because of Mr. Lorenzo. We are here to get help. But how can we get help from this man?

    A maid appears with a tray of two sses of fruit juice. While she serves us, I whisper into Ryan¡¯s ears. ¡°Who is he?¡±

    ¡°The Police Commissioner¡±, he replies in the same hush tone, making relief and excitement wash down my spine immediately.

    ¡°Do you have evidence?¡± he questions as the maid disappears the way she came.

    Ryan shares a knowing look with me before turning to the man. ¡°Yes, Mr. Lewis. We are here with the evidence.¡±

    ¡°Is it a witness or what?¡± he says with curiosity, skating his expression.

    I decide to answer. ¡°I am a witness but I believe it won¡¯t be enough to help us which is why we brought this¡±, I present the neatly folded clothes where I wrapped the camera. ¡°It¡¯s a camera.¡±

    ¡°A camera?¡± a disapproving look fills his expression. ¡°What is in there? How he killed someone?¡±

    My heart skips a beat suddenly.

    Realizing that we didn¡¯t watch the video because we were in a rush to escape those men following us, my mouth drops open and I turn to Ryan

    What if the video isn¡¯t here? What if someone had tampered with it?

    Ryan must be thinking the exact thing I am thinking as well because the next thing he does is to grab the camera from me.

    He presses the button and a video pops up.

 CHAPTER 93

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    She is gulping down the whole content of the wine and looking away to make me think she wasn¡¯t staring at me peeling off the baggy shirt and trouser she gave to me on behalf of her dad.

    All of a sudden, I feel like taunting her a little about it. This is definitely not the first time she is seeing me naked, so why is she ufortable with it?

    Well, maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s the second time. We have had sex only once and that was the first time she saw my nudity and also the first time I saw the beauty beneath her clothes.

    I know this is definitely not the right time for this but I can¡¯t help it. Coming here was the right decision and I feel more than relieved to have gotten help from Mr. Lewis.

    ¡°Hey¡±, she shoots to her feet abruptly as I approach her and she begins to walk to the door, hiding her face from looking down at my naked body.

    Laugh erupts from my stomach, not at her action but at the fact that the door is locked and the keys are with me.

    There is no escape route.

    She turns the doorknob and it won¡¯t budge. Instinctively, she spurns round to face me forgetting about the main reason why she was trying to escape the room. Quickly, she facepalms herself and screams. ¡°Get some clothes on, man!¡±

    Iugh again and approach stealthily like a thief in the dead of the night.

    She stretches her left hand towards me to stop me froming closer but I am bent on taunting her till she finally looks at me without feeling embarrassed.

    I am her husband, aren¡¯t I?Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°Ryan, don¡¯te closer, you jerk! Get some clothes on, will you?¡±

    A good way to get her to tell me please, I beam.

    ¡°Tell me please and I will cover up¡±, I say to her with a wide grin on my face. Her difort because of my nudity is amusing. I never thought any woman would act like this, especially not my own wife.

    She remains silent and I am about to take another step towards her when she blurts out quickly. ¡°Please, Ryan. Be decent.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t use such a tone. Use a calm sweet voice on me and I will cover up within a minute¡±, I add, feeling like someone who just won a jackpot.

    Having Valerie tell me please is like winning a jackpot.

    ¡°Please, Ryan.¡±

    Finally! I surrender and turn back to go get a towel around my waist when an idea struck me. I remain still and quiet for five seconds before turning back to her.

    ¡°You can open your eyes, I¡¯m covered now¡±, I lie perfectly well because she does not doubt me as she drops her two hands with a sigh of relief.

    Her gaze falls on me and her eyes go wide before she let out a shout and turn her back on me. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you, idiot. You liar.¡±

    Iugh to my fill before going to grab a towel from the closet. The room we were given is quitefortable and big. The bed is massive too and I¡¯m d we are going to have to spend the night together here. We were given a room because they know we are couples and it will sound ridiculous of Valerie to ask for a separate room for herself.

    I know how worried she was about her Dad. Sometimes, I envy her for having such a good man as a Father. The way she cares for him and worries about me makes me wonder if she loves her Mother as much as she loves her Father.

    She wasn¡¯t herself until I called her Mother and we were told that the surgery was sessful.

    Valerie was relieved. I could sense it from her expression and her tone and it also made me relieved.

    She would be broken if anything happens to him and I don¡¯t think I can ever forgive myself if something happens to him because my Father is responsible.

    The camera is the right evidence that we need and it is with Mr. Lewis now. He promised to begin work on it as soon as the day breaks.

    It¡¯ste already and Valerie and I had dinner in the room because the whole family had had dinner before we arrived.

    ¡°If I open my eyes and you aren¡¯t covered yet, I am going to¡­¡±, she trails off as I quickly put on a short. I wanted to take a shower at first but I changed my mind.

    I have missed having her around. I missed hearing her bicker words with me. I miss sleeping on the same bed with her and I am too excited tonight to do anything else. I just want to sit beside her and stare at her beautiful face.

    She spins around slowly, peeps from the gaps of her hands to see me in a short, then she drops her hands.

    She went back to the sofa she was sitting in before I peeled her my clothes and I move closer to her. I slouch next to her, gazing at her beautiful features with a smile slowly creeping to my face.

    She pretends not to see me staring and takes the bottle of wine, pouring some into the ss cup before bringing it to her lips.

    Her beautiful red lips.

    It reminds me of how sweet they are. And I wish to have a taste.

    ¡°Why are you gawking?¡± she demands without sparing me a nce.

    ¡°I miss you¡±, I confess unashamedly. ¡°Stop acting too cold, Valerie. It doesn¡¯t suit you¡­¡±

    Realizing what I am saying, I pause. I am telling the truth but she might get mad at me for that so I better avoid it. This is what I have decided, avoiding what will lead to arguments between us.

    She sighs deeply, her eyes fixated on mine. When she looks down, guilt crosses her expression and she drops the cup. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I raise a brow in question. ¡°For?¡±

    ¡°Everything. I¡¯m sorry for being cold¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course you do. I know how difficult I have been to you, that¡¯s why I am apologizing and you better ept it before I change my mind¡±, she threatens with a snort.

    With a courtesy bow, I say. ¡°I ept the apology, mdy.¡±

    She smiles and Iugh. I don¡¯t want to talk about the loud beating of my heart or how aroused I am just by staring at her.

    I just want us to talk about us.

    I miss us.

    ¡°I love you¡±, I dere loudly, making her ss cup hang halfway from her mouth. She turns slowly to me and I repeat. ¡°I love you, Valerie. I never stopped loving you and I always will.¡±

    She does not say anything.

    I continue. ¡°I know we¡¯ve had our own fair share of life¡¯s challenges and I know how much we¡¯ve had to fight each other over a lot of things and I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for not believing in you or trusting you. I¡¯m sorry for not understanding the type of woman you are and I¡¯m sorry for not being a good husband to you¡­¡±

    ¡°I should be the one apologizing, not you, Ryan¡±, she cuts me off from going further. I am ready to admit it all, I don¡¯t care as long as she forgives me andes back home. I am ready to do all it takes to make this work.

    ¡°I am the one making this so hard and I admit that I am stupid and silly sometimes.¡±

    ¡°No, you are not, darling. I love you nevertheless.¡±

    She gives me a knowing smile and looks away. When she sniffles, I know she is about to cry.

    ¡°You are an amazing woman, Val. I¡¯ve never met a woman like this and I guess this is why I never dated until you came along and stole my heart away. You are unique and different and I couldn¡¯t help but fall deeply and madly in love with you. All my life, I have only met women who want something from a man but you are different. I can¡¯t say how much of a wonderful person you are but I want you to know that I am d to have met you, I am d to be your husband. Will you pleasee back home?¡±

    She chuckles and sniffles again. ¡°I won¡¯t be bribed, young man!¡±

    ¡°I am not bribing you¡±, I announce and grab her without warning. She lets out a yelp as I pin her to the sofa, her back hitting the edge while I am above her.

    We watch each other in silence until I summon the courage to take her lips. Tasting her sweet lips again pushes me over the edge because of the unexinable pleasure I am deriving from the single act.

    My heart is now pounding harder with each passing second, probably because I am thinking she will push me away because she is still not ready but she isn¡¯t pushing me away.

    When she kisses me back, my heart almost skips a beat.

    She loves me.

    She still loves me.

    My right hand grabs her waist, slowly sneaking its way into her short dress while she lets out a soft moan.

    Before I can ride my hand up further, a loud ringing tone jerks me up, stopping me from going further with my fantasy.

    I let out a loud groan and rise up to pick the call but she beats me to it and raises a brow at me as she turns the phone screen to me.

    Celina.

    Why is she calling me at this time?

    I want to tell her to ignore the call so we can continue from where we stopped but she suddenly picks up and puts the call on loudspeaker.

    Celina is panting. ¡°Ryan, where the hell are you?!¡±

    I roll my eyes. She isn¡¯t my wife, why is she asking me that? How many times do I have to tell her off?

    ¡°Your mom is¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t wait for her toplete her statement before shooting to my feet and grabbing the phone from Valerie, breathing heavily, probably from the kiss or from the news about my mom.

    ¡°My mom? What the hell happened?¡± I question with a tone of authority and seriousness. Valerie stands up andes next to me.

    ¡°She.. she.. was¡­I.. came to visit and she¡­¡± she stammers in tears.

    ¡°Why the hell are you stammering? What the hell happened?!¡± I bark at her angrily.

    Celina isn¡¯t one to cry easily or stammer so why the hell is she doing this? The action alone is making my head spin and I can¡¯t wait for her to say whatever it is that is happening.

    ¡°She is dead¡±, she finally blurts out with a sob. ¡°The hospital is in a mess.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± It feels like I am hearing the wrong thing and I need to be sure I heard right.

    ¡°She is dead, Ryan. She was shot. I saw her cold body¡­¡±, she continues to talk as she cries but I am no longer listening to what she is saying.

    My heart tightens against my rib cage, a horrible feeling stirs up inside of me and my legs finally betray me.

 CHAPTER 94

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    The sight of her cold feet almost sends me spiraling to the floor as I let out a loud gasp with my hands flying to my mouth.

    She is no longer the woman I came here to visit yesterday. She is pale white and gone.

    This is when it suddenly dawns on me.

    When I heard Celina telling Ryan over the phone that his Mother was dead, I almostughed out loud because I wasn¡¯t shocked like Ryan was. It felt like a joke.

    How could she be dead? We saw her yesterday, she was getting better than ever before, then how could she be dead today?

    The added information about the attack on the hospital is enough to make me believe as well as the sight before me.

    She didn¡¯t die a natural death. She didn¡¯t die due toplications from the surgery. She didn¡¯t die as a result of the fake cancer diagnosis.

    She was killed.

    I begin to go down slowly as I continue to watch her from where I stand. The sight of her feet is doing unimaginable things to my reasoning.

    She shouldn¡¯t be dead. That bastard should take her ce. She is too good to be dead.

    She is the reason why I am still here after all. She is the reason why my path even crossed paths with her son.

    Ryan has refused toe in here. She was carried out of the room she was in yesterday immediately she was confirmed dead. Ryan couldn¡¯te here with me but I wanted to see for myself that this is all a joke but now it isn¡¯t.

    A low sob escapes my mouth, making me realize how surreal this is.

    The nurse is saying something to me but I can¡¯t hear her. My head is spinning and my heart is in pain.

    The sobs turn into a loud wail until someone picks me up from the ground. Without seeing who it was, I turn around and embrace him until his familiar cologne fans my nostril and I begin to cry all over again.

    I am crying for many reasons.

    Because she is dead and she doesn¡¯t deserve it. Because she is dead and didn¡¯t get to see her grandchild like she has always wanted. Because she died when we thought she wouldn¡¯t anymore. Because she is dead and that monster is still out there roaming freely on the streets.

    And finally, because of Ryan.

    The pain he must be feeling right now would be unexinable. He loves her. If he didn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to marry me in the first ce.

    He doesn¡¯t even know who his real father is yet and the only person he shares a bond with is gone now.

    His blood.

    I know how much they both mean to each other. I know how much she loves to talk about him and his childhood. I know how much she craves to see him happy and with kids running around the house. And I know how much she means to Ryan.

    The bond between them is unbreakable even in death. And that monster will pay for this.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±, he grabs my hand and we begin to move out. Close to the exit, the nurse stops us and he lets go of my hand.

    Because of the tears still streaming down my eyes and because I don¡¯t want to look him in the eyes to see how pained he is, I continue to watch my feet, trying to absorb everything.

    ¡°One of the cleaners saw this note in her room after the incidents.¡± I hear her say to Ryan as he moves closer to take the note from her.

    ¡°Thank you¡±, I hear him say back to her beforeing back to meet me. With his arms around my shoulder, we take the exit out.

    Just like Celina said, the hospital is in a mess. There are policemen everywhere and most of the patients are panicking but we haven¡¯t seen Celina since we arrived this morning.

    We couldn¡¯test night because of the distance and howte it was. Ryan couldn¡¯t sleep in bed either. He kept tossing and turning while I tried to assure him that it could be a mistake or something.

    ¡°Sit¡±, hemands with a tone full of authority when we get to the reception. I do as he says and watch him from my peripheral view. He sits calmly next to me.

    We sit in silence for a while until he opens up the note to start reading. This is when I use my hand to stop him from reading the note and finally look him straight in the eyes.

    If this note was truly written by her, Ryan needs to take his time and needs to let it sink in that she is truly gone.

    ¡°Will you read it for me then?¡± he demands all of a sudden, making me drop my jaws open.

    With shaky hands, I take the note from him and open it. I am supposed to read it out but I can¡¯t. There is a big lump stuck in my throat stopping me from making any sound as I stare with open eyes at the first sentence.

    HE IS NOT YOUR FATHER, RYAN! I LIED.

    I knew all along buting from his Mother, this is huge. I don¡¯t want him to break down, definitely not here so I believe this is not the right time for this and the right ce.

    I am more than curious to read the remaining content of the note. I want to know more about this note and all that it entails. I want to know if there is more in here that we know nothing about, concerning their rtionship but I need to put Ryan first.

    He might break down if I start reading it out for him to hear. Besides, I feel he should be the one to read it himself, not me.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, I call slowly, as I begin to fold the note back and open his hand to put it in. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do this here.¡±

    My tears are dried but my eyes are already itching for more. I never thought I would react this way to her death. It was something we were expecting months ago until something unexpected happened and we realized she was not going to die since the diagnosis was fake.

    It hits me so hard.

    This is why I am being careful with him. He isn¡¯t saying or doing anything yet. I don¡¯t even know if he believes that she is dead just like I wanted him to disbelieve the story Celina fed usst night.

    He needs to let it out. He can¡¯t keep doing this. Acting all strong and great like nothing seems to be missing.

    She is not to be seen again. She is gone for life and the earlier he realizes that, the better. His calmposure bothers me a lot and I hope he won¡¯t do something rash at the end of the day when it dawns on him.

    ¡°You want me to read it myself?¡± He grits his teeth and I nod. He averts his gaze away from me and opens the note again but this time turning it to the empty back, probably for him not to see the content yet.

    Suddenly, my gaze falls on something at the back which is supposed to be empty.

    Is this the continuation or what?

    Ryan does not notice it as he grips it harder while I squint my eyes to catch the word.

    SHE IS COMING!

    The writing is totally different from the one she used for the note itself. It is so tiny and rough unlike the well-written one in the front.

    I release his grip from the note and open it widely for him to see too.

    SHE IS COMING! SHE IS COMING FOR ME!

    Our eyes lock as curiosity and confusion fill me up while rage crosses his expression. A cold shiver runs down my spine as something hits me.

    I gasp and blurt out quickly. ¡°Anita?¡±

    ¡°Celina?¡±

    We both speak our minds at the same time about the suspect we have in mind and who exactly she was talking about.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    The only person she must be referring to will be Anita.

    ¡°It is Anita!¡± I say in a loud voice as I stand up quickly in panic.

    ¡°It is Celina¡±, he opposes me with the same tone as we stare at each other, unsure of what next is about to happen to either of us or someone else who means so much to us.

    No one is safe yet!

 CHAPTER 95

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    HE IS NOT YOUR FATHER, RYAN! I LIED.

    These were her first words to me. If only I was there before thest moment, I would have heard her say them to me herself instead of writing them down.

    I wanted so desperately to hear the whole truth from her but I wanted to give it time. I wanted it to be the right time to ask so she wouldn¡¯t give me an excuse not to talk about it but now she is gone.

    I will never hear her talk to me again.

    I REGRET LYING TO YOU, SON. IT WAS NOT IN MY INTENTION TO DO THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT HE WAS WORTH IT. APPARENTLY, HE ISN¡¯T WORTH IT.

    I THOUGHT I COULD CHANGE HIM. I THOUGHT I WAS DOING A GREAT JOB CHANGING HIM FROM THE MAN HE USED TO BE BUT NOW THAT IT IS TOO LATE, I REALIZE HOW MUCH DAMAGE I HAVE CAUSED TO YOU AND MYSELF.

    YOUR BIOLOGICAL FATHER DIED A MONTH BEFORE YOU CAME TO THE WORLD. DAVIS STOOD BESIDE ME AND HE WAS LIKE A FATHER FIGURE. I NEVER KNEW HE HAD ULTERIOR MOTIVES.

    I REGRET HAVING YOU USE HIS SURNAME INSTEAD OF DARCEL¡¯S NAME. I REGRET LYING TO YOU. I REGRET MAKING YOU BELIEVE THAT HE IS YOUR FATHER WHEN HE ISN¡¯T.

    I REGRET MEETING HIM.

    HE IS UP TO NO GOOD AND I WANT YOU TO PROMISE ME TO BE FINE. I BARELY KEPT SECRETS AWAY FROM YOU BUT THIS HUGE SECRET WAS TOO HARD FOR ME TO REVEAL. I COULDN¡¯T BARE TO SEE THE HURT AND PAIN FLASHING ACROSS YOUR EXPRESSION WHEN YOU GET TO KNOW HE ISN¡¯T YOUR FATHER.

    I WANTED YOU TWO TO BE ON GOOD TERMS. YOU WERE ALWAYS ON EACH OTHER¡¯S NECK. HE ALWAYS TELLS ME ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT OF A CHILD YOU WERE AND HOW YOU WERE ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT HIM.

    HOW I MANAGED TO KEEP MY COOL ALL THESE YEARS AMAZES ME. I AM INDEED A STRONG WOMAN.

    I LOVE YOU, SON. I WISH I CAN KEEP TO MY PROMISE OF STAYING ALIVE TO SEE YOUR CHILD BUT I DON¡¯T THINK SO.

    DAVIES MUST BE SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW PLANNING ON HOW TO KILL ME. IF I DIE, EVERYTHING I OWE BELONGS TO HIM.

    DO NOT LET HIM TAKE IT ALL AWAY.

    CHECK MY ROOM CABINET. THERE IS A SAFE LOCK SOMEWHERE AROUND, YOU WILL FIND SOMETHING USEFUL IN THERE.

    I LOVE YOU AND I WANT YOU TO FORGIVE ME FOR DOING THIS. TELL VALERIE THAT I LOVE HER TOO AND I HOPE YOUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER WILL NEVER FADE AWAY.

    THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN KEEP SMILING WHEREVER I AM.

    DO NOT HATE ME.

    A tear rolls down my eyes and another till I begin to wail like a child as the realization hits me like a volcanic rock.

    This is it!

    She is gone!

    I was trying so hard not to read it. But I couldn¡¯t ignore the curiosity eating at me. I wanted to know more but there isn¡¯t more except for the fact that my biological father is also dead and I am now an adult orphan.

    I didn¡¯t want to read the note because I thought if I did, then it means she is really dead. I was hoping, wishing, and holding onto a loose strand of hope for her survival, for a possible miracle so I can tell her that I still love her no matter what and that I forgive her.

    She did the wrong thing for the wrong person. Someone who didn¡¯t deserve it. He married her for the money. And he got rid of her for the money too.

    I don¡¯t even need Mother to tell me that Anita isn¡¯t my sister before figuring that out. She hasn¡¯t even called or asked her since Mother was admitted. I hate the years I spent with those two thinking we were families.

    It makes me regret a lot too.

    My wails turn into whimpers when I realize where I am. The silence of the night has been disturbed by my noise and I don¡¯t want to alert anyone in the house, especially not Valerie.

    The door screeches and I turn my back to the door, knowing full well that it is Val. I didn¡¯t seed in my effort not to wake her up.

    With my back to her, I fold the note carefully and wipe my tears with the back of my palm waiting for her to say something so I will know if she heard me crying or not.

    Instead, I hear the sound of her feet approaching stealthily. When she is close by, she hugs me from behind, her hands moving to my broad chest and caressing me.

    My eyes fall on her hands and I start to weep again. This time, it is more painful. I continue to hit my chest, hoping the pain will subside but it isn¡¯t until shees around to hug me from the front.

    This stops me from hitting my chest. The loud sounding from my mouth stopped too but the tears wouldn¡¯t.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    I still can¡¯t believe she is gone. The fact that he killed her is more disturbing than anything else.

    Valerie thinks he sent Anita to do the job since it was imed that the person who shot her was a female. The writing at the back of the letter says it all but I have a feeling it is Celina.

    Celina called to inform me but she is also nowhere to be found. Anita hasn¡¯t called and I haven¡¯t seen her which makes me doubt if she is even in the country. Her protective father would want her far away from here for now. He thinks they can get away with it.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, her sweet voice makes me blink my eyes open, craving to hear her say more of what she has in mind. ¡°Everything is going to be fine.¡±

    I want to believe her but the moment she sniffles too, I don¡¯t want to believe her anymore. She is indeed shaken by the news of her death probably because we both saw her a day before she died and probably because she is still scared that she will lose her parents too but I won¡¯t let that happen.

    I disengage from the hug, missing the feel of her soothing touch. With my two hands around her cheek, I peck her forehead, not minding my wet face and I caress her beautiful face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever leave me again, Val¡±, I say with another cry as the pain hits me again. We are together because of the woman who died.

    What will happen to me if she leaves too? She is the only one I have now. The only person I can trust but the fear of her leaving me too scares the shit out of me.

    Will I survive this anguish?

    Her death was expected the moment I got to know she was diagnosed with cancer and it took me a great wheel of time and courage to ept that she would be gone from me. Finally, after realizing that it was all a ploy to get away with their murderous intention, she dies.

    I was no longer expecting it. I wanted her to live long till Valerie and I can give her the grandchildren that she wants.

    I didn¡¯t want our lies to be in vain. The lies we fed her about our pretend marriage and about the fake pregnancy. I wanted everything to be real.

    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± A voice jerks me out of my reverie, reminding me of my question.

    No, it wasn¡¯t a question. It was more like an order. But she isn¡¯t someone to be ordered around.

    A tear drops from her eyes as she shakes her head. ¡°I won¡¯t leave, Ryan.¡±

    We embrace tightly but it isforting. I wish we can remain this way. I wish I am brave enough to ept this ugly reality and begin to talk to her about the note and all the happy moments I had with Mother.

    Despite her ws, she is the best Mother ever. Everyone ims to have the best Mother but mine is exceptionally great and better.

    I hope she finds eternal peace wherever she is.

    My phone rings and we pull away from the hug abruptly. Mr. Lewis¡¯s name shes across my phone screen as I pick it up, sparing Valerie a knowing nce.

    ¡°Mr. Lewis, good¡­¡±

    ¡°Come to the station right away. We have your suspects locked up with an extra suspect. You would be surprised who it is.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I shoot to my feet instantly. My spirit is lifted. If Mother is truly gone, then what I need to do is find her killers and get justice for what was done to her. This is the only thing that can make me feel better and assured that she is in a better ce.

    ¡°Come right away¡±, he utters firmly before disconnecting the call.

    ¡°The suspects have been caught?¡± Valerie asks me immediately. I drop the call and I nod intermittently, a genuine smile creeping to my face.

    She wipes her tears too, smiles, and hugs me again briefly before grabbing my hand and moving to take the exit out. ¡°Let¡¯s go see the bastards, then!¡±

 CHAPTER 96

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    Moodiness andck of appetite are now Ryan¡¯s favorite pastime.

    He barely spoke a word to mest night after we left the police station without seeing the Commissioner who had already left before we got there.

    We couldn¡¯t see the suspects either and we had to sleep in a hotel nearby.

    I was able to catch some sleep but Ryan could barely sleep a wink. I feel his pain and I hope he gets over this soonest.

    He almost left me still sleeping in our hotel room this morning so he coulde to the police station without me. The running sound of the shower woke me up and I jumped down from the bed.

    I ended up not taking a shower because he was in a rush toe here.

    Now that we are here, we are still yet to see Mr. Lewis and I wonder what exactly is going on. I had to excuse myself toe to get us some coffee as breakfast before hees.

    As soon as I pay the cafe man, I hold the two cups of coffee in my hand and turn round to take the door out when I bump into a hard wall, making me jerk back and grip the cups harder so they won¡¯t spill.

    Shit! I mutter under my breath as I lift my head to curse at the man but the sight before me makes my jaws drop open.

    ¡°Valerie?¡± Fred¡¯s smiling face appears as he calls out my name loudly as though we are still friends.

    ¡°Fred¡±, I only say his name out of surprise. He is the least person I expect to see here and I am not really pleased to see him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I should be asking you that¡±, he is beaming brightly in his colorful office wear.

    Does he work here now? I realize I must be keeping Ryan waiting so I take a step forward to go out.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing here?¡± he blocks my way again, grinning like an idiot, reminding me of how much of a fool he is.

    What do you think I am here for? I¡¯m here with my husband, of course, I retort sharply in my head as I raise the cups of coffee high and move past him.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Hey¡±, hees to my front to block me from going again but I keep moving. ¡°Did she call you too?¡±

    I stop dead in my tracks before twirling around to face him. ¡°Who?¡± I squint my brows in curiosity.

    ¡°Oh, you aren¡¯t here for her? I thought you were. I was wondering why she had to call me toe all the way here if you were here for her. Never mind.¡± he waves me away with his hand and I throw him a cold re for not satisfying my curiosity.

    ¡°Who the hell are you talking about?!¡± I almost yell at him in frustration. If he is talking about someone we both know then it has to be someone important to me but I can¡¯t think of one single person who knows me and Fred together or would call Fred here instead of me.

    ¡°Brenda, of course. Your friend. She is in the police station and she called me all the way here toe to bill her out. I thought you were also here for her. If you aren¡¯t, then why are you here?¡± he stands with a frustrated look on his face and arms akimbo.

    My jaws drop open.

    Brenda?

    That¡¯s right. I should have known right away that it was her. She is the only one who knows me with Fred. She would never call me because she still feels guilty for what she did to me with Fred.

    Crazy bitch.

    I re at him harshly before turning back on my heels to go my way. I don¡¯t fucking care why she is here and whether she gets out or not.

    She deserves whateveres her way. And calling Fred was the right thing to do. Maybe they are partners in crime.

    Fortunately, Fred does not call me back or follow me. I get to the station and enter to go to the waiting room where Ryan has his head bowed in anxiety.

    I really do not know if he is anxious about seeing his so-called Father and sister or about seeing the new suspect they caught.

    When we saw that note, the first person that came to my mind who could be a female and could have done that was Anita. But it seems Ryan is right this time and I am wrong because it is apparent, we have three suspects, not two which means the third suspect must be the one responsible for his Mother¡¯s death.

    ¡°Baby¡±, I drop the coffee and raise his head with my two hands, then peck his forehead. He watches me with a faraway look so I lift the cups, stretching one to him. ¡°Take.¡±

    He does not argue with me as he did at the hotel this morning when I asked him to let us get breakfast downstairs before heading out.

    He couldn¡¯t wait to get here and now that we are here, we have to wait for the Commissioner. I wonder why he isn¡¯t allowing the other men to let us see them.

    Must we wait for him?

    Before I can plop to the chair opposite Ryan, someone enters and it turns out to be Mr. Lewis.

    ¡°Mr. Lewis¡±, I call out happily to alert the gloomy-looking husband of mine. Just like I imagined, he shoots to his feet and spins around to see the old man enter with a smile.

    He shakes hands with Ryan, thenes over to hug me.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for keeping you waiting. This is a special case so I didn¡¯t want anyone getting involved in your case other than me. I hope you don¡¯t mind?¡±

    Ryan shakes his head with a sad smile. He looks like a child right now and I feel like rubbing my hands on his head to console him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±, I hear him say and I quickly drop my coffee to follow them out, even though my stomach is already rumbling. Ryan didn¡¯t have dinnerst night so I couldn¡¯t either, but this morning, I am very hungry.

    I will get back to the coffee when we are back from satisfying our curiosity about who the third suspect is.

    Is it Celina or someone else? If it is someone else, who can it be? Celina and Anita are the only females I know who have a rtionship with Ryan, except of course the dead Mrs. Lorenzo.

    Who can it be then?

    I really do not see any reason why Celina would want his Mom dead. They like each other, don¡¯t they? Mrs. Lorenzo obviously likes her but I don¡¯t know how much Celina likes her too.

    That woman is a lovable person and anyone who doesn¡¯t like her is a dumbhead and an asshole.

    ¡°Who would you like to see first? Your¡­¡±

    ¡°The third suspect¡±, Ryan and I both say in chorus. He stares at me and I smile. The man nods and continues to walk on while we follow. When I am walking side by side with Ryan, I hold his left hand tightly.

    Finally, we get to another visitor¡¯s room and he instructs one of the officers to open the door. The door opens as Ryan lets out a deep sigh.

    I do the same because I really do not know what we will get to see in there.

    Mr. Lewis enters followed by the officer and Ryan. I am left outside and for no reason, I find my legs stuck, unable to move until I hear Ryan¡¯s voice.

    ¡°You?!¡±

    I hurry inside to meet the greatest shock of my life. Seated on the wooden chair is no one but my best friend, Brenda. The same one who cheated on me with my boyfriend months ago, who gave me the courage to be Ryan¡¯s wife.

    What the hell is happening here? I almost stumble backward in shock.

    Brenda!

    How does it even rte to her? How does she know about Mrs. Lorenzo?

    When Fred told me she was here, I never thought I would get to see her or even get to know she is rted to the same case why I am here.

    Is there a mistake somewhere?

    Brenda is a betrayal and a cheat but definitely not a killer.

    I take two steps forward with trembling hands while Ryan turns back to face me squarely with the same look of confusion that I have on my expression.

    ¡°Valerie, I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± she breaks down into tears as she holds onto the table in front of her.

    ¡°Bree¡­. Brenda?!¡± ites out like a question because I seriously can not believe my eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she trails off again with regrets shing across her expression.

    ¡°Please sit¡±, Mr. Lewis points to a chair for Ryan and me to sit in, jerking me back to life. Quickly, I rush forward and sit down. Ryan does the same.

    Mr. Lewis drags out another chair and sits in while the officer stands beside him. ¡°Are you ready to tell them what happened?¡±

    Brenda nods eagerly, wiping her tears with the back of her hands. Her hair is disheveled and I wonder what exactly led her to this. This is definitely not the Brenda I know.

    She tries to hold my hand which is ced on the table separating us as I lean forward in anxiety, but I move my hand away.

    She sniffles, hurt shing across her expression, her gaze not shifting from mine. ¡°Do you remember how I told you I liked Fred before you two began to date?¡±

    I blink.

    How exactly is this rted to this case? What the hell is she talking about?

    She continues without my reaction. ¡°I was the one who liked him first, Valerie but you two ended up dating. I forgot about my admiration for him because you were my best friend but when he began to make some moves, I decided to seduced him and have him to myself. When you caught us together, Fred began to despise me. I figured out it was because he was still in love with you and I was ready to do everything to make sure you nevere back together.¡±

    Really?

    ¡°When the news of your marriage got to me, I was happy. It felt like good riddance to rubbish. I thought he would get over you and realize I am the one he needs but he goes after other women. I began to hate you more for that.¡±

    ¡°Then I met with Celina and she asked me to help her with something. It turns out she knew about my love for Fred and she was ready to help me get him if I could also help her in return.¡±

    Ryan shares a look with me. That kind of I-told-you look which gets my head spinning in intense confusion.

    ¡°She was in love with your husband and she wanted him for herself. She promised to help me get Fred if I help her get Ryan too. I asked how and she told me we have to get rid of his Mother because you two got married because of her.¡±

    I let out a gasp.

    This is real.

    ¡°Anita told her the marriage was because of his Mother and if we could get rid of her, Ryan will divorce you and she could have him to herself while she helps me get Fred because Fred was already showing interest in her and¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t get it. Do you mean you know Celina all this while or what? I don¡¯t understand?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°How? When? Where?¡± I spill out to her with more questions in my head.

    How did all of this happen without my knowing? Howe I never knew she was in love with Fred all along?

    ¡°Tell her who she is to you¡±, Mr. Lewis asks her harshly. She must have told him everything.

    Who is she to Brenda? Brenda is not the kind of girl that Celina is. Brenda is not as sophisticated as Celina and I am so sure they are not friends, except of course Fred introduced them to each other.

    ¡°You have to help me, Valerie. I shouldn¡¯t have killed that woman but Celina pushed me to it. She threatened to kill me if I didn¡¯t stick to the initial n. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell her who Celina is!¡± Mr. Lewis shouts at her as she rises abruptly, making her shiver in fear.

    Ryan¡¯s head drops and I see a tear roll down his eyes

    She stammers and finally confesses. ¡°Celina is my sister.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Ryan shoots his head up as we both exim loudly in disbelief.

 CHAPTER 97

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Ignoring the emptiness I suddenly felt when her body was lowered feet down the ground, I nced away to stop myself from breaking down but it was impossible because the action alone hit me hard.

    She is gone. Never to be seen again.

    I want to break down now but I can not. I am a man. I have a wife who is looking up to me. The way Valerie reacted to her death was shocking and I have to control myself so she doesn¡¯t end up crying again.

    But I can¡¯t hold it back.

    How can I when this woman meant so much to me? Is it the pain of losing her when I least expected it? Or the pain of thinking about the people who killed her?

    Maybe if it had been a natural death, I wouldn¡¯t be in so much anguish. Maybe if it weren¡¯t nned by the people I know, I wouldn¡¯t be hurt this way.

    Why her? Why Mother?

    Everybody loved her. She was a great woman. She was wealthy but no one knew she was because her husband was handling everything except, of course, her supermarket which is now closed down.

    Lorenzo thinks he can do this and get away with it. He wanted all of her property but I won¡¯t let that happen. He is going to rot in jail with the others. I don¡¯t care whether we lived together for years as a family. I don¡¯t even give a shit about Anita too or Celina.

    They all deserve to rot in jail for taking away the only woman who understands me perfectly well.

    Her love for me was unconditional. It was normal for a Mother and son to share such a bond but ours was different. She was my confidant. She was my everything.

    Even when I wasn¡¯t finding myself loving a woman properly after what Celina did, she made me believe that true love still exists and that I was going to find that woman someday.

    I didn¡¯t need to search further because she brought that woman to me.

    She preached about true love when she was facing a lot without letting me know and it makes me wonder who my Father really was and how long they were together before his death.

    Was he a good man? When she talked about true love, was she referring to him?

    I clench my jaw and fists, and bite on my lower lips to refrain myself from letting out a sob but I fail because I drop to my knees the next few minutes and bury my face on the sandy floor.

    A lot of dignitaries are here but I do not care anymore. The press can as well carry it. She is my mother and I love and miss her already.

    All of a sudden, I whimper in pain as my heart bes too heavy. With my balled fist, I hit my hand slowly on my chest to stop the pain but it won¡¯t stop as I continue to cry.

    From nowhere, I feel a touch.

    A touch that puts a stop to my wailings. I don¡¯t expect that anybody would want to interrupt me from this painful session. I guess this is why I am surprised.

    But then, I do not need to turn back to know who it is.

    There is only one person here who can do that. I barely know some of the guests around today but I know they are good friends of Mother.

    ¡°Ryan¡­¡±, her calm voice breaks, making me sit upright on the floor, not bothering to stand up.

    My gaze shifts to the area where Mother is buried. My tears are blinding me as I smile, praying deep within me for her to sleep peacefully and not worry about me wherever she is.

    She would be worried.

    I know this.

    She would be worried that I am not doing well. She would be worried that I am hurting and she might linger around. I don¡¯t want that.

    I want her to be rest assured that I am doing well.

    She had always treated me like a little boy despite being an adult and I always let her do that. I miss that.

    I miss her concern. I miss her carefree nature and I miss herughter.

    I loved seeing her happy. The way her eyes brighten up whenever she sees me after a long time. The way she hugs me tightly as if she never wants to let me go. The way she caresses my head and rubs her hand over my shoulder.

    I whimper again and bury my face inside my palm.

    I said I wasn¡¯t going to cry but here I am. It was so hard to believe that she was gone but here I am faced with the ugly reality of her death which I have to ept.

    Valerie hugs me from behind, uttering soothing words to calm me down but it isn¡¯t stopping my tears. I appreciate her presence and how close she is to me but I can¡¯t seem to stop myself from doing this.

    She must have figured out that I really need to do this to get back my sanity because the next thing she says surprises me.

    ¡°Let it out, Ryan. Let it all out. Cry it out and be free.¡±

    Every other thing she said before this didn¡¯t get to me.

    Then, she begins to cry too. It almost makes me stop my tears but I realize I really need to do this. I can¡¯t hold it in for so long. The more I hold on to it, the more hatred I will feel for those who did this to me, and the more difficult it will be to ept the reality.

    I need to let it out and let go.

    I don¡¯t know how long we both sat there crying out our eyes but I know it was worth it. Eventually, the tears stop.

    Even when I wanted them toe, they wouldn¡¯te. My eyes be so dry and I have to be the one consoling Valerie who wouldn¡¯t stop crying.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

    ¡°I miss her¡±, I say when everything bes silent. Everyone is gone and we are left alone in the graveyard. ¡°I miss how she cares for me as though I am the only one she ever cared about, as though I am the only one that matters.¡±

    Now I see the reason behind everything. I see the reason why she showed me so much care unlike what she showed Anita when we were little.

    It was so obvious that I was her favorite. I enjoyed the moment but sometimes I felt guilty for taking all of her affection. Then whenever I remember how cruel our Father was, my guilt will disappear and my baby¡¯s mind would assume it was meant to be that way.

    I was Mother¡¯s favorite and Anita was Father¡¯s favorite.

    I never knew Mother did all of that for a reason and I guess all of this is the reason why Anita decided to help Father get rid of her.

    I wasn¡¯t old enough to know that she was trying to pass the information on to me. I would never have known that he wasn¡¯t my Father in a thousand years.

    ¡°I loved her¡±, Valerie¡¯s words jerk me back to life in surprise. ¡°She made me wish for the impossible. I alwayspare her with my Mother and I wish Mother would show me as much love as she does to you. She was so kind andpassionate. In fact, the first time we met, I wished she was my Mother.¡±

    A soft chuckle leaves her mouth as she wipes her tears with the back of her hand.

    ¡°She made me realize that the problem wasn¡¯t with my Mom but with me. I was too uptight for a carefree person like my mother. We were the opposite of each other and we would never get along well if I didn¡¯t try to understand the kind of person she is. All my life, I never thought Mother loved me deeply until I got to realize it when we fought. I can¡¯t remember it all but that night, I saw a different part of my Mother.¡±

    ¡°I admire everything about your Mom, Ryan. The way she cares for you and the way she talks about your childhood.¡±

    ¡°Now I understand my Mother better because of her. There is absolutely no one on earth who isn¡¯t prone to change. I miss her too and I wish¡­¡± she trails off, regrets shing across her expression.

    Valerie never ceases to amaze me. She is one of a kind and I never would have thought that she had such a rtionship with my Mother.

    Whenever she wanted to visit my Mom, I always thought it was the usual Mother-Daughter-in-Law kind of rtionship. I never knew she cared and loved her this way and it makes me smile sadly, overpowering my curiosity to know what she wished for.

    Shey her head on my shoulder and we remain in this position in silence.

    I break the silence finally. ¡°She always stood by me, no matter what I did. Even when everyone left me, she was there¡­¡±

    ¡°Everything will be fine, Ryan¡±, she interrupts me from going further. She lifts her head and our eyes interlock. ¡°I know the point you are driving at but I assure you that I will never leave you. I will always be here for you through the thick and the thin and I promise to be more understanding and patient and less headstrong.¡±

    Laughter leaves my mouth but it is mixed with a drop of a tear. She chuckles too and hugs me.

    ¡°I wonder why you fell in love with a woman like me. I know I am a handful and I can be so¡­¡±

    ¡°Shhh¡±, I disengage from the hug and put a finger on her lips to cut her short. ¡°I love you, nevertheless.¡±

    A small smile creeps to her face. ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that I have to nag you whenever you do something wrong or you act unreasonable or you¡­¡±

    I roll my eyes. Here we go again.

    She is not going to act as my wife only now but also nag me as usual like a Mother.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home¡±, I say to her all of a sudden, ignoring the rest of herments. I feel lightheaded now and better than I have felt since I heard about Mother¡¯s death but I know I will feel much better when those idiots who did this get a sentence.

    The hearing is in a week and Celina has been found too, trying to flee America.

    Valerie seems reluctant and it is getting darker. I didn¡¯t bring a car because I wasn¡¯t myself and now we have to walk home.

    The graveyard isn¡¯t too far from our home for a reason. I want her close by so I can always visit whenever I miss her.

    I carry her up and drop her on her feet so we can go home. Her eyes linger on Mother¡¯s grave with fresh tears brimming her eyes.

    I watch her from behind with folded arms until she spins around and staggers. Quickly, I hold her, stopping her from falling to the ground.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± I peer down at her in concern. She opens her eyes slowly and shakes her head.

    She opens her mouth to say something but closes it back. I let my hand off her and ask. ¡°Shall we?¡±

    She nods and I watch her take another step.

    Suddenly, she halts and closes her eyes again before falling to the ground, losing consciousness immediately.

 CHAPTER 98

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    With her beautiful ck hair around her shoulder, she smiles down at me, making a cold spine run down my spine.

    She is dead, isn¡¯t she?

    Then why am I seeing her and why is she smiling at me?

    Did I do something wrong to her and she is smiling instead of reprimanding me?

    Am I dead? Why am I seeing a dead woman?

    Ryan and I were at the graveyard where she was buried. She is dead but I can¡¯t seem to remember thest thing that happened before I got here.

    Is she alive? Is she hiding somewhere just to be safe from that monster she calls a husband?

    No, I shake my head involuntarily. This can¡¯t be. I saw her cold feet and a pale body. She was extremely cold all over and heavy. She is indeed dead.

    With a low gasp, I try to twirl around so I can flee from the dead but my legs are stuck on the ground. I look down at my feet and they are buried deep in the ground.

    I almost let out a yelp in fright but she stretches an arm at me, still smiling brightly. ¡°My child.¡±

    My child?

    Despite how much I admire this woman, I do not appreciate what she is doing to me right now. I want to scream and run away from her but I can¡¯t seem to do anything. I can barely move any part of my body.

    ¡°Go, my child.¡±

    The words echo around the empty ce and I find my legsing out from the buried ground. I turn around slowly to see how truly empty the whole ce is.

    Where the hell am I? How did I get here?

    The whole ce is foggy but I am not cold and it baffles me more. I am not even wearing a cardigan and I don¡¯t feel cold.

    Am I still alive?

    ¡°You have made everything worth it, Valerie¡±, she speaks again, the bright smile vanishing eventually. Her eyes beam with happiness and I can¡¯t ce what exactly is happening here.

    I want to ask her questions but I can¡¯t find my voice. There is a huge lump stuck in my throat and my mouth isn¡¯t moving either.

    ¡°I love you, Valerie,¡± she adds, her eyes leaving me and resting somewhere else apart from my face. ¡°And I am d you are with Ryan.¡±

    I roll my eyes. She made me marry her son, why is she saying this?

    ¡°You are going to have a lot of kids running around the house just like I have ever wanted. Thank you.¡± she points to my belly and I follow the direction of her finger.

    When I look back up, she is gone into thin air and I let out a piercing scream in fright.

    ¡°Val?¡± Someone grabs my hand and my eyes are closed. I am scared of opening them to see her again. I don¡¯t want to be dead. I want to live to take care of Ryan. I promised never to leave him again. I don¡¯t want to die.

    I don¡¯t want to see his Mother again. I want her to let me be.

    ¡°Val, are you ok?¡±

    As I continue to scream, the voice stops me. It is familiar. The same voice that brings tingles to my whole body and calms my nerves.

    Summoning up every iota of courage left in me, I flutter my eyes open to meet his intense gaze full of concern, worry and love.

    He grips my hand harder and demands. ¡°Are you ok, love?¡±

    I gulp down the heavy lump and nod. Finally, I find my voice. ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    How on earth can I exin the reason for my strange behavior? How can I tell him that I saw his Mother and his Mother said a lot of strange things to me that got me scared?

    He moves away, making my eyes fall on the white ceiling.

    Where the hell am I?

    I wander my eyes around until I see Mom smiling at me proudly and then Dad.

    ¡°Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?¡±

    Instead of replying to me, they continue to smile. I be confused and turn to Ryan for answers.

    What is happening? Why are they smiling? Why is everyone wearing a light dress when it is snowing outside?

    ¡°You are all sweaty, sweetheart¡±, Ryan points out instead of providing me with answers even though I haven¡¯t asked him why. He ought to be able to read my mind and know what I want answers for.

    Such a dumbass!

    A towel hits my forehead, pulling me out of my thoughts. Carefully, he wipes my forehead and lets go of me again.

    Before I can attack any of them again, someonees in through the door which has an exit boldly written on top. He is wearing a white coat and there is a stethoscope around his neck.

    A doctor? Am I in a hospital? Was I involved in an ident again? Did his Father try to harm me again? Is that why I saw his Mother? Did I narrowly escape death again?

    ¡°Mrs. Lorenzo, how do you feel?¡± The doctor¡¯s loud voice booms into my ears, jerking me back to life.

    I try to sit up and Ryan runs to my side to help me up. I am not feeling any pain at all. I just feel weak and nauseated. Then why am I at the hospital? If it was an ident, am I not supposed to be in a bandage or something?

    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask no one in particr and the doctor smiles in reply. ¡°How did I get here?¡±

    ¡°You suddenly copsed at the funeral¡±, Mother offers to answer me as she stretches her hands to touch me. Your Father and I were waiting for you guys toe out so we could take you home because it seems you both needed to be alone. Ryan came running and said that you had copsed so we rushed you here.¡±

    A breath of relief leaves my mouth.

    I almost thought I cheated death again for the second time since I got married to Ryan. The first time was when his monster-of-Father almost killed me and made my parentse up with the false story of me having an ident that never happened.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± The doctor asks again.

    I nod. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel any weakness or bloating?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°Just weak.¡±

    I guess it¡¯s the stress from the troubles that Ryan and I have been experiencing for a while that led to this. It must be umted stress or something less serious.

    ¡°Nauseated?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°Tired?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±, I answer and furrow my brows in confusion. If it¡¯s something less serious, then he shouldn¡¯t be asking me too many questions.

    ¡°That will be all. You need to rest a lot, take a lot of fluids and fruits and avoid strenuous activities,¡± he advises me with a light smile.

    I nod again.

    He turns to Ryan and shakes hands with him. ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Lorenzo.¡±

    It makes me furrow my brows again in suspicion. He greets my parents politely before heading out.

    With my Dad¡¯s silence and unwavering smile, I can no longer contain my curiosity.

    ¡°What the hell is happening? Why was he congratting you, Ryan?¡± I turn to Ryan with my face in a deep frown of confusion.

    A smile creeps to his face as hees closer to sit on the bed beside me. He holds my two hands and pecks my forehead.

    My heart skips a beat.

    Am I dying?

    He shouldn¡¯t be congratting him if I am dying, right? Dad and Mom won¡¯t be grinning from ear to ear either.

    Then why do I feel so scared of the answer to my question?

    ¡°Ryan¡±, I call him again, impatiently. I need to know what is happening or what has happened. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°You are having a child, Valerie¡±, Mom replies sharply and suddenly, she bursts into tears.

    It takes a while for the word to process in my head and when it does, I avert my gaze to Ryan who nods intermittently. ¡°You are pregnant, Valerie. We are going to be parents.¡±

    My heart skips another beat and I blink and slide off my hands from his hold.

    How exactly is that possible when we have had sex only once and it¡¯s been months? How can I be pregnant for so long without knowing?

    There is definitely something wrong somewhere and I am sure this is a fake diagnosis just like how his mother was diagnosed with cancer.

    ¡°No¡±, I shake my head in total disbelief, making my Mother look up and halt her tears. ¡°I am not pregnant!¡± I affirm confidently.

    ¡°What?!¡± They all exim inplete shock and I nod my head vigorously to confirm what I just said.

    I don¡¯t feel pregnant. Therefore, I am not pregnant, I repeat convincingly in my head.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 CHAPTER 99

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    The denial and her expression said it all; she doesn¡¯t want the baby and it takes me back to my shell of grieving.

    Hearing about the news of a babying made me forget my sorrows for a second and reduced the pain of losing someone who means so much to me.

    I am not superstitious but it felt as if the baby was going to be a recement for my dead Mother. Now, my hope has been shattered by Valerie¡¯s outburst and confidence about not being pregnant.

    Her parents were extremely shocked too. It proved to me that I was wrong about her joking over a serious matter like that.

    I didn¡¯t say a word. I just remained quiet till when it was time to discharge her and we came home.

    It¡¯s been days and Valerie isn¡¯t saying anything yet about the baby. If she doesn¡¯t feel the baby, then am I supposed to wait till her belly begins to protrude before bringing this issue up and resolving it once and for all?

    The baby is a blessing.

    Coming to us at this time is a blessing, why then does she keep denying the fact that the diagnosis isn¡¯t fake like she is thinking?

    I don¡¯t even need to go to another hospital to confirm our suspicions. She is pregnant and that is it.

    I rise from my desk to go to our room where she is alwaysying down like someone who is about to die. I haven¡¯t been able to go to the office either; because I am still mourning and because I want to make sure that she doesn¡¯t do something rash.

    We need to talk. If she doesn¡¯t want the baby, she can tell me. She doesn¡¯t need to hide behind the facade of a fake diagnosis.

    Just before I can get to the door, a knock resounds, making me halt and look towards the door.

    The maids barelye here to disturb me. Before I can think of who it can be, the door slightly opens and Valerie peeps in.

    ¡°Ryan, are you busy?¡± Her hair is disheveled and her eyes are swollen as if she has been crying all day.

    ¡°No¡±, I purse my lips into a thin line as I reply with a shake of the head.

    Shees fully in and closes the door quietly behind her. I was just about to go meet her and here she is but I can¡¯t find my voice. I don¡¯t know what she is thinking but this is definitely one of the moments where I always wish to know what goes on in that big head of hers.

    With her hands sped behind her as she stands, we both remain silent. Her head is bowed but I am staring at her waiting for her to speak up.

    While standing there, she looks really timid and it almost makes meugh. I have never seen her this way and it makes my curiosity go over the edge.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    ¡°Val¡­¡±

    ¡°Ryan¡­¡±

    We both call simultaneously, our eyes meeting. She bites her lower lip in embarrassment and I chuckle and move closer to her.

    The way she calls my name does a lot of unspeakable things to my body. Now, I am realizing just how much she calls my real name and how barely she calls me with sweet names like honey, love, sweetheart, baby, and the rest.

    However, I also love calling her Val too instead of something else. I love her name just as much as I love her.

    Now, I know what is wrong. I can see it in her eyes.

    Fear.

    What exactly she is scared of is what I have no idea about. If she is scared, then it means she believes the baby is there. She doesn¡¯t need to feel pregnant to be pregnant.

    I know someone who has been pregnant for seven months without knowing. She used to work in my office and when the pregnancy got to seven months exactly, she became sick and had to take a leave. When she came back to resume work, she came with the hospital result revealing how far gone she already was.

    She also came to work with her resignation letter. She has been married to her husband for seven years without a child. He was a wealthy man who was ready to go to any length to make her happy.

    To avoid bing desperate, she applied for a job in mypany and got it. Being busy helped in bringing her back to her old self and when she was about to give up on ever having a child of her own, she became pregnant.

    She left the office happily. She had regained her confidence again because of the baby. She was going back to her new life; her established fashion house which she neglected because of her desperation and her career in modeling.

    I was happy for her.

    Now that I think of it, I understand how she must have felt before the arrival of the baby and even after. It must be a joyous one for the spouse.

    That joy should be what Valerie and I should be experiencing. We should be happy and prepared earnestly for the arrival of our baby. This baby is going to change our status. This baby is going to make us parents.

    There is absolutely nothing to be scared about and nothing to be sad about.

    ¡°I¡¯m scared, Ryan¡­¡±

    ¡°I know¡±, I interrupt her, scooping her face in between my palms and caressing them. With two fingers, I tug back the hair falling all over her face. ¡°You have nothing to be scared about, ok?¡±

    She doesn¡¯t nod. She just remains quiet.

    ¡°Do you¡­.¡±

    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t want a baby?¡± Ites out like a question, making me raise my brows and exim in disbelief.

    ¡°What?!¡± My hands fall from her face. ¡°Of course not. I thought you didn¡¯t want the baby.¡±

    Silence ensues. I expect her to tell me she wants the baby. That is the only way we can wee this baby happily into the world. If she doesn¡¯t want the baby, am I to force her to keep it?

    ¡°Of course, I want a baby, Val. Most importantly with you. I want a girl who will look just like you. I want a little you who will always remind me of how lucky I was to have listened to Mom and how you have me hooked to you forever. Is that too much to ask?¡± I hold her two hands while she looks down. ¡°Don¡¯t you want that too?¡±

    She shakes her head and my heart sinks, stirring up a horrible feeling in me.

    She gazes up at me. ¡°I don¡¯t want a baby girl that looks like me. I want a bouncing baby boy that is as calm and good as you, Ryan.¡±

    I perk up at her statement. I wasn¡¯t expecting that. I thought she was about to suggest going for an abortion because she doesn¡¯t want a baby now. I thought she wanted to tell me she can¡¯t go through the pains ofbor and the pains of losing her beautiful shape. These are what women are scared of, right?

    But then, she never ceases to amaze me. My face lights up in happiness and a tear drops from her eyes.

    ¡°Thank you¡±, I say to her as I embrace her tightly. She pushes me away and begins to cry like a baby.

    Instead of hugging her again and consoling her so she can stop crying, I burst intoughter and she stares at me in disbelief.

    ¡°Is that part of the pregnancy hormones?¡± I continue tough as I stare at her crying face.

    ¡°Ryan, I am seriously crying here. Don¡¯t be such a jerk and¡­¡±

    ¡°What a cry baby?!¡± I tease continuously as her tears increase. When it bes serious, I stopughing, bite my lips in regret and take a step further to console her when she shoots to her feet instantly.

    ¡°You are a jerk. You just made me cry. I will tell the baby to hate you.¡±

    It almost makes meugh again but I try so hard to contain it.

    ¡°Come on, I was just trying to make you feel better¡±, I spread my arms around her shoulder to stop her from going out of the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ok?¡±

    She sniffles, wipes her tears with the back of her hand, then nods vigorously like a child who had just been persuaded to do a job for a token.

    ¡°Come here¡±, I pull her into my arms and pat her back slowly. A smell whiffles past my nostril and I try to ignore it until I realize it ising from Valerie.

    I stare in horror at her dirty hair. And I begin to wonder about thest time she washed her hair.

    I dare notin about that right now because I am sure she will resort to crying again. I made her this way so I better ept her this way too.

    Valerie isn¡¯t one to cry so easily but here she is crying all over the ce like a baby. It must be the hormones and it makes me chuckle again unconsciously.

    Disengaging from the hug abruptly, she res at me suspiciously. ¡°Why were youughing?¡±

    Probably figuring out that it must be her scattered hair or her bad outfit, she tries to adjust her clothes and arrange her hair properly. I look down and bite my lips again to stop myself fromughing out loud.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Nothing?¡± I nod. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I nod again. ¡°Look up then.¡±

    I stare up to meet her intense gaze. She searches my eyes to see what exactly I found funny. After a while, she gives up and stares at her t belly.

    Instinctively, I touch her stomach with a smile and she smiles back.

    ¡°I love her already¡±, I mutter with a softugh, as I begin to imagine what the baby will look like.

    ¡°It¡¯s him. I love him already.¡± she points out but I shake my head.

    ¡°I want a girl.¡±

    ¡°I want a boy.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want a boy?¡± I question immediately.

    ¡°Why do you want a girl?¡± she asks back as if expecting the question.

    We remain silent and watch each other before bursting intoughter. When we sober up, she pushes me towards the wall and pins me there with her two hands beside my face, caging me in.

    With a look of disbelief, she utters. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we are going to have a baby from just one night of sex. Is that how easy it is to have a baby?¡±

    I smile.

    This must be the reason why she couldn¡¯t believe she was pregnant. We have been married for almost a year now and we only consummated our marriage once. There was no time for more romance after that night because of all the unforeseen incidents that happened one after the other.

    Now that everything is resolved, we are having a baby. A baby to put an end to our pains and sorrows.

    I catch a glimpse of a mischievous look crossing her face as she winks at me. ¡°What do you think? Should we have more sex, maybe we can have multiple babies since¡­¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I exim with a shortugh.

    As fast as I can, I get out of her caging and run toward my desk.

    And she runs after me.

 CHAPTER 100

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    His lips capture mine as his hands work on my long hair while I cling to him as close as I can because I can¡¯t get enough of him.

    As he kisses the life out of me, a small groan leaves my mouth and suddenly, he pulls away, making me flutter my eyes open.

    With a smile, he caresses my face.

    I concentrate on his expression trying so hard to figure out what he must be thinking.

    I made use here for a good reason and I know he is a little sad about it. Today is the final judgment for Mr. Lorenzo, Anita, Brenda, and Celina. Ryan was getting prepared to go to the court when I suggested we take a day trip here. I wanted to see the mountains and more of nature anding here was the best idea.

    I didn¡¯t want him to go to court to be reminded about the death of his kind Mother. I didn¡¯t want to go either because I don¡¯t want to feel any iota of sympathy for any of those criminals, especially Brenda.

    She must have thought she would get out of this because I am Ryan¡¯s wife. I guess she forgot how hard-hearted I can be, not when she killed an innocent woman who is my Mother-inw.

    I hope they all rot in jail.

    Ryan will not see them nor will he try to show any form of sympathy for the man he has called Father all his life and the girl he called sister who betrayed him.

    I¡¯m doing this for him. Because I want him to leave the past behind us. And be happy.

    I¡¯m sure his Mother would want him to be happy too. I¡¯m sure she wants him to let go of the baggage and the pain of losing her and then live his life as normal.

    Now that I am expecting a child, I wish she got to know this before getting killed. This has always been her dream.

    ¡°You look beautiful today¡±, he mutters with a bright smile.

    I snort and flip my hair sideways. ¡°I¡¯m always beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so confident¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you implying?¡± I retort sharply, darting my eyes back to his. The amusement on his face says it all. He wants to tease me again about my appearance the other day.

    It isn¡¯t my fault. It¡¯s the baby.

    Sometimes, I feel so weak andzy to do a thing while other times, I feel good and full of energy just like today. On days like this, I take extra care in looking good.

    ¡°Nothing¡±, he shakes his head and looks over the mountains. The absence of his touch leaves a cold chill on my face.

    I turn towards the mountain too as we remain in silence. Making sure that his shoulder is touching mine, I begin to think of what to say to cheer him up. He must be thinking about the court¡¯s judgment. I don¡¯t know if he is worried that they won¡¯t get the right sentence or if he is worried the sentence will be too severe.

    That is what they deserve. I am confident they are all going to rot in jail. They will never get to see the light of day anymore.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± I ask, pulling him out of his thoughts. He stares at me for a while before he answers.

    ¡°Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you.¡±

    My heart almost melts at the statement but I won¡¯t fall for it. The way his face breaks into a smile when he sees how much I don¡¯t believe what he just said, my gaze shifts to his lips.

    I love his kisses.

    I love his smell.

    I love his appearance.

    I love his hair.

    I love his eyes.

    In fact, I love everything about him, except of course how gullible he can be sometimes.

    I chuckle inwardly at the thought.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you one bit. I¡¯m sure you are thinking about those criminals right now¡­¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡± he fakes seriousness, with his brows slightly creased.

    Feeling proud of getting it right, I nod. ¡°I know so.¡±

    I want to continue by boasting of how much I know about him and also how I can possibly read through his mind.

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t thinking of that¡±, he points out. ¡°I¡¯m just happy we are going to be parents and I¡¯m happy to have you beside me.¡±

    I fold my arms around my bosom. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I¡¯m just thinking about what we have been through over the months and of course our first meeting. This is indeed epic.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Really,¡± he states confidently, the amusement never leaving his face. ¡°Who would have thought we would be heads over heels in love with each other after 10 months?¡±

    ¡°I never saw thating too¡±, I agree with a smirk, my mind going back to our first meeting and what resulted in my agreement to meet with him.

    It was because of Fred and Brenda.

    For the first time in months, I think more about Fred and I wonder how he is doing. For the first time, I am grateful I didn¡¯t end up with him because I was so sure that if he had proposed to me before I caught him cheating on me with her, I would have screamed a loud YES.

    That never happened. Instead, what happened led me to a different path which made me be Ryan¡¯s wife.

    He is the kindest man ever. He has been so patient with me. Even when I refused to admit my feelings for him, he persisted. He showed me love and tells me how much he loves me every single day.

    Fred was after me for sex. I wonder if he would have dumped me if I had given in to his demands.

    Jerk!

    ¡°What do you say about renewing our vows?¡± His loud voice jerks me back to life, making me flip my eyebrows and watch him in amazement. ¡°It¡¯s been 10 months and I feel like we should do this to make it more real. This way, we can start a new life afresh without faking anything anymore while we wait earnestly for the baby¡¯s arrival. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is necessary, Ryan¡±, I say my mind out without giving it a second thought.

    I don¡¯t know if I am ready to go through that. If he doesn¡¯t consider our marriage as real, I consider it as real the moment we consummated our marriage.

    ¡°I know but I just thought we could do¡­¡±

    ¡°On one condition¡±, I cut him short again, as an idea jumps into my head.

    I¡¯ve always wanted to have an borate wedding. I¡¯ve always wanted to have a wedding in a big hall with a group of bridesmaids in front of me and a little bride.

    If Ryan¡¯s wishes to pass and our baby turns out to be a princess, then she would be our little bride. Ryan can decide to have his little groom as well, I don¡¯t care.

    But if it¡¯s a baby boy like I want, he is going to be my little groom and I will get another baby girl from somewhere.

    Probably rent a little bride. I smirk.

    ¡°What condition?¡± he demands with a serious look on his face.

    ¡°If you want us to renew our vows just because you think the one we had months ago wasn¡¯t real enough¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean¡±, he cuts me short again.

    I ignore him as I continue. ¡°¡­ Then let¡¯s have it on the same day we got married but that will be in two years.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± he exims with his eyes bulging out widely.

    I grin. ¡°Yes. That way, I can use my baby as the little bride or little groom.¡±

    He blinks, looking as though he is trying to take what I just said in. I care less about renewing our vows but if we must do that, then he has to do it the way I want.

    I¡¯m four months gone and in the next five months, our baby will be here. By the time we have the wedding, the baby will be big enough to be our little bride or groom, probably a year and half old.

    I smile in satisfaction, imagining what it will look like if that happens. Suddenly, he grabs my face roughly and ms his warm lips to mine, catching me off-guard. Without giving me a second to get used to his warm lips on mine, he begins to trace the outline of my lips with his tongue before delving it into my mouth for me to open up for him.

    Slowly, he goes down, having I straddle him as Iy above him until his back hits the grass.

    He loves entangling his fingers with my hair and that is what he is doing. This is one of my weaknesses.

    When he does that, he makes me feel overwhelmed and over the edge. It¡¯s just like having him suck on my boobs.

    I decide to take control by biting him softly on his lower lips. Just like I want, a grunt leaves his mouth and his body shakes with immense pleasure while he rides my short dress up with his hand.

    I want to keep assaulting him by biting him again and again but my stomach rumbles at the instant, making my eyes fly open to meet his bulging eyes too.

    Embarrassment fills my expression and I want to sit up to avoid his gaze when he holds me back in ce.

    He knows the meaning of that rumbling sound. He is familiar with it.

    My love for food has increased ten folds since I got to know that I was indeed pregnant. It makes me wonder if I would be reacting this way if I never got to know that there is a baby in me.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

    The symptoms ever since we found out are overwhelming.

    ¡°Hungry?¡± he asks but before I can answer him, my stomach grumbles again and he bursts intoughter.

    I want to hit him forughing at me. I know it isughable because I ate a lot this morning just before we left home and we haven¡¯t spent an hour here yet and my stomach is already rumbling again in hunger.

    I do not hit him. I just continue to watch himugh, expecting him to sober up soon.

    When hisughter does not die down after a minute, I do the only thing I can do to save myself from more embarrassment.

    I take his lips in a searing kiss.

 CHAPTER 101

    THIRTY-EIGHT MONTHS LATER

    Valerie¡¯s POV

    With a frustrated groan, I give up on the dress as I watch myself in the mirror, thinking of what to do about this mess.

    The seamstress should be med for this but I am not in the mood to me anyone at the moment. What I want and need right now is another dress that fits in and can amodate me and my big belly.

    The knock on the door pulls me out of my thoughts and the seamstresses in with another beautiful white dress, making my face light up and my worry vanish into thin air.

    She smiles back at me when she notices the relief on my face.

    My makeup is done.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    My hair is done.

    My shoe is ready.

    My jewelry is on.

    What is left is my white dress.

    Just then, the door opens again as noises fill the air and Ka and Kyle stroll in pushing each other yfully.

    Ka is dressed in a Floral Bow Tulle Ivory Cap-Sleeve Princess Pleated Ball Gown while Kyle is in an Ink Blue Stanford Suit makes me smile broadly.

    My wish and that of Ryan came to pass.

    When I was inbor, I was desperate to get the baby out without bothering about the gender. I was in so much pain to even care whether it was a male or a female. I thought less of my wish then. I just wanted my baby toe out.

    The baby came out and I thought it was time for me to rest, and regain my strength while I watched the nurses clean up the baby but then my legs were spread wide again and I was asked to push.

    I was confused. I didn¡¯t know what was happening.

    Fear jumped into my heart.

    Then my heart skipped a beat and my breathing became ragged until it dawned on me that I was having another baby.

    I was having twins.

    Kyle was the first toe out but I didn¡¯t even know untilter. Ka came out next which made me shed tears of joy and happiness at the sight of the two babies.

    Ever since their birth, I have been so excited about this day.

    I never wished for twins. The thought never crossed my mind but I always wished to have a wedding with a little bride and a little groom.

    My wishes finally came true. It ising true today.

    ¡°Mommy, Ka says she wants to get married too¡±, Kyle¡¯s soft voice jerks me back to life. The seamstress ces the white dress carefully on the bed, far away from the kids so they won¡¯t tamper with it.

    I rest my back on the wooden chair in front of my dresser and fold my arms, looking from Kyle to Ka.

    ¡°Who brought the idea?¡±

    Ka is gentle but Kyle isn¡¯t. I know Ka would never say a thing like that. She is too young for that but Kyle acts way older and loves talking. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with him and who put such an idea in him.

    They are too young for this.

    ¡°Not me, Mommy¡±, she replies sweetly, then smiles at me.

    The door opens again and the head maides in. ¡°I have been looking all around for you guys. Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ka and Kyle turn back and follow her out, giving me room to go back to my dress. I examine it from the bed and nod in satisfaction.

    ¡°This will do.¡±

    ****

    Ryan¡¯s POV

    Nervous is an understatement of how I feel. This isn¡¯t the first time Valerie and I are doing this but it feels like the first time. It feels like this is what will determine our forever after. It feels like a dream too and I can barely think of anything else other than to get this done with.

    ¡°Hey, rx man¡±, Richard chuckles as he throws a Rolex wristwatch at me. I catch it and heave a deep sigh of relief.

    This isn¡¯t a big deal, I remind myself. This isn¡¯t a big deal.

    We are renewing our vows and this is what makes it a big deal to me.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± he shouts from outside the curtains.

    Still fixing the wristwatch on my wrist, I nod intermittently and exhale deeply.

    He ps his hand as a signal for me toe out. I take a quick step further and another until I am outside where my groomsmen are lined up waiting for me.

    They are all dressed in ck suits while I am wearing a three piece Blue Wedding Suit.

    The piano begins to y and I don¡¯t have time to process everything when Richard announces that the bride is here and we need to get into the hall before her.

    With Richard¡¯s orders, I take long strides toward the lined-up men and stand in front of them before we begin to make our entrance into the big event hall.

    We are weed with a standing ovation and it makes my heart swell with joy because I am happy and my eyes filled with tears because I wish Mother was here.

    Suddenly, Kyle appears in front of me as the little groom and I almostugh out loud. He takes a long confident stride towards the podium as if he knows what exactly he is doing or as if he has done this before.

    The announcement of the bride¡¯s arrival fills the air as I take my position on the left side of the podium, waiting eagerly for my bride to appear.

    With my hands sped behind me, Ipose myself and wait until another round of apuse fills the air.

    The song changes into a slow one and it takes a lot of courage for me to look sideways to catch a glimpse of her.

    The veil is covering her beautiful face and her right hand is entwined with her Father¡¯s. A bouquet is on her left hand as they both take slow steps toward us with our little bride in front of her and a long line of bridesmaids behind her.

    Richard is my distant cousin. We got to know each other after the news of Mom¡¯s death reached the ears of her rtives.

    I knew him from childhood but I forgot all about him when I became an adult because they no longer visited us. I became friends with his friends and acquaintances and his fiancee is Valerie¡¯s maid of honor.

    Her friends are Valerie¡¯s bridesmaids.

    Her father helps her to the podium and I blink to be sure this isn¡¯t a dream. She smiles at me and I know instantly that it¡¯s real.

    Even though we already have two kids and another oneing, I still want us to go through this. I want us to be together forever till death do us part and this renewal is the only assurance that my wish for us to be together till old age wille to pass.

    I never want to leave her side. I never want to argue with her till it bes heated and we have to ignore each other. I just want to bicker words with her till I end up shutting her up with a hot kiss.

    I just want to trust her with everything that I have. I want to sleep next to her every day of my life without the fear that she would be gone the next minute.

    I want her to bear me more kids so we will have lots of children running around the house like Mother would say.

    I want us to never stop loving each other. I want to be attracted to her forever. I want to kiss her and have a feel of her body on me all the days of our life.

    Most importantly, I want her to be the only one I have sex with till the very end.

    As we exchange vows, my eyes do not leave her because she looks more beautiful today with her gorgeous dress and big bump.

    When she slips the ring on my finger, it dawns on me that this woman before me is mine.

    She has always been MINE.

    And will forever be MINE.

    ¡°You may now kiss the bride¡±, the priest says, pulling me out of my reverie.

    I didn¡¯t hear anything else but the word KISS rings a bell in my ears and I move close to her. I take off the transparent veil hiding her face and my mouth is about to touch hers when she lets out a loud gasp.

    My eyes widen in fear. I watch her look down to see water soaking her white dress and I panicked.

    ¡°Ryan¡±, she mutters softly, ¡°My water just broke.¡±

    Cold shivers run down my spine, then a jolt of excitement that the baby ising today. Just before I can do a thing, she lets out a piercing scream and I quickly grab her so she won¡¯t fall down.

    ¡°The baby ising!¡±, I shout, focusing on Richard. ¡°Get the car!¡±

    The crowd is in an uproar and I am sure half of this audience will follow us to the hospital to wee the baby that came on our anniversary day and vow renewal day.

    If only Mother was here, it would have been so perfect.

    ¡°My water broke. My water broke. My water broke.¡± she continues to say as I help her to stand up straight while Richard¡¯s fiancee untangles the transparent veil attached to the down part of her dress.

    Carefully, we help her out of the hall and into the car. Richard takes the wheel and his fiancee gets into the seat beside it.

    Valerie isying at the back of the car so I get in and close the door only to receive a hot p from her.

    ¡°My water just broke, Ryan!¡± She screams but I can¡¯t find my voice until Richard and his girl burst intoughter while Valerie continues to scream and repeat the same statement about her water breaking over and over again, making me remember the same kind of drama she exhibited when she wanted to have our first babies.

    This is what it means to be a husband and a father, right?

    I hold her hand tightly to assure her that everything will be fine as I smile at myself.

    And I endure the pain thates with the p.

    THE END.

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